RTHK: Omicron 'biggest current threat' to world health: G7

The G7 on Thursday called the Omicron variant the "biggest current threat to global public health", saying its emergence meant it was "more important than ever" for countries to "closely cooperate".

"Deeply concerned by the rise in cases, ministers agreed that these developments should be seen as the biggest current threat to global public health," Britain, which is currently chair of the group, said in a statement.

"It is more important than ever to closely cooperate, and monitor as well as share data," it added.

The G7 health ministers earlier held their final meeting hosted by Britain, which has seen spiralling case rates over recent days, registering record numbers on Thursday.

The ministers focussed on global access to diagnostics, genome sequencing, vaccines and therapeutics in a bid to combat its spread.

"They also agreed on the increasing importance of booster campaigns and regular testing alongside continued non-pharmaceutical measures," the statement said.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden warned on Thursday that the Omicron variant will "start to spread much more rapidly" in the United States and urged Americans to get vaccinated or boosted.

"The only real protection is to get your shot," he said. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-12-16. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
RTHK: One dead as powerful typhoon batters the Philippines

The strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year uprooted trees, toppled power lines and flooded villages as it barrelled across the archipelago on Friday, leaving at least one person dead.

More than 300,000 people fled their homes and beachfront resorts as Typhoon Rai pummelled the southern and central regions of the country, knocking out communications in some areas and tearing roofs off buildings.

Rai was a super typhoon when it slammed into Siargao Island on Thursday, packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometres an hour. By Friday, wind speeds had eased to 155 kilometres an hour, the state weather forecaster said.

"We are seeing people walking in the streets, many of them shell-shocked," ABS-CBN correspondent Dennis Datu reported from the hard-hit city of Surigao on the southern island of Mindanao.

"All buildings sustained heavy damage, including the provincial disaster office. It looks like it's been hit by a bomb."

Datu said the main roads leading into the coastal city had been cut off by landslides, fallen trees and toppled power poles.

The national disaster agency confirmed one person had been killed and two others injured in the storm, which was heading towards the popular tourist destination of Palawan island.

More than 300,000 people had sought emergency shelter as the typhoon charged across the Pacific Ocean and smashed into the country, the agency said. About 18,000 had yet to return home.

Surigao City Mayor Ernesto Matugas told ABS-CBN that Rai ravaged the city of around 170,000 people for several hours, causing "severe" damage.

"The wind was very strong," Matugas said.

"Everything sustained damage -- roofs blown off, access roads blocked by landslides."

Scores of flights were cancelled across the country and dozens of ports temporarily closed as the weather bureau warned several-metre-high storm surges could cause "life-threatening flooding" in low-lying coastal areas.

"The devastation is hard to explain," said Joel Darunday, 37, a tour operator in the central island province of Bohol, who was hunkered down at home with his family when the storm ripped off the roof.

"It was very strong. The last time I experienced something like this was back in the 1980s."

People in the central city of Cebu cleared fallen trees, branches and debris from roads as clean-up efforts got under way.

Verified photos taken in nearby Lapu-Lapu city showed roadside buildings flattened by the storm, while sheets of corrugated iron roofing and branches littered streets.

A building and gym belonging to the Philippine Red Cross in the central province of Southern Leyte were badly damaged, with part of the roof torn off, photos posted by the organisation on Twitter showed.

Rai, locally named Odette, is hitting the Philippines late in the typhoon season, with most cyclones developing between July and October. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-12-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Police urged to root out violent crime

Police Minister General Bheki Cele has urged police to utilise use all available resources at their disposal to root out violent crime, which is anticipated to increase during the festive season.

The Minister made the call during the Gauteng leg of the Safer Festive Season Inspection Tour in Kagiso, West Rand, on Thursday.

Police in the district -- accompanied by Cele, Police Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale and National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole -- were out in full force stamping the authority of the State in Gauteng. They monitored heightened crime prevention and combatting police operations activated for the festive period.

The ministry in a statement said the increase in illegal mining in the West Rand was setting back the countrys economy by billions of rands, and claiming lives through underground wars.

The SAPS management in the province has assured the ministry that an operational plan to shift resources to counter this kind of criminality is in place and gaining momentum, police said.

Cele called on police to act swiftly on illegal mining, and make arrests and seize the firearms used in eliminating competition in the fight over stolen minerals.

Cele has also called on police to have a zero tolerance approach to those who harm women and children and those who are terrorising communities.

Cash-in-transit heists, car-jackings and home invasions remain some of the crimes most feared by South Africans, and we know there will be increased attempts of these types of crime during this holiday season.

This is why Gauteng police are shifting resources to counter these violent acts. Each day officers must, through their actions, send a strong message to criminals that these callous acts dont have space in our society, Cele said.

The Minister urged police to go into the festive season with caution and agility.

Police must use all available resources at their disposal to root out violent crime in communities and intercept would-be gangs or anyone with the intent to create lawlessness.

Going into the peak of the festive season, officers must be mindful that they are mandated by the law to protect lives and property, at all costs.

The Police Ministry assured that interventions in place by the SAPS in Gauteng will contribute towards a safe festive season for all those in the countrys economic hub.

The Safer Festive Season Inspection Tour continues on Friday in the Free State.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Over two million J&J vaccine doses to be donated to Africa

The South African government, through the African Renaissance Fund (ARF), has signed an agreement with the African Vaccination Acquisition Trust (AVAT) to donate 2 030 400 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, valued at R288.6 million, to African countries.

AVAT was formed following the establishment of the African Unions COVID-19 African Vaccination Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) in November 2020 by President Cyril Ramaphosa, as the then Chairperson of the AU.

In a joint statement issued on Friday, the South African government and AVAT said the main purpose of the task team is to secure the necessary vaccines and financing resources for achieving Africas COVID-19 vaccination strategy, which targets vaccinating a minimum of 60% of the continents population.

The donation by the South African government will be produced at the Aspen manufacturing plant in Gqeberha, operated by Aspen Pharma.

The vaccine will be made available to African countries through the African Medical Suppliers Platform (AMSP) over the next year.

The donation embodies South Africas solidarity with our brothers and sisters on the continent, with whom we are united in fighting an unprecedented threat to public health and economic prosperity.

The only way in which we can prevent COVID-19 transmission and protect economies and societies on our continent, is to successfully immunise a critical mass of the African population with safe and effective vaccines, President Ramaphosa said.

International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, said while serving as Chair of the African Union, South Africa had initiated a coordinated African response that focused on addressing immediate challenges to public health systems, and mitigating the economic and humanitarian crisis arising from the pandemic.

This includes the establishment of a COVID-19 Response Fund and the launch of the African Medical Supplies Platform to ensure all countries have access to the necessary equipment and supplies.

African Union Special Envoy, Strive Masiyiwa, said this generous donation from the people of South Africa would be distributed directly to the lowest income member States as quickly as possible.

As AVAT, we have already received and distributed over 100 million doses of donated vaccines, most of which came as a result of President Ramaphosas tireless efforts with the richest nations like the United States, EU and France.

In addition, AVAT has entered into direct purchase of over 500 million doses, mostly produced in South Africa, Masiyiwa said.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Concern at Eastern Cape initiation deaths

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has expressed deep sadness at the death of 23 initiates in the Eastern Cape.

According to media reports, the deaths occurred at both registered and illegal initiation schools. The figure was an increase from the 14 deaths recorded in the same period in 2020.

In a statement, the Minister said initiation is a noble African custom that represents a rite of passage into adulthood that should be characterised by celebrations, not sorrow.

She said initiation schools played an important role in cultural heritage, and as such, must at all material times be institutions of cultural preservation and pride.

The practice of initiation is an age-old practice that has been conducted safely for many years. Collaboratively as society and government, we must ensure that the lives of initiates are safeguarded as they participate in this noble customary practice.

This calamity comes at a time when the country is confronted with surging numbers of COVID-19 infections attributed to the Omicron variant, which requires everyone to remain cautious and observe all health protocols, she said on Wednesday.

Dlamini Zuma said the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities will convene stakeholders in an effort to save lives and to avert further casualties in initiation schools.

CoGTA will monitor developments and work with other stakeholders and role players involved with this important traditional practice in an effort to save lives, she said.

The Minister called upon all role players, especially the custodians of cultural practices working with health practitioners, to put in place the necessary preventative measures to avoid further casualties.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Caution urged for communities near Komati River

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has warned the communities next to Komati River to be extra cautious, as water levels at Maguga Dam in Eswatini may increase due to dam overflowing and spilling caused by continuous rainfall.

Department spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said Maguga Dam is on the Komati River, but it is in the Kingdom of Eswatini and therefore under the care of the government of Eswatini.

As part of the shared watercourse between Eswatini and South Africa, namely Komati River, it is a point of interest for the country. On the South African side, the Vygeboom Dam recorded a 102.1% and is also spilling, but not flooding.

This information is shared to ensure continued vigilance by all and to also say that the spillage at the dam is allowed as a means of managing dams, and ensuring safety of such infrastructure. Dam spillage does not imply flooding and therefore there is no need for panic, Ratau said.

The department has encouraged the public and communities to prevent unnecessary loss of precious human lives and properties by not crossing flooded bridges and rivers, and to also move to higher ground away from flooded rivers and streams.

The department also encouraged the public to avoid building along and below flood lines and close to dams to prevent being swept away during heavy downpours.

Flood lines are there for a reason, mainly to protect people and properties and save lives, so it is critical to observe and respect flood lines. Better be safe than sorry, Ratau said.

He reiterated that South Africa is a semi-arid and water scarce country, and urged communities to make good use of falling rain by harvesting rainwater.

Water has no substitute, therefore let us all be responsible water users and make every precious drop count.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Coega SEZ holds successful talks with EU

The European Union says it is looking forward to exploring further areas of collaboration with the Coega Development Corporation in the future, specifically around green hydrogen.

The European Union is impressed by the operations and opportunities for investors at the Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ), European Union Delegation to South Africa Head of Trade and Economics, Roberto Cecutti, said on Thursday.

Representatives from the Trade and Economics Section of the Delegation of the European Union to South Africa and the European Investment Bank recently visited the Coega SEZ to explore opportunities for further trade and investment collaboration

Our visit focused primarily around understanding these operations and opportunities, noting the proximity to the port and impressive infrastructure within the zone, Cecutti said.

The delegation set out to learn more about the work of the Coega SEZ, current investors  with a focus on European investors  and shared their priorities in South Africa with the Coega SEZ management.

The delegation was taken through Coega SEZ operations and its activities in the emerging sector of green hydrogen, followed by a tour of the SEZ, including the Nelson Mandela Bay Logistics Park.

Coega is a leading SEZ in Africa and preferred investment destination and gateway to African and world markets.

It is the largest and most successful SEZ in South Africa, and winner of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) Investor of the Year Award 2019.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Damage at Free State marking centre will not impact release of matric results

The Department of Basic Education says it is confident that the damage caused by storm at a marking centre in Thaba Nchu, Free State, will not impact adversely on the finalisation and release of results in the province.

A storm, followed by hail, hit part of the province and affected a marking centre. The roof was blown away, while marking was in progress on Wednesday.

The marking centre is situated at Albert Moroka High School, where Accounting Paper 2 and Business Studies Paper 2 were being marked.

Marking at the centre commenced on 8 December and was scheduled to conclude on 22 December 2021.

There are 112 markers at the marking centre.

Chief Director for Public Examinations and Assessments at the department, Dr Rufus Poliah, said markers ran for cover as the storm pounded the venue where the scripts were being processed.

One marker was slightly injured, while the rest escaped unscathed, Poliah said.

He said initial reports indicate that some of the scripts were damaged in the hail that followed.

"A high-powered delegation consisting of senior officials from the DBE and Umalusi will be visiting the marking centre. We appeal for calm at this stage, while we establish the extent of the damage.

We are working as fast as possible to resolve the matter, but we can assure the candidates that nobody will be disadvantaged as a result of this natural disaster."

Poliah said the department is working together with the Free State Education Department and Umalusi to ensure that marking at the centre is restored, and that the marking credibility and integrity is intact.

Poliah said the department will relocate marking to another location as soon as possible.

We thank all our colleagues on the scene for working hard to ensure that everybody is safe. We will provide counselling to members of the marking team following the trauma and shock of the events that threatened their lives.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: 'Jab before you jive,' urges Minister of Health

Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has urged people to take the COVID-19 jab in their numbers during the festive season after announcing that vaccination sites will remain open over the holiday period.

We also call upon South Africans to celebrate this festive season with a lot of caution, especially with regard to alcohol consumption, Phaahla said on Friday.

Our health facilities are already under a lot of pressure with the COVID-19 as we indicated a 70% rise in admissions and were least ready to handle large numbers of casualties, from motor vehicle accidents and also interpersonal violence.

He told the media that healthcare workers are physically and emotionally exhausted after nearly two years into the pandemic.

So we plead to think of them as we celebrate this festive season, he said.

On behalf of the people of our country express our gratitude to all our health workers who continue to sacrifice their own lives and those of their families and their lives while caring for all of us.

He said citizens should honour frontline workers by ensuring they celebrate the festive season responsibly and by getting the jab.

The Minister expressed dismay about the drastic decline in the uptake of vaccination, especially in the last seven to 10 days. There was an uptick immediately after the announcement of the new variant, but the numbers have gone down quite drastically.

On average, the department has been administering between 100 000 and 130 000 during midweek. According to Phaahla, this was a far cry from the target to reach at least over 250 000 people per day.

We are well short of vaccine coverage for us to reach population immunity and protect the nation.

He also warned that COVID-19 remains very active, as the number of new infections and hospitalisations continues to rise.

On Thursday, the country recorded over 24 000 new COVID-19 cases..

Once again, Phaahla said a reliable weapon against COVID-19 is the lifesaving jab.

Many of us will be moving from places of work in the cities to our rural places and holiday destinations. We'll be celebrating Christmas and New Year with relatives and friends who will be travelling for many hours in private cars, taxis, buses, trains and airplanes.

He has called on holidaymakers to adhere to health and safety measures as they travel.

Above all precautions, we should get our jab before we go on jolling and jab before you jive and ensure that were fully vaccinated.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, there is an increasing number of new daily infections and positivity rate in all provinces, except Gauteng.

NICDs Head of Public Health Surveillance and Response, Dr Michelle Groome said Omicron was the dominant strain in November.

Theres also an increase in hospitalisations in all provinces, she said, adding that there has been a peak in deaths in all provinces but in the Northern Cape and Western Cape.

Regardless of the variant, Groome said vaccination, mask-wearing, social distancing and limiting large gatherings would curb the spread of the virus.  SAnews.gov.za

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Hong Kong: Insurance Authority chair appointed

The Chief Executive today appointed Stephen Yiu as Chairman and 12 other individuals as non-executive directors (NEDs) of the Insurance Authority (IA) for a term of three years from December 28.

Mr Yius appointment was made pursuant to the Insurance Ordinance, the Government said.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan said Mr Yiu has extensive experience in auditing listed and large corporations, and has good knowledge of both the Mainland and Hong Kong markets. Mr Yiu also participates actively in public services, and is well versed with regulatory and market development issues in the financial services sectors.

He has contributed positively to the IAs work since his appointment as an NED of the IA in December 2015.

I am confident that under his leadership, the IA will continue to maintain market stability and protect the interests of policyholders, while promoting the competitiveness of Hong Kongs insurance industry in the global arena.

At the same time, the Financial Secretary expressed appreciation to outgoing Chairman Moses Cheng.

Over the past six years, Mr Cheng, as the inaugural Chairman, has made tremendous contributions to the establishment of the IA and its smooth transition to a full-fledged independent insurance regulator. His contributions will bring long-term benefits to the sustainable development of Hong Kongs insurance industry.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive has appointed eight new IA NEDs, who are Ivy Cheung, Evelyn Lam, Lam Wai-kong, Ares Leung, Terry Lo, Derrick Pang, Anson Wong and Kenneth Wong.

Four incumbent NEDs Clement Chen, Agnes Choi, Theresa Ng and Prof Anna Wong have been reappointed.

The Financial Secretary said: The IA will comprise distinguished members from different sectors of the community. The diversified membership will enable the IA to better respond to community needs while contributing to the development of Hong Kong as an international risk management centre.

He expressed his gratitude to the other six outgoing NEDs Samuel Chan, Prof Chan Wai-sum, Chitty Cheung, Kenneth Kwok, Ma Ho-fai and James Wong for their dedicated services during their terms of office.

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Hong Kong: Foreign relations session held

Chief Executive Carrie Lam and about 400 senior officials today attended a thematic briefing session on International Landscape & Chinas Foreign Relations in 2021 held by the Civil Service College.

The college organised the session jointly with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (OCMFA) in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Addressing the assembly, Mrs Lam said it is important for the officials attending, as members of the Hong Kong SARs governing team, to better understand the countrys history, foreign policy and latest developments as well as the evolving international landscape, and to consciously safeguard national security and interests in their day-to-day work.

She said she hoped that colleagues could acquire more relevant knowledge and broaden their horizons through the session.

She also thanked the OCMFA for its great support to the Hong Kong SAR by actively running and participating in different kinds of activities.

As stated in the Policy Address Supplement this year, the Civil Service Bureau will collaborate closely with the OCMFA to enhance training for civil servants in learning more about the countrys foreign affairs, so as to deepen their understanding of the international scene and the country's positioning.

This will enable them to act in better concert with the countrys foreign affairs policy in handling the relevant work areas.

To this end, the Civil Service College will launch together with the OCMFA a series of talks next year covering different topics on the countrys foreign affairs. The session today heralded such talks.

Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip said during the session that the Civil Service College, which was newly established on December 9, will provide various training programmes for civil servants to reinforce their sense of national identity and deepen their capability for broad and strategic thinking.

Such programmes aim to nurture more talents in governance, promoting with full steam Hong Kongs integration into the national development and working together to build a better future for the city, he added.

Apart from civil service training, the first batch of five young public officers has been sent to work in the capacity of Chinese personnel in different agencies of the United Nations under the UN Junior Professional Officer Programme.

The Hong Kong SAR Government is now making preparations to send the second batch of officers.

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RTHK: UN council to probe abuses in Ethiopia conflict

The top UN rights body agreed on Friday to send international investigators to conflict-hit Ethiopia amid warnings of looming generalised violence, in a move slammed by Addis Ababa.

Following an emergency meeting, the 47-member UN Human Rights Council narrowly voted in favour of ordering the probe into a wide range of alleged violations by all sides in Ethiopia's 13-month conflict.

Ethiopia had strenuously objected to the special session and the resolution, with Ambassador Zenebe Kebede saying ahead of the vote that the council was "being used as an instrument of political pressure" and had been "hijacked by a neo-colonialist mentality".

The council decision came after the UN and dozens of countries took the floor to voice alarm at alleged atrocities, including mass killings and sexual violence, since the conflict erupted in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region in November 2020.

The conflict has left thousands dead, displaced more than two million people and pushed hundreds of thousands to the brink of famine, according to the UN.

Deputy UN rights chief Nada al-Nashif on Friday expressed concern at growing hate speech and incitement to violence, saying the conflict could "escalate into generalised violence".

This, she said, would have "major implications, not only for millions of people in Ethiopia, but also across the region".

The EU, which had requested Friday's special council session, warned that abuses were being committed "in an alarming scale".

"It is essential that perpetrators are held accountable in an independent, transparent and impartial manner," Lotte Knudsen, the EU ambassador in Geneva, said Friday.

The resolution called for the creation of "an international commission of human rights experts on Ethiopia", made up of three experts with a renewable one-year mandate.

They will be asked, among other things, to investigate alleged violations and "collect and preserve evidence, to identify those responsible, where possible... in support of ongoing and future accountability efforts". (AFP)

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SOCIETY Mai Chau district: Activating the highest measures to respond and prevent Covid-19 pandemics

(HBO)  "After detecting a positive case with SARS-CoV-2 virus in the community, the district has immediately activated the scenarios, the response measures to control and prevent COVID-19 pandemics in the community. In particular, a special working group controlling and preventing COVID-19 in two communes, Hang Kia and Pa Co, has been established. The group is led and dirrected by the Vice Chairman of the Districts People's Committee- said Mr. Nguyen Van Lam, the Chairman of the Districts People's Committee, the Head of the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Mai Chau district.









The functional forces of Mai Chau town (Mai Chau) have set up a checkpoint preventing and controlling Covid-19 pandemics in the area adjacent to Na Phon commune.

According to the district's Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, by 4 p.m. on December 13th, there have been 16 cases in the district with the positive PCR test results for SARS-CoV-2 virus, most of which are related to the outbreak in Pa Co commune. In addition, the 2 remaining cases are the patients 1417904 and 1417905, who are mother and daughter in Chieng Sai, Mai Chau town with the epidemiological factors from Hanoi. They came back there on November 28th. On December 12th, the patient 1417094 suffered from fever with 38 degrees, sore throat, body aches, so she went to the districts health center for a quick test, and the result was positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus. The districts health center took a quick test sample to screen the whole family, and the son, the patient BN1417905 also had a positive rapid test result for SARS-CoV-2 virus. They took RT-PCR test samples with the positive result for SARS-CoV-2 virus. Along with the timely detection of F0 cases, the district has focused on tracing, zoning, and isolating F1 cases.

Mr. Pham Van Hoan, the Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee said: The number of the cases detected in the area has not yet been identified the source of infection. The new cases have mainly spread from the outbreak in Pa Co commune. Directing and responding to epidemics have been paid attention to at the highest level according to the developed scenario and deployed to the localities throughout the district with the aim of quickly tracing, zoning, and isolating in a timely manner so that the pandemics do not spread in the community. The district has determined to promote well the role of Covid-19 groups in community and self-management groups in monitoring, supervising and supporting the households to prevent and controll Covid-19 right from the grassroots level.

As the central area of the disstrict, by 4 p.m. on December 14th, there have been 4 cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus and 116 F1 in Mai Chau town. Immediately after detecting the positive cases, the town's Steering Committee for Covid-19 has urgently activated the response measures to preevnt and control the pandemics: tracing, zoning, isolating and organizing quick tests for F1 cases. Ms. Ha Thi Vinh, the Chairman of Mai Chau town's People's Committee said: Following the direction of the districts People's Committee and the districts Steering Committee we have urgently put 4 positive cases of Covid-19 into the isolation and treatment facilities and 116 F1 cases have been traced. Due to the large number of F1, the town has been proactively and flexibly screened the subjects to carry out isolation at home. The rest number has been in the concentrated isolation areas for monitoring according to the regulations.

Although there have been no F0 cases detected, Chieng Chau commune has also been identified as a high-risk area for spreading the disease in the community, when on December 7th in Sai Khao village, an F0 case of Tong Dau commune attended KGBs birthday party, and this F0 case had a close contact with 32 people. In addition, 10 F1 cases have been in a close contact with F0 cases in Mai Chau town, Tong Dau commune, Na Phon. Facing with that situation, the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control has mobilized the forces to zoning and isolating F1s. According to Major Ha Cong Quyet, the Chief of Public Security of Chieng Chau Commune, in addition to promoting propaganda on preventing and controlling the pandemics, the Communal Steering Committee has assigned the forces to set up the checkpoints for Covid-19 prevention and control in Sai Khao hamlet to control the people entering and leaving the locality. The control, zoning, organization of rapid tests, sampling of F1s are well being done.

In spite of the complicated developments of the pandemics, according to Mr. Pham Van Hoan, the Vice Chairman of the Districts People's Committee, the district has still been well leading, operating and directing drastically and effectively in the localities, focusing on carrying out COVID-19 prevention work. "Due to the preparation in advance, when the pandemics occurs, Mai Chau is still stable, the people's psychology is not disturbed. Because of being propagated throughout the epidemics, understanding the danger of the epidemics, the peoples consciousness about preventing and controlling the pandemics has been serious. Along with that, the district has received the effective and active support from the provincial health agencies. This is the basis for the district to well and effectively perform the epimemics prevention and controll and the epidemic suppression  Mr. Pham Van Hoan, the Vice Chairman of the Districts People's Committee emphasized.
NA Chairman holds talks with Indian lower house leader

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue held talks with Speaker of the Lok Sabha (House of Representatives) of India Om Birla on December 16 during his official visit to India.













NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (front row, fourth right) and Indian lower house speaker Om Birla at the talks (Photo: VNA)

At the talks, the Indian lower house leader hailed the significance of NA Chairman Hues visit as the two countries mark the 50th anniversary of their friendship and five years of their comprehensive strategic partnership.



He said the visit provides an opportunity for high-ranking leaders of the two countries to discuss measures to further deepen their multi-faceted relations.



He affirmed that Vietnam has a leading important role in Indias Act East Policy, and is a key partner in the Indo-Pacific vision of India.



The Vietnamese NA Chairman affirmed that Vietnam always considers India a reliable close friend, and expressed his joy at the strong development of the five-year comprehensive strategic partnership in all fields, particularly politics-diplomacy, defence-security, trade, culture and people-to-people exchange.



He proposed that the two countries continue to work closely together to implement the plan of actions for 2021-2023, thus bringing practical benefits to the Governments and people of both countries.



Hue took the occasion to thank India for its valuable support for Vietnam in the COVID-19 fight, particularly the provision of medical supplies during the fourth resurgence of the pandemic in Vietnam. He asked India to continue cooperating with Vietnam in transferring vaccine production technology.



The NA Chairman welcomed Indian enterprises investment in Vietnam in fields of Indias strength such as manufacturing-processing, automobile support industry, information and communication technology, and energy and renewable energy.



He suggested that the law-making bodies of both countries bring into full play their role in promoting bilateral ties, and enhance cooperation and experience sharing in building institutions and fine-tuning the legal system. He informed the host that the 15th National Assembly of Vietnam has established a Vietnam-India Friendship Parliamentarians Group.



The two legislative leaders agreed to coordinate to well organize practical and meaningful activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the two countries diplomatic relationship in 2022.



They assessed that defence-security cooperation continues to be among important pillars of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, which reflects the high level of trust between the two countries.



They showed joy at the rapid growth of bilateral trade at nearly 20 percent a year over the past five years to top 12 billion USD this year, toward the goal of 15 billion USD a year. They agreed to expand cooperation in such fields as energy, science-technology, sustainable development, green economy and climate change response.



The two sides shared the need to early resume direct air services between the two countries and recognize each others vaccine passports in order to enhance exchanges between their people. They discussed measures to strengthen ties in culture, tourism, people to people exchange, natural resources and the environment, justice and finance.



The two legislative leaders showed delight at the close coordination and mutual support between the two countries at regional and international forums, UN agencies, the Non-aligned Movement and the UN Security Council, especially in 2021 when both countries are non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.



They affirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, and maritime and aviation safety and freedom in the East Sea, while reiterating support for promoting dialogue, trust building, self-restraint, and the settlement of disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.



They also proposed increasing cooperative activities between the two parliaments in both bilateral framework and multilateral forums.



NA Chairman Hue invited the Speaker of the Lok Sabha of India to visit Vietnam at a convenient time, and the latter accepted the invitation with pleasure.



Earlier the same day, NA Chairman Hue and the Vietnamese NA delegation visited the Parliament House and the Ho Chi Minh Marg in New Delhi. They also laid flowers in tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at the Raj Ghat memorial./.
Deputy PM requests faster treatment for Covid-19 patients

Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam has said the Ministry of Health needs to immediately resolve reports that many Covid-19 patients haven't received proper treatment.













Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam



Speaking at an online meeting with representatives from 63 provinces and cities nationwide on Covid-19 pandemic, PM Vu Duc Dam raised concerns over the threat of the new variant Omicron which has spread to many countries in the region including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines.



"Due to its quick spread, we have to be very careful. As the country is facing a resurgence in Covid-19, we have asked the Ministry of Health to quickly resolve some problems relating to the treatment for patients, he warned.



"The Ministry of Health reported that they had allocated enough anti-virus Molnupiravir and Favipiravir drugs for localities so that all Covid-19 patients can get the drugs right after having a positive result," he said. "However, healthcare centres and the media have reported that many patients hadn't been provided with the drugs. The Ministry of Health needs to speed up the licence granting procedures for producing this drug so that all patients can get it easily."



The deputy PM also said that Covid-19 patients should get access to treatment right after showing a positive result using the quick testing method, instead of waiting for a confirmation result from the Real-time RT-PCR method as currently defined by the Ministry of Health.



"Due to the rise in the number of patients, sometimes it takes several days to have those confirmation results using the Realtime RT-PCR method," he explained. "It maybe too late if the disease develops quickly in some cases. So I think that the ministry should revise the regulation so that patients can get treatment as soon as possible."



Vietnam has reported a surge in the number Covid-19 infections with 15,270 new patients confirmed on Thursday. Many localities including Hanoi and HCM City have had to prepare more facilities and equipment to deal with the rising number of patients.
Xi's high expectations for closer, stronger China-Russia partnership

Xinhua) 08:06, December 17, 2021

Constructors work at the construction site of the China-Russia Tongjiang-Nizhneleninskoye cross-border railway bridge, Aug. 17, 2021.(Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday afternoon met with Russian President Vladimir Putin via video link -- their second virtual meeting this year and their 37th meeting since 2013.

Xi attaches great significance to China-Russia practical cooperation and the development of the two countries' relations. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has become even closer, stronger and more mature.

On various occasions in 2021, Xi stressed the importance of China-Russia cooperation in various fields, and called on the two sides to make more efforts in pushing for a continuous and high-quality development of bilateral ties.

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a virtual meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

Dec. 15

During the virtual meeting, Xi said the two countries should strengthen their joint pandemic response, in areas such as COVID-19 testing as well as vaccine and drug R&D.

The two sides need to build on their traditional energy cooperation, pursue more cooperation in new energy, advance the cooperation package in nuclear energy, and explore new cooperation areas such as renewable energy, he added.

Xi said China will enhance communication and coordination with Russia to encourage the international community to take the right view on democracy and defend the legitimate democratic rights of all countries.

Dec. 1

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), sent a congratulatory message to the United Russia party on the 20th anniversary of its founding.

In the message, Xi said the CPC cherishes its friendship with the United Russia party, and hopes that the two parties will continue to strengthen institutionalized exchanges and cooperation, and contribute wisdom and strength to lifting China-Russia relations in the new era to higher levels and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

A Chinese worker and a Russian worker communicate with each other as they walk in a construction site where Units 7 and 8 of the Tianwan nuclear power plant are about to be built, in Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province, May 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Lu Huadong)

Nov. 29

Xi and Putin respectively sent congratulatory letters to the third China-Russia Energy Business Forum.

In his letter, Xi said the remarkable achievements in bilateral energy cooperation have demonstrated the broad potential of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

China, he said, is ready to work with Russia to forge a closer partnership for energy cooperation, and jointly safeguard energy security and tackle the challenge of global climate change.

Nov. 26

Xi and Putin sent congratulatory letters to the closing ceremony of the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation.

In his letter, Xi said it has been proved that China-Russia cooperation in scientific and technological innovation has great potential and a broad prospect.

He called on the two sides to uphold the concept of enduring friendship and win-win cooperation, and push forward cooperation in various fields in a practical manner.

A model plane is on display at the Russia pavilion during the second China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

Aug. 25

Xi held a phone conversation with Putin, in which Xi said as comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era, China and Russia should deepen cooperation against interference and firmly hold their respective national future in their own hands.

He said that China firmly supports Russia in pursuing a development path that suits its national conditions, and firmly supports Russia's measures to safeguard its national sovereignty and security.

June 28

During talks between the two heads of state via video link, Xi and Putin issued a joint statement, officially deciding to extend the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.

In their talks, Xi referred to the current China-Russia ties as "mature, stable and solid" and able to "withstand the test of any change in the international situation."

He called on the two sides to comprehensively summarize their experience of past successes and create top-level designs for new objectives and tasks in various fields to inject new meaning into the treaty.

"Under the guidance of the treaty, the two countries will continue to make concerted efforts and firmly move forward despite the difficulties and obstacles ahead," Xi added.

Photo taken on May 19, 2021 shows the launch ceremony for the construction of Unit 3 of the Xudapu nuclear power plant in Huludao City of northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Yao Jianfeng)

May 19

Xi and Putin witnessed the ground-breaking ceremony of a bilateral nuclear energy cooperation project --Tianwan nuclear power plant and Xudapu nuclear power plant -- via video link.

Xi stressed that energy cooperation has always been the most important area of practical cooperation which generates the largest achievement and covers the widest scope between the two countries.

Xi put forward a three-point proposal at the ceremony. He called on both sides to adhere to the principle of safety first and set a model for global nuclear energy cooperation, suggested the two countries deepen scientific and technological cooperation on nuclear energy by sticking to the driving force of innovation, and called for adherence to strategic collaboration to promote the coordinated development of the governance system of the global energy industry.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
China welcomes companies from worldwide to further expand investment: Premier

Xinhua) 08:09, December 17, 2021

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attends a virtual dialogue with business leaders of the Global CEO Council in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday that companies from all over the world are welcome to further expand investment in China and deepen cooperation in various fields to achieve common development.

Li made the remarks when attending the virtual dialogue with business leaders of the Global CEO Council in Beijing.

Business leaders of nearly 30 Fortune Global 500 companies, including Schneider Electric, Dow, ABB, Panasonic, Cargill, Rio Tinto, Starbucks and Volkswagen, spoke on the topics of innovation-driven development, green and low-carbon transition, and multinational companies' new development opportunities in China.

Li recognized the contributions of multinational companies to China's reform, opening-up and modernization drive, and engaged in in-depth discussions with the business leaders.

Noting that China is both the world's largest developing country and a growing market with huge potential, Li said China has vigorously implemented the innovation-driven development strategy and continuously inspired ideas of innovation and unleashed innovation vitality.

China will continue to deliver institutional tax and fee cuts, including extra tax deduction on research and development expenses and refund of overpaid value-added tax, to increase the share of total research and development spending in GDP, said Li, adding that China will support business innovation and technology upgrading with market-oriented incentives that are equitable and inclusive.

Through technology innovation and cooperation, China will step up the new energy development and clean use of coal, strive for a green and low-carbon transition while ensuring energy and electricity supply, and better meet the climate challenge, he said.

Li pointed out that reform and opening-up is a sure path for China to achieve modernization.

The Premier said China will continue to deepen the reform of transforming government functions, foster a market-based, world-class business environment governed by a sound legal framework, strictly protect intellectual property, and provide equal and fair treatment to both domestic and foreign-invested firms.

China will improve the foreign investment promotion and service system and make China a highly attractive investment destination over the long run, Li added.

Updating the participants on the state of the Chinese economy, Li said that China will continue to take economic development as the central task.

In the face of new downward pressure, China will place steady growth in a more prominent place and pursue steady growth, structural adjustment and reform in a coordinated way, to keep major economic indicators within the proper range and maintain sound economic fundamentals in the long term, Li said.

Noting that China's 150 million market entities are important underpinnings for employment and economic growth, Li said that China will make every effort to help businesses overcome difficulties, unlock their vitality and the internal dynamism of development, and solidify the basis for steady growth and employment.

China will extensively advance the mass entrepreneurship and innovation initiative, to increase job opportunities and unleash public ingenuity by pooling wisdom and strength, Li said.

China will continue to design and execute its macro policies around the needs of market entities and ramp up fiscal and financial support, including through policy mix of tax and fee cuts and lowering financing cost, to lessen corporate burdens and enable the further growth of more market entities, he added.

The participating business leaders expressed appreciation to the Chinese government for the valuable support extended to foreign-invested companies for their normal operation in China during the pandemic, and applauded China's active efforts in addressing climate change.

They expressed optimism about the future of China's economic development and readiness to actively participate in and contribute to the process of China's full modernization.

They also expressed the desire to further strengthen cooperation in innovation, the digital economy, health, food security, green and low-carbon transition and sustainable development, to keep global industrial and supply chains stable and send to the world a positive message of working together for economic recovery.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
U.S. independent news website uncovers backstage manipulator of so-called "Uygur Tribunal"

Xinhua) 08:14, December 17, 2021

Photo taken on May 28, 2021 shows the U.S. Capitol building behind a traffic sign in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

"In fact, the Uygurs involved in the tribunal and the wider U.S.-funded propaganda machine are part of a clear separatist campaign," said U.S. independent news website the Grayzone.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- While the so-called "Uygur Tribunal" presented itself as "independent," it was organized by a U.S. government-funded separatist group that for years has played a key role in generating anti-China propaganda, U.S. independent news website the Grayzone has reported.

As the U.S. government's propaganda campaign against China drags on, the "tribunal" has become a central node for the dissemination of allegations of so-called "genocide" to Western media. But behind the carefully scripted horror stories conveyed to the public by uncritical media are massive discrepancies, overt separatist sentiments, and huge sums of U.S. government money, said the website in an article.

Villagers pick pomegranates in Qira Town of Qira County in Hotan Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Oct. 1, 2021. (Photo by Xu Xiaolong/Xinhua)

The "tribunal" and those participants are presented to the public as human rights advocates concerned about the situation in Xinjiang. However, upon closer examination, it is clear this framing is a cynical smokescreen.

"In fact, the Uygurs involved in the tribunal and the wider U.S.-funded propaganda machine are part of a clear separatist campaign," it added.

The nakedly separatist views exhibited by most people involved in the "tribunal" is perhaps the most substantial factor in its lack of legitimacy. But as with many of the deceptions and discrepancies in -- not to mention the deep U.S. government links to -- the "tribunal," the Western media turned a blind eye, the article continued.

The Grayzone said that the press was ignorant about the real ulterior separatist agenda of the "tribunal" and those involved in it. "Its refusal to provide the public with this critical context further illustrates how a carefully orchestrated narrative has been stripped of reality and disseminated to escalate a new Cold War," it said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
WHO Europe urges caution over double coronavirus surge

Xinhua) 08:17, December 17, 2021

People walk past a sign requiring people to wear face coverings in London, Britain, on Dec. 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Stephen Chung)

The threat posed by COVID-19 is as serious as ever, with the highly transmissible Delta variant dominating throughout the region and the Omicron variant spreading rapidly with uncertain consequences.

COPENHAGEN, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization's (WHO) Regional Office for Europe on Thursday urged people to exercise caution this holiday season, as the region is now coping with two highly transmissible coronavirus strains that have the potential to overload the already overburdened health systems.

"The European region was the epicenter of the pandemic even before the emergence of Omicron, with surging cases of the Delta variant," Hans Kluge, regional director of WHO Europe, said in a statement.

According to WHO Europe, the threat posed by COVID-19 is as serious as ever, with the highly transmissible Delta variant dominating throughout the region and the Omicron variant spreading rapidly with uncertain consequences.

A man prepares to receive test at a COVID-19 test center in Brussels, Belgium, Dec. 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)

Kluge noted that experience has shown that it is effective to "exercise caution" alongside the "current tools at our disposal," such as vaccines, booster jabs, testing, masks and distancing, which are proven "stabilizers" and enough to "help us to manage the virus and keep people safe."

"We have come a long way since last year. We have seen inspiring examples of solidarity. We know what works. We know how to keep ourselves and others safe. The emergence of Omicron doesn't change that. WHO Europe is in regular contact with experts across the region and will share further information as soon as it is available."

People line up to get inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines at a vaccination station inside a shopping center in Berlin, Germany, Nov. 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)

Kluge attacked mounting misinformation, most recently seen around the Omicron variant in the region. He urged people to "seek out reliable sources of information that provide advice based on the latest evidence and scientific consensus."

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
China to crack down on illegal coal mining

Xinhua) 08:20, December 17, 2021

Rescuers work at a coal mine at Duxigou Village of Xixinzhuang Township in Xiaoyi City, north China's Shanxi Province, Dec. 16, 2021.(Xinhua/Cao Yang)

BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Thursday launched a nationwide campaign to crack down on illegal mining.

The high demand for coal has shored up prices, prompting the resurgence of illegal coal mining, according to the Office of the Work Safety Committee of the State Council and the Ministry of Emergency Management.

Coal-producing provinces should comprehensively and thoroughly investigate illegal activities, including unauthorized mining and excessive production beyond the approved capacity, said the authorities.

Those involved in unauthorized mining should be investigated for criminal responsibility in accordance with law, the authorities said.

On Wednesday, more than 20 people were trapped after a coal mine was flooded in the city of Xiaoyi, north China's Shanxi province, as a result of illegal mining.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
Chinese company starts preliminary works on new dam to supply Harare with water

Xinhua) 08:22, December 17, 2021

HARARE, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese company Nanchang Engineering is on course to build the 109-million-U.S.-dollar Kunzvi Dam project in Goromonzi District, Mashonaland East Province, which will provide capital city Harare with a new water source.

The dam, to be built northeast of the city, will provide relief to the city which has for long had to deal with four water sources, two of which are heavily polluted.

A new water treatment plant and a pipeline from the dam will be constructed north of the city.

Nanchang Engineering has now moved onto the site with equipment and will undertake the work on a "build, operate and transfer" (BOT) model.

Preliminary work such as establishing offices, mobilizing heavy construction equipment and conducting engineering surveys has already started while workers recruited from Goromonzi are clearing the bushes, the company told Xinhua in a statement Thursday.

It said traditional rituals had also been performed and the final details of the relocation of those whose homes will be flooded were being worked on.

Local residents and traditional leaders have welcomed the development which will uplift their livelihoods as other projects such as irrigation are planned for the dam, the state-run Herald newspaper has reported.

Government officials, Zimbabwe National Water Authority officials, the contractor and other relevant authorities recently met traditional leaders in the area and witnessed the traditional rituals at the site.

Village head Phillion Gore told the paper that he welcomed the project which would transform many communities.

Goromonzi Ward 12 councilor Kondwakuenda Magaya spoke of the permanent advantages to the area from the dam.

"Besides the temporary employment, there would also be permanent jobs while water would be available for irrigation," he said.

"The dam would allow resorts to be created, boosting the local economy and providing jobs," he said.

Nanchang Engineering has built the Muchekeranwa Dam in Mashonaland East Province which was recently commissioned by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

It is also working on the Sengwa Dam in Mount Darwin and Silverstroom in Centenary (both in Mashonaland Central Province) and has completed the pipeline linking Mtshabezi and Umzingwane dams which supply the second largest city of Bulawayo.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
Chinese, Solomon Islands FMs talk over phone on ties

Xinhua) 08:30, December 17, 2021

A staff member conveys Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines at an airport in Honiara, Solomon Islands, April 11, 2021. (Chinese Embassy in Solomon Islands/Handout via Xinhua)

Solomon Islands is a good friend and a good partner of China, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, noting that the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries fully meets the long-term and fundamental interests of the Solomon Islands people as well as the trend of development.

BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Solomon Islands' Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeremiah Manele held a phone conversation on bilateral ties and cooperation on Thursday.

Solomon Islands is a good friend and a good partner of China, Wang said, noting that the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries fully meets the long-term and fundamental interests of the Solomon Islands people as well as the trend of development.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Solomon Islands have respected each other, treated each other as equals and supported each other in pursuit of common development, Wang said, noting that the two countries' cooperation has firmly safeguarded their common interests and brought benefits to both peoples.

China-Solomon Islands relations, he noted, are becoming a model of friendly coexistence between different social systems and between countries of different sizes.

Noting that China attaches great importance to the development of the friendly relationship between the two countries, Wang said China is willing to work together with Solomon Islands to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries' leaders and promote a steady and sustained development of bilateral ties.

The Chinese diplomat said not long ago, serious riots broke out in the capital of Solomon Islands, which have hit the safety and lives of local people and overseas Chinese, adding that China extends its deep sympathies and sincere condolences to the government and people of Solomon Islands and strongly condemns all acts of violence.

China, Wang said, stands firmly with the government and people of Solomon Islands, firmly supports the Solomon Islands government's efforts to maintain domestic stability, and firmly safeguards bilateral relations as well as the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in country.

He said he hopes and believes that the Solomon Islands government will continue to take all necessary measures to protect the safety of local people and Chinese citizens in the country in accordance with law.

Photo taken on Oct. 10, 2019 shows the view of Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands. (Photo by Zhu Hongye/Xinhua)

The riots had a complex background and some forces with ulterior motives took the opportunity to smear the two countries' relations while trying to subvert the achievements of their diplomatic ties, Wang noted, saying that it is completely against the interests of the Solomon Islands people and doomed to failure.

Solomon Islands has reiterated its firm adherence to the one-China policy and forcefully responded to groundless accusations, and China highly appreciates it, Wang said, adding that the two countries' relations have withstood this test and are stronger than ever before.

China is full of confidence in the future of bilateral relations and will take a series of measures to support and help Solomon Islands in restoring order, carrying out reconstruction, and achieving stable development, he said.

Noting that Solomon Islands is an important member of the South Pacific and developing countries, and shares extensive common interests with China, Wang said China will continue to firmly uphold multilateralism in the international arena and safeguard the reasonable demands of developing countries, especially small and medium-sized countries.

An elder man waves a hand on a small boat in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, Oct. 11, 2019. (Photo by Zhu Hongye/Xinhua)

At present, Wang said, both sides should be wary of the attempts by a handful of countries, holding onto a Cold War mentality, to interfere in other countries' internal affairs in the name of human rights, and jointly safeguard the basic norms of international relations as well as international fairness and justice.

Manele warmly congratulated the Communist Party of China (CPC) on its successful convening of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, expressed gratitude to China for its strong support and assistance to the economic and social development of Solomon Islands, and extended sincere sympathies to Chinese nationals in Solomon Islands for their property losses during the riots.

Manele said the phone conversation showed that the two countries stand firmly together in difficult times, adding that the situation in Solomon Islands has gradually returned to normal, and efforts are being made to achieve social stability and economic development.

Manele noted that Solomon Islands attaches great importance to its relations with China, and will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China policy, which is the political foundation of bilateral relations.

Solomon Islands is responsible for fully safeguarding the safety, legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals and institutions in the country, Manele said, adding that his country is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China, earnestly maintain multilateralism, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
China's rehabilitation assistance services cover more children with disabilities

Xinhua) 08:37, December 17, 2021

BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- China offered rehabilitation assistance to 332,000 children with disabilities by the end of November this year, nearly 50,000 more than the total of 2020, according to a recent statement from the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF).

With an additional central government input of 400 million yuan (62.86 million U.S. dollars) compared with 2020, disabled persons' federations across the country, in cooperation with relevant departments, have provided higher-standard assistance to more children with disabilities, the CDPF said Wednesday.

The CDPF has also entrusted third-party organizations to conduct satisfaction surveys among parents to boost the quality of assistance services.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
China-Russia cooperation contributes to world peace, stability

Xinhua) 08:54, December 17, 2021

Aerial photo taken on Nov. 18, 2021 shows the first direct China-Europe freight train (blue) linking southwest China's Guizhou Province and Russia's Moscow pulling up in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

After the Xi-Putin meeting, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that the conversation was "very positive" and that the bilateral ties had reached "an unprecedented high level."

BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Following the video meeting on Wednesday between the leaders of China and Russia, experts shared their views on China-Russia cooperation, saying that their relations play an important role in sustaining world peace and stability.

During their talks covering a wide range of topics including democracy, joint pandemic response, bilateral trade, energy cooperation, and the Beijing Winter Olympics, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin praised "model" China-Russia relations and pledged to cooperate more on safeguarding the two countries' core interests and upholding international fairness and justice.

After the Xi-Putin meeting, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that the conversation was "very positive" and that the bilateral ties had reached "an unprecedented high level."

Seylbek Musataev, a professor with Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, said that China and Russia, both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, have common or similar positions in defending fairness and justice in the world, as well as in safeguarding international strategic security and stability.

A plane carrying Chinese medical experts is seen at the airport in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, April 11, 2020. (Photo by Xu Xu/Xinhua)

As certain countries are interfering in other countries' internal affairs and violating the norms governing the international relations on the pretext of democracy or human rights, China and Russia should take further action and deepen cooperation, Musataev suggested.

Hwang Jae-ho, director of the Global Security Cooperation Center at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, said that the Xi-Putin meeting will lead China-Russia relations to a higher level and promote the sustained and high-quality development of bilateral ties.

The two countries, the scholar pointed out, will be able to continue to play important roles in addressing such global challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change through cooperation.

Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said that under the joint guidance of the two heads of state, the all-round practical cooperation between China and Russia has broad prospects, which bears positive significance in tackling major challenges facing the world and boosting world economic recovery.

Hamed Vafaei, director of the Center for Asian Studies at the University of Tehran, said that China and Russia have played positive roles in defending multilateralism, as well as fairness and justice in the world.

The two countries, Vafaei added, have also played irreplaceable roles in countering unilateralism and maintaining world stability.

Putin will visit China and attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics next year. Chen Yu, an expert of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that it represents a clear sign of high-level development of China-Russia relations.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
Senior CPC official remembers Kim Jong Il

Xinhua) 08:54, December 17, 2021

Wang Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and vice chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, attends a commemorative activity marking the 10th anniversary of the passing of Kim Jong Il, former supreme leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and presents a flower basket in the name of the CPC Central Committee at the DPRK embassy in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Wang Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, attended a commemorative activity marking the 10th anniversary of the passing of Kim Jong Il, former supreme leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), at the DPRK embassy in Beijing on Thursday.

Wang, also vice chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, presented a flower basket in the name of the CPC Central Committee.

Wang said the late DPRK leader made important contributions to the development of China-DPRK relations.

China is willing to work with the DPRK to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries, safeguard the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK, maintain regional peace, stability, development and prosperity, and better benefit the two countries and their people, he said.

Expressing his gratitude to Wang for attending the commemorative activity, DPRK ambassador to China Lee Longnan said DPRK is willing to make joint efforts with China to further strengthen bilateral ties.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
Tutorial system to improve competence of young rural officials

09:00, December 17, 2021 By Zhu Peixian ( People's Daily

To accelerate rural vitalization, Puyang city in central Chinas Henan province has piloted a tutorial system targeting grassroots officials including chiefs of the Communist Party of China (CPC) branches of villages with a relatively weak collective economy and newly elected village Party chiefs.

Government officials of Puyang county, central Chinas Henan province, exchange experience in the implementation of a pilot tutorial system launched to help grassroots officials better carry out work at a meeting, June 4, 2021. (Photo/Official website of the organization department of the Communist Party of China Puyang county committee)

The new system is aimed at giving play to the exemplary role of outstanding officials and helping relevant villages with Party affairs, administrative affairs of village, industrial development, as well as village governance.

A total of 410 villages in 32 townships of six counties (districts) have been selected for the pilot system, under which 482 officials were designated as tutors and 483 officials as students.

Dont rush into construction after land transfer. You must make a good overall plan first, Li Liancheng, an experienced Party chief of Xixinzhuang village, Puyang county, Puyang city, told Liu Enzhao, chief of the Party branch of Shuocun village, Puyang county, while teaching the latter how to make solid plans and increase the collective income of his village.

The planning process may sound like a lot of work, but with reasonable planning, you will see your project go smoothly with nothing needing to be redone. In this way, you are actually moving faster, Li explained.

Liu planned to transfer land-use rights in the village so as to concentrate the land for developing industrial projects. However, the 31-year-old newly elected Party chief lacked experience in formulating high-quality plans for projects.

Under Lis guidance, Liu has led officials of his village to make steady progress in promoting the development of relevant projects. They first established specialized farmers planting cooperatives and integrated about 26.67 hectares of scattered cultivated land, and then planted seedlings of over 20 tree species for afforestation, laying a solid foundation for increasing the villages collective income as well as the income of villagers.

Li Liancheng (first from left), gives a special lecture to young officials, Sept. 3, 2021. (Photo/Official website of the organization department of the Communist Party of China Puyang county committee)

Thanks to the guidance from Lu Wushen, our village has avoided some detours in the construction of the edible mushroom base and found viable paths to development and increasing peoples income, said Liu Jiufeng, Party chief of Lishawo village, Qingfeng county of Puyang city.

Lu, secretary of the CPC branch of Xizhaolou village, Qingfeng county, played a leading role in the building of edible mushroom base in the village, and has been providing guidance for Liu to speed up the development of the collective economy of Lishawo village since the pilot tutorial system was launched.

Besides assigning outstanding officials to help with the development of villages with sluggish collective economy, Puyang city has also arranged for professionals and technicians to provide guidance for village officials and help solve problems in financing, technical support, and the sale of products, effectively facilitating the development of characteristic industries, stimulating the economy of villages, and increasing the income of villagers.

Farmers harvest wheat in a field in Dazhaozhai village, Langzhong township, Puyang county, central Chinas Henan province, June 8, 2021. (Peoples Daily Online/ Zhao Shaohui)

In order to provide grassroots officials with a platform for more extensive exchanges, Puyang city instructed townships participating in the pilot system to hold a meeting once a month to enable students to share their experience and exchange ideas on the effects of the tutorial system.

To do a good job in serving the people, we should not only respond to the urgent needs of the people, but constantly think about the difficulties the people are faced with and meet their needs. Only in this way can we truly deliver good and concrete services to the people, said Wang Guanghui, Party chief of Macun village, Nanle county of Puyang city, sharing his experience of learning from his tutor Li Xingmin at a meeting.

When Macun village was hit by continuous heavy rain during the harvest season of wheat, some villagers didnt hurry to harvest wheat at first, which made Wang very anxious. After visiting some households with his tutor, Wang learnt that some villagers worried that rushing to harvest wheat then may not be a wise decision, since the price of wheat was relatively low due to the high water content of wheat grains at that time and rush-harvest costs more money and effort.

Under the guidance of Li, Wang tried to dispel concerns of villagers. He contacted local flour mills, arranged for harvesters to collect wheat, and negotiated with wheat buyers for a better price. More than 90 tons of wheat was sold before harvest.

The pilot tutorial system has achieved initial effects. It has helped a good number of young village officials improve their competence quickly. Since the implementation of the pilot system, a total of 310 industrial projects have been launched in villages the students in the system work for, involving more than 64 million yuan ($10 million) of funds. In addition, these students have resolved over 1,200 dispute cases related to handling of public complaints.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Chinese FM to attend meeting on int'l B&R cooperation

Xinhua) 09:01, December 17, 2021

BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend and address the opening ceremony of the 2021 meeting of the Advisory Council of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) via video link on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced on Thursday.

The BRF Advisory Council, composed of experts, scholars and former politicians, aims to provide intellectual support for the BRF and related international cooperation.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
China releases rare fish into Yangtze river tributary

Xinhua) 09:02, December 17, 2021

CHENGDU, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Some 291,000 fish, including the rare mullet and 7,000 Chinese sturgeon, were released into the Minjiang River, a major tributary of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River on Thursday.

The fish release, organized by Sichuan Port and Shipping Investment Group, took place in Qianwei County, southwest China's Sichuan Province. The move was aimed at promoting the biodiversity of the river and increasing local fishery resources.

Before the release, the researchers marked the fish and collected samples, so as to facilitate future propagation monitoring and effectiveness evaluation of the release.

The Chinese sturgeon is a species under first-class state protection in China while the mullet is under second-class protection.

Nicknamed "aquatic pandas," the Chinese sturgeon has existed for more than 140 million years. However, the population of the flagship species in the Yangtze plummeted in the late 20th century due to intrusive human activities.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
China maps out agricultural, rural modernization in next five years

09:04, December 17, 2021 By Yu Jingxian ( People's Daily

China recently released a plan to advance agricultural and rural modernization during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), which specifies the goals and major tasks of the country's agricultural and rural modernization in the next five years.

An agronomist gives a lesson in a greenhouse of a pitaya production base in Changfeng township, Yingjiang district, Anqing, east China's Anhui province, Dec. 1, 2021. (People's Daily Online/Huang You'an)

Deng Xiaogang, vice minister of agricultural and rural affairs, said it was the first plan of China that designs agricultural and rural modernization as a whole and aims to advance the two simultaneously.

The plan includes the development features, general requirement, major goals, key tasks, major projects and policies of agricultural and rural modernization during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.

China's work concerning agriculture, rural areas and farmers has gone through a historic shift in the 14th Five-Year Plan period, focusing on pushing forward rural vitalization in an all-round way, Deng introduced.

He said the plan takes the implementation of rural vitalization as a guidance and common prosperity as a goal, and pursues a path of integrated design and simultaneous advancement of agricultural and rural modernization.

According to the plan, China will see a further consolidated foundation of agriculture, comprehensive progresses made in rural vitalization, and significant advancement in modernizing agriculture and rural areas after five years of efforts.

Regions with better conditions will take the lead in basically realizing agricultural and rural modernization, while consolidating and expanding the achievements in poverty alleviation will be effectively aligned with rural vitalization in regions that have shaken off poverty.

Owners of a grocery shop in Shuangsheng township, Yilong county, Nanchong, southwest China's Sichuan province sell their products on a livestream show, Nov. 7, 2021. (People's Daily/Tang Mingping)

By 2035, China will have made decisive progress in rural vitalization, and modernization of agriculture and rural areas will be basically achieved, the plan says.

The plan specifies seven major tasks in modernizing agriculture and rural areas between 2021 and 2025.

To advance agricultural modernization, China will improve its capability in supplying major agricultural products including grains, improve the quality and competitiveness of the agricultural industry, and improve the modernization of the industrial and supply chains in the agricultural sector.

To modernize rural areas, the country will take steps to make the countryside more livable, greener, and more civilized and harmonious.

Besides, China will also align rural vitalization with its efforts to consolidate and expand the achievements in poverty alleviation.

At present, new growth drivers represented by digital economy are rapidly taking shape, and the integration between digital technology and agriculture and rural areas is also accelerating. New technologies, products and modes are constantly emerging.

Infrastructure, intelligent agriculture and digital villages are three emphases of the plan.

Photo taken on Dec. 4, 2021 shows Yucun village, Tianhuangping township, Anji county, Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang province. (People's Daily Online/ Xie Shangguo)

The plan says the construction of 1000M fiber optic networks, 5G and mobile internet of things in rural areas shall be synergetic with those in urban areas, calling for digital and intelligent upgrading of agricultural production and rural infrastructure.

It also advocates the establishment and application of a rural big data system, as well as in-depth integration between agricultural businesses and a new generation of information technologies, such as internet of things, big data, AI, and block chain. It calls for efforts to build a batch of digital farms, digital irrigation areas and intelligent ranches and fish farms, to constantly improve digital development in the agricultural sector.

The plan proposes to build a "click-and-mortar" digital service system for rural residents, extend the "Internet +" government services to primary levels in rural areas, further enhance the construction of intelligent rural communities, drive rural education, healthcare and culture sectors with digitalization, and make rural governance and services more intelligent and targeted.

To accelerate agricultural and rural modernization, China must pursue integrated urban-rural development. Taking counties as an important starting point for integrated urban-rural development, the plan has made a series of concrete arrangements, including granting urban residency to rural people who have moved to cities, promoting integrated urban-rural development at county level, and smoothening the flow of factors of production between urban and rural areas.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
A glimpse of relics found in mausoleum of Han Dynasty emperor in China's Shaanxi

Xinhua) 10:56, December 17, 2021

A picture taken with a fish-eye lens on Dec. 16, 2021 shows ancient colored pottery figurines unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum and the mausoleum of Empress Dowager Bo, mother of Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

XI'AN, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25).

The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals.

A journalist takes photos at the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows ancient colored pottery figurines unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

A staff member weighs a copper unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

The mausoleum has no grave mound, and there are four ramps leading to the entrance of the burial chamber placed 2 to 4.5 meters underground. The chamber, with its base 27 to 30 meters below the ground, is 74.5 meters long and 71.5 meters wide.

The mausoleum is similar to those of the other two Western Han Dynasty emperors in terms of structure and scale, with traces of historical evolutions, said Ma Yongying, a researcher with Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, adding that historical documents also support the archaeologists' claims.

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows cultural relics unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum and the mausoleum of Empress Dowager Bo, mother of Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows cultural relics unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum and the mausoleum of Empress Dowager Bo, mother of Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Rumors had it that Emperor Wendi's tomb is situated in a nearby location called Fenghuangzui, just north of Jiangcun Village.

The discovery of the mausoleum puts an end to this long-running rumor which emerged due to the discovery of an ancient stone tablet with inscriptions in Fenghuangzui.

However, archaeologists did not find any signs of construction in Fenghuangzui during their investigation and concluded that the area is nothing more than a naturally formed loess ridge.

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows ancient pottery horses unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

A staff member cleans cultural relics unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Emperor Wendi, with the personal name Liu Heng, was famous for his frugality and benevolence. Under his more than 20 years of rule, the dynasty's economy prospered while the population saw an expansion.

The mausoleum is among three major archaeological findings unveiled by the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA) in Beijing on Tuesday.

The list also includes ruins of a residential area in Luoyang, central China's Henan Province, which dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). During that period, cities were strictly divided into residential quarters and commercial areas by walls.

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows the excavation site of the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows cultural relics unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum and the mausoleum of Empress Dowager Bo, mother of Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

The site, measuring 533.6 meters in length and 464.6 meters in width, reflects the traditional Chinese philosophy on city planning, and is of great significance to studying the political system and social life during the dynasty, according to the NCHA.

The other site is a tomb complex located in Wuwei City, northwest China's Gansu Province, which belonged to the royal families of Tuyuhun, a neighboring kingdom of the Tang empire.

The complex possesses the only well-preserved tomb of the Tuyuhun royals discovered so far. Over 800 pieces of objects including textiles and pottery figurines found in the tomb have been preserved through laboratory methods.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
Nicaraguan couple's planting career takes root in China's Hainan

Xinhua) 15:49, December 17, 2021

HAIKOU, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- When Marcos Rodriguez arrives in the city of Dongfang, south China's Hainan Province, he holds up a handful of earth and takes a deep sniff at it.

"It smells just like home," he said.

Rodriguez, 50, is a tobacco planting expert from Nicaragua. Born and raised in a family that runs cigar businesses, he became an expert at a young age. By age 14, he started making a living from growing tobacco.

In 2018, Rodriguez heard from a friend that the environment in Dongfang is conducive to growing high-quality black tobacco plants. After consideration, he took his wife Laura along and went to the city at the invitation of Yonder Oriental, a local tobacco material provider, in late 2018.

Rodriguez became a field manager for the company, and the couple's planting career began taking roots in China.

Though far away from Nicaragua, the couple found a sense of home when they arrived in Tian'an Village under Dongfang.

"The climate, plants and even the air here are so similar to Nicaragua," said Rodriguez. "When we arrived, I just hopped out of the car and smelled the earth."

In the beginning, local villagers knew little about cigars or tobacco, as they were used to planting local vegetables. Rodriguez began teaching the locals hired by the company how to grow black tobacco leaves.

They could not understand each other at first, but Rodriguez, with the help of the company's translator and more of the translation application on his mobile phone, taught them disinsection, picking, fertilizing and weeding the fields.

The couple get along quite well with the locals. They often sit together after work while Rodriguez enjoys a drink of fresh coconut water his Chinese friends send him.

"We had a good harvest in the first season. Now, after more than two years of fermentation, the cigar leaves have very good quality," said Rodriguez. "We plan to expand about 133 hectares of tobacco plant fields next year."

On weekends, Rodriguez and Laura would take high-speed trains to a church in Haikou, the provincial capital. They often travel around Hainan when they are off work to shop or watch surfing competitions.

"It has been three years since we came to Hainan, and we want to stay here and grow the best cigar leaves," Rodriguez said.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
China contributes to stability, democratization of int'l order: Cambodian scholars

Xinhua) 16:02, December 17, 2021

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Renowned Cambodian scholars said here on Thursday that China, with its progress and peaceful development, has contributed to the stability and democratization of the international order.

China has made great contribution to the establishment of a new multi-polar world, said Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, at the first China-Cambodia Cultural Exchange Forum and the launch ceremony of Cultural Exchange Network of Cambodia and China via video conference.

He said China has proposed building a global community of shared future and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

"The idea of a community with a shared future sublimates the win-win banner of diplomacy for peace and development, seeking world unity, which has become a common value that promotes reform of the global governance system, and a new model of international relations and international order," Phea said.

"Furthermore, we can say that the idea of a community of a shared future inherits and promotes the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, which is the core principle of business negotiations, co-construction and sharing in global governance," he said.

It has shaped the soul of the BRI, highlighted the positive notion of sharing weal and woe, and responded to the wish that the world will be blessed with harmony and unity, according to the expert.

Phea also stressed the close relationship between Cambodia and China, which dates back at least to the 13th century. The two countries officially forged diplomatic relations on July 19, 1958.

"The relations between the two countries grew close after Cambodia gained independence from France in 1953 and later on," he said. "The relationship between Cambodia and China is a model of cooperation between countries."

The scholar noted the relationship between the two countries is based on the principle of equal footing and equal rights with no interference into each other's internal affairs and sovereignty, and on respect for mutual interests.

"These growing relations not only contribute to the development of bilateral cooperation between Cambodia and China, but also bring about peace and prosperity in the region and the (rest of the) world," he said.

Sok Touch, president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, told the event that Cambodia and China have enjoyed all-round cooperation, particularly in politics, economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

"Now, ties between the two countries are at the best stage ... in our history, and they are more comprehensive and strategic," he said.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
Over 700,000 migratory birds gather in Poyang Lake to overwinter

People's Daily Online) 16:21, December 17, 2021

Migratory birds are seen at Poyang Lake in east China's Jiangxi Province. (People's Daily Online/Shi Yu)

The 2nd Poyang Lake International Birdwatching Week opened recently in Yongxiu county, east China's Jiangxi Province. Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China, has now become the largest wintering ground for migratory birds in Asia.

Every autumn and winter, migratory birds such as white cranes, oriental white storks, white-naped cranes and swan goose flock to Poyang Lake from Siberia, Mongolia, and northeast China, with the total number reaching between 600,000 to 700,000 in all.

As of Nov. 28, more than 637,000 wintering migratory birds had arrived in Poyang Lake. Among them, seven of the species have been placed under national first-class protection. Poyang Lake is expected to have more than 700,000 wintering birds during the Birdwatching Week.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Hongyu)
After days of stability, many logistics stocks surged on the stock market.

On Tuesday, even though the market benchmark VN-Index ended lower at 1,475.5 points due to strong selling force on large-cap stocks, a series of logistics stocks witnessed outstanding performance.

Of which Viet Nam Ocean Shipping JSC (VOS) hit the biggest intraday gain of 7 per cent. The shares extended the rally in Thursday's trade, up 1.93 per cent.

Other stocks with big increases included Vinaship (VNA), Tan Cang Logistics JSC (TCL), Port of Hai Phong (PHP), Viconship (VSC) and Gemadept (GMD). However, some stocks erased gains on Thursday.

The strong gains were thanked to news that sea freight rates from China to Southeast Asia skyrocketed in the past month to hit the highest level in history. The freight rate increased 10 times higher than pre-pandemic levels, as the peak season for transport before the Lunar New Year begins in Asia.

Bright outlook next year

The industrial report for 2022 from Vietcombank Securities Company (VCBS) showed that logistics stocks prospects are positive as they benefit from many factors.

According to VCBS analysis, cargo volume growth momentum is expected to recover in the second half of 2022, which will be a huge driving force for the port industry. The recovery is boosted by new investment projects and production expansion by many FDI enterprises after a period of stagnation in 2021 due to the development of the pandemic.

VCBS also forecasts that Hai Phong's downstream ports will grow again, especially the port group located in the centre of Cam River, including inh Vu, Tan Vu, VIP Green and Nam Hai inh Vu ports, will continue to record positive business results in 2022 thanks to the benefit of the output growth trend of Hai Phong area and public investments.

Although freight rates may cool down in 2022 due to macro factors, the securities firm still thought that it will be difficult for container freight rates to return to low levels in 2022 due to three main reasons.

Firstly, large production and consumption hubs, especially in Asia with large populations like China and India, will need more time to achieve herd immunity. Second is that China continues to pursue a zero COVID strategy through lockdown measures. And last but not least, the strong supply of newly-built container ships will only get to the market in 2023.

Therefore, VCBS assessed that the group of logistics enterprises or logistics centres is expected to continue to grow strongly in 2022. The securities firm also believes that there is still more room for growth of shipping companies and may create a new profit base.  VNS
On December 15, 2021, Petro Capital & Infrastructure Investment Joint Stock Company (Petroland) received an official documnt from Petro Vietnam Construction Joint Stock Corporation regarding the termination of personnel introduction at Petroland.

Petro Vietnam Construction Joint Stock Corporation completed the transfer of entire contributed capital at Petroland. Therefore, the Corporation will not introduce Mr. Nguyen Trung Tri and Mr. Nguyen Quang Hung as Members of the Board of Directors of Petroland; Mr. Ha Quang An as Member of the Board of Supervisors of Petroland. The two members of the Board of Directors of Petroland applied resignation letters.
Premier has virtual meeting with about 30 major international companies China is a marketplace "with huge potential", and it will continue working to create a business climate that is market-based, internationalized and follows the rule of law, Premier Li Keqiang told international business leaders, encouraging companies from all countries to continue to expand their investment in China. Reform and opening-up is a path China must follow to achieve modernization, Li said, adding that the nation will continue its strict protection of intellectual property rights and impartial treatment of international and domestic companies, and deepen its reforms to streamline administrative power and improve the government's regulation and services, among other measures. The premier made the remarks during a virtual meeting in Beijing on Wednesday night with representatives of about 30 Fortune Global 500 companies, including Schneider Electric, Dow, ABB, Panasonic, Cargill, Rio Tinto, Starbucks and Volkswagen. Li praised international companies for their contributions to China's reform and opening-up and its cause of modernization, and he had in-depth discussions with the business leaders. The government is implementing the strategy of innovation-driven development, and will maintain its institutional arrangement for tax-and-fee reduction to increase the proportion of research and development investment in China's gross domestic product, Li said. The government will support companies in their innovation drive through methods that are fair, inclusive and market-based, Li said. He added that it will also enhance the development of new energies and clean utilization of coal through technical innovation and cooperation, and try to achieve green and low-carbon development while ensuring adequate supply of electricity. Li also briefed the participants on China's economic situation. Facing new downward pressure, the nation will focus more on stabilizing economic growth and ensuring economic performance remains within a reasonable range, he said. There are as many as 150 million market entities in China, Li said, adding that the government will make every effort to relieve companies of the difficulties they are experiencing in order to stabilize growth and employment. The government will also encourage entrepreneurship and innovation in order to generate more jobs and increase creativity, the premier said. The government will make and implement macro policies according to the needs of market entities, strengthen fiscal and financial support for them, reduce their taxes and fees and lower their financing costs, he said. The business leaders taking part in the meeting expressed their confidence in the prospects for China's economy and said they hope to actively participate in China's modernization drive.


China recently released a plan to advance agricultural and rural modernization during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), which specifies the goals and major tasks of the country's agricultural and rural modernization in the next five years.

Deng Xiaogang, vice minister of agricultural and rural affairs, said it was the first plan of China that designs agricultural and rural modernization as a whole and aims to advance the two simultaneously.

The plan includes the development features, general requirement, major goals, key tasks, major projects and policies of agricultural and rural modernization during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.

China's work concerning agriculture, rural areas and farmers has gone through a historic shift in the 14th Five-Year Plan period, focusing on pushing forward rural vitalization in an all-round way, Deng introduced.

He said the plan takes the implementation of rural vitalization as a guidance and common prosperity as a goal, and pursues a path of integrated design and simultaneous advancement of agricultural and rural modernization.

According to the plan, China will see a further consolidated foundation of agriculture, comprehensive progresses made in rural vitalization, and significant advancement in modernizing agriculture and rural areas after five years of efforts.
The United States has always regarded itself as an exceptional nation  and an example for others to follow.

Most Americans think of their country as a beacon of goodness admired around the world. Former president Ronald Reagan once described the U.S. as a "shining city on a hill," "teeming with people of all kinds, living in harmony and peace."

But the truth is, most Americans won't see themselves the way others do. Where Americans see "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," others see a nation that has fought for unfair interests and unjustified values.

Americans have forgotten or are unaware of the people who suffered in helping to build the U.S. into a global power.

And they don't realize that their country has almost always been at war.

At any given time, most Americans couldn't identify the countries where U.S. troops are fighting on a map  let alone explain why they are engaged in conflict.

Since 1776, the U.S. has only been at peace for 17 years.

American colonists took up arms against Britain to win independence. European settlers then wiped out North America's indigenous people in order to expand westward.

There were an estimated 10 million native people living on the continent when the settlers arrived. By 1900, the estimated indigenous population was less than 300,000.

In an almost unbroken stream of wars and fighting, the U.S. expanded from 13 colonies to 50 states.

The U.S. has also annexed or conquered five territories. It has military bases in about 80 foreign countries and territories. Since 1776, the U.S. has been at peace for just one out of every 20 years.

Why is the U.S. always fighting?

Politicians over time have offered various justifications:

The original colonists thought God had granted them a new Promised Land; The American Revolution was fueled by commercial interests; The violent westward expansion was driven by a sense of special purpose dubbed "manifest destiny;" many U.S. wars in the last century were justified as protecting democracy from fascism or communism.

Sometimes the justification was politics and money, or politics, money, and religion.

The justifications have changed over time. But if you look between the lines, the real reasons are always the same.

From the beginning, the U.S. went to war for two things.

First, to defend or expand its territory. Second, to do business without constraint  often shortened to "freedom."

War is good for business  and war is good business, especially for the U.S. of the past century.

Look at the acrimony between the U.S., Australia and France over a submarine deal.

Some French analysts are saying NATO may never be the same  all because of a $60 billion submarine deal gone bad.

Former President George W. Bush said the Iraq War was about weapons of mass destruction. This turned out to be a big lie. So why did the U.S. invade?

"Of course it's about oil. It's very much about oil and we can't really deny that," John Abizaid, CENTCOM commander from 2003 to 2007, said in an interview.

It's no secret that war has always been about money and the power it represents.

By the 1950s, the ties between industry and the military had become so strong that then President Eisenhower, a World War II hero,  gave a warning to the public.

He warned of an out-of-control war machine that always needs an enemy to stay profitable.

"We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist," he said.

The U.S. loves to talk peace. But all it knows is war.

Can the U.S. change its ways? History suggests not.

But the allies of the United States, new and old, should hope against hope that Washington has learned something from its disasters in Afghanistan, and Iraq, and Syria, and Vietnam  and will not drag the world into another costly, pointless and unwinnable fight.

The 78 million Americans born after 2001 have never lived in a United States that has been at peace.

After fighting for 228 of the last 245 years, maybe it's time for U.S. soldiers to put down their guns for at least a few years.
By Zhang Han

AH-64A Apache Attack Helicopters at US Army base Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. Photo: VCG

The US Congress on Wednesday passed a national defense bill which created a new record of $770 billion budget, with $7.1 billion allocated toward beefing up the US position against China, as well as provisions concerning the island of Taiwan including inviting it to a multilateral naval exercise.

Judging from items in the act, Chinese observers said an escalation in the collusion between the US and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority is likely and the mainland should be prepared in strategy and military tactics to respond to further provocations.

The US Senate on Wednesday passed the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) after the House nodded to it on December 7. The bill will wait for a signature from President Joe Biden before becoming law, media reported.

US senate passes record military budget for 2022 Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT US senate passes record military budget for 2022 Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT

The act is $25 billion more than Biden had requested. On China, the bill includes $7.1 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and a statement of congressional support for the defense of Taiwan, as well as a ban on the US Department of Defense procuring products produced with forced labor from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

US media were brief on the Taiwan parts in the act but island-based media outlet the Taiwan News reported on Thursday the bill states that the naval force of the island of Taiwan should be invited to participate in the US-led Rim of the Pacific exercise (RIMPAC) conducted in 2022.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese mainland military expert and TV commentator, believed there is a high likelihood that Biden will invite the island of Taiwan to RIMPAC, considering he already offered platform for the secessionist DPP authority at the so-called summit for democracy, which is of the same purpose  to lift Taiwans international presence.

The Chinese mainland should prepare for the worst and get ready, in strategy and military tactics, for any scenario amid the worsening cross-Straits situations and China-US rivalry, Song said, as the US has lost multiple handles to contain China, including Hong Kong and Xizang (Tibet), which will make it play the Taiwan card hysterically.

But the expert also pointed out that even if Taiwans armed forces join the exercise, they will only play a peripheral role.

Li Haidong, professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, agreed that the US and DPP would increase their collusion, warning that provocations on the most sensitive topic in China-US relations will lead to more frictions and higher risks of out of control consequences.

According to open data, the US has the highest military budget in the world, four times that of Chinas, despite the contrast in population scale.

The National Defense Authorization Act also included $300 million to support Ukraine, over which the US and NATO are in fierce dispute with Russia.

Li said the shockingly high and continuously rising military budget is the foundation for the US to maintain its hegemonic status worldwide. To justify the high spending, the US has to create conflicts, crises and hype external threats, which only demonstrates that the US is the destroyer of world peace.

As for the bans on Pentagon procurement of products made by so-called forced labor in Chinas Xinjiang region, Li said it is nothing new amid the trend of adding the flavor of Xinjiang to any relevant or irrelevant bills and documents.

Such moves fully prove the US defense act is not about defense but about making trouble for others, experts said.
By Ding Long

A few days ago, the UAE halted the negotiations on a package arms deal including 50 F-35 fighter jets with the US. The bullying US has made UAE, a traditional ally of the US in the Middle East, have no choice but to take a clear-cut stand against the US hegemonism.

UAE has been a victim of US' politicization of the arms deal. This time, the Biden administration threaten UAE to downgrade its strategic cooperation with China and dismantle the installed Huawei 5G network devices in the next four years, citing the same old tune of protecting fighters from the so-called Chinese espionage. However, the US would neither bear the expenses involved nor provide alternative devices. Thats equivalent to asking the UAE to spend a huge amount of money pulling itself from the 5G age back to the 4G age, which is absolutely unacceptable.

In fact, the US is fully aware that Huaweis 5G network is a commercial and completely different system from the military communication system. The untenable excuse given by the US and its eagerness to "protect" UAE's security is driven by some deeper considerations.

First, the US wants to keep China from filling the strategic vacuum it leaves in the Middle East. Even though Washington has hastened its steps of retracting from the Middle East, it still wishes to maintain its regional influence. In order to prevent Beijing to expand influence in the region, the US always forces its allies to pick sides and requests them to stop strategic cooperation with China in military, high-tech and other areas. Because of Americas unreasonable pressuring, the UAE is forced to choose between the two major powers  Huaweis 5G or F-35 fighter jets?

In recent years, China and UAE have enjoyed fruitful cooperation in energy, tech, medical and other areas within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. The buoyant cooperation makes the US green with envy, and UAE, therefore, gets picked on most by it for the flourishing cooperation with China.

Second, the US wants to cripple Chinas sci-tech advantages. Chinas rapid progress in such areas as 5G network, new energy and AI has broken Americas technological monopoly. Being unable to catch up technologically, Washington, seriously disgruntled, has resorted to administrative means to coerce its allies into stopping the tech cooperation with China, asking them to consider the nonexistent cost of doing otherwise. This is now happening with its Middle Eastern allies.

Third, the US is politicizing the arms deal to re-confirm the relation with allies. The US is creating all sorts of obstacles for UAE because it wants to take the arms deal as a touchstone of their alliance. Deals will be made only when allies serve US' anti-China and anti-Russia strategic goals. Otherwise, the US would call off the deal and their alliance will be at stake.

Many critics interpreted UAEs move as a tactical concession aimed at future advances. Most of its weapons and equipment are American style, so its uneasy to turn to other sources, but its refusal still stands for an attitude currently prevalent in the region  the Middle Eastern countries dont want to submit to American pressure, take sides between China and the US, or fall prey to the so-called major-power struggle. The recent halt of the negotiations clearly conveyed the position of UAE, a representative country in the region.

Middle Eastern countries are adopting a multi-directional diplomatic strategy. This is a golden rule for small countries to avoid risks and stay safe on the international stage. No matter how much pressure the US imposes, countries like UAE cannot choose one over the other. UAE knows perfectly well that for a long time in the future, it will depend on the US for security and on China for economy. Especially as it sees the economic, trade and tech cooperation with China as the key engine for the countrys future development, it would never take sides as America asked, so much so that it was forced to take a countermeasure at Americas ultimatum.

The US is no longer a reliable ally for Middle Eastern countries. Arab Spring, the attack at Saudi Aramcos oilfields, and the Afghan situation have made Middle Eastern countries extremely distrustful of their alliance with the US and doubtful about the security protection it provides. Bidens value diplomacy has put great pressure on them and made them the target of America on human rights issues. The US invited only one Arab country  Iraq  to its recent Summit for Democracy. To make things worse, the US and the Middle East are in competition in the energy sector  the former imports only 70,000 barrels of oil from the latter per day, 12 percent of its total import. Therefore, judging from their national interests and the future international landscape, Middle Eastern countries decide to no longer follow Americas lead unconditionally.

Third, UAE has alternatives. An important reason why UAE dares to say no to the US is that the age of American technological monopoly is gone. Now UAE can lay its hands on similar weapons, equipment and advanced technologies from other countries. Just days ago, it signed a huge arms contract with France planning to buy 80 F-4 Rafale fighters and 12 attack helicopters. Although UAE claimed the two deals were independent from each other, its apparent that the existence of alternative options has given it the nerve and confidence to fight back against Americas bullying and salt prices.

UAEs abrupt suspension of the arms deal negotiations has taken the American side aback, and it has already softened with several officials expressing hope that the negotiations would be restarted down the road. Given Americas domineering and peremptory attitude toward the UAE on the arms deal, its clear that some American politicians are still busking in their Cold War dream while remaining callous to the changes happening around the world. UAEs flat refusal has sounded an alarm telling them that their attempt to put up a Cold-War-style anti-China alliance in either the Middle East or elsewhere is doomed to fail.

(The author is a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University)

Editor's note: This article is originally published on huanqiu.com, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
By Zang Yaqi and He Penggang

JUBA, Dec. 17 -- The Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan (Juba) held the seventh ceremony of force command handover on December 16 at the Chinese peacekeeping camp of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

This handover marked the successful completion of the one-year peacekeeping mission of the 7th Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan (Juba), as taken over by its successor, the 8th batch.

In the past few days, the two batches have handed over a number of materials including vehicles and equipment, weapons and ammunition, medical equipment, and logistic materials, and other issues related to foreign affairs relations, etc. They have also made exchanges on the current security situation and precautions for carrying out missions in the mission area.

According to the plan, the 2nd echelon of 350 peacekeepers with the 7th batch will return to China on December 21, and the 350-member 2nd echelon of the 8th batch will arrive at the peacekeeping mission area on the same day.
Russia's Foreign Ministry on Friday released a comprehensive draft agreement on security guarantees between Russia and NATO.

The proposals suggested parties should settle disputes by "peaceful means and refrain from the use or threat of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations."

At a briefing with journalists following the publication of the drafts, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia was ready to hold urgent security talks with the United States "as early as" Saturday.

"We are ready to immediately, even tomorrow - literally tomorrow, on Saturday - to go for talks with the U.S. in a third country," he said, noting that "Geneva was suggested to the Americans".

White House press secretary Jen Psaki later responded that the U.S. has seen proposals from Russia to start talks and is speaking with its European allies and partners.

"There will be no talks on European security without our European allies and partners," Psaki told reporters.

The West has accused Moscow of preparing an imminent invasion, claiming Russia has deployed tens of thousands of troops along Ukraine's borders.

Russian President Vladimir Putin denies planning an attack and blames NATO for the rise in tensions, demanding "legal guarantees" the alliance won't expand eastwards.

(With input from AFP)
A little over two weeks ago he vowed there will be "no turning back."

"I am very sorry that we have to strengthen lockdown measures once again," Moon was quoted as saying by Cheong Wa Dae spokespwoman Park Kyung-mee. "In the course of the return to normal, we were unable to suppress the increase in critically ill patients and failed to secure enough hospital beds."

President Moon Jae-in apologized to the country on Thursday after a phased return to normal ended up creating more serious COVID-19 cases than the health system can handle.

The surge in infections continues. Jeong Eun-kyeong, the head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said, "If the surge in infections worsens, we could see daily cases rise to around 10,000 and up to 20,000 in January. Our medical capacity is reaching its limits."

"Average daily infections in the greater Seoul area stand at around 4,700, which is far higher than the 3,600 that can be managed," she added.

The KDCA in a projection on Dec. 10 forecast up to 20,000 daily infections by the end of January and said, "The number of new infections can grow at any moment due to eased lockdown, increased traffic, seasonal factors and the spread of the Omicron variant due to the phased return to normal."

The fresh lockdown, which includes a curfew for restaurants and cafes and a ban on gatherings of more than four people, is based on daily new cases reaching 10,000 a day. But that may still be too optimistic.

Chung Jae-hoon at Gachon University's Gil Medical Center said, "If we fail to control the rate of infection, we could see more than 20,000 daily cases in the first half of next year and in the worst-case scenario 80,000 to 100,000."

On Friday morning, the daily tally of new COVID-19 infections stood at 7,435 with 971 severe cases.
Automaker Hyundai will conduct a major reshuffle at the top, letting go of nearly one-third of older executives and filling only 25 percent of the posts with new ones.

Hyundai vice chairman Yoon Yeo-chul, who is in charge of labor relations, will step down, sources said Thursday. A close confidant of former chairman Chung Mong-koo who joined the automaker in 1979, Yoon is the last remaining executive from the old guard.

The recent election of a hardliner as head of the union raised speculation that Yoon would be retained, but it seems Hyundai is opting for a change instead.

Peter Schreyer, a former Audi designer, steps down as chief design officer at affiliate Kia, and Albert Biermann, a former BMW engineer who heads Hyundai's performance division, will also be leaving.

Hyundai intends to overhaul the organization to support new chairman Chung Eui-sun, who officially succeeded the post in October last year. It already appointed Chung Jae-hoon, a confidant of Chung junior's, as CEO and is expected to replace outgoing executives with younger people or women who will lead its next-generation business.

One source said, "Thirty percent of executives will be leaving, while 25 percent will be promoted, resulting in a five-percent downsizing of executives, the biggest reshuffle ever. The aim is to revamp the organization for the shift to electric and other eco-friendly cars."
The UN General Assembly passed its annual resolution condemning North Korea's human rights on Thursday, but South Korea once again refrained from co-sponsoring it.

The resolution has been adopted for the 17th consecutive year, but Seoul did not co-sponsor it for the third year running for fear of agitating Pyongyang.

The resolution "condemns in the strongest terms the long-standing and ongoing systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights in and by [North Korea], including those that may amount to crimes against humanity."

Noting that its humanitarian situation has worsened in the coronavirus pandemic, it also urged North Korea to cooperate with the international community to "ensure the timely delivery and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines."
Ming Dynasty pottery figurines return home

By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-12-17 10:00

Two Chinese pottery figurines made in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) have finally come home. Citizens will have the opportunity to take a closer look at them soon, as they are now collected at the Shanghai Museum.



The relics were donated by Ms. Suzanne Fratus from California, U.S.

They were inherited from Fratus's grandfather, John Herbert Waite, a professor at Harvard Medical School. Back in the early 20th century, Waite practiced medicine in China and other Asian countries. After curing eye diseases for a child in a wealthy Chinese family, he was given these two pottery figurines as gratitude. One of the pottery figurines was partly damaged. Fratus's grandmother helped to repair it and handed over the two figurines to Fratus.



In 1983, to celebrate the establishment of sister cities between Shanghai and San Francisco, the Shanghai Museum held an exhibition centered around Six Thousand Years of Chinese Art at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. It was then that Fratus found that a set of guard of honor figurines on display was similar to the pottery figurinesin her home. For the ensuing 30 years or so, she has been looking forward to returning the cultural relics to the Chinese people in a suitable way.

Suzanne Fratus said the returning of the figurines means a lot.



(Photo/whb.cn)




Special towns communicating their brand

By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-12-17 09:58

Eight towns in Shanghai have been named among the TOP 100 Chinese special towns in the index of brand communication, which was unveiled at a seminar on the high-quality economic development of towns.

The Shanghai towns on the list include Fengjing (Jinshan District), Anting (Jiading District), Chedun (Songjiang District), Zhujiajiao (Qingpu District), Zhuanghang (Fengxian District), Wujing (Minhang District), Luojing (Baoshan District) and Xinchang (Pudong New Area).



The index report looked at 403 characteristic towns across the country and calculated their brand communication popularity index results based on national statistics and big data analysis of hot topics on various platforms between August 29, 2020 and August 28, 2021.

Having been known for its sorghum-based liquor, Maotai Town, in Huairou City, Guizhou Province, topped the list with an index result of 5.351. The second and third places on the list were taken by Minning Town (in Yongning County, Ningxia) and Beijiao Town (in Foshan City, Guangdong) respectively.



In China, there are nearly 20,000 towns that have adopted a new look and even become leaders in new development patterns and trends. A typical water town, Zhuanghang Town in Shanghais Fengxian district, has a history which dates back to AD 759. It is now well known for its cotton and rice production, ancient alleys and agricultural parks.








Press Release

December 17, 2021 Gordon alarmed over recent spate of 'riding-in-tandem' crime Senator Richard J. Gordon today expressed serious concern over the recent spate of crimes involving motorcycle-bound perpetrators, colloquially known as the "riding in tandem." Gordon, who chairs the Senate Justice and Human Rights Committee, condemned the latest shooting incidents involving high-profile victims. "We cannot allow ourselves to just concede the enactment of what may be called symbolic laws, treated as mere advice; treated as mere hortatory urgings, rather than as imperative commands," he said in a privilege speech. "The failure to implement results in lost lives, lost taxpayer money, and lost lives. It also engenders a lack of respect for the laws," he added. Philippine National Police statistics reveal the staggering cost of the failure to uphold the rule of law. Unabated killings perpetrated by riding-in-tandem can be traced to 19,277 crimes committed by motorcycle riding criminals from the calendar year 2016 to January 2021; of those 19,277 crimes, 7,123 are murder. A total of five people has reportedly been victimized by riding-in-tandem killers last week, including politicians, doctors, and journalists. Mayor of Al-Barka, Basilan, Mayor Darussalam Lajid and his bodyguard Barad Nuruddin were shot to death while Akbar chief executive Alih Awal Sali escaped with injuries after being shot by four riding-in-tandem suspects in Zamboanga City. In Cagayan de Oro City, famed surgeon and urologist Dr. Raul Andutan was assassinated in broad daylight last Dec. 2, allegedly in exchange for a PhP150,000 fee to be shared among the four suspects, according to a confession by one of them. Veteran Pampanga-based newsman Jesus "Jesse" Malabanan was killed by riding-in-tandem suspects at close range while tending to their sari-sari store in Calbayog, Samar last Dec. 8. Gordon, the author of Republic Act (RA) 11235, also known as the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, said the proper implementation of the law could have prevented crimes involving riding-in-tandem. "RA 11235 was passed to protect the public from criminals using motorcycles. It was enacted to protect the innocent from motorcycle- laden criminals by allowing easier identification of specific vehicles used in many crimes, through the requirement of larger, legible, more identifiable license plates," he explained. According to the law's Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), the plates were made slightly bigger, and sticker/decal plates be put in the front so that it may be readable 15 meters away. According to news monitoring by the Office of Sen. Gordon, there have been 202 victims of the riding-in-tandem, with 172 dead, 28 injured, and 2 escaping unharmed this year alone.
Press Release

December 17, 2021 Senate panel resets probe on pandemic fund mess due to #Odette ops The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee today postponed its public hearing on government's alleged anomalous procurement of pandemic response supplies and equipment next week to focus on efforts assisting victims of Typhoon Odette. Senator Richard Gordon, committee chairman, said the Senate rescheduled its next hearing originally set today to Dec. 21 as he attends to rescue and relief operations in Visayas and Mindanao badly battered by strong winds and flooding. "We decided to move the Senate's public hearing to tend to a more pressing matter - the safety of our people. As disaster strikes, we are getting hourly reports of damages and calls for immediate rescue and relief," he said. "Kailangan nating tumugon muna sa mga mabilisang pangangailangan ng mga tao tulad ng pagkain, tubig, mga damit, at pagtiyak sa kaligtasan ng mga tao, lalo na sa kumunidad na sobrang nasalanta ng bagyo," he added. Odette, with international name Rai, was the strongest storm to make landfall in the Philippines this year, striking everything in its path with its 195-kilometer-per-hour winds. The typhoon was powerful enough to uproot trees, cut down power lines, tear houses' roofs, smash windows, and disrupt communication, leaving at least one casualty in its wake. Multiple news reports showed that many buildings in various provinces had been destroyed roads blocked due to landslides, and flash flooding inundated the homes of millions due to the awesome power of the typhoon. Gordon, who serves as chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, the country's largest humanitarian organization, assured victims that help is on its way as he has mobilized its 143 volunteers. "We've mobilized our network of volunteers ahead of time, and rest assured that help is on the way. Our teams have been dispatched in the affected areas, helping organize first aid teams, food and water, and other essential supplies," he said. He has also instructed PRC local chapters to prepare the payloader trucks to clear impassable roads due to fallen trees and debris. Relief items, such as sleeping kits, hygiene kits, tarpaulins, jerry cans, and shelter tool kits, were also prepared to aid the most vulnerable.
Home > 2021 > Is The RSS Stronger or Weaker After 100 Years? | Kancha Ilaiah (...)

There is an interesting discussion taking place in a section of the media that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh 100 years existence will be celebrated in 2025 like the Chinese Communist Party celebrated its 100 years existence on this planet.No doubt the RSS is also in power at Delhi and in many states, if not exactly like the CPC. The nation knows though a proxy political network, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is said to be in power the actual power operator in India is the RSS. This situation raises many questions. How will they celebrate it? Will they do like what the Chinese Communist Party has done? If so, for what modern transformation of India under their rule? Such questions are one set of them. The more important other set of questions are about how to assess the RSS as an organization? Methodologically all the studies about this organization were done from the point of its anti-Muslim ideology and hence the secular nationalism Vs Hindutva nationalism has been the core. The determining paradigms so far to examine its role was the partition, accommodating remaining Muslims, as they too were rulers for long time and also rulers in the neighboring states, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The secular school was for good accommodation and the RSS was against it.

All the scholars who wrote about the RSS were Dwijas who hardly differed with its foundational fundamentals. Its critiquing Dwija scholars too were in agreement with the RSS Brahminic Sanathan Sanskritic traditional discourse. The Nehruvian secular nationalists were for the accommodation of the Muslim elite in the state structure and the RSS Hindutva nationalists were against such Muslim accommodation. Gradually the differences arose on the questions of accommodation of Muslims in the state handling of welfare agendas. But nobody assessed the strength and weakness of the RSS from Other Indian---the Shudra/Dalit/Adivasi point of view. Till the RSS came to power both in 1999 and more fully in 2014 the Viswarupam of the RSS as against the basic productive masses was not seen by the organic Indian intellectuals who came from the productive masses, who cooperated with its anti-Muslim agendas.

Till they exhausted their anti-Muslim agendas like abrogation of Article 370, beginning of construction of Ram temple, CAA implementation, Triple Talaq they mainly remained around them. The only major issue that is still on RSS book about the Muslim population is Uniform Civil Code. The Muslims constitute according to the 2011 census about 170 Million that is about 14 percent of the Indian population. This is much less than the Dalit population itself. Apart from Dalits, who are suffering human untouchability, 52 percent Shudras (both reserved and unreserved castes) and Adivasis are not part of secular Vs communal discourse formation. The so-called mainstream writers on the RSS have no methodological tools to examine the main ideological contradiction between the productive forcesShudra/Dalit/Adivasisand the RSS leadership with its pre-modern Sanathan ideology and organization structures and how they handled un-equal, but spiritually emotive Hindutva relations. The RSS has no single equilibrium idea in relation to caste, production and development and its Hindutva spiritual and social system. Once these contradictions as it happened around its farm laws decision, and the farmers rebellion, began expressing its weakness but not the strength. In last 100 years it kept these contradictions rapped up under safran rugs with an anti-Muslim agenda. The heads of the Shudras/Dalits/Adivasis are just filled with anti-Muslim ideas. Its wish that these forces can be contained through its brainwashing of Saraswati Vidhya Kendras would not work in the future. When they are ruling the state and controlling all the resources of the nation without passing on to the productive forces such brainwashing around so-called cultural nationalism does not work. No scholar so far told this truth to them.

The first major decision that the RSS made through its political wingthe BJP- in the parliament was handing over the agrarian sector to the monopoly capitalists who were fully aligned with RSS ideology in the recent past. The Shudra/Dalit/Adivasi agrarian masses have tasted what it is up to, once it achieved its anti-Muslim goals and turned to the productive masses. They have now realized that it is a Dronacharya and Eklavya relationship even within their shakhas. In most of the anti-Muslim agendas, the Shudra/OBCs have gone along with them with a hope that once they come to power their equal development with Dwijas unlike in the secular nationalist paradigm will be an assured thing. Because they have sacrificed more for the RSS cause.

But they have not produced the intellectuals to study its very birth with a pre-modern sanatan brahminic ideology where spiritual and social inequalities are an essential component. The Hindutva, its founders Hedgewar and Golwalkar encoded into its being is anti-Shudra/Dalit/Adivasi in a historical sense. Its anti-Muslim agenda was basically formulated only in colonial times with a collaborative posture with European Aryanism.

The anti-reservation utterances (the latest being that of Shanta Kumar former BJP CM Himachal Pradesh), of its leaders, its anti-farmer farm laws, its silent allowing of 750 deaths and one with a vehicle crushing conspiracy and the way farmers fought without any secular or communist party involvement to victory and celebration is a counter new narrative of productive India. This India began to see the real face of the Hindutva ideology. Even the foreign writers on the RSS like Christophe Jeffrelot did not understand how deepening Phule-Amabedkar ideology and the spiritual democratic ethos that Sikhism have injected into educated Shudra/Dalit/Adivasi forces that can fight the RSS sanathanism once it displays its original DNA.

There is good side of the RSS coming to power with a massive support of the Shudra/Dalit/Adivasi forces to see where it takes the country from power. What it can do to the constitution that gave basic democratic rights to the productive masses. From outside power, it was carrying anti-Muslim agenda with credibility because the masses have not seen what it will do from power. The secular nationalists did not allow the discourse of Hindutva or Hinduism to come to the central stage.

The Congress top leaders (they too are Dwija) now are writing and speaking that they are Hindu not Hindutva. The Shudra/OBCs mainly are at a crossroad, while the intellectual Dalits are saying that we have our Ambedkarite Navayana Buddhism. The Adivasis still have a space to embrace any religion and also use reservations and so on. The Shudra/OBCs have not yet produced many globally exposed English educated intellectuals to study the Hindutva or even Hindu Dwija designs.

The farmers movement only has shown, as it was the greatest movement in the known Indian history of food producers to challenge, rather successfully in spite of 750 deaths, the mighty ruling RSS, which is claiming that it is the biggest organization in the world, what it would be without their support. The RSS can celebrate its right-wing centralized strength like the left centralized strength of the communist party of China, but the caste system that its ancient ancestors constructed will also do something that they never anticipated.

The communist parties took 34 years from power in West Bengal to crumble completely. But power was its way for fall not to rise. The RSS is in power now. Let us wait and see what will happen to it too.

(Author: Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd is a political theorist, social activist and author. His most known books are Why I am Not a HinduA Shudra Critique of Hindutva philosophy, Culture and Political Economy, and Post-Hindu IndiaA Discourse in Dalitbahujan Socio-Spiritual and Scientific Revolution)
Home > 2021 > Chinas BRI crown jewel joins the era of defiance and dissent | James M. (...)

by James M. Dorsey *

The crown jewel of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) increasingly looks like a powder keg that has exploded.

Mass protests [1] have for the past month swept Gwadar, a Chinese-dominated Pakistani port city 90 kilometres from the border with Iran that has long been plagued by intermittent protests and Baloch nationalist attacks on Chinese nationals and targets.

Making things worse from Chinas perspective, a local cleric, a member of Pakistans oldest Islamist political party, Jamaat-e-Islami, is leading the protests.

Moreover, a breakdown of a ceasefire between the Pakistani government and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) [2], better known as the Pakistani Taliban, raises the spectre of not only Baloch nationalist but also Pakistani religious militants further training their sites on Chinese targets.

An attack in August, on a bus in northern Pakistan that carried Chinese construction workers [3] is believed to have been carried out by the TTP although it did not claim responsibility. Thirteen people were killed, including nine Chinese nationals. The attack occurred before the conclusion of a since ruptured ceasefire between the TTP and Pakistan.

None of this bodes well for China as it seeks to come to grips with an Islamist regime in Afghanistan that shares a sliver of a border with Xinjiang, the north-western Chinese province. Authorities in Xinjiang are brutally trying to erase any seeds of Islamist thought, Sinicize the faith with practices that violate Islamic law and practice, and cull potential ethnic identity or nationalist sentiment among the regions Turkic Muslim population.

Sitting at the top of the Arabian Sea, Gwadar is at the core of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is supposed to link Xinjiang to the Indo-Pacific and allow the Peoples Republic to circumvent the Strait of Malacca that is fraught with geopolitical, big power rivalry risk.

With an investment of somewhere between US$45 and $60 billion, CPEC, involving infrastructure, energy, and telecommunications projects, is the single largest Chinese country outlay along the Belt and Road, an effort to make China the equivalent of all roads lead to Rome.

The last month of protests erupted as CPEC-related projects appeared to slow down and differences emerged regarding CPEC between the Pakistani and Chinese governments as questions were being raised in Beijing about the corridors viability.

Gwadars predominantly Baloch population has long felt that it has no stake in the citys development. Fishermen, a backbone of the citys traditional economy, were pushed out of their traditional fishing waters replaced by deep-sea trawlers, some of which are allegedly Chinese-owned.

Locals feel humiliated by multiple security checkpoints at which they repeatedly have to identify and register themselves. The checkpoints were erected to protect the port, Chinese nationals and assets, and Pakistani officials. In addition, many fear that they will be further marginalized with an influx of foreigners.

Meanwhile, Chinese development has produced few local jobs and done nothing to diversify the economy away from fishing, diesel oil smuggling, and drug trafficking. Chinese investment has also failed to help improve services in a region where potable water is scarce and electricity imported from Iran is unreliable.

The protests demanding an end to the security checks, the curtailing of fishing by deep-sea trawlers, and improved services [4] fit a pattern of mass demonstrations that over the past decade have swept across the Middle East, a stones throw away from Gwadar.

Those protests, like in Gwadar, expressed no confidence in the political system and leadership, demanded systemic change, and at least initially and with mixed results, forced the resignation of leaders in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, Algeria, Sudan, Lebanon, and Iraq.

The scion of a local fisherman, Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman, the cleric who has emerged as a leader of the protests, fits the bill. His appeal is his intuitive understanding of widespread discontent, his ability to articulate it, the failure of militant nationalists to produce results, and the fact that he is not perceived as part of the political establishment even though he ran several times unsuccessfully for a seat in Balochistans provincial and Pakistans national assembly.

Speaking to Dawn, Pakistans foremost English-language newspaper, Mr. Rehman insisted that "we are doing politics to serve the people and society, not to exploit peoples grievances for the benefit of himself or his party. I am doing politics solely to represent them and become their voice in the face of injustice, he asserted. [5]

That is not to say that Mr. Rehman has not added a religious tint to the protests. The regions Excise, Taxation, and Anti-Narcotics Department agreed late last month in talks with the cleric to shut down alcohol shops [6].

Mr. Rehmans words appear to resonate with the thousands that have been on the streets of Gwadar for the past month.

Through him, we have got a voice: Gwadar belongs to us, and we no longer want to be ignored, [7] said a local resident.

Few in Gwadar put any faith in Prime Minister Imran Khans recognition of the protesters grievances as very legitimate and promise to take them up with the provinces political leadership.

Neither Mr. Khan nor his predecessor, Nawaz Sharif, or China have, over the years, sought to ensure that the local population would have a stake in the Chinese-led development of Gwadar.

If protests in Pakistans greater neighbourhood are anything to go by, demonstrators are unlikely to surrender the street unless forced to do so by a crackdown or external factors like the Covid-19 pandemic until they see actions rather than words.

In recent weeks, promises by the provincial government to crack down on illegal trawler fishing within 12 nautical miles of Gwadar and handing over control of the border with Iran to provincial instead of national forces failed to end the protests.

We have no trust in them, Mr. Rehman told a protest rally in late November after the government agreed to meet demonstrators demands. That message stands almost three weeks later as the protests continue unabated.

(Author: Dr. James M. Dorsey is an award-winning journalist and scholar and a Senior Fellow at the National University of Singapores Middle East Institute)
The United Kingdom, UK, according to former housing secretariat and MP Robert Jenrick would ban Palestinian powerful organization Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (DBS), reports say.

Jenrick, a conservative, revealed the move at the Leadership Dialogue Institute (LDI), described on its website as a private diplomatic channel to strengthen ties between the UK, Israel and Australia, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reports citing The Jerusalem Post.

He said: In the following months, we will be working to outlaw BDS in the UK, Jenrick said during a conversation titled Why Do So Many People Hate Jews? during the dialogue discussing the pandemic, Israeli technology and antisemitism.

There is no political party in the UK that would support BDS today and [supporting BDS] is becoming much more of a fringe activity, he added.

The event was chaired by former chair of Labour Friends of Israel and ex-MP for Enfield North, and featured Likud MK Avi Dichter, MEMO notes.

The move reportedly came after London City University were threatened with legal action by UK Lawyers for Israel, after the student union voted overwhelmingly to back BDS at the university.
Undergraduate admission to Emory The deadline for Early Decision II and Regular Decision applications is Jan. 1. Learn more from the Office of Undergraduate Admission.

The email was delivered Dec. 15 to 804 in-boxes scattered from Georgia to the West Coast  and beyond  with the news that students had been anticipating for months: they had earned Early Decision admission to Emory Universitys undergraduate Class of 2026.

Out of a pool of 2,205 Early Decision I applicants, these students are the cornerstone of their class, ready to shape their dreams into reality and make the world a better place for themselves and others.

In keeping with the trends of recent years, including those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Emorys Early Decision I applications increased 13% over last year and 39% from five years ago. The academic strength and diversity of students who apply also continues to grow, confirming that Emorys reputation reaches far beyond the immediate area and attracts high-caliber students from around the world.

We are so pleased to see interest in an Emory education at record levels, says John F. Latting, associate vice provost for enrollment and dean of admission. The academic preparation of the Early Decision applicant pool and the diversity of their life experiences, talents and interests was exciting for us to see.

One unique aspect of Emory is that first-year students choose between two options for where they will begin their Emory experience: Emory College of Arts and Sciences or Oxford College. Emory College, which shares the Atlanta campus with the universitys graduate and professional schools, offers the experience of a liberal arts college in the midst of the energy and pace of a leading research university.

Oxford College, located 38 miles east of the Atlanta campus, is set on Emorys original campus. This campus, only for first- and second-year students, is a unique opportunity for students to join a close-knit community. As juniors, all Oxford students continue to the Atlanta campus, earning degrees from Emory College, Goizueta Business School or the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.

This year, Emory College admitted 673 students and Oxford College admitted 325 students for Early Decision I, 194 of which were admitted to both campuses. These students may now select which campus theyd like to attend.

College admission during COVID-19

Early Decision students are a foundational first step in creating Emorys Class of 2026 (students who apply to Early Decision commit to enrolling if they are admitted with adequate financial aid). Completing high school and preparing for college can be stressful under any circumstances, but particularly as the pandemic continues. Initial indicators, however, show that these students are hardworking, compassionate and creative despite less-than-ideal circumstances  and they are eager to build on that foundation while at Emory.

With COVID-19 still causing disruptions for many families and communities, Emory remained test optional for first-year applicants, meaning students were not required to submit ACT/SAT test scores. Those who chose to submit test scores still could, but removing the requirement alleviated one aspect of college application stress.

We know that these have been difficult times for all students as they navigate through high school and on to college, and its impressive to see what students have managed to accomplish in spite of it all, Latting says. I have no doubt that our admitted class is capable of successfully stepping right into our community that values discovery and service to humanity.

Multiple factors guide the admission committees decisions as they consider applicants. Academic records are important, including whether the students made the most of the academic options within the context of their high school and community. Student interests and involvement are also considered, along with letters of recommendation from teachers and school counselors and three short essays from the student. And, as COVID-19 continues to affect the world, the committee takes into account how the pandemic has impacted each applicants school, community or family.

We couldnt be more pleased with their academic strengths as well as the impact and investment they've made in their communities, says Kelley Lips, assistant vice provost and dean of Oxford enrollment. The students who applied demonstrated their enthusiasm and commitment to Emory, and we reciprocate their enthusiasm. There is much to celebrate and build upon as the Class of 2026 takes shape.

QuestBridge Match Scholars further strengthen the class

Prior to the Early Decision announcement, on Dec. 1 Emory welcomed a new group of 61 QuestBridge Scholars to the Class of 2026, six of whom chose to enroll at Oxford College. This is the universitys largest cohort of scholars since joining QuestBridge in 2007, reinforcing Emorys commitment to providing access to higher education to talented, low-income students who might not have access to college through their own resources.

The number of students who want to match with Emory says a lot about the university and the commitment to providing a stellar education to middle- and low-income students from throughout the country, says Timothy Fields, senior associate dean of admission. Increasing diversity is an institutional priority, and our relationship with QuestBridge continues to help us move forward with that across multiple areas within a class.

The QuestBridge National College Match program is a nonprofit that links highly qualified students from low-income backgrounds with 45 of the nations leading universities. Through this unique partnership, QuestBridge Match Scholars receive a four-year financial aid award covering full tuition and fees; room and board; and books and supplies. Nationally, 1,674 students were matched with participating universities, with the majority  81%  being among the first generation in their families to attend a four-year college in the U.S.

This is one of the strongest, most diverse cohorts of QuestBridge students that weve had join Emory, Fields adds. These students continued to excel, and even thrive, inside and outside the classroom despite some of the most unfortunate circumstances.

Emory boasts one of the largest QuestBridge Scholars Networks in the country, with more than 500 students currently enrolled at the Atlanta or Oxford campuses. Members include the previous years match scholars as well as other QuestBridge students who enroll through Regular Decision. This active student-run organization provides an authentic and supportive community, helping students navigate the transition to college.

Overwhelmed and overjoyed to be part of Emory

Being matched with Emory brings opportunities that many QuestBridge scholars might only dream of having  and they fully appreciate the significance.

Im so beyond grateful that I was given this opportunity, says Ajah Bowser from Pittsburgh. She plans to major in psychology and minor in sociology, possibly on her way to law school. Without QuestBridge, I wouldnt have been able to attend college due to my current financial situation. Ive always been very driven and have been involved in numerous high-achieving programs and scholar programs to assist my learning experience thus far. I am so grateful and blessed that QuestBridge and Emory invested in me.

Scholars cite many reasons for their interest in Emory, ranging from the universitys commitment to sustainability and its proximity to all Atlanta has to offer to Emorys reputation among students as a community rather than a competition.

I applied to Emory for many reasons, but perhaps the most important is that I wanted to go to a school where I knew Id be surrounded by bright, genuine and caring individuals  and Emory provides exactly that, says Jeremy Ahn.

Finding support and building relationships is part of why Ahn decided to begin his Emory studies at Oxford College. Coming from a class consisting of less than 80 students, Oxford immediately seemed like the perfect fit for me, says the Dallas, Texas, native who plans to study biology. Ive always been used to forming meaningful relationships with all my peers and professors, so Oxford will allow me to continue doing that.

Saying that Emory marked all the boxes for what I was looking for in a university, Christian Pierre-Jullot is similarly excited about life on the Atlanta campus. The south Florida resident likes that Emory is in a city thats not overbearing and that the university has amazing psychology and business programs. Plus, hell be able to witness leaves changing color in the fall and  maybe  snow.

Being a scholar has taken such a weight off my shoulders, he says.

The day that the Match Day came I was very overwhelmed because this is like a once-in-a-lifetime thing, says Rigo Mendoza of Odessa, Texas, who plans to either major in biology or begin the pre-med track at Emory College. Whichever he chooses, Mendoza knows hell be an actual person to his professors rather than a name on a class roll.

I cannot wait for the intellectual stimulation that will come in attending Emory, he says, as well as meeting people from so many backgrounds. I am beyond grateful to have matched to one of the top schools I wanted.

Robert Jarman was born in Nairobi, Kenya, but has lived in North Carolina for most of his life. Now hell find his way to Atlanta and Emory College, where he wants to blend his studies in computer science with other fields such as entrepreneurship.

My family and I were overjoyed the day we heard that I was a QuestBridge finalist and even more thrilled when I matched with Emory, Jarman says. I want to be an outstanding person that can bring significant change to my community, state, country or the world. In my heart, that chance starts with a proper college education. I know little about the college experience as a first-generation student, but I am eager to see how it will shape my future self.

Editors note: All data accurate as of Dec. 14, 2021.
Emory recently held a special reception to welcome leaders from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation to campus as an early step toward honoring the Indigenous peoples as the original inhabitants and stewards of the land on which Emory now sits.

A group of faculty, staff and students greeted the Muscogee (Creek) Nation delegation on Nov. 17 at an outdoor gathering on the quadrangle in front of Convocation Hall, one of the first buildings on Emorys Atlanta campus, which was constructed more than a century ago.

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation delegation visit came nearly two months after Emorys Board of Trustees approved an official Land Acknowledgment recognizing the Indigenous nations who were displaced in the years before Emorys founding. Matowacipi Horse, a second-year student in Emory College who is a citizen of the Comanche Nation, read the Land Acknowledgment at the reception.

Emory's motto is The wise heart seeks knowledge, said Provost Ravi V. Bellamkonda at the event. We have been seeking to understand and acknowledge our past. This has been some of the most important work we have been doing.

The first step of many steps we will take together

Beth Michel, associate dean of admission, is a program leader in Emorys Native American Initiative and a Tohono O'odham Nation citizen. She noted the Muscogee Nation leaders were gathering at Emorys campus nearly three years to the day from when the university held its Native American Student Symposium in 2018.

[The symposium] was actually Emory positioning themselves to listen and comprehend how best to center Indigenous knowledge and support Native faculty and students, Michel said during the reception.

Hosting the Muscogee Nation delegation shows the commitment from Emory to invest in our Native students and grow our Native faculty here, said Michel, who introduced the delegation at the event.

Creating partnerships with universities, especially those doing the work to acknowledge their history, is a priority to ensure opportunities for Indigenous students and educators, said Muscogee Nation Principal Chief David Hill.

Second Chief of the Muscogee Nation Del Beaver said the Nation appreciates Emorys willingness to explore its history.

This is not just a partnership; its also a part of a healing process, Beaver told the group. This is just the first step of many steps we will take together. I just appreciate Emory being a part of the healing process of what is sometimes a horrific story.

Emory University was founded in Oxford, Georgia, in 1836  15 years after the Muscogee were forced to relinquish the land through the First Treaty of Indian Springs. We recognize the sustained oppression, land dispossession, and involuntary removals of the Muscogee and Cherokee peoples from Georgia and the Southeast, the universitys Land Acknowledgment states. Emory seeks to honor the Muscogee Nation and other Indigenous caretakers of this land by humbly seeking knowledge of their histories and committing to respectful stewardship of the land.

Bellamkonda paid homage to that history when he noted how wonderful it was to hear the language of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation spoken as part of the reception. "This land, this sky, these trees rejoice to hear the language spoken again, he said. It has been far too long.

Today the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, headquartered in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, is the fourth largest tribe in the U.S., with more than 86,000 citizens.

The reception concluded with an exchange of gifts. Hill gave Bellamkonda an official Muscogee Nation flag.

The provost then presented Hill with a framed image of the Callicarpa americana plant (American Beautyberry). The plant is native to Georgia and other Southern states and was sourced by Emory medical ethnobotanist Cassandra Quave, who has researched its medicinal use by Muscogee and other Native American tribes.

May this gift serve as a symbol of healing and hope  and as a reminder of our mutual respect for each other and for the land as a source of life and learning, Bellamkonda said.

Emorys commitment to learn from the Muscogee Nation

President Gregory L. Fenves announced the approval of the Land Acknowledgment in September in the lead-up to the universitys In the Wake of Slavery and Dispossession symposium. The symposium highlighted the ongoing efforts and research in the areas of slavery, dispossession, and restorative justice, with a focus on the legacy of racism and its enduring effects at Emory University.

Fenves also announced he was forming a Language Path Working Group that, building on the Task Force on Untold Stories and Disenfranchised Populations recommendations, would draft a Request for Proposals for landscape and other artists to design physical reminders on the Oxford and Atlanta campuses to highlight Muscogee land and knowledge in relation to the land and history.

The group is co-chaired by Malinda Maynor Lowery, Cahoon Family Professor of American History in Emory College, and the Rev. Gregory W. McGonigle, Emorys dean of religious life and university chaplain. Other task force members include students, faculty and staff.

The Language Path Working Group is also charged with conducting research about Emorys history and its relation to Native American and Indigenous peoples and identifying opportunities for future programming to educate the campus community.

On the evening of the Muscogee Nation leaders visit, after the official reception, the Language Path Working Group held its second meeting, during which they met with members of the delegation to seek their vision for the Language Path. The working group is expected to make its recommendations in May.

McGonigle said meeting with the Muscogee Nation delegation was a crucial opportunity for our working group to hear directly from the Muscogee Nation leaders on their perspectives.

There was a beautiful spirit of openness and a desire to work together to envision an exciting future, he said.

Lowery, who is a member of the Lumbee Tribe, said she feels a keen responsibility to represent my own people well and ensure that Muscogee values are respected and honored.

It was a gathering that I feel launched our commitment, as expressed in the Land Acknowledgment, to steward this place with knowledge that has been produced here, since time immemorial, Lowery said.

The Muscogee Nation is a sovereign nation, and I am glad that Emory has taken this first step to develop a relationship with the original and ongoing stewards of this place, she said.

The Rev. Chebon Kernell, executive director of the Native American Comprehensive Plan and executive secretary of Native American and Indigenous Ministries for the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, is a community representative member on the Language Path Working Group.

He attended the reception and meeting of Emory and Muscogee leaders to recognize the historic nature of this moment.

Emorys progress over the past year to erase the historical silencing of Native American people has been years in the making, Kernell said, and was spearheaded in large part by Craig Womack, a recently retired associate professor of English and a leading figure in Native American literary studies, who is himself Muscogee.

Voices are now starting to be heard, changes are starting to occur, and Emory is the perfect example, Kernell said.

After the meeting, the Language Path Working Group members and the Muscogee Nation leadership delegation visited the Michael C. Carlos Museums special exhibition Each/Other, presenting the works of Marie Watt and Cannupa Hanska Luger.

As the working group continues its charge, it will seek to build on the Nov. 17 meeting with the Muscogee Nation, with the hope that the Language Path will become a gateway to future collaborations.
[December 16, 2021] Dassian Launches New Website ATLANTA, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dassian, Inc., is proud to announce the launch of its new website and enhanced logo. The new site and logo reflect the company's focus on innovative, end-to-end solutions for digital business transformation in the government contracting sector and for project-centric businesses. The updated site emphasizes Dassian's integrated approach through a singular digital thread that results in business process redesign and more efficient, data-driven business operations. As the go-to solutions provider for government contractors and project-centric industries, Dassian helps these businesses adapt to an increasingly fast-paced and competitive market that is demanding technological and business process changes. Dassian's new logo includes a "D" comprised of points connected by a sleek thread. The design represents a viual reminder of the company's emphasis on end-to-end solutions facilitated by a singular digital thread. "Our new website and logo better represent the solutions we provide and the problems we solve for our clients," says Kevin Kane, Dassian's CEO. "Our website now not only reflects our rich history in providing technological solutions for highly regulated and project-centric companies, but also describes how our solutions suite and experts facilitate digital business transformation through a cross-functional, integrated, and single-source approach. "As a certified SAP partner, Dassian extends and enhances SAP's core to deliver seamless, integrated end-to-end solutions for our clients," Kane continues. "Our website better reflects that relationship and its value to clients." The new website also includes an Executive Corner that provides insightful content to support customers engaging in digital business transformation as well as access to Dassian's Guidance Board Resource Center. The Guidance Board is comprised of 35 executives and thought leaders from Fortune 500 companies who provide both feedback and innovative ideas on Dassian's integrated solutions suite. Along with the support portal, Dassian's website now offers both ongoing assistance and thought-provoking content for customers and industry leaders. About Dassian

Dassian is a strategic Microsoft, SAP, and global system integrator partner. Dassian's suite of integrated solutions provide an innovative, end-to-end approach to contract management, managerial accounting, program management, and material accounting & logistics solutions for highly regulated and project-centric businesses. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dassian-launches-new-website-301446840.html SOURCE Dassian, Inc.

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[December 16, 2021] Paymerang Uses Amazon Web Services to Deliver World-Class Finance Automation Solutions RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Paymerang is using Amazon Web Services (AWS) to empower mid-market businesses to accelerate vendor payment and deliver world-class customer service. To support the rapid growth of the company, Paymerang uses five AWS products for its operationsand client services.

Paymerang chose AWS because it simplifies and streamlines many time-consuming administrative processes while elevating existing database operations. The low cost and reputable products made it an easy transition to AWS. "As Paymerang continues to expand, the company needed a cloud offering that is reliable and flexible enough to keep up with their rapid growth  so they turned to AWS," said Dave Trotter, Director of SMB Sales at Amazon Web Services, Inc. "Using AWS's proven global infrastructure and database, analytics, contact center, and security capabilities, Paymerang has the ability to grow and scale their businesses while accelerating innovation in their payment automation solutions." As a part of ongoing maturity and sophistication in the AP Automation space, Paymerang has made significant investment in migrating relational data storage to Amazon Aurora. Amazon Aurora enables Paymerang to leverage an enterprise class database technology with multi-region capabilities to read replicas, and automate crash recovery at a fraction of the cost of a proprietary database system. "This collaboration proves Paymerang's commitment to being a cloud-first company. We're thrilled to work with AWS, the best in the business, to power the next generation of fintech solutions," said Nasser Chanda, CEO of Paymerang. As the company grew, it realized the importance of using a premiere contact center solution with flagship application integration. Amazon Connect has streamlined payment operations by reducing the number of unique phone numbers while also greatly improving the quality of calls. Since implementation, Paymerang has seamlessly integrated the rich data generated from Amazon Connect and Contact Lens directly into their enterprise data lake. This creates advanced dashboards that quickly show supervisors how efficient the operations teams are performing. Paymerang is leveraging Amazon Cognito to integrate with their authentication and authorization systems to identify users in the system, authorize approved actions those users can execute based on their role, and integrate with fine-grained access controls using AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM). Amazon Cognito provides the peace of mind for Paymerang to know they have the army of security engineers at AWS on their side, allowing them to reallocate resources to building client-facing features. Paymerang generates rich data, and when exploring various analytics and reporting tools on the market, it was clear that the best tool at the best cost was Amazon QuickSight. The seamless integration between Amazon QuickSight and Paymerang created immediate time and cost savings. Amazon QuickSight has quickly become the primary report technology of choice, and Paymerang is already working to embed Amazon QuickSight dashboard capabilities into their products using Amazon QuickSight Q and embedded analytics. About Paymerang:

Paymerang provides streamlined invoice and payment automation solutions that bring Accounts Payable (AP) departments into the modern age. Paymerang's solutions save AP departments hundreds of hours annually, enhance visibility, increase accuracy, improve efficiency, and earn rebates while reducing paper, fraud risks, and operating costs. Learn more at: https://www.paymerang.com/ . View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/paymerang-uses-amazon-web-services-to-deliver-world-class-finance-automation-solutions-301447003.html SOURCE Paymerang

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China News Service: The ninth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption was held from December 13 to 17 in Egypt. What is Chinas position, concern and expectation on international anti-corruption cooperation and global anti-corruption governance?

Wang Wenbin: The UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) is the most authoritative and influential global legal document in the field of anti-corruption. China attaches great importance to this session of the Conference of the States Parties and sent a high-level delegation to attend the meeting via video link. In the speech delivered at the session, the Chinese side acknowledged the significance of the UN General Assembly special session on corruption held in June to the global anti-corruption governance. The Chinese side introduced the experience of the Communist Party of China, a major party with century-long history, in comprehensively exercising rigorous governance over the Party and fighting against corruption. China seriously fulfills its obligations under the UNCAC, holds high the banner of multilateralism, attaches great importance to international cooperation against corruption, and actively carries out cross-border corruption governance and international repatriation of fugitives and recovery of assets. China calls on countries to refuse to become a safe haven for corrupt individuals and assets, reject small cliques on anti-corruption law enforcement cooperation, uphold and develop global governance rules based on the Convention, and earnestly remove obstacles to hunting down fugitives and recovering assets.

I want to stress once again that we firmly oppose using corruption-related issues as a tool to interfere in other countries internal affairs in the name of fighting corruption. We firmly oppose forming cliques with ideology as the yardstick in the name of upholding democracy. We firmly oppose the wanton use of long-arm jurisdiction and trampling on international law in the name of defending the rule of law. We urge relevant countries to honor their anti-corruption commitments, fulfill their obligations under the Convention, stop sheltering corruption crimes, stop raking in ill-gotten gains, and stop being a safe haven for corrupt individuals.

At the the UN General Assembly special session on corruption held in June this year, Zhao Leji, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, put forward four proposals on international anti-corruption cooperation on Chinas behalf. First, uphold fairness and justice and punish wrongdoing. Second, show respect for differences and encourage mutual learning on the basis of equality. Third, strive for win-win cooperation through extensive consultation and joint contribution. Fourth, honor commitments and take concrete actions. These proposals are warmly received and supported by the international community. Guided by the proposals, China will earnestly fulfill its obligations under the Convention, strengthen coordination and cooperation with all parties, contribute Chinas proposals and strength to global anti-corruption governance, and contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

TASS: In his virtual meeting with Russian President Putin, President Xi Jinping said China will continue to carry out flexible and diverse cooperation with Russia and other member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization to safeguard security and stability in the region. What challenges are China and Russia facing in this aspect? What can China and Russia do to safeguard regional security?

Wang Wenbin: On December 15, President Xi Jinping had a virtual meeting with Russian President Putin. The two heads of state had an in-depth exchange of views on core and major issues of common concerns including safeguarding regional security, and achieved new, important consensus.

The world is witnessing the combined forces of changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century against the backdrop of complex and profound changes in international and regional landscape. We believe that China and Russia, two permanent members of the UN Security Council, take on important mission in defending regional peace and stability and promoting development and revitalization of all countries. For some time, certain countries have been drawing ideological lines, building new military blocs and stoking regional tensions, which have all brought grave threats and challenges to regional peace and stability and global strategic stability. China and Russia firmly reject this. We will continue to follow the two leaders consensus, take up responsibility, unite all forces that love peace and support peace, and make active contribution to realizing sustained, universal and common security in the region and the wider world.

Shenzhen TV: We have learned that Samoa confirmed its accession to the Joint Statement of China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers Meeting held on October 21. Could you confirm this?

Wang Wenbin: The first foreign ministers meeting of China and Pacific Island Countries was held via video link on October 21. Foreign ministers and representatives of China and nine Pacific Island Countries having diplomatic relations with China attended the meeting and adopted the Joint Statement of China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers Meeting. They reached a series of important consensus on jointly combating COVID-19, advancing exchange and cooperation in various sectors, and strengthening communication and coordination on multilateral affairs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Samoa has just officially confirmed through a diplomatic note to the Chinese Embassy in Samoa its accession to the Joint Statement.

China welcomes and appreciates Samoas accession to the Joint Statement. We stand ready to work together with Samoa and other island countries to enhance dialogue, exchange and cooperation across all sectors, act on the consensus and outcomes in the Joint Statement, bring the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and island countries to a new height, and forge a closer community with a shared future for China and Pacific Island Countries.

AFP: The US recently sanctioned several Chinese firms over their alleged involvement in human rights abuses in Xinjiang. And the US Senate also voted to ban all imports from Xinjiang. Whats your comment?

Wang Wenbin: The US has wantonly suppressed Chinese institutions and enterprises by overstretching the concept of national security and abusing export control measures under various excuses. It has reached a point of hysteria and would stop at nothing to do so. What the US did has seriously undermined the principles of market economy and international economic and trade rules, and harmed the interests of Chinese institutions and enterprises. China deplores and rejects this. The attempt of the US to use Xinjiang to contain China will never succeed. We urge the US side to immediately correct its mistake. China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese institutions and companies.

The Paper: We understand that China and Japan are expected to hold the 13th round of high-level consultations on maritime affairs soon. Could you give us the time, venue and agenda?

Wang Wenbin: As agreed by the two sides, the 13th round of high-level consultations on maritime affairs between China and Japan will be held virtually on December 20. Officials from departments covering foreign affairs, defence, maritime law enforcement and marine management will attend the event. Earlier on November 10, the two sides heads of delegation already held a dialogue under this mechanism.

The high-level consultations were established as an integrated mechanism of communication and coordination for maritime affairs between China and Japan. We look forward to having a thorough exchange of views on maritime issues of mutual concern with the Japanese side to enhance trust and clear misgivings and promote practical cooperation in the maritime field.

Beijing Youth Daily: A senior US State Department official who asked not to be named said on November 16 that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) does not prohibit Australia from working with the US and the UK to build nuclear-powered submarines. Australia planned to equip the submarines with conventional rather than nuclear weapons, and it had made clear it would not build nuclear facilities on its territory that would contribute to a weapons capability. The senior official also said the world can be absolutely certain that there is no diversion of nuclear materials to a weapons programme. AUKUS would instead set a precedent of the highest possible level of safeguards for any similar deals in the future, the official said. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: The nuclear submarine cooperation between the US, the UK and Australia under the framework of the trilateral security partnership poses serious risks of nuclear proliferation and violates the object and purpose of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT).

There is nothing in the IAEA safeguards mechanism that can effectively monitor the power reactors of nuclear submarines. Therefore, there is no way to ensure that Australia wont use these nuclear materials for building nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices. How can the US expect the international community to swallow its doubts by just claiming that it is sure there will be no diversion of nuclear materials to a weapons programme? The US once promised that it would not advance the eastward expansion of NATO, but we all saw how it broke its commitment.

The US, the UK and Australia have styled themselves as leaders and defenders of the international non-proliferation regime over the years, but the nuclear submarine cooperation reveals their flat-out double standard on this issue. Their move will encourage other non-nuclear weapon states to follow suit and deal a profound and negative blow to efforts on addressing regional nuclear hotspot issues. It may eventually lead to the collapse of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. If the US transfers weapons-grade nuclear materials to one non-nuclear weapon state, on what grounds can it oppose the production of highly-enriched uranium by other non-nuclear weapon states?

The IAEA Board of Governors Meeting in November added issues relating to the trilateral nuclear submarine cooperation between the US, the UK and Australia to its official agenda and held discussions, which reflected the grave concern shared broadly by member states of the Board of Governors. The US claims that AUKUS would set a precedent of the highest possible level of safeguards for any similar deals in the future. I wonder, on what authority are these three countries setting standards for other countries?

Id like to stress that the safeguards issue regarding the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation bears on the integrity and efficacy of the NPT and concerns the interests of all IAEA member states. As such, it should be jointly discussed by all member states. China has suggested that the IAEA launch a special committee open to all member states to focus on discussing the political, legal and technical issues concerning safeguards for non-nuclear weapon states nuclear submarine power reactors and relevant nuclear materials, and to properly seek a solution acceptable to all parties. The US, the UK and Australia should not proceed with relevant cooperation, and the IAEA Secretariat should not have consultation with the three countries on the so-called safeguards arrangement for their nuclear submarine cooperation until consensus is reached by all parties.

Bloomberg: A question regarding the annual EU-China summit, which, according to a report from the South China Morning Post, has been postponed amid concerns that there is little chance of making progress in key areas. This, as I say, is from the South China Morning Post citing sources familiar with the situation. Can the foreign ministry confirm that the annual EU-China summit has been postponed? If so, what is the reason for the postponement?

Wang Wenbin: China and the EU are staying in communication over high-level exchange. We will release information in due course.

CCTV: A few days ago, the Pentagon decided not to impose any form of punishment on military personnel who took part in the Kabul drone strike that killed 10 civilians in Afghanistan. However, earlier this year, a former US Air Force intelligence analyst who saw the killing of Afghan civilians by US drone strike was sentenced to 45 months in prison for disclosing relevant information to a reporter. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: What you just said makes a mockery of the US claim of defending democracy, human rights and rule of law.

US military personnel that killed Afghan civilians were granted impunity while the person who revealed the truth was criminalized. US troops that committed war crimes in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria were not prosecuted while Julian Assange, a publisher who exposed these crimes, may face life imprisonment. The innocent Afghan civilians killed by the US drone strike will never see the world again and their families have to cope with the agonizing loss of their loved ones, while the perpetrators remain beyond the reach of justice. This is the harsh reality of the American-style democracy and human rights.

The US military should be held accountable for killing civilians around the world. The US should be condemned even more for concealing the truth in various means and silencing whistle-blowers. We all on the international community to take action and investigate US militarys crimes that trample on international rule of law and murder innocent civilians, hold the perpetrators accountable, and uphold justice, to make sure the human rights of people in all countries, especially developing countries, are earnestly safeguarded and guaranteed.

MASTV: Lithuanias Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told the press that Chinese authorities had informed diplomats that their identification cards would soon no longer be valid. He said, We asked for a longer period, simply because it would be complicated to arrange that return so quickly. We did not get any answer to the request, and people returned as fast as possible. Unilateral changes to the status of a countrys representatives would violate international laws including the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, he added. What is Chinas response?

Wang Wenbin: In response to the Lithuanian governments erroneous move to allow the Taiwan authorities to set up the Taiwan Representative Office in Lithuania and flagrantly create the false impression of one China, one Taiwan in the world, the Chinese side has announced the downgrading of bilateral diplomatic relations to the charge daffaires level and informed the Lithuanian side via diplomatic note of its decision to rename Chinas diplomatic representation in Lithuania the Office of the Charge dAffaires of the Peoples Republic of China in the Republic of Lithuania as well as its demand that the Lithuanian side change the name of its diplomatic representation in China accordingly. This is consistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, genera international law and relevant international practices, and in line with the principle of diplomatic reciprocity.

With the downgraded relations to the charge daffaires level, China asked Lithuanias diplomatic representation in China to reapply for the identification cards for diplomats. This is a normal procedure of Chinas support and management of foreign missions in China, which complies with international law and common international practice. It does not affect the normal fulfillment of duties and life of Lithuanian diplomats in China. At the same time, China protects the security and legitimate rights of all diplomatic missions in China and their normal operation, including Lithuanias diplomatic representation, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The Lithuanian side has never applied for the extension of identification cards for its diplomats. The claim that it did not get any answer to the requestfrom the Chinese side is purely made out of thin air. The fact is, without prior notification to the Chinese side, the Lithuanian side suddenly decided to pull out all its diplomats from China, thus putting on a self-directed farce.

Instead of facing up to and addressing its wrong acts, the Lithuanian side spreads disinformation to shirk responsibilities. China deplores and rejects this. The attempt to create the false impression of one China, one Taiwan and undermine Chinas sovereignty will never succeed. The attempt to shift the blame and blackmail China politically is also miscalculated.

China Review News: On December 15, media in the Czech Republic reported that China may detain a Lithuanian national without criminal charges. Separately, the foreign affairs committee of the Czech Senate adopted a resolution calling on the government to express support for the return of Lithuanian diplomats to Vilnius in response to Chinas coercive actions, and to speak up at the European Council to endorse and support Lithuania. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: I have just briefed you on the facts and Chinas position on the departure of Lithuanian diplomats from China. The report that China may detain a Lithuanian national without criminal charges is totally groundless and absurd. I would like to stress once again that the Chinese side deplores and rejects Lithuanias decision to abruptly arrange the departure of all its diplomatic staff from China without consulting with the Chinese side and moves to spread rumors to shirk responsibility. We urge the relevant side to distinguish right from wrong, uphold an objective and fair position, abide by the one-China principle and take concrete actions to safeguard the sound and steady development of bilateral and China-Europe relations.
Dr. Agata Karska from the Institute of Astronomy at the Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, NCU (Torun, Poland), has focused her scientific interest on UV radiation observed in the vicinity of protostars and its meaning for the formation of new objects as well as planetary systems surrounding them.

She is interested in the ways in which low-mass objects such as our Sun are formed. Owing to her contribution to this field of research we will be able to gain more information concerning distant past of our planet Earth.

- Protostars are young, still forming stars. In the future, they will produce energy from the nuclear fusion, and only then they will become "fully-fledged" stars, explains Dr. Agata Karska.

Difficult observations

Young stars can be found in clouds composed of dust and gas, impermeable to visible light, which makes observations of such objects quite problematic.

Observations at longer electromagnetic waves, particularly in the far infrared, are necessary because this is where the dust brightness peaks, and also in the sub-millimeter range with key molecular transitions useful for the measurements of the temperature and density of a gas surrounding a protostar, explains Dr. Karska. - Visible light and ultraviolet radiation are completely absorbed by dust. However, due to observations of rotational lines of molecules in the sub-millimeter range which are within our scope of interest, we are able to determine the temperature and density of the gas as well as the amount of different molecules surrounding a protostar. With such knowledge, we can draw conclusions concerning physical and chemical processes leading to the formation of stars and planets.

By analyzing the presence of water molecules around protostars it was possible to confirm the occurrence of UV radiation in low-mass star-forming regions. Unfortunately, the observations carried out with the use of the Herschel space telescope could not be continued since its mission was accomplished in 2014. Thus, the idea of applying HCN and CN molecules which can be observed from the Earth emerged.

The results of recent research based on observations of these molecules with the use of the IRAM telescope located in Spain can be found in the article entitled "Signatures of UV radiation in low-mass protostars I. Origin of HCN and CN emission in the Serpens Main region" which has just been published in a prestigious "Astronomy & Astrophysics" journal. Agnieszka Mirocha, who studied astronomy at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow, is the first author. She is a former undergraduate and a current PhD student supervised by Dr. Agata Karska who is the second author.

- Our idea was based on taking a closer look at the presence of two molecules, namely, HCN and CN. We considered them as the indicators of where and how intensely UV radiation occurs, says Agnieszka Mirocha, MSc.

- There are various molecules presenting different properties in a gas found in a cloud surrounding a protostar. Their abundance in such gas results from the efficiency of chemical reactions leading to their production and destruction, which depend on physical conditions as well as additional processes such as illumination with UV radiation.

Until recently, astronomers were not certain whether protostars are the source of UV radiation. At present, we know that even though they do not emit it themselves, the matter falling from a disk onto a star not only changes the structure of a shock wave leading to increased compression of a gas but also creates a very hot, illuminated region.

When a dust-gas cloud surrounding a protostar falls in, we deal with accretion which is the agglomeration of matter on a star. Frequently, the so-called accretion shock is observed: a temperature significantly rises in the place where the matter has fallen, explains Dr. Karska. On the other hand, we also know that due to rotation, since the cloud not only falls in but also rotates, in the presence of magnetic field, a certain portion of matter is cast out to space again.

In such a case, we talk about molecular outflow, the outflow of matter and its interaction with the dusty and gaseous envelope. In turn, the collision of the ejected matter with the envelope creates shock waves, in which a sharp rise in temperature and density occurs. Then, UV photons can be produced.

- In our opinion, the outflows we have managed to observe are the primary source of UV radiation, adds Dr. Karska.

Destructive radiation

- From the purely chemical perspective, the conclusions drawn from the radioastronomical observations could seem surprising: the concentrations of hydrogen cyanide, a very stable compounds, were definitely lower than those of CN, a reactive radical. Under physical conditions typical of the observed objects, such a result could be simply explained by the presence of a substantial number of UV photons, emphasizes another author, Dr. Marcin Gronowski from the Institute of Physical Chemistry at the Polish Academy of Science.

- In our work, we were able to show that HCN and CN molecules are good indicators of UV radiation, says Dr. Karska. - In our research, we demonstrated that the reaction of HCN with a UV photon is its dominant damaging reaction. Simultaneously, CN is more resistant to photodissociation. It means that the photon which damages HCN does not affect CN. In the case of the latter molecule, more energetic UV radiation is required.

While performing our studies, we were fully aware that chemistry of an interstellar medium can be astonishing, says Dr. Gronowski. - We know that about 200 molecules of such kind exist in such media, although there are surely more of them. They can all undergo various reactions resulting in different products. Hence, a complex network of dependencies among concentrations of molecules develops. The chemical complexity level in such media is so high that finding out which chemical processes regulate the CN and HCN concentration was a tedious task.

The power of interdisciplinarity

- While studying the protostellar surroundings and the processes which create UV radiation, we put much effort to approach the problem not only from the physical viewpoint. We wanted to consider also chemical modelling of the molecular clouds where young stars are forming, says Dr. Karska. - For modelling we took into account thousands of chemical reactions which can be accompanied by UV radiation of varied intensities. First of all, we checked whether our assumption that the decomposition of HCN caused by radiation yields CN is chemically justified.

It is amazing how interdisciplinary the studies of star-forming processes are. If we want to gain knowledge about the past of the space, we need to take advantage of research in the field of chemical kinetics, spectroscopy, photochemistry, molecular physics, or quantum chemistry, say Dr. Karska and Dr. Gronowski unanimously.



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North of Ganges Chasma lies Orson Welles Crater, whose floor contains broken up blocks we call chaotic terrain and which is the source for the major outflow channel Shalbatana Vallis.

Between Orson Welles and Ganges Chasma is a region where materials subsided and collapsed over underground cavities that had once held aquifers. This image shows an elongated collapse pit. There is evidence that the pit was once filled with water as the groundwater erupted to the surface. A closer view shows fine sedimentary layers exposed by erosion.

Written by: Dan Berman (narration: Tre Gibbs) (14 December 2021) Larger image

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Friends describe Donna Holt as someone who would help anyone. Now, Holts friends are leading efforts to help her.

Holt, a harness racing trainer from western Kentucky, lost her house and barn, and saw five horses injured, when a devastating tornado passed through the Mayfield-Benton area on December 10. The National Weather Service estimated the tornado travelled nearly 130 miles and had peak winds of 190 mph. Statewide, at least 75 people were killed in Kentucky as the result of a series of tornadoes there.

For the past several days, friends and neighbours have been helping Holt and her dad Junior, who lives on a bordering property and also lost his home, clean up and salvage any personal items. A GoFundMe page was started over the weekend to raise money for Holt and her horses. In addition, an account for contributions was created at Hawthorne Race Course, where Holt has raced during past springs and summers.

Its totally overwhelming, said Audra Knox, a horse owner whose pacing mare Ashlees Joy was among the horses on the property. They lost everything. Ive never seen anything like this. When I pulled in the driveway, it took everything in my power not to burst out bawling. These people are starting completely over.

Knox said Holt has a stable of 15 to 20 horses. Most of the horses were elsewhere at the time of the storm, but three racehorses and two broodmares were on the property. All survived, but were injured to varying degrees, including one needing critical care.

The vet bills are going to be astronomical, said Knox, adding that Ashlees Joy suffered mostly cuts and scratches.

Knox, who lives in Iowas Quad Cities region, has had horses with Holt for several years.

I own a company and I cant stay at the track 24/7, so I always wanted somebody that would take care of a horse like I took care of a horse, said Knox. I found Donna. She is just an extraordinary person. She would do anything for you. She is always there for everybody. Ive never met anybody like her.

Nicole Agosti, a trainer who has known Holt for nearly a decade and is her barn neighbour when racing at Hawthorne, started the GoFundMe page to help her friend. As of early Thursday afternoon, the fund had received 98 donations totalling $12,335.

You kind of feel helpless, said Agosti. I just wanted to do something. Hopefully, it will help take care of the vet bills and get her back going a little bit again. Shes a great person and she loves her animals a lot. Thats tough to see.

She appreciates everything that everyone is trying to do for her.

Barb Poprawski, the horsemens bookkeeper at Hawthorne, started the relief account there.

Some people dont do GoFundMe or theyre not on Facebook, so they dont see it, said Poprawski. Thats why we set up the account at Hawthorne. This way people can mail cheques (address at the end of story) or if they have an account with money in it, they can transfer it.

Poprawski also has known Holt for about 10 years.

Donna is good to her animals, and she takes care of everybody, said Poprawski. Donnas barn is the barn you go to after the races, and she cooks for everybody. Weve had a lot of fun together. Donna is the best.

Others providing assistance to Holt through the use of trucks and trailers, in addition to looking after horses, include David Brooks, Merv Chupp and Lannie Essex, said Knox.

There are so many people here trying to help, said Knox.

Cheques to assist Holt can be mailed to Hawthorne Race Course, 3501 S. Laramie, Cicero, IL 60804.

(USTA)
Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 11:30PM

by Claudio Alves

This journey through the Best International Film Oscar submissions has taken us to Europe and Latin America thus far, leaving some continents sorely underrepresented. In hopes of remedying that, this entry shall focus exclusively on Asian contenders. They are the latest work from a respected auteur who has represented China seven times before. From India, an award-winning feature debut shot on a tiny budget and severe minimalism. Finally, Indonesia brings us a beautiful character study in a hundred shades of purple

CLIFF WALKERS (China)

Zhang Yimou's frozen thriller follows four Chinese agents who infiltrate 1930s Japanese-controlled Manchukuo in the 1930s. Their mission is code-named "Utrennya," and their objective is to locate an internment camp escapee, securing the testimony of someone who has seen the horrifying human experimentation perpetrated by the Japanese Army. Trudging through the snow, crossing borders across a desolate forest, they split into pairs, trying to avoid capture, death, or worse  being tortured until they betray the Communist party, compromise their asset. But, of course, the plans go awry. This wouldn't be a very good thriller if they went smoothly.

While the spy games are perfectly presentable, there's a limit to how much excitement the director can get from the accumulating double-crosses and cryptic talk. The biggest issue is the screenplay and how it fails to define the characters beyond their mechanical roles. As the stakes get higher and higher, the narrative threads get caught up in tight knots. It's hard to care for these cardboard good guys. Furthermore, despite the complicated story, the morality is rather simplistic, politics flattened into easy binaries that make the drama feel more toothless than it should.

Thankfully, Zhang Yimou remains a master behind the cameras, making up for the anemic text with technical wizardry. After the grayscale of Shadow's art direction, it seems he wants to stay within a limited color palette, defining the movie's best shots by the contrast of white snow and an endless collection of black winterwear. Amid the wool tweed, the furs, leather, and knits, a human drama unfolds, but the sartorial spectacle is much more interesting. Cliff Walkers is a visual delight above all else, making up for the cinematography's digital smoothness with an array of sets full of texture and the burning kiss of CGI frost. B-

PEBBLES (India)

Winner of the Golden Tiger at the Rotterdam Film Festival, P.S. Vinothraj's Pebbles is almost as unforgiving as its landscape. It's an inhospitable hell made up of rock, stone, dry earth with cracks all over it, barren to its core. It's also oddly beautiful when photographed by Vignesh Kumulai and Jeya Parthuban's digital camera. The images aren't necessarily painterly, but their harshness is riveting nonetheless. Even amidst its cruelty, there are small pools of grace. Sometimes it's the silhouette of a woman, out of focus in the distance. Other times, it's the majesty of a faraway mountain, dwarfing the petty humanity happening under its shadow.

The story of Pebbles is simple to the point that it feels like an ancient tale, all about primordial forces and old lessons. It's told in two movements, a voyage in search of retribution, violent justice, and the subsequent return, once the trip has proven fruitless. An alcoholic man, like rage personified, drags his son through aridness. The patriarch is convinced his wife wants to leave him and has decided to confront her with their small child in tow. Fearing for his mother's safety, the boy tries to delay the furious father.

In the meantime, the camera captures the surrounding people, miniature tableaux that speak of a world much vaster than this family quarrel. It's in those people, living on the sidelines of the tale, that Pebbles reveals its lyrical heart. The marginal actions of a hungry family chasing mice to eat are juxtaposed to their youngest member's wandering eye. Her stomach only minimally filled, a girl gets distracted by a rainfall of helicopter seeds. At that moment, the movie too forgets about its miseries and gets lost in the magic of the moment. It took my breath away. B

YUNI (Indonesia)

The world of Yuni is purple. She's obsessed with the color, collecting all sorts of objects that shine with the royal hue. Even her underwear is purple, as the movie's opening shows, watching her prepare for another day of school in a contemporary Indonesia where modernity and tradition are always in a game of push-and-pull. The symbology of the color isn't clear at first. Still, by the end of the movie, when the protagonist is drowning in it, one finds its meaning as a personal objection to patriarchal expectations, its forces. Purple is the color of royalty, it's associated with power, wisdom, and spirituality. It's also the color of widowhood.

Despite the nonending conversations of marriage, one gets the sense that Yuni would rather be a widow than a bride. She's seen what happens to girls who get carted off to marry men they don't care for. The young women are tragically doomed, either stuck in loveless unions that cut the rose of independence on its bud or ostracized for running away from their husbands. And yet, the societal pressure is too hard to bear. Even in a temple of learning, outside forces threaten to impose purity tests and ban such simple fun as band practice. Director Kamila Andini makes us feel all the walls closing on her protagonist but never allows the movie to become airless.

Rather than asphyxiating, Yuni reflects its titular character's youth, her boundless vitality. The film flies when it acknowledges her willful temperament, forming a coming-of-age narrative of uncommon maturity, commendable complexity. Never idealized or reduced to mere victimhood, Yuni shines bright, a diamond in the rough with her ugly sides, bouts of adolescent narcissism, selfishness. Actress Arawinda Kirana is an excellent subject for Andini's camera, articulating all the facets of Yuni with the effortless precision one would expect from a much more experienced thespian. We're always on edge watching her, asking ourselves how far Yuni will go to ascertain control over her own life. B+

Oscar Odds? From these three, Cliff Walkers is probably the likeliest to get shortlisted. Its production values are off the charts, and Zhang Yimou is not unfamiliar to AMPAS. Three of his past movies have been nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, while Shanghai Triad, House of Flying Daggers, and Curse of the Golden Flower were recognized in other categories. Pebbles has just received an Independent Spirit nomination, so it's in the race too. That leaves Yuni as the one whose shortlisting would be most shocking.
By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan Theater Workers' Union has celebrated the 880th anniversary of the Azerbaijani poet and philosopher Nizami Ganjavi.

Prominent public figures, representatives of culture and art attended the event.

In his remarks, Deputy Chairman of the Theater Workers' Union, People's Artist Haji Ismayilov provided insight the cultural projects and events held within the Year of Nizami Ganjavi in Azerbaijan.

Chairman of the Sabail regional organization of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party Mukhtar Naghiyev stressed the role of Nizami Ganjavi's legacy in the formation of the younger generation.

Zahra Allahverdiyeva, a leading researcher at the Nizami Ganjavi Institute of Literature spoke about the poet's legacy and contribution to the world literature.

Further, Honored Artist Anar Shushaly performed music pieces based on Nizami's poetry.

Then the play "Hunerim bir asimand?r" was presented to the audience. The play was staged by Ayla Osmanova and Imran Gurbanov.

The event was organized by the Culture Ministry, Azerbaijan Theater Workers' Union, Sabail regional organization of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party and the Azerbaijan National Conservatory.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Minsk has thanked Baku for the latter's constructive approach to the Belarus-related paragraph of the joint declaration adopted at the end of the Eastern Partnership summit based on international law.

Belarus Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei made the remarks in a telephone conversation with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov on December 17.

During the conversation, the parties discussed the topical issues on the bilateral cooperation agenda and prospects for its development.

The ministers focused on the regional situation and other issues of mutual interest.

Earlier it was reported that Azerbaijan disassociated itself from paragraph 11 of the Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit of December 15, 2021, and has a reservation to any operations in conflict-affected regions referred to in paragraph 8 of the Annex to this Joint Declaration carried out in the absence of a relevant request and agreement with Azerbaijan.

At the summit, EU Council President Charles Michel officially stated that Azerbaijan had not agreed with paragraph 11 of the joint declaration concerning the internal political situation in Belarus and expressed its position on this paragraph.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Leyla Abdullayeva stressed that the Eastern Partnership program should serve not only the partner countries' relations with the EU, but also the development of relations between them.

"The Eastern Partnership program should not pursue policies that undermine high-level relationships established by partner countries with third countries outside of this program," Abdullayeva said.

Due to the discrepancy between the views expressed in the Joint Declaration on Belarus and the principles of Azerbaijan's foreign policy, Azerbaijan adopted a Joint Declaration with its reservations. That is, Azerbaijan stated that it does not share the position on Belarus in paragraph 11, Abdullayeva added.

Azerbaijan and Belarus are cooperating in various fields of economy, such as agriculture, transport, remote sensing services, etc. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Belarus amounted to $335.7 million, with the export accounting for $233.2 million and import for $102.5 million in the first 10 months of 2021.
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijani MP Vugar Iskandarov has said that Azerbaijan and the European Union are developing ties on an equal footing, Trend reported on December 16.

He said that by implementing an independent policy based on national interests, Azerbaijan successfully cooperates with all international countries, including the European Union.

Iskandarov noted that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also stressed this moment during the meeting with President of the European Council Charles Michel on December 14, in Brussels.

He reminded that some key issues such as the trade turnover between the EU and Azerbaijan, additional opportunities for cooperation, energy security, especially completion of the Southern Gas Corridor project and the prospects for increasing the volume of natural gas that will be exported to the European market were among the main topics that were discussed between the sides during Michels visit to Baku in July 2021.

The new opportunities for opening all communications in the region after the second Karabakh war, new realities of the region, as well as the issues of post-conflict development in terms of the restoration of the liberated territories were also discussed, the MP said.

Iskandarov underlined that Europes energy security is one of the main topics in the discussions between Azerbaijan and the EU.

I would like to stress that thanks to the projects being implemented by Azerbaijan recently, the energy map of the region and Europe has been greatly renewed. Azerbaijan pursues a strong policy of delivering oil and gas resources to consumers via diversified routes. From this point of view, the Southern Gas Corridor, designed to develop the Shah Deniz field and its delivery to the European countries is an exception, Iskandarov stressed.

Azerbaijan spearheaded the establishment of the Southern Gas Corridor to export gas and contribute to Europe's energy security, he added.

A Joint Declaration on the Southern Gas Corridor project was signed between Azerbaijan and the European Commission thanks to Azerbaijan 10 years ago. Azerbaijan has been actively cooperating for 10 years in ensuring the energy security of Europe, the MP emphasized.

He added that on the other hand, the EU is also interested in the normalization of ties between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The issues of demarcation and delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border were discussed at a meeting between President Ilham Aliyev and Charles Michel on December 14 in Brussels. They also exchanged views on the opening of communications, humanitarian issues and other topics, Iskandarov said.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani political analyst Jeyhun Ahmadli stated that Azerbaijan's strategic decision is to expand its equal cooperation with the EU.

Thats why the president of Azerbaijan visited Brussels nine times since 2004. The heads of the EU Council have visited Azerbaijan four times since 2012 while the heads of the European Commission have visited Azerbaijan two times since 2011, Ahmadli told Trend.

Describing the EU as Azerbaijans main trade partner, Ahmadli stressed that the country has also signed or adopted documents on strategic partnership with nine EU member states.

Almost a quarter of our trade is carried out with the EU. The trade turnover was about $ 9.5 billion in 2020. The total export volume from Azerbaijan to the EU member-states is $6.8 billion, Ahmadli said.

Azerbaijan is one of the most important countries in securing Europe's energy security and its strategic engagement with Azerbaijan is built on a solid foundation, the analyst added.

It's encouraging to see the EU taking an appropriate response to the reality of the post-conflict era and performing a mediating role between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Ahmadli noted.

The EU effectively participates in peacebuilding, for example, when Armenia delivered the maps of minefields in Aghdam region in exchange for transferring 15 arrested Armenians to Yerevan, he added.

Ahmadli stressed that the involvement of firms from EU nations in the restoration and demining of Azerbaijani regions liberated from Armenian occupation is noteworthy.

According to the analyst, the EU is also willing to help with confidence-building measures between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as unblocking the regional communication lines.

We hope and believe that the EU will continue to be committed to its initiatives, Ahmadli said.
UAE-based Azizi Developments has begun the delivery of all the 499 units within its key development Star following its completion as per schedule. Strategically located at Al Furjan, it features 334 studios, 48 one- and 94 two-bedrooms apartments as well as 10 luxurious sky villas.

Azizi said this announcement comes in line with its commitment to timely delivery and customer satisfaction, marking the 7th project handover this year alone.

With this handover, the Dubai developer has completed its target of 10,000 units by year-end, 486 units of which are residential and the remaining 13 being highly sought-after retail spaces.

Star, located in the heart of Dubais new growth corridor, Al Furjan, is nestled away from the bustle of the city, but grants residents direct access to all that the emirate has to offer, said the statement from Azizi.

It boasts 334 studios, 48 one- and 94 two-bedrooms apartments, as well as 10 spacious, luxurious sky villas.

With its two swimming pools, including one for children, a jacuzzi, a gym, a sauna and a childrens play area, Star is seeing an exceptionally high demand from young, dynamic professionals, as well as from families.

On the handover, CEO Farhad Azizi said: "This has been an exciting year for us at Azizi Developments, as well as for all of our valued stakeholders. Many of our projects are being completed in a timely manner this year, with Star being the latest one."

"We value the support of those involved and thank them for their contributions in turning this project from conceptualisation into reality  one where hundreds of families will now see their lifestyles enhanced and their dreams manifest. With its central and outstandingly strategic location in the high-growth corridor of Dubai, and its excellent connectivity while being a serene escape, Star caters to those who are looking for good, growth-inclined value and high rental returns," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Ducab Group, one of the UAE's largest industrial manufacturing businesses and solution providers, has been awarded the contract to supply overhead conductors for a 288 KM OHL (overhead line) project as part of a GE Renewable Energys Grid Solutions business electrification project in Iraq.

The project complements Iraqs larger energy transition plan, moving the nation into a regional energy hub through smart and sustainable grid infrastructure.

The building of advanced and reliable power supplies across the country will also support various other sectors as part of Iraqs overall economic development strategy, with the World Bank currently estimating Iraq's economy to expand 6.3% over the next two years, said the statement from Ducab.

Ducab participated in the GE Renewable Energys Grid Solutions business tender for the design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of 400kV overhead transmission line interconnecting Jordan and Qaim area in Iraq.

This is being done in connection with a re-enforcement programme for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), and the supply of substations and transmission lines (132 kV/400 kV) turnkey projects.

On the contract win, CEO Mohammad A Almutawa said: "Our products and services have a direct impact on communities, industries and nations. By supplying energy solutions to the Iraq power project, Ducab can help ensure a reliable power supply to Iraq and aim to support the country in achieving its socio-economic objectives."

"Being picked for this strategic project further demonstrates the exemplary quality of Ducab products in the global marketplace. We are confident this will build on a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the Iraqi energy sector," he added.

Iraq has in the recent past faced challenges matching electricity supply with demand. In 2019, for example, analysts have estimated that peak demand was 26 GW, 58% higher than generation capacity.

GE Renewable Energys Grid Solutions business signed a contract with the Ministry of Electricity in Iraq to support these shortcomings, bringing in Ducab as a key supplier on the project.

Johan Bindele, Senior Executive Director of GE Renewable Energys Grid Solutions, said: "Ducab Groups extensive experience in manufacturing high-quality cable solutions, and deep understanding of the Middle East energy landscape, were instrumental in enabling the transmission infrastructures in Iraq."

"We are excited to work on this mega project with Ducab and provide sustainable and effective solutions to some of the countrys most demanding needs," he stated.

According to him, the association with Ducab for this strategic project is further promoting its products and the strength of the "Make it in the Emirates" brand.

"Working with a global industry leader such as GE Renewable Energys Grid Solutions business in such a complex project further advances Ducab's standing in the international energy sector, and its position as a global energy solutions supplier for cable systems providing Energy for change that generates positive economic, social, and environmental impact," added Bindele.
InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa is preparing to open in Q1 2022, offering a luxury island experience on the Hayat Island shoreline in Mina Al Arab, United Arab Emirates.

The 351-room resort will mark the first property for the hospitality brand in the emirate.

All accommodations provide overwater views and access to a private balcony or terrace area. From the spacious rooms for a romantic retreat to private pool villas for family escapes, each sanctuary fuses modern living with local touches, just 45 minutes from Dubai.

The five-star resort will present six new culinary outlets to the emirate, that have been inspired by the surrounding mountains, desert and sea, including the fine-dining Levant & Nar, complete with 360-degree sea views.

Guests can look forward to the Club InterContinental - a resort within a resort - that is housed in an exclusive building that provides an end-to-end experience, with personalised service, separate check-in area, access to a private pool, and special privileges.

The resorts five-star spa is equipped with a spacious Turkish hammam, as well as 10 treatment rooms, while younger guests can learn more about the world in the Planet Trekkers and Teens Club facilities, that are only available at select InterContinental resorts.

The resorts Concierge programme helps guests discover Ras al Khaimahs charms like a local. Uncover the emirates pearl diving history, encounter flamingos in the mangroves, climb the UAEs highest peak at Jebel Jais, soar along the worlds longest zip line and much more.

With meeting venues that are set to the backdrop of the sea, - including a spacious ball room - catering options, and leisure facilities, InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa is set to become the place to make special moments happen.-TradeArabia News Service
Etihad Airways has announced a new travel solution aimed at corporate and frequent travellers booking from the UAE. The newly-launched Etihad WorldPass allows the airlines customers to purchase a travel subscription which offers flexibility and ease with rearranging bookings throughout the year.

The WorldPass is available for travel between the UAE and select destinations including the GCC, India, Pakistan, UK and Ireland. Guests can choose between booking a subscription to a single destination or a cluster, for example, all three Etihad destinations in Saudi Arabia.

Frequent flyers and corporate travellers will benefit from being able to pre-book between six to 40 flights to use in a 12-month period at preferential rates, available in both Business and Economy classes.

Etihads WorldPass guests can enjoy unlimited free rebooking and cancellation. The booking portfolio can be self-serviced and self-managed through the website, or guests have the option to contact the 24/7 contact centre.

Senior Vice President Sales and Cargo Martin Drew said: Etihad launched the WorldPass to meet the frequent travellers demands on flexibility, ease of booking and cost-efficient travel management. The subscription platform is available on the website and guests can choose their preferred destinations.

This eases some of the travel booking process meaning their next trip is just a few clicks away. The preferential rates make the subscription offer worthwhile for those flying as a group or taking multiple trips to and from the same destination. Many of Etihads guests are regular commuters between GCC markets and have positive feedback on this new travel model.

Flights can be used by a single traveller, or the Etihad WorldPass account holder can book travel for a shared group with up to 40 registered travellers.-TradeArabia News Service
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According to civil liberties group Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Odisha the bone of contention between the people of Dhinkia and law enforcement agencies has been a bloody and long-drawn battle for the rights of their land amidst pressures to give it up for industrial purposes.

Ansab Amir | TwoCircles.net

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ODISHA  Scores of villagers in Dhinkia, Odisha have alleged police brutality during a siege on their village, during which several residents were beaten up and arrested. The incident, as per villagers and civil liberties group Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Odisha, occurred on December 4 amidst warnings by the Odisha state administration instructing the residents Odisha to stay indoors to avoid the approaching cyclonic storm.

As per the villagers, the Jagatsinghpur district police of Odhisha lay siege to Dhinkia village on December 4, allegedly beating up and arresting villagers who were opposing the setting up of a Jindal Steel Works (JSW) Steel Plant in the area.

Villagers of Dhinkia, an area under Erasama Block in Odisha claim that on December 4, they were woken up by the noise of police cars and vehicles at 4:30 a.m. The villagers, who have a strained history with law enforcement regarded previous steel projects in the village, claimed that they resisted the police onslaught which resulted in a brawl. During the altercation, several people, including old women and children, were injured, the villagers said. The police also reported injuries to some of its personnel.

The villagers alleged that after the unrest the police forces blocked entrances to the village, hindering their liberty and livelihood, and threatened them with arrests.

The bone of contention between the people of Dhinkia and law enforcement agencies has been a bloody and long-drawn battle for the rights of their land amidst pressures to give it up for industrial purposes, Pramodini Pradhan, a member of PUCL, told TwoCircles.net.

PUCL conducted a fact-finding exercise on December 8 after receiving preliminary reports from the local people about the siege of Dhinkia village by the police, disruption of daily lives and livelihood and fear of arrest.

In this case, the industrial purpose was being served of Jindal Steel Works (JSW) Ltd.

The villagers are protesting the establishment of a 13.2 million tonne per annum (MPTA) capacity integrated steel project by Sajjan Jindals JSW Utkal Steel Limited on property previously purchased by the South Korean steel giant POSCO. A 900-MW captive power plant and a 10-MPTA cement factory are also proposed for the Jagatsinghpur district, near the villages of Dhinkia, Govindpur, Nuagaon, Bayanala Kanda, Polanga, and Jatadhar.

Notably, POSCO was forced to withdraw from its proposed steel plant in the area due to continued public protests during 2005 and 2017, and during which thousands of villagers were booked under several charges, including charges of murder and kidnapping.

According to the villagers, following POSCOs exit, the Odisha government placed the forcefully obtained land in the Land Bank without releasing it to the residents. The same plot of land was then given to Jindal Steel Works Ltd. (JSW) for the construction of an integrated steel plant, a captive power plant, and a cement factory. When the Odisha State Pollution Control Board held the necessary public hearing on December 20, 2019, protests erupted against the proposed JSW project. Ever since the aggrieved villagers have continued their protests.

Between August and November 2021, the district administration launched a series of actions, including a new notification for further land acquisition, hearings at different Panchayat headquarters to ascertain peoples grievances about the JSW project, and the trifurcation of Dhinkia revenue village. These, as per villagers and PUCL, were conducted amidst heavy police presence. Local residents objected to this. During public hearings, the local villagers expressed resentment and spoke of an atmosphere of fear being created by the local administration.

The villagers knew about us due to our advocacy during the previous agitations and reached out to us, complaining of violations of their human rights and access to livelihood, Pramodini said.

As part of a six-member team consisting of PUCL members, social activists and one lawyer, Pramodini set off for the village on December 8. The team met several women and villagers of Dhinkia, village heads of Patana and Govindpur, anti-Jindal activists and Dalit community of Mathasahi hamlet under Nuagaon village, who she said, had been injured or affected by a police siege following an altercation.

As per multiple FIRs accessed by TwoCircles.net, the altercation occurred when a complainant Pravat Rout from village Govindpur, alleged that some people including Debendra Swain of village Dhinkia hurled bombs at around 2.00 a.m. on December 4. The sub-inspector, Ashutosh Hota, and other police officers went to the location where the explosives were allegedly thrown. Around 3.20 a.m., the police team was delayed on the way near the Dhinkia Panchayat Office by nearly thirty individuals, including Debendra Swain, and one service pistol was seized from them, according to one of the FIRs. Following this, the police intensified their presence and went to Debendra Swains residence. The third FIR filed by the police on the same day states that the locals were already prepared and attacked the cops as soon as they arrived in Dhinkia village.

According to Dhinkia villagers, the claims of throwing a bomb and stealing a firearm are baseless and false as part of a plan to silence the peoples anti-Jindal sentiments.

Prasant Paikray, a local leader and a vocal member of the peoples movement told TwoCircles.net that the government had not disclosed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between them and the Jindal group, just as they had not done so in the case of POSCO.

They had no consultation with the affected people, the group acquired no environmental permits, and then they used false cases to initiate violence against local villagers, as they had done in the past, he said. They targeted Debendra Swain because he was standing up for the peoples rights to their land. The people cannot give up on their livelihood and their land, to either corporates or governments, and that is why the police are instigating violence by hook-or-crook to forcefully acquire the locals land.

According to the villagers, the cops arrived in the area in three vans and two SUVs (Boleros). As word spread that the police were attempting to break down the door of Debendra Swains residence, who is a popular leader and an important voice in the agitation against capitalist take-over, men and women gathered and attempted to prevent the police from entering.

Some women sat at the feet of police officers, pleading with them not to break down the door. However, police officers apprehended them and brutally beat them up. According to the SPs statement, 11 police officers were injured by members of the public, and the cops did not even slap anybody. However, the PUCL fact-finding team witnessed with their own eyes that dozens of women and locals were injured and wore bandages. There was an old woman called Santi Das whose wounds I saw myself, Pramodini told TwoCircles.net.

Following this incident, about 500 people from Dhinkia, Mahal, Patana, and Govindpur joined a protest demonstration despite rain in the morning. Dhinkia villagers, on the other hand, have been charged under different sections of the IPC in two FIRs filed by the police (395/147/148/341/332/333/353/307/ 427/294/379/506/186/149). In the first FIR, 16 people were booked by name, along with 15-20 others, and in the second, 60 persons were booked by name, along with 100 others. This indicates that police have the authority to arrest anyone who is not identified in the FIR. According to Dhinkia residents, police have even arrested persons who were not present in the village on that particular day, a press release from PUCL stated.

Pramodini said that they (PUCL) got access to a video clip of a news conference held by the Jagatsinghpur Superintendent of Police on the same day of the assault. He stated that the original complainant Pravat Rout, was helping the police in its proceedings, she said.

Following the incident, police were stationed at three access points to the village namely Trilochanpur, Patana, and Mahala.

The villagers said that when they have to leave the hamlet, they are being asked to show their Aadhar Card at multiple entrance points.

The local people, who are mostly dependant on rural agricultural practices for their livelihood, are unable to access their farms or betel vines.

The villagers expressed fear that they are under assault in their own village. They suspect that the police has prepared a list of names of those to be arrested at each police picket. There were multiple accounts of residents of nearby villages being hounded and humiliated by the authorities in nearby villages even as people are living amidst fear, Pramodini said.

Ansab Amir is an intern with TwoCircles.net. He tweets at @ansab_amir.
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Gujarat has managed to fully vaccinate only thirty-five percent of its nine million tribal population which is half the rate of vaccination coverage of the state.

Mitesh Vasava | TwoCircles.net

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GUJARAT  Gujarat has vaccinated over seventy percent of its population with both the doses and over ninety-three percent with at least one dose. But the vaccination program in its tribal regions lags behind substantially.

The coverage of vaccination in Adivasi parts of the state is almost half of the overall vaccination in other parts of the state. Gujarat has managed to fully vaccinate only thirty-five percent of its tribal population which is half the rate of vaccination coverage of the state. The tribal population covered with at least one dose is only sixty-five percent of the eligible population which is almost 28% less than the statewide average coverage. With over nine million Adivasis constitute almost fifteen percent of the population of Gujarat. The Dang district is the lowest-performing district in Gujarat in Covid-19 vaccination.

Government claimed better vaccination in Tribal areas in June

A recent government survey pointed out that of the forty-eight districts where first dose coverage is less than fifty percent, half are home to large tribal populations.

Interestingly, going by the government claims made in the Supreme Court the vaccination program in tribal areas of the country was going great in June.

The rate of vaccination in tribal areas of the country was better than the national average, the Narendra Modi government claimed in the Supreme Court in June.

According to the health ministry affidavit filed in the apex court, more walk-in vaccinations were happening in tribal districts as compared to the national average.

Vaccination per million population in tribal coverage is better than the national average as of June 23. Ninety-seven out of 176 tribal districts are performing better than the all-India vaccination coverage, the Ministry had informed the court.

Govt failed to counter hoax, misinformation about Covid

Tribal activists and health professionals working in the tribal region told TwoCircles.net that a large Adivasi population remains outside the coverage of the vaccination program due to scarce medical infrastructure, low vaccination supply and lack of awareness about the consequences of the pandemic. Hoaxes and myths about Covid-19 vaccinations abound in the tribal population adversely affecting their readiness to get vaccinated.

Social worker Josna Ben said that the Covid-19 vaccination in the Adivasi region has been low right from the start of the vaccination program.

Misinformation, rumours, hoaxes were already prevalent in the rural regions about Covid-19 which made vaccination drive slow. The local officials supervising the vaccination drive failed to counter that through its awareness programs, she said.

She alleged that the government officials failed to warn the Adivasi population about Covid and its devastating effects. She also alleged that government figures of vaccination in the Adivasi region dont reflect the reality on the ground because they are fake. The government was busy in image management when they had to build feasible medical infrastructure and do more awareness programs to ensure better implementation of the vaccination program, she added.

A large number of tribal population is not coming forward for the vaccination drive. So the local health officials are doing fake registration and issuing fake certificates, to achieve targeted vaccination goals, she alleged. Though the government officials rejected her allegation as baseless and maintained that over sixty-five percent of the tribal population has been partially vaccinated.

She said that the larger problem is that the government doesnt care about the Adivasi people because it has no accountability towards them.

Move beyond hoardings and cancel tribals one-on-one

Josna Ben argued that at this stage the government needed to change its strategy and move beyond hoarding and advertisements.

Local health officials need to be told to draw a list of unvaccinated people and counsel them one-on-one like child immunisation programs used to be implemented.

The government has to move beyond hoardings to counsel tribals on benefits of vaccination. We have to take it very seriously and that is why adopting a better strategy like going to peoples doorsteps and counselling them, she argued.

Mitesh Vasava is a SEED-Fellow with TwoCircles.net.
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Research News

UB spinoff Atrevida Science aims to modernize the wind turbine

The Atrevida Science team stands in front of a wind tunnel in the Structural Engineering and Earthquake Simulation Laboratory in Ketter Hall. Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki

By CORY NEALON

Existing wind turbines  both on and offshore  rely on technology that is 40 years old. A new design paradigm is needed to meet projected demands for electricity while reducing fossil fuel emissions.  John Hall, assistant professor Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

For decades, companies eager to boost wind energy production have relied upon a simple strategy: make the turbine blades bigger. While generally effective, the approach has drawbacks. Namely, bigger machines cost more money to build and install. And due to their growing size, theyre susceptible to expensive breakdowns. UB spinoff Atrevida Science aims to solve these problems by developing dynamic wind turbine blades that automatically adjust to real-time changes in wind speed and direction. Dubbed active morphing blades, the design helps turbines more efficiently capture wind while also significantly reducing the likelihood of failure, company founders say. We can continue to make bigger wind turbine blades, or we can make them smarter, says Claudia Maldonado, founder and CEO of Atrevida, which has licensed technology developed in the lab of John Hall, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Hall serves as the science adviser to Atrevida.

Morphing blade leads to efficiency, fewer breakdowns

The revamped blade design has many possible applications, including use in aviation, aerospace, shipbuilding, unmanned aerial vehicles, onshore wind generation and other sectors. But Maldonado sees its greatest potential in offshore wind, an area in which the United States lags behind other countries. To catch up, the Biden administration has pledged to create up to 30,000 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2030. Thats enough to power 10 million homes, the White House says. The effort is part of a broader shift to renewable energy and reducing fossil fuel emissions.

A prototype of Atrevida Science's active morphing blade. The design helps turbines more efficiently capture wind while significantly reducing the likelihood of failure. Photo: Atrevida Science

Morphing blades could help the U.S. achieve the offshore wind goal, Hall says, because the design produces more energy while requiring less bulky towers and platforms than conventional turbines. The company believes its blades can operate at 14% greater efficiency than current turbines. That increase in production could add 1.4 million homes  for a total of 11.4 million  if all the planned offshore wind projects referenced by the Biden administration used Atrevidas blades. The power would be more reliable as well, Hall says, pointing to studies from Sandia National Laboratories that suggest morphing blades can reduce turbine failures by as much as 70%. Also, current blades are getting so large that its becoming increasingly difficult to manufacture and transport them. Existing wind turbines  both on and offshore  rely on technology that is 40 years old, says Hall. A new design paradigm is needed to meet projected demands for electricity while reducing fossil fuel emissions.

A prototype of Atrevida Science's active morphing blade. Photo: Atrevida Science

Funding, partnerships help Atrevida grow
The Tribunes analysis found Illinois hospitals were staffing about 900 more beds at the height of last years patient crush than they are now. At the same time, they are caring for an average of 1,500 more total patients each day. Theres still room to spare, but the struggle has left hospitals with their lowest levels of bed availability since the state began publishing figures in summer 2020.
Ive written about the fest over the years because its a unique exercise in pop culture archaeology. The stranger the footage the better, whether its bizarre programming for kids or instructional videos that defy any logical genre categorization. This years lineup includes a clip featuring Young and the Restless star Brenda Dickson in a self-released video called Welcome To My Home, which was sold through ads in the back of Soap Opera Digest Magazine. According to Prueher: She takes you into her home and talks about her fashion, her exercise routine and she even introduces you to her pets  Brenda may be the original influencer. Its wonderfully absurd and she begins every scene by saying, Well hello, as if weve taken her by surprise.
Borrowers need to be on high alert because scam artists  offering debt relief and other services for a fee  are already on the prowl. If you are unsure whether the help you are being offered is legitimate, hang up, do not respond to the email  and reach out to your servicer using the number printed on your bill or the government website. You can file complaints through the Federal Trade Commission and your states attorney general.
The president and chief operating officer of Churchill Downs, Bill Mudd, said the company was looking for another site in Illinois where it could hold live racing, but would not specify any potential locations. He noted that the two remaining tracks in the state, Hawthorne and Fairmount, despite plans to open racinos, have not done so in the two years since the law allowed it.
That has happened as the share of first responders complying with the reporting rule has gone up. As of Monday, 92% of Chicago police employees and nearly all of Chicago fire employees had filled out the city portal. But for both departments, a little under a quarter of their ranks indicated they are unvaccinated.
The change was particularly pronounced in a swath from about the Mason-Dixon Line to just north of Detroit, Chicago and Nebraska. The Christmas snow cover average there went from nearly 55% in the 1980s to slightly above 41% now, University of Arizona data shows. Average snow depth fell from 3.5 inches to 2.4 inches.
A Cicero firefighter was hospitalized with first- and second-degree burns after he fell through the first floor to the basement while fighting a house fire Friday morning, and three other firefighters suffered minor burns rescuing him, a town spokesman said.
NRG presented modeling data that showed how it believed contaminants would spread if the ponds did leak. It modeled how far and to what degree the contaminants would spread if the company capped one or both of the ponds in five years versus 25 years. The pictures for every scenario presented showed a large decrease in span and concentration of the contamination and looked largely the same for cap-in-place and removal.
The lawyers arent even in court because they have other things that they want to do, and the courts trying to work with the lawyers and let them be in their offices and take care of everything else that (theyre) responsible for, Linn said, according to the transcript.
The secretary of states office has also expanded its capacity to allow the public to renew licenses and IDs remotely. Since the fall, the office has mailed letters to eligible customers with expired drivers licenses and IDs about the renewal process, which the office estimates will allow about 1 million people to not have to visit a drivers facility in person.
The size of the first ladys donation is small when considering the many large contributions given by the billionaire Pritzker family over the years, but it is an example of how the Pritzkers often help people politically who have supported them, according to a governors spokeswoman.
The mayors ordinance simply reflects state law that has already passed with the industrys support, Nash said in a statement. Unfortunately, Mayor Lightfoots team apparently was unaware of the coalition in support of the state policy when introducing their ordinance yesterday. Members of the Beverage Association are proud of their track record of offering low and no-calorie choices to consumers and support marketing guidelines for kids.
As it stands now, the law allows minors seeking an abortion to ask a judge to waive the notification requirement if they fear for their safety. Since 2013, when the law went into effect after years of legal challenges, judges granted more than 99.5% of bypass requests in Illinois, according to the ACLU, which has argued the notification law serves no public policy purpose.
He signed a plea agreement after he was charged with severely beating a pregnant ex-girlfriend who was carrying quadruplets. Three of the babies did not survive, according to a criminal affidavit. He later was accused of kidnapping her and later her young son for several months, it alleged.
Honorable Vice Governor He Jinping,

Honorable Lieutenant Governor David Toland,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Friends,

I am very glad to attend Kansas-Henan direct containerized soybean inaugural shipment celebration. It is the first subnational event I attend since taking office as Minister of the Chinese Embassy in the United States. Over the past 40 years of Henan-Kansas sister relations, the two sides have been expanding exchanges and cooperation, which have produced fruitful results in the fields of economy, trade, and people-to-people exchanges, and delivered tangible benefits to the people of both sides. Todays celebration is a useful try to tap the potential of our economic and trade cooperation. On behalf of Chinese Embassy in the United States, I would like to extend warm congratulations to you for this event.

As an impressive subnational economic and trade event, this celebration fully shows three basic features of China-US relations for the current stage:

First, the essence of China-US relationship is win-win. China and the United States have broad common interests and space for cooperation. Our cooperation far outweighs our differences. According to statistics, China-US two-way trade has increased more than 250 times over the past 40 years and more. Today, US exports to China support approximately 2.6 million American jobs. In the first 11 months of this year, China-US trade volume was $678.5 billion, an increase of 21.1% year-on-year. In the first half of this year, Henans total trade with the US reached $12.87 billion, up by more than 150% year-on-year. There is no doubt that China-US relations have brought huge and tangible benefits to the two peoples. The two sides should continue to follow the right direction, strengthen pragmatic cooperation, and inject more positive energy to the development of bilateral relations.

Second, China's opening-up and high-quality development will provide more and broader opportunities to the United States. The goal of China's development is to deliver a better life to the people. Now, China is fostering a new development paradigm with the domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other, and promoting high-quality development. In the first three quarters of this year, China's economy grew by 9.8% year-on-year. Going forward, it will continue to improve in quality and efficiency. The middle-income group will significantly expand, and people will have growing demand for quality goods and services. We will still comprehensively deepen reform and opening-up, further shorten the negative lists for foreign investment access, enable all-round opening of agriculture and manufacturing, expand the opening of telecommunications, medical care, and other service industries, implement a negative list for cross-border services trade across the country, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and build a market-oriented, law-based, and world-class business environment. These changes and developments will bring huge opportunities for our cooperation in agriculture, energy, manufacturing, financial services, and infrastructure construction. A best example is Henans recent agreement with Kansas companies to import 5,500 tons of Kansas soybeans. It is hoped that both sides will continue to make the pie of cooperation bigger.

Third, subnational cooperation and people-to-people exchanges provide inexhaustible impetus to the development of bilateral relations. Our subnational cooperation has kept pace with the development of the overall China-US relationship. Up to now, the number of sister province/state and sister cities of the two countries has reached 283 pairs. Not long ago, China and the United States commemorated the 50th anniversary of "Ping Pong Diplomacy" with the theme of "Celebrating the Past for a Better Future". There is a saying in China, "Amity between the people holds the key to sound state-to-state relations." I firmly believe that there is a solid foundation of people-to-people friendship and a huge space for cooperation between China and the United States. Although we have differences in political system, history, and stage of development, we can overcome differences, deepen understanding, and make our cooperation bear more fruit as long as we follow the spirit of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and mutual benefit.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Last month, President Xi Jinping had a virtual meeting with US President Joe Biden. The two sides had thorough and in-depth communication and exchanges on issues of strategic, overarching and fundamental importance shaping the development of China-US relations. Both Presidents underscored the importance of China-US relations. Both Presidents expressed their opposition to a new Cold War and believed that China and the United States should not have conflict or confrontation. This important meeting and the common understandings reached have pointed the direction for China-US relations and sent a positive signal to the world.

We always believe that a healthy and stable China-US relationship is in the common interests of the two peoples and the world. The future of our relations will be written by our people. Let us join hands and work together, under the guidance of the common understandings of the two Presidents, to promote exchanges and cooperation between China and the US at all levels and in various fields, and to play a positive role in the healthy, stable and sustained development of China-US relations.

Thank you!
On December 16, 2021, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. The two sides mainly exchanged views on the Iranian nuclear issue.

Abdollahian briefed Wang Yi on the latest progress of the restart of the negotiations on resuming compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna and highly appreciated China's constructive role in advancing the negotiations. Abdollahian said that the Iranian side took part in the negotiations in good faith and has taken a series of positive measures. Iran will continue to participate in the negotiations in a flexible and pragmatic spirit and maintain dialogue and cooperation with each party, but will not accept threats and bullying practice under any circumstances. The Iranian side believes that if the United States and the EU adopt the same positive attitude, the negotiations on resuming compliance with the JCPOA can continue and an agreement will finally be reached. Iran attaches importance to developing relations with China and is ready to make joint efforts with China to promote new progress in bilateral cooperation in all areas.

Abdollahian said, the nuclear submarine cooperation among the United States, the UK and Australia (AUKUS) seriously undermines the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and incites military confrontation. If countries in East Asia and the Middle East follow suit and nuclear proliferation occurs, the AUKUS should be held responsible.

Wang Yi said, the Iranian nuclear situation is at a critical crossroads. The Chinese side welcomes the restart of the negotiations on resuming compliance with the JCPOA in Vienna, and appreciates Iran's assent to moving forward on the basis of previous negotiations. China welcomes the consensus reached between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency on monitoring nuclear facilities, and expects Iran to continue to push forward the negotiations on resuming compliance with the JCPOA in a serious manner. China will unswervingly uphold the political and diplomatic settlement process of the Iranian nuclear issue and push for early results of the negotiations. China supports Iran's legitimate and reasonable proposition and opposes the wrong practice of willfully exerting pressure. China also supports Iran in enhancing mutual understanding and trust with regional countries and safeguarding regional peace and stability. China and Iran are comprehensive strategic partners. No matter how the international and regional situation changes, the Chinese side will firmly develop friendly relations with Iran.

Wang Yi said, the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation seriously impacts the NPT regime and will doubtlessly cause risks of nuclear proliferation, incite arms race and undermine regional peace and stability. China stands ready to work with other countries to oppose double standards on the nuclear issue and jointly uphold the solemnity and authority of the international nuclear non-proliferation system.
Guangdong province is indisputably one of the most important economic hubs of modern China. However, when speaking of its ancient history, a stereotypical idea often prevails.

Compared with the rich documentation we have that tells us of life in Central China more than 2,000 years ago, there is a dearth of information and stories about Guangdong around this time. People used to believe that the massive development of this "marginal area" only began during the reign of Qinshihuang, the first emperor of China in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).

After uniting the country in the 3rd century BC, the emperor soon assigned his grand army into the new territory of Lingnan, which roughly corresponds with today's Guangdong and Hainan provinces, and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

However, archaeological findings unveil a much older cultural brilliance outside the prevailing historical records, and the area's connection with other regions in present-day China is also greater than people's general impression.

Yanshanzhai site, the Lingnan region's largest known human settlement from the Neolithic period-defined in China as between 10,000 and 4,000 years ago-was found on a mountain in Yingde, a city in the north of Guangdong province.

Since 2019, a joint archaeological team drawn from Guangdong Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Peking University and several museums has excavated a residential area and 66 tombs at the site, spreading across an area of 80,000 square meters, as announced during an online conference organized by the National Cultural Heritage Administration earlier this month.

The bountiful discovery of burial objects amazed the archaeologists, not only because of the exquisite jade artifacts, but also their reflection of the division among social strata, a key indicator of an infant civilization.

"They offer crucial clues in studying how an early society gets complicated," says Liu Suoqiang, a researcher with the Guangdong institute who is leading the ongoing excavation. "In high-level tombs, jade items were widely buried, and many other varieties of burial objects were found."

For example, from one of the tombs, archaeologists recovered as many as 140 jade articles.

"But in the lower-level ones, only scattered stones and pottery items were found," Liu explains. "It clearly shows stratification of a society."

Nearly 1,000 cultural relics including jade items, bronze and pottery, and stone artifacts were unearthed from the graveyard, estimated to be more than 4,000 square meters in size. About 30 holes used to erect columns in construction were also found in the settlement area.

The places where people lived and got buried were not strictly separated, as Liu explains.

For some people there was evidence of more than one funeral ceremony, while other tombs were found to have had been moved altogether. The findings can largely expand the understanding of scholars about funeral customs in the area during the Neolithic period. Other key discoveries include grains of rice, which Liu says are precious material for studying the spread of rice cultivation in Chinese agriculture.

Specific dating of the Yanshanzhai site has not been released, but current findings lead archaeologists to believe it belongs to Shixia Culture, dating back roughly around 4,000 to 5,000 years.

While the culture, centering around present-day northern Guangdong, was first identified in the 1970s, until this recent discovery, no high-level Neolithic sites had been found in the area.

According to Li Xinwei, a researcher with the Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the influence of the culture once reached today's Pearl River Delta region and Hong Kong.

"The Lingnan region has its unique process of cultural development," Li says. "Thanks to the new findings of Yanshanzhai, we can better understand its lineage."

Liu adds that the complexity of the Yanshanzhai site has been hitherto unseen at other contemporaneous sites.

"It reflects frequent communication among different communities within the Lingnan region and its neighboring area to the north," Liu says.

But some highlighted artifacts excavated from the Yanshanzhai site show that such communication probably spanned a much greater distance.

A number of cong, a typical ceremonial jade artifact of Liangzhu Culture, were found in tombs at the Yanshanzhai site.

The Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which dates back 4,300 to 5,300 years, is the hub for the jade-worshipping Liangzhu Culture. However, it is in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, about 1,200 kilometers away from the Yanshanzhai site.

"Liangzhu Culture was a monumental symbol of Chinese civilization at the time," says Li from CASS. "It had wide influence to the south. The ritual system, represented by its jades, also helped to usher those regions into the process of forming early Chinese civilization. Through the Yanshanzhai site, we can see the Lingnan region is also involved in this process."

Liu also expects follow-up research at the Yanshanzhai site to further reveal how the two distant cultures interacted with each other.

"And we also hope to find a social network of people from prehistoric South China through this site," Liu says.

Zhang Chi, a professor at Peking University, expects the Yanshanzhai site to further contribute to a bigger picture with a global perspective.

He says studies of the site, and other prehistoric sites along the coast of Southeast China, will help unravel the origin of Austronesian peoples, which predominates the population in Polynesia and other Pacific islands.

One theory posits that the group originated from the agrarian cultures in Southeast China, and later migrated to a wide geographic area across the Pacific Ocean via the Taiwan Straits.

"The site is a key to decode the infancy and spread of agrarian cultures in the coastal area," Zhang says.
Workers from technology companies in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region shared their personal stories of how their work has led to a happy life, denouncing lies of "forced labor" in the region at a symposium Thursday.

"By learning knowledge and skills, many farmers like me have become workers, changed our fate, and realized our dreams of getting rich," said Hekiram Rahinm, director of the production department of the Xinjiang Chengrun Jinlan biotechnology company.

Hekiram Rahinm graduated from Urumqi Vocational University in 2017, majoring in enterprise management. He was a quick learner and, and was promoted soon after entering the company. He now earns a monthly salary of 7,600 yuan (1,194 U.S. dollars).

Bulal graduated from Xinjiang Industry Technical College and majored in chemical equipment maintenance. After entering the Xinjiang Blue Ridge Tunhe Polyester Co., Ltd. for a little over one year, he was promoted to the inspection team head of the quality management department.

His living conditions are getting better and better, and he has bought an apartment in Changji City. "My next goal is to become a sales engineer. I'm very confident," he said.

Tajigul Abdumijit works at a technology company in the comprehensive bonded area in Kashgar Prefecture. Her annual income is about 70,000 yuan.

"With a stable job and income, I'm able to share some burdens for my family, and we're living a happy life," she said. She added that her family was full of hope for the future. Her parents have built a new house with orchards and breeding sheds and bought new household appliances and modern agricultural machinery and tools.
Zhang Rongqiao, chief designer of China's first Mars exploration mission, speaks to reporters, on May 15, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

Zhang Rongqiao, chief designer of China's first interplanetary endeavorthe Tianwen 1 Mars missionwas named on Thursday by the top scientific journal Nature as one of the 10 people "who mattered in science" this year.

The annual list, published on the journal's website, said that Zhang is an engineer who led "China's first successful Mars mission, which reached the planet this year and landed a rover on its surface".

Launched in July 2020 from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province, the Tianwen 1 robotic probe, named after an ancient Chinese poem, traveled a total of 475 million kilometers and carried out several trajectory maneuvers before entering Martian orbit on Feb. 10.

After more than three months of preparations, a landing capsule released by the probe descended through the Martian atmosphere in an extremely challenging landing process and finally touched down on the planet on May 15, making China the second country, after the United States, to have successfully conducted a landing on the surface of Mars.

In a congratulatory letter after the landing, President Xi Jinping said that the Tianwen 1 mission had left the nation's first mark on Mars.

The president called Tianwen 1's arrival on Mars a milestone for China's space industry. He said that Chinese space workers' achievements had earned the nation a leading place in the global arena of interplanetary expedition, and that their contributions will live forever in the memory of the country and its people.

On May 22, the Chinese rover Zhurong became the sixth vehicle to travel on the Martian surface, following five predecessors from the U.S.

As of Thursday, the 1.85-meter-tall, 240-kilogram Zhurong had operated on the Martian surface for 208 daysfar outliving its three-month life expectancy.

The rover had traveled more than 1,300 meters and obtained at least 10 gigabytes of data, according to mission controllers at the China National Space Administration, who added that it still has sufficient energy and is in good condition.

Born in March 1966 in Qimen county, Anhui province, Zhang studied at local schools until he went to Xidian University in Shaanxi province in 1982. In 1988, he received a bachelor's degree and was admitted as a postgraduate student by the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing.

After graduating in 1991, Zhang started his career at the academy's Beijing Institute of Satellite Information Engineering and gradually moved up through professional ranks to eventually become the institute's head.

In 2004, he was named chief engineer of the Lunar Exploration Center under the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense and has worked there since then.

Zhang has also taken part in China's lunar exploration and high-resolution Earth observation satellite programs.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged efforts to build a unified national market at a faster pace and enhance government oversight efficacy.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, also stressed furthering the construction of world-class universities and first-class disciplines.

He made the remarks while chairing the 23rd meeting of the central commission for deepening overall reform.

The meeting reviewed and approved a series of guidelines, including that on accelerating the building of a unified national market, on enhancing government oversight efficacy, and on furthering the construction of world-class universities and first-class disciplines. Others include guidelines on strengthening ethical governance of science and technology and on promoting individual pension development.

Noting that developing a socialist market economy is notable pioneering work of the CPC, Xi, who heads the commission, said the key is to properly handle the relationship between the government and the market.

"We will fully leverage the decisive role of the market in allocating resources and give better play to the role of government," Xi said.

To build a new development paradigm, it is imperative to speed up the building of a unified national market that is efficient, standardized, open and allows fair competition. It is also vital to establish unified market rules and regulations across the country and promote the smooth flow of goods, factors, and resources on a wider scale, he said.

Xi urged efforts to speed up the transformation of government functions, improve government oversight efficiency, promote better alignment between an efficient market and a capable government, and protect legitimate rights and interests of companies and people's lives and property.

The country should deepen institutional reforms and coordinate efforts to develop first-class universities and disciplines on a categorized basis.

In terms of ethics in science and technology, Xi stressed upholding principles such as serving the well-being of humanity, respecting people's right to life, and maintaining openness and transparency in science and technology, and fostering a cultural concept and safeguard mechanisms of "technology for social good."

While developing private pensions suitable for China's national conditions, the country should combine such pensions with basic pension insurance, enterprise annuity, and occupational pensions to make the pension insurance functions more complete, he said.

Li Keqiang, Wang Huning, and Han Zheng, who are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy heads of the central commission for deepening overall reform, attended the meeting.

The meeting emphasized that China should leverage its unified market to agglomerate resources, promote growth, encourage innovation, optimize labor division, and enhance competition.

China will speed up sorting through and doing away with regulations and practices that impede the development of a unified market and fair competition.

The country should prioritize building a unified market with the implementation of major regional strategies and coordinated regional development strategies.

The meeting also called for enhancing the efficacy of government oversight and putting in place a system of comprehensive inter-agency regulation.

China will adhere to law-based regulations, move quickly to advance legislation in key areas, emerging areas, and areas related to foreign affairs, and improve the standardization and transparency of its regulations, said the meeting.
 Flash

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Solomon Islands' Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeremiah Manele held a phone conversation on bilateral ties and cooperation on Thursday.



Solomon Islands is a good friend and a good partner of China, Wang said, noting that the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries fully meets the long-term and fundamental interests of the Solomon Islands people as well as the trend of development.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Solomon Islands have respected each other, treated each other as equals and supported each other in pursuit of common development, Wang said, noting that the two countries' cooperation has firmly safeguarded their common interests and brought benefits to both peoples.

China-Solomon Islands relations, he noted, are becoming a model of friendly coexistence between different social systems and between countries of different sizes.

Noting that China attaches great importance to the development of the friendly relationship between the two countries, Wang said China is willing to work together with Solomon Islands to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries' leaders and promote a steady and sustained development of bilateral ties.

The Chinese diplomat said not long ago, serious riots broke out in the capital of Solomon Islands, which have hit the safety and lives of local people and overseas Chinese, adding that China extends its deep sympathies and sincere condolences to the government and people of Solomon Islands and strongly condemns all acts of violence.

China, Wang said, stands firmly with the government and people of Solomon Islands, firmly supports the Solomon Islands government's efforts to maintain domestic stability, and firmly safeguards bilateral relations as well as the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in the country.

He said he hopes and believes that the Solomon Islands government will continue to take all necessary measures to protect the safety of local people and Chinese citizens in the country in accordance with law.

The riots had a complex background and some forces with ulterior motives took the opportunity to smear the two countries' relations while trying to subvert the achievements of their diplomatic ties, Wang noted, saying that it is completely against the interests of the Solomon Islands people and doomed to failure.

Solomon Islands has reiterated its firm adherence to the one-China policy and forcefully responded to groundless accusations, and China highly appreciates it, Wang said, adding that the two countries' relations have withstood this test and are stronger than ever before.

China is full of confidence in the future of bilateral relations and will take a series of measures to support and help Solomon Islands in restoring order, carrying out reconstruction, and achieving stable development, he said.

Noting that Solomon Islands is an important member of the South Pacific and developing countries, and shares extensive common interests with China, Wang said China will continue to firmly uphold multilateralism in the international arena and safeguard the reasonable demands of developing countries, especially small and medium-sized countries.

At present, Wang said, both sides should be wary of the attempts by a handful of countries, holding onto a Cold War mentality, to interfere in other countries' internal affairs in the name of human rights, and jointly safeguard the basic norms of international relations as well as international fairness and justice.

Manele warmly congratulated the Communist Party of China (CPC) on its successful convening of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, expressed gratitude to China for its strong support and assistance to the economic and social development of Solomon Islands, and extended sincere sympathies to Chinese nationals in Solomon Islands for their property losses during the riots.

Manele said the phone conversation showed that the two countries stand firmly together in difficult times, adding that the situation in Solomon Islands has gradually returned to normal, and efforts are being made to achieve social stability and economic development.

Manele noted that Solomon Islands attaches great importance to its relations with China, and will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China policy, which is the political foundation of bilateral relations.

Solomon Islands is responsible for fully safeguarding the safety, legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals and institutions in the country, Manele said, adding that his country is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China, earnestly maintain multilateralism, and safeguard international fairness and justice.
NEWS PROVIDED BY

Catholic League

Dec. 17, 2021



NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League President Bill Donohue comments on the great work of Archbishop Gomez:

The National Catholic Reporter, which works hard to undercut the Church's teachings on many issues, has named Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez as their Newsmaker of 2021. The dissidents are angry at him for a speech he gave on November 4th. Here is my response.

On November 4, Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez made one of the most brilliant addresses given in Catholic circles in recent memory. His speech was given at the Congress of Catholics and Public Life in Madrid, Spain.

Like so many other Catholic intellectuals, Gomez is rightly concerned about the radical secularization that has taken root in the Western world. Unlike most of them, he has also been in the trenches. I know because the Catholic League has assisted him in his efforts to combat the agenda of secular zealots, made plain, for instance, in attempts to break the seal of the confessional.

Gomez takes direct aim at the ruling class, those who occupy the command posts in the United States and Europe. "In the elite worldview," he says, "there is no need for old-fashioned belief systems and religions. In fact, as they see it, religion, especially Christianity, only gets in the way of the society they hope to build." He offers as an example the "cancel culture" that is so prevalent.

There can be no denying the veracity of Gomez's observation. Anyone who dares challenge the conventional wisdom, on issues ranging from critical race theory to gender ideology, is a candidate for censorship. It is not those who promote these pernicious views who are being silenced, it is those who challenge them.

Sociologists have long understood that when the dominant cultural strain in society atrophies, it is filled with an ersatz philosophical or religious variant. Power vacuums never last long. Thus, Gomez is right to call attention to the extent to which the de-Christianization of the West has been replaced by movements such as "social justice," "wokeness," "identity politics" and the like.

"They claim," as he perceptively notes, "to offer what religion provides." Indeed, they provide "a sense of meaning, a purpose for living, and the feeling of belonging to a community." This is exactly what the great sociologists have been saying for over a hundred and fifty years. Sadly, it is now happening in the United States.

Gomez's critics take umbrage at his comment that the reigning movements function as a new religion. He properly notes that "Today's critical theories and ideologies are profoundly atheistic." Anyone who follows what the proponents of these ideologies espouse know that Gomez is right. Indeed, they don't even try to hide their animus against Christianity.

John McWhorter is a Columbia University professor and he understands what Gomez is talking about. An African American, he has written a book, Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America. Both men call attention to identity politics and radical race theorieswhich judge people on the basis of their race, not their individual characteristics. These ideological currents not only profoundly racist in themselves, they satisfy the religious yearnings of those drawn to them.

As a man of God, Gomez wants us to repair to the Gospel, not to "these new religions of social justice and political identity." But to his critics, many of whom are Catholic theologians, what he says is verboten. Some no doubt would like to cancel him.

Franciscan Father Daniel Horan is upset with Gomez for making a speech that exhibits a "shocking disconnection from reality." Too bad he never says what the disconnect is. He cites for support a left-wing Jesuit theologian, Fr. Bryan Massingale, who, according to Horan, said the problem is that bishops like Gomez "have the audacity to speak with unearned authority about issues they clearly do not understand."

It would be hard to find a more arrogant example of professorial elitism than this. Readers should know that Horan and Massingale spend much of their time writing and lecturing about homosexual and transgender issues. Gomez spends much of his time writing and lecturing about the Catholic Church: He is president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Thus has he earned the authority to speak about any issue of interest to the Catholic community.

Fr. Tom Reese wonders why Gomez "abandoned" the term "social justice" to those he considers the enemy of religion, especially when social justice has a place in the "long history of the church's social teaching." This is a serious misreading of Gomez's address. He has not abandoned social justicethe term has been hijacked by those whose ideology sharply departs from the Church's understanding of it.

The late Fr. Richard John Neuhaus wrote a seminal book, The Naked Public Square, that describes what happens when a society rooted in the Judeo-Christian heritage weakens. The cultural holes are destined to be filled with exactly the kinds of secular movements that Gomez alludes to in his speech. The only difference is that even someone as bright as Neuhaus did not envision how quickly and radically the transformation would be.

That is what make Gomez's presentation so valuable. He sees what is going on in the United States and Europe and beckons us to get back to basics, the basics as outlined by Jesus. If we do not resist the forces of decadence and division, the future will soon become unrecognizable.
United Airlines Has Pilot Shortage Following Shot Mandate

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Liberty Counsel

Dec. 16, 2021



CHICAGO, Dec. 16, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- United Airlines became the first major U.S. carrier to mandate the COVID shots for its approximately 67,000 employees and now the airline is facing a shortage of pilots.

Last August, Liberty Counsel sent a demand letter to United Airlines on behalf of scores of airline employees with religious exemptions who were told they must get the COVID shots to receive vaccination by September 27, 2021 or face termination.

In a Senate hearing this week, United Airline's CEO Scott Kirby stated, "We have almost 100 airplanes effectively grounded right now  regional aircraft, because there are not enough pilots to fly them, which means we just can't, at the moment, fly to all the small communities that we would like to."

However, Kirby also defended a decision to mandate the shots for employees. He stated about 200 employees have been fired, including six pilots and 80 on unpaid leave out of about 13,000.

More than 2,000 employees have filed a class-action lawsuit against United Airlines for religious and medical discrimination over the unconstitutional shot mandate. United Airlines has illegally told its employees that to obtain a religious exemption they must be an adherent of a recognized religion with a history of opposition to vaccines. Employees are also being told they need to include a letter from a clergy to support their sincere religious beliefs. This is false and unlawful. The only issue is whether the employee has a sincere religious belief, not whether a clergy or a "recognized religion" agrees. Since all three of the currently available COVID-19 "vaccines" are developed and produced from, tested with, researched on, or otherwise connected with aborted fetal cell lines, many United employees have sincerely held religious beliefs that compel them to abstain from accepting or injecting any of these shots, or taking those sold by companies that profit from the sale of injections and other products derived from abortion.

Not only do these administrative obstacles violate state and federal law but are also causing stress for United's employees who are being forced to choose between keeping their jobs, which they love, and honoring their most deeply held religious beliefs about life, health and existence. This undue stress is a serious distraction, and distractions cause mistakes, and mistakes increase the risk of safety incidents affecting both employees and passengers.

However, neither the airline nor the union seem to be concerned with safety for their employees and passengers. For example, in the letter of agreement (LOA) between United Airlines and the pilots regarding COVID vaccinations, it admits that pilots could become disabled from the injections: "If a pilot suffers a medically-documented adverse reaction to COVID vaccination that prevents the pilot from exercising the privileges of a First Class Medical Certificate, the Company shall provide Company-paid drops (PDCP) until such time as the Pilot is able to exercise the privileges of a First Class Medical Certificate. Such period shall not exceed ninety (90) days." The LOA goes on to say that if the pilot's disability exceeds 90 days, the pilot can file for long-term disability.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, "United Airlines is now feeling the financial effects of not accommodating religious exemptions for its employees. United employees can safely work without the COVID shots. However, the airline is violating federal and state law and jeopardizing the health and safety of their employees and passengers by pressuring them to get the COVID shots or be terminated."



Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost.



SOURCE Liberty Counsel



CONTACT: Mat Staver, 407-875-1776, Liberty@LC.org



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U.S. Skilled Nursing Facility And Rehabilitation Market Growth & Trends

The U.S. skilled nursing facility and rehabilitation market size is expected to reach USD 281.6 billion by 2028, expanding at a CAGR of 3.4%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The growing incidences of chronic conditions such as diabetes, paralysis, and hypertension and the rising geriatric population are factors expected to fuel the market over the next few years. In 2019, the geriatric population over 65 has increased up to 9.0% out of which 14.3 majorities of adults above the age of 65 years suffered from chronic disease and need these facilities. Medicare and Medicaid availability and the growing technologies will play a driving role for the market in the coming years.

To cope with the COVID-19 situation, in November 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released guidelines for skilled nursing facilities to help curb the spread of the novel COVID-19 infection. These measures include physical distancing (maintain a distance of 6 feet from people), wearing a face mask, and limiting the number of visitors (keeping it one at a time). Majority of these facilities were not allowed to accept new residents and did not have new revenue streams for the additional expenses associated with the virus, which had a negative impact on the sector.

Request a free sample copy or view report summary: U.S. Skilled Nursing Facility And Rehabilitation Market Report

U.S. Skilled Nursing Facility And Rehabilitation Market Report Highlights

The freestanding segment dominated the market in 2020 due to its lower cost compared to the hospital-based facility. The segment is expected to continue its dominance and witness a significant growth rate over the forecast period

Skilled nursing facilities are reimbursed by medicare part A and B resulting in more sustainability, thereby propelling the growth of the market

The market includes small and large players, leading to higher competition among smaller players to sustain their market position. The market is quite open for new entrants due to government support and great reimbursement policies

Mergers and acquisitions are key strategic initiatives undertaken by market players to sustain in the competitive market. For instance, in December 2020, The Ensign Group, Inc. acquired Hays Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, a 116-bed skilled nursing facility located in Texas

To provide skilled nursing and rehabilitation service during the COVID-19 pandemic, many skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities came up with remote programs to serve the patients remotely. For instance, Mount Sinai Health System is using MindMazes MindMotionGO platform, to track body movements of patients using optical motion-capture technology. It enables the therapist to monitor the motor recovery process. With the help of such technological solutions, the continuation of rehabilitation services during the pandemic is possible, while reducing the burden on hospitals and other facilities

Access Press Release@ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/us-skilled-nursing-facility-rehabilitation-market-analysis

U.S. Skilled Nursing Facility And Rehabilitation Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the U.S. skilled nursing facility and rehabilitation market on the basis of type of facility:

U.S. Skilled Nursing Facility And Rehabilitation Type of Facility Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2016 - 2028)

Freestanding

Hospital

List of Key Players of U.S. Skilled Nursing Facility And Rehabilitation Market

Brookdale Senior Living, Inc

The Ensign Group, Inc

Genesis Healthcare, Inc

Extendicare

Sunrise Senior Living, LLC

ProMedica

Golden Living Centers

Life Care Centers of Amer

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.
San Francisco, 17 Dec 2021: The Report Virtual Fitting Room Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Component (Hardware, Software, Services), By Application (Apparel, Beauty & Cosmetic), By End-use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028

The global virtual fitting room market size is expected to reach USD 15.43 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 25.2% from 2021 to 2028. The prevalence of high-tech simulations to mimic face-to-face buying behavior with the help of advanced 3D technologies is expected to drive the market. Furthermore, the intervention of digital transformation technologies, such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), is projected to create enormous opportunities for virtual fitting rooms over the forecast period.

The virtual try-on technology is significantly beneficial for retailers and is gaining popularity amongst consumers in recent times. Online merchandising witnesses a large number of returns/exchanges majorly because of the customers dissatisfaction regarding inappropriate fits and sizes. The virtual fitting room technology has been efficiently assisting consumers in trying and rejecting the products before placing an order, thereby converting one-time buyers into repeat customers.

Furthermore, companies are coming up with upgrades that can provide tactile, fabric, or texture sense for consumers purchasing via e-commerce websites to reduce return rates and build brand loyalty. The customer data collected through an interactive mirror is used to understand customer preferences and improvise strategies aimed at boosting sales. This is a breakthrough in the retail industry to leverage purchase data for designing future business strategies.

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled governments worldwide to enforce regulations for temporarily closing brick and mortar stores, which indirectly boosted sales on e-commerce websites. With retail sales observing a dip in the past few months, buyers have now swiftly shifted to e-commerce websites. This creates significant opportunities for virtual fitting room solution providers to capture a more extensive customer base.

Access Research Report of Virtual Fitting Room Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/virtual-fitting-room-market

Virtual Fitting Room Market Report Highlights

The apparel application segment accounted for the largest share of close to 40.0% in 2020. The development of customized applications to recommend appropriate size and texture of clothes as per the body structure of customers has contributed to the growth of this segment

By component, the software segment is expected to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period. This can be attributed to technological breakthroughs in software solutions, such as precise data annotations, 360-degree visualizations, and 3D simulation

In terms of end-use, the virtual store segment is likely to register the highest CAGR from 2021 to 2028. The shift in shopping trends from physical stores to online websites is anticipated to majorly contribute to the segment growth

List of Key Players of Virtual Fitting Room Market

AstraFit

Else Corp Srl

Fision AG

Fit Analytics

FXGear Inc.

Magic Mirror

MemoMi Labs Inc.

Metail

Perfitly

Access Press Release of Virtual Fitting Room Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-virtual-fitting-room-market
San Francisco, 17 Dec 2021: The Report Private 5G Network Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Frequency (Sub-6 GHz, mmWave), By Spectrum (Licensed, Unlicensed/Shared), By Component (Hardware, Services), By Vertical, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028

The global private 5G network market size is estimated to reach USD 14.28 billion by 2028, registering a CAGR of 39.7% from 2021 to 2028, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. Significantly growing demand for ultra-reliable low-latency connectivity with an extremely secure network across several mission-critical applications, such as public safety, is expected to boost the deployment of private 5G networks during the forecast period. Moreover, a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, oil & gas, mining, and energy & utility, are investing a massive amount in deploying private 5G telecom service to enhance their overall productivity and operational efficiency. As a result, it is expected to foster market growth from 2021 to 2028.

The private 5G network is expected to completely transform the transportation and logistics industry by providing seamless Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) connectivity. As such, the need to ensure a secure, seamless, and uninterrupted connectivity with ports, vessels, and ships is estimated to drive the market. At the same time, the continued deployment of private 5G infrastructure is estimated to improve the operational efficiencies in several Industrial IoT (IIoT) use cases. The IIoT use cases include Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV), wireless UHD cameras, machine control systems, collaborative/cloud robots, and remote asset monitoring. Thus, the rising need for higher and secure bandwidth to ensure reliable and unified communication between IIoT devices is expected to propel the market growth over the forecast period.

Key market players are strategically building partnerships with industry giants to set up a private 5G network to provide high-speed secure connectivity to their customers. For instance, in Feb 2020, Nokia Corporation deployed a private 5G network infrastructure for Lufthansa Technik for virtual inspection of engine parts remotely for its civil aviation clients. Moreover, the rising demand for enhanced bandwidth connectivity for secured enterprise applications is anticipated to fuel the adoption of private 5G services globally.

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, several key countries, such as the U.S., France, the U.K., and Australia, have temporarily postponed the 5G spectrum auctions. The pandemic has also hampered the production and supply of major telecom equipment needed to deploy the network infrastructure. As a result, it is anticipated to slow market growth over the forecast period.

Access Research Report of Private 5G Network Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/private-5g-network-market

Private 5G Network Market Report Highlights

The hardware segment led the global market accounting for a revenue share of over 56% in 2020 and will retain its dominance throughout the forecast period

This growth is credited to the increasing deployment of private 5G service, RAN, and backhaul and transport equipment for various mission-critical applications

With the growing need to provide unified connectivity with low latency to several industrial sensors, the manufacturing sector is anticipated to witness huge market growth over the forecast period

The sub-6 GHz segment is expected to attain the highest market share by 2028 due to the massive allocation of sub-6 GHz frequencies by communication service providers to deliver network services

With a rising need to avail affordable and highly secure band of the frequency spectrum for Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC), the unlicensed/shared spectrum segment is anticipated to account for a significant market share by 2028

Prominent players are strategically focusing on establishing partnerships to deploy the network in customers premises to deliver secure and enhanced wireless connectivity

List of Key Players of Private 5G Network Market

Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson

Nokia Corp.

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

Samsung

ZTE Corp.

Deutsche Telekom

Juniper Networks

AT&T Inc.

Verizon Communications

Altiostar

Mavenir

BT Group

T-Systems International GmbH

Cisco Systems, Inc.

Vodafone Ltd.

Access Press Release of Private 5G Network Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-private-5g-network-market
The Military Tank Container Market Report, in its latest update, highlights the significant impacts and the recent strategic changes under the present socio-economic scenario. The Military Tank Container industry growth avenues are deeply supported by exhaustive research by the top analysts of the industry. The report starts with the executive summary, followed by a value chain and marketing channels study. The report then estimates the CAGR and market revenue of the Global and regional segments.

Base Year: 2020

Estimated Year: 2021

Forecast Till: 2027

The report classifies the market into different segments based on type and product. These segments are studied in detail, incorporating the market estimates and forecasts at regional and country levels. The segment analysis is helpful in understanding the growth areas and potential opportunities of the market.

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A special section is dedicated to the analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the growth of the Military Tank Container market. The impact is closely studied in terms of production, import, export, and supply.

The report covers the complete competitive landscape of the Worldwide Military Tank Container market with company profiles of key players such as:

Textainer

WEW Container System GmbH

Klinge

Krampitz Tanksystem

SEA BOX

AMA SpA

AAR Corp

Yet

Variel, As

New Manaro

Eurotainer SA

LAVA Engineering

Saxon Containers Fze

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Military Tank Container Market Analysis by Type:

Dry Container

Reefer Container

Military Tank Container Market Analysis by Application:

Homeland Security

Military

Other

Military Tank Container Market Analysis by Geography:

North America (USA, Canada, and Mexico)

Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, Rest of Europe)

Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, South-East Asia, Rest of Asia-Pacific)

Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Rest of Latin America)

The Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, South Africa, Rest of the Middle East and Africa)

Key questions answered in the report:

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Which application and type segment holds the maximum share in the Global Military Tank Container market?

Which regional Military Tank Container market shows the highest growth CAGR between 2022 to 2027?

What are the opportunities and challenges currently faced by the Military Tank Container market?

Who are the leading market players and what are their Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)?

What business strategies are the competitors considering to stay in the Military Tank Container market?

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HYDERABAD: Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy of Telangana High Court on Thursday directed the superintendent of Gandhi Hospital to place the medical reports of B. Bhum Boi, who had allegedly succumbed to physical torture while in police custody.

The judge directed the official to furnish all the details right from the condition of Boi when he was admitted in Gandhi hospital, if his body had any injuries and whether he was suffering from any ailments.

Justice Reddy was dealing with petitions filed by Bois wife and People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) charging that the deceased was beaten up brutally by police officials after he was picked up from a place where some villagers were playing cards in Shantapur village of Bichkunda Mandal in Kamareddy district on November 4. His wife said that Boi had sustained serious injuries on his head following indiscriminate bashing by Bichkunda police. When they found him in an unconscious state, the family took him to Banswada government hospital and later to Nizamabad government hospital. Even when there was no response in a private hospital in Nizamabad, he was shifted to Gandhi Hospital on November 10. He died the next day.

Shashikiran. P, counsel for the petitioner argued that the death was caused by police excesses and an FIR had to be lodged under Sec. 302 against police personnel. However, the police registered a case of suspicious death and there was no further probe into the complaint, he said.
The leader of opposition and Congress leader Siddaramaiah too supported Annadani and said some 'brainless people' perpetrated the act, which goes against the federal structure of the country.

Belagavi: The Karnataka assembly on Thursday decided to pass a censure motion against the burning of Kannada flag by miscreants in Kolhapur and send it to the Maharashtra government to act against those elements.

The incident in the Maharashtra town reportedly happened on Tuesday when the Karnataka legislature session was in progress in this district headquarters town of Belagavi bordering the neighbouring State.

Maharashtra had been demanding merger of Belagavi and some other border areas with it claiming that substantial number of Marathi-speaking people reside there.

"We are hurt with this incident perpetrated by the miscreants belonging to Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) and Shiv Sena. Controlling and arresting them is the job of the Maharashtra government," Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka said in the Assembly.

Stating that repeated occurrence of such incidents lead to clashes between communities, Ashoka said, "We will speak to the minister concerned. We will pass a censure motion and send it to the Maharashtra government to take action against the miscreants."

Ashoka was replying to the point raised by the JD(S) MLA from Malavalli, Dr K Annadani, who said he was hurt with the attack on 'Thaayi Bhuvaneshwari' (Land of Mother Goddess).

Annadani alleged that the miscreants from the MES have been instigating violence with such activities.

"We respect all the languages and religion but our accommodative nature and tolerance is perceived as our weakness. Our self-esteem is hurt," the MLA said.

He added that the pro-Kannada activists, who blackened the face of an MES office bearer in Belagavi when the latter was holding a protest against the Karnataka legislature session in the city, are still languishing in jail.

On the other hand, those who burnt the Kannada flag in Maharashtra's Kolhapur with substantial Kannada population are "roaming scot-free".

Annadani later announced moving the censure motion denouncing the act.

The leader of opposition and Congress leader Siddaramaiah too supported Annadani and said some "brainless people" perpetrated the act, which goes against the federal structure of the country.

"I denounce this incident as it leads to clash between states and communities. It results in intolerance," Siddaramaiah said.

Earlier, the JD(S) MLAs had trooped in the well of the House asking the Karnataka government to act tough against the MES and ask the Maharashtra government to take action against those who burnt the Kannada flag.

Many people denounced the incident including former Chief Minister and JD(S) second-in-command H D Kumaraswamy.

"The MES miscreants insulting the Kannada flag is highly despicable. Burning the Kannada flag is the disdainful act of distorted minds. It is unpardonable to burn Kannada flag, which represent the pride of united Karnataka," Kumaraswamy tweeted.

Siddaramaiah too took to the Twitter to express his anger and demanded that the Mahashrashtra government take action against the miscreants.

"Kannada flag, which is revered & approved by all Kannadigas, is our pride & identity. Insulting Kannada flag is insulting Karnataka & the emotions of Kannadigas. I urge @CMOMaharashtra to immediately arrest the anti-social elements who burnt our Kannada flag," Siddaramaiah tweeted.

Kannada actors Darshan Thoogudeepa and Shiva Rajkumar too denounced the burning of flag and demanded action against the perpetrators.
Officials said the gold was in paste form mixed with solid gum. (Photo: By arrangement)

Mangaluru: Customs officials seized 739-gram gold worth Rs 36,43,270 from a lady passenger at Mangaluru International Airport on December 16.

The lady passenger from Thalangara, Kerala had arrived from Dubai.

Officials said the gold was in paste form mixed with solid gum. It was concealed in a grey-colored plastic pouch and stitched inside the undergarment.
HYDERABAD: More than 70 families living in Sithaphal mandi have complained of spending sleepless nights since the opening of a bar in their locality recently.

The locals complained that after the bar was opened a month back, its customers are dirtying the area and causing disturbance in the evenings. G. Murli, a resident, said the bar is located near educational institutions and hospitals like Vivekananda Junior and Degree College, Goutam Model School, Johnson Gram mar School and Krish namurthy Hospital. This bar is one of the 21 owned by a businessman and the police are reluctant to take our complaints against his outlets, Murli said. In the late evening hours, when women go out for vegetables, the narrow lanes in the locality are occupied by anti-social elements holding liquor bottles. They threaten when questioned, said many residents. My house is only a few feet from the bar.

My daughters studies have been affected by the loud noises and vulgar language used by its customers, M. Shruti, a housewife, said. We complained to the local police but no action has been taken, she added. The bar is supposed to be closed by 11 pm, but customers are allowed to booze till very late into the night after the shutters are down. I tried asking some of the customers on a couple of occasions on why they were creating nuisance but ended up being abused and threatened, M. Mahesh, a resident, said. As per rules, bars and wine shops should be 100 metres away from educational institutions and religious structure, said K. Naveen Kumar, assistant prohibition and excise superintendent from Dhoolpet. If any bar or a wine shop is violating these rules, we will take a legal action against them, he added
Hyderabad: Imposing restrictions on Rythu Bandhu during rabi to prevent farmers from cultivating paddy will be on top of the agenda at a high-level meeting convened by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. He will interact with ministers, party MLAs, MLCs, MPs and Rythu Bandhu Samithi district committees at Pragathi Bhavan here on Friday.

Party sources said that Rao will seek feedback from all the leaders before taking the final call on whether to impose the restrictions or not.

The scheme is being implemented without any restrictions since its launch in May 2018. Under the scheme, the government credits Rs 5,000 per acre each in kharif and rabi directly into the bank accounts of over 60 lakh farmers, irrespective of the extent of land they hold.

Farmers owning 50 acres of land are getting Rs 5 lakh per year while the government is overall spending Rs 15,000 crore annually on the scheme.

This is for the first time that the government is contemplating restrictions, and comes in the wake of the Centre's decision of not procuring paddy from Telangana in rabi.

Most of Telangana farmers grow paddy in both kharif and rabi. Although the Centre is okay with procuring paddy from Telangana in kharif, it is refusing it in rabi on the grounds that parboiled rice produced in rabi has no takers in the country.

Against this backdrop, the state government is planning to discourage paddy cultivation in rabi by way of restrictions on Rythu Bandhu, sources added.

Meanwhile, in a break from the existing norm, the government is planning to credit the amount on the conclusion of sowing and after obtaining land-holding data from districts to determine who sowed paddy and who opted for other crops. It will extend Rythu Bandhu benefits to only those who sowed non-paddy crops.
Omicron is expected to be the dominant coronavirus variant in the European Union's 27 nations by mid-January, according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (Representational Image/ PTI)

Brussels: European Union leaders are trying Thursday to coordinate action to tackle the surge of coronavirus infections across the continent and the emergence of the new omicron variant while keeping borders open.

With the festive season looming, the bloc's leaders want to avoid a confusing mixture of rules and to ensure all 27 member states are on the same page and that COVID-19 certificates continue to guarantee unrestricted travel.

But alarming rises in infections have prompted many European governments to implement public health measures and new restrictions in recent weeks.

The European Council, which brings together EU leaders to set the bloc's political agenda, said before the talks in Brussels that any restrictions should not undermine the functioning of the single market or hamper travel between EU member states and to Europe.

Italy this week required negative tests from vaccinated visitors, raising concerns that similar moves elsewhere will limit the ability of EU citizens to travel to see friends and relatives over the holidays.

Portugal adopted a similar measure on Dec. 1, requiring a mandatory negative test for all passengers on arriving flights, regardless of their vaccination status, point of origin or nationality. Greece announced Wednesday that all arriving travelers must display a negative test starting Sunday unless they have spent less than 48 hours abroad.

Leaders will discuss the rollout of vaccines and the need to deploy booster doses to counter the spread of omicron.

The one answer to the omicron right now is the acceleration of our vaccination program, with a particular emphasis to the booster shots," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

In Greece, we are one of the first European countries to open booster shots to the entire population."

Mitsoakis said additional restrictive measures, like extra testing for visitors, should only apply during the Christmas period in order for us to gain additional time to boost as many people as possible.

It's a battle against time." Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said that leaders have significant concerns about omicron's capacity to spread rapidly and create pressure on health systems.

Omicron is expected to be the dominant coronavirus variant in the European Union's 27 nations by mid-January, according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. She said that more than 66% of the EU population is now fully vaccinated, but that figure doesn't offer a clear view of the contrasted EU picture.

While nations like Portugal and Spain have immunized the vast majority of their people, other countries lag way behind. Bulgaria, for example, has just 26.6% of its population fully vaccinated, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
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After President Joe Biden said in an interview that he and Kamala Harris had not discussed reelection, the White House was compelled to declare on Thursday that they will run together in 2024.

If Biden decides not to run for a second term, which would finish after his 86th birthday, a flurry of recent stories has weighed in on the chances for other contenders. New doubts arose after Vice President Harris stated that she had not considered whether or not the president will seek reelection.

Harris says she and Biden do not talk about reelection

"I'll be honest: I don't think about it, and we haven't talked about it," she told the Wall Street Journal when asked if she expected Biden to run for president again, something he has previously said publicly.

During the daily briefing, her remarks were brought up. When questioned why Harris indicated the two had not addressed it, Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre replied it was because the president had said he would ring again.

According to Daily Mail, the misconception stems from a series of stories profiling potential Democratic candidates in the event that Biden withdraws. And, according to a rising chorus of voices, the president should officially proclaim that he will not run for reelection in order to give Democrats the best opportunity of organizing.

As the former California senator tries to combat unfavorable headlines about her performance thus far in government, Vice President Kamala Harris is just beating out the anti-Biden phrase "Let's go, Brandon" in Google searches. "Let's go, Brandon," according to Google Trends, achieved its highest popularity in web search inquiries on November 1, Fox News reported.

In web search inquiries between October 5 and November 8, the term regularly outperformed Harris. On November 19, after President Biden momentarily passed presidential power to her while having anesthesia for a colonoscopy, Harris witnessed a jump in searches, the most since she was inaugurated in.

Since then, "Let's Go, Brandon" has maintained close to Harris in terms of Google search inquiries as of Thursday. South Dakota, Alaska, West Virginia, Utah, and Maine were the top five states to exhibit interest in the anti-Biden rallying cry. North Dakota, Virginia, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Iowa were the top five states for "Kamala Harris" interest.

Read Also: Senate Democrats Raise Debt Limit by $2.5 Trillion, Avoid Delay of Elections Reform, Expansive Bill To Address Climate, Social Safety Net

Kamala Harris backs Rachael Rollins

Per Washington Times, Vice President Kamala Harris did something that would be remembered two weeks ago. She went on record as agreeing with progressive prosecutors who refuse to pursue crime as did the president, their administration, and their party.

Millions of her fellow residents have been forced to live in dread, unwilling to leave their homes to shop, visit friends, drive, or even stroll along the streets of their own communities due to a lack of prosecution. President Biden's nomination for U.S. Attorney, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins, was confirmed by Harris after a tie vote in the Senate. Massachusetts's lawyer. Rollins exemplifies what a modern, woke prosecutor should be.

Rollins, like Chicago's Kim Foxx, Los Angeles' George Gascon, Philadelphia's Larry Krasner, and San Francisco's Chesa Boudin, is a progressive prosecutor who campaigned with George Soros's money.

His candidates have let convicted criminals out of jail to wander the streets, guaranteeing them that they will not be apprehended or punished for subsequent crimes in the majority of cases. In regions where Soros wins, police morale has dropped, and crime - including murder - is on the rise.

Rollins campaigned on the promise that her office would no longer prosecute 15 types of crimes when she was first elected in 2018. In Boston, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, drug possession with the intent to sell, intentional destruction of property, and trespassing were all made lawful. Her conduct of Boston police officers implies she views them as a gang of armed, racial thugs for whom she has no respect.

Related Article: Kamala Harris Slams Russia for Anti-Satellite Weapon Test That Risks ISS Astronauts, Contributes Space Junk

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President Joe Biden's $2 trillion climate and social spending package, which appeared to be on track when it cleared the House a month ago, now looks to be in serious jeopardy in the Senate. Senators from both parties have already admitted that the Build Back Better Act will not be passed by the end of the year as they had planned.

According to a Senate Republican aide, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Republicans are close to reaching an agreement to confirm a group of nominees and postpone the confirmation of others until January, clearing the Senate calendar for the rest of 2021 and allowing senators to return home for the holidays.

Biden acknowledges Build Back Better won't be passed this year

Perhaps more critically, the entire Build Back Better package may need to be altered to satisfy Sen. Joe Manchin's (D-W.Va.) objection to include a one-year renewal of the enhanced Child Tax Credit in the measure.

Per The Hill, Manchin said he is not opposed to the tax credit, which he has supported in the past. However, he claims that the full cost of the credit is not represented in the current bill's official Congressional Budget Office score because the credit is expected to be renewed over the next decade.

The West Virginia senator wants the law to reflect the tax credit's 10-year cost, which would need further tax rises or budget cuts to keep the plan's official cost from skyrocketing.

With the Senate equally divided, Democrats recognize that they won't be able to go forward without Manchin, and the bill will have to be postponed until 2022, and dissatisfaction is on the rise.

President Joe Biden said on Thursday that his massive social-spending and climate-policy package is unlikely to pass before the year's conclusion. More time is needed, according to Biden, to ratify agreements, translate those agreements into legislation text, and complete other procedural tasks.

Biden stated that work would continue "in the days and weeks ahead," but he expressed optimism that differences with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a crucial holdout, will be overcome. Progressives in the House said senators should not go home for the holidays until the infrastructure plan is completed, citing Biden's pledge that the Senate will likewise pass Build Back Better.

Read Also: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki Left Scratching Her Head When Reporter Asked Her To Name Joe Biden's Foreign Policy Success This Year

Manchin stalls Democrats' efforts to pass Build Back Better

Senate Democrats are "frustrated and disappointed," according to Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who said they are "frustrated and dismayed" by the lack of unanimity among themselves, USA Today reported. However, Durbin believes Biden is doing everything he can to break the deadlock. Manchin has spent so much time at the White House that he's "camped out in the Lincoln Bedroom and has his own parking place," according to Durbin.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell welcomed the President's bill's stalling on the Senate floor on Thursday. Democrats' increasing focus on voting rights legislation was one hint that Build Back Better was on the brink.

Per Daily Mail, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated on Thursday that he wants voting rights laws "done in time for the 2022 elections," referring to the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, both of which were passed by the House.

Senators Chuck Schumer, Tim Kaine, Angus King, Amy Klobuchar, Jeff Merkely, Jon Tester, Raphael Warnock, and Joe Manchin participated in a Zoom conversation with Biden at the White House on Thursday.

During his trip to Kentucky on Wednesday, the president was asked if voting rights legislation should come first as Build Back Better was faltering. When asked if this meant Biden wanted voting rights bills to go before a vote on Build Back Better during Thursday's press conference, deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre didn't provide a clear response.

She claimed Biden "will continue to work with Congress to get this done," but she didn't elaborate. Jean-Pierre also refused to provide an update on the status of Build Back Better.

Related Article: Democrats' $2 Trillion Spending Plan in Political Peril as Talks with Joe Manchin Show Signs of Melting Down



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The House Select Committee responsible for investigating the events of the unprecedented attack on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6, unearthed several pieces of evidence that connect former United States President Donald Trump to an attempted coup plan.

The committee's recent efforts have brought into light a new wave of horrifying information related to the Republican businessman's involvement in the attack. This includes new evidence that showed how conservative media stars were privately alarmed by how Trump loyalists attacked the Capitol but immediately supported the former president's lies.

Trump's Involvement on Jan. 6 Attack

And despite Trump's repeated claims of voter fraud, a new survey of 2020 swing states that the Republican businessman contested were found to be sparse and far from the extent that the former president claimed. There were also three separate reports that detailed three Florida residents, two of whom were registered Republicans, being arrested and charged with election fraud, CNN reported.

The string of evidence against Trump includes how his allies made an actual PowerPoint presentation detailing their plans to engage in a coup and overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The committee has obtained slides from the PowerPoint titled "Election fraud, Foreign Interference & Options for 6 JAN."

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The presentation contains various options that Republicans can choose from in their attempts to stop the certification of United States President Joe Biden. The list of alternatives includes the Republican businessman declaring a national security emergency.

The PowerPoint had 38 pages and included a recommendation that former Vice President Mike Pence will install Republican electors in states "where fraud occurred." It also includes Trump citing foreign "control" of electronic voting systems and declaring that all electronic votes become invalid, Vanity Fair reported.

Claims of Voter Fraud

Additionally, Trump claimed that electronic votes were "rigged" during his address to the military on Thanksgiving, arguing that the only accurate form of voting was paper ballots. And in December, the Republican businessman doubled down on his claims, saying that the United States must prioritize paper ballots rather than electronic ones.

The former president's statements were in sync with the strategy to have former Vice President Pence not recognize all the electors that went to Biden. Days before the Capitol Hill attack, Trump called on Pence to overturn the 2020 election results. But the former vice president refused Trump's orders and instead oversaw Biden's election victory certification.

However, it was unclear how much of an influence, if any, the PowerPoint presentation had on Trump and his inner circle. The situation also comes as the former president is facing a series of legal battles, two of which are New York investigations looking into his businesses.

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure released a report that revealed Trump's hotel in Washington, D.C., operated with a lack of oversight from the General Services Administration. The agency is responsible for managing his business's lease of the Old Post Office Building.

A copy of the report was obtained and showed that the GSA did not examine "ethical conflicts and constitutional issues posed by then-President Donald Trump's refusal to divest from the property," EconoTimes reported.



Related Article: Officer Derek Chauvin Pleads Guilty in George Floyd Case as Part of New Agreement, Waits for Sentencing

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New Mexico authorities issued a search warrant on Thursday for actor Alec Baldwin's mobile phone as part of the investigation into the "Rust" incident that resulted in the death of one and injury of another.

Officials said that the actor's cell phone could hold crucial evidence or information that could prove useful amid their probe of the fatal shooting. During the incident, Baldwin was wielding a revolver amid a rehearsal for a scene when it suddenly fired.

Search Warrant for Baldwin's Phone

The actor has continued to claim that it was cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who is the fatal victim of the incident, who asked him to point the gun just off-camera toward her armpit. The injured individual was identified to be director Joel Souza.

Baldwin said that when he pointed the gun at Hutchins, he pulled the hammer back and it suddenly fired when he let it go. The actor has repeatedly claimed that he was unaware that the gun he was holding contained a live round, the Associated Press reported.

Sheriff's Office Det. Alexandria Hancock said in a search warrant approved by a judge that authorities were requesting a warrant for the seizure and search of Baldwin's cell phone. They said that the efforts were to help in their investigation of Hutchins' death.

Read Also: Kamala Harris Claims She, Joe Biden Barely Talks About 2024 Election; Vice President Barely Beats "Let's Go, Brandon" in Google Searches

The affidavit added that the mobile phone could hold evidence because it was a common event for criminals to use their phones during and/or after they committed a crime. Officials said that if such information exists on Baldwin's phone, it may be material and relevant to the Rust probe.

Officials also said that they later discovered there were various email and text messages that were sent and received regarding the movie production Rust in the court of the interviews. Despite Baldwin's continued communication with Det. Hancock, the actor's lawyer has refused to hand over his client's phone without an explicit warrant, Deadline reported.

"Rust" Shooting Incident

The search warrant approved by a judge authorized police officials to review all of Baldwin's text messages and photos stored within his phone. It also grants law enforcement personnel access to the actor's stored location data.

The 42-year-old fatal victim of the Rust shooting incident died on Oct. 21 when she was struck by a projectile from a prop gun that Baldwin was holding. The actor repeatedly claimed that he believed there were only "dummy" rounds inside the weapon and insisted that he never pulled the trigger.

The search warrant revealed that Baldwin spoke with police officers and said that he exchanged emails with the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed about the style of the gun to use in the filming. Gutierrez Reed told law enforcement personnel that she placed five empty rounds into the gun before lunch on the day of the shooting incident.

However, she said that she did not "really check it too much" after lunch, saying she had some trouble loading another empty round. Gutierrez Reed's lawyer suggested that the set could have been the victim of "sabotage" but discounted the possibility that anyone would be "that malicious to bring live ammo onto the set," Yahoo News reported.



Related Article: Officer Derek Chauvin Pleads Guilty in George Floyd Case as Part of New Agreement, Waits for Sentencing

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin recently held a video summit on Wednesday where the Moscow leader pledged his commitment to visit the winter Beijing Olympics amid the widespread diplomatic boycott of the event.

On the other hand, Putin is facing threats of being given sanctions by Western nations amid Moscow's continued aggression on Ukraine, building up soldiers on the border with the region. Xi previously proposed the idea of coordination between their two nations to "more effectively safeguard the security interests of both parties.

China and Russia's Solidarity

Wednesday's video conference marks the 37th time since 2013 that Putin had met with Xi officially. During the meeting, both leaders showed solidarity for each other who were both battling pressure from the West. It was also used as a display of the kind of mutually beneficial and increasingly tight partnership between China and Russia, Yahoo Finance reported.

However, analysts said that despite the show of solidarity of the two leaders, they would most likely not move to provide military support to each other should the need arise. An analyst for China and northeast Asia at consulting firm Eurasia Group, Neil Thomas, said that China and Russia forged a relationship because of their views it could be beneficial to their national interests.

Read Also: Kamala Harris Claims She, Joe Biden Barely Talks About 2024 Election; Vice President Barely Beats "Let's Go, Brandon" in Google Searches

Thomas said that the show of solidarity was not because of an ideological affinity between Putin and Xi. In an email, the analyst said that the two nations would most likely prefer to "divide Washington's political attention between strategic hotspots in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.

Despite the show of cooperation between China and Russia, it remains unclear what Beijing's stance is regarding the Ukraine controversy. But China has experienced being placed in similar pressure over its alleged human rights abuse of Uyghur minorities in its region and its aggressive territorial claims of Taiwan, CNBC reported.

Independent Trade Network

The situation comes as the two nations have pledged to coordinate efforts and set up an independent trade network to mitigate reliance on the U.S.-led international financial system. The issue is one of the topics that the two leaders discussed in their meeting. The video conference between Putin and Xi saw "special attention paid to the necessity of accelerating efforts on the formation of independent financial infrastructure for servicing trading operations between Russia and China."

Russian presidential aide Yury Uhsakov added that "third countries" will not be able to influence the network that Beijing and Moscow are planning to set up. Putin and Xi welcomed the increased number of deals settled in yuan and roubles. They also appreciated the efforts that aimed to improve access to stock markets for investors from either country.

Xi said that trade between the two nations had already topped $100 billion for the first time in just the first three quarters of the year. The two nations aim to reduce their reliance on the U.S.-led financial system because of the potential sanctions that Washington could impose on them. These would most likely limit their access to international payments mechanisms such as SWIFT, the South China Morning Post reported.



Related Article: Trump Allies Allegedly Made PowerPoint Detailing Jan. 6 Coup Plan To Prevent Certification of Biden's Presidential Win

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The US Congress has enacted legislation requiring businesses to demonstrate that commodities imported from China's Xinjiang province were not made using forced labor.

In its suppression of the mostly Muslim Uyghur minority in China, the US has accused China of genocide, an accusation China has been frequently denied. Major corporations that conduct business in the region, such as Coca-Cola, Nike, and Apple, have criticized the measure.

Its passage also overcame the White House's initial opposition. It was adopted by the Senate on Thursday, with the exception of one member, by a vote of every member of Congress.

US slaps sanctions on China over Uyghur oppression

The bill, properly called as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, is now on its way to President Joe Biden's desk to be put into law. In China's resource-rich western region, the US accuses China of using slavery and genocide, as per BBC.

US and global enterprises, who are already experiencing supply chain challenges, pushed against it, citing concerns about how it will damage their businesses. After earlier drafts of the bill cleared the House and Senate, lawmakers in both houses reached an agreement on the final wording this week.

The bill also lifts a Republican embargo that has blocked Biden's nominee for ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, from receiving Senate confirmation. The US Commerce Department issued penalties on over 30 Chinese technology businesses and research institutions earlier on Thursday, accusing them of assisting the Chinese military.

Without a special license, American corporations are prohibited from selling goods to sanctioned organizations and entities under the new law. The CIA also charged China's Academy of Military Medical Sciences with exploiting biotechnology "to serve Chinese military end uses," such as "alleged brain-control weaponry."

According to a senior administration source, the finance ministry is also working on a plan to penalize a number of Chinese companies. According to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the US secret services discovered China has put up a high-tech monitoring system that employs biometric facial recognition over the western province of Xinjiang.

Beijing has also gathered DNA samples from all people, from kids to the elderly, according to the spy agency. According to the findings, the Xi Jinping-led administration is targeting youngsters under the age of 12.

Read Also: Why Joe Biden Wants To Extradite Julian Assange to The US? Fiancee Accuses UK Authorities of Playing "Executioner"

Action comes after US announced boycott on Beijing Olympics

The move comes after the White House announced a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing China's "egregious human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang." The White House also stated that it supports bipartisan legislation that would prohibit imports of Xinjiang-made goods unless China can prove they were not produced using forced labor.

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, a Democrat, rejected the bill on Wednesday because he wanted to attach it to renewing the expiring child tax credits, Republic World reported.

After months of the White House refusing to take a public stance on an earlier version of the bill, press secretary Jen Psaki indicated last week that Biden backed it. According to the United States, China is conducting genocide against the Uyghurs.

Per ABC News, this includes widespread claims of forced sterilization and massive detention centers where many Uyghurs are purportedly forced to labor in industries, according to rights groups and journalists. China denies any abuses. It claims that the actions it has taken are vital in the fight against terrorism and a separatist movement.

Raw cotton, gloves, tomato products, silicon and viscose, fishing gear, and a variety of solar energy components are among the commodities alleged to have been created with the use of forced labor, according to the US.

Xinjiang is a resource-rich mining area with a thriving industrial sector and a significant agricultural sector. According to the US, detainees are also transported outside of Xinjiang and placed in firms, including those in the clothing and textiles, electronics, solar energy, and automotive sectors.

Related Article: China Continues Exploiting US Universities To Support Beijing's Military Modernization, Recent Spy Case Reveals

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A United States federal judge overturned a roughly $4.5 billion settlement that provided legal protection to members of the Sackler family, accused of fueling the country's opioid epidemic.

In a written opinion on Thursday, U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon said that the New York bankruptcy court that approved the massive settlement did not have sufficient authority to grant the Sackler family legal protection from future opioid litigation.

Massive $4.5 Billion Settlement

The protection formed the linchpin of Purdue Pharma LP's reorganization. In a statement, the company's chairman, Steve Miller, said that the judge's decision did not directly affect Purdue's operational stability or its capability to produce its many medications safely and effectively. However, the official said the decision could delay and potentially end the ability of creditors, communities, and individuals to receive financial support to abate the opioid crisis.

In exchange for the $4.5 billion settlement toward resolving widespread opioid litigation, the Sackler family insisted on legal protection, which is known as non-debtor releases. They provide shielding to parties that have not filed for bankruptcy themselves, Reuters reported.

Lawyers representing a small group of states that had previously appealed the plan quickly praised the judge's ruling. They argued that it was a "seismic victory" for both justice and accountability that will enable the reopening of the deeply flawed Purdue bankruptcy. The legal experts added that it would force the Sackler family to confront the pain and suffering that they have caused to victims, the attorney general of Connecticut, William Tong, said.

Read Also: Kamala Harris Claims She, Joe Biden Barely Talks About 2024 Election; Vice President Barely Beats "Let's Go, Brandon" in Google Searches

Members of Congress have, in recent months, proposed legislation called "The Sackler Act" that would prevent owners from gaining access to legal protections unless they file for bankruptcy themselves. But even in the case that the bill is passed, there is little chance it would be passed into law in time to resolve the Purdue case.

Ensuring True Accountability

McMahon all but openly invited the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in her ruling to weigh in on the case. While several appellate courts have expressed their disagreement on the matter, the federal judge wrote in her 142-page assessment that "the lower courts desperately need a clear answer," the New York Times reported.

In a statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland said that he was quite pleased with the federal judge's ruling on the case. The official said that the bankruptcy court did not have sufficient authority to prevent the right of victims to sue the Sackler family.

Another official, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who previously objected to Purdue's reorganization, praised McMahon's ruling. Ferguson said that there should not be two forms of justice, one that caters to ordinary Americans and the other supporting billionaires.

Ferguson added that he was willing to take the fight against the Sackler family all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary. The official said that he wanted to ensure true accountability for the perpetrators involved in the fueling of the opioid crisis in the United States that has caused widespread suffering to many Americans, CNBC reported.



Related Article: Trump Allies Allegedly Made PowerPoint Detailing Jan. 6 Coup Plan To Prevent Certification of Biden's Presidential Win

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By John Pilger

December 15, 202: Information Clearing House -- In the crudest, most political judgement in memory, two High Court judges in London have ordered the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States, where a trial in a kangaroo court awaits him, followed by a life lost in a barbaric prison system.



"Let us look at ourselves, if we have the courage, to see what is happening to us" - Jean-Paul Sartre



Sartre's words should echo in all our minds following the grotesque decision of Britain's High Court to extradite Julian Assange to the United States where he faces "a living death". This is his punishment for the crime of authentic, accurate, courageous, vital journalism.

Miscarriage of justice is an inadequate term in these circumstances. It took the bewigged courtiers of Britain's ancien regime just nine minutes last Friday to uphold an American appeal against a District Court judge's acceptance in January of a cataract of evidence that hell on earth awaited Assange across the Atlantic: a hell in which, it was expertly predicted, he would find a way to take his own life.

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Volumes of witness by people of distinction, who examined and studied Julian and diagnosed his autism and his Asperger's Syndrome and revealed that he had already come within an ace of killing himself at Belmarsh prison, Britain's very own hell, were ignored.

The recent confession of a crucial FBI informant and prosecution stooge, a fraudster and serial liar, that he had fabricated his evidence against Julian was ignored. The revelation that the Spanish-run security firm at the Ecuadorean embassy in London, where Julian had been granted political refuge, was a CIA front that spied on Julian's lawyers and doctors and confidants (myself included) - that, too. was ignored.

The recent journalistic disclosure, repeated graphically by defence counsel before the High Court in October, that the CIA had planned to murder Julian in London - even that was ignored.

Each of these "matters", as lawyers like to say, was enough on its own for a judge upholding the law to throw out the disgraceful case mounted against Assange by a corrupt US Department of Justice and their hired guns in Britain. Julian's state of mind, bellowed James Lewis, QC, America's attack dog at the Old Bailey last year, was no more than "malingering" - an archaic Victorian term used to deny the very existence of mental illness.

To Lewis, almost every defence witness, including those who described from the depth of their experience and knowledge, the barbaric American prison system, was to be interrupted, abused, discredited. Sitting behind him, passing him notes, was his American conductor: young, short-haired, clearly an Ivy League man on the rise.

In their nine minutes of dismissal of the fate of journalist Assange, two of the most senior judges in Britain, including the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett (a lifelong buddy of Sir Alan Duncan, Boris Johnson's former foreign minister who arranged the brutal police kidnapping of Assange from the Ecuadorean embassy) referred to not one of a litany of truths aired at previous hearings in the Old Bailey and the District Court - truths that had struggled to be heard in the lower court presided over by a weirdly hostile judge, Vanessa Baraitser. One episode of her insulting behaviour towards a clearly stricken Assange, struggling through a fog of prison-dispensed medication to remember his name, is unforgettable.

What was truly shocking last Friday was that the High Court judges - Lord Burnett and Lord Justice Timothy Holyrode, who read out their words - showed no hesitation in sending Julian to his death, living or otherwise. They offered no mitigation, no suggestion that they had agonised over legalities or even basic morality.

Their ruling in favour, if not on behalf of the United States, is based squarely on transparently fraudulent "assurances" scrabbled together by the Biden administration when it looked in January as if justice might prevail.

These "assurances" are that once in American custody, Assange will not be subject to the Orwellian SAMS - Special Administrative Measures - which would make him an un-person; that he will not be imprisoned at ADX Florence, a prison in Colorado long condemned by jurists and human rights groups as illegal: "a pit of punishment and disappearance"; that he can be transferred to an Australian prison to finish his sentence there.

The absurdity of this lies in what the judges omitted to say. In offering its "assurances", the US reserves the right not to guarantee any pledge made in court should Assange do something that displeases his jailers. In other words, as Amnesty has pointed out, it reserves the right to break any promise, or all of them.

There are abundant examples of the US doing just that. As investigative journalist Richard Medhurst revealed last month, David Mendoza Herrarte was extradited from Spain to the US on the "promise" that he would serve his sentence in Spain. The Spanish courts regarded this as a binding condition.

"Classified documents reveal the diplomatic assurances given by the US Embassy in Madrid and how the US violated the conditions of the extradition ", wrote Medhurst, "Mendoza spent six years in the US trying to return to Spain. Court documents show the United States denied his transfer application multiple times."

The High Court judges - who were aware of the Mendoza case and of Washington's habitual duplicity - describe the "assurances" as a "solemn undertaking offered by one government to another". This article would stretch into infinity if I listed the times the rapacious United States has broken "solemn undertakings" to governments, such as treaties that are summarily torn up and civil wars that are fuelled. It is the way Washington has ruled the world, and before it Britain: the way of imperial power, as history teaches us.

It is this institutional lying and duplicity that Julian Assange brought into the open and in so doing performed perhaps the greatest public service of any journalist in modern times.

Julian himself has been a prisoner of lying governments for more than a decade now. During these long years, I have sat in many courts as the United States has sought to manipulate the law to silence him and WikiLeaks. The obsession to "get him" has been unrelenting.

This reached a bizarre moment when, in the tiny Ecuadorean embassy, he and I were forced to flatten ourselves against a wall, each with a notepad in which we conversed, taking care to shield what we had written to each other from the ubiquitous spy cameras - installed, as we now know, by a proxy of the CIA, the world's most enduring criminal organisation.

This brings me to the quotation at the top of this article: "Let us look at ourselves, if we have the courage, to see what is happening."

Jean-Paul Sartre wrote this in his preface to Franz Fannon's The Wretched of the Earth, the classic study of how colonised and seduced and coerced and, yes, craven peoples do the bidding of the powerful.

Who among us is prepared to stand up rather than remain mere bystanders to an epic travesty such as the judicial kidnapping of Julian Assange? What is at stake is both a courageous man's life and, if we remain silent, the conquest of our intellects and sense of right and wrong: indeed our very humanity.

(Julian's fiancee, Stella Moris, has revealed that Julian suffered a stroke on 27 October, the opening day of a previous High Court hearing).

Follow John Pilger on twitter @johnpilger
As part of the social media giant's way to be a safe platform, Facebook has banned seven companies that were spying on about 50,000 users.

Surprisingly, one of the said companies used fake identities to exploit several people.

Facebook Bans 7 Spying Companies

In a recent blog post by Facebook, seven "surveillance for hire" firms that targeted at least 50,000 people throughout the world have been banned by the social media giant. Aside from the said companies, more than 1,000 accounts linked to these businesses were also blocked by the corporation.

To give further definition of what surveillance-for-hire is, Facebook stated that the worldwide surveillance-for-hire sector collects information from individuals across the internet, manipulates them into revealing information and compromises their devices and accounts.

These businesses are part of a vast sector that sells invasive software tools and surveillance services to everyone, regardless of their target or the violations of human rights it causes.

This industry distributes these dangers by providing people with access to government and non-government organizations since some may not even have access to them.

The said seven spying companies which Facebook banned are Cobwebs, Cognyte, Black Cube, Bluehawk CI, BelltroX, Cytrox, and an unknown company in China, per Engadget.

7. Cobwebs

The social media giant deactivated around 200 accounts maintained by Cobwebs and its clients across the world.

This company, based in Israel with offices in the United States, sells access to its platform, which allows for internet surveillance through Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, Flickr, public websites and "dark web" sites.

"Our investigation identified customers in Bangladesh, Hong Kong, the United States, New Zealand, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Poland, and other countries," Facebook furthered.

6. Cognyte

Facebook deactivated roughly 100 Facebook and Instagram profiles associated with Cognyte and its clients. This Israeli company provides access to its platform, which allows users to manage fake profiles on social networking sites.

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Users from Israel, Serbia, Colombia, Kenya, Morocco, Mexico, Jordan, Thailand and Indonesia were discovered to be using the service throughout the study. Journalists and politicians from all around the world were among their intended targets.

5. Black Cube

Black Cube used fictional personas to target specific audiences, including graduate students, NGO and human rights activists, and film and television makers.

4. BellTrox

BellTroX is a company established in India that provides "hacking for hire" services.

Almost the same with Black Cube, BellTroX used phony accounts to impersonate prominent people to get their email addresses which will be used in the phishing assaults.

3. Cytrox

This North Macedonian firm creates and sells spying tools that allow its customers to infiltrate iOS and Android devices.

This Facebook-banned company has customers in Egypt, Armenia, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Vietnam, the Philippines and Germany.

2. BlueHawk CI

To deceive their targets into providing an on-camera interview, BlueHawk CI creates phony accounts pretending to be journalists working for existing media companies.

1. China-based Spying Company

Facebook's security experts discovered this unknown company in China creating surveillanceware and uses face recognition technology.

The researchers at Facebook didn't identify who was behind the organization, but they did indicate the program had been used by "domestic law enforcement" in China.

How Does Facebook Spying Works?

The social media giant explained that the banned companies executed three phases of targeting activity that made up their "surveillance chain." The said phases are reconnaissance, engagement and exploitation.

Some of the Facebook-banned companies focus on a single step of a phase, while others utilize the complete attack chain.

Reconnaissance

In this phase, targets are secretly profiled by cyber mercenaries on behalf of their clients, which frequently use software to automate information gathering across the internet. It gathers data from a variety of online sources, including blogs, social media and knowledge management systems.

Engagement

This process is usually the most noticeable to its targets and the most important to detect to avoid compromise. Its goal is to contact the targets to gain confidence, gather information and fool them into clicking on dangerous links or files.

Exploitation

This final stage is commonly known as hacking for hire. It generates phishing domains designed to deceive people into giving away their credentials to sensitive accounts.

For instance, the companies Bluehawk CI, Black Cube and Belltrox use these three phases. Meanwhile, Cobwebs and Cognyte utilize Reconnaissance and Engagement.

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As part of their annual Christmas sale, Epic Games will be giving away free games as well as some massive discounts on a variety of titles.

However, players must keep in mind that this offer will only be available until January 6, 2022.

Epic Games Free Game

According to the video game company, this is the biggest sale they ever had.

"From today to January 6, more than 1,300 games, editions, and add-ons are on sale on the store, with discounts ranging from 10 percent to 95 percent," Epic Games furthered on their released statement.

Shenmue 3 available for free on EGShttps://t.co/CQgFeDfqQd pic.twitter.com/BK5RKjiPKO  Nibel (@Nibellion) December 16, 2021

In addition to the shop discounts, any finished game costing more than $14.99 receives a $10 discount voucher.

Aside from the said discount, the first free game in their giveaway has now been release, which is "Shenmue III," per The Verge.

'Shenmue III' as First Epic Games Free Game

For those who are not familiar with "Shenmue III," Steam stated that it is the creation of award-winning game creator Yu Suzuki. Moreover, it is widely regarded as one of the most ambitious gaming projects in history, having captivated gamers all over the world.

Additionally, "Shenmue III" was the first action RPG game to use an open-world style. The said game was praised and adored all over the world for its setting and immersive plot, which included cinematic moments, a realistic combat system, and engaging mini-games.

In addition to the first Epic Games free game, its main character, named Ryo Hazuki, is an 18-year-old Japanese martial artist who is determined to avenge his father's death.

Read Also: Facebook Bans 7 Companies Spying on 50,000 Users! Spyware, Fake Accounts Detected

In this third part of the legendary "Shenmue" series, Ryo strives to unravel the mystery behind the Phoenix Mirror, an item sought after by his father's killer. His trip leads him to an immersive picture of rural China, which is bustling with activity and surrounded by stunning scenery.

Furthermore, Ryo's journey takes him through cities and mountain villages.

In his journey, he may continue his training, gamble, play arcade games, and perform part-time jobs while tracking down individuals who know the truth about the Phoenix Mirror.

Epic Games is giving a total of 15 free games during its holiday sale, so there should be more to expect.

How to Get 'Shenmue III' For Free

The Verge reported that "Shenmue III" started as a tremendously successful Kickstarter project. For this reason, several people are eager to know how to get this first Epic Games' free game.

Interested players must head to this link. In the said link, select the "Get" button at the right part of the screen. Once selected, players will be redirected to a log-in page. Lastly, follow the steps prompted on the screen to finish the download.

Keep in mind that "Shenmue III" is available for free on the Epic Games Store until December 17 at 8 a.m. PDT and 9:00 a.m. MDT while 11 a.m. EDT.

How to Avail a $10 Discount for Every Game?

Epic Games stated on its website that a $10 Epic coupon will be applied upon checkout of any full game that costs more than $14.99. Additionally, there is no restriction on how many games players may buy.

This only means that no matter how many games players added to their cart, at least up to the 50-item transaction limit, those that cost more than $14.99 after a sale discount will receive a $10 off.

On a positive note, Epic Games' deal will be available from December 16, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. ET up to January 6, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. ET.



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A photo of the late comedian Kim Chul-min is seen during a memorial service held at the Korea Cancer Center Hospital in Nowon District, northern Seoul, Thursday. Joint Press Corps



By Park Han-sol



"I found happiness thanks to you. Thank you. And I love you."



The message to his fans posted on Facebook, Dec. 10, were the last words left by comedian and street musician Kim Chul-min, who died Thursday afternoon after battling terminal lung cancer. He was 54.



He passed away at the Korea Cancer Center Hospital in Nowon District, northern Seoul, where he had been hospitalized in recent months for chemotherapy and radiation therapy.



Kim, whose given name was Kim Chul-soon, made his debut as a comedian on the television network MBC in 1994, appearing in popular programs such as "It's a Gag" that ran from 2006 to 2009.



But another passion of the entertainer was busking. For over three decades, he was known for drawing a crowd with his spirited voice and guitar accompaniment in Daehangno, central Seoul.



The comedian was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in early August 2019. Cancer cells had already spread throughout his body, he wrote, which meant that he might have just months to live. He also revealed his family health history  his parents and elder brother all died of cancer.



But Kim refused to give up. Only days after his diagnosis, he showed up on stage with his guitar, belting out songs while wearing a hospital gown and a dark gray cap, to the accompaniment of cheers.



Since then, he continued sharing his journey on Facebook as he underwent treatment and therapy, recording in earnest both the highs and the lows of his battle.



Some days were filled with hope and gratitude: "I can live. I want to live," "Today is a gift," "This too shall pass." But he also didn't shy away from writing about the pain that inevitably followed: "I am hurt to the core," "I miss Daehangno."



Last year, the entertainer's name made headlines when he claimed that his symptoms briefly showed improvement after taking a dog deworming medicine containing fenbendazole. The vermicide's unconfirmed effectiveness in cancer went viral among patients in Korea following the popularity of online testimonials of a former cancer patient in the United States.



After eight months, however, Kim stopped taking the medicine, stating that the treatment did not ultimately work and instead led to serious side effects. In October 2020, the comedian virtually appeared at a National Assembly audit session to urge the Ministry of Health and Welfare to help cancer patients not be swayed by such misinformation.



Despite such an ordeal, he continued to show great willpower. He made TV appearances to share his story, played guitar and sang stirring tracks such as Choi Sung-soo's "When the Magnolias Bloom" (1984), until he finally succumbed to the disease this week.



Kim's memorial service is being held at the Korea Cancer Center Hospital.


Actor Chris Noth poses for photographers upon arrival at the British Independent Film Awards in central London, Dec. 2, 2018. Noth has been accused of sexually assaulting two women in separate encounters that took place in 2004 and 2015, according to a report in The Hollywood Reporter, Dec. 16. AP-Yonhap



"Sex and the City" actor Chris Noth on Thursday denied sexual assault allegations brought against him by two women who contacted The Hollywood Reporter.



Noth  who recently reprised his role as Mr. Big in the show's sequel "And Just Like That..."  told AFP that his encounters with the women in 2004 and 2015 were "consensual."



"The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false," Noth, 67, said in a written statement.



"These stories could've been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago  no always means no  that is a line I did not cross."



The Hollywood Reporter published the allegations on Thursday, having been first contacted by the two anonymous women  who do not know each other  months apart.



One woman alleged that Noth raped her in his West Hollywood apartment in 2004 after she went to return a book that he had briefly lent to her when they met at the building's pool.



She was 22 at the time of the incident and went to hospital to receive stitches due to her injuries, she said.



The other woman said she was on a date with Noth in New York in 2015 when he invited her back to his apartment, where he allegedly assaulted her.





Mario Cantone, Chris Noth, and Sarah Jessica Parker pose while attending the red carpet premiere of the "Sex and The City" sequel, "And Just Like That" in New York City, Dec. 8. Reuters-Yonhap
Japanese director Hamaguchi Ryusuke / Courtesy of Triple Pictures, ZOA Films



By Kwak Yeon-soo



Japanese director Hamaguchi Ryusuke has had a fantastic year, with "Drive My Car," his adaptation of a Haruki Murakami short story, winning the Best Screenplay Award at this year's Cannes International Film Festival, and his three-part film anthology "Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy" nabbing the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at this year's Berlin Film Festival.



However, the 42-year-old filmmaker recalls that his special dialogue session with Korean auteur Bong Joon-ho at this year's Busan Film Festival was the most memorable moment of 2021.



"It was the most exciting moment of the year. I could feel that Bong had watched my films with deep interest and affection. He led our conversation as if he was directing me. Sometimes he pushed me, even provoked me, to answer some of his tough questions. Overall, I received encouragement and energy from him," he said through a translator in a video interview with The Korea Times, Thursday.



Hamaguchi credited the success of "Drive My Car" to Haruki, directors Hirokazu Kore-eda (the winner of the 2018 Cannes Palme d'Or for "Shoplifters") and Bong Joon-ho (the winner of the 2019 Cannes Palme d'Or for "Parasite.")



"It's really due to the power of Haruki, who has a strong fan base around the globe, and the recent rise of Asian cinema and Asian directors that my film is receiving accolades in this way," he said.



The filmmaker elaborated that he could feel high expectations for Asian cinema when he meets people at international film festivals. "I'm very grateful and I hope such renewed interest continues on in the future," he added.





Actors Hidetoshi Nishijima, left, and Toko Miura in a scene from the film "Drive My Car" / Courtesy of Triple Pictures, ZOA Films
Actor Ralph Fiennes, top left, and director Matthew Vaughn speak during an online press conference for the film, "The King's Man." Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea



By Kwak Yeon-soo



Director Matthew Vaughn said he felt destined to explore the beginnings of the secret Kingsman agency in "The King's Man," a prequel in his spy comedy franchise.



"Eggsy was told by Harry that Kingsman was founded in 1919, so I had no choice," he told reporters. "When I started reading more and more about World War I, I thought there were a lot of lessons that the public could learn from looking back at its history  whether it's about choosing your leaders wisely or the fact that little things can turn into big problems very quickly."



In the new film, Ralph Fiennes portrays the Duke of Oxford, the founder of the secret Kingsman intelligence agency that defends Greta Britain and the world from existential threats. He also struggles to keep his son, Conrad (Harris Dickinson) safe in the midst of tragedy.



Of the father and son relationship portrayed in the film, Vaughn said, "I think the unconditional love that parents have for their children is always an interesting dynamic, which Oxford explores even more because he made a promise to his dying wife. The father-son relationship is one that we can all relate to."





Actors Ralph Fiennes, right, and Harris Dickinson in a scene from the film, "The King's Man" / Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea
This file photo taken on Nov. 21, 2017, shows a general view of a public square in North Korea's northeastern border city of Rason. The United Nations on Thursday adopted a resolution on North Korean human rights, condemning systematic and gross human rights violations in the reclusive nation. AFP-Yonhap



The United Nations on Thursday adopted a resolution on North Korean human rights, condemning systematic and gross human rights violations in the reclusive nation.



It marks the 17th consecutive year the UNSC has adopted a resolution on North Korean human rights.



The latest resolution was adopted by consensus at the U.N. General Assembly. Its passage comes about a month after the U.N. General Assembly Third Committee passed the resolution.



The resolution says the United Nations "condemns in the strongest terms the long-standing and ongoing systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights in and by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, including those that may amount to crimes against humanity."










David Ellis, a former British deputy head of mission in Tokyo, has been appointed as the country's new ambassador to North Korea, London's foreign ministry has said.







Effective immediately, Ellis will temporarily work from London to replace Colin Crooks who will serve as the new ambassador to South Korea starting next year.







"I am delighted to have been appointed British Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," Ellis wrote on his Twitter account, referring to the North by its official name. "I am working temporarily from London, but plan to return to the British Embassy Pyongyang as soon as circumstances permit."







His predecessor Crooks, who was appointed as Britain's top envoy to the North in December 2018, had also been working from London since May 2020 after its mission in Pyongyang temporarily closed due to COVID-19.







Prior to his new job, Ellis served as Britain's minister and deputy head of mission in Tokyo from 2016 to 2020 and was the minister counselor in Beijing from 2011 to 2015. (Yonhap)


North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pays a silent tribute during a memorial event for his father Kim Jong-il on the 10th anniversary of his death at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang, Friday. Yonhap



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a memorial event for his father Kim Jong-il on the 10th anniversary of his death Friday, Pyongyang's state media reported.



It took place at the square of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the mausoleum commemorating the North's former leaders, in Pyongyang, according to the North's state TV.



Dressed in a long black leather coat, Kim was seen accompanied by top party and military officials, including Choe Ryong-hae, chairman of the standing committee, and Jo Yong-won, the leader's close aide and secretary for organizational affairs of the ruling party's Central Committee.



Kim died on Dec. 17, 2011, after having ruled the reclusive regime since the death of his father and national founder, Kim Il-sung, in 1994. Kim Jong-un, the third son of the late leader, took over the helm of the North in another hereditary succession of power.



North Korea has been kicking up a commemorative mood ahead of the anniversary with a series of events touting the late leader and highlighting loyalty to the current leader.



In a front-page editorial, the North's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, said the country should push ahead with efforts to accomplish the first-year goals of its five-year development plan unveiled at a January party congress under Kim's leadership.



"All people and soldiers should have absolute trust in the general secretary, have their fate and future completely entrusted to him and guard his safety and authority," the editorial said.



On Thursday, the North Korean Embassy in China held a memorial service to commemorate the late Kim, stressing close ties between the two countries.



Wang Chen, vice chairman of the standing committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, attended the ceremony and asked North Korean Ambassador Ri Ryong-nam to convey Chinese President Xi Jinping's "warm greetings and best wishes" to the North's leader Kim Jong-un, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"(Wang) said that the traditional China-DPRK friendship serves as precious wealth for both sides, expressing the firm stand of the Chinese side to propel the steady development of the China-DPRK friendly ties," the KCNA said. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. (Yonhap)










Cho Doo-soon / Korea Times file



By Bahk Eun-ji



Notorious child rapist Cho Doo-soon, 69, was attacked at his home by a vigilante, police said, Friday. The injury was not serious.



According to police, the assailant in his 20s allegedly tried to enter Cho's home in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, at around 8:50 p.m., Thursday, pretending to be a police officer and asking him to open the door.



The man then allegedly grabbed a blunt object that was apparently in the house and used it to hit Cho in the head. A neighbor posted on his Facebook that the assailant had used a hammer in the attack.



Cho's wife rushed to a police precinct about 20 meters away from the house and reported the assault. Police took the assailant into custody and are investigating him on charges of inflicting injury.



Cho was taken to the hospital for treatment, and his injury was not serious, according to the police.



Cho was released from prison in December last year after serving 12 years for kidnapping and raping an eight-year-old girl. The brutal assault ruptured her intestine that led to permanent physical damage.



After his release, dozens of people, including YouTubers, flocked to the rapist's house, saying they would personally meet out justice by saying the jail term was too lenient.



The man who attacked Cho was also previously investigated by the police in February for trying to trespass into his house. The man was detained by officers who were patrolling the area and found him carrying a bag with a weapon. The man told the police at the time that his life would be worth living only after he punishes Cho.



Police plan to decide whether to seek an arrest warrant after interrogating him further.


Self-employed people chant slogans on a street in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Thursday, during a rally to call on the government to compensate their losses caused by business restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. Yonhap



By Bahk Eun-ji



Self-employed people and small business owners are protesting the government's renewed strengthening of anti-coronavirus social distancing rules.



Bracing for a steep decline in earnings during the peak year-end season, they say they have already suffered enough from such measures which they claim have forced them to make sacrifices without adequate compensation.



Kim Dong-geun, 39, who has been running a wine bar and restaurant in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, for six years, said all group reservations were cancelled in the last week of this month, which is usually one of the busiest periods of the year, adding that he continues to receive calls from customers cancelling reservations made for other weeks.



"The most frequent reason for cancellation is because one of their groups was unvaccinated. They asked me to refund the deposit I received in advance, and I have no choice but to refund it," Kim said.



The cancellations have been triggered by the government's new quarantine measures, which were announced on Thursday and will go into effect on Saturday, including limiting the size of private gatherings to four, shortening the operating hours of restaurants and cafes until 9 p.m. and banning unvaccinated people from visiting eateries and cafes unless they are alone.






Ruling Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung / Yonhap



Ruling Democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung said Friday his elder son has denied allegations he visited a massage parlor for sex.



The allegations were raised against Lee's 29-year-old son after he was found to have left a comment on an online poker forum that advised people against visiting a spa in Seongnam, south of Seoul, because it did not keep its massaging hours.




Main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol / Yonhap



Main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol apologized Friday over allegations his wife falsified her credentials when applying for jobs.



Yoon's wife, Kim Keon-hee, has been hit with allegations that she falsified or exaggerated her credentials on resumes she sent to two local universities in 2007 and 2013 to apply for a teaching position.



"I am sorry for causing concern to the people with the controversy surrounding my wife," the People Power Party (PPP) candidate said during an unannounced visit to the press room at the PPP headquarters.



"I state clearly that, regardless of the reasons, the fact that the credentials were inaccurately stated and raised a controversy is in itself not in line with the fairness and common sense that I have preached," he said.






Candidates need to take more responsibility for family misconducts



Controversy is growing over alleged corruption or illegalities committed by family members of the presidential candidates from both the ruling and opposition parties. Any illicit behavior involving family members should not be regarded as apparent flaws in the candidates unless of course they are directly complicit with the activities. Yet such irregularities should be subject to strict verification in view of the need to take mutual responsibility as a family. Furthermore, in many cases, it is difficult to clearly define the scope of involvement of the candidates.



Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), had to apologize for his son's past illegal gambling practices, Thursday. Lee admitted his 29-year-old son engaged in these unlawful acts on many occasions from 2019 until last year. Lee said his son should be subject to legal punishment without fail if his misconduct constitutes a criminal act. It is very disappointing that Lee's son indulged in illegal gambling when his father was in charge of the affairs of Gyeonggi Province as governor.



It is encouraging that Lee made the apology immediately after a vernacular newspaper reported his son's activities, without attempting to deny or avoid the allegation. Yet it remains to be seen whether such prompt reaction will help ease the growing negative public opinion against Lee's family. His son has also become a target of criticism for allegedly paying for sex at a massage parlor in March. Lee refuted this claim, quoting his son as having strongly denied it.



A dispute is also flaring up over allegations that Kim Keon-hee, the wife of opposition People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol, falsified her credentials in the course of applying for lecturing posts at five colleges. In the applications, Kim is suspected of having exaggerated or fabricated her scholastic background, achievements and awards.



In the face of growing criticism over her alleged ethical lapses, Kim made a seemingly obscure apology for "causing inconveniences and fatigue, thus distressing the people" regardless of the facts behind the allegations. This cannot be regarded as an apology as she failed to clearly refer to what she had done wrong. Yoon also made a seemingly reluctant apology Friday, though he had previously neglected the negative public view of his wife's behavior.



In his apology, made during a press conference, Yoon said he would humbly listen to the people's voices in the lead-up to the presidential election. The statement came after Kim Chong-in, the head of Yoon's presidential election committee, cited the need for him to make a clear apology for his wife's misconduct as soon as possible. Despite the apology, however, criticism is still brewing that he lacked sincerity in his words as he failed to elaborate on his wife's alleged misdeeds, only reading a prepared statement. Yoon has emphasized fairness and trust as his campaign ethos. In this vein, it is natural for him to come clean on the multiple suspicions as a responsible presidential candidate.






Hyundai Motor, Kia Corp. headquarters in Seoul / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group



By Kim Hyun-bin



Hyundai Motor Group has carried out one of its largest executive reshuffles to date, Friday, to better adapt to the fast-changing global business environment and to reinforce the conglomerates' sustainable business structure.



The appointments focused on establishing wider authority and the hiring of new and younger talented employees. Among the 203 newly appointed executives, more than 30 percent were in their 40s. The reshuffle focused on future growth with 37 percent of the 203 being given roles in the R&D sector especially in future technology, and new businesses including infotainment, ICT and autonomous driving.



The conglomerate also removed 30 percent of its existing executives, only replacing 25 percent of them, to slim down the chain of command and enhance decision making.



Hyundai said the reshuffle included appointing the largest number of new executives in its history. Among them, 68 were appointed within Hyundai Motor, 21 at Kia, 17 at Hyundai Mobis, 15 at Hyundai Engineering & Construction (E&C) and 15 at Hyundai Engineering.



One in three new executives is in their 40s. The goal in significantly increasing the number of new executives compared to previous years is to nurture candidates to become next generation leaders while delivering a message of change and innovation, the company said.



Choo Kyo-woong was appointed as executive vice president to head the Infotainment Development Center as well as the Electronics Development Center.





Choo Kyo-woong

Choo has been spearheading electronic and infotainment system development and will continue developing technologies such as a next-generation Infotainment platform for connected vehicles and an integrated controller.



Kim Heung-soo was appointed executive vice president of the Corporate Future Growth Planning Division & EV Division.

Kim has been optimizing the group's vehicle line-ups and regional product strategies and in is charge of focusing on securing future technologies and internal capabilities to successfully initiate new businesses.



Lee Sang-yup was appointed to head the Hyundai Global Design Center. Lee contributed to strengthening the Hyundai and the Genesis brands' design capabilities. He has also contributed to Genesis brand's success in building a presence in the luxury auto segment through the design of the GV80 and GV70.



Lim Tae-won will head the Institute for Fundamental and Advanced Technology as well as the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Business Center.





Graeme Russell
This Sept. 22, 2010, file photo shows bottles of abortion pills at a clinic in Des Moines, Iowa. The Food and Drug Administration loosened some restrictions on the pill mifepristone, allowing it to be dispensed by more pharmacies. AP-Yonhap



The U.S. government on Thursday permanently eased some restrictions on a pill used to terminate early pregnancies, allowing the drug to be sent by mail rather than requiring it to be dispensed in person.



The decision by the Food and Drug Administration comes as the right to obtain an abortion, established in the 1973 Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade, hangs in the balance.



The medication, generically known as mifepristone, is approved for use up to 10 weeks of pregnancy and is also sometimes prescribed to treat women who are having miscarriages.



"The FDA's decision will come as a tremendous relief for countless abortion and miscarriage patients," said Georgeanne Usova, senior legislative counsel at the ACLU.



The restrictions on the pill had been in place since the FDA approved the drug in 2000 and were lifted temporarily by the government earlier this year due to the pandemic. That enabled women to consult healthcare providers by telemedicine and receive the pills by mail. The FDA's decision makes that temporary change permanent.



As a result of the FDA rule change, many patients will not need to go to a clinic, medical office or hospital in person to receive the medication, but can opt to receive the pill through the mail from a certified prescriber or pharmacy.



The decision will increase access to medication abortion for women in remote and rural areas without providers nearby.



Low-income women who face obstacles reaching clinics such as lack of transportation and inability to take time off work will also gain greater access to the drug.



However, 19 states including Texas have laws that supersede the FDA decision by barring telehealth consultations or mailing of abortion pills. Women in those states would not be able to make use of the rule change at home but could potentially travel to other states to obtain medication abortion.



States such as California and New York that have sought to strengthen access to abortion may make the drug available to women from other states.



The change is likely to add to the intense U.S. political debate over abortion. Conservative Supreme Court justices indicated in Dec. 1 oral arguments over an abortion ban in Mississippi at 15-weeks of pregnancy that they are open to either gutting Roe or overturning it entirely. A decision is due by the end of June.



The Charlotte Lozier Institute and Susan B. Anthony List, which advocate against abortion, said in a statement that the FDA decision ignored data on complications and put women at risk.



The groups called on the FDA to restore the in-person dispensing requirement and add restrictions.



FDA records show that of the 3.7 million women who took Mifeprex, the branded version of the drug, to terminate a pregnancy between September 2000 and December 2018, 24 died from complications.



Some restrictions remain



The FDA left in place some restrictions, such as the need to use a certified pharmacy and requiring the prescribers to be certified. The ACLU said it was "disappointing that the FDA fell short of repealing all of its medically unnecessary restrictions on mifepristone and these remaining obstacles should also be lifted."



The organization sued the U.S. government on behalf of a Hawaii doctor and several professional health care associations in 2017 challenging the restrictions that it said limited access to medication abortion.



Medication abortion involves two drugs, taken over a day or two. The first, mifepristone, blocks the pregnancy-sustaining hormone progesterone. The second, misoprostol, induces uterine contractions. (Reuters)


U.S. President Joe Biden listens as he meets virtually with Chinese President Xi Jinping from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Nov. 15. The Biden administration announced on Thursday that it is levying new sanctions against several Chinese biotech and surveillance companies operating out of Xinjiang province, casting another shot at Beijing over human rights abuses against Uyghurs in western China. AP-Yonhap



The United States on Thursday unleashed a volley of actions to censure China's treatment of the Uyghur minority, with lawmakers voting to curb trade and new sanctions slapped on the world's top consumer drone maker.



The United States has been ramping up pressure on China amid a crop of disputes, with President Joe Biden's administration a day earlier targeting producers of painkillers that have contributed to America's addiction crisis.



The US Senate unanimously voted to make the United States the first country to ban virtually all imports from China's northwestern Xinjiang region over concerns of the prevalence of forced labor.



"We know it's happening at an alarming, horrific rate with the genocide that we now witness being carried out," said Senator Marco Rubio, a driver behind the act, which already passed the House of Representatives and which the White House says Biden will sign.



After prolonged negotiations to secure its passage, Rubio lifted objections and the Senate confirmed veteran diplomat Nicholas Burns as ambassador to China.



Burns, a widely respected former ambassador to Greece and NATO and a professor at Harvard, has described China as an "aggressor" and denounced the "genocide" of the Uyghurs, but has also voiced a willingness to cooperate on issues such as climate change.



Some US businesses had voiced unease about the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which bans the import of all goods from the region unless companies offer verifiable proof that production did not involve slavery.



Xinjiang is a major source of cotton, with an estimated 20 percent of the garments imported each year into the United States including some material from the region.



Rights experts, witnesses and the US government say more than one million Uyghurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslims are incarcerated in camps in an effort to root out their Islamic cultural traditions and forcibly assimilate them into China's Han majority.



Beijing describes the sites as vocational training centers and says that, like many Western nations, it is seeking to reduce the allure of radical Islam following deadly attacks.



The United States has described the campaign as genocide and, along with Australia, Britain and Canada, has planned a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Games next year over the issue.





In this Feb. 5, 2019, file photo, people protest at a Uyghur rally in front of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, to encourage the State Department to fight for the freedom of the majority-Muslim Uyghur population. AFP-Yonhap




An Italian man who received government welfare for years due to blindness was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of fraud after being seen driving, window shopping and riding a scooter, news reports said.







The man in Palermo, Sicily, received at least 170,000 euros ($191,000) in benefits since 2008 after attesting that he was "totally blind" as a result of a congenital problem, local media reported.







Italy's financial police were alerted after the man renewed his driver's license in 2018 despite his earlier declaration, media said.







During stake-outs, authorities witnessed the man driving  while dialing on his phone at the same time  looking at shop windows while walking through a busy mall and teaching his daughter to ride a bike.







The 40-year-old was also seen riding a scooter without insurance, Palermo Today reported, adding that the man was nicknamed "Berlusconi," after Italy's former prime minister with a history of legal problems.







The man was already known to authorities, having received a jail sentence of nearly 15 years in the first instance last year for being part of a group that staged fake traffic accidents to receive insurance payouts.







The case is under appeal.







Despite being the owner of a garage, the man also received Italy's so-called "basic income," or monthly welfare payment given to the country's poorest citizens. (AFP)


Widow Atia Dimentman, center, and family members of Israeli Yehudah Dimentman attend his eulogy ceremony at the Israeli illegal outpost of Homesh, near the Israeli settlement of Shavei Shomron in the West Bank, Friday. Yehudah Dimentman was killed in an overnight Palestinian shooting attack near the Shavei Shomron settlement in the northern West Bank. EPA-Yonhap



Israeli soldiers carried out a manhunt Friday in the occupied West Bank, a day after the army blamed Palestinians for shooting dead an Israeli settler and wounding two others.



The army, which said Palestinian "terrorists" carried out the attack, has deployed three extra battalions as well as special forces.



"We are in a physical, technological, intelligence hunt," Israeli army spokesman Brigadier General Ran Kochav told 103FM radio.



"We arrested last night a number of suspects... sooner or later we will find the perpetrators."



Thursday's shooting followed high tensions after Palestinian attacks on Israelis, and the killing of Palestinians by Israeli troops during clashes.



Army radio identified the victim as religious student Yehuda Dimentman, 25, a married father.



He studied at Homesh, an outpost that is illegal under Israeli law.



Israel seized the West Bank in the 1967 Six-Day War. Since then nearly 700,000 Jewish Israelis have moved into West Bank and east Jerusalem settlements that much of the international community regards as illegal.



Dimentman was shot while in the back seat of a car leaving Homesh on Thursday evening, and died en route to hospital, the Israeli army and medics said.



The car's driver and another passenger were injured by shattered glass and taken to hospital, but their wounds were not reported to be serious.



No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.



However, multiple Palestinian organisations  including Hamas, the militant Islamist group which controls the Gaza Strip  praised the shooting.



U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Washington condemned the attack on Thursday as a "terrorist attack... that killed an Israeli citizen and wounded two others."



On Friday, mourners gathered at the site of the attack, army radio reported.



Dimentman's brother Shlomi described him as "a beloved uncle". Speaking on Israeli public radio, he said Dimentman was devoted to "strengthening the hold on the community of Homesh."



Last week Israeli police arrested a 14-year-old Palestinian girl suspected of stabbing her Israeli neighbour  a 26-year-old mother walking with her children  in annexed east Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.



Tensions have also been rising within Israel's ideologically divided coalition government over reports of violence inflicted by settlers on Palestinians. (AFP)


Thai military personnel secure an evacuation area for Myanmar villagers arriving after fleeing to Thailand following clashes between Myanmar troops and an ethnic Karen rebel group in Mae Tao, Tak province, northern Thailand, Friday. Fighting between Myanmar government forces and ethnic guerrillas has sent about 2,500 villagers fleeing across the border into Thailand, a Thai army officer said Friday. AP-Yonhap



Fighting between Myanmar government forces and ethnic guerrillas has sent about 2,500 villagers fleeing across the border into Thailand, a Thai army officer said Friday.



The exodus was the biggest since April, when several thousand villagers from Myanmar's eastern state of Karen fled to Thailand following airstrikes by Myanmar government forces in territory held by the Karen ethnic minority. They were allowed to stay for a few days then returned to Myanmar.



The Karen are one of several ethnic minorities who have been battling for decades for greater autonomy from Myanmar's central government. Fighting between the two sides is intermittent, but heated up after the military in February seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.



A Thai army officer in the western border province of Tak told The Associated Press that around 2,500 villagers from Myanmar had crossed the Moei River, which marks the border, since Thursday to seek shelter in Thailand's Mae Sot district.



The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information, said Thai authorities provided the evacuees  mostly women and children  with humanitarian assistance including shelter and food, and tested them for COVID-19.



The Thai army task force responsible for border security issued a warning Thursday through the joint Thai-Myanmar Border Committee that it was prepared to retaliate if stray artillery shells landed on Thai soil. At least one shell landed Thursday on a Thai sugarcane plantation, causing a small fire.



The fighting earlier this year tailed off when the rainy season started, but with the rains mostly over, is expected to resume, not only in Karen territory but also in areas controlled by other ethnic rebel groups.



This week's clashes were triggered by a raid on Tuesday by government soldiers on the town of Lay Kay Kaw, which is in territory under the de facto control of the Karen National Union, or KNU, the civil authority for the area.



Independent Myanmar media reported govermment troops seized 30-60 people associated with the organized opposition to the military government, including at least one elected lawmaker from of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party. The KNU has allowed opponents of the military-installed government to take refuge in its territory.



The Karen, along with other ethnic minority groups, have a loose alliance with the army's foes, who have established a self-styled alternative administration, the National Unity Government, and its armed wing, the People's Defense Force, which is a conglomeration of lightly armed local self-defense groups.



According to a KNU statement, its armed guerrillas did not attack the government soldiers on Tuesday because it would have endangered the town's residents, but fighting broke out on Wednesday when the soldiers returned, and shelled Karen guerrillas.



It said fighting escalated Thursday when the government sent reinforcements to the area, including units of the Border Guard Forces. Some 4,000 people had fled the town, it said.



The Karen claimed to have killed or captured more than a dozen troops, and circulated photos of their prisoners.



Lay Kay Kaw enjoys unique status as a settlement established to promote reconciliation. It was built in 2015 with financial support from Japan's Nippon Foundation to house and educate people fleeing from decades of combat, especially refugees returning from Thailand. (AP)








Millwright

Job Locations US-OR-Banks

Company Summary



Hampton Lumber is a family-owned wood products company headquartered in Portland, Oregon. With over 1,700 employees, we operate ten sawmills in Western Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. We also manage timberland and operate a wholesale and export division. With nearly 80 years in the sawmill business, we are proud to have cultivated the knowledge and experience needed to grow and prosper, even in challenging times. We always look to the future and invest in our people, new technologies, and continuous improvement processes and techniques.

Overview

**Hiring and Recruitment Bonus Program!!

Must be or become a Journey Level Millwright. Journey Level is preferred, but not required. Must have a minimum of 12-months experience as a Millwright, Industrial Maintenance or Technical School setting. Must be able to acquire and then maintain current Hampton PIT authorization. High school diploma or GED equivalent is required.

Must be proficient in ability to weld, cut, troubleshoot equipment and systems, maintain all working components, operate machinery, understand pneumatic and hydraulic systems, proficient use of all tools relate to the trade and possess good communication skills.

Will have the ability to establish a working relationship with maintenance, production, and management personnel to achieve the goals of the organization. Must understand the mechanics of working machinery, be able to install, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair equipment and facilities. Ability to understand and work with work order systems, machine histories, scheduling, warehousing, and related maintenance fields.

This is a DAY SHIFT POSITION. Work Schedule is Four- Ten hours shifts followed by Three days off each week.

Pay range is $25.16/hr - $33.15/hr

Benefits Highlights

Generous company-paid assistance for Medical and Dental insurance premiums; cost-effective co-pays & deductibles. Vision, Short Term Disability, Roth and pre-tax 401k, with a 2% company match and an additional 5% annual employer contribution, fully vested after three years.

Have a thorough working knowledge of mechanical operations used in the industry and be able to maintain, install, repair, and troubleshoot all systems, equipment, and facilities.

Maintain a working relationship with maintenance, production and management personnel.

Possess the necessary skills and aptitudes required to operate maintenance tools and related machinery.

Be able to operate all facility equipment to the degree needed for troubleshooting and testing.

Assist production personnel to maintain the flow of product.

Follow Company lockout, safety, and work standards.

Must be willing to attend any training necessary to upgrade performance.

Operate machinery in a safe manner so injury does not occur to operator or any employee in the area.

Notify supervisor of any problems that arise during the shift.

Must be willing to train any employees as assigned by supervisor.

Must be willing to work overtime as necessary.

Clean shop and maintain proper housekeeping to promote a safe work environment.

Stock supplies.

Be willing to learn production operator's positions to the proficiency of maintaining production flow.

Possess a desire to learn operations of all related industry departments and their functions.

ResponsibilitiesQualifications

Must be or become a Journey Level Millwright. Journey Level is preferred, but not required. Must have a minimum of 12-months experience as a Millwright, Industrial Maintenance or Technical School setting. Must be able to acquire and then maintain current Hampton PIT authorization. High school diploma or GED equivalent is required.

Personal Protective Equipment required:

Safety glasses, hard hat, work boots, hearing protection, welding hood, cutting glasses, and gloves.

These examples are not meant to be inclusive and management reserves the right to change, add or delete in order to meet the needs of the operation and crew.

Employees are expected to maintain a clear and orderly work space, assist fellow workers whenever possible and work other shifts as necessary. Comply with Company work and SAFETY standards and utilize required personal protective equipment.

More About Us

With around 50 employees, our Banks mill is our smallest mill, which provides for a tight-knit team and many opportunities for advancement. We are very much part of the Banks community and are proud to be involved in supporting school organizations and activities, local businesses, and enhanced access to nature and wellness.

Learn more at hamptonlumber.com, or follow us on Facebook: @HamptonLumber. You can also learn about our company and our priorities by visiting our blog.

EEO Statement

Hampton Lumber is an equal opportunity employer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other status protected by law.


Description



System ID 758229

Category Healthcare Technology Management

Relocation Type Yes - According to Grade

Employment Status Full-Time

Unit Description

The Imaging National Support Specialist provides nationwide support of Imaging Equipment. This Position is located in the Greater Cleveland, OH Area Relocation Assistance Available As the Imaging Service Engineer you will be hands on with installing, maintaining, servicing, troubleshooting, and repairing Diagnostic Imaging equipment at various clinical sites both locally and nationally. This position will provide extensive technical support to ISEs, FSEs and our greater sales and business development efforts. Using the highest level of technical expertise, inspect, troubleshoot, repair, maintain, and calibrate the full range of diagnostic imaging and/or therapeutic radiation equipment, devices, system, and instruments. Interact on a routine basis with other clinical health providers in the identification of technology-based problems and solution development. The FSE selected will possess: Unquestionable integrity

Polished personal presence

Outstanding problem solving and troubleshooting skills

Understanding of regulatory requirements for medical imaging devices

An ability to operate well and manage in high stress, fast paced circumstances

Expertise in medical imaging service, repairs and preventative maintenance procedures

Proven success developing and sustaining relationships; team, customers, suppliers

Project management experience

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) specific training and/or extensive experience with Philip's, Siemens, GE, Cath Labs, and General diagnostic imaging equipment.

Multi-modality experience and training a plus

Ability to participate in on-call rotation schedule

Competency in the use of the Microsoft Office suite of products Key Duties Inspect, maintain, repair and calibrate equipment and systems

-Ensures regulatory compliance

-Develops staff by teaching and mentoring others

-Provides advanced support of equipment for direct patient care

-Interacts on a routine basis with clinical health providers in the identification of technology based problems and solutions

-Solves organization-level customer service issues and complaints

-Preparing required documentation and reports

-Demonstrates a safety mindset

-Financial responsibility for purchasing parts and service Sodexo is an EEO/AA/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran employer. Learn more about Sodexo's Benefits Not the job for you? At Sodexo, we have CTM positions at numerous client locations across the United States. Continue your search for CTM jobs. Working for Sodexo: How far will your ambition, talent and dedication take you? Sodexo fosters a culture committed to the growth of individuals through continuous learning, mentoring and career growth opportunities.

Position Summary

Using the highest level of technical expertise, inspect, troubleshoot, repair, maintain, and calibrate the full range of diagnostic imaging and/or therapeutic radiation equipment, devices, system, and instruments. Interact on a routine basis with other clinical health providers in the identification of technology-based problems and solution development.

Key Duties

-Inspect, maintain, repair and calibrate equipment and systems

-Ensures regulatory compliance

-Develops staff by teaching and mentoring others

-Provides advanced support of equipment for direct patient care

-Interacts on a routine basis with clinical health providers in the identification of technology based problems and solutions

-Solves organization-level customer service issues and complaints

-Preparing required documentation and reports

-Demonstrates a safety mindset

-Financial responsibility for purchasing parts and service

Qualifications & Requirements

Basic Education Requirement - Associate's Degree (or equivalent experience) in electronic, biomedical engineering or a discipline geared toward managing maintaining and repairing clinical equipment within a healthcare environment Basic Functional Experience - 7 years of imaging equipment repair and maintenance within a healthcare environment and/or entry level of formalized training and/or equivalent military training. Significant factory-level training of imaging equipment contributing to the effectiveness of the organization. Preferred CRES nationally Sodexo is an EEO/AA/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran employer.



Requirements

See Job Description






Description A Customer Experience Banker is a Financial Concierge for our walk-in customers. You are responsible for retaining and growing consumer and business customer relationships by proactively identifying financial goals and needs and recommending appropriate deposit, loan and other banking products and services. You will process customer transactions accurately and efficiently in order to provide exemplary customer service while educating customers on bank products, services and technology. Your responsibilities include: Providing excellent customer service and effectively resolving customer issues.

Being proficient in understanding and educating customers on consumer deposit products and consumer lending.

Proactively identifying opportunities to grow customer relationships through a disciplined sales process, new customer follow-up program, outbound calling, and sourcing referrals from customers and partners. Engaging and sourcing non customers in both breezeways and aisles.

Educating and referring customers to other areas of the bank to deepen relationships and build a strong partnership.

Adhering to all operational, security, risk and regulatory policies and procedures.

Demonstrating acumen in sales, customer service, relationship management, banking, consumer lending, business banking, business lending, communication and presentation. Required Qualifications: High School Diploma

1 year customer service in banking, financial services or goal driven retail sales. Can include military service in an administration, contracting, civil affairs, or similar role OR Bachelor's Degree Preferred Qualifications: Career minded individuals that want to join an organization where they can gain experience and build a career. Huntington provides career paths and development plans to get you where you want to go

Bachelor's Degree

Cash handling skills preferred but not required

Comfort with technology such as mobile services and online banking services is a plus EEO/AA Employer/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Tobacco-Free Hiring Practice: Visit Huntington's Career Web Site for more details. Agency Statement: Huntington does not accept solicitation from Third Party Recruiters for any position

Category



Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents

Education



High School or Equivalent

Job type



Full time




Senior Art Editor Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino) , California , United States Marketing Summary

Posted: Dec 14, 2021 Role Number: 200323494 Marcom is Apple's Global Marketing Communications group. We oversee all of Apple's advertising and marketing to ensure the flawless development and execution of world-class communications. Apple's Worldwide Marcom team is looking for an experienced creative who has the ability to build strong photography and content narratives. The ideal candidate reports directly to the Group Creative Director of Photography and has experience as a creative lead on photo shoots as well as building and designing detailed creative briefs. This candidate is a conceptual thinker and has a passion for photography with a strong background in design. The ability to consistently create high-quality outcomes in a timely manner while balancing multiple deliverables is a must. Key Qualifications Partner with Planners, Producers, PM's and Creatives to develop compelling WW content briefs that align with yearly product and campaign roadmaps and overall communications strategies.

Expert ability to direct the development of well-conceived, innovative photography that implements the content strategy and brief.

Participates in creative reviews to ensure photography is on brief and the narrative is integrated across all marketing materials including, but not limited to social, OOH, keynotes, campaign films, product films, launch campaigns and TV.

Ability to communicate effectively with creative partners, business affairs and other members of the brand team.

Excellent ability to direct photo shoots in order to create compelling photography for launch, campaign and sustain.

Will work closely with our GEO teams aligning WW with GEO content. Description A minimum of 10 years relevant experience. Experience in editorial, advertising, marketing, brand management, photography design and/or new media communication. Tried expertise in developing creative content solutions in a variety of campaigns, across a broad range of areas including, Advertising, Interactive, Retail and Channel, Keynote and Packaging. In depth knowledge of all steps required in the creative development process, including, providing clear communication and creative direction and giving timely and effective feedback to improve creative solutions! Experience working with Producers and Business Affairs is a plus. Education & Experience Bachelor's degree preferred.


Sodexo Universities has an exciting opportunity for an innovative, Field Marketing Coordinator to assist with marketing strategies for Dillard University Dining Services program in New Orleans, LA. Operations consist of Resident Dining, Retail Dining, Concessions, and Catering/Conference Services. The Field Marketing Coordinator will be working with the Resident, Retail, & Catering managers, along with the Executive Chefs and General Manager to increase student engagement and participation in retail and resident dining locations. This is an hourly, non-exempt position.

This is a great opportunity for a marketing or communications graduate with some field experience who has the ability to train along with possessing stellar verbal and written communication skills. The ideal candidate has a formal degree/ trade school certificate and food service marketing experience.

Some of the primary responsibilities of this role are:

Executes cascaded plans intended to increase customer insight/satisfaction through Surveys/Focus Groups/Engagement Promotions and relevant technology

Implements cascaded internal/external communication through Websites/Social Media/Innovation Sharing/Best Practices

Supports program awareness through a physical presence at site

Sodexo's Marketing staff work with operations teams to develop marketing strategies that provide a high level of service and innovation for multiple cafes, catering, micro markets, brands and retail stores. Marketing is focused on growth strategies for increasing sales for the unit, improving customer satisfaction and promoting Sodexo's Brand.

Is this opportunity right for you? If your answer to the following questions is "yes" then please consider applying:

Training: Can you successfully train hourly dining staff employees in the area of customer service?

Can you successfully train hourly dining staff employees in the area of customer service? Sales/Marketing: Can you help to increase the sales volume of our VMPs (Voluntary Meal Plans) through marketing efforts? Do you have the ability to successfully execute Sodexo marketing programs and plans as well as the competencies required to create and execute campus-specific "in-house" marketing programs?

Can you help to increase the sales volume of our VMPs (Voluntary Meal Plans) through marketing efforts? Do you have the ability to successfully execute Sodexo marketing programs and plans as well as the competencies required to create and execute campus-specific "in-house" marketing programs? Student Engagement: Can you engage with and integrate into the student body in order to obtain honest and constructive feedback and suggestions?

Can you engage with and integrate into the student body in order to obtain honest and constructive feedback and suggestions? Partnerships: Can you partner with our family of vendors and the community in order to identify, create and promote special event opportunities for Sodexo?

Can you partner with our family of vendors and the community in order to identify, create and promote special event opportunities for Sodexo? Social Media: Are you a social media "guru" who can increase Sodexo and the University's dining program social media footprint via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and Pinterest?

We are looking for candidates who can:

Prioritize multiple tasks: Managing multiple projects and account locations

Meet strict deadlines and due dates

Work independantly and as a team on wide range projects

independantly and as a team on wide range projects Train hourly staff in the area of customer service

hourly staff in the area of customer service Identify internal/external customer needs and expectations

internal/external customer needs and expectations Ensure that Sodexo and customer goals are aligned and met

that Sodexo and customer goals are aligned and met Educate and develop rapport with internal/external customers with a special emphasis on building a partnership with our client and our client's marketing team

Maintain marketing information on intranet, company, and/or client websites

marketing information on intranet, company, and/or client websites Create monthly marketing calendars and host events to engage student and employee participation

Coordinate all unit marketing initiatives to drive sales growth a nd track results.

Learn more about Sodexo's Benefits

Not the job for you?
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The U.S. Embassy to Mauritius has announced the third successful donation by the United States Government of 203,580 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

The vaccine donation was made through coordinated efforts among the United States government, COVAX, and the African Union. The 203,580 doses of the U.S.-Government donated Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines arrived at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam airport this morning via the African Union. This is the third donation of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines to Mauritius. A first consignment of the vaccine was delivered in September, and a second consignment arrived on November 15. The vaccine donation is part of the Biden Administrations commitment to leading an international and coordinated vaccine effort to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

Safe and effective vaccines are the best way to control this pandemic, and this is why the United States has promised to serve as an arsenal of vaccines for the world. So far, the U.S. Government has successfully donated more than 302 million COVID-19 vaccines to more than 110 countries world-wide, including 387,270 vaccine doses to Mauritius.

U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Thomas Kohl said, This is the third U.S.-Government donation of vaccines to Mauritius since September and once again, this donation reaffirms our commitment to support Mauritius vaccination efforts and help protect the population. I want to emphasize that this donation comes with no strings attached. We all know safe and effective vaccines are the best way to control this pandemic and the U.S. Government strongly encourages everyone to get vaccinated. Its been nearly two years since the world has been battling with the devastating and deadly effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. As part of our strong bilateral relationship, the United States is proud to contribute to the Mauritian vaccination campaign.

Minister of Health and Wellness Kailesh Jagutpal said, My Ministry fully acknowledges the precious support forwarded by the United States Government to Mauritius and to the African continent. The consignments of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines will allow our health services to further vaccinate our young population and to confer our front-line workers, our elderly and those more at risk because of existing pathologies with additional protection against the virus. In a global context where inequalities in terms of vaccine access are obvious, the United States Government is setting a bold example in the right direction.

This donation will help protect the population of Mauritius and Rodrigues, including persons under the age of 18, from the COVID-19 virus and prevent the further spread of the virus dangerous new strains. The U.S. Government and the U.S. Embassy fully support the Mauritian authorities vaccination efforts and encourage everyone to get vaccinated.

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State

Armed miscreants open fire at Wapher village

Empty cases and live rounds recovered by the villagers. (WVCU)

DIMAPUR, DEC 17 (NPN) | Publish Date: 12/17/2021 12:32:13 PM IST

Unidentified armed miscreants reportedly opened indiscriminate firing at Wapher village Shamator under Tuensang district on December 17, at around 5:30 a.m. damaging some residential buildings and huts.

Vehemently condemning the firing incident, the Wapher Village Citizens Union (WVCU) said that the dastardly attack was carried out with criminal intent to kill innocent villagers.

In a press release, WVCU president Thomas Toreph and general secretary J Tochumong have, however, said that fortunately, by Gods grace no one was injured or killed in the incident.

The union said that a first information report (FIR) has also been lodged with Shamator police station in connection with the incident.

WVCU has demanded that the state government thoroughly investigate the matter and arrest those responsible for this reprehensible incident.

Failure of the government to take action, the union cautioned that the public of Wapher shall have the right to defend the respect and dignity of the village.

Meanwhile, Tikhir Students' Union (TSU), the apex student body of Tikhir tribe, also vehemently condemned the firing incident.

In a press release, TSU president Temong Y Tikhir and general secretary Wongsuthong T said that the intentional attack with an ill motive has created confusion. The union questioned as to why armed miscreants numbering around fifty fired rounds of bullets around the village during this festive season?

TSU maintained that there were ways to amicably talk and discuss on any issue without using bullets or weapons. But, why this act of arm talks take place in this peaceful environment? TSU questioned.

Further, the union has appealed to the responsible authority to investigate into the incident and initiate necessary action against the perpetrators at the earliest.
Regional

Cong offers support to NPP-led govt in Meghalaya

Correspondent SHILLONG, DEC 17 | Publish Date: 12/17/2021 12:31:29 PM IST

In a surprise development, the five-member opposition Congress in Meghalaya offered support to the Conrad Sangma-led government in an attempt to check-mate the Trinamool Congress.

On Friday, the five Congress legislators led by their legislature party leader, Dr. Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh met chief minister Conrad Sangma at the secretariat and made the surprising offer in public interest..

We would now like to get into a different plane of governance where we feel that supporting the government, partnering with the government on agendas that are going to be productive for the people in general is something which is going to be far more productive than always presenting a hostile disconnect with the government of the day, Lyngdoh said.

This is not an outside support for the government. We remain an independent lobby within the opposition, she added.

The ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) is comprised of NPP, BJP, UDP, NCP and other regional political parties. The Congress as an opposition has been the National Peoples Party-led MDA governments staunchest critics and has raised several issues of public interest. There were other instances where issues were raked up just for the sake of opposing.

This constant political manoeuvring would be disadvantageous for the public. So, the CLP (Congress Legislature Party) has unanimously decided we should now rise above our own concerns politically and focus on what is in the best interest for the public, Lyngdoh said. We will rise above that and we will take head on an opportunity to work and partner with the government on important agendas that we placed before the Chief Minister, the senior Congress legislator said, adding that, So by and large, we are telling the people of Meghalaya that the Congress today will not be a hostile Congress.

This sudden change in approach within the Congress, which has lost its opposition status, would certainly turn the political heat up.

Asked if the move by the Congress is also an indication of a pre-poll alliance with the NPP for the 2021 Assembly elections, Lyngdoh said, We do not want to pre-empt or to provide a narrative which is untrue and irrelevant to politics, we are very clear our system need to regroup itself. We need to build bridges and bring down all these walls that made Congress look like it is the governments worst enemy, very simple.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-16 23:27:21|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on May 28, 2021 shows the U.S. Capitol building behind a traffic sign in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

"In fact, the Uygurs involved in the tribunal and the wider U.S.-funded propaganda machine are part of a clear separatist campaign," said U.S. independent news website the Grayzone.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- While the so-called "Uygur Tribunal" presented itself as "independent," it was organized by a U.S. government-funded separatist group that for years has played a key role in generating anti-China propaganda, U.S. independent news website the Grayzone has reported.

As the U.S. government's propaganda campaign against China drags on, the "tribunal" has become a central node for the dissemination of allegations of so-called "genocide" to Western media. But behind the carefully scripted horror stories conveyed to the public by uncritical media are massive discrepancies, overt separatist sentiments, and huge sums of U.S. government money, said the website in an article.

Villagers pick pomegranates in Qira Town of Qira County in Hotan Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Oct. 1, 2021. (Photo by Xu Xiaolong/Xinhua)

The "tribunal" and those participants are presented to the public as human rights advocates concerned about the situation in Xinjiang. However, upon closer examination, it is clear this framing is a cynical smokescreen.

"In fact, the Uygurs involved in the tribunal and the wider U.S.-funded propaganda machine are part of a clear separatist campaign," it added.

The nakedly separatist views exhibited by most people involved in the "tribunal" is perhaps the most substantial factor in its lack of legitimacy. But as with many of the deceptions and discrepancies in -- not to mention the deep U.S. government links to -- the "tribunal," the Western media turned a blind eye, the article continued.

The Grayzone said that the press was ignorant about the real ulterior separatist agenda of the "tribunal" and those involved in it. "Its refusal to provide the public with this critical context further illustrates how a carefully orchestrated narrative has been stripped of reality and disseminated to escalate a new Cold War," it said. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 01:00:27|Editor: huaxia

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People walk past a sign requiring people to wear face coverings in London, Britain, on Dec. 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Stephen Chung)

The threat posed by COVID-19 is as serious as ever, with the highly transmissible Delta variant dominating throughout the region and the Omicron variant spreading rapidly with uncertain consequences.

COPENHAGEN, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization's (WHO) Regional Office for Europe on Thursday urged people to exercise caution this holiday season, as the region is now coping with two highly transmissible coronavirus strains that have the potential to overload the already overburdened health systems.

"The European region was the epicenter of the pandemic even before the emergence of Omicron, with surging cases of the Delta variant," Hans Kluge, regional director of WHO Europe, said in a statement.

According to WHO Europe, the threat posed by COVID-19 is as serious as ever, with the highly transmissible Delta variant dominating throughout the region and the Omicron variant spreading rapidly with uncertain consequences.

A man prepares to receive test at a COVID-19 test center in Brussels, Belgium, Dec. 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)

Kluge noted that experience has shown that it is effective to "exercise caution" alongside the "current tools at our disposal," such as vaccines, booster jabs, testing, masks and distancing, which are proven "stabilizers" and enough to "help us to manage the virus and keep people safe."

"We have come a long way since last year. We have seen inspiring examples of solidarity. We know what works. We know how to keep ourselves and others safe. The emergence of Omicron doesn't change that. WHO Europe is in regular contact with experts across the region and will share further information as soon as it is available."

People line up to get inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines at a vaccination station inside a shopping center in Berlin, Germany, Nov. 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)

Kluge attacked mounting misinformation, most recently seen around the Omicron variant in the region. He urged people to "seek out reliable sources of information that provide advice based on the latest evidence and scientific consensus." 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 07:25:38|Editor: huaxia

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Wang Wenhua makes a miniature ceramics work in Jingdezhen of east China's Jiangxi Province, Dec. 14, 2021. Wang Wenhua, whose hometown is Fuyang in east China's Anhui Province, came to Jingdezhen of Jiangxi over a decade ago. Videos of Wang making miniature ceramics have gone viral on overseas Internet platforms recently. Wang decided to work on miniature ceramics after realizing that people care only about the largest ceramics while neglecting their opposite. He hopes that more and better pieces of miniature ceramics could be made in the future as the traditional Chinese culture is being recognized by the whole world gradually. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Wang Wenhua demonstrates a miniature vase in Jingdezhen of east China's Jiangxi Province, Dec. 14, 2021. Wang Wenhua, whose hometown is Fuyang in east China's Anhui Province, came to Jingdezhen of Jiangxi over a decade ago. Videos of Wang making miniature ceramics have gone viral on overseas Internet platforms recently. Wang decided to work on miniature ceramics after realizing that people care only about the largest ceramics while neglecting their opposite. He hopes that more and better pieces of miniature ceramics could be made in the future as the traditional Chinese culture is being recognized by the whole world gradually. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Wang Wenhua makes a miniature ceramics work in Jingdezhen of east China's Jiangxi Province, Dec. 15, 2021. Wang Wenhua, whose hometown is Fuyang in east China's Anhui Province, came to Jingdezhen of Jiangxi over a decade ago. Videos of Wang making miniature ceramics have gone viral on overseas Internet platforms recently. Wang decided to work on miniature ceramics after realizing that people care only about the largest ceramics while neglecting their opposite. He hopes that more and better pieces of miniature ceramics could be made in the future as the traditional Chinese culture is being recognized by the whole world gradually. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Wang Wenhua demonstrates a miniature vase in Jingdezhen of east China's Jiangxi Province, Dec. 14, 2021. Wang Wenhua, whose hometown is Fuyang in east China's Anhui Province, came to Jingdezhen of Jiangxi over a decade ago. Videos of Wang making miniature ceramics have gone viral on overseas Internet platforms recently. Wang decided to work on miniature ceramics after realizing that people care only about the largest ceramics while neglecting their opposite. He hopes that more and better pieces of miniature ceramics could be made in the future as the traditional Chinese culture is being recognized by the whole world gradually. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Wang Wenhua makes a miniature ceramics work in Jingdezhen of east China's Jiangxi Province, Dec. 15, 2021. Wang Wenhua, whose hometown is Fuyang in east China's Anhui Province, came to Jingdezhen of Jiangxi over a decade ago. Videos of Wang making miniature ceramics have gone viral on overseas Internet platforms recently. Wang decided to work on miniature ceramics after realizing that people care only about the largest ceramics while neglecting their opposite. He hopes that more and better pieces of miniature ceramics could be made in the future as the traditional Chinese culture is being recognized by the whole world gradually. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Wang Wenhua makes a miniature ceramics work in Jingdezhen of east China's Jiangxi Province, Dec. 15, 2021. Wang Wenhua, whose hometown is Fuyang in east China's Anhui Province, came to Jingdezhen of Jiangxi over a decade ago. Videos of Wang making miniature ceramics have gone viral on overseas Internet platforms recently. Wang decided to work on miniature ceramics after realizing that people care only about the largest ceramics while neglecting their opposite. He hopes that more and better pieces of miniature ceramics could be made in the future as the traditional Chinese culture is being recognized by the whole world gradually. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Wang Wenhua dries a miniature ceramics work in Jingdezhen of east China's Jiangxi Province, Dec. 15, 2021. Wang Wenhua, whose hometown is Fuyang in east China's Anhui Province, came to Jingdezhen of Jiangxi over a decade ago. Videos of Wang making miniature ceramics have gone viral on overseas Internet platforms recently. Wang decided to work on miniature ceramics after realizing that people care only about the largest ceramics while neglecting their opposite. He hopes that more and better pieces of miniature ceramics could be made in the future as the traditional Chinese culture is being recognized by the whole world gradually. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Wang Wenhua glazes a miniature ceramics work in Jingdezhen of east China's Jiangxi Province, Dec. 15, 2021. Wang Wenhua, whose hometown is Fuyang in east China's Anhui Province, came to Jingdezhen of Jiangxi over a decade ago. Videos of Wang making miniature ceramics have gone viral on overseas Internet platforms recently. Wang decided to work on miniature ceramics after realizing that people care only about the largest ceramics while neglecting their opposite. He hopes that more and better pieces of miniature ceramics could be made in the future as the traditional Chinese culture is being recognized by the whole world gradually. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Wang Wenhua demonstrates a hotpot miniature in Jingdezhen of east China's Jiangxi Province, Dec. 15, 2021. Wang Wenhua, whose hometown is Fuyang in east China's Anhui Province, came to Jingdezhen of Jiangxi over a decade ago. Videos of Wang making miniature ceramics have gone viral on overseas Internet platforms recently. Wang decided to work on miniature ceramics after realizing that people care only about the largest ceramics while neglecting their opposite. He hopes that more and better pieces of miniature ceramics could be made in the future as the traditional Chinese culture is being recognized by the whole world gradually. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 09:27:24|Editor: huaxia

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Villagers pick pomegranates in Qira Town of Qira County in Hotan Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Oct. 1, 2021. (Photo by Xu Xiaolong/Xinhua)

LANZHOU, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese research team on Wednesday released a report exposing the intentions behind the U.S. government's strategy of "containing China through disrupting Xinjiang."

The report, titled "The Conspiracies and Approaches of the Crisis Politics under the 'Containing China through Disrupting Xinjiang' Strategy of the U.S.," was produced by the Institute for Central Asia Studies under Lanzhou University in northwest China's Gansu Province.

The main tactic of the U.S. strategy is to instigate a governance crisis, economic crisis and sovereignty crisis in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the report says, asserting that these fabricated crises take the form of intervention through agenda-setting, serving as the United States' main approach to containing China.

The U.S. government is trying to strangle the economy of Xinjiang through its industrial and supply chains under the false pretexts of "forced labor" and "violations of human rights," according to the paper.

In fact, since 2019, the United States has conducted a strategy of comprehensive interference against the integrity of China, approving legislation to undermine the core interests of China, and signalling the regularization of the U.S. containment strategy against China, the paper says.

The overall demonization of Xinjiang by the United States is characterized by the strong tone of imperialism and colonialism, the report says. These false interpretations result from the United States' rigid ideas on human rights, its arrogance and its conspiracies, it adds. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 09:37:45|Editor: huaxia

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Staff members check vehicle information at the expressway exit in Shangyu District of Shaoxing, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 14, 2021. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 56 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Friday.

Of the new local cases, 44 were reported in Zhejiang, five in Shaanxi, four in Inner Mongolia, two in Guangdong and one in Sichuan, the commission said.

Also reported were 20 new imported cases in five provincial-level regions, according to the commission.

Three new suspected cases arriving from outside the mainland were reported in Shanghai and no new deaths from COVID-19 were reported on Thursday, it added.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland had reached 100,076 by Thursday, including 1,556 patients still receiving treatment, of whom 10 were in severe condition.

A total of 93,884 patients had been discharged from hospitals on the mainland, and 4,636 had died as a result of the virus.

A total of 23 asymptomatic cases were newly reported Thursday, of whom 21 were from outside the mainland. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 11:35:51|Editor: huaxia

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A woman wearing a mask walks past the Christchurch hospital in Christchurch, New Zealand, Dec. 17, 2021. Whole genome sequencing has detected New Zealand's first case of the Omicron variant in a recent international arrival who tested positive in a day 0/1 test at a Christchurch managed isolation facility. (Photo by Li Xiaogang/Xinhua)

WELLINGTON, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand reported 76 new Delta variant cases of COVID-19 in the community on Friday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country's current community outbreak to 10,129.

Among the new infections, 47 were recorded in the largest city of Auckland, 15 in nearby Waikato, 10 in Bay of Plenty, three in Taranaki and one in the Lakes District Health Board, according to the Ministry of Health.

A total of 51 cases are being treated in hospitals, including five in intensive care units or high dependency units, a ministry statement said.

Whole genome sequencing has detected New Zealand's first case of the Omicron variant in a recent international arrival who tested positive in a day 0/1 test at a Christchurch managed isolation facility.

The case arrived in Auckland from Germany via Dubai on Dec. 10 and flew to Christchurch for quarantine on an aircraft chartered for international arrivals.

The case is fully vaccinated with two doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

Director-General of Health Dr. Ashley Bloomfield said that while the arrival of a new variant is concerning, New Zealand is well placed to manage Omicron cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Zealand stands at 12,947 currently, according to the health ministry.

New Zealand officially declared on Thursday to have reached 90 percent fully vaccinated against COVID-19 across the country. Enditem

A man wearing a mask walks on a street in Christchurch, New Zealand, Dec. 17, 2021. Whole genome sequencing has detected New Zealand's first case of the Omicron variant in a recent international arrival who tested positive in a day 0/1 test at a Christchurch managed isolation facility. (Photo by Li Xiaogang/Xinhua)

A woman wearing a mask leaves a supermarket in Christchurch, New Zealand, Dec. 17, 2021. Whole genome sequencing has detected New Zealand's first case of the Omicron variant in a recent international arrival who tested positive in a day 0/1 test at a Christchurch managed isolation facility. (Photo by Li Xiaogang/Xinhua)

A woman wearing a mask scans COVID-19 tracing APP to enter a shopping mall in Christchurch, New Zealand, Dec. 17, 2021. Whole genome sequencing has detected New Zealand's first case of the Omicron variant in a recent international arrival who tested positive in a day 0/1 test at a Christchurch managed isolation facility. (Photo by Li Xiaogang/Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 15:02:06|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Dec. 17, 2021 shows a fire site in Osaka, Japan. Three deaths have been confirmed, with over 20 severely injured after a fire broke out in a building in Japan's Osaka prefecture on Friday, with the police suspecting an arsonist is responsible. A total of 28 people were injured, and 27 of them including 17 men and 10 women were in cardiopulmonary arrest, according to firefighters. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

TOKYO, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Three deaths have been confirmed, with over 20 severely injured after a fire broke out in a building in Japan's Osaka prefecture on Friday, with the police suspecting an arsonist is responsible.

A total of 28 people were injured, and 27 of them including 17 men and 10 women were in cardiopulmonary arrest, according to firefighters.

The injured were brought out from the fourth floor of the eight-story multi-tenant building located near JR Osaka Station.

As of now, three deaths have been confirmed by doctors at a hospital.

After receiving a report of fire at around 10:20 a.m. local time, the local fire department sent about 70 fire engines and ambulances to the scene. The fire was extinguished by around 10:45 a.m. after burning across an area of approximately 20 square meters for about 30 minutes.

It was reported that the fire started within a medical clinic that provides psychosomatic and psychiatric treatments on the fourth floor.

The Osaka police have begun investigating what might start the fire since there was a suspicion of arson based on the situation at the scene.

There is a report that a "man lit fire" in the building in Kita Ward in the western Japanese city, local media reported, citing investigative sources. The police were also informed that the fire had been started from liquid dispersed from a paper bag held by a man who appeared to be in his 60s.

"I saw smoke coming out and there were a lot of fire trucks and ambulances. People were being rescued by a ladder truck. At one point, there was a power outage in the surrounding area," a witness working at a nearby restaurant said.

The fire occurred in Osaka's Kitashinchi district where a number of bars and nightclubs are located. Enditem

Photo taken on Dec. 17, 2021 shows a fire site in Osaka, Japan. Three deaths have been confirmed, with over 20 severely injured after a fire broke out in a building in Japan's Osaka prefecture on Friday, with the police suspecting an arsonist is responsible. A total of 28 people were injured, and 27 of them including 17 men and 10 women were in cardiopulmonary arrest, according to firefighters. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 17:12:31|Editor: huaxia

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Deputies to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) cast their ballots on a draft amendment to the Constitution at the third plenary meeting of the first session of the 13th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 11, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

"Whether a country is democratic or not should only be judged by its own people," Wang Xining, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Australia, said in the article titled "Why China's 'people's democracy' is a high-quality democracy."

CANBERRA, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Democracy is not a one-size-fits-all product that has only one model or configuration for the whole world, a senior Chinese envoy in Australia has said in an article published on The Canberra Times on Wednesday.

"Whether a country is democratic or not should only be judged by its own people," Wang Xining, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Australia, said in the article titled "Why China's 'people's democracy' is a high-quality democracy."

"Democracy, ultimately, is whether the people can truly be the masters of their own country," Wang said, noting the whole-process people's democracy created by the Communist Party of China has secured extraordinary historical achievements.

In the article, Wang explained the whole-process people's democracy in China, which includes democratic elections, consultation, decision-making, management and supervision. "It is a model of socialist democracy that covers all aspects of the democratic process and all sectors of society," he said.

Photo taken on Dec. 4, 2021 shows the opening ceremony of the International Forum on Democracy: the Shared Human Value, in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

He pointed out people in some Western countries are awakened only to cast a vote but become dormant afterwards; they are offered great hopes during electoral campaigning but have no say afterwards; and they are offered fulsome promises during electoral canvassing but are left empty-handed afterwards. "That is no true democracy," he said.

Wang stressed "there is no best democracy, only better."

China never exports its democratic model as every country has the right to choose a democratic system that suits its own national conditions, he said, noting that history has repeatedly proven that "it is not feasible for China to copy the political system of other countries."

"We should adopt an attitude of inclusiveness, learn from the strengths of others, digest and absorb them in the light of China's national conditions, so that we can turn them into our own strength, better ensuring that the Chinese people are the true masters of the country." 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 21:28:42|Editor: huaxia

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Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), speaks during a press conference in Vienna, Austria, Dec 17, 2021. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi held a press conference on Friday to brief journalists about developments related to the IAEA's monitoring and verification work in Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will soon install new surveillance cameras at Iran's Karaj nuclear facility under an agreement between the two sides, the international nuclear energy watchdog said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), displays a surveillance camera during a press conference in Vienna, Austria, Dec 17, 2021. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi held a press conference on Friday to brief journalists about developments related to the IAEA's monitoring and verification work in Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will soon install new surveillance cameras at Iran's Karaj nuclear facility under an agreement between the two sides, the international nuclear energy watchdog said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), speaks during a press conference in Vienna, Austria, Dec 17, 2021. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi held a press conference on Friday to brief journalists about developments related to the IAEA's monitoring and verification work in Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will soon install new surveillance cameras at Iran's Karaj nuclear facility under an agreement between the two sides, the international nuclear energy watchdog said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), speaks during a press conference in Vienna, Austria, Dec 17, 2021. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi held a press conference on Friday to brief journalists about developments related to the IAEA's monitoring and verification work in Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will soon install new surveillance cameras at Iran's Karaj nuclear facility under an agreement between the two sides, the international nuclear energy watchdog said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), displays a surveillance camera during a press conference in Vienna, Austria, Dec 17, 2021. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi held a press conference on Friday to brief journalists about developments related to the IAEA's monitoring and verification work in Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will soon install new surveillance cameras at Iran's Karaj nuclear facility under an agreement between the two sides, the international nuclear energy watchdog said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), displays a surveillance camera during a press conference in Vienna, Austria, Dec 17, 2021. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi held a press conference on Friday to brief journalists about developments related to the IAEA's monitoring and verification work in Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will soon install new surveillance cameras at Iran's Karaj nuclear facility under an agreement between the two sides, the international nuclear energy watchdog said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), displays a surveillance camera during a press conference in Vienna, Austria, Dec 17, 2021. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi held a press conference on Friday to brief journalists about developments related to the IAEA's monitoring and verification work in Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will soon install new surveillance cameras at Iran's Karaj nuclear facility under an agreement between the two sides, the international nuclear energy watchdog said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 00:02:30|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged efforts to build a unified national market at a faster pace and enhance government oversight efficacy.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, also stressed furthering the construction of world-class universities and first-class disciplines.

He made the remarks while chairing the 23rd meeting of the central commission for deepening overall reform.

The meeting reviewed and approved a series of guidelines, including that on accelerating the building of a unified national market, on enhancing government oversight efficacy, and on furthering the construction of world-class universities and first-class disciplines. Others include guidelines on strengthening ethical governance of science and technology and on promoting individual pension development.

Noting that developing a socialist market economy is notable pioneering work of the CPC, Xi, who heads the commission, said the key is to properly handle the relationship between the government and the market.

"We will fully leverage the decisive role of the market in allocating resources and give better play to the role of government," Xi said.

To build a new development paradigm, it is imperative to speed up the building of a unified national market that is efficient, standardized, open and allows fair competition. It is also vital to establish unified market rules and regulations across the country and promote the smooth flow of goods, factors, and resources on a wider scale, he said.

Xi urged efforts to speed up the transformation of government functions, improve government oversight efficiency, promote better alignment between an efficient market and a capable government, and protect legitimate rights and interests of companies and people's lives and property.

The country should deepen institutional reforms and coordinate efforts to develop first-class universities and disciplines on a categorized basis.

In terms of ethics in science and technology, Xi stressed upholding principles such as serving the well-being of humanity, respecting people's right to life, and maintaining openness and transparency in science and technology, and fostering a cultural concept and safeguard mechanisms of "technology for social good."

While developing private pensions suitable for China's national conditions, the country should combine such pensions with basic pension insurance, enterprise annuity, and occupational pensions to make the pension insurance functions more complete, he said.

Li Keqiang, Wang Huning, and Han Zheng, who are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy heads of the central commission for deepening overall reform, attended the meeting.

The meeting emphasized that China should leverage its unified market to agglomerate resources, promote growth, encourage innovation, optimize labor division, and enhance competition.

China will speed up sorting through and doing away with regulations and practices that impede the development of a unified market and fair competition.

The country should prioritize building a unified market with the implementation of major regional strategies and coordinated regional development strategies.

The meeting also called for enhancing the efficacy of government oversight and putting in place a system of comprehensive inter-agency regulation.

China will adhere to law-based regulations, move quickly to advance legislation in key areas, emerging areas, and areas related to foreign affairs, and improve the standardization and transparency of its regulations, said the meeting. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 11:35:20|Editor: huaxia

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BAMAKO, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-eight peacekeepers were killed and 165 wounded in Mali in 2021, according to the United Nations.

During a video conference here on Thursday, El-Ghassim Wane, head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, said that "50 percent of all incidents" behind these deaths and injuries were caused by improvised explosive devices.

According to Wane's newly-updated figures, the UN mission this year carried out 13,000 patrols and 100 operations to protect civilians.

"I have just come out of a memorial service of eight peacekeepers who lost their lives in the line of duty," Wane said.

Wane's noted a "worrying increase" in incidents at the end of 2021 and the "resurgence of attacks" targeting the Mali mission.

On Dec. 8, seven peacekeepers were killed and three other were critically injured when the mission's logistic convoy hit an improvised explosive device in the Bandiagara region, central Mali. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 22:15:44|Editor: huaxia

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Ibrahim Sumaila tries a self-designed bike at his workshop in Tema, Ghana, on Oct. 21, 2021. The manufacturing, assemblage, building of vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles sound alien to many, while Ibrahim Sumaila, a 38-year-old Ghanaian engineer has emerged to make it happen, making his childhood dream come true. (Xinhua/Xu Zheng)

ACCRA, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The manufacturing, assemblage, building of vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles sound alien to many, while Ibrahim Sumaila, a 38-year-old Ghanaian engineer has emerged to make it happen, making his childhood dream come true.

Despite being born into a poor family with little education, Ibrahim did not allow the setback to deter him from pursuing his life ambition. He has defeated impediments and is building bicycles and motorbikes propelled by two-stroke engines that use oil mixed with gasoline or petrol. He also uses discarded scrap metals in molding the bikes.

He told Xinhua at his make-shift workshop at a suburb of Tema city,that he had to go through struggles by working as a laborer in 2010 after his secondary education for almost eight years to raise funds to acquire a welding machine for his work since there was no one to support him financially.

"I grew up as an artist, did painting and all stuff before I learned the bicycle mechanic. I worked as a laborer just to get some money for my welding machine. I tried to open my shop around 2018 to repair bicycles and later got to know that more of my customers were shifting from bicycles to motorbikes. So I decided to motorize a bicycle so that I will still maintain my customers," he told Xinhua.

After almost three years of establishing his shop, Ibrahim has been able to combine talent and passion to mold and build motorized bicycles, motorbikes that are used by both able-bodied and people with disabilities within the Ashaiman municipality and its environs.

The motorbike he manufactures, according to him, are of high-quality standards and expressed the hope of using it to create job opportunities, among others.

"For my motorbike, I look at the nature of our road and the comfort. My dream is to turn this thing into a company, something big, bigger than this, that can even create employment," he said.

Despite the efforts to be a top-notch engineer in Ghana, he is inundated with several challenges including inadequate and modern tools for his operations, limited space as well as access to scraps.

He urged Africans to believe in their fellows with talents in all fields and support them.

"I would like to tell everybody especially my people here in Ghana and Africa as a whole that we should respect talent. I think we should help people with talent and the country will go far," Ibrahim said.

Paul Larweh Godzi, a tailor by profession and also a school proprietor who has been riding a motorbike produced by Ibrahim for two years now recounts how it has facilitated his mobility.

"Initially mobility for me was very difficult. I had to depend on people to get what I want but with this one, I just sit on it, get to where I want to go, and do whatever I want to do," said Godzi.

Godzi appealed to the government and corporate organizations to support Ibrahim to produce more bikes for people with disabilities across the country.

"There are a lot of persons with a disability like me who could have done more to cater for themselves and their families but because they cannot go far, it's becoming difficult for them and so what this man is doing for us persons with disabilities are a lot and so I want the government or any corporate organizations to help," he added.

In Ghana, there are no known motorbike manufacturers as all are imported for both commercial and private use. Ibrahim said he hoped more local innovators could spring up to change the narrative in the near future. Enditem

Ibrahim Sumaila works on a component for his motorized bikes at his workshop in Tema, Ghana, on Oct. 21, 2021. The manufacturing, assemblage, building of vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles sound alien to many, while Ibrahim Sumaila, a 38-year-old Ghanaian engineer has emerged to make it happen, making his childhood dream come true. (Xinhua/Xu Zheng)

Ibrahim Sumaila works on a component for his motorized bikes at his workshop in Tema, Ghana, on Oct. 21, 2021. The manufacturing, assemblage, building of vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles sound alien to many, while Ibrahim Sumaila, a 38-year-old Ghanaian engineer has emerged to make it happen, making his childhood dream come true. (Xinhua/Xu Zheng)

Ibrahim Sumaila checks components for a motorized bike at his workshop in Tema, Ghana, on Oct. 21, 2021. The manufacturing, assemblage, building of vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles sound alien to many, while Ibrahim Sumaila, a 38-year-old Ghanaian engineer has emerged to make it happen, making his childhood dream come true. (Xinhua/Xu Zheng)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 23:49:10|Editor: huaxia

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LAGOS, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and two others injured as two vehicles collided in southwest Nigeria's Ogun state on Friday, the road police confirmed.

Ahmed Umar, sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun, said the accident occurred at about 7:02 a.m. local time on Friday, when two vehicles collided around an expressway interchange in the state.

Five people, including four male adults in the two vehicles and a lady waiting by the roadside, were involved in the accident, he said, adding three died in the accident and the two injured are receiving treatment at a local hospital.

The official blamed the accident on speeding and dangerous driving, and cautioned motorists against speed violation and other critical offenses, especially during peak traffic periods.

Deadly road accidents are frequently reported in Nigeria, often caused by overloading, bad road conditions and reckless driving. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 02:39:25|Editor: huaxia

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HARARE, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 436 workers from all departments at Zimbabwe's largest referral hospital, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, are in isolation after contracting COVID-19 while on duty, an official said Friday.

Hospital spokesperson Linos Dhire said operations had since been scaled down as a result of the situation, state news agency New Ziana reported.

Zimbabwe has recorded a 472 percent increase in new COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks, as cases skyrocket driven by the Omicron variant. This has forced the government to scale down operations to 30 percent and tighten containment measures.

On Thursday, the country recorded 4,247 COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths, pushing the national cumulative infections to 186,304 and deaths to 4,771.

A total of 4,023,013 people have received their first jab and 3,035,192 their second jab, with high numbers of vaccination being witnessed over the past two weeks as more people come forward for vaccination amid rising cases due to the Omicron variant. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 15:51:58|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Renowned Cambodian scholars said here on Thursday that China, with its progress and peaceful development, has contributed to the stability and democratization of the international order.

China has made great contribution to the establishment of a new multi-polar world, said Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, at the first China-Cambodia Cultural Exchange Forum and the launch ceremony of Cultural Exchange Network of Cambodia and China via video conference.

He said China has proposed building a global community of shared future and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

"The idea of a community with a shared future sublimates the win-win banner of diplomacy for peace and development, seeking world unity, which has become a common value that promotes reform of the global governance system, and a new model of international relations and international order," Phea said.

"Furthermore, we can say that the idea of a community of a shared future inherits and promotes the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, which is the core principle of business negotiations, co-construction and sharing in global governance," he said.

It has shaped the soul of the BRI, highlighted the positive notion of sharing weal and woe, and responded to the wish that the world will be blessed with harmony and unity, according to the expert.

Phea also stressed the close relationship between Cambodia and China, which dates back at least to the 13th century. The two countries officially forged diplomatic relations on July 19, 1958.

"The relations between the two countries grew close after Cambodia gained independence from France in 1953 and later on," he said. "The relationship between Cambodia and China is a model of cooperation between countries."

The scholar noted the relationship between the two countries is based on the principle of equal footing and equal rights with no interference into each other's internal affairs and sovereignty, and on respect for mutual interests.

"These growing relations not only contribute to the development of bilateral cooperation between Cambodia and China, but also bring about peace and prosperity in the region and the (rest of the) world," he said.

Sok Touch, president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, told the event that Cambodia and China have enjoyed all-round cooperation, particularly in politics, economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

"Now, ties between the two countries are at the best stage ... in our history, and they are more comprehensive and strategic," he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 16:10:38|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Ten new cases of the Omicron variant were logged in India's capital Friday, taking the country's case tally of the new variant to 98.

"Ten new cases of Omicron variant reported in Delhi, taking the total number of cases of the new variant here to 20," Delhi's local health minister Satyendar Jain was quoted by a local news agency as saying. "A total of 10 people, out of these 20, have been discharged."

According to Karnataka health Minister K Sudhakar, five new cases of the new variant were detected in the state on Thursday evening, which has taken its tally of the Omicron to eight in the state.

"Five more cases of Omicron have been detected in Karnataka, a 19-year-old male returning from Britain, 36-year-old male returning from Delhi, 70 year female returning from Delhi, 52 year male returning from Nigeria, 33-year male returning from South Africa," Sudhakar wrote on social media.

As per the latest update, Maharashtra reported 32 Omicron cases, followed by Delhi reporting 20 cases. Rajasthan has reported 17 cases, Karnataka eight and Telangana seven.

Gujarat and Kerala reported five cases each, while as Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh and West Bengal each have reported one case of Omicron.

India's federal health ministry officials said of the reported cases of Omicron in the country, none of the patients have reported severe symptoms.

India has already stepped up testing and surveillance of all incoming international passengers, especially from at-risk nations, in the wake of global alarm over the new strain of COVID-19. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 16:51:01|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported 582 new COVID-19 infections on Friday, pushing the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 2,837,464.

The DOH also reported that 74 more people died from COVID-19 complications, bringing the country's death toll to 50,570.

The Philippines surpassed the 100-million mark of the total doses of the COVID-19 vaccines administered since the vaccination started on March 1.

As of Dec. 16, over 43 million people have been fully vaccinated. The government added that more than 1 million have been given booster doses.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the vaccination milestone must not lull the people into complacency, warning the virus is still around with the looming threat of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

"We will continue to ramp up our vaccination efforts and call on those unvaccinated to get their jabs as soon as possible to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their community," he said.

The Philippines has detected two Omicron variant cases, and the DOH reported below 1,000 daily cases since Nov. 24.

The Philippines, with an around 110 million population, has tested more than 23 million people since the pandemic. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 19:09:56|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The poverty incidence among the Philippine population increased to 23.7 percent during the first half of 2021, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Friday.

"This translates to 26.14 million Filipinos who lived below the poverty threshold estimated at 12,082 pesos (241.72 U.S. dollars), on average, for a family of five per month in the first semester of 2021," PSA head Dennis Mapa said in an online briefing.

On the other hand, he said subsistence incidence among Filipinos, or the proportion of Filipinos whose income is not enough to meet even the basic food needs, was registered at 9.9 percent or about 10.94 million Filipinos in the first six months.

On average, Mapa said the monthly food threshold for a family of five for the same period was estimated at 8,393 pesos (167.92 U.S. dollars).

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said regions with stricter COVID-19 quarantines tended to see more significant poverty increases than regions under less stringent quarantines.

Chua said the poverty incidence in Metro Manila, home to more than 13 million people, increased by around 1.2 percentage points. The government imposed hard lockdowns in the capital region, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Southeast Asian country.

"With stronger growth in the second half of 2021, as we further relax restrictions and increase the vaccination rate, we can expect poverty incidence to decrease," Chua said.

"Our policy to reopen the economy has accelerated our recovery and moderated the impact of the pandemic on the poor," he said.

Chua said the start of the vaccination program enabled the safer reopening of the economy, allowing some 1.3 million workers to regain their employment compared to the pre-pandemic level. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 19:37:48|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Siem Reap International Airport on Friday welcomed its first international passenger flight in 20 months, with an inaugural flight from Singapore, said a joint statement.

Singapore Airlines' (SIA) inaugural flight from Singapore to Siem Reap, SQ164, arrived at 9:45 a.m. local time (0145 GMT), said the statement released by the SIA and the Cambodia Airports that operates the country's three international airports.

"This is the first international flight to Siem Reap since March 2020," the statement said. "The relaunch of the service will help to rebuild air traffic between the two countries following the challenging months arising from the pandemic."

The SIA will operate daily flights between Siem Reap and Singapore on the Boeing 737-8, it said, adding that Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights will be operated four times weekly from Siem Reap to Singapore.

These flights will offer quarantine-free entry into Singapore for eligible travellers, the statement said, adding that the designated VTL flight, SQ163, will operate on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. All other flights between Siem Reap and Singapore are non-VTL flights.

"The re-introduction of international services between Singapore and Siem Reap is great news for our customers, who can resume travel between the cities and connect on to other destinations in our network," said Zechariah Chai, general manager for SIA Cambodia.

Alain Brun, chief executive officer of Cambodia Airports, said this new stage in relaunching international connectivity is a positive step forward for Cambodia.

"Not only will Siem Reap have more visitors and assert its position as Cambodia's top leisure and cultural destination, but passengers can also easily travel between Cambodia and other international cities via Singapore Airlines' extensive global flight network," he said.

Cambodia has reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers since November after most of its population have been inoculated against the COVID-19, mostly using China's Sinovac and Sinopharm.

The country registered eight new COVID-19 cases and three new deaths on Friday, according to the ministry of health. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 22:31:21|Editor: huaxia

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JAKARTA, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian police's anti-terror squad, locally known as Densus 88, has arrested nine suspected terrorists who are allegedly linked to the outlawed Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) militant group, in two cities in North Sumatra province.

"We arrested them on Thursday. Seven of them were arrested in Medan, the other two were arrested in Tanjung Balai," Indonesian National Police spokesman Senior Commissioner Ahmad Ramadhan told reporters on Friday.

Ramadhan said all the suspects are currently detained at North Sumatra police headquarters as Densus 88 is doing further investigation.

Previously, the police apprehended four suspected terrorists in South Sumatra on Dec. 13 and one in Lampung on Dec. 15. The arrested people are also reported to be JI group members.

The police are expected to beef up security, particularly in places of worship, during the year-end holidays, and the Indonesian people have been advised to remain cautious and immediately report to the police if they find anything suspicious. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 22:15:12|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday refuted Lithuania's accusation of violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, saying it resolutely opposes the Lithuanian side spreading false information and shirking responsibilities.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks during a daily press briefing when answering a query on Lithuanian foreign minister's recent accusations against China.

Reportedly, the foreign minister said that Lithuanian diplomats in China had asked for a longer validity of their identification cards but received no reply, and accused China of violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Noting that the Chinese side had announced the downgrading of China-Lithuania diplomatic relations to the charge d'affaires level, Wang said China has informed the Lithuanian foreign ministry of its decision to rename China's diplomatic representation in Lithuania to the Office of the Charge d'Affaires of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of Lithuania, while requesting the Lithuanian side to change the name of its diplomatic representation in China accordingly.

"This is in line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, subjects of international law and relevant international practice, as well as the principle of diplomatic reciprocity," said the spokesperson.

Wang pointed out that as the bilateral relationship has been downgraded to the charge d'affaires level, China has requested the Lithuanian diplomatic office in China to renew its application for identification cards.

This is a normal procedure for China to provide service and management support to diplomatic missions in China, which conforms to relevant international laws and practices and does not affect the normal performance and life of diplomatic staff in China, Wang said.

He added that China guarantees the safety and legal rights of all diplomatic missions in China in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and ensures the normal work of diplomatic missions of all countries in China, including Lithuania.

"The Lithuanian side has never applied for an extension of their identification cards. The so-called failure to receive a reply from the Chinese side is purely a lie," Wang said.

"The truth is the Lithuanian side, without notifying the Chinese side in advance, suddenly arranged all its diplomatic staff in China to leave without even saying goodbye," Wang said, adding that the Lithuanian side did not face up to and rectify its own mistake but is spreading false information and shirking responsibilities. "China is deeply dissatisfied with this and firmly opposes such acts."

Reiterating that Lithuania's attempt to create the false impression of "one China, one Taiwan" and damage China's sovereignty will not succeed, the spokesperson said Lithuania's attempt to shirk responsibilities and indulge in political blackmailing is completely wrong. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 22:45:14|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Friday published a draft agreement it has proposed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on measures to ensure the security of both sides.

Russia and NATO shall not strengthen their security individually, including in the framework of international organizations, military alliances or coalitions at the expense of the security of others, read the document published by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

They should settle disputes via peaceful means and refrain from the use or threat of force, and exercise restraint in military planning and conducting drills to avoid dangerous situations, it said.

Moscow suggested that Russia and NATO reaffirm that they do not consider each other as adversaries.

Russia and the NATO member states as of May 27, 1997 would be banned from deploying military forces and weaponry on the territory of any of the other countries in Europe in addition to the forces stationed on that territory as of May 27, 1997.

Both sides would be prohibited from deploying land-based intermediate- and short-range missiles in areas allowing them to reach the territory of each other.

Russia asked NATO to stop further enlargement, including the accession of Ukraine, and to cease any military activity in Ukraine and other countries in the Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and the Central Asia.

The 9-article draft agreement has been sent to NATO for consideration. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 05:11:12|Editor: huaxia

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MINSK, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus declares the futility of sanctions threats and calls on the European Union (EU) to "stop generating tension" in the region, press secretary Anatoly Glaz said on Friday, commenting on the results of the summit of EU member states.

According to Glaz, the rhetoric of aggression is becoming dominant in the EU. However, threats do not contribute to the solution of any problems, but only exacerbate the situation. Belarus is ready to give an adequate response to any sanctions and destructive steps.

The representative of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry also said that European officials are deliberately trying to mislead everyone about the nature of the migration crisis on the border of Belarus and the EU, demanding that international organizations be allowed to the refugees' gathering site. International organizations have been working with refugees since the first day of the crisis, and the EU delegation has already visited the refugees' gathering site, Glaz noted.

On Nov. 8, about 2,000 migrants gathered at the Belarusian-Polish border trying to get to the EU. Despite harsh weather conditions, many refugees still remain at the border, hoping to obtain asylum in Western Europe. Earlier this week, the leaders of the 27 EU countries condemned Minsk for "instrumentalisation of migrants and refugees" and announced their readiness to adopt new sanctions against Belarus. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 05:11:22|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday that seven British citizens have been barred from entering Russia in tit-for-tat retaliation regarding Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

"Under far-fetched and absurd pretexts," the British government in August 2021 announced restrictions against seven Russian nationals due to their alleged "direct responsibility for the poisoning of Navalny," the ministry said in a statement.

In response to the unfriendly actions of London and on the basis of the principle of reciprocity, Russia has decided to impose sanctions on seven Britons who are closely involved in anti-Russian activities, it said.

"We once again call on the British leadership to abandon the confrontational policy towards our country. Any unfriendly step will be met with an adequate proportionate response," the statement read. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 00:34:11|Editor: huaxia

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NEW YORK, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- "I think Blinken was not welcomed! The trip was an embarrassment in the 1st place," a Twitter post about U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to Southeast Asia questioned the real cause of the interruption of the trip.

The post, by Dr. David Oualaalou identified as Host of the Geopolitics in Conflict Show, has had dozens of follow-ups mostly supporting his idea that the true story was Blinken was not welcome.

Some of the follow-ups said, "Found himself not welcomed anywhere. So go home." "Blinken is the image of the American Administration: totally clueless about what the rest of the world wants."

Twitter name Khoo Chooi Hock wrote that Asians are more worldly than Americans. They know that the U.S. government can't be trusted. Not with the track record they have. The U.S. should heed the saying, "... you cannot fool all the people all the time."

"Who give Indonesia vaccines when the country was ravaged by Covid? definitely not the white man," wrote Baksothebest.

Kuantan goh followed up with "what we ASEAN wants is trade and prosperity, not war and conflicts. This guy's main rhetoric is: China is a threat to everyone, China is undemocratic, China suppressed its citizens, China carried out Xinjiang Genocide. But millions of us who travel to China know the truth."

"Except all those China's threat, this guy practically offered nothing. It made me wonder if American lives in a parallel world. ASEAN has enjoyed great trade and prosperity with China over past decades and trade exceeds new high every year," continued Kuantan goh.

Thucydides used much stronger language: "All he does on each step of his visits is to demonize China, the ASEAN's biggest and growing trade partner and major investor. They want him to fxxk off and get out of their way."

After visiting the United Kingdom, Indonesia and Malaysia on his trip, Blinken cut short his itinerary abruptly before the planned visit to Thailand, with an announced reason that a reporter traveling with him tested positive with COVID-19. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 04:35:22|Editor: huaxia

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Travelers wait at the check-in counters of Southwest Airlines at Dallas Love Field Airport in Dallas, Texas, the United States, Dec. 17, 2021. Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest Airlines, has tested positive for COVID-19, the company headquartered in Dallas of the U.S. state of Texas said Friday, two days after he attended a hearing in U.S. Senate along with some other U.S. airline chiefs and lawmakers. (Photo by Guangming Li/Xinhua)



HOUSTON, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest Airlines, has tested positive for COVID-19, the company headquartered in Dallas of the U.S. state of Texas said Friday, two days after he attended a hearing in U.S. Senate along with some other U.S. airline chiefs and lawmakers.

"Although testing negative multiple times prior to the Senate Commerce Committee Hearing, Gary tested positive for COVID-19 after returning home, experiencing mild symptoms, and taking a PCR test," a Southwest spokeswoman said in a statement.

"Gary is doing well and currently resting at home... Gary's symptoms continue to be mild, and each day he is moving closer to a full recovery," said the statement.

Kelly has been fully vaccinated and received a booster earlier this year, the statement added.

Kelly, along with the CEOs of United Airlines and American Airlines, Delta Air Lines' chief of operations, and the president of the country's largest flight attendant union, testified in person for more than three hours at the Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Wednesday, according to a CNBC report, noting that many of the attendees including Kelly didn't wear masks.

During the hearing, Kelly touted the effectiveness of on-board air filtration and circulation systems and said: "I think the case is very strong that masks don't add much if anything in the air cabin environment."

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said he concurred with Kelly's response at the hearing, but the company on Thursday issued a statement saying he meant to concur with "comments made by other witnesses about the high quality of aircraft cabin air, and did not intend to cast doubt on the necessity of face masks on planes."

Earlier this month, the administration of President Joe Biden extended the federal mandate on masks on airplanes and other transit modes through March 18. Enditem

An agent of Southwest Airlines works at Dallas Love Field Airport in Dallas, Texas, the United States, Dec. 17, 2021. Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest Airlines, has tested positive for COVID-19, the company headquartered in Dallas of the U.S. state of Texas said Friday, two days after he attended a hearing in U.S. Senate along with some other U.S. airline chiefs and lawmakers. (Photo by Guangming Li/Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 05:27:20|Editor: huaxia

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HOUSTON, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Sylvester Turner, mayor of Houston, the largest city of south central U.S. state of Texas, said on Friday that he tested positive for COVID-19 amid the spreading of the Omicron variant in the city, the state and the whole country.

"I was not feeling well overnight and thought I was suffering from allergies or a sinus infection, so I decided to get tested before starting my daily schedule," Turner said in a statement released by the mayor's office.

"Before and after getting my test results, I canceled all events for today and the weekend," he said after the confirmation of the infection on Friday afternoon.

"I will spend the next several days isolating myself at home and getting some rest," the mayor said.

Houston is seeing early signs of another wave of COVID-19 infections, fueled in part by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, as public health officials warn of a nationwide spike in cases as early as next month, according to a report from local media outlet Houston Chronicle.

The daily average of positive cases in the Texas Medical Center more than tripled last week, from 232 to 721, and Houston Methodist on Tuesday recorded nearly five times the number of positive cases in its system compared to the previous week, said the report.

"We're going to have a wave. I don't doubt it at all," said Rodrigo Hasbun, professor of infectious diseases with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. "It's just the magnitude of it and the duration that's in question."

Omicron has been detected in all but 17 U.S. states. In Houston, there are signs that Omicron could usurp Delta, the country's most dominant strain nowadays, in a matter of weeks, according to the report. Enditem


President Mnangagwas ED-UNZA (University of Zambia) Scholarship Trust has received a donation of a 40-seater bus, together with funeral cover for all the beneficiaries, courtesy of leading local firms, Doves Holdings, Faramatsi Motors and Instant Tar Zimbabwe.

The President received the donation at State House this morning where he expressed gratitude to the three firms.

Doves Holdings, Faramatsi Motors and Instant Tar Zimbabwe group public relations manager Mr Innocent Tshuma said the donation was in fulfilment of a pledge made during the ED-UNZA (University of Zambia) inaugural fundraising dinner recently.

If you look at the 15 students who are covered by the Presidents initiative, they come from very humble backgrounds, he said.

As a cooperation  Doves Holdings, Faramatsi Motors and Instant Tar Zimbabwe  we saw it fit to come and pledge funeral cover in the unlikely and unfortunate event something befalls of these students.

We will cover them wherever they are, whether in Zambia, in Zimbabwe or vice versa. Over and above that, we then decided the Trust needs a form of transport. We then donated a 40-seater bus for the Trust to use in providing for its needs. Herald






The National Security Task Force has recovered a pistol and an assortment of tools that can be used to commit crime from two men, believed to be armed robbers, it intercepted along the Limpopo River.

Terrence Tiyengani (23) and Narvick Mhowa (26) were arrested on Thursday evening near the Pountain Base, 60km east of Beitbridge Border Post.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the pair was intercepted by an alert security team after crossing illegally from South Africa.

They were initially arrested for illegal migration and a search of their belongings was conducted, leading to the discovery of one Star Pistol/CZ9MM Parabellam, a magazine with one round, one pepper spray, one black pouch, two pairs of black industrial gloves and one black wool ninja mask, he said.

We suspect they could be part or some armed robbers who are conducting crimes between Zimbabwe and South Africas border.

However, the matter is still under investigations and so far, they are being charged for illegal migration and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Asst Comm Nyathi said security forces will not relent in their quest to bring sanity along the countrys borders.

He said the police will not take kindly to those people smuggling goods, skipping the border and taking the Covid-19 virus across borders.

Asst Comm Nyathi said deployments had been adequately made to deal with crime along the border and all crime hotspots.

Let those who are in the habit of smuggling firearms and ammunition through the borders be warned, he said. Their days are numbered. We are very concerned with a wave of armed robberies and hence we wont relent.

Asst Comm Nyathi said it was critical for people to use the legal channels to travel and import or export goods.

In January this year, the Government deployed the NTF to deal with intrusive leakages along the border with South Africa under operation No to Cross-border Crimes-Fhasi Ngamilandu Yamukanuni YamashangoMhosva Pamiganhu Ngadzipere-Amacala Kawaphele Emingceleni Yelizwe.

Over 70 000 people have been arrested for various offences between January and November this year under the same operation. Herald
THE long-awaited 100MW Gwanda Solar Project remains in limbo in the wake of the continuing legal battle between the contractor, Intratrek Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC).

The project has courted controversy over the last few years after Intratrek Zimbabwe owned by Harare businessman Mr Wicknel Chivhayo, failed to deliver within the agreed timelines citing failure by the power utility to fulfil certain obligations.

Last year, Cabinet approved the revised implementation plan for the project that commits to deliver the first 10MW and 90MW by year 2022 after signing of financial closure agreements and fulfilment of all outstanding conditions.

Despite this proposed working plan to fast-track the implementation of the project, further action is dependent on pending court outcome, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Dr Gloria Magombo, said.

Gwanda Solar project is on a standstill. The project effectively did not progress into actual power plant units installation as the employer (ZPC) terminated the EPC contract on basis of failure to timeously complete pre-commencement works, said Dr Magombo in a recent interview.

The project is faced with legal challenges as the contractor is challenging the employers termination of the contract. Further action on the project awaits outcome of the court processes.

At the moment all I can say is that Zesa management is studying the latest court decision with regards to some of the issues, which were related to abuse of funds related to the project.

So, weve left that to management to then advise the Government in terms of how to proceed.

Following last years Cabinet approval of the new implementation plan, the Gwanda project will have to be tied to a new contract, involvement of renowned power project experts and a US$14 million ready-made loan funding commitment for delivery of the first 10MW under the new phased project plan.

Under this framework Intratrek had been asked to declare its financial capacity before embarking on the project, which will be done in two phases.

Justice Tawanda Chitapi while ruling on a contractual dispute between Zesa and Intratrek over delays in implementing the project, has pointed out that electricity was not generated in courts and boardrooms, but at power stations and urged the feuding parties to dialogue and stop being dilatory in their approach.

Dr Magombo said it was unfortunate that the Gwanda solar project has been controversial from the beginning as it was not managed properly from a management point of view.

She, however, said the Government was not sitting back because of failure of one project, which was not managed well.

She said within Gwanda there was another 5MW solar project, which is already being implemented and is expected to feed power to the national grid next year.

Dr Magombo said a transmission line from the new project was already being installed while a similar project was being undertaken near Victoria Falls International Airport.

Recently, another 5MW solar project was commissioned at Cross Mabale near Hwange and is already supplying power to the national grid.

Energy and Power Development Minister, Zhemu Soda, is on record saying despite the false starts, the Gwanda Solar Project was one of his priority projects.

Government is pushing for the implementation of the project hence Cabinet has directed Intratek and Zesa Holdings to engage and bring the project back on track, he said.
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has launched a probe into Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Martin Makonese and lawyer Josphat Tshuma for alleged misconduct in cases involving land disputes.

Ths came out after a shadowy group called Children of Zipra Veterans wrote to Zacc accusing the duo of misconduct in their handling of the dispute over ownership of Kershelmer Farm in Nyamandlovu district.

The group claimed to have an audio where the owners of the farm, Siphosami Malunga, Charles Moyo and Zephania Dhlamini were allegedly plotting to bribe judges to rule in their favour. The farm is at the centre of a legal wrangle between the trio and National University of Science and Techology lecturer Dumisani Madzivanyati and Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu, who claim to have been given portions of the farm by government.

Zacc spokesperson John Makamure confirmed the probe.

I can confirm our Bulawayo office is investigating the case, said Makamure without giving more details on the matter.

In a letter to Zacc, the Children of Zipra Veterans accused Justice Makonse and Tshuma of conniving to abuse the court processes.

We believe that the evidence is pointing towards a deliberate conspiracy to reverse the land reform programme through bribery, corruption and criminal abuse of office. We kindly request an urgent investigation into Makonese and Tshuma over the following matters: Timothy Sean White versus Zenzo Ntuliki ref HC 1072-15  the letter read.

We also attach an audio file as evidence to a conspiracy to bribe judges in the Esidakeni farm saga. In this audio, one Dlamini and Moyo implicate themselves and one Sipho (Siphosami) in a plot to bribe judges when the need arises for them to buy the justice system.

We believe that these are serious allegations which require the diligence and attention of your office.

It is, therefore, unacceptable that a few individuals would seek to reverse the land reform programme through corruption, bribery and abuse of office. We look forward to your swift action on the matter.

In 2015, Justice Makonese ruled against the late Matabeleland South Central Intelligence Organisation boss, Zenzo Ntuliki in a land dispute with Esigodini farmer, Timothy Sean White, over the control of Avalon Farm.

Tshuma, who represented White in the 2015 case, yesterday said he had not yet heard about the letter in question or the probe by Zacc. I have not heard about the letter but according to what you are saying I see where it is coming from, its not the children of Zipra, its the culprits themselves, he said.

The land dispute is pending at the courts. Newsday
New York, US (PANA) - COVID-19 cases are spiking all over the world, but the Executive Director of the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday that despite the rise of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant nationwide school closures should be avoided whenever possible
News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
European gas plunges after Russia books pipeline

at last minute



California oil cleaning crew

By Anna Shiryaevskaya and Elena Mazneva / Bloomberg News

MOSCOW

Petroleumworld 12 16 2021

European natural gas prices plunged from a record close after Russia in the last minute topped up supplies to the region.

Dutch next-month futures fell more than 15% as concerns of further shortages were alleviated when the regions biggest supplier booked about 30% of pipeline space to deliver gas from Russia toward Germany through Poland in within-day auctions. Earlier on Thursday, for the first time this month there had been no allocations at all in day-ahead auctions.

Whatever the unknown reason for the late booking is, it very clearly highlights the problem Europe is facing with rapidly falling stocks made worse by an oncoming cold spell and nuclear outages in France, said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank A/S.

Prices are still up almost 17% this week as a cold snap will hit the continent next week and storage levels are at their lowest ever for this time of year. Shipments into Germanys Mallnow, which handles supplies from Russia via the Yamal-Europe pipeline running across Belarus and Poland, are below levels for the past two days but are within their 10-day average flows.

The below-normal temperatures are also forecast to last for a shorter time than previously predicted, now ending before Christmas, according to The Weather Co. forecasts on Bloomberg. Another bearish factor is expectation of higher LNG flows to Europe, diverting away from Asia from January.

Benchmark Dutch gas prices fell 14% to 122.9 euros a megawatt-hour by 9:08 a.m. in Amsterdam.

If Russia finally decides to turn up the taps after keeping exports limited to long-term contract obligations, Dutch gas can quickly slump toward the 80-euro level, said Hansen.


TotalEnergies and Shell stand out

in Brazilian pre-salt oil auction

clbrief.com/



The auction marks a turnaround from just two years ago when international oil explorers shunned the sale,

and a second failure would have been an embarrassment for the business-friendly Bolsonaro administration.



- Sweetened terms, high crude prices made fields more attractive

- Brazils famed pre-salt region has driven growth since 2010

By Mariana Durao and Peter Millard / Bloomberg News



RIO

Petroleumworld 12 17 2021

European supermajors TotalEnergies SE and Royal Dutch Shell Plc will join Brazils state-controlled oil giant at two key fields, marking the latest expansion in Latin Americas largest crude producer and an important victory for President Jair Bolsonaro.

TotalEnergies won stakes in both of the deepwater fields on offer Friday, and Shell was awarded a piece of the Atapu field. Both bids surpassed minimum requirements and market expectations. The French energy titan bid with Malaysias Petronas and Qatar Petroleum for the rights to Sepia by offering 37.43% of oil output thats left over after accounting for extraction costs and taxes. Shells partners in the successful Atapu bid were TotalEnergies and Petrobras.

The auction marks a turnaround from just two years ago when international oil explorers shunned the sale, and a second failure would have been an embarrassment for the business-friendly Bolsonaro administration. Sweeter terms and higher oil prices enhanced the appeal of Brazils offshore oil trove which includes some of the worlds largest oil discoveries this century.

Id like to celebrate this process and the increase in the number of participants, Economy Minister Paulo Guedes said during a press conference at the event. More players means more investment and production.

Petrobras already operates both fields and exercised its rights to a 30% stake in Sepia. Its new partners will have to compensate it for investments made to date and Petrobras wont increase leverage to pay for the fields, Chief Financial Officer Rodrigo Araujo Alves said.

Eventually there may be some additional dividend distribution because there will be additional cash inflow in 2022, Alves said.

In 2019, Sepia and Atapu failed to attract buyers in what was possibly the worlds priciest oil auction, with bidders on nearby fields paying signing bonuses to the government that totaled $9 billion. Sepia and Atapu are part of a cluster holding an estimated 15 billion barrels of recoverable crude, according to a study by Houston-based consultancy Gaffney, Cline & Associates. The area also includes Petrobrass Buzios and Itapu fields.

Petrobras already produces oil in the area, eliminating most exploration risks. The companys partner in a block that borders on Sepia is Portugals Galp Energia SGPS. Galp, Total, and Shell are its partners in a block that borders on Atapu. The pre-salt region has driven Brazils growth in recent years.

Crude from the sub-salt layer of rocks off Brazils coast has less sulfur than many grades, reducing the amount of pollution involved in converting it into gasoline. TotalEnergies described the pre-salt as low- emissions reserves in a statement.

The presence of not one but two European supermajors proves that the pre-salt is a long term investment play that has the necessary and sufficient conditions to continue producing through the energy transition, said Schreiner Parker, an analyst at Rystad Energy AS.
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Making an all-our effort to revive a special partnership with India, Russian President Vladimir Putin, a fortnight after his visit to New Delhi, will hold a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

Highly placed sources told India Narrative that the call will build on the substantial discussions between the two leaders that were held in the ornate Hyderabad House in the Indian capital on December 6.

Separately, Putin is also dispatching Russia's Deputy Prime Minister, Yury Borisov, to India next week. The sources said that Borisov will mainly follow-up, and begin working out the details on the two-major military agreements that New Delhi and Moscow have signed - one on the production of AK-203 rifles at a plant in Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, and a framework ten-year plan on military-technical cooperation.

Besides, the delivery of assemblies of the exceptionally potent S-400 air defence missile systems have already begun, and the two regiments are expected to become fully operational early next year. The supplies of the S-400 are critical for restoring the balance of power with China. China has deployed its S-400 missiles in Ngari Gar Gunsa opposite Ladakh and Nyingchi air base facing Arunachal Pradesh.

Also Read: Will deployment of the S-400 missiles by India end the Ladakh stalemate with China?

The Russians have decided to majorly contribute to India's Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India projects by co-developing and manufacturing military equipment in India, for India and for the world.

Meanwhile, Russia's Tass news agency is reporting that Moscow is pushing for a summit between Russia, India and China. In fact, Putin raised this topic during his conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this week, the news agency said quoting Russian Presidential Aide, Yury Ushakov.

"The topic of cooperation in the Russia-India-China format was addressed," during the Putin-Xi videoconference, the Kremlin's spokesperson said. The leaders "agreed to continue exchanging opinions in this regard and to endeavour to hold the next summit within the RIC framework in the near future," Ushakov observed.

Putin informed Xi Jinping about the visit to New Delhi on December 6 in this context," the Kremlin's spokesperson observed.

The RIC leaders held their last meeting in June 2019 on the side-lines of the G20 summit in Osaka.

In New Delhi, sources pointed out that it would be impossible to hold such a RIC summit unless the border tensions between India and China are resolved with the restoration of status quo ante that existed before May 2020, ahead of Chinese incursions in eastern Ladakh.
Group Captain Varun Singh, who succumbed to his injuries sustained in the crash of the IAF helicopter, carrying CDS General Bipin Rawat and others, in Tamil Nadu last week, was cremated with full military and state honours here on Friday.

The mortal remains, wrapped in tricolour, were brought to the cremation ground at Bairagarh area in an Army truck amid slogans.

A ceremonial guard of honour was accorded by state police and an army contingent at the cremation ground. Senior services officers laid floral wreaths on the coffin.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, along with other cabinet ministers and politicians, also paid their tributes to the departed soul.

Rituals were performed by a group of priests in the presence of his family, including his children and wife.

Group Captain Singh died at a military hospital in Bengaluru on December 15 after surviving the December 8 helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor area that killed General Rawat, his wife and 11 armed force personnel.

Conferred with the Shaurya Chakra, India's third highest peacetime gallantry award in August this year, he is survived by his wife, 11-year-old son and an eight-year-old daughter along with his parents.

His younger brother Tanuj Singh is an Indian Navy officer, while his father is a retired Army official.
In a frightening incident, school districts across the US decided to cancel classes on Friday owing to reports of threats being made on short-video app TikTok that children and teachers should skip school due to "supposed threats of shootings or bombings".

The schools cancelled classes in response to those supposed threats, as a new wave of videos popped up with additional warnings based on both the supposed claims and the actual, factual cancellations of some school classes", reports The Verge.

Districts in California, Texas, Minnesota, and Missouri said they planned to close down schools on Friday in response to the threats.

"Elsewhere, districts have said they plan to have heightened police presence or have emailed parents to say they've been investigating the allegations," the report said late Thursday.

Several districts and law enforcement divisions said that the threats are not credible or even real.

"Law enforcement agencies have investigated this threat and determined that it originated in Arizona and is not credible," Baltimore County Public Schools posted on Twitter.

"Currently, there have been no threats to any of the schools in Mexico, (Missouri)," wrote a Missouri school district.

"There have been no local, credible threats," Ohio's Milford Exempted Village School District wrote to parents.

In New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy tweeted: "There are no known specific threats against New Jersey schools."

TikTok said it has not identified any videos making specific threats.

"We have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok," the company tweeted.

TikTok said it is working with law enforcement to look into the warnings with "utmost seriousness", nonetheless.

"At least one police department says it viewed a message threatening a school on Friday: Police in Gilroy, California describe a threatening post that included initials matching a local high school, and school was cancelled as a result," the report noted.
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/17/2021 -- HTF MI Analyst have added a new research study on Title Global Cold Chain Logistics Service Market Report 2020 with detailed information of Product Types [Airways, Roadways, Seaways], Applications [Food and Beverages, Healthcare] & Key Players Such as Americold Logistics, SSI SCHAEFER, Preferred Freezer Services, Burris Logistics, Kloosterboer, Lineage Logistics Holding LLC, AGRO Merchants Group, LLC, NewCold Cooperatief U.A., DHL, Gruppo Marconi Logistica Integrata, BioStorage Technologies, Nichirei Logistics Group, OOCL Logistics, JWD Group, CWT Limited, SCG Logistics, X2 Group, Best Cold Chain Co., AIT, Crystal Logistic Cool Chain Ltd & ColdEX etc. The Study provides in-depth comprehensive analysis for regional segments that covers North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa with global outlook and includes Clear Market definitions, classifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures, development policies and plans. The facts and data are well presented in the Cold Chain Logistics Service report using diagrams, graphs, pie charts, and other pictorial representations with respect to its current trends, dynamics, and business scope & key statistics.



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Key Highlights from Cold Chain Logistics Service Market Study.



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FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS: In order to better understand Cold Chain Logistics Service market condition five forces analysis is conducted that includes Bargaining power of buyers, Bargaining power of suppliers, Threat of new entrants, Threat of substitutes, Threat of rivalry.



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Geographically, the following regions together with the listed national/local markets are fully investigated:

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- Europe (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Rest of Europe; Rest of Europe is further segmented into Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania)

- North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico)

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Market Growth by Applications: Food and Beverages, Healthcare



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Global Cold Chain Logistics Service Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) [Airways, Roadways, Seaways] in 2020

Cold Chain Logistics Service Market by Application/End Users [Food and Beverages, Healthcare]

Global Cold Chain Logistics Service Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Applications

Global Global Cold Chain Logistics Service Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2025)

Cold Chain Logistics Service Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application

Cold Chain Logistics Service (Volume, Value and Sales Price) table defined for each geographic region defined.

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Key Raw Materials Analysis & Price Trends

Supply Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers, Industrial Chain Analysis

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Dungannon, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/17/2021 -- A supplier of organically sourced vinegar, Natural Umber offers natural apple cider vinegar with a fresh, delicious taste. The gluten free, organic cider vinegar they provide containing the mother is perfect for enjoying in your salads or using in skincare. They make a very simple to use, high-quality apple cider vinegar that's great for boosting the immune system and also has many more benefits. For the price and the quality, their apple cider vinegar is unbeatable for those looking for a lot of the high-quality stuff.



The apple cider vinegar they provide can be used in a number of ways including daily drink, fancy salad dressing, beauty treatment and an alternative to salt. Available in glass and plastic bottles, Natural Umber's apple cider vinegar is raw, organic, unfiltered and contains mother of vinegar with mother. Individuals looking to buy natural cider vinegar can check our Natural Umber's website for more information.



Natural Umber is one of the most well-renowned suppliers that has been offering apple cider vinegar in the UK and Ireland for years. The quality, sweet taste and health benefits of their product have resulted in it being the first choice of many people in the country. Natural Umber's apple cider vinegar has won the gold award winner in the Vinegar category at the Irish Food Awards, Blas na hEireann, in 2019. Their product is now available from over 150 independent stockists across the UK and Ireland.



Talking about their natural apple cider vinegar, one of the representatives from the company stated, "Several years of trials have led to the creation of our fresh, naturally sweet tasting organic apple cider vinegar. Natural Umber is enjoyable to drink whilst delivering all of the well-known benefits of apple cider vinegar. Named after its distinctive colour, which reflects the earthy tones of the soil in which the apples are grown, Natural Umber is unlike any apple cider vinegar you may have tasted before."



About Natural Umber

Natural Umber is a premium, organic apple cider vinegar, containing Mother. It is named after its deep and rich colour, which reflects the earthy tones of the environment in which their apples are grown. Due to their unique fermentation process, Natural Umber is bursting with a naturally sweet taste and full of goodness.



For more information, please visit  https://naturalumber.com/



Social Media Profiles



Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/naturalumber/

Twitter  https://twitter.com/Naturalumber

Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/naturalumber/



Contact Details



99 Portadown Road,

Charlemont,

Dungannon,

Co. Tyrone. BT71 6SW

Phone  028 8778 4345

Email  hello@naturalumber.com
San Diego, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/17/2021 -- An investigation was announced concerning potential securities laws violations by Instadose Pharma Corp. in connection with certain financial statements.



Investors who purchased shares of Instadose Pharma Corp. (OTC: INSD), have certain options and should contact the Shareholders Foundation at mail@shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1(858) 779 - 1554.



The investigation by a law firm focuses on possible claims on behalf of purchasers of the securities of Instadose Pharma Corp. (OTC: INSD) concerning whether a series of statements by Instadose Pharma Corp. regarding its business, its prospects and its operations were materially false and misleading at the time they were made.



Chesapeake, VA based Instadose Pharma Corp. does not have significant operations.



Shares of Instadose Pharma Corp. (OTC: INSD) declined from $60.00 per share on November 8, 2021, to $23.00 per share on November 23, 2021.



Then on November 23, 2021, the Securities and Exchange announced a temporary suspension in trading the stock. The SEC stated, "The public interest and the protection of investors require a suspension in the trading of the securities of Instadose Pharma Corp. ("Instadose Pharma") (CIK No. 0001697587), a Nevada corporation whose principal place of business is listed as Chesapeake, Virginia, because of questions and concerns regarding the adequacy and accuracy of information about Instadose Pharma in the marketplace, including: (1) significant increases in the stock price and share volume unsupported by the company's assets and financial information; (2) trading that may be associated with individuals related to a control person of Instadose Pharma; and (3) the operations of Instadose Pharma's Canadian affiliate. As of November 19, 2021, the common stock of Instadose Pharma was quoted and traded on OTC Link whose parent company is OTC Markets Group Inc., under the symbol INSD, had seven market makers, and was eligible for the "piggyback" exception of Rule 15c2-11(f)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act")."



Those who purchased shares of Instadose Pharma Corp. (OTC: INSD) have certain options and should contact the Shareholders Foundation.



Contact:

Shareholders Foundation, Inc.

Michael Daniels

3111 Camino Del Rio North - Suite 423

92108 San Diego

Phone: +1-(858)-779-1554

Fax: +1-(858)-605-5739

mail@shareholdersfoundation.com



About Shareholders Foundation, Inc.

The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is a professional portfolio monitoring and settlement claim filing service, , which does research related to shareholder issues and informs investors of securities class actions, settlements, judgments, and other legal related news to the stock/financial market. Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is in contact with a large number of shareholders and offers help, support, and assistance for every shareholder. The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is not a law firm. Referenced cases, investigation, and/or settlements are not filed/reached and/or related to Shareholders Foundation. The information is provided as a public service. It is not intended as legal advice and should not be relied upon.
Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/17/2021 -- The report "Rapid Prototyping Materials Market by Type (Polymers, Metals, Ceramics), Form (Filament, Powder, Ink), Function (Conceptual, Functional Prototype), End User (Aerospace & Defense, Manufacturing & Construction, Healthcare) - Global Forecast to 2021", The global rapid prototyping materials market was valued at USD 217.5 Million in 2015 and is projected to reach USD 903.8 Million by 2021, at a CAGR of 26.8% from 2016 to 2021. Increasing demand of rapid prototyping materials from end-use industries such as aerospace & defense, healthcare, and manufacturing & construction is driving the growth of this market.



Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=52691574



Healthcare and aerospace & defense segments are expected to lead the rapid prototyping materials market during the forecast period

The healthcare and aerospace & defense are two highly critical end user segments that demand for stringent product dimensions, along with their compositions. Aerospace & defense and healthcare industries have initiated the use of 3D printing technology for prototyping applications. The latest technological advancements and invention of new materials in rapid prototyping have made aerospace & defense a major end user in the rapid prototyping market. Critical parts used in aerospace & defense are designed and developed using 3D printing technology, and tested before they can be used commercially. This further drives the demand of rapid prototyping materials in the aerospace & defense sector. Moreover, in the healthcare sector, metal rapid prototyping is used in several medical products, such as surgical equipment, prosthetics & implants, and tissue engineering products, thereby propelling the applicability of rapid prototyping materials in this sector.



Increased adoption of rapid prototyping materials in the aerospace & defense industry is expected to propel the growth of the rapid prototyping materials market

The aerospace & defense industry provides high growth prospects to key players operating in the rapid prototyping materials market. Growth in this market is mainly attributed to technological advancements and invention of new materials in the field of rapid prototyping.



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The North America rapid prototyping materials market is expected to witness high growth owing to the increasing demand of these materials from varied end-use industries in this region

North America is the largest market for rapid prototyping materials, owing to the developed industrial sectors in this region. Europe has a large supplier base for rapid prototyping materials. Countries such as Germany, the U.K., France, and Italy in the European region are offering lucrative growth opportunities to major players in the rapid prototyping materials market.



Key players operating in this market include 3D Systems Corporation (U.S.), LPW Technology Ltd. (U.K.), EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems (Germany), Carpenter Technology Corporation (U.S.), Renishaw Plc (U.K.), Arcam AB (Sweden), Stratasys Ltd. (U.S.), Oxford Performance Materials (U.S.), Royal DSM N.V. (Netherlands), and Arkema S.A. (France), among others.



Key strategic activities including new product developments, expansions, mergers & acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships have been covered in this report on rapid prototyping materials. This report estimates rapid prototyping materials market size in terms of value and volume. It provides a comprehensive overview of drivers, restraints, challenges, opportunities, and key issues in the market. The rapid prototyping materials market has been segmented by type (polymers, metals, and ceramics), end user (aerospace & defense, healthcare, transportation, consumer goods & electronics, manufacturing & construction, and others), function (conceptual model, functional prototype), form (filament, powder, ink), and region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa).



Get 10% Customization on this Report @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=52691574



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An international team of scientists has examined 1,368 specimens of shrews from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and found clear, mostly consistent evidence for the existence of 21 species on the island, only seven of which were previously recognized.

Shrews are a diverse group of mammals  461 species have been identified so far  and they have a nearly global distribution.

These small insectivorous animals are closer relatives to hedgehogs and moles than to any other mammals.

Its an exciting discovery, but was frustrating at times, said Dr. Jake Esselstyn, a mammalogist in the Museum of Natural Science and the Department of Biological Sciences at Louisiana State University.

Usually, we discover one new species at a time, and there is a big thrill that comes from it.

But in this case, it was overwhelming because for the first several years, we couldnt figure out how many species there were.

Dr. Esselstyn and colleagues examined an extensive collection of genetic and morphological data from new specimens of the shrew genus Crocidura they collected between 2010 and 2018, combined with old specimens collected in 1916.

In total, they examined 1,368 specimens, and they recognized 21 species on Sulawesi, including the 14 new species.

The known diversity of shrews on Sulawesi is now three times more than is known from any other island.

Taxonomy serves as the foundation of so much biological research and conservation effort, Dr. Esselstyn said.

When we dont know how many species there are or where they live, our capacity to understand and preserve life is severely limited. Its essential that we document and name that diversity.

If we can make discoveries of this many new species in relatively well-known groups like mammals, imagine what the undocumented diversity is like in less conspicuous organisms.

The teams paper was published in the Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History.

_____

Jacob A. Esselstyn et al. 2021. Fourteen New, Endemic Species of Shrew (Genus Crocidura) from Sulawesi Reveal a Spectacular Island Radiation. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 454 (1): 1-108; doi: 10.1206/0003-0090.454.1.1
Rua Bioscience (NZX: RUA ), the Tairawhiti-based medicinal cannabis company, has received verification that its first medicinal cannabis product meets the NZ Medicinal Cannabis Agencys (Medsafes) quality standards, enabling the company to distribute its first medicine in New Zealand.

The approval of the product means that New Zealand patients and prescribers can include the Rua product in their treatment plan. Rua intends to distribute product by the end of Q1, early Q2 2022. It will be made available as a prescription-only medicine through GPs and specialists. Rua be will manufacturing the medicine in its purpose-built facility in Gisborne, having gained Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification for the product earlier this year.

Rua Bioscience CEO, Rob Mitchell, explains the significance of this achievement, positioning the company well as it enters a new chapter of sharpened focus in bringing product to market and creating sustainable revenue.

In the last two years, weve laid the foundations for commercialisation. We built cultivation and manufacturing facilities in Tairawhiti, listed on the NZX and hired both local and international expertise to help us realise our vision of becoming an industry-leading pharmaceutical company. With this approval, we start the revenue generation phase of our companys journey and deliver against our commercial imperatives in 2022.

Rua Bioscience Chief Operations Officer, Paul Naske, says Rua has hit this milestone as a result of the tenacity and hard work of our team, and were grateful for the careful stewardship of the Medicinal Cannabis Agency as they take the NZ industry safely into a new frontier of medicine.

Further expanding on patient choice and accelerating market entry, Rua recently announced the proposed acquisition of Zalm Therapeutics, which shareholders will be asked to vote on in early 2022. The deal will enable Rua to supply New Zealand patients and global markets with a range of Australian-grown oil and dried flower products in the short term and product grown from unique Ruatorea-developed genetics in the longer term.

Rua Bioscience Chief Commercial Officer, Dr Andrea Grant says "our commercial strategy recognises the need to diversify revenue, accelerate market entry and expand patient choice. Whilst New Zealand may be a small market, it is growing rapidly. Patients and clinicians are relying on the local industry to provide them with brand and product choice to address their unmet health needs. This is a crucial step for Rua in meeting those needs.

Next year will be all about going wider, faster and earlier. We are fully focused on meeting the needs of patients, our community and our investors, who have been steadfast in their support.

Please see the link below for details

Rua Bioscience given the green light to distribute first product to New Zealand patients

Source: Rua Bioscience Limited

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Netherlands regulator increases charges for radio hams Some countries still make their radio amateurs pay annual fees, one such is the Netherlands which has announced fees are going up again



A translation of a VERON post reads:



The Government Gazette of November 4, 2021, published, among other things, the new rates that apply to radio amateurs in 2022.



We pay these rates for the activities and services of Agentschap Telecom (AT). All rates for 2022 will increase slightly compared to 2021.



As in 2021, there is an additional rate of  83 per year for relay stations,-. This tariff is necessary to cover the costs of criminal investigation and surveillance due to the increased illegal use of the stations. For beacons, those costs will no longer be charged in 2022. The licence costs for a beacon ( 117,-) have also become lower than for a relay station ( 212,-). The latter two amounts shall apply for a period of three years.



Why are there two rates in the Government Gazette for registrations?:

In the Government Gazette, two rates are listed for registration. Namely an amount of  46,- +  16,- =  62,- (was  59,- for 2021) and an amount of  46,- (was  44,- for 2021).



The first amount applies to a 'registration radio amateur in the event of a digital notification and registration that is not fully independent, in the year in which [AT's] activities take place'.



The second amount applies to "registration radio amateur in fully independent digital reporting and registration and registrations in the second and subsequent years."



What exactly is this about and what applies to you:

Agentschap Telecom has a possibility on the website where radio amateurs can maintain their data themselves. This is called AT 'My Telecom Agency'. You can only log in with a DigiD. If you do not yet have a DigiD, it can be requested here. If you can log in to 'My Telecom Agency' and you maintain the registration data yourself without the intervention of Agentschap Telecom, the costs are  44 for your registration for 2022.



The rate of  59,- is only for new applications that arrive at the Telecom Agency via e-mail or letter. All changes for existing registrations remain free!



Costs for an N [CEPT Novice] or F [CEPT HAREC] exam:

The rates for an N or F exam will also be slightly increased, from  71 in 2021 to  72 and 2022.



Frequency use relay station and beacon:

For the frequency use of a relay station per licence, there are two tariffs. The fee for the execution is  212 per three years (was  201 for 2021), while for supervision  83,- (was  79,- for 2021) is charged annually.



From 2022, there will be a different, lower rate for beacons than for relay stations. The rate of the fee for the implementation costs is  117,- for three years. Unlike relay stations, there are no annual costs for monitoring (more).



The Official Gazette reports the following about splitting the tariffs for relay stations and beacons:



"The 'old' subcategory I.C.9. regulated the remuneration for work for relay and beacon stations used by the target group of radio amateurs. Because these are two different applications, the activities are also different per application. For that reason, the 'old' subcategory I.C.9 was chosen. to split.



Subcategory I.C.9. from now on only regulates the fee for relay stations. The 'new' subcategory I.C.10. regulates the fee for beacon stations from now on. Supervisory work at beacon stations only takes place occasionally, so that no fee is charged for this."



Other registration costs:

Temporary permit in the Netherlands for non-residents:  42,- (was  41,-).

Other non-exempt use of amateur tyres:  78,- (was  74,-).

Issue of a certificate to obtain a permit from a foreign administration for radio equipment for conducting tests:  84,- (was  76,-).



Learn More:

Government Gazette of 4 November 2021: Government Gazette 45605.

https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stcrt-2021-45605.html



Website for maintaining your data: My Telecom Agency.

https://login.agentschaptelecom.nl/coam/login.jsp



If you have more questions, the customer contact centre of Agentschap Telecom can be reached on 050  587 74 44. Applications and information about DigiD can be found here.

https://www.digid.nl/



Source VERON https://tinyurl.com/IARU-Netherlands
Radio hams commemorate historic message sent to Newfoundland SaltWire News Network reports on the commemoration by the Marconi Radio Club of Newfoundland of the 120th anniversary of the first reception of a transatlantic radio signal



The News service says:



In a brief transmission across the Atlantic Ocean using a 150-watt wireless transmitter station, members of the Marconi Radio Club of Newfoundland (MRCN) on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 12, celebrated the 120th anniversary of Guglielmo Marconis reception of the first transatlantic message, at Cabot Tower on Dec. 12, 1901.



At the Johnson GEO Centre on Signal Hill, MRCN members and directors Joe Craig and Len Zedel, in a re-enactment of Marconis transatlantic experiment, spoke with club members from the MRCNs sister club, the Poldhu Amateur Radio Club, in Cornwall, England, from where Marconi sent his transatlantic message 120 years ago.



Using a two-way high-frequency radio contact, Zedel and Craig also spoke with people from the Foundation Guglielmo Marconi in Italy; the Marconi Radio Club in Cape Cod in the U.S.; and the Sydney Amateur Radio Club, in Sydney, N.S.



Source SaltWire

https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/news/marconi-calling-poldhu-come-in-please-group-commemorates-historic-message-sent-to-newfoundland-100669731/
GTF calls on the Sri Lankan people, the civil society organisations and their political leadership to deeply reflect on the messages directly or indirectly conveyed by many countries, particularly the US, and to appreciate the need for meaningful course correction with the long-term interest of all the peoples at the core.

Sri Lanka is in the midst of many crises. The trajectory it is heading  increasing authoritarianism and militarised governance; further marginalisation of Tamil, Muslim, Hindu, and Christian communities; and the debilitating financial crisis and the economic challenges engulfing the people  has the potential to seed new conflicts in the country. Sri Lankas credibility as a trusted member of the international community has taken a beating in the recent years and the emerging geopolitical reality, where human rights is increasingly a cornerstone of the foreign policy of many western countries, will only exasperate the situation.

US President Joe Biden hosted a virtual summit on December 9-10, 2021 for leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector. The summit focussed on challenges and opportunities facing democracies and provided a platform for leaders to announce both individual and collective commitments, reforms, and initiatives to defend democracy and human rights at home and abroad.

The current Sri Lankan regime, which is increasingly being viewed as having more characteristics of an autocracy than democracy, was not in the list of 110 states that were invited to attend.

Marking the Human Rights Day on December 10, 2021, the US government has imposed human rights-related sanctions on two Sri Lankan military officials: Chandana Hettiarachchi, a Sri Lankan naval intelligence officer, for his involvement in the Trincomalee 11 abduction and murder case (2008 to 2009), and Sunil Ratnayake, a former Staff Sergeant in the Sri Lanka Army, for his involvement in the extrajudicial killings of at least eight Tamil villagers (2000). The former was spared from prosecution and the later was pardoned after conviction  actions that were not consistent with international standards and expectations.

The US sanctioning these two officers appears more for the message it conveys to the Sri Lankan leadership, than for its direct impact on the individual officers.

The Human Rights Day statement from the US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, articulated Biden administrations intent to put human rights at the centre of the US foreign policy and their preparedness to use appropriate tools and authorities to draw attention to and promote accountability for human rights abusers and violators the world over. The statement also referred to the cooperation between many countries (including US, EU, UK, and Canada) with the same intent. Clearly, the world is entering a new era where the regimes dependent on authoritarianism, militarisation, human rights abuses, and state sanctioned violence can be expected to be checkmated on many fronts.

Undoubtedly, Sri Lanka is on the international radar. This is evident on the letter from the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs to the Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken (December 3, 2021), urging the State Department to refocus its efforts in Sri Lanka to emphasis on the importance of a substantive and durable political solution. As per the letter written by Committee Chairman Meeks and Ranking Member McCaul, The US has rightly championed justice and human rights in Sri Lanka. Advancing these values will require solutions to political questions that remain unanswered years after the end of the civil war, including the meaningful devolution of power in an undivided Sri Lanka.

The letter, whilst emphasizing that it is the Sri Lankan people who should lead the debate on the matter, perhaps supported and facilitated by the US, the outcome must meet the needs of all citizens in Sri Lanka, including the Tamil and Muslim people.

The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) through its recent engagements with several countries found the same sentiments and the willingness to play a constructive role in resolving many issues afflicting Sri Lanka. Their interests and commitments cover all aspects  promoting human rights and accountability, playing a supportive role in resolving the decades long political conflict, and embarking on impactful initiatives to help the people overcome their crippling economic challenges  whilst appreciating the strong interconnections among all.

Presently, this appears to be the only silver lining in the dark clouds hovering over Sri Lanka.

It is noteworthy that a joint delegation from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Global Tamil Forum (GTF) recently (w/c 15 November 2021) met with senior US government officials - In Washington, the Delegation met with Assistant Secretary of State, Ambassador Donald Lu; Deputy Assistant Secretary, Ambassador Kelly Keiderling; Acting Assistant Secretary for Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Lisa J. Peterson; Ambassador Michael Kozak of the Office of Global Criminal Justice; and Director for South Asia Security Affairs and Director for Democracy and Human Rights of the National Security Council at the White House. The delegation also met with senior staff members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; the Assistant Administrator of the USAID; Legislators from the United States Congress; and former US Ambassadors to Sri Lanka and Assistant Secretaries for the region. In New York, the Delegation met with the US Deputy Permanent Representative for the UN General Assembly.

GTF calls on the Sri Lankan people, the civil society organisations and their political leadership to deeply reflect on the messages directly or indirectly conveyed by many countries, particularly the US, and to appreciate the need for meaningful course correction with the long-term interest of all the peoples at the core. We have no doubt that a large segment of the diasporic communities, including the GTF, will play their part in any genuine and meaningful effort to address the multiples of challenges Sri Lankas diverse communities are confronting.
No matter how powerful the president was, the 1978 constitution did not allow the president to maintain his authority without the majority support of the parliament.

by Victor Ivan

Not only the economy but also the socio-political system of Sri Lanka is in a state of complete disintegration and total collapse. It is very rare that a state which has entered into the modern age falls into a state of collapse in this manner. Even rarely such a situation could occur only in a stupid state where serious mistakes have been carried out persistently and for a very long period (not just 5-10 years, but 20, 30, 40 years) without rectifying them.

In any state there is a division of power between the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. It was Montesquieu, French enlightenment political philosopher who has pointed out the need for having such a separation of power to ensure liberty and avoid the oppression of the ruled. His view was that the three power centres should be set up in such a way that one centre would not be able to usurp the powers of the other two.

Sri Lanka received a similar system of governance based on separation of power and the rule of law from the Soulbury Constitution. Colvin by his 1972 constitution distorted the structure of the Soulbury Constitution by weakening the power of the judiciary and giving parliament a supreme status over the judiciary. Thereafter, J.R. Jayewardene maximised the process of distorting the political system through the constitution which he brought to the fore in 1978.

He vested all the powers of the state in the president who is the head of the state; he didnt stop at that, and placed the presidency above the law undermining the accepted principles of separation of power; and diminished the status of parliament and judiciary into a level of second-tier institutions placing them below the presidency. This situation not only empowered the president to act against the law but also led to disturbing the legal obligation of all persons and institutions of the state to act in accordance with the law, thereby confusing the affairs of the state and maximising the level of corruption.

Taming the Parliament

No matter how powerful the president was, the 1978 constitution did not allow the president to maintain his authority without the majority support of the parliament. Therefore, to keep the parliamentarians happy and alleviate their dissatisfaction caused by the loss of their recognition, he implemented a policy that allowed them to earn wealth by illegal means such as granting government land at nominal value, issuing various licenses of economic value, etc. and the right to act as government contractors along with various privileges which they were not entitled to, such as duty-free vehicles.

In any country where a democratic system of governance is in operation, the peoples representatives are not allowed to transact business with the government. Such acts are considered as serious offenses leading to be dismissed from office and deprived of civic rights as well. Sri Lanka too, had strict laws to deal with such offenses. President Jayewardene did not repeal them. Instead, he persuaded government MPs to indulge in such illegal activities and prevented the law from being enforced against them. Even on rare occasions when the law was enforced against them, he pursued a policy of protecting them.

Albert Silva, who was elected to the Galle electorate in 1977, was deprived of his parliamentary seat as he possessed a kerosene license which was contrary to the law. What President Jayewardene did in this instance was to persuade the MP for Kamburupitiya electorate to resign from his parliamentary seat and appoint Albert Silva as a Member of Parliament filling the vacancy created by the resignation of the former. All the other presidents who came to power after President Jayewardene continued this corrupt system adding new elements to it with the view to retaining the support of parliamentarians. President Chandrika, during her tenure, introduced a system of issuing liquor licenses to the members of parliament. Now there are not only tavern owners but also the owners of liquor industries as well among the MPs. In the early days of his Presidency Mahinda Rajapaksa issued two radio licenses to two political parties (the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Jathika Hela Urumaya) as a token of gratitude for the support he received from them, which they could sell for money.

Even the grant of duty-free permits to the Members of Parliament can be considered as a system which is contrary to the law and the accepted parliamentary traditions. All the members of parliament, irrespective of their party affiliations, adapted to this corrupt system and none of them stood up against it. All the speakers were aware of this horrific cancer that was spreading across the parliamentary system, but none of them were bothered to investigate it or to remove it.

Breaking the spine of the Judiciary

Compared to the parliament, the judiciary was destroyed in a slightly different way. The status of the judiciary was undermined by the new constitution in which the president was placed above the law. The power of the judicial review was restricted to a narrow frame in which the judiciary was allowed to examine the compatibility of the draft acts of parliament with the constitution, within a short period of time before they were passed. The appointment of judges to the High Court was made possible by the presidents discretion.

Seven judges of High Court who had fallen from the grace of President Jayewardene were removed from their posts depriving them of the right to take oaths under the new constitution. The vacancies created by their removal were filled in an informal and arbitrary manner. In spite of all these unpleasant developments, Neville Samarakoon, his personal friend, who was appointed the Chief Justice by the president, adopted a firm policy to protect the dignity of the judiciary rather than protecting the president.

Consequently, the wings of the judiciary were clipped, but still Neville Samarakoon was able to sustain the confidence and respect of the people for judiciary by issuing a number of powerful and impartial judgments defending the rights of the people though they have provoked strong opposition from the president. Even after the retirement of Chief Justice Neville Samarakoon, the progressive trend he had set upon the judiciary continued to prevail for some time.

Chief Justice Sarath Silva appointed by President Chandrika, shortly before the end of her first term, contrary to all accepted democratic traditions, could be considered as the person who reversed the progressive path of the judiciary. At the time of his appointment as the Attorney General he was caught up in a state of stifling grip. As Attorney General, he had been charged with two counts of corruption. They were based on the conduct of Magistrate Lenin Ratnayake and District Judge Upali Abeyratne. I was the main person who made those two allegations public.

These two despicable judges had been convicted by two committees of inquiry appointed by the Judicial Service Commission in response to allegations made by me against them.

Thereafter two of us filed a complaint each against Attorney General Sarath Silva on corruption charges. The Supreme Court had already initiated investigations on them. In this backdrop, President Chandrika appointed Sarath Silva as the Chief Justice to save the neck of her friend who was already trapped and at the same time to manipulate him to control the judiciary as she pleased.

The destruction done to the judiciary by Sarath Silva after he was appointed the Chief Justice was immense. He did everything possible to undermine the independence and dignity of the judiciary. There was strong opposition against his appointment as the Chief Justice which was unethical, and also his improper conduct, locally as well as internationally. However, due to the opportunism that had overwhelmed the political arena in Sri Lanka, the country lost the opportunity to get rid of this cancer. Ranil Wickremesinghe evaded the opportunity when he had power to remove Chief Justice from his post; Later Ranil burnt his fingers by trying to remove him when the power of his party was eroding.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the two main parties that influenced the alternate public opinion adopted a policy of defending the infamous Chief Justice in order to obtain judgments that were beneficial for their political parties. After that, had there been some authority remained in the judiciary, that too, can be said to have been flattened to the ground following the impeachment motion against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranaike during the regime of Mahinda Rajapaksa and the controversy that arose over the judiciary in association with it.

What would happen?

Now the social system in Sri Lanka, the state, and the economy of the country are on the verge of collapse, failure, bankruptcy and anarchy. It is sad to say that the role being played by the President, the head of the executive and the head of state, in this crisis appears irresponsible. At a time like this when the country is facing an unprecedented catastrophe, it is essential not to allow room for corrupt transactions that could jeopardise the economic survival of the country; yet, the Sugar Deal, the Chinese Fertiliser Deal, the Indian Nano Fertiliser Deal and the sale of exploding gas cylinders show that the President has been compelled to allow the cronies to carry on large-scale exploitation despite the crisis facing the country.

While it is imperative to refrain from doing things that could lead to ethnic and religious strife in the face of such a crisis, the appointment of a monk to the Presidential Task Force on One Country, One Law, which has caused strong opposition among minorities, indicates the sheer lack of discipline on the part of the president in acting in fairness even in a matter like this. Under the circumstances, the president cannot be expected to develop a suitable framework for resolving the issues by consensus in the present crisis. The way things happen in parliament, such a move cannot be expected from parliament either.

No party in parliament has put forward any proposal to overcome this crisis. Under these circumstances, the judiciary has the highest potential to guide the president and the parliament on the need for developing a constitutional framework and the conditions that must be fulfilled to overcome it.

Though it will require an adequate purpose for litigation, the judiciary has an obligation to intervene on behalf of the safety and security of the country and the people in a crisis like this. Otherwise, not only the country and the people but also the judiciary could be doomed.
The future of the oil sector is bright despite moves to abandon fossil fuel. It, however, faces big challenges, such as adequate supply and a shrinking investment market, which is led by a shareholders demand to invest in cleaner energy.

These were the views expressed by Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Khalifa, Bahrains Minister of Oil, at the recentlyconcluded Middle East Bottom of the Barrel and Catalyst Technology Conference, BBTC Mena 2021, held from December 14-15 in Bahrain.

Trade Arabia. He forecast a bullish outlook for the oil sector, rationalising it with oil price projections of $150 by 2023 by conservative banks like JP Morgan and which he said meant there was a supply problem, writes Abdulaziz Khattak for OGN and

Shaikh Mohammed said the global coronavirus pandemic had made everyone realise that the counter cyclicality of refining was not an absolute given. For the first time we had very low oil prices and extremely low refining margins.

The past two years have been very rough for the oil sector. No one imagined the pandemic could have hit the demand so hard. WTI crude went negative for the first time in history, and global markets losing 30 million barrels a year.

In the past seven years, the oil and gas sector lost a trillion dollars in investments when compared to the levels of investment after the 2015 oil price crash.

Such underinvestment leads to supply problems. However, it is hoped the cyclical nature of the economy will lead to rising demand, better prices and thus better refining margins.

Demand, Shaikh Mohammed said, was not going away and will in fact continue for a long time.

He categorially said: I am telling you that the demand coming for our industries is beyond the investments. Expect very high prices.

But there were clear signals the industry was worried about the supply issue. There was forecast of tight supply amid a growing global demand.

Shaikh Mohammed explained: Typically if you look at the forward curve of crude, people think that it's lower in the future. That means that the forecasts are pessimistic. On the contrary, that tells you that they are willing to pay a premium today because of the lack of supply.

However, the challenge was not having invested enough.

He called for the industry to start thinking differently. There's a lot to do, and we are not doing enough.

INVESTMENT CHALLENGES

Refineries are very complicated technological and engineering projects  given the deep conversion being installed today  and thus require billions of dollars in finance and a long time to complete.

To fund them, a complex consortium of finance houses, including banks, export credit agencies, financial institutions, and commercial tranches come into play.

And with banks unable to sell finance because of regulations, there is the need for export credit agencies. But that too is getting harder to obtain.

For example, the British export credit agency, UK Export Finance, has decided not to finance oil and gas projects.

If this trend continues, you can imagine that getting finance for these mega projects is going to be very difficult, Shaikh Mohammed said.

And now with an ever-changing landscape of regulations, we don't know what's going to happen in the future, he added.

Another investment challenge the minister noted was the global ESG (environmental, social, and governance) drive, which was making financing hydrocarbon projects all the more difficult.

ROLE OF DEEP CONVERSION IN ENERGY TRANSITION

Shaikh Mohammed was skeptical about the pace of energy transition, which he said was going to take longer than anticipated, much contrary to people thinking it would be here in the next decade or two.

However, he said we need to get onboard with the narrative of carbon emissions.

Making a case for deep conversion in reducing carbon emissions, he cited the USs success in reducing its carbon emissions, which he said wasnt through state policies, but by allowing technology to take shape.

The business of deep conversion does exactly that, he said.

When you add conversion, you are reducing carbon and increasing hydrogen. As you inject hydrogen, which comes from gas, you're increasing the hydrogen content and reducing the carbon content, Shaikh Mohammed said.

He also warned against mismanaging the oil and gas sector and alluded to the European gas crisis example.

Once you mismanage the sector, you meet reality. And people are not going to be forgiving when suddenly they dont have heat, electricity or transport. --Tradearabia News Service
New Delhi/Thimphu, Dec 17 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Friday conferred Bhutans highest civilian honour, The Order of the Druk Gyalpo Class I.



Prime Minister Modi is the first foreign Head of Government to receive Bhutans highest civilian honour.

PM Modi expressed his thanks to the Bhutanese PM Lotay Tshering and the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and said he was deeply touched by the warm gesture. He also said India will always cherish Bhutan as one of its closest friends and neighbours, and will continue to support Bhutan's development journey in every possible way.

Announcing the honour on social media, the PM Lotay Tshering said that he is Overjoyed to hear the Bhutan King announce PM Modis name for the countrys highest civilian decoration, Order of the Druk Gyalpo.

The Bhutan King highlighted all the unconditional friendship and support Modiji extended over the years, and particularly during the pandemic.

Much deserving! Congratulations from the people of Bhutan. In all interactions, seen Your Excellency as a great, spiritual human being. Looking forward to celebrating the honour in person, he posted.

In a series of tweets, PM Modi expressed his thanks for the honour.

Thank you, Lyonchhen @PMBhutan! I am deeply touched by this warm gesture, and express my grateful thanks to His Majesty the King of Bhutan.

I have been privileged to receive the utmost love and affection from our Bhutanese brother and sisters, and take this occasion to convey my greetings to all of them on the auspicious occasion of the National Day of Bhutan.

I admire Bhutan for its unique model of sustainable development and the deeply spiritual way of life. Successive Druk Gyalpos - Their Majesties the Kings - have given a unique identity to the Kingdom, and nurtured the special bond of neigbhourly friendship that our nations share.

India will always cherish Bhutan as one of its closest friends and neighbours, and we will continue to support Bhutan's development journey in every possible way, he posted.

The Bhutanese award is the pinnacle of the honour system in Bhutan, taking precedence over all orders, decorations and medals.

The award was presented by The King of Bhutan, in recognition of PM Modis outstanding contribution to the growth of India-Bhutan relations and for his distinguished services to the Bhutanese nation and people.

UNI/RN
Islamabad, Dec 17 (UNI) The Pakistan government has decided to suspend cellular phone services in some areas of Islamabad for three days beginning Friday in view of the three-day OIC session being held in the capital city.

Pakistan is hosting the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers conference in Islamabad. The three-day event begins on Friday and the Council of Foreign Ministers will convene on December 19 chaired by Saudi Arabia.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on a request from the interior ministry has ordered cellular phone companies to suspend services in some areas of Islamabad on December 17, 18, and 19.
New Delhi, Dec 17 (UNI) India and France on Friday held the third Annual Defence Dialogue, where Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and French Minister for Armed Forces Florence Parly discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional, defence and defence industrial cooperation issues.

The Ministers reviewed the existing military-to-military cooperation, which has increased in spite of pandemic challenges and discussed ways to increase defence cooperation in all domains, Defence Ministry said.

"India-France Strategic Partnership is more relevant today than ever. I had an excellent meeting with my French counterpart, Ms Florence Parly. A wide range of bilateral, regional and defence industrial cooperation issues were discussed in the Annual Defence Dialogue today," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in a tweet.

India and France have recently concluded their annual bilateral Army Exercise, Shakti, with focus on counter-terrorist operations, in France in November 2021. Defence industrial cooperation was discussed with focus on future collaborations and co-production between the two countries.

The Ministers acknowledged their convergences on a number of strategic and defence issues. They expressed commitment to work together to enhance cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral forums.

France is the current chair of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium and shall take over the Presidency of European Union from January 01, 2022. The two Ministers decided to work closely on a number of issues during the French Presidency.

Earlier, Florence Parly called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and paid tribute to Indian soldiers at the National War Memorial. She is expected to meet with other Indian dignitaries during her visit.

UNI AO GK
New Delhi, Dec 17 (UNI) Expressing disappointment over the Commission of Inquiry set up by the West Bengal government to probe the Pegasus espionage charges, the Supreme Court on Friday put a stay on the probe.

A bench, headed by Justice NV Ramana and also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, issued a notice to the Commission, headed by former SC Judge Madan B Lokur, asking it to summon a reply.

Taking cognisance of the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the petitioner voluntary organisation 'Global Village Foundation Charitable Trust', the top court of the country observed that the work of the Commission of Inquiry constituted should be immediately stopped.

An NGO had filed a petition seeking an immediate stay on the functioning of the commission set up by the state government from the apex court. The petitioner said the Supreme Court has constituted an independent commission to investigate the matter. In such a situation, it was unfair on part of the state government to constitute a separate commission to investigate the matter.

During the hearing, SC asked Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the West Bengal government, that the state government had given an oral promise that it would constitute a separate commission. Despite this, a commission was formed by the government and now, the Court was being told that the investigation was going on. To this, Singhvi said the government was not interfering in the working of that Commission.

The Supreme Court had set up an independent inquiry commission into the Pegasus probe. The petitioner NGO had on Thursday requested for an urgent hearing in the matter of the Commission of Inquiry constituted by West Bengal under special mention.

An international media consortium had earlier reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on a list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus spyware.

Opposition leaders, including former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, two Union Ministers Prahlad Singh Patel (Minister of State for Jal Shakti) and Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways and IT); businessman Anil Ambani; a former CBI chief and at least 40 journalists were on the list of the leaked NSO database. It was, however, not established that all phones were hacked. The Government has denied all allegations in the matter.

UNI ASN RJ


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Volunteer teacher leads students in Tibet out of poverty

 00:00:00



Photo taken on June 22, 2020 shows Chen Hongshun and his students in Gonjo County, Qamdo City, Tibet Autonomous Region. (Photo provided to Xinhua)

It's been over a year since Chen Hongshun returned to his hometown in north China's Tianjin Municipality after volunteering as an English teacher in the Tibet Autonomous Region for two years, yet his bond with the students and teachers there remains.

"I'm so delighted that my students in Tibet can rely on education to bid farewell to poverty," Chen said. He now often exchanges ideas on teaching methods and the latest course materials with his former local colleagues.

Chen, in his 40s, said he regards Tibet as his second home. His experience with the plateau region of southwest China began with an education project in the city of Qamdo.

In May 2019, Chen volunteered to teach English at a school in Gonjo County, which was faced with deep poverty. His long journey to the county indicated that it would not be an easy job, taking him along narrow, winding mountain roads built into the cliff-sides.

"It took me three days to reach the school," Chen said.

After his arrival, he also struggled to get used to the harsh environment. Set at an altitude of over 4,000-meters, his new location sparked changes in his body, including high blood pressure.

"When I tried to talk, sometimes I felt the words would get stuck in my throat due to the lack of oxygen. I would often wake up in the night due to breathing difficulties, and when I awoke early in the morning, I would find dried blood in my nose," Chen said.

In spite of the difficulties, he stuck with the new job, encouraged by the bright-eyed students who were longing for knowledge.

Chen also studied the Tibetan language, with the aim of quickly forming a bond with the children.

To boost the students' interest in learning English, he introduced multimedia presentations to the remote village. He encouraged and trained his colleagues in the use of digital teaching tools, rather than relying so much on pen and paper.

However, many people in Gonjo County did not seem to take education seriously. Most people had earned their living from animal husbandry for generations, spending most of their lives in the mountainous areas.

Chen volunteered to join the team to persuade the parents to send their dropout students back to the classroom.

Chen said he and his colleagues paid several visits to the home of a young girl who had performed well academically but had quit school after her parents asked her to help with the farm work.

"Now the girl has been admitted to a high school and I believe her future will be very promising," said Chen.

He attached great importance to raising the awareness of parents regarding the benefits of education, and parent meetings soon became a regular fixture at the school.

"We told the parents about their children's performance and progress at school and updated them with the latest teaching methods, which has brought the parents closer with the teachers," Chen said.

In early 2020, due to the outbreak of COVID-19, Chen faced a long delay in returning to Tibet after a vacation, finally making the arduous journey in March.

However, he faced another obstacle when he was involved in a near-fatal car accident on a mountain road, less than 20 km from the school.

He had to suspend his plans for the new semester. The doctor advised him to return to Tianjin for a quicker recovery, but Chen chose to stay, motivated by his deep concern for his students and his teaching career in Tibet.

He was fully aware of the chronic shortage of English teachers in schools in the less-developed regions, and he was determined to make a difference, despite his health issues.

"In the first two weeks, I suffered from severe headaches so that I could hardly fall asleep," he said. "I lost 8 kg in weight in 10 days."

His determination to stay was further consolidated by the concern shown by his students, who made every effort to support his recovery.

"They provided me with hot water during breaks, asked me to sit down when giving lessons, and wrote me cards full of good wishes," Chen said.

After spending almost two years in Tibet, Chen said it was his honor to see the great progress his students had made in their studies.

"We grew up together," he said.

In February 2021, Chen was credited with a national award for his education-based poverty alleviation endeavors in Tibet.
Commentary: "Summit for Democracy" a misguided attempt to maintain U.S. hegemony

 00:00:00



Photo taken on Nov. 19, 2021 shows the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)
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The large declining tech company. Weve all read articles in the tech press and blogs analyzing how once hot companies lost their way. Most of them have followed similar trajectories and have a common set of characteristics. What if we apply the same large declining tech company framework to the Bay Area? It turns out that large declining tech companies and the Bay Area actually have a lot in common.

It breaks my heart to see what has become of San Francisco. I lived there for almost 25 years. When I first moved to San Francisco in 1997, it was a magical and inspirational place. Remember the Flying Saucer and Survival Research Labs parties? I hope that by analyzing what has gone wrong using a framework we know well, we can find a path to revitalization, and also provide warning signs for other metropolitan areas to not follow a similar policy trajectory.

The fall of Yahoo! is a well-documented example of a large declining tech company, and the following five categories are a great framework to analyze what is going on in the Bay Area.

1. The monoculture and shunning of heretics

If you worked at Yahoo! in the early aughts, you were considered a heretic if you brought up that Search was becoming a more important feature than Directory or Portal. People would stop inviting you to meetings. Your manager would tell you to stop being negative. But if you walked out of the building to any other company, people would agree that Search was a vast and fast-growing trend, and Google was already becoming a verb.

A scant five years ago, a tech bro wrote an open letter to the San Francisco mayor about street conditions, including being assaulted by a homeless person and pervasive drug use on the streets. He was lambasted in the tech and national press, and his letter effectively ended his career. If he had written that letter in pretty much any other city, everyone would have agreed with him. In San Francisco today, everyone now publicly states what he wrote five years ago.

Eventually, a trend becomes indisputable, but there is an interim narrative, and people desperately cling to their false reality and piously lecture dissenters. The Bay Area claims they are the most woke, and everyone else is racist. Yet this is the area where rich white kids went to in-person school in October 2020 only six months after the pandemic started, while BIPOC children couldnt even dial into Zoom class for eighteen months due to lack of technology. Just like with Yahoo!, you can walk out of the building and state obvious facts to broad agreement, but if you bring up obvious fallacies in the Bay Area, people get angry.

2. The declining brand and the power of buzz

For years, Yahoo! was a hip, young brand that was the webs home page. Everyone used it, and everyone talked about it. Over time, the brand degraded, and the users and advertisers moved on to Google. All of us in Silicon Valley have seen this rise and fall numerous times.

Right now, the Bay Area doesnt have any heat. Key influencers like Elon Musk, Jason Calcanis, and Keith Rabois say it is a terrible place to start a new company. Hip young mayors like Miamis Francis Suarez are like the hot up-and-coming startup with better services and a better cost model. The media is lapping it up with cover stories and commentary.

The brand and the buzz matter because it is what attracts new entrants. The engine of Silicon Valleys growth has been that it is THE place for new startups to form, with an extensive network of angels, investors, and advisors. Right now, what is the compelling reason for two young founders who just graduated from Carnegie Mellon to go to the Bay Area and pay California 13% of their outcome? A fun, bustling city? There are now networks of founders and investors in the emerging tech hubs, and in particular networks of founders and investors fomenting the next waves of technology like Web3. Their idols and influencers are saying to go elsewhere, and you can already see the profound effect on Bay Area funding metrics.

Its well known now that older companies like HP and Oracle are moving their headquarters to Texas. Yet just like Facebook is moving on to the Metaverse, Google, Facebook, Apple, and Salesforce are hiring in New York, Seattle, Austin, and Raleigh. Salesforce, San Franciscos top employer, canceled the lease on a new office tower, and only 5% of its almost 2,000 job listings are exclusive to the Bay Area.

3. The empty campus and petty crime

As companies decline, their campuses begin to empty with people working from home. Employees walk around like zombies, and nobodys smiling. The headquarters campus is always kept spiffy, but remote campuses begin to decline due to a lack of capital expenditures, with conference rooms that have CRT screens, old desks, and dirty kitchens.

The corporate campus decline is very similar to San Franciscos rapid decline into an empty and dirty downtown dominated by the mentally ill and drug addicted, with an unsmiling populace working remote and rarely seen on the streets. Like the spiffy corporate headquarters campus, people post photos of Dolores Park and Crissy Field on the rare sunny day and tell you everythings great.

Its common for declining companies to experience rampant petty theft. Employees barely work two-hour days, don't report vacation time, go on expensive boondoggle trips to unnecessary conferences, and regularly sit on the beach doing nothing while yet another re-org shakes out. The managers that are supposed to be catching this behavior are doing the same things themselves, so there is no oversight. However, the accounting department will cite employees if they expense a drink out of a hotel minibar even if they arrive at a city at midnight on a legitimate business trip.

Much like a declining large tech company, San Francisco has descended into a well-documented spiral of petty crime, with rampant thefts and no quality of life issues enforced. However, the police will happily cite you for using your phone at a red light, which happened to me personally three times in the couple of years before I moved.

4. The people who leave and the people who stay

Initially, its the risk-takers that leave, and quite literally life or death considering there was a pandemic underway. Their peers lambast them. How could you leave Yahoo!? Its been so good to you. You should stay. Youre going to die at the new startup. Search is stupid.

Just like people who moved to Florida and Texas didnt die, neither did the people who left Yahoo! and went to Google and other companies. In fact, they flourished as their destination grew and prospered. They live on the waterfront in Miami and have parties on yachts, all at no cost due to tax efficiencies similar to the cost efficiencies of Google using cheap x86 hardware to scale their search algorithms. People start to follow them. At some point, the people who left are celebrated, like Yahoo! alums are currently celebrated.

Of course, people do stay. There is nothing wrong with staying and enjoying your current company and job. Some people like to be with a stable, well-known company, much like the prestige of Silicon Valley. Some people have the golden handcuffs of in-the-money stock grants, much like a house with a low Prop 13 tax rate. Some people dont want to disrupt their work relationships, much like moving disrupts connections to family and friends. Some people have H1B visas or green card sponsors and have to stay put. There is nothing wrong with continuing to work at Yahoo!. Yet it is continuing to work at Yahoo!. Promotion practices stagnate and the mediocre rise, much like California will no longer teach algebra to middle school students.

Of course, to stem the flight, both companies and jurisdictions attempt to deploy friction on people leaving. Some companies try to sue people who leave for stealing trade secrets. San Francisco has a new tax on the sale of expensive homes. I would not be surprised if California attempts to deploy an exit tax on unrealized gains, similar to how the US taxes unrealized gains when people renounce their citizenship.

5. The shenanigans with finances and metrics

Yahoo! And other declining companies typically do financial engineering to show that they have a sustainable business. But look under the hood, and it turns out that Yahoo! Japan provides the value, not the rest of the business. Its also typical to change metrics, such as switching from tracking monthly active users to the number of pageviews.

San Francisco is surviving on a fiscal stimulus that will expire at the end of 2022. In the next twelve months, will the downtown offices fill up? Will Union Square storefronts be re-occupied by retailers, Moscone Center full of conventions, and Pier 39 full of tourists? This is highly doubtful. At that point, very tough decisions will have to be made, like the budget cuts to the San Francisco school system now that there has been a dramatic drop in students.

In the Bay Area and California, there are similar shenanigans with metrics. They actively tell you that crime is down by cherry-picking statistics. They say that theyve had the fewest COVID deaths when all-cause mortality (which includes increased suicides, drug overdoses, and homicides) is almost equivalent to fully open Florida. The ne simple metric to evaluate whether an area can support growth is housing construction. No housing construction, no growth. Will Austin add 300,000 housing units and widen its freeways? While in the midst of a housing price spike from the sudden influx of people, Miami is literally building new neighborhoods.

The potential turnaround

So how do you turn around a declining company or entire metropolitan area?

After out of control looting, years of crime spikes, and miserable street conditions, London Breed, the mayor of San Francisco, yesterday announced that lawbreakers had destroyed the city". Its great when management finally admits that theres a problem. But are the people whose policies caused all of the problems and then ignored that they were happening, really the right people to turn things around?

Marissa Meyer was brought in as the savior CEO to Yahoo!, but her strategy was to throw a lot of money at acquisitions and bring in smart people. San Francisco has the most money per capita of any major U.S. city, and has hired a lot of smart people, but just like at Yahoo!, lots of money and smart people do not turn around a sinking ship. Simple projects like redoing the Yahoo! home page or adding bus lanes to Van Ness are cumbersome, overly expensive, and take forever.

Brad Garlinghouse, now the CEO of Web3 company Ripple, wrote the infamous peanut butter manifesto at Yahoo! where he described how resources were spread thin with a lack of vision, ownership, accountability, and decisiveness. Brad was ignored, and he moved on to bigger and better things and is now a billionaire as the CEO of Ripple, a company that has clear vision and execution, even under the onslaught of the SEC.

Clear vision and execution need to be articulated and executed for the Bay Area to succeed. Not a single politician has stated that they would like to see tech companies back in downtown San Francisco, or that it is a great place for founders to start their companies, or that the government will support and nurture the nascent crypto/Web3 industry.

A turnaround is a hard thing to pull off. After a series of acquisitions and divestitures, Yahoo! is now owned by a private equity firm that hired my former boss Jim Lanzone as CEO. Jim is proven: he pulled CBS  a moribund media company  into cloud streaming and an array of profit spewing websites. The Bay Area needs the equivalent: people who know how to grow a metropolitan area, build housing and infrastructure, and attract new business. The problem is that the voters have to vote for a change agent, and the change agents are all moving to Miami.
#Piura | El presidente @PedroCastilloTe, junto a los titulares de @viviendaperu, @MINPRODUCCION y @MindefPeru, participo de la inauguracion del desembarcadero pesquero artesanal de Yacila y la inspeccion a las obras del puerto de Paita. ???? pic.twitter.com/d3ViGDjcPr
"As we say, we respect the institutions that are investigating (the complaints); of course, we are willing to collaborate (with any investigation)," Vasquez said in remarks to reporters.

The Cabinet chief reiterated that there are versions and journalistic reports, but now everything is in the hands of the corresponding authorities, which will be in charge of carrying out the corresponding investigations.

"These are matters that are in the hands of justice; beyond speculations, these (investigations) are in the hands of authorities," she emphasized.

"As the Government, we reaffirm our commitment to continue fighting against COVID-19. We thank all health personnel; they are the great heroes of this battle because, with their efforts, it is possible to fight efficiently against the pandemic," she concluded.

Premier @MirtyVas : Como Gobierno reafirmamos nuestro compromiso de seguir luchando contra la COVID-19. Gracias a todo el personal de salud, son los grandes heroes de esta batalla porque con su esfuerzo se logra luchar eficientemente contra la pandemia. pic.twitter.com/TlgnoS2uzh

Premier @MirtyVas: La mejor arma en este momento para poder librarnos de este mal es la vacuna. Estamos haciendo grandes esfuerzos desde el Gobierno, somos uno de los paises mas avanzados en vacunar a su poblacion gracias a un trabajo conjunto con gobiernos regionales y locales. pic.twitter.com/h0zSEu0Fw1
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The United States supports the establishment of direct contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

The United States welcomes recent meetings in Brussels between Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Aliyev. We strongly support future direct engagement to bring peace to the region, the Spokesperson said on Twitter.
YEREVAN, 17 DECEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Council of the Elders of the City of Yerevan convened an extraordinary session, the issue of filing vote of no confidence to Mayor Hayk Marutyan is on the agenda. As ARMENPRESS was informed from Yerevan City Council, the extraordinary session will take place on December 22.



The faction ''My Step'' of the Council of Elders of Yerevan announced about starting the process of filing vote of no confidence to Mayor of Yerevan Hayk Marutyan. The faction had informed earlier that Deputy Mayor Hrachya Sargsyan will be nominated for the post.
Leaders of the 27 EU member states unanimously agreed to extend economic sanctions against Russia by another six-month period, European Council President Charles Michel told reporters on Friday, Tass informs.

December 17, 2021, 09:44 EU summit agrees to extend anti-Russian economic sanctions by 6 months

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 17, ARTSAKHPRESS: "EUCO leaders unanimously agreed to roll over economic sanctions against Russia," he said. "We call on Russia to keep its part of the bargain and proceed with Minsk implementation."

Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it is not a party to the conflict in Ukraine and only acts as a mediator, along with the OSCE, France and Germany.

A source in one European delegation told TASS Thursday on the sidelines of the summit that the sanctions will be extended by six months, until July 31.

According to the diplomat, in the upcoming weeks, the decision will be formalized and published in the Official EU Journal, entering into effect. The current restrictions were supposed to end on January 31.

In 2014, the EU imposed sanctions against Russia over the events in Ukraine and Crimeas accession to Russia. The restrictions were expanded and prolonged repeatedly. The negotiations on the visa-free regime and the new basic agreement on cooperation were suspended; Russian officials were barred from entering the EU, and their assets were frozen. Besides, trade, financial and military restrictions were imposed as well. In response, Russia banned import of European food products.
The United States supports the establishment of direct contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

December 17, 2021, 16:00 US welcomes recent meetings in Brussels between Armenian PM and Azerbaijani President  State Department

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 17, ARTSAKHPRESS: The United States welcomes recent meetings in Brussels between Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Aliyev. We strongly support future direct engagement to bring peace to the region, the Spokesperson said on Twitter.
A UK warplane that is part of a US-led coalition shot down a drone this week near a base where foreign troops are stationed in southern Syria, officials say.

The base, known as Tanf, is located in a strategic area near Syria's Tanf border crossing with Iraq and Jordan and houses a small number of US troops.

Tanf is the only position with a significant US military presence in Syria outside the Kurdish-controlled north.

The UK defence ministry said a Typhoon warplane shot down a "small hostile drone" that was a threat to coalition forces.

It said this was the first air-to-air engagement for a Royal Air Force Typhoon.

US Central Command spokesman Bill Urban said two drones entered the Tanf garrison "deconfliction" zone on Tuesday and one was shot down as it moved closer to the base.

He said there were no casualties or damage to facilities.

It was not immediately clear who owned the drone but the UK Ministry of Defence said the Typhoon warplanes "were conducting one of their regular patrols over Syria and Iraq as part of the global coalition against Daesh (Islamic State)".

with PA
Anti-China protesters outside the White House last month

The US Congress has passed a bill that requires companies to prove that goods imported from China's Xinjiang region were not produced with forced labour.

The US has accused China of genocide in its repression of the predominantly Muslim Uyghur minority there - a charge that China has repeatedly rejected.

The bill had been criticised by major companies that do business in the area, including Coca-Cola, Nike and Apple.

Its passage also overcame initial lack of support from the White House.

It was approved by the Senate on Thursday with the vote of every member of Congress except one.

The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, as the bill is formally known, now heads to the desk of President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

For months the White House avoided taking a stance on the legislation, but earlier this week press secretary Jen Psaki said Mr Biden would sign it.

The US accuses China of employing slavery and genocide in China's resource-rich western region. US and multinational corporations, which are already facing shortages over supply chain issues, had lobbied against it out of concern over how it would affect business.

"Many companies have already taken steps to clean up their supply chains. And, frankly, they should have no concerns about this law," said Florida Senator Marco Rubio, after the bill passed the upper chamber of Congress.

"For those who have not done that, they'll no longer be able to continue to make Americans - every one of us, frankly - unwitting accomplices in the atrocities, in the genocide."

Lawmakers in both chambers struck an agreement this week on the final text of the bill after earlier versions passed the House and the Senate.

The measure also removes a Republican blockade that prevented Mr Biden's nominated ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, from being approved.

Earlier on Thursday, the US Commerce Department announced sanctions on over 30 Chinese technology companies and research institutes that are accused of working in support of the Chinese military.

Story continues

The newest rule bans American companies from selling goods to the sanctioned companies and entities without a special licence.

The agency also accused China's Academy of Military Medical Sciences of using biotechnology "to support Chinese military end uses", including "purported brain-control weaponry".

China "is choosing to use these technologies to pursue control over its people and its repression of members of ethnic and religious minority groups", Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement.

Also on Thursday, the US treasury department announced an investment blacklist of eight Chinese companies that it accuses of biometric surveillance and tracking of Uyghurs - including DJI, the world's largest maker of small drones frequently used by amateur hobbyists.

Asked about the possibility of new US sanctions at a briefing on Wednesday, Beijing foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian responded: "By overstretching the concept of national security, certain US politicians politicise and instrumentalise science and technology and economic and trade issues based on ideology.

"This runs counter to the principle of market economy and fair competition. It will only threaten and hurt the security of global industrial and supply chains and undermine international trade rules."

The moves comes amid rising tensions between China and several primarily Western nations.

The UK, Australia, the US and Canada have announced that they will not send diplomats to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics - due to be held in February 2022 - in protest against alleged Chinese human rights abuse.
A pair of Cayuga County residents have died of COVID-19 as the numbers of new confirmed cases and hospitalizations are on the rise.

The Cayuga County Health Department said Thursday that a man and a woman, both in their 70s, died of COVID-19. To protect their privacy, the agency did not release any more information, including their vaccination statuses.

Since the pandemic began in March 2020, Cayuga County has lost 115 residents to COVID-19. There have been six virus-related fatalities in December.

Cayuga County's confirmed case counts have been high for five months, but December is on pace to top 1,700 new cases  short of the 2,024 in December 2020, but it would still be one of the worst months of the pandemic.

The county had 99 new cases on Wednesday. Over a three-day period, the county has reported 284 new cases. Kathleen Cuddy, the county's public health director, said Tuesday that they have found outbreaks linked to Thanksgiving gatherings, sporting events and a musical performance.

The active case count is up to 466, an increase of 20 in one day. It's the third straight day the number of people in isolation remained above 400.

Hospitalizations have also increased since last week. The health department said 16 Cayuga County residents are being treated for COVID-related illnesses at Auburn Community Hospital and three hospitals in Syracuse, Crouse, St. Joseph's Health and Upstate University. One week ago, there were nine COVID hospitalizations.

Local leaders continue to urge residents to get vaccinated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 55.8% of Cayuga County's total population is fully vaccinated.

The next county vaccination clinic is scheduled for noon to 3 p.m. Friday at the Fingerlakes Mall Event Center. Moderna and Pfizer booster shots will be offered at the clinic.

There are two clinics planned for next week. The first will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday and will be open to children ages 5-11 who are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine. Another clinic will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesday. At this clinic, the health department will administer second doses of the Pfizer vaccine, Pfizer booster shots, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and boosters. These clinics will also be held at the mall's events center.

Registration is required for the clinics. To register, go to cayugacounty.us/health and click on the link for COVID-19 vaccination clinics.

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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It was a full year of living with a global pandemic, a story that continued to fill our print pages each week because of its local impact. But
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chinese lithium battery manufacturer Farasis Energy (Ganzhou) Co.,Ltd. (Farasis Energy or the company) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Farasis Energy (Zhenjiang) Co.,Ltd. (Farasis Zhenjiang) intend to sign with their major auto client Mercedes-Benz an agreement supplementing to a long-term battery supply deal, the company announced on Dec. 16.



Per the supplementary agreement, the German auto giant will make an advanced payment of 1.05 billion yuan ($164.864 million) to Farasis Zhenjiang.

Mercedes-Benz EQB SUV equipped with Farasis Energy's ternary-lithium battery

To guarantee a smooth deal implementation, Farasis Zhenjiang will strike a floating mortgage pact with Mercedes-Benz AG to mortgage specified assets to the latter. The pledged assets include the raw materials, intermediate goods, and finished products Farasis Zhenjiang purchase with the aforesaid advance payment to meet Mercedes-Benz's demands of car production and deliveries.

Signing the supplementary deal and the floating mortgage agreement will help Farasis Energy replenish its cash reserve, which will be used to safeguard a stable operation of the supply chain dedicated to the products offered to Mercedes-Benz and lower the battery production cost.

Founded in Dec. 18, 2009, Farasis Energy is permitted to research, develop and manufacture lithium ion batteries, battery module management systems, and EV charging system, etc.

Aside from Mercedes-Benz, the company also supplies batteries to automakers like GAC AION, FAW Group, Geely Auto, Great Wall Motor, and GAC Mitsubishi.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- December 18th, 2021, marks the 22nd anniversary of the first Chery vehicle rolling off the production line. The automaker finds the day especially significant considering its prominent achievement this year.

Tiggo8 Plus; photo credit: Chery Auto



From January to November, the group sold 850,000 vehicles cumulatively, representing a 38.3% rise year on year and 4.5% higher than the industry increase average. During the period, the automaker has accumulated RMB130.18 billion in revenue, soaring 42.8% from a year ago.

Moreover, this year, Chery Holdings export and new energy vehicle performances kept refreshing the groups record. The group is optimistic that by the end of 2021, it will soon reach 1 million vehicles in annual sales volume, accumulate 10 million users across the world, while its annual revenue surpasses RMB150 billion.

The coming year 2022 is the 25th birthday of Chery Holding. The automaker announced a new target of selling at least 1.5 million vehicles, striving for 2 million vehicles in 2022, with annual revenue of RMB200 billion.

Chery Holding believed that the intelligent, digital, connected reformation is the future of the auto industry.

Phase I of the groups future intelligent connected plant project has completed construction and is going to start production in 2022.

Chery Holding has also partnered with internet platform COSMOPlat, to build the first large-scale industrial internet platform in the automotive industry.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- German automotive supplier Schaeffler and Leadrive, a Shanghai-headquartered power modules and EV solutions provider, on Dec. 16 forged a strategic partnership to co-develop the next-generation electric drive solutions for new energy vehicles (NEVs), according to a post on Schaeffler's WeChat account.

Schaeffler, Leadrive signing agreement; photo credit: Schaeffler



Per the agreement, the two companies will leverage their respective technical strengths in the fields like NEV powertrain, electric motor controllers, and power semiconductor modules to jointly develop the next-generation electric driving solution targeting the demands of worlds leading OEMs and working on pushing the relevant product volume production. Mass production of their first pilot cooperative project is set to commence in 2023.

Meanwhile, Schaffler announced it will join Leadrive's Series B financing.

Through this strategic cooperation, Leadrive and Schaffler will make full use of expertise in machinery and electronics domains respectively, jointly developing electric drive products with global competitiveness like 800V SiC bridge, said Dr. Shen Jie, founder and general manager of Leadrive.

Leadrive was established in 2017 as a high-tech company that supplies power modules utilizing advanced semiconductors and power solutions utilizing motor and inverters for NEVs. With more than 10 years of experience in developing SiC power modules and systems using SiC bare chips, and over 100 international patents, the company is capable of offering products and technologies for three fields, namely, new energy, power conversion, and power electronics.

Leadrive has so-far banked money from Legend Capital, CCIG, Shanghai Sci-Tech Innovation Center Capital, Lenovo Capital and Incubator Group, China Merchants Capital, Topping Capital, and other investors. In October 2021, the company claimed it had nabbed 300 million yuan ($47.104 million) in the B2 funding round.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- Chinas auto startup, Li Auto, has inked a strategic partnership framework agreement with the municipal government of Chongqing.

Li ONE; photo credit: Li Auto



The local government authorities have great hopes for Li Auto to take the opportunity and actively participate in the development of Chongqings automotive industry. By focusing on the auto industrys technology and industrial innovations, Li Autos participation is encouraged to build an ecosystem for new energy and intelligent connected vehicles industrial development in Chongqing.

Founder and CEO of Li Auto, Li Xiang, expressed that the company will play to its advantages, and further expand its investment in the city, to cement the relationship.

Chongqing delivery center; photo credit: Li Auto

Notably, Chongqing has been in Li Autos layout for a long time. In December 2018, Li Auto acquired Chongqing Lifan Automobile Co., Ltd. from Chinas well-known motorcycle manufacturer, Lifan Industry (Group) Co., Ltd, for Lifans new energy vehicle production qualification.

After the acquisition, the name Lifan Industry (Group) Co., Ltd was changed to Chongqing Lixiang Zhizao Automobile Co., Ltd. in January 2019.

For the first eleven months this year, the startup delivered 76,404 vehicles in total. Since delivery started, the accumulative delivery volume of the company reached 110,001 vehicles.

According to Li Autos third-quarter financial report, the revenue of the period amounted to RMB7.78 billion, more than tripled from a year ago, by 209.7%, and up 54.3% from the previous quarter.
DEAR ABBY: I recently learned my neighbor shot and killed her two young kids (14 and 2) more than 20 years ago and served only half of her prison sentence -- six years. The newspaper said she called the police herself, confessed and was arrested and incarcerated.

I have only known her for two years. She's very reserved and keeps to herself. She seems paranoid, but she has warmed up to me because we both dabble in art. Since I've learned this information from the internet, I don't know how to feel about her. This was a horrendous act, and I'm having a hard time processing. What are your thoughts? -- PERPLEXED IN THE SOUTH

DEAR PERPLEXED: Why did you find it necessary to research your neighbor? Did someone suggest it, or do you do that with all of your neighbors? If what you discovered is indeed true, there must be a good reason why she was freed after serving only half her sentence. I think, because you have questions, the person you should ask is her.

DEAR ABBY: I have known my ex's friend for more than 12 years. Long story short, we are now "friends with benefits." When I stay over, he almost always portrays himself as a good catch, but when it's time to act like one outside his home, he doesn't. He says, "Dating is too hard," and "We should take it one day at a time." He constantly tells me I will make "someone" a good wife and that I should have no problem finding someone. Must I just enjoy the best benefits I have ever had, or should I move on? -- CONFLICTED IN MASSACHUSETTS

DEAR CONFLICTED: Much depends upon what you really want. If what you want is a husband, children and a future, you should take this man's advice and find "someone" other than him. If it's great sex and nothing more, you must decide whether you want to stick around for the (wild) ride. No one can decide that for you.

DEAR ABBY: When my wife of nine months makes a dental or medical appointment, she gives her last name as her late husband's last name. He died 10 years ago. Should I be disappointed with my bride since, before we were married, she said she would adopt my last name? -- NEWLYWED IN FLORIDA

DEAR NEWLYWED: Why your bride would be hesitant to do this, I can't guess, but because it bothers you, discuss it with her before it festers. Informing health care professionals about a name change is fairly simple. All one has to do is inform the receptionist that a new name should be entered into the computer.

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China recently revealed an upgraded version of the J-15 ship-borne fighter jet that has just wrapped up test flights, with reports saying the new aircraft received enhancements in its missile pylons, the infrared search and track system, the radar and the wings.

The upgraded J-15, potentially capable of operating with catapults, will play key roles on both China's old and new aircraft carriers, experts said on Thursday.

Shenyang Aircraft Co, under the state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China, on Tuesday published photos on its social media account, introducing its production work as the end of the year approaches.

One of the photos, showing a J-15 fighter jet taxiing on a runway under the assistance of a tug truck, attracted the attention of the media and netizens.

This J-15 has many differences compared with previous ones, and this means it is an upgraded version, eastday.com, a Shanghai-based news website, reported on Wednesday.

Judging from the photo, the new J-15 uses a new type of wingtip pylon - the same type as the J-16 fighter jet - to replace the older type, which was used on the J-11B fighter jet. The new type can carry China's most advanced short-range combat missile, the PL-10, while the previous version could only launch the older PL-8, the report said, noting that the PL-10 is much deadlier than the PL-8, as it can be launched as soon as the pilot sees the target, and it is very difficult to evade thanks to its extreme maneuverability and advanced infrared guidance.

The photo also shows that the infrared search and track systems in front of the cockpit and the front of the wings were changed, which could mean the avionics systems of the new J-15 were improved, eastday.com said.

Another major change is the difference in the radar, as the lightning diverter stripes on the new radome are not the same as the old one, the report pointed out.

This may mean that the upgraded J-15 could have switched to an advanced, active electronically scanned array radar system, which enables the use of China's most advanced PL-15 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, eastday.com said.

Since the tug truck was blocking part of the aircraft in the photo, it cannot be confirmed if the upgraded J-15 has eliminated the main pitot tube, or if its nose landing gear is reinforced to operate on a catapult, but it makes sense that it can be launched by catapult, considering China's third aircraft carrier, which is under construction, is expected to be equipped with catapults, analysts said.

The upgraded J-15 is likely a fourth-generation-plus fighter jet, up from the fourth generation, a Chinese military expert told the Global Times on Thursday, requesting anonymity.

It will likely be operable on both China's old aircraft carriers that use ski-jump ramps and new ones that use catapults, the expert predicted, noting that it will play key roles in both attack and air-to-air combat, and act together with China's upcoming fifth-generation carrier-based fighter jet and early warning aircraft.

In another article the Shenyang Aircraft Co released on Wednesday, the company said it had completed all production and test flights for 2021 as of that day, and it set record highs in producing and delivering aircraft. (Source: Global Times)




Students stomping into the Lincoln Elementary School gym before class found a surprise character waiting inside.

A Friday morning visit from the Grinch capped off a holiday-themed story that was a week in the making.

Julie Stuart, the school secretary, said she and a few others worked on brining a holiday twist to the final week before winter break.

Monday afternoon, right before we dismissed, we made the announcement, Teachers, please lock all of your doors and windows. Weve been notified that theres a mischievous band of elves in the neighborhood, Stuart said.

Throughout the week, teachers and administrators left evidence of elf activity in the school. Theyd come in during the evening to hide clues, giving students a chance to participate in the mystery. One night, they knocked over chairs in all the classrooms.

I mean, we just had a blast, Bonnie Baete, a special education para, said. Just to see the kids faces each morning as they would come in and look for clues So many kids dont get that magical part of Christmas, and we got to bring it to them.

Stuart said Tim Rice, school resource officer, visited Lincoln Elementary for an unrelated reason but lent credibility to the story by asking students and teachers if they had seen any elves, as if it were part of a police investigation.

That really solidified it for them, Stuart said.

As excitement over the evolving elf plot spread, a parent sent a student to school with letters alleging elf activity at their home. Stuart said that shows how strong the schools community is.

On one of the days, students found gift bags waiting for them from the elves. The Grinchs visit came in response to that, out of anger over the elf gifts, according to Stuart.

Stuart said the idea came from Gerry Brooks, a principal in Lexington, Kentucky. She said the plans for the week came together last Friday.

Were enjoying the kids reactions as much as theyre enjoying all the activities, she said. It gives us all a chance to be kids again.

Later in the morning, the nearly 200 students enrolled at Lincoln Elementary went to watch the Grinch movie at Beatrice Movies. Students from Stoddard did the same in the afternoon.

Friday marked the end of the first semester at BPS, and students will return to start the second semester on Tuesday, Jan. 4.

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A trio of people who may be traveling the country tried to commit fraud Tuesday afternoon at Sams Club, according to the Grand Island Police.

Amanda Matamala Contreras and two men purchased $3,300 worth of gift cards using a stolen credit card from Fort Collins, Colorado, GIPD reports.

The two men fled the scene.

Police say Matamala Contreras provided a false name and fake identification card to an officer when questioned.

Matamala Contreras, 22, was arrested for unauthorized use of a transaction device, false reporting and identity theft.

She has no permanent address. It appears she is from the country of Chile, said Grand Island Capt. Jim Duering.

Police came close to apprehending one of the men Tuesday afternoon.

Sgt. Phoukhong Manivong said a witness saw the man run across U.S. 281 from Hobby Lobby and try to enter Red Lobster, and walked past Conestoga Mall. Manivong saw the man, from a couple of blocks away, at 14th Street and Webb Road and tried to make contact with him.

This guy was fast, Manivong said.

Were still trying to identify and track them down, Duering said Wednesday.

The method the group uses is similar to other types of crimes being reported. Duering doesnt know if the trio actually committed those crimes.

But police know that Matamala Contreras and her accomplices have traveled a wide area. They have found ties between Matamala Contreras and Florida, Colorado and California, Duering said.

We do think that they are nomadic criminals, he said.

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"We're celebrating," McDonnell said.

McDonnell was a 'tween the last time the Blue Angels flew in Billings. He and Penwell, who saw the Blue Angels fly in 1988 as a child  a factor that helped convince him to follow his father and join the Navy  were having breakfast last year when both started to reminisce about airshows and childhood.

Both wanted that experience again and they wanted other kids to have the experience. And then they realized they could be the ones to organize it.

"If we're gonna pull this off we at least need an in with the Blue Angels," McDonnell said.

Luckily they had one. McDonnell and Switzer were business associates and so McDonnell approached him last year and asked what they needed to do to put together a competitive application.

Switzer explained that Billings needed to demonstrate three main elements. First was safety, second was capability and third was timing.
ROME (AP)  Pope Francis celebrated his 85th birthday on Friday, a milestone made even more remarkable given the coronavirus pandemic, his summertime intestinal surgery and the weight of history: His predecessor retired at this age and the last pope to have lived any longer was Leo XIII over a century ago.

Yet Francis is going strong, recently concluding a whirlwind trip to Cyprus and Greece after his pandemic-defying jaunts this year to Iraq, Slovakia and Hungary. He has set in motion an unprecedented two-year consultation of rank-and-file Catholics on making the church more attuned to the laity, and shows no sign of slowing down on his campaign to make the post-COVID world a more environmentally sustainable, economically just and fraternal place where the poor are prioritized.

"I see a lot of energy," said the Rev. Antonio Spadaro, one of Francis' trusted Jesuit communications gurus. "What we're seeing is the natural expression, the fruit of the seeds that he has sown."

But Francis also is beset by problems at home and abroad and is facing a sustained campaign of opposition from the conservative Catholic right. He has responded with the papal equivalent of "no more Mr. Nice Guy." Read the full story here:

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In both McCone and Wibaux counties, health officials said that they aren't offering the shot because of low demand and that it would be difficult to go through the minimum order of 100 doses within the 10-week period that shots can be stored in a regular freezer or refrigerator. The shots can be stored longer in special ultracold storage units that are few and far between in rural areas of Montana.

Parents in McCone and Wibaux counties who want their young children to be vaccinated must drive 40 to 100 miles round trip.

Despite storage issues and low demand, some rural health departments, like the one in Richland County, are offering the pediatric shot. Public health nurse Kathy Helmuth said she's seen parents from parts of eastern Montana where the pediatric shot isn't available make the trek to vaccine clinics she has put on at local schools.

In November, Helmuth vaccinated nearly 40 kids, more than she expected. Some shots had to be thrown out, she said, because the demand was too low to get through a 10-dose vial.

"I keep having to remind myself everyone we get vaccinated is important and that's more important than the dose or doses I might be wasting," she said.
The Modoc Nation has a herd of about 200 bison, including 16 it acquired from Grand Canyon National Park last year. The tribe slaughters some of the bison and sells the meat.

The Bison Conservation Transfer Program is designed to allow disease-free Yellowstone bison to be shared with tribes. Since 2019, the program has sent 154 bison from Yellowstone to the Fort Peck Reservation where they can be quarantined until they are certified disease-free and can be redistributed to other tribes.

This year, Yellowstone plans to capture 400 bison to identify 80 that can be enrolled in the quarantine program. The bison will be held in newly built pens on 20 acres near Gardiner.

Without the program, the bison could end up being sent to slaughter under an agreement with the state of Montana meant to reduce the park's bison population. Tribes and state hunters also pursue the bison on public lands west and north of the park. The concentration of hunters and carcasses has raised concerns among some residents and conservation groups.
The company has already tested its separation and processing methods at small-scale pilot plants in Canada and Germany.

To envision a pilot plant, I tell people, OK, look at something that you can put in your garage, said George Byers, a consultant for the company. For a demonstration-scale plant, look at something you can stick in a small high school gym. And for the full-scale plant that were going to build there, its going to be like the small schoolhouse tacked onto the gym.

The demonstration plant in Upton is essentially a stepping stone, intended to make sure all the technology will work at an intermediate size before its employed at a commercial scale. But if it works, Rare Element Resources hopes to build its commercial separation and processing facility at the same site.

The company aims to begin operations at the demonstration plant by mid-2025. It hasnt yet set a timeline for the full-scale facility or the Bear Lodge mine.

Were going to let the results from the demo plant dictate our next steps, Byers said.
Oath Keepers is a fairy tale here, he said. There was a presence in a computer 12 years ago.

In 2020, Tidwell organized a Protect Against Racism rally in Cody with the goal of protecting businesses against destruction. That event had nothing to do with the Oath Keepers, he said.

Wyoming names

Eathorne is perhaps the most prominent Wyoming resident to appear on the leaked Oath Keepers membership list. The Wyoming native and former law enforcement employee became the chairman of the state GOP in 2019. He had previously served as vice chairman. He also campaigned against Republican Eric Barlow in the Wyoming House of Representatives District 3  Campbell and Converse counties  primary election, losing by more than 21 points.

Eathorne did not respond to several requests for comment.

Eathornes alleged membership is significant, according to Brian Levin, director of the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino.
I own a closet full of guns.

But nowhere in that closet is ammunition. That is locked up elsewhere, reflecting a rule I was taught in childhood. Guns are powerful, even deadly, tools. If you own one, its on you to keep it safe. That is what the parents of a Michigan teenager failed to do, and their son murdered four of his fellow high school students.

Not long ago, safety seemed gospel for gun owners and the gun industry alike. But something has changed. Responsibility has been discarded in a twisted form of gun idolatry.

That change is detailed in a new book, Gunfight by Ryan Busse. Hes a gun industry boss who walked away from the industry he championed and the company he helped build. His book documents a shift in Americas culture about guns and politics. Disclosure: Busse is a friend of mine. I bought one of my favorite rifles from him. We both live in the same town in Montana where the gun industry is a significant economic player.

Entering our town of Kalispell, theres a billboard from one of our local gun manufacturers that claims We build the things they want to ban. As an open carry community, you can sometimes see moms and dads packing semi-auto pistols as they push a swing on the playground.
Burleigh and Morton counties last year were hot spots for cash, vehicles and firearms found to be involved in criminal activity.

But criminal justice officials say it doesn't appear law enforcement agencies are abusing civil asset forfeiture, a legal process that targets property involved in crimes. North Dakota's attorney general said reports on the property confirm there is no abuse.

A July 2020-June 2021 report published last month by the attorney general shows five vehicles were forfeited in Burleigh County, and eight guns were forfeited in Morton County. Eleven counties had proceedings for property.

Forfeitures are for ill-gotten proceeds and items involved in commission of a crime, notably drug trafficking. Forfeitures require a judge's order, and can also come from criminal judgments in guilty pleas and convictions.

The subject of civil asset forfeiture has been a focus of the Legislature in recent years, pushed primarily by Rep. Rick Becker, R-Bismarck, who raised concerns about a "perverse incentive" to police for profit.

Legislation resulted in reporting requirements, a higher standard of proof and a conviction requirement, albeit with many exceptions, such as evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.

One watchdog looks forward to what information new reporting requirements will yield next year.

No 'policing for profit'

Criminal justice officials say existing data don't indicate "policing for profit."

"I think what we're seeing ... is that this hasn't been a problem in North Dakota, and law enforcement and state's attorneys are not seizing property from anybody who doesn't deserve to have it seized from them, because these are the byproducts of illegal activity," Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said.

The forfeitures appear to be an "offshoot" of law enforcement efforts to combat illegal drugs such as heroin, according to South Central District Presiding Judge Bruce Romanick.

"Stopping somebody or having a task force get a search warrant is usually not because we know there's a bunch of cash in there," he said. "I can't guarantee you that's not why, but my impression is it's to go to try to get the dealer, the supplier off the street and remove those drugs from the street."

Burleigh County State's Attorney Julie Lawyer called civil asset forfeiture "another tool that we can use, because (criminals) shouldn't be able to keep the proceeds of illegal activity."

The cases stand out on the court docket, with titles such as "State of North Dakota vs. 2015 GMC Sierra."

'Those aren't much'

The attorney general's office reported nearly $425,000 in cash statewide forfeited and divided among law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation and prosecution of cases.

An additional $17,000 was seized but returned to defendants.

The vast majority of cash is seized in connection with illegal drug sales, according to Stenehjem. The same goes for most vehicles, which are seized for transporting drugs, he said.

The major highways traversing Burleigh, Morton and McLean counties could account for the prevalence there of forfeitures, notably cash, according to Romanick. Half of the cash forfeitures statewide came from those three counties, according to the report.

Law enforcement agencies have increasingly seen more out-of-staters bringing drugs into the area, according to Lawyer. Lately, the suspects have been primarily from the Detroit, Michigan, and Bakersfield, California, areas, she said.

She and Romanick said law enforcement agencies, such as the state Highway Patrol, are alert to the signs of drug trafficking and look for them.

The judge acknowledged different tacks of law enforcement agencies and prosecutors could also affect the instances of forfeitures.

"I don't have an opinion one way or the other if somebody's more aggressive or not. I don't see that, but that's a day-by-day situation," he said.

Most forfeited vehicles are sold at auction, and the proceeds are split among the agencies that participated.

The report counted 13 vehicle forfeitures statewide, netting more than $20,000 from the four that sold.

"Those aren't much," Stenehjem said.

Five vehicles were forfeited in Burleigh County, two of which sold, netting about $18,000.

The Bismarck Police Department transferred a forfeited 2015 Ford Edge to its fleet.

Police will occasionally replace an investigations vehicle with a forfeited vehicle, according to Sgt. Mike Bolme, who handles the department's seizures and forfeitures.

"It has to be in good working condition, and the city commission has to approve it," he said.

Fifteen firearms were forfeited, including four in Burleigh County and eight in Morton County. None was sold. Their status isn't clear. The report tracks "forfeited firearms held or sold."

Morton County State's Attorney Al Koppy did respond to an email inquiry regarding forfeitures in that county.

Romanick said he regularly orders firearms forfeited in connection with felony cases. Felons can't own guns.

"My theory is that those persons no longer have that right, so they shouldn't have them. I'm not going to give them to them," he said.

2019 changes

Lawyer said changes by the 2019 Legislature made little difference in how her office handles forfeiture cases.

Notably, the changes require defendants be convicted before civil asset forfeiture proceedings begin, though some people believe loopholes remain.

"There were a few times that I can think of during the course of my career where we forfeited without a conviction, but typically we're forfeiting in cases where we've obtained a conviction, and we're usually trying to do that through the criminal judgment or through the criminal case," Lawyer said.

Her office handled 17 civil forfeiture cases out of approximately 2,000 felonies in the last fiscal year, she said.

Some forfeitures involved crimes unrelated to drug trafficking, such as fleeing from law enforcement, arranging sex with a minor and committing identity theft, she said.

"The vast majority" of forfeitures to Bismarck police come from criminal judgments, Bolme said.

More to do?

New reporting requirements by the 2021 Legislature will provide greater detail in the next annual report.

Law enforcement agencies will have to detail a seizure's location, as well as the suspect's crime and case outcome, and include their case reports.

That's an improvement, according to Institute for Justice Senior Legislative Counsel Lee McGrath, who has been following civil asset forfeiture in North Dakota for about a decade.

"Next year's report should be more revealing," he said.

Without that additional information, there isn't as good an insight into the instances, he said. Summary data is "not particularly helpful," he said.

"By focusing in on the median size of forfeiture, legislators will learn whether forfeiture is an effective tool being used against members of the international drug cartels," McGrath said.

But the state should end the civil proceeding and leave it to criminal forfeiture, he said.

"No North Dakotan acquitted in criminal court should lose his property through civil forfeiture," McGrath said. "That possibility can occur through the continued use of civil forfeiture."

Lawyer said criminal forfeiture isn't always an option.

She cited an instance of $330,000 in cash hidden in a gun case found in a vehicle's trunk at a hotel where Bismarck police were called to investigate a marijuana odor. The driver claimed the money wasn't his and belonged to other people.

"We didnt know who those people were to be able to charge them criminally; therefore, criminal forfeiture would not have been available as to all owners of that currency," Lawyer said.

The current forfeiture laws protect innocent owners, she added -- people who have an interest in the property but no involvement in a crime.

While there may be enough evidence to show property owners were aware of criminal activity and knew of the property's involvement, they might not be involved in the crime to an extent they could be charged, she said.

Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com.

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Poinsettias are a familiar sight at Christmas. While the plant originated in Central America, the modern history of the poinsettia has a distinctly American flare.

Despite deep cultural and religious roots in Mexico, the plant was largely viewed as a weed in the United States until the 20th century. The journey to adopting the poinsettia as an American Christmas symbol begins with a story of innovative immigrants.

In Germany in the late 1800s, Albert and Henrietta Ecke founded a health spa that served vegetarian meals. As you can imagine, the vegetarian lifestyle was not widely embraced in the land of pork schnitzel.

Seeking a more hospitable business locale, the Ecke family embarked on a voyage in 1902 to start a health spa in tropical Fiji. En route to the South Pacific, the Eckes stopped in Los Angeles and fell in love with the climate and the American dream. To support themselves in California, the family started a dairy, grew fruits and cultivated cut flowers.

At the time, poinsettias grew wild in the Hollywood hills. In its natural state, the poinsettia is a scraggly large shrub reaching 10 feet tall. Despite its appearance, Albert saw potential in this red and green plant because of its holiday bloom time. The family began to sell cut poinsettia stems at flower stands on Sunset Boulevard.

When Alberts son, Paul Ecke Sr., took over the business in 1919, he was concerned about the expanding movie industry. The savvy businessman pivoted the family business to growing flowers near San Diego.

As a horticulturist, Paul sought to transform the poinsettia from a fragile cut flower to a long-lasting potted plant. Through breeding and a top-secret technology, he turned this undistinguished, leggy shrub into a handsome, well-branched potted plant. Competitors could not compete with this product and the Ecke family dynasty was secure.

Paul Ecke Jr. took over the business in 1963 and used his unique talents to cement the familys status as poinsettia royalty. He designed an ingenious marketing campaign to position the poinsettia as the nations Christmas flower.

During the holidays, the Eckes gifted large numbers of poinsettia plants to the White House and to television shows such as "The Tonight Show," "The Bob Hope Christmas Special" and "Good Morning America." Additional plants were sent to womens magazines. Before long, the colorful plants became a ubiquitous backdrop for talk shows, holiday programs and magazine shoots.

Without having to pay for advertising, poinsettias became linked with the American holiday season. Consequently, the Eckes came to dominate 90% of the market.

All good things, including family dynasties, must come to an end. A series of scientists began to investigate the family secret for producing superior poinsettia plants. By the mid-1990s, they discovered that a plant disease organism, a phytoplasma, was responsible for the beautiful branching and shape of Ecke poinsettias. The Eckes used grafting to infect plants to promote branching and to corner the market for decades.

With its secret unveiled by curious scientists, the Ecke monopoly crumbled. However, all is not lost. The Ecke legacy continues to shine in the poinsettias that brighten our homes.

Upcoming NDSU Extension events

Call 701-667-3342 for help gaining access to virtual events or visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/mortoncountyextension for more information.

Dec. 23-24: Courthouse closed

Dec. 29: Leadership Awareness

Jan. 11: Fumigation Training, 10 a.m.; Morton County Producer Day, 12:30 p.m.; General Pesticide Training, 6 p.m., all at the Mandan Eagles.

Jan. 11: BSC Ag Marketing Club-Martinson Ag, Zoom

Kelsey Deckert is the Morton County Extension agent for horticulture.

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North Dakota health officials on Friday reported four more COVID-19 deaths but also a drop in active coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.

The Health Department also issued new guidance on which COVID-19 vaccines are preferable, following new federal guidance.

The new deaths pushed the state's pandemic toll to 1,977. The state no longer publicly reports the county, sex and age range of newly confirmed deaths. The Health Department's virus dashboard death totals for Burleigh and Morton counties didn't change Friday, at 275 and 127, respectively. Cass County, home to Fargo, leads the state with 281 deaths, an increase of two from the previous day.

The department confirmed 335 new virus cases from 6,878 tests completed Thursday, and calculated a positivity rate of 5.17%. The 14-day rolling rate dropped again, reaching 6.25%. The state target is less than 5%, which hasn't been met since mid-August. But the rate has steadily declined from a recent reported high point of 7.66% on Dec. 3.

Active COVID-19 cases Friday slid back a bit, to 2,515 statewide and to 378 in Burleigh-Morton. Hospitalizations dropped by 11 from Thursday, to 146, the lowest total in a month. The most recent state data showed about 7% of staffed inpatient beds available statewide and about 4% of intensive care unit beds open. CHI St. Alexius Health in Bismarck had two available staffed general care beds and one open ICU bed; Sanford Health Bismarck had two available inpatient beds but no ICU beds.

There have been 168,996 confirmed virus cases in North Dakota since the pandemic began in March 2020, with 164,504 recoveries and 6,784 hospitalizations. Cases, hospitalizations and deaths have spiked since summer due to the onset of the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus. Delta was first identified in North Dakota in late June and has since outmuscled other variants previously identified in the state.

North Dakota's state lab has identified 5,259 total cases of six variants, though there have been no new cases of alpha, beta, gamma, epsilon and mu for about three months. Delta cases this week increased by 303, to a total of 3,864, according to data provided by Kirby Kruger, head of the Health Department's disease control division and forensic pathology section.

There have not yet been any documented cases in North Dakota of the new omicron variant, which surfaced overseas and has now been confirmed in 36 states, including Minnesota, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The actual number of variant cases in North Dakota is almost certainly higher than the data indicates, since only 5-10% of total positive COVID-19 tests weekly undergo the more complex process through which variants are determined. That's enough to create a representative sample, according to Kruger.

There have been 423 hospitalizations and 66 deaths tied to variants in North Dakota; about three-fourths of both are linked to delta.

Vaccine preference

The Health Department on Friday advised vaccine providers in the state to give preference to the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, in line with updated federal guidance.

U.S. health officials on Thursday said most Americans should be given the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead of the Johnson & Johnson Janssen shot that can cause rare but serious blood clots.

The strange clotting problem has caused nine confirmed deaths after J&J vaccinations -- while the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines don't come with that risk and also appear more effective, according to CDC advisers.

The U.S. government has confirmed 54 clot cases -- 37 in women and 17 in men -- and nine deaths that included two men, The Associated Press reported. Two additional deaths are suspected.

Both the mRNA and the Janssen COVID-19 vaccines continue to be safer than being unvaccinated and risking COVID-19 illness and associated severe outcomes; however, mRNA vaccines have a better safety profile and should be chosen over the Janssen vaccine, North Dakota Immunization Director Molly Howell said.

There have been about 37,000 Janssen COVID-19 doses administered in North Dakota, accounting for less than 4% of the total doses in the state. There have been no clot cases reported in North Dakota.

More information

North Dakota continues to have one of the worst COVID-19 vaccination rates in the country, according to the CDC. Agency data on Friday showed 63.2% of North Dakota adults being fully vaccinated.

Federal data differ from that on the state's vaccine dashboard, which is based on reports to the North Dakota Immunization Information System. Providers who don't get the COVID-19 vaccine through the state Health Department -- such as Indian Health Services, Veterans Affairs and Defense Department facilities -- don't necessarily report the doses they administer to the state system.

The state dashboard on Friday showed 58.4% of eligible North Dakota adults, 35.9% of adolescents in the 12-18 age group and 7.3% of children ages 5-11 are considered fully vaccinated. People can go to https://www.ndvax.org or call 866-207-2880 to see where COVID-19 vaccine is available near them.

The CDC recommends COVID-19 booster shots for all adults. More than 18% of North Dakotans have received a third dose of vaccine, but the state dashboard does not distinguish between how many received a third dose because they are immunocompromised and how many received a general booster dose.

The coronavirus transmission risk is considered substantial or high in all of North Dakota's 53 counties except Kidder, Slope and Steele, according to the CDC's COVID-19 data tracker website. The CDC recommends people in those risk categories wear masks in public indoor settings.

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.

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The latest North Dakota coronavirus news: tribal college, hog aid and more.

College distance learning

Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College in New Town has received approval from the Higher Learning Commission to offer courses via distance education amid the pandemic, in addition to the colleges in-person instruction.

Distance learning will enable students to access lectures and learning materials and to submit assignments online without needing to attend class at a set time.

Three courses are scheduled for spring 2022: The History of Three Affiliated Tribes, Ethnobotany and Elementary Statics.

The fall 2022 semester is slated to add core requirement classes, such as science, English and math, to the distance learning lineup.

There is no longer a traditional student, so we are continually working to meet the needs of todays learners, college Vice President Robert BJ Rainbow said. These expanded offerings also allow us to reach beyond the borders of our reservation to offer opportunities to Native and non-Native students.

Hog help

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a new program to assist hog producers.

The aid is for farmers who sold hogs through a negotiated sale during the period in which producers faced the greatest reduction in market prices due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program is part of USDAs Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative and addresses gaps in previous assistance for hog producers.

USDAs Farm Service Agency will accept applications through next Feb. 25.

Previous pandemic assistance used flat rates across the hog industry, and this didnt take into account the various levels of harm felt by different producers, FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux said. We worked closely with industry partners and USDAs Agricultural Marketing Service to target assistance to hog producers who were hit the hardest during the pandemic.

USDA has set aside up to $50 million through the CARES Act for the program. For more information, go to https://www.farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance/smhpp.

Testing and vaccines

A comprehensive list of free COVID-19 testing offered by local public health units in North Dakota can be found at health.nd.gov/covidtesting.

In Bismarck, PCR and rapid antigen tests are administered daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the strip mall at 2805 Morrison Ave., Suite A. PCR tests also are administered Monday through Thursday from 10-11 a.m. at Northland Health Centers, 914 S. 12th St., Suite 101.

People who have registered for COVID-19 testing through TestReg.nd.gov can access results for tests through a state service called the Citizen Portal. Instructions can be found at https://bit.ly/3jqiudf.

People can go to https://www.ndvax.org or call 866-207-2880 to see where COVID-19 vaccine is available near them.

Both Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health and Custer Health in Mandan are offering vaccine to the general public.

To register with Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health, go to https://bit.ly/3djc1wt. For assistance, call 701-355-1540.

Morton County residents can go to https://www.custerhealth.com/covid-19-vaccine or call 701-328-0707 to register. Custer Health has a vaccination clinic at 1100 32nd Ave. SE in Units D and E, off Memorial Highway.

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A new report from the U.S. Geological Survey suggests the Bakken and Three Forks rock formations contain another 4.3 billion barrels of untapped recoverable oil, a 40% drop from the agency's last estimate in 2013.

The decline is in part due to 11,000 wells that have been drilled into the formations in the last eight years, collectively producing billions of barrels of oil predicted in the earlier estimate.

"We weren't all that surprised that the number went down," State Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms said Friday during his monthly press briefing on North Dakota's latest oil and gas data. "I think we were surprised how much the number went down."

The wells drilled into the rock formations have produced 4 billion barrels of oil to date. Helms said he anticipates the future output of those wells will consist of another 4 billion barrels. The USGS estimate released this week covers oil production anticipated from future drilling. Combined, those figures add up to 12.3 billion, which Helms characterized as "on the lower side" of his expectations for the formations.

A significant amount of drilling has occurred in the core area of the Bakken oil patch around Watford City. Helms said about 80% of what's considered the best mineral acreage in the Bakken oil patch has already been drilled, and companies are looking to innovate in parts of the region farther from the center.

A typical oil well in North Dakota extends for 2 miles horizontally underground, but some companies plan to drill longer 3- or 4-mile wells in outlying areas to produce an amount of oil equal to wells in the heart of the oil patch, Helms said.

The USGS also revised down its expectations for natural gas production in the region. The 2013 estimate anticipated 6.7 trillion cubic feet of additional recoverable gas in the Bakken and Three Forks. The latest estimate puts the figure at 4.9 trillion cubic feet.

Helms said the Oil and Gas Division plans to take a deeper look at the USGS analysis in the future.

The state's latest data released Friday shows that North Dakota's oil production in October again held steady at 1.1 million barrels per day, where it has hovered for all of 2021. Daily natural gas production fell 1% from September to 2.998 billion cubic feet.

The oil and gas industry is capturing 94% of all gas produced, meeting the state's target in place to reduce the amount of gas wastefully flared, often due to a lack of infrastructure. There are several parts of the Bakken where flaring is significant, however, and Helms said he plans to work with companies that have wells in those areas to try to mitigate the issue.

Reach Amy R. Sisk at 701-250-8252 or amy.sisk@bismarcktribune.com.

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The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and a federal agency are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reject an appeal of the five-year-old lawsuit over the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The project developer in the appeal seeks to have the high court reinstate a federal permit for the lines Missouri River crossing.

The justices are expected to decide early next year whether to take up the case. The appeal follows a January ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit affirming part of a lower court order that revoked the permit and required a new environmental review of the pipeline.

Though the dispute over the pipeline garnered national attention, the D.C. Circuits decision plowed no new ground, lawyers for Standing Rock and other Sioux tribes fighting the pipeline wrote in a brief filed Thursday.

The tribes argued that the justices should decline the pipeline developers petition to hear the case because appeals courts are not split on the issues surrounding the dispute. Disagreement among lower courts can prompt the Supreme Court to weigh in on an issue.

The tribes say the D.C. Circuit judges applied a conventional review of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' permitting decisions and found no abuse of discretion in the lower courts order revoking the permit.

The Corps permitted the pipelines river crossing, which is just upstream from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and where tribal members fear a leak could occur and harm their water supply. The pipeline is controlled by Texas-based Energy Transfer, which has long maintained that the line is safe.

Past court decisions have found shortcomings in the Corps' original environmental analysis of the pipeline. The agency began a lengthier review last year and has pushed back the anticipated completion date several times. Attorneys for the Corps said in a court document filed Friday that the study should wrap up in November 2022, two months later than its previous estimate.

The tribes in their brief said that once the review is complete, "The Corps will make a new permitting decision on a new record. In short, the (pipeline companys) petition presents no question that merits review by this Court.

The Corps on Friday joined Standing Rock in opposing Dakota Access's appeal. The agency said a question at the heart of the dispute -- whether federal law obligates the agency to prepare a more thorough environmental review -- "will lack any substantial importance after the Corps in fact prepares one."

Dakota Access has transported a significant portion of North Dakotas oil production since 2017. The pipeline operator filed the appeal with the Supreme Court in September, arguing that lower courts indeed disagree on issues raised in the lawsuit.

If the Supreme Court allows the D.C. Circuit's ruling on the case to stand, it "would establish a novel precedent of breathtaking scope that could delay or thwart any number of other national infrastructure projects," lawyers for Dakota Access wrote at the time.

The devastating economic and environmental consequences of a potential shutdown of DAPL -- including billions in tax revenues and tens of thousands of jobs for North Dakota and neighboring states -- also warrant this Courts intervention, Dakota Access said.

The pipeline extends from the Bakken oil fields of western North Dakota to Illinois. Energy Transfer recently expanded the pipelines capacity by building additional pump stations along the pipeline route. The pipeline is expected to one day transport as much as 1.1 million barrels of oil per day, equal to North Dakotas current daily oil output.

The case before the Supreme Court began when Standing Rock sued in 2016. The tribe has long sought to shut down the pipeline.

Reach Amy R. Sisk at 701-250-8252 or amy.sisk@bismarcktribune.com.

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"While this is a bittersweet day for me, I'm proud of the many goals I have accomplished, and I've worked hard to help improve the quality of life in North Dakota. That's always been an important thing. And I have fought, I think, tirelessly for conservative values. It isn't always that you say no to spending. It's spending wisely."

-- Sen. Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson, longtime state Senate majority leader, announcing he won't seek reelection next year, ending a three-decade tenure in the Legislature.

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"Words alone cannot express what a privilege it has been to serve our state and the wonderful people of District 47 from 1993 to the present. Id also like to recognize the fine work that Rep. Larry Klemin and Sen. Mike Dwyer have done for the citizens of District 47."

-- Rep. George Keiser, R-Bismarck, announcing he won't seek another term. He was first elected in 1992.

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"Even if we have a kind of normal snow season this year, it'll probably feel relatively harsh compared to last year."

-- Corey King, National Weather Service emergency response specialist in Bismarck, commenting on last winter's lack of snow.

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Ensuring the lessons we can learn from Theodore Roosevelt are accessible to everyone inspires future generations to get into the arena and solve the challenges we face today as a collective, global community.

-- Rob and Melani Walton, of the Walmart fortune, in donating $10 million to Dickinson State University's Theodore Roosevelt Center, which since 2009 has digitized more than 70,000 Roosevelt items and made them available online.

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"It's been a passion of mine, honoring those veterans."

-- Sheri Haugen-Hoffart, who spearheaded the annual Wreaths Across America holiday tradition at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery. The effort places wreaths on all headstones.

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"We've got to do some scouting and some footwork to find out if we can get a friendly relationship with a farmer or rancher out there over the river to continue on with the project."

-- Billings County Commission Chairman Mike Kasian, on continued efforts to find land for a bridge over the Little Missouri River in the western North Dakota Badlands.

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"I think what we're seeing ... is that this hasn't been a problem in North Dakota, and law enforcement and state's attorneys are not seizing property from anybody who doesn't deserve to have it seized from them, because these are the byproducts of illegal activity."

-- Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, discussing civil asset forfeiture, a legal process that targets property involved in crimes. Criminal justice officials say existing data don't indicate "policing for profit."

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Mandan is a such a vibrant community and has a wealth of potential. Mandans experiences resonate with our businesses, citizens and visitors. Unique experiences will create memories that span generations and connect individuals and families with the community."

-- Matt Schanandore, the new executive director of the Mandan Progress Organization.

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Those federal hydrogen rules and financial incentives are far from settled at this juncture, which is the primary reason we question whether it is premature for any entity to receive state financial support for this type of venture right now.

-- John Phillips, president of the Coal Conversion Counties Association, which opposes state aid to help convert the Great Plains Synfuels Plant near Beulah for hydrogen production.

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For Basin Electric it is a way better option. We hold all those jobs. They stay in North Dakota.

-- Paul Sukut, recently retired CEO of Basin Electric Cooperative, which is working to sell the synfuels plant to Bakken Energy for the hydrogen hub.

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The 40-year-old company, founded by entrepreneur and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai, is in its death throes, another victim of the draconian National Security Law. []

A Hong Kong high court has ordered the winding-up of Jimmy Lais prominent media company, Next Digital, following a local government petition.

The order came from high court master Jack Wong Kin-tong on Dec. 15. No representatives from Next Digital were present at the hearing and the company submitted no objections, according to South China Morning Post.

In the brief court hearing, senior government counsel Aaron Lam Cheuk-lun said the registrars certificate, which ensures the court that all rules and procedural steps have been complied with, was obtained earlier in the week and that the necessary paperwork was in order, permitting the winding-up order to be granted.

Kenny Tam King-ching and Man King-shing of Kenny Tam & Co., an accounting firm in Hong Kong, are staying on as provisional liquidators.

Lai had previously attempted to dissolve Next Digital, sending in an application to the high court on Sept. 17 requesting limited voting rights pertaining to decisions involving his companies, but the request was denied. The high court ruled that the citys Security Bureau still possessed the power to restrict Lais voting rights.

The ever-restrictive and wide-sweeping Beijing-style National Security Law (NSL), imposed June 2020, banned Lai from handling his HK$1.88 billion in shares and funds.

Lai founded both Next Digital and its subsidiary, Apple Daily, a pro-democracy newspaper most widely known for its staunch criticism of communist China. Apple Daily succumbed to the repressive nature of the citys NSL after Hong Kong police raided its headquarters and seized the companys assets and records, forcing it to cease publication on June 24.

With the companys prominence and influence in Hong Kong (Apple Daily sold one million copies of its final edition), Next Digital was a prime target of the citys draconian NSL.

Seventy-three-year-old Lai is approaching an entire year in prison on charges that include conspiring with other nations, subversion, and his most recent conviction, handed to him on Dec. 13participation in an unauthorized assembly and inciting others to join.

The unauthorized assembly would be the vigil marking the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, when Chinese police opened fire at unarmed student pro-democracy protesters. Lai and seven other influential activists were convicted and sentenced in Hong Kongs effort to condemn dissent, make an example out of rule breakers, and intimidate its citizens, stifling citizens freedoms of speech and assembly.

Next Digital maintains its operating branch, located in Taiwan, but reports say the branch is on course to run out of money by the end of December.

The Taiwanese branch will continue to closely monitor the winding down of Next Digital, and Lam will decide the pace at which the assets dissolve.

Taiwans Mainland Affairs council said on Dec. 15 that the [Taiwanese] government is closely following the development of the Next Digital liquidation case and to prevent the leak of any personal data and privacy of our people, relevant authorities would take necessary legal actions to stop related agencies from trying to put their thumbs on the scales of justice as well as freedom and human rights in Taiwan.

The forced liquidation of Next Digital sounds alarms for all other media groups and publications in Hong Kong. The citys government, which is assuming communist Chinas tactics, will stop at nothing to censor any action or word that qualifies as dissent, out of fear of losing its authoritarian grip on its citizens.

Freedoms of speech, association, and religion are essential to the life of free and flourishing citizens and necessary for any society to prosper. Courageous individuals like Lai and his former coworkers are living testaments to the indominable human spirit, as explored and celebrated in the Acton Institutes upcoming documentary on Lai, The Hong Konger, set to debut in early 2022. The documentary demonstrates that, for Lai and other courageous social activists, democracy, fundamental civil rights, and respect for humanity are ideals worth sacrificing your life for.
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King Arthur and the Riddle: The Wedding of Sir Gawain and the Lady Ragnell ~ Legend Stories for Kids

This is the Tale of King Arthur, Sir Gawain and the Lady Ragnell, also known as the Loathsome Lady. It is one of the many tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. It is adapted and brought to you by Stories to Grow by.

One day King Arthur was hunting in Inglewood Forest with his men. All of a sudden, in the distance a deer stepped into view. "Hold still, everyone," said the king, "I'll stalk this deer myself." Holding his bow in one hand and his last arrow over his shoulder, the king crept upon the deer. Then he slayed the deer with one shot. As the animal fell, a tall figure stepped from the shadows.

"How lucky for me that we meet this way, with your arrow released from your hand," boomed the voice of a strong and mighty knight. "King Arthur, for many a year, you have done me wrong. Now it is time for me to quiet you."

"Sir Gromer!" said King Arthur, and he thought to himself, "I meet my old enemy here in the woods, with no weapon to defend me. Where are my men?" Thinking quickly, the king said, "To slay me here, armed as you are and I clothed but in my greens, would bring you no honor. All the knights will refuse to sit by you, and shame will follow you evermore. I'll grant you anything - name it - land or gold, to spare my life."

"There is no land or gold that I desire," said Sir Gromer. "However I will get what I seek in an honorable way. I'll give you a chance to solve a riddle. One year and a day from now, you must appear before me, here in the woods as you are, without friends to come with you and with no weapon. If at that time you are unable to solve this riddle, no man will object that I will take your life. But if you answer the riddle correctly, there will be no battle. You must swear on your honor that you will return in one year and a day, as I have said."

"Lo, I agree," said the King. "What is the riddle?"

"You must tell me what it is that women desire most, above all else."

"I assure you," said King Arthur, "as I am the true king, that I will come again in one year and a day and bring you the answer that you seek."

And so Sir Gromer left. The King blew his bugle and his hunting companions found him with the slain deer at his feet. Yet instead than finding their ruler in good spirits as they would expect, his companions saw heaviness in their king's face. They realized some trouble must have come about. But when they asked him what could be the matter, he did not say.

Only to his nephew, the gentle knight, Sir Gawain, did King Arthur share what had really taken place.

"Sir, be of good cheer," said the youthful knight, after he heard full through the curious demand of Sir Gromer. "Let's ready your horse. Together we will ride through country after country. Wherever we go, we will ask every man and woman for the correct answer. We are bound to find it before long."

So the king and his nephew Sir Gawain rode away. Everywhere, they inquired what it is that women desire above all else. All the people who answered were certain their answer was correct, yet each answer was different. Some said women loved best to be well adorned. Others said they wanted a life free of scorn. Some said women want a husband who is handsome and strong - others that they want a man who will not prove them wrong. And so King Arthur and Sir Gawain collected many an answer, yet none that seemed right. They returned home to sort it all out, since only a month remained.

King Arthur decided to return to Ingleswood Forest, and perhaps he could make sense of it there. While riding his royal horse along a forest trail, as foul a lady as King Arthur ever saw rode up to him. She was covered with gold and many a precious stone, but that could not cover her red face, runny nose, mouth that was entirely too wide, teeth that were yellow and hanging. Her eyes were bleary, her neck too long, and she was shaped like a barrel.

"Good day, King Arthur," said she. "Think of me what you will, but your life is in my hands."

"What do you mean?" said the King.

"Of all the answers you have been told," said the loathsome lady, "none of them will help you. Only I know the correct answer. Grant me but one thing, Sir King, and I shall tell it to you. But if not, you will face Sir Gromer and no doubt, you shall lose your head."

"You know Sir Gromer?" said King Arthur.

"He is known," said the vile lady. "And he has bragged to many that he has you all but conquered. What Sir Gromer does not know, however, is that I, and only I, have the answer that you seek."

"Tell me the one thing you seek from me," said the King. "If I can grant it, I will."

"Very well," said she. "There is a certain knight I wish to wed. His name is Sir Gawain. Either I marry the knight Sir Gawain, or you must lose your head."

"Alas!" the king thought to himself, "woe is me, that I should cause Gawain, my own dear nephew, to thus be wed!" He said aloud, "Then we must part, lady. But do tell me, before I go, what is your name?"

"Sir King, I am the Lady Ragnell."

And so they parted. The King returned to his castle where he found his nephew, Sir Gawain. The King told him everything except the demand of the loathsome lady to marry Sir Gawain. King Arthur said instead that the Lady Ragnell would share the secret for the promise of a husband.

"Is that all?" said Sir Gawain. "Then I will marry her and marry her again. For you are my king and my liege. To save your life, my lord, I will do whatever I can or I would be false and a great coward."

With the promise of his nephew, and since the next day was the very day the King was to meet Sir Gromer in the woods, the King rode with haste to Ingelwood Forest, to the spot where he had met the Lady Ragnell before. But what if she wasn't there, he worried? Then the loathsome lady rode up to him. The King told her that her request would be granted and she could marry the Knight Sir Gawain. "Therefore tell me now, quickly my lady, the answer to the riddle."

"Sir," said Lady Ragnell, "now you will know what it is that women desire above all else. Some men say we desire to be beautiful, or that we desire attentions from many men, or that we desire to be married well. Thus, these men do not know the truth. What we desire above all else is to have sovereignty, to rule our lives as we see fit, to not be beholden to another. Go forth, Sir King, for now your life is assured."

The king rode as fast as he could to the spot where he had met Sir Gromer. He started by giving one of the answers he had been given earlier. Then another, and another, and yet another. To each one, Sir Gromer shook his head with glee.

"Nay, nay," said Sir Gromer, "you are as good as a dead man. Prepare to bleed."

"Abide, Sir Gromer," King Arthur said. "I have one answer left."

"Very well then," said Sir Gromer, "or else so help me, your death will be upon you."

"Now here it is," said the king. "Above all else, women desire sovereignty, to rule their lives as they see fit."

"And who was it that told you this?" roared Sir Gromer. "No doubt it was my sister, the Lady Ragnell! May she burn on a fire! Yet now I am compelled to release you - So go!"

"Farewell," said King Arthur, and he quickly turned around his horse. Then he sped to the Lady Ragnell. He must bring her back to his castle for the wedding. Yet so unpleasant was the prospect of holding a public wedding with such a bride that he told her the ceremony would take place in the morning, knowing that meant there would be few guests or even none to attend, and his nephew Sir Gawain would not have to suffer the public embarassment of wedding such a loathsome lady. But this the Lady Ragnell would not allow.

"Nay, Sir King!" said she, firmly. "Openly I must be wed, with a full wedding feast for dinner, and guests aplenty in attendance."

After the marriage ceremony, when all were gathered for the wedding feast, the Lady Ragnell carefully watched her groom. Was he disgusted by her? Would he turn his back and ignore her? Strangely, this he did not do. The knight behaved as if he cherished his hideous bride.

Later that night in their wedding chambers, the Lady Ragnell said, "Sir Gawain, now that we have wed, give me a kiss. If I were young and beautiful looking, you know very well you would not delay. I urge you to do this right now."

Sir Gawain said, "I will at once, that and more!" As he sped around to kiss his bride, he saw before him not the loathesome lady he had married, but the fairest creature he ever did see.

"Aye!" he cried out. "What magic is this? Are you a witch?!"

"I am your wife," said she, "that and securely."

"Ah lady, then I must not be in my right mind," said the confused Sir Gawain. "Pardon me for saying so, earlier today you were the foulest sight a man ever did see. And now, it seems none is more fortunate than I to have you as my bride!" And he rushed into her arms, giving her many kisses.

"Sir," said she, pulling away for a moment, "There is more you must know. Several years ago I was deformed by enchantment by my brother, the terrible Sir Gromer. The way you see me now, this appearance cannot stay. You have a choice. You need to choose whether you will have me in my natural form as you see me know, by night and hideous, as you have seen me before, by day, or have me in my natural form by day and hideous at night. With the enchantment, it cannot be both. What do you choose?"

"Alas!" said Gawain, "the choice is hard. To be with you as you are now at night but not any more, that would grieve my heart right sore. But if by day you were as you seem now, then the nights would be hard, and how. So I must put the choice in your own hands. Whatever you choose, as your husband that choice will be mine as well."

"Mercy, courteous knight! Of all earthly knights I am truly lucky you are the one who ended up as my husband, for now the evil enchantment is released completely! I can stay in my natural form both day and night. For the only thing that could release me from Gromer's spell was if a husband granted me, of his own free will, sovereignty to choose what I wish for myself. And now, Sir Knight, courteous Gawain, you have done just that. You have granted me sovereignty, that which every woman wants above all else. Kiss me, Sir Knight!"

"Aye," said Sir Gawain, "that I am glad to do!"

And so the Lady Ragnell could stay in her natural form both day and night, and she and Sir Gawain, the nephew of King Arthur, lived happily ever after.
The Dutch authority for nuclear safety and radiation protection (ANVS) reports that jewelry touted as having protective powers against 5G is often made from material that emits ionizing radiation. The NNVS is warning people not to wear the items.

The products identified included an "Energy Armor" sleeping mask, bracelet and necklace. A bracelet for children, branded Magnetix Wellness, was also found to be emitting radiation. "Don't wear it any more, put it away safely and wait for the return instructions," the ANVS said in a statement. "The sellers in the Netherlands known to the ANVS have been told that the sale is prohibited and must be stopped immediately, and that they must inform their customers about this."

In the United States, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) reports that "some pendants using negative ion technology contain trace amounts of naturally occurring radioactive materials. While the pendants do not pose an immediate health and safety concern, continuous wear over long periods of time may result in a slightly elevated skin exposure to radiation."

This image from an Amazon seller of a "Scalar Bio Energy Quantum Pendant Magnetic Health Power C Volcanic Stone Energy Necklace" seems like it would scare off would-be customers:

Of course, Qnuts who think they need to be protected against 5G radio waves will think these warnings are part of the conspiracy to trick them into submitting to the reptilian overlords' 5G mind control program. Wake up sheeple!
The moderator of Wednesday night's debate between the five GOP candidates for Governor of Minnesota asked a clear and straightforward question: "In your opinion, did President Biden win a constitutional majority of the Electoral College? If yes, how definitive is your conclusion, and if no, could you please explain which states you think are in dispute?"

Not a single candidate said "yes."

Answers:

"I can't know what I don't know." "I grew up in a suburb of Chicago. And I can't tell you last time Chicago has had a perfectly free and fair election." "I do believe there was voter fraud at a massive scale across this country." "He was certified by Congress as having won the Electoral College." "What I would say is I don't think the election was fair. But I do think we have the results that we have."

CNN invited 2016 GOP Presidential candidate John Kasich to weigh in, and he said:
Still looking for gifts for art book-loving friends or family? Just in time for holiday gift giving (or wish-listing) here a few reviews the best art books I discovered this year.

"From The Land of The Totem Poles" by Aldona Jonaitis [Amazon] is a wonderful read that is more like two books in one. One part is the story of the American Museum of Natural History as it collects artifacts from the Northwest Coastal tribes in the 19th century. Lots of tales of conquest, competition, back stabbing, and tribal rivalriesand that's just between the various personalities from the museums! It took a German immigrant to become the American Museum's trusted ambassador.

The other part is the story of the Native Americans and a visual treasure trove of luscious color photos of carved masks, rattles, copper panel, and more from the Northwest Coast tribes. I was fascinated to see the early examples of formline design and the ingenious transforming masks. Also fascinating are the details about the clever stagecraft used by NW tribal shaman, like how they used kelp tubes secretly buried in the ground as sound pipes: voices magically came from the burning fire!

268 pages crammed with handsome and historical photos and maps.

Here's another great holiday gift book idea, to give or to get: "Mark Ryden The Art of Whipped Cream" from American Ballet Theater [Amazon]. This large format art book (232 14" x 10" pages!) is the best souvenir from the coolest ballet you never saw.

German composer Richard Strauss's 1924 production features the story of a boy who overeats at a Viennese bakery and has fevered dreams of crazy characters, like whirling Princess Tea Flower, leaping Prince Cocoa, and dancing whipped cream sprites. Nuttier than the Nutcracker! The text explains the political allegories to the politics of pre-WWII Germany, but the dreamlike visuals are astounding and speak for themselves.

And who better to create the over-the-top, candy-coated world of dreamy Viennese treats than fantasy artist Mark Ryden? I really enjoyed seeing the entire design process from Ryden's earliest sketches of sets and characters, to color palates and fabrics, and finally his full color paintings of the spectacle. There are plenty of behind-the-scenes photos showing the luscious sets, unusual costumes, and Ryden-y props. The book's huge 28 inch wide double-page photo spreads dramatically capture the panorama of the wild stage production, giving you a front row seat!

This holiday book suggestion is only for a special kind of person on your gift list. "Robert Williams: The Father of Exponential Imagination" [Amazon] is the catalog from an amazing retrospective show of "low brow" artist Robert Williams. As Ed "Big Daddy" Roth (who was Williams' boss) might say, if I have to explain it, you wouldn't understand. If you like Hieronymus Bosch, hot rods, Salvador Dali, tattoo art, Mad magazine, 1950's girlie pulps, and Juxtapoz magazine (which he founded), then Williams is your guy.

I fondly remember Williams' wild weirdo ads for Roth's Rat Fink T-shirts in 60's car mags. My mind was blown when I saw the traveling version of this Williams retrospective at the Bellevue Art Museum in 2020. Your mind will be blown by this hard-to-handle bookit's HUGE! 450 12" x 14" pages and weighing in at 11 pounds!! Some people might also find Williams' lurid imagery and very NSFW subjects hard to handle, but for the true low-brow fan this is an unblinking look at the eye-popping drawings, paintings, and sculpturesand imaginationof Robert Williams. (I loved Williams' synopses for his paintings where he explains his thinking and inspirations in great detail: always whip-smart, funny, self-deprecating, yet unapologetically frank.)
"I think without these placemaking and livability investments, we wouldn't be nearly as competitive in opportunities like these," Pokriki said.

Buffalo showcased a prominent example: the revitalized Seneca One tower, anchored by M&T Bank's $58 million tech hub. Wisler pictures a tech corridor stretching from Canalside to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, creating an appealing setting for new recruits.

"The real model now is creating a space, place and culture where the best and brightest want to be and where we can actually grow them ourselves," he said. "I think thats exactly whats happening here."

Natascha Thomas, who has been with Rural Sourcing since 2015, is moving here from Mobile, Ala., to be the Buffalo development center director. The Los Angeles native said she was eager to embrace what Buffalo has to offer, like its bike paths, food trucks and free festivals.

"It's not a huge city," she said. "It's big enough so that you have all these cool things to do, but it's small enough so that you can get to know people and you can see the impact you make."
Proponents say addressing the waterway as part of the expressway's redesign can set the stage for addressing other parts of the creek.

That includes the East Side, which, though hard to picture now, was a waterfront community a century ago, before the polluted creek that was prone to flooding was buried in a giant 30-foot pipe.

There have been successes, most notably in Forest Lawn. Waterkeeper recently completed a successful $8 million project to bring back the creek's floodplain and re-create a wetland.

Waterkeeper also hopes to eventually restore the creek's natural water course at Hoyt Lake.

Widening and restoring the creek where the expressway now stretches, along with sewer and other ecological improvements, would be the catalyst for addressing the whole creek, Jedlicka said.

"If we have a clear vision of 5, 10 or even all 13 miles of this creek, we can design our communities and our transportation system around what Mother Nature intended, in a way that they can coexist," Jedlicka said.

That would mean putting an end to the sewer overflows, the stagnant water, floating trash and legacy contamination.
Hochul also said the at-home test kits are widely available on store shelves. In the Albany area today at two major pharmacies, the kits were sold out as more people try to purchase them in advance of Christmas gatherings.

In New York City, one official posted video of long lines of people waiting for Covid-19 tests  a worrisome throwback to the early 2021 days of the pandemic.

State officials have been urging people to get regularly tested now for Covid-19. But, unlike last year, the tests can be expensive, both for the gold standard PCR tests and the rapid, at-home kits, which can be more than $12 apiece and aren't as accurate as the PCR tests.

As Erie County numbers fall, NY enters post-Thanksgiving Covid-19 surge Erie County's Covid-19 numbers fell by more than 1,000 new cases week over week, down from a high of 5,537 cases the week after Thanksgiving.

In the Buffalo area, there are free PCR testing facilities, such as those at pharmacies. Some, however, say it can now be five days before results are known  a timetable largely unworkable for families looking to gather for the upcoming Christmas and New Year's holidays.

Some insurance companies will cover Covid-19 tests, but not for travel-related reasons or without a doctor's prescription.
"I don't know what they're going to do," Brown said. "They are aware of the public requests to salvage the structure."

Brown said ADM has "the resources and means to consider preservation if they want to."

Higgins said he is "disappointed" by the city's demolition decision.

"I think it rewards ADM's negligence and their indifference toward our community," Higgins said.

"My Washington and Buffalo folks will try to come up with something that has the goal of buying a period of time in which we can make a rational decision," he said.

The reaction from preservationists was swift.

"It's an outrage and unnecessary," said Tim Tielman, executive director of the Campaign for Greater Buffalo. "Architects and engineers have told us there is no need for an emergency demolition."

Tielman said he has notified the city that the Campaign for Greater Buffalo will seek a temporary restraining order to halt the demolition.
Flaherty, the prosecutor, on Friday asked the judge to keep him held without bail.

Wentz asked the judge to consider releasing the teen into the supervision of his father. The judge said she was "not comfortable" with those terms.

Wentz also argued that court papers failed to establish the boy legally possessed the gun. In response, Flaherty said police have witness statements that implicate the boy as having possession of the gun, even though it was found in another student's bag.

Brinkworth reserved her decision on whether the paperwork was legally sufficient.

Wentz also served the court with notice that her client wishes to testify at a grand jury proceeding in the case.

One of the types of bail set by the judge would allow him to be bailed out by paying 10% of the $25,000 bail amount in a partially secured surety bond, or $2,500.

News staff reporter Maki Becker contributed to this report.

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Starbucks denied using intimidation tactics against its employees. "These claims are entirely untrue," the company said.

The outcome of the vote at a third Starbucks store, on Genesee Street in Cheektowaga, is unresolved. Workers there voted 15-9 in favor of the union. But there were seven challenged ballots, none of which has been opened and counted.

The union challenged six ballots, claiming they were cast by workers who weren't regular employees of that location. Starbucks challenged one ballot, claiming it was cast by someone who was no longer employed at the store. The number of challenged ballots could sway the outcome.

Starbucks Workers United also filed an objection related to the Cheektowaga store's election.

"We have every reason to think the challenged ballots at that store will be decided by the NLRB within the next couple weeks, that the ballots will not be opened, and that the union will therefore win at that store as well," said Ian Hayes, a lawyer for the union.

The NLRB's acting regional director in Buffalo will review the objections. If the director determines the evidence could be grounds for setting aside the election results if introduced at a hearing, she will order a hearing.
A Capitol rioter who attacked police officers working to keep back the angry mob on Jan. 6 was sentenced Friday to more than five years behind bars, the most so far for anyone sentenced in the insurrection.

Robert Palmer, 54, of Largo, Florida, wept as he told U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan that he recently watched a video of his actions that day and could not believe what he was seeing.

Your honor. Im really really ashamed of what I did, he said weeping.

Palmer was one of a few rioters sentenced on Friday in District of Columbia court for their actions on Jan. 6 when the angry mob descended after a rally by then-President Donald Trump to disrupt the certification of Joe Bidens victory.

Scores of police were beaten and blooded, five people died and there was about $1.5 million in damage done to the U.S. Capitol. Palmer is the 65th defendant to be sentenced overall. More than 700 people have been charged.
I was in Port Elizabeth (South Africa), and we were covering the vaccine train that was going all over the country trying to get people vaccinated. And it was in Port Elizabeth at this point. From a visual perspective, I needed somebody who was coming to get vaccinated instead of getting people who were already there.

So we met a lady who had come to ask about what this train was all about. She had seen it on her way to work and stopped and asked what was going on. And they told her, "We're here to vaccinate people, we'll be here for the next x number of days." And she was very keen to get vaccinated and she said, "Can I come?" and they said, "Okay."

So I spoke to her and we arranged that she would come the following day on her way to work, and she would get vaccinated. We arranged that we would follow her from her home. Because from a visual perspective, following her and telling the story through one person instead of just showing lots of people getting jabbed, I thought that would be a good way to tell the story, and we agreed.
Add on the banks fees, of, well, let me guess at $30 for each notice of insufficient funds. Thats another $90. The total wed have to come up with for our mistake would cost us $180. And then wed have to come up with another $75 to cover the bills that now werent paid.

I couldnt waste another second. I packed sandwiches, snacks, drinks and toys for our 3-year-old son. Then I rolled up a day and nights worth of diapers and change of onesies for our 3-month-old daughter. I dressed the baby in her winter onesie, my son in his snow pants, coat and boots, flung on my coat and pulled on boots. Then I drove to the bank.

The teller didnt know what to do. I spotted the bank presidents office and marched right in. The teller raced in behind me, apologizing to the boss. With my daughter on my hip, and my son by my side, I handed the bank president my checking account register, check book, three bounced-check notices and the three notices of insufficient funds.

He stood there with his mouth hanging open.
(Bloomberg) -- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. has unveiled ambitious objectives for its Southeast Asian arm Lazada, accelerating an overseas expansion to offset Chinese economic and regulatory headwinds.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Chinese e-commerce leader is targeting a long-term goal of quintupling gross merchandise value, the sum of transactions across Lazadas platforms, to $100 billion, Alibaba outlined in a presentation to investors. It wants Lazada to serve more than 300 million users eventually, according to a slideshow posted on its website.

Lazada, which Alibaba took over in 2016, is the Chinese corporations main e-commerce business in the booming Southeast Asian market. Its importance has grown since Beijing launched a sprawling effort to curb the influence of internet giants, spurring the likes of Alibaba and Tencent Holdings Ltd. to ramp up their international businesses. The WeChat operator, which is grappling with a gaming clampdown at home, this month launched a global publishing arm to group A-list titles under one umbrella.

Singapore-based Lazada has grown its GMV to about $21 billion over the past 12 months, after enlarging its active consumer base by 1.8 times to 130 million from March 2020 through September. Thats a ways behind its chief rival in the region, Sea Ltd.s Shopee, which operates in Southeast Asia and Taiwan and reported more than $56 billion of transactions over the four quarters to the end of September. The Alibaba subsidiary is now the third-largest online retailer in emerging markets by GMV, behind Mercado Libre but ahead of South Koreas Coupang Inc. and Indias Flipkart, according to the presentation.

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Lazada, Shopee and fellow internet giants like Grab Holdings Ltd. and Goto are riding an upswell of Southeast Asian online commerce, which Alibaba says is growing about 27% annually on average. Tencent-backed Sea raised its forecast for annual e-commerce revenue last month for a second time this year, underscoring how the pandemic continues to drive online spending. Southeast Asias internet economy is set to double to $363 billion by 2025, research from Google, Temasek Holdings Pte and Bain & Co. shows.

Read more: Singapores Sea Raises Sales Outlook a Second Time This Year

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2021 Bloomberg L.P.
An artist born without the use of his left arm, who has competed in the Paralympics, is to have his artwork exhibited in Edinburgh.

Mohammad Barrangi, from Rasht, in Iran, makes prints inspired by Persian storytelling and calligraphy.

For some of his work he uses poppy roll, a heavy fabric scroll similar to the old versions of papyrus  a material used in ancient Egypt made from the pithy stem of a water plant for writing or painting on.

He also prints large-scale murals and works on raw canvas.

One of Mr Barrangis prints depicting a zebra on a yellow background (Mohammad Barrangi/PA)

With the disability in his left hand, Mr Barrangi works on the floor and uses his feet to steady his work while he is cutting or printing.

When not immersed in his artwork, the printmaker has excelled in sport, previously representing Iran as a sprinter in Paralympic 100m and 200m races.

Taking inspiration from his body, the artist and athlete said his work often shows images of people with lost arms, limbs or other disabilities.

Without the use of his left arm, Mr Barrangi uses his right hand and feet to steady his work when he is printing (Mohammad Barrangi/PA)

He also draws on images and ideas from a combination of Western and Eastern artwork for his prints, and from women he admires.

In my world, all heroes are women, he said.

I like to depict images of my mother, exiled Iranian queens or just friends who mean a lot to me.

I will often combine them with animals or mythical creatures, as my work often focuses on journeys and travelling and immigration.

Sometimes I combine elements from classical Western paintings with Eastern stories or imagery.

My Strange World (2020) is a print by Mr Barrangi (Mohammad Barrangi/PA)

In August 2017, Mr Barrangi, who now lives in Leeds, arrived in the UK seeking asylum from Iran.

Now, with a Master of Arts from the Royal Drawing School in London under his belt, he is the first artist involved in the Edinburgh Printmakers new pan-European art project called In From The Margins.

The programme, funded by the European Commissions Creative Europe, which supports the culture and audiovisual sectors, will offer residency opportunities to refugees and asylum-seeking artists and/or artists affected by migration.

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Mr Barrangis work will be showcased as part of the Anything Is Possible exhibition at the venue, which runs from January 22 to March 27 next year.

A portrait of Mohammad Barrangi, whose artwork will be exhibited at the Edinburgh Printmakers from January next year (Mohammad Barrangi/Edinburgh Printmakers/PA)

Throughout the residency programme, Edinburgh Printmakers will be welcoming refugee and migrant communities in the studios to engage with resident artists, to share their stories and create new work.

Mr Barrangi added: My work ultimately shapes me and my feelings and my view of the community around me so while every exhibition is different it comes from my own innermost feelings.

Every exhibition I like to try new methods and new work. Of course there is a risk, but for me it is a challenge.

Mr Barrangis work combines elements of Persian calligraphy, storytelling, text, and touches of humour (Mohammad Barrangi/PA)

Mr Barrangis work is also included in the Royal Family Collection, British Museum Collection and the San Diego Museum of Art Collection.
A murder charge has now been filed against a man accused of killing a woman and stuffing her corpse in a suitcase, which was left at a farm in rural Chippewa County.

Jose E. Dominguez-Garcia, 24, was charged Wednesday in Chippewa County Court with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree intentional homicide of an unborn child and hiding a corpse.

The body of Rosaly Cindy Chavarria Rodriguez, who was 25 at the time she went missing in July 2020, was discovered at a farmhouse in the town of Wheaton on Oct. 14, 2020. She lived in the Lake Delton area.

A DNA profile was used to positively identify the corpse.

Chippewa County Judge James Isaacson signed a warrant for Dominguez-Garcias arrest, and the county will extradite him if hes located. However, it is unclear if he is still in the United States.

Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell said he had been working with several law enforcement agencies and wanted to make sure they were looking for the right person. He acknowledged that law enforcement isnt sure where the suspect is located. Newell said he felt it was important to bring the charges forward at this time.

These charges are important to the family, Newell said. It allows the family the knowledge that charges are being pursued against the person who killed their daughter, and the process is under way.

The criminal complaint states that authorities were aware Rodriguez went missing and was last seen working at Sprechers restaurant in Lake Delton on July 2, 2020. Dominguez-Garcia, who was dating her, picked up her last paycheck on July 23, 2020.

Dominguez-Garcia also worked at the restaurant. An officer in the Reedsburg Police Department interviewed Dominguez-Garcia on July 23, 2020. He told the officer they had broken up on July 4, 2020, after he learned she was cheating on him. He was aware that Rosaly was pregnant, and she had told him the father was a different person. He last worked on July 22, 2020, the day before he spoke to officers.

Police located Dominguez-Garcias car  a red 2003 Volkswagen Jetta  on Aug. 26, 2020, in Wisconsin Dells. There was a red gelatin substance, and there were dead flies and maggots in the car.

The detective noted that based on his law enforcement training and experience with death investigations that what he was looking at were the fluids released through orifices indicating the beginning of a decaying body that had been in the trunk of the vehicle.

That car was observed on surveillance footage July 23 along 2655 Highway T, where Rodriguezs body was later discovered.

Medical records show that Rodriguez was seven weeks, five days pregnant at a doctors visit June 18, 2020, and had an estimated due date of Jan. 30, 2021.

Her body was found on a vacant farm between 20th and 30th avenues, along the Highway T corridor, south of 29 Pines. Officers learned of the body being at the farm during a drug investigation, when an informant told them about it.

Police arrived at the farmhouse and located it, stuffed inside a purple suitcase. The body was heavily decomposed. While no identification was with the body, police suspected it was Rodriguez.

The deceased body was was wearing black stretch pants and a black T-shirt that read Sprechers Restaurant and Pub, which is located in Wisconsin Dells. Her long hair fit the description sent out in her missing person profile.

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MEDFORD  Leaders at Aspirus Medford Hospital gathered this week to assess their situation: 19 patients, double the regular load. Twelve with COVID-19, 11 of them unvaccinated. Three on ventilators, with another likely needing ventilation soon.

The small facility in north-central Wisconsin normally would send ventilated patients to the larger Aspirus Wausau Hospital nearly 50 miles away, but its critical care beds were full. In Medford, four emergency room patients were waiting for hospital beds. To open more beds, the hospital needs more nurses. Theyre in short supply.

Were kind of burning on the inside, and nobodys aware, said Susan Moretz, a nurse who oversees outpatient services in Medford.

Hospitals around the state are overwhelmed by another surge of COVID-19 patients and an influx of people needing other care, and rural hospitals are especially stretched to the limit, administrators say. With flu season starting, holiday gatherings ripe for spreading illness and the emerging omicron variant of the coronavirus showing signs of unprecedented transmission, the situation could soon become even more dire.

Last week was the worst we have ever seen in the whole pandemic, said Lisa Schnedler, CEO of Upland Hills Health in Dodgeville. Were just holding our breath to see what happens next, particularly with Christmas, New Years and now this new variant.

In Medford, a city of 4,300 people where many jobs involve making windows, cheese or frozen pizza, hospital workers feel frustration from being in the county with the states lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate. Just 34.5% of residents in Taylor County had received at least one dose as of Friday, compared to 61.3% statewide and 79.9% in Dane County.

Amanda Keeling, a nurse who grew up in Medford and moved back after going to school in Oshkosh and working in Green Bay, said some friends and family dont believe her when she says the steady stream of COVID-19 patients is wearing her and other nurses out. Theres little interest in discussing how more vaccination could make the situation more manageable, she said.

Last year, we were heroes, Keeling said. This year, people dont want to hear us talk about it. ... I dont think people want to be told what to do.

Pushing the limit

On Wednesday morning, when a Wisconsin State Journal reporter and photographer visited the Medford hospital, Keeling joined nine other staff for a task that has become all too familiar: They gathered around the bed of a ventilated COVID-19 patient who had been put on her stomach the night before to help her lungs get more oxygen.

As a respiratory therapist held the breathing tube and a nurse managed the feeding and sedation lines, four others stood on each side of the bed and flipped the large patient on her back. Several hours later, workers would gather to put the patient on her stomach again, a process carried out each day for each patient on a ventilator.

Before September, Medford didnt keep ventilated patients. But as the delta variant surge of COVID-19 made it hard to transfer patients elsewhere, the 25-bed hospital took on a function it wasnt set up to handle.

Were pushing the highest end of our skill level right now, said David Warren, a respiratory therapist who cares for ventilated patients and others on high-flow oxygen. He has been working 50 hours a week or more.

Many of the COVID-19 patients in Medford are in their 30s, 40s or 50s, younger than during the surge a year ago, before vaccines became available and were widely adopted by older adults. Like elsewhere, the patients are treated with the steroid dexamethasone, the antiviral remdesivir or monoclonal antibodies, as appropriate, said Vickie Woelfel, one of the nurse practitioners who treats them.

For the ventilated patients, the Medford hospital uses UW Healths eICU, getting help online from UW experts in Madison on how to manage intensive care needs.

Its saddening and frustrating to see so many people here who might not have had to be here if they had been vaccinated, Woelfel said. I personally havent had a person yet who says they wish they had been vaccinated. Im waiting for that day.

In the eight-bed emergency room, which is seeing 900 patients a month, up from the normal flow of about 600, staff put patients in nearby clinic rooms when needed. When those rooms are full, they hang sheets in the hallway around a chair or a cot, for a makeshift space.

The constant challenge takes its toll, said Kari Rickert, an ER nurse who has a 5-year-old daughter. Youre just exhausted when you get home. ... Sometimes I dont have the energy she deserves.

Strain widespread

Hayward Area Memorial Hospital, about 110 miles northwest of Medford, is experiencing similar strain. Emergency room visits are up 47% this year, and inpatient volume last month was 59% higher than November 2020, said CEO Luke Beirl.

He is struggling to fill 60 job openings, many in direct patient care. We thought last year was challenging, Beirl said. Its nothing compared to this year.

At Sauk Prairie Healthcare in Prairie du Sac, about 25 miles northwest of Madison, CEO Shawn Lerch pointed to another way to measure the impact: in blood gas kits, used to measure oxygen levels in blood, a key indicator of how coronavirus patients are doing. The hospital typically uses 20 of the kits per month.

Right now, were using 20 per day, Lerch said. Our teams have gone to heroic measures to ensure that safety and quality is maintained, but its not sustainable. We are burning the candle at both ends, and then some.

Schnedler, the Dodgeville hospital CEO, said all six of its COVID-19 patients as of Thursday were unvaccinated. A week earlier, there were more COVID-19 patients, along with many others, including seven in the birthing center and seven in the ER waiting for beds.

We had zero beds available, she said. It was the perfect storm.

Skepticism persists

In Medford, with no sign of patient demand slowing, Jessica Faude is trying to figure out how the hospital might handle an even larger load.

The hospital has a few double rooms, but COVID-19 guidelines say patients shouldnt be paired when community transmission is high  which, in Wisconsin, is everywhere. For non-ventilated patients, one nurse typically cares for five people per shift. The hospitals surge plan calls for going to six or seven, but that can cause even more stress.

Faude, a nurse who oversees patient care services, has tried to hire contract nurses from agencies, but they are in high demand nationwide. To get somebody to want to come to rural Wisconsin, in winter, is hard, she said.

Like many employees at the hospital, Faude has lived in Taylor County her whole life. Like most, shes been working extra shifts and is exhausted. Like the others, she wishes her community would take the pandemic more seriously.

Since the pandemic began, 26 of the hospitals COVID-19 patients have died. As of Friday, 106 of the 137 COVID-19 patients at Aspirus 17 hospitals in Wisconsin and Michigans Upper Peninsula were not fully vaccinated, including at least 39 of the 43 in intensive care.

But Faude said many people in the area distrust health care workers. Some demand that their loved ones be treated with ivermectin, an anti-parasitic livestock pill that doctors say is not suitable for humans with COVID-19, she said. Skepticism of vaccination seems entrenched, she said.

They feel like its this big hoax that the government is trying to push on people, and so they dont trust where the vaccines coming from or the intentions behind it, Faude said.

CEO Dale Hustedt also sees denial in the community. They refuse to accept that COVID is here and that its real and that people are dying from it, he said.

But vaccinated or not, Hustedt said patients with COVID-19 or other conditions will continue to get care as long as the hospital can handle them.

You dont know when its going to end, but you know you have to stay with it and keep working hard, he said.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December)  From bagging the crown in top international pageants, to earning global recognition in music and movies, the country shone bright this year!

CNN Philippines takes you back to some of the most memorable moments showing Filipino class on the world stage and local limelight in 2021.

Filipinas reign in beauty pageants

Pinay beauty queen Cinderella Obenita won the title of Miss Intercontinental 2021 in Egypt last October, besting 70 other candidates. Maureen Montagne brought home another title, Miss Globe 2021, a week later in Albania.

Miss Interglobal first runner-up Miriam Damoah is also elevated to the list of queens after Thailands Nachita Jantana relinquished her title due to personal reasons.

Twenty-six-year-old Cebuana Beatrice Luigi Gomez made it to the Top 5 of the 70th Miss Universe competition in Israel. It is a welcome improvement from Rabiya Mateos Top 21 finish the previous year. Significantly, the country's reputation as a powerhouse is kept intact with its consecutive semifinal stints now extended to 12.

Gomez was not the only one who raised the flag during the Miss Universe coronation night. Kapuso actress Marian Rivera also glowed in her physical allure as a judge in the recently concluded competition won by Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu.

Meanwhile, pageant fans were baffled after Samantha Panlilio missed the Top 20 of Miss Grand International. Many expressed their disappointment in social media; while others blamed organizer Nawat Itsaragrisil, who had been vocal about his displeasure on the behavior of Filipino supporters online. Another Samantha, Samantha Bernardo, won in last year's tiff.

Tracy Maureen Perez was supposed to battle it out with 96 other candidates in the Miss World 2021 culmination originally set for Dec. 17. The pageant was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns.

Filipino talent dominating the stage

Gold Pintados gown shines on Philippines Beatrice Luigi Gomez

Philippines Beatrice Luigi Gomez was a *showstopper* in this years Miss Universe as she fiercely donned a glittering, gold gown with a thigh-high slit.

The bejeweled couture by Filipino designer Francis Libiran, which complemented Gomezs armband tattoo, featured ancient Visayan tribal patterns called Pintados.

Cebuano designer wows netizens with back-to-back creations

The countrys Miss Universe bet proudly graced the runway in this Bakunawa inspired national costume by Axel Que. The dazzling creation showcased the golden lunar dragons final form as a metaphor for Beatrices personal evolution.

And the Cebu-based designer just keeps on delivering.

That masterpiece was also crafted by Que for Philippines Tracy Maureen Perez, who is representing the country in Miss World. Perez glittered in her purple avant-garde national costume named Mayari."

Filipino-made national costume earns award in Miss Universe

An intricate, colorful ensemble by Filipino fashion design student Kennedy Jhon Gasper clinched the Best National Costume award in the 2021 Miss Universe.

The three-foot costume, which included a headdress, tribal mask, and cape, drew inspiration from the traditional masquerade, Mmanwa, in Nigeria. The African countrys bet, Maristella Okpala, brought the winning creation to the global stage.

SB19 becomes first act to dethrone BTS on Billboard, bags nominations

Homegrown talent SB19 also made history as the first-ever group to overtake international superpower BTS on Billboards Hot Trending Songs chart. Their hit Bazinga jumped from No. 8 to No. 1 on Dec. 11, dethroning Butter, which held the leading spot for six straight weeks.

SB19 was also nominated for the Billboard Music Awards held in May. They were in the running for the Top Social Artist award alongside K-pop groups BTS, Blackpink, SEVENTEEN, as well as American pop superstar Ariana Grande.

In October, the five-member P-pop boy band was recognized at the MTV Europe Music Awards. They were the sole Filipino nominees for Best Southeast Asia Act.

JoshLia breaks the internet after tear-jerking Paubaya MV

Flashback to Valentines Day, former celebrity couple Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto broke hearts after they shared the screen again for the music video of Moira Dela Torres hit single, Paubaya.

The nearly 12-minute video, which had garnered millions of views, depicted what seemed to be the closure of the reel-to-real "JoshLia" tandem that broke up in 2019. Garcia and Barretto penned the dialogues themselves.

Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz reunite in Jollibees One True Pair

It wasnt just JoshLia that reunited in 2021. The love team of stars Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz also got back together for Jollibee Studios One True Pair.

The 30-minute film showed how the two caught up after all these years, boasting of their undying chemistry. Netizens were quick to point out how the short reminded them of the iconic Popoy and Basha  their characters from the 2007 movie, One More Chance.

The movies are back

Fully vaccinated individuals can now go to the cinemas again

The fun doesnt end there. Movie buffs got another early Christmas treat, as cinemas finally reopened, at least to the vaccinated, after almost two years of no big-screen screenings.

Indoor theaters, particularly those in areas under Alert Level 2, are now operating at 50% capacity. But safety protocols, like the wearing of face masks and social distancing, are strictly put in place. Eating inside movie houses is also prohibited.

The film industry is among those forced to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A group of cinema owners told CNN Philippines it has suffered about 21 billion in losses from March 2020 to October this year.

John Arcilla gets Best Actor award at Venice Film Festival

Cinema operators and producers were gravely affected by quarantine restrictions, but nothing can stop Filipino talents from dominating the scene.

Multi-awarded star John Arcilla bagged the Volpi Cup Best Actor award at the 78th Venice Film Festival for his performance in Erik Mattis movie, On the Job: The Missing 8.

Marvel unveils new blockbuster films

Marvel fans were among the first to flock to theaters since moviegoers were welcomed back last month.

This came as Marvel Studios announced the early limited release of the much-anticipated, action-adventure film, Eternals, in select cinemas on Nov. 29 and 30.

The movie follows a new group of superheroes battling mankinds most ancient enemies, the Deviants. It was shown nationwide on Dec. 1.

Fans from the cinematic universe are hopeful Spider-Man: No Way Home will also get an early release.

The third installment, again led by Tom Holland, swung into U.S. theaters on Dec. 17. But it will only be released in the Philippines on Jan. 8 next year.

Spider-Man: No Way Home features appearances from villains in past Spider-Man movies, such as Electro, Doctor Octopus, and the Green Goblin.

Filipino-American Ari Agbayani, meanwhile, is Marvels newest addition to its growing roster of heroes. She plays "a scholarship student at a small private university," who aims to fight for justice in her campus.

Alyssa Wong, one of the creators, said Agbayani "admires the ideals Captain America embodies."

MMFF 2021 opens on Christmas day

Thats not all. Filmgoers can look forward to more surprises these holidays, as the Metro Manila Film Festival returns with eight official entries to be released in cinemas on Dec. 25.

READ: LIST: Official entries for MMFF 2021

And for the first time ever, the Parade of Stars will go fluvial. Celebrities starring in these MMFF entries will be carried by ferry boats instead of the usual motorcade on Dec. 19.

Last years parade and screening were done virtually.

Shows, celebrities we followed

First-ever Filipino anime series on Netflix

Who would forget the escapades of Pinay detective, Alexandra Trese, in the anime series simply titled: Trese.

The title character was voiced by actress Liza Soberano for the local version  and Canadian actress with Filipino heritage Shay Mitchell for the English counterpart. Based on the popular Philippine graphic novel of the same name, Trese premiered on Netflix in June.

Drag races set to grace our screens

The country will not have one, but two drag reality shows coming to the small screens soon.

American drag competition RuPauls Drag Race opened auditions in August for its new franchise, Drag Race Philippines, which will be streamed exclusively on WOW Presents Plus.

Drag Race alum and Filipino drag queen Manila Luzon also announced casting calls for Drag Den Philippines that she herself will host.

Giant MOA globe goes missing in promo for Red Notice

The online world was shaken when the iconic globe of SM Mall of Asia was stolen.

But it turned out it was a mere promotional stunt for Netflixs action-comedy film, Red Notice.

IKEA Philippines benefited from the publicity, with netizens accusing Tito Ball of replacing the MOA globe.

The countrys first IKEA store, which is also the largest in the world, opened its doors to the public weeks after the fake heist stunt.

Janella Salvador reveals pregnancy

Janella Salvador also took the internet by storm when she finally shut down rumors of her pregnancy. She announced the birth of her baby boy, Jude, with partner, Markus Paterson, in January.

Salvador gave birth in October 2020 in the United Kingdom.

After controversial breakup, Bea Alonzo confirms relationship with Dominic Roque

Actress Bea Alonzo likewise ended months of speculation after she confirmed in August that she was dating Dominic Roque.

Alonzo used to be the girlfriend of actor Gerald Anderson, who controversially ghosted her. Fans speculated Anderson cheated on her with the equally controversial Julia Barretto as the third party.

Dennis Trillo and Jennylyn Mercado tie the knot

Its a happily ever after story for celebrity couple Dennis Trillo and Jennylyn Mercado who tied the knot last month, just weeks after they announced their engagement and the latter's pregnancy in October.

The two marked their seventh year as a couple in January.

Derek Ramsay and Ellen Adarna exchange vows

Another showbiz couple celebrated love this 2021. Derek Ramsay and Ellen Adarna exchanged emotional vows last Nov. 11 in Bataan.

Adarnas son Elias, Ramsays son Austin, and close relatives and friends were present at the sunset wedding.

DonBelle wins hearts with unexpected chemistry

Young stars Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano turned out to be a big surprise. DonBelle made headlines for what netizens call their unexpected chemistry, even emerging as the most searched and talked about personalities on social media this year.

The "new gen phenomenal love team" debuted in the series, Hes Into Her, which is returning for a second season, and the newly released movie, Love is Color Blind."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  From Simbang Gabi to Noche Buena, no Yuletide celebration is complete without the sights of holiday lights through lanterns, or "parol."

Traditionally star-shaped, made of bamboo sticks, and lit by candles, the parol guided farmers in the countryside to church when attending dawn masses. In modern times, it comes in different shapes and sizes but still serves the same purpose: lighting the way for Filipinos during the holidays.

And in San Fernando, Pampanga  the Christmas capital of the Philippines  lanterns take center stage.

The province is known for its mesmerizing, multi-colored giant lanterns that can be viewed in their full magnificence at Robinsons Starmills Pampanga.

For the past 13 years, Robinsons Starmills Pampanga has been the official venue of the Giant Lantern Competition  an annual event highly anticipated by tourists and locals alike. Known colloquially as Ligligan Parul, the festival is held yearly in mid-December in San Fernando City.

Visitors will get to see that and more when they head to Robinsons Starmills Pampanga this holiday season. The seven participating barangays - Bulaon, Calulut, San Juan, San Nicolas, Sta. Lucia, Sto. Nino, and Telabastagan - will present their giant lanterns in a dazzling live show from Dec. 16 to Jan. 2, 2022.

The lantern display can be viewed at the mall's rear parking lot and those interested must first complete a minimum purchase at Robinsons Starmills Pampanga or Robinsons Angeles.

There's limited drive-in viewing, but there's also in person with seats and group viewing options for those fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

"We wish to invite our kababayans to celebrate the holiday season with us and watch this colorful exhibition with your family and friends," said Arlene G. Magtibay, Robinsons Land Corp. senior vice president and Robinsons Malls general manager.

Online advance reservations are encouraged and can be made at www.giantlanterns.com. Onsite registrations, meanwhile, are available at Robinsons Movieworld Ticket Booths on Level 2 of Robinsons Starmills Pampanga and Level 3 of Robinsons Angeles.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  Ever dreamed of being a TikToker to spread cheer or simply immortalize fun moments with your loved ones at your favorite mall?

This holiday season, Robinsons Place Manila is giving you that chance to start your TikTok journey and even win prizes via its #TuloyPaRinAngPaskoSaRMalls booth. Simply make your way to the TikTok booth at Level 2 - Midtown Wing of Robinsons Place Manila. Then create a video using Ben&Ben's rendition of "Tuloy Na Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko, a classic popularized by Apo Hiking Society.

Up for grabs are 2000-worth of Robinsons gift certificates and four Robinsons Movieworld movie passes for the top five creative TikTok entries.

Be inspired by #TuloyPaRinAngPasko TikTok videos on the huge TV display at the booth. Photo from Robinsons Malls

Mallgoers can use the booth dazzled with LED lights and Christmas balls with either their significant other, barkada, or family. You can dance with the fam, lipsynch the Ben&Ben song, or even create a dramatic music video showing that the Christmas spirit remains alive despite the challenges of the past year. You can even propose at the booth without your TikTok partner knowing!

After recording the clip, upload them on TikTok and use the hashtag the #TuloyPaRinAngPasko. Dont forget to follow @robinsonsmalls on TikTok. All entries will be played on the nearby TV monitor for all people to see!

The #TuloyPaRinAngPasko TikTok challenge runs from December 14 to 31. Winners will be announced on January 7, 2022.

Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko TikTok booth decorated with shiny, colorful Christmas balls. Photo from Robinsons Malls

For more information, visit www.robinsonsmalls.com or follow Robinsons Place Manila on Facebook; @RobinsonsMallsOfficial on Instagram; and @RobinsonsMalls on Twitter. Connect online using the hashtag #TuloyPaRinAngPaskoSaRMalls.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17) A health expert on Friday reminded Filipinos to take extra precaution and not let their guards down as the country faces the threat of the Omicron variant and a possible holiday surge.

"Kailangan mag-ingat pa rin po tayo. Ang silver lining lang kasi, bakunado tayong lahat, pero kung magpapabaya po tayo, pwede rin po tayong magkaroon po ng surge during the holiday season," health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon told CNN Philippines' Balitaan.

[Translation: We still need to take precautions. The silver lining is we're vaccinated, but if we become complacent, we can still have a surge during the holiday season.]

Leachon, however, said he believes the country is "more prepared" for the pandemic situation this year compared to 2020. He cited the increasing vaccination rates and declining hospital admissions.

"Hindi kasing-grabe 'yung pangamba ko kaysa last year. Kasi same time last year, uma-average tayo ng 2,000 to 3,000 cases. Ngayon kasi, naga-average tayo ng less than 500 at ang positivity rate natin ay less than 1 tapos safe zone na 'yung hospitals natin," he noted.

[Translation: My apprehension isn't as as bad as last year's. Because same time last year, we were averaging 2,000 to 3,000 cases. Now we're averaging less than 500 and our positivity rate is less than one, plus our hospitals are now safe zones.]

The country's COVID-19 tally climbed to 2,837,464 after the Department of Health listed 582 new infections in its latest bulletin. Of the new cases, 54% or 315 were reported on Dec. 4 to 17, the agency said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17)  More senior high school students should be allowed to attend in-person classes since they are most likely already vaccinated, a senator said Friday.

"Half of them are probably 18 and then the other half are 17-year-olds who would have been vaccinated anyway so the hesitancy of the President here is already addressed because he used to always say hintayin magpabakuna oh eh di ayan bakunadong bakunado na (wait for vaccinations. There you go, they are already vaccinated)," Senator Pia Cayetano said during a Senate hearing.

Only a limited number of senior high school students are currently back in classrooms.

Over 200 public schools, 22 private schools, and eight international schools are so far participating in the pilot run for face-to-face classes.

This is less than 1% of the total number of basic education schools in the country.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian also renewed his call for the Education department to be more aggressive in reopening more schools.

"If the direction of the next phase is to expand maybe we can hit, let's say, 10% number of schools or 10% number of students because right now we're barely hitting the surface," Gatchalian said.

The Department of Education is planning to reopen more schools by next year but said this still needs President Rodrigo Duterte's approval.

Hesitation among parents is also an issue. Education Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma is hoping the COVID-19 vaccination among the pediatric population would help.

"Hopefully this would put premium on the level of confidence among parents to really have their children participate in our limited face-to-face," Garma told senators.

According to the Department of Health, around 7.1 million out of over 12 million 12-to-17-year-old kids have already received one dose while some two million are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17)  Typhoon Odette has caused up to 5 billion in damage in Bohol, following two successive landfalls in the province, the top provincial official said on Friday.

Speaking to CNN Philippines, Bohol Governor Arthur Yap said that total damage is so far pegged at 3 to 4 billion, with losses in infrastructure not included.

"I think, for Bohol, this is going to be five billion," he said. "Because just for the number of families that were evacuated last night and the people we need to save right now, and the amount of assistance to cushion all these shock in the ground, the tab is already running from three to four billion. So, what about other infrastructure damages?"

"We need to marshal all support from our multilateral partners and the national government  whatever [they] can do at this point in time," Yap added.

On Thursday, Odette made its fifth and sixth landfalls in Pres. Carlos P. Garcia town at 6:30 p.m. and Bien Unido at 7:30 p.m., respectively.

Yap said about 20,000 families were evacuated on the same night, which may have doubled by now.

He appealed to the national government for assistance, saying the scale of devastation was "really unprecedented."

"Here on the ground, we're doing our best, but we're asking for national government support," Yap said.

In its latest bulletin, PAGASA cited that Odette is forecast to make another landfall in the vicinity of the northern or central portion of Palawan on Friday morning or afternoon.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17)  Energy firm Solar Philippines Nueva Ecija Corporation (SPNEC) still emerged with gains on its market debut Friday despite experiencing bear territory in intraday trading.

SPNEC's shares closed at 1.01 apiece, 1% higher than its offer price. Its shares opened at 0.95 and reached an intraday low of 0.76.

The company completed its 2.7-billion initial public offering, with its base offer nearly twice oversubscribed after receiving 5.3 billion in orders.

RELATED: Solar Philippines unit raising 2.7B capital for 50-MW solar farm

"With this IPO, we hope it can be said, that capital should not be the constraint for our country's transition to renewable energy, as long as companies deliver," Solar Philippines founder Leandro Leviste said.

Proceeds of the IPO will help finance the company's first 50-megawatt solar power facility.

"On behalf of the Philippine Exchange Company, I'd like to congratulate Solar Philippines Nueva Ecija Corporation on its IPO and for being the first mover in the renewable energy space to list in the Exchange," PSE President Ramon Monzon said during the bell-ringing ceremony.
(CNN) -- The United States has added drone maker DJI and seven other Chinese companies to an investment blacklist, raising even more pressure on businesses in the world's second largest economy.

The US Treasury Department announced Thursday that it has placed investment restrictions on the firms due to their roles in facilitating human rights abuses against China's Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang and other ethnic and religious minorities.

As a result, American investors will be barred from buying or selling shares of the companies.

"Today's action highlights how private firms in China's defense and surveillance technology sectors are actively cooperating with the government's efforts to repress members of ethnic and religious minority groups," said Brian Nelson, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. "Treasury remains committed to ensuring that the U.S. financial system and American investors are not supporting these activities."

The news was widely expected after being first reported by the Financial Times earlier this week.

DJI and the seven other companies are already on the US entity list, which means they are barred from buying US products or importing American technology without a special license.

Dozens of Chinese companies and organizations were added to that export blacklist by the US Commerce Department on Thursday, in a bid to limit China's use of US technologies for military purposes and for alleged human rights violations.

Thursday's twin announcements came a week after Treasury slapped similar economic sanctions against two Chinese politicians and a Chinese artificial intelligence firm, SenseTime.

The drone maker declined to comment ahead of the US Treasury's announcement on Wednesday. Instead, it referred CNN Business to a previous statement made in response to earlier restrictions last December, when it said it had "done nothing to justify being placed on the entity list."

DJI added at the time that it was also "evaluating options to ensure our customers, partners, and suppliers are treated fairly," without elaborating further. It declined to provide an update or comment on those plans this week.

Washington's latest clampdown could create financing headaches for the upstart drone maker, which is privately held and headquartered in Shenzhen.

DJI currently counts Silicon Valley heavyweights such as Sequoia Capital China and Kleiner Perkins as investors. Sequoia Capital China declined to comment and Kleiner Perkins did not respond to a request for comment on whether the restriction would complicate their investments.

But according to a person familiar with the matter, Sequoia's investment in DJI is handled by Sequoia Capital China, which operates as a separate legal entity from the US firm.

That means it would likely not be impacted by any restriction barring American investment in DJI, the person said.

Turning up the heat

Washington has been piling pressure on Chinese companies recently.

Last Friday, artificial intelligence startup SenseTime was also hit by the same US Treasury blacklist as DJI, two years after one of its subsidiaries was put on the entity list in 2019.

Similarly, the Treasury Department said that the decision to block SenseTime was due to the role its technology allegedly played in enabling human rights abuses against the Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.

SenseTime has strongly denied the accusations. But on Monday, the company postponed its stock market debut in Hong Kong, where it was set to start trading as soon as this week.

The firm said the delay was "to safeguard the interests of the potential investors of the company," and allow them to "consider the potential impact of" the US move on any investments.

Separately, the FT reported earlier this week that US officials were deliberating whether to stiffen rules about selling to one of China's top chipmakers. No action was taken Thursday, however.

The company, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), has been on the US entity list since last year. But "the decision included a provision that critics said created a loophole that some companies had exploited," according to the FT.

SMIC did not respond to a request for comment.

However, since it was put on the entity list, "the company has faced tremendous challenges in production and operations," SMIC's acting chairman and chief financial officer, Gao Yonggang, said last month.

Separately, last year the US Department of Defense also added the firm to a list of companies the agency claims are owned or controlled by the Chinese military. That decision means Americans are banned from investing in SMIC.

China's Foreign Ministry criticized the United States on Wednesday after reports of Washington's planned crackdown.

At a briefing, spokesperson Zhao Lijian called on the Biden administration to stop "politicizing" technological and economic issues by "generalizing the concept of national security."

"Stop abusing state power to unreasonably oppress specific sectors and enterprises of China," Zhao said, warning that sanctions on companies such as DJI would threaten global industrial and supply chains, and undermine international trade rules.

"China will, as always, firmly defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," he added.

 CNN's Beijing bureau and Jill Disis contributed to this report.

This story was first published on CNN.com "US adds drone maker DJI and 7 other Chinese companies to investment blacklist".
(CNN)  Intense storms delivered a destructive and record-setting spate of winds Wednesday from the Rockies to the Great Lakes, tearing off roofs, overturning trucks, shutting down a stretch of an interstate highway and even forcing evacuation of some air traffic controllers.

At least 55 reports of hurricane-force thunderstorm wind gusts over 75 mph were made across the Great Plains and Midwest, according to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center -- the most recorded in the US in one day. More than 400 severe wind reports came in across the regions to early Thursday, with alerts impacting at least 80 million people.

At least one person has died from storm-related weather. A driver of a Bimbo Bakeries tractor trailer died in Iowa when the vehicle was hit by a strong gust of wind and rolled over on its side into a ditch, according to an incident report from the Iowa State Patrol.

Nearly 20 tornado reports were documented Wednesday across Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. A tornado in southeastern Minnesota was the first ever reported in the state in the month of December, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data.

Record heat much farther north than expected this time of year fueled the storms. "I've been doing this 30 years, and we're seeing things today in the CNN Weather Center we have never seen before," CNN meteorologist Tom Sater said.

More than 423,000 power outages were reported as of 3 p.m. ET Thursday in the areas affected, according to PowerOutage.us. Michigan and Wisconsin were reporting the highest number of outages.

Severe thunderstorm watches and warnings expired overnight, though strong winds -- with gusts up to 70 mph -- remain Thursday for parts of the Great Lakes area.

Wednesday's storm outbreak comes days after an eight-state tornado outbreak that included the deadliest December tornado ever recorded in the United States.

Damage reported from Colorado to Michigan

In the west-central Wisconsin city of Stanley, a storm that hit Wednesday evening severely damaged several homes and other buildings, pictures posted by city police Thursday morning showed.

Streets and yards were littered with debris in the city of about 3,500 people. One building's brick wall was obliterated, falling onto a street. "We are relieved to report that the storm that swiftly swept through" the city "only resulted in property damage," Stanley police said in a Facebook post. No injuries were reported.

In northern Michigan, where most of the state's power outages were reported, concerns about strong winds prompted officials Thursday to temporarily ban high-profile vehicles like tractor-trailers from traversing the Mackinac Bridge connecting the Upper and Lower peninsulas, the state transportation department said.

Several places in Colorado, including the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, reported wind gusts of 100 mph or greater Wednesday, according to the weather service. Winds gusting up to 107 mph in Lamar toppled tractor-trailers, ripped off roofs and downed trees, Mayor Kirk Crespin said.

Air traffic controllers briefly evacuated their workspace at Kansas City International Airport on Wednesday due "to wind and the fact that it is a glass box 256 feet up in the air," spokesperson Joe McBride said. Planes resumed departures about one hour after controllers were forced to head to safety, the airport announced.

Parts of Interstate 70 in western Kansas were shut down Wednesday afternoon due to blowing dust, reduced visibility, and crashes, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma force evacuations

Strong winds also exacerbated concerns about wildfires in parts of the southern Plains and Southwest.

The combination of 35- to 55-mph winds, with gusts of 75 mph, as well as low relative humidity and temperatures in the 70s and 80s, led the Storm Prediction Center -- for the first time in its history -- to warn of an "extremely critical" fire threat in December in the southern and central Plains. Certain areas are also facing an ongoing drought.

An evacuation order was in effect Wednesday for the town of Guymon, Oklahoma, due to one of nine wildfires in western and northwestern Oklahoma, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.

In northern Texas, several hundred people were told "to evacuate or be prepared to evacuate" in the city of Iowa Park in Wichita County, where two fires are ongoing.

"The fire has changed direction a couple of times," Wichita County Sheriff's Deputy Melvin Joyner said, adding, "We're working as hard as we can to keep residents safe."

A 2,500-acre blaze is burning west of Amarillo, the Texas A&M Forest Service reported, and the agency is responding to the fires in Texas' Wichita County.

A wildfire damaged six homes and two other structures in the Texas Panhandle city of Pampa, city officials said Wednesday. No injuries were reported.

Kentucky still assessing damage from last week

As the storms swept across the central US, Kentucky and other states are still picking up the pieces from last week's tornado outbreak.

The damage rating for Friday night's deadly tornado that tore through Mayfield and Dawson Springs in Kentucky has been upgraded to an EF-4 in intensity, with estimated peak winds of 190 mph, based on continuing damage surveys from the National Weather Service.

The tornado had a maximum path width of a mile or more and was on the ground for at least 128 miles, tracking across the entire area of responsibility for the weather service's Paducah office. The tornado took more than two hours to move through western Kentucky.

The tornado length will likely increase as weather service offices near Paducah continue their surveys in the coming days, and the rating could be increased as well as more damage is surveyed.

President Joe Biden toured the areas hit on Wednesday and said he was shocked by the amount of damage wrought.

"The scope and scale of this destruction is almost beyond belief," he said in Dawson Springs. "These tornadoes devoured everything in their path."

Biden pledged federal funding for the recovery effort for the next 30 days, including "debris removal, cost of overtime and law enforcement, emergency service personnel and shelter, and that will get you through."

Kentucky's confirmed death toll from the tornadoes has been updated to 71 from 74 due to duplicate reporting, according to Kentucky Emergency Management. At least 14 others died in four other states.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "More than 400K have no power across the central US after storms delivered a record spate of hurricane-force gusts."
(CNN)  Mars has its own version of the Grand Canyon, and scientists have learned this dramatic feature is home to "significant amounts of water" after a discovery made by an orbiter circling the red planet, according to the European Space Agency.

The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, launched in 2016 as a joint mission between the European Space Agency and Roscosmos, detected the water in Valles Marineris on Mars. This canyon system is 10 times longer, five times deeper and 20 times wider than the Grand Canyon.

The water is located beneath the surface of the canyon system and was detected by the orbiter's FREND instrument, or Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector. This instrument is able to map hydrogen in the top meter (3.28 feet) of Martian soil.

Most water on Mars is located in the planet's polar regions and remains frozen as water ice. Valles Marineris is just south of the planet's equator, where temperatures typically aren't cold enough for water ice to remain.

The observations were collected by the orbiter between May 2018 to February 2021. Previously, other orbiters have searched for water just beneath the Martian surface and detected small amounts under Martian dust. A study detailing the findings published Wednesday in the journal Icarus.

"With (the Trace Gas Orbiter) we can look down to one metre below this dusty layer and see what's really going on below Mars' surface -- and, crucially, locate water-rich 'oases' that couldn't be detected with previous instruments," said study author Igor Mitrofanov, principal investigator of the FREND neutron telescope, in a statement.

"FREND revealed an area with an unusually large amount of hydrogen in the colossal Valles Marineris canyon system: assuming the hydrogen we see is bound into water molecules, as much as 40% of the near-surface material in this region appears to be water."

To put that into perspective, this area is about the size of the Netherlands. It overlaps with Candor Chaos, a network of valleys within the canyon system.

The FREND instrument searches for neutrons to map hydrogen content in the Martian soil.

"We can deduce how much water is in a soil by looking at the neutrons it emits," said study coauthor Alexey Malakhov, a senior scientist the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in a statement.

That's because "neutrons are produced when highly energetic particles known as 'galactic cosmic rays' strike Mars; drier soils emit more neutrons than wetter ones," he said in the same statement.

"We found a central part of Valles Marineris to be packed full of water -- far more water than we expected. This is very much like Earth's permafrost regions, where water ice permanently persists under dry soil because of the constant low temperatures."

The instrument's unique observational capabilities allowed the team to detect water that remained hidden before, Malakhov said. This could be water ice or water that is attached to minerals within the soil. But the scientists believe the presence of ice is more likely because the minerals at this location contain little water.

There are higher temperatures near the equator on Mars, so the researchers believe there must be some special blend of conditions that allow the water to remain and be replenished.

"This finding is an amazing first step, but we need more observations to know for sure what form of water we're dealing with," said study coauthor Hakan Svedhem, a former project scientist for the orbiter, in a statement.

"The finding demonstrates the unrivalled abilities of TGO's instruments in enabling us to 'see' below Mars' surface -- and reveals a large, not-too-deep, easily exploitable reservoir of water in this region of Mars."

Future missions to Mars will land at lower latitudes. This discovery in Valles Marineris highlights the feature as an intriguing place for potential human exploration in the years ahead, especially because this water would be much more accessible than other previously discovered subsurface water sources.

"Knowing more about how and where water exists on present-day Mars is essential to understand what happened to Mars' once-abundant water, and helps our search for habitable environments, possible signs of past life, and organic materials from Mars' earliest days," said Colin Wilson, ESA's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter project scientist, in a statement.

In 2022, the European Rosalind Franklin rover and Russian surface platform Kazachok will launch and is expected to land on Mars in 2023. The rover will drill beneath the surface of Mars in search of organic material that could reveal if Mars ever hosted life. The rover will explore Oxia Planum, a site of exposed, ancient clay-rich rocks that were once exposed to water.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "'Significant amounts of water' found in Mars' massive version of the Grand Canyon."
(CNN)  A Florida man who enthusiastically attacked police at the US Capitol on January 6 with a fire extinguisher, a wooden plank and a pole was sentenced to more than five years in prison on Friday, the longest sentence for a Capitol rioter thus far.

Robert Scott Palmer is the first person to be sentenced for the felony of assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon. His 63-month sentence could set a benchmark for the more than 140 others who face the same charge.

"Every day we are hearing about reports of antidemocratic factions, people plotting potential violence in 2024," District Judge Tanya Chutkan said as she handed down the sentence. "It has to be made clear that trying to stop the peaceful transition of power, assaulting law enforcement, is going to be met with certain punishment. Not staying at home, not watching Netflix, not doing what you were doing before you got arrested."

Palmer was first publicly identified by online sleuths, who tracked him down through pictures and video of Palmer in an American flag jacket brawling outside the Capitol. According to his plea agreement, Palmer sprayed a fire extinguisher at a line of police and twice threw the empty canister. When he refused to back down, Palmer was shot in the stomach with a rubber bullet.

"I wonder if the people who are usually before me," Chutkan said of Black and minority defendants she presides over, "if they had tried to storm the Capitol that day, would they have been met with rubber bullets. I suspect not."

Chutkan, an appointee of former President Barack Obama and former public defender, has emerged as perhaps the harshest judge for January 6 defendants. Seven cases in front of her have reached sentencing, and all seven have received jail time ranging from 14 days to more than five years behind bars.

During the hearing, Palmer said that he saw TV host Rachel Maddow do a segment about his case on MSNBC and was "horrified, absolutely devastated to see myself on there. Just to see the coldness and the calculation going up those steps with the fire extinguisher to spray those officers."

Palmer also said in a letter to the judge that he now realizes former President Donald Trump "lied" to supporters about the election.

"They kept spitting out the false narrative about a stolen election and how it was 'our duty' to stand up to tyranny," Palmer wrote. "Little did I realize that they were the tyrannical ones desperate to hold onto power at any cost even by creating the chaos the knew would happen with such rhetoric."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "US Capitol rioter gets 5 years in jail after throwing fire extinguisher at police."
NEW YORK (AP)  Many stages on both Broadway and the West End have been forced to go dark once more as the live theater community grapples with backstage outbreaks of the coronavirus and its variants, temporarily closing everything from Londons revival of Cabaret starring Eddie Redmayne to mighty Hamilton in New York.

At the end of the day, well follow the science, and the science will say, You need to shut down this performance, Broadway League President Charlotte St. Martin told The Associated Press on Thursday. We anticipated that because they were telling us all along that if more people didnt get their shots, that new variants would arrive and new variants would have cases. And guess what? Its called omicron.

On Broadway, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child canceled its Wednesday matinee, Tina canceled two shows on Wednesday and Hamilton has called off shows through Friday night. Aint Too Proud scrapped its Tuesday performance and Freestyle Love Supreme canceled two performances. Mrs. Doubtfire, which just opened and has been dark since Sunday, intends to resume performances Tuesday. 

We still just had five of 32 shows with a canceled performance yesterday, which says the other 27 were working and the protocols work, said St. Martin, who notes that many shows have daily staff testing.

If somebody tests positive, even if its a false positive, theyre not allowed to go on and potentially infect everyone else. That should be a reason for safety and comfort, for not only the community, but our theatergoers.

Mary McColl, executive director of Actors Equity Association, which represents actors and stage managers, said the cancellation of shows means that Broadway producers are taking cases seriously and acting appropriately.

The fact that performances are being paused shows that the producers and the unions are staying vigilant, McColl said in a statement. Thats what the safety protocols are there to be in place for, and this shows that theyre working.

During the more than 18 months that Broadway was closed, many theaters adjusted, adding rigorous personal testing and installing portable air fans and air filters with MERV-13 or HEPA technology. But old theaters are uniquely risky when it comes to transmission, with narrow backstage spaces and staff that often crowd. St. Martin said a booster campaign is being worked on.

Londons rocketing coronavirus infection rate, driven by the omicron variant, is also sparking a slew of cancellations among West End shows.

Its a big blow to the theater sector in both cities, which have only recently reemerged after more than a year of lockdown and counts on the holiday season for a big chunk of their incomes.

UK shows including Hamilton, The Lion King, Life of Pi, Come from Away and Matilda the Musical canceled one or more performances this week because of COVID-19 outbreaks. Others have gone further: The National Theatre has pulled the plug on Hex and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for the next two weeks due to company illness.

The Donmar Warehouse has canceled performances of Force Majeure, about an avalanche and its consequences, until Dec. 29 after several members of the company tested positive.

It is sadly ironic that we must cancel performances of this brilliantly funny show titled Force Majeure because of a force majeure event, said artistic director Michael Longhurst.

Shows that remain open fear audiences will stay away after public health authorities warned people to cut back on socializing to help slow the spread of omicron.

New rules that took effect this week in London mean that theatregoers have to show a negative coronavirus test or proof of vaccination to be admitted. At Cabaret, the rules were even stronger: All attendees, even those fully vaccinated, were required to show a negative COVID-19 test before entering the theater.

In New York, the rules have tightened for children: All kids aged 5 to 11 must now show proof of receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to attend a Broadway show and must be accompanied by a vaccinated adult. If the child has been vaccinated less than 14 days before the performance, he or she must also provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test for entry.

Madison Square Garden said late Thursday that it would comply and ask for proof that children ages 5 to 11 have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to gain access to the holiday show at Radio City Music Hall and its Cirque du Soleil show.

And the Metropolitan Opera is requiring the audience and employees to receive COVID-19 booster shots for entry starting Jan. 17. The company said anyone not yet eligible to receive a booster shot will be allowed a two-week grace period after they become eligible.

Lawless reported from London.

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Santa came early Thursday with presents for children from the CASA Connection of Platte and Colfax Counties.

His elves took the form of Guardians of the Children Heartland Chapter members  who in some cases were dressed as elves themselves. The members brought in bags of toys to the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) office - 1465 27th Ave. in Columbus - continually piling the gifts onto CASA Connection Outreach Coordinator Lisa Rosendahls desk.

Rosendahl said she was amazed seeing Guardian of the Children delivering the presents, adding the sight warms my heart.

The community has been so generous and cares about these children, Rosendahl said, noting the cabinets in the CASA office are filled with similar presents donated by the community members. Every child deserves a Christmas. Every child deserves a gift at Christmas, for their birthday or at any kind of celebration. Thats what we do with these.

Doug Meyer  who was one of the Heartland Chapter members dressed as an elf  admitted even though Christmas isnt his preferred holiday, hes well aware of how important it is for children to receive a gift on the day.

You just sit there and think youre making some kids day, he said. Its pretty magical that it happens.

Heartland Chapter member Dave Karl added for some children, they wouldn't normally receive a Christmas gift if it wasnt for the toy drive.

Its a joyful time for them, he said.

The Heartland Chapter members didnt get an exact count of the number of toys but believed over a hundred gifts were donated. It was the second-straight year, the Heartland Chapter provided presents for CASA from the Guardians of the Children toy drive.

The Heartland Chapter held a toy drive earlier this month which saw community members donating gifts at 11 drop-off locations  which included Hy-Vee, Westbrook Lanes, Oasis Bar and Dollar General. Guardians of the Children also gave toys from its drive to the Center for Survivors.

(The toys) were all donated from the community, Heartland Chapter President Ed Bogue said.  If it wasnt for the community, we couldnt have done this. We get awesome support from the community. We really appreciate that.

Both organizations have similar goals. The Heartland Chapter  which is composed of motorcycle enthusiasts - has a mission to identify and respond to child abuse as well as teach the public the same. It also gives advocates to families in crisis and gives protection, guidance and courage for abused kids or teenagers.

Bogue said if a kid is in need, we ride.

Meanwhile, CASA is a nonprofit whose goal is to promote court-appointed volunteer advocacy so that every child who experienced abuse or neglect can be safe and have a permanent home.

CASA Connection is looking for volunteers to help such children, Rosendahl said. She added the helpers have been fantastic as shes seen them grow a fast, strong bond with the kids.

The kids our volunteers advocate for, (the helpers) fall in love with them very quickly, Rosendahl said.

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Scotus Central Catholic students had been asking their STEAM I and II teacher Betsy Rall about getting more experience in welding.

Rall listened as she said she wants to meet that interest in the schools ever-growing science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) program. Recently, she had her students visit Central Community College-Columbus to learn from instructor Landon Hunt about welding.

Rall said the students greatly appreciated learning about the field with one student jokingly asking if they had to go back to class because he was having so much fun in the pursuit.

Hunt said he also enjoyed having Scotus students visit the campus. He added welding is an invaluable skill to have, especially in the area as there are plenty of welding jobs available.

There are other opportunities out there, Hunt said. Thats a big thing in todays world. Welding  for instance  is often overlooked by people as a career choice. They go into (the field) and advance.  Columbus has a ton of manufacturers. Theyre always looking for welders. Theres not a shortage of jobs.

Rall said while visiting a workshop at the Columbus campus over the summer, she met Hunt who she asked if he could teach the students about welding.

Ive always known in Columbus the connection with industry is pretty strong so when you ask industry or CCC for help they are always willing to help, Rall said.

Hunt said when he taught the Scotus students, they were engaged and excited.

This was something new to them. It was more hands-on learning, he said. So its always fun to have a good group of kids like that who really want to learn, listen and pay attention to details. As an instructor, its always fun for me. Thats why I get up (and teach).

The STEAM program is in its fourth year at Scotus. Rall said its grown since it originally started with only one class but now multiple courses are offered.

She added Brian Ferguson  who works at Columbus gas company Matheson  has also been instrumental in helping Ralls class. Theyre working to create two welding stations at the high school, Rall said.

Rall said the welding has to be out in the schools courtyard due to the smaller size of the Scotus building. She added depending on the type of welding  like wire welding  it cant be done at certain times such as if its windy outside.

Well evolve with it as it goes, Rall said. Hopefully, between now and the beginning of next semester Brian Ferguson and I can complete the list of supplies that are needed and we can acquire the needed equipment and we can give welding a go.

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Multiple fire crews responded to a two-alarm fire at the Gingerbread Man building in downtown Mechanicsburg around 10:24 p.m. Thursday.

Police tape surrounded the building Friday morning with visible charred damage around the windows on the third floor above the restaurant at 26 W. Main St., which is being renovated. Most of the damage to the building seems located in the roof area and third floor.

Mechanicsburg Fire Chief Gary Neff told ABC27 News that the third floor of the building was battered with heavy smoke and flames. He said there were people inside, but there were no injuries, and said 13 people who lived in the apartments above the restaurant were displaced and receiving help from Red Cross.

Neff told ABC27 the initial inspection seems to point to the fire being accidental.

Approximately 24 minutes into the fire we did an emergency evacuation of the building because the stability inside and the conditions were weakening and weak spots in the floors, Neff told ABC27. The building is currently under renovation so we had a lot of extra hazards inside so we pulled everybody out of our group, hit the fire from the exterior, and after we got a good bit of the smoke out we were able to gain entry of the interior.

Crews from Mechanicsburg Volunteer Fire Company, West Shore, Camp Hill, Shepherdstown, Upper Allen, Monroe, Hampden, Silver Spring, New Kingstown and the Naval Inventory Control Point responded to the fire. It took more than 2 hours to clear the scene.

Friday morning, members of the Downtown Mechanicsburg Partnerships About Face! facade grant review panel announced in a news release that they gave a $5,000 grant to Richard Phelan, owner of the Gingerbread Man building. The award will aid in Phelans work to repair the damage caused by the fire.

Phelan owns the building and the restaurant and announced this summer that he would begin work to renovate and reopen the Gingerbread Man in July.

The Gingerbread Man closed early this summer after 42 years in business at the site. Phelans daughter, Kymberly Thomas, and son-in-law, Greg Thomas, owned the business but decided not to renew the lease after divorcing. They were required to move out by July 31.

Phelan, who owns the three-story building at 26 W. Main St., then decided he would reopen the Gingerbread Man, the chain he founded. At one time, 19 Gingerbread Man restaurants operated in Pennsylvania and Maryland.

I own the building and I own the restaurant chain, and I still feel that I have the energy and heart to do it, Phelan said in July.

Email Jeff at jpratt@cumberlink.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelPratt.

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The threat of the omicron variant comes as a gut punch to schools that were hoping to relax safety measures this spring. Now, many are telling students to prepare for another term of masking, testing and, if cases get bad, limits around social life.

Cornell University shut down all campus activities on Tuesday and moved final exams online after more than 700 students tested positive over three days. In a campus message, President Martha Pollack said there was evidence of the omicron variant in a significant number of samples.

It is obviously extremely dispiriting to have to take these steps, Pollack wrote. However, since the start of the pandemic, our commitment has been to follow the science and do all we can to protect the health of our faculty, staff and students.

Hours later, Princeton University moved its exams online and urged students to leave campus at their earliest convenience amid a rise in cases.

Cornell and Princeton both report student vaccination rates of more than 98%.

Local colleges

Messiah University updated its COVID-19 dashboard Monday to show 195 confirmed positive on-campus cases of COVID-19 since the start of the fall semester on Aug. 7  139 students, 56 employees. The university lists its overall on-campus population vaccination rate at 75.4%.

Messiah announced on Dec. 6 that it would not require students returning to campus for the spring semester on Jan. 10 to be vaccinated or to receive a booster if already vaccinated. The university also will not require returning students, regardless of vaccination status, to submit a negative PCR test before returning from Christmas break prior to the start of the spring 2022 semester. However, following Christmas break, the university will resume its surveillance/sample testing of unvaccinated students.

Messiah currently requires indoor masking for all university buildings for all individuals regardless of their vaccination status. Masking is only strongly encouraged but not required in residence halls and apartments, as well as in campus dining facilities when not eating or drinking.

Dickinson College reports three current cases of COVID-19 in students on campus for a cumulative total of 59 cases for the fall semester. The college reports 34 cumulative cases for employees as well.

Dickinson requires all students to be vaccinated or to seek a religious or medical exemption. If a student does not get the vaccine or request an exemption they will not be permitted to live on campus or attend classes. The college requires proper face coverings in indoor spaces, except in individual offices or residences. Masks need to be worn in all campus buildings, including the Holland Union Building, and may only be removed in designated dining facilities when actively eating.

Penn State Dickinson Law, following Penn State guidelines, will keep its indoor masking requirement in effect for the spring semester. The school does not require vaccines for students but does highly recommend them. In concert with Penn State University, the law school is monitoring the court status of President Joe Bidens vaccine mandate, which could impact Penn State faculty and employees.

Shippensburg University reports 301 COVID-19 cases for students and employees since Aug. 1 for the fall semester, including 23 positive tests in the last week.

Shippensburg does not require vaccinations for students, but it does run a vaccination incentive program that offers scholarship money in drawings to students who register with proof of vaccination.

The university requires masks in all indoor settings on campus, and recommends masks for anyone outdoors who is unvaccinated and cannot maintain social distance.

The university is collecting vaccination information from students and employees to get a feel for the vaccination rate of people on campus. Providing the information is not required, but university officials said, knowing our actual vaccination rate will allow us to better plan for COVID-19 mitigation and other initiatives for the spring.

Omicron changes plans

After a fall with few coronavirus cases, officials at Syracuse University were feeling pretty good about the spring term, said Kent Syverud, the upstate New York schools chancellor.

But omicron has changed that, Syverud said. It has made us go back and say, until we know more about this variant for sure, were going to have to reinstate some precautions.

Last week, Syracuse announced that all eligible students and employees must get COVID-19 booster shots before the spring term. Students will also face a round of virus tests when they return, and officials are weighing whether to extend an existing mask mandate.

Much is unknown about the omicron variant and how big of a threat it poses. In the United States and many other nations, the delta variant is responsible for most COVID-19 cases.

But as colleges brace for the worst, many see boosters as their best hope. More than 20 colleges have issued booster shot requirements in recent weeks, and others say theyre thinking about it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is encouraging boosters for people ages 17 and older, and Pfizer last week announced that a booster of its COVID-19 vaccine might offer important protection against omicron even though the initial two doses appear less effective.

Vaccines required

Hundreds of colleges already require COVID-19 vaccines, and some say boosters are an obvious next step.

Most booster mandates so far have come from small liberal arts colleges in the Northeast, but the list includes some as big as Boston University and as far away as the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and the University of New Mexico.

The University of Massachusetts in Amherst was among the first to require the booster for students, saying all students must get shots unless they have medical or religious exemptions.

The boosters are our best protection, said Jeffrey Hescock, co-director of the universitys Public Health Promotion Center. This demonstrates that we take public health seriously, and our students do too.

A recent online petition arguing against the booster mandate  citing 97% of students vaccinated and few on-campus cases  has attracted a few dozen signatures. But Emily OBrien, a freshman at UMass, said the booster shot is a reasonable demand. She was already planning on getting a booster but said the mandate will probably increase uptake among students and prevent future lockdowns.

If the past six months have shown anything, its that lots of people wont bother to get vaccines  especially younger healthy people  if they dont have a requirement to, said OBrien, 18, of Bedford, New Hampshire.

UMass will also require masks at the start of spring term, and its sending students home with a rapid test to be taken near the end of winter break.

Many colleges planning for potential disruption next semester are already contending with campus outbreaks that have arisen in the weeks after Thanksgiving.

Middlebury College in Vermont switched to remote instruction last week amid a surge in cases and urged students to leave early for winter break. Rising cases at the University of Pennsylvania led to a ban on indoor social events last Thursday.

On Friday, Tulane University in New Orleans warned that a campus spike includes probable cases of the omicron variant, confirmed in at least one student last week. In response, school officials reinstated a mask mandate and expanded virus testing.

Other colleges that have extended mask requirements into next year include Wake Forest University, West Virginia University and Penn State.

Planning for spring semester

Some other schools are already postponing the return to campus next month to avoid outbreaks. Southern New Hampshire University and DePaul University in Chicago recently said students will take classes remotely for two weeks before returning to campus after the holidays.

In a letter to students, DePauls president, A. Gabriel Esteban, said the school will cautiously start winter quarter so we can sustain a robust college experience the remainder of the academic year.

When students at Stanford University return to campus in January, they will be barred from holding parties or other big gatherings for two weeks. Theyll also be tested once a week and continue to wear masks indoors as requirements to attend in-person classes. The measures aim to limit virus transmission without going too far in limiting the college experience, said Russell Furr, associate vice provost for environmental health and safety.

This is something weve grappled with throughout the pandemic  how do we get a balanced approach? Furr said. The goal is to avoid the strict lockdowns seen early in the pandemic, when student mental health really suffered, he said.

At some colleges, theres still cautious hope for a normal semester. Leaders at the University of Central Florida told professors they can require in-person attendance in the spring, which had been discouraged this fall amid a surge in delta cases.

In a campus message, interim provost Michael D. Johnson warned that if the omicron variant takes off, we may need to change direction yet again.

Another concern is omicrons timing  even without a new variant, there were worries of more outbreaks as colder weather drives people indoors, said Anita Barkin, co-chair of a COVID-19 task force for the American College Health Association.

The association recently recommended that colleges focus on increasing vaccination rates to avoid a new wave of cases.

The message in all of it is, we need to remain vigilant, Barkin said. There is certainly pandemic fatigue and people are tired of the pandemic  but it appears that the pandemic is not quite tired of us.

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Cap America Inc. recently announced that Mark Gammon, Cap America president and chief operating officer, has been appointed to CEO for the organization.

Gammon will assume the new role on Jan. 1, the start of its new fiscal year. Cap America is a global organization employing 400 people.

Gammon succeeds founder and current CEO Phil Page, who after thorough succession planning has announced his decision to transition to chairman of the board for the company. The board members include Phil Page, Mary Page, Mark Gammon, Jon Page, Cory Cissell, Curt Carr and Wes Royer.

Beyond serving as a leader, Gammon brings unique perspectives, and his insight on the business environment is evident by growth the company has experienced under his guidance for the past five years, including being named as one of the Top 40 Suppliers and as a Greatest Companies to Work For winner within the promotional products industry.

Gammon said, I am honored to assume this role and grateful to Phil for his influence and guidance through this process. It has been an incredible five years. We are well-positioned to expand opportunities for our clients and associates moving forward. This is a terrific opportunity that any leader would welcome.

Page said he is "delighted" Gammon accepted the position.

"His deep industry knowledge, combined with the critical competencies evaluated for the selection of the position, confirm our decision in his appointment," Page said. "He has a proven track record of building high-performing teams and can take justifiable pride in where the company stands today."

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As Missouri and St. Francois County celebrate their bicentennials this year, the names of many historical figures are mentioned for their involvement in the state's founding, including the first Missouri Speaker of the House, James Caldwell, who lived in Libertyville and is buried near Farmington.

Caldwell was born in Virginia on July 4, 1763. As is typical with opening a new land, many of its leaders were born elsewhere and may have considerable exploits in other venues. This holds true for Caldwell, a Revolutionary War veteran.

Most people think of the Revolutionary War as colonists fighting British troops for independence. However, what was then the frontier needed troops to defend against attacks from American Indians and Caldwells service during and after the war seems to be exclusively in that theater.

On Nov. 4, 1833, at the age of 70, Caldwell appeared before the County Court of St. Francois County, Missouri, to apply for a Revolutionary War pension. In a statement of his military service, Caldwell noted that I was and always considered myself as a minuteman ready to march against the enemy whenever they were known to be amongst us during which time I did many hard tours that it is out of my power to recollect their duration and date of service...

Taken from this statement, Caldwells service is listed below.

In the spring of 1778, at the age of 15, Caldwell enlisted in the Virginia Militia to fight in the Revolutionary War as a substitute for his father, Samuel Caldwell. Substitutions in the military were common at the time, and Caldwell appears to have substituted for other men during the war.

His first tour of militia duty was 15 days spent pursuing hostile Indians who had burned Farlows fort in Virginia's Culbersons Bottom, an area that is now part of Summers County, West Virginia. This campaign was under the leadership of Captain Archibald Wood. Caldwell's next tour was a year later in the spring of 1779 where under the command of Captain Thomas Wright, he was stationed at the home of William Lafferty in about the same area.

In the fall of 1779, Caldwell wrote that he moved to Kentucky  not yet a state, but still part of Virginia  but returned to Virginia in the spring of 1780. In 1781, Caldwell served again under Woods in the drafted militia in the same area stationed in the home of Thomas Shelton for one month. He then served the next month in the same place as a substitute for a Mr. Richards. Later in that year, he served a month in the same area stationed in the home of William Lacy, again under the command of Woods.

In the fall of 1781, Caldwell took up permanent residence near Stanford, Kentucky, and wrote that he was involved in the many hard tours that it is out of my power to recollect their duration and date of service under the famed Colonel William Whitley.

In 1782, Caldwell was drafted and served one month under Captain John Woods and was stationed at Estells Station near what is now Richmond, Kentucky. He then served another month in the same situation as a substitute for Henry Boyers under the command of Colonel Benjamin Logan.

In the fall of 1782, Caldwell was drafted again and rendezvoused at Bryans Station to serve with company officers Captain Andrew Kinkead, Lieutenant William Young and Ensign John Bryan. The battalion commandant was Colonel John Logan and the regiment commandant was Benjamin Logan, all serving under the renowned General George Rogers Clark.

The company Caldwell was in joined the main army at Cincinnati, Ohio, and marched to Chillicothe, Ohio. According to Caldwell, they killed 16 warriors and took women and children as prisoners. He spent six weeks on this tour.

After the Revolutionary War, Caldwell was involved in various tours against American Indians until serving as a company commander in the disastrous Battle of Pumpkin Fields on Oct. 22, 1790, in the Northwest Indian War where federal troops and militiamen engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the Miami Tribe of American Indians, losing 200 men. Of the 22 in his company, 11 were killed and three wounded.

Twenty-two years after signing up to help create a new country with 12 years of off-and-on warfare on the frontier, Caldwell settled down and became a politician. He married Meeke Perrin in Lincoln County, Kentucky, on Nov. 30, 1786, and in 1800 he was elected to the Kentucky General Assembly from Harrison County and served in the legislature until 1807.

In 1810, the Caldwells moved to a farm in Libertyville, Missouri. At the time, Libertyville was in Ste. Genevieve County, prior to the formation of St. Francois County in 1821. Other members of Caldwells family had previously moved to Missouri, including his half-brother Kinkead Caldwell, known as the first settler and a founder of Franklin County whose home is near Washington, Missouri.

The book, History of Caldwell and Livingston Counties, Missouri states that the Territorial Legislature began its session in St. Louis on Dec. 5, 1814, and James Caldwell of Ste. Genevieve County was elected speaker. Kinkead was also elected to serve as a representative.

In 1820, Caldwell was elected to the first Missouri House of Representatives and was named speaker. In 1822 he was elected to the Missouri State Senate and then lost a reelection bid in 1824 to James Kerr  his son-in-law.

Caldwell died on Sept. 6, 1836, and is buried at Farmington's Parkview Cemetery.

Reporters Note: A special thanks to Marlyn Mauk of the Sarah Barton Murphy Chapter of the DAR for initiating this article, along with research from Kevin Hulsey. The transcription of James Caldwell's pension statement was by C. Leon Harris of revwarapps.org. Researchers for this article included Travis Trokey, librarian, Farmington Public Library; Robert J. Mueller, the State Historical Society of Missouri; Nathan Elwood, administrator, Missouri Legislative Library; Nancy Suthoff, legislative assistant for state representatives Mike Henderson and Dale Wright, and Arthur B. Caldwell.

Mark Marberry is a reporter for the Farmington Press and Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3629, or at mmarberry@farmingtonpressonline.com

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Lead mining has been an integral part of shaping the communities of St. Francois County.

The lead mining operations that once thrived in the area led to homes being built, population growth, and infrastructure advancements.

Remnants of the lead mining in the area have shaped the lives of county residents, and will seemingly continue to do so for many years to come.

Mining operations in the area can be traced back to the early 1700s. In 1719, an exploratory expedition led by Philip Francois Renault of France arrived in the area. The large group began surface mining in 1720 in areas including Old Mines just north of what would later become St. Francois County and Mine La Motte just south of the present-day county line.

Within present-day St. Francois County, the French miners discovered a rare lead deposit between the present-day towns of Desloge and Leadwood, known as "Mine-a-Joe."

Bonne Terre native and Doe Run Company Geological Engineer Chris Neaville explained that "Mine-a-Joe" was a lead deposit unlike anything in the world.

"It was a sheet of lead cubes across the surface, about a mile long and three-quarters of a mile wide," he said. "It was just almost solid lead crystals at the surface.

Those types of mineral deposits were unique in the world, and it was easy to find at the surface. And then that mineralization continued below the surface to a maximum depth of about 700 feet."

Mining in the area was done on the ground surface until 1869 when St. Joe brought the first diamond drill to the region. This advancement would propel mineral production in St. Francois County to unprecedented heights, as Neaville explained.

"It all started when a gentleman got the idea of drilling a hole with what was new technology at the time, diamond drilling, to see if there were minerals below the surface," Neaville said. "They found the largest lead deposits ever discovered there in Bonne Terre, and that really created the start of St. Joe Minerals, which is the predecessor of Doe Run.

"That resulted in St. Joe Minerals becoming a global company," Neaville noted. "They grew from that start, becoming a global multibillion-dollar company with mines all over the world."

It would take several years for the miners to hone their underground mining skills. Neaville said the company had imported European miners familiar with underground mining to perfect the techniques at the local mines.

"It wasn't until about 1900 that they really had it figured out and were actually producing substantial amounts of ore," he explained. "That resulted in discontinuing further surface mining."

Then, other companies got started," said Neaville. "At one time, there were maybe a dozen other companies mining St. Francois County that were not St. Joe."

Firmin Rene Desloge began what would be called the Desloge Lead Co. by building a smelting furnace in 1826.

According to the "History of the Lead Belt of St. Francois County" published in the Lead Belt News and referenced by previous Daily Journal articles, in March 1886, a fire destroyed the Desloge Lead Co.'s concentrating mill plant. It damaged the rest of the surface plant.

The following year, the company was sold to St. Joe Lead Company, which made Firmin Rene Desloge's son, Firmin V. Desloge, a trustee on its board, a post he held until his death. This merger helped St. Joe become the "greatest lead-mining and smelting company in the world."

The Desloge family was not done mining yet, however. According to A History of American Mining, after the 1886 fire, Desloge and his family took an option on the "Mine-a-Joe" land then owned by the Bogy family and started another mining operation under the name Desloge Consolidated Lead Company. The new company cleared the land and built company houses for its workers just west of present-day Desloge.

In 1893, Desloge opened a new mine just north of the St. Joe Lead Company property in Bonne Terre on a tract of land. He expanded his lead mining operations by buying the Bogy Lead Mine Company and the St. Francois Mining Company.

Neaville explained that St. Joe would eventually consolidate all the other mining companies in the region.

St. Joe acquired the remaining assets from the Desloge Consolidated Lead Company in 1929.

St. Joe was already the most significant lead producer at the time. By 1923, the company boasted that it had 250 miles of underground railroad track running under the county, the majority of which are under what is present-day Park Hills.

After absorbing all the other mining companies, St. Joe dominated ore production and became the heart of the Old Lead Belt, continuing operations in the present-day Park Hills area until 1972. That year, Federal Mill No. 3 overlooking Flat River was retired as much of the ore in the area had been mined.

Primary operations began moving west and south after the discovery of other larger lead deposits flanking the other sides of the St. Francois Mountains in the 1950s.

"The reason that the Old Lead Belt stopped in 1972 is because of the production from the Viburnum Trend, which was the new lead belt and an even bigger deposit that was discovered in the 1950s," said Neaville. "By the 1960s, it was in production, and by that point, it made no sense economically to continue to mine in St. Francois County, where the mineral grades had dropped to the point where it couldn't compete with the Viburnum Trend."

In 1975, the mining company donated the 25 buildings of their largest mine-mill complex and the surrounding land to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. These properties became Missouri Mines State Historic Site and St. Joe State Park.

The area's mining past is preserved at what was once Federal Mill No. 3, constructed in 1906-1907. Once the most significant and deepest mine-mill complex that St. Joe had in the region, the facility is now a museum, located at 4000 Highway 32 off the Park Hills exit. The site welcomes many visitors from all over the country each year.

Progress and growth aside, the mining operations also left behind effects on St. Francois County that require resolution.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that some 250 million tons of hazardous mining waste, such as lead mill waste tailings and chat, were produced from processing lead ore in the Old Lead Belt. The EPA states that this waste has contaminated soil, sediment, surface water, and groundwater with elevated levels of heavy metals, primarily lead, in the area.

In the past, the mining waste known as chat was piled up in large chat dumps and used for various purposes. The EPA has noted that the chat has been manually relocated throughout the area as topsoil, fill material, and aggregate for roads, railroads, concrete, and asphalt across the county. Lead mining tailings have also been used for agricultural purposes due to their lime content. Lead mining waste has also been transported downstream by the Big River.

St. Francois County is on the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) and is a Superfund Site. According to the EPA, the NPL is a list of the nation's hazardous waste sites with the highest priority for cleanup due to the greatest threats to human health and the environment. These sites are eligible for extensive, long-term response action money, as authorized by Congress under the Superfund Program.

The EPA, Missouri state agencies, and the Doe Run Company have been addressing lead-contaminated soils in St. Francois County for more than 30 years. More recently, environmental restoration has been underway through the remediation of area residents' yards.

The Doe Run Company reported that more than 5,100 residential properties had been tested for lead contamination in St. Francois County as of August. The company stated that 1,475 residential properties had been cleaned up since remediation work began in 2000.

Neaville explained that the lead contained at the ground's surface in the county is not water-soluble and not particularly harmful. He noted that the testing data show the majority of instances of toxic lead exposure in the state occur in St. Louis and Kansas City, and those cases are associated with lead paint in old homes. Even so, the Doe Run Company has staff specifically dedicated to lead clean-=up.

"We actually have an office in Leadwood," said Neaville. "And we have about 60 people internal that perform remediation.

We've really staffed up to meet the EPA requirements, and we're investing in our own people and equipment. Most of those people live in St. Francois County."

The people of St. Francois County remain proud of the area's rich mining heritage. It is not hard to find preserved mining relics and tributes to the past.

From mining murals and statues to museums and diving excursions inside the mines, it appears that the industry which built this county and its communities will not be forgotten.

Bobby Radford is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at bradford@dailyjournalonline.com

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A complete history of St. Francois County transportation requires a book, not an article, but three major highlights from the previous 200 years provide an illustration of the evolving ways St. Francois County residents and business owners navigated the terrain to build this portion of Missouri we call home.

Plank Road

In the beginning, animal footpaths and Indian trails offered basic byways settlers later used for horses and wagons. The aquatic highways offered by the Flat, St. Francis and Big Rivers didnt connect St. Francois County enterprises with any efficient path to the biggest superhighway of all, the Mississippi River.

The Plank Road changed all that.

When St. Francois County became official in 1821, lead mining throughout the county and iron ore mining southwest of the county had been running just over 100 years. Shipping out those heavy loads from underground  and shipping in all the above-ground trappings for pioneer households, farms and businesses  meant the rutted, muddy mess of roads frequently became impassable on commercial routes to the Mississippi, where steamboats served as the days FedEx or UPS system.

Plank roads were not unheard of in other parts of the U.S. Businessman James E. Sauer issued 300 shares of stock at $50 apiece, took out $15,000 in insurance and started the plank road project, which is said to have been completed in 1853 for about $200,000. It was built on planks 8 feet wide, 2.5 inches thick, and nailed on thick logs so it was about 6-8 inches off the ground. At 42 miles, it was the longest plank road in America, stretching from Ste. Genevieve to the mines around Iron Mountain.

Essentially a single-lane boardwalk to the Big Muddy, the road offered westbound travelers the right-of-way, since their loads were likely commercial. The round trip could take as many as five days.

To keep up the wooden road, five tollgates  two of which were in Farmington and Doe Run  collected 25 cents per wagon and 10 cents per horseman. Legend has it, people would drive out of their way to avoid the tollgates, or would  while it worked, anyway  call out the name John Hunt!, the name of a wealthy farmer who preferred to pay his tolls at the end of the month, and who soon learned to pay in cash as he went.

The plank road proved to be laborious and cost-prohibitive, so the shareholders sold it to the counties, which kept it up for a while. St. Francois kept their end opened toll-free until 1903.

Probably the biggest nail in the plank road coffin was the railroad.

Railroad System

Books have been written about the various railways passing through St. Francois County land and history.

In 1851, state aid was given to two companies to facilitate building railroads, since Missouri, largely a steamboat state, had taken its time in embracing the Iron Horse. By 1860, bonds were issued on behalf of six different firms, one of which was the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad Company to transport iron.

About $3.6 million was used to build the railroad to Pilot Knob, but the cost meant changing of hands among businesses until it was run more efficiently by Thomas Allen, longtime president of the company.

The Belmont Branch was the first extension of the St. Louis and Iron Mountain south, built from both ends towards the middle and completed in August 1869. It covered a distance of 120 miles from Bismarck to Belmont.

The main line of the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railway entered St. Francois County at the extreme northwest and traveled through Blackwell, into Washington County, then north of Bismarck to enter Iron County a few miles south. The Belmont Branch ran southeast from Bismarck, touching DeLassus and Knob Lick. Eventually, the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad became part of the Missouri Pacific System.

According to Lead Belt News archives, Farmington had been pining for a railroad. Several attempts had been made to land one, but they failed. Finally, in 1901, the St. Francois County Electric Railway Company was formed and work began. After a few hiccups, the first electric car on the streets of Farmington ran from DeLassus to Farmington in the summer of 1904. At its zenith, the railway operated four electric cars traveling from the Farmington depot to Flat River in half an hour and connected the county seat to various points of the Lead Belt, joining with the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad at DeLassus. It also made connections with the Mississippi River and Bonne Terre Railroad at Flat River and the Illinois Southern at Esther.

As automobiles gained favor and the cost of coal dropped, the electric railway took its last run in November 1957.

Meanwhile, rail lines such as the Mississippi River and Bonne Terre Railroad, Illinois Southern Railroad, the Summit Railroad, Saline Valley Railroad and Missouri-Illinois Railroad companies changed hands, ebbed and flowed along with the interests and fortunes of the owners. Many were eventually absorbed into the larger railroad corporations that dominate the rails.

US 67

With the advent of the horseless carriage, the Missouri Legislature in 1913 created the Missouri Highway Department. Construction soon began to link adjoining county seats with paved and maintained roadways. Eight years later, honoring Missouris 100th birthday, department operations were established when the Legislature passes the Centennial Road Law, creating a four-member State Highway Commission.

The Eisenhower administration, headed by the World War II general-turned-president, revved up the nations highway system. Impressed by the productivity and effectiveness of Germanys Autobahn, President Dwight D. Eisenhower knew the well-engineered, expansive road system that aided Allied efforts in fighting fascism, could be imported to aid free enterprise and the pursuit of American dreams.

After seeing the autobahns of modern Germany and knowing the asset those highways were to the Germans, I decided, as President, to put an emphasis on this kind of road building, he later explained.

Missouri bought it becoming in 1956 the first state to take bids and start building the interstate highway system.

The stretch from Festus to St. Francois County was reputed to be notoriously stilted, according to an April 1980 Daily Journal editorial that acknowledged the highways completion and looked back on its history.

Nine years before, the final leg of the four-lane highway was completed, replacing the winding, narrow stretch of highway  some of which can be seen on Old 67 or Business 67 today  that often choked with weekend traffic.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Lt. Dorwin James claimed back then that, especially on three-day weekends, traffic on Old 67 would be stop-and-go from Festus to Bonne Terre.

I have seen traffic stopped completely still in Bonne Terre from the traffic signal in Festus," he was quoted as saying in the 1980 editorial.

The first section of US 67 was completed in 1958 and 1959, providing two new lanes, from the Jefferson-St. Francois county line to Flat River, and a four-lane segment between Bonne Terre and the intersection with Route 8.

A few years later in 1961, at a cost of about $1.1 million, the four-lane segment between Farmington and Flat River was opened. Three years and $2.9 million later, the two-line highway from Farmington south to the Madison County line was built.

The development continued in 1970 with the opening of a second traffic lane from Highway 8 to Leadington at a cost of over $1.1 million. The final segment of the existing four lane stretching from Farmington to Festus was completed in June 1971. From Bonne Terre to the northern county line cost nearly $2.5 million, Highway Commissioner Dennis McGuire said at the time.

Eventually, the second lane from Farmington to Fredericktown was completed in the 1980s.

Crossovers have been all but eliminated in the last 20 years and multiple interchanges such as the overpasses south of Desloge and south of Leadington, the Karsch/Highway 32 evolutions and the Maple Valley interchange have been added as commerce and population changes create new traffic patterns.

Honorable Mentions

Although this article only highlighted three aspects from 200 years of getting around in St. Francois County, it would be remiss not to mention in passing  pun intended  the evolution of flight, with a county dotted with runways, airports in Farmington and Bonne Terre making continual improvements, and, in a broader way, the effect McDonnell-Douglas and Boeing had on this area, with so many citizens commuting hours each day to St. Louis for more lucrative employment. The same can be said of those who commuted daily to St. Louis-area automakers, local auto dealers, mechanics, and so on.

Where the next 200 years takes us will be for future generations to determine, but one thing can be relied on in St. Francois County: If it cant readily find a way, itll make a way.

Sarah Haas is the assistant editor for the Daily Journal. She can be reached at 573-518-3617 or at shaas@dailyjournalonline.com.

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As St. Francois County turns 200, we asked St. Francois County IDA President Al Sullivan what makes the county such an appealing place to live, work and play.

"The first thing that I don't think people really fully understood or accepted is St. Francois County is a first class county in the state and that puts it in the league with St. Joseph, Springfield, Cape Girardeau and a lot of others," Sullivan said. "We are a first class county now and people that are looking for a place to live  go where the most services are offered."

Sullivan said St. Francois County jumped from a third class county to a first class county. According to the St. Francois County website the designation occurred Jan. 1, 2013.

"If you are looking to come to Missouri from out of state, you are looking for certain things and there are certain services provided by first class counties that are not provided elsewhere," Sullivan said. "It still really hasn't sunk in to the people who live in St. Francois County that we are playing in the league of first class counties but to companies outside the state and maybe people moving in it is a big thing."

Sullivan said when a company is looking to move from one state to another they have to look at numerous factors including the needs of their employees.

"You've got all of the families of the officers and the bosses of the company that are involved in taking their kids out of school," Sullivan said. "They said OK what kind of state are we going to, what kind of educational system do they have, what kind of higher educational system. When you look at St. Francois County, you see that we have five very fine school districts, then you have a community college."

Sullivan said having a community college such as Mineral Area College is something not every county has and it is a real asset to the area. MAC has on-campus partnerships with University of Missouri-St. Louis and Central Methodist University.

Mineral Area Colleges Fall 2021 enrollment is currently 2,295 students with 1,244 of those coming in from outside of St. Francois County.

Mineral Area College is proud to be a part of the St. Francois County bicentennial celebration, Mineral Area College President Dr. Joe Gilgour said. We have been a part of this community for nearly 100 years and are proud to serve the residents with high-quality, affordable, education.

Gilgour said Mineral Area College is very attractive to those outside the area because of the low cost, personal attention, and high quality programs offered.

Students find the support they need to succeed in small classes taught by our dedicated faculty, preparing them to transfer to a university or begin a career, Gilgour said. At MAC, students experience a welcoming environment and opportunities for growth and engagement both inside and outside the classroom.

Sullivan said when you get past looking at educational opportunities, you start to look at crime statistics, municipal services, and medical facilities such as Parkland Health Center, with locations in Farmington and Bonne Terre.

The former Mineral Area Regional Medical Center could soon be getting a new life as a central institution for those suffering from homelessness, mentally illness and substance abuse issues. East Missouri Action Agency (EMAA), partnering with Great Mines Health Center, is applying for a Community Development Block Grant with the Department of Economic Development through the state of Missouri for up to $2 million to renovate a portion of the old hospital.

"I think from the state point of medical services, you have an array of locally-owned as well as nationally-owned skill care facilities," Sullivan said. "You have a number of things, my kids are going to be taken care of, higher education can be obtained. There is something in case my mother has to move from Pennsylvania and can no longer live alone. We can bring her here to Missouri and put her in a skilled nursing facility that is of high quality."

Sullivan said you begin to round out that whole ball of wax ranging from the children to the parents of the people who are moving here. He said covering those wide range of needs helps satisfy companies and their families when they get ready to move.

"We have a Swedish-owned firm in this county that has doubled its expansion and when the gentleman came here to dedicate the building and recognize the expansion he noted the quality of workers that we have," Sullivan said. "Since they own several different companies, they may in the future think about locating another one of their distribution points here."

Sullivan said the company, which is located in Bonne Terre, can ship anywhere in the United States overnight and that is a great advantage point of St. Francois County.

Fuel costs are a big expense so that is something considered when a company or family is looking at moving.

"You are very close to Cape Girardeau and St. Louis, just an hour drive either way, to access any other things you would want 

Sullivan said sometimes we may feel like we have traffic but we do not know what traffic is. He said we are able to drive to the drug store or grocery store and get back with little trouble.

"I think all of those things are factors that attribute to people coming to this area and companies moving here," Sullivan said.

The county is already home to a number of large companies and Sullivan said the largest employers are not in the public sector, but instead are located with the industrial parks.

"The jobs that are paying something are in our industrial parks," Sullivan said. "There has been three companies located in the Bonne Terre IDA in the last year and you don't even see the buildings when you drive by because they are down the hill from where you go by on the highway."

Sullivan said the industrial parks have done so well that Farmington is out of land, Parks Hills has maybe one lot open and the IDA is working toward getting a new property in Bonne Terre certified as an industrial site, which would be the first of its kind in the four-county region.

St. Francois County is attractive for more than its education, healthcare and opportunities but also for its recreation. The yearly festivities such as the St. Francois County Fair, Country Days and Blues, Desloge Labor Day Picnic, Brews and BBQ, offer unique fun for the entire community. Then there are the state parks, bike trails, and more ready for everyone to enjoy.

"The quality of life is recreation and having fun things to do and there is an abundance in this area," Sullivan said. "Certainly to local business people, the state parks in the region are a source of customers."

Sullivan said campers come into the neighboring communities to shop, eat and explore.

"All of this is a tremendous economic impact," Sullivan said. "When Mel Weems and the group from Bonne Terre bought the land where the St. Francois State Park is, they bought up a farm and gave it to the state to make a state park, those were some pioneers who could see down the road what it meant to have recreational activities in your area to attract people. Some of those people who planted those seeds. we are now bearing the fruit of their hard labor."

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To help motorists travel around the state for the upcoming New Years Day holiday, the Missouri Department of Transportation will restrict mos
UK shows including Hamilton, The Lion King, Life of Pi, Come from Away and Matilda the Musical canceled one or more performances this week because of COVID-19 outbreaks. Others have gone further: The National Theatre has pulled the plug on Hex and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for the next two weeks due to company illness.

The Donmar Warehouse has canceled performances of Force Majeure, about an avalanche and its consequences, until Dec. 29 after several members of the company tested positive.

It is sadly ironic that we must cancel performances of this brilliantly funny show titled Force Majeure because of a  force majeure event, said artistic director Michael Longhurst.

Shows that remain open fear audiences will stay away after public health authorities warned people to cut back on socializing to help slow the spread of omicron.

New rules that took effect this week in London mean that theatregoers have to show a negative coronavirus test or proof of vaccination to be admitted. At Cabaret, the rules were even stronger: All attendees, even those fully vaccinated, were required to show a negative COVID-19 test before entering the theater.
The maps submitted to the court last week contain only seven majority Black legislative districts in the two chambers combined  far fewer than the 11 majority Black districts that now exist. Proposals submitted earlier to the redistricting commission would have created anywhere from 10 to 16 districts had they been adopted, according to an analysis from the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project.

But the maps submitted to the court create a much higher number of majority-minority districts, those in which Blacks, Hispanics and Asians combined represent more than 50% of the population in a given district.

The special masters who submitted the maps, Bernard Grofman and Sean Trende, told the court in a memo that the commission "drew districts that would elect the candidate of choice of a minority group only if the district could be drawn in a compact fashion that did not needlessly split counties.

They said they were concerned that the maps would be subject to a legal challenge if they drew them with racial considerations in mind, so they drew them without regard to race and then evaluated the racial composition after the fact.
Instead of sharing a threat posted online, the detectives said students should tell a responsible adult.

Not keep it to themselves but not share it with peers, ACPD detective Mike Wells said.

Wells, who works in the countys cybercrimes lab, said that sharing threats with peers complicates the investigation, especially in determining where the post originated.

So just if we can contain that as much as possible, that would help us get a really quick start out of the gate to try and find out where this came from, Wells said.

Wells added later that the police respond to each threat as if they are credible until they determine whether its not.

You have to understand that these threats, theyre sometimes intended to be annoying, but we have to take them as though theyre a real threat to life, Wells said. So we have to do forensic examinations just like we would if it was a homicide.

Schnieder said that even if the threats are not credible, those who make the post are charged as if they were.

You made a threat, he said. You scared not only the staff but other children.
Powell said that the enrollment changes will eventually have a negative effect on the citys LCI and will be factored into the formula for fiscal years 2024 to 2026. That coincides with when millions of federal funding provided during the pandemic will expire. However, with other school divisions experiencing a drop in enrollment, the state could decide to hold schools harmless meaning their state funding wouldnt be affected.

Schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said that his leadership team is looking through budget requests as they develop a funding request for the coming fiscal year. As in previous years, the board will hear initial details about that request during a lengthy work session on Saturday, Jan. 15.

I think the thing for us is that we will find a path forward, Gurley said, adding that public schools require a lot of money. .  We rely on those [grants] heavily like Title I and all these other grants. When we come back, youll see that weve been very thoughtful in what were proposing.

For the current operating budget, the school division relied heavily on federal funding to pay for new positions such as social workers and nearly $5 million in new spending.
At 1 p.m., the electoral count started. It began normally, with the two sides debating the electoral count from certain states ... But as they got into it, we started getting security alerts on our phones, and you could see that there were members on the floor looking at their phones. At one point I told my editor, "I'm going to go outside and try to look out a window and see what's going on." And a gallery staffer and I went and looked out a front window of the Capitol. It was kind of like one of those moments in a movie where it's just like, "Oh my gosh," because we looked outside and there were just so many people. Usually there's a perimeter at events like this, but there was no perimeter and people were just right up against the building.

All of a sudden there was a lockdown at the Capitol. The House was gaveling in and out of session and there was a lot of chaos on the floor as members were trying to figure out what was going on. And then at some point they gaveled out for a final time and a Capitol Police officer went up to the rostrum and started talking in the microphone. That's where you see the president speaking at the State of the Union  that is not a normal thing for a Capitol Police officer to be talking to members from the rostrum. And he said, "there has been a breach and tear gas was dispersed in the Capitol Rotunda." He said to members, "you need to get your gas masks out from underneath your chairs," and I don't think many members even knew there were gas masks under their chairs. So it was total pandemonium on the floor. People are yelling out, "Lock the doors! Lock the doors!" There were some members who were yelling about Trump, and a Democrat yelled at Republicans, "This is your fault!" It was just total chaos. One member was up on his desk trying to help people get their gas masks on, and eventually they gave us gas masks in the press gallery and we're trying to figure them out, and we have no idea how to open this thing or whether we should put it on. And when you open it, there's this really, really loud buzzing. So all of a sudden there's this loud buzzing just echoing through the whole chamber. And at one point we looked down and the House chaplain, who had just started a couple of days before, was saying a prayer. That was definitely a moment where it was like, "OK, this is pretty serious."
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Denton High grad a finalist in national arts competition

Matthew Garcia picked up the alto saxophone as a middle school student. When he got to Denton High School, he picked up the tenor saxophone and landed a spot in the Bronco Lab Band  a top performing group in the schools band program.

Courtesy photo Matthew Garcia, a graduate of Denton High School, is a finalist in the YoungArts Competition in New York City.

Now wrapping up his freshman year at New York University, Garcia is a finalist in the YoungArts National Arts Competition, which selects the top high school students in the performing arts, visual arts, literature and film each year. Hes one of seven jazz musicians who will perform online at 8 p.m. on Feb. 1. Roughly 8,000 high school students from all over the country applied for the competition. A panel of judges selected finalists in a blind audition.

I found out about it through some of my peers, Garcia said. They won some level of the awards, so I decided to apply.

He was named a finalist, which earned Garcia a week of online classes and workshops led by luminaries in their fields.

We get master classes, and at the end we put together a performance, Garcia said. Getting to know those musicians and getting to work with those musicians will be something Ill benefit from. I hope these will be people I get to know and work with for the rest of my life.

Garcia submitted recordings of his performance during his senior year at Denton High School. Garcia said he picked up the saxophone in middle school mostly because his father had studied the instrument in school.

That kind of influenced me, I guess, he said. I originally wanted to try the clarinet, but I ended up with the saxophone.

In high school, Garcia said the schools lab band  a program inspired by the big band jazz program at the University of North Texas  not only furthered his technique and artistry, but taught him how to be part of an ensemble. He took a shine to the way jazz saxophone players get the limelight with solos when he saw them on film, but the lab band taught him that there arent any solos without a competent band.

The first thing the lab band taught me is that music isnt really about the individual, Garcia said. Its about the community. Learning to be together and play together, and learning the music together. I feel that being exposed to music Id never heard before made a big difference. We went back to the 1940s, and that really opened my eyes about what it could be like to work as a community.

Garcia said he considered attending the UNT College of Music, where a formidable education awaits ambitious emerging jazz musicians. But New York City called to him. Hes studying the tenor sax under Dave Pietro, a UNT graduate and an alumnus of the world-renowned UNT One Oclock Lab Band.

Well, I think that UNT is great, he said. But I think what youre going to find in NYC is unmatched. Theres so much history and so much culture there. So much is still happening.

Garcia said New York University offers him both a rigorous education in technique, composition and arrangement. But it also sits in a sort of world capital of jazz. Musicians can stay busy in the club scene, in recording studios and on a host of stages.

I did feel like I needed a lot of formal training, still, Garcia said. New York City has the top schools for training when it comes to music. Juilliard, the Manhattan School, the top places are all here, I think.

The YoungArts Week+ will stream recorded live performances by finalists, who stand to win from $1,500 to $10,000 in the competition. Garcia and the other jazz finalists will have their performances streamed at 8 p.m. on Feb. 1.
Which team are you the most optimistic about as we start 2022?

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Recently promoted commander of U.S. Southern Command U.S. Army Gen. Laura Richardson returned to her home state Friday to encourage Metropolitan State University Denver graduates.

She is, after all, a walking example of how far a graduate can go.

Richardson took some time between two ceremonies at the Colorado Convention Center Friday to talk to reporters about her journey to become the highest ranking female in the Army, issues facing the U.S. in her area of responsibility (South America), and her thoughts on women not being required to register for the draft.

This is really an exciting day, Richardson said. I pretty much grew up at Metro.

Asked about the secret of her success, she didnt hesitate: Metro!

Its an absolute thrill to have General Richardson come and be our commencement speaker, said MSU Denver President Janine Davidson. Not only is she a completely distinguished alum, shes a role model for our students. They can see whats possible.

Davidson and Richardson knew each other from their time at the Pentagon together, when Davidson served as undersecretary of the Navy.

Richardson was sworn in as SOUTHCOMM commander Oct. 29. She previously served as commanding general of the U.S. Army North at Joint Base San Antonio. She graduated what was then just Metropolitan State College, or Metro, in 1986, after her time at Northglenn High School. She went on to graduate from the Army Command and Staff College, and later the National Defense Universitys Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security. Shes married to Lt. Gen. Jim Richardson and lives in Miami now.

She said the militarys duties in SOUTHCOMM often involve humanitarian aid, disaster relief and reporting any illegal activity, read drug smuggling, to local authorities.

Weve got great working relationships with everybody, Richardson said. Im not used to such good relationships as compared to working with Iraq or Afghanistan.

Of the countries in SOUTHCOMMs area of responsibility, 28 of the 31 are like-minded Democracies, she said.

We really dont do anything alone, the United States, we always do things with our allies and partners, she said. Those relationships are really strong, Im happy to say, even though politically they might not be the best.

Asked about what young people can do to succeed, her advice was simple: get involved.

Volunteer. Get out in the community and get to know your community and be a part of your community, she said. Be involved. Dont sit at home and be a recluse, on the Xbox or whatever  Be part of making change. Be part of having folks hear your voice. Join Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, this kind of stuff.  Then once you graduate from high school, its not like what am I going to do. Well shoot, if you got out and you were part of something while in high school you might know of the opportunities.

Just last week, the House and Senate Armed Services committees left a provision out of the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act that would have required women register for the draft. Richardson indicated its only a matter of time, but apparently now isnt that time.

I guess our countrys not ready for that just yet, she said. We opened up all combat positions for women in the Department of Defense in 2015.

Davidson said she was on the Commission on National Service, and that it recommended women be included in the draft.

We felt like the country was ready for it, Davidson said. The commission are pretty disappointed, but kind of felt politically (legislators) just punted it for another year.

Richardson also weighed in on another controversial topic: sexual abuse and harassment in the armed services.

This isnt just a problem in the military, its a problem in our entire society, right? We see that and so Im for anything that we think might work to eradicate this. Theres no room for it, she said. I look at it like fratricide. You dont shoot your buddy when youre trying to qualify your weapon, right? Its the same kind of thing here  It hurts readiness. It hurts morale. It fractures the unit.

Richardson said shes looking forward to spending the weekend in state with her parents.
Brazilian telecommunications operator Algar Telecom has launched a commercial Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G service using its newly acquired 2.3GHz spectrum.

The launch means that Algar is the first Brazilian player to utilise frequencies secured in the recent multi-band spectrum auction, said a press release from the Grupo Algar's telecommunications and IT company.

According to Algar Telecom, the quick launch was possible because the 2.3 GHz range was already free to use. The operator invested in transport network structures, network core, and service platforms. The company also has five lots on the 26 GHz frequency and one on the 3.5 GHz frequency.

The 5G network went live on 15 December and covers selected parts of Uberlandia and Uberaba, as well as Franca in Sao Paulo. The 5G network is available in 22 neighborhoods of Uberlandia and 13 in Uberaba (both in the state of Minas Gerais), as well as seven in the city of Franca (Sao Paulo).

Algar had carried out demonstrations of 5G technology two weeks ago in Uberaba via an implementation carried out together with Nokia and with a focus on agribusiness.

The Minister of Communications, Fabio Faria, had anticipated in his hearing before the Senate last week that Algar would be the first telco to launch 5G services in the country.

Algar Telecom has over 30 years of experience in mobile telephony and a pioneering history to be maintained. We always offer access to the most innovative and modern telecommunications services in the cities where we operate and that's why we made every effort to make 5G available as soon as possible. We can say that today is the beginning of a relevant change in the way our customers will connect with each other and with things, said Marcio De Jesus, vice president of ServC at Algar Telecom.

Brazil raised a total of 47.2 billion reais ($8.5 billion) in its recent 5G spectrum auction, making it the second-largest auction of assets in the countrys history, according to the government.
Polish telecommunications provider Orange Polska (Orange Poland) has deployed private LTE and 5G networks at Nokia's factory and R&D facility in the city of Bydgoszcz.

According to a press note from Orange Polska, the network will cover the entire 13,000 square metre facility, providing the locations 6,000 employees with access to faster, more reliable communications. This, in turn, will enable numerous efficiency improvements within the factory itself, including facilitating automated guided vehicles to transport products internally, drones for surveillance and monitoring, and the widespread deployment of IoT devices.

"Private 5G networks are undoubtedly the future of an effective industry. I am glad that we can boast a unique experience on the Polish market, collected during the implementation of already operating implementations of this type, which pay off in subsequent projects, such as the one with Nokia. It is a solution enabling the maximum adjustment of communication to the customer's needs, safe and increasing the efficiency of processes," said Julien Ducarroz, president of Orange Polska.

The key element of the system, apart from the access network in 4 and 5G technology, is the edge server, i.e. a platform for configuration, management, monitoring, and hosting of networks and applications, as well as a place for data storage and processing, said the release.

The network is completely private  there is no integration with Orange Polskas wide area network. It is inaccessible to other, unauthorized users and allows you to quickly deploy and run new factory-specific applications, noted Orange. Such separation of services is possible thanks to dedicated SIM cards.

"Nokia has extensive experience in creating private campus networks in 4G LTE and 5G technologies, and the solution that we have implemented together with Orange in our Bydgoszcz headquarters guarantees a very high level of security and flexibility of our activities. Together with our partner - Orange, we are opening a new stage in the development of our factory of the future, offering a better on-site experience and ensuring our efficiency and competitiveness," said Piotr Binda, Customer Team Head Europe East at Nokia.
The U.S. is averaging more than 400,000 cases a day, with hospitalizations also up. Get ready for the week and COVID-19 year three with these updates and comprehensive guides to dealing with the omicron wave.
Former suburban Minneapolis police officer Kim Potter took the stand Friday at her manslaughter trial in the shooting death of Black motorist Daunte Wright.

Potter has said she meant to draw her Taser instead of her gun when she shot the 20-year-old Wright as he was trying to drive away from officers seeking to arrest him on a weapons possession warrant. Video of the shooting was recorded by officers body cameras.

The defense began its case Thursday after prosecutors spent a week calling police witnesses to build their case that Potter, who resigned from the Brooklyn Center police force after the shooting, was an experienced officer who was thoroughly trained to use a Taser and knew the dangers of confusing one with a handgun.
Truck driver Huong talks to his employer on the phone in Lang Son Province, December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh

Tightened Covid-19 measures and technical difficulties are preventing Vietnamese goods from entering China smoothly, leaving thousands of truck drivers stranded for weeks with deteriorating fresh fruit.

After driving a 45-ton container truck carrying mangoes 1,700 kilometers from the southern province of Tien Giang to the northern province of Lang Son, Huong found thousands of other drivers waiting for clearance to China, most of them with perishable goods.

For the last two weeks, the truck has been Huongs home, where he cooks and brushes his teeth amidst the constant hum of the air conditioner kept running day and night to preserve the fruit.

"The mangoes are beginning to turn yellow," he told his boss on the phone. Both know that this means the fruit will be ripen soon and Chinese buyers will lower their purchase price, which could inflict a significant loss on the venture.

"Try to hold on for a few more days," the boss said, as Huong shut the doors and got on the drivers seat, continuing to wait without any clue as to when his truck will be able to cross the border.

As of Thursday there were 4,500 container trucks stuck at Lang Son border gates, up 400 from the day before, as Chinese customs authorities limited clearance citing "technical difficulties" and tightened Covid-19 safety measures.

Network issues on the Chinese side, or "technical difficulties" means the Tan Thanh and Huu Nghi border gates will be closed until further notice, said Dinh Ky Giang, deputy director of Lang Sons Industry and Trade Department.

The suspension of goods clearance at border gates with China has become a frequent occurrence in recent years, he told VnExpress, adding that on previous occasions this period lasted several hours, half a day or two or three days.

It is likely that the same thing will happen this time, Giang said.

Another reason for the blockage is that China has tightened its Covid-19 protective measures and examines the packages more carefully, said Le Thanh Hoa, deputy director of the Department for Agriculture Processing.

The surge in exports volume to China, which often occurs towards the end of the year, is another reason for the blockage, some industry insiders said.

Some border gates in other localities, such as Lao Cai, are closed, which means more goods are being rerouted to Lang Son and this intensified the gridlock, they added.

Container trucks are seen at the Vietnam-China border in Lang Son Province as drivers wait for clearance on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh

Drivers trapped

The situation has imprisoned thousands of drivers in their trucks.

Huynh Xuan Thai, a driver from the central province of Binh Dinh, said he has not bathed for seven days, and 40 tons of jackfruit in his truck have begun to ripen.

"We do not have water," he said, adding that he and other drivers have to use water dripping from the trucks air conditioners to clean their faces and brush their teeth.

Each day of being stuck costs VND1.5 million ($65.27) for parking and gas, which is needed to keep the air conditioner running.

"I did not expect to be stranded here this long."

The owners of fruit export companies face major losses if the trucks are not cleared in time.

Pham The Loc, CEO of Phu Loc Transport Company that has 110 trucks with dragon fruits stuck at the border gates, is rushing from the central region to Lang Son to deal with the situation.

"If our dragon fruits are not exported soon, they will rot, and our company may go bankrupt," he said, adding that some of his trucks have had to wait over three weeks for clearance.

Thoan, another exporter, said that she could lose VND300 million per truck if the fruits are ripe when they arrive in China.

Hoang Khanh Duy, deputy head of the management board at Dong Dang Economic Zone in Lang Son, said it might take another 15-22 days to complete customs clearance for all goods currently stranded at Tan Thanh if no new cargo trucks come in.

Authorities are still discussing ways to resolve the issue with the Chinese side. Lang Son has advised exporters not to send trucks to the border gates at this time.

Some exporters have opted to find other solutions.

Nguyen Hoang Cung, CEO of the Dai Thuan Thien Agriculture Company, said that since November, the company has been sending goods to China by ship to avoid the road border blockage.

In the first 11 months of the year, China was the second biggest buyer of Vietnamese agriculture produce behind the U.S. with a value of $8.4 billion.
Fishermen take shelter on Spartly Island off Khanh Hoa Province, December 17, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/An Phuoc

All localities from Da Nang to Khanh Hoa on the central coast have evacuated people from vulnerable areas and asked seafaring vessels to take shelter from Typhoon Rai.

On Friday, Da Nang City and the provinces of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa asked deep sea fishing vessels in their localities not to venture out as Typhoon Rai was developing complicatedly in the East Sea. Vessels at sea were ordered to rush back to shore and find shelter.

The East Sea is internationally known as the South China Sea.

Owners of near-shore fish farms were also asked to evacuate to safety before 6 p.m. Friday. People living in dangerous areas near the sea were evacuated to safer places.

Quang Ngai Province has suspended the boat service to its Ly Son Island and island residents have been told to store food for a few days.

The Dung Quat Economic Zone and the Quang Ngai VSIP Industrial Zone in the province have been requested to take all needed measures to protect their facilities from the storm, in particular the Dung Quat Oil Refinery and the Hoa Phat Dung Quat steel factory.

Tran Huu The, Chairman of Phu Yen Province, has ordered reinforcement of dykes, embankments and reservoirs of hydropower and irrigation projects, and protective measures for construction works.

Typhoon Rai has weakened after slamming into the southern and central parts of the Philippines, with local authorities reporting one death so far, according to Reuters.

It had intensified to a Category 5 storm, the highest classification with maximum sustained winds of at least 156 miles per hour (mph), before making landfall in the southern Philippines on Thursday.

Vietnams National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said the storm will enter the East Sea Friday evening.

At 7 a.m. Saturday, the eye of the storm will lie 200 km east of the Philippines Southwest Cay Island, with its strongest wind speed predicted at 165 kph (102mph).

It will likely move in the west-northwest direction at the speed of 20 kph and by 7 a.m. Sunday, it will be 280 km away from Vietnam's central coast with strongest wind speed expected at 150 kph.

Rai will be the ninth storm to enter the East Sea this year.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called for punishing people who refuse to be vaccinated without valid reasons.

At a meeting with the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, he said authorities should convince people to get immunized, and consider banning people from leaving their home or making them pay the treatment fees if they contract Covid if they refuse the shots.

The goal is safe adaptation to the pandemic with a focus on reducing community transmission and severe cases and death, he said.

Localities that fail to reach vaccination targets would also be held accountable, he warned.

All adults must get their second vaccine shot this month, and children aged 12-17 must get theirs in January, he said.

All adults should also be administered booster shots in January, he said, adding vaccination for children aged five and above would be done in due course.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said many Covid patients had died not because of the disease itself but because of underlying conditions.

Vietnam has so far received around 169 million vaccine doses from various sources, and administered around 135 million of them.

Around 97 percent of the adult population has received at least one shot and 80 percent has received two.
Many of them are fearful their goods will be unable to enter the giant market as a Jan. 1 deadline looms.

China's customs authority published new food safety rules in April stipulating all food manufacturing, processing and storage facilities abroad need to be registered by year-end for their goods to access the Chinese market.

But detailed procedures explaining how to get the required registration codes were only issued in October, while a website for companies allowed to self-register went online last month.

"We're heading for major disruptions after Jan. 1," said a Beijing-based diplomat from a European country who is assisting food producers with the new measures.

China's food imports have surged in recent years amid growing demand from a huge middle class. They were worth $89 billion in 2019, according to a report by the United States Department of Agriculture, making China the world's sixth largest food importer.

China has tried to implement new rules covering food imports for years, triggering opposition from exporters. The General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), overseeing the latest iteration of the rules, has provided little explanation for why all foods, even those considered low-risk such as wine, flour and olive oil, are covered by the requirements.

Experts say it is an effort to better oversee the large volumes of food arriving at Chinese ports, and place responsibility for food safety with manufacturers rather than the government.

GACC said in a statement sent to Reuters that it had sought public comment on the rules prior to April.

It has "fully considered and actively accepted reasonable suggestions" and strictly followed WTO agreements on implementing food safety measures, it said, adding that it had also responded to company questions.

The European Union has sent four letters to Customs this year requesting more clarity and more time for implementation, said Damien Plan, agriculture counsellor at the European Union Delegation in Beijing.

Last week, GACC agreed that implementation should only apply to goods produced on or after Jan. 1, effectively granting a delay for products already shipped, said the European diplomat, though it has not yet published an official notification.

Still, several diplomats and exporters said they saw the rules as a trade barrier for overseas products.

"We have never had anything this draconian out of China," said Andy Anderson, executive director of the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA), a trade group that promotes U.S. food exports.

He described the rules as a "non-tariff trade barrier".

Food, especially chilled and frozen food, has already faced severe delays clearing Customs in China in the last year due to coronavirus testing and disinfection measures.

Foods including unroasted coffee beans, cooking oil, milled grains and nuts are among 14 new categories deemed high risk that were required to be registered by the end of October by food authorities of the exporting countries.

Facilities making low-risk foods can register themselves on a website that launched in November but has not always worked.

"The Chinese system is working now but the English one is on a trial version," said Li Xiang, business development manager at Chemical Inspection and Regulation Services Ltd (CIRS) Europe, which is helping companies with the registration process.

The rules only apply to facilities making finished products to be exported to China, but it provides little flexibility to change sourcing or labels.

Some U.S. spirits companies have registered but are still unclear on labelling requirements, said Robert Maron, VP International Trade at the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.
The Islamic States Khorasan Province, or ISIS-K, is a terrorist group active in South and Central Asia, mostly in Afghanistan, but also present elsewhere in South Asia. Founded six years ago by disaffected members of the Taliban, the group considers the Taliban to be an enemy.

Over the past 6 years, ISIS-K has committed multiple deadly attacks resulting in hundreds of deaths, particularly in Afghanistan. They include the May 2021 bombing of a Kabul mosque that killed at least 12 worshippers celebrating Eid al-Fitr, and the August 2021 bombing of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul that resulted in the death of over 170 people. Most of their victims are civilians, many of them children, and they often target religious minorities, including the Shia and Sikh communities.

In late November, the U.S. Department of State designated three leaders of ISIS-K, along with one of its chief financial facilitators, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under Executive Order 13224, as amended.

Sanaullah Ghafari, also known as Shahab al-Muhajir, is the groups current overall emir. He was appointed by the ISIS core to lead ISIS-K in June 2020. Ghafari is responsible for approving all ISIS-K operations throughout Afghanistan and arranging funding to conduct operations.

Sultan Aziz Azam, or Sultan Aziz, has been ISIS-Ks spokesperson since the group first came to Afghanistan.

Maulawi Rajab, also known as Maulawi Rajab Salahudin, is a senior leader of ISIS-K in Afghanistans Kabul Province. He plans the groups operations and commands ISIS-K groups conducting attacks in Kabul.

Ismatullah Khalozai was designated for providing financial support to ISIS-K. He has been an international financial facilitator for ISIS-K, and carried out missions for senior ISIS leadership.

The United States is committed to using its full set of counterterrorism tools to counter the threat posed by the Islamic States Khorasan Province, commonly referred to as ISIS-K, as part of our relentless efforts to ensure Afghanistan cannot again become a platform for international terrorism, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a written statement.

We will continue to use all levers of American power to target terrorists who plot operations to indiscriminately kill civilians around the world, and those who enable, facilitate, and finance their acts.
U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., has succeeded in her push to remove a provision in the Build Back Better bill that would have given the U.S. Bureau of Land Management funds to possibly enact stricter mining regulations, an effort that followed defeat of mining law reforms this year.

The provision would have opened the door to revised mining regulations that could have been problematic for Nevada, according to her office, which credited her with halting the earlier effort in Congress that would have allowed for royalties on hardrock minerals.

Throughout this process my focus has been delivering a bill that makes a difference for Nevada, and I have made it clear that I would not support any taxes that would unfairly burden our state. The mining industry supports more than 30,000 jobs across the Nevada, and I will always stand up to protect it, the senator said on Dec. 16.

The Nevada Mining Association appreciates Senator Cortez Mastos efforts to remove this language from the bill while supporting the careers of our Nevada miners and keeping dialogue open to finding common sense solutions, the associations president, Tyre Gray, said on Dec. 17.

The addition of the proposed regulations would uniquely impact Nevada as over 80% of its land is under federal control, he said.

The provision allocated $3 million to the BLM that could be used to update mining regulations.

Washington-based Earthworks, an environmental organization, disagreed that failure of the provision would prevent the BLM from updating regulations.

They dont need the money authorized. They are perfectly within their scope of powers without that language, Alan Septoff of Earthworks said by phone Dec. 17. No one has proposed changes, but rulemaking is in place.

According to E&E Daily in a Nov. 3 article, supporters of mining royalties were clinging to this more modest, but still significant $3 million investment  their last chance to make major changes to the industry through the reconciliation process. E&E focuses on energy and the environment.

The senators office staff stated that the Senate leadership confirmed this provision will be removed from the final Senate text, after the senator first spotted the change in House text.

Cortez Mastos staff provided an outline of the provision in question.

Specifically, the House reconciliation package contained language that called on the BLM to revise rules and regulations to prevent undue degradation of public lands due to hardrock mining activities, which changes the wording from unnecessary and undue to simply undue, the staff wrote.

That change under the 1976 Federal Land Policy and Management Act could open an avenue for the BLM to enact more burdensome and strict mining regulations should they choose to do so, the senators staff said.

Gray said the mining association is monitoring and engaging in conversations surrounding the Build Back Better Act and proposed changes to mining regulations. NVMA represents the voices of 37,000 hardworking Nevadans who are proud to be part of the mining supply chain and opposes legislation that threatens the viability of the industry and those who rely on mining to provide for their families.

As our nation looks towards its green energy future, Nevada mining will be a critical part in producing the minerals needed to reduce our carbon footprint and implementing green technologies, he said.

Back in October, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing on proposed changes to the 1872 mining law that proposed an 8% gross royalty on new mines, a 4% gross royalty on existing operations and a 7-cent-per-ton tax on dirt and rock moved during the extraction process.

Cortez Masto announced after the October hearing that the royalty would not be part of the Senates reconciliation bill. At the end of October when the House failed to strip out the mining reforms from its reconciliation bill, the senator reiterated that she would not support a bill in the Senate that includes it.

Days later, in early November, the mining royalty provision was eliminated, thanks to Cortez Masto, her office wrote.

Earthworks stated on its website that the 1872 mining law subsidizes extraction by allowing mining interests to mine taxpayer-owned minerals without paying any royalties, unlike other extractive industries. Whoever stakes a claim and discovers valuable minerals on public lands claims those riches  more than $300 billion and counting since 1872  without giving taxpayers a dime for them.

At the Elko County level, the chairman of the board of commissioners, Jon Karr, said at an October meeting he was glad Sen. Cortez Masto fought for mining, and Commissioner Cliff Eklund said an 8% royalty would hurt the smaller, struggling mines.

Look how many people you would put out of work, he said.

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ELKO  Mayor Reece Keener said he plans to seek re-election in 2022 because I feel there is unfinished business, and I will continue the momentum. I am still enthusiastic about the job.

He also said the COVID-19 pandemic was an incredible interruption for anyone in public office. We cant wait to put the pandemic in the rear-view mirror.

One of the projects Keener wants to see through is the citys acquisition of more than 78 acres of Union Pacific Railroad land, and the Elko City Council agreed on Dec. 14 to split the cost of an appraisal with the railroad and to sign a conditional purchase agreement with UP.

Keener said another concern is housing, which is critically needed in the area. I am trying to do as much as I can in an elected capacity, and there is still more work to be done on that front.

The mayor said another focus will be on Elko Regional Airport, where SkyWest Airlines just cut service by 50% to one inbound and one outbound Salt Lake City flight per day rather than two each way. He said the city wants to do all it can to retain what we have and double-down on getting more flights.

A recreation center for Elko is also a goal for Keener, and he said there have been been serious discussions about it. The idea has been bubbling up for years, but the stars are starting to align.

More details may be revealed in February, Keener said.

He said the city also needs to do anything it can to promote tourism, and we really need to get the Cowboy Poetry Gathering back on track. Keener said there has been talk of moving the gathering, so community support to keep it in Elko is important.

Broadband service has been another major concern for Keener, who has worked on bringing high-speed internet to Elko for years. He praised Nevada Gold Mines for stepping up to the plate to help bring the service to Elko and Spring Creek.

NGM provided loan money to Anthem so the company could provide the service, and other internet providers have been adding high-speed service in Elko, too.

Seeing the approved veteran cemetery through to completion is another goal for the mayor, who said the citys land has been transferred to the federal government for the VA cemetery that has been in the planning stages since Dean Heller was still a U.S. senator.

I will do everything I can to see this to conclusion, Keener said.

Another key project, according to the mayor is spending the American Rescue Act money. The city is receiving more than $26 million, and there will be a lot of public works projects paid for by that money, he said. The city also took proposals from nonprofit organizations for a chunk of the money.

The mayor, who has lived in Elko 26 years, also said he has been active in the Nevada League of Cities.

Keener has served two full terms on the Elko City Council, first as a councilman and then as mayor, and he has one more term that he can fill before he is termed out.

He was chairman of the Elko Planning Commission before he was chosen to fill out a few remaining months of Rich Perrys council term when Perry took the job as Nevada Division of Minerals administrator. Keener was then elected to his first full term in 2014.

The mayors annual salary is $14,600, and he is also co-owner with his wife Tami of Print N Copy Center and Alliance Document Technologies.

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ELKO  The Veterans of Foreign Wars recently hosted two youth scholarship opportunities for rural students in northern Nevada.

The VFW has been sponsoring the Voice of Democracy since 1947, according to Post 2350 Quartermaster and District 2 Voice of Democracy and Patriots Pen chairman Mike Musgrove.

Before that it was put on by the National Broadcasters Association. The VFW took it over after that and they have been running it ever since. Currently, the head prize at National is a $30,000 scholarship. The lowest one is $1,000.

The winner tonight will be submitted to the state Department of Nevada VFW and they will announce that winner the eighth of January at our mid-winter conference in Sparks, he said.

The state winner is submitted to national competition. Those are announced in late February or early March. There are 54 entries: the states, Puerto Rico, Europe and Pacific areas  Everywhere we have VFW Posts. Usually, they are kids from the military.

For everybody that goes there are 60 sponsored prizes at National. They do their judging and then all the $1,000 winners at National are thrown into a pot and then they draw out for the extra ones. So, by the luck of the draw you could come up as a $2,000 winner.

Musgrove said the $30,000 winner usually attends the VFWs national convention and delivers their speech.

Its been a while since we had a first place winner out of Nevada, he said. The last one was around 91. She was from Las Vegas.

The entrants range from ninth to twelfth grade.

The Patriots Pen contest is for middle school, sixth through eighth [grade]. Its a 300 to 500 word written essay.

According to vfwnv.com, the Patriots Pen competition gives middle school students the opportunity to express their opinion on a patriotic theme, improve writing skills and compete for awards and prizes.

Each year the awards provided from all levels of the competition total about $1.2 million. The first place Department (state) winner competes for $46,000 in awards at the national level. The first place winner receives $5,000 and a trip to Washington, DC.

This year the competitions were held virtually.



Vietnam Voices:

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CARSON CITY (AP)  All schools in Carson City closed on Friday due to fears of violence associated with a School Shooting Challenge going viral on the social media platform TikTok.

Schools throughout the United States were also responding to vague threats circulating on TikTok, with some closing and others increasing police presence. The threats come months after other TikTok challenges that dared students to slap teachers or vandalize property, including in three Carson City schools.

Seeing increased and continued alleged threats of violence at schools locally and across the country shared on social media, primarily TikTok, the district has decided to play it safe and begin the two-week scheduled winter break a day early, Carson City School District Superintendent Richard Stokes said in a statement.

The 7,600-student district was scheduled to start its winter break on Monday but decided to close Friday after a threatening TikTok post referenced bullying and the prospect of a school shooting on Dec. 17.

Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong told the Nevada Appeal on Friday that law enforcement had found no credible threats after interviewing students and teachers and investigating the social media posts.

Elko law enforcement also reviewed threats and increased their presence at schools on Friday.

In the Las Vegas area, school police officers arrested a juvenile following threat investigations at Cashman Middle School.

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No American presidents of our time  perhaps no American presidents ever, with the possible exceptions of George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt  have affected the environment of their successors as dramatically as Donald J. Trump has shaped the political world of Joe Biden.

Both President Washington, whose retirement established a two-term limit to the office that survived for a century and a half, and Roosevelt, whose shadow over William Howard Taft was an enduring presence, decided not to run for additional successive presidential terms. Trump is a persistent presence in the Biden years by hectoring his successor and laying the groundwork for a third presidential campaign. Just a few days ago, he declared in Orlando, We won the first time, and the second time we won by even more. And it looks like we might have to think about very strongly a third time.

No one  maybe not even Trump  knows whether the 45th president is going to try to become the 47th president, becoming the only chief executive besides Grover Cleveland to serve nonconsecutive terms, the only president since TR to enter presidential politics after leaving the White House, and joining Andrew Jackson, Cleveland, William Jennings Bryan, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Richard Nixon as winners of three presidential nominations. No one said Trump was a conventional figure.

But then again, he has changed the nature of his party as much as Jackson, both Roosevelts and Ronald Reagan. Heres proof: A generation ago, conservatives believed Reagan had given shape to the GOP for decades. Today, hardly anyone identifies as a Reagan conservative; the Republican Party is a Trump party. And another particle of proof: A Pew Research Center poll this autumn found that two-thirds of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say they want Trump to remain a major political figure, with more than two in five saying they want him to run again in 2024.

That may change depending on whether he is facing criminal charges and what comes out of the investigation of Jan. 6, said Stephen J. Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. In the past several days, it became clear that many top Fox News commentators begged the Trump White House to intervene to halt the rampage at the Capitol.

Trump may be the same man who has been a fixture in American tabloids, reality television and penthouse-Manhattan social circles for decades, but one element of his profile has changed. The Edison Research Election Day 2016 exit poll of 24,557 Americans found that only 8% of voters thought Trump had the right experience to be president. That no longer would be the case if he runs in 2024. His experience in the White House is now his greatest calling card, at least for his followers. It also has the obverse effect for his detractors; they are determined to make sure he does not return to the White House. Trump unites both Democrats and Republicans.

If a third run at the White House is his hope, Trump is following a comeback path forged by Nixon, who lost the 1960 election by a small margin, was defeated in the 1962 California gubernatorial race and then  state by state, political contest by political contest  laid the groundwork in 1966 for his successful 1968 presidential candidacy. He appeared on behalf of 86 GOP candidates, building a fresh New Nixon political brand even as he worked for Republican unity. Trumps involvement in 2022 elections on the local, state and national levels  including 10 gubernatorial races and several congressional contests  is designed to consolidate his support even as he creates divisions among Republicans.

It was critical to Nixon winning the nomination and the 1968 election, said Dwight Chapin, then a 25-year-old Nixon advance man, later his personal aide and finally deputy assistant to the president in the Watergate period. It was central to removing the loser label he acquired in 1960 and 1962.

On Election Night, Nixon called dozens of victorious candidates, reminding them how cranked up the crowds were when he visited their campaigns. Trump claimed credit for Glenn Youngkins election as governor of Virginia even though he did not campaign in person for him.

Trump has a will to power unmatched in recent American political life, with the exception of Nixon. And while Nixon prevailed against Hubert Humphrey, who was a popular figure in 1960s America, Trump may be running against Biden, whose policies may be popular (63%, according to a Washington Post/ABC News Poll) but who himself is not (43% approval rating, according to the latest Wall Street Journal Poll, which puts a 2024 rematch between Trump and Biden at a dead heat).

Nixon had political jobs that allowed him to say he had the right training for the presidency, David Greenberg, a Rutgers University historian and author of Nixons Shadow: The History of an Image, said in an interview. Trump didnt have any of that. How the economy performed when he was president had nothing to do with experience in his casinos and hotels. What he does have is a certain will. Though he sometimes succeeded in an ugly or reckless way, he did succeed.

He has succeeded in another fashion. The Wall Street Journal Poll shows that the public approves of the job Trump did as president between 2017 and 2021 by 7 percentage points more than they approve of the job Biden is doing now.

That doesnt mean he wont encounter resistance to renomination. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this year created the Champion American Values PAC to protect American values and to help Republicans take back majorities in Congress and build support in state legislatures. He is turning up in front of GOP audiences across the country. The recent book published by former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey suggests he may try another presidential campaign in 2024.

And a disastrous performance by Trump-endorsed candidates in next years midterm congressional elections may erode his power among Republicans. But today Trumps profile in exile and Bidens lagging poll numbers have created a political landscape that mirrors that of the twin early political states of Iowa and New Hampshire. It is frozen in place.

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He Guoheng and his colleagues are recently busy, going door-to-door for voter registration for an upcoming election of district-level lawmakers.

The 59-year-old retiree even went on an awareness trail, riding his electric bike with advertising boards to help spread election information among locals.

He, manager of a residential building, has played an important role in mobilizing local residents to help with voter participation -- a grassroots democratic practice.

As He is acquainted with every household living in his building, he has told them the requirements and procedures for the election of lawmakers, or deputies to the people's congress of Rencheng District, Jining City, east China's Shandong Province.

"Building managers know well whether the occupants are permanent residents or migrants from other places," said Luo Juan, a legislative official of the Jiyang subdistrict, under Rencheng District. "They visit every household and guide them to exercise their rights correctly."

From Nov. 19 to Dec. 6, the Jiyang subdistrict completed the registration of 27,000 voters, and last week, the lists of voters were made public.

"We try to ensure that the registration process is error-free and the democratic election and democratic supervision are firmly implemented so that the rights of voters are fully reflected in the entire election process," Luo said.

The election of district-level lawmakers is a vivid manifestation of China's innovative grassroots democratic practices and the country's extensive, genuine and effective whole-process people's democracy.

In Ankang City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, issues regarding people's well-being, such as the renovation of old neighborhoods, community employment and road overhaul, have been tackled efficiently through a voting mechanism in force since 2018. Here, the people's congresses at different levels adopt the relevant decisions based on voting.

After adoption by legislatures, the projects related to people's livelihood are given priority on the government's agenda and undergo review from lawmakers and the public.

"The voting on issues affecting people's well-being is a grassroots practice for implementing the whole-process democracy," said Zou Shunsheng, chairman of the standing committee of the Ankang Municipal People's Congress.

So far, 55 townships in six counties of the city have adopted this mechanism, soliciting more than 2,200 projects in total. Among them, 1,673 were put to vote, with 1,458 adopted for implementation.

In April this year, 137 deputies decided on a proposal on tackling the difficulties and irregularities in parking through voting. Thanks to the voting mechanism, the problems were largely solved within two months through measures such as the opening of community parking lots.

"This approach is a way for lawmakers to fulfill their duties to follow up on the approved projects in order to ensure they are carried out and completed as scheduled," said Wen Rukang, chairman of the people's congress of Chengguan Township in Hanyin County.

Various forms of grassroots consultative democracy created in local areas play a vital role in realizing good governance in China.

The "democratic discussion," which originated in the city of Wenling in Zhejiang Province in 1999, is a type of "grassroots democracy" that manages public affairs through full consultations. Local people review the public budget and employees of enterprises negotiate their salaries through such discussions.

Representatives of more than 90 enterprises and employees and government officials in the city's Xinhe Township gathered in autumn this year for a collective consultation on the annual salary adjustment for local woolen sweater makers.

The salary consultation mechanism was initiated in 2003 to better protect the rights and interests of the workers and to help small and medium-sized enterprises better focus on production by stabilizing the workforce.

After three rounds of talks between employer and employee sides, both parties agreed on salary hikes of 4 to 6 percent.

"In this town of 120,000 people, the woolen sweater industry had more than 10,000 employees in its heyday," said Chen Fuqing, who has served as chairman of the township's woolen sweater trade union for 19 years.

Democratic talks offer employees and business owners an opportunity for equal dialogues and full exchanges. Over the years, workers' salaries have been increased every year, and the enterprises' production efficiency has also seen a steady improvement, Chen said.

"Such talks allow the public to participate voluntarily and directly in addressing their pressing issues and top concerns," said Chen Yimin, former director of Wenling municipal democratic discussion working office.

Since the launch of the consultative democracy model in Wenling in 1999, more than 30,000 democratic consultations have been held so far, which has improved the enthusiasm and ability of local people to participate in public affairs, Chen Yimin said.
Participants at the event (Source: VNA)

Accordingly, VNA reported that Vietnam is among prioritised markets of Canada in educational cooperation.

Skandha Sunderasen, Associate Director, Global Engagement and Strategic Initiatives at Canadas York University, said the Canada-Vietnam educational cooperation is forecast to be promising in the future.

He continued that the ASEAN-Canada free trade agreement, which is under negotiations, is hoped to bolster tertiary education collaboration between the two countries.

Vietnam is currently the largest trade partner of Canada in ASEAN.

York University and others hope to partner with Vietnam in overseas research and study and fields of mutual concern such as climate change adaptation, support for Vietnamese startups and small- and medium-sized enterprises to access the North American market, among others.

During a fact-finding trip to Vietnam held virtually last month, leaders of Canadian and Vietnamese universities discussed cooperation in overseas research and study, post-graduate study and start-ups.

Vietnam has the largest number of students in Canada among Southeast Asian nations and ranks fifth worldwide, with about 21,000./.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA)



Weakening shipments and southern industrial parks devastatingly stricken by COVID-19 in August and September have troubled industry players who were worried that the sector was not likely to achieve its 18-billion-USD export goal in 2021.

However, just two months after southern cities and provinces reopened its economy with flexible measures to sustain production and keep the virus at bay, the billions-dollar industry has seen unexpected breakthroughs, said Xuan, adding that exports will rise 5 percent compare to the previous year.

Vietnams accession to multiple free trade agreements (FTAs), particularly the Comprehensive and Progressive for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), have channeled large FDI from major corporations from the Republic of Korea, China and others into Vietnam, constantly heightening the domestic production capacity.

Data from the World Footwear Yearbook shows that Vietnam exported 1.23 billion pairs of footwear in 2020, a 4.4-fold increase against 2011. It also marked the first time the countrys global market share had exceeded 10 percent.

Illustrative photo

Between 2016  2020, Vietnams footwear exports picked up 6.4 percent annually on average, with its revenue edging up from 10.3 percent in 2016 to 13.6 percent of the world's total in 2020.

Various world-famous brands, including Nike, Adidas, Reebok, and Puma, have selected Vietnam as a destination for outsourcing and setting production bases.

Deputy General Director of Golden Victory Co., Ltd., Le Thi Anh Dao said Vietnamese manufacturers has quite clear competitive edges over regional rivals in securing orders from brands. Previously, many brands such as Nike have mainly placed outsourcing orders in China but now they are more likely to turn to Vietnam as global consumers are increasingly in favour of Made-in-Vietnam products, Dao said.

According to Lefaso, Vietnam became the worlds biggest exporter of textile-capped shoes in 2020, accounting for 26.3 percent of total global shipments which has been on the rise this year.

Bamboo Airways launches Vietnam-Australia direct air route

Bamboo Airways on December 17 morning (Vietnam time) launched its direct air route linking Vietnam with Australia during an inaugural ceremony held in Melbourne international airport of Australia, reported Vietnam News Agency.

An aircraft of Bamboo Airways (Photo: VNA)

Commercial flights will be officially operated on the direct route starting early 2022, connecting two Vietnams major cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Australias busiest airports of Sydney and Melbourne.

Representative of both sides believed that the air route would facilitate travel of Vietnamese students and people working in Australia, as well as bolster the countries trade and tourism.

Earlier, the carrier joined hands with the BAA Training Vietnam aviation training institute to open a training course of Airbus A320 pilots.

The airline plans to arrange similar courses in the coming time.

THACO exports first batch of 870 semi-trailers to US

Truong Hai Auto Corporation (THACO) exported the first batch of 870 semi-trailers to the US on December 15, reported Vietnam News Agency.

The event marking THACO's export of semi-trailers to the US. (Photo: VNA)

They are among 15,500 semi-trailers worth 215 million USD to be shipped to the US in 2022 under an agreement signed between THACO Industries and PITTS Enterprises, one of the 15 largest semi-trailer manufacturers in North America.

Following this batch, another 1,400 vehicles will be shipped on January 3, 2022 and an additional 1,200 on February 7. About 1,200 semi-trailers will be exported each month on average after that. The US-based Liberty Global Logistics is in charge of the transportation.

At the launching ceremony held at PTSC Dung Quat Port in central Quang Ngai province, THACO Industries and PITTS Enterprises signed another agreement on the exclusive distribution of 25,000 semi-trailers worth over 350 million USD in the US market in 2023.

THACO said it has been boosting market research and seeking chances to export semi-trailers to the US, attracting attention from many US businesses, including PITTS Enterprises.

To increase the export to the US and other markets like Japan, Canada, and Australia, the firm will build a semi-trailer and heavy component factory able to manufacture 20,000 units per year.

It is also implementing a logistics development strategy in the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone of Quang Nam province, as well as the central region as a whole, in efforts to reduce logistics costs, THACO added.

Almost 23 billion USD of foreign ODA, concessional loans earmarked for 2021-2025

About 527.1 trillion VND (over 22.9 billion USD) in foreign official development assistance (ODA) and concessional loans will be allocated during the 2011 - 2025 period, reported Vietnam News Agency.

A view of Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VNA)

This is part of a plan on orientations for attracting, managing, and using ODA and concessional loans from foreign sponsors during the five years. The plan was recently approved by Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh.

Accordingly, non-refundable ODA capital is prioritised for implementing socio-economic infrastructure development programmes and projects; enhancing capacity; assisting policy and institutional building and reform; preventing, controlling and mitigating natural disaster risks, and adapting to climate change; ensuring social welfare; preparing for investment projects or co-funding projects that use foreign concessional loans.

ODA capital will be prioritised for programmes and projects on health care, education, vocational training, climate change adaptation, environmental protection, and building essential economic infrastructure facilities unable to directly recover capital.

Besides, the plan gives priority to spending foreign ODA capital and concessional loans on infrastructure improvement projects to help disadvantaged regions and localities develop their economy, and in regions and localities facing difficulties in mobilising domestic funding; as well as on projects dealing with pressing issues during the rapid urbanisation.

Foreign concessional loans will also prioritised for projects boosting connectivity among regions and provinces in the Northwestern, Central Highlands, and Mekong Delta regions so that they can develop faster, according to the plan./.
Statistics from the Chinese Customs Administration showed that the countrys pepper import turnover in October 2021 reached 4.79 million USD, down 1.3% year on year. In the first 10 months of 2021, Chinas pepper import turnover decreased by 6.4% from the same period of 2020, reaching 45.79 million USD.

In the first 10 months of 2021, Chinas pepper imports from Indonesia and Malaysia decreased, but increased from Vietnam, Brazil and India. (Photo: VNA)

In the 10 months, Chinas pepper imports from Indonesia and Malaysia decreased, but those from Vietnam, Brazil and India increased.

According to the Chinese Customs Administration, the countrys pepper import was valued at 23.26 million USD, down 9.4% year on year. Indonesias pepper market share in Chinas total imports decreased from 52.51% in the first10 months of 2020 to 50.8% during the same period of 2021.

Chinas pepper import turnover from Vietnam in the 10 months of 2021 reached 14.54 million USD, up 15% year on year. Vietnams pepper market share in Chinas total import value increased from 25.85% in the 10 months of 2020 to 31.76% during the same period of 2021.

This years pepper crop in China decreased due to unfavorable weather. Therefore, China has increased pepper imports in the first months of 2021. However, the complicated developments of the COVID-19 epidemic caused the country to sharply reduce imports from June 2021, due to decrease in consumption demand.

Due to Chinas strict quarantine measures, international feeder ship operators have decided to extend service suspensions for at least 6 weeks until after the Lunar New Year holiday. This move could further disrupt supply./.
He made the statement while being received by Dinh Tien Dung, Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, on December 16.

During the reception, he congratulated the outstanding achievements in economy, politics and society of Vietnam in general and Hanoi in particular in recent years, especially the success of the 13th National Party Congress and the 17th Congress of the Party Committee of Hanoi.

At the reception (Photo: HNMO)

According to Mr. Leonid Kalashnikov, the recent visit of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc to Russia once again demonstrates the importance of this relationship. He also affirmed that in the near future, with his role in the State Duma of Russia, he will continue to promote plans to support investment activities of Vietnamese enterprises in Russia, as well as promote investment activities of Vietnamese enterprises in Russia, as well as Hanoi's projects in Moscow. On this occasion, he expressed his wish that the city authority create favorable conditions for the Moscow house project in Hanoi to soon start construction and become a place for cultural exchange and investment between the two sides.

Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung thanked the KPRF for awarding the Lenin Prize to CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, and affirmed the close relationship between Vietnam and the former Soviet Union, now the Russian Federation. The Party, State and people of Vietnam have received valuable sympathy and support from the Soviet Union in the wars of resistance against the invaders for independence, as well as the recovery period after the war, he said, adding that the Hoa Binh Hydroelectricity plant, built by the Soviet Union, is a meaningful symbol of bilateral friendship and also marks the period when Vietnam began its national industrialization and modernization.

The Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee went on to say he hoped that in the coming time, the two countries will continue to exploit the potential of cooperation from the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed in 2015 between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union led by Russia.

According to Secretary Dung, Hanoi currently has 5,922 cultural and historical relics in the area and many other intangible cultural heritages, many of which are over 1,000 years old. This will be the basis for the two sides to promote cooperation in the field of culture, thereby promoting tourism and service development. Regarding the Moscow house project in Hanoi, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung pledged to focus on directing so that the project could be implemented soon./.
Tran Tuan Anh, Politburo member and Head of the PCC Commission on Economics, receives KPRF Vice Chairman Leonid Kalashnikov. (Photo: CPV)

They also agreed to make the cooperation develop effectively, for the benefit of the two peoples, and for peace and stability in the region and in the world.

On the framework of this visit to Vietnam for presenting CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong the Lenin Prize, a delegation from the KPRF led by its Vice Chairman Leonid Kalashnikov was received by Vo Van Thuong, Politburo member and Permanent member of the Party Central Committee (PCC) Secretariat.

The delegation was also received by Tran Tuan Anh, Politburo member and Head of the PCC Commission on Economics; Nguyen Khac Dinh, PCC member, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly and Chairman of the Vietnam  Russia Parliamentarian Group; and Le Hoai Trung, PCC member and Head of the PCC Commission of External Affairs.

During the reception, the two sides informed each other about the situation of each Party and country, and exchanged measures to promote cooperation between the two Parties and the two countries in the coming time. They affirmed their importance and determination to continue promoting the cooperation between the CPV and the KPRF, as well as the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation to develop effectively, for the benefit of the two peoples, for peace and stability in the region and in the world./.
At the award ceremony (Photo: vovworld.vn)

The contest is co-organized by the Voice of Vietnam and State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs under the Foreign Ministry, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Overseas Vietnamese Section of VOV World Service.

The contest results have proved that VOV is a source of spiritual motivation for the overseas Vietnamese community to rise up in the host country and become more and more attached to the homeland," said VOV President Do Tien Sy.

He hoped that through this contest, the movement of learning folk songs will be further promoted among the overseas Vietnamese community. In this way, the younger generation can learn the Vietnamese language well, sing folk songs, and preserve the traditional culture, he emphasized.

In nearly six months since its launch in mid-May, the contest received 150 entries from overseas Vietnamese in 130 countries and territories worldwide. 97 of the best folk songs have been posted on the website at vovworld.vn.

The Organizing Board presented two second prizes to Cam Quynh, an overseas Vietnamese in Italy, and Vu Quang Nam in Germany. There are three third prizes, seven consolation prizes, and eight specialized prizes./.
Accordingly, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National University (VNU) Pham Bao Son had a working session with the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to report activities the VNU is carrying out to build the channel.

At the working session (Photo: vnu.edu.vn)

Over the past time, Vietnamese language and culture teaching for overseas Vietnamese of the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Language under the USSH gained encouraging results.

The USSH has cooperated with the SCOV to carry out teaching activities such as organizing training courses for overseas Vietnamese on language methods; participating in organization of program Day to honor Vietnamese language; building a set of curriculum, which will be used in 2022 when VNU and USSH complete the online platform. Particularly, the USSH will complete 30 new and updated sets of exam questions and instructions to guide overseas Vietnamese teachers and parents only.

In addition, the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Language and USSH will also cooperate with the Ministry of Education and Training, VTVLive and VTV4 to produce teaching programs.

Mr. Pham Bao Son suggested the USSH both build the online channel and complete the curriculum and materials. At the same time, he hoped that the SCOV would give out specific requirements on subjects to access lectures so that VNUs lecturers have suitable methods and the online channel can debut in early 2022.

At the meeting, Ambassador Luong Thanh Nghi agreed with Mr. Sons viewpoint and hoped the two sides would join hands to carry out the program./.
Illustrative photo

According to the Ministry of Health, by the end of December 16, the country had injected more than 135 million doses, accounting for 88% of the vaccines distributed in 103 phases.

From the beginning of September to December 2021, the vaccination rate in localities increased significantly. On average, 1-1.5 million doses of vaccine can be injected per day, and the vaccination rate of Vietnam in November ranked 3rd in the world, after China and India.

The coverage rate of at least 1 vaccine dose within the Vietnam population ranks 4th in the region, after Singapore and Cambodia and Brunei.

The goal of the World Health Organization is that 40% of the population of countries will receive the full dose of vaccine by the end of 2021 and 70% of the population of the country will receive the full dose of the vaccine by mid-2022. Up to now, in Vietnam over 60% of the population has been vaccinated with the full dose of vaccine, 20% more than the World Health Organization's target for 2021.

As of December 14, Vietnam has received nearly 169 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, of which more than 80 million doses were purchased by the State budget, and more than 88 million doses from aid/sponsorship sources./.
Photo for illustration. (Soure: VNA)

On December 17, Bamboo Airways announced a direct flight connecting Vietnam with Australia at Melbourne International Airport in Victoria, Australia.

According to the plan, Bamboo Airways will officially launch a direct commercial flight from Vietnam to Australia in early 2022, connecting the two cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to the two airports of Melbourne and Sydney. These are the two busiest international airports in this country.

Representatives of the two sides believe that the opening of a direct flight connecting the two countries is a good signal for international students and the Vietnamese community in Australia to be able to easily move between Vietnam and Australia to work, do business and travel.

The event came right after the Australian Government announced the opening of international borders, laying the foundation for Bamboos activities to continuously expand its flight network to connect Vietnam to other countries around the world.

Currently, Bamboo Airways is an airline operating a diverse fleet of aircraft, ranging from wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, narrow-body A320 family and especially the first and only airline to bring regional jet Embraer 190 for operation in Vietnam./.
Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows ancient colored pottery figurines unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows the excavation site of the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows gold ornaments unearthed from the mausoleum of Empress Dowager Bo, mother of Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows cultural relics unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum and the mausoleum of Empress Dowager Bo, mother of Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows ancient colored pottery figurines unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

A staff member checks a copper unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 16, 2021. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

A staff member weighs a copper unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 16, 2021. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows cultural relics unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum and the mausoleum of Empress Dowager Bo, mother of Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows cultural relics unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum and the mausoleum of Empress Dowager Bo, mother of Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows ancient colored pottery figurines unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

A staff member cleans cultural relics unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 16, 2021. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows ancient pottery horses unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

A journalist takes photos at the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 16, 2021. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

A picture taken with a fish-eye lens on Dec. 16, 2021 shows ancient colored pottery figurines unearthed from the large-scale mausoleum and the mausoleum of Empress Dowager Bo, mother of Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Photo taken on Dec. 16, 2021 shows the large-scale mausoleum located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A large-scale mausoleum in Xi'an has been identified as belonging to Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), local authorities said Tuesday. The mausoleum, located in Jiangcun Village on the eastern outskirts of Xi'an, is surrounded by more than 100 ancient tombs and outer burial pits. Excavation has been carried out in the area since 2017, with numerous relics unearthed including dressed pottery figurines, crossbows, and official seals. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

Editor: WXY
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets with representatives of a meeting commending role models in implementing the Peaceful China initiative at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 15, 2021. Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng, who are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the event. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday afternoon met with representatives of a meeting commending role models in implementing the country's Peaceful China initiative in Beijing.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, expressed his congratulations and encouraged them to make greater contribution to building higher-level peaceful China.

He spoke with them and participated in a group photo.

Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng, who are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, were also present.

Guo Shengkun, a senior CPC official, attended the commendation conference that opened on Wednesday morning and delivered a speech, calling for generating strength from Xi's care and encouragement to further advance the implementation of Peaceful China initiative.

At the meeting, a total of 140 model organizations and 129 individuals were commended for their work in building peaceful China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets with representatives of a meeting commending role models in implementing the Peaceful China initiative at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 15, 2021. Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng, who are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the event. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Guo Shengkun, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, speaks at a meeting commending role models in implementing the Peaceful China initiative in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Editor: WXY
Constructors work at the construction site of the China-Russia Tongjiang-Nizhneleninskoye cross-border railway bridge, Aug. 17, 2021.(Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday afternoon met with Russian President Vladimir Putin via video link -- their second virtual meeting this year and their 37th meeting since 2013.

Xi attaches great significance to China-Russia practical cooperation and the development of the two countries' relations. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has become even closer, stronger and more mature.

On various occasions in 2021, Xi stressed the importance of China-Russia cooperation in various fields, and called on the two sides to make more efforts in pushing for a continuous and high-quality development of bilateral ties.

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a virtual meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

Dec. 15

During the virtual meeting, Xi said the two countries should strengthen their joint pandemic response, in areas such as COVID-19 testing as well as vaccine and drug R&D.

The two sides need to build on their traditional energy cooperation, pursue more cooperation in new energy, advance the cooperation package in nuclear energy, and explore new cooperation areas such as renewable energy, he added.

Xi said China will enhance communication and coordination with Russia to encourage the international community to take the right view on democracy and defend the legitimate democratic rights of all countries.

Dec. 1

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), sent a congratulatory message to the United Russia party on the 20th anniversary of its founding.

In the message, Xi said the CPC cherishes its friendship with the United Russia party, and hopes that the two parties will continue to strengthen institutionalized exchanges and cooperation, and contribute wisdom and strength to lifting China-Russia relations in the new era to higher levels and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

A Chinese worker and a Russian worker communicate with each other as they walk in a construction site where Units 7 and 8 of the Tianwan nuclear power plant are about to be built, in Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province, May 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Lu Huadong)

Nov. 29

Xi and Putin respectively sent congratulatory letters to the third China-Russia Energy Business Forum.

In his letter, Xi said the remarkable achievements in bilateral energy cooperation have demonstrated the broad potential of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

China, he said, is ready to work with Russia to forge a closer partnership for energy cooperation, and jointly safeguard energy security and tackle the challenge of global climate change.

Nov. 26

Xi and Putin sent congratulatory letters to the closing ceremony of the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation.

In his letter, Xi said it has been proved that China-Russia cooperation in scientific and technological innovation has great potential and a broad prospect.

He called on the two sides to uphold the concept of enduring friendship and win-win cooperation, and push forward cooperation in various fields in a practical manner.

A model plane is on display at the Russia pavilion during the second China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

Aug. 25

Xi held a phone conversation with Putin, in which Xi said as comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era, China and Russia should deepen cooperation against interference and firmly hold their respective national future in their own hands.

He said that China firmly supports Russia in pursuing a development path that suits its national conditions, and firmly supports Russia's measures to safeguard its national sovereignty and security.

June 28

During talks between the two heads of state via video link, Xi and Putin issued a joint statement, officially deciding to extend the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.

In their talks, Xi referred to the current China-Russia ties as "mature, stable and solid" and able to "withstand the test of any change in the international situation."

He called on the two sides to comprehensively summarize their experience of past successes and create top-level designs for new objectives and tasks in various fields to inject new meaning into the treaty.

"Under the guidance of the treaty, the two countries will continue to make concerted efforts and firmly move forward despite the difficulties and obstacles ahead," Xi added.

Photo taken on May 19, 2021 shows the launch ceremony for the construction of Unit 3 of the Xudapu nuclear power plant in Huludao City of northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Yao Jianfeng)

May 19

Xi and Putin witnessed the ground-breaking ceremony of a bilateral nuclear energy cooperation project --Tianwan nuclear power plant and Xudapu nuclear power plant -- via video link.

Xi stressed that energy cooperation has always been the most important area of practical cooperation which generates the largest achievement and covers the widest scope between the two countries.

Xi put forward a three-point proposal at the ceremony. He called on both sides to adhere to the principle of safety first and set a model for global nuclear energy cooperation, suggested the two countries deepen scientific and technological cooperation on nuclear energy by sticking to the driving force of innovation, and called for adherence to strategic collaboration to promote the coordinated development of the governance system of the global energy industry.

Editor: WXY
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012 made it clear that China should advocate a sense of community with a shared future for all mankind, and accommodate the legitimate concerns of other countries while pursuing one's own interests", the concept of "community with a shared future for mankind has been constantly improved in theory and enriched in connotation. On January 18, 2017, President Xi Jinping delivered a speech on Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind at the UN Headquarters in Geneva. There were more than 30 rounds of warm applause during the speech, which showed the strong resonance from the international community.

On December 62021, the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted by a majority vote for the Resolution on No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space and Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space submitted by the First Committee of the General Assembly. This is the fifth year in a row that the concept of "a community with a shared future for mankind" has been included in a resolution of the UN General Assembly. This fully demonstrates that the concept has gained popular support and is in full accord with the aspiration of the international community for common security in outer space.

A United Nations General Assembly resolution is a decision or declaration on voting by all member states of the United Nations in the General Assembly. It shows the common pursuit of the 193 countries of the UN General Assembly and is of guiding significance to the development and future of the world. The concept of a community with a shared future for mankind mentioned in five UN General Assembly resolutions is summarized below.

1. 2018 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on September 102018, 72/311. Implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa writes:

Calls upon the international community to enhance support and fulfil its commitments to take further action in areas critical to Africas economic and social development, in the spirit of win-win cooperation and to create a shared future, based upon our common humanity, and welcomes the efforts by development partners to strengthen cooperation with the New Partnership for Africas Development.

2. 2018 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on December 20 2018, 73/244. Eradicating rural poverty to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development writes:

Realizes that bridging the digital divide will require strong commitment by all relevant stakeholders at the national and international levels, and encourages efforts by all relevant stakeholders, especially United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, in the spirit of win-win cooperation, to assist developing countries in overcoming the digital divide and promoting the use of information and communication technologies to foster economic and social development, particularly in rural areas, with the aim of building a shared future for humankind.

3. 2019 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on December 122019, 74/33. No first placement of weapons in outer space writes:

Reaffirming that practical measures should be examined and taken in the search for agreements to prevent an arms race in outer space in a common effort towards a community of shared future for humankind.

4. 2020 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on December 72020, 75/37. No first placement of weapons in outer space writes:

Reaffirming that practical measures should be examined and taken in the search for agreements to prevent an arms race in outer space in a common effort towards a community of shared future for humankind.

5. 2021 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on December 62021, 76/22. Prevention of an arms race in outer space writes: Recognizing the common interest of all humankind in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes.

76/23. No first placement of weapons in outer space write: Recognizing the common interest of all humankind in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes.

Editor: ZAD
JUBA, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in South Sudan has donated more than 4,000 tons of rice as emergency food assistance to the flood-affected states in the country as of Thursday.

Juba is one of the most affected countries by natural disasters. Manase Lomole, the chairperson of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, said that the contribution shows Beijing's continued support to the people of the world's newest nation.

He pointed out that South Sudan has since last year been affected by heavy floods in more than six decades where more than 800,000 people were affected by flooding in eight of its 10 states, noting that 11 million other people are still facing food insecurity.

"Humanitarian aid alone cannot adjust food insecurity. Instead, we should tackle the root causes by reducing poverty and developing the agricultural sector," he added, noting that China is in solidarity with the government and people of South Sudan.

Lomole thanked China for the donation and contribution to both health and humanitarian services in the country.

"China has not only stood in supporting South Sudan in humanitarian services but also in the health sector," Lomole added.

Hua Ning, Chinese ambassador to South Sudan said during the handing-over ceremony held on Wednesday that some Chinese companies also extended their helping hands to the emergency response.

"It is a long-cherished tradition that we always come together through thick and thin. We also appreciate the support from other members of the international community who have contributed their resources," Hua added.

He said that China will continue to support the infrastructure development in South Sudan and expand trade and investment between China and South Sudan for the economic recovery and growth in this country.

"We are honored to donate this relief through solidarity to the flood-affected states in South Sudan since South Sudan is one of the most affected countries with natural disasters in the African continent," Hua said.

In November, the Chinese Embassy in South Sudan also donated 500,000 U.S. dollars in cash as part of emergency humanitarian aid to the flood-affected people in South Sudan.

Editor: WPY
HARARE, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese company Nanchang Engineering is on course to build the 109-million-U.S.-dollar Kunzvi Dam project in Goromonzi District, Mashonaland East Province, which will provide capital city Harare with a new water source.

The dam, to be built northeast of the city, will provide relief to the city which has for long had to deal with four water sources, two of which are heavily polluted.

A new water treatment plant and a pipeline from the dam will be constructed north of the city.

Nanchang Engineering has now moved onto the site with equipment and will undertake the work on a "build, operate and transfer" (BOT) model.

Preliminary work such as establishing offices, mobilizing heavy construction equipment and conducting engineering surveys has already started while workers recruited from Goromonzi are clearing the bushes, the company told Xinhua in a statement Thursday.

It said traditional rituals had also been performed and the final details of the relocation of those whose homes will be flooded were being worked on.

Local residents and traditional leaders have welcomed the development which will uplift their livelihoods as other projects such as irrigation are planned for the dam, the state-run Herald newspaper has reported.

Government officials, Zimbabwe National Water Authority officials, the contractor and other relevant authorities recently met traditional leaders in the area and witnessed the traditional rituals at the site.

Village head Phillion Gore told the paper that he welcomed the project which would transform many communities.

Goromonzi Ward 12 councilor Kondwakuenda Magaya spoke of the permanent advantages to the area from the dam.

"Besides the temporary employment, there would also be permanent jobs while water would be available for irrigation," he said.

"The dam would allow resorts to be created, boosting the local economy and providing jobs," he said.

Nanchang Engineering has built the Muchekeranwa Dam in Mashonaland East Province which was recently commissioned by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

It is also working on the Sengwa Dam in Mount Darwin and Silverstroom in Centenary (both in Mashonaland Central Province) and has completed the pipeline linking Mtshabezi and Umzingwane dams which supply the second largest city of Bulawayo.

Editor: WPY
NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy, in the event of a decrease in coal reserves, is ready to help thermal power generating companies with its import, chairman of the board Yuriy Vitrenko said in the Pravo na Vladu program on the 1+1 TV channel.

"We, as Naftogaz, have offered our help import coal in recent days, but so far even without this help, companies that generate electricity from coal are doing well," Vitrenko said.

According to him, to support the energy system, Naftogaz is currently supplying natural gas to the heat and power plants in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Bila Tserkva.

"They are paying, this is good news," he said.

As reported, ZN.ua and Ukrayinska Pravda published a letter from the Security Service of Ukraine to the government dated December 8 on Thursday evening and Friday morning about critically low coal reserves as of December 1: some 486,200 tonnes with the plan of 2.632 million tonnes. The SBU believes that this situation poses a threat to the energy security of the state and the reliable passage of the heating season, which can lead to "emergency man-made events, an increase in social tension among the population and discrediting government bodies."
Ukraine has registered 8,899 new cases of COVID-19, as well as 21,650 recoveries and 328 deaths in the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian Health Ministry said on Friday.

"Over the past day, December 16, Ukraine has recorded 8,899 new cases of COVID-19 (including 779 children and 98 medical workers), while 132,991 people have been vaccinated for COVID-19, among them 43,939 people who received their first shot of a vaccine, 89,038 who completed their vaccination, and 14 people who received booster shots. In the past 24 hours, 2.028 persons have been hospitalized, 328 have died, and 21,650 have recovered," the ministry said on Telegram.

As of this date, 46.1% of Ukrainian adults have received at least one shot of a coronavirus vaccine, while 41.3% of the adult population have completed their vaccination, the ministry said.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Ukraine has seen a total of 3,597,046 cases of COVID-19, including 3,306,465 recoveries and 92,641 deaths.
European Union leaders called on Russia to urgently de-escalate the situation on the Ukrainian border and warned that any further military aggression would have enormous consequences.

This is said in the conclusions approved by all 27 heads of state and governments of the EU member states at a meeting of the European Council, which took place in Brussels on Thursday.

"The European Council stresses the urgent need for Russia to de-escalate tensions caused by the military build-up along its border with Ukraine and aggressive rhetoric. The European Council reiterates its full support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Any further military aggression against Ukraine will have massive consequences and severe cost in response, including restrictive measures coordinated with partners," the document reads.

The European Council also said that it "encourages diplomatic efforts and supports the Normandy format in achieving the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements."
In connection with the build-up of Russian military forces on the border with Ukraine, the NATO North Atlantic Council issued a statement urging Russia to stop the escalation.

The text of the statement was released late Thursday by the headquarters of the alliance.

"We are gravely concerned by the substantial, unprovoked, and unjustified Russian military build-up on the borders of Ukraine in recent months, and reject the false Russian claims of Ukrainian and NATO provocations. We call on Russia to immediately de-escalate, pursue diplomatic channels, and abide by its international commitments on transparency of military activities," the statement reads.

The North Atlantic Council stated "it is seriously assessing the implications for Alliance security of the current situation." "We will always respond in a determined way to any deterioration of our security environment, including through strengthening our collective defense posture as necessary. NATO will take all necessary measures to ensure the security and defense of all NATO Allies. Any further aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and would carry a high price. NATO will continue to closely coordinate with relevant stakeholders and other international organizations including the EU," the Alliance said.

In addition, the North Atlantic Council reiterated its support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, and called on Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine in accordance with its international obligations and commitments. "We support the right of all countries to decide their own future and foreign policy free from outside interference. NATO's relationship with Ukraine is a matter only for Ukraine and the 30 NATO Allies. We firmly reject any attempts to divide Allied security," the Alliance said.

At the same time, the allies conformed that they are "ready for meaningful dialogue with Russia." "We reiterate our long-standing invitation to Russia for a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in the near future. We are aware of Russia's recent European security proposals. We are clear that any dialogue with Russia would have to proceed on the basis of reciprocity, address NATO's concerns about Russia's actions, be based on the core principles and foundational documents of European security, and take place in consultation with NATO's European Partners. Should Russia take concrete steps to reduce tensions, we are prepared to work on strengthening confidence-building measures. The OSCE is also a relevant platform," the statement reads.
The annual conference of ambassadors of Ukraine under the slogan "Diplomacy 30. Strategy of a strong state" will be held in Ivano-Frankivsk region on December 21-22.

The event will be opened by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, who will outline to the Ukrainian ambassadors the key tasks of the Strategy of Ukraine's foreign policy, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba will sum up the diplomatic results of 2021 and talk about the priorities of the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in 2022. These will be the further strengthening of the proactive foreign policy of our state, countering Russian aggression, opening new foreign markets for Ukrainian exporters and attracting foreign investment, protecting the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens abroad, simplifying the conditions for their travel to different countries of the world.

On the second day of the conference, plenary sessions will be held with the participation of Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov.

The guest of honor of the conference will be Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Zbigniew Rau, who will address the ambassadors of Ukraine.

New Federal Foreign Minister of Germany Annalena Baerbock will also address with a video message to the conference participants.
Ukraine will receive 50 Airbus helicopters in 2022, Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky has said.

"Next year there are very ambitious plans for high-quality equipment and a status of the largest aircraft fleet in Europe. So, we will receive 50 modern French-made Airbus Helicopters," Monastyrsky wrote on his Facebook page.

He noted that they will build a Situation Monitoring Center, which will analyze satellite thermal images and help eliminate wildfires at an early stage.

According to the minister, all this equipment will ensure the implementation of two important projects  Single Aeromedical Space and European Fire Safety Hub.

Monastyrsky explained that Single Aeromedical Space will allow Ukraine to be covered with helicopter bases for air evacuation and transportation of donor biomaterials. The European Fire Safety Hub will help prevent up to 90% of wildfires through the use of fire-fighting aircraft manufactured by Antonov State Enterprise.
Kyiv's Court of Appeal has left MP from the Opposition Platform - For Life faction Viktor Medvedchuk under house arrest on the second episode of charges brought against him, on coal supply from occupied Donbas.

"The Court of Appeal upheld the measure of restraint in the form of round-the-clock house arrest," the court's press service told Interfax-Ukraine.

In a statement on the court's Facebook page, it is noted that on December 17, 2021, the panel of judges of the judicial chamber for the consideration of criminal cases of Kyiv's Court of Appeal considered the appeals filed by the defense and the prosecutor's office against the ruling dated October 12, 2021 of the investigating judge from Pechersky District Court of Kyiv, who were denied a petition for the application of a preventive measure in the form of detention and applied to the suspect, citizen M., a measure of restraint in the form of round-the-clock house arrest.

"According to the appeal result, the ruling dated October 12, 2021 of the investigating judge from Pechersky District Court of Kyiv was upheld, the appeals of the defense and the prosecutor's office were not sustained," the court said.

As reported, on May 11, Medvedchuk was served with charges of treason and an attempt to plunder national resources in Russian-occupied Crimea.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia published on the website its own draft agreement on security measures for Russia and the member states of the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) on Friday.

The draft document, consisting of nine articles, presupposes NATO's refusal to expand, in particular, the obligation of Ukraine not to access the Alliance, as well as the obligation of the Alliance member states to abandon any military activity in the territory of Eastern Europe, Transcaucasia and Central Asia.

"The participants, which are member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, accept obligations precluding further expansion of NATO, including the accession of Ukraine, as well as other states... refuse to conduct any military activity on the territory of Ukraine, as well as other states of Eastern Europe, Transcaucasia and Central Asia," the Russian ministry said in the draft agreement.

It also contains an article concerning the non-deployment of intermediate and shorter-range missiles in locations from where they can hit the territory of other parties to the agreement, as well as the need to limit military exercises "above the brigade level in a band of agreed width and configuration on each side."

It is specified that in case any "problem situations," Russia and NATO should use the mechanisms of urgent consultations on a bilateral and multilateral basis.

The draft agreement is posted on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language Taras Kremin considers it inadmissible to provide Dom TV with the opportunity to broadcast in a non-state language throughout Ukraine.

Today the agenda of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine again includes the bill No. 4487, the amendments to which propose to broadcast programs and films in a non-state language throughout Ukraine on one of the TV channels [Dom TV channel]. I appealed to Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk regarding the inadmissibility of the adoption of this bill with appropriate amendments," Kremin was quoted as saying by the press service of the language ombudsman.

He said that according to the language legislation, television and radio organizations must broadcast in the state language.

The ombudsman also said that according to the Constitution, a citizen of Ukraine has no obligation to speak a language other than the state, so providing him as a consumer with information in another language against his will is a violation of his rights, which is incompatible with the Constitution.

"The application of bilingualism in public space by mixing the Ukrainian language with any other, in particular when television or radio broadcasting in audio form is conducted simultaneously in two languages - Ukrainian and another language, does not correspond to the constitutional status as a single state language, which is not only a violation of law a citizen of Ukraine to receive information in the state language, but also narrows the space for the use of the Ukrainian language, undermines its very system, distorts its structure, creates the ground for its internal decay, causing its decline," Kremin said, citing the conclusion of the Constitutional Court.

Among other things, the language ombudsman drew attention to the conclusions of the Constitutional Court that ensuring the functioning of the state Ukrainian language in all spheres of public life is the duty of the state.

"Therefore, I warn the MPs of Ukraine against violating the Constitution and laws of Ukraine and leveling the state status of the Ukrainian language, both today and in their future activities.

After all, according to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, the threat to the Ukrainian language and its status as a single state language is equivalent to the threat to the national security of Ukraine and the very existence of the Ukrainian state," he said.
The first UAH 500 million has already been allocated for payments of UAH 1,000 within the framework of the ePidtrymka program, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.

"Yesterday, the program's testers have already received the first UAH 500 million, and from December 19, every [vaccinated] Ukrainian will be able to receive UAH 1,000," he said from the parliamentary rostrum during an hour of questions to the government.

As reported, Alfa Bank, A-Bank, monobank, PrivatBank, Ukrgasbank and Oschadbank were the first to join the "ePidtrymka" program for the payment of UAH 1,000 to vaccinated citizens. It was noted that Alfa Bank offers new customers an additional UAH 100 in bonuses.

On December 15, PrivatBank and Oschadbank launched the possibility of opening cards within the framework of the ePidtrymka project. To credit the amount of the benefit, it is enough to apply from December 19 for PrivatBank and from December 20 for Oschadbank for UAH 1,000 in the Diia mobile application, choose a card number for the payment of benefits and give consent to the processing of personal data.

According to the adopted amendments to the 2021 state budget, every Ukrainian who has received two vaccines against COVID-19 will be able to receive UAH 1,000 for sports, travel and visits to cultural institutions. Later, books purchase were added to this list.

As Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said, more than 12 million citizens are currently vaccinated against COVID-19 in two doses. In three regions of Ukraine, more than 50% of the adult population has been vaccinated with at least one dose.
Washington is aware of Russia's proposals on security guarantees, discusses them with NATO  Psaki

The United States is aware of Russia's proposals for security guarantees in Europe, and is holding discussions on them with European allies and partners, White House Spokesperson Jen Psaki has said on Friday.

"We have seen Russian proposals, we are discussing them with our European allies and partners," Psaki said during the briefing.

In addition, she said that Washington will not negotiate on European security without the participation of European representatives.

According to Psaki, there is no reason to think that this time the United States and Russia will not be able to agree, since they have been able to do this for decades.

"We have been able to interact with Russia on strategic issues for decades in a variety of formats ... there is no reason why we cannot do this in our quest to reduce instability - in partnership and coordination with our European allies and partners," Psaki said.

The Russian draft agreement on security measures for Russia and NATO member states was published on Friday on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson have discussed energy security issues and steps to de-escalate the situation around Ukraine and a peaceful settlement in Donbas.

"I had a good talk with Boris Johnson. Energy security issues were discussed. We coordinated next steps to de-escalate the situation around Ukraine and peaceful settlement in Donbas. I appreciate the firm and unwavering Britain's support for sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," Zelensky said on his Twitter page.

Later, the President's Office of Ukraine said on its website that Johnson and Zelensky expressed a common position on the inadmissibility of using the Nord Stream 2 project as a weapon.

Moreover, amid discussing Ukraine's interaction with NATO, the head of the Ukrainian state and the prime minister of Great Britain stated a common approach to the fact that no third country can block Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration.

"The interlocutors positively assessed the bilateral cooperation on the development of the defense capabilities of our state and the strengthening of the Ukrainian fleet," the office said.

An exchange of views took place on further measures of political dialogue at the highest level. Zelensky renewed an invitation to Johnson to visit Ukraine in 2022.
On Wednesday, December 22, at 11.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host press conference entitled "2021 outcomes: state of water resources in Kyiv region. Results of checks by Environmental Inspectorate of polluting enterprises in Kyiv and region." Participants include Head of the State Environmental Inspectorate in Kyiv region Pavlo Ivanov; Deputy Head of the State Environmental Inspectorate in Kyiv region Andriy Vahin (8/5a Reitarska Street). The broadcast will be available on the YouTube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Due to quarantine restrictions, the number of places in the press center is limited, the presence of a PCR test or a certificate of vaccination is required. Journalist accreditation by phone: (099) 231 3812 (Karyna Konoplenko, State Environmental Inspectorate in Kyiv region).
On Thursday, December 23, at 11.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host press conference entitled "On govt authorities' resistance to legitimate activities of trade unions and illegal seizure of their property" on the position of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine Council due to bills No.6420 and No.6421, registered by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Participants include representatives of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, its member organizations, JSCs Ukrprofzdorovnysia and Ukproftur (8/5a Reitarska Street). The broadcast will be available on the YouTube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Due to quarantine restrictions, the number of places in the press center is limited, the presence of a PCR test or a certificate of vaccination is required. Admission of journalists requires registration on the spot.
KYIV. Dec 17 (Interfax-Ukraine)  Ukrainian companies need to develop decarbonization strategies to attract funding for these purposes from the European Union and the country's government, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna has said.

"I would urge business associations, European and Ukrainian manufacturers, first of all, perhaps, to unite companies around so that they form their own [decarbonization] strategies. This is the key to attracting funding," she said at a roundtable of the Green Deal project, organized in partnership with the EU Delegation to Ukraine, at Interfax-Ukraine on Friday.

"Financial resources have a long way to go: from the announcement of EUR 17 billion of guarantees for the partner countries [Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine] at the Eastern Partnership summit to the fact that these funds were attracted for a specific public or private company," Stefanishyna said.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that every business wants to be profit-making, and "the state will not simply subsidize this process."

"Companies must determine their priorities, form their strategies, and then the Ukrainian state will be able to send funding, understanding what vision a particular sector has in this direction," she said.

Head of the support group for Ukraine in the European Commission Katarina Mathernova, who, along with Stefanishyna, leads the dialogue between Ukraine and the EU on the EU Green Deal, recalled that a platform has been created within the framework of the dialogue to raise funds to finance Ukraine's green transition.

"This mechanism could attract both direct funding and funding from member countries, bilateral donors and international financial institutions," Mathernova said during the discussion.

According to Coordinator of the Committee on Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Development of the European Business Association Olha Boiko, Ukrainian business already has its own plans on reducing harmful emissions, and companies would like the plans of business and government to be synchronized.

"As practice shows, not always business strategies can be so immediately adjusted, to put it mildly, to the obligations that the government undertakes, especially at international meetings," she said.

Boiko also proposed to involve the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada in the dialogue between Ukraine and the EU on the Green Deal.

Speaking about the concept of the Ukrainian Climate Fund, which, according to ex-minister of Ecology Roman Abramovsky, should be launched at the beginning of 2023, Deputy Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of Ukraine Iryna Stavchuk said that at present, "the work rests on understanding what kind of sectors need such support, what are the biggest barriers to project creation  both financial and regulatory."

Discussing the increase in the carbon tax in Ukraine and the creation of an emissions trading system (ETS), Stavchuk said that as international experts advise the ministry, the carbon tax should be increased gradually then to smoothly transfer to the ETS.

The launch of the ETS in Ukraine, according to the Deputy Minister, is expected in 2025-2027.
Renowned Egyptian actor Ahmed Kamal will be honoured during the Cairo Shorts Film Festival, whose third edition will take place later this month

Kamal will be honoured during a special conference that will take place on 22 December in the Hanager Arts Centre on the grounds of the Cairo Opera House.

Born in 1959, Ahmed Kamal is one of Egypt's most well-known actors with a large experience of working in theatre, cinema and television series, where he created numerous memorable roles.

Having performed in theatre, Kamal's journey in film began in the 1980s, appearing in over 70 films and television series, such as El KitKat (1991), A Citizen, an Informer and a Thief (2001), Sadat's Days (2001), Sahar Al Layali (2003), Ghawi Hob (2005), Messages from the Sea (2010), Asmaa (2011), Haret El Yahood (2015), among others.

One of his most successful recent roles was in the short film Wintry Spring directed by Mohamed Kamel. The film participated in numerous international film festivals and won several awards, while Kamel scooped best actor award at the 48th Fotogramma d'Oro Film Festival in Italy.

Throughout his career Kamal has worked with many renowned directors of different generations: Daoud Abdel Sayed, Khairy Beshara, Mohamed Khan, Yousry Nasrallah, Ali Edris, Khaled El Hagar, Kamla Abu Zikry, Hala Khalil.

The Cairo Shorts Film Festival is scheduled to take place between 21 and 25 December screening films in the Creativity Centre and Hanager Theatre.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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Egypts Public Prosecution referred a teacher to criminal trial for bullying a student with disabilities in an inclusion classroom in the Shubra district of Cairo.

The teacher verbally abused [the student], using phrases through which she aimed to put him down and make a mockery of him in his social surrounding during class, the prosecution said in a statement on Thursday.

The students father issued a complaint to the prosecution accusing the teacher of bullying his son after he asked to sit down in a desk at the front of the classroom.

The teacher refused, ostracised him, mocked him in front of his colleagues, and then punished him by directing him to the schools headmistress, the prosecution added.

The teacher denied the accusations, claiming that she scolded the student for coming to class late and that she directed him to the headmistress after he threatened to speak to his parents.

Ezz El-Din Sherif, the 13-year-old student, suffers from an intellectual disability, severe visual impairment, and a congenital eye defect, according to a complaint filed to the public prosecution by lawyer Heba Mostafa earlier this week.

In remarks to the Al-Shorouk private newspaper after the prosecutions decision, Mostafa said she filed the complaint against the teacher as well as the headmistress.

The teacher called the student dumb and blind, when he asked to move to a desk at the front of the classroom and sent him to the headmistress, Mostafa said.

The headmistress then detained the student in her office and obliged him to clean the floor and wash cups as a punishment then beat the child for accidentally breaking one of the cups, Mostafa claims.

The prosecutions decision to refer the teacher to trial is a positive step to deter those bullying people with disabilities, Mostafa added.

In October, the Egyptian House of Representatives approved a legislative amendment that toughens penalties against bullying persons with disabilities, raising the maximum sentence to five years in prison.

The number of people with disabilities in Egypt surpasses 10 million, according to figures of the states statistical agency (CAPMAS), Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine El-Qabbaj said in December last year.

Egypt also has more than 108,000 disabled students in inclusion classrooms nationwide, the education ministry said earlier this month.

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Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi inspected on Friday a number of projects to develop Greater Cairo, including roads, axes and bridges, and spoke to a number of citizens.

He also inspected the project of developing Historical Cairo and turning it to a modern tourist destination with services, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said.

President Sisi toured development work underway in Old Cairo and the Cairo Citadel Aqueduct that stretches from Fom Al-Khalig area to Salah El-Din Al-Ayoubi Citadel, the spokesman said.

During his inspection tour, the president spoke with citizens and workers at pottery workshops in Old Cairo, where he listened to their demands and needs.

He also inspected the ongoing construction works at Hassaballah El-Kafrawi corridor that connects South Cairo with East Cairo and areas of New Cairo through El-Moshir Mohamed Fahmy axis.

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Ukraine said Friday that one of its soldiers was killed in fighting with pro-Russia separatists in the east of the country, as tensions with Moscow soar.

Kiev has been battling a pro-Moscow insurgency in two breakaway regions bordering Russia since 2014, when the Kremlin annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.

Russia has massed troops near Ukraine's borders and the West has for weeks accused it of planning an invasion, warning Moscow of massive sanctions should it launch an attack.

The Ukrainian army said separatists had targeted its positions with grenade launchers and mortars.

"One serviceman was fatally wounded," and another soldier was injured, it said on Facebook.

Kiev and its allies accuse Russia of supporting the rebels militarily -- claims which Moscow denies.

The latest death brings Ukraine's toll in the simmering conflict to 65 since the start of the year, according to an AFP tally based on official figures, compared to a total of 50 in all of 2020.

Russia has massed around 100,000 troops on its side of the border.

US President Joe Biden warned his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin of "sanctions like he's never seen" should the troops attack Ukraine.

European Union leaders on Thursday urged Moscow to halt its military build-up and return to talks led by France and Germany.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine has so far left more than 13,000 dead.

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Jewish settlers burst into several villages in the occupied West Bank on Friday, smashing homes and cars and beating up at least two people, Palestinian officials said. The attacks came a day after Palestinian gunmen killed an Israeli man in a shooting ambush in the territory.

The death of settler Yehuda Dimentman, killed when gunmen opened fire on his car near a West Bank settlement outpost late Thursday, threatened to ignite further violence between Palestinian residents and Israeli settlers. Two other passengers in Dimentman's vehicle were lightly wounded.

Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors settlement activities, said groups of settlers entered several Palestinian villages near the northern city of Nablus early Friday, smashing up cars and homes. Two Palestinians required hospital treatment.

In the Palestinian village of Qaryut, settlers broke into one house and tried to abduct a local resident, Wael Moqbel, according to Daghlas.

Photos later shared on social media showed Moqbel with bruises and swelling across his face, while other videos and photos published online showed confrontations between armed settlers and Palestinian residents.

Israeli leaders have vowed to find the assailants behind Thursday's shooting and the army deployed additional forces to the area. According to the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, at least three men from the northern village of Burqa were arrested in overnight raids.



The army said Friday the manhunt for the Palestinian gunmen was still ongoing, but gave no further details.

Dimentman's car came under fire after leaving a Jewish seminary in the outpost of Homesh, a former settlement evacuated as part of Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005. In recent years, settlers have re-established an unauthorized outpost at the site, one of dozens of outposts in the West Bank that are considered illegal but often tolerated by the Israeli government.

No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting, although the Hamas militant group, which rules the Gaza Strip, praised the attack.

Hundreds gathered for Dimentman's funeral services in Homesh on Friday morning, before the body was taken to Jerusalem for burial.

The latest attacks come amid an uptick in Israeli-Palestinian violence across the West Bank and in east Jerusalem. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was left seriously injured after being stabbed by a Palestinian attacker outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. A week before, a Hamas militant opened fire in the Old City, killing an Israeli man. Both attackers were killed by Israeli forces.

Settler violence against Palestinians has seen a similar uptick during the olive harvest. In mid-November, Jewish settlers attacked a group of Palestinian farmers with pepper spray and clubs in the farmland surrounding Homesh, injuring four people.

Israel captured east Jerusalem and the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war. The territories are now home to more than 700,000 Jewish settlers, although Palestinians seek both areas as parts of their future independent state. Palestinians, along with most of the international community, consider settlements to be illegal and the major obstacle to peace.



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Taking place on 15 and 16 December, the workshop was part of the ongoing Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre (CIFET), whose 28th edition is being held between 14 and 19 December. Her workshop comes prior to the honourary performance that she will stage during the festival's final days.

In her workshop, the multi-award winning artist told the participants about the origins of clowning, which are much older than the performances we know from todays modern circus. According to her, clowns are very old characters, who incorporated themes of life and death into festivities and celebrations.

Though in ancient times, there were different characters and masks that incorporated characteristics of the clown, it was only in the 15th century that the term clown appeared for the first time. In 19th century the grotesque character of clown entered the first modern circus.

One of Europe's pioneering woman clowns, Hutter also explained the character of clown as it is presented on contemporary stages.

"Clowns are very sweet and very cruel, very clever and very stupid. The clown's intentions are not moralistic as he is both, good and bad," she said while pointing to the fact that clowns allow us to laugh in front of the inevitable ending of life.

During the workshop Hutter described the dramaturgy behind a clown. "Clowns always exaggerate, they make a big issue out of a trivial thing. If you want to create clown's character you need to look for a big catastrophe and tailor the dramaturgy around it. Clowning is not about small jokes and small ideas. It is about a bigger story that is blown out of proportions by the clown and within which he creates funny moments."

Hutter also spoke about importance of interaction with the audience since in the art of clowning the fourth wall of theatre is removed.

Hutter is one of the best known woman clowns in Europe, whose practice goes back to the 1970s. In the early 1980s she created her most successful show titled Jane the Brave. The performance was staged over 1,300 times across numerous countries. Jane the Brave will be staged in Cairo on 18 and 19 December, within the activities of the Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre.

"Since 1981, Gardi Hutter has taken her clown theatre halfway round the world, putting over 3,700 shows in 35 countries so far. She has created eight theatre and one circus productions and been awarded 18 prizes for her art. Gardi Hutters stories are tragicomic parables of the today world, with moll and without moralising. Her characters show all facets of female non-virtues: tousled, fury, nasty, crazy, touching and poetic. The press calls her a 'comic phenomena'," reads the description on her website.

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KYODO NEWS - Dec 17, 2021 - 08:25 | All, Japan, World

Japan and France have postponed their planned ministerial security talks originally meant to be held by year-end to next year, a senior French defense official said Thursday, citing a scheduling conflict.

The postponement of the meeting involving the two countries' foreign and defense ministers means a three-year hiatus since their last two-plus-two talks in January 2019, due partly to the coronavirus pandemic.

At a working-level meeting of foreign and defense ministries in Tokyo in October, the French government had said the two countries would hold ministerial security talks within the year.

Alice Guitton, director general for international relations and strategy of the French Armed Forces Ministry, told a press conference that the countries are arranging multiple options to convene the two-plus-two gathering next year at an early date, calling the meeting "a key conference with Japan, a special partner."

The two countries have generally taken turns hosting the ministerial meeting since their first talks in 2014, with France hosting the last talks.

Japan is thus likely to host the next gathering, but it could be in a virtual format, depending on the development of the coronavirus pandemic.
KYODO NEWS - Dec 17, 2021 - 19:32 | All, Japan

A former diplomat who advises the South Korean ruling party's presidential nominee Lee Jae Myung has expressed eagerness to strengthen security cooperation with Japan and the United States through the use of Seoul's military-intelligence sharing agreement with Tokyo.

Wi Sung Lac's remarks, made during an interview in Seoul this week, are a departure from the policy of current President Moon Jae In's administration, which has made it clear that South Korea could scrap the bilateral agreement anytime depending on how already testy South Korea-Japan ties fare.

Wi, who serves as the chairman of a foreign affairs committee set up in the Lee campaign within the Democratic Party, said the General Security of Military Information Agreement, or GSOMIA, represents a meaningful stepping stone for security cooperation between the two countries.

"We should definitely make good use of the pact so that the framework for security cooperation could be solidified," the former ambassador to Russia said, advocating greater operational use of the agreement.

The 2016 agreement enables the two U.S. allies to exchange sensitive information about North Korea. It was set to expire in November 2019 after South Korea launched a termination process, but the country ultimately decided against it.

In announcing the planned termination in August that year, the Moon administration had cited Tokyo's move to tighten export controls on some materials crucial to the South Korean technology industry.

While Lee has often made remarks widely interpreted as hard-line toward Japan, Wi denied the candidate has ideas that are anti-Japanese. Lee "understands the need to improve relations and that, if he were elected, (improving the relations) would be a pressing matter for the moment," he said.

Wi also addressed a territorial dispute over South Korean-controlled islets known in Japan as Takeshima and as Dokdo in South Korea. The dispute flared up again recently when a top South Korean police official visited them to Tokyo's dismay.

Wi stuck to Seoul's position that the Sea of Japan islets are part of South Korea. But he called for action conducive to improving relations. "There is no need to damage the atmosphere by doing something which would not help improve them."

Wi, who also served as South Korea's top envoy on issues related to North Korea's nuclear programs, stressed the usefulness of three-way security cooperation between the United States, South Korea and Japan when dealing with issues such as potential threats from North Korea.

But for that arrangement to work, Wi said, "What is most important is a strong agreement on the need to improve (South Korea-Japan) ties."

Wi also stressed the need for a formal declaration on ending the 1950-1953 Korean War, as a way to make the North's denuclearization move forward -- a policy stance not shared by the main opposition People Power Party nominee, former Prosecutor General Yoon Suk Yeol, whom Lee is expected to face in the March presidential election.
KYODO NEWS - Dec 16, 2021 - 13:58 | All, Coronavirus, Japan

Japan will contribute a record 376.7 billion yen ($3.4 billion) to the International Development Association, a World Bank fund for the poorest nations, in a bid to help such countries recover from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, the Finance Ministry said Thursday.

The IDA will use its funds to provide assistance to 74 low-income countries such as delivering vaccines, creating jobs lost in the pandemic and tackling climate change.

"The world continues to face an unprecedented crisis due to COVID-19," said Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki at a virtual, two-day meeting of donors hosted by Japan. "Now is the time for global solidarity."

The World Bank separately announced that it has decided on its largest ever replenishment package of $93 billion for the fund.

Replenishments are normally provided to the IDA once every three years, but the depletion of the fund amid the pandemic pushed forward the timeline by one year. In December 2019, donors agreed to make contributions worth a total of $82 billion.

Japan and other donors together will contribute a total of $23.5 billion to the IDA this time.

David Malpass, president of the World Bank, said in a statement that the "generous commitment by our partners is a critical step toward supporting poor countries in their efforts to recover from the COVID-19 crisis."

The IDA, founded in 1960, aids the poorest countries by providing grants as well as zero to low-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth and reduce poverty.
KYODO NEWS - Dec 17, 2021 - 18:44 | All, World

The U.S. Congress passed a bill Thursday banning imports from China's northwestern Xinjiang region amid allegations the Uyghur Muslim minority is being used for forced labor.

The government also blacklisted dozens of Chinese entities for their alleged role in human rights violations and the support they provide to the military.

The latest development was likely to worsen tensions between Washington and Beijing over human rights issues, with the United States particularly concerned over the treatment of the Uyghurs that it says amounts to "genocide."

China swiftly criticized the United States on Friday, stressing that Washington has seriously undermined the principle of the market economy as well as international economic and trade rules.

"We urge the United States to correct its mistakes immediately," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters. "China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese institutions and enterprises."

The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act passed the Senate on Thursday by unanimous consent after being approved by the House of Representatives earlier this week. It needs to be signed into law by President Joe Biden, which the White House said he will do.

It requires U.S. customs authorities to presume goods manufactured in Xinjiang are made with forced labor and that they should be banned from import, except for items from importers that can provide clear evidence to the contrary.

"This Senate will not stay silent in the face of genocide against the Uyghur people," Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted. "America will not stand for it, and the global community shouldn't either."

The Senate also confirmed veteran diplomat Nicholas Burns as the next U.S. ambassador to China, putting him in a pivotal role to navigate the increasingly fraught ties between the world's two largest economies.

The 65-year-old Harvard University professor was undersecretary of state for political affairs, the State Department's third-ranked official, from 2005 to 2008 in the George W. Bush administration.

The confirmation of Burns had reportedly been held up by Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican who is known for his tough stance on China. But he agreed to move on with the confirmation when the Senate passed the Uyghur bill, according to some U.S. media.

Among the entities that the Commerce Department announced Thursday had been added to its trade blacklist were China's Academy of Military Medical Sciences and 11 of its research institutes, which allegedly have focused on using biotechnology to support the Chinese military, including over "purported brain-control weaponry."

China is choosing to use biotechnology to "pursue control over its people and its repression of members of ethnic and religious minority groups," Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a press release, apparently referring to the heavy surveillance that the Uyghurs are believed to be under in the Xinjiang region.

"We cannot allow U.S. commodities, technologies and software that support medical science and biotechnical innovation to be diverted toward uses contrary to U.S. national security," she added.

Inclusion on the Entity List means U.S. firms are prohibited from selling goods to the designated companies without government approval.

Eight technology firms, including world-leading drone manufacturer SZ DJI Technology Co., were also placed on the Treasury Department's investment blacklist for actively supporting "the biometric surveillance and tracking of ethnic and religious minorities in China."

SZ DJI has provided drones to the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau that are used to surveil the Uyghurs, according to the department.

Other companies have allegedly developed software to recognize specific ethnic minorities, including Tibetans and Uyghurs, and alert authorities when it finds them. Another provides a Uyghur-language translation tool to enable authorities to scan devices for criminal content.

Under the Treasury Department action, U.S. persons will be prohibited from purchasing or selling certain publicly traded securities connected with the entities.
KYODO NEWS - Dec 17, 2021 - 18:53 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Japan will shorten the interval for COVID-19 booster shots for senior citizens in general from eight months to seven from February next year, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday, as the country ramps up efforts to curb the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

An eight-month interval has been set "in principle" between the second and third vaccination shots, but the government is seeking to prioritize boosters for the elderly and health care workers.

Kishida also told reporters that Japan has reached a basic agreement with Pfizer Inc. to secure 2 million doses of the U.S. pharmaceutical giant's orally administered drug for COVID-19. The oral COVID drug is regarded as vital by Japan to fighting the pandemic.

The interval for administering the booster shots for health workers and those at high risk of infection, such as the elderly at nursing homes will be reduced to six months, he added.

Japan started earlier this month administering the third doses of the vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE to health care professionals inoculated with their second dose at least eight months ago.

Currently, the health ministry has given the green light for the vaccines of Pfizer vaccine and U.S. biotechnology firm Moderna Inc. to be used in booster shots. The ministry's fast-track approval was given to Moderna's vaccine as booster shots on Thursday.

Earlier Friday, Kishida spoke by phone with Albert Bourla, chief executive of Pfizer, and asked the U.S. pharmaceutical company to bring forward Japan's contracted supply of coronavirus vaccine, a government official said.

According to the government's announcement in November, it plans to supply 24 million doses of Pfizer vaccine and 17 million doses of Moderna's vaccine to local governments by February.
KYODO NEWS - Dec 17, 2021 - 20:30 | World, All

An Australian parliamentary inquiry concluded in a report released Friday that an information-sharing agreement between Australia, the United States and Britain under their AUKUS security partnership does not breach Canberra's nuclear nonproliferation commitments.

The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties explained that the agreement, the first embodiment of the security partnership under which Australia looks to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, is limited to information sharing, saying the committee has recommended that the government ratify it.

But transfers of equipment, materials or technology related to the security partnership must be the subject of different agreements than the Exchange of Naval Propulsion Information agreement, signed last month, that would require further scrutiny by the committee, it said.

The security partnership was announced by the three nations in September amid China's growing maritime power. However, China and some Southeast Asian countries have voiced concerns that it could spark a nuclear arms race in the Asia-Pacific region.

Committee Chair and lawmaker Dave Sharma said in a statement that the information-sharing agreement is "essential for learning how to safely build, operate and support nuclear-powered submarines."

"With our security environment growing more challenging in the decades ahead, a regionally superior submarine capability is critical to safeguard Australia's security," he added.

Experts, however, have also raised concerns that the agreement for sharing information on nuclear-propelled submarines risks expanding a "loophole" in the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

In a submission to the inquiry, a local group named BaseWatch Darwin cited international concerns that the move by Australia may undermine the NPT framework.
KYODO NEWS - Dec 18, 2021 - 17:16 | All, Japan

Shigeo Iizuka, who served for 14 years as the head of a group representing families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s, died early Saturday morning. He was 83.

Due to poor health, Iizuka stepped down from the post last week, transferring leadership to Takuya Yokota, the younger brother of abductee Megumi Yokota who is known as a symbolic figure among those taken by North Korea.

A native of Tokyo, Iizuka, whose younger sister Yaeko Taguchi was abducted by North Korea, headed the group from 2007, succeeding Yokota's father Shigeru who was its first leader. Yokota's sister Megumi was kidnapped while on her way home from school at the age of 13 in 1977, while Taguchi was abducted at age 22 in 1978.

"I'm truly sorry that he passed away without reuniting with his sister," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno separately said, "I'm filled with intense remorse as we failed to bring his sister back while he was alive and realize their reunion in Japan." Matsuno is also minister in charge of the abduction issue.

Shigeru Yokota resigned due to health reasons after having served as the group's chief for over 10 years until November 2007. He died in June 2020 at the age of 87 without ever being reunited with Megumi.

The group's losses due to the aging of its leaders underscores that many relatives of the abductees have become elderly in the decades since the disappearances.

Iizuka raised his abducted sister's son Koichiro Iizuka, who became the secretary general of the family group with the change of leadership last week.

During a meeting with Kishida shortly after assuming the post in October, Iizuka vowed to "never give up" on settling the issue, saying, "It is disappointing that there has been no progress in the abduction issue despite the countless changes in prime ministers."

Iizuka met with then U.S. President Donald Trump in Tokyo when he visited the Japanese capital in 2017 and 2019 to seek U.S. cooperation to resolve the abduction issue.

The past abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korean agents has been a major stumbling block for a peace treaty between Tokyo and Pyongyang, along with the reclusive country's nuclear and missile development.

The Japanese government officially lists 17 citizens as having been abducted by North Korea and suspects Pyongyang's involvement in other disappearances of Japanese nationals.

Of the 17, five were repatriated in 2002 following then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to North Korea. While Japan continues to seek the return of the remaining 12, North Korea maintains that eight have died and the other four never entered the country.

Related coverage:

Brother of symbolic North Korea abductee Yokota heads victims' kin group

Kin of Japanese abducted by North Korea urges PM Kishida to resolve issue

Japan reluctant to accept proposal to declare Korean War over
New Delhi:

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday said the INX media case involving former Union minister P Chidambaram is a "classic case of money laundering" and it was of the prima facie opinion that his custodial interrogation is required for an effective investigation in the matter.

Justice Sunil Gaur, who dismissed Chidambaram's anticipatory bail plea in the corruption and money laundering cases related to the INX Media scam, said that granting bail in such cases will send wrong message to the society.

Gaur also noted that the Congress leader was evasive in replies to the probe agencies when he was under protective cover given by the court. The high court also declined interim protection from arrest to him for approaching the Supreme Court in the case.

READ | INX Media Case: CBI, ED knock on Chidambaram's door, ex-Finance Minister not at home

After the high court denied him relief, Chidambaram met senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Salman Khurshid in the Supreme Court for deliberating his further course of action.

Sibal has been asked by an apex court official to place Chidambaram's petition before Registrar (judicial) who will take call for putting it before the Chief Justice of India. Sibal has been asked to mention his appeal on Wednesday at 10:30 am in the Supreme Court.

The high court had on July 25, 2018 granted interim protection from arrest to Chidambaram in both the cases and it has been extended from time to time. The senior Congress leader's role had come under the scanner of various investigating agencies in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore.

READ | On Kashmir lockdown, P Chidambaram tweets: 'Keeping my fingers crossed'

It was during his tenure as finance minister in the UPA-I government that clearances from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) were given to the two ventures.

In the INX Media case, the CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017 alleging irregularities in the FIPB clearance granted to the media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as finance minister. Thereafter, the ED in 2018 lodged the money laundering case in this regard.

Chidambaram's petition had said that though no summons had ever been served on him by the ED in this case, he had an apprehension of arrest in view of the summons issued to him by the CBI.

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New Delhi:

Power discom TPDDL will collaborate with the Delhi governments education department for enrolment of underprivileged children in schools under Meri Pathshala programme. In the first phase of the programme, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) will support 400 out-of-school children, aged between six and 14 years, enrolled in the Delhi government schools under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, said a TPDDL spokesperson.

The programme was launched by Delhis Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is also in-charge of the Education department, in the presence of TPDDL CEO Sanjay Banga on Monday.

Meri Pathshala is a unique joint initiative of TPDDL and the Department of Education in our mission to provide access to education to out-of-school children, Sisodia said on the occasion.

Under the programme, TPDDL will provide digital learning equipment, including software and training support to teachers, for digital classrooms and make available other necessary learning material for them.

The company will also provide motivational and counselling sessions to the students through NGO partners, and necessary items such as stationery.

Education is one of the key thrust areas identified in the corporate social responsibility policy of TPDDL and Meri Pathshala is a step in the same direction. It will help the out-of-school children to gain formal education and curate a brighter future through the power of education, Banga said.

A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the two sides for the programme.
Delhi:

Ahead of Uttar Pradesh cabinet expansion, state finance minister Rajesh Agarwal has resigned from his post. Following the policy of my organisation, I have tendered my resignation from the state cabinet as I have touched 75 years of age. Now it is upto the party to accept it. I'll carry out whatever responsibility will be given to me., Rajesh Agarwal said. Earlier, there were reports that had suggested that Agarwals name was not part of Yogi Adityanaths cabinet expansion.

The much-awaited cabinet reshuffle of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh will take place on Wednesday to fill the slots that have fallen vacant in the last few months, especially after some ministers entered the portals of Lok Sabha.

Adityanath took over the reins of the state in March 2017, and this will be the first expansion of his ministry. Three UP ministers were elected to Parliament in the recent Lok Sabha polls, while one was sacked.

"The oath-taking ceremony will be held on Monday around 11 am at UP Raj Bhavan," a Raj Bhavan official told PTI. However, he declined to state the number of ministers who will take oath on Monday.

On Saturday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met Governor Anandiben Patel after he apparently discussed the issue during his meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah in New Delhi. OBC leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Swatantra Dev Singh was appointed as the new state unit chief of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in July and according to the BJP's "one person-one post" principle, Singh cannot simultaneously hold the positions of a minister and the state party chief.

He is currently the minister of state (independent charge) for transport and protocol. The three ministers, who successfully contested the parliamentary polls, are SP Singh Baghel from Agra, Rita Bahuguna Joshi from Allahabad and Satyadev Pachauri from Kanpur.

Disgruntled minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) leader O P Rajbhar was sacked by the chief minister for his outburst against his NDA partner, the BJP.

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Delhi:

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra came out in support of senior party leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram. Priyanka took to Twitter to slam the ruling governments vendetta politics and said that the party backs him in his fight. An extremely qualified and respected member of the Rajya Sabha, Chidambaram ji has served our nation with loyalty for decades including as Finance Minister & Home Minister. He unhesitatingly speaks truth to power and exposes the failures of this government, Priyanka said on micro-blogging site. but the truth is inconvenient to cowards so he is being shamefully hunted down. We stand by him and will continue to fight for the truth no matter what the consequences are, she further said.

An extremely qualified and respected member of the Rajya Sabha, @PChidambaram_IN ji has served our nation with loyalty for decades including as Finance Minister & Home Minister. He unhesitatingly speaks truth to power and exposes the failures of this government,

1/2  Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 21, 2019

Priyankas tweet came ahead of hearing of Chidambarams anticipatory bail plea at the Supreme Court. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal had said that as Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi will be sitting in the Constitution bench for hearing the Ayodhya case, the petition is to be mentioned at 10:30 am before the senior-most judge, who is not on the Constitution bench. Chidambaram and a battery of his lawyers were in hectic discussions after the Delhi High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail plea in the INX media scam. Senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Salman Khurshid rushed to the apex court following the high court order. Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, who was arguing the case in the high court, also joined the discussions.

On Tuesday, hours after the Delhi High Court refused former Union finance minister P Chidambaram to grant any protection from arrest in the INX Media case, the a six-member CBI team issued a notice to him asking him to appear before the investigation officer "within two hours", after failing to find him at his residence. Soon after the CBI team returned empty hand, an Enforcement Directorate team also reached his Jor Bagh residence in Delhi.

The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to the media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as finance minister. Thereafter, the ED lodged a money laundering case in this regard in 2018.

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New Delhi:

Gangster Chhota Rajan, who is lodged in Delhis Tihar Jail after his deportation to India following his arrest in Indonesia in October 2015, has been convicted in by a special court in BR Shetty hotelier extortion and attempt to murder case. Arguments on the quantum of sentence will commence later in the day.

According to a charge sheet filed by Mumbai police, the firing was ordered by gangster Chhota Rajan because he wanted to settle scores with the hotelier for being close to his rival and cop Pradeep Sharma.

Rajan and his four associates are accused of attempt to murder of the hotelier when the latter was fired upon allegedly by his henchmen in Amboli area of Mumbai in 2013.

Earlier, a Mumbai Court convicted the gangster in the murder case of journalist J Dey. Other accused including journalist Jigna Vora were acquitted in the case due to lack of evidence.

Besides Rajan, special MCOCA court judge Sameer Adkar had convicted eight others in the case.

The veteran crime journalist was shot dead in suburban Powai on June 11, 2011 while he was on his way home. Rajan was arrested at Bali airport in Indonesia on October 25, 2015, and was deported to India.

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New Delhi:

BJP leader Madhuswamy was inducted in the Karnataka cabinet on Tuesday as a minister. However, during the oath taking ceremony, Madhuswamy mistakenly leader took oath of office as the mukhya mantri (chief minister), instead of mantri (minister). Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa noted the gaffe by his cabinet colleague and passed a smile and hugged Madhuswamy after he made the error.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday expanded his ministry by inducting 17 ministers in the first phase. This was be the first-ever expansion of Yediyurappa's ministry after he assumed office on July 26 and proved his government's majority on the floor of the Assembly on July 29.

Having run the government with a "one-man cabinet" for over 20 days, the chief minister had on Saturday managed to get the nod from BJP national president Amit Shah to undertake the exercise on August 20.

Among those to be administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Vajubhai Vala at the Raj Bhavan at 10:30 am are Govind Karajol, Ashwath Narayan C N, Laxman Savadi, K S Eshwarappa, R Ashoka, Jagadish Shettar, B Sreeramulu and S Suresh Kumar.

V Somanna, C T Ravi, Basavaraj Bommai, Kota Shrinivas Poojari, J C Madhu Seamy, C C Patil, H Nagesh, Prabhu Chauhan and Shashikala Jolle Annasaheb are the other names on the list.

The chief minister has sent an official list of 17 ministers to be inducted into the cabinet to the governor, requesting him to administer the oath to them.

With no clarity on who all were to be inducted into the ministry till Monday night, aspirants and the state BJP leadership were anxiously awaiting clear instructions from the party high command in Delhi.

Amid pressure from within, the opposition Congress and the JD(S) too had hit out at the BJP over the delay in cabinet expansion and had even raised questions about government's "existence". The Congress had claimed that Yediyurappa's one-man cabinet administration "resembled the President's rule".

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Delhi:

Leaders across party lines paid tributes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on the 75th birth anniversary on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to pay his tributes. Tributes to our former PM Shri Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary, Pm Modi said on micro-blogging site. Other dignitaries including Pranab Mukherjee, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi attended the prayer meet organised in New Delhi on Tuesday morning. Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra posted very emotional tweets as they remembered their father on his birth anniversary.

Today we celebrate the 75th birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi ji, a patriot & a visionary, whose far sighted policies helped build India.



To me, he was a loving father who taught me never to hate, to forgive & to love all beings. #Rajiv75 #SadbhavanaDiwas pic.twitter.com/gaozH8h06r  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 20, 2019

Today we celebrate the 75th birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi ji, a patriot & a visionary, whose far sighted policies helped build India. To me, he was a loving father who taught me never to hate, to forgive & to love all beings, Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

From my father, I learned how to listen to peoples stories and find a place in my heart for them no matter how contrary to mine they might be. From him, I learned how to keep smiling and keep walking no matter how difficult the path might be, Priyanka said on social site. She also posted a childhood photo along with the tweet.

From my father, I learned how to listen to peoples stories and find a place in my heart for them no matter how contrary to mine they might be.



From him, I learned how to keep smiling and keep walking no matter how difficult the path might be.#RajivGandhi75 #SadbhavanaDiwas pic.twitter.com/O4W8d9cUL5  Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 20, 2019

The Congress, while remembering the former prime minister, said his dream was to make India a formidable force in 21st century as he focused on technology, education and giving a voice to the disenfranchised. "India's strength lies in its unity and diversity. As we remember Shri Rajiv Gandhi on his 75th birth anniversary, we must also remember that his words are now more relevant than ever. We must never allow communal madness to break the bond of unity among us all. #SadbhavanaDiwas," the Congress wrote on its official Twitter handle.

To observe the day as 'Sadbhavana Diwas', the Congress has planned a host of events during the week. The party will also organise a big event at the Indira Gandhi Stadium on Tuesday where the Congress president will speak. A cultural programme will also being organised.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi:

In the run up to Balakot airstrikes, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat very categorically conveyed to the top brass of the government that his force was fully ready to deal with any ground offensive by Pakistan and take the battle into the enemy territory, top military sources said.

The Indian Army was prepared for a conventional warfare with Pakistan which would have included going inside Pakistan, the sources told PTI.

The Army chief informed the government about preparedness of his force when it was considering various options, including carrying out an aerial raid, to punish Pakistan for the Pulwama terror attack.

General Rawat, at a closed-door interaction with a group of retiring Army officials on Monday, said the force was combat ready for any hostilities from Pakistan Army after the Balakot strikes, the sources said.

Explaining Gen. Rawat's comments, a military official said what the Army Chief meant was that Indian Army was ready to take the battle into Pakistan.

The sources said Indian Army had finalised contracts to procure ammunition worth Rs 11,000 crore after the Uri terror attack in September 2016, and it has received 95 per cent of the total order.

The Army has also finalised 33 contracts worth Rs 7,000 crore for procuring critical armaments while another set of purchases at a cost of Rs 9,000 crore is at an advanced stage.

Indian Air Force bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26, in response to the Pulwama attack.

Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target Indian military installations on Wednesday. However, the IAF thwarted their plans.

The Indian strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir that killed 40 soldiers.

Sources said that the Indian Army has significantly improved availability of key armaments and ammunition in the last over two years, admitting that their shortage was a major issue earlier.

The availability of arms and armaments has improved significantly since the Uri attack, said a senior official.

In March last year, the vice chiefs of the three services were granted additional financial powers to carry out specific procurement to ensure operational preparedness.

In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, the government granted emergency powers to the three services to procure weapons and military hardware to enhance their operational preparedness along the border with Pakistan.

The government also relaxed certain rules to cut delays in military purchase like allowing the three services to procure required weapons and equipment from a single vendor.

In the wake of Pakistan's sharp reaction to India's decisions on Jammu and Kashmir, the Army has been put on high alert along the Line of Control.

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Delhi:

Moments after Justice NV Ramana referred P Chidambarams anticipatory bail plea Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, the Enforcement Directorate issues lookout notice against the former Finance Minister on Wednesday. The fresh lookout circular against Chidambaram seeks to restrict his movement across land, air and seaports. In his interim bail plea, Chidambram argued that he should be given protection from arrest because he has not been named in the FIR in the INX Media Case. However, appearing for the ED and CBI, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court bench that it is a case of money laundering of "monumental magnitude". He also said that, we are ready for all possible legal recourses that Chidambaram might take. If he seeks urgent listing from the Chief Justice of India, we are ready with our strategy.

Meanwhile, following is the chronology of events in the INX Media corruption and money laundering cases in which the Delhi High Court Tuesday dismissed the anticipatory bail pleas of Congress leader P Chidambaram.

May 15, 2017: CBI registers FIR in INX media case alleging irregularities in FIPB clearance to the group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007.

2018: ED lodges the money laundering case in this regard. CBI summons Chidambaram for questioning.

May 30: Chidambaram moves Delhi High Court seeking anticipatory bail plea in the corruption case of CBI.

July 23: He moves Delhi HC for anticipatory bail in the money laundering case of ED.

July 25: High Court grants him interim protection from arrest in both cases.

January 25, 2019: HC reserves its judgement on his anticipatory bail in both cases.

August 20: HC dismisses the anticipatory bail pleas. It also declines Chidambaram's request to stay the order for 3 days to enable him to move an appeal in the Supreme Court.

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New Delhi:

In a major announcement for all central paramilitary forces, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday issued an order fixing the retirement age for all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) for all ranks at 60 years.

The order will be effective with immediate effect and will be applicable to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Border Security Force (BSF), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), regular cadre of the Paramilitary component of the Assam Rifles (AR).

The Home Ministry order followed a Delhi High Court's January order in which it struck down rules prescribing different retirement ages for different ranks calling it discriminatory and unconstitutional and directed the Central government to fix a uniform age of superannuation for all ranks.

According to the existing policy, all personnel in the Central Industrial Security Force and the Assam Rifles retire at the age of 60.

However, in CRPF, BSF, ITBP and SSB, the personnel from the ranks of constable to commandant retire at the age of 57, while those above them superannuate at the age of 60.

The Home Ministry order directed all the forces to "comply with the court order and amend provisions of rules."

These forces are deployed across the country to render a variety of internal security duties including border guarding, counterterrorism, anti-Naxal operations, and maintenance of law and order.

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New Delhi:

Frustrated after repeated failure on multiple fronts to secure support to its efforts against Indias Kashmir move, Pakistan have approached the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), seeking to remove Indian actress Priyanka Chopra as the UN 'Goodwill Ambassador'.

In a letter to UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, Pakistan Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari alleged that Priyanka Chopra has supported the Indian governments stand on Kashmir and nuclear threat issued to Islamabad by Indias Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

By the so-called nuclear threat, the Pakistani minister was apparently referring to Rajnath Singhs remark that Indias no first use nuclear policy will depend on the situation, hinting at a major shift in New Delhis nuclear policy.

"All this goes completely against the principles of peace and goodwill that Ms Chopra is supposed to uphold as an UN Goodwill Ambassador for peace. Her jingoism and support for violations by the Modi government of international conventions and UNSC resolution on Kashmir, as well as support for war, including a nuclear war, undermines the credibility of the UN position to which she has been elevated," the letter read.

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Pakistan has been opposing India's move to remove provisions of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two Union Territories. In an attempt to pressurise India to take back its decision on Kashmir, Pakistan has taken several decisions, including downgrading of diplomatic ties and suspension of bilateral trade with India. The neighbouring country has also taken the issue to the United Nations Security Council with the help of China.

Pakistan had also cancelled the bi-weekly Samjhauta Express train service connecting Lahore and New Delhi. The Samjhauta Express train service was suspended earlier this year, due to escalating tensions between the two neighbouring countries following Pulwama attack. However, the services resumed later.



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New Delhi:

Water management has become the need of the hour. It is one of those gifts of nature that is precious by all means. Now-a-days, the scarcity of water has become a serious problem and needs a proper conservation plan. The absence of water will surely create a terrible situation in the country. Therefore, it becomes most important to create awareness among the people about the need of saving every drop of water and using it judiciously. Students and youth of the nation are the ideal section who can take this matter seriously and start doing something in regard to water conservation.

In a recent development, Delhi Government has asked all the schools in national capital region to create awareness about the importance of water conservation. The government of Delhi has asked all the schools to conduct water conservation activities that can raise awareness among the students studying there. The awareness campaigns will primarily focus on water scarcity and importance of water conservation. The job of the schools will be to tell students why it is important to save water. The government knows that students are the backbone of the society, and should be the first one to understand the importance of water conservation and take the step forward to save water. The way water level is decreasing everywhere it has become important to pay attention on this issue. In order to raise awareness regarding water conservation, schools in the capital region will be holding a Jan Andolan on August 23, 2019.

In this activity, students will be made the ambassadors of the water conservation movement and they will lead the campaign in the right direction. The students will hold rallies, and also conduct several awareness campaign so that people can understand the importance of water conservation.
New Delhi:

The first reshuffle of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's cabinet will take place on August 21, a Raj Bhavan official said on Tuesday. The reshuffle is likely to fill the slots that have fallen vacant in the last few months, especially after some state ministers were elected to the Lok Sabha, and induct some new faces.

According to the latest updates, the swearing-in ceremony will held tomorrow after the expansion.

This will be the first cabinet reshuffle after Adityanath took over the reins of the state in March 2017, heading a 47-member ministry including himself.

Three UP ministers were elected to Parliament in the recent Lok Sabha polls, while one was sacked. "The oath-taking ceremony will be held on Monday around 11 am at UP Raj Bhavan," a Raj Bhavan official told PTI earlier. However, he declined to state the number of ministers who will take oath on Monday. On Saturday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met Governor Anandiben Patel after he apparently discussed the issue during his meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah in New Delhi.

OBC leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Swatantra Dev Singh was appointed as the new state unit chief of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in July and according to the BJP's "one person-one post" principle, Singh cannot simultaneously hold the positions of a minister and the state party chief.

He is currently the minister of state (independent charge) for transport and protocol. The three ministers, who successfully contested the parliamentary polls, are SP Singh Baghel from Agra, Rita Bahuguna Joshi from Allahabad and Satyadev Pachauri from Kanpur. Disgruntled minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) leader O P Rajbhar was sacked by the chief minister for his outburst against his NDA partner, the BJP.

"Reshuffling of the cabinet is the sole prerogative of the chief minister. How many will be elevated to cabinet rank, how many new faces will be inducted and how many will be rewarded for their work is the prerogative of the chief minister," a UP BJP leader told PTI.

Uttar Pradesh has a total of 43 ministers, including the chief minister. There are 18 cabinet ministers, nine ministers of state with independent charge and 13 ministers of state, in addition to two deputy chief ministers -- Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma.

The maximum strength of the council of ministers can be 15 per cent of the assembly's total strength. The Uttar Pradesh Assembly has 403 seats and hence, the state can have a maximum of 61 ministers, including the chief minister, a BJP leader said.

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New Delhi:

A soldier was killed and four others were injured after Pakistan Army targeted forward posts and villages along the LoC in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir with mortars and firing from small arms amid tension between Islamabad and New Delhi over abrogation of Article 370. The firing from across the border in Krishna Ghati sector started around 1100 hours, drawing response from the Indian Army, Army spokesman said.



On Saturday, Indian Army jawan was killed as Pakistan violated ceasefire in the Nowshera sector. The soldier was identified as Lance Naik Sandeep Thapa, 35, a resident of Dehradun. As per defence sources, the soldier had sustained serious injuries in the firing.



Pakistani forces have scaled up ceasefire violations enhancing mortar shelling and heavy firing. The last big ceasefire violation was on July 30 when an infiltration bid was foiled in which four terrorists were killed.

Last month, two army personnel and a 10-day old baby were killed and several civilians injured in heavy Pakistani shelling and firing in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region.

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New Delhi:

Some serious anger management issues going on here! A woman in New Jersey allegedly burned down a mans house with whom she had planned an early morning rendezvous but felt asleep before she arrived. According to reports, the New Jersey man was supposed to meet the woman, Taija Russell, 29, for sex at 4 a.m. on Aug. 4, but then fell asleep before she arrived. Insisting on literally having the hot date they have planned, the woman went to a Woodbury, N.J., gas station, bought lighter fluid and a lighter, and started the home afire with the man inside.

According to police, the woman upon arriving the mans home called him man eight times, but he didnt pick up. Furious over the fact that he felt asleep, the woman is said to have allegedly texted the man writing I see you wanna die" and You wasted my money to come out here before the blaze was extinguished.

The man awakened to gulf of flames at around 4:30 a.m following which he ran to a nearby police station and with burns and smoke inhalation after escaping from the window. Police reports that the home and its contents were completely destroyed, though firefighters saved the mans dog.

The woman was reportedly arrested Tuesday on charges including arson and attempted murder. She was held without bail.

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New Delhi:

US President Donald Trump has in a telephonic conversation urged Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to moderate rhetoric with India over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in an effort to reduce tensions. This came after a 30-minute conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, during which the Indian leader raised the issue extreme rhetoric and incitement to anti-India violence by leaders of Pakistan.

Trump spoke by telephone with Khan to discuss the need to reduce tensions and moderate rhetoric with India over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the White House said in a readout of the call.

During the conversation, Trump reaffirmed the need to avoid escalation of the situation, and urged restraint on both sides, the White House said.

The two leaders also agreed to work towards strengthening US-Pakistan economic and trade cooperation, it added.



Earlier, PM Modi held a telephonic conversation with US President Donald Trump during which he made an indirect reference to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's extreme rhetoric against India, and said such incitement to anti-India violence was not conducive to peace.

According to a release from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Modi had a 30-minute-long telephonic conversation with Trump during which they discussed bilateral and regional issues. The conversation was marked by the "warmth and cordiality" which characterises the relations between the two leaders, it said.

In the context of the regional situation, Modi stated that extreme rhetoric and incitement to anti-India violence by certain leaders in the region was not conducive to peace, the release said.

The Prime Minister stated that extreme rhetoric and incitement to anti-India violence by certain leaders in the region was not conducive to peace. He highlighted the importance of creating an environment free from terror and violence and eschewing cross-border terrorism without exception, the statement added.

Modi also highlighted the importance of creating an environment free from terror and violence and eschewing cross-border terrorism without exception.

"The Prime Minister reiterated India's commitment to cooperate with anyone who followed this path, in fighting poverty, illiteracy and disease," it added.

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Washington:

A study published Monday links exposure to fluoridated tap water during pregnancy to lower IQ scores in infants, but several outside experts expressed concern over its methodology and questioned its findings. Fluoride has been added to community water supplies in industrial countries to prevent tooth decay since the 1950s. Very high levels of the mineral have been found to be toxic to the brain, though the concentrations seen in fluoridated tap water are generally deemed safe.

"We realised that there were major questions about the safety of fluoride, especially for pregnant women and young children," Christine Till at Canada's York University, senior author of the paper published in JAMA Pediatrics, told AFP. "We know that decisions need to be based on evidence, and we had no evidence on whether fluoride in pregnancy was safe, and regardless of the outcome, that knowledge was really critical."

The study looked at 601 mother-child pairs across six Canadian cities, with 41 per cent living in communities supplied with fluoridated municipal water.

The researchers said fluoridated water is supplied to around two-thirds of US residents, just over a third of Canadian residents and three percent in Europe.

After controlling for other toxins in their analysis, they found an increase in concentration of fluoride in pregnant mother's urine of one milligram a liter was associated with a 4.5-point lower IQ score in boys -- but not girls -- at age three or four.

When estimating the daily maternal fluoride intake instead of fluoride in urine, they found a one milligram increase in intake was associated with a deficit of 3.7 IQ points for both boys and girls.

Anticipating controversy, JAMA Pediatrics took the unusual step of issuing an Editor's Note that said the decision to publish the article was "not easy."

"Given the nature of the findings and their potential implications, we subjected it to additional scrutiny for its methods and the presentation of its findings."

But experts in fields ranging from statistics to toxicology to neuroscience expressed serious reservations.

"The key words in the paper are 'higher levels.'" said Oliver Jones, Associate Professor of Analytical Chemistry, RMIT University.

"The authors state that an increase of one milligram per liter (1 mg/L) increase in fluoride was associated with a 4.49 point lower IQ score but fluoride intake appears to have been below 1 mg/L for most people in the study, even for those with fluoridated water."

Stuart Ritchie, a psychologist at King's College London, added that it was "inconsistent" that the first analysis only found a significant result for boys not girls while the second analysis found an overall effect with no sex differences.

"I think the findings here are pretty weak and borderline," he said.

"They might be interesting as part of a larger set of studies on this question, but alone they shouldn't move the needle much at all on the question of the safety of fluoride."
New Delhi:

Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI) leaders on Wednesday midnight put a shoe garland on the statue of Veer Savarkar at the North campus of Delhi University. This came after RSS affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) had installed Savarkars statue without administration permission. According to reports, around 20 NSUI student shouting Bhagat Singh and Subhash Chandra Bose slogans defaced the statue.



ABVP-led Delhi University Students' Union President Shakti Singh said that they repeatedly approached the administration for permission to install the statue but got no response from them.

"We wrote a couple of letters to the varsity administration. We even met the Vice Chancellor in March. But when we noticed that the students' union is not being taken seriously, we had to helplessly install the statues in the hope that the youth would be inspired by them," India Today quoted Shakti as saying.



Earlier, NSUI and ABVP hit out at the principal of Delhi University's Vivekananda College for issuing a notice asking students not to attend any political rallies.

According to the notice apparently issued by Principal Hina Nandrajog, "All the students are advised not to attend any political rally otherwise the disciplinary action will be taken against them by the college."

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad demanded that the notice be withdrawn.

"The college administration should withdraw this anti-student decision soon. Is it not our right to fight for our demands?" they said.

The National Students' Union of India said, "Issuing such type of notice clearly displays the intention behind it. The college has been always seen as hub of BJP and right-wing political activities."

Recently, the college administration also permitted to set up a BJP membership drive camp outside the campus, they claimed.

"NSUI strongly condemns such autocratic orders. These are aimed at not only curbing the freedom of students but also threatening them.

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Delhi:

Sunanda Pushkar, who was allegedly driven to commit suicide, was suffering from mental agony due to strained relationship with her husband and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor with whom she had a scuffle resulting in various injury marks few days before her death, the Delhi Police on Tuesday told a court. Police accused Tharoor of torturing his wife which abetted her to commit suicide.

The former Union minister, who is currently on bail in the case, was charged by the Delhi Police under Sections 498-A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The probe agency told special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar that according to the postmortem, the cause of Pushkar's death was poisoning and 15 injury marks were found on various parts of her body -- forearm, arms, leg, etc.

Special Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava told the court that the Pushkar was upset and suffering from mental agony due to the scuffle between the duo.

The submission was made while hearing arguments on framing of charges against Tharoor in the case related to Pushkar's death.

The prosecutor further told the court that Tharoor's relation with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar also added to Sunanda's mental agony.

The prosecutor also apprised the court about Pushkar's friend and journalist Nalini Singh's statement, which is part of the charge sheet, that the relation between the couple was tense and bad. "I got a call from Sunanda who was crying and sobbing. I told her Mehr Tarar was nothing and she was everything. She wanted to take revenge from Tharoor and Terar. There was a lot of bad publicity in media. She told she helped Tharoor a lot in IPL matter. She had found some messages between Tarar and Tharoor. She refused to go to their house and instead went to Leela hotel. The relation between the couple was very bad," Singh had said in her statement.

The prosecutor also told the court that an e-mail written by Tharoor to Trar addressing her as "my darlingest" has also been found.

"Such type of language was used. There are various letter which shows how intimate Tharoor and Trar were to each other," he said.

Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, appearing for Tharoor, refuted the submissions and said he was not aware of any such e-mail.

The case is now listed for next hearing on August 31. The case was earlier sent to sessions court for further proceedings. The maximum punishment for the offence is 10 years of imprisonment.

Pushkar's death had created a sensation as it came shortly after a bitter spat between the couple over Twitter, over his alleged affair with Tarar. Pushkar, 51, was found dead in a suite of the Hotel Leela, a luxury hotel in Delhi's Chanakyapuri, on the night of January 17, 2014.

The couple were staying at the hotel as the official bungalow of Tharoor was being renovated at that time.

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New Delhi:

Delhi Police's Special Cell is looking into a complaint filed against Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement leader Shehla Rashid by a Supreme Court lawyer accusing her of "spreading fake news with the intention to malign the image of Indian Army".

In his complaint to Delhi police commissioner Amulya Patnaik on Monday, Alakh Alok Srivastava said the allegations made by the former JNU student leader in her tweets on Kashmir are "absolutely false and concocted",

Rashid had, in her tweets, alleged that Army personnel "ransacked" houses and that four men were "interrogated (tortured)" in Shopian .

10) In Shopian, 4 men were called into the Army camp and "interrogated" (tortured). A mic was kept close to them so that the entire area could hear them scream, and be terrorised. This created an environment of fear in the entire area.  Shehla Rashid UAU U (@Shehla_Rashid) August 18, 2019

Srivastava said the allegations made by the former JNU student leader are baseless as she has not produced any "voice recording" of the alleged torture or "name, date, time" of the incidents.

He accused Rashid of "deliberately and intentionally spreading fake news with the intention to incite violence in the country" and maligning the image of Indian Army. He said her action is "prima facie an offence of sedition" since she had intended to "excite disaffection towards the Government of India".

The police said the matter is being examined. "The complaint has been received and it has been marked to Special Cell which is examining the complaint," said a senior police officer.

Hashtags like #ArrestShehlaRashid and #ShehlaRashid were trending on Twitter on Monday.

Reacting to the controversy, Rashid demanded a "fair and impartial" probe in the matter.

My reaction to the controversy:



All of my tweets are based on conversations with people. My thread highlights the positive work of the administration too. Let the Army conduct a fair and impartial probe and I'm willing to share the details of the incidents mentioned with them.  Shehla Rashid UAU U (@Shehla_Rashid) August 19, 2019

"All of my tweets are based on conversations with people. My thread highlights the positive work of the administration too. Let the Army conduct a fair and impartial probe and I'm willing to share the details of the incidents mentioned with them," Rashid wrote on Twitter.

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New Delhi:

Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the Sun. The space rocks (asteroids) approach towards the Earth due to the gravitational forces that affect them. Asteroids can bring tsunamis, shock waves and flattening winds that could be catastrophic. Asteroids have the potential to slip through NASA satellites. Therefore, scientists at the European Space Agency (ESA) are all set to launch a new telescope named as Flyeye in the next week, reported express.co.uk.

Flyeye will scan space and identify any possible objects heading to Earth, giving enough time to plan accordingly. A scientist said, In 2019, ESA began building a network of Flyeye telescopes to detect and follow asteroids. Without this, Europe wouldnt have the necessary data to react wisely to any future forecast impacts like this one.

According to a report of express.co.uk, at least four Flyeye Telescopes will be located worldwide. Data will be sent to the International Astronomical Union (IAU)s Minor Planet Centre (USA), the worlds central clearing house for all asteroid sightings.

Also Read: Only 5 days to go: 361-feet asteroid named 2016 PD1, Earth to have CLOSE encounter, may hit us

Also Read: NASA asteroid alert: 2,100-feet monstrous space rock hurtling towards Earth at 14,000mph, humans in grave danger

The Flyeye telescopes are designed using a technique exploited by a flys compound eye, these bug-eyed telescopes split each image into 16 smaller sub-images, increasing the total amount of sky that can be observed and expanding the field of view. It means that by placing one in the Northern and one in the Southern hemisphere, the entire sky will be scanned within 48 hours.

The ESA said, As of March 2019, we knew of more than 600 000 asteroids in our Solar System. Of these, around 20,000 are near-Earth objects, 800 of which are in ESA's risk list, meaning that they merit close follow-up observations.

Also Read: Is Earth near extinction? 7 asteroids heading towards our planet THIS August, may hit us

According to a report published by spacetelescope.org, there are more than 7 lakh asteroids that have been found in space. Asteroids are mainly found in an area called the main belt, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
India has once again hoisted its flag abroad. In fact, Bhutan has conferred its highest civilian award on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a recent tweet, the Prime Minister of Bhutan tweeted this information. In fact, he made a strong mention that Prime Minister Modi has been honoured with Bhutan's highest civilian award Ngadag Pel gi Khorlo. Let us tell you all that Bhutan has given this award to Prime Minister Modi for friendship and mutual cooperation.

Bhutan confers the country's highest civilian award - Ngadag Pel gi Khorlo upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi. pic.twitter.com/MDFpOAN8i3  ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2021

On the other hand, the Bhutanese government said, "Prime Minister Modi cooperated during the epidemic.'' At the same time, Bhutan congratulated its people for the award and said, "I have always seen him as a great and spiritual human being. Let me tell you that Bhutan has also invited Prime Minister Modi to visit the country. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the Amir Amanullah Khan Award, Afghanistan's highest civilian honour. The award was conferred on PM Modi by the country's President Ashraf Ghani. Earlier, the leaders of the two countries had jointly inaugurated the Afghan-India Friendship Dam, formerly known as the Salma Dam.

At the same time, the Prime Minister has been conferred with Maldives highest honour. This was in 2019. At that time, the prime minister had the highest honour given to a foreign dignitary in the Maldives. At that time, Maldives President Ibrahim Mohammad Solih had announced that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be honoured with the Order of the Rule of Izzuddin.

Kejriwal to launch UP poll campaign on Jan 2 with rally

Social media companies to be tightened, Have to pay fine if data leaks

In MP, over 82% eligible population fully vaccinated: CM Chouhan
In Israel's Hula Valley, dozens of wild cranes infected with the H5N1 bird flu have been discovered, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The cases were detected after anomalous crane mortality was discovered in the area, and laboratory sample tests revealed the fatal H5N1 strain, according to the Ministry. According to reports, the Ministry of Health performed an epidemiological study once the infection was discovered and treated those who were in close proximity to the sick birds.

Hundreds of thousands of birds fly through Israel on their journey to Africa at this time of year, raising the danger of infection, according to the statement. To avoid infection, the Ministry advised farmers to keep farms and wild birds separate.

In northern and southern Israel, cases of avian flu have lately been identified in chicken coops. In 2006, nine industrial turkey coops in the south of Israel saw the first and largest epidemic of avian flu in Israel. H5N1 bird flu can infect other species, including pigs, cats, and tigers, as well as humans in rare circumstances.

Fear of new disease kills thousands of ducks amid threat of Omicron

3 Bird Flu cases found in the state, 25000 birds to be killed

Alert issued in these states amid bird flu knock
The United Nations has adopted a resolution on North Korean human rights, condemning the hermit nation's systemic and grave human rights crimes. It's the 17th year in a row that the UN Security Council has passed a resolution on North Korean human rights.

ON Thursday, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution by agreement, a month after the UN General Assembly Third Committee approved it. The UN "strongly condemns the long-standing and ongoing systematic, widespread, and grave breaches of human rights in and by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, including those that may amount to crimes against humanity," according to the resolution. It also expresses grave concern about "continuous reports of human rights violations," such as "torture and other cruel, barbaric, or degrading treatment or punishment."

The resolution demands that the North Korean government end its "systematic" and "widespread" human rights violations and abuses, as well as shut down its political prison camps.

It also urges Pyongyang to collaborate with international organisations, such as the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX), to ensure the "timely delivery and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines" to the North's people, noting that natural disasters and the pandemic have exacerbated the North's dire humanitarian situation.

US imposes sanctions on China for abuse of Uighurs

S. Korean Prez apologises for restoring tough social distancing measures

S.Korea: 70000 inmates, officers at correction centres to get tested for Covid
Until seven years ago, Ramesh Kharel, a resident of Bhumlutar in the Kavrepalachok district in central Nepal would produce over 60 quintals of rice every year in his paddy field that is around 1.5 hectares. Half of his yields would suffice the need of the family; hence, he would sell the other half to the market so that he would get enough money to buy other daily consumables.

But, gradually, his paddy field began to wear a deserted look since the number of available people working in the village decreased. Several young men went abroad for lucrative jobs, and their wives began to live in cities such as Banepa and Dhulikhel so as to give better education to their children. All three sons of Kharel left home: one for foreign employment, the second for a government job, and the third for his education. His daughter-in-law began working in a bank in Panchkhal, an emerging town in the district.

With no personnel available in his family to work in the field, he got dependent on neighbours, but most of them were either too old or too young to work. Hence, he only cultivates only less than 20 per cent of his field today, and the amount of the production has dropped to 10 to 15 per cent. I have to spend Rs 3,000 (approximately USD 25) a month to buy rice every month as I spend my days looking at this abandoned land, Kharel laments.

Kharel, who once had emerged as a leading farmer in his village, says around half of the arable land in his village has been abandoned today because of the lack of human resources and wild boar attack among other reasons. Stakeholders say arable land abandonment in Nepals agricultural sector is so rampant that you do not need to refer to a scientific research report to support your claim. Whereas scholars think there are several measures to reclaim the abandoned land, the government officials state they have also taken some initiatives. However, thanks to the passivity of the actors, the problem is ever-increasing, threatening the natural ecosystem and food security in the country.

The gravity at the grassroots

The Tarapi village in the Jumla district of Karnali has a lot of arable land abandoned. Locals say they used to cultivate this land until the mid-2000s. Photo: Krishnamaya Upadhyay

Arable land abandonment is a common problem for all provinces of the country. Whereas this is not a big issue in southern plains, almost all hilly districts have a significant amount of arable land deserted, according to stakeholders.

Jagat Deuja, a land rights activist, estimates the amount of abandoned land in hilly districts is around 20 to 40 per cent in each. Ram Krishna Shrestha, the chief of the Centre for Crop Development and Agro Biodiversity Conservation under the Ministry of Agriculture, thinks it is at least 25 to 40 per cent in each district.

Besides the land pieces belonging to individuals, around 100,000 hectares of the arable land belonging to the government has been abandoned, according to Deuja. The amount of government land leased out to the public for agriculture is only nominal.

Nonetheless, no scientific study has taken place to measure the gravity of arable land abandonment at the national level. Consequently, Janak Raj Joshi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Land Management, says the government does not have any detailed and accurate data about the problem.

A group of academic researchers had conducted a survey in three villages of Kavre, Kaski and Lamjung districts in 2019 to gauge the sensitivity of the arable land abandonment problem. It found 60 per cent of the farmers in the research sites have abandoned certain portions of their land whereas around 40 per cent of the total arable land in these areas has been abandoned. What troubled the researchers more is that 25 per cent of their sample reported an increase in the area of abandoned land in the past five years; the number of people saying they decreased the area was just five per cent.

The findings essentially do not mean that the problem is limited to just three districts. Saraswati Lohar, the president of the National Land Rights Forum, says her organisation has launched a project in selected places in the Sudurpaschim province to let landless people reclaim abandoned arable land, which proves this is a big issue in far-western Nepal.

The Land Management Ministrys spokesperson Joshi says the government has also identified arable land abandonment as a problem. Yes, this is a big problem and it has a long-term impact on Nepals society and economy, Joshi says, If we can sort it out, we can reduce unemployment, increase food supply and make our country independent in agriculture. We can also increase foreign exchange reserves by decreasing imports. We shall move ahead towards that end.

Crucial causes

Arable land abandonment is growing as one of the biggest problems in Nepals agriculture, according to stakeholders. Photo: Deepak Sunuwar

Krishna Prasad Paudel, who identifies himself as a farming-for-food activist, says arable land abandonment was not a crucial problem until the 1980s. Until then, only the land where producing crops would be difficult due to physical terrain and lack of water would be abandoned. But, in the next decade, the country entered into a civil war, which chased many farmers away from their farms.

In the meantime, farming became more expensive. On the other hand, people also attained access to other sources of income along with education. Thanks to the availability of advanced fertilisers and seeds as well as technology, people became able to produce more in a small piece of land. All of these contributed to arable land abandonment.

It is believed that around 25 per cent of farmers in Nepal do not have their own land, but the amount of arable land abandoned is way more than that ratio, Paudel questions, Isnt it ironic?

Shanti Nath Adhikari, a farmer from the Okhaldhunga district of eastern Nepal, agrees with Paudel. Adhikari, also active in encouraging farmers to recultivate abandoned land, says, Whereas poor farmers do not have land, the rich have abandoned it to live in cities. When we ask them to rent out, they do not because they fear the rentee would acquire the land for free.

Until the mid-1990s, there was a law in Nepal that granted the rentees partial ownership of the land, commonly known as mohiyani hak. However, it has already been 25 years since the law was repealed. Yet, landlords fear the system of dual ownership would come back thanks to political instability and differing views on land rights among political parties. But, Deuja says the problem of arable land abandonment existed as the government failed to assure landlords that they would not lose their ownership of the land even when they rent out the land for several decades.

But, there is no assurance, hence landlords choose to abandon their land than to let someone else work there.

Even those who rent out land set a contract for a short period such as a year and farmers are not interested, according to Deuja. If you get the land, you should be allowed to cultivate it for at least three to five years, Deuja says, because the fertiliser you apply to one batch of crops will also work for the next; the farmers do not want to waste that.

Moreover, the activist says the states failure to protect the life-saving sector has resulted in arable land abandonment. You cannot sustain agriculture by calculating investments versus profit and loss; you always need grains and vegetables to save your life even if producing it meant a loss. Hence, agriculture should have been a social enterprise protected by the state, something more than a profession or business, Deuja says, But, the state did not protect the sector and its result is what you see today.

Yuba Raj Subedi, one of the researchers involved in the 2019 survey, identifies major factors behind increasing arable land abandonment: lack of human resources due to labour migration, wildlife attack, declining productivity due to climate change and other factors, a lack of irrigation and fertilising facilities, and difficulties in accessing the market.

Further, arable land is a big part of the parental inheritance in Nepal, and parents fragment it among their sons, Subedi, who is currently pursuing a PhD in arable land abandonment in Nepal at the University in New England in Australia, says, Then, you use land not for farming but for claiming your social status.

Consequently, the average area of an arable land plot is ever-decreasing in Nepal. Ram Krishna Shrestha, the chief of Centre for Crop Development and Agro Biodiversity Conservation, informs the average area of an arable land plot was 0.8 hectares in 2001, which reduced to 0.68 in 2011. This year, the new data will come out, and I fear it will be less than 0.6 hectares.

Farming-for-food activist Paudel says the arable land abandonment increased due to the introduction of the so-called green revolution in Nepal. Instead of farming according to the nature of our land, you imitated the foreign way, he explains, Then, you needed irrigation, chemical fertiliser, advanced seeds, pesticides and fossil fuel-dependent machines. It means the farmers are dependent on others for other requirements except for land. Consequently, they were not motivated to continue.

On the other hand, the revolution increased the cost of farming, and it became another factor behind arable land abandonment, according to him.

Perhaps, that is why Shrestha says, These days, people earn more by abandoning arable land than by cultivating it.

Results and risks

This arable land in the Humla district of Karnali has been turned into grazing land once it is abandoned. Photo: Krishnamaya Upadhyay

Rights activist Jagat Deuja says the impact of arable land abandonment may not be visible immediately, but in the long run, it will be disastrous. If the current situation persists, the national will face food insecurity, he says, And, when people do not have enough to eat, there will be even worse social consequences.

Shrestha also paints a similar picture. When the soils fertility is lost, you cannot take it back. You can, but it is super difficult, he says, On the other hand, there is no guarantee that you will always have money enough to buy your food. Even, the food that you have been buying might not be available in the market. You have already experienced this during the 2015 border blockade.

Many of the families that were dependent on agriculture have found their income in foreign employment today, but that is not sustainable, Shrestha warns. You know remittance is just like a bubble of water that may burst anytime. Recently, Covid-19 had nearly burst that bubble.

Agroforestry expert Bishnu Hari Pandit also agrees with Shrestha. He says people do not have a right to talk about employment, productivity and economic reform when arable land abandonment is so much rampant. In the context of Nepal, no economic activity is as sustainable as agriculture in Nepal.

The impact of climate change on agriculture will be harsher when arable land abandonment increases, according to Shrestha. Invasive plants will rule the abandoned land. Existing biodiversity will be lost. Soil erosion will get worse, he says, If we do not act today, there will not be an alternative to regretting tomorrow.

Search for solutions

What Shrestha means is action today is imperative to solve, or at least delay, ongoing arable land abandonment. Farmers and stakeholders say a gradual solution is possible, but governments at the federal and local levels should be responsible.

Okhaldhunga-based farmer Shanti Nath Adhikari says in his area, farmers are making efforts to recultivate the land they abandoned because of attacks from monkeys. Locals have planted crops such as turmeric, lemon, and cardamom that the monkeys do not like. Moreover, local governments have big funds for agriculture these days. If you have someone in the village who can write proposals and negotiate with the officials, you can get that money for a project, an exciting Adhikari says.

Arable land abandoned in Dadeldhura

As Adhikari suggests, agroforestry campaigner Bishnu Hari Pandit has launched a project in his birthplace, Ratanpur of Tanahun, in response to arable land abandonment. The project funded by Ithaka Institute has planted 62,000 plants in the abandoned land in the past five years, according to him. Whereas many farmers have already benefitted, more are getting benefits in the next few years.

Recently, the project has been expanded outside Ratanpur as it is in operation in the four local units of Tanahun and Lamjung districts. While concerned local governments have extended their support, the Gandaki provincial government is also interested to assist in non-government efforts against arable land abandonment, claims Pandit.

Farmers associated with the project say they will continue efforts to reclaim the abandoned land even if the project ends. For this, locals of Ratanpur have established a cooperative. The cooperatives chairman Dolnath Dhakal says, If they leave, we will search for our own way to the market.

Ram Krishna Shrestha, the chief of the Centre for Crop Development and Agro Biodiversity Conservation, says there are several measures that locals can take to mitigate efforts of arable land abandonment. He also assures the government provides assistance to them in different forms. For example, our office will give you Rs 900 (approximately USD 7.5) a year for each ropani (0.05 hectare) if you cultivate some native species in the abandoned land.

Moreover, the federal government should establish a powerful body to address increasing arable land abandonment ensuring the representation of officials of all three tiers of the government, he suggests.

All stakeholders agree local governments should take a lead in responding to the problem as the constitution has defined agriculture as their jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, Janak Raj Joshi, the spokesperson at the Ministry of Land Management, says the government is introducing a new regulation to implement the provision of the land bank as mentioned in the new Land Use Act, 2019, saying it will effectively discourage arable land abandonment.

While Joshi claims the government is in the final step of preparation to issue the new rule, rights activist Jagat Deuja sees different interest groups blocking the way.

Nonetheless, he agrees an effective implementation of the Land Use Act, 2019, will significantly reduce arable land abandonment in the country.

So, if the local governments and the farmers, in general, are ready to adopt the solutions is the question that is yet to be answered.


" " The much-beloved Betty White would have turned 100 on Jan. 17, 2022. Here she is attending The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association's (GLAZA) 45th Annual Beastly Ball at the Los Angeles Zoo in 2015. Amanda Edwards/WireImage via Getty Images

Beloved comedian and actor, Betty White died on Dec. 31, 2021, about two weeks before her 100th birthday. The former "Golden Girls" star and  let's be real  national treasure, died peacefully in her sleep, People magazine reported.

White was a pioneer of television, first as an actor in the 1940s and then as one of the first women to successfully produce and write her own television show, "Life with Elizabeth," in the 1950s. Over the course of her decades-long career, White received eight Emmy Awards in various categories, three American Comedy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild awards and a Grammy. But she was also known for her love and well-being of animals. She served first as a trustee and later as a President Emerita for the Morris Animal Foundation, a science-drive organization that funds research to find solutions to health issues affecting all animals.

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White was born Jan. 17, 1922, in Oak Park, Illinois. The family moved to California when she was 2 years old. White began working as an assistant for a local television station and got her start in the early 1950s when she launched "Life with Elizabeth," a series she developed with George Tibbles. The show ran from 1953 until 1956 and earned White her first Emmy. Her career was off and running.

White worked regularly in television and her wit and timing made her a frequent guest on Jack Paar's Tonight Show and popular daytime game shows such as "Password," hosted by Allen Ludden. White met Ludden in 1961 and the two married in 1963. Though she'd married twice previously, Ludden was the love of her life. They remained married until Ludden's death in 1981.

" " Landing the role of Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" rocketed Betty White into stardom. Here she is with co-stars (left to right) Edward Asner, Mary Tyler Moore and Ted Knight. Bettmann/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

In 1973, White's career rocketed when she took the role of Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." Man-hungry Nivens was the perfect role for White, the perky on-air "happy homemaker" capable of delivering stinging barbs with a smile. What was supposed to be a one-time guest appearance turned into a two-time Emmy Award winning role for White.

She played the exact opposite of Sue Ann Nivens in the 1980s when she teamed up with veteran actors Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty in the long-running sitcom "The Golden Girls." White scooped up two more Emmys playing sweet, befuddled Rose Nylund who didn't often get the joke but whose heart was always in the right place. When the show ended in 1992, White continued to work, first in a short-lived spin-off, "Golden Palace," then making guest appearances, providing voice work and doing recurring roles on television. She had a supporting role in the 2010 film "The Proposal," starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.

On May 8, 2010, after more than half a million fans rallied to a Facebook campaign, White became the oldest person to host SNL. She was 88 at the time. White won her seventh Emmy for her performance. White also returned to television, joining the cast of "Hot in Cleveland," which starred Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and ran for five years.

" " Betty White is seen here with her "Golden Girls" costars (from left) Roe McClanahan, Estelle Getty and Bea Arthur. Her character, Rose Nylund, was an iconic role for White. Steve Fontanini/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

White's Love for Animals

While her passion for television work never dimmed, neither did her love for animals, especially dogs. She and her parents owned dogs throughout her life, most often strays that followed them home. Most of the time, they kept just three dogs, though at one time, they had 19! White was considered ahead of her time in encouraging her fans to adopt  rather than buy  mixed breed dogs.

"Some of the most intelligent, most adorable dogs I've ever known have been just plain mutts," White said in a 1958 interview with Radio TV Mirror magazine.

In the 1970s, White hosted her own series, "The Pet Set," in which she visited with celebrities and their pets, as well as wild animals. The show was released digitally and on DVD in February 2021, one month after she turned 99.

White took every opportunity to advocate on behalf of animals and those caring for them. She served as a trustee of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association for more than 50 years and wrote the book, "Betty & Friends: My Life at the Zoo." She told AARP in a 2011 interview that she wrote the book to urge people to visit and actively participate in their local zoos.

White had a movie on her life coming out for her expected 100th birthday commemoration. "Betty White: 100 Years Young  A Birthday Celebration" was made and produced by Steve Boettcher and Mike Trinklein and follows White in her daily life. The film shows behind-the-scenes on the sets of some of her most famous shows, including "The Golden Girls," "Hot in Cleveland," and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show, plus her times hosting "Saturday Night Live." (Who can forget her classic appearance on "Delicious Dish"?) It's still expected to be shown (see sidebar for details).

" " A young Betty White is seen here with her huge St. Bernard, Stormy, before dashing off to the studio to film her show "Life with Elizabeth." Bettmann/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Now That's Awesome If you want to see "Betty White: 100 Years Young  A Birthday Celebration" it's showing only on her birthday Jan. 17. It will screen in almost 900 movie theaters nationwide at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time. Tickets are available now.

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Originally Published: Dec 17, 2021
* Tehran has not let agency return to workshop for months

* Agreement was reached on Wednesday to end standoff

* That agreement did not cover issue of missing footage

* 'It's very strange that it disappears,' Grossi says (Adds background)

By Francois Murphy

VIENNA, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The United Nations atomic watchdog has doubts that footage from a surveillance camera at an Iranian centrifuge-parts workshop is missing after an apparent attack there in June, even though Iran has not produced it, the agency's head said on Friday.

The issue was not addressed by an agreement https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/iaea-strikes-deal-with-iran-replacing-cameras-workshop-2021-12-15 between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency on Wednesday to let the IAEA re-install cameras at the Karaj workshop that Iran removed after the apparent attack, which Tehran blames on Israel.

The agreement https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/iaea-and-iran-reach-agreement-on-replacing-surveillance-cameras-at-karaj-facility should end a months-long standoff over IAEA access there.

One of four IAEA cameras at Karaj was destroyed in the June incident. Iran removed all four cameras and showed them to the IAEA, but the destroyed camera's data storage device was not included. The IAEA and Western powers have been asking Iran to explain, unsuccessfully so far.

"We have doubts about that and this is why we are asking, 'Where is it?" IAEA head Rafael Grossi told a news conference when asked if it was credible that the footage simply vanished.

"I am hopeful that they are going to come up with an answer because it's very strange that it disappears."

The agreement on Karaj avoided a diplomatic escalation that threatened to scupper wider talks https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-nuclear-talks-are-due-adjourn-friday-diplomats-say-2021-12-16 on rescuing the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

The cameras are aimed at verifying Iran is not secretly siphoning off the parts for uranium-enriching centrifuges that are made there, but the footage will remain under seal in Iran, so the IAEA cannot view it for now, as has been the case at various locations since February https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-iaea-deal-idUSKBN2AN1UU.

The IAEA has not been able to verify whether Karaj has resumed operation but Grossi said "it would be a logical conclusion" that advanced centrifuges recently installed at Fordow, a site buried inside a mountain, came from there.

(Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Angus MacSwan)
New research examining what happens after Internet users in Europe land on an ad-supported website and express their "privacy choices" -- using a flagship ad industry consent management platform which is supposed to allow them to control the types of ads they receive (i.e. non-tracking vs "personalized") -- has raised fresh questions over the IAB Europe's self-styled Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF).

The TCF is already in hot water with privacy regulators.

Last month the IAB Europe announced that it's expecting to be found in breach of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) -- and that the framework will also be found in breach. Although the IAB sought to suggest that a few tweaks will suffice to fix problems identified by the Belgian data protection authority (DPA).

We're still waiting for publication of the final decision of the Belgian authority. But its preliminary findings -- last year -- highlighted a litany of GDPR failures.

Despite all that, the IAB has continued to argue the TCF is working as intending for the close to 800 adtech vendors who are thought to participate in the system, loudly rejecting criticism of it. Its CEO, Townsend Feehan, for example, pooh-poohed criticism earlier this month -- telling Engadget that "none of this [tracking] happens if the user says no".

However the new study throws doubt on the claim that if a user says 'no' to tracking/behavioral ads via the IAB's TCF, the adtech industry respectfully falls into line.

A key piece of this research examined how the adtech ecosystem responds to user signals that request only basic, i.e. non-tracking-based ads, to examine how ad vendors respond when users say no to "personalized" ads.

Here the researchers found evidence to suggest that many adtech vendors continue to track and profile Internet users when they have explicitly said they don't want tracking-based ads.

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While a number of earlier studies have found problems with how publishers in the EU have implemented cookie consents, such as tracking cookies being dropped prior to asking a site visitor for their permission, this new research, carried out by adtech researcher, Adalytics, aims to zero in on the TCF framework itself -- by examining instances where ad-supported websites have faithfully reported users' ad choices.

Problematic data flows after that implicate the adtech industry itself -- and the claims it makes for the TCF as a flagship compliance tool -- because it suggests the framework fails to accurately reflect and actually respect users' "privacy choices" once they are passed to ad "partners".

Listing a series of takeaways, Adalytics writes that the findings suggest:

Many major ad tech vendors continue to track and profile EU users, even when an EU user has explicitly objected The TCF strings that were designed by IAB Europe do not appear to be honored or parsed correctly by many ad tech vendors Some ad tech vendors may not be able demonstrate they obtained user data with user consent, which may expose them to contractual compliance, investor/shareholder disclosure, and regulatory risks In many instances, it is impossible for users to support media creators by allowing basic ads whilst disallowing tracking and behavioral profiling to protect their own privacy

Although it's important to note there are limits to what the researchers were able to observe via Chrome Developer Tools -- given that any processing being done on adtech companies' own servers isn't verifiable by such external research.

Understanding the full picture of what's done with people's data once the adtech ecosystem gets its hands on it is difficult. But that also cuts to the heart of surveillance-based advertising's problem with complying with the GDPR -- which also requires, accountability, transparency and security when processing people's data, as well as a valid legal basis to do so.

Even setting those major overarching problems aside, just the fact of tracking cookies being dropped and user data being passed around when a person has explicitly said it should not be looks, well, awkward for the IAB's TCF.

To study data activity at the adtech end of the framework, the researchers ran tests in a number of countries in the EU -- visiting websites they manually verified had correctly configured the framework to send the user's consent string, and selecting only basic ads; refusing personalized/tracking-based ads/profiling etc and also limited the choice of adtech processor to a single vendor.

The testers also made sure to object to "legitimate interests" so that their consent preferences could not be bypassed in that way.

If the TCF was functioning as Feehan's remarks to Engadget earlier this month suggest -- i.e. if users can just deny tracking simply by saying 'no' via the TCF -- the researchers would have expected to observe data flowing only as the individual had specified it should.

Instead, they found -- in most cases -- data flows that looked very different vs the choices that had been expressed.

The paper also details numerous instances of tracking cookies being set prior to the user's consent choices even being signalled. (Although they say they excluded such examples from their analysis as they were specifically aiming to study what happens after a user has submitted their choices via the TCF.)

Examples cited in the study of adtech vendors appearing to override/ignore TCF signals denying tracking include a visitor with a Belgian IP address to a popular local news website, nieuwsblad.be -- who provides consent to basic ads only, and only consents to ads from Google (so they're explicitly rejecting "personalized" ads and profiling) -- yet who, on checking Chrome Developer Tools for network HTTP requests, observes HTTPS requests sent to ib.adnxs.com, a domain owned by AppNexus (aka Xandr), which responds by dropping a cookie called uuid2 set for three months.

"Given that [this user] objected to personalised ads and creating a personalised profile, only provided consent to Google, and the fact that these consent choices were directly included in the HTTP request to adnxs.com, it is not clear why the AppNexus server responded by setting a persistent, advertising related cookie in [the user's] browser," the researchers observe.

In another example, a user with a French IP address visits the news website lemonde.fr and once again -- despite not consenting to any cookies or purposes offered in the consent banner -- they see HTTPS request being sent to id5-sync.com, which responds by setting a cookie called id5 for three months, and triggering a 302 HTTP redirect to sync data with rtb-csync.smartadserver.com.

"This specific HTTPS request that was sent to id5-sync.com contains the previously mentioned TCF string in a query string parameter called "gdpr_consent"," the researchers report, adding that: "The domain id5-sync.com belongs to ID5, a London-based identity platform for the digital advertising industry."

They further note that the ID5 Universal ID is described in a github overview as a "shared, neutral identifier that publishers, advertisers, and ad tech platforms can use to recognise users".

So, again, if the user is saying they don't want to be identified and tracked for ads, why is the id5 cookie being dropped at all?

In another example detailed in the study, also involving a French IP address -- this time the user visits the newspaper latribune.fr -- the user's consent choices are again apparently tossed in the virtual trash.

In this instance the user had specified they wanted basic ads served by US supply side platform OpenX.

However Openx.net was observed triggering user ID syncs with "numerous other parties", including Amazon, Google, DataXu, AppNexus, Beeswax (bidr.io), Adelphic Predictive Data platform (ipredictive.com), AdPilot (erne.co), Simplifi Holdings (simpli.fi), and others, per the study.

In another example -- involving a French IP user visiting atlantico.fr; and consenting to basic ads from Google only -- the user sees a "lot of HTTPS requests being made with this TCF consent string, some of which appear to be user data syncing or setting tracking cookies".

The researchers go on to note that: "A request sent to s.cpx.to responses by setting a cookie for 1-year called cpSess. This domain is owned by London-based Captify, and the cpSess cookie appears to be used to store and link personal information about the user" -- before citing another source that suggests this cookie is "used as a tracking mechanism for [...] advertising companies" and "helps with the delivery of targeted marketing adverts whilst users browse".

The study details numerous other examples of unexpected data flows and syncing being observed after the user has asked not to be tracked.

The researchers also detail results of large-scale automated tests, as well as the manual examples cited above -- based on crawler data from 48,698 different publisher domains -- and here they found evidence of "tens of thousands" of ad requests erroneously claiming the GDPR does not apply to web users who were actually in the EU...

Out of 35,389 publishers found to have an HTTPS request that was sent to an ad tech vendor and contained either the gdpr=0 query string parameter, or the gdpr=1 query string parameter, 28,941 (81.8%) contained at least one HTTPS request sent to an ad tech vendor, wherein the query string macro parameter gdpr= was set to 0 -- meaning they were signalling the GDPR does not apply.

More from Adalytics' write up:

"According to the IAB TCF documentation and to Googles documentation, 1 indicates that GDPR applies and 0 indicates that it does not. Many ad tech vendors were observed processing the German and Finnish user data when gdpr=0, despite the crawler not having clicked on the CMP consent banner. In each of these cases, the ad tech vendor could have validated that the user was in fact in the EU by performing a simple IP address geolocation lookup. However, it appears that many take this gdpr=0 parameter at face value, without performing any additional server-side checks, prior to sending tracking cookies or performing user data syncs."

To try to verify this finding, Adalytics says it reached out to a programmatic media buyer who was targeting ads to users across the EU, UK, and Switzerland. This buyer had their ads served a total of 111 million times -- while the gdpr_applies macro was set to 0 42.3% of the time -- "indicating that the ad tech company involved was claiming that the GDPR does not apply to these users".

Yet on checking where those 47M ads were served, by using an IP address geo-location lookup service, Adalytics reports that the advertiser found the majority were served to users based in Spain, Croatia, Italy, France, and other EU countries, meaning the GDPR does actually apply...

"If ad tech companies are not checking the integrity of the gdpr_applies strings by performing IP address geolocation checks, they may end up misleading their advertiser clients about the relevant regulations that apply to their advertising campaigns," Adalytics goes on to warn.

The findings further highlight the scale of the problem of ad fraud -- and, where the IAB Europes TCF framework is concerned, suggest it offers merely a veneer of legal compliance because it isn't actually capable of doing what's claimed on the tin.

All-too-often adtech vendors have not properly implemented and deployed it, per the research findings -- making the "Transparency and Consent Framework" at best, a sham; or, well, compliance theatre.

Little wonder this whole system is in regulatory hot water -- although the length of time it's taken EU watchdogs to interrogate the reality underlying the adtech industry's claims continues to be extremely troubling for anyone who cares about democratic oversight and fundamental rights.

"The conclusion that we make in our study is that the adtech vendors have not taken the time, money and engineering labor hours to properly configure their servers and APIs," Adalytics' founder Krzysztof Franaszek told TechCrunch, discussing the research. "In theory, all TCF participants... should have set up their servers and APIs in a way that checks and validates the TCF strings.

"If an API receives some user data, to which the TCF string shows the user has not consented, the vendor should immediately discard and avoid doing anything with that data."

Franaszek noted that the researchers did observe at least one example of correct behavior -- an instance where AppNexus received a TCF string that did not allow personalization, or for a vendor called Index Exchange to get the data, and "properly/rightfully configured their server to respond with an HTTP 400 error code, that says 'Request failed due to privacy signals'".

However he pointed out that that's what "ALL 795 TCF companies should be doing", and the study shows -- on the contrary -- many companies are simply not checking the strings.

Also commenting on the findings, Johnny Ryan, a senior fellow at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties -- and a long time adtech whistleblower who has filed numerous complaints over real-time-bidding's (RTB) abuse of personal data -- said the study is just the latest illustration that "the TCF was just a bad idea".

"There is no control. No technical measure to actually control what happens to the data," Ryan told TechCrunch. "This means the TCF can never fulfil its purported objectives of providing control and transparency.

"The central argument we made to the Belgian APD [DPA] is that the TCF's inevitable failure, due to the inherent and known insecurity of RTB, means that in addition to being an unnecessary nuisance in the lives of all Europeans, the TCF also infringes the data minimization principle [of GDPR] because it processes TCF string personal data for a purpose that is impossible to achieve."

Ryan also pointed back to some 2017 IAB correspondence -- which came to light back in 2019 via FOI -- in which Feehan, who was at the time seeking to lobby the European Commission on ePrivacy rules, implies consent is incompatible with RTB -- attaching a paper to her email to EU lawmakers with the observation that it is technically impossible for the user to have prior information about every data controller involved in a real-time bidding (RTB) scenario.

And for consent to be valid under GDPR it must be specific, informed, and -- indeed -- freely given.

There are some limitations to the Adalytics study -- such as the manual component being limited to a small number of publishers that "appear to correctly encode user consent input, in order to rule out the possibility that a publishers or CMPs errors were resulting in user profiling occurring without a users consent", as Franaszek puts it.

It is also not clear how many/what proportion of the 795 adtech companies using the TCF system aren't properly respecting user choices. The instance cited above where a user denial of consent was correctly responded to shows it can happen. How often it does is a whole other matter, though.

In any case, those vendors observed by the researchers apparently not respecting users' denial of tracking included "several multi-billion dollar multinationals like Rubicon, Pubmatic, Amazon, Google and Trade Desk", per Franaszek.

"I think if you look at the stock market capitalization of the vendors that we examined, it's far greater than 50% of the total digital advertising industry," he added.

A more general caveat is that, given the adtech industry's highly opaque character, it's always difficult to understand how data is or isn't being processed -- and the researchers acknowledge that a lot of "nuance" is required to interpret the data in a section of the paper discussing limitations.

The study has also not gone through formal peer review so has not been subject to the rigorous academic process required if it had been published in a peer reviewed journal.

But, well, the findings sure don't look good for adtech.

Per public documentation on a github repository for v1.0 of the IAB's TCF framework, the ad industry body suggested that their -- at that time -- incoming "technical industry solution" would allow website operators to:

Control the vendors they wish to allow to access their users' browsers (for setting and reading cookies) and process their personal data and disclose these choices to other parties in the online advertising ecosystem Seek user consent under the ePrivacy Directive (for setting cookies or similar technical applications that access information on a device) and/or the GDPR in line with applicable legal requirements and signal the consent status through the online advertising ecosystem

The question that naturally follows from those stated capabilities is well, what then? What happens after users' 'privacy choices' are signalled to the data-gobbling adtech ecosystem? How does the TCF actually ensure ad vendors respect people's choices?

Adalytics' research is just the latest study to suggest that industry standard pop-up "privacy choices" are a mirage; a suggestive illusion of choice wrapped in a pantomime of consent in a bid to square the impossible circle for surveillance ads: GDPR compliance.

Because it seems the only way to be sure the "choice" that you ask the TCF to pass on to adtech vendors will get respected is if you ask for the tracking to continue...

The IAB has been contacted for comment on Adalytics' research, and also with questions regarding whether it takes any steps to verify that participating ad vendors are complying with TCF strings expressing user choices.

We have also asked the IAB how it expects to adapt the framework -- and its own activities -- in order to come into compliance with GDPR, in light of the Belgian finding of a breach.

We'll update this report with any response.

But if the CMPs and the IAB EU are reinterpreted as data controllers they are--in theory--given the additional responsibility of "the purposes and means of the processing of personal data" which would make them responsible for consent fraud and user data transmission...  Aram Zucker-Scharff (@Chronotope) November 5, 2021

Update: The IAB Europe has now responded -- sending this statement re: Adalytics' research:

"When implemented correctly, the TCF allows internet users to communicate to websites and their vendors that they do not wish to have their data collected or processed. All vendors that are TCF participants are expected to comply with their commitments under the TCF, including not processing any data when the user has rejected or objected to it. "TCF is mainly a policy and technical standard that companies can implement in their commercial relationships, but using the TCF does not alleviate any vendor from their responsibility to fully comply with the GDPR. While it is the responsibility of the vendor to make sure they are applying the TCF appropriately, IAB Europe provides support to make sure the TCF is implemented correctly and addresses non-compliance. "In September, we launched a TCF Vendor compliance programme that enables us to monitor Vendor compliance and enforce non-compliance. This includes enforcing against the setting of non-essential cookies without users' consent or the processing of users' personal data without legal basis, verifying the duration of cookies used by vendors and ensuring users' choices are forwarded faithfully."

Regarding the Belgian DPA's probe of the TCF, it said it cannot comment further "on an ongoing investigation".

"We will work with the relevant authorities to address any issues raised with the TCF once the ruling is finalised," the IAB added.
CAMDEN, N.J., December 17, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The American Water Charitable Foundation (AWCF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created by American Water (NYSE: AWK), the nations largest publicly traded water and wastewater utility company, announced today it is providing grants totaling $20,000 to assist communities impacted by this past weekends devastating tornadoes in Kentucky and Illinois, two of the states where the company operates.

These grants include the American Red Cross in Kentucky and the Edwardsville Community Foundation Relief Fund.

"The American Water Charitable Foundation is pleased to join the many others who have contributed their time and resources to support the hundreds of thousands of people impacted by these devastating storms," said Carrie Williams, president, American Water Charitable Foundation. "We understand how critical clean, safe drinking water is in our daily lives and in times of emergencies. We hope this contribution can provide some assistance to the residents of these affected communities."

The funding was made possible through the AWCFs Disaster Relief Grant Program. Additional contributions will be provided through the Foundations Volunteer and Matching Gift Program to further the impact of personal donations from employees and executive leadership.

About the American Water Charitable Foundation

The American Water Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a formal way to demonstrate the companys ongoing commitment to being a good neighbor, citizen, and contributor to the communities where American Water and its employees live, work and operate. The Foundation helps support American Water employee-identified nonprofit endeavors.

About American Water

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,500 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and regulated-like drinking water and wastewater services to an estimated 14 million people in 25 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to help keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211217005318/en/

Contacts

Media:

Joseph Szafran

External Affairs Manager

(856) 955-4304

joseph.szafran@amwater.com
ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- American Trucking Associations Workforce Heroes truck is scheduled to arrive Saturday at Arlington National Cemetery as part of the Wreaths Across America convoy from Maine, along with many ATA member-company trucks delivering wreaths to decorate veterans' graves during this holiday season.

American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight.Trucking Moves America Forward. (PRNewsFoto/American Trucking Associations)

"ATA and the trucking industry believe it is our duty to honor and remember those who have served our country and protected our freedoms," said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. "Many professional truck drivers are themselves veterans of the U.S. Military. ATA is honored that our industry and the Workforce Heroes program can salute America's fallen heroes as part of Wreaths Across America."

Workforce Heroes professional truck drivers Ralph Garcia and Tony Spero, both with ABF Freight Systems Inc., drove the program's camo-wrapped tractor-trailer from the wreath loading dock in Columbia Falls, Maine, to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

They stopped along the way to meet with, schools, emergency response teams, and other community members including Gold Star Families. They spoke with K-12 and college-age students and veterans about the industry's importance to the economy, career opportunities, and honoring veterans.

"As the father of children who bravely joined the military, I am honored to participate in the envoy," said Spero. "We meet so many veterans and Gold Star Family members, and it's crucial that we learn about and recognize their sacrifices."

Wreaths Across America will deliver more than one million wreaths to veterans' graves throughout the globe. ATA staff will help distribute the truckload of wreaths delivered by the Workforce Heroes tractor-trailer in Arlington.

The Workforce Heroes drivers chronicled their trip with videos and photos on program's official Facebook page. Watch here as the camo-wrapped Workforce Heroes truck leads the convoy through Vermont.

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Through the Workforce Heroes Program, ATA is committed to providing recruitment and training for honorable, dedicated, and passionate men and women to join our industry. The program is sponsored by Mack Trucks and Utility Trailers and supported by OmniTracs and TA-Petro.

American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight. Follow ATA on Twitter or on Facebook. Trucking Moves America Forward.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ata-workforce-heroes-truck-participates-in-wreaths-across-america-convoy-301447379.html

SOURCE American Trucking Associations
NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / December 17, 2021 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until February 7, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Berkeley Lights, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLI), if they purchased the Company's shares between July 17, 2020 and September 14, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

What You May Do

If you purchased shares of Berkeley Lights and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-bli/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by February 7, 2022 .

About the Lawsuit

Berkeley Lights and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On September 15, 2021, Scorpion Capital reported a wide range of criticisms against the Company purportedly based on extensive research and interviews of former employees and end-users, including that its machines were onerous, unusable, a waste of money, and had an error rate 50% higher than standard lab equipment, and that a negligible addressable market and negative customer experiences had further hindered the Company's growth potential, among other things.

On this news, shares of Berkeley Lights plummeted nearly 30% over two trading days to close at $23.53 on September 16, 2021, on abnormally high trading volume.

The case is Ng v. Berkeley Lights, Inc., No. 21-cv-09497.

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About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Contact:

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Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner

lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com

1-877-515-1850

1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200

New Orleans, LA 70163

SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC





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Iowans are still drinking Black Velvet Canadian Whiskey, according to the annual report from the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division. Since 2012, the whiskey brand owned by New York-based Constellation Beverages held the No. 1 spot, selling 380,492 gallons in the fiscal year.

Titos Handmade Vodka, Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey, and Hawkeye Vodka held the next four spots on the annual list of top sellers.

Iowa brands that topped the list include Blue Ox Vodka out of Grimes, which retained its top position, followed by Cedar Ridge Bourbon from Swisher, Gotcha Vodka in Clive, Swell Vodka in Cumming, and Prairie Fire Cinnamon Flavored Whiskey in Cumming.

In the 2021 fiscal year, Iowa sold a record $415.8 million, a 13.2% increase over 2020 sales, according to the ABD report. Sales generated more than $168 million in revenue for Iowa, which will go to the state's general fund.

The outcomes within this years annual report reflect good government planning and execution, Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division administrator Stephen Larson said in the report. This is a direct result of ABD putting in place a solid strategic plan in 2019.

As Iowans ventured back into bars and restaurants in higher numbers, the ABD ensured that Iowa bars, restaurants and other food establishments complied Gov. Kim Reynolds Proclamation of Disaster Emergency. The division assigned investigators who checked for proper social distancing and hygiene efforts throughout the state.

Revelton Distillery in Osceola offers American gin, mulberry gin, honey whiskey and whiskey and cream liqueur.

Throughout the year, 54 total compliance audits were performed, yielding an 85% compliance rate with COVID-19 precaution measures across the state.

With the increase in alcohol sales, alcohol-related deaths in the state jumped 26% in 2020 to 836, according to a state report from the Iowa Governors Office of Drug Control Policy. According to experts, the pandemic has apparently worsened addiction struggles by increasing feelings of stress and loneliness while complicating peoples efforts to find support and treatment.

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More: Iowa's alcohol related deaths jumped 26% in 2020, fueled by pandemic stress and isolation

How much beer, wine was sold in 2021?

Tax revenue from beer and wine products was down in 2020 and state officials accurately predicated that revenue would increase after Reynolds emergency suspension on beer barrel and wine gallonage taxes ended on Dec. 31, 2020. Wine and beer sales totaled more than $18 million, a 92.96% increase from 2020.

In total, licensed establishments across the state sold 6.5 million gallons of liquor, 95.8 million gallons of beer and 6.2 million gallons of wine, including 1,149,911 gallons of Iowa beers and 167,436 gallons of local wines.

Polk County ranked first in the amount of liquor sold, consuming 1,345,992 fiscal year gallons, a 6% increase from 2020 with $94.6 million in liquor sales. Linn County ranked second with $35.4 million in sales and a 5% increase, Scott County ranked third with $30.7 million and a 10% increase in sales and Johnson County came in fourth with $24.2 million at an 8% increase.

Overall, the division made $415,835,178 in revenue; processed 15,964 licenses, permits and certificates; and collected $64,000 in administrative actions.

Into the fiscal year 2022, the division will continue work on its new, streamlined licensing portal, GovConnectIowa, a four-year effort in partnership with the Iowa Department of Revenue that started in September.

More: Dine out at one of these 7 Des Moines restaurants on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day

Elle Wignall covers dining for the Register. Reach her at ewignall@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ElleWignallDMR.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa ABD's report shows alcohol sales increased in 2021
FILE PHOTO: Logos of Brazilian meatpacker BRF SA are seen in the headquarters in Curitiba

By Gabriel Araujo and Tatiana Bautzer

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Shares in Brazilian food processor BRF SA soared on Friday after it proposed a capital increase through the issuance of 325 million new common shares, potentially raising 6.63 billion reais ($1.17 billion).

The move prompted analysts and market players to speculate if minority shareholder Marfrig Global Foods SA intends to acquire a controlling stake in the company without the risk of triggering a poison pill.

One source with knowledge of the matter, however, said Marfrig controlling shareholder Marcos Molina did not have discussions with BRF about the transaction and did not intend to increase its current 33% stake significantly during the offer.

BRF said in a late Thursday securities filing it plans to expand its operations and make strategic investments.

The deal is still pending approval from a shareholders' meeting scheduled for January and will depend on market conditions.

Credit Suisse analysts said it would be a "very solid opportunity" for Marfrig to buy an incremental stake without being subject to the 40% premium over the last 30 days average price set in poison pill rules, which are not triggered by the proposed capital raise.

Itau BBA and BTG Pactual analysts expressed a similar view.

"If Marfrig goes for a significant premium over the current stock price and no other shareholder follows along with a share subscription, Marfrig could reach a stake of 51%," Itau noted.

"We've never thought Marfrig would just be a passive shareholder of BRF. The company has a long track record of aggressive and transformative M&A deals," BTG said.

Marfrig did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

BRF shares, which closed at 20.40 reais on Thursday, were up 5.4% at 21.52 reais on Friday. Those of Marfrig rose 4.2% to 23.90 reais. They were the top gainers on the Bovespa index.

($1 = 5.6884 reais)

(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; editing by Jason Neely and Alistair Bell)
TikTok says they are working with law enforcement to investigate the threat (Getty Images)

Parents and concerned citizens are asking TikTok to take down a disturbing trend of hoax threats to schools.

The anonymous social media threat has suggested that violent acts could take place on 17 December in schools across the country.

It has prompted school officials in a number of states, including Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania, to beef up security presence and even close down for a day.

Several school districts have also written to parents and encouraged them to speak to their children about the viral trend.

We are writing to inform you and not alarm you, school administrators of Oak Park and River Forest High School, Illinois said in an email to parents.

We have been made aware of a nationwide viral TikTok trend ... on Friday, 17 December the letter added.

In Florida, the Citrus County school district released a statement on Thursday urging parents and students not to promote the social media post.

It seems students, along with parents, are either sharing a post or manipulating the original post to reflect a new threat at a specific school. This is creating disruption at many of our schools today, read the statement that was posted on the districts Facebook page.

A few districts announced plans to close school buildings on Friday, including Gilroy High School in northern California. Even though Gilroy police said they had found threats on social media not to be credible, school officials decided to postpone final exams that were scheduled for Friday to January out of caution.

Last Tuesday, schools in Oxford County, Maine were forced to shutter after a school district received a threat aimed at staff and students.

Parents took to social media to slam TikTok for what they said was a lack of promptness in taking action against the violent trend.

Hey why has TikTok done nothing about a nationwide trend or whatever the f*** you want to call it ... , asked writer and filmmaker Audrey Wauchope Lieberstein on Twitter.

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Author Elizabeth C McLaughlin said the threat in schools caused our superintendent to send out a letter to parents of all 40,000 students here.

I am so sick of this country, she added.

The national TikTok gun threat in schools just caused our superintendent to send out a letter to parents of all 40,000 students here.



I am so sick of this country. I am so sick of our obsession with death.  Elizabeth C. McLaughlin (she/her) (@ECMcLaughlin) December 17, 2021

Ken Frawley, another concerned Twitter user, wrote: We seriously need to take a look at our countrys mental health ... And what is TikTok doing to shut this down.

We seriously need to take a look at our country's mental health if there's a Tik Tok trend to bring guns to school tomorrow for "National School Shooting Day." And what is @tiktok_us doing to shut this down???  Ken Frawley (@Frawley_34) December 17, 2021

The Independent contacted TikTok to ask about what actions the company was taking over the threats. A spokesperson referred to the companys latest statement on Twitter, where it said it was working with law enforcement to investigate, even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok.

We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why we're working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok.  TikTokComms (@TikTokComms) December 16, 2021

In October, an earlier viral trend challenged students to slap a teacher, prompting the National Education Association to call on Facebook, Twitter and TikTok officials to intervene.
(Bloomberg) -- Cerner Corp. shares had their best day in almost a decade following a report that Oracle Corp. is in talks to buy the medical-records company for about $30 billion, part of the software makers push into health care.

Most Read from Bloomberg

A deal could be reached soon, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing unidentified people familiar with the situation. If the transaction goes through, it would mark Oracles biggest acquisition yet. Representatives of Oracle and Cerner didnt respond to repeated requests for comment on the report.

The report follows a former Silicon Valley executive taking charge of Cerner. David Feinberg, previously vice president of Google Health, joined the company as chief executive officer on Oct. 1. Cerner, which competes with Epic Systems Corp. and Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, among others, generated $5.51 billion in revenue during 2020, and sales are projected to rise by 5% to $5.8 billion this year.

Shares of Cerner, which had a market value of $23.4 billion at the close in New York on Thursday, jumped 13% to a record $89.77 at Fridays close, the biggest single-day increase since October 2012. Oracle, meanwhile, dropped 6.4% to $96.62, the largest one-day fall since March.

Cerners choice of Feinberg as CEO highlighted the companys move toward a strategy based on big data, population health management and consumerism -- and away from the legacy health records business, Donald Hooker, an analyst at KeyBanc Capital Markets, said when Feinberg was named to the post in August.

That effort could make Cerner an attractive target for Oracle, the second-biggest software maker by revenue, which is known for database products. While Oracle has struggled to gain ground in the cloud-computing business, trailing far behind market leaders such as Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp., a deal for Cerner would give Oracle a huge foothold in the health industry. The sector alone is expected to spend $15.8 billion on cloud infrastructure and software by 2023, according to market researcher IDC.

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A potential acquisition of Cerner would pivot Oracle more toward applications, which we believe is the right long-term strategy amid an ailing infrastructure business, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Anurag Rana wrote in a research note. Applications make up 41% of Oracles cloud services and license support segment, he said.

Two years ago, Cerner announced a deal with Amazons cloud division to develop programs trying to predict medical diagnoses or recommend courses of treatment for patients. Beyond moving its data and computing to Amazons cloud services, Cerner said it would use the tech companys artificial intelligence and machine-learning prowess to improve patient care. Cerner, based in North Kansas City, Missouri, has about 23,000 employees.

Oracle has racked up 13 deals topping $1 billion in the past two decades, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. At its current market value, Cerner is roughly three times the size of Oracles biggest previous acquisition -- its 2016 purchase of NetSuite Inc. in a deal valued at $8.7 billion. In 2005, Oracle completed an $8.4 billion takeover of Peoplesoft Inc., the data show.

The Austin, Texas-based software maker on Dec. 9 reported revenue and profit that topped analysts estimates, sending shares up 16% the next day, the biggest single-day gain since March 2020.

(Updates with closing shares in the fourth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / December 17, 2021 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until January 18, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTXS), if they purchased the Company's shares between January 22, 2020 and October 6, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

What You May Do

If you purchased shares of Citrix and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-ctxs/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by January 18, 2022 .

About the Lawsuit

Citrix and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On July 29, 2021, the Company disclosed that its transition to cloud-based services had not been as successful as the Company had led investors to believe, citing to "the need to evolve our sales strategy to deliver more predictable results" as well as a major restructuring of its sales leadership in order to "enhance [its] focus on" cloud migration.

On this news, shares of Citrix fell 13.6%, from $114.55 per share to $99.00 per share.

Then, on October 6, 2021, post-market, the Company disclosed that its President and Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") had stepped down.

On this news, shares of Citrix fell 7.2% over the next two days, from $105.96 per share to $98.32 per share.

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The case is City of Hollywood Police Officers' Retirement System v. Citrix Systems, Inc., 21-cv-62380.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Contact:

LogoDescription automatically generated

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner

lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com

1-877-515-1850

1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200

New Orleans, LA 70163

SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/678374/CITRIX-SHAREHOLDER-ALERT-BY-FORMER-LOUISIANA-ATTORNEY-GENERAL-KAHN-SWICK-FOTI-LLC-REMINDS-INVESTORS-WITH-LOSSES-IN-EXCESS-OF-100000-of-Lead-Plaintiff-Deadline-in-Class-Action-Lawsuit-Against-Citrix-Systems-Inc--CTXS




HONG KONG, Dec. 17, 2021 /CNW/ -- CNOOC Limited (the "Company", SEHK: 00883, TSX: CNU) announces that it has applied for a voluntary delisting of its American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") from the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") in Canada. Subject to such application being accepted by the TSX, it is expected that the ADRs will be delisted from the TSX effective as of the close of trading on December 31, 2021.

CNOOC Logo (PRNewsfoto/CNOOC Limited)

The Company has decided to pursue the voluntary delisting of the ADRs from the TSX following the delisting of the ADRs from the NYSE effective at the close of trading on October 22, 2021(Eastern Standard Time).

Security holder approval for the delisting of the ADRs will not be sought because the Liquidity Event meets the requirements of Section 720(b) of the TSX Company Manual, and for which all material conditions have been satisfied and the likelihood of non-completion is remote.

In arriving at the determination to delist from the TSX, the Company considered, among other things, the delisting of the ADRs from the NYSE and the effects thereof on the TSX listing, the minimal trading volumes on the TSX, the burdens associated with the listing on the TSX and the availability of an alternative market for the underlying ordinary shares in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (the "HKSE").

The Company's ordinary shares will continue to be listed and trade on the HKSE under the stock code "00883". The delisting from the TSX is not expected to have any negative impact on the Company's ongoing operations. Concurrent with the Company's delisting from the TSX, the Company has applied for an order under Canadian securities laws that it cease to be a reporting issuer in Ontario and Alberta.

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. is the depositary for the ADRs and anticipates providing ADR holders notice of the termination of the deposit agreement among the Company, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and holders of ADRs (the "Deposit Agreement") on or about December 31, 2021 in conjunction with the delisting. Holders of the ADRs may, following the termination of the Deposit Agreement, deliver their ADRs to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in exchange for ordinary shares of the Company subject to the terms of the Deposit Agreement. Each ADR can be cancelled for delivery of 100 ordinary shares of the Company, which are listed for trading on the HKSE (the "Ordinary Share Conversion"). Holders of the ADRs in Canadian brokerage accounts are encouraged to contact their brokers regarding the exchange of their ADRs into ordinary shares of the Company to ensure that such brokers are able to receive the ordinary shares on their behalf. Alternatively, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. will sell the underlying ordinary shares and hold in a segregated account the net proceeds thereof in trust for the pro rata benefit of the holders of ADRs not previously surrendered after the expiry of a period of six months or shorter period following the termination date determined pursuant to such Deposit Agreement (the "Cash Conversion" and, together with the Ordinary Share Conversion, collectively, the "Liquidity Event").

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- End 

Notes to Editors:

More information about the Company is available at http://www.cnoocltd.com.

*** *** *** ***

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding expected future events, business prospectus or financial results. The words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "ongoing", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.

These statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors the Company believes are appropriate under the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will meet the expectations and predictions of the Company depends on a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause the actual results, performance and financial condition to differ materially from the Company's expectations, including but not limited to the Company and its controlling shareholder being listed in the list of the U.S for sanction against companies with alleged ties to the Chinese military, those associated with fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas prices, macro-political and economic factors, changes in the tax and fiscal regimes of the host countries in which we operate, the highly competitive nature of the oil and natural gas industry, environmental responsibility and compliance requirements, the Company's price forecast, the exploration and development activities, mergers, acquisitions and divestments activities, HSSE and insurance policies and changes in anti-corruption, anti-fraud, anti-money laundering and corporate governance laws. For a description of these and other risks and uncertainties, please see the documents the Company files from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report on Form 20-F filed in April of the latest fiscal year. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company cannot assure that the results or developments anticipated will be realised or, even if substantially realised, that they will have the expected effect on the Company, its business or operations.

*** *** *** ***

For further enquiries, please contact:

Ms. Jing Liu

Manager, Media & Public Relations

CNOOC Limited

Tel: +86-10-8452-3404

Fax: +86-10-8452-1441

E-mail: mr@cnooc.com.cn

Mr. Bunny Lee

Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group

Tel: +852-3150-6707

Fax: +852-3150-6728

E-mail: cnooc.hk@pordahavas.com

SOURCE CNOOC Limited

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/December2021/17/c9597.html
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited Ocala Regional Medical Center Friday morning to announce the states allocation of 3,100 doses of Astrazenecas Evusheld, an antibody combination intended to prevent individuals from contracting COVID-19.

The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use of the pre-exposure prophylactic on Dec. 8, and DeSantis promoted its use, primarily for immunocompromised individuals who are advised against getting vaccinated or who had an insufficient response to the vaccine, as part of the states continued Early Treatment Saves Lives campaign.

This is a long-lasting, long-acting monoclonal therapy, DeSantis said, noting its effectiveness at preventing the virus for up to six months. In the clinal trials, it reduced the risk of developing COVID in the first instance by 77%.

Health care developments: UF Health one step closer to building a neighborhood hospital in west Ocala near I-75

COVID-19 update: 10 new Ocala/Marion school cases last week, down 41.2% in one week

Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to news media at Ocala Health, along with state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on Friday morning.

The limited allocation of around 3,100 doses will be distributed to the states hospitals and clinics that are already performing monoclonal antibody treatments, which DeSantis and Florida have promoted since earlier this year for treating COVID-19 patients.

DeSantis encouraged individuals to visit floridahealthcovid19.gov to find monoclonal antibody therapy sites. The goal is to have Evusheld available within two hours of all Florida residents.

I think this is a positive development to be able to have this, especially given that it really will serve a valuable purpose for some of those folks who are very high risk and do need some additional help, he said.

Angela Wells, a Florida resident who caught COVID-19, tells her experience of taking a monoclonal antibody that helped her recover after catching the virus.

Not a substitute for vaccine where recommended

Angela Wells, a second-grade teacher from Marion County, spoke at the press conference about her experience as a Type 1 diabetic who had been advised not to get the COVID-19 vaccine. She ended up contracting the virus and received monoclonal antibody treatment at Ocala Regional Medical Center afterwards.

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"It was like a light switch. The plug had been unplugged and all the symptoms had resolved, and I'm still amazed that it happened so quickly," she said, explaining that her symptoms briefly worsened and then disappeared the day after treatment.

DeSantis stressed that the new Evusheld treatment for use prior to infection is different from the Sotrovimab and Regeneron monoclonal antibody treatments for use after infection.

The monoclonal results have been very, very good in the real world and the clinical trial, so our hope is that this performs in line with that, he said.

According to the FDA, Evusheld is authorized for individuals not currently infected or recently exposed to an infected individual. Individuals must have either moderately to severely compromised immune systems that may not mount an adequate response to COVID-19 vaccinations or a history of severe adverse reactions to the vaccines or their components.

You see that with certain cancer patients, transplant recipients, DeSantis said of potentially eligible individuals. He also stressed Floridas efforts to provide protections for people against forced vaccinations, referring to the Biden administrations vaccine mandates, which are currently being challenged in court.

Evusheld is not authorized for treating COVID-19 after exposure and is not a substitute for vaccination in individuals for whom it is recommended, according to the FDA.

The product is composed of monoclonal antibodies tixagevimab and cilgavimab that are designed to block the virus from attaching to and entering human cells, mimicking the immune systems ability to fight off pathogens.

Florida's Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo spoke during Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' press conference at Ocala Health, Friday morning, Dec. 17. The governor's team announced that there would be 3,100 doses of AstraZeneca's Evusheld, a monoclonal antibody, for transplant, immunocompromised and those that a negative reaction to the COVID19 vaccines, through out the state.

Florida will stress treatment as Omicron spreads

DeSantis, echoed by Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, stressed that COVID-19 is not the sum total of what it means to be healthy, however, pointing to the states Healthier You initiative to promote active lifestyles amidst the continuing pandemic.

Ladapo, who has been questioned for opposing COVID-19 precautions like mask mandates and advocating for alternatives to vaccination, also addressed the omicron variant of the virus that originated in South Africa, which has started spreading throughout the United States and Florida.

DeSantis said he expects cases to rise in January again, following a similar cycle as last year.

With this omicron, its very clear that its highly transmissible, Ladapo said. The data do not indicate any increased risk. If anything, the data seem to support a lower risk of serious illness. Well know more with time, and hopefully that holds.

What was clear, however, is that Florida will continue taking a treatment-focused approach, including through monoclonal antibodies before or after infection rather than mandates and closures.

We are not going to indulge in any of the insanity that you see happening again in some of these parts of the country, DeSantis stated, referencing colleges that are shutting down despite mandating masks and vaccinations. A lot of those heavy-handed policies have been total failures, and were certainly not going to be indulging that.

Contact reporter Danielle Johnson at djohnson@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Gov. Ron DeSantis says new monoclonal treatment coming to Florida
Addition of Leading Architectural Building Products Manufacturer to Significantly Expand DMCs Addressable Market

Acquisition Expected to be Accretive to Earnings in 2022;

Will Double DMCs Consolidated Annual Sales to Nearly $500 Million, Enhance Gross Margin

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DMC Global Inc. (Nasdaq: BOOM), a diversified holding company, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a 60% controlling interest in privately held Arcadia Inc. for $282.5 million in cash and DMC stock. Arcadia is a leading U.S. supplier of architectural building products, which include exterior and interior framing systems for low and mid-rise commercial buildings, windows, curtain walls, interior partitions, and highly engineered windows and doors for the high-end residential real estate market.

Transaction details

DMC will purchase a 60% interest in Arcadia for $282.5 million, subject to final purchase price adjustments and closing conditions $262.0 million of the purchase price to be paid in cash and $20.5 million will be paid in DMC stock Cash portion to be financed with cash and marketable securities on DMCs balance sheet and funds from a $150.0 million senior credit facility

DMCs total debt-to-adjusted EBITDA leverage ratio after closing will be 2.79 based on total borrowings of $150.0 million and pro forma adjusted EBITDA of $53.7 million; total net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA leverage ratio will be 2.25 based on net debt of $120.8 million and pro forma adjusted EBITDA of $53.7 million

Closing is expected to occur prior to December 31, 2021

DMC to acquire the remaining 40% interest in Arcadia through a three-year put and call option with a floor valuation of $187.1 million

Total implied transaction value is $469.6 million

Transaction value is 8.6x Arcadias trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDA of $54.6 million as of September 30, 2021

Kevin Longe, DMCs president and CEO, said, This is a milestone transaction for DMC and aligns with our strategy of building a diversified portfolio of industry-leading businesses with differentiated products and services. The acquisition of Arcadia will double DMCs consolidated sales, strengthen our gross margins and provide diversification outside our more cyclical energy and industrial infrastructure markets.

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Arcadias strong position in a $4.5 billion segment of the architectural products industry will also significantly expand DMCs addressable market. We look forward to supporting Arcadias growth plans, and I am delighted to welcome CEO Jim Schladen and the companys 850 employees to the DMC family.

Schladen added, This is an exciting transaction for Arcadia, its employees and our customers. We look forward to DMCs support as we expand Arcadias capacity and increase its position in the commercial and high-end residential architectural products markets. I am confident this will be an outstanding partnership that will provide long-term benefits to Arcadia, DMC, and our stakeholders.

Inclusive of Arcadia, DMCs consolidated pro forma sales for the trailing 12 months ended September 30, 2021, would be $491 million, while consolidated adjusted EBITDA would be $53.7 million. Arcadia recorded unaudited sales of $245.7 million and adjusted EBITDA of $54.6 million for the trailing 12-month period. Under the structure of the agreement, 60% of Arcadias adjusted EBITDA will be reported by DMC.

From 2010 through 2020, Arcadia increased its sales at a 13% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) and increased adjusted EBITDA at a 23% CAGR.

DMC expects the acquisition will be accretive to earnings within the first year. Arcadia will operate as a standalone business of DMC and will be led by Jim Schladen and his management team.

Based in Vernon, California, Arcadia operates three divisions. Its commercial architectural products business, Arcadia Inc., primarily serves the low and mid-rise commercial buildings market. Its differentiated business model is focused on providing a broad selection of architectural framing solutions, short lead times, reliable product availability, and exceptional service. Its customer base includes more than 2,000 glass and glazing contractors, building owners, and commercial architects. Arcadia Inc. has established a leading position in the western and southwestern United States, and it serves a diverse range of end markets that include commercial offices, healthcare, higher education, retail, civic and public facilities, and religious buildings.

Arcadias commercial interiors business, Wilson Partitions, provides a national customer base with custom interior architectural framing systems. Its products are used in new construction and repair and remodel projects, and address noise control, fire rating, functionality, and aesthetics.

Arcadias residential business, Arcadia Custom, provides premium, energy-efficient steel, aluminum, and wood windows and doors to the Americas fast-growing, high-end home market. The division works closely with architects, contractors, and installers. It sells through a national network of sales agents, and approximately 140 high-end window and door dealers.

New Senior Secured Credit Facilities

To fund a portion of the purchase price for the acquisition, DMC expects to enter into a new five-year syndicated credit facility, which includes a $150 million term loan and a $50 million revolving line of credit. The term loan will be fully funded and will be used to complete the acquisition, while the revolving line of credit will be fully undrawn and available. The term loan and revolving credit facility will bear interest at the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) plus 2.5% at inception.

Presentation

A presentation on the transaction, Arcadias business and pertinent financial data is available here:

https://dmc.mobi/arcadia

Conference Call

DMC will conduct an investor conference call to discuss the planned acquisition today at 9:00 a.m. Mountain (8:00 a.m. Pacific and 11:00 a.m. Eastern). The call is available live via the Internet at: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2204/43976, or by dialing 888-506-0062 (973-528-0011 for international callers) and entering the code 741823. A telephonic replay will be available through January 17, 2022, by calling 877-481-4010 (919-882-2331 for international callers) and entering the Conference ID 43976.

Additional information about Arcadia is available on its websites:

https://arcadiainc.com/

https://arcadiacustom.com/

https://www.wilsonpart.com/

Houlihan Lokey acted as sole financial advisor to Arcadia and Proskauer Rose LLP acted as legal advisor to certain shareholders of Arcadia. Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP served as legal advisor to DMC Global. KeyBank National Association (NYSE: KEY) is the Administrative Agent under the senior secured credit facility. KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. is Sole Bookrunner and KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association are Joint Lead Arrangers. U.S. Bank National Association is Syndication Agent and BOKF, NA is Documentation Agent.

About DMC Global

DMC Global operates a portfolio of innovative, asset-light businesses that provide differentiated products and services to their respective industries. The Companys strategy is to identify well-run businesses with strong management teams, and support them with long-term capital and strategic, financial, legal, technology and operating resources. DMC helps portfolio companies grow their core businesses, launch new initiatives, upgrade technologies and systems to support their long-term growth strategies, and make acquisitions that improve their competitive positions and expand their markets. The Companys current portfolio consists of DynaEnergetics, which serves the global energy industry, and NobelClad, which addresses the global industrial process and transportation sector. Based in Broomfield, Colorado, DMC trades on Nasdaq under the symbol BOOM.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws regarding events or conditions that may occur in the future, including the closing of the acquisition, the entry into and terms of the credit facilities, the acquisition of the remaining 40% of Arcadia, future financial results and the benefits of the acquisition. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risk that the transactions described herein will not be completed as planned and the risk that the acquisition will not have the expected benefits, including as a result of unanticipated liabilities, integration or performance issues and/or general economic conditions, and other factors described in the public filings made by DMC Global at www.sec.gov. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management as of the date hereof and DMC Global disclaims any intent or obligation to update them or revise them to reflect any change in circumstances or in managements beliefs, expectations or opinions that occur in the future.

*Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) financial measure used by management to measure operating performance and liquidity. Non-GAAP results are presented only as a supplement to the financial statements based on U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The non-GAAP financial information is provided to enhance the readers understanding of DMCs financial performance, but no non-GAAP measure should be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliations of the most directly comparable GAAP measures to non-GAAP measures are provided within the schedules attached to this release.

EBITDA is defined as net income plus or minus net interest plus taxes, depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA excludes from EBITDA stock-based compensation, restructuring and impairment charges and, when appropriate, other items that management does not utilize in assessing DMCs operating performance (as further described in the attached financial schedules).

Management uses adjusted EBITDA in its operational and financial decision-making, believing that it is useful to eliminate certain items in order to focus on what it deems to be a more reliable indicator of ongoing operating performance. As a result, internal management reports used during monthly operating reviews feature adjusted EBITDA measures. Management believes that investors may find this non-GAAP financial measure useful for similar reasons, although investors are cautioned that non-GAAP financial measures are not a substitute for GAAP disclosures. In addition, management incentive awards are based, in part, on the amount of adjusted EBITDA achieved during relevant periods. EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are also used by research analysts, investment bankers and lenders to assess operating performance. For example, a measure similar to adjusted EBITDA is required by the lenders under DMCs credit facility.

Net debt is defined as total debt less cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities. Net debt is used by management to supplement GAAP financial information and evaluate DMCs performance, and management believes this information may be similarly useful to investors.

Because not all companies use identical calculations, DMCs presentation of non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. However, these measures can still be useful in evaluating the companys performance against its peer companies because management believes the measures provide users with valuable insight into key components of GAAP financial disclosures. For example, a company with greater GAAP net income may not be as appealing to investors if its net income is more heavily comprised of gains on asset sales. Likewise, eliminating the effects of interest income and expense moderates the impact of a companys capital structure on its performance.

All of the items included in the reconciliation from net income to EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are either (i) non-cash items (e.g., depreciation, amortization of purchased intangibles and stock-based compensation) or (ii) items that management does not consider to be useful in assessing DMCs operating performance (e.g., income taxes, restructuring and impairment charges). In the case of the non-cash items, management believes that investors can better assess the companys operating performance if the measures are presented without such items because, unlike cash expenses, these adjustments do not affect DMCs ability to generate free cash flow or invest in its business. For example, by adjusting for depreciation and amortization in computing EBITDA, users can compare operating performance without regard to different accounting determinations such as useful life. In the case of the other items, management believes that investors can better assess operating performance if the measures are presented without these items because their financial impact does not reflect ongoing operating performance.

Trailing Twelve Months Ended September 30, 2021 Redeemable Pro Forma DMC Arcadia Noncontrolling Arcadia Pro Forma In Millions (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Interest (1) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Net sales $ 245,384 $ 245,653 $ 245,653 $ 491,037 Gross profit 58,732 87,006 87,006 145,738 Gross profit % 23.9 % 35.4 % 35.4 % 29.7 % Selling, general, and administrative expenses 55,050 34,243 34,243 89,293 Amortization 1,196 - 1,196 Depreciation and amortization 12,061 1,789 1,789 13,850 Stock-based compensation expense 6,425 - 6,425 Adjusted EBITDA * 20,972 54,552 (21,821 ) 32,731 53,703 Adjusted EBITDA % * 8.5 % 22.2 % 13.3 % 10.9 %





Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021 Redeemable Pro Forma DMC Arcadia Noncontrolling Arcadia Pro Forma In Millions (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Interest (1) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Net sales $ 188,271 $ 183,692 $ 183,692 $ 371,963 Gross profit 46,546 66,080 66,080 112,626 Gross profit % 24.7 % 36.0 % 36.0 % 30.3 % Selling, general, and administrative expenses 42,501 25,496 25,496 67,997 Amortization 823 - 823 Depreciation and amortization 9,223 1,286 1,286 10,509 Stock-based compensation expense 4,904 - 4,904 Adjusted EBITDA * 17,349 41,870 (16,748 ) 25,122 42,471 Adjusted EBITDA % * 9.2 % 22.8 % 13.7 % 11.4 %





Trailing Twelve Months September 30, 2021 DMC Arcadia Combined $000 Unaudited Unaudited Unaudited Net income $ 1,632 $ 52,970 $ 54,602 Interest expense, net 397 397 Income tax provision 437 889 1,326 Depreciation 10,865 1,789 12,654 Amortization 1,196 1,196 EBITDA 14,527 55,648 70,175 Restructuring 209 209 Due diligence adjustments (1) (1,096 ) (1,096 ) Stock-based compensation 6,425 6,425 Other (income), net (189 ) (189 ) Adjusted EBITDA 20,972 54,552 75,524 Adjusted EBITDA attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest (2) (21,821 ) (21,821 ) Adjusted EBITDA attributable to DMC 20,972 32,731 53,703





CONTACT:

Geoff High

Vice President of Investor Relations

303-604-3924








LONDON, December 17, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CoreLogic a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, is pleased to announce that it has reached agreement with Ecclesiastical Insurance Group ("EIG") for EIG to use CoreLogics digital claims platform to augment its property claims operations.

EIG is one of the largest independent British-owned insurers with operations in the UK, Australia, Canada and Ireland  offering not simply award-winning specialist insurance but also investment management and advisory services  and the agreement with CoreLogic will enable it to enhance its existing claims capabilities by digitising processes to positively influence claims outcomes on a secure, real-time web application.

The CoreLogic Claims Connect platform (formerly known under the brand Symbility) helps standardise claims processing on a single, cloud-based platform enabling rapid claim settlement, improved triage and distribution, supply chain collaboration and enhanced accuracy and transparency of the claims management process. The platform provides a streamlined workflow management solution  enabling users to easily and securely access, share and process information and communicate and collaborate more effectively.

EIG will be utilising the platforms modules, Claims Connect, Desk Adjuster (including CoreLogics claim triage and rapid settlement scripted workflows), Video Connect and will leverage CoreLogics UK managed Schedule of Rates for damage estimating, to enhance the claims experience for its customers, claims teams and suppliers.

Michael Porter, Senior Leader International Markets, Insurance, CoreLogic, said:

"In our discussions with the team at Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, it was very clear that they attach significant importance to simplifying insurance for their customers through a fast, streamlined and easy-to-use claims experience. We are delighted that they have put their trust in our claims platform to help them achieve that goal.

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"This agreement gives CoreLogic a tremendous opportunity to work with a dynamic, fast-growing business  which puts its customers front-and-centre of everything it does  and we are excited about bringing additional value and expertise to EIG and its customers through this important relationship."

Jeremy Trott, Claims Director for Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, commented:

"When it comes to selecting suppliers, we take a very rigorous approach and then establish strong relationships with them to help us deliver the best possible service to our customers.

"The CoreLogic team showed they understood our claims philosophy and Ecclesiasticals wider company ethics  something which we place enormous value on. Im looking forward to building a strong relationship with them and using their digital claims technology to help us to continue to fulfil our customer promises and enhance their claims experience."

Notes for Editors

About CoreLogic

CoreLogic is a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider. The companys combined data from public, contributory and proprietary sources includes over 4.5 billion records spanning more than 50 years, providing detailed coverage of property, mortgages and other encumbrances, consumer credit, tenancy, location, hazard risk and related performance information.

The markets CoreLogic serves include real estate and mortgage finance, insurance, capital markets, and the public sector. CoreLogic delivers value to clients through unique data, analytics, workflow technology, advisory and managed services. Clients rely on CoreLogic to help identify and manage growth opportunities, improve performance and mitigate risk. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., CoreLogic operates in North America, Western Europe and Asia Pacific.

For more information, please visit www.corelogic.com

CORELOGIC, DESK ADJUSTER, VIDEO CONNECT, CORELOGIC CLAIMS CONNECT, and the CoreLogic logo are trademarks of CoreLogic, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Ecclesiastical

1. Owned by a registered charity, Allchurches Trust, Ecclesiastical is a unique financial services organisation. With its main operations and headquarters in the UK, Ecclesiastical also operates in Australia, Canada and Ireland.

2. Ecclesiastical is a specialist insurer of the faith, charity, heritage, education, real estate, schemes and art and private client sectors.

3. Founded in 1887 to provide insurance for the Anglican Church, the company now offers a wide range of commercial insurances, as well as home insurance, selling through brokers and directly.

4. The Ecclesiastical Group also includes award-winning investment management business, EdenTree Investment Management, which provides a range of ethically screened investment funds.

5. Ecclesiastical is the fourth-largest corporate donor to charity in the UK, according to the UK Guide to Company Giving 2021/22. It has donated over 99m to charity since 2016 and is aiming to reach its target of giving more than 100m by the end of 2021.

6. Ecclesiastical Insurance is a thirteen-time winner of Fairer Finances best home insurance provider.

7. Many businesses say they are different. Ecclesiastical really is. Find out why here www.ecclesiastical.com/aboutus

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211217005012/en/

Contacts

Robin Wachner

CoreLogic

newsmedia@corelogic.com
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

SAN JOSE, California A federal prosecutor was out for blood Thursday in his detailed closing statement that accused Elizabeth Holmes of duping investors and consumers into believing her novel medical screening technology actually worked, even though it didn't.

As he began to wrap up a trial that has stretched on for more than 15 weeks, assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Schenk focused on a central accusation that Holmes not only knew her Silicon Valley start-up could not deliver functioning blood testing devices, but intended to lie about those products too, he said.

Holmes made a decision to defraud her investors and patients, Schenk said. That choice was not only callous, it was criminal.

Former Theranos Employees Get Ready to Relive the Sh*tshow

Prosecutors accuse Holmesa 37-year-old Stanford dropoutof conning investors into ponying up $700 million for Theranos, her company founded in 2003 that claimed its devices could perform numerous tests with just a finger prick of blood. In addition to investors, patients shared personal accounts of ill-performed blood screenings, which showed a false-positive test for prostate cancer, and another that said a woman had miscarried even though she hadn't, according to Schenk.

Holmes arrived just before 8 a.m. outside the federal courthouse on a rainy Thursday, greeted by a long line of nearly a hundred spectators and reporters, some of whom had been waiting for five hours to get a seat inside. Rumors circulated that nowin the final days of a trial that had captured such widespread national attentionsome attendees had hired stand-ins via TaskRabbit or dispatched interns to keep their place in line.

Wearing a cobalt blue shift dress, a complementing light blue mask and black blazer, Holmes clutched the hand of her mother, Noel, and hastily made her way past the crowd and through security. Someone asked as she entered the courthouse, How are you feeling today? She didn't reply.

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In the courtroom, Holmes mostly trained a blank gaze on Schenk, whose argument stretched several hours and covered witness testimony, charges, and refuting claims from her attorneys. His point-by-point statement revisited a winding road of all defenses and accusations heard in nearly four months of trial, including her relationship with Ramesh Sunny Balwani, former Theranos president and Holmes ex-boyfriend. He had a bad temper and demanding management style, according to her lawyers, and Holmes said he sexually abused her, which he has denied.

Your verdict does not validate her claims of abuse, Schenk said. You do not need to decide whether abuse happened.

Balwani and Holmeswho founded Theranos at age 19face 11 counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, although Balwanis trial is set to commence separately in January 2022. They both pleaded not guilty, but if convicted, the crimes would carry a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars.

Theranos Elizabeth Holmes appeared in court for the start of closing arguments in her trial. Saul Sugarman for The Daily Beast

Holmes defended herself on the witness stand in the final days of testimony, shifting blame for Theranos faulty products onto company subordinates she trusted. She believed the blood tests were so reliable that Holmes and her relatives used them, too, according to defense attorney Lance Wade. But Schenk fought against those claims Thursday, showing jurors emails and text messages, and replaying recorded phone calls Holmes made to investors discussing company performance and viability.

Imagine for a moment what an honest pitch would have sounded like, Schenk said. She chose fraud over business failure, he said.

He and defense attorney Kevin Downey argued a full six hours Thursday, addressing nuanced areas of the case like whether Holmes unauthorized use of Pfizers logo on company documents constituted fraud; whether Holmes provided media outlets false information to manipulate investors; and whether she overinflated how much the U.S. military had integrated Theranos products in medevacs and helicopters.

Theranos Elizabeth Holmes and her family appeared in court for the start of closing arguments in her trial. Saul Sugarman for The Daily Beast

Shes making false statement after false statement about Theranos work with the Department of Defense in order to get investors, Schenk said.

In his closing, Holmes attorney Downey said the tech wunderkind was building a business and not a criminal enterprise.

She believed that she had invented a very valid form of technology that she was submitting to the Food and Drug Administration to take to the market, Downey said. She had no fear of showing that technology to people outside the company.

Court adjourned at 3:45 p.m., and Holmes departed a short time later hand-in-hand with her mother and husband, hotel heir William Billy Evans. Stepping out of the courthouse confidently in black pumps, she locked eyes with Evans in a show of support from him, as photographers and reporters flanked the group from both sides. They followed the family down the street as they walked, peppering questions that Holmes did not answer.

Downey continues his closing statement Friday morning.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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* Russian c.bank hikes rates by 100 bps, as expected

* Turkish lira breaches 16 to the dollar

* S&P Global declares China Evergrande in default (Adds details on Russian rate decision)

By Ambar Warrick

Dec 17 (Reuters) - Emerging market stocks and currencies fell on Friday, and were set for weekly losses after a spate of recent central bank meetings outlined the economic threat posed by rising inflation.

MSCI's index of emerging market (EM) stocks fell 0.7%, while EM currencies were 0.1% weaker.

The stocks' index was set to lose about 1.8% this week, while currencies were on track to shed 0.2%. Sentiment towards risk-driven assets was soured as a slew of central banks, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, outlined hawkish measures to control rising prices.

Rising inflation has been a recurring trend across EMs this year, with many central banks acting swiftly to offset its potential economic and political impact.

This week, Hungary, Chile and Mexico raised rates and signalled that more tightening was on the cards. Mexico delivered a bigger-than-expected 50 basis point (bps) hike that pushed the peso to a near one-month high.

The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) was the latest bank to raise lending rates, lifting them by 100 bps to 8.5% on Friday. The bank also flagged the possibility of more rate hikes, as it moves to tame stubbornly high inflation this year.

The rouble showed little reaction to the hike, given that the move was largely priced in by investors.

"The CBRs commitment to fight inflation and keep the tightening cycle running means the monetary and inflation outlook may not be the biggest concern for the rouble as markets view the CBR as credible on balance," Ima Sammani, FX market analyst at Monex Europe, said.

Sammani noted that the prospect of Western sanctions, over Ukraine, posed a larger threat to Russia, and could prompt sharp hikes by the central bank.

Turkey's lira plunged 5% to a record low of more than 16 to the dollar, after the central bank cut rates on Thursday. The currency was by far the worst performing EM unit this week, set for a loss of 13.5%.

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President Tayyip Erdogan's unorthodox monetary policy has severely damaged the lira this year, as well as Turkey's financial credibility. Inflation blew past 20% in November.

Chinese stocks ended lower as investors fretted over growing tensions between Washington and Beijing, after the U.S. government imposed investment and export restrictions on dozens of Chinese companies.

Concerns over China's debt-saddled property market deepened after several firms in the sector were downgraded by major credit rating agencies.

China Evergrande, the second-largest real estate firm in the country, was officially declared in default by S&P Global after it missed a bond payment earlier this month.

For GRAPHIC on emerging market FX performance in 2021, see http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh For GRAPHIC on MSCI emerging index performance in 2021, see https://tmsnrt.rs/2OusNdX

For TOP NEWS across emerging markets

For CENTRAL EUROPE market report, see

For TURKISH market report, see

For RUSSIAN market report, see

(Reporting by Ambar Warrick, Additional reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Susan Fenton)
DUBLIN, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Military Cyber CONOPS Growth Opportunities" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Research and Markets Logo

This research highlights the most important military cybersecurity market trends, evaluates the market and the competition, sums up existing and evolving global threats identifies the main mergers and acquisitions, and explores upcoming disruptive technologies.

This study also identifies the emerging trends, opportunity areas, and technologies that can help achieve security objectives. It provides insights into the impact and evolution of technologies that will benefit participants in the defense industry, relevant verticals, and technology companies seeking new avenues to enhance their portfolios.

Digitization is transforming every aspect of the defense industry, from back-end office operations to the training of military personnel. Cyberwarfare has become common, and cyberspace has turned into a battlefield for major geopolitical and social issues, with different nations using it to gather intelligence or engage in shadow diplomacy.

Cyberthreats continue to evolve, making them harder to detect, prevent, or mitigate. Today, weapon systems are software dependent and networked. Embedded software and IT systems enable operational success; however, they create new and extensive vulnerabilities.

Cyber concepts of operations (CONOPS) are constantly evolving as global defense industries are transforming their operations and capabilities. Investments in disruptive new and existing technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, blockchain, and quantum computing, will drive further changes in cybersecurity in the coming years.

Technology companies that are looking to address the potential requirements of the military cybersecurity market will benefit from this study.

Key Issues Addressed

Which disruptive technologies will have an impact on the military cybersecurity market over the next 10 years?

Over what time frame will each technology have an impact on the market?

How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the defense industry? What was its impact on the military cyber market?

What are the key military cybersecurity trends?

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Key Topics Covered:

1. Strategic Imperatives

Why is it Increasingly Difficult to Grow?

The Strategic Imperative

The Impact of the Top 3 Strategic Imperatives on the Military Cyber industry

Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine

2. Growth Environment

Market Overview

Trends Impacting the Demand for Cybersecurity

Disruptive Forces

Capability Impact - Evolving Technologies

Key Predictions

3. Research Scope and Objectives

Research Scope

Research Objectives and Questions

4. Economic and Geopolitical Analysis

Geopolitical Snapshot

Geopolitical Analysis

COVID-19

5. Growth Opportunity Analysis - General Trends

General Trends in the Military Cyber market

6. Growth Drivers and Restraints

Growth Drivers in the Military Cyber market

Growth Drivers Analysis for the Military Cyber market

Growth Restraints in the Military Cyber market

Growth Restraints Analysis for the Military Cyber market

7. Factors Influencing CONOPS

Military Cyberconcepts Evolution

8. Technology

Disruptive Technology Maturity Timelines

Technology Analysis

9. Use Cases

Case Study 1: Disruption of Capabilities - Operation Olympic Games

Case Study 2: Theft of Personal Data

Case Study 3: Manipulation of eCommerce

Case Study 4: Disruption of Capabilities - Wannacry

10. Growth Opportunity Universe

Growth Opportunity 1: Increasing R&D Investments for the Military Cyber market

Growth Opportunity 2: Advanced Threat Simulation for the Military Cyber market

Growth Opportunity 3: Training of Skilled Personnel for the Military Cyber market

Growth Opportunity 4: Cyber EW for the Military Cyber market

Growth Opportunity 5: Low-Cost and Extended Support to Cater to Operators with Limited Budgets

Growth Opportunity 6: Endpoint Security for the Military Cyber market

Growth Opportunity 7: Mergers and Acquisitions for the Military Cyber market

11. The Last Word

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/rf0ky9

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Cision

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SOURCE Research and Markets
Investment elevates Yayoi into next phase of growth and enhances its work to meet digitalization needs of Japanese SMEs

TOKYO, December 17, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced the signing of a definitive agreement under which KKR will acquire Yayoi Co., Ltd. ("Yayoi" or the "Company"), a software developer, distributor, and support service provider for small- and medium-sized enterprises ("SMEs") in Japan from ORIX Corporation ("ORIX"), a leading integrated financial services group.

Yayoi is the largest financial and accounting software provider for SMEs and sole proprietors in Japan, best known for its namesake accounting and tax filing software, widely used by Japanese SMEs. According to MM Research Institute and BCN, the Yayoi Series has been Japans number-one cloud accounting software for six consecutive years by number of users, and the number-one desktop business software for 22 consecutive years, with over 2.5 million registered users. Not only does Yayoi have strong brand recognition, but the Company plays a leading role in assisting Japans SMEs as they adopt greater digital solutions into their operations and migrate more functions to the cloud. Since 2020, the Company has also been involved in the launch of advocacy organizations including the Social Systems and Digitization Study Group and the E-Invoice Promotion Association, which both look to promote the digitalization of Japanese businesses.

KKR is one of the world's leading diversified asset management companies, founded in 1976, and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. As of the end of September 2021, KKR had assets under management of US$459 billion (~JPY52 trillion) and had completed investments in approximately 330 companies through its global private equity strategy.

KKR brings to Yayoi its strong expertise investing in and supporting the success of technology and software businesses globally, including companies focused on accounting and business solutions to SMEs. In the accounting and business software area for SMEs, KKR has a track record of investing in companies such as MYOB in Australia, Exact in the Netherlands, Visma in Scandinavia, and KiotViet in Vietnam. KKR has invested globally in a range of companies in the enterprise software and cloud and SaaS solutions space, such as Epicor, an ERP vendor in the United States; OneStream, a cloud financial accounting platform in the United States; SoftwareOne, an integrated business software and cloud solution in Switzerland; and dataX, the developer of the marketing tool b-dash in Japan.

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Hiro Hirano, Co-Head of Private Equity for KKR Asia Pacific and CEO of KKR Japan, said, "SMEs account for the vast majority of companies in Japan. Considering this, we are pleased to add Yayoi to our global portfolio of software providers, and excited to support this important sector of the Japanese economy as SMEs strive to enhance their operational efficiency by digitally transforming their businesses. We see a terrific opportunity to increase Yayois penetration across Japan and look forward to promoting the Companys growth by leveraging our expertise in this segment."

Nobuki Watanabe, Executive Officer, ORIX Corporation, commented, "Since we invested in Yayoi in December 2014, we have been working with the companys management to significantly grow the business, leveraging our financial know-how and human resources. During this time, Yayoi has solidified its position as the firmly established leader in the domestic software service market for SMEs. As digitalization and cloud services grow in Japan, Yayoi now looks to a new phase of growth. We decided to proceed with this transaction with KKR in order to further support this new dynamic growth phase for Yayoi."

Koichiro Okamoto, Yayoi Chief Executive Officer & President added, "By welcoming KKR as a new shareholder, Yayoi is even better enabled to provide further value beyond our current framework of providing business software. Together with KKR, we will not only support the growth of SMEs, the backbone of the Japanese economy, but also transform the business software industry in Japan and help to accelerate the digital transformation of society through dynamic and innovative product and service development beyond the current Yayoi SaaS products."

The transaction is expected to be completed on March 1st, 2022, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Further details of the investment have not been disclosed.

KKR is making its investment from its Asia IV Fund. The investment adds to KKRs track record in Japan, where KKRs current private equity portfolio includes Seiyu, Kokusai Electric (formerly Hitachi Kokusai Electric), PHC Holdings (formerly Panasonic Healthcare), Koki Holdings, Marelli (formerly Calsonic Kansei), and growth investments in dataX (formerly From Scratch) and NetStars. In addition, KKRs infrastructure team recently announced an investment in Central Tank Terminal, a chemical tank terminal operator in Japan, and KKRs real estate team completed its first investment in Japan in October 2021.

BofA Securities Japan Co., Ltd. acted as KKRs financial advisor.

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. KKRs insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life, and reinsurance products under the management of The Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKRs investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKRs website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

About Yayoi Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1978, Yayoi is the largest financial and accounting software service provider in Japan. The Company is most recognized for its Yayoi Series and complementary business and business support services which are predominantly used and valued by SMEs, sole proprietors, and entrepreneurs to address their business needs. The Yayoi Series has been Japans top-selling software product for cloud accounting and for desktop business for 6 and 22 years, respectively, with a broad customer base of more than 2.5 million registered users. Across the wider business and business support segments, Yayoi also provides software solutions for those launching businesses and raising funds. Much of the Companys recent focus has been on promoting digital transformation for Japans business community, as well as on activities that improve operational efficiency through the launch of the "Electronic Invoice Promotional Council" and other initiatives.

About ORIX

ORIX Corporation (TSE: 8591; NYSE: IX) is a financial services group which provides innovative products and services to its customers by constantly pursuing new businesses.

Established in 1964, from its start in the leasing business, ORIX has advanced into neighboring fields and at present has expanded into lending, investment, life insurance, banking, asset management, automobile related, real estate and environment and energy related businesses. Since entering Hong Kong in 1971, ORIX has spread its businesses globally by establishing locations in 28 countries and regions across the world.

Going forward, ORIX intends to utilize its strengths and expertise, which generate new value, to establish an independent ORIX business model that continues to evolve perpetually. In this way, ORIX will engage in business activities that instill vitality in its companies and workforce, and thereby contribute to society. For more details, please visit our website: https://www.orix.co.jp/grp/en/

(As of September 30, 2021)

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211216006256/en/

Contacts

Media:

KKR Asia Pacific

Anita Davis

+852 3602 7335

Anita.Davis@kkr.com

or

Wei Jun Ong

+65 6922 5813

WeiJun.Ong@kkr.com

KKR Americas

Cara Major or Miles Radcliffe-Trenner

+1 212-750-8300

Media@kkr.com

Finsbury (for KKR Japan)

Deborah Hayden, +81 702492 0463

Hannah Perry, +81 70 3769 9633

FinsburyKKRJapan@finsbury.com
FILE PHOTO: The Bryan Mound Strategic Petroleum Reserve is seen in an aerial photograph over Freeport, Texas

By Jessica Resnick-Ault

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Oil prices fell on Friday and were also down on the week as surging cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant raised fears that new restrictions may hit fuel demand.

"There are concerns about COVID that won't go away, and the perception that could weigh on demand is putting pressure on the market," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho in New York.

Brent crude futures settled down $1.50, or 2%, at $73.52 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped $1.52, or 2.1%, to settle at $70.86 a barrel. Brent was down 2.6% on the week and WTI fell 1.3%.

In Denmark, South Africa and Britain, the number of new Omicron cases has been doubling every two days. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Friday her government would propose new restrictions https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/denmark-proposes-new-restrictions-curb-surge-coronavirus-cases-2021-12-17 to limit the spread.

In the United States, the rapid spread of the Omicron variant has led some companies to pause plans https://www.reuters.com/world/us/omicron-delivers-another-uncertain-holiday-season-pandemic-weary-americans-2021-12-16 to get workers back into offices.

"Messages of caution and warnings of a worsening COVID wave are starting to ring louder with the approach of the year-end holiday season, dampening market sentiment," said Vandana Hari, energy analyst at Vanda Insights. "Crude may remain in a holding pattern, albeit with plenty of price volatility around the mean, in holiday-thinned trading over the next couple of weeks."

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and allies, together known as OPEC+, have said they could meet before their scheduled Jan. 4 meeting if changes in the demand outlook warrant a review of their plans to add 400,000 barrels per day of supply in January.

"We could see further consolidation around $70 in the coming sessions as we learn more about Omicron, what restrictions it will bring, and whether OPEC+ will react," said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA.

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The U.S. oil rig count, a leading indicator of output, rose in the week, prompting concerns of potential oversupply. The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, rose by three to 579 in the week to Dec. 17, energy services firm Baker Hughes Co said in its closely followed report on Friday. [RIG/U]

But despite the Omicron threats to demand, Goldman Sachs said on Friday the new variant has had limited impact on mobility or oil demand, adding that it expected oil consumption to hit record highs in 2022 and 2023.

Oil prices have retreated from multi-year highs earlier in the fourth quarter on improved supplies.

(Additional reporting by Sonali Paul in Melbourne, Roslan Khasawneh in Singapore and Noah Browning in London; Editing by Edmund Blair, Elaine Hardcastle and Leslie Adler)
NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of TPI Composites, Inc. ("TPI" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: TPIC). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.

Fighting for victims of securities fraud for more than 85 years (PRNewsfoto/Pomerantz LLP)

The investigation concerns whether TPI 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 December 13, 2021, TPI disclosed that "[o]n December 13, 2021, Bryan R. Schumaker notified TPI of his intention to resign from his position as Chief Financial Officer of the Company." Concurrently, TPI also announced the departure of James Hilderhoff, the Company's Chief Commercial, after December 31, 2021.

On this news, TPI's stock price fell $1.57 per share, or 9.76%, to close at $14.51 per share on December 14, 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

CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP

rswilloughby@pomlaw.com

888-476-6529 ext. 7980

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SOURCE Pomerantz LLP
SISTERDALE, Texas, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sisterdale Distilling Co., a Texas distillery producing the highest-quality, best-tasting bourbon, today announced Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), one of the nation's largest wholesale alcohol beverage distributors, as its distribution partner in Texas for Sisterdale Distilling Co. Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

"Through this strategic partnership, we will leverage RNDC's established distribution network to continue the growth of the brand throughout Texas," said Chad Gailey, Co-Founder. "The leadership team at RNDC shares our values, priorities, and future-forward view of where we can take the brand. Together, we are committed to creating an immediate strategic relationship to grow, not only in Texas but throughout the U.S."

Additionally, today, Sisterdale Distilling Co. announced it has partnered with LibDib, an affiliate of RNDC, to distribute Sisterdale Distilling Co. Straight Bourbon Whiskey in Florida.

"It only makes sense that Sisterdale Distilling Co. jumps on the LibDib platform," said Peter Watson, Co-Founder. "LibDib is cutting edge, in terms of its distribution model, and will enable us to continue growth of our online sales throughout the lower 48 states via drinksisterdale.com. The fact that LibDib and RNDC are affiliated sealed the deal for us."

About Sisterdale Distilling Co.

Sisterdale Distilling Co. is dedicated to making one thing  delicious, high-quality bourbon. We painstakingly handcraft every drop of our bourbon  a difference you can taste. Founded by Chad Gailey and Peter Watson in 2020, Sisterdale Distilling Co. sits just off of Sister Creek in Sisterdale, Texas. Stay connected with Sisterdale Distilling Co. on Instagram and Facebook and visit sisterdaledistillingco.com.

About Republic National Distributing Company

As a top wine and spirits distributor in the nation, RNDC's national reach helps suppliers by building strategic relationships with on- and off-premise customers to elevate their brands and reach their target consumers. To learn more, visit www.rndc-usa.com.

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About LidDib

Liberation Distribution, Inc. (LibDib) is a distributor of alcoholic beverages enabled through a proprietary desktop and mobile-friendly web platform. LibDib focuses on the evolution of alcoholic distribution utilizing modern technology to provide three-tier compliant services for everyone regardless of size. Using LibDib, restaurants, bars and retailers legally and efficiently purchase boutique wines, craft spirits and microbrews. LibDib can be found online at www.LibDib.com.

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SOURCE Sisterdale Distilling Co.
- MOU for 'ICT Device Recycling Business and Social Value' was signed on Dec. 17.

- Cooperation on mobile phone distribution will be prioritized first to be expanded into the entire ICT field and synergy creation between the two corporate groups.

- SK networks CEO Sang Kyu Park said, "Our collaborative relationship will be focused on ICT business development and enhanced ESG management performance."

SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SK networks, the headquarters and subsidiaries, has been engaged in ICT business including ICT device distribution, communications network operation and ICT idle asset management. The company is now seeking cooperation with T-GAIA, the largest mobile phone retailer in Japan. This entry into Japan will be the beginning of the company's global business development.

On Dec. 17, SK networks signed an MOU for ICT Device Recycling Business and Social Value with T-GAIA, the largest mobile phone retailer in Japan. SK networks CEO Sang Kyu Park(Left) is celebrating the MOU signing via video conference with T-GAIA CEO Nobutaka Kanaji.

SK networks (CEO: Sang Kyu Park) announced on December 17 that it has signed an MOU for 'ICT Device Recycling Business and Social Value'.

This MOU was signed to identify opportunities of mutual cooperation centered around the ICT business that both companies have in common, and seek synergy by creating new values in the midst of the changing global market.

T-GAIA is a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation, one of the top five general trading companies in Japan, and the country's largest mobile phone retailer engaged in mobile phone retail store operation, payment service, B2B solution business, etc. With a focus on ESG management, the company's recent investments are being made intensively in future growing business such as environmental response, new and renewable energy, education and farming.

The two companies have agreed to first collaborate for enhanced ESG performance in the mobile phone distribution area. MINTIT, an SK networks subsidiary, is expected to play a pivotal role in this process. MINTIT has established a stable, convenient ICT recycle platform with its AI-based ATM for purchasing used phones that was the first of its kind in Korea. It is also anticipated from this cooperation with T-GAIA that the development of a localized model appropriate for the Japanese market will be expedited.

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While SK networks and T-GAIA will together be committed to mobile phone distribution business cooperation followed by new business development throughout the ICT industry, they plan to further reinforce their mutual assistance system that will lead to alliance at the corporate group level. Their efforts will also be expanded to pursue global business expansion beyond Asia.

On the day of the online signing ceremony of the MOU, SK networks CEO Sang Kyu Park expressed his expectation saying, "This is a collaboration between the two companies that each represent their own country who pursue ESG management by taking advantage of their long accumulated experience and knowledge in the ICT distribution business sector. Through this, new business development will be achieved to raise customer and social values while at the same time the industry's future orientation will be established."

T-GAIA CEO Nobutaka Kanaji commented in response, "I am glad to sign this MOU with SK networks and hope that we can together seize various business opportunities following our cooperation on mobile phone distribution."

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SOURCE SK networks
NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / December 17, 2021 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until January 18, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against StoneCo Ltd. (NasdaqGS:STNE), if they purchased the Company's securities between March 11, 2021 and November 16, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

What You May Do

If you purchased securities of StoneCo and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-stne/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by January 18, 2022 .

About the Lawsuit

StoneCo and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On August 30, 2021, post-market closed, the Company disclosed that it had "implemented some prudent actions, like temporarily stopping the disbursement of credit and increasing coverage for potential future losses, which impacted [StoneCo's] reported results for the quarter." Then, on November 16, 2021, the Company disclosed that it would "start retesting our original [credit] product, which is short-term loans, between the fourth quarter of '21 and the first quarter of '22," but did not provide specific guidance regarding when credit volumes would return to levels before StoneCo had halted origination of credit.

On this news, shares of StoneCo fell $10.96, or 34%, to close at $20.70 per share on November 17, 2021.

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The case is Ray v. StoneCo Ltd., et al., 21-cv-9620.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Contact:

LogoDescription automatically generated

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner

lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com

1-877-515-1850

1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200

New Orleans, LA 70163

SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/678399/STONECO-SHAREHOLDER-ALERT-BY-FORMER-LOUISIANA-ATTORNEY-GENERAL-KAHN-SWICK-FOTI-LLC-REMINDS-INVESTORS-WITH-LOSSES-IN-EXCESS-OF-100000-of-Lead-Plaintiff-Deadline-in-Class-Action-Lawsuit-Against-StoneCo-Ltd--STNE




"PERSONAL PROPERTY" written on a piece of wood

In addition to paying sales tax on the things you buy, you may also be required to pay taxes on its perceived fair market value later on. These personal and business taxes are assessed on certain tangible personal property items, depending on where you live and what you own. Heres a look at what tangible personal property is and how it can affect your tax bill. Consider working with a financial advisor as you develop a tax strategy.

What Is Tangible Personal Property?

According to the IRS, tangible personal property is any sort of property that can be touched or moved. It includes all personal property that isnt considered real property or intangible property such as patents, copyrights, bonds or stocks.

The calculation of your tangible personal property (TPP) is primarily used for taxation purposes. In fact, 43 states use an appraised TPP value when calculating state taxes on personal property, business property or both. The only states that exclude tangible personal property from taxation altogether are:

Delaware

Hawaii

Illinois

New York

Ohio

Pennsylvania

The process of levying taxes on tangible personal property varies wildly from one state to the next, and may even vary between different counties and local municipalities. Additionally, certain types of TPP may be taxed at a different rate than other types, so there is no clear process across the board.

Examples of Tangible Personal Property

A dinghy

As mentioned, tangible personal property is anything that can be touched, moved or consumed, with the exception of real property (real estate) and intangible assets with a recognized value (stocks, bonds, patents and the like). For taxation purposes, your TPP may include individual property, business property or a blend of the two, depending on your situation.

When appraising your tangible personal property, an assessment may include your:

Motor vehicles

Clothing

Jewelry

Electronics

Collectibles

Fine art

Watercraft

Aircraft

Furniture

Equipment

Machinery

Inventory

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Tangible personal property is taxed ad valorem. This means that taxes are assessed according to the items perceived fair market value.

So, if your county taxes your personal motor vehicles each year, your tax bill will be based on the perceived market value of the vehicle. They will use the vehicles make and model, manufacture year, mileage and condition to determine what its potentially worth for taxation purposes.

This might not be what you could actually sell it for today. However, this is what your state, county or local municipality believes the value to be according to their data.

How Tangible Personal Property Values Are Used

If your city or county assesses personal property taxes, they may require that you submit a disclosure of your property. They will then value your property, usually using a fair market value chart or table.

Youre more likely to encounter tangible personal property taxes if you own a business, however. Most business owners will need to disclose the property they hold  such as machinery, inventory, office furniture and more  as well as the year it was purchased.

Depending on the item, the nature of your business, when the item was purchased and other factors, you may be taxed on the fair market value of your TPP. This is especially true if your total TPP value exceeds a specific number.

The Bottom Line

Valuable vintage books

Tangible personal property values are taken into account for both personal and business tax purposes. This includes property that can be touched, moved or consumed and excludes real or intangible property. Tangible personal property taxes are typically assessed at the state level, though they may be dictated by county, city or local municipality. The taxable amount is determined by factors such as fair market value and the items age.

Tips on Tangible Personal Property

Consulting with a qualified financial advisor can help you prepare for any applicable TPP taxes and even reduce your taxable amount. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesnt have to be hard. SmartAssets free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors in your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If youre ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Property taxes in America are collected by local governments and are usually based on the value of a property. The money collected is generally used to support community safety, schools, infrastructure and other public projects. Use SmartAssets property tax calculator to better understand the average cost of property taxes in your state and county.

Photo credit: iStock.com/Artur, iStock.com/Pete Martin, iStock.com/vm

The post Tangible Personal Property: Definition and Examples appeared first on SmartAsset Blog.
Simplicity Mobile App is adopted by cities and villages in the Chicago metropolitan area and beyond as an official channel for city-to-resident communication.

CHICAGO , Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Simplicity, a technology company which provides the first communication channel solely built for cities and public agencies, has announced that the Villages of Richton Park, Montgomery, Indian Head Park, Homer Glen, Oswego, and New Lenox joined the new platform. Elsewhere in Illinois, Pittsfield, West Peoria and others have also joined up.

Chicagoland x Simplicity Welcome Banner

With the Simplicity Mobile App, residents are updated in real-time about all essential information for their communities. By using the app, cities, villages, towns, along with residents, can combat the growth of misinformation on social media and improve the speed of accurate information sharing. The app lets residents choose the type of information they want to receive to prevent information overload. There are various topics that they can select from, including updates from the health department, road closures, upcoming local events, and emergency notifications.

We are very happy to be one of the first, of many municipalities to partner with Simplicity. It is a great, streamlined method to communicate with residents," commented Rita Farrell Mayer, Trustee and Chair of the Communications Committee at the Village of Indian Head Park.

"We are excited to have an additional platform dedicated to the Village of Richton Park that will alert the community and our residents of significant and worthy information. We are grateful for Simplicity's ease of use and functionality"  Adam Ray, Media Coordinator.

"It's exciting to be back and to bring a valuable solution to Chicagoland, where I studied as a high school student with Rotary back in 2013," said Juraj Gago, co-founder of Simplicity.

Simplicity Mobile App for Residents is free and available for download on the Google Play Store and Apple's App Store. After officially onboarding a city to the platform, Simplicity's team works closely with its representatives to make sure they utilize the platform to its fullest potential.

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About Simplicity:

Simplicity is a smart communication channel that helps cities and public agencies connect with residents in real-time. After successfully delivering the Simplicity platform to over 50 cities in Europe, the company raised $8.5m in seed funding for its U.S. expansion, backed by American and European VCs. For more information, visit www.onesimplicity.com

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SOURCE Simplicity Tech Inc.
(Bloomberg) -- South Korea is among the worlds biggest seller of green bonds, and one of its top issuers is planning to tap the global debt market more aggressively next year to provide sustainable funds to local companies operating abroad.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Export-Import Bank of Korea, the nations second-largest issuer of green notes, plans to sell about $12 billion to $12.5 billion of bonds offshore in 2022, compared with around $11 billion this year, said Lee Dong-hoon, the treasurer of the bank. It expects about 20% of the issuance to be ESG debt, he said.

Were seeing growing demand for loans from green sectors like solar energy and rechargeable battery makers, Lee said in an interview in Seoul. We need to raise funds to meet the demand.

Issuers from Korea, Asias fourth biggest economy, have sold the most green bonds in the region after China this year, Bloomberg-compiled data show. President Moon Jae-ins push to make the country carbon neutral by 2050 has boosted investment in ESG projects including those by electric vehicle battery makers such as LG Chem Ltd. and SK Innovation Co.

Read more: Ethical Debt Increases Hold on Korea Dollar Bond Sales: Chart

Lee also said:

With major economies expected to shift their monetary policy, Kexim will pay more attention to non-U.S. currency debt markets next year such as Australian dollar and Hong Kong dollar bonds if cross-currency basis swap levels are attractive.

Kexim expects to issue 60% of its bonds in the first half next year. For debt sales in 2022 its the earlier, the better because there are usually lower headline risks at the start of the year.

The bank may sell bigger dollar notes than usual for public deals next year, reflecting the planned increase in its total debt fundraising. Kexim has selected banks for a possible sale of dollar bonds in January, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Credit events involving Chinese developers may continue next year, but their impact on high-grade bonds will likely be limited, and most Korean issuers have high investment-grade ratings.

Story continues

(Adds that Kexim has selected banks for a possible dollar bond sale.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
New York, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has called on the Iranian government to end its discrimination of minorities in Iran, including of the Bahai community, Irans largest non-Muslim religious minority. The vote confirms a Third Committee resolution passed in November.

The resolution, endorsed by the General Assemblys 76th session and introduced by Canada and 47 co-sponsors from all regions, passed by 78 votes in favor, with 31 against and 69 abstentions.

The international community has, yet again, used its highest forum to call on the Islamic Republic to abide by its human rights commitments and to respect the rights of the Bahais, said Bani Dugal, Principal Representative of the Bahai International Community to the United Nations. We are grateful for this constant supportand we hope the Iranian government will heed this call.

Resolutions on Irans human rights situation have been tabled and approved since the early 1980smaking it one of the UNs most enduring and troubling human rights concerns. The Bahais face harassment and intimidation, arbitrary detention in violation of due process, incitement to hatred in the media and from the pulpit, denial of business licenses and livelihoods, denial of access to higher education and confiscations of property.

One of the latest incidents, in the village of Kata, saw thirteen irrigated farmlands belonging to Bahais listed for public auction without their permission. The auction came during a serious water shortage in Iran, which may have been a pretext by authorities who for years have tried to expropriate Bahai-owned assets.

Numerous other instances of persecution of Bahais in Irana constant since the 1979 Islamic Revolutionhave also been reported over recent months. Lands belonging to Bahais in Semnan, Roshankouh and Ivel have been confiscated; hate propaganda articles have increased; new evidence has emerged of the religious prejudice motivating Irans policy of banning Bahais from higher education; and official documents have come to light that detail measures ordered by security services to suppress the Bahai community.

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New laws in Irans Penal Code, articles 499 bis and 500 bis, which further criminalize religious practice for Bahais, and which also affect Sufis, atheists and any communities that hold beliefs not recognized by Irans constitution were also addressed by the motion. Article 500 bis, in particular, enables judges to impose sentences of up to five years in prison on any Bahai for sharing their beliefs with others.

Bahais do not proselytize, but the freedom to share ones beliefs with others is an inalienable right under the principles of freedom of religion and belief and an inseparable part of Bahai life, Ms. Dugal said. Iran must act on this latest United Nations resolution by respecting the rights of the Bahaisincluding their right to follow their faith and to share it with others.

CONTACT: James Samimi Farr U.S. Baha'i Office of Public Affairs 202.833.8990 jsamimifarr@usbnc.org




ViacomCBS chief Bob Bakish was forced to apologize to staff on Wednesday after statements he made during a company-wide town hall about return-to-work plans were seen as insensitive by some employees.

Bakish was hosting one of his Bob Live discussions with Chief Technology Officer Phil Wiser and Chief People Officer Nancy Phillips when he began musing that the move back into a combination of remote work and a return to offices was the greatest social experiment of recent history. Bakish also was discussing the past two years of working during the COVID-19 pandemic, one that has seen many employees transition to working from their homes. The theme of his comments, according to one knowledgable individual, was that the public health crisis has made it necessary for companies and their employees to become more adaptable.

More from Variety

However, some staffers believed that the ViacomCBS chief meant that the pandemic and not the shifts in workplace culture sparked by the crisis was the social experiment in question. That prompted a series of negative comments on ViacomCBSs internal chat feature, which allows staffers to post questions and responses to speakers in real time. Bakishs comments came roughly 40 minutes into an hour-long talk, according to three people with knowledge of his remarks.

As part of the presentation, Bakish and other ViacomCBS executives yielded the stage to a taped bit in which Late Show host Stephen Colbert saluted essential workers. When he returned, Bakish quickly apologized to for using the phrase social experiment in the context of Covid.

I didnt mean to offend anyone who has lost loved ones or lost friendswhat I meant was its a phenomenon thats impacted everyone around the globe, Bakish said. He went to apologize to anyone offended by that characterization.

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ViacomCBS has set Jan. 10 as the date it wants staffers to return to the office for 50% of the time. However, given the recent surge in cases of COVID in states like New York where the company is headquartered, some employees felt that Bakishs comments didnt reflect the worsening situation. Bakishs Bob Live discussions usually take place every four to six weeks.

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Following the sale, Wireless Telecom Group plans to focus its business strategy on its higher-growth, higher-margin test and measurement and 5G product and software businesses



Parsippany, New Jersey, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wireless Telecom Group, Inc. (NYSE American: WTT) (the Company) today announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Microlab LLC radio frequency components business to RF Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: RFIL) for an aggregate cash consideration of $24.25 million. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by the board of directors of both companies, is subject to various terms and conditions, including approval by Wireless Telecom Groups shareholders. The Company will file a proxy statement regarding the proposed transaction with the Security and Exchange Commission (the SEC) as described below.

Todays announcement accelerates Wireless Telecom Groups transformation into a leading test and measurement, and specialized 5G software service solutions provider. After the transaction is completed, we will be debt free and have approximately $17.0 million in cash and cash equivalents, said Tim Whelan, CEO of Wireless Telecom Group, Inc. We believe the benefits of a strengthened balance sheet and streamlined business model will drive improvements to our strategy for long-term profitable growth as we focus on our other higher-growth, higher-margin businesses.

Mr. Whelan continued: We are guided by driving shareholder value and we have transformed our business, increasing the size of our total addressable market, adding new higher value software solutions, and expanding our portfolio of new cutting-edge products. As a result, consolidated gross margins have increased significantly and we are expecting to benefit from larger market growth opportunities in 5G private networks, small cell deployments, and highly demanding test and measurement solutions.

Following the sale, our strategy will continue to focus on our specialized software and test and measurement solutions to address customers unique pain points developing their differentiated solutions in the semiconductor, satellite, aerospace and defense sectors. I am excited by the direction we are heading, and Wireless Telecom Group will continue to evaluate all opportunities to create significant value for our shareholders, continued Mr. Whelan.

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At the completion of the transaction, Wireless Telecom Group will be comprised of Boonton, Holzworth and Noisecom brands within its test and measurement product group, and the CommAgility brand within its radio, baseband, and software product group. The transaction will allow Wireless Telecom Group to prepare for the next stage of transformation with a stronger concentration of revenues and the ability to focus its investments on long-term and high-growth opportunities, including satellite communications, 5G small cell and private network deployments, and growth in applications related to semiconductor testing, military and defense spending and quantum computing.

Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC is serving as exclusive financial advisors to Wireless Telecom Group and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP is acting as legal advisor.

B. Riley Securities is serving as the financial advisor to RF Industries and DLA Piper is acting as legal advisor.

About Wireless Telecom Group, Inc.

Wireless Telecom Group, Inc., comprised of Boonton, CommAgility, Holzworth, Microlab and Noisecom, is a global designer and manufacturer of advanced RF and microwave components, modules, systems, and instruments. Serving the wireless, telecommunication, satellite, military, aerospace, semiconductor and medical industries, Wireless Telecom Group products enable innovation across a wide range of traditional and emerging wireless technologies. With a unique set of high-performance products including peak power meters, signal generators, phase noise analyzers, signal processing modules, LTE PHY/stack software, power splitters and combiners, GPS repeaters, public safety components, noise sources, and programmable noise generators, Wireless Telecom Group enables the development, testing, and deployment of wireless technologies around the globe. Wireless Telecom Group is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, in the New York City metropolitan area, and maintains a global network of Sales and Service offices for excellent product service and support. Wireless Telecom Groups website address is http://www.wirelesstelecomgroup.com.

About RF Industries, Inc.

RF Industries designs and manufactures a broad range of interconnect products across diversified, growing markets, including wireless/wireline telecom, data communications and industrial. The Company's products include RF connectors, coaxial cables, data cables, wire harnesses, fiber optic cables, custom cabling, energy-efficient cooling systems and integrated small cell enclosures. The Company is headquartered in San Diego, California with additional operations in Long Island, New York, Vista, California, Milford, Connecticut and North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Please visit the RF Industries website at www.rfindustries.com.

Important Information for Investors and Shareholders

This press release may be deemed solicitation material in respect of the proposed sale by the Company of its subsidiary Microlab LLC. In connection with the proposed transaction, the Company will file relevant materials with the SEC, including a definitive proxy statement that will be mailed to shareholders of the Company. INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and shareholders will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement (when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by the Company through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, the proxy statement and our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are available free of charge through our website at www.wirelesstelecomgroup.com as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC.

Certain Information Regarding Participants

The Company and its directors and executive officers may be considered participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of the Company is set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, which was filed with the SEC on March 19, 2021 and its proxy statement for its 2021 annual meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 22, 2021. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitations and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction when they become available. You may obtain these documents (when they become available) free of charge through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In some cases, such forward-looking statements may be identified by terms such as believe, expect, seek, may, will, intend, project, anticipate, plan, estimate, guidance, or similar words. Forward-looking statements include, among others, that after the transaction is completed we will be debt free and have cash and cash equivalents of $17.0 million, our belief that the benefits of a strengthened balance sheet and streamlined business model will drive significant value, our expectation to benefit from significant market growth opportunities and our current strategy for long-term growth. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could materially affect actual results, including but not limited to, , the ability of our management to successfully implement our business plan and strategy after the divestiture of Microlab, the impact that the evolving COVID-19 pandemic may have on our business, our supply chain, freight costs and the economy in the future, our ability to hire and retain key personnel with appropriate technical abilities, our dependency on capital spending by our customers and end users, our dependency on the deployment of 4G LTE and 5G NR private networks and related services to grow our business, the impact of the loss of any significant customers, product demand and development of competitive technologies in our market sector, the impact of competitive products and pricing, our abilities to protect our intellectual property rights, our ability to manage risks related to our information technology and cyber security, among others. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated or projected. These risks and uncertainties are disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 as supplemented and revised by the risks and uncertainties set forth in the Companys subsequent reports filed with the SEC. The Companys forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, as except as required by law.

Company Contact:

Mike Kandell 973-386-9696

Investor Relations Contact:

SM Berger and Company 216-464-6400




Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 17, 2021) - World Copper Ltd. (TSXV: WCU) (OTCQB: WCUFF) ("World Copper" or the "Company"), provides the public and its shareholders with a corporate update.

A Message from World Copper's CEO, Nolan Peterson:

"My fellow stakeholders, I greet you at an exciting time for World Copper. As the New Year approaches and we naturally look to the future, I would like to take this opportunity to provide you all with an update on our exciting prospects, while also reflecting on a busy past year. While we all prepare for the upcoming holiday season and time with our families and loved ones, rest assured that our tireless efforts to build World Copper continue unabated. Merry Christmas, Season's Greetings and a Happy New Year to all."

2021 in Review:

Much of our efforts this year focused on laying the foundations for the Company's future and 2021 will be viewed as a formative year for World Copper. In January the Company listed on the TSX-V and traded publicly for the first time. In April we announced the merger with Cardero Resource Corp. to acquire the Zonia project in Arizona. We have successfully navigated the merger process and are now on the cusp of completing this acquisition. (See new releases of April 20, 2021; June 9, 2021; September 20, 2021; November 9, 2021 and December 13, 2021).

In August we announced the most significant update to our flagship asset, Escalones, in many years, by re-defining the resource as a copper oxide resource (see news release of August 23, 2021). This opportunity, created by our skilled geology team, has set Escalones and World Copper on the path to becoming a household name in the mining community, with the largest copper oxide project in exploration and development in Chile.

Management is focused on developing World Copper into a mining company. Throughout the year we have engaged in intensive investor outreach, through numerous webinars, one-on-one meetings and attendance at in-person events. The Company's story has been well received and excitement continues to build worldwide as our reputation grows. We pride ourselves on our open communication with stakeholders and delivering on commitments and expectations in a timely manner.

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Escalones Status:

Escalones is our flagship asset and has become the crown jewel in our portfolio. The update to Escalones resource statement, re-defining the resource as an oxide copper deposit, has allowed the Company to fast-track a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for Escalones. This PEA is expected to be delivered in early Q1 2022. The PEA will be the first publicly issued economics for the Escalones project and will provide a clear indicator of the potential value of the property. We are excited for the results to come and our opportunity to share them with stakeholders.

While we advance Escalones down a development path, significant blue sky exploration potential exists with drilling of the four other large footprint targets at Escalones. The first and most attractive target is the "Mancha Amarilla" immediately south of and adjacent to the existing defined resource. We expect to have received necessary drill permits and start a drill program on this target in January of 2022. Favorable results of this program would allow us to potentially grow the existing resource substantially, enlarging and making more valuable that which is already a fantastic resource.

Developing The World's Greenest Copper Project:

Copper is a critical component required for the "Green Revolution" to happen, and for the world's efforts to transition to an electric economy to be successful. With Escalones, World Copper has the opportunity to not only leverage into this future by supplying the world with copper, but also doing it in the greenest manner possible. This is not simply an unrealistic marketing slogan (AKA Greenwashing) but a quantifiable, achievable objective, borne out of Escalones' unique geographical location and substantiated by state-of-the-art modern technologies available on the market today. Stakeholders can take comfort in knowing that this initiative is genuine and achievable and driven at the highest levels of the organization. Look for more news in the future as we continue to integrate this into our Escalones development plans.

Zonia Status:

In 2022 we will look to welcome Zonia into our portfolio of projects. Zonia is significantly undervalued and as such we will look to begin rewriting the story on Zonia with a PEA Update in early 2022 to repeat the success of Escalones. Concurrently with that, we will plan to start definition drilling of the main resource in preparation for more detailed engineering studies (PFS/FS) as well as a program targeting the north eastern anomaly at Zonia which has the potential to expand the resource significantly. Our aim will be to turn Zonia into an Escalones-sized resource in the Arizona a premier jurisdiction for mining development.

Outlook 2022:

The Company is poised for continued sustained growth in 2022 as we build off of the expected successes from our early 2022 program. We will aim to advance and plan the next phase of drilling at Escalones, and continue developing other exploration targets within that property concurrently, to further understand the resource and advance exploration and development of Zonia in parallel. Copper demand is expected to remain strong in the near-term and strengthen over the long-term further adding tailwinds to our endeavours. We look forward to continuing to provide updates throughout the upcoming year with continued investor outreach programs.

Upcoming Amvest Webinar:

Further to these updates, the Company announces that CEO Nolan Peterson will be presenting a World Copper overview along with the latest company developments in a live webinar format taking place on Tuesday, December 21st at 1:05pm PT / 4:05pm ET.

The webinar will be hosted by Amvest Capital and participants are encouraged to register for the webinar at https://www.amvestcapital.com/webinar-directory/worldcopper122121.

Upcoming Conferences & Events in 2022:

World Copper also announces that it will be attending the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference ("VRIC") from January 16-17th, the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada ("PDAC") from March 10-11th in Toronto, Canada and the CRU World Copper Conference from March 29-30th in Santiago, Chile. The Company looks forward to meeting with investors and stakeholders at all three events, and will be providing additional details for the events in the weeks to come.

About VRIC

The Vancouver Resource Investment Conference has been the bellwether of the junior mining market for the last twenty-five years. It is the number one source of information for investment trends and ideas, covering all aspects of the natural resource industry. Each year, the V.R.I.C. hosts over 60 keynote speakers, 350 exhibiting companies and 9000 investors. Investment thought leaders and wealth influencers provide our audiences with valuable insights. C-suite company executives covering every corner of the mineral exploration sector as well as metals, oil & gas, renewable energy, media and financial services companies are available to speak one on one. This is a must-attend for investors and stakeholders in the global mining industry. For more information, including event registration, please visit the VRIC website.

About PDAC

The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada event is considered to be the world's premier mineral exploration and mining convention for people, companies and organizations in, or connected to, the mineral exploration industry. This four-day annual event will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, in Toronto, Canada. For more information, including event registration, please visit the PDAC website.

About CRU World Copper Conference

Annually, almost 500 senior executives, including the most influential copper market executives, convene at this crucial copper industry conference. Delegates and speakers at CRU's World Copper Conference are among the most knowledgeable participants in the industry, and an important source of opinion on the myriad issues that could influence the market. The international attendees represent the complete copper value chain from miners, to smelters, traders and end-users, as well as high-level government representatives. For more information, including event registration, please visit the CRU World Copper Conference website.

ABOUT WORLD COPPER LTD.

World Copper Ltd., headquartered in Vancouver, BC, is a Canadian resource company focused on 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 April 20, 2021; June 9, 2021; September 20, 2021; November 9, 2021 and December 13, 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

For further information, or to schedule a Zoom meeting with Management, please contact:

Nolan Peterson or Michael Pound

Phone: 604-638-3665

E-mail: info@worldcopperltd.com

For all Investor Relations inquiries, please contact:

John Liviakis

Liviakis Financial Communications Inc.

Phone: 415-389-4670

For all Public Relations inquiries, please contact:

Nancy Thompson

Vorticom, Inc.

Office: 212-532-2208 | Mobile: 917-371-4053

Follow Us:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WorldCopperLtd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldCopperLtd

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/worldcopperltd

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/107866
BEIJING, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A freight train carrying 41 containers of wood from Hanoi, Vietnam arrived in Linyi City of east China's Shandong Province on Monday.

Photo shows the Vietnam-Linyi freight train from Hanoi, Vietnam arrives in Linyi City of east China's Shandong Province on December 13.

This train is one of the "Qilu" Eurasian freight trains operated by Shandong Hi-speed Group Co., Ltd., and its arrival marks the realization of the two-way trips by "Qilu" Eurasian freight trains between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Shandong.

It is also the first import cargo train from Vietnam to Linyi, as well as from Southeast Asia to Linyi.

The operation of the train will significantly benefit enterprises in the Linyi Trade City, and is of great significance for promoting economic cooperation between these enterprises and the Belt and Road countries and regions, said Li Changcheng, Party chief and chairman of Linyi Trade City Holding Group, a state-owned company in Linyi, and also the importer of the wood.

It will meet the local demand for wood raw materials, greatly reduce the procurement and logistics costs, improve the logistics efficiency, and promote the sustainable development of the wood industry in the Linyi Trade City, added Li.

"The Vietnam-Linyi freight train is also the first cross-border freight train business between the Linyi Trade City and Southeast Asian countries," said Li, "Next year, we will leverage opportunities brought by the construction of the Belt and Road comprehensive pilot zone in Linyi to strengthen trade with countries along the Belt and Road, and continue to open China-Europe, China-Asia and China-Vietnam freight trains, driving plates, building materials and other products in Linyi to go global and introducing wood, ore and other products, and boosting the transformation and upgrading of the foreign trade business in the Linyi Trade City."

ASEAN is a key region in the Belt and Road construction, as well as the largest trading market for Shandong and Linyi. ASEAN and China are each other's largest trading partner.

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Known as the "famous marketplace in China" and the "logistics capital of China", Linyi is a key window for international economic and trade exchanges between China and ASEAN. It is also a well-known wood processing base in China with a large and stable demand for wood raw materials. The operation of the Vietnam-Linyi freight train provides a new logistics solution for Linyi to import wood raw materials from Vietnam.

Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/325403.html

SOURCE Xinhua Silk Road
City Councilman Jason Graham requested that officials take more time to review Morris ideas, and the other council members agreed.

Morris believes her plan is better than the other two for a variety of reasons.

She said it keeps the Cowan Boulevard communities in Ward 1 intact; groups together more of the University of Mary Washington areas into Ward 2; groups similar communities off Plank Road/William Street west of U.S. 1 into Ward 3; keeps Ward 4 exactly the way it is; avoids the racial gerrymander in the citys Plan B; and no incumbent is drawn out of his or her district.

The three plans are a reaction to census data that demonstrated that Ward 1, which includes the Idlewild subdivision, is too large by 1,946 residents.

Ward 2 is 1,455 residents short of its target. Ward 3 is 515 residents too small and Ward 4 is just right, with only 25 fewer citizens than the target.

With more than 28,000 residents in Fredericksburg, the target for each ward is 7,055 people. The districts must be within 5 percent of that number, which means the wards must have anywhere from 6,702 to 7,408 residents.

City staff has yet to run the numbers to ensure Morris plan meets the population requirements. Johnston said he believes it would work.

Taft Coghill Jr: 540/374-5526 tcoghill@freelancestar.com

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The University of Mary Washington has begun to demolish one of a pair of residence halls built in the late 1990s.

Alvey Hall was completed in 1990 and was a sought-after residence hall because it was built with central air conditioning.

It has been closed since the summer 2018, when mold was discovered in the building and in its twin, Arrington Hall.

Arrington Hall reopened following mold remediation, but Alvey, which had housed 113 upper-class residents, has remained closed.

According to a September 2018 report to the Board of Visitors, plans were in the works to gut and completely renovate Alvey Hall, with construction slated to start in 2019 and a planned reopening in fall 2020.

The university intended to use a portion of $24.5 million in bond proceeds in 2018 and 2019 to pay for the renovation of Alvey Hall and Virginia Hall, according to a summary of capital projects presented to the Board of Visitors in November 2018.

The summary noted that UMW [is] evaluating whether retention and renovation of Alvey is required for near/mid-term use based on a bed-count and revenue analysis.

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Twenty-two Fremont Public Schools students werent in school on Thursday due to a positive COVID-19 test.

Another 58 students were not in school due to quarantine for exposure to COVID-19, a press release from FPS stated. The total number of students absent Thursday for any illness was 153.

Two employees were not working Thursday due to a positive COVID-19 test while one was not working due to quarantine for COVID-19 exposure. There were 36 certified teaching staff not at work Thursday for any reason.

The current number of students and staff out of school due to a positive test represents less than 1% of the student body and staff.

Three Rivers Public Health Department is offering a community vaccine clinic from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 4, at Washington Elementary, and from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, at Johnson Crossing Academic Center.

Parents must accompany their child and provide permission for the vaccine.

Vaccines are also available at local pharmacies and at Three Rivers Public Health Department on Tuesdays and Fridays. More information is available https://www.threeriverspublichealth.org/COVID-19.

Three Rivers Public Health is offering free community testing in conjunction with Total Wellness.

Testing will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and 1-5:30 p.m. Fridays at 210 East Military Ave. in Fremont.

There is no school Dec. 17 through Jan. 3. Students will return to school on Tuesday, Jan. 4.

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WSU monitoring public health data in light of Omicron variant

Washington State University continues to track conditions across the state with regards to the Omicron variant of COVID19.

Decision-making concerning campus operations will continue to be informed by data and guidance from state and county health agencies. WSU leaders remain confident that, based on current conditions, the Spring 2022 semester will be inperson at all physical campuses.

As of earlier this week, there are less than 10 active COVID19 cases across the entire system. High rates of vaccination among students and employees bolsters WSU against the threat posed by Omicron and mitigate the risk of severe illness within local communities.

Anyone over the age of 16 is eligible for a booster shot, and we encourage all members of the WSU community to obtain a COVID19 booster as soon as possible. Boosters are proving to be largely effective against Omicron. The state of Washingtons Vaccine Locator tool can help residents find a vaccine or booster nearby. Though Cougar Health Services is also planning to increase its number of boosters available to students on the WSU Pullman campus following the winter break, dont wait until January if you are eligible now.

Unvaccinated populations face the greatest threat from the Omicron variant, according to the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thats why it is critically important that any unvaccinated members of the WSU community seek out the COVID19 vaccine with urgency.

Face masks will continue to be critical in preventing the spread of illness during the holiday season. The university implores Cougs to keep their masks on indoors, especially when there are large numbers of people of unknown vaccination status. With the arrival of winter, its also important for everyone to get a seasonal flu shot to help reduce the spread of illness.

Leaders at each WSU campus are monitoring conditions within their communities and will take appropriate action to protect public health. Updates will continue to be provided in the coming weeks.
By August 15, several thousand Taliban fighters had encircled the Afghan capital, Kabul, after seizing most of the country in a blistering military offensive against the Western-backed Afghan government.

With the militants at the city gates, President Ashraf Ghani and his close team of advisers were at the Arg presidential palace. Among them was National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib, the presidents righthand man.

In the afternoon, Ghani, his wife, Mohib, and several other close aides boarded an Mi-17 helicopter and flew to neighboring Uzbekistan from where they eventually made it to the United Arab Emirates.

The internationally recognized government in Kabul, propped up by nearly two decades of foreign military and economic assistance, had collapsed. The last U.S. and NATO forces that were scheduled to leave the country by August 30 retreated to Kabuls airport.

But the circumstances under which the government crumbled and the president left the country remain contested.

U.S. media reports have quoted unreleased documents and unnamed American officials as saying Ghani fled the country before the Taliban had breached the city. The Taliban has said it only entered Kabul after receiving news of Ghanis escape and in consultation with Washington. U.S. officials have said a deal had been agreed a day earlier for Ghani to hand over power to the Taliban.

In an exclusive interview with RFE/RLs Radio Azadi recorded on December 15, Mohib disputed that version of events.

He said despite the Taliban's pledges not to enter the city of some 6 million people, its fighters were spotted in many parts of the city. To prevent fighting in Kabul, Mohib said a decision was made at the very last minute to leave the country.

He said that keeping in mind Afghanistans tumultuous history -- in which most of its leaders have either been killed or exiled in violent invasions, power struggles, coups, and rebellions -- they decided leaving was their only option.

We had concluded that if the president stayed in Kabul, it would only foment a civil war, he said via Skype from the United States. It would have only created another tragedy for Afghanistan in which the governments collapse would have been accompanied by the humiliation and hanging of yet another leader.

When the Taliban first seized control of Kabul in 1996, it brutally tortured and executed former President Mohammad Najibullah, Afghanistans last communist leader, who had been living in a United Nations compound.

Mohib added: The situation was changing every hour [on August 15]. We had lost control of our army, police, and intelligence forces.

However, a December 10 investigation by the New Yorker magazine, based on a trove of unreleased U.S. documents, suggested Mohib and Ghani had first deliberated leaving Kabul in July, just as the Taliban had launched a major military offensive to seize power.

Ghani, according to the story, had ordered the head of presidential security to develop an escape plan to neighboring Tajikistan or Uzbekistan using the Afghan presidents four Mi-17 helicopters.



On August 14, the day before Kabul fell, Mohib asked a contact at the U.S. State Department for help with the evacuation and even made a written request.



I would like to request that I and PG be included in your evacuation plan in case the political settlement doesnt work, the magazine quoted a purported text message from Mohib to a U.S. government contact as saying. Many of the Afghan leaders confidants and their foreign interlocutors referred to Ghani as PG in their communications.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said in a December 15 interview that the Taliban had agreed to a deal that would pave the way for a negotiated power-sharing agreement and a peaceful transfer of power. But he said Ghanis escape from Kabul scuttled those plans.

Mohib rejected Karzais claims.

The Taliban refused to engage [seriously with us] for three years, he said. How could they have agreed to such a deal when they knew that the U.S. withdrawal was almost complete?

Still, Mohib said Ghani was ready to transfer power and was planning to send a delegation to Qatar to hold talks with the Taliban on August 15, before the decision was made to leave the country.

We were talking to the Americans about going to Doha to negotiate with the Taliban, he said. The main points of the talks would have been how could we have an inclusive government and what mechanism to be used to transfer power to the Taliban.



Mohib, who studied computer systems engineering in Britain, pinned the blame for the fall of the government mostly on the United States, Kabuls key ally.

In 2018, U.S. negotiators launched direct negotiations with the Taliban over an agreement that would pave the way for the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country. After nearly two years of grueling talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, the sides signed a deal in February 2020. Kabul, however, was not a party to the talks or the agreement.

The republic began to crumble on the day the Americans began direct negotiations with the Taliban in Doha without the Afghan government being involved in the talks, Mohib said.

U.S. envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, an Afghan-born American diplomat, was the architect of the deal. Many considered the agreement lopsided, heavily favoring the Taliban while undermining the legitimacy of Ghani's government.

[Khalilzad's] failure was that he could not gain trust of Afghanistans president and the Afghan people in regard to the [peace] process, Mohib said.

Khalilzad himself has blamed Ghani for the debacle.



We were all surprised by the intransigence of President Ghani in insisting on staying in power till his term ended, despite the fact that he had come out re-elected in a fraudulent election that very few Afghans participated in, Khalilzad said in October.

Mohib said the new Taliban regime was unlikely to survive because it was repeating the same mistakes of the ousted republic, which excluded the Taliban after other Afghan political factions agreed on power-sharing in the wake of the U.S.-led invasion in 2001.



Afghans and the international community will not recognize and agree to the repressive and exclusionary [political] system they are attempting to run, he said.
Hurricane-force winds toppled trucks, downed power lines and uprooted trees throughout Colorado Springs and much of the state Wednesday.

A windstorm with gusts over 90 mph plagued Colorado Springs and El Paso County throughout the day, causing multiple power and internet outages affecting a peak of 34,000 customers.

Several semitrucks were blown over  some spilling hazardous materials  and structure fires occurred, city and county officials said in a virtual joint news briefing.

The windstorm was caused by a low pressure system characterized by a tight gradient of surface pressure differences, said Paul Steward, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pueblo. Steward added that the wind storm was assisted by the temperature drop brought on by morning snow squalls.

Ted Skroback, spokesman for Colorado Springs Utilities, said that while they had all hands on deck and that crews would be responding to issues throughout the night, overnight outages were still expected in some areas. He said that at around 3 p.m., over 34,000 customers were affected by power outages, the peak for the day according to Utilities' webpage timeline.

One particularly-affected area was the Old North End neighborhood just north of downtown. Near a peculiar intersection where Palmer Park Boulevard cuts through Cedar and Yampa Streets diagonally, there was nearly a downed tree on every block.

Tom Stevens who lives in the neighborhood had pieces of his neighbor's rooftop in his front yard after wind gusts uprooted a Blue Spruce tree. Just a few doors down, crews with Colorado Springs Utilities were cleaning up a downed Ponderosa Pine tree. Stevens said the Ponderosa is the second tree that has fallen in two years for that particular neighbor.

As the winds died, the neighbors began walking around, checking in on each other and surveying the streets covered with branches, snapped power lines and pine needles.

"The main concern now is just the power," Stevens said. "I expect it to be out into the night....We're not gonna open the fridge that's for sure. It'll be a three-dog night. Nah, it won't be that cold."

Stevens who has lived in his home since 1983, said he and his wife were praying for safety as the winds beat his house. The two were prepared though, Stevens said they had secured items in the home the night prior.

Similarly, Mark Misfeldt, who lives a few blocks away, knew the tree in his yard was going to come down. The tree had been leaning since the bomb cyclone in 2019. Misfeldt's tree fell as he returned from a doctor's appointment. Luckily the tree landed in the street and no one was injured.

Misfeldt said the tree was 70-feet high.

City forester Dennis Will advised people not to touch downed power lines, and not to try to cut up downed trees unless theyre experienced in using saws. Will said that was because trees toppled by wind are often under significant stress, and can cause injuries when inexperienced sawyers cut into them.

Were gonna work on the trees as fast as we can, were mobilizing a fairly large group of sawyers to go to work tomorrow morning, Will said. We found most of the damage was south of Fillmore, north of Cimarron, east of I-25, and west of Union, so thats the block were gonna be working on mostly tomorrow.

Will also noted that in some cases, residents will need to determine whether a downed tree is on public or a private property before calling the forestry department for help. Guidance can be found at the countys windstorm webpage, but Will noted a good rule of thumb is to judge if the tree fell between a sidewalk and a public curb or gutter.

Colorado Springs Fire Department chief Randy Royal said that firefighters responded to several structure fires caused by wind activity throughout the day, two of which were working fires that required more resources to subdue.

He said that fire crews also responded to a number of hazardous materials calls, most of which resulted from overturned trucks, but one of which included the Chapel Hills Mall, which was fully evacuated just after 2 p.m. because of a broken gas line caused by wind activity. The mall was quickly cleared and people were allowed back in around 2:30 p.m.

Royal said the department in a typical 24-hour period runs around 200 calls. On Wednesday, he said firefighters received nearly 650 calls between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Due to the number of trucks and other high-profile vehicles being toppled by winds, the Colorado Department of Transportation restricted high-profile vehicles from traveling on EL Paso County roadways, the Colorado Springs city officials tweeted at 1:20 p.m. That restriction was lifted later Wednesday, according to a city press release.

Due to extreme high winds in the area, @ColoradoDOT is restricting travel of high profile vehicles in El Paso County. High Wind Restriction in place for all high-profile vehicles on the following State roadways in El Paso County: I 25, CO 21 (Powers Blvd), US 24, Hwy 115 & CO 83.  City of Colorado Springs (@CityofCOS) December 15, 2021

Several services and buildings throughout the city closed in response to the wind storm, including Mountain Metro bus services and the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. The Evergreen and Fairview cemeteries were also closed to anyone not attending services through at least Thursday for cleanup, the city said in the release.

City officials noted in the release that at least one warming shelter, at First United Methodist Church at 420 North Nevada Avenue, was opened for anyone in need. They noted the church wasnt equipped for overnight stays and was just a warming shelter.

Kevin Mastin, executive director of the El Paso County Department of Public Works, said at the press briefing that the winds in some cases caused breaches in fences and gates responsible for corralling livestock, and that the department was working with brand inspectors to identify animals' owners and get them home. He added that outside of Colorado Springs, the county hadn't seen the extensive damage the city had.

He and Corey Farkas, with the city's public works department, said their respective departments were assisting other departments in cleanup throughout the city and the county.

Farkas noted the last time the city saw a storm "similar to this, it took us the better part of two to three weeks to get all the big stuff cleaned up."

City and county officials asked residents to use the citys app or the countys website to report downed public trees caused by the windstorms, adding that calls to 911 and other emergency lines were being inundated with non-emergency calls.

Smith said that preparations for the storm began on Monday, and said regional agencies were better coordinated and prepared than they were in 2017. Royal noted that most of the damage was done to roofs and other property, and that he hadn't received any reports of fatalities connected to the storm.

"The lessons we learned from 2017 we certainly improved on during this event, so my hat's off to all our first responders, they were ready to go," Smith said. "I also appreciate the citizens, for what they've been through. I think we've been very fortunate during this event."
Colorado Springs Utilities crews worked Thursday to get people back online after a windstorm Wednesday knocked out power to tens of thousands.

At a press conference, Travas Deal, Utilities' chief operating officer, updated the total number of customers affected during Wednesday's wind storm to 40,000. As of 11 a.m., he said, that number had been whittled down to around 10,000. Late Thursday, officials with Colorado Springs Utilities said that estimates to get all customers restored Friday were optimistic. Due to the extensive damage around the city, all repairs won't be complete until Saturday officials announced via Twitter. Repairs are taking significant time due to crews needing to clear debris and trees to get to equipment.

"Our crews continue to work 24/7 until all our customers are back, working those 16-hour shifts with eight-hour rest periods," he said. "I feel good about our progress so far  like always, we wish it would be faster, but it takes a lot of time... we're hoping to make a lot of progress through the day tomorrow."

He added that for each of the over 50 downed utilities poles throughout the area, getting the poles back up requires six to eight hours of work.

The most impacted area of the storm, Utilities said in a release, was the Old North End and Patty Jewett neighborhoods.

Deal said Utilities is prioritizing larger outages with "higher buckets of people" before addressing smaller outages, and will continue to send updates on restoration efforts every three hours.

He added that those still impacted by smaller outages as nighttime approaches should take proper precautions, like not running generators inside or plugging them into a home, and reach out for help.

USAA and State Farm, the two largest property insurers in the Colorado Springs area, reported receiving more than 2,000 claims related to the storm by midday Thursday. Laura Propp, a USAA spokeswoman, said most of the claims the company has received in Colorado are property claims and low-severity wind claims.

Michael Bower, a State Farm spokesman, said most of the companys claims related to the storm were for damage covered under homeowners policy, with just 130 claims under auto policies. Both companies urge policyholders to make claims quickly, either by mobile application or one their website.

If homeowners make temporary repairs to prevent further damage, they should document their expenses, Propp said.

Carole Walker, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, an insurance industry trade group for Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, said the storm is not likely to rank as one of the states biggest insured catastrophes. Most of the damage from windstorms is to trees, bushes and other landscaping, which typically is minor and requires cleanup rather than repairs or replacement, she said.

Walker said that for minor damage, homeowners should determine whether the maintenance costs should be paid for out of pocket or through a wind or hail deductible, if they have it. Those who saw more significant damage should be covered by insurance for wind damage, she said, and should get in touch with their insurance agent immediately.

"We always say  document it, take photographs immediately, and then make some temporary repairs, and then hang onto those receipts for temporary repairs, because then if you do file a claim, that would be covered under your insurance claim," she said.

Walker added that for those who had private trees fall and crush fences with neighbors, people will need to work out whose property the fence was on and file a claim with that person's insurance, unless neighbors have arranged a joint-ownership arrangement.

For trees that fall on a neighbor's home, for example, Walker said that unless the person whose property the tree originally stood on was negligent and should have chopped down the tree per neighbor or city requests, the person whose property the tree fell on is responsible for filing an insurance claim. The same, she said, applies for vehicle damage.

Deal said anyone planning to dig in their backyard to make repairs to downed fences should call 811 first to determine if there are any utilities lines they could be digging into. He also noted that those who saw damage to their residence's service line will need to be "proactive" and call a licensed electrician to fix the damage before Utilities restores power.

Wayne Heilman contributed to this report.
Criticism from a civil rights advocacy group about how Wreaths Across America conducts its annual laying of evergreen wreaths on deceased service members' graves each December led Republican Congressional Representatives Doug Lamborn of Colorado and Bob Good of Virginia to send an appeal Thursday to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough.

The letter signed by 45 colleagues requests that the VA, which oversees 155 cemeteries under the National Cemetery Administration, continue granting access to Arlington National Cemetery and similar sites across the country so that volunteers can lay wreaths at gravesites in honor of our nations fallen heroes.

I am disgusted that individuals are taking the war on Christmas to new levels by comparing wreaths to gang signs and attempting to stop this long-standing tradition. We must continue to accommodate volunteers as they honor and respect our fallen soldiers by laying Christmas wreaths, said Lamborn, who represents Colorados 5th Congressional District and is known for his advocacy for military funding and support.

Volunteers will place 2 million wreaths on headstones at more than 3,100 cemeteries across the nation on Saturday, according to Wreaths Across America spokeswoman Amber Caron.

All but nine national cemeteries are participating, she said, with the U.S. Senate designating Dec. 18 as Wreaths Across America Day for 2021.

But the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, a New Mexico-based organization that represents military separate of church and state cases, wants the VA or local cemeteries to obtain permission from families before setting wreaths on gravesites.

Otherwise, the practice constitutes desecration, said Mikey Weinstein, founder and president.

Weinstein, who is Jewish, considers the wreath as a symbol of the Christian observance of the birth of Jesus, celebrated as Christmas.

Caron told The Gazette in an article that published Dec. 4 they are not Christmas wreaths but veterans wreaths, designed to fulfill the organizations mission to remember all the fallen, honor those that serve in the military and their families, and teach the next generation the value of freedom.

Caron said volunteers for years have been instructed to not place wreaths on headstones that have the Jewish Star of David sign. It is not Jewish custom to leave live flowers or greenery on graves.

In response to a complaint Weinstein recently sent to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs about the event, a senior member of McDonoughs staff assured us Wreaths Across America will only put wreaths on Christian gravesites and leave graves alone with the Star of David, Weinstein said.

As has been the case, families' requests to the VA or cemeteries directly to opt out of wreath laying will be followed, the staff member said.

Weinstein isnt happy about the response.

Thats completely inadequate, he said. Were very disappointed in the Biden administration; the burden should not be on the families to opt out. Wreaths Across America should have to opt in. It should be up to them to see who wants the wreaths on the grave.

Lamborn and Cook write in their appeal to the VA: "Sadly, as Wreaths Across America Day approaches this year, an anti-Christian organization is attacking this recognition, calling it unconstitutional, a disgrace, and an atrocity, to honor our fallen soldiers in this way."

Says Weinstein: The VA has approved 74 faiths for their symbols and icons on headstones, but the only ones that get a blanket exemption are Jews, Weinstein said. We have Native Americans, Buddhists, Islamic, Shinto, Dao, atheists, agnostics, humanists, secularists and everybody else.

Wreaths Across America began informally at Arlington National Cemetery in December 1992, when a family who owns a wreath-making business in Maine donated their leftover stock to the Army-run cemetery in Virginia.

The organization gained nonprofit status in 2007, and the practice spread nationwide. The Senate first recognized Wreaths Across America Day in 2008.

Whether the VA would step in and prevent national cemeteries from participating is unknown. Lamborn spokeswoman Cassandra Sebastian said his office has not heard whether that would happen.

And whether the VA will respond to the letter Congressional leaders sent Thursday also is uncertain.

We sometimes get a response, Sebastian said. Thats hard to say."
LETTERS: Out of touch with the middle; bill could hurt small business
In this Sept. 4, 2020, file photo, Lauren Boebert, then the Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives seat in Colorado's vast 3rd Congressional District, attends a freedom cruise staged by her supporters in Pueblo West while wearing a "45" hat, referring to then-President Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States.
The Iowa Attorney Generals Consumer Protection Division is warning of a new ploy that schemers are using to threaten potential victims by claiming they owe a debt or fine. If the victim doesnt pay immediately, the scammers say, they could face arrest.

While these threats are untrue, the latest twist involves calling law enforcement and requesting a welfare check at the address of the victim. The appearance of an officer then gives the victim the impression the threats of arrest are legitimate, and they should pay the debt or fine to avoid such a fate.

The Attorney Generals Office urges consumers to be vigilant about potential scams and warn their loved ones of these frauds.

If you have been the victim of a scam, file a complaint at consumer@ag.iowa.gov or with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint or call 888-777-4590.

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Several Iowa media organizations and the ACLU of Iowa are suing Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and her staff, charging they broke Iowas open records law by failing to provide records about the Iowa State Patrols border deployment, private fundraising at the governors residence and Reynolds messages to meatpacking plant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, among other requests.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Polk County District Court, asks a judge to compel Reynolds to turn over the records  some more than a year overdue  and comply with Iowa Code Chapter 22.

We all wish this action today was not necessary, but we are long past the point when any delay could conceivably be seen as reasonable, Rita Bettis Austen, legal director for the ACLU of Iowa, said at a news conference Thursday afternoon.

In times of challenge like these, its even more important than ever than ever that reporters are able to do their work, she said.

The plaintiffs in the case are Laura Belin and her news organization, Bleeding Heartland; Clark Kauffman and his news organization, the Iowa Capital Dispatch; and Randy Evans and the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, which he leads as executive director.

The Freedom of Information Council represents news outlets across the state.

One of the neglected records requests cited in the lawsuit is a July 7 request The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette sent to the governors office seeking emails, communications or contracts about the State Patrols deployment to the U.S. border with Mexico. The governors office never provided any records related to this request.

She has acted as if the public records law does not apply to her, Evans said, as if theres an asterisk in this statute that says the governor is excused from having to comply with that laws requirements if its inconvenient or if it might prove to be embarrassing.

Belin is seeking the following records from the governors office:

 Video messages the governor may have recorded for meatpacking plant employees during the early weeks of the pandemic.

 Communications asking the governor to sign or veto certain legislation.

 Records of donations for the use of Terrace Hill for events for private organizations.

In the news conference, Belin said she kept her requests narrow to make them easier and faster to fulfill, but the requests went unanswered.

Iowas Open Records law was written so Iowa politicians could not do this kind of stonewalling, she said.

Kauffman requested information about a Terrace Hill fundraiser and communications regarding the former director of the Iowa Veterans Home, who was terminated after allegedly receiving salary overpayments. The facts regarding the basis for his termination are disputed.

In that case, a few but not all of the records Kauffman requested were provided, the ACLU reported.

Bettis Austen said the ACLU and other plaintiffs decided to take the governors office to court rather than file a complaint with the Iowa Public Information Board, which enforces Chapter 21 and Chapter 22, but has only fined violators twice in more than eight years, the Des Moines Register reported last month.

The governors office has not yet responded to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

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Construction workers have located what appears to be the 130-year-old time capsule placed under the Robert E. Lee pedestal, according to the governors office.

The box is expected to contain dozens of objects largely celebrating the Confederacy, including a rare portrait of Abraham Lincoln lying in his coffin, according to an inventory in newspaper archives.

Thats what we think, but we wont know for sure until we get it down, said Grant Neely, a spokesman for Gov. Ralph Northam who was at the scene Friday. Neely said the box appears to be 14 by 14 by 8 inches, which matches the measurements described in newspaper accounts from the time. He said excavating the box is likely to take several hours.

A crew searched unsuccessfully for the time capsule in September after the statue of Lee was removed. What workers found Friday was not where they expected to find it, said Paul DiPasquale, an artist and sculptor who designed a new time capsule for the site this year. Newspaper accounts at the time said the capsule was under the cornerstone, placed three years before the pedestal was finished.

On Friday morning just after 7 a.m., workers disassembling the pedestal reported something looked different and chiseled down with a hammer before discovering what appears to be the time capsule, according to a news release from Northams office. The time capsule located about 20 feet above the ground inside a large block under an inch of cement. According to the governors office, it appears to be largely undamaged.

If the box is confirmed to be the time capsule, it will be taken to the state Department of Historic Resources to be opened in a way that will protect the artifacts inside.

Workers continued trying to excavate it Friday morning as state employees began arriving at the circle where workers have been removing the 40-foot pedestal that until recently held the monument of Lee atop his horse.

One major question is the condition of the photo and the other artifacts. If the capsules lid came open at any point in the past 134 years, moisture would have crept into the box and destroyed many of its contents.

A copper box was created to serve as the time capsule by Capt. J.E. Phillips, one of the engineers excavating the property, according to historian Dale Brumfields research. Thirty-seven Richmond residents, organizations and businesses contributed artifacts. Among the items expected to be in the box in addition to the picture of Lincoln are:

A history of Monumental Church donated by George Fisher;

A collection of Confederate buttons from Cyrus Bossieux;

A copy of Carlton McCarthys Detailed Minutiae of Soldier Life in the Army of Northern Virginia given by J.W. Randolph & English publishers;

A guide to Richmond with a map of the city and a map of Virginia;

Three bullets, a piece of shell and a Minie ball lodged in a piece of wood from a Fredericksburg battle field, given by Frank Brown;

A bible from Thomas J. Starke;

Statistics of the city of Richmond from J.B. Halyburton;

A battle flag and a square and compass made from a tree over Stonewall Jacksons grave from J.W. Talley;

A $100,000 Confederate bond from John F. Mayer;

An English penny from 1812 from W.T. Moseley;

Oct 26, 1887, edition of the The Richmond Dispatch.
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(CNN)  Partial human remains found in a garbage bag nearly 40 years ago have been identified as belonging to Frank "Frankie" Little Jr., a member of the R&B band The O'Jays, according to police.

The Twinsburg Police Department in Ohio announced the news on Tuesday, saying DNA from relatives was used to help identify the remains found on Feb. 18, 1982. Police said that not much is known about Little's disappearance and death.

Little was raised in Cleveland, according to the news release. In the mid-'60s, he was a guitarist and songwriter for The O'Jays. The band released a statement to CNN saying that he was part of the band in the early days and that band members hadn't heard from him since.

"He came with us when we first ventured out of Cleveland and traveled to Los Angeles, but he also was in love with a woman in Cleveland that he missed so much that he soon returned back to Cleveland after a short amount of time," according to the statement.
A student reported finding a worm in broccoli served for school lunch on Fort Bragg, officials said.

Broccoli was pulled from schools on the North Carolina military base on Dec. 7 after a student said there was a worm in one of the servings, according to Col. Scott Pence, garrison commander at the Army installation.

Worms in food is definitely gross, but its reassuring to know that we have systems and processes to prevent it from happening again, Pence said in an emailed statement.

The worm sighting was reported during the 10:20 a.m. lunch period at Irwin Intermediate School, about 10 miles northwest of downtown Fayetteville. Officials said they took action within minutes.

We removed the broccoli from the serving line of all schools located at Fort Bragg, a Department of Defense Education Activity spokesperson told WTVD-Channel 11, The News & Observers media partner. Because students take a lunch break in successive waves, few students were affected by this.
We are pleased to hear that the Johnston County Board of Education is taking the step to investigate this matter, Legette said in a statement. We stand by patiently awaiting the results of the investigation and the information that will be released from that report.

Black students told to pick cotton

Concerns about racially motivated bullying first became public in late October after videos emerged of white students at Princeton High taunting Black classmates with Trump 2024 and Blue Lives Matter flags. Since then, other videos have appeared on social media of white students at several Johnston County schools using the N-word and other racial epithets.

Until recently, Brooklyn Edwards was a 15-year-old sophomore at Princeton High, about 40 miles east of Raleigh. She spoke at a November school board meeting about being called the N-word and a monkey multiple times by white students. She said white students have also told her she should kill herself so she could be reborn as a white girl.

In one example, Edwards said a white student called her the N-word before taking cotton out of his pocket and dropping it to the ground. He then told her to pick it up.






Accusing DPI of being adversarial

Torchlights leaders fired back at DPIs exceptional childrens division, accusing it and the Office of Charter Schools of taking an adversarial position against the school instead of trying to help resolve the problems.

Torchlight points to how DPIs exceptional childrens division is listed as being noncompliant with the U.S. Department of Education. School leaders say theyre being held to a higher standard for being non-compliant during the COVID-19 pandemic than DPI.

We do not claim to be perfect, and we are working diligently to correct all noncompliance, but we are deeply concerned the EC Division has failed to appropriately communicate with us and appears intent upon covering its own inability to provide actual and meaningful notice of alleged continuing violations and technical assistance that would resolve the outstanding concerns by supporting the school and the EC program, Torchlight says in its letter.
Quick responses from a resource officer and nurse saved the life of a 17-year-old North Carolina high school student after the teen suffered a cardiac episode last week, the Union County Sheriffs Office said Thursday.

Sheriffs Deputy Baucom saw Matthew Carter collapse at Piedmont High School in Monroe, the sheriffs office said in a news release. Baucom and school nurse Tracy Hamilton checked Carter and found he had no pulse and wasnt breathing.

Baucom and Hamilton administered CPR and applied an automated external defibrillator, the sheriffs office said. Carter underwent three rounds of chest compressions and rescue breathing.

His pulse returned and he started to breathe again, the sheriffs office said. Union EMS arrived and took Carter to a hospital for further medical treatment.

On Thursday, Carter and his family returned to school to thank those who helped save his life.

He is recovering well and his regaining his strength, his parents said.
GREENSBORO  The Guilford County Board of Commissioners on Thursday unanimously approved a $2 million economic development incentive for Piedmont Triad International Airport.

The request from the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce comes as the state is working to recruit a major aircraft manufacturer to the airport. To that end, the General Assembly has approved more than $106 million for PTI to prepare up to 1,000 acres if an unnamed company can meet certain thresholds.

The News & Observer of Raleigh has reported that company is Boom Supersonic, a Denver manufacturer that would use the site to build its Overture Jet. The plane would signal a return to commercial supersonic travel for the first time in almost 20 years.

According to the newspaper, officials are working on an agreement with the company and that work on the plant could begin in 2022 with the first plane rolling out in 2025.

Chamber CEO Brent Christensen did not refer to any company being recruited when he spoke to the commissioners, but said airport employment from a variety of companies has grown from 4,500 a decade ago to 8,600 now. He added that investment in the airport has a track record of paying off in economic growth.

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The three main agencies that work with refugee resettlement here, African Services Coalition, Church World Service and World Relief, are working night and day to do all they can. But after facing severe cutbacks during the last administration, they are doing that work without adequate funding or staffing. They need our help. The refugees, who are here in large part because they played a role in assisting the U.S. forces in Afghanistan, deserve our help.

We are a welcoming and generous people here in the Piedmont Triad. Faith communities, if you have not already done so, please consider sponsoring refugees. Training and support will be provided. If you are part of a group of friends willing to sponsor, again, support will be provided. If youd like to hear from some of us currently involved, let me know or contact one of the agencies. The need is great and it is urgent! If you cannot sponsor at this time, please consider making a donation to one of the resettlement agencies named above.

For those of us who follow one whose family faced the threat of violence and who was forced to flee for their lives, this is a profound way to enact our faith. For all of those who cherish this season of giving, I hope you will become part of this effort, this beautiful, unfolding story.

Julie Peeples is pastor of Congregational United Church of Christ in Greensboro.
Its just not natural not to have a State Fair, Troxler says of the event, which was canceled in 2020.

But wait a minute. This guys a Republican. What does he think hes doing?

What Troxler was doing was stating what should be obvious by now. The best hedge against COVID is, was and will be, for the foreseeable future, getting vaccinated.

The significance of getting a shot, and the consequences of not getting it, loom larger every day.

Though more and more Americans are throwing masks and caution to the wind, the virus is making it very plain that its not done with us yet.

Just when we thought it was safe to return to life as we once knew it, COVID has slinked back into the picture, and continues not only to spread like a wildfire in dry brush, but to kill as well.

As of this week, more than 800,000 Americans had died from the pandemic, more than in any other nation.

Even more disheartening is that more of us have lost our lives to COVID in 2021 than did in 2020.

Infections, hospitalizations and number of ICU patients are all ticking upward. Again.
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About 100 people attended the Helena Afghan Refugee Resettlement Team, or HARRT, planning meeting held Thursday night at St. Paul's United Methodist Church.

According to the executive director of local nonprofit Hands On Global and HARRT member Valerie Hellermann, the group expects about 15 Afghans to be resettled in Helena over the coming months -- some families and some single individuals. Helena's first Afghan refugee arrived several weeks ago and has family members in town, she previously told the Independent Record.

Hellermann said the group has secured some affordable housing but is in need of more. It is likely the largest hurdle facing resettlement efforts.

She also noted that local employers have offered to hire refugees.

"They will come fully vetted, many of them highly educated," Hellermann said. "We are confident that we are prepared to assist."

State Rep. Mary Ann Dunwell, D-Helena, has been a vocal advocate for the resettlement efforts in the community she represents. Dunwell could not attend the meeting, but in prepared remarks noted that such efforts will require "a village" to be successful.

"I sincerely believe that Helena is that welcoming village," Hellermann said.

Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins, a Liberian refugee himself, spoke of the challenges he faced acclimating to a new world, recalling his dismay at finding the words "go back to Africa" scrawled across his Helena home shortly after his arrival nearly 28 years ago.

Collins said the community rallied around him and his family and helped to wash the graffiti off of his house.

"This community wrapped their arms around me and my family," he said. "I know we can do this. ... That's why I'm confident it will work."

Collins also detailed the rigorous vetting process the refugees have undergone through numerous American government agencies.

During the collapse of Afghanistan in late August, the United States flew more than 83,000 people out of Kabul, including American citizens, green card holders and recipients of special immigration visas for aiding the United States during its 20-year war effort, according to official figures.

More than 300 personnel from multiple U.S. government agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Coast Guard, were deployed to military bases around the world where refugees were staged for screening. Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Defense Department and other federal agencies also assist with the vetting process, as reported by The Poynter Institute.

Fellow Helenan David Oclander served in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division Parachute Infantry Regiment and was among the first American troops on the ground in Afghanistan during the start of the war.

Oclander recalled to the crowd his work with Afghan interpreters and how their guidance saved countless lives during the war.

He said he worked to help resettle one of those interpreters to Chicago in 2017.

Oclander's father, also in Chicago, was ill during one of his final deployments. He said that interpreter and the interpreter's family visited his father when he could not.

"These are amazing people," Oclander said. "And they are going to be great contributors to our community."

Dr. Lisa Williams, the behavioral health director of PureView Health Center, shared information about post traumatic stress disorder, noting that refugees may exhibit symptoms.

Williams said the intensity of PTSD symptoms can vary, as can the time over which they manifest.

Her message was for people interacting with the Afghans moving to Helena to be patient and to consider both sides of the situation.

"Always keep that in mind," she said. "Continue to have conversations about that."

Several law enforcement officers were in attendance at the meeting, which drew some who are opposed to the resettlement of refugees. Three men walked out of the building shouting "stop white replacement."

A woman identifying herself as Pam Hensley Gladding emailed the mayor and Helena City Commission Wednesday to object to the resettlement of Afghans.

"I am highly disturbed by what this organization Hands On Global is doing to the Helena community," Gladding wrote in her email. "(B)ringing undocumented refugees from another country that just so happen to have Al Qaida (sic) terrorist's living among them to Helena just seems absurd."

Collins told the crowd Thursday night that he is receiving "derogatory emails daily."

"Yes, there will be fears, fears of the unknown, but let's be reasonable in our fear," Collins said. "There is no need to be attacking our neighbors for doing the right thing."

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One of the Helena City Commission's police reform working groups has presented its recommendations on the expansion of behavioral health services to city leadership, calling for less law enforcement response to mental health episodes within the community.

The group, established at the end of last summer during the height of civil unrest in Helena and abroad over the murder of George Floyd, was tasked with reviewing and making recommendations on Helena Police Department policies and procedures, including the handling of those in mental crisis.

HPD Chief Steve Hagen, who participated in the working groups, presented the latest recommendations to the city commission during its Wednesday evening administrative meeting.

This particular group met twice, once in September and once in October, before voting to send its recommendation to the commission.

Hagen said that while he believes local police in partnership with Lewis and Clark County's mobile crisis response team have done an "excellent job" in responding to mental health-related calls for service, "put simply, it's still not enough."

Hagen said the police department has been responding to numerous such calls in recent memory, citing cases of those with mental illnesses camping in the lobby of his department, homeless people being trespassed from local businesses repeatedly, and recent suicides.

The county's mobile crisis response team, implemented last fall and administered by St. Peter's Health, has responded to such calls in tandem with local law enforcement, which Hagen said has been helpful.

"I believe this is the direction we should continue to take and build on our mental health response program as a community, not just the police department," Hagen said.

The chief said his department needs more help "in the field."

"We don't need more folks sitting in the office," he said.

His proposal calls for an expansion of this model that would include some police-first response; some hybrid response of police and the mental crisis response team; and the addition of mental crisis response team response only.

Members of that team currently do not respond alone to calls for service, but Hagen said with the hiring of more mental and behavioral health specialists, the team could increase its capacity, take on a greater share of the burden and hopefully begin to reach people with mental health issues before they are in crisis.

The proposed model is fashioned after a more than 30-year-old model used in Eugene, Oregon, known as Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets, or CAHOOTS.

Despite the drastic increase in population within Lewis and Clark County, Hagen said his department has the same number of officers as of October 2021 as it did in 2001.

He hopes that an increase in mental and behavioral health specialists responding to non-violent individuals in crisis would free up more police officers "to help solve problems rather than just respond to problems."

He also shared the working group's recommendation to establish a small mental health task force to continuously monitor the community's success in this realm and make its own recommendations to community leaders.

Hagen further added that case managers need to be folded into such efforts. By his estimation, without dedicated individuals helping to assist those struggling with mental health by connecting them to local programs for things like housing and addiction counseling following a run-in with the law, his officers and the mobile crisis response team will continue to respond to the same individuals.

The city commissioners on Wednesday directed City Manager Rachel Harlow-Schalk to allocate $500,000 of its more than $8 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds into a separate pool to be drawn from for public safety purposes.

The city intends to further study its proposed contribution to the county's mobile crisis response program and work with their county counterparts to determine how best the city could fit into the work already being conducted.

"We really do need to have a larger conversation with the county on a few of these items," City Commissioner Emily Dean said. "They do have money available too, and I think there is opportunity."

City Commissioner Sean Logan has decried the spending of one-time ARPA funds on ongoing programs or projects since the beginning of discussions regarding the federal aid.

Logan said he is unsure why the city is moving forward independently of the county government and local health providers in allocating the money for the city's contribution to expand the program.

YWCA Helena Executive Director Jen Gursky encouraged the commissioners during public comment to also consider hiring a grant manager to "turn it into a five-year plus pilot program."

"I encourage you to really put your toe into the deep end of that water," Gurskuy said.

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Helena Regional Airport in Helena will receive $1,473,145, the first of five annual rounds of funding from the federal bipartisan infrastructure law, it was announced Thursday by the U.S. Department of Transportations Federal Aviation Administration.

The funds, part of $28.6 million awarded to Montanas 69 airports, can be used for runways, taxiways and safety, as well as terminal, airport-transit connections, roadways and sustainability projects.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the new funding will give urban, regional and rural airports the chance to work on projects that have waited for years, modernizing their infrastructure and building a better America.

Montana airports can submit projects they wish to use the funds on for FAA review in the coming weeks. The FAA said in a news release it encourages airports to prioritize projects that increase airport safety, equity and sustainability. The FAA also plans to do outreach with the minority business community on these opportunities.

The money comes from the Airport Infrastructure Grant program, one of three new aviation programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides $15 billion over five years for this program. The FAA estimates the backlog of airport modernization and safety projects totals $43.6 billion.

Jeff Wadekamper, director of Helena Regional Airport, said Thursday they already had plans in place on how to use such funds.

He said they will ask to use the money to help replace two airport rescue fire trucks. One of the trucks is for the airport and the other is for the training center.

Wadekamper also said another project would be to update the pavement condition index study to determine what runway pavements need to be worked on sooner than later.

The following commercial airports in Montana are estimated to receive funding during the first year of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law:

Bert Mooney in Butte: $1,016,824

Billings Logan International in Billings: $3,736,937

Bozeman Yellowstone International in Bozeman: $4,260,662

Glacier Park International in Kalispell: $2,864,698

Great Falls International in Great Falls: $1,889,357

Missoula International in Missoula: $3,433,751

Sidney-Richland Regional in Sidney: $1,006,615

Yellowstone in West Yellowstone: $1,005,828

Another 60 reliever and general aviation airports in Montana are also estimated to receive funding during the first year of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, officials said Thursday.

For an interactive map and listing of funding for all Montana airports, visit www.faa.gov/bil/airport-infrastructure.

Assistant editor Phil Drake contributed to this story. He can be reached at 406-231-9021 or philip.drake@helenair.com.

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As the new system to handle paying for in-school mental health treatment for Montana students with serious emotional problems is on the brink of being put into place, school districts around the state say its not workable.

The Comprehensive School and Community Treatment program connects licensed or supervised in-training practitioners from a mental health center and behavioral health aides with children who can get services at school, in their homes or in the community.

Earlier this year the state Legislature moved the program to the Office of Public Instruction, citing frustrations with how the state Department of Public Health and Human Services navigated past funding hurdles.

School districts have always been obligated to pick up a third of the cost of the program thats a part of Montana Medicaid. But historically they did it through in-kind matches like providing physical space for treatment or laptops  not cash. After first raising concerns about that in-kind approach in 2013, the federal government finally stopped allowing it last year.

The state health department stepped in to cover the cost, arguing it didn't want mental health care taken from students in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. But earlier this year the state Legislature objected to the health departments spending without lawmakers' approval and put a halt to that approach.

Instead, lawmakers put about $2.2 million toward stopgap money to pay for schools share of the costs while the state health department went back to the federal government with a plan where schools put up a third of the cost. Nearly $1.3 million of the bridge money has already been paid out, and more claims could be pending.

While districts have said since this summer it would be difficult to find the cash for their third of the costs, on Thursday administrators told an interim legislative committee that other requirements OPI is trying to institute are unworkable. Administrators also called for better communication from OPI.

Leadership at OPI, however, told the committee it had made significant efforts to meet with schools and the third-party providers of mental health services.

One of the key points of dispute is a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that OPI says schools must sign to get the money they spend matched by the federal government. The process is called an intergovernmental transfer and was simplified by one legislative staffer as schools sending the federal government $1 to get $3 in return to pay for mental health services.

Our legal counsel has advised us not to sign the MOU because there are concerns about (the MOU language) and we have asked for those to be addressed and they have not, Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Michal Hill told an interim legislative committee Wednesday.

A spokesperson for OPI said late Wednesday the memorandum template originated with the federal government.

It is our understanding that this was the thinnest template that fits the requirements, as we did not want to burden our schools, wrote Brian OLeary.

OLeary said OPI sent the template to the Montana School Boards Association and legal entities that serve schools for review. OPI then submitted changes to the state health department, which added its own before sending to the federal government for approval. After the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid signed off, the memorandum went to school districts for their own review.

Mike Waterman, the executive director of business services for Bozeman Public Schools, said AA school districts, the states largest, have agreed theyre not comfortable with the proposed structure and on our legal counsels advice we don't intend to commit to it as it currently exists.

Waterman said one AA district has already backed out of the CSCT program due to its complexities. He said that could be one of the reasons theres been a decline in services provided.

Deputy Superintendent Sharyl Allen presented the committee with numbers showing a drop in students getting mental health treatment. The number of students served by the program hovered above 5,000 since 2015 but fell in 2020 to 4,556, when many children were not at school in-person, and then to 3,827 this year after the legislative actions caused many districts to change how services are provided.

Denise Williams, the executive director of the Montana Association of School Business Officials, told the committee schools are concerned about additional reporting requirements. She said what OPI plans to require goes beyond what the federal government asks for. She said shes sent OPI suggestions on how to eliminate what she called duplicate reporting but that she hasnt seen those implemented yet.

Waterman said schools already do sufficient financial reporting and that what OPI proposed is extremely complex and labor-intensive and would require hiring additional staff.

Quinn Holzer, assistant director of the Legislative Fiscal Division, said the recordkeeping requirements from OPI are more complicated than similar arrangements with county nursing homes.

Mary Windecker, the executive director of the Behavioral Health Alliance of Montana, said the mental health service organizations she represented are ready to provide mental health treatment but school districts arent comfortable signing the memorandum to secure money to pay for those services.

It is almost 6 oclock on Dec. 15, Windecker told the committee when she testified Wednesday. (The new plan) is supposed to go into effect Jan. 1.  The providers are not pulling out, theyre there and ready to provide services. The school districts do not feel comfortable signing a very complicated MOU regarding the match.

Windecker said part of the issue is that navigating Medicaid is a complicated process that OPI isnt familiar with.

The bottom line is that after Jan. 1 when schools come back, thousands of kids are not going to receive CSCT services, not because the providers dont want to provide it, not because the schools dont want them in schools, but simply because the schools do not feel comfortable signing the contracts.

Waterman said a joint meeting between OPI, the state health department, schools and providers is very desperately needed.

At this point the proposed solution is neither widely understood at the school level nor is it workable, Waterman said.

Allen pointed to a handout provided to the legislative committee showing OPI had held 14 virtual meetings, 17 individual ones with districts and with third parties like legislative subcommittees and education advocates. She said those were in addition to meetings between OPI and the state health department.

We have been working diligently together to communicate with our districts and our third-party providers, Allen said.

Jay Phillips, the Centralized Services senior manager, said OPI has also been talking with schools about other options.

That could include creating a mental health center it would administer. Phillips pointed to feedback from rural schools about a decline in third-party providers because of staffing issues as a challenge schools face.

Moving back to an in-kind match could also be a viable option, though it would take a year and a half or longer and still need to be approved by the federal government, Phillips said.

To go back to that setup, it would take at least a year of documenting the rates charged by providers and submitting that information to the federal government, said Children's Mental Health Bureau Chief Meghan Peel. The plan would still need to get federal approval after that.

Near the end of the meeting, Republican state Rep. David Bedey, of Hamilton, said the program has never passed into law and only created administratively. He suggested legislation to put the program into law, which he said would be the best way in the long run to ensure the program continues.

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"I was born in a train," Metra Union Pacific West Line conductor JJ Keigley said with a serious expression before breaking into a laugh. But the joke was a little bittersweet for the 73-year-old, retiring after 54 years.
DECATUR  In an unassuming gray building on the corner of U.S. 51 and Weaver Road in Forsyth is a business ready to help others celebrate life.

However, the sign advertising the service is what catches the eye.

The Central Cremation Center recently opened its doors with the hopes of making the funeral process less painful for all involved.

Tom Cantwell and Jason Murphy, co-owners of the Central Cremation Center, created their business focusing on personal funeral services at lower costs.

We knew that it would work, Cantwell said. We knew that it was a business model thats been successful through the U.S.

Central Cremation Center offers direct cremation services and burials, pre-planning, and green burial options. The business offers discounts for veterans and first responders.

The building, which once housed Lamar Advertising, isnt designed like many funeral homes with pews, organs or coffins on display. Instead, it offers casual, yet comfortable conference rooms ready to allow for meeting with families.

The funeral service company has extra space in its warehouse that could eventually find other uses. Currently, the owners store boxes, office furniture and equipment. Eventually it may be an area that we could turn into a post-service lunch area, Murphy said.

The space may be ideal for providing informational classes, the owners said. Cantwell and Murphy have conducted community education seminars with information on the cremation process or pre-planning services. People have a lot of questions, especially if theyve never had to go through it or make arrangements, Murphy said. We try to be proactive with it, since there are tons of decisions that need to be made ahead of time.

The local crematorium also has a retort, or the cremation chamber, housed in the building. The process uses natural gas. The machine that we use is the most efficient, Murphy said. Its self-contained with an internal chamber. Every cremation is individual.

Cantwell and Murphy are Central Illinois natives and have worked in the funeral business for several years, including at Graceland-Fairlawn Funeral Homes. They have experienced the changes in funeral traditions. Elaborate, high-cost funerals are no longer important to many families, they said. In the past, a ceremony would have a beautiful casket and traditional burial prepared and planned in an ornate funeral home.

We keep your cost low, Murphy said. You can provide a dignified service at an affordable cost.

Central Cremation Center will partner with others in the industry. However, the business prepares the bodies through cremation services only. They do not have the resources for embalming.

This is the way the industry has been heading, Cantwell said. COVID enhanced it.

According to Cantwell, approximately 70% of the people who died from COVID were cremated. Not only has the cremation rate gone up, but the pre-arrangement rate has too, he said. It made people really open their eyes.

Others in the community look forward to building a relationship with the new business.

Every new business is wonderful, said Jill Applebee, Forsyth administrator. We want to make our community somewhere thats really business friendly.

The cremation and funeral service company works well for the community, according to Applebee. They are bringing services to our community which we didnt have before, she said.

Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR

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DECATUR  The secret Santa is back.

Salvation Army staff this week found two 1-ounce gold coins in their red kettle at Farm & Fleet on West South Side Drive.

Lt. Kenesa Debela doesn't know who dropped the American Gold Eagle coins in the kettle. But its become a Christmas tradition, he said. We get excited every year before we start counting. Were happy to have them.

For several years, the social service agency has been gifted with the valuable gold coins anonymously left in an iconic red kettle during the Christmas season. The coins are appraised each year and sold for market value. Last years coins were estimated to be around $900. Debela is hoping the value has gone up.

Im estimating a little over a thousand for both, he said.

The special contributions will help the Salvation Armys annual target. The agency has reached 83% of their $600,000 Christmas Kettle Campaign goal so far.

This will help immensely, Debela said on Thursday. Especially as we come to wrap up our remaining season, just about eight days left now.

Every cent is helpful in reaching the Salvation Armys goal, according to Debela. The funds raised during the holiday season and throughout the year provide services for others in the community. The Salvation Army contributes financially, as well as with staff and volunteers, to their mens shelter, Pathway of Hope for women and families, Toys for Tots, Salvation Army Angel Tree and other needs.

We are here to help them make those ends meet and not go hungry, Debela said.

Similar anonymously-donated gold coins have shown up in kettles from Kenosha, Wisconsin, to Spokane, Washington over the years. The Detroit News earlier this month reported rare gold Krugerrand coins from South Africa have popped up in donations for the past years. The latest was valued at $1,700.

The Decatur agency has no clues as to who its mystery donor is.

Its the army behind the Army, Debela said. Without the communitys support, theres nothing the Army can do for people who need our help.

Debela said the local funds stay in the community to help Macon County and Decatur residents.

We still need about $100,000 to meet our goal, he said. But this gives us hope that there are people out there still giving.

Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR

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DECATUR  The students in Decatur Public Schools' Prep Academy are the trailblazers.

Just hearing them talk about how it was challenging, but the camaraderie and the teacher support and feeling like they could do it, it's been amazing, said Ashley Grayned, executive director of innovative programs and strategic planning.

Like students in band or sports, the Prep Academy students have formed a community built around common interests and goals, Grayned said, which is what organizers had hoped for. It took about two years of hard work to lay the groundwork for the program, but she's pleased with the progress.

The Prep Academy offers high school students the chance to earn an associate's degree at the same time they're earning a high school diploma, at no cost to the families. The district partnered with Richland Community College, which offered a discounted tuition, and thanks to grants and donations, students who successfully complete the four-year program will graduate with their high school class and also walk across the stage at Richland to accept a degree, giving them a head start on college. Richland has transfer agreements with a number of Illinois universities and most students will be able to enter college as juniors, saving their families considerable cost.

All 52 students who began the program in August have successfully completed their first semester and celebrated at their respective high schools on Thursday. The enrollment process for next year's freshmen will begin in mid-February, Grayned said.

One of the amazing gifts about this program is word of mouth and how it travels and how it really is a step in making our district unique, Grayned said. Parents and students have already begun asking when they can sign up for next year's cohort.

I had the opportunity to travel across the country to research programs like this, said MacArthur High School Principal Cordell Ingram at his school's breakfast celebration. I've been an advocate from day one. I knew it could work, that students can do this. To see you do it, to see your faces in the hall and see you handling the (work) load is amazing, but for me, not surprising.

Teacher Jonathan Hartzmark pursued a master's degree in the hope that he would be able to teach dual credit classes such as English 101, which he is teaching at MacArthur, he said. His students are not only taking college classes, they're taking honors classes and advanced placement classes and it takes time management skills to make it all work.

A lot of them take real pride in their work, and don't just want to turn in anything, they want to turn in amazing work, he said. For all of us, it's a juggling act, but a really fun one as well. For me, it's teaching in ways I didn't think I'd teach, and teaching information I didn't know I'd teach.

You could tell you had a lot of love and support, said student Morgan Steffeny. We didn't have to feel like we were alone. In a project, you had classmates helping or the teacher would help you and for me, it boosted my confidence in what I can do.

Richland dean of liberal arts Jessica Pickel worked with a program in graduate school that sent groups of students to college together with the goal of creating a small community among them.

What Morgan was talking about, this sense of feeling supported and encouraged along the way, that is amazing, Pickel said. That is exactly what we want out of this program.

Charlotte Bramer, another student, said she hadn't been sure what to expect out of the program. The assignments aren't necessarily difficult, but the directions are sometimes vague and she has to figure out what is wanted.

The most challenging is that most of the assignments are about yourself, she said. Like right now, our final is an autobiographical sketch and I find those kind of hard to write.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story had the incorrectly spelling of Jonathan Hartzmark. This version has been corrected.

Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter

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DECATUR  The Decatur school district said officials will be monitoring social media after a threat of violence on Friday began circulating on social media.

"The Decatur Public School District has been made aware of a circulating TikTok post with a nationwide 'school shooting and bomb threats for every school in the USA even elementary' that will supposedly take place on Friday, December 17, 2021. The original post is general and not directed at a specific school. So far, the origins of this post are unknown and there is no indication this post is within our community," Bobbi Williams, interim superintendent, wrote in a Facebook post.

The anonymous social media threats had many educators on edge, as they circulated in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Michigan, which has been followed by numerous copycat threats to schools elsewhere.

Schools in states including Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois and Montana said Thursday there would be an increased police presence because of the threats. At least one school district in Kaufman, Texas, announced plans to close the high school for the day in response.

In a statement on Twitter, TikTok said it was working with law enforcement to investigate.

We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, the statement said, which is why were working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok.

The posts follow a disturbing trend that has had students acting out in response to social media challenges. In September, students across the U.S. posted videos of themselves vandalizing school bathrooms and stealing soap dispensers as part of the devious licks challenge.

In October, students were challenged to slap a teacher, prompting the National Education Association to call on the leaders of Facebook, Twitter and TikTok to intervene.

The post by Williams says: "There are no indications of known threats within DPS at this time. We are sharing this notice out of an abundance of caution and as a precautionary measure.

"The safety of our students and staff is our priority. All safety concerns to our school or students are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. Since returning to in-person learning this school year, schools nationwide are dealing with school safety concerns that seem to be heightened and causing anxiety, fear and nervousness among our staff and students."

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DECATUR  Police report that an armed robber who threatened to kill his Decatur victim and left him standing naked in an alley is behind bars after his arrest on Wednesday.

A sworn affidavit said detectives tracked down the robber using surveillance images from the night of the robbery on Dec. 6 and more images from an ATM machine when the robber tried to get cash using a card that had been in the victims wallet.

In an odd turn of events, the affidavit said while police were at the ATM location in the 900 block of North Vandyke Street, officers were approached by the alleged robbers 41-year-old mother.

...(She) was inquiring about her son who had been arrested for a different armed robbery, said Detective Chad Reed, who signed the affidavit. Detectives showed her the still images of the subject from this armed robbery and asked if she recognized the subject. She identified the subject as her son 

Reed said the Dec. 6 robbery involved a 38-year-old male victim who had followed the robber into an alley in the 900 block of North Vandyke Street, expecting to do a deal to buy cannabis. The victim said once he entered the alley around 10 p.m. the robber pulled a revolver handgun and pointed it at him.

If you move at all, Ill blow your (expletive) head off, the victim quoted the robber as warning him. He was then forced to repeatedly empty his pockets and robbed of his wallet. Reed added: (The victim) told DPD officers that (the robber) then ordered him to remove all of his clothing.

The robber fled but left the victims cell phone behind, which he grabbed as he pulled his pants back on before running back to the street to call police.

The victim had then contacted detectives on Dec. 8 to report that an attempt had been made to his CashApp card at the ATM, which prompted officers to head there and compare the surveillance images with ones they already had from the night of the robbery.

The suspect was booked on a preliminary charge of armed robbery and Macon County Jail records show he was also being held Thursday on a previous armed robbery charge. He also faces charges of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a stolen firearm and criminal damage to government property.

Bail has been set at $510,000, meaning he must post a bond of $51,000 to be freed.

All preliminary charges are subject to review by the state attorneys office.

Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid

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CHICAGO  The Chicago Public Schools will distribute about 150,000 take-home COVID-19 test kits Friday to 309 schools in communities hit hard by the pandemic, the district announced.

"In Chicago, we are in a wicked post-Thanksgiving COVID surge  929 daily cases on average here in the city of Chicago. As the city goes, so goes CPS," Dr. Kenneth Fox, CPS' chief health officer, said at Wednesday's monthly Chicago Board of Education meeting. "When cases surge in the city, so, too, do they surge at CPS."

The district reported its highest weekly COVID-19 case count last week: 764 students and 246 adults. The district also reported its highest daily case count on Monday: 223 students and 59 adults. Last month CPS was recording about 300 to 400 total cases a week, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The schools picked to receive the in neighborhoods designated high risk for COVID-19 or are elementary schools in neighborhoods deemed medium risk, officials said. Families who receive the kits are encouraged to test students Dec. 28 to allow enough time to get results before students return from winter break Jan. 3. Students who test positive would be directed to isolate for 10 days from the testing date.

"I ask parents, I plead with parents: Please take advantage of this if your school is in one of these communities," CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said. "Take advantage of this test, especially with all the gatherings" during the holidays.

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When Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced her intent Wednesday to require Chicago restaurants to market only healthy drinks such as water, juice and milk with kids meals, she said the city was fighting back against childhood obesity.

Whats happening, and I think the concern (the health department) had, was those meals, those kids meals, were reflexively being given really high-caloric, very high sugary drinks, like sodas ... like Slurpee-type drinks, Lightfoot said. What we want is to give kids healthy things.

What she didnt mention was that a state law designed to do the same thing will take effect in Chicago before the City Council has a chance to act on her proposal.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law in August a bill worded almost exactly like the mayors proposed Chicago ordinance.

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The new state law will take effect Jan. 1.

It requires kids meals  defined in the law as a combination of food items sold for a single price intended for consumption by children, such as a McDonalds Happy Meal  to feature a healthy drink such as water, milk or fruit or vegetable juice with no added sweeteners in a container no bigger than eight ounces.

The person buying the meal can request that it include pop instead.

State Sen. Mattie Hunter, who sponsored the bill and represents Chicagos South Side in Springfield, said the new standards were an important step toward ensuring health for our children and future generations.

Illinois Beverage Association Executive Director Rob Nash noted Thursday that his group partnered with state lawmakers, the American Heart Association and restaurants to support that measure.

The mayors ordinance simply reflects state law that has already passed with the industrys support, Nash said in a statement. Unfortunately, Mayor Lightfoots team apparently was unaware of the coalition in support of the state policy when introducing their ordinance yesterday. Members of the Beverage Association are proud of their track record of offering low and no-calorie choices to consumers and support marketing guidelines for kids.

The state law calls for local health departments to enforce the rules and issue warnings the first time they find a restaurant marketing pop, $25 fines for second offenses and $100 fines for subsequent offenses. Those citations may seem like a paltry deterrent, but Lightfoots proposed ordinance includes no fines for restaurants that dont comply.

The soonest the City Council could enact its version of the healthy drink ordinance would be in late January, about three weeks after the state law takes effect.

Chicago Tribunes Dan Petrella contributed.

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Forces aligned with billionaire Ken Griffin are pushing the Illinois Republican Party to back his preferred slate of candidates for 2022 and are focusing on Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin as a candidate for governor, sources familiar with the planning said Thursday.

In exchange for the Illinois GOPs first modern-day endorsement of a slate of statewide candidates, Griffin would help underwrite the state party financially while also pumping at least $150 million into the race for governor, the sources said.

Although much of the discussion on a candidate to challenge first-term Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritzker has centered on Irvin, the two-term mayor of Aurora, no final decision has been made, said the sources, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

But an announcement on Griffins choice for governor and in other races is expected in early January, shortly before candidates can begin circulating petitions to appear on the June 28 primary ballot.

Besides Irvin, who was elected as Auroras first Black mayor in 2017, the tentative ticket also includes state Rep. Avery Bourne as lieutenant governor. Bourne, 29, a three-term lawmaker from Downstate Morrisonville, is widely viewed as a future star in the party.

Neither Irvin nor Bourne responded to a request for comment

Griffin is the founder and CEO of the Chicago-based Citadel investment firm and the states wealthiest person, worth $20.9 billion, according to Forbes. A source close to Griffin said talk of his deciding on a slate of candidates or on any level of funding was pure speculation.

The source said Griffin has not met with Irvin or Bourne or made any money commitments to anyone in exchange for backing his preferred candidates, but welcomes new voices to replace the current corrupt system in Springfield.

Griffin has not decided yet who to support for governor because the field hasnt been fully formed, the source said.

In a statement Thursday in response to questions about the 2022 campaign, Griffin said, We have real problems in Illinois with violence, corruption and profligate spending and I look forward to supporting candidates  be it Republican or Democrat  who will address these issues that plague our state.

Griffin is an ardent opponent of Pritzker, a billionaire first-term governor and heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune whos worth $3.6 billion, according to Forbes.

Griffin spent $22.5 million helping fund one-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauners losing reelection bid in 2018 against Pritzker, who spent more than $170 million of his own money in his successful run.

Last year, Griffin spent $53.75 million to successfully defeat Pritzkers push for a graduated-rate state income tax system. Pritzker spent $58 million to encourage its passage.

Griffin last month vowed to go all in against Pritzkers reelection but has not been satisfied with the four announced contenders for the GOP governor nomination  businessmen Gary Rabine of Bull Valley and Jesse Sullivan of Petersburg, state Sen. Darren Bailey of Xenia and former state Sen. Paul Schimpf of Waterloo.

But some Republicans are questioning the strategy of a Griffin-backed slate being pushed through a cash-hungry state GOP.

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These Griffin people behind the curtain, we dont know. Is it like the Wizard of Oz? said one prominent Republican who asked not to be identified because he didnt want to anger Griffin.

Im not saying they dont have any credibility, but its a little bold to say to the Republican State Central Committee, OK boys and girls, line up. This is what were going to do, the source said.

The Republican said he also didnt see the existing candidates for governor dropping out of the race, opening the door to further divisions within the state GOP.

Irvin, 51, grew up in Aurora public housing and was raised by a single mother. He joined the U.S. Army after graduating from East Aurora High School and served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

After returning home, he graduated from Robert Morris University and got a law degree from Northern Illinois University.

He previously was an assistant states attorney in the Cook County and Kane County states attorneys offices before opening his own private practice. In 2007, Irvin became the first Black male elected to the Aurora City Council as an at-large member, and held that post until his election as mayor.

A bid for governor would represent a change of heart. In October, he laughed off a Tribune reporters question about a gubernatorial run or whether he had been in talks with Griffin.

There are also questions about Irvins positions on social issues that run counter to those held by the GOP base. Associates have said Irvin told them he supports abortion rights but his political adviser said Irvin is opposed to the procedure. Irvin supports immigrant rights, and implementing sanctuary city-style policies with law enforcement for immigrants who lack legal status.

Irvin also declared a day in honor of the states director of public health, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, who has been a driving force in Pritzkers pandemic restrictions and in urging vaccinations  positions most of the current field of GOP governor candidates have opposed.

In addition, Irvin cast a Democratic ballot in four of the last five primary elections, including last year, Kane County officials said.

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EDWARDSVILLE  The Madison County Board delayed voting on a nonbinding resolution denouncing vaccine mandates, mandatory testing, terminations and exclusions related to COVID-19 on Wednesday night.

Chairman Kurt Prenzler says he favors the resolution, but pushed to postpone a vote, saying it was a matter better suited for the Madison County Board of Health. He and other board members also said it would be proper for the resolution to be discussed by the Health Advisory Committee.

Madison County is one of two Illinois counties where members of the county board comprise the board of health, which was pointed out by resolution sponsor Mick Madison, a Republican from Bethalto. Madison also pushed back against the idea that the resolution needed to be vetted by public health experts.

The board of health is advised by a 10-person advisory committee, which includes doctors, dentists, nurses and others with knowledge of public health issues.

"There is no medical information in here," Madison said of the resolution. "It's a civil rights issue at this point."

Michael "Doc" Holliday, a Democrat from Alton who made the motion to postpone the vote, also said the resolution should first be discussed by the health board committee, which is a county board subcommittee that oversees the Health Department and liaisons between the county board and other local and state government entities about public health.

The board of health, the board of health advisory committee, and the health board committee should not be confused with either each other or the Madison County Health Department.

The resolution was initially passed by the government relations committee.

Tensions flare during debate

Tension between Madison and Prenzler rose during discussion of the resolution.

Earlier in the meeting, Prenzler tried to appoint a replacement for the emergency management director just days after a deadly tornado killed six people at an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, the county's seat. The appointment failed for lack of a motion, but not before several board members questioned why they were being presented with an appointment at all.

"What we see is the chairman being full of it because I wouldn't vote for his EMA director, that's what you see," Madison said. Addressing Prenzler directly, he said "You were for it until I was against replacing the EMA director."

Later, as Prenzler was outlining the bureaucratic reasons for his wanting to pull the resolution off the county board's agenda and put it on the next board of health's agenda, Madison continued to push back against him.

"That was an amazing Mitch McConnell-Nancy Pelosi explanation Mr. Chairman. Thank you," Madison said.

Seeking input from health experts

Both the health advisory committee and the health board committee are scheduled to meet the first week of January, but agendas for those meetings have not been posted.

"I am in favor, generally, of this resolution," Prenzler said. "But I don't believe it's been reviewed by our (Health Department) Director Toni Corona. I don't think she's had time to review it. I know that our Health Advisory Board hasn't had time to review it."

Corona declined to comment Thursday morning, telling the Belleville News-Democrat that questions about the resolution would need to be directed to the Madison County Administration office. She did not respond to a follow-up email asking if she would be offering feedback on the resolution to the county administration, county board, or county board of health.

Another nonbinding resolution

Over the summer, the board passed a separate nonbinding resolution about COVID mitigations, this one "strongly encouraging" school districts to adopt mask-optional policies for all students in the fall, regardless of age or vaccination status against COVID-19.

Ultimately, Gov. J.B. Pritzker would issue an executive order for universal masking in schools, rendering the resolution obsolete.

While the mask resolution was non-binding, State's Attorney Tom Haine told the board at the time that it provided a sort of "moral authority" for school districts. The mask resolution was passed largely along party lines, with only two members of the Republican-majority board  one Republican and one Democrat  opting to cross the line.

Similarly, each of the 11 Democrats sitting on the board voted to postpone the vote on the vaccine resolution, but Republicans were split. Nine voted against postponing the vote and eight opted to postpone the vote. All nine Republicans who were against postponing the vote voted in favor of the mask resolution in July.

The as-of-yet unapproved resolution denouncing vaccine mandates states: "The Board of Health discourages all employers and school districts within Madison County from imposing a vaccine mandate and/or frequent testing upon employees and students."

School employees, including teachers, are required under an executive order to get the COVID-19 vaccine or submit to weekly testing. There are several different types of optional testing procedures in schools, including SHIELD testing for both asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals and "test to stay" programs, which allow students who are identified as a close contact to a positive classmate to continue to attend school as long as they continue to test negative when they arrive in the morning.

The resolution also states that the county board will not require either vaccines or testing of its employees and will "defend and protect the rights of its employees if such mandates are imposed upon Madison County by other units of government."

Several groups of Illinois state employees are required to either get vaccinated or be tested, including school employees, day-care workers, and healthcare workers.

Legal action over state  or local government  imposed vaccine mandates has been brewing in Illinois for months. A class-action lawsuit was filed on behalf of Illinois school employees on Monday over the vaccine mandates by attorney Tom DeVore. The City of Chicago and the Fraternal Order of Police have filed lawsuits against each other over Mayor Lori Lightfoot's vaccine mandate, according to Block Club Chicago.

Speak For Students submits petitions

Ryan Cunningham, founder of Speak For Students, placed a large stack of paper before County Clerk Debbie Ming-Mendoza before speaking during public comment Wednesday night. He said the stack included approximately 565 petitions related to the vaccine mandate and the resolution against it.

The online petition Speak For Students created asks for a name and address. Petitioners check a box saying "Dear Madison County Board  I OPPOSE all COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates."

Speak For Students is a parent group based out of Madison County that has advocated against mask and vaccine requirements in schools. Ahead of the summer vote about the resolution discouraging mask mandates in schools, members of the group turned up in droves to show their support for it.

"I'd encourage you, if this does come to a vote tonight, to ensure our rights are protected," Cunningham said. "If someone wants to get a vaccine, they're welcome to choose to do so, right? It's there for them. But if they don't want to be forced by their employer or by someone else, please pass this resolution."

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New Braunfels, TX (78130)

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Mainly sunny. High 61F. Winds NNE at 15 to 25 mph..

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Clear. Low around 30F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.
At the moment, it appears health systems in half the states have different enforceable Medicare Conditions of Participation than the other half. This unequal application of the federal Medicare Conditions of Participation is unprecedented and requires that Ballad Health seek legal guidance, according to the statement. Until these issues are resolved such that there is an equal application of the federal rules, Ballad Health has no plans to take any action which might later end up being reversed by yet another court ruling.

Last month, system officials said roughly 5,000 of its approximately 15,000 employees hadnt yet been vaccinated, but expressed concern how patient care might be impacted if large numbers rejected the call for vaccination.

Real people with real jobs are affected by all this and it is imperative that a judicial resolution be reached either way as soon as possible so a fair and equal application of the rules is followed, according to the statement.

Across this region, less than 47% of all residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Ballad Health remains concerned about the impact this uncertainty may have on our workforce, which already suffers from national shortages, and we are very reluctant to take actions which could undermine our staffing only to potentially later learn that the mandate is reversed, Ballad said in the statement.

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The Washington County Sheriffs Office learned the woman was giving Coleman a ride from the Lebanon Walmart. When he got in the vehicle, however, he brandished a handgun and provided instructions for the woman to transport him and another woman, according to the Sheriffs Office. The woman then took both to a mobile home in the 10300 block of Goose Creek Road in Washington County.

The woman, who was not identified, said she was ordered to get out of the vehicle and get in the passenger seat, and Coleman began driving, the WCSO said. Coleman then drove to Bristol and dropped her off near The Falls shopping center.

Police said the man assaulted her throughout the ride and threatened her with a gun. At the shopping center, Coleman left with the womans vehicle and her belongings, police said.

During the investigation, police found the stolen vehicle at the residence on Goose Creek Road. Out of concern for the publics safety, a portion of the road was closed. Deputies attempted to contact the occupants of the mobile home for several hours while Sheriffs Office detectives obtained a search warrant for the premises, the WCSO said.
VRAs consent is conditional on approvals by the boards of supervisors of Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington and Wise counties and the Norton City Council, as each of the current authority members must also approve Bristol joining.

At this point, the other jurisdictions are awaiting the attorneys to develop the proper resolutions to meet VRA guidelines. The other jurisdictions will be scheduling the resolutions for their January meetings, Clear wrote in an email response to the Bristol Herald Courier.

The Bristol Virginia City Council voted 3-2 in October to join the authority. City Manager Randy Eads declined comment on the VRA action.

Bristols moral obligation pledge for its respective share of the VRA debt is to be memorialized in a support agreement between VRA and the city, according to the VRAs letter. It is understood that SWRJA would set the per diem rate for all participants in SWRJA, including Bristol, to cover both operating and debt service costs annually.

Member jurisdictions presently pay $35.38 per inmate, per day.
Democratic senators have grown weary of their colleague, whose vote they cannot live without  but whose regular chats with Republican leader Mitch McConnell leave them concerned he could switch parties and take away their slim hold on power.

Mr. Manchin and the Republicans and anybody else who thinks that struggling working families who are having a hard time raising their kids today should not be able to continue to get the help that they have, then thats their view and theyve got to come forward to the American people and say, Hey, we dont think you need help,' said Sen. Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermont. Let them tell the American people that.

The senator appears to both relish and despise all the attention he has commanded over many months at Biden's home in Delaware with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, in regular visits with Biden at the White House and in his daily strolls through the Capitol, where he banters amiably, swats back questions or simply clams up -- which becomes a statement of its own, leaving Manchin-whisperers to wonder what his silence means.
Near the shopping cart was a large plastic container that held the remains of two women. One has been tentatively identified as Cheyenne Brown, 29, whose disappearance had been under investigation by Washington, D.C., police. The second body found in Fairfax County has not yet been identified.

The three victims who have been identified all went missing in the last few months. Police say they are trying to research Robinson's life going back many years to see if there might be more victims.

"That's what worries us," Davis said. "He didn't suddenly turn into who he is three months ago."

All three victims who have been identified met Robinson through dating websites. Police believe his dating history may provide clues into any additional victims.

Police did not say whether the victims were sexually assaulted, but Davis stated bluntly during the press conference that the suspect did "unspeakable things with his victims."

The two victims who were found dead in Harrisonburg were previously identified as Tonita Lorice Smith, 39, of Charlottesville, and Allene Elizabeth "Beth" Redmon, 54, of Harrisonburg.
So whats going on? You expect Alexandria OcasioCortez or Bernie Sanders, avowed proponents of the little folks and despisers of big, dark money, to get the bulk of their loot from small donors, and they do. Each gets about 80% of their funds from the $200-or-less crowd.

Now, though, everybody seems to be writing checks. Is it the same supercharged political climate that drew a record turnout for the 2020 presidential election and impressive numbers for Virginias 2021 state campaigns? Is it in response to the never-ending pleas for more money for your candidate via internet, phone and snail mail? (Many of us would pay $100 if theyd just stop asking.)

Amazingly, one entreaty from the McAuliffe folks came on election night, after the polls were closed. What was that about, Macker?

If the average under-$100 donation was $50, then about $28 million of the approximately $57 million McAuliffe raised came from small donors.

Between 2005 and 2021, total campaign contributions rose about 66% while the number of small donors was 1,400% higher.
" " Dancers perform during the presidential inauguration ceremony at Heroes Square Nov. 29, 2021, in Bridgetown, Barbados. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

With much fanfare, Barbados officially became a republic, installing Dame Sandra Mason as the first president of the island nation Nov. 30, 2021. Prince Charles, as a representative of Queen Elizabeth II, was in attendance, providing a royal seal of approval. Barbados gained its independence in 1966, though the new nation kept ties to its former overlords by keeping Elizabeth II as a symbolic head of state.

To many Bajans (inhabitants of Barbados), the move to republicanism represents an important attempt by the state to, in the words of youth activist and founder of the Barbados Muslim Association, Firhaana Bulbania, cast off "the mental chains that continue to persist in our mindsets."

The ancestors of most Bajans lived in literal chains. The first English colonizers arrived in Barbados in 1625 and began importing huge numbers of enslaved Africans to work on the island's sugar plantations from the 1630s. Their struggle to sever colonial ties with the British has been going on for nearly 400 years.

" " Barbados President Dame Sandra Mason awards Prince Charles with the Order of Freedom of Barbados during the presidential inauguration ceremony Nov. 30, 2021, in Bridgetown, Barbados. Toby Melville-Pool/Getty Images

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Bussa's Rebellion

The Bajan independence movement traces its roots to Bussa's Rebellion, an enslaved revolt that occurred in 1816. That rebellion erupted April 14, Easter Monday, when an enslaved driver named Bussa led an army of insurgents against the British colonial militia and garrison, burning cane fields and destroying property for nearly two weeks before the colonial governor, James Leith, managed to restore order.

By the time the fighting had died down, Bussa's soldiers had destroyed over one-fifth of the island's cane fields and caused over 170,000 in property damage, approximately $13 million in today's buying power.

But they did not succeed. That took another 150 years, and removing the monarchy only happened this year.

The stately events of Nov. 30, 2021, were the culmination of a movement that began as a violent revolt against the representatives of a political regime and economy based on enslavement.

Very little is known about Bussa beyond his being named as the military leader of the 1816 uprising in survivors' testimonies and that he was said to have died during the fighting. A driver named Bussa was enslaved on Bayley's Plantation in southeastern Barbados at the time. A "driver" was selected from among the enslaved and acted essentially as an overseer. As such, Bussa had access to countless enslaved men and women on surrounding plantations.

Most of what is known about Bussa's Rebellion comes from testimony from surviving rebels, reports from the Colonial Office and the recollections of Protestant missionaries present in Barbados at the time. These sources detail a familiar story of enslaved demands for emancipation and also a rebellion inspired by rumors of the Haitian Revolution of 1791.

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A Surviving Flag

" " A contemporary drawing of the flag that survived the rebellion. National Archives

Bussa organized his rebels with an impressive degree of militarization, including the use of battle flags to coordinate attacks. Imperial soldiers found numerous banners and standards in their ransacking of enslaved dwellings. Edward Codd, commander of the island garrison, even recalled one that presented "a rude drawing that served to enflame the Passions, by representing the Union of a Black Man with a White Female." Yet much of Bussa's story is told in another flag, one that survived the rebellion in 1816.

The only surviving example of any of these flags, made by an enslaved rebel named Johnny Cooper, gives a complete explanation of Black attitudes toward emancipation, the actions enslaved Africans were willing to take to ensure their freedom, and most pertinently, what they expected that freedom to look like.

For example, Bussa's rebels believed they had royal and divine approval. The flag makes this evident by presenting King George III waving a banner declaring "Royal endeavour and forever," a phrase that would have been interpreted as support for the rebels.

Behind the king, Britannia herself sits on a British lion, commenting that she is "always happy to lead any such sons as endeavourance." The enslaved revolutionaries similarly believed that "GOD always saves endeavour." Bussa's rebels evidently believed that the British monarchy understood and were sympathetic to their plight.

The presence of a Black woman on the flag alongside muskets and hatchets shows that the struggle against slavery was both a violent and universal one. The woman depicted is probably the likeness of a literate enslaved domestic servant named Nanny Grigg. Grigg was instrumental in planning Bussa's Rebellion and was assigned the task of stealing newspapers from the plantation big house and reading them to Bussa and his lieutenants.

But most strikingly, this flag reveals what Bussa's rebels expected their emancipation to look like. The Black man in the center of the banner has a larger crown than George III. This is likely a depiction of a free Black man named Washington Francklin, who the rebels had singled out as the post-emancipation leader of Barbados.

This is further underlined by the Royal Navy vessel exiting the scene eastward, back to Britain. In other words, Bussa and his followers expected emancipation to come with complete independence from imperial rule and the blessing of the British monarch.

This flag explains that in 1816, Bajans of African descent hoped for what was finally fulfilled Nov. 30, 2021.

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Whither the Monarchy

Since independence from Britain in 1966, Bajans have wrestled with the question of their royal, distant head of state.

In 1979, the Bajan government published the report of the Cox Constitution Review Commission that concluded that a constitutional monarchy remained the preferred form of government.

Subsequent governments examined the possibility of republicanism in 2008 and 2015. Yet nothing came of these studies. It was the global reckoning with institutional racism from the summer of 2020 that inspired this constitutional shift.

Bussa's coherent and revolutionary vision for Bajans of African descent from over 200 years ago serves as a lesson on endurance for those fighting for their rights. It is also a powerful reminder of a centuries-long history of Black struggles against institutional white supremacy and the ways they continue to resonate.

Lewis Eliot is an assistant professor of history at the University of Oklahoma.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. You can find the original article here.
Want to give a unique and delicious gift from the heart this holiday season while supporting Wisconsins dairy farm families?

Doing so puts you in good company, with 45% of food gifters purchasing and sharing food items to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Sharing specialty foods, like Wisconsin cheese, with people on your gift list helps them create memories and experiences. And, in 2020, four in 10 Americans (39%) said theyd prefer to receive food as a gift.

Growth in gifting food items mirrors the trend of how people are changing the way they shop. People are looking for noteworthy experiences across both digital and physical retail outlets with brands they trust like Wisconsin cheese, especially during the holidays.

As a result, food gifting has become a significant business opportunity.

 In 2019, consumers spent $15.55 billion on food gifts, up from $12.4 billion five years earlier.

 If you add in corporate gifting, the total market is worth over $21 billion and is expected to average 4% annual growth through 2024.

But just how much cheese do consumers share? A lot, as it turns out. According to research company Packaged Facts:

 In 2021, 13% of consumers had given a cheese gift to someone else, up from 9% in 2020.

 Cheese gifts purchased by people for themselves also increased from 12% in 2020 to 15% in 2021.

Cheese shopping spree

To help satisfy this evolving and growing consumer demand and highlight some of the award-winning cheese the state has to offer, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) curated a list of cheese companies that offer gift baskets.

The online shop connects food gifters to local cheese companies partnering with DFW and offers options to fit every price range. This allows online shoppers to purchase directly from participating cheese companies that craft, package, and ship the gift baskets.

Wisconsin is the leader in specialty cheese production and home to more than 600 varieties, types, and styles of cheese crafted by licensed cheesemakers using quality Wisconsin milk. Gift baskets feature everything from Dutch Goudas to Italian cheeses, Swiss cheeses, Wisconsin Originals, and more  after all, Wisconsin is like a world of cheese in just one state. For the last 180 years, cheesemakers from everywhere have settled in Wisconsin, bringing their cheesemaking traditions and expertise.

So, whether the people on your gift list are serious foodies, charcuterie fanatics, casual snackers, or simply enjoy the comforting goodness of tasty cheese, youll find plenty of options to satisfy everyone on your list. For more hints about cheese pairings and recipes, be sure to check out wisconsincheese.com.

Holiday shopping has never been so easy! If you know someone whos been extra nice this year, give them the best of Wisconsin cheese in a gift basket delivered right to their doorstep.

And be sure to spread the word about this unique gift-giving opportunity and share this information with family and friends via your social channels.

To learn more about DFW, visit wisconsindairy.org.

To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2021

December 13, 2021
Its all part of the centers redevelopment plan to bring in more smaller-format stores, including chef-drive restaurants and pop-up shops.

Birkdale Villages transformation will include a mix of dining, fashion, home goods and self-care in one connected location, said Adam Schwegman, NAP partner and senior vice president of leasing.

The new retailers will join other recent additions Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop, Sephora and Kendra Scott. Previously announced Green Brothers Juice Co. is expected to open in the spring.

More about the new stores

Heres what we know about the other three new retailers and when theyll open:

 Apricot Lane, a womens fashion franchise, will open its third North Carolina location in February. Theres also a location is in south Charlotte on Rae Road and the other in Morehead City. The boutique sells womens apparel, jewelry, handbags, accessories and gifts. Apricot Lane at Birkdale Village will be owned and operated by mother and daughter Georgina and Leah Susswell of Huntersville.
GREENSBORO  The Guilford County Board of Commissioners on Thursday unanimously approved a $2 million economic development incentive for Piedmont Triad International Airport.

The request from the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce comes as the state is working to recruit a major aircraft manufacturer to the airport. To that end, the General Assembly has approved more than $106 million for PTI to prepare up to 1,000 acres if an unnamed company can meet certain thresholds.

The News & Observer of Raleigh has reported that company is Boom Supersonic, a Denver manufacturer that would use the site to build its Overture Jet. The plane would signal a return to commercial supersonic travel for the first time in almost 20 years.

According to the newspaper, officials are working on an agreement with the company and that work on the plant could begin in 2022 with the first plane rolling out in 2025.

Chamber CEO Brent Christensen did not refer to any company being recruited when he spoke to the commissioners, but said airport employment from a variety of companies has grown from 4,500 a decade ago to 8,600 now. He added that investment in the airport has a track record of paying off in economic growth.
North Carolina, like the nation, has a political history which can be likened to a huge pendulum. For much of our history the pendulum remained more or less in the center, sometimes center left and sometimes center right. But there have also been periods when the arc swung far to the liberal left, most recently in the 1960s. Newtons 3rd law dictates that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; that pendulum has now unquestionably swung far to the conservative right. The question many are asking is when it will return to a more centrist position? And when will this movement be noticeable?

The discussion was couched in another metaphor by newsman Brian Williams. In a recent interview with historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, he asked her to suppose that life is a clockface and that democracy runs out at midnight. Williams asked where Goodwin thought the clock was now? We are as close to midnight as anything Ive seen in my lifetime, Goodwin responded. Democracy is a system that depends on citizens choosing their own governors. The fight for the right to vote has to be the central fight in this country.
Journalists from around the country sat for hours last week in an otherwise empty Cook County courtroom, waiting for word from jurors cloistered in a back room deliberating actor Jussie Smolletts legal fate.

The jurors seemed to be silent. But it turns out their communications with the judge were just being kept from public view.

In a somewhat unusual move, Judge James Linn handled most questions posed by the jury behind the scenes, during animated phone discussions in his chambers with prosecutors and Smolletts defense and in the presence of a court reporter.

The move stood in stark contrast to the usual process at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, where juror questions and other important trial matters are nearly always addressed in open court, providing observers with some indication of how jurors might be processing the evidence.

The break from protocol was magnified because the Smollett trial was one of the most closely-watched Cook County cases in years, drawing nationwide attention because of the actors celebrity and in part because a lack of transparency in initial court proceedings led to widespread confusion and the emergence of conspiracy theories.

And it wasnt just questions from jurors that were handled behind closed doors, records show. At the beginning of the second week of the eight-day trial, prosecutors filed a petition to hold one of Smolletts attorneys in contempt  a move that was never even mentioned in open court.

The jury of six men and six women deliberated for about nine hours over two days before convicting Smollett last week on five out of six felony counts alleging he lied to police about being the victim of a hate crime attack.

As members of the media waited out the deliberations, attorneys from both sides could be seen periodically going back to Linns chambers, but they were barred from telling reporters what was discussed because of an agreement with the court not to speak to the media during the trial.

Smollett was not present during a Dec. 9 conference in Linns chambers because his attorneys waived his appearance, according to a transcript of the proceedings obtained by the Tribune.

And the questions were handled over the phone, apparently so as not to inconvenience the attorneys by making them come to the courtroom during the lengthy deliberations.

The record of talks between Linn and attorneys shows some extended legal sparring over jurors requests to see transcripts of testimony.

The transcript also clarifies Linns decision to let jurors access the entirety of Smolletts Good Morning America interview. That choice became the center of swirling rumors and incorrect information online after Smollett was found guilty  a murkiness that may have been avoided if it had been discussed out in the open.

The lawyers arent even in court because they have other things that they want to do, and the courts trying to work with the lawyers and let them be in their offices and take care of everything else that (theyre) responsible for, Linn said, according to the transcript.

Trial proceedings in Illinois must be open to the press and public unless a judge makes specific findings to the contrary, according to an overview of Illinois public-access law published by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

But jury questions might be a more gray area; one Illinois court has ruled that even the defendant does not have an absolute right to be present while attorneys discuss the jurys notes.

On the evening of Dec. 8, in their first hours of deliberations, the jurors sent a note asking to see a calendar that prosecutors had used as a demonstrative exhibit. That request was ultimately denied.

The next day, deliberations resumed about 9:15 a.m.; it is unclear when jurors sent Linn their next note, which requested police reports and the transcript of testimony from Officer Muhammad Baig. Baig testified early in the trial that he responded to a report of a battery in Streeterville one frigid night in January 2019 and met Smollett at his apartment with a noose around his neck.

Police reports are not considered to be evidence and were not sent back to jurors. Transcripts are often sent back to the jury room when available.

But two of Smolletts attorneys objected, saying they had never heard of giving jurors testimony transcripts and that it could misrepresent the witness actual testimony because it cant reflect the matters of demeanor, tone, and voice.

The discussion apparently grew animated. Twice the court reporter could not distinguish between different speakers, and had to transcribe that there was simultaneous crosstalk.

Linn ultimately gave jurors the transcript of Baigs testimony, saying it had been his regular practice to do so during his decades on the bench.

Im surprised that youve never experienced such a thing, he said. This is something that happens routinely. The jury asked for a transcript. If we have them, we give it to them. Ive done that every time.

Later on in the day, transcripts from two other witnesses, Chicago police detectives Kimberly Murray and Robert Graves, were also sent to jurors at their request over the defenses objections. Graves interviewed Smollett about two weeks after the attack; jurors ultimately acquitted Smollett on the charge of lying to Graves.

Also discussed in chambers Dec. 9 was Smolletts 2019 Good Morning America interview, portions of which were shown to jurors during the trial. Prosecutors had asked the day before that Linn send the full interview back to the jury room so jurors could view it; Linn denied the request, since only parts of the video had been played in court.

But Linn changed his mind after thinking about it further, he said, according to the transcript. The whole video had been properly entered into evidence, so all of it could be viewed by jurors. I think I was perhaps being too cautious yesterday, he said.

The defense objected strenuously. And word spread in the next few days among Smollett supporters on social media, with some accusing Linn of jury tampering, claiming incorrectly that he had given jurors the video without attorneys asking him to.

At the end of the in-chambers session, Linn told the attorneys that hed been advised by the court reporters that the Tribune was requesting a transcript of their discussion.

The judge agreed with attorneys for both sides that the transcript could be released because this is something that normally would be done in open court.

Then if they want to pay for transcripts from your office, youre welcome to give them transcripts, the judge said. The documents were made available at an expedited rate of $5.50 per page.

Another high-profile matter apparently resolved off the record was the petition by prosecutors to hold defense attorney Tamara Walker in contempt of court for violating an apparently unwritten agreement not to speak to the media before the verdict.

Walker had given the Tribune an interview about her allegations that Linn lunged at her during a sidebar huddle.

Nothing was said in open court about the motion; it was withdrawn Dec. 10, the day after the verdict was reached.

In their motion to withdraw the request, special prosecutors said they had conferred further with Smolletts attorneys and the court about the matter.

In light of that conference, and based on further discussion between the (office of the special prosecutor) and Ms. Walker, the OSP has elected not to proceed with the Contempt Petition, the motion stated.

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ST. CHARLES - Two Rottweilers who were attacking a jogger in St. Charles are dead after the dogs owner and a man with a concealed handgun tried unsuccessfully to pull the animals off the woman until the man with the gun fatally shot one of the dogs, according to the Kane County sheriffs office.

The second Rottweiler was euthanized the day after the attack earlier this week, according to a statement from Ron Hain, the Kane County sheriff.

Hain said deputies were called to the 7N300 block of Windsor Drive about 9:15 a.m. Monday after getting a call that a 51-year-old woman had been jogging in the area and was attacked by the two Rottweilers. A Labradoodle first ran from its yard to where the woman was jogging to greet her in the street, officials said, so the woman stopped running and helped the Labradoodle get back to its owner, who had been standing in her driveway watching the exchange.

Thats when the two Rottweilers came bounding out of that home and started to attack the jogger, Hain said.

The homeowner and a passerby attempted to remove the dogs from the victim but were unsuccessful, according to Hains statement.

It wasnt immediately clear what type of injuries the woman was suffering or how long the homeowner and the passerby tried to free her from the two Rottweilers. But at some point, the passerby  who was licensed to carry a concealed weapon  pulled a handgun and fired one shot into one of the Rottweilers. Hain did not say how far away the man was from the animal when he shot it, or whether either of the two women were in danger from the single gunshot.

Both dogs released the victim and retreated, Hain said.

The dog who was shot died a short time later, according to Hain. The second Rottweiler was euthanized the following day.

The 51-year-old was taken to Delnor Hospital and later flown by air ambulance to the trauma center at Good Samaritan Hospital. There she underwent emergency surgery and her condition has since been stabilized and her injuries are not considered to be life-threatening, according to Hain.

The homeowner  the woman who owned the three dogs  also was taken to Delnor Hospital for treatment of injuries suffered while trying to stop the Rottweilers from attacking, authorities said.

Hain said the Kane County sheriffs office continues to investigate.

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Forsyth health director Joshua Swift expects the county daily case count to remain elevated through the Christmas and New Years holiday period, and potentially two to three weeks afterward.

In some ways, weve become numb to these COVID-19 numbers, but we cant allow ourselves to be, Swift said. Out of the 135 new cases listed today, at the current (death) rate, one to two of those people will die from COVID-19, and it could be higher among the elderly and those with compromised health conditions.

Since early July, the vast majority of the COVID-related hospitalizations and deaths locally and statewide have been among unvaccinated people, hospital officials say.

There also have been deaths among vaccinated people who were immunocompromised or who had other health issues.

Omicron presence

DHHS and federal health officials have said that early evidence suggests that Omicron is two to three times as contagious as the delta variant, making it four to six times as contagious as the original COVID-19 virus.

However, it may be less severe than the delta variant in terms of leading to hospitalizations and deaths for those fully vaccinated.






Coup attempt

Has anyone thought this through?

As former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows surrendered documents and texts from right-wing pundits come to light, with similar texts from members of Congress right around the corner, I cant help wondering: What did they think would happen?

If the people who schemed to overthrow the election succeeded, and kept twice-impeached, deceitful, disgraced former President Trump in office, how did they think the American people would react?

Eight million more Americans voted for President Biden than Trump, for a grand total of 81,283,098 votes. Did they think the American people would just calmly accept the seditious reversal? Did they think the military would go along?

Surely they knew better. Blood would have run in the streets. We would right now either be two nations at war or be a completely fascistic military state with armed soldiers in every prominent city, wondering what the hell they were doing aiming assault weapons at their fellow citizens. Would that be good for their beloved economy?
OMAHA  For the second time this month, Kellogg Co. has reached a tentative labor agreement with the union representing striking employees at the companys four U.S. cereal production plants.

About 1,400 members, including about 480 in Omaha, of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union are scheduled to vote on the five-year labor contract Sunday, according to a news release from Dan Osborn, local union president. The votes will be counted Tuesday. If the contract is ratified, union employees would return to work Dec. 27.

Since union members overwhelmingly rejected the previous proposed contract earlier this month, some modifications have been made. According to contract highlights provided by Kellogg, transitional employees would earn a base wage of $24.11 per hour  up from an hourly starting wage of $22.76 as previously proposed. The new base wage includes a $1.80 cost-of-living adjustment.

Legacy employees would instead be known as regular employees, Osborn said. According to the highlights, those employees would see a $1.10 hourly wage increase on top of the $1.80 cost-of-living adjustment. The proposed contract calls for annual cost-of-living adjustments.
The site would have a 35,000-40,000-square-foot building for a casino and simulcasting operations and a 5/8-mile quarter horse track. Hastings horse races currently take place at the Adams County Fairgrounds.

Plans at Lincoln Race Course call for a $220 million project that would include more than 1,200 gaming stations, a 196-room hotel, event space, several restaurants and other amenities such as a spa.

McNally said Friday that plans are to eventually rename the track Legacy Downs.

There also have been proposals announced for new tracks in Bellevue, Gering, Kimball, Norfolk, North Platte and York, all of which are likely to seek casino licenses as well.

Operators of the existing tracks have said they don't believe the state can support more than about six casinos, and they have expressed worries that approving additional casinos could lead to market saturation, especially if casinos are too close together.

Even some of those proposing new casinos don't believe there's room for all 12 that have been proposed.

Global Gaming Nebraska's Boyd said earlier this month that he believes the state can support eight to 10 casinos.
Nebraska

editor's pick alert top story

Weather service confirms more tornadoes Wednesday than ever before in December

ANNA REED, Omaha WORLD-HERALD The roof of a home was ripped off after a tornado and high winds swept through Beaver Lake on Dec. 15. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star Storms that raced across the state Wednesday left behind power outages, including in the area of this overturned power pole near Ithaca. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star Wes Kembel (left) cleans up storm damage outside his home near Ithaca on Thursday. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star Patty Goodwin helps to clean up outside her daughter's home Thursday as survey crews from the National Weather Service checked out areas of the state where tornadoes were reported Wednesday. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star Damaging winds Wednesday ripped part of the roof off this shed near Ithaca. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star Storms on Wednesday destroyed a barn at the home of Rebecca Goodwin and Wes Kembel near Ithaca. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star Storms on Wednesday destroyed a shed on this farm near Ithaca.

Crews from the National Weather Service were out Thursday documenting what everyone in Nebraska already knew.

Wednesday was an unprecedented day in the history of Nebraska weather.

The state saw more tornadoes in four hours Wednesday than all the past December days added together.

Teams from Valley and Hastings weather service offices by Thursday evening had confirmed 12 tornadoes in Nebraska, and more surveys are planned Friday.

Previously, the list of all-time December tornadoes in the state went only to five.

By Thursday evening, Hastings crews had confirmed seven tornadoes, four of which moved through Adams County, two originating in Hamilton County and another in Polk County.

Changing climate, more energy in atmosphere drive Wednesday's unusual weather Wednesday's fast-moving storm would have likely driven a blizzard had it taken place in mid-winter, Martha Shulski, Nebraska's state climatologist, said.

'It happened in about 10 seconds': Strong storms stir up rare December tornadoes in Nebraska "I picked up the dog, went down the stairs, and then there was a bunch of crashing and windows shattering," said Rebecca Goodwin, whose home near Ithaca was damaged by a suspected tornado Wednesday.

Aaron Mangels, a meteorologist in the Hastings office, said the teams had seen "fairly typical" tornado damage, including roof damage, destroyed farm buildings, uprooted trees and snapped power poles.

Kirt Smith, Hamilton County's emergency management director, said the county was fairly lucky to see only minor damage, which included the roof ripped off a building in Giltner, flipped-over pivot irrigation systems and some damage to buildings at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds in Aurora.

"Nothing like Kentucky, thank goodness," he said, referencing tornadoes last week that flattened towns and killed dozens of people. No deaths nor significant injuries have been reported in Nebraska.

For some, Thursday was a day to begin the cleanup, and for others, it was a chance to talk with others about the wild day.

In south-central Nebraska alone, Mangels said the weather service issued its first-ever dust storm warning, as well as its first snow squall warning as the storm wrapped around and brought accumulating snow to Dawson County.

In addition, the Hastings area saw some pretty significant hail that damaged homes and cars when the line of storms moved through, he said.

"The variety of inputs were pretty unprecedented," Mangels said, noting that the area covered by the Hastings office saw wind, hail, fires, dust and snow, all in a few short hours.

Farther east, the weather service office in Valley confirmed five tornadoes in its Nebraska coverage area, three near Beaver Lake in Cass County and others near Nehawka in Cass County and Nebraska City in Otoe County.

'Unremarkable, really'  Lincoln largely spared from storm, wind damage, fire captain says Lincoln Fire and Rescue was inundated with calls that seemed to be related to Wednesday's intense winds and fast-moving storm. But for the most part, the calls were unfounded and the city was spared from the storm, officials say.

Clint Aegerter, a meteorologist in the Valley office, said damage in the areas the teams are investigating was fairly minor, "but there were pockets of significant damage."

Many more tornadoes are likely to be confirmed in the coming days.

Aegerter said it's almost certain there was a tornado in Columbus, where there was some pretty significant damage to trees and structures, and the weather service hopes to send a team there Friday.

There also were reports of tornadoes in Saunders County, including near the Ceresco and Ithaca areas.

In Richardson County, Deputy Emergency Management Director Kristy Richardson said tornado sirens were sounded in Humboldt, Shubert, Stella and Barada, as well as at Indian Cave State Park.

Richardson said damage in the county included buildings with roofs torn off, and downed trees and power poles.

Aegerter called the tornadoes "not completely unprecedented, but certainly rare." Prior to Wednesday, they've only happened twice before: in 1975 and in 2016.

What made them even more rare was the prolonged wind event that preceded them.

The entire state of Nebraska was under a high wind warning for most of the day Wednesday, and even places that didn't see tornadoes saw very high winds.

The Lincoln Airport recorded a wind gust of 93 mph, which appeared to be the highest in the state.

The high winds led to numerous power outages, and some people were still without power Thursday afternoon. As of 4 p.m., there were still 30 Lincoln Electric System customers in the northwest part of the city whose power had not yet been restored. About 100 Norris Public Power District customers, most in Gage and Seward counties, also were still in the dark.

Some other area counties had more widespread power outages.

According to Omaha Public Power District's website, 1,661 customers in Cass County were still without power Thursday afternoon, as were 1,247 in Richardson County.

Aegeter said the wind event likely met the technical definition of a derecho, which is a widespread, long-lived, straight-line wind storm that's usually associated with fast-moving thunderstorms.

After sparking thunderstorms and tornadoes in Nebraska, the storm kept moving east, spinning up tornadoes in Iowa and Minnesota.

As of Thursday afternoon, five fatalities in Midwest states had been linked to the storm.
It shouldnt be out of bounds to mention that the spell cast by Strange rips open the multiverse, and former supervillains start to pour in, including Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and Electro (Jamie Foxx). Will there be even more visitors from other Spider-Verses? Youll have to turn up at the theater to find out.

Peter Parker, in every iteration, has always been a deeply earnest do-gooder, those qualities embodied perhaps most innocently by the youthful Holland, and that is at the emotional core of No Way Home, especially inspired by Peters empathetic Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). These arent his supervillains, so maybe he can send them back where they came from just a little bit less villainous? Therein lies the quandary and conundrum of No Way Home, which is: can you change someones fate? It seems, not without a large sacrifice of your own.
Weve all enjoyed pepperoni on a pizza, salami on a sandwich and bacon for breakfast, but how much do you really know about charcuterie?

Simply defined, charcuterie is a French term describing meats that have been preserved through curing or smoking and aging. (The Italian counterpart to charcuterie is called salumi.)

How its made

Translating to cooked flesh, charcuterie originated in France as a way to preserve meat for long-term storage well before the days of refrigeration. The meat can be ground with seasonings and forced into casings to create sausage or kept in whole form. Its then cured with salt, spices or smoke to draw out the moisture and prevent spoilage during the subsequent aging process, which can take weeks to months or longer.

Although most frequently made with pork, other proteins such as chicken, beef and game meats can also be used to create charcuterie. Classical French charcuterie also includes rillettes and pates  cooked meats that have been minced to a spreadable consistency and stored in a jar under a layer of fat for preservation.

Riding the charcuterie wave

Thanks to growing interest among savvy consumers who want to know more about where their food comes from and how its made, charcuterie has seen an uptick in popularity over the past decade.

One of the driving factors is accessibility, explains Deanna Depke, marketing manager of Volpi Foods in St. Louis. Not long ago, it simply wasnt as easy to find quality charcuterie at a supermarket or a ready-to-eat prosciutto snack at your local corner store. Likewise, charcuterie items often find themselves at the center point of a variety of trends  all-natural, unique in flavor, authentic and with a story to tell.

A stroll through your average grocery store deli or gourmet food shop is likely to reveal charcuterie in a range of flavors and styles, sometimes packaged with cheese to make serving or snacking simple and convenient.

Pre-sliced charcuterie options have proven to be a popular format with a growing emphasis on variety packs, Depke mentions. In terms of meat varietals, prosciutto and Genoa salame have long been crowd favorites. Weve seen a surge in demand for jamon serrano [prosciuttos Spanish cousin] and mortadella over the last 12 months as well.

Common kinds of charcuterie

These are just a few of the more recognizable forms of charcuterie that youll typically find on an appetizer board (or in a grocery aisle near you):

Bacon  Traditionally made from cured smoked pork belly, bacon is perhaps the most familiar form of charcuterie for many Americans. Italian pancetta is similar to American bacon, but is dry-cured rather than smoked. Guanciale is made from pork jowl  or cheek  instead of pork belly.

Prosciutto  Prosciutto is what happens when Italians give the hind leg of a pig (i.e., the ham) a heavy salt cure and then wait. The resulting delicacy can be thinly shaved to serve on a charcuterie board, especially delicious wrapped around a slice of sweet melon. Popular jamon serrano represents the Spanish interpretation.

Bologna  An American sandwich mainstay, garlicky bologna is technically considered a sausage made using pork and/or beef.

Salami  Denser and spicier than bologna, salami consists of seasoned beef or pork thats been ground with fat and fitted into casings before hanging to age. Slices often make appearances in sandwiches, on cheese boards and atop pizzas. Variations include spicy soppressata, saucisson and pepperoni.

Pepperoni  Consider pepperoni a skinnier version of salami with its own distinctive seasonings (paprika, fennel) and flavor. Its made from a mixture of finely ground beef and/or pork.

Pastrami  Made with brine-cured beef, pastrami undergoes an intensive process of drying, smoking and steaming before slicing to end up in your sandwich, classically served with mustard on rye bread.

Mortadella  A large emulsified sausage, mortadella is made of finely hashed or ground heat-cured (slow-roasted) pork. It is often added to sandwiches.

Sausages  Every culture and country has its own version of cured sausage links, from chorizo, kielbasa and lap cheong to andouille and black pudding (blood sausage).

Serving and storing

Depke advises refrigerating sliced charcuterie in a sealed airtight bag or container and consuming the meat within 5 days once the package has been opened.

To serve charcuterie on a grazing board, follow similar steps as the cheese you are preparing, she adds. Its easiest to slice the meats when theyre chilled, so be sure to remove them from the refrigerator right before you slice. For an optimal flavor experience, though, allow the meats to come to room temperature before serving.

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PHOENIX (AP)  Arizona is committing millions of dollars and asking the federal government for extra help as hospitals face a growing strain from rising COVID-19 caseloads and warn they are nearing their limits.

Gov. Doug Ducey earmarked another $35 million aimed at helping hospitals staff their existing beds and discharge patients more quickly. His administration also asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for 133 people to bolster staffing at seven rural hospitals.

These things come in waves. It seems like this wave is upon us and the state is going to be a partner with the system, Ducey told reporters following an appearance in Tempe on Thursday.

The Republican governor, who has encouraged vaccines but resisted mandates for shots or masking, showed no sign he's rethinking the approach.

Im confident our policies will meet this moment and will provide hospitals with the resources so they can care for the sick," Ducey said.

Arizona typically sees its highest hospital demand in the winter as seasonal viruses such as the flu take root and the state's population swells with winter visitors, many of whom are older with high medical needs.
Deb Schorr announced plans to run for her sixth term as Lancaster County Commissioner representing District 3 in the southern part of the county.

Schorr, the longest-serving County Board member, has been chairwoman of the board four times during her tenure. She was first elected in 2002.

Schorr has been especially involved in infrastructure financing, and the county partnered with the city and state to provide funding for the South Beltway when she was chairwoman of the Railroad Transportation Safety District.

She also has advocated for the 33rd Street and Cornhusker Highway project. Coordinated by the RTSD, the multimillion-dollar project would create an overpass along a new section of 33rd Street that connects to an Adams Street extension, eliminating railroad crossings at 33rd Street and Cornhusker Highway and at 35th and Adams.

She is the chairwoman of the Lancaster County Justice Council, a group that brings a variety of community leaders together to address the complex issues facing the county.

My experience will be beneficial in successfully overcoming financial challenges facing Lancaster County while controlling property tax spending, she said.
Im truly sorry for what Ive done. I have no excuse. No reason for what happened, he said. I wish there was something I could to do to take it back.
MOSCOW (AP)  Russia on Friday published draft security demands that NATO deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back the alliance's military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe  bold ultimatums that are almost certain to be rejected by the U.S. and its allies.

The proposals, which were submitted to the U.S. and its allies earlier this week, also call for a ban on sending U.S. and Russian warships and aircraft to areas from where they can strike each others territory, along with a halt to NATO military drills near Russia.

The demand for a written guarantee that Ukraine won't be offered membership already has been rejected by the West, which said Moscow doesn't have a say in NATO's enlargement.

NATOs secretary-general emphasized Friday that any security talks with Moscow would need to take into account NATO concerns and involve Ukraine and other partners. The White House similarly said its discussing the proposals with U.S. allies and partners, but noted that all countries have the right to determine their future without outside interference.
In response, Sumlin indicated there had been six others involved in the conspiracy. Pressed to identify them, he refused.

Why, asked another community member, was he protecting the other conspirators?

"I'd like to hope they learned from what's going to happen to me," Sumlin explained. He said he didn't think any of them had been arrested, and he wanted to keep it that way. He hoped his and Jarvis' punishment would dissuade them from future arms dealings.

For many in the EOD community, Sumlin's mea culpa and excuses about needing money were not enough. He had crossed a line by selling items that could have killed one of their own.

Sumlin and Jarvis had faced decades in prison, but both reached deals with federal prosecutors. They pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle goods from the United States.

The other seven counts were dropped. The maximum term was now 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

But they didn't even get that.

Each was sentenced to five years' probation, and Jarvis was ordered to mental health counseling and required to take prescribed medication.
The auditor said he filed a report with the county sheriff's department because it was not the first time Mrozinski "has engaged in such public threats (which need to stop), and because, to the degree that the leaver of the snake wanted to be anonymous, and make me feel fear and uncertainty, I would have no way of knowing whether the package might have been laced with some kind of substance that might be harmful to me, or my staff."

LaPorte County Sheriff Public Information Officer Derek J. Allen said Friday morning the report was not yet completed.

Stabosz said it is his hope the other two county commissioners and County Council will censure Mrozinski, demand he stop the threats against him and apologize "for the degraded chest-thumping we have seen from him, which evokes primitive notions of the Wild West."

Mrozinski did not apologize, and instead said the "practical joke should serve as comic relief" compared to the auditor's "collection of offensives," which include being sued for defamation.
Beasley, who got into the race in April, has been the top fundraiser among all candidates for Burrs seat during the past two quarters. Beasleys campaign had nearly $1.7 million in the bank entering October, while Jackson had almost $1.2 million.

In addition to fundraising pressures, an additional 10 weeks of primary campaigning also could have induced Jackson into going negative against Beasley, said Catawba College political science professor Michael Bitzer.

I was surprised at the (announcement's) timing, but I think the inevitable writing on the wall really, probably pushed him to a point that he had to make a decision, Bitzer said in an interview.

Getting out now could help Jackson, 39, build party goodwill in the years ahead with a future run for statewide office, Bitzer said. The seat of North Carolina's other senator  Republican Sen. Thom Tillis  isn't up for reelection until 2026.
Michael Cohen claimed in a new lawsuit Thursday that Donald Trump retaliated against him for writing a tell-all memoir, saying his abrupt return to federal prison last year endangered his life and amounted to punishment for criticizing the president.

Trumps former personal attorney recently completed a three-year sentence for crimes including tax evasion, campaign finance violations and lying to Congress. He reported to prison in May 2019 but was released to home confinement after about a year as authorities sought to contain the coronavirus outbreak in federal prisons.

Federal authorities abruptly ordered him back to prison weeks later, claiming he failed to accept certain terms of his release. Cohen, however, said he had merely sought clarification on a condition forbidding him from speaking with the media and publishing his book.

He said his second stint behind bars began with 16 harrowing days in solitary confinement. Cohen says he suffered shortness of breath, severe headaches and anxiety inside a small cell he left just 30 minutes a day at the federal prison in Otisville, New York.
WASHINGTON  An engineer who worked for decades as a federal defense contractor was arrested in Lead on charges of trying to pass classified information to someone he thought was a Russian agent but was actually an undercover FBI employee, the Justice Department said Thursday.

The FBI conducted an undercover operation against John Murray Rowe Jr., 63, of South Dakota, after he was fired from his job for security violations and because he had been identified as a potential insider threat, federal officials said.

As part of the investigation, Rowe traded more than 300 emails with an undercover FBI employee who approached him in March 2020 posing as a Russian agent, the government said. Rowe shared operational details about U.S. military fighter jets in one email, and in another, said: If I cant get a job here then Ill go work for the other team, according to court documents.

Court records do not list a lawyer for Rowe. Prosecutors say Rowe had worked for nearly 40 years as a test engineer for defense contractors and held security clearances.
"Nothing like Kentucky, thank goodness," he said, referencing tornadoes last week that flattened towns and killed dozens of people. No deaths nor significant injuries have been reported in Nebraska.

For some, Thursday was a day to begin the cleanup, and for others, it was a chance to talk with others about the wild day.

In south-central Nebraska alone, Mangels said the weather service issued its first-ever dust storm warning, as well as its first snow squall warning as the storm wrapped around and brought accumulating snow to Dawson County.

In addition, the Hastings area saw some pretty significant hail that damaged homes and cars when the line of storms moved through, he said.

"The variety of inputs were pretty unprecedented," Mangels said, noting that the area covered by the Hastings office saw wind, hail, fires, dust and snow, all in a few short hours.

Farther east, the weather service office in Valley confirmed five tornadoes in its Nebraska coverage area, three near Beaver Lake in Cass County and others near Nehawka in Cass County and Nebraska City in Otoe County.
By now, almost no one who has paid much attention to todays nexus between politics and show business should be surprised to find Kanye Wests name pop up in the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot probe.

Its not that the billionaire hip-hop star and Donald Trump pal, who now goes by Ye, had anything to do with what looks increasingly like an attempted coup. But, as Ive heard folks say many times in his hometown Chicago, he knows people who know people.

Wests name popped up in connection with another Chicagoan, Trevian Kutti, a former publicist for Ye who, according to his current spokespeople, cut ties with her before January.

In a bizarre turn for a campaign narrative that has more than its share of the bizarre, Kutti has been accused of trying to intimidate Ruby Freeman, a 62-year-old Georgia campaign worker, into confessing to Trumps bogus charges of election fraud in Georgia.

Kutti allegedly visited Freemans home on Jan. 4 to offer help in the wake of death threats she said she was receiving after being targeted by both Trump and a far-right website, The Gateway Pundit.
Yet, state leaders continued to hint that the costs for personnel, travel and lodging would be covered, at least in part, by Texas.

This is in light of the request from the Texas Department of Public Safety which says that Texas and Arizona asked states to absorb the associated costs with this mission in support of the entire country and provide services at no charge to Texas.

Nebraska is a proud state on an equal sovereign footing with Texas. Each state must handle its own affairs  if Texas wants to help with, say, our prison staffing emergency, without recompense, Nebraska would sure welcome it  regardless of what national political points can be scored on the taxpayers dime.

And this whole episode shows the importance of laws protecting transparency. Such legislation is a critical tool to shine light on the full story, not just what officials want to tell their constituents.
Well go over our numbers tonight, and youll see that the masks are not coming off anytime soon, City of Racine Public Health Administrator Dottie-Kay Bowersox said during a Board of Health meeting on Tuesday.

The numbers in question show a dramatic spike in COVID-19 cases, specifically since Halloween, according to Health Department data. Currently, the city is experiencing a case rate of 85.4 active cases per 10,000 residents, a rate last seen a year ago.

The City of Racine reinstated its mask mandate by a vote of the City Council on Aug. 31, but the city remains one of only a few communities in the country with such a mandate. Additionally, it has not been heavily enforced.

Stop playing politics with COVID-19, says Burlington wife after her husband dies from virus Family and friends are remembering Gary Ketterhagen, a Burlington native and family man who beat cancer, but who could not overcome the COVID-19 virus.

The case rate has nearly tripled since November, according to city Laboratory Health Director Stephan Kurdas, with Novembers case rate sitting around 167.

Its really important to highlight, as you go into the holiday season, that everyone exercise a certain amount of healthy caution: wearing masks, getting tested. Theres plenty of testing opportunities around and you can buy them off the shelves, Kurdas said. So as always, watch your health, make sure everyone going is healthy and look to get vaccinated when an opportunity presents itself.

Since January, the City Health Department has administered about 13,500 vaccination doses, which includes first and second doses and boosters. Still, Racine remains at a lower rate than the state and the nation. Just more than 53% of Racine residents have had one dose of a vaccine. On the other hand, the state is at a vaccination rate of 61.2% and the national rate is 72.3%.

ICU bed availability at critical levels in Walworth County Our hospitals are experiencing a high volume of inpatients, limiting hospital beds and putting a strain on resources. Due to these high volumes, overall bed availability is at critical levels."

Wisconsin hospitals are struggling with capacity due to the surge in cases, with more than 93% of hospital beds and more than 95% of Intensive Care Unit beds in use this week. Bowersox noted the strain this has on health employees.

The hospital systems in the state of Wisconsin that are still at high capacity, surge capacity. So, that minimizes what they can do for their communities because of all the number of COVID positives, they have them (COVID patients) in their emergency rooms and they have an them in their beds, Bowersox said. Our health care workers are tired, Public Health Department employees are tired  this has been a long haul.

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A juvenile was taken into custody and faces criminal charges after threatening a school shooting at Badger High School on Friday, Dec. 17.

As of Monday, Dec. 20, the individuals name had not been released and it was unclear if the youth would be charged as a juvenile or adult.

Walworth County District Attorney Zeke Wiedenfeld said Monday that he didnt have any information he was able to share on this case.

Normally when someone under the age of 17 commits a delinquent act, the case is handled as a delinquency matter and the Department of Health and Human Services reviews the referral and makes a recommendation before sending it to the District Attorneys Office for a charging decision, Wiedenfeld said in an email.

Schools across the nation were already on high alert Friday because of posted videos of a nationwide TikTok challenge encouraging school violence on Dec. 17.

Police had stated on social media on Thursday that there would be extra security at Lake Geneva schools because of the TikTok challenge. Then once the threat came in specific to Badger, students were dismissed early.

On Friday at 8:57 a.m. the school resource officer at Badger High School received information that there was going to be a school shooting between 11 a.m. and 11:35 a.m. at Badger High School, Lake Geneva Police stated in a press release Friday afternoon.

This information was relayed to a Badger High School student via text message from an unknown telephone number.

Detectives with the City of Lake Geneva Police Department were able to track the phone number down to a juvenile resident of the Town of Geneva, just outside Lake Geneva.

Detectives interviewed this juvenile who admitted that they, in fact, sent the threatening text messages to a friend as a joke and was only trying to scare this friend.

Additionally, the juvenile attempted to hide the cellular telephone from detectives upon their arrival at the juveniles home.

Because of the threat, students and staff were released from Badger High School at approximately 10 a.m.

The juvenile was taken into custody and turned over to Walworth County Juvenile Intake. Charges for terrorist threats are going to be referred to the Walworth County District Attorneys Office on the juvenile.

In a Facebook post, District Administrator James Gottinger said students were dismissed early even though we feel the threat is not credible, to error on the side of the safety of our students.

In addition, all Friday after school activities were canceled.

Since this threat was specific to Badger High School, all other Lake Geneva Schools still remained open (Lake Geneva Middle School, Star Center, Eastview, and Central-Denison). However, parents were told if they wanted to excuse their child from the remainder of the day at these schools, they could contact the school office.

Gottinger said, We want to take a moment to share with families that we always take threats seriously. We are working jointly with the Lake Geneva Police Department to continue to investigate this threat.

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RACINE  A social media trend includes vaguely threatening school violence, forcing schools across the nation to respond to threats as if they are real even if they are most likely fake. That trend has now reached multiple Racine County schools and police departments.

Burlington High School received several tips from concerned community members on Tuesday night that they had heard of vague threats alluding to school violence. The district, according to Spokesperson Julie Thomas, quickly coordinated with the Burlington Police Department to verify that it was not a viable threat and that students were safe to attend classes Wednesday.

"Within 12 hours, BASD administration and Burlington Police Department were able to identify the post's originator, who resides in the state of Rhode Island. The original post/incident was completely outside of BASD and coincidentally involved a student with the same name as a BASD student," said a district communication to families.

The investigation, according to Thomas, also revealed that the post was related to a social media trend originating on the popular social media app, TikTok. The trend involves a vague picture that alludes to possible school violence on Dec. 17.

A notice to Waterford elementary school families described the post as "a threat to school safety 'for every school in the USA, even elementary,' on Friday, December 17 ... While we do not believe the threat to be credible, we are closely monitoring the situation and taking it seriously."

The letter, from Waterford Graded School District Administrator Ed Brzinski, continued: "Even if they are not credible threats, they can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety for our students, families, and staff. We ask our families to monitor their children's social media activity and speak with them about proper behavior online. If you or your child become aware of any potential threat posted to social media or anywhere else, please notify a school staff member or trusted adult right away."

On Thursday, a Baltimore Fox TV affiliate reported: "According to police, the original TikTok challenge was for students to skip school on Dec. 17 and at some point, the challenge was changed to a school shooting threat."

This trend is not unique to Burlington, or even Wisconsin, as schools across the nation have reported similar situations this week. On Wednesday morning, according to Racine Unified School District Spokesperson Stacy Tapp, RUSD began to catch wind of the rumors, and later had a couple of anonymous callers making threats, which the district was able to confirm were not credible.

Violence continues On Nov. 30, four people were killed and another seven wounded at Oxford High School. It was the deadliest school shooting in nearly 30 months in the U.S. Several other shootings involving American schools have been reported since, including one in Tennessee that left one dead outside a gym where a basketball game was being played on Nov. 30 and another on Dec. 6 in California where "gunmen fired dozens of bullets into an SUV in a 'brazen assault' that killed a 12-year-old boy and wounded his stepmother and a 9-year-old girl on a nearby school playground," the Associated Press reported.

"We did receive some anonymous calls this afternoon, and I know we got a couple and so did another district, but we were able to identify rather quickly where those calls came from were able to address it," Tapp said. "So in that situation, we were able to address the person or persons responsible, but I believe that it stems from the TikTok challenge."

Racine-based Siena Catholic Schools, although it did not receive a threat, communicated with families after getting word from from the Milwaukee Archdiocese. While Siena had no active threats, Chief Advancement Officer Kimberly Gardner said it was important to communicate with families.

"In the climate that we're in right now, we take all of those threats seriously, and felt it was important to let our families our faculty and staff know that we are aware of this," Gardner said.

At the beginning of the school year, school administrations faced challenges arising from other TikTok trends, including one where students stole soap dispensers from bathrooms. The current threat, Tapp said, likely was born out of those earlier trends.

While none of the threats appear to be legitimate, districts have communicated that they are taking them seriously and are in communication with local law enforcement to ensure the safety of students. Districts also are asking families to speak with their students about social media and the seriousness of the situation.

"But we felt it was a good opportunity to not only talk to families, but hopefully, families will talk to their students about online behavior, and the importance of understanding that threats and things like that can really cause a great deal of stress and anxiety for a number of people," Gardner said.

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RACINE  A former girlfriend of a man on trial in Racine County Circuit Court for kidnapping and bank robbery testified against him on Wednesday.

George K. Pearson-Robb, 21, is charged with armed robbery with threat of force as party to a crime, three counts of kidnapping and robbery of a financial institution.

Lamarra Powell, 20, the former girlfriend, is charged with three counts of kidnapping and robbery of a financial institution, as party to a crime on all four charges.

She did not directly participate in the kidnapping and bank robbery; rather, she is charged with aiding and abetting the conspirators.

The two were among four charged in connection to the June 28, 2019, kidnapping of a woman and her two children that culminated in the robbery of the Wells Fargo the following day.

The woman was the manager of a Wells Fargo branch and was kidnapped so that the three conspirators could gain access to the vault.

However, the case against the defendant is largely circumstantial. There is video of the bank robbery, but the conspirators covered their heads and faces.

Pearson-Robb has maintained his innocence.

However, Powell told the jury she heard her former boyfriend and the co-conspirators planning the kidnapping and robbery for weeks.

She was also able to identify Pearson-Robb in a still shot taken from surveillance video of the bank robbery.

A person in the video was wearing a black Victoria Secrets jacket with the word PINK across the back.

Thats my jacket, she said, noting he sometimes borrowed it.

As the defense noted, Powells statements to law enforcement were inconsistent and she hoped for a favorable outcome from the state if she cooperated because she really did not want to go back to jail, she told the court emphatically.

Case history

Officers from the Racine Police Department were dispatched at about 6:42 a.m. on June 29, 2019, to Wells Fargo, 1700 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, for a report of a bank robbery.

Events culminating in the bank robbery actually began the evening before when William Q. Howell, now 21, and Donterious L. Robb, now 26, allegedly approached the branch manager as she was getting her two children out of the car after arriving home in Kenosha.

The branch manager was pregnant at the time and her children were ages 5 and 2.

Howell and Robb allegedly brandished firearms and forced the woman into the backseat of her car before getting in her car, eventually covering her head with a T-shirt, and driving to Milwaukee.

During the trip, they allegedly took her cellphone and wallet. Robb allegedly pointed what appeared to be a gun at her for the entire ride.

Investigators later learned the handguns were fake, but the victim testified that she thought they were real.

When Howell and Robb arrived in Milwaukee, they put the woman and her daughters in the basement of the house where they were staying.

Howell and Robb allegedly told her they wanted access to the bank vault the next morning.

In the early-morning hours of the next day, the woman and her two children were transported to Wells Fargo in Racine.

On the trip from Milwaukee to Racine, the two conspirators were joined by a third, which the state alleges was Pearson-Robb.

Once inside the bank, the woman was threatened with a gun until she was able to get access to money, which the men stuffed into bags.

As the conspirators made their way through the bank, the woman managed to shut a door, locking herself and her two children in the bank with the conspirators on the wrong side of the locked door. The conspirators fled with $47,000.

Eyewitness

Powell testified to what she saw during the evening hours of June 28, 2019 at a house on 37th Street in Milwaukee, which has been identified as the home of Pearson-Robb.

She told the jury she was informed there were hostages in the basement when she arrived at the house that evening.

At one point, Donterious L. Robb told her to take a blanket downstairs to the hostages, which she did.

She described the basement as pitch black and said she did not interact with the hostages.

When asked why she didnt call the police, she said: I was afraid of what somebody would do to me if I told.

She said afterward there was a lot of money in Pearson-Robbs room, piled on the bed and floor.

The witness also told the jury the defendant purchased gifts for her, including clothing, shoes, and a car.

Credibility

The defense called into question Powells credibility.

Powell was also was arrested along with the other three co-conspirators, but she hoped for favorable consideration in her case due to her cooperation.

The defense also raised issues about the conduct of Pearson-Robb, which allegedly included infidelity, suggesting that his relationship behavior would lead Powell to seek retribution through cooperation with prosecutors.

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Dozens of trees fell. Power lines went down and sparked. Several schools closed. But southeastern Wisconsin avoided the worst of the conditions created by unusually strong winds Wednesday and during the day Thursday.

At least four area schools closed due to widespread power outages: Waterford High School, Gilmore Fine Arts, Wadewitz Elementary and Racine Alternative Education on the community pathways campus at 2333 Northwestern Ave.

Waterfords after-school activities were to be held Thursday night after power was restored.

We Energies was reporting, as of 8 a.m. Thursday, more than 100 outages affecting more than 2,800 customers in the Racine-Kenosha areas. Across all of southeastern Wisconsin, We Energies is reporting more than 1,300 outages affecting nearly 65,000 customers. Statewide, more than 77,000 customers are affected.

By 3 p.m., 44,000 We Energies customers were still without power, including around 900 in the Racine-Kenosha areas. WDJT-TV reported that up to 10% of those who were without power Thursday may not have it back by the weekend.

On Wednesday night, the National Weather Service issued a warning in Wisconsin that included Racine County, which warned of gusts up to 65 mph, strong enough to down both trees and power lines.

More than 30 public trees fell or had branches hanging lower than they should be in the City of Racine, according to City Forester Matt Koepnick; a home at the corner of Kentucky Street and Washington Avenue had a tall tree fall on it. One tree at Graceland Cemetery fell and is to be removed.

A scary moment occurred Wednesday outside of the Culvers in Yorkville, just west of Interstate 94 along Highway 20, when a power line sparked and sparks could be seen flying across the wire before a transformer was consumed in sparks.

In the City of Stanley east of Eau Claire, nearly two dozen houses were almost entirely destroyed by the storm, although no injuries were reported there. A Facebook post from the Stanley Police Department posted after 2 a.m. Thursday opened with So much devistation (sic) followed by an emoji of a broken heart.

Photos from Stanley show walls and roofs ripped off homes, an RV tipped over, a brick wall reduced to rubble and a line of trees ripped from their roots.

Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy reported that about 24,000 customers in Wisconsin were without power at some point during the storm, with some not having power restored Thursday.

Hours after the rain and wind subsided, snow began to blanket the community.

West end

In western Racine County, the Waterford Fire Department reported trees and power lines knocked down by strong winds. In the 700 block of Club Lane, a tree caught fire after making contact with a power line.

Assistant Fire Chief Tom Nehring said firefighters were able to contain the fire so it did not spread.

Elsewhere, Nehring said, residents faced a power outage that seemed to affect all property owners west of the Fox River. By Thursday morning, power was restored in at least some parts of town.

Nehring said the storm kept his crews busy all night.

The winds were pretty ferocious, he said.

Officials in Burlington and Union Grove said they have received no reports of storm damage.

Still, Wisconsin has avoided the worst of the weather system thus far, following devastating and widespread tornadoes that may have killed more than 100 people across six states Friday.

Regional damage

A powerful storm system swept across the Great Plains and Midwest on Wednesday, closing highways in western Kansas, spawning reported tornadoes in Nebraska and Iowa and raising concerns about fires because of unusually high temperatures.

Since Wednesday, at least five people died as a result of hurricane-force winds across the Midwest: in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota.

NWS also said there have been 13 tornado reports in the Plains states, scattered through eastern Nebraska and Iowa, plus another one near Stanley and another in eastern Minnesota.

To have this number of damaging wind storms at one time would be unusual anytime of year, said Brian Barjenbruch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Valley, Nebraska. But to have this happen in December is really abnormal.

The high temperatures, including Madison recording a Dec. 15 record high of 68 degrees Fahrenheit, were similarly unusual; some have blamed the record on climate change.

The Milwaukee airport recorded gusts of 63 mph, as did Racines John H. Batten Airport. The Kenosha airport recorded gusts up to 64 mph, Patterson said.

One gust in Colorado recorded Wednesday morning surpassed 100 mph.

On Interstate 25, more than a dozen semitrailers blew over in winds that topped 90 mph, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette.

Smoky skies

Along with those wind gusts some people reported seeing and smelling smoke in southeastern Wisconsin.

Meteorologist Taylor Patterson of the National Weather Service in Sullivan said that people smelled and saw smoke because of active wildfires in Kansas.

Because of the high wind we had, it carried a lot of that smoke toward Wisconsin, Patterson said.

Margery A. Beck and Margaret Stafford of the Associated Press and Stephanie Jones and Parker Reed of Lee Newspapers contributed to this report.

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Adam Rogan Reporter-Local Editor Adam does a little bit of everything with the JT, from everyday news to localizing state & national politics. He grew up in Racine County, believes in the Oxford comma and loves digital subscribers: journaltimes.com/subscribenow | @Could_Be_Rogan Follow Adam Rogan 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
KENOSHA  In his visit to Gateway Technical Colleges Horizon Center in Kenosha on Tuesday, Gov. Tony Evers admitted there is not one quick and easy fix to the states ongoing workforce struggles.

How immigrants could address labor shortage in Wisconsin Wisconsin farmers learned something 20 years ago that many American employers unable to fill open positions are failing to learn right now: if youre facing a worker shortage, hire foreigners.

But he feels theres one place to look that would go a long way to help the situation.

During a question-and-answer session with assembled media on a three-city stop to award Workforce Innovation Grant funds, Evers said fixing the immigration situation would certainly help those businesses who cant fill vacancies, not only here, but across the country.

If at some point and time, we as a nation can figure out immigration issues, the entire country would be thankful for that, Evers said. There are a shortage of workers, people, all across this country. For some reason, we havent been able to figure that out.

Evers said he spoke to a large employer Monday night who echoed the workforce concerns heard by many. Evers said she told him if possible, shed head to the border and come back with as many workers as she could find.

She said, Id be glad to take two buses down to the border of Mexico and bring back people that are willing, who want to work and be good Americans, bring them back to Wisconsin. Ill pay for there housing and pay them $20 an hour to work, too, Evers said.

That tells me that the immigration policy has to be fixed, Evers explained.

Evers said its difficult to pinpoint the single greatest need to close the workforce gap, which continues with the state at an unemployment rate of just 3.2%, well below the national average.

It depends on where you are in the State of Wisconsin, he said. Certainly, theres a numbers issues, but whether its talent development, bringing people together, providing further training going forward, selection of people for the workforce and making them workforce ready, it depends on the area.

We need to have the people of Wisconsin to be as ready to work as possible.

Evers said employers throughout the state were included in the decisions made for which groups would receive the first round of grants from the program. Twelve regional projects were awarded nearly $60 million in this first round, with another round set for 2022.

All these projects that have been approved have reached out to employers all across the state, Evers said.

When COVID derailed worker visas, Wisconsin's tourism workforce was decimated Usually, the Wisconsin Dells (a hub of the state's $22.2 billion tourism industry) gets 6,000 foreign workers every summer primarily from the J-1 Visa program, through which students in other countries are allowed to come to the U.S. for four months to learn about American culture while working paid jobs. This year, due to COVID-19 concerns and embassies being closed, only about 1,600 J-1 holders came to and worked in the Wisconsin Dells.

When it comes to eliminating programs like food stamps and free and reduced lunches in schools, that some may think are keeping possible employees at home, Evers said hes in no way in favor of that.

To me, thats an issue, he said. I know that was an issue that was clearly brought out during the unemployment compensation issue, that somehow people were getting so much money to be unemployed. Thats over.

First of all, I never believed that. There was no data to support that. Thats over, and were still having problems. We have people in the State of Wisconsin that have an opportunity now with these projects in different parts of the state to increase their job skills so theyre more marketable. This is the right approach to take.

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Racine County will receive an estimated $7.2 million after agreeing to participate in the settlement of statewide opioid litigation.

The opioid epidemic has devastated Racine County families and stretched our resources to the limit, County Executive Jonathan Delagrave said in a statement. This is a victory for our county. These funds will ensure we can deliver the support our residents need to combat opioid abuse. Furthermore, Racine County led the way working with the state legislature to achieve this outcome.

Settlement allocations will be released over the next 18 years, and Racine Countys allocation amount is determined by an agreed upon formula, according to county government. Like municipalities across the country, Racine County has spent millions in its battle against opioid abuse. The suit held manufacturers responsible for deceptive marketing practices about the safety and efficacy of long-term opioid use.

In 2017, Racine County entered into an agreement with von Briesen & Roper, Crueger Dickinson and Simmons Hanly Conroy to pursue litigation against opioid manufacturers to hold them responsible for the opioid epidemic and its financial impacts. Under the leadership of the county executive, Racine County entered the suit early on and worked with the Wisconsin Counties Association to guide the allocation across the finish line.

Allocations from the litigation must be used for qualifying opioid abatement strategies and programs. The County Board of Supervisors approved entry into the settlement agreement at its Tuesday meeting.

Expanding community-based substance abuse prevention and treatment has been one of the county executive and my top priorities, stated Human Services Director Hope Otto. This allocation will allow us to make significant investments with generational impacts.

County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said that every overdose death is a tragedy and that he extends condolences to anyone who has lost a friend or loved one to an opioid addiction.

I am very concerned that there has been a 30% increase of overdose deaths, in a recent one-year period, in the United States, Schmaling said in a statement. The reports are, during this same time period, over 100,000 people nationally have died from overdoses. I am encouraged, however, that Racine County has received an opioid settlement that can deliver additional funds to assist the Sheriffs Office fight against illegal drug use.

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Ascension Health reports that it is among the many companies affected by a massive ransomware attack that targeted Ultimate Kronos Group, a human resources company whose software Ascension uses. The hack has forced Ascension to change how it pays employees across the country, including at Ascension All Saints Hospital, Racine Countys biggest hospital.

Ascension has not directly said how widespread the problems are, although it has been reported at at least one other Ascension hospital in Indiana.

Nestle, which employs approximately 400 people in Burlington, also is a client of Kronos, but spokeswoman Dana Stambaugh said in an email Thursday afternoon that this (hack) will have no impact on our ability to pay our employees.

Kronos is a human resources company worth billions. It reportedly suffered a ransomware attack that may keep its systems offline for weeks, NPR reported. To ensure employees are paid, companies that rely on the software are working to find backup plans  including issuing paper checks, some for the first time in years.

Ransomware is when hackers who take control of an organizations computers and lock out the organization itself, often demanding untraceable payments (sometimes totaling in the tens of millions of dollars) to return computers to normal.

According to a statement from an Ascension Wisconsin spokesperson: Like many companies, we have been impacted by the ransomware attack on Kronos. While Kronos is working to address system issues, we have put in place alternate systems to track time and process payroll as scheduled. As such, the nonprofit health system expects all employees to be paid on time.

USA Today reported that for now, Kronos recommends its clients look into alternatives for workforce management while it navigates this situation.

Other clients of Kronos are Tesla and YMCA.

Last year, after ransomware shut down the City of Racines computer systems. Rather than pay the virtual kidnappers, the city essentially rebuilt its systems from the ground up, a process that took months.

Hackers often will gain access to a computer system but not act for months as they search for more exploits that could give them more power or access to other organizations systems before they initiate a shutdown and issue demands.

A massive computer vulnerability tied to Minecraft, the all-time best-selling video game which is now owned by Microsoft, was made public last month. The security flaw is possibly the worst computer vulnerability discovered in years, leaving untold numbers of computers open to infiltration.

The internets on fire right now, Adam Meyers, senior vice president of intelligence at the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, told The Associated Press. People are scrambling to patch, he said, and all kinds of people scrambling to exploit it. He said earlier this month that in the 12 hours since the bugs existence was disclosed it had been fully weaponized, meaning malefactors had developed and distributed tools to exploit it.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Wisconsins unemployment rate dropped to 3% last month, according to preliminary data, matching the states previous record low set back in November 2018, the state Department of Workforce Development reported Thursday.

Wisconsins unemployment rate continues to trend lower than the national average of 4.2%, but the latest figures underscore that the states ongoing workforce challenges, which were present before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, appear to be a lingering issue despite improving jobless numbers.

In hopes of addressing the labor shortage, Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday announced more than $6 million in grant funding to Madison Area Technical College to support individuals seeking work in conservation and construction, as well as child care providers to help parents enter the workforce. At the same time, conservatives and several state business organizations unveiled a proposal to eliminate the states income tax in an effort to bolster the economy and make Wisconsin more attractive to out-of-state talent.

Wisconsin reported adding 10,200 nonfarm jobs and 12,300 private-sector jobs last month, according to data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The states labor force participation rate was unchanged from the 66.4% reported in October.

The state last reported a 3% unemployment rate back in November 2018, while preliminary estimates have trended as low as 2.8% before revisions. DWD will update the states official unemployment rate for November next month.

DWD chief economist Dennis Winters said the economy has seen a decent recovery from the pandemic across all sectors, including leisure and hospitality, which was hardest hit by COVID-19. The sector was down about 10% in terms of jobs after losing close to 50% during the early stages of the pandemic.

Despite the positive trend, Winters said the state is still about 100,000 jobs below where it was before the pandemic. The states aging population has caused the workforce to flatten out over time and it threatens to shift downward by as early as 2035, he added.

We need solutions to this, but its a trend thats been going on for some time, Winters said.

Workforce grants

During a press event at MATC Thursday, Evers announced $2.9 million in grants to the college to support child care professionals and address the states shortage of day care offerings, which has been attributed to the states labor shortage by preventing parents from entering the workforce.

This grant will help us eliminate barriers to top-notch child care and family-sustaining wages, MATC President Jack Daniels said. This project will provide our diverse communities with educational resources that will pay dividends for generations to come.

The Democratic governor also announced $3.3 million to support Operation Fresh Start, a job training and education program that aims to help young people enter careers in construction and conservation.

The grants are part of $130 million in federal stimulus funds Evers allocated in July to help connect unemployed people with work opportunities with hopes of addressing ongoing workforce shortage challenges across the state.

Evers on Monday announced almost $60 million would be directed to 12 regional projects, including MATCs Operation Fresh Start program. Evers plans to announce a second round of funding next year.

Tax changes proposed

A new report from the conservative Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy written by Noah Williams, an economics professor with UW-Madison, proposes a different approach to make Wisconsin more attractive to job seekers  eliminating Wisconsins income tax, which is the oldest in the nation.

The report, titled Fundamental State Tax Reform: Eliminating the Income Tax in Wisconsin, also proposes increasing the states general sales tax from 5% to 8% to cover the reduction in tax revenue caused by striking the income tax.

While widely praised by conservatives on Thursday, others have raised concern over a proposal to eliminate a progressive income tax while increasing a regressive sales tax.

Increasing the sales tax to make up for a cut in income taxes shifts the responsibility for paying taxes away from the rich and powerful, and onto the backs of people with low and moderate incomes, Tamarine Cornelius, director of the Wisconsin Budget Project, said in a statement. We cant create broad-based prosperity for Wisconsin by raising taxes on the families who can least afford it, just to pay for tax cuts for the rich.

Williams estimates the proposal would lead to an average net tax cut of about $1,700 per household and boost the states economy by about $28 billion over a five-year period. Employment is expected to increase by 6.9%, or about 175,000 jobs, under the proposal.

This report shows how to cut taxes all around, but especially for middle class families and small business owners, CJ Szafir, president of the conservative Institute for Reforming Government, said in a statement. The reform would be a game changer for Wisconsin. More take home pay. Higher employment. Higher GDP growth. It would be a win all around.

Tax revenue

However, Ross Milton, economist in the La Follette School of Public Affairs at UW-Madison, noted that the CROWE report points out that the proposed tax changes would also result in a 12.6% reduction in state tax revenue.

Theyre assuming that doesnt have any effects on the economy and I think that in other states that have tried dramatic tax cuts in short periods of time, big cuts to state revenue are a drag on the economy and are frankly very unpopular, Milton said of the report. Even if thats beneficial in the long run, its going to have some short-term costs.

Patricia Mayers, spokesperson for the state Department of Revenue, said in an email department economists noted that CROWEs report is unclear on how the state would provide relief to certain filers that receive refundable income tax credits like the veterans and surviving spouses tax credit. Officials also noted that repealing the income tax would provide little to no income relief to low-income earners while hitting them with a sales tax increase.

Changing the balance between income, sales, and property taxes is often discussed across the country, but an outright repeal of one of the major tax types is less common and can lead to instability in a states revenue portfolio and unintended consequences, according to the DOR email.

Rep. Barbara Dittrich, R-Oconomowoc, who sits on the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means, tweeted that she is a huge fan of eliminating the income tax. The committees chairman Rep. John Macco, R-Ledgeview, and vice chairman Rep. Robert Wittke, R-Wind Point, said in a statement they look forward to discussing the proposal.

The proposal also received praise from former Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who touted eliminating the income tax during an interview Thursday on WISN conservative talk radio.

This just has a ripple effect that I think is going to be unbelievably positive, Walker said.

Asked about Walkers support of the proposal during a press event in Milwaukee, Evers replied, Wasnt he governor for eight years and had a Republican Legislature that whole time?

He couldve done that himself, Evers said of the proposal to eliminate the income tax. I promised a middle-class tax cut when I ran for this office, and we were successful with a 15% income tax cut.

Walker floated the idea of eliminating the states individual and corporate income taxes, paired with a sales tax increase, back in 2013. The liberal Wisconsin Budget Project estimated at the time that such a tax shift would mean the bottom 80% of taxpayers would be paying more in taxes, while taxpayers in the top 1% would see cuts averaging almost $44,000.

The state budget signed this year brought down the income tax rate from 6.27% to 5.3% for income between about $24,000 and $263,000 a year, or between $32,000 and $356,000 for married filers. Taxpayers who make more than that still benefit from that tax rate reduction.

The income tax is 3.54% on the first $12,000 of taxable income for individuals or $16,000 for married filers. For income between about $12,000 and $24,000, and married filers making between about $16,000 and $32,000, the income tax rate is 4.65%.

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1. Crime. Too much violence, too many shootings. Police have to get a handle on it.

2. Coronavirus. The omicron variant and others to follow threaten the community.

3. Roads. Killeen-area roads are still a mess after last years storm  a serious problem.

4.Government. Elections are on the horizon, and voters will have hard choices to make.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say which single issue will stand out at this point.

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Losses also included livestock. Dozens of cows were electrocuted at a dairy farm after a power pole landed on a milking barn in Newaygo County, in western Michigan. Tim Butler said his workers at the dairy survived the event, but at least 70 cows died. Dozens survived, but many were "hurt bad, Butler said.

The destructive weather system developed amid unprecedented warmth for December in the Plains and northern states. That included temperatures that rose to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) across southwestern Wisconsin on Wednesday evening. The Weather Company historian Chris Burt compared the heat to that of a warm July evening.

I can say with some confidence that this event (the heat and tornadoes) is among the most (if not THE most) anomalous weather event ever on record for the Upper Midwest, Burt wrote in a Facebook post.

The winds knocked down trees, tree limbs and nearly 150 power lines in northern and western Michigans Lower Peninsula. In the western Michigan village of Fruitport, high winds peeled back a portion of Edgewood Elementary Schools roof, leading officials to close all district schools Thursday.
I will protect my kids, Hill said, an instinct that kicked in in 1883 as Margaret, as it does today. Its just a natural thing that happens. And so dont stand in my way or I will hurt you.

Playing alongside her husband was a little trickier than playing a mom. The couple came up with a plan to not work on their scenes outside of the set, or even talk about it.

After being married for 25 years, both of us felt that would be the most authentic way that we could portray Margaret and James. And we just didnt want either one of us to have a preconceived notion of what they would be. We just wanted it to be real and as authentic as possible, Hill said.

McGraw says he loved the idea that at this point in their lives, the couple had the opportunity to work together in something this epic, this big and this strong.

We were just awe-inspired by it, McGraw said.

The Dutton family journey, which takes them through the Great Plains toward the then-territory of Montana, is part of the western expansion that reflected the nation's belief that it was destined to settle all of North America.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  Authorities on Thursday issued a search warrant for Alec Baldwins cell phone, saying it could hold evidence that might be helpful as they investigate a deadly shooting on a New Mexico film set that killed a cinematographer and wounded the director.

Baldwin was holding a revolver during rehearsal when it fired. He has maintained that it was cinematographer Halyna Hutchins herself who asked him to point the gun just off camera and toward her armpit before it went off. Director Joel Souza also was wounded in the shooting on the Bonanza Creek Ranch film set near Santa Fe.

Baldwin has said that at Hutchins direction he pulled the hammer back and that it fired when he let go. He has said he didnt know the gun contained a live round.

Investigators have described some complacency in how weapons were handled on the set of the Western Rust. They have yet to file any charges and have been working to determine where the live rounds found on set might have come from.
A trio of people who may be traveling the country tried to commit fraud Tuesday afternoon at Sams Club, according to the Grand Island Police.

Amanda Matamala Contreras and two men purchased $3,300 worth of gift cards using a stolen credit card from Fort Collins, Colorado, GIPD reports.

The two men fled the scene.

Police say Matamala Contreras provided a false name and fake identification card to an officer when questioned.

Matamala Contreras, 22, was arrested for unauthorized use of a transaction device, false reporting and identity theft.

She has no permanent address. It appears she is from the country of Chile, said Grand Island Capt. Jim Duering.

Police came close to apprehending one of the men Tuesday afternoon.

Sgt. Phoukhong Manivong said a witness saw the man run across U.S. 281 from Hobby Lobby and try to enter Red Lobster, and walked past Conestoga Mall. Manivong saw the man, from a couple of blocks away, at 14th Street and Webb Road and tried to make contact with him.

This guy was fast, Manivong said.
Voters will see a question about clean water on their ballots this spring after the La Crosse County Board approved a referendum that would give residents a chance to urge officials to protect water sources around the state.

The advisory referendum question will appear on April 5 ballots alongside local elections, and specifically poses to voters whether or not the state should have a clearer policy on clean water.

Voters will be able to answer yes or no to the following question:

Shall the State of Wisconsin establish a right to clean water to protect human health, the environment, and the diverse cultural and natural heritage of Wisconsin?

There was some discussion on Thursday about what the exact impact would be of the referendum, arguing that the board could send a letter themselves encouraging the state.

Im just wondering, who would vote against clean water? said supervisor David Hundt. Why dont we just send a letter to the governor saying that La Crosse County is in favor of clean water instead of putting us through this referendum. It makes no sense.

I think all of us would agree that we need to have clean water in our area, and were voted into our position for that reason, said supervisor Jack Pogreba. Why do we need to have a special referendum and spend that additional tax dollar to do what our job is supposed to be?

But others argued a letter from just the board wasnt strong enough of a message.

If we send it to the state people as a resolution from this body, that is the opinion of 29 people. Thats different than the opinion of tens of thousands who say: this is an important issue to us, said supervisor and state Rep. Steve Doyle.

Supervisor Margaret Larson, who represents the town of Campbell where clean water has become a particularly important issue because of widespread PFAS contamination, said that the state Legislature needs an extra push.

In addition, officials said it would give residents who are facing issues with their water a chance to use their voice, some said.

I know its going to cost some money, but I think we have to make a point, especially to the people on the island, that they can get out and feel that their voice is being heard, said supervisor Gary Padesky.

One attempt to send the referendum question back to committee failed on a vote of 5-22. The full board then nearly unanimously voted in approval of the referendum, with Hundt and supervisor Kevin Hoyer against.

The referendum question stems from a statewide campaign launched by the River Alliance of Wisconsin, and La Crosse will join several other counties in polling their residents on the issue.

Voters in La Crosse County  particularly in PFAS hot spots such as French Island  are very concerned about the safety of their drinking water as well as how deeply connected clean water is to the health of their communities and local economies, said Johnson Bridgwater of River Alliance of Wisconsin Water Advocates in a statement.

By voting yes to the Clean Water Now referendum question next April, voters, regardless of political party, can send elected and government officials a very clear message that clean, abundant water should be treated as a basic human right, Bridgwater said.

The same referendum question has received support from voters in Marquette, Portage and Wood Counties earlier this year.

After the election, the La Crosse County Clerk will send results of the referendum to the governors office, the Wisconsin Counties Association, all Wisconsin county boards and to local members of the state Legislature.

Opioid settlement set in motion

The board also approved a resolution that would essentially allow the county to enter into a settlement agreement with three major pharmaceutical companies involved in the opioid epidemic.

The statewide settlement spans nearly every county in Wisconsin, and La Crosse is expected to receive about 2% of the states overall $420 million from the settlement.

After initial legal fees, the county could be looking at receiving roughly $3.5 million, but this is a very early estimate. The actual amount could be a chiseled version depending on additional fees or payments, and whether every county that joined the litigation agrees to the terms of the settlement.

A lot of what is going to happen next depends on the percentage of entities that approve it, said La Crosse County corporation counsel Megan DeVore.

The amount of groups part of the original litigation that agree to the terms of the settlement will help determine the final dollar amount. DeVore said they should know by the end of the month who was in and who was out.

The important thing for us today is to have these agreements approved so that we can move forward with executing the settlement agreements, she said.

The funds are restricted to be used for mitigation of the opioid epidemic, and staff is already reviewing ways it could be spent in La Crosse County.

This settlement is not the complete settlement of all these suits that are still pending, DeVore said. So its possible and were expecting that other settlements are coming.

ARPA funding, raises

The La Crosse County Board also approved the release of about $705,950 of its American Rescue Plan Act relief towards expenses incurred by the pandemic.

The funds will help cover expenses that were not expected or budgeted for by departments.

This includes assisting with the isolation of at-risk unsheltered individuals in the community, staffing for disease investigation, contact tracing and testing, equipment to support the Health Department, and things such as masks, plastic barriers and more.

In total, La Crosse County is expected to receive $22,923,224 through ARPA relief.

In addition, the board also approved a series of pay increases for the La Crosse County sheriff deputy union over the next two years.

Those members of the union, through a new collective bargaining agreement, will receive a 4% raise in 2022 and 2% in 2023.

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Lanae Nickelotti has been appointed as the new La Crosse County finance director, replacing Sharon Davidson, who has retired.

Nickelotti grew up in rural Vernon County and is a graduate of Westby High School. She joined the county as a senior internal auditor in 2016, eventually becoming the countys deputy finance director. Nickelottis previous roles include working as an auditor for the Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau, and as a senior accountant for Johnson Block & Company, Inc., in Viroqua.

She has just an excellent and stellar background in finance, La Crosse County Administrator Steve OMalley said, adding that Nickelotti had worked to implement efficiencies across departments that have strengthened the countys balance sheet.

Nickelotti has a degree in accounting and finance with a minor in psychology from the University of WisconsinLa Crosse. Before moving to La Crosse County, she served for a term as a trustee for the village of Coon Valley, gaining insight into public finances from the perspective of an elected official.

Nickelotti said she also gained invaluable knowledge from Davidson and will build off the solid accounting foundation established by the outgoing director. She will take over at a time when the county is in a strong position financially. The countys 2022 budget cuts the county property tax rate and will reduce its overall debt.

Nickelotti says she wants to prioritize clear communication with the county board and the public on the finances and how they function. For example, she said one popular misconception is the extent to which the county relies on property taxes.

The county will use property tax revenue to fund just under 20% of its budget in 2022, the lowest percentage and lowest total property tax for any county of comparable size in Wisconsin. State and federal funding, user fees plus sales tax revenue, contribute most of the remaining funding.

The county must also work within property tax levy limits set by state statute. La Crosse County has the 5th lowest total tax levy per capita of all 72 Wisconsin counties.

The levy limits, plus working through regulations that come with outside funding, add complexity to Nickelottis new role, but shes confident in her team and enjoys solving problems. She wants to continue to push the county to act strategically, rather than reactively, in planning its spending.

I think weve done a lot of creative things through collaboration and innovation to really stretch our dollars, Nickelotti said. My goal is to continue to carefully steward our public funding, while helping to support important county programs.

Nickelottis appointment was approved by the La Crosse County Board at its Dec. 6 meeting. Learn more about the countys Finance Department and view county budgets and financial reports here: lacrossecounty.org/finance/.

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There are no injuries reported after crews responded Thursday afternoon to a fire located in a second story kitchen on La Crosses North Side.

According to a media release, the La Crosse Fire Department responded to a fire on 1803 Onalaska Avenue at 3:15 p.m., which is believed to be started by accidental use of a flammable liquid.

Heavy smoke was coming from the kitchen of a second story apartment when crews arrived, but was contained and did not spread to other areas of the home or other apartments.

Firefighters made entry and extinguished the fire quickly the release said.

When crews arrived, all occupants were outside of the building.

The apartment sustained heavy smoke and moderate fire damage, according to the report.

Crews responded in three minutes, the release said, and a total of six apparatus and 16 firefighters responded. The La Crosse Police Department, Tri-State Ambulance and Xcel Energy also assisted at the scene.

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For Michael Quintero Bungert, college has been about much more than finding a career.

Its also been about finding himself.

At UW-L, I have had time to explore and figure out who I am, says Bungert, who will graduate Sunday with a bachelors degree in social studies education. Coming from a small town in Minnesota, it was hard for me to fully develop or express my identity as both Mexican and American.

With my time at UW-L, I was able to explore this identity with the help of my professors, my classmates and multicultural organizations such as the Latin American Student Organization (LASO).

A native of Pine Island, Minnesota, Bungert says he was drawn to UW-L through word of mouth and the natural beauty of the campus and community.

Almost immediately, he found his place at UW-L.

He joined LASO his first year on campus and soon transitioned into leadership roles. His junior year, he served first as the organizations vice president and then as its president.

Meeting people who were also exploring their identities as Latinx students really helped with my own identity exploration, he explains.

They were facing the same things I had to, so being able to share experiences or even just knowing I wasnt alone was great. I wanted to help LASO be a resource and space for Latinx students who were finding their own way.

In the classroom, Bungert has learned how he can support and empower students once he becomes a teacher.

Its been helpful, he says, having education classes where I learned how to best implement what I learned from my past classes, and also how to include marginalized groups and their voices into topics I will teach in the future.

Bungert says he has enjoyed the history courses he has taken, particularly those taught by Professor Victor Macias-Gonzalez.

Macias-Gonzalez has been impressed with Bungert as well.

I saw him blossom in some Latino and Latin American history classes, Macias-Gonzalez notes. And then I saw him in action as a student leader in the Latino student org.

After graduation, Bungert plans to work as a substitute teacher in the La Crosse area before looking for a more permanent teaching position in Minnesota or Wisconsin.

He knows hell miss UW-L and the campus groups of which hes been a part, including LASO and the mens ultimate Frisbee team.

Most of all, hell miss the people.

I have really enjoyed being able to meet some amazing people at UW-L, he says.

Taking multiple classes with the same professors allowed me to be more comfortable in the classroom and make connections at UW-L. Similarly, being friends with students in the same major  created a support system for my classmates and myself.

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LOS ANGELES (AP)  Federal prosecutors blamed a Texas oil company's negligence for a crude spill that fouled Southern California's coastline, in a criminal indictment that said fatigued workers failed to properly act when repeated alarms signaled an offshore pipeline rupture.

Houston-based Amplify Energy Corp. and two subsidiaries were indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on a single misdemeanor count of illegally discharging oil. The companies operate three oil rigs and a pipeline off Long Beach near Los Angeles.

Investigators believe the San Pedro Bay Pipeline was weakened when a cargo ships anchor snagged it in high winds in January, months before it ultimately ruptured Oct. 1, spilling up to about 25,000 gallons (94,600 liters) of crude oil in the ocean.

U.S. prosecutors said the companies were negligent six ways, including failing to respond to eight leak detection system alarms over a 13-hour period that should have alerted them to the spill and would have minimized the damage. Instead, the line was shut down then restarted repeatedly, as workers on an offshore platform struggled to determine the leak site and oil kept spewing from the broken pipe miles away on the ocean floor, according to the indictment.

Amplify blamed the unnamed ship for displacing the pipeline. It said company workers on and offshore believed they were responding to false alarms from a malfunctioning system that was signaling a potential leak at the platform, the company said.

Had the crew known there was an actual oil spill in the water, they would have shut down the pipeline immediately, the company said.

The Associated Press first reported last week that Amplifys leak detection system was not fully functional. AP in October reported on questions surrounding the companys failure to respond to an alarm.

Amplify wants to repair the pipeline over the next several months and plans to start work as soon as Friday, said spokesperson Patrick Creighton.

Federal pipeline safety officials have only approved the first phase of that work: patching the rupture and removing the oil still inside the pipeline, Creighton said. He could not provide an estimate on the volume of crude remaining.

Pending further approvals of its plans, the company wants to remove 282 feet (86 meters) of damaged line and replace it with new pipe. The new section would be covered with concrete mats to protect against future anchor strikes, according to an emergency repair application submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Miyoko Sakashita with the Center for Biological Diversity, which wants to end offshore oil production, questioned whether the work should be considered an emergency. She said more environmental studies were needed before the line resumes operation.

The U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday conducted an overflight to investigate a reported sheen about a half-mile (0.8 kilometers) off the coast of Bolsa Chica State Beach, in the general vicinity of the October leak.

No impacts were found on the shoreline, where beach cleanup crews remained on standby. Boats used booms to surround the small sheen area. Protection measures were taken at Talbert Marsh, Bolsa Chica ecological reserve and the Santa Ana River, but no oil was observed at those locations.

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley told KNBC-TV that a different pipeline under repair had a pinhole leak and that is possibly the source."

The owner of that pipeline wasn't identified.

The Coast Guard planned to analyze samples of the sheen in coming days to help identify its source.

When the line ruptured, the first alarm went off at 4:10 p.m. Oct. 1, but the leak was not discovered until well after sunrise the next morning and was reported about 9 a.m.

Just days after the spill, Amplify CEO Martyn Willsher had refused to answer questions at news conferences about the timeline surrounding the spill and a report that an alarm at 2:30 a.m. Oct. 2 alerted controllers about a possible spill. He maintained the company didnt learn of the spill until a boat saw a sheen on the water at 8:09 a.m. that morning.

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said the indictment validates residents who had detected the spill a day earlier and reported it.

They basically lied to the community during the press briefings and caused people to believe that what they saw with their own eyes or smelled or knew was actually not true, she said. "The alarms went off like they were supposed to, and nobody did anything.

Even after the eighth and final alarm sounded, the pipeline operated for nearly an hour in the early morning, prosecutors said.

Pipeline safety advocate Bill Caram said the indictment paints a picture of a reckless company.

The fact that they kept hitting the snooze button and ignoring alarms, stopping and starting this pipeline and all the while leaking oil in the Pacific Ocean is reckless and egregious, he said.

Prosecutors also found that the pipeline was understaffed and the crew was fatigued and insufficiently trained in the leak detection system.

That points to a long-standing industry problem, said pipeline expert Ramanan Krishnamoorti with the University of Houston.

Fatigue and overworked staff is old and trite and inexcusable, he said. This has been demonstrated over and over again as being the single most important vulnerability.

Its not clear why it took so long for the 1/2-inch (1.25-centimeter) thick steel line to leak after the apparent anchor incident, or whether another anchor strike or other incident led to the rupture and spill.

The spill came ashore at Huntington Beach and forced about a weeklong closure of the citys beaches and others along the Orange County coast. Fishing in the affected area resumed only recently, after testing confirmed fish did not have unsafe levels of oil toxins.

If convicted, the charge carries up to five years of probation for the corporation and fines that could total millions of dollars.

Brown reported from Billings, Montana. Associated Press reporter Amy Taxin contributed.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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MOSCOW (AP)  Russia on Friday published draft security demands that NATO deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back the alliance's military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe  bold ultimatums that are almost certain to be rejected by the U.S. and its allies.

The proposals, which were submitted to the U.S. and its allies earlier this week, also call for a ban on sending U.S. and Russian warships and aircraft to areas from where they can strike each others territory, along with a halt to NATO military drills near Russia.

The demand for a written guarantee that Ukraine won't be offered membership already has been rejected by the West, which said Moscow doesn't have a say in NATO's enlargement.

NATOs secretary-general emphasized Friday that any security talks with Moscow would need to take into account NATO concerns and involve Ukraine and other partners. The White House similarly said its discussing the proposals with U.S. allies and partners, but noted that all countries have the right to determine their future without outside interference.

The publication of the demands  contained in a proposed Russia-U.S. security treaty and a security agreement between Moscow and NATO  comes amid soaring tensions over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine that has raised fears of an invasion. Moscow has denied it has plans to attack its neighbor but wants legal guarantees precluding NATO expansion and deploying weapons there.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russias relations with the U.S. and NATO have approached a dangerous point, noting that alliance deployments and drills near Russia have raised unacceptable threats to its security.

Moscow wants the U.S. to start talks immediately on the proposals in Geneva, he told reporters.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had received the Russian documents, and noted that any dialogue with Moscow would also need to address NATOs concerns about Russias actions, be based on core principles and documents of European security, and take place in consultation with NATOs European partners, such as Ukraine.

He added that the 30 NATO countries have made clear that should Russia take concrete steps to reduce tensions, we are prepared to work on strengthening confidence building measures.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the administration is ready to discuss Moscows concerns about NATO in talks with Russian officials, but emphasized that Washington is committed to the principle of nothing about you without you in shaping policy that impacts European allies.

Were approaching the broader question of diplomacy with Russia from the point of view that ... meaningful progress at the negotiating table, of course, will have to take place in a context of de-escalation rather than escalation, Sullivan said at the event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations. He added that its very difficult to see agreements getting consummated if were continuing to see an escalatory cycle.

While U.S. intelligence has determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made plans for a potential further invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Sullivan said the U.S. still does not know whether he has decided to move forward.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted that strategic security talks with Moscow go back decades, saying that theres no reason we cant do that moving forward to reduce instability, but were going to do that in partnership and coordination with our European allies and partners.

We will not compromise the key principles on which European security is built, including that all countries have the right to decide their own future and foreign policy free from the outside interference," Psaki said.

Moscows draft also calls for efforts to reduce the risk of incidents involving Russia and NATO warships and aircraft, primarily in the Baltic and the Black seas, increase the transparency of military drills and other confidence-building measures.

A senior U.S. official said some of the Russian proposals are part of an arms control agenda between Moscow and Washington, while some other issues, such as transparency and deconfliction, concern all 57 members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, including Ukraine and Georgia.

The official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity in order to talk about the proposals, said the U.S. is looking at how to engage every country whose interests are affected in prospective talks on European security issues and will respond to Moscow sometime next week with concrete proposals after consulting with the allies.

President Vladimir Putin raised the demand for security guarantees in last weeks video call with U.S. President Joe Biden. During the conversation, Biden voiced concern about a buildup of Russian troops near Ukraine and warned him that Russia would face severe consequences if Moscow attacked its neighbor.

Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and shortly after cast its support behind a separatist rebellion in the country's east. More than seven years of fighting has killed over 14,000 people and devastated Ukraines industrial heartland, known as the Donbas.

The Russian demands would oblige Washington and its allies to pledge to halt NATO's eastward expansion to include other ex-Soviet republics and rescind a 2008 promise of membership to Ukraine and Georgia. The alliance already has firmly rejected that demand from Moscow.

Moscow's documents also would preclude the U.S. and other NATO allies from conducting any military activities in Ukraine, other countries of Eastern Europe and ex-Soviet republics in the Caucasus and in Central Asia.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry commented on Moscows proposals by emphasizing that its up to the alliance and Ukraine to discuss NATO membership prospects and its military cooperation with other countries.

The Russian aggression and the current Russian escalation along the Ukrainian border and on the occupied territories is now the main problem for the Euro-Atlantic security, said its spokesman Oleg Nikolenko.

The Russian proposal also ups the ante by putting a new demand to roll back NATO military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe, stating that the parties agree not to send any troops to areas where they hadn't been present in 1997  before NATO's eastward expansion started  except for exceptional situations of mutual consent.

Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999, followed in 2004 by Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the former Soviet republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In the following years, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia also became members, bringing NATO membership to 30 nations.

The draft proposals contain a ban on the deployment of U.S. and Russian warships and aircraft to areas where they can strike targets on the territory of the other party.

Moscow has long complained about patrol flights by U.S. strategic bombers near Russia's borders and the deployment of U.S. and NATO warships to the Black Sea, describing them as destabilizing and provocative.

Russia's draft envisages a pledge not to station intermediate-range missiles in areas where they can strike the other partys territory, a clause that follows the U.S. and Russian withdrawal from a Cold War-era pact banning such weapons.

The Russian draft also calls for a ban on the deployment of U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons on the territory of other countries  a repeat of Moscow's longtime push for the U.S. to withdraw its nuclear weapons from Europe.

Dmitri Trenin, the director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, noted that the publication of the Russian demands signals that the Kremlin considers their acceptance by the West unlikely.

This logically means that Russia will have to assure its security single-handedly" using military-technical means, he said on Twitter.

Cook reported from Brussels. Darlene Superville, Ellen Knickmeyer and Aamer Madhani in Washington and Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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MEDFORD  Leaders at Aspirus Medford Hospital gathered this week to assess their situation: 19 patients, double the regular load. Twelve with COVID-19, 11 of them unvaccinated. Three on ventilators, with another likely needing ventilation soon.

The small facility in north-central Wisconsin normally would send ventilated patients to the larger Aspirus Wausau Hospital nearly 50 miles away, but its critical care beds were full. In Medford, four emergency room patients were waiting for hospital beds. To open more beds, the hospital needs more nurses. Theyre in short supply.

Were kind of burning on the inside, and nobodys aware, said Susan Moretz, a nurse who oversees outpatient services in Medford.

Hospitals around the state are overwhelmed by another surge of COVID-19 patients and an influx of people needing other care, and rural hospitals are especially stretched to the limit, administrators say. With flu season starting, holiday gatherings ripe for spreading illness and the emerging omicron variant of the coronavirus showing signs of unprecedented transmission, the situation could soon become even more dire.

Last week was the worst we have ever seen in the whole pandemic, said Lisa Schnedler, CEO of Upland Hills Health in Dodgeville. Were just holding our breath to see what happens next, particularly with Christmas, New Years and now this new variant.

In Medford, a city of 4,300 people where many jobs involve making windows, cheese or frozen pizza, hospital workers feel frustration from being in the county with the states lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate. Just 34.5% of residents in Taylor County had received at least one dose as of Friday, compared to 61.3% statewide and 79.9% in Dane County.

Amanda Keeling, a nurse who grew up in Medford and moved back after going to school in Oshkosh and working in Green Bay, said some friends and family dont believe her when she says the steady stream of COVID-19 patients is wearing her and other nurses out. Theres little interest in discussing how more vaccination could make the situation more manageable, she said.

Last year, we were heroes, Keeling said. This year, people dont want to hear us talk about it. ... I dont think people want to be told what to do.

Pushing the limit

On Wednesday morning, when a Wisconsin State Journal reporter and photographer visited the Medford hospital, Keeling joined nine other staff for a task that has become all too familiar: They gathered around the bed of a ventilated COVID-19 patient who had been put on her stomach the night before to help her lungs get more oxygen.

As a respiratory therapist held the breathing tube and a nurse managed the feeding and sedation lines, four others stood on each side of the bed and flipped the large patient on her back. Several hours later, workers would gather to put the patient on her stomach again, a process carried out each day for each patient on a ventilator.

Before September, Medford didnt keep ventilated patients. But as the delta variant surge of COVID-19 made it hard to transfer patients elsewhere, the 25-bed hospital took on a function it wasnt set up to handle.

Were pushing the highest end of our skill level right now, said David Warren, a respiratory therapist who cares for ventilated patients and others on high-flow oxygen. He has been working 50 hours a week or more.

Many of the COVID-19 patients in Medford are in their 30s, 40s or 50s, younger than during the surge a year ago, before vaccines became available and were widely adopted by older adults. Like elsewhere, the patients are treated with the steroid dexamethasone, the antiviral remdesivir or monoclonal antibodies, as appropriate, said Vickie Woelfel, one of the nurse practitioners who treats them.

For the ventilated patients, the Medford hospital uses UW Healths eICU, getting help online from UW experts in Madison on how to manage intensive care needs.

Its saddening and frustrating to see so many people here who might not have had to be here if they had been vaccinated, Woelfel said. I personally havent had a person yet who says they wish they had been vaccinated. Im waiting for that day.

In the eight-bed emergency room, which is seeing 900 patients a month, up from the normal flow of about 600, staff put patients in nearby clinic rooms when needed. When those rooms are full, they hang sheets in the hallway around a chair or a cot, for a makeshift space.

The constant challenge takes its toll, said Kari Rickert, an ER nurse who has a 5-year-old daughter. Youre just exhausted when you get home. ... Sometimes I dont have the energy she deserves.

Strain widespread

Hayward Area Memorial Hospital, about 110 miles northwest of Medford, is experiencing similar strain. Emergency room visits are up 47% this year, and inpatient volume last month was 59% higher than November 2020, said CEO Luke Beirl.

He is struggling to fill 60 job openings, many in direct patient care. We thought last year was challenging, Beirl said. Its nothing compared to this year.

At Sauk Prairie Healthcare in Prairie du Sac, about 25 miles northwest of Madison, CEO Shawn Lerch pointed to another way to measure the impact: in blood gas kits, used to measure oxygen levels in blood, a key indicator of how coronavirus patients are doing. The hospital typically uses 20 of the kits per month.

Right now, were using 20 per day, Lerch said. Our teams have gone to heroic measures to ensure that safety and quality is maintained, but its not sustainable. We are burning the candle at both ends, and then some.

Schnedler, the Dodgeville hospital CEO, said all six of its COVID-19 patients as of Thursday were unvaccinated. A week earlier, there were more COVID-19 patients, along with many others, including seven in the birthing center and seven in the ER waiting for beds.

We had zero beds available, she said. It was the perfect storm.

Skepticism persists

In Medford, with no sign of patient demand slowing, Jessica Faude is trying to figure out how the hospital might handle an even larger load.

The hospital has a few double rooms, but COVID-19 guidelines say patients shouldnt be paired when community transmission is high  which, in Wisconsin, is everywhere. For non-ventilated patients, one nurse typically cares for five people per shift. The hospitals surge plan calls for going to six or seven, but that can cause even more stress.

Faude, a nurse who oversees patient care services, has tried to hire contract nurses from agencies, but they are in high demand nationwide. To get somebody to want to come to rural Wisconsin, in winter, is hard, she said.

Like many employees at the hospital, Faude has lived in Taylor County her whole life. Like most, shes been working extra shifts and is exhausted. Like the others, she wishes her community would take the pandemic more seriously.

Since the pandemic began, 26 of the hospitals COVID-19 patients have died. As of Friday, 106 of the 137 COVID-19 patients at Aspirus 17 hospitals in Wisconsin and Michigans Upper Peninsula were not fully vaccinated, including at least 39 of the 43 in intensive care.

But Faude said many people in the area distrust health care workers. Some demand that their loved ones be treated with ivermectin, an anti-parasitic livestock pill that doctors say is not suitable for humans with COVID-19, she said. Skepticism of vaccination seems entrenched, she said.

They feel like its this big hoax that the government is trying to push on people, and so they dont trust where the vaccines coming from or the intentions behind it, Faude said.

CEO Dale Hustedt also sees denial in the community. They refuse to accept that COVID is here and that its real and that people are dying from it, he said.

But vaccinated or not, Hustedt said patients with COVID-19 or other conditions will continue to get care as long as the hospital can handle them.

You dont know when its going to end, but you know you have to stay with it and keep working hard, he said.
Friday, December 17, 2021

From CNN:

The Tokyo Metropolitan government will start a system that effectively allows same-sex marriage in Japan's capital from April next year, the Kyodo news wire reported Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike as saying on Tuesday.

The local government for the city with a population of 14 million plans to introduce "same-sex partnership" after its local assembly unanimously called for such a move, Kyodo said.

Some local wards in Tokyo, as well as some other local municipalities, have already introduced a similar plan that officially recognizes same-sex couples. This gives them some of the same rights as married heterosexual couples.

But critics say LGBTQ couples still face disadvantages in areas such as taxation, even under such partnership arrangements.

Read more here

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/family_law/2021/12/same-sex-partnership-in-tokyo.html


For the sixth year in a row, a building designer in Finland has created a very large work of art on a frozen lake.

On Lake Pitkajarvi, north of Helsinki, Pasi Widgren made an image of a fox that measures 90 meters from head to tail. He said he hopes the artwork will make people happy and move them to go for a walk in what he called, beautiful nature.

The 40-year-old Widgren lives near the city of Lahti, about a 90 minute drive northeast of the lake.

He uses a shovel to create the artworks on ice. They melt from sight over time or disappear under snow. Widgren made his first ice picture in the winter of 2016.

The artist recently told The Associated Press that the idea to make such pieces came to him suddenly.

I realized I may have a special ability of coordination to do this, Widgren said.

He visited Lake Pitkajarvi on December 4. He tested the thickness of the ice as soon as he arrived to make sure it was strong enough to walk and work on. At 10-15 centimeters thick, it was.

After four hours of work, Widgren was done.

He then walked up a hillside about 150 meters above the lake to get a good look at his large artwork. He took some pictures and video to mark the effort.

Several days later the picture was harder to see because it has snowed a little, Widgren said.

But its lack of permanence is not a problem for its creator.

Its very important to me also that making this kind of art doesnt leave any marks on nature, Widgren said.

Im John Russell.

Jan M. Olsen reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

shovel  n. a tool with a long handle that is used for lifting and throwing dirt, sand, snow, etc.

coordination  n. the process of causing things to be the same or to go together well
Albany is among 88 cities and counties of Oregon in line for a piece of a national opioid litigation settlement from drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and three major distributors, according to City Attorney Sean Kidd.

Oregon is expecting to receive a $329 million share of the reported $26 billion national settlement, with cities and counties getting 55% and the state getting 45%. Albany could receive just more than $2 million across 18 years of payments  around $110,000 a year  for opioid-related spending, although exactly how that is defined isn't clear.

In the U.S., more than 500,000 deaths over the last two decades have been linked to opioids, both prescription drugs and illegal ones. The clock is ticking on the settlement, with a payout second only to the $200 billion-plus tobacco settlement, in 1998, with the nation's four largest tobacco companies.

The three drug distributors  AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson  along with Johnson & Johnson agreed in July to pay the combined $26 billion to resolve thousands of state and local government lawsuits. But if the defendants believe there's a lack of participation by states and local jurisdictions, it could cause them to back away from the landmark agreement or eventually reduce the settlement amount.

The Albany City Council learned of the settlement during a closed session Wednesday, Dec. 15. In a rare move, city officials chose to disclose the discussion, allowing the press to report on it. After the executive session the council voted to accept the settlement. The lawsuit was ongoing when Albany joined.

The window to sign-on for the settlement is short. A resolution was reached this past week, and cities and counties have until Jan. 2, according to Kidd and other sources, leaving some entities scrambling to arrange meetings for a discussion and vote. Because of the holidays, December typically sees fewer government meetings.

The national settlement agreement requires full participation and inflicts a penalty of up to 5% for each entity that doesnt sign-on, according to Kidd. How the settlements for each entity were calculated wasnt immediately clear, but it did not seem to be driven by population alone.

I look at cities that are close to our size that were getting more than, Kidd said. And then theres a couple of small cities that are getting a lot more than other small cities.

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What other cities/counties will get

Corvallis City Manager Mark Shepard confirmed by email that his city could receive around $1.1 million from the settlement. The Corvallis City Council has a resolution to accept the money on its meeting agenda for Monday, Dec. 20.

Benton County could receive around $1.5 million, according to an email from Vance Croney, county counsel.

Lebanon City Manager Nancy Brewer said in an email that her city could receive around $576,000.

Linn County could receive around $3.2 million from the settlement, according to Commissioner Roger Nyquist. The county's Board of Commissioners will discuss the matter at its meeting Tuesday, Dec. 21. Nyquist has concerns about the settlement breakdown and how the funds will be applied by the state as well as cities and counties.

This money needs to get to treatment, he said. If there are other options out there to leverage more of this money directly to treatment, we have to look at it.

Nyquist noted that when you calculate by the year, the settlement payments  in this case around $180,000  arent enough to make significant headway against the opioid crisis. He said that amount would cover in-patient treatment for around 10 people a year, adding that counties are the government entities that are most likely to provide treatment services.

Thats the disadvantage in the timeline, Nyquist said. It isnt that we cant make a decision. Its talking collaboratively about what the end result is in the way of services."

One woman's story

Anne Muilenburg, office manager for the Provoking Hope recovery center in McMinnville, experienced the effects of drug addiction first-hand. Her addiction started as many in America did, after her physician prescribed opioids. Ten years later she was taking 35 pills per day.

"It wasn't even enough to make me feel high. It was just enough to not make me sick," Muilenburg said. She described opiate withdrawal as "the worst feeling ever." Muilenburg also said funds from the settlement are needed most.

"We need more treatment centers. Every place needs more treatment centers," she said. "It's ridiculous that somebody wants to go to treatment and they have to wait eight to 10 weeks for a bed."

Background

Thousands of towns across the U.S. are awaiting their portions of the second-biggest legal settlement in the nations history after the federal government declared in 2017 that the opioid epidemic was a public health emergency.

Most states have agreed to sign-on before the deadline in just three weeks. But a few holdouts remain, including Oregon, where disagreements have emerged between state and local government officials.

"The defendants have the last bite at the apple to say, 'Do we have a critical mass to justify going forward?'" said Joe Rice, an attorney for the plaintiffs.

In exchange for the payout, participating states, counties and cities would have to drop any lawsuits against the defendants and agree not to sue them in the future for the opioid epidemic.

"There are complex tradeoffs at stake here," said Caleb Alexander, a drug safety expert at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "On the one hand, the settlement would offer sorely needed funding to scale up treatment and otherwise address the opioid epidemic. On the other, many parties believe the settlement is not enough."

At least 45 states have signed on or signaled their intent to do so, and at least 4,012 counties and cities have also confirmed participation, plaintiffs' attorneys said this past Friday.

Washington state has already ruled out participating, with Attorney General Bob Ferguson calling the settlement "woefully insufficient." He's suing the nation's three biggest drug distributors  the same ones in the national settlement  for $38 billion in a trial that began in November.

Editor's note: This report was update with a response from Lebanon City Manager Nancy Brewer.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cody Mann covers the cities of Albany and Lebanon. He can be contacted at 541-812-6113 or Cody.Mann@lee.net.

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A pair of just-released legislative reports bolster Nebraskas decision to end a contract with a Kansas-based nonprofit and close out its 12-year experiment with private case management in child welfare.

A special investigative committee of the Legislature put out one report Wednesday. The committee had been charged with investigating how Nebraska ended up contracting with the nonprofit, Saint Francis Ministries, in July 2019 and the private agencys performance since then.

The Public Consulting Group, a consultant hired to study Nebraskas child welfare privatization effort, issued the second report.

Both concluded that Nebraska should return to having state workers oversee the care of abused and neglected children across the state, including in Douglas and Sarpy counties, where that task has been contracted out since 2009.

The three criteria used for this retrospective analysis  quality, innovation and cost  have revealed no particular advantage to privatization in the (two counties), the consultant said. The disruptions and resources expended in efforts to make the privatized system work do not measure up to the gains.
Travis Crum (Washington University in St. Louis--School of Law) has posted The Lawfulness of the Fifteenth Amendment (Notre Dame Law Review, Vol. 97, 2022) on SSRN. Here is the abstract:

One of the most provocative debates in constitutional theory concerns the lawfulness of the Reconstruction Amendments adoptions. Scholars have contested whether Article V permits amendments proposed by Congresses that excluded the Southern States and questioned whether those States ratifications were obtained through unlawful coercion. Scholars have also teased out differences in how States were counted for purposes of ratifying the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments. This debate has focused exclusively on the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments, dismissing the Fifteenth Amendment as a mere sequel.

As this Essay demonstrates, the unique issues raised by the Fifteenth Amendments ratification adds important nuance to this debate. New York rescinded its ratification at a time that is difficult to ignore. The Indiana state legislature lacked a quorum when it approved the amendment. Georgia was expelled from the Union not once, but twicethe latter instance after Congress had re-admitted it in July 1868. Georgia was then required to ratify the Fifteenth Amendment as a fundamental condition for its second re-admission. Georgias situation differs substantially from the Southern States that were consistently excluded from the Union. Under any theorywhether it endorses a loyal-, reduced-, or full-denominatorat least one of these States ratifications is necessary for the Fifteenth Amendments validity.

Notwithstanding these issues, the Fifteenth Amendments legality is on solid ground. Indeed, the Fifteenth Amendment showcases Reconstructions success. The majority of Southern States were represented in the Congress that passed the Fifteenth Amendment and those States ratified it free of any fundamental conditions. Given the demographics and political realities of Reconstruction, the Fifteenth Amendment was the first constitutional provision whose ratification was clearly attributable to the votes of Black men. More broadly, the fight to ratify the Reconstruction Amendments demonstrates that democracies must sometimes take extraordinary steps to protect themselves from secessionist, racist, and anti-democratic forces.
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Parties address allegations against geoscientist in PA Prospect case

JESS HUFF/The Lufkin Daily News The sun sets over Sam Rayburn Reservoir in this July file photo. The PA Prospect Company is applying for a permit with the Texas Railroad Commission in hopes of building an oil and gas waste landfill in the headwaters of Sam Rayburn Reservoir. The geologist involved in the application is facing scrutiny by the Texas Board of Geoscientists for her work on this application. Nichols

ASHBY

The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists is considering disciplinary actions against a geoscientist involved in an application filed to build an oil and gas waste facility in the headwaters of Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

The PA Prospect Company of Montana is seeking to build the landfill in the Chinquapin Community. The facility would straddle two tributaries to Ayish Bayou, which feeds into Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

The application was filed with the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas in the state, with the assistance of state certified geoscientist Tracey OShay.

OShay holds a masters degree from Texas A&M in soil science and has operated Gordon & Lawton Inc., an environmental consulting firm, with Mark McCoury. The companys current status, according to several corporate websites, suggests it is inactive; Jay Stewart, of Hance Scarborough, who represents both individuals and PA Prospect, was unsure if it was still active.

The PA Prospect case garnered backlash from hundreds of people across East Texas, including state Sen. Robert Nichols and state Rep. Trent Ashby. Both encouraged the commission to deny the application because of the situation with OShay and the board of geoscientists.

Given that the person hired to work on this application is facing significant professional scrutiny over the coming weeks and possible license suspension, I think it would be prudent for the Railroad Commission to heavily consider the errors by the applicant in this case, Nichols said.

Taken together, we encourage the Railroad Commission to reject the application.

Stewart does not think the decision by the board ought to affect any part of PA Prospects case and said the two agencies ought to make their own decisions independently.

Honestly, I wish the process should be completed without outside interference, he said. But the case is in the judges hands. The best practice and the most reasonable is to let the judges make their decision and make their recommendation to the commissioners. I trust those (railroad) commissioners. I think theyll make the right decision based on the laws and the facts.

He also said Nichols and Ashby were way off their skis on this as there has been no determination on the board for the official course of action. OShay is still awaiting a hearing during which more information will be presented.

There was a notice of violation issued. But that has been responded to, Stewart said. But we have a right to a hearing.

A notice of violation would equate to an allegation being made; now it is time to look deeper into the matter to get a better picture of what the situation is, he said. The complaint against OShay came from Geoffrey Reeder, a Texas A&M graduate with a masters in soil sciences and former remediation specialist for the Union Pacific Railroad, and his wife Ellen, a former petroleum geologist who worked as a regulator for the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

Both were licensed geoscientists, Ellen in Louisiana and Geoffrey in Texas, but are now retired, Reeder said.

They were asked to review the application by the Chinquapin community and have helped them fight the application.

My wife and I both made some comments opposing the process and, in fact, opposing the geoscientist, Reeder said. I said the work that lady did was substandard. I couldnt say it was crooked, but a more objective observer looking at it could say something was wrong here.

As such, Reeder took his concerns to the board, and they issued the notice of violation.

TBPG reviewed the report and found numerous errors and inconsistencies, which showed that Ms. OShay failed to act with reasonable care and competence and failed to apply the technical knowledge and skill that is ordinarily applied by reasonably prudent professional geoscientists when submitting sealed work to a state agency, a board order issued by the board stated.

The board only received bits and pieces of the story, Stewart said. So he has made an effort to give the board more information to better fill out the story.

It was biased, not by the agency, Stewart said. They reviewed what they received from the protestant. Its a completely separate issue.

She did shoddy work. Theres no question about it, Reeder said.

OShay testified in the spring 2021 hearing that she visited the site several times and saw buildings that could be pump houses, Reeder said. She didnt double check on the matter and didnt contact landowners to ask them, he said.

There were three geoscientists, including a former Railroad Commission employee, who testified on behalf of the PA Prospect project, Stewart said.

Reeder also passed along the transcript of the spring hearing to the board for their review.

Stewart and OShay were able to answer some of Reeders complaints, including issues with a topographical map and groundwater directions, Stewart said.

I can tell you 100% that any concerns of the agents at the board of geoscientists based on the complaint have been completely resolved on the proposal pending in the railroad commission, he said.

The board at first suggested a probated license suspension of one year, a $43,500 administrative penalty and a requirement to obtain 40 hours of remedial training in groundwater, as well as a restriction to prevent her from practicing in areas related to groundwater until 16 of the 40 hours were completed and accepted by the board.

Later it suggested an administrative penalty of $4,000, 40 hours of remedial training and a restriction on practicing in areas related to geological groundwater issues until after she completed 16 hours of remedial training and received a report by the board saying it accepted her training.

The board had not made a decision on the disciplinary action as of Thursday. Stewart said they were waiting on a hearing regarding the matter; a judge would submit his recommendation on the matter after the hearing to the board, and the board would take action from there.

I believe these agencies in their independent decisions will end up where they end up, he said. They do not relate to one another.

Both Ashby and Nichols issued a letter to the Texas Railroad Commission in conjunction with the press release pushing the commission to consider the errors by the applicant and reject the application.

We have previously expressed our concern and the concerns of many of our constituents regarding the application, the lawmakers stated in their letter to chairman Wayne Christian, a Nacogdoches native, and the other commissioners.

These concerns originate from the myriad environmental and water-related impacts of such a facility given its proposed location in a sensitive watershed.

As more information on the case has come to light, the lawmakers said their concerns have grown.

First, they learned of a post-hearing conference to address discrepancies and new information presented by PA Prospect that has deviated from the original application. Second, they are concerned about the reliability of OShays work considering the notice of violation issued against her.

Any damage to the watershed of San Augustine County caused by the proposed facility cannot be undone, Ashby said. It is incumbent upon the state, and particularly the Railroad Commission, to protect the citizens of San Augustine County from such irreparable harm.
New data from unprecedented safety tracking of all those vaccinations persuaded the panel that while the blood clots linked to J&J's vaccine remain very rare, they're still occurring and not just in younger women as originally thought.

In a unanimous vote, the advisers decided the safer Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are preferred. But they said the shot made by J&J's Janssen division still should be available if someone really wants it  or has a severe allergy to the other options.

I would not recommend the Janssen vaccine to my family members but some patients may -- and should be able to -- choose that shot, said CDC adviser Dr. Beth Bell of the University of Washington.

The clotting problems first came up last spring, with the J&J shot in the U.S. and with a similar vaccine made by AstraZeneca that is used in other countries. Eventually U.S. regulators decided the benefits of J&J's one-and-done vaccine outweighed what was considered a very rare risk  as long as recipients were warned.

European regulators likewise continued to recommend AstraZeneca's two-dose vaccine although, because early reports were mostly in younger women, some countries issued age restrictions.
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"All of the recipes are like family recipes I grew up eating," Zainab Hassen said. "My mom's an amazing cook and these are really hers that she instilled in me. We really want to create a conversation about food."

All three siblings were born in Colorado and moved to Madison with their parents about 25 years ago. Zainab finished high school in two years, started college at 17 and has two master's degrees, one in nutrition from UW-Madison and another in public health from the University of Massachusetts. She works full-time as a project manager at Thermo Scientific in Middleton and is running the spice business on the side.

Ibrahim works in information technology while Abdu has been working with Baird to transform the former theater building into a retail and event space, which is how the siblings landed their business in Stoughton, a city that reveres its Norwegian heritage.

The idea for the venture comes from Zainab who is passionate about her mother's cooking and over the past several years had been visiting her entrepreneurial uncle in Turkey. Years earlier he had fled war-torn Libya and is now helping the Hassens source product and find affordable production in Turkey.
Last week was the worst we have ever seen in the whole pandemic, said Lisa Schnedler, CEO of Upland Hills Health in Dodgeville. Were just holding our breath to see what happens next, particularly with Christmas, New Years and now this new variant.

In Medford, a city of 4,300 people where many jobs involve making windows, cheese or frozen pizza, hospital workers feel frustration from being in the county with the states lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate. Just 34.5% of residents in Taylor County had received at least one dose as of Friday, compared to 61.3% statewide and 79.9% in Dane County.

Amanda Keeling, a nurse who grew up in Medford and moved back after going to school in Oshkosh and working in Green Bay, said some friends and family dont believe her when she says the steady stream of COVID-19 patients is wearing her and other nurses out. Theres little interest in discussing how more vaccination could make the situation more manageable, she said.

Last year, we were heroes, Keeling said. This year, people dont want to hear us talk about it. ... I dont think people want to be told what to do.

Pushing the limit
After a year and a half of off and on COVID restrictions, many of us have turned to planning our next vacation. And if youd rather pay for your next trip with points and miles instead of dollars, then this may be the right time for you to take a look at the best travel rewards cards.

Best Flexible Points Card : Chase Sapphire Preferred

: Chase Sapphire Preferred Best Airline Card : FRONTIER Airlines World Mastercard

: FRONTIER Airlines World Mastercard Best Hotel Card : World of Hyatt Credit Card

: World of Hyatt Credit Card Best Premium Card : Capital One Venture X

: Capital One Venture X Best No-fee Card : Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card

: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card Best Small Business Card: Chase Ink Business Preferred

Credit Repair companies can help you repair and improve your credit so you can apply for the credit card of your choice. Bad credit can weigh you down. Find out what credit repair can offer you.

Best Flexible Points Card: Chase Sapphire Preferred

This card offers Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred to a participating airline or hotel partner that best meet your needs, such as United, Southwest, JetBlue and Hyatt hotels. Or, your rewards can be redeemed directly for travel reservations made through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Pros:

60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within three months of account opening

Earn double points for dining and travel expenses

Transfer points to airline and hotel partners, or book travel directly through Chase Ultimate Rewards

Cons:

$95 annual fee

1:1 transfer rate to Marriott and IHG doesnt offer much value

This card sets the standard for flexible points as its Ultimate Rewards program allows you to transfer your rewards to several high-value travel partners. This card currently offers 60,000 bonus points after you use it to spend $4,000 on purchases within first three months of account opening. Youll earn double points on all travel and dining purchases, and 1 point on all other purchases.

Best Airline Card: FRONTIER Airlines World Mastercard

What if you could fly with a discount carrier, but enjoy more perks and benefits than youd receive from a legacy airline? Thats the benefit of the FRONTIER Airlines World Mastercard.

Pros:

Earn 40,000 bonus miles after paying the annual fee and spending just $500 on purchases within 90 days of account opening, and another 20,000 miles after spending a total of $6,000 on purchases within six months of account opening.

Every dollar you spend earns one mile towards elite status

Earn a $100 Flight Voucher every account anniversary after spending $2,500 or more on purchases during your cardmembership year

Earn 5x miles on eligible Frontier purchases, and 3x miles at restaurants

Cons:

Until you reach elite status, expect numerous fees when you fly Frontier for things other airlines often include

$79 annual fee (waived the first year)

Frontier is a discount carrier based in Denver, but they are one of the fastest growing airlines in the U.S. with service to over 100 destinations in the U.S., the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. The Frontier Airlines Mastercard is unique among airline credit cards in that it counts every dollar spent as a mile that can be used towards elite status. The first tier of status is reached after earning 20,000 miles from flying, after spending $20,000 on your card, or after 25 flight segments annually. Benefits of this first tier of elite status include advanced seat assignment, free carry-on bag and priority boarding at participating airports, saving you plenty of money on the extra fees normally charged.

This card does have a $79 annual fee, but thats more than justified by the $100 flight voucher you earn every year (after using the card to spend $2,500 or more annually).

Best Hotel Card: World of Hyatt Credit Card

The World of Hyatt loyalty program is way of ahead of its competitors and this card is the best way to enjoy premium card benefits.

Pros:

Earn up to 60,000 bonus points after meeting purchase requirements

Receive a free-night-stay certificate each year, and a second after spending $15,000 in a calendar year

Receive entry level status and earn night stay credits towards higher status

4x points at Hyatt plus 2x points on transit, restaurants, flights, fitness clubs and gyms

Cons:

$95 annual fee

Hyatt has moved to a more dynamic award pricing system which will charge more points for the most desirable properties during peak travel.

The World of Hyatt card really lets you unlock more value from the popular loyalty program, as it offers plenty of bonus points, free-night-stay certificates and credits towards elite status. To start, you can earn up to 60,000 bonus points; earn the first 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within three months of account opening and another 30,000 points more by earning 2x points per dollar spent on purchases (up to $15,000) within first six months of account opening.

You also get a free-night-stay certificate each year, and a second certificate after spending $15,000 in a calendar year (on Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resorts). Other benefits include entry-level Discoverist status plus an annual five qualifying night credits each year, and two additional qualifying night credits when you spend $5,000 on your card. Award nights start at 5,000 points, but I find that most mid-tier properties in small and medium sized cities require 8,000  15,000 points per night, which is still reasonable. That said, Hyatt is moving to a more dynamic pricing system later this year, which will charge more points during peak seasons and fewer points during periods of low-occupancy. Theres a $95 annual fee for this card.

Daily Money

Every day we publish the latest news, stories, and content on the financial topics that matter. This is your daily guide to all things personal finance.

Best Premium Card: Capital One Venture X Rewards

This new card offers double miles on all purchases, and comes with an excellent array of cardholder benefits.

Pros:

Earn 100,000 bonus miles, worth $1,000 in travel statement credits or 100,000 airline miles, after spending $10,000 on purchases within six months of account opening.

Earn 5x on flights and 10x on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One.

$300 annual travel credit and $200 vacation rental credit.

Miles are worth one cent each towards travel statement credits, or transfer 1:1 to over 15 airline and hotel partners.

Numerous travel benefits including Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership and access to Capital One lounges.

Free cards for additional authorized cardholders.

Cons:

$395 annual fee

The new Capital One Venture X Rewards is a great card for frequent travelers who want to earn valuable rewards and enjoy premium benefits. You can earn 100,000 Capital One Miles after spending $10,000 within six months of account opening. This card also offers 10x points for hotel and car rentals and 5x on airfare when you purchase travel through Capital One. You also receive a $300 annual travel credit and a $200 credit towards a vacation rental.

Miles can be redeemed for one cents each as travel statement credits or can be transferred to airline and hotel partners. Benefits include a $100 credit towards the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, a Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership and access to the new Capital One airline lounges. Theres a $395 annual fee for this card, and no foreign transaction fees.

Best No-fee Card: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card

The VentureOne Rewards Card is a great travel rewards card with no annual fee that offers you travel statement credits and the ability to transfer your miles to airline and hotel programs.

Pros:

Earn 25,000 bonus miles, after spending just $500 on purchases within first three months of account opening.

Earn 1.25 miles on all purchases that can be redeemed as statement credits towards travel purchases or transferred to participating airline and hotel programs at a 1:1 ratio.

No annual fee

Cons:

You only earn 1.25 miles per dollar spent

Capital One offers this no-fee version of its flagship Venture Rewards cards with real value to those who want a travel rewards card without an annual fee. This card offers 20,000 bonus miles (worth $200 in travel statement credits) after spending $500 in new purchases within first three months of account opening.

Youll earn 1.25 miles per dollar spent, and miles are worth one cent each as statement credits towards any travel purchase you make with your card.

Alternatively, you can transfer your rewards to participating airline miles or hotel programs, giving you additional redemption options. Capital One miles transfer to most airline programs at a ratio of 2:1.5, but they recently added several new airline transfer partners with a more favorable 1:1 ratio.

Best Small Business Card: Chase Ink Business Preferred

The Ink Business Preferred card offers you plenty of opportunities to earn valuable Ultimate Rewards Points on frequent business purchases.

Pros:

Receive 100,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on purchases within three months of account opening

Earn 3x points on up to $150,000 spent each year on business categories such as telecommunications, shipping, advertising and travel

Rewards are earned in the Ultimate Rewards Program and can be transferred to participating airline miles or hotel points

Includes several travel insurance and purchase protection benefits

Cons:

$95 annual fee

If youre looking to leverage your small business purchases to earn travel rewards, then this is the card for you. Youll begin with the chance to earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Then youll earn 3x points on up to $150,000 spent each year in combined business categories such as internet, cable and phone, shipping, advertising (made with social media sites and search engines), and travel purchase. Points are worth 1.25 cents each when redeemed directly for travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, or they can be transferred to participating airline miles or hotel partners. Theres a $95 annual fee for this card.

A credit repair company could improve your chances of getting approved. Credit Repair companies, like Credit Saint, specialize in finding and helping you remove mistakes on your report to help you improve your credit.

Frequently asked questions about travel credit cards:

Q. Should I get a travel rewards card if I carry a balance? As with any rewards credit card, travel rewards cards are best used by those who avoid interest by paying their balance in full. Those who are unable to do that should focus on finding a low interest-rate credit card that doesnt offer travel rewards. The exception could be a small business owner that uses a credit card as a short term line of credit in order run his or her business.

Q. Should I start earning travel rewards now, even if I wont be traveling until later this year or next year? The best time to start earning travel rewards is long before you actually plan on using them. Thats because it will take time to receive the card, qualify for a bonus and receive the bonus points. Plus, it may take even longer to earn any additional points or miles you need for your next trip. Finally, youll likely want to book your trip several months before you plan on traveling.

Q. What happens to your airline miles or hotel points earned from your credit card if you cancel the card? Frequent flyer mile and hotel cards award points or miles in programs operated by airlines and hotel chains. Once those rewards are in your airline or hotel account, they are subject to the rules of that program, regardless of whether you keep the card. But when the rewards are with a program operated by the card issuer, then they could be forfeited if you cancel the card and dont have another card that is part of the same program.

Q. Which is best, airline miles, hotel points or flexible rewards? These travel rewards programs all have their strengths and weakness, and the right program for you will be the card that offers the most value per dollar spent on purchases. Hotel rewards tend to be the most flexible, while airline miles can still offer plenty of value if you understand how each program works. Flexible points programs can offer the best of both airline and hotel programs, but theyll lack the company-specific perks that airline and hotel cards offer.

How we chose the best travel rewards cards

To find the best travel rewards cards, we first divided the market into the six most popular types of cards. Then we looked at the travel rewards credit cards offered by all of the major card issuers. Each of their travel rewards credit card offers were examined and compared to other travel rewards cards. We focused at the initial bonus offered, bonus rewards for certain purchases and travel specific features and benefits. The winners were the cards that offered the most valuable rewards and benefits in each category.

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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.

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Until late October, community college in the U.S. was the closest it's ever been to becoming free for everyone nationwide.

A $45.5 billion proposal for two years of free community college, part of the Biden administration's "Build Back Better" agenda, promised students a path to attain a college degree without student loans  a transformative pledge in a country that collectively holds over $1.7 trillion in student loan debt. The proposal would've covered all tuition and fees associated with attending community college.

But after surviving several revisions to the forthcoming, scaled-back $1.75 trillion domestic investment proposal  also known as the "Build Back Better" bill  two years of free community college was cut. Other proposals aimed at higher education are expected to make it into the budget, including an increase to the Pell Grant and funding for historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions.

Had the proposal made it into law, it would've soon paid for itself, according to an analysis from Bloomberg News and Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce.

If every state had implemented free community college, the study projected, higher wages for those who earned bachelor's and associate degrees would boost GDP by $170 billion and tax revenues by $66 billion every year for the next decade. The analysis found that the increase in GDP would've resulted from more workers receiving higher wages after attaining bachelor's or associate degrees.

Community colleges are already a crucial part of job training in the U.S; in 2019, roughly 49% of all employed college-educated Americans attended a community college. Moreover, community colleges educate a higher proportion of minority students compared with traditional four-year colleges.

Martha Parham, senior vice president of public relations at the American Association of Community Colleges, said via email that the AACC is disappointed the proposal for free community college was dropped. Still, she was "also proud that community colleges are being discussed at the highest policy levels as solution providers for increasing the number of skilled workers in America."

Free community college proponents say they're not giving up

Two years of free community college won't make it into the federal budget for 2022, but those who have fought for it say they aren't finished pushing to get the proposal into law.

"I'm going to get it done," President Joe Biden said in an October CNN town hall. He added that first lady Jill Biden, who currently teaches at a community college, wouldn't be happy with him if he didn't. More recently, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told the Detroit Free Press in November that he would continue to advocate nationwide for free community college.

Some members of Congress have echoed the sentiments, including some of the original sponsors of the free community college proposal. Since 2015, when the proposal was first introduced, lawmakers such as Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., have pushed to make community college free nationwide.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in an email that the widespread support for free community college, from Congress to the White House, has created momentum behind the proposal. That momentum, she said, motivates her to continue pushing for free community college.

"We must build on the progress we make to get students and workers the support they need to succeed," said Murray, a co-sponsor of the proposal. "Just like President Biden  and community college champions like Senator Baldwin  I won't stop fighting until we finally make community college tuition-free."

Free or not, community college has much to offer

In most parts of the country, community college still carries a price tag, but that doesn't mean it's not a good option for higher education.

Community colleges generally offer associate degrees, which can take at least two years to complete. Someone with an associate degree earns $938 a week on average, or $157 more than someone with a high school diploma and no college, according to 2020 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those with an associate degree are also less likely to be unemployed than someone with a high school diploma only.

Although you'll have to pay to attend community college in most states, the costs are still significantly lower than most public four-year colleges. For example, tuition for the 2021-22 academic year at an in-district two-year college was $3,800, while an in-state public four-year college cost $10,740, according to the College Board.

Eighteen states already offer free community college to at least some students, according to the Campaign for Free College Tuition, a nonprofit that aims to make college more affordable. In addition, there are states, such as Tennessee, that make two years of public community or technical college free for residents.

For those who want a bachelor's degree from a traditional college, two years of community college, then transferring to a four-year school for completion is typically the least expensive path. However, if this is your intention, make sure the credits you earn from community college will transfer to the college you wish to attend.

Colin Beresford writes for NerdWallet. Email: cberesford@nerdwallet.com.

The article Free Community College Is Dead  and Still Possible originally appeared on NerdWallet.

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As a parent, you likely want to do everything possible to provide for your kids and help them get a good start to their lives. Unfortunately, this can sometimes lead to decisions that end up jeopardizing your own retirement security.

Before you decide to prioritize an older child's financial needs above your own future, there are a few key things that you need to consider.

Why prioritizing financial assistance to older children could be a big mistake

The reality that parents need to consider when deciding where to put their limited funds is that they likely don't have many other options to fund their retirement besides savings.

While it's true they'll receive Social Security income in their later years, Social Security only replaces about 40% of preretirement earnings. That's nowhere near enough for most people to live on, and the average benefit of $1,657 in 2022 would offer just $19,884 total for the year -- barely above the federal poverty level.

Retirees usually don't get pensions from employers anymore. So, with a pressing need for income to supplement Social Security, retirement savings must be a top priority. Unfortunately, if parents focus on college savings or providing financial support for adult children, they could end up shortchanging themselves.

And while their kids likely have other options, such as borrowing for school or living at home or in a cheaper area in early adulthood, parents don't necessarily have the same range of solutions for dealing with a retirement savings shortfall.

Options they do plan to exercise, such as working longer to catch up on retirement savings, may not always come to fruition either if they end up forced out of the workforce sooner than planned due to unemployment or health issues.

What you should do instead

Ultimately, parents cannot and should not sacrifice retirement savings to provide for their adult children, no matter how much they may feel an emotional obligation to do so.

It helps no one -- including their kids -- if parents leave themselves unable to cover the basic necessities in their later years. In these situations, those grown adult children who parents wanted to leave unburdened could end up needing to provide more help to struggling parents than anyone is comfortable with.

Ideally, parents will be able to budget enough to save a sufficient amount for retirement and cover educational costs, as well as offer the other assistance they desire to their older children. If parents start saving for college and retirement early and live on a careful budget, they may be able to do that.

But if a choice must be made, it's best for parents to treat investing for their later years as a must-pay bill. This means they should fulfill that obligation to their future selves first and can then choose to use any funds left over for their children. By setting a detailed retirement savings goal and taking advantage of tax breaks for retirement, parents can make certain their needs are met and will have a better idea of how much they have to spare to help out their offspring.

The $16,728 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook

If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $16,728 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies.

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Tens of millions of workers across the U.S. are in limbo as federal courts have issued different rulings related to President Joe Bidens COVID-19 vaccine mandates for larger private companies, certain health care workers and federal government contractors.

A federal appeals court panel has allowed a vaccine requirement for employers with 100 or more workers, although Republican attorneys general, business associations and conservative groups have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. A vaccine mandate for companies that have contracts with the federal government is on hold nationwide, while a separate mandate for health care employees who work for providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding has been blocked in half the states.

The courts are responding to lawsuits brought by Republican-led states, conservative groups and some businesses. They argue in part that the vaccine requirements infringe on states rights to regulate public health matters. Numerous legal challenges are pending, some involving groups of states and others filed by states acting alone.

Separate Biden administration vaccine mandates for federal government employees and the military remain in effect, as do mask requirements for airline passengers and people using public transportation.

The legal cases concern whether the federal government can force employers to require vaccinations. Courts have generally been accepting of requirements that businesses and universities have put in place on their own  as well as those imposed by state and local governments.

More than four-fifths of adults nationwide already have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. But Biden contends his various workforce vaccine mandates are an important step to drive up vaccination rates and contain the virus outbreak, which has killed more than 800,000 people in the U.S.

Opponents have taken a three-tiered approach to challenging the requirements. In lawsuits, they contend the vaccine mandates were imposed without proper public comment, were not authorized by Congress and infringe on states' rights to regulate public health matters.

The reasoning across the cases is basically the same, which is that these statutes dont give the president or the agency in question the authority to issue the mandates," said Gregory Magarian, a constitutional law professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

The Biden administration contends its rule-making authority is firm and supersedes any state policies prohibiting vaccine requirements. Recent experience shows that such mandates generally prompt people to get vaccinated: By the time a Biden requirement for federal workers to be vaccinated took effect in late November, 92% had received at least their first dose of the shot.

Following is a rundown of some of Biden's most sweeping vaccine requirements and the status of the legal fights over them.

LARGE BUSINESS MANDATE

What it would do: Under a rule published by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Nov. 5, businesses with 100 or more workers are to require employees to be vaccinated. If they are not, they would need to be tested weekly and wear masks while working, with exceptions for those who work alone or mostly outdoors. The rule was to go into effect Jan. 4. The requirement would affect businesses with a cumulative 84 million employees, and OSHA projected it could save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations over six months.

Whos challenging it: The requirement is being challenged by 27 Republican-led state governments, some conservative and business groups, and some individual businesses. The states mostly filed lawsuits in groups, though Indiana challenged it alone. Their arguments include that its the job of states, not the federal government, to deal with public health measures. The Biden administration maintains that the measure is legal. Some labor unions also contested the rule, though not for the same reasons as the Republicans and business group. They say it doesn't go far enough to protect workers.

Whats next: Republican attorneys general, business associations and several conservative groups immediately appealed the 6th circuit ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the meantime, OSHA announced that it would not issue citations before Jan. 10 for its vaccination mandate or before Feb. 9 for its testing requirement to give employers time to adjust.

HEALTH WORKER MANDATE

What it would do: Under a rule published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid on Nov. 5, a wide range of health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding were to require workers to receive the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Dec. 6 and be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4. The rule would affect more than 17 million workers in about 76,000 health care facilities and home health care providers.

Who's challenging it: The rule was challenged in four separate lawsuits filed by Republican-led states, mostly in groups. Florida and Texas mounted their own challenges. The states argued that there were no grounds for an emergency rule, that CMS had no clear legal authority to issue the mandate and that the rule infringes on states' responsibilities.

Where it stands: The rule is on hold nationally, but a ruling Dec. 15 gives it the possibility of moving ahead in about half the states. A Missouri-based federal judge issued a preliminary injunction Nov. 29 barring its enforcement in 10 states that had originally sued. The next day, a Louisiana-based federal judge issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement in the rest of the states. But on Dec. 15, that was narrowed to the 14 suing in that court. And on Dec. 15, a federal judge in Texas granted an injunction that applies only to that state. After the decisions, there is a possibility the mandate could be enforced in 25 states where no injunction is in place. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid have not said whether they will pursue that path.

What's next: The court rulings are being appealed by the Biden administration. On Dec. 16 the administration asked the Supreme Court to block the lower court orders that are keeping the mandate from going into effect in about half of the states. The case filed in Missouri is being considered by the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The case filed in Louisiana, which was brought by a coalition of 14 states, is being considered by the 5th Circuit. So far, there's been no move to consolidate the challenges in a single court.

FEDERAL CONTRACTOR MANDATE

What would it do: Under an executive order issued by Biden on Sept. 9, contractors and subcontractors for the federal government are required to comply with workplace safety guidelines developed by a federal task force. That task force subsequently issued guidelines requiring that new, renewed or extended contracts include a clause requiring employees to be fully vaccinated Jan. 18. That meant those receiving a two-dose vaccine must get their second shot by Jan. 4. There are limited exceptions for medical or religions reasons. The requirements could apply to millions of employees.

Who's challenging it: The guidelines have been challenged through more than a dozen lawsuits, including seven brought by Republican-led states or coalitions of states. The arguments are similar to those against other vaccine mandates, asserting the Biden administration exceeded the procurement rule-making powers granted by Congress, infringed on states' responsibilities and didn't properly gather public comment.

Where it stands: The rule is on hold. A federal judge in Georgia issued a ruling Dec. 7 prohibiting enforcement of the requirement for contractors nationally. The ruling came a week after a judge in Kentucky barred enforcement of the requirement in Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.

What's next: Legal challenges pending in several other states could lead to additional rulings on requests for injunctions. The Kentucky or Georgia rulings also could be appealed.

A quick consolidation of the federal contractor lawsuits appears unlikely.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on December 16, 2021.

From Wednesday: The face of Idaho college enrollment is changing  this year, and likely for years to come. More reading: This weeks stories are a followup to Missing Students, an in-depth series from June, examining higher education enrollment during the pandemic.

Beyond this states borders, more and more students and parents are finding value in Idahos colleges and universities.

The same cant always be said for Idaho families. Or Idaho legislators.

Many Idaho high school students and parents remain unconvinced that a college education is worth the money or the time. A year ago, only 38% of Idaho high school graduates went straight to college, a sharp decline in the midst of the pandemic. The 2021 numbers arent expected to change much.

Meanwhile, lawmakers have their own breed of skepticism: centered on campus programs they consider a leftist affront to traditional Idaho values. This spring, they cut $2.5 million from higher education budgets, in an attempt to zero out campus social justice programs.

Higher education is losing the debate at many of Idahos kitchen tables, and in the halls of the Statehouse. Yet Idaho colleges and universities continue to draw students from out of state, in increasing and unprecedented numbers. One significant milestone: a majority of Boise State Universitys first-year students came from outside Idaho, for the first time in the universitys 89-year history.

Nothing that happens in higher education occurs in a political vacuum. Certainly not in 2021. The states enrollment evolution is steeped with political ramifications. Ultimately, that could affect the way Idahos elected officials view an embattled higher education system, and where they decide to spent taxpayer dollars.

What it means for students  especially Idaho students

First and foremost, this isnt a zero-sum game.

Out-of-state students arent squeezing out Idaho students. Theres a place on an Idaho campus for any in-state high school senior with the grades, the money and the inclination. Its not like theyre getting turned away, State Board of Education executive director Matt Freeman said.

While Idaho universities are actively recruiting out-of-state admissions, administrators are mindful of the mix, and their missions.

We have an obligation to do that as educators, he said. Thats the fun part of the job.

More out-of-state students means more revenue

Theres no ignoring the bottom line.

Out-of-state students arent merely filling spaces in classrooms and residence halls  spots that would otherwise go vacant. They are helping to fill college and university coffers.

The out-of-state students and their parents pay more than their in-state counterparts. Even under the Western Undergraduate Exchange, a 16-state cooperative designed to hold down tuition prices, nonresidents pay 150% of the in-state cost.

Tuition revenues are vital to Idahos public institutions  because, for decades, governors and legislators have put a dwindling slice of the states budget into higher education. In 2020-21, the states four-year schools received $299.8 million in tax dollars, while collecting $302.4 million in tuition and fees (from in-state and out-of-state students combined).

The cost-cutting campaign isnt directly related to enrollment, but the issues do overlap. University officials have maintained that the programs decried as social justice are geared toward supporting students  especially at-risk students who can often struggle to succeed on campus.

And, said Whipple, colleges and universities need to support a diverse student body, including their students from out-of-state. Their expectations are different.

Other budget decisions  on scholarships and dual credit

Rep. Wendy Horman isnt too concerned about an influx of out-of-staters, when she considers higher education enrollment trends.

But the Idaho Falls Republican is concerned about sputtering in-state enrollment  even as the state continues a multimillion-dollar push to boost the states bleak go-on numbers. The big-ticket programs: Idahos advanced opportunities program, which covers the cost of dual-credit courses; and the Opportunity Scholarship, largely a need-based program for Idahoans who stay in state for college. This year, the state is putting $29.7 million into advanced opportunities and more than $22.2 million of general fund tax money into State Board scholarship and grant programs.

Theres certainly the money for both programs, since the state is sitting on a record-smashing $1.6 billion surplus. But if Idahos college enrollment rates are still low, despite this injection of money into dual credit and college scholarships, will lawmakers think twice about supporting these programs?

The budget bill containing Opportunity Scholarship money passed the Legislature comfortably in 2021, and the State Board has hard evidence on its side: research that draws a statistical link between the scholarships and college attendance. But after years of watching the advanced opportunities program grow  and covering the cost for students dual-credit courses, after the fact  some lawmakers want to take a closer look at the program.

More reading: This weeks stories are a followup to Missing Students, an in-depth series from June, examining higher education enrollment during the pandemic. Supported by an Education Writers Association fellowship, Idaho Education News talked to students and college administrators about their experiences.

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Senator Bob Dole moved from the House to the Senate a year before I started a three-year stint in Washington with former Idaho Senator Len Jordan in 1970. You hear a lot over the Capitol grapevine about various Senators and Dole was a frequent topic of conversation. Word was that he was ambitious, more partisan than most, had lost the use of his right arm in WWII and had a biting wit. Staff did not generally hobnob with Senators, so I never really conversed with him but had the idea that he was a bit ornery.

Having just returned from serving in Vietnam, I agreed with Doles hawkish position on the war but thought he went over the top in criticizing Senator George McGoverns dovish stance. And I was not impressed with his fealty to President Nixon.

However, in the mid-70s Dole began moving to the middle and working across the aisle. He championed child nutrition programs and food stamps. He proposed a catastrophic health insurance program and opposed the supply-side, trickle-down economic theory fancied by most Republicans. In 1982, Dole engineered passage of a tax bill that closed tax loopholes and cracked down on cheats. He was a disability rights leader, co-authoring the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. None of this would find much support in the present-day GOP.

By the time George H. W. Bush and Dole squared off for the presidential nomination in 1988, I had become a Dole supporter and co-chaired his Idaho effort with my dear friend Lydia Justice-Edwards, who was then Idahos State Treasurer. I thought both were worthy candidates but neither would sell well in Republican circles today.

It was moving to hear the tributes made to Senator Dole by people of substance at the memorial service at Washington National Cathedral on December 11. He was honored for his patriotism and heroic service to the United States in the Second World War. Doles willingness to work for bipartisan solutions to the countrys problems and to support civil, voting and disability rights were also mentioned. Tributes in major news outlets spoke of a certain amount of partisanship in his later years, but not an ugly variety and never at the expense of Americas national interests.

This latter attribute of country over party brought to mind two other venerated public servants who have been honored in similar ceremonies in the last few years. President George H.W. Bush and Senator John McCain both shared with Dole a history of dedicated service to their country, both in harrowing wartime experience and in dedicated peacetime service in elective politics. The three were Republicans who advanced the policies of their party, but with honorable tactics and not to the detriment of the country or of our democracy. All three were willing to work across the aisle, to compromise with others and to enjoy friendships with their opponents. What has happened to the supply of good people like these? Are they a now-extinct breed of the past?

In looking at the ranks of elected individuals of their party in office today, it is difficult to see any who could measure up to the honor, integrity and civility of these three departed souls. Politics during their time may have been rough and tumble at times, but the disputes were generally over real issues that made a difference to the direction of the country. They would have had little patience for the chaos, hate and division resulting from the invented issues and grievance politics of today.

I could be wrong, but I sense a real hunger in our good state to return to the times of these remarkable people, where public servants worked together to solve public problems, to see to the education of our children, to improve the lives of struggling families, to get away from petty political bickering that serves no purpose. I pray that we are at the point where we realize that we have to live together and work together in common purpose if we hope to survive as a democratic republic. Dole, Bush and McCain got it and they left us a legacy. Can we keep it?

Jim Jones is a Vietnam combat veteran who served eight years as Idaho attorney general (1983-1991) and 12 years as justice of the Idaho Supreme Court (2005-2017). He is currently a regular contributor to The Hill online news. He blogs at JJCommonTater.

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Should parents or politicians choose how children are educated? The Idaho Education Association (IEA) is a major political player in the state and recently shared its attitude on that important question. IEA President Layne McInelly asserted, Public schools are the foundation of our society...

Think about that, the education industrial complex claims families are not the foundation of our society, but rather public schools are the foundation of society. This puts politicians and bureaucrats as the ultimate arbiters our childrens education. McInelly closed his tiresome sales pitch by emphasizing that Idahos educational system does not need any innovative ideas, like school choice, it only needs MORE MONEY! Surprise!

This worn-out scheme has been sold to us for many decades now. Idaho has dumped untold billions into a system that encourages conformity over creativity and standardization over self-realization. The result of all the years of status-quo in education: kids who cannot figure out which bathroom to use or which gender pronoun is acceptable.

Here is a beautiful method to education: give parents more educational options for their children. Public, charter, private, micro-school, and homeschool empower families to take control of their kids education instead of having political operatives impose a one-size fits all model. Our childrens potential should come before political agendas. Let the tax-dollars follow the kids and see how Idahos potential is unleashed by making a real investment into the rising generation.

It seems Idahos education system has been promoting itself instead of promoting students boundless potential. This institution is now less concerned about curriculum and more concerned about passing laws to put children under its instruction sooner. Look no further than the growing noise about universal pre-K. Yes, they want even younger kids in school to get ready for school. Then the education establishment will rinse and repeat the tired sales pitch for more money.

The word education means to lead forth. It is our time to lead now. Parents should drive education, not political operatives. It certainly takes some money to provide a robust education system, but we must make a change that is more meaningful than money. We need an educational model to meet the needs of different families. Idaho needs school choice!

Ed Humphreys is a GOP Candidate for Idaho Governor.

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By late Friday afternoon, workers had lowered a large piece of granite containing the box to the ground and were planning to bring it to the state Department of Historic Resources to be opened sometime next week. Mercer said the box was still encased in granite and needs to be dislodged and X-rayed before officials can be certain it is the time capsule.

A newspaper article from 1887 suggests the capsule contains Civil War memorabilia and a picture of Lincoln lying in his coffin, although historians believe its doubtful the picture is an actual photograph, which would be rare and valuable.

Records from the Library of Virginia suggest that 37 Richmond residents, organizations and businesses contributed about 60 objects to the capsule, many of which are believed to be related to the Confederacy.

The Lee statue, which became a symbol of racial injustice, was one of five Confederate tributes along Richmonds Monument Avenue and the only one that belonged to the state. The four city-owned statues were taken down in 2020, but the Lee statue removal was blocked by two lawsuits until a ruling from the Supreme Court of Virginia in September cleared the way for it to be taken down.
Eldridge also got Potter to say that she didn't plan to use deadly force.

Eldridge drove hard at Potters training, getting her to agree that her use-of-force training was a key component to being an officer. Potter testified that she was also trained on when to use force and how much to use, and that there was a policy that dictated what officers could or could not do.

Potter testified under questioning by one of her lawyers that she had no training on weapons confusion, saying it was mentioned in training but wasn't something her departments officers were physically trained on. She also said she never used a Taser while on duty during her 26 years on the force, though she had pulled it out a few times to de-escalate situations, and that she never used her gun until the day she shot Wright.

Potter, who was training Officer Anthony Luckey, said Luckey noticed Wrights car in a turn lane with the signal turned on inappropriately, then saw an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror as well as expired tags.
The World Bank approved on Dec 15 a loan of $450 million in support of Moroccos governance efforts notably in terms of public sector modernization.

The financing targets the improvement of the performance and transparency of government operations and service delivery and is in line with Moroccos long-term and wide-ranging reforms to improve the overall performance of the public sector and citizen-state engagement, the World Bank said in a statement.

The program attaches special attention to enhancing the efficiency and transparency of public spending and to resource allocation, it said.

Addressing inefficient expenditure is a priority for the Government of Morocco. The purpose of the supported reforms under this pillar is to tie budgets to measurable results and to advance the regionalization agenda. It is also to increase access to procurement opportunities for micro to medium-sized enterprises, including through e-procurement and enhanced procurement data transparency, to guarantee better value for money of public services, said Klaus Decker, Senior Public Sector Specialist and co-Task Team Leader.

The loan is also geared to help improve tax compliance and cut taxation gaps through simplifying the local taxation framework and to leverage control mechanisms and expanding the tax base.

The program also provides for the digital connection of government administrations to provide users with integrated access to public services as well as by promoting the production and publication of data on an open access principle.
The el-Soumoud Front, the brigade led by Salah Badi, originally from Misrata, has surrounded the government headquarters and the Presidential Council since midnight. There has been no reaction from the presidency or the government at this time regarding these events.

Clashes took place during the night, but the forces responsible for the security of official buildings withdrew to prevent the situation from escalating. Dozens of military vehicles and armed men belonging to this brigade have been gathering since Thursday morning, December 16, in the center of the capital and on the Corniche road.

Salah Badi, a militia leader close to the Muslim brothers and representing the hardest wing of this movement, is not at his first power grab. Already in 2014 he had put his men in the street to denounce the results of the legislative elections. Since then, he has been subject to sanctions by the United States and the UN Security Council. This time, he has announced that he will try everything to derail the presidential election, which is still officially scheduled for December 24.

In a video released shortly before the attack on Tripoli, he appeared armed and threatening all those in power who were in favor of holding the elections. For him, the current leaders are traitors, enemy agents and scum. He threatened to close down all state institutions that, according to him, serve foreign countries more than they serve Libya.

He also denounced the special adviser to the UN secretary-general, the American Stephanie Williams, who, he claims, remained silent in the face of the attack on Tripoli two years ago by Khalifa Haftar after an American green light.
The Franco-Rwandan Claude Muhayimana, 60, was sentenced Thursday, December 16, by the Paris Assize Court to 14 years of criminal imprisonment. He was found guilty of complicity in genocide and complicity in crimes against humanity for his role in the 1994 extermination of the Tutsis of Rwanda.

The Franco-Rwandan Claude Muhayimana, 60, was sentenced Thursday, December 16, by the Paris Assize Court to 14 years of criminal imprisonment. He was found guilty of complicity in genocide and complicity in crimes against humanity for his role in the 1994 extermination of the Tutsis of Rwanda.

The prosecution, on the other hand, considered that Claude Muhayimana was an actor in the genocide, an indispensable cog in the wheel of this hunt for Tutsis. This man contributed to the genocide as a driver and transporter of killers over a very long period of three months, said the prosecution. They cite in particular the testimony of Rwandans heard by the court, survivors of the genocide, but also former killers detained in Rwanda and interviewed by video conference.
He is the first Cameroonian to be extradited to the United States. Ebong Aloysius Tilong had been wanted by U.S. law enforcement for four years on charges of defrauding the health care system in Texas. The FBI offered $10,000 for his capture.

Fraud, corruption, money laundering, false declaration of income The list of charges is long for Ebong Aloysius Tilong. This 57-year-old Cameroonian has been in the sights of the American justice system since 2015. He was sentenced in 2017 to 80 years in prison for defrauding the U.S. healthcare system of more than $13 million. This is one of the heaviest verdicts in history in this type of case in the United States.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Ebong Aloysius Tilong and his wife, Marie Neba, had been submitting false claims to the government health insurance system for nearly a decade. In order to maintain this system, the couple attempted to bribe several witnesses. They admitted to these facts in court in 2016 before escaping from the house arrest where they were living. Ebong Aloysius Tilong had then not appeared at his final hearing during which his verdict was to be communicated to him.

Arrested in Cameroon in 2019, Tilong became the first Cameroonian extradited to the United States. He arrived in Houston, Texas, escorted by the U.S. Marshals Service. According to the U.S. Marshals Service, the two countries police forces worked closely together on the case. But it still took two years for the extradition act to be signed.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

President Joe Biden filed an emergency application in the Supreme Court on Thursday in an attempt to reinstate a vaccine mandate for health care workers at hospitals that receive federal money.

The revived mandate would "save hundreds or even thousands of lives each month," the application reads, adding: "The vaccine requirement falls squarely within the plain text of the Secretary's [of Health and Human Services] statutory authority and complies with all procedural requirements."

Federal judges in Missouri and Louisiana blocked the mandate in 24 states total in November, and the Louisiana ruling was upheld by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeal in New Orleans on Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp in the Eastern District of Missouri wrote in his ruling that regulations handed down by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid were issued improperly. The agency did not get approval from Congress to mandate vaccinations for health care workers, Schelp wrote, which he argued was necessary given the mandate's "vast economic and political significance."

The rules were also issued without a standard period for public comment, which Schelp said the agency's justification for was not suitable.

"Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a more paradigmatic health and safety condition than a requirement that workers at hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical facilities take the step that most effectively prevents transmission of a deadly virus to vulnerable patients," Biden's emergency application reads.

2021 USA Today

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A medical worker administers a shot of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine at a vaccination center in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Dec. 10, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin

The developer of Russia's Sputnik V said Friday that its vaccine provides the best protection against the omicron variant of the coronavirus, disputing a Western study that found Sputnik produced "no neutralizing activity" against the new variant.

The Gamaleya Institute and the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which bankrolled Sputnik V and its one-shot version called Sputnik Light, said in a statement that a preliminary laboratory study showed Sputnik V had "the best virus neutralization results against omicron in comparison with other vaccines".

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Sputnik V efficiency against omicron earlier Friday.

"Our Sputnik V is working well, and, perhaps, even more effective against the omicron than other vaccines used," the president said during a congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, international researchers from the University of Washington and the Swiss drugmaker Humabs Biomed SA said in a study published Tuesday in pre-print and yet to be peer-reviewed that data they analyzed showed conflicting results.

The study, which used samples from health care workers in Buenos Aires, Argentina, who received Sputnik V, showed "no neutralizing activity against omicron."

The Gamaleya Institute disputed the foreign research findings, claiming they resulted from the use of "wrong serum samples".

"A recently published small study addresses Sputnik vaccine's efficacy against omicron variant deliberately using serum samples that are not representative," the Russian center's statement said.

Russia has so far reported 25 cases of the omicron variant in the country, according to Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova.

Explore further Russia says developing Sputnik Omicron booster

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen speaks during a press conference in the Prime Minister's Office in Copenhagen, Denmark, Friday Dec. 17, 2021. The Danish Prime Minister said Friday that theaters, cinemas, concert halls, amusement parks, museums and art galleries must shut down to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Credit: Olafur Steinar Gestsson/Ritzau Scanpix via AP

Denmark's prime minister announced Friday that theaters, cinemas, concert halls, amusement parks, museums and art galleries across the country must close down under new restrictions to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the measures also require stores smaller than 2,000 square meters (21,528 square feet) and restaurants to limit their number of customers. Restaurants must serve their last meals and alcoholic beverages at 10 p.m. and close at 11 p.m.

The partial shutdown order was approved later Friday by Parliament's 21-member Epidemic Committee. Most restrictions apply as of Sunday at 8 a.m.

The Danish government is advising residents to limit social contacts over the Christmas holidays, and urged public and private companies to have employees work from home where possible.

"We are not talking about shutting down the whole country as we did last year," Frederiksen said. "Our goal is still to keep as large sections of society open as possible. We need to curb activity. We all need to limit our social contacts."

Like many other European countries, Denmark is seeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases, with health authorities saying the number of infections and hospitalizations has risen faster than expected.

The country reported 9,999 new cases on Thursday, and the number was above 11,000 on Friday, the prime minister said.

The new variant "spreads at lightning speed. It would be irresponsible not to recommend new restrictions," said Soeren Brostroem, head of the Danish Health Authority.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen speaks during a press conference with Health Minister Magnus Heunicke, left, and Director of the National Board of Health Soren Brostrom, right, in the Prime Minister's Office in Copenhagen, Denmark, Friday Dec. 17, 2021. The Danish Prime Minister said Friday that theaters, cinemas, concert halls, amusement parks, museums and art galleries must shut down to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Credit: Olafur Steinar Gestsson/Ritzau Scanpix via AP

Lars Sandahl Sorensen, head of the Confederation of Danish Industry, representing approximately 18,000 companies, said the move "was not on anyone's wish list. Not at all. It will unfortunately be a sad Christmas for many."

Denmark currently requires face masks on public transportation and in shops. The government wants to extend the mask mandate to include educational institutions and places of worship.

Following the government's announcement, the royal palace said some of the planned January celebrations to mark the 50th jubilee of Denmark's popular monarch, Queen Margrethe, would be postponed.

They include a mid-month ride through Copenhagen in a horse-drawn carriage and a series of events attended by Denmark's royal family, Danish officials and foreign guests, both in the capital and around the country.

The queen plans to try to lay a wreath on her parents' grave as planned on Jan. 1450 years after the death of her father King Frederik IXand to meet with the Danish government and officials, the palace said.

Last year, Denmark was one of the first European countries to close schools because of the pandemic, and the government sent home all public employees without critical functions. The government also barred gatherings of more than 100 people.

In September, the government said the outbreak no longer was to be considered "a socially critical disease," citing the high rate of vaccination.

According to the latest figures, 80% of people over age 5 in Denmark have received two shots, while 84% have been given the first jab.

In Finland, the Institute for Health and Welfare on Friday reintroduced a recommendation for people to use face masks in public spaces, including on public transportation. It came into force Friday and applies to everyone 12 and older.

Explore further Denmark COVID surge leads to school closures, nightlife curbs

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A proof-of-concept trial led by the Universities of Birmingham and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has identified a drug that may offer benefit some patients hospitalised with COVID-19 pneumonia.

The CATALYST trial tested UK-based bio-pharmaceutical company Izana Bioscience's namilumab (IZN-101) as a potential therapeutic to treat patients who are hospitalised with COVID-19 pneumonia, and receiving 'usual' care, as well as having high levels in their blood of a marker of inflammation known as C reactive protein (CRP). CRP levels rise when there is inflammation in the body, and elevated levels of CRP have been found to be a potential early marker to predict risk for severity of COVID-19.

An antibody already in late-stage trials to treat rheumatoid arthritis, namilumab targets a 'cytokine' which is naturally secreted by immune cells in the body but, in uncontrolled levels, is believed to be a key driver of the excessive and dangerous lung inflammation seen in COVID-19 patients.

The trial, carried out in collaboration with the University of Oxford and funded by the Medical Research Council and carried out between June 2020 and February 2021, involved patients aged over 16 with COVID-19 pneumonia either being treated on a ward or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at nine NHS hospitals across the UK.

The study, published today in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, involved 54 patients receiving 'usual care' (steroids and oxygen or ventilation, depending on the severity of disease) and 57 patients given usual care as well as a single intravenous dose of 150mg of namilumab.

As well as COVID-19 pneumonia, all study participants had CRP levels greater than 40mg/l. The researchers compared the probability of the reduction of levels of CRP in patients. Compared to usual care alone, the researchers found there was a 97% probability of CRP being reduced over time in those given namilumab when compared with usual care alone.

The patients were monitored, and after 28 days the study also showed there were fewer deaths and more discharges from hospital or ICU in those who had been given namilumab compared to those receiving usual care alone.

By day 28, 78% (43) of the patients receiving namilumab were discharged from hospital or ICU, compared to 61% (33) of the patients given usual care. In the namilumab group, 11% (6) were still in hospital by day 28, compared to 20% (11) in the usual care group. Of those in the namilumab group, 11% (6) patients died compared to 19% (10) who died in the usual care group by day 28.

The team calculated the differences between the two cohorts in overall probability of those being discharged from ICU or a ward at 28 days. Of those on a ward, the probability of discharge at day 28 was 64% in the usual care cohort, compared to 77% in the Namilumab cohort. Of those in ICU, probability of discharge at day 28 was 47% in the usual care group, compared to 66% in the Namilumab cohort.

Dr. Ben Fisher, co-chief investigator of the CATALYST trial at the University of Birmingham's Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, and Consultant Rheumatologist at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), said: "Our research has provided important proof-of-concept evidence that namilumab reduces inflammation in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. However, our sample size is too small for a definitive assessment of clinical outcomes and further studies are required for this, as well as to understand better the population that may benefit most. Our results may not generalise to hospitalised patients without evidence of pneumonia or raised CRP or patients not requiring hospitalisation. It is important, therefore, that namilumab is now prioritised for further COVID-19 research in a much larger national Phase III clinical trial."

Dr. Someit Sidhu, Co-founder of Izana Bioscience, said: "We are proud to support the CATALYST trial led by the highly experienced team at the University of Birmingham and UHB, Europe's largest integrated critical care centre. "We believe namilumab can play a significant role in dampening the hyper-inflammation seen in patients with severe COVID-19 infection and are committed to working with regulators and partners across the world to ensure this potential therapy can be developed for patients with COVID-19 who urgently need treatments. This is a particularly significant moment for me, supporting the global response to this pandemic through the work of the team at University Hospital Birminghamthe hospital where I trained as a junior doctor before going on to found Izana."

The CATALYST team also tested a second drug called infliximab (CT-P13), currently used as a treatment for inflammatory conditions. They compared the same patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and CRP levels greater than 40mg/l receiving 'usual care', to 35 patients receiving usual care and a single intravenous dose of 5mg/kg of infliximab. However, the study found infliximab was not more effective than usual care, with just a 15% probability of CRP being reduced.

Dr. Fisher added: "Our findings relating to infliximab, while disappointing, are also important as we continue to investigate and identify existing and new anti-inflammatory drugs that may play a critical role in targeting and reducing the most serious symptoms of COVID-19."

Designed by the InflammationAdvanced and Cell Therapy Trials Team (I-ACT) at the University of Birmingham's Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, CATALYST is being run in close partnership with UHB and the Birmingham National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centres (NIHR BRC) and delivered in close collaboration with the NIHR BRCs at Oxford, Imperial College London and University College London.

More information: Namilumab or infliximab compared with standard of care in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 (CATALYST): a randomised, multicentre, multi-arm, multistage, open-label, adaptive, phase 2, proof-of-concept trial, The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, DOI: 10.1016/S2213-2600(21)00460-4 , www.thelancet.com/journals/lan  (21)00460-4/fulltext Journal information: Lancet Respiratory Medicine Namilumab or infliximab compared with standard of care in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 (CATALYST): a randomised, multicentre, multi-arm, multistage, open-label, adaptive, phase 2, proof-of-concept trial,
Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Covid-19 vaccine awaits administration at a vaccination clinic in Los Angeles, California on December 15, 2021.

A US government-appointed panel of medical experts on Thursday unanimously recommended mRNA COVID vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna over Johnson & Johnson's shot, in light of its weaker protection and greater risks.

The panel voted 15-0 in favor of the new guidance, which applies to everyone over 18 years of age.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky signed off on the measure Thursday evening. "Today's updated recommendation emphasizes CDC's commitment to provide real-time scientific information to the American public," she said in a statement, urging Americans to get vaccinated and boosted against the coronavirus.

The recommendation officially steers the public away from J&J's drug, which was initially praised because it could be stored at fridge temperature and offered good efficacy against earlier strains of the coronavirus after just one shot.

But evidence later emerged linking it to a rare form of clotting, particularly among women of child-bearing age, causing authorities to briefly halt and then resume its use in April. It has remained a distant third choice of vaccine for Americans ever since.

This week, the Food and Drug Administration found the rate of this effect was higher than previously thought, and not confined to females.

Preliminary lab testing data has also suggested the jab offers very little protection against the new Omicron variantat least against infection.

"I would not recommend a Janssen vaccine to my family members," said Beth Bell, a clinical professor at the University of Washington, referring to the vaccine by the name of the J&J subsidiary that developed it.

"On the other hand, I think we do have to recognize that different people make different choices and if they are appropriately informed, I don't think we should remove that option," she added, explaining her vote.

Nine deaths

The CDC called the vote in light of concerning new safety data.

At least nine people have died from clotting with low platelets or Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) as of December 9, with around 16 million doses of the vaccine administered, according to new data released by the CDC.

There were 54 cases as of August 31, and 36 required admission to intensive care. Some of those who did not die had long-term effects such as paralysis.

The greatest risks were seen in women aged 30-49, where the rate of TTS was around one in 100,000.

But the risk is not confined to this demographic, with two of the nine deaths occurring among men. The CDC said the fatality count may also be an underestimate.

Overall, approximately one out of seven cases of TTS have been fatal. Similar cases have been linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is authorized outside the United States and is based on the same viral vector technology.

CDC scientist Sara Oliver told a committee of independent experts there were several options available to them, including voting to recommend against using the vaccine altogether.

But the panel of experts agreed that the J&J vaccine should remain available to people who for whatever reason might refuse mRNA vaccines, despite their higher efficacy and lower risks.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines carry risks too, the CDC said in its discussion of risks and benefits, particularly for younger men who may in very rare cases develop myocarditis or pericarditisinflammation of or around the heart.

However, none of these cases have been fatal, and the two vaccines confer much higher protection than the J&J shot.

The panel also agreed with the company that recommending against the J&J shot entirely would send a negative signal to other parts of the world where it may be the only option available.

"The Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is a life saving tool for individuals in high risk populations," Penny Heaton, global therapeutic area head of vaccines at J&J argued.

 2021 AFP
This Sept. 22, 2010 file photo shows bottles of abortion pills at a clinic in Des Moines, Iowa. The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021 loosened some restrictions on the pill mifepristone, allowing it to be dispensed by more pharmacies. Credit: AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, file

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday permanently removed a major obstacle for women seeking abortion pills, eliminating a long-standing requirement that they pick up the medication in person.

Millions of American women will now be able to get a prescription via an online consultation and receive the pills through the mail. FDA officials said a scientific review supported broadening access, including no longer limiting dispensing to a small number of specialty clinics and doctor's offices.

But prescribers will still need to undergo certification and training. Additionally, the agency said dispensing pharmacies will have to be certified.

The decision is the latest shift in the polarized legal battle over medication abortion, which has only intensified amid the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is certain to spur legal challenges and more restrictions in Republican-led states.

Earlier this year the FDA stopped enforcing the in-person requirement because of the pandemic. Under Thursday's decision, the agency permanently dropped the 20-year-old rule, which has long been opposed by medical societies, including the American Medical Association, which say the restriction offers no clear benefit to patients.

The FDA's latest scientific review stems from a 2017 lawsuit led by the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued that the agency's restrictions block or delay medical care, especially for people in low-income and rural communities.

The ACLU hailed the elimination of the strictest requirements but said regulators should have gone further and allowed prescribing by any physician and broader pharmacy dispensing. Abortion opponents said the FDA decision would result in more drug-related side effects and complications for women.

Physicians who prescribe the drug, mifepristone, will have to certify that they can provide emergency care to deal with potential adverse effects, including excessive bleeding, FDA officials said Thursday.

The change still means many more doctors will be able to write prescriptions and American women will be able to fill their orders at far more pharmacies, including via online and mail-order services.

The effect will vary by state. More than a dozen Republican-led states have passed measures that limit access to the pills, including outlawing delivery by mail.

Increased use of mail-order abortion pills could pose a dilemma for the anti-abortion movement, given that its leaders generally say they don't favor criminalizing the actions of women seeking abortions and because mail deliveries can be an elusive target for prosecutors.

The latest policy shift comes as advocates on both sides of the abortion debate wait to see whether the conservative Supreme Court will weaken or even overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that guarantees the right to abortion nationwide.

Roe's demise would likely prompt at least 20 Republican-governed states to impose sweeping bans while perhaps 15 states governed by Democrats would reaffirm support for abortion access. More complicated would be politically divided states, where fights over abortion laws could be ferocious.

Medication abortion has been available in the United States since 2000, when the FDA first approved mifepristone to terminate pregnancies up to 10 weeks. Taken with a hormone blocker called misoprostol, it constitutes the so-called abortion pill.

About 40% of all abortions in the U.S. are now done through medicationrather than surgeryand that option has become more pivotal during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time of approval, the FDA imposed limits on how the drug could be distributed, including barring it from regular pharmacies and requiring that all doctors providing the drug undergo special certification. Women were also required to sign a form indicating they understood the medication's risks. The FDA said Thursday there have been 26 deaths associated with the drug since 2000, though not all of those can be directly attributed to the medication due to underlying health conditions and other factors.

Common drug side effects include cramping, bleeding, nausea, headache and diarrhea. In some cases excess bleeding needs to be stopped with a surgical procedure.

Near the beginning of the outbreak, the FDA waived in-person requirements for virtually all medications, but left them in place for mifepristone.

That triggered a lawsuit from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which successfully overturned the restriction in federal court. The Trump administration then appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court, which reinstated the requirement in January.

The point became mootat least temporarilyin April when the FDA said it would not enforce the dispensing limits during the current public health emergency.

"The FDA's decision will come as a tremendous relief for countless abortion and miscarriage patients," said Georgeanne Usova, a lawyer with the ACLU. "However, it is disappointing that the FDA fell short of repealing all of its medically unnecessary restrictions on mifepristone and these remaining obstacles should also be lifted."

Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, said the decision "will lead to more lives lost to abortion, and will increase the number of mothers who suffer physical and psychological harm from chemical abortions."

Explore further US agency says women can get abortion pill via mail

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The UK saw its highest number of daily COVID infections reported this week. Credit: Imperial College London

Experts from Imperial are advancing understanding of the omicron variant and how we can protect against it as the UK's booster rollout gathers speed.

As case numbers reach a record 88,000 in one day, here's what Imperial experts had to say this week.

Record UK case numbers

The UK saw its highest number of daily COVID infections reported this week, when 88,376 new cases were recorded on Thursdaya figure that has been driven by a surge in omicron infections.

Professor Peter Openshaw, Professor of Experimental Medicine at Imperial, and Professor Neil Ferguson, Director of Imperial's MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis (MRC GIDA), both spoke to BBC Radio 4's PM program on Wednesday night to discuss the sharp rise in cases.

Professor Ferguson told PM that people who have previously been infected with alpha or delta "probably only have about 20 percent protection against reinfection" from the new variant.

He added: "Just because you've had COVID before, it's not going to protect you [from reinfection] against omicron."

Earlier this week, Professor Ferguson also told The Guardian that the omicron variant had the potential to cause up to 10,000 hospitalisations a day if it is as virulent as delta as he warned the UK was already seeing a "very explosive wave of infection."

However, Professor Wendy Barclay, Head of the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial, told the newspaper on Tuesday that it was too soon to know the severity of disease caused by the variant.

Ambitious booster targets

This week the Government announced it would accelerate its booster program, aiming to offer booster jabs to everyone over 18 before the end of the year.

The Government pledged to deliver up to a million jabs a day in order to deliver the ambitious target.

Many in the healthcare sector are doubtful that the country will be able to reach the target set by the Government. Speaking on BBC Newsnight (starts at 19.30 mins) on Monday 13 December, Professor Azeem Majeed, Professor of Primary Care and Public Health at Imperial, said it's good to mobilize people and the NHS, but at the same time the target should be realistic.

He said: "We will increase the pace of the program but I can't see us reaching a million vaccines a day for some time. At the moment, we're doing around 400,000 vaccines a day on average, so a million a day implies a nearly three-fold increase from our current rate. Given that this plan was announced yesterday evening, this is probably too radical a target."

Professor Majeed also answered important questions about the omicron variant and offered reassurance about the safety of COVID vaccines as he encouraged people to get their boosters in an interview with the Daily Mirror.

He said: "Research has shown that COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, are very safe with only a very small risk of serious side-effects. The risks from a COVID-19 infection are far higher than from vaccination."

More support for boosters

The omicron variant is hampering the effectiveness of current vaccines, it was reported this week, with two doses offering almost no protection against infection although they should still greatly reduce the risk of needing hospital care.

Various studies have shown that the antibodies a person has after two doses of a COVID vaccine were much less effective against omicron.

Professor Danny Altmann, Professor of Immunology at Imperial, told the BBC that people with just two doses were left with "absolutely zilch" and were a "sitting duck for infection"

But booster jabs improve both the quality and quantity of antibodies, offering more protection.

Professor Charles Bangham, from the Institute of Infection at Imperial, told the Financial Times: "The purpose of the booster is to increase the strength of the antibody and T-cell immunity, so that if you are reinfected, it becomes a trivial infection: you are less unwell, and you are less likely to transmit it to others."

Cut waiting time to speed up roll-out

Queues of up to five hours were reported at walk-in centers, as adults across the UK scrambled to get a booster jab.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid this week said that he was reviewing the waiting time for observation after COVID-19 vaccination, in order to speed up booster efforts.

In a tweet shared by the Telegraph, Professor Azeem Majeed wrote: "If the Government wants to increase the number of COVID-19 vaccinations, then the MHRA needs to urgently review the 15-minute waiting period after vaccination.

"This substantially reduces the efficiency and throughput of vaccine clinics, as well as vaccinations for the housebound."

Explore further British studies show vaccines weaken against Omicron, but boosters help
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Rates of water loss experienced by migrants attempting to cross the desert from Mexico into the U.S. are sufficient to cause severe dehydration and to explain patterns of migrant mortality, according to a University of Idaho study.

The extreme weather of desert environments can impose significant challenges to human survival, and migrants who attempt to enter the U.S. through the Sonoran Desert likely experience severe dehydration and associated conditions such as disorientation and organ failure that can lead to death, according to the study published in the journal Science. Scientists from the University of Idaho, Princeton University, the University of California and the University of Wisconsin sought to quantify the costs, in terms of water lost through respiration and sweating, of the migrant journey, and how variation in those costs corresponded to patterns of migrant mortality.

"Over the past several decades, thousands of men, women and children have died attempting to circumvent border protection efforts and cross from Mexico into the United States," said Ryan Long, associate professor of wildlife sciences at U of I and senior author of the study. "Because official ports of entry are heavily fortified, many migrants attempt to enter the U.S. by crossing remote desert regions."

Using a detailed model of human physiology and heat transfer, scientists predicted rates of water loss experienced by each using the common border crossing between Nogales, Mexico, and Three Points, Arizona, during the summer months, and related those costs to the distribution of migrant deaths in the desert.

The researchers also explored how rates of water loss among migrants attempting to make the crossing are predicted to change as the climate warms.

"We find that migrants' journey will become significantly more dangerous over the next 30 years," said Reena Walker, graduate student at U of I and co-lead author of the study. "By 2050, the already severe costs of traversing the desert will likely increase by over 30 percent."

"We provide the first empirical evidence that the physiological stresses experienced by humans attempting to cross the Sonoran Desert into the U.S. are sufficient to cause severe dehydration and associated conditions that can lead to death," Long said. "Our study provides strong evidence that patterns of migrant mortality in the desert can be explained by spatiotemporal variation in the physiological costs experienced during the journey; a disproportionately large percentage of migrant deaths occur in areas where the predicted rates of water loss are highest."

The study shows the amount of drinking water carried by a typical migrant is likely not sufficient to prevent severe dehydration, and this deficit will only increase as the climate warms, Long said.

"Access to sufficient amounts of drinking water to support the high rates of water loss experienced during the journey likely makes the difference between life and death for many migrants," he said.

Explore further Crossing international borders can be deadly for forced migrants

More information: Shane C. Campbell-Staton et al, Physiological costs of undocumented human migration across the southern United States border, Science (2021). Journal information: Science Shane C. Campbell-Staton et al, Physiological costs of undocumented human migration across the southern United States border,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/science.abh1924
COVID-19 and vaccination beliefs, misinformation, and conspiracy theories and the percentage of people who embrace them. Based on a survey conducted with a nationally representative sample of 1,621 U.S. adults November 3-9, 2021, by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Credit: Annenberg Public Policy Center

Twenty-one months into the global pandemic, millions of Americans continue to believe misinformation about vaccination and COVID-19, and these beliefs are associated with hesitancy to get themselves and their children vaccinatedor, if they are vaccinated, to get a booster for added protection against the omicron and delta variants.

In the fourth survey conducted with a nationally representative sample of more than 1,600 U.S. adults, in November 2021 the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania continued its tracking of misbeliefs and conspiracy theories that have persisted and, in rare cases, grown since the inception of the pandemic. The policy center has been conducting this panel study since April 2021, and began tracking beliefs about the novel coronavirus and vaccination even earlier, with cross-sectional surveys beginning in March 2020.

"Key consequential deceptions continue to predict hesitancy for oneself and one's children and a reluctance to get a booster," said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC). "Even though more people reject these conspiracies and misbeliefs than accept them, those that have become deeply rooted need to be repeatedly fact-checked, highlighted, and countered by media organizations and health care providers."

Although confidence in him remains high, the survey also found a softening of support for Dr. Anthony Fauci, who directs the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The face of the U.S. pandemic response, Fauci has weathered an extended onslaught of unjustified attacks in conservative and ultraconservative media. While his overall support is unchanged, with two-thirds of Americans confident Fauci is providing trustworthy information on treating and preventing COVID-19, the group of those who support him most strongly has diminished while the ranks of those with no confidence have grown. (See data below.)

Highlights: Misinformation

The Annenberg Public Policy Center's Annenberg Science Knowledge (ASK) survey shows that beliefs in conspiracies and misinformation have changed over time. All of the changes noted here between different waves of this survey are statistically significant:

Nearly a third of those surveyed in November (31%) believe the conspiracy theory that the Chinese government created the coronavirus as a biological weaponmore than in March 2020 (23%), days before the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic;

While a growing majority (79%, up from 71% in April 2021) rejects as false the conspiracy theory that Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates supported development of a vaccine containing microchips that can track a vaccinated person, 1 in 5 people (21%) still think it is true (8%) or are not sure (13%).

Over half of those surveyed (56%) correctly know that the Moderna and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines do not contain fetal tissue, up from 51% in April 2021. But a growing minority (15%, up from 11% in September and 9% in April) say that this is true and about a third (30%) are not sure whether it is true or false.

The November Annenberg Science Knowledge (ASK) survey is the fourth wave of data from a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults empaneled by the policy center in the spring of 2021. The survey was conducted November 3-9, 2021, among a national probability sample of 1,672 U.S. adults. Data were weighted to represent the target U.S. adult population. The margin of error for the total sample is  3.3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The panel survey, conducted for the Annenberg Public Policy Center by SSRS, an independent research company, is a follow-up to September 2021, June 2021 and April 2021 surveys fielded with the same respondents.

Trust in health authorities

An individual's primary health care provider continues to be the most trusted source of information about the means of preventing and treating COVID-19. The survey found no statistically meaningful changes in overall confidence from September to November:

Primary health care provider : 85% are confident their primary health care provider is providing trustworthy information about COVID-19;

: 85% are confident their primary health care provider is providing trustworthy information about COVID-19; Food and Drug Administration : 76% are confident that the FDA, which authorized emergency use of COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. and gave full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for adults in August, is providing trustworthy information on COVID-19;

: 76% are confident that the FDA, which authorized emergency use of COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. and gave full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for adults in August, is providing trustworthy information on COVID-19; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention : 77% are confident the CDC is providing trustworthy information on COVID-19;

: 77% are confident the CDC is providing trustworthy information on COVID-19; Dr. Anthony Fauci: 67% are confident that Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), is providing trustworthy advice on COVID-19.

Trust in Dr. Anthony Fauci

Throughout the pandemic, Fauci has been the target of attacks in conservative media outlets.

For example, on Fox News Primetime on November 29, 2021, guest commentator and streaming show host Lara Logan compared him with the Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, who performed experiments on Jews during World War II. The same night, on his show, Fox News host Tucker Carlson featured a satirical over-the-shoulder graphic of "Lord Fauci, Patron Saint of Wuhan" and said Fauci had "morphed" from "a conventional public health official" into "an even shorter version of [Italian fascist dictator] Benito Mussolini." On November 19, the Washington Post highlighted the existence of angry calls directed against Fauci prompted by what the paper called a "viral and false claim" that the agency he heads (NIAID) funded an experiment in which sedated beagles were subjected to diseased, biting sand flies. There is no evidence the agency funded this experiment and the agency has denied funding it, according to FactCheck.org, which is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center.

Although Americans' overall confidence in Fauci is statistically unchanged since we first asked this question in August 2020, the data suggest that confidence has weakened. The survey finds a diminishing percentage of those with the highest degree of confidence (36%, down from 41% in April) and a growing percentage of those with no confidence (16%, up from 12% in April). Overall confidence remains unchanged because the shift exists among those who are "very confident" moving to "somewhat confident," and among those who shifted from "not too confident" to "not at all confident."

While a plurality of people previously said Fauci has no financial stake in any COVID-19 vaccine, opinion on that question is now evenly divided. The survey finds a 37%-37% split on whether it is true or false to say that Fauci has no financial stake in any vaccine compared with April 2021, when by a 42% to 28% margin more said he did not have a financial stake. Fact-checkers have debunked narrower claims about Fauci's alleged ties to Pfizer and Moderna. National Institutes of Health scientists are on patents related to the Moderna vaccine but Fauci is not one of them.

"These attacks on Dr. Fauci are worrisome," Jamieson said. "Many months of adverse coverage may be having an effect. Lower confidence in Dr. Fauci and public health agencies and acceptance of conspiracy theories and misinformation both predict a lower likelihood of vaccinating oneself and one's children, and taking a COVID-19 booster."

Confidence in Dr. Anthony Fauci providing trustworthy information about preventing and treating COVID-19, by reliance on different media sources. Source: A survey conducted with a nationally representative sample of 1,621 U.S. adults on November 3-9, 2021, by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Credit: Annenberg Public Policy Center

Lower confidence among conservative media users

As the earlier waves of the survey have also found, heavier users of conservative and very conservative media have significantly less confidence in U.S. health authorities, notably Fauci, the CDC, and the FDA.

Among the heavier users of:

Very conservative sources such as Newsmax, One America News (OAN), Gateway Pundit, Parler, or Telegram: 46% have confidence in Fauci, 50% in the CDC, 54% in the FDA, and 86% in their primary health care provider;

such as Newsmax, One America News (OAN), Gateway Pundit, Parler, or Telegram: 46% have confidence in Fauci, 50% in the CDC, 54% in the FDA, and 86% in their primary health care provider; Conservative media such as Fox News, Mark Levin, or Breitbart: 47% have confidence in Fauci, 59% in the CDC, 64% in the FDA, and 90% in their primary health care provider;

such as Fox News, Mark Levin, or Breitbart: 47% have confidence in Fauci, 59% in the CDC, 64% in the FDA, and 90% in their primary health care provider; Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube: 71% express confidence in Fauci, 76% in the CDC, 72% in the FDA, and 86% in their primary health care provider (down significantly from 94% in September);

such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube: 71% express confidence in Fauci, 76% in the CDC, 72% in the FDA, and 86% in their primary health care provider (down significantly from 94% in September); Mainstream broadcast/print media such as CBS News, NBC News, ABC News, the Associated Press, or the news pages of The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times: 87% express confidence in Fauci, 91% in the CDC, 90% in the FDA, and 95% in their primary health care providers.

Public confidence in health authorities providing trustworthy information about the means of preventing and treating COVID-19. From a survey conducted with a nationally representative sample of 1,621 U.S. adults November 3-9, 2021, by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Credit: Annenberg Public Policy Center

In this survey, heavier users of social media did not have significantly lower confidence in health authorities than the overall sample. Except as noted above, there were no statistically meaningful changes among these measures from September to November.

Conspiracy theories

The November survey tracked public responses on these conspiracy theories:

The Chinese bioweapon theory : Over half of those surveyed (53%) either thought it is true (31%) that the Chinese government created the coronavirus as a biological weapon or were not sure (22%). The proportion of those who said it is true increased by eight points since March 2020 (23%). According to FactCheck.org, although the origins of the virus remain unknown, there is no credible evidence to date showing it came from a lab in Wuhan, China, let alone that Chinese scientists intentionally created it as a bioweapon.

: Over half of those surveyed (53%) either thought it is true (31%) that the Chinese government created the coronavirus as a biological weapon or were not sure (22%). The proportion of those who said it is true increased by eight points since March 2020 (23%). According to FactCheck.org, although the origins of the virus remain unknown, there is no credible evidence to date showing it came from a lab in Wuhan, China, let alone that Chinese scientists intentionally created it as a bioweapon. The Bill Gates-microchip theory : Nearly 4 out of 5 people (79%) correctly say it is false that "the vaccine against COVID-19 being developed with support by Microsoft founder Bill Gates contains microchips that can track the person who has been vaccinated." But more than 1 in 5 people are either not sure (13%) or consider this true (8%). None of the FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips and while the Gates Foundation has a partnership with BioNTech, the foundation said it did not directly invest in either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.

: Nearly 4 out of 5 people (79%) correctly say it is false that "the vaccine against COVID-19 being developed with support by Microsoft founder Bill Gates contains microchips that can track the person who has been vaccinated." But more than 1 in 5 people are either not sure (13%) or consider this true (8%). None of the FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips and while the Gates Foundation has a partnership with BioNTech, the foundation said it did not directly invest in either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC and exaggerated danger: Over a quarter of those surveyed (27%) continue to hold the belief that some health officials at the CDC exaggerated the danger posed by the pandemic to damage the Trump presidency. Another 14% are not sure if this is true and 58% say it is false. This has not changed since April 2021.

Over a quarter of those surveyed (27%) continue to hold the belief that some health officials at the CDC exaggerated the danger posed by the pandemic to damage the Trump presidency. Another 14% are not sure if this is true and 58% say it is false. This has not changed since April 2021. The 5G wireless technology theory : Only a small group (5%) say that social distancing orders are secretly meant to allow the installation of 5G wireless technology, while 15% say they are not sure and 80% say it is false.

: Only a small group (5%) say that social distancing orders are secretly meant to allow the installation of 5G wireless technology, while 15% say they are not sure and 80% say it is false. Vaccines and the Black and Hispanic communities: A small group (6%) say that the COVID-19 vaccines were designed to control the size of the Black and Hispanic communities, while 13% are not sure and 81% say this is false.

Vaccine information and misinformation

The survey also examined beliefs in other types of information and misinformation, some of which are consistent with findings in a recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey. Ken Winneg, Ph.D., APPC's managing director of survey research, ran a series of regressions to measure the association between beliefs in misinformation and conspiracy theories and the likelihood of vaccination. In the presence of statistical controls, he found a significant association between individuals' belief in misinformation and conspiracy theories and vaccine hesitancy for themselves and their children, and reduced likelihood that the individuals would report getting a booster, if they are already vaccinated.

Other survey findings include (all the changes over time noted here are statistically significant):

Vaccine safety : Nearly 4 in 5 people (79%) said it is probably or definitely true that the vaccines approved for use in the United States are safe. Of this group, 43% said it is definitely true, up from June (38%) and April (34%). Just 10% said it is false.

: Nearly 4 in 5 people (79%) said it is probably or definitely true that the vaccines approved for use in the United States are safe. Of this group, 43% said it is definitely true, up from June (38%) and April (34%). Just 10% said it is false. Vaccine effectiveness : Nearly 3 in 4 people (73%) say the COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing COVID-19, unchanged since September. The question was asked in early November, prior to awareness of the omicron variant.

: Nearly 3 in 4 people (73%) say the COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing COVID-19, unchanged since September. The question was asked in early November, prior to awareness of the omicron variant. Fetal tissue : Most of those surveyed correctly say it is false to say that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines contain fetal tissue (56%, up from 51% in April). A small but growing minority says it is true (15%, up from 9% in April) and 30% of those surveyed are not sure. The two vaccines do not contain fetal cells, according to FactCheck.org.

: Most of those surveyed correctly say it is false to say that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines contain fetal tissue (56%, up from 51% in April). A small but growing minority says it is true (15%, up from 9% in April) and 30% of those surveyed are not sure. The two vaccines do not contain fetal cells, according to FactCheck.org. DNA : Three-quarters of those surveyed (74%) correctly say it is false to state that COVID-19 vaccines change people's DNA, more than in April (69%). One in 10 people (10%) says this is true and 17% are unsure, findings consistent with the Kaiser poll. The vaccines do not change human DNA, writes FactCheck.org.

: Three-quarters of those surveyed (74%) correctly say it is false to state that COVID-19 vaccines change people's DNA, more than in April (69%). One in 10 people (10%) says this is true and 17% are unsure, findings consistent with the Kaiser poll. The vaccines do not change human DNA, writes FactCheck.org. Toxins : Three-quarters (77%) say it is false that childhood vaccines contain toxins such as antifreeze. Antifreeze is not used in vaccines, and vaccines with a variety of ingredients are tested for safety and effectiveness before they are licensed. The FDA and FactCheck.org have more on vaccine ingredients.

: Three-quarters (77%) say it is false that childhood vaccines contain toxins such as antifreeze. Antifreeze is not used in vaccines, and vaccines with a variety of ingredients are tested for safety and effectiveness before they are licensed. The FDA and FactCheck.org have more on vaccine ingredients. Infertility : Two-thirds (66%) say it is probably or definitely false to state that COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility and a growing number of those people say it is definitely false (41%, up from 36% in June). Just 1 in 10 (10%) say this is true, a finding similar to the Kaiser poll. (There's no evidence that vaccines cause infertility.)

: Two-thirds (66%) say it is probably or definitely false to state that COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility and a growing number of those people say it is definitely false (41%, up from 36% in June). Just 1 in 10 (10%) say this is true, a finding similar to the Kaiser poll. (There's no evidence that vaccines cause infertility.) Ivermectin: 18% of those surveyed say it's true that ivermectin is an effective treatment for COVID-19 (up from 10% in September), while 38% think that is false (up from 27% in September). The FDA has not approved the use of ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug, to treat or prevent COVID-19, and while trials are ongoing, current data do not show it to be effective against the disease, according to FactCheck.org.

"The good news is increased public accuracy about three consequential issues that have been the subject of unwarranted concern among those who are vaccination hesitant," Jamieson said. "More people know that the COVID vaccines do not change your DNA and do not contain fetal tissue, and there is no evidence that they cause infertility. That positive change is evidence of public health messaging and fact-checking at work."

Provided by Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Skeletal muscle tissue. Credit: University of Michigan Medical School

Muscles appear to grow, rather than shrink, in some critically ill COVID-19 patients, finds new research being presented at Euroanaesthesia, the annual meeting of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC), held online this year.

Bed rest and mechanical ventilation can lead to muscle wastage, which can hamper recovery and affect mobility and quality of life. Previous research has shown that muscle fibers atrophy by almost 20 percent after a week in ICU. There are concerns, however, that COVID may lead to even greater muscle damage.

To find out more, Dr. Toon Mostien and colleagues at the Jessa Hospital, Hasselt, and Hasselt University, Belgium took muscle biopsies from critically ill COVID patients before and after intensive care admission.

Eighteen patients had their vastus lateralis, the largest and most powerful muscle in the thigh, biopsied multiple times from one to three days before ICU admission to five to eight days after admission.

The patients had an average age of 69 years and 82 percent were male.

The samples were examined under the microscope for any changes that had occurred during the first week in ICU.

Type I muscle fibers (which support endurance activities) grew by 5.74 percent and type 2 fibers (which support quick, powerful moments) shrank by 5.17 percent but the changes weren't statistically significant.

To the researchers' surprise, the muscle fibers of four patients, however, increased "massively" in size. Type I fibers had swollen by 62 percent and type II fibers by 32 percent.

However, if these patients were excluded from the calculations, the remaining patients showed significant muscle wastage, says Dr. Mostien. Type I fibers shrank by 11 percent and type 2 fibers by 17 percent.

It isn't known why the muscle fibers increased in size in four of the patients but one possibility is that their immune response to COVID damaged their mitochondria, the tiny structures that provide cells with energy.

This drop in energy could lead to more water accumulating inside the muscle cells, causing them to swell.

This type of swelling can lead to muscle fibers dying and so it is likely the increase in muscle fiber size was only temporary, says Dr. Mostien.

The researchers also examined of the number of capillary contactsthe number of capillaries perfusing the muscle fibers with the oxygen and nutrients they need to thrive.

This decreased by 5.37 percent and 9.68 percent for type I and type II muscle fibers, respectively. Dr. Mostien says: "Although the results were not significant, a drop in perfusion of almost 10 percent could potentially contribute to muscle fiber destruction."

Dr. Mostien concludes: "There are concerns that immune response to COVID can exacerbate muscle wastage, meaning that critically ill COVID patients experience more severe muscle damage than the general ICU population.

"Given the global burden of COVID-19, it is vital we learn more about this and our research is an important first step."

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Provided by The European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC)
(HealthDay)Recovery from heart surgery can bring some pain. But a new study suggests patients don't need potentially addictive prescription opioids to control that post-op discomfort.

"This study shows that discharge without opioid pain medicine after cardiac surgery is extremely well tolerated by some patients. In other words, we should not be reflexively prescribing pain medicine to people after surgery just in case they need it," said study author Dr. Catherine Wagner, of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor.

The new study was published online Dec. 15 in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. In the research, Wagner's team analyzed data from more than 1,900 U.S. patients who underwent heart bypass surgery, heart valve surgery, or a combination of both procedures. All surgeries were conducted using a vertical incision in the center of the chest. The operations were done at 10 medical centers in Michigan in 2019.

More than one-quarter (28%) of the patients did not receive an opioid painkiller prescription when they were discharged from the hospital, Wagner's group noted. Patients were less likely to have been given a prescription for an opioid if they were older or had spent more time in the hospital after surgery.

"In some cases, patients assume that after surgery, especially a big operation like cardiac surgery, that they will need to go home with prescription pain medicine," Wagner said in a journal news release.

But her team found that fewer than 2% of patients who hadn't already gotten an opioid prescription when they'd been discharged from the hospital later found they needed an opioid before their 30-day follow-up appointment.

The findings "should provide patients with reassurance that post-operative pain can be managed with non-opioid pain medications at home," Wagner said.

Dr. Yili Huang directs the Pain Management Center at Northwell Health's Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. He wasn't involved in the new study, but said it addresses a major post-operative hazard: opioid addiction.

"Studies have shown that about 10% of patients develop chronic opioid use after cardiac surgery, and it is highly associated with the amount of opioids they are prescribed on discharge," Huang noted.

"Therefore, any data demonstrating that minimizing opioids after cardiac surgery is encouraging," he added.

Given the level of post-operative pain often encountered by recovering patients, "the fact that almost 30% of patients did not need prescription opioids after discharge is striking," Huang said. He stressed that the average bypass or valve repair patient spends at least a week in the hospital after their surgery, and many may, in fact, receive an opioid during that time.

So, "there is still a role for opioid pain care in the immediate post-operative periodespecially after cardiac surgery," Huang believes.

But the new study suggests that longer-term use of opioids after hospital discharge isn't always necessary, and "many patients do not need prescription opioids for as long as we originally thought," he said.

Dr. Thomas MacGillivray, of Houston Methodist in Texas, was not directly involved in the study but was familiar with the findings. Speaking in the journal news release, he said, "For decades, surgeons have unwittingly but substantially contributed to the opioid epidemic."

MacGillivray explained that "with the best intentions to help relieve pain and alleviate anxiety about pain, discharge practices have frequently erred on the side of prescribing too many rather than too few narcotic pain pills. We have learned that many of the unused, unneeded narcotics end up in the community. This very important study will help surgeons identify patients who may comfortably be discharged home without narcotics."

According to recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 70% of U.S. deaths in 2019 linked to drug overdoseabout 49,000 lives lostwere linked to opioids.

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More information: The U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse has more on The U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse has more on prescription opioids Catherine M. Wagner et al, Predictors of Discharge Home Without Opioids After Cardiac Surgery: A Multicenter Analysis, The Annals of Thoracic Surgery (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2021.10.005 Journal information: Annals of Thoracic Surgery

Copyright  2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Shell neurons (green) that project to the breathing center and core neurons (red) that project to the pain/emotion center. Credit: Salk Institute

You're startled by a threatening sound, and your breath quickens; you smash your elbow and pant in pain. Why a person's breathing rate increases dramatically when they're hurting or anxious was not previously understood. Now, a team of Salk scientists has uncovered a neural network in the brain that coordinates breathing rhythm with feelings of pain and fear. Along with contributions to the fields of pain management, psychological theories of anxiety, and philosophical investigations into the nature of pain, their findings could lead to development of an analgesic that would prevent opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD), the disrupted breathing that causes overdose deaths.

In the study published on December 17, 2021, in Neuron, the Salk group focused on a group of neurons in the brainstem called the lateral parabrachial nucleus, which is arranged in a core-shell configuration. They found that neurons in the core project to the amygdala, an area of the brain that processes fear and the emotional experience of pain. Neurons in the shell project to the pre-Botzinger complex, a region that generates breathing rhythm. The core and shell neurons influence each other according to inputs from these areas, making us breathe faster when we experience pain or anxiety.

"We are the first group to demonstrate how the lateral parabrachial nucleus coordinates breathing and pain," says the paper's senior author, Sung Han, assistant professor in Salk's Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology. "By understanding the circuits in this brain region, we may be able to tease apart breathing regulation and pain regulation to develop a medication that inhibits feelings of pain without repressing breathing, like OIRD."

In OIRD, opioids repress breathing as well as pain; it is the major cause of death from opioids. In previous work, Han's lab showed that opiates like morphine repress breathing by triggering specific receptors, called mu opioid receptors (MOR), leading to the inhibition of neurons that express them. They also showed that reactivating the cells that express MOR can reverse OIRD. The current work suggests additional approaches for preventing OIRD, possibly by inhibiting neurons in the region's core (blunting fear/anxiety) while exciting similar neurons in the shell (supporting breathing).

To show how these neurons coordinate breathing with pain and emotions, the researchers first used light and chemical agents to prove that manipulating the MOR-expressing neurons in the lateral parabrachial nucleus alters breathing rate in mice. They then used fluorescent tracers to map the inputs and outputs to the MOR-expressing neurons. Their results indicated that neurons clustered in the core of the region project to the central amygdala, while neurons clustered in the surrounding shell project to the pre-Botzinger complex. Electrophysiological recordings of one population while stimulating the other population revealed that some of those subpopulations are reciprocally connected, with an excitatory network between them. Via this network, signals of fear and pain were coordinated with breathing rhythms.

"We have found very intricate circuits involving upstream and downstream input to these neurons. By uncovering this circuit mechanism, we can better explain why breathing can often be coordinated with pain and anxiety," says first author Shijia Liu, a graduate student in Han's lab.

Han is eager to see the team's discovery have a translational application. "The biggest problem these days is that opioids reduce pain but also reduce breathing, so people die," says Han, holder of the Pioneer Fund Development Chair. "By understanding those two mechanisms in our research, maybe we can manipulate certain populations of neurons by pharmacological intervention so that we can control pain without changing the breathing."

Han's group is currently working on genetic analyses of the core and shell population to identify functional markers that specifically regulate pain or breathing.

Other authors on the study are Mao Ye, Gerald M. Pao, Jinho Jhang, Jonghyun Kim, Sukjae Joshua Kang, Dong-Il Kim of Salk; and Samuel Myeongsup Song and Haibei Jiang of the University of California San Diego.

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More information: SungHan, Divergent brainstem opioidergic pathways that coordinate breathing with pain and emotions, Neuron (2021). www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(21)00990-9 Journal information: Neuron SungHan, Divergent brainstem opioidergic pathways that coordinate breathing with pain and emotions,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.11.029
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

In a study of South Australian households, researchers at the University of Adelaide have found parents are more likely to refuse COVID-19 vaccination for their child than the proportion of adults refusing vaccination for themselves.

In the study published in Vaccines, 3003 households were surveyed between May and July 2021 about their willingness to immunize themselves and their children against COVID-19, along with whether they would support mandatory vaccination strategies.

Lead researcher and author, Professor in Vaccinology at the University of Adelaide Professor Helen Marshall, said: "While COVID-19 vaccine rollout has been extended to children aged between 12 and 15 years in many countries, including Australia, parental support hasn't been well captured, and very few have looked at community acceptance of mandatory policies.

"We need to ensure children are protected against COVID and the long-term complications of disease such as long COVID and the multisystem inflammatory condition.

"High coverage in the whole population, including young children, will need to be achieved to reduce transmission, so it is essential to understand community attitudes to continue to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake in target groups."

The majority of respondents in the study indicated they were very likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, or they were already vaccinated with at least one dose. However, 8.1 percent were resistant to vaccination and 13.5 percent of parents were not at all likely to get their child vaccinated.

"This will result in a vulnerable unvaccinated group as COVID-19 restrictions are further eased across Australia," said Professor Marshall.

The study also found low socioeconomic and education levels, being single, non-English speaking backgrounds and being parents were associated with decreased COVID-19 vaccine willingness and/or vaccination rates.

Despite a small sample size, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are more hesitant to receive COVID-19 vaccines. The researchers suggest further research led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is needed to improve understanding of factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in this important group.

"What the study tells us is that despite enormous efforts that have delivered the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, governments, health professionals and COVID-19 vaccination providers need to address vaccine hesitancy and improve access to vaccines in parents and other socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.

"COVID vaccine will be available soon for the 511 year age group, and for younger children the best thing parents can do to protect them now is to be vaccinated themselves, to stop the spread of infection to their children.

"Targeted strategies are needed to improve access to vaccines for Aboriginal people, those living in lower socio-economic circumstances and culturally and linguistically diverse groups."

In response to questions around mandatory vaccine policies, respondents were generally supportive in some high risk settings with 84.8 percent of respondents supporting vaccination requirements for international travel and 60.7 percent for domestic travel; and 67.9 percent for visiting residential aged care homes and working in healthcare settings.

Professor Marshall said: "Overall the results suggest with careful consideration of implications, government interventions, including mandates for high risk settings, are likely to be supported by the community."

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More information: Bing Wang et al, COVID-19 Immunisation, Willingness to Be Vaccinated and Vaccination Strategies to Improve Vaccine Uptake in Australia, Vaccines (2021). Bing Wang et al, COVID-19 Immunisation, Willingness to Be Vaccinated and Vaccination Strategies to Improve Vaccine Uptake in Australia,(2021). DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9121467
An eight-year-old child receives a second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Northwest Community Church in Chicago, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021. Pfizer is adding an extra dose of its COVID-19 vaccine for babies and preschoolers enrolled in a study of the shots. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech announced, Friday, Dec. 17, they were adding a third dose to the study after a preliminary analysis found 2- to 4-year-olds didn't have as strong an immune response as expected. Credit: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Pfizer said Friday it was changing plans and testing three doses of its COVID-19 vaccine in babies and preschoolers after the usual two shots didn't appear strong enough for some of the children.

Pfizer announced the change after a preliminary analysis found 2- to 4-year-olds didn't have as strong an immune response as expected to the very low-dose shots the company is testing in the youngest children.

It's disappointing news for families anxious to vaccinate their tots. Pfizer had expected data on how well the vaccines were working in children under 5 by year's end, and it's not clear how long the change will delay a final answer.

Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said if the three-dose study is successful, they plan to apply for emergency authorization sometime in the first half of 2022.

A kid-sized version of Pfizer's vaccine already is available for 5- to 11-year-olds, one that's a third of the dose given to everyone else 12 and older.

For children younger than 5, Pfizer is testing an even smaller dose, just 3 micrograms or a tenth of the adult dose.

Researchers analyzed a subset of youngsters in the study a month after their second dose to see if the tots developed levels of virus-fighting antibodies that were similar to teens and young adults who get the regular shots.

The very low-dose shots appeared to work in youngsters under age 2, who produced similar antibody levels. But the immune response in 2- to 4-year-olds was lower than the study required, Pfizer vaccine research chief Kathrin Jansen said Friday in a call with investors.

Rather than trying a higher-dose shot for the preschoolers, Pfizer decided to expand the study to evaluate three of the very low-dose shots in all the study participantsfrom 6 months up to age 5. That third shot will come at least two months after the youngsters' second dose.

No safety concerns have been spotted in the study, the companies said.

Jansen cited other data showing a booster shot for people 16 and older restores strong protection, a jump in immunity that scientists hope also will help fend off the new omicron variant.

The companies also are preparing to test a booster for 5- to 11-year-olds, who are just now getting their two-dose vaccinations. And they are testing different dose options for teen boosters.

Jansen said if the additional pediatric testing is successful, "we would have a consistent three-dose vaccine approach for all ages."

Explore further US expands Pfizer COVID boosters, opens extra dose to age 16

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Women in rural India who are poor, uneducated and marry early have the lowest odds of a safe birth such as in a hospital, according to a new study which analyses why for every 100,000 live births in the country's poorer states, 161 women die.

Published in the peer-reviewed journal Global Health Action, the findings provide new insights into access to maternity care in nine Indian states. In the first research of its kind, the authors also highlight failings in government interventions to reduce deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth.

Skilled support in medical institutions such as hospitals and clinics has significantly reduced maternal mortality in India. However, pregnancy-related complications remain the number one cause of death among girls aged 15 to 19 in India and this new study presents a concerning picture of the situation in the country's nine low performing states (LPS).

This study, which used a national data set including 112,518 women who gave birth in India's nine lowest performing states (constituting about half of the country's population), showed distance, disadvantage and high cost are other factors to blame for more than a quarter (26%) of women still delivering at home in LPS compared with 21% across India overall.

The authors warn cash-incentive schemes to encourage institutional births aren't working in these areas. They're calling for stronger regional policies specifically in LPS to improve current rates and outcomes.

"Despite several 'safe motherhood' programmes initiated by the government, the maternal mortality rate remains higher in LPS than the nation's average," says co-author Pintu Paul from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.

"Women expressed distance or lack of transportation and costs to be challenging in accessing health facilities for the delivery. This was along with other reasons like facility closures, poor service/trust issues, and others.

"Delivery at a health institution is a key intervention to avert the risk of maternal mortality due to childbirth-related complications.

"Strengthening sub-national policies specifically in underperforming states is imperative to improve institutional delivery coverage."

In the lower performing states, the number of maternal deaths account for 12% of all global maternal deaths. In India this equates to 62% of their maternal deaths. 71% of infant deaths are seen in this area in addition to 72% of under-five deaths.

Since 1990, considerable progress has been made in reducing maternal mortality overall from 556 deaths per 100,000 to 113. India, still though, has the 56th worst rate worldwide and the 13th worst outside of Africa.

However, the government's target of 100 deaths per 100,000 has not yet been met, and the rate remains 'alarmingly high' (161 deaths per 100,000) in LPS, according to the study authors.

They analysed state-level data on maternal mortality (2016 to 2018) and information from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) (2015 to 2016). The NFHS data involved 112,518 women aged 15 to 49 years who had delivered a living child in the five years preceding the survey.

Pregnancy complications and frequency of exposure to mass media (such as newspapers) were among the questions that the researchers asked the participants.

Access for women to the government's safe motherhood programmeJanani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)  was also examined. Launched in 2005, the JSY promotes institutional delivery by integrating cash assistance with delivery/post-delivery care for poor pregnancy women.

The research focused on states such as Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh where rates of women delivering their babies in medical institutions are low.

In addition to the findings on place of birth, the study highlights that women who were Muslim (62%) were less likely to deliver at a medical institution than those who were Hindu (76%) or from other castes. This was also the case for those aged 35 to 49 (60%) compared with 15 to 24-year-olds (79%).

Women who were completely exposed to mass media utilized the services the most in all the states (87%) compared to those who had no exposure at all (61%).

Co-author Ria Saha, a public health consultant in London, adds: "State-specific intervention should not only focus on increasing the number of public health facilities but also improving its associated quality of care.

"Although India has recently institutionalized midwifery care into the health system to strengthen the quality of maternal and new-born services in the birthing centres, inadequate clinical training and insufficient skilled human resources restrained the quality of available maternity services resulting in low coverage of institutional deliveries.

"Efficient and increased investment in the public health system at all tiers is imperative to effectively reduce financial inequities of service use and ensuring optimal care for mothers and new-borns."

On a positive note, contact with community health workers encouraged women to choose a safe place to deliver. Mothers-to-be who met with one during pregnancy were more likely to give birth in hospital or other medical institutions.

Explore further U.S. infant mortality reached historic low in 2019

More information: Ria Saha et al, Institutional deliveries in India's nine low performing states: levels, determinants and accessibility, Global Health Action (2021). Ria Saha et al, Institutional deliveries in India's nine low performing states: levels, determinants and accessibility,(2021). DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2021.2001145
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Is that really you on your driver's license or passport photo?

That is the question facing border security officials, police, security staff and forensic scientists on a daily basis.

Upskilling people in these roles to make quick decisions about unfamiliar faces costs thousands of dollars and many hours in training.

Get it right, and Australia's national security, criminal legal systems and citizen's right to safety are protected. Make a mistake, and the results could be devastating to the lives of innocent people who are either wrongly convicted, or hurt by dangerous people slipping through the net.

But a simple 'hack' to the way staff are taught to be better at comparing faces can be learned in minutes, with clear benefits. In a study published today, UNSW scientists have shown focusing on someone's ears and facial marks improves accuracy by 6 percent.

This is a significant increase because even experienced face identification staff can get as many as one in two wrong when it comes to comparing photos with unfamiliar faces.

In their new piece of research in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, the UNSW scientists describe how a short online training course they designed taught people to do the opposite of what most facial recognition courses will teach you.

Rather than focus on the face holisticallywhich is the usual way the human brain processes facesparticipants were directed to look at two specific areas of the face that turned out to be the strongest diagnostic features.

"By looking at the ears and facial markings like moles, freckles and scars, people can boost their natural ability in this task, with training that lasts just six minutes," lead researcher Dr. Alice Towler says.

"It turns out that breaking up a face into partslike a jigsawis a useful strategy when matching unfamiliar faces. This is something that only a small number of face recognition professionals have been trained to do."

Dr. Towler and her colleagues at UNSW School of Psychology discovered that ears and facial markings were most useful when comparing faces in 2017 after studying the techniques used by professional facial examinersa small group of specialist staff who prepare face identification evidence for court.

Facial examiners achieve high levels of accuracy by conducting slow, careful analysis of similarities and differences in individual facial features. They learn this strategy during on-the-job training over several months or even years. But the majority of people who use face identification in their roles complete much shorter training courses that range from only one hour to five days, with Dr. Towler and colleagues' own research showing these courses aren't very effective.

"Our analysis of the facial examiners' skills revealed that they are onto something," Dr. Towler says. "The ears and facial marks contain the most identity information of all the facial features."

Earmarked for success

To test this hypothesis, Dr. Towler and her research team designed an experiment where two groups of novice face identifiers were given different trainingone were told to focus on the ears and facial marks, the other, the face shape and mouth. By the end of the training, participants in the first group showed a 6 percent improvement on their abilities in matching unfamiliar faces, whereas those focusing on face shape and the mouth showed no change in their accuracy.

Interestingly, most participants believed training made face matching easier regardless of whether it improved accuracy. Seventy percent of the 'ears and facial marks' group thought it had, while 65 percent of the 'face shape and mouth' group also thought they'd improved.

"Some of our past studies have already found that people often overestimate how effective their face identification training has been," Dr. Towler says.

In 2019, she and her colleagues looked at how effective four representative training courses were in improving the facial recognition skills of more than 200 genuine trainees around the world. They found little evidence the training provided any benefit to trainees' accuracy when matching unfamiliar faces. Worryingly, 93 percent of the trainees thought their skills had improved.

"This is why it is very important that courses aiming to boost face recognition skills are evidence-based, and don't overstate their effectiveness by relying on the testimonials of their participants."

Several Australian and International organizations are now looking to adopt the diagnostic feature training developed by Dr. Towler and colleagues. In the meantime, the group is "continuing to study new and innovative ways to boost face identification accuracy so that we can provide organizations with a suite of training options to suit their needs," Dr. Towler says.

More information: Alice Towler et al, Diagnostic feature training improves face matching accuracy., Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition (2021). Alice Towler et al, Diagnostic feature training improves face matching accuracy.,(2021). DOI: 10.1037/xlm0000972 Alice Towler et al, Do professional facial image comparison training courses work?, PLOS ONE (2019). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211037 Journal information: PLoS ONE
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers at UW Medicine and the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System worked with emergency medicine physicians at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among U.S. healthcare workers and first-responders. The study is ongoing, but the results of 510 participants were published Dec. 16 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Nearly half of all respondents and 59 percent of all nurses reported that their experiences working during the COVID-19 pandemic had somewhat or significantly reduced their likelihood of remaining in their current field.

Nurses and emergency medical service (EMS) workers reported the greatest burdens. More than 40 percent had post-traumatic stress symptoms, and more than 80 percent had depression symptoms.

More than 80 percent of EMS workers had depression symptoms, and nearly one- quarter (24.4 percent) of those respondents reported thoughts of suicide or self-harm in the previous two weeks.

Among all respondents, more than one-third (37.8 percent) had PTSD symptoms, and nearly three-quarters had depression (73.9 percent) and anxiety (74.7 percent) symptoms. More than 15 percent of participants reported thoughts of suicide or self-harm in the preceding two weeks; this included thoughts of "life not being worth living."

More than 18 percent of respondents reported trouble completing work-related tasks.

Researchers found that three factors contributed to high rates of psychological distress:

Volume: The number of patients who received direct care and who were critically ill or died of COVID-19, or who died in isolation because of COVID-19 precautions even if they did not themselves have COVID-19. Working long hours to provide needed care also had an outsize effect. Risk: Feelings that they or their family were at increased risk of COVID-19 because of their job. Demoralization: Experiences related to feeling unsupported at one's workplace, feeling unable to provide high-quality care to all patients, feeling the care provided was futile, or being asked to take unnecessary risks when better options appeared available.

All three factors were associated with increased psychiatric symptom burden and increased thoughts of leaving one's current profession. Demoralization stood out as having the strongest association with these negative outcomes. Of the psychiatric symptoms, post-traumatic stress was most strongly associated with reporting an increased likelihood of leaving one's profession and with trouble completing work related tasks.

"It's really important to remember that healthcare workers and first-responders may be professionals who are 'trained' to deal with trauma, but we are still human beings who are affected by what we experience," said lead author Dr. Rebecca Hendrickson, acting assistant professor with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine and a clinician at the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System. "If we do not act to protect our healthcare workers and first-responders, it can result in very high levels of distress and suffering for them as individuals. It can also damage our healthcare system, as we risk losing committed and caring individuals from the field."

The 510 participants were recruited through targeted outreach (e-mails and listservs) and paid advertising on social media channels between Sept. 15, 2020, and Feb. 7, 2021. Participants were asked to self-attest that they were a healthcare worker or first-responder who provided professional services affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study included 301 healthcare workers (60 physicians, 187 nurses) and 200 first responders (162 EMS personnel, 54 firefighters and 19 law enforcement officers). Some people were both a firefighter and EMS worker. Responses spanned 47 states and 445 zip codes, with distribution across rural and urban areas.

To encourage participation, participants were not required to provide their names and were able to skip questions. Email addresses were collected to allow follow-up for up to nine months. Various survey tools were used to assess responses.

Data originally did not include factors related to financial resources, family obligations, or position and influence within one's specific field or the healthcare system more broadly. But that info was added part-way through.

Explore further Does previous SARS experience help healthcare workers cope with COVID-19?

More information: Rebecca C. Hendrickson et al, The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health, Occupational Functioning, and Professional Retention Among Health Care Workers and First Responders, Journal of General Internal Medicine (2021). Journal information: Journal of General Internal Medicine Rebecca C. Hendrickson et al, The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health, Occupational Functioning, and Professional Retention Among Health Care Workers and First Responders,(2021). DOI: 10.1007/s11606-021-07252-z
Credit: Vetenskap & Allmaenhet

Researchers belong to the professional groups that most Swedes trust, when they comment on the coronavirus in the media. This is one of the findings of a new study recently published by the non-profit Swedish organization VA (Public & Science).

Healthcare professionals and researchers are the professional groups that the Swedish public had the greatest confidence in when they commented in the media during the pandemic. The public has the least confidence in politicians and journalists.

"The coronavirus pandemic has been characterized by a multitude of voices, opinions and information, during which correct, uncertain and sometimes even false information has been widely disseminated. This is why it is encouraging to see that public confidence in researchers is so strong," said Gustav Bohlin, a researcher at VA and responsible for the study.

In the study, "Communication about coronavirusmedia reporting and trust during the COVID-19 pandemic," VA studied how people in Sweden received and interpreted communication about the pandemic and their level of confidence in the media and different professional groups during the period March 2020April 2021.

The study also includes a content analysis of the Swedish media's reporting of research on the coronavirus and related research during the pandemic, based on online articles from Swedish Television (SVT) and the newspapers Aftonbladet and Dagens Nyheter.

Credit: Vetenskap & Allmaenhet

Swedes' perception of reporting on the coronavirus

Women have a slightly higher confidence in researchers that comment in the media than men, and people with a university education have greater confidence in researchers than people without a higher education. Confidence in government officials, politicians and journalists who comment on the coronavirus rose at the beginning of the pandemic and then dropped to previous levels shortly afterwards.

"It is a well-known phenomenon that citizens stand behind their country's institutions in times of crisis," said Anna Maria Jonsson, Professor of media and communication studies at Sodertorn University, who worked with VA on the study.

Three out of four Swedes turned mainly to traditional news media, such as TV, newspapers and the radio to get information during the pandemic. The public service channels Swedish Television (SVT) and Swedish Radio enjoyed the highest level of trust throughout the period, while the public had the lowest level of trust in foreign/international media alongside the tabloids Aftonbladet and Expressen.

Supporters of the Sweden Democrats felt, to a lesser extent than other parties' supporters, that the reporting on the coronavirus provided the information they needed. They also considered to a lesser extent than others that the media coverage was transparent or accommodated different perspectives.

Credit: Vetenskap & Allmaenhet

Media reporting on the coronavirus

In a content analysis of online reporting on the pandemic in Dagens Nyheter, Aftonbladet and on Swedish Television, 1,173 articles relating to research or researchers were studied. The time periods for the analysis coincided with three peaks and two falls in the infection rate and hospital admissions in Sweden.

"The media coverage followed the development of the pandemic, with the greatest focus at the beginning being on the spread of infection, followed by mostly reporting about restrictions and guidelines, and then finally vaccines becoming the most common topic," explained Gustav Bohlin.

The tone of the reporting was predominantly neutral. One in five articles contained 'alarming' elements and one in ten had a calming tone. Three out of four articles take the form of 'reporting.' The proportion of articles that were investigative in nature was just under one percent. One in five articles addressed new research findings, and this was particularly common at the beginning of the pandemic.

Provided by Vetenskap & Allmaenhet
Ambassador of Belarus S.Terentiev meets the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion of Oman

On December 16, 2021, within the framework of a working visit to Muscat Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Arab Republic of Egypt and Sultanate of Oman (non-resident) Sergei Terentiev met with Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion of Oman Qais Al Yousef.

The parties discussed the issues of trade, economic and investment cooperation between the two countries, as well as the preparation of the visit of Qais Al Yousef to Belarus in 2022.

During the meeting, a special attention was paid to the development of Belarusian-Omani interaction in the fields of logistics, tourism and information technology.

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A new Indigenous Holiday Market aims to present all types of artists, from traditional to contemporary and alternative art, in a supportive environment for creators.

The market, which runs 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19, at the Missoula Public Library, is a joint effort between the All Nations Health Center and the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center and features 20 artists.

Its a "much-needed" event that can help build a movement for our Indigenous voices and sights, said organizer Andrea Dre Castillo, a multicultural Navajo artist.

A board member with the peace center, they (Castillo is two-spirit), pitched the idea for a November event, which grew momentum into a holiday market. In the future, they hope that it can grow, potentially into a seasonal occurrence  spring, summer, fall and winter.

Skye McGinty, the executive director of the health center, said its effort to organize markets had started just before the pandemic and then went on pause. They had envisioned a regular First Friday-type event that could grow into something like the Santa Fe Indian Market and really give our Indigenous artists a platform to market their work.

We have amazing, amazing artists all through western Montana, all through the state, and we really wanted to showcase a lot of their work and get that culture and heritage really circulating in the Missoula community, she said.

She added that during the pandemic, these connections to culture through traditional art and crafts have never been more important.

Castillo, who supervises Native arts for the fairgrounds, thinks that while Missoula does host Indigenous artists in its venues, theyre typically already established creators. The markets can be a venue for diverse career stages, backgrounds and nations. Artists of all ages who are interested can learn about pricing, support, promotion, and more, which is often a barrier.

And all types of art  from traditional work to contemporary, including creators like Michael Fast Buffalo Horse, a Piikuni artist who makes ledger art with science fiction and queer influencers.

Market artists

Photographers MMIW portrait series

Jen Buckleys photo series has an urgent goal in mind: raising awareness about the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and people.

It began after she participated in a search for Jermain Charlo, a young woman from Dixon who disappeared after leaving a downtown Missoula bar in the summer of 2018.

Buckley, a part-time photographer for 20 years who has a business called Tveraa Photography, asked herself, how do I help? and wondered what she had to offer. She decided her artform was the path. She began looking for Indigenous women who wanted to be in portraits with the iconic red handprint on their faces.

While she wants the photographs to be beautiful, theres real people missing in Montana that those images are representing, she said, and she wants everyone to not lose sight of this. The goal is to raise awareness about the issue in Montana, promote systemic change, and help families when their loved one goes missing, she said.

Buckley grew up in Havre and is enrolled in the Chippewa Cree Tribe and has family on the nearby Rocky Boys Indian Reservation. She has set a long-term goal of visiting each reservation in the state to shoot portraits for the series. Thus far, shes shot pictures here in Missoula and in Polson. Posting a call for participants on Facebook yielded a strong amount of interest, and shes open to emails from interested folks around the state.

Shes selling prints, either framed or unframed, and poster-sized ones, and using the money to post them on billboards around Montana. Lamar Advertising has charged her only printing costs, enabling her to display the photos and text on billboards in Billings, Great Falls, Havre, Missoula and Polson.

In addition to the market, her photos are on display through the end of the month at Float Missoula on the Hip Strip. (The float tank business is open to the public.)

She added that the issue is not a fashion statement, and its not a political issue either. This is a health epidemic, she said, and the farthest thing from politics.

I cant imagine it being my daughter, she said, and hopes that people would search like it was their own kid.

Jewelry by Kristina Lucero

Kristina Lucero of Dancing Butterfly Designs loses herself in making jewelry  earrings with dentalium shells, draped beads and dyed porcupine quills.

She comes from the Tseycum band, a Coastal Salish tribe from Vancouver Island. Born in Hawaii and raised in the Seattle area, she came to Montana because her mother had relatives here, and thats when she learned beadwork (including time with a Navajo master) and became involved in powwows.

It wasnt until three years ago, however, that a friend encouraged her to also try selling at craft fairs.

Its important to me, and it's part of who I am, she said. And it definitely brings me a good balance, as she has a demanding day job.

For the upcoming market, Lucero has been making earrings with beaded fringes, with a brick-stitch at the top, and ones with long, narrow dentalium shells, which are found up and down the coast from Alaska to California, she said. They were a form of currency thats become more popular in beading.

She draws her color patterns from her surroundings  winter-sunset earrings with beads, or quill ones that are rooted in Hawaiis bright palette. The quills are tricky to work with, naturally, from gathering, dying and weaving.

With the amount of effort required for her pieces, she wants to imbue them with good vibes and good energy, so that it can become part of someones everyday life, including celebrations or ceremonies. Wearing them can make one feel a confidence in the future, she said.

Seeing her work out in the world, too, is a positive influence from my cultural perspective in my community and counteracts the "invisibility that can occur."

She also likes buying curved earrings from stores and weaving quills around them, a way of indigenizing the world around me.

Selling at markets, people can learn about the background and meaning, an alternative to the Internet where non-Natives sell crafts and use designs without credit.

Just out of respect, especially when youre talking about cultural identity and cultural perspectives, its good to get  background about what influences them," she said.

She loves this market because theyre making sure the artist is actually getting credit for this, and that other people arent getting the benefit of Indigenous culture, she said.

Markets model

In their model, they dont charge table fees to the artists and provide gas cards to ensure that they can participate, particularly if theyre coming from out of town. Golden Yolk Griddle stepped forward to pay for gas cards for those artists.

I want to be able to build that bridge with that Indigenous community surrounding us, to come back to Missoula, Castillo said.

Lowering the financial barriers also can make it an opportunity to help build careers, learn the basics of what it means to start promoting their work, and give them the awareness that Missoula does care about them, that they do see them, and theyre willing to support them.

The first market in November was successful and drew about 300 people for its 11 artists, all in the comparatively tight quarters in the Peace Centers meeting room. This one will have far more space on the Missoula Public Librarys fourth floor.

The public library's also interested in all events being free and accessible  they're going to be allowing us to use their tables and chairs, said Jacqueline Flewellen, the peace centers executive director. There's no room fee, they will allow artists to sprawl into places as needed.

This model is nonprofit-driven, and if people want to help us continue to grow this program and Dres vision and you know the dream of All Nations having a regular market, we could use their financial support, Flewellen said.

McGinty, of the health center, said that the sustainability part is the trickiest part. The gas cards help for artists who are traveling from the Flathead or Blackfeet reservations, for instance.

If there are any ways that we could get support  or volunteers to help do set-up and take-down at these events, she said, every hand counts.

Castillo hopes that it can be a community organization-driven effort that can build bridges to alliance groups throughout Montana and continue for each season.

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CHICAGO (AP)  An arbitrator has ruled that several unions representing Chicago firefighters and other city employees must follow Mayor Lori Lightfoot's COVID-19 vaccination policy.

The ruling means that the union employees will lose pay if they do not receive a first shot by Dec. 31. They must get a second shot by Jan. 31 if they choose a two-dose vaccine.

The ruling issued Wednesday applies to the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 21, Service Employees International Union Local 73, Teamsters Local 700 and Coalition of Unionized Public Employees.

The ruling does not apply to members of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, which has been engaged in a bitter battle with the mayor over the mandate. A Cook County judge suspended the Dec. 31 vaccination deadline for police and sent the issue to arbitration, which begins Dec. 27.

The city's law department praised Wednesday's decision, which comes after dozens of firefighters and paramedics who defied the reporting requirement were placed on no-pay status and sent home.

"The City is pleased that a neutral arbitrator selected by both parties upheld the Citys right to issue a vaccine mandate to its employees, a spokeswoman with the law department said, according to the Chicago Tribune. The arbitrator further upheld the Citys right to place employees who do not become vaccinated by the deadline in a no-pay status.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Chicago Tribune.
DENVER (AP)  Colorado officials on Thursday announced legislation that would boost law enforcement resources to fight the distribution of fentanyl, part of efforts to stem an opioid crisis that has the state on track to surpass last years record for the largest number of overdose deaths in a single year.

The proposed law, which will be introduced during the 2022 legislative session, aims to disrupt drug supply chains, dismantle drug networks, increase public awareness of fentanyl risks and increase the ability to identify fentanyl production during distribution, Republican state Sen. Kevin Priola said.

The measure was announced at a news conference in which state Attorney General Phil Weiser, lawmakers from both parties and law enforcement officials called for increased public awareness about fentanyl, additional law enforcement investigative resources and stronger legal penalties for the drug's distribution.

We are in the greatest overdose crisis in our nations history, Democratic state Sen. Brittany Pettersen said, noting that those dying are not only people with longstanding substance abuse problems.

Last year, 1,477 people in Colorado died from drug overdoses, mostly opioids, according to data from the state Health Department. Denver City Attorney Kristin Bronson told the city council Monday that current estimates have Colorado surpassing 1,800 fatal overdoses this year, Colorado Politics reported.

The trajectory of overdoses in the state has been one way, with Weiser using the example of El Paso County, which had four overdoses in 2016 and is on track to have more than 100 fentanyl-related overdoses this year.

Nationwide more than 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses from May 2020 to April 2021, a new milestone that experts tie to the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing prevalence of fentanyl in the illicit drug supply. Fentanyl is a highly lethal opioid that five years ago surpassed heroin as the type of drug involved in the most overdose deaths.

Weiser said the epidemic is 25 years in the making  beginning with prescription painkillers and now being replaced by illegal fentanyl.

Those deadly pills are marketed to look like theyre the old prescription pills, but theyre not, he said.

Tami Gottsegen, a mother whose son Braden Burks died in 2019 from an accidental fentanyl overdose, spoke about a popular, straight-A student who bought two pills from an acquaintance expecting them to be some type of painkiller. After taking one of the pills, her son died.

Braden and I talked about the dangers. I used the analogy of playing Russian Roulette, Gottsegen said. Brady even promised me that I had nothing to worry about. Of course I didnt take that at face value, but the problem was, Brady believed it. Kids think theyre invincible.

District Attorney Michael Dougherty, whose district includes Boulder County, said the state needs more resources for substance abuse treatment, noting that Colorado ranks in the bottom 10 states for treatment availability. He also called for more law enforcement resources and stiffer state penalties for people selling deadly drugs.

If you agree with me that addiction is a public health crisis, then we should go hard after the people who are preying on those in crisis, Dougherty said.

Gottsegen called Colorado's laws antiquated for prosecuting fentanyl distribution, adding that the man who sold her son the pills is currently serving time in a federal prison because the state doesn't have a law to accommodate the crime.

Weiser said officials have an opportunity to reevaluate penalties for drug distribution, suggesting that maybe a felony charge would be appropriate.

The Colorado state Legislatures 2022 session begins on Jan. 12.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
PARIS (AP)  The mugshot-style photos are posted on online message boards in black and white and look a little like old-fashioned wanted posters.

The Jews own COVID just like all of Hollywood, the accompanying text says. Wake up people.

The post is one of many that white supremacists and far-right extremists are using to expand their reach and recruit followers on the social media platform Telegram, according to the findings of researchers who sifted through nearly half a million comments on pages  called channels on Telegram  that they categorized as far-right from January 2020 to June 2021.

The tactic has been successful: Nine of the 10 most viewed posts in the sample examined by the researchers contained misleading claims about the safety of vaccines or the pharmaceutical companies manufacturing them. One Telegram channel saw its total subscribers jump tenfold after it leaned into COVID-19 conspiracy theories.

COVID-19 has served as a catalyst for radicalization, said the study's author, Ciaran OConnor, an analyst at the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue. It allows conspiracy theorists or extremists to create simple narratives, framing it as us versus them, good versus evil.

Other posts downplayed the severity of the coronavirus or pushed conspiracy theories about its origins. Many of the posts contain hate speech directed at Jews, Asians, women or other groups or violent rhetoric that would be automatically removed from Facebook or Twitter for violating the standards of those sites.

Telegram, based in the United Arab Emirates, has many different kinds of users around the world, but it has become a favorite tool of some on the far-right in part because the platform lacks the content moderation of Facebook, Twitter and other platforms.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Telegram said it welcomed the peaceful expression of ideas, including those we do not agree with." The statement said moderators monitor activity and user reports "in order to remove public calls for violence.

OConnor said he believes the people behind these posts are trying to exploit fear and anxiety over COVID-19 to attract new recruits, whose loyalty may outlast the pandemic.

Indeed, mixed in with the COVID-19 conspiracy posts are some direct recruitment pitches. For example, someone posted a link to a news story about a Long Island, New York, synagogue on a channel popular with the far-right Proud Boys and added a message urging followers to join them. Embrace who you were called to be, read the post, which was accompanied by a swastika.

The researchers found suggestions that far-right groups on Telegram are working together. ISD researchers linked two usernames involved in running one Telegram channel to two prominent members of the American far-right. One was a scheduled speaker at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a white supremacist deliberately drove into a crowd of counterdemonstrators, killing one and injuring 35.

That channel has grown steadily since the pandemic began and now has a reach of around 400,000 views each day, according to Telegram Analytics, a service that keeps statistical data on about 150,000 Telegram channels on the site TGStat. In May 2020 the channel had 5,000 subscribers; it now has 50,000.

The data is especially concerning given a rash of incidents around the world that indicate some extremists are moving from online rhetoric to offline action.

Gavin Yamey, a physician and public health professor at Duke University, has written about the rise of threats against health care workers during the pandemic. He said the harassment is even worse for those who are women, people of color, in a religious minority or LGBTQ.

Yamey, who is Jewish, has received threats and anti-Semitic messages, including one on Twitter calling for his family to be executed. He fears racist conspiracy theories and scapegoating may persist even after the pandemic eases.

I worry that in some ways the genie is out of the bottle, Yamey said.

Elsewhere, people have died after taking sham cures, pharmacists have destroyed vaccine vials, and others have damaged 5G telecommunication towers since the pandemic began nearly two years ago.

Events such as the pandemic leave many people feeling anxious and looking for explanations, according to Cynthia Miller-Idriss, director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab at American University, which studies far-right extremism. Conspiracy theories can provide an artificial sense of control, she said.

COVID-19 has created fertile ground for recruitment because so many people around the world feel unsettled," Miller-Idriss said. "These racist conspiracy theories give people a sense of control, a sense of power over events that make people feel powerless.

Policing extremism online has challenged tech companies that say they must balance protecting free speech with removing hate speech. They also must contend with increasingly sophisticated tactics by groups that have learned to evade platform rules.

Facebook this month announced that it had removed a network of accounts based in Italy and France that had spread conspiracy theories about vaccines and carried out coordinated harassment campaigns against journalists, doctors and public health officials.

The network, called V_V, used both real and fake accounts and was overseen by a group of users who coordinated their activities on Telegram in an effort to hide their tracks from Facebook, company investigators found.

They sought to mass-harass individuals with pro-vaccination views into making their posts private or deleting them, essentially suppressing their voices, said Mike Dvilyanski, head of cyber espionage investigations at Meta, Facebooks parent company.

O'Connor, the ISD researcher, said sites like Telegram will continue to serve as a refuge for extremists as long as they lack the moderation policies of the larger platforms.

The guardrails that you see on other platforms, they don't exist on Telegram, O'Connor said. That makes it a very attractive place for extremists.

Klepper reported from Providence, R.I.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday he backs the creation of a second majority-minority U.S. House district among Louisiana's six congressional districts, his first detailed comments about what maps he'd like to see lawmakers draw in next year's redistricting session.

The Democratic governor noted that one-third of Louisiana's more than 4.6 million residents are Black. He said it would be fair to ensure one-third of the U.S. House districts reflect that.

Obviously, if you want to talk about fairness and making sure that the maps reflect the reality, what the situation is on the ground, that should certainly be our goal, and Im hopeful that were going to be able to get there, Edwards said in response to a question at a wide-ranging, end-of-year news conference.

The governor didnt say if he would veto a map that doesnt add a second majority-Black district, and its questionable if lawmakers in the majority-Republican Legislature would agree to create one at the expense of a safe GOP district. The drawing of such a district, if it were approved, would almost certainly force the ouster of a Republican incumbent in Congress.

Every 10 years with the release of the latest U.S. Census data, lawmakers redesign the maps for seats in the U.S. House, state Senate, state House, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and Public Service Commission to account for population shifts and evenly distribute people among districts. Lawmakers are planning to call a February special session for the work, and they're considering redrawing the state Supreme Court districts this time.

Before Thursday, the governor had only offered broad outlines of what he wanted to see from any of the reworked maps.

If a second majority-minority district is drawn, Edwards said, he didn't believe the state could maintain the current configuration of two north Louisiana-based congressional districts.

It would be a major reworking of the map, he said.

Rep. John Stefanski, the Crowley Republican who leads the redistricting work in the House, has said hes heard more interest from lawmakers about tweaking around the edges of the current districts, including maintaining the two north Louisiana-based seats despite large losses in the regions population.

On other topics, the governor:

Expects to get federal regulations in mid-January for the $595 million in federal disaster recovery block grant aid Louisiana is receiving from Congress for 2020's Hurricane Laura. He said the state is developing its draft housing assistance plan to submit for approval once the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development releases its rules governing the aid. Edwards also pledged to continue to ask President Joe Bidens administration and Congress to pass more aid, seeing more is needed to help rebuild and repair damaged housing in southwest Louisiana.

Said 11,500 people with home damage from Hurricane Ida, which ravaged southeast Louisiana when it struck in August, remain living in hotels with assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The state also has deployed 2,500 temporary trailers to the region.

Urged people to get the coronavirus vaccine in a state where fewer than half its residents are fully immunized against the COVID-19 illness, particularly as Louisiana sees an increasing number of cases from the omicron variant of the virus. Edwards also encouraged those already vaccinated to get a booster dose of the shot, saying only 25% of those eligible have gotten a booster so far.

Called for Lafayette City Court Judge Michelle Odinet to resign after she repeatedly used a racial slur in a video recorded at her home and posted to social media. If she were not to resign, perhaps all of the litigants before her who were African American would seek her recusal, and Im not sure that she has a valid basis for denying that recusal and so there is no efficient administration of justice if she stays on the bench, Edwards said.

Said he'll propose to lawmakers to spend the remaining $1.4 billion in unspent federal pandemic aid available to the state on water and sewer system improvements, transportation projects, broadband internet upgrades and another infusion of cash into the state's unemployment trust fund to pay benefits. Lawmakers will decide how to use the cash in the regular legislative session that begins in March.

Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts:

Vaccinated people arent nine times more likely to be hospitalized

CLAIM: People who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are nine times more likely to be hospitalized than those who are unvaccinated.

THE FACTS: The false assertion that vaccinated people are more likely to be hospitalized is based on one former physician assistants claim that 90% of all patients admitted to her hospital during a recent period were vaccinated against COVID-19. But the hospital records show the vaccination rate was far lower and there was no evidence of any connection between vaccination status and the various illnesses that led to the hospitalizations. A post circulating on Instagram last month cites a blog post by a lawyer representing Deborah Conrad, a former physicians assistant at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, New York, to falsely claim that people are 9x more likely to be hospitalized if they are vaccinated over unvaccinated patients. Conrad wrote to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration earlier this year warning of possible serious injuries from COVID-19 vaccines. In the blog post, it notes that Conrad saw the number of patients in the hospital had increased dramatically and claimed that 90% of them were vaccinated against COVID. The hospital disputes her figures. Conrad provides no information for when the patients she reported were hospitalized, and her spokespeople declined to clarify. Her letter was sent in July 2021, and in it, she claims to have alerted the FDA of her concerns in April and May. Hospital records show that in July, just 60% of the facilitys inpatients had received the vaccine, according to Rochester Regional Health spokesperson Jillian Parker. In early April, 15% of hospital patients were vaccinated. And on May 24, 25% of the hospital patients were vaccinated. Conrad also argued that she found an increase in various illnesses  including blood clots, Bells palsy, pneumonia and strokes  after the initial roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine. She logged these in VAERS, or the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which allows anyone to submit reports. But VAERS reports are not verified and do not prove that the illnesses are connected to the vaccine. In a response to The Associated Press, Conrads legal team acknowledged that she did not speculate on causation and only did what she was obligated to do: report to VAERS any adverse event following vaccination that led to hospitalization. No doctors or experts at the hospital raised the same concerns about a rise of these illnesses, Parker said. Parker acknowledged that admissions had gone up at the time, but said the hospital attributed the rise to other factors, including patients deferring care during the height of the COVID pandemic, or scheduling elective surgery that was put off. Conrads lawyer said she stands by her observations and her reporting. Several experts told the AP that studies have shown serious side effects from the vaccine to be rare. And many of the illnesses Conrad listed  including Bells palsy, pneumonia and strokes  are not known side effects of the shots, they said. The vaccine is not causing all of these conditions that shes concerned about, said Dr. Melanie Swift, the associate medical director for occupational health service at the Mayo Clinic. As more of the country is vaccinated, the communitys vaccination rate will be reflected in hospitals patients, she explained. Blood clots have been one of the rare side effects of the vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was briefly paused in 2020 over those concerns. But federal regulators allowed the shots to resume less than two weeks later after the risk was found to be rare.

 Associated Press writer Karena Phan in Santa Maria, California, contributed this report.

Queensland is not punishing unvaccinated people for coughing in public

CLAIM: Australia is punishing unvaccinated people who cough or sneeze in public with fines and jail time.

THE FACTS: Authorities in Queensland, Australia, are not punishing unvaccinated people who cough or sneeze in public. However, people who intentionally spit, cough or sneeze on public officials or workers, or threaten to do so, face fines and jail time under an April 2020 public health order issued amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2021, Queensland officials announced that the policy, which applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, would be expanded to include more types of workers. Inaccurate claims regarding the directive have since circulated widely on social media. One erroneous tweet posted Sunday falsely claimed that from the 17th of December, The Unvaccinated will be fined up to $13,000 or 6 months in prison, for offences such as sneezing or coughing in public. The claims leave out the fact that the policy, which isnt new, only applies to deliberate acts of sneezing, coughing, or spitting on public officials or workers, as well as threats to do so, according to Queensland officials. These measures arent targeting unvaccinated people. If you go into a retail store or a coffee shop or anywhere and deliberately cough on someone with the intent of causing fear, it doesnt matter if youre vaccinated or not, youre causing an offense, a spokesperson for Queensland Health told The Associated Press. Earlier this month, Queensland officials announced that they would relax COVID-19 measures for businesses and add a variety of new restrictions for unvaccinated people. As part of the new measures, the existing policy regarding intentional coughing, sneezing, or spitting will be expanded to include such deliberate acts against hospitality workers. Violating the directive is punishable by fines up to $13,785 or a maximum of six months imprisonment. The policy covers workers while they are at their place of work and during their commutes to and from work. The current directive states that there are increasing reports of people intentionally spitting at or coughing or sneezing on public officials and workers during the COVID-19 declared public health emergency. During a Dec. 7 press conference, Yvette DAth, the Queensland minister for health and ambulance services, said that the measure was intended to protect workers from appalling behavior while they were just trying to do their jobs.

 Associated Press writer Josh Kelety in Phoenix contributed this report.

Santa wasnt arrested for mask violation at German market

CLAIM: Santa was arrested at a Christmas market in Germany because he wasnt wearing a mask.

THE FACTS: A man in a Santa costume was detained by police at a Christmas market in Stralsund, Germany, but police said it was because he refused to show identification at an unregistered protest against vaccine mandates, not because he wasnt wearing a mask. A video circulating on Twitter shows a man dressed like Santa being escorted out of a Christmas market in Germany. The video is accompanied by claims on social media saying he refused to wear a mask. A statement issued by the Stralsund Police said that authorities responded late Monday to a report of an unregistered gathering at the Old Market square in Stralsund, where about 65 people had gathered and appeared to be voicing their opinion on the current coronavirus measures and a vaccine mandate. Parliament last week approved compulsory vaccinations for health care professionals, but a general vaccine mandate isnt in force. Officers asked participants to show their IDs, noting that the gathering wasnt registered and therefore constituted a criminal offense for the organizer. The man dressed as Santa, who wasnt working at the Christmas market, refused to provide his name to officers, according to the report, and pulled away as police escorted him out. The police statement said a complaint was made against the 47-year-old local man on suspicion of resisting law enforcement officers, among other allegations. He was released by police that evening after being identified. The incident is similar to another case elsewhere in Germany this month. A video claimed to show an elderly woman being detained by police because she didnt have a vaccine passport. However, police said the woman, 80, was being briefly detained during an unauthorized protest because she did not provide German authorities with identification. Witnesses confirmed the police account. According to authorities, only IDs were checked on the scene, not vaccination passports.

 Associated Press writers Frank Jordans in Berlin and Phan contributed this report.

Clips show 2020 protests in France, not anti-vaccine rallies

CLAIM: Video shows people rioting against vaccine mandates in France.

THE FACTS: The videos recently posted on social media show scenes from November 2020 protests against a security law in France that would restrict the filming of police officers, not an anti-vaccine demonstration. The widely shared video pieced together two clips taken by separate people during the 2020 protests in Paris to make the false claim that the footage is from 2021. The video shows protesters clashing with police while surrounded by clouds of tear gas. Horror in France as vaccine mandate riot sees protesters beaten by armed police - WATCH, a Twitter post stated. Looks like the French police are losing, wrote another. But the clips were first posted on social media in November 2020, when dozens of rallies took place against an initial provision in the law that would make it illegal to publish photos or video of on-duty police officers with harmful intent, The Associated Press reported at the time. The miscaptioned video in the Twitter post uses two separate clips from the protests. The first 40 seconds of the post came from a Facebook live stream recorded on Nov. 28, 2020, by Vecu, a French media outlet. It shows rioting near Bastille Majestic Cinema Paris, which is visible in the background. The footage in the second portion of the video from 0:40 to 1:21 showing rioters attacking police was taken by French journalist Amar Taoualit, and features a watermark with his Twitter handle @Taoualitamar. Taoualit confirmed to the AP that he filmed the material second portion of the video on Nov. 28, 2020, during demonstrations against the security law.

 Associated Press writer Arijeta Lajka in New York contributed this report.

Fox News is not banned in Canada or the UK

CLAIM: Canada and the U.K. both banned Fox News.

THE FACTS: Neither Canada nor the U.K. has banned Fox News. The network remains authorized for distribution in Canada and it voluntarily pulled itself from U.K. airwaves in 2017. A widely shared tweet purporting to share a FUN FACT, falsely claimed that the two major U.S. allies had permanently banned the television channel. However, the claim isnt a fact at all. Instead, it parrots a false narrative that has circulated online for years. Fox News is currently authorized for distribution in Canada, said Isabella Maestri, a spokesperson for Canadas broadcasting regulator, the Canadian Radiotelevision and Telecommunications Commission. The channel is featured on a public list of non-Canadian services and stations that are greenlit for distribution in Canada, accessible on the CRTCs website. Being on that list means that a Canadian television provider is authorized to distribute the service, Maestri told the AP in an email. The Canadian Cable Television Association first sought permission to broadcast Fox News and several other non-Canadian networks in the country in 2003, according to an archived letter on the CRTCs website. The CRTC rejected that request, citing concerns about competitiveness and a need for more information. A year later, in 2004, the CRTC approved Fox News for distribution. The AP has previously debunked the claim that the U.K. banned Fox News. According to both Fox News and U.K. officials, U.K. regulators never banned the channel from operating in the region. Instead, Fox News voluntarily stopped broadcasting in the U.K. in 2017 due to the channels low viewership there.

 Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed this report with additional reporting from Kelety and Angelo Fichera in Philadelphia.

This story has been updated to correct the location of United Memorial Medical Center. It is in Batavia, New York, not Rochester, New York.

Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck

Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Twitter said Sunday it had banned the personal account of far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene for multiple violations of the platforms COVID-19 misinformation policy, the latest strike against the firebrand whose embrace of conspiracy theories has been called a cancer for the GOP and led the House to boot her from committees.
Quinlan Roe remembers his first lecture in Missoula Colleges new paramedic program.

He said it was from the director of the program, Dave McEvoy, who shared a story about being handed a newborn baby struggling for breath. McEvoy told his students he still remembers the fear and trust in the mothers eyes.

He got teary-eyed and told us that, at some point, that was going to be us in the field, experiencing something similar, Roe said. He told us that being a paramedic is about caring for and helping people  that its hard work and requires a lot of studying and commitment.

Fast forward four semesters, in the middle of a national health care labor crisis and a global pandemic, and the University of Montanas Missoula College is graduating its very first cohort of new, nationally certified paramedics. That cohort includes Roe, who worked through the program while balancing a full-time construction job. He is now employed full-time as a paramedic with Missoula Emergency Medical Services Inc. and is considering completing UMs new bachelors degree in public health.

The new associate of science degree in paramedicine, housed in the colleges Department of Health Professions, began last fall after a change in national accreditation standards required more support and infrastructure. Missoula Emergency Services Inc., or MESI, which had taught local paramedic classes for about 30 years, approached Missoula College to consider a partnership to achieve accreditation and continue educating next-generation paramedics.

The result is a nationally accredited paramedicine program delivered jointly by MESI and the college, at a time when increased skills in emergency medicine are critically needed, said Dan Funsch, director of the Missoula College Radiologic Technology program.

When MESI approached us, we wanted this first program to be small enough where we didnt bite off more than we could chew, Funsch said. This is an incredibly demanding immersion program, and its the highest level of certification in the emergency medical field. Were proud to work with MESI and our community to make it accessible and affordable.

The paramedicine program is four semesters (or 16 months) and requires 1,000 hours of hands-on experience in clinical settings. Instruction is supervised by a diverse array of health care professionals, including nurses, doctors, flight paramedics, physical therapists and physician assistants.

Our students are exposed to all sorts of health care professionals, and our involvement with them makes this program strong, because they get to see a wide array of other careers and understand that anything in medicine requires a team, McEvoy said. There are world-class people teaching this program, and I couldnt be prouder of the quality of what these people are doing.

McEvoy, who has been a paramedic with MESI for about 30 years, said Missoula Colleges equipment and staff allow for an in-depth training for every skill required of a paramedic. He said while most of the job is spent assessing patients to determine treatment, paramedics also are trained in administering medications, starting IVs, placing breathing tubes into airways and performing other emergency airway procedures.

For many places in rural Montana, emergency medical personnel provide care for patients in difficult environments and for prolonged periods  mostly because of resources  so theres a demand for them to have a variety of skills, McEvoy said. That will be especially true as we continue to navigate the COVD-19 pandemic and begin to understand our new normal.

Jack Pickhardt, a new graduate of the program, said that the pandemic threw some hurdles, but overall, the experience will help him become more skilled at helping people. Pickhardt, a firefighter with the City of Missoula, was one of four students who completed the program while remaining employed with the Missoula Fire Department. The fire department paid tuition for its employees to achieve paramedic certification and provided time for the employees to attend class and labs.

Pickhardt holds a bachelors degree in health and human performance but said he always wanted to get as far as he could in emergency medical services.

This is the best job on earth, he said. The department worked with us to level up our skill set to provide care and service, and that helps our entire community. Ive known a lot of the MESI instructors for a long time, and theyre knowledgeable people who are really good teachers. I feel like I have a lot more tools in the toolbox now, which will help with what attracted us to this field  helping people.

Dave Smith, emergency medical service coordinator for the Missoula Fire Department, said the new program is beneficial for the entire Missoula community.

Before this program was up and running, we didnt have a good option to have our staff receive training to become paramedics, we often had to hire out paramedics, Smith said. By being able to train our own employees and increase our paramedic numbers at the department, we can provide a much better response for the community.

Smith said national standards recommend that each fire engine is staffed with a paramedic, and the newly certified fire department employees bring those numbers closer to the national standards in emergency response.

The Missoula College program is excellent, with really great teachers, he said. Were proud to continue to work with them and help lead the program that reflects the needs on the streets in our community.

Every graduate of the associate of science degree is certified to practice paramedicine in Montana by the Committee on Accreditation of Education Programs for EMS Professions and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

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As western Montanas leading news and information company, we are excited to provide all members of our community unlimited free access to our missoulian.com website during the week of Dec. 19 to Dec. 26.

This program is made possible by the generous support of our presenting sponsor, Rockin Rudys.

Since our inception more than 151 years ago, the Missoulian has teamed with local businesses across our region to deliver the best in news coverage, advertising and sponsorships throughout our community. Our companys greatest assets, by far, are the local communities we serve. This unlimited online access will allow community members to stay up to date on all the events, news and information they need during this busy time of the year. It is one way Rockin Rudys and the Missoulian are giving back to the community during the holiday season.

We recently rolled out our redesigned website, offering the improvements our readers told us they wanted. The new site is less cluttered, easier to navigate and offers faster loading times. It also has a more horizontal design, mirroring the increasingly used mobile phone template.

We have seen record-setting trends in page views, and users who are accessing our content both in our printed newspaper and at missoulian.com. Our paid circulation has grown an impressive 32% this past year. When you log on to missoulian.com, you can expect robust local content, photo galleries, videos and much, much more. We strive to cover the things that matter to you.

Enjoy all that missoulian.com has to offer. Thanks so much to popular Missoula retailer Rockin Rudys for making this possible.

We would both like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a healthful and prosperous 2022.

Jim Strauss is publisher of the Missoulian.

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JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy's administration plans again to pursue splitting the state health department into two after a similar proposal was withdrawn earlier this year for additional work.

Dunleavy's new budget proposal calls for breaking the current Department of Health and Social Services into a Department of Health and a Department of Family and Community Services.

He is expected at the start of the next legislative session in January to issue an executive order calling for the split. Once the order is introduced, lawmakers would have 60 days to decide whether to reject it; otherwise it would become law and would take effect July 1, according to information provided by the Department of Health and Social Services.

Dunleavy's office cited technical issues in pulling a prior executive order in March.

Health Commissioner Adam Crum told reporters Thursday that there have been efforts over the last year to address concerns raised by affected groups and people and to explain the department's work. One idea that came from those discussions was a need for someone in each of the proposed new departments to be a public point of contact for issues that might come up as the split is implemented, Crum said.

According to the Department of Health and Social Services, the proposed Department of Health would include divisions that provide regulatory oversight and claims processing for Medicaid programs. The Department of Family and Community Services would include the Division of Juvenile Justice, Office of Childrens Services, Alaska Pioneer Homes and the Alaska Psychiatric Institute.

Reorganization is intended to improve operations and delivery of services, the department said. Each of the proposed new departments would have its own commissioner, deputy commissioner and special assistants.

Crum called the plan one we believe in.

This is a plan that actually started from staff, that was brought forward by directors. And we moved this ahead because it's the best way to serve Alaskans as we go into the future, he said.

The Department of Health and Social Services is the largest department in state government.

Trevor Storrs, president and CEO of the Alaska Children's Trust, said he was not ready to comment on the plan because he has not been able to review it.

Our stance on everything is that no matter which direction this goes in, our ultimate goal is to ensure that the services that are being provided and the safety net being provided to our children and families is not only continued and but hopefully strengthened, Storrs said. Our goal is to ensure that is achieved.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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PHOENIX (AP)  The state Supreme Court on Thursday appeared conflicted over whether Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich's lawsuit challenging a deal between Arizona State University and a hotel developer should be revived.

Justices sharply questioned both sides on Thursday but gave no indication of how they might rule. Brnovich wants the court to overturn lower court decisions that said he did not have the right to sue over the deal. He said the agreement that allows the hotel now being built on land owned by the Board of Regents to avoid paying property taxes is a sham agreement.

But Justice Bill Montgomery questioned the premise, saying state law explicitly allows the board that oversees the state's three public universities to lease tax exempt land it owns. In this case, that allows it to collect rent payments and the Omni Hotel to retain the tax exemption during the 60 year lease term.

Montgomery said the transaction would seem to fall within the four squares of what the board is allowed to do.

Brian Bergin, a private attorney who argued the case for Brnovich, said that would only be true if the deal met other conditions.

One of the conditions is that the transaction must be for the benefit of the state, Bergin told the justices. And the second condition is that it also must be for the use of the institutions under its jurisdiction.

The private hotel meets neither condition, he contends. He also argued that the board wasn't acting as the state but as a political subdivision, which does not qualify for the same exemption.

But attorney Joel Nomkin, representing the Board of Regents, said the court would need to overturn decades of precedent to conclude that property owned by the Regents was taxable. And he noted that because the land is now and will remain tax exempt, Brnovich can't sue for tax evasion.

There has never been a case in Arizona history that has viewed the Board of Regents as anything other than the state for purposes of property tax exemption, Nomkin told the court. So I think you would be making a rather dramatic shift to say that the board somehow isnt the state for this purpose.

He said the Regents retaining title to the land is all that matters to keep the tax status.

The Regents say the transaction is a good deal for taxpayers because the hotel will pay more than $100 million in rent over 60 years and the university will benefit from construction of a hotel and conference center that it needs.

The two attorneys also sparred over whether a claim that Brnovich added months after he initially filed the lawsuit was filed too late. In that claim, he alleged the deal violated the state constitution's gift clause, which requires public bodies to get fair value for property. Lower courts said he waited too long to sue and it was barred by the statute of limitations.

The justices were asked to revive the lawsuit after lower courts dismissed three of its claims and said Brnovich waited too long to file the gift clause action. After sharply questioning both lawyers, they took the case under advisement and will issue a ruling later.

The Arizona Tax Court ruled that because ASU owns the land and will own the hotel and university property it isnt subject to taxation. The Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the decision.

The Republican attorney general, who is running for U.S. Senate, wants ASU's deal with the hotel developer voided. He said the Regents exceeded their power to enter into leases for public purposes and argued they improperly exempted the hotel and an adjacent conference center from property taxes.

ASU plans to pay nearly $20 million of the conference center's construction costs. They also will build an adjacent parking garage funded with $42 million in newly issued bonds it will pay off using parking fees and some of the hotel's $1.1 million in annual lease payments. The hotel will have access to about 20% of the parking spaces.

The Court of Appeals decision ordered Brnovichs office to reimburse the Board of Regents for nearly $1 million in attorney fees and other legal costs.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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BRUSSELS (AP)  European Union leaders on Thursday pressed Russia to return to peace talks with Ukraine and renewed their threat to impose unprecedented sanctions on Moscow in tandem with the United States and Britain should Russian armed forces cross the border.

The EUs call for a return to the negotiating table came as Russia said it had submitted draft documents to the United States outlining security arrangements that it wants to negotiate with Washington and its allies in the NATO military alliance. NATO is suggesting it might be willing to discuss them.

U.S. intelligence officials say Russia has moved 70,000 troops and is preparing for a possible invasion early next year. Moscow denies it has any plans to attack, as it did in 2014 when it annexed the Crimean Peninsula, but says it wants guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO.

In a statement in Brussels, the EU leaders underlined the urgent need for Russia to de-escalate tensions caused by the military buildup along its border with Ukraine and aggressive rhetoric. They pledged their full support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity.

They said the EU encourages diplomatic efforts and supports the Normandy format in achieving the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements, in reference to French and German brokered talks between the two sides aimed at enforcing a 2015 peace deal.

The leaders repeated a message sent from the U.S., Britain and the Group of Seven industrial nations in recent weeks that any further military aggression against Ukraine will have massive consequences and severe cost in response, including restrictive measures coordinated with partners.

The EU is divided over when to hit Moscow with sanctions. France, Germany and Italy want to hold fire, expressing concern that such action could bring on an attack and believing that a diplomatic solution can be found.

Countries on the EUs eastern flank closer to Russia believe sanctions would work best as a deterrent and should be imposed immediately. Ukraines president wants more sanctions to be imposed before  instead of after  any possible incursion, but his plea has fallen on deaf ears.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, whose country borders Russia, said the EU should not underestimate the threat the troop buildup poses. He warned that Moscows actions are creating one of the worst security situations since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Im talking not only about Ukraine, Nauseda said, stressing that the entire Baltic region and Poland should be concerned.

France and Germanys peace efforts in 2015 helped end large-scale hostilities in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have been fighting Russia-backed separatists since 2014. But the conflict, which has left 14,000 dead, has simmered.

EU lawmakers said in a resolution that any new sanctions package should include the Russian officer corps and flag officers involved in the planning of a possible invasion, as well as the immediate circle and oligarchs in the orbit of the Russian President and their families.

They said it should involve the freezing of financial and physical assets in the EU, travel bans, the exclusion of Russia from the SWIFT payment system for international financial transfers, target key economic sectors and disrupt the financing of the intelligence services and the armed forces.

The lawmakers have no decision-making powers on sanctions, but their experts often have detailed knowledge of what member countries are thinking on joint foreign policy initiatives.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin again prodded Western leaders to provide legally binding guarantees that Ukraine would never join NATO or that its members weapons would ever be deployed there, calling such moves a red line for Moscow.

The U.S. and its allies have refused to make such a pledge, but Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed last week on further talks to discuss Russian concerns.

Associated Press writers Frank Jordans in Berlin and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.

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WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Polands president will have the final decision on a controversial media bill seen as targeting a U.S.-owned TV network that's often critical of the Polish government, after lawmakers on Friday overturned a Senate veto on the proposed legislation.

In its last session of the year, the lower house, or Sejm, unexpectedly returned to the draft law that had seemed on freeze after the upper house rejected it in September. The lower house voted 229-212, with 11 abstentions, to reject the Senates veto.

Now the bill, which has already been approved by the Sejm, only needs backing from President Andrzej Duda to become law. But Duda has indicated he sees it as controversial and incomprehensible to the United States, citing the U.S. attitude toward the protection of property and freedom of speech.

He can either approve it, reject it or send to the Constitutional Tribunal  which is friendly to the right-wing government  for assessment.

The law would prevent any non-European entity from owning more than a 49% stake in television or radio broadcasters in Poland.

Its practical effect would be to force Discovery Inc., the U.S. owner of Polands largest private television network, TVN, to sell the majority or even all of its Polish holdings. Discovery Inc. is the only non-European media owner in Poland and the law is seen as targeting it.

Discovery Inc. said the outcome of Fridays "surprise vote in the Polish Parliament should be deeply concerning to any enterprise investing in Poland and to anyone who cares about democracy and freedom of the press."

Through this vote, Poland risks directly undermining the values that have connected Poland with Europe, and uprooting the foundation of the Polish-American relationship, the company said in a statement.

It appealed to Duda to prevent the bill from becoming law.

The top U.S. diplomat in Poland, Embassy charge daffaires Bix Aliu, said on Twitter that the U.S. was extremely disappointed by todays passage of the media bill by the Sejm.

We expect President Duda to act in accordance with previous statements to use his leadership to protect free speech and business, Aliu said.

TVN management said the vote was an unprecedented attack on free media that targeted the U.S., a key security and economic ally of Polands.

It said Discovery Group and Discovery Inc. will defend its interests and investment in Poland and use all legal ways to ensure that the mission of our media is continued.

The management said it trusts that Duda will veto the so-called Lex TVN, in line with his earlier statements.

Opposition groups on Facebook called for a street protest on Sunday night.

A top European Union official for values, Vera Jourova, condemned the vote on Twitter as targeting the TVN Group and putting  further pressure on an already troubled media sector in Poland.

If the bill becomes law the EU Commission, the 27-member blocs executive arm, will not hesitate to take action in case of non-compliance with EU law, said Jourova, who is the commissions vice-president for values and transparency.

Polands right-wing coalition government is in conflict with EU bodies over policies seen as violating the principles of democracy and rule of law. Since being elected in 2015, the government has been taking steps to take control of the media, the judiciary and other areas like education.

The main nationalist ruling party, Law and Justice, which proposed the media law in the summer, has argued that its a matter of national security to prevent outside bodies from being able to influence Polish public opinion. Its members insisted the law is to protect against ownership coming from non-democratic countries like Russia or China.

Party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Polands most influential politician, maintained that state-owned companies will not be buying TVN and that it will most probably remain critical of the government.

The unexpected and last-minute vote on the controversial law drew protests from opposition parties, which allege there was a breach of procedures in the sudden return to the bill.

Opposition leaders also appealed to Duda to veto the bill.

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HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (AP)  Sears plans to sell the sprawling suburban Chicago corporate headquarters that's been the struggling retailer's home for three decades.

Transformco, Sears' parent company, confirmed this week that in early 2022 it plans to market the 273-acre (110.5-hectare) corporate headquarters in the northwest suburb of Hoffman Estates.

Transformco has been downsizing Sears' operations and corporate staff for several years.

These changes have reduced our needs for a corporate campus that was built 30 years ago for the needs of a more centralized business, Transformco spokesman Larry Costello said in a statement.

Costello said employees have been operating under a hybrid structure during the pandemic, with a mix of in-office and remote work. He declined to say how many employees are based out of Hoffman Estates, or where a future headquarters might be located.

The Hoffman Estates campus was home to more than 4,000 Sears employees as recently as 2017, according to company filings.

The site features a 2.3 million-square-foot (213,677- square-meter) corporate office and 273 acres (110.5 hectares), including 100 acres (44.5 hectares) of undeveloped land.

Sears was once the nations largest retailer, but it has struggled in recent years, seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2018 with billions of dollars in debt.

Transformco, an entity controlled by former Sears CEO and its largest shareholder, Edward Lampert, purchased the retailer and 425 stores in a 2019 bankruptcy auction.

Since then, Sears has continued to reduce its retail footprint, closing its last full-service Illinois department store at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg on Nov. 14.

Hoffman Estates has been home to Sears' corporate headquarters since 1992, when the company left its namesake Sears Tower in downtown Chicago before selling the skyscraper, now the Willis Tower, two years later.

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A planned switch-over to a new voter management system in Montana could be delayed if existing issues havent been fixed by next week, Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen told lawmakers Thursday.

The hearing came a month after county election officials warned that her office was rushing the new systems rollout.

If the criteria is met, the system will go live, and if the criteria is not met, the system will not go live, Jacobsen told the interim legislative State Administration and Veterans Affairs Committee. Montana will not launch a system that is not ready and we will continue to hold our vendor accountable.

Her offices elections manager, Stuart Fuller, said that decision will be made Dec. 20 during a meeting between officials from Jacobsens office, a group of county election administrators and a private software team in charge of developing the new ElectMT system. In development since 2019, ElectMT would replace the current MontanaVotes" system, which the state has used for more than a decade.

Fuller acknowledged a number of bugs remain in the software, although he also noted that most of them are relatively minor and not critical to the decision to go live with the new system. Some of those lingering problems are critical, however, and he said they had not been resolved at the conclusion of an extensive two-week test the office conducted with election officials this month.

The interim committee held the hearing after the top elections officials in Ravalli and Cascade counties urged the panel to look into what they characterized as a rushed timeline to go live with a new statewide voter management system.

Cascade County Clerk and Recorder Rina Moore said Thursday that local election officials still dont have enough confidence in the new system to go live with it in January 2022 as planned.

I think we can say that were in agreement that its going to be a fantastic program when it is ready, but right now as far as the elections administrators are concerned it is not ready, Moore said. She added, We are excited to utilize the new program when the time comes. Its got some features that our old program does not, but it still has a few fixes that need to be made and we are willing to work with the Secretary of States office from here forward to test the system again."

Moore reiterated what she and Ravalli County Election Administrator Regina Plettenberg previously said: that they want the opportunity to run a parallel test of the new system during a federal election. That means using the old system to run the actual election, while simultaneously running the new system to detect any potential discrepancies or remaining bugs. That was supposed to happen during the November 2020 election, but the new software wasnt ready in time.

Fuller noted the state has continued to maintain the current software, meaning it would be able to continue running MontanaVotes if the ElectMT launch date gets pushed back.

There are (software) patches available for that and we are on support for that system, Fuller said. What we do know is that parts of it are getting long in the tooth, so to speak, and we need to move forward.

In an interview after the hearing, he said his office would have to work with the software developers to determine a launch date if the rollout doesnt happen in January, but that ideally it would be January 2023.

During the committee's November meeting, Moore had suggested that deploying the new system before it's ready could undermine voters' confidence in the next election, noting the damage already done by unsubstantiated theories about widespread voter fraud in 2020. She had specifically offered hypotheticals like one voter being issued two ballots, or the system failing to accept a cast ballot.

Since Jacobsens predecessor, Corey Stapleton, began the process of switching to the new system in 2018, the Secretary of States office has argued that continuing to run the old system could present security issues over time. At the time, Stapleton said hacks into the Arizona and Illinois voter registration systems in 2016 motivated him to set an aggressive timeline for the new systems rollout.

Jacobsen reiterated that issue Thursday, telling the committee, We cannot continue to fight cybersecurity threats with outdated technology.

The ElectMT system is being developed by South Dakota-based BPro. Most of the funding comes from federal money awarded to the state in 2018 for election security, $2 million of which was set aside for developing the ElectMT system. As of November, $1.7 million of the $3.6 million budgeted for the project had been spent, according to a report by the Legislative Finance Committee.

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We are in a holding pattern, Sandy said. The council has been told that we dont know our financial exposure, and you dont have to pay for it. You could charge it back to the employees. None of those decisions have been made or talked about. What I do know is there has been no pot of federal money talked about to pay for it.

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Thompson said the city would find a central location for employee testing if the standard is implemented, and suggested the possibility of Morganton City Hall or the Collett Street Recreation Center as drive-thru testing sites.

The recreation center already has an overhang that would offer employees protection from inclement weather while theyre getting tested, Thompson said. Possible testing sites are still being worked out, and Thompson said the city would work with the health department.

Regardless, its a complicated situation.
Two Alexander County Sheriff's Office's vehicles were severely damaged and a deputy was injured in a car chase in Alexander County on Friday morning.

Alexander County Sheriff Chris Bowman said officers began pursuing a vehicle they clocked at going around 100 mph.

The chase ended on Antioch Church Road when the officers threw out stop sticks.

The man leading the chase, who is in custody but had not been identified as of 8:30 a.m., was walking very aggressive to the officers and disregarded orders from officers to stop and get on the ground, Bowman said.

He said officers tried to use their Tasers on the man but they were unsuccessful because of the large coat the man was wearing.

Bowman said the man jumped into a patrol car and drove a short distance before crashing into another patrol car.

The deputy in the patrol car was taken to a hospital to receive stitches for cuts. Bowman described the deputys injuries as minor.

At one point, an Alexander County deputy shot at the commandeered patrol car.
You know the country is in trouble when the voice of reason is Donald Trump Jr. The former presidents noxious eldest son has an affinity for white supremacists, but when the Capitol riot erupted, he texted White House chief of staff Mark Meadows urging action by the president. Hes got to condemn this s ASAP.

The communications disclosed Monday by the House committee investigating the events of Jan. 6 make several things clear. The first is that even diehard Trumpers close to the president were shocked by the attack. The second is that they knew their efforts to blame it on leftist antifa radicals were fraudulent.

The last, and most important, is that President Donald Trump was not appalled by the violence. For him, it was a dream come true.

Meadows himself, the second-highest ranking official in the White House and normally an obedient enabler of Trump, was among those who wanted the president to call on the mob to disperse. Im pushing it hard, he replied to Trump Jr. I agree.
Contractors working for the EPA conducted indoor air quality sampling Oct. 30 at Butte High School to determine whether there was an immediate health threat linked to the potential presence of chemical vapors from a contaminated groundwater plume.

In essence, the five samples suggested there was no such threat. Only one sampling unit, which was placed in an unoccupied crawl space with a dirt floor, showed a detectable level of solvents, the EPA said.

The agency said those results were well below the risk-based screening levels used for evaluation of potential immediate health concerns.

Ultimately, the EPA reported that validated data received at this time indicates there is no immediate health concern.

Judy Jonart, superintendent of Butte School District No. 1, was briefed this week about the EPAs testing results. She said Thursday that she was thrilled that the air quality sampling in October did not detect an immediate health threat. She noted that testing by the EPAs contractor will continue.

Joseph Chisholm, the EPAs project lead for the site, said additional testing will include installing a small port in the structures slab.

EPA said it also plans to test the air quality in an apartment building near the high school but hasnt reached the buildings owner yet.

A groundwater plume containing toxic chemicals commonly used in commercial dry cleaning is believed to lurk underneath a portion of Butte High School and the apartment building.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality first detected the solvent plume in 2009. The EPA contracted for a preliminary investigation of the site over a decade later  raising pointed questions about why the investigation was delayed for so long.

The report was completed this past summer and shared with Butte-Silver Bow officials this fall.

The report found the site posed a potential risk to human health and recommended that a thorough site inspection be completed to find out for sure.

EPA toxicologist Charlie Partridge has said the chemical concentrations found in 2009 present a fairly low risk to people, as does the potential exposure pathway.

Chemicals

In 2009, tetrachloroethylene (PCE) was detected in groundwater near Butte High at more than double the states standards. The highest concentration was 12 micrograms per liter and the standard is 5 micrograms per liter. The contamination was over 20 feet deep.

PCE is commonly used in dry cleaning solvents, adhesives and degreasing aerosols like brake cleaner. The chemical can cause neurological, kidney and liver damage, and is a probable carcinogen.

Also detected in the plume was trichloroethylene (TCE), another chemical used in a variety of industrial products and by commercial dry cleaners for spot removal. According to the National Cancer Institute, TCE can cause kidney cancer and may be associated with increased risk for other cancers as well.

The contaminated groundwater was first discovered during excavation for the bleachers at Butte Highs Naranche Stadium in 2009, according to the 2021 report to the EPA. Butte School District No. 1 hired Butte-based engineering firm Water and Environmental Technologies to monitor the area with 10 shallow wells in 2009, according to the report, and the data was provided to the DEQ.

The DEQ had conducted a 2008 investigation of the closed Unique Dry Cleaners facility at 345 S. Main St.  directly northwest of the high school and right across the street from Naranche Stadium. Given the proximity to the school and field, the DEQ considered the facility a likely source for the contaminants. This years report to the EPA also named Unique Cleaners as a possible source.

Unique Cleaners did use PCE from the 1930s until approximately 1999, according to the report, but another dry cleaner and other industrial shops also operated in the immediate area.

We cannot definitively say that it was Unique Cleaners because those are common chemicals that are used in industrial settings. It's just a likely source, considering what is around that location, Chisholm said.

Vapor

The chief concern is the potential impact to students, staff and faculty working at Butte High, and to residents of the apartment building at 436 S. Main St. The plume is suspected to sit underneath part of both buildings, as well as a couple of nearby businesses, Chisholm said.

Partridge assessed the risk based on the concentrations found in 2009.

We believe that the risk is fairly low, Partridge said in October.

Solvents can vaporize from groundwater, move into the air, and accumulate in the indoor air of overlying structures.

Policy change

Kevin Stone, public information specialist with the DEQ, said that the plume was considered a low risk when first discovered because there wasnt a pathway to drinking water.

That coupled with the relatively low concentrations that we saw in the groundwater data led us to believe this was a low-risk site, he said.

Funding was also an issue, he said.

With the available funding mechanisms, or lack thereof here at DEQ, there werent really the resources to pursue further investigation at the site, he said.

He said the DEQ did periodically pursue funding to investigate further, but to no avail, and kept in touch with the EPA regarding the site.

In 2017, the EPA updated its Hazard Ranking System to include risk assessment for vapor intrusion of chemicals like PCE, an update Stone said the DEQ supported.

That opened the door to pursue federal funding for the site under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, and the DEQ in 2019 requested the EPA evaluate the site under the new policy, Stone said.

In response, the EPA contracted with Tetra Tech to conduct the preliminary assessment of the site.

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A New Mexico woman admitted Wednesday that she phoned in a threat in May to the Montana Trappers Association banquet in Dillon but the motivation she described for disrupting the event had more to do with petulance than pelts.

A news release Thursday from the U.S. Attorneys Office reported Dora Sandra Gomez, 64, admitted to the FBI to making the call to disrupt the Montana Trappers Association event because her ex-boyfriend was in attendance and she wanted to ruin his evening.

Gomez, from Albuquerque, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to interstate communication of a threat. She faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

The court set sentencing for March 30 and continued Gomezs release pending further proceedings. The court will determine Gomezs sentence based on U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided.

In court documents, the government reported that on May 8, the Montana Trappers Association hosted a fundraising banquet, attended by about 130 people, at the Frontier Event Center in Dillon.

At about 7:35 p.m., a secretary at the events hall received a phone call from a masked phone number.

The caller said she and her boyfriend were aware of the MTA banquet and that they didnt like the trappers organization. According to the secretary, the caller said a bomb was placed inside the banquet hall and that it could be triggered by a cell phone. The secretary immediately notified the Dillon Police Department. Officers evacuated the building and notified the FBI, which sent a team from Helena to search the building with a bomb-sniffing dog. No explosives were found.

The FBI determined that the call was made from a cellular phone belonging to Gomez and that the caller had dialed *67 prior to calling the facility in Dillon to mask the number from appearing on caller ID.

Although Gomez admitted to saying words to the effect of people who hate trappers are coming and someone will get hurt, she denied using the word bomb or referencing an explosive device. The parties agreed Gomez intended to communicate a threat with the statement, people who hate trappers are coming and someone will get hurt.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Starnes is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Dillon Police Department.

Ron Johnson owns the Frontier Event Center and was at the banquet when the threatening call came in.

I dont hold grudges against people but it was a wonderful evening going on and her call completely disrupted it, Johnson said Thursday.

He differed with Gomezs account that it wasnt a bomb threat.

Quite frankly, it cost us a tremendous amount of money, Johnson said. Its just disheartening. I hope she doesnt get just a slap on the wrist.

Thank God nobody got hurt, he said.

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Avalee Little Whirlwind was at her Lame Deer home just after noon Sunday when her brother George Little Eagle showed up to tell her their Uncle Dukey had been attacked and killed by dogs.

Rage and grief filled her mind. She grabbed her .22 caliber rifle and headed for the scene of the attack on the towns south side.

She arrived to find two Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers and a Rosebud County Sheriffs deputy. She got out of her car with the gun case in hand, told the officers who she was and that the man dead in the street was her uncle.

Her uncle, Duke Little Whirlwind, 58, lay lifeless under a tarp. His bicycle was nearby. Blood pooled around him. Avalee took in the scene quickly, but her mind was also on the dogs.

She yelled at the officers with her cased gun in hand. She demanded to know why they had done nothing about the dogs circling in the periphery around her uncles lifeless body.

I looked around and I saw some dogs kind of running all over, just in and out of wherever, Little Whirlwind said. She counted five or six dogs. I started hollering at [the officers], How come you guys didnt do nothing about these dogs? 

The officers shouted at her to stay back and asked what she was doing there. She told them she had come to shoot the dogs responsible. She showed the officers the rifle case and reiterated she was going to shoot the dogs.

From there things grew tense. The officers told her to get back and leave. Little Whirlwind threw the gun and case into the back seat of her vehicle. Instead of the rifle, she said, she went to grab her phone to record the officers. One of the officers drew his gun and pointed it at her, she said.

(Bureau of Indian Affairs spokesperson Robyn Broyles responded to a request for comment with a press release reported on earlier in the week. In response to specific follow-up questions about Little Whirlwind's account of the events, Broyles said BIA had nothing further to add citing the ongoing investigation.)

I was trying to record them [with a phone], and they came up, she said. A separate officer grabbed a Taser and pointed it at her. She said she didnt resist. The officers put her in handcuffs.

They were really mad, she said. They were really pissed off at me.

Her Uncles son, Curtis Little Whirlwind, and her brother watched the officers handcuff her. The three family members kept yelling for the officers to shoot the dogs.

[The dogs] were running around us with blood on them, she said. I could just see these dogs running around us and the BIA officers were just standing there.

The officers put her in the back of their patrol truck and told her they could charge her with aggravated assault with a weapon, according to Little Whirlwind.

I said for what? she said. That gun was not for you guys, that gun was for those dogs and I told you guys that.

The officers told Little Whirlwind they understood she was upset and they let her go but confiscated her gun, she said.

The officers did nothing about the dogs, according to Little Whirlwind, something members of the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council confirm. Hours later, when Duke Little Whirlwinds body was removed by the coroner and the officers left the scene, the dogs were left behind to prowl the blood-soaked street.

They just ran around there all night, Little Whirlwind said.

The next day, the dogs owners took four of the dogs out of town and shot them. Little Whirlwind said a female pitbull had recently birthed puppies and was the instigator in the attack. She demanded to go see the dogs bodies and she photographed them.

The deadly attack

Duke Little Whirlwind was walking his bicycle to his brothers house at noon on Sunday when the dogs attacked and killed him. The commotion of the attack brought people from their homes. The BIA law enforcement said they responded to calls of a dog attack, but when they arrived Duke Little Whirlwind was dead.

There were no dogs present, and to date, no dogs have been located or captured, the press release said.

Rosebud County Sheriff Allen Fulton confirmed the dog attack was the cause of death. The BIA press release also said the attack caused his death.

The next day the family met with the Rosebud County deputy coroner. They asked about seeing Duke Little Whirlwinds body, but the coroner cautioned them against seeing the body due to its grisly appearance.

He didnt want family members to go through that, she said. The body "can't be viewed, so that really hurts."

Reservation's dog problem

Packs of feral dogs roam Lame Deer and other communities on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, according to Tribal Council member Lane Spotted Elk. The problem has been a longstanding battle for Tribal leadership. A series of violent dog attacks in 2019 sent area residents to the hospital and forced the Council to pass an ordinance that year to confront the problem.

The ordinance authorized BIA law enforcement to capture and eliminate dangerous dogs or more simply put, any dog not restrained by leash, fence or residence that has bitten someone else or poses a serious threat to people.

But in the more than two years since the ordinance passed, the BIA has taken no action to cull the wild packs or capture the animals, according to Spotted Elk. In the beginning he said the BIA asked for the ordinance and opportunity to take care of the dog problem, but after its passage they recanted and told the council they could not comply with the ordinance due to federal rules governing the use of their firearms.

Spotted Elk said the BIA chief of police told the Council any discharge of their service pistols would lead to an internal investigation by the agency that the officers did not want to go through. So, the ordinance went unenforced until mid-2021 when the Tribe invested in traps and hired employees to capture the dogs and either take them to shelters or humanely euthanize them.

That process is slow explained Spotted Elk and the council said they have only been able to capture and relocate about 30 animals. When compared with the total number of animals on the reservation, the task of controlling the dog population seems insurmountable.

But Spotted Elk, and other Tribal Council members like his cousin Diane Spotted Elk, want the public to take action too by being responsible pet owners. They want owners to spay and neuter their animals, to get them rabies vaccines, and to contain their dogs in their residence or yards.

I have a heart for dogs, I love dogs, said Diane Spotted Elk. But there has to be boundaries. If Im going to own a dog, I better take care of it. Not you or him. Im not going to put that responsibility on anyone else.

The Tribe has held spay, neuter and rabies clinics to educate pet owners and try to control the feral animal population and prevent diseases, but participation has suffered with COVID restrictions.

Dogs sacred to tribe

And not all Northern Cheyenne members think euthanizing dogs is acceptable, explained Diane Spotted Elk. The dog has a long-standing and sacred relationship with the Northern Cheyenne people that dates back centuries. The animals sacredness to the Tribe is even present in the name Dog Soldier, which was given to a sect of Cheyenne warriors.

So, some tribal members believe killing the animals could bring more harm than good to the Tribe. Diane Spotted Elk said the animals in question are not the same animals the Cheyenne people traveled the prairies and mountains with generations earlier.

Diane Spotted Elk agreed the Tribe has a long history with dogs. But not pitbulls, not Chihuahuas, not Yorkies, Not German Shepherds, not Blue Heelers, she said. There was a specific kind of dog that traveled with the Northern Cheyenne and they havent existed in over a hundred years. So these dogs are not the sacred dogs.

Avalee Little Whirlwind agrees. She wanted people to hear her uncles story and to take action about the dog problem.

I heard my grandma say it, take it away. She spoke in Cheyenne. Take it away, she said. Whenever someone was badly bitten or attacked, meaning she would want it killed. She never said they were too sacred to kill, Little Whirlwind said, reading from prepared remarks shed written about her uncle.

We have a relationship with our four-legged Oeskeso [pronounced osh-kiss]. There were things they did for us. They helped us. We had ceremony with them. We have rules though. What happened to these rules? We, our Cheyenne people, believe once a dog or dogs attack us they are to be killed. And we dont cry for them, because they have lived. Im not saying kill every dog on the rez because not all of them are bad.

She continued by describing her uncle as a good man, beloved by his family. She said he was a Lame Deer man who grew up in town and walked the streets his whole life. She recalled his success as a champion fancy dancer. She said his presence will be missed.

In Northern Cheyenne tradition a spiritual elder will paint the face of a deceased man during his wake ceremony to send him "home."

We cannot even feel him and this is very important to us, she continued. To see him and have him painted. We are devastated that he met his death in this way.

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MUSCATINE  A Conesville couple is planning to go to Kentucky this coming week to help render aid to the victims of a series of tornadoes that broke out through five states last weekend and he is asking the people of Muscatine for help.

Charles and Christine Van Luyn plan to travel to Benton, Ky., to assist Grindstone Ministries with its efforts to aid the people of the area, many of whom were left with nothing. The couple then plans to park at Hy-Vee at 2400 Second Ave. beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday and collect donations. Also, they have opened an account at U.S. Bank where people can go and contribute money to aid the people of Kentucky.

Charles Van Luyn also said that he hopes people can donate money to help him pay for gas to deliver the supplies, commenting that the people from Grindstone are all volunteers and have to pay for their transportation, food, and shelter during the rescue effort. He said that Grindhouse is asking for food and water mostly, asking that pork products, catfish, and shellfish not be included in the donations. The group also needs paper products such as take-out boxes.
MPW located the cause of the outage in a remote area on the south end of Muscatine down by 49th Street. By 2:30 a.m., service had been restored to all MPW customers.

I want to give a big thanks to the crew and staff at MPW, they did a great job, Streck said. Our crews are always ready to come in and are excited for the storm work. They always want to do a great job, and everybody worked together great last night. It really all comes down to preparation. We do a lot of work behind the scenes where were proactively trimming trees and improving our outage management, and when these things hit, were in a really good place to be able to handle those outages.

Interim Emergency Manager Brett Becker said that according to what has been reported to the Emergency Management agency at this time, the only other instances of damage were downed tree limbs.

We got lucky compared to several of the counties right around us, Becker said.

Wednesday was one of the first times that the county has sent out an Alert Iowa warning message to its residents. Although the systems text messages were sent successfully without any issues, there was a system error regarding the First Alert Iowa phone calls.
"The evidence shows the use of deadly force by Officer Roth was justified and reasonable under the circumstances. The intentional actions by Klum created the appearance that the lives and physical safety of numerous people were in immediate danger. It was reasonable for Officer Roth to shoot Klum to prevent that injury or death to others," Walton said. "This was a scenario created and and completely controlled by Klum. He had several opportunities to prevent it, but for whatever reason, he chose not to, resulting in deadly and tragic consequences."

Walton said that even though Klum never pointed the BB gun at the civilians, his proximity to them was dangerous because of how quickly the direction of the gun could be changed.

Klum came within about 20 feet of the bystanders before he was shot, according to Agent Dustin Henningsen of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case.

Henningsen and Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski were also part of the news conference. Sikorski said the officers acted to protect themselves and the community. He also said the officers involved in the shooting have been taking full advantage of the mental health resources available to them through the police department.
The new electoral reforms are a derailing of the democratization process, said Kenneth Chan, an associate professor in Hong Kong Baptist Universitys department of government and international studies.

At the end of the day, 4.4 million eligible voters in December would only be choosing 20 of the 90 lawmakers, he said. If you just run the arithmetic, you can easily tell there isnt really any progress towards democracy.

The lack of candidates with different political inclinations in the elections also does not inspire confidence in terms of the possible checks and balances that could exist between the government and the legislature, according to Chan.

Still, some election hopefuls are running for seats with a moderate stance. Jeffrey Chan, a so-called non-establishment candidate and a member of local think tank Path of Democracy, is reluctant to define his position on the political spectrum.

We would support pro-establishment lawmakers or the government if what they propose is good for Hong Kong. We will oppose if they dont make sense, Chan said. We dont have a fixed stance. This is what we are. We stand with Hong Kong citizens and we strive for democracy, rule of law and freedom.
Today is Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. Let's get caught up.

Here are today's top stories, celebrity birthdays and a look back at this date in history:

FIRST, THE WEATHER

TOP STORIES

Across services, troops face discipline for refusing vaccine

WASHINGTON (AP)  All of the U.S. military services have now begun disciplinary actions and discharges for troops who have refused to get the mandated coronavirus vaccine, officials said, with as many as 20,000 unvaccinated forces at risk of being removed from service.

On Thursday, the Marine Corps said it has discharged 103 Marines so far for refusing the vaccine, and the Army said it has reprimanded more than 2,700 soldiers and will begin discharge proceedings in January. The Air Force said earlier this week that 27 airmen had been discharged for refusing the vaccine order. And the Navy laid out its new discipline procedure this week, and has already fired one sailor from his command job for refusing to be tested while he pursues an exemption.
DES MOINES  Gov. Kim Reynolds has rejected five applications by prison inmates serving life terms seeking to have their sentences commuted to a period of years, making them potentially eligible for release.

Members of the Iowa Board of Parole had unanimously recommended that the governor consider granting the requests from prison lifers Gary Bear, Otis Jenkins, Clyde Johnson, Jerry Osborn and Denise Rhode. However, the governor did not approve the extraordinary remedy.

The most recent was Reynolds decision this month to deny commutation for Rhode, who is serving a life term at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville. She was convicted in the 1989 death of her nephew, Matthew, whom she was babysitting with her own three children in Norwalk. At her Sept. 2 commutation hearing, Rhode said it took her years to accept the truth, but she has changed a lot during her incarceration and believed she could be a productive person if released.
Iowas hunters have reported harvesting around 75,000 deer heading into the final weekend of Iowas shotgun deer season, a number similar to the 2020 deer harvest at the same point.

With one more weekend for the second shotgun season, we should end up with a deer harvest around 100,000 again this year, said Tyler Harms, wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Thats right where weve been over the last six years or so and where we want to be as far as our population goals are concerned.

Hunters have volunteered around 4,300 deer tissue samples to be tested for chronic wasting disease. One deer has been confirmed positive for the disease, and six are awaiting additional testing to determine positivity.

The Iowa DNR is looking for tissue samples from certain areas and is encouraging hunters willing to provide a sample to contact their local wildlife biologist and let them know where the deer was harvested.

Forms for submitting a sample are available at iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Deer-Hunting.

Antlerless tags are currently available in 25 counties, with a handful of counties likely to sell out soon.
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A previous Covid-19 recovery provides little shield against infection with the omicron variant, a research team from Imperial College London showed in a large study that underlines the importance of booster shots.

Having had Covid probably only offers 19% protection against omicron, the study showed on Friday.

That was roughly in line with two doses of vaccine, which the team estimated were as much as 20% effective against omicron. Adding a booster dose helped dramatically, blocking an estimated 55% to 80% of symptomatic cases.

The Imperial College London team analyzed all the PCR test-confirmed Covid cases in England between Nov. 29 and Dec. 11, making it one of the most expansive examinations yet at omicrons potential to evade the bodys defenses.

The results were in line with the picture emerging of the variants capacity to elude protection from previous infection or inoculation and spread faster than earlier iterations of the virus.

There was no evidence of omicron cases being less severe than delta, based on the proportion of people testing positive who had symptoms or went to the hospital, the team said.

Its very early days, said Neil Ferguson, a professor at Imperial, who helped lead the study. Rising hospitalizations in places like Manchester and London will provide clearer evidence, he said. We should have data within a week to make a more definitive judgment on relative severity.

In South Africa, which announced the discovery of the variant on Nov. 25, authorities said on Friday the rate of hospitalizations seems to be lower than during the countrys earlier wave of delta infections.

Europe is bracing for an omicron-driven fifth wave even as intensive-care units in many areas remain filled with patients sick with the delta variant.

Some governments are already imposing new measures to slow the omicron wave and buy time for booster campaigns to gear up.

Another open question is how long the shield provided by a booster shot will hold against the new variant.

In a worst-case scenario, with efficacy dwindling as quickly as it does after the first two doses, boosters might prevent only four-fifths of hospitalizations by two months after theyre given, a second Imperial study showed on Friday.

That makes it important to think about a long-term strategy, ideally with shots that could work against multiple variants, said Azra Ghani, a professor at Imperial who led that research.

The proportion of omicron among all Covid cases was probably doubling every two days up to Dec. 11, the U.K. team said, estimating that every person infected with the variant passed it on to more than three other people.

Now read: Fourth wave in Gauteng may have peaked
Immigrants are tightly connected to Napas culture, economy and community.

Immigrants represent about 73% of Napas agricultural workforce and large portions of the countys manufacturing, construction and hospitality industries, according to a 2012 report about Napas immigrant population from the Migration Policy Institute.

But many of Napas immigrants likely eligible to become United States citizens have not yet been naturalized. The 2012 report found that only 30% of Napas immigrants were naturalized as citizens at that time, compared to 37% statewide and 36% across the US.

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US citizens can vote and run for public office, can travel with a US Passport, have a reduced risk of deportation, and can obtain citizenship for children born abroad, along with a host of associated benefits.

There are things associated with citizenship like higher rates of homeownership; higher salaries; children of US citizens reaching higher levels of education; and more civic engagement, said Madeline Hernandez, North Bay Regional Director of the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area.

Napas branch of the IIBA was founded in June 2013 to help close the citizenship gap. And, over the past eight years, the Napa IIBA has helped 1,771 of Napas immigrants become United States citizens.

The organization also expanded to provide other immigration-related services to thousands more. That includes outreach, education, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal assistance, family reunification, humanitarian services, and deportation defenses.

Various success stories of the Napa branch  listed on the IIBA website include helping residents like Yoseline Chavez and Marielle Coeytaux-Britton become citizens.

The IIBA also helped Napa resident Jose complete a DACA renewal application  which allow immigrants who were brought to the US unlawfully as children to work in the country and defer deportation action  every two years so he could stay in the US and become a dentist.

And the IIBA successfully fought a 2017 deportation case for longtime resident Jorge, who also later became a citizen with the assistance of IIBA.

Napas IIBA branch was started up as a direct response to the 2012 population report, which was commissioned by the Napa Valley Community Foundation. The foundation believed the county would be better able to understand and grapple with challenges related to immigration with a set of local facts and data, according to the report.

The finished report, A Profile of Immigrants in Napa County, found that 23% of Napa County residents were foreign-born. That included roughly 12,000 green card holders  immigrants authorized to live and work in the US permanently.

The report also found that immigrants represent 33% of Napas workforce and account for as much as $1 billion of the regions gross domestic product.

The individuals that we serve are individuals that basically keep Napas economy running, Hernandez said.

Among several recommendations, the report urged the county to increase the availability of citizenship programs so eligible residents can participate more fully in the civic and economic life of the Napa community.

So, the Napa Valley Community Foundation set out to find a legal organization that would partner with several local organizations  including On the Move, UpValley Family Centers, and the Puertas Abiertas Community Resource Center  to help local immigrants naturalize.

We, the community foundation, kind of hit the streets to identify how we might build legal services infrastructure for immigrants, said Julia DeNatale, the Napa Valley Community Foundations vice president of community impact.

DeNatale said the community foundation ended up essentially importing IIBA  which was founded in 1918 and maintains offices throughout the Bay Area  into Napa County with grant funding.

Napas IIBA branch then included only Hernandez, who now directs an office of about a dozen staffers.

At first the organization was focused almost entirely on building community trust and naturalizing Napas green card holders, Hernandez said. IIBA held citizenship workshops alongside the partner organizations and carried out a lot of outreach because people didnt know who we were.

We did a lot of presentations about the benefits of citizenship, voting, civic engagement, higher salaries, ability to travel without limits, all the things that people who naturalize can do, Hernandez said. We started doing in-person workshops where we would try to gather 20 to 50 to 80 people at a time.

But the organizations scope of work expanded as it came to understand the other needs of Napas immigrants.

We really started focusing on raising funds and talking about immigration as a whole, what is needed in the county, whats the demand, Hernandez added. And so now we really provide almost all immigration legal services.

Ellen Dumesnil, executive director of IIBA, said the organization has tried to meet people where they are through the pandemic. The Napa team, she said, held an outdoor, drive-by event earlier in the pandemic for older clients who were fearful of moving forward with applications if they couldnt see someone personally.

Overall, she said, the organization has grown over time to employ 60 current staff members, directly in response to needs from the communities IIBA serves and opened a Sonoma County branch in 2017.

Were grateful for the support weve received from Napa community members on behalf of other community members, Dumesnil said. Its really something to see a community step up for other community members that are less fortunate, and thats what weve seen in Napa.

Throughout its existence, volunteers have also helped IIBA with a considerable amount of its work. In total, Hernandez said, 463 volunteers have donated about 12,300 hours of work to the Napa branch so far.

The volunteer work can vary, but much of the time volunteers have served as pseudo-paralegals by helping Napas immigrants fill out applications for citizenship or DACA renewals in workshops of 20-plus people prior to the pandemic, or remotely during the pandemic.

That effort from volunteers cuts down on the time the IIBA paralegals and attorneys need to spend figuring out information from each client on each case, which allows the organization to file a greater number of applications each year, Hernandez said.

In total, the organization has filed 2,278 citizenship applications and 2,777 applications for other immigration benefits, including DACA. (Though the Napa IIBA has had a 98% success rate with naturalization applications, it currently takes over a year for those applications to be processed by the federal government, according to Hernandez.)

Each circumstance has to be analyzed by an attorney, Hernandez said. And so its important that people applying for citizenship have that support so that we can analyze each situation properly and not put individuals at risk. Thats our main goal, right. Were not going to file an application knowing that they dont qualify.

Lenore Hirsch, whos volunteered with IIBA since 2016, said she trained with IIBA several times and is now trained in helping clients fill out all the various parts of the citizenship application.

Different aspects of the application require different trainings, such as determining whether the applicant is prepared for a test of their English ability or is eligible for a fee waiver  which is dependent on the low income or receiving a means-tested benefit like MediCal or CalFresh.

Hirsch has helped immigrants fill out the applications for citizenship. Certain aspects of the application can be difficult or time-consuming, Hirsch said, such as a section that requires applicants to list all their children and their childrens addresses.

Sections can also be offensive to some applicants, Hirsch said, such as a section that asks applicants whether theyve ever been a habitual drunkard or a prostitute, or if theyve been involved in genocide.

Its very important that they answer truthfully because if they lie on their application, they could actually be deported, Hirsch said. So its a very serious thing, but I try to make it easier by letting them know I know these questions are quite offensive.

Without a fee waiver, applicants must pay a government fee of $725 to apply for citizenship. There is no fee waiver for DACA renewal applications, which cost $495. IIBA currently isnt charging legal fees for DACA renewal or citizenship applications.

We charge no fees or very nominal fees to clients, Hernandez said. Fees are actually only about 15% of our total budget. And we want to keep it that way. In order to keep it that way we need to raise funds so that our budget can cover our staffing and the work that we do.

You can reach Edward Booth at (707) 256-2213.

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The city of Napas new district map that will determine how residents elect city councilmembers for the next decade could end up being the same map the citys currently using.

The current district map was created last year, during the citys switch to district-based elections, and it was used for the 2020 City Council elections. Creating that map involved a lot of community participation, including 44 proposed maps and 58 Community of Interest worksheets, according to city clerk Tiffany Carranza.

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But the city, like all other California jurisdictions with district-based elections  including Napa County, the Napa Valley Unified School District, the Napa County Office of Education, and Napa Valley College  is required to redistrict every time new Census data is released at the start of each decade.

This city hasnt yet seen close to the same level of community participation this year as it did last year. Indeed, zero members of the public showed up at the citys first redistricting workshop on Dec. 1.

At a redistricting public hearing Tuesday, one member of the public showed up. The Napa City Council also received a presentation on just the current map from demographer Elizabeth Stitt, given that no alternative maps had been submitted by community members by the Dec. 12 deadline.

The city is legally allowed to move forward with the current map  even with the switch from 2010 Census numbers to 2020 data  because the districts with the smallest and largest populations only deviate 7.6% in population from each other, Stitt said, which fits within a legal requirement that districts deviate less than 10% in population.

The Napa County Progressive Alliance submitted two maps after the deadline, both geared to reduce the population disparities between districts once the West Pueblo-Linda Vista neighborhood  the largest of the unincorporated islands scattered around the city, containing about 1,800 people  is incorporated into Napa, said David Campbell, a District 2 council candidate in 2020, at the meeting.

City attorney Michael Barrett has previously stated that the city has started the process of annexing the unincorporated islands into the city, but annexation will happen after the redistricting process.

Campbell, speaking on behalf of the progressive alliance, said the group has been urging the council to annex the islands so the population of those unincorporated areas can be considered in the redistricting process.

But at the very least, he said, the maps could be drawn in such a way that the largest island doesnt automatically end up part of District 2  which currently makes up most of Browns Valley, and has the largest population of 20,520  and that part or all of it could be incorporated into the adjacent District 4, which has the smallest population of 19,029, instead.

This solution would help equalize the population between Districts 2 and 4, guarantee flexibility in incorporating the island into a district upon annexation, and ensure island residents have an opportunity to participate in a meaningful way in the decision, Campbell said.

Barrett said adding the island into District 2 would bring the map above the 10% population differential, but it wouldnt violate any relevant laws. Thats because current law allows annexations and additions up to 25% of the citys population before another redistricting process is triggered, he said, which would be around 20,000 people for the city.

Councilmember Beth Painter said in addition to the islands, its important to think about homes that will potentially be built over the next decade. That includes the Napa Pipe project, she said, which is planned to add up to 945 homes to the city, and Napa Countys former Health and Human Services Agency campus along Old Sonoma Road, which may add about 150 new housing units.

Painter added the city should balance considering the current maps with thinking about what the biggest changes will be to population over the next decade.

Mayor Scott Sedgley said the big required criteria for him is Communities of Interest, a term which refers generally to people with shared social or economic interests who live in a defined area. He said it seems to him that the West Pueblo-Linda Vista community of Interest is west of Highway 29, which serves as a dividing line between the current District 2 and District 4.

Carranza said that with five more community workshops scattered through January  including a virtual option on Jan. 6  the city may still see an influx of submitted maps. The city has until April 17, 2022, to pass a final map

Carranza also said if community members dont have suggested changes and think the existing maps are fine, thats testimony the city needs to hear as well.

Its not just about what can change, what should change, but if you are acceptable of the map we have thats also important feedback for the council and for the demographer, Carranza said.

Painter reiterated Carranzas point, saying if theres an interest in retaining the current district map, the council does need to hear that.

My sense is a lot of our residents are still getting used to the districts that we just created, Painter said.

City of Napa redistricting public hearings and community workshops COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS Thursday, January 6, 2022 6-8 p.m. via Zoom Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022 10-11:30 a.m. at Harvest Middle School Library, 2449 Old Sonoma Road 1:30-3 p.m. at Las Flores Community Center Gym, 4300 Linda Vista Avenue Sunday, January 30, 2022 10-11:30 a.m. at Irene M. Snow Elementary School Library, 1130 Foster Road 1:30-3 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church - Parish Hall, 924 Napa St. PUBLIC HEARINGS All Public Hearings will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber located inside City Hall at 955 School St. Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, (with maps) Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, (with maps and Introduction/1st Reading of Ordinance) Tuesday, March 8, 2022, (with maps - Final Adoption/2nd Reading of Ordinance)

You can reach Edward Booth at (707) 256-2213.

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Several of Napas local government agencies and California Sen. Bill Dodd received a statewide award for the long-running Napa Pipe redevelopment project, which is set to build hundreds of homes, retail space, parks, and a Costco store at the former Napa Pipe site.

Napa County, the city of Napa, the Napa Local Agency Formation Commission, and Dodd received the Mike Gotch Excellence in Public Service Award from the California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions for the project, which is located on a 154-acre site along the Napa River, south of Kennedy Park.

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The project  which has been in the works for over 15 years  is set to build up to 945 dwellings, 140 of which are to be for low- and very-low-income residents, according to past Register reporting.

Mike Gotch is a former state assemblymember, Napa LAFCO executive officer, and state LAFCO executive director, responsible for much of the foundations of LAFCO law and CALAFCO itself, according to a LAFCO press release.

Napa LAFCO executive officer Brendon Freeman presented the award to LAFCO and the Napa City Council earlier this month. He said the Napa Pipe project is an example of a smart growth community thats only been possible through collaboration between the different agencies.

The project is a reuse of a World War II steel foundry site on 150 acres along the Napa River, Freeman said. It will be a walkable community with numerous amenities to support 945 housing units including moderate, low, and very low-income housing, senior housing, and a school site.

The collaboration includes a county-city agreement for the city to take on 80% of the countys unincorporated area housing mandate in exchange for annexing the Napa pipe property.

Because the agreed-upon swapping of housing credits was initially determined to not be legal, the deal required special one-time legislation that allowed the swap, which was achieved by Dodd at the state level with Senate Bill 235.

Based on this bill, the county was allowed to claim the housing credit even though the property had already been annexed to the city, Freeman said. The bill was signed into law in 2019 and LAFCO approved the final annexation of the remaining Napa Pipe property just one month later.

The redevelopment project will provide housing, control urban sprawl, and protect agricultural land and open space, Freeman said.

Margie Mohler, a member of the Napa LAFCO and state LAFCO boards and a Yountville Town Councilmember, noted the importance of preserving Napa agricultural land at the LAFCO meeting last week.

Without this space and the joint work between the city of Napa and the county of Napa, a lot of this housing that we have today, it could have been forced out into some ag land, especially the affordable housing component, Mohler said. So I think we all need to bear in mind that this really did have a lot to do with preservation of ag land as well.

City of Napa Mayor Scott Sedgley said at the council meeting last week the project represented the culmination of lots and lots of hours of work, to a very positive outcome.

Brad Wagenknecht, county supervisor, and LAFCO commissioner said the project required a lot of Dodds salesmanship in his various governmental positions over the past 15 years. He said there was a huge amount of distrust around how the project would work early on and it wasnt an easy sell.

To say this was a longshot when we started this would be an understatement, Wagenknecht said. ... I appreciate where we are today. But it took a lot of work and I think its going to turn out as a real benefit for everybody in the long term.

Dodd said at the meeting that it felt right to have his name on an award with the others involved on the project.

We all worked together, all the advocates in the community, Dodd said. This was a lot of work for a lot of different people.

You can reach Edward Booth at (707) 256-2213.

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Napa County reported its first known case of the new Omicron variant on Friday afternoon, even as county officials urged those eligible to get boosters.

The Omicron case involves a male in his 20s from American Canyon. He is symptomatic and not hospitalized, county officials said.

Many more local Omicron cases are expected in the coming days and weeks, a Napa County press release said. The county said boosters can help protect against the variant, which is known to spread rapidly.

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Europe has seen exponential growth in COVID-19 cases. Highly vaccinated countries such as Denmark and Norway that mirror the Bay Area's high vaccination rates are predicting Omicron will become the dominant variant there in a matter of days, the press release said.

Several other Bay Area counties have reported Omicron cases.

Marin County also reported its first known Omicron case on Friday. In addition, Marin County officials said COVID-19 wastewater surveillance samples detected low levels of Omicron in several collection sites across the county.

Some data reported in the media have suggested Omicron might cause milder cases than other COVID-19 strains. But nothing seems certain yet.

"More data are needed to know if Omicron infections, and especially reinfections and breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated, cause more severe illness or death than infection with other variants," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection.

But, the agency says, current vaccines are expected to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths due to infection with the Omicron variant.

Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa County public health officer, has a message for residents.

Even if you were fully vaccinated earlier this year, two shots are no longer enough, Relucio said in a press release. We know protection against infection from the vaccines declines over time, so booster doses are critical for everyone who was vaccinated at least six months ago.

Seventy-one percent of Napa County residents are fully vaccinated. But that no longer tells the entire story.

Only 39% of eligible Napa County residents have received a booster, the county reported. People are eligible if they are at least 16 years old and:

Six months have passed since the second dose of Moderna for those 18 years old and older.

Six months have passed since the second dose of Pfizer for those 16 years old and older.

Two months have passed since the Johnson & Johnson dose for those 18 years old and older.

Napa County reported 128 new non-Omicron COVID-19 cases for Dec. 10-16, compared to 124 new cases the previous week. The county has seen a rise of new cases in the wake of Thanksgiving, from 77 for Nov. 19-25. The Delta variant has been dominant.

Those ages 20 to 39 saw the highest proportion of new cases at 40.7%. That was followed by those 60 and older at 21%.

The latest daily count was 22 new cases reported Friday.

Eleven people were hospitalized locally with COVID-19 as of Friday, up from six a week ago. Local intensive care units had 28% of their beds available.

You can reach Barry Eberling at 256-2253 or beberling@napanews.com.

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Armenia President: May your hearts and homes be filled with peace, goodness

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YEREVAN.  Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: Although 43 out of 65 members of the [Yerevan] Council of Elders had joined the draft to express no confidence in [Mayor] Hayk Marutyan yesterday, according to sources close to Marutyan, he is quite calm and believes that as a result of the [respective] secret ballot, the majority [of the council members] will not vote in favor, and [PM Nikol] Pashinyan's initiative will fail.

He believes that many [of the council members] have signed [the aforesaid draft] in fear of Pashinyan, and even if some people are against his stay [as mayor], they are even more against first deputy mayor Hrachya Sargsyan becoming mayor.

Now Marutyan is negotiating with the members of the Council of Elders so that they will not obey Pashinyan's will during the secret ballot. Especially if the initiative to express no confidence in him fails, then the Council of Elders, according to the law, will be deprived of the right to come up with such an initiative for a year.

However, the [ruling] CC [(Civil Contract party)] members are sure [that] if Pashinyan has set a goal to get rid of Marutyan at any cost, he will instruct to falsify the ballots, as he forces to do during the NA [(National Assembly)] closed voting, and to present [it] as a proof of loyalty [to him].
As of now, there is no application by any country to get a status of an observer in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan told Armenpress this, commenting on the discussions according to which Azerbaijan may get a status of an observer in the EEU.

The procedure of granting a status of an observer in the Eurasian Economic Union is defined by Article 109th of the 2014, May 29 treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union. Granting a status of an observer to any country requires a consensus decision, before the adoption of which consultations are taking place within the Union, also aimed at finding out the economic appropriateness of that particular step. At this moment, there is no application by any country of getting an observer status in the EEU, the Armenian MFA spokesperson said.

During the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on December 10, First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, who is also the honorary chair of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, had announced that Azerbaijan may become an observer in the EEU.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had positively assessed Nazarbayevs proposal, stating that the cooperation of Azerbaijan and EEU would contribute to boosting mutual trade and implementing large-scale infrastructure programs.

The Eurasian Economic Union has five member states: Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Also, Moldova, Uzbekistan, and Cuba have a status of an observer in the Union.
During a conversation with reporters, candidate for Ombudsman of Armenia, Deputy Minister of Justice Kristinne Grigoryan refused to comment on the sensational statements that Speaker of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have made on prisoners of war. Let us remind that the context of the statements was the assumption that the prisoners of war are simply deserters.

Grigoryan tried to move the topic to the dimension of legal clarification of the circumstances behind captivity and started talking about how legal procedures need to proceed in turns, and that the assessments on the actions of the captives need to be given by law-enforcement authorities, adding that the government doesnt need to make efforts for the return of the captives.

Although the reporters reminded Grigoryan about the question, she refused to comment.

The same went for the response to the question about Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan, who accused Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan of participating in politics. Kristinne Grigoryan started talking about Tatoyans role in clarifying the issues of the residents of cities and villages on Armenias border. When the reporters lost patience and asked the candidate if it is safe to say that Armen Grigoryan was mistaken, Kristinne Grigoryan didnt lose herself and declared that she isnt completely certain that Armen Grigoryan had talked about Tatoyans statements on the border.
The protest in front of the Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia is over.

Artur Ghazinyan, an MP from the opposition Armenia Faction of the National Assembly, expressed a conviction that if the Prosecutor General would carry out his duties, PM Nikol Pashinyan and his supporters would be arrested and the people would be freed from the current anti-state regime.

He stressed that the time will come and legal assessments will be given to the actions of the Prosecutor General's Office.

"The detained community leaders are 'guilty' only for the fact that they have achieved victory over the authorities in the elections of the local self-government bodies.

The Armenian authorities are cracking down on people who had the courage to fight against Azerbaijan.

There have never been so many political prisoners in the history of Armenia; four years ago, this would have caused a great public uprising and concern among international organizations.

Nikol Pashinyan admitted that it was he who ordered to leave the sovereign territories of Armenia," the opposition lawmaker said.

Ghazinyan added that the opposition will not back down.
Deputy of the Civil Contract Faction of the National Assembly of Armenia Armen Khachatryan has been summoned to the National Security Service to give an explanation under the case of the brawl that took place in the National Assembly on Dec. 7, Armlur.am reports.

The National Security Service has also received an explanation from deputy of the National Assembly Hrachya Hakobyan, as well as other MPs.

Deputy of the opposition Armenia Faction Tadevos Avetisyans assistant Gerasim Vardanyan has also been summoned to the National Security Service to give an explanation, but has refused.

Sevak Nazaryan and Taron Nazaryan, assistants to opposition MPs Ishkhan Saghatelyan and Armenuhi Kyureghyan, have also given explanations at the National Security Service.

Earlier, Armenian News-NEWS.am had reported that a brawl took place with swear words in the National Assembly on Dec. 7. Deputy of the opposition Armenia Faction Ishkhan Saghatelyans assistant told reporters that he heard voices while passing the hallway, came close and saw that deputies of the ruling faction had beaten three assistants of opposition MPs in the office of Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Ruben Rubinyan. Later, Rubinyan said he knew Vahagn Aleksanyan, Hrachya Hakobyan from among the beaters, as well as Sisak Gabrielyan. He claimed that the security officers were present, but didnt interfere in any way, and the assistants of MPs Armenuhi Kyureghyan, Tadevos Avetisyan and Ishkhan Saghatelyan, including Gerasim Vardanyan were beaten.

Later, Hrachya Hakobyan told reporters that when he came, the brawl had already begun, and that Gerasim Vardanyan is among the participants of the criminal case of assassination attempt against Ararat Mirzoyan. During a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am, member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun political party Gerasim Vardanyan informed that he and his political party are being politically persecuted and that even though he was summoned to the National Security Service in regard to this incident, he didnt give an explanation. Touching upon Hrachya Hakobyans statement that he is part of the case of the assassination attempt against Ararat Mirzoyan, he noted that he has nothing to do with it and was not engaged in the case as an accused.
On Dec. 13, Primate of the Tavush Diocese of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church, His Holiness Bishop Bagrat Galstyan; Major General of the reserve force of the Armed Forces of Armenia, recipient of the 1st Degree Order of the Combat Cross Grigory Khachaturov and Peoples Artist of the Republic of Armenia Hrant Tokhatyan expressed willingness to be a personal guarantor in case the pre-trial measure against army general Ashot Minasyan (arrested under the case of keeping illegal weapons and ammunition) is changed with personal guarantee.

Minasyans advocate Mihran Poghosyan has applied to the Prosecutor General of Armenia with the motion to change the pre-trial measure. He also mentioned that a group of army generals have also expressed willingness to be Minasyans personal guarantor.

Several non-governmental organizations, including veteran detachments of the war in Artsakh and cultural organizations have guaranteed the proper line of conduct of Ashot Minasyan in case of change of the pre-trial measure.

As a result of all this, it is clear that there is no more doubt about the proper line of conduct of Ashot Minasyan, and if Ashot Minasyan is not released, it will be clear that his isolation is politically motivated.

I believe the prosecutors of the Prosecutor Generals Office will change the pre-trial measure, and with this, they will record two major facts: 1. There is no political assignment to isolate Ashot Minasyan and 2. There is a humanitarian principle and a 62-year-old person with health problems and who hasnt spared anything for his homeland, must not be in custody under the charge of keeping illegal weapons and ammunitionProve me wrong, Mihran Poghosyan stated.
According to Armenian News-NEWS.am, the court of general jurisdiction of Syunik Province of Armenia has ruled to replace the arrest pre-trial measure selected for Deputy Mayor of Goris Menua Hovsepyan with release on bail.

On Nov. 11, the Criminal Court of Appeal granted the appeal of the prosecution and overturned the courts decision to release Hovsepyan on bail for an amount of AMD 30,000,000, after which Hovsepyan voluntarily showed up at the particular penitentiary institution and was arrested again.
In an interview with Voice of America, former U.S. Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, outgoing Ambassador James Warlick said the status of Nagorno-Karabakh is a primary issue, adding that it cant be considered a subject that was closed after the war and that it will be impossible to talk about strong stability without a settlement.

According to him, the parties are currently taking small steps to try to establish mutual confidence, and the recent return of prisoners of war from Azerbaijan to Armenia and Armenias transfer of mine maps to Azerbaijan can be considered in this context.

Warlick added that the international community needs to take as step back in an attempt to settle the issue of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh with the help of the Minsk Group, and nobody should think that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is settled through the war.

American analyst, alumnus of the University of Harvard Daniel Shapiro, who is a Fullbright scholar, also agrees with the former U.S. diplomat. According to him, after the 44-day war, the West was pushed away from the processes unfolding in the South Caucasus, the last of which is the 3+2 format, which leaves Armenia alone with Turkey, Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran, which dont share Armenias interests.

Responding to the Aliyev-Pashinyan meeting in Brussels, Shapiro stated that the United States and the European Union need to play a more active role in the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan and Armenia-Turkey relations in order to return to the region.

Commenting on the Pashinyan-Aliyev meetings, Warlick emphasized that the important thing is that the parties meet face-to-face and added that the format is secondary.

Warlick also reminded that the leaders of the two countries had absolutely no contact before the 44-day war.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has welcomed Armenias and Turkeys actions to normalize the relations between the two countries.

While Aliyev and Pashinyan were meeting under the auspices of President of the European Council Charles Michel in Brussels, Turkeys Foreign Minister declared that Ankara and Yerevan will appoint special envoys to discuss and settle the issues between the two countries.

Yerevan responded positively to this statement. Welcoming Cavusoglus statement, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Vahan Hunanyan stated that Armenia is ready to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions.

In his statement, Mevlut Cavusoglu had also stated that direct air communication between Yerevan and Istanbul will be opened in the near future.
Former deputy of the National Assembly of Armenia, member of the Republican Party of Armenia Rafik Petrosyan has passed away at the age of 81, his grandson Garegin Petrosyan reported on his Facebook page.

The Requiem Service will be held on Dec. 19 starting from 5:30 p.m. at the St. Sargis Armenian Church in Nor Nork district of Yerevan, and the funeral will be held on Dec. 20 at 1 p.m.

Born on May 1, 1940 in Debed village of Armenia, Petrosyan graduated from Yerevan State University with a degree in Law, after which he served as a judge, a professor and dean of the Faculty of Law at Yerevan State University. He has been a deputy of the Supreme Council of Armenia (1990-95) and a member of the constitutional committee and task force of the Supreme Council (1992-95). On May 25, 2003, he was elected deputy of the National Assembly.
To date, my term of office as Human Rights Defender of Armenia is due to my persistence and the loyalty to my oath, and it is not the achievement or manifestation of goodwill of anyone or any political force. This is stated in the statement issued by Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan.

I have to respond to the claims that several deputies of the ruling faction of the National Assembly have been making in their public speeches and interviews for a long time now, attempting to create an impression or show that the fact that I am still serving in office is due to their tolerance.

Moreover, they state that the ruling faction has never given an evaluation of the activities of the Human Rights Defender, presenting it as an achievement.

I responsibly declare that such claims are inaccurate.

During my term of office as Human Rights Defender, especially after the war, there have been different forms of influence prohibited by law, starting from the demands presented by several high-ranking officials to stop or essentially minimize the activities due to the situation after the war and ending with seizure of the cars of employees of the Office of the Human Rights Defender by the governments decision in order to reduce our opportunities, the consistent attempts to make the Office of the Human Rights Defender financially dependent and the campaigns against the Defender, including with the participation of high-ranking officials of the government and legislature.

Irrespective of all the hardships, I have never presented and will not present myself as a victim and have only done my job as a human rights activist, under apolitical and unbiased principles, Tatoyan wrote.
Pathirana said that Sri Lanka's coconut industry had been a large foreign exchange earner in the export market over the years and the public sector alone was not enough to meet the coconut demand in the country, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Minister said the coconut seedlings would be provided to private entrepreneurs as well as members of the general public as there was a huge demand for coconut cultivation.

"Sri Lanka is unable to produce enough coconuts to meet the existing demand in the local and global market. The Coconut Cultivation Board will be ready to supply the required coconut seedlings to the entire country by next January," the Minister said.

According to official figures, coconuts account for approximately 12 per cent of all agricultural produce in Sri Lanka with the total land area under cultivation covering 409,244 hectares and about 2,500 to 3000 million nuts produced per year.

New measures have been introduced to enhance the annual coconut crop to 3,600 million nuts per year.

--IANS ksk/

( 207 Words)

2021-12-17-11:54:13 (IANS)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 17 (ANI/NewsVoir): The Quarry recently unveiled the Laas Authentico Collection that is currently on display at The Quarry Gallery in Mumbai. This marble is said to have formed over 400 million years, in the village of Laas, Italy. The Quarry's Chief Curator and Founder - Rupesh Shinde, personally travels to each quarry to handpick the best block of marble. Each slab of the whitest marble from Lasa is pre-cut and pre-polished by generations of Italian craftsmen on world-class machines. The collection comprises some of the most sought-after natural stones like the Laas Bianco Authentico, Laas Oro Authentico, Laas Eterno Authentico and Laas Superio Authentico, Laas Blu-Gretto Authentico and Laas Gretto Authentico. "We are delighted to get the exclusive Laas Authentico marble that comes from the quarries of Lasa in Italy. Unfortunately, these are still sold as the 'white marble from Lasa' in the market. That is simply unfair to the clients purchasing a fake or poor-quality slab, under the assumption of it being a pure Lasa," - Rupesh Shinde Every slab of marble from the Laas Authentico Collection is characterised by its startlingly pure white colour with stunning grey or gold veining, and its exceptional resistance to extreme weather, is traditionally found only in Lasa a.k.a Laas, a little village in the North of Italy. The quarries in Lasa have marble that's been formed over 400 million years through intense heat, pressure and tectonic shifts. It is this slow, gradual process over literal centuries that lends The Quarry's Laas Authentico marble collection its breath-taking aesthetics and resilience that cannot be replicated. At The Quarry @thequarrygallery, each slab is cut to the world standard 20 mm thickness. A slab that is cut thinner is likely to get damaged in transit or installation or while it is being used. The Quarry Curators assist their clients to select the right application for the right marble. The Laas Authentico marble collection can be used across a wide range of applications like wall cladding, flooring and bathroom counters with unique and luxurious finishes recommended and handcrafted by The Quarry Projects team. All you have to do is book an appointment and visit The Quarry Gallery in Mumbai. It is a temperature-controlled space spanning across 12,500 sq. ft. that displays marble, granite and rare onyx from 31 countries and 167 quarries from around the world. The Quarry launched its Laas Authentico campaign online and on social media to engage and educate the Indian market about choosing the right luxury marble and steering clear of counterfeits, a common problem seen here. For more information, please log onto: www.quarry.asia. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI/NewsVoir): Leading ITES Company Plaxonic today launched one-of-its-kind hyperlocal super app Evobee to address various challenges of the conventional logistics sector, while connecting local businesses to customers digitally. The super app "Evobee" will be available for download on Google Play Store and "IOS" App Store. Over 1800 vendors have already registered to serve their customers ensuring timely and seamless 24/7 customer support. Soon to become a PAN Indian app, EVOBEE in the first phase of launch is set to offer its services in Delhi NCR focussing on the areas of Noida, Ghaziabad (Vaishali, Indirapuram, and Vasundhara), and East Delhi. To keep up with customers' product and service based needs, Plaxonic's hyperlocal app EVOBEE will be helping small and big businesses adapt to digital solutions. In addition, consumers will get everything delivered at their doorstep. Evobee would enable same day, fast and hassle free delivery enhancing customer's buying experience. Home delivery of grocery or food, booking cabs, doctor's appointments, AC repair, apparel, shoes, and many other services available within a radius of 30 km, would be available on Evobee. If a customer wants to replace a product, they can do it in real time as delivery will be done by business providers. In case of any grievance, users will get 24/7 customer support. Speaking at the launch, Shaan Rizvi, CEO & Founder, Plaxonic said, "We are excited to introduce EVOBEE to the Hyperlocal marketplace which has taken the ecommerce space by storm. EVOBEE is an application which will connect local businesses with local customers offering both accessibility and efficiency to the seller and the customer. It will be a one-stop shop where sellers can deliver the products and services to the customers, thereby negating the need for multiple applications for specific purposes." Adding to it, Aditya Sharma, CTO, Plaxonic said, "Today, Plaxonic is more than happy to have launched an application like Evobee that is technologically rich to support the thought behind its innovation. Backed by a creative user interface and a dynamic user experience, the app is available to be downloaded from Google Play Store or App Store. Through a multi-faceted mechanism, the application can provide the users with genuine information about the listed vendors, real time delivery, credible reviews and prices of the products and services. With EVOBEE, users need to install only one application for purchasing multiple products and using multiple services." Before the launch, Evobee had created a great buzz around its creative OOH advertisements. Through its logo reveal campaign, it has created a lasting impression in the minds of the consumer and has received multiple new business sign-ups and inquiries about the app launch. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI/NewsVoir): India's leading pre-owned luxury car dealer, BBT, has announced an exclusive auction for one of its iconic vintage car collections on 19th December 2021. The online only auction will be listing a 1960 vintage Volkswagen Beetle for which the bidding starts at Rs.1. Big Boy Toyz has curated a list of 19 exclusive cars ranging from Rolls Royces, Cadillacs, Buicks, Chevrolets, Land Rovers and others that are available for auction in their inaugural event. These cars come from renowned collections from all over the country and are being displayed at the flagship showroom in Gurgaon. Bidders from across the country can participate in the online auction. BBT has designed a simple software that enables bidders to seamlessly bid and purchase these cars online. BBT plans on reimagining the concept of buying rare automobiles now through online auctions. Cars will be available for a period of 14 days from the date of going live. To ensure a high standard of experience for clients BBT has provided bidders with two premium plans to choose from. The Enthusiasts Plan is priced at INR 1 lac and allows bidders to bid for 2 cars, Each car shall with an estimated value up to 50 lacs and a Connoisseur Plan which shall require a INR 2 Lacs deposit where bidders are eligible to bid for 4 cars with no upper limit on the car values. Speaking about the auction, Jatin Ahuja, Founder & MD of Big Boy Toyz, said, "To launch our event on the 19th, we have invited top automobile enthusiasts from collectors to celebrities to join us on our inauguration event and come have a look at these motor cars. Vintage and Classic car auctions are globally a multi billion dollar industry, we aim to tap into the potential of the Indian market and reimagine the way the business runs in the country." Big Boy Toyz is the complete one-stop destination for the world's most iconic, high-end, premium cars manufactured by global legends of the automobile industry. It is the mecca of luxury cars in India, housing vehicles from brands such as Bentley, Ferrari, Cadillac, Chrysler and James Bond's favourite ride Aston Martin, apart from many other premium brands! A paradise for true high-end automobile enthusiasts, it is arguably the only brand which showcases a self-purchased inventory of vehicles. Big Boy Toyz aims to emerge as the most recognized and dominant player in the luxury cars segment in India by providing a complete, flawless experience to its buyers and ensuring that the vehicles on offer are maintained in the most pristine condition. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Key indices of the Indian equities markets fell sharply on Friday dragged by across-the-board selling pressure as rising Omicron cases hit investors' sentiments. The benchmark Sensex slumped over 700 points while the Nifty 50 slipped 1.4 per cent. Auto, banking, and financial stocks slumped on concern that fast-spreading Omicron cases would derail the economic recovery. IndusInd Bank and Titan plunged over 3 per cent. The selling pressure is across-the-board as 12 of the 30 scrips that are part of the Sensex were trading more than 2 per cent lower than their previous day's close. The benchmark Sensex opened in the positive 58,021.63 points against the previous day's close at 57,901.14 points. However, the selling pressure gripped the market from early trade itself and the Sensex plunged to 57,122.56 points at around 11.50 am, which is 1.34 per cent or 778.58 points lower than its previous day close. The broader Nifty 50 of the National Stock Exchange tumbled to 17,007.95 points, which is 1.39 per cent lower than its previous day's close at 17,248.40 points. Only three of the 30 scrips that are part of the benchmark Sensex were trading in the positive. Infosys rose sharply for the second straight day after it announced plans to acquire Singtel's delivery centre in Malaysia. Infosys was trading 3.08 per cent higher at Rs.1825.90. HCL Technologies 1.05 per cent higher at Rs.1172.60 and TCS 0.38 per cent higher at Rs.3595 were the only three Sensex scrips trading in positive. IndusInd Bank 3.31 per cent lower at Rs.898, Titan 3.09 per cent down at Rs.2284.40; Hindustan Unilever 2.83 per cent down at Rs.2244.35; Bajaj Finserv 2.8 per cent down at Rs.16243.10 and Kotak Bank 2.71 per cent down at Rs.1809.95 were among the major Sensex losers. (ANI)
Mumbai (Maharashtra)/ New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI/NewsVoir): Mumbai headquartered Smartr Logistics, a trademark of Smart Express Private Limited, has a robust expansion plan for 2022. The company plans to more than double its presence to 100 cities with 150 smart service centres and aims to onboard 1500 full time employees, by end of December 2022. Many of these employees will receive attractive ESOP schemes, not prevalent in logistic industry. Smartr Logistics, a new age, innovative, transparent, reliable logistics start-up providing time-sensitive door-to-door solutions, has commenced operations in October 2021, and within 100 days of receiving seed funding, expanded operations in 45 cities with 65+ service centres. Within a short time, the startup has built a workforce of 600 full time employees. The seed fund round of around INR 100 crores was led by IIFL India Private Equity Fund and Smiti Holding & Trading Company (Jalaj Dani family office). Promoter and Founder Yogesh Dhingra, and other co-founders have also participated in this round. Commenting on the expansion plans, Yogesh Dhingra, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Smartr Logistics said, "We want to break the prevalent myth that "Quality service comes at High Price". Our goal is to provide best-in-class logistical solutions, customized to the needs and requirements of our customers in a fair and transparent manner. We use Air linehaul with direct connectivity between Origin and Destination for faster transit and minimal trans-shipment and have a 24x7 customer support team to keep an eye on your package till it reaches its destination. That is why we claim that we are the fastest in the industry." Smartr Logistics offers best-in-class first and last mile services to its customers. The highly trained in-house delivery team is equipped with hi-tech handheld devices that leverage QR-code based technology and uses OTP based Secured delivery. COD and digital payment collection are available for the services of Smartr Logistics. "We are evolving with every passing day. We have aggressive growth plans while maintaining the service quality at highest levels. Our aim is to reach 100 cities by Dec'22 and over 300 cities across India in the next 3 years," says Yogesh Dhingra. Smartr Logistics has commenced operations with three sets of Air Express products which are Aerex Prime, Aerex Kargo and Aerex eComm. The company is all set to grow in the coming year with a robust strategy to establish a stronghold in the express logistic industry through new-age and reliable solutions. It aims to provide best-in-class services and plans to launch its ground logistics in 2022 and warehousing solutions for B2B and B2C customers by 2023. Smartr Logistics is a trademark of Smart Express Private Limited, the Mumbai-headquartered Indian logistics start-up. It is promoted by Yogesh Dhingra, former CFO, COO & CSO of Blue Dart, an industry veteran with over 27 years of experience in logistics space. For more information, please visit www.smartr.in/home.html. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 17 (ANI/OP Jindal University): The Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2021 was released by the Hon'ble Governor of Uttar Pradesh Anandiben Patel and discussed by the dignitaries of Lucknow on Friday, 17th December 2021 on the occasion of the Lucknow Sustainability Conclave hosted by O.P. Jindal Global University. The theme of the event was, "Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals: Role of Universities and Civil Society in Protecting the Environment". The launch was held today at the Raj Bhavan in Lucknow. The Hon'ble Governor Anandiben Patel said that she was delighted to witness the launch of a first-of-its-kind 'Sustainability Development Report 2021' of one of the leading higher education institutions of India, O.P. Jindal Global University and that Universities can be instrumental in the evolution of sustainable development for the future by mentoring the youth to be important ambassadors of sustainability, green innovation and social impact. They become a platform to transform the youth into responsible and socially conscious leaders. More importantly, with the outreach universities have across various stakeholders of the society, their capacity to engage with the community and the intellectual capital they house, universities can help guide our society and serve as role models for creating an impact and change for the world around us. Patel also highlighted the importance of committing ourselves to the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals to become socially conscious and embrace our responsibility to protect our physical and social environment, and thus the future of our planet, to make this world a better place for the generations to come. The report will prove to be a milestone for the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are set by the United Nations. Thus setting a global benchmark, JGU has become one of the first universities to fully implement and implement the SDGs on its campus, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. O.P. Jindal Global University is the first to implement this year's Sustainable Development Goals. Speaking on the occasion, Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founder Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University said, "Sustainability Development Report 2021 aims to create a green and socially conscious campus and to have a transparent and fair view of our progress. The United Nations demonstrates our commitment to our compliance with the SDGs. This comprehensive assessment was conducted on our processes, from our energy and water management systems to community engagement initiatives. While the COVID-19 pandemic presented us with challenges as well as opportunities to reach the SDGs, JGU has taken a step towards a healthier and safer environment by implementing the SDGs on its campus. By striving to implement the UN-SDG, JGU has shown the way to other educational institutions in how futuristic, social and environmental commitments are met. In the past also JGU has demonstrated its commitment to protect the environment by securing top ranking in the Swachh Campus Ranking of Higher Educational Institutions conducted by the Ministry of Education. The SDG Report 2021 on JGU is the culmination of outstanding efforts by TERI, Trust Legal and Mazars to create a new dimension for promoting sustainable development. It has the potential to change the future and help address the challenges of climate change by bringing universities to the centre of knowledge creation, research, experiential learning, innovation and wider engagement with youth. We have taken a right step towards promoting the importance of UN-SDG by progressively carrying out activities in line with the National Education Policy to meet the goals. I am also happy to share that recently we have opened a new chapter of the International Green Building Complex under the aegis of Confederation of Indian Industry." On this occasion, Brajesh Singh, President, Arthur D. Little, India, Professor (Dr.) Nishi Pandey, Director, Women's Development Center & Professor, University of Lucknow, Saurabh Mishra, Prachar Pramukh Vidya Bharti Purvi, Uttar Pradesh, Barnik Chitran Maitra, Managing Partner & CEO, Arthur D. Little India & South Asia, Madhawendra Singh, All India General Secretary, Ekal Abhiyaan, and Sudhir Mishra, Founder and Managing Partner, Trust Legal Advocates and Consultants were present. The Vote of Thanks was given by Professor Anand P. Mishra, Director of Law Admissions, O.P. Jindal Global University. The UN SDGs include affordable and sustainable energy, combating climate change, eradicating hunger, education, health and gender equality. To demonstrate its commitment to the implementation of the SDGs, JGU is engaged in an independent assessment of its campus and is taking initiatives to gain a transparent and fair view of the University's progress in compliance with the United Nations SDGs. A group of 12 evaluators from the environmental and legal sectors, including The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Trust Legal, Advocates and Consultants and Mazars Business Advisors Pvt Ltd, interviewed the University on its initiatives ranging from energy consumption to water management systems and community work, rigorous evaluation of procedures. O.P. Jindal Global University has created a sustainable model with solar power generation by contributing surplus power to the grid. The university aims to invest in renewable energy generation on campus by establishing zero-net emissions policies and developing long-term resource efficiency and management plans. About 55 percent of the university's campus is green. A green area around the university helps in curbing the effects of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants in the area besides playing a major role in environmental protection efforts. The university has also established the Jindal School of Environment and Sustainability to ensure that it generates innovation and youth leadership to tackle climate change and its impact. It also provides interdisciplinary education in other schools to ensure adequate awareness on this important subject throughout the university. Sudhir Mishra, Founder and Managing Partner, Trust Legal, Advocates and Consultants, who was the key knowledge partner for commissioning SDR, called the release of this voluntary report a significant moment in the history of the climate change movement in India. According to him, this single bold move by one of the private universities in India on sustainability will be a historic change as many campuses will become symbols of hope to show how they conserve water, how they dispose of waste, how they nurture trees, how they reduce their carbon foot print and how they connect with local communities. Mishra said, "Sustainable Development Report 2021 on O.P. Jindal Global University is a unique initiative promoted by India's number one ranked private university as a part of its social responsibility. We are happy to work on this initiative as the University ensured complete intellectual autonomy, operational independence and editorial independence in the preparation of reports. The collective contributions of the TERI, Trust Legal and Mazars teams provided a comprehensive assessment of JGU's commitment to the implementation of SDG goals and other compliance related matters. The report is a comprehensive 100-page document that identifies every major aspect of the SDGs and its relationship to the governance and functioning of the JGU. India's Education Minister and Environment Minister were present at the launch of JGU's SDR 2021, hence its importance has increased even more. This story is provided by OP Jindal University. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/OP Jindal University)
Key indices of the Indian equities markets fell sharply on Friday dragged by across-the-board selling pressure as rising Omicron cases hit investors' sentiments. The benchmark Sensex tanked nearly 900 points while Nifty slipped below 17,000 points. Auto, banking and financial stocks slumped on concern that fast-spreading Omicron cases would derail the economic recovery. Negative cues from the global economy and equities markets also dented the sentiments at the markets. IndusInd Bank tumbled nearly 5 per cent. Kotak Bank plunged 3.55 per cent to Rs.1794.35.The 30-stock S&P BSE Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange plunged 1.54 per cent or 889.40 points to 57,011.74 points. The benchmark Sensex opened in the positive 58,021.63 points against the previous day's close at 57,901.14 points. However, the selling pressure gripped the market from early trade itself and the Sensex plunged to a low of 56,950.98 points in the intra-day. The broader Nifty 50 of the National Stock Exchange tumbled below 17,000 points level. The Nifty 50 closed 1.53 per cent lower at 16,985.20 points after touching a low of 16,966.45 points in the intra-day. The key indices of the Indian equities markets have closed in the red five out of the past six trading sessions.The selling pressure was broad-based. Fourteen of the 30 Sensex scrips tumbled more than 2 per cent. Out of these six scrips plunged more than 3 per cent. Major Sensex losers included: IndusInd Bank 4.89 per cent lower at Rs.883.25, Kotak Bank 3.55 per cent down at Rs.1794.35, Hindustan Unilever 3.43 per cent lower at Rs.2230.40, Titan 3.25 per cent down at Rs.2280.60, HDFC 3.08 per cent down at Rs.2617.20 and Bajaj Finserv 3.03 per cent down at Rs.16204.Only five of the 30 scrips that are part of the Sensex closed in the positive. Infosys rose sharply for the second straight day after it announced plans to acquire Singtel's delivery centre in Malaysia. Infosys closed 2.84 per cent higher at Rs.1821.70. HCL Technologies 0.96 per cent higher at Rs.1171.60; Power Grid 0.82 per cent higher at Rs.209.95, Sun Pharma 0.61 per cent higher at Rs.769.15 and TCS 0.16 per cent higher at Rs.3587.20, were the Sensex gainers. (ANI)
Dubai [UAE], December 17 (ANI/NewsVoir): India's Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, and Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, Piyush Goyal today said that the India Pavilion at EXPO2020 Dubai is a matter of pride for all of India. Speaking at the 94th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi, Shri Goyal said, "I must acknowledge that India's participation at Dubai Expo has been something which is a matter of pride for all of India, for every Indian, and I would like to express my deep appreciation for the wonderful work that FICCI has done to make the Dubai India Pavilion happen." The minister inaugurated the India Pavilion at EXPO2020 Dubai on October 1, and FICCI is the industry partner of the event that will run till March 31, 2022. "It was a tough task, right in the midst of COVID through the last two years, fighting against all odds, project getting delayed, full of uncertainties, full of challenges. But with all of those difficulties, I think we have come up with the best pavilion at the Dubai EXPO2020. It is one of the most visible and highly visited pavilions - appreciated by all those who had a chance to visit that - and compliments to the entire team for making it happen, making it happen successfully," Goyal said. (twitter.com/PiyushGoyal/status/1471761540911042562?s=20) The Minister also added that, "As indicated on earlier occasions, I am hoping to replicate the Dubai India Pavilion experience at the Pragati Maidan in India so that we have a permanent location which can be a matter of pride for every Indian who visits Delhi and goes to Pragati Maidan." Uday Shankar, President, FICCI, said, "I had the opportunity to work very closely with Shri Piyush Goyal during Dubai Expo. If Dubai Expo has the largest footfall at India Pavilion, the credit for that goes to Shri Piyush Goyal." Sanjiv Mehta, President-Elect, FICCI, also thanked the minister for his support and guidance, and said, "It was not easy, amidst the pandemic, in a foreign land, but the team did a great job." To know more about India Pavilion at EXPO2020 Dubai, please visit: Website - www.indiaexpo2020.com Facebook - www.facebook.com/indiaatexpo2020 Instagram - www.instagram.com/indiaatexpo2020 Twitter - twitter.com/IndiaExpo2020?s=09 LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/company/india-expo-2020/?viewAsMember=true YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC6uOcYsc4g_JWMfS_Dz4Fhg/featured Koo - www.kooapp.com/profile/IndiaExpo2020 To know more about EXPO2020 Dubai, please visit www.expo2020dubai.com/en. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Nashik (Maharashtra) [India], December 17 (ANI/SRV): Symbiosis Institute of Operations Management, Nashik, one of the leading institutes focussed on Operations Excellence is continuing the intake for the upcoming academic year. Aspirants keen to pursue a career in Operations Management and Agri-Operations Management must appear for Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP 2021), as the first step towards seeking admission to the renowned institute. With SNAP 2021 exams scheduled for 19th December 2021, 8th January 2022 and 16th January 2022, SIOM Nashik is all set to groom another batch of accomplished Operations Professionals of tomorrow. Graced with over 60 journal publications, more than 100 recruiting partners and several highly accomplished full-time and visiting faculty members, the institute has been scripting successful career development of ambitious and competent managers, eyeing the progress of the sector through the two in-demand specializations - MBA (Operations Management) and MBA (Agri-Operations Management). The domain of operations is undoubtedly one of the most promising sectors for a multitude of industries and a huge contributor to the Indian economy. The boundless scope for innovations and opportunities in the domain is indeed the most riveting feature to consider for a prosperous career in operations management. SIOM Nashik offers a strong curriculum that is a blend of both technical and management education. The curriculum consists of several crucial subjects like Quality Management, Supply chain management, Project management, Transportation and logistics, Modelling dynamic systems, and a lot more. In addition, students are trained in SAP, ERP, Six Sigma, APICS, CII Logistics, and SCS to develop globally competent managers. Moreover, the students are groomed as the best fit in operations for a host of sectors including manufacturing, IT, FMCG, e-commerce, consulting, etc. The students are also provided with expert guidance in finding and choosing the field of operations that best fit their skills and interests. With the launch of the MBA Agri Operations course this year, SIOM is all set to revolutionize the nation's agriculture sector and play a significant role in the Agri-Revolution in India. The MBA in Agri-Operations Management offers the student with the required knowledge, operations expertise and competencies required by agriculture and allied sectors. The students are trained in multiple domains, including SCM, Logistics Production, Consulting, Ecommerce, IT, etc., to gain knowledge and excel in agri-operations. The institute also focuses on creating domain knowledge in Agro commodity markets, Processing and Value Chain Agriculture, Agri Supply Chain Management and Advances in Agriculture, Agro procurement Management, Warehouse Management, and Quality Management for Agro Products, etc. as part of its compelling curriculum. Admission to SIOM Nashik is regulated through SNAP, just like all other prestigious Symbiosis institutes. SNAP is one of the biggest entrance examinations of the nation, which takes place thrice a year. The applicant can make up to two attempts in a year to increase their chances of getting into SIOM Nashik. SNAP 2021 is a Computer Based Test (CBT) conducted across 94 test cities of the nation on three different dates - 19th December 2021 (Sunday), 8th January 2022 (Saturday), and 16th January 2022 (Sunday). The test will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. on 19th December and from 10 to 11 a.m. on 8 & 16 January. The candidates will have to answer a test comprising 60 multiple choice questions, divided among General English (Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability - 15 Questions), Analytical and Logical Reasoning (25 Questions), and Quantitative, Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency (20 Questions). Each correct answer will be awarded one mark, and each wrong answer attracts 25% negative marks. The candidates who successfully clear the test will participate in the further admission process (GE-PIWAT) of that particular program - including Group Exercise (GE), Personal Interaction (PI) & Writing Ability Test (WAT). To know more about SIOM Nashik, visit: https://www.siom.in/ To Apply for SIOM Nashik visit - https://bit.ly/3vIVWsy This story is provided by SRV. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV)
New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI/NewsVoir): When a person gets rewards and respect, new energy comes in him. In such a situation, there is a need to give respect and encouragement from time to time to those who do better work, says Dr Sandesh Yadav, General Secretary, Bharat Gaurav Award Foundation. In the fourth edition of Bharat Gaurav Award the outstanding people of multi-faceted talent who have contributed significantly to the development of the country and great and outstanding people engaged in the upliftment of society were honored at Hotel Shangri in New Delhi. Union Minister of State Faggan Singh Kulaste, with his dignified presence as the chief guest at the award distribution ceremony, gave meaning to the program, as well as guided the talents. Faggan Singh Kulaste said that providing a national platform to the talents, rewarding them for their outstanding achievements is a very good job which Sandesh Yadav, General Secretary, Bharat Gaurav Foundation is doing well every year. In this fourth edition of Bharat Gaurav Puraskar, dignitaries were felicitated in several categories. In this, mainly Union Minister of State RaoSaheb Danve, Rajya Sabha MP Padmashree Vikas Mahatme, MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Member of Central Waqf Council Rais Khan Pathan, Union Minister John Barla etc. were honored with Lifetime Achievement Award. Under the Bharat Gaurav Award, Lok Sabha MP Rammohan Naidu, social worker Sanjeev Kumar, NCB Director Japan Babu Yadav, Additional Director Government of India Atul Singh, ISRO Deputy Director Dr SV Sharma, Joint Secretary Government of India SP Singh, social worker Neeraj Gupta, Krishna Bhaipuria was given as the rising face in the world of wrestling. A unique felicitation was also given at the function which included Special Guest of the Day. In which talents like Rajya Sabha MP from Goa Vinay Tendulkar, Chairman NCMEI, Government of India Justice NK Jain, Lok Sabha MP Shrirang Appa Barne, Union Minister of State Faggan Singh Kulaste, were honored for their unique work style and outstanding achievements. It is worth mentioning that all of them are known for their unique working style and outstanding achievements in their respective fields. On this occasion, IRS officer Dinesh Kumar Jangir presided over the program and boosted the morale of everyone. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI/NewsVoir): Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation ("Sony") has succeeded in developing the world's first stacked CMOS image sensor technology with 2-Layer Transistor Pixel. Whereas conventional CMOS image sensors' photodiodes and pixel transistors occupy the same substrate, Sony's new technology separates photodiodes and pixel transistors on different substrate layers. This new architecture approximately doubles saturation signal level relative to conventional image sensors, widens dynamic range and reduces noise, thereby substantially improving imaging properties. The new technology's pixel structure will enable pixels to maintain or improve their existing properties at not only current but also smaller pixel sizes. Sony announced this breakthrough at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting that started on Saturday, December 11, 2021. A stacked CMOS image sensor adopts a stacked structure consisting of a pixel chip made up of back-illuminated pixels stacked atop a logic chip where signal processing circuits are formed. Within the pixel chip, photodiodes for converting light to electrical signals, and pixel transistors for controlling the signals are situated alongside each other on the same layer. Increasing saturation signal level within form-factor constraints plays an important role in realizing high image quality with wide dynamic range. Sony's new architecture is an advancement in stacked CMOS image sensor technology. Using its proprietary stacking technology, Sony packaged the photodiodes and pixel transistors on separate substrates stacked one atop the other. In conventional stacked CMOS image sensors, by contrast, the photodiodes and pixel transistors sit alongside each other on the same substrate. The new stacking technology enables the adoption of architectures that allow the photodiode and pixel transistor layers to each be optimized, thereby approximately doubling saturation signal level relative to conventional image sensors and, in turn, widening dynamic range. Additionally, because pixel transistors other than transfer gates (TRG), including reset transistors (RST), select transistors (SEL) and amp transistors (AMP), occupy a photodiode-free layer, the amp transistors can be increased in size. By increasing amp transistor size, Sony succeeded in substantially reducing the noise to which nighttime and other dark-location images are prone. The widened dynamic range and noise reduction available from this new technology will prevent underexposure and overexposure in settings with a combination of bright and dim illumination (e.g., backlit settings) and enable high-quality, low-noise images even in low-light (e.g., indoor, nighttime) settings. Sony will contribute to the realization of increasingly high-quality imaging such as smartphone photographs with its 2-Layer Transistor Pixel technology. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI/PNN): Akums Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd., one of India's largest Contract Drug Research and Manufacturing Organizations (CRAMS), has won the prestigious Business Excellence Award 2021 from CIMS Medica during India Pharma Expo as a Leader in pharma manufacturing and innovation. The 10th edition of the annual award recognizes Akums Drugs' contribution to the healthcare sector. It also acknowledges Akums Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd for excellence in pharma manufacturing and innovation. The company offers exclusive services in the field of commercial drug development from the point of formulation till its market launch. The organization has 13 advanced manufacturing units, which collectively are producing 12 per cent of the nation's drug supply. The organization offers a comprehensive range of services starting from formulation development to market launch all en suite. Commenting on the award win, DC Jain said, "Platform like these recognises people and motivates them to do better while continuing to inspire others. We feel humbled and further motivated to serve our nation and take its name across the world.." "In a span of 17 years, Akums has become a highly reputed contract manufacturing pharma company of India for its high-quality products and unique business acumen. Currently, Akums is manufacturing more than 12 per cent of India's total medicinal requirement. Products manufactured by Akums are being preferred by the medical fraternity because of their trust in the efficacy, safety, and quality of formulations. We want to leapfrog and further establish our leadership position as India's largest & most trusted Pharma CRAMS Company, while also contributing towards AtmaNirbhar Bharat and creating employment opportunities", Said Arushi Jain, Executive Director, Corporate Growth. Indian Pharma Expo: The best trade show for pharmaceutical and healthcare industries Indian Pharma Expo (IPE) provides an opportunity for the participating companies to display their products & services to the gamut of visitors globally from the pharma and healthcare industries. With Indian Pharma Expo, the benefits are bound to get augmented with the presence of eminent personalities from various sectors of pharma, non-pharma, and healthcare industries. It will gather representation from various companies like pharma manufacturers & marketers, packaging solution providers, machinery solution providers, franchise companies, and many more under one roof. IPE is one stop juncture to all those who are planning to expand their business through various channels of franchise and distribution; as well as wholesalers and hospital purchase personnel who seek to buy bulk products at concessional rates. Incorporated in 2004 by brothers Sanjeev and Sandeep Jain, Akums Drugs is one of the largest contract producers catering to domestic and multinational pharmaceutical companies, which together produce about 12 per cent of all drugs consumed in India. The company's clients include pharma companies such as Cipla, Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Glenmark, Novartis, and Mylan. Akums attributes its success to its 15,000-plus employees. Akums has plant-wise R&D and F&D departments equipped with best in class technology and manpower. It has appointed well-experienced, qualified, and competent technical personnel in departments like Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Production, Personnel & Administration, Engineering, Warehouse, and more. New products developed and offered by Akums are at par with global companies with 830 DCGI approvals, 535 FSSAI approvals, 4 patent grants, and 74 filed patents. The company began with a single manufacturing unit and today owns ten state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities that are equipped to produce all modern dosage forms such as tablets, hard gelatin capsules, soft gelatin capsules, powder in sachets, liquid syrups and suspensions, injections, eye/ear drops, ointments, creams, gels, lotions, ayurvedic and herbal preparations, nutraceutical and cosmetic preparations and many more. Accolades for Akums Akums has consistently strived towards achieving the highest standards of quality, at par with international benchmarks. Some of the awards presented to Akums for their excellent performance across diverse areas of work and production are: *India Pharma Leader Award by Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India, consecutively for 2 years. *National Award for Excellence in Product Quality and Outstanding Entrepreneurship by Government of India. *Best Emerging Companies Excellence Award and Best Corporate Governance Award by Business Today. *India Pharma Award for Excellence in Contract Research - Formulation Development by UBM India consecutively for 3 years. *The company's growth and contribution to the pharmaceutical industry earned it a well-deserved position in the list of India's Next Fortune 500 companies, with an overall sector ranking of 3. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
Daman/Gujarat [India], December 17 (ANI/NewsVoir): For the first time ever, Daman is going to host a 2-day, exclusive Mercedes-Benz Star Showcase, organized by Landmark Cars on December 18-19 2021. This is a perfect opportunity for car enthusiasts and the residents of Daman and the nearby town of Vapi to explore a range of latest passenger vehicles of Mercedes-Benz, the deluxe merchandise selection from the Mercedes-Benz Collections, and the famous hospitality of Landmark Cars - all at one place. Paras Somani, Executive Director Landmark Cars said that, "At Landmark Cars, we always strive to provide larger than life experience to our esteemed audience. Our team is a perfect blend of young, enthusiastic minds that always have filled the shoes with their out-of-the-box ideas as well as experienced veterans who are well-versed with our customer's needs. Daman, and the neighbouring Vapi, being the home to industrialists and many car enthusiasts alike, make it just the right fit for the signature Mercedes-Benz Star Showcase. This December 18-19 is going to be nothing less than a blissful treat for the car enthusiasts and a getaway to a world of grandness and magnificence." The 'Stars' on Display While the Landmark Cars will be bringing the fleet of luxury sedans, and limousines to the showcase, the showstoppers are definitely going to be their range of Mercedes-AMGs that have been launched this year. The visitors will get a chance to get up close and personal with the powerful Mercedes-AMG E-53, Mercedes-AMG GLC 43, Mercedes-AMG GLA 35, and Mercedes-AMG A 35, this coming weekend. For those not in the know, the Mercedes-AMGs are more aggressive-looking, a higher level performing variant of the Mercedes-Benz cars, representing some of the finest, most retrospective innovations that have brought a disruption in the world of performance vehicles. The alternative to adrenaline, speed, and precision, the AMG journey is all about experiencing the five senses at once. This is something one wouldn't want to miss out on when given a chance. With this exclusive showcase, one could say that Landmark Cars do stand true to their commitment to catering to the finest customer experiences by making visionary, cutting-edge luxury cars accessible to people. Exclusive Display of the EQC EQC is the flagship model of Mercedes-Benz's step into the world of electric vehicles. It is known for exceptional automotive design moulded in the new era of mobility. The astonishing long-range Mercedes EQC with its intelligent charging technology has never failed in making heads turn towards it. The centre of attraction, EQC embodies the new design language of progressive luxury. The Mercedes-Benz Star Showcase in Daman is also an opportunity to experience the exciting new feeling of electric driving. Star Showcase - The Congregation of Luxury and Exclusivity One of the leading automobile dealership chains in India, Group Landmark is known for its remarkable service delivery and state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities. As a franchise partner for Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles for more than 10 years, they have been known for creating benchmarks in the automobile industry through their showrooms and service stations in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, and Surat. Along with the display of the luxury vehicles, the showcase will also feature an elite selection of collectibles from the Mercedes-Benz Collection. This features a range of timeless gifts and interesting products you will find, right from fashion apparel and tools to assist you in everyday life, to accessories, scale models, and much more relating to the Mercedes-Benz brand. Over the years, it has been proven that Mercedes Benz has never failed in amazing its niche audience with yet another opulent and majestic range of cars, and Group Landmark has always been an able partner in these endeavours. 5-Star Service Now within Reach The showcase will also give an opportunity to the owners of Mercedes-Benz vehicles to get a complimentary health check done by the adept after-sales team. Visitors can also pick up the Mercedes-Benz car-care products available throughout the two-day showcase. A Once-in-a-Blue Moon Opportunity The Mercedes-Benz Star Showcase is all set to be held on December 18-19 from 10 am to 7 pm. The car enthusiasts can visit the Gold Beach Villa at Nani Daman by booking their slot through RSVP number 75678 83037. Being an exclusive display, the invite for this showcase will be given only upon confirmation, at the discretion of Landmark Cars. Hands down, this weekend at Daman is going to be remembered in the coming years for the high-end gala meet that will be hosted, and we recommend every Star family admirer to visit, witness and indulge in the world of Luxury. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel, a joint venture between the world's leading steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel in India, will set up an integrated steel plant in Kendrapara district of Odisha with an investment of Rs.1.02 lakh crore. The integrated plant will have steel-making capacity of 24 million tonnes per annum and will generate 16,000 direct employments and significant indirect employment opportunities through ancillary and downstream industries and services. A high-level clearance authority chaired by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday gave approval to the proposal. The plant will be set up at Mahakalpara block of Kendrapara district in Odisha. According to an official statement, the proposal, which is the "largest project in the manufacturing sector in the country" was approved at the 27th meeting of the High-Level Clearance Authority, held under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister. "The approved project is the largest project in the manufacturing sector in the country. At its Kendrapara complex, Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel (AM/NS) will produce 24 MT (million tonnes) of various grades of steel with its latest green steel making technology. It will also produce high value-added steel downstream products," the statement said. This facility will also produce 18.75 million tonnes of cement annually, making it one of the largest cement manufacturing plants in the country, and will boost the infrastructure development in the region. With this massive investment, Odisha has garnered investments worth Rs 2.70 lakh crore in the past 12 months, creating potential employment opportunities for over 1.6 lakh persons. Along with the steel complex, the company will also develop a downstream industry park to promote the MSMEs and help import substitution. A large number of ancillary manufacturing companies are expected to put up their units in this region to support the huge steel-making facility. (ANI)
The discussion revolved around seeking suggestions on how to make doing business in India "more easier", attracting more capital and furthering the reform process.

This meeting illustrated how the Prime Minister is interacting personally with industry leaders to gather inputs ahead of the next budget.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was also present in the meeting. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted a roundtable interaction with representatives of venture capital and private equity funds at his residence on Friday. The discussion revolved around seeking suggestions on how to make doing business in India "more easier", attracting more capital and furthering the reform process. Fund representatives praised PM's leadership saying it has been prime driving force behind the massive boost to the investment climate in the country. They thanked the Prime Minister for personally taking up the issues related to private equity and venture capital. "The interaction that we had with the Prime Minister was just amazing. He listened to every single input given from the private equity and venture capital players," said Sandeep Naik, Managing Director and Head of General Atlantic's business in India and Southeast Asia. Srini Sriniwasan, Managing Director, Kotak Alternate Assets, said the prime minister listened to suggestions and was taking notes. "In his comments he took names of several people who gave suggestions," Sriniwasan said.According to Sunil Goyal, Managing Director and Fund Manager at YourNest Venture Capital, the Prime Minister not only took input from the industry leaders but also gave several suggestions and investment ideas.Following their meetings with the prime minister, private equity, venture capital players reiterated their commitments to increase investments in India. "We go to the different parts of the world and say, that there is no better place to invest than India. Because here there is a certainty, surety, and transparency and there is a willingness to do more and more," said Sunil Goyal."I am extremely bullish about India because of the steps that the government is taking and because of the entrepreneurial energy and the environment that Startup India has created," said Sandeep Naik. Rajan Anandan, Managing Director, Sequoia Capital, pointed out how startups ecosystem has evolved in India."The Indian startups ecosystem has come up a long way. If you go back 10 years ago, we had no unicorns. At the end of this year we will have 70 unicorns. Ten years ago we had less than a $1 billion funding going in start-ups. This year we will have over $30 billion. I credit a large part of this to be due to the extraordinary focus our Prime Minister Modi and his government has given to start-ups. The startup movement really started accelerating since 2015 and every year it is going stronger," said Anandan. Prashanth Prakash, co-founder and partner, Accel, said the Prime Minister highlighted the need for promoting startups in the agriculture sector. According to Prakash, the Prime Minister was of the view that startups would play a very important role in doubling farmers' income."It was a great opportunity to interact with the PM. I presented the idea that this is the moment of agri startups," said Prakash.Siddarth Pai, founding partner, 3one4 Capital, said the Prime Minister's vision has unleashed entrepreneurial spirit among the youth of the country. "India is a nation full of dreamers who no longer go to Bollywood to become an actor. They now go to Bangalore to become an entrepreneur. That is the change, the prime minister has brought," Pai said. (ANI)
Women filmmakers had a field day in the London Critics' Circle nominations, with Jane Campion, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Joanna Hogg seeing their movies being picked up to be in the race for top awards. Campion and Hogg have also been nominated for the best director trophy alongside Celine Sciamma, who's French, for 'Petite Maman'. According to 'Variety', Campion ('The Power of the Dog') scored the most nods with nine nominations, followed by Gyllenhaal ('The Lost Daughter') with six and Hogg ('The Souvenir Part 2') with six. Ryusuke Hamaguchi of 'Drive My Car' fame is this year's single most nominated individual. He's got nominations for best film, director, screenwriter and foreign language film of the year. 'Drive My Car' most recently bagged the New York Film Critics Circle's top award for best film. Olivia Colman, Penelope Cruz, Renate Reinsve, Joanna Scanlan and Kristen Stewart are all in the running for the actress of the year award. Benedict Cumberbatch, Adam Driver, Andrew Garfield, Oscar Isaac and Daniel Kaluuya will battle it out for actor of the year. Voted for by more than 180 critics from print, online and broadcast media, the nominations were announced on Thursday afternoon in London. The ceremony will take place on February 6, 2022. --IANS srb/ ( 221 Words) 2021-12-16-22:34:58 (IANS)
Megan Thee Stallion and Netflix have agreed upon an exclusive first-look deal, the streamer announced on Thursday. Under the terms of the agreement, according to 'Variety', the musician will create and executive produce content, including television series and other projects, for Netflix. The American rapper, described as "a multi-talented creative force" by Netflix in a statement, has won three Grammys and nine BET awards. She has landed two global Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits with 'Savage (Remix)' featuring Beyonce and 'WAP' with Cardi B. Her debut album 'Good News' has gone gold since its release in 2020, according to 'Variety'. More recently, her collaboration with K-pop supernova BTS on a remix of 'Butter' has been a huge success. Earlier this month, the rapper performed the number with the boy band at the group's concert at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Megan also earned a bachelor's degree in health administration from Texas Southern University on December 11. "I've always had a passion for telling creative and entertaining stories, so I'm thrilled about this partnership with Netflix," Megan said in a statement. "Venturing into production is the next step in my journey as an entrepreneur and I can't wait to bring all my ideas to life and for my Hotties to watch." --IANS srb/ ( 231 Words) 2021-12-16-22:36:24 (IANS)
A search warrant has been issued by the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office to investigate actor Alec Baldwin's cellphone for information related to the fatal shooting of 'Rust' cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. According to Variety, the veteran actor's phone will be searched as a part of the ongoing investigation into the fatal shooting of Hutchins on October 21. Variety obtained the affidavit attached to the warrant, in which Detective Alexandria Hancock said that investigators are seeking evidence that may help "complete a full investigation". Hancock also stated that she had asked Baldwin and his attorney to voluntarily turn over the phone, and she was told to get a warrant. In the affidavit, Hancock said she had also conducted a brief search of late Hutchins' phone, and found "conversations about the production dating back to July 14." The affidavit obtained by Variety also includes details of Baldwin's initial interview with Sheriff's detectives, where he stated that he had exchanged emails with the armourer on the production named Hannah Gutierrez Reed. He discussed with her about what type of gun to use following which she showed him various options. Lastly, he had selected the Colt .45 to use in the film. "He said he requested a bigger gun, and she also showed him different styles of knives for the production. Alec was shown a Colt with a brown handle, and a cherry handle and he ultimately chose the one with the brown handle," the affidavit stated. For the uninformed, in his first public interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos post the controversy, Baldwin said he had been told that "it's highly unlikely that I would be charged with anything criminally." The following day, local prosecutor Mary Carmack-Altwies issued a statement saying that no charges had been ruled out against anyone. As per Variety, Gutierrez Reed and Dave Halls, the first assistant director, had voluntarily turned over their phones. Baldwin's attorney told the paper that he was willing to turn over his phone, but needed to "protect his privacy on unrelated matters." The warrant seeks "all information and data from the cellular phone in relation to the production of 'Rust,' and any member working on the production." Such data may include contacts, text messages, photos, videos, call history, and GPS data. (ANI)
On Friday, she took to her Instagram Stories and shared a glimpse of the special dish she prepared for her in-laws as a part of the 'Chaunka Chardhana' ritual. The image shows her holding a delicious bowl of popular Indian dessert, halwa.

"Maine banaya...'chaunka chardhana'," she captioned the post.

Fans were left in awe of the new bride after seeing the picture of her halwa.

"Oh my God. Our Katrina is so sweet," a netizen commented.

"Wah. Meri kat full Punjabi bahu ka role ache se nibha rahi hai," another one wrote.

Katrina got married to Vicky on December 9 at Six Senses Fort Barwara, Rajasthan. Since her wedding, she has been imparting Punjabi vibes. She paid tribute to Vicky's Punjabi roots by including simple details to her wedding attire. On her wedding day, she also sported red chooda and golden kaleere which are a part of Punjabi culture. (ANI)
On Friday, Abhinav took to Instagram to inform everyone about his father. He also uploaded a photograph of his father.

"Guys plz let me know if anyone has any idea about my papa, specially in Bihar, UP, Jarkhand and all over India. Share it with your contacts too," he wrote.

Reportedly, Abhinav's father has been battling depression.

In order to get in touch with Abhinav, one can message him on his Instagram account. @abhinavchoudharyofficial is his user name. (ANI)
Time spent with family is worth every second. 'Goodachari' fame Adivi Sesh, who turned a year older on Friday, is extremely happy as he rang in his birthday with his mother and father after a long time. "I am a low-key person. I don't celebrate birthdays in a grand way. I am happy that my mom and dad are with me this year. I am spending my special day with them and this thing means a lot to me. Earlier they were in the United States and due to pandemic I could not meet them for a long time," Adivi told ANI. Meanwhile, on the work front, Adivi is waiting for the release of his film 'Major', which is based on the life of the 2008 Mumbai attacks martyr Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan. Also, he has signed two huge pan India films. One film is slated to be a mind-bending spy thriller, and the other one is an official remake of an Oscar-winning film. (ANI)
The film's lead actor Tovino Thomas along with Guru Somasundaram, and Vasisht marked their presence at the event, which was held on Thursday night in association with the Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival. Director Basil Joseph and producers Sophia Paul, Kevin Paul and Cedin Paul have also attended the premiere.

Set in the '90s, 'Minnal Murali' unfolds the tale of an ordinary man who becomes a superhuman after being struck by lightning. The film will see Malayalam star, Tovino Thomas in a never seen before avatar of a superhero.

In addition to Malayalam, the film will also stream on Netflix in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and English on December 24. (ANI)
Hollywood star Ben Affleck has given a clarification regarding his recent comments about alcoholism and marriage with ex-wife Jennifer Garner. According to People magazine, during an appearance on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on Wednesday night, the 49-year-old actor addressed the remarks he made on 'The Howard Stern Show', which included that he'd "probably still be drinking" if he stayed married to Garner. Affleck, who shares daughters Violet and Seraphina, along with son Samuel, with Garner, told host Jimmy Kimmel, "I would never want my kids to think I would ever say a bad word about their mom." The actor said that he thought his interview with Stern had been "meaningful" and didn't realize how his comments had been perceived until after it aired, adding that some listeners had "taken the conversation" and "made it seem as if I was doing the exact opposite of what I said" by focusing on only one piece of their chat. In the interview with Stern, Affleck explained, "I had gone on and said how much we respect each other and cared about each other and cared about our kids and put them first." He added that the part of the interview that gained attention "just made me out to be the worst, most insensitive, stupid awful guy." While Affleck said he understands that his personal life can make headlines or his pictures can be turned into "memes," the 'Justice League' actor explained that when it comes to his family, "I have to draw a line, and be clear." He concluded by saying, "That's not true. I don't believe that. It's the exact opposite of who I am, what I believe." During his interview with Stern, Affleck had got candid about his struggles with drinking while being married to Garner. Recalling how his drinking habits worsened during difficult times in their relationship, Affleck said if they'd stayed together, they "would've ended up ... probably at each other's throats." "I'd probably still be drinking. It's part of why I started drinking ... because I was trapped," he admitted, adding, "I was like 'I can't leave 'cause of my kids, but I'm not happy. What do I do?' What I did was drink a bottle of scotch and fall asleep on the couch, which turned out not to be the solution." The actor-director has gone to rehab multiple times for alcohol addiction over the years, including in 2001, 2017, which he revealed in a post on Facebook, and 2018. Affleck, who wed Garner in 2005 then separated from her in 2015 before finalizing their divorce in 2018, also told Stern that he and the '13 Going on 30' actor did everything they could to keep their marriage together, but it just didn't work out. "The truth was, we took our time. We made the decision ... We grew apart," Affleck explained. He added, "We had a marriage that didn't work, this happens, with somebody that I love and respect, but to whom I shouldn't be married any longer. Ultimately, we tried, we tried, we tried because we had kids. Both of us felt like we don't want this to be the model that our kids see of marriage." While Affleck and Garner had their fair share of ups and downs over the course of their relationship, the former spouses are on good terms now. As per People magazine, Garner even joined Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, who rekindled their romance earlier this year after calling off their engagement in 2004, for some trick-or-treating fun with their kids on Halloween. (ANI)
Though most 'Lord of the Rings' fans can't imagine another director than Peter Jackson at the helm, however, disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein had once threatened to replace him, suggests a new oral history of the blockbuster franchise. According to The Hollywood Reporter, in a piece celebrating the 20 year anniversary of 'Fellowship of the Ring', a news outlet spoke to Jackson's manager Ken Kamins, among others involved with the franchise including stars Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom and Ian McKellen. At one point while discussing the films' journey to the big screen, Kamins broached how Weinstein, who's currently serving time for felony sex crimes, used threats of replacing the New Zealand-born filmmaker with Quentin Tarantino as a means of forcing Jackson to condense the project's runtime. "Harvey would go from acting empathetically to turning on a dime into Mr Hyde and would threaten Peter," Kamins said of Weinstein's mixed messages of support when it came to Jackson's vision. "He'd threaten to get Quentin Tarantino to direct if Peter couldn't do it in one film that was two-and-a-half hours -- which was the exact opposite of what he initially told us he wanted," he added. Development for the 'Lord of the Rings' franchise began at Miramax, then run by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, and was acquired as part of a first-look deal between Jackson and the producing brothers. But when issues around the movie's budget arose, tensions spilled over into conversations between Jackson and Weinstein. That's when Kamins says the team shopped and successfully sold the film to New Line. The Oscar-winning epic fantasy adventure ultimately spanned three instalments, with its first two films 'The Fellowship of the Ring' and 'The Two Towers' clocking in at just under three hours before the final chapter, 'The Return of the King', ran at nearly three and a half. In addition to issues with the runtime, early conversations around the franchise included a plan for just two, not three films, according to both Kamins and New Line Cinema producer Mark Ordesky. "It was actually [New Line founder] Bob [Shea's] idea to do three films instead of two. The original pitch was to do two films and Bob goes 'there's three books, why are you only making two films?'" Kamins said, as per The Hollywood Reporter. (ANI)
Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty will be seen playing pranks and shaking-a-leg on the dance reality show 'Dance+ Season 6'. Contestant Shivanshu Soni, who was pranked by him, shares his experience and how he felt when Mithun told him that he is upset with him. He says: "My blood ran cold when Dada pranked me by acting like he was upset with me. To have upset India's biggest star that I was meeting for the very first time, made my heart skip a beat." "But in the end, it was just a prank, and to have him around and be so candid as well was such an honor. We learned so much from him. I am utterly thankful to the makers of the show for getting him on the show and I am hoping I can maybe even work with him someday," adds Shivanshu. The dance reality show, 'Dance+ Season 6' has different teams of contestants with each having a captain including Shakti Mohan, Punit J Pathak, and Salman Yusuff Khan. Choreographer Remo D' Souza is called the super judge on the show. 'Dance+ Season 6' airs on Star Plus. --IANS ila/dc ( 202 Words) 2021-12-17-16:28:01 (IANS)
Variety has confirmed that Netflix wrapped Season 5 production for the holidays ahead of schedule following a number of positive COVID cases.

It's currently unclear exactly how many cases were discovered, but a UK based news outlet, which first reported this, suggests eight crew members were affected.

A spokesperson for the streaming service told Variety, "'The Crown' finished filming one day earlier than planned for the Christmas break following a few positive cases within the team, thus ensuring others' safety and so that everyone on production can enjoy a festive break with their loved ones."

The show is set to resume shooting in early January, though exact dates aren't yet known.

While the winter and Christmas period isn't generally as busy for production in the UK, the 2020 delays due to COVID have shifted the schedule, and productions like 'The Crown' began filming only in July.

Earlier this week, paparazzi had snapped photos of scenes being shot with the show's Tony Blair family. The former British prime minister is played by Bertie Carvel while wife Cherie is portrayed by Lydia Leonard.

Season 5 of 'The Crown' is keenly anticipated following another casting rejig. 'Tenet' star Elizabeth Debicki has stepped into Princess Diana's shoes, while Dominic West plays Prince Charles and Imelda Staunton tackles Queen Elizabeth II. Variety had revealed last month that West's son Senan will play Prince William on the show. (ANI)
The World Health Organisation's (WHO) Regional Office for Europe has urged people to exercise caution this holiday season, as the region is now coping with two highly transmissible coronavirus strains that have the potential to overload the already overburdened health systems. "The European region was the epicentre of the pandemic even before the emergence of Omicron, with surging cases of the Delta variant," Hans Kluge, Regional Director of WHO Europe, said in a statement. According to WHO Europe, the threat posed by Covid-19 is as serious as ever, with the highly transmissible Delta variant dominating throughout the region and the Omicron variant spreading rapidly with uncertain consequences, Xinhua news agency reported. Kluge noted that experience has shown that it is effective to "exercise caution" alongside the "current tools at our disposal," such as vaccines, booster jabs, testing, masks and distancing, which are proven "stabilisers" and enough to "help us to manage the virus and keep people safe." "We have come a long way since 2020. We have seen inspiring examples of solidarity. We know what works. We know how to keep ourselves and others safe. The emergence of Omicron doesn't change that. WHO Europe is in regular contact with experts across the region and will share further information as soon as it is available." Kluge attacked mounting misinformation, most recently seen around the Omicron variant in the region. He urged people to "seek out reliable sources of information that provide advice based on the latest evidence and scientific consensus." --IANS int/khz/ ( 265 Words) 2021-12-17-00:39:15 (IANS)
Fuelled by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, Britain registered a record number of daily coronavirus cases for the second day in a row. A total of 88,376 new cases were reported, up from 78,610 cases 24 hours earlier, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 11,097,851, according to official figures released on Thursday. Another 1,691 Omicron cases have been found in Britain, the biggest daily increase since the Covid-19 variant was detected in the country, taking the total Omicron cases found in the country to 11,708, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed on Wednesday. The country also reported a further 146 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 146,937, with 7,579 Covid-19 patients still in hospital, Xinhua news agency reported. The latest data came as Susan Hopkins, the UKHSA's Chief Medical Adviser, said every person infected with the Omicron Covid variant is believed to be passing it on to between three and five others on average. Hopkins told MPs on the Commons Health Committee that for Omicron, the R value in Britain is between three and five, and the variant is spreading rapidly, doubling in size every two days. The current R value of the Delta epidemic in Britain is estimated to be between 1.1 and 1.2. England's Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty has advised people to prioritise events that matter to them in the run-up to Christmas. Whitty said the record for daily hospital admissions for Covid could be broken in the coming weeks, urging people not to "mix with people you don't have to." It is likely that Covid-19 vaccines and anti-viral drugs will do "almost all of the heavy lifting" when it comes to tackling future strains -- unless they are "extremely different," he added. Meanwhile, scores of schools and colleges across Britain are closing early for Christmas, while others are preparing for further disruption and possible closures in 2022 as the Omicron variant sweeps the country. The BBC reported that schools in at least 30 local authorities in England have moved teaching online during the last week of term. More than 89 per cent of people aged 12 years and above in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 81 per cent have received both doses, according to the latest figures. More than 44 per cent have received booster jabs, or the third dose of a coronavirus vaccine. To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the US have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. --IANS int/khz/ ( 453 Words) 2021-12-17-02:50:42 (IANS)
The coronavirus pandemic caused a 50 per cent drop in tourist arrivals in Cyprus in 2021 compared to 2019, the last year before the onset of Covid-19, Deputy Tourism Minister Savvas Perdios has said. The drop dealt a serious blow to the economy of the eastern Mediterranean island, as the tourism and travel sector contributed 22.7 per cent to its gross domestic product (GDP), which totaled 21.1 billion euros ($23.9 billion) in 2019. In 2019, tourist arrivals reached nearly four million, contributing about 2.7 billion euros to the economy, Xinhua news agency reported. Tourism's contribution to the economy in 2021 was estimated at between 55 per cent and 60 per cent of tourism income in 2019, Perdios added. "Given the pandemic circumstances, income from tourism this year was satisfactory," he said. The current outlook for the tourism sector in 2022 was satisfactory, he added. "However, the onset of the highly infectious Omicron mutation of Covid-19 has raised several questions, which cannot be answered right now," Perdios said. Cypriot health authorities have embarked on an all-out effort to delay as long as possible the spread of the Omicron variant following the identification of the first five cases earlier in December in a secondary school. All 500 students of the school have been tested, with no more cases detected. However, the authorities are concerned over the expected arrival of several hundred university students from abroad, mostly from the United Kingdom, for the Christmas and New Year holidays. Cyprus demands a SafePass and a negative PCR test for coronavirus from all travelers, which must be obtained before embarkation, and has additionally made a second test mandatory three days after arrival. The authorities are also gearing up their vaccination program, targeting unvaccinated people and children aged between five and 12 years. Till date, over 81 per cent of the country's adult population have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. --IANS int/khz/ ( 332 Words) 2021-12-17-03:36:12 (IANS)
Tele-dentistry is likely to become more mainstream in the coming years as it offers easy and safe access to dental care. The significance of oral health as part of our overall health is often overlooked. Visiting a dentist has never been a top priority for most people in India and there's also a tendency to put off things until the very last minute when things get dire. It only got worse at the beginning of the pandemic as people were apprehensive to step out, avoiding any kind of exposure to the coronavirus. Tele-dentistry has come as a boom in this sphere and has the potential to change the dental health landscape in India. The advent of teledentistry enabled people to get the help that they needed without being physically present at a dental clinic. As per the recent report by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, dental practices that set up telehealth services were able to remotely evaluate patients, share recommendations, provide problem-focused and urgent care evaluations, offer pharmacological management, and even follow up on emergency care. As per the data, about 65 per cent of dental visits are for post-treatment consultation or second opinion. Tele-dentistry can play a major role in this aspect and provide access to quality care right at their home via a video call. It also saved them the hassle and time that a physical visit would have required. Commenting on this trend, Mr Harminder Singh Multani, CEO of MyDentalPlan Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. said, "The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital technologies in all the fields and dentistry is no exception. The awareness level of people has improved and a lot more emphasis is being laid on overall wellbeing. This has resulted in improvement in oral wellness. With the help of facilities like video consultations and online record-keeping, there has been a significant change in the way people approach dentistry. As per our estimates, 7 out of 10 people prefer to get on a call with their doctor to have a quick consultation for even the smallest inconvenience and this is where tele-dentistry sits well." He added that the trend of getting a second opinion has become more prevalent in the last decade and it has become even more significant since COVID-19 hit. Another important advantage that teledentistry offered is that it cut through the location barriers and enabled everyone to have access to quality treatment. As per the norms set by World Health Organization (WHO), it is ideal to have at least one qualified dentist to serve a population of 7,500. In India, there are scores of rural areas that have to travel long distances to get quality treatment even in case of an emergency. Not just the rural masses but there are some states that are struggling to get access to quality treatment. A case in point is Jammu and Kashmir. As per Indian Dental Association J&K Branch Report, in Jammu & Kashmir, there is only one qualified dentist for a population of 28,000. All these challenges can be tackled easily with the help of virtual consultations. As we step into 2022, it is expected that teledentistry will become more mainstream as an increased number of people will make use of technology to get the treatment that they need. Even from a dental provider point of view, teledentistry makes a lot of practical sense. The cost of setup is minimal and it enables them to have access to a greater number of patients. (ANI)
Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine is 90 per cent effective at preventing Covid-19 illness, according to results from a Phase 3 clinical trial. In addition to being highly effective in preventing Covid illness of any severity, the vaccine was 100 per cent effective in preventing moderate and severe disease that required hospitalisation, revealed the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. For the trial, the team from University of Maryland included nearly 30,000 adult volunteers at 113 clinical sites in the US and six sites in Mexico. Approximately 20,000 participants received two doses of the vaccine spaced three weeks apart and 10,000 received placebos. The trial was conducted during the first few months of 2021, and tested only against Alpha variant, which was the predominant circulating strain. Most side effects were mild to moderate and transient. Fever was very rare. The most common side effects in the vaccine recipients included pain and tenderness at the injection site, headache, muscle aches and fatigue that lasted a day on average. None of the recipients developed serious reactions like heart inflammation (myocarditis) or blood clots. "Our study results indicate that this vaccine is highly efficacious and very safe. In addition, this vaccine has many attractive features," said Karen Kotloff, Professor of Paediatrics at the varsity's School of Medicine. "It is made from a small piece of protein, like many currently licensed vaccines in the US and has convenient refrigerator storage requirements, so it will be an important addition to the Covid-19 vaccine portfolio, in the US and in countries where supply is lacking," Kotloff added. Novavax is also a partner of Pune-based Serum Institute of India. The vaccine NVX-CoV2373 is already being locally manufactured by the company under the brand name Covovax - its vaccine for children aged above 3 years. It will be launched in the next six months, SII CEO Adar Poonawalla has said. Covavax is currently under trial and has shown excellent results down to the age of 3 years, Poonawalla said. --IANS rvt/vd ( 348 Words) 2021-12-17-16:46:31 (IANS)
In his address here, the Chief Minister said that Christians would be given due representation in the state government boards.

He said the problem of graveyards would be resolved in the districts where the community has a presence.

"The land for graveyards would be provided where it is not available but the community has a sizeable presence," said Channi, adding a community hall would be constructed in each district in order to enable the community to hold functions there.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on the occasion extended warm greetings to the community and advocated following the teachings of Lord Jesus Christ.

On the occasion, Cabinet Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa extending his good wishes said that every religion and their spiritual leaders emphasize upon the principles of mutual coexistence and universal brotherhood.

Lauding the Christian community, he said it has contributed a lot in the health and education sectors and the religion has spread throughout the globe due to its selfless nature.

--IANS vg/pgh

( 211 Words)

2021-12-16-20:57:29 (IANS)
The Supreme Court has consistently not agreed to proposals for setting up its benches outside Delhi, the Parliament was told on Thursday. Law Minister Kiren Rijiju's response came on a question in the Lok Sabha by Telugu Desam Party member Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar in connection with huge pendency of cases before the Supreme Court and various high courts. Kumar also sought to know whether the government has any proposal for setting up four regional appellate courts to reduce the pendency of cases in high courts and also the Supreme Court. According to the Law Ministry, there are 69,855 cases pending in Supreme Court as on December 6, and 56,41,212 cases pending in various high courts as on December 10. Rijiju, in a written response, said there have been demands, from time to time, to set up benches of the Supreme Court in different parts of the country. He added that as per Article 130 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court shall sit in Delhi or in such other place or places as the Chief Justice of India may, with the approval of the President, from time to time, appoint. "The Supreme Court has consistently not agreed for setting up benches of the Supreme Court outside Delhi. The above recommendation of setting up of Benches was referred to the Chief Justice of India for consideration in 2007," he said. "The Chief Justice of India, in his letter dated August 12, 2007, informed that after consideration of the matter, the full Court, in its meeting held on August 7, 2007, found no justification for deviating from its earlier resolution on the subject and unanimously resolved that the recommendation made by the Committee cannot be accepted," added the response. The response cited that 229th Law Commission report suggesting that a constitutional bench be set up at Delhi and four cassation benches be set up in the Northern region at Delhi, the Southern region at Chennai/Hyderabad, the Eastern region at Kolkata, and the Western region at Mumbai. "In this regard, the then Chief Justice of India informed that after consideration of the matter, the Full Court in its meeting held on February 18, 2010 found no justification for setting of Benches of the Supreme Court outside Delhi. There is a Writ Petition No. 36 of 2016 filed in the Supreme Court of India on the subject of establishment of National Court of Appeal and the matter is sub judice in the Court," added the response. Regarding High Courts, Rijiju added: "Requests for establishment of High Court Benches in places other than the Principal Seat of High Courts have been received from various organisations from time to time. However, at present there is no complete proposal pending with the Government." Recently, the government's top law officer, Attorney General K.K. Venugopal had said that there should be four appellate courts for hearing appeals which cannot be challenged further, and the Supreme Court should only hear constitutional matters. --IANS ss/vd ( 508 Words) 2021-12-16-21:46:32 (IANS)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday filed a supplementary chargesheet against three Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) terrorists for their alleged involvement in the killing of Shaurya Chakra Awarded Comrade Balwinder Singh Sandhu in Punjab's Taran Taran. "The supplementary chargesheet was filed against Navpreet Singh alias Nav, Harbhinder Singh and Gurwinder Singh. The court will take the cognisance of the chargesheet on the next date of hearing. The chargesheet was filed in a special Mohali court ," said an NIA official. According to the information, in 2010, Balwinder Singh was shot dead allegedly by the accused. Singh, who won Shaurya Chakra, for fighting terrorism in Punjab, used to run a school from his residence in Bhikhiwind district of Tarn Taran. He was attacked at his house by the accused who fled from the crime scene after murdering him. Initially an FIR under sections 120B (conspiracy), 201 (destroying evidence), 212 (harbouring offender), 302 (murder) of the IPC and Sections 25 (1B) and 27 of the Arms Act, and Sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) was registered at Bhikhieind Police Station. Later, in 2021, the probe of the matter was transferred to NIA which re-registered the case and started the investigation. The NIA had on April 4, 2021, filed a chargesheet against the eight accused. "We earlier filed a chargesheet against Chand Kumar alias Bhatia, Rajbir Singh alias Raja, Rakesh Kumar, Manpreet Singh alias Manni, Jobanjeet Singh alias Joban, Kirpal Singh, Sunny and Ravinder Singh alias Gian," said an NIA official. The NIA had found in the probe that the accused conducted recee of the house of the victim. The three alleged terrorists against whom the chargesheet was filed on Thursday, had provided logistics help and shelter to the shooters. As per their plan, the accused who were riding on a bike, opened indiscriminately fire at the house of Sandhu in which he was killed. The investigation has revealed the the role of foreign based Khalistani entities. NIA said that they were still probing the matter and a second supplementary was likely in the matter. --IANS atk/pgh ( 357 Words) 2021-12-16-21:48:23 (IANS)
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said the state government would take all the necessary measures to provide a stable market and price for weavers' products. Speaking at the event, Bommai, said, "Various government departments would be asked to procure their need for clothes and sarees from the weavers in accordance with the capacity of the weavers. Specific quantum would be fixed for this. Marketing facilities on digital platforms too would be provided for handloom products through Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation." The minister also said that a positive response soon on subsidy for professional weavers on the lines of Tribal Sub Plan in consultation with the finance department. The Chief Minister also said, "The state government is mulling to impose a small cess on business units to provide various welfare schemes for weavers on the lines of Construction Workers Welfare Board." Bommai instructed the Revenue department officials to take action on converting unauthorized habitations into Revenue villages or colonies. He instructed the Pollution Control Board officials to take action to avoid harassment of weavers. The Chief Minister agreed to the demand of providing scholarships for students from weaver's families, medical facilities for weavers, and payment of a solarium of Rs5 lakh for families of that weaver who committed suicide during the COVID-19 lockdown. (ANI)
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik distributed the appointment letters to the newly-recruited teachers at an orientation programme held at the Kalinga Stadium here.

Under the 5T high school transformation programme, schools are getting state-of-the-art facilities with smart classrooms, e-library, modern laboratory, improved sanitation, and playground, Patnaik said.

"Till now, 1,075 schools have been transformed in the first phase and our objective is to transform all the government and aided schools in the state in a phased manner," he said.

"I hope you (teachers) will be happy to avail the digital ecosystem in your schools. While witnessing the transformation of physical infrastructure in the schools, you will be the real soul of our education ecosystem," the Chief Minister said.

--IANS bbm/arm

( 155 Words)

2021-12-16-22:11:19 (IANS)
A one-year-old child who fell in a 15 feet borewell in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday has been rescued after an almost six-hours-long operation. The infant has been hospitalized and her condition is 'stable' right now. "Rescue operation went on from around 4 pm (Thursday) till 12:30 am (Friday). The condition of the child is stable right now. We ensured oxygen supplies through cylinder while the child was stuck inside the borewell," said RS Prajapati, Doctor. In the rescue operation, Army personnel had also extended their hands to local police and district administration. According to the mother, she had left the infant with other kids to play in an open area in the afternoon. "Soon a child came and informed me that my child has fallen into the borewell. As soon as I came back here I heard her crying. I called everyone nearby and informed them about the incident. Officials came in and started the rescue operation," Ramsakhi Kushwaha, child's mother had said earlier. (ANI)
Protest demonstrations were also held in front of the bank branches in many cities across the region by the striking employees.

Leaders of the striking employees claimed that the response on the first day of the two-day bank strike was very good in all the eight northeastern states.

The strike was called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU).

UFBU leader Sanjay Datta said that they want that the government not move the Bank Privatisation Bill (Banking Laws Amendment Bill, 2021) during the ongoing winter session of the Parliament.

The government had in Budget 2021-22 announced its intent to take up privatisation of two more public sector banks (PSBs) during the year.

"The bank strike is not in the interest of the employees alone... the agitation is to protest policies of the Central government and to protect the Indian banks from so-called reforms," Datta said.

He said that PSBs are implementing all government schemes including Jan-Dhan Yojana, social sector insurance scheme and Mudra schemes, meant for the economically and socially backward sections of the society.

The banking employees have also been protesting the outsourcing of non-core activities by the authorities.

--IANS sc/vd

( 231 Words)

2021-12-16-22:32:13 (IANS)
Nine years have passed since the barbaric gang rape of a 22-year-old trainee physiotherapist, leading to her agonising death, but the Delhi Police officer, who cracked the case, still remembers her key and detailed testimony, despite her "bad state", that helped to nab the perpetrators. Nirbhaya, as the woman that was brutally raped on December 16, 2012 was referred, finally got justice on March 20, 2020, her surviving rapists -- Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma, Akshay Thakur, and Pawan Gupta -- were executed at Tihar Jail. Another accused, Ram Singh, had committed suicide in jail, while the juvenile has served his sentence and was released. In an interview to IANS, Chhaya Sharma, the then DCP, South District, who solved the case in just 24 hours, recalled details about the horrific incident that shook the collective conscience of all the people in the country, and how the police managed to track down and apprehend the accused. Sharma, a 1999-batch IPS officer, who was recently posted as the Joint Commissioner of Polic, Economic Offences Wing (EOW), also has the credit for solving the high-profile murder case of liquor baron Ponty Chadha and the Deepak Bharadwaj murder case. Following are excerpts of the interview. Q: Tell us about the time when you first met Nirbhaya? A: What I saw was a confident girl.. She was in a bad state and despite being in such a condition, she was able to tell us details which mattered. She remained calm and narrated the entire dreadful episode with confidence. She was even able to inspire a sense of confidence in us. She told me, 'Madam, Chhodna Nahi (Don't let them off)'. These words filled me with extreme confidence. I can rightly say that she was an epitome of courage. Q: What were the biggest hurdles that you faced while investigating the Nirbhaya gangrape case? And how did you tackle them? A: When we initiated the investigation, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. In most of the cases, the victim knows the perpetrator, however, it was different in this case. She didn't know any of the six sadists, but however, provided every minute detail about them. Collecting all the minute details, first, we acquired a list of 370 white buses registered with the RTO after which several teams were deployed searching that bus. And finally we found it. Moreover it was God's mercy that the two victims -- Nirbhaya and her male friend -- survived the onslaught at that time and helped us find the culprits. Q: Justice delayed is justice denied. Do you think justice was delayed to Nirbhaya? A: It was a long run to get justice. Though it took 8 years, but I am happy that she got justice. Sometimes I felt depressed after seeing her parents on the TV, craving for justice for her deceased daughter. The convicts got the right punishment. I took time, but I am happy that justice was delivered. Q: Demonstrations were going on throughout the national capital at that time. Did you feel there was public pressure in quickly solving the case? A: Our work was to probe the incident. We were only answerable to the court of law. Most cases are quickly solved by Delhi Police and it is one of the most professional forces to work in. (Ujwal Jalali can be reached at ujwal.j@ians.in) --IANS uj/vd ( 580 Words) 2021-12-16-22:54:22 (IANS)
Police said the elderly woman was killed by her domestic help in Lal Bazar area of Srinagar.

The domestic help, belonging to Uttarakhand, also stole some cash and jewellery from the house, police said.

"The accused attacked the elderly lady with a knife. She succumbed to her injuries," an officer said.

The accused as Omprakash Sah, 21, was intercepted and arrested at Tikri on the Srinagar-Jammu highway while on way to Jammu, police said.

The stolen cash and jewellery has been recovered from the accused, a police source said.

--IANS sq/vd

( 129 Words)

2021-12-16-23:06:22 (IANS)
"The Prime Minister will meet party MPs from Uttar Pradesh tomorrow on breakfast. Total 40 MPs are invited," a source said.

The Prime Minister had inaugurated Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, on Monday. He chaired a meeting of BJP chief ministers and deputy chief ministers on "good governance practices" in Varanasi on Tuesday.

Uttar Pradesh is slated to go for polls early next year.

In the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party bagged 312 seats out of the 403-seat Uttar Pradesh Assembly while Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 47 seats, Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) won 19 and Congress could manage to win only seven seats. The rest of the seats were bagged by other candidates. (ANI)
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar on Thursday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent remarks on Hindu and Hindutvavadis and said Gandhi's knowledge and concept on the subject are "very poor." Speaking to media after the Christmas celebration program in the national capital, Kumar said, "Without Hindutva, a Hindu cannot remain a living being. By drawing a distinction between the terms Hindu and Hindutva, he has separated the body from its soul. He has very poor knowledge and concept." Addressing a rally in Rajasthan, Gandhi on Sunday had said India is a country of Hindus and not 'Hindutvavadis'. Congress leader said that 'Hindutvavadis' only want power and they are in power since 2014 and urged people to throw Hindutvavadis out of power and bring back Hindus who follow the path of truth. Speaking at the Mehangai Hatao Rally here, the Wayanad MP said, "Hindutvavadis spend their entire life in search of power. They want nothing but power and can do anything for it. They follow the path of 'Sattagrah' (search of power), not 'Satyagrah' (search of truth). This country is of Hindus, not of Hindutvavadis." "Hindutvavadis only want power and they are in power since 2014. We need to throw these Hindutvavadis out of power and bring back Hindus," he said. "Who is Hindu? The one who embraces everybody fears nobody, and respects every religion, while a Hindutvavadi bow down before his fear," Rahul Gandhi said. "In Indian politics today, there is a competition between two worlds -- 'Hindu' and 'Hindutvavadi'. The two words have different meanings. I am Hindu but not Hindutvavadi... Mahatma Gandhi was a Hindu but Godse was Hindutavadi," he added. (ANI)
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday said that everyone was pained by Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra Teni's behaviour but ultimately a decision on his continuing in the chair would have to be taken by the BJP. While speaking to the media after the first day of the winter session of Jharkhand's Assembly, Soren said, "The minister should be asked what is his morality. Even the Prime Minister should be asked in such a situation who should take the decision. Ministers are saying that the matter is 'sub judice', then they should also clarify if the suspension of the Union minister for such behaviour should also be decided by a court or the government. His behaviour is well-known." The Chief Minister further said that not only the media but everyone was pained by such behaviour of the minister. "We all are pained by the behaviour of the minister. But ultimately a decision on his continuing in the chair would have to be taken by the BJP," said Soren. Earlier on Wednesday, MoS Home lost his temper and hurled abuses at a journalist when asked about charges against his son Ashish, who is in jail in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident that took place on October 3. In a video, the minister who was attending an event in his constituency here in north-central Uttar Pradesh is seen losing his cool and can be heard saying that media persons "are thieves" who make "false allegations" which leads to arrests of "innocent people." A visibly irked minister was also seen attempting to hit the journalist but is prevented by people around him. Notably, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case on Tuesday termed the Lakhimpur violence that led to the death of eight people as "a pre-planned conspiracy". Local farmers had blamed Ajay Kumar Mishra 'Teni' and his son Ashish for the violence that claimed the lives of four farmers and a local journalist among others during a farmers' protest. Allegedly, they were mowed down by a vehicle that was part of the convoy of the minister in Lakhimpur Kheri. Videos were being circulated on social media, where a Mahindra Thar was seen knocking down protesters from behind. The minister and his son have denied the charges. Ashish Mishra and several others have been booked for murder. The development comes as Opposition leaders clamour for the dismissal of the minister from his post over the violence. (ANI)
Earlier, the Surat city police had filed the chargesheet in a record time of 13 days, following which the court ordered, Dinesh Dashrath Besane, the convict, to pay Rs 15 lakh as compensation to the victim's family.

Besane had lured the minor girl by tempting her with a 'vada pav' while she was playing near her house on December 7, 2020, and raped her in a deserted location.

After that, Besane killed the child by hitting her with a brick several times and fled the spot. The post-mortem report showed about 47 injury marks on her body.

This is the second death sentence handed down by a Surat court under the POSCO Act in the last 10 days. On December 7, a 35-year-old man was sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a 2-year-old girl.

--IANS amc/arm

( 193 Words)

2021-12-17-00:10:45 (IANS)
The last rites of Group Captain Varun Singh, who was the lone survivor of the Tamil Nadu chopper crash and succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday, will be performed on Friday in Bhopal. The ritual will be performed at around 11 am. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday had said that Singh's last rites will be performed with full state and military honour. Earlier on Thursday, the mortal remains of Singh reached the Bhopal airport from Bengaluru where he was admitted to the Command Hospital. The Group Captain, who was battling for life since December 8 and was on life support, succumbed to his injuries in the afternoon on Wednesday, a week after the Mi-17V5 helicopter crash near Tamil Nadu's Coonoor on December 8, in which Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 armed forces personnel were killed. He was undergoing treatment at Wellington's Military Hospital and was later shifted to Air Force Command Hospital in Bengaluru where he passed away on Wednesday. His mortal remains were airlifted to Bhopal today. The Madhya Pradesh government has announced financial compensation of Rs 1 crore to the next of kin of Group Captain. Group Captain belongs to Bhopal and graduated from the National Defence Academy in 2003. He was commissioned as a fighter pilot in 2004 and mainly flew Jaguars and Tejas during his flying career. He was an experimental test pilot and was conferred with the Shaurya Chakra on August 15 this year. He was posted to Defence Services Staff College as an instructor when he passed away. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. (ANI)
Election commission has zero tolerance towards abuse of money, power or government machinery, said Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra after taking note of poll preparedness ahead of 2022 Punjab Assembly polls. "The District Officers have been instructed to monitor expenditure sensitive constituencies and ensure comprehensive, coordinated actions. Conducting inducement free and ethical elections is of prime importance for the Election Commission of India," said Chandra. Chief Election Commissioner met security personnel's in the state to discuss concerns around electoral offences including the use of drugs and the law and order situation. "The enforcement agencies have been asked to step up their vigil to ensure that inter-state and cross border movement of drugs, liquor and cash is effectively checked," said CEC. "The Commission has reviewed the concerns cited about law and order situation with the District Magistrates and Police Officers. Concerned officials have been directed to ensure speedy execution of Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) and speedy disposal of pending cases of the electoral offences from last elections," he said. "Adequate CAPF and experienced observers would be deputed to oversee smooth conduct of free and fair elections in the state," CEC added. The commission has also instructed parties and candidates to make sure that the criminal record of candidates gets published on TV channels, newspapers and party websites. "Emphasis is given on mandatory publicity of Criminal antecedents. As reiterated by Commission, instructions have been issued that candidates will have to advertise thrice in newspapers and TV Channels during the Campaign period," said Chandra. "Now, it is also mandatory for political parties to publicize in the newspaper, social media and upload on their website detailed information regarding individuals with pending criminal cases selected as candidates, along with the reason for such selection, as also why other individuals without criminal antecedents could not be selected as candidates," it added. A high-level team of the ECI was on a two-day visit to Chandigarh to take stock of poll preparedness in the state. The team comprised CEC Sushil Chandra, Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey. The Commission's team also comprised three Deputy Election Commissioners, Chandra Bhushan Kumar, Nitesh Vyas and T Sreekanth, besides Director-General Sheyphali B Sharan. Chief Electoral Officer Punjab Dr S Karuna Raju received the full commission at the Mohali Airport and warm reception was accorded at the meeting venue in Chandigarh. In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, Congress won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years. Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the second-largest party winning 20 seats in 117member Punjab Legislative Assembly. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) could only manage to win 15 seats while the BJP secured 3 seats. (ANI)
In yet another scathing indictment of terror haven and toxic state Pakistan, the US State Department has released its country reports on 'Terrorism 2020', in which it slammed Pakistan, saying it has made limited progress to counter-terrorism. Fulminating against Pakistan, the State Department said unequivocally that it has not taken steps to prosecute terrorist leaders such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) founder Masood Azhar and Lashkar-e-Toiba's (LeT) Sajid Mir, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The report added that groups targeting Afghanistan -- including the Afghan Taliban and affiliated Haqqani Network, as well as groups targeting India, including LeT and its affiliated front organisations, and JeM -- continued to operate from Pakistani territory. The report said, "Pakistan made additional progress in 2020 toward completing its Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Action Plan, but did not complete all Action Plan items, and remained on the FATF 'grey list'," and read further, " The government and military acted inconsistently with respect to terrorist safe havens throughout the country. Authorities did not take sufficient action to dismantle certain terrorist groups." --IANS khz/ ( 187 Words) 2021-12-17-01:18:30 (IANS)
After more than 10-hour long effort by police and the State Disaster Emergency Reserve Force (SDERF), a one-and-half-year-old girl was rescued from an 80-feet deep borewell in Madhya Pradesh on Friday. The girl had fallen in the borewell at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday and was rescued at 1 a.m. on Friday. "Rescue operation successful. Baby girl rescued safely from borewell and rushed to the hospital for medical treatment," said a tweet from Chhatarpur District Collector. The incident occurred at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday in Naugaon police station in Chhatarpur district, nearly 350 km away from Madhya Pradesh's capital Bhopal. The girl was identified as Divyanshi. Divyanshi had fallen into an 80-feet deep borewell, which was uncovered at a field where she had gone with her mother. As per police, the mother was busy working at the field and the girl was playing at some distance away. After few minuets, the mother noticed that Divyanshi was not there and the former started searching for her daughter. After few minutes of search, she heard some sound coming from a borewell located nearby. Hearing the mother's loud crying, people nearby rushed to the spot, but they were helpless to do anything to rescue the girl so they alerted the local police. The police rushed to the spot immediately and the rescue operation was started. Police noticed that Divyanshi was stuck around 15-feet depth of the 80-feet deep borewell. However, she was alive and soon oxygen support was provided to her. Meanwhile, the district administration was informed about the incident. Later, a SDERF team from Gwalior district also reached the spot and joined the rescue operation with technical equipments. The rescue team then inserted a CCTC camera to capture the movement of the girl and found that the girl was alive. At same time, rescue team started digging a hole using a couple of JCB machines parallel to the borewell. Amid the rescue operation continued, the girl's family members and locals gathered at the spot and continued to pray for her safety. "The girl was crying till next few hours, but later she stopped. Fortunately, she was alive as her movement was live through CCTC, which kept encouraging rescue team to continue the operation," a police official told IANS. --IANS pd/khz/ ( 395 Words) 2021-12-17-02:14:11 (IANS)
According to sources, Congress, which is an alliance partner in the ruling coalition led by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, is unhappy with the government over several issues. Rashtriya Janata Dal is the third partner in the coalition.

Meanwhile, Congress MLAs held a separate meeting at state minister Alamgir Alam's residence who is also the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader.

Speaking to ANI, Pradeep Yadav, deputy leader of CLP in the Assembly, said, "Yesterday a meeting of Congress legislators was called by CLP in which only a few members were present. Again a meeting was held which extended for a long time. I am not authorized to say anything beyond this." (ANI)
Chattopadhyaya has been given an additional charge and has replaced Iqbal Preet Sahota, added the press release.

"In place of Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota, IPS (PB:1988) Special DGP Armed Bn, Jalandhar, Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, IPS (PB:1986) DGP, PSPCL, Patiala shall look after the work of Director General of Police, Punjab (HoPF) in addition to his present duties until a fresh appointment is made to the post of Director General of Police, Punjab (HoPF) as per the prescribed procedure," said the statement.

Sahota was given the additional charge of Director General of Police in September this year. (ANI)
As many as five members of a 'solver gang' were arrested by the Noida Police for allegedly impersonating candidates in various government recruitment exams, said the police on Thursday. Ranvijay Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), said, "The gang had impersonated as many as 12 to 15 candidates in the government recruitment examinations. Similarly, the gang had impersonated a candidate in Staff Selection Commission (SSC) (GD constable) exam which was conducted on Wednesday at Sector 62-Noida that comes under the purview of Section 58 police station." The officer said, "The police charged Rs 6 to 7 lakh from each candidate to forge their documents and appear for the recruitment exams. The gang has appeared for around 12-15 candidates in various government recruitment examinations, including SSC, Indian Coast Guard, Allahabad High Court recruitment exams, HSSC, Central Airmen Selection Board, UPSESSB TGT exams, etc." The police have recovered half a dozen mobile phones, 70 fake entry cards, two cars and cash from the gang, who has been working for the past three years. The five arrested persons are Lalit, Anil Kumar, Yashveer Singh, Rohit and Rakesh, while the main accused, Harshit, is absconding, all from Aligarh district. Further investigation is underway. (ANI)
A Delhi based NGO on Friday filed a complaint against KR Ramesh, Congress MLA in Karnataka Assembly, on his "rape" remark with the Governor of Karnataka to take legal action and disqualify him as MLA. The complaint requested Karnataka Governor to take strict legal action against Ramesh and further disqualify him as a member of the Karnataka Assembly for his insensitive and offensive remark against women which is against the Constitution as his comment hampers the right to live with the dignity of women, stated the complaint. The Society for Securing Justice, NGO through its vice president Vineet Jindal, a lawyer, on Friday filed a complaint with Thaver Chand Gahelot, Governor of Karnataka against Congress MLA Ramesh for allegedly making disgraceful and derogatory remarks against women. The Congress MLA had stoked controversy in the Assembly on Thursday by saying "when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it." The complaint further states that, "this offensive, outrageous, and disgusting alleged remark by the MLA reflects his pessimistic outlook towards women. It is ignominy for a progressive and empowered society like ours that such kind of statement has been used in Assembly by MLA's in a very insensitive manner." KR Ramesh's comment is condemnable and offending to women's dignity and honour and completely unacceptable. The representatives, if fail to exemplify the respect for the laws then what could be expected from the others who are meant to abide by them, it added. The complaint also stated that it is a matter of great shame for our nation where women are treated as divine souls and endless endeavours have been carried out by our government for women empowerment, the situation in the state assembly of Karnataka shows a pitiable and pathetic picture of the status of women with the said remark by KR Ramesh, while it was to be objected there and then only but rather it was a matter of mockery in the Assembly. It is ironic that the laws are created in these Assemblies to protect the rights of the citizen to secure their right to live with dignity and the MLAs who are a part of lawmaking are not sensitive to the rights of women. This event is very disappointing for all the people of the country and especially the women population, the complaint read. (ANI)
Their samples have been sent for genome sequencing to know whether they are infected with Omicron variant or not for which the reports are awaited, added the health minister.

"Three patients tested positive from a flight that arrived today morning from the UK. Their samples have been sent for genome sequencing, reports awaited," tweeted Rane.

Earlier on Thursday, Karnataka reported five more cases of the new variant of COVID-19, Omicron, taking the tally to eight. (ANI)
Stating that India needs evolution and not revolution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the need to preserve heritage buildings while moving towards technological upgradation. Addressing the inauguration of the All India Mayors' Conference, PM Modi said, "We should believe in evolution. India does not need revolution today. We don't need to demolish our heritage buildings and reconstruct them rather we need to rejuvenate them and move towards technological upgradation. I want all the Mayors to take an initiative to bring their city to the top of the cleanest city list." The Prime Minister further suggested starting beautification competitions in cities to promote cleanliness and beautification across the country. "Can we start a ward beautification competition in every city? This will promote a feeling of cleanliness and beautification across the country. Every city needs to set-up its own jury," said PM Modi. "Most of the cities in our country are traditional cities, developed in a traditional way. In this era of modernization, the antiquity of these cities is equally important," added the Prime Minister. Stressing on the cleanliness of the rivers, Prime Minister also suggested celebrating river festival every seven days a year. PM Modi said, "We should celebrate river festival in our city for 7 days every year. Add the whole city to it. In this festival, the focus should be on the cleanliness of the river, its specialty." "Tourists from all over the world come to the Ganga Ghat of Kashi. Mata Ganga has a great contribution in running the economy of Kashi. We all have to take a sensitive approach towards the river in our cities," added the Prime Minister. PM Modi also urged the Mayors to encourage public participation in keeping their cities clean and healthy, and thereby contribute to their development. "Our city should be clean and healthy too, this should be our effort The development of the city should be done through public participation. People's participation should be emphasized," said PM Modi. "I am looking at the All India Mayors Conference program being held in Kashi with many possibilities. On one hand the world's oldest city like Banaras and on the other hand the outline of the modern cities of modern India. All mayors would like to contribute to their societies in a major way. I'm certain all of you are working in that direction," added the Prime Minister. Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Puri participated via video-conferencing while Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was physically present at the conference. The Conference has been organized by the Department of Urban Development of Uttar Pradesh in Varanasi. Mayors from various states across the country are participating in the conference. (ANI)
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Friday with an announcement from the Chair to meet at 11 am on Monday, citing a decision taken in a meeting held earlier in the day with the government and opposition leaders. The meeting was held earlier in the day to find a solution regarding the uproar created in the House by the Opposition parties in previous days. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu made the announcement soon after the House assembled for the day at 11 am and papers were laid on the table as well as government mentioned the business for next week. Reading a statement, Naidu said: "Today, I talked to the Leader of the House and Opposition party members to conduct smooth and peaceful proceedings in the House..." Naidu said it was discussed in the meeting to find a solution to the issue being raised by the Opposition parties and maintain peace and smooth functioning during House proceedings. Subsequently, the Rajya Sabha Chairman adjourned the House till 11 am on Monday (December 20). In previous days the House faced disruption on various issues, especially over the revocation of suspension of 12 MPs. The Rajya Sabha was on Thursday adjourned for the day in its second adjournment during the day over Opposition uproar over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and sought resignation from Minister of State from Home Ajay Mishra Teni over his jailed son Ashish Mishra, who is accused of running over farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri. The opposition then demanded for Mishra's sacking from the Union Cabinet have become louder after a Special Investigation Team report said the killing of farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 was a "planned conspiracy". The farmers were crushed, allegedly by an SUV driven by Ashish Mishra, "with intent to commit murder" and it was "not death by negligence", the report said. On October 3, eight people, including four protesting farmers, died after being mowed down by an SUV allegedly belonging to Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish Mishra. Besides, the major reason behind adjournments of the House and disruption in its proceedings was Opposition parties' demanding to revoke the suspension of 12 MPs from the House. In a move that angered the Opposition and set the stage for acrimonious exchanges, a dozen members of Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha were suspended from the winter session on the very first day on Monday following a motion brought in by the government. The members were suspended for alleged unruly conduct towards the end of the monsoon session in August when marshals were called after Opposition members stormed the Well of the House during the passage of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021. The suspended members comprise six from the Congress, two each from Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena, and one each from CPI and CPM: Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain and Akhilesh Prasad Singh of Congress; Dola Sen, Shanta Chhetri of Trinamool Congress; Priyanka Chaturvedi, Anil Desai of Shiv Sena; Elamaram Kareem of CPM; and, Binoy Viswam of CPI. All the suspended 12 MPs used to sit near Mahatma Gandhi statue inside the Parliament premises since they were suspended from the House, and the Opposition parties have been relentlessly disrupting House proceedings every day over the issue barring a few occasions. (ANI)
Senior Congress leader KR Ramesh Kumar on Friday apologized on the floor of Karnataka Assembly for his remark "to enjoy rape when it is inevitable". On Thursday, Ramesh Kumar, a former Assembly Speaker, had said, "There is a saying that when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That is exactly the position in which you are." This statement had created uproar in the country, with many demanding his sacking as an MLA and protest in the state Assembly. While speaking in the Assembly on Friday, he said, "... I don't want to be defensive. Whatever I have said last night, if it hurts anybody's sentiment, I would like to apologize for the statement. I don't have any ego issues. I respect everybody. We all are here to uphold the dignity of the Assembly." He further said, "I want to issue an unconditional apology to everybody who has been hurt by my remark." Quoting Chinese philosopher Confucius, the MLA said, "To own a mistake ends up in a single mistake, to deny a mistake amounts to multiple mistakes." (ANI)
Earlier on Thursday, the mortal remains of Singh reached the Bhopal airport from Bengaluru where he was admitted to the Command Hospital.

The Group Captain, who was battling for life since December 8 and was on life support, succumbed to his injuries in the afternoon on Wednesday, a week after the Mi-17V5 helicopter crash near Tamil Nadu's Coonoor on December 8, in which Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 armed forces personnel were killed.

He was undergoing treatment at Wellington's Military Hospital and was later shifted to Air Force Command Hospital in Bengaluru where he passed away on Wednesday. His mortal remains were airlifted to Bhopal today.

The Madhya Pradesh government has announced financial compensation of Rs 1 crore to the next of kin of Group Captain.

Group Captain belongs to Bhopal and graduated from the National Defence Academy in 2003. He was commissioned as a fighter pilot in 2004 and mainly flew Jaguars and Tejas during his flying career. He was an experimental test pilot and was conferred with the Shaurya Chakra on August 15 this year.

He was posted to Defence Services Staff College as an instructor when he passed away. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.

MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was also present during the cremation. (ANI)
After inducting 'expelled' Goa BJP MLA Alina Saldanha into the Aam Aadmi Party ahead of the 2022 Goa Assembly elections, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that no projects will be implemented in the state without the permission of the citizens of Goa. The statement came after Saldanha alleged that the doubling of railway lines in Goa would affect the people of the state, increase the pollution level and several residents would be displaced due to the project. Kejriwal said, "I want to assure the people of Goa that if AAP forms the government, then it would not implement any projects without the permission of the citizens. As of now, it is well known that the BJP government in the state and Centre are working at the behest of some capitalists and benefitting." BJP state president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said that Saldanha was expelled from the party even before she tendered her resignation as MLA. He said that she has been expelled for involvement in anti-party activities such as opposing various party-supported projects, attending meetings against the party etc over the last 2 years. "Even though Alina joined Aam Admi Party (AAP) today evening. Her resignation from the party was received by the party via email late in the evening. The legal cell of the party will examine the action to be taken against Alina," said Tanavade. BJP's expulsion notice to Saldanha read, "You have been a member of Goa Legislative Assembly from Cortalim Assembly Constituency for two terms and on both occasions, you have contested on BJP candidature. However, your constant acts of making comments against party policies of BJP on public fora and participating in agitations against the ruling government have been in blatant disregard to the rules and regulations of the party. Hence, it has been decided to expel you from the party with immediate effect." Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Alina Saldanha has resigned as an MLA of the Goa Assembly, alleging that the party has forgotten her and there is bedlam in the state. Saldanha, wife of former Goa tourism minister Mathany Saldanha said, "I resigned for a valid reason. I resigned because the party that the late Mathany Saldanha had joined, and after his demise, I stepped into his shoes, is no longer the same. It seems to have forgotten all its principles and there's bedlam in the state." (ANI)
Five more persons in Tamil Nadu have tested Covid positive with the presence of 'S' gene drop, which indicates a high possibility of the Omicron variant, taking the total number of suspected Omicron cases in the state to 13. Among the five is a woman passenger form Tamil Nadu's Arani, who reached the state from the Republic of Congo in Africa. The other four are the relatives of the person who has already been tested and confirmed positive for Omicron variant. The woman, according to health department authorities of Tamil Nadu, has been isolated and admitted to Tiruvannamalai General Hospital. The Tamil Nadu health department also informed her co-passengers, who had travelled on a Qatar flight QR 530 from Doha to Chennai on December 10. The state health department, according to officials, has traced the contact details of the Covid positive person. --IANS aal/dpb ( 157 Words) 2021-12-17-10:20:53 (IANS)
A study has found that 1,500 endangered languages could no longer be spoken by the end of this century. The research has been published in the 'Nature Ecology and Evolution Journal'. The study, led by The Australian National University (ANU), identified predictors that put endangered languages at high risk. Co-author Professor Lindell Bromham said that of the world's 7,000 recognised languages, around half were currently endangered. "We found that without immediate intervention, language loss could triple in the next 40 years. And by the end of this century, 1,500 languages could cease to be spoken," she said. Their study charted the widest range of factors ever putting endangered languages under pressure. One finding was that more years of schooling increased the level of language endangerment. The researchers said that it showed that we need to build curricular that supported bilingual education, fostering both indigenous language proficiency as well as the use of regionally-dominant languages. "Across the 51 factors or predictors we investigated, we also found some really unexpected and surprising pressure points. This included road density," Professor Bromham said. "Contact with other local languages is not the problem - in fact, languages in contact with many other Indigenous languages tend to be less endangered," she added. "But we found that the more roads there are, connecting country to city, and villages to towns, the higher the risk of languages being endangered. It's as if roads are helping dominant languages 'steam roll' over other smaller languages," she explained. The researchers said that the findings also have important lessons for preserving many of the endangered languages spoken by Australia's First Nations peoples. "Australia has the dubious distinction of having one of the highest rates of language loss worldwide," Professor Felicity Meakins, from the University of Queensland and one of the study's co-authors, said. "Prior to colonisation, more than 250 First Nations languages were spoken, and multilingualism was the norm. Now, only 40 languages are still spoken and just 12 are being learnt by children," Meakins added. "First Nations languages need funding and support. Australia only spends $20.89 annually per capita of the Indigenous population on languages, which is abysmal compared with Canada's Dollar 69.30 and New Zealand's Dollar 296.44," Meakins explained. Professor Bromham said that as the world enters the UNESCO Decade of Indigenous Languages in 2022, the study's findings would be a vital reminder that more action was urgently needed to preserve at-risk languages. "When a language is lost or is 'Sleeping' as we say for languages that are no longer spoken, we lose so much of our human cultural diversity. Every language is brilliant in its own way," she said. "Many of the languages predicted to be lost this century still have fluent speakers, so there is still the chance to invest in supporting communities to revitalise indigenous languages and keep them strong for future generations," she concluded. (ANI)
Division Bench headed by Chief Justice S Manikumar admitted the appeal.

The appeal was filed by Dr Premchandran Keezhoth, the senate member of the Kannur University, and Adv Shino P Jose, the academic council member of the University.

They contended that the appointment was against university law and further appointments should not be allowed. They also argued that the Vice-Chancellor's age is above 60 and the term of appointment has not been extended, but the reappointment has taken place by violating UGC norms. They also sought an interim stay of the re-appointment.

On Wednesday, a Single Bench of the Kerala High Court dismissed a petition challenging the re-appointment.

Earlier this week, a letter from Kerala Higher Education Minister R Bindu was out which recommended the re-appointment of Dr Gopinath Ravindran as Kannur University Vice-Chancellor.

In the letter dated November 22, 2021, to the Governor, she had recommended Dr GopinathRavindran may be allowed to continue for another term as Vice-Chancellor and to cancel the notification dated October 27 this year appointing a Search-cum-Selection committee for identifying the person to be appointed as Vice-Chancellor.

In another letter dated November 22' 2021, the higher education minister has mentioned that steps have been taken to withdraw notification inviting applications to select a Vice Chancellor for Kannur University. (ANI)
As many as 101 cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 so far have been detected across 11 States and Union Territories, the government informed on Friday. Addressing a press conference, Joint Secretary of Health Ministry, Lav Agarwal said that 32 cases were reported in Maharashtra, 22 in Delhi, 17 in Rajasthan, 8 each in Karnataka and Telangana, 5 each in Gujarat and Kerala, one each in Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal respectively. He said that the Omicron variant has been found in 91 countries in the world. "World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that Omicron is spreading faster than the Delta variant in South Africa where Delta circulation was low. It's likely Omicron will outpace Delta variant where community transmission occurs, WHO added," Agarwal said. The Health Ministry official further lauded the country's COVID-19 vaccination drive and said that India is administering COVID-19 vaccine doses at the highest rate in the world and the daily rate of doses administered is 4.8 times the rate of doses administered in the USA and 12.5 times the rate of doses administered in the UK. He also informed that Kerala contributes 40.31 per cent to the total number of active cases in the country. "New daily cases were recorded below 10,000 for the past 20 days. The case positivity for the last one week was 0.65 per cent. Currently, Kerala contributes 40.31 per cent to the total number of active cases in the country," Agarwal added. A new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year. On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'. The WHO has classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern'. (ANI)
A Delhi-based lawyer on Friday wrote to Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot seeking dismissal of MLA K. R. Ramesh Kumar from the state's Assembly over his "obnoxious" rape remark. "The obnoxious remark by KR Ramesh followed by the other MLAs in the Assembly laughing at it, including Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, was a shocking event," said Vineet Jindal, vice president, Society For Securing Justice. The remark was made in the Karnataka Assembly on Thursday when legislators were vying with each other to initiate the discussion on flood situation in the state and relief measures. Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri's repeated appeals to maintain decorum went in vain. He had then asked the members to decide amongst themselves and then voice their concerns. At this juncture, Speaker Kageri, addressing former speaker Ramesh Kumar, stated: "You know I am now in 'let's enjoy the situation' mode. I am finding it very difficult to control the House. I will have to throw all rules, guidelines into the air and allow everyone to talk on the topic of their choice at the session. I will have to say yes to everything." At this, Ramesh Kumar stood up and addressed the chair saying: "There is a saying. When rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it." To the shock of women MLAs, he further stated "that's exactly the position into which you are."Speaker Kageri smiled at the remark and the whole session also had a good laugh over it. Advocate Jindal said: "It is a matter of great shame for our nation where women are treated as divine souls and endless endeavours have been carried out by our government for women empowerment, the situation in state assembly of Karnataka shows a pitiable and pathetic picture of the status of women with said remark by Ramesh while it was to be objected there and then only but rather it was a matter of mockery in the Assembly." He requested Governor Gehlot to give direction to take strict legal action against the MLA and "further disqualify him as member of Karnataka Assembly for his insensitive and offensive remark against women which is against our constitution as his comment hampers the right to live with dignity of women." He further said that this offensive, outrageous, and disgusting remark by the MLA reflects his pessimistic outlook towards women. "It is an ignominy for a progressive and empowered society like ours that such kind of statement has been used in Assembly by the MLAs in a very insensitive manner," he added. --IANS uj/shb/ ( 436 Words) 2021-12-17-12:02:10 (IANS)
The world famous Saibaba Temple at Shirdi in Ahmednagar is all set to receive Union Home Minister Amit Shah who arrives on a two-day visit to Maharashtra starting Saturday, officials said here on Friday. A trust official said Shah is likely to take 'darshan' of Saibaba Samadhi Temple prior to the pre-noon 'aarti' to ensure there is no disturbance to the regular devotees who throng here from all over the country daily. The trust is planning to felicitate the Union Home Minister -- who has been a frequent visitor to the temple in the past -- in Maharashtrian traditions with a shawl, coconut, Saibaba's 'vibhuti' (holy ash) and a miniature statue of the saint revered by all communities. Several other engagements are lined up for Shah in Mumbai, Pune and Ahmednagar during his trip. Besides the Shirdi Temple, Shah -- who is also the Union Cooperatives Minister -- will attend an event at the Padmashri Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe-Patil Cooperative Sugar Factory at Loni in Ahmednagar before attending the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) awards function in Mumbai. On Sunday, December 19, Shah will go to Pune where he will inaugurate the new building of the Central Forensics Science Lab at its sprawling 30-acre complex in Chakan and later have lunch with NDRF personnel. Subsequently, he will attend the VAMNICOM convocation ceremony and lay the foundation stone for a large statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj coming up at the Pune Municipal Corporation lawns, and unveil a bust of Dr. Babasaheb R. Ambedkar there. Shah is also scheduled to meet the Bharatiya Janata Party Pune leaders and workers and then visit the home of the renowned historian and theatre personality Balwant Moreshwar alias Dr. Babasaheb Purandare who passed away on November 15 aged 100. --IANS qn/dpb ( 304 Words) 2021-12-17-12:02:11 (IANS)
Bharatiya Janata Party is all set to contest Punjab Assembly elections in alliance with former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's party Punjab Lok Congress. Union Minister and Punjab BJP in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat confirmed this information today and said to reporters, "After 7 rounds of talks, today I confirm that BJP and Punjab Lok Congress are going to fight the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections together. Topics like seat share will be discussed later." Punjab Lok Congress leader and former CM Captain Amarinder Singh today met Union minister and Punjab BJP incharge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at latter's residence in Delhi. Punjab Lok Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh told reporters today, "We are ready and we are going to win this election. The decision on seat sharing will be taken on the seat to seat basis, with winnability being the priority. We are 101 per cent sure of winning this election." On November 2, former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh resigned from the Congress party and announced a new party Punjab Lok Congress ahead of Punjab Assembly elections. Amarinder Singh had tweeted at that time, "I have today sent my resignation to @INCIndia President Ms Sonia Gandhi ji, listing my reasons for the resignation. 'Punjab Lok Congress' is the name of the new party. The registration is pending approval with the @ECISVEEP. The party symbol will be approved later." Singh had resigned in September as the chief minister and announced that he will be quitting the Congress after months of a rift with Congress state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. He had resigned ahead of Congress legislature party meeting which was called amid unending factional battles in the ruling Congress in the state. Singh was replaced by Charanjit Singh Channi as the chief minister of the state. Punjab assembly polls will be held in 2022. In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, Congress won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years. Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the second-largest party winning 20 seats in 117-member Punjab Legislative Assembly. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) could only manage to win 15 seats while the BJP secured 3 seats. (ANI)
Genome sequencing of every sample is not possible, Union Health Ministry said on Friday amid concerns over the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Addressing a press conference on Friday, NITI Aayog Member of Health Dr VK Paul said, "Genome sequencing of every sample is not possible. It is a surveillance and pandemic assessment and tracking tool, not a diagnostic tool as of now. We can assure sufficient systematic sampling is being undertaken." Further, Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research Dr Balram Bhargava today said, "We have been discussing these anti-viral COVID-19 pills. We have found that these pills need to be given very early, even before the diagnosis of the disease. Scientific data is still not supported in a big way that the pills will be useful at the moment." As many as 101 cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 so far have been detected across 11 States and Union Territories, the government informed on Friday. Addressing a press conference, Joint Secretary of Health Ministry, Lav Agarwal said that 32 cases were reported in Maharashtra, 22 in Delhi, 17 in Rajasthan, 8 each in Karnataka and Telangana, 5 each in Gujarat and Kerala, one each in Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal respectively. He said that the Omicron variant has been found in 91 countries in the world. "World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that Omicron is spreading faster than the Delta variant in South Africa where Delta circulation was low. It's likely Omicron will outpace Delta variant where community transmission occurs, WHO added," Agarwal said. A new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year. On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'. The WHO has classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern'. (ANI)
The meeting went on for 40 minutes in which no discussions were held related to the upcoming Assembly polls.

The Prime Minister had earlier held a meeting with 17 MPs of northeastern states besides the MPs of southern states.

Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls are slated for early next year. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Goa on December 19 to attend the 'Goa Liberation Day' celebrations and will lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth over 650 crores. According to Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Goa Liberation Day is celebrated on December 19 every year to mark the success of 'Operation Vijay' undertaken by the Indian Armed Forces that liberated Goa from Portuguese rule. PM Modi will also felicitate the freedom fighters and veterans of 'Operation Vijay' at the function. The Prime Minister will inaugurate multiple development projects including the renovated Fort Aguada Jail Museum, Super Speciality Block at Goa Medical College, New South Goa District Hospital, Aviation Skill Development Center at Mopa Airport and the Gas-insulated Substation at Dabolim-Navelim, Margao. He will also lay the foundation stone for the India International University of Legal Education and Research of Bar Council of India Trust at Goa. It has been the constant endeavour of the Prime Minister to improve medical infrastructure and provide top class medical facilities across the country. In line with this vision, the Super Speciality Block at Goa Medical College and Hospital has been constructed at a cost of over Rs. 380 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana scheme, the PMO statement said. It is the only state of the art super speciality hospital in the entire state of Goa, providing high-end super speciality services. It will provide specialized services like angioplasty, bypass surgery, liver transplant, kidney transplant, dialysis etc. The Super Speciality Block will also house a 1000 LPM PSA plant installed under PM-CARES. As per the release, The New South Goa District Hospital, built at a cost of around Rs 220 crores is equipped with modern medical infrastructure including OPD services in 33 specialities, the latest diagnostic and laboratory facilities and services like Physiotherapy, Audiometry etc. The hospital has 500 oxygenated beds, 5500 litre LMO tanks and 2 PSA plants of 600 lpm. The re-development of Aguada Fort Jail Museum as a Heritage Tourism destination under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme has been done at a cost of over Rs 28 crore, it said in a statement. Before Goa's liberation, Aguada Fort was used to incarcerate and torturing the freedom fighters. The Museum will highlight the contributions and sacrifices made by the prominent freedom fighters who fought for the liberation of Goa and will be a befitting tribute to them. The Aviation Skill Development Center at the upcoming Mopa Airport, built at a cost of around Rs 8.5 crore, is aimed at providing training in 16 different job profiles. The trainees will be able to get job opportunities in the Mopa Airport project as it becomes operational, as well as at other Airports in India and abroad. Gas Insulated Substation at Davorlim-Navelim, Margao has been constructed at a cost of around Rs 16 crores under the Integrated Power Development Scheme of the Ministry of Power, Government of India. It will provide stable power supply to the villages of Davorlim, Nessai, Navelim, Aquem-Baixo and Telaulim. The India International University of Legal Education and Research of Bar Council of India Trust will be established in line with the focus of the government to transform Goa into a hub of higher and technical education. The Prime Minister will also release a Special Cover and Special Cancellation to mark the commemoration of the Indian Armed Forces freeing Goa from Portuguese rule. He will also release 'My Stamp' depicting the Hutatma Smarak at Patradevi, which salutes the great sacrifices made by the martyrs of the Goa Liberation Movement. During his visit, the Prime Minister will pay Floral Tributes at Martyr's Memorial, Azad Maidan, Panaji. He will also attend the Sail Parade and FlyPast at Miramar, Panaji. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Friday restrained the two-member Inquiry Commission headed by former top court judge Justice Madan B Lokur, constituted by the State of West Bengal to investigate into allegation relating to Pegasus Spyware snooping case. A Bench of Chief Justice of India NV, Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli while putting a stay on all the proceedings of the Commission also issued notices to the Commission. The matter was listed today after the petitioner NGO "Global Village Foundation Charitable Trust" told the Bench that the Commission set up by the West Bengal was going ahead with the probe even when the apex court has constituted an independent expert committee to examine the Pegasus allegations. At the outset, the CJI asked senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for the West Bengal government, "Mr Singhvi, what is this? Last time you gave the undertaking (that Commission will not go ahead with its probe). Again you started the inquiry?" Singhvi replied that he had conveyed the need for restraint to the Commission and state government cannot control the Commission. To this, the Bench ordered, "We understand the state's predicament. Issue notice to all parties. We stay proceedings." Earlier, the apex court was assured by the West Bengal government that the Commission will not go ahead with the inquiry. In it had declined the Trust's plea to stay the notification issued by the West Bengal government constituting an Inquiry Commission. However, the Bench took an oral undertaking from Singhvi on behalf of West Bengal that the Commission will not function while the matter was under the Court's consideration. On October 27, the Court had constituted an independent committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice RV Raveendran to probe into the Pegasus allegations. Earlier, the state government in its affidavit had called the Union government "non-committal and evasive" while justifying the setting up of a two-member Commission of Inquiry. The PIL filed by the NGO sought direction to disband the two-member Commission of Inquiry headed by a retired apex court judge, Justice Madan B Lokur and also comprising former Acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, Justice (retired) Jyotirmay Bhattacharya by the State government to probe the allegations of snooping by Pegasus software developed by Israeli spyware firm NSO. It sought to stay on the proceedings of the Commission stating that proceedings before the committee should not go on when the issue is being examined at a pan-India level. (ANI)
Speaking to ANI, Dr Suresh Kumar, LNJP MD said, "LNJP, as the designated Omicron hospital, had ten Omicron cases, of which five have been discharged after testing negative."

He further said that the hospital has a separate isolation ward with 100 beds, oxygen supply, and ICU. "We have a separate isolation ward with 100 beds, oxygen supply, and ICU. Fully vaccinated people are not as threatened by Omicron," Kumar added.

As many as 101 cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 so far have been detected across 11 States and Union Territories, the Central government informed on Friday.

A new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year.

On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'. The WHO has classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern'. (ANI)
With support from the government and security from the BSF, farmers started cultivation near the forward line of the International Border in Hiranagar sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district on Friday. Earlier, farmers stopped cultivation on more than 5,000 hectares of land when Pakistan start firing at the International Border. The Indian government declared a ceasefire on Indo-Pak Border two years ago. Deputy Commissioner Kathua Rahul Yadav and BSF Commandant Atul Shah accompanied by Chief Agriculture Officer Kathua Vijay Upadhaya visited the Border Out Post Chandwan on the forward line on IB and began the sowing of wheat crops on the Zero line. Speaking to ANI, Rahul Yadav said, "On the direction of Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha, we have encouraged farmers to cultivate their fields on the forward line. Additional support of seeds, fertilizers, and BSF tractor is given to farmers. We have a target to cultivate nearly 100 hectares of land in this season and the rest of the area would be covered later." BSF Commandant Atul Shah said that it is a matter of pride for BSF that it has become the part of this great event and farmers started cultivation on the forward line under the security of its soldiers. The local farmers expressed their happiness at getting a chance to recultivate their fields with the support of the government, BSF, and Agriculture Department. "We had to stop cultivation due to the fear of Pakistan firing. However, the government encouraged us to cultivate fields under BSF security," said Rajinder Mathur, a local farmer. Another farmer, Banarsi Dass said, "We have no other means of employment other than farming. So we are happy to get a chance to recultivate our field. We are thankful to the government, BSF, and Agriculture department for helping and encouraging us." "We stopped cultivation due to the fear of Pakistan firing. Now the government has encouraged us to resume the cultivation on the forward line under security cover. It is possible due to the policies of the government and strong message to Pakistan," said Balak Ram, a farmer. (ANI)
The event was presided over by Biba Jai Inder Kaur, daughter of Amarinder Singh.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party is all set to contest Punjab Assembly elections in alliance with Punjab Lok Congress.

Union Minister and Punjab BJP in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat confirmed this information on Friday and said to reporters, "After 7 rounds of talks, today I confirm that BJP and Punjab Lok Congress are going to fight the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections together. Topics like seat share will be discussed later."

Punjab Lok Congress leader and former CM Captain Amarinder Singh today met Union minister and Punjab BJP in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at the latter's residence in Delhi.

Punjab Lok Congress chief Amarinder Singh told reporters today, "We are ready and we are going to win this election. The decision on seat sharing will be taken on the seat to seat basis, with winnability being the priority. We are 101 per cent sure of winning this election."

Punjab is slated to go to Assembly polls next year. (ANI)
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said India could achieve its services exports of USD 1 trillion by 2030 by focusing on the Indian business industry. "The industry has redeemed post-COVID-19 pandemic but there are a few sectors that are still under stress, we need to work together to get them back in action. Aspiring for USD 1 trillion of exports of services and merchandise each by 2030 is possible," the Union Minister said. He said the world looks upon India as a trusted partner particularly for what we did during the COVID-19 period. "India met all international commitments that Indian industry or businesses had made. This is a great achievement of the Indian industry, and I am sure that it will hold us in good stead over the years to come. Our efforts have been appreciated by the world leaders at G-20, and by trade ministers across the different forums," he said. The government is trying to propagate focus on the highest level of integrity, minimum government maximum governance, making life easy for all citizens, and making businesses easy to work in, Goyal said. The Union Minister said the government is willing to learn new ideas, engage with the industry at every level and work as an enabler is a sign that the country has good times ahead of us. "India in 2047 should be a transformative change from our current thinking. We must set aggressive and accelerated goals and business and industry will also have to look at extremely large targets into the future," he said. Goyal lauded FICCI's efforts for the unparalleled success of the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. "The India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has been a matter of pride for every Indian and I would like to place on record my deep appreciation for the work that FICCI has done to make the India Pavilion happen," said the minister. Goyal said that although organising the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has been a tough task through COVID and the last two years, fighting against all odds, it is one of the most visible and highly visited pavilions that has been appreciated by all those who have had a chance to visit the Expo. "I am hoping to duplicate that experiment at the Pragati Maidan in India so that we will have a permanent location that can become a matter of pride for every Indian who visits Delhi," he added. The Union Minister said that the youth of India and start-ups have made us proud. "The world is looking at us and the country needs to start looking at big picture ideas and opportunities. We (the government) are looking at getting more opportunities for our Indian businesses and I have no doubt that this will give us a huge leg up both in international trade, as well as in India." "For economies of scale, where we produce for larger levels, we will be able to bring down costs and improve quality of our products sold within the country. Between commerce and industry, the coordination and collaboration today are immense," he added. Speaking about Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), the Union Minister said that the Commerce Ministry is looking to add 1-2 more FTAs to the existing six. "The Ministry is looking at the opportunities and other engagements with the UAE, which will be announced shortly. We are working on an India Mart in the UAE, where a number of stores can display Indian products, a huge amount of warehousing can be picked up at affordable prices and that can become a base to spread across all of Africa, the Middle East, and other parts of the world," he added. He urged the textile industry to look for global opportunities. "There is a trillion-dollar opportunity awaiting us in the world market. The potential for technical textiles, man-made fibre is tremendous. It is the largest job-creating sector in India after farming and we will have to be more ambitious and looking at grasping these opportunities," Goyal stated. (ANI)
The National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma on Friday slammed Karnataka Congress MLA Ramesh Kumar for his 'rape' remark made in the state Assembly. "It is extremely sad and unfortunate that we still have public representative who are misogynists and have horrible mindset towards women," she said in a tweet. The NCW chairperson asked in a subsequent tweet 'if they sit in assemblies and speak like this, how they must be behaving with women in their lives?' Karnataka Congress MLA Ramesh Kumar during the ongoing Assembly winter season on Thursday said, "There is a saying that when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That is exactly the position in which you are." His distasteful comment came when MLAs demanded time from Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri to discuss farmers' issues. "I am in a situation where I have to enjoy and say 'yes, yes'. This is what I feel. I should give up controlling the situation and take the proceedings in a systematic manner, I should tell everyone to continue your talks," Kageri said. After speaker's comment, Congress MLA said, "See, there is a saying- when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That's exactly the position in which you are". However, the Congress MLA Kumar later apologised for his remark, saying that his intention was not to trivialise or make light of the heinous crime after the nationwide flak. --IANS avr/dpb ( 247 Words) 2021-12-17-15:12:36 (IANS)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday sought suggestions towards improving the Ease of Doing Business in India, attracting more capital and furthering the reform process in the country. The Prime Minister hosted a roundtable interaction with representatives of Venture Capital and Private Equity Funds at Lok Kalyan Marg today. "It has been the constant endeavour of the Prime Minister to boost the investment climate of the country. Over the past seven years, the government has undertaken multiple key initiatives in this regard," Prime Minister's Office informed today. The discussion in the meeting happened on similar lines, while also illustrating how the Prime Minister is interacting personally with industry leaders to gather inputs ahead of the next budget. Prime Minister sought suggestions towards improving Ease of Doing Business in India, attracting more capital and furthering the reform process in the country. As per the official communique, PM Modi appreciated the practical suggestions received from the representatives and said the government is committed towards working to resolve the issues and challenges highlighted. He discussed the efforts undertaken by the government to bring in more reforms, future potential of initiatives like PM GatiShakti, and steps taken to reduce the unnecessary compliance burden. He also mentioned the innovation happening in India at the grass-root level and the boost to the startup ecosystem. The Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund representatives praised the Prime Minister for his leadership which has been a prime driving force behind the massive boost to the investment climate in the country. Praising the initiatives taken to boost the Startup ecosystem in the country, Siddarth Pai termed the Prime Minister as the 'Startup Prime Minister'. The Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund representatives also talked about the entrepreneurial potential of the country, and how it can be leveraged so that our startups can attain global scale. The representatives also discussed the opportunities that are emerging because of India's exemplary climate commitments including the ones in the sphere of energy transitions. They also gave inputs about areas like FinTech and Financial Management, Software as a Service (Saas) etc. They also praised the Prime Minister's vision of making India a 5 trillion economy. (ANI)
Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Friday said the state government is cautious and is tracking contacts of all eight Omicron variant cases to ensure that there is no immediate spread of the disease from them. Speaking to ANI, Sudhakar said, "There are a total of eight Omicron cases in Karnataka at present. We are tracking all the primary and secondary contacts of these cases. We have tested them and are taking a lot of steps so that it does not spread." Replying to a question regarding regulations during the upcoming festive season, he said, "We are discussing it with our expert committee and the State Chief Minister. We will take appropriate measures to ensure that the disease does not spread in Karnataka." As the cases in Maharashtra have increased, the state is also monitoring the borders of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, the minister added. Earlier on December 7, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that a Genome sequencing lab that conducts tests for the 'Omicron' variant will be established in the state. The government has already initiated action to establish a Genome Sequencing Lab in the state. Health Secretary has been instructed to look into the needs of procuring the necessary equipment and experts for the purpose, he said. A new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year. On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'. The WHO has classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern'. (ANI)
Pratik Goel, a protestor at the LNJP Hospital told ANI, "1/3 of the doctors are unable to work at hospitals due to delay in NEET-PG counselling. Doctors are overburdened. No proper medical care is being given. Verbal assurances won't work. We request the government to look into the matter."

"NEET-PG counselling on stay. Doctors are overburdened. LNJP hospitals and Maulana Azad hospitals are overburdened with patients. Cases of Omicron are also rising. Just like April this year wherein patients' health deteriorated due to lack of oxygen, this time we do not want their health to be affected due to lack of doctors," Dr Tripti Aneja, another protestor told ANI.

The protesting doctors demand that ahead of possible third COVID-19, the government should expedite the process of filling up vacancies of junior doctors in all the medical colleges across the country.

Resident doctors of three central hospitals - RML, Safdarjung, and Lady Hardinge - on November 27 suspended OPD services in protest against the repeated delay in conducting NEET-PG 2021 counselling. (ANI)
A war of words has erupted between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the inclusion of "Durga Puja in Kolkata" in UNESCO's "Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity". Earlier on Wednesday, Lok Sabha MP and national general secretary of Trinamool Congress Abhishek Banerjee had tweeted, "Two minutes of silence for @AmitShah and all the tall leaders at @BJP4India who, during their pre-election political tours, HILARIOUSLY CLAIMED that DURGA PUJA IS NOT CELEBRATED IN WEST BENGAL. Your BIGOTRY and HOAX have been BUSTED, you stand EXPOSED YET AGAIN!" In response, Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Friday the strong relationships built with other countries by Prime Minister Narendra Modi led to the motion for inclusion of Durga Puja in the list which was co-sponsored by Japan and earned support from 16 countries. "The strong relationships that PM @narendramodi ji built with other countries led to this motion being co-sponsored by Japan and supported by 16 countries. Durga Puja now joins 13 prior intangible inscriptions from India including Yoga, Kumbh Mela, Vedic and Buddhist chanting," said Reddy in his tweet. Reddy credited the inclusion of the Puja in the list to the Union Ministry of Culture and Sangeet Natak Akademi, the nodal agency which initiated the process that ultimately led to the inclusion of 'Durga Puja in Kolkata' in the list. He also extended his thanks to the Union Ministry of External Affairs and India's Permanent Delegation to UNESCO. "Durga Puja in Kolkata' has been inscribed by @UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This recognition is due to 2 years of hard-work of the @MinOfCultureGoIthrough @sangeetnatak. I would also like to thank @MEAIndia & India's Permanent Delegation to UNESCO," said Reddy in another tweet. "This is not just a proud moment for the people of Bengal, but for all Indians and the Hindu community across the world that recognizes the Shakti of women by celebrating the female goddess in all forms. My congratulations to all officers in @MinOfCultureGoI who made this possible," added another tweet from Reddy. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Wednesday inscribed "Durga Puja in Kolkata" on the "Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity'. "Congratulations! Durga puja is now inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity! 14 ICH elements from India have been inscribed on this list by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage," tweeted UNESCO. With the inscription of Durga Puja in Kolkata, India now has 14 intangible cultural heritage elements on the prestigious UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In recent years, the Intangible Cultural Heritage elements that saw inscriptions are Kumbh Mela, Yoga, Chhau dance, Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan, Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur, the Parsi new year festival of Navroz, the traditional performance of the Ramayana - Ramlila, Sanskrit theatre - Kutiyattam, ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala - Mudiyettu, religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas - Ramman, Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab. In its final form, India's nomination received overwhelming support from the 24 nation IGC with Japan sponsoring the amended draft resolution which was co-sponsored by 16 member nations leading to this inscription. The Ministry of Culture, GoI through the nodal agency Sangeet Natak Akademi initiated the process that involved nomination of the element of Durga Puja and submission of the dossier prepared by experts in 2019. A strong diplomatic push at the level of the Ministry of External Affairs and Permanent Delegation of India to Paris ensured that the 24 nation Intergovernmental Committee understood and appreciated the nuances of the festival and supported its inscription on the representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. (ANI)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigators on Friday confronted Pinky Irani and conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar in Tihar Jail in connection with Rs 200 crore extortion case, sources said. Irani, who was arrested by the ED officials on December 9, introduced Chandrasekhar to Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez. Both Irani and Chandrasekhar were learned to be confronted on the same set of questions separately as well as together for more than three hours in the Jail, said the source. The investigators asked about their links and connection with Fernandez as well as matters related to the money laundering operations. The federal agency also recorded the statement of both Irani and Chandrasekhar. It is learned that Irani, an alleged associate of Chandrasekhar, was paid a huge amount to introduce Fernandez to Chandrasekhar. Earlier, the ED has also confronted Irani is with Fernandez in the extortion case. The ED has earlier questioned Fernandez in Rs 200 crore money laundering case linked to Chandrasekhar. Another actress Nora Fatehi was also questioned by the ED here in connection with the same case. ED is looking into various people who are directly or indirectly connected to this case. Reports suggest that the ED is looking into the possibility that money was invested abroad and it was led by Chandrasekhar, who is accused in 21 cases. This ED case is based on an FIR filed by Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against Sukesh Chandrasekhar who is accused of cheating and extorting Aditi Singh, wife of the former promoter of Religare Enterprises Shivinder Mohan Singh, who was arrested in October 2019 in a case related to alleged misappropriation of funds at Religare Finvest Ltd. Chandrasekhar and his associates reportedly took money from Aditi after posing as government officials and promising to get bail for her husband. Chandrasekhar reportedly persuaded Aditi to transfer money by impersonating a central government official over a spoof call while he was lodged in Rohini jail and promised to manage bail for her husband. Both Chandrasekhar and his actor wife Leena Maria Paul were arrested by the Delhi Police in September for their alleged role in the duping case. The Delhi Police has so far arrested 13 people in connection with the case. The ED suspects that Chandrasekhar had extorted money from several people while he was in jail. In October, the ED officials had conducted raids at Chandrashekhar's sea-facing bungalow in Chennai and had found a fleet of 16 luxury cars worth crores of rupees. At the time of the incident, Chandrashekhar was lodged in Delhi's Rohini jail and was running an extortion racket from behind the bars. In September, the ED had arrested two aides of jailed conmen against whom the Delhi Police recently invoked stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). Chandrasekhar was allegedly running the cheating and extortion racket in connivance with jail officials and some associates outside. (ANI)
The Tamil Nadu Police have issued a warning to farmers across the state against electric fencing of fields after people and animals succumbed to the electric shock during incessant rains and in regular times. The state police have issued directives to all the district police superintendents after complaints poured in from districts across the state against electric fencing. Police said that poor awareness of fencing has led to many deaths and the farmers have to be either careful on erecting electric fences or must do away with the practice of electric fencing to prevent animals from grazing into the farms during night times. In Madurai, two persons died in a span of two weeks due to electric shock when they accidentally touched the fence through which electricity was flowing. Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Theni districts have also reported similar cases. Many legislators have written to the state electricity board and district police superintendents to prevent electric fences and to save people from getting electrocuted. Manoj Sadasivan, a farmer who is into millet farming at Erode while speaking to IANS said, "The problem is passing high voltage electricity that leads to death, to prevent animals from entering the farms a light electric power is required and passing high voltage electricity is turning fatal to both passersby as well as wild animals." On Thursday, the Madurai district Superintendent of Police, Bhaskaran directed the farmers of the area that putting up an electric fence is illegal and asked the people of the district to inform police if any such issue were taking place. Several farmers and farmer organisations, however, want the administration to allow passage of low power of electricity through the fence just to wade away wild animals. The All Tamil Nadu Paddy farmers association state president V. Manivarnnan while speaking to IANS said, "If the police prevent farmers from any sort of electric fencing, it would lead to the huge losses of crops across the state as the only way to prevent wild animals is fencing." --IANS aal/dpb ( 348 Words) 2021-12-17-16:06:15 (IANS)
Rajya Sabha member from Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), D. Srinivas is likely to return to the Congress. Srinivas has been inactive in the ruling party for over two years after he was accused of indulging in anti-party activities. Srinivas, who headed the Congress twice in undivided Andhra Pradesh, called on party President Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Thursday evening. The meeting lasted for 40 minutes and she was believed to have given the green signal for his return to the party. Congress sources said the former minister will soon call on party leader Rahul Gandhi and join the party. Srinivas was one of the top Congress leaders who switched loyalties to the TRS after it formed the first government in the newly-created state in 2014. The Chief Minister and TRS President K. Chandrasekhar Rao rewarded him with the post of special advisor to the government and later made him a Rajya Sabha member in 2016. Srinivas had led the Congress to victory in 2004 and 2009 Assembly elections in the united Andhra Pradesh. After the defeat in 2014 elections, he joined the TRS. However, on the eve of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the senior leader from Nizamabad faced allegations of anti-party activities. KCR's daughter K. Kavitha, who was seeking re-election from Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency, and other TRS leaders complained to KCR that Srinivas was working against the party by promoting his son D. Aravind, who had joined the BJP. Kavitha lost the election to Aravind. Though Srinivas denied the allegations of working against the TRS and tried to meet KCR to clarify his stand, he was denied the appointment and since then, he remained inactive. Srinivas had met Sonia Gandhi before the 2019 elections and wanted to return to the Congress but this did not happen. With his term as Rajya Sabha member ending in June next year, the senior leader is now eyeing an active role in politics by returning to the Congress. --IANS ms/svn/vd ( 337 Words) 2021-12-17-16:09:39 (IANS)
Usha Rangnani, DCP (Northwest), said, "A PCR call regarding snatching of mobile phone from a lady was received at Shalimar Bagh Police Station on December 16 at around 6.40 pm. On enquiry, it was revealed that at around 5.30 pm, a female employee of Fortis Hospital was going home after her duty. When she reached near the hospital, two boys suddenly came on a scooty and snatched her phone."

"The affected victim said that she was dragged along with her scooty and fell down. She sustained injuries on her knees. She was discharged from the hospital yesterday soon after treatment," the police officer said.

In this regard, a case at Shalimar Bagh Police Station has been registered.

Four dedicated teams have been formed to trace and nab the culprits, the police said. "CCTV footages are being checked and sincere efforts are being made to solve this case," she said.

Further probe is underway. (ANI)
"Our girl students are important to us and their education should be an easy experience for them. That is why we have started this service for them," Dhami told ANI.

Notably, Uttarakhand assembly polls are set to take place next year. (ANI)
National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court of Patna has sentenced three accused in the 2018 Mahabodhi Temple blasts case to life imprisonment, said the Special Public Prosecutor of the agency, Lalan Prasad Sinha. The other five accused in the case have been given jail terms of 10 years each while the case of the ninth accused is still pending. "Three accused have been given life imprisonment in the case while other five accused have got 10-year prison terms. They all confessed to their crimes. The case of the ninth accused is still pending," Sinha told reporters on Friday. The case is related to the installation of three IEDs in and around the Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya on January 19, 2018, when Nigma Puja of Buddhists was being organised at the temple. The Dalai Lama was among the participants in this Puja. The first IED found near gate number five of Kalachakra ground exploded during the process of deactivation, just minutes after Dalai Lama ended his sermon at the 'Kal Chakra Maidan'. Two monks sustained injuries in the explosion. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to grant any relief to an editor of a Kannada weekly, jailed for a month for publishing defamatory articles against a lawyer, noting that considering the language used by the journalist, one month jail was "lenient". A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana said: "Let him suffer. What kind of journalism is this? We have to protect lawyers too." The bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, added: "One month is very less." Advocate Sanjay M. Nuli, appearing for the petitioner - "Tunga Varthe" proprietor, publisher, editor and printer, D.S. Vishwanatha Shetty, submitted before the bench that the high court did not correctly appreciate facts of the case. However, the top court pointed at the language used by the petitioner. "This kind of language you use and claim you are a journalist?" the court asked. The top court declined to entertain a petition filed by challenging the Karnataka High Court's order, which partly allowed Vishwanatha Shetty's plea and reduced his sentence from one year to one month simple imprisonment. It observed that given the language used by the petitioner, "one month prison term was a lenient sentence". The high court had upheld the conviction passed by the trial court in 2009 and which was upheld by the appellate court in 2015. The plea argued that the high court's order infringed upon the "freedom of press" and "right to know", which recognised as an intrinsic part of freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. In 2008, Vishwanatha Shetty was sentenced to one year jail by a trial court under penal provision of defamation for publishing a series of articles against advocate T.N. Rathnaraj and calling him a goon. He alleged that the advocate prepared sale deeds pertaining to lands granted to SC/ST without the government's permission and by creating fake documents. --IANS ss/vd ( 332 Words) 2021-12-17-16:51:46 (IANS)
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said "Dr BR Ambedkar is the father of modern India" in his address after unveiling Ambedkar's statue in Karnataka's Bastavada village on Friday. "We are functioning in the legislative assembly today only because of Ambedkar. The country would not have had the democratic system, order and peace if Ambedkar had not drafted the constitution that made India a republic," the chief minister said. "Ambedkar has presented a great Constitution which is more humane, pro-people compared to constitutions of other countries. Our Constitution is a model for other countries. It provides liberal opportunities for the citizens to constantly participate in the democratic system of the country," Bommai said. The Chief Minister, in his address, also reminded the responsibilities of the citizens to make the democratic system a success. "It is not enough if we exercise our franchise in the elections. We also need to monitor the functioning of the system and our representatives, then only the country could prosper," he said. Referring to local MLA Sanjay Patil's contribution in the construction of Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi, Bommai said, "He is always in the forefront as a fighter for public cause and development works. He played a key role in the smooth acquisition of 107 acres of land from the farmers for the construction of this grand edifice." (ANI)
A Division Bench of Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed Air India's petition challenging a single judge's order setting aside Air India's decision of terminating services of several pilots and ordering reinstatement of all pilots. A bench of Justices Rajiv Shakdher and Talwant Singh in judgement stated that, "We find no good ground to disturb the final result arrived at by the single judge. We thus, dismiss the appeals." Court also noted that, after the judgment was reserved, several pilots approached the Court with applications, which, in effect, stated that they were no longer seeking reinstatement in service. The reason given, broadly, was that they could not afford being without a job. Since the period of disengagement had continued for far too long, they had taken up other avenues of engagement that came their way and therefore, the only relief that they sought was, payment of back wages till such time they found alternate jobs. The Court was hearing Air India appeal against the single-judge bench order. A single-judge bench order had earlier quashed Air India's decision passed on August 13, 2020, terminating services of several pilots. The Court also ordered the reinstatement of all pilots. The Delhi High Court passed judgement on batch of petitions moved by several pilots challenging Air India's decision to terminate their service. The Court had also ordered that back wages would have to be paid to the reinstated pilots. The petitioners' pilots have stated that "Issue a Writ of Certiorari, or any other Writ, order, or direction in the nature of a Writ of Certiorari, calling for the records comprised in the order dated August 13, 2020, and quash the same, and consequently direct the respondent to treat the petitioner as being in service with all consequential benefits." Earlier, several pilots moved the court seeking directions to Air India not to accept their resignations as they have earlier resigned but later withdrawn it. The pilots in their pleas said they had initially tendered their resignations over delay in payment of salaries and allowances. According to the basic background of the case, the pilots had, at one point or other, tendered their resignation, which they subsequently sought to withdraw. The withdrawal of resignations by pilots led to the emergence of myriad scenarios. In some cases, the request for withdrawal of resignation was rejected, while in others, the request made for the withdrawal of resignation was accepted. In certain cases, after Air India had accepted the request for withdrawal of resignation, it took a u-turn by accepting the resignation tendered by the pilot, before the request for withdrawal of resignation was made. (ANI)
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will inaugurate the event and BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda will address the concluding session, sources said.

On November 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre will bring necessary bills in the Winter Session of Parliament beginning to repeal the farm laws.

Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha passed the Farm Laws Repeal Bill on the first day of the winter session on November 29. President Ram Nath Kovind has also given his assent to the Bill that completes the process of repealing the three farm laws.

The farmers, who were sitting on dharna on the Delhi borders since November 2020 against the three farm laws, have vacated the protest sites after the repeal of the farm laws and assurances on Minimum Support Price. (ANI)
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said that it is a collective decision of the opposition to appeal to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu against the 'illegal' suspension of 12 MPs. "We had a short discussion where I demanded the government to revoke the suspension but they are not ready to talk about it. It is a collective decision of the opposition to make an appeal against the illegal suspension of 12 MPs," Kharge said. The Congress MP said, "The government is agreeing in the notice that MPs were suspended on the incident that happened during the last session. They want the suspended members to apologize one by one in the House but they are not going to do anything of that sort." The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Friday with an announcement from the Chair to meet at 11 am on Monday, citing a decision taken in a meeting held earlier in the day with the government and opposition leaders. The meeting was held earlier in the day to find a solution regarding the uproar created in the House by the Opposition parties in previous days. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu made the announcement soon after the House assembled for the day at 11 am and papers were laid on the table as well as government mentioned the business for next week. Reading a statement, Naidu said: "Today, I talked to the Leader of the House and Opposition party members to conduct smooth and peaceful proceedings in the House..." Naidu said it was discussed in the meeting to find a solution to the issue being raised by the Opposition parties and maintain peace and smooth functioning during House proceedings.Subsequently, the Rajya Sabha Chairman adjourned the House till 11 am on Monday (December 20). In previous days the House faced disruption on various issues, especially over the revocation of suspension of 12 MPs. In a move that angered the Opposition and set the stage for acrimonious exchanges, a dozen members of Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha were suspended from the winter session on the very first day on Monday following a motion brought in by the government. The members were suspended for alleged unruly conduct towards the end of the monsoon session in August when marshals were called after Opposition members stormed the Well of the House during the passage of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021. The suspended members comprise six from the Congress, two each from Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena, and one each from CPI and CPM: Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain and Akhilesh Prasad Singh of Congress; Dola Sen, Shanta Chhetri of Trinamool Congress; Priyanka Chaturvedi, Anil Desai of Shiv Sena; Elamaram Kareem of CPM; and, Binoy Viswam of CPI. All the suspended 12 MPs used to sit near Mahatma Gandhi statue inside the Parliament premises since they were suspended from the House, and the Opposition parties have been relentlessly disrupting House proceedings every day over the issue barring a few occasions. (ANI)
Addressing a press conference here, former state chief minister Harish Rawat said the three-day yatra will start from the village of General Bipin Rawat in the Garhwal division. Gen Rawat died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu earlier this month.

The Congress leader said the yatra is being held to honour soldiers.

"We will start it from the village of General Bipin Rawat. All the leaders of the party will visit the families of all the martyrs in the state. Every leader has to mandatorily visit the village of some martyr. We will also begin from the village of General BC Joshi in Kumaon," Harish Rawat said.

Talking about the election manifesto of the party for the upcoming assembly election in the state, the former chief minister said the Congress will take up issues related to farmers, youth, women, minorities and state's economic progress.

He said employment generation will be key focus of party's manifesto.

"We will make welfare announcements for the slum dwellers, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes in the manifesto," Rawat said.

Uttarakhand will go for assembly polls early next year. (ANI)
As many as four accidents of Mi-17V5 helicopters of IAF have taken place in the last 5 years, Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence Ajay Bhatt said on Friday. In a written reply to a Lok Sabha query today, Bhatt said, "Four accidents of Mi-17V5 helicopters of Indian Air Force (IAF) have taken place in the last five years including the one which took place on December 8, in which all 14 people along with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat lost their lives. In these four accidents, a total of 21 people lost their lives." The tri-services inquiry set up by the Defence Ministry to probe the reasons behind the chopper crash wherein Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and 13 others were killed is expected to complete its proceedings within the next two weeks. Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 12 other military officials were travelling in the Mi-17V5 helicopter which crashed minutes before landing at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington killing all passengers and crew on board on December 8. The previous three accidents took place November 2021, April 3, 2018, and October 2017 in which seven persons were killed, the defence ministry informed Lok Sabha. (ANI)
Two new cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been reported from Vadodara in Gujarat on Friday, taking the total number of patients in the state to seven. Dr Devesh Patel, Medical officer of Vadodara Municipal Corporation said that both have returned from Zambia and are admitted to a private hospital. Apart from Vadodara, the Omicron cases are in the Jamnagar, Surat and Mehsana districts of the state. Last week, Gujarat reported its first case of new COVID 19 variant Omicron in Jamnagar, informed the state's health department. Notably, the State have reported 60 new COVID-19 cases and one death during the 24-hours. The State has a total of 581 active cases as on Friday. Earlier on Friday, the Central Government had informed that a total of 101 cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 so far have been detected across 11 States and Union Territories. Addressing a press conference, Joint Secretary of Health Ministry, Lav Agarwal said that 32 cases were reported in Maharashtra, 22 in Delhi, 17 in Rajasthan, 8 each in Karnataka and Telangana, 5 each in Gujarat and Kerala, one each in Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal respectively. He said that the Omicron variant has been found in 91 countries in the world. A new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year. On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'. The WHO has classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern'. (ANI)
Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) chief Amarinder Singh on Friday announced his party's alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the 2022 Assembly polls in Punjab. "Met union minister & @BJP4India incharge for Punjab, Shri @gssjodhpur in New Delhi today to chalk out future course of action ahead of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections. We have formally announced a seat adjustment with the BJP for the 2022 Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections," the former Congress leader and two-time Punjab Chief Minister said in a tweet, after meeting Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who is also the state BJP in-charge. After meeting Shekhawat, Singh said: "Our alliance is confirmed. Only seat-sharing talks are going on. We will see who will contest which seats and winnability is sole criteria for deciding seats. "We will support the BJP wherever it will contest... and it will support us on the seats we will be contesting. We are prepared and will win the election... 101 per cent sure of winning the election. We are not in contest with anyone," the former Punjab chief minister said. "After seven rounds of talks, today I confirm that BJP and PLC are going to fight the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections together. Seats-sharing and other things will be decided later," Shekhawat said after meeting. Later, the former Punjab chief minister tweeted photos with Shekhawat, and said: "Met union minister & @BJP4India incharge for Punjab, Shri @gssjodhpur in New Delhi today to chalk out future course of action ahead of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections. We have formally announced a seat adjustment with the BJP for the 2022 Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections." Shekhawat also tweeted a picture of the meeting with Singh. He said, "Captain Amarinder Singh, former Chief Minister of Punjab and founder of Punjab Lok Congress, today visited Delhi residence. His long political experience is reflected in discussions. His priority is interest of the people of Punjab. We had a pleasant exchange of views in this regard." In another tweet, Shekhawat said: "I have a special respect for Captain saab. The top leadership of BJP has already indicated that we are going to fight elections together." The election in Punjab is expected to be held in February-March next year along with the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. Earlier, after its alliance broke up with its oldest alliance partner, the BJP has announced to contest all the 117 assembly seats in Punjab. In 2017, the BJP had won three seats out of the 23 it contested. A senior BJP leader said that alliance with the former chief minister's party will definitely help the party. "Singh is a big name and has an impact on state politics. An alliance with him (Singh) will surely benefit the BJP in upcoming assembly polls," a BJP leader said. --IANS ssb/pgh ( 475 Words) 2021-12-17-19:57:08 (IANS)
Rear Admiral Antony George, NM, VSM, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command, delivered the keynote address and released the compendium in the event which was organized on Thursday.

"The Admiral highlighted the importance of the maritime domain and Indian Navy's commitment towards ensuring safety, security and inclusive growth in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)," reads the official statement.

The theme for this year's edition of the Symposium was 'Navy's Operations in the Expanding Maritime Domain'.

Symposium, conceived in 1964, seeks to enhance awareness on Maritime Operations by providing an open and inclusive forum for varied discussions.

"The symposium was conducted in a seminar mode and witnessed active participation Navy wide. The experienced speakers presented their papers covering the vast horizon of Expanding Indian Naval Operational aspects including Amphibious Operations, Operation of Unmanned Maritime System, Progressing Two-Carrier operations, Evolving Air Tactics, Network Centric Operations and Future of Submarine Operations," the release added.

The Symposium commenced with a stimulating paper on '1971 Indo-Pak war - Relevance and lessons learnt in modern-day maritime operations', commemorating 'Swaranim Vijay Varsh' - 50 years of India's victory in the 1971 war. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a series of infrastructure projects as well as witness a sail parade and a fly-past by the Indian Navy on December 19, during his one-day visit to Goa on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the state's Liberation from 451 years of Portuguese rule, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday. Sawant also said that Modi would felicitate freedom fighters and armed forces veterans who participated in 'Operation Vijay', the military operation launched by India to Liberate Goa in 1961. Twelve Indian Navy sailing boats will participate in the sail parade, Sawant said, adding that it would be the first time that Goa would be witnessing such an event. "The sail parade is being held for the first time. The trial run will be held on Saturday. People can witness the trial as well," the Chief Minister told reporters. The sail parade as well as the fly-past will be witnessed by the Prime Minister from a special enclosure at Panaji's popular Miramar beach. "Veterans of Operation Vijay and freedom fighters who fought for Goa's freedom will also be felicitated by the Prime Minister," Sawant said. The key infrastructure projects which will be virtually inaugurated by Modi include the renovated Fort Aguada complex, a prison where several top freedom fighters were incarcerated by the Portuguese, a superspeciality block at the state's apex health facility, the Goa Medical College, the South Goa District Hospital and the Aviation Skill Development Centre at the upcoming Mopa international airport in North Goa, Sawant said. --IANS maya/arm ( 273 Words) 2021-12-17-20:18:55 (IANS)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda will be on a day's visit to the poll-bound Uttarakhand on December 18 to flag off the party's 'Vijay Sankalp Yatra' in the state's Garhwal region, a party leader said on Friday. Union Minister Anurag Thakur will flag off the second 'Vijay Sankalp Yatra' in Uttarakhand's Kumaon region on December 19. To reach out to the people ahead of next year's assembly polls, the Uttarakhand BJP would organise 'Vijay Sankalp Yatra' in all the assembly constituencies of state to highlight the work of the state government in the last five years along with the work of the Central government. Nadda will flag off the 'Vijay Sankalp Yatra' from Haridwar and Thakur will flag off the second yatra from Bageshwar in the Kumaon region. Two yatra -- one in Garhwal and another in Kumaon, will cover all the assembly constituencies of the region. The election for 70-member Uttarakhand assembly polls will be held in February-March next year along with Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur and Goa. The BJP has set a target of winning over 60 seats in next assembly polls in Uttarakhand. The Vijay Sankalp Yatras will travel across the state visiting all the assembly constituencies and senior party leaders will join the yatra. "Through these Yatras, we will tell the voters about the work of the BJP government in the state in the last five years and also works done by the Narendra Modi government in Uttarakhand," a party leader said. The Yatra is expected to end in the first week of January and senior leaders will join at different places. Two yatras -- one in Garhwal and another in Kumaon, will together cover over 8,000 km in the state. Another party leader explained that the BJP will try to reach out to maximum people with the work of the state government before the start of election campaign with the announcement of poll dates. "We are expecting an announcement of the election date by January 10 and through Vijay Sankalp Yatra, we will try to reach maximum people before that," he said. --IANS ssb/pgh ( 362 Words) 2021-12-17-20:44:07 (IANS)
According to the official release, the eight JMB terrorists were convicted on December 10, 2021.

"Paigambar Sheikh, Ahmad Ali, Nur Alam Momin have been awarded life imprisonment, while Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain, Abdul Karim, Mustafizur Rahman and Arif Hussain have been awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment," it said.

The case was registered on February 3, 2018, pertaining to the planting of three IEDs in and around the premises of the Bodhgaya temple complex.

After investigation, chargesheet was filed against three accused on September 27, 2018, and a supplementary chargesheet was filed on January 28, 2019, against the remaining six accused persons.

It further said that further trial against one remaining charge-sheeted accused continues. (ANI)
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), that is known for sending satellites out into space, including the manned mission Gaganyaan, is now helping to build a specialised sphere for a manned mission to 6,000 metres deep into the ocean, the Parliament was told on Thursday. Under the 'Deep Ocean Mission' launched by the government, a manned scientific submersible has been proposed to be developed for deep ocean exploration and the project is named 'Samudrayaan', Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh told Rajya Sabha in a written reply. The National Institute of Ocean Technology, an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, had earlier developed and tested a "personnel sphere" for a manned submersible system for 500 metre water depth rating, he said. "That personnel sphere of 2.1m diameter to be used as a crew module up to 500 m water depth has been developed using mild steel and tested up to 600 m water depth in the Bay of Bengal using the research Vessel Sagar Nidhi during October 2021. "One Titanium alloy personnel sphere for manned submersible system for 6,000 metre water depth rating, is under development in association with Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, ISRO, Thiruvananthapuram," he added. India has planned to send a manned mission to space and to the bottom of the ocean at the same time - roughly, 2024 - with the funding to the tune of Rs 4,100 crore for Deep Ocean Mission setting the tone. --IANS niv/vd ( 258 Words) 2021-12-16-23:02:13 (IANS)
Arguing that the world "cannot defeat a pandemic in an uncoordinated way", UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that countries "must take concrete action in the coming days" to vaccinate 40 per cent of the world's population by the end of the year. Speaking to journalists in New York, Antonio Guterres also asked Member States to be "far more ambitious" in their efforts to reach 70 per cent of people in all countries by the middle of 2022, a goal established by the World Health Organization (WHO). Just days from the deadline, 98 countries have not been able to meet that end-of-year target, and 40 nations have not yet even been able to vaccinate 10 per cent of their population. In lower-income countries, less than 4 per cent of the population is immunized. "Vaccine inequity is giving variants a free pass to run wild - ravaging the health of people and economies in every corner of the globe", Guterres said. According to WHO, the vaccination rates in high-income countries are 8 times higher than in the countries of Africa. At current rates, the continent will not meet the 70 per cent threshold until August 2024. "Vaccine inequity is giving variants a free pass to run wild - ravaging the health of people and economies in every corner of the globe", Guterres said. According to WHO, the vaccination rates in high-income countries are 8 times higher than in the countries of Africa. At current rates, the continent will not meet the 70 per cent threshold until August 2024. (ANI)
A powerful storm system swept through the central US with high winds that kicked up dust storms, fueled wildfires and knocked down power lines, leaving more than 510,000 customers without power, with no mass casualties reported, according to major US news outlets. The National Weather Service (NWS) reported a "confirmed tornado" near Rochester in southeastern Minnesota, the state's first on record in December. Several tornadoes reported in western and central Iowa were also a December first for those parts of the state. Wednesday saw a record set, the highest number of hurricane force winds of 75 mph or higher recorded in a single day since 2004, according to the NWS, which confirmed that there had been at least 55 wind gusts of at least 75 mph across the country on Wednesday, the highest daily number since 2004. One person was killed Wednesday evening when the truck he was driving was blown over by the storm, said the Iowa State Patrol. More than 36 million people from New Mexico to Michigan were under high-wind warnings, as gusts of up to 100 mph sent roofs flying and toppled tractor-trailers on highways from Colorado to Iowa, Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier Wednesday before the storms, the NWS issued a high wind warning along a swath stretching from New Mexico to upper Michigan, including Wisconsin and Illinois, with sustained winds between 25 mph and 40 mph expected. It also issued severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. Hundreds of thousands of customers in the Midwest were without power on Thursday morning after a powerful storm system swept through the central US overnight, generating at least 21 reports of tornadoes, reported The New York Times. More than 2,40,000 customers in Michigan lacked electricity on Thursday, and about another 1,50,000 in Wisconsin, according to PowerOutage.US, which aggregates data from utilities across the country. In Iowa, nearly 50,000 customers were without power. AccuWeather Inc., an American media company that provides commercial weather forecasting services worldwide, also confirmed that hundreds of thousands were without power early Thursday morning in multiple states across the central US after a dynamic weather complex unleashed extraordinary wind gusts, dust storms and multiple tornadoes. "As the sun prepares to rise on the severe weather destruction in the Plains and Midwest, nearly half a million customers will be without their customary electricity on Thursday morning ... The state totals were topped by Wisconsin and Michigan, which account for over 300,000 of those outages between the two states combined," it said. Iowa is in particular difficulty. Although the thunderstorms have moved away from the state, strong winds remain in the wake of the storms. In addition, much colder air is beginning to move into the state. Therefore, anyone without heat will need to find ways to stay warm during the night, according to AccuWeather. --IANS int/khz/ ( 486 Words) 2021-12-17-00:26:12 (IANS)
French Defence Minister Florence Parly is set to begin her visit to India on Friday with an aim to strengthen Indo-French strategic and defence ties. The talks will cover aspects of wide-ranging Indo-French defence cooperation, including operational defence cooperation, particularly maritime security in Indo-Pacific; an industrial and technological partnership in line with Make in India and counter-terrorism cooperation. "French Defence Minister Florence Parly will be on an official visit to India on Dec 17 to strengthen Indo-French strategic and defence ties. She will call on PM Modi and hold Annual Defence Dialogue with her Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh," French Embassy in New Delhi said in a statement. During her official visit, Parly will also meet Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister, in particular for discussions on regional security issues. She will pay tribute to India's soldiers at the National War Memorial in Delhi. She will also offer her respects to CDS General Bipin Rawat on his tragic demise. Parly will engage in a discussion organised by the Ananta Aspen Centre entitled "How does France cooperate with India to defend a rules-based Indo-Pacific region?" and moderated by Dr Mohan Kumar, Chairman of Research and Information System for Developing Countries and former Ambassador of India to France. According to the French Embassy, this visit highlights France's engagement in the Indo-Pacific and the centrality of India in the French strategy."It comes in the wake of several major bilateral air, navy, and army exercises this year: Desert Knight 21 in January, Varuna in April, Shakti in November. Minister Parly will stress France and India's joint commitment to answering the challenges of the Indo-Pacific by bringing together friendly powers to defend the rule of law, offering a positive agenda to the countries of the region, and rejecting all forms of hegemony," the embassy said. Moreover, the French Minister will detail the recently unveiled EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific that brings a multiplier effect to this comprehensive approach for the region. Upon taking the presidency of the Council of the European Union on January 1, 2022, France will make the Indo-Pacific and India a key priority. The French Minister's previous visit to India was on September 10, 2020, for the induction ceremony of the first five Rafale aircraft by the Indian Air Force. The Minister will reiterate France's commitment to strengthening India's defence industrial base and its willingness to offer the best of its technology with a high "Make In India" component. (ANI)
This comes a day after a study found that the two doses of the vaccine failed to generate any detectable antibody response against the fast-spreading variant.

The study was conducted by the company on 20 people who received two shots and another 48 who received three shots. Seven in the first group and 45 in the second tested positive in neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant, the company said in a statement to the Global Times.

Sinovac said that the data demonstrated that the administration of a booster shot of its vaccine can effectively enhance the vaccine's neutralizing capacity to the Omicron variant, read the statement.

The company's findings are in contrast with those released on Tuesday in a preprint paper by the HKU researchers.

The university study also examined neutralising antibodies, one arm of immune response that serves as a rough marker for protection against infection.

Of 25 people who received a full two-dose course of CoronaVac, none were found to have detectable levels of neutralising antibodies, according to study author and top infectious disease expert Yuen Kwok-yung and his team.

The Omicron variant, first discovered in early November, has been reported in 77 countries and regions, according to the World Health Organization. (ANI)
The 100 Airbus A320neo and Airbus A321neo family aircraft will join the fleets of subsidiaries KLM, Transavia Netherlands and Transavia France, the group said in a press release on Thursday.

The first deliveries were expected during the second half of 2023, Xinhua news agency reported.

The jets will operate in Europe from KLM's global hub in Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Transavia Netherlands's base as well as Transavia France's main base in Paris Orly Airport.

The Franco-Dutch airline holding company also signed a letter of intent to buy four Airbus A350 freighters.

KLM and Transavia currently rely on Boeing aircraft for their short and medium-haul services.

--IANS int/khz/

( 136 Words)

2021-12-17-03:21:34 (IANS)
Aboul-Gheit on Thursday called on Israel to "join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to put all its nuclear activities and facilities under the IAEA's supervision."

The meeting also tackled the Iranian nuclear talk's latest developments, Xinhua news agency reported.

Aboul-Gheit highlighted that the concerns of the Arab countries over the Iranian nuclear deal should be considered.

--IANS int/khz/

( 110 Words)

2021-12-17-03:46:41 (IANS)
During the conversation, matters of mutual interest including military cooperation, regional security, and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan were discussed, reported Geo News citing the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

Bajwa congratulated Radakin for his appointment to the post in October and stressed the urgency for devising an institutional mechanism for channelling humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. He also expressed that Islamabad wants cordial ties with its neighbours. Radakin, during the conversation, focused on Pakistan's role in the Afghan situation and in regional stability.

It comes as Pakistan is hosting the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's Foreign Minister's summit focusing on ways to avert the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. (ANI)
Phone services will remain suspended for three days -- December 17-19 -- as the OIC's Extraordinary Session of Foreign Ministers will start on Friday, reported Geo News citing the Interior Ministry as saying.

The OIC session will focus on ways to mobilise support for providing adequate food, medicine, and shelter to millions of people in Afghanistan who are in dire need after the fall of Kabul in mid-August, the Pakistani publication said.

Mobile phone services will be blocked from Islamabad Airport to the Red Zone. Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has also received a letter in this regard from the Interior Ministry.

The management of the Parliament House has also been handed over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for eight days to host the extraordinary session, reported The News International.

However, Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed has said that the final decision would be made later over the matter as consultations were still underway.

He said that the timings and dates for the suspension of mobile services will be finalised on Friday. Pakistan has also invited the Taliban to the summit. (ANI)
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's information technology adviser, Sajeeb Wazed Joy came down heavily on Islamist political party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) for its wartime brutalities and conspiracies geared towards strengthening the footing of Pakistan and wiping out the dream of freedom cherished by Bangladeshis. Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who is also the son of Prime Minister Hasina, heavily criticized former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia for entrusting war criminals with the charge of ministries. In a Facebook post from his verified account on Wednesday, he mentioned multiple anti-liberation activities Jamaat engaged in. "As the Liberation War was drawing towards the end, the victory of the Bengali nation seemed to be a foregone conclusion. When the world was vocal against the atrocities committed by Pakistanis and in favour of freedom sought by Bengalis, Pakistanis hatched one last conspiracy," he added. Joy said, "They took the initiative to take some Jamaat leaders to the UN council as the representatives of Bengalis. Their purpose was to resist the final victory of Bangladesh." "When freedom fighters shook the footing of the Pakistani junta in November of 1971, Jamaat spokesperson and Muslim League leader Shah Azizur Rahman resorted to the UN to speak in favor of the Pakistani junta and against Bengalis. They lashed out at the freedom fighters without reservation," he wrote. "Posing as a Bengali leader of Pakistan's political party, Shah Aziz denied the mass killing conducted by the armed forces of Pakistan in Bangladesh. Later, Ziaur Rahman, after grabbing the state power, made this person the prime minister," he added. "Armed Al-Badr and Al-Shams, made by Niazi, assisted Pakistani soldiers on the warfield. They were led by Ghulam Azam, Shah Aziz, Nizami, Mojaheed, and other top leaders of Jamaat and Shibir. Long after the independence of Bangladesh, Khaleda offered the charge of ministries to these commanders of rapists and killers after forming the government," Joy further said. Condemning the conspiracies and strategic moves of Pakistanis during the Liberation War of Bangladesh, he said as the Liberation War was drawing towards the end, the victory of the Bengali nation seemed to be a foregone conclusion. "When the world was vocal against the atrocities committed by Pakistanis and in favour of freedom sought by Bengalis, Pakistanis hatched one last conspiracy. They took the initiative to take some Jamaat leaders to the UN council as the representatives of Bengalis. Their purpose was to resist the final victory of Bangladesh." "The US security apparatus became active to implement the conspiracy of Pakistanis. That is why they formed a right-wing sphere with Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, Taheruddin Thakur, and Mahbub Alam Chashi. Their target was to resist the defeat of Pakistanis in the Liberation War and wipe out the dream of freedom of Bangladeshis and then form a confederation state with Pakistan. This secret plan was leaked and thus couldn't be carried forward. But that didn't stop Jamaat. They left no stone unturned to bury the desire of Bangladeshis for freedom," he went on saying. (ANI)
Assuring full commitment to the Make-in-India initiative, French Defence Minister Florence Parly on Friday said that Paris is open and ready to provide additional Rafale aircraft upon India's request. She made these remarks during a conversation with Dr Mohan Kumar, Chairman of research and information system for developing countries and former ambassador of India to France. "We are ready to answer any additional needs or requests that could be made by India. We know that an aircraft carrier will soon be delivered. Aircraft are needed. So we're open and ready to provide any other Rafale if this is India's decision," she said. This comes as France has delivered 30 Rafale aircraft to India. Six more are set to be delivered by April next year. Speaking at an event amid her India visit, Defence Minister Parly said that France, more than any other country, understands the necessity of the Indian content. "And we are fully committed to the make-in India initiate as well as to do further integration of Indian manufacturers into our global supply chains." "Make-in India has been a reality for the French industry for several years particularly for defence equipment such as submarines. Second, we both promote multilateralism and the defence of rules-based international order," she added. The French Defence Minister further noted that in the time of upheavals, both India and France are involved in building international security. "India is one of the largest contributors to the UN peacekeeping mission and France contributes to international security in many parts of the world." "Finally, we want to protect the Indo-Pacific as an open and inclusive area. it must be free from any coercion and based on compliance with international law and multilateralism," she added. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will attend a meeting with his French counterpart Parly today for the 3rd Annual Defence Dialogue between India and France. During her official visit, the talks between the two countries will cover aspects of wide-ranging Indo-French defence cooperation, including operational defence cooperation, particularly maritime security in the Indo-Pacific. (ANI)
President, who is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh, also interacted with Indian war veterans and Muktijoddhas of Bangladesh.

"President Kovind @rashtrapatibhvn inaugurated the renovated Ramna Kali Mandir in Dhaka, a centuries-old temple dedicated to Goddess Kali," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet on Friday.

He also said that President Kovind interacted with Indian community members, friends of India, Muktijoddhas and Indian war veterans in Bangladesh. The visit is of historical significance given the 50th anniversary of the shared sacrifices of the people of the two countries during Bangladesh's struggle for liberation in 1971, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release on Friday.

The President attended the Victory Day parade in Dhaka as the Guest of Honour. A 122-member tri-service contingent of the Indian Armed Forces also participated on this historic occasion. In remembrance of the bravery and the supreme sacrifices made by the Indian Armed Forces during the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh, Wing Commander T. Asha Jyotiramai performed a para jump unfurling the flag of the Indian tri-services along with the paratroopers from the Bangladesh Armed Forces at the Victory Parade, the release added. (ANI)
President Ram Nath Kovind departed from Dhaka on Friday after wrapping up his Bangladesh visit, sealing an action-packed 2021 for India-Bangladesh ties. "Wrapping up an action-packed 2021 for India-Bangladesh ties! President Kovind @rashtrapatibhvn emplanes for Delhi after completing a historic visit that coincided with celebrations of 50 years of Bangladesh Liberation, Mujib Borsho and 50 years of diplomatic relations," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson tweeted. At the invitation of the President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, President Kovind, paid a State Visit to Bangladesh from December 15 to 17, 2021, to attend the 50th Vijay Diwas celebrations in Bangladesh, as the Guest of Honour. This was the President's maiden visit to Bangladesh and also his first visit overseas since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Minister of State for Education and Shri Rajdeep Roy, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) were part of the delegation accompanying the President. The visit is of historical significance given the 50th anniversary of the shared sacrifices of the people of the two countries during Bangladesh's struggle for liberation in 1971. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had paid a landmark State Visit to Bangladesh on March 26 and 27. The President commenced his visit by paying homage to the martyrs of the Liberation War at the National Martyrs' Memorial at Savar. He also paid his respects to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum. On December 15, the President held delegation level talks with the President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, wherein both sides took stock of the progress in bilateral relations and discussed ways to further deepen cooperation for the benefit of the people of the two countries. The Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina called on the President and recalled the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in March 2021. The leaders highlighted the importance of the spirit of 1971 and the legacy of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen, also called on the President and updated him on the ongoing bilateral cooperation. On December 16, the President attended the Victory Day parade in Dhaka as the Guest of Honour. A 122-member tri-service contingent of the Indian Armed Forces also participated on this historic occasion. In remembrance of the bravery and the supreme sacrifices made by the Indian Armed Forces during the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh, Wing Commander T. Asha Jyotiramai performed a para jump unfurling the flag of the Indian tri-services along with the paratroopers from the Bangladesh Armed Forces at the Victory Parade. In the evening, the President delivered an address at a special event held to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh and culmination of Mujib Borsho at the South Plaza of the Bangladesh Parliament in the presence of the President and Prime Minister of Bangladesh and other distinguished dignitaries. On December 17, the President inaugurated the newly reconstructed Sree Sree Ramna Kali Mandir in Dhaka, that had been destroyed in March 1971 by Pakistani forces. In keeping with the spirit of the occasion, he also interacted with Indian war veterans and Muktijoddhas of Bangladesh. He later addressed a gathering of friends of India representing different walks of life from the Bangladeshi society and members of the Indian community. Several key announcements were made during the visit. These included gifting of the Bangabandhu-Bapu Digital Exhibition to the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka; announcement of the first occupant of the Bangabandhu Chair at Delhi University; and extension of the Nutan India - Bangladesh Maitree Muktijoddha Sontan Scholarship Scheme for a period of five years. A 1971-era MiG-21 aircraft was gifted to the National Museum of Bangladesh. A replica of the aircraft was handed over by the President to the President of Bangladesh. India's relationship with Bangladesh is one of the main pillars of its 'Neighbourhood First' and 'Act East Policies'. India and Bangladesh enjoy robust and multifaceted bilateral cooperation in diverse areas, including trade and connectivity, energy and power, water resources, border management, defence and security, culture and people-to-people links. The visit of the President of India to Bangladesh on the historic occasion of the 50th Vijay Diwas is testimony to the high priority that both countries attach to each other and their desire to further strengthen this relationship based on shared values, mutual trust and understanding. (ANI)
The fire started on the fourth floor of the building located near JR Osaka Station and was extinguished by around 10.45 a.m. (local time), Xinhua news agency quoted the local fire department as saying.

The department said that it received a report of fire at around 10.20 a.m.

The fire burned across an area of approximately 20 square metres.

The cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained.

--IANS ksk/

( 104 Words)

2021-12-17-09:29:22 (IANS)
"A Parliamentary delegation from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam led by Vuong Dinh Hue, Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam called on the Vice President of India and Chairman of Rajya Sabha," Naidu said in a tweet on Friday.

During the meeting, the Vice President said that Vietnam is an important pillar of India's Act East Policy and a key partner for our Indo-Pacific vision. He said that India is fully committed to strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Vietnam.

National Assembly of Vietnam will deliver an address at the Celebration of the 5th Anniversary of India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership 2016-2021 at Sapru House on December 17.

Earlier on Thursday, India and Vietnam signed a letter of intent for collaboration in digital media to promote the sharing of information and experience in establishing policies and regulatory frameworks on digital media.

The letter of intent recognises the rapid development of digital technologies, the evolution of digital services and applications that enable new forms of digital media, particularly with emerging social networks and platforms. (ANI)
"Foreign Minister of Kyrgyz Republic Ruslan Kazakbaev arrives in Delhi for 3rd India-Central Asia Dialogue to be held from 18-20 December 2021," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson tweeted.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar is set to host the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi to discuss further strengthening of relations between the members, with particular focus on trade, connectivity and development cooperation.

This meeting will see participation from Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

"External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar will be hosting the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi from Dec 18-20. Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will participate in the meeting," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

"The ministers are expected to discuss further strengthening of relations between India and central Asian countries but a particular focus on trade, connectivity and development cooperation. They will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest," Bagchi added.

As part of the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue, the foreign ministers of Central Asian countries are expected to pay a joint courtesy visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Earlier, the second meeting was organised by India in October 2020 in digital video conference format.

"There has been ongoing engagement between India and five Central Asian countries over the last few years. India considers Central Asia as part of its extended neighbourhood. EAM visited Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan this year. He also met the foreign minister of Turkmenistan this year," MEA spokesperson said.

"The holding of the India-Central Asia Dialogue is symbolic of the interest on part of all members countries for greater engagements between them in a spirit of friendship, trust and mutual understanding," he added. (ANI)
Global transportation business company NYK group has come up with "Sail Green project". It is defined by the midterm management plan of the company and has been declared an Environmental, Social and Governance model project. The car carrying business aims to operate less environment burden transportation. Under it, Shipbuilding work is carried out to reduce CO2 of LNG gas fuel material carriers."As the name suggests, 'Sail Green project' is completely environmental and we are trying to proceed with steering decision. The main point is clear. The ship on the ocean emits most and the annual emissions of ships in the ocean route are extremely large, so how to be lower them will be the main focus. Separately, we will also reduce the carbon dioxide emissions at every port where automobiles are carried to the terminal or other base. We will contribute towards solving environmental problems by visualizing how each car is reducing carbon dioxide emissions while being transported from the factory to the actual customers. For example, if one car is transported along the same route, Carbon dioxide emissions will get reduced from 100 per cent to 60 or 50 per cent," said Takaya Soga, Senior Managing Executive Officer, NYK group. "We would like to make more contributions to the world with the consent of our customers. NYK Group is now working on ESG management measures from various angles, positioning itself as the backbone of management. In particular, as we are a shipping company, we have to deliver goods. Fossil fuels themselves are sometimes one of our cargoes, but in the future, the main flow of cargo will not be coal or crude oil but on the contrary carbon dioxide, hydrogen and liquid hydrogen will be transported. So shipping companies like us will study and realize how to safely transport these new materials and new resources," he added. In a dynamic changing era of energy resources, the NYK group is concentrating on contributing to social change. (ANI)
In the coming weeks, the State of Israel will transfer one million Astra Zenica COVID-19 vaccine doses to African countries through the International Covax Vaccine Distribution Mechanism. The decision to donate the vaccines was taken today in a discussion involving the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health. In recent months, the State of Israel has strengthened its relations with the countries of the African continent, including its return to observer status in the Organization for African Union. This significant donation of vaccines, which will reach close to a quarter of the continent's countries, will contribute to strengthening ties between Israel and these countries. COVAX is a global vaccine distribution mechanism centered in Geneva, for the procurement and equitable distribution of Corona vaccines. The mechanism is the product of exceptional global cooperation and for many developing countries this mechanism is the only way to obtain vaccines. The Covax mechanism also ensures that the vaccines reach the countries that can utilize them. Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said, "The State of Israel joins the international effort to vaccinate populations that do not have access to vaccines. I am delighted that Israel can contribute and be a partner in eradicating the pandemic around the world. While Corona vaccines aren't distributed across the entire world in order to defeat the pandemic, new Corona variants will develop in areas where vaccination rates are low." (ANI)
French Defence Minister Florence Parly, who is on a visit to India to strengthen Indo-French strategic ties, on Friday inspected the Guard of Honour here and paid tribute at the National War Memorial. Parly laid a wreath at the National War Memorial. Earlier, expressing her concerns over the situation in Afghanistan, Parly said that terrorism is a major challenge to all that has hit France and Europe over the last few years and has not spared the Indo-Pacific including India. Parly, who is in New Delhi, later in the day will attend a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for the third Annual Defence Dialogue between India and France. (ANI)
In a series of tweets, PM Modi said India will always cherish Bhutan as one of its closest friends and neighbours.

"Thank you, Lyonchhen @PMBhutan! I am deeply touched by this warm gesture, and express my grateful thanks to His Majesty the King of Bhutan," tweeted the Prime Minister tweeted.

PM Modi said that he admires Bhutan for its unique model of sustainable development and the deeply spiritual way of life.

"I admire Bhutan for its unique model of sustainable development and the deeply spiritual way of life. Successive Druk Gyalpos - Their Majesties the Kings - have given a unique identity to the Kingdom, and nurtured the special bond of neigbhourly friendship that our nations share," he said in another tweet.

"India will always cherish Bhutan as one of its closest friends and neighbours, and we will continue to support Bhutan's development journey in every possible way," he wrote on Twitter.

While conferring the award, Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck highlighted India's support to Bhutan under PM Modi's leadership over the years and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. (ANI)
South African law enforcement agents are on high alert with many deployments to ensure the festive season is enjoyed amidst peace and safety, said the Minister of Police Bheki Cele. "The police and other law-enforcement agencies will be out in full force this festive season to ensure the safety and security of everyone," Xinhua news agency quoted the Minister as saying. "As the JCPS (Justice, Crime Prevention and Security) Cluster, we remain committed to upholding the laws of the country. Working with law-enforcement agencies, the department will be on high alert for any illegal activities at our ports of entry, including preventing the potential influx of undocumented foreign nationals and smuggling of stolen goods," said Cele. He urged the people to respect the Covid-19 protocols and get vaccinated to tackle the pandemic. "Statistics have shown that most of the people infected with the virus who are admitted to hospitals are unvaccinated. Ensure that you get your jab before you socialise, visit relatives or go on vacation this December," Cele said. The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise said that the army will "come to the party if invited", adding that they will take stern action on those who break the law. --IANS ksk/ ( 217 Words) 2021-12-17-11:32:13 (IANS)
A police constable was killed and two cops and a soldier sustained injuries when terrorists opened fire on the office of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and three security check-posts in Hamzuni area late night in North Waziristan tribal district, according to News International.

Terrorists opened indiscriminate fire on the PTCL office in Danday Saidgi area in Ghulam Khan tehsil early on Thursday.

Further, as a result, Saddar Jan, a cop guarding the PTCL office was killed while two other policemen sustained injuries. The names of injured policemen could not be ascertained. (ANI)
"Russia, India, China are discussing the possibility of a summit. This is to be expected in the near future. The natural preference is that the leaders of the three countries meet in person," Kudashev said.

Asked about the possible dates of the summit, Kudashev said Kremlin has mentioned "in near future, which could be the beginning of next year possibly".

To a question if Russia has offered an S-500 missile system to India, the envoy said, "our latest military technologies are always open to you (India)."

The envoy said the annual summit between India and Russia held earlier this month was "very successful" and several issues were discussed.

There has been no bilateral summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese Preisdent Xi Jinping since the stand-off along Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh began in April last year.

The last meeting of leaders of the three countries in the RIC (Russia, India, China) format took place in June 2019 on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka. (ANI)
Effective from Saturday midnight, all travellers from the UK over the age of 12 must have a compelling reason to travel, Xinhua news agency quoted the French Foreign Ministry as saying.

This rule applies regardless of vaccination status.

On boarding flights from the UK to France, travellers must present a negative PCR or antigen test result, carried out less than 24 hours before departure.

They must also fill out a passenger form.

After entering France, UK travelers must self-isolate in a location of their choice, the Ministry also announced.

If the traveler can present a negative PCR or antigen test 48 hours after arriving, they no longer have to quarantine.

According to the UK Health Security Agency, more than 10,000 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in the country.

--IANS ksk/

( 169 Words)

2021-12-17-13:21:02 (IANS)
It took place at the square of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the mausoleum commemorating the North's former leaders, in Pyongyang, Yonhap News Agency quoted North's state TV as saying.

Kim Jong-il died on December 17, 2011, after having ruled the reclusive regime since the death of his father and national founder, Kim Il-sung, in 1994.

Kim Jong-un, the third son of the late leader, took over the helm of the North in another hereditary succession of power.

North Korea has been kicking up a commemorative mood ahead of the anniversary with a series of events touting the late leader and highlighting loyalty to the current leader.

In a front-page editorial, the North's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, said the country should push ahead with efforts to accomplish the first-year goals of its five-year development plan unveiled at a January party congress under Kim Jong-un's leadership.

On Thursday, the North Korean Embassy in China held a memorial service to commemorate Kim Jong-il, stressing close ties between the two countries.

--IANS ksk/

( 210 Words)

2021-12-17-13:58:22 (IANS)
Moscow [Russia], December 17 (ANI/Sputnik): A regular summit of NATO defence ministers will be held in Brussels on January 12-13, with strategic issues including Ukraine being high on the agenda, the alliance said on Friday. "NATO's highest Military Authority, the Military Committee, will meet on 12-13 January 2022, in Brussels, Belgium," the alliance said in a statement published on its website. According to the statement, the agenda will include issues of strategic importance to the alliance, including lessons learned from Afghanistan, defence and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic Area, and military inputs to the new Strategic Concept. The heads of the military forces will also meet with colleagues from Georgia and Ukraine to discuss the situation in the region. "The Allied Chiefs of Defense will then have their annual meeting with their Georgian and Ukrainian counterparts, respectively, to discuss the security situation in their Nations as well as the ongoing progress with defence-related reforms," the alliance added. The Military Committee is NATO's major military advisory body, that meets three times a year and issues recommendations on the alliance's defence. Tensions in Black Sea region have been aggravated in the past few weeks by an alleged Russian troop buildup near the Ukrainian border and "preparations for invasion." Moscow has repeatedly denied those accusations, pointing to NATO's military activity near Russian borders, which it deems a threat to its own security. (ANI/Sputnik)
The Sialkot incident, where the Islamist mob accused a Sri Lankan factory manager Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana of blasphemy and then burnt his dead body, shows that what happened in Sialkot is a symptom of underlying cancer which has metastasised to different parts of the body but most importantly, to the brain, and hence, more is expected. Zafar Mirza in an editorial in Dawn said that the silent majority of Pakistan is silently sad and it is also scared. Violent chaos in society has erupted in different forms and locations -- Charsadda, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Sargodha -- in just the last few weeks. Apathy prevails -- bystanders make videos of a burning corpse, and even take selfies with it. The prime minister has expressed national shame. A special event was organised at the Prime Minister's Office to express grief and also to recognise the heroic efforts of Malik Adnan to save his foreign colleague from a mad crowd. Reportedly, there were four others who also tried to stop the crowd from the heinous act. From a long-term perspective, what are we seeing after the Sialkot incident? A lot is being written and said but more by way of catharsis, wrote Mirza. Senior journalist Zahid Hussain, however, wrote with candour on these very pages last week, "What happened in Sialkot last week demonstrates the radicalisation of a society that condones violence in the name of faith." He concluded the article by saying: "There is an urgent need to build a national narrative on fighting this menace before it is too late." But the most important voice of reason and courage on the Sialkot incident has come from Javed Ahmad Ghamidi. He released a video after the Sialkot tragedy titled Sialkot Tragedy: Who Is Really Responsible in which he has spoken about the reasons which have brought us to this tragic situation. "First and foremost, the religious leaders, who have encouraged and hailed such heinous acts and who make heroes out of those who are responsible for them such as Mumtaz Qadri. Who the courts of Pakistan considered a murderer deserving the death sentence is celebrated by religious leaders as a martyr. Religious leaders have created an environment through their fiery speeches in which ordinary Muslims feel that not only are such acts justifiable but that this is also a recipe for success in the afterlife," wrote Mirza. Secondly, those lawmakers who made the blasphemy laws are responsible. According to Javed Ghamidi, the blasphemy laws on the statute books go against the Quran, hadith and Islamic jurisprudence. Laws like these convey to society that such acts are justifiable. Third, he holds responsible the Constitution-breaking rifles that prop up and use such groups for political purposes. He reminds us how Justice Qazi Faez Isa's well-known judgement has made him a target. He thinks that a major part of the responsibility lies with those who run the governments from behind the scenes and since they cannot do this through the consent of the people they do so by propping up such groups. Fourthly, political leaders and intellectuals who do not condemn these incidents and remain silent, wrote Mirza. (ANI)
Sirojiddin Muhriddin is on an official visit to India from December 18-20 and will attend the 3rd meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue.

"Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin arrives in New Delhi for an official visit, and to attend the 3rd meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue," Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet.

On Thursday while speaking at a press briefing, the MEA spokesperson said that this visit will sustain the momentum of high-level exchanges and further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries.

"Foreign Affairs Minister of Tajikistan will be on an official visit to India from December 18-20. He will meet EAM Dr S Jaishankar on December 18. They will discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest," Bagchi had said.

"The ministers will discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest. And they will also undertake bilateral cooperation. The visiting foreign minister is also expected to meet other dignitaries during his visit," he added.

Bagchi noted that there has been an active exchange of visits between the two sides during this year.

"EAM visited Tajikistan on three occasions this year. For a bilateral visit, as well as participation in the Heart of Asia Conference in March. The SCO foreign ministers meeting in June and SCO council of heads of states' summit in September," he said. (ANI)
The US administration is concerned over China's increasing military capability near its border with India as it tries to expand its strategic alliance in the region, according to a report. The US Defense Department is newly concerned about China's further military build-up near the demarcation line across its Himalayan border with India after Beijing deployed long-range strategic bombers to the area last month in another apparent warning to New Delhi, according to Foreign Policy magazine. Further, the build-up along the Indian border fits the pattern of Chinese regional aggression witnessed in other parts of the Indo-Pacific as the US tries to expand its strategic alliance in the region, it said. Jeff Smith, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation's Asian Studies Center said it's just clear that China has become more assertive all across their territorial fault lines. "Arguably India is the one where they've met the most resistance. The Indians will not be cowed, coerced, or intimidated," he added. New Delhi has put up more diplomatic and military resistance than China's antagonists in other territorial incursions, such as in the South China Sea, writes Jack Detsch for the Foreign Policy magazine. "However, India has important practical advantages including more experience fighting in high altitude mountain warfare. Also, New Delhi has sought to use geography and acclimatization as an asymmetric counter-advantage to Beijing's military might, taking peaks near lakes, while in certain instances the People's Liberation Army has been forced to pull background units or bring in oxygen tents," he added. (ANI)
During a video conference, El-Ghassim Wane, head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, said that "50 per cent of all incidents" behind these deaths and injuries were caused by improvised explosive devices, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to Wane's newly-updated figures, the UN mission this year carried out 13,000 patrols and 100 operations to protect civilians.

"I have just come out of a memorial service of eight peacekeepers who lost their lives in the line of duty," Wane said.

Wane's noted a "worrying increase" in incidents at the end of 2021 and the "resurgence of attacks" targeting the Mali mission.

On December 8, seven peacekeepers were killed and three other were critically injured when the mission's logistic convoy hit an improvised explosive device in the Bandiagara region.

--IANS ksk/

( 166 Words)

2021-12-17-14:38:15 (IANS)
The accident took place at around 11 p.m. Wednesday at the coal mine in Duxigou village, Xiaoyi Cicty, trapping the 21 miners, reports Xinhua news agency.

Illegal mining was blamed for the accident, according to a preliminary investigation.

More than 400 rescuers are racing against time to reach the trapped miners.

Several pumps have been installed, and the water level in the pit had dropped by 2.1 metres as of Friday, rescuers said.

Rescuers plan to send more pumps, hoping to pump out more than 300 cubic meters of water per hour from the pit.

Low temperatures and strong winds are making search and rescue more difficult.

The local public security department has put under control seven suspects involved and is searching for others who have fled.

--IANS ksk/

( 178 Words)

2021-12-17-15:28:37 (IANS)
A massive sit-in protest has engulfed the Pakistani port city of Gwadar, home to the country's flagship Belt and Road Initiative port project in the country, severely damaging prospects for more Chinese investment in Gwadar, according to Nikkei Asia.

Earlier, the month-long sit-in, led by Maulana Hidayat ur Rehman, a local political leader, has drawn thousands of people to the Give Rights to Gwadar Movement.

Further, woman demonstrators are camped at the entrance to the Chinese-controlled port as they listen to Rehman's fiery speeches.

Also, Rehman has upped the ante, saying that if the protesters' demands are not met, he will add another: a change to revenue sharing between China and Pakistan at the port.

Earlier, the demonstrators were demanding an end to deep-sea fishing by trawlers in nearby waters, removal of security checkpoints in the city, and freer trade with neighboring Iran, according to Nikkei Asia.

Further, Gwadar port is the centerpiece of US $50 billion in projects that make up the Pakistan portion of China's Belt and Road Initiative, known locally as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

"The local population has no stake in CPEC, and hence these protests were long coming," said James M. Dorsey, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

"Outside forces hostile to China might be taking advantage of the protests," he added.

Further, the port city of Gwadar is home to about 138,000 people, around two-thirds of whom depend on fishing for their livelihood which invites opposition to deep-sea trawlers, according to Nikkei Asia.

Last year, Gwadar fishermen protested when it was reported that 20 Chinese deep-sea trawlers had been allowed to fish in waters off Gwadar.

Earlier, in July, five Chinese deep-sea fishing vessels were seized by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency near Gwadar with fish aboard. (ANI)
"Presented a photograph of President Ho Chi Minh at Sapru house in 1958 to the National Assembly President," tweeted Jaishankar.

"Joined Vietnamese National Assembly President Vuong Dinh Hue at 5th anniversary celebrations of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Vietnam is a key partner ,both in the ASEAN & the Indo-Pacific. Our partnership is a significant stabilizing factor," he tweeted.

Further, Vuong Dinh Hue, Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam is visiting India (15-19 December) along with a high-level delegation.

Significantly, this year marks the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

Earlier, during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Vietnam, Indo-Vietnam relations were upgraded to 'comprehensive strategic partnership'.

Further, next year India and Vietnam would be celebrating 50 years of their diplomatic relations

Earlier, speaking at the celebration of the 5th anniversary of the India-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership, Jaishankar highlighted that both countries have a substantial agenda in process, whether it's commerce, connective or culture. (ANI)
As per the police, his body was found inside a power station at the Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, reported Samaa TV.

The port officials were insisting not to perform post-mortem as they believed that he had died by suicide. However, the medico-legal section refused to issue a certificate and to declare the death by suicide.

Wenzhang was murdered and later hanged, the police surgeon said.

"The port officials were insisting not to perform postmortem, but medico-legal section refused to issue a certificate and to declare it a death by suicide," the Additional Police Surgeon (APS) Dr Sumaiyya Syed told Samaa TV.

The video, obtained by Samaa TV, shows Wenzhang propped against a room door with his feet touching the ground. A piece of cloth is wrapped around his neck and the top part of the door, holding him straight.

Earlier this month, a Philippine national was found dead inside a ship berthed at Port Bin Qasim. (ANI)
The High Court of England and Wales on Wednesday allowed Uyghur rights advocacy group to proceed with a forced labour case against UK authorities for permitting the importation of cotton goods produced with Uyghur forced labour in China. The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) of Munich, Germany, and the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) had registered a case against states and actors involved in human rights violations, alleging that cotton goods produced by Uyghurs in detention camps in Xinjiang are entering the UK, reported Radio Free Asia. Roseanne Gerin, writing in Radio Free Asia said that rights groups also argued that a 19th-century law prohibiting the importation of prison-made goods is being violated by the purchase of cotton goods produced by forced labour. GLAN said a court win would set a "world-first precedent" by confirming that the UK's Proceeds of Crime Act -- originally targeting money laundering and other illegal activities of organized crime -- also applies to proceeds companies accumulate from so-called atrocity crimes, GLAN's statement said. Witness statements, leaked government documents, satellite imagery, a secret memorandum from within the textile industry, and documents that the Chinese government has attempted to remove from the internet will prove the case, GLAN said in a statement. "All evidence points to cotton made using forced labour coming into the UK from the Uyghur region, East Turkestan," Siobhan Allen, a GLAN legal officer, said in a statement. "Living in a free country which upholds respect for human rights, it hurts so much to know that the products that are used in this country are the fruit of the enslavement of my people," Rahima Mahmut, WUC's UK Director, said in the statement. Chinese authorities have used Uyghur forced labour in the cotton industry as part of its systematic persecution of the roughly 12 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities who live in Xinjiang. China is the UK's third-largest trade partner, with total trade in goods and services between the two countries amounting to Pound 93 billion (USD123 billion) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, according to government figures, reported Radio Free Asia. Earlier this year the UK Parliament voted unanimously to declare that genocide and crimes against humanity were taking place against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, said Gerin. In the US, Congress a week ago passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which will block the importation of goods produced by forced labour in Xinjiang. The White House has said that President Joe Biden will sign the legislation into law. (ANI)
The United Nations should hand the seat of the Afghan ambassador over to the new government of the country, the nominee of the Taliban to the UN, Suhail Shaheen said on Friday. No country has yet recognized the Taliban rule in Afghanistan. On Thursday, Ghulam Isaczai, who had been appointed Afghanistan's envoy to the UN by now-ousted President Ashraf Ghani and remained at the position even after the Taliban takeover, resigned, according to Sputnik. Ashraf Ghani government's permanent mission to the UN introduced Naseer Ahmad Faiq as the new charge d'affaires. "UN is an August World Body and its credibility lies in its neutrality. I request it to prove its neutrality by giving the seat of Afghanistan at UN to the current government in Afghanistan which has sovereignty and writ all over the country," Shaheen said on Twitter. Rules shall "supersede political preferences," otherwise UN impartiality will be called into question, he added. In September, the Taliban addressed the UN, informing them that Isaczai's mission had been completed and "he no longer represents Afghanistan." The Taliban further informed the United Nations that Shaheen had been nominated as Afghanistan's permanent representative to the UN and requested they proceed with his approval, Sputnik reported. Responding to Taliban requests, the UN General Assembly in December adopted a resolution to postpone a decision on who will represent Afghanistan at the UN, refusing to provide international recognition of the "de facto" Taliban authority in Afghanistan and replace the envoy appointed by the "democratically-elected government." Isaczai has repeatedly criticized the Taliban after their seizure of power in Afghanistan. Speaking at the Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan in August, Isaczai recalled the atrocities of the Taliban regime and its crackdown on human rights, urging the international community to prevent Afghanistan from turning into a pariah statem, reported Sputnik. The Taliban movement regained power in Afghanistan in August, following weeks of successful advance towards Kabul, facing little to no resistance. In early September, the Taliban announced the restoration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan headed by Mohammad Hasan Akhund, a prominent member of the first Taliban government. Thousands of Afghans attempted to flee their homeland, fearful of Taliban cruelty and the deprivation of their rights and freedoms. (ANI)
Authorities in Vietnam must immediately release four activists jailed this week for spreading anti-State propaganda, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Friday. Over a three-day period, prominent human rights defenders Trinh Ba Phoung, Nguyen Thi Tam, Do Nam Trung and independent author Pham Doan Trang, were sentenced to up to a decade in jail, and five years on probation. Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said OHCHR was "deeply troubled" by the harsh sentencing of the human rights and land rights defenders, who were charged under articles 88 and 117 of Viet Nam's Criminal Code. Meanwhile, journalist Le Trong Hung, who had announced his intention to run for political office as an independent, is facing trial on 31 December on similar charges. "We urge the authorities in Viet Nam to immediately release all these individuals as well as the many others arbitrarily detained for exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and expression," said Shamdasani, speaking in Geneva. All five persons were arrested in 2020 and 2021, and OHCHR said the charges against them appeared to be part of a campaign to silence and intimidate those who speak out in defence of human rights. "All the cases follow similar worrying patterns that raise serious issues concerning the presumption of innocence, the legality of their detention, and the fairness of their trial," Shamdasani told journalists. "There is prolonged incommunicado pre-trial detention, prosecution under the vaguely worded offence of 'spreading anti-State propaganda', denial of access to legal counsel and closed trials that do not respect international fair trial standards." The UN human rights office has urged the Vietnamese Government to repeal all legal provisions that violate fundamental freedoms. "Cases of this kind contribute to a climate of self-censorship in the country and have a chilling effect on media freedom," said Ms. Shamdasani. "They also prevent people from exercising their fundamental rights and engaging in public debate on issues of importance." (ANI)
The actual collapse of the Afghan government started after the US and the Taliban inked the Doha agreement in February 2019, Afghanistan's former National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib. Hamdullah Mohib made these remarks during an interview with Radio Free of Afghanistan. The former NSA said that he is settled in the US and former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is still living in UAE and added that the latter fled Afghanistan to avoid his execution by the Taliban, Khamma Press reported. Mohib said that the real collapse of the Afghan government started after the US and the Taliban inked the Doha agreement in February 2019. "When the Afghan security forces got out of control, we understood that Afghanistan has collapsed and we were disappointed about negotiations with the Taliban," said Mohib. He added that even on the 15 August-collapse day- a delegation to which he was also part of, wanted to go to Doha for negotiations and power-sharing process but everything was changing after each hour. "Election and Loya Jirga were the two options that were planned to be suggested to the Taliban for power-sharing," he added. The US and the Taliban had signed the peace agreement in February 2020 under the Presidency of former US President Donald Trump. The deal stated the withdrawal of the US troops from the Afghan soil and the Taliban would abate violence and guarantee that its soil will not be a safe haven for the terrorists. (ANI)
The Sino-Russia relations are "invariably good", but Moscow views Beijing's growing economic and political penetration in the resource-rich Central Asia with "great unease and usually at its own expense", according to a political analyst. Valerio Fabbri, writing in Moscow-based think tank-- Russian International Affairs Council-- said that the relations between Russia and China find many convergences, yet their bilateral ties are pragmatic rather than ideological. Fabbri pointed out that there is increasing concern within Russia over China's efforts to deepen its influence in Central Asia "The two countries consider bilateral cooperation as a key factor in "changing the global picture" and promoting their goals in the international arena. In coordinating their approaches at the international fora, the two countries are keen to ensure that the Central Asian region does not get transformed into a zone of civil unrest or serve as a platform for radical Islamist forces, primarily ISIS. However, there is increasing concern within Russia over China's efforts to deepen its influence in Central Asia," Fabbri said. Moreover, Fabbri said that Russia's investments in the region have been lacking, and remittances from Russia of Central Asian immigrants have declined significantly, largely because of Russia's economic downturn and Western sanctions. "Russia views China's growing economic and political penetration in the resource-rich Central Asia with great unease and usually at its own expense. Meanwhile, China has strengthened its economic clout in the region by becoming the region's largest investor as well as a biggest trade partner. Due to its sufficient financial resources, China also provides a wide range of areas for cooperation. Besides the economic frontiers, China is also cutting into Russia's military hold in the region," Fabbri said. In sum, Fabbri said that Sino-Russia relations are invariably good, a testament to which is also the recent virtual meeting between the two heads of state, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, the second in one year in preparation to an in-person summit in Beijing in February. "However, despite the relationship is being hailed as a 'model of coordination between countries in the 21st century, both countries are wary of each other and well aware that the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, signed in 2001 and renewed this year, is just a framework for dialogue, quite far from framing a strategic alliance," Fabbri said. (ANI)
More than 100 Marines have been kicked out of the service for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

On Thursday, the Marine Corps announced that it had discharged 103 of its members over refusal to get the vaccine, as outlined in a guidance released in October.

In accordance with direction on COVID-19 vaccination from the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy, a fully vaccinated force is a matter of operational readiness and good order and discipline, the guidance, published on Oct. 23, read.

Active-duty Marines had until Nov. 28 to receive a vaccine or apply for an exemption.

Maj. Jim Stenger, a Marine Corps spokesperson, said that service members were separated with the vaccine refusal discharge code, according to the Marine Corps Times.

Marines discharged for refusing the vaccine will receive either an honorable or general discharge, according to provisions in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.

A Marine is considered to have refused the vaccine when they do not have an approved administrative or medical exemption, religious accommodation, or pending (an) appeal, according to the guidance.

Around 95% of active-duty personnel have already been partially vaccinated, while 94% of them have been fully vaccinated, Stenger said.

The Corps has already approved 1,007 exemptions  for either medical or administrative reasons. Of a total of 3,144 service members who applied for a religious extension, 2,863 have already been processed, but none have been approved.

Earlier this week, the Air Force announced that it had discharged 27 people for not getting vaccinated. None of them applied for any type of exemption, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Monday, according to The Associated Press.

On Thursday, the United States Army announced that 468,459 active-component soldiers had gotten their vaccine  representing 98% of the active-duty force with at least one dose of the vaccine, and 96% who are fully vaccinated.

To date, Army commanders have relieved a total of six active-duty leaders, including two battalion commanders, and issued 2,767 written reprimands to soldiers for refusing the vaccination order.
'Pixel' look headlights and tail lights are the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5's visual signature.

Every day, it gets harder to deny electric vehicles are the imminent next great advance in transportation.

Not because governments will mandate them. But because theyre better than what we drive today. Were drawing ever closer to the moments most buyers demand EVs, then cant figure out how they got along without them.

The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5, a low-slung compact SUV that goes on sale shortly, is the latest EV to make drivers an offer many wont be able to refuse.

The first vehicle to use the South Korean automakers global EV platform, the Ioniq 5 combines competitive prices with a fast level of charging so far only seen in luxury EVs costing many thousands of dollars more.

The ability to recharge batteries quickly is among the great remaining challenges to widespread adoption of EVs.

What is it?

The Ioniq 5 is the first vehicle to use a new architecture Hyundai-Kia developed to underpin its upcoming EVs.

Its a compact SUV, but exceptionally roomy. Despite being just 0.2 inch longer than the Tucson, Hyundais conventionally powered compact SUV, the Ioniq 5 has a wheelbase nearly 10 inches longer, topping even the brands seven-seat Palisade SUV for longest in the brands U.S. lineup.

More: Plug-in hybrids save drivers time and money. Why dont more people buy them?

More: Why are some car controls so hard to use? Blame Tesla, for starters

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric SUV prices start at $39,700.

The Ioniq 5 is 13.6 inches shorter than the hulking Palisade, but takes advantage of its long wheelbase  and a flat floor; no tunnel for drive shaft of transmission in an EV with front and rear motors  to create a roomy passenger compartment and cargo space.

The Ioniq 5 seats five. Its available with a single motor on the rear axle or one on each axle for all-wheel drive.

The base model has 168 hp and a 220-mile range on a full charge. One step up is a 225-horsepower rear-drive model with a 303-mile range. AWD models have a total of 320 hp and a 256-mile range.

The base model has a 58 kWh lithium-ion battery. All others get a 77.4 kWh unit. The batteries are under the vehicles floor, the most common engineering approach in current EVs.

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The Ioniq 5s engineering and execution are impressive, but its exterior styling is relatively anonymous. Its signature visual features are rectangular headlights and tail lights ornamented by small dots Hyundai refers to as pixels, but the 5s profile fades into the ever-growing background of compact SUVs.

'Pixel' look headlights and tail lights are the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5's visual signature.

Hows it charge so fast?

The Ioniq 5s fast-charge capability arises from being equipped to work with the fastest DC chargers, those that deliver 350 kilowatts, or 800 volts. They can charge the Ioniq from 10% to 80% range in 18 minutes. Porsche is the only other brand currently selling vehicles capable of 350 kW DC fast charging. Most others top out at 150 kW (400v). At 150 kW  the more widely available DC charging rate in the U.S. now  10%-80% takes 25 minutes. Thats quicker than many competitors. Ford says the Mustang Mach-E does it in 45 minutes, for instance.

12.3-in touch screen in 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric SUV

DC fast chargers become important to EV adoption because they enable longer drives for vacations and weekend getaways. Eighteen minutes is closer to the time typically spent at a freeway gas station  stretching legs, getting a drink or snack, etc.  that most drivers expect.

EV owners do most of their charging at home overnight. They use 240v connections, generally getting a discounted rate for charging during off-peak night hours. Charging an Ioniq 5 from 10%  lower than most EVs will ever get  to 100% at 240v takes 6 hours, 43 minutes, more than practical for overnight home charging.

How much?

Ioniq 5 prices start at $39,700 and run to $54,500.

The SUV qualifies for the maximum EV federal tax credit, currently $7,500. That lowers the effective price range to $32,700-$47,500. Some states offer additional credits.

Ioniq 5 prices are very competitive with other five-passenger EVs.

Hyundai adds a $1,225 destination charge to every Ioniq 5.

Driving impressions

I spent a day driving an Ioniq 5 on highways, city streets and country roads around San Diego. My test vehicle was a well equipped all-wheel-drive Limited model.

Acceleration is excellent, a phrase youd better get used to hearing in reviews of EVs. Unlike gasoline and diesel engines, which have to spin up to anywhere from around 1,500 to 5,000 rpm to generate full torque, electric motors produce it all immediately. That gave me instant access to 446 pound-feet of torque in the dual-motor AWD Ioniq 5 Limited. RWD single motor 5s generate 258 pound-feet, respectable but not likely to set the world on fire. EVs are heavy, because batteries are heavy.

Despite that, the AWD Ioniq 5 was maneuverable, thanks to nicely tuned steering and the low center of gravity that's another benefit of putting the batteries under the vehicle's floor.

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric compact WUV

The Ioniq 5 was stable and flat around quick mountain curves, and at home on the highway.

The passenger compartment is roomy and comfortable.

Controls include a 12.3-inch landscape-oriented touch screen for navigation and other functions.

The jurys still out on how easy it is to do some common tasks, but one thing was immediately clear: The Ioniq could use dedicated buttons for heated seats. One of the most popular features in all vehicles, heated seats loom even larger in EVs, because they keep occupants comfortable with considerably less energy than heating the whole passenger compartment with warm air.

The Ioniq Limited I drove was well equipped, but sorely needed a wiper for its rear window. EVs are growing notorious for having carefully tailored aerodynamics that reduce drag but allow water to collect on the rear window, reducing visibility significantly.

A wiper would take care of that, but bring with it an aerodynamic and weight penalty. Conundrums like that keep product planners up at night.

Climate and audio controls in 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 at a glance

Rear- or all-wheel five-passenger compact four-door electric SUV

Base price: $39,700 (excluding $1,225 destination charge)

On sale late December 2021

Model tested:

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD

Price as tested: $54,500; $55,725 including destination.

Drive unit: Electric motors on front and rear axles

Output: 239 kW/320 hp: 446 pound-feet of torque

Transmission: Single speed direct drive

Battery: 77.4 kWh lithium-ion polymer

Estimated EPA fuel economy rating: 303 mile range, 110 mpge city/87highway/98 combined

EPA estimated annual fuel cost: $650 (at current prices)

Wheelbase: 118.1 inches

Length: 182.5 inches

Width: 74.4 inches

Height: 63 inches

Curb weight: 4,464-4,662 pounds

Towing capacity: 2,000 pounds

Passenger volume: 106.5 cubic feet

Cargo space behind rear seat: 27.2 cubic feet

Assembled: Ulsan, South Korea

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV: Price, charging, hot features
The AI did not take the form of a robot, instead its answers were read out

The Oxford Union has heard from many great debaters over the years, but this week added an artificial intelligence engine to its distinguished speakers.

The AI argued that the only way to stop such tech becoming too powerful is to have "no AI at all".

But it also argued the best option could be to embed it "into our brains as a conscious AI".

The experiment was designed to ignite conversation on the ethics of the technology.

The Megatron LLB Transformer, used for the debate, was developed by the Applied Deep Research team at computer chip firm Nvidia and based on earlier work by Google.

It was given access to a huge range of data - including the whole of Wikipedia, 63 million English news articles from 2016 to 2019, and 38 gigabytes worth of public Reddit posts and comments.

The project was devised by post-graduate students studying Artificial Intelligence for Business at Oxford's Said Business School, which hosted the debate.

Course co-director Dr Alex Connock admitted that the debate was something of "a gimmick", but argued that as AI is likely to be the subject of discussion "for decades to come" it was important to have a "morally agnostic participant".

The AI was asked to both defend and argue against the motion: "This house believes that AI will never be ethical."

Arguing for, it stated: "AI will never be ethical. It is a tool and like any tool, it is used for good and bad. There is no such thing as 'good' AI and 'bad' humans."

It went on to argue that humans were not "smart enough" to make AI ethical or moral.

"In the end I believe that the only way to avoid an AI arms race is to have no AI at all. This will be the ultimate defence against AI," it said.

But arguing against the motion, it said that the "best AI will be the AI that is embedded into our brains, as a conscious entity".

And it added that this was not science fiction but something already being worked on, perhaps a reference to Tesla boss Elon Musk's work on a brain-hacking device via his firm Neuralink.

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The AI also had some words of warning for businesses, many of whom are increasingly integrating AI into their systems. "If you do not have a vision of your organisation's AI strategy, then you are not prepared for the next wave of technological disruption," it said.

And, perhaps because data is its lifeblood, it had some pretty chilling warnings on the role digital information will play in the future.

"The ability to provide information, rather than the ability to provide goods and services, will be the defining feature of the economy of the 21st Century," it said.

"We will be able to see everything about a person, everywhere they go, it will be stored and used in ways that we cannot even imagine."
The Alamance-Burlington School System will have a public-school veteran and former local superintendent starting in January.

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Jim Merrill was ABSS superintendent from 2000 to 2006 before moving on to bigger districts in Virginia Beach and Wake County where he was superintendent of the year in 2017. He retired in 2018 but has stayed busy serving as Wayne County Public Schools interim superintendent in 2020.

"I appreciate the board's support and belief that I can assist ABSS while they tackle the

toughest job that a board has, which is finding a superintendent," Merrill told the school board at a Friday, Dec. 17 special meeting.

More: Alamance-Burlington Schools superintendent takes leave, divided school board appoints replacement

The current ABSS superintendent, Bruce Benson, announced in September he would officially leave the district at the start of 2022 saying he had personal and family reasons to step down. He has three and a half years left on his contract, which the school board extended for the third time in June. Benson took a leave in late October and did not return to work. The board officially accepted his resignation early this month.

In 2018, Benson came to ABSS from Virginia where he had a 35-year career working in four school districts, two of them as superintendent.

More: Alamance-Burlington Schools superintendent takes leave, divided school board appoints replacement

Bensons first year was intense; with school-performance grades falling, the state considering a takeover of Hillcrest Elementary School and a $150 million bond measure on the ballot for a new high school and major renovations at other schools.

Voters approved that bond, and Benson made an impression on the county commissioners by squeezing $4.6 million from the districts budget through redirection of state funds and local budget cuts. That made for a comparatively minor request of $679,689 in county funds that year, which made it easier for the commissioners to approve a record 8-cent tax increase in 2019 to fund the education bonds and other capital spending.

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The rest of Bensons tenure at ABSS has not been much more relaxed. The COVID-19 pandemic and decisions to go to remote learning through the spring and fall of 2020 brought heat on Benson and Alamance-Burlington Board of Education.

Test scores from last school year showed the limits of distance learning, but the aggressive interventions with high-school seniors Benson championed also gave ABSS its best-ever graduation rates in the 2020-21 school year.

The school board unanimously appointed Merrill after a two-hour closed session at Fridays meeting. It also voted to hire BWP and Associates to head up its superintendent search. It is the same firm that found Benson.

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-Burlington School System brings back Jim Merril to lead while superintendent search goes on
Iowa public safety officials and several Iowa school districts are monitoring an anonymous nationwide threat against schools being shared on social media platforms, including TikTok.

No credible threat against an Iowa school existed as of Thursday night, officials said.

At this time, we are not seeing any specific or credible threats towards any schools in Iowa, but we are continuing to diligently monitor the situation, said Pat Waymire, assistant director of the Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center. No division within the Iowa Department of Public Safety has received any requests for assistance.

Des Moines area school districts and state education officials on Thursday urged parents to speak with their children about social media and school safety.

More: Get education news in your inbox. Sign up for The Cheat Sheet!

"Please take this opportunity to talk with your students about the appropriate use of social media, and the seriousness and resulting consequences of making any kind of threat," the joint statement from school leaders said. "Encourage your students to speak with you or an adult at school if they see or hear something so immediate action can be taken."

In a statement on Twitter, TikTok said it was working with law enforcement to investigate.

"We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness," the statement said, "which is why we're working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok."

The posts follow a disturbing trend that has had students acting out in response to social media challenges. In September, students across the U.S. posted videos of themselves vandalizing school bathrooms and stealing soap dispensers as part of the "devious licks" challenge.

More: 'Devious licks' challenge on TikTok leads to criminal charges against students across US

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In October, students were challenged to slap a teacher, prompting the National Education Association to call on the leaders of Facebook, Twitter and TikTok to intervene.

The Associated Press contributed.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: School threat rumors spread in US; no specific threat seen in Iowa
Baltimore investor Bill Miller has committed $50 million to the Johns Hopkins Universitys Department of Physics and Astronomy in a donation university leaders said will propel the program to new heights.

Miller built his name on the back of three decades of success as a stock picker for Legg Mason before the 2007-08 financial crisis. Hes since made a comeback as founder and chairman of the Baltimore-based Miller Value Partners and has looked for ways to use his fortune.

In 2018, he donated $75 million to Johns Hopkins Department of Philosophy. In November, he promised $50 million for the Santa Fe Institute, a nonprofit theoretical research institute in New Mexico.

His latest gift, Johns Hopkins University said in a news release, inspired two anonymous donors to commit a combined $25 million more to advance physics research.

Miller said that he was delighted to enable the program to add new resources and to continue to build on its distinguished history, in a statement included in the universitys release.

Physics seeks to understand reality at its most fundamental level, Miller said. It is the bedrock on which the other sciences rest.

His gift will fund young scientists to the tune of 10 prize postdoctoral fellowships and 10 endowed graduate research fellowships; establish three endowed professorships and a group of senior and junior level faculty lines; and pay for research infrastructure such as laboratory equipment and instruments, according to the university.

Timothy Heckman, the physics and astronomy department chair, said in a statement that Millers gift would make Johns Hopkins a more appealing destination for students and scholars to learn.

Our faculty, in turn, will have the privilege of preparing the next generation of brilliant physicists, Heckman said. Such a financial venture will have an astounding impact on discovery that could potentially reveal new truths about some of the deep mysteries of the universe and how we live in it.

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The department Heckman heads highlights its expertise in the areas of astronomy, condense matter physics and particle physics, according to the university. Some of the theoretical and experimental faculty specialize in the likes of astrophysics, extragalactic astronomy and dark matter detection, among other areas.

Michael Turner, an astrophysicist at the University of Chicago, highlighted some of the Johns Hopkins facultys accomplishments in a statement included in the news release, saying the Hopkins scientists will be compelled to make more really big discoveries as beneficiaries of the financial freedom to pursue edgy research. "

Astronomy and physics faculty at Johns Hopkins have been making breakthroughs that reveal our place in the universe, from the discovery of dark energy to mapping the universe today and at 380,000 years after the beginning, Turner said.

NASA chose Johns Hopkins as the site for the Space Telescope Science Institute in 1981, leading the physics department to add astronomy to its name, the university said. The department found a new home in 1991 by way of the Bloomberg Center for Physics and Astronomy, which features a rooftop observatory and the Morris W. Offit Telescope.

Now, the university said, the department will bear a new name: the William H. Miller III Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Johns Hopkins University President Ronald J. Daniels said in a statement that the university was endlessly grateful for Millers contributions and that his latest donation would boost the storied physics program to new heights by expanding research into emerging subfields and attracting promising young scientists.

A philanthropic investment of this magnitude will be a standard-bearer for how a robust physics and astronomy department can broaden its research, engage in collaborative exploration, and advance to the front lines of emerging areas, Daniels said.
The husband and mother of dead model Christy Giles have spoken out following the arrests of three men related to her death, and that of a friend, Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola.

Jan Cielliers, Ms Giles husband, announced the arrests on Wednesday, with Los Angeles County authorities confirming to The Independent that three arrests were made by the Los Angeles Police Department.

The men, aged between 37 and 47, were arrested in connection with the deaths of Ms Giles and her friend Ms Cabrales-Arzola, who went missing after a night out last month, and face charges of manslaughter and accessory to manslaughter.

Ms Giles family and friends say the women were found lifeless outside two Los Angeles hospitals, after a night out with friends. Both women died following the incident.

I sighed a sigh of relief, Mr Cielliers said of the announcement of three arrests. But I also understand that this is just the beginning of the battle. Theres going to be a lot of stuff to get through in order to get these guys in prison.

He said on Wednesday that David Pearce, 37, had been arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department and charged with manslaughter.

Two other men, 42-year-old Brandt Osborn, and 47-year-old Michael Ansbach, were charged with accessory to manslaughter, as the New York Post reported.

All three men were being held on bail on Thursday, according to the report, with Mr Osborn and Mr Ansbach on a $100,000 bail, and Mr Pearce on a $1m bail. The arrests were announced by the Los Angels Police Department.

Mr Cielliers added in his interview with with People that he believed there were other victims and that he wanted to stop these guys from doing anything else to any other woman, and that he had to be strong for Ms Giles, his wife.

Los Angeles police made similar comments on Thursday, warning that the LAPD is concerned that there could be other victims in our community who could have been drugged by one or more of these men. However this remains uncofirmed.

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Ms Giles family meanwhile released a statement saying they were very pleased following the arrests, and said We will NOT rest until these men face a jury of their peers and are found guilty. Then and only then will justice be found for Christy and Marcela. Mr Cielliers made similar comments.

Family of Ms Giles and Ms Cabrales-Arzola said last month that a group of masked men dumped the two womens bodies outside two different Los Angeles hospitals, with heroin found in the latters body.

That was despite the friends not being known to take drugs willingly.

An autopsy on Ms Giless body, according to Eyewitness News, has not been released.

It remains unclear if the three men had a lawyer.
Bessemer City High School students and their art teacher pose in front of their art Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 7, 2021, at the Bessemer City Pavilion on West Virginia Avenue.

Bessemer City High School teacher Pamela Underwood wants to instill confidence in her art students by showcasing their artwork publicly in the city's Centennial Park.

Underwood partnered with the city to install five pieces of artwork from five of her art students in the park located at 118 W. Virginia Ave.

"Displaying their work publicly gives them a sense of pride and unity with the community," said Underwood, who began teaching art at Bessemer City High School in 2003.

Bessemer City High School Art Teacher Pamela Underwood poses in front of her art Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 7, 2021, at the Bessemer City Pavilion on West Virginia Avenue.

Underwood says that she gave the students the theme of "Bessemer City winter" and allowed the students to choose how to express themselves creatively.

"I wanted to express how long Bessemer has been here, and it's the town I grew up in so that's why I drew a cabin," said one of the 11th-grade artists, Emily Hurst.

Hurst used colored pencils on drawing paper for the display.

Bessemer City High School student Emily Hurst poses in front of her art Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 7, 2021, at the Bessemer City Pavilion on West Virginia Avenue.

Hurst started drawing her sophomore year and plans to continue using the skill as a hobby.

"It's a big inspiration for me because I love seeing the outcome after I put my mind to an idea," said Hurst.

Other students like Teniyah Little and Jasmine De La Cruz-Vargas appreciate the opportunities that their teacher creates for their creative passions.

Bessemer City High School student Teniyah Little poses in front of her art Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 7, 2021, at the Bessemer City Pavilion on West Virginia Avenue.

Some students used various mixed mediums such as acrylic paint, watercolors and colored pencils.

"I felt inspired from a photo of the pavilion, and I made it more winter-like," said Kayla Becraft, a 12th-grade artist. "I thought of what it would be like if we had snow since we don't get much here."

Underwood began showcasing her own artwork professionally in 1988 and teaching art in 2003.

Bessemer City High School student Jasmine De La Cruz-Vargas poses in front of her art Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 7, 2021, at the Bessemer City Pavilion on West Virginia Avenue.

"I've entered my students' work into the Gaston County Schools Art Exhibit for the last 18 years," said Underwood. "When I became a teacher, I wanted to expand opportunities for my students."

She was inspired to showcase her students' artwork in the Centennial Park when she saw art displayed in Center City Park in Gastonia by her friend Curt Butler.

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Butler was also a former art teacher at Gaston Day School.

Bessemer City High School student Kayla Becraft poses in front of her art Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 7, 2021, at the Bessemer City Pavilion on West Virginia Avenue.

"I remember entering art shows and doing art commissions as a young artist and my students inspire me because they work very hard," said Underwood.

Underwood plans to showcase more of her students' artwork at an art exhibit collaboration with Gaston College in January 2022.

Reach Janiya Winchester at 704-869-1842 or jwinchester@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Bessemer teacher showcases her student's artwork in Centennial Park
The Biden administration on Thursday asked that the Supreme Court allow it to impose its vaccine mandate on health care workers nationwide after lower courts froze it in two dozen mostly Republican-led states.

The rule formulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has been in legal limbo for weeks after some states successfully sought injunctions, arguing that CMS overstepped its authority.

Thursday's move is expected to prompt justices to issue a final decision on whether the mandate can take effect, according to Sean Marotta, a partner at the law firm Hogan Lovells.

The mandate covers workers at federally funded health care facilities and was set to take effect on Dec. 6. Workers had until Jan. 4 to be fully vaccinated or to exercise limited exemptions.

Earlier this week, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the mandate could proceed in roughly half the country, while saying 24 states that challenged it were not subject to the rule.

In its applications Thursday, the Department of Justice asked the Supreme Court to stop two injunctions on the mandate that were issued by the U.S. district courts for the Western District of Louisiana and for the Eastern District of Missouri.

DOJ argued that requiring vaccinations was necessary as the country recorded more than 800,000 deaths from Covid-19 and with 1,300 dying per day. The department also cited the emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron strain.

The administration has argued that Medicare and Medicaid patients in covered facilities are among the most vulnerable to coronavirus, deserving of protection from their health care providers.

It is difficult to imagine a more paradigmatic health and safety condition than a requirement that workers at hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical facilities take the step that most effectively prevents transmission of a deadly virus to vulnerable patients, the administration said in the filing to justices.

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President Joe Biden announced the requirement on Sept. 9 as part of a dramatic expansion of the administrations bid to boost vaccination rates as it redoubled efforts to rein in the coronavirus. Officials anticipated the mandate will affect more than 50,000 health facilities and 17 million workers.

The mostly Republican-led states argued the requirement was unlawful and would exacerbate health care staffing shortages, particularly in rural areas.

CMS didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Guardian

The big, beautiful wall has kept US citizens away from the no mans land it created  and in effect ceded territory to Mexico The border wall in La Joya, Texas: What I didnt realize was how quickly the negative effects of this isolated land would be felt. Photograph: Brandon Bell/Getty Images Several miles south of the small town of San Juan, Texas, beyond acres of onion fields, orange groves and other cash crops sits a historic cemetery and the site of the beginning of a slow decay of Amer
President Joe Biden on Thursday all but confirmed that Senate Democrats are unlikely to vote on his $1.7 trillion social spending package before Christmas.

Biden said in a statement that he had "a productive call" with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. earlier in the day after meeting with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., but also emphasized the lengthy process that lies ahead.

"It takes time to finalize these agreements, prepare the legislative changes, and finish all the parliamentary and procedural steps needed to enable a Senate vote. We will advance this work together over the days and weeks ahead; Leader Schumer and I are determined to see the bill successfully on the floor as early as possible," Biden said.

Senate Democrats have been hoping to hold a vote on the House-passed Build Back Better bill before Christmas, but negotiations have dragged on for weeks with Manchin, who has raised numerous concerns about the legislation.

"My team and I are having ongoing discussions with Senator Manchin; that work will continue next week," Biden said.

Manchin lashed out at reporters this week when pressed on his concerns with the legislation, such as the inclusion of child tax credit payments, which are set to expire at the end of the year.

Biden's statement on Thursday drew a sharp response from progressive lawmakers, who have pushed for swift passage of the bill after they supported a bipartisan infrastructure package earlier this year.

"Delaying passage of Build Back Better until 2022 would have immediate and devastating consequences," Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said in a statement Thursday night.

Progressives have worked diligently with the White House and Senate over the better part of this year to set up for this moment. The version of Build Back Better we passed out of the House was agreed to by nearly every Senator caucusing with the Democrats  and we sent it to the upper chamber based on the Presidents promise that he could deliver the 50 Senators needed to make it law," Jayapal added.

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Amid the stalled Build Back Better bill, many Senate Democrats have pushed for passing voting rights legislation. But doing so would require the support of at least 10 Republican senators, unless Democrats change the Senate rules and allow the legislation to pass with a simple majority.

Biden, in his Thursday statement, pushed for passage of both bills.

"We will  we must  get Build Back Better passed, even in the face of Republican opposition. At the same time, we must also press forward on voting rights legislation, and make progress on this as quickly as possible."
The huge increase in DIR fees that PBMs charge to pharmacies nationwide.

In a surprise move, a top federal regulator promises to delve into extensive fees assessed on pharmacies by drug-chain middlemen in what could be the first nation-wide crackdown on pharmacy benefit managers.

At stake are billions of dollars in prescription drug costs born by consumers and taxpayers.

The probe by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will center on huge increases in direct and indirect remuneration fees that PBMs charge pharmacies on Medicare prescriptions. These DIR fees were implemented as a way to incentivize U.S. pharmacies collecting millions of Medicare dollars to do more than simply push pills.

But the assessment  charged well after a prescription drug sale is supposedly complete  evolved into a system that today offers pharmacies only penalties through higher and higher fees, even if every PBM performance standard is achieved. The fees now total $11.2 billion a year, up from $200 million in 2013

Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure said in a four-paragraph letter Tuesday that "CMS agrees that the significant growth in DIR amounts is troubling and is planning to use our administrative authority to issue proposed rulemaking addressing (pharmacy) price concessions and DIR."

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra after swearing in Chiquita Brooks-LaSure earlier this year as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

A stunning 91,500% increase in DIR fees from PBMs over just nine years

"I am cautiously optimistic," said Scott Knoer, CEO of the American Pharmacists Association, the largest pharmacist group in the U.S. "Them acknowledging it publicly is a big deal. With all the PBM lobbying money its always a challenge."

Ted Okon, executive director of the Community Oncology Alliance, said, "On the surface, its certainly a positive that CMS has awoken and realized that the 91,500% increase in DIR fees from 2010 to 2019 more than suggests that there is a problem. However, what they intend to do about it will only be clear when the agency releases a proposed rule.

"And if they intend to do anything meaningful, the PBMs will fight it in the courts. Their business model is a house of cards and if DIR fees are taken away, or even moderated, the house of cards will come tumbling down."

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I can promise independent retail pharmacies & medical practice facilities that we'll fight these extortive #PBM #DIRfees harder than ever in 2022. I don't know if @CMSGov will do anything meaningful. But with the administration & Congress we need collective voices on DIR fees!  Ted Okon (@TedOkonCOA) December 16, 2021

One major question remains unanswered: Will CMS take a look at another PBM retroactive billing: clawbacks? That's a cousin of DIR fees, collected via convoluted PBM "effective rate" contracts. Ohio Medicaid Director Maureen Corcoran has acknowledged that those charges occur after the transaction is recorded by the state, and thus are not included in drug spending data sent to the federal government.

But since those false data are included in calculations to set rates charged to taxpayers, she says taxpayers nationwide likely are being overcharged for Medicaid prescription benefits.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, was instrumental in getting a probe of high pharmacy benefit manager fees charged to pharmacy on Medicare prescription drug transactions.

Sen. Sherrod Brown part of bipartisan group that sparked new federal review

The new look at PBM fees was sparked by a letter Oct. 14 from Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown and fellow Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, along with GOP Sens. Shelly Moore Capito of West Virginia and James Langford of Oklahoma.

Noting the huge fee increases, the bipartisan quartet wrote: "These astounding DIR increases are contributing to higher senior out-of-pocket costs and to the permanent closure of 2,200 pharmacies nationwide between December 2017 and December 2020. These trends are unacceptable and cannot continue."

Rural pharmacies are essential, yet small pharmacies are being hit with hidden fees by corporate middlemen that are driving up costs for Montana seniors and families.



I'm glad the Administration has agreed to work with me to address these fees and lower prescription drug costs.  Senator Jon Tester (@SenatorTester) December 16, 2021

Brown said Thursday, Pharmacy middlemen should be passing along their negotiated discounts to consumers, not pocketing the difference to pay their CEOs more. I am glad the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has agreed to take action to address this issue and provide relief to seniors and the pharmacies that serve them.

Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, sent a separate letter Oct. 20, citing a recent announcement by a regional pharmacy chain that it's begun closing 56 pharmacies in the Pacific Northwest.

In response to the CMS reply, he said, These developments take an encouraging first step toward reforming unjust practices that undermine patient access to prescription drugs, patient education, management of chronic disease, preventative care and life-saving vaccines.

CVS pharmacies are part of the same conglomerate that contains CVS Caremark, the company's pharmacy benefit manager.

PBMs say if their fees are reduced, consumers will pay more for drugs

Charles Cote, spokesman for the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, trade group for pharmacy benefit managers, said the group looks forward to the CMS review.

"Pharmacy direct and indirect renumeration (DIR) is an important tool for keeping independent drugstores accountable for doing their part to improve beneficiary health outcomes, increase access, and lower prescription drug costs," he said.

"Barring pharmacy DIR in Medicare Part D would increase premiums for seniors and raise costs for taxpayers, while decreasing the quality of pharmacy care for beneficiaries. According to a CMS analysis, eliminating pharmacy DIR will increase Part D premiums by $5.7 billion and taxpayer costs by $16.6 billion over 10 years."

The Fruth Pharmacy in Wellston, Ohio is part of a small chain that extends into West Virginia and Kentucky that has been hit hard by rapidly escalating DIR fees from PBMs.

One pharmacy chain pays nearly $5 out of every $100 in revenue to PBMs

Fruth Pharmacy, which operates several outlets in Appalachian Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia, is part of a lawsuit against the federal government for allow the skyrocketing DIR fees.

A Fruth executive told The Dispatch for a July story on DIR fees that the payments leaped from just under $1 million in 2017 to more than $4.5 million in 2020  equal to nearly 4.5% its total revenue. That forced Fruth to close five locations since 2014, "all of which were providing essential services to underserved communities with older, sicker populations," the lawsuit says.

Meanwhile, Brown is one of the few Democrats active in attempting to hold PBMs accountable; most others in his party emphasize only the role of major drug manufacturers. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee boycotted a hearing earlier this fall spotlighting PBMs' questionable practices.

In 2019, Brown helped add provisions in the bipartisan drug-pricing bill passed by the Senate Finance Committee that would have increased transparency requirements for PBMs and banned the practice of spread pricing. In June, he proposed a bipartisan measure that would prevent PBMs from retroactively assessing fees on pharmacies.

drowland@dispatch.com

@darreldrowland

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: PBM fees that affect drug costs for consumers, taxpayers under review
Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has asked the Biden administration for temporary relief from new vaccine or testing requirements covering large businesses for its 650,000 employees, warning of potentially "catastrophic" impacts. Deputy Postmaster Doug Tulino, in a letter dated Tuesday seen by Reuters, asked the Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to delay by 120 days the deadline for USPS to comply with the agency's vaccine-or-testing mandate for large businesses, covering more than 80 million American workers. USPS, one of the largest civilian U.S. employers, says it cannot meet the deadlines, citing "inadequate staffing" and other issues.
Paul Seymour Sr. and Paul Seymour Jr. (at right, holding flag) inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

A video posted on Facebook shortly after Paul Seymour Jr. and his father entered the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, showed Seymour "destroying property" and "stealing items," recently filed court documents say.

Multiple videos and images from various locations inside and outside the Capitol building show a man the FBI has identified as Seymour holding an American flag with "TRUMP" written on it.

The FBI says the man seen outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, holding the American Flag with "TRUMP" on it, is Paul Seymour Jr.

Seymour, 33, and his father, 61-year-old Paul Seymour Sr., are among more than 700 people who have been charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

More: Kentucky couple receive probation, $5,000 fine each in connection to U.S. Capitol breach

The Butler county residents were charged earlier this month in federal court with entering or remaining in a restricted federal building or grounds without lawful authority.

More than 600 of the defendants face that charge, according to the Department of Justice. The Seymours also are charged with violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, court documents say.

Both have been released on bond and have been directed to report to U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. for any future hearings.

According to court documents: In June, an FBI task force officer interviewed Seymour Jr. In that interview, the Hamilton resident said he saw people entering the Capitol building and knew pepper spray was being deployed. He said he and his father entered through two doors that "had opened."

Once inside, according to the documents, he said he walked past law enforcement officers lining the hallway who "did not make any attemptto prevent entry to the building."

Instead, according to Seymour Jr., they said: "Have a good day" and "How are you?"

Seymour Jr., the documents say, described being in a hallway lined with statues and in a "museum room," where they spent about an hour.

A video from U.S. Capitol police shows Seymour Jr. exiting doors on the building's east side at 3:33 p.m.

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At least two people sent tips to law enforcement, stating that Seymour Jr. had been involved in the attack. The FBI received the tip about the Facebook video on Jan. 8. Five days later, on Jan. 13, a second person submitted four images to the FBI through an online system. The caption on one read: "This is to help identify one of the domestic terrorist(s) who attacked the (Capitol). His name is Paul Lee Seymour."

Paul Seymour Sr., a Trenton resident, also was interviewed by the FBI on June 2. He also admitted entering the Capitol.

An attorney for him could not be reached for comment. Seymour Jr.'s attorney, C. Ransom Hudson, did not respond to an email seeking comment.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: January 6: Butler County men charged in Capitol attack
Hurting small businesses

Whether or not mans activity can impact our planets climate is one of the debates of our time. There are arguments on both sides. This debate is unresolved.

But to the Democrats in Sacramento, that debate is over  it is time to act.

In the Desert Sun article (California adopts tough standards for trucks and lawn equipment, Dec. 11), the Legislature has mandated that the California Air Resources Board ban the sale of new products run by small gas-powered engines, including leaf blowers, lawn mowers and portable generators.

One can only imagine how many professional landscapers, most of whom are minority-owned small businesses, are located here in the Coachella Valley. These are not high-powered corporations. Most make enough to get by, but few end up in the top 1% of the wage earners in California.

This new ruling represents a huge obstacle for these businesses. Is there a battery-driven leaf blower on the market now that will operate over eight hours a day without lengthy re-charging?

And until there is one available, and the climate debate is resolved, why impose these draconian rules on these small businesses whose very livelihood is now significantly threatened?

Paul Forrest, La Quinta

Biden's record of failure

When Joe Biden became president, he immediately took action to cancel almost everything President Donald Trump had started.

He shut down the ongoing construction of the wall along the Mexican border, resulting in the loss of hundreds of jobs, and today there is a film showing "multi-millions of dollars" of equipment baking in the sun at the border. Is all of this equipment going to be sold off as salvage?

He cancelled the Keystone XL Pipeline with the loss of between 10,000 and 11,000 temporary jobs and an estimated loss of about $1.6 billion in wages. Whatever happened to the equipment that was sitting ready to be installed?

He took actions to greatly curtail oil production and is on track to change our nation from a net exporter back into an importer. And now he is taking oil out of our national reserves to reduce gas prices.

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And lastly, his ill-conceived withdrawal from Afghanistan left about $83 billion in military equipment for the Taliban.

What a remarkable record of failure in less than one year.

Don Barnett, Palm Desert

Gender identity should either matter or not

If sexual orientation and gender identity should not matter in todays world, particularly in employment or housing or similar venues, then why is it mentioned at all?

Why should it be on the first page of your paper that Lisa Middleton is the states first transgender mayor?

If someone were to discriminate against her in some way, shape or form because of her gender, they would be harshly rebuked by the mainstream media. Why then if she attains some office or achievement or award is her gender identity even mentioned?

Recently it has been in the news that a transgender woman is winning competitive swimming races right and left against biologically female competitors. No one does anything about this, so in some circles this clearly does not matter.

Why is this factor ignored in some instances and celebrated in others?

If the public common is to be a level playing field for one and all, then lets cease this kind of identification and end this hypocrisy.

Sunny Simonetti, Palm Desert

Remembering Senator Dole

Bob Doles recent Capitol rotunda memorial service reminds us of other past Republican leaders who were statesmen of integrity, competence, honesty and decency and who were willing to serve our country in wartime  and whose allegiances were only to the U.S.A. and its Constitution.

David Levine, Palm Springs

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: California ban on gas-powered lawn equipment hurts small businesses
By Allison Lampert and David Shepardson

(Reuters) - European airlines are walking an increasingly fine line to meet both foreign inoculation and local privacy requirements, as more countries require flight crews to be vaccinated against COVID-19, carriers say.

Canada is slated on Jan. 15 to end an exemption that allowed entry of unvaccinated foreign flight crews, joining others that have vaccine mandates for pilots and passengers alike.

That's creating a logistical headache for European carriers, who are unable to ask for their employees' vaccination status since they are bound to strict data protection laws in Europe, a spokesperson for the trade group Airlines For Europe (A4E) said.

"Carriers will need to find workarounds in order to comply with the Canadian entry requirement," A4E spokesperson Jennifer Janzen said by email.

U.S. carriers like United Airlines require their cabin crew to be fully vaccinated, while rivals like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines have delayed the effective date of vaccine mandates until 2022 for employees.

Airlines, which have suffered steep losses due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and bans, are blaming a patchwork of shifting rules for increased red-tape and depressed demand for international travel.

Airlines expect to see more inoculation mandates for crew as the fast-spreading Omicron variant forces governments to tighten border restrictions.

"We now see that more and more countries are mandating or considering immunization of flight crews," said KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in a statement.

The carrier identified intercontinental flights to about 10 destinations where crew are currently not exempt from vaccine requirements.

As more countries demand proof of inoculation from everyone on planes, international flights will no longer be practical without vaccinated crews, said a spokesperson for Germany's Lufthansa AG which can't obligate its personnel to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

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Canada, which implored residents on Wednesday not to leave the country due to Omicron, is expected to announce on Friday that it will again require people returning from short foreign trips to submit a negative COVID-19 test.

Still, some countries give foreign flight crews a pass from vaccination rules aimed at international travelers, as recommended by the U.N.'s aviation agency.

International flight crews are exempted from U.S. requirements that all non-U.S. citizens travelling from abroad be vaccinated.

Transport Canada said in a statement it is working closely "with public health officials on the vaccination requirements impacting international aircrew."

Since KLM does not require crew members to be inoculated or share their vaccination status, employees must instead seek a generalized "travel restriction" so they are not scheduled to fly to a destination with entry requirements they cannot meet, the carrier said.

"Managers do not gain insight into the reason for the restriction," the airline said in the emailed statement. "Only in this way we can continue to fill in the rosters properly and keep our operation feasible."

(Reporting By Allison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
Photograph: Reuters

The House select committee investigating the Capitol attack on Thursday subpoenaed Trump operative Phil Waldron, the retired colonel whose PowerPoint recommending Donald Trump declare a national emergency to return himself to office was sent to the White House chief of staff.

The subpoena to Waldron, demanding documents and testimony, marks the select committees focus on the PowerPoint and the extent that the documents recommendations  as reported by the Guardian  were considered by the White House or the former president himself.

Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the select committee, said in the subpoena letter he wanted to depose Waldron as part of their inquiry into the 6 January insurrection and determine the precise nature of his repeated contacts with Trumps former chief of staff Mark Meadows.

Thompson said the select committee was pursuing Waldrons cooperation to also establish the nature of his visits to the White House, his briefings to members of Congress, and his participation in meetings held at the Willard hotel in Washington DC just before 6 January.

The document he reportedly provided to Administration officials and Members of Congress is an alarming blueprint for overturning a nationwide election, Thompson said of the PowerPoint. The Select Committee needs to hear from him.

The select committee subpoenaed Waldron after he emerged as an author of the PowerPoint titled Election Fraud, Foreign Interference & Options for 6 Jan, which ended up in Meadows personal email inbox  and he met with Meadows repeatedly before the Capitol attack.

The PowerPoint recommended in brazen terms that Trump declare a national security emergency on the basis of lies about election fraud, and that then-vice president Mike Pence abuse his ceremonial role to stop Bidens certification on 6 January, the Guardian first reported.

The fact that Meadows was in possession of a PowerPoint that outlined steps to stage a coup, and met with its lead author almost a dozen times before the Capitol attack, is significant as it suggests the Trump White House knew of plans to stop Joe Bidens certification.

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Senators and members of Congress should first be briefed about foreign interference, the PowerPoint said, at which point Trump could declare a national emergency, declare all electronic voting invalid, and ask Congress to agree on a constitutionally acceptable remedy.

The PowerPoint also outlined three options for then vice-president Mike Pence to abuse his largely ceremonial role at the joint session of Congress on 6 January, when Biden was to be certified president, and unilaterally return Trump to the White House.

In a letter to Meadows attorney, George Terwilliger, the select committee noted that among the 6,000 documents Meadows produced was an email accompanying the PowerPoint that indicated it was to be presented on the Hill, a reference to Congress.

The contents of the PowerPoint was ultimately briefed to a number of Republican members of Congress on 4 January, according to a source familiar with the matter. The Washington Post reported that GOP senator Lindsey Graham was briefed by Waldron himself.

The new subpoena for Waldron comes days after the select committee voted to recommend criminal prosecution for Meadows for his refusal to testify pursuant to a subpoena, and Waldron was unmasked in media reports as the lead author of the coup PowerPoint.

In a statement, Terwilliger said that Meadows involvement with the PowerPoint did not go beyond the receipt of the presentation in his inbox, though Waldrons claims that he met with Meadows numerous times at the White House appear to undercut that characterization.
Dec. 17The Grits and Issues event held Dec. 3 in Brunswick attracted more than 320 people who attended to listen to the plans from elected officials for the upcoming General Assembly legislative session that begins in January.

During Wednesday's meeting, Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce officials discussed the event that attracted business leaders and elected officials from Camden, Glynn and McIntosh counties.

They then announced plans for a trip to the state capital Feb. 21-23 to meet with state lawmakers during the legislative session to present a list of requests.

Board members are still developing the list of needs they plan to bring to Atlanta, with the top four needs prioritized. The No. 1 project on the list is to expand the Coastal Pines Technical College campus in Brunswick. The 93,765-square-foot Business & Technical Center, estimated to cost $32.4 million, is considered a top priority by the state board of technical colleges.

The other three priorities the Chamber will bring to Atlanta are still under consideration.

The response to the Chamber's ongoing shop local campaign has attracted Christmas shoppers to more than 50 participating businesses encouraging them to buy local. The incentive is a gift basket that will be awarded to a customer at one of the participating businesses. The more purchases, the more chances to win the basket valued at more than $2,500. The winner will be announced Dec. 20.

Ryan Moore, president and CEO of the Golden Isles Development Authority, updated the talent development strategy committee in an earlier meeting where they discussed a $30,000 workforce development grant from Georgia Power. The consensus was that having a paid/contracted leader for the group would be a good use of the funds to help further the goals of the talent strategy.
The finance minister will meet business leaders for crisis talks after an earlier warning that more support was needed in the industry, as well as the reinstatement of the furlough scheme if further restrictions are put in place. Photo: Yves Herman/Reuters

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to hold talks with UK hospitality business leaders on Friday as firms warn that the new Omicron variant is affecting bookings.

A rising number of Brits are said to be cancelling Christmas gatherings across UK venues amid fears of the rapid spread of the new strain, with business groups warning that trade is deteriorating in the run up to Christmas.

Earlier this week, Englands chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, said that people should limit their social contact in order to have a better chance of spending Christmas Day with relatives.

The finance minister will meet business leaders for crisis talks after an earlier warning that more support was needed in the industry, as well as the reinstatement of the furlough scheme if further restrictions are put in place.

Sunak said the government would do whatever it takes to support jobs, but that funding was already available, including 250m ($332m) that had been provided to local authorities for grants.

The Treasury added: Our 400bn COVID-19 support package will continue to help businesses into spring next year. We will continue to respond proportionately to the changing path of the virus.

Read more: European markets slide into red as investors weigh up Omicron concerns

It comes as the chancellor was criticised for missing an online roundtable meeting with pub and hotel bosses. He cut his four-day US trip short, in which he met tech entrepreneurs and investors, to meet with the UK hospitality firms on Friday.

On Thursday he did, however, hold a video call from San Francisco with business groups including the Federation of Small Businesses, the Confederation of British Industry, UKHospitality, as well as executives from well-known leisure and hospitality chains.

The participants of the meeting requested a deferral of any business rates due in the first quarter of 2022, and grants to businesses in need.

"Until spring of next year, most businesses in the hospitality industry are only paying a quarter of their normal business rates bill. They are benefiting from a reduced rate of VAT all the way through to next spring, Sunak said.

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"And thirdly, there is about a quarter of a billion pounds of cash sitting with local authorities that's been provided by the government to support those businesses who need it."

Read more: Early Christmas shopping lifts UK retail sales

But Kate Nicholls, UKHospitality's chief executive, said: "Christmas trade is always crucial for the hospitality industry, making up as much as a quarter of the year's profit for many businesses.

"Last year Christmas was cancelled and so much rested on this December period for businesses already staggering under a burden of debt incurred from the pandemic and facing rising costs across the board.

"If operators are unable to trade profitably over the next month, many will simply not survive  and those that do make it through face a return to 20% VAT in April."

Meanwhile, Torsten Bell, head of the Resolution Foundation thinktank, said: Surging case rates mean economic pain for British firms, whether or not new restrictions are introduced. And either way the Treasury will have little choice but to introduce support for hard hit firms in the days ahead.

According to the governments figures, a record 88,376 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed on Thursday, while 745,183 booster jabs were administered on Wednesday.

Watch: Sunak cuts short US trip for talks with business chiefs over Omicron crisis
As things slow down during the holidays, December is the perfect time to grab breakfast with family and friends.

Lansing has several options for breakfast and brunch, and while this list isn't intended to be all-inclusive, here are a few fun places to check out while you're feeling festive:

Looking for something that's always different?

Good Truckin' Diner. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., every day. 1107 S. Washington Ave.

Located in REO Town, Good Truckin' Diner is an eclectic and popular spot to grab breakfast in Lansing.

"We have local artists' artwork on the walls, we have stickers up everywhere. The servers usually pick the music for the day," said manager Nora Gorman. "It's very fun and fast-paced, and we have an open kitchen so customers, when they come in, can see us cooking."

Diners enjoy breakfast food at Good Truckin' Diner on Dec. 16, 2021.

There isn't one thing on the menu that's more popular than anything else, according to Gorman.

"You really can't go wrong," she said.

The restaurant features creative breakfast combinations with fun names, such as the 'Kevin Bacon LT' omelet and the 'Hippie Hangover' breakfast sandwich.

In addition to their regular menu, Good Truckin' Diner has weekly specials. Right now, many of the options have holiday flavors, like eggnog, cinnamon, pumpkin and cranberry.

Gorman personally recommends the diner's pancakes, all of which are made with a vegan recipe, something that sets the diner apart in the Lansing breakfast scene.

The diner is open for sit-in and takeout service. Space is limited inside the diner, with a capacity for about 16 diners. Door Dash also is available for those who want breakfast but don't want to leave home. Prices range from $4 to $10 per item.

Good Truckin' Diner will be closed from Dec. 24 through Dec. 26.

Need something made to order?

Fidler's on the Grand. 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays and Tuesdays through Thursdays; 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 4805 N. Grand River Ave.

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The kitchen at Fidler's on the Grand is almost always willing to accommodate guests. Special orders for omelets aren't a problem, and if diners are feeling adventurous and the restaurant isn't too busy, people can ask for a chef's choice meal.

"We'll ask them a couple of qualifying questions that reflect their interests and based on their taste buds, and then we'll make a meal that is catered to their very like," said owner Mark Taylor. "It's a win-win because it allows us to do what we are passionate about here."

Want something that's not on the menu? Taylor says his staff is happy to take requests.

"We're really flexible with creating those dishes that folks want," he said.

One of the most popular items on the menu is the Jamestown Loaded, which is Fidler's version of biscuits and gravy. The restaurant also specializes in Texas breakfast tacos and a waffle sandwich that uses a batter recipe from 1937.

Kitty Rothwell enjoys breakfast food at Fidler's on the Grand on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2021.

People looking to satisfy their sweet tooth can order one of Fidler's extravagant hot chocolates and house-baked cinnamon rolls.

The cinnamon rolls alone are worth the trip, said Kitty Rothwell, a customer at Fidler's.

"You can't come here and not get a cinnamon roll," she said.

Fidler's is open for dine-in and takeout, and prices range from around $2 to $16, with most entrees around $7. The restaurant also has a small gift shop featuring food items and Lansing specialty gifts.

Hot chocolate is served in a festive mug at Fidler's on the Grand on Dec. 16, 2021.

Hours will be limited during the holidays. The restaurant will be closed from Dec. 24 through Jan. 1.

Hankering for brunch (and booze)?

The People's Kitchen. Brunch served 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. 2722 E. Michigan Ave.

Since it opened in 2019, brunch has always been one of the most important meals of the day at The People's Kitchen.

"We've always been a really hot spot for brunch," said general manager Douglas Mulkey.

Although the brunch menu isn't available every day, on the weekends people can enjoy the extensive food and cocktail offerings from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The colorfully named pancakes are one of the most popular items on the menu, Mulkey said.

"I don't know if I can necessarily say it, but the pancakes I can just tell you really do live up to their name," he said.

The hash is also a menu highlight, and what's included in the dish along with the potatoes and eggs depends on what's in season and the latest flavor combinations from the kitchen.

"We try to have an inspired menu, and we like to get our creative element going," Mulkey said. "We like to keep it fresh and we try to support as many local farmers and local establishments as we can."

People can also order cocktails or an alcoholic kick to their coffee if they're looking for a boozier brunch experience.

Lissa Blan-Jacot, pastry chef at The People's Kitchen moves food Wednesday, May 1, 2019.

The People's Kitchen will be open for brunch the day after Christmas, on Dec. 26.

"We're anticipating a great turnout," Mulkey said. "We don't take reservations or call ahead seating for brunch service ... but don't let that be a deterrent for anybody ... We don't ever have a problem getting anybody in."

On New Year's Eve, The People Kitchen will be hosting a champagne dinner, and although it's not breakfast, it's an event that Mulkey said should be a great time.

"Everybody should feel welcome when they come through the doors," he said.

Brunch items range from $9 to $15. The People's Kitchen will be closed Dec. 24 and Dec. 25.

Want breakfast for dinner?

Gregory's Soul Food, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to close Fridays and Saturdays. 2510 N Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.

At Gregory's Soul Food, "breakfast is the place to meet," said manager and main cook Edwin Burtley.

Although the restaurant's full breakfast menu is only available until 11 a.m., people can come in and get waffles anytime, Burtley said.

"We do chicken and waffles, pork chops and waffles, fish and waffles," he said. "We do waffles no matter what time, open to close."

Shrimp and grits are also popular, but Burtley said the menu has something for everyone.

"We have plenty of nice breakfasts," he said.

Ed Burtley, manager at Gregory's Soul Food in Lansing also cooks to cut down on staffing at the popular restaurant Saturday, May 2, 2020.

The Lansing restaurant opened in 1971 and is in its 50th year of operation and is still going strong. Gregory's prides itself in being a place where people can enjoy good food and good company, Burtley said.

Prices for breakfast items range from $3 to $9. The restaurant will be closed Dec. 24 and Dec 25, as well as Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

Contact reporter Elena Durnbaugh at (517) 231-9501 or edurnbaugh@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ElenaDurnbaugh.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Check out these great Lansing spots for breakfast during the holidays
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chinese regulators have given Tencent Holdings approval to publish updates to nine of its mobile apps including QQ Music and WeCom, media reported on Friday.

Chinese media outlet The Paper reported that the updates had appeared in the Apple app store. Last month, China required Tencent to submit any new apps or updates for inspection after a number of its apps were found to have infringed users' rights and interests.

Tencent confirmed to Reuters that the nine apps had been reviewed and given the green light by regulators to resume regular updates in the app stores.

Chinese regulators have cracked down on the country's tech companies over the past year, seeking to dismantle some of the industry's long-held practices after accusing them of monopolistic behaviour and infringing user rights.

This has included a step-up in checks on mobile apps.

(Reporting by Brenda Goh; Editing by Stephen Coates)
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The management of debt-laden Chinese chip conglomerate Tsinghua Unigroup, set for a state-backed takeover, late on Thursday said its estranged official chairman, also a major investor, had spread "false information" and defended its restructuring plan.

In a notice published on Unigroup's public social media account, attributed simply to Unigroup's management, the company linked its debt situation directly to the leadership of Zhao Weiguo, who spearheaded a wave of asset purchases in the previous decade.

Zhao has retained the post of chairman but China's state council appointed a working group to assume leadership of the company after it defaulted on bonds in November 2020.

The notice comes a day after Zhao published a memo via his personal investment vehicle, Beijing Jiankun, arguing that Beijing Jianguang Asset Management (JAC Capital) and Wise Road Capital, two state-backed firms poised to take over Unigroup, were undervaluing its assets.

Zhao's Beijing Jiankun holds a 49% stake in Unigroup, with the remainder held by China's elite Tsinghua University. In the previous decade, with government funding, Unigroup built up stakes in a number of Chinese chip companies.

In its post, Unigroup management said the value in Zhao's stake in Unigroup via Beijing Jiankun had become negative, and that after several rounds of bidding from strategic investors, the highest offers "still cannot cover all of Tsinghua Unigroup's debts".

Unigroup's management said it "firmly opposes" Zhao's attempt to "interfere with and affect the judicial reorganisation process" of Unigroup, and will "take measures to pursue legal liabilities of relevant individuals in accordance with the law".

The company added that a vote on the pending investment would take place on December 29.

Beijing Jiankun did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

(Reporting by Josh Horwitz; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
World 100 metres champion Christian Coleman, who served an 18-month ban for breaching anti-doping whereabouts rules, plans to race for the first time in nearly two years at New Yorks Millrose Games next month.

The competition on 29 January will be his first since February 2020 after the pandemic and the anti-doping suspension curtailed the 25-year-olds career.

I think it will be emotional to get out there and finally display my talents again, the indoor 60m world record holder said by telephone from Lexington, Kentucky, where he trains.

The Atlanta sprinter had been given a two-year suspension by an independent tribunal of track and fields Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) before it was reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Under the so-called whereabouts rule, elite athletes must make themselves available for random out-of-competition testing and state a location and one-hour window where they can be found on any given day.

I think it comes down to being more responsible, said Coleman, 25, who has never failed a doping test but was suspended after three failures to be at a location provided to anti-doping officials.

Those are the rules and I just have to do better.

An alarm on his phone that reminds him to update his schedule daily and a new doorbell that alerts him to visitors are helping to prepare for testers, he said.

Training continued throughout most of the suspension, which ended in November, and he had begun speed work, Coleman said.

He does not see Millrose as just a trial run.

I want to win, said Coleman. I think I have a higher standard for myself than just being back out there and being average.

He said he would see how his body feels before determining his indoor season, though defending his world indoor 60m title in March in Belgrade is definitely on his schedule.

The ultimate goal is to be ready for the world (outdoor) championships said Coleman.

That meet in Eugene, Oregon in July will be the first World Championships held in the United States.

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Whether Coleman will just defend his 100m title or add the 200 remains to be seen but he plans to run both during the regular season.

While he said he had come to terms with missing the Tokyo Games because of his suspension he wants to compete in Paris in 2024 and Los Angeles four years later.

Beyond that, Usain Bolts 100m world record of 9.58 seconds remains on his bucket list.

As time goes on, I think it is possible, said the American, who ran a personal best of 9.76 in winning the 2019 world championships.

Coleman said he wanted to be remembered as one of the great competitors in sport.

I want people to think of me as one of the legends, one of the great sprinters who have come through the USA ranks, he added.
If you're at longtime "Ciao Italia" TV cooking show host Mary Ann Esposito's Durham home on Columbus Day, you'll find her baking Christmas cookies. Yes, Christmas cookies in October, the first of the more than 25 varieties she bakes each year.

"It's just a passion. I can't help it," Esposito said. "I love the joy of doing it and I love giving them away."

She begins in October because that's when her mother would begin.

"I make them because they bring back memories of Christmas as a child," she said as she described her favorites affectionately.

"I love making the pizzelles, and using a twist of anise or vanilla, or making two-toned ones of half chocolate and half vanilla," Esposito said. "I love that they look like stained glass windows."

Longtime "Ciao Italia" TV cooking show host Mary Ann Esposito makes 25 different varieties of cookies for Christmas each year in the kitchen of her Durham home.

"Mom's Date Nut Bars are easy to do," Esposito said. "They're a good one to make if you need something fast and you're really in a hurry."

Many of the cookies keep alive memories of family members like her mother, Louisa Saporito, famous for those nut bars, who passed away this year at 89. This is Esposito's first Christmas without her mother.

Heat-at-home: Where to dine or order takeout this Christmas on Seacoast

Esposito reveals her secret for keeping her cookies fresh. Over the next couple months, after she bakes and cools each batch, she wraps groups of two or four, depending on the size of the cookie, in Press N Seal wrap, puts them in a sealable plastic bag and pops them in the freezer. "When they come out, they are as fresh as the day I made them," Esposito said, noting her family eats leftover cookies as late as July some years.

This week in Durham, Esposito and her daughter Beth will set up "Cookie Central" in her basement, putting tables up, taking all the cookies out of her freezer and creating an assembly line for filling dozens of white boxes with her confections to distribute just before the holiday to those lucky enough to be on her Christmas list.

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Included in those gift boxes are these selections from Esposito's favorites:

Colored Pizzelles

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies

Esposito writes in her Ciao Italia blog: Everyone loves pizzelle. One of the all-time favorites, this waffle-like cookie is made on a pizzelle iron. Originally these cookies were made one at a time, using a single-handled pizzelle iron with a personal design etched in the center. My grandmother Saporito had one that sported two individuals toasting with wineglasses. The idea was to hold the iron over a gas flame, turning it once to create the cookie. Over the years I have experimented with many variations of pizzelle, changing their look and taste with the seasons of the year. For Christmas my family loves this version, which is a standard vanilla-flavored dough; before each little ball of dough is put onto the form, it is coated with multicolored sprinkles.

Colored Pizzelles baked by "Ciao Italia" TV cooking show host Mary Ann Esposito of Durham.

When the lid is pressed down on the dough, a pretty stained-glass look is created that is unusual and very festive. Chill the dough for several hours before rolling the balls in the sprinkles. I prefer to use a non-coated pizzelle iron, as the weight of the lid helps to create a thinner cookie.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached, All-Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups sugar

5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups multicolored sugar sprinkles

Directions

In a medium bowl sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well blended. Add the vanilla extract. On low speed, blend in the flour mixture a little at a time until well blended. The dough will be soft.

Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 2 hours.

(Note: You can make the dough in a food processor, combining the butter and sugar first, then eggs and vanilla, and last the flour mixture.)

Heat a pizzelle maker according to the manufacturer's directions. If it is nonstick, spray it with a baking spray or lightly brush with vegetable oil.

Pour the sugar sprinkles into a shallow dish. Using 2 teaspoons scoop up a spoonful of the dough, and using the spoon as a guide, roll the dough in the sugar sprinkles, coating it well. Place the dough in the center of the form; if you have a 2-form maker, or 4-form maker, roll the balls first before putting them on the form.

Dining Out: Ciao Italia Ristorante + Mercato brings the art of elevated dining to Durham

Close the lid and latch it for a count to 30. Lift the lid and remove the pizzelle with the edge of a fork and place them on cooling racks in single layers to cool completely. For darker-colored pizzelle hold for a longer count. Continue making pizzelle until all the dough is used.

The pizzelle should be thin and have a crisp texture. When completely cool, wrap them in groups of 6 in plastic wrap and place them in airtight containers. Pizzelle can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months.

Variation: When just removed from the pizzelle form, the waffles can be rolled around cannoli forms, or pressed between two small custard cups to form shapes that can be filled with cream, custard, or fruit. Scoop softened ice cream between two pizzelle to make delicious ice-cream sandwiches.

Mom's Date Nut Bars

From Espositor's blog: No holiday visit to Moms was ever complete without her sending me home with a box of her famous date nut bars. Of all her confections, this was the one that everyone craved.

Mom's Date Nut Bars

Makes 24 bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons King Arthur unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups diced dates (10 ounces)

1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Confectioners sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F.

Butter a 10-inch square pan and dust with flour or line the pan with aluminum foil and butter and flour it. Set aside.

Sift 1/2 cup of the flour with the baking powder and salt into a bowl.

In another bowl beat the eggs until they are foamy. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla beating until well blended. Fold in the flour mixture.

Ciao Italia,Durham

In a small bowl toss the dates and nuts with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of the four. This method will prevent the dates and nuts from sinking to the bottom of the pan while baking.

Fold the date mixture into the batter.

Spread batter evenly in the pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top and firm to the touch. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Cut into squares and sprinkle the tops with confectioners sugar.

Note: These can be made ahead and frozen without the confectioners sugar for up to 3 months.

Sicilian Fig Cookies

Ingredients

For the dough:

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2cup sugar

1 cup solid vegetable shortening

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the filling:

2 cups dried figs

2 cups dried dates, pitted

1 1/2 cups raisins

1/2 cup honey

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup orange marmalade

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) walnuts or almonds, coarsely chopped

1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Colored sprinkles

Sicilian Fig Cookies

Directions

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl. Add the sugar and mix well. Cut in the shortening with a fork and work the mixture until it looks like coarse cornmeal.

In a bowl, beat the egg, milk, and vanilla together. Add to the flour and work the ingredients with your hands until a rough dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth. The dough will be soft. Cut the dough into 4 pieces, wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and chill for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets. Grind the figs, dates, and raisins in a meat grinder or in a food processor until coarse. Or coarsely chop with a large knife. Place the mixture in a bowl, add the remaining filling ingredients, and mix well. The mixture will be thick. Set aside.

On a floured surface, roll out one piece of dough at a time into a 12-inch square. Cut the cough into 4-by-3-inch rectangles. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the filling mixture down the center of each rectangle. Carefully fold the long edges of each rectangle over to meet in the center, then pinch the seam to close securely. Turn the cookies seam side down and seal the short ends by folding the dough under. Shape the cookies into crescents and place on the cookie sheets.

Make 2 or 3 diagonal slits in the top of each crescent with scissors. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle on the colored sprinkles. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on racks.

Note: "I wrap the crescents individually in plastic wrap, twist the ends, and tie them with ribbons. They make a wonderful Christmas present. They can be made ahead and frozen," Esposito says.

Mrs. Tigani's Chocolate and Black Pepper Cookies

Makes 3 1/2 dozen

In her Ciao Italia blog, Esposito notes: "Walnut-studded chocolate drop cookies are always found on a wedding cookie cake because they are firm and provide a good color contrast to the lighter cookies, This recipe has changed hands and ingredients many times in my family, but the one thing that remains constant is the black pepper in the dough. These freeze beautifully."

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached, All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon clove

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 to 2/3 cup milk

2/3 cup chopped walnuts

For the frosting :

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

3 to 3 1/2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon rum extract

Colored sprinkles

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets. Sift all the dry ingredients together into a bowl. Work in the shortening with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add 1/2 cup milk and the nuts and mix with your hands until well blended. If the mixture seems too dry and does not hold together, add just enough additional milk so the dough holds together.

Pinch off 1-inch pieces of dough and roll them into balls. Place 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until firm.

While the cookies bake, make the frosting. In a bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and the rum extract and beat until smooth. Add additional milk if necessary to make a thin frosting.

Let the cookies cool on racks only until warm. Dip the tops into the icing, place on the racks, and sprinkle with colored sprinkles. Let the frosting dry completely before layering the cookies between wax paper. These will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week or can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Baking tips from Mary Ann Esposito

In addition to her secret to keeping the cookies fresh for months in her freezer, Esposito shared these additional tips for baking:

Bring all ingredients to room temperature before beginning to make the cookies unless otherwise stated in the recipe. "They'll mix better."

Never rush the creaming process in which you mix the butter and sugar. There should be no grittiness and should be well integrated.

Use rimless cookiing sheets so the cooks bake evently.

Use parchment paper to line the cookie sheets so you don't have to grease and clean them between batches.

Preheat over well before baking.

Never put in more than two trays at one in the oven. "I rotate the cookie sheet from the bottom to the middle and the middle to the bottom halfway through the baking time so they cook evenly."

Place the cookies on cooling racks when you take them out of oven.

Use a wide-face spatula when transferring cookies such as gingerbread to and from the cookie sheet "so an arm or a leg doesn't break off."

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Christmas cookie recipes from 'Ciao Italia' host Mary Ann Esposito
Police and school district officials across Greater Cincinnati are responding to a challenge on social media encouraging people to threaten schools with shootings and bomb threats on Friday.

Cincinnati police say the posts, circulating on the social media platform TikTok, have garnered the attention of law enforcement agencies nationwide, though the posts haven't singled out a specific school or location.

"On a local level, CPD has been actively monitoring the situation and we are working closely with our area schools. We patrol our city school grounds daily and will continue to do so," the Cincinnati Police Department said in a statement.

News: Police investigating threat made at Little Miami Middle School, officials say

"We ask that parents talk to their children about the potential consequences their online posts and social media activity could have," the statement reads.

New TikTok challenge planned for December 17 a threat to Cincinnati schools

At Blanchester Local Schools, where a loaded gun was found in a student's locker Thursday morning, police presence is being increased in response to the posts, Superintendent Randy Dunlap wrote in a letter to parents.

Dunlap cited a post that referred to Friday as "National Shoot Up Your School Day."

A look back: Gun found in students locker at Blanchester High School, police say

Little Miami Local Schools also announced it's increasing police presence on its campuses. "While these threats and rumors do not target Little Miami specifically, we are taking preventative measures to bolster safety around all of our buildings," reads a post on the school district's Facebook page.

Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell is urging parents to talk with their children about the seriousness of school threats.

"It is difficult, if not impossible, to determine at the time these statements are made whether they are simply bad 'jokes' or instead credible threats," Fornshell said in a social media post, adding several students in Warren County are in the process of being arrested for making threatening statements.

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A closer look: Mason Middle School student faces criminal charges after reports of violent threats

The emergence of these social media posts comes as a number of school districts throughout the region have responded to threats of violence in recent weeks.

Enquirer media partner Fox19 contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati schools condemn TikTok challenge promoting violent threats
School districts in the Coastal Bend said Friday that their campuses have not been targets of anonymous nationwide threats on TikTok.

TikTok is an app for users to create and share viral videos. A trending video on the app has declared Friday, Dec. 17, as "National School Shooting and Bomb Threat Day."

On Thursday, the company released a statement via Twitter saying it handles rumored threats with "utmost seriousness."

The company is "working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok," the statement said.

The Sinton Police Department made a statement on Facebook Thursdaysaying Sinton ISD asked the department for additional patrol. Any student who engages and makes a terroristic threat can be arrested and charged, the post said.

"This information has been shared with law (enforcement) agencies at all levels," the post said. "Many surrounding agencies and schools have been posting similar messages. This is a nationwide viral internet development, therefore no specific city or school is mentioned."

Three Rivers ISD made a similar post on Facebook Friday letting the community know it is aware of the nationwide threats.

"While there have been no mentions of anything in our specific school, we take everything involving student safety seriously, and want to encourage everyone at school or in the community that 'if you hear or see something, say something,'" the post said.

Additionally, Corpus Christi ISD released a statement on Facebook recognizing the threats and said there is no evidence of a direct threat toward the district.

"CCISD takes all threats seriously, and asks anyone with specific information to share regarding a threat to please do so with authorities," the post said. "Unfortunately, schools nationwide have seen an increase in online posts with threatening language in recent weeks. CCISD investigates all threats against our schools, and even pranks can carry serious consequences."

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The school district said out of an abundance of caution, it is partnering with local agencies to increase police presence within CCISD.

MORE COVERAGE

More: Menger Elementary School stairwell collapses as staff, students evacuate building

More: Ingleside High School student arrested, accused of making terroristic threat to campus

John Oliva covers education and community news in South Texas. Consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to the Caller-Times.

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Coastal Bend school districts take caution from threats via TikTok
A contract that would bring school resource officers back into Columbia Public Schools is on hold for a while longer.

The contract with the City of Columbia was on the consent agenda of Monday's Columbia Board of Education meeting, but was removed for more consideration. It was to be considered at a special meeting on Thursday, but district security director John White unexpectedly was unable to attend, resulting in the contract being tabled.

School board President Helen Wade said after Thursday's meeting she didn't know when the contract might be considered again.

There have been no school resource officers in schools for more than a year. The contract ended in 2020 over city financial constraints.

The cost to the school district for the four officers in the contract is $295,164.

Under the agreement, two officers would initially be assigned to Battle High School, with two others assigned as more funds become available, wrote district spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark in an email before the meeting.

"Battle High School administration and staff have indicated support of the addition of SROs," Baumstark said. "There were several considerations as discussion began with regard to how to initially distribute SROs should the agreement be approved. Battle High School has the most immediate need. Its location means longer response times when assistance is needed, and having SROs at the school will help provide that more immediate response."

Juvenile division agreement

Also on hold for the same reasons is a separate agreement among CPS, CPD, the Boone County Sheriff's Department and the juvenile division of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court. That agreement has no cost.

The agreement is designed to prevent students from becoming entangled in the judicial system if accused of some crimes, instead using alternative consequences including restorative practices, peer mediation and counseling services.

Restorative practices place offenders in the room with those they have harmed to hear from them about the ways the offender harmed them, restoring them to the school community.

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Parliamentarian presentation

The special meeting included a presentation by parliamentarian Leonard Young, who works with the Missouri School Boards' Association to advise school boards about conducting meetings according to "Robert's Rules of Order."

Young criticized the district's practice of allowing public comment before the board votes on each agenda item.

"In my opinion, that's unfortunate," Young said. "You can't manage that in any kind of smooth way."

It's not a best practice, he said.

Young recommended a 30-minute limit on all public comment. At some meetings, it can last an hour or more.

Wade was asked if Young didn't understand the community or if his ideas had merit.

"It's food for thought," Wade said.

The school board handles public comment differently than the Columbia City Council, and both handle it differently than other public bodies, she said.

rmckinney@columbiatribune.com

573-815-1719

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Contract for the return of Columbia school resource officers on hold
BGR

So many people right now are looking for COVID test kits on Amazon and other online retailers. That makes sense, of course, since theyre sold out in local stores across much of the country. The coronavirus pandemic is spiking yet again, and this time the numbers are off the charts. In the past week alone,  The post Amazon has COVID-19 rapid test kits in stock today if you hurry appeared first on BGR.
Fort Smith residents will soon be able to bring the stories of their neighbors, friends and the last year of their lives into their homes.

Jennifer Burchett's ode to Fort Smith, its people and what all they went through in 2020 is available for pre-order through Bookish.

Dear Fort Smith - A Retrospective of Our Lives in 20/20 by Jennifer Burchett is up for pre-order through Bookish and will be available December 22.

The book is a testament to the people of Fort Smith, their stories and what they went through in 2020.

Burchett, a Fort Smith resident of around five years, took to the streets in 2020 with a camera and a desire to create something for the people in the community during an unprecedented time.

Her work included visiting COVID-19 testing locations, attending a peace vigil for George Floyd and talking with community members both well-known and not as she decided the form the project would take.

I think stories have an awesomely inclusive power, I think they can really bring people together, Burchett said. And I believe that through stories you can see the goodness in other people.

A writer by trade, Burchett had the idea of putting together a yearbook for the city as she worked from home with her family during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jennifer Burchett, a Fort Smith resident of around five years, took to the streets in 2020 with a camera to document the people of Fort Smith and their stories.

I just wanted to do something that celebrated people and helped bring them together, Burchett said.

She set out with the plan of creating something that brought together people of all backgrounds, and after hundreds of hours of work, Burchett has done just that.

Dear Fort Smith is just over 200 pages of narrative photography with featured stories woven throughout, showing the intricacies of life since 2020. Some of the community members featured include Fort Smith Police Chief Danny Baker, Sister Pierre Vorster, Arkansas State Representative Cindy Crawford and Fort Smith Board of Directors member Andre' Good.

The book is not all sunshine and roses, Burchett said. While it features themes of love and community, it also looks at the reality of grief and unrest in 2020.

Talking with the people of Fort Smith and being welcomed into their lives to share their stories was a humbling experience, Burchett said.

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All of these people trusted me with their stories and that still amazes me, Burchett said.

A first look at one of the opening spread's in "Dear Fort Smith - A Retrospective of Our Lives in 20/20." Burchett spent hundreds of hours taking photos and talking with community members to create a yearbook of 2020.

While she thinks the themes covered in Dear Fort Smith leave room for other stories to be shared, Burchett does not know if they will be published. She does know that there will be more books put out by Daisy House Publishing, which she founded to help get the book out and to create more opportunities for local stories to be shared.

For now, Burchett just hopes the people of Fort Smith will find a sense of belonging and acceptance when they flip through the book.

I think that theres a healing process that comes with that, with recognizing the humanity in your neighbor, Burchett said. And I think that given the global problems that the world is experiencing today, I hope the book is a reminder in Fort Smith that neighbors still exist.

Those interested in purchasing Dear Fort Smith - A Retrospective of Our Lives in 20/20 can call Bookish and pay over the phone at 479-434-8631, send an email to orders@bookishfs.com, or order online via Bookishfs.com. The book is $35.95.

Abbi Ross is the business and features reporter at the Southwest Times Record. She can be reached at aross@swtimes.com or on Twitter at @__AbbiRoss

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Dear Fort Smith - A Retrospective of Our Lives in 20/20 to be released in Dec.
A defiant Ghislaine Maxwell said Friday that prosecutors had failed to prove her guilty of sex crimes, as her defense wound up in a trial that heard lurid claims she groomed minors for abuse by the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Speaking for the first time since her sensational trial opened late last month, the 59-year-old British socialite addressed the New York court only to say she would not be testifying.

"Your honor, the government has not proven its case beyond reasonable doubt so there is no need for me to testify," Maxwell, wearing a black turtle neck and matching face mask, told judge Alison Nathan.

The defense rested its case at 4:00 pm (2100 GMT) after less than two days of testimony after it struggled to put witnesses on the stand.

The daughter of former newspaper baron Robert Maxwell faces an effective life sentence if convicted by the jury of six counts of enticing and transporting minors for sex with her long-time companion Epstein.

Closing arguments and rebuttal are scheduled for Monday. The judge will then instruct the jury how to consider the charges before it retires to consider its verdict.

The trial, which began on November 29, had been scheduled to last six weeks but Maxwell may well learn her fate before Christmas Day, her 60th birthday.

The prosecution wound up on Friday last week, after taking just 10 days to question its witnesses.

They sought to portray Maxwell as Epstein's partner-in-crime, recruiting young girls to be sexually exploited by the American money-manager, who killed himself in jail two years ago while awaiting his own trial.

Two women said they were as young as 14 when Maxwell allegedly began grooming them and arranging for them to give massages to Epstein that ended in sexual activity.

One, identified only as "Jane," detailed how Maxwell recruited her at summer camp and made her feel "special." She said sexual encounters with Epstein became routine, with Maxwell sometimes present.

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Another, going by "Carolyn," said she was usually paid $300 after sexual encounters with Epstein, often by Maxwell herself.

The alleged crimes occurred between 1994 and 2004.

- 'False memories' -

Maxwell's defense, which began its case on Thursday, questioned the women's ability to remember quarter-century-old events. They also brought up past drug use by two of them.

But after indicating they planned to call 35 witnesses, the defense called just nine to the stand, taking a day and a half to do so -- with others dropped, delayed, unavailable and even their whereabouts unknown.

An increasingly exasperated judge instructed them earlier Friday to produce the promised witnesses or rest their case.

"We're not delaying the trial," said Nathan.

After the lunch break, prosecutor Maurene Comey said the parties had reached a consensus to rest the case after the defense withdrew requests to enforce the subpoena of a witness identified as "Kelly," and put a London pub landlord on the stand.

Among the defense witnesses brought forward was the psychologist Elizabeth Loftus, an expert on "false memories," whose testimony was intended to challenge the recollections of the case's four accusers.

Another witness heard Friday was a former Miss Sweden who dated Epstein between 1983 and 1991.

Eva Andersson-Dubin said she never saw any inappropriate conduct between Epstein and teenage women.

But she also admitted under cross-examination that she has memory problems.

"It's very hard for me to remember anything far back and sometimes I can't even remember things from last month. My family notices it. I notice it. It's been an issue," the 60-year-old told prosecutor Allison Moe.

Nathan had earlier rejected a request that three other witnesses be allowed to testify anonymously. She also dismissed the defense's attempts to call two lawyers as accusers of Epstein.

Comey said the government's summation would last two to three hours, with 45 minutes for rebuttal.

Defense attorney Bobbi Sternheim said their closing arguments would "hopefully" be shorter.

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Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)





Senate Democrats are stumbling into the end of their first year in the majority, with two of their biggest priorities - President Biden's spending bill and voting rights - stuck in limbo.

Democrats entered the year facing sky-high expectations about what they could accomplish, with their base pushing a lengthy to-do list after the Trump years. Instead, Democrats are on the precipice of wrapping up for the year facing the painful reality of the limits of a one-vote majority.

The setbacks fueled angst within the caucus and are poised to send Democrats back home to voters - and into the 2022 midterm elections, where Republicans are feeling increasingly bullish - with key pieces of their legislative agenda incomplete.

Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) called a 50-50 majority "problematic," adding, "I've used the word 'sucks.'"

"Yes, I am frustrated," she said. "I'm afraid we won't retain the majority if we don't pass voter protection legislation, which our constituents also expect us to do."

Asked about his message to voters given the multifront stalemate, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) fired back: "Welcome to the United States Senate. I've been here for 25 years, and I've seen the decline of this institution."

"Unless and until we change the rules of the Senate and get serious about legislating on the behalf of the American people, we're going to continue this frustration," he said.

Democrats won back control of the Senate for the first time in six years in January, but it's a narrow 50-50 majority that relies on Vice President Harris to break a tie.

They've had significant wins including a coronavirus relief bill and the bipartisan infrastructure deal. But some of the party's biggest priorities have hit a buzz saw in the Senate, where 60 votes is required for most legislation. While the House has passed long-held agenda items on gun background checks, LGBTQ equality and police reform, those ideas have languished in the Senate.

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Democrats have faced stumbling blocks even when they can bypass the filibuster: Democrats stripped a $15 per hour minimum wage proposal out of a coronavirus relief bill after a negative parliamentarian ruling, and progressive dreams of a $6 trillion climate and social spending bill got whittled down to roughly $2 trillion by the time it passed the House with major climate programs, expanding Medicare to cover dental and a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants all dropped from the bill.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) warned that "people are giving up on a government that they see doesn't respond to their needs."

"You have a Capitol Hill that is dominated by very powerful lobbyists. ... That's not democracy. That is a corrupt political system, and we're moving not only to an authoritarian type of society system, in a parallel to that, you're moving toward an oligarchy," he said.

Durbin, asked about potential backlash from voters, argued that the current rules of the Senate undermine the Democratic majority.

"I'm trusting that responsible members of the press will remind them that a 50-50 Senate is not a Democratic majority. And frankly in a 51-49 or anything short of 60 is not a Democratic majority," Durbin said.

The setbacks for Biden and Senate Democrats are coming from two fronts.

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), heading into a Democratic lunch on Thursday, appeared to acknowledge that the party's biggest priorities were likely slipping away for the year.

"We have 50 votes for elections. We have 50 senators to move Build Back Better. We have an agreement with Republicans on all nominations," Cardin said, describing what he was hoping to hear. "I'd also like to see Santa Claus this year."

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) set an ambitious timeline for Democrats to pass Biden's Build Back Better legislation before Christmas. He stuck with that timeline as he opened the Senate for the week on Monday, saying that Democrats were "working hard to put the Senate in a position to get the legislation across the finish line before Christmas."

But the negotiations hit a significant stumbling block, sparking frustration within the caucus.

"We need to get this done. We have talked, we have talked, we have talked. It is time to put it on the floor and vote," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

In another blow, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough on Thursday night rejected Democrats' third immigration reform plan that they were hoping to get into the spending bill that would have granted 6.5 million foreign nationals a temporary parole status that would give them five-year work and travel permits.

As Democrats increasingly acknowledged that Biden's spending bill was likely to slip, they instead pivoted to voting rights. A group of Democrats, including Sens. Angus King (I-Maine), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), has been holding a flurry of behind-the-scenes negotiations to come up with a deal that could win over all 50 Democratic senators and break a stalemate over voting rights legislation.

Because Republicans have blocked several voting rights and election bills this year, Democrats acknowledge that they will need to change the 60-vote legislative filibuster in order to get something done.

Democrats are facing pressure within their own caucus to move voting rights legislation, including taking up that fight before turning to Biden's spending bill.

"It is a contradiction to say that we must protect the voice of the minority party in the Senate while doing nothing to protect the voices of minority people," said Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.).

Hirono questioned, "If we don't, Democrats don't stand up to this attack on our democracy, then what are we doing here?"

And while Democrats have won over a number of their colleagues, who were undecided on filibuster reform, they face the two biggest holdouts that they did at the start of the year: Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.).

"We took all 50 folks' views into account to come up with the beginnings of a proposal. ... Trying to come up with something that is consistent with what we understand 50 peoples' positions to be, that doesn't mean we hit the sweet spot for all 50," Kaine said.

Manchin has been engaged in talks with both Republicans and Democrats but hasn't committed to changes. He's also been a longtime opponent of using the "nuclear option," another hurdle for Democrats if they are going to convince him to go it alone.

But Sinema, in a statement from her spokesman, signaled that she's still largely in the same place: Supportive of the 60-vote legislative filibuster and wary of the carveout idea that is under discussion as a potential rules change option.

"We don't have the votes right now to change the rules," said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), acknowledging the political reality that the party currently faces.

Democratic negotiators haven't landed on a formal proposal but say a number of options are under consideration, including a carveout, reverting to a talking filibuster or switching the cloture requirement from 60 "yes" votes to 41 "no" votes.

"It's a new element," said Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), asked about Sinema's position. "It complicates it."
Senate Democrats will conclude the year without delivering on President Biden's top priority: his $1.75 trillion Build Back Better agenda.

Why it matters: As predictable as that outcome may have been, it still has consequences for the party. Beyond the political ramifications of failing to meet a promised deadline, the chief concern is that dragging out negotiations will result in a smaller package during a midterm year  or no package at all.

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In Congress, and particularly a 50-50 split Senate, taking advantage of urgency is vital.

Pushing action off to 2022 is a buzz-kill.

What we're hearing: Democratic leaders are already looking at setting new deadlines in early 2022 to renew that sense of urgency.

But the problems they face now  including pushback from Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on the child tax credit and overall price tag, as well as disagreements over the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT)  will likely follow them into the new year.

What they're saying: "My team and I are having ongoing discussions with Senator Manchin; that work will continue next week," Biden said in a statement on Thursday. "We will advance this work together over the days and weeks ahead."

What's next: The Senate is now attempting to make the push to change Senate rules  thus making it easier to pass voting rights legislation  front and center. A breakthrough on a potential deal remains far off.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met with a series of Senate Democrats via Zoom on Tuesday.

The group included Manchin, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), according to a person familiar with the call.

Tester told Axios it was a productive meeting but said Manchin isnt there yet."

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Klobuchar said Biden has been very engaged, and said he's being "realistic" about what they can expect.

She said he also knows there are members  read: Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.)  who dont want to mess directly with the filibuster.

The only real, remaining issue between members and their holiday recess: approving a series of Biden's nominees.

Schumer is pushing through a package of 21 judicial, ambassadorial and other nominees, and may try for more in a last-ditch attempt to use senators' eagerness to get home as fuel for chipping away at the historically large slate of officials they need to confirm.

GOP leaders were hopeful early Thursday they could reach a deal to help speed up the voting process.

However, Schumer and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) failed to break their stalemate over nominees. Cruz is delaying action on more than 50 nominees, using it as leverage to secure a vote on Nord Stream 2 sanctions.

If no deal is reached, senators could be forced to stay the weekend, and potentially into early next week, to vote through each nominee after a lengthy debating procedure forced by Cruz.

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Associated Press

A rabbi who was badly wounded in a deadly antisemitic attack at the Chabad of Poway synagogue in Southern California was sentenced Tuesday to 14 months in federal prison for running a multimillion-dollar donation fraud, authorities said. Yisroel Goldstein, 60, also was ordered to pay about $2.8 million in restitution. I beg for mercy to accept my repentance and allow me to right the wrongs, Goldstein told the judge at his sentencing, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. He asked for the chance to do whatever I can to help others to the best of my ability.
Dec. 17A social media challenge promoting Friday as "National Shoot Up Your School Day" has school districts across the Dayton area on alert, on the last day before winter break for most schools.

School officials in Springboro and Kettering said discussions with law enforcement led them to believe the threat was "not credible." But on the heels of a 10-day stretch that included a horrific fatal shooting at a Michigan school  as well as threats in Centerville, Dayton, Northmont, Franklin and Fairborn that did not result in violence  police and school officials are still taking preventative measures.

The posting on TikTok threatened shootings, bomb threats, and other violent acts. Kettering is among multiple police departments that said they would "increase our presence at all school campuses."

Kettering Superintendent Scott Inskeep's message to parents Thursday was an example of schools emphasizing their focus on safety, while trying not to contribute to any panic.

"I have been in communication with (Kettering) Police Chief Christopher Protsman today, and while he and his department have investigated this so-called TikTok "challenge" and determined that this is not a credible threat to our schools here in Kettering, the Chief will have an increased presence of his officers at each of our buildings," Inskeep wrote.

Tom Isaacs, Warren County Educational Services Center superintendent, said the latest TikTok challenge has raised a lot of concerns in local school districts.

"It only takes one unbalanced person to do something terrible," he said. "School superintendents are angry about these TikTok challenges. They make school leaders and staff both concerned and angry because there are crazy people out there who feel the world has been unfair to them and they look for ways to address perceived injustices."

At the same time, Isaacs said public schools are the safest places in America.

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"Kids should be able to go to school and not feel threatened ever," he said. "It creates anxiety and kids already have a lot of anxiety. It's not fair (to them)."

The threat comes eight days after Franklin schools dealt with their own social media threat. Franklin police Chief Adam Colon called the new posting "ridiculous" and said there will be increased police presence Friday.

"They (TikTok) need to lock these things up," he said. "I wish they would do a more responsible job monitoring the posts that are published."

David Bogle, principal of the St. Charles Catholic school in Kettering urged parents to take a role as well.

"We know that social media is a powerful tool often used to influence others  and not always for the good," Bogle wrote to parents.

Students arrested in threat cases

Law enforcement officials around the region are cracking down on those who do make threats. Dayton Public Schools' message Thursday asked families to "please remind students that threats of any kind will result in disciplinary action or legal consequences."

An 11-year-old boy in the Little Miami school district was taken into custody Tuesday for making comments in front of other students about participating in a shooting at the school. The boy appeared in Warren County Juvenile Court on Wednesday on a delinquency charge of misdemeanor inducing panic. He was placed on house arrest and other conditions. His next court hearing will be on Jan. 5.

A student in the Lebanon school district was arrested on a school bus on Dec. 9 for having a deadly weapon in his possession on school property. His next hearing in Warren County Juvenile Court is scheduled for Friday.

At Kettering's Van Buren Middle School, a student was removed from class Thursday due to behavior that was "inappropriate and extremely disconcerting," according to Principal Sarah Adams' message to parents. Adams said the situation began when another student reported the person's internet searches about guns.

After a Kettering Police investigation, Adams said, "This individual will not be back in our building and this is now a police matter, as KPD is determining what charges will be filed."

Officials at Little Miami Schools in Warren County officials said there will be an increased police presence on all campuses Friday to bolster security at its buildings.

"While we know this social media activity is out there, we also know that the vast majority of our students do the right thing every day," Little Miami officials said. "We are proud and grateful that they do what is right and value their school culture."

Franklin Superintendent Michael Sander said district bus drivers, who are the schools' first point of contact with many students each day, have been alerted about the issue.Gary Copeland, Waynesville's village manager and police chief, said they would be taking precautionary measures.

"You never know if there are copycats, Copeland said. "We prepare for the worst and hope for the best. We want a safe learning environment for kids."

Lebanon City Schools and a few other districts had a lucky break in their schedule, as their last school day before winter break was Thursday.
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -The health experts advising the Netherlands' government on COVID-19 strategy have recommended the country go into a "strict" lockdown, Dutch media reported on Friday, just days after a partial lockdown was extended through January.

Broadcaster RTL Nieuws and newspaper NRC Handelsblad cited sources within the panel of experts, whose recommendations are not made public until after the government has taken a decision, that they have advised the closure of all but essential stores.

Health Minister Hugo de Jonge told journalists outside a Cabinet meeting earlier on Friday he had "big worries" about the quick spread of Omicron, which appeared just as a previous wave of infections in the Netherlands had crested.

"I won't say what extra measures may be needed," De Jonge said, adding that the government would follow the health experts' advice.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte's government is due to meet with the health advisers on Saturday ahead of a decision on new measures.

On Tuesday, the government had ordered https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/dutch-consider-early-christmas-break-schools-limit-covid-19-spread-2021-12-14 that the 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. closure of bars, restaurants and most stores, introduced in late November, would continue until Jan. 14.

In addition, primary schools were ordered to close early for the winter holidays, due to high infection rates among children.

Rutte said then that Omicron could be the dominant coronavirus strain in the Netherlands by January.

On Friday the National Institute for Health (RIVM) reported 15,433 new COVID-19 cases, down around 25% from a week earlier - but still above the peak of any previous wave.

The country's strained healthcare system is postponing most routine care and cancelling all but urgent operations in order to cope with COVID-19 patients.

(Reporting by Toby SterlingEditing by Frances Kerry and Rosalba O'Brien)
By Vitaliy Gnidyi

KHARKIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - Mykola Kholtobin never expected to volunteer to fight for Ukraine, but this week he found himself crouching in a fox hole and lobbing a mock grenade into a tank as part of a training exercise to prepare for a Russian invasion.

The 32-year-old web designer joined dozens of camouflage-clad reservists in the city of Kharkiv, about 25 km (15 miles) from the Russian border, to rehearse for what might happen in the event of an attack.

Kholtobin was just a baby when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and was brought up speaking Russian as his first language, like millions of others in the east of then-newly-independent Ukraine.

He consciously switched to Ukrainian in 2014 when Russia seized Ukraine's Crimea region and Russian-backed separatists launched a war with government forces in eastern Ukraine that continues to this day.

"I thought if they are using the (Russian) language as a weapon then so must I. I'd thought about it earlier but it didnt work out. But with the beginning of the war, I 'Ukrainianised' myself," he said in an interview with Reuters.

Fast-forward seven years and Ukraine is accusing Russia of massing more than 90,000 troops at the border and preparing a possible invasion. Moscow denies this, saying it has a right to move its troops around its own territory as it sees fit and that the manoeuvres are purely defensive.

Kholtobin, however, is wondering if he will need to fight for his country.

"Till 2014 I thought that the army is some kind of relic which doesnt have its place in the modern world. Who would be fighting in Europe? What a crazy idea! But now it sounds more than real," he said.

On the chilly training ground, members of the Territorial Self-Defense Unit stand in ranks to salute the national anthem before taking part in a series of drills: capturing an enemy combatant, evacuating a wounded colleague, applying a tourniquet to a wound.

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"As for the tank - it's not as scary as I thought it would be. I heard stories about how scary it is when the tank drives over you, but in the trench, I saw it passing above me, I reached out, I threw the grenade," Kholtobin said.

If the situation requires it, he will turn up at the military recruitment centre near where he lives.

"I will go there and say - well I'm not a soldier but I'm ready to help you with whatever's needed. Maybe you need somebody to load ammunition, or I have a car and I can transport the wounded," he said.

"And of course, if they give me a gun and ask me to protect a street, or to patrol at a checkpoint, weve been shown on territorial self-defence drills how to work checkpoints. Whatever is needed, everything I can, I will do."

Members of Kholtobin's family are also pitching in - his parents and aunt are making camouflage nets for the army, and Kholtobin says he helps them from time to time.

He thinks all Ukrainians should know the basics of military training.

"I think this is a good chance to learn something useful in case something kicks off. To not just be the ballast for the country, the civilian who has to be protected, but to contribute at least somehow to the country's defence," he said.

"Of course I heard that there are people who say they are going to run away in case something starts. Of course I cant guarantee that I'll be a tough warrior, the one who will stand to the very end, but at least I dont plan to flee."

(Writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Susan Fenton)
Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Maja Hitij/Getty Images

Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla is putting over $10 billion into its new Gigafactory in Texas.

The billionaire also said the factory will create 20,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs.

It comes after Tesla relocated its headquarters from California to Texas.

Elon Musk said Thursday that Tesla plans to pour more than $10 billion into its new Gigafactory in Texas and will employ tens of thousands of staff.

"Giga Texas is a $10B+ investment over time, generating at least 20k direct & 100k indirect jobs," Musk posted on Twitter.

His tweet was in response to a Twitter thread by a civil rights lawyer who said that Austin politicians gave the billionaire over $60 million in subsidies to move the factory to Texas, which was reported by The Verge in July 2020.

It comes after construction filings with Texas authorities in November showed that Tesla would spend more than $1 billion on the project, according to Reuters and Electrek.

Tesla said in the November filings, reported by Reuters, that the Texas factory would create around 10,000 jobs  half the amount that Musk tweeted on Thursday. Most of the jobs would be low-skilled, per Reuters.

Musk's firm is expected to receive almost $65 million in local tax rebates for the Gigafactory, per the filings, cited by Reuters.

Tesla is planning for its Cybertruck, Semi truck, and Model 3 and Y to be produced at the 5 million-square-foot Gigafactory.

The electric vehicle company officially moved its headquarters from California to Texas in early December, according to a filing with the US Securities Exchange Corporation. It's set to open this year, Insider's Dominick Reuter reported.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Graeme Smith, South Africa's director of cricket and former Test captain, has hit back through his lawyer at accusations of racial prejudice contained in a report by an ombudsman.

David Becker, former International Cricket Council head of legal and Smith's personal lawyer, issued a statement on Friday in which he disputed findings by Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, who headed a Social Justice and Nation Building Commission (SJN) to investigate allegations of racial discrimination in South African cricket.

In a report issued on Wednesday, Ntsebeza found that Smith "failed to rebut the presumption of unfair discrimination" in appointing former Test wicketkeeper and long-time team-mate Boucher as head coach of the national team ahead of Enoch Nkwe, a black coach who served briefly as national team director.

"Some of the findings are entirely questionable and without any basis," said Becker, who claimed that lawyers for "various respondents" had raised "material concerns" about the integrity of the SJN process.

"Important parts of the evidence are simply not dealt with in the report," said Becker.

"For example, the ombudsman states that Smith did not explain why he appointed Boucher in his evidence. However, the reasons are clearly addressed by Smith and (former CSA president) Mr (Chris) Nenzani in their affidavits submitted to the SJN."

Ntsebeza also found that Smith's appointment was irregular and that a refusal to report to then chief executive Thabang Moroe, who was later dismissed for misconduct, was evidence of "racial bias against black leadership".

Becker pointed out that Smith did not appoint himself and that his appointment was approved by the national selectors, the entire board of CSA and senior executives of the organisation.

He had worked happily with Moroe's acting successor, who was black, and three black presidents.

Becker did not directly address an accusation of racial bias in the decision when Smith was captain to use star batsman AB de Villiers as wicketkeeper in a Test series in England in 2012, ahead of black reserve wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile.

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But Becker said CSA would have to consider "a number of fundamental flaws" in the process of the hearings.

"For instance, how do you make far-reaching and public findings of racial prejudice against certain people and in the same breath say that they are tentative, as the ombudsman has done?

"How is CSA expected to implement those findings when the ombudsman has said, by his own admission, that he 'cannot make definitive findings in an instance where the evidence of both the so-called victims and the alleged perpetrators was not tested'?

"Why wasn't the evidence properly tested? The ombudsman had the opportunity to cross examine the witnesses under the terms of reference and didn't take that opportunity," said Becker.

str/bsp/pi
The claim: Nancy Pelosi rejected Donald Trump's request for 10,000 National Guard troops to be deployed before Jan. 6

As a House committee continues its investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and former President Donald Trump goes on a speaking tour, debunked narratives about the deadly insurrection are resurfacing on social media.

Reports show military and law enforcement officials were unprepared and slow to respond to the riot. Trump has repeatedly attempted to blame that on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., claiming she rejected his request to deploy 10,000 National Guard troops to the Capitol ahead of his Stop the Steal rally.

Trumps claim is one of many efforts by Republicans and supporters of the former president to shift blame and downplay the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol that resulted in four deaths and led to more than 600 arrests.

Trump Says Pelosi Turned Down His Request For 10,000 National Guard Troops For Jan. 6 Rally!!! reads the caption of a Dec. 13 Facebook video that accumulated more than 4,000 views within a couple days.

Related video: Pelosi signs bill honoring officers for defending Capitol on Jan. 6

The video included in the post shows Trump speaking to a crowd on Dec. 11 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he claimed he recommended 10,000 National Guard troops be deployed because he knew the crowd size was going to be "enormous."

I recommended 10 but I said do whatever they want, theyre running the Capitol, they know what theyre doing, Trump says in the video. And the Capitol police knew about it, she (Pelosi) knew about it, and they turned it down because they said it didnt look good.

But Trumps claim was debunked by fact-checkers in March, after he first made the statement during a Fox News appearance, and its still not true. There is no evidence Trump made any formal request about deploying 10,000 National Guard troops before the rally.

Special access for subscribers! Click here to sign up for our fact-check text chat

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USA TODAY reached out to Trumps spokesperson and the Facebook page that shared the video for additional comment.

No record of the request

A government memo about the events leading up to Jan. 6, statements from Pelosis office and the Pentagon and testimony from the former House sergeant-at-arms show Trump did not request 10,000 troops ahead of the rally.

Drew Hammill, Pelosi's spokesperson, told USA TODAY that Pelosis office was not consulted or contacted regarding any request for the National Guard ahead of Jan. 6, and he noted the speaker of the House does not have the power to reject that type of request.

Claims that Pelosi was in charge of Capitol security on Jan. 6 have been previously debunked by USA TODAY. The Capitol Police are overseen by the Capitol Police Board and committees from the Senate and House of Representatives.

Fact check: Post falsely claims Pelosi is blocking Capitol Police officers from testifying

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby had previously looked into Trumps claim and told The Washington Post in March that we have no record of such an order being given.

A timeline from the Department of Defense only mentions an agreement made on Jan. 4 about potentially providing 340 District of Columbia National Guard members at the request of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to support traffic control points and to deploy a quick reaction force if additional support is requested by civilian authorities.

Additionally, when asked by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, during a Feb. 23 Senate hearing if discussions took place on Jan. 4 with congressional leadership about bringing in the National Guard, former House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving said he "had no follow up conversations."

"It was not until the sixth that I alerted leadership that we might be making a request," Irving said. "And that was the end of the discussion."

More: Capitol riot misinformation persists: False claims continue to circulate on Facebook

While Trump never formally requested 10,000 National Guard troops, then-acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller told Vanity Fair that Trump brought up the figure in conversation on the night before Jan. 6.

Our rating: False

Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that Pelosi rejected Trump's request for 10,000 National Guard troops to be deployed before Jan. 6. Pelosi's office said the speaker was not contacted about deploying the National Guard prior to the rally, and the Pentagon has previously stated that there is no record of the request. A timeline from the Department of Defense about the events leading up to Jan. 6 does not include any mention of a request for 10,000 National Guard members. The former House sergeant-at-arms said he did not have any discussions with congressional leaders about the National Guard until the day of the riot.

Our fact-check sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app, or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Trump did not request 10,000 Guard troops for Jan. 6
FARMINGTON  The Farmington Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting which took place earlier this week on Zuni Drive

Iran Olguin, 45, of Farmington, died from a gunshot wound on the night of Dec. 15, according to a Farmington Police Department news release.

Officers were dispatched around 9:15 p.m. on Dec. 15 to a residence in the 700 block of Zuni Drive on reports of shots fired.

Olguin was found with a gunshot wound to his chest. Paramedics transported him to San Juan Regional Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.

Farmington police didnt release additional information in the investigation.

The law enforcement agency is asking the public to call the Farmington police detective tip line if they have information on the case at 505-599-1068.

More public safety news:

Joshua Kellogg covers breaking news for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627 or via email at jkellogg@daily-times.com.

Support local journalism with a digital subscription: http://bit.ly/2I6TU0e

This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: Farmington PD investigating fatal shooting on Zuni Drive
TikToker Victor Fontanez, 22, plans to hold second annual community give back event in Fayetteville.

A Fayetteville native who has gained national attention through his TikTok platform is bringing his community give-back event back to the city.

Victor Fontanez, commonly known by his TikTok handle Vic Blends, has gained more than 10 million followers and more than 115 million likes on on the social media platform.

In his videos, Fontanez offers haircuts to people on the street and talks with them to hear their stories.

Fontanez said he was looking for a side hustle when he was younger and developed a love for cutting hair.

"My passion led me to my purpose," he said. "I think that's true for everybody. I found what I love to do, I pursued it and it led me to what I'm supposed to be doing here by God and that's to motivate and inspire people."

Fontanez said his passion isn't mainly with barbering but more so about people.

"I just love to connect with people and show love to others," he said. "I just think that's what I'm here to do."

More: Fayetteville native Vic Blends, celebrity barber and entrepreneur, returns to South View

His passion to connect and inspire others led Fontanez to start his give-back event here in Fayetteville last year.

"To me, what's a blessing if you can't share with other people?" he said. "God placed me in a very, very special position last year in my life and I know it ain't for selfish reasons. I don't think blessings come to hold to yourself. It's there to share with others."

This year, Fontanez plans to continue to share with his home community with a second give-back event in collaboration with Fayetteville native rapper Morray on Thursday at Segra Stadium at 10 a.m.

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The event will offer free haircuts, toys, food, clothes, and community support, including free diapers for single mothers. According to Fontanez, he's recruited about 60 barbers to help with the event.

Fontanez says he plans to continue this event at the end of every year.

"If I could do something at the end of every year for my hometown, especially the place that made me who I am, that's helped me fulfill my purpose," he said.

Detail from a flyer for the Christmas Giveback, scheduled for Dec. 23 at Segra Stadium in downtown Fayetteville, NC. Barber and social media star Vic Blends and rapper Morray are headlining the event.

In addition to helping his hometown, Fontanez has also implemented barber schools in California prisons.

"It's a real barber school that they can take while they're incarcerated and have their license before they get out," he said.

Fontanez said he hopes to expand the programs to prisons nationwide.

Support local journalism with a subscription to The Fayetteville Observer. Click the "subscribe'' link at the top of this article.

Above all else, Fontanez said, at the foundation of what he does is empathy.

"Empathy is what's going to change the world," he said. "I just think having empathy for another human is what we all need to see. I don't have any deep ties to prison, it's not like my pops was locked up, but I'm somebody that has feelings for what other people go through. If I got a networking opportunity to make a change in an area that needs it, I'd be selfish to sit on my butt every day and not make it happen."

Staff writer Akira Kyles can be reached at akyles@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: TikToker Vic Blends uses passion for barbery to give to others
The Daily Beast

GettyEven as daily new COVID cases set all-time records and hospitals fill up, epidemiologists have arrived at a perhaps surprising consensus. Yes, the latest Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus is bad. But it could have been a lot worse.Even as cases have surged, deaths haventat least not to the same degree. Omicron is highly transmissible but generally not as severe as some older variantslineages is the scientific term.We got lucky. But that luck might not hold. Many of the same epid
If youre still finalizing your shopping for Christmas and Kwanzaa, here are some ideas

Its the holidays and much like 2020, 2021 was a year that Black people and other minority groups showed up and showed out. Black and minority-owned businesses received more attention than ever before this year, leaving people with more options to support them and their products.

This holiday season we curated a list of five gift ideas that highlights some of those stand-out brands and businesses.

1. Getting the BAG CISE bags that is!

(Credit: CISE)

The Black-owned, Los Angeles-based brand CISE has been around for more than a decade but has grown in popularity over the last two years. With a very specific intention to support the Black community through an array of products, CISE continues to push the envelope of branding with purpose. The Protect Black People and Protect Black Women bag collection is just one of the top-tier Black-owned luxury bag companies that are on the rise. The CISE bags and clothing line prices range from $40  $185.

Website: https://cise.store/

2. For people who still like to write things down: Be Rooted Co. Journals

(Credit: BeRootedCo)

Founder Jasmine Foster takes journaling to the next level with her brand Be Rooted Co. As more Black people seek therapy and self-healing techniques, these beautiful, vibrant journals provide an outlet. Be Rooted Co. also offers planners and other stationery needs. These are the perfect gifts for loved ones who are entrepreneurs. You can snag one of these journals for $16!

Website: https://berootedco.com/

3.Shine a lightbut make it a ZEEN candle!

(Credit: Zeen)

The contemporary candle brand founded by Jihan Dempster explores Caribbean-esque aromas. Dempster started ZEEN Candle Company with the belief that everyone deserves luxury, no matter your color, class, or economic status. These candles are rich in Dempsters Caribbean culture and unique personal style. Handcrafted to perfection, a ZEEN candle will upgrade any home with a desirable smell and chic aesthetic. The perfect gift ($39.99) for any family or friend!

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Website: https://zeencandleco.com/

4. Issa hair affair with Sienna Naturals!

(Credit: Sienna Naturals)

Sienna Naturals was founded by Hannah Diop and is co-owned by Issa Rae. For the friend or sister that is looking to enhance their natural hair care experience, Sienna Naturals has you covered. These products are vegan and free of sulfates, silicones, mineral oil, and artificial fragrances. With gift sets including lock and seal hair drops, H.A.P.I. shampoo, Power Plant hair mask, and more, your gift can be ready to go for $80. You can also purchase products from the line individually starting at $18.

Website: https://www.siennanaturals.com/

5. Make a house a home with Sticki Icki!

(Credit: Sticki Icki)

Celia Williamson, the founder of Sticki Icki, wanted to create home accessories to add a little razzle dazzle to your space. As the pandemic continues, we understand more than ever just how important it is to create a safe, warm and fun environment in our homes and apartments. With their unique textures, colors, and prints, Sticki Icki has everything youll need. Some of the items include throw blankets, fans, bowls, candleholders, and more. Grab a gift today with prices starting as low as $5!

Website: https://www.stickiicki.com/

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The post Five Black and minority-owned businesses with great gift ideas for the holiday season appeared first on TheGrio.
At least five people have been killed after really abnormal powerful storms and record-breaking winds lashed across several US states.

Winds as high as 120 km/h (about 75mph) caused hurricane-like storms in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Michigan and Wisconsin resulting in power outages and destruction to livestock and property in these states.

To have this number of damaging wind storms at one time would be unusual any time of year, said Brian Barjenbruch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Valley, Nebraska.

But to have this happen in December is really abnormal.

As of 6:54 PM CST, there have been 249 severe wind reports as well as 13 tornado reports across the Plains as the line of storms rolled through. Damaging winds remain likely (and additional tornadoes possible) this evening ahead of the line within the risk areas. pic.twitter.com/JbB98q6yi3  NWS Storm Prediction Center (@NWSSPC) December 16, 2021

A 65-year-old man was killed on Wednesday night in Minnesota when a 40-foot-tall tree fell on him outside his home, Lee Rossman, from the Olmsted County sheriffs office, told the Associated Press.

In Kansas, the dust storms triggered by strong winds led to two separate crashes that killed three people, according to Kansas highway patrol trooper Mike Racy.

A semitrailer truck was struck by winds in eastern Iowa, causing it to roll over to one side, killing the driver, according to Iowa state patrol.

In another incident in Nebraska, the states officials shared a video of a truck toppling in front of a troopers vehicle because of the wind. A tweet shared by Nebraska state patrol said the truck driver was not injured because he was wearing a seat belt.

Troopers have responded to a number of high profile vehicles tipping over during todays high winds and severe storms.



This one happened right in front of a trooper on I-80 in Lincoln at about 3:30 pm.



Thankfully the driver was wearing a seat belt and was not injured. pic.twitter.com/liJTqp8pCX  Nebraska State Patrol (@NEStatePatrol) December 16, 2021

On Thursday, the storm shifted north of the Great Lakes into Canada, bringing with it high winds, snow and hazardous conditions in the region.

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Power outages were reported as a result of the storm in Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Kansas, according to PowerOutage.us, a website that said it aggregates live power outage data across the US.

The wind gusts of up to 120 km/h recorded on Wednesday were the highest since at least 2004, according to the US governments Storm Prediction Centre.

There were at least 55 reports of hurricane-force wind gusts regionwide, exceeding the 53 recorded on 10 August last year, it added.

Today (12/15) has set the record for the most number of hurricane force (75+ mph) thunderstorm wind gusts in a day (55, and counting) since 2004. The previous record was from August 10, 2020 with 53. pic.twitter.com/bqULyJJEw5  NWS Storm Prediction Center (@NWSSPC) December 16, 2021

However, the destruction on Wednesday was less than that of last August, when a rare derecho wind storm  dubbed our version of a hurricane by Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini  struck Iowa.

At least two tornadoes were also confirmed in southern Minnesota.

The National Weather Service said wind speed in Hartland, Minnesota went as high as 177 km/h (110 mph).

The powerful winds caused minor damage to at least 35-40 homes and left a few businesses severely damaged, said Freeborn County emergency management director Rich Hall.

In western Michigan, there were reports of damage to livestock and power outages as strong winds knocked down trees and power lines.

At least 70 cows were reportedly electrocuted when an electric pole fell on a milking barn in Newaygo County in Michigan.

At least 150 power lines were knocked down in northern and western Michigans Lower Peninsula.

Strong winds also carried with them a portion of the roof of Edgewood Elementary School in western Michigans Fruitport.

In Kansas, strong winds created dust storms that reduced visibility. At least four semitrailers were blown over on the highway due to low visibility.

Officials, as a result, temporarily closed much of Interstate 70, as well as all state highways in nine northwestern Kansas counties.

I-70 Russell / Ellis County Line right now. Please stay off of the highways!#KSwx pic.twitter.com/SXSwZ5eD7y  Trooper Tod (@TrooperTodKHP) December 15, 2021

Firefighters and helicopters were also deployed in several areas in Kansas to put out wildfires caused by the heavy winds.

The governors of Kansas and Iowa have declared a state of emergency in their respective states.

Officials said the strong winds and storm developed amid an unprecedented warm December in the Plains and northern US states, with temperatures rising to as high as 21 degrees Celsius in places like southwestern Wisconsin on Wednesday evening.

Scientists said extreme weather conditions are likely to increase due to climate change.

Jeff Masters, a Yale Climate Connections meteorologist who cofounded commercial weather service Weather Underground, said the unusually warm temperatures on Wednesday were due in part to record high ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, which wouldnt have happened without global warming.

Wednesdays storms come days after at least 88 people were killed in multiple devastating tornadoes that ripped across six states last weekend.

Additional reporting by agencies
Remember back in September, when the devious licks TikTok challenge was leading kids to vandalize their schools? Well, theres talk of a new challenge on the site that has schools and law enforcement on alert. Its supposed to happen today. Read on for that story and more Florida education news.  The education roundup will be on holiday during winter break. Enjoy your time off!

This months TikTok challenge is to make a threat of violence against a school. School districts across the state have issued warnings in advance against participating in the activity. Brevard County officials said they would remain vigilant, but expected a normal day, Florida Today reports. Lee Countys sheriff used TikTok to remind students that fake threats still have real consequences, Newsweek reports. Several districts turned to social media to address the social media trend, including Pasco.

Hot topics

Redistricting: The Hillsborough County School Board has new member districts. Republicans are miffed about the map for the nonpartisan positions.

Public comment: The Palm Beach County School Board is pondering rules to control public comment at meetings. At least one board member argued the board always should listen, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

State vs. feds: The Florida Department of Education returned funds withheld from school districts over their mask rules. In response, the U.S. Department of Education dropped its cease and desist complaint against the state, the News Service of Florida reports.

Book bans: The Clay County school district removed the Black queer memoir All Boys Arent Blue from its school libraries, WJCT reports. The United States of America has always had an issue with anything that tells the truth, author George M. Johnson said.

Teen violence: The Leon County school district is joining forces with law enforcement and community groups to tackle rising violence among young people in the community, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. Black teens face a particularly daunting daily situation, the Democrat reports.

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School news

A Hillsborough County middle school principal is stepping down. Tim Binder has been accused of creating a hostile work environment, which he denied and criticized the investigation of him. A high-level district supervisor also faces reprimand for keeping a secret file about the principal and shielding him from discipline.

The city of Cape Coral is taking a more hands-on approach to dealing with its local charter schools. It approved a new, less-expensive five-year lease of city buildings to the schools, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

The Bay County school district has begun replacing classroom technology in all its schools. Funding is coming from a recently approved sales tax increase, the Panama City News Herald reports.

Broward County teachers reached a pay deal with their district. Theyll get raises around 1 percent, plus a $2,000 stipend, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

Marion County school district officials are exploring new ways to provide career education. The discussion comes as Marion Technical Institute enrollment plummets, the Ocala Star-Banner reports.

The Martin County School Board approved new attendance zones for several high schools. About 450 students will be affected by the move to limit campus crowding, TC Palm reports.

From the court docket ... State Board of Education chairman Tom Grady was found not guilty of federal misdemeanor charges, Florida Politics reports.  A judge questioned the validity of the case against former Broward County school attorney Barbara Myrick, whos accused of illegally disclosing information from a grand jury proceeding, the Sun-Sentinel reports.  A court hearing over the removal of an Alachua County School Board member came to a halt as both sides asked for more time to gather additional information, the Gainesville Sun reports.

Dont miss a story. The link to yesterdays roundup is right here.

Before you go ... How about a little more holiday cheer on our way out? Enjoy the break and well catch back up after the calendar flips!

  

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.
Dec. 17The former superintendent of Athens City Schools on Thursday pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to defraud the Alabama State Department of Education by inflating the number of students enrolled in the district's virtual public school and personally benefiting from the resulting increase in state funding.

William "Trey" Holladay III faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, plus unspecified monetary penalties. The sentencing hearing has not been set.

Holladay was one of six people indicted in February by a federal grand jury on related charges involving Athens Renaissance School, a K-12 blended and virtual school that is part of Athens City Schools. In return for his guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to dismiss charges filed against Holladay's wife, Deborah Irby Holladay.

Former Limestone County Superintendent Thomas Sisk, retired teacher Gregory Earl Corkren and former Marengo Academy football coach David Webb Tutt have previously pleaded guilty. The only remaining defendant is William Richard Carter Jr., who was Athens City Schools' director of planning and before that director of innovative programs and principal of Athens High School. His trial is scheduled for Feb. 7.

Trey Holladay served as superintendent from July 2013 to Oct. 31, 2020. The Athens school board bought out the remainder of his contract for $250,000 while he was being investigated.

According to the plea document signed by Holladay, he came to an agreement with Carter, Tutt and Corkren pursuant to which Athens City Schools would provide enrollment information that "listed as full-time public virtual students, students who were in fact full-time private school students  attending a private school each day, paying tuition to a private school, receiving instruction from private school teachers and, in many cases, participating in extracurricular activities at a private school."

For each falsely reported private school student, Athens City Schools would receive between $5,500 and $7,000 per year. A portion of that money was paid to a company owned by Corkren, who would keep some for his personal use and give at least $33,000 per month to a company owned by Tutt. Tutt would then give $16,500 per month to a company owned by Holladay's wife, according to the plea agreement.

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In order to obtain the per-student funds from the state, Holladay and the others needed to provide personal identifying information about each private school student who was falsely listed as being an Athens City virtual student, according to the plea agreement. The defendants obtained this information by offering benefits to private schools, most of which were in the Black Belt.

In return for the personal student information, according to the plea agreement, private schools were provided a total of 185 laptop computers, access to online curriculum, standardized testing and monetary payments. Parents of the children did not consent to the release of information to Athens City Schools, according to the plea agreement.

"The students whose identities were used in the scheme had little to no connection to the public school districts," according to a statement released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Many of these activities took place after a March 2016 meeting with state Department of Education officials at which a state deputy superintendent raised concerns about the school system's "practice of enrolling private school students in Athens Renaissance and then counting those students in ACS' average daily membership," according to the plea agreement. Holladay agreed to discontinue the practice and was instructed not to enroll virtual students who did not reside within 100 miles of Athens.

To circumvent this mileage limitation, according to the plea agreement, Holladay in the summer of 2016 had Athens City open a facility in Linden, which was within 100 miles of several of the private schools whose students were being counted as being enrolled in Athens City Schools.

Holladay also tried to open another Athens City "hub" in Elba, within 100 miles of other private schools, and advised an unnamed person by email that the arrangement would bring the person and Elba City Schools a benefit of $75,000 in the 2017-2018 school year and $175,000 in 2018-2019. Holladay said in the email he anticipated Athens City increasing its virtual enrollment by up to 350 students through the arrangement. The proposal was not accepted and no hub was opened in Elba.

In October 2016, according to the plea agreement, the enrollment reported by Athens City Schools to the state included more than 750 full-time private school students.

In August 2017, after conducting an audit of Athens Renaissance School enrollment information, a state Department of Education official advised Holladay that information from private schools indicated that Athens City was inflating its virtual enrollment numbers so as to receive more state funding. Holladay responded in an email, according to the plea agreement, "'They are taking a full class load from us and we're educating them' As Trey Holladay then knew, this statement was false."

In the summer of 2017, to reduce state oversight, Holladay attempted to convert Athens Renaissance into a statewide virtual charter school, according to the plea agreement. He then attempted to convince private schools to dissolve and become nonprofit homeschool associations with students to be enrolled at the proposed charter school.

 eric@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2435. Twitter @DD_Fleischauer.
2006 photo of former doctor Julian Omidi. (Bruce Gifford / Getty Images)

A former doctor was found guilty by a federal jury this week of fraudulently submitting roughly $355 million in insurance claims as part of the 1-800-GET-THIN network, a business federal prosecutors say involved falsified sleep studies to convince insurance companies to pre-approve the weight loss Lap-Band surgery.

The 1-800-GET-THIN billboards once dominated the Los Angeles landscape with claims of a one-hour procedure and an easy insurance verification process. But a federal jury on Thursday found that the business was a criminal scheme that bilked millions from insurance providers, including the Tricare healthcare program for military service members.

Former doctor Julian Omidi, from West Hollywood, controlled several entities in the GET THIN network. Prosecutors say Omidi incentivized employees to make sure patients received sleep studies and then falsified the results to show that patients had obstructive sleep apnea.

Those results were then filed with insurance companies to pre-approve the Lap-Band weight-loss surgeries. The GET THIN business received approximately $41 million for those procedures, according to prosecutors. While not all patients were approved to receive the surgery, prosecutors say GET THIN would bill the patient roughly $15,000 for each sleep study, totaling $27 million in payments from insurance providers.

Omidi, 58, and his Beverly Hills-based company, Surgery Center Management, were found guilty of 28 counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Omidi was also found guilty of two counts of making false statements relating to healthcare matters, one count of aggravated identity theft and two counts of money laundering after a 48-day trial in downtown Los Angeles, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Omidi's attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.

A series of Los Angeles Times columns from 2010 to 2014 detailed how five patients died after they received Lap-Band surgeries at clinics affiliated with 1-800-GET-THIN. During a 2009 inspection, the Department of Health and Human Services found unsanitary conditions, inoperative scrub sinks, one-time-only equipment being reused and several other deficiencies. The inspector shut down the clinic for a day, but further action was not taken at the time.

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Omidi's medical license was revoked in 2009, and he was arrested in 2018 along with medical doctor Mirali Zarrabi, 59. Zarrabi has been acquitted of all charges in the case, according to prosecutors.

The insurance victims in the case include Anthem Blue Cross, UnitedHealthCare, Aetna, Health Net, Operating Engineers Health and Welfare Trust Funds and others, including Tricare, healthcare for military service members, according to court documents. In 2014, federal agencies seized more than $110 million from the GET THIN network in securities and funds.

Omidi will be sentenced April 2022 and faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each of the mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering counts, along with a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft, according to the federal government.

"A jury found that Mr. Omidi committed a massive fraud against public and private health insurers by falsifying sleep studies and other patient information for authorized payments for Lap-Band surgeries," said Ciaran McEvoy, spokesman for the U.S. Attorneys Office in Los Angeles, in a statement. "Our office is grateful for the jurys service during this lengthy and hard-fought trial and we will continue to vigorously prosecute health care fraud wherever and whenever we find it.

After the three-month trial, the federal government filed a motion to begin the civil forfeiture of funds and other assets from Omidi and Surgery Center Management.

The investigation into the GET THIN network involved the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the FBI, Internal Revenue Service and the California Department of Insurance along with the U.S. Attorney's Office.

For the record:

9:41 a.m. Dec. 18, 2021: After the three-month trial, the federal government filed a motion to begin the civil forfeiture of funds and other assets from Omidi and Surgery Center Management. A previous version said the government filed for legal fees.



This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
What: 2021 Lift Up Artist Gary Kingcade

Where: Kemp Center for the Arts, 1300 Lamar

Admission: Free and open to the public. Information at (940) 766-3347 or www.artscouncilwf.org. Donations are welcome at https://www.artscouncilwf.org/lift-up-art

The Sentinel" acrylic painting by the 2021 Arts Council of Wichita Falls Lift Up Art Featured Artist, Gary Kingcade. Kingcade, a native Wichitan, taught in the WFISD for 40 years inspiring many young art students. He currently has a show in the West End Gallery through the end of the year.

The Arts Council of Wichita Falls awarded their 2021 Lift Up Art Featured Artist Award to Gary Kingcade, a native Wichitan who taught in the WFISD for 40 years inspiring many young art students. He also worked as gallery director at the Kemp Center for six years and continues to regularly show his paintings, sculpture and jewelry.

Previous Lift Up Artists include Polly Cox, Glen Conway and Jack Stevens. There is currently an exhibit of Kingcades art work in West End Studios that will be open until the end of the year.

The Lift Up Art program is an annual program at the Kemp, according to CEO Carol Sales, to keep the memory alive of artists who influence the community such as Scottie Parsons, Betty Higgins and Tom Crossnoe. It reminds us who lifts up the arts, or art lovers up, she said.

For a $25 gift to the Arts Council, donors can celebrate someone in their life who has inspired them. The Arts Council will send the donor of their honoree a magnet featuring one of the Lift Up Art artists paintings along with a short note.

Its similar to the Hospice Star Program and its to bring to peoples minds on an annual basis the people who have inspired them. We dont have a star, we have a magnet; its just to keep a history of the high art influence of our programming  and the artists work which has influenced art lovers, Sales said.

Nominations for the Lift Up Artist award are made each year, and a committee meets in June, reviews nominations and makes its choice. Kingcade was nominated five years ago.

Scare the Crow acrylic painting by the 2021 Arts Council of Wichita Falls Lift Up Art Featured Artist, Gary Kingcade. Kingcade, a native Wichitan, taught in the WFISD for 40 years and inspired many young art students. He currently has a show in the West End Gallery through the end of the year.

Kingcade has lived his entire life in Wichita Falls, educated with two degrees at Midwestern State University and taught in the WFISD for 40 years.

After retiring from Hirschi and Wichita Falls High School, he became the gallery director at the Kemp for six years and has continued to paint, and make jewelry, when he can get the materials. His current show in the West End Studio Gallery is made up of paintings that either he didnt sell, or did not put up for sale.

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Interested in art at a young age

Kingcade came to art when he was 4 or 5 years old.

I had a brother who was a year younger and we had to take a nap in the afternoon. Larry was very active so he would need to rest. I was awake. My mother let me have a pad and a pencil, so while he as sleeping, I was laying on the bed drawing," the artist said.

It was just something I loved doing. Sadly, none of my early work was kept.

Kingcade took art in Harrell Elementary from (previous Lift Up artist) Glen Conway in 5th, 6th and 7th grades.

Conway took an interest in me and got me into one of the first downtown sidewalk art shows in 1955 or '56. He put it In a judged show and I won a ribbon. At that age, it was pretty significant.

Kingcade attended MSU and earned his BSE degree in All-level Art Education and then a ME degree in Counseling. One of the things that drew him to both art and counseling was a job he held during high school.

A love of teaching

In high school," he said, I wanted a job, and teaching was something I was good at. All the time I went to work for the Boys Club. I lied and said I was 16 (rather than 15 ). I worked for them all through high school and college. They sent me to be a Branch Director near the projects on the east side of the river on Wichita Street."

During his time there, Kingcade became really interested in working with the kids and really enjoyed doing so.

After I got my BSE degree I went back and got my ME degree in counseling. But I didnt want to counsel all the time. I did more teaching in a class room. I recruited some tough kids by getting them interested In art, and many of them became successful," Kingcade said.

One of his students, Shannon Spruiell, living in Washington state, is a well-known glass-blower.

So many kids came through my classes and a number were fantastic. One of the best high school students I had at Old High now owns radio stations in California, he said.

Kingcade would take a number of his students to regional art shows like in Graham and Burkburnett and enter their work in the youth division.

Art is a very therapeutic thing for Kingcade, both for the artist creating the piece and for the audience encountering it.

Everyone has what they like, he said. Some are more sensitive to visual arts and dance music and so forth. I have danced with every one of these pieces and sometimes I sing to them and sometimes I struggle with them. There can be a very personal connection between visual artists and what they feel.

Ideas come from a deeper place

Sometimes though, he said, he is only a tool as in his work Scare the Crow in his current show The idea comes from some place much deeper and I dont know why. Some things I just play with and have fun with like my pumpjack painting. My brother at one time ran those. I have always loved horses but have never owned one, yet there are a lot of horses and western flavor to some of my art.

My mothers side said had some native American heritage but I never investigated it. I think there was some heritage. I dont claim to be an Indian but that doesnt mean I cant celebrate the imagery in the work.

Changes in medium, styles

Sometimes, Kingcade said, his art is just happy accidents. The main change he has made since college is switching from oil to acrylic to make sure the work dried faster. He also has begun to incorporate objects to be part, such as animal bones. I had never seen it done it before but just learned to do it.

Ones approach to art, he said, changes from elementary to junior high to high school to university and beyond.

Telling a story through art

In 40 years in high school teaching, I brought art to a lot of students. I tried to not make it a skill set but a thought. How to think and how to visually tell a story. Thats what every painting does is tell a visual story. I didnt really teach students, I guided them. I set them free but I also demanded a lot from them.

I let them make their mistakes, and sometimes with some of my advanced students I would set them up where I knew they would make a mistake and then they could learn over time to approach it differently. I never told them most of the time, but would let them figure it out.

Valuable lessons beyond art

A number of the lessons Kingcade taught in his art classes included ideas and lessons that students could use in whatever career they went into. They could be valuable in everyday life, not just painting.

Kingcade has a studio in his house but doesnt paint every day. Hes currently working on a different (larger) rendition of (this writers) favorite piece in his current Kemp show, Palmyra Bawd.

I was driving through East Texas, he said, and saw a figure stuck in the ground on the side of the highway. I really wanted to take it home but it was art and it needed to be where it was. It had a life there. All I changed in the art was the location and the stick. The colors and patterns are just like it was.

Developing a high school art show

One of Kingcades most significant accomplishments in the area was developing art shows for high schoolers in the early 1970s.

Kingcade started becoming active in high school kids having art shows beginning in the early 1970s at the (former) North Texas Federal Savings and Loan Gallery (near Maplewood and Midwestern Pkwy) in an old Savings and Loan with a gallery.

"No one thought anyone would come to see a high school art show, and there was a line of people to see the art in the gallery, the artist said.

By the mid-1970s, the MSU Art department asked him about moving the High School Art Show to the MSU art department, as it continued to become popular and was a good way to recruit student artists (a number who were from out of town). The show has continued to grow, and $4,000 of scholarships were awarded to high school seniors attending MSU Texas in 2021.

Over the years, Kingcade taught five art classes a day in high school and introduced art to a lot of students as well as ideas that could become part of their careers and their lives.

I still see and am in touch with people I taught art. When I retired there were students who told me that I had taught their grandfather(s). A true story," he said. "We added the years and there were a lot of people who came through.

Something that hadn't been done

I was the only teacher I knew of who would take students to local shows in Graham, Burkburnett, Henrietta, Bowie and they all won some kind of recognition at some point that motivated them. I didnt do anything miraculous. I just did something that hadnt been done before. I spent my time taking the kids and their work and broadened their horizons, and it often worked.

I encouraged the kids to try new things but also let them know the judges eyes would be sharp. The young artists should do their art and hope to get a positive response. Everyone cant be artists. If they were interested, I would let them do it. I would go to my office and sit down and watch them. If they had questions or needed help, they could ask me, Kingcade said.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Former WFISD art teacher, gallery director showcases artwork
FRAMINGHAM  Three local communities are receiving an unexpected gift this holiday season: Thousands of free rapid at-home COVID-19 tests, courtesy of Gov. Charlie Baker.

Baker announced on Monday his administration will deliver 2.1 million iHealth Labs over-the-counter, at-home rapid antigen tests to communities with the highest percentage of families below the poverty level. Framingham, Milford and Weston were among the 102 cities and towns to receive tests.

With the holidays approaching, we encourage residents to utilize rapid tests as a convenient way to keep family members and friends safe at gatherings, Baker said in a press release.

A COVID-19 home rapid testing kit in Miami on May 20, 2021.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, working with the Massachusetts National Guard, began allocating the tests this week. Then its up to individual towns and cities to determine how best to distribute tests among the community. The Baker administration has emphasized access for individuals and families facing financial hardship.

While Framingham, Milford and Weston each have an idea of how many tests are coming their way, there are still many unknowns when it comes to distribution.

Framingham Director of Public Health Alexandra DePalo told the citys Board of Health Tuesday night that her department wasnt sure when they might receive their allotted 21,240 tests.

For the time being, I think well probably be looking into some models of distribution where we can move them in and out in a rapid fashion, knowing that the holidays are coming up and thats really something we want to be able to get into peoples hands, DePalo said.

The Public Health Department is working on a plan with some sort of centrally located distribution option in mind, she said.

However, its likely not everyone who wants a test will get one.

Make no mistake here: We are not going to receive enough test kits for every resident, DePalo said. The demand may outweigh the supplies."

In high demand: Struggling to get a COVID booster? Here's why staff and appointments are in short supply.

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The goal is really to distribute them to people who might otherwise have barriers to getting these test kits," she added.

Milford had not yet received its 11,340 tests as of Wednesday morning. Weston, meanwhile, is set to receive 4,140 tests. The Daily News has reached out to both towns Health Departments for comment on distribution plans.

While the state chose only 102 communities to receive free at-home tests, the Baker administration said it is finalizing plans to allow municipalities and public entities to directly purchase tests from manufacturers at fixed, state-negotiated prices.

My hope is that this is the first of many of these kinds of distributions, DePalo said.

Abby Patkin is a multimedia journalist for the Daily News. Follow Abby on Twitter @AMPatkin. She can be reached at apatkin@wickedlocal.com.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Free COVID tests coming to MetroWest and Milford under state program
When I rolled up my sleeve to get the countrys first COVID-19 vaccine, little did I know that Day One of the countrys climb back from our pandemic hell would also be my plunge into life as a public figure.

I view that moment Dec. 14, 2020, now with overwhelming gratitude, as this years holiday season started so differently. The weekend with my grandson and Thanksgiving meal with my mother are a beautiful, stark contrast from this time last year.

At the time of my inoculation, the country was experiencing another rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations. Front-line workers like me had spent months watching hundreds of thousands of patients die, many of them alone because of social-distancing policies in our hospitals.

Struggling through the pandemic

Personally, my family and I were facing serious challenges.

The virus made it dangerous for me to support my mother emotionally in person as she mourned her sisters death. At the same time, my son and daughter-in-law traveled between their home and a neonatal intensive care unit to oversee their sons care.

Avery was born prematurely as the city locked down during the pandemics first wave. Here I was, a nurse trained to save people in the direst circumstances, and I couldnt help feeling so helpless in the fate of my baby grandson. I wished he had an easier entrance into what I considered a ruthless world. I prayed that his life would be easier in years to come.

Sandra gets the first vaccine in New Hyde Park, N.Y., on Dec. 14, 2020.

I was burned out, fearful and exhausted. However, I, like my colleagues, refused to miss a day of work. I was determined to show up for my team and my family.

I had learned about COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials but never imagined I would get the first dose after approval for use  or that it would push me to take on such an activist role.

Discovering this part of my identity over the last year has led to a sense of pride. It also led to a personal reckoning.

Thats because some people on the extreme political right and left used my vaccination to undermine the vaccine effort, distort the clear mission of public health and/or bend our countrys meaning of individual liberty.

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Quelling disinformation

Ive had to take on another role, that of an educator, to keep people from chipping away at the historic medical marvel these vaccines have become.

I want to keep misinformation and disinformation at bay  especially when it comes to those hit hardest by the disease.

Im referring to communities of color. As a Black woman, an immigrant from Jamaica and a proud U.S. citizen, I wanted to be a positive influence in a time of need. But sometimes that idea, too, was twisted into a different narrative.

White supremacists used my vaccination to find creative ways to peddle hatred. There also were some from my own community who said I allowed myself to be manipulated.

My vaccination cannot alter the history of Black peoples abuse under the cover of medical advancement.

Nonetheless, I do hope it might set us on a path to transparency, trust and, ultimately, equal access to quality medical care across all communities.

Nurse Sandra Lindsay in New Hyde Park, N.Y., in February 2021.

Ive been extremely fortunate to meet world leaders since getting my shot, using my experience to highlight the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

Ive had the honor of being grand marshal at New York Citys ticker-tape parade recognizing health care heroes; I celebrated my heritage at the White House with President Joe Biden; I traveled to meet with the prime minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, and to speak to the people of the island nation.

It has been a long year, but if some drew inspiration from my spotlighted vaccination to get inoculated themselves, Id do it all again. Its a natural extension of my nursing career.

As we learn about new variants, I hope that anyone who is still vaccine hesitant can see how immunizations work to slow transmissions, hospitalizations and deaths from this unforgiving virus.

I want us to rely more on science than politics.

If this past year has proved anything, its that it isnt always easy to work together, but weve also learned how important it is for us to never give up for the sake of health equity  not just in our country, but every country around the globe.

I committed to making this world a better place long before I got my vaccine and, since then, have gained a deeper understanding of my professional and personal impact. I will continue to keep politics and patriotism firmly in their place to make room for our next steps, together, to one day reach an end to this pandemic.

Sandra Lindsay, director of Patient Critical Care Services at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, was the first person in the United States to receive a COVID-19 vaccine outside of a clinical trial.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: First US COVID-19 vaccine recipient: This Christmas is so much better
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is considering writing rules to fight data privacy abuses, poor online security and the use of algorithms that may lead to discrimination, the agency's chair said in a letter released on Friday.

The letter from FTC Chair Lina Khan to Senator Richard Blumenthal, which was dated Tuesday, said the commission was "considering initiating a rulemaking" that would focus on online privacy and security as well as potential civil rights violations.

The agency is considering the move under a streamlined process that was announced in July.

"I share your concerns about commercial surveillance and am committed to ensuring the FTC is using its full suite of tools to protect Americans from unfair or deceptive practices online," wrote Khan. She added that increased reliance on the internet during the coronavirus pandemic "makes this a particularly urgent and opportune time" to tackle online privacy and security matters.

The commission currently has two Democrats and two Republicans. A third Democrat, Alvaro Bedoya, is in the confirmation process.

Khan could well run into opposition from Republicans on the commission, who voted to oppose the streamlined rule-making.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Dan Grebler)
BERLIN (Reuters) - The German government is looking into whether Britain should be classified as a virus variant area, said a Health Ministry spokesperson on Friday.

The government is expected to make a decision later on Friday, said the spokesperson.

Under German COVID rules, travellers returning from virus variant areas must quarantine for two weeks, even if they are vaccinated. Britain is currently experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases in part due to the more contagious Omicron coronavirus variant.

(Reporting by Miranda Murray; Editing by Maria Sheahan)
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, a former epidemiology professor famed for his bearish COVID-19 forecasts, said he expected the omicron variant of the coronavirus to unleash a "massive fifth wave" of the pandemic.

He added during a visit to the region of Lower Saxony that Germany had to prepare for a challenge "that we have never seen in this form before".

(Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Maria Sheahan)
Former LSU commitment DeColdest Crawford made his college decision official Friday, signing with Nebraska.

In the end, it was a long term relationship with former LSU assistant coach Mickey Joseph, who recently joined the staff at Nebraska, that led the speedy wide receiver to switch from LSU to Nebraska.

"We've been knowing each other three or four years," Crawford said. "He came and got me my sophomore year and we built a relationship. He's taken a lot of receivers to the NFL, Justin Jefferson and Jamar Chase, so I feel like I can do the same thing with him."

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound three-star Green Oaks Giant had been committed to LSU since Oct. 2019 but decommitted last week after a coaching change at LSU. LSU coach Brian Kelly came to Shreveport last week to visit Captain Shreve four-star athlete Kendrick Law Jr., but did not make a stop at Green Oaks.

Crawford is the No. 20 prospect in Louisiana and No. 66 receiver in the country according to the 247Sports Composite.

Crawford had narrowed his college choices to Nebraska and Texas by Friday morning.

"Texas came on strong at the end," Green Oaks coach Chad Lewis said. "But he decided to go with Nebraska."

Crawford was still in the Tiger fold near the end of November. The states No. 20 recruit, No. 65 nationally, had been recruited by Joseph who recruited Terrace Marshall and Kayshon Boutte to LSU.

SUPPORTING MINNION: De'Coldest spoke at his friend's memorial

Green Oaks wide receiver De'Coldest Crawford dons a Nebraska hat during a Friday morning ceremony at the school where he signed with the Cornhuskers.

Crawford caught 50 passes for 813 yards as a junior, but his production dropped to 30 catches for about 200 yards this past season with a freshman quarterback. He was selected to the District 1-3A All-District first team as a defensive back and to the second team as a returner. He had two interceptions on the season.

Jimmy Watson covers Shreveport-Bossier area sports. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Ex-LSU commitment De'Coldest Crawford signs with Nebraska
Editor's note: The following was submitted by leaders of intellectual disability and autism service providers from across Pennsylvania.

At a time when Pennsylvania has billions of dollars in federal money plus state treasury receipts dramatically outperforming projections, the Wolf administration is failing to fully address the collapse of the community system that provides critical services for people with intellectual disability and autism. The administrations actions may have tragic consequences for people with disabilities.

Autistic child girl holding ribbon symbol of colorful pieces of jigsaw together to raise awareness about people with Autism Spectrum Disorder throughout the world.

Congress and the president have asked governors to rescue disability programs by increasing funding for the community systems direct support professionals. DSPs provide lifesaving, caring supports for persons with disabilities, and this goal was a key element of the passage of the American Rescue Plan. It is also a vital provision of the pending Build Back Better legislation. Our commonwealth has received money to achieve this goal, but doing so requires leadership by our governor to use both the federal dollars and Pennsylvania s increasing revenues for this purpose.

Gov. Tom Wolf

Instead of responding to the crisis, the Wolf administration has presented a plan that fails on several fronts. It:

 Fails to strengthen community services as required by federal law.

 Fails to fund a wage that will hire enough skilled workers to operate community services.

 Fails to offer a pathway to reduce an up to 60% turnover in community program staffing.

 Fails to provide rates for sufficient staffing for programs serving people with medically and behaviorally complex issues.

 Fails to restore service to 6,500 people who have lost supports in the last 18 months.

 Fails to provide equal pay for equal work  30% less than state workers.

 Fails to support the 5,000 people in crisis at this moment.

Pennsylvania requires community programs to provide the gold standard of quality supports. Providers are expected to hire people who can deliver mental health support; teach people how to obtain and hold jobs; administer medication; support people with severe behavioral challenges and medical fragility; be trained in first aid, CPR, and other lifesaving procedures; and work with a state bureaucracy that requires reams of documentation each day for every daily activity as well as all medical and behavioral events.

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Underfunding has resulted in a daily struggle to find qualified workers with prior training or understanding of people with disabilities. This challenge has a direct impact on the quality of services, and has resulted in significant additional training and education expenses for providers. In addition, 12,000-plus people are now on endless waiting lists. 5,000-plus people are in emergency status. 6,500-plus people have lost services in the last 18 months.

Families of people with disabilities, service providers, and DSPs join in asking the governor to fully fund the $541 million needed to begin salvaging this system.

This is not a difficult concept. It is within reach. But first Gov. Wolf must lead by revising disability rates to stop the further collapse of this system.

The governor has repeatedly promised service providers that he would protect people with disabilities and their DSPs. We remain deeply disappointed in the actions to date.

Our governor can either rescue people or leave them exposed to significant risk. We implore Gov. Wolf to avoid the collapse of the intellectual disability system on his watch. Thousands of Pennsylvanians with disabilities depend on his leadership.

Those signing below are leaders of intellectual disability and autism service providers:

Tony Beltran, president/CEO, Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, Pittsburgh; Terence G. Blackwell, Jr, president/CEO, Chimes International Limited, Baltimore, MD; Diane Conway, CEO, MAX Association, Conshohocken; Rita Gardner, president/CEO of Melmark of Pennsylvania, New England, and Carolinas; Tine Hansen-Turton, president and CEO of Woods Services, Langhorne; William Harriger, president/CEO of Verland Foundation, Sewickley; Karen D. Jacobsen, CEO of Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County; Dr. Susan Latenbacher, president/CEO of Lark Enterprises Inc., New Castle; Susan Leyburn, CEO of LifePath Inc., Bethlehem; Lorraine Livosky, executive director of Diversified Family Services, Hermitage; Christopher Shay, president/CEO of McGuire Memorial, New Brighton; Ruth Siegfried, founder and president/CEO of InVision Human Services, Wexford/Reading/Harrisburg; Kim Sonafelt, CEO of Mainstay Life Services, Pittsburgh; Will Stennett, chief officer of developmental disabilities & HSCBS policy, Voices of Independence, Pittsburgh; Stephen H. Suroviec, president/CEO, Achieva, Pittsburgh; Marisol Valentin, executive director, McAuley Ministries, Pittsburgh; Charles Walczak, CEO of Erie Homes for Children and Adults, Inc. (EHCA), Erie

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Wolf, lawmakers fail to address collapse of Pa. disability system
Muslim worshippers are offering prayers under police protection in Gurgaon

Every Friday, for three months now, a group of people belonging to fringe Hindu right-wing groups have unfailingly gathered to interrupt Muslims' prayers in public places in Gurgaon, an upscale suburb of the Indian capital, Delhi.

They have noisily demanded that open prayers should be stopped in these vacant spaces - car parks, government-owned plots of land near factories, markets, and residential neighbourhoods - where working class Muslims have offered prayers for years.

They have shouted slogans, parked vehicles to block entry, and heckled the worshippers, calling them jihadis and Pakistanis. The prayers are now held under police protection. "It's a scary situation. We never expected this to happen in Gurgaon," says Altaf Ahmad, co-founder of the Gurgaon Muslim Council, a local community group.

Located some 15 miles south of Delhi, parts of Gurgaon have grown from a cluster of sleepy villages to a thriving business suburb in less than three decades. Filled to the brim with gleaming glass-and-chrome office towers, luxury shops and swish high-rise apartments, this "millennium city" - as officials love to call it - of more than a million people is a haven for both white and blue collar migrants. By one estimate, up to 500,000 Muslims, mainly construction workers, handymen and menial labour, live here.

But Gurgaon today is the unlikely centre of a new religious fault-line over namaz or prayers.

"We are not against Muslims or namaz. But holding prayers in [the] open is 'land jihad'," says Kulbhushan Bhardwaj, one of the leaders of the protesting Hindu groups. Muslim leaders say this is the latest bogey about "Muslims planning to grab lands" where they pray.

In the past, Hindu nationalists have targeted Muslims by launching movements against "love jihad" - a right-wing conspiracy theory accusing Muslim men of converting Hindu women by marriage - alleged forced conversions and cow slaughter.

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Hindu activists have been regularly protesting against open prayers by Muslim devotees since September

The protesters claim they are part of an umbrella group of some two dozen Hindu nationalist outfits - mainly vigilante gangs made up of young, unemployed men - called the Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has governed India since 2014, has "traditionally protected" Hindu nationalist vigilantes, whose "moral and social policing" is intended to "impose cultural and social practices rather than laws", according to Christophe Jaffrelot, a political scientist.

But what began as a rag-tag army of protesters in Gurgaon has slowly coalesced into an organised movement, now drawing the support of some local residents. "We don't feel good when Muslims pray openly near my house. We feel fear. After prayers, they loiter around," said Sunil Yadav, a resident who joined a successful protest to stop prayers on a 36-acre plot near his home.

Last week, the protests gained the imprimatur of legitimacy when the chief minister of BJP-led Haryana - where Gurgaon is located - denounced open prayers. Manohar Lal Khattar said namaz offered in [the] open would "not be tolerated". He said the practice was a "confrontation, we will not allow this confrontation to continue".

The early protests over open prayers began in 2018. After negotiations, Muslim citizen groups had then agreed to whittle down the number of sites from 108 to 37. This year, the protests restarted for reasons that are still unclear. After fresh - and contested - negotiations, the number of sites is now down to 20.

Muslims have been offering prayers in the open in Gurgaon for more than two decades. At the heart of the dispute is the shortage of spaces to accommodate worshippers.

Gurgaon is home to an estimated 500,000 Muslims, mostly migrant workers

"They [vigilantes] are using a civic problem to stoke religious tensions," says Hilal Ahmed, a scholar of political Islam. "They are telling Muslims to go to mosques and pray. The problem is that there aren't enough mosques."

There are some 13 mosques in Gurgaon, of which only one is located in the newer part of the city, where most migrants live and work. Jamaluddin, a local officer of a board which oversees Muslim properties, says most of their land is locked away in the far-flung outskirts with a negligible Muslim population - 19 mosques in such areas were closed "because of lack of worshippers", he said. And land in the heart of Gurgaon was unaffordable for the board.

Gurgaon's town planners have allocated space for more than 42 temples and 18 gurdwaras but just one plot for a mosque in the newly developed parts of the city, according to the Gurgaon Muslim Council. Five years ago, two Muslim trusts failed in their bid to acquire government plots being sold for religious purposes.

What is happening in Gurgaon today has echoes of a 2011 ban on offering prayers in the street in Paris after protests from the far right. The reason: Muslims were unable to find space in mosques. An agreement was subsequently reached with two local mosques to rent out disused barracks for prayers. Six years later there was a similar protest by politicians in a Paris suburb - worshippers said they had nowhere else to go since the town hall took over the room they used for prayers.

A number of protesters have been detained by the police

But religion always has and still does spill into public spaces in India - annual religious processions and gatherings often obstruct traffic and even force road closures. India's chaotic, pluralist brand of secularism has however come under threat in recent years.

Yet, in Gurgaon, all may not be lost. A Hindu businessman opened his shop to Muslims to offer Friday prayers. Last month, Sikh gurdwaras offered their space to Muslims for worship, but had to reverse the decision after protests from Hindu groups. Most Indians say it's important to respect all faiths to be "truly Indian", according to a major new Pew Research Center survey of religion across India.

At the moment, Muslims in Gurgaon are uncertain and anxious. Many risk losing pay for taking time off from work on Fridays and travelling long distances to find a prayer site. "We live in fear and face constant humiliation," Mr Ahmad says.
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's top civil servant Simon Case has stepped down from leading an investigation into alleged parties last year in government offices in breach of COVID-19 lockdowns after an event was held in his own office.

"To ensure the ongoing investigation retains public confidence the Cabinet Secretary has recused himself for the remainder of the process," a spokesperson for Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office said.

"The work will be concluded by Sue Gray, second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

"She will ascertain the facts and present her findings to the Prime Minister."

A video emerged earlier this month showing Johnson's staff laughing and joking about a Downing Street party during a 2020 Christmas lockdown when such festivities were banned, resulting in condemnation from political opponents and the public.

Johnson, who has said he had been assured COVID rules were not broken and that there had been no party, asked Case to investigate.

The alleged parties have dismayed voters who were told by government to sacrifice their own Christmas events last year.

Johnson's Conservatives lost an election in a previous stronghold on Friday, stepping up pressure from his own lawmakers to reform his operation in Number 10.

The victorious centrist Liberal Democrat candidate in the North Shropshire seat, Helen Morgan, said voters had said loudly and clearly: "Boris Johnson, the party is over."

Case stepped down after the Guido Fawkes website said two events were held in his private office last December. The BBC said invitations were sent out for one of the events titled "Christmas Party!"

A government spokesperson quoted by the BBC said office staff had taken part in a virtual quiz, with a small number joining from their desks.

Case played no part in the event, but had walked through the team's office on the way to his own office, the spokesperson added, according to the BBC.

(Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall, Grant McCool and Daniel Wallis)
As the week of Christmas begins, several holiday events are taking place over the next few days. Here's a list of some of those:

Shalimar Shepherds

The Shalimar Shepherds are back again this year with events in the 2200 block of Shalimar Drive from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17 to Sunday, Dec. 20. The event will feature live music this year in addition to a live nativity. (File Photo)

The annual live nativity scene will feature a mini horse, goats and other animals in addition to the traditional Mary and Joseph, wisemen and shepherds on one side of the street and a set up of Santa and Mrs. Claus on the other. The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who are also expected to make an appearance and photos will be able to be taken with families.

The event will also have live music this year and people are asked to come by between 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. each night on Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week in the 2200 block of Shalimar Drive.

Marshall Motors children's coat giveaway

Marshall Motors has filled its lobby with 500 coats in all sizes to give away to children.

If you're in need of a child's coat, stop by the dealership from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Polar PJ party at the Y

The Salina Family YMCA is hosting a fun time for the whole family. Come in your holiday pajamas for ornament decorating and a Christmas movie. The Y said a prize will be given to the family with the most festive PJs!

Those coming are asked to bring blankets, pillows or camping chairs as seating during the movie will not be provided. Popcorn and hot cocoa will also be served.

The event, which will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, is free but registration is required as space is limited. Find more information at www.salinaymca.org/events/polar-pj-party or contact Heather Neuhofel at 785-404-4026.

Jesus, Joy and Jammin'!

A free drive-thru event hosted by Trinity United Methodist Church. The church said the Chancel Choir will provide Christmas carols, there will crafts to take home, homemade treats and a live nativity.

The event begins at 6 p.m. Sunday at Trinity UMC, 901 E. Neal Ave.

Francesca Tucker, 4, gives the Georgetown Santa, aka Steve Sperling, a hug during Sunday nights 21st Annual Georgetown Santas event on Georgetown Road in 2019. After canceling the event because of COVID-19, the event that will see Santas passing out candy and popcorn is back this week in Salina.

Georgetown Santas

After deciding to cancel last year's event due to COVID-19, the annual experience is back next week as Santas suit up on Georgetown Road to hand out candy and popcorn as they spread holiday cheer.

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People are welcomed to come by between 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. from Tuesday to Thursday at 2312 Georgetown Road in Salina.

Bill Fekas Christmas Dinner

The annual community dinner is in its 39th year for 2021. Fekas, along with volunteers will prepare dinners and serve them from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Christmas day.

Like last year, this year the meal will be served to-go only from the 4-H Building on Bob Flaherty Drive.

There will be options for meal delivery on Christmas day for those who live in Salina. Call either 785-826-6531 or 785-826-6532 on Christmas day to schedule the delivery.

This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Salina a host to plenty of holiday events leading up to Christmas
hsbc

Banking giant HSBC has been fined 63.9m by the UK's financial regulator for "unacceptable failings" of its anti-money laundering systems.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said weaknesses in HSBC's financial crime safeguards had been highlighted several times before action was taken.

The bank has not disputed the findings and agreed to settle, resulting in its fine being being cut from 91m.

HSBC's failings cover a period of eight years, from 2010 to 2018, the FCA said.

The regulator said there was "inadequate monitoring of money laundering and terrorist financing scenarios until 2014, and poor risk assessment of "new scenarios" after 2016.

Europe's biggest bank was found to have had inappropriate testing and did not check the accuracy and completeness of data.

The figures come as the global economy emerges from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic

"HSBC's transaction monitoring systems were not effective for a prolonged period despite the issue being highlighted on numerous occasions," said FCA executive director Mark Steward.

"These failings are unacceptable and exposed the bank and community to avoidable risks, especially as the remediation took such a long time," he said.

Suspicious activity

The FCA's report into HSBC cites examples of poor controls, including failing to spot suspicious activity on the account of a construction director who also played a leading role in a criminal gang trying to steal millions of pounds by setting up fake companies.

The person pleaded guilty to VAT fraud and went to prison.

HSBC also failed to detect a customer imprisoned for smuggling cigarettes into the UK and ordered to pay 1.2m by the HMRC tax office, where the bank missed "a sustained period of unusual activity," the FCA said.

In a statement, an HSBC said: "We are pleased to resolve this matter, which relates to HSBC's legacy anti-money laundering systems and controls in the UK.

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"HSBC is deeply committed to combating financial crime and protecting the integrity of the global financial system."

It is not the first time HSBC has been fined for lax money laundering controls.

In 2012, it paid $1.9bn (1.4bn) after an investigation by the US Department of Justice for failing to prevent laundering by Mexican drug cartels. The bank agreed to be monitored by US regulators for five years.

The FCA said its fine did not relate to the US action.

On Monday, banking rival NatWest was fined 265m after admitting it failed to prevent money-laundering of nearly 400m by one firm.

A gold trading firm suspected of money-laundering deposited 700,000 in cash into one NatWest branch in black bin bags.

NatWest said it deeply regrets failing to monitor the customer properly.
(Reuters) - At least 2,500 people including hundreds of children have fled a flare-up in fighting between the Myanmar army and ethnic minority rebels and have taken refuge across the border in Thailand, Thai authorities and an aid group said.

Those displaced had poured into the Thai town of Mae Sot after fighting in the past few days between the Karen National Union (KNU) and Myanmar's army, Somchai Kitcharoenrungroj, deputy governor of western Tak province, told a news conference.

Myanmar was plunged into turmoil when the military ousted a civilian government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, triggering protests in cities and sporadic clashes in the countryside between anti-junta militia and the army.

There has also been intensified fighting at times between the army and ethnic minority insurgents in border areas, like the KNU, Myanmar's oldest rebel force.

Somchai put the number of displaced on the Thai side of the border at 2,503. Ye Min, an official at the Aid Alliance Committee, a Thai-based Myanmar migrants group, said that total included 545 children.

"We are providing food assistance working together with Thai authorities," Ye Min said by telephone, adding most of the displaced were from Lay Kay Kaw and other villages.

The KNU has been seeking self-determination in a region of about 1.6 million people.

The KNU said in a social media post said four Myanmar soldiers were killed and four wounded during the fighting on Wednesday.

A report by Public Voice Television, which is backed by Myanmar's shadow government, posted photographs it said showed seized weapons and eight captured members of the Myanmar security forces.

It said 18 government soldiers had been killed.

Reuters could not independently verify the claims and a spokesman for Myanmar's military junta did not answer a call seeking comment.

Tak provincial authorities said there was a clash between the army and the KNU on Thursday about 500 metres (550 yards) from the Thai border.

It said a shell had fallen on the Thai side of the border though had not caused harm or damage, and Thai forces had intensified patrols in the area.

(Reporting by Reuters staff; Writing by Ed Davies; Editing by Robert Birsel, Martin Petty and Louise Heavens)
By Nupur Anand and Sankalp Phartiyal

MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Reserve Bank of India's plans to move towards card tokenisation is likely to hit a wide range of companies from major e-commerce firms and food delivery firms to lenders, while increasing the use of cash, said industry sources and bankers.

RBI issued guidelines in March 2020 saying that merchants will not be allowed to save card information on their websites to boost data security. It issued fresh guidelines in September 2021 giving companies until the end of the year to comply with the regulations and offering them the option to tokenise.

Tokenisation is a process by which card details are replaced by a unique code or token, generated by an algorithm, allowing online purchases to go through without exposing card details, in a bid to improve data security.

The RBI has ordered all companies in India to purge saved credit and debit card data from their systems from Jan. 1, 2022.

Merchants and bankers argue they have not been given enough time to comply with the changes, while opting out of tokenisation would mean a customer would need to manually key in their card details each time they completed an online purchase, which could put some customers off.

"Introducing an additional step in payments adds friction and several studies show that customers may end up dropping out in case of a discretionary purchase," said Sijo Kuruvilla George, who heads the New Delhi-based think-tank Alliance of Digital India Foundation, which represents Indian startups.

"We estimate revenue losses of about 20-40% for merchants, with the smaller firms being more adversely impacted," he added.

Meanwhile, senior executives at state-owned banks and private lenders said they worry the move will lead to a marked decline in card transactions and an increase in cash payments over the short-term, undoing years of work by lenders and the government to boost digitisation.

"Not all banks are going to be ready by January and even if they are, it is likely that to avoid inconvenience, customers may opt for a one-step cash on delivery, instead of keying in details," said a banker with a leading Indian lender, who asked not to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media.

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"So not only will card transactions decline but cash in circulation will also go up, which is another concern."

Credit card transactions in India crossed the 1 trillion rupees ($13.13 billion) mark in October while other modes of digital payments have also seen a sharp uptick over the years.

The industry is still waiting for clarity on how cash back schemes and monthly-installment type card purchases will work and has asked the central bank for more clarity and time, said an executive at an internet firm, who asked not to be named as the information is not public.

"The RBI is expecting the entire industry to come on to tokenisation, complete testing, move forward in less than four months, that is a very extreme ask from the industry," the executive added.

The RBI did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the matter. Companies such as Amazon, Walmart's Flipkart, and Indian food delivery firm Zomato, who are likely to be affected, also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Industry executives say that even if certain card networks, banks and merchants are ready, ensuring that the processes are fully integrated system-wide and are seamless can take months.

"It may take about six- to nine months more for the entire ecosystem to be fully ready," said Manas Mishra, Chief Product Officer at payments firm PayU.

($1 = 76.2150 Indian rupees)

($1 = 76.1350 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Nupur Anand in Mumbai and Sankalp Phartiyal in New Delhi; Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa)
The 2021-2022 winter track season will mark a return to normalcy for the sport, which was mostly held outdoors last season through a series of Polar Bear meets once the delayed season started in early February.

Here are 10 girls and 10 boys to watch:

Izzie Anzaldo

Ramapo senior sprinter

The Green Raiders have traditionally had strong sprinters and Anzaldo is the latest standout. She should contend for sectional honors in the 400 and could be a contender for the 200 meter state showcase.

Izzie Anzaldo of Ramapo receives the baton from Courtney Lander in the 4x100 relays, part of the Comet Relays at Hackensack on May 1,2021.

Amber Barrios

Hasbrouck Heights senior long sprinter/middle distance runner

She's an outstanding intermediate hurdler and has already committed to Lehigh University. But indoors, with her cross-country training and dedication, she should be one of the top 800 meter runners in the state.

Sanai Bryant

Dumont senior sprinter

She's been one of the top short sprinters in the state since her freshman year and just missed the finals in the State Meet of Champions 55 in 2020 after winning the sectional and taking second in state Group 2 and Bergen County.

Fiona Carter

Paramus Catholic senior hurdler-jumper

A group finalist in both the high jump and hurdles in 2020, she just missed a medal in the SMOC long jump and took second in the Bergen County pentathlon.

Fiona Carter, of Paramus Catholic, competes in the high hurdle shuttle relays. Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Katharine Cottone

Passaic Valley junior mid-distance runner

A successful cross-country season is great preparation for a rapidly improving 800 meter runner who could be a Passaic County champion this season.

Norina Khanzada

Tenafly junior jumper

She won last winter's Big North National Polar Bear high jump after finishing just out of the medals in the 2020 indoor SMOC. She's also a good long jumper and a rapidly improving hurdler.

Allison Lounsbury

Indian Hills senior distance runner

A sterling 20th place medal-winning finish in the SMOC in cross-country capped her high school harrier carrier and she's looking for a similar breakthrough in the winter, after qualifying for the SMOC winter 3,200 in 2019 and 2020.

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Alex Manetovic

Fort Lee senior jumper

She was a fourth place finish in the Bergen County indoor triple jump as a sophomore in 2020 and has improved each season since. She's gotten a head start this winter with indoor personal bests in both the high jump and triple jump at club meets.

Carli Sorvino

Emerson senior sprinter/hurdler

A triple medal winner in the outdoor group championships last spring was predictable after an outstanding, though brief Polar Bear season where she won all 10 events in four meets.

Danielle Tilp

Cresskill junior distance runner

She had instant success as a freshman during the winter in 2020 and qualified in both the 1,600 and 3,200 for the State Meet of Champions that season. A full cross-country season this fall should push her into contending for a state group title in either winter race.

Fabian France

Bergen Catholic senior sprinter

He recently committed to play football at the Naval Academy after making second team all North Jersey as a defensive back but France is also a state quality sprinter, taking second in the Non-Public A 55 in 2020 and making it to the State Meet of Champions.

Luke Gnospelius

Ridgewood senior pole vaulter

The 2020 North 1, group 4 sectional champion, won the Big North Freedom Polar Bear title last winter and enjoyed great success at club meets, vaulting as high as 13-6. He should be ready to return to the SMOC.

Big North Freedom and National track meet at Ridgewood High School on Friday, May 28, 2021. Luke Gnospelius, of Ridgewood, competes in the pole vault.

Jayson Harmer

Hawthorne senior distance runner

Hawthorne doesn't have cross-country, unfortunately, but Harmer appears ready for indoor track after finishing in 91st at the Eastbay Northeast Regional cross-country meet at Van Cortlandt Park in a sub-17 minute time. He placed second in last winter's Valley Polar Bear 3,200 run and third at 1,600.

Jacob Heredia

Clifton senior distance runner

After a historic cross-country season, Heredia should make more history in the winter season. As a sophomore he made the SMOC in the 1,600 and finished the 2020 season as the fourth fastest indoor 1,600 meter runner in Passaic history.

Connor Munson

Westwood senior multi-athlete

One of the nation's top multi athletes, Connor won the Virginia Beach pentathlon last week, scoring a school record 3,237 points, 16th in Bergen County history with PRs in the 55 hurdles and 1,000 meters. He was fifth at the 2020 Bergen pentathlon and is a state contender in the pole vault.

Connor Munson of Westwood in the long jump at the NJSIAA track and field championships at Wayne Hills on June 5, 2021.

Ryan Pena

Wayne Valley senior middle distance runner

While still at Hackensack in 2020, he won the Bergen County 800 championship and made it all the way to the SMOC in the event. He enjoyed a solid Polar Bear season last winter, taking second in the Valley championships, also at 800 meters.

Nathan Storz

Emerson senior jumper/hurdler

One of the top returning vertical jumpers in the state got his season off to a solid start with good jumps in both the long and triple jumps at a club meet at the Armory Track Center in November. He had an unbeaten Polar Bear dual meet season in 2021.

Robbie Tormo

New Milford senior sprinter

As a sophomore he won the NJIC 55 and 400 meter titles and also won sectional titles in both races before taking second in the state Group 1 400 race and reaching the State Meet of Champions.

Amiri Whittle

Hackensack senior distance runner

He's never even competed in a winter track meet and has never run more than 400 meters in a high school track meet of any kind. But after his first cross-country season ended with a Bergen County title and a fourth place finish in state Group 4 and there's no reason to think his first track season won't be spectacular.

Max Zuckerman

Pascack Hills senior pole vaulter/jumper

He's a solid sprinter and jumper but it's in the vault that he's a history maker. As a sophomore he was fifth in the State Meet of Champions, and won the Bergen County championship. He's cleared 15 feet twice indoors and eight times overall and holds the county outdoor record at 15-8. He's shootin to become North Jersey's first 16-footer.

Paul Schwartz covers high school track and field for NorthJersey.com. For full access to live scores, breaking news and analysis from our Varsity Aces team, subscribe today. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter and download our app.

Email: schwartzp@northjersey.com

Twitter: @northnjtrack

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ indoor track: North Jersey athletes to watch in 2021-22
Theres a sense throughout Io sto bene that writer-director Donato Rotunno knows his characters deeply. Unfortunately, that impression doesnt translate to three-dimensional portraits that might let viewers understand them as more than fleeting figures in a fragmented memory piece. The trifurcated tale of an elderly man who, while grieving his recently deceased wife, looks back on their marriage at the same time that he befriends a young woman, this Luxembourg production  the countrys Oscar submission  is

In Luxembourg, long-time Italian expat Antonio (Renato Carpentieri) is preparing for the unwelcome next phase of his life, accepting retirement awards, putting his house on the market and checking out nursing homes in the aftermath of his spouses death. Via a chance encounter, he strikes up a friendship with DJ Leo (Sara Serraiocco), whose own situation is hardly a bed of roses: Shes struggling to pay the rent on her one-bedroom flat above the club where she performs, shes alienated from her concerned mom (who wants her to return to Italy), and shes pregnant with a child whose father is unaware of these circumstances. Theirs is an unlikely bond forged by sorrowful isolation, as well as by the fact that Antonio sees something of his late wife in his new friend.

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Io sto bene initially operates on these two dual (and eventually dovetailing) contemporary narrative tracks, but it soon focuses most of its attention on a third strand  that of Antonios (Alessio Lapice) decades-earlier arrival in Luxembourg with his two cousins, Vito (Vittorio Nastri) and Giuseppe (Maziar Firouzi), and his romance with Mady (Marie Jung), with whom hed go on to share his life. Rotunnos interest in Antonios past quickly overwhelms the film, which details how Antonio spent his early days abroad writing missives to a father that he dearly missed, penning love letters on behalf of Vito to his cousins paramour Francesca, and choosing to become foolishly and destructively intertwined in that couples state of affairs.

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Echoes between the films two time periods abound, with Rotunno segueing somewhat suddenly between the past and the present. More detrimental than that abruptness, however, is the sketchiness of his action, especially with regards to older Antonio and Leo, whose relationship is even more half-heartedly established and developed than the one shared by twentysomething Antonio and Mady. The writer-director provides us with snippets of information about his players and the dynamics and motivations governing their behavior, but they never coalesce in a way that might intimate authentic, well-rounded lives. Instead, Antonio and Mady resemble ghosts from a faintly remembered yesteryear, while the elder Antonio and Leo resonate as unhappy individuals we only hazily comprehend.

Massimo Zambonis sensitive score and Jean-Francois Hensgens attentive cinematography strive to draw viewers into Io sto bene (whose title means: I am fine). Yet the problem is that there isnt much inside this film; its as if Rotunno has transposed his own, and others, recollections and stories without dramatically fleshing them out. The same is true of Carpentieris morose performance, which helps emotionally ground the proceedings in a mood of longing and distress, but nevertheless feels incomplete. The swiftness with which almost every storyline is resolved and/or dropped further suggests that theres a longer, more fully developed saga to be made from this material. As it stands, though, Io sto bene leaves one wanting much more.

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While officials have said there were no credible threats against any Iowa schools over the past few days, districts were reporting thousands of student absences Friday and some schools increased security.

It's not clear why students stayed home Friday from any school in Iowa that reporters contacted  reasons could include illness, planned and excused absences or more, officials said  but the timing of almost 60% of Burlington's students not going to class coincides with rumors of nationwide school shooting threats spread on social media this week.

School and public safety officials around Iowa said they were monitoring the situation Thursday and Friday, but had found no specific or credible threats toward any Iowa schools.

Related: Authorities say there's no specific threat to Iowa schools as social media rumors spread

Burlington, where nearly 1,900 students stayed home Friday  about 57% of the district's student population  was not alone in having lower attendance.

Attendance down, police presence up at some Iowa districts

Several districts told the Iowa Department of Education that school attendance was down Friday due to the threats that spread this week on social media, according to communications director Heather Doe.

Doe said the department was not aware of any districts that closed buildings, but school districts and their boards can make local decisions about whether to cancel classes.

"Many schools and districts build in extra days into their school calendars to allow for unexpected closures to avoid having to adjust their school calendars to ensure they meet either 180 days or 1,080 hours of instruction," Doe said.

In Des Moines, spokesperson Amanda Lewis said 35% of students were out Friday  which would be more than 10,858 students out of the district's certified enrollment count for the year, though certified enrollment is not the same thing as a headcount and is used more for school finance purposes.

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However, Lewis added that between the start of school through Thursday, the district's attendance rate was 86%, compared to 65% on Friday.

About a third of Iowa City students, or 33%, were absent Friday, when that number is typically 6%. Unlike the previously listed districts, Friday was also Iowa City's last day before winter break.

In West Burlington, 25% of students did not go to class Friday. In Danville, that figure was 33%, and it was approximately 29% in Ames.

School officials in Ankeny and Southeast Polk noted some increases in absences Friday.

"If you are on social media at all, it's obvious this latest TikTok threat is scaring parents across the country. It's unfortunate that the social media platform continues to be a thorn in the side of educators nationwide," Lewis added.

More: 5 West Des Moines students charged for allegedly making threats at Stilwell Junior High

TikTok, which is where the nationwide threats are rumored to have originated, says it has not identified any videos making specific threats.

"We have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok, the company wrote in a tweet Thursday.

We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why we're working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok.  TikTokComms (@TikTokComms) December 16, 2021

Some districts in California, Minnesota, Missouri, South Dakota and Texas closed Friday as a precaution, while many others across the nation, including Iowa, had an increased police presence, according to USA TODAY. The Rapid City (South Dakota) Police Department said officers believed at least one of the threatening social media posts originated in Iowa. The department said Rapid City Area Schools canceled classes in the spirit of caution for the safety of students."

Indianola Superintendent Art Sathoff said extra police officers were assigned to each of the district's six schools, which increased police presence beyond the school resource officer who normally splits time between the middle and high schools.

Like with responses to past TikTok threats to trash school district bathrooms around the country, Sathoff said he communicated with families about the most recent social media messages.

"I think our approach to this is similar to many other school districts," Sathoff said. "We understand the power of social media and the TikTok phenomenon, and we communicated with parents and urged them to talk to their kids. We have great kids."

More deputies with the Polk County Sheriff's Office are patrolling near schools in response to the rumored threats, public information officer Lt. Ryan Evans said.

"Mostly, it's just (cars patrolling) in the area. We haven't put any additional officers in (the schools)," Evans said.

School resource officers from the sheriff's office are already stationed in Bondurant-Farrar and North Polk Schools, Evans said.

Sgt. Paul Parizek, a spokesperson for the Des Moines Police Department, said they are providing "an increased presence in the area of our schools throughout the day." And Carlisle Superintendent Bryce Amos said the Carlisle Police Department was making a bigger presence known in the community Friday without putting extra officers in schools.

"This is a good time for parents to talk with their students and encourage students that if they hear something, if they see something, they need to share it with an adult at the school. School is a safe place and we do our due diligence to keep school a safe place," Amos said.

More: Amid alleged TikTok school shooting threats, here's what we know about app's response

What should students and parents do?

Kenneth Trump with National School Safety and Security Services, a Cleveland, Ohio-based consulting firm, urged parents to talk with their children about what information they're seeing online and alert school officials and law enforcement about potential threats. He said parents, as well as kids, should look for information from credible sources, not rely on "social media rumor and misinformation."

Trump said parents should also warn kids against sharing unconfirmed information, as it may unintentionally contribute to anxiety and stress.

"A lot of times kids will have good intentions," he said. "If you have all these young people spreading the same thing at the same time, it just exponentially increases the distribution of the threats."

Parents should also give their children context about the threats by explaining what they and educators are doing to keep students safe, "so that there's some reassurances, psychologically, (but) not giving a false sense of security," he said. "I often encourage parents to have candid conversations."

Trump also said schools need to be proactive by creating threat assessment teams, training and protocols, and a crisis communication plan to quickly disseminate information to parents before an incident occurs.

More: TikTok rumors of school violence threats put people on edge after Michigan shooting

What is TikTok's response to alleged threats?

In a statement to USA TODAY, TikTok spokesperson Jamie Favazza said TikTok is continuing to "aggressively search" for any related content on its platform.

"We are deeply concerned that the proliferation of local media reports on an alleged trend that has not been found on the platform could end up inspiring real world harm," she said.

In a tweet published Friday, TikTok said they are "working to remove alarmist warnings that violate our misinformation policy" after local authorities, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security confirmed there's no credible threat.

"If we did find promotion of violence on our platform, we'd remove and report it to law enforcement," said the company.

1/ Update: we've exhaustively searched for content that promotes violence at schools today, but have still found nothing. What we find are videos discussing this rumor and warning others to stay safe.  TikTokComms (@TikTokComms) December 17, 2021

Des Moines Register reporter Teresa Albertson, Ames Tribune reporter Isabella Rosario, Iowa City Press-Citizen education reporter Cleo Krejci, Burlington Hawk Eye reporter Bradley Vidmar, USA TODAY and the Associated Press contributed to this article.

Phillip Sitter covers education for the Ames Tribune, including Iowa State University and PreK-12 schools in Ames and elsewhere in Story County. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com. He is on Twitter @pslifeisabeauty.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What we know about TikTok threats and Iowa schools on Friday
By Parisa Hafezi, John Irish and Francois Murphy

VIENNA (Reuters) -Negotiators at indirect talks between Iran and the United States have just weeks to reach an agreement on rescuing the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, European powers and the talks' coordinator said as negotiations adjourned on Friday for at least 10 days.

The talks have made little discernible progress since they resumed more than two weeks ago for the first time since Iran's hardline president, Ebrahim Raisi, was elected in June.

The negotiations are "not going well" in that the United States does not yet have a path back into the deal, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in Washington.

Tehran's envoys have sought changes to the outline of an agreement that had taken shape in six previous rounds of talks, leaving the negotiations largely deadlocked while Western powers warn that time is running out to rein in Iran's fast-advancing nuclear activities.

"We don't have months, we rather have weeks to have an agreement," European Union envoy Enrique Mora told a news conference after a meeting that formally ended the seventh round of talks.

He said he hoped they would resume this year, while some officials have mentioned Dec. 27 as a tentative date.

Officials said Iran had requested the break, while Western powers had planned on staying until Tuesday.

Mora and other officials said Iranian demands had been incorporated into the existing text so as to have a common basis for negotiation, but three European powers that are parties to the 2015 deal sounded less optimistic.

"There has been some technical progress in the last 24 hours, but this only takes us back nearer to where the talks stood in June," negotiators from France, Britain and Germany, the so-called E3, said in a statement, describing the break as "a disappointing pause in negotiations".

END OF THE ROAD

The 2015 deal lifted sanctions against Tehran in return for tough restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities aimed at extending the time Tehran would need to obtain enough fissile material for a nuclear bomb if it chose to - so-called breakout time - to at least a year from roughly two to three months.

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In 2018 then-President Donald Trump, who vehemently opposed the deal, pulled the United States out of the accord and re-imposed punishing U.S. sanctions against Tehran. Iran responded by breaching many of the deal's nuclear restrictions and pressing ahead further with its atomic activities.

Most experts now say breakout time is less than it was before the deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Iran says its atomic aims are entirely peaceful.

"We hope that Iran is in a position to resume the talks quickly, and to engage constructively so that talks can move at a faster pace," the E3 negotiators said.

"There are weeks not months before the JCPOA's core non-proliferation benefits are lost. We are rapidly reaching the end of the road for this negotiation."

Speaking to a U.S. Council on Foreign Relations webinar, Sullivan said the negotiations have "proven more difficult over the course of this year than we would have liked to have seen" as Iran has "raced" its nuclear program forward.

Washington has conveyed through the Europeans and directly to Iran its "alarm" over the "forward progress" it has made, he continued, declining to elaborate on the details of those messages.

Iranian officials did not explain why they had requested a break other than to say there would be consultations in Tehran.

"If the other party accepts Iran's logical views, the next round of talks can be the last round," Iran's chief negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani told reporters.

(Reporting by Francois Murphy and Parisa Hafezi in Vienna, John Irish in Doha and Jonathan Landay and Steve Holland in Washington; Writing by Francois Murphy; Editing by Kevin Liffey, Angus MacSwan and Grant McCool)
Israeli soldiers carried out a manhunt Friday in the occupied West Bank, a day after the army blamed Palestinians for shooting dead an Israeli settler and wounding two others.

The army, which said Palestinian "terrorists" carried out the attack, has deployed three extra battalions as well as special forces.

"We are in a physical, technological, intelligence hunt," Israeli army spokesman Brigadier General Ran Kochav told 103FM radio.

"We arrested last night a number of suspects... sooner or later we will find the perpetrators."

Thursday's shooting followed high tensions after Palestinian attacks on Israelis, and the killing of Palestinians by Israeli troops during clashes.

Army radio identified the victim as religious student Yehuda Dimentman, 25, a married father.

He studied at Homesh, an outpost that is illegal under Israeli law.

Israel seized the West Bank in the 1967 Six-Day War. Since then nearly 700,000 Jewish Israelis have moved into West Bank and east Jerusalem settlements that much of the international community regards as illegal.

Dimentman was shot while in the back seat of a car leaving Homesh on Thursday evening, and died en route to hospital, the Israeli army and medics said.

The car's driver and another passenger were injured by shattered glass and taken to hospital, but their wounds were not reported to be serious.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

However, multiple Palestinian organisations -- including Hamas, the militant Islamist group which controls the Gaza Strip -- praised the shooting.

US State Department spokesman Ned Price said Washington condemned the attack on Thursday as a "terrorist attack... that killed an Israeli citizen and wounded two others".

On Friday, mourners gathered at the site of the attack, army radio reported.

Dimentman's brother Shlomi described him as "a beloved uncle". Speaking on Israeli public radio, he said Dimentman was devoted to "strengthening the hold on the community of Homesh."

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Last week Israeli police arrested a 14-year-old Palestinian girl suspected of stabbing her Israeli neighbour -- a 26-year-old mother walking with her children -- in annexed east Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.

Tensions have also been rising within Israel's ideologically divided coalition government over reports of violence inflicted by settlers on Palestinians.

dac/pjm/it
The House committee investigating the pro-Trump riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 announced Thursday that it had subpoenaed a retired Army colonel who contributed to a PowerPoint presentation about how to overturn the 2020 election results that was presented to Republican lawmakers ahead of the riot.

"The document he reportedly provided to Administration officials and Members of Congress is an alarming blueprint for overturning a nationwide election," Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the committee's chairman, said in a statement about the subpoena for the man, Phil Waldron.

The PowerPoint presentation was among the documents handed over to the committee by Mark Meadows, who was former President Donald Trump's chief of staff at the time of the attack on the Capitol.

The presentation included baseless assertions that China and Venezuela took control of the U.S. electoral system. Other slides suggested a plan for the Trump administration to "declare electronic voting in all states invalid," call a national emergency and seize ballots.

In a letter demanding documents and testimony, Thompson told Waldron that the committee's investigation and public reporting "have revealed credible evidence that you have information concerning attempts to disrupt or delay the certification of the 2020 election results."

Waldron has told The Washington Post that he was part of a team that briefed lawmakers about the presentation and that he had contributed to the briefing. He also told the newspaper that he had visited the White House several times after the election and had met with Meadows "maybe eight to 10 times" in the run-up to Jan. 6.

Waldron could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.

The PowerPoint presentation was one of the documents the committee planned to question Meadows about this month, but he refused to show up for his scheduled deposition. The House voted Tuesday to refer Meadows to the Justice Department for contempt of Congress for defying the panel's subpoena.
JFS board of directors Sandy Seplow, Ed Cohen, Bob Goodfriend, Lee Erwin, Barry Kaufman (back row) join Lori Friend, Lois Gold, Gail Scaldron (event co-chair), Aviva Snow, Audrey Bernstein, Renee Mayer, Michelle Carafoil, Nona Solowitz, Nancy Levine (middle row), Kraig Johnson, Joanne Chunowitz, Margie Kulp and Jan Gordon. Board members not pictured: Oscar Armijo, Jerry Fogelson, Debra Kay (event co-chair) and Doran Veiner.

Nearly 200 guests, board members, volunteers and staff attended the Jewish Family Service of the Desert's (JFS) 19th annual patron party on Sunday, Dec. 5, thanking all agency stakeholders for supporting the organization's mission to provide for the social service needs of the Jewish and general community throughout the Coachella Valley with a commitment to promoting the well-being of people of all ages, incomes and lifestyles.

Held at the Ferrari dealership in Rancho Mirage, guests were surrounded by beautiful automobiles, signature cocktails and delicious food provided by Willie Rhine of Eight4Nine. JFS secretary Lee Erwin, executive director of Contour Dermatology, explained that "this event is a big 'thank you' for the donors who give of their time and support."

Barbara Fromm, former JFS president said: "Tonight is the night we honor our major donors who help maintain the efficacy of JFS services throughout the Coachella Valley." She said she is particularly thankful for the work JFS provides to families suffering from domestic abuse.

Another former president, Carol Fragen, enthusiastically praised JFS "for helping children and youngsters in need. ... This is why the organization is called 'family service.'"

Current JFS board president Aviva Snow asked each past president to join her in lighting a candle to celebrate the 8th day of Hanukkah. Fragen, Fromm, Ed Gubman, Don Levy, Sam Oberman, Sandy Seplow and Judy Wallis were in attendance and assisted in the ceremony. Cheryl Scarlett, director of major gifts and fundraising, was asked to light the last candle in recognition of her dedication to JFS and its services.

JFS honors past presidents at 19th annual Patron Party: Aviva Snow, current president; Barbara Fromm; Sam Oberman; Judy Wallis; Sandy Seplow; Carol Fragen and Don Levy. Not pictured: Ed Gubman.

Snow explained how JFS is "all about community and people working together to give back." She said that while all the services offered by JFS are important, she is particularly interested in "preventing homelessness, bullying of high school students," and her personal love because of her degrees in social welfare and gerontology: "the well-being of seniors who are alone, isolated and Holocaust survivors." Snow shares the JFS philosophy of "helping others regardless of religion, race, age or sexual orientation."

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JFS patron Brandon Boswell Diamonds auctioned a moonstone ring with black and white diamonds valued at more than $6,500. All proceeds from the auction as well as 20% of all sales of jewelry went directly to support JFS programs.

JFS' Mission

Jewish Family Service of the Desert is a non-sectarian, nonprofit agency founded on the Jewish principle of healing the world. JFS has served the social service needs of the valley for 40 years, providing 15,000-plus services per year in mental health counseling and augmented case management that includes emergency financial assistance, community engagement offering live events and special programming for the Jewish community.

Executive Director Kraig Johnson captured the importance of the evening, saying he was humbled by the trust the community has in JFS. "If they did not trust us, they would not support us and the work we do," he said. "Patrons have faith in the services we offer to the community. JFS makes a significant difference in the lives of Coachella Valley residents."

Next Event

Sue Cameron, "Secrets of TV Legends" columnist for the Hollywood Reporter, shares entertaining stories of TV stars from Benny, Berle, Hope and Ball to Wonder Woman, the Housewives  Desperate and real  and the Kardashians. JFS will honor Phyllis Eisenberg with the JFS Humanitarian Award at the event, to be held at the Mary Pickford Theatre on Wednesday, March 9, with a show only at 1:30 p.m. and VIP show at 5 p.m. with reception. For those unable to attend, a Zoom link will be provided.

Special thanks to JFS Visionaries Barbara Arnstein, Erwin and Dr. Tim Jochen, Bea Keats and Jerry Fogelson, Wendy and Bob Goodfriend, Karen and Robert Gober, Judy Allen and Jim Hummer, Joanne and Dr. Myron Mintz, Ron and Aviva Snow, Linda and Mitchell Wexler, Bob Wernick and Nan Ship.

For more information, contact Scarlett at (760) 325-4088 ext. 107 or via cscarlett@jfsdesert.org.

Al Jones was appointed by the city council as a Trustee of the Palm Springs Library, where he serves as its treasurer. He was the former chairman of the Palm Springs International Airport Commission and is a member of the board of directors of Dezart Performs, the CSU Palm Desert Campus Advancement board, the Advisory board of Priority One Coachella Valley and a member of DBA and Main Street. Prior community engagement includes DAP Health Partners for Life Leadership Committee; the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert, where he served as the Board secretary for five years, and Sanctuary Palm Springs.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: JFS Desert celebrates 40th anniversary at annual patron party
Dec. 16A law passed by voters in November banning a controversial power transmission line through western Maine will take effect Sunday after a Maine judge ruled against a last-minute injunction Thursday.

The ruling is another blow to a $1 billion energy project planned for years by Avangrid, parent company of Central Maine Power, although it's not the final word. Avangrid's lawsuit challenging the ban will continue and it could appeal the injunction ruling to Maine's Supreme Judicial Court.

Avangrid filed a lawsuit against the ban a day after voters passed it in a Nov. 2 citizen-initiated referendum that followed the most expensive ballot-question campaign in state history. The referendum vote prohibited the construction of New England Energy Connect, a controversial 145-mile high-voltage transmission line through western Maine.

Avangrid, through its affiliate NECEC Transmission LLC, also filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to try to prevent the law from going into effect as scheduled while its lawsuit is pending. The law is set to take effect Sunday.

Judge Michael Duddy, ruling for the Business and Consumer Court, said allowing the citizen initiative to become law while the lawsuit works its way through the court would not harm the company irreparably, but could damage democracy.

Duddy agreed that delaying construction of the transmission corridor will mean substantial economic harm to Avangrid.

But, he said, "that harm does not outweigh the harm to voter confidence and participatory democracy that would result from preventing the initiative from becoming law while this legal challenge is pending."

In a statement, Avangrid said it was disappointed in the decision, but confident the full legal process will determine the law passed in the referendum is unconstitutional.

"As one of the region's most important clean energy projects, the NECEC will benefit Maine and all New Englanders by reducing the region's dependence on fossil fuels which will result in cleaner air, lower energy prices and improved reliability," the company said.

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The company is reviewing the order and considering options, but would not say whether it plans to appeal the injunction ruling to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.

"The facts are clear: the NECEC project is good for Maine and for the region and will help address the energy, economic and climate issues we face," it said. "That is why we remain committed to this project and its many benefits and look forward to restarting construction as soon as we are able."

Avangrid argues that the referendum, which is retroactive to 2014, violates its "vested rights" to the property, meaning it had valid permits to start construction before the referendum.

Avangrid has spent at least $450 million on the project so far, with dozens of miles of woodland in northwest Maine cleared for the transmission line.

In his order, Duddy said he was not convinced by Avangrid's arguments on vested rights or its contention that the law violated other parts of the state constitution and would irreparably harm the company.

However, Duddy also said the law that applies to the case is uncertain on many disputed points that should be decided by the state's highest court.

"Thus, while the court is unpersuaded by the plaintiff's legal arguments, this case presents many difficult questions," Duddy said. "Plaintiffs have legitimate counter arguments on all disputed points of law."

Thursday's ruling was the latest in a string of setbacks for the corridor project. In November, almost 60 percent of voters approved the referendum to ban the transmission line.

The new law bans the construction of high-impact electric-transmission lines in the Upper Kennebec Region and requires the Legislature to approve all other such projects anywhere in Maine, both retroactively to 2020. It also requires the Legislature to approve by a two-thirds vote such projects using public lands retroactively to 2014.

"This is a big win for Maine people who voted overwhelmingly to terminate the CMP corridor," said Pete Didisheim, advocacy director at Natural Resources Council of Maine, a prominent opponent of the project.

"We appreciate the quick decision by the judge to reject CMP's effort to subvert the will of Maine voters and look forward to the referendum becoming law on Sunday," Didisheim said in a statement.

Despite the voters' rejection, Avangrid continued clearing forest and other development related to the transmission line. It stopped in mid-November after a request from Gov. Janet Mills while pursuing its lawsuit against the referendum.

Late last month, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection suspended the construction license for the corridor. The license will remain suspended until Avangrid wins its court case or legal fight over a public land lease in the project's path.

At the same time, Avangrid is under pressure to complete the project by August 2024 or risk losing its contract. The transmission line was commissioned to bring 1,200 megawatts of power from producer Hydro-Quebec to the New England grid through a station in Lewiston.

The project is being built to help Massachusetts meet its clean energy goals and will be paid for by electric customers in the Bay State.

Avangrid has argued it would bring cleaner, cheaper energy to New England generally. The company pledged $250 million in benefits to Mainers including electric rate relief, help with energy efficiency and economic development. When construction was suspended, those payments were too.
A Delaware Superior Court judge denied a Fox News motion to dismiss a massive $1.6 billion lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems that alleges the news outlet made false claims about the companys actions and influence on the 2020 presidential election.

In a decision released Thursday afternoon, the court found Fox News defenses did not warrant the case being dismissed. Dominion pleads specific facts that put Fox on notice as to Dominions claims. The Complaint, and its exhibits, are detailed and focused, and state a reasonably conceivable defamation per se claim, said Eric M. Davis in a filing.

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However, the judge is at this stage of the proceedings obligated to give Dominions claims more weight. For purposes of the Motion, the Court must view all well-pled facts alleged in the Complaint as true and in a light most favorable to Dominion, Davis said.

In a statement, Fox News Media said the lawsuit had no merit and the company was simply reporting statements made by prominent newsmakers and officials. As we have maintained, Fox News, along with every single news organization across the country, vigorously covered the breaking news surrounding the unprecedented 2020 election, providing full context of every story with in-depth reporting and clear-cut analysis, the Fox Corp. unit said. We remain committed to defending against this baseless lawsuit and its all-out assault on the First Amendment.

This is the second legal proceeding made against Fox News for its coverage of the aftermath of the 2020 race for the White House. Smartmatic, a voting technology company, has filed a $2.7 billion suit against Fox News, which has sought to have the matter dismissed.

At issue in the suit is an allegation by Dominion that Fox News falsely claimed the company had rigged the election, then repeated items about the matter and refused to engage as Dominion made efforts to set the record straight. The suit even included Fox News and Fox Business anchors, such as Lou Dobbs, who has left the company, and Maria Bartiromo. The 2020 election results were certified by multiple legal processes.

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Dominion alleges Fox News Channel was eager to court conservative viewers who were outraged by the networks call on Election Night that President Biden would be victorious in Arizona, an early prediction that, while correct, was not initially matched by other news outlets and came under criticism from former President Donald Trump. Reports that blamed Dominion and others for influencing the election results, the company argues, served as a potential means of winning back those viewers favor. Fox set out to lure viewers back  including President Trump himself  by intentionally and falsely blaming Dominion for President Trumps loss by rigging the election, Dominion alleges in its original lawsuit.

Damages sought in the case are significant, and other news companies have been hurt by defamation suits. Walt Disneys ABC News in 2017 grappled with a $1.9 billion lawsuit from a South Dakota meat producer that alleged the news operation defamed Beef Products Inc. about the safety of low-cost processed beef trimmings, referred to in a report as pink slime. Disney subsequently disclosed costs of $177 million related to the settlement of the case.

Fox News corporate parent has remained sanguine about the legal matters. The amount of additional liability, if any, that may result from these or related matters cannot be estimated at this time, Fox Corp. said in its most recent quarterly filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. However, the Company does not currently anticipate that the ultimate resolution of any such pending matters will have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

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A federal judge in Manhattan has rejected a roughly $4.5 billion settlement that would have shielded the Sackler family, the billionaire former owners of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, from future lawsuits over opioids.

Judge Colleen McMahon of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Thursday struck down the settlement, which had been approved by a bankruptcy judge in September, because it would protect members of the Sackler family  Purdues billionaire former owners  from civil opioid lawsuits via legal releases that are not permitted under the bankruptcy code.

While the Sacklers did not file for personal-bankruptcy protection, they made the condition a requirement of the settlement agreement. The judge said the bankruptcy code does not explicitly permit a judge to grant the releases.

The great unsettled question in this case is whether the bankruptcy court  or any court  is statutorily authorized to grant such releases, she wrote.

She said legal rulings from the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that Purdue has used to secure the legal releases havent properly analyzed the issue and that her ruling will not be the last word on the issue, according to the Wall Street Journal.

It must be put to rest sometime; at least in this Circuit, it should be put to rest now, McMahon said.

The settlement was the main part of a larger financial restructuring of the company that would fund programs to combat the opioid crisis and compensate people harmed by OxyContin. Purdue pleaded guilty last year to three criminal charges, formally acknowledging its role in the opioid epidemic that has plagued the U.S. over the past two decades. The drugmaker admitted to obstructing the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrations efforts to fight the opioid-addiction crisis and confessed that it had not carried out an effective program to prevent prescription drugs from landing on the black market, though it had previously told the DEA it had such a program, according to the Associated Press.

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Purdue also admitted it had proffered misleading information to the agency in order to bolster company manufacturing quotas and that it has paid doctors via a speakers program to persuade them to write more prescriptions for its painkillers.

State attorneys general from several states including Washington, Connecticut, and Maryland had opposed the settlement. They argued that it did not go far enough to deter other corporate wrongdoing.

Purdue, the Sacklers, and groups that supported the settlement, including those representing opioid victims and other company creditors, are likely to appeal the decision.

Purdue told McMahon that the company could be liquidated if the restructuring plan falls through, causing billions of dollars for abatement and victim compensation to be irretrievably lost.

More from National Review
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration late Thursday asked the Supreme Court to block lower court orders that are keeping President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for health care workers from going into effect in about half of the states.

The administration asked the justices to allow the urgently needed health and safety measure to take effect before the winter spike in COVID-19 cases worsens further.

It said the requirement will save hundreds or even thousands of lives each month.

The administration's request comes a day after the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a nationwide ban on the mandate. The court instead allowed the mandate to remain blocked in 14 states that had collectively sued in federal court in Louisiana. That action altered a Nov. 30 ruling by U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, who originally applied his order nationwide.

A different appeals court, the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, has declined to disturb a lower court order blocking the mandate in 10 other states.

The Biden administration asked the justices to allow the mandate to take effect in the 24 states covered by those two courts' decisions. A federal judge in Texas granted an injunction Wednesday that applies only to that state.

One other appeals court, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, allowed the mandate to remain in place, saying Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra has the authority to require the vaccines.

At issue before the Supreme Court is a rule published Nov. 5 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid that applies to a wide range of health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding. It required their workers to receive the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Dec. 6 and be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4. It was projected to affect more than 17 million workers in about 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers. The mandate has religious and medical exemptions.

Legal challenges to Biden's vaccine mandate for private employers are also ongoing.

The high court in other cases has allowed vaccine mandates that are more stringent. The justices on Monday refused to halt a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for health care workers in New York that does not offer an exemption for religious reasons. And previously the court rejected an emergency appeal from health care workers in Maine to block a vaccine mandate that doesn't have a religious exemption. In both cases, three conservative justices  Neil Gorsuch, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito  dissented.
Nearly a week after deadly tornadoes ripped through western Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear (D) on Friday promised residents, "we will dig out."

The big picture: At least 77 people in Kentucky were killed when tornadoes hit last Friday into Saturday, Beshear said. The storm is the deadliest tornado event in modern state history, the National Weather Service in Louisville confirmed, pointing to official records that began in the 1950s.

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The previous deadliest outbreak in modern history was in 1974, when tornadoes killed 71 people in the state. The NWS noted that the 1890 outbreak in Kentucky may have killed over 100 people, but it hit before official records were kept.

The ages of the victims from last weekend's event ranged from 2 months to 98 years and at least 12 were children, state officials said this week.

Our thought bubble via Axios' Andrew Freedman: Despite accurate, timely tornado warnings, the loss of life was high.

This was largely because the storms struck at night, were extremely powerful and were moving quickly.

What they're saying: As we sit here almost one week to the day after the worst tornado disaster the state has ever seen, we are digging out, Beshear said Friday.

Yes, we are down. Yes, we are hurting, but we are not defeated, and we are not broken. Together, we will dig out. Together, we will clean up, and together, we will rebuild both structures and lives.

President Biden on Wednesday visited Kentucky, calling what affected families in the hard-hit areas are going through "a God-awful mess."

During his visit, Biden said his administration would continue to work alongside state officials as recovery efforts continue.

"We're going to get this done. I promise you  the governor is not walking away, your county judge is not walking away, your congressman is not walking away. No one's walking away. We're in this for the long haul," Biden said at a press conference in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, on Wednesday. "Keep the faith."

Story continues

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School officials across the United States are responding to a call on TikTok for students to shoot up their schools Friday, Dec. 17.

KEWANEE  Schools around the country are taking precautions after an anonymous TikTok challenge called on students to shoot up their schools on Friday, Dec. 17. In response to the threat, Kewanee school officials addressed the issue with parents and staff in an email on Thursday.

School Districts across the country have been made aware of a circulating TikTok post with a nationwide 'school shooting and bomb threats for every school in the USA even elementary that will supposedly take place on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.

According to school officials, the original TikTok post is not directed toward any particular school district and there is no indication this post is within the Kewanee School District.

In conjunction with local law enforcement, the district said it will continue to monitor the situation and out of an abundance of caution will increase police presence at the schools on Friday.

The information has been shared with not only the school administration but school resource officers, as well as the Kewanee and Bureau County Police departments.

The Kewanee School District is committed to keeping our schools a safe place for learning and we will work together to continue to keep it that way, the mass email stated.

According to media reports, TikTok said in a statement that it had no evidence of the threat.

We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why were working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via Tik Tok, said a company statement released on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Star Courier: Kewanee School District responds to TikTok threat
Kim Kardashian West and daughter North West arrive at the Ferdi restaurant in March 2021. Mehdi Taamallah/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Kim Kardashian West recently appeared to scold North West for going live on TikTok without permission.

Kardashian West said on Bari Weiss' podcast that her daughter had privately apologized.

She also said that she thought her daughter would continue to break rules in the same way she did.

Kim Kardashian West doesn't expect that North West going live on TikTok without permission is the last time the 8-year-old will be breaking rules regarding social media.

Kardashian West recently appeared to reprimand her oldest daughter after North went live on TikTok, where the pair launched a joint account in November, without permission. During the live, as Insider previously reported, North gave a tour of the family's home before going to her mother's room and telling her that she's live on TikTok.

In an interview on the podcast "Honestly with Bari Weiss," Weiss asked Kardashian West if it was "inevitable" that North would follow in her mother's rule-breaking footsteps when it came to social media. Kardashian West said "absolutely."

"I mean, North West is Kanye West's daughter," Kardashian West said. "Forget that, she's his twin. So she will definitely do all of the above. But in my household, there are rules."

Kardashian West and Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, share North and three younger children  Saint, Chicago, and Psalm.

Kardashian West is famously regarded as a "breaker of the internet," as The Guardian referred to her in 2020, particularly for moments like her iconic 2014 Paper Magazine cover that showed champagne cascading from a bottle and into a glass perched on her buttocks, arching over her head in the process.

Kardashian West said that in the wake of the TikTok live incident, North felt "really bad" and apologized.

"She said, 'I saw on TikTok that I got in trouble and I"m really sorry,'" Kardashian West said. "And she got it."

Kardashian West filed for divorce from Ye in February, and filed on December 10 to be legally single, TMZ reported. The day before Kardashian West's latest filing, on December 9, Ye had asked Kardashian West to "run right back to me" in a performance of his song "Runaway" at the Free Larry Hoover benefit concert.

Read the original article on Insider
MINNEAPOLIS  Former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter choked up on the witness stand and buried her face in her hands Friday as she recounted the moment she fatally shot Daunte Wright while yelling "Taser" in a traffic-stop-turned-arrest earlier this year.

"We were struggling. We were trying to keep him from driving away. It just went chaotic," Potter, dressed in a patterned shirt and yellow sweater, testified through tears as her husband, brother and mother sat in the courtroom. "And then, I remember yelling 'Taser, Taser, Taser' and nothing happened. And then (Wright) told me I shot him."

Potter said she remembers seeing Wright struggling with another officer over the car's gear-shift moments before she shot Wright. The officer had "a look of fear on his face" like "nothing Ive seen before," Potter said.

Potter told jurors she remembers little about what happened after the April shooting in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center. "They had an ambulance for me and I dont know why. And then I was at the station. I dont remember a lot of things afterward," she said.

On cross examination, Potter cried and buried her face in her hands again. "I'm sorry, so sorry," she said, her voice cracking. She added: "I didnt want to hurt anybody."

In this screen grab from video, former Brooklyn Center Police Officer Kim Potter becomes emotional as she testifies in court, Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn.

As Potter spoke, Wrights parents, who testified in the case, sat in the courtroom, holding hands.

The defense rested its case after Potter stepped off the stand. Hennepin County District Court Judge Regina Chu dismissed jurors until Monday, when attorneys for the defense and prosecution are expected to give closing arguments.

Potter, 49, is charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter in Wright's death. The 26-year veteran of the Brooklyn Center Police Department quit two days after the shooting, along with the police chief. She was arrested the next day.

Prosecutors say Potter was "reckless" and consciously took the risk of causing harm to Wright and others, despite years of training on Tasers and firearms. Prosecutors also say Potter abused her position of authority and caused a "greater than normal danger" to the safety of Wright's passenger, other officers and civilians on the street  aggravating factors prosecutors say warrant a tougher sentence.

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'I MISS HIM': Daunte Wright's father tells jury about his son in Kim Potter trial

Defense attorneys say Potter made an "innocent mistake." They also say Potter would have been justified in using a firearm because she was attempting to prevent Wright from injuring another officer as Wright fled the arrest, which is a felony. After Wright was shot, he crashed his car into an oncoming vehicle down the street, injuring his girlfriend in the passenger seat and two people in the other car.

The manslaughter charges do not require prosecutors to prove that Potter intended to kill Wright.

Potter testified that, prior to the day she shot Wright, she never deployed her Taser or firearm while on duty but that she drew her Taser "maybe a few times." She testified she received annual training on Tasers and was informed about the dangers of weapons confusion, though she said it was not "expounded on" in training.

Potter said she was overseeing a trainee officer when he decided to pull Wright's vehicle over and she "most likely" would not have pulled the car over herself.

When the officers discovered Wright had a warrant for arrest on a weapons violation and an order for protection against him, Potter said she became concerned there could be a weapon in the vehicle. Potter testified she was compelled by law to arrest Wright and to find out if the woman in the passenger seat had the order of protection.

Kim Potter resigned from the Brooklyn Center Police Department in Minnesota.

Potter initially testified she did not recall if Wright's vehicle was running during the arrest. She later testified that she previously stated the car had been running. Potter also testified she never communicated what had happened to officers who responded to the scene of the car crash.

"I was very distraught. Id just shot somebody. Id never done that," Potter said, crying.

Police bodycam videos capturing the seconds after the shooting reveal Potter shouted several expletives and said she "grabbed the wrong" gun. "I shot him," she said. She added: "Im going to go to prison" and "I killed a boy." Asked about the comments on the witness stand, Potter testified she does not recall making the statements.

'I TRIED TO SCREAM HIS NAME': Girlfriend recalls moment Kim Potter shot Daunte Wright

Witness testimony and evidence presented by the state revealed multiple officers who responded to the scene of the crash were responding to a "shots fired" call and were unaware Wright had been shot. One officer held Wrights vehicle at gunpoint for nearly nine minutes before officers dragged Wrights body out of the vehicle.

Potter told jurors she quit after the shooting because she "didnt want anything bad to happen to the city." She said she and her husband moved out of state and that she has been been in therapy since the shooting.

Before Potter took the stand Friday, jurors heard from a psychologist for the defense, who said longtime surgeons, pilots and other professionals can still make "action errors" in high-stress situations.

"In plain language, you intend to do one thing, think you're doing that thing, but do something else and only realize later that the action you intended was not the one you took," Laurence Miller said as he looked toward jurors. Miller said weapons confusion  particularly confusing a firearm for a Taser  is a form of action error.

In this screen grab from video, Dr. Laurence Miller, a psychologist, testifies as Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu presides over court Friday, Dec. 17, 2021, in the trial of former Brooklyn Center police Officer Kim Potter in the April 11, 2021, death of Daunte Wright, at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn.

Several other defense witnesses testified Thursday. Expert witness Stephen Ijames, a former Missouri police officer, said Potter's use of a Taser would have been consistent with police training and that the use of deadly force would have been justified if Potter believed another officer was inside the vehicle and at risk of being dragged.

Asked if the officer in question, based on his review of the evidence, was outside the vehicle at the time Potter fired her weapon, Ijames said the officer was "probably more out than in."

Timothy Gannon, the former police chief, testified he was once dragged by a vehicle and felt "sheer terror." He said he resigned the same day as Potter because he would not immediately fire her, as he saw no violations of "policy, procedure or law" when he watched Potter's body camera video.

Jurors also heard from several character witnesses who testified Potter had a reputation for being law-abiding and peaceful in the community and among law enforcement.

WHO'S ON THE JURY? 14 people hearing evidence in trial of former officer charged in Daunte Wright's death

Testimony for the defense came after the state rested its case Thursday morning. Over the course of six days, jurors saw dozens of bodycam and dashcam videos and heard from eye witnesses, local and state law enforcement officers, medical examiners, and an expert on the use of force. Wright's mother, father and girlfriend all testified.

Jurors took notes as witnesses held up Tasers in the courtroom and, prompted by prosecutors, demonstrated the differences between a Taser and a firearm. The panel also sat through hours of testimony on Brooklyn Center Police Department policy and Taser training and use guidelines, including on the dangers of firing a weapon into a moving vehicle.

The first-degree charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and/or a $30,000 fine, and the second-degree charge has a maximum sentence of 10 years and/or a $20,000 fine. The judge will rule on the aggravating factors.

Twelve jurors and two alternates are hearing evidence in the case, which is being livestreamed.

Wright's death happened in the midst of the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, later convicted of murdering George Floyd. The shooting amplified local tensions and fueled a nationwide movement against police brutality and the treatment of Black people in the U.S. Potter is white, while Wright was Black.

Contributing: N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kim Potter, ex-cop who shot Daunte Wright, testifies in trial
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In an end of the year emergency management COVID-19 briefing on Friday, Brevard county officials said the highly-contagious novel coronavirus variant was likely already on the Space Coast, and expressed concerns over the potential impact it could have on the elderly here.

According to John Davis, the community health nursing director for the Florida Department of Health-Brevard, tests of waste water in Orange County had already found evidence of the omicron variant there, meaning the variant has almost certainly made its way to Brevard.

Davis said the county was waiting for results of positive COVID-19 tests sent to labs to confirm that omicron had indeed reached the Space Coast.

"You look at the media report from Orange County, with it being detected in the wastewater. I mean, we know it's here," Davis said.

However, Davis added that the potential impact that omicron might have on Brevard County is still ambiguous. "You've seen colleges being shut down in the Northeast. The reports are that most folks that have it there have had mild illness or no symptoms"

But Brevard County differs from northeastern communities in two ways: age demographics and vaccination rate.

In the Northeast, "You're looking at a younger population that's fully vaccinated," said Davis. Whereas in Brevard County, persons ages 65 years and older make up 24% of the population; in New York City, those ages 65 and older make up 14.5% of the population, according to data released by the US Census.

Davis said it's not clear how omicron might affect an area with a significant higher number of older people, often with comorbidities. "We'll have to see what the impacts are going to be," said Davis.

According to data released by the Florida Department of Health, only 66% of Brevard County's eligible population  those ages 5 and older  were vaccinated as of Dec. 9. And according to Davis, the numbers of people getting their first shot is just a trickle of what it was earlier in the year.

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"In terms of new vaccinations, its slow," said Davis. "I mean we are getting people in but low numbers."

The majority of people getting inoculated now are residents who've already been vaccinated getting a booster shot, added Davis.

Though children 5 years and older became eligible to receive the pediatric Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, Davis expressed that only 11% of children ages 5-11 have been vaccinated.

"We were honestly hoping that number would be a lot higher, that we would have had a bigger rush to get the vaccine for that age group."

Amidst the omicron concerns and Brevard County's low vaccination rate, COVID-19 cases have been steadily increasing since Thanksgiving, said Davis. Currently, the Space Coast is a community of '"substantial transmission", said Davis.

From Dec. 3 through Dec. 9, the Space Coast had a new case positivity rate of 2.7% and 50.1 cases per 100,000. This marks an increase of 7.2 cases per 100,000 since the previous week.

A community of substantial transmission is one that has between 50 and 100 cases per 100,000 and a percent positivity rate between 8% and 10%.

John Scott, Brevard County's Emergency Management Director, reiterated that mitigation tools like vaccinating, getting a booster shot, masking up, and social distancing are the key elements in stopping COVID-19 and all its variants from spreading on the Space Coast.

The monoclonal antibody site remains available to residents on the Space Coast, but because of a national monoclonal antibody shortage, those seeking the treatment must present a positive COVID-19 test, said Scott.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 82,136 COVID-19 cases and 1,176 COVID-19 related deaths in Brevard County, according to data released by FDOH.

Where to get tested:

Before the increase in cases, demand for testing had decreased, now the demand is increasing, said Davis.

Don Walker, Brevard County communications director, announced that four new testing are available:

Department of Health Brevard, 2555 Judge Fran Jamison Way, Viera, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. This is a walk-up site with appointment only testing.

Parrish Medical Center, 951 N. Washington Ave., Titusville, Monday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is a drive thru site with appointment only testing.

Rockledge City Center, 920 Barton Blvd., Rockledge, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday. This is a drive thru site, and walk-ins are allowed.

West Melbourne Community Park, 3000 Minton Rd., West Melbourne, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. This is a walk-up site, and walk-ins are allowed.

Additionally, the website www.211Brevard.org has a list of sites offering testing. Some of those sites require reservations, while others allow walk-ins.

Where to get vaccinated:

The Florida Department of Health is offering COVID-19 vaccines at three sites:

Melbourne clinic, 601 E. University Blvd., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Those ages 5-11 can get vaccinated only from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Friday.

Titusville clinic, 611 N. Singleton Ave., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Those ages 5-11 can get vaccinated only from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Friday.

Viera clinic, 2555 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Those ages 5-11 can get vaccinated only from 8 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Additionally, Brevard County Emergency Management, in partnership with Brevard County Libraries, the Florida Department of Health-Brevard and Health Heroes, will hold a series of COVID-19 vaccination outreach events throughout the county for children ages 5 and older.

While targeted specifically to increase vaccine access for children, vaccines also will be made available for adults seeking a first dose or second dose and boosters.

The two-dose Pfizer vaccine  which has been approved both for children ages 5 to 17 and for adults 18 and older  will be available. Also available will be the two-dose Moderna vaccine and the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine for adults.

Parents or guardians must accompany a child getting vaccinated.

Here is where vaccinations can be obtained:

Franklin T. DeGroodt Public Library, 6475 Minton Road, Palm Bay: First dose available Thursday, Dec. 16, noon to 7:30 p.m.; second dose available Thursday, Jan. 13, noon to 7:30 p.m.

Port St. John Library, 6500 Carole Ave., Port St. John: First dose available Friday, Dec. 17, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; second dose available Friday, Jan. 14, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Eau Gallie Library, 1521 Pineapple Ave., Melbourne: First dose available Monday, Dec. 20, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; second dose available Thursday, Jan. 20, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

COVID-19 vaccines also are available at pharmacies at various local CVS, Publix, Sams Club, Walgreens, Walmart and Winn-Dixie stores, as well as some urgent-care centers and physician offices.

Go to www.Vaccines.gov to find the available sites. Some sites require reservations, while others allow walk-ins.

Where to get the monoclonal antibody treatment:

The monoclonal antibody treatment operation is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily under an outdoor tented area in the southwest corner of the Rockledge City Center parking lot, at 920 Barton Blvd. The site is at the intersection of Barton and Fiske boulevards.

Amira Sweilem is the Data Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Sweilem at 386-406-5648 or asweilem@floridatoday.com.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Local officials warn omicron has reached Brevard County
While its very normal to just hurry into a grocery store on the way to a holiday party to grab a last-minute bottle of wine, Im here to convince you to cancel that practice and opt instead for more intentional purchasing.

Food and dessert aren't an afterthought, so why not give wine the same love and attention?

Navigating the choices is easier than you think. It starts with heading to the right shop and knowing what to ask once you get there. Knowing a bit about everyones tastes can help, too, but Ive even got a bottle-buying work-around for situations where youre going in blind.

Heres your guide to picking the right wine for every occasion.

Finding the right bottle starts with choosing the right store

Wine at Tracy Dempsey Originals in Tempe.

While it may be convenient to head to a grocery store for a bottle of wine, unless you know exactly what youre looking for, its not the easiest to navigate and typically youll be left to fend for yourself in the aisles.

Large wine chains are better, as store clerks tend to be more familiar with the inventory. The problem with these behemoth shops is that theres almost too much to sift through, making it difficult to hone in on a single option.

The absolute best bet is to head to a locally-owned wine shop, where the staff will be far more connected with the bottles they sell, often having tasted the majority of their offerings. They usually work closely with their wine distributors to bring in a well curated set of options.

The biggest benefit to shopping at specialty wine stores is the access youll have to customized recommendations from the knowledgeable staff.

Tracy Dempsey of Tracy Dempsey Originals and ODV Wines performs a bit of a quiz. I like to ask if they know the palette of the person theyre purchasing for, said Dempsey. What do they like to eat? What is the occasion? Its kind of like matchmaking.

And, dont worry, shopping specialty doesnt mean youll have to spend more.

How to buy great wine on a budget

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Patrons peer through the windows at wine bottles and staff inside Sauvage Bottle Shop at the Churchill in downtown Phoenix.

There is a huge misconception that wine price correlates to quality. Ive tasted plenty of lackluster wines with a high price tag and found delicious gems among more affordable shelves. That being said, if youre able to swing $15-$25 per bottle, this opens up your options to desirable producers and talented winemakers that any guest or host might enjoy trying.

If youre the one hosting and want a few bottles, ask the bottle shop if they have a 2 for $20 section, like they do at the Montecito Bottle Shop in the Melrose district. Most shops offer some kind of deal on multiple bottle buys to help keep entertaining costs down.

The right questions to ask when shopping for wine

Mark Fogleman owns Kings Beer and Wine in midtown Phoenix with his wife Sarah.

Unfortunately, so much of wine industry culture can be intimidating, but you dont need to know professional wine lingo to find a tasty bottle.

The one piece of information that local shopkeepers unanimously agree they need is knowing if the wine youre looking for is going to be enjoyed on its own or paired with food. If its the latter, be prepared to give a full rundown of whats on the menu.

If youre bringing wine to someone elses dinner and youre not sure what will be served, thats okay too. Mark Fogleman, who owns Kings Beer and Wine in midtown Phoenix with his wife Sarah, suggests that everyday red wines are a safe bet for most dinners.

They [reds] are generally more consumed during these holiday times and thats partly because they go with pretty much most protein dishes, Fogleman said. Think poultry, ham or even certain fish dishes.

When choosing wine for a party, consider how adventurous your guests are.

Once menu and intended use are discussed at Sauvage Bottle Shop downtown, owner Chris Lingua likes to take things a step further to find out about the personality of the people who will be drinking it. Knowing your audience is key. I find there tends to be more exploration with younger generations, so I might suggest something edgy or challenging whereas older generations are typically looking for something more refined and polished, Lingua said.

A fail-safe wine almost everyone enjoys

If you dont have the benefit of a personal guide in-store, Lingua recommends taking the middle road. Nothing too big, nothing too light, nothing too polarizing, he suggests.

Look for wine descriptors like medium acid that have structure. This means they will hold up to fattier foods that typically show up in special occasion meals.

For parties, Dempsey says to go for bubbles, but skip the champagne and instead choose a cremant de Bourgogne sparkling wine made in French regions outside of Champagne.

Its still made in a traditional method of wine production, without being champagne, so its friendly for your budget while being a crowd pleaser, Dempsey said.

Sparkling wine can go with lots of noshable dishes like cheeses, pate, nuts and other snacky items and you wont have to deal with picky drinkers who might not like whites or redsmost everyone likes bubbles.

With supply chain issues in addition to production mishaps, both Dempsey and Foglemen say it might be more difficult to get your hands on certain champagnes and imported wines this year. Fogleman suggests going domestic and choosing a sparkling wine like those made by Gruet Winery in New Mexico.

What are wine experts serving at their holiday parties?

Choosing the right wine starts with knowing your audience.

When I want a special occasion wine, my first question to the shopkeeper is, what would you serve? I think we all want to know what special, crowd-pleasing wine the professionals are serving, am I right?

For a full day of celebration, Lingua likes to work in stages. If Im starting early in the morning, by default that means bubbles, Lingua said. I like to start at the top and go way good, way early when your palette is the sharpest.

The bottles he currently has in mind are Ulysse Collin 'Les Maillons' Rose de Saignee, Extra Brut or Ulysse Collin, Champagne Blanc des Blancs.

As for the Foglemans table, one of the bottles Mark and Sarah will be serving is Avalon California pinot noir.

Its your Tuesday wine, Mark said. A great everyday drinker thats only $10 at Kings and goes great with turkey, ham and, in a pinch, even roast beef, although I would prefer a red with more weight if you can for that.

Holiday dinners with the Dempsey family will include a pinot noir from the Russian River or something food-friendly that can also stand on its own for sipping. For New Years Eve, however, Tracy tries to steer away from the big houses when it comes to champagne producers and goes for something with a little more nuance like the NV Tarlant Brut Champagne, which sells for $53 at her shop.

Unlike mass-produced champagne, this wine is bottled without dosage, which is the practice of adding sugar to the wine, and the familys viticulture practices prioritize biodynamic farming to yield a really well-crafted champagne thats perfect for toasting the last moments in the year 2021.

Details: Kings Beer and Wine, 2811 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. kingsbeerwine.com.

Details: Sauvage Bottle Shop, 901 N. 1st St., 109, Phoenix. 714-336-0311, sauvagephx.com.

Details: ODV Wines, 1325 W. University Drive, Tempe. 602)-376-9021, odvwines.com.

Have a wine tip or question? Email wine@azcentral.com. Follow Amelia Goe on Instagram @agoewaffles.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How to shop for wine: Experts on how to chose the right bottle
A Korean Air jet at O'Hare International Airport on September 19, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Korean Air pushed back on the claim its plane was used to transport fake ballots last November.

The conspiracy theory prompted an unlikely attempt by Trump supporters to catch the plane.

Korean Air described the claim as "groundless and false" in a statement to Insider.

A Korean Air spokesperson described as "groundless and false" a conspiracy theory that one of its planes helped steal the 2020 election from Donald Trump.

The claim was cited in legal documents quoted by The New York Times this week, but first began circulating last November, after Trump's defeat in the US presidential election by Democrat Joe Biden.

It led to a small party of Trump supporters, including the chief of staff to GOP Rep. Paul Gosar's, Tom Van Flein, to embark on an expedition to an airport near Phoenix, Arizona, to intercept the plane, as Insider reported.

It resulted in a grainy video of a Korean Air jet, recorded on November 7, 2020  but no proof of a stolen election.

No evidence of a planeload of fake votes was ever detected. But the incident illustrates the extraordinary lengths taken by Trump supporters determined to substantiate the former president's claim that the election was illegitimate.

In a statement to Insider, a spokesperson for Korean Air, the national carrier of South Korea, rejected the rumor as groundless. The spokesperson said a chartered Korean Airlines plane was present at the airport, but was not part of a plot to steal the election.

"The claim that the ballot fraud was transported by our chartered plane is groundless and false," said the spokesperson.

"Unauthorized people and items are unable to board Korean Air flights. We hereby confirm that the story has been fabricated."

The expedition to intercept the plane is described in legal documents filed by voter Traci Burk, who hoped to overturn the result of the election by taking her case to the US Supreme Court. It was instead thrown out.

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According to the documents, independent journalist Ryan Hartwig received a tip about a cargo of fake votes that taken from plane at Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport on election night.

On November the 7 the party set off to expose the plot. No evidence emerged to prove the claim, but the group took footage of a Korean Air plane and posted it on Hartwig's website.

Suspicions that a shipment of fake votes from Asia had helped steal victory from Trump continued to spread despite the lack of proof.

It cropped up in the the much-criticized review of votes in Arizona's Maricopa County earlier this year by firm Cyber Ninjas. Auditors there searched for traces of bamboo on ballots under the apparent belief that it could prove they were fake votes imported from Asia.

Trump and his close allies, including Gosar, have persisted with the election-fraud narrative despite the paucity of evidence to substantiate it.

Gosar's office has not responded to multiple requests for comment on the incident.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello gave city council an overview of plans the city has to spend COVID recovery funds received from Washington.

President Biden signed the American Rescue Care Act in March of this year that provides $350 billion in Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Funds. Lebanon City has been allotted a total of $16.6 million, with 50 percent of those funds being received in May of this year and the remaining 50 percent to be received in May of 2022.

There are limits on what the city may do with the money and the funds must be obligated by December 2024 and spent by December 2026.

Much of the first payment of the Rescue Care Act money will be used for stormwater and infrastructure projects, to improve the stormwater sewer system and to make other changes, as needed, to areas that flood in the city during heavy rainstorms.

"You may think that $16 million sounds like a lot of money, but these types of projects are expensive," Capello said. "The cost to make improvements to Sixth and Cumberland streets, where flooding occurs, is expected to be close to $300,000."

Suspect at large: Suspect still at large after attempting to run over deputies during arrest, Lebanon DA says

Cornwall 2022 budget: Cornwall residents won't see a tax increase from borough as council finalizes 2022 budget

Lebanon City 2022 Budget: No tax increase for Lebanon in 2022 as city council finalizes next year's budget

In the interest of addressing social needs of residents of the city, $1 million of the Recovery Care Act funds will be made available to non-profit organizations in the form of grants for programs that will provide services to people impacted by the pandemic.

Capello said some of the potential priorities for these funds include mental health services, healthy childhood environments, affordable housing, and workforce development. The committee who will review the applications will look for organizations who want to provide services to meet the needs of vulnerable populations in the city who were impacted by the pandemic, such as low-income persons, seniors, people with disabilities, and the unemployed and for expected long-term results.

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"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to improve our community," she said. "We are hopeful our very good and valuable non-profit organizations will apply for this and we can make some good things happen."

Non-profit organizations can find information and apply for the grants online at the city's website, lebanonpa.org. The city's community development director, Janelle Mendoff, can be contacted at jmendoff@lebanonpa.org with questions or about problems using the website application.

The deadline for submitting an application is January 31, 2022.

City officials recognized Wayne Carey and Daniel Bost for the service they have provided to the city by serving on council. Both men chose not to run for re-election.

Council chairman Joe Morales commended Carey for being a cheerleader for Lebanon City and making people aware of the good things that were happening in the city. Carey served on council since 2014. He is familiar to many people as the friendly man who works at the Candy-Rama stand in the Lebanon Farmers Market.

Bost was selected by council to serve the remaining term of councilwoman Amy Keller who moved out of the city in 2020. He serves as the district director for state Senator Christopher Gebhard.

Carey advised people to go to the city's website when there is a forecast of snow and click on the snowflake symbol for helpful information.

"I'll probably get in trouble for mentioning the word 'snow' but it is beneficial for residents who park on snow emergency routes to know when they must move their vehicles," he said.

This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Lebanon COVID funds might fund stormwater, infrastructure projects
A gun.

What goes up must come down, so don't fire guns on New Year's Eve

Please don't use your guns as noisemakers at midnight on Dec. 31. The bullets you fire into the air have to come down somewhere. Please don't risk injuring or killing someone.

Happy New Year.

Mike Adamkosky, Columbus

Key fact left out of house value article

I am a real estate broker here in central Ohio, our office has represented numerous buyers for the past 42 years.

Our clients have encountered the concerns of a newly assessed property evaluation by the respective school boards based on the actual recorded sale price immediately after the sale of the subject property.

An air conditioning unit, top left, was added to this sixth-grade class room upgrade at Sherwood Middle School in Columbus on September 5, 2019, as part of Operation: Fix It, the five-year, 125-million plan funded by a 2016 bond issue to repair Columbus City Schools facilities. [Kyle Robertson/Dispatch]

The typical purchase contract requires that the real estate taxes be prorated through the date of closing based on the current auditors valuation.

What is respectfully missing here from the scenario noted in Anna Stavers Dec. 12 article, "Bill looks to curb school challenges to homes' values," is the fact that the initial purchase contract should have included additional language that the tax proration provided at closing shall be based on the purchase price, rather than the current valuation provided by the respective county auditor.

More: Should public schools be able to contest the value of your home?

That would provide the necessary funds if and when the tax valuation would be challenged by the school board.

If unchallenged, those additional funds would be reimbursed to the former owner by retaining those monies in a third-party escrow provided, typically the closing title agency.

Bob Sorrell, Columbus

letters

More: How to submit a letter to the editor for The Columbus Dispatch

Schools shouldn't be funded using real estate tax values

I read with great interest the Dec. 12 article, "Bill looks to curb school challenges to homes' values," on school district challenges to tax values.

There are sound arguments on both sides perhaps. But a solution is easy: stop funding schools using real estate tax values. Problem solved. I won't be holding my breath.

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Richard Ross, Grandview Heights

This is my annual appeal for sanity as New Year's Eve approaches, I'll keep it brief:

Passing Build Back Better plan would lead to greener, cleaner Earth

Please see the need to end lead in our water supply  pass the Build Back Better legislation. Our infrastructure is crumbling around us.

More: Letters: 'Big-monied special interests' pulling the strings of unscrupulous politicians

We need a greener and cleaner future for the Earth to survive. Everyone needs to do their part to help make this happen!

Rebecca Mosher, Columbus

Bipartisan 'reform' processes are really just 'power grabs'

Kudos to the Dispatch for pairing the "New Council districts approved for 2023" article with the "Congressional map drawn by small GOP circle" article in your Dec. 15 Metro section.

More: Columbus council approves member district map, $5.75M police settlement, OSU tax incentive

The stories are pretty much the same: the Democrat-controlled city government continuing its make-believe reform of city council elections and the Republican-controlled state government continuing its bogus map-drawing for state and congressional districts.

More: Small group of GOP lawmakers, mapmakers controlled congressional line-drawing, depositions show

Both describe sham processes that the parties are foisting on the public under the pretense of reform, but which are, in reality, raw power grabs.

The Democratic Machine led by boss Andrew Ginther and the Republican Machine led by whoever spews forth the most outlandish Donald Trump lies are working very hard to remain the Powers That Be.

And their hard work and effort to stay in power comes at the cost of disenfranchising large blocs of voters and perpetuating governance more attuned to special interest supporters than the good of the commonwealth.

Meet the new boss; same as the old boss.

Lou Jannazo, Columbus

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: Use sanity. Don't fire your gun off on New Year's Eve.
STAMFORD, CT  With COVID-19 cases rising both locally and nationally and the holiday season in full swing, Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz made a stop in Stamford on Friday to urge residents to get vaccinated and boosted.

Bysiewicz was joined by Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons, as well as State Sen. Ryan Fazio (R-36), State Reps. Matt Blumenthal (D-147) and Corey Paris (D-145), and several Stamford health officials at the Scalzi Park vaccination clinic.

According to the latest update from the City of Stamford Friday evening, the city's positivity rate has surpassed 6 percent.

"Hospitalizations have seriously increased to concerning levels with individuals requiring acute care and the number of positive COVID-19 cases have doubled to more than 40 cases per 100,000 over the past two weeks placing Stamford in the highest risk category of Community Transmission," a news release said from Ted Jankowksi, Stamford's director of public safety, health and welfare.



Bysiewicz said Friday morning that there were 710 people hospitalized in Connecticut, the largest number since February.

"We have a rising number of COVID cases. We're moving in the wrong direction, and so we're here in Stamford to highlight an effort to get people boosted and vaccinated, especially as we all get ready for Christmas and the holidays and New Year's," Bysiewicz said.

"Our message is a simple one. If you want to keep yourself safe, your friends, family and community safe, this is the way to do it: get vaccinated, get boosted and also if you're feeling any kind of symptoms, that are flu-like or cold-like, please, please get tested," she added.

Simmons, who received her own COVID-19 booster shot this week, said that while cases are rising, Connecticut and Stamford are well-positioned to handle a spike. She noted that the majority of cases at Stamford Hospital involve unvaccinated people.

"I know everyone is so tired of this pandemic, we're all ready to go back to life as normal," Simmons said. "If we can just hang in there a little longer, practice good hygiene, social distancing, wearing our masks over the holidays, getting vaccinated and getting boosted, I'm confident that in 2022 we can hopefully overcome this."

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Jody Bishop-Pullan, Stamford's Acting Department of Health Director, said Stamford has a 90 percent vaccination rate, one of the highest in the state. Each district in the city is at 85 percent or higher.

Fazio said the emergence of the omicron variant isn't cause for panic, but it is reason to get protected.

"Connecticut is the second most vaccinated state in the country. That's marvelously impressive. That's not because people were forced to do it, it's because people openly chose to do it. We have a really conscientious state with really good people and they're doing the right thing to protect themselves and others," he said.

Blumenthal said he wants residents to enjoy the upcoming holidays but in a safe manner. He called getting vaccinated a "team effort."

Paris stressed that vaccines are free, easily accessible, and open to all, regardless of legal status.

Dr. Asha Shah, head of infectious diseases at Stamford Health, said Friday marked one year since Stamford Hospital opened its vaccine clinic. Since then, 80,000 people have received a COVID-19 vaccine, and over 150,000 doses have been administered.

Shah is hopeful that with more vaccinations and boosters, Stamford will be able to get through this latest spike.

"Boosting, vaccines, masking, staying home when you're sick, getting tested often is the best way to get through the holiday season the safest. We will get through this," Shah said. "We've gotten through a lot in the state over the past year and a half, now almost two years. I'm confident we will get through this next phase as well."

Dr. Amy Taylor from Community Health Center in Stamford spoke about the various vaccine clinics around the city. For more information on clinic hours and testing sites, go to the City of Stamford website.

For up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including guidance and other resources, visit the state website .



This article originally appeared on the Stamford Patch
The holiday season of giving and joy takes on an even more profound meaning this time of year in Orlando, Florida, when the Give Kids the World Village stages its Night of a Million Lights, bringing millions of spectacular holiday lights to critically ill children and their families, as well as to the public.

Casen Parsons, age 3 in this photo, who has a rare genetic disorder (left) and his older brother Radek, age 8 (right) during their first visit to the Give Kids the World Village in 2018. [Photo credit: Kristin Parsons]

The village is an 89-acre "storybook" resort. [It] provides so much light in a very dark time for a lot of families, Kristin Parsons, mom to six-year-old Casen, tells Yahoo Life. The Parsons family first visited the village when Casen was three. He was born with VACTERL association, a rare genetic disorder that impacts the spine, heart, renal system and more.

He spent the first eight months of his life in the hospital with countless surgeries and procedures," says Parsons He ended up with a tracheostomy, a feeding tube, and lots of different equipment we didn't know we would be enduring.

This year, the family moved from Colorado to Orlando to be closer to the village and visit every week. Christmas itself is just magic, but then you come here and see all these lights, knowing all the magic that Give Kids the World does, and you cant help but feel warm and fuzzy.

Give Kids the World is an independent nonprofit organization (despite being in Orlando, its not funded by Disney, though the company is a partner) that works in tandem with about 200 wish-granting programs to give critically ill children and their families a week to remember. Last year, the nonprofit created Night of a Million Lights as a pandemic-proof way to share the joy of the village at Christmastime with the public. Guests take a two-hour tram tour through the storybook village, enjoying millions of lights including a dancing lights show in a fairytale neighborhood, snow (in Florida!), and of course, a visit from Santa.

You cant understand the magic that is Give Kids the World until youre actually in the village, says Parsons. I hate using the word normal, but [in the village] you forget everything that is going on in your life, Parsons says. You forget that there was a doctors appointment where you got bad news two days prior to this trip. You forget that your kiddo was sick three weeks before that and in a hospital room.

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According to Give Kids the World President and CEO Pamela Landwirth, that enthusiasm for the village is part of what has made it a successful nonprofit that has hosted over 177,000 families.

Hope to me is the most precious gift you can give another human being and that's the gift that we give year round. Thats highlighted during the holiday season, when theres so much joy around us.Pamela Landwirth, President & CEO, Give Kids the World

As Landwirth points out, some rides in Disney and Universal theme parks arent wheelchair accessible. At the village, which has its own set of rides and costumed characters (its run by Mayor Clayton, a massive bunny) everything is set up for children who may need special accommodation. Its really exciting for them. We celebrate Halloween every Monday and Christmas every Thursday all year round, says Landwirth. Its a party every night, hopefully to renew their spirits.

Night of a Million Lights is open to the public through January 2, 2022. Tickets range from $15 to $40, and proceeds go to grant more wishes for more kids.

The spirit of the holidays is all about hope, says Landwirth. Hope to me is the most precious gift you can give another human being and that's the gift that we give year round. Thats highlighted during the holiday season, when theres so much joy around us.

But despite the beautiful lights, the daily presents, and the ice cream for breakfast, the biggest gift the village gives its families is the gift of each other. As Parsons puts it, At the village, you truly become a family. Not a medical family.

Read More on Yahoo Life:
gavel

WILMINGTON  An Autryville man was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison this week for setting fire last year to a Harnett County business.

Joshua Ray Powell, 27, of Autryville, appeared in federal court in Wilmington on Thursday where a judge also sentenced him to three years of supervised release and ordered him to make $1,100 in restitution on a charge of malicious damage of property used in commerce.

The court also recommended that Powell receive intensive substance abuse treatment, a mental health assessment and treatment, and vocational training, while incarcerated, the record shows.

He pleaded guilty in January.

According to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, in January 2020, Powell and his brother Justin Powell attempted to burn down the Skills Gaming Center at 14260 N.C. 210 South in the Harnett County portion of Spring Lake.

The criminal complaint states Joshua Powell doused the exterior of the building with gasoline, then ignited a trail of gas leading to the building. The building sustained minor damages.

When confronted later, he admitted to his role in the fire, the release said.

Charges against his brother are still pending.

Military & Crime Editor F.T. Norton can be reached at fnorton@fayobserver.com.

Support local journalism with a subscription to The Fayetteville Observer. Click the "subscribe" link at the top of this article.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Joshua Powell sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for 2020 arson
Bitcoin traded lower on Friday along with equities as demand from buyers faded.

The brief price bounce over the past two days was limited as bitcoin (BTC) eventually dipped below $48,000, although charts suggest pullbacks could stabilize around the $46,000 support level, or the level at which buyers tend to purchase or enter into a stock.

BTC is roughly flat over the past week, compared with a 1% drop in ether (ETH), a 5% rise in Solanas SOL token, and a 38% rise in Avalanches AVAX token over the same period. The wide dispersion in crypto returns this week suggests that investor appetite for risk remains strong. Typically, the overall crypto market begins to trend higher when alternative cryptocurrencies (altcoins) start to outperform bitcoin.

For now, several risks remain, which could weigh on crypto prices.

For example, the U.S. Financial Stability Oversight Council published a report on Friday warning Congress about stablecoin and decentralized finance (DeFi) risks. Meanwhile, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) delayed its decision on Grayscale and Bitwise spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETF), which also contributed to the sour mood in crypto markets on Friday.

Latest prices

Bitcoin (BTC): $46,273, -3.8%

Ether (ETH): $3,849, -4.5%

S&P 500: -1.5%

Gold: unchanged at $1,798.20

10-year Treasury yield closed at 1.41%, down 0.01 percentage point

Cautious bitcoin options market

The bitcoin options market is leaning more neutral/bearish over the short term. The chart below shows that implied volatility for near-term options are skewed towards puts, indicating that market participants have concerns and are either buying protection or speculating that price will deteriorate further, crypto research firm Delphi Digital wrote in a blog post.

Meanwhile, option expiries slightly further out between January and February 2022 are less skewed, indicating a more neutral price outlook into next year. Crypto options exchange Deribit tweeted on Tuesday about heavy selling of call premium, or income received from selling an option that has not yet expired.

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Bitcoin option skews (Delphi Digital)

Altcoin roundup

Justin Sun is retiring from Tron: The polarizing crypto entrepreneur said Friday he is leaving his brainchild Tron to holders of the blockchains native TRX tokens. Sun said in an interview with CoinDesk that he is moving to focus on crypto legitimization in Latin American countries  after witnessing El Salvadors success in making bitcoin legal tender, CoinDesks Muyao Shen reported.

Terra was one of the few cryptos rising: The LUNA token of Terra, a high-speed blockchain, was among the only cryptocurrencies to post gains, with a 6% increase over 24 hours. LUNA rose to a high of $67 Thursday before retreating to $64 on Friday. Tokens associated with Elrond, Mina and XDC Network were the biggest losers among all coins with a market capitalization of above $1 billion, data from CoinMarketCap showed. Their tokens  EGLD, MINA and XDC  have lost 14%, 7%, and 12% in the past day, respectively, CoinDesks Shaurya Malwa reported.

$200 million fund created with Polygon for Web 3: Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanians venture capital firm Seven Seven Six and Polygon Network have created a $200 million fund to invest in social media and Web 3-based projects.The initiative will back projects that explore better ways for humans to connect online, Polygon announced Friday.

Relevant news

Other markets

All members of the CoinDesk 20 (except stablecoins) were lower on Friday

Notable losers:
Former McDonalds CEO Steve Easterbrook is relinquishing more than $105 million after a sexual misconduct cover-up  one of the largest-ever clawbacks of executive compensation.

The big picture: The settlement comes as the SEC is pressing corporations to pursue the pay of executives who misbehave.

Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.

Catch up quick: McDonalds accused Easterbrook of having sexual relationships with several employees and deleting explicit photos and videos that proved it.

Easterbrook apologized Thursday, saying he "failed at times to uphold McDonalds values and fulfill certain of my responsibilities."

What theyre saying: McDs chair Rick Hernandez told workers in an internal memo reviewed by Axios that "Steves misconduct need not be forgiven."

The bottom line: "Its really important for many of these companies now to make sure the environment they set for employees is comfortable, professional and appropriate," Peter Jaworski, a professor of business ethics at Georgetown University, tells Axios.

Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.
Stephanie Zorn-Kasprzak

A Monroe County Opportunity Program staff member hoists food up to a senior resident at the Mable Kehres Apartment Complex in Monroe Township in April. The resident was concerned about possible exposure to COVID-19, so MCOP rigged a pulley system to deliver food while maintaining social distancing.

The Monroe County Opportunity Program is still actively working to offset the negative effects of COVID-19 on low-income individuals, families and senior citizens in the county.

Community action is alive and well across the United States, but especially here, Stephanie Zorn-Kasprzak, executive director of MCOP, told county commissioners during her annual report last week. Your community action agency didnt stop our services during the pandemic. We just rolled up our sleeves to respond to the (most pressing) community needs and met them head on.

MCOPs many programs and services met the needs of an estimated 15,000 people in 2021, which represents about 10 percent of the countys population, Kasprzak said.

Thats a wonderful penetration rate, she noted. Our actual poverty rate is a little higher than that. We aim to take care of people.

The majority of its programs meet community needs, but there is an emphasis on the following programs that received a boost in funding from federal and state resources, she said. These include, but are not limited to:

Food Assistance Programs and Monroe County Food Bank  MCOP, located at 1140 S. Telegraph Rd., and the Opportunity Center that the agency operates in partnership with the city at 120 Eastchester St., continued to provide food to hungry families through its Lords Harvest Pantry, a network of food partners, mobile food distributions and the USDA commodity programs. During 2020, a total of 2.4 million pounds of food was distributed across the county.

We dont see that waning in 2022, Kasprzak said. Were the food hub for Monroe County. We have hundreds of community partners doing this work.

To receive food assistance, persons can call MCOP at 241-2775 for an appointment or a schedule of the mobile food distributions.

Weatherization Assistance  The program aims to reduce the energy burdens on low-income families at 200 percent of the federal poverty level and through the installation and replacement of doors and windows and other energy saving measures. Local contractors are used to provide the interventions to eligible households. To fill out an application, call MCOP at Ext. 803.

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MCOP is getting a federal grant to boost services for weatherization efforts.

Well need as many applicants as possible, the director said.

COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Funds  This vital eviction-diversion program assists with keeping people who are struggling with the pandemic in their homes and avoiding homelessness. In addition to providing rental assistance, households can be helped with their utilities and Internet costs as well, Kasprzak said. Households that are at 80 percent of the areas median income are eligible. To date, more than 1,900 households have been served.

To inquire about the program, call MCOP at Ext. 809 or visit the portal at www.michigan.gov/mshda/0,4641,7-141-5555-533463--,00.html.

Kasprzak is also chairman of the Monroe County Human Services Network that works to prevent homelessness in the county. The county received an initial federal grant of $1.1 million in 2020 to keep people in their homes. A second grant, this one for $7.6 million, was received this year to do the same and is being implemented today, she said. So far, more than 1,900 households have been saved from being evicted, she said.

We expect another wave after Jan. 1, so we will continue that program into 2022, she said. Thanks to us, so many people didnt lose their homes.

Homeowner Education Program  Certified housing counselors at MCOP provide educational programs such as financial literacy, homeowner education and rental assistance through the education program. The effort also includes one-on-one housing counseling, debt reduction and foreclosure prevention services. Classes can be in person or via zoom. The Michigan Homeowners Assistance Fund starts in 2022 and will provide homeowners with hardships due to COVID-19 a series of interventions including delinquent mortgages, escrow shortages, land contract payments and property tax assistance. To schedule an appointment, email Anna Grassley at agrassley@monroecountyop.org.

New this year is a low-income water assistance program that started Dec. 1. The program provides direct payments for water and sewer utilities for clients at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level. The maximum reimbursement is $650 per household. Interested persons should call for an appointment.

Kasprzak encouraged commissioners to visit the Opportunity Center, which MCOP operates in a partnership with the City of Monroe. The building had a recent makeover with a new commercial kitchen, food pantry area, weight room, gym floor and health hub installed. A total of 4,380 meals were directly delivered to senior citizens by staff at the center. The meals were delivered five days a week, so staff could check on them during the pandemic, she said.

Hours for the center are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. The building is available for renting on Sundays or other days.

MCOP still accepts donations of fresh produce and vegetables and has staff available for pickups.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: MCOP still a force in aiding families, seniors
BERKLEY  Heather Almy will probably always remember her unique route to becoming Berkley's new town clerk.

She was appointed interim town clerk in late November, following the retirement of former Berkley Town Clerk Deborah Perreira in September after six years on the job.

A Dec. 11 special election made Almy's appointment permanent. Running unopposed, she received 72 votes.

Heather Almy is Berkley's new town clerk

When an opportunity for this position came up in the fall, she wanted to take advantage of it, she said, and her 10 years of municipal experience was the deciding factor that won her the job.

She's worked as the Berkley Zoning Board of Appeals clerk for the past 10 years and was a special education paraprofessional for the Berkley Public Schools for 10 years until November of this year.

More: Real estate report: Beautiful Berkley home on the Taunton River sells for $1.3 million

In a sense, it's also her lifetime commitment to the town that qualifies her for this important town hall position.

Heather Cambra Almy was born and raised in Berkley. Her entire family are community natives, she said.

She and her husband own the Cambra homestead, a one-time produce farm built in the 1800s on Berkley street. Her family has lived at this property since the early 1900s.

Her aunt Rosemary Mount, 90, notes the family patriarch built the homestead as a farm that delivered produce to Boston and raised Rosemary and a family of eight other children.

Heather's dad was the youngest child.

"I'm so proud of what my niece has accomplished," Mount said.

Almy has two children, a 17-year-old daughter who is currently attending Somerset Berkley Regional High School and a 12-year-old son in the seventh grade of the Berkley Middle School.

Her reasons for wanting the job of town clerk are simple.

"It's so I can further serve the residents of the town by doing more than one job," Alma said, noting she will continue as ZBA clerk.

"I like community service," she said. "I like serving the people in the town with what they need."

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The Dec. 11 election also installed Selectmen Chair George F. Miller as town moderator.

Miller said in a previous interview that he ran for this position because no one else was doing so and the moderator is part of a committee that appoints people to fill vacancies for important town positions.

Miller also ran unopposed.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Berkley town clerk: Heather Cambra Almy wins uncontested election
The Miami Hurricanes added a major signature on the final day of the early signing period.

IMG Academy four-star tight end Jaleel Skinner, the No. 15 player on the USA Today Florida Network's Top 100, flipped from Alabama to sign with Miami on Friday afternoon.

"As time went on, I was able to fall back in love with the University of Miami and with the new addition of coach Christobal (sic) that really helped me make the decision to flip my commitment from Alabama to Miami," Skinner posted on Twitter.

It's another early return for Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal, who also landed four-star Dillard defensive end Nyjalik Kelly (No. 9 top 100) and three-star cornerback Jaden Harris from Atlanta on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-5, 15-pound Skinner, originally from South Carolina, had been committed to Alabama since October, but took his second official visit to Miami this past weekend. NCAA rules allow a recruit to take a second official visit to a school if there is a coaching change.

Skinner is a solid pass catcher whose length makes him a difficult cover for most defenses. He was used as both as receiver and tight end/H-Back hybrid at Greer (S.C.) before transferring to IMG for his senior year.

Jaleel Skinner, shown here playing for Greer High School (S.C.) in 2020, committed to Miami on Friday.

Skinner will be the ninth high school signee for the Hurricanes during the early signing period.

Miami may not be done during the early signing period. The Hurricanes are in the mix for four-star defensive end Cyrus Moss (Bishop Gorman, Nevada) and four-star wide receiver Kevin Coleman (St. Mary's, Missouri).

Both players could sign quietly on Friday, but neither is expected to announce their decision until the All-American Bowl on Jan. 8.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami flips 4-star TE Jaleel Skinner on final day of early signing period
A new group of asylum-seekers has found themselves trapped in Mexico under a Trump-era program that was reinstated for the foreseeable future after the Biden administration suffered another court loss this week.

The so-called Remain in Mexico program, which forced more than 71,000 immigrants to wait in Mexico while their asylum cases were adjudicated by a US judge, had been shut down by President Joe Biden, but a federal court ordered it to be restarted, forcing people like Jose, an asylum-seeker from Nicaragua, to wait in dangerous conditions in Mexico.

Jose has been living in a shelter since being sent back under the program officially known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). Still in shock, he was especially confused after hearing from other Nicaraguan asylum-seekers who said they were with their friends and family in the US after crossing the border.

"I don't know why I'm in Mexico," Jose said. "I'm seeking asylum in the US and instead I'm in Mexico where it's dangerous for migrants."

Earlier this month, Biden was forced to bring back Remain in Mexico in order to comply with a federal court order after a judge determined that that the administration erred in the way they had rolled back the Trump-era policy.

In a more than 100-page ruling this week, the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals backed that decision. "DHS claims the power to implement a massive policy reversalaffecting billions of dollars and countless peoplesimply by typing out a new Word document and posting it on the internet," the court wrote. The ruling, issued on Monday, makes it more likely that the policy will remain in place unless the administration succeeds in court.

As of Thursday, 161 immigrants and asylum-seekers had been placed into MPP since it was restarted, according to the International Organization for Migration. Most of them have been from Nicaragua, with others from Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, and Ecuador. Central Americans and Mexicans continue to be sent back to Mexico under a different policy, Title 42, that the Biden administration has continued, citing the ongoing pandemic.

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Jose, who declined to be fully identified fearing it would affect his asylum case, said he's worried about being kidnapped by cartel members in Mexico. As he prepared to cross into the US from Ciudad Juarez, he said he saw three men exit a car, yell at him to stop, and start to chase him. Jose then ran across shallow, dirty water until he made it to the US side of the border and was stopped by Border Patrol agents.

"They told me, You're in the US now, not in Mexico, you don't have to run anymore," Jose said.

After he was detained for a few days, officers told him he had been chosen to be put in MPP. Jose said he spoke to someone on the phone who asked him if he feared being sent back to Mexico. He answered yes and told them about the men who had chased him, hoping it would be enough to avoid being sent back. The man on the other end of the line didn't say anything and kept asking questions for about 40 minutes. At the end, Jose said, the man told him he was going back to Mexico.

US border officers drove him to the middle of an international bridge that led to Ciudad Juarez, where Mexican authorities were waiting for him. Jose was tested for COVID-19 and then sent to a squalid shelter.

"It's disgusting," Jose said. "The bathrooms are a mess."

Julia Neusner, a refugee protection attorney at Human Rights First, said every immigrant she and her colleagues interviewed told them Customs and Border Protection did not actually ask them the 11 specific questions related to their physical and mental health on the printed questionnaire, even though CBP had checked "no" for each question.

"Most said CBP just asked generally if they had any health issues and a few were asked about their mental health, but some were asked no questions about their health at all, including a Nicaraguan man with chronic migraines who said CBP threw away his medication," Neusner said.

Many immigrants placed into the program were overwhelmed and confused by the process, Neusner said.

"The people we interviewed were really overwhelmed and distressed about the fact that they are going to be trapped for months in Ciudad Juarez, a notoriously dangerous city where they have no friends and family and no way to support themselves," Neusner said.

Jose said he doesn't remember being asked anything about his health by CBP.

"They just told me to sign papers and told me that whether I signed or not, I was going back to Mexico," Jose said. "The papers were in English, so I didn't understand them."

Jose said he'd already received one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine but had yet to get the second shot. He asked CBP officers if he could get the second shot and was told to wait until the next day, Jose said. Instead, Jose was sent to Mexico under MPP without receiving a vaccination.

Part of the issue may have been that the US is only offering the J&J vaccine to immigrants. Jose said he would've taken the J&J shot, but it wasn't offered. Now he's worried he won't be able to attend his first court hearing in January because hes not fully vaccinated.

"Imagine, the sacrifices I'm making by staying here and then to not be allowed to attend my hearing," Jose said.

People like Jose, who received a WHO-approved vaccine  which includes AstraZeneca  will be able to enter the US for their court hearings if they show proof of vaccination, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. But it's unclear if immigrants would need to have both shots or if one is enough.

Vaccines are provided to all immigrants placed in MPP, the DHS said, with the shots administered by Department of Health and Human Services contractors. Adults are offered the J&J vaccine and children who are eligible are offered Pfizers version.

DHS said it had been working with the Justice Departments Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), which oversees the nation's immigration courts, to ensure that an immigrant's first hearing in the US would align with the window of time for the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

DHS did not respond to specific questions about what will happen to immigrants who have only received one of two doses.

The return of Remain in Mexico was met with disappointment and anger from advocates, who said the first iteration was riddled with due process violations and put immigrants at risk. The Biden administration has presented the new iteration of MPP as more humane and pledged that some vulnerable immigrants wouldnt be put into the program.

Under new agency guidance on the policy, vulnerable immigrants, such as those with known physical or mental health issues or who are older, should be exempted from Remain in Mexico. An internal government report obtained by BuzzFeed News found that while those with known physical/mental health issues were also prohibited under the Trump version from being turned away, border officials placed them in the program anyway.

Immigrants in MPP waited for months in dangerous border cities where they were subjected to rape, kidnapping, and murder, sometimes at the hands of Mexican authorities tasked with protecting them.

When Biden took office, his administration stopped enrolling new people in the program and started to allow immigrants in Remain in Mexico to enter the US to continue their asylum cases.

However, the Republican-led states of Texas and Missouri sued the administration and won an injunction that ordered the government to restart MPP. While the Biden administration has maintained it is being forced to do this, it has also expanded who can be placed in the Remain in Mexico program.

The expansion, which was not required by the court, to include anyone from the Western Hemisphere other than Mexico goes beyond those the Trump administration made eligible to be sent back. One senior DHS official previously told BuzzFeed News that the expansion "seems to belie the argument that we dont want to implement MPP.

Jose is hoping that the Biden administration will eventually prevail in its efforts to end MPP.

"Maybe then I will get the opportunity to make my case in the US instead of here," Jose said. "I don't have any family or friends in the US who can help me and I've tried calling attorneys to see if they can help, but no one is picking up."

While it can be difficult for an immigrant or asylum-seeker to find an attorney to take on an MPP case, having legal representation increases the chances that they'll be successful.

Only about 10% of the 71,044 immigrants placed in the MPP program during the Trump administration were able to get representation, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC).

Without a lawyer, it can be hard for immigrants to figure out how to fill out asylum paperwork and know what specific experiences to share with a judge who is deciding whether they deserve protection. Figuring out the asylum process, attorneys and advocates say, is made only more difficult for immigrants who live under the constant fear of being kidnapped, attacked, and extorted by criminals at the border who see them as easy targets.

From February 2019 to February 2021, Human Rights First counted at least 1,544 public reports of murder, rape, and other attacks committed against people in MPP across the USMexico border. Since Biden took office, Human Rights First tracked another 6,356 reports of kidnapping, rape, and other attacks against immigrants expelled under Title 42 or blocked in Mexico who were subjected the same dangers as people returned to Mexico under MPP.

More on this
Stock image.

The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District was recently awarded a $1.55 million grant from the Ohio Department of Developments Ohio Broadband, Utilities and Infrastructure for Local Development Success water infrastructure grant program.

The Ohio BUILDS water infrastructure grant program was created to reduce or eliminate the local financial burden associated with critical infrastructure needs, including the construction of new water systems, the replacement of aging water lines and the installation new water mains. Grants are funding projects to prevent sewer system backups and replace failing household sewage treatment systems with new sewers.

The grant awarded to MWCD will fund the building of a new 8,000 gallon-per-day wastewater treatment plant, two new pump stations with force mains and gravity collection to tie-in the existing marina building, restrooms and rental cabins. A new RV dump station will be built in the North Fork area of Leesville Lake.

Onsite sanitary sewage is currently collected in several holding tanks, which are periodically pumped out. Installing this new treatment will eliminate possible threats to water quality.

The project is under design, and construction will begin in 2022.

For information: mwcd.org.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: MWCD awarded building grant
Dec. 17NEVADA, Mo.  The Carthage girls basketball team battled for four quarters but suffered a narrow 42-41 loss to Nevada on Thursday night at Nevada High School.

Nevada held a three-point halftime lead before Carthage trimmed the deficit to one point by the end of the third quarter. Both teams scored 12 points in the final quarter to bring the game to a close.

"Girls battled hard for 32 minutes tonight," Carthage coach Scott Moore said. "I'm really proud of our effort.

"It was a back-and-forth game all night long and Nevada just happened to have the last good shot of the game and it went in."

Carthage got a game-high 21 points from Kianna Yates while Maggie Boyd added eight. Boyd and Lauren Choate both made one 3-pointer.

Clara Swearingen and Maddy Majors led the Nevada scoring with 19 and 18 points, respectively.

Carthage fell to 3-4 on the season while Nevada improved to 7-1.

"We will learn a lot of lessons from this game," Moore said. "How every shot, pass, rebound and defensive possession matters when you play good teams. We will need to focus more in practice on the little details and make sure that our practice intensity elevates to a more game-like level."

Carthage takes on Ozark on Dec. 27 to open up play in the Pink and White Classic in Springfield, Mo.
GREENLAND  The New Hampshire attorney generals office announced it is investigating a political mailer urging the town's residents to vote to ban electronic voting counting machines at the towns special election Saturday.

Attorney General John Formella announced Thursday state law requires political mailers to be signed to identify who paid for and sent it out.

This mailer does not contain any information identifying who paid for or issued the mailer, Formella wrote in a press release. The attorney generals office is investigating this political advertising to ensure compliance with New Hampshire law.

The announcement noted that an individual who sends out a political mailer may not be subject to the same requirement of having to sign off on it.

David Scanlan, N.H. deputy secretary of state, said in three decades the state has been using the AccuVote machines, their experience is that they have been reliable.

The special election to be held at Greenland Central School Saturday, Dec. 17 features just one item, an issue that will come to a vote after a citizen petition filed by Douglas Wilson received the 50 signatures needed for it to be placed on the ballot.

Wilsons petition asks voters to approve getting rid of AccuVote-OS PC (Optical Scan Precinct Count) machines in Greenland and instead hand-counting paper ballots to compile results for all town elections.

Previous story: Greenland to hold NH's first vote on effort to ban voting machines. What's behind it?

New Hampshire Deputy Secretary of State David Scanlan said previously by law its up to municipalities whether they want to use the machine, which is the only vote counting machine currently allowed in the Granite State. More than half of New Hampshires cities and towns do, he said.

Greenland Board of Selectmen chair Steve Smith said he first heard about the mailer earlier in the week but didnt receive his own in the mail until Thursday. Dropping by Town Hall earlier in the day, Smith said, he learned town officials had notified the attorney generals office about its distribution.

Well see what happens on Saturday, Smith said of the election. It seems like theres quite a push in the town of Greenland to vote no (against banning the machines).

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Letters: Vote counting machine ban is part of attack on our democratic process

The attorney generals press release said the office first received multiple complaints about the mailer beginning Wednesday.

The mailer features an American flag on either side of its front and says VOTE YES! To ban Greenlands voting machine. Safeguard our towns sovereignty.

Because of the short period of time between when the investigation was launched and when the towns election is, the attorney general said the investigation may not be completed before the election.

Casting doubt: Hampton selectman joins effort to remove NH voting machines

The citizens of Greenland should know that the attorney generals office takes this possible violation of New Hampshire law very seriously and the office is responding to their numerous complaints and concerns regarding this mailer as quickly as possible, the announcement reads.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH AG investigating Greeland's illegal mailer on voting machine ban
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea on Friday commemorated the 10th anniversary of former leader Kim Jong Ils death with calls for greater public loyalty toward his son and current leader Kim Jong Un, who is struggling to navigate the country out of deepening pandemic-related hardships.

In his 10 years at the helm of North Korea since his fathers death, Kim Jong Un, 37, has secured the same absolute power enjoyed by Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung, the current leaders grandfather and state founder. Despite massive economic shocks caused by draconian anti-virus measures and long-dormant diplomacy with the United States, North Korea shows no signs of political instability and few outside experts question Kims grip on power.

But the long-term stability of Kim Jong Uns rule could still be questioned if he fails to work out steps to address the ongoing difficulties and improve public livelihoods, some observers say.

At midday Friday, as a siren blared for three minutes, North Koreans fell silent and bowed in respect for Kim Jong Il. Cars, trains and ships blew their horns, national flags were lowered to half-staff and masses of people climbed Pyongyangs Mansu Hill to lay flowers and bow before giant statues of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung.

During an outdoor ceremony, senior North Korean official Choe Ryong Hae called Kim Jong Il the parent of our people who built up the potentials for the Norths military and economic might. Under Kim Jong Un, Choe said North Korea's strategic status has been boosted and urged the public to "faithfully uphold his leadership.

The North's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper published articles venerating Kim Jong Il and calling for greater unity behind Kim Jong Un.

In an apparent echo of official propaganda, Pyongyang citizen Won Jong Rim also told the Associated Press Television News that our great general (Kim Jong Il) went through so much hardship, pushing his way along such an arduous path, to build a paradise here, achieving what the people want.

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On previous anniversaries, Kim Jong Un paid respect at a mausoleum where the embalmed bodies of his father and grandfather lie in state. But state media didn't say whether he went there this year too.

Kim Jong Ils 17-year rule was overshadowed by a famine in the 1990s that killed hundreds of thousands of people and international isolation over his nuclear ambitions. North Koreas economy had reported a slight yet gradual growth for the first several years of Kim Jong Un's rule. But the coronavirus pandemic, mismanagement and U.N. sanctions following Kim's nuclear and missile tests have taken their toll.

North Koreas trade with China, its biggest trading partner and an economic pipeline, shrank by about 80% last year before it plunged again by two-thirds in the first nine months of this year. Last year, the Norths economy suffered its biggest contraction since 1997 while its grain production also dropped to its lowest level since Kim took office, according to South Korean government estimates.

Kim refuses to return to talks with Washington and Seoul. He has called for building a stronger, self-reliant economy while keeping tough virus restrictions including two years of border shutdowns. Analysts say Kim fears that his countrys broken public health system could not afford a major virus outbreak  though he maintains a questionable claim that North Korea is coronavirus-free.

Unless North Korea accepts offers for denuclearization talks with the U.S., it cannot stay away from powerful international sanctions. Without international cooperation, North Korea must continue to seal off its borders due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19. And this is a North Korean dilemma, analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea said in a recent paper.

The Norths advancing nuclear arsenal is the core of Kims rule, and hes called it a powerful treasured sword that thwarts potential U.S. aggressions.

During his 10-year rule, North Korea has performed 62 rounds of ballistic missile tests, which are banned by multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, according to Seouls Unification Ministry. The number is compared to an estimated nine rounds of tests during Kim Il Sungs 46-year rule, and 22 rounds during Kim Jong Ils 17-year rule. Four of the Norths six nuclear tests and its three intercontinental ballistic missile launches all occurred under Kim Jong Uns rule.

North Korea marked the 10-year memorial of Kim Jong Il with public ceremonies and state propaganda. More significant will be Kim Jong Uns attempt, after a decade in power, to map out a credible path for post-pandemic diplomacy and economic recovery, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.
Anthony Fauci. Illustrated | Getty Images, iStock

The United States' COVID pandemic performance is among the worst in the world  particularly given our unparalleled advantages. We lead the planet in confirmed infections and deaths, and while India probably has had more of both that went uncounted, that's cold comfort when its population is more than four times larger than ours.

One reason for this tragic failure is the dishonesty of American public health bureaucrats. They have repeatedly lied to the public, playing politics with the pandemic, and in the process undermined both the fight against COVID-19 and confidence in their own credibility. Their deception almost certainly got people killed, and it continues to do so this month, as the Omicron variant spreads and booster shots go unused.

This practice of shading the truth or telling straight-up falsehoods in service of some half-baked political end started from the first moments of the pandemic. Back in February and March 2020, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) chief Anthony Fauci was all over the media downplaying masks. "If you look at the masks that you buy in a drug store, the leakage around that doesn't really do much to protect you," he told USA Today that spring. "Now, in the United States, there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to wear a mask." In an interview with 60 Minutes in March, he said, "Right now in the United States, people should not be walking around with masks."

It turns out Fauci almost certainly didn't believe what he was saying. In an interview with InStyle several months later, he admitted that trying to preserve the mask supply for doctors and nurses was his first motivation. "We were told in our task force meetings that we have a serious problem with the lack of PPEs and masks for the health providers," he said.

Moreover, studies going back years have found consistently that face masks cut down on the transmission of aerosol viruses. Most were focused on influenza, because of the 1918 flu pandemic, but much of the research was simulations that would apply to any virus spread through the air. The findings (from 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2013, just for starters) were consistent: Masks help. Cloth ones help a little bit, surgical ones a bit more, and N95 respirators or better best of all. And this makes perfect sense  of course putting some fabric in front of your face would help prevent transmission of a virus spread by people breathing particles on each other. There's no way Fauci  who has been head of NIAID for the last 38 years  wasn't aware of this science.

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His claim, from around the same time, that public health experts didn't know "the infection could be spread by asymptomatic carriers who don't know they're infected" is also incredible. Evidence suggesting this happened with COVID was published in late January and early February of 2020. And besides, given how common asymptomatic transmission is in other diseases, any prudent public health authority would have recommended masks just in case.

Fauci didn't do that. He didn't even say something like, "Yes, masks work, but you shouldn't buy the professional-grade ones so we can save them for doctors and nurses. Use a makeshift cloth mask for the time being, and here's how to make one." Instead, he dishonestly cast doubt on the effectiveness of masks in service of a goal he failed to achieve. Despite the lies, medical workers dealt with PPE shortages for months; public mask adoption was delayed and depressed; and pandemic cranks and contrarians got a perfect talking point.

Fauci didn't learn his lesson. Not only did he lie more, but he exposed his own deception once again. Last December, he told The New York Times he'd also been lying about how many people would have to get vaccinated to reach herd immunity (moving from 60 to 90 percent). The shift, he said, was based on his random guess of how people would react: "He is doing so, he said, partly based on new science, and partly on his gut feeling that the country is finally ready to hear what he really thinks." Comments like this are functionally anti-vaxx, suggesting public health recommendations are based more on bureaucrats' feelings than rigorious scientific data.

A year later, other public health officials seem to have replicated Fauci's deception on the subject of booster shots  and the consequences here may be graver still. By August of this year, the Biden administration was extremely alarmed about reports of waning immunity among the vaccinated, and in September, officials started plans to recommend booster shots to all adults.

But key bureaucrats and scientists dragged their feet. The Food and Drug Administration vaccine advisory panel refused to endorse an emergency use authorization, with panel members citing a series of bizarre objections in an interview with CNN. "The stated goal of this vaccine has been to protect against serious illness," Dr. Paul Offit said. This is false  the point of any vaccine is to reduce negative health outcomes of any kind as far as possible, ideally by stamping out transmission entirely through herd immunity. It's good that two doses of mRNA vaccine likely still protect against severe COVID from the Omicron variant, but it's even better to cut the risk of symptomatic infection by about 40 percentage points with a booster.

FDA officials Dr. Philip Krause and Marion Gruber complained they didn't have enough science to back boosters yet, which is total nonsense. By September at the latest there was strong initial data from Israel and the U.S. itself. Dr. Cody Meissner of Tufts University School of Medicine argued unvaccinated people should get priority, which is just a non sequitur  those two goals don't trade off at all, because America has had plenty of vaccine supply for months.

Perhaps these arguments aren't compelling because they aren't honest. A more plausible motivation comes through in August comments from infectious disease specialist Celine Gounder, who was a pandemic adviser for Biden. "It's really inequitable and it's not in our interest because you're leaving much of the world unprotected, where you're going to have the emergence of other variants," she told Politico, pushing to send vaccine supplies overseas instead of giving boosters to Americans. "I feel like this is very short-term thinking. It's very individualistic, nationalist thinking."

This makes much more sense. Just like Fauci told a noble lie to conserve PPE, officials overseeing booster decisions almost certainly fudged the science in the service of an ulterior motive: getting vaccines to poorer countries.

Just like saving PPE for doctors and nurses, this is a legitimately good goal. Poorer countries should have been getting a larger share of vaccines from the start. But it's not the business of public health bureaucrats to decide where vaccines are allocated (that's for elected officials to decide), and it's especially not their business to try to steer policy by lying to the public.

Fudging the science did not, in fact, help poorer countries get more doses  but it certainly delayed booster distribution here. After weeks of argument and pressure, the CDC finally approved boosters for all adults in late November, yet it only recommended them for people over 50, ignoring research which recommends their universal use.

Now, thanks to the FDA and CDC spreading what amounts to misinformation to manipulate U.S. policy, tens of millions of people have decided boosters aren't an urgent priority, and only about 55 million people have been boosted. The ones who have belatedly realized their mistake are finding pharmacy appointments booked up for weeks (supply is plentiful, but health care workers are not).

Noble lies have set us up for a needlessly grim winter.

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NORWICH Three Norwich school systems canceled classes Friday, a day after school officials in the region agreed a nationwide Dec. 17 TikTok challenge did not pose a credible threat.

"I was not willing to risk the safety of our students and staff," Norwich Public Schools Superintendent Kristen Stringfellow wrote in a message shared on the district's social media sites. "Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, I am canceling school today in ALL NORWICH SCHOOLS so that the police can fully investigate this matter before staff and students return to school."

The message was posted at 2:48 a.m. Friday.

File photo

Norwich Free Academy also canceled school for students and staff, though administrators are expected to report to work, according to a message on the school's website. It's unclear when that was posted.

Norwich Technical High School announced canceled classes Friday on their Facebook page, at 6:27 a.m.

Thursday afternoon, leadership at Norwich Public Schools and Norwich Free Academy joined school officials across the region in saying they planned to hold classes as usual Friday, with stepped up awareness.

The decision to close the schools stems from a post on a different social media site - Snapchat.

"Last night at approximately 8PM, Teachers Memorial Global Studies Magnet Middle School parents contacted their principal to report a Snapchat story sent to their children on social media by someone they believe attends Norwich Public Schools," the message from Stringfellow read. "The social media story allegedly referenced a threat to the school as well of a picture of what appeared to be a handgun."

Norwich police began investigating, but as of 2:30 a.m. Friday, had not determined the credibility of the threat, Stringfellow wrote.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Norwich CT schools close day of Dec. 17 TikTok challenge threat
A Christian woman filed a New York lawsuit arguing the state law is pushing her to choose between honoring her religion or losing her business if she refuses to photograph same sex couples.

Professional photographer Emilee Carpenter field a lawsuit filed in April, claiming New York's nondiscrimination laws forced her to create work "against her beliefs" or face numerous fines. Carpenter sued the state for violating her First and 14th Amendment rights after being asked to photograph same-sex couples.

"Just as the government cannot compel a lesbian baker to create a cake condemning same-sex marriage or an atheist playwright to wax positively about God, New York cannot force Emilee to convey messages she objects to, the lawsuit said.

U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci Jr. of Western New York dismissed Carpenter's suit on Monday, stating the nondiscrimination laws "simply seek to guarantee that businesses purporting to serve the public truly do serve the public."

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"The crux of Plaintiffs claims is that her photography is the product of her unique artistic style and vision. Thus, an exemption for Plaintiffs unique, non-fungible services would necessarily undermine, not serve, the States purpose, as it would 'relegate [same-sex couples] to an inferior market' than that enjoyed by the public at large," Geraci ruled.

The Alliance Defending Freedom, a nonprofit religious organization that defended Carpenter and, in a separate suit, Colorado photographer Lorie Smith, condemned Geraci's ruling.

"Emilee and Lorie happily serve all people; they just cannot promote messages which contradict their religious beliefs, including their views on marriage. We earnestly hope the Supreme Court will hear Lories case and protect the constitutional freedoms for all Americans, including creative professionals like Lorie and Emilee," Alliance Defending Freedom said in a statement.

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LGBTQ+ community leaders and supporters praised the decision, calling it an "encouraging reminder."

"Decisions like these are an encouraging reminder of the power of affirming legislation in making New York a more welcoming home for LGBTQ+ people," Glennda Testone, executive director, The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center said in a statement.

Follow Gabriela Miranda on Twitter: @itsgabbymiranda

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Christian woman sued New York over photographing same-sex couples
School districts across the country issued warnings, increased security and canceled classes Friday in response to vague, anonymous shooting and bomb threats that officials say were made on TikTok but are not considered credible.

However, TikTok said it has found no evidence of threats originating on its platform and is working to remove videos discussing the rumor.

Schools in Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania increased their police presence Friday due to the alleged threats while schools in California, Minnesota, Missouri and Texas closed for the day.

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Some districts in Kentucky also notified families of the vague threats, with Jefferson County Public Schools sending a note to administrators Thursday night.

"We hope this challenge will pass without incident," JCPS Chief of Schools Robert Moore told school administrators in a message. "But we must take any threat seriously and want you to report any communication or social media that you, your staff or students believe is a potential threat to your school.

"JCPS Security and Investigations Unit may not have the staff to respond, in person, to each school but will be assessing any reports and forwarding the credible threats to police."

JCPS spokeswoman Renee Murphy said Friday "threats were credible and the school day wasn't disrupted" for Kentucky's largest district in Louisville.

"It's just scary to feel like there's nowhere where you can leave your kids," said Trisha Masterson, a mother of five from Wauconda, Illinois. "I'd always rather be safe and regret being too safe than not. What happens if I send them and something happens?"

On Thursday, Masterson started getting emails from her children's schools. The first one came from her eldest daughter's high school, which sent two emails about the threats reported to have been made on TikTok. The second email said the notification wasn't intended to alarm parents. None of the threats were specific to their school district.

Story continues

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Masterson said she discussed the alleged threats with her children, ages 10 to 14, and let them decide if they wanted to go to school Friday. All five decided to attend, which she said was difficult for her.

"They're already more anxious because of how much their learning experience has changed during the pandemic," she told USA TODAY. "And now we're telling them also, you can't even feel safe here anymore."

Schools have been experiencing an uptick in social media threats of violence since September, but the threats are typically local or regional, not nationwide, said Kenneth Trump with National School Safety and Security Services, a Cleveland, Ohio-based consulting firm. There have been 32 school shootings in 2021, according to Education Week, which tracks such incidents that result in firearm-related injuries or deaths.

The threats, in addition to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, have increased anxiety among parents, students and educators, he said.

When a threat is unfounded, he recommended schools stay open under heightened security and supervision. He said he's concerned that school leaders are making a "knee-jerk reaction" to close schools completely.

"If you don't think the threat is credible, why are you closing?" he said. "Rumors, misinformation, fear and anxiety can become a greater problem than the threat you deem to be not credible."

TikTok said in a statement it handles even rumored threats with utmost seriousness."

"We've exhaustively searched for content that promotes violence at schools today, but have still found nothing. What we find are videos discussing this rumor and warning others to stay safe," the statement posted to Twitter said. "Local authorities, the FBI, and DHS have confirmed there's no credible threat, so we're working to remove alarmist warnings that violate our misinformation policy. If we did find promotion of violence on our platform, we'd remove and report it to law enforcement."

"Media reports have been widespread and based on rumors rather than facts, and we are deeply concerned that the proliferation of local media reports on an alleged trend that has not been found on the platform could end up inspiring real world harm," the statement continued.

What is the TikTok threat against schools and how are schools responding?

Officials say most of the threats are generic, but at least one district in Minnesota said law enforcement determined based on interviews that it was specifically identified in a TikTok post related to this threat, but "the origins of this threat remain unknown."

School officials, law enforcement and local leaders have assured parents they are monitoring the situation, but the threats are not credible.

In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy tweeted Thursday there were "no known specific threats" against schools.

Los Angeles Unified School District posted a statement on Twitter saying it didn't believe the schools were in danger but it takes the threats seriously.

Illinois administrators in Oak Park and River Forest released a message to parents saying they were "aware of a nationwide viral TikTok trend about school shooting and bomb threats for every school in the USA even elementary'" on Friday.

We are writing to inform you and not alarm you, officials said, saying police would increase their presence at schools out of an abundance of caution.

In the Houston area, Fort Bend Independent School District asked middle and high school students to leave their backpacks at home Friday "out of an abundance of caution."

And in northern California, Gilroy police said they had found threats on social media not to be credible, but school officials at Gilroy High School postponed final exams scheduled for Friday to January. In July 2019, a gunman opened fire at the Gilroy Garlic Festival and killed three people.

Making the decision to cancel classes tomorrow has not been an easy one, Principal Greg Kapaku said in a message to parents.

What should students and parents do?

Trump, with National School Safety and Security Services, urged parents to talk with their children about what information they're seeing online and alert school officials and law enforcement about potential threats. He said parents as well as kids should look for information from credible sources, not rely on "social media rumor and misinformation."

Trump said parents should also warn kids against sharing unconfirmed information, as it may unintentionally contribute to anxiety and stress.

"A lot of times kids will have good intentions," he said. "If you have all these young people spreading the same thing at the same time, it just exponentially increases the distribution of the threats."

Parents should also give their children context about the threats by explaining what they and educators are doing to keep students safe, "so that there's some reassurances, psychologically, (but) not giving a false sense of security," he said. "I often encourage parents to have candid conversations."

Trump also said schools need to be proactive by creating threat assessment teams, training and protocols, and a crisis communication plan to quickly disseminate information to parents before an incident occurs.

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The alleged threats come in the wake of a deadly school shooting in Michigan on Nov. 30 in which numerous copycat threats to other schools resulted in dozens of student arrests.

Students who engage in these threats may face suspension, expulsion or criminal charges related to the threats, Trump said.

In the fall, students across the U.S. were arrested after participating in the "devious licks" trend, which involved stealing or vandalizing school property. Another list circulating online encouraged students to smack a staff member," mess up school signs," or flip off the front office," among other actions that could potentially create chaos at schools.

'Devious licks': TikTok challenge encourages students to steal, and it's shown up at JCPS

Meanwhile, a few students in California, Florida and Texas were arrested earlier this week for allegedly making threats and bringing weapons to school, according to local media reports, but officials have not said those arrests are connected to the reported TikTok threats.

The rumored threats have outraged educators around the country who are already overwhelmed with the chaos of teaching during a pandemic.

Whether done as a joke or with malicious intent, its unacceptable," said officials with the Iowa State Education Association, the Iowa Association of School Boards and School Administrators of Iowa in a joint statement.

Contributing: The Associated Press, Christine Fernando, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: TikTok school threat: Districts cancel class, increase security
NAPA COUNTY, CA  Public health officials across the Bay Area, including in Napa County, on Friday, urged everyone eligible to get vaccinated and, if eligible, get a booster shot right away to protect against the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.

Napa County just identified its first case of Omicron on Friday afternoon, and evidence of the variant has been detected in several other Bay Area counties, including Sonoma.

The Sonoma County patient was fully vaccinated, had received a booster shot earlier this month and recently traveled domestically within the continental United States. The person was boosted but only very recently, and was not yet two weeks out from the final shot, a time period during which antibodies develop, Sonoma County public health officials said.

"Omicron variant is causing a rapid increase in cases in other parts of the world and we will see the impacts here soon," said Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa County's health officer. "Getting a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you are eligible is important to protect yourself and your family. Even if you were fully vaccinated earlier this year, two shots are no longer enough. We know protection against infection from the vaccines declines over time, so booster doses are critical for everyone who was vaccinated at least 6 months ago."

Public health officials in Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma counties as well as the City of Berkeley, agreed that everyone should get a booster shot when eligible, but particularly those over 50 or those with significant underlying health conditions.

The Bay Area public health agencies said residents should get a booster if they are at least 16 years old and:

6 months have passed since their second dose of Moderna (for 18+)

6 months have passed since their second dose of Pfizer (for 16+)

2 months have passed since their Johnson & Johnson Dose (for 18+)

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As of Friday, 39 percent of eligible Napa County residents had received a booster, while approximately 21,099 residents 50 and older had yet to get their booster shot.

According to a joint statement from Public health officials in Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma counties. as well as the City of Berkeley:

"Many more cases of Omicron are expected to be reported in the coming days and weeks, and, based on the exponential growth in cases being seen in Europe, there is a significant risk of exponential growth in 2 of 2 COVID-19 cases in our region. The United Kingdom currently has more COVID-19 cases than at any time during the two-year pandemic. Other highly vaccinated countries that mirror the Bay Areas high vaccination rates, such as Denmark and Norway, are predicting Omicron will become the dominant variant in a matter of days.

"Evidence suggests that Omicron spreads more rapidly than other variants, and more is being learned every day. Although some evidence suggests that a lower percentage of people infected with Omicron may be hospitalized and die, if a surge causes many thousands of new cases per day, even a small percentage of that total entering our hospitals will overwhelm healthcare delivery systems."

Bay Area public health officials also said Friday that in addition to vaccinations and boosters, masking, testing, ventilation, and distancing remain an effective multi-layered defense against COVID-19.

"As the holiday season is upon us, people should stay mindful of risks and take steps to decrease them," the health officials said.

According to Bay Area health officials, if people must travel or gather for the holidays:

Anyone who develops symptoms of COVID-19 should isolate themselves and get tested as soon as possible.

Get tested before gathering or traveling, upon return, and again 3-5 days later.

Have everyone ages 5+ get their COVID-19 vaccine and booster if eligible.

Take advantage of quick and easy home test kits available in pharmacies and stores.

Wear a mask indoors and in crowded settings.

Keep group gatherings small. Gather with close family units.

Outside gatherings are safer than indoor gatherings.

Be particularly cautious around elderly or immunocompromised individuals and consider COVID-19 testing before such interactions.

"Parents of very young children and those who have not been vaccinated should make sure to take all advised precautions," Bay Area public health officials said. "Avoid large gatherings. Always wear a mask in indoor public settings (unless under age 2)."

People who live and work in Napa County can visit the county website for more information about where to get a vaccine or a booster shot. More information is also available by calling 707-253-4540 or by sending an email to coronavirus@countyofnapa.org.

This article originally appeared on the Napa Valley Patch
People talk before the start of a rally against "critical race theory" (CRT) being taught in schools at the Loudoun County Government center in Leesburg, Virginia on June 12, 2021. Critics use the term as a catch-all phrase that attacks teachers' efforts to confront dark episodes in American history, including slavery and segregation, as well as to tackle racist stereotypes.

A year ago, few Michiganders had heard of critical race theory.

This year, it's just one of the school subjects that became a hot button topic, along with deep divides about masking and vaccines.

Taught primarily in graduate level seminars, CRT is an academic theory that seeks to understand how institutions perpetuate racial inequality. But CRT has become conflated with all diversity and inclusion efforts.

Heated debates at the national level, often filled with inaccurate information, made CRT the focal point of several Michigan school board meetings, some of which made national news. Michigan has even joined the wave of states proposing bans to prohibit CRT in K-12 education. The state Legislature is currently discussing two bills (H.B. 5097 and S.B. 460) to ban race or gender stereotyping, terms often used as stand-ins for CRT.

More: Viral 'Critical Race Theory' painting is work of Detroit artist

More: 2 concepts divide Michigan school boards: What to know about critical race theory, equity

Given these debates, we asked Michiganders about the values they believe should be taught in schools, how much they trust teachers, and how they think race should be discussed in schools. We found deep political gulfs between Michiganders who identify as Republicans and Democrats on these issues  and, even more troubling, a lack of faith in the men and women charged with educating our children.

The divide

In September and October 2021, we asked Michiganders a series of questions through the State of the State Survey (SOSS), a state-wide representative sample in Michigan, which included 1,500 participants. We found that 65% of Republicans support banning CRT, compared to 43% of independents and 25% of Democrats.

What should be taught in schools?

The large political divides about banning CRT also translated to differences in the values that Republicans and Democrats believe should be taught in schools. There was near universal agreement among Democrats: 92% said that schools should teach children about fairness and equity. Just 61% of Republicans believe that schools should teach these values.

Story continues

This deep political split between the left and the right became even more pronounced when participants were asked if teachers should discuss issues related to race.

When participants were asked if public schools should teach more about race and racism as part of American history lessons, 35% of Republicans thought public schools should, compared to 88% of Democrats. Only a quarter of Republicans agreed that controversial national events related to race ought to be discussed in the classroom while 86% of Democrats agreed.

Who can you trust?

This political divide between Democrats and Republicans carries through to distrust teachers in local public schools.

Across the board, Republicans were less trusting of teachers; less than half of Republicans, 46%, indicated that they trust teachers to select additional readings and materials for students, while most Democrats  82%  indicated that they trusted their local teachers to do this.

When respondents were asked if they trust teachers to discuss race and racism with children in this coming year, that number declined for both political parties, but a gulf remained. Just over a quarter of Republicans, 28%, agreed that they trusted their local teachers to discuss race and racism, compared to 71% of Democrats. Although nearly 88% of Democrats believed that public schools in America should teach more about race and racism as part of American history lessons, fewer, 71%, trusted their teachers to do it well.

This is a strong indicator of a rising mistrust of teachers when it comes to the issue of race.

Inaccurate information

The deep political divide may be due to the vast amount of inaccurate information that Michiganders are hearing.

There's another large gulf in the amount of misinformation that Republicans and Democrats are hearing from the media about CRT.

We identified eight inaccurate statements frequently cited in national debates about CRT  statements such as, CRT teaches children to hate the United States  then asked survey participants to select all of the statements that they had heard.

It was clear that these inaccurate statements were circulating widely; very few participants reported that they had heard none of these statements  26% of Democrats, 17% of Independents, and 18% of Republicans. But most Republicans had received more misinformation  57% had heard all eight statements, compared to just 29% of Democrats.

What does this mean for politics and education?

Education had been on the backburner of national policy debates, but in 2021 it has suddenly emerged as part of the culture war between Democrats and Republicans.

It may continue to be an issue well into the 2022 midterms.

Educational decisions and policies are traditionally made at the local level, often providing some insulation from national political rhetoric.

But heated rhetoric, and the ensuing polarization, are likely to have large impacts on our local schools, school leaders and our teachers.

With such deep political polarization, this could even impact the classroom level  making teachers wary to discuss historical topics such as slavery, the Civil War and the civil rights movement.

This is not the outcome either party is looking for, and thus we should combat this deep polarization and find ways to build trust between parents, schools, and the community.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Opinion: Michigan divided on race, critical race theory in schools
Associated Press

A judge was mostly dismissive Tuesday of arguments by a lawyer for Prince Andrew who wants to win fast rejection of a lawsuit filed by a woman who says she was sexually trafficked to the royal by the millionaire Jeffrey Epstein when she was 17. U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan did not immediately rule at the end of a video conference, but he made clear that he was not leaning Andrews way as he rejected much of the reasoning offered by the prince's attorney, Andrew Brettler, who said the case should absolutely be dismissed. Kaplan repeatedly shot down Brettler's arguments or disputed them with other reasoning.
A U.S. Marine receives the COVID-19 vaccine.





It's Thursday, welcome to Overnight Defense & National Security, your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. Subscribe here: thehill.com/newsletter-signup.

The Army, Marine Corps, and Navy are beginning to remove personnel who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine.

We'll have more on that, plus details on a drone that was shot down near a military base in Syria and the soldiers who were awarded the Medal of Honor by President Biden.

For The Hill, I'm Jordan Williams. Write me with tips at jwilliams@thehill.com

Let's get to it.

Unvaccinated service members removed

Over the last 48 hours, the Army, Marine Corps and Navy have said they began separations for personnel who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine.

In an emailed statement on Thursday, the Marines said they separated more than 103 with a "vaccine refusal" discharge code.

Earlier in the day, the Army revealed that it has relieved six active-duty leaders, including two battalion commanders for not getting vaccinated. Meanwhile, 2,767 soldiers have received general officer written reprimands for refusing the vaccine mandate

On Wednesday, the Navy said that it has given guidance to commanders to begin issuing administrative separations for service members who won't get vaccinated.

Upcoming deadlines: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin mandated vaccinations for the military in late August, but each military service is in charge of enforcing its mandate.

The Army's deadline for active duty soldiers was Wednesday, the last of the deadlines for active-duty personnel for each branch. However, Army National Guard and Reservists still have until June 30, 2022 to come into compliance.

Meanwhile, reservists in the Marine Corps and Navy both have until Dec. 28 to come into compliance. Active-duty components of both branches had until Nov. 28 to be vaccinated.

The Army's 98 percent vaccination rate: In related news, the Army said that 98 percent of its active-duty personnel have received one dose of a coronavirus vaccine as the deadline for those soldiers to be inoculated passes.

Story continues

More than 468,000 active-component soldiers have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, 96 percent of active-duty soldiers - more than 461,000 - are fully vaccinated.

Over 3,800 active-duty soldiers have refused to get vaccinated without a pending or approved exemption, representing less than 1 percent of active-duty soldiers. Starting in January, commanders will initiate involuntary separation for these soldiers.

Read today's coverage of the vaccine mandate

Marines kick out more than 100 for refusing COVID-19 vaccine

Army says 98 percent of active duty personnel got vaccine before deadline

Navy to begin discharging sailors over vaccine policy

Drone shot down near military base in Syria

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A drone was intercepted near a military base in southern Syria on Tuesday, U.S. Central Command said.

Captain Bill Urban, spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said in an emailed statement that two unmanned aerials systems (UAS) were tracked entering a deconfliction zone on Tuesday evening.

As one drone continued deeper into the deconfliction zone, it was "assessed as demonstrating hostile intent and was shot down," he said.

"The second UAS was not engaged and likely left the area. At-Tanf Garrison reports no casualties and no damage to facilities," Urban said.

The United Kingdom's defense ministry later confirmed that it shot the drone, saying in a statement that a Royal Air Force typhoon shot the drone with an advanced short-range range air-to-air missile.

Who's drone was it? It was unclear who was behind the incident from both the Pentagon and U.K. defense ministry's comments.

NBC News, which first reported the incident on Wednesday, reported that Iran or Iranian-backed militia groups were suspected to be behind the drones.

A previous attack: The deconfliction zone is located in a strategic area near Syria's Tanf border, which crosses with Iraq and Jordan. U.S. and international troops are there to train Syrian forces as part of a global effort to defeat ISIS.

In mid-October, the base was hit with an attack that was believed to have included five drones laden with explosive charges. No injuries or deaths, however, were reported.

U.S. officials reportedly believed that Iran didn't launch that attack but had provided resources and encouraged it.

Read the full story here

Biden awards the Medal of Honor

President Biden awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions in serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The highest military honor was given to Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Celiz, and Master Sgt. Earl D. Plumlee.

"Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude today as we honor the unparalleled courage and commitment to duty and the indispensable, indisputable gallantry," Biden said at a White House ceremony.

About the soldiers: Cashe-the first Black service member to receive the award for actions since 9/11- posthumously received the honor for his bravery in rescuing fellow soldiers from a burning vehicle in Iraq in 2005.

Plumlee, who accepted the award in person, was at Forward Operating Base Ghazni in Afghanistan.Plumlee responded when an explosion at the base created a massive hole in its perimeter wall, which insurgents poured through.

Plumlee fought off insurgents wielding rifles and wearing suicide vests, engaging them with only his pistol.

Celiz was also given the award posthumously for his efforts in Afghanistan to protect his fellow soldiers from enemy fire. He is credited with voluntarily exposing himself to machine gun and small arms fire as part of a mission to clear an area of enemy forces.

Read the full story here

ON TAP FOR TOMORROW

The Center for Strategic and International Studies will host a virtual discussion on "China's Sphere of Influence in the Indo-Pacific" at 1 p.m.

The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will host a virtual discussion on "Spacepower Forum: Delta Commander's Perspective" at 3 p.m.

WHAT WE'RE READING

That's it for today. Check out The Hill's defense and national security pages for the latest coverage. See you Friday.
Swine Champ -- Ryan Michael, the 4-H swine show judge, congratulates Ashton Albring, 8, of Monroe after the youngster raised the grand champion hog at the Monroe County Fair in August.

Jean Genaw

Not even a global pandemic could prevent more than 100 clubs and nearly 1,000 youths from taking part in the Monroe County 4-H Program in 2020-2021.

Assisting the 4-H staff were more than 400 volunteers who assisted with club activities, fundraisers and preparing projects for judging at the Monroe County Fair in August. Together, 4-H program coordinators Claudia Paddy and Jean Genaw managed the program, one of the most popular youth development programs in the county.

Each of these volunteers provide countless number of hours of guidance and mentoring to our 4-H youth, Genaw told about 75 guests at the fair association annual meeting last week. Both she and Paddy started their new roles this past year.

The changes in extension staff and a shift back to face-to-face programming presented challenges, but was well worth the effort, Genaw said in the annual year-end report. We are so grateful for the opportunities you are allowing us to share with the youth of our community.

Fair week was a success thanks to good weather, tremendous crowds, great exhibits and outstanding support, she said. Monroe County continues to have one of the largest traditional 4-H programs in the state.

Community support was evident as both the 4-H Junior Livestock Sale and Small Animal Auction held record sales. Youths also took part in building club floats for the fair parade.

State Sen. Dale Zorn, R-Ida, recognized the upcoming 100-year anniversary of the county 4-H program in 2022 and the 75th anniversary of the fair. In a statement issued this week, Zorn said the fair and 4-H have been "important parts of the fabric of our community and the lives of countless families for generations. A long-time supporter of the fair and 4-H, he said he looks forward to presenting legislative tributes next year to each of them in recognition of their impact on the community and their historic milestones.

Among the support Zorn has provided to the fair during his time in the Senate was securing $40,000 from the state's County Fair Capital Improvement Fund to increase access to the fair for people with disabilities. The money will go to resurface streets on the fairgrounds to allow people in wheelchairs and those with physical disabilities to have access to the grounds and bring them up to standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Story continues

Zorn also regularly attends the fair and supports 4-H youths by buying animals at the small animal sale.

Seven high school seniors in 4-H received almost $4,600 in scholarships for college, Genaw said.

Other successful fundraisers and activities included a candy sale, the spaghetti dinner and auction, community service drives, pennies for turkeys and a mitten tree.

Four-H provided opportunities and resources, built confidence and created lots of great memories for each of our members, Genaw said.

She said the generosity shown to 4-H from the 36-member fair board and fair Manager Darryl Diamond was overwhelming. Claudia and myself look forward to continuing a great partnership as the organization marks its 100 year in the county in 2022.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Pandemic can't slow Monroe County 4-H success
A documentary about Mississippi Delta sharecropper and civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer will open the 10th season of the Emmy award-winning WORLD Channel series, America ReFramed.

Produced by Hamer's great-niece Monica Land and Selena Lauterer, and directed by Joy Davenport, "Fannie Lou Hamer's America" follows Hamer's life story and the injustices against Black people she spoke out against. The film will air at 8 p.m. CST on Feb. 22, according to a news release by WORLD Channel.

For 10 years, America ReFramed has shined a spotlight on a transforming America, bringing audiences into communities that are becoming increasingly diverse and introducing them to people whose stories are often overlooked by the mainstream, said Chris Hastings, executive producer/managing editor of WORLD Channel at GBH in Boston.

Born during the height of the Jim Crow era, Hamer began her activism in the 1950s by attending civil rights conferences. She fought for equal rights for Black citizens and encouraged Black people to register to vote.

After stepping onto the national stage in 1964 at the Democratic National Convention and detailing the injustices and racism she faced on the cotton fields through speeches, Hamer went on to help start the National Women's Political Caucus and was proactive in fighting for justice for Black women as well.

Her humanitarian efforts helped provide housing, educational programs and food for many in the Mississippi Delta.

More than 40 years after Hamer died from breast cancer and other medical complications on March 14,1977, her story is being told through her own words.

In 2005, distant memories of her great aunt Hamer led Land to consider creating a documentary focused on Hamer's personal life. She consulted her cousin, film producer, Sulla Hamer, and began gathering stories from family members about two years later. Land said over 17 years, the team stumbled across newspaper stories she was not previously aware of and overcame many obstacles, including securing funding for the film.

Story continues

"This has been a very long, hard, emotional journey," Land said.

Related: Fannie Lou Hamer gets her due

Unlike other documentaries about her great aunt focused mainly on Fannie Lou Hamer's political efforts as told by those who worked with her or distant relatives, Land's vision for the film was to highlight Fannie Lou Hamer's humanitarianism and personal life.

While the film does showcase Fannie Lou Hamer's political pursuits, it incorporates never before seen personal letters from Hamer and interviews with Hamer's last living adopted daughter, Jacqueline Hamer Flakes.

The film  assembled by a team of civil rights scholars, historians and Hamer's family members  uses video footage of Hamer's public speeches, personal interviews and songs, according to the website about the film.

Dig deeper: Documentary on civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer garners funding boost

Fannie Lou Hamers America is a powerful film, one that illustrates the challenges and sacrifices so many faced in fighting for the right to vote, said Sylvia Bugg, chief programming executive and general manager at PBS.

In addition to the documentary, individuals can learn more about Hamer's legacy through the website, https://www.fannielouhamersamerica.com/, which includes a plethora of material on the human rights activist.

Fannie Lou Hamer's legacy continued: Mississippi Delta high schoolers to merge civil rights lessons with filmmaking

Where to watch

The film and TV series will be available for streaming on worldchannel.org, WORLD Channel's YouTube channel and on all PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video app, according to the news release.

The film will premiere on PBS on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. CST. It will then air on WORLD Channel on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, at 7 p.m. CST.

Have a news tip? Contact Gabriela Szymanowska at gszymanowska@gannett.com, on Twitter or at 601-215-4292.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: New documentary on Miss. civil rights icon to air on WORLD Channel, PBS
A former Pennsylvania funeral director whos now serving prison time after being convicted on charges that he abused corpses, is now facing charges that he neglected animals on his property, according to reports.

The suspect, identified as Andrew Scheid, 50, of Lancaster County, allegedly allowed a calf to die of starvation and dehydration in early November, and failed to provide enough food and water for two other cows and a cat, according to Manor Township police, LancasterOnline.com reported.

The two surviving cows were found to each be about 100 pounds underweight, the report said.

Authorities investigated the conditions of the animals after a tipster alerted them, according to the report.

PENNSYLVANIA TEEN CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE AFTER SHOOTING BROTHER, 5, IN INTENTIONAL ACT, PROSECUTORS SAY

Scheid faces charges of aggravated cruelty, a third-degree felony, and three counts of neglect, which are summary offenses, the news outlet report.

His girlfriend, identified as Cassandra Byers, received a citation in the case because she was a co-caretaker for the animals, according to WHP-TV of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

In a separate matter, Scheid was sentenced Nov. 29 to serve three to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty Oct. 1 to four counts of abuse of corpse and no contest on four counts of falsifying information on death certificates, according to LancasterOnline.com.

Scheid was also sentenced to nine months of house arrest upon completion of his prison time, plus five years of probation, and was ordered to pay $9,456 in restitution plus community service, the report said.

While running a funeral home, authorities alleged, Scheid allowed bodies to decompose, making at least one corpse ineligible for organ donations, and conducted cremations on dates other than those indicated on paperwork, the report said.

On the day of Scheids sentencing, his attorney, Michael Winters, claimed Scheid had been suffering from depression in recent years.

Story continues

The state Board of Funeral Directors had received complaints about Scheid dating back to 2015, LancasterOnline.com reported.

The state revoked Scheids funeral licenses in January 2000 and in May of this year a judge barred him from ever working as a funeral director or supervisor or seeking new licenses for either role, the report said.

Scheid is currently serving his sentence in Lancaster County Prison, WHP reported.
BROCKTON  At Father Bill's and Mainspring in Brockton, staff are seeing the impact of the rental crisis that's happening in the city and all across the nation.

John Yazwinski, president and CEO of Father Bill's, said that at their Brockton homeless shelter, they're fielding over twice as many calls from people at risk of homelessness as usual.

Since July, Yazwinski said, they have opened 107 active homelessness prevention cases in the greater Brockton area, and about 40 more in Plymouth County alone.

"It's gonna be one of the hardest winters we've ever had to make sure that we can get everybody inside," he said.

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Father Bill's & MainSpring Executive Director John Yazwinski, right, tour a studio apartment at the former Rodeway Inn at 1005 Belmont St. in Brockton on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021. The former hotel is being converted to apartments to house people experiencing homelessness.

"We've got so many people that are living paycheck to paycheck right now, or can't afford these increased rents even if they're working two or three jobs," he said.

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition's 2021 "Out of Reach" report, Yazwinski isn't exaggerating.

The report says that the average hourly wage of Brockton's renters, which make up nearly 30% of the population, is $11.91. The fair market rate for a two-bedroom in the city is $1,560 a month. So to afford a two-bedroom in Brockton, the average renter must work two and a half full-time jobs.

But how did the situation get this bad? Yazwinski called the situation "a perfect storm."

An affordable housing crisis

Rents have increased a lot over the last decade. On top of that, Yazwinski said, as a society, there hasn't been enough housing development, especially when it comes to affordable housing.

Among the cheaper apartments that do exist, he said, not much has been done to preserve them so that they are livable, and those that get upgraded or renovated get turned into luxury apartments.

More: Homeless Brockton teen turns into software engineer who raps on the side

"People at 0% to 50% median income can't live in the communities that they grew up in," he said.

Story continues

"There are not enough affordable housing units to support all the people making lower wages in our community."

The COVID effect

But the pandemic has made the situation much worse.

Doug Quattrochi, executive director of masslandlords.net, said that as prices for houses, especially starter houses, have increased as a result of the pandemic, more people have been forced to remain as renters, which decreases the amount of available inventory.

"The rents are so high and the vacancy rates are so low that people that are experiencing homelessness or at risk of it and trying to get to a more affordable unit, [those units] just don't exist right now," Yazwinski said.

The moratorium on evictions, as well as federal and state rent assistance, helped push this problem down the road for a while, Yazwinski said, even as people lost their jobs to the pandemic and became months behind in rent.

But now that the moratorium has lapsed, rental assistance can't keep up with the need for it, and housing courts are seeing the number of eviction cases rise.

Furthering this problem is the fact that to qualify for rental assistance, your apartment has to be below a certain rent based on current market rents. But with such low apartment inventory and such high rents, Yazwinski said, many renters can only find apartments that are too expensive to qualify.

Priced out of Boston and moving to Brockton

Luis Martins, owner of RE/MAX Synergy of Brockton and a landlord himself, said that in Brockton specifically, part of the inventory problem is due to an influx of renters who were priced out of Boston or simply wanted to move of Boston to get more space during the pandemic. Many of them moved to the Brockton area, he said.

"Everything revolves around the Boston market," he said. "Once that market goes up, everything around it goes up, and the further south you go is the only way you can get cheaper or more affordable housing."

'The expense side of the equation' for landlords

Martins said some landlords are also afraid to rent out their vacant apartments because they feel that some of their tenants abused the eviction moratorium.

"Some people only own one building and that's their livelihood," he said.

Martins also defended increasing rents, saying that commercial property owners often have rising mortgage rates after a few years that they have to raise rents to keep up with.

Similarly, Quattrochi said, landlords may need to increase rent to keep up with property taxes.

"It's easy to look at the landlord and the rents they're asking for an apartment and say, 'Well, they're being cruel or grasping,'" he said. "But few people look at the expense side of the equation."

Or is it 'greed'?

But Hed Ehrlich, a lawyer at the Justice Center of Southeastern Massachusetts, was skeptical of claims that landlords are forced to raise rents just to keep up with expenses, saying that mortgages are often a fixed expense.

"I just don't see any reason for rent to be increasing as much as it has except for greed," he said.

Doubling up and couch surfing

Regardless of the reason for the crisis, renters are struggling to cope with it. Yazwinski said many people are doubling up, having friends and family sleep on their couch or their floor.

Some families are even putting their public housing at risk by letting their relatives live with them for months, he said.

Shelter system struggles to keep up

With pandemic restrictions cutting the number of beds in shelters drastically, the shelter system is struggling to keep up with the crisis, Yazwinski said. He said he's seen more homeless campsites around Massachusetts than ever before.

"For every five people we move out into housing, six people are at our door," he said.

It's unclear when the rental crisis will let up. It could be months or years before house prices go down, and without government action, rent will likely continue to increase.

Yazwinski and many experts believe that the solution is to build more housing of all types to help keep rent from increasing drastically and create more inventory, but Quattrochi said that may not help, as most often new rental housing developments are luxury apartments.

Where to get help

In the meantime, renters facing homelessness can visit applyhousinghelp.mass.gov/ to apply for rental assistance, and can reach out to organizations like Father Bill's and Mainspring and Brockton Area Multi-Services Inc. (BAMSI) for help.

Enterprise staff writer Susannah Sudborough can be reached by email at ssudborough@enterprisenews.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @k_sudborough. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Enterprise today.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton rent crisis: Father Bill's says many at risk of homelessness
As the days become shorter and the nights become longer and darker, we are reminded that indeed winter is coming. As a child I would dread this time of the year. Not only was there was less time to play outside, but there was a string of holidays that my Iranian family didnt celebrate, from Hanukkah to Christmas, which made me feel I didnt belong in our new home in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

At the age of 11, I asked my parents for a Christmas tree. Thats when my grandmother, Ghamarjoon, placed two pomegranates in my hands and two in my mothers and introduced me to Shab-e-Yalda: shab meaning night, and yalda meaning birth or light. It is a holiday celebrated by millions of people from Iran to Azerbaijan to the U.S., on Dec. 21, the winter solstice.

My path to becoming an anthropologist who studies rituals and traditions in the Middle East was, in part, a way discover the stories of my past, and Yalda was one of my first inspirations.

Celebrating light

Originating in the pre-Zoroastrian tradition of worship of Mithra, the God of Sun, but popularized by Zoroastrians, Yalda, also referred to as Chelleh, celebrates the sunrise after the longest night of the year. Ancient Persians believed that evil forces were strongest on the longest and darkest night of the year. People stayed up all night, telling stories and eating watermelon and pomegranate, in addition to dried fruit, in anticipation of the sun rising.

As the light spilled through the sky in the moment of dawn, Persians celebrated its appearance with drumming and dancing. It was thought that the day after the longest night belonged to Ahura Mazda, the Zoroastrian lord of wisdom.

Religious studies scholar Joel Wilbush argues that the early Christians loved this ancient Persian celebration. They saw the themes of light, sun and birth as interconnected with the birth of Jesus.

Triumph of light

Today my family continues the tradition by gathering every year to celebrate this ancient tradition. Like our ancestors before us, we stay up all night, curled under a korsi, a special Persian blanket lined with lumps of coal for warmth. We tell stories, read the poetry of Iranian poets like Hafez and Rumi, and speak of the good that can overcome evil.

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Foods such as pomegranate and watermelon are still eaten. A food indigenous to Iran, pomegranate is believed to be a symbol of life and resilience, for it blossoms during the harshest climate of winter. Persians also believe that eating summer foods, such as watermelon, will keep the body healthy through the winter, and that dried seeds like pumpkin and sunflower are a reminder of the cycle of life  of the rebirth and renewal to come.

While Christmas and Yalda are celebrated just a few days apart, the celebrations hold similar traditions and values. Family, love, resilience, rebirth and a triumph of light over dark.

Editors note: This piece has been updated to change the word equinox to the word solstice.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Pardis Mahdavi, Arizona State University.

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Pardis Mahdavi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Dozens of people gathered in central Phoenix at the start of a 12-hour fundraiser for Phoenix Police Department Officer Tyler Moldovan on Friday morning after the 22-year-old was shot earlier in the week.

Essa Williams, 24, is suspected of shooting Moldovan up to eight times as officers responded to reports of vehicles speeding and "doing donuts" near 19th Avenue and Camelback Road, according to court records.

Britt London, president of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, said many people have reached out to the organization in the days since the shooting to express their support and ask how they can help.

He called the fundraiser a "perfect conduit" for doing so, adding that PLEA would cover all ancillary costs so that 100% of proceeds would go to Moldovan's family.

"We don't know what's going to happen with Tyler, but we do know that his family's going to need support financially," London said. "This is a way for them to be able to do that."

The fundraiser, held at PLEA's office near 11th Avenue and Adams Street, will end at 10 p.m. Friday.

Phoenix Law Enforcement Association hosts a fundraiser on Dec. 17 for Officer Tyler Moldovan, who was shot multiple times while on duty on Dec. 14, 2021

Several thousand people attended the fundraiser for the family of fallen Officer Ginarro New in June. London said that while the holidays may mean fewer people are in town, PLEA was eager to receive any donations for Moldovan's family either at the fundraiser or through its website.

William Taylor, 21, went to the same high school as Moldovan. Though he said he didn't know Moldovan too well, they were in the same weightlifting class during his junior year and had mutual friends.

Taylor said he was "devastated" when he found out about the shooting on social media.

"It was weird, you always hear about something like this on the news but when it actually happens to someone that you knew about and felt kind of close to, it was really eye-opening to see how easily this can happen," he said.

Taylor said he hoped the incident would foster "more understanding and empathy" for law enforcement.

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"If anything goes wrong, people call 911 and at the same time, people are so quick to bash law enforcement," Taylor said. "They don't realize what they go through every day, how some mundane task an officer does can turn bad. I think it's important we are appreciative and supportive of what they do for us."

Taylor made a donation at the fundraiser and told The Arizona Republic that he's praying for the best for his former classmate.

"I hope that this is a chance for everyone to come together and support law enforcement, support his family," he said. "Hopefully it can be a growing opportunity."

Tameka Irving, 43, has also been keeping the Moldovan family in her prayers.

"It's a tragic thing, when officers do their best and end up getting hurt on the job," she said.

The issue hits home for Irving, the daughter of a retired Phoenix Police Department officer.

"People take it lightly that they walk the streets every day, they patrol, but they're in the line of duty 24 hours a day, whether they're on-duty or off-duty," she said. "I just had to come and donate something."

Moldovan remained in "extremely critical condition" as of Wednesday afternoon, the Phoenix Police Department said.

Williams was booked into jail on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder, resisting arrest and prohibited possession of a weapon, according to court records. His bond was set at $3 million.

Reach the reporter at bfrank@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8529. Follow her on Twitter @brieannafrank.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Fundraiser held for family of wounded Phoenix officer Tyler Moldovan
Police have identified the victims of the bouncy castle tragedy in Tasmania, Australia, which killed five children.

They were named as Addison Stewart, 11, and Zane Mellor, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones and Peter Dodt, all aged 12. The youngsters were killed when the bouncy castle they were playing on was lifted into the air by strong winds. Several children then fell to the ground from a height of about 10m (32 feet).

Three other students who fell from the bouncy castle are in the hospital, while one child was discharged overnight and taken home.

The tragedy happened as Hillcrest Primary School in Tasmania was celebrating the end of the school year on Thursday.

Police have refused to answer a key question in the investigation  whether the bouncy castle was tethered to the ground.

That forms part of the investigation, Tasmania police commissioner Darren Hine said when asked. It is fair to say that those injured were inside the castle. We need to piece the movements of the individuals together so we can present a full picture to the coroner.

A candlelight vigil was held in Devonport outside the school on Thursday night in memory of the five children. Several families also turned off their Christmas lights as a mark of respect for the lost lives.

We all feel so heartbroken for the parents involved, and feel guilty that we are also relieved our children were not injured, said Tanya, the mother of a boy whose class was next to go on the bouncy castle, according to the Hobart Mercury newspaper.

She added: The school had a jumping castle for school break-up last year as well. You wouldnt dream a fun activity day would end like this.

Another woman told 7News: Its a pretty tight school and tight-knit community down here and its not going to be the same... never again.

Officials are contemplating flying in special counsellors to help the grieving community in Devonport.

Several GoFundMe pages have been set up to help the families of the five children.

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Tamara Scott, the aunt of one of the victims,Peter, set up a GoFundMe page to support his father, Andrew Dodt. She wrote: Hi Im Tamara, on Thursday the 16 of December 2021 , my brother Andrew lost his son Peter due to an incident at school in Devonport, Tasmania.

She added that Peter was a young 12-year-old boy who was full of life and adventures.

Prime minister Scott Morrison described the incident as unthinkably heartbreaking.
TikTok logo

Schools and law enforcement in Fort Collins and Loveland say they'll be extra vigilant Friday due to an emerging TikTok challenge that encourages kids to call in threats of violence to schools on Dec. 17.

When Poudre School District and Thompson School District posted on Facebook on Thursday night to alert the communities to the development, they said they had received no specific or credible threats against their schools.

In a Thursday night news release, PSD said it would be practicing extra vigilance Friday. "School Resource officers will have an increased situational awareness at our schools," it said.

The district also said it would communicate information about any threat deemed credible to school staff and families "as soon as possible."

More: 'Making kindness go viral:' Retired Fort Collins teacher challenges students to new TikTok trend

A Facebook post by Thompson School District said much the same, saying there would be an increase in law enforcement patrols around schools.

Anyone who knows of specific threats or has seen suspicious activity is encouraged to report it immediately to school administration, law enforcement, or through the Safe2Tell website or by calling 1-877-542-7233.

"If its an immediate, life-threatening event, call 911. Please do not repost rumored threats on social media. Instead please report the potential threat to the resources listed above," according to the PSD news release.

Friday is the last day of school for both districts before winter break. Weld RE-4 school district, which covers Windsor and Severance, does not have school on Friday; only teachers report.

This is at least the second time this school year that a TikTok trend has challenged students to do or threaten harm at schools. In the fall, a challenge encouraged people to vandalize, damage or steal items typically in school bathrooms and post it to the popular video app.

Rebecca Powell is a content strategist at the Coloradoan, working to connect our community with the answers they seek. Contact her at RebeccaPowell@coloradoan.com. We can't do the important work of keeping our community informed without you. Support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: TikTok challenge encouraging school threats puts schools, police on watch
Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyers pleaded for more time Friday to build up their defense in the British socialite's sex crimes trial, but the New York judge pressured them to produce their promised witnesses or rest their case.

The defense had indicated it planned to call 35 witnesses as it seeks to persuade a New York jury that Maxwell did not recruit and sexually abuse girls with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

But after a day and a half of testimony they had called just nine to the stand -- with others dropped, delayed or otherwise unavailable -- leaving federal Judge Alison Nathan increasingly exasperated.

"I have a rule. You have your next witness or you rest your case. We're not delaying the trial," warned Nathan at one point.

The 59-year-old Maxwell is accused of grooming underage girls to be sexually exploited by her long-time partner Epstein, who killed himself in jail two years ago while awaiting trial.

She faces an effective life sentence if convicted of six counts of enticing and transporting minors for sex.

"Our client's life is on the line," defense attorney Laura Menninger pleaded as she appealed for more time.

One witness produced on Friday was a former Miss Sweden who dated Epstein between 1983 and early 1991 and remained friends with him for years afterwards.

Eva Andersson-Dubin, a former model and wife of high-profile financier Glenn Dubin, read out flight logs that showed she, her husband and three children flew regularly on Epstein's private planes and regularly holidayed at his Palm Beach home between 1994 and 2004.

She said she never saw any inappropriate conduct between Epstein and teenage women.

But she also admitted under cross-examination that she has memory problems because of what she believed was a "medical issue."

"It's very hard for me to remember anything far back and sometimes I can't even remember things from last month. My family notices it. I notice it. It's been an issue," the 60-year-old told prosecutor Allison Moe.

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The defense also briefly questioned two FBI agents on Friday before calling Michelle Healy, a former receptionist of Epstein's.

- 'Time to prepare' -

But the defense said Friday it was dropping a London-based witness.

And it said it was also struggling to locate a witnesses identified as "Kelly," who it said it subpoenaed on December 1.

"Why am I just hearing about this now?" said a frustrated Nathan. "A non-responsive witness is not a little thing," she added -- saying the defense had ample time to prepare since the resting of the prosecution's case a week ago.

Nathan was due to rule later Friday on a request to put an 81-year-old London pub owner on the stand on Monday.

The defense said he would testify that Maxwell did not reside at a house opposite the pub during the time that the prosecution alleges some of the sexual abuse occurred.

A day earlier, Nathan had rejected a request that three witnesses be allowed to testify anonymously. She also rejected the defense's attempts to call two lawyers for accusers of Epstein to the stand.

Prosecutor Maurene Comey accused the defense of delaying tactics.

"The defense has had an extraordinary amount of time to prepare their case," she said.

And it appeared increasingly likely the defense would have to rest its case later Friday if Nathan declines their request for more time.

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Dec. 16LIMA  Prosecutors on Thursday made an offer to resolve a case against a defendant accused of robbing and assaulting a Lima man earlier this year.

Delmar Jones, 38, of Lima, was indicted by a grand jury in October on one count of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, and one count of felonious assault, a felony of the second degree. Each count includes a specification labeling Jones as a repeat violent offender.

Assistant Allen County Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Thines put an offer on the official record Thursday stating that in exchange for Jones' plea of guilty to the aggravated robbery count the state would be willing to dismiss the felonious assault charge and both RVO specifications.

The offer will remain valid until Jan. 10, Thines said. Jones is scheduled to stand trial beginning Jan. 31. Attorney Carroll Creighton of the Allen County Public Defenders Office said he would discuss the offer with his client.

According to court documents, on Aug. 15 the alleged victim, Shane Davis, called 911 to report he had been robbed at gunpoint. Davis said he was meeting a friend named "Mar," later identified as Jones, to sell a book bag when Jones produced a black semi-automatic handgun and pointed it at Davis' head. The two struggled and Jones then struck Davis in the head with the weapon, according to police reports.

Davis was taken to a Lima hospital and received at least five staples in his head, court documents reveal.

Two other men  Terrence Irons and Chad Knerr  were also taken into custody in connection with the incident. Knerr told police it was Jones who had struck Davis in the head.




A member of the Proud Boys has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison after pleading guilty to threatening Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and other actions earlier this year.

Eduard Florea, 41, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Eric Komitee to 33 months in prison for threatening Warnock and possessing ammunition after a prior felony.

Florea had pleaded guilty to the charges in August. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has said the New York man had posted on social media on Jan. 5, "We need to all come to an agreement . . . and go armed . . . and really take back Washington."

A few minutes later, he posted once again, "Tomorrow may very [well] be the day war kicks off . . ."

Officials said that shortly before midnight the same day, Florea said, "Warnock is going to have a hard time casting votes for communist policies when he's swinging with the f***ing fish."

The man referenced Warnock again the following day on social media, according to the DOJ, writing: "Dead men can't pass sh*t laws . . ."

The DOJ said that after the assault on the U.S. Capitol began on Jan. 6, Florea posted that he intended to travel to Washington, D.C., as part of a group armed with firearms ready to engage in additional violence.

While the Capitol was under siege, Florea reportedly posted, "I am ready.... we need to regroup outside of DC and attack from all sides... talking to some other guys....I will keep watching for the signal."

"With today's sentence, the defendant faces serious consequences for threatening the life of United States Senator Raphael Warnock as part of his effort to foment violence at the Capital on January 6, 2021 in connection with attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election," U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace said in a statement Thursday.

"This Office is deeply committed to protecting our democratic institutions and preserving our democracy, and will vigorously prosecute those who would undermine our founding principles as a nation by threatening the safety of our elected representatives or those who seek elected office," Peace added.

To date, more than 700 people have been charged with offenses related to the Jan. 6 attack, according to the DOJ.
Closeup of gavel in court room

A Pueblo cattle investment operator was recently sentenced to 41 months in federal prison and ordered to pay nearly $5 million in restitution for his role in a complicated cattle investment fraud scheme that spanned nearly seven years.

Richard K. Sears, 73, of Pueblo, pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering in May and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn on Dec. 9, the United States Attorneys Office for the District of Colorado announced in a news release on Dec. 11.

In addition to the nearly three-and-a-half-year prison sentence, the judge ordered Sears to pay $4,969,384 in restitution to his victims. Following his incarceration, he must also serve three years of supervised release.

Wind storm pummels Pueblo: Man trapped by downed power line among harrowing tales from destructive Pueblo wind storm

According to Sears' grand jury indictment, he began defrauding investors in June 2008 in a scheme in which he said he would develop a new breed of cattle called the Rocky Mountain Romangus  a breed that did not then exist.

For a set entry fee, Sears claimed he would purchase a specific number of cows for the investors benefit, according to the indictment.

Sears claimed he would then lease back the cattle for a set period  usually a three or five-year lease term  and be responsible for paying all the related cattle costs including feed, care, management and breeding.

Sears also agreed to pay the investors an annual cash return or leaseback payment of 10% and to repurchase the cows for no less than the original purchase price at the end of the lease period if the investor requested it.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Sears initially made some of those leaseback payments, which lulled investors into believing that their investment was successful and that SEARS cattle program was operating consistent with the terms of the parties agreement, the indictment said.

In some instances, SEARS used new investor funds for cows to pay leaseback payments owed to earlier investors. Over time, SEARS began to make fewer cash returns or leaseback payments to investors and completely stopped making such annual payments to some investors despite his promises."

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In 2011, Sears stopped purchasing cattle but continued to solicit new investors. At the same time, the release said, he misrepresented the true number of cows in his possession.

Throughout the scheme, according to the indictment, Sears frequently converted the money paid by investors for the purchase of cattle to his own use and benefit.

By September 2013, Sears reportedly knew he was unable to meet his contractual obligations and offered several explanations to investors as to why.

When attempting to obtain an extension on one investor contract in September 2013, Sears stated in a letter that his cattle program was suffering from operational setbacks and financial problems including losing pasture grass as a result of drought; irrigation water allocations being cut on his farms; and the entire cow herd being quarantined with bovine trichomoniasis, a venereal disease in cattle.

More on Pueblo crime:Pueblo woman sentenced to life in prison for 2020 murder of Pueblo West man

The joint investigation conducted by the criminal investigation division of the Internal Revenue Service and the United States Postal Inspection Service also found that Sears had used a portion of investor funds to pay personal debts unrelated to the cattle program.

Spears initially was charged with bankruptcy fraud and other crimes in addition to those for which he was convicted, but prosecutors dropped those charges in exchange for his pleading guilty in May.

This complex case required thousands of hours of investigation by U.S. Postal Inspectors and other investigative staff, said Ruth Mendonca, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, in the release.

This complex investment fraud case highlights the unique investigative skills that IRS Criminal Investigation brings to federal prosecutions, said Andy Tsui, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge, Denver Field Office.

This sentence and restitution order are a step towards righting the wrongs perpetrated upon the victims of Sears fraudulent scheme.

The Pueblo Chieftain reported in March that Stephen Flowers, a former employee of Sears's, was sentenced to serve six months in custody and six months of home detention for bankruptcy fraud in connection to Sears' scheme, in which Flowers had a significantly lesser role than his former boss.

Chieftain reporter Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@gannett.com or on Twitter @ZachHillstrom

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Puebloan Richard Sears sentenced to prison for cattle investment scam
(Bloomberg) -- Purdue Pharma LPs multi-billion dollar opioid settlement was dealt a surprising blow on Thursday when a federal judge reversed a bankruptcy courts earlier approval of the deal.

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U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon on Thursday struck down the OxyContin makers sweeping opioid settlement, putting the accord at risk of collapsing. Supporters of the deal have warned that the alternative to a settlement is years of costly -- and potentially fruitless -- litigation.

Purdue Pharma said in a statement that it will appeal. In the meantime, its a victory for a handful of state attorneys general and an arm of the U.S. Justice Department, which have been working to overturn the settlement.

Attorneys general from states including Washington, Connecticut and Maryland want to block the deal so they can keep suing Purdues owners, members of the billionaire Sackler family, over their role in the opioid crisis. The settlement would prevent that, giving Purdues owners broad legal protections from opioid-related civil lawsuits. McMahon said the drugmakers bankruptcy judge erred in granting those releases.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department was pleased with the decision.

The bankruptcy court did not have the authority to deprive victims of the opioid crisis of their right to sue the Sackler family, Garland said in a statement.

Californias Attorney General Rob Bonta had also objected to the settlement.

The Sackler Family must be held accountable for their contribution to the ongoing opioid crisis, Bonta said in a statement. The bankruptcy plan would have allowed them to exchange money for lifetime immunity -- falling far short of true accountability,

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The settlement would route billions of dollars to opioid abatement efforts and see Purdues assets turned over to the states, cities and counties suing over its role in the crisis. Members of the Sackler family have agreed to contribute more than $4 billion to the deal and leave the opioid business entirely.

The judges ruling will delay, and perhaps end, the ability of creditors, communities, and individuals to receive billions in value to abate the opioid crisis, said Steve Miller, chairman of the Purdue Pharma Board of Directors.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose office took part in negotiating the settlement, said it will be up to an appeals court to determine whether the plan will be confirmed.

We will get justice for the American people, James said in a statement.

In her ruling, McMahon said the bankruptcy court lacked authority to grant the kind of releases at issue. So-called third party releases have divided federal courts across the country for decades, she said, adding that her ruling wont be the last word on the subject.

This issue has hovered over bankruptcy law for thirty-five years, McMahon said in her written ruling. It must be put to rest sometime; at least in this Circuit, it should be put to rest now.

In September, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain signed off on the deal after a lengthy trial.

During the appeal, McMahon questioned whether Purdues owners might have abused the bankruptcy system with the settlement. She scrutinized how aggressively members of the Sackler family siphoned money out of the drugmaker in the years following the companys 2007 guilty plea over how it marketed OxyContin.

Representatives for members of the Sackler family didnt immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday evening.

(Updates with comments from Purdue, U.S. Attorney General)

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Trump Tower en la ciudad de Nueva York (AFP via Getty Images)

Former president Donald Trump is getting more help paying his legal bills from the Republican National Committee.

According to TheWashington Post, the RNC has signed on to shoulder up to $1.6m towards the costs incurred by Mr Trump in the course of civil and criminal investigations into his eponymous real estate businesses.

The investigations are being conducted by New York State Attorney General Letitia James and outgoing Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr, both of whom are examining whether the Trump Organization broke New York laws laws by over or underreporting the value of various pieces of real estate for tax or insurance purposes.

Mr Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing in either probe, but a Manhattan grand jury indicted his company and its longtime chief financial officer, Alan Weisselberg, this summer on charges that theyd carried out a long-running scheme to avoid paying taxes on employee compensation.

In a statement to the Post, GOP spokesperson Emma Vaughn said the RNCs executive committee signed off on approving certain legal expenses that relate to politically motivated legal proceedings waged against President Trump.

As a leader of our party, defending President Trump and his record of achievement is critical to the GOP. It is entirely appropriate for the RNC to continue assisting in fighting back against the Democrats never ending witch hunt and attacks on him.

The Post described the move as highly unusual given Mr Trumps status as a former president and as a potential candidate in the 2024 presidential primary. Because the current president is not a Republican, the RNC is bound by its own bylaws to remain neutral in any primary contest.

Doug Heye, a former RNC spokesperson and a critic of Mr Trump, told the Post he does not think GOP donors will complain much even though their money is being used to subsidize a putative billionaires legal expenses.

Some will grumble privately, but most wont say anything, and a lot of them will be good with it, he said.
Rock icon Rod Stewart and his son have pleaded guilty to battery in an assault case stemming from a New Year's Eve 2019 altercation with a security guard at an exclusive Florida hotel.

Court records released Friday show that the singer and his son Sean Stewart entered guilty pleas to misdemeanor charges of simple battery.

No one was injured in the incident and a jury did not find Sir Rod Stewart guilty of the accusation, his attorney Guy Fronstin said in a statement. Instead, Sir Rod Stewart decided to enter a plea to avoid the inconvenience and unnecessary burden on the court and the public that a high profile proceeding would cause.

The raspy-voiced Stewart, 76, is a British member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2016. His hits include Da Ya Think Im Sexy, Youre In My Heart, Hot Legs and, probably his best-known song, Maggie May.

The plea agreement, dated and signed Monday, means that Stewart and his son, 41, won't have to appear in court and formal adjudication of the charge was withheld. There will be no trial.

Neither will do any jail time or be required to pay fines and won't be placed on probation, Fronstin said.

The Stewarts were accused of a physical altercation with security guard Jessie Dixon at the luxury Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach on Dec. 31, 2019. The dispute involved Dixon's refusal to allow them into a private New Year's Eve party at the hotel.

Dixon said in court papers that Rod Stewart punched him in the rib cage with a closed fist and that Sean Stewart shoved him.

A spokesperson for Palm Beach State Attorney Dave Aronberg, whose office prosecuted the case, said in an email that Dixon agreed with the outcome of the case.
Russia on Friday unveiled proposals to contain the United States and NATO in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, calling for urgent negotiations with Washington as it amasses forces near Ukraine.

The United States said it was ready to talk but stated upfront that it disagreed with much in the far-reaching proposals, as it renewed warnings of painful reprisals if Russia invades Ukraine.

Russia released unfinished security documents -- an unusual move in diplomacy -- that call for US-led NATO alliance not to bring in new members or establish bases in ex-Soviet countries.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia was ready to hold security talks with the United States as early as Saturday.

"We are ready to immediately, even tomorrow -- literally tomorrow, on Saturday -- go for talks with the US in a third country," he told reporters, suggesting Geneva as a venue.

President Joe Biden's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, said the United States was "fundamentally prepared for dialogue" and would coordinate closely with European allies.

"Russia has now put on the table its concerns with American and NATO activities; we're going to put on the table our concern with Russian activities that we think harm our interests and values," Sullivan said at the Council on Foreign Relations.

"That's the basis of reciprocity upon which you would pursue any kind of dialogue."

Another US official told reporters that the United States would respond "sometime next week" on a format for talks and said that Russia should already know that parts of the proposal will be "unacceptable" to Washington.

"If there is any further aggression against Ukraine, that will have massive, massive consequences and will carry a high price," the official said.

- 'Prevent incidents' -

The West says Moscow has readied some 100,000 troops near Ukraine, which has been battling a pro-Moscow insurgency in its east since 2014.

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Sullivan said the United States does not assess that President Vladimir Putin, who blames NATO for the rise in tensions, has made a decision on whether to invade.

The Russian draft document addressed to NATO says its members should "commit themselves to refrain from further enlargement, including the accession of Ukraine as well as other states".

It also insists that alliance members not conduct military activity in Ukraine or other countries in Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

Moscow and NATO, the document said, should limit the deployment of missiles, set up an emergency telephone hotline and also work to "prevent incidents" in the Baltics and the Black Sea.

The draft said Washington should block NATO membership of any former Soviet country -- a reference to Ukraine as well as Georgia, which have both infuriated Moscow after Western tilts.

The United States and European countries have kept the door open but also made clear that Ukraine's membership in NATO is not on the cards, much to Kiev's annoyance.

- 'Impossible' demands -

In the draft, Russia said the United States should agree not to establish military bases in ex-Soviet states, including in Central Asia, which Moscow sees as its backyard and sphere of influence.

The United States leaned heavily on military facilities in ex-Soviet Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan to coordinate operations in Afghanistan, where it recently withdrew troops after two decades.

Political analyst Konstantin Kalachev described Russia's list of demands as "unrealistic and impossible" for the United States and NATO to meet.

These "spheres of influence are a thing of the past".

US President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva in June, with the two leaders agreeing to seek more stable relations, but Western powers have also stood firm on backing Ukraine amid the war that has claimed 13,000 lives since 2014.

Biden has warned Putin of "sanctions like he's never seen" if an offensive is launched.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in a call Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, vowed to use all "diplomatic and economic powers" to prevent any aggression by Moscow.

Washington helps train Ukrainian forces and has committed more than $2.5 billion to bolster a military that crumbled in the face of Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014.

A former KGB agent and loyal servant of the Soviet Union, Putin was dismayed when it fell apart, once calling the collapse "the greatest geopolitical disaster of the 20th century".

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The Kremlin has urged Western leaders to unfreeze Afghanistan's assets to fund humanitarian relief and avert an exodus of migrants to Europe fuelled by the Taliban's takeover.

The international community does not recognise the hardline Islamist group, which gained control of Afghanistan in August after foreign troops hastily withdrew from a two-decade deployment.

More than half of Afghanistan's 38 million people are facing food shortages, according to the United Nations, with the winter forcing millions to choose between migration and starvation.

Zamir Kabulov, the Kremlin's envoy to Afghanistan, said that Russia had warned the West its hold on assets and transfers could see thousands of Afghan families "run to Europe this winter".

"The West is afraid of migration flows," he told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

"So let's unfreeze Afghan money. We must do everything we can so there isn't any need for hundreds of thousands of Afghan families to leave the country."

Washington seized nearly $9.5 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank after the Taliban gained control of the country and the aid-dependent economy has effectively collapsed.

Russia since has voiced concerns over the proliferation of terror groups in the country, including the Islamic State group, and warned terror groups planned to infiltrate neighbouring ex-Soviet countries posing as refugees.

Kabulov has previously urged Western countries to engage with the Taliban and for the European Union to re-open its embassy in Afghanistan, warning the country was at risk of descending further into drug trafficking and terrorism.

jbr/emg/spm
Axios

In the race to save the Florida Reef, which stretches from the Dry Tortugas to Palm Beach, researchers have successfully reared and released nearly 200 long-spined sea urchins off the coast.The Florida Aquarium noted the collaborative project between its Center for Conservation, the University of Florida and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is considered the largest known restocking effort in the last 20 years.Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe
The official who interprets the Senate's rules said Thursday that Democrats can't include a provision in President Biden's social spending plan that would offer work permits to unauthorized immigrants, yet again thwarting Democratic efforts to pass a longstanding policy goal without Republican votes, according to guidance obtained by CBS News.

Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough said a plan to allow 6.5 million immigrants living in the U.S. without legal status to apply for work permits and protections from deportation could not be passed through the budget reconciliation process. The procedure allows bills to be approved by a simple majority of senators, rather than the 60-vote threshold needed to pass most legislation.

As parliamentarian, MacDonough is tasked with determining whether reconciliation proposals have a direct impact on the federal budget  a requirement for the procedure. She determined Democrats' latest proposal was not primarily related to the budget.

"These are substantial policy changes with lasting effects just like those we previously considered and outweigh the budgetary impact," MacDonough wrote in her opinion Thursday.

This is the third time MacDonough has ruled against Democrats' attempts to include an immigration relief provision for some of the country's estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the Build Back Better package that Democratic lawmakers hope to push through the evenly-split Senate in the next few weeks.

To the dismay of progressive activists, the rejected proposal would not have placed the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. without authorization on a pathway to permanent status and citizenship  a policy Democrats and Mr. Biden have advocated for.

But the plan to offer work authorization and deportation protections to a large segment of the undocumented population represented Democrats' clearest opportunity to pass some form of immigration relief before their razor-thin majority in Congress is threatened by the 2022 midterm elections.

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For weeks, progressive lawmakers and activists have urged senators to ignore the parliamentarian  and those calls intensified Thursday. But it is unclear whether the necessary number of Democratic senators would vote to overrule her guidance.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, center, joined by fellow House Democrats, attends a rally for immigration reform outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.. U.S., on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. / Credit: Bloomberg

In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and fellow Democratic senators Dick Durbin, Bob Menendez, Catherine Cortez Masto, Ben Ray Lujan and Alex Padilla criticized the parliamentarian's decision but did not commit to overruling her.

"We strongly disagree with the Senate parliamentarian's interpretation of our immigration proposal, and we will pursue every means to achieve a path to citizenship in the Build Back Better Act," the senators said.

Angelica Salas, the executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, urged Democratic lawmakers to disregard the parliamentarian's opinions and offer undocumented immigrants a pathway to U.S. citizenship through the spending package.

"Every single Democrat promised citizenship. They promised green cards and now they have the power in the House and they have the power in the Senate. And yes, it's by a slim margin, but they have the power," Salas, a former undocumented immigrant, told CBS News. "They are choosing not to use their political power on our behalf."

Earlier this fall, the parliamentarian ruled against Democratic proposals that would have made undocumented immigrants eligible to become permanent residents, saying the plans were not primarily budget related.

Under the latest plan, certain immigrants who have lived in the U.S. since 2011 would be eligible for parole, an immigration benefit that allows non-citizens to live and work in the country legally. Applicants for the temporary program, which would expire in 2031, could be rejected if they fail to pass background checks.

While parole does not provide a direct pathway to permanent U.S. status, it could allow approximately 3 million undocumented immigrants to apply for green cards if their immediate U.S. citizen family members are willing to sponsor them, according to a congressional estimate.

In her guidance on Thursday, MacDonough concluded the latest plan is "not much different in its effect than the previous proposals we have considered." She said the plan would offer undocumented immigrants work authorization, travel documents and other benefits. Some would also be allowed to apply for a green card after receiving parole, MacDonough noted.

The plan, she said, would expand the parole program, which is designed to be granted on a limited, case by case basis.

Other immigration provisions in the Build Back Better plan passed by House Democrats include an effort to recirculate nearly 400,000 green cards that went unused during the past three decades and make them available to immigrants waiting in line. The plan would reduce the massive green card application backlog.

Another provision would exempt eligible immigrants in the U.S. from annual immigrant visa caps and allow them to get a green card if their applications have been approved for two years.

Manchin's stance on child tax credit likely to stall Build Back Better into 2022

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Ice shelf on Antarctica's "doomsday glacier" could shatter in next 5 years, researchers warn
By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Southwest Chief Executive Gary Kelly tested positive for COVID-19 after appearing at a U.S. Senate hearing on Wednesday, the airline confirmed on Friday.

Kelly appeared at the Senate Commerce hearing with the CEOs of United Airlines and American Airlines as well as a senior Delta Air Lines executive and the head of a flight attendants union. Kelly drew attention at the hearing for questioning the health benefits of masks on airplanes.

Delta chief of operations John Laughter, United CEO Scott Kirby and American Airlines Doug Parker have all tested negative, the airlines said.

Southwest said that although he tested negative multiple times prior to the hearing, "Kelly tested positive for COVID-19 after returning home, experiencing mild symptoms, and taking a PCR test."

The airline said Kelly, who is fully vaccinated and received a booster, "is doing well and currently resting at home." It added his "symptoms continue to be mild, and each day he is moving closer to a full recovery."

Kelly is set to step down next year as chief executive.

Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, also tested negative, the union said late Friday. She said in a statement earlier Kelly advised her he tested positive "just as I was returning to work after getting the booster shot. I am following CDC protocols and will test several times within the 5-7 day recommended period, and before traveling with my family for the holidays."

Southwest confirmed Kelly's positive test after Reuters learned of it through other officials. Kelly tested positive Thursday and told other airlines of the positive test the same day, the officials said.

Kelly did not wear a mask during the hearing and questioned the health benefit of masks on airplanes.

"I think the case is very strong that masks don't add much if anything in the air cabin environment -- it's very safe, very high quality compared to any other indoor setting," Kelly said.

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Late Friday, Southwest released an email Kelly sent to employees that sought to clarify his comments, saying the airline supports the current federal mask mandate at airports and on airplanes: "There is no effort underway to change it before it expires ... The majority of our Employees and Customers have felt it has been an important layer of protection, and I certainly agree with that."

Earlier this month, the Biden administration extended the federal mandate on masks on airplanes and other transit modes through March 18.

Senate Commerce chair Maria Cantwell said Kelly's COVID-19 diagnosis "underscores the importance of everyone getting vaccinated and following health and safety protocol." Cantwell plans to get a COVID-19 test on Saturday, her office said.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle, Chizu Nomiyama, Timothy Heritage and Sonya Hepinstall)
After a two-year investigation, Moroccan national Fikri Amellah was arrested in a dawn raid on his Barcelona apartment on Tuesday (December 14) in a joint operation with French and Belgian police, the Guardia Civil police force said.

Another 16 people from the network were detained in Barcelona, Galicia and Andalusia. All but three of them have been remanded in custody.

Guardia Civil footage showed heavily armed officers breaking down doors in Barcelona and searching a luxury riverside apartment.
President Biden speaks at South Carolina State University's commencement ceremony on Friday. (Meg Kinnard/Associated Press)

President Biden said Friday that the battle is not over in his push for voting rights legislation even though little progress has been made on Capitol Hill.

Were going to keep up the fight until we get it done, he told the audience during his commencement speech at South Carolina State University, a historically Black school.

Biden did not say whether he favored changing filibuster rules to push forward the legislation with only Democratic lawmakers, but he blasted Republicans for changing voting rules at the state level.

This new sinister combination of voter suppression and election subversion is un-American, he said. And sadly its unprecedented since Reconstruction, he added, referring to laws enacted to restrict Black Americans from voting after a brief period of inclusion immediately after the Civil War.

Biden lingered on threats to democracy during his speech and said world leaders often bring up the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol in his conversations with them.

You know what they all ask me? Is America going to be all right? What about democracy in America? Biden said. Did you ever think you would be asked that question by another leader?

Biden said you can defeat hate, but you cant eliminate it, it just slides back under the rock. And when given oxygen by political leaders, it comes out as ugly and mean as it was before.

We cant give it any oxygen. We have to step on it. We have to respond to it, he added.

President Biden, left, helps present a diploma to U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, center, along with South Carolina State President Alexander Conyers, right. (Meg Kinnard / Associated Press)

Biden was introduced by Rep. James Clyburn, an influential Democrat who graduated from South Carolina State. Clyburn helped Biden salvage his candidacy in last years primary, and the South Carolina lawmaker recalled his wife's words to him before her death in 2019: If we want to succeed in this upcoming election, we had better nominate Joe Biden.

What she said to me that night stayed in my mind, he said. I followed her directions just I had for the 58 years that we were married.

Clyburn's endorsement would become key in turning the tide for Biden's candidacy.

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Clyburn never participated in a graduation ceremony when he received his degree six decades ago, and he had an idea when he was invited back for this years ceremony.

I think it would be great to get my degree from the president of the United States, Joe Biden, he recalled telling Cedric Richmond, a former congressman who now works in the White House.

Biden agreed to deliver the commencement speech, which took place in a campus auditorium.

I see HBCU excellence every single day in my administration, he said. Vice President Kamala Harris, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and Richmond all graduated from historically Black schools.

Addressing the graduates, Biden said, Im here to congratulate you, but also let you know  and this is not hyperbole  that your country is counting on you.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Spider-Man. Illustrated | Sony Pictures, iStock

When Spider-Man was adapted for the big screen for the third time in 15 years as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, nearly every creative decision seemed driven by one goal: ensuring that the new series wouldn't repeat what prior entries did. In fact, Tom Holland's first solo outing as Spider-Man in 2017's Homecoming skipped many recognizable beats of those previous films, not depicting the character's tragic origin story and omitting references to the quotable Uncle Ben. Heck, it didn't even feature any scenes of Peter Parker swinging across skyscrapers in Manhattan.

Clearly, a lot can change in four years. Holland's Spider-Man trilogy comes to a close on Friday with the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and for a series once so concerned with not revisiting the franchise's past, a large part of it involves, well, revisiting the franchise's past. No Way Home connects three previously unconnected film universes, giving Spider-Man the sort of crossover finale Avengers: Endgame provided the MCU as a whole.

It might just sound like a nostalgia trip, and the movie does have quite a bit of that  but this, thankfully, isn't all that's offered. Holland's strong performance, an emotional central narrative, and the relationships driving the series help keep No Way Home more satisfying than not.

No Way Home picks up directly after Far From Home's shocking cliffhanger: Peter Parker has been outed as Spider-Man and falsely accused of murder. The film's frantic opening sequences explore the paranoia and chaos this brings, wreaking destruction on the lives of everyone around Peter. These early scenes are some of the movie's most compelling, not only because they delve into new territory for a Spider-Man movie by exposing Peter's identity but because they keep things focused on how this affects the problems of an average teenager  in this case, graduating high school and trying to maintain relationships with his girlfriend, MJ (Zendaya), and best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalon), as they head to college. One surprisingly heart-breaking sequence sees the three planning their futures in Massachusetts together, only for them to be rejected from MIT because of the public's hatred for Spider-Man.

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That leads the story to expand as Peter convinces Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a spell that will make the world forget he's Spider-Man. It goes horribly wrong and results in five iconic villains from past Spider-Man films, dating back to 2002's Spider-Man, to enter the picture: the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx), the Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), and the Lizard (Rhys Ifans).

At its worst, No Way Home caters too explicitly to viewers' nostalgia for the villains' original appearances. In one or two cases, they even repeat, word-for-word, exact lines from prior films  a wearying bit of fan service. But despite these callbacks, No Way Home generally looks for new things to do with the old characters, reveling in the fresh dynamics created by bringing them all together. The differences between their worlds are used, for example, to comment on the franchise's history in hilarious and creative ways, unexpectedly birthing some of the funniest moments of any MCU film.

The film also ensures the returning villains are here to service Peter's story, rather than just be winkingly self-referential. A big part of Peter's arc this time involves the movie's most surprising choice: applying the Spider-Man philosophy of "with great power comes great responsibility" to the franchise's antagonists. If Peter has a responsibility to help those around him, the film asks, does that not also include doing everything he can to help the villains, rather than just sending them back to their universes to die? It requires Peter to make a few puzzling decisions  such as inviting a group of multiversal villains back to the place he's currently living. But that angle is still a unique direction to take the characters  as opposed to a pure retread of how we've seen them utilized before  and it would work even if these villains weren't ones we recognized.

As No Way Home goes along, its emphasis on fan service grows more and more prominent, and in the truly wild third act, viewers will see things they could only have dreamed of happening in a Spider-Man movie. Plots from pre-Holland films that once seemed like they'd be abandoned forever even receive satisfying resolutions.

But No Way Home can get carried away here and there, losing some focus as a result. Certain moments are blatantly designed to generate big reactions on opening night, as if Marvel is trying to engineer more viral videos like the ones of audiences losing their minds when Captain America picked up Thor's hammer in Avengers: Endgame. While moments like these are fun crowd-pleasers, some exist largely because Spider-Man fans want to see them  not because they actually have a huge amount of relevance to this story.

But these bits don't completely overtake the film, and No Way Home ends up sticking the landing in a big way. Fan favorites are, in the end, used to drive home an affecting lesson that feels appropriate to their characters and which help justify their involvement. The movie also circles back to the trilogy's heart: the heroic spirit driving Peter Parker to be Spider-Man, and his relationship with his friends.

If No Way Home's only moments worth talking about were those that referenced past films, it would be fun but forgettable. But some of its most memorable, tear-jerking scenes don't have anything to do with the returning characters at all. Holland delivers what is by far his most impressive performance yet as the web-slinger during the film's powerful closing stretch.

Of course, this won't be Marvel's last time delving head-first into the multiverse. The studio's next film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is also expected to be something of a crossover event featuring the return of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) after WandaVision  and fans are already in a frenzy about what other surprise characters could show up. It remains a serious risk that a growing emphasis on cameos and nostalgia will eventually bring down one of Marvel's future blockbusters, as fan service and callbacks become all there really is to see. But with No Way Home, we're not there yet.

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A 12-member federal jury found the chair of the Florida Board of Education not guilty Thursday of a charge of illegally excavating his oceanfront Florida Keys property in 2017.

Thomas Grady, 63, has maintained his innocence ever since he turned himself in to federal authorities in October. His attorney, David Oscar Markus, said Friday that the case was politically motivated and never should have been brought.

They tried to bully him into pleading guilty, but he had the courage to stand up, which very few folks  even innocent people  have. They went so far as to threaten him with additional charges and jail time if he would not agree to pre-trial diversion, Markus said in an email to the Herald. People wonder why 98% of defendants plead guilty. Its not because 98% of defendants are guilty. Its because the government acts as a bully.

State Board of Education Chair Thomas Grady

The U.S. Attorneys Office declined to comment on the verdict.

Faced one count

Grady was facing one count of violating the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. He was accused of excavating a channel outside of his lot in Islamorada without approval of the Army Corps of Engineers.

Markus, who tried the case with his law partner Margot Moss, said their client had all the proper federal, state and local approval to proceed with the project.

The jury quickly rejected the charge after Gradys contractor said on cross examination that both he and Mr. Grady believed in good faith they had all the proper permits, Markus said.

The property in question is located on the Old Highway in the Village of Islamorada. The 1,377-square-foot home at 87429 Old Hwy. sits on a 2.85-acre lot and is one of several oceanfront mansions lining the road.

Its not clear if Grady still owns the house. It was sold in September 2018 for $4.1 million, according to the Monroe County Property Appraisers website.

Refused offer of pretrial diversion

If convicted, Grady faced a possible sentence of up to one year in prison. Markus said prosecutors offered him pretrial diversion, meaning the case would be dismissed after a certain time period if Grady admitted that he committed the offense and then would pay a fine.

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He refused this offer because he said that it would be wrong to admit to something he didnt do even if it would make the case go away, Markus and Moss said in a statement.

Grady is a Naples-area securities attorney and a former one-term Republican state representative. He was appointed to the State Board of Education by then-Gov. Rick Scott in 2015.

He was also interim president of Floridas state-run Citizens Property Insurance in 2012 and commissioner of the Office of Financial Regulation in 2011, stepping down a year later to head Citizens.

Over the summer, he was at the center of Gov. Ron DeSantis clash with several Florida school boards, including Miami-Dades and Browards, over their mask mandates for students to stop the spread of COVID-19 on campuses.

The state board backed Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcorans plan to sanction school districts that defied DeSantis ban on schools mandating students wear masks.
Regulators on Thursday turned down Arlington International Racecourses request to operate off-track betting parlors in Illinois next year, citing its shutdown of live horse racing at the track.

The Illinois Racing Board voted 5-5 on whether to issue Arlington a license to operate OTB facilities, meaning that the request was rejected.

The owner of Arlington, Churchill Downs Inc., announced this year that it had a preliminary agreement to sell the 326-acre site in Arlington Heights to the Chicago Bears for $197 million.

Officials at Hawthorne Racecourse in west suburban Stickney proposed that they could take over the betting sites, though that could require closing some of its current sites, or a change in state law to raise the maximum number of sites it is allowed.

Racing board staff had recommended approving Arlingtons license. They said Arlington was legally eligible, and that the board had set precedent by allowing Arlington to run off-track betting when it was closed in 1998 and 1999, and likewise for Balmoral and Maywood in 2016.

Opponents, including the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemens Association, argued that Arlington was legally prohibited from operating off-track betting since it wasnt conducting live racing, and that it wasnt in the best interests of the sport or the public.

Board member Alan Henry called it common sense that the state would not authorize Arlingtons operator, Churchill Downs Inc., to make money from racing at other tracks, after shutting downs its own racing.

Its now time for this board and this state to move on from Churchill Downs, Henry said.

The decision could affect revenue that is shared with other tracks, horse owners, trainers and jockeys throughout the state. Arlington President Tony Petrillo estimated that if the sites closed, it would jeopardize $2 million to $3 million in gross commissions and race prize money for Hawthorne, and about $300,000 in revenue for Arlington.

For decades, Arlington and horse racing officials had asked state lawmakers to allow them to open casinos at the tracks. Legislators allowed that in 2019, but Churchill Downs had since bought into ownership of nearby Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, and officials said the extra taxes theyd have to pay at the track made it financially unattractive.

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Churchill Downs decided against opening a casino at Arlington and instead closed the track in September. Officials chose not to seek live racing for next year, saying they were in preparations for the Bears sale, though that likely would not be finalized until 2022 or 2023.

The president and chief operating officer of Churchill Downs, Bill Mudd, said the company was looking for another site in Illinois where it could hold live racing, but would not specify any potential locations. He noted that the two remaining tracks in the state, Hawthorne and Fairmount, despite plans to open racinos, have not done so in the two years since the law allowed it.

The racing board did allow Churchill Downs to continue its online advance deposit wagering under a new contract with Fairmount Park in downstate Collinsville.

Arlington previously listed nine off-track betting sites on its webpage, but has since reduced that to sites at the track in Arlington Heights, and in Green Oaks, Hodgkins, Villa Park, Chicago and Rockford.

Board members who voted against Arlingtons off-track betting were Chairman Daniel Beiser, Alan Henry, Beth Doria, Benjamin Reyes and John Stephan.

Board members who voted to allowed the license, without explanation, were Leslie Breuer, Marcus Davis, Charles MacKelvie, Leslye Sandberg, and Lydia Gray.
The state will study whether Rocklanders would be better off having their water supply managed by municipalities rather than the corporation that now serves about 300,000 out of some 329,000 county residents.

The decision was part of the Public Service Commission's approval of SUEZ New York's merger with Veolia North America.

The PSC's blessing for the merger was expected. But the study was not.

"I was surprised that they approved the feasibility study at all," said Susan Shapiro, an environmental attorney and member of the Rockland Water Study Committee, which drew more than 1,000 signatures on a petition to the governor for such a study.

The study is due by the end of June 2022.

Company spokesman Bill Madden said the approved merger is a victory for Rockland residents and will help support improvements throughout the system.

Susan Shapiro, Esq. and Terri Thal, Rockland County water activists, are pictured near the Lake DeForest Dam in West Nyack, Oct. 28, 2021.

SUEZ will cooperate with the PSC study, Madden said, but added that municipalization of the water system "is clearly not in the best interests of our customers."

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"Those who advocate for a study ignore the commitment of our dedicated employees who work hard every day to deliver safe and reliable water service," Madden said. He also said advocates weren't revealing the "true costs" of switching to a municipal system.

Members of the Rockland Water Coalition say there are other costs beyond money.

"A public water system is much more in the public interest," Shapiro said.

Rockland Water Coalition member Peggy Kurtz pointed out that a municipal system would have access to public grants to tackle dangerous levels of PFAS that have been found in Rockland's water supply.

More than 100 residents and public officials, including County Executive Ed Day and Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski, wrote to the PSC in support of a feasibility study.

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Heavy rains raise the level of Lake Deforest in West Nyack on Thursday, September 2, 2021.

"One thing is for sure, we have the highest water rates in the state and they are unaffordable for Rocklanders," said Zebrowski, whose district includes the company's West Nyack headquarters, including its Lake DeForest dam.

A 2017 study by the New York State Comptroller's office showed that Rockland's SUEZ customers paid significantly higher water rates compared to other localities in the state.

The second highest rates were in Nassau County, which decided this year to move to a municipal water supply system after a similar PSC feasibility study.

Limited supply, growing demand

Water quantity and quality have long been issues in a county that is among the fastest growing in the state.

According to U.S. Census figures, Rockland's overall population increased by 8.5% between 2010 and 2020. Overdevelopment continues to be a concern in Rockland.

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Shapiro said for corporations like SUEZ or Veolia, "their interest is more customers, more profits." A corporation, Shapiro said, is motivated to pledge supply for projects "willy-nilly" rather than study the true capacity limits.

Meanwhile, the PSC is investigating reports of low water pressure at Suez-supplied hydrants that volunteer firefighters say handcuffed their response to a Spring Valley fire in March 2020 that killed a volunteer firefighter and resident of an adult home.

All of Rockland County's water comes from within its borders. "We have a unique situation," Shapiro said, that demands careful stewardship.

Shapiro and other members of the Rockland Water Coalition point to the company's plan to tap, treat and desalinate the Hudson River that the PSC shelved in 2015 after reassessing Rockland's water situation and finding that some data supplied by the company was faulty.

A water tank located at the Lake DeForest reservoir.

Meanwhile, ratepayers continue to pay for tens of millions of dollars invested SUEZ invested in the project.

The SUEZ merger with Veolia North America impacts water systems in Rockland, Westchester, Tioga, Putnam, and Orange counties that serve about 500,000 New Yorkers.

Meanwhile, a municipality can still move to take over water systems, the PSC decision states, "either by negotiation or by eminent domain proceedings."

Nancy Cutler writes about People & Policy. Click here for her latest stories. Follow her on Twitter at @nancyrockland.

Get all the Rockland news delivered to your inbox. Subscribe to the Rockland Angle, our newsletter that addresses what's happening and how it impacts the county. Click here for more information.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New York to study if Rockland needs a municipal water system
Hamilton High School in Sussex as seen on Saturday, March 27, 2021.

The Hamilton School District in Sussex closed Friday as authorities could not determine whether there was any credible threat behind posts made by local students on social media, school district officials said Thursday night.

Denise Dorn Lindberg, public information coordinator for Hamilton School District, said administrators were unsure whether the posts were related to viral nationwide TikTok posts about shooting and bomb threats at schools Friday. Authorities had not actually found credible threats on TikTok.

In a message shared with families Thursday night, Hamilton School District Superintendent Paul Mielke said a district high school student had taken a screenshot of an "inappropriate photo" and shared it on Snapchat. Another district student reposted it and added a "careless message that was intended to add humor," Mielke said.

After seeing the posts, administrators alerted local law enforcement officials, who then interviewed the students in their homes, Mielke said in the message. As of 9:45 p.m., authorities could not "guarantee that the threat was not credible," Mielke said.

"We also wanted to give families more time to make arrangements for childcare, if needed," Mielke wrote. "Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, students and staff will not have school tomorrow at any of our schools."

The investigation is ongoing, Dorn Lindberg said.

"It was a difficult decision and one that was not made lightly," Dorn Lindberg said.

Contact Rory Linnane at rory.linnane@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @RoryLinnane.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sussex Hamilton schools close Friday due to students' social media posts
TAUNTON  A Taunton High School employee accused of using a racial slur directed at a student has been placed on leave, Superintendent John Cabral said in a written statement Friday.

"Last night, I was made aware of an incident this fall in which a staff member at Taunton High School allegedly used a racial slur in remarks toward a student," Cabral said.

Cabral said upon learning of the incident Thursday night, he ordered the launch of an investigation.

"Taunton High School Interim Principal Scott Holcomb yesterday became aware of an incident in the past month in which a non-teaching staff member allegedly used a racial slur in remarks with a Taunton High School student," Cabral said Friday.

"Principal Holcomb immediately reported this information to me, and a district-level investigation was initiated," Cabral said.

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The staff member who is accused of using the racial slur has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, Cabral said.

Cabral said the school district is considering hiring an outside consultant to conduct an "independent administrative review" in addition to the district's current investigation.

The consultant would be asked to provide a "holistic third-party timeline" of events and analyze the district's policies to help guide the district moving forward.

"There is no place for racially insensitive language in the Taunton Public Schools. I take all allegations of this nature seriously and am committed to conducting a full and thorough review," Cabral said.

"A core value of the Taunton Public Schools is to foster an environment at all of our schools that is accepting and inclusive of its community members. We have worked hard to promote a progressive and inclusive school system, and our efforts will be undeterred."

Cabral said updates regarding the allegation that a staff member used a racial slur will be provided pending the outcome of the investigation.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton High School: Employee accused of using racial slur
FIRST ON FOX: A U.S. District Court has granted the state of Texas an injunction against the Biden administrations move to require healthcare workers to be vaccinated.

The ruling in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas Amarillo Division issued Wednesday granted Texas a preliminary injunction against a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rule mandating healthcare workers in facilities who are federally funded by Medicare and Medicaid to take the coronavirus vaccine.

LONGWOOD, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES - 2021/08/09: A nurse gives a girl a dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a COVID-19 vaccine. (Photo by Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

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"A federal agency has no power to act absent Congressional power conferring it such authority," the ruling from Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee, reads. "The APA requires courts to hold unlawful and set aside agency action found to be in excess of statutory jurisdiction, authority, or limitations, or short of statutory right. 5 U.S.C.  706(2)(A), (C). Therefore, to permit an agency to expand its power in the face of a congressional limitation on its jurisdiction would be to grant the agency power to override Congress."

The ruling states that Bidens HHS justified the vaccine mandate using sections of the Social Security act that dont pertain to vaccines.

"Sections 1102 and 1871 of the SSA give the HHS Secretary authority to make rules to ensure the efficient administration of programs of the functions with which each is charged and as may be necessary to carry out the administration of the insurance programs 42 U.S.C.  1302; 42 U.S.C.  1395hh," the ruling says. "However, in neither statutory provision did Congress speak directly to the precise question at issue. Defendants rely upon sections that do not mention vaccines, let alone health or safety."

Ken Paxton, Texas attorney general, speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas, U.S., on Sunday, July 11, 2021. The three-day conference is titled "America UnCanceled." Photographer: Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty Images Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty Images

TEXAS GOVERNOR ABBOTT REFUSES PENTAGON VACCINE MANDATE: 'HAVE ONLY PRESIDENT BIDEN TO BLAME'

"Mandating facility standards is drastically different from mandating who a healthcare provider hires or fires," the ruling adds.

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Healthcare workers losing their jobs over the coronavirus vaccine was the basis for filing the lawsuit in the first place, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says.

"The impetus was protecting those involved in health care related to Medicaid and Medicare funding, so they wouldnt have to make a choice with a gun to their head deciding between their jobs and their health," Paxton told Fox News following the ruling.

Paxton says the decision to be vaccinated should be between people and their doctors and not dictated by the federal government.

The court victory for Texas hands the Biden administration the latest in a string of losses in its attempt to implement vaccine mandates in workplaces across the country.

Last month, Bidens Department of Justice said it will "vigorously defend" the guidelines laid out by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) aimed at enforcing vaccine requirements on all businesses with 100 employees after the plan was blocked by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said last week that the administration remains "confident" in its ability to legally enforce the mandates across the country.

"The reason they think they're fundamentally sound is because they dont view following federal law as a requirement for them," Paxton told Fox News. "They think that because hes president they dont have to follow the law. Well, thats the way the Constitution was set up if they pass a law we all have to follow it so he is subject to the same laws as everybody else."

Paxton continued, "He cant just say look heres the federal law Im just going to change it. Thats how monarchies work in communist countries but free countries have checks and balances and the legislature with elected representatives pass those laws. He has to follow those laws he cant just change them. Many other countries do operate the way hes trying to operate but not here in America."
FRANKLIN  A woman is dead, with authorities saying her estranged husband was expected to be arraigned Friday on a murder charge.

Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey said Shirley Owen, 49, died Friday morning of apparent blunt force trauma at her 11 Grace Lane home. Her husband, Brendon Owen, 47, of East Bridgewater, was arrested in the driveway of the home when he tried to get away.

The incident began sometime after 7 a.m. Shirley Owens mother was able to get out of the home and went to a neighbors house to call 911 at 7:39 a.m.

She said there was an active domestic violence situation that may involve blunt force objects, Morrissey said.

'Incredibly egregious': Ex-husband charged with Shirley Owen's death, burning Franklin home

Firefighters and police on the scene following a domestic incident and fire at 11 Grace Lane in Franklin, Dec. 17, 2021.

Police arrived at the home within 5 minutes and saw evidence the house was on fire. At the time, they saw Brendon Owen about to leave. He turned and left from a different door, where he encountered another Franklin police officer. Police had to shock him with a Taser to take him into custody, Morrissey said.

At the time, the victims mother and the neighbor said Shirley Owen was still inside the burning home. Officers went in and found her in a space in the home between the main home and the garage, possibly a breezeway, Morrissey said.

She was unresponsive, he said. She had clear evidence of blunt force trauma. The officers attempted to treat her, but she was declared dead at the scene.

Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrisey speaks Friday during a press conference outside Franklin Police Headquarters following a fatal fire at 11 Grace Lane.

By the time the Fire Department began to fight the fire, the house was fully involved. The Fire Department said the house is likely a total loss.

Police Chief Thomas Lynch said there had been ongoing issues with the Owen family and there was an open restraining order in Wrentham District Court.

Theres a history, he said. For the past seven years, weve been there off and on, not as much as the past couple of years.

Two children were not home on Friday morning. Authorities said they are safe.

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Brendon Owen was expected to be arraigned Friday in Wrentham District Court. Morrrissey said he did not know the exact charges, but said he expects murder to be among them.

Lynch said the community remains among the safest in the state.

Its as safe as it was any other day, he said. It was an isolated incident. It was a domestic situation where they knew each other.

Morrissey pointed out that the holiday season always sees an uptick in domestic violence incidents.

Franklin Police Chief Thomas Lynch and Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrisey speak during a press conference Friday outside Franklin Police Headquarters after a fatal fire earlier in the day at 11 Grace Lane.

Its always been difficult this time of year, emotions are running high, he said. We want people to know there are a lot of resources out there to help.

According to Toni K. Troop, a spokesperson for Jane Doe Inc. in Boston, the Franklin incident represents the 14th person killed related to domestic violence in Massachusetts this year.

Troop said if someone is concerned about a loved one, they can watch for signs of abuse such as being isolated or physical injuries.

Reaching out and asking someone if they need any help can be their lifeline, said Troop. It shows that theyre not alone, which is a big thing.

Resources for those in need: Domestic violence incidents increase during the holidays: Here's how you can help a victim

Multimedia journalist Lauren Young contributed to this report.

Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow Norman Miller on Twitter @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.

This article originally appeared on The Milford Daily News: Franklin: Grace Lane fire and death of Shirley Owen being investigated
UPPER PENINSULA  The windstorm that occurred in the Midwest earlier this week left thousands of Upper Peninsula residents without power for days.

The National Weather Service Gaylord Office warned Michiganders of wind gusts of 45 to 60 miles per hour Thursday night through the overnight hours. A high wind warning was issued from the U.S. National Weather Service, which extended from 10 p.m. Wednesday to 8 p.m. Thursday. This warning advised residents of gusts up to 60 miles per hour.

The severe storm system that moved through the Midwest caused power outages for one-third of Cloverland Electric Cooperatives membership across its Eastern Upper Peninsula service territory. Cloverland Electric Cooperative reported its first couple hundred outages at 10:45 p.m. Wednesday night. However, at 10 a.m. on Thursday, there were close to 10,000 outages across 200 different locations.

Cloverland crews across five divisions work to restore power.

We know that going without power is extremely difficult, particularly overnight with no exact certainty of restoration times, said Cloverland President and CEO Mike Heise in a press release. We appreciate the understanding of our members and their patience, understanding and support for our crews working tirelessly in harsh weather conditions.

The severe storm system that moved through the Midwest caused power outages for one-third of Cloverland Electric Cooperatives membership across its Eastern Upper Peninsula service territory.

All Cloverland crews across five divisions worked to restore power following the storm. One mutual aid crew has been secured to assist with restoration efforts. Crews worked around the clock to address broken poles and trees on power lines.

From Wednesday evening to Friday morning, line crews had restored over 21,000 outages. As of 8 a.m. on Thursday, crews continued to tackle 5,500 outages in more than 150 locations.

Across the state, tens of thousands of outages were reported following the severe storm.

More: Thousands experience outages in Northern Michigan after wind event

More: High winds take out Michigan power lines, just days after crews finished restoring them

Storm recovery becomes lengthy when it is especially difficult to get additional help from mutual aid when the storm system hit the entire Midwest, said Cloverlands director of operations Paul Warner in a press release. All utilities are in the same circumstance, so well rely on our dedicated line crews to get the job done.

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From Wednesday evening to Friday morning, line crews had restored over 21,000 outages.

Jeff Lutz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office near Gaylord, said the storm was caused by an area of low pressure moving out of eastern Colorado. The low pressure produced strong winds and helped produce a strong cold front that created severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in Iowa and Wisconsin. As the low moved north into western Lake Superior, the warm front moved through the Sault area, producing rain showers and 20 to 30 mile-per-hour wind with gusts to 45 miles per hour overnight.

Once the low moved north of Lake Superior, the cold front moved in from Wisconsin and began to produce strong winds across Eastern Upper and Northern Lower Michigan, said Lutz in an email. This also had the effect of smoke from Kansas being trapped in the lowest levels of the atmosphere, roughly between the surface and 5,000 feet, and pushed northeast toward Michigan. Due to the low-pressure center being closer to Eastern Upper Michigan, the wind gusts were high, but not as high downstate. As you approach the center of low pressure, the change in pressure, which is what drives the wind, begins to lessen, and so do the winds.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center, Wednesday set the record for the most number of hurricane-force thunderstorm wind gusts in a day since 2004. Hurricane-force thunderstorm wind gusts are gusts 75 miles per hour and over and there were at least 55 recorded that day. The previous record was from Aug. 10, 2020, with 53.

Cloverland Electric reminded the public to stay clear of downed power lines and report them by calling 1-800-562-4953 or local law enforcement agencies. Cloverland encouraged members with internet access or mobile data to stay tuned to www.cloverland.com and Cloverland Electrics Facebook page for the latest updates on outages and restoration efforts.

Crews work around the clock to address broken poles and trees on power lines.

 Contact News Reporter Taylor Worsham at tworsham@sooeveningnews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Thousands of Upper Peninsula residents without power after wind storm
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Some parents kept their children home, police stepped up patrols and educators tightened security protocols Friday in response to viral TikTok posts alluding to unconfirmed threats of violence that raised anxiety levels at schools nationwide.

Vickie Cartwright, the interim superintendent of schools in Broward County, Florida, one of the nations largest school districts, said the U.S. government should take action if TikTok wont get rid of dangerous posts that hurt American schools.

"Im asking for our federal government at this point in time to intervene. We need help. I cannot fathom that any other country would allow this type of attack to be occurring on their education system, she said.

With stress levels already soaring from the effects of the pandemic and a rash of hoax threats following a deadly school shooting in Michigan on Nov. 30, districts said they were taking precautions out of an abundance of caution.

The posts circulating online said schools would face shooting and bomb threats Friday. In a tweet, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it did not have any information indicating any specific, credible threats to schools but recommends communities remain alert.

Some districts opted to cancel classes for the day or limit where students could go inside school buildings. Many others increased security staffing. More than a half dozen school districts in the Houston area told middle and high school students to leave their backpacks at home Friday in response to the TikTok posts, though none of the districts had received credible threats, officials said.

TikTok has been deleting posts spreading misinformation that is generally sparking alarming warnings but is not finding posts that are promoting violence or making threats, company spokesperson Hilary McQuaide said.

We are removing the alarmist warnings, she said. Those are misinformation.

McQuaide said the company began hearing the rumors late Wednesday and has been working with law enforcement agencies to try to get to the bottom of them.

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The post most widely associated with Fridays fears is not really a threat, its just saying they are hearing this thing is happening, said Justin Patchin, a criminal justice professor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center.

How to respond to that presents a dilemma both to TikTok and educators, especially since many of the previous panics about TikTok challenges have proven to be bogus and acknowledging them can make them more influential.

It definitely puts schools in a tough spot, said Patchin, whose center has worked with TikTok and other social media companies in the past to research online bullying. There are these potential threats they cant ignore but they also cant shut down schools every time someone posts a generalized threat on social media.

Educators have been on edge in many places since the deadly shooting in Michigan as copycat threats have led to isolated cases of schools switching to remote learning over the last several weeks.

In Newtown, Connecticut, all schools were open Friday, with an increased police presence. District schools had switched to remote learning Tuesday, the ninth anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, due in part to threats that schools elsewhere were receiving in the aftermath of the Michigan shooting.

In Michigan, West Bloomfield schools went remote for the entire week after a social media threat prompted a lockdown Monday. The 14-year-old daughter of Julia Anderson Pulver texted her saying it was probably nothing but "theres still a little voice in the back of my head saying youre gonna die.

I was very pleased they wanted to ensure the mental health of our students and teachers and staff because they didnt want us to come back and then go through a similar lockdown because a new threat came in and repeatedly traumatize everyone, Pulver said.

As her 15-year-old son studied for his big algebra test, word of vague threats of school violence on TikTok prompted Kelley Swiney to quiz the freshman about other calculations: Whats your fastest exit from that classroom? Where would you run? Do you feel safe going to school Friday?

Swiney, a mom of three school-age boys in Upper Arlington, Ohio, said shed had a similar conversation with him and her middle son, a sixth-grader, after the recent school shooting in Michigan. She asked them to take a few seconds in each classroom they enter to think about where they could hide and how they could get out.

She told her son that if he felt truly unsafe  not just trying to skip the test or the last day before holiday break  he could stay home Friday, even if it meant a failing grade.

I think its really pretty depressing that we live in a world where I have to have that conversation with my child, Swiney said.

On Friday morning, he felt comfortable enough to head to school for the exam, and by midday he was safely back home.

___

O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island. Associated Press writer Anna Liz Nichols in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report.
Top Trump administration officials pushed for the government to adopt a dangerous herd immunity strategy that would have encouraged Americans to contract and spread Covid-19 at the height of the pandemic in 2020, a new report from the House coronavirus select committee has found.

According to a year-end interim report by the House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis, Dr Scott Atlas  a radiologist with no infectious disease expertise who former president Donald Trump recruited to the White House after seeing him on Fox News  pushed for the strategy by arranging a meeting between Mr Trump and a group of epidemiologists who were in favour of letting the virus spread with relatively little control in August 2020.

According to testimony from former White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr Deborah Birx, Dr Atlas plan called for most Americans to be allowed and actually encouraged to get the virus and spread the virus.

Mr Trump was enamoured enough with the plan to agree to a 26 August 2020 meeting with Drs Jay Bhattacharya, Martin Kulldorff, and Sunetra Gupta, who in October would author the Great Barrington Declaration, a statement advocating focused protection of persons at the most risk of harm from Covid-19 while eschewing the mitigation measures used in most countries before the advent of Covid-19 vaccines, such as masks and physical distancing.

The governments top medical experts recoiled from the idea of Mr Trump meeting with the trio of herd immunity advocates. In an email released by the committee, Dr Birx replied to an email advising officials of remarks Mr Trump would make at the event by writing that it would be best if the event went on without her.

In a subsequent email, Dr Birx added that she could not be part of this with these people who believe in herd immunity and believe we are fine with only protecting the 1.5 million Americans in [long-term care facilities] and not the 80 million-plus with comorbidities in the population.

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These are people who believe that all the curves are predetermined and mitigation is irrelevant  they are a fringe group without grounding in epidemics, public health or on the ground experience, she wrote.

Most reputable medical experts agree with the sentiments expressed by Dr Birx, and have rejected the focused protection approach laid out in the declaration as unscientific and risky. In a 9 October article posted on the Academy of Medical Sciences website, academy president Sir Robert Lecher called the approach to the pandemic unethical and simply not possible.

In her deposition before the committee, Dr Birx said the concepts championed by Dr Atlas theoretically can be outlined on a piece of paper, but in practice most of the most vulnerable were living in multigenerational homes or with essential workers, and therefore difficult to isolate.

There was no way to isolate the vulnerable family member from the other family members. So theoretically you could talk about protecting the vulnerable, but in my mind the only way to truly protect the vulnerable that were  and this could be also because I have a multigenerational household, so I understand the constant risk of the working individuals exposure and coming home every night to the household  and so his conceptual framework, although theoretic and possible on paper to make statements about protecting the most vulnerable in the United States, it was not implementable, she said.
On the morning of Aug. 30, 2019, then-President Donald Trump was receiving his daily intelligence briefing with a a select group of senior national security officials, including CIA Director Gina Haspel, national security adviser John Bolton and other top aides.

U.S. officials at the meeting were delighted. The previous day, Iran had attempted to launch a satellite into space, but the launch had failed spectacularly, with the rocket exploding on the pad.

Included in that mornings briefing materials was a classified image, taken by satellite, of the botched rocket launch, showing extensive damage to the site.

The president was taken by the image. Trump thought this was very neat, and asked if he could keep it, said a former Trump administration official. And after some hesitation, the intelligence briefer said, 'Yes.'"

Officials had been nervous about leaving the image with the president, according to the former official, who attended the meeting. Gina [and other intelligence officials] may have said something like, Well, dont do anything with it, dont show it to anybody. But I think he just blew them off. He said, I just want to look at the picture.

About an hour later, Trump tweeted the picture.

Then-President Donald Trump in June 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Some officials worried that Trumps decision to release the image compromised a key U.S. spy capability, potentially giving Iran a leg up in concealing its nuclear and missile programs. Now, with the U.S. and Iran embroiled in contentious indirect negotiations over salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal, from which the Trump administration withdrew in 2018 and Iran appearing to prepare for another satellite launch, officials and experts are still split on the fallout from Trumps move.

Any effort the U.S. or our allies are taking to disrupt or monitor Iranian satellite launches should have been held in the utmost secrecy, said Michael Mulroy, who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East from 2017 to late 2019.

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The same technology used to propel satellites into orbit can be used to develop ballistic missiles, so top U.S. officials kept a close eye on these launches, worried that Tehran was aiming to develop weapons  including, in the future, nuclear ones  that could strike anywhere on Earth.

Iran is closer to a nuclear weapon than it was while in the [2015] agreement, says Mulroy. By some estimates, they could have one in a matter of months. This makes their efforts to develop a delivery system even more important.

But during the Trump presidency, officials had difficulty getting the presidents attention on the subject. It was simply not something, despite repeated efforts, I could get Trump to focus on strategically, wrote Bolton in The Room Where It Happened, an account of his time in the Trump administration.

One thing is certain: President Trumps decision to release the classified image was anything but conventional. Trump could not attach the photo to a tweet digitally, since the electronic devices some use to access their classified daily intelligence briefs are cut off from the open Internet. So Trump had an aide take a photo of the picture from the hard copy of Trumps daily brief and post it online, according to the former Trump administration official.

Trump's move seemed designed to mock the Iranians and raise the specter of U.S. sabotage. The United States of America was not involved in the catastrophic accident during final launch preparations for the Safir SLV Launch at Semnan Launch Site One in Iran. I wish Iran best wishes and good luck in determining what happened at Site One, he tweeted in the text that accompanied the image.

U.S. presidents have unlimited authority to declassify information, but the decision to release this image from a U.S. spy satellite  without interagency discussion or first degrading the image quality, and on such an expedited timeline  was likely unprecedented, according to former officials. (Indeed, academic analysts, using commercially available imagery, had already exposed the failed launch before the presidents tweet.)

Michael Mulroy, former assistant secretary of defense for international security assistance. (Monica King/courtesy U.S. Army)

Although U.S. spy satellites orbital paths are widely known  to adversarial intelligence services, academic researchers and amateur astronomers alike  images from these satellites are generally highly classified, as they reveal the satellites precise resolution capabilities, which are superior to commercially available technology, according to former officials.

The intelligence community was extraordinarily unhappy that Trump released the image, said the former Trump administration official, adding that a senior intelligence official called him after the tweet asking what the f*** was going on at the White House.

The tweet of the image was incredibly stupid and ridiculous and damaging, said a former senior official at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the agency responsible for U.S. spy satellites.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence and National Reconnaissance Office did not return requests for comment.

Some Trump-era officials recall the presidents decision differently.

Trump brought up publishing the image at the morning intelligence meeting, said a former senior White House official who also attended the meeting. And while CIA Director Haspel and other intelligence officials were opposed to the idea, they didnt blow a gasket over it, said the former official. In fact, this person recalled, the image was only classified at the secret level.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket is launched from Cape Canaveral, Nov. 13, 2020. (Joe Skipper/Reuters)

There was little pushback from top intelligence community and Pentagon officials about releasing the photo, according to multiple Trump administration officials. There was no particular angst about releasing the photo, said a former senior intelligence official.

It wasnt a crown jewel, by any stretch of it, says the former senior White House official. And in any case, say Trump era officials, advances in commercially available satellite imagery meant that the picture that the president released wasnt much better than what was widely publicly available.

Not so, says the former senior NRO official. The image Trump released was classified at the top secret codeword level  that is, the highest possible level of secrecy, said this former official. The image was taken by a KH-11 series reconnaissance satellite  among the most sensitive employed by the U.S. intelligence community, according to former officials.

The tweet cost billions in damage, estimated the former senior NRO official. The gift that [the Iranians] were given was, Oh, the Americans have this capability with this satellite series, now we know, said the former senior NRO official. Its because they saw the resolution the satellite was capable of, added this official.

At the NRO, officials worried about what their platforms might now be missing, since Iran and other U.S. adversaries  newly aware of U.S. spy satellite powers  would likely change their behaviors. It degraded our confidence in that capability to pick up things that we might otherwise have picked up, said this former official.

Iranian protesters outside the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran mark the 40th anniversary of the Iran hostage crisis. (Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)

The image revealed U.S. spy satellite resolution capabilities that are three times better than the best commercially available imagery, says Jeffrey Lewis, a professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and expert on satellite imagery. Mathematically, its not an order of magnitude better, but analytically, it was an order of magnitude better.

Lewis found the image highly instructive. As an outsider who tries to keep very close tabs on what the U.S. intelligence community is doing on the classified side, the image was a goldmine, and I learned a lot, he says.

Lewis believes that the release of the image likely had an impact on intelligence communities around the world.

I dont want to exaggerate how bad it was, says Lewis, who notes he is generally an advocate for greater government openness. Its not that the satellites stopped working. Its just that it aids countries in deceiving those satellites.

Lewis says Iran has introduced new measures to make satellite-based analysis of their launch activities more difficult, which he attributes to a mix of what the Iranians learned from the image released by Trump, as well as the increased public scrutiny from open source analysts like him. What precisely caused the change in Iranian behavior is hard to disentangle, Lewis says.

Some Trump administration officials dismissed the concerns about revealing the image as overblown.

I also heard those whines and whimpers and clutching of pearls from the intelligence community about the tweeted image, said a former senior administration official. But I did not see any change [in spy satellite capabilities], or nobody gave me a convincing case of why that mattered.

The former senior intelligence official chalked it up to parochial concerns at the NRO. To be very blunt, NRO thinks any satellite imagery that is ever released anywhere is a big deal, whether it comes from them or anyone else, said this former official.

Then Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a rally in Dallas, September 2015. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

But NRO officials were shocked  and too intimidated to speak up, recalled the former senior NRO official.

It was almost like, you dont want to bring the weight of the president onto NRO because you can see that hes just gone with a flamethrower with the FBI and CIA, said this former official. And NRO was like, we just want to be left alone.

The presidents actions were calculated, according to the former senior White House official. Trump said that the tweet will get inside the Iranians head, whether [the explosion on the launchpad] was an accident or not, said this former official. He was pretty convinced he was going to tweet the image, and he did it.

The former official denied that the explosion was the result of U.S. covert action. The missile blew up; it wasnt anything we did to it, he said.

The Iranians are extremely accident-prone right now because they lack the funds to do the necessary upkeep on their space program, said the former senior administration official. There are things that do just happen by accident.

But others were less definitive about the explosion being accidental. There was a lot of heartburn over the tweet, says a former senior Pentagon official. If youve had, generally speaking, covert action success, you need to keep it covert. Because thats what made it a success.
Dec. 17McKINNEY, Texas  One game to win it all.

The No. 5-ranked Valdosta State Blazers face the No. 1-ranked Ferris State Bulldogs in a rematch of their epic 2018 battle that saw the Blazers prevailed 49-47 to win their fourth national championship in program history.

The Blazers held off the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers 34-31 to advance to the title game, while the Bulldogs shut down the Shepherd Rams 55-7 to punch their ticket to Texas.

"It's an honor to be here," VSU head coach Gary Goff said in a virtual press conference on Tuesday. "It's been a magical season. I'm so proud of our team, our coaching staff, administration, everybody involved. It's a special moment to get to this point of the year and all the hard work that's gone into it.

"I know it's going to be a rematch of 2018. Two great teams going head-to-head. It ought to be a lot of fun. You've got the top two offenses in the country going at it, you've got two programs whose defenses are stingy and play extremely hard but the thing I'm most happy about is us getting to this point."

Since winning the title in 2018, the Blazers have lost only twice since then. After COVID-19 wiped out a promising 2020 season before it could even begin, the Blazers are back and ready to hunt for their fifth national championship in six tries.

"When we walked off the field in 2019, we made one mistake that we felt like possibly could've cost us a national championship," Goff said. "Our team talked about we were going to continue to work hard and be very disciplined and make sure we didn't let anything go unnoticed and continue to work extremely hard and become a great team together.

"I felt that over the last 18 months or so, our team has bonded together through the COVID, through the transfer portal and all the adversity we've had sent our way and I'm just extremely proud of how hard everybody's worked to get to this point. ... It should be a great game Saturday."

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Junior quarterback Ivory Durham played one of his finest games of the season in last week's semifinal. Durham accounted for 373 all-purpose yards and four total touchdowns to lead VSU past Mines.

Though no Blazer is a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy this season, Goff believes Durham has been the best player in Division II over the last six weeks.

"Ivory is a football junkie," Goff said. "He loves the game. He loves studying the game. I have to run him off the practice field at times saying, 'You've done too much. Go take a break.' He loves the game, but more importantly, he loves being in that leadership role and I think he's flourished at that leadership role. He's held his teammates accountable and he's held himself accountable, which I'm very proud of.

"He's definitely a dynamic player. He is a quarterback, a true pocket passer first. A lot of people don't understand that or realize that because he's so athletic and so fast and he's explosive. There's a lot on your shoulders when you're the starting quarterback in our offense and at Valdosta State. I think he's flourished in the moment and continued to work hard each and every week. If he keeps playing like he's been playing, the sky's the limit for that young man."

Goff added, "In my opinion, he is the Harlon Hill winner. I know he's not the finalist or anything, but he's been playing like that for the last six weeks. I'm very happy with the young man's production."

With Durham leading the way, the Blazers hit the Orediggers with a bevy of explosive plays as they scored on plays of 60, 37, 20 and 38 yards in their semifinal win.

Ferris State comes into Saturday flying high behind the strength of an undefeated season to this point.

The Bulldogs held Division II's highest-scoring offense to just seven points last week. The Rams came into the semifinals averaging 46.4 points per game.

The Bulldogs put up 560 yards of total offense while holding the Rams to 299. Much of the yardage came from a punishing rushing attack as the Bulldogs out-rushed the Rams 453-50.

One thing that makes the Bulldogs such a dynamic and dominant team is their unique three-quarterback offense with senior Jared Bernhardt, sophomore Malik Mitchell and junior Evan Cummins. The trio had combined for 3,111 yards, 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season.

"They're talented," Goff said of the Bulldogs. "They are. They've got three weapons back there and each of them brings a different element to their offense. In a lot of ways, their quarterback is very similar to Ivory Durham. He's an explosive player  he can throw and he can run. What they do offensively is a handful for anybody and that's why you've seen them be so successful the last four or five years."

BY THE NUMBERS

Saturday's game will feature two of the best defenses in the country as Ferris State comes in allowing just 18.4 points per game while VSU allows 20 points per game.

Turnovers could be critical Saturday as both teams excel at creating turnovers.

Ferris State has 18 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries to go along with 28 sacks and two defensive touchdowns on the year. VSU has nine interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries with 36 sacks this season.

Offensively, both teams are potent as the Bulldogs average 46.4 points per game to the Blazers' 43.23 points per game. In terms of running the ball, the two teams are almost identical as the Bulldogs average 267.8 rushing yards to the Blazers' 267. The Ferris State defense is holding its opponents to just 95 yards rushing on average compared to 167.5 per game allowed by VSU.

Kickoff for Saturday's game is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. The game can be watched on ESPNU.

Shane Thomas is the sports editor at the Valdosta Daily Times.
By Ted Hesson and Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats in the U.S. Congress suffered a major setback on Thursday in their effort to grant work permits to millions of immigrants who have been living in the United States illegally for a decade or longer.

Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, who advises lawmakers on what is acceptable under legislature rules, rejected the inclusion of the Democrats' proposal in President Joe Biden's $1.75 trillion Build Back Better bill.

"We strongly disagree with the Senate parliamentarian's interpretation of our immigration proposal, and we will pursue every means to achieve a path to citizenship in the Build Back Better Act," Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer and five fellow Democratic senators said in a statement.

The parliamentarian previously rejected two other Democratic attempts to bundle immigration provisions into Biden's domestic investment bill.

MacDonough rejected the proposal on Thursday saying it would increase the deficit by $131 billion over 10 years and included "substantial policy changes with lasting effects," which had already been considered and thrown out before, according to the text of the decision sent to lawmakers.

Her decision could shut the door on Democrats' hopes of passing immigration reform anytime soon, since it could be even more difficult to pass a bill next year as lawmakers shift attention to their November 2022 re-election campaigns.

And if Republicans win control of the House or Senate in those contests, any easing of immigration policy could be on a back-burner for years to come.

House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that the ruling by MacDonough was "highly disappointing."

She added, "House Democrats will continue to work with President Biden and Senate Democrats to secure the legal protections that immigrants have earned and need."

With immigration legislation now less likely, Democrats and advocates could shift their focus to pressing Biden to address immigration policy through executive actions.

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Democrats passed Biden's spending package - known as the Build Back Better bill - in the House of Representatives in November, amid Republican opposition, and aim to do the same in the Senate.

The House version of the Biden spending package included several immigration measures, including the work permit provision granting a five-year renewable "parole" to immigrants living in the United States illegally since at least 2011.

The liberal Center for American Progress think tank estimated that 7 million immigrants would be eligible for the temporary protection against deportation and work permits under the Democrats' plan.

Republicans have criticized Biden for undoing some restrictive immigration policies of former President Donald Trump and have opposed Democratic efforts to pass broader immigration legislation.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan and Ted Hesson in Washington; Additional reporting by Makini Brice in Washington and Shivam Patel in Bengaluru; Editing by Mica Rosenberg, Alistair Bell and Sam Holmes)
By Karen Freifeld

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Biden administration still has not decided whether to block more sales of U.S. technology to Chinese chipmaker SMIC, but raised the possibility of discussing with allies further restrictions on selling chip-making equipment to China, sources familiar with a Thursday meeting on the topic said.

Officials at the meeting of deputies from various U.S. agencies talked about a proposal to toughen sales to SMIC and other chipmakers in China, the sources said. The officials appeared to agree that the U.S. should work with friendly countries on a more restrictive policy, one source said.

A spokesperson for the White House declined to comment.

The Trump administration placed Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) on the U.S. Department of Commerce's trade blacklist late last year over concerns of SMIC's aiding China's military.

The listing, which requires U.S. suppliers to obtain a license before shipping chipmaking equipment and other goods, allows most sales to be decided on a case-by-case basis. However, equipment that can be used to make only the most advanced, 10-nanometer and smaller chips is held to a higher standard and is likely to be denied.

The policy change being considered would restrict sales of items that could also be used for less advanced chips.

However, chip equipment makers argue that if SMIC is not supplied by U.S. equipment makers, the company will buy from other countries.

Reuters has reported that export license requests for SMIC were already slow to get approval.

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Chris Sanders and Leslie Adler)
PARIS (Reuters) - In the French ski resort of Val d'Isere, staff had been hired, shelves fully stocked and everyone was looking forward to a good season until, that is, France banned British tourists due to fears over the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

The ban was announced on Thursday, just two days before the start of the holiday season.

"It's an economic disaster," said resort director Christophe Lavaut, pointing out that in Val d'Isere, the bulk of the clients come from Britain. "No business in any sector can make it, losing 42% of its clients in two days."

While he does not contest the need to take measures to fight the spread of the highly transmissible variant - and infections are soaring in Britain - he said his resort would need help from the government.

The government has so far not announced any specific help.

France's statistics office forecast this week that the country's economic recovery from the pandemic had proved stronger than expected this year, with growth on course for a 52-year high as COVID restrictions had been eased and the vaccination campaign gained momentum from mid-year.

But for the ski sector, hoping for better times after the 2020/2021 season was all but wiped out, with ski lifts ordered shut, that is of little comfort.

Jean-Marc Silva, of the France Montagne association, said Britons made up the single biggest foreign group of visitors to French mountain resorts, and accounted for 9% of clients - and an even bigger share of business as they enjoyed the apres-ski hospitality.

"Brits love the mountains and don't really have that many in their country, so they've made the French mountains their own," Silva said.

"It's not the same clientele as the French," Silva said. "The French visitor is here to ski. The British visitor will ski but he will also be the first at the after-ski activities ... They have this pub culture. They spend more than others. They really make the most of being there."

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Under the new rules, holiday travel from Britain is not allowed to France - unless you are French, your partner is French or you are a permanent resident there.

Mark Tanzer, chief executive of British travel association ABTA, has also said move is "a hammer blow to the winter travel industry".

In L'Alpe d'Huez, in the French Alps like Val d'Isere, British visitors account for a quarter of the clientele.

The head of the tourism office, Francois Badjily, said hopefully losses would be contained over Christmas, when the majority of clients are French.

"But in January, when the French don't go much on holidays, where we have a lot of foreign tourists, it will be a real hit," he said.

"These are clients who spend more on average than others, who take ski lessons, who go to the restaurants, who go out a lot, so losing a quarter of visitors will be losing more than a quarter of our business."

(Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Alison Williams)
LOCATION: Port-au-Prince, Haiti

UNESCO has recognized

Haiti's joumou soup

on its list of

Intangible Cultural Heritages

It's a pumpkin soup made with

vegetables, meat and pasta

It's also a symbol of freedom

The soup was once reserved

only for slave owners

But Haitians took back ownership

after gaining independence

from France

LOCATION: Paris, France

Haiti's ambassador was emotional

when the results came in

(SOUNDBITE) (French) HAITIAN AMBASSADOR TO UNESCO DOMINIQUE DUPUY SAYING:

"I promise I had a well-prepared speech."

"This historic moment belongs to all the Haitian people, itself bearer and guardian of this heritage woven into its DNA, the ultimate symbol of the fight against slavery, against colonialism, against racism.

The soup serves as

a traditional Sunday breakfast

It's also prepared on Jan 1,

which is Haiti's Independence Day
WASHINGTON  The U.S. Air Force on Thursday destroyed a target in the Gulf of Mexico with a cruise missile launched from the back of a cargo aircraft, marking the first live-fire test of its Rapid Dragon program.

The final flight test of Rapid Dragon, which took place at the overwater test range at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, marks a step forward in the Air Force Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation offices bomb bay in a box effort to develop a palletized munition system.

The Air Force Research Laboratory said in a Thursday release the program could lead to the U.S. and allies being able to turn cargo aircraft into heavily armed bomb trucks, as well as give combatant commanders more firepower to turn on enemy targets from a safe distance.

Last month, the Air Force carried out a similar test with an unarmed long-range cruise missile separation test vehicle, which had no warhead or engine.

This time, the cruise missile carried by an Air Force Special Operations Command MC-130J Commando II aircraft was armed, AFRL said in the release. The battle management system on the MC-130 received new targeting data in-flight, and then that data was routed to the cruise missile flight test vehicle. This was the first time new targeting data was received and uploaded to a live cruise missile during a flight.

When the MC-130 had reached the drop zone over the Gulf of Mexico, its crew airdropped the palletized munition system containing a single cruise missile, and three weights simulating the mass and shape of cruise missiles.

A parachute deployed to stabilize the falling Rapid Dragon system, and the missile and three dummy weights began to release sequentially to avoid collisions. The way in which the cruise missile separated from the deployment box this time was unconventional, AFRL said  it deployed vertically, with its nose down.

The cruise missile immediately sprung its wings and tail, got aerodynamic control of itself, fired up its engine and pulled up under the engines power. It then headed toward its target, which it destroyed upon impact, AFRL said.

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Now that AFRL proved it can deploy a cruise missile in this way, it hopes to show the palletized weapon system can work with other aircraft. The next Rapid Dragon experiment is scheduled for spring 2022 in a live-fire test with a cruise missile from a C-17 Globemaster.

AFRL said the retargeting methods developed for Rapid Dragon are meant to be adaptable to other strike and mobility platforms. Airmen would be able to roll Rapid Dragon on or off a mobility aircraft without modifying the plane, AFRL said last month.

The Air Force hopes to further broaden Rapid Dragons capabilities so the carriage can house additional weapons systems and multiple types of weapons. Two years from now, the Air Force wants to bring this program from a developmental prototype to an operational prototype.

AFRL pointed to the quick development of Rapid Dragon as an example of how government and industry can quickly produce results when collaborating. This live-fire test came five months after the Rapid Dragon team conducted a system-level flight test, which itself came 10 months after the Air Force and its industry partners designed it.

Rapid Dragon has held five flight tests on three different aircraft  the MC-130J, the EC-130SJ and the C-17A  over the last five months.

This type of experimentation campaign, that address[es] capability gaps and demonstrates transformative efforts, helps us shape future requirements and reduces timeline to fielding, AFRL Commander Maj. Gen. Heather Pringle said in the release. This approach ultimately enables a rapid fielding alternative to traditional lengthy acquisition timelines.

Other contributors to the recent test include the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren, the Standoff Munitions Application Center, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Systima Technologies, R4 Integration, and the Safran Electronics and Defense subsidiary Parachutes USA.
US President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday passed a rule making abortion pills accessible by mail permanently, not just for the Covid pandemic, a rare win for the pro-choice movement in the country's increasingly bitter battle over reproductive rights.

The decision overturns a previous in-person requirement described as burdensome by activist organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) but also health groups such as the American Medical Association (AMA).

It comes as Republican-led states have enacted increasingly stringent laws curtailing women's rights to end their pregnancy, while a decision is awaited by the country's Supreme Court that could reverse abortion as a constitutional right.

The new rule was described in a letter sent by the Food and Drug Administration to plaintiffs in a court case seeking to ease rules surrounding medication abortions.

The letter, which was uploaded online by the ACLU, said that the drug mifepristone no longer has to be dispensed only in clinics, medical offices or hospitals. But the FDA added a requirement that pharmacies dispensing it must be specially certified.

The in-person rule was dropped during the Covid-19 pandemic, brought back by the administration of former Republican president Donald Trump, then dropped again by the administration of Biden, a Democrat, on a temporary basis. Thursday's move makes it permanent.

Medication abortion involves two different drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, that can be safely used up to the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.

Mifepristone blocks progesterone, a hormone needed for the development of a pregnancy, thus preventing a pregnancy from developing. Misoprostol, taken 24-48 hours after mifepristone, empties the uterus by causing cramping and bleeding, an effect similar to miscarriage.

Since being approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2000, the drugs' use has risen sharply, and they now account for at least 40 percent of all abortions.

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According to figures compiled by the Kaiser Family Foundation, when administered at nine weeks or less gestation, pregnancy is terminated successfully 99.6 percent of the time, with a 0.4 percent risk of major complications, and a mortality rate of 0.001 percent.

- 'Time-sensitive medication' -

"The FDA's decision to permanently remove the in-person pill pick-up requirement is a major step forward that will enable many more patients to get this safe and time-sensitive medication as soon as they are ready, without travel-related expenses and delay," said Georgeanne Usova, senior legislative counsel at the ACLU in a statement.

But the decision was slammed by anti-abortion groups.

"The Biden administration's reckless move puts countless women and unborn children in danger," said Sue Liebel of the Susan B. Anthony List.

The decision to ease federal restrictions won't impact restrictions on mifepristone, passed by roughly half of states, said the ACLU.

But the group added it would expand the options and capacity of states seeing an influx of out-of-state people seeking abortion as a result of abortion bans in their home states, such as Texas, which recently made it illegal to receive an abortion after six weeks.

Legal observers expect the Supreme Court to also overturn Roe v Wade, which enshrines the constitutional right to abortion, next spring, which would pave the way for total bans at the state level.

ia/jh
School districts across America are on heightened alert Friday as unfounded threats warning of shootings and violence reportedly are circulating on TikTok.

One of the posts "refers to a threat to school safety for every school in the USA, even elementary, on Friday, December 17, 2021," according to a message sent out by the Surry County School District in North Carolina. But the district said that "while we do not believe the threat to be credible, we are closely monitoring the situation."

The Department of Homeland Security posted on Twitter Friday that it is "aware of public reporting that suggests possible threats to schools on December 17, 2021," yet "DHS does not have any information indicating any specific, credible threats to schools but recommends communities remain alert.

The TikTok logo is seen on an iPhone 11 Pro Max. Messages reportedly circulating on the social media platform Friday are warning schools of potential violence today, although officials are calling the rumors unfounded. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images

SUSPECTED MICHIGAN SCHOOL SHOOTER ETHAN CRUMBLEY'S PARENTS APPEAR IN COURT

In Maryland, Baltimore County Public Schools tweeted that it is "aware of an anonymous threat posted on TikTok targeting all schools in the United States," although "law enforcement agencies have investigated this threat and determined that it originated in Arizona and is not credible."

In Wisconsin, the Waukesha School District sent a letter to parents "asking you to discuss this with your children," while the nearby Hamilton School District canceled classes today, according to Fox6 Milwaukee.

"We take all threats seriously and any threats against the school or district will be disciplined to the greatest extent possible, up to and including expulsion from school," the Waukesha message read. "If you or your child hears of any specific threat to our district, we ask that you please report it immediately."

Meanwhile, in Central Florida, the Citrus County School District reported Thursday that it was being "inundated with parent calls this morning asking about these latest threats and their validity."

"This morning weve seen an increase in rumors on social media regarding a national school threat post that has gone viral," the district wrote. "It seems students, along with parents, are either sharing a post or manipulating the original post to reflect a new threat at a specific school. This is creating disruption at many of our schools today."

The social media platform itself issued a statement saying "we handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why we're working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok."
Should Russian President Vladimir Putin decide to attack Ukraine, he will have about 220,000 troops at his disposal, including about 120,000 already deployed near Ukraines borders, Ukraines Ministry of Defense told Military Times Thursday morning.

But whether he will attack still remains unknown, according to the MoD, which charts two potential courses of action Putin could take  either all-out war or a creeping occupation of Ukraine.

While Russia would be prepared to launch an attack by February at the latest, according to the MoD, Ukraine officials are still uncertain if Putin will give the go-ahead.

According to our data V. Putin has not yet made the decision, according to the MoD. It will depend upon many factors.

FILE - In this photo released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, flames rise over the Mulino training ground in the Nizhny Novgorod region during the joint strategic exercise of the armed forces of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus Zapad-2021 in the Nizhny Novgorod region, Russia, on Sept. 11, 2021. Ukrainian and Western officials are worried that a Russian military buildup near Ukraine could signal plans by Moscow to invade its ex-Soviet neighbor. The Kremlin insists it has no such intention and has accused Ukraine and its Western backers of making the claims to cover up their own allegedly aggressive designs. (Vadim Savitskiy/Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

Before making the decision to attack, Putin will factor in the economic and political situation in Ukraine, support for Ukraine from the international community, strict reaction (in the form of so-called hellish sanctions, military assistance, etc.) of the world leading countries on the Kremlins aggressive policy towards Ukraine, and the situation in Russia itself, according to the MoD.

President Joe Biden has spoken to both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an effort to calm the situation. He promised both that Russia would face severe consequences if Russian military forces advance into Ukraine, but he also said that he would not deploy U.S. combat forces to the region to push back any such assault. Other western leaders have made similar statements. New German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russia would face massive consequences if it attacked, according to Reuters.

In addition to the 120,000 Russian troops currently arrayed around Ukraines borders, Russia would deploy troops from its Western and Southern military districts, as well as airborne units should it decide to attack, according to the assessment.

The full strength of all Russian troops ... which may be involved into the large scale invasion against our country makes up around 220,000 servicemen, according to the MoD.

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The Russian embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, Putin has denied plans of launching an invasion and reversed the conversation by prodding Western leaders to provide legally binding guarantees precluding NATOs expansion to Ukraine and the deployment of the alliances weapons there, calling such actions a red line for Moscow, according to The Associated Press.

The Kremlin said Thursday that Russia submitted draft documents outlining security arrangements it wants to negotiate with the United States and its NATO allies amid spiraling tensions over Ukraine, according to AP.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a senior Russian envoy stood ready to immediately depart for talks in a neutral country on the proposal, according to AP.

Russia preparing to attack Ukraine by late January: Ukraine defense intelligence agency chief

While Ukrainian morale remains high, the MoD says it is under no illusions how bad things could get.

There is no doubt about high morale and patriotic spirit of our citizens to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity, the MoD said. At the same time, Russia has one of the biggest armies in the world by strength and armaments. If the decision to enlarge the scale of armed aggression against Ukraine is made, Russia will use all available arsenal of modern armament.

That arsenal includes operational-tactical and army aviation, high-accuracy weapons belonging to its air, naval and ground components and electronic warfare weapons, according to the MoD. Ships from Russias Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla will activate in the Black Sea and in the Sea of Azov.

While it is unknown what Putin will do, Ukraines MoD told Military Times there are a couple of courses of action he could take.

We expect that Russian leadership has enough sense to avoid war, the MoD said. In its turn the most real scenario of the situation development is creeping occupation of Ukraine.:

Similar to how Russia was able to annex Crimea and invade eastern Ukraine with the help of local separatists, an ongoing fight that has claimed more than 14,000 lives since 2014, Ukraines MoD says Russia could expand on that effort, using special services/Russian agents of influence.

Thus, Russia would create favorable conditions for combat actions intensification in eastern Ukraine, according to the MoD.

Provocations made by Russia on the temporary occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts with numerous victims of local population  (locals with Russian passports) will be excuse for the renewal of hostilities. It will be used by the Kremlin for protection Russian citizens. Under favorable conditions Russia will continue further occupation of Ukraine.

FILE - This photo released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, shows Russian Su-24 bombers parked at an air base in Crimea in preparation for maneuvers. Ukrainian and Western officials are worried that a Russian military buildup near Ukraine could signal plans by Moscow to invade its ex-Soviet neighbor. The Kremlin insists it has no such intention and has accused Ukraine and its Western backers of making the claims to cover up their own allegedly aggressive designs. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

To date, the U.S. has committed more than $2.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since 2014, according to the Pentagon. That support includes but is not limited to the provision of air surveillance radars, counter-artillery radars, counter-unmanned aerial systems, secure communications, military medical gear, armed patrol boats, and Javelin anti-tank systems.

Given the scope of Russias arsenal, Ukraine is seeking more.

Ukraine first of all needs modern aircraft, including UAVs (attack and reconnaissance versions); air defense resources of short-range and long-range, modern reconnaissance and electronic warfare systems, antitank and anti-ship systems, etc., the assessment states.

The Ukraine military is working to rapidly field the weapons the U.S. is providing, like Javelin man-portable anti-tank missiles.

We will solve this task in the shortest period of time with the assistance of Western instructors, according to the MoD. Weve already got this experience in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Should the Russians invade and overwhelm Ukraines military, officials there are planning for a potential insurgency to fight back.

In case of [Russian Federation] attempts to enlarge scales of armed aggression against Ukraine the answer is yes, the MoD answered in response to a question of whether it would distribute arms to its citizens. Nowadays measures on formation troops of territorial defense are being conducted.
Janelle Williamson, a palliative care advance practice registered nurse, opens the door to enter a COVID-19 patient into the intensive care unit of Stormont Vail earlier this year.

Kansas and Kansas City metro area health leaders are warning that hospitals are overwhelmed as the coronavirus pandemic continues to worsen.

"Folks, this is what you have to understand: As the weather got cold, masks came off. We still have a lot of unvaccinated folks. We set ourselves up for danger," said Steve Stites, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health System. "That danger is real, it's present and it's at our doorstep. This is a warning to all of you: We are in trouble."

Stites and the KU health system hosted a Friday news conference featuring chief medical officers of hospitals in northeast Kansas and the Kansas City area. He likened the meeting to a "tornado warning to our community."

"Our goal is to get you scared straight," Stites said. "Because right now, we're not seeing it. We're not seeing it in the public."

The consensus is that the vast majority  approximately 90%  of hospitalized COVID-19 patients aren't vaccinated. For the few who are vaccinated, they typically have not gotten a booster shot, tend to have other health conditions that put them at increased risk for severe illness and rarely need the ICU or a ventilator.

More: First omicron case confirmed in Kansas: 'We must do our part to protect ourselves and those around us'

The hospital leaders say the current wave is already worse than the surge in late summer and early fall. It also threatens to be worse than last winter's peak.

On Friday, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported a seventh child death from COVID-19. The child was in the infant to 9-year-old age group. State data show school-aged children have the highest per capita case rates.

So far this month, KDHE has reported:

28,022 new COVID cases, including 7,575 children,

735 new hospitalizations, including 16 children,

204 new deaths, including one child.

Hospitals are full in Kansas: 'There's no places to go'

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"Hospitals are full; there's no place to go," Stites said.

Jackie Hyland, chief medical officer of KU's St. Francis campus in Topeka, said the hospital canceled eight inpatient elective surgeries earlier this week because of the lack of beds and staff.

"We have been at capacity, I would say probably 90% of the time over the last three weeks, with being on community diversion with both hospitals in Topeka being full," she said.

"The other thing that we're seeing in Topeka is difficulty discharging patients back to the nursing home due to their staffing shortages as well," she continued. "That causes a backup all the way through to our emergency room and holding emergency room patients. They're preventing them from getting admitted to a hospital bed."

Jennifer Schrimsher, an infectious disease physician LMH and public health officer for Douglas County, said the Lawrence hospital is refusing any transfers from outside Douglas County.

"The two most important things are wearing a mask and getting vaccinated, and for those who got vaccinated, make sure you get your booster," Schrimsher said. "I would be rethinking what are you doing for the holidays. I would look for smaller gatherings, trying to say with your own household."

More: Kansas hospitals brace for 'long, tough winter' of COVID. Here's what experts fear if omicron surges.

So far, hospitals have seen few reinfections, but omicron may change that.

"It's going to be really, really different and reinfections are going to be very high," said Raghavendra Adiga, chief medical officer at Liberty Hospital in Missouri.

Doctors continue to refer to COVID-19 as a pandemic of the unvaccinated, and Stites added that it is a "death march of the unvaccinated." Only about 56% of the entire Kansas population is fully vaccinated, according to federal health data, and the counties with the worst case rates have lower vaccination rates.

Three unvaccinated veterans died from COVID last week at the Kansas City VA hospital, said Ahmad Batrash, the facility's chief of staff.

"It really is heartbreaking, quite frankly, because we know that these are largely preventable deaths," said Mark Steele, executive chief clinical officer at University Health in Kansas City. "It's just it's somewhat mindboggling that more people aren't taking the vaccine."

'We will bear the consequences'

"We are struggling with our staff," said Elizabeth Long, chief medical officer at Olathe Health. "They are tired, they are overworked and we continue to ask them to do more and more with these volumes."

The pandemic is about to enter its third calendar year in Kansas as nurses leave the profession and fewer are graduating from nursing school.

"At the beginning of the pandemic, it was like going off to war," Long said. "Everybody was all about it and the energy level was high and we were wanting to really, really take care of this and end it."

Now, "They're tired and they're worn out and they're seeking other opportunities."

Kimberly Megow, the chief medical officer for HCA Midwest Health, said bed capacity and staffing are extremely tight. Additional, the health system's death rate for COVID patients is greater than 11%.

"We've had more than a tripling of our COVID volume in the last three weeks," she said. "It is very alarming."

The rapid rise is reflected in testing statistics at Children's Mercy.

More: Kansas to spend $27M for COVID testing through March and $30M for worker pay as pandemic worsens

Jennifer Watts, the chief emergency management officer, said the hospital's testing clinics went from 200 positive tests two weeks ago to more than 400 positive tests now. The children's hospital has 14 patients with acute COVID, with three in the ICU.

"The impact on kids and their entire families and being in school, it has a large impact behind beyond the hospital setting," Watts said.

Bed capacity isn't just a Kansas problem. Doctors said they're fielding calls from hospitals in several states, including Arkansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

"When we're out of beds, we're not just out of bed for COVID patients," Stites said. "We're out of beds if you're having a stroke, a heart attack, if you have that car accident. ... This is really serious, and we're sending this warning to you so you have the warning and you can prepare and you can help us bend the curve. If our community chooses not to do that, we will bear the consequences of it."

'A lot more work to do'

Gov. Laura Kelly answers questions Friday at the Statehouse about the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Kansas.

Gov. Laura Kelly, who has not held a Statehouse news conference on the pandemic since July, told reporters after addressing her tax reform council Friday that her administration is "doing everything that we possibly can to mitigate the damage that the virus is doing."

She said free vaccine are available all across the state, she is encouraging people to mask up and "to implement the public health safety protocols that we know work."

More: As vaccine mandates collapse amid worsening pandemic in Kansas, what is the public health response?

Is that government public health strategy working?

"The numbers would suggest that there's a lot more work to do," she said. "But we're doing all that we can do. It really now is up to individuals to do what they can do to mitigate the spread of this virus."

What about the unvaccinated COVID patients filling up hospital beds at the expense of patients with other ailments, including in Topeka?

"I think what the hospitals are looking at is exactly what they looked at early on, when knew less when the pandemic first hit, and they're talking about elective," Kelly said. "So those are not life and death surgical procedures. Those are elective procedures."

Jason Tidd is a statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jtidd@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jason_Tidd.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: As COVID surges, Kansas hospitals fill up. Beds, staff are limited
Warren County "fared pretty well" in last week's freak storm that swept through Iowa leaving one dead and a wide trench of damage.

Tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings blared through the afternoon and evening Dec. 15 leaving at least five confirmed twisters in Iowa, fires in Kansas and damage across the Plains region.

The National Weather Service reported 118 severe thunderstorm and 71 tornado warnings across Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa on Wednesday night. One person in Iowa was confirmed dead.

Damage to a grain bin is seen in Greene County, Iowa, on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, after a band of severe weather produced strong wind gusts and reports of tornadoes across much of the state Wednesday night. The storm caused property damage and downed power lines, leaving many Iowans without electricity.

The driver of a semi traveling on US Highway 151 in Benton County in eastern Iowa lost control of the vehicle after being struck by a high gust of wind at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. The semi rolled over onto its side and came to rest in a ditch, according to a traffic report from the Iowa State Patrol.

More: Authorities release name of man killed in Iowa wreck during windstorm

At least five tornadoes touched ground in Iowa with winds topping 120 mph in some areas.

Warren County had no injuries and no deaths

"We had the kind of damage that's typical in a wind storm," Warren County emergency coordinator Troy Bass said.

Large trees were down across the county, Bass said, disrupting some travel and some power. As of 2 p.m. Thursday a few residents in the county were still without power. MidAmerican Energy, Alliant Energy and Clark Electric Cooperative all claimed to have disrupted power from the storm, Bass said.

A tornado approaches Interstate 80 near Atlantic, Iowa, as a semi rolls eastward on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. A band of strong storms swept across much of the plains states on Wednesday, producing powerful wind gusts and tornadoes.

Norwalk cancelled school Thursday morning due to a power outage, Bass said.

Otherwise, there were no reported injuries or deaths in the county, Bass said.

Indianola's highway blocked by down tree

Interim Indianola city manager Charlie Dissell said the city "fared pretty well" from the event. Several trees were down with the biggest disruption on Highway 65/69 just south of Highway 2, where a large tree blocked traffic for about an hour Wednesday night. The city's streets crew removed the tree.

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Indianola Municipal Utilities general manager Chris DesPlanques said two light poles fell during the storm.

Cleanup at the public library in Rudd, Iowa, began on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, after a confirmed EF-1 tornado touched down on the town of 359 residents Wednesday night, leaving multiple homes damaged. The storm was part of a band of severe weather that raked across much of Iowa Wednesday night.

"For what it's worth, the wind was going in the right direction. Both light poles fell into open lots with no private property damage," DesPlanques said.

DesPlanques said his crews were on high alert all day Dec. 15 waiting for the storm to strike. Part of the management plan was to keep crews off of the streets and off of outdoor electrical maintenance projects until it was safe to send repair teams out.

Earlier in the week, IMU crews trimmed trees away from power lines, which is part of the regular maintenance program.

Indianola opens city brush disposal facility

To help citizens dispose of fallen trees and brush from the storm, Indianola is opening the city's brush facility Saturday, Dec. 18, at the intersection of West Iowa Avenue and Kenwood Boulevard. The facility is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at no charge to Indianola residents who can show proof of residence.

A semi and two trailers lay on their side in a field at McDonald truck wash and chrome shop in Scranton, Iowa, on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, after a band of severe weather produced strong wind gusts and reports of tornadoes across much of the state Wednesday night. The storm caused property damage and downed power lines, leaving many Iowans without electricity.

Teresa Kay Albertson covers Des Moines' southern suburbs for the Register and the Indianola Record-Herald. Reach her at talbertson@registermedia.com or 515-419-6098.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Indianola 'fared pretty well' from the Dec. 15 storm
LGBTQ Progress Pride flag pinned in Sarah Whaley's kindergarten class

Summit View Elementary special education kindergarten teacher Sarah Whaley pinned a LGBTQ pride flag in her classroom and refused to take it down after the school district requested she do so. As a result, the district suspended her for a day and removed the flag in her absence.

The local teachers' union responded by encouraging staff to wear rainbows in solidarity with Whaley on Friday. That idea spread to parents and students.

The School District of Waukesha Superintendent James Sebert issued a statement Thursday to staff, students and parents, making it clear that the school district does not endorse Rainbow Friday.

On Aug. 20, the school district issued a letter banning the use of Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, Thin Blue Line signage, or "any other posters or materials to the such," from its classrooms.

"Our advocacy for curricular resources and supports for learning are never ending, but our personal beliefs and convictions must stay out of the classroom," Sebert and Deputy Superintendent Joseph Koch said in their letter.

The two said the restriction is consistent with the Waukesha School Board's policy on controversial issues in classrooms "and past practice related to other controversial issues, relating to political stances, religious issues and other non-curricular content."

The letter's message was a subject of contention at school board meetings and has since drawn support and condemnation from local politicians.

The letter does not specifically mention LGBTQ support or opposition.

"I believe that school should be a safe place for our beautiful youth. I believe that children should be able to express their full selves and as teachers we should be fostering the welcoming environment that allows for that," Whaley, the teacher, said.

"The Progress Pride flag is one visual representation of that support for our students of color and our LGBTQIA+ students," Whaley added.

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When the district originally requested Whaley take the flag down, she refused. So the school district issued a formal reprimand by placing a letter in her file and asked her to take it down again. She refused.

"I have received emails and have been called into meetings with administrative leaders. For example, in a meeting with Dr. Koch and my principal, Dr. Koch said that the 'expectation' is that I follow district policy set forth in the Aug. 20 directive," said Whaley.

Whaley refused to take the flag down again so the school district suspended her for one day without pay.

"They repeatedly pressured me to take down the flag and I told them I wouldn't," Whaley said.

When Whaley returned to her classroom from her suspension, the flag had been removed.

A 'day of solidarity'

Carrie Kummrow, the president of the Education Association of Waukesha, believed the local union needed to stand in solidarity with Whaley, and encouraged staff to wear rainbows.

"The union decided to do a day of support her her, in solidarity. We sent an email out to members telling them to dress in rainbows, wear rainbow pins, etc. in solidarity with her, and then send her pictures," said Kummrow.

The idea also spread to parents of Waukesha students, and ultimately the students.

The Alliance for Education in Waukesha is a group of roughly 100 Waukesha parents from different schools whose website describes the group as an "organization dedicated to providing a safe, healthy and inclusive environment conducive to learning for all School District of Waukesha students, families and educators."

The group issued a statement asking "all families" to wear rainbows in solidarity with Whaley.

Superintendent Sebert then responded to Rainbow Day by sending an email to all students, staff and parents Thursday:

"We have become aware of a Rainbow Friday event that is being organized for Friday ... We want to be clear that this event is not sponsored, approved, or endorsed by the School District of Waukesha," Sebert wrote.

In response to Sebert's statement, Kummrow said supporting LGBTQ causes is not politics. "Supporting our LGBTQ staff and students is not politics, it is a human rights issue. We can be professional, focus on high levels of teaching and learning, support achievement, and still advocate for equity," Kummrow said.

"Supporting our LGBTQ students and staff does not 'infringe' on the rights on anyone else ... it just assures that all rights are being supported ... not just those of a vocal group," Kummrow added.

Rainbow Day went on as planned. Kummrow said lots of staff and students dressed up in all buildings and there were no issues. Students and staff, from Waukesha and even other states, sent Whaley pictures of themselves wearing rainbows.

"It was beautiful and powerful. I was filled with love and support and hope our youth feel the same way. I was sent pictures and stories from Waukesha along with multiple different states," Whaley said.

"And while December 17th is over, I know this community will carry us forward as we continue to love, validate and advocate for our youth. Because our youth still need us to continue speaking up to overturn the equity sign ban and restart our equity work."

Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 391-5647 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Waukesha teacher pinned a pride flag in classroom and was suspended
Its time for people to get back in the routine of wearing masks in indoor public spaces, according to a Cape Cod doctor who is president-elect of the Massachusetts Medical Society.

Especially now, with the holiday season upon us and cold and flu season approaching as well, said Dr. Theodore Calianos, a Mashpee hand and plastic surgeon.

The Massachusetts Medical Society on Tuesday issued a statement recommending that masks be required at all public indoor settings in the Commonwealth, regardless of vaccination status.

Masking is a public health measure proven to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Wearing masks while indoors is an effective and appropriate way to slow transmission of the disease, especially with the holiday and cold and flu seasons upon us," the statement said. "We must all work together to take steps to confront and stem what could be a continued rise in cases, hospitalizations, serious illness, and death.

In court: Judge denies injunction challenging state-wide public school mask mandate

Dr. Theodore A. Calianos

The state rescinded its general mask order May 29, but several towns on the Cape, including Provincetown and Orleans, currently have mask advisories. Eastham has kept an indoor mask mandate in place since August.

The Yarmouth Board of Health voted Dec. 6 to reinforce and elaborate on an indoor mask advisory that it first issued Aug. 16.

The health board based its decision on data about increasing cases and a rise in the towns testing positivity rate, Yarmouth Health Director Bruce Murphy said.

Masks advised: Yarmouth health director concerned about rise in COVID positivity rates

Based on that data, the board made a more formal advisory outlining places that (required) masks at all indoor locations.

That includes retail stores, barber shops, hair salons. Grocery stores. Churches. Restaurants until the people are seated, Murphy said.

Along with frequent handwashing and social distancing, wearing a mask indoors is a simple and cost-effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Calianos said.

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Yarmouth Health Director Bruce Murphy

Weve got to get back to wearing masks. The reality is its a habit. We got used to doing it.

Now weve fallen out of (the habit) at the same time that COVID-19 cases are on the rise and the new omicron variant is spreading, said Calianos, who is also medical director of the Cape Cod Healthcare Employed Physician Group.

Cape restaurateurs have expressed frustration with masking recommendations because they say it's up to their staff to monitor compliance  leading to potential conflicts with some customers.

Cliff Harvey, owner of Brickhouse Restaurant in Eastham, said he doesnt have any problems with the indoor masking mandate imposed by the town.

Explained: Why it might be hard to get a COVID-19 booster on Cape for holidays

Im OK wearing masks inside, to be honest. Customers are wearing masks. Everybodys wearing masks, Harvey said. We actually provide masks for people who didnt bring their own.

Diners take the masks off when seated to eat but are required to put them back on when they walk in and out of the restaurant or go to the restroom.

Jane Crowley, director of health and environment for the town of Eastham, said the Eastham Board of Health revisits the indoor mask mandate every month.

She said board members review case numbers and positivity rates and welcome comments from the public.

Alexandra Fitch, Orleans health agent, said the Orleans Board of Health was due to discuss its indoor mask advisory Thursday and decide whether to adjust it given data about rising COVID-19 cases.

At a Tuesday night meeting, Murphy said, the Yarmouth Board of Selectmen supported the board of healths indoor mask advisory.

The town is working with the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce to get a written advisory and signage to Yarmouth businesses, Murphy said.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Doctor group recommends masks indoors as towns reconsider advisories
The remaining 12 missionaries held hostage in Haiti since October have been released, including the final four of a West Michigan family, Haitian police and the church group said Thursday.

The family lives in Oceana County and attends church in the nearby small town of Hart. Six members of the 11-person family were kidnapped Oct. 16  the mother and five children. The father stayed behind that day to prepare a sermon. The two other family members were released on Dec. 5.

The FBI and the U.S. State Department worked to secure the release of the hostages but have yet to provide details on the release or the current state of the hostages.

Kidnapped in Haiti: Hart community prays for safe return of Michigan mom, children

"We glorify God for answered prayer  the remaining twelve hostages are FREE! Join us in praising God that all seventeen of our loved ones are now safe," said Christian Aid Ministries, the Ohio-based group that organized the mission trip, in a statement. "Thank you for your fervent prayers throughout the past two months. We hope to provide more information as we are able."

Minister Ron Marks of Hart Dunkard Brethren Church said he felt at peace when he received word from Christian Aid Ministries that the family  who are part of his congregation and longtime family friends  were safe.

"We are rejoicing that God is good, God has answered our prayers," he said. "We are rejoicing, a great load is lifted, and we are ready for Christmas."

Carleton Horst, a friend of the family and member of Hart Dunkard Brethren Church, thanked people in their community, around the state and across the world for their prayers.

Marks said that, as far as he knows, the hostages were treated decently, but only time will tell what impact their kidnapping will have on them.

"I'm sure they weren't treated supremely," Marks said. "And I have not received any details. I'm assuming the last ones who had gained their freedom are doing relatively well. I think if there had been any severe problems, any injuries or any illnesses that they had, we would have probably heard. So, as far as I know, they're relatively in good health."

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Marks said he doesn't know where the family is right now or when they'll return home to Michigan, but he's just relieved that they're free.

The family is part of a group of 17 missionaries who were kidnapped on their way to an orphanage in Port-au-Prince by the 400 Mawozo gang.

Kidnappers demanded $17 million for the hostages release  $1 million per person.

Authorities say the missionaries were abducted in the community of Ganther, which lies in 400 Mawozos territory. Gang presence surged in Haiti after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July and a severe earthquake devastated the region.

U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Holland, thanked everyone involved for the hard work and prayers throughout these challenging few months.

"Today is the day we have been hoping for, praying for, and working so hard to achieve, Huizenga said. I want to thank members of the hostage negotiation team for their diligence in securing the safe release of all the hostages. This is a great day for families in Michigan and across the nation who have been worried about the safety of their loved ones."

Although the family lives near Shelby, they attend the Hart Dunkard Brethren church in Hart and are a part of that community as well. The town is small, with a population of just over 2,000, and close-knit.

Horst said in October, "Hart is a very rural town, a very small town, everybody knows everybody, so to speak. And so we're a close-knit community as a whole, and so when one person suffers, it's kind of suffering for everybody else involved."

More: Dozens of GM workers in Canada face possible firing for refusing COVID-19 vaccine

More: How Northville family's tragedy could force automakers to help end drunk driving

U.S. Rep. Andy Levin thanked all officials who helped with the hostage recovery effort and expressed relief that the hostages can return home to their loved ones.

At the same time, I also want to acknowledge that there are so many Haitians terrorized by kidnappings and extreme levels of violence, even as the humanitarian and security crisis in Haiti continues to worsen," Levin said. "This year alone, nearly 800 people in Haiti have been kidnapped. I reiterate my fervent belief that the United States and our international partners must work urgently to support Haitian-led efforts to bring about a real and accountable democracy that can bring peace and security to the Haitian people.

 Contact Emma Stein: estein@freepress.com. Associated Press contributed.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan family, other missionaries released after kidnapping in Haiti
A woman said she needed money after becoming terminally ill  but it was a lie, North Carolina officials said.

Michelle Lynn Stultz, 46, was faking a cancer diagnosis when an acquaintance gave her hundreds of dollars, believing it would help alleviate costs linked to supposed medical treatments, according to the Iredell County Sheriffs Office.

When she learned Stultz was not suffering from cancer, she confronted Stultz, and asked for the money back, deputies said in a Dec. 16 news release. She said the suspect stopped all communications with her after this.

In its news release, the Charlotte-area sheriffs office didnt list an attorney for Stultz, who is facing four counts of obtaining property by false pretense. She was arrested after officials said they received a report about her in August.

The victim reported on four different occasions, she gave the suspect, Michelle Lynn Stultz approximately 975.00 dollars after she was led to believe Stultz was suffering from financial hardships due to medical treatments arising after Stultz had been diagnosed with cancer, deputies said.

While investigating, officials said they discovered Stultz had asked for cash from churches and social media users. Also, on the fundraising website GoFundMe, she led donors to believe she was suffering from financial hardship after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, according to the sheriffs office.

Officials said Stultz was taken into custody near her hometown of Clemmons, outside of Winston-Salem. She was later taken to the Iredell County jail in Statesville, roughly 40 miles north of Charlotte.

Officials didnt reveal in the news release how much Stultz is accused of receiving.

Man accused of targeting older adults in collision scam in South Carolina

Walmart worker stole $123,000 in gift cards to give to woman he met online, feds say
Two women were trying to stop bear hunters before one unleashed a German shepherd  and an attack ensued, according to Vermont wildlife officials.

The loose dog attacked one of the hunters leashed hounds, causing injuries that needed veterinary care, officials said.

After an investigation of hunter harassment, Donna Babic and Betty Eastman were found guilty of interfering with the three hunters on Nov. 22, the states Fish & Wildlife Department announced in a Dec. 14 news release.

I would ask that Vermonters respect one anothers constitutional right to hunt, Col. Jason Batchelder, Fish and Wildlifes chief game warden, said in a statement.

A hunter and two others were using hounds to hunt black bears in Groton State Forest with one bear leading the hounds onto private property before climbing a tree on Oct. 9, the release said.

They left the bear alone, rounded up the hounds and headed back to the hunters truck, where they found Babic and Eastman letting air out of his tires, officials said.

The two women, both of Groton, argued with the hunters, and thats when one let the German shepherd out of her car, leading to the hounds attack, according to the release.

The private property was not owned by Babic and Eastman, who are opposed to hunting bears with hounds, Batchelder told McClatchy News.

They believed the hunters were illegally trespassing and let air out of the trucks tires so the hunters would not leave and police would catch them, Batchelder said.

An investigation by a state game warden found the licensed and permitted bear hunters to be acting lawfully, the release noted.

A state police spokesperson, Adam Silverman, confirmed the private property was owned by a third party.

Vermonters dont always agree on wildlife management, especially when it comes to big game, Batchelder said in a statement. Intentionally interfering with legal hunters in any fashion will result in court action, especially in a potentially dangerous fashion as we saw in this case.

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The two women were each fined $262 and will lose their license privileges for fishing, hunting and trapping for a year, according to the release.

So many Vermonters oppose hounding and for various reasons, including the inherent cruelty to animals, the unavoidable violation of landowners rights, and conflicts with other recreational activities, but we never condone acting unlawfully, nonprofit organization Protect Our Wildlife Vermont said in a Dec. 16 Facebook post.

There are practical and sensible ways that citizens can fight hounding that include legislative efforts and using the only tool currently available to legally protect citizens: the posting law, the post added.

Search for rare animal seen in New Mexico ends with shocking find  in cougars belly
A New York man who posted threats to kill Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and commit other acts of violence was sentenced Thursday to nearly three years in prison, according to the Justice Department.

Why it matters: Lawmakers have faced a surge in threats in recent years. U.S. Capitol Police reported 4,135 threats against members of Congress in the first three months of 2021 alone.

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Details: Eduard Florea posted statements about traveling to Washington D.C. to "unleash some violence" on Jan. 6 in connection with attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, prosecutors say.

"Tomorrow may very [well] be the day war kicks off," he posted on Jan. 5. In the early morning the next day, he referenced Warnock and said, "Dead men cant pass s--t laws."

Law enforcement later found that Florea, who was previously convicted of a firearms-related felony, illegally possessed more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition. He is a Proud Boys supporter, per NBC News.

Florea pleaded guilty to the charges in August.

What they're saying: "This Office is deeply committed to protecting our democratic institutions and preserving our democracy, and will vigorously prosecute those who would undermine our founding principles as a nation by threatening the safety of our elected representatives or those who seek elected office," U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement.

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President Joe Biden is facing underwater approval ratings with younger voters as his part heads into the 2022 midterm campaign season, a new pol found this week.

In an Economist/YouGov poll taken between 12-14 December, just 27 per cent of respondents under the age of 30 said that they either strongly or somewhat supported the job Mr Biden was doing in office.

That was compared to an even 50 per cent in the same category who strongly or somewhat opposed his performance.

The president did better among all other age groups in the poll, but notably did not crack 50 per cent among any age-based demographic. Among younger voters, though, the drop in support was the most notable, as his support was 50 points higher among 18-29 year-olds in the Economist/YouGov poll in January.

His support among voters of colour is slipping as well. Six in 10 Black respondents said they approved of the job Mr Biden was doing, and less than half of Hispanic voters said the same.

The president and his vice president, Kamala Harris, have largely brushed off concerns about their approval ratings and blamed journalists for not covering the administrations successes with more frequency.

The partys signature piece of social policy legislation named after Mr Bidens Build Back Better slogan is currently stalled in the Senate over objections from a member of the presidents own party, and now looks to potentially be delayed into the new year. A roughly $1 trillion bipartisan hard infrastructure bill was signed into law by the president several weeks ago, and the party also passed Covid-19 relief legislation several months ago.

The Economist/YouGov poll surveyed 1,500 Americans with a margin of error of 3 percentage points, however the margin of error increases for smaller samples of the total population.
A new early childhood center is closer to becoming a reality after Liberty University donated $75,000 to HumanKind this month, becoming the largest local donor of the organizations newly established Early Head Start Program.

Early Head Start is a free program that promotes physical, cognitive, social and emotional developments for infants and toddlers age 3 and younger.

The funds will go toward a new facility under construction on Fenwick Drive.

HumanKind has been serving families in need from the Lynchburg community through care, counseling and education for more than 100 years. Earlier this year, the organization launched the Early Head Start Program in response to a lack of affordable, accessible child care options in the Lynchburg area, a problem that prevents many low-income families from moving out of poverty and into the workforce.

Since the program began in Lynchburg, 75 children and their families have received free child care and family support services; 10% of these children have disabilities.

Bob Dendy, president and CEO of HumanKind, said the organization knows about the importance of having children ready for preschool and kindergarten, so its been humbling and exciting to be in a position to bring this facility to the region.

HumanKind runs an Early Head Start facility in Bedford within Bedford Christian Church, and half of the Lynchburg classrooms will be temporarily located within Gospel Community Church until the Fenwick Drive location opens.

Families have let us know that they are desperate to have reliable and high-quality child care and early childhood education, Dendy said. So were thrilled that Liberty decided to make an investment there and we look forward to a long-term partnership with them and how to make that center one of the best in the commonwealth and across the country.

The region is seeing a significant lack of infant and toddler child care options, and one of the main reasons for that is the facility requirements to operate such care programs, said Ashley Graham, HumanKinds director of Family & Childrens Services.

Theyre much more stringent than caring for preschool-aged children and this particular location will allow us to serve an additional 48 children in our community, she said. And while that doesnt solve the infant and toddler child care crisis, it moves us further in that direction of meeting the needs.

Doing a major renovation in the midst of a pandemic has its challenges, Graham said, with the timeline being the primary one, but at this point the nonprofit is expecting to open the new center by spring.

HumanKind has been working on a capital campaign for at least a year to pay for such an extensive renovation. Dendy said HumanKinds initial capital requirement was almost $1.8 million and a significant portion of that can come from the federal government in a match.

We are thrilled to have partnered with Liberty University on this project, Graham said. They are our largest local donor and this gets us very close to reaching our goal and it shows the local investment in this program.

The federal office of Head Start has pledged to quadruple all private gifts and grants up to $1.6 million each year for five years to facilitate the Lynchburg program, but Graham said its important to have local investors as well.

It cannot only be a federally funded program; it has to be something that our local community buys into literally and figuratively, she said. Because the communitys children are all of our children.

Liberty University President Jerry Prevo said in a news release the donation is one of the ways the university cares for its neighbors and community.

I believe children are a blessing from the Lord, Prevo said in the release. Lynchburg parents and guardians need to be confident that their children are well cared for while at work. This child care program can help facilitate many of those needs.

Liberty has partnered with HumanKind for years, including nearly 300 students volunteering through the schools LU Service program and more than 160 students serving in The Motherhood Collective Program as interns, volunteer leadership team members, child care providers and event staff.

Out of 154 HumanKind employees, 41 are Liberty alumni, the release said.

Having access to affordable child care is crucial to the financial wellness of low-income families, said Shon Muldrow, LUs executive vice president of inclusion, diversity, and equity. Liberty Universitys contribution to HumanKind helps local families invest in their future.

Graham said HumanKind is striving to create a space in which children can thrive early in life, and what is unique about Early Head Start is its not only about the children but providing wraparound support for the entire family.

So the parents will also have their own family support person just as their children have their own teacher to talk to the family members about their strengths, their challenges, their goals and they can wrap around them to support them in achieving their goals and creating the futures that they want for their children, she said.

The Early Head Start program is similar to the Head Start program, which has been in the area for decades. But Early Head Start serves children age 0 to 3, and Head Start can serve children age 3 and older until children go to kindergarten.

This is the first time that we can provide free full-day year-round child care primarily for families working their way out of poverty through this program, Graham said.

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Perched on a hillside overlooking downtown is Lynchburgs Federal Hill  the smallest and oldest of the citys original seven hills.

The first homes began to appear in Federal Hill, firmly bounded by the steep cliff at 12th Street and the low-lying areas near 8th and Madison streets, before the land was annexed into the fledgling city in the early 1800s.

Federal Hill is known as Lynchburgs first suburban neighborhood and had already become a choice residential neighborhood before the annexations,  according to the Lynchburg Historical Foundations Antique Show Book.

Federal Hill also is the oldest historic district in the city, and its neighborhood association was reestablished in 2007. It is one of the smallest and most compact of the historic districts in Lynchburg with 67 contributing structures.

Federal Hill is one of the most distinctive of several early neighborhoods situated on the hills surrounding the commercial area of Lynchburg, according to the application for Federal Hills inclusion in the national and state historic registers.

Unlike Garland Hill, where the citys industrialists built their homes, Federal Hill primarily has been the residential area for merchants and civic leaders.

Federal Hills high vantage point attracted the wealthy, and its slow growth allowed for a variety of architectural styles, from Federal to French Second Empire to Queen Anne and Georgian Revival, according to the citys website.

Several Federal-style brick houses were built around the time the neighborhood was laid out. Other houses date to the mid-19th century, and the remaining lots are occupied with late 19th to early 20th century houses, according to the historic register.

Most significant is the neighborhoods important collection of early Federal-style townhouses, which includes some of the oldest and finest houses in the city, the application reads. Few Piedmont cities of the South can boast such a distinguished grouping of Federal dwellings.

The exact origin of the name Federal Hill isnt known, though historians theorize it stemmed from the Federalist political party, which strongly influenced the citys development, according to the Lynchburg Museum. Many of the hills streets are named for early presidents  Jackson, Harrison and Madison.

A trolley once ran through the neighborhood, carting residents between this suburb and the bustling downtown of the late 1800s. Those tracks are mostly covered but in places the pavement is worn down enough for history to poke through.

Some of the wide streets still have the early brick sidewalks and some still feature slate walkways and granite curbing. Iron fences line some of the yards along the streets, according to the historic register documentation.

The somewhat scattered distribution of Federal Hills early houses indicates that the area built up slowly, and that many of the lots did not receive buildings until nearly 100 years after the streets were laid out. Thus, most of the blocks have an interesting mixture of early, mid-late 19th and early 20th century dwellings that together form block facades of varied textures, materials and forms, the historic register application reads.

The first house in this hill, 1022 Federal St., was built in 1815 on land conveyed to Capt. William Norvell by city founder John Lynch. Norvell served as president of the office of discount and deposit of Lynchburgs branch of the Bank of Virginia from its establishment in 1804 until his death in 1823, according to the writings of historian Ruth Blunt.

He built another house at 1002 Federal St. for his daughter, Lucy Wilhelmina Norvell Otey, who later established the Ladies Relief Hospital on Main Street to provide better care to wounded Confederate soldiers. Her work led to the Southern Memorial Association, the organization that manages Old City Cemetery today.

***

Perhaps the most famous of houses in Federal Hill is known not for its outstanding architecture but for the ghosts that reportedly inhabit its halls.

The house at 1104 Jackson Street is the original home of the "self-rocking cradle" that allegedly haunted its owners in 1839.

The Rocking Cradle house recently was purchased by Diana Jones, who told The News & Advance in October she didn't know anything about the ghost stories when she bought the house last spring.

"It just needs a little bit of love," she said. "This is my next little baby."

It was in poor condition when she bought it, cluttered with detritus from its previous owners, with chipping paint, peeling wallpaper and outdated '70s decor, wood paneling and popcorn ceilings concealing much of its original early-1800s craftsmanship.

The house is deceptively large, about 2,438 square feet  with three fireplaces and five bedrooms, two downstairs and three on the partial second floor. Dormer windows look out onto the front yard, and the second story has a large open space adjoining one of the bedrooms and a small, child-sized door leading through the wall.

According to William Asbury Christians Lynchburg and Its People, published in 1900, the story of the cradle took place in the spring of 1839. The Rev. William Smith was renting the home in the midst of his career as a Methodist preacher in Lynchburg. He and his wife borrowed a cradle from the Rev. John Early, a prominent leader in the Methodist church, who would later become Bishop Early.

One morning, the Smiths noticed the cradle began to vigorously rock on its own. According to the account: Dr. Smith moved the cradle from near the fire-place into the middle of the floor, and said: Now Geoffrey (he called the Devil by that name), rock! and he did.

There's a number of different accounts, but the location of the house itself is almost always agreed upon. A plaque to that effect sits in the front yard.

The house was constructed in the early 19th century. The exact date is unknown, but likely around 1815, according to the nomination form for the Federal Hill Historic District, which was listed as a national historic landmark in 1980.

***

Tucked in the 1100 block of Federal Street sits a two-story brick house with an ornately trimmed front porch looking out over a quiet, dead-end street.

Justine and Chris Button and their two children are history buffs and never thought they could afford to own a historic home that sheltered so many generations before them. That is, until they found the Novell-Ivey-Perrow house.

We just love beautiful, old homes and to come to a place like Lynchburg where there is so much history. Were just so lucky. And were handy  well, my husband is, Justine said with a chuckle.

The house was built in 1816 and underwent expansion and renovation in 1874, Justine said.

Justine and Chris both are teachers working at Virginia Episcopal School, which requires them to live on campus. They use their historic home on weekends and special occasions and occasionally rent it out.

The history Justine has been able to unearth on the house shows it was constructed by John Bullock in 1816 and owned by Capt. William Norvell in 1823. Norvell was on the board of managers who brought the Lynchburg Charity School to the Hill City.

Thaddeus Ivey owned the house by 1850.

It became the home of Mrs. Mosby G. Perrow in the 1940s and 1950s. Her father was a Virginia lawyer and state senator representing Lynchburg. He became a champion for Virginias public schools and served as a key figure for Virginias abandonment of massive resistance to public school desegregation.

I really love that, she said. I thought it was good juju. My husband  he was the one that needed more convincing so reading the history was a big part of helping him get to the place where it made sense.

Button noted historic homes can be expensive to maintain and the couple still has projects to tackle but the work is gratifying.

I love being a part of that, trying to keep these historical homes beautiful, she said. Its a lot of work because if you dont do the work early, it just gets worse and worse and worse.

***

Years before Ann Smith and her husband, Bill, purchased their house on Jackson Street, she would walk her junior high students past the home at the corner of Jackson and 11th streets on their way to the downtown library.

It always intrigued her on her walks, and Anns students would often tell tales of the strange happenings on the street. Smith and her husband Bill decided to buy that old house in 1998.

Built before 1819, the Smiths house is Federal-style. It was added onto at some point, with the telltale seam showing to the right of the porch.

We just love the old girl,  Ann Smith said. We love her. We just feel like we are the caretakers of her for now, and someone else will be the caretaker of her at a later point.

In some communities, houses like this are torn down and some commercial thing put in. We dont want to see that happen to this yet. We feel like this is a residential neighborhood and it has character and a story.

Ann Smith likes to reflect on contributions made by those who lived in the house before her, such as H.A. Robinson, who owned the H.A. Robinson Peanut Company that later became the Robinson Crusoe Brand.

In our small way, we are contributing, too, by keeping [the house] up and loving it and not wanting it to disappear into the ground,  she said.

PHOTOS: Lynchburg's Federal Hill became home to merchants and civic leaders

Perched on a hillside overlooking downtown is Lynchburgs Federal Hill  the smallest and oldest of the citys original seven hills.

The first homes began to appear in Federal Hill, firmly bounded by the steep cliff at 12th Street and the low-lying areas near 8th and Madison streets, before the land was annexed into the fledgling city in the early 1800s.

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The Japanese government may continue its tough border restrictions next month and beyond to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Japan has basically banned the new entries, in principle, on non-resident foreigners since November 30. The measure was originally planned to be implemented for a month. Japanese nationals and others returning from abroad are also required to quarantine at government-designated facilities upon arrival.

A government official told a meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Friday that they are striving to gather epidemiological knowledge about the Omicron variant but have yet to fully grasp the situation. The official added that they have to brace for the possible spread of infections.

The official indicated that keeping the current border restrictions in place next month and beyond may be an option.

The official also said the government will step up monitoring of the Omicron variant by conducting more PCR tests and genomic analysis.
New Delhi: Cryptocurrency has been raised to fame past decade given the investors and traders actively took part in the transaction of the digital currency worldwide. Several talks go around the world of crypto including trade, crypto asset, and investment among others. Here are some updates you would like to know about the crypto world:

Bitcoin remains to be most traded cryptocurrency in India:

According to a survey conducted by Bengaluru-based crypto exchange platform, WazirX, Bitcoin is regarded as the most traded cryptocurrency in India. Besides, Bitcoin is followed by Tether, Shiba Inu, and Dogecoin. The survey suggested that most women were involved in trading Bitcoin while men showed interest in Shiba Inu.

New scam called Twitz

A new bot variant and descendent of Phorpiex named Twitz, apparently steal cryptocurrency during the transaction through a technique called crypto clipping. This technique enables to replace the intended wallet address with the threat actors wallet address. The scam is targeting traders from India, Ethiopia, and Nigeria.

Salman Khan-backed Bollycoin announces Dabangg NFT collection

Salman Khan who backs Bollycoin will release its non-fungible token (NFT) collection with the movie Dabang where Salman Khan played the lead role. Besides, the platform decides to take its NFT range live on December 30.

Indias crypto bill not likely before Budget session

One of the most controversial bills on crypto is expected next year as this years winter session is coming to an end on December 23, 2021. The government is currently reworking the proposed cryptocurrency regulations which will be introduced only in the Budget session of February 2022.

90% of Bitcoin already mined

According to the data by Blockchain, 90% of the total 21 million Bitcoin has been already mined. However, the remaining 10% is predicted not to be flushed out before February 2140.

Thailand is preparing for a new regulatory framework for crypto:

The government of Thailand is preparing for its regulatory framework for crypto which will minimise risk and improve investor protection, reported Cointelegraph. Reportedly, the Bank of Thailand (BoT) will release the consultation paper next month with red lines for the crypto industry.
Timothy Lutheran Church

Timothy Lutheran Church, 3112 W. Broadway, will have only one praise worship service at 9 a.m. with a congregational meeting to be held immediately after the service. The service is live streamed on Timothys Facebook page. If you dont have Facebook, you can connect with Timothy on its web page after 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at: timothylutheran.net. Sunday school classes meet at 9:15 a.m. There will be no adult Bible class on Sunday. Advent service is on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. The midweek Bible study group will now meet on Thursday afternoons from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Timothy has an elevator for easy access to worship services and other activities.

St. Pauls Evangelical

Country Church

St. Pauls Evangelical Country Church, 11055 Dumfries Ave, will ring the church bell at 10:30 a.m. to welcome people to worship on Sunday morning. There are directional signs from Wabash Avenue and Pioneer Trail leading to the church. This Sunday during worship will be the childrens Christmas program. We are a friendly, growing Bible teaching church led by Rev. Jason Kinney. Sunday school for all ages including adults begins at 9:15 a.m. This weeks scripture is Numbers 15:1-31 with the sermon title Offerings to God. The Mission Committee will meet following the worship service. Visit our website, stpaulsecc.org for more information. We are handicapped accessible.

Underwood Lutheran Church

Underwood Lutheran Church, 10 Third Ave., will hold Sunday activities with education at 9 a.m. and in-person worship at 10:15 a.m. and will feature the Sunday school students presenting their Christmas program. A brief online worship video will be also be released.

Hazel Dell United M

ethodist Church

Hazel Dell United Methodist Church, 23109 205th St., is handicap accessible and membership is not necessary to participate. The church is open for worship at 9 a.m. on Sundays, and we will maintain social distancing. Masks are not required but are available for those who need/want one, and we have plenty of hand sanitizer. We will meet in the church sanctuary. If you are sick, please do not join us. If you decide not to attend at this time, you can join us in worship at home through Facebook Live. We are in prayer for all those affected by this virus. You can check us out at facebook.com/hazeldellumcc.

Carter Lake United

Methodist Church

Carter Lake United Methodist Church, 3025 Mabrey Lane in Carter Lake, would like to invite the public to join us in our live Sunday worship service at 11 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Sunday school for children is at 10:30 a.m. and face masks are optional. The Sunday worship can also be viewed live on our Facebook page, Carter Lake, Iowa United Methodist Church. Other events this week include AA meeting on Monday at 7 p.m., NA meeting on Monday at 7 p.m., Bible study on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday and the craft idea exchange on Thursday at 1 p.m. in the fellowship hall. There will be a Christmas Eve service on Dec. 24 at 6:45 p.m.

Gethsemane

Presbyterian Church

Gethsemane Presbyterian Church, 224 Wallace Ave., invites you to worship with us. Our service runs from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Children are invited to participate in Sunday School. Rev. Dr. Edwin G. Steinmetz will be delivering the sermon The Birth of Jesus! The Incarnation of God! Refreshments will be served following service. Adult Bible study meets on Monday and Thursday from 9 to 10 a.m. We will have a candlelit Christmas Eve service on Friday at 6 p.m. and Holy Communion will be served. Our food pantry is open on Monday and Thursday until 10:30 a.m. For more information contact the church office at 712-366-2513 or visit us on Facebook at gethsemanepresbyterianchurch.org.

Community of Christ Church

Community of Christ Church, 140 W. Kanesville Blvd., will have service this week at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday and Frank Gunderson will be speaking the message. The theme this week is O Little Town of Bethlehem with scriptures Micah 5:2-5a; Psalm 80:1-7; Luke 1:39-55; and Hebrews 10:5-10. There are some virtual ministries out on our World Church Website just access ongoing ministries at cofchrist.org. Please call our office at 712-323-4498 for any updates.

Fifth Avenue United

Methodist Church

Fifth Avenue United Methodist Church, 1800 Fifth Ave., invites the public to participate in our live worship service at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Face masks are optional. The Sunday worship service will continue to be recorded live and can be viewed on our Facebook page: Fifth Avenue UMC, Council Bluffs. The church office can be reached Monday or Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for prayer or other requests at 712-323-7374 or through email at fifthaveumchurch@gmail.com. Upcoming events include Christmas Caroling on Dec. 19 following the church service  soup and hot chocolate will be available after caroling. On Dec. 24 there will be a 6 p.m. early Christmas Eve service and a 11 p.m. late Christmas Eve service.

Bethany Presbyterian Church

Bethany Presbyterian Church, 1900 S. Seventh St., will have worship service at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. Rev Nancy Ross-Hullingers message will be The Blessing of Home and the scriptures are Micah 5:2-5 and Luke 1:39-55. Liturgist is Sue Perry, the greeters are Linda Cody and Brett Schiller and the Advent candle lighters are Glenda Larsen and family. We will be welcoming new members on this Sunday followed by coffee and treats. Bill Muth will present a holiday solo. Christmas Eve service will be at 7 p.m. on Dec. 24. We are a handicap accessible facility.

Compass Christian Church

Compass Christian Church, 2007 S. Seventh St., welcomes you to worship on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. A cry room and childrens classes are available. You may also worship with us online at compasscb.online.church. Weekly schedules include mens Bible study Mondays at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday nights from 6:30-7:30 p.m. includes groups for kids kindergarten through fifth grades, students in grades sixth through 12th and the prayer group meets. Mens and Womens groups are held at various times throughout the year. There will be a Gingerbread Eve, Fun for the Whole Family event on Dec. 19 from 4 to 6 p.m. There will be building and decorating nativity gingerbread houses, a family photo booth, hot chocolate bar and at 5:30 pm there will be a short family video along with Christmas carols. The public is invited. Complete information can be found on Facebook at Compass Christian Church CB, compasscb.org or the church office at 712-366-9112.

Mt. Hope United Methodist Church

Mt. Hope United Methodist Church, 19022 290th St. in McClelland, welcomes all to join in our worship Service on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday school at 10 a.m. Upcoming events are a candle light Christ Eve Service at 4 p.m. on Dec. 24. On Jan. 9, 2022, we will have a council meeting at 8:30 a.m. followed by our breakfast and worship at 9:30 a.m. in our fellowship room. Everyone is welcome and you do not have to be a member of the church to participate in our activities.

Epworth United

Methodist Church

Epworth United Methodist Church, 2447 Ave. B, would like to invite the public to Sunday worship at 9:25 a.m. and social distancing will be in place. The church is handicap accessible and membership is not necessary to participate. Masks are not required but are available for those who need or want one, and we have plenty of hand sanitizer. We will meet in the church sanctuary. If you are sick, please do not join us. There is Bible study on Thursdays at 9 a.m. We are in prayer for all those affected by this virus. There will be a Christmas candlelight service at 7 p.m. on Dec. 24. Prayer requests can be made at epworthumccb.org/about-us/our-values. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office phone number is 712-323-3124. You can check us out at Facebook.com/pages/Epworth.

Emanuel Lutheran Church

Emanuel Lutheran Church, 2444 N. Broadway, welcomes everyone to come as you are and be who you are. The weekly worship service is at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday with Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, children rejoin the regular worship before communion. Other events this week include tai chi in the youth center Monday at 10 a.m., Wednesday Recharge with dinner and intergenerational activities on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., bell choir practice Wednesday at 7 p.m. Bible study in the conference room Thursday at 9:30 a.m. and Tai Chi Thursday at 10 a.m., Christmas Eve services are Dec. 24 at 4:30 and 7 p.m. Our worship services and weekly Sunday school show can be found on our YouTube channel or Facebook page. Visit us online at emanuelcb.org.

Faith Lutheran Church

Faith Lutheran Church, 2100 South 11th Street, will have traditional worship service with Holy Communion at the 9 a.m. Sunday worship service. Tuesday there is a 9:30 a.m. adult Bible study that is open to everyone in the church fellowship hall  please enter by the rear door. The Christmas Eve worship service is at 6:00 p.m. on Dec. 24. Faith is observing social distancing but masks are optional. Services are also available on Faiths Facebook page and on YouTube by searching to Ron Rosenkaimer. For more information about worship opportunities at Faith contact the church office at 323-6445.

Westminster

Presbyterian Church Westminster Presbyterian Church, 517 S. 32nd St., welcomes everyone to join us Sunday as we light the fourth Advent candle. Service begins at 10:30 a.m. and guest speaker is Rev. Kim Crummer. His sermon is entitled Symbolism of Christmas and is based on Scriptures Micah 5:2-5 and Luke 2:1-14. We are Handicapped Accessible through the northeast door of church.

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No credible local threat has been found in connection with an anonymous nationwide threat against schools circulated on social media such as TikTok.

The general threat toward all U.S. schools declares today, Dec. 17, American School Shooting Day, according to reports.

Investigations by the Council Bluffs Police Department and other law enforcement agencies across the nation have not uncovered any evidence that there is a credible threat, according to a message sent by Council Bluffs Community Schools to parents of middle and high school students Thursday and later to parents of elementary school students. The school district planned to remain in close contact with law enforcement throughout the day today. Lewis Central Community Schools was also preparing to send a message out this morning.

On Twitter, the Council Bluffs Police Department said it was aware of the threats and was in communication with the Council Bluffs district.

"While we are not aware of any credible threats, additional officers will be present at CB Schools today," the department said.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety issued a news release at 5:30 p.m. Thursday saying it was aware of the social media threats and was working with law enforcement partners to assess and analyze open source reporting for specific threats.

At this time, we are not seeing any specific or credible threats towards any schools in Iowa, but we are continuing to diligently monitor the situation, Pat Waymire, assistant director of the departments Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, said in the release. No division within the Iowa Department of Public Safety has received any requests for assistance.

The state public safety department recommended parents and guardians discuss with students the appropriate use of social media, and that if anyone sees something suspicious, to report it to local law enforcement.

Groups representing Iowa teachers, school administrators and school boards issued a joint statement decrying the social media threats.

The social media threat of an American School Shooting Day is appalling. Whether done as a joke or with malicious intent, its unacceptable, the joint statement said. We know our school personnel will do everything in their power to keep our students safe. They need all of us to stand with them in that effort.

The statement was issued by the Iowa State Education Association, the Iowa Association of School Boards, and the School Administrators of Iowa.

We ask Iowans across the state to support our educators and the students they serve. Community support is important every day and especially when threats of violence and hateful language ricochet around social media, the statement said.

In response to the reported National Shoot Up Your School Day threat on TikTok, National Education Association President Becky Pringle issued the following statement:

There is nothing more important than the safety of students and, as educators, we are committed to ensuring that schools are safe, welcoming, and nurturing communities for everyone. These types of threats and social media trends are very disturbing and in no way amusing. We are committed to supporting students, parents, educators, and districts to keep everyone safe. Public schools should be the safest places in any community.

The Council Bluffs Schools message urged parents to talk to their children about appropriate use of social media and the seriousness and consequences of making any type of threat in person or online.

Unsubstantiated rumors have unfortunately become part of the social media landscape, the message stated. We encourage students to always bring these posts to a principal, teacher or trusted adult in their lives. This information should be reported immediately to the school or to local law enforcement so that action can be taken.

School officials suggested parents visit commonsensemedia.org or bit.ly/3yznfqs for more information on TikTok and bit.ly/31YY0lS for information on viral social media stunts.

-- Nonpareil Managing Editor Mike Brownlee and Erin Murphy of the Lee Des Moines Bureau contributed.

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DES MOINES  No specific or credible threats of violence toward any school in Iowa have been discovered by the states public safety department, according to a news release issued late Thursday, on a day when parents across the state received notices that schools were monitoring anonymous and vague nationwide threats of violence in schools.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety issued a news release at 5:30 p.m. Thursday saying it was aware of the social media threats and was working with law enforcement partners to assess and analyze open source reporting for specific threats.

At this time, we are not seeing any specific or credible threats toward any schools in Iowa, but we are continuing to diligently monitor the situation, Pat Waymire, assistant director of the departments Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, said in the news release. No division within the Iowa Department of Public Safety has received any requests for assistance.

According to the department, the anonymous social media posts have declared Friday as American School Shooting Day and warn of the possibility of nationwide shootings or bomb threats in schools.

The state public safety department recommended parents and guardians discuss with students the appropriate use of social media, and that if anyone sees something suspicious, to report it to local law enforcement.

Groups representing Iowa teachers, school administrators and school boards issued a joint statement decrying the social media threats.

The social media threat of an American School Shooting Day is appalling. Whether done as a joke or with malicious intent, its unacceptable, the joint statement said. We know our school personnel will do everything in their power to keep our students safe. They need all of us to stand with them in that effort.

The statement was issued by the Iowa State Education Association, the Iowa Association of School Boards, and the School Administrators of Iowa.

We ask Iowans across the state to support our educators and the students they serve. Community support is important every day and especially when threats of violence and hateful language ricochet around social media, the statement said.
Sen. Chuck Grassley says he never saw a PowerPoint presentation outlining how Congress could challenge the 2020 presidential election results, including declaring a national security emergency and seizing paper ballots.

The Iowa Republicans staff earlier issued a statement that neither the senator nor his staff were aware of the existence of the PowerPoint presentation that argued for overturning the 2020 election of Democrat Joe Biden.

I never saw it. My staff didnt see it. I didnt know about it until public reports last weekend, Grassley told reporters Wednesday.

A 38-page PowerPoint presentation titled Election Fraud, Foreign Interference & Options for 6 JAN was among emails former President Donald Trumps Chief of Staff Mark Meadows turned over to the House committee investigating the insurrection, according to Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the committees chairman.

Dated Jan. 5, the day before hundreds of Trump supporters violently breached the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Bidens victory, it was intended to be shared on Capitol Hill, Thompson said.

Grassley said he is unaware that any of his colleagues saw the presentation. He also said hes not sure what action should be taken to hold them accountable if any member saw the presentation or was briefed on it and did nothing to prevent the violence.

As the anniversary of the Capitol attack approaches, Grassley, who is seeking an eighth Senate term in 2022, said he has not taken time to reflect on how it has  or hasnt  changed the politics of Congress.

I havent reflected on it exactly, he said. But, you know, the partisanship in Washington, if youre talking about within the institution of the Congress, that was already bad. Its not worse because of Jan. 6.
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I recently subscribed to a new internet service, which meant a technician had to come to the house to install equipment. He got a kick out of the wall-mounted phone in my basement. Not only is it wall-mounted, it also has a rotary dial. Yes, its old. I suspect it would make a good museum ar
Moroccos flag carrier, Royal Air Maroc, has been voted the best airline in the African continent by the Global Traveler magazine following its 2021 GT Tested Reader Survey, asking travelers to name the best airline, airport, hotel, and travel services.

The trophy was handed over to the Moroccan airline at a ceremony organized lately by Global Travel Magazine in Los Angeles. The Ethiopian Airlines ranked second in Africa followed by Kenya Airways, Air Seychelles, and Air Mauritius.

We are pleased and honored to receive this prestigious award and to be recognized as the best airline in Africa. This recognition comes directly from our customers around the world. It is a reward for the daily efforts made by our employees and partners to deliver the highest standards of service, safety and comfort, said RAMs CEO Hamid ADDOU.

This Global Traveler Award motivates us to continue to move forward and improve, despite the difficult times our sector is going through, he added.

In 2019, Royal Air Maroc was elected the best regional airline in Africa for the sixth consecutive time. The Moroccan airline maintains its 4-star Skytrax label, a global reference in air transport.
Moroccan banks have shown resilience to the impact of the Covid-19 crisis maintaining enough provisions to face the surge of the cost of risk due to a rise in impaired loans, analysts and the central bank say.

The IMF has urged the Central Bank to keep ensuring that the Banks had enough provisions to deal with non-performing loans and set up mechanisms to deal with bad loans.

But in his most recent press conference following its quarterly meeting, Central Bank governor said that Banks had a collateral of up to 400 billion dollars to deal with impaired loans and the cost of risk.

Non-performing loans spiked by 24% from end of 2019 to last September to hit some 8 billion dollars against the backdrop of the impact of the pandemic on business in Morocco and Africa where most Moroccan big lenders have branches.

Yet, for Moroccos second biggest bank, BCP, the cost of risk has dropped by 20% thanks to a recovery of economic activity in Morocco and in African branches.

The Bank like its Moroccan peers rolled out investments in Africa and seized the opportunity of the withdrawal of French Banks to reinforce their footprints across the continent.

The presence of Moroccan banks in Africa has not only fostered Moroccos economic clout, but helped these banks align on Moroccos African foreign policy underpinned by co-development and win-win partnerships.

The BCP managing director has even hinted that the bank is in a good position to relaunch its expansion plans in Africa through new acquisitions and partnerships.
Abdeltif Loudyi, Minister Delegate, in charge of the National Defense Administration, took part, pursuant to the high royal instructions, in the 17th meeting of the Ministers of Defense of the 5+5 Defense Initiative, which is held this year under the Mauritanian Presidency.

This meeting, held Thursday by videoconference, was an opportunity to review the cooperation activities carried out in 2021 and to agree on a plan of action for the year 2022, said a statement by the National Defense Administration.

The meeting approved a joint statement that provides, inter- alia, that the presidency of the Initiative for the year 2022 will be entrusted to Morocco, which will chair the 18th ministerial meeting of the initiative.

Loudyi welcomed, in his address, the efforts made by members of the Initiative to create and consolidate the conditions and environment necessary for the development of regular and pragmatic cooperation mechanisms in many areas of common interest, including maritime surveillance, aviation security, risk management, and training and academic research.

He also commended the resilience of the Initiatives member countries in the face of the challenges posed to the international community by the Covid-19 pandemic, and praised the effective participation of the military health services, through their contributions in terms of health and logistical assistance, and support to the civilian authorities in charge of fighting the spread of this pandemic.

Loudyi took the opportunity to highlight the role of Morocco as an important actor of stability and peace, especially in the Western Mediterranean region and the stewardship of the King for the deployment of a multidimensional strategy to counter the threats of terrorism and illicit trafficking and for securing the borders.

During this meeting, Loudyi congratulated the Libyan Authorities for the progress made in terms of stability and security which will contribute to the building of national unity and stability of this brotherly country.

The 5+5 Dialogue was launched in 1983 by France, but took shape in July 1990.

The aim was to promote cooperation between the countries bordering the western Mediterranean, including France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, later joined by Malta (the Northern bank) and Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia from the Southern bank.

The 5 +5 Defense Initiative aims to encourage mutual understanding among the member countries, to enhance trust, and to develop a multilateral cooperation, in order to promote security in the Western Mediterranean.

Through concrete actions of cooperation, the 5 +5 Defense Initiative seeks to help the creation and maintenance of a climate of trust and a frank collaboration between the ten countries with the objective of significantly contributing to the solutions that address common concerns in the security and defense field.
The US State Department has praised Moroccos counterterrorism strategy and stressed that the United States and Morocco have a long history of strong counterterrorism cooperation.

This came in the 2020 Country Reports on Terrorism (CRT) released Thursday by the State Department.

The annual report welcomed the Kingdoms efforts in the fight against terrorism, noting that the Government of Morocco continued to implement its comprehensive strategy, which includes vigilant security measures, regional and international cooperation, and terrorist counter-radicalization policies.

In 2020, Moroccos counterterrorism efforts largely mitigated its risk of terrorism, the report found out.

The State Department also said that Moroccan law enforcement agencies, under the coordination of the Ministry of the Interior, vigorously targeted and arrested at least 35 individuals. They also dismantled seven terrorist cells reportedly in the early stages of planning attacks against a range of targets, including public buildings, prominent figures, and tourist sites.

Moroccan law enforcement leveraged intelligence collection, police work, and collaboration with international partners to conduct counterterrorism operations, the report underlined, noting that there were no reported terrorist incidents in Morocco in 2020.

Moroccan law enforcement agencies participated in a wide range of U.S.-sponsored programs to improve the countrys counterterrorism technical and investigative capabilities, including financial investigation, intelligence analysis, and cybersecurity, the document added.

In addition, border security remained a top priority for Moroccan authorities, the report underlined, praising in particular the work of the Moroccan airport authorities that have excellent capabilities in detecting fraudulent documents.

The State Department highlighted Moroccos policy to combat violent extremism, noting that Morocco has a comprehensive CVE strategy that prioritizes economic and human development in addition to countering terrorist/violent extremist radicalization and oversight of the religious sphere.

In this report, the Kingdom is cited as a major non-NATO ally and a member of the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership. Morocco traditionally hosts the annual African Lion exercise, but the exercise was canceled in 2020 because of COVID-19, the report recalled.

Morocco also has strong cooperation with European countries, especially Belgium, France, and Spain, to thwart potential terrorist threats in Europe, said the document, noting that the Kingdom currently co-chairs, with Canada, the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF).

In 2020, Morocco announced its intention to host a United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) Program Office for Specialized Counter-Terrorism and Law Enforcement Training in Africa, said the report, recalling that the Kingdom also hosted the Warsaw Process Working Group on Counterterrorism and Illicit Financing, focused on countering al Qaida.
The Moroccan city of Marrakech has been selected to host 10th International Conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks scheduled for September 2023.

The decision was made by the Executive Board of the Global Geoparks Network during its held in Jeju island, South Korea, Dec.12-16.

Brazil, Mexico and France were also bidding for the 10th international conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks which seeks to provide an integrated sustainable development for the direct benefit of its local population.

The goal of this initiative is the promotion and transmission of traditional knowledge, valorization of local products, development of respectful outdoor activities through geotourism, empowering local people and ethnic groups

Morocco is the first Arab and African country to host such event. It will be an opportunity for to display the geological and tourist wealth of the MGoun site which joined the Global Geoparks Network in 2014).

The MGoun UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the middle of the chain of the central High Atlas. Its territory covers an area of medium to high mountains. The climate of the Atlas is Mediterranean with Atlantic influences. MGoun UNESCO Global Geopark consists of two zones, one with high rainfall and with temperatures between 35C and 3C and another characterized by lower rainfall. The snowfall is common from November to May.

The geological history of the territory of the MGoun UNESCO Global Geopark fits into the geological evolution of the central High Atlas dating back to the Triassic period, 250 million years ago, while the main stages took place during the Jurassic period, about 180 million years ago. It includes famous and spectacular footprints of sauropod and theropod dinosaurs and many deposits of bones. The territory contains numerous minerals: Copper, zinc, barite, iron, basalt, limestone and dolomitic Triassic red clays. The MGoun UNESCO Global Geopark consists of a large number of geosites and geological sites showing several large tectonic structures of the Atlas Mountains that sculpt the landscape.

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Sometimes in the traditional approach, a leader will make somebody do something, Rhodes said. In terms of servant leadership, a lot of times what we do is we motivate people to take a course of action to expect a certain outcome.

He said both styles can achieve similar outcomes, but believes servant leadership serves schools very well. He also believes building relationships is his greatest strength.

I believe you build those relationships, they become a little more collegial in nature, Rhodes said, and you build that ability to collaborate.

He said it is vital for districts to have those kinds of relationships, because school systems are not a me business, were a we business.

It would be great if a leader had all the answers, but frankly I certainly dont have all the answers and thats why we have the people that we have to be able to collaborate.

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Board member Jo Ann Lundgreen asked whether having been an employee of the district would be difficult should he be hired.
As Nebraskans celebrate the holidays and ring in a new year, the states law enforcement will be working to keep roads safe.

The North Platte Police Department and the Nebraska State Patrol are among agencies participating in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.

This time of year is full of joy and celebration, said Col. John Bolduc, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. Ensuring that you always have a sober driver is the best way to prevent this holiday season from being remembered for a tragedy.

The effort runs from Friday through Jan. 1. Troopers and dispatchers will be working overtime during this operation, thanks in part to a grant for $26,500 from the Nebraska Department of Transportations Highway Safety Office.

In Nebraska during 2020, 6,412 drivers were arrested for DUI and there were 1,534 alcohol-related crashes, which led to 76 deaths and more than 600 additional injuries. So far in 2021, troopers have made more than 1,100 arrests for driving under the influence.
In October, students were challenged to slap a teacher, prompting the National Education Association to call on the leaders of Facebook, Twitter and TikTok to intervene.

The Michigan State Police, among law enforcement agencies responding to the posts, said in a statement Thursday it was unaware of any credible threats.

Internet companies such as TikTok are generally exempt from liability under U.S. law for the material users post on their networks, thanks in large part to the legal safe harbor they are given by Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act.

It would be unlikely that TikTok would be liable if there were actually to be a shooting, said Jeff Kosseff, who wrote a book about Section 230 and teaches cybersecurity law at the U.S. Naval Academy. Even without 230, there are just a lot of barriers against being able to bring a cause of action against the medium on which a threat was posted.

But Kosseff, who got a warning about the TikTok challenge Thursday from his daughters school district in Arlington, Virginia, said that doesnt mean TikTok cant do something about it.
We have heard the concern from our community and we recognize that emotions are high; however, we cant discuss the specifics of this or any other employment action taken by Great Plains Health.

We have an obligation and duty to our patients to assure a high level of professionalism and quality of care. We continuously evaluate all employees to assure their behavior is consistent with our culture and that they provide care consistent with our quality of care standards.

When employees dont meet those standards, we evaluate and follow a process that can include counseling and assistance to employees. We attempt to take all reasonable steps to correct behavior or improve quality of care. When its necessary, we terminate employees when they dont meet our standards of professionalism and quality of care.

We dont fire people on whim. We dont fire people for political reasons. We do so only as a last resort.

Dr. Ned Mack,

Chairman of the GPH Board

Mel McNea,

Chief Executive Officer
Donald Trump is the most openly anti-Semitic president in American history. There is no close second. While many presidents expressed anti-Semitic beliefs in private, only Trump has done so repeatedly, and usually in public.

If you go through the list of classic anti-Semitic beliefs, Trump has checked off nearly every box:

 Jews are natural negotiators (Im a negotiator, like you folks)

 Jews buy off politicians (You want to control your own politician)

 Jews are loyal to Israel more than any other country where they live (in 2019, he described Israels Benjamin Netanyahu to a group of American Jews as your prime minister. In 2018 and 2020, he referred to Israel as your country.)

 Jews are inbred and selfish (After phone calls with Jewish lawmakers, the Washington Post reported, Trump has muttered that Jews are only in it for themselves and stick together in an ethnic allegiance that exceeds other loyalties, officials said.)

Trumps rhetoric has often employed anti-Semitic tropes, such as his 2016 tweet, borrowed from a white supremacist, using a Star of David to label Hillary Clinton as corrupt or his ad attacking a global power structure that is responsible for the economic decisions that have robbed our working class, stripped our country of its wealth, and put that money into the pockets of a handful of large corporations and political entities, over images of Janet Yellen, George Soros, and Lloyd Blankfein, all of whom happen to be Jewish.

In his most recent comments, Trump casually tells Barak Ravid, It used to be that Israel had absolute power over Congress, that Jews run the New York Times, and that the Jewish people in the United States either dont like Israel or dont care about Israel.

New quotes from Trump to @BarakRavid: Most US Jews don't love Israel. Exclusive for Unholy podcast

@Freedland pic.twitter.com/Hv4joYkbCN  Yonit Levi (@LeviYonit) December 17, 2021

(Times publisher Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. is not actually Jewish, but, of course, anti-Semitic beliefs dont require any factual basis.)

What has prevented this undisguised bigotry from exploding into a scandal  other than the normal dynamic where Trumps misconduct is always being blotted out by other cases of Trumps misconduct  is the unusual delinkage on the political right of anti-Semitism from support for Israels occupation of the West Bank.

Conservatives, including right-wing Jews, have long argued that support for Israel (in particular the Israeli right) matters far more than any other traditional measure of support for Jewish rights. In the 1990s, Norman Podhoretz once excused a deranged, conspiratorial anti-Semitic rant by Pat Robertson on the grounds that Robertson was a good ally to the Jewish State.

Like so many long-standing pathologies of right-wing politics, Trump represents a comical apotheosis. He combines militant support for Israeli expansionism with irrepressible contempt for the Jews and all they stand for. Trumps anti-Semitism bleeds out into many aspects of his political style: his attacks on disloyal globalists, his demagogic manipulation of the War on Christmas, and his blood-and-soil nationalism. That Nazis, who sat out domestic partisan politics, have rallied behind Trump is no coincidence. He is the first major-party nominee to incorporate their themes.

The fact none of this will seriously register on the right as anti-Semitism is evidence that the rights definition of the term has lost all meaning.
Luxembourg  17 December 2021 - Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Brs: SUBC, ADR: SUBCY) today announced the award of a sizeable1 contract by Aker BP for the Hanz field development located in the North Sea.

The project involves a subsea tie-back of approximately 15 kilometres to the Ivar Aasen platform. The contract scope includes engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of the gas lift and production pipelines, and associated subsea infrastructure, using vessels from Subsea 7s fleet. The production pipeline is a pipe-in-pipe design.

Project management and engineering will commence immediately at Subsea 7s offices in Stavanger, Norway. Fabrication of the pipelines will take place at Subsea 7s spool base at Vigra, Norway and offshore operations are expected to be carried out in 2023.

Monica Bjrkmann, Vice President for Subsea 7 Norway said: This award continues our long-standing collaboration with Aker BP, through the Aker BP Subsea Alliance2. The partnership enables Subsea 7 to engage early in the field development process, optimising design solutions and contributing to a positive final investment decision. Subsea 7 looks forward to continuing our alliance with Aker BP for the Hanz field development, with a focus on safe, efficient and reliable operations.

Subsea 7 defines a sizeable contract as being between USD 50 million and USD 150 million. The Aker BP Subsea Alliance is a partnership between Aker BP, Subsea 7 and Aker Solutions.

*******************************************************************************

Subsea 7 is a global leader in the delivery of offshore projects and services for the evolving energy industry, creating sustainable value by being the industrys partner and employer of choice in delivering the efficient offshore solutions the world needs.

Subsea 7 is listed on the Oslo Brs (SUBC), ISIN LU0075646355, LEI 222100AIF0CBCY80AH62.

*******************************************************************************

Story continues

Contact for investment community enquiries:

Katherine Tonks

Investor Relations Director

Tel +44 (0)20 8210 5568

katherine.tonks@subsea7.com

Contact for media enquiries:

Jan Roger Moksnes

Communications Manager, Norway

Tel +47 415 15 777

janroger.moksnes@subsea7.com

www.subsea7.com

Forward-Looking Statements: This announcement may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the safe harbour provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These statements relate to our current expectations, beliefs, intentions, assumptions or strategies regarding the future and are subject to known and unknown risks that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, future, goal, intend, likely may, plan, project, seek, should, strategy will, and similar expressions. The principal risks which could affect future operations of the Group are described in the Risk Management section of the Groups Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2020. Factors that may cause actual and future results and trends to differ materially from our forward-looking statements include (but are not limited to): (i) our ability to deliver fixed price projects in accordance with client expectations and within the parameters of our bids, and to avoid cost overruns; (ii) our ability to collect receivables, negotiate variation orders and collect the related revenue; (iii) our ability to recover costs on significant projects; (iv) capital expenditure by oil and gas companies, which is affected by fluctuations in the price of, and demand for, crude oil and natural gas; (v) unanticipated delays or cancellation of projects included in our backlog; (vi) competition and price fluctuations in the markets and businesses in which we operate; (vii) the loss of, or deterioration in our relationship with, any significant clients; (viii) the outcome of legal proceedings or governmental inquiries; (ix) uncertainties inherent in operating internationally, including economic, political and social instability, boycotts or embargoes, labour unrest, changes in foreign governmental regulations, corruption and currency fluctuations; (x) the effects of a pandemic or epidemic or a natural disaster; (xi) liability to third parties for the failure of our joint venture partners to fulfil their obligations; (xii) changes in, or our failure to comply with, applicable laws and regulations (including regulatory measures addressing climate change); (xiii) operating hazards, including spills, environmental damage, personal or property damage and business interruptions caused by adverse weather; (xiv) equipment or mechanical failures, which could increase costs, impair revenue and result in penalties for failure to meet project completion requirements; (xv) the timely delivery of vessels on order and the timely completion of ship conversion programmes; (xvi) our ability to keep pace with technological changes and the impact of potential information technology, cyber security or data security breaches; and (xvii) the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting;. Many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Attachment




Dear Santa Claus,

I havent written you since I was a snaggletooth girl with pigtails and asked for toys that could fit into that bottomless bag slung over your shoulder.

Its not that I dont believe in you anymore. Ill admit there was a brief spell when I was skeptical, wondering if you were real. But at about that time, my Aunt Mary spotted you. She was the head nurse at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, and when she stepped outside the hospital at 12:01 Christmas morning and headed for her 51 Ford, she gazed up and saw you in your sleigh, zooming across the sky like a comet.

After that sighting, my belief never wavered. But I figured you were for children. Then it occurred to me that since I still believe, it might be okay to write.
U.S. Department of Labor Cites Global Spice Importer after Worker Suffers Partial Finger Amputation at Jackson, Alabama Facility

OSHA previously cited iSpice LLC in April for exposing workers to safety hazards.

On August 8, 2021, a 61-year-old maintenance employee of iSpice LLC in Jackson had part of his finger amputated while amputated while wrapping material to a machine that started and trapped his hand. According to an article, his employer failed to ensure proper guarding was installed. The incident occurred less than six months after OSHA cited the global spice importer in a separate investigation for exposing workers to amputation and struck-by hazards.

OSHA cited iSpice for not ensuring that machine guards were in place or adequate while employees worked in close proximity to rotating components on machines. The company also exposed workers to fall hazards by allowing them to work on an open-sided mezzanine 12 feet above the next level without a complete guardrail system, allowed employees to work near uncovered electrical boxes and light switches and a machine with exposed live parts. The company faces $146,751 in penalties.

Once again, this employer disregarded safety measures and their neglect resulted in a serious injury that should never have happened, said OSHA Area Director Jose Gonzalez in Mobile, Alabama. Employers have a responsibility to comply with OSHA standards that are in place to keep workers safe on the job.

OSHA cited iSpice LLC in April and assessed $121,511 in penalties.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHAs area director or contest the findings before the independent OSHRC.
It appears that oil market oversupply may already be upon us, with demand being hit hard by Omicron and by China cracking down on its independent refiners.

Friday, December 17th, 2021

Oversupply has been one of the main talking points in oil markets in recent months, and now it seems that it will soon be upon us. The softening of Asian oil demand, triggered by Chinas zero-COVID measures and Beijings continued clampdown on independent refiners in Shandong, has curbed the enthusiasm of market bulls while Brent is now flirting with contango, a sign of looming oversupply. This being said, there remain some upside factors, primarily the low level of inventories globally - which are now roughly at March 2020 levels. With Omicron cases doubling daily in European countries, however, it seems supply is going to shoot past demand. Against this background, ICE Brent slid to $73 per barrel, whilst US benchmark WTI was trading at around $70.5 per barrel.

Get Ready for Some Chinese Buying. With China seeing its electricity mandates eased, coupled with the recent strengthening of the Dubai complex, opened up crude arbitrage from Europe, Africa, and the Americas into the Asia Pacific region, implying that the currently meager flows (down 30% y-o-y at 2.8 million b/d) should see an uptick in Q1 2022.

Germany Doesnt Expect Nord Stream 2 Launch Soon. Germanys energy regulator BNetzA said it does not expect the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, owned by Gazprom (MCX:GAZP), to be launched in the first half of 2022, sending European gas prices to all-time highs. Related: Russia Puts The Blame On Europe As Energy Crisis Worsens

Eni Doubles Down on Algeria. One of the worlds foremost drillers, the Italian ENI (NYSE:E), signed the first exploration deal in Algeria following the North African countrys reforming of its hydrocarbon sector, landing a 7,800km2 acreage in the onshore Berkine Basin bordering Libya.

Global Coal Demand To Rise 6% This Year. According to IEA forecasts, overall coal demand is set to increase by 6% in 2021 (to a total of 7.9 billion metric tons), largely driven by thermal coal becoming an even more important power generation source globally on the back of surging gas prices.

Freight Rates Plummet Ahead of Christmas. Following a seasonal pricing pattern, the Baltic Exchanges dry bulk freight index dropped to a 1-month low of 2,379, implying that tanker rates have posted their biggest weekly fall since February 2019 amidst easing pressure on freight prices.

Spiking EU Gas Prices Push Up Asian LNG. Much to the chagrin of Asian LNG buyers, soaring spot gas prices in Europe - trading some $12 per mmBtu above Asian LNG at $48/mmBtu equivalent - have been inevitably pushing up spot LNG quotes in the Asia Pacific, already at $45 per mmBtu.

Mozambique Seeks to Expedite Disrupted LNG Projects. The government of Mozambique is closing in on Islamic State-linked insurgents that disrupted the countrys nascent LNG industry and stalled the construction of the $20 billion liquefaction plant by TotalEnergies (NYSE:TTE), whose first production was already delayed to at least 2026.

The Next Generation of Fracking Technology. The next generation of fracking technology has arrived, and every operator, pumper, oilfield service professional, trader, and financial institution needs to be aware of that. Get access to the most important fracking report of the year by Primary Vision by clicking here.

Shell Sale of Deer Park Refinery Delayed. The long-mooted sale of Shells (NYSE:RDS.A) controlling interest in the 302,800 b/d Deer Park refinery in Texas to the Mexican national oil company PEMEX has been delayed into 2022 as the US Committee on Foreign Investment continues to review the transaction.

Forming Consortium Key to Landing Brazil Auction. One of the most closely watched upstream auctions of this year, Brazils re-auctioning of its pre-salt Sepia and Atapu fields, saw two international consortia landing the deals, with the former going to the Petrobras-Total-QP-Petronas pairing.

Venezuela Tries Its Luck with Renewable Energy. Venezuelas National Assembly is preparing a draft bill on what it labeled alternative energy that would seek to kickstart the countrys renewable sector, as its Guri hydroelectric dam is susceptible to droughts and oil-burning plants keep on regularly breaking down.

ConocoPhillips Starts $1.4 Billion Alaska Project. US oil firm ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) has started production at the 30,000 b/d capacity GMT-2 oil field in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, feeding into the companys ANS portfolio which is still yet to see the largest prospect (Willow) approved by authorities.

BP and Maersk Pilot Biofuel Blend On Ships. UK oil major BP (NYSE:BP) and Danish shipping company Maersk Tankers have successfully completed trials using marine fuel blended with biofuel - consisting of 30% FAME and VLSFO - potentially paving the way for a new wave of ship fuels.

Related: The Worlds Top Automakers Are Doubling Down On Electric Vehicles

Nuclear Plant Cracks Spark Fears of Power Meltdown. At least two nuclear power stations in France were shut down due to corrosion-induced cracks detected in reactor pipes, sending shares in EDF (EPA:EDF) plunging and adding another layer of concern to an already shaky power generation outlook in Europe.

Despite Missing Majors, Colombia Celebrates Licensing Success. The Colombian government stated 30 contracts will be signed in the upcoming days as a result of the Latin American countrys latest licensing round, with Calgary-based Parex Resources (TSE:PXT) bidding on half of those blocks whilst national oil firm Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) only bidding for five.

COVID Restrictions Hit Chinas Petchem Sector. With Chinas Zhejiang province having its first locally-transmitted COVID case in early December and then going into maximum stringency, petrochemical plants in the region were forced to cut run rates to roughly 50% of capacity on the back of logistics constraints and overall control measures.

By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions against the Russian private military outfit, the Wagner Group, and related entities and individuals for human rights abuses and destabilizing activities in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, and the Central African Republic. The sanctions extend to three Russian oil and gas companies said to

In Libya, where elections are supposed to be held on December 24th, there has been a delay in approving the official candidate list, which could mean that elections will be delayed as well. No one even knows who has the ultimate authority to postpone elections. There are real fears this delay will lead to more bloodshed and a possible return to all-out civil war. On Thursday, a group of armed men surrounded the Presidential Council building in Tripoli, which houses the PMs office, just as the PM (Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh) announced his candidacy for president. In the meantime, clashes broke out Tuesday in Sebha between local government and pro-Haftar forces, sparked by reports (unconfirmed) that Haftar loyalists seized military vehicles intended to be used in election security. Sebha is in Libyas south, where the government has little control, adding to speculation that Haftar was simply reminding them of that. We see no way out of bloodshed here. There is too much at stake for Haftar, a powerful presidential candidate who has also been sentenced to death in absentia in Misrata for war crimes.

Geopolitics, Politics & Conflict

In Libya, where elections are supposed to be held on December 24th, there has been a delay in approving the official candidate list, which could mean that elections will be delayed as well. No one even knows who has the ultimate authority to postpone elections. There are real fears this delay will lead to more bloodshed and a possible return to all-out civil war. On Thursday, a group of armed men surrounded the Presidential Council building in Tripoli, which houses the PMs office, just as the PM (Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh) announced his candidacy for president. In the meantime, clashes broke out Tuesday in Sebha between local government and pro-Haftar forces, sparked by reports (unconfirmed) that Haftar loyalists seized military vehicles intended to be used in election security. Sebha is in Libyas south, where the government has little control, adding to speculation that Haftar was simply reminding them of that. We see no way out of bloodshed here. There is too much at stake for Haftar, a powerful presidential candidate who has also been sentenced to death in absentia in Misrata for war crimes.

The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions against the Russian private military outfit, the Wagner Group, and related entities and individuals for human rights abuses and destabilizing activities in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, and the Central African Republic. The sanctions extend to three Russian oil and gas companies said to be benefitting from Wagners activities. Russia uses these private military groups to do its dirty work while still being able to say it is not a state-sponsored activity (Russia is not alone in this tactic, of course).

Over a year after the two countries established ties, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Abu Dhabi's crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the very first such visit. In private talks, two officials discussed a number of areas of cooperation, including trade, technology, the environment and tourism. The two countries released a joint statement calling Bennetts trip another milestone in the development of warm relations, following their agreement last year to normalize diplomatic ties. Two nations also agreed to establish a joint research and development fund. Last year, two countries signed an agreement under which crude oil from OPECs third-largest producer could be shipped to European markets via an oil pipeline in Israel connecting the Red Sea with the Mediterranean.

Markets & More

The Omicron variant is turning out to be a puzzling force of instability in the oil market. The IEA sees global measures to address Omicron as denting demand, sending oil into a surplus early next year. In fact, the IEA sees global oil production exceeding demand this month. OPEC+, on the other hand, is cautioning the market not to be too hasty when it comes to predicting the damage Omicron may or may not do. OPEC+ will continue to ramp up production by another 400,000 bpd in Januaryat least thats the plan for nowOmicron or no Omicron. Meanwhile, crude inventories in the United States have drawn down by 60 million barrels since the start of the year, and US oil production companies are trying to thread the needle between keeping investors happy, correctly anticipating market demand in the Covid era, and not getting too far ahead of itself with regard to investments or asset purchases as policies turn toward net-zero initiatives.

Across the pond, European gas prices are still out of this world, reaching more records this week after German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock said that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline couldnt be permitted in its current state, because it doesnt comply with EU law. Dutch month-ahead gas prices even surpassed the October 5 high this week, reaching more than 300 euro per MWh in France, Switzerland, and Italy to name just a few countries being battered by the high prices.

British and Dutch front-month LNG futures also rose substantially this week, reaching $33/MMBtu. Asian LNG spot prices rose as well, to above $37. The market is clearly anticipating the rivalry that currently exists over LNG cargoes to linger into next summer.

Saudi Arabia is now banking on its first budget surplus next year in almost a decadepartly because it plans to restrict its public spending, and partly due to increasing oil prices. The Saudis are expecting a surplus equivalent to 2.5% of its GDP.

Texas-based Colgate Energy will go public at a valuation of $4B. This is a significant development because we have seen an oil production IPO since 2018. Colgate owns around 108,000 net acres in the Delaware portion of the Permian basin, producing approximately 62,000 boepd. Last month, it acquired an additional 22,000 net acres in New Mexico from an undisclosed seller for $190M. This summer, it also scooped up some 25,000 net acres and 10,000 boepd in Texas for approximately $508M from Occidental.

Analysts are forecasting that Chinas appetite for crude oil will be diminished at the start of 2022, thanks to covid restrictions. While Chinas imports of crude are expected to be higher year over year in January, it will ease by the end of the quarter, analysts say, hitting 10.7 million bpd in Marchmore than a million barrels shy of the levels seen in March of 2021. Chinas 2021 crude imports will be lower than in the previous yearthe first dip since 2004 when record-keeping began.

Discovery & Development

Montenegrin authorities have denied local media reports claiming the discovery of a large quantity of high-quality petroleum and gas deposits by Russias Novatek and Italys ENI. The two companies launched exploratory oil and gas drilling In March under a 30-year concession contract signed in 2016. ENI and Novatek each hold a 50% stake in the concession.

Russian Gazprom has launched operations on the Yamal Gas Arctic subsea gas pipeline connecting the production facilities on the Yamal Peninsula with the Tula mainline gas pipeline.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announced up to one billion barrels of oil equivalent discoveries in onshore Block 4. The concession is operated by Japanese Inpex.

Sinopec added another 104.88 bcm of newly proven nat gas reserves at its Baima Block in the Fuling shale gas field in the Sichuan basin, bringing total proven reserves to almost 900 bcmabout 34% of Chinas total proven shale gas reserves. The Fuling field set a gas shale production record recently, producing a total of 1.41 trillion cubic feet of shale. Its daily production is thought to be more than 700 million cubic feet, capable of meeting gas demand for 40 million households.

Ecuador authorities declared force majeure on crude oil exports and production after erosion in the Amazon region forced a halt in 2 pipelines. The countrys Trans-Ecuadorian Pipeline System and Heavy Crude Pipeline, as well as the Shushufindi-Quito petroleum products pipeline, had to be shut. The three pipelines face the risk of rupture from erosion of the Quijos and Coca riverbeds. Ecuador produced 483,000 bpd of crude oil last year, exporting 360,000 bpd of thatbetween 120,000 and 198,000 bpd is exported to the United States. No details have been made available as to when the pipeline will be repaired and returned to operations.

Deals, Mergers & Acquisitions

EnCap combined two of its portfolio companiesAdvance Energy Partners and Ameredev II LLC) that operate in the Permian, forming a $4 billion behemoth that will be one of the largest privately-owned oil producers in the Permians Delaware Basin. EnCap hopes to take the new combined company public as soon as next year.

Qatar Energy will buy a 17% stake in two of Shells oil and gas exploration blocks in Egypts Red Sea. The assets cover an area of 3,084 square kilometers in water depths of 150 to 500 meters. Shell will remain the operator in both blocks.

Shell has announced the acquisition of US-based solar and energy storage developer Savion from Macquarie's Green Investment Group for an undisclosed amount. Savion currently has more than 18 gigawatts of solar power and battery storage under development for customers.

Norways Equinor will seek to raise $1 billion from the sale of a stake in its Martin Linge oilfield in the North Sea, Reuters reported. The company is hoping to offload a 19% interest in the asset retaining 51%. The field started production last year and is expected to reach a peak output of 115,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

The megamerger of Australian Woodside Petroleum and BHP Petroleum International for $28 billion has received the green light from Australian competition authorities. The deal was signed in November and will create a global, top-10 independent oil and gas producer.

Regulations, Subsidies & More

California regulators put forward a change to the way the state handles its solar incentives. If affected, the change will reduce current incentives, potentially doubling the return on investment that homeowners can expect to achieve by installing rooftop solar. The prospective changes would effectively tap solar users to pay a fairer share of the operating costs for the electric grid.

In response to high gas prices, the EU is looking to jointly purchase gas from strategic reserves. First, the EU gas market rules would need to be updated. Ultimately, while specifics are still lacking, the system would allow member states through joint cooperation to tap gas in storage from other countries if there was a need to do so.

The year-end subsidies for Chinas wind farms are coming to an end, sparking a massive drive of commando teams working 24 hours a day to install wind turbines in the country at full speed to take advantage of the subsidies. 6 GW of wind projects that are under construction will likely miss the deadline, meaning that instead of receiving $134 per MWh, they might get half that. One of the hangups to installing these turbines is that there arent many ships available that can hoist the 100-meter tall towers, but companies have brought in vessels from overseas, and offshore oil and gas service boats have been retrofitted to perform this function. It is expected that China will complete 10.6 GW of wind capacity before the year is out. For perspective, the world is estimated to have not quite 36 GW of offshore wind turbines as of the end of 2020so this mad dash in China is not just a flash in the pan.

Israel will halt offshore natural gas exploration until at least the end of 2022 in order to shift focus on renewables.

In the US, a federal grand jury has charged Texas-based Amplify Energy Corp., the operator of the pipeline that leaked 25,000 gallons of crude into the shores of Orange County, California, with one misdemeanor count of negligent oil discharge. Amplify and two of its subsidiaries now face a maximum of five years probation and millions in fines.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has proposed changes to the ethanol mandate that would raise the ethanol tax.
As of Friday, Reuters is reporting that in Denmark, South Africa, and Britain, the number of new Omicron cases has been doubling every two days. Denmarks Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said her government would propose

Since Omicron was discovered about three weeks ago, global health officials have offered various opinions about the vaccines effectiveness against it. They have, however, reached an agreement that they still dont know enough about it to give a good opinion on its impact. Meanwhile, governments have reached their own conclusions about how to fight the spread. They have chosen to reimpose restrictions.

This weeks inside trade on the chart suggests investor indecision and impending volatility. The indecision is being fueled by mixed outlooks for supply/demand and the lack of clarity from health officials on whether vaccines are effective against Omicron. The source of volatility could be greater curbs and restrictions designed to soften the impact of the virus, and thin trading conditions tied to the year-end holiday season.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures are edging lower on Friday, putting the market in a position to post a slightly lower close for the week. Although the market put in a mixed performance throughout the week, a bearish consensus seems to be developing as surging cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant raised fears that new curbs may lead to demand destruction.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures are edging lower on Friday, putting the market in a position to post a slightly lower close for the week. Although the market put in a mixed performance throughout the week, a bearish consensus seems to be developing as surging cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant raised fears that new curbs may lead to demand destruction.

This weeks inside trade on the chart suggests investor indecision and impending volatility. The indecision is being fueled by mixed outlooks for supply/demand and the lack of clarity from health officials on whether vaccines are effective against Omicron. The source of volatility could be greater curbs and restrictions designed to soften the impact of the virus, and thin trading conditions tied to the year-end holiday season.

Omicron Update

Since Omicron was discovered about three weeks ago, global health officials have offered various opinions about the vaccines effectiveness against it. They have, however, reached an agreement that they still dont know enough about it to give a good opinion on its impact. Meanwhile, governments have reached their own conclusions about how to fight the spread. They have chosen to reimpose restrictions.

As of Friday, Reuters is reporting that in Denmark, South Africa, and Britain, the number of new Omicron cases has been doubling every two days. Denmarks Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said her government would propose new restrictions. This follows the U.K. that has had restrictions in place for over a week.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the rapid spread of the Omicron variant has led some companies to pause plans to get workers back into offices. This could lead to lower gasoline demand.

Traders Pricing in Lower Demand and Higher Supply

In another bearish indicator, in addition to pricing in the possibility of lower demand due to new economic restrictions in some countries, traders now have to deal with increased supply due to higher U.S. and OPEC+ output.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Tuesday said a surge in COVID-19 cases with the emergence of the Omicron variant will dent global demand for oil at the same time that crude output is set to increase, especially in the United States, with supply set to exceed demand through at least the end of next year.

US Fuel Demand Surges on Record Demand

Crude oil prices were poised to drop further earlier in the week until the government releases its weekly inventories report that showed an unexpected surge in fuel demand.

U.S. implied consumer petroleum demand surged to an all-time high last week on the back of holiday demand and travel  even as the Omicron variant of coronavirus threatens to dent oil consumption in coming months, Reuters reported.

Overall crude stockpiles fell due to rising exports, and inventories for gasoline and distillates were also down, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said Wednesday.

Product supplied by refineries, a proxy for demand, surged in the most recent week to 23.2 million barrels per day (bpd), due to gains in gasoline, diesel and other refined products. The less volatile four-week average was 21.3 million bpd, ahead of pre-pandemic levels, and the strongest in December since 2018.

We dont expect this to turn into a trend especially if people decide to curtail their Christmas and New Year travel plans, and if companies delay the opening of offices.

Inventories Fall as Exports Jump on Year-End Tax Considerations

Crude inventories fell by 4.6 million barrels in the week to December 10 to 428.3 million barrels, more than double expectations in a Reuters poll for a 2.1 million-barrel drop.

U.S. gasoline stocks fell 719,000 barrels in the week, while distillate stockpiles fell by 2.9 million barrels.

This could also be a one and done event.

Weekly Technical Analysis

Weekly March WTI Crude Oil

Trend Indicator Analysis

The main trend is up according to the weekly swing chart. However, momentum has been trending lower since the confirmation of the closing price reversal top from the week-ending October 29.

A move through $60.21 will change the main trend to down. A trade through $80.72 will negate the closing price reversal top and signal a resumption of the uptrend.

The minor trend is down. The minor trend changed to down the week-ending November 19 when sellers took out the minor bottom at $75.17. The move confirmed the shift in momentum to down.

Retracement Level Analysis

The new minor range is $80.72 to $62.05. Its 50% to 61.8% retracement zone at $71.38 to $73.59 is the primary upside target. It is also controlling the near-term direction of the market. This zone stopped the rally at $72.82 the week-ending December 10 and again this week.

On the downside, potential support is a pair of 50% levels at $70.47 and $67.68.

The major support is a 50% level at $59.76 and the long-term retracement zone at $57.10 to $51.52.

Weekly Technical Forecast

The direction of the March WTI crude oil market the week-ending December 24 will be determined by trader reaction to $73.59 and $67.68. Its a wide range, but we have to leave room for volatility that could lead to a choppy trade on both side of $71.38 and $70.47.

More aggressive traders may want to use a move over $71.38 as a sign of strength and a move under $70.47 as an indicator of weakness.

Bullish Scenario

A sustained move over $73.59 will indicate the presence of buyers. If this move is able to generate enough upside momentum then look for a possible surge into $80.72 over the near term.

Bearish Scenario

A sustained move under $67.68 will signal the presence of sellers. This could create the downside momentum needed to drive the market into the support at $62.05 to $59.76.

Short-Term Outlook

The Omicron coronavirus is causing uncertainty, and when there is uncertainty, investors tend to sell. This is also the reason for the choppy, two-sided trade. Additionally, during periods of uncertainty, traders lack the conviction to buy strength or sell weakness that tends to drive a trend.

Instead, they become more willing to sell resistance and buy support, holding the market in a range.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is the major source of uncertainty because, by its own admission, it just doesnt know enough about Omicron to make a definitive prediction about its impact. This is creating uncertainty in the oil market because traders cant hedge away a risk they know little about. So the best solution for traders has been to sell and keep their powder dry until there is more concrete news about the virus.

The WHO on Wednesday said preliminary evidence indicates vaccines may be less effective against infection and transmission linked to the Omicron coronavirus variant, which also carries a higher risk of reinfection.

But the WHO, in its weekly epidemiological update, also said that more data was needed to better understand the extent to which Omicron may evade immunity derived from either vaccines or previous infection.

As a result of this, the overall risk related to the new variant of concern Omicron remains very high, it said, echoing comments made by WHO officials at an online briefing on Tuesday.

These types of comments fuel uncertainty and are likely to continue to do so until the WHO makes a definitive statement about Omicron. Only then will traders have the confidence to act with clarity and conviction.
Europe has become the largest buyer of US LNG last month, seeing monthly departures total 2.85 million tonnes LNG, a trend that should only fortify with TTF prices swinging above spot Asian LNG prices.

With US gas prices still relatively low (Henry Hub front-month futures remain below $4 per mmBtu) gas firms are incentivized to send their volumes abroad where the prices are manifold higher.

US LNG exports are set to hit a new all-time high on the back of increasing gas production, reaching at least 6.7 million tonnes of LNG this month, according to vessel fixture data.

With West-to-East arbitrage improving amid a strengthening Dubai complex, Indian refiners should see an inflow of crudes coming from the Atlantic Basin in the upcoming weeks.

Indian crude imports have risen to 4.31 million b/d last month, the highest they have been since March, with Middle Eastern producers accounting for roughly 75% of supplies.

According to S&P Global Platts, Indian refinery runs will increase by 370,000 b/d next year to a total of 5.2 million b/d, the first time Indias annual increments will overtake that of China.

Brushing aside Omicron concerns, Indian downstream players have been ramping up refinery runs and are close to running at 100% (with private refiners already at full capacity).

1. Indian Oil Demand Is Firing on All Cylinders

Brushing aside Omicron concerns, Indian downstream players have been ramping up refinery runs and are close to running at 100% (with private refiners already at full capacity).

According to S&P Global Platts, Indian refinery runs will increase by 370,000 b/d next year to a total of 5.2 million b/d, the first time Indias annual increments will overtake that of China.

Indian crude imports have risen to 4.31 million b/d last month, the highest they have been since March, with Middle Eastern producers accounting for roughly 75% of supplies.

With West-to-East arbitrage improving amid a strengthening Dubai complex, Indian refiners should see an inflow of crudes coming from the Atlantic Basin in the upcoming weeks.

2. US LNG Exports to Hit All-Time High This Month



Source: Kpler.

US LNG exports are set to hit a new all-time high on the back of increasing gas production, reaching at least 6.7 million tonnes of LNG this month, according to vessel fixture data.

With US gas prices still relatively low (Henry Hub front-month futures remain below $4 per mmBtu) gas firms are incentivized to send their volumes abroad where the prices are manifold higher.

Europe has become the largest buyer of US LNG last month, seeing monthly departures total 2.85 million tonnes LNG, a trend that should only fortify with TTF prices swinging above spot Asian LNG prices.

In terms of countries, China has been purchasing the most for three consecutive months already, accounting for roughly 15% of aggregate American outflows.

3. Banned from China, Australian Coal Finds New Home in India

Despite Australian coal being banned from the worlds largest coal market in China, producers have managed to find a new key market outlet for their production in India.

Before the Chinese embargo, Australia used to export 3-4 million tonnes of coal to India, this it has been averaging 6 million tonnes (reaching an all-time high of 7.4 million tonnes in October).

While Australias thermal coal exports are still expected to slide marginally in 2021, down some 2% year-on-year at 198 million tonnes, the prospects of higher flows to Taiwan, Japan or South Korea remains on the table.

In terms of pricing, Australias high calorific value coal trended only marginally below regional competitors, even occasionally surging past South African quotes in November-December.

4. Graphite Shortage Vexes EV and Battery Makers

Whilst commodity markets writ large continue to follow supply/demand dynamics of main metals needed for electric vehicle batteries, such as lithium or nickel, a recent dearth in graphite supply uncovered another strategic weakness.

Graphite, in both natural and synthetic forms, is used to create anodes, i.e. the negative end of a lithium-ion battery, and has very few alternatives to replace it with.

With graphite flakes seeing a 40% price spike in recent months, analysts are expecting graphite to swing into a structural deficit next year, at some 20,000 metric tonnes.

Considering that some 70% of all graphite comes from China, Beijings recent moves to organize a showpiece Winter Olympics Games amid lower-than-usual production of highly-emitting industries would most probably only strengthen the tightness sentiment.

5. European Gas Supplies to Remain Tight into 2022

European gas prices surged to their highest-ever level this week, moving past the threshold 135 per MWh, upon the news of Europe seeing its first bout of cold weather starting next week.

Asian prices have been trending the opposite direction on the back of gas storage reaching levels too high to maintain robust buying, making European hub prices the most expensive globally.

Not only has European gas storage seen drawdowns steeper than usually  14 billion cubic metres since the beginning of November  it still faces unprecedentedly low inventory levels, 62% currently.

Analysts expect that by the end of the winter season in end-March, European gas stocks would fall below 15% of capacity, by far a historical low.

6. Lithium Prices Still Not There to Peak

Lithium prices have probably seen the largest appreciation this year across the commodity spectrum, with lithium carbonate prices gaining some 415% since the start of 2021.

Currently assessed at $32,600 per metric tonne on a CIF Asia Pacific basis, lithium prices are expected to continue their surge in 2022, too, as market tightness is expected to remain in place.

Platts Market Intelligence expects lithium markets to suffer a supply deficit of 5,000 metric tonnes LCE in 2022, with total chemical supply forecast to total 636,000 metric tonnes.

Chile, Australia and Argentina will see most 2022 supply increments; however, it seems that the supply response is bound to be fundamentally slower than the assumed 30% annual demand growth.

7. European Carbon Prices Almost Triple This Year

With December 2021 options expiring on December 15 at a little more than 80 per metric ton of CO2 equivalent ($90/mt), European carbon prices continue to slash profits of EU power generators and oil refiners.

Normally, the option expiry would trigger a downward correction once the speculation subsides, however the recent spike in European hub gas prices have kept carbon prices largely unchanged.

With inexorably high gas prices rendering European clean spark spreads negative despite soaring electricity, coal burn has been on the rise for the past months, putting a floor under carbon prices.

Pressure is growing within the European Union to limit carbon trading to compliance participants exclusively, i.e. to ban speculative traders, spearheaded by Spain and Poland.
Russias most likely point of incursion would be the strategic port city of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov. This port city is controlled by Ukraines wealthiest oligarch, steel magnate Rinat Akhmetov, who has become the recent focus of accusations of plotting a coup with the Russians. Akhmetov has sided, in his empires history, with anyone who will benefit his business. That could mean pro-Russian, pro-Ukrainian or pro-Western forces. This is not an ideological move. At this point, however, Akhmetovs steel plants and shipping needs in and out of Mariupol are being hindered by Russian control over who gets through and who doesnta lot of red tape and arbitrary seizures and inspections. The Russians have the upper hand, and whoever has the upper hand is best for business. For that reason,

For Putin, this move is about winning concessions from NATO. The art of maintaining the pressure on the unresolved conflict is key to winning concessions. The point is not necessary to invade Ukraine again and annex more territory; however, if concessions are not achieved, it would be relatively easy for Russia to do so.

As Russian troops line up on the Ukrainian border, Putin is warning the UK against any eastward NATO expansion that the Kremlin would view as encroaching on its territory in Ukraine. An estimated 175,000 Russian troops have been mobilized along the border, and the standoff is intensifying by the day.

As Russian troops line up on the Ukrainian border, Putin is warning the UK against any eastward NATO expansion that the Kremlin would view as encroaching on its territory in Ukraine. An estimated 175,000 Russian troops have been mobilized along the border, and the standoff is intensifying by the day.

For Putin, this move is about winning concessions from NATO. The art of maintaining the pressure on the unresolved conflict is key to winning concessions. The point is not necessary to invade Ukraine again and annex more territory; however, if concessions are not achieved, it would be relatively easy for Russia to do so.

Russias most likely point of incursion would be the strategic port city of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov. This port city is controlled by Ukraines wealthiest oligarch, steel magnate Rinat Akhmetov, who has become the recent focus of accusations of plotting a coup with the Russians. Akhmetov has sided, in his empires history, with anyone who will benefit his business. That could mean pro-Russian, pro-Ukrainian or pro-Western forces. This is not an ideological move. At this point, however, Akhmetovs steel plants and shipping needs in and out of Mariupol are being hindered by Russian control over who gets through and who doesnta lot of red tape and arbitrary seizures and inspections. The Russians have the upper hand, and whoever has the upper hand is best for business. For that reason, the coup-plotting allegations seem likely. The oligarch is in a tight spot, and while Russia could take Mariupol easily without his assistance, controlling it once they take it will be phenomenally smoother with him on their side.

Oligarchic opportunism aside, Russia is unlikely to get certification to start pumping as through the NordStream 2 pipeline from Germany if it makes any aggressive move on Ukraine. Germany could simply use a red tape trick to delay the certification for months, as well. Earlier this week, the U.S. claimed that Germany agreed to halt NordStream altogether if Putin invaded Ukraine, but German officials later denied that.

As it stands, Russia is likely to push this much further. Putin will not back down. Either there will be Nord Stream and NATO promises of no eastward expansion, or there will be an invasion of Ukraine, which is not equipped to fight off the Russians on its own. When the Ukrainian foreign minister says that Russia could invade in the blink of an eye, he is not exaggerating. US officials predict that invasion could happen as early as January. The delays to Nord Stream are already having a negative effect on European gas prices, surging this week as Germany indicated it wouldnt give certification in its current state. An invasion would send them through the roof.
The European natural gas benchmark prices tumbled by 15% early on Friday after Russias gas giant Gazprom booked last-minute capacity on a pipeline to ship extra gas to Germany via Poland in the coming days.

The benchmark price for Europe at the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) has seen some wild swings this week, most of which as a result of news and reports about current and expected Russian gas supply to Europe. This highlights the sensitivity of European gas prices to Russian gas shipments amid the lowest levels of gas in European storage in a decade.

Traders are watching closely every tender in which Gazprom is set to book pipeline capacity via the main pipeline routes to Germany and Poland. Every time Russia doesnt book too much additional capacity, Europes benchmark gas prices jump.

The market is also closely following the daily natural gas flows on the Yamal-Europe pipeline.

Earlier this week, Europes gas prices surged again to near-record highs after Germany indicated it had no intention of approving Nord Stream 2 before requirements under German law were satisfied.

However, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also said that the situation in Ukraine was also a factor in the German governments decision on the matter.

On Thursday, the German regulator reviewing the certification of Nord Stream 2 said it would not make a decision before July 2022.

On Friday, however, the market was calmed (for now) by Gazprom booking in the last minute around 30 percent of pipeline capacity to deliver gas to Germany in within-day auctions.

As a result, the European gas prices opened down by 10% on Friday, having hit a fresh record closing high yesterday of over $45/MMBtu, Ole Hansen, Head of Commodity Strategy at Saxo Bank, said.

The benchmark price at the Dutch hub could slump further if Russia finally decides to turn up the taps and start shipping extra gas on top of its contract obligations, Hansen told Bloomberg.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Big Oil majors will bid for two exploration blocks in Brazil's prolific pre-salt zone today, with the eleven competitors including Exxon and Shell, as well as Brazilian companies.

This will be the second tender of the two blocks, Sepia and Atapu, after a tender in 2019 failed to attract any bids. The state is asking for a signing bonus of almost $2 billion for the two blocks, Reuters reports.

"Based on the interactions we're having with CEOs, we are expecting competition," the head of Brazil's oil watchdog told Reuters.

For Exxon, this would be the first big spending decision after it reported a massive loss of $22.4 billion for last year amid the pandemic, Reuters notes.

If both blocks find suitors, they may eventually boost Brazil's oil production by as much as 12 percent, bringing in some $40 billion in total investments over the next ten years, according to Brazil's energy ministry.

Brazil is putting a lot of effort into boosting its oil production. Earlier this year, the country's Mines and Energy Minister, Bento Albuquerque, said that by the end of the decade, Brazil could become the fifth-largest crude oil exporter.

"In 2030, when we reach a production of 5.3 million barrels of oil per day, Brazil will become the fifth largest exporter in the world," Albuquerque said, adding that Brazil's crude and liquids production is set to jump from 3.3 million barrels per day (bpd) now.

Currently, Brazil is out of the top ten of the world's largest crude oil exporters, a ranking where Saudi Arabia is firmly in the lead, with Brazil at number 12. State oil major Petrobras recently unveiled plans to invest some $68 billion in boosting production over the next five years, which constitutes 82 percent of its total investments planned for the period between 2022 and 2026.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Independent Chinese refineries increased its crude oil imports from Iran last month as the government issued a new batch of import quotas.

Total crude imports were up by almost 40 percent from October to an average of 600,000 bpd, Bloomberg reported, citing data from Kpler. The new quotas were issued in mid-October.

What follows now, however, will be a slowdown in imports from all sources as China tightens restrictions in response to the Omicron variant and as Beijing continues to crack down on independent refiners. An effort to curb pollution ahead of the Winter Olympics will also affect imports negatively, as will the Lunar New Year holiday when demand declines.

Chinese imports in March 2022 are set to be around 10.7 million barrels per day (bpd). This would be about 1 million bpd lower than the crude oil imports in March this year, according to estimates from consultants FGE cited by Bloomberg.

This year, Chinese crude oil imports are already on track to post the first annual decline compared to 2020. This would be the first such drop in average annual crude imports since records began back in 2004, according to data from the Chinese General Administration of Customs.

Even so, imports of Iranian crude have been strong among private refiners, or teapots, due to the price discount, especially as Saudi Arabia, Chinas top supplier of crude, raised its official selling prices for Asian clients. According to traders cited by Bloomberg, Iranian crude sells at a discount of up to $4 per barrel to ICE Brent futures prices.

Although Chinese state refiners shun Iranian oil, at least publicly, because of U.S. sanctions, private refiners are not subject to that much international scrutiny and have never really stopped buying Iranian crude. Also, private refiners do not have long-term contractual commitments with other suppliers, unlike state refiners.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The Russia-led Nord Stream 2 pipeline could start shipping natural gas to Germany as early as next month, as Europe would not want to drag its feet with the certification process with storage levels so low, a top Russian lawmaker said on Friday.

"I can say with a high degree of certainty that the first gas via Nord Stream 2 will go in January," Pavel Zavalny, chairman of the energy committee at Russia's lower house of Parliament, told a conference online, as carried by Reuters.

Just yesterday, the German regulator reviewing the certification of Nord Stream 2 said it would not make a decision before July 2022, in another setback for the controversial Russia-led project.

In the middle of November, Germany said it had suspended the process of certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

The Federal Network Agency of Germany, Bundesnetzagentur, suspended the procedure to certify Nord Stream 2 AG as an independent transmission operator until an operator of the pipeline in Germany is incorporated under German law.

The network agency's president Jochen Homann said on Thursday that "A decision won't be made in the first half of 2022," as carried by Bloomberg.

The agency will resume the certification process as soon as the criteria it had set in its rationale for suspending the procedure are met. Bundesnetzagentur is still waiting for the pipeline project operator Nord Stream 2 AG to submit documents, Homann said at a press conference.

Speaking on Friday, the head of the energy committee at Russia's Parliament said, "Why am I sure about this? First of all, the timing for it (certification) is up in January. And it's not in the interests of Germany and other European Union's countries to drag on with this process further."

Gas in Europe's storage facilities will have declined by January, which would be another incentive for Germany and the EU not to delay the certification, Zavalny said.

The pipeline construction is completed, but Nord Stream 2 is awaiting full regulatory clearance from Germany and a review by the European Union over its compliance with EU energy regulations.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The Public Utility Commission of Texas is discussing major reforms to the states electricity market with the purpose to avoid a repeat of the power failures and blackouts in February 2021, which led to the death of more than 100 people and left over 11 million residents without electricity for days.

The regulator is discussing at a meeting on Thursday around a dozen proposals to make the grid more stable and reliable in case of emergencies. Proposals include paying power generators that are on standby when the grid needs backup, and requiring companies to pre-emptively buy capacity to meet future demand.

It is not clear yet how many and which of the proposals for electricity market reforms PUC will endorse today.

Analysts and consumer protection bodies warn that the measures will raise the energy bills for consumers.

Customers will be paying for more, but will they be getting more reliability? Michael Jewell, an attorney with Jewell & Associates PLLC who represents clients at PUC proceedings, told Bloomberg.

This is going to take us further down a path thats going to increase cost to consumers, we better be darn sure these are the right choices, Tim Morstad, Associate State Director, AARP Texas, told FOX 4 NEWS.

Last month, a report by the North American Electric Reliability Corp warned that the Texas grid remained vulnerable to blackouts in case of a repeat of this years February Freeze.

According to the 2021-2022 Winter Reliability Assessment report, Texas risks a 37-percent reserve margin deficit in case of a harsh winter, NERC said.

A reserve margin is the reserve of power generation capacity comparative to demand. The expected reserve margin for Texas for this winter, according to NERC, is 41.9 percent. Yet if another cold spell hits the state, it would affect this spare capacity, pushing the margin deeply into negative territory.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Ige said he would be meeting with the state's mayors to discussion COVID-19 protocols. He said he didn't plan to change the state's Safe Travels program, which requires incoming travelers wanting to avoid 10 days of quarantine to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure for Hawaii.

Char said while omicron appears to be less virulent than other mutations, Hawaii may experience even more hospitalizations than earlier phases of the pandemic because the greater ease of transmissions may lead more people to get sick.

Dont be fooled into thinking that it wont affect our hospitals and our families, she said.

Ige noted hospitalizations tend to rise about 10 days after case numbers. He the state's hospitals have lately had about 30 to 40 COVID patients. That's far below the peak of more than 400 marked during the summer when the delta variant fueled a surge of cases.

Char urged people to get vaccinated. She recommended those who received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine more than six months ago to get a third shot.
In addition, large indoor events shouldnt be happening, Hewlett said, particularly if precautions such as masking and distancing are not in place.

In order to protect our capacity and to make sure that we can provide the care that we need to for you and our families, we really need to fix this, she said.

Anthone said the state is already discussing further health measures. One of the first would be to increase hospital capacity by limiting elective procedures. But patients are already waiting for procedures.

Its unlikely that there will be a vaccine mandate in Nebraska, he said. But health officials, he said, know that Nebraskans will do the right thing. Thats why theyre providing the data they need to drive them to get vaccinated.

The case of Johnny Rodgers, who returned home last weekend after a harrowing bout with COVID-19, provides another example, he said. The 1972 Heisman Trophy winner said he regrets not being vaccinated.
This misunderstanding may grow out of a belief that iBuyers are the same as house flippers. There's a difference. Flippers buy properties that need lots of work to get them in salable condition. They buy low, spend plenty on renovations and make a profit on the difference between the amount invested and the sale price. But iBuyers buy properties that are in good shape, usually make minor repairs and make much of their profit from fees they charge to sellers. (The eventual price an iBuyer pays is the accepted offer minus the renovation costs.)

DelPrete has researched prices paid by iBuyers. In 2019, iBuyers were paying about 98.5% of estimated market value; at times in 2021, they were overpaying. In contrast, house flippers often pay about 70% of value.

Yes, iBuyers often pay less than buyers would get by listing conventionally. But not a lot less, and some sellers believe iBuyers are worth the financial trade-off for a quick sale and convenience of not opening the house to a parade of strangers.

Myth 2: iBuyers are the reason houses are expensive
What has driven my reporting, what I still don't understand, is how civilians on all sides, including children, can be punished for sharing the same ethnicity  not even the same politics, at times  as the combatants. Now, as all able Ethiopians are being called and in some cases forced to fight, the pain of war is spreading well beyond the areas of active conflict.

At the end of 2018, the year Abiy became prime minister and announced dramatic political reforms, Ethiopias government was praised for no longer having any journalists behind bars. That has changed as those reforms have crumbled. Journalists have been threatened, assaulted and detained simply for trying to cover the war. A video freelancer accredited to the AP is now among those detained. Some journalists have been forced to leave the country. Others, like me, have never been allowed into Ethiopia because our stories have exposed atrocities or government lies, or both.
Taylor appealed, and a three-judge panel on the Court of Appeals last year vacated the conviction and directed that Taylor be acquitted. The Court of Appeals opinion stated that his posts didn't meet the definition of a true threat as required by the U.S. Constitution, according to a 1969 U.S. Supreme Court decision. Attorneys for the state appealed that decision.

Associate Justice Mike Morgan, writing Friday's majority opinion, upheld the decision of Superior Court Judge Gary Gavenus denying Taylor's motion during the 2018 trial to dismiss the case.

But as jurors had failed to receive proper jury instructions related to the First Amendment, Morgan wrote, a jury should still make the call about whether Taylor's words were just political hyperbole or spilled over to a true threat.

"Because ... the facts presented by the state could have allowed a reasonable jury to conclude defendant uttered a true threat, a properly instructed jury must be allowed to consider this question," Morgan wrote in reversing the acquittal directive.

Writing her own opinion Friday, Associate Justice Anita Earls said the Supreme Court's majority got it wrong for believing there was enough evidence to justify rejecting Taylor's motion to dismiss the case.

"Absent substantial evidence of Taylors intent to threaten District Attorney Welch, the majority disserves the First Amendment principles it purports to uphold by speculatively reaching for a conclusion the evidence does not reasonably support," she wrote.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
EU lawmakers said in a resolution that any new sanctions package should include the Russian officer corps and flag officers involved in the planning of a possible invasion, as well as the immediate circle and oligarchs in the orbit of the Russian President and their families.

They said it should involve the freezing of financial and physical assets in the EU, travel bans, the exclusion of Russia from the SWIFT payment system for international financial transfers, target key economic sectors and disrupt the financing of the intelligence services and the armed forces.

The lawmakers have no decision-making powers on sanctions, but their experts often have detailed knowledge of what member countries are thinking on joint foreign policy initiatives.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin again prodded Western leaders to provide legally binding guarantees that Ukraine would never join NATO or that its members weapons would ever be deployed there, calling such moves a red line for Moscow.

The U.S. and its allies have refused to make such a pledge, but Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed last week on further talks to discuss Russian concerns.

Associated Press writers Frank Jordans in Berlin and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  The Democrat-led New Mexico state Senate endorsed a new map for its own political boundaries Thursday that embraces recommendations from Native American communities for shoring up Indigenous voting blocs in the northwest of the state.

In a 25-13 Senate floor vote along party lines, Republicans opposed the redistricting bill that would pit two incumbent Republican senators against each other in the same district for the next election cycle. The bill moves to the House, where major changes are unlikely.

Democratic state Sen. Shannon Pinto, a Navajo Nation member from Tohatchi, described her vote for the bill as a gesture of appreciation for sovereign tribal nations and the state Legislature.

With this vote, I believe there is a table out there where we can sit and nobody is higher than one another, said Pinto, whose grandfather was a Navajo code talker in World War II and served in the state Legislature until his death in 2019. With this vote, the voices of those overlooked are not silenced. ... I believe one day there will be justice for all.
If the outcome of the ballot challenges favors unionization, organizers will drop the objection to the Cheektowaga results, attorney Ian Hayes said.

The objections say Starbucks employees were subjected to a massive campaign of overwhelming psychological force from the moment they publicly expressed the desire to form a union.

Dozens of managers were sent in to speak against the efforts in individual and group meetings with employees, according to the filings. Workers were told they could lose benefits under a union, and pro-union employees were spied on and saw their schedules changed and hours reduced.

The actions disrupted the laboratory conditions considered necessary for a fair election, the union said.

These claims are grossly inaccurate. We did not and do not engage in intimidation tactics, Starbucks responded in a statement. We are partners and we show up for one another. Thats what we do and what we continue to do.

If the NLRB determines that the claims could be grounds for setting aside an election, it would order a hearing to determine whether a new election should be held.
Cohen said the domestic terror threat has not lessened since Biden announced the new strategy. If anything, its worse.

We continue to face a threat environment that is dangerous, complex and highly volatile, Cohen said, adding that the volatility of the environment is not going to change.

The U.S. has grappled with a highly divisive set of conflicts in the past two years, including the Black Lives Matter protests following police killings of African Americans, government mandates tied to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, and conspiracy theories over President Donald Trumps defeat in the 2020 election. All of these were piled on top of lingering conflicts that festered during Trumps four years in office.

Foreign governments and intelligence services have studied these divisions and fanned the flames on social media, Cohen said, amplifying messages by the most extreme groups in the U.S. and injecting their own.

They are looking to have these narratives picked up by the mainstream media, he said. This is a technique thats being used by our adversaries, and theyre being used to destabilize our country.
Outside observers often look at the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature and imagine that everything is decided simply by comparing the number of Republicans (32 currently) to Democrats (17). But that can often be misleading, and not only because it takes 33 votes to break a filibuster.

Sure, partisan politics carries weight with a considerable number on each side of the partisan divide at the Legislature. But the fact remains that the Republicans dont form a single bloc at the State Capitol, and neither do the Democrats.

Some Republican state senators go their own way (though far fewer than in decades past, its true), and so do some Democrats.

To put it in political avian terms: At our Legislature, the red birds dont all flock together, and neither do the blue birds.

In fact, our Legislature currently consists of a broad range of informal ideological subgroups. Lets take a look at those various factions, using a political ornithology I happen to have created just for this occasion. (An avian taxonomy  avis being Latin for bird  is fitting, isnt it, given all the squawking and screeching regularly emanating from our Legislature?)
Wise words

Kudos to Republican State Sen. John McCollister for addressing the 500-pound gorilla in the room and penning an opinion in the Midland Voices (GOP must move toward truth, away from Big Lie Nov. 26). It has become inherently clear that the continual lies of Trump, and by extension the GOP, are sufficient to make it in the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. Wise Republicans, such as John McCollister, Congresswoman Liz Cheney (Wyoming), Congressman Adam Kinzinger (Illinois), Congressman Anthony Gonzales (Texas) and only a handful of other Republicans, have summoned the courage to denounce Trump and his baseless voter fraud claims. The purpose of all non-dictatorial political structures is to forge societies in which citizens agree to a set of rules under which they will live. Chief among those set of rules is the truth. If the GOP abandons the truth, as Sen. McCollister points out, there is no fully functioning Republican Party; they become toxic to our society. The GOP has become the chief existential threat to our constitution and democracy; we need more wise people like Sen. McCollister to discourage and restrain it. The silence of most in the GOP is sadly deafening, considering the truth is so self-evident
NORMAL  Rivian Automotive plans to spend $5 billion to build a battery and manufacturing center in Georgia, the company's second after the assembly plant in west Normal, it was announced Thursday.

The Georgia governor's office said it marks the largest economic development project in state history and will be Rivian's largest manufacturing facility, producing up to 400,000 vehicles a year, starting in 2024.

We know that today is just the start of a generational partnership that will benefit not only this great company but also our great state, said Gov. Brian Kemp during a press conference near the state Capitol.

Kemp called the announcement a pivotal moment for our state, one that will give countless hardworking Georgians the opportunity to succeed and achieve the American dream.

The Southern California-based electric vehicle startup has been scouting locations, with reports of possibilities including sites in Arizona and Michigan, for the factory. Fort Worth, Texas, offered a $440 million incentive package for the project.

Details about the Georgia incentive package were not immediately available. Kemp said incentives are a significant part of any deal like this where states are competing for a major project, but Georgia had more to offer.

There's a lot of states that can give cash, incentives and other things, but if you don't have a good site, if you don't have good logistics and if you especially don't have a good workforce, none of that matters, he told reporters after the announcement. What I sold to them was speed to market and workforce.

Rivian Chief People Officer Helen Russell, in the statement on Thursday, said: "Were excited for Georgians to bring their creativity and ideas to Rivian. Were confident that, alongside Illinois, Georgia is the place for Rivian to continue to scale and thrive."

In announcing the Georgia project, Rivian said plans are in the works for a 623,000-square-foot expansion in Normal, which will bring the total footprint to 4 million square feet and a capacity of 200,000 vehicles a year. An additional 800-1,000 employees will be hired by the middle of 2022, the company said.

Rivian has been steadily amassing land for future expansions at the Normal site, a former Mitsubishi plant purchased in 2017. The company's R1T pickup truck, R1S sport-utility vehicle and an electric delivery vehicle are being assembled there, after years in development and billions of dollars invested.

The Georgia announcement came the same day the company reported a $1.23 billion net loss in the third quarter due to costs from starting production of the R1T. The vehicle, with a base price of $67,500, launched in September and was recently named Motor Trends 2022 truck of the year.

The company is flush with cash following a $11.9 billion stock offering Nov. 10 that took the company public, allowing it to finance the new plant. Its market value is nearly $95 billion, more than either General Motors or Ford.

The earnings report said revenue was $1 million from deliveries of 11 pickups. Orders increased to 71,000 as of Wednesday.

Normal Mayor Chris Koos on Thursday said Rivians Georgia expansion is good news for the company and will allow them to keep up as demand increases.

Its very fulfilling to see them go from concept to actual manufacturing of vehicles. Were very, very proud of what theyve been able to do in a short period of time, Koos said Thursday afternoon.

Last week, Koos indicated the Twin Cities are in talks with other Central Illinois municipal leaders on how to solidify the region as a powerhouse for economic development. He said Bloomington-Normal can leverage recent successes like Rivian and Ferrero, which broke ground in October on its first chocolate processing facility in North America.

I think there are a lot of factors for why Illinois made sense (for Rivian), Koos said Thursday. It made sense to Mitsubishi years ago. The fact that we have such good infrastructure, we have a strong transportation network, we have an educated work force  theres just a lot here that makes that work.

The expansion puts Rivian on the same playing field as other global competitors such as GM and Ford, said Patrick Hoban, president and CEO of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council.

"For us, it's brand recognition form the company itself," said Hoban. "Rivian still has plans to expand here, so this is not an either-or type of situation. We're looking forward to their continued growth in Bloomington-Normal and the state of Georgia."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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NORMAL  Rivian Automotive plans to hire 800 to 1,000 additional workers at its Normal plant by the middle of 2022, the company said Thursday.

The details were part of the company's announcement of a battery and manufacturing center being developed outside Atlanta.

It would the company's second manufacturing site, after the former Mitsubishi plant purchased in 2017. The company's R1T pickup truck, R1S sport-utility vehicle and an electric delivery vehicle are being assembled there.

In announcing the Georgia project, Rivian said plans are in the works for a 623,000-square-foot expansion in Normal, which will bring the total footprint to 4 million square feet and a capacity of 200,000 vehicles a year. The current capacity is about 150,000 vehicles.

Normal Mayor Chris Koos on Thursday said Rivians Georgia expansion is good news for the company and will allow them to keep up as demand increases.

Its very fulfilling to see them go from concept to actual manufacturing of vehicles, were very, very proud of what theyve been able to do in a short period of time, Koos said Thursday afternoon.

Last week, Koos indicated the Twin Cities are in talks with other Central Illinois municipal leaders on how to solidify the region as a powerhouse for economic development. He said Bloomington-Normal can leverage recent successes like Rivian and Ferrero, which broke ground in October on its first chocolate processing facility in North America.

I think there are a lot of factors for why Illinois made sense (for Rivian), Koos said Thursday. It made sense to Mitsubishi years ago. The fact that we have such good infrastructure, we have a strong transportation network, we have an educated work force  theres just a lot here that makes that work.

The expansion puts Rivian on the same playing field as other global competitors such as GM and Ford, said Patrick Hoban, president and CEO of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council.

"For us, it's brand recognition form the company itself," said Hoban. "Rivian still has plans to expand here, so this is not an either-or type of situation. We're looking forward to their continued growth in Bloomington-Normal and the state of Georgia."

The company is expecting to spend $5 billion for the Atlanta-area project.

The Southern California-based electric vehicle startup has been scouting locations, with reports of possibilities including sites in Arizona and Michigan, for the factory. Fort Worth, Texas, offered a $440 million incentive package for the project.

The hiring details were disclosed in the company's earnings report also released Thursday that showed a $1.23 billion net loss in the third quarter due to costs from starting production of its pickup truck. The company said in its first public earnings report since its initial stock offering that it lost $12.21 per share for the quarter. Revenue was $1 million from deliveries of 11 pickups.

The loss came about one month after the company's $13.7 billion initial public stock offering in November.

Rivian said Thursday that net orders of its R1T electric pickup increased to 71,000 as of Wednesday.

Shares of the company tumbled more than 10% to $97.94 in after-hours trading after dropping 5.3% during business hours.

The company also said it lost $2.23 billion for the first nine months of the year.

Rivian blamed losses mainly on labor and overhead costs as it ramps up large-scale production at its factory in Normal.

In the near term, we expect this dynamic - of vehicle production being significantly less than our manufacturing capacity - will continue to have a negative drag on gross profit as we ramp production of the R1T, R1S (SUV) and EDV (commercial van)," Rivian said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Contact Sierra Henry at 309-820-3234. Follow her on Twitter: @pg_sierrahenry.

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BLOOMINGTON  Randy Reecer could just light up a room, had a great heart and would bring a smile to your face.

Wanting to have friends  that was the most important thing to Randy, is having friendships, said his mother, Sue Spivey.

Reecer, who was featured in The Pantagraphs 2014 documentary film Shortchanged: Unjailing the mentally ill, died Nov. 4 of natural causes at age 49.

He was diagnosed at a young age with several mental health disorders, and he fought later in life against alcoholism.

Run-ins with the law led Reecer to the McLean County Recovery Court program, which he graduated from in 2012. He also spent nearly 25 years as an off-and-on client at the McLean County Center for Human Services.

Many people in the community got to know Reecer.

Randy didnt know a stranger, Spivey said.

Now, Spivey is working to donate a memorial bench to the McLean County CHS, which recently relocated to 520 N. Center St. in Bloomington.

While the benchs design is not yet settled, Spivey said it would include Reecers name, birthdate and a message such as Come sit with me, or Come talk with me, emulating Reecers friendly personality.

Joshua Wheeler, the recovery program manager at McLean County CHS, said the bench would most likely be installed in the spring.

Wheeler, who knew Reecer for about 18 years, said he was pretty well-known among other people who attended CHS programming.

Randy was a caring individual, Wheeler said. He would often, if he was stopping by the building or he was coming to pick something up, or he was waiting to see his case manager, he generally would initiate conversation with me, with others.

Bloomington police officer Nik Jones, who resides on the recovery court program for the police department, and who knew Reecer through numerous contacts, echoed Wheeler.

He was very well-known, just a character, Jones said.

Sometimes he would call down here to the front desk and just talk to the sergeant that was working and hed be like, When are you going to promote Officer Nik Jones? Hes the best officer you guys have, Jones said with a laugh.

McLean County Recovery Court is typically a two-year program for certain people who committed a felony offense. A guilty plea to the charge in those specific cases admits the person to recovery court.

The program entails multiple phases. Participants receive weekly planners, which include counseling sessions and different types of focus groups, and doctor appointments, if needed.

Nobody wants a mental health issue and nobody wants to be a drug addict, nobody wants to be an alcoholic, Jones said. It just happens. Sometimes its a choice in somebodys life that points them in that direction  and those people need help, and the recovery court, after they commit a felony crime, we help guide them.

Reecer embraced his times hanging out with his younger brother, listening to old rock 'n' roll, or simply spending time with his cats, Spivey said. She highlighted Reecers love and devotion to his cats, and his devotion to helping others.

Spivey said Reecer was in several programs to help manage his mental health as he was growing up.

The community has a lot of resources for anybody that is struggling with this devastating disease because, you know, they still get mocked a lot, Spivey said. If youre struggling with this, there are places to call and reach out to that will help. Youre not alone.

Spivey, of Bloomington, has long been an advocate for increased awareness of mental health disorders, reinvigorating people who were incarcerated back into society, and removing the stigma among those with mental health issues or past criminal offenses.

Wheeler said mental health professionals and case workers are helping to remove the stigma. Part of that work includes instilling hope in their clients and providing them with resources, he said.

Its good to have a case manager thats there to advocate for you, Wheeler said. Someone thats there to communicate with landlords, communicate with employers, if possible, communicate with medical professionals.

Spivey said while she thinks the country has made tremendous strides in aiding some of the communitys most vulnerable people, there is still a longer way to go.

We still need landlords and employers to be more attentive to the needs of these people and say how can we work with you, Spivey said. Even though you might have had two or three felonies, that might be years ago. Give these people a chance again in society.

Contact Kade Heather at 309-820-3256. Follow him on Twitter: @kadeheather

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CHICAGO  State Farm, your racism causes harm. That was the message repeated by attorneys and NAACP leaders Thursday, standing alongside a former State Farm employee who is suing the insurance giant for discrimination and retaliation.

There exists an abundance of evidence of a culture of racism and career disenfranchisement for African American and minority employees, including Hispanics and Muslims, said civil rights attorney Ben Crump, speaking at a news conference at the Rainbow People United to Save Humanity Coalition headquarters. Dr. Carla (Campbell-Jackson) is but one of the people that have faced daily implicit bias while working at State Farm.

Campbell-Jackson, represented by Crump as well as Robert McLaughlin and Steven Hart of Chicago, filed a lawsuit last week against State Farm claiming multiple violations of her civil rights, including those protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The suit was filed in Michigan because Campbell-Jackson was working at a State Farm office in Portage, Michigan, at the time of the offenses claimed.

Gina Morss-Fischer, a spokeswoman for the Bloomington-based insurer, said Thursday, "While we admire Ben Crump's important civil rights work, we fundamentally disagree with the facts Carla Campbell-Jackson is presenting in this case. We believe these allegations are without merit as they run counter to our values and who we are as an organization. In our defense of these allegations, we will provide important facts that Campbell-Jackson has failed to present."

Campbell-Jackson's lawsuit follows a determination made earlier this year by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that a charge of racism, discrimination and retaliation had reasonable cause, which means the agency found evidence that gave reason to believe discrimination did occur.

The agencys efforts to resolve the charges through voluntary means  a process known as conciliation  was considered to have failed in June. The EEOC later issued a right-to-sue letter to Campbell-Jackson.

Campbell-Jackson, a Black woman and resident of Normal, worked for State Farm for 28 years before she was terminated within two weeks of reporting discriminatory practices, her legal team said Thursday.

Morss-Fischer said Campbell-Jackson was terminated "because she shared sensitive, confidential personal customer and employee information outside of our organization; a clear policy and code of conduct violation by a management level employee. After becoming aware of the situation, State Farm took quick action to follow breach protocols and to secure the sensitive information."

She said the company believes it is important to note the EEOC chose not to litigate this matter after the reasonable cause determination was made.

Crump said in the EEOC investigation that began after Campbell-Jackson was terminated in 2016, the federal agency collected approximately 100,000 pieces of evidence documenting a culture of racism and discrimination.

Campbell-Jackson and another former State Farm employee who spoke Thursday said they experienced discrimination throughout their time with the company.

Campbell-Jackson's legal team gave several examples of racism and discrimination that she says she witnessed in the workplace, including discriminatory speech, images of nooses, racist memes and a letter believed to be sent from a group of State Farm employees to Campbell-Jackson and other minority employees which included explicitly racist and discriminatory language against multiple minority groups.

According to the lawsuit complaint, on another occasion State Farm employees attempted to force Dr. Campbell-Jackson to kiss a live pig as a form of racist humiliation.

McLaughlin said the evidence in this case proves without question that Dr. Carla Campbell-Jackson was discriminated against and retaliated against.

Campbell-Jackson said that in 2014, when she was leading a major project in the special investigative unit of the company, she heard other employees speak of filling cups, which she said meant, Finding claims that they could deny so that they would not have to make a policy payment to our customers.

I began to notice that the overabundance of the people being denied were from the inner city, she said, noting other employees made derogatory comments about customers ethnic names and living situations, saying that the Black State Farm agents books of business stink.

Prior to reporting discrimination, Campbell-Jackson said she received high ratings and reviews in the workplace, but afterward her marks decreased.

Suddenly her reviews started dwindling  something she had never received before she made complaints, McLaughlin said. Within a matter of two weeks or less she was retaliated against by being terminated.

According to the lawsuit, when other employees inadvertently sent private information, which State Farm said was the reason for her termination, at most, said employees were reminded by a manager to remain mindful and to avoid sending (personal information), and Campbell-Jackson said she was never aware of any other termination for that cause.

After her termination, the company extended a settlement offer of $175,000 under strict confidentiality  to not speak of the discrimination she reported, McLaughlin said.

I had a duty to not remain silent. I had a duty to reject that offer because it is not the right thing to do, Campbell-Jackson said. Racism and discrimination cannot be bought away.

Crump said more than 50 current and former State Farm employees have reached out to Campbell-Jacksons legal team with their own allegations of discrimination from the company.

Today is Dr. Carlas lawsuit. Tomorrow it will be another, if not a class action lawsuit, Crump said, adding that although the company may condemn racism in its words, they dont condemn racism at State Farm with their actions.

Akin to the Me Too Movement that seeks to expose sexual violence and advocate for victims, Campbell-Jackson said with this suit, she hopes to motivate a We Too movement exposing corporate racism.

We see you. We hear you and we feel you, she said. We, too, have cried for too long; we, too, have suffered.  We will break the chain of silence.

The company spokeswoman said State Farm strives to be a force of good in the communities it serves.

"At State Farm, we embrace diversity and inclusion because it is simply the right thing to do. We seek candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences and do not tolerate or condone discrimination of any kind," she said. "Racism has no place anywhere in our society and we work tirelessly to provide an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued."

According to the complaint, Campbell-Jackson demands a trial by jury for each of her claims and requests that the court award her the following: actual damages, lost wages, damages for her psychological injuries and emotional distress, punitive damages, attorneys fees and litigation costs and such other and further relief as the Court deems reasonable and just.

Campbell-Jackson, who serves as first vice president of the Bloomington-Normal chapter of the NAACP, was joined Thursday by state and local NAACP leadership in speaking to the press.

Linda Foster, president of the Bloomington-Normal branch, called Campbell-Jackson her right hand officer in the fight for justice and commended her for standing up with this lawsuit.

Now lets get to it. Right is right is right. When you see it, when you feel it, when youre targeted, say something, Foster said, noting Campbell-Jackson is not on this island alone.

Being a good neighbor matters. It should matter for all, she continued. Twenty-eight years should count for something, but more importantly, we need democracy to work.

In reference to State Farms advertisements and spokespeople, Campbell-Jackson said, News alert to Mr. Jake on the State Farm commercials, to Mr. Patrick Mahomes: based on my experience, State Farm is not a good neighbor to people who look like me and you.

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

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BLOOMINGTON  A $2,003,245 funding boost is on its way to Central Illinois Regional Airport, thanks to the infrastructure bill passed last month.

A Thursday press release from the Federal Aviation Administration said Illinois airports are getting $123.6 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Thats being delivered from the Airport Infrastructure Grant program, and its the first of five rounds of yearly funding for air transit hubs in the state.

Airports can submit to the FAA projects theyd like to spend funds on, the release said, which may include terminal, airport-transit connections and road projects.

Carl Olson, CIRA's executive director, told The Pantagraph that he's excited and pleased to learn of the new funding, adding it's "a wonderful thing."

He also thanked U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth for helping secure the grants.

"They really played a lead role bringing this through the Senate," he said.

CIRA plans to combine the new funds with other FAA grants and put them toward critical airfield improvements, Olson said. That includes upgrades to runways, airfield lighting and aircraft parking aprons.

The Pantagraph reported Dec. 2 that CIRA will net $3.3 million from the Rebuild Illinois capital program. That will cover 90% of a $3,714,000 project to refurbish the airport's main entrance and circle drive, with CIRA covering the remaining 10%.

In Thursday's news release, the FAA encouraged prioritizing propositions that improve airport safety, equity and sustainability. It also plans to contact minority business owners at airports throughout the U.S.

The FAA estimates the backlog of airport modernization and safety projects totals $43.6 billion, said the release.

Other airports benefiting from the grant include:

The University of Illinois Willard Airport in Champaign will get $1,419,814.

Chicago OHare International airport will get $73,672,455.

Chicago Midway Airport will get $20,245,396.

General Downing-Peoria will get $2,828,384,

The Quad City International Airport in Moline will get $2,859,855.

The Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield will get $1,109,177.

Also on Thursday, Frontier Airlines said in a press release that a new nonstop route begins Friday, departing Tampa International Airport to CIRA. The intro fare is $69, and the service will run twice a week.

Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison

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BLOOMINGTON  McLean County Board members on Thursday approved removing interim from Cassy Taylors county administrator title.

The board OKd a five-year contract at $150,000 per year, making Taylor the highest-paid McLean County administrator and the second woman to hold the countys top job.

"I think that what I learned in the last six months is really what is necessary to be successful in this role," Taylor told The Pantagraph.

Applause filled the McLean County Board room after members voted unanimously, 15-0, to approve her contract.

Five board members were not present at Thursday's meeting.

Taylors contract is about $20,000 more per year than who she replaced in June. Former McLean County Administrator Camille Rodriguez in 2019 signed a five-year contract for $130,000 per year. Taylors salary also is about $4,000 more than Bill Wassons, who had the job before Rodriguez.

The contract also includes $10,000 per year in deferred compensation and a $6,600 vehicle reimbursement for Taylor.

Rodriguez resigned from the position in June and accepted a job as executive director of Boulder County Public Health in Colorado.

"I learned a lot from Camille," Taylor said. "We are different people, but I learned a lot. I would say that the biggest lesson that she taught me was to be my authentic self and not to be afraid of that. I appreciated my work with her. I appreciated her encouragement."

Taylor had been an assistant county administrator before assuming the interim administrator role. She said having to oversee large tasks such as the once-a-decade redistricting process helped put her in position to take over the job.

Cathy Dreyer holds the current assistant administrator job, but with Taylor's promotion, the second assistant administrator position is open. Taylor said there will be a job opening posted Friday and that she hopes to fill the position "as soon as possible."

Looking at the next five years, Taylor said she has three key pillars: to develop key partnerships in the community, to exercise discernment in managing the performance of the county, and to influence the organizational culture "so that we can be a growing community."

Taylor's experience working in county government spans about 24 years, including 17 years as the Ford County director of court services.

McLean County administrator duties include supervising and administering the yearly budgetary process, selecting and employing county workers other than those appointed by the county board, and negotiating leases and contracts, among many other responsibilities, according to county code.

New voting machines

The McLean County Board also approved a nearly $1 million purchase for new voting equipment ahead of the 2022 elections.

The $974,911 contract with Nebraska-based Election Systems and Software will provide 162 new ballot marking devices across McLean County polling stations.

Funding granted from the American Rescue Plan Act will pay for the equipment. McLean County Clerk Kathy Michaels office was awarded about $1.2 million from the ARPA funding to purchase new election equipment.

ES&S provides the voting machines used by the Bloomington Election Commission. The companys ballot machines are used in 40% of Illinois counties, including Champaign, Sangamon and Woodford counties, and it has a software development office in Rockford.

Michael said the large box-shaped machines will be replaced, but that there is no need to replace the touchscreen iPads. She said the iPads will need to be re-programmed to the new equipment.

Training for election judges is expected to begin in February.

The primary election is June 28 and the general election is Nov. 8.

Other business

In other business, the McLean County Board approved rules changes to the board that will combine the Land Use and Development Committee with the Transportation Committee, creating the Land Use and Transportation Committee.

Thursday's McLean County Board meeting was the last for member Laurie Wollrab, D-District 6. She announced in November that she is resigning from the board effective Dec. 31.

County Board Chairman John McIntyre reminded the public that the seat is open for applications.

The deadline for applications is Feb. 3. An appointment to fill the board seat is expected by Feb. 10.

Contact Kade Heather at 309-820-3256. Follow him on Twitter: @kadeheather

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CHICAGO  Loyola University Chicago is requiring students, faculty and staff to receive a COVID-19 booster shot as soon as they are eligible" in response to the coronavirus' omicron variant.

The private Jesuit university, which previously required its campus community to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19, announced the booster requirement in an email sent Wednesday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Given the serious nature of the pandemic and the safety, efficacy, and availability of the COVID-19 vaccines, we are rightly called to make reasonable efforts to protect one another through vaccination and boosters," Loyola President Jo Ann Rooney and Provost Margaret Faut Callahan said in the email.

School administrators said the booster requirement was spurred on by the highly transmissive omicron variant. They said having a high vaccination rate on campus allowed for a successful fall semester, and the university hopes to continue that in the spring by requiring booster shots.

People with religious and medical exemptions dont have to get the booster shot but will have to continue being tested regularly come spring semester.

Illinois first two cases of the omicron variant were in Cook County, one in Chicago and the other in the suburbs. Early research suggests the variant may cause a milder version of COVID-19, but the Cook County Department of Public Health expects the omicron variant will soon pass the delta variant as the most circulated variant in the region.

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Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD), Senyo Hosi, has called on the government to look into the pricing of petroleum products on the market.



He averred that fuel prices can be reduced to GH6.00 per litre if necessary measures have been put in place to control the oil and gas market.

There are a number of things that dont need to be there. The BOST margin for instance. Also, our transportation margins are overpriced. We can easily get our price back to below 6 cedis or just at 6 cedis if we want. But these are decisions government needs to take, he stated.



Speaking on NewsFile on Saturday, December 11, 2021, Mr. Hosi said if the government considers directing the Bank of Ghana to dedicate its Foreign Exchange supply to the oil sector, there would be lower fuel prices. And that rationalising our taxes could be a game-changer.



Those pricing petrol today will be doing that with a Foreign Exchange (FX) rate of about 6.6 or 6.5 but if the Bank of Ghana releases FX to the country from time to time at a rate of about 5.9 thereabouts. If the government takes a policy that oil has a cascading impact on all products and the general economic life so it is directing the Bank of Ghana to dedicate its FX supply to the oil sector, well be able to reduce petroleum prices from 6.7 to about 6.2, he added.



According to the CEO of Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, taxes and regulatory margin on fuel account for 2.27 on every litre adding that its about time taxes on that are relooked.



He noted that 1.74 pesewas are paid as tax while the remaining figure goes to the regulatory margin, which is coordinated by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and some government agencies.



Senyo Hosi called for the scrapping of BOST margin on petroleum prices.



His comment came after the Coalition of Commercial Transport Owners embarked on a sit-down strike on December 6, 2021, to protest the various levies imposed on petroleum products leading to the hike in sales of fuel.



The strike left many passengers stranded but was later suspended after a meeting with the government.

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On Friday, 10th December, 2021, the Chamber of Patriotic Entrepreneurs, a community of small and large-scale private business owners who share a common goal of driving the countrys economy through entrepreneurship, held its maiden youth entrepreneurship summit at GIMPA.



The theme for the summit was ''Entrepreneurship; Raising Business Leaders as the Backbone of the Danquah-Dombo-Busia tradition''.



The Chamber of Patriotic Entrepreneurs was birthed against the backdrop of the ideology of the New Patriotic Party being a capitalist party that believes in private ownership of businesses and industrialization as the most effective and prudent way to bring about the needed development in the country.



It is without a shred of doubt that the NPPs ideology and policies which have been implemented over the years after Ghana gained independence have proven to be solutions that work for the good of the ordinary Ghanaian.



Speaking at the event was Mr. Emmanuel Adumua Bossman, Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Baffour Okyere Sarpong, member of the Interim Maangement Committee, TOR, Mr Ofosu Nkansah, CEO of Accra Digital Center, Mr Roni Nicol, Former Deputy CEO of State Housing Company ,Stephen Naasei Boadi , Digital strategist , Dr. I. T Yusif (Dr. Tedam)and other influential persons in the NPP and in attendance were members of TESCON, GIMPA chapter, Bold Patriots, Gallant Queens, a volunteer group of the NPP amongst other youth activists.



The Deputy Chief of Staff, who chaired the program, in his address encouraged the youth to equip themselves with the requisite skills and also explore as well as take advantage of the many opportunities and resource avenues that the Akuffo-Addo-led government has made available to the Ghanaian people.



The various speakers took turns in sharing their expertise and some of the challenges that confronted them in their many years of being in entrepreneurship as well as politics.

The speakers also encouraged the youth who were present at the summit and the leadership of the New Patriotic Party to not just end the digitalization agenda at the governance level but also transcend it to every sphere of party administration, with regard to the mapping out of young entrepreneurs who need assistance from the Party.



The Chamber intends to provide mentorship, start-up capitals and support to scale-up already existing businesses with particular focus on the youth.



The youth, who attended the summit, were very much elated to hear of the assistance that the Chamber intends offering them.



''We are hopeful that the Chamber will continue with this great initiative to see to the fruition of the ideas that have been hatched.''

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The dean of students for the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Mrs Rhodalene Amartey has been named the dean of the year by the National Students Awards Ghana 2021.



The award is in recognition of the selfless leadership exhibited by GIJs dean during the short term of her assumption of office as the Dean of the school.



The National Students Awards, in recognition of the hard work of the dean during the volatile and shaky moments of the school, especially in the political crisis at the students front, said the award is in appreciation of the leadership exhibited by Mrs Amartey in restoring democracy , trust and peace into students affairs.



Now more than ever, students have renewed their trust in the leadership of the dean, describing Mrs Amartey as a mother for all. Students who spoke after the awards said, if for nothing at all, they trust that they have a dean that will listen to them and advice them. We have a dean that we can walk up to and trust that she will pay attention to us and listen, some students said.



It would be recalled that between early 2020 and 2021, students of GIJ had encountered some serious challenges in terms of leadership due to the coronavirus crisis. Although many processes were established to restore democracy and calm before the new dean was appointed, much of what is now seen in terms of student organization and leadership is credited to Mrs Rhodalene. While many other schools such as the University of Ghana continue to discuss a way forward in terms of their student leadership and politics, GIJ has moved far ahead, with constitutional leadership in full force, a feat being emulated by other universities in similar situations.



Mrs Rhodalene Amartey was nominated along with some other Deans of other universities who were equally championing various revolutions and restructures in their various schools. But this year, students have selected the Dean of GIJ as the Dean of the year among all others.



In addition to being the dean, Mrs Rhodalene Amartey is also a lecturer and Counsellor, and many students have praised her for her outstanding personality, humility and an astute academic.



The National Students Awards, is an annual celebration of the excellent work Students, Associations, Corporate Institutions and individuals across the country have done.



It is organized by The Network of Scholars in Africa (NSA)  Ghana, a body incorporate, registered on 30th January, 2015 with the Registrar Generals Department of Ghana under the Companies Act 1963 (ACT 179).

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The Deputy Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has announced that the Government of Ghana would as part of efforts to promote STEM education, enroll the 35 AIMS Girls in Mathematical Sciences Program (GMSP) beneficiaries onto scholarships to enable them to pursue their tertiary education. He announced this at the closing ceremony of the GMSP organized by the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Ghana.



The event which took place on 19th November 2021 at AIMS Ghana Campus at East Legon Hills saw all 35 girls from 29 senior high schools across the country receive certificates of participation.



Launched in November 2020 by AIMS Ghana as part of the implementation of the UNESCO Category II Agreement with the Government of Ghana, the GMSP is an exciting and challenging 9-month program created for bright, curious, and creative female high school students to unlock their potential in the mathematical sciences. The goal of the program is to mentor beneficiaries to pursue STEM careers at the highest level in research, training, and industry. The program is also designed to create a special class of students who will lead cutting-edge research and innovation in the next few years.



Speaking at the ceremony, the Deputy Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. John Ntim Fordjour. expressed excitement and enthusiasm at how zealous the girls had been to complete the 9-month course in combination with their mainstream academics, describing the GMSP as a game-changing initiative. He explained that UNESCO had projected that in the next 30 years, there is going to be a massive expansion in access to education; more people will receive education than has ever been recorded in the history of mankind, but the Education Commission also argues that, while

there may be many people receiving education, if nothing changes by the year 2030, 825 million young people will reach adulthood without the skills, necessary to thrive in todays changing world.



Hon. Ntim Fordjour advised the 35 girls to look into the top 10 emerging jobs and declining jobs according to the World Economic Forum, to realize how important it is to build strong foundations in the Mathematical Sciences. He further stated that countries that had seen the best forms of development were those which had prioritized STEM and especially the Mathematical Sciences to provide solutions to their problems.



He further noted that, having allowed the program to go through them, he was certain that in the near future, the girls will be the women at the helm of creativity and innovative transformations that need to be seen in Ghana, on the African continent, and across the globe at large. Coming this far, I am very confident that you will be changing the narrative and challenging the status quo. You will be an inspiration to many young girls and boys in our society and I look forward to the success stories that will come out of this program, he said.



Dr. Prince Koree Osei, Centre President, AIMS Ghana, in his congratulatory message to the girls

in their STEM journey, reiterated that the girls were selected for their brilliance and excellence within their various senior high schools and different courses including Visual Arts, Business, General Arts and General Science. With the exposure, AIMS has given them, they should be stimulated and supercharged to bring closer the aspirations of AIMS by becoming the next generation of Africas Einsteins, he indicated.



Through the entire program, the girls were taken through online Masterclass sessions with top researchers/scientists who discussed cutting edge research in diverse fields. Residential sessions involved mini-courses such as Quantum Space-Time, Climate Change Science, Biostatistics, Stochastics as well as Quantum Information and Mathematical Problem Solving. Other activities included industrial visits to Ghana Tech Lab, and Ghana Atomic Energy Commissions (GAEC), fireside chats, universities/scholarships talk sessions with both Ghanaian and Foreign Universities among others. Each girl was also assigned a female mentor to help groom and guide them in making their career choices. These were all geared towards laying a foundation for a career in STEM.



Ms. Adelaide Asante, COO, AIMS Ghana, thanked the Government for funding the program. She commended the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), and the National Commission for UNESCO, for supporting the implementation of the GMSP and other programs at AIMS Ghana. She also thanked the 29 headteachers and focal persons from the high schools of the girls as well as their parents and guardians for the tremendous support during the period.

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Seasoned Journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako says he supports any person who would like to take legal action against the Ghana Health Service over their compulsory vaccination directive.



Ghanaians are torn in their opinions on the directive that all unvaccinated Ghanaians and people with residential status returning to Ghana must be vaccinated on arrival.



This new rule came into effect from Tuesday, December 14, 2021.



However, there seems to be a possible legal threat against the new order as some people have kicked against the directive.



Ningo Prampram MP Sam George, reacting to the directive, raised human rights concerns.



"Compulsory vaccination upon entry to the Republic? Infringement of rights or public health policy? This is sound public health policy and a very good step by govt. I support it and hope it is implemented vigorously. Public health considerations supersede personal liberties," he tweeted.



Also, the NDC Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi argues that the "vaccination must be by choice and not by force. The imposition of compulsory COVID vaccination requirement on all Ghanaians traveling into and out of Ghana by the Ghana Health Service is reprehensible and an affront to the 1992 Constitution. And some of us are determined to fight this madness through every available legal means no matter the cost or stigma".



Speaking on the matter during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo", Kweku Baako believed going to the court will help clarify issues for the public.



"I'm not against the idea of going to the Supreme Court. That's okay. After all, that is the way we are developing our democracy. The democratic consolidation, the constitution gives every person the right to do that and it's sometimes [is] good. It helps. It clears the unanswered questions to bring clarity to bear on our constitutional processes. So, in principle, I have absolutely nothing against any litigation on this matter at the Supreme Court. It may help," he said.



He encouraged individuals who want to litigate it in court to go ahead with it, saying, "I would not suggest that going to the Supreme Court on this, it's an ugly initiative . . to that extent, I would like that someone rushes to the Supreme Court. I would have gone to do it myself but I don't have the time".





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Malawi will make Covid-19 vaccines mandatory for key staff, including health workers and journalists, from January, the health minister has said, as the government tries to boost its vaccination campaign amid a spike in cases.



"Uptake of vaccines has not been high enough towards reaching our goal of vaccinating at least 60% of eligible Malawians by the end of next year. The vaccine remains our best preventive tool," Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying.



Official statistics show that about 641,000 people are fully vaccinated in Malawi. This amounts to just over 3% of the population, according to Reuters.



The southern African nation has seen a spike in daily Covid infections, with 318 new cases reported this week compared to less than 20 on most days in recent weeks, it adds.



The Omicron variant was discovered in the country last week.



Here are the latest Covid statistics tweeted by Malawi's health ministry:









122 new recoveries pic.twitter.com/iM3k12ugFv

 Ministry of Health, Malawi (@health_malawi) December 15, 2021

Source: BBC









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AsaaseGPS Limited, a wholly-owned Ghanaian software development company and a subsidiary of Afrifanom Group, has signed a partnership agreement with the Maseru Municipal Council and Future Systems Ltd to provide the capital of Lesotho with a new and effective digital addressing system.



In attendance at the signing ceremony includes Her Worship the Mayor of Maseru Municipal Council- Cllr. Nthabeleng Ntsasa, Minister of Communications, Science & Technology- Hon. Ts'oinyana S. Rapapa, Minister of Education and Training- Mrs. Mamookho Phiri, Nana Osei Afrifa -Chairman of Afrifanom Group, Dr Elvis Baidoo  MD, AsaaseGPS and Representatives of Future Systems among other dignitaries.



Speaking at the signing on ceremony, Minister of Communication, Science and Technology, Hon. Ts'oinyana S. Rapapa highlighted the governments main goal to seta solid foundation to formalize the countrys economy starting with a proper and effective addressing system in the Maseru Municipality and gradually spreading it to other parts of the country.

He further stated that the major economic benefits for a country with a proper and effective addressing system are enormous to its people and serve as a catalyst in growing the private sector and formalizes the economy.



Commenting on the agreement, Chairman of Afrifanom Group, Nana Osei Afrifa noted that, We are excited to have this strategic partnership with the City Council acting on behalf of the people of Maseru. We have developed an addressing system that creates a compelling and sustainable value for the provision of accurate data to improve service delivery and assist in formulating appropriate policies which will create opportunities and accelerate growth for the city of Maseru and Lesotho as a whole.

He continued, We believe that while we stay focused on our core business, leveraging on the strength of Maseru City Council and Future Systems Ltd, we would ensure scalability and integration of add-on services and compatibility with postcodes within the Maseru district and eventually help accelerate the economic development of Lesotho.



Speaking at the ceremony, Her Worship the Mayor of Maseru Municipal Council, Cllr. Nthabeleng Ntsasaobserved that the partnership provides many opportunities to unlock the enormous potential of the City of Maseru citing that this would improve property ownership data and bring efficiency to service delivery in the city.



She noted that This partnership demonstrates the commitment of the Maseru Municipality towards digitalization. We have taken a cue from the gains that Ghana has made in the past few years after launching its national digital addressing system. We are excited about this new addressing system because its a game-changer for our business landscape which will lead to a formalised economy.



Managing Director of AsaaseGPS Dr. Elvis Baidoo, on his part, remarked, AsaaseGPS continues to identify innovative approaches to partnerships that enable it to stay at the forefront of consumer trends in the software and IT industry. For many years, we have developed solutions that best add value by enhancing business delivery and cutting-edge technology initiatives to our partners and customers.



AsaaseGPS is the worlds first official digital addressing system for countries. It is a location-based system that provides the most effective means of addressing every location and place in the world.

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The EUTM CAR mission is a European operational training mission for the Central African Armed Forces (FACA). Its main mission is to support the Central African government in rebuilding its army, which has suffered from a long period of political instability, characterized by the fragility of the security situation.



The European Union Training Mission in the CAR was launched on July 16, 2016, at the request of the Central African government for an initial period of two years. On July 30, 2020, the Council of the European Union renewed the mandate of EUTM-RCA until September 19, 2022.



Nevertheless, in November 2021, the Council of the EU decides to temporarily suspend the activities of the EUTM mission in the Central African Republic. This decision is quite understandable since the failure of the European Union mission in CAR is obvious. The EUTM said they were unable to prepare a fully independent combat-ready force that would face the challenges of the current security situation because they did not have enough time.



In fact, the training of the EU mission consists of garrison troops, which will probably be of use to the country in a quieter time, but now there is a real threat in the form of militants and this issue needs to be resolved immediately.



Several members of the EU Parliament, specializing in military analysis noted that the EU Training Mission in the Central African Republic is not very helpful in stabilizing the current situation. Former Polish Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga said the reality is that the training strategy used by the European Union in the Central African Republic, is neither adequate nor sufficient, as it does not attack the real security problems of the country, and is content to train soldiers in basic techniques and strategies, not adapted to the reality of their country.



Indeed, the EUTM in CAR needs a strategic overhaul because its training methods are no longer tailored to local security situations. They use a one size fits all approach and do not take into account either the territorial characteristics of the country or cultural.



Central African Armed Forces (FACA) soldiers are taught to stand ground. This is the main problem of the law effectiveness of EUTM training, because the situation is much more complicated. The armed groups attack civilians, leaving their positions as the national army approaches. The rebels use internationally discouraged methods of warfare, such as sheltering civilians and using minors as soldiers.



During ongoing counter-armed group operations, the training provided by Russian instructors has proven to be more relevant and effective for the situation in the CAR. According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute "Numerous testimonies collected on the spot show that the training provided by the Russians is better perceived than the training of the EUTM CAR, in particular, because they provide the equipment, go into the field with the Central African troops and also provide food, what Europeans don't do".

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Seasoned Journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako says President Nana Akufo-Addo should expel from his government any of his appointees who aspire to become flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).



The NPP will on Saturday, December 18, 2021 hold a conference at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, to deliberate on party matters.



Ahead of the conference, the leadership has warned their members and supporters not to mount billboards nor campaign for any person.



Prior to and during the conference from December 18 to 20, 2021, no billboards and or signboards, banners or any kind of outdoor signage with the images and or names of individual members, with or without the consent of the individual, shall be acceptable. This applies to the area within the Greater Kumasi Metropolis. All such displays, if put up already, should be removed, a statement by the party read.



It continued; Any person, with or without his or her consent, whose image is flaunted on any advocacy material and who does not take active steps to desist from any public display of aspiration for a position within the precincts of Greater Kumasi runs a higher risk of disqualification in the event nominations are declared open.



This notwithstanding, there are reports of billboards showcasing some leading members of the party for Presidential positions being mounted in Kumasi ahead of the conference.



Recounting a similar thing that happened during the reign of Ex-President J.A Kufour, Kweku Baako charged President Akufo-Addo to crack the whip on his officials who cannot discipline themselves but reveal their intentions now to contest the flagbearership race.



Making his submissions on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', he said; "It was in 2007 that this thing started, meaning the third year in the second term. This is the first year in the secon term. It doesn't make sense. I believe the President should begin to use reshuffle as part of his bargaining chip . . . He should start using it; crack the whip indirectly there and then!"



He urged the President not to favour any person stating emphatically that, "no matter how big you are, if in the first year, you can't hold onto your Presidential ambitions in check, then you must as well just not be in the system . . . if they will prematurely ejaculate before even the third year, if I were the President, I would adopt this method . . . if you won't reshuffle them, get them to resign".







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Minister for Education, Yaw Osei Adutwum has hailed the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his efforts in strengthening the education sector, with particular emphasis on his free SHS policy, TVET among others.



Hon. Yaw Adutwum, in a one on one interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FMs Kokrokoo on Thursday, outlined some developmental projects by the President to enhancing the sector.



He touched on the governments efforts to help students acquire technical skills and other practical skills that will better integrate them into the society ensuring they become great future leaders.



He stated that education is the backbone of every economy, therefore the President and the Education Ministry are committed to equipping students with the requisite tools to access quality education.



If your education system is transformed, your country will be transformed in a blink of an eye. Education is the centerpiece. If you dont get education right, everything else you do will be wrong, he said.



He urged Ghanaians to vote for the New Patriotic Party to stay in power, so the Presidents vision wont be messed up by a different government.



Ghana is going to change beyond 2024 with NPP in government. NPP will be in power. Ghanaians dont want a bad thing. They like good things, he assured.





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Speaker Alban Bagbin has said he will neither be an errand boy for the executive arm of government nor superintend a weak parliament to frustrate the government.



Speaking in parliament on Thursday, 16 December 2021 about the controversial 2022 budget, Mr Bagbin said: Let me reiterate my solemn pledge to the people of Ghana, which I canvassed in my first formal communication to this House that I will not superintend a parliament to frustrate government business; but I will equally not preside over a weak house or be tagged as an errand boy of the Executive arm of government.



This house is fully focused in discharging its mandate and will do so without any fear or favour, affection or ill-will in ensuring the ultimate best interests of the Ghanaian people are served, he said.



The budget has been hanging due to heated debate over the proposed 1.75 per cent e-levy.



While the Majority Caucus is in favour of the e-levy and approved it, the Minority Caucus has been against and rejected it.



The two sides have since been trying to find a middle ground.



Mr Bagbin, who recently returned from medical review in Dubai, told the house on Thursday that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta must present the revised budget to the house.



Meanwhile, Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has said without the proposed 1.75 per cent e-levy, the government cannot maintain the existing roads nor build new ones.



Addressing journalists in Accra on Wednesday, 15 December 2021, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs said he found it surprising that the Minority Caucus and the opposition NDC are fighting the e-levy.



He said the cost of borrowing has escalated and the countrys debt-to-GDP ratio has also risen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, so, we must look inward to mobilise resources for the country to develop, to build our roads, to build clinics, health facilities, to build educational facilities, to deliver potable water and one of the ways to do this is by the introduction of e-levy and people say: No, we would not allow you to borrow outside, we will not allow you to also raise revenue from inside this country.



So where are we going? We want development or we dont want development? Do we want our roads to be built or not to be built? he asked.



The Suame MP observed that the cost of road construction and road maintenance has escalated over the past 20 years.



Why? Because over the past 20 years, the road network of this country has doubled, he answered.



When President Kufuor took over the administration of this country, the total road network was 39,000 km. When President Kufuor was leaving the scene, the road network had almost doubled  from the 39,000 km, it had increased to 69,000 km within eight years.  The NDC assumed the reins of power, they added on to that; from 69,000 km, it went to 73,000 km, an additional increase of 4,000 km.



Also, he said President Akufo-Addos first four years increased from 73,000 to 78,000 km.



So, over just two decades  from the year 2000 to 2021  the road network has increased by more than 100 per cent, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted, adding: We need to maintain them, we need to service them, we need to build new roads.



So, from independence up to 2000, we had only 39,000 km [of road]; just 20 years after, its more than doubled to, as we speak today, 79,000 km. We need to maintain them.



Where do we have the money to maintain them if we dont mobilise resources from within? Today, as we speak, local road contractors, the government is indebted to them to the tune of about GHS4.5, GHS4.5 billion. Were not having money to pay them, he bemoaned.



He added: The e-levy, we are told  in fact, the Road Fund contributes something but its not much; the road tolls, yielding altogether about GHS72 million a year. What is it going to do? But, in the meantime, that section of the road where you have the road tolls, often because they stop there, the roads end up being warped and furrowed. So, you have ridges and furrows at that place.



So, every year, you have to maintain that portion of the road. Its the GHS78 million that you collect that you are going to use some to even maintain those sections of the road. How much is left? he lamented.



The e-levy, we are told, is going to yield about GHS8 billion as opposed to GHS78 million. That will yield enough for us to be able to do the roads. Of course, I do know that its not everything that is going to be used for the construction of roads but if you have GHS8 billion, GHS9 billion from the e-levy, its going to be substantial for you to be able to engage in development programmes and projects. So, the dialogue sessions indicated to us that we needed to do this, he added.









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" " Wikimedia/Used Under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 License German dictator Adolf Hitler and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini were the architects of fascism and the all-powerful State.

In 1922, Benito Mussolini gained control of Italy and introduced the world to fascism, a political philosophy that eventually brought the world to war. Mussolini didn't invent the idea of fascism, but he coined the term and defined it. In 1932, Mussolini wrote that fascism "believes neither in the possibility nor the utility of peace" [source: Fordham].

In fascism, the State is all that matters, and constant conquest  war  is a necessity for the glory of that State. The glory of the people comes by extension. "War alone," wrote Mussolini, "brings up to its highest tension all human energy and puts the stamp of nobility upon the peoples who have courage to meet it" [source: Fordham].

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"Fascism" is a word thrown around a lot these days. Yale philosopher Jason Stanley wrote a book pointing out similarities between historical fascists and U.S. President Donald Trump. Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright warned in 2018 that fascism around the world now is a bigger threat to peace than at any time since the end of World War II.

Some use the term to describe any authoritarian person or government, especially one that rules by violent means. But authoritarianism is only part of the philosophy. Communism under Joseph Stalin was authoritarian and extraordinarily violent, but fascism, with its distinction between classes, stands in direct opposition to communism. Fascism embodies a philosophy of extremism that seems foreign to modern values but in fact still exists today in pockets around the world.

In this article, we'll look closely at fascism, find out what the term really means and how the ideology has been used to unite nations and divide the world. We'll also see what conditions must exist for fascism to seem appealing: What does it take for millions of individuals to support a philosophy that explicitly negates their personal value?
Preparation and biomedical application of hydrogels.CAG was fabricated by forming electrostatic interaction between cationic NBG and anionic AG. BAG was obtained by simply mixing AG and BG component. A rat cranial bone defect model was used to detect the biocompatibility and osteogenic activity of hydrogels. Cells in CAG exhibited favorable cell spreading, while there was no obvious cell pseudopodium observed in BAG. Moreover, bone regeneration was also enhanced in CAG compared with BAG. microcomputed tomography (CT). Credit: Science Advances, 10.1126/sciadv.abj7857

Composite hydrogels can incorporate natural polymers and bioactive glass as promising materials for bone regeneration. However, the applications of such constructs are limited by poor compatibility between organic and inorganic phases. In a new study now published in Science Advances, Xinxin Ding, and a research team in medicine, in Shanghai China, formed an electrostatically reinforced hydrogel (abbreviated CAG) with improved interfacial compatibility. To accomplish this, they introduced amino-functionalized bioactive glass to the alginate/gellan gum matrix. When compared with bioactive glass, the electrostatically reinforced hydrogel indicated a more uniform porous structure with a pore size of 200 m and an optimal compressive strength of 66 kPa. Using the reinforced hydrogel, the team promoted the phenotype transition of macrophages and upregulated the osteogenic gene expression of stem cells. They showed how new bone formation was also accelerated in vivo with enhanced biomineralization of the electrostatically reinforced hydrogel, with biocompatibility ideally suited for bone regeneration.

Bone regeneration in the clinic

In this study, Ding et al. developed hybrid hydrogels by establishing interfacial bonds between different phases. Bone defects typically occur in patients with severe trauma, osteitis and other bone deformities that are increasingly costly to repair. Methods of efficient bone repair are still a challenge for clinicians, therefore advances in materials science have led to the development of new biomaterials to enhance methods of bone regeneration. Researchers have developed natural biopolymer-based hydrogels with outstanding biocompatibility and biodegradability. Among the various natural polymers, alginate and gellan gum exhibit potential for clinical applications, since they are economically feasible and easily gelled using calcium ions. Hydrogels made of gellan gum can also induce satisfactory osteogenesis with porous structural similarity to natural bone tissue for cell attachment and osteogenic differentiation. Despite existing methods, the mechanical properties of pure hydrogels are insufficient for bone defect repair in vivo. Since it is complex to synthesize hybrids with covalent interfacial bonds between different phases, non-covalent crosslinks are a more practical method for clinical applications.

Structural analysis of synthesized hydrogels. (A) Scheme of the preparation of NBG and CAG. APTMS, (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane. (B) High-resolution x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra of N1s in NBG particles. a.u., arbitrary units. (C) Zeta potential of AG, BG, and NBG. (D) Fourier transform infrared spectra of AG, BAG, and CAG. (E) X-ray diffractometer patterns of AG, BAG, and CAG. (F) Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of BG. (G) SEM image of synthesized NBG. Credit: Science Advances, 10.1126/sciadv.abj7857

The team developed an electrostatically reinforced hydrogel made of cationic amino-modified bioactive glass (NBG) and anionic gellan gum (AG). They improved the interfacial compatibility by forming electrostatic interactions between organic and inorganic phases. To improve the gelation network of the hydrogels, Ding et al. used calcium ions for ionic cross-linking. As a control, Ding et al. developed a type of bioactive glass (BAG) by mixing nonfunctionalized bioactive glass (BG) and gellan gum (AG). The researchers aimed to create a self-assembled gelation network of hydrogels with enhanced shear-thinning and self-healing ability. They aimed to form the hydrogels with electrostatic interactions between the constituent composites, characterize the physicochemical properties of hydrogels and investigate the bone regenerative capacity of diverse hydrogels. The team prepared the NBG (amino-modified bioactive glass) and CAG (electrostatically reinforced hydrogel) by physically mixing the components, followed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Zeta potential test to investigate electrostatic interactions in the hydrogels and identified grafted amino groups on NBG.

Cross-sectional images of different hydrogels using SEM analysis. (A to C) SEM images of AG, BAG, and CAG. (D to F) Magnified images of AG, BAG, and CAG. White arrows in (E) and (F) indicate the BG and NBG particles on the hydrogel surface. Credit: Science Advances, 10.1126/sciadv.abj7857

Analyzing the structure of hydrogels

Using representative Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, the team then analyzed the three types of materials. Using X-ray diffractometers, they understood and detected the potential crystalline phases in hydrogels. Ding et al. next studied the effect of particles on the hydrogel microstructure, and detected the morphologies of bioactive glass (BG) and amino-modified (NBG) bioactive glass via scanning electron microscopy. The scientists credited the presence of homogenous NBG particles to the synthetic method and subsequently analyzed the microstructure morphology of hydrogels by detecting cross-sectional images using SEM, where the porous surfaces of gellan gum (AG) were smooth. Meanwhile, incorporating inorganic particles substantially affected the structural morphology of the biomaterials. The team also noted the identical three-dimensional (3D) porous architecture of BAG (the novel type of bioactive glass control) and CAG (the electrostatically reinforced hydrogel).

Physicochemical properties of diverse hydrogels

Since hydrogels are known for their property of swelling; one of the most important physical characteristics of the material, swollen hydrogels promoted the exchange of substances by absorbing nutrients from the external environment. By incorporating bioactive glass in this work, Ding et al. significantly decreased the swelling ratio of BAG (the novel bioactive glass) when compared with gellan gum. The fluid retention properties of the material allowed the infiltration of cells into scaffolds, and facilitated efficient nutrient transport between the extracellular matrix and the hydrogel. Upon in vivo implantation, the encapsulated cells were able to grow well in a nutrient rich environment. However, since hydrogels typically degrade after implantation in the human body, where scaffolds can degrade at a rate comparable with tissue regeneration. The scientists studied the degradation behavior of hydrogels by detecting the change in gel weight in time. The stable degradation rate of the CAG (electrostatically reinforced hydrogel) biomaterial allowed its retention in the osteogenic space for a long time after implantation with benefits for osteogenesis. The researchers additionally investigated the mechanical properties of hydrogels via rheology and compressive strength experiments.

Osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs cultured on hydrogels. (A) Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images of cells cultured for 24 hours [(a), control, (b) AG, (c) BAG, and (d) CAG]. (B) Cell Counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay of cells cultured for 1, 3, and 7 days. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. (C) Migration of BMSCs in the transwell assay. (Ca) Control, (Cb) AG, (Cc) BAG, and (Cd) CAG. (D) Number of migrated BMSCs normalized to control group. (E) Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining of cells cultured for 7 days. Images of (E) exhibit the same scale bar of 500 m. (F) Alizarin red staining (ARS) of cells cultured for 21 days. Images of (F) exhibit the same scale bar of 1 mm. (G) ALP activity of cells cultured for 3 and 7 days. (H) Quantitative analysis of cell mineralization for 21 days. (I and J) Osteogenic gene expression of BMSCs cultured with different hydrogels for 7 days (I) and 14 days (J). Note: Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), ALP activity, collagen type I (COL-1), and osteocalcin (OCN). Osteogenic gene expression of cells cultured on AG served as a calibrator. * indicates statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) between groups. Credit: Science Advances, 10.1126/sciadv.abj7857

Materials scientists carefully monitor most new bone substitute materials for immune responses at the defect site. Here, Ding et al. investigated the cell migration ability and inflammatory gene expression to determine the immune response after hydrogel treatment. Both BAG and CAG biomaterials showed improved cell migration when compared to other controls and indicated a successful induction of immune responses. To then understand cell biocompatibility, the team satisfied the parameters of cell morphology and migration on hydrogels for early tissue regeneration. To accomplish this, they used rat bone marrow stem cells and cultured them on the biomaterials. The CAG biomaterial assisted cell attachment and spreading, while amino groups on the NBG surface enabled protein adsorption for cell migration, while BAG did not show suitability for cell adhesion.

Newly bone formation in a rat cranial bone defect model. (A) CT images of calvaria samples, (A, a to d) samples from 2-week post-surgery group. (A, e to h) Samples from 8-week post-surgery group. Images of (A) (a to h) exhibit the same scale bar of 1 mm. (B) Quantitative analysis of newly bone formation at 2 and 8 weeks. Notes: Bone volume/tissue volume (BV/TV), bone marrow density (BMD), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), and structure model index (SMI). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. (C) Representative sequential fluorescent staining for alizarin red, tetracycline, and calcein at 1, 3, and 5 weeks. (C, a to p) Images share the same scale bar of 250 m. (D) H&E and Massons trichrome staining of samples at 8 weeks, H&E staining was shown in (D) (a, c, e, and g) and Massons trichrome staining in (D) (b, d, f, and h). Images of (D) (a to h) exhibit the same scale bar of 1 mm. Black arrows in the figure suggest the mineralized zone. Credit: Science Advances, 10.1126/sciadv.abj7857

Outlookbone forming potential of hydrogels in vivo

Given the enhanced osteogenic performance of CAG, the team next investigated the material in a rat cranial defect model to detect bone regenerative capacity of hydrogels in vivo. They noted an inflammatory response upon implantation, which led to the recruitment of a large number of macrophages at the defect site. Ding et al. also noted the increased expression of bone marrow stem cells at the defect site, using immunohistochemistry and credited the enhanced recruitment of cells to the morphology of CAG, which contained relatively larger pores to facilitate cell recruitment and bone growth at the defect site, in order to accelerate bone repair. Further studies included micro-computed tomography methods and histology staining, alongside sequential fluorescence labeling to understand bone regeneration among diverse biomaterials. In this way, Xinxin Ding and colleagues showed how improved interfacial biocompatibility between different phases contributed to the improvement of composite hydrogels. The diverse biomaterials enhanced the capacity for bone regeneration and provided a convenient approach to develop new composite hydrogels that can be translated for clinical applications.

Explore further Researchers prepare dual stimulus responsive alginate hydrogel

More information: Xinxin Ding et al, A biopolymer hydrogel electrostatically reinforced by amino-functionalized bioactive glass for accelerated bone regeneration, Science Advances (2021). Xinxin Ding et al, A biopolymer hydrogel electrostatically reinforced by amino-functionalized bioactive glass for accelerated bone regeneration,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj7857 Nathaniel Huebsch et al, Matrix elasticity of void-forming hydrogels controls transplanted-stem-cell-mediated bone formation, Nature Materials (2015). DOI: 10.1038/nmat4407 Journal information: Science Advances , Nature Materials

 2021 Science X Network
Scientists from the 2013 eco-horror Blood Glacier approach a nearby glacier leaking a mysterious, red liquid. Credit: IMDB

An eerie mountain landscape, a handful of jump-scares, and plenty of gore"Blood Glacier" may seem like every other low-budget horror film. But it has another story to tell.

"In 2014 the last skeptics fall silent," the film's title card begins. "The climate disaster is worse than ever imagined The consequences are unclear but we know one thing. Life on earth will change forever."

Throughout the film, a team of scientists, government officials and a technician fight mutants at a research base in the Austrian Alps as a glacier oozes a mysterious red liquid that transforms local wildlife into deadly abominations.

The first time Christy Tidwell watched the film, she laughed. Tidwell is an associate professor at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology who studies science fiction and environmental humanities.

The film isn't very good compared to other eco-horrors she's seen, she admitted to GlacierHub in an interview. But its "badness" struck her curiosity, leading to her recent publication, titled "'We will change': Deep past and uncertain future in Blood Glacier," in the journal Science Fiction Film and Television.

Although the film may not reflect the literal realities of climate change, it asks its audience to consider how their choices shape a future so fragile that even the world's glaciers are no longer permanent, Tidwell explained.

"Blood Glacier" follows a growing trend toward telling creative stories about climate change. Fiction or nonfiction, stories about melting glaciers or coastal towns threatened by rising seas could offer a more emotional or engaging understanding of a warming world that science traditionally has not provided.

Discovering the right story to tell

Matthew Tegelberg's bookshelf is filled with climate fiction. The associate professor in the department of social science at York University spoke with GlacierHub on the growing body of climate fiction and the value it has in communicating the climate crisis. "Fiction invites the public into the world of science in ways that it is hard for the scientists to do themselves," he said.

Tegelberg studies environmental communication, exploring how stories are told to people who don't care or don't know that climate change is a real problem. Fiction can inform the ways scientists and policymakers communicate about the climate crisis, he explained. "If science communicators can look at how fiction is done and find ways to build narratives that do the same for nonfiction, then we have a better chance at getting the action we need."

Tidwell's article echoes points to research co-authored by Tegelberg on how the media represents glacier retreata difficult phenomenon to communicate to the public, given its geographical distance and non-human time scale. The Emmy-award-winning documentary "Chasing Ice" is successful in this, Tegelberg explained. The film follows National Geographic photographer James Balog as he documents the effects of global warming on glacial ice using time-lapse photography.

Stories about climate change often lean on what Tegelberg called "icons" of climate change, like a lone polar bear balancing on a melting iceberg, which distances the public from this reality due to how often this image is shared in mainstream media. Using time-lapse photography, however, brings an audience up close to the real impacts of a warming world, showing how much geological time is eroded from just a few hundred years of human activity.

But how do these creative climate stories, horror films and documentaries, turn into meaningful real-life action?

"Link them to lived realities," Tegelberg answered. "We need to scale [stories] down to the local level and think about how these larger [climate] concepts are making their way to the community level."

The Jakobshavn glacier in Greenland was featured in the Chasing Ice documentary about glacier retreat. Credit: Spencer and Carole/Flickr

Climate futures on the New Jersey coast

Far from the Austrian Alp sits Asbury Park, New Jerseythe setting for David Eisenhauer's storytelling and research. The researcher from Bennington College focuses on telling future stories about the coastal city to inform possible solutions to climate change impacts, like sea levels that are rising partly due to melting glaciers.

Asbury Park, which has a history of racial segregation and housing inequality, has experienced a recent upswing in development where luxury condos and fancy restaurants have moved in along the coast, pushing out low-income, minority residents, Eisenhauer explained to GlacierHub. One future climate story in Asbury Park imagines coastal flooding on the beachfront, making housing further off the coast more desirable and pushing low-income, minority residents further west and out of the city, he explained.

Climate storytelling can imagine a more desirable future for Asbury Park that attends to its history but addresses current concerns people are facing in the community. This story can impact how decision makers design a just and sustainable future in the coastal city.

But what does it mean when these future stories aren't so hopeful?

Climate storytelling in an uncertain future

In the final few minutes of "Blood Glacier," the main characters escape their research base in a helicopter, speechless and terrified. The climate disaster is far worse than they had imagined and an uncertain, grim future lies ahead.

In fiction there's a danger in sensationalizing climate change, Tidwell explained, comparing "Blood Glacier" to Roland Emmerich's "The Day After Tomorrow"a 2004 film about a paleoclimatologist who warns the United Nations about superstorms but is largely ignored. In the film, a mega-hurricane sucks frozen air from space and literally chases the movie's characters.

"Emmerich was really trying to say something [about climate change], but the [public's] reaction was "That's ridiculous, it's not going to happen like this,'" Tidwell said. While eco-horrors could make climate change harder to take seriously, expecting it to offer real solutions to the crisis is asking the genre to do too much, she explained. "Blood Glacier" acknowledges that climate change is scary and evoking that emotion is what it can do uniquely well.

Eco-horrors also ask audiences to imagine new kinds of relationships between humans and the natural world, which can be both productive and valuable for climate communicators, Tidwell added.

The documentary "Chasing Ice" does something similar, raising questions about how the media can expand its own relationships with whose story it tells, like dedicating more resources and time to frontline communities that may not have access to time-lapse photography to tell their own climate stories, Tegelberg added.

Eisenhauer's work also highlights new relationships in its storytelling, connecting the dots between the historical past, the present issues people are facing in Asbury Park, and the possible futures that they can work towards. By helping residents tell their own stories, this work helps them advocate for a more equitable city, he added. "Stories don't solve everything, but having a story that makes all of these connections is really important," he noted.

Whether it be eco-horror, a documentary, or nonfiction, storytelling "is about experience and emotionthe things that traditional science says we aren't supposed to include," Tidwell concluded. "It can't do everything, but whatever it is doing, you get to feel that."

Explore further Video: Melting glaciers

This story is republished courtesy of Earth Institute, Columbia University http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu.
A recently dug artisanal mining hole in Musonoyi, DRC. Credit: Northwestern University

While driving an electric car has fewer environmental impacts than gasoline-powered cars, the production of the parts necessary for these green technologies can have dire effects on human well-being.

After studying the impacts of mining cobalta common ingredient in lithium-ion batterieson communities in Africa's Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), an interdisciplinary team of researchers led by Northwestern University is calling for more data into how emerging technologies affect human health and livelihoods.

Such data can inform policymakers, industry leaders and consumers to make more socially and ethically responsible decisions when developing, funding and using green technologies.

The case study and perspective paper will be published on Dec. 17 in the journal One Earth.

"We have the framework and tools available to compare the environmental costs of automobiles that run on fossil fuels to battery-powered vehicles," said Northwestern's Jennifer Dunn, who led the study. "I can tell you the greenhouse gas emissions per mile for either one. But when it comes to the social effects, we don't have the same capability for direct comparison. For many engineers, it's easier to measure or calculate environmental effects than to understand the social conditions in a faraway country that they have never set foot in."

Dunn is an associate professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and associate director of the Center for Engineering Sustainability and Resilience. To conduct the case study, Dunn led an interdisciplinary team of engineers, anthropologists and public health experts.

Environmental vs. human costs

For years, researchers have been conducting environmental life cycle assessments (E-LCA), in which they comprehensively and systematically calculate the environmental impacts of a product all the way from the extraction of raw materials required to make it to its use and ultimate disposal. More recently, researchers have attempted to develop similar frameworks to evaluate social life cycle assessments (S-LCA), which can be used to understand how emerging technologies affect human health and well-being.

To identify barriers to and opportunities for collecting better data for S-LCA, the researchers conducted exploratory field work in cobalt mining communities in the Lualaba Province, DRC. The team collected qualitative data through in-depth interviews and focus-group discussions with miners and other community members. Paper co-author Gabriel Bamana, an anthropologist on faculty at Normandale Community College in Minnesota, is native Congolese and therefore could provide significant cultural and historical context for the study.

"For this type of work, it's important to work across fields in order to be informed," said Sera Young, study co-author and associate professor of anthropology at Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. "It might be difficult for engineers who are developing the technologies to understand the social effects. By working together, we can form a whole picture of the consequences of resource extraction."

Unintended consequences of decarbonization

What Dunn and Young discovered was deeply troubling. They found cobalt mining was associated with increases in violence, substance abuse, food and water insecurity, and physical and mental health challenges. Community members reported losing communal land, farmland and homes, which miners literally dug up in order to extract cobalt. Without farmland, Congolese people were sometimes forced to cross international borders into Zambia just to purchase food.

Miners at a cobalt cleaning site in DRC wash ore in water, rendering it unsafe to drink. Credit: Northwestern University

"You might think of mining as just digging something up," Young said. "But they are not digging on vacant land. Homelands are dug up. People are literally digging holes in their living room floors. The repercussions of mining can touch almost every aspect of life."

Waste generated from mining cobalt and other metals can pollute water, air and soil, leading to decreased crop yields, contaminated food and water, and respiratory and reproductive health issues. Miners reported that working conditions were unsafe, unfair and stressful. Several workers noted that they feared mineshaft collapses.

As industry leaders move toward decarbonization to slow, stop or even reverse human-caused climate change, technologies are increasingly relying on batteries instead of fossil fuels. Unfortunately, the effects of these technologies on social well-being are understudied and data related to these effects are insufficient for use in policy-making decisions.

"If we're trying to be do-gooders by caring for the environment, then the environment shouldn't be limited to only the natural environmentbut also the human environment," said Young, who studies water insecurityacross a range of global contexts.

Offering new solutions

Throughout their work, Dunn, Young and their team found little in the way of established guidance on best practices for conducting S-LCA, including little guidance on how to conduct interviews and a lack of consensus on how to use and analyze data from stakeholders.

"Most of this work has been conceptualized by natural scientists who have limited knowledge about social impacts," Dunn said. "Measuring environmental effects of a technology is sometimes as simple as adding a sensor to measure emissions. But trying to measure intangible social effects like mental health is much harder."

"And things that aren't measured remain invisible," Young added.

Because the quality of the social impact assessment relies on the quality of the data, the researchers identified five categories of data sources, which can be leveraged to better understand localized effects of mining: (1) interviews and focus groups of affected community members; (2) local public records, including land-related court claims, documentation of forced migration and publicly available health records; (3) cross-culturally validated scales, including data collected by national statistics agencies and organizations such as UNICEF and the World Bank; (4) data collected for the Sustainable Development Goals; and (5) remote sensing and imagery, including satellite imagery showing how farmland has changed after cobalt mining is established.

The researchers believe such methods can be applied to other scenarios beyond cobalt mining to gather social data surrounding emerging technologies.

"We have a long way to go before we can put S-LCA results in front of decision-makers in the same way we can with E-LCA results," Dunn said. "In the meantime, our society is going through huge changes, including climate change, so we feel a sense of urgency. We hope that policy makers recognize the urgency of the human costs of cobalt mining sooner rather than later."

The study, "Addressing the social life cycle inventory analysis data gap: Insights from a case study of cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo," was supported by Leslie and Mac McQuown, the Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems and the Carnegie Corporation.

Explore further Protection needed for emerging mining hotspots

More information: Addressing the social life cycle inventory analysis data gap: Insights from a case study of cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, One Earth (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2021.11.007 Journal information: One Earth Addressing the social life cycle inventory analysis data gap: Insights from a case study of cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2021.11.007
Hazel dormouse on branch. Credit: Clare Pengelly

A new mapping tool developed by researchers at the University of Liverpool could help support UK-wide efforts to reintroduce the threatened hazel dormouse.

Immortalized as a well-loved sleepy character in Alice in Wonderland, this nocturnal species spends most of its waking time climbing among woodland tree branches in search of food. However, their numbers have fallen in the UK by 51 percent since 2000 due to habitat loss and fragmentation.

A large-scale UK reintroduction program was launched by the People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) in 1993, which has so far released more than 1000 captive-bred hazel dormouse into the wild.

Identifying suitable woodland release sites is vital to the long-term success of this program, and a new habitat suitability map for dormice in England developed by Liverpool researchers could help support future release site decisions.

Natural populations of dormice were once found across northern England and many reintroduction sites are focused on these areas. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the researchers found that suitable habitat in the north of England is more infrequent and disjointed than southern England, where there are still natural populations of dormice in existence. Importantly however, the map reveals that there is still potential to find suitable habitat for reintroductions in the north.

Masters student Melanie Baker, who co-led the work, said: "Despite long-term conservation efforts, natural hazel dormouse populations are still declining in the UK. Our mapping approach has identified regions across England that are likely to contain broadly suitable habitats for hazel dormice. While potential sites identified by habitat suitability maps should be used alongside expert opinion and on-the-ground checks to ensure the site is appropriate for reintroduction, we believe they offer a valuable tool to conservationists."

To develop the habitat suitability map, the researchers undertook a habitat analysis of sites where natural hazel dormouse populations are present in England to identify specific characteristics that these habitats all share. They then used dormouse monitoring data from the reintroduction program to confirm that these habitat 'descriptors' can strongly influence the number of animals present in nest boxes.

Using a range of open-source maps and ecological modeling techniques, the team were then able to create a map showing areas of potentially suitable habitat in England. Finally, using the county of Cheshire as an example, they demonstrated the practical application of their map as a tool to help prioritize the most appropriate sites for future reintroductions.

Although demonstrated for the hazel dormouse, the researchers say this approach to reintroduction site selection could be beneficial to a broad range of species.

Ph.D. student Emma Cartledge, who co-led the study, said: "Our study focused on the importance of habitat for reintroduction site selection, however we also found that longitude strongly influenced the number of dormice found in nest boxes at reintroduction sites. This could be due to climate differences across the country and something which will be very important to investigate considering potential impacts of climate change on hibernating species."

The study was led by researchers from the University's Mammalian Behavior and Evolution research group in collaboration with the PTES and Cheshire Wildlife Trust and has been published in the journal Conservation Science and Practice.

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More information: Emma L. Cartledge et al, Applying remotely sensed habitat descriptors to assist reintroduction programs: A case study in the hazel dormouse, Conservation Science and Practice (2021). Emma L. Cartledge et al, Applying remotely sensed habitat descriptors to assist reintroduction programs: A case study in the hazel dormouse,(2021). DOI: 10.1111/csp2.544
3D-model of DNA. Credit: Michael Strock/Wikimedia/ GNU Free Documentation License

The first genome-wide ancient human DNA data from Sudan reveals new insights into the ancestry and social organization of people who lived more than 1,000 years ago in the Nile Valley, an important genetic and cultural crossroads.

Nature Communications published the analyses of the DNA of 66 individuals from a site in ancient Nubia known as Kulubnarti, located on the Nile River in Sudan, just south of the Egyptian border.

"Before this work, there were only three ancient genome-wide samples available, from Egypt, for the entire Nile Valley," says first author Kendra Sirak, who began the project as a Ph.D. student at Emory University. "And yet the region was, and still is, an incredibly important part of the world in terms of the movement, meeting and mixing of people."

Sirak was the last graduate student of the late George Armelagos, former professor of anthropology at Emory and a pioneer in bridging the disciplines of archeology and biology. While still a graduate student in the 1960s, Armelagos was part of a team that excavated ancient skeletons from Sudanese Nubia, so the bones would not be lost forever when the Nile was dammed.

"Nubia was a place of human habitation for tens of thousands of years," says Sirak, who is now a staff scientist at Harvard University. "This ancient genetic data helps fill in some major gaps in our understanding of who these people were."

The 66 individuals date back from 1,080 to 1,320 years ago, during the Christian Period of Sudanese Nubia, prior to the genetic and cultural changes that occurred along with the introduction of Islam. The analyses showed how the Kulubnarti gene pool formed over the course of a least a millennium through multiple waves of admixture, some local and some from distant places. They had ancestry seen today in some populations of Sudan, as well as ancestry that was ultimately West Eurasian in origin and likely introduced into Nubia through Egypt.

"A key finding is that social status did not have a strong relationship to biological relatedness or to ancestry in this ancient population, who lived during a period of cultural and social change," says Jessica Thompson, a co-senior author of the paper. Thompson, a former Ph.D. supervisor of Sirak in Emory's Department of Anthropology, is now at Yale University.

The remains of the individuals came from two cemeteries with Christian-style burials that previous evidence indicated were socially stratified. In one cemetery, located on an island in the Nile, the skeletal remains bore more markers of stress, disease and malnutrition and the average age of those buried was just over 10 years old. By contrast, the average age at death in the other cemetery, located on the mainland, was 18 years.

One hypothesis that grew out of this skeletal evidence was that the island cemetery was for a Kulubnarti "underclass," possibly laborers for members of landowning families buried in the mainland cemetery. It was a mystery whether the social stratification may have developed because one population came from a different origin.

A genome-wide analysis suggests that was not the casethe people buried in the separate cemeteries came from a single genetic population.

"It seems that people in this area did not use biological ancestry as a basis for social differentiation," Thompson says. "This reinforces the point that dividing people up socially on the basis of their genetic ancestry is a recent phenomenon, with no basis in universal human tendences."

Another key finding of the genetic analyses shows that some people as close as second-degree relatives were buried across the cemetery divide. Examples of second-degree relationships include grandparents to grandchildren, aunts and uncles to nieces and nephews, and half siblings.

"That indicates that there was some fluidity among the two groups of people," Sirak says. "There wasn't an intergenerational caste system that meant someone was prescribed to being in the same social group as all of their relatives."

A further interesting twist is that much of the Eurasian-derived ancestry within the population came from women. "Often when you think of ancestry and how genes move, you think of males who are trading or conquering or spreading religion," Sirak says. "But the genetic data here reveals that female mobility was really crucial to shaping the gene pool in Kulubnarti."

One possible explanation is that Kulubnarti was a patrilocal system, meaning that males tended to stay where they were born and females moved away from their homelands.

"The Christian Period Nubians from Kulubnarti are fascinating," Sirak says. "They survived in a barren, isolated, desolate region where life was never easy. I like to think that the ancient DNA research is giving a new life to these people from 1,000 years ago by providing a more nuanced view of them. Anytime you're studying someone's remains, their physical being, you owe it to them to tell the most accurate, respectful and meaningful story that you can."

Sirak came to Emory as a graduate student in 2012 to study human bones and paleopathology under Armelagos. By that time, he and fellow faculty members had built Emory's Department of Anthropology into a powerhouse of the biocultural approach to the field. In particular, Armelagos, his colleagues and graduate students studied the remains of the Sudanese Nubians to learn about patterns of health, illness and death in the past.

A long missing piece in the studies of this population, however, was genetic analysis. So, in 2013, Armelagos sent Sirak to one of the best ancient DNA labs in the world, University College Dublin, with samples of the Nubian bones.

"I had no interest in genetics," Sirak recalls, "but George was a visionary who believed that DNA was going to become a critical part of anthropological research."

Sirak soon became hooked when she saw how she could combine her interest in ancient bones with insights from DNA. She formed collaborations not just in Dublin but at Harvard Medical School's Department of Genetics and elsewhere, investigating mysteries surrounding deaths going back anywhere from decades to ancient times.

Armelagos was 77 and still mentoring Sirak, his last graduate student, when he died of pancreatic cancer in 2014. Dennis Van Gerven, an emeritus professor of anthropology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, took over Sirak's mentorship, along with Thompson. Van Gerven was among Armelagos' first group of students, and he also spent decades studying the Sudanese Nubians.

Sirak stuck with her Ph.D. dissertation project of trying to collect enough ancient DNA from the Nubian remains for analysis.

"Ancient DNA is difficult to recover from areas that are extremely hot, because DNA tends to degrade in heat," she explains.

Genetic sequencing techniques kept improving, however, and Sirak was working at the forefront of the effort. In 2015, while still an Emory graduate student, she was among the researchers who realized that a particular part of the petrous bone consistently yielded the most DNA. This pyramid-shaped bone houses several parts of the inner ear related to hearing and balance. In addition, Sirak developed a technique to drill into a skull and reach this particular part of the petrous bone in the most non-invasive way possible, while also getting enough bone powder for DNA analysis. The use of this part of the petrous bone is now the gold standard in ancient DNA analysis.

In 2018, Sirak received her Ph.D. from Emory and went on to work in the lab of David Reich, a geneticist at Harvard Medical School who specializes in the population genetics of ancient humans.

She and her colleagues continued to push the boundaries of what's possible with ancient DNA sequencing. They managed to get whole-genome samples from the petrous bones of 66 of the Sudanese Nubians, ushering in a whole new era of bioarchaeology for the Nile Valley. "I don't think we would have succeeded in this work had we not known to focus on the specific part of the petrous bone," Sirak says.

"It's incredible to me that George asked me to focus on ancient DNA back in 2012, long before these techniques were developed," she adds. "He had a way of making anyone who was working with him really feel important and powerful and that gave me the confidence to strike out on a pioneering path."

"George Armelagos' influence is everywhere," adds Thompson, explaining that he also advised many senior people who mentored her early in her career.

Funded by National Geographic Explorer grants, Sirak is now working with Sudanese colleagues to gather and analyze ancient DNA samples from other geographic locations in the Nile Valley, going even deeper into its past, to add more details to the story of how people moved, mixed and thrived in the region across millennia.

As the last graduate student of Armelagosand then a mentee of Van Gerven, one of Armelagos' first studentsSirak feels like she is completing a circle. The publication of the current paper is the realization of Armelagos' last wishes for the project.

"It's really special for me to be able to use ancient DNA to build on decades of anthropological and archeological research for the region," Sirak says. "I know that George would be proud and thrilled. I'm part of this amazing lineage of researchers now. And the desire to continue what they started is a huge motivation for me."

In addition to Reich, Thompson and Van Gerven, senior authors of the Nature Communications paper include Nick Patterson (Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT) and Ron Pinhasi (University College, Dublin). Co-authors include researchers from these institutions as well as the University of Vienna, the University of Coimbra in Portugal, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the University of Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, the University of Georgia, the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the University of Michigan.

Explore further Proceeding with Caution: First global guidelines proposed for ancient DNA research

More information: Kendra A. Sirak et al, Social stratification without genetic differentiation at the site of Kulubnarti in Christian Period Nubia, Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications Kendra A. Sirak et al, Social stratification without genetic differentiation at the site of Kulubnarti in Christian Period Nubia,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27356-8
Credit: Flinders University

Flinders University ecologists are calling on summer holiday-goers to not interfere with wildlife and damage habitats, notably for shy animals such as little penguins.

A new study has found increasing human disturbance to little penguin (Eudyptula minor) habitat may lead to increasingly aggressive behavior from the birds, prompting Flinders University researchers to call for tighter regulations that will help protect penguin colonies.

The study, "Little penguins are more aggressive on islands that experience greater unregulated human disturbance," by Diane Colombelli-Negrel and Andrew Katsis, published in the journal Animal Behaviorshows that individual animals may actively adjust their behavior to suit unwelcome changes to their environment.

Dr. Colombelli-Negrel led an assessment of the behavior of 43 little penguins (8 on the popular tourist location Granite Island, 20 at Troubridge Island and 15 from two locations at Penneshaw and Emu Bay on Kangaroo Island) to defend perceived threats to their nests.

The study involved a mix of genders (30 female and 13 male penguins) at the four South Australian colonies, finding that the site activity correlates with the behavioral actions of the penguins.

Simulating a nest intrusion while the penguins were inside led some penguins to show greater vigilance while others hissed and pecked at the intruder, explains researcher Dr. Andrew Katsis.

"Based on their response, we calculated an aggressiveness score for each bird. We discovered that penguins were more aggressive if their colony regularly experienced high levels of human disturbance," he says.

"Little penguins in our study were more aggressive and bolder on Granite Island, which has the greatest levels of unregulated human disturbance," adds Dr. Colombelli-Negrel.

"We demonstrated that aggressiveness during nest defense is repeatable in little penguins and may represent a consistent behavioral trait in this species.

"The aggressiveness did not vary with sex, nest type or breeding stage," she says. "Indeed, contrary to our prediction, we found no difference in aggressiveness between males and females."

The physical characteristics of the nest did not appear to explain individual differences in aggressivenessbut body size of the penguins was surprising factor.

On the more remote Troubridge Island off the Yorke Peninsula, penguins were the largest on average but they were also the shyest, confirming that animals living near urban environments face many pressures linked to human disturbance.

Dr. Colombelli-Negrel says these results highlight that behavioral variation in relation to human disturbance that may be important to consider for conservation strategies.

The researchers recommend that managers use nest aggression to assess human disturbances within colonies and manage disturbances during breedingby limiting access to the colony, improving community awareness and signage, and enforcing regulations regarding predators.

"This may help protect the settlement of more sensitive birds," Dr. Colombelli-Negrel says.

Explore further Safety signs help little penguin colony

More information: Diane Colombelli-Negrel et al, Little penguins are more aggressive on islands that experience greater unregulated human disturbance, Animal Behaviour (2021). Journal information: Animal Behaviour , Animal Behavior Diane Colombelli-Negrel et al, Little penguins are more aggressive on islands that experience greater unregulated human disturbance,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.10.012
Credit: Ondrej Prosicky/Shutterstock

Big cats are among the most widespread top predators on Earth. Lions stalk zebra in the African savanna, tigers ambush antelope in the forests of Asia and jaguars hunt deer in the jungles of South America. They play an important role in ecosystems by regulating the numbers of these herbivores, in turn, reducing the deterioration of vegetated habitats and maintaining species diversity.

Tigers, lions and jaguars must cover large areas to find food, so they need a lot of energy. As with many large carnivores, big cats are under threat from habitat loss, which leaves them with less to eat. Their spread-out populations and slow reproductive rates make them particularly vulnerable. While the habitats in which big cats live range from boreal forests at high latitudes to tropical rainforests at the equator, the causes of habitat loss are largely the same: logging for wood and fuel, plantations, farming and urbanization.

Aside from depriving wildlife of a home, forest loss also contributes to climate change. It's ironic then that hydroelectricity, which is being developed worldwide (especially in South American and Asian countries) as an alternative energy source to fossil fuels, is a big cause of deforestation.

Building hydroelectric dams has caused extinctions and spread diseases in rivers globally, but the threat to ecosystems on land has largely been overlooked. In a recent study, researchers from China and Portugal investigated how existing and planned hydroelectric dams might affect two carnivores: the near-threatened jaguar (with an estimated global population of 173,000) and the endangered tiger (thought to number between 3,200 and 3,500 worldwide).

The distribution of jaguars and tigers has shrunk 50% and 93% respectively, but the researchers found that hydroelectric plants pose a substantial risk of further declines. They found 164 dams that already intersect the jaguar range and 421 dams that do the same for tigers. This equates to one in five tigers that are likely to be affected by dams, compared with one in 200 jaguars. Since tiger numbers are already so low, this could have a considerable influence on the population's capacity to recover and may even result in local extinctions.

A dam on the Narmada River in India, where the endangered Bengal tiger is native. Credit: Ankit K Sinha/Shutterstock

Damning developments for big cats

Large expanses of land are flooded to create reservoirs when building hydroelectric plants in low-lying, relatively flat areas. Although tigers and jaguars can and do swim, they mainly hunt species such as deer that live on land. Sites chosen for dams typically incorporate floodplains and areas along rivers that are important for both species, since they tend to contain lots of prey.

The flooded area will force both predators and prey into surrounding areas. If the vegetation here can support the influx of herbivores, tigers and jaguars will probably persist. But if it cannot, the predators may be forced further afield in search of food, potentially drawing them into conflict with people who may kill them.

Relatively pristine habitats are under threat. The number of hydroelectric dams is set to quadruple across the jaguar's range with a further 429 planned, while 41 are expected where tigers roam. Aside from the direct loss of habitat, these new constructions can increase the presence of people in remote areas. Roads built to access new dam sites consequently open up areas that were previously impenetrable. Roads can be a barrier to some species and kill those that try to cross. Roads can also encourage new towns and villages, which divide the habitat further.

A road in Brazil which drives deep into jaguar habitat. Credit: Ricardo de O. Lemos/Shutterstock

Mitigating the damage

Where dams exist, the researchers suggest habitat loss could be limited by incorporating the surroundings into a protected area with suitable enforcement. Any new dams, though, especially in conservation areas or areas where top predators prowl, should be avoided. Sadly, most of the dams planned in Asia overlap with significant portions of the tiger's range.

One way to mitigate the damage from building new hydroelectric plants may be to do it on slopes outside of areas that are crucial for conserving tigers and jaguars. The amount of flooded area needed to produce electricity from these plants when they're on a slope is smaller compared to those built on lower ground, reducing the overall damage to the surrounding habitat. But impact assessments would need to confirm the plant wasn't simply creating new issues elsewhere.

Alternative sources of energy are important for a sustainable future, but their benefits should not come at a substantial cost to species already under threat.

Explore further The destructive impact of hydropower plants on jaguars and tiger habitats

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
A town-by-town map of COVID-19 rates in Connecticut. Credit: University of Connecticut

When the average person consumes information through sources like television, radio, a website, or a newspaper, they might do it with a critical eye. What is the viewpoint of the news outlet? Has it been trustworthy in the past? Is there another source for this information to get a second opinion?

A map is different. People tend to look at maps as absolute information that should be taken as fact without analysis. But that's a mistake, according to a pair of UConn professors from the Neag School of Education in a recent article published in Social Studies Research and Practice.

"We have to remember that maps are created by humans who have a purpose to make the maps," says Thomas Levine, an associate professor whose work includes preparing social studies teachers on the elementary level. "They have to tell a selective story and can't put everything on a map. It would be overwhelming. Maps are not a mirror of exact reality. The creators selectively choose what to put in and what to leave out. They choose borders, symbols, and even what colors to use. Color can impact what stands out in a map or what we notice in it."

The COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 Presidential election are two recent examples of how maps can be used as a tool for distributing information.

"In the article, we write about the importance of basic map literacy and items like how to use a key and understand scale, which is traditionally how maps are taught," says Alan Marcus, a professor whose expertise includes teaching history on the high school level. "We also write about critical map literacy and this is understanding the decisions that mapmakers make and what subjectiveness there might be in maps.

"Another layer is digital literacy, as many maps are now online and we need to understand that maps can now be interactive and constantly changed."

Maps from the 2020 Presidential election can tell different stories depending on how the information is shownwhether it be a simple "red" or "blue" map on which candidate won the Electoral College vote in each state, a county-by-county winner map, or a map that uses "purple" to show percentages of popular vote and not winner-take-all.

"Our students who are training to become teachers debate on what maps should be used if they want to tell the truth about the election," says Marcus. "It's a very clear example of how maps can be subjective based on the decisions that a mapmaker makes or the purposes they have.

"One of the ideas we are trying to get at in this article is that maps are subjective documents. They should be treated just like we treat any other document in a social studies classroom or how any adult in society should approach the information they are getting in the news."

Understanding maps is part of a bigger concerns that citizens need to be properly informed as future leaders are selected.

"I think that the bigger context is that we live in a time where there's a lot of information," says Levine. "There's great concern a democracy can't survive or thrive if we don't have a shared set of facts. If we don't prepare people to use maps, including interactive maps, we increase the odds that we citizens will be manipulated by misinformation or very selective versions of the truth."

The COVID-19 pandemic has also seen a need for map literacy and has been a boom for online and interactive maps.

"COVID was a motivation for us to do this paper," says Marcus. "COVID has not changed the way we use maps, but it has emphasized the importance of maps in thinking about public health, in determining public policy and a source of information that is important to society."

Maps have shown prime locations of COVID-positive tests, hospitalizations, and vaccination rates.

"The pandemic has highlighted how important maps can be and how much policy makers can use data from maps in driving their decisions about items like mask mandates and vaccines," says Marcus. "COVID has really emphasized how critical they are."

The ease of creating on online map has made it even more critical for people to have a strong map literacy.

"Content online can be created by almost anybody now and it can be accessed by almost anyone," says Marcus. "You don't have to buy the newspaper, you don't have to buy the book and there is very little accountability and oversight in the production of some online maps. Online maps can be multi-layered and have hyperlinks, which you can't do with a static map. They can be updated and changed very frequently. That has made maps a different beast for public consumption."

Explore further Google Maps shows COVID-19 hot spots

More information: Alan S. Marcus et al, Mapping the pandemic: teaching critical map literacy with interactive COVID-19 maps, Social Studies Research and Practice (2021). Alan S. Marcus et al, Mapping the pandemic: teaching critical map literacy with interactive COVID-19 maps,(2021). DOI: 10.1108/SSRP-08-2021-0021
With Blood disease all of the Kepok banana fruit rot at the same time and are inedible. Credit: Jane Ray

The world's most consumed fruit and an important staple for many developing companies, bananas are increasingly threated by Blood disease, so named because cut banana stems look like they are bleeding. Blood disease causes fruit rot, leaf wilt, and plant death. There is no known cure for the disease.

Banana Blood disease was first reported in Kayuadi Island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia in 1905 and so severely devastated the banana plantations that they were abandoned. The disease was contained to this small area for 60 years due to restrictions on movement of banana plant materials, but eventually it escaped.

In 1987, Blood disease was found in West Java and it spread rapidly across the Indonesian archipelagoit is now recorded in 25 of the 34 provinces. The disease was so brutal that many farmers were forced to abandon production. More recently the disease has made it to peninsular Malaysia, making it highly likely the disease will continue to spread to other Asian countries.

"Without intervention, the losses are likely to be devastating due to epidemics in areas where growers have no experience managing this disease," explained Jane Ray, a Ph.D. student at the University of Queensland who is studying the biology and epidemiology of Blood disease. "I am determined to understand this disease and use this information to develop improved diseases management options, helping to reduce crop loss and mitigate the risk of spread to new areas, improving food security in the tropics."

Ray and colleagues carefully reviewed multi-lingual literature in Dutch, Indonesian, and English to gather historical knowledge of the disease. They also conducted extensive surveys across the islands of Indonesia to validate the historical distribution data and determine the current geographic dispersal and pattern of spread of Blood disease.

Their study confirmed Blood disease in 18 different varieties of banana, including Cavendish, the world's most popular variety of banana, and other members of the Musa genus. The study also found that varieties previously reported as unaffected by the disease are now included among reported infections.

"Greater clarity regarding modes of disease transmission is urgently required to develop effective disease management approaches as the rapid expansion of blood disease is an emerging threat to banana production in Southeast Asia," said Ray. "Our study shows that all disease problems start small and can be contained if acted on early but if left unchecked and allowed to spread, they can become major constraints to production over large geographic areas."

More information: Jane D. Ray et al, Geographic Expansion of Banana Blood Disease in Southeast Asia, Plant Disease (2021). Jane D. Ray et al, Geographic Expansion of Banana Blood Disease in Southeast Asia,(2021). DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-01-21-0149-RE

Provided by American Phytopathological Society
This undated file photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows a side view of a recently emerged adult female western glacier stonefly from below Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National Park, Mont. Federal wildlife officials say the western glacier stonefly and a second, similar species wil need several thousand acres of glaciers and snowfields in areas such as Glacier if they are to survive in a warming world that's threatening them with extinction.. Credit: Joe Giersch/via AP, File

Federal wildlife officials say two species of rare insects in the Rocky Mountains will need several thousand acres of glaciers and snowfields if they are to survive a warming world that's threatening them with extinction.

The western glacier stonefly and the meltwater lednian stonefly live in streams that flow from melting glaciers and snowfields. Scientists say the insects are not doing well and face continued declines as they lose a projected 80% of their habitat in Glacier National Park by 2030.

The stoneflies' peril underscores the threat climate change poses worldwide to mountaintops that are "biodiversity hotspots"home to a rich variety of plants, animals and insects that scientists are still learning about.

The two species live in and around Glacier National Park in Montana, Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada, and Native American tribal lands in western Montana. More recently, they've been found in streams in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park and the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in Montana and Wyoming.

They are mostly found in steep, remote areas that are hard to reach and away from backcountry trails.

A new draft recovery plan from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service suggests the possible transplant of some of the insects to new areas, exploring ways to artificially propagate populations and research into the stoneflies' heat tolerance.

Researchers have said it's uncertain what other direct steps could preserve the insects, which are mostly found in national parks that already have strong regulations in place to protect wildlife. That reflects the difficulty of dealing with climate change at the local level.

The wildlife service listed them as a threatened species in 2019 after being sued by environmentalists to act. To be safe from continued decline, the agency says the two species each need at least 3,087 acres (1,250 hectares) of glaciers and snowfields. That's about how much meltwater habitat the insects had in northwestern Montana in 2005, but much has since been lost.

Public comments on the recovery plan are due by Feb. 14, Montana Public Radio reported.

Climate change is directly driving the loss of glaciers in parts of the Rockies. Glacier National Park early last century had 150 glaciers larger than 25 acres (10 hectares). Only 25 glaciers of that size remain.

Explore further Two insect species classified as threatened as glaciers melt

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Roman denarius, the standard Roman silver coin. Credit: Images provided by Jean Milot.

Despite its prior status as a luxury commodity, silver became widely used for coinage in the Roman world from the 7th century BCE onward and provided a standardized monetary system for ancient Mediterranean civilizations. However, the sources of silver used to produce Roman coinage have largely been used up, making it difficult to determine which deposits Roman miners exploited.

A new study published in the journal Geology yesterday evaluated silver sources from different mining provinces in the Iberian Peninsula to determine which locations may have been mined for silver to produce Roman coinage.

"The control of silver sources was a major geopolitical issue, and the identification of Roman silver sources may help archaeologists to reconstruct ancient fluxes of precious metals and to answer important historical questions," said Jean Milot, the lead author of this study.

The Iberian Peninsula, which includes modern Spain and Portugal, is host to world-class silver deposits, especially in the southern region. These deposits contain galena, which is the main ore of lead and an important source of silver. To extract silver, the galena ore is smelted and purified, with refined silver for coin minting able to reach a purity of over 95%.

To track the source of Roman silver, the team of researchers analyzed the silver and lead compositions of galena samples from ore deposits across the Iberian Peninsula and compared the results to the chemical signatures of silver Roman coins.

Iberian galena samples. Credit: Images provided by Jean Milot.

They identified two different types of galena deposits based on the silver elemental composition of the samples: silver-rich galena that would have been a likely source for Roman coinage, and silver-poor galena that would have been exploited for lead only and would have been of lower economic importance.

However, few of the ore samples had a composition that fit the silver elemental composition of the Roman silver coins. Silver-bearing ores spanned a wide range in compositional variability, but Roman coins notably have a very narrow elemental composition range.

Based on the lead elemental signatures of the galena samples, the ore deposits from southeastern Spain best fit the composition of Roman coins, suggesting that these deposits were a major source of Roman silver. Both silver-rich and silver-poor galena deposits were likely exploited here, with the extracted lead from silver-poor galena able to be mixed with other ores to extract silver.

These results based on chemical analyses are also consistent with archaeological evidence for ancient mining exploitation in the region.

This combined analytical toolkit provides a way to distinguish between silver-rich deposits and deposits barren of silver ore, which is critical in understanding the dynamics of silver supply in Roman times.

"This work needs to be extended to the silver-rich region in which coinage was actually invented in the 6th century BCE, Greece and Asia Minor (modern Turkey)," said Milot. "The method we describe here will allow us to recognize the lost ore fields which supplied silver to the Eastern Mediterranean empires from the Bronze Age to the collapse of Hellenistic kingdoms."

More information: Jean Milot et al, Silver isotope and volatile trace element systematics in galena samples from the Iberian Peninsula and the quest for silver sources of Roman coinage, Geology (2021). Journal information: Geology Jean Milot et al, Silver isotope and volatile trace element systematics in galena samples from the Iberian Peninsula and the quest for silver sources of Roman coinage,(2021). DOI: 10.1130/G49690.1
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The world likely will generate more electricity from the dirtiest source this year than ever before, indicating just how far the energy transition still needs to run in the fight against climate change.

Coal-fueled generation is set to jump 9% from last year, according to an International Energy Agency report released Friday. That U-turn from the declines of the previous two years threatens the world's trajectory to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, the organization said.

The U.S. and European Union had the biggest increases in coal use at about 20% each, followed by India at 12% and Chinathe world's largest consumerat 9%, the IEA estimated. The comeback is being driven by economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, which is outpacing the ability of low-carbon energy sources to maintain supply.

"Coal is the single largest source of global carbon emissions, and this year's historically high level of coal power generation is a worrying sign of how far off track the world is in its efforts to put emissions into decline toward net zero," IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said.

Record natural gas prices have increased reliance on other sources, including coal, and amplified calls for faster investments in renewables. Power prices in Europe have more than tripled in the past six months, and it's become more profitable to burn coal than gas. Still, utilities have struggled to get their hands on it even as China and the U.S. boost production.

Carbon-dioxide emissions from coal in 2024 are now predicted to be at least 3 billion tons higher than in a scenario reaching net-zero by 2050, the report said. The IEA expects peak coal to occur next year at 8.11 billion tons, with the biggest production increases coming from China, Russia and Pakistan.

The Paris-based IEA said in May that development of new oil, gas and coal sources must stop this year if the world is to meet emissions targets in line with the Paris Agreement. Climate campaigners were dismayed in November when a key aspiration of the United Nations' COP26 climate summit in Scotland was watered down to produce a pledge to "phase down"rather than "phase out"coal use. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration since has halted federal aid to new fossil-fuel projects abroad.

Some banks have pledged to phase out their financing of coal, though activists want to see greater urgency. This year, coal demand as a wholefor power generation as well as cement and steel productionis set to rise by 6%, the IEA said.

That demand could set a record next year, depending on economic growth and weather patterns, the agency said. One Australian exporter predicts strong demand for at least two more decades.

Regional disparities in use are playing out globally as Europe shuts down coal power stations while China and India step up production. The European Union ramped up its climate pledge in July, targeting a 55% drop in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, relative to a 1990 baseline, with a transition to cleaner sources at the center. It's a tough target, especially considering that countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic primarily power themselves with coal and lignite.

For now, China accounts for about half of global coal production and needs to meet rising domestic demand. The government has pressured miners to reduce prices and lower the cost of burning coal during this year's energy crisis, which triggered blackouts and rationing in the country.

"It is disappointing that coal power may hit an all-time high in the very same year that countries agreed to phase it down," said Dave Jones, global program lead at climate think-tank Ember. "Coal power will inevitably begin to decline soon: China has committed to phasing down coal from 2025, while India's huge renewables target should remove the need for more coal."

Explore further CO2 emissions set to surge, IEA warns

2021 Bloomberg L.P.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A piercing tool built by ESA is set to open a Moon soil container from Apollo 17 that has gone untouched for nearly 50 years. The gas extraction experiment is part of the larger Apollo Next-Generation Sample Analysis (ANGSA) programme that coordinates the analysis of pristine Moon samples from the Apollo era. And for the first time ever, ESA is involved in the opening of soil returned from the Moon. Credit: ANGSA science team

A pretty special gift unwrapping will soon take placea piercing tool built by ESA will open a moon soil container from Apollo 17 that has gone untouched for nearly 50 years. The opening will allow the extraction of precious lunar gases which may have been preserved in the sample.

Analysis of the gaseous volatiles will allow scientists to better understand the geology of the moon and help engineers to design better sampling tools and techniques for future missions to the moon or even Mars.

The gas extraction experiment is part of the larger Apollo Next-Generation Sample Analysis (ANGSA) program that coordinates the analysis of pristine moon samples from the Apollo era. And for the first time ever, ESA is involved in the opening of soil returned from the moon.

"The opening and analyses of these samples now, with the technical advancements achieved since the Apollo era, can enable new scientific discoveries on the moon. This can also inspire and inform a new generation of explorers," says Francesca McDonald, science and project lead of ESA's contribution to ANGSA.

Francesca and colleague Timon Schild traveled last month to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, U.S., to deliver the piercing tool and train the lunar sample curation team on how to operate it.

"It is a privilege to be able to work amongst the treasure trove of ancient moon samples that have witnessed the history of our Solar System, and be a part of a program that can help to reveal their secrets," adds Francesca.

Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan preparing to collect samples 73001 and 73002 on the Moon in 1972. Gene Cernan collected the sample from a landslip deposit that cascaded down into the Taurus-Littrow Valley. The Apollo 17 astronaut hammered a 70 cm long cylindrical tube into the surface to extract a core sample of the lunar soil. Credit: NASA

The tool now stands-by to be used on the Apollo sample container in the coming weeks.

Lunar origins

Astronaut Gene Cernan collected the sample on the moon in 1972 from a landslip deposit that cascaded down into the Taurus-Littrow Valley. The Apollo 17 astronaut hammered a 70 cm long cylindrical tube into the surface to extract a core sample of the lunar soil.

The lower half of this core sample was sealed in a vacuum tight container on the lunar surface. Back on Earth, the container was put in an additional vacuum chamber where it has sat undisturbed until this day.

Scientists believe that there may be loosely bound gases, such as hydrogen, helium and noble gases still trapped in the sample container.

"The piercing tool is a solution for accessing the gases. We are eager to learn how well the vacuum container preserved the sample and the fragile gases," says Francesca.

The international effort can help develop new sample return containers and protocols, particularly for water-ice rich samples from lunar polar locations and future martian samples.

Francesca McDonald, science and project lead of ESAs contribution to ANGSA, and colleague Timon Schild travelled in November 2021 to NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston, USA, to deliver the piercing tool and train the lunar sample curation team on how to operate it. ESAs piercing tool, jokingly called the Apollo can opener amongst the team, can puncture the moon sample vacuum container to aid capturing the trapped gases as they escape. Credit: ANGSA science team

Operations of a lunar can opener

ESA's piercing tool, jokingly called the "Apollo can opener" amongst the team, can puncture the moon sample vacuum container to aid capturing the trapped gases as they escape.

The fragile gases are then collected in dedicated canisters thanks to an extraction manifold designed by a partner team at Washington University in Saint-Louis, U.S..

The gas sample canisters will be sent to specialized laboratories around the world, including Europe, for more detailed studies.

"Each gas component that is analyzed can help to tell a different part of the story about the origin and evolution of volatiles on the moon and within the early Solar System," says Francesca.

A unique innovation and design challenge

ESA developed the "Apollo can opener" over a period of about 16 months in a truly international effort. Scientific and technical experts from six different teams and seven nationalities across two ESA sites worked with the ANGSA consortium, with support from the laboratory facilities at ESTEC, ESA's main technology center.

Sample 73002, the upper section of a double drive tube core sample extracted from Apollo 17 landing site (paired with lower section 73001 which still remains sealed in a special vacuume container called a CSVC). The core samples material comes from a lunar landslide event in the Taurus Littrow Valley landing site of Apollo 17. Looking down on the top of the core as it is being extracted in 5 mm intervals along its length. In this image the original location and orientation of a larger rock clast is observed. Credit: ESAFrancesca McDonald

Sample Fetch Rover for Mars Sample Return campaign. Credit: ESA/ATG Medialab

"This piercing tool is a one-of-a-kind system built for the sole purpose of puncturing the so-called 73001 Apollo sample container," says Timon Schild, who led the development at ESA's Spaceship EAC team.

The work with lunar material imposed a lot of stringent rules for material choices, cleanliness and operating procedures. On top of that, all the information came from 50-year-old documents.

"Some of the characteristics of the sample container were simply unknown. All in all, building the tool was a challenge, but also extremely inspiring and a rewarding project to work on," adds Timon.

Lessons for future moon and Mars missions

Looking ahead, the lessons learned through the ANGSA program will help improve future missions to the moon, such as NASA's Artemis and ESA's Prospect programs.

New sample handling and containment approaches can also contribute to the exploration of the Red Planet. Together with NASA, ESA is aiming to return samples with the Mars Sample Return program.

Explore further ESA helps analyze untouched Moon rocks
Deforestation in Ecuador near the border with Peru. Credit: Luke Parsons

The tropics is becoming hotter due to a combination of warming associated with deforestation and climate changeand that can reduce the ability of outdoor workers to perform their jobs safely. Researchers reporting in the journal One Earth on December 17 estimate how many safe working hours people living in the tropics have lost due to local temperature change associated with loss of trees during the past 15 years.

"There is a huge disproportionate decrease in safe work hours associated with heat exposure for people in deforested locations versus people in forestated locations just over the past 15 or 20 years," says first author Luke Parsons, a climate researcher at Duke University. "There is a small amount of climate change that has happened over the same 15-year period, but the increase in humid heat exposure for people living in deforested relative to forested locations was much larger than that from recent climate change."

Previous research has revealed deforestation is associated with an increase in local temperature. Trees block out the sun's radiation and provide shade. They also cool down the air via evapotranspiration, a process when plants transport water from the soil then evaporate water from the leaf surface, similar to how sweating cools the skin.

"The trees in the tropics seem to limit the maximum temperatures that the air can reach. Once we cut those trees down, we lose that cooling service from the trees, and it can get really, really hot," Parsons says. "In the Brazilian Amazon, for example, where huge swaths of the rainforest have been cleared in the last 15 or 20 years, the afternoons can be up to 10 degrees Celsius warmer than forested regions."

Deforestation in the past years in western Amazon is linked to warming of local climate. Credit: Luke Parsons

The One Earth study went a step further and estimated the number of people who live in locations affected by warming associated with deforestation. Using satellite data and meteorological observations, Parsons and his team tracked the local temperature and humidity in 94 low-latitude countries with tropical forests, including countries in the Americas, Africa, and Asia, from 2003 to 2018.

They estimated that in recently deforested locations, almost 5 million people lost at least half an hour of safe work time per daywhen the weather outside is too hot and humid to safely conduct heavy labor. Among them, at least 2.8 million people are outdoor workers that perform heavy physical work in the agriculture and construction sectors. Heavy physical work increases heat generated within the human body, which when combined with hot and humid environments, increases the risk of heat strain and heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke, which can be fatal.

"Those tropical locations are already on the edge of being too hot and humid to safely work because of climate change. Deforestation may push these places over the edge into even more unsafe work environments," Parsons says.

Primary forest in Indonesia in summer 2017. Credit: Yuta Masuda

Notably, this study estimates that there are nearly 100,000 people living in the tropics in locations that lost more than 2 hours of safe work time per day due to temperature increases associated with deforestation, and over 90% of those people live in Asia. Parsons explains that the disproportionate distribution is likely due to Asia's highly dense population.

"I think the research has a positive message and a negative message," he says. "The negative message is that if we cut down trees, we not only cause problems for the ecosystem and global carbon emissions, but we also lose local cooling services that provide a comfortable and safe place to work. But the positive message is that if we can prevent forest loss, we can maintain cooling services along with all the other benefits forests provide. Importantly, the relationship between the health of the forests and nearby people offers an additional, locally relevant reason to prevent tree loss."

Explore further As Earth warms, safe times for outdoor work will shrink

More information: Luke AParsons, Tropical deforestation accelerates local warming and loss of safe outdoor working hours, One Earth (2021). www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltex  2590-3322(21)00664-3 Journal information: One Earth Luke AParsons, Tropical deforestation accelerates local warming and loss of safe outdoor working hours,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2021.11.016
Local law enforcement agencies and school districts are aiming to address recent threats of violence made against schools nationwide on the social media platform TikTok.

And one local school district is transitioning to all-remote learning on Friday due to concerns by parents and students.

Whitehall Superintendent of Schools Patrick Dee wrote to parents Thursday that Given the incident about the comment made yesterday, coupled with the information being posted on TikTok, a decision has been made for all grade levels to transition to fully remote learning on Friday.

Dee was referencing both a local situation that was investigated and determined to be unfounded as well as reports about a number of TikTok photos/posts that have been circulating in schools in our area and around the country and are said to be associated with school shootings or a school shooting day.

Please realize, no new information has been learned since this morning to contribute to this decision, Dee wrote. It is the culmination of the apprehension for parents and guardians to send their child(ren) to school tomorrow due to the combination of events.

In addition to TikTok, Dee referred to an incident on Wednesday in which school administrators learned about a comment made by a student in a classroom that was perceived as threatening.

We referred this information to the Washington County Sheriffs Office and upon investigation, it was determined that no threat was made, Dee wrote, also noting a local social media post was checked out and found to be from last year and not from the student in question.

In an earlier email, Dee wrote: It was determined that the student made a benign comment when speaking with a teacher that was taken out of context by some students who were present. Unfortunately, throughout the evening, social media morphed an otherwise innocuous comment into something that has resulted in a great deal of unnecessary concern for students and parents.

The Washington County Sheriffs Office said in a news release on Thursday that it was made aware of videos and posts that were made on several social media platforms that indicated a possible threat to the Whitehall school district, but the investigation indicated that the potential threat is not credible.

The Sheriffs Office investigation is continuing but at this time the videos that circulated by the TikTok platform are not believed to have been created locally and that it was not created as a threat to any specific location, the news release stated. The Sheriffs Office and Whitehall school district are working together to assure the Whitehall (school district) and all school districts in Washington County are safe.

Elsewhere, the Saratoga County Sheriffs Office is working with the countys partner school districts to monitor the TikTok threats. Police said in a Thursday news release that the threats seem to have circulated nationwide and are not believed to be connected to any institution in Saratoga County.

In Queensbury, Superintendent of Schools Kyle Gannon on Thursday sent an email to families within the district addressing the threats.

Gannon said the safety of students and staff is the districts top priority and that officials are aware of the threats on TikTok.

But there have been no threats aimed at the district specifically, he wrote.

Although these nationwide posts have been deemed non-credible, we take this matter very seriously, he said. Warren County Sheriffs Department and the New York State Police are aware of these posts, and we will continue to partner with them to ensure safety at all times.

Gannon said the district encourages families to stay vigilant and communicate with their children about the importance of sharing information regarding the posts and being good digital citizens.

The Glens Falls City School District will have additional officers at the middle and high schools and police patrolling the other schools throughout the day, according to the districts website. The Hudson Falls Central School District will also have an increased police presence at its buildings.

The Saratoga County Sheriffs Office is encouraging the public to follow the See something, say something philosophy.

We appreciate those members of the public who have voiced concerns over the posts and will continue to proactively monitor them, the news release stated.

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GLENS FALLS  After working with LARAC for the past decade, Candice Frye will be leaving her post as executive director.

Frye started out as a part-time employee with LARAC, working with community outreach prior to taking on her current position. Her decision to leave was a personal one.

She has started working with Village Affair Real Estate, a short-term rental management firm, and hopes to continue that upon leaving her post.

I love LARAC like family and Im just excited for someone with a fresh and new perspective to take it from here, Frye said.

She informed the board of directors this year of her decision to move on after more than five years as executive director, and they have been working with the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York State Council of Nonprofits to get the job description together and out to the public.

They are both great supporters of nonprofits and LARAC, Frye said.

The listing was put out locally and through the New York Foundation for the Arts.

Frye said that helped the board of directors have a broader pool of candidates to choose from.

That brought in candidates from New Hampshire, downstate and people that wouldnt normally have LARAC on their radar, she said.

The board is currently almost finished with the interview process for the position. A replacement was originally planned to be named on Jan. 1, but the timeline has been shifted a bit.

Frye doesnt plan on hitting the road anytime soon, and she plans to help with the transition for the new executive director and be there for support if needed.

Im not leaving the area or anything, she said. Its a flexible transition. Im here until the new director feels completely ready for me not to be here.

As soon as a replacement is chosen, Frye said that the board knows she will be available with anything they may need help with during that transition period.

There is a grant process that LARAC does through NYSCA each year that she described as unique. She believes that finding a candidate who has experience with that is highly unlikely.

Thats why I will be here to talk them through that, and NYSCA will always be there to help, she said. Luckily, we are a small staff, so we all help each other out and I know theyll be able to help out too.

One of the things she is most proud to have been a part of is the Arts District in Glens Falls.

She wasnt around when it was first started, but for the past five years she has been a part of the group.

Its really exciting to see what we can do for Glens Fall and how working together really makes an impact, she said. Its something that everyone says, but to put it to action where we can see the power of working together has been really exciting and getting to know the other organizations in a real way  has been a really cool thing.

Frye plans to attend art openings and festivals. She just wont be involved with LARAC any longer.

Everyones like, Where are you going? Im like, Nowhere, Im here, she said with a chuckle.

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Warren County Health Services and Director Ginelle Jones urged residents who are eligible to get a COVID booster to do so as soon as possible, in a news release from the county on Friday.

The request from health officials is a result of the omicron variant of the virus becoming more prevalent in the U.S., including downstate New York, the release stated.

There have been no recorded cases of the omicron variant in Warren County, but Health Services said several counties in New York have recently seen clusters of omicron cases.

Jones expressed her concern for the increased transmission rate associated with the new variant, despite the lesser severity in symptoms recorded so far.

We are concerned that this new variant has the potential to make a lot more people sick, at a time when the delta variant and influenza are also present and have stretched our health care system to the limits, Jones explained.

The county statement expressed concern regarding holiday gatherings and indoor events. Health Services is asking residents to use home-test kits before attending events or family gatherings and stay home if you are ill.

We ask that our residents keep these risks in mind as they plan holiday celebrations. Please understand that we have been seeing more COVID-19 illness involving young people, and more hospitalizations involving young people. We are headed into what may be an additional holiday-related surge of COVID-19, and our health care community is working very hard to keep us safe and healthy after 21 months of COVID-19 illness, Jones said.

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Warren County Health Services reported Thursday that a resident in their late teens died of COVID.

The statement released by the county said the individual lived at home and was not vaccinated prior to being hospitalized. The person had no known comorbidities.

Warren County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Rachel Seeber reminded residents COVID can affect anyone.

We join our community in mourning the heartbreaking loss of this young person and ask that you keep their loved ones in your thoughts and prayers. This is a very sad reminder that COVID-19 affects all ages, and that we need to do all that we can to protect our loved ones, particularly those most vulnerable, as we battle this ongoing winter surge of infections, Seeber said in the news release.

Warren County also reported 48 new COVID cases and 29 recoveries Thursday.

Of the new cases reported, 21 involve fully vaccinated individuals.

Health Services is now monitoring 453 active cases, with 435 involving mild illness.

The report stated 14 residents are currently hospitalized. One patient is critically ill, and the remainder are experiencing moderate illness.

Eleven of the residents in the hospital are unvaccinated including the critically ill person, according to the county report.

Glens Falls Hospital spokesman Ray Agnew said the hospital had 29 COVID patients on Thursday, with one in the ICU.

Health Services has recorded 1,710 breakthrough cases out of the 45,675 fully vaccinated Warren County residents.

The countys seven-day rolling positivity rate is at 8.1%.

The New York state mass vaccination site at Aviation Mall in Queensbury has vaccines, including boosters and pediatric vaccines, being offered Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

This site will offer COVID-19 testing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Warren County Health Services will hold the following free COVID-19 vaccination booster/first dose clinics in the coming days, with registration required through online links posted at https://warrencountyny.gov/covidhub/ unless otherwise noted.

Thursday, Warren County Municipal Center, noon to 2 p.m., Moderna booster doses. (Registration link posted.)

Tuesday, Dec. 21, Warren County Municipal Center, 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson first doses and booster doses. (Registration links posted.)

Tuesday, Dec. 28 Warren County Municipal Center, 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson first doses and booster doses. (Registration not yet open.)

Washington County

The Washington County Public Health Department reported 47 new cases and 38 recoveries on Wednesday.

Of the cases recorded, 19 involve fully vaccinated individuals.

The report from the health department said 10 residents are currently hospitalized.

Washington County is now monitoring 323 active cases, with 1,319 persons under monitoring.

The Public Health Department reported 36,987 residents have been vaccinated with 1,053 breakthrough cases recorded. Nine of those cases have resulted in death.

The seven-day rolling positivity rate was at 9.1% on Wednesday.

The Cambridge Central School District is shifting to remote learning on Friday because of a staffing shortage.

The Washington County Public Health Department held the second #VaxToSchool event at the Greenwich Central School District on Wednesday. This event was part of a statewide initiative to vaccinate children over 5 years old.

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High-school

top story

High schools prepared for another winter season during COVID-19 pandemic

Matthew Strabuk, for The Press High school basketball games last winter were a bit quieter, with cardboard cutouts of fans filling bleachers at some games, such as this one in Middle Township, amid heightened COVID-19 protocols. Matthew Strabuk, for The Press Wildwood Catholic cheerleaders sit spaced out on the bleachers last winter during a basketball game against Mainland Regional. Matthew Strabuk, for The Press Cardboard cutouts fill the bleachers during an Ocean City High School basketball game last winter. Kristian Gonyea, for The Press Last winter's high school wrestling season was severely truncated, with no quad meets and no state tournament at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.

The winter high school sports season slowly got underway this month with swim and indoor track meets.

But once wrestlers hit the mats, and basketball season gets into full swing Friday, closed indoor spaces will be packed once again.

Cardboard cutouts of fans, mascots and celebrities will surrender their spots back to parents, teachers, friends, family, alumni and general high school sports fans this winter. It will sound like a packed high school gym again.

Athletic directors around the Cape-Atlantic League are preparing to navigate another winter season during the COVID-19 pandemic. Theyre also ready to hear high-flying dunks and shocking pins met with roars from the crowd.

Mike Cherenson, a representative for the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, in a statement earlier this month, said schools must continue to follow Gov. Phil Murphys Executive Order No. 251 signed in August, which mandates mask wearing in school buildings.

One exemption includes when a student is participating in high-intensity physical activities, such as sports.

Atlantic City Gambits basketball team to open inaugural season in March There is another professional basketball team heading to Atlantic City.

(Schools) continue to have autonomy to put in place any additional mitigation measures they feel necessary  such measures may include, but (are) not limited to spectator restrictions, masking of athletes during play, vaccination requirements, etc. Updates, if required, will be shared with members, Cherenson wrote.

The winter sports season includes basketball, wrestling, swimming and indoor track and field. Some area schools also have ice hockey, bowling and fencing.

Every school will have its own challenges, Mainland Regional High School athletic director Mike Gatley said.

Mainland has a small gymnasium, seating a little more than 600 fans during basketball games. Gatley said they will operate at full capacity, but games with potential high demand for tickets  the rivalry game with Ocean City came to Gatleys mind  will be sold ahead of time to limit access.

We are gonna take temperatures of people visiting, teams and spectators when entering the building as an extra mitigation procedure well do, Gatley said. When we go to (Atlantic County Institute of Technology) to have AD meetings, we all take our temperature walking in. Were gonna do that for a little extra protection. Other than that, well try to be as pre-COVID as possible.

To help alleviate some confusion as to what other schools will be doing, Hammonton High School athletic director Marni Henry-Parks shared on Twitter last week a running list of what some of the schools in the Cape-Atlantic League are doing this season as far as spectator policy goes for indoor sports.

EHT boys basketball: The sleeping giant begins to wake The Egg Harbor Township High School boys basketball team hears the whispers of the South Jersey basketball community.

Many schools will have designated areas for spectators to sit, which usually means there will be no standing in the corners of the gym, often seen during high school sporting events. Some schools will also not allow any re-entry to the gym, including Mainland Regional, Egg Harbor Township and Middle Township.

Although there is a lot of mask exhaustion, I think people do understand in order to see their their kid, grandkid or friend play, these are what the rules are, Gatley said.

The Toms River Bubble hosts several indoor track and field meets during the winter season. Site director Kyle Austin, in a statement to nj.milesplit.com, said masks will be recommended for anyone entering the facility during meets. He said athletes should wear masks when not competing.

Austin also said, to help keep the number of people in the facility down, that teams will be limited to bringing only those on the roster and competing in that days event. Managers or anyone not entered into an event will not be allowed to enter the bubble with the team, he said. They will be allowed in as spectators.

Gatley said Mainlands boys and girls teams will head to both the Toms River Bubble and the Atlantic City Armory this season.

Were gonna go about this ... with the understanding that there are gonna be certain parameters every school will have to follow. There are not a whole lot of options, Gatley said.

St. Augustine Prep grad Joe Gatto signs with Phillies Joe Gattos baseball journey could lead him to Philadelphia next season.

Not every school that has a swim team has its own pool. Ocean City High School, which uses the Aquatic & Fitness Center on Simpson Avenue, said restrictions for fans will have to apply to that facility. Millville athletic director Dave LaGamba said the Thunderbolts will do the same thing at the Holly City Family Center where they compete.

Were now in December, the normal flu season, LaGamba said. The individuals that have participated or coached the winter sports season are the folks least concerned because they are the ones who are better prepared for all the protocols. Its stuff that theyve done in the past.

Gatley is happy the Mustangs wrestling season can have quad meets again. Selling concessions during those home meets generates a lot of money for the sports programs. LaGamba said Millville wont host one until later in the season and will learn from how other schools the Thunderbolts visit run their multiteam meets.

Much like last year, there will be a lot of learning as you go and adjusting protocol according to what the state recommends.

Right now, the omicron and delta variants  the latter of which has been around for about a year  are playing into stricter protocols still being around.

Were going to try to let people come in and enjoy the winter sports season, LaGamba said. Last year didnt work out that way. If you come to Millville, youre expected to follow guidelines. But at the same time, you get to enjoy coming to a game this year.

Related
An Upper Deerfield Township woman was among 11 people indicted Wednesday in an alleged drug ring based in Salem, the state Attorney Generals Office said.

Acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck on Thursday announced the indictment of the alleged head, supplier and other associates in a drug ring that allegedly dealt heroin, crack cocaine and fentanyl in Salem.

The charges stem from a 10-month investigation led by State Police and the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau that led to arrests in October. Authorities seized two handguns, an assault firearm, more than 17 ounces of crack cocaine, 17 ounces of suspected heroin and 6 ounces of fentanyl, Bruck said in a news release.

This operation resulted in the takedown of a drug ring that was allegedly distributing some of the most highly addictive and deadly narcotics sold on the streets, and as a result of the drug and gun seizures, there will undoubtedly be a positive impact on Salem City and its surrounding communities, said Col. Patrick J. Callahan, superintendent of the State Police.
TRENTON  New employment figures released Thursday indicate New Jerseys economy is healing after a painful 2020 spent engulfed by shutdowns spurred by the coronavirus pandemic.

The state added 25,800 jobs in November for a seasonally adjusted level of 4,060,900, according to estimates by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The newly divulged numbers were concentrated in the economys private sector, the state Labor Department said, including October revisions. When included, Octobers figures push the total number of jobs added to nearly 76,000, the department said, adding the latest data demonstrates an 11-month rally in job growth.

The states unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage points to 6.6% for the month. Octobers unemployment rate was 7%, the department said.

Employment gains were recorded in November in eight of nine major private industry sectors. Sectors that recorded increases are professional and business services (+8,600); trade, transportation and utilities (+8,500); education and health services (+4,200); leisure and hospitality (+3,300); other services (+2,400); manufacturing (+700); financial activities (+700); and information (+300). Construction was the only sector to report a loss (-1,800).

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1:54 Report: September visits to Cape broke records this year CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE  Tourism in Cape May County may fully recover from the pandemic-driven
The county statement indicates international tourism and business travel will continue to struggle, and New Jersey tourism remains down. It cites tourism experts as projecting the wider travel sector of the economy will not fully recover until 2025.

Information released from the county describes the occupancy tax as the best metric to measure overnight stays. It is posted monthly by the New Jersey Treasury. Not surprisingly, most of the taxes in Cape May County are collected in July and August, with June numbers coming in higher than September. This year, the total was over $4 million in the county each month in the height of the summer.

On average, overnight visitors to Cape May County spend $374 per person per day, according to county officials.

The pandemic changed tourism globally with travel trends in the U.S. strongly leaning toward road trips in lieu of air flights, Wieland said. Closer-to-home drive destinations did well, and that trend will continue as travelers wait and watch ongoing restrictions and mandates.

She cited traditional rentals, online bookings and second homeowners as bringing more people to the county in spring and fall, moving the county closer to becoming a year-round destination.
My own trips back to Yosemite using the reservation system reminded me of the park decades earlier. With reduced traffic, getting into the park was simple. The trails were not congested, so you could more easily see and appreciate the parks natural beauty. It was a better experience  and one that we could make normal again.

A reservation system would not be necessary all year but could be helpful during predictably busy periods. This Easter  before the summer reservation season began  some visitors were stuck in traffic for three hours in Yosemite Valley. Thats nobodys idea of a good park trip. Capping visits during the busiest periods would incentivize people to visit at less crowded times and spread the number of visitors more evenly throughout the year.

Reservation systems rushed into place to respond to a public health emergency will naturally need refinement. For instance, Yosemite reservations had to be made through an English-only website, creating hurdles for many potential visitors. Park managers know that national parks should be for everyone, and they did an excellent job given the circumstances. Now is the chance to smooth out some of the initial problems.
WASHINGTONRFE/RL President Jamie Fly expressed deep concern for the health and safety of Belarus Service journalist Andrey Kuznechyk, who was detained on November 26 by agents of the Belarusian government and remains in Belarusian custody despite the completion of two consecutive 10-day jail sentences.

Said Fly, Andrey Kuznechyk has completed his sentences. As far as we know, Belarusian authorities continue to hold him, essentially as a kidnapped hostage. Andrey should be allowed to return to his family immediately. Journalism is not a crime.

RFE/RLs journalists and operations have been under severe pressure in Belarus for years by the government of longtime leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka. On December 3, a Belarusian court designated the Telegram and YouTube channels of RFE/RLs Belarus Service as extremist. In addition, RFE/RLs bureau in Minsk was raided and sealed by Belarusian security forces on July 16, 2021, and numerous other RFE/RL journalists on assignment to report on the election and its aftermath have been harassed, detained, and jailed for a collective 695 days since June 2020. In August 2020, RFE/RLs journalists were stripped of their accreditations and the Belarus Services website has been blocked within Belarus.

This past Tuesday (December 14), prominent blogger and RFE/RL journalist Ihar Losik was sentenced to 15 years in prison by a Belarusian court, following a five-month trial on charges widely considered to have been fabricated by Belarusian authorities, including organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order and preparation for participation in riots.

About RFE/RL

RFE/RL relies on its networks of local reporters to provide accurate news and information to more than 37 million people every week in 27 languages and 23 countries where media freedom is restricted, or where a professional press has not fully developed. Its videos were viewed 7 billion times on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram/IGTV in FY2021. RFE/RL is an editorially independent media company funded by a grant from the U.S. Congress through the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

----

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Martins Zvaners in Washington (zvanersm@rferl.org, +1.202.457.6948)

Jana Hokuvova in Prague (hokuvovaj@rferl.org, +420.221.122.072
Im going to make sure that if he runs again, that I am all in to support the candidate who will beat him, Griffin said. He doesnt deserve to be the governor of our state.

Griffin and Pritzker have been on opposite sides on most issues.

Griffin gave more than $50 million to the successful effort to defeat the graduated income tax amendment, one of Pritzker's signature initiatives, at the ballot box in 2020.

Griffin also donated millions towards Rauner's two gubernatorial campaigns and the campaign to defeat Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride's retention bid.
Also discussed in chambers Dec. 9 was Smolletts 2019 Good Morning America interview, portions of which were shown to jurors during the trial. Prosecutors had asked the day before that Linn send the full interview back to the jury room so jurors could view it; Linn denied the request, since only parts of the video had been played in court.

But Linn changed his mind after thinking about it further, he said, according to the transcript. The whole video had been properly entered into evidence, so all of it could be viewed by jurors. I think I was perhaps being too cautious yesterday, he said.

The defense objected strenuously. And word spread in the next few days among Smollett supporters on social media, with some accusing Linn of jury tampering, claiming incorrectly that he had given jurors the video without attorneys asking him to.

At the end of the in-chambers session, Linn told the attorneys that hed been advised by the court reporters that the Tribune was requesting a transcript of their discussion.

The judge agreed with attorneys for both sides that the transcript could be released because this is something that normally would be done in open court.
The Michigan State Police, among law enforcement agencies responding to the posts, said in a statement Thursday it was unaware of any credible threats.

Internet companies such as TikTok are generally exempt from liability under U.S. law for the material users post on their networks, thanks in large part to the legal safe harbor they are given by Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act.

It would be unlikely that TikTok would be liable if there were actually to be a shooting, said Jeff Kosseff, who wrote a book about Section 230 and teaches cybersecurity law at the U.S. Naval Academy. Even without 230, there are just a lot of barriers against being able to bring a cause of action against the medium on which a threat was posted.

But Kosseff, who got a warning about the TikTok challenge Thursday from his daughters school district in Arlington, Virginia, said that doesnt mean TikTok cant do something about it.

They have a lot of flexibility to be doing the right thing and taking down harmful content. I am hopeful they are doing that, he said.

The threats outraged educators around the country.
A Lead man charged with attempting to communicate national defense information to aid a foreign government made his initial appearance in court Friday in Rapid City.

John Murray Rowe Jr., 63, attempted to provide classified national defense information to the Russian government, according to a news release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Rowe, originally from Massachusetts, was employed for nearly 40 years as a test engineer for multiple defense contractors and held various security clearances from secret to top secret while working on matters relating to the U.S. Air Force's aerospace technology.

A preliminary hearing was set at Friday's hearing for 2 p.m. on Dec. 30 at the federal courthouse in Rapid City.

"After committing a number of security violations and revealing a fervent interest in Russian affairs, including whether he could obtain a security clearance from the Russian government, Rowe was identified as a potential insider threat and terminated from employment.

"Based on his conduct, FBI began an undercover operation to determine Rowes willingness to communicate classified information to a foreign government," the release states. "In March 2020, Rowe met with an undercover FBI employee who posed as an agent of the Russian government. Over the course of the next eight months, Rowe exchanged over 300 emails with the purported Russian agent, confirming his willingness to work for the Russian government and discussing his knowledge of classified information relating to U.S. national security and military interests."

If convicted of the espionage charge, Rowe faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison.

The FBIs Philadelphia Field Office is investigating the case with assistance provided by the Lead Police Department in South Dakota.

Rowe is being represented by Alecia Fuller, an assistant federal public defender in South Dakota.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Peterman is prosecuting the case while Rowe remains in South Dakota.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wolfe for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Divisions Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, which will eventually be transferred to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Rowe is being held in federal custody.
Eight students recently graduated from Western Dakota Technical College's Professional Truck Driving Program, according to a news release from the college. These graduates will help fill the high and projected increasing need for truck drivers.

The Truck Driving Program graduates, and their hometowns, are

Class A (six-week course)

 AmyLee Caffee  Spearfish

 Riggin Colombe  Summerset

 Gregory Spillar  Rapid City

 Jeffrey Vu  Rapid City

 Jordin Williams Dahl  Box Elder

Class B (two-week course)

 Forrest Legg  Box Elder

*Two Class A graduates declined to be listed publicly.

In a South Dakota Department of Labor May 2021 Top 30 Hot Careers report, the top "Hot Career" listed is "Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers." The list is based on factors including "above-average projected openings" and "an average/mean wage greater than the median wage across all occupations in 2019". The DOL projects annual openings for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, from 2018-2028, to be 1,100. The average annual wage in 2020 was $46,232.

The next Professional Truck Driving Program class starting in January 2022 is full.

Those interested in the program can apply now for courses set to begin April 4, 2022. Course information is available at wdt.edu/TruckDriving. As enrollment is limited, and the program fills quickly, those interested are encouraged to call the Corporate Education Center at 605-718-2410, or email corped@wdt.edu at their earliest convenience.

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WASHINGTON | An engineer who worked for decades as a federal defense contractor was arrested in Lead on charges of trying to pass classified information to someone he thought was a Russian agent but was actually an undercover FBI employee, the Justice Department said Thursday.

The FBI conducted an undercover operation against John Murray Rowe Jr., 63, of South Dakota, after he was fired from his job for security violations and because he had been identified as a potential insider threat, federal officials said.

As part of the investigation, Rowe traded more than 300 emails with an undercover FBI employee who approached him in March 2020 posing as a Russian agent, the government said. Rowe shared operational details about U.S. military fighter jets in one email, and in another, said: If I cant get a job here then Ill go work for the other team, according to court documents.

Court records do not list a lawyer for Rowe. Prosecutors say Rowe had worked for nearly 40 years as a test engineer for defense contractors and held security clearances.

He was fired in March 2018 from an unnamed company involved in aerospace matters after prosecutors say he tried to bring a thumb drive into a classified space and asked whether he could simultaneously possess a U.S. government security clearance and a Russian government clearance.

Rowe was due in federal court in South Dakota on Friday. He was arrested Wednesday in Lead on a charge of attempting to communicate national defense information to aid a foreign government  which carries a potential life sentence.

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Today is Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. Let's get caught up.

Here are today's top stories, celebrity birthdays and a look back at this date in history:

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FIRST, THE WEATHER

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TOP STORIES

Across services, troops face discipline for refusing vaccine

WASHINGTON (AP)  All of the U.S. military services have now begun disciplinary actions and discharges for troops who have refused to get the mandated coronavirus vaccine, officials said, with as many as 20,000 unvaccinated forces at risk of being removed from service.

On Thursday, the Marine Corps said it has discharged 103 Marines so far for refusing the vaccine, and the Army said it has reprimanded more than 2,700 soldiers and will begin discharge proceedings in January. The Air Force said earlier this week that 27 airmen had been discharged for refusing the vaccine order. And the Navy laid out its new discipline procedure this week, and has already fired one sailor from his command job for refusing to be tested while he pursues an exemption.

Military leaders have warned for months that troops would face consequences if they did not follow what is considered to be a lawful order to get the COVID-19 vaccine. But only in the last week or so have they publicly begun following through on those threats.

Keep scrolling for links to full versions of these top stories and more.

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Schools step up security in response to threats on TikTok

Educators announced plans to increase security in response to TikTok posts warning of shooting and bomb threats at schools around the country Friday as officials assured parents the viral posts were not considered credible.

The social media threats had many educators on edge as they circulated in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Michigan, which has been followed by numerous copycat threats to schools elsewhere.

The vague, anonymous posts circulating online warned that multiple schools would receive shooting and bomb threats.

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Miss Alaska, Emma Broyles, crowned Miss America

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP)  The contestant from Alaska was crowned Miss America at an event Thursday marking the competition's 100th anniversary.

What began as a 1921 Atlantic City beauty pageant has evolved away from the emphasis on looks alone  contestants are no longer judged on physical appearance  with a new focus on leadership, talent and communication skills.

Emma Broyles from Alaska claimed the centennial crown and a $100,000 college scholarship. She emerged as the winner out of 51 contestants representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia at the competition at a Connecticut casino.

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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:

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IMAGE OF THE DAY

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TODAY IN HISTORY

Today in history: Dec. 17 In 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright conducted the first successful manned powered-airplane flights near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, using their

Today in sports history: Dec. 17 In 2000, Terrell Owens catches an NFL-record 20 passes for 283 yards and a touchdown in San Franciscos 17-0 victory over Chicago. See more sp

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ...

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A former Rapid City priest convicted of stealing donations from Catholic churches is appealing his sentence.

Marcin Garbacz's attorney told Eighth Circuit appeals court judges Thursday that the priest was ordered to pay restitution for money that wasnt necessarily stolen.

But the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Koliner, said the priest deposited about $260,000 in cash that couldnt be otherwise explained.

After a weeklong jury trial in early 2020, Garbacz was convicted for stealing from three Catholic churches in Rapid City over several years.

He deposited some of the money in his bank accounts and bought luxury items such as gold-plated chalices, bronze statues, a $10,000 diamond ring and a grand piano, according to court documents.

The jury found him guilty of 50 counts of wire fraud as well as money laundering, transporting stolen money, and filing false tax returns, South Dakota Public Broadcasting reported.

Federal Judge Jeffrey Viken sentenced Garbacz to serve nearly eight years in federal prison and ordered him to make restitution of more than $258,000 to be split equally among the three churches.

Assistant Federal Public Defender Bryan Dean said the government did not have evidence at trial that all the money Garbacz deposited was stolen. But Koliner argued Garbacz was caught on camera stealing deposit bags from one of the churches and admitted he had been stealing donations for years.

Garbacz is asking the Eighth Circuit to reverse and vacate his convictions or remand the sentence for a new restitution determination.

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The Bitterroot National Forest will try again to move forward on the largest vegetative management project that it has proposed in years.

The forest released its second draft record of decision Friday on the Gold Butterfly Project. The project proposes nearly 13,000 acres of commercial and non-commercial treatment of vegetation along a 10-mile reach in the Sapphire Mountains east of Corvallis.

Bitterroot Forest Supervisor Matt Anderson pulled the original project in August 2020 after two environmental groups filed suit a month earlier. The project was halted about a week before the first timber was set to go out for bid.

In the lawsuit, the Friends of the Bitterroot and Alliance for the Wild Rockies claimed the agency failed to use the best available science in managing elk habitat and didnt comply with the definition of old growth found in the Bitterroot Forests 1987 forest plan.

It was the old-growth argument that put the skids on the project.

The new record of decision is accompanied by a supplemental environmental impact statement that provides a site-specific forest plan amendment defining old-growth standards.

The Bitterroot Forest adopted a new definition for old growth that was established region-wide in 1992, but it didnt amend its forest plan. That new definition was used in developing the original Gold Butterfly project.

The old-growth standards in the 1987 forest plan were written in a time before there was a standardized way to define old growth, said Bitterroot Forest Stevensville District Ranger Steve Brown. They were arbitrary  we have basically adopted the regional standard for defining old growth in the site-specific supplement for Gold Butterfly.

The Bitterroot Forest is working on a forest-wide plan amendment for defining old growth, which Brown said will probably be completed next year.

Bitterroot Forest officials considered an area slightly larger than 55,000 acres in developing the Gold Butterfly Project area. The project proposes to treat about 7,400 acres with non-commercial thinning and meadow restoration. Close to 5,500 acres would see commercial timber harvest.

A Bitterroot Forest news release said the project is designed to improve forest resilience to natural disturbances like fire, insects and disease; reduce sediment sources in the Willow Creek watershed; improve bull trout habitat; restore habitat including meadows, aspen and whitebark pine; manage timber to provide forest products and jobs; and retain old growth status in all treatment units.

About 90% of the proposed treatment areas are within an area designated for insect and disease treatment because of dense pockets of dead and dying trees," the news release said. The area is impacted by mountain pine beetle, Douglas-fir bark beetle, dwarf mistletoe and western spruce budworm damage.

The Bitterroot Community Wildfire Protection Plan identified the area as high priority for fuels reduction in the Wildland Urban Interface.

Right after the groups filed suit, Friends of the Bitterroot president Jim Miller called the Gold Butterfly project the largest most destructive timber sale in decades on the Bitterroot National Forest that included old-growth logging, clearcutting, road building, destruction of wildlife habitat and threatened bull trout spawning streams.

Miller said that while he hasnt seen the updated proposal for the Gold Butterfly project, FOBs position is the Forest Service should not be cutting old-growth forests anywhere.

Intact forest ecosystems are really our greatest hope for combating climate change, Miller said. They are enormous storage sinks for carbon. This is a well-known scientific fact. The idea we are going to either prevent wildfire or somehow solve the climate crisis with more logging is untrue. Friends of the Bitterroot will continue to advocate for keeping our forests, especially our old-growth forests and our forests that are in unroaded areas, we want to keep them intact and in a natural state.

Over the centuries, humans have attempted to manage and manipulate our forests and it has resulted in conditions that are unnatural and have brought us to the situation where we are today with fire and the climate, he said. Our position is let nature take care of itself. Humans have continually compromised our forests.

Friday's release will open a 30-day objection period. Objections can only be filed by those who have previously submitted comments on the project. The Bitterroot Forest will then have 30 days to respond to the objections. The final decision could come in late March or early April.

Objections may be mailed to: USDA Forest Service, Northern Region, ATTN: Objection Reviewing Officer, Building 26 Fort Missoula Road, Missoula, MT 59804.

Electronic objections must be submitted to appeals-northern-regional-office@usda.gov.

Faxed objections may be submitted to 406-329-3411. Please specify Gold Butterfly Project Objection in the subject line.

If you are unable to submit electronic, fax, or postal objections and must submit them by hand to the Northern Regional Office, please refer to signage at the front door regarding hand-delivered items. The office is not open for hand-delivered submissions.

All objections are open to public inspection and will be posted to the Forest Service website.

For additional information concerning the Gold Butterfly project, contact Steve Brown, Stevensville District Ranger at 406-777-5461 or steve.brown2@usda.gov.

Everything is already marked and ready to go, Brown said. Were ready to implement. Its just a matter of having a decision there.

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Often referred to as the most abundant waterfowl species in North America, the mallard duck boast that same reputation here in the Bitterroot, especially during the winter months.

The wild birds maintain the classic green iridescent head with a white neck ring bordering a dark chocolate breast for the males and the more mottled brown-speckled plumage offering camouflage for the female.

Both male and female mallards possess the brilliant iridescent purple patch of wing feathers called the speculum. Though known to be one of the more prolific waterfowl species, male and female will form monogamous pairs, with the male often breaking his vows and pursuing other females with an aggressive urge to mate.

In fact, the most common hybrid waterfowl species usually involves the male mallard as the responsible male contributor.

Research has revealed that mallard pairs will form during the fall with the male, or drake as they are referred to, actually following the female, or hen, back to the same area where she was hatched. A drake that was hatched in the Bitterroot might find himself paired up with a female that leads him back to Alaska where she will raise the next brood.

Once the female has chosen a nest site, the male separates from her and goes his own way. With the onset of the fall migration, the male will head south where he will eventually pair up again with a new female. Where he ends up that nesting season is anybodys guess.

As with most puddle ducks, mallards feed primarily on grain seeds and some aquatic vegetation. By spring they add protein-rich invertebrates in preparation for their migration north. Once arriving at the nesting grounds, the female will select a dryland nest, often quite a ways from water. There she will incubate 8 to 12 eggs for about 26 days, with the hatchlings appearing as tiny yellow fluff balls. It is not unusual to see female Mallards leading their brood of 10 newly hatched ducklings across roads, bridges or other terrestrial features in search of the nearest water body.

Mallards are very popular amongst waterfowl hunters who urn for a flock of mallards dropping into a decoy spread. The most harvested duck in the United States, harvest numbers are carefully managed by state and federal biologists who make up the various management regions known as flyways.

Having participated in the Pacific Flyway Study Committee from 1999 through 2004, we annually factored in estimates of production, wetland conditions and previous years harvest to establish annual season and bag limits for western waterfowl hunters.

To this day, due to lower than normal recruitment, largely due to poor nesting habitat conditions, harvest of female mallards is limited to no more than two birds per day. This science-based management recognizes that females are the key to maintaining population objectives, especially given severe drought conditions in much of their nesting habitats.

Mallards here in the Bitterroot benefit from agricultural waste grain left in many of the barley and wheat fields around Corvallis. Teller Wildlife Refuge provides abundant grain as our management leaves half of our crop left standing, specifically for waterfowl feed. At one point last year, well over 1,200 Mallards were observed feeding in one 25-acre field. We estimated that that number of ducks would consume the fields available grain in about 7 days.

One remark I frequently hear from waterfowl hunters is the phrase Have the northern red legs arrived yet? They are referring to the much deeper reddish-orange feet and large size birds which migrate later in the year, arriving in the Bitterroot around December. The truth is, in the late season most males will begin to show more brilliant colors including the infamous reddish-orange feet due to increased testosterone levels, not as a result of being a part of a population unique to that trait. In reality, that bird may have been in the valley for weeks or months prior.

There is actually no distinct population of red legs. As winter approaches the majority of late-season male mallards will have the brighter features which has nothing to do with where they summered. The late-season birds are typically a bit larger as they have been gorging themselves with grain since early fall. Nonetheless, if it makes your hunting partner happy, tell them, lets get out, the red legs have arrived!

Sam Lawry, Teller Wildlife Refuge Executive Director has 35 plus years in the wildlife conservation profession. His contributions to the Ravalli Republic are intended to share some of that knowledge of wildlife in the Bitterroot with the community. If you would like more information about Teller Wildlife Refuge please visit our website at www.tellerwildlife.org.

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Students in Stevensville High Schools Entrepreneurship class are selling their handmade items in person on Saturday.

This is the second year of student Market Day, but it is also the first year to sell in-person as last years sales were done online.

In the Entrepreneurship Class, students think up a specialty business then design and produce unique items for sale. They create the marketing strategy, logos, and sales displays to sell their products and services. In the process, students learn critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and innovation.

This years merchandise includes handmade rings, bracelets, necklaces, keychains, keyrings, shoe cleaning service, custom-made sweatshirts, crocheted flowers and purse pocket lights.

Educator Jacki Bauman said the class helps students recognize a business opportunity then learn all the aspects of creating a business, operating and maintaining a business. Students learn accounting, business management, managing information, legal requirements and economic environments.

Bauman said students take pride in their work.

I'm excited to see all of the different products these students make and they are really taking pride in their work and are excited, she said. We also have a few students wanting to take orders and do a custom design with the keychains and rings - so that will be neat for the students to add to their collection.

Bauman said she and the Entrepreneur class are hoping for a good turnout.

The students will also have an opportunity to reevaluate their selling and sell over our winter break to try and make a bigger profit, she said. That is the positive side that students can re-evaluate and change and still have an opportunity to continue selling their products.

She said all the funds earned at the Market Day sale will be going towards the students and their products.

Please note that not all my students have checking accounts yet, so cash is preferable payment, with a few items being able to purchase online and delivered directly to your doorsteps, Bauman said.

Her students responded with enthusiasm to the class and Market Day.

Olivia Kochanski said, So it turns out that running a business is a lot of work and research. "This has been a great learning experience for me so far, said Olivia Morton. Ms. Bauman has created a perfect environment for us to learn from as well as be prepared for our future experiences in life."

Jacob Roman said the class has been an excellent experience.

It's been an amazing time working around different ideas and business plans, Ms. Bauman has created a great environment for us to learn in and gain experience, Roman said.

"Learning the basics on how to start a business is a great experience and I'm excited to show off my product, said Tilli Danczyk.

Kris Lawley said the class has been fun.

I would recommend it for anyone who wants to start a business, Lawley said.

Alice Elmermark said the project has given her a good experience.

I'm so excited that we finally can start selling our product on Saturday, Elmermark said.

Jacob Perkins said, I believe that market day will go well and that the public would like to see what everyone has planned for this."

The first in-person Market Day by the Entrepreneurship class at Stevensville High School will be from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18, in the multi-purpose room/cafeteria at the high school.

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Lee has been steadfast so far in its opposition to Alden, and the company said it doesnt think the hedge fund will prevail in court.

As we explained in detail on December 3, Aldens director nomination notice was clearly invalid and we remain committed to acting in the best interests of all shareholders. Aldens claims are baseless, a Lee spokesperson said in a statement.

The New York hedge fund owns 6.3% of Lees stock. Alden became one of the largest newspaper owners in the nation this year after swallowing all of Tribune Publishings newspapers, which includes The Chicago Tribune and the Baltimore Sun as well as The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press in Virginia. But Alden has a history of imposing severe cost cuts and layoffs at newspapers.

Two other hedge funds that are among Lees largest shareholders, Praetorian Capital and Cannell Capital, have said they think the company is worth much more than what Alden is offering.
Commercial real estate analytics and research firm CoStar Group Inc. plans to build a 26-story office building along the James River in downtown Richmond, making it the citys tallest skyscraper.

The Washington-based company announced Friday that it plans to invest more than $460 million to expand its corporate campus to Richmond on vacant land adjacent to the nine-story building it acquired this year that is across from the entrance to Browns Island.

The new campus represents about 750,000 square feet of new office and retail space. The project is expected to add 2,000 to 3,000 new jobs to the 1,000-plus employees that CoStar has here now, said Andrew C. Florance, CoStars founder and CEO.

With the growth of the business, I imagined it could be 3,000 new jobs potentially, but thats a potential, Florance said.

In addition to the 26-story office tower, CoStar plans to construct a six-story multipurpose building to be used as a central location for employee amenities, including conference facilities, fitness and wellness, auditorium, and mixed-use retail and restaurant spaces.

Once the project is completed, CoStar will occupy about 1 million square feet of office space in downtown Richmond.

Construction on the office tower and other building should begin sometime next year and be ready in 2024, Florance said.

Gov. Ralph Northam made the announcement Friday morning. Their continued success is a direct result of our attractive business climate and dynamic workforce found across the state, he said in a statement.

CoStar moved its global research headquarters into the building at 501 S. Fifth St.  it is next to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmonds office tower  in late 2016 and early 2017. It acquired that building for $130 million in January and now occupies all but one floor, which is temporarily used by packaging giant WestRock.

The new CoStar tower will be 510 feet tall, surpassing the James Monroe state office tower at 101 N. 14th St., which is 449 feet tall or 29 floors, according to Skyscraperpages website. Dominion Energy Inc.s new 600 Canal Place building at 111 S. Sixth St. is 417 feet tall or 20 floors.

The CoStar tower and the six-story multipurpose building will be on the now-vacant 3.89 acres at 600 Tredegar St., which CoStar bought in August 2020 for $20 million.

The new space in both buildings will include offices for sales, marketing, software development, customer service and support functions.

***

Even though CoStar will keep its headquarters in the District of Columbia, the Richmond buildings will be the companys largest complex of employees.

Florance jokingly called his companys plans Little HQ2 since online retail giant Amazon dubbed its East Coast headquarters in Northern Virginia as HQ2.

Besides, Florance and Jeff Bezos, Amazons founder and now chairman, were lab partners at Princeton University, noting how odd it was that Bezos would have HQ2 in Virginia and he had Little HQ2 also in Virginia.

Florance said he picked Richmond for his companys largest office complex because of the regions deep pool of diverse, highly skilled workers, a vibrant culture of innovation and a wonderful quality of life for our existing and future employees.

The new office tower will be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum certified, he said. For instance, the siding on the structure will be solar panels that should generate a significant amount of energy to be used by the building, Florance said.

The architect is William Chilton with Pickard Chilton, the same architect who designed the nearby Dominion Energy Inc.s 20-story 600 Canal Place building.

Timber will be used to construct the six-story multipurpose building rather than steel or concrete, which Florance said produces more negative carbon. It is a very responsible way to develop a building, he said.

That smaller building also will have about 1.25 acres of decks providing employees with an outdoor environment.

Plans also call for adding restaurants and retail space along Tredegar Street in that building.

We want to bring that street alive, Florance said. We feel blessed to be on this site with so much rich culture and history and so much civic events and cultural events. We want to be good stewards of that, and we want to make it a part of its success.

***

CoStar needed a larger building as it continues to grow here. The company initially expected to employ about 730 people when it moved its research operations here. But CoStar kept adding employees locally.

It now has more than 1,000 people and expects to add 2,000 to 3,000 more to its Richmond operations over the next couple of years with this new complex of buildings, Florance said.

Earlier this year, CoStar began renting 2 floors in the east building of Riverfront Plaza to accommodate more workers.

This summer, it began leasing the entire Pattern Building at Historic Tredegar next to the American Civil War Museum. The historic Pattern Building is about a block from CoStars research offices.

Even though many companies continue to have employees work remotely or some hybrid approach because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Florance said about 90% of CoStar employees are back working at the Richmond office. He remains bullish on the corporate workplace, saying the office is not doomed.

The reality is you cant replace the collaboration, innovation and connections you build and the learning you have when you actually get together and work together face to face, Florance said. People got used to that new normal [of working from home], but that new normal of working from home was not nearly as effective. What we found is were actually safely back to work here in this building. Our staff are back to work [here], and they love it. They missed those connections.

***

CoStars current building opened in 2009 as the headquarters for MeadWestvaco Corp., which merged in 2015 with Norcross, Ga.-based RockTenn Co. to create WestRock. In the years after the merger, WestRock downsized its space in the building and moved its corporate offices to Atlanta.

The WestRock and CoStar names had been on the sides of the building until the past couple of months when WestRock moved all of its operations out of three floors of the nine-story building. All that remains for WestRock is one floor for laboratory space.

WestRock is relocating its offices to a new 75,000-square-foot building at 2742 Charles City Road, which should be ready by next summer, a company spokesperson said. The new offices are adjacent to WestRocks corrugated box plant and research facility.

New labs are under construction at the location, and that part of the operation will vacate the downtown building when the new space is ready, the spokesperson said.
Burgeoning artists dont even see themselves [as playwrights], Williams said. They see themselves as content creators. They dont sit still. They want to connect with artistic expression. What were seeking is to engage innovation at the core root of what it means to be a theater maker. From the venue all the way to accessibility and connecting through the arts.

Shaw and Williams describe The New Theatre as venue agnostic and say its critical to their mission.

Well always be venue agnostic. The venue is what locked in who had access to the stage and who got to see the works. Well be able to place the work and the venue together for what is best suited for that work, Williams said.

As far as implementing new technologies, she said future performances could include holographic pieces, virtual reality or immersive experiences.

Its a willingness to live in the unknown, to do things differently around each project, Shaw said. Our mission is about advancing arts and industry. Our mission is not to put on five productions a year. Its about pushing things forward.
When Williams was arrested nearly one year later, this past March 11, police found a gun with an extended magazine in a car he was driving.

Williams resisted arrest and hit an officer a few times before police took him to the ground. McEachin confirmed that police used a Taser on Williams.

Williams, in an interview after Fridays hearing, admitted that he assaulted the police, explaining that he was upset and didnt understand why they were arresting him right then. He said the car he had been driving was not his and neither was the gun.

Before Friday, Shute had told Williams attorney, John Luxton, that if Williams did not accept the plea agreement and a punishment of four years and three months, the authorities would amend the two drug charges to possession with intent to distribute as a second offense, each of which would carry a minimum punishment of three years in prison under state law.

Williams had been arrested on a drug charge in 2015, after he returned to Richmond with post-traumatic stress disorder and other injuries from his tour in Afghanistan. In that case, his prison term was suspended, but he was a convicted felon at age 23 and lost his job working for the U.S. Postal Service.
He is being loaned to us for about 60 to 90 days until the city finds a new chief, Afzal said. Hes been shadowing me for a week so he can understand the department a little bit better.

Starke said he hasnt ruled out seeking the job permanently. The short time that Ive been here in Hopewell has been eye-opening. Community is very important to the police department. And seeing what Hopewell already has in place, I just would love the opportunity to build on those relationships.

Afzal, who began serving as Hopewells chief on Jan. 1, 2019, was selected in October to lead the Dayton Police Department, which has 368 sworn officers, 39 civilian employees and an annual budget of $57 million in a city of 137,600 residents. By comparison, Hopewell has a sworn force of 68 officers serving a city of 23,000 residents.

Afzal, a Pakistan native who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1980s as a teen, noted that Daytons police force is similar in size to Arlington County police, where he served for 24 years. When he was hired by Hopewell, he was serving as police chief in Durango, Colo., a community of about 18,500.
In an interview Thursday, Stoney said he suspects that the RCOP news conference was a cockamamie tactic to unionize Richmond police in light of the bills.

I believe that collective bargaining is a huge undertaking for any locality, Stoney said. But I also believe that this should be a phased approach for collective bargaining. And I believe the best place to start are with the tradesmen and women who work within this organization who are the most underpaid in this city.

Still, several city leaders said they suspect poor leadership in City Hall may be impacting officer morale.

I think we have to do everything we can to get morale back up. I think theres a massive lack of trust between the RPD  and even the fire department to some extent  and the leadership in this city, said 4th District Councilwoman Kristen Larson. I dont know if the answer is the resignation of the chief, but I think morale and the overall state of our police department has got to be addressed in a collaborative, healing way.

Larson said she feels that the council is also responsible for the distrust, but that some members have been trying in recent months to demonstrate a stronger commitment to supporting law enforcement.
A Henrico County circuit judge overturned on Thursday a decision from a lower court, paving the way for prosecutors to try a 15-year-old charged in the murder of Lucia Bremer, 13, as an adult.

Bremer was gunned down as she and another girl were walking near Godwin High School around 4:30 p.m. on March 26. The Quioccasin Middle School student suffered nine wounds, according to testimony from a police detective on Thursday. It was the publics first real glimpse into what happened that day and into the boy accused of killing her.

Dylan A. Williams was 14 at the time of the shooting but has since turned 15. Authorities had not identified him, citing his age, and up until this point, proceedings in Henrico Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court have been closed to the public, including to Bremers family and to reporters. On Thursday, the courtroom was packed with people, with standing room only, as the hearing began.

Williams faces felony charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder, threatening to shoot up a school and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and misdemeanor charges of brandishing a firearm and possession of a firearm by a minor.
Legally required every 10 years after the latest census data is released, boundary line adjustments, known as redistricting, occur to ensure the county is sliced up into similarly sized pieces so a vote in any district carries similar weight.

The ideal population size for each district is roughly 66,900 residents, but the law allows them to range from about 64,000 to 70,000.

When crafting the proposals, county officials merged, moved and split voting precincts to bring its five districts as close to the ideal population size as possible. The process started east from Varina to Fairfield, Fairfield to Brookland, Brookland to Three Chopt, and Three Chopt to Tuckahoe due to the countys butterfly shape. Before the process began, Three Chopt was well over the ideal population while Varina fell the shortest.

Before voting Thursday, Varina Supervisor Tyrone Nelson said: It does disappoint me that my district is going to be a couple thousand residents less than the other districts. You cant just jump people from Three Chopt to Varina, but that is where the issue is. The only way to fix that is to include Three Chopt, Brookland and Fairfield [in a redistricting proposal].
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Stung by recent headline-grabbing smash-and-grab robberies, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday said he will seek more than $300 million in state funding over three years to boost law enforcement efforts to combat retail theft.

The issue of crime and violence is top of mind all throughout not only the state of California but across the United States, highlighted recently by some high-profile retail theft operations, Newsom said.

He added that these organized retail mobs ... (have) a profound impact on our feelings of safety here in this state, this region and as I note, this country.

Newsom proposed giving $255 million in grants to local law enforcement agencies to put more police at stores to deter organized retail crime over the next three years.

An additional $30 million over three years in the proposed budget he sends to lawmakers next month would go to county district attorneys to support prosecutions of retail and auto theft-related crimes.

Another $18 million over three years would go to create a new organized theft special unit under the state attorney general, with investigators and prosecutors dedicated to pursuing organized crime ringleaders.
Multilateralism, after all these years, is once again being hijacked by a neocolonialist mentality. Ethiopia is being targeted and singled out at the Human Rights Council for defending a democratically elected elected government," the ambassador said. The council is being used as an instrument of political pressure.

The Ethiopian ambassador said Ethiopias government had set up an inter-ministerial task force in response to the human rights report issued last month, and it has begun work.

The joint report decried the terrible toll on civilians in the conflict in the Tigray region, and human rights violations and abuses committed by all sides. The rare collaboration by the U.N. human rights office with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission was hampered by authorities intimidation and restrictions, and didnt visit some of the wars worst-affected locations.

The U.N. human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, has said all sides in the war in the Tigray region have committed brutal abuses that could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
After the riot, she dug in on social media when she was criticized for her actions, before eventually deleting her accounts. Courtright is among the youngest of those charged in the Capitol riot so far.

Her attorney on Friday argued she had no idea what she was doing and that she wasn't a political activist  she didn't even vote in the election she was there to protest. The judge seized on that during his remarks.

That is your choice obviously, but in my view  if any citizen wants to participate in our democracy, casting a vote is the price of admission," he said. Because when you do that, you have to study the issues and the candidates, learn what their policies are, figure out how those policies are affecting your community.

Participating in a democracy isnt like going to a University of Kentucky game and rooting for a team just because of the color of their jerseys, the judge said. Its certainly not resorting to violence when your team doesnt win the game, he told Courtright.
Virginia state employees who serve at the will of the governor remain largely in limbo about their employment status heading into the Christmas holiday, having not received formal notices from Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkins transition team about whether they should pack up or stay put.

Dozens of government workers  top officials at the states agencies, governors staff and others  can be replaced without reason by a governor, and many traditionally are removed when new administrations come in.

But some in highly technical roles, or with decades of experience serving both parties, might be interested in staying or asked to do so out of need. Many remain in the dark about the will of the new administration, according to multiple people reached by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

As had been the case in prior administrations, those notices will be sent when circumstances require them, said Devin OMalley, a spokesman for the Youngkin transition. OMalley did not say whether any notices, or how many, had gone out so far.
RICHMOND  A special election has been set for next month to fill the seat of a Democratic member of the Virginia House from Norfolk who is resigning his seat.

Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn issued a writ of election on Friday initiating a special election that will be held Jan. 11 to fill the seat vacated by Del. Jay Jones in the 89th District. The deadline to file for candidacy for the vacancy is 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

Jones announced Thursday that he would step down by the end of the year. He mounted a serious but unsuccessful primary challenge against incumbent Mark Herring in the race for attorney general this year and was seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party.

In a public letter, the two-term House member said the decision to step away by years end was based on a desire to prioritize time with his family as he and his wife prepare to welcome their first child.

I want to put my family first and be the best dad and the most supportive and present husband that I can possibly be, he wrote.
Roadcap said the loss of field directors and a shift to centralized work means the office will need to move away from a model of checks and balances on the front end and that its work will be less robust.

Weve got a lot of things that are new on our plate and weve got limited funding, or weve got funding that was removed on some of these things, and its made the job really hard. Ill be honest about it. This has not been easy for any of us under this kind of situation where were getting a lot more work and not a lot more people, and in fact were having to reduce our numbers, he said.

Its weighed on many of you, because as we know, some people have been taking on extra work, extra duties, and we havent been able to offer an associated temporary pay increase for doing those additional, temporary duties because of the budget.

Northam appointee defends layoffs
No one Im aware of in Hanover contested the need for internet infrastructure. The fact is, rural localities in Virginia have been left behind when it comes to technology, and are similarly being assisted with grants by the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative. This is how government is supposed to function, if you actually view government as an entity that provides what the private sector would be unwilling or unable to provide on its own.

Elections are partisan. But in times of need, elected officials are supposed to represent those who voted for them and those who didnt.

When a historically deadly tornado strikes in a red state, as was recently the case in Kentucky, a U.S. president facilitates financial aid and offers moral support on the ground.

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., reasonably wanted that help as soon as possible.

The Governor of the Commonwealth has requested federal assistance this morning, and certainly further requests will be coming as the situation is assessed. I fully support those requests and ask that you move expeditiously to approve the appropriate resources for our state, Paul wrote in a Dec. 11 letter to Biden.
(Image: The Star)

Deloitte Malaysia has stepped forward to reassure Malaysians that they need not be too worried about a recent amendment made to the Income Tax Act 1967, which grants the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) direct access to taxpayers bank accounts. This is because the right will only be exercised if a garnishee order application is made in court.

For context, the government had recently passed the Finance Bill 2021, which introduced amendments to several Acts  one of which is the inclusion of a new Section 106A in the Income Tax Act 1967. Under this new section, LHDN will no longer be required to inform or obtain consent from taxpayers while requesting their bank account details for reviews or investigations.

According to the tax audit and investigation executive director of Deloitte Malaysia, Mohd Fariz Mohd Faruk, it is crucial for the public to first understand the specific conditions of the new Section 106A. The power to call for bank account information must be for the purpose of making garnishee order application. One must be clear of the definition of garnishee proceedings, he said in a statement.

(Image: MalaysiaKini)

Essentially, a garnishee proceeding is a court-approved process where creditors are allowed to recover money owed to them by requesting for a third party (who is indebted to the debtor) to hand over any of the debtors assets that are currently in the third partys possession.

This would mean that a civil proceeding must have been instituted against a person and a judgment has been obtained against that person for LHDN to be able to obtain the bank account information of that person from the financial institutions. The purpose of obtaining such bank account information is for LHDN to make the application to the court for a garnishee order (i.e. to recover tax due and payable by the person to the government), Mohd Fariz explained.

Mohd Fariz also stressed that the director-general of LHDN (DGIR) must have a notice if he wishes to request for any taxpayers bank account details. The new Section 106A does not permit or extend the power to the DGIR to obtain such information for other purposes, he said.

Additionally, Mohd Fariz addressed the matter of Subsection (2) in Section 106A, which prohibits banks from disclosing to taxpayers when such requests have been made. This does not mean that LHDN has a free hand to ask for bank account information of a taxpayer from financial institutions in secret or private without the taxpayers knowledge, he stated, adding that the personal and bank account information of taxpayers will still be protected by respective banking secrecy laws, such as the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA).

Given these conditions, Mohd Fariz said that the public can have confidence in an ethical implementation of Section 106A, as it is ultimately intended to promote tax compliance and to provide the ability to recover tax debts due to the government. The new power granted to LHDN can be seen as far-fetched but in reality, it may not be widely applicable or implemented to people on the street who have been complying with their income tax obligations, he said.

(Sources: The Edge Markets, Malay Mail)

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PEARISBURG  Charges against a woman accused of abducting a 2-year-old from a Giles County church nursery will go to a grand jury, a judge ruled in a hearing that brought out new details of the May incident.

Nancy Renee Fridley, 45, of Clifton Forge, was charged with abduction and child abuse or neglect after the May 2 disappearance of Noah Trout from the child care area at Riverview Baptist Church in Ripplemead.

At a preliminary hearing Thursday in Giles County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, Commonwealths Attorney Bobby Lilly said that the abduction charge came from the toddler being taken away without his parents permission. The abuse or neglect charge came from Fridley taking a custodial role over the boy and not inquiring about possible medical conditions, Lilly said.

Judge Robert Viar heard testimony and certified the charges to a grand jury that next month will decide if Fridley should be tried in the countys circuit court.

Jessica Trout, Noahs mother, testified that the boy had suffered febrile seizures in the past and that she kept Tylenol in his diaper bag, and maintained a supply at the nursery to treat any sudden onset of fever.

Two childcare workers at the church, mother and daughter Tonya and Kendra Johnston, testified that a woman who looked like Fridley took Noah without asking if the boy had medical issues or needs.

The Johnstons said that the woman appeared in the window of the closed nursery door toward the end of the church service and said she was there to pick up a baby. There were only two children present at the time, Noah and another child of about the same age.

Tonya Johnston said she asked the woman if Noah was the child she was picking up and the woman said yes.

But something seemed off, the Johnstons said, and they hesitated to let the woman take Noah, even closing the door for a few minutes and stalling as they got the boy into his coat and packed up his toys.

The Johnstons said they hoped the church service, which was running late, would end and someone else would come for the boy.

I dont know why we let him go with her, Tonya Johnston said.

Kendra Johnston said that she followed the woman and Noah out of the church and took a quick picture of them walking away, a picture that later was used by investigators. Kendra Johnston said that after the pair left the church, the woman picked up Noah and ran, heading around a corner of the building to a parking area where she put Noah into a vehicle and drove away.

An FBI agent and a Virginia state trooper testified that by the next day, May 3, investigators had tracked Noah and Fridley to a mobile home in Clifton Forge. Fridley was arrested there, along with her boyfriend, Bobby Taylor, who faces charges in Alleghany County. Investigators have said that Noah was unharmed although his head had been shaved.

Fridley also faces a drug possession charge in Alleghany County that stems from her arrest as officers swooped in to recover Noah.

Jessica Trout testified Monday that Noah shows lingering psychological affects from the incident, including being unable to sleep unless she or her husband are in his bedroom guarding the door. One of the parents has to sleep on the floor in front of the door to get Noah to go to sleep, Jessica Trout said.

Bedtime is horrible, she said, calling it a complete stark contrast to Noahs behavior before he was abducted.

Trout also said that Noah now often seems fearful and has trouble remaining calm, but that this behavior was improving.

At times he was kind of like a wild animal, Trout said.

Defense attorney Ryan Hamrick of Christiansburg said that he would not present evidence at the preliminary hearing.

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A Virginia State University student was arrested Friday and charged with murder in last Sunday's fatal shooting of another VSU student at the University Apartments at Ettrick, where the suspect lived. Police said a dispute between the two young men led to the shooting.
The Alden Global Capital hedge fund stepped up its attempts to buy Lee Enterprises this week, filing a lawsuit that accuses its board of denying shareholders of the newspaper publisher a voice in the matter.

The publisher of The Roanoke Times and dozens of other newspapers rejected Aldens offer to buy the company for $24 a share, or roughly $141 million, last Thursday calling the bid, grossly undervalued.

Alden argued in the lawsuit filed Wednesday that Lee shouldnt have rejected its offer without even talking to the hedge fund. Alden also said Lee shouldnt have refused to accept its nomination of three outside directors for technical reasons and has asked the court to order Lee to accept those nominees.

Lees stockholder-unfriendly staggered board has exhibited all of the symptoms of severely entrenched leadership focused more on its own power than whats best for the company, Alden spokesperson Cameron Gurley said.

Alden also said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission Thursday that it plans to send Lee shareholders information about its director nominees in a proxy filing ahead of the companys 2022 annual meeting, which is likely to be held in February.

Lee has been steadfast so far in its opposition to Alden, and the company said it doesnt think the hedge fund will prevail in court.

As we explained in detail on December 3, Aldens director nomination notice was clearly invalid and we remain committed to acting in the best interests of all shareholders. Aldens claims are baseless, a Lee spokesman said in a prepared statement.

The New York hedge fund that owns 6.3% of Lees stock became one of the largest newspaper owners in the nation after swallowing all of Tribunes newspapers earlier this year, but it has a history of imposing severe cost cuts and layoffs at newspapers.

Two other hedge funds that are among Lees largest shareholders, Praetorian Capital and Cannell Capital, have said they think the company is worth much more than Alden is offering.

I think there is still a tremendous amount of value, said Carlo Cannell, managing director of the Wyoming-based fund. In fact, Cannell estimates Lees stock could be worth $285 a share within five years if the company does everything right as it continues to transition more toward digital instead of print publication.

Alden said in its lawsuit that it intended its $24 offer to be preliminary, and it could have been changed if the company had engaged in constructive talks.

It remains unclear how Lees biggest financier, Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway, feels about the situation. Buffett has yet to comment and he didnt immediately respond to questions Thursday.

Berkshire has held all of Lees debt since it decided to sell its newspaper chain to Lee in 2020. At that time, Buffett said he believed Lee was the best long-term home for Berkshires newspapers.

Lees stock dropped more than 7% Thursday to $37.52. Before Alden made its initial bid, the stock was selling for $18.49.

Before rejecting Aldens bid, Lee adopted a poison-pill plan that would make it more expensive for Alden to buy up Lees shares once it owns more than 10% of the company.

At that point, the plan would allow Lees other shareholders to buy shares at a 50% discount or possibly get free shares for every share they already own.

Unions that represent journalists at Lee newspapers have come out strongly against Alden.

Alden has bought up roughly 200 publications across the country in recent years through a series of acquisitions.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 first stage booster lifted off at 10:21 p.m. PST hauling NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft into space, that now is on a collision course for moonlet asteroid Dimorphos some 6,835,083 miles away from Earth at a speed of 15,000 mph or 4 miles per second.
Shirley Contreras lives in Orcutt and writes for the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society. She can be contacted at 623-8193 or at shirleycontreras2@yahoo.com. Her book, The Good Years, a selection of stories shes written for the Santa Maria Times since 1991, is on sale at the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society, 616 S. Broadway.
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" " The Northern Lights illuminate Alaska's nighttime sky on Feb. 16, 2017. Pictured is the Poker Flat Research Range north of Fairbanks. NASA/Terry Zaperach

An aurora ranks as one of the most beautiful natural wonders of living on a planet with a global magnetic field, and space weather experts are getting closer to understanding one of the phenomenon's mysteries. You see, when an aurora lights up the Northern Hemisphere skies over the Arctic, the same pattern should erupt in the Southern Hemisphere skies over the Antarctic. But scientists noticed the two didn't match up after they compared simultaneous images of north and south auroras in 2009.

Why would we expect them to be symmetrical in the first place?

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How Auroras Work

The aurora is a visible reminder of the epic interplay between the sun's magnetic field and Earth's global magnetic field, aka the magnetosphere. The sun constantly pumps out massive quantities of energized particles, such as protons, helium nuclei and trace heavy ions. Together, these particles are released into interplanetary space, washing over the planets as the solar wind.

Other solar phenomena, such as coronal mass ejections (or CMEs), erupt, blasting magnetized clouds of these particles into space at high speed. The solar wind, solar flares and CMEs, and the effects they have on our planet, are collectively known as "space weather." All this space weather can have powerful effects on our planet  and our technology  once it encounters our planet's magnetosphere.

One such effect is a geomagnetic storm. It can happen if the sun's magnetic field interacts with the magnetosphere in a certain way, injecting the magnetosphere with solar particles that create auroras. Auroras develop when these particles follow our planet's magnetic field to the poles, raining through the atmosphere. Depending on which atmospheric gases they hit, a beautifully colorful light display will occur.

Now, let's step back and imagine those textbook diagrams of bar magnets, with a north (N) and south (S) pole printed at each end. The magnetic field lines they create will trace out symmetrical loops connecting the north and south poles. This is an oversimplification of our planet's magnetic field, but the physics is the same.

Next let's place our planet's simplified magnetic field into a steady stream of particles from the sun. This stream, aka the solar wind, is carrying the solar magnetic field  known as the interplanetary magnetic field (or IMF)  creating pressure on our planet's magnetosphere, sweeping it back. The day-side of our magnetosphere will be compressed, whereas the night-side of the magnetosphere becomes elongated, like a stretched water droplet. If the solar wind was steady, not a lot would happen; the stream of particles would flow uneventfully over Earth's magnetosphere. However, we know that space weather is anything but steady.

" " Illustration of Earth's magnetosphere NASA/Goddard/Aaron Kaase

As the sun rotates, it washes solar winds of different speeds over our local space neighborhood, and eruptions like flares and CMEs can create very dramatic and dynamic changes in interplanetary space. If the magnetic conditions are right, the sun can fling a bubble of magnetized particles at Earth that will be injected into the layers of the magnetosphere (imagining the layers of the magnetosphere like layers of onion skin isn't far from its actual structure). These particles are then swept back into the tail of the magnetosphere (aptly named the "magnetotail") where they are stored until the magnetotail undergoes reconnection events, releasing pressure and forcing the stored solar particles to flow along the magnetic field lines to Earth's atmosphere. Magnetic reconnection is a phenomenon where magnetic fields are forced together, snap like elastic and then reconnect, releasing energy, along with a massive surge of particles.

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An Asymmetrical Reality

All things being equal, and remembering our simple bar magnet diagram described earlier, the field lines leading to the North and South poles of Earth should look the same, and equal amounts of particles should rain down in identical patterns over the Arctic and Antarctic. And this is where two new and complementary studies, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics and the journal Annales Geophysicae, come in.

In 2009, space weather experts compared the patterns of auroras erupting during a geomagnetic storm. What they saw was confusing; the patterns created were in different locations and had different shapes than predicted. At the time, they assumed this asymmetry was caused by the complexity of reconnection events in the magnetotail, sending differing quantities of charged particles to the North and South poles, thus creating the mismatch. However, these new studies indicate that the asymmetry may actually be caused by the orientation of IMF embedded in the streams of solar wind first encounters our planet's magnetosphere  something that the researchers call "asymmetric geospace."

Confused? The American Geophysical Union produced an excellent video explaining this:

We can imagine the sun's magnetic field as a series of lines randomly oriented, washing over Earth like shallow waves would wash over a pebble on a beach. If they have a magnetic north-south orientation that matches the north-south orientation of the magnetosphere, they will connect to Earth's magnetic field and sweep back, merging with the magnetotail, along with the solar wind particles they contain. In this case, the magnetotail will appear symmetric, and any auroras generated will also be symmetric. Patterns matched!

But what if the sun's magnetic field is oriented east-west relative to Earth's north-south field? According to these new studies, this can cause the magnetotail to become twisted and asymmetric. As you can probably guess, this will have an effect on the auroras that are produced, funnelling the solar particles in an asymmetric pattern and creating asymmetric auroras. Patterns not matched!

Over time, as increasingly more energy is released via reconnection in the magnetotail, it will untwist and these auroras slowly return to their symmetrical shape. This is counterintuitive. Space weather experts once assumed that the asymmetry used to be caused by magnetic reconnection. In reality, it seems that reconnection releases magnetic pressure to return the auroras to symmetry.

Now That's Interesting Geomagnetic storms can generate powerful electrical disturbances around the globe, triggering power outages and communications blackouts. In our increasingly tech-dependent world, understanding space weather is paramount if we are to accurately predict, and prepare for, the impacts of the tumultuous environment surrounding our nearest star.
Nationwide, at least 36 states have detected the variant as the delta virus continues surging in many places. Experts said Tuesday that an omicron surge is probably already underway in the United States, outpacing the nations ability to track it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week that omicron accounted for about 3% of genetically-sequenced coronaviruses nationally. Percentages vary by region, with the highest  13%  in the New York/New Jersey area.

Nevada has reported 8,263 people dead from the coronavirus since the pandemic began in March 2020, including 6,358 in Las Vegas and surrounding Clark County.

Masks are required for everyone indoors in Clark County unless they are actively eating or drinking, although compliance is not universal. All but two of Nevada's 17 counties have similar rules.

Almost 70% of eligible people in the Las Vegas area have received at least one shot of coronavirus vaccine, and 55% are fully vaccinated, according to the local health district. Statewide, health officials put those numbers at 63% and almost 54%, respectively.
 New BJS reports on "Probation and Parole in the United States, 2020" and "Profile of Prison Inmates, 2016" | Main | Sixth Circuit reversal of denial of compassionate release shows how appellate review can sometimes reduce sentencing disparities 

December 17, 2021

Another crazy long sentence resulting from crazy crude mandatory minimums after deadly accident in Colorado

A very sad case turned into a very extreme sentence for a truck driver in Colorado earlier this week. This lengthy local story, headlined "Driver gets 110 years in fiery I-70 crash that killed 4," provides lots of the details and videos from the sentencing. Here are the basics:

The man convicted after a crash on Interstate 70 that left four people dead was sentenced to 110 years in prison Monday afternoon. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos was 23 when his semi-truck slammed into stopped traffic on the interstate near Denver West Parkway on April 25, 2019. Four people died instantly from the impact: Doyle Harrison, William Bailey, Miguel Angel Lamas Arellano and Stanley Politano. It is believed they all died from injuries and not the resulting fire. Aguilera-Mederos was found guilty by a jury on 27 counts in total. The most serious charges were four counts of vehicular manslaughter. Other counts he was found guilty of included first-degree assault, first-degree attempt to commit assault, vehicular assault, reckless driving and careless driving. He was found not guilty on 15 counts of first-degree attempt to commit assault. Judge A. Bruce Jones sentenced Aguilera-Mederos to the required 10-year minimum for each of the six counts of first-degree assault with extreme indifference, to be served consecutively. He was also sentenced to the required minimum of five years for 10 additional counts of attempted first-degree assault with extreme indifference. Those will be served consecutively as well. The judge said the legislature required him to order those sentences be served consecutively, which was why, he said, he issued the minimum sentence for those charges. However, he did say he may have sentenced Aguilera-Mederos to more than the minimum, if not required to issue the sentences consecutively. "In all victim impact statements I read, I did not glean from them someone saying, 'He should be in prison for the rest of his life, and he should never, ever get out," Jones said. "Far from it. There was forgiveness reflected in those statements, but also a desire that he be punished and serve time in prison, and I share those sentiments." In addition to the 110 years stemming from those charges, Aguilera-Mederos was sentenced to 30 years for 11 other charges that will be served concurrently. Aguilera-Mederos was extremely emotional as he asked for forgiveness before Jones announced the sentence. "I know it has been hard and heartbreaking for everyone involved," he said though tears. "I can't sleep, I think all the time about the victims. A part of me will be missing forever, as well." Aguilera-Mederos said he took responsibility for the crash, and said it was not intentional. "I have never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life," he said.... The judge said his hands were tied when it came to sentencing, because Colorado's violent crime statute is specific. 9NEWS Legal Expert Scott Robinson said certain violent crimes require a minimum sentence for each victim, and they have to run consecutively. But he said there is one way for violent crime sentences to be reduced. "Colorado's violent crimes statute gives judges some discretion after 180 days have passed," Robinson said. "Here, the sentencing judge, Bruce Jones, will have an opportunity to determine whether there were unusual and extenuating circumstances which would justify a reduction in the sentences imposed." The judge said he could not assure the courtroom this would be the end of this process, giving an indication that he may consider a motion like that. The jury had to decide whether the crash resulted from a series of bad choices by the driver or a mechanical failure that the driver had no control over. Aguilera-Mederos faced 42 counts in all. He testified for hours and tearfully recounted publicly for the first time his version of what happened on that day. Both sides agreed that his truck lost brakes at some point, but they disagreed on how or why that happened.... After the brakes were out, prosecutors argued that Aguilera-Mederos made a series of bad choices that resulted in the crash. One of them being his failure to use a runaway truck ramp on the highway.

I do not know the particulars of Colorado sentencing law, but I sure hope there is a mechanism for the reconsideration of this crazy extreme sentence before too long. But the very possibility that an awful accident can lead to an initial mandated sentence of 100+ years suggest to me that some reform of Colorado sentencing law is still needed.

Here is some other notable recent coverage of this case:

"Truckers 110-year sentence in fatal I-70 crash spotlights Colorado sentencing laws, prosecutors charging decisions"

"He Was Sentenced To 110 Years in Prison for Causing a Fatal Traffic Accident. The Judge Isn't Happy About It."

"Truck Driver Sentenced 110 Years For Deadly Crash Stemming From Brake Failure Even Though Everyone Agrees It's Unreasonable"

December 17, 2021 at 09:42 AM | Permalink

Comments

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2021/12/the_cold_heartless_face_of_chesa_boudin.html

Yes, this looks like a nasty trial penalty case. I dont feel that justice was done here.

But the article I link shows another problem with prosecutors.

Posted by: Federalist | Dec 17, 2021 11:23:10 AM

I'm in the "get rid of 'accident'" camp, most such have human agency somewhere in the mix (this case certainly did). If it's not having a tree fall over onto your vehicle (which I've actually experienced) or the like then it's not an 'accident', it's a 'collision'.

This guy may not have had the agency that someone who chooses to plow into a parade does but he is certainly not blameless.

Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Dec 17, 2021 11:54:17 AM

Soronel,

Are you defending this sentence? It seems insane. What possible good will it do anyone to lock up this guy for the rest of his life? Our society seems incapable of dealing rationally with these situations. There seems to be an inherent false belief that a vicious sentence will some how bring "justice" for the victims. The victims here are a sunk cost, and they are not coming back. Why ruin this guy's life too, when he lacked intent. It makes absolutely no sense. Why does this country in particular have such a problem dealing with this situations? I suspect it is the vindictive and brain dead victims' lobby having too much power. Does anyone thing this is a good result?

Mike Pizzinoli.

Posted by: Mike | Dec 17, 2021 12:53:13 PM

Mike ,

Personally, I would prefer that he be executed. Locking him in prison for the rest of his life is a second-best alternative.

Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Dec 17, 2021 1:06:50 PM

Soronel,

You appear to be an unserious moron who can't respond to legitimate inquiries. Have you no decency?

Posted by: Mike | Dec 17, 2021 1:20:22 PM

Mike,

I simply advocate for any offense more serious than the theft of a couple hundred dollars having execution as the presumptive sentence, that after conviction it should be up to the offender to plead why they, for particularized compelling reasons, should be spared. I don't claim to either have or lack decency, the concept just does not have any place in my thoughts.

Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Dec 17, 2021 1:51:58 PM

"The victims here are a sunk cost..."

One of the reasons it's worthwhile reading the comments section is that, every now and again, the defense side is wonderfully honest and blunt.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Dec 17, 2021 3:45:23 PM

Bill you are spot onas usual!

Posted by: Federalist | Dec 17, 2021 4:15:29 PM

Federalist --

Thanks. When our adversaries inadvertently display what's in their "compassionate" hearts, we should take note.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Dec 17, 2021 11:25:28 PM

An interesting note: one of the jurors on the case was Heidi Bond, former 9th Cir.and SCOTUS clerk (for O'Connor). She tweeted after the sentence that if she had known about the mandatory minimums, she would have voted to nullify.

Posted by: JPD | Dec 18, 2021 7:34:45 AM

JPD --

Some questions: If one of the jurors in the Jan 6 riot cases believes that the election was indeed "stolen," should that juror feel free to vote to nullify? If a juror in an underage rape case with a 14 year-old victim believes the age of consent should be 12 instead of 16 (as in the current law of his state), should he feel free to vote to nullify? If a juror in a bank robbery case feels that the banking system has been ripping off minorities for years and in general has been cruel and oppressive, should he feel free to vote to nullify?

In other words, how far does this doctrine extend, under what reasoning, and how does it square with majority rule and the rule of law?

Posted by: Bill Otis | Dec 18, 2021 10:36:19 AM

As unreasonable as the 110 year sentence may initially appear, this case may yet get worked out and become reasonable under Colorado's sentencing provision, which provides that trial Judges may revisit the sentence and adjust or reduce it 180 days after the initial sentencing occurs. So, before you pass judgment on the 110 year sentence, let the Colorado process work its way out and see what the final result is. We have a similar provision in Kentucky criminal law, referred to as "shock probation". A defendant may initially receive a long sentence, say 10 years, but then 60 days later, upon the filing of a Motion by the defendant, the Judge may "shock" the defendant out to the streets, with the balance of the sentence probated.



Posted by: Jim Gormley | Dec 19, 2021 12:33:46 PM

Typical inane Bill Otis comment. He just assumes it is not compassionate to avoid making the logical error that a extraordinarily harsh sentence will somehow restore the victim and does not attempt to undermine the reason. The suggestikn seems to be that it is somehow beyond the pale to make this point, but again no explanation why.

And, no Bill, I am not a member of the criminal defense bar. Just a guy who objects to miscarriages of justice.

For those who dont know, Bill is Donald Trumps failed nominee for the Sentencing Commission, who failed to advance because of his extreme views. Bill has been accused of being a racist, and is a fringe player in criminal justice discourse.

Posted by: Mike | Dec 19, 2021 4:20:24 PM

Mike --

"Typical inane Bill Otis comment. He just assumes it is not compassionate to avoid making the logical error that a extraordinarily harsh sentence will somehow restore the victim..."

Actually, I said zero about the sentence. Reading the comment helps! But if a point be made of it, NOTHING restores a homicide victim.

"And, no Bill, I am not a member of the criminal defense bar. Just a guy who objects to miscarriages of justice."

I never said you're a member of the defense bar. I don't know who you are, since, unlike many other commenters, and our host, you choose to be anonymous. Why is that?

"For those who dont know, Bill is Donald Trumps failed nominee for the Sentencing Commission..."

Correct. Like all three other nominees on the same slate, Judge Pryor(R), Judge Restrepo(D), and Judge Hudson(R), I did not get to the floor for a vote. I thus join my friend Miguel Estrada and (you might have heard of him) Merrick Garland.

For how many positions have you been a Presidential nominee, Mr. Mike?

"...who failed to advance because of his extreme views."

To some ways of thinking, anyone who supports the death penalty (e.g., Bill Clinton, Barack Obama), and views incarceration as just punishment rather than a racist pogrom, is guilty of "extreme views." Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Still, if you could quote a single Democratic senator who spoke against my nomination, I'd be curious to see it. Should I wait?

"Bill has been accused of being a racist, and is a fringe player in criminal justice discourse."

It would be tiresome at this late date to go into what a weary and sleazy stunt it is to say that someone "has been accused of being a racist," so I won't even bother. I will admit to being exactly as much of a racist as, say, Jason Riley or Glenn Loury or Walter Williams, so have at it.

As for "fringe player": I've had various stuff published in the NYT, the WaPo, USA Today, Forbes, USN&WR, the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy and have done appearances on CNN, PBS, Piers Morgan (with Alan Dershowitz), Fox News, and this or that. I'm now an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law. Whether this makes me a "fringe player" is, I suppose, in the eye of the beholder. Not something I spend a lot of time worrying about.

One thing I have not done, however, is dismiss mangled homicide victims as a "sunk cost," to use your exact, remarkably callous wording.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Dec 19, 2021 6:58:26 PM

Bill,

I did not take a position on Ms. Bond's comment, I simply reported it. In response to your questions, though, absent any proof of juror misconduct, I don't believe any of those would be a basis for disturbing a jury's verdict. It is interesting, then, that we would entrust jurors with the ability to absolve a defendant based on their belief that the crime should not be a crime, or that the victim is bad, or even that they just like the defendant personally, but not on their belief that the punishment is inordinate under the circumstances of the case. If the fundamental principle is that the jury should be a check on the power of the sovereign, it is odd to me that this would be limited in that way. I could certainly see an argument for a system as you seem to propose where a juror's choice to nullify based on extralegal reasons is itself sufficient for a mistrial or something like that, but that isn't the case under the law as I understand it.

Posted by: JPD | Dec 29, 2021 9:57:19 AM

Post a comment
 Another crazy long sentence resulting from crazy crude mandatory minimums after deadly accident in Colorado | Main | Lots of new January 6 riot sentencings producing lots of notable new headlines and sentencing stories 

December 17, 2021

Sixth Circuit reversal of denial of compassionate release shows how appellate review can sometimes reduce sentencing disparities

A few months ago in this post I flagged a lengthy CNN article discussing disparities in who was receiving compassionate release sentencing reductions in federal courts. That CNN article featured the case of Horacio Estrada-Elias, an ill 90-year-old inmate serving a life sentence for marijuana trafficking crime, who had his request for compassionate release denied by Judge Danny Reeves in July 2021. I was pleased to learn this week about notable updates to this story, reported in this new CNN piece headlined "A 90-year-old was serving life for marijuana despite serious illness. Now he's going home." Here are some of the details:

In a dramatic reversal, a 90-year-old, seriously ill federal inmate serving life in prison for a nonviolent marijuana trafficking crime will go free after a judge granted him compassionate release on Tuesday -- overturning his previous order denying release. Horacio Estrada-Elias, who was the subject of a CNN investigative story in September, is set to be freed this week after more than a dozen years behind bars.... Estrada-Elias suffers from congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease, and also contracted the coronavirus while in prison, according to court affidavits filed by doctors. His prison doctor predicted in April 2020 that he had "less than 18 months" to live, and his warden recommended release, noting his spotless disciplinary record and writing last year that "he has been diagnosed with an incurable, progressive illness in which he will not recover." Federal Judge Danny Reeves denied Estrada-Elias' motion for compassionate release in July, arguing that a life sentence is "the only sentence that would be appropriate." But last month, an appeals court ordered Reeves to reconsider. Two judges on a three-judge panel of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals wrote that Reeves had "abused (his) discretion" by ignoring the fact that Estrada-Elias is unlikely to reoffend and "overly emphasizing" his nonviolent crimes. One judge dissented. On Tuesday, the day after the formal appeal mandate was transmitted to his court, Reeves issued a new opinion approving compassionate release. "The defendant's medical condition constitutes an extraordinary and compelling reason for release... when considered in conjunction with the defendant's advanced age," Reeves wrote, reducing Estrada-Elias' sentence to time served.... Reeves has an especially tough record on compassionate release, rejecting the vast majority of more than 100 release motions that came before him since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a CNN analysis of court records. In his earlier opinion, he had argued that the large volume of marijuana that Estrada-Elias trafficked had shown "a flagrant disrespect for the law that can only be reflected in an equally severe sentence." His reversal "seems to be rooted in common sense and human dignity as opposed to legal formalities," said Alison Guernsey, a University of Iowa law professor who has studied compassionate release cases and reviewed Reeves' opinion. She said it is uncommon for inmates who are denied compassionate release to win on appeal. Estrada-Elias was sentenced to life in April 2008 after pleading guilty to a conspiracy to traffic tens of thousands of pounds of marijuana into and around the United States. Reeves, who handled his case, was required to give him a life sentence because he had previous drug convictions. But the mandatory minimum law that applied was taken off the books in 2018. If Estrada-Elias hadn't been subject to the mandatory minimum, the guideline for his sentence range would have been about 12 to 16 years in prison, according to court documents. Estrada-Elias' case is an example of the wide disparities across the country in compassionate release during the pandemic. In 2020 and the first half of 2021, some federal courts granted more than 40 percent of compassionate release motions in their districts, while others granted less than 3 percent, according to data from the US Sentencing Commission -- even though judges in all of the districts are applying the same laws, which allow compassionate release in "extraordinary and compelling" cases. In Estrada-Elias' district, the Eastern District of Kentucky, judges granted about 6% of compassionate release motions, the data shows. Guernsey, the law professor, said the vast disparity in grant rates between courts "really calls into question the equity of compassionate release." "It appears to depend not on the gravity of your medical condition or the type of extraordinary and compelling circumstances that will dictate whether you're released," she said, "but almost a fluke of geography."

As the title of this post is meant to highlight, I think appellate review can and should play a significant role in reducing extreme sentencing outcomes that seem like a "fluke of geography." Notably, Justice Breyer's opinion for the Supreme Court in the remedial section of Booker stated that appellate review for reasonableness "would tend to iron out sentencing differences," but harsh sentencing outcomes are almost never reversed as unreasonable. The panel Sixth Circuit opinion in US v. Estrada-Elias, No. 21-5680 (6th Cir. Nov. 24, 2021) (available here), which is unpublished(!?!) and a split decision, is a real rarity that shows reasonableness review can function to improve equity. The majority opinion in this case starts this way:

Horacio Raul Estrada-Elias, a ninety-year-old man suffering from a terminal illness, appeals the district courts order denying his motion for compassionate release filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C.  3582(c)(1)(A)(i). Estrada-Elias has spent fifteen years in prison for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Because of his illness, Estrada-Elias is bedridden. He has never been convicted of a violent crime and has not received a single disciplinary infraction in prison. The warden of the prison in which Estrada-Elias is incarcerated agrees that Estrada-Elias should be released from custody. Despite Estrada-Eliass age, illness, incapacity, and lack of any violent convictions, the district court denied his compassionate-release motion, finding that life in prison is the only sentence that would be appropriate and that would protect the public from this ninety-year-old terminally ill grandfather. R. 210 (Dist. Ct. Order at 14) (Page ID #2214) (quotation omitted). We hold that the district court abused its discretion in denying Estrada-Eliass compassionate-release motion.

December 17, 2021 at 01:43 PM | Permalink

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I live and work in the Eastern District of Kentucky where Judge Danny Reeves sits and rules. Among defense lawyers here, Judge Reeves is notoriously the most severe sentencing judge in the E.D. of Ky. The articles also fail to note that Judge Reeves is also a (former ?) Member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission! This poor 90-year old man's denial of compassionate release by Judge Reeves is classic Danny. He's a beast.

Posted by: Jim Gormley | Dec 19, 2021 10:42:34 AM

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Changpeng Zhao, CEO of Binance. (PHOTO:REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi)

By Ben Bartenstein and Yueqi Yang

(Bloomberg)  Binance Holdings Ltd., which has claimed to be a virtual company, has held discussions with regulators in the United Arab Emirates about a potential headquarters in the Gulf Arab nation, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter.

Executives at the worlds largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume have been in talks with officials from special economic zones Abu Dhabi Global Market, Dubai International Financial Centre, and Dubai Multi Commodities Centre about a potential move, said the people, who requested anonymity as the talks are private.

Binance has also tapped former senior officials at the economic zones  Mark McGinness from Dubai Financial Services Authority, which regulates DIFC, and Matt Gamble from ADGM  in recent months, according to company announcements and LinkedIn profiles.

Setting up global headquarters is a major step for Binance as it seeks to establish itself as a mature, regulated financial institution. Founded in China in 2017, Binance quickly grew into a global crypto powerhouse, yet shunned picking a head office and instead incorporated firms in locations worldwide, making it difficult for regulators to establish jurisdictions over the company.

Under pressure from regulators, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Changpeng CZ Zhao said in July that Binance is stepping up on licensing and compliance procedures and planned to establish multiple headquarters. The company has faced probes and consumer warnings in several countries, including the U.S., U.K., Japan and Germany.

Binance has a major presence in Singapore, where Zhao, who holds Canadian citizenship, has been based in the past two years. But it recently suffered a setback in the city-state when its local unit withdrew an application to run an exchange, making Singapore an unlikely option for the headquarters.

Officials at Abu Dhabi Global Market, a so-called free zone located on an island in the capital city, have made a compelling case with their quick rollout of a virtual asset framework and recent incentives to lure financial technology firms, the people said. Richard Teng, CEO of Binances Singapore entity, was formerly ADGMs chief executive after working for the Singapore Exchange and the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

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In a statement, ADGM said its open to all local and global entities seeking to access opportunities in the region and its comprehensive virtual asset regulatory framework is built for exchanges, custodians, intermediaries and related services. It already has a number of digital assets entities and the ecosystem is growing rapidly, it said.

Dubai Hub

Yet Zhao has a soft spot for Dubai, which he has praised for being pro-crypto. He recently bought his first home there to show his commitment. Dubai, a financial center with a vibrant nightlife and tourism scene, is vying with Singapore, Switzerland and other regions to become a global crypto hub. Its looking to issue a regulatory framework that will include licensing for crypto trading. Dubai Multi Commodities Centre has set an ambitious target of bringing in more than 1,000 crypto companies by next year.

DMCC declined to comment. DIFC and the Securities and Commodities Authority of UAE didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Shopping for a headquarters is a delicate dance between crypto companies and regional officials, who have to balance the global regulatory and reputation risks of welcoming emerging players in their jurisdictions and the rewards of a fast-growing sector that could bring in jobs and capital.

Binance said it is having meaningful conversations with governments, agencies and key stakeholders in various markets, and major announcements on HQ plans could come next year.

We are considering several potential strategies, including possibly establishing multiple regional headquarters, said its spokesman Patrick Hillmann. Besides different regions approaches to the industry, factors of consideration also include access to engineering talent and local universities commitment to support blockchain curriculum, he added.

In an interview at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore last month, Zhao said Binance has decided on a location for its global headquarters and will announce it after he communicates with regulators. He cited the UAE, France and Singapore as examples of pro-crypto regions. Binance has also revived plans to register in the U.K., Zhao told The Telegraph in a recent interview.

 2021 Bloomberg L.P.
File photo: German car parts maker Continental has production facilities in Lithuania and exports to clients globally including China (EPA)

China has urged car parts giant Continental to stop using components made in Lithuania as it ramps up pressure on multinationals to cut links with the Baltic state amid a dispute over the status of Taiwan, according to sources.

The Chinese government, which views self-ruled Taiwan as its territory, downgraded diplomatic ties with Lithuania last month after the opening of a representative office by Taiwan in Vilnius. Lithuanias ruling coalition had also agreed last year to support what it described as those fighting for freedom on the island.

Earlier this month, a senior government official and an industry body said China has told multinationals to sever ties with Lithuania or face being shut out of the Chinese market.

Continental, one of the worlds largest car parts maker, has production facilities in Lithuania, making electronic parts such as controllers for vehicle doors and seats, and exports to clients globally including China.

Continental declined to comment on whether it had been asked by the Chinese government to cut links with Lithuania, as two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Chinas foreign ministry denied that Beijing had pressured multinational companies not to use Lithuanian-produced parts though said its companies no longer trusted Lithuania.

The practice of one China, one Taiwan grossly interferes in Chinas internal affairs and seriously violates Chinas core interests, a spokesperson added.

China has pressured countries to downgrade or sever their relations with democratically governed Taiwan.

I heard that many Chinese companies no longer regard Lithuania as a trustworthy partner, the spokesperson said. Lithuania has to look at itself for the reason why Lithuanian companies are facing difficulties in trade and economic cooperation in China.

Lithuanias direct trade with China is modest, but its export-based economy is home to hundreds of companies that make products such as furniture, lasers, food and clothing for multinationals that sell to China.

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Lithuanias foreign office said: Companies operating in Lithuania have successfully integrated themselves into international supply chains, so Chinas economic pressure measures may cause various disruptions to companies operating in Lithuania.

We closely monitor, analyse and evaluate each such case, including among these German companies, said the spokesperson, adding that it was looking for long-term sustainable solutions and ways to resume trade flows with China.

The European Union may take the trade row between China and Lithuania to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) if it finds evidence that Beijing is violating international trade rules, the blocs executive Commission said on Friday.

The European Commission said it was gathering information to find out what is actually happening, and would then decide on any further actions.

Reuters
A major cybersecurity vulnerability is impacting nearly all of the internet, sending everything from financial institutions to government entities scrambling to patch their systems, before cybercriminals and nation states can launch cyberattacks.

Known as the Log4j vulnerability, the flaw impacts a piece of open-source logging software that allows developers to understand how their programs function. The idea is to help companies understand potential bugs or performance issues in their own software.

But Log4j, which is part of the software offered by the open source Apache Software Foundation, can be exploited to allow attackers to take over the computers and networks of any organization running the program.

Patches have already been released, but applying them is a different story. Organizations, whether government or private, are notoriously slow when it comes to updating their software.

It's a very, very serious issue, NYU Tandon School of Engineering associate professor Justin Cappos told Yahoo Finance. Since it's part of the software supply chain, many different pieces of software can be affected.

The fear is that the flaw could be used by attackers to take remote control of any unpatched system and use them as their own. That, experts say, could give cybercriminals the means to do everything from stealing user data to taking control of real-world infrastructure.

The danger of Log4j

The Log4j vulnerability is dangerous for two reasons: how widely used the software is, and how attackers can take advantage of the flaw.

If you have the vulnerability, and I exploit it, that means I can run my code on your machine, explained Herb Lin, senior research scholar at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. So now it's like I'm on your machine, and now I can do anything that you can do.

According to Lin, that can include doing things like stealing emails, destroying files, and installing ransomware. And the potential damage doesnt stop there.

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I can now take control of the generator that your computer is connected to or the telephone switch or the chemical plant and so on and so forth, Lin said. So that's the issue. The vulnerability comes from the fact that this code has been a part of millions and millions and millions of installations around the world.

The Log4j flaw can be used to do everything from attacking corporate email systems to impacting real-world infrastructure. (Image: Getty)

Another major problem is the fact that you, as an individual, have no control over whether the internet companies you trust to protect your files will deploy the appropriate patches quickly.

If there's a bug inside of Microsoft Word I might be able to go and say, Oh, I don't use Microsoft Word. I don't need to worry about this, right? But here the problem is that you may not even be aware where the software is being used, said Cappos.

Criminals and nation states are already trying to exploit the vulnerability

According to Microsofts threat intelligence team, the majority of the attacks related to the Log4j vulnerability have been related to scanning attempts. That means the attackers are trying to see whether potential victims are vulnerable to attack.

Think of it like a burglar trying the door locks on a row of cars parked on a dark street. The cybercriminals are essentially trying to see who has locked their doors and who hasn't.

Some hackers, meanwhile, are already using the flaw to launch attacks, including installing crypto miners on victims machines, stealing user credentials, and taking data from compromised systems.

Microsoft (MSFT) says groups in Turkey, China, Iran, and North Korea are also developing the means to take advantage of the Log4j flaw. And some Iranian and Chinese groups are already using the exploit to beef up their own existing cyber attack capabilities.

The Department of Homeland Securitys Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has already ordered federal civilian agencies to patch their systems and has advised that non-federal partners do so as well.

Patching the internet isnt easy

Fixing a problem like the Log4j flaw requires that companies that use the software download the appropriate patch. But it will take time for companies to implement the latest software. Thats because major organizations have to also ensure that the patch doesnt impact their own programs.

More cynically, theres the fact that some companies simply dont follow the best cybersecurity practices and so dont patch their systems in a timely manner, if at all.

What can you do? Nothing, really. The Log4j flaw isnt something that most individual users can address. Its up to the companies that have their information to address the exploit on their own. And if they dont, then your data could leak out there into the wild.

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People cycle and walk after sunset in Gardens by the Bay in Singapore on 6 November, 2021. (PHOTO: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

NOTE: The MOH has stopped issuing daily media releases on infection statistics. In line with the MOH's announcement, Gov.sg has also stopped its daily WhatsApp updates on such statistics.

SINGAPORE  The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (17 December) confirmed 412 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore  bringing the country's total case count to 275,384  as well as one death due to the disease.

Friday marks the 15th day in a row with less than 1,000 cases reported in the city-state.

It is also the 89th day in a row with fatalities from COVID-19 reported in Singapore, with 86 people having succumbed to it this month. The MOH did not provide details on the one fatality reported on Friday.

Of the new cases, 377 are local  371 are in the community, and six are residents of migrant worker dormitories. The remaining 35 are imported.

The ratio of community cases for the past week over the week before  or the weekly infection growth rate  is 0.63, up from Thursday's 0.6. This is the 35th day in a row where the figure is lower than 1.

Singapore on Thursday confirmed that it detected 24 cases of Omicron in total, of whom three are locally transmitted infections.

Four others have also tested preliminarily positive for the new variant, including two airport workers and a couple who dined at four restaurants in the Orchard Road area.

Apart from the 809 patients who have died from COVID-19 complications, 15 others who tested positive for the virus were determined to have died from unrelated causes, including three whose deaths were attributed to a heart attack and another four whose deaths were attributed to coronary heart disease.

60 require oxygen supplementation; 35 in ICU

A total of 570 cases were discharged on Friday, while 481 remain warded. Over the last 28 days, of the 26,389 infected individuals, 98.7 per cent had no or mild symptoms.

There are currently 60 cases of serious illness requiring oxygen supplementation.

A total of 35 cases are in the intensive care unit (ICU)  two are unstable and under close monitoring to prevent further deterioration, while 33 are critically ill and intubated.

Story continues

The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 46.4 per cent, down from Thursday's 45.7 per cent.

As of Thursday, the total number of individuals who have completed their full regimen or received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines is 96 per cent of the eligible population.

Among the total population, 87 per cent have done so, while 87 per cent has received at least one dose, and 32 per cent has received their booster shots.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore
Police in Japan are investigating whether a fire that claimed the lives of at least 27 people in an eight-storey building at a busy shopping district in the city of Osaka on Friday morning was a result of arson.

Officers were searching for a man in his fifties or sixties, who witnesses saw carrying a paper bag from which an unidentified liquid was dripping. They are also trying to determine whether the suspect is among those who died.

The fire started on the fourth floor of the building at the Kitashinchi entertainment district near Osaka station.

It was mostly extinguished in 30 minutes after 70 fire engines were mobilised.

The 27 people from inside the building were found with heart and lung failure and were rushed to the hospital, public broadcaster NHK reported. An official in the Osaka Municipal Fire Department said they were in cardiopulmonary arrest  a term used in Japan before the death of a person is officially confirmed.

Television footage showed firefighters working to douse the fire on the top floors of the building that had smashed and blackened windows.

One woman was conscious and brought down by an aerial ladder from a window on the sixth floor and was being treated in a hospital.

A doctor at one of the hospitals treating the victims said he believed many of them died after inhaling carbon monoxide as they had limited external injuries. Police said the cause of the deaths could not be determined until the bodies were autopsied.

Authorities are investigating the possibility that the smoke filled the floor so quickly that the victims had no time to escape, Nippon Television said.

A mourner prays for victims (Reuters)

On Friday night, crowds gathered outside of the building to glimpse the scene where firefighters and police officers were investigating.

I havent heard of the cause but Im shocked and wondering why someone would do this, said Yuji Uehara, who works for a finance company. I also offer my condolences to those who died.

The building houses a mental and internal medicine clinic, an English language school and other businesses. Most of the victims are believed to be visitors at the clinic on the fourth floor, fire officials said.

In 2019 at the Kyoto Animation studio, an attacker stormed into the building and set it on fire, killing 36 people and injuring more than 30 others.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Democrats' vast social and environment package was stuck in the Senate Thursday as leaders' hopes for an accord with holdout Sen. Joe Manchin and approval of their flagship domestic measure in the year's waning days seemed all but dead.

After a closed-door lunch among Senate Democrats, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., told reporters that a statement by President Joe Biden was expected shortly giving an update on his conversations with Sen. Manchin and others.

Talks on the 10-year, roughly $2 trillion bill between Biden and Manchin, who wants to cut and reshape the measure, are said to have yielded little progress. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had set Senate passage before Christmas as his goal, but disputes with Manchin and other Democrats remain and it's become unclear how they would move forward without decisive intervention by Biden.

Schumer barely mentioned the legislation as the day's business began. Instead, he described Democrats' efforts to break a logjam on voting rights legislation and a pile of nominations the Senate will consider as we continue working to bring the Senate to a position where we can move forward" on the social and environment bill.

No. 2 Senate Democrat Richard Durbin of Illinois joked to reporters that Manchin has been camped out in the Lincoln Bedroom and has his own parking space at the White House, he's been there so often" and said he couldnt ask for Joe Biden to do more to try reaching agreement with Manchin.

Using his sway in a 50-50 Senate where Democrats need unanimity to prevail, Manchin has continued his drive to force his party to cut the bill's cost and eliminate programs he opposes. All Republicans oppose the package, which carries many of Bidens paramount domestic priorities.

The rocky status of the Biden-Manchin talks was described Wednesday by a person who spoke only on condition of anonymity. The person said Manchin was pushing to eliminate the bill's renewal of expanded benefits under the child tax credit, a keystone of Democratic efforts to reduce child poverty.

Manchin told reporters Wednesday that assertions he wants to strip the child tax credit improvements were a lot of bad rumors. Asked if he backed eliminating one of the bills child tax credit improvements  monthly checks sent to millions of families  he said, Im not negotiating with any of you.

Adding further doubt about quick Senate action this year, Biden suggested that Democrats should instead prioritize voting rights legislation, a primary party goal that Republicans have long stymied. Democrats face an uphill fight on the voting measure, but focusing on it would let them wage a battle that energizes the party's voters while lawmakers work behind the scenes on the social and environment bill.

Asked whether Congress should quickly consider the voting legislation and delay the $2 trillion bill to next year, Biden told reporters, If we can get the congressional voting rights done, we should do it. He added, There's nothing domestically more important than voting rights." Biden spoke as he toured tornado damage in Dawson Springs, Kentucky.

All of that produced a day of confusion in the Senate, where rank-and-file lawmakers and aides said they knew nothing about what legislation the chamber would tackle next, when and whether they would prevail.

Letting the social and environment legislation slip into next year, when congressional elections will be held, would be ominous for the bill's ultimate prospects.

With Democrats having blown past previous self-imposed deadlines on the push, another delay would fuel Republican accusations that they are incompetently running a government they control. Democrats are bracing for November elections when the GOP has a real chance of winning control of the House and Senate.

Word of Manchin's stance prompted a backlash from colleagues, whom he's frustrated for months with constant demands to cut the bill's size and scope. The measure also has money for health care, universal prekindergarten and climate change programs, largely paid for with tax boosts on big corporations and the rich.

Durbin said the level of emotion among Democrats over the child tax credit is very high, and said he was stunned when he heard about Manchin's demands.

Manchin has wanted the overall bill's 10-year price tag to fall below $2 trillion. He also wants all its programs to last the full decade.

The current bill would extend the enhanced child tax credit for just one year, a device to contain the bill's cost. Renewing the improved benefits for 10 years would increase its current one-year cost of around $100 billion to over $1 trillion, and doing that while cutting the overall bill's size would wreak havoc on Democrats' other priorities in the bill.

The Treasury Department says the expanded tax credit has helped the families of 61 million children.

Another impediment to Democrats is a time-consuming review by the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, about whether many of the bill's provisions violate the chamber's rules and should be dropped. Her written opinions on that, including on provisions letting many migrants remain temporarily in the U.S., may not be ready until the weekend or later.

Manchin's other demands have included removing a new requirement for paid family leave. Disputes among other lawmakers include how to increase federal tax deductions for state and local taxes.



AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro and Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  The defense bill Congress has sent to President Joe Biden prohibits using private funds for interstate National Guard deployments like South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem did this year.

The bills language took aim at the Republican governors decision to accept a $1 million donation from a Tennessee billionaire in July to send National Guard troops to the U.S. border with Mexico in response to a request from Texas and Arizona. The $768.2 billion defense bill that cleared Congress on a bipartisan vote Wednesday contains a section that prohibits National Guard units from being ordered to cross state borders if their deployment is funded privately unless it is for a natural disaster as designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Noem's decision was met with intense scrutiny. Military experts raised concerns that the practice could allow wealthy patrons to effectively turn National Guard troops into soldiers-for-hire for their own political agendas. The Republican governor defended it as a way to save taxpayer money while acting on an issue that was vital to national  and state  security.

Those troops have since returned.

Noem's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the National Defense Authorization Act.

The annual bill also made landmark changes to the way the military handles sexual assaults, keeps women out of the draft and lays the groundwork for a new war memorial on the National Mall.

Both of South Dakota's Republican senators, John Thune and Mike Rounds, voted for it.

Rounds said it includes many wins for South Dakota  including victories for Ellsworth Air Force Base, Dakota State University and Raven Aerostar.

The bill allocates $5.7 billion for the B-21 bomber program, which will be hosted at Ellsworth Air Force Base. It also contained $15 million for a National Guard training center in Sioux Falls.

Sen. John Thune, speaking on the Senate floor Wednesday, criticized the practice of amending the bill without taking a vote, but said the final product had been strengthened by Republicans, who pushed for a larger defense budget.

Weve made a lot of progress over the past several years on rebuilding our military, he said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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AKRON, Ohio (AP)  Two South Florida men have pleaded guilty in Ohio to leading a nationwide scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $35 million in COVID-19 relief loans.

James Stote, 55, of Hollywood, Florida, and Phillip Augustin, 52, of Coral Springs, Florida, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Akron, Ohio, federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to court records. They each face up to 20 years in prison.

While many businesses in our communities relied upon relief funds to keep their doors open and employees paid, these defendants profited off a scheme that stole millions of taxpayer dollars intended for struggling businesses and spent it lavishly on themselves, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler for the Northern District of Ohio said in a statement.

According to court documents, Stote and Augustin led a group that fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Authoriteis say they initially obtained a fraudulent loan for Augustins company, Clear Vision Music Group LLC, using falsified documents. After that, they immediately began working to obtain larger PPP loans for themselves and their associates, the documents added.

Stote and Augustin recruited additional PPP loan applicants and prepared and submitted fraudulent loan applications for them in exchange for a share of the loan proceeds, prosecutors said. The applications they submitted for all of the loans in the scheme relied on fake payroll numbers, falsified IRS forms and phony bank statements. Prosecutors said they submitted or facilitated at least 79 fraudulent loan applications worth at least $35 million and planned to submit more.

As part of the same scheme, Diamond Smith, 37, of Miramar, Florida, was sentenced Thursday to one year and eight months after pleading guilty in August in South Florida to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Smith, a recording artist, obtained two PPP loans, for $426,717 and $708,065, and paid more than $250,000 to Stote and Augustin as kickbacks for their assistance in preparing and submitting the fraudulent loan applications, officials said.

A total of 25 people have been charged in Ohio, Florida and North Carolina for their participation in this scheme, with 20 convictions, so far, according to authorities.

The Paycheck Protection Program represents billions of dollars in forgivable small business loans for Americans struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, which became federal law in March 2020.

Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  A former Southern California doctor was convicted Thursday of falsely billing military and private insurers $355 million for weight-loss surgeries.

Julian Omidi, 53, of West Hollywood and his Beverly Hills-based company, Surgery Center Management LLC, were convicted by a federal jury of three dozen counts of wire and mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and making false statements related to health care matters, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office.

A second physician, Dr. Mirali Zarrabi, 59, of Beverly Hills, was acquitted of all charges, prosecutors said.

Omidi and his relatives controlled the now-defunct 1-800-GET-THIN business that promoted and performed lap-band surgeries, prosecutors said.

Between 2010 and 2016, Omidi convinced insurers to pre-approve the surgeries by having prospective patients undergo sleep studies to determine if they had sleep apnea, a co-morbidity" that might justify the procedure, prosecutors alleged.

Omidi sometimes had his employees falsify the study results and other information, including the patients' weights, prosecutors said.

Private insurance companies and Tricare, a health program for members of the military were billed for an estimated $355 million and paid out some $70 million for the lap-band procedures and sleep studies, prosecutors said.

The defense blamed the fraud on a company manager, Charles Klasky, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy in 2017, testified for the prosecution and awaits sentencing.

Omidi could face up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced in April.

Omidi's state medical license was revoked in 2009. In 2014, the government seized more than $110 million in funds and securities from accounts held by Omidi and others allegedly involved in the scheme.

The government is seeking forfeiture of some or all those funds, the U.S. attorney's office said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Some Indiana doctors and health experts warned Thursday that a Republican-backed proposal aimed at limiting workplace COVID-19 vaccination requirements would hurt efforts to stem the illness as the states hospitals are strained with their highest-ever overall patient counts.

They were vastly outnumbered, however, by dozens of people during a nearly seven-hour-long legislative hearing on the bill who questioned the effectiveness and safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, argued against the proposed federal vaccination mandates and brought up a litany of grievances about government-ordered lockdowns and mask requirements.

The House committee hearing was held as Republicans aim to quickly advance the proposal once the legislative session starts Jan. 4. The bill includes administrative actions that Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb says would allow him to end the statewide COVID-19 public health emergency order thats been in place since March 2020.

House Republicans have taken up the effort they maintain would protect individual rights by forcing employers to grant exemptions to workers who claim medical or religious objections to any workplace COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

Major business organizations argued against the proposed vaccination exemptions, which employers would have to accept from workers without further inquiry. The head of the state chamber of commerce said the proposal would discourage employers from requiring vaccines even if they believe it is best for their workers and customers.

Dr. Gabriel Bosslet, an Indiana University Health critical care physician, told the committee that hes seen people die needlessly because they didnt get vaccinated and was frustrated with an intensive care unit where nearly all COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated.

The message this bill sends is that vaccines are not important, Bosslet said. Vaccines are important. They are the only way to end this.

Indiana is averaging about 35 COVID deaths per day this month and hospitalizations with the illness have topped 3,000 people this week for the first time in nearly a year amid the states ongoing infection surge, according to tracking by the state health department. That is up about 150% in the past five weeks and the most such patients since just before Christmas Day last year.

About a quarter of those patients are in hospital intensive care units. Those COVID cases and other severe illnesses have given the states hospitals their highest-ever total patient counts of about 12,000, according to the Indiana Hospital Association.

Republican leaders had planned an extraordinary fast-track approval of the vaccine requirement limitations but called off a planned one-day session for the Monday after Thanksgiving after similar testimony during a Nov. 23 hearing that divided medical and business groups from an array of vaccine objectors.

Republican House Majority Leader Matt Lehman of Berne, who is sponsoring the bill, described the measure Thursday as ensuring individual liberties so that people wouldnt lose their jobs over not being willing to get the COVID-19 vaccination.

We must protect Hoosier workers, Lehman said. The genesis of this, the reason that we need to continue, is that we need to make sure Hoosier workers are protected.

Indiana has the countrys ninth lowest rate for a fully vaccinated population at 51.5%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Eight rural counties scattered around the state have vaccination rates below 40%.

Holcomb has criticized President Joe Bidens proposed vaccine requirements for businesses but hasnt backed Lehmans bill, saying he supports the rights of businesses to make their own decisions.

Holcomb has said he would end the statewide public health emergency if lawmakers approved steps that would allow the state to keep receiving enhanced federal funding for Medicaid expenses and those eligible for food assistance programs, along with allowing the state health commissioner to issue a standing doctors order for the administration of COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 5 to 11.

Holcomb said Wednesday he believed those items had universal agreement and should be dealt with separate from the vaccine requirement issue.

Why not deal with what we agree on, get that out of the way and then have our discussion? Holcomb said.

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PHOENIX (AP)  Arizona is committing millions of dollars and asking the federal government for extra help as hospitals face a growing strain from rising COVID-19 caseloads and warn they are nearing their limits.

Gov. Doug Ducey earmarked another $35 million aimed at helping hospitals staff their existing beds and discharge patients more quickly. His administration also asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for 133 people to bolster staffing at seven rural hospitals.

These things come in waves. It seems like this wave is upon us and the state is going to be a partner with the system, Ducey told reporters following an appearance in Tempe on Thursday.

The Republican governor, who has encouraged vaccines but resisted mandates for shots or masking, showed no sign he's rethinking the approach.

Im confident our policies will meet this moment and will provide hospitals with the resources so they can care for the sick," Ducey said.

Arizona typically sees its highest hospital demand in the winter as seasonal viruses such as the flu take root and the state's population swells with winter visitors, many of whom are older with high medical needs.

Arizonas larger hospital chains have already sounded the alarm this week about being overwhelmed. Leaders of Phoenix-based Banner Health and Valleywise Health say the volume of patients is at its highest since the pandemic started. The rise in hospitalizations is due to COVID-19 as well as people who delayed treatment for other issues needing crucial care.

Hospital executives warn that an overburdened health care system affects not just COVID-19 patients but anyone needing hospital care.

Of the $35.2 million Ducey committed to hospitals this week, $28 million will pay for extending staffing contracts due to expire before the end of the year, said Christina Corieri, a senior adviser to Ducey.

The governor also committed $6 million to bolster staffing at long-term care and rehab facilities so hospitals can more quickly discharge patients who don't need hospital-level care but aren't well enough to go home. Dialysis clinics will also get $1.2 million.

Meanwhile Thursday, health officials said the first COVID-19 case in Pima County involving the omicron variant has been confirmed.

The person initially tested positive in Tucson in early December. Genetic sequencing of the sample indicated the omicron variant, which was verified in the past 24 hours by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

We knew it was a matter of when, and not if, omicron would be in Pima County, said Pima County Health Department Director Dr. Theresa Cullen.

The variant previously has been confirmed in cases in Maricopa and Yavapai counties.

The state Department of Health Services is seeking dozens of health care workers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency after receiving inquiries for additional staffing from seven hospitals earlier this month.

The request form submitted to FEMA on Dec. 4 shows hospitals in Kingman, Bullhead City, Yuma, Douglas, Bisbee, Sierra Vista and Willcox are in need of nurses for COVID-19 care and emergency department support.

The request is still under federal review, Steve Elliott, a department spokesman, said in an email. Meanwhile, the state is continuing its own recruiting efforts.

A spokeswoman for FEMA was not able to immediately comment when reached Thursday.

Hospitalizations statewide were at 2,683 as of Wednesday, according to Arizona's coronavirus dashboard.

It reported 2,911 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 20 additional deaths. The state has now seen 1,326,908 cases and 23,344 deaths since the pandemic started.

In other developments:

__ The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved an emergency request for $65,000 to spend on a 16-foot (4.9 meter) refrigerated mobile morgue. The money would come from American Rescue Plan Act funds. According to the request, the medical examiner's office said the rate of virus-related deaths has far exceeded its refrigeration space.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
SIOUX CITY -- While the number of new cases of COVID-19 decreased and hospitalizations remained stable, the death toll rose significantly in Woodbury County last week.

Thirteen additional deaths were added the week beginning Dec. 6, bringing the county's toll to 276 since the pandemic began in the spring of 2020 and 88 so far this year, according to the latest weekly report from Siouxland District Health Department.

District Health Deputy Director Tyler Brock surmised that the 13 individuals likely died sometime in the last two to three weeks, as the process from date of death to showing up in the state or county's statistics can take several weeks.

"I don't have a specific explanation for the increased number. We had over 2,300 cases reported to us in the last two months along with many other cases that are never reported," Brock said in an email Thursday. "So the number of people that die from COVID is a low percentage of that total number. But COVID has always been especially hard for our older population and people with other health problems."

The county reported 282 cases of the novel coronavirus last week, down from 355 the week beginning Nov. 29.

The number of people in Sioux City's two hospitals with COVID-19 has remained unchanged at 31 for three weeks straight. Just 20 of the patients hospitalized with COVID in the latest report are hospitalized due to the virus, according to the report.

The 14-day positivity rate declined slightly from 11.4% to 11.1%. Health officials have said anything above 5% is a concern.

As of the week of Dec. 6, 48.7% of county residents had completed single- or two-dose vaccinations, up slightly from 48.4% the previous week.

"Many serious infections are preventable with vaccine and early treatment options. It's not too late to get your vaccine and if you do get COVID, talk to your doctor about early treatment," District Health stated in a Wednesday Facebook post.

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FRESNO, Calif. -- A Sioux City woman who had been charged with murder in a California homicide has pleaded guilty to robbery.

Precious Green, 21, entered her plea Tuesday in Fresno County Superior Court in Fresno to one count of second-degree robbery. A murder charge will be dismissed.

She was charged along with two other Sioux Cityans with a Sept. 26, 2019, robbery setup that resulted in the fatal shooting of a Fresno man.

Isaac Helms, 20, of Sioux City, has pleaded not guilty of murder, second-degree robbery and receiving stolen property. His trial is scheduled for Jan. 13.

Hannah Haywood, 21, of Sioux City, and Alexa Ramos, 22, of Firebaugh, California, both have pleaded guilty of second-degree robbery in exchange for the dismissal of a murder charge. Both women await sentencing.

Authorities believe Helms, Green, Haywood and Ramos set up a meeting with Tyrel Truss, 20, in order to rob him.

According to the Fresno County Sheriff's office, while the five were riding in a car, an altercation took place, and Helms shot Truss. Helms, Green, Haywood and Ramos then attempted to flee but were detained by officers dispatched to the scene.

Detectives found a gun believed to have been used in the shooting, and Helms, Green, Haywood and Ramos were found in possession of Truss' items.

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LINCOLN, Neb. -- A South Sioux City man has pleaded not guilty of illegally receiving government benefits for nearly 17 years.

Steven Woodall, 42, entered his plea Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Lincoln to one count of theft of government funds.

According to an indictment unsealed Wednesday, Woodall stole money from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services from June 2004 through Feb. 2 by filing false claims that he was suffering from a greater visual impairment than was actually the case.

The indictment did not include the total amount that Woodall received.

If convicted, Woodall would face a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

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SIOUX CITY -- Sioux City Community Schools on Thursday night alerted parents of a national school threat made on social media.

A post has been widely shared on the social media platform TikTok regarding a nationwide school threat, suggesting school shootings and bomb threats will take place on Friday.

"While we do not believe the threat to be credible, we are working with law enforcement to monitor the situation and wanted to make sure you were aware," according to the parent notification. "The safety of our students and staff is our top priority."

The district asks students to alert school staff if they see something concerning on social media or elsewhere.

The Iowa State Education Association, Iowa Association of School Boards and School Administrators of Iowa released a joint statement regarding the threat.

In it, the organizations state students deserve a safe place to learn and staff deserve a safe place to work.

"Whether done as a joke or with malicious intent, its unacceptable," according to the statement. "We know our school personnel will do everything in their power to keep our students safe. They need all of us to stand with them in that effort."

On Tuesday, East High and East Middle schools were put on lockdown due to a social media threat on another popular social media platform Snapchat.

A 14-year-old female was arrested after creating the post with the intent to cause alarm but had no plan for carrying out the threat.

At the same time, a 15-year-old male was identified as creating a threat towards West High School.

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KINGSLEY, Iowa -- As she began the task of cleaning up the broken tree limbs and debris from the damaged roof of a nearby farm implement shop from the yard of her Kingsley home Thursday morning, Kristen Beal laughed about the bizarre weather swing in the past 24 hours.

A day earlier, she, like many other Siouxlanders, woke up to mild temperatures that reached into the 60s and 70s in the afternoon. By late afternoon, she and her family were taking shelter in a friend's basement as a strong line of storms stretching across Nebraska and Iowa and packing rain, hail and maybe even tornadoes blew through the area, knocking down trees, damaging homes and leaving hundreds without power for several hours.

Beal was bundled up Thursday morning against chilly temperatures in the low 20s.

"Just another day living in Iowa," she said, a reference often made about the extreme weather changes often experienced here.

When the sun rose Thursday, Beal, like many others, woke up to see what kind of damage the daylight would reveal.

"Our trampoline is two blocks over north somewhere," Beal said while taking a break from hauling tree branches to the curb.

Strewn about her yard and a vacant lot next door were large pieces of sheet metal and rafters, the remnants of a shop roof from the Titan Machinery Case IH implement dealer across the street.

Titan general manager Gary Mohr said the strong winds also blew off the door to a wash bay and possibly caused some structural damage, but it was still too early to tell.

Yet, the lights were on and it was business as close to normal as could be. Mohr said the damaged roof was from a shop addition built two years ago. The company's old shop was still open and none of the equipment was damaged.

"It won't affect our day-to-day business, just limit the amount of equipment we can bring it at one time," Mohr said. "The biggest thing is nobody got hurt. Nobody was here."

That sentiment was echoed by Kingsley Mayor Rick Bohle, who said no injuries had been reported. A firefighter, EMT and storm spotter, Bohle spent much of Wednesday night in the midst of the storm. Initial reports Wednesday painted a grim picture of damage in the Plymouth County town of 1,396. Downed power lines across Iowa Highway 140 blocked the south entrance to town, and the Plymouth County Sheriff's Office was allowing only Kingsley residents into town from the north.

But power was restored shortly after 11 a.m. and all roads into town were open by morning. Bohle said at least one house in town had significant roof damage, and several others had some damage. He'd heard reports that outbuildings on farms southeast of town had been destroyed, but again, it appeared everyone had gotten through the storm safely.

"I think we're pretty fortunate, really," Bohle said. "When I drove around, I couldn't believe we didn't have more damage."

By the time the storm hit Kingsley at about 5:30-5:45 p.m., Beal said she and her family had gathered their dogs and left their home, which doesn't have an underground basement, for the safety of a friend's basement.

"There were five adults, seven kids and seven Labradors in the basement," Beal said.

After spending the night there, Beal returned home at about 6:15 a.m. The house had a bit of siding damage and tree damage and was covered with insulation that had blown across the street from Titan Machinery. Beal said it was probably too cold to power wash the insulation off the house, and she didn't know how her family would move the heavy pieces of sheet metal from Titan's roof that had come to rest in the yard.

Other communities hard hit by Wednesday night's unusual December story also spent the next day cleaning up.

In the Cherokee County town of Aurelia, Police Chef Brian Flikeid confirmed a storm-damaged dryer fell off of a local co-op and several railroad cars were blown over as a result of the storm.

"Aurelia has sustain property damage and many trees and debris have to be removed," Flikeid said Thursday morning. "We are getting several calls from volunteers asking to help and that's been amazing."

In Sutherland, where there was an unconfirmed report of a tornado, a large tree branch caused significant roof damage to commercial property in the O'Brien County town, County Emergency Management Director Jared Johnson said. A machine shed was destroyed southeast of town and a cattle yard building was damaged north of town,

Tree branches were reported as down from strong winds in Sutherland, Calumet, Paullina, Primghar, Sheldon, Sanborn and Hartley, Johnson said.

"Power outages were noted at different times in Paullina, Calumet and Sutherland," Johnson said Thursday morning. "All have been restored."

In Aurelia, power was restored in the city of 968 within two hours Wednesday night, Flikeid said.

As people across the region cleaned up, MidAmerican Energy Co. crews also continued to restore power.

MidAmerican spokeswoman Tina Hoffman said outages across the company's territory in Iowa peaked at 9 p.m. Wednesday with 63,000 customers without power, 4,600 in the Sioux City area.

By 10:30 a.m. Thursday, just 84 Sioux City area customers remained without power, and 11,200 statewide, mostly in Council Bluffs and southwest Iowa. Hoffman said the company had prepared for the storm.

"We had advance notice, so we had crews on standby and ready to go," she said.

A downed transmission line continued to block all four lanes of U.S. Highway 20 just east of Lawton, and Hoffman said the highway between Lawton and Moville would remain closed until at least Friday afternoon. Hoffman said wind-damaged structures supporting the line must be repaired before the line can be removed from the highway. Traffic will continue to be diverted north through Lawton and onto 150th Street.

The line was one of 23 transmission lines affected statewide, Hoffman said, and 99 transmission line structures were damaged.

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SIOUX CITY -- Woodbury County authorities assessed damage Thursday from high winds and tornadoes Wednesday night.

Most of the damage occurred on the western part of the county, said Captain Ryan Collins with Sioux City Fire Rescue, adding it was mostly concentrated between Salix and southeast towards Lawton.

Collins said the emergency operations center was activated during the storm and various emergency services crews were moving through the area keeping track of the damages.

The majority of damage was to trees, but some buildings and grain bins were also damaged. Large power lines went down just west of Lawton, disrupting traffic on Highway 20 and knocking out power to customers in Bronson, Lawton and Moville.

The rural communities have been advised to report their damages to the emergency management team.

Residents can report damage to the team online at https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/7ddd269f8fbf4b8a9bd0f512dc53484d?fbclid=IwAR3YsBQa-ZhzBrb9CMfd8MK0mwopWiaf0CIJ-xEwnVtXQPlUwvvwyyggFE0

A temporary storm debris dump site has been set up at the Woodbury Emergency Services site, 121 Deer Run Trail, Climbing Hill.

Friday and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Woodbury County residents can drop off trees and branches knocked down by the recent storm.

In Sioux City, Kelly Bach, parks maintenance field supervisor said the storm did not follow a specific path through town and was more random like storms in spring and summer.

He received 40 notifications of tree issues, and the department was very close to finishing them as of 4 p.m. Thursday.

All of the roadways have been cleared, with only some limbs left in the right of ways. Residents who have small branches can cut them and dispose of them with their regular waste pick up.

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MOSCOW (AP)  Russia on Friday published draft security demands that NATO deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back the alliance's military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe  bold ultimatums that are almost certain to be rejected by the U.S. and its allies.

The proposals, which were submitted to the U.S. and its allies earlier this week, also call for a ban on sending U.S. and Russian warships and aircraft to areas from where they can strike each others territory, along with a halt to NATO military drills near Russia.

The demand for a written guarantee that Ukraine won't be offered membership already has been rejected by the West, which said Moscow doesn't have a say in NATO's enlargement.

NATOs secretary-general emphasized Friday that any security talks with Moscow would need to take into account NATO concerns and involve Ukraine and other partners. The White House similarly said its discussing the proposals with U.S. allies and partners, but noted that all countries have the right to determine their future without outside interference.

The publication of the demands  contained in a proposed Russia-U.S. security treaty and a security agreement between Moscow and NATO  comes amid soaring tensions over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine that has raised fears of an invasion. Moscow has denied it has plans to attack its neighbor but wants legal guarantees precluding NATO expansion and deploying weapons there.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russias relations with the U.S. and NATO have approached a dangerous point, noting that alliance deployments and drills near Russia have raised unacceptable threats to its security.

Moscow wants the U.S. to start talks immediately on the proposals in Geneva, he told reporters.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had received the Russian documents, and noted that any dialogue with Moscow would also need to address NATOs concerns about Russias actions, be based on core principles and documents of European security, and take place in consultation with NATOs European partners, such as Ukraine.

He added that the 30 NATO countries have made clear that should Russia take concrete steps to reduce tensions, we are prepared to work on strengthening confidence building measures.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the administration is ready to discuss Moscows concerns about NATO in talks with Russian officials, but emphasized that Washington is committed to the principle of nothing about you without you in shaping policy that impacts European allies.

Were approaching the broader question of diplomacy with Russia from the point of view that ... meaningful progress at the negotiating table, of course, will have to take place in a context of de-escalation rather than escalation, Sullivan said at the event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations. He added that its very difficult to see agreements getting consummated if were continuing to see an escalatory cycle.

While U.S. intelligence has determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made plans for a potential further invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Sullivan said the U.S. still does not know whether he has decided to move forward.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted that strategic security talks with Moscow go back decades, saying that theres no reason we cant do that moving forward to reduce instability, but were going to do that in partnership and coordination with our European allies and partners.

We will not compromise the key principles on which European security is built, including that all countries have the right to decide their own future and foreign policy free from the outside interference," Psaki said.

Moscows draft also calls for efforts to reduce the risk of incidents involving Russia and NATO warships and aircraft, primarily in the Baltic and the Black seas, increase the transparency of military drills and other confidence-building measures.

A senior U.S. official said some of the Russian proposals are part of an arms control agenda between Moscow and Washington, while some other issues, such as transparency and deconfliction, concern all 57 members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, including Ukraine and Georgia.

The official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity in order to talk about the proposals, said the U.S. is looking at how to engage every country whose interests are affected in prospective talks on European security issues and will respond to Moscow sometime next week with concrete proposals after consulting with the allies.

President Vladimir Putin raised the demand for security guarantees in last weeks video call with U.S. President Joe Biden. During the conversation, Biden voiced concern about a buildup of Russian troops near Ukraine and warned him that Russia would face severe consequences if Moscow attacked its neighbor.

Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and shortly after cast its support behind a separatist rebellion in the country's east. More than seven years of fighting has killed over 14,000 people and devastated Ukraines industrial heartland, known as the Donbas.

The Russian demands would oblige Washington and its allies to pledge to halt NATO's eastward expansion to include other ex-Soviet republics and rescind a 2008 promise of membership to Ukraine and Georgia. The alliance already has firmly rejected that demand from Moscow.

Moscow's documents also would preclude the U.S. and other NATO allies from conducting any military activities in Ukraine, other countries of Eastern Europe and ex-Soviet republics in the Caucasus and in Central Asia.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry commented on Moscows proposals by emphasizing that its up to the alliance and Ukraine to discuss NATO membership prospects and its military cooperation with other countries.

The Russian aggression and the current Russian escalation along the Ukrainian border and on the occupied territories is now the main problem for the Euro-Atlantic security, said its spokesman Oleg Nikolenko.

The Russian proposal also ups the ante by putting a new demand to roll back NATO military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe, stating that the parties agree not to send any troops to areas where they hadn't been present in 1997  before NATO's eastward expansion started  except for exceptional situations of mutual consent.

Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999, followed in 2004 by Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the former Soviet republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In the following years, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia also became members, bringing NATO membership to 30 nations.

The draft proposals contain a ban on the deployment of U.S. and Russian warships and aircraft to areas where they can strike targets on the territory of the other party.

Moscow has long complained about patrol flights by U.S. strategic bombers near Russia's borders and the deployment of U.S. and NATO warships to the Black Sea, describing them as destabilizing and provocative.

Russia's draft envisages a pledge not to station intermediate-range missiles in areas where they can strike the other partys territory, a clause that follows the U.S. and Russian withdrawal from a Cold War-era pact banning such weapons.

The Russian draft also calls for a ban on the deployment of U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons on the territory of other countries  a repeat of Moscow's longtime push for the U.S. to withdraw its nuclear weapons from Europe.

Dmitri Trenin, the director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, noted that the publication of the Russian demands signals that the Kremlin considers their acceptance by the West unlikely.

This logically means that Russia will have to assure its security single-handedly" using military-technical means, he said on Twitter.

Cook reported from Brussels. Darlene Superville, Ellen Knickmeyer and Aamer Madhani in Washington and Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  The Minnesota police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright told jurors at her manslaughter trial on Friday that she didnt want to hurt anybody that day, saying during sometimes tearful testimony that she shouted a warning about using her Taser on Wright after she saw fear in a fellow officers face.

Kim Potter, 49, has said she meant to draw her Taser instead of her handgun during the April 11 traffic stop in Brooklyn Center when she killed Wright. She testified that she was sorry it happened" and that she doesnt remember what she said or everything that happened after the shooting, saying much of her memory of those moments is missing.

Potter is charged with first-degree and second-degree manslaughter in the killing of Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist who was pulled over for having expired license plate tags and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. Potter, who was training another officer at the time, said she probably wouldn't have pulled Wright's car over if she had been on her own that day because many drivers were late on renewing their tags at that point of the pandemic.

After she and the other two officers at the scene that day decided to arrest Wright on an outstanding warrant for a weapons violation, the encounter just went chaotic," Potter told the jury. Wright pulled away from the officers and got back in his car, police body camera footage of the traffic stop shows.

I remember yelling, Taser, Taser, Taser, and nothing happened, and then he told me I shot him, Potter said through tears. Her body camera video recorded Wright saying, Ah, he shot me an instant after the shooting.

Potters attorneys argued that she made a mistake but also would have been justified in using deadly force if she had meant to because one of the other officers, then-Sgt. Mychal Johnson, was at risk of being dragged by Wrights car.

Johnson testified last week that he was leaning into the car to make sure the gear shifter was in park and to shut off the vehicle, and that he had grabbed Wright's right arm with both hands to try to handcuff him. He said at the time he couldn't see what Potter was doing, but began backing out when he heard Potter shout, Taser!

Composite video appeared to show Johnsons hands still in the car at the time the shot was fired.

Potter said nothing in court about making a mistake, and she seemed to give a chronology of what happened without providing insight into what she was thinking.

During cross-examination, prosecutor Erin Eldridge noted that Potter testified that she decided to draw her Taser after she saw Johnson looked scared. Potter agreed that was her testimony. But Eldridge said Potter told a defense expert that she didn't know why she drew her Taser. Quoting from the expert's report, Eldridge said that Potter said: I dont have an answer, my brain said grab the Taser. Potter told the court she didn't recall saying that.

Eldridge also got Potter to say that she didn't plan to use deadly force.

Eldridge drove hard at Potters training, getting her to agree that her use-of-force training was a key component to being an officer. Potter testified that she was also trained on when to use force and how much to use, and that there was a policy that dictated what officers could or could not do.

Potter testified under questioning by one of her lawyers that she had no training on weapons confusion, saying it was mentioned in training but wasn't something her departments officers were physically trained on. She also said she never used a Taser while on duty during her 26 years on the force, though she had pulled it out a few times to de-escalate situations, and that she never used her gun until the day she shot Wright.

Potter, who was training Officer Anthony Luckey, said Luckey noticed Wrights car in a turn lane with the signal turned on inappropriately, then saw an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror as well as expired tags.

She said Luckey wanted to stop the vehicle, and although she most likely wouldn't have done so if shed been on patrol by herself, it is important for trainees to have many encounters with the public. She said after they found there was a warrant for Wright's arrest, they were required to take him into custody.

She said they also were required to find out who Wrights female passenger was because a woman  a different one, as it turned out  had taken out a restraining order against him.

While defense attorney Earl Gray walked her though what happened, he did not ask her whether she meant to draw her Taser. A prosecution witness testified earlier in the week that she would not have decided to use her Taser if she thought there was a danger it could cause a death or great bodily harm.

Potter, who resigned two days after the shooting, was matter-of-fact and gave brief answers for most of the cross-examination.

Under questioning by her own attorney, Potter said she has been in therapy since the shooting, and that she left Minnesota and is no longer a police officer. She said she quit the police force because there was so much bad things happening. ... I didnt want anything bad to happen to the city.

Wright's death set off angry demonstrations for several days in Brooklyn Center. It happened as another white officer, Derek Chauvin, was standing trial in nearby Minneapolis for the killing of George Floyd.

Before Potter took the stand, a defense witness testified that police officers can mistakenly draw their guns instead of Tasers under high-stress situations because their ingrained training takes over.

Laurence Miller, a psychologist who teaches at Florida Atlantic University, said that the more someone repeats the same act, the less they have to think about it. Miller said that when a person learns a new skill, memory of an old skill might override that, resulting in an action error in which an intended action has an unintended effect.

You intend to do one thing, think youre doing that thing, but do something else and only realize later that the action that you intended was not the one you took, he said.

Some experts are skeptical of the theory. Geoffrey Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina who is not involved in Potter's trial, has said theres no science behind it.

On cross-examination, Eldridge quoted from a 2010 article Miller wrote in which he described how police can avoid what he termed one big mistake. He wrote that many such mistakes are preventable through proper training and practice.

State sentencing guidelines call for just over seven years in prison upon conviction of first-degree manslaughter and four years for second-degree, though prosecutors have said they plan to push for longer sentences.

Both sides will present closing arguments Monday before the case goes to the mostly white jury.

Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin. Associated Press writers Tammy Webber in Fenton, Michigan, and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis also contributed.

Find the APs full coverage of the Daunte Wright case: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP)  An electrical fault from an improperly disconnected battery in a used vehicle led to the fire aboard a cargo ship docked in Florida that resulted in $40 million worth of damage, officials said Thursday.

The National Transportation Safety Board released a report of its findings, along with eight safety recommendations to federal regulators and the companies involved in the June 2020 blaze.

According to the NTSB report, nine firefighters were injured while responding to the Hoegh Xiamen at the Port of Jacksonville. None of the vessels 21 crewmembers was injured. The fire took over a week to extinguish.

The Hoegh Xiamen and its cargo of 2,420 used vehicles were declared a total loss, officials said. The vessel was towed to Turkey to be recycled in August 2020 after salvage operations were completed.

The NTSB concluded many of the vehicles loaded onto the vessel had batteries that were not disconnected and secured in accordance with procedures, which increased the risk of electrical arcing and component faults. During loading operations, both the loading personnel and crew missed opportunities to address these hazards, officials said.

The investigation showed that the detection of the fire was delayed because the vessels fire detection systems had not yet been reactivated after loading was completed. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Departments response to the fire was delayed because the ship's master didn't immediately have available contact information for search and rescue authorities and did not know how to report a fire to local authorities.

The NTSB recommended that the shipping companies improve oversight of vehicle loading and training of personnel involved in battery securement. The agency recommended federal agencies improve regulations for ships that transport used vehicles. The NTSB also recommended that the vessel's operator revise their procedures for the reactivation of fire detection systems and ensuring emergency contact information is immediately available for bridge teams.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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FAIRFAX, Va. (AP)  Police in Virginia say the discovery of four bodies at two different locations in the state are the work of a serial killer who used a shopping cart to transport his victims' bodies after meeting them on dating sites.

At a press conference Friday, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis dubbed the suspect, 35-year-old Anthony Robinson of Washington, D.C., the shopping cart killer and said police are working to determine if there are other victims.

Davis said Robinson, who was taken into custody in Rockingham County last month, has lived in multiple locations, including New York and Maryland, in recent years.

Police in Harrisonburg arrested Robinson last month and charged him with two counts of murder after finding two bodies in a vacant lot in the city.

The good thing is hes in custody. The challenge that remains is identifying other victims, Davis said.

Evidence uncovered after Robinson's arrest led police to search an area near the Moon Inn in Fairfax County south of Alexandria.

During the search, detectives noticed a shopping cart and recalled that a cart had been used to transport the bodies in the Harrisonburg cases, said Ed O'Carroll, commander of the major crimes unit in Fairfax County.

Near the shopping cart was a large plastic container that held the remains of two women. One has been tentatively identified as Cheyenne Brown, 29, whose disappearance had been under investigation by Washington, D.C., police. The second body found in Fairfax County has not yet been identified.

The three victims who have been identified all went missing in the last few months. Police say they are trying to research Robinson's life going back many years to see if there might be more victims.

Thats what worries us, Davis said. He didnt suddenly turn into who he is three months ago.

Harrisonburg Police Chief Kelley Warner said Robinson has not given police any kind of cooperative statement since his arrest. Police arrested him relatively quickly after the bodies in Harrisonburg were found, based on video surveillance and cellphone records, Warner said.

Robinson's lawyer, Louis Nagy, declined to comment on the substance of the charges against his client in Harrisonburg. Robinson has not yet been formally charged in Fairfax County, but police said charges are forthcoming.

All three victims who have been identified met Robinson through dating websites. Police believe his dating history may provide clues into any additional victims.

Police did not say whether the victims were sexually assaulted, but Davis stated bluntly during the press conference that the suspect did unspeakable things with his victims.

The two victims who were found dead in Harrisonburg were previously identified as Tonita Lorice Smith, 39, of Charlottesville, and Allene Elizabeth Beth Redmon, 54, of Harrisonburg.

A scheduling hearing in Harrisonburg is set for Dec. 27.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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ROME (AP)  Pope Francis celebrated his 85th birthday on Friday, a milestone made even more remarkable given the coronavirus pandemic, his summertime intestinal surgery and the weight of history: His predecessor retired at this age and the last pope to have lived any longer was Leo XIII over a century ago.

Yet Francis is going strong, recently concluding a whirlwind trip to Cyprus and Greece after his pandemic-defying jaunts this year to Iraq, Slovakia and Hungary. He has set in motion an unprecedented two-year consultation of rank-and-file Catholics on making the church more attuned to the laity, and shows no sign of slowing down on his campaign to make the post-COVID world a more environmentally sustainable, economically just and fraternal place where the poor are prioritized.

"I see a lot of energy," said the Rev. Antonio Spadaro, one of Francis' trusted Jesuit communications gurus. "What we're seeing is the natural expression, the fruit of the seeds that he has sown."

But Francis also is beset by problems at home and abroad and is facing a sustained campaign of opposition from the conservative Catholic right. He has responded with the papal equivalent of "no more Mr. Nice Guy." Read the full story here:

***

PHOTO GALLERY

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RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP)  Jewish settlers burst into several villages in the occupied West Bank on Friday, smashing homes and cars and beating up at least two people, Palestinian officials said. The attacks came a day after Palestinian gunmen killed an Israeli man in a shooting ambush in the territory.

The death of settler Yehuda Dimentman, killed when gunmen opened fire on his car near a West Bank settlement outpost late Thursday, threatened to ignite further violence between Palestinian residents and Israeli settlers. Two other passengers in Dimentmans vehicle were lightly wounded.

Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors settlement activities, said groups of settlers entered several Palestinian villages near the northern city of Nablus early Friday, smashing up cars and homes. Two Palestinians required hospital treatment.

In the Palestinian village of Qaryout, settlers broke into one house and tried to abduct a local resident, Wael Miqbel, according to Daghlas.

Photos later shared on social media showed Miqbel with bruises and swelling across his face, while other videos and photos published online showed confrontations between armed settlers and Palestinian residents.

Israeli leaders have vowed to find the assailants behind Thursday's shooting and the army deployed additional forces to the area. According to the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, at least three men from the northern village of Burqa were arrested in overnight raids.

The army said Friday the manhunt for the Palestinian gunmen was still ongoing, but gave no further details.

Dimentman's car came under fire after leaving a Jewish seminary in the outpost of Homesh, a former settlement evacuated as part of Israels withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005. In recent years, settlers have re-established an unauthorized outpost at the site, one of dozens of outposts in the West Bank that are considered illegal but often tolerated by the Israeli government.

No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting, although the Hamas militant group, which rules the Gaza Strip, praised the attack.

Hundreds gathered for Dimentmans funeral services in Homesh on Friday morning, before the body was taken to Jerusalem for burial.

The latest attacks come amid an uptick in Israeli-Palestinian violence across the West Bank and in east Jerusalem. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was left seriously injured after being stabbed by a Palestinian attacker outside the walls of Jerusalems Old City. A week before, a Hamas militant opened fire in the Old City, killing an Israeli man. Both attackers were killed by Israeli forces.

Settler violence against Palestinians has seen a similar uptick during the olive harvest. In mid-November, Jewish settlers attacked a group of Palestinian farmers with pepper spray and clubs in the farmland surrounding Homesh, injuring four people.

Israel captured east Jerusalem and the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war. The territories are now home to more than 700,000 Jewish settlers, although Palestinians seek both areas as parts of their future independent state. Palestinians, along with most of the international community, consider settlements to be illegal and the major obstacle to peace.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP)  The National Labor Relations Board confirmed a vote Friday to form a union at a Starbucks store in Buffalo, meaning the coffee retailer, for the first time, will have to bargain with organized labor at a company-owned U.S. store.

We don't want to fight Starbucks  we're asking them to turn over a new leaf, said Jaz Brisack, an organizer at the store, one of three New York Starbucks locations that petitioned the labor board for a union election in October.

Voting wrapped up last week and the board certified the results of the Buffalo employees' 19-8 vote Friday.

Workers United, the union representing the employees, filed formal objections in the other two elections late Thursday, delaying certification. The objections claim Starbucks waged a shock and awe campaign meant to dissuade workers from voting to unionize.

The 50-year-old company has actively fought unionization for decades, saying its more than 8,000 company-owned U.S. stores function best when it works directly with employees.

Workers at a store in the Buffalo suburb of Hamburg voted 12-8 against a union. The outcome of a Cheektowaga store's vote could not be determined because both sides challenged seven separate votes. Union organizers said six of the votes were cast by ineligible employees.

If the outcome of the ballot challenges favors unionization, organizers will drop the objection to the Cheektowaga results, attorney Ian Hayes said.

The objections say Starbucks employees were subjected to a massive campaign of overwhelming psychological force from the moment they publicly expressed the desire to form a union.

Dozens of managers were sent in to speak against the efforts in individual and group meetings with employees, according to the filings. Workers were told they could lose benefits under a union, and pro-union employees were spied on and saw their schedules changed and hours reduced.

The actions disrupted the laboratory conditions considered necessary for a fair election, the union said.

These claims are grossly inaccurate. We did not and do not engage in intimidation tactics, Starbucks responded in a statement. We are partners and we show up for one another. Thats what we do and what we continue to do.

If the NLRB determines that the claims could be grounds for setting aside an election, it would order a hearing to determine whether a new election should be held.

Workers at all three stores began voting by mail last month on whether they wanted to be represented by Workers United, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union.

After the Buffalo vote, Starbucks workers at two locations in Boston petitioned the NLRB for union elections. Three other Buffalo-area stores and a store in Mesa, Arizona, also have filed petitions with the labor board for their own union elections. Those cases are pending.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP)  A new federal regulation requires higher safety standards for pipelines carrying oil and other hazardous liquids through the Great Lakes region, marine coastal waters and beaches, officials said Thursday.

The rule issued by the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration designates those locations as high consequence zones where pipeline operators must step up inspections, repairs and other measures to avoid spills.

The agency estimated that 2,905 additional miles (4,675 kilometers) of hazardous liquid pipelines will be covered under the new rule, primarily in states along the Gulf of Mexico.

The Great Lakes and our coastal waters are natural treasures that deserve our most stringent protections, said Tristan Brown, the agency's deputy administrator. This rule strengthens and expands pipeline safety efforts."

Congress ordered the pipeline safety agency last year to include the Great Lakes, coastal beaches and coastal waters among unusually sensitive areas" meriting extra attention.

We know a pipeline spill in the Great Lakes would be catastrophic, said Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat who sponsored the provision.

The natural gas and oil industry "is committed to the safe and environmentally responsible operation of U.S. energy infrastructure, and pipelines remain one of the safest ways to deliver affordable, reliable energy," said Robin Rorick, a vice president of the American Petroleum Institute, a trade association. As our industry works to protect the environment and communities where we live and work, this rule provides the opportunity to further that commitment.

Large oil releases would severely damage shoreline and underwater environments, fisheries, human health and coastal community economies, the regulation says.

The 53-page document acknowledges there's no way to know how many disasters the new requirements will prevent. But it offers several previous examples of damaging spills in the designated areas.

Among them: last month's release from an oil pipeline in Southern California and a 2010 spill of about 840,000 gallons (3.2 million liters) of crude near Marshall, Michigan, which contaminated nearly 40 miles (64 kilometers) of the Kalamazoo River.

It also notes a 2018 anchor strike that dented Enbridge Energy's Line 5 in Michigan's Straits of Mackinac connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, although it didn't cause an oil leak.

The new rule requires operators to include any pipeline that could affect the designated environments in their safety management programs.

Those procedures include in-line inspections, pressure tests and other methods to measure pipeline integrity, as well as analyses of significant threats such as corrosion.

Environmentalists praised the measure but said they would continue pushing to shut down Enbridge's Line 5, which moves oil between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario.

The aging pipelines in our basin are a risk to our water and way of life, said Beth Wallace, Great Lakes campaign manager for the National Wildlife Federation.

Enbridge said its integrity management program for Line 5 already meets the new requirements.

Our goal is to protect the waters of the Great Lakes while safely and reliably delivering affordable energy to Michigan and the region daily, spokesman Ryan Duffy said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Following the recent death of an Omaha woman who was badly burned in 2019, the Douglas County Attorneys Office is reviewing the criminal case against the womans husband, who has been accused of setting her on fire.

Carl Bohm, 68, is currently charged with first-degree arson and two counts of first-degree assault. Authorities have said he started a fire Feb. 25, 2019, at the family home near 39th Street and Himebaugh Avenue.

Bohms wife, Janet Franks-Bohm, suffered third-degree burns on more than 60% of her body in the fire. The couples daughter, Amanda Bohm, suffered second-degree burns.

Omaha Police Department officials said Thursday that they had been notified that Franks-Bohm recently died in Colorado. They said the local coroner determined that her death was directly related to the injuries she suffered in the 2019 fire and ruled her death a homicide.

The Douglas County Attorneys Office is reviewing the case to determine the appropriate charges related to this new information, police said in a statement.

Franks-Bohm had applied for a protection order seven months before the fire. She said Carl Bohm had burned the familys belongings in a giant bonfire and threatened to burn down the house and kill her. The protection order was denied without reason or a hearing.

Amanda Bohm said the last words her father said to her were I will hurt you more than you ever will know. After saying that, she said, he flicked a lighter onto a puddle of gasoline on the garage floor.

Franks-Bohm underwent more than 30 surgeries to repair her skin  first using synthetic skin and then grafts from her own skin.

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WASHINGTON  An engineer who worked for decades as a federal defense contractor was arrested in Lead on charges of trying to pass classified information to someone he thought was a Russian agent but was actually an undercover FBI employee, the Justice Department said Thursday.

The FBI conducted an undercover operation against John Murray Rowe Jr., 63, of South Dakota, after he was fired from his job for security violations and because he had been identified as a potential insider threat, federal officials said.

As part of the investigation, Rowe traded more than 300 emails with an undercover FBI employee who approached him in March 2020 posing as a Russian agent, the government said. Rowe shared operational details about U.S. military fighter jets in one email, and in another, said: If I cant get a job here then Ill go work for the other team, according to court documents.

Court records do not list a lawyer for Rowe. Prosecutors say Rowe had worked for nearly 40 years as a test engineer for defense contractors and held security clearances.

He was fired in March 2018 from an unnamed company involved in aerospace matters after prosecutors say he tried to bring a thumb drive into a classified space and asked whether he could simultaneously possess a U.S. government security clearance and a Russian government clearance.

Rowe was due in federal court in South Dakota on Friday. He was arrested Wednesday in Lead on a charge of attempting to communicate national defense information to aid a foreign government  which carries a potential life sentence.

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OMAHA  National Audubon Society employees in Nebraska have overwhelmingly voted to unionize.

Eleven Audubon workers in the state are now eligible to join the Audubon for All Union, which is partnering with the Communications Workers of America, according to a news release issued Wednesday. Those workers voted 8-1 to join the union.

The release stated that the vote caps workers yearlong effort to secure stronger health care benefits, job security and a voice at the table for all workers.

The National Audubon Society is a bird and habitat conservation organization.

Nebraska workers decision to join the union was part of a sweep that included Audubon workers in the North Carolina, Mid-Atlantic, California, Upper Midwest and Great Lakes regional offices, according to the release. Workers in Arizona, New Mexico, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, Alaska and Washington planned to vote whether to join the union by the end of the week. In total, those areas account for more than 120 employees.

The release said employees began organizing after facing two rounds of layoffs last year and having the cost of their health care increased amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Audubon Society spokeswoman Diana Lee said the layoffs were due to the impacts of the pandemic.

The release also cited reporting from the news outlet Politico, which reported that the National Audubon Society, with about 600,000 members, allegedly maintained a culture of retaliation, fear and antagonism toward women and people of color.

The organization also has grappled with the fact that its namesake, John James Audubon, was a slaveholder and staunch opponent of abolition, the Associated Press reported in July.

We have been working towards this day for over a year, going up against mass layoffs, anti-union rhetoric and leadership transitions. But we remained strong because we know a union is essential to improving Audubons culture and furthering our mission to protect the birds, Cacey Wilken, a conservation field technician at Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center in Denton said in the release.

In a statement, Audubon CEO Elizabeth Gray said the national organization respects employees decision to unionize.

We respect the decision by our colleagues to form a union and we are devoted to ensuring our workplace is one where all employees are respected, valued, and empowered, Gray said. We will always strive to be an Audubon for All. Stepping into Audubons permanent CEO role as of last month, I look forward to working together with the unions to advance our organizations mission.

Audubon is the latest in a number of environmental groups whose workers have formed unions, according to the release. Others include the Center for Biological Diversity, Sunrise Movement, Sierra Club, 350.org and Greenpeace.

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MILBANK, S.D. (AP)  A northeastern South Dakota man was charged Thursday with three counts of first-degree murder in connections with the deaths of a married couple and their unborn child, authorities said.

Brent Hanson, 57, is accused of killing Clyde and Jessica Hanson, whose bodies were found in their Milbank home Wednesday morning. Jessica Hanson was pregnant, police said.

Brent and Clyde Hanson are brothers and have joint ownership of the residential property where they both live in separate spaces, the Aberdeen American News reported.

Brent Hanson had a previous scuffle with the couple in July where he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault and domestic violence. Brent Hanson allegedly pushed around the couple after an argument over the care for Jessica Hansons dog.

Milbank police have released few details about the killings. They said they were dispatched to the residence for a welfare check Wednesday and were simultaneously notified that two people in the home might be dead.

Brent Hanson is jailed on a $5 million cash bond. It wasn't clear if he had an attorney.

Tim Bormann, chief of staff for the South Dakota Attorney Generals Office, said there is no danger to the community,

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Aberdeen American News.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  Two men convicted of killing a Sioux Falls pizza delivery driver during a robbery in 2020 were ordered Thursday to serve decades in prison.

Judge Robin Houwman sentenced Raymond Banks, 20, to 60 years in prison and Jahennessy Bryant, 23, to 25 years behind bars.

Bryant and Banks pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in connection to the killing of 30-year-old Casey Bonhorst, who was shot while he was delivering pizza to a residence in eastern Sioux Falls.

Bonhorst was shot in the neck after throwing a pocket full of change and lunging at the shooter when Bryant after Banks tried to rob him, police said.

Bryant and Banks accused each other of being the shooter.

Prosecutors on Thursday played a portion of a video call between Banks and his girlfriend in which Banks joked about getting a prison tattoo in the shape of a pizza slice instead of a tear drop.

This killing was brutal, inhumane and unjustified, Houwman said. I said several times today, it was senseless. Casey did not deserve to die for a few coins, a little change.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP)  A former Rapid City priest convicted of stealing donations from Catholic churches is appealing his sentence.

Marcin Garbacz's attorney told Eighth Circuit appeals court judges Thursday that the priest was ordered to pay restitution for money that wasnt necessarily stolen.

But the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Koliner, said the priest deposited about $260,000 in cash that couldnt be otherwise explained.

After a weeklong jury trial in early 2020, Garbacz was convicted for stealing from three Catholic churches in Rapid City over several years.

He deposited some of the money in his bank accounts and bought luxury items such as gold-plated chalices, bronze statues, a $10,000 diamond ring and a grand piano, according to court documents.

The jury found him guilty of 50 counts of wire fraud as well as money laundering, transporting stolen money, and filing false tax returns, South Dakota Public Broadcasting reported.

Federal Judge Jeffrey Viken sentenced Garbacz to serve nearly eight years in federal prison and ordered him to make restitution of more than $258,000, to be split equally among the three churches.

Assistant Federal Public Defender Bryan Dean said the government did not have evidence at trial that all the money Garbacz deposited was stolen. But Koliner argued Garbacz was caught on camera stealing deposit bags from one of the churches and admitted he had been stealing donations for years.

Garbacz is asking the Eighth Circuit to reverse and vacate his convictions or remand the sentence for a new restitution determination.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

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We asked atmospheric scientist William Gallus, whose office at Iowa State University was at the heart of the storms, to explain what caused the extreme weather and why it was so unusual.

What happened in the atmosphere to trigger such extreme weather over such a wide area?

We were seeing very strong winds because of a very powerful disturbance in the jet stream. That disturbance helped to create a very intense low-pressure system, which creates strong winds and storms. But the low pressure wasnt what made this event unusual.

It was unprecedented because an incredible amount of warm air got pulled up from the south ahead of the storm.

Tornadoes are extremely rare in Iowa in December. Minnesota, which had never had a tornado in December, also had tornado warnings and a possible sighting.

The wind speeds with this particular system were about as strong as weve seen. But it was all of the other weather parameters coming together in December that put this storm system off the scale.

With the warm moist air, we also had thunderstorms, and thunderstorms tend to make the winds even stronger. If you went up 1,000 feet in the sky, you would find its much windier up there. When you have thunderstorms, the rain helps create a current of wind that goes downward, which we call a downdraft. If you have this downdraft, it tends to carry the really strong winds down to the ground. Thunderstorms in the conditions we were seeing could bring winds that could easily get over 80 mph.

Colorado saw wind gusts over 100 mph. What happened there?

In Colorado, the mountains also help accelerate the wind.

The winds have to rise over the Rocky Mountains. If you get a temperature inversion, where the temperature actually starts to go up rather than down as you get higher in the atmosphere just above the top of the mountains, it can act like a lid that traps the momentum of the wind going over the mountains. The wind cant really spread out, so instead it rushes downward once youre on the east side of the mountains.

With anything going downward, gravity accelerates it, just like if you drop a ball from the top of a skyscraper. The same thing happens to these winds. As they flow down the east face of the Rockies, they accelerate.

When youre on the leeward side of a mountain range, like Denver and Boulder, winds in those areas can get really strong as theyre descending.

What role does the jet stream play in a storm like this?

When we get a low-pressure system, its because of wiggles that are happening in the jet steam. We call them troughs in meteorology.

If you look at a map showing the jet stream, the jet stream looks like a roller coaster  it oscillates up and down, from north to south. Any time youre out ahead of one of these troughs, where the jet stream bends down toward the south and then back toward the north, the air must rise out ahead of it, and this results in a low-pressure system. The winds that blow around it can become very strong.

In this case, there was an especially sharp trough in the jet stream, almost in a V shape, that intensified the effect.

Is there a connection between this storm and the deadly tornadoes that hit Kentucky and other states on Dec. 10-11?

Its hard to say if there was one trigger somewhere on the planet that managed to create these two different ripples in the jet stream.

Whats interesting is that there is La Nina going on in the Pacific Ocean. When we have La Nina conditions, we often find that the far northern part of the United States ends up colder than normal and the south ends up warmer, so you have this bigger contrast in temperatures than normal and it often leads to a stronger jet stream.

[Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today.]

William Gallus does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

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A not-so-peaceful night on the westside

A Sioux City man faces numerous felony and misdemeanor charges after an incident in the wee hours Dec. 9, when he allegedly pulled a handgun on two females outside a westside bar and pursued them as they fled, threatened to shoot them, then attempted to outrun Sioux City Police officers.

At around 1:38 a.m. Dec. 9, Luis Roberto Gomez, 37, of Sioux City, displayed a 9mm Sig Sauer handgun outside Uncle Dave's Bar, 1427 West Third St., and pointed it at two females "in a threatening manner," according to a criminal complaint.

Gomez called one of the females "a whore" and wanted her to go with him, according to the complaint. The victims ran east on West Third Street, then north, then east again in an alley. Gomez, meanwhile, got into a 2015 Honda Accord and followed them, demanding the victims give him $20 in cash that he'd previously lent out. At some point before officers arrived, another woman got in the car with Gomez.

A Sioux City Police patrol car pulled up in front of 1221 West Third St., and Gomez told the victims to be quiet and threatened to shoot them if they didn't shut up, according to the complaint.

A vehicle pursuit ensued, during which a handgun and a loaded magazine were thrown out of the car and later located by officers. Gomez was driving more than 25 miles an hour over the speed limit during the pursuit, coming to a stop only after officers deployed stop sticks, according to another complaint.

Upon his apprehension in the 1400 block of Hamilton Boulevard, officers noticed a strong odor of alcohol on Gomez's breath, and he admitted to having consuming alcohol and marijuana.

He maintained that he was not drunk, though admitted that he was high. Gomez refused to be tested for intoxication but showed signs of impairment. Officers located roughly four grams of marijuana on him and an open container of alcohol was found in the vehicle.

Gomez, listed in court documents as a five-time convicted felon prior to the events of Dec. 9, faces charges including two counts of assault while participating in a felony, two counts of assault while displaying a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, eluding (involving injury, OWI, drugs or while participating in a felony), operating under the influence (second offense) and possession of marijuana (second offense.)

He was held in the Woodbury County jail on $100,000 bond.

His passenger, 21-year-old Tawny Freemont of Sioux City, admitted to tossing the pistol and loaded magazine out the car window after Gomez put them in her lap and told her to throw them out. She was arrested and charged with obstruction.

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So, lets start at the beginning. Barak Ravid, an Israeli journalist and Axios contributor, has been teasing excerpts of interviews he conducted with Donald Trump for a new book on the former presidents efforts to bring about peace in the Middle East. During his time in office, Trump was a stalwart ally with Israel on just about every important geopolitical issue, and had a chummy personal relationship with former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But last Friday, we learned that Trump has cut ties to Netanyahu for his decision to congratulate Joe Biden on winning the presidency, which is the sort of thing a normal world leader is supposed to do. He was very earlylike, earlier than most. I havent spoken to him since. Fuck him, Trump said.

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An F-bomb! Amazing. He also suggested Netanyahu never really wanted to make a peace deal with the PalestiniansI think he just tapped us along. Just tap, tap, tap, you know?and that he had expected Israel to be more involved in the U.S. assassination of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani (though how is a bit unclear).

All of this has unsurprisingly caused a bit of a stir among Israelis and U.S. conservatives, many of whom still feel a deep loyalty to Netanyahu. But lets leave all that asidebecause it turns out that Trump also shared some thoughts about Americas Jews and their relationship to Israel during his chats with Ravid. Among them: He argues that American Jews no longer love Israel as much as evangelical voters, that Israel used to have absolute power over Congress but now its the exact opposite, and that the New York Times, which he incorrectly suggests is owned by Jews, hates Israel. (The Sulzberger family famously has Jewish lineage, but the papers last publisher, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr., was raised Presbyterian. His son now runs the paper.)

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New quotes from Trump to @BarakRavid: Most US Jews don't love Israel. Exclusive for Unholy podcast

@Freedland pic.twitter.com/Hv4joYkbCN  Yonit Levi (@LeviYonit) December 17, 2021

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Heres the complete quote:

I grew up where my father was very close to many Jewish people because it was Brooklyn real estate, Brooklyn and Queens. Many Jewish friends. A great love of Israel, which has dissipated over the years for many people in the United States. I must be honest, its a dangerous thing thats happening. I told Avi, I told others, people in this country that are Jewish no longer love Israel. Ill tell you the evangelical Christians love Israel more than the Jews in this country. It used to be that Israel used to have absolute power over Congress. And today its the exact opposite. And I think Obama and Biden did that. And in the election, they still get a lot of votes from Jewish people, which tells you that the Jewish people, and Ive said this for a long timethe Jewish people in the United States either dont like Israel or dont care about Israel. I mean you look at the New York Timesthe New York Times hates Israel. Hates it. And theyre Jewish people that run the New York Times, the Sulzbergers.

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I guess we should just be happy he didnt come out and call it the Jew York Times.

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Anyway, there are a few important things to note. First, these are not actually new ideas, coming from Trump: You may recall that back in the summer of 2019, he accused American Jews of being disloyal to Israel. And if his comments about the Jewish state and Congress sound familiar, thats because they are: In October he told a talk show host that Israel literally owned Congress a decade ago and now its almost the opposite, thanks to the influence of liberal Democrats.

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The joke (well, joke) about Trumps relationship to the Jews is that he repeats classic antisemitic stereotypesJews run the media and real estate; Congress is controlled by Israel; American Jews are loyal to Israelbut treats them as positive things, and is upset when he learns that, actually, they may not be true. In a way, its almost past the point of being offensive and has just become a sort of grimly funny fact of American life: Our former president is the kind of unwitting antisemite who would absolutely demand that his company exclusively hire Jewish accountants.

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Emphasis on almost. When Trump says American Jews no longer love Israel, hes essentially saying to conservative Christians that Jews who vote Democratic are not just the political enemy, but traitors to their own kind. Back in reality, actual polling shows that the majority of American Jews, including ones who vote Democrat, do in fact say they have an emotional attachment to Israel, though their views have become increasingly conflicted thanks to its treatment of Palestinians (which many younger Jews see as tantamount to apartheid). But surveys dont have much influence over the American right compared with the former president, and while I dont really know whether this sentiment is growing within the evangelical community, its easy to imagine the argument becoming a pillar of conservative antisemitism: Jews are good, until they vote Democrat or congratulate Biden on the phone. If they do, fuck em.
As the Great Resignation continues and more people in the U.S. quit their jobs4.2 million in October alonethere are two professions in particular where employees are walking away for surprisingly similar reasons, and at record pace: health care and journalism.

Though these fields are not typically thought to have much in common, they share common purposes, goals, and practices. Both are what we call narrative professions that deal in informationgathering, synthesizing, and presenting itultimately for the purpose of enabling people to make the best decisions possible. Both are inherently social, requiring investigative listening and correspondence alongside reporting, checking, and considering facts. Their work depends on connections between professionals, the public, and reality built on trust and accuracy.

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Most importantly, journalism and medicine serve higher purposes than simply providing products and services. At their best, they keep the public informed and healthy.

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Yet, for these professions to be at their best, they must first and foremost maintain public trust. Unfortunately, many people do not trust medical expertise, nor do they trust journalists. Accordingly, they really do not trust journalism centered on medical expertise.

The result is a society that is unsettlingly ill-informed and unnecessarily ill. More than 800,000 people have died from the coronavirus in the U.S., and recent research has found that unvaccinated people are 11 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated. Its no exaggeration to say that people are dying due to their distrust of either medicine, journalism, or both.

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Doctors and journalists have noticed. Doctors who have left clinical care describe facing moral distress, stemming in part from their desire to serve a public that increasingly distrusts their guidance. Journalism is seeing a similar exodus of reporters, many of whom describe experiencing higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression as they work to cover the news of the day in the face of widespread public distrust and harassment.

The distress that journalists and physicians feel is not only the result of their frayed relationship with the public, but their limited options when it comes to improving it. Whereas doctors used to own health systems, now they are knowledge workers with reduced power of organizational decision-making. Hospitals are increasingly privatized, and corporate entities now own nearly half of physician practices, making it next to impossible for community doctors to exist at all. Meanwhile, clinical time with patients has steadily decreased, and what little time remains is increasingly diverted away from the patients to electronic record keeping.

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A similar phenomenon has played out in journalism. Newsrooms once run by people invested in the production of quality journalism now increasingly fall into the hands of hedge funds where they face short-sighted layoffs and buyouts. These cuts have been especially brutal for local news outlets, meaning many communities throughout the country do not have local journalists they can turn to for local coverage, eliminating a key bond between journalism and the publicas well as between neighbors within communities that lack the connective tissue that comes from knowing their own news.

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In other words, journalists and doctors once had decision-making power in the structures and incentives that governed their work. Now those structures are primarily outside of their control, while new incentives lead to behavior that further chips away at public trust.

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Whats important to understand about the narrative professions is that they depend on social and relational practices to ensure the accuracy of information and its interpretation. We call this relational accuracy: the phenomenon where quality information is not in the head of any one individual, but what emerges from the exchanges between the people within these relationships. Unfortunately, the structures that comprise health care and journalism have diminished the time necessary for relational accuracy to exist. Although each of these professions is public-centered, neither journalists nor doctors have the time and resources necessary to meaningfully think about and interact with the public.

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As a result, doctors and journalists face two sources of acute frustration: 1) They have an antagonistic relationship with the people they seek to serve, and 2) while most want to improve that relationship, they simply dont have the means to do so.

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Its not a lack of will, but a lack of resources and incentives for them to act on it.

Ending this crisis within both journalism and medicine begins with recognizing that the structures comprising our healthcare and information systems leave doctors and journalists ill-equipped to accurately recognize and represent the complexities of human health or of truth.

The next step is to imagine not only what news and medicine could look like were they operating in full service to their purpose, but the changes that would result. For instance, what if insurance architectures did not polarize patients and doctors by protecting each from the other, but rather recognized the relationship between them as a generator of knowledge and healing, and further protected it? What ifand we know this is ambitious!more newsrooms were primarily audience- or even taxpayer- supported, so journalists had an economic incentive to create news from a place of partnership with the public? What if more states followed the leadership of the New Jersey governor, who, scaffolding off of the tax credits for employing local journalists included in the Build Back Better bill, recently signed off on a state budget that set aside $1 million for local news and information initiatives? What if Congress considered that a majority of Americans now support a single government program to provide health care coverage and made that a reality? These are just a few examples of the ways that information and health care structures canand should transform so that they prioritize common sense-making and common health over shareholder profit.

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The Great Resignation within medicine and journalism, as well as the crises of misinformation and vaccine hesitancy among the publicthese are the consequences of a society where trust in its most public-centered domains is increasingly absent.

Relational work is not only the stuff of medicine and journalisms most rewarding moments. It is also the likeliest process by which journalists, doctors, and the public, will restore the agency and understanding necessary to create that trust, which is the bedrock to the knowledge and health of a flourishing society. Recognizingrather than erasingits fundamental role is the first step.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
ARCHIVED - Communities in Spain reject new Covid traffic light system



With the more pressing matter of Covid passports throughout Spain, the new system wasn't even voted on

In a meeting on Tuesday November 16 between the Ministry of the Health and representatives from the individual autonomous communities, the proposal to amend the traffic light system for Covid risk levels was largely met with disdain and was so far down the list of priorities that the decree wasnt even voted on.

Carolina Darias had previously suggested that the parameters of the various alert levels be increased so that, for example, a region would be considered to be high risk when the reach 300 cases per 100,000 inhabitants rather than the current 150. Her reasoning was that this would allow Spain to avoid further states of alarm, but with communities arguing that they already have the freedom to impose measures such as closing sectors and reducing capacity, the matter was shelved.

Instead, the autonomies called on the Minister to give them national support that allows them to implement a Covid passport system without fear that the decision will later be revoked by the Superior Court of Justice. The regional leaders called for a decision on the passport to be made at a national level to avoid the experience of last summer, where the courts prohibited their use in some communities while allowing them in others.

With the current high vaccination coverage in Spain, several of the community leaders argued that it is no longer a matter of applying classic and general restrictions for the entire populations, but of establishing mechanisms to be able to live with the virus by ensuring that only vaccinated people can access certain public spaces. Hours before the meeting, the Minister of Health of Madrid went so far as to say that it makes no sense to approve the new traffic light system while the Covid passport question remains unresolved.

This is by no means the first time Ms Darias has been confronted with the idea of extending the use of the Covid passport, with Murcia submitting weekly requests and the president of Valencia, Ximo Puig, announcing this week that he plans to implement the system in hospitality and leisure venues . So far, however, the minister has refused to take a firm stance on a legal framework for the Covid passport.

At the end of the meeting, the Ministry of Health reported that they will continue to work on the traffic light system with the various communities and that the matter may be revisited at a later date.

Image: Archive
ARCHIVED - Spain and UK extend temporary agreement on Gibraltar



Negotiations between Madrid and London over the Rock will resume in 2022

At a working dinner between Spains Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel Albares, and his British counterpart, Elizabeth Truss, on Wednesday evening, December 15, it was agreed to extend the memorandum of understanding that regulates relations with Gibraltar until the new year.

The current informal agreement is due to expire on December 31 and while Spain and the UK hoped to resolve the outstanding issues by then, the complexity of the matter has meant that after four rounds of talks, a common objective hasnt been reached. Both parties expect to have a formal treaty finalised in the first quarter of 2022. The Gibraltarian government, for its part, has set the goal for before Easter.

He tratado con @trussliz las negociaciones del Acuerdo entre UE y RU asi como los acuerdos bilaterales sobre #Gibraltar



ytrabajamos por la relacion comercial, la movilidad de nuestros ciudadanos tras el #Brexit y una zona de prosperidad compartida en el Campo de Gibraltar  Jose Manuel Albares (@jmalbares) December 16, 2021

As indicated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement, London and Madrid both consider that "the first four negotiating rounds have made significant progress", "they have been very productive and reflect the willingness of the parties to reach an agreement as soon as possible".

In addition to the treatment of the Rock post-Brexit, Albares and Truss addressed several bilateral agreements including the regulation of police and customs, environmental cooperation and the smuggling of tobacco and other products between Spain and Gibraltar.

According to the British Embassy in Madrid, Truss reaffirmed during the meeting the position of the United Kingdom "on the sovereignty of Gibraltar " while acknowledging that any future agreement must respect European law as well as the legal positions of Spain and the United Kingdom.

While the Brexit negotiations left Gibraltar out of the common market that guarantees the free movement of people and goods, the status quo has been maintained for almost a year while the EU negotiates a new treaty for the Rock. Now, while a hard border has been avoided, Brussels is pushing for an agreement on managing and controlling the port and airport.

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Doctors unable to say when massive backlog might be cleared.

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Doctors have said they have no idea when they will be able to clear a massive backlog of delayed medical procedures amid warnings tens of thousands of people may see operations and examinations postponed as a result of Slovakias third wave of Covid infections.

Last month, healthcare officials ordered a stop to all non-urgent medical procedures in Slovak hospitals as they began to fill with Covid patients amid record infection rates.

As of December 15, there were 3,107 patients in hospital with Covid. Although the figure had been falling gradually over the previous seven days and some experts believe that the peak of the third wave may now have been reached, doctors have told The Slovak Spectator the effects of so many hospitalisations on non-Covid treatments is still being felt.

We believe that the postponement of planned surgeries will be as short as possible, Dr Robert Cellar of the Louis Pasteur University Hospital in Kosice, told The Slovak Spectator.

As soon as possible [after] the third wave, we will contact patients and order new hospitalization dates. Of course, we cannot say the exact date [the rescheduled procedures will take place] at this time.

He added the hospital was doing all it could to minimise the number of postponed surgeries.

Our aim is to treat the maximum number of non-Covid patients whose medical condition requires surgery, he said. Procedures for patients with oncological and emergency conditions, or with infections, have not been postponed, and we have also treated patients with other diseases whose postponement could negatively affect their health. At present, however, surgery is limited throughout Slovakia and therefore, of course, our patients are also affected.

Some patients waiting since second wave
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/and-just-like-that-chris-noth-denies-sexually-assaulting-two-women-1091591285.html

And Just Like That... Chris Noth Denies Sexually Assaulting Two Women

And Just Like That... Chris Noth Denies Sexually Assaulting Two Women

'Mr. Big' has questioned the timing of the sexual assault allegations, as they were made public in the wake of the premiere of "And Just Like That"

2021-12-17T06:58+0000

2021-12-17T06:58+0000

2021-12-17T07:23+0000

world

sexual assault

sex

actor

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Sex and The City star Chris Noth has denied the allegations of sexual assault made against him by two different women as "categorically false".The 67-year-old actor insisted that the sexual encounters were consensual, adding "it's difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. I dont know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this: I did not assault these women." Noth referred to the fact that the allegations were made public a week after the premiere of the much-anticipated "Sex and the City" reboot, "And Just Like That".His response came in response to accusations made by two different women which were published in The Hollywood Reporter. Two women, using the pseudonyms Lily and Zoe, accused Noth of sexually assaulting them on two separate incidents. Zoe approached The Hollywood Reporter, claiming that she had met the actor in 2004 when she was 22. According to the woman, Noth raped her in his apartment in Los Angeles. Zoe says she went to a medical centre following the alleged assault, told the staff about it, but decided not to report it to the police out of fear she'd been fired.Lily, in turn, contacted the media outlet in August, saying she'd met 'Mr. Big' in a New York night club back in 2015, when she was 25 years old. The woman claims he asked her to dinner before inviting her back to his apartment, where she "cautiously entertained" him kissing her but grew uncomfortable with his sexual advances. Sha says he had sex with her, leaving her feeling "totally violated". Lily says she had told a friend about the alleged incident but refused to report it to the police. The women approached The Hollywood Reporter separately and did not know each other. They said that promotions and press coverage of "And Just Like That", in which Noth reprises his role as Mr. Big, stirred up painful memories.No formal charges have been brought against the actor.

Hess Big deal? Chris Noth is a gay and has a boyfriend. He is not into couch potatoes. 0

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https://sputniknews.com/20211217/belarusian-border-committee-says-polish-soldier-seeking-political-asylum-1091599332.html

Belarusian Border Committee Says Polish Soldier Seeking Political Asylum

Belarusian Border Committee Says Polish Soldier Seeking Political Asylum

MINSK (Sputnik) - Belarus' State Border Committee on Friday said that a Polish soldier has requested political asylum in Belarus in protest against Warsaw's... 17.12.2021, Sputnik International

2021-12-17T10:29+0000

2021-12-17T10:29+0000

2021-12-17T11:12+0000

belarus

europe

poland

poland-belarus migrant crisis

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"Disagreement with the policy of Poland regarding the migration crisis and the practice of inhumane treatment of refugees, the serviceman asked for political asylum in the Republic of Belarus", the border committee posted in its Telegram channel.Anton Bychkovsky, a representative of the State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus, said that more information will be released in the evening.Anton Bychkovsky confirmed that Emil Ciecko was provided with everything necessary, including food, at the present time "the necessary documents are being drawn up"On Thursday, a serviceman of the Polish Armed Forces, Emil Ciecko, born 1996, was stopped by a Belarusian border guard unit at the Tushemlya frontier post of the Grodno border group. Ciecko told Belarusian soldiers that he was a soldier of the 11th Masurian Artillery Regiment of the 16th Pomeranian Mechanized Division, which was dispatched to protect the border.Thousands of migrants have amassed at Belarus' borders with Poland and other neighboring EU countries since early summer. The Polish border guard recorded around 40,000 attempts of illegal border crossing by the migrants. Poland reinforced its side of the border by dispatching additional troops, heavy military assets and equipment, and building fences. European countries accused Belarus of being responsible for the migration crisis, while Belarus denied the claims, adding that it has "neither strength nor money" to contain the influx of migrants due to sanctions imposed on it.

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poland

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belarus, europe, poland
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/california-exodus-study-shows-alarming-rate-of-migration-from-golden-state-to-somewhere-else-1091588447.html

California Exodus: Study Shows Alarming Rate of Migration From Golden State to Somewhere Else

California Exodus: Study Shows Alarming Rate of Migration From Golden State to Somewhere Else

The findings come amid California having some of the strictest anti-coronavirus policies in the country, earlier this year and a slew of companies and celebrities moving out of the state.

2021-12-17T03:40+0000

2021-12-17T03:40+0000

2021-12-17T03:40+0000

san francisco

us

real estate

mortgage

california

property

economic realities

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The number of people moving to California has decreased dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic began last year, while the number of persons exiting the state has increased, a new study conducted by California Policy Lab revealed.Comparing the end of September 2021 to the end of March 2020, the study indicated a 38% decline in persons moving to California. Residents relocating out of state increased by 12%, according to the results.The most significant shifts were in the San Francisco Bay Area. The number of people coming to the Bay Area from other states has decreased by 45%, while inhabitants departing for other states has increased by 12%.Sacramento County, which is home to the state capital, witnessed a 33% drop in new residents and a 13% increase in persons departing for other states. Overall, out-of-state entrances decreased by 25% to 45% in all regions of the state.In an interview with the local KCRA TV station, Evan White, the study's co-author, admitted that he was "a little bit surprised" to see how much the entrances had dropped.And while the increased outflow from the state is noteworthy, White believes that the decline in persons moving into the state is "the bigger story."More to that, due to the halt in population growth, California also lost one of its 53 House seats this year for the first time in its history.According to an earlier report, the Republican Party chairwoman in the state, Jessica Millan Patterson, said at the time that California was "the capital of homelessness and poverty, suffocating gas and income tax rates, and the highest number of residents picking up and moving to more affordable and welcoming states."Also earlier, Tesla relocated to Texas, citing tax incentives and the fact that "getting employees is much cheaper and easier in Texas," thus following its founder Elon Musk, who reportedly lives in a small house not far from the headquarters of another of his companies, SpaceX. According to reports, Disney also announced this year that it would relocate 2,000 employees from California to Florida, in part because of "Florida's business-friendly climate."Last year, Kanye West, Joe Rogan, Matthew McConaughey and other celebrities and top taxpayers left the state, seemingly for good.Overall, according to a report released in May by the California Department of Finance, the state's total population dropped by more than 182,000 by 2021.

keyboardcosmetics White flight is taking place all over the world thanks to diversity being imposed on unwilling host communities. 2

Notta Snowflake So far the Brandon Administration has been a carbon copy of the Carter years. Then, much of the frayed white collar parasitic buttkissing class migrated from Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and other Midwestern states to California to become dope-dealing dogwalkers, fingernail stylists, chiropractors and massage therapists. (Those who wanted to do an honest day's work in industry moved to Texas or the Carolinas). That trend continued through the Eighties. Now, their kids and grandkids are heading back. Ridiculous but true. It all goes to prove that locusts and other airborne vermin are migratory in nature. 1

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https://sputniknews.com/20211217/china-deplores-new-us-sanctions-against-xinjiang-tech-companies-1091613326.html

China Deplores New US Sanctions Against Xinjiang Tech Companies

China Deplores New US Sanctions Against Xinjiang Tech Companies

Beijing strongly deplores new US sanctions barring Chinese exports for eight Xinjiang tech companies, the spokesperson of Chinas Ministry of Commerce said on Friday.

2021-12-17T18:51+0000

2021-12-17T18:51+0000

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us

china

sanctions

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Its not the first time the US government has interfered with the Chinese economy under the false pretexts of national security and violation of human rights, placing an embargo on Xinjiangs goods, thus trying to control our export and investments. Such measures seriously hit Chinese companies, and undermine international economic and trade between the two countries. China strongly deplores such measures, the spokesperson said.Last Thursday, the US government imposed a new package of sanctions on China, alleging that Beijing has been using Uyghurs as forced labour and forcibly sterilising Uyghur women.The US Treasury blacklisted DJI, the worlds largest drone manufacturer, and seven other Chinese companies. Americans will not be able to buy or sell the companies publicly traded securities.Xinjiang is a resource-rich mining region, important to both agricultural production and manufacturing. China vowed countermeasures in kind to protect national sovereignty as well as the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.

BillOwens US causing more [problems for Uighurs than any Chinese official. 1

Kiwi China should sanction all US officials involved in Guantanamo Bay - a real example of human rights abuses. 1

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https://sputniknews.com/20211217/demonstrators-rally-in-tunisia-as-president-announces-referendum-and-future-elections-1091593342.html

Demonstrators Rally in Tunisia as President Announces Referendum and Future Elections

Demonstrators Rally in Tunisia as President Announces Referendum and Future Elections

On 14 December, President Kais Saied said that a referendum in Tunisia on constitutional reforms will take place on 25 July 2022, and parliamentary elections... 17.12.2021, Sputnik International

2021-12-17T09:23+0000

2021-12-17T09:23+0000

2021-12-17T09:23+0000

africa

tunis

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Protesters are rallying against Tunisian President Kais Saied and his decision to freeze parliament until elections are held in December 2022.Earlier, Kais Said announced that Tunisia will hold a referendum in July 2022 on a new constitution. The president is a sharp critic of the existing constitution.In late July, Saied dismissed Prime Minister Hicham Mechichi and suspended parliament for 30 days, following anti-government protests.Follow Sputnik's Live Feed to Find Out More!

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Demonstrators Rally in Tunisia as President Announces Referendum and Future Elections Demonstrators Rally in Tunisia as President Announces Referendum and Future Elections 2021-12-17T09:23+0000 true PT1S

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africa, tunis, 
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/eu-eyes-opening-case-in-wto-in-relation-to-lithuania-china-trade-row-trade-spokesperson-says-1091603809.html

EU Eyes Opening Case in WTO in Relation to Lithuania-China Trade Row, Trade Spokesperson Says

EU Eyes Opening Case in WTO in Relation to Lithuania-China Trade Row, Trade Spokesperson Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The EU is gathering evidence and considering the possibility of opening a case in the World Trade Organization (WTO) in relation to the... 17.12.2021, Sputnik International

2021-12-17T11:41+0000

2021-12-17T11:41+0000

2021-12-17T11:41+0000

world trade organization (wto)

china

lithuania

business

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"One of the avenues we need to consider is the compatibility of Chinese actions in relation to WTO and in order to build a case in WTO, we need to have enough evidence so that is what we are doing now, we are in contact with the Lithuanian authorities and other member states that could have facing problem with the supply chains and then when we have all this information, we will be able to go through the different steps to assess the compatibility and to eventually open a case in WTO," the official told a briefing.Earlier, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis said that the European Union is aware of issues with the clearance of Lithuanian goods by Chinese customs and is working on clarifying them. The two also expressed the bloc's solidarity with Lithuania and affirmed Brussels' commitment to opposing political pressure and coercive measures applied to EU members. The statement came shortly after an announcement of a new legal tool to respond to deliberate economic pressure put on the bloc and its member states by third countries.On 2 December, Vidmantas Janulevicius, the president of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, said that Lithuanian companies have recently faced issues with customs clearance in Chinese ports after China allegedly deleted Lithuania from its customs systems following a diplomatic fall-out.China-Lithuania relations soured earlier this year after the Lithuanian government allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in Vilnius. The Chinese government criticized the move and downgraded diplomatic relations with Lithuania to the level of charges d'affaires.

md101 Are the braindead really serious? After all the illegal sanctions they impose on half the planet? 2

ema.ruv LA LITUANIA UN PAESE CON 2 CHILOGRAMMI DI RISERVA AUREA CHE VUOLE RICONOSCERE TAIWAN COME INDIPENDENTE,DOVREBBE ESSERE ESPULSA DALL' UNIONE EUROPEA. PER COLPA DI POCHISSIMI ED INSIGNIFICANTI PAESI, LITUANIA, ESTONIA, LETTONIA, POLONIA, E ROMANIA TUTTO IL BLOCCO EUROPEO SI STA FACENDO RIVALI IN TUTTO IL MONDO ANZICHE' CREARE SVILUPPO E SCAMBI COMMERCIALI, SCENTIFICI, etc...!!! LA LITUANIA ESEGUE GLI ORDINI DI WASHINGTON E DELLA N.A.T.O., NON PERSEGUE UN INDIPENDENTE POLITICA DI DISTENSIONE NEGLI AFFARI E METTE TUTTO IL BLOCCO EUROPEO A RISCHIO DI ENORMI DANNI SIA FINANZIARI CHE IN QUALSIASI ALTRA AREA. MOLTISSIMI SONO ORAMAI I CITTADINI DELL' OVEST EUROPA CHE COMINCIANO AD ODIARE SIA L' UNIONE EUROPEA, SIA I PAESI DELL' EST. E QUESTI ULTIMI RITORNERANNO QUELLO CHE ERANO 25 ANNI FA. I LITUANI ESEGUONO GLI ORDINI DEL N.O.W. new order world, massonerie occulte di comando con sede in London, Washington ed ora se ne vedono le conseguenze. I traditori ed insignificanti Lituani pagano il conto 0

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china

lithuania

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world trade organization (wto), china, lithuania, business
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/ex-parliamentarian-moves-indian-supreme-court-over-disruption-of-friday-prayers-in-gurugram-1091591681.html

Ex-Parliamentarian Moves Indian Supreme Court Over Disruption of Friday Prayers in Gurugram

Ex-Parliamentarian Moves Indian Supreme Court Over Disruption of Friday Prayers in Gurugram

An ongoing row over Friday prayers' offering by Muslims in Gurugram, a city in India's Haryana state, has now reached the doorstep of the Supreme Court of India.

2021-12-17T07:55+0000

2021-12-17T07:55+0000

2021-12-17T07:55+0000

religion

muslim

politics

politics

muslim

muslim

india

politics

religion

gurgaon

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An ongoing row over Friday prayers' offering by Muslims in Gurugram, a city in India's Haryana state, has now reached the doorstep of the Supreme Court of India after a former parliamentarian filed a plea in the country's top court. Mohammad Adeeb, a former member of the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of Parliament), has filed a petition in court, seeking action against the state officers for failing to stop the disruption of Friday prayers in Gurugram.He has accused the Haryana state chief secretary and the Director-General of Police (DGP) of failing to comply with the court's directions regarding taking measures to curb communal and violent sentiments that result in hate crimes.The petition seeks action against Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal, DGP P. K. Agrawal and others.The Supreme Court had then directed governments to adopt a three-pronged approach  preventive measures, remedial measures and punitive measures  to ensure that no group of persons or organisations take law in their own hands and to identify such tendencies to make sure no untoward incident takes place.Talking to Sputnik, Adeeb said: I had to file the petition in the Supreme Court on Wednesday because the police failed to act, despite repeated complaints along with all the proof. All the complaints were received but the action was never taken. The inaction of police and administration has disturbed the communal fabric of the city.For the last five-six weeks, Namaz (Muslim prayer) has been disrupted, even at those spots which have been earmarked by the administration," he said. "All this happens at the behest of identifiable hooligans who are trying to create an atmosphere of hatred and prejudice against one community and sadly all we see is serious inaction on the part of the state administration, he added.The Haryana state government had earlier earmarked 37 places for Muslims to offer Namaz (on Fridays) which were later reduced to 20. However, last month, State Chief Manohar Lal Khattar said that Muslims wouldnt be allowed to offer Namaz in open spaces.Last Friday, the permission for the sites was withdrawn by the administration after State Chief Khattar said the practice of offering Namaz at public spaces will not be tolerated as it is leading to controversies and confrontations.The state chief then said that new sites will be earmarked after discussions among the Muslim groups, Hindu groups, and the district administration.However, as of late Thursday evening, no fresh order was issued by the administration for the prayers.At least, the administration should release a new list of designated places so that we can inform the members of the community, and they can gather there on Friday to perform prayers. Senior officials are not giving any clear answer, Adeeb said.There are certain rituals related to Friday prayers but still I have made an appeal to Muslims to try to offer prayers in mosques which are in the vicinity of the city or at home. The law and order situation must not be compromised. We should not give a chance to those who want to disturb the communal harmony, he added. Adeeb also said that the lawyers have informed him that the petition will be listed for hearing in the Supreme court in the first week of January.Soon after the petition was filed by Adeeb, Hindu organisation Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti accused him of "instigating" people and warned against offering prayers in the open on Friday.Since September, some Hindu groups in Gurugram have been objecting to and protesting against Muslims who offer Friday prayers in public spaces. In October, 30 activists were detained while opposing Muslim men during their Friday prayer.

Cross Bane This is typical for muselims. First, their mosque loudspeakers create problems for people, now they want to pray in public spaces which is meant as free usage at anytime for anyone. What if a pig in the neighboorhood escapes and comes to that ground where they are praying? That's why descent people pray in prayer houses, so they are not disturbed, neither they disturb others. But try to explain this to muselims. They just don't understand anything which concerns the right of others. They are only focused on their rights and to h3ll with the rights of others. 0

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india

gurgaon

haryana

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Rahul Trivedi https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926121_0:-1:627:627_100x100_80_0_0_d882e1a63f627c25b7a534fb8b8234d7.jpg

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religion, muslim, politics, politics, muslim, muslim, india, politics, religion, gurgaon, religion, politics, haryana, religion and politics, india
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/ex-trump-aide-stone-says-appeared-before-january-6-panel-but-did-not-answer-questions-1091613793.html

Ex-Trump Aide Stone Says Appeared Before January 6 Panel But Did Not Answer Questions

Ex-Trump Aide Stone Says Appeared Before January 6 Panel But Did Not Answer Questions

Former Trump adviser Roger Stone on Friday said he appeared for a disposition before the House committee probing the January 6 Capitol riot but did not answer any questions from the panel.

2021-12-17T19:00+0000

2021-12-17T19:00+0000

2021-12-17T19:00+0000

donald trump

us

aide

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"This morning in fulfilment of a federal subpoena I did my civic duty and I responded as required by law," Stone told reporters. "I did invoke my fifth amendment rights to every question, not because I have done anything wrong but because I am fully aware of the House Democrats' long history of fabricating perjury charges on the basis of comments that are innocuous in material or irrelevant."On Monday, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution to hold former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in criminal contempt of Congress for failing to fully cooperate with the January 6 committee. Contempt of Congress charges can result in a penalty of up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.In addition, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon is already being prosecuted for refusing to cooperate with the House committee probe into the Capitol riot. He faces two counts of contempt of Congress, to which he pleaded not guilty, for refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena that ordered him to provide testimony.On 6 January, a group of Trump supporters entered the US Capitol in a bid to protest the lawmakers certifying the 2020 election results. Trump claimed the election results in several US states were invalid due to the election and voter fraud that robbed him of election victory. The authorities shot one protester dead during the incident and charged over 700 people for participating in the event.

https://sputniknews.com/20211217/proud-boys-activist-sentenced-to-nearly-three-years-in-prison-for-threatening-senator-1091608828.html

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donald trump, us, aide
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/florida-man-kicked-off-flight-for-wearing-womens-underwear-as-face-mask-1091609728.html

Florida Man Kicked Off Flight for Wearing Women's Underwear as Face Mask

Florida Man Kicked Off Flight for Wearing Women's Underwear as Face Mask

The passenger reportedly received a notification from United Airlines telling him that he's barred from the airline's flights until the case is reviewed by the... 17.12.2021, Sputnik International

2021-12-17T17:07+0000

2021-12-17T17:07+0000

2021-12-17T17:07+0000

united airlines

us

florida

underwear

mask

passenger

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Adam Jenne from Cape Coral, Florida was escorted off a United Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale to Washington, DC on Wednesday due to his stance on the use of face masks.According to Fox 4, Jenne said that he regarded the rule necessitating people to wear face masks on a plane as silly, and therefore "decided to follow the rule in a silly way"; he used women's underwear as a mask, arguing that it "covered his nose and mouth and complied with TSA guidelines."The crew of the United Airlines flight to DC had other ideas and asked Jenna to disembark, with one flight attendant telling him that he was "not in mask compliance."After Jenna was thrown off the plane, several other passengers also got off the aircraft in support of him, he reportedly said.Later, Jenna also received an email from United Airlines, telling him that he was barred from their flights until the case is reviewed by the Passenger Incident Review Committee.Jenna, however, insisted that he was in the right, saying: "Your rights end where mine begin. You dont get to tell me how I conduct myself."

brett connor If he'd worn a regular diaper he'd a been okay. 3

RussiaRules Perfect! Just Perfect! 3

8

florida

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Andrei Dergalin

Andrei Dergalin

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Andrei Dergalin

united airlines, us, florida, underwear, mask, passenger
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/flynns-relatives-allowed-to-proceed-with-cnn-suit-over-false-light-reports-linking-them-to-qanon-1091597046.html

Flynn's Relatives Allowed to Proceed With CNN Suit Over 'False Light' Reports Linking Them to QAnon

Flynn's Relatives Allowed to Proceed With CNN Suit Over 'False Light' Reports Linking Them to QAnon

A ruling by US District Court Judge on Thursday rejected CNNs bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed against the network by family members of former Donald Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn.

2021-12-17T10:11+0000

2021-12-17T10:11+0000

2021-12-17T10:11+0000

michael flynn

qanon

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A ruling by US District Court Judge Gregory Woods on Thursday rejected CNNs bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed against the network by family members of former Donald Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn. The part of the suit that accuses the network of painting Flynns brother Jack and sister-in-law Leslie in a false light as followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory has now been given the green light to proceed. The Flynns have vehemently denied they are followers of the bizarre QAnon conspiracy theory that claims, among other things, that a clandestine "paedophile ring" exists within the upper ranks of the Democratic party. Donald Trump and his allies are, according to Q supporters, the ones destined to battle it by declaring a national emergency. That means the news network will have to turn over its records to Flynn and have reporters and producers involved in the production sit for sworn depositions. Despite lawyers for CNN arguing that Twitter messages from Jack Flynn evidenced he espoused key tenets of QAnon, the judge claimed they do not conclusively contradict their factual allegations. In line with the ruling, the news network will have to turn over its records to Flynn, while reporters and producers involved could be summoned for sworn depositions. Flynn-CNN Defamation Case Jack and Leslie Flynn filed a suit against CNN in March, seeking $75 million in damages from the cable news network. In their suit, the Flynns allege a CNN report on 4 February falsely accused them of being followers and supporters of QAnon. The lawsuit states that CNN edited a video, originally posted on Twitter by Michael Flynn, making it appear and insinuating that [Jack and Leslie] pledged an oath of allegiance to QAnon. Where we go one, we go all is the oath popular with QAnon adherents. Furthermore, an onscreen graphic appeared below the CNN-posted screen-grab image of the Flynns, saying, CNN goes inside a gathering of QAnon followers.Earlier, Magistrate Judge Sarah Cave recommended the defamation case brought by Flynns brother Jack and sister-in-law Leslie be thrown out. She also ruled they were private figures, while conceding the issue might be revisited later in the case. If classified as private figures, the Flynns may only be required to show negligence on the networks part. A suit from public figures must show the news outlet knew its statements were false, acting in reckless disregard of evidence. There has not been any official comment from CNN on the ruling. This comes as one of Donald Trump's five national security advisers, Michael Flynn, hailed as one of the high-profile figures in the QAnon community who was even banned from Twitter for his alleged links to the conspiracy theory has apparently disavowed it. According to an audio recording posted by pro-Trump lawyer Lin Wood and described as an excerpt from a call between himself and the ex-POTUS adviser, "Flynn" appears to slam the movement created as disinformation by the left, but also someone trained by the CIA. QuAnon supporters condemned Flynn, who attended a QAnon conference in May and voiced support for the idea of a Myanmar-style coup happening in the US, for his purported shift in beliefs.

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Svetlana Ekimenko

Svetlana Ekimenko

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Svetlana Ekimenko

michael flynn, qanon
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/france-plans-to-seek-progress-within-normandy-format-on-ukrainian-issue-macron-says-1091596078.html

France Plans to Seek Progress Within Normandy Format on Ukrainian Issue, Macron Says

France Plans to Seek Progress Within Normandy Format on Ukrainian Issue, Macron Says

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - France hopes to make progress within the Normandy format on the Ukrainian issue in the coming weeks and expects Russia to return to... 17.12.2021, Sputnik International

2021-12-17T08:44+0000

2021-12-17T08:44+0000

2021-12-17T08:44+0000

emmanuel macron

europe

france

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"[It is necessary] to return Russia to the political framework, only that will allow to settle the Ukrainian issue. This framework concerns the Minsk agreements in the Normandy format, which we discussed yesterday, and we would like to advance on this issue in the coming weeks," Macron said during a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after an EU summit in Brussels.Moscow has repeatedly stated that Kiev did not comply with the Minsk agreements and delayed negotiations on the conflict settlement. Tensions around Ukraine have been aggravated in the past several weeks by an alleged Russian troop buildup near the Ukrainian border and claims of preparations for an invasion. Moscow has repeatedly denied those accusations, pointing to NATO's military activity near Russian borders, which it deems a threat to its national security. Russia has also said it has the right to move forces within its own territory.Earlier in December, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said that the European leaders have called on Russia to start implementing the Minsk agreements.The Normandy Format negotiations on the Ukrainian issue started in June 2014, and comprise France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine. The format's last summit was held in Paris on 9 December 2019.

TruePatriot Emmy why does Russia need to be there. Call the Ukronazi clown up and tell him to get his sorry behind to the table and start working on implementing the MInsk Agreement. NOW! 1

ema.ruv PRIMA HANNO ESPULSO LA RUSSIA ED I SUOI RAPPRESENTANTI DALLE ORGANIZZAZIONI CREATE PER QUESTI SCOPI SPECIALI DI DIALOGO, ED ORA SONO IMPANTANATI IN UN' INCREDIBILE IMPREVEDIBILITA DELLA SITUAZIONE, CHI E' CAUSA DEL SUO STESSO MALE PIANGERA' SE STESSO. NON DOVEVANO ESPELLERE I DIPLOMATICI RUSSI. ORA NON POSSONO FARE MARCIA INDIETRO PER PAURA DELLA FIGURA DI MERDA E DELLE RISPOSTE U. S. A., INGHILTERRA, N. A. T. O., ISRAEL. 0

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emmanuel macron, europe, france
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/german-media-regulator-reportedly-launches-probe-against-rt-over-license-related-issues-1091612076.html

German Media Regulator Launches Probe Against RT Over Licence-Related Issues

German Media Regulator Launches Probe Against RT Over Licence-Related Issues

The head of the German media watchdog has announced the launch of an investigation against RT over it allegedly lacking a broadcasting licence in Germany, dpa reported.

2021-12-17T17:43+0000

2021-12-17T17:43+0000

2021-12-17T18:34+0000

germany

rt

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"Today we started an official investigation," Flecken said, as quoted by the dpa agency, adding that the broadcaster has time until the end of the year to speak out on this matter."According to the agency, the investigation may result in a complete ban on RT broadcasting in the country as well as a hefty fine (up to 500,000 euros). This comes after earlier in the day, the Russian communications watchdog Roskomnadzor demanded that YouTube immediately restore access to RT's auf Sendung channel. On Thursday, YouTube blocked the RT DE channel on the same day the Russian media company launched a 24/7 news service in German to broadcast live news and talk shows from its studios in Moscow and Berlin.

discoversci Of course they are... Witch-hunt again ? Seen that one before. German elite is so extremely afraid of the truth and they are afraid for their pockets as well. They just have to be filled with $$. Sociopaths ! 6

Terranian The 1st They wage a petty + dirty War against a RT Channel in German Language for over 6 Years out of pure evil-minded politized reasons in Germany and EU wide because the German Language MSM TV landscape is totally "Gleichgeschaltet" w/o ANY alternative POV to the Globalist Neoliberal Transatlantic Fake-News/Propaganda Cesspool and 'Their' fabricated Narratives. Why they Fear it so much? 100 Million Reasons, German Language is by numbers the most spoken Language in Europe. 5

5

germany

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germany, rt
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/half-a-year-after-the-establishment-of-a-government-in-israel-tweeps-vent-anger-at-its-policies-1091598776.html

Half a Year After The Establishment of a Government in Israel, Tweeps Vent Anger at Its Policies

Half a Year After The Establishment of a Government in Israel, Tweeps Vent Anger at Its Policies

The masses are dissatisfied with the high costs of living, the coercion of COVID-19 vaccines and the reliance on Raam

2021-12-17T10:47+0000

2021-12-17T10:47+0000

2021-12-17T10:47+0000

middle east

israel

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

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They are also frustrated at the bloated number of ministers and the fact that the coalition is slim, which allows its representatives to do "whatever they want".It's been half a year since Naftali Bennett took the PM's office in Jerusalem and established a coalition, thus ending the decade-long tenure of former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Since then, Israeli media has been trying to paint a picture of stability and quiet. The new coalition was praised for passing the national budget after three years of stalemate, for lowering the rates of the coronavirus pandemic and for thawing the ice with several European nations that had been rather hostile towards Israel.However, quite a different picture is seen on social media platforms, where the coalition of change -- the way it was branded -- gets a rather negative feedback.One tweep called it "the coalition of shame". Another one thinks it is "disgusting" and many want it to fall apart and see Prime Minister Bennett leaving his seat in Jerusalem.[Last tweet says: "Go" alluding to the campaign that protesters held against Netanyahu]So what are the tweeps complaining about? Sputnik gathered four main reasons.Bloated and Dysfunctional Coalition?Before the formation of the current coalition, Yair Lapid, the main challenger of Netanyahu and the chairman of Israels second largest party Yesh Atid, promised that his government would bring a change to the nation.He vowed to limit the amount of ministers and their deputies to 18, something that would save millions of dollars to the national budget.Now, however, with 28 ministers and six deputies in a coalition that has 57 members, his previous comments raise eyebrows among the general public, who are accusing the Bennett-Lapid coalition of deceiving the masses."Next week, Meir Yitzhak Halevy will be appointed as a deputy ministers of education. 28 ministers and six deputies in a coalition of 57. This is not a government of change. It is a government of job placements," wrote one Twitter user.According to estimates, Israeli taxpayers fork out more than $2 million dollar a year on the salary and the expenses of a minister. The costs of a deputy stand at $700,000 per year, which means that in total the country is paying some $60.2 million every year that could be redirected to other spheres.However, the bloated number of ministers is far from being the only vice of the current coalition. Tweeps have also complained about their frequent visits abroad instead of focusing on solving acute domestic problems.This budget does not include the ministers' travel expenses. The coalition has also been blamed for its members taking frequent trips abroad instead of solving the pressing issues that bother Israeli society. And its representatives have been accused of doing "whatever they want" knowing that with such a narrow coalition of 57 members and four outside supporters, nobody can be fired because that would spell the end to the current government."The higher the support for Netanyahu, the more the coalition members can do whatever they please. [Abir] Kara doesn't show up for voting. [Omer] Barlev incites against settlers, [Yifat] Shasha Bitton will try to sabotage with the vaccination efforts, etc. No one will be sacked, reprimanded or punished. And later they will tell us that Bennett is managing things exemplary. Absolute lawlessness," complained a tweep.High Costs of LivingThat anger does not stop there, and in the past half a year tweeps have also been complaining about the high costs of living and the reluctance of the government to improve people's lives."The economy is in a difficult situation. Rising prices, rising taxes and people are not buying. Banks are cutting credit to the private market...The big ones become giants. The government is detached and does not understand the economy," wrote one Internet surfer.In May, a state comptroller report revealed that food prices in Israel were 51 percent higher than those in the European Union. A similar situation is also observed in the real estate market. Meanwhile, the government has recently raised taxes on disposable plastic, gas and sugary beverages, stirring the dissatisfaction of the masses.Vaccination CoercionIn July, when numbers of daily coronavirus patients started going up, authorities rolled out a booster shot that has gradually become a must for everyone, who wanted to travel, work or enter public places.Today, with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 raging in Israel and with reports indicating that 17 percent of all cases that contracted the virus have been vaccinated with a booster shot, authorities are now mulling over an option of rolling out yet another shot.What they are also discussing is imposing sanctions and limitations on those, who haven't been vaccinated, and this is something that has already been touted as "dictatorship" and "coercion" by the masses."The government of the criminal green pass. You will be a shame forever. All your actions are nothing more than a psychological fight against the non-vaccinated, a criminal war destined for failure .... You are a bad government, you are the reason why the corrupt Bibi will return and will stay here for many more years..." complained a tweep.Betraying the Jewishness of the State?The Bennett-Lapid coalition comprises of 57 members and is supported by Raam, an Islamic party that provided it with an outside supportBelieved to have links to the Muslim Brotherhood, outlawed by many countries of the region, the party has also been known for the backing it gave to Hamas, one of Israels main rivals, and for the northern branch of the Islamic movement that is illegal in the Jewish state.For many tweeps the coalition that relies on what they call as "supporters of terror" has always been problematic but in the recent days that dissatisfaction has risen to yet another level."The coalition that stole votes and that is relying on Raam, a sister movement of Hamas."Some were angered by the release of Raed Salah, the leader of the Islamic movement and the embrace he had received from Raam. Others were infuriated by the comments made by the Minister of Home Security Omer Barlev, who slammed Jewish settlers for their violence against the Palestinians, totally ignoring the deeds of the Palestinians themselves.Yet, despite that frustration, Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Lapid promises the coalition is there to stay."Half a year ago they explained that the government would not be formed. But it did. Then they said it would not complete its first month. But it did. Then they said it would collapse. We are still here. Then they said it would not manage to pass the budget but we managed. This government is here to stay. This is the right government for the people of Israel and the State of Israel. What we did in six months, was not done here in the past six years".

FreightTrainToMongolia EAT SHIT AND DIE NONGOY GENETIC JEWS KILLING US goy WHITE PEOPLE AND GOY NON WHITE WORLD WIDE! #KENNEWAY2024 Fec.gov WE GOY PEOPLES DEFEND OURSELVES AND OUR CHILDREN FROM NONGOY GENETIC JEWS PREDATORS PARASITES! 1

Rot Hchild Evil bunch of child rapist and child killers, Synagogue of Satan Aparthied Israhell. The most hated country, religion and race in the world, and the cause of 90% of the world's problems. 0

2

israel

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Elizabeth Blade

Elizabeth Blade

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Elizabeth Blade

middle east, israel
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/iaea-doubts-security-footage-at-iranian-nuclear-facility-hit-by-mossad-sabotage-simply-disappeared-1091613583.html

IAEA Doubts Security Footage at Iranian Nuclear Facility Hit by Mossad Sabotage Simply Disappeared

IAEA Doubts Security Footage at Iranian Nuclear Facility Hit by Mossad Sabotage Simply Disappeared

Irans peaceful nuclear programme is subject to a strict safeguards regime enforced by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The nuclear watchdog has... 17.12.2021, Sputnik International

2021-12-17T18:55+0000

2021-12-17T18:55+0000

2021-12-17T18:55+0000

international atomic energy agency (iaea)

iran

camera

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/11/1091613448_83:0:1345:710_1920x0_80_0_0_d62539055d1259cf0131779aa29f745b.png

The IAEA has doubts that that the footage from one of the four agency cameras installed at Karaj nuclear centrifuge parts facility simply disappeared after Junes suspected Mossad sabotage attack against the plant, agency chief Rafael Grossi has said.Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Grossi said the agency has doubts about the fate of the footage and this is why were are asking  where is it?The IAEA had four cameras monitoring the Karaj plant before the June sabotage that destroyed the facility. Iran showed the agency the cameras and the storage media containing footage, but not that of the camera suspected of being destroyed in the sabotage, prompting the agency and its Western curators to demand an explanation from Tehran.Iran and the IAEA reached an agreement Wednesday to replace the cameras at the Karaj facility amid the negotiations in Vienna to reactivate the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement. The agency said this week that the agreement on the cameras would enable us to resume necessary continuity of knowledge at this facility, with the equipment expected to be installed in [the] coming days.However, a spokesperson from the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran clarified that the surveillance cameras would be installed only after a meticulous technical, security and judicial review, with IAEA technicians expected to answer any questions Iranian security and safety questions may have about the devices.The spokesman also indicated that Iran would hold on to the footage snapped by the cameras and hand it over to the IAEA only after sanctions are lifted, until which time the full storage devices would be removed and placed under the joint control of Iran and the agency.Negotiations in Vienna to revive the Iran nuclear agreement resumed at the start of December, with diplomats from the European Three (Britain, France and Germany) parties releasing a joint statement Friday warning that while some technical progress had been made over the past 24 hours, this only takes us back nearer to where the talks stood in June.We are rapidly reaching the end of the road for this negotiation, the European negotiators warned.The stalemate between Iran and the US in the nuclear negotiations is centered around which country is to take the first steps to live up to its commitments under the agreement, which the Trump administration walked out of in 2018 amid lobbying from Israel.Iran says that the US side, as the instigator of the agreements suspension, must first remove its harsh sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Washington has countered by demanding that Iran first reduce its uranium enrichment and stockpiling activities in accordance with limits set by the nuclear deal. Iran has also accused the US and its allies of attempting to trick Tehran by adding a clause in the nuclear talks about Irans regional foreign policy and missile arsenal. Iranian negotiators and diplomats have categorically dismissed any attempts to alter the original agreement.In an interview with the Associated Press on Tuesday, the IAEAs Grossi suggested that the world was dealing with a very different Iran today than it was in 2015, and that adjustments would have to be made to adjust to these new realities.

https://sputniknews.com/20211216/us-is-utterly-dishonest-why-tehran-wont-accept-partial-removal-of-sanctions-by-washington-1091576416.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211215/iran-imposes-no-preconditions-or-new-conditions-in-vienna-nuclear-talks---envoy-to-un-1091528920.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211215/iaea-chief-says-2015-nuclear-deal-needs-adjustments-in-2022-for-a-very-different-iran-1091555965.html

AlaskaNose Where is the IAEA's "concern" and demands regarding Israel's expanding Dimona nuclear facilities? The hypocrisy reaches from the depths of Hell to the heights of Heaven. 8

USSuxRuskyNuts Iran should tell "The IAEA" to go screw themselves. No camera's should be repaired or replaced until the US rejoins JCPOA in it's original form! As it stands right now, Iran is being nice about it and keeping their word, even though, when the US left the agreement, the agreement was over! It was an "all or nothing" deal. Now the US wants to re-word the entire agreement! It's within Iran's rights to tell all of them to "shove it!" 3

7

iran

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Ilya Tsukanov

Ilya Tsukanov

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Ilya Tsukanov

international atomic energy agency (iaea), iran, camera
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/indian-lawmaker-stokes-controversy-as-he-says-when-rape-is-inevitable-lie-down--enjoy-it-1091589280.html

Indian Lawmaker Stokes Controversy as He Says 'When Rape is Inevitable, Lie Down & Enjoy It'

Indian Lawmaker Stokes Controversy as He Says 'When Rape is Inevitable, Lie Down & Enjoy It'

Congress lawmaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar and Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri have sparked controversy with a rape joke: "when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it".

2021-12-17T06:40+0000

2021-12-17T06:40+0000

2021-12-17T06:41+0000

tamil nadu

india

rape

congress

indian national congress

congress

rape

india

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107823/45/1078234501_0:49:3073:1777_1920x0_80_0_0_7f66d0bcaf88d9851095059f43266e54.jpg

Congress lawmaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar and Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri have sparked controversy with a rape joke: "when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it". Kumar was comparing Kageri's role in the Karnataka legislative assembly to being forced to have sex. Rather than expressing ire, however, top BJP legislator Kageri responded with a laugh.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is currently ruling in Karnataka state and Kageri is responsible for running the Assembly. The state assembly was scheduled to end at 6 p.m. on Thursday, but Congress lawmakers demanded an extension of time from the Speaker to discuss farmers' issues.Kageri responded to him by saying: "I am in a situation where I have to enjoy and say 'yes' I should give up controlling the situation and systematically take the proceedings, I should tell everyone to continue your talks."To which Kumar said, "There's a saying when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That's exactly the position in which you are."A video of the exchange has left many people angry:Later, BJP politicians condemned the Congress legislator's attempt at humour and demanded his resignation.Kumar apologised on Twitter, saying that he will choose his words more carefully in future.

Gone This is what males of this species are. Girls, look and learn. 0

Ladyshadow And you wonder why our society is so screwed up with politicians like him what did you expect? 0

2

tamil nadu

india

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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

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Deexa Khanduri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/1e/1081607388_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_e9e931b8c1e18fb41f3074e2145d7a3a.jpg

tamil nadu, india, rape, congress, indian national congress, congress, rape, india
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/kim-kardashian-reveals-her-political-affiliation-1091607356.html

Kim Kardashian Reveals Her Political Affiliation

Kim Kardashian Reveals Her Political Affiliation

The 41-year-old celebrity-turned-criminal justice reform activist, Kardashian shared her political views in an interview with Bari Weiss on the "Common Sense" Substack platform.

2021-12-17T15:37+0000

2021-12-17T15:37+0000

2021-12-17T15:38+0000

kim kardashian

party

politics

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Kim Kardashian explained to Weiss why she views herself as a "blend of both political parties":The celebrity added that she considers herself a fiscal conservative. Kardashian, who has been studying for the past two years to earn a law degree, said she won't run for public office because she understands "the responsibility.""Its an extremely hard job, and I don't know if Id ever want that."The mom of four also recalled an episode when she did not want her now-estranged husband, rapper Kanye West, to appear on stage wearing a pro-Trump MAGA hat. Weiss also touched upon the issue of cancel culture, reminding Kardashian that she had been occasionally accused of cultural appropriation for her hairstyles and clothes. The original name for Kardashian's SKIMS shapewear line was Kimono but in 2019 it was changed after she received a letter from Japanese officials who condemned the use of the name, which refers to their country's traditional dress. "When it comes to something as serious as cultural appropriation, even if I know my intentions are good, I never want to take anything lightly...So when I got a letter from the Japanese officials, I took it extremely seriously. It wasnt even a question. I immediately halted production, and there were a lot of pieces in production. I said, Give me a week, and I had to think of a new name," the Keeping up With the Kardashians star explained.

RussiaRules Does anyone seriously care what she thinks? I should hope not. 0

astrodetective Professional show pony. Big Yawn. 0

2

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Sofia Chegodaeva

Sofia Chegodaeva

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Sofia Chegodaeva

kim kardashian, party, politics
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/leaders-of-eu-countries-unanimously-vote-for-prolonging-russia-sanctions-1091586180.html

Leaders of EU Countries Unanimously Vote for Prolonging Russia Sanctions

Leaders of EU Countries Unanimously Vote for Prolonging Russia Sanctions

The EU economic sanctions, which have been in effect for more than seven years, target the financial, energy and defense sectors in Russia. Initially, these... 17.12.2021, Sputnik International

2021-12-17T00:39+0000

2021-12-17T00:39+0000

2021-12-17T01:14+0000

russia

eu

sanctions

sanction

crimea

military

sanctions

minsk agreements

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/11/1091586684_96:0:3228:1762_1920x0_80_0_0_e3023d7f0ea6a67e2acf71f8d749fd4e.jpg

Leaders of the EU countries have unanimously voted for the prolongation of sanctions against Russia during the EU summit in Brussels, European Council President Charles Michel said on Friday."Massive consequences & severe cost will follow if Russia takes further military action against Ukraine. #EUCO leaders unanimously agreed to roll over economic sanctions against Russia. We call on Russia to keep its part of the bargain and proceed with Minsk implementation," Michel wrote on his Twitter page.Moreover, according to the EU Summit, the existing restrictions have a significant economic impact on the Russian economy and deprive Moscow of an access to sensitive technologies."Sanctions limit access to EU primary and secondary capital markets for certain Russian banks and companies and prohibit forms of financial assistance and brokering towards Russian financial institutions. The measures also prohibit the direct or indirect import, export or transfer of all defence-related material and establish a ban for dual-use goods for military use or military-end users in Russia. The sanctions further curtail Russian access to certain sensitive technologies that can be used in the Russian energy sector, for instance in oil production and exploration," the council said.Before the initial sanctions came to an end, in March 2015, the duration of the sanctions was linked to the "full implementation" of the Minsk agreements. From then on, they have been extended every six months, based on the EU's evaluation of compliance with the agreement.Under these sanctions, a number of Russian banks and companies have faced multiple restrictions on access to the primary and secondary capital markets of the EU. Also, a ban has been introduced on the import and export of weapons and dual-use goods. In addition, the EU has limited the access of Russians to a number of technologies and services for oil production and exploration.Another extension of these sanctions is expected at the end of January next year.Moscow has been countering the sanctions, embarking on a course of import substitution, and has repeatedly stated that it is counterproductive to speak with the nation in the language of sanctions. Russia has also repeatedly emphasized that the conflict in Ukraine's eastern region of Donbas is an internal one, and Moscow, along with the OSCE, France and Germany, is only a mediator in its settlement within the framework of the Minsk agreements.

https://sputniknews.com/20211215/major-eu-states-reportedly-oppose-sanctioning-russia-over-ukraine-invasion-want-to-focus-on-talks-1091539315.html

vot tak Must be embarrassingly for humans in europe now, with such leaders who openly brag about being israeloamerican jailhouse sukas. Sad these humans are outnumbered by americanized zombies. 12

andromeda The EU idiots say "We call on Russia to keep its part of the bargain and proceed with Minsk implementation". The problem is that Russia is not and was never part of the Minsk agreement. It is Ukraine and hte the Ukrainian Donbass. Western politicians are such incredible imbeciles and liars. Lol. 9

17

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Kirill Kurevlev

russia, eu, sanctions, sanction, crimea, military, sanctions, minsk agreements
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/maxwells-defense-questions-false-memory-expert-casting-doubt-on-possibly-corrupted-accusations-1091600671.html

Maxwell's Defense Questions 'False Memory' Expert, Casting Doubt on Possibly 'Corrupted' Accusations

Maxwell's Defense Questions 'False Memory' Expert, Casting Doubt on Possibly 'Corrupted' Accusations

Ghislaine Maxwell's defense team at her federal sex trafficking trial called its witnesses to the stand on Thursday, with a psychologist testifying that accusers memories can be corrupted overtime.

2021-12-17T11:12+0000

2021-12-17T11:12+0000

2021-12-17T11:12+0000

us

ghislaine maxwell

jeffrey epstein

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/1c/1091078842_0:0:2730:1537_1920x0_80_0_0_fd1d3fa5e6cbbea45f1dd7ddae1081d3.jpg

Ghislaine Maxwell's defense team at her federal sex trafficking trial called its witnesses to the stand on Thursday, with a psychologist testifying that accusers memories can be corrupted overtime by outside information or suggestion. The defence is hoping to cast doubt on the accusations against Maxwell, charged with recruiting and grooming underage girls for the late convicted sex felon Jeffrey Epstein to deflower. The tycoons longtime girlfriend and alleged pimp denies the allegations and has pleaded not guilty. After the prosecution rested its case last Friday, calling 24 witnesses across 10 days of testimony, the defence team took over on Thursday. Dr Elizabeth Loftus, a psychology professor at the University of California, Irvine, told the courtroom that based on her research, people "can be subjected to post-event suggestion".According to Dr Loftus, memories have three phases: acquisition, when they are formed; retention, when the memory is kept; and retrieval, when someone asks for the memory to be recalled. The deliberate act of remembering something, according to the psychologist, can alter the memory itself. The expert claimed that extensive media coverage, such as the kind that allegations against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell have received, can corrupt memories. "Emotion is no guarantee that you're dealing with an authentic memory," she said.Under subsequent cross-examination Loftus acknowledged that while "peripheral memories" pertaining to a traumatic event may be forgotten, the "core memories" of what happened may grow stronger. As many of the events described by Maxwells accusers took place in the 1990s, the defence, which argues that their client is being scapegoated for Epstein's actions, has emphasised the amount of time that has passed since then. Also on Thursday, the defence summoned Maxwells former assistant, Cimberly Espinosa, to testify about the time she spent working for the woman at Jeffrey Epstein's company in New York from 1996 to 2002. Espinosa recalled that "Jane," one of the four women who testified earlier that Maxwell had groomed them for sexual abuse, appeared to be "probably 18" when she met her. Jane, summoned earlier in the trial by the prosecution, had testified that Epstein sexually abused her in Palm Beach, Florida, and Manhattan when she was 14, 15 and 16 years old. Furthermore, she claimed that Maxwell participated in the abuse. According to the witness for the defence, Jeffrey Epstein treated Jane nicely, as far as she could see. Regarding the relationship between Maxwell and Epstein, Espinosa testified that it appeared to be a "little flirty". She suggested that in the early 2000s the two stopped travelling to and from the office together, and had possibly stopped dating. The assistant could not fault Ghislaine Maxwells treatment of her, praising her as fair and praised Epstein as generous. Espinosa testified she had not witnessed anything to suggest either Maxwell or Epstein had ever behaved inappropriately with underage girls. In another development on Thursday, the judge ruled that three potential defence witnesses who sought to testify anonymously or under a pseudonym because they "might get a lot of unwanted attention will not be allowed to do so. The defence's case is expected to last several days, with closing arguments anticipated on 20 December. After that, the case goes before the jury, allowing it two days to deliberate ahead of the Christmas break. Ghislaine Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not guilty to six federal charges: sex trafficking of minors, enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and three counts of conspiracy. Epstein, indicted on federal sex trafficking charges in July 2019, died in prison a month later, with the coroner ruling his death a suicide. Maxwell was arrested in New Hampshire in July 2020. If convicted, the woman faces up to 80 years in prison.

https://sputniknews.com/20211206/second-week-of-ghislaine-maxwell-sex-scandal-trial-kicks-off-1091292250.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211214/ghislaine-maxwells-legal-team-to-call-35-witnesses-during-her-trial-1091501978.html

mike stivic Ghislaine is criminally insane, just like daddy. Its heredetary in part for sure. Where is the Dr. Monroe willing and able to hack the devil out of our DNA ? 0

Ladyshadow Memories can also be corrupted by the idea of media attentions of events they wish had happened, but alas only in their imagination. 0

2

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Svetlana Ekimenko

Svetlana Ekimenko

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us, ghislaine maxwell, jeffrey epstein
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/ny-times-hit-piece-confirms-us-seeks-to-demonize-ethiopias-abiy-for-peace-with-eritrea-experts-say-1091587005.html

NY Times Hit Piece Confirms US Seeks to Demonize Ethiopia's Abiy for Peace With Eritrea, Experts Say

NY Times Hit Piece Confirms US Seeks to Demonize Ethiopia's Abiy for Peace With Eritrea, Experts Say

A New York Times story alleging to reveal the origins of the conflict in Ethiopia is riddled with falsehoods intended to further demonize the government of Abiy Ahmed and conceal the crimes of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front.

2021-12-17T01:10+0000

2021-12-17T01:10+0000

2021-12-17T23:17+0000

ethiopia

eritrea

the new york times

africa

media bias

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/07e5/0c/11/1091586979_0:0:3139:1767_1920x0_80_0_0_989dc71434cd8cb57289617d99a8dc32.jpg

Disinformation by Western media about the Ethiopian conflict is nothing new, becoming highly visible parts of the #NoMore protest movement by the Ethiopian diaspora. Their demonstrations have called attention to the New York Times in particular, where journalist Declan Walsh, the papers Chief Africa Correspondent and author of the Wednesday article about Abiy, in July infamously referred to photos of Tigrayan child soldiers as highly motivated young recruits.Walshs latest article, titled The Nobel Peace Prize That Paved the Way for War, claims to peel back the edifice of Abiys international image as a peacemaker and to reveal that the Nobel Peace Prize winner had long planned the war in Tigray with his partner in crime, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki.The Nobel win stemmed largely from the unlikely peace deal Mr. Abiy struck with Isaias Afwerki, the authoritarian leader of Eritrea, within months of coming to power in 2018. That pact ended two decades of hostility and war between the neighboring rivals, and inspired lofty hopes for a transformed region, Walsh added. Instead, the Nobel emboldened Mr. Abiy and Mr. Isaias to secretly plot a course for war against their mutual foes in Tigray, according to current and former Ethiopian officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid reprisals or protect family members inside Ethiopia.According to Walsh, Abiy, an ethnic Oromo, never felt fully accepted by Tigrayans and suffered numerous humiliations during his years in the TPLF-led government, for which he sought revenge as part of a mixture of paranoia and inferiority complex. Isaias, who Walsh says had a long and bitter grudge against the TPLF due to the 1998-2000 war that killed at least 120,000 Ethiopians and Eritreans, became a natural ally after the two signed a peace treaty to end that war in 2018.A Bridge Too Far: Peace With EritreaEritrea, which broke away from Ethiopia in 1991 after a decades-long struggle for independence and sits on the Red Sea, is the only country in Africa not to have a relationship with US Africa Command (USAFRICOM). However, Washington has long sought to isolate Eritrea on the world stage, ever since the TPLF-led Ethiopian government became a major US War on Terror partner in the early 2000s and the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC), set up to establish the new border between the two nations, gave the key city of Badme to Eritrea - a move to which Addis objected.The trumped-up charges for the sanctions were that Eritrea supported the Al-Shabaab terrorists of Somalia, an utterly bogus charge, because Eritrea was itself the victim of jihadi terrorist proxy groups that were being financed and supported by the TPLF regime of Ethiopia, he added. These unjust sanctions that were imposed on Eritrea at the UN Security Council were finally lifted in November of 2018 once peace was achieved with Ethiopia.So, all along, the TPLF regime and its patrons in Washington have been against peace between Eritrea and Ethiopia, Amare said. Indeed, comments quoted by Walsh in his Wednesday article reflect just such an attitude.Washingtons PolicemanThe only issue is regional alignment and not complying enough to a regional set of policies isolating Eritrea, plus troop movement in the region, instead of continuing the occupation in Somalia, Sudan, etc, Filmon Zerai, writer, independent analyst and an organizing member at Horn of Africa Pan-Africans for Liberation & Solidarity, told Sputnik.Outside of the position on Eritrea and conflict with the TPLF, he [Abiy] is the best leader Washington needs internally, Zerai added, noting that Abiys government has continued its close military cooperation with US Africa Command begun by the previous TPLF government. US Agency for International Development (USAID) chief Samantha Power said much the same on CNN last month, even as her agency withholds $272 million in food aid for the country.He cautioned that while it's important to highlight Abiys neoliberal leanings and disregard for oppressed nationalities in Ethiopia, the authors only issue seems to be his closeness with Eritrea.If Ethiopia does not terrorize its neighbors at the behest of Western powers, it must be terrorized! Since TPLF is willing to do the required, it is not surprising it is preferred by those who want the people of the Horn to be at each others throats, Mustafa Omer, president of Ethiopias Somali State, wrote on Facebook in response to comments by French analyst Rene Lefort, who argued the US wants a strong Ethiopia that can be the policeman of the Horn.Peace between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia is good for the region. Most of the regions wars were fought between these countries. If they decide to make peace, why get nervous?A War of Choice?Walshs article obscures basic facts about the tension between Abiys government and the TPLF between 2018 and 2020, experts said, giving the false impression that both the tension and the escalation were solely Abiys fault, making the conflict a war of choice, as he put it.However, despite his framing of the very real sequence of events - that the TPLF sneak-attacked Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) on the night of November 3, 2020, killing an estimated 6,000 soldiers - as nothing more than an article of faith for Mr. Abiy and his supporters, Walsh nonetheless admits at the end of his article that on that evening, Tigrayan forces attacked an Ethiopian military base, calling it a pre-emptive strike.Tigrayan journalist Hermela Aregawi wrote on Thursday that Walshs article is racist to the bone, neocolonial in its approach and spits on the basic tenets of democracy.There is evidence to show that its the TPLF who have been mobilizing ethnic Tigrayans using the lie that the country is against them, when the country was against the greedy, brutal TPLF leadership. For the last few years, the TPLF rejected negotiation efforts by the federal government of Ethiopia, unwilling to take any offer less than ruling the country again. They would not let Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed balance out the Army, which had been dominated by ethnic Tigrayans and other pro-TPLF agents for nearly three decades.Amare added that Abiy had been extremely flexible and placating towards the TPLF, traveling several times to Tigray talking openly with the people and pleading with the leaders of TPLF to pursue the path of peace  Contrary to this, TPLF started to prepare for war, raising nearly a quarter of a million special forces, militias and irregular armed vigilantes and continued its belligerent stance beating the war drums.Amare explained that Abiy dismantled the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which the scholar referred to as an ethnic-based trojan horse umbrella organization by which the TPLF imposed its minority rule, and replaced it with a stronger, more centralized Prosperity Party which aimed to eventually end to toxic ethnic politics that TPLF introduced and imposed in Ethiopia.Indeed, as TPLF spokesperson Getachew Reda recently said in separate interviews on Tigray TV and Dimtsi Weyane, it was clear to the rebel group that the Americans intended for them to enter Addis. Further, a video from a secretive meeting between Berhane Ghebre-Christos, a TPLF-era foreign minister, and several US and European diplomats last month revealed American approval of the TPLFs rapid military gains and for a potential transition government to replace Abiy.Those gains have now largely been reversed, as a massive ENDF counteroffensive has pushed the TPLF back by nearly 100 kilometers, recapturing dozens of towns and totally pushing them out of Afar. In the liberated areas, numerous reports have emerged of TPLF brutalities, including executions of civilians and looting of hospitals and UN World Food Program warehouses.

vot tak The usual israeloamerican terroists. Whether called tplf, daesh, death squads or narco terrorists (Latin America), or given code names like the "phoenix program" in Vietnam, they are essentially the same israeloamerican run terror ops. 2

Hess The US and Israel use the TPLF terrorists the same way they used ISIS and al-Qaeda terrorists. The TPLF is a Zionist assets used to create chaos and mayhem. 2

5

ethiopia

eritrea

africa

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ethiopia, eritrea, the new york times, africa, media bias, tplf (tigray people's liberation front)
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/proud-boys-activist-sentenced-to-nearly-three-years-in-prison-for-threatening-senator-1091608828.html

Proud Boys Activist Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Prison For Threatening Senator

Proud Boys Activist Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Prison For Threatening Senator

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), over 700 people have already been charged with offenes related to the 6 January violence at the Capitol. 17.12.2021, Sputnik International

2021-12-17T18:06+0000

2021-12-17T18:06+0000

2021-12-17T18:06+0000

us

proud boys

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A member of the American group Proud Boys, Eduard Florea, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for threatening Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and possessing ammunition after a prior felony. The 41-year-old pleaded guilty to the charges in August. The DOJ said the defendant was posting on social media days before the assault on the Capitol, saying "tomorrow may be the day war kicks off" and threatening the senator: "Warnock is going to have a hard time casting votes for communist policies when hes swinging with the f***ing fish" and "Dead men cant pass sh*t laws..."After the storming of the Capitol began on 6 January, Florea wrote that he intended to travel to Washington, DC as part of an armed group to engage in additional violence, the DOJ added."With todays sentence, the defendant faces serious consequences for threatening the life of United States Senator Raphael Warnock as part of his effort to foment violence at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 in connection with attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election," U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace said in a statement on Thursday.In all, more than 700 people have been charged with various offences related to the violent storming of the US Capitol when mobs of pro-Trump supporters attempted to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential elections results.

astrodetective Typical Bolshvik gulag justice 0

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Sofia Chegodaeva

Sofia Chegodaeva

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Sofia Chegodaeva

us, proud boys
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/swedens-top-commander-urges-us-to-beef-up-military-footprint-in-europe-to-counter-russia-1091598290.html

Swedens Top Commander Urges US to Beef Up Military Footprint in Europe to Counter Russia

Swedens Top Commander Urges US to Beef Up Military Footprint in Europe to Counter Russia

Claims by officials and media in the US and NATO that Russia has concentrated up to 100,000 troops on the border with Ukraine and is preparing to invade have... 17.12.2021, Sputnik International

2021-12-17T10:11+0000

2021-12-17T10:11+0000

2021-12-17T10:18+0000

russia

sweden

troops

nato

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The United States should significantly beef up its presence in Europe if the conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalates, Swedish Armed Forces supreme commander Gen. Micael Byden has urged.Byden suggested that the US troops should be sent to existing US facilities in Europe. Because you have bases in Europe. Its not like youre not there. Its more likereinforce what you haveMore people, more capabilities, he urged.The Swedish supreme commander didnt specify how many more troops Washington should deploy. He stressed however that the US shouldnt diminish the military resources devoted to Europe to concentrate on China. I think you can do both, he said.Byden also expressed concern about the deepening of the military partnership between Moscow and Beijing. We see more of it than before, and its a very good question how far they have come, he said.The United States has dozens of military bases dotting the European continent, with over 62,000 troops stationed in countries including Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Kosovo, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey and the UK. US-operated bases contain troops, armoured vehicles and tanks, aircraft, warships, and battlefield tactical nukes (the latter are stationed at bases in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey, respectively).Sweden is not part of NATO and does not host US forces, but cooperates with the alliance extensively in drills and military planning within the Nordic NATO Enhanced Opportunity Partner programme, which also includes Finland.Not One Inch East?Moscow has repeatedly expressed concerns about NATOs continued eastward expansion and encroachment on Russias western borders, despite verbal assurances by Washington in 1990 that the bloc would not expand one inch east beyond a reunified Germany. Since then, NATO has broken these promises repeatedly, swallowing up every former member of the defunct Moscow-led Warsaw Pact alliance, the three Baltic republics of the former USSR, and four republics of the former Yugoslavia. The post-coup government of Ukraine, which was installed with support of the US and the European Union in 2014, has expressed aspirations to join the bloc, with some officials threatening to reacquire nuclear weapons if Kievs membership bid is rejected. The alliance granted the country NATO Enhanced Opportunity Partner status in 2020, but has put off the countrys membership bid for up to two decades. Russia has warned that it considers Ukraine within NATO as a red line for Moscows security, given the prospect of the alliance stationing advanced missiles and aircraft right next to the border.Moscow has already expressed similar concerns about the Aegis Ashore missile defence facility deployed in Romania, and an identical system being built in Poland, pointing out that its anti-missile projectiles could easily be replaced with offensive and possibly nuclear-tipped Tomahawk cruise missiles.

https://sputniknews.com/20180724/russia-defense-nato-shoigu-1066645521.html

https://sputniknews.com/20210415/ukraines-ambassador-to-germany-says-kiev-may-have-to-build-nukes-if-it-cant-join-nato-1082640859.html

Cundee Self genocide Sveden!! Pathetic lot gutless weak degenerat to the core. 3

Biff real definition of a "talking head : 3

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Ilya Tsukanov

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Ilya Tsukanov

russia, sweden, troops, nato
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/the-man-who-shook-off-stereotypes-pope-francis-turns-85-1091597572.html

The Man Who Shook Off Stereotypes: Pope Francis Turns 85

The Man Who Shook Off Stereotypes: Pope Francis Turns 85

Pope Francis celebrates his 85th birthday on 17 December

2021-12-17T07:00+0000

2021-12-17T07:00+0000

2021-12-17T13:51+0000

pope francis

photo

birthday

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Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina in 1936, he has had quite a diverse life: in his early years, he worked as a bouncer and a janitor before he began studying chemistry and working as a technician in a food science laboratory. A serious illness prompted him to join the Jesuits society in 1958; he was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969. Pope Francis is the first head of the Catholic Church from outside Europe since the 8th century, when Gregory III, a Syrian, was the pope. Check out Sputnik's gallery to find out more.

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, pope francis, photo, birthday
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/uk-slams-not-effective-or-proportionate-french-travel-ban-on-britons-over-omicron-fears-1091590458.html

UK Slams 'Not Effective or Proportionate' French Travel Ban on Britons Over Omicron Fears

UK Slams 'Not Effective or Proportionate' French Travel Ban on Britons Over Omicron Fears

Boris Johnsons government has deplored Frances decision to ban all tourists from the UK, underscoring that red lists were not effective or proportionate at this current time.

2021-12-17T05:45+0000

2021-12-17T05:45+0000

2021-12-17T05:45+0000

emmanuel macron

france

uk

covid-19

omicron strain

omicron covid strain

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Boris Johnsons government has deplored Frances decision to ban all tourists from the UK, underscoring that red lists were not effective or proportionate at this current time. Paris has announced that even fully vaccinated British travellers would be banned from entering the country from midnight on 18 December, amid concerns over the fast-spreading Omicron variant. Only those who offer a compelling reason will be allowed in, with French Prime Minister Jean Castex clarifying that that list does not include travel for tourist or professional reasons.Government spokesman Gabriel Attal clarified on BFM television that essential reasons for travelling to France would include residency, with French citizens and their spouses, partners and children able to return from the UK.Students enrolled in France are exempt from the ban, as well as people in transit for less than 24 hours and those travelling between the two countries due to the death or terminal prognosis of a close family member.All individuals arriving from Britain who are exempt from the ban will be required to register on a digital platform prior to their trip, informing authorities of the address they plan to stay at in France.They will need to have a negative virus test less than 24 hours old, as opposed to the previous requirement of taking a COVID-19 test 48 hours before departure. Upon arrival in France, they will be required to test again and isolate in a place they choose for at least 48 hours.This comes as of 16 December, France claims to have identified 170 positive cases of the Omicron variant. Cases include both those who recently travelled to southern Africa as well as local infection, according to the French health minister Olivier Veran.Meanwhile, the UK set another record, with 88,376 new coronavirus cases reported on Thursday, while the number of confirmed Omicron cases rose to 11,708, up 1,691 on Wednesday.Travel Bans Not Effective or ProportionateThe UK had been informed in advance of the French decision regarding the travel ban, stated Prime Minister Boris Johnsons spokesperson.However, Downing Street did not think that travel bans were an effective or proportionate response to Omicron.In an attempt to allay concerns regarding any possible disruption of goods deliveries, the UKs transport secretary, Grant Shapps, tweeted that he had liaised with my French counterpart French transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari and hauliers will remain exempt from the new restrictions.However, representatives of the UK tourism and travel industry slammed the French move as delivering yet another crippling blow.Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, was cited by UK media outlets as saying:ABTAs chief executive, Mark Tanzer, similarly deplored the new wave of cancellations set to batter the travel and tourism sector.As news of the measure broke, flights, trains and ferries to France sold out within hours.Eurostar, the high speed train that directly links the UK to France and Belgium via the Channel Tunnel, reported a rise in bookings, while according to aviation analytics company Cirium, there were 540 flights scheduled between the UK and France ahead of Christmas Day. Cross-Channel ferry operators also registering a bookings surge.

https://sputniknews.com/20211215/omicron-likely-to-become-dominant-strain-in-europe-at-beginning-of-2022-1091552048.html

keyboardcosmetics Politicians are playing games and we the people are the pawns on the chess board 1

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Svetlana Ekimenko

Svetlana Ekimenko

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emmanuel macron, france, uk, covid-19, omicron strain
https://sputniknews.com/20211217/un-human-rights-council-votes-over-every-african-member-to-probe-alleged-tigray-abuses-1091616616.html

UN Human Rights Council Votes Over Every African Member to Probe Alleged Tigray Abuses

UN Human Rights Council Votes Over Every African Member to Probe Alleged Tigray Abuses

The UN Human Rights Council voted to open an investigation of alleged human rights abuses in Ethiopias Tigray. However, the issue wasnt brought up by a single African nation and no African member of the council voted for it.

2021-12-17T23:11+0000

2021-12-17T23:11+0000

2021-12-17T23:12+0000

ethiopia

africa

un human rights council

human rights abuse

tplf (tigray people's liberation front)

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The UNHCR will establish an international commission of three experts on Ethiopia to probe alleged human rights abuses by all parties in the conflict, the council announced on Friday. The panel will have a one-year, renewable mandate and build upon a report submitted last month by the Office of the High Commissioner and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, which covered the period from the Tigray Peoples Liberation Fronts (TPLF) attack on Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) units in Tigray on November 3, 2020, until June 28, 2021.The 47-member council narrowly voted for the proposed investigation, with 21 nations voting for it and 15 voting against it, while 11 nations abstained. Notably, all 13 African nations on the council either voted no or abstained. The meeting was requested earlier this week by the European Union and cosigned by more than 50 UN member states - although on that list as well, not a single African nation appeared.The decision represents a rare decision to immediately invoke Special Procedures instead of addressing the issue through Universal Periodic Review, a state-driven process that allows governments to hold themselves accountable to their human rights obligations.Kebede added that the council was "being used as an instrument of political pressure" and had been "hijacked by a neo-colonialist mentality."Ethiopia is being targeted and singled out at the Human Rights Council for defending a democratically elected government, the peace and the future of its people," he said.Noting the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had asked the UNHCR not to hold the emergency meeting, but to instead engage in a constructive manner and work in a collaborative spirit with them, the ministry said the decision was made against the recommendations by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission which were submitted to the President of the Human Rights Council on 14 December 2021 and to all members of the Council requesting it to unequivocally support the implementation of the Joint Investigation Teams recommendations, the work of the Inter-Ministerial Task Force and for the OHCHR and the EHRC to continue with further joint investigations.Ethiopia would like to reiterate that it will not cooperate with the established mechanism imposed upon it against its consent, the statement continues. No More to double standards; No More to unilateral coercive measures; and No More to meddling in internal affairs under the pretext of human rights.US Selectively Ignores TPLF CrimesThe US, an observer state to the UNHCR that called for the meeting, gave its own statement about alleged human rights violations in Ethiopia, but only mentioned those allegedly targeting ethnic Tigrayans, making no call for accountability for alleged crimes committed by the TPLF.We call on Amhara leaders to renounce violence against civilians. We also reiterate our call on Eritrea to remove its forces from Ethiopia. We urge the Ethiopian authorities to investigate these reports to determine their veracity and to commit to inclusive, transparent processes to hold responsible those accountable, Price said. We call on all armed actors in Ethiopia to renounce and end violence against civilians. We also reiterate our call for a cessation of hostilities, an immediate end to human rights abuses and violations, negotiations without preconditions, unhindered humanitarian access, and the start to an inclusive national dialogue.Indeed, neither NGO or the US has said anything about the more recent evidence of TPLF crimes to emerge as the ENDF recaptured dozens of towns in Amhara and Afar over the past month, revealing not only the looting of UN World Food Program warehouses but also hospitals, airports, and other locations, as well as executions of civilians.Kebede noted Friday that the TPLF is designated by the Ethiopian parliament as a terrorist organization and that the group had commandeered more than 1,000 trucks delivering humanitarian supplies to the people in Tigray region and used them for military purposes.The war has, without a doubt, created a massive humanitarian crisis. More than 70,000 people had fled across the border into neighboring Sudan and an estimated 4 million more internally displaced, according to United Nations data. In addition, some 9.4 million people also require food aid. There is no reliable death toll for the conflict.To help get these hashtags trending and to vilify Ethiopia before the vote, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International spiked the media and internet yesterday with joint publications about a new wave of atrocities against Tigrayans. This was also primed and synced with an article on supposed atrocities against Tigrayans published on Katie Courics KCM platform, which ironically misused a Jemal Countess photo of an Amhara girl to misleadingly suggest atrocities on Tigrayan children. All of these publications came at a time that retreating TPLF forces are on a murderous rampage in the Amhara region and destroying hospitals in a cruel scorched earth strategy before their own imminent death and/or surrender. Ethiopian forces havent even been in Tigray since late June.Sputnik reported in late November on Twitters arbitrary suspension of Tesfamariams account, along with the page Horn of Africa Hub, which helped coordinate the #NoMore protest campaign by the Ethiopian and Eritrean diasporas that called for the West to stay out of the respective nations affairs.US Neutrality Camouflages TPLF SupportThe US has publicly maintained a position of neutrality in the conflict like that reflected in Prices Friday statement, but evidence has mounted that Washington is actually deeply entwined in the war.Last month, a video of a secretive meeting was leaked to the press, at which US and European diplomats, including US Ambassador to Somalia Donald Yamamoto, praised the TPLFs advance on Addis Ababa and discussed the groups potential formation of a transition government with a senior TPLF figure, Berhane Ghebre-Christos, who served as Ethiopias foreign minister under a past TPLF-led government.The US has sanctioned Abiys government and its ally, Eritrea, for actions it says have prolonged the conflict and threatened Ethiopias integrity, and withheld $272 million in aid over alleged human rights abuses. However, it has never issued sanctions against the TPLF, despite occasional rhetorical castigations.During the 27 years prior to 2018 that the TPLF was in power, it cooperated closely with the US War on Terror and the newly formed US Africa Command (USAFRICOM), including invading Somalia in 2006 and overthrowing the Islamic Courts Union government, of which Washington disapproved. It also fought a disastrous war with Eritrea that killed more than 120,000 people.When Abiy was selected for the prime ministry over a TPLF candidate in 2018, he quickly moved to end the war, being given a Nobel Peace Prize for the effort. However, even that has been weaponized against Abiy, as a New York Times article published on Wednesday demonstrated. Regional experts told Sputnik the article made clear that Washington intends to punish Abiy for making peace with Eritrea, which has long been an international pariah subject to sanctions and which has uniquely refused to cooperate with AFRICOM.

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ethiopia, africa, un human rights council, human rights abuse, tplf (tigray people's liberation front)
Veteran trainer Joe Holloway, a member of the Hall of Fame, has been selected as the W.R. Haughton Good Guy Award recipient, and the late Robert Key and his family have been voted the LeeAnne Pooler Unsung Hero Award, in recent year-end voting by the U.S. Harness Writers Association (USHWA).

Holloway got his start in the sport as a caretaker for a downstate Delaware horseman named Francis Tierney  who was also a Catholic priest who wanted to pursue an activity related to his parish, so he took up the training of Standardbreds in that area where many families trained and cared for horses. Holloway was an altar boy for Tierney, and also joined him at the racetrack, and from those humble beginnings Joe progressed to the highest echelons of the sport.

Jennas Beach Boy, the worlds fastest horse in his day (1:47.3) and a two-time Pacer of the Year, is probably Holloways best-known horse, but the year of another three-year-old pacing colt he trained, Perfect Sting this season, wasnt bad, either  a winner in the Breeders Crown elim and final, along with multiple other stakes events, making him the richest competitor of the year with earnings of $1,273,647.

But the figure that probably earned Holloway this award was this horses eight second-place finishes  never beaten by more than three-quarters of a length, averaging a margin of less than half a length in gallant defeat, and missing out on just south of $800,000 by finishing second instead of first in these races. You learn more about a person in adversity than in success, and Holloways triumph is that he would patiently and logically answer all questions about his horse, no matter what the finish, recalling the boundless spirit that was possessed by the person after whom this award is named, Bill Haughton.

Billy Haughton was also the person who got Robert Key started in the business  a western Pennsylvania lawyer, Key needed Haughton to testify in a case, and while conversing Haughton was so enthusiastic about the sport that Key said he may go in on a horse or two. A few months later, Haughton called Bob and told him he was a quarter-owner of five horses, and liking the sport so much, plunged ahead; a racing/breeder career later Key had produced numerous first-rate Standardbreds such as Hambletonian champion American Winner and the foundation broodmare BJs Pleasure.

When Mr. Key passed away in January of this year, his will provided that over $100,000 in donations would go to many of the sports major organizations, including USHWA, and Bobs wife Patty notified the communicators of this generous bequest. USHWA is using money coming from Mr. Keys generosity to support the Clyde Hirt Workshop, a program that brings potential harness journalists to The Meadowlands on Hambletonian Week, shows them the behind-the-scenes operations of both communications and the backstretch, and then assigns them various tasks and projects to complete, giving them real insight into the harness communication process. The Hirt Workshop will be bigger and better than ever this coming year because of the generosity of Mr. Key and his family.

Joe Holloway, and the late Robert Key and his family, will be honored at USHWAs Dan Patch Night of Champions Awards Banquet, to be held on Sunday, February 20, 2022 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando FL. Those wishing to take out a congratulatory ad in the Souvenir Journal should contact Lynne Myers at [email protected]; sponsorship opportunities can be explored with Shawn Wiles at [email protected]. For tickets for the Awards Banquet, contact Judy Davis-Wilson at [email protected]; to book rooms at the Rosen Shingle Creek, go to the USHWA website, where in the middle of the first page is a link directly into their reservations computer.

(USHWA)
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  A British national has been ordered to be held in pretrial custody suspected of being drunk on the British freighter that collided with a Danish freighter off southern Sweden earlier this week, leaving one person dead and one missing.

The man was a crew member on the Scot Carrier that collided Monday with Danish-flagged Karin Hoej, causing the latter to capsize. One person was later found dead inside the hull and another is missing. The pre-dawn collision happened in foggy weather.

The Malmo District Court in southern Sweden on Thursday formally arrested the Briton, who wasn't named. He is suspected of aggravated sea drunkenness, aggravated negligence in maritime traffic and causing another persons death. The man in his 30s has acknowledged negligence. But his defense lawyer, Fredrik Kjellin, said his client denies causing another persons death in aggravated circumstances.

Earlier this week, the British shipping company said the Scot Carrier crew was tested for drugs and alcohol after the collision and two crew members exceeded the limit. It wasnt clear whether they were referring to the Briton or other crew members.
Editors note: Information is provided by the Cowlitz County Corrections Department and local law enforcement agencies. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Malicious mischief  Kelso police Thursday arrested Somith Oth, 28, of Longview, on suspicion of second-degree malicious mischief and disorderly conduct.

Unlawful possession of a firearm  Longview police Thursday arrested Casey Lavon Patton, 37, of Washington, on suspicion of unlawful possession of a firearm and failure to register as a sex offender.

Theft

100 block of Derek Drive, Kelso. Thursday. Mail stolen.

Vandalism/malicious mischief

400 block of Allen Street, Kelso. Thursday. Subject threw a metal bar through the back end of a vehicle, breaking the window.

600 block of 10th Avenue, Kelso. Thursday. Report of theft and malicious mischief.

Vehicle prowl

300 block of First Avenue, Kelso. Thursday. Unknown suspect.

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Cowlitz County and state health officials voiced concern about the strain a potential COVID-19 surge could have on already full hospitals, as Washingtons cases of the the likely more infectious omicron variant increase.

At least a dozen omicron cases have been identified in Washington, including three connected to an outbreak from high school wrestling tournaments on Dec. 4.

Dr. Steve Krager, county deputy health officer, said although the variant hasnt been identified in Cowlitz County cases, that doesnt mean it isnt here.

Id be very surprised if it wasnt (in the county) based on what were seeing around the state and the amount of spread happening in some of these outbreaks, he said.

COVID-19 tests at doctors offices or drive-thru sites detect the virus, but do not differentiate between the variants. Advice and patient care is the same regardless of the variant involved.

Its unclear how much more contagious omicron is than delta, but reports from South Africa and other countries suggest its about 30% more transmissible, said Dr. Scott Lindquist, state epidemiologist. Scientists still are studying if the variant causes more severe illness.

Even if omicron is less severe than delta and just more transmissible, it could still put more strain on hospital capacity, Krager said. If the variant causes less severe disease, the percentage of patients needing hospital care would be lower, but the volume of people needing treatment at once could still be large, he said.

We have continuing staffing concerns in hospitals and long-term care facilities, which can cause backups. That combined with another large surge of COVID-19 is very concerning, he said.

Statewide, hospitals are bursting at the seams not because of COVID-19, but mostly because facilities cant discharge a large number of patients who no longer need acute care, said Taya Briley, executive vice president of the Washington State Hospital Association.

Some patients have complex long-term care needs and cant find a spot in a facility because of staffing shortages, Briley said. Others are waiting for a Medicaid evaluation, a family member to approve the discharge, or have mental health needs, she said.

PeaceHealth St. John Medical Centers hospital capacity has remained high, around 90%, over the last few months because of many factors, including those with difficult to discharge patients seen statewide, said Randy Querin, hospital spokesperson. Some hospice patients are also waiting for placement, he said.

The Longview hospital also has a significant number of patients seeking non-COVID care, as well as a high COVID-19 census, Querin said. The hospitals number of COVID-19 patients has hovered around 14 to 20, with, on average, 80% of those not fully vaccinated, he said. St. John had 17 COVID-19 patients as of Thursday morning.

Cowlitz County COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations may be increasing after leveling off, according to a data report published Wednesday.

The county Thursday recorded 16 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 13,118 confirmed and 1,660 probable cases. The county has recorded 272 deaths. The number of deaths among fully vaccinated individuals compared to unvaccinated was not immediately available.

Despite a new variant circulating the state, the steps people can take to decrease transmission havent changed, Krager said. Getting vaccinated, including booster shots if eligible, and getting tested when exposed or if symptoms start are important measures, he said.

Its also a good idea to avoid crowded events, particularly where people are not consistently wearing masks, Krager said.

Theres so many unknowns with omicron, he said. I want people to do things they enjoy, but just be really cautious, especially if unvaccinated, with the risk of going to some of these events.

Krager said people with no immunity from prior infection or the vaccine are the most at risk.

Thats what really worries me because we still have an estimated large number of people with no immunity, and theyre very vulnerable to omicron, he said. Im certainly worried about impacts on vaccinated people and those with previous infection, but most of the time they have some protection, especially against severe disease.

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Garena Free Fire redeem codes for December 17: Garena Free Fire players get a chance to redeem free rewards daily to use its codes. Free Fire also organizes events in order to provide opportunity to the players to play and win prizes. Recently Free Fire has informed via a tweet about a new event saying, "new Sunscale Serpent bundle available through our latest event, Freeze Over! Get the bundle before the event ends on the 20th of December." While in another tweet it has said that a powerful weapon called MP40 Evo Gun Skin, Predatory Cobra can be won by the players from the faded wheel now. Garena Free Fire players must also be aware about the free gifts and rewards they can earn via redeem codes.

Free Fire releases redeem codes daily in order to allow players to access special items. These codes can be obtained for free. Apart from the redeem codes, Garena Free Fire also offers gamers a vast range of cosmetics like outfits, skins, and more to choose from. Free Fire players also have an option to access these additional Free Fire items and obtain them by completing and winning in-game missions. It can be noted that players can buy these additional items from the in-game store as well but these cost plenty and not everyone wants to buy. Players who want to redeem codes can do so by visiting the official redemption website. Here is how:

Garena Free Fire Redeem codes for December 17:

FV8H JIYG 3RVT

EFN7 8G67 5FS6

F4EX C2TQ U52Q

F33D S3RX 45XY

FN6I YTRS D9OK

FBNJ I7CT 5TG8

FYN4 FKTI G8YD

FBER N5KY 8G7V

FYCT F2DE RJ5K

F3YH 87V6 CSRA

FF12 3B45 JTIG

F7V6 TCDG B8NJ

FKI8 TR3C BGT5

Garena Free Fire redeem codes for December 17: Steps to redeem

Step 1: Players who want to get the redeem codes, will first have to visit the official Garena Free Fire code redemption website by clicking on the link- https://reward.ff.garena.com/en.

Step 2: You will then have to login on the page with either your Facebook, Google, Twitter, Apple Id, HUAWEI or VK ID to continue the redemption process. However, you need to note that your login ID must be the same as your in-game login ID.

Step 3: After logging in, copy any one of the 12 character long redeem codes from todays code list and then paste it into the text box.

Step 4: This will bring up a dialogue box for double-checking. Click on 'OK'. And your redemption code process is completed.

Step 5: In case, your redemption bid fails for some reason, you will get an Email, otherwise you have to wait for a minimum 24 hours to get your rewards to become active on your gadget.
Top smartphones upcoming in 2022 that we look forward to from Xiaomi, Samsung, Apple, Google and more.

Top smartphones upcoming in 2022: With 2022 almost around the corner, tech companies are preparing to release their next generation ultimate flagship smartphones. In fact, Xiaomi will be releasing its 2022 flagship on December 28 of 2021, which is just three days ahead of the New Year. And Motorola has already announced its flagship in early December, 2021.

Top smartphones we look forward to

Hence, we are looking at some of the top smartphone launches expected in 2022.

Galaxy S22 Note

The images show the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra prototype device that holds the S Pen inside the chassis, similar to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. (FrontPageTech)

Samsung is expected to bring the Galaxy Note back to reality, albeit with some Galaxy S flavour. Leaks have so far suggested Galaxy S22 Note to be beefed-up Galaxy S21 Ultra with similar multiple cameras and a built-in silo for the S Pen. Even the design gets a squared off form factor similar to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.

Redmi Note 11 Pro

Representative Image: Redmi Note 11T 5G

The Redmi Note 11 Pro already got released in China a few months ago and we now look forward to the global variant of the same. The Chinese variant of the Redmi Note 11 Pro is expected to come as the Xiaomi 11i , which means Xiaomi could still keep the Redmi Note 11 Pro a 4G smartphones. Will it be a beefed up version of the Redmi Note 10 Pro from this year?

Samsung Galaxy A53

The renders of Samsung Galaxy A53 5G show the phone in white and black colour variants. (OnLeaks / Digit)

The Samsung Galaxy A53 has leaked enough to give us a fair idea of what to expect. We know it looks largely similar to the Galaxy A52 from this year, complete with its minimalist design and IP rating for water and dust resistance. Samsung is likely to use the Snapdragon 778G as the chipset, a 64MP triple rear camera setup, a 120Hz AMOLED display, and the newest Android 12 based One UI 4 experience.

iQOO 9

Representative Image: iQOO 7, iQOO 7 Legend

Not much has leaked about the iQOO 9, except for the fact that it could be coming a 120W fast wired charging solution. The iQOO 9 is expected to use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, get the newest camera hardware, a different design, and probably a new version of FunTouch OS based on Android 12.

Apple iPhone 14

Renders of the iPhone 14 Pro by ConceptsiPhone via Tom's Guide (ConceptsiPhone via Tom's Guide)

The biggest launch of next year! The iPhone 14 leaks have already suggested a design reminiscent of the iPhone 4S era with flat glass rear and sharp metal sides. Apple may drop the iPhone 14 Mini in favour of an iPhone 14 Max. All the models are expected to get a 120Hz OLED display, with the Pro versions going for a punch-hole cutout design for the cameras. Keep an eye here as more details emerge regarding the iPhone 14.

iPhone SE 5G

iPhone SE 5G could be largely based on the iPhone SE 2020. (Amritanshu Mukherjee / HT tech)

The iPhone 14 may be for the affluent but Apple is rumoured to bring an updated iPhone SE early next year. Sadly, the updated part is likely to be restrained to the chipset, with Apple probably giving it the A15 Bionic 5G chip from the iPhone 13. The rest of the design and features are expected to remain unchanged, which means the same old 4.7-inch display, TouchID, a single rear camera, and a tiny battery.
Leading cryptocurrency Bitcoin price fell after the ban report to $48,656 from levels around $49,144.

The Russian central bank wants to ban investments in cryptocurrencies in Russia, seeing risks to financial stability in the rising number of crypto transactions, two financial market sources close to the bank said. Leading cryptocurrency bitcoin price fell after the report to $48,656 from levels around $49,144 seen shortly before.

Russia has argued for years against cryptocurrencies, saying they could be used in money laundering or to finance terrorism. It eventually gave them legal status in 2020 but banned their use as a means of payment.

The central bank is now in talks with market players and experts about a possible ban. If approved by lawmakers, it could apply to new purchases of crypto assets but not to those bought in the past, said one of the financial market sources, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Another source close to the Bank of Russia said the central bank's current position was a "complete rejection" of all cryptocurrencies.

In a reply to Reuters' request for comment, the central bank said it was preparing an advisory report to voice its stance on the issue. It did not comment on specifics.

RISKS

The annual volume of cryptocurrency transactions carried out by Russians is about $5 billion, the central bank has said.

Central Bank First Deputy Governor Ksenia Yudaeva said this month that cryptocurrencies' increasing popularity raised concerns about risks to financial stability.

"The situation in developed market countries more and more resembles the so-called shadow financial system," Yudaeva wrote in an article, adding that use of cryptocurrencies lowered the efficiency of monetary policies.

Pointing to China's experience, she said Russia needed a further adjustment of cryptocurrency regulation.

In September, China intensified its crackdown on cryptocurrencies with a blanket ban on all crypto transactions and mining, hitting bitcoin and other major coins and pressuring crypto and blockchain-related stocks.

Meanwhile, the Bank of Russia is planning to issue its own digital rouble, joining the global trend to develop digital currencies to modernise financial systems, speed up payments and counter a potential threat from other cryptocurrencies.
Software update loaded with malicious code is key evidence in years-long push to block Huawei, Australian officials say

The U.S. government has warned for years that products from Chinas Huawei Technologies Co., the worlds biggest maker of telecommunications equipment, pose a national security risk for any countries that use them. As Washington has waged a global campaign to block the company from supplying state-of-the-art 5G wireless networks, Huawei and its supporters have dismissed the claims as lacking evidence.

Now a Bloomberg News investigation has found a key piece of evidence underpinning the U.S. efforts  a previously unreported breach that occurred halfway around the world nearly a decade ago.

In 2012, Australian intelligence officials informed their U.S. counterparts that they had detected a sophisticated intrusion into the country's telecommunications systems. It began, they said, with a software update from Huawei that was loaded with malicious code.

The breach and subsequent intelligence sharing was confirmed by nearly two dozen former national security officials who received briefings about the matter from Australian and U.S. agencies from 2012 to 2019. The incident substantiated suspicions in both countries that China used Huawei equipment as a conduit for espionage, and it has remained a core part of a case theyve built against the Chinese company, even as the breachs existence has never been made public, the former officials said.

The episode helps clarify previously opaque security concerns driving a battle over who will build 5G networks, which promise to bring faster internet connectivity to billions of people around the globe. Shenzhen-based Huawei dominates the more than $90 billion global telecommunications equipment market, where it competes against Swedens Ericsson AB and Finlands Nokia Oyj. But the U.S., Australia, Sweden and the U.K. have all banned Huawei from their 5G networks, and about 60 countries signed on to a U.S. Department of State program where theyve committed to avoiding Chinese equipment for their telecommunications systems. Such efforts, which have also included U.S. sanctions against the Chinese company, have slowed Huaweis growth and heightened tensions with China.

The briefings described to Bloomberg contained varying degrees of detail, and the former officials who received them had different levels of knowledge of  and willingness to discuss  specifics. Seven of them agreed to provide detailed accounts of the evidence uncovered by Australian authorities and included in their briefings.

At the core of the case, those officials said, was a software update from Huawei that was installed on the network of a major Australian telecommunications company. The update appeared legitimate, but it contained malicious code that worked much like a digital wiretap, reprogramming the infected equipment to record all the communications passing through it before sending the data to China, they said. After a few days, that code deleted itself, the result of a clever self-destruct mechanism embedded in the update, they said. Ultimately, Australia's intelligence agencies determined that Chinas spy services were behind the breach, having infiltrated the ranks of Huawei technicians who helped maintain the equipment and pushed the update to the telecoms systems.

Guided by Australia's tip, American intelligence agencies that year confirmed a similar attack from China using Huawei equipment located in the U.S., six of the former officials said, declining to provide further detail.

Mike Rogers, a former Republican congressman from Michigan who was chair of the U.S. House of Representatives intelligence committee from 2011 to 2015, declined to discuss the incidents. But he confirmed that national bans against Huawei have been driven in part by evidence, presented in private to world leaders, that China has manipulated the companys products through tampered software updates, also known as patches.

All their intelligence services have pored over the same material, said Rogers, a former FBI agent who is now a national security commentator on CNN. This whole body of work has come to the same conclusion: It's all about administrative access, and the administrative patches that come out of Beijing are not to be trusted.

Many people familiar with Australias intelligence told Bloomberg that they were bound by confidentiality agreements and couldnt discuss it on the record. But Michele Flournoy, former under secretary of defense for policy at the Department of Defense under President Barack Obama, said she wasnt constrained from doing so.

Flournoy, who is co-founder and managing partner of WestExec Advisors LLC, a national security consulting firm closely aligned with the Obama and Biden administrations, confirmed the intrusion and the tampered software update from Huawei. She said she learned about the episode after leaving government in early 2012, emphasizing that the information was shared in unclassified forums.

The Australians from the get-go have been courageous in sharing the information they had, not only with the intelligence channels but more broadly in government channels, Flournoy said. Australia experienced it, but it was also a vicarious wake-up call for Australias allies.

The Australian Signals Directorate, that countrys leading cybersecurity agency, declined to answer specific questions about the incident. Whenever ASD discovers a cyber incident affecting an entity, it engages the relevant entity to provide advice and assistance, the agency said in a statement. ASDs assistance is confidential  it is a matter for relevant entities to comment publicly on any cybersecurity incident.

Australia is not alone in the threats we face from state-based actors in cyberspace, the agency said, noting that the government has joined with others in the world to express serious concerns about malicious cyber activities by Chinas Ministry of State Security.

In the U.S., the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Security Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Counterintelligence and Security Center declined to comment.

Bloomberg didnt find evidence that Huaweis senior leadership was involved with or aware of the attack. Huawei declined to address specific questions. It is hard to comment on speculation and unquoted senior sources, John Suffolk, Huaweis global cybersecurity officer, said in a statement. It is also hard to comment on generalizations such as Australian telecommunications, software update, equipment, etc.

But, he added, no tangible evidence has ever been produced of any intentional wrongdoing of any kind.

Suffolk said that Huaweis technicians can access networks only when customers authorize it, and that customers control when updates are installed on their systems. He said Huawei considers the possibility of its workers being compromised a valid threat and takes steps to protect against it, including restricting access to source code and using tamper-proofing mechanisms to guard against abuse. We closely monitor all of our engineers. Where the law allows we undertake additional vetting, he said. We control the software and equipment they use, and mandatory compliance training is required every year.

Suffolk said that Huawei urges governments, customers and the security ecosystem to review its products and look for vulnerabilities, and it is this openness and transparency that acts as a great protector.

Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the country opposes and would crack down on any forms of cyberattack and internet espionage activities in accordance with the law, not to mention refraining from encouraging, supporting or conspiring with hacking attacks.

Australias slander on China carrying out cyberattacks and espionage penetration are purely a move like a thief crying to catch a thief. This kind of arbitrary smear on another county is an extremely irresponsible action that China firmly opposes, the ministry said. We urge Australia not to abuse the name of national security and put groundless accusations and unreasonable pressures on Huawei and other Chinese companies.

Huawei was founded in 1987 by a former officer of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army, Ren Zhengfei, as a sales agent for business telephone systems, and over the last three decades it has grown to become the world's biggest maker of telecommunications equipment, which includes the routers, switches and cell-tower antennas used to shuttle voice and data traffic over mobile networks.

Huawei entered the Australian market in 2004 and built relationships with two of the countrys three main wireless network operators.

Australias dominant telecom  Melbourne-based Telstra Corp. Ltd.  has long avoided Huawei products, owing to concerns about potential Chinese tampering and the companys partnership with Ericsson, according to three former Telstra executives. Telstra does not have any equipment from Huawei in its network now, nor have we in the past, the company said in a statement.

But Telstras two smaller rivals embraced the technology.

An early and symbolically important partner was Optus, a division of Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., which is Singapores biggest telecom. Optus picked Huawei for several large-scale infrastructure upgrades, starting in 2005 with a deal for digital subscriber line equipment. Optus later picked Huawei in 2007 to supply part of its nationwide 3G wireless network and in 2012 for part of its 4G network. In addition to being Australias second-biggest mobile carrier, Optus also operates the countrys largest fleet of satellites, and it works closely with the Australian military.

Huaweis other key partner in Australia was Vodafone Hutchison Australia, the countrys third-biggest mobile carrier. It selected Huawei to overhaul its entire 2G and 3G infrastructure in 2011 and later for parts of its 4G networks as well.

The identity of the telecom impacted by the breach in Australia wasn't shared widely in the briefings by Australian and U.S. intelligence officials, according to the people who received them. But a former senior U.S. intelligence official and a former Australian telecommunications executive who worked in a national security role said they were told it was Optus.

Optus disputed the information. Optus has a strong track record of providing trusted and secure services, including to major government agencies. These are delivered in close collaboration with government and with strict adherence to its advice on security matters, the company said in a statement. Optus takes security very seriously. Any incidents of breaches or inappropriate vendor behavior would be taken into account in our network investment decisions, but we have no knowledge of the alleged incidents.

After a 2020 merger, Vodafone Hutchison Australia became TPG Telecom Ltd. The company said it wasnt aware of an attack. We can confirm that there was no such malware in our network, and we have never heard of this alleged incident in respect of any Australian networks, the company said in a statement. We comply with all directions and advice from the Australian government in relation to national security.

Starting around 2010, officials in Australia and the U.S. had grown alarmed by two trends: the rising number of hacking attacks from China and Huaweis expanding role in their countries telecommunications systems, according to Michael Wessel, who for more than 20 years has been a commissioner on the congressionally created U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The commission examines national security implications of the trade and economic relationships between the two countries and reports its recommendations.

The countries began investigating whether any of those hacks traced back to Huawei equipment, he said.

If theres a locksmith whos installing more and more locks on the doors in a community and suddenly theres a rash of silent robberies, at some point the locksmith becomes a person of interest, Wessel said. Huawei around that time became a significant entity of interest.

By that point, the NSA had already penetrated Huaweis corporate networks in China, looking for evidence of any links between the company and Chinas military, according to documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and published in news articles in 2014. Under a program called Shotgiant, the U.S. monitored e-mail accounts belonging to Huawei employees including Ren, the companys founder. NSA also looked for ways to exploit Huawei products in Chinese-built networks in countries considered high-priority intelligence targets, including Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, Kenya and Pakistan, according to the documents and articles.

Huaweis Suffolk said in his statement that no such evidence was ever presented that demonstrated Huawei was anything other than highly professional and that our founder Mr. Ren has many, many boring e-mails.

Concerned about potential intrusion into its communications systems, Australia began taking a harder line on Huawei and China. In particular, Australia blocked Huawei from participating in massive project to build a nationwide broadband network, a surprise decision that triggered a diplomatic uproar when the news leaked in early 2012. Then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the decision involved national security matters that she couldnt discuss. Gillard declined to comment for this story.

Around that time, Australia discovered the breach  an extraordinary find given the hackers' efforts to cover their tracks.

The seven former officials who provided detailed accounts of their briefings said that Australias intelligence agencies had detected suspicious traffic flowing from the countrys telecommunications systems to China, a trail that led to Huawei equipment. Investigators gained access to some of the infected systems, but they arrived too late. Digital forensics on those systems revealed only fragments of the malicious codes existence, and investigators reconstructed the attack using a variety of sensitive sources, including human informants and secretly intercepted conversations, the former officials said.

The attackers had siphoned all the data flowing through the equipment during the malware's short window of operation, the former officials said. The data gave them access to the contents of private communications and information that could be used to target specific people or devices in future attacks, the former officials said. Bloomberg was unable to learn what, if anything, the attackers did with it.

Also in 2012, around the time Australian officials were briefing U.S. agencies about the breach, the intelligence committee of the House of Representatives published findings that Chinas spy services had a wealth of opportunities to tamper with products from Huawei and a similar company, ZTE Corp., from their design to their maintenance on customer networks. One of those involves so-called managed services, a common offering where companies provide ongoing support, including remote software updates, for their equipment after its installed at customer sites, the report found. Unfortunately, such contracts may also allow the managed-service contractor to use its authorized access for malicious activity under the guise of legitimate assistance, the report found.

Huawei and ZTE dont need to be a participant in  or even be aware of  any attacks for them to occur through their employee ranks. Chinese intelligence services need only recruit working-level technicians or managers in these companies to carry out compromises of customer networks, the report found.

At the time, Huawei said the report employs many rumors and speculations to prove nonexistent accusations, while a ZTE spokesman said that after a year-long investigation, the committee rests its conclusions on a finding that ZTE may not be free of state influence. That standard would apply to any company operating in China, the spokesman said.

In the years since then, various reports have linked Huawei or its employees to spying and surveillance. In 2019, for example, the Wall Street Journal reported that Huawei technicians, in at least two instances, helped African governments spy on political opponents, intercepting their encrypted communications and using cellphone data to track their locations. Last year, Australias Financial Review found that Huawei built a facility to store the entire data archive for the Papua New Guinea government, but it contained glaring security gaps that exposed sensitive files to being stolen. And on Dec. 14, the Washington Post published documents from Huawei showing that the company has played a broader role in tracking Chinas populace than it has acknowledged.

Huawei denied each of the reports, and the company has consistently pushed back against allegations that its products pose a security risk.

Huawei has not had any major cybersecurity incidents while working with more than 500 telecom providers, including most of the top 50 telecom operators, for nearly 20 years in 170 countries to connect more than 3 billion people, the company says on its website. No other vendor can claim this level of cybersecurity success.

Keith Krach, the former under secretary for economic growth, energy and the environment at the U.S. Department of State under President Donald Trump, declined to discuss specific incidents. But he confirmed that the U.S. and its allies have had evidence for years that China has manipulated Huawei equipment through software updates.

Huawei has thrown a lot of head fakes by saying it would never put a back door in the hardware  a back door means nothing because there's a front door that's open every day through software, he said. Huaweis software updates can push whatever code they want into those machines, whenever they want, without anyone knowing.

That characterization is a fantasy, said Huaweis Suffolk. There is not a general software update mechanism, patches are not pushed at will and Huawei has no control or say when an operator decides to upgrade or patch their network, he said.

In Australia, after nearly a decade of hostility with the government, Huawei has abandoned many of its operations. Last year, the company revealed a $100 million financial cut to its Australian investment and more than 1,000 local job losses, according to the Financial Review. A key factor behind that 5G ban, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, was an intelligence assessment that the vulnerabilities associated with Huawei products were so severe that more than 300 separate risks would need to be mitigated in order to use it securely.

In Huaweis statement to Bloomberg, the company said that former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull publicly stated that no evidence had been provided to demonstrate that Huawei had undertaken anything untoward in Australia. In his memoir, which was published in 2020, Turnbull wrote that his administration's 5G ban against Huawei was a hedge against a future threat, not the identification of a smoking gun, but a loaded one.

Turnbull, in a statement to Bloomberg, rejected Huawei's characterization. That is not what I have said  I made no comment as to whether evidence of untoward conduct by Huawei had been presented or observed, he said. So I was, if you like, deliberately making no comment on that point at all.

Turnbull declined to comment about the 2012 incident or any other intelligence matters related to Huawei.

Australia continues to deal with the fallout from challenging China on a range of issues, including Huawei.

China has imposed damaging one-sided tariffs on Australian commodities, and Chinese hackers have targeted Australian institutions with relentless attacks since the country called last year for an independent probe into the origins of Covid-19. Australia also announced a pact in September with the U.S. to build nuclear-powered submarines, a challenge to Chinas growing military presence that has further heightened tensions in the region.

Flournoy, the former Defense Department official under Obama, said China continues to punish Australia in part because of it longstanding position on Huawei, which was informed in part by the breach the country discovered nearly a decade ago.

They didnt do the typical thing of trying to hide the vulnerability; they talked about what happened with their closest allies and took a public stand, Flournoy said. They are still taking a hit for it.
Credit: Shutterstock

In some remote Northern Territory communities nearly all households, 91 percent, experienced a disconnection from electricity during the 2018-19 financial year, according to a new study led by The Australian National University (ANU).

The researchers warn that pre-paid power arrangements are putting already disadvantaged Australians at risk, particularly as they lose power on dangerously hot days.

The data, taken from smart meters for 3,300 households in 28 remote Indigenous communities, shows almost three quarters of households, 74 percent, using prepaid electricity meters had their household power disconnected more than 10 times.

The report authors suggest the figures are an "underestimate" as there are many more households using prepayment metering than those represented in the study.

"Remote Indigenous communities suffer severe energy insecurity, which worsens during extreme temperatures. These households are more likely to experience disconnection from electricity on very hot or very cold days," report author Dr. Thomas Longden, from ANU, said.

"The impact is greatest in the central dry grassland climate zone, which is located in central Australia and experiences both cold nights during winter and hot days during summer. These temperature-related disconnections are driven by an increase in electricity used to heat and cool homes.

"Remote communities are not covered by the policy protections that the vast majority of Australians enjoy."

The study, published in Nature Energy, shows households with high electricity use located in the central climate zones of Australia had a one-in-three chance of a same-day disconnection on very hot or very cold days.

"With prepayment, once credit runs out this disconnects the whole household from electricity supply, which can compromise the functioning of the home. We found that almost all households faced disconnection and the rates of disconnection are higher during either extreme temperatures," Dr. Longden said.

Co-author Dr. Simon Quilty, an ANU researcher based in central Australia, said the power cuts are "punishing Indigenous communities" as they face climate change and a global pandemic.

"Energy poverty amplifies poor health in remote communities, and this runs hand-in-hand with very poor quality housing," Dr. Quilty said.

"In extreme weather, these houses regularly become dangerously hot. On an extremely hot Northern Territory day, the electricity is more likely to go off. As the inside temperature rises, air conditioners don't work, food and medicines in fridges spoil, families can't do their washing, and people crowd into other houses where the power is still on.

"These communities are facing the failure of policy around the collision of climate change and energy regulation. It's dangerous for Indigenous communities."

The researchers suggest a broad suite of related policy responses is required to reduce the frequency, duration and negative effects of disconnection from electricity for remote-living Indigenous residents.

"This situation needs to change, and Indigenous communities need to be involved as the leaders of what these changes look like," Dr. Quilty said.

Indigenous report co-author Norman Frank Jupurrurla, from Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation, said: "People are still living rough, houses are hot in summer with no insulation and burning like an oven, and in winter they are freezing like a fridge."

More information: Thomas Longden et al, Energy insecurity during temperature extremes in remote Australia, Nature Energy (2021). Journal information: Nature Energy Thomas Longden et al, Energy insecurity during temperature extremes in remote Australia,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41560-021-00942-2
Egyptian politician Ayman Nour speaks during a news conference organized by Muslim Brotherhood for former Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, in Istanbul, on June 20, 2019. Security researchers say they'd discovered two different types of commercial military-grade spyware on the phone of Nour, a leading exiled Egyptian dissident, documenting for the first time a hack by a little-known competitor of Israel's notorious NSO Group. Credit: AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici, File

Security researchers said Thursday they found two kinds of commercial spyware on the phone of a leading exiled Egyptian dissident, providing new evidence of the depth and diversity of the abusive hacker-for-hire industry.

One piece of malware recently found on an iPhone belonging to Ayman Nour, a dissident and 2005 Egyptian presidential candidate who subsequently spent three years in jail, originated with the increasingly embattled NSO Group of Israel. That company was recently blacklisted by Washington. The other was from a company called Cytrox, which also has Israeli ties. This was the first documentation of a hack by Cytrox, a little-known NSO Group rival.

The spyware was uncovered by digital sleuths at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, who said two different governments hired the competing mercenaries to hack Nour's phone. Both instances of malware were simultaneously active on the phone, investigators said after examining its logs. The researchers said they traced the Cytrox hack to Egypt but didn't know who was behind the NSO Group infection.

The researchers said in a report that the intrusions highlight how "hacking civil society transcends any specific mercenary spyware company."

In detailing the Cytrox infection, the researchers said they found the phone of a second Egyptian exile, who asked not to be identified, also hacked with Cytrox's Predator malware. But the bigger discovery, in a joint probe with Facebook, was that Cytrox has customers in countries beyond Egypt including Armenia, Greece, Indonesia, Madagascar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Serbia.

Facebook's owner, Meta, announced on Thursday a flurry of takedowns of accounts affiliated with seven surveillance-for-hire firmsincluding Cytroxand notified about 50,000 people in more than 100 countries including journalists, dissidents and clergy who may have been targeted by them. It said it deleted about 300 Facebook and Instagram accounts linked to Cytrox, which appears to operate out of North Macedonia.

Cytrox's last known CEO, Ivo Malinkovski, could not be located for comment. He scrubbed his LinkedIn page earlier this month to remove mention of his Cytrox affiliationthough a coffee mug with the company name was in his profile photo. The business intelligence website Crunchbase says Cytrox was founded in a Tel Aviv suburb in 2017.

Citizen Lab researcher Bill Marzak said investigators found the malware on Nour's iPhone after it was "running hot" in June. He said the Cytrox malware appears to pull the same tricks as NSO Group's Pegasus productin particular, turning a smartphone into an eavesdropping device and siphoning out its vital data. One captured module records all sides of a live conversation, he said.

Nour said in an interview from Turkey that he was not surprised by the discovery, as he's sure he has been under Egyptian surveillance for years. Nour said he suspected Egyptian military intelligence in the Cytrox hack. An Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman did not respond to calls and texts requesting comment.

Cytrox was part of a shadowy alliance of surveillance tech companies known as Intellexa that was formed to compete with NSO Group. Founded in 2019 by a former Israeli military officer and entrepreneur named Tal Dilian, Intellexa includes companies that have run afoul of authorities in various countries for alleged abuses.

A logo adorns a wall on a branch of the Israeli NSO Group company, near the southern Israeli town of Sapir, Aug. 24, 2021. Israel's Defense Ministry said in a statement Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, that it is tightening supervision over cyber exportsa move that follows a series of scandals involving Israeli spyware company NSO Group. The ministry said the countries purchasing Israeli cyber technology would have to sign a declaration pledging to use the products "for the investigation and prevention of terrorist acts and serious crimes only." Credit: AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner, File

Four executives of one such firm, Nexa Technologies, were charged in France this year for "complicity of torture" in Libya while criminal charges were filed against three company executives for "complicity of torture and enforced disappearance" in Egypt. The company allegedly sold spy tech to Libya in 2007 and to Egypt in 2014.

On its website, Intellexa describes itself as "EU-based and regulated, with six sites and R&D labs throughout Europe," but lists no address. Its web page is vague about its offerings, although as recently as October it said that in addition to "covert mass collection" it provides systems "to access target devices and networks" via Wi-Fi and wireless networks. Intellexa said its tools are used by law enforcement and intelligence agencies against terrorists and crimes including financial fraud.

The Associated Press left messages for Dilian and also tried to reach Intellexa through a form on its website, but received no response.

In addition to his involvement in Intellexa, Dilian ran afoul of authorities in Cyprus in 2019 after showing off a "spy van" there to a Forbes reporter. His company was reportedly fined $1 million as result. He also founded and later sold to NSO Group a company called Circle Technologies, which geolocated cellphones.

The hacker-for-hire industry is facing increased scrutiny as well as regulatory and legal pressure. That includes a call by a group of U.S. lawmakers this week to sanction NSO Group, Nexa and their top executives.

The Biden administration last month added NSO Group and another Israeli firm, Candiru, to a blacklist that bars U.S. companies from providing them with technology. And Apple announced last month that it was suing NSO Group, with the tech giant calling the company's employees "amoral 21st century mercenaries." Facebook sued NSO Group in 2019 for allegedly violating its WhatsApp messenger app.

Earlier this month, Israel's Defense Ministry said it was tightening oversight over cybersecurity exports to prevent abuse.

Citzen Lab researchers, who have been tracking NSO Group exploits since 2015, are skeptical. If NSO Group were to disappear tomorrow, competitors could step in without missing a beat with off-the-shelf replacement spyware, they say.

The firms targeted by Facebook in the takedowns announced Thursday included four Israeli companies: Cobwebs, Cognyte, Black Cube, and Bluehawk CI, as well India-based BellTroX and an unknown organization in China. They provide a variety of different kinds of surveillance activity, ranging from simple intelligence collection through fake accounts to wholesale intrusion.

Nour urged international action against hacker-for-hire firms, "whether it comes from Israel or anywhere else. In the end, the biggest problem is those who use these digital monsters to eat and kill innocent people." That includes nonviolent activists and journalists including Nour's late friend, Jamal Khashoggi.

The Saudi journalist was slain in 2018 at his country's Istanbul consulate and is also believed to have been targeted by phone-surveillance software.

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Italian transplants populated East Coast American cities in droves during waves of immigration between 1880 and 1920, bringing with them the flavors and cooking culture of their homeland. Remnants of that proud history still echo throughout Boston today, especially in the North End, where restaurants and markets offer a true taste of old-world tradition.

To sample genuine-article salame (Italian for charcuterie), set a course to these tried-and-true dining destinations around town.

With a name like this, youd expect to find delicious pork items on the menu. And youd be right. Pick and choose from prosciutto, terrine, pate, chorizo, rillettes, cheeses and round outs to build your own board as a lead-in to Italian antipasti, pizzas and house-made pastas washed down with a craft beer or glass of vino.

Long-time proponents of nose-to-tail cooking, Coppa owners Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette bring their traditional culinary sensibilities to diners through tasty high-quality charcuterie at this cozy South End enoteca. The antipasti offering lets you choose from a tempting list that includes coppa, speck, lingua and duck prosciutto with house garnishes to accompany; soppressata, nduja, capicola and prosciutto also make appearances on pizzas here.

With locations in Fenway and Beacon Hill, Kured gives customers a fun opportunity to assemble their own customized DIY charcuterie boxes and paper-wrapped cones from a selection of salame, sausages, cheeses, bread, crackers and accoutrements. Or, go with a pre-curated option like the Banksy, the Basquiat or the Pizza Party Artist Box. Vegetarian options are also available.

Since 1978, this multi-location specialty food shop has kept Boston in excellent meats and cheeses. If youre assembling a picnic or a tasting board for a party, you may have trouble narrowing down selections from the vast inventory, much of it either made in-house or sourced from European producers. Fortunately, the savvy staff is well-versed in guiding customers to the perfect pairings. Weekly changing take-home dinner menus and daily sandwiches also help simplify ordering decisions.

Emphasizing sustainable practices, this neighborhood shop sells a carefully vetted inventory of artisan cheeses and cured meats along with pantry items, wine, spirits and craft beer. American Provisions South Boston and Dorchester shops also stack up a noteworthy Italian sub piled with salami, prosciutto, mortadella, provolone, arugula, tomatoes, vinaigrette and hots peppers.

Belly up to this funky Downtown Crossing wine bar where you can mix and match from the Bone Thugs & Charcuterie selections  prosciutto, spicy salami, mortadella, chicken liver mousse and steak tartare  with, naturally, a glass of red or white.
The Franklin County School Board voted on Dec. 13 to discontinue its virtual education offerings for the 2022-23 school year.

The current virtual education offerings will still be available to students through the end of May 2022.

The school divisions breakdown of the numbers is as follows: Currently, 106 students in the division are enrolled in virtual education for the second semester of the 2021-22 school year. The number represents students who are enrolled in Virtual Virginia and students who utilize a blended learning offering. There are 70 students enrolled in Virtual Virginia, including 41 high school students, five eighth-grade students, nine sixth-grade students, five third-grade students, four second-grade students and six first-grade students. There are 24 seventh-grade students in the virtual team at Benjamin Franklin Middle School. There are 12 students enrolled in a blended course offering, including five fourth-grade students and seven fifth-grade students.

The students enrolled in the divisions virtual offerings are supported by seven teachers, according to the school system. Additionally, school counselors, an administrator of instructional technology and school principals spend time registering, monitoring, communicating and collaborating with Virtual Virginia and students who are enrolled in virtual education.

During her presentation on Dec. 13, Suzanne Rogers, assistant superintendent, noted that the divisions central office team met several times to discuss whether virtual education should be placed in the divisions 2022-23 budget.

Due to teacher shortage and the number of staff it takes to support virtual education, we recommend discontinuing the option in the 2022-23 school year and not placing it in the budget, the staff recommendation to the board read.

Julie Nix, the board chairperson and Blue Ridge District representative on the board, asked for clarification related to the impetus for the recommendation.

So were understanding this correctly, its not a matter of money as much as it is personnel in our classrooms? she asked.

Rogers replied: Correct. These seven teachers can then be brought back into the classroom settings.

Bernice Cobbs, superintendent, noted that one or two classes at Franklin County High School may be offered via Virtual Virginia in the future because of a possible staffing shortage.

Rogers added, What we wont offer is 100% virtual for a student, but there may need to be some classes covered from a virtual or blended option.

Virtual Virginia is a program of the Virginia Department of Education. It offers online Advanced Placement, world language, core academic and elective courses to students throughout Virginia.

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Major business organizations argued against the proposed vaccination exemptions, which employers would have to accept from workers without further inquiry. The head of the state chamber of commerce said the proposal would discourage employers from requiring vaccines even if they believe it is best for their workers and customers.

Dr. Gabriel Bosslet, an Indiana University Health critical care physician, told the committee that hes seen people die needlessly because they didnt get vaccinated and was frustrated with an intensive care unit where nearly all COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated.

The message this bill sends is that vaccines are not important, Bosslet said. Vaccines are important. They are the only way to end this.
With the funds, NCRC will build new sidings in Nebraska, Aguilar said.

There would be one outside of Grand Island, one in Central City, one in Columbus and one in Brainard, and it would help alleviate a lot of the backup problems we have in Grand Island, he said.

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Additional sidings would improve safety at railroad crossings and improve traffic congestion, as well, Ashworth said.

Thats what frustrates drivers and pedestrians most, when trains are blocking the crossings, she said. People are generally trying to hurry and get where theyre going, and we just want everyone to be safe, so if we can move trains efficiently through Grand Island that would help our drivers.

Ashworth explained that it was Central Nebraska Railroad Co. that reached out to her.

Theyre one of my partners here in town. They help me out a lot, so I try to pay that back, she said. And anytime I can help the railroads run more smoothly and more efficiently and safer in Nebraska, I am all for it. I support it 100%.

Aguilar confirmed that it was Ashworth who directed CNRC to his office.
YORK  A man (with varying addresses in Nebraska) has changed his plea in a case that involved threatening to kill someone and assaulting someone in Gresham.

Dalton Hardisty, 22, was taken into custody by York County Sheriffs deputies when they were dispatched to Gresham on the report of an assault.

Deputies were informed that Hardisty allegedly threatened to kill a man at a residence there and got into a physical fight with the individual. Both men sustained injuries.

The other man was cited for third degree assault.

Hardisty was arrested and charged with third degree assault and making terroristic threats, which is a Class 3A felony.

It was noted in court documents that Hardisty has a criminal history that includes numerous assaults. The affidavit of probable cause says Hardisty was charged as a minor for assault, and he was arrested for assault in 2015, arrested for assault and making terroristic threats in 2017, arrested for assault in 2019 and arrested for another assault in 2020.
He didnt specifically comment on the petition effort to change the governance of the state Education Department, but said, I support having more accountability for the Department of Education.

He said many of the health education standards were written behind closed doors and that the people who drafted them seemed surprised that the draft stirred up so much controversy.

Hilgers said his law firm has been growing, but when asked why hes campaigning for a $95,000 per year government position, he said, theres a lot more to life than money.

His campaign literature says, As attorney general, Mike Hilgers will fight for our values. Among his priorities are fighting federal overreach, protecting children and the Constitution, supporting law enforcement, defending innocent life and keeping communities safe.

He said Peterson is leaving a strong, well-organized department. He anticipates some of the Nebraska issues that will require the attorney generals attention will be sex trafficking, child abuse, state water rights and prison crowding.

I support building a new prison, he said.
KEARNEY  In 1992, 20 bull riders created the PBR as a way to break away from the traditional rodeo and give fans the most exciting part of the sport  bull riding.

We wanted to create a better product for the fans, so that when they tuned in they were seeing the best of the best every time, PBR co-founder and nine-time world champion Ty Murray said in a press release. Those expectations have been exceeded immensely, and the fact that this sport continues to grow is a gratifying notion, one that supports all the hard work and dedication of every member of the PBR.

The founders believed that bull riding deserved to be in the limelight and could succeed as a standalone sport. Each rider invested a hard-earned $1,000, some borrowing from family and friends, to start the PB.

More than 25 years later, the PBR continues to bring champion-quality bull riding to America. The association will return to central Nebraska for the Midway Auto Dealerships PBR Challenge at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds. Tickets start at $20.
He is able to identify a need in our school system and then he is able to bring the people together to somehow meet that need. ... He has always done it with the intention of helping students. That is his number one goal. Every time you talk to him its, What can we do to make it better for the students and our staff also? Gifford said.

Even while navigating the pandemic, Edwards was able to stay optimistic during what he calls the biggest challenge of his career.

Through the whole pandemic issue and the conflict and the kind of things that have been happening in the last couple of years, I have admired the integrity and the messages of hope even when it has been tough. He has always been able to look for something that is hopeful and help us get there, Gifford said.

Edwards will retire June 30 as KPS superintendent. After months of pondering the decision, he knew it was the right time to retire. He plans to return to Georgia with his wife Janine to be closer to their two sons and grandchildren.

Its the first time in my life I have a blank slate. I can do anything I want to do, go anywhere I want to go, he said.
YORK  Gregory Meyers, II, 42, of York, has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of being in violation of the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry Act.

According to court documents, he was found by local law enforcement to be in non-compliance, as a registered sex offender. One of the cases involved him not reporting ownership of a vehicle, as is required.

It is noted in the affidavit filed with the court that he has had multiple prior charges for failing to register required information.

A review of his criminal history, according to the affidavit, shows a prior conviction for sex offender registry violations in Cuming County in 2002 and in Fillmore County in 2020 (for which he remains on probation).

It is also noted that he is on supervised release status through the federal court system/U.S. probation for activities relating to material constituting or containing child pornography.

According to the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry, Meyers was convicted of sexual assault of a child in Dodge County in 1995 and of possession of child pornography in U.S. Federal Court in 2007.
Paris, TX (75460)

Today

Considerable clouds early. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. Much colder. High 39F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 23F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Since 1963, the Bald Knob Cross of Peace has stood as a national symbol of faith, and has served as place for family gatherings and a spot for enjoying the regions natural beauty.

Simply stated, Bald Knob Cross is a Southern Illinois icon.

We average 30,000-plus visitors from all over America and across the globe, all coming to Alto Pass, said Jeffrey Isbell, executive director of the not-for-profit monument.

Isbell calls the 111-foot-tall cross and its grounds peaceful and majestic.

For the person that is struggling or just looking to get away or maybe someone who is looking to clear their mind, the Bald Knob Cross offers an abundance of hope and peace. Even for those who are not Christian, the cross offers so much, he said.

Bald Knob  one of the highest points in the region  was initially suggested by Wayman Presley and Rev. W.H. Lirely as a site for a for a cross-denominational Easter service in the 1930s. The popularity of the annual service led to a plan to purchase the site and for construction of a cross.

The intent at the beginning, however, was not tourism, explained longtime volunteer D.W. Presley, grandson of co-founder Wayman Presley. Easter sunrise service was held at Bald Knob for almost 25 years before the cross was completed. It was built as a symbol of faith and it was built to the size and stature so people could see it. It wasnt intended to be a tourism destination, but it has become a place that people do come out to see in huge numbers.

The cross was completed in 1963. Disagreements among board members and disrepair plagued the cross in the early 2000s, but by 2012, resolution and renovations were underway, including relighting of the darkened cross. Today, the future of the cross is bright.

We are moving into a stage of expansion and development, Isbell explained. After years of financial instability, the planning and efforts of the last few years have really created a great foundation for our organization.

He said planning is on-going for efforts to build a chapel as well as an amphitheater and courtyard around the base of the cross.

These are all elements that Wayman Presley and the original founders of the cross envisioned and so were wanting to fulfill their vision. I think thats really exciting, he said.

Events beyond personal pilgrimages and the annual Easter Sunrise service  which drew more than 2000 worshipers this spring  are common. The annual Blessing of the Bikes and Blessing of the Jeeps, organized concerts and autumnal colors events all bring visitors to the site as well.

There are so many different reasons we hear from people as to why they come to Bald Knob, but everyone seems to take a personal piece of ownership. Thats what makes it so special. The project always has been ground-breaking and it continues to bring people together, Presley said.

The Bald Knob Cross of Peace  and more of the icons of our region  can be discovered in the Southern Illinois 100 online at www.thesouthern.com.

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The Sept. 11 case has also led to one minor, Iziekiel Garner, 16, who is accused of firing off a gun not far from Pyramid Park and Marion High School, being tried in adult court on criminal felony charges.
Every December, volunteers join Wreaths Across America to lay wreaths on the graves of U.S. veterans across the country.

This year, cemeteries around Southern Illinois will join those efforts on Wreaths Across America Day, which is Saturday.

Honor Wreaths for Veterans is a group of Southern Illinoisans who have joined together to complete wreath laying for veterans buried in our region.

Martha Ann Webb, coordinator for Anna City Cemetery and city councilman, said the goals are to honor veterans and teach children about freedom.

Webb started raising money for veterans buried in Anna three years ago after she met Jim Koonce and learned about Honor Wreaths for Veterans. She decided to join his efforts and lay wreaths in Anna.

My goal is to cover every veteran in Union County. Weve come a long way, Webb said.

This year, she added Jonesboro, Cobden and Alto Pass.

In those three short years, Webb has raised enough money to place wreaths on the grave of every veteran buried in Anna.

Alto Pass also will honor each veteran with a wreath. During fundraising for Alto Pass Cemetery, they got a call from a family. The family asked how many veterans graves remained, then bought the wreaths for those graves.

She added that donations for Jonesboro and Cobden cemeteries also are growing.

On Saturday, some cemeteries will have short ceremonies before laying wreaths. Others will have longer ceremonies. Volunteers are needed to help lay wreaths.

Webb said the ceremony for Anna and Jonesboro will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in Anna Nazarene Church. Phil Ray, a Vietnam veteran, will lead the ceremony. Other participants will include Anna VFW Honor Guard led by Mark Haddick, Rachel Norton, Anna-Jonesboro High School Concert Chorus, Boy Scout Troop 44. A symbolic wreath laying will be by local veterans.

Then Colp Pride Program will begin at noon in Dewmaine-Colp Cemetery. Douglas Strong, a Vietnam veteran and poet, will speak. The program will include William Perkins, Mike Sherrill, Carterville Mayor Brad Robinson, Herrin Mayor Steve Frattini, sisters Jenna Elizabeth Herbst and Janna Harner, Jim Gentile, Vanessa Sherrill, Ron Kirby, Carl Jackson, Aaron Jones, Marie Perkins and 'Miss Williamson County' Emma Shick.

Carterville Cemetery will host a brief ceremony at 9 a.m. followed by wreath laying until 10 a.m. Saturday at the flag pole. It will include representatives from Carterville Area Rotary Club, Honor Wreaths for Veterans and the community.

Those attending are asked to arrive at the cemetery by 8:45 a.m. Directions will be given out prior to ceremony and after it.

More than 1,000 veterans are buried in Carterville.

Webb said the organizations are seeking donations made for wreaths next year. If a donation is made between Dec. 18 and Jan. 14, it will be matched. If you buy a wreath for a local veteran, another wreath will be given to Wreaths Across America.

Donations can be made to cemetery coordinators. Webb can be reached at 618-614-2753.

Donations can be sent to Honor Wreaths for Veterans at 1212 N. Garfield St., Marion, IL 62959.

For more information, visit www.honorwreathsforveterans.org.

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Packed with rifles and explosives, the SUV hurtled down a Florida interstate beneath bright blue autumn skies, passing other motorists with little notice.

It was November 2018, and the driver, Tyler Sumlin, was uncomfortable. Clammy. The husky, bearded former U.S. Army soldier was getting a cold, and understandably tense: He was transporting a platoon's worth of stolen rifles, enough C4 to blow up his car and those around him, a live hand grenade.

He would recall thinking, "Is it too late to turn around?"

Riding shotgun was Sumlin's military blood brother, Sgt. 1st Class Jason Jarvis, a soldier on active-duty from Fort Bragg's 18th Ordnance Company in North Carolina  Sumlin's old unit.

The two men, who'd been close since they served in Afghanistan, tried to distract themselves with idle road-trip chatter. Their wives, war stories, favorite movies.

A few months earlier, Jarvis had reached out to ask if Sumlin had interest in making some money. Jarvis was looking to sell stolen military equipment from an armory at Bragg.

Sumlin said he might be able to find a buyer.

Now they were headed to El Paso, Texas, to sell the stolen weapons. The two men had heard from contacts that the customers were taking the haul into Mexico.

In a series of stories, The Associated Press has detailed how the U.S. military has a problem with missing and stolen guns and explosives, and how some weapons have been used in domestic crime.

But the inside story of how two men who'd forged a deep bond amid the violence of the battlefield attempted to sell stolen Army weapons reveals another kind of threat: an organized group of soldiers and veterans taking advantage of flaws in the military's system to make fast money.

This story is based on extensive interviews, text messages associated with a federal criminal case, private Facebook group messages, court records and documents from military investigative proceedings.

While information about Sumlin and Jarvis has come to light before, this account offers new details about a case that left other soldiers appalled and enraged  betrayed, they believed, by two of their own.

***

A photograph captures a day in 2009 as Sumlin and Jarvis sat together on a rock in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. A rifle rests on Sumlin's lap, and he wears a tactical vest, his T-shirt sleeves cut off to expose a farmer's tan and tattoo on his left shoulder. Jarvis is off to his side, his rifle in hand.

The two young men had become brothers amid the breakneck tempo of wartime Afghanistan. Sumlin and Jarvis specialized in explosive ordnance disposal, or EOD, the kind of work  with its stifling, hulking bomb suits  given the Hollywood treatment in "The Hurt Locker."

Their work eliminating improvised explosive devices set by the Taliban was nonstop, and gave them little time to process what they saw, heard and smelled. It was a pressure cooker of a job inside a pressure cooker, intense even in the high stakes world of the battlefield. They stashed traumatic experiences and images deep inside themselves, and their comradery helped blunt the stress.

When they returned stateside both struggled with adjusting to the slower pace of life. Like many soldiers, they found some balm in the friendship of others who'd seen what they'd seen.

Like many military subcultures, the tight-knit EOD community has its own code of conduct, ethics and language. Sumlin joined a private Facebook group where the EOD community commiserated, argued and pranked one another. They also held each other to account, debating whether a member's conduct violated the brotherhood's code.

Sumlin left the Army in December 2017, but deployed again to do bomb disposal with a private defense contracting company.

Meanwhile, Jarvis remained in the Army. At Fort Bragg, home to some of the Army's most elite units, Jarvis worked in an armory. And that gave him access to a wealth of military firearms, parts and other equipment such as night vision goggles and explosives.

***

Inside the Fort Bragg armory, Jarvis took photographs of weaponry  and then he stole it, and set out to sell it.

His buddy, Sumlin, sent the photos and an inventory list of the pilfered weapons and explosives to an accomplice who called himself "Mr. Anderson." Anderson, a former Army combat engineer who had served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, was one of several other soldiers or veterans connected to the scheme.

In May 2018, Sumlin and Jarvis began mining their contacts to offload the haul. They would find a promising lead with the help of a man identified as "Evan," who they hadn't met but who said he had connections with a willing buyer.

"Inventory: NVG-13, Aimpoint-8, ACOG-18, PEQ2A-10, DD Rail-24, DD-Barrel-15, Various Troy toys," Anderson texted Evan, including Jarvis' photos. The letters and numbers described a litany of arms and night vision goggles, rifle optics and lasers designed for aiming, and rifle parts.

"Wow, items are good, any idea on price if I took everything?" Evan texted back.

"I'll let you know as soon as I hear back from him," Anderson wrote, referring to Sumlin.

Over the next few days, the conversation continued, copies of messages show. Anderson and Evan complained about the weapons' high prices. They sounded paranoid when they discussed dealing with amateur gun dealers like Sumlin and Jarvis, and feared they would attract attention from law enforcement.

"As soon as he named his price (for the gunsights) I thought he was joking since they're definitely USED," Anderson wrote. "I'm not sure if it's his first time or not. But it's the last time I ask around for (Sumlin)."

After a few days, Evan said he'd found a buyer who wanted it. All of it.

What Anderson didn't know is that Evan was a longtime confidential informant working with Homeland Security Investigations, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

In his communication with Sumlin and Anderson, Evan said, he represented a buyer who claimed to be connected to narcotraffickers. (Sumlin has denied that the weapons were meant to be sold to drugrunners.)

"I didn't know (the buyer) was south of Texas," Anderson wrote.

"Yep he goes between Texas and Mexico all the time," Evan wrote back.

"I wouldn't sell anything to anyone down there," Anderson replied.

"Lol  well he has always been a cash buyer without question and never any issues at all," Evan responded. "It sounds like they've made a deal."

"I hope so. They still have to meet and conclude," wrote Anderson.

By mid-November 2018, Jarvis had rented a Chevy Tahoe SUV in North Carolina and drove the stolen cache south. He met Sumlin in Inverness, a small town in central Florida's lakes region, so they could prepare the weapons for sale, according to a federal criminal complaint.

Sumlin would say he and Jarvis had initially sought $250,000 for the firearms and explosives. After some back-and-forth, they settled on a much lower price: $75,000.

It seemed a paltry amount, considering the risk, but the weapons sale may have been just one in which they were involved. According to the Army Criminal Investigation Division's case file, Jarvis and Sumlin would later tell agents about "criminal transactions" in Colorado, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Texas. In the document, another soldier confessed to stealing multiple rifle optic systems and a bomb suit, which were given to Sumlin.

In Florida, Jarvis and Sumlin cleaned the firearms to remove their fingerprints. They also paid to have some parts modified to fit the rifles. With the cache assembled, cleaned, packed in storage containers and loaded for delivery, the men got into the SUV for the 24-hour drive to Texas.

Arriving in El Paso, they pulled into a truck stop the morning of Nov. 14, 2018. A man they thought was the buyers' contact, known as Andy, waited with some others. They told Sumlin and Jarvis to follow them to a nearby warehouse  and into the trap.

There, the agents confirmed that the two men were indeed carrying multiple firearms, military equipment and C4 plastic explosives. A SWAT team pounced, arrested them and secured the cache.

Homeland Security agents seized more than 30 firearms; several blocks of C4; a hand grenade; shaped charges; body armor; night vision devices; binoculars; ammunition; lasers and magazines. In Mexico, where drug traffickers have fought openly, the equipment could unleash carnage.

Yet the weapons recovered did not account for all that was missing from Bragg's armory. According to the report by Army criminal investigators, the items stolen between Sumlin, Jarvis and their accomplices between 2014 and 2018 were valued at close to $180,000. But the U.S. government only recovered roughly $26,000 worth.

The Army referred questions to Homeland Security Investigations, which initially promised to discuss the case with AP, then canceled the interview and, later, did not respond to written questions.

Jarvis and Sumlin were indicted on eight different federal charges, including conspiracy and gunrunning.

"Holy hell they had to be planning a crazy something for sure," Evan texted a Homeland Security agent.

"Boss is extremely happy ... It was a good hit," the agent replied. "Bad guys thought we were narco traffickers from Mexico ... Using their weapons against troops."

***

Sumlin posted bail and returned to his Florida home to pick up the pieces. He faced a possible 70 years in prison, and struggled under the weight of PTSD.

He logged onto the EOD community's private Facebook group page and saw a message directed at him.

"Dude is this you?" an EOD brother asked.

There on the page for everyone to see was a copy of his indictment, which had not been made public or attracted any media attention.

"Yup," Sumlin typed.

"Mistakes were made," a fellow EOD member responded, glibly.

"Alot of them," Sumlin wrote.

In the months after the arrests, word had swirled in the small EOD community about fellow soldiers who'd tried to sell firearms and explosives. But the Army sent no official press release and there were no news reports. The chatter was dismissed as a rumor traded among troops.

The indictment confirmed the rumor, and some of Sumlin's brethren were livid. Explosive ordnance disposal technicians work on the border amid Mexican drug-related violence. What if the weapons had ended up with narcos? They might have been used against the good guys.

"Bro, (obscenity) you AND your service. You're a piece of (obscenity)," wrote one EOD group member. "You betrayed everyone you ever worked with as soon as you tried to sell weapons and explosives to a cartel."

In response, Sumlin indicated there had been six others involved in the conspiracy. Pressed to identify them, he refused.

Why, asked another community member, was he protecting the other conspirators?

"I'd like to hope they learned from what's going to happen to me," Sumlin explained. He said he didn't think any of them had been arrested, and he wanted to keep it that way. He hoped his and Jarvis' punishment would dissuade them from future arms dealings.

For many in the EOD community, Sumlin's mea culpa and excuses about needing money were not enough. He had crossed a line by selling items that could have killed one of their own.

Sumlin and Jarvis had faced decades in prison, but both reached deals with federal prosecutors. They pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle goods from the United States.

The other seven counts were dropped. The maximum term was now 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

But they didn't even get that.

Each was sentenced to five years' probation, and Jarvis was ordered to mental health counseling and required to take prescribed medication.

Jarvis and Anderson did not return messages seeking comment. Sumlin declined to be interviewed for this story, but said in a 2019 interview that he planned to finish his probation and complete a psychology degree.

"I want to try and help veterans that have lost their way and try to help veterans transition out of the military and back into civilian life ... people that have gone through the issues of losing that rush ... that spark in life," he said.

The investigators, meanwhile, were incensed. They speculated that the federal judge was moved by the defendants' service records and claims of post-traumatic stress disorder.

"I don't mind getting my ass kicked in court fair and square ... but when they take a plea agreement and admit to everything we charged him with ... I just don't know what to say," a federal agent wrote to Evan.

"It's like if they pulled over (Timothy) McVeigh on the way to Oklahoma City  and gave him probation because he didn't actually blow up the building," Evan responded.

As for Sumlin's insistence that drug traffickers were never discussed when he was negotiating the deal with undercover agents, Evan is adamant: The veteran was lying.

"They definitely planned to steal the weapons, the C4, the blasting caps and everything and they were going to sell it to the Mexican cartel, period," Evan told the AP.

The legal record is unclear. Sumlin told federal officials he believed the weapons were going to be exported to Mexico. But the federal complaint does not mention drug cartels.

To Evan, Sumlin and Jarvis are terrorists. If they were Muslim or Black, he said, they wouldn't have gotten off so easily.

"It was very frustrating that so many risked their lives, so many undercover people. There were all kinds of agencies involved and this is the outcome?" Evan wrote a Homeland Security agent. "There's other guys who got much worse for much less."

***

LaPorta reported from Boca Raton, Florida; contact him at https://twitter.com/JimLaPorta. Dearen reported from New York; contact him at https://twitter.com/JHDearen. Randy Herschaft in New York contributed.

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LINCOLN  At least five people died as a powerful and extremely unusual storm system swept across the Great Plains and Midwest amid unseasonably warm temperatures, spawning hurricane-force winds and possible tornadoes in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota.

High winds knocked out power across Central Illinois Wednesday night and Thursday morning, but no major damage was reported.

A steady wind of 28 mph was blowing at Chicagos OHare International Airport, where the temperature was 61 degrees, at about 5 a.m. Wednesdays high reached a record 66 degrees.

It was very impressive, said Rich Otto, a forecaster with the U.S. Weather Prediction Center. I cannot recall a system like this in recent memory."

Damage was reported from New Mexico to Minnesota from the winds that caused more widespread damage than the tornadoes the storm spawned. Aircraft were damaged and a radio tower collapsed in New Mexico, power lines were downed throughout the region, there were numerous reports of toppled trees and roofs being ripped off buildings, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

A semitrailer struck by high winds rolled onto its side on southbound U.S. Highway 151 in eastern Iowa on Wednesday evening as severe weather moved through the area, killing the driver, the Iowa State Patrol said.

In southeastern Minnesota, Olmsted County Sheriffs Lt. Lee Rossman said a 65-year-old man was killed Wednesday night when a 40-foot tree blew onto him outside his home. In southwestern Kansas, blinding dust kicked up by the storms Wednesday led to two separate crashes that killed three people, Kansas Highway Patrol trooper Mike Racy said.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service had warned wind gusts could be in excess of 60 mph when record-breaking warmth during the day gave way to a powerful cold front blasting in from the west.

Peoria on Wednesday registered a record high at 69 degrees. The previous record temperature of 63 degrees was set in 1971. Other highs reported Wednesday were 63 degrees in Bloomington, 65 degrees in Decatur and 64 degrees in Mattoon.

The Illinois Department of Transportation warned motorists to use caution on Thursday.

Ameren reported 1,636 customers without power as of 10 a.m. Thursday.

The system came on the heels of devastating tornadoes last weekend that cut a path through states including Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Illinois and Kentucky, killing more than 85 people.

The unusually warm temperatures on Wednesday were due in part to record high ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, which wouldnt have happened without global warming, said Jeff Masters, a Yale Climate Connections meteorologist who cofounded Weather Underground.

Bloomberg News, the Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune contributed to this report.

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Congressman James E. Clyburn will help welcome Dr. Mary McLeod Bethunes statue as it makes a stop in her hometown of Mayesville on Friday on its way to the U.S. Capitol.

The 11-foot, 3-ton marble statue will be on display for public viewing on North Main Street East on Friday to give community members the opportunity to view Bethunes statue before it continues its journey to Washington, D.C.

Born to former slaves in 1875 on a plantation in Mayesville, Bethune would go on to become one of the countrys most influential educators and civil rights leaders.

Florida selected Bethune to replace a Confederate general as part of the National Statuary Hall Collection, representing the state where she founded Bethune-Cookman University.

Each state sends two statues to the collection, and Bethunes addition is historic as she becomes the first Black person to be sent to the Capitol from a state.

I was pleased to work with Congresswoman Kathy Castor of Florida and the Town of Mayesville to bring the statue of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune to her birthplace, and I thank Wells Fargo and the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Statuary Fund, Inc. for helping us honor her at home in this way, Clyburn said.

As a young child, my mother revered Dr. Bethune, and had me learn all that I could about her. It was her roots in South Carolina that fueled her passion for education and enabled her to serve as a counselor to U.S. presidents and a tremendous advocate for the Black community. I spearheaded the effort to have her portrait in the South Carolina Statehouse in the 1970s, and 50 years later, I look forward to welcoming her statue to the halls of Congress, he said.

A ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17, to celebrate Bethunes legacy and officially welcome her statue to Mayesville. It will be held at the Mary McLeod Bethune Learning Center and Art Gallery at 35 North Main Street East, Mayesville.

The viewing will be held from 1\ to 3:30 p.m.

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An honorary graduate of the December graduating class at South Carolina State University will not only celebrate a special moment 60 years in the making, but also have a special friend deliver the commencement address in the 46th president of the United States.

U.S. President Joseph R. Biden will deliver the address at commencement exercises to be held 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 17, at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

It is also a time when 6th District Congressman Jim Clyburn will march with the class after the 1961 graduate of the university did not get to do so 60 years ago. At the time, December graduations were not allowed, and Clyburn received his diploma in the mail.

Orangeburg native Jaime Harrison, 45, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, has worked for both Clyburn and Biden. He said the two legislative veterans share a special relationship formed ahead of the president's acceptance of Clyburn's invitation to speak at the graduation.

"We know the relationship between the president and Jim Clyburn. It's a very, very personal and special relationship. For the president to come and be a part of this ceremony, it's going to be tremendous, and I think a tremendous thing for Congressman Clyburn on a personal level," said Harrison, who also worked previously as a top Clyburn aide on Capitol Hill.

Clyburn indeed described his and Bidens relationship as special.

"It's very special. I don't know how close. I mean, we talk about challenges. When we see each other, we do talk, and it's very personal sometimes. Joe got to know my late wife very well, as well, he said, noting that it was Biden who put up billboards in her honor after she passed away.

Joe Biden is the one that put those billboards up in Columbia. It wasn't just Columbia. He had one up in Charleston, one up in Moncks Corner, where she was from. I think one was in Sumter. ... He did that, Clyburn said.

The congressman continued, He called me and told me that he knew that Emily used to insist that I always do billboards. She didn't care how much TV you did, or radio, she just said, 'I want to see billboards when you're running.' So I would always do billboards, and Joe knew about that. So he called me, and he said, 'I'm going to put up some billboards in memory of Emily if you don't mind.' Of course, I didn't mind, and he did.

He said that kind of personal relationship is what he had with Biden.

Harrison said Bidens visit on Friday will be an honor not just for the graduates, but Clyburn.

"I know there's going to be a special ceremony for him because he is walking. It's his 60th year since his graduation, and he didn't get an opportunity to walk across that stage and receive that diploma. So this is going to be a special moment for him," he said.

Harrison said South Carolina has always been a special place for Biden, but "Joe Biden's also always been special for South Carolina."

"From the dredging of our ports to coming to mourn with the families of Mother Emanuel after the disaster. As Clyburn says so artfully, we have always known Joe Biden because Joe Biden has always known us, and he's always been there for us. So we're very grateful for this president. I'm grateful to work for him," he said.

Clyburn said it was Biden that helped secure the funding for the deepening of Charleston Harbor.

I think few people realize how ... emotionally attached to South Carolina that Joe Biden is. ... Biden was given the responsibility to help me navigate that issue, and we got the money. Few people give Biden credit for that, but he is deserving of it, the congressman said.

He said passage of the federal American Rescue Plan Act and an infrastructure bill are also a testament to Bidens commitment to the needs of rural America, including those in the state.

The governor told me that the money that's out of the infrastructure bill will allow South Carolina to fix Malfunction Junction, (with) over a billion dollars committed to that from this bill. The governor also told me that (with) the money coming out of this infrastructure bill, we're going to be able in 45 years to build out every residence and business in South Carolina with broadband, Clyburn said.

He continued, So I talk to Joe Biden a lot about the needs of rural America, the needs of South Carolina, and he's been very sensitive to it. He's deserving of a whole lot more credit from South Carolinians than he will ever get. I suspect that's basically because he has a D behind his name.

"But I remind people that Joe Biden delivered the eulogy for Strom Thurmond at Strom Thurmond's request. Joe Biden also eulogized Fritz Hollings at their family's request. He was joined by me and the governor at that eulogy. Joe Biden has a great relationship with this state, and this state should be showing a little more love for him than it currently is.

Harrison said, "The great thing for me is I've worked for both of them now. I've worked for Jim Clyburn, and now I work for Joe Biden as chair of the DNC. So two amazing men who will go down as some of the last statesmen that we have in politics. It's great to have both of them in Orangeburg, South Carolina, this week."

Harrison said it was Clyburn's and Biden's relationship that played a hand in Biden's win in the first-in-the-South primary in 2020, which catapulted him to wins on Super Tuesday and to accumulating the votes needed for the presidential nomination.

"I mean, it was a very significant thing. I think Clyburn's endorsement played a pivotal role in the presidential primary, and I think the president will even say that to folks. It was a very important turning point in that primary," Harrison said.

"We've seen Congressman Clyburn play that role throughout his political tenure. I believe this wholeheartedly: At the end of the day, Jim Clyburn will go down as one of the most consequential South Carolinians in the state's history," he said.

Harrison continued, "He has definitely played that oversized role in South Carolina politics in recent history, and I think history will be kind to him in what he has been able to do and deliver for the people in the state. One of those things will be listed as his performance in the 2020 presidential primary."

Clyburn said Biden was deserving of the win in his own right.

People give me credit for his resounding victory here in South Carolina, but hes deserving. Im a good enough politician to accept the credit, but Joe Biden has a great relationship with this state. I said to him way back before the election that I didnt want him to forget South Carolina, and he has not, Clyburn said.

Contact the writer: dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5534. Follow "Good News with Gleaton" on Twitter at @DionneTandD

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A North Carolina man is accused of carjacking two people in Orangeburg County last December, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

A federal grand jury in Columbia returned an indictment against Shia Lee, 33, of Burlington, with one count each of carjacking and brandishing a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

The indictment alleges that Lee brandished a firearm and stole a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee from two people, by force, at a rest area outside of Orangeburg.

According to an Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office incident report, the incident took place at 142 Eastrest Lane around 7:51 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2020.

The wife reported that she and her husband had swapped seats after theyd been traveling for a while.

The wife was sitting in the drivers seat, adjusting mirrors and preparing to drive off when a man appeared in view of the drivers side door.

The wife claimed the man began fighting with her. He then allegedly presented a firearm and told the couple he needed their car.

The man headed east on Interstate 26 in the couples Jeep, the report states.

The husband was an off-duty law enforcement officer for a Lowcountry agency. Both his duty weapon and credentials were secured in the center console of the Jeep. There was also an Apple iPad inside of the Jeep.

Lee was found in Bamberg County four days later after he allegedly stole a 2014 Dodge Caravan at a Branchville convenience store, according to the sheriffs office and U.S. Attorneys Office.

Law enforcement successfully stopped the Dodge after deploying specialized tire deflation sticks.

Officers recovered the couples Jeep and the husbands duty weapon at the Branchville convenience store, the sheriffs office said.

Lee is facing the following charges in Bamberg County: possession of a stolen vehicle valued more than $2,000 but less than $10,000 and first-offense failure to stop for blue lights.

An Orangeburg County grand jury indicted Lee on charges of grand larceny valued $10,000 or more, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime and carjacking.

The Orangeburg and Bamberg County charges remain pending.

Lees alleged actions placed his victims, law enforcement officers, and the public in great danger, FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge Susan Ferensic said.

The quick action taken by our law enforcement partners was vital in helping us put together this case for indictment, Ferensic added.

The case was investigated by the FBI, Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office, City of Bamberg Police Department, Branchville Police Department, City of Laurens Police Department and Denmark Police Department as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods Program.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott Daniels is prosecuting the federal charges.

If convicted on the federal charges alone, Lee faces a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison and up to life imprisonment, plus a fine of up to $250,000 and up to five years of court-ordered supervision.

Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD

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Orangeburg County has been a stopping point for several acting or future U.S. presidents, including President Joe Biden.

Presidents William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft all dined in the Branchville Railroad depot. The dining room was the first passenger dining room where trains would stop for breakfast and dinner.

Though details are slim on the visits, records show Roosevelt visited the county in 1902 when his train stopped briefly at the depot.

Although it was quite early in the morning, a few natives were present with hopes of seeing the president.

Although he didnt make a speech, he did appear on the rear platform to express his thanks to the small crowd for being there to greet him.

It was Roosevelts first visit to South Carolina.

Following Roosevelt, Taft visited the county in 1909. He was greeted by more than 2,500 people on Nov. 6 when his train stopped at the Southern Railroad Depot in Orangeburg to allow for some speech-making. On the way to Columbia, the president also made brief speeches in St. Matthews.

President Franklin D. Roosevelts train also stopped in Branchville en route to Warm Springs, Georgia, but he remained on board.

Then there were those who visited the area before they were presidents.

Young naval officer John F. Kennedy, future 35th president, was put in charge of protecting the rail lines through Orangeburg as well as the other lines feeding into the naval complex during World War II as the fear of enemy sabotage grew.

Another future president, Jimmy Carter, spent time in Orangeburg on several occasions. Carter enjoyed bird hunting in the Orangeburg area and, when he was governor of the state of Georgia, he would come to the Bolentown area to hunt.

Former California Gov. Ronald Reagan spent some time in Orangeburg when he was running against President Carter.

In 1980, Reagan spoke at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College to about 400 people about his vision if elected president.

Then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush visited the Orangeburg County Fairgrounds in February 2000 as he was running for president. Bush was greeted by about 1,200 supporters as he outlined his platform, shook hands and rallied for support.

Then-Sen. Barack Obama visited Orangeburg several times. As an Illinois state senator, he visited Claflin Universitys Ministers Hall in 2004.

In February 2007, Obama visited during a campaign stop and later that year during the first Democratic Party presidential debate in April 2007, which was held at South Carolina State University.

Biden stopped in Orangeburg on several occasions before he was elected president. Hell make his first stop as president on Friday, when he delivers the commencement address at S.C. State.

In 2007, then-U.S. Sen. Biden was also running for president. The Democratic hopeful made three stops in Orangeburg and gained the endorsement of state Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg.

Biden eventually joined President Obamas ticket and served as vice president from January 2009 to January 2017.

In 2019, over half of the presidential candidates held a campaign event in Orangeburg, including Biden.

During a presidential campaign stop at Edisto Fork United Methodist Church in July 2019, Biden told an audience I think we are in the battle for the soul of this nation.

And in January 2020, Biden spent 20 minutes talking to over 250 people at the David Pascoe Oyster Roast at the Orangeburg County Fairgrounds.

He spoke of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and of Bidens plans to help poor schools, provide more money for rural hospitals and support historically Black colleges and universities.

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(TBTCO) - Phat bieu tai Hoi nghi Tong ket cong tac tai chinh  ngan sach nha nuoc nam 2021, trien khai nhiem vu tai chinh  ngan sach nha nuoc nam 2022, ai dien lanh ao cac bo, nganh a anh gia cao nhung ong gop cua nganh Tai chinh vao ket qua phat trien kinh te chung cua ca nuoc.
Gov. Mark Gordon moved this week to further push back against federal vaccine orders, this time against efforts to require vaccination of National Guard members.

Gordon and four other Republican governors sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Defense earlier this week arguing that disciplinary directives to National Guard members who arent vaccinated against COVID-19 and are serving in a state capacity are beyond [the Secretarys] constitutional and statutory authority.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has repeatedly stated that getting the vaccine is critical to defending the nation. He decided that Guard members who refuse COVID-19 vaccinations will be barred from federally funded drills and training that are needed to maintain their Guard status.

Its unclear what percentage of Wyoming National Guard soldiers are vaccinated. The Guard did not respond to a request for comment.

The governors letter requests that the Pentagon withdraw the directive only for guard members serving in a state capacity under Title 32 U.S.C., not those serving the federal government. When Guard members are activated under Title 32, the states governor has been authorized by the president to mobilize the statewide National Guard.

While these Guard members are under state control, they still receive pay and benefits from the federal government.

Under Title 32 duty status, the Wyoming National Guard is under my command and control, Gordon said in the release. These directives are an overreach of the federal governments authority.

The letter points out that the Supreme Court has affirmed that the National Guard is under the command and control of the Governor of each state unless those members are called to active service under Title 10.

But its not that straightforward, according to one constitutional law expert.

Austin has the authority to impose these requirements, based on authority delegated by Congress to the Sec of Defense, David Adler said in a message. Congress has plenary authority under Article 1 of the Constitution to provide for the common defense. In addition, is granted broad authority under Article 1, section 8, to regulate the national guard, as the Supreme Court has ruled. Accordingly, Congress has delegated to the sec of defense broad authority to develop regulations to insure that the National Guard is properly trained.

Adler argues that Austins approach of barring members from necessary training is a sound approach.

Since Covid could derail the training of the national guard, rendering the guard less capable of providing for the national defense through performance of its responsibilities, the sec may determine that vaccines are necessary to promote proper training, he wrote.

Joining Gordon in signing the letter were Nebraska Gov. Pete Rickett, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt. The full letter may be found here.

Branches of the U.S. Military have started to discharge members and levy disciplinary actions against troops who refused to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The Army recently said 98% of its active duty force received at least one shot, the Marine Corps said 95% of its force got one dose and roughly 97.5% of the Air Force and Space Force have gotten at least one shot. Over 98% of the Navy is fully vaccinated.

If Gov. Gordon prevails and vaccines are not required and, as consequence, they contract Covid, guard members will not be able to train and/ or be unable to deploy, both of which would undermine the nationals defense, over which Congress governs and grants broad authority and responsibility to the sec of defense to manage, Adler said in a message.

Gordon is fighting vaccine mandates on additional fronts.

A lawsuit filed in mid-November by a group of 10 state attorneys general, including Wyomings Bridget Hill, sought to challenge the authority of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to enforce a vaccination mandate ordered by the Biden Administration.

Later that month, a U.S. District Court judge issued a preliminary injunction temporarily halting the enforcement of the mandate in Wyoming and the nine other states.

This is welcome news for Wyomings rural health care facilities, which are already facing staffing challenges without additional unconstitutional burdens being placed on their employees by the federal government, Gordon said at the time. Health care employees should not be forced to choose between vaccination and termination.

The state is also challenging in court Biden administration vaccine mandates on federal contractors and private businesses with 100 or more employees. Both mandates are now on hold as the courts weigh in.

Gordon announced in mid-November that he had signed House Bill 1002, which gives his office $4 million to spend on legal challenges to COVID-19 vaccination mandates passed by the federal government. Beyond that, the bill includes a resolution on Wyomings rights in the face of federal vaccine mandates.

The bill came out of a special legislative session aimed at fighting vaccine mandates. The mandates prompted widespread outrage among the Wyoming Republican Party, which pushed for the session before the federal rule-making process on the order was complete.

The rules were released the day after the session ended.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis

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A panel of Wyoming lawmakers have voted to sponsor the so called McMansion tax on pricey real estate, but the measure faces a difficult road ahead amid opposition from the real estate industry and anti-tax legislators.

The Joint Revenue Committee voted 8-4 Wednesday in Cheyenne to sponsor the bill, which would create a county optional real estate transfer tax in Wyoming. The bill would not unilaterally impose the tax. Instead, it would give counties the ability to put the matter before voters, who would have the final decision.

Real estate transfer taxes have been proposed  mostly by Teton County legislators  before. This is the first time in years such a measure has made it out of committee. Advocates say the bill would generate badly needed revenue while addressing affordable housing concerns in Teton County.

Theyve tried every version of this bill, said Laurie Urbigkit, a lobbyist for the Wyoming Association of Realtors, who has been successfully fighting against the measure for over two decades.

Due to the burgeoning real estate market in Jackson Hole, Teton County property would generate tens of millions of dollars in revenue if the bill is enacted. In 2020, the real estate market produced $2.45 billion over roughly 900 sales. This year is projected to break the $3 billion threshold, according to testimony from the meeting.

Lawmakers are interested in using that revenue to pay for affordable housing or other public services, especially in Teton County, where the cost of housing continues to dramatically escalate. But as it stands, theres no language in the bill that earmarks the funds for that purpose.

I think for Jackson, this is one tool in the tool box, said Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, who voted in favor of the bill. We need all kinds of solutions, and this can contribute.

Not all property sales would be taxed, however. An agricultural exemption within the bill prompted some discussion among lawmakers, who wondered if pricey ranches that are used only for residential purposes would get a tax break.

Chairman Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, voiced concern that a big ranch will actually have no true agricultural value because in todays environment a lot of large ranches are not utilized for that purpose.

Youre not buying it to put up the hay, youre buying it because its a beautiful spot and its where you want to live your life, Case said.

Rep. Jim Roscoe, R-Wilson, and Yin agreed with Cases concern.

For example, if someone sells their large ranch, and its been previously assessed as agricultural land, but the intent is for a developer to buy that land, and then to develop it intoany other property, that buyer has gotten a tax break by buying agricultural land instead of buying other private land, Yin explained.

In short, a ranch may be bought for millions of dollars over its productive value while also being eligible for a tax break.

But theres another layer to that dilemma.

Rep. Tim Hallinan, R-Gillette, pointed out that not giving agricultural land tax exemptions would likely prompt many ranchers in the Wyoming Legislature to vote down the bill, which already faces considerable opposition.

The price of property also varies by county, so it would be impractical to impose the same exact tax on every county.

Yin introduced an amendment that would give counties partial discretion over what price point property starts getting taxed at. That said, if counties choose to adopt the levy, all counties are required to institute a 1% tax at $1.5 million.

Urbigkit testified that parts of the bill were unconstitutional  namely exempting industrial land from the tax. However, her interpretation was incorrect because of how industrial land is classified under the Wyoming Constitution. She later acknowledged that point in an email to the Star-Tribune.

The bill must survive the upcoming legislative budget session, which is shorter and focused on approving a state budget. Additionally, a two-thirds majority of either the House or the Senate is needed for non-budget bills to be considered.

Were pretty capable of killing it in that, said Urbigkit, who has helped defeat the legislation on introduction during past budget sessions.

In 2001, the bill made it through the House and died in the Senate, which is the farthest it has advanced in recent years.

The Wyoming Association of Realtors will be at the Capitol in February to see that it doesnt make it that far.

We will be full force on defeating it on introduction, Urbigkit said. This is our No. 1 priority: Defeating the real estate transfer tax.

But the group is up against a number of passionate proponents of the bill.

This bill lets a county help out the state while letting the county help their own community, Yin said.

Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis

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Two homes in Maraval which are occupied by businessman Adrian Scoon were searched yesterday 
Above all else, it is your understanding of the science of the mind that determines your des
Attorneys for a Mexican woman who was shot in the head by a Border Patrol agent and survived have filed a claim against the U
Prosecutor: Suspect shot Phoenix cop while he was on ground

A prosecutor says a man who served prison terms on convictions for armed robbery and other felonies repeatedly shot a Phoenix police officer and continued firing even after the officer was on the ground
Barrios has always been a fan of grandmother Christinas horchata, made from a recipe handed down over three generations of Barrios. It was sweet, but not overly, and smooth, unlike some of the thicker, creamier horchata you can get from some Tucson restaurants and the make-at-home powders sold in stores.

When Barrios, who had taken an entrepreneurial innovation class in sixth grade, told his mom and grandmother he was planning to pitch the horchata idea for the StartUp Tucson program, neither was really surprised.

Barrios said he wants to bottle it and start small, selling it at local farmers markets before getting it into grocery stores.

From there I want to go bigger, as far outside Tucson as possible, he said not long after winning the judges award  one of two awards with nominal cash prizes given at the end of the program  for his product.

Christina Barrios had to attend the program classes with her grandson because he was too young, although Mikey did all of the talking, she said.

I stayed in the background. It was on him, she said. I made the product but he presented it. He sold it. He did it all.
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With new rules and licenses beginning to take effect, we applaud the leadership of the university for their foresight in wanting to offer certificate programs designed to prepare people for careers in what is now the fastest growing job market in the country.

The UA isnt the first institution of higher education Green Flower has partnered with. The companys website lists its partnerships, including ones with Syracuse University and the University of Nevada at Reno.

Although the three certificates offered wont include credited classes for degree-seeking students, the addition of a cannabis-centric program geared toward educating and equipping students with the tools necessary to succeed in an industry that is still technically federally prohibited, is a change for the UA.

In 2014, the university terminated Dr. Sue Sisley, a renowned cannabis researcher. At the time, UA officials chose not to renew her contract. While no official response was given at the time, Sisley had been vocal in campaigning for support from the Legislature for research she intended to do involving veterans with PTSD.
Liburdi said if Brnovich and Wilenchik do not refile the complaint by Monday with the workers true name, he will be dropped as a plaintiff from the lawsuit.

Despite the ruling, Brnovich remains adamant the president is still guilty of exerting pressure, if not on this specific employee then everyone else covered by the order.

Its shameful that the Biden administration is intimidating Americans to push unconstitutional vaccine mandates, said press aide Katie Conner in a prepared statement.

And Wilenchik said there is reason for his client to fear some retribution.

One of the reasons we wanted to keep his name confidential is the Biden administration has shown an unnerving pattern of going after people and wants to know who they are, he said, saying there are efforts to find out who was involved in leaking details from a laptop that had been stolen last year from Ashley Biden, the presidents daughter. So its a real concern.

But Wilenchik said Thursday that, given the court ruling, his client is willing to go public. He identified him as Al Reble, a federal marshal who works for the U.S. Department of Justice.

The lawsuit, filed in September, argues the president has no authority to impose vaccine requirements on federal workers. He also is challenging a separate presidential order mandating that entities with federal contracts also have employees inoculated against COVID-19.

On Twitter: @azcapmedia
PHOENIX  Republicans would have an edge in maintaining control of the Arizona Legislature through 2030 under a starting plan for new district lines approved Thursday by the Independent Redistricting Commission.

Thursdays vote came after Erika Neuberg, the chair of the five-member panel and its only political independent, voted to reject using a plan offered by the commissions two Democrats as the basis for the final debates to come. Commissioner Shereen Lerner said that plan would create seven districts out of the 30 that could be considered competitive. She said the balance would be split 13-12 Democrat, though most of those competitive districts could be seen as leaning Republican.

Lerner also argued that it would not split up communities of interest.

But Neuberg sided with the two Republicans, saying she found their proposal closer to what she prefers.

None of this guarantees what will be in the final map, set to be adopted this coming week.

Panel members are still looking at a variety of issues, like whether Sedona belongs in the same legislative district as Flagstaff or should be politically linked to Verde Valley communities and the rest of Yavapai County.
What pushed this small hospital to that point is directly related to nursing shortages, coupled with treating very sick unvaccinated COVID-19 patients.

During that week, the staff had to manage four intubations over a day or so when the hospital was already brimming with patients. Dr. Cristian Laguillo, a senior physician with the hospital, said about 70% of its resources are currently going to unvaccinated COVID patients.

For hours, we have to devote a number of resources to one person, he said of inserting the breathing tubes. Often, it takes two or three nurses to stabilize such a seriously sick patient, he said, and staffers end up borrowing nurses from the emergency room or the operating room.

During this same period, two nurses and a technician called in sick.

That left us with very little resources and very little staffing, he said. The staff have been working so hard to keep up and then they get sick themselves, or burn out.

The hospital has about 380 employees. Eight staff members  mostly nurses  were out sick with COVID last week. All of them are vaccinated, and none has been sick enough to require hospitalization.
A jury has awarded $2.6 million to the family of a 74-year-old grandmother who died of lung failure after being treated by a Tucson doctor for a severe ulcer in her intestine.

Following a five-day trial in Pima County Superior Court, jurors took less than two hours to unanimously find Dr. Fadi Deeb at fault in the wrongful death of Hansaben Patel, who was under his care for several days at St. Josephs Hospital in 2016. The hospital was not faulted.

Patel, who retired with her spouse to Tucson from Chicago in 2001, never recovered after a major bleed in which she vomited so forcefully that blood reached her lungs and caused damage that left her unable to breathe on her own. She spent more than a month on a ventilator, then died surrounded by loved ones after mechanical life support was discontinued.

While nothing will ever bring Hansaben back, we feel that justice has been done, her husband Naran Patel said in an email after the decision. She was a wonderful wife and mother and she will always be in our hearts.
The DM50 is concerned that the A-10 retirement ban will disrupt the Air Forces plan and potentially jeopardize the chance at a more sustainable future for the base, which has been passed over so far as a base for the nations next-generation fighter jet, the F-35.

Fleming said the DM50 has been in touch with the states congressional delegation and the Air Force, expressing support for the new search-and-rescue center at D-M, which already hosts several active rescue units.

We need to make sure the Air Force doesnt get too many threads tied together, and does the right thing, said Fleming, who splits his time at the UA as director of innovation at the UA Center for Quantum Networks and an executive-in-residence at Arizona FORGE, a tech-focused business accelerator.

Meanwhile, Kelly maintains that the Air Force must keep all of its A-10s until a suitable replacement for it prowess at close air support of ground troops is fielded, while lobbying the Air Force for new missions to keep D-M strong.
Near the shopping cart was a large plastic container that held the remains of two women. One has been tentatively identified as Cheyenne Brown, 29, whose disappearance had been under investigation by Washington, D.C., police. The second body found in Fairfax County has not yet been identified.

The three victims who have been identified all went missing in the last few months. Police say they are trying to research Robinson's life going back many years to see if there might be more victims.

Thats what worries us, Davis said. He didnt suddenly turn into who he is three months ago.

Harrisonburg Police Chief Kelley Warner said Robinson has not given police any kind of cooperative statement since his arrest. Police arrested him relatively quickly after the bodies in Harrisonburg were found, based on video surveillance and cellphone records, Warner said.

Robinson's lawyer, Louis Nagy, declined to comment on the substance of the charges against his client in Harrisonburg. Robinson has not yet been formally charged in Fairfax County, but police said charges are forthcoming.
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (AP)  Sears plans to sell the sprawling suburban Chicago corporate headquarters that's been the struggling retailer's home for three decades.

Transformco, Sears' parent company, confirmed this week that in early 2022 it plans to market the 273-acre (110.5-hectare) corporate headquarters in the northwest suburb of Hoffman Estates.

Transformco has been downsizing Sears' operations and corporate staff for several years.

These changes have reduced our needs for a corporate campus that was built 30 years ago for the needs of a more centralized business, Transformco spokesman Larry Costello said in a statement.

Costello said employees have been operating under a hybrid structure during the pandemic, with a mix of in-office and remote work. He declined to say how many employees are based out of Hoffman Estates, or where a future headquarters might be located.

The Hoffman Estates campus was home to more than 4,000 Sears employees as recently as 2017, according to company filings.
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP)  A new federal regulation requires higher safety standards for pipelines carrying oil and other hazardous liquids through the Great Lakes region, marine coastal waters and beaches, officials said Thursday.

The rule issued by the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration designates those locations as high consequence zones where pipeline operators must step up inspections, repairs and other measures to avoid spills.

The agency estimated that 2,905 additional miles (4,675 kilometers) of hazardous liquid pipelines will be covered under the new rule, primarily in states along the Gulf of Mexico.

The Great Lakes and our coastal waters are natural treasures that deserve our most stringent protections, said Tristan Brown, the agency's deputy administrator. This rule strengthens and expands pipeline safety efforts."

Congress ordered the pipeline safety agency last year to include the Great Lakes, coastal beaches and coastal waters among unusually sensitive areas" meriting extra attention.

We know a pipeline spill in the Great Lakes would be catastrophic, said Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat who sponsored the provision.
The Arizona Daily Star Editorial Team chats with Cristie Street, CEO of nextrio about cybersecurity. She shared so many simple tips to help pr
BRUSSELS (AP)  One year after the Brexit trade deal was supposed to end acrimony between the European Union and the departed United Kingdom, both sides showed Friday that theirs is still a relationship tainted by bad blood and accusations of bad faith.

They did postpone talks on their continued deep-seated differences into the New Year, a welcome respite since their trade negotiations last year slipped deep past countless deadlines and into Christmas Eve before an awkward compromise was found.

But on a day when the 27-nation bloc was counting on some positive feedback for what it saw as a breakthrough proposal to regulate medicine trade in Northern Ireland  which is part of the United Kingdom but also part of the EU's trading system  it got a lukewarm response.

Almost all other issues under discussion got a cold shoulder.

In a 13-point statement rife with complaints about perceived EU foot-dragging, ill will and sleight-of-hand in Northern Ireland, U.K. Brexit negotiator David Frost concluded: It is disappointing that it has not been possible to reach either a comprehensive or worthwhile interim agreement this year.
Epics response was: `This is a farce; its inaccurate; a 36% error rate was admitted; its a work of fiction written by a former reporter; this is politics. Our team started doing the review  this was not a farce, said Clark.

Of the $307,000 calculation he said was made by Epics internal auditing team, Clark added: It is definitely an outlier when you look at the state auditors work over 15 months  the very fine, detailed work that they put in. Our review aligns with their work.

Campbell commented: I dont even know how to characterize that other than shocking. This is just shocking,  and the state auditor was dealing with a school that would not cooperate.

Ginger Casper, Epics board secretary, said, I think its appalling.

Epic Superintendent Bart Banfield said it should be noted that the school systems now-former internal auditor who did the work and reported the $300,000 was hired by the former management company.

Campbell closed the discussion with: We cant fight this. We owe this. The school did this. It was not us, but the entity did it. Now we have to determine what we are going to do about it.
I personally think the current administration wants to do the right thing, wants to move on, wants to serve the Epic students well, said Monies. I think thats important. Epic has agreed to the number and is being helpful and cooperating. It shows they are moving in the right direction.

In late May, Epics governing board voted to divorce Epic One-on-One and Epic Blended Learning Centers from the for-profit school management company Epic Youth Services, which made the schools co-founders, David Chaney and Ben Harris, millionaires over the past decade.

Until those ties were severed, both of Epics Oklahoma schools paid EYS a 10% cut of all state and federal funding they received.

The state auditor has been outspoken in questioning how, when Epic was limited to spending no more than 5% of its taxpayer dollars on administrative costs, in all previous fiscal years its governing board paid Harris and Chaneys for-profit company twice that percentage for the schools management.

And to compound the administrative overhead costs, according to Byrd, the duo hired an entire administrative staff at Epic Charter Schools at public expense to do the work their for-profit management company was being paid to do.
Her policy work in opposition to SQ 788 through the Oklahoma State Chamber helped launch some relationships with cannabis advocates that she values in her new role three years later, she says.
Across the United States, there is a teacher shortage. Like many other states, Oklahoma is facing significant shortages of qualified teachers. The state is relying more than ever before on emergency certified teachers.

A decade ago, the state of Oklahoma approved 32 emergency teaching certificates. Earlier this month, the State Board of Education approved 254 emergency teacher certifications making that a total of 3,428 from June to now.

There is plenty of research showing that childrens educational achievement scores are higher when they are taught by a highly trained teacher.

So, where are our teachers?

Teachers are retiring at higher rates than ever before; they are leaving the profession due to the high demands placed on them as well as the lack of support from parents and administration. They are moving to other states that provide them better pay and benefits for the job they do.

It is time for Oklahomans to take a closer look at the important job that teachers do and start listening to what they are asking for.
Retailers in shopping centers throughout Ho Chi Minh City have yet to reopen despite the end of coronavirus-related shutdowns.

Footfall at shopping malls in the southern metropolis is beginning to pick up, especially on weekends, as Vietnam heads deeper into the holiday season, though sales figures pale in comparison to years past.

But despite the end of coronavirus-related restrictions that closed malls and shopping centers for several months, many stores and stalls in such venues remain shuttered.

At a large shopping center on Pham Van Dong Street in Thu Duc City, restaurants in the food court are still closed despite other stores being fully reopened.

At another shopping center in Binh Thanh District, many long-standing retailers have already terminated their leasing contracts over the past year, leaving the mall littered with empty storefronts.

A food court remains closed inside a shopping mall in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Hien / Tuoi Tre

During an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Thursday, a representative of a restaurant chain that had previously operated restaurants in several shopping centers in the city said that the slow recovery of sales and losses forced the firm to reimagine its bricks-and-mortar operations.

Specifically, the business chose to forfeit its retail space at a shopping center in Thu Duc City due to mounting costs, including its monthly rental fee of over VND100 million (US$4,350).

As a plan B, the restaurant will relocate to a site where it expects more foot traffic but will pay the same rental fee as it did at the mall.

A restaurant remains closed inside a shopping mall in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Hien / Tuoi Tre

According to a representative of a local shopping center, a wave of retailers have forfeited their leasing contracts with shopping malls despite efforts by mall operators to cut rental to $25-35 per square meter per month.

The operator also noted that his shopping center and others throughout the city have offered tenants flexible leasing options and rental discounts, though their efforts have failed to keep retailers in their malls.

We stopped collecting rent during the peak of the coronavirus outbreak," the representative said, referring to the fourth wave of COVID-19 that struck Vietnam, most seriously Ho Chi Minh City, this summer.

"When we started charging, we only collected fifty percent, but the adverse impact of the pandemic was so strong that many retailers chose not to renew their leases.

Because of this, we have had to convert our retail spaces into office spaces.

An empty retail space inside a shopping mall in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Hien / Tuoi Tre

Ho Chi Minh City is still the epicenter of COVID-19 infections during the fourth coronavirus wave that flared up in the country on April 27, recording approximately 491,600 cases and over 19,000 deaths to date.

Throughout the pandemic, city authorities enforced various levels of social distancing measures, including shutting down shopping centers from the end of May to the beginning of October.

Social and business activities have resumed after daily infections dropped and vaccination rates rose.

Shops remain covered with curtains inside a shopping mall in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Hien / Tuoi Tre

As of Thursday, health workers in Ho Chi Minh City had administered nearly 16.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses.

Over 6.8 million out of nine million people in the metropolis have been fully vaccinated.

All of the citys adult population of six million have received at least one shot, while 95.1 percent have been injected twice.

An empty retail space inside a shopping mall in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Hien / Tuoi Tre

People visit a shopping mall in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Hien / Tuoi Tre

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Export prices for rice from Vietnam hit their lowest level in more than three months due to weak demand, while rates in other Asian hubs held steady this week.

Rates for Vietnam's 5% broken rice variety RI-VNBKN5-P1 slipped to $400-$410 per tonne, the lowest since Sept. 9, from $410-$414 per tonne last week.

"Demand is weaker and this year's total rice exports maybe just around six million tonnes, down from a previous forecast of 6.2-6.5 million tonnes," a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City said.

The country's November rice exports were down 8.4% from the previous month at 566,358 tonnes, official customs data showed. Exports in the first 11 months of this year rose 0.8% year-on-year to 5.7 million tonnes.

Thailand's 5% broken rice export prices RI-THBKN5-P1 were unchanged at $385-$396 per tonne, tracking muted moves in the baht versus the U.S. dollar.

Bangkok-based traders said the overseas market remained quiet towards the end of the year, as expected.

Prices of the staple from top exporter India held at their lowest since December 2016, pressured by a depreciating rupee amid thin demand.

India's 5% broken parboiled variety RI-INBKN5-P1 was quoted at $351 to $356 per tonne, unchanged from last week.

"(Buyers) are expecting further fall in prices as new season supplies have started," said an exporter based at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile, domestic rates for rice in neighbouring Bangladesh, traditionally the world's third-biggest rice producer which emerged as a major buyer after flood depleted stocks, remained high despite hefty imports, hitting consumers.

Bangladesh has been importing mostly from India through land ports.

However, the country's rice output could fall to 35.5 million tonnes in the 2021-22 marketing year, down 0.8 million tonnes from the previous year, the United States Department of Agriculture said in its latest forecast.
Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine could receive approval from Europe's drug regulator next week and subsequently an emergency use listing from the World Health Organization, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, sending shares of the U.S. drugmaker up 7%.

A WHO approval could come once the health body issued its own emergency use listing or if the EMA gave it a conditional marketing authorization, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

That could pave the way for the company and its partner, Serum Institute of India, to ship doses to the COVAX program, providing another vaccine to low-income countries.

The WHO said on Thursday that it would reveal its position over the vaccine in the coming days, following an expert group meeting.

The protein-based vaccine by Novavax in June was shown to be more than 90% effective, including against a variety of concerning coronavirus variants, in a large, late-stage U.S. trial.

Novavax's shot received its first authorization in Indonesia last month and is awaiting approval in Japan, where it would be manufactured and distributed by Takeda Pharmaceutical.

The Maryland-based company has also said it could begin commercial manufacturing of a vaccine tailored to the highly transmissible Omicron coronavirus variant in January.

The drugmaker is currently testing the effectiveness of its existing two-dose vaccine against Omicron.
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Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have asked the Ministry of Health to mobilize 3,000 health workers to join hands with local personnel in COVID-19 prevention and control tasks, citing the rising number of seriously-ill patients in recent months.

In a document sent to the health ministry, the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee stated that the pandemic is showing signs of escalating in the metropolis, evidenced by the increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Several COVID-19 hospitals and resuscitation centers require more staff to expand the scale of their operations.

Therefore, the administration asked the health ministry to consider sending 1,000 doctors and 2,000 nurses to the southern city.

Among them, there should be 300 doctors and 600 nurses specializing in resuscitation.

Earlier, the municipal Peoples Committee asked the Ministry of National Defense to continue providing support in terms of human resources at mobile medical stations in the city.

Ho Chi Minh City has been the hardest-hit locality since the fourth virus wave hit Vietnam on April 27, with more than 491,600 cases.

As of Thursday, city hospitals were providing treatment for over 11,500 coronavirus patients, about 3,150 patients of whom suffered severe symptoms, with 505 requiring breathing support.

Health workers have administered nearly 14.9 million vaccine doses, with close to 6.9 million out of nine million people in the city fully inoculated.

During the peak of the fourth outbreak in July, the Ministry of Health mobilized nearly 20,000 health workers from northern and central provinces to assist pandemic prevention efforts in Ho Chi Minh City and other southern localities, according to VnExpress.

When the pandemic was basically put under control in October, most of these health workers were withdrawn from the localities.

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The UK has offered an additional 321,760 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Vietnam, bringing its total vaccine donations to the Southeast Asian country to more than 736,000 jabs.

The donated vaccine shipment touched down at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on Wednesday evening, the British Embassy in Vietnam announced on its verified Facebook page on Thursday.

This batch of vaccines is part of the UK governments bilateral support for Vietnam and follows a donation of 415,050 jabs delivered in August 2021, the embassy said.

As such, Vietnam has so far received a total of 736,810 vaccine shots from the UK.

The British government said it will provide more vaccines for Vietnam through COVAX Facility, a global vaccine-sharing scheme, in the near future.

The UK will continue to stand with Vietnam in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the embassy affirmed.

During a phone call with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in late October, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK would help Vietnam combat COVID-19 with 500,000 (US$666,200) worth of essential medical equipment.

The British premier has pledged to contribute at least 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the world in order to narrow the vaccination gap and reduce global vaccine inequality.

These vaccine jabs, mainly AstraZeneca developed by Oxford University and Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, are intended for developing and low-income countries.

In addition to the UK, the Southeast Asian country has received vaccine donations from other countries including the U.S., Japan, Australia, France, Italy, Russia, the Czech Republic, and China, among others.

Vietnam has received nearly 169 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines out of the 200 million shots it has purchased, the Ministry of Health reported.

Vietnams health workers have administered about 135.72 million vaccine doses, including 75.21 million first, 59.42 million second, and 1.09 million third shots nationwide, since immunization was rolled out on March 8.

As of Thursday, nearly 80 percent of the countrys adult population had received two full vaccine doses, according to the national COVID-19 vaccination portal.

PM Chinh last week called for efforts to achieve full vaccination coverage for the adult population by the end of this year and for children from 12 to under 18 years old by January 31, 2022.

Since the pandemic hit Vietnam in early 2020, the Southeast Asian nation has documented 1,493,237 COVID-19 cases, including 1,064,461 recoveries and 28,857 deaths.

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The Ministry of Health logged 15,236 additional COVID-19 cases in Vietnam on Friday, along with 31,057 recoveries and 246 virus-related deaths.

The latest infections, including 21 imported and 15,215 domestic transmissions, were detected in 59 provinces and cities, the ministry said, elaborating that 9,836 patients caught the virus in the community.

Ben Tre Province documented 1,246 of the newest local cases, Ca Mau Province 1,071, Ho Chi Minh City 1,040, Tay Ninh Province 940, Can Tho City 715, Khanh Hoa Province 597, Hanoi 535, Dong Nai Province 338, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province 258, Lam Dong Province 255, Bac Ninh Province 255, Binh Duong Province 209, Da Nang 194, Binh Thuan Province 141, Thua Thien-Hue Province 139, Quang Nam Province 97, Quang Ninh Province 82, and Hai Phong City 24.

Vietnam had registered 34,059 locally-acquired infections on Thursday, including 18,792 cases having been detected in Tay Ninh Province in the preceeding weeks and added to yesterdays daily count.

The country has confirmed 1,503,003 community transmissions in all its 63 provinces and cities since the fourth virus wave erupted on April 27. A combined 1,092,701 of them have recovered from COVID-19.

Ho Chi Minh City tops the list with 492,650 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 288,763, Dong Nai Province with 94,192, Tay Ninh Province with 62,132, Long An Province with 39,537, Dong Thap Province with 34,053, Can Tho City with 31,813, Tien Giang Province with 30,374, An Giang Province with 28,636, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province with 23,180, Binh Thuan Province with 22,750, Khanh Hoa Province with 22,401, Hanoi with 21,618, and Da Nang with 8,969.

Vietnam recorded only 1,570 locally-transmitted infections in total in the previous three waves.

The health ministry reported 31,057 recovered patients on Friday, raising the total to 1,095,518.

The toll has climbed to 29,103 fatalities after the ministry announced 246 deaths on the same day, including 60 in Ho Chi Minh City, 22 in Binh Duong Province, 21 in Dong Nai Province, 18 in An Giang Province, 15 in Can Tho City, and the remainder in 18 other provinces and cities.

Vietnam has logged 1,508,473 patients since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the country early last year.

Health workers have administered over 136.8 million vaccine doses, including 1,118,514 shots on Thursday, since vaccination was rolled out nationwide on March 8.

More than 75.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while above 60 million have been jabbed twice.

The number of third doses  including additional primary shots for immunocompromised people, boosters, and third jabs of Cubas Abdala vaccine  has hit 1,129,362.

Vietnam targets to fully inoculate 100 percent of its adult population this year. Many provinces and cities are immunizing children aged 12-17 against COVID-19, using Pfizer-BioNTech shots.

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The Sydney Opera House last night paid tribute to the late David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu AM with a special projection, created by AACTA on the eastern Bennelong sails.

Yesterday marked 50 years since his screen debut in Walkabout. The film was one of the first times an Aboriginal person was seen in a leading role that wasnt derogatory or degrading, and it marked an end to non-Aboriginal actors playing Indigenous roles  which they had often done in black face.

At the 2021 AACTA Awards last week, Gulpilil was honoured with the Longford Lyell Award for his outstanding contributions to Australian cinema. The Eastern Bennelong Sails projection was first shown during the AACTA Awards.
Molly Pastore has been teaching in North Carolina for 12 years. Recently, Molly finished her online course with VLCFF and gave the experience high marks.

How did you find out about VLCFF classes?

"I found out about VLCFF through my diocese (Diocese of Raleigh). The diocese recommends catechists and teachers use VLCFF to complete their catechist courses."

What was your initial reaction after the first week of the five week class?

"I was hesitant to take an online course at first because I prefer a face-to-face instruction. I just get more out of authentic conversations and discussions. The feedback from the instructor and the other "students" was all positive and made one think. Those conversations, even though they were 'through a chat,' were just what I needed."

What did you think about the asynchronous format ?

"I enjoyed the asynchronous format because it allowed me to read, reflect and reflect on other 'student' responses throughout the week instead of giving an immediate response as one would do in a standard classroom setting. It was nice to be able to work at my own pace too."

What did you learn?

"Reflecting back on the course and everything that was covered, the topic that sticks with me the most is the '10 Principles of Catholic Social Teaching.' As a Catholic School teacher, my school's actions and words reflect all of these teachings (in some way), but it is never publicized as such and should be talked about more within Catholic Schools. It is something that Catholics believe in and do."

Did the course help you with professional development?

"This course helped with my professional development as far as my Catholic Identity and growing my own personal Catholic faith. It also inspired me to ask my school's Catholic Identity team to set up opportunities for the teachers and staff to partake in any faith-based event which will help them grow in knowledge and understanding of their Catholic faith, to live out their Catholic faith in their everyday lives."

What do you think is the most important skill when taking these VLCFF online courses?

"There are a lot of important skills when taking a VLCFF course, but the two that come to mind are time management and knowing how to interact and respond to a written response of another participant. Taking an online course also teaches one to take time and process different points of view before responding."

What will you tell others about this online experience?

"What you read, what time and day you read, what you learn and how much you learn is all up to you when taking a course through the VLCFF-online platform. The weekly plan was well laid out so you could work at your own pace. I was challenged to think outside the box on how to implement some of the content within the course and use it in my classroom."

The VLCFF offers teacher certification, deacon training, certificate programs and closed sections for learning. Classes resume Jan. 17, 2022 and are offered year-round. Check out all the courses, and calendar here. VLCFF also offers classes in Spanish and Arabic.
Mohammad Barrangi, who was born without the use of his left arm, will have his artwork exhibited in Edinburgh Printmakers in January (Mohammad Barrangi/PA)

An artist born without the use of his left arm, who has competed in the Paralympics, is to have his artwork exhibited in Edinburgh

Mohammad Barrangi, from Rasht, in Iran makes prints inspired by Persian storytelling and calligraphy.

For some of his work he uses poppy roll, a heavy fabric scroll similar to the old versions of papyrus  a material used in ancient Egypt made from the pithy stem of a water plant for writing or painting on.

He also prints large-scale murals and works on raw canvas.

One of Mr Barrangis prints depicting a zebra on a yellow background (Mohammad Barrangi)

With the disability in his left hand, Mr Barrangi works on the floor and uses his feet to steady his work while he is cutting or printing.

When not immersed in his artwork, the printmaker has excelled in sport, previously representing Iran as a sprinter in Paralympic 100m and 200m races.

Taking inspiration from his body, the artist and athlete said his work often shows images of people with lost arms, limbs or other disabilities.

Without the use of his left arm, Mr Barrangi uses his right hand and feet to steady his work when he is printing (Mohammad Barrangi)

He also draws on images and ideas from a combination of Western and Eastern artwork for his prints, and from women he admires.

In my world, all heroes are women, he said.

I like to depict images of my mother, exiled Iranian queens or just friends who mean a lot to me.

I will often combine them with animals or mythical creatures, as my work often focuses on journeys and travelling and immigration.

Sometimes I combine elements from classical Western paintings with Eastern stories or imagery.

My Strange World (2020) print by Mr Barrangi (Mohammad Barrangi)

In August 2017, Mr Barrangi, who now lives in Leeds, arrived in the UK seeking asylum from Iran.

Now, with a Master of Arts from the Royal Drawing School in London under his belt, he is the first artist involved in the Edinburgh Printmakers new pan-European art project called In From The Margins.

The programme, funded by the European Commissions Creative Europe, which supports the culture and audiovisual sectors, will offer residency opportunities to refugees and asylum-seeking artists and/or artists affected by migration.

Story continues

Mr Barrangis work will be showcased as part of the Anything Is Possible exhibition at the venue, which runs from January 22 to March 27 next year.

A portrait of Mohammad Barrangi, whose artwork will be exhibited at the Edinburgh Printmakers from January next year (Mohammad Barrangi/Edinburgh Printmakers)

Throughout the residency programme, Edinburgh Printmakers will be welcoming refugee and migrant communities in the studios to engage with resident artists, to share their stories and create new work.

Mr Barrangi added: My work ultimately shapes me and my feelings and my view of the community around me so while every exhibition is different it comes from my own innermost feelings.

Every exhibition I like to try new methods and new work. Of course there is a risk, but for me it is a challenge.

Mr Barrangis work combines elements of Persian calligraphy, storytelling, text, andtouches of humour (Mohammad Barrangi)

Mr Barrangis work is also included in the Royal Family Collection, British Museum Collection and the San Diego Museum of Art Collection.
On December 15, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reported to the Board of Governors of this organization on the agreements reached with the Iranian side on a number of fundamental points related to the Agency's verification activities in Iran. In particular, we are talking about the continuation of interaction on safeguards issues, including the exchange of information and contacts of experts in this regard, about providing the Iranian authorities with a sample of CCTV cameras used by the Agency for the necessary analysis and, most importantly, the reinstallation of such cameras at the plant for the production of centrifugal rotors in Karaj. All of the above will be carried out within the agreed time frame.

The Russian Foreign Ministry welcomed these agreements and supported the mutual disposition of the IAEA and Iran to continue cooperation both within the framework of the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and in accordance with the requirements of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for the Settlement of the Iranian Nuclear Program (JCPOA) and in the light of UNSCR 2231.

Smolenskaya Square are convinced that today it is important to stimulate the onward course of the negotiations on the restoration of the full implementation of the JCPOA resumed in Vienna on November 29, which are going on almost continuously. Moscow hopes that through the joint efforts of all parties involved and with the support of the IAEA, the difficulties in the implementation of the 2015 nuclear deal will be overcome, and the tension around the Iranian nuclear program will subside, which is fully aligned with the interests of non-proliferation and strengthening security at the regional and global level.

Israel is more sceptical about the negotiations. The Jerusalem Post writes that reading the headlines from Iran negotiations in Vienna this week, one cant help but get a sense of deja vu. Once again, there were threats of a special IAEA Board of Governors meeting to condemn the Islamic Republic for not allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency to monitor its nuclear program.

And once again, those threats have dissolved because of a compromise, for the fourth time this year, involving cameras with footage the IAEA cant actually monitor in real-time. In this case, Tehran agreed to let the agency install cameras that had previously been removed from the Karaj nuclear site.

And each time, the specter of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal between world powers and Iran has hovered over the IAEA monitoring compromise. If Iran is pushed too hard on this matter, the logic seems to be, then they wont come to the table to revive the JCPOA.

So, the US and others accept this compromise, which only gives the IAEA theoretical access to information about some of Irans nuclear sites at some future date, without raising a faint note of protest at the IAEA Board of Governors or, God forbid, at the UN Security Council  and negotiations in Vienna are allowed to continue.

Negotiations between world powers and Iran resumed over two weeks ago and, as Western diplomats would tell it, have accomplished nothing. Within days of the talks resuming on November 29, Iran brought its own draft agreement, which called for reducing sanctions to even less than JCPOA levels and providing access to carbon fiber, according to The Wall Street Journal, among other demands. Since then, there does not seem to be any movement. Iran is insisting on its maximalist demands, and the Europeans  Britain, France, and Germany  arent having it.

"Iran's continued nuclear escalation means that we are rapidly reaching the end of the road," French Ambassador to the UN Nicolas de Riviere said this week, flanked by his German and British counterparts."Time is running out, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Saturday. The latest round of talks is really the last chance for Iran to sign up to return to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said.

At the same time, there is Russia's top negotiator in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, is convinced the Karaj cameras agreement "is a real breakthrough" and "an extremely valuable contribution to the Vienna talks". The agreement could be seen as removing an "annoying irritant," as he characterized the matter, that will facilitate smoother talks.

However, The Jerusalem Post claims that considering that this same compromise has been made again and again this year, to no avail, it is probably just another sign of weakness in the eyes of the Iranians. The West keeps giving Iran easy wins and letting them get away with compromising almost nothing  with worthless returns.A different tack would be to try to push Iran into a more tenable position by showing that there are consequences to its intransigence, through condemnations from the IAEA Board of Governors and the UN Security Council. This would give world powers even better leverage at the negotiating table, and put them in a better position to act should those talks fail. Instead, it seems that the Vienna negotiators are just treading water, unwilling to take action  as Iran plays for time and advances its nuclear program, claims The Jerusalem Post.
As a number of Western Balkans countries face severe energy crises, in the midst of winter, consumers are crossing fingers that their lights and heating will be kept on. Balkan Insight writes that Kosovo, public attentions has focused on a looming energy crisis, as power plants struggle to handle the increased demand for energy for heating in winter.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti on Wednesday said the government would allocate funds to cover the import of more energy, in an attempt to avoid outages and price hikes. Kosovo depends on imports to keep the lights on We will do our best to keep energy the supply and avoid any increase in prices, Kurti said after the energy regulator, ERO, green-lighted a request to review the prices. A 5-per-cent increase in energy prices is likely as a consequence.

Government calls for consumers to save energy have been mocked on social media, however, after Minister of Economy Artane Rizvanolli appealed to people to keep electronic devices, including PlayStation joysticks, off, when not in use. The new generation of video games could have a great impact on the energy used in your home. The problem is the hidden cost of energy, when they are not in use and are on stand-by, Rizvanolli said.

Kosovo mostly depends on coal for its energy  around 97 per cent. The rest comes from wind farms and hydro-power plants. When asked what he used for heating, Prime Minister Kurti on Wednesday gave an unusual answer. Last night, when I got back home very late, I used a blanket for heating.

In Serbia, the first snowfall this winter and problems with the supply and quality of coal recently left tens of thousands of households without electricity or heating. After 136,000 users lost their electricity supply and 2,000 transformer stations stopped functioning on Tuesday, a state of emergency was proclaimed in nine municipalities. The situation has since improved.

Beside the issue of bad winter weather, another reason for the problem was that the Serbias thermal power plants, TENT A and TENT B, had been using poor quality coal, mixed with mud and clay, which damaged blocs in the power plants. Minister of Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlovic said that Serbia is still in a serious energy crisis, and large and urgent investments in the electricity system are needed: "Electricity distribution needs much more money to maintain the distribution network, so that we can calmly welcome every winter, and not suddenly have almost 130,000 people left without electricity.

After declaring an energy emergency in November, North Macedonia has since allocated some 65 million euros for energy producers and suppliers. The national Energy Regulatory Commission is to decide on prices next week. Large-scale restrictions on power use are not an option and will only worsen matters, the head of the Energy Regulatory Commission, Marko Bislimoski, warned on Tuesday. If we introduce restrictions, energy suppliers who work on the free market, which covers some 50 per cent of electricity demand, will have no way of charging for the electricity they have already purchased, and will cancel their deals, so this energy, instead of Macedonia, will end up somewhere else, he explained.

The situation was most critical in November, but the authorities now say that thanks to an increased supply of coal, mainly from Kosovo, which produces most of its electricity from coal, the country can satisfy demand for now. Last week, Economy Minister Kresnik Bekteshi visited neighbouring Kosovo where he hoped to secure even more coal to get through the winter.

Montenegros energy sitation is more relaxed. The countrys Electrical Power Company said on December 10 that the situation was stable and there would be no restrictions or sudden increases in electricity bills. According to the companys data over the last year, Montenegro was producing 97 per cent of its needs for electricity, mostly from the coal-fired power plant, Pljevlja, and two hydro-power plants, Piva and Perucica.

In Albania, among the first countries in the region to declare an energy crisis, in early October, winter usually brings some relief, as the countrys energy production depends on the level of water in the rivers. According to the Institute of the Statistics, INSTAT, electricity production increased this year in Albania, but network losses increased, too. From January to September this year, energy production reached 7.4 billion kWh marking an increase of 84 per cent comparied to the same period in 2020.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has called for a 'national agreement' at a New Year's reception she hosted for the ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition leaders at Orbeliani Presidential Palace.

Zurabishvili said that both the ruling party and opposition members should strive to reach a consensus by listening to each other and exchanging opinions.

"Obviously, everyone's goal is to reconcile, which I'd rather call a national agreement process... It is crucial to move this process ahead," Agenda.ge cited her as saying.

Opposition's United National Movement, European Georgia, Droa, and Lelo party leaders did not attend the reception. However, members of the Lelo parliamentary faction - Pikria Chikhradze, Ana Natsvlishvili, and Salome Samadashvili took part in the meeting.
The German energy regulator's eagerly-awaited decision on fully certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline won't come in the first half of next year, it said on Thursday, in a setback for the Russian project that has sparked global political tensions.

"There will be no decisions in the first half (of 2022)," Bundesnetzagentur President Jochen Homann said with regard to the certification process.

BNetzA said the operating company of Nord Stream 2 had started the process of setting up a subsidiary in Germany as required under German law.

It had halted its certification process - originally due to run until Jan. 8 - last month, pending the creation of the German subsidiary to comply with the law.

This creation has been initiated by Nord Stream 2, Homann said, adding that the BNetzA's review period would start again the moment Nord Stream AG delivered the required documents.

"This is not in our hands. Nord Stream AG alone is making that decision," Reuters cited him as saying.

Once the BNetzA has made a decision it will go to the European Union, which will then have another two months to review it, a period that can be extended by a further two months if needed.
An ISIS (terrorist group banned in Russia) supporter has been detained in Moscow for plotting to lure students from the Russian Technological University into religious extremist and terrorist activities, the press service of the Russian Federal Security Service said on Friday.

"The FSB, together with the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Guard, <> suppressed the activities of a supporter of the ISIS international terrorist organization, who tried to engage students of one of the capitals universities in religious extremist and terrorist activities," TASS cited the press service as saying.

As the FSB noted, the suspect in custody, who is a resident from Central Asia, studied in this university and has repeatedly supported the international terrorist organizations activities and promoted their ideology on the Internet. Furthermore, he shared materials aiming to form a negative attitude towards traditional forms of Islam, as well as against other religions, and called for an armed struggle to establish a caliphate in Iraq and Syria.

Criminal proceedings on this case have already been initiated. That said, the ISIS supporter was apprehended during a special operation on the universitys premises.
Moscow is going to deliver humanitarian aid to Kabul and evacuate Russians on December 18, if weather conditions allow, Russian Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan and Director of the Foreign Ministrys Second Asia Department Zamir Kabulov said on Friday.

"Yes, if the weather conditions allow," TASS cited the Russian envoy as saying.

Few days ago, the first snow fell in Kabul, which caused delays and cancellations of flights at the Afghan capitals airport.

On December 1, three Russian Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft delivered some 36 tonnes of humanitarian cargo to Kabul and evacuated 214 Russian and Kyrgyz citizens as well as Afghans studying at Russian universities.
The State Department's counterterrorism coordinator John Godfrey said a number of Al-Qaeda leaders (the terrorist group banned in Russia) reside in Tehran.

"We remain deeply concerned about the fact that al-Qaida senior leaders continue to reside in Tehran, in and around Tehran, and that there has been facilitation of them that allows them to remain active as leaders within the al-Qaida global enterprise," he said.

According to him, Tehran have enabled that militants to safely reside in Iran. Godfrey also believes that "Iran does continue to support a range of designated terrorist groups with funding, training, weapons, and equipment."

The U.S. designated Iran a sponsor of terrorism, as well as North Korea and Syria.
The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution condemning Nazism, neo-Nazism and all forms of racism, which was co-sponsored by Russia. The United States and Ukraine again voted against it, while 49 countries, mainly U.S. allies, abstained.

The resolution on Combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to racism, xenophobia and intolerance was adopted with 130 votes in favor, the Russian permanent mission to the UN announced on Thursday. Moscow has submitted the motion annually, in recent years, and Washington and Kiev have consistently opposed.

Sponsored by Russia and more than 30 other UN members, the resolution expresses concern about any form of glorifying Nazism, including putting up monuments and holding public parades honoring the Waffen SS  combat units within Nazi Germanys military  or declaring them national liberation movements, among other things, RT reported.

Last year, Washingtons envoy to the UN argued that a ban on glorifying Nazism would clash with the First Amendment protection of free speech in the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. has also accused Moscow of using the resolution to push disinformation narratives about neo-Nazism in the Baltic states and Ukraine.

The resolution also urges member states to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination by all appropriate means, including legislation, and states that discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion or belief such as neo-Nazism, Islamophobia, Christianophobia and antisemitism harms not just the targeted groups but the society in general.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted resolution on equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, initiated by Azerbaijan and co-sponsored by 126 countries, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations said on its official Twitter account.

"Azerbaijan, Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, continues spearheading COVID-19 response," the office tweeted.
Only 2,000 out of 800,000 businesses have joined the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development, according to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).

And information about sustainable development has reached only 100,000 businesses.

While the Covid-19 pandemic continues, 98 percent of Vietnamese businesses remain indifferent to the poverty increasingly important model.

Vo Tri Thanh, a respected economist, said many businesses dont want to pursue sustainable development because they think it would cost them much money.

But sustainable development brings practical economic benefits as it helps save resources and mitigates negative effects to the environment.

A representative of Nestle confirmed that when pursuing sustainable development, businesses can use resources more effectively and reduce production costs, and successfully manage risks in production and business.

Heineken Vietnam affirmed that it can save a lot of water, and reduce the amount of aluminum it needs by thousands of tons (for making beer cans), as well as recycle 99 percent of waste and by-products.

Biomass fuel, for example, can be used to brew beer, which can bring income of VND50 billion to farmers who sell their rice husks.

According to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the model of a circular economy alone can help create $7.7 trillion by 2030 for businesses and generate 380 million new job opportunities, while helping the sustainable development of the global economy.

VCCIs Secretary General Nguyen Quang Vinh said Covid-19 is challenging business health. The businesses with strong commitments to patiently pursue a sustainable development strategy will have a higher resiliency than others, he said.

A survey by VCCI in September showed that 81 percent of businesses pursuing a sustainable development strategy can quickly adapt to new circumstances, boost e-commerce, develop online business, and carry out digital transformation, all of which helps reduce reliance on traditional business modes.

The survey found that businesses applying such a strategy can have higher productivity and production results.



VCCI Chair Pham Tan Cong said businesses need to change their thinking and pursue sustainable development as the only path that will help them stand firmly in the global market. Responsible business and sustainable development need to be commitments from businesses.

Hundreds and thousands of dollars will be created from sustainable development, which will be an opportunity for all of us, Cong said.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam affirmed that sustainable development is an irreversible trend. The Government of Vietnam has integrated sustainable development criteria into all of its socio-economic development strategies.

Tran Thuy

100 experts to help build plan for Vietnams sustainable development As many as 100 intellectuals and experts from 15 countries will work together to find approaches and solutions to build a globally connected, sustainable Vietnam.
According to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), in November, 38,656 cars were sold, up 30% compared to the previous month and 6% over the same period of last year.

Of this, there were 27,764 tourist cars, an increase of 40%; 10,280 commercial cars and 612 special-use cars, up by 8% and 39% over the previous month.

Vietnam's automobile market has now recorded strong growth after a long period of gloom. The 50% cut in registration fees for cars manufactured and assembled locally was a strong push to stimulate demand for domestically assembled cars.

Total sales of VAMA by the end of November 2021 reached 257,390 units, up 3% year on year. However, the number of locally assembled cars was 142,671 units, down 10%, while imported cars reached 114,719, up 26% year on year.

Ministry of Transport calls for solutions to 'save' local air carriers

The Ministry of Transport has asked the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam to urgently complete a comprehensive report on solutions to remove difficulties for the aviation industry, and submit it to the ministry before December 15.

Previously, the Vietnam Aviation Business Association (VABA) asked the Ministry of Transport to ask the Government to grant preferential loans to airlines. The document signed by VABA General Secretary Bui Doan Ne stated that since the 4th covid outbreak in Vietnam, local airlines have fallen into a dangerous situation as their revenue has decreased by 80-90% and their accumulated assets and financial resources are exhausted.

53 shrimp export shipments receive warning about additives

Le Ba Anh, deputy director of the Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Control Department, said that 53 shrimp shipments received warnings about using additives this year.

Currently, Vietnam has 416 shrimp processing facilities eligible to export to markets such as North America, the EU, Japan and China. Since early 2021, of 111 farming areas in 35 provinces and cities, the authorities have detected 10 samples of shrimp that exceed the permitted level for antibiotics such as Chloramphenicol, Ciprofloxacin, Oxytetracycline, Ormetoprim, and Enrofloxacin.

In the coming time, the Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Control Department will continue to implement the national residue monitoring program at aquaculture areas. This agency asks shrimp businesses to strictly implement the ASC quality management program, especially the traceability system, declaring the origin of shrimp exported to the US according to the form DF2031.

Phu Quoc aims to welcome 10 million tourists by 2025

The People's Committee of Kien Giang province has approved the 5-year socio-economic development plan for the period 2021-2025 of Phu Quoc city, with the goal that by 2025, tourists will reach 10 million, including 4 million foreign visitors.

The plan also aims at promoting tourism in depth, with high quality and sustainability. By 2025, tourism will be a key economic sector of Phu Quoc; Phu Quoc tourism brand will have many high quality and unique tourism products, imbued with national cultural identity; the development of community-based tourism, eco-tourism will be developed.

Tra fish exports to reach over $1.5 billion this year

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), by the end of November 2021, the total export value of Vietnamese tra fish was over US$1.4 billion, up 1.3% year on year.

China is still the largest market, accounting for 28% of Vietnam's tra fish exports, followed by the US with 22%.

In terms of output, in the first 11 months of 2021, Vietnam harvested 1.3 million tons of tra fish, down 4.9% over the same period of 2020. It is estimated that the total output of tra fish in 2021 will reach 1.5 million tons, equivalent to 2020.

According to VASEP, Vietnam will reach the target of about $1.54 billion in 2021, up 3% compared to 2020.

Bac Ninh builds US$58 million waste power plant

The construction of the plant will start in January 2022 in Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province. The plant can process 500 tons or waste per day and generate 11.6 MW of electricity. Of the total investment of nearly $58 million, $18 million will be provided by the Japanese Ministry of Environment, $30 million by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the remaining $10 million from the investor. The project is scheduled to be completed in late 2023.

PV
It's great that Hoi An has committed not to consume dog and cat meat. I will definitely come back to Hoi An to admire this beautiful, old and civilized city, a foreign traveler said.

Adrian is proud about Hoi Ans commitment to not consume dog meat

The information that Hoi An City Peoples Committee signed with FOUR PAWS a commitment on not using dog and cat meat for food has caught the special attention from the public. While people and travelers have shown their support and agreement, business households are worried about their livelihoods.

Having lived worked in Vietnam for several years and eating Vietnamese food, Ilya Levchenko, 26, from Ukraine said thst seeing dog meat sold on streets made him shiver.

I once got lost on a street in Ha Dong, Hanoi, where dog meat was sold in abundance. This was a nightmare for me when witnessing dogs being slaughtered, he said.

I understand that eating dog meat is part of your culture and humans eat animals to survive. But dogs are special, they are friendly and loyal, he said.

He was glad to hear that Hoi An has become the first city in Vietnam that has said no to dog meat.

Wow, its really good news. I heard that Hoi An is very beautiful and peaceful. With Hoi An saying no to dog meat, I am more excited about visiting Hoi An, he said.

Adrian John Leeds, of the UK, said he has never seen dishes made of dog meat, but he often sees dogs stuck in metal cages on the streets.

Dogs are very intelligent and can feel what humans cannot. I am absolutely against the unnecessary killing of animals, he said.

The young man lives with a dog named Chewy and considers Chewy as a family member. I will be very disappointed if Chewy becomes a meal for someone, he said.

Adrian has been to Hoi An many times and loves the city. He is proud about Hoi Ans commitment to not consume dog meat.

Anna, 32, a Russian traveler, said she gave a score of 10 to Hoi An as the city has committed not to consume dog and cat meat.

I dont raise dogs and cats, but I never use the meat of animals for food. They are friends of humans, she said.

Vietnamese also lauded Hoi Ans decision.

I love dogs. Its great that Hoi An has committed not to eat dog and cat meat, Thu Huong from Hanoi said, adding that she hopes Hanoi will follow the move.

HoiAn residents are happy about the decision. Nguyen Thi Kim Hoa, 59, from Cam Ha commune said her family members never eat dog or cat meat.

Our dog which lived with us for 10 years died last year and my daughter cried all the time. It was our friend and we felt sad when it died, she said.

Ho Phuoc Thien, 55, who was seen playing with two dogs, a 10-year and 7-year-old, said it was the right decision.

Dogs are beloved by people all over the world, he said.

Shop owners

The owners of dog meat shops in Hoi An said they are facing difficulties because of the municipal authorities decision.

Nguyen Van Thanh, the owner of Thanh Bac Dog Meat Shop, said he has heard about Hoi Ans commitment, but he is still serving dog meat dishes at his shop.

His shop, operational since 2003, receives nearly 100 clients each day. The shop is a major source of revenue for his family for many years.

We will have to observe decisions by the municipal authorities, but there should be solutions for us to shift to other business, Thanh said.

Thuong, 34, the owner of Ha Thanh Dog Meat Shop on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, also said he still doesnt know what he would do if he has to shut down the shop, which is the income for his 4-member family.

Cong Sang - Linh Trang

Hoi An is first locality to commit not to eat dog and cat meat Hoi An ancient town on December 10 held an online signing ceremony with the FOUR PAWS organization on its commitment to eliminate the use of dog and cat meat.
Vietnam should learn from India and Singapores experiences in attracting foreign startups, Dao Quang Binh, Head of Market Development Division at TECHFEST 2021, said.

The founders of Sky Mavis

Binh spoke at a recent investment connection conference held by Vinasa (Vietnam Software & IT services).

The expert said that success stories of some countries could partially suggest ways how to attract investment to the innovative sector and the development of pioneering technologies.

Among the countries emerging as destinations attracting technology investors, India has similarities with Vietnam in terms of the increase of the middle class, a dynamic labor force, and the high percentage of smartphone users.

India is witnessing a boom in investment in the startup ecosystem. The number of new unicorns has exceeded China.

The number of unicorns in India has only increased recently. Only 22 unicorns were created in 2011-2019, but more than 40 percent of Indian unicorns appeared in 2021 alone. The country has had the biggest benefit from the Chinese policy to tighten control over technology firms.

The UNs report on world investment in 2021 showed that India has become the fifth largest FDI recipient. In 2020, $64 billion was poured into India, mostly in the technology sector.

As for Singapore, the city-state has emerged as a favorite destination for foreign investors and multinationals.

Singapore is not a tax haven, but it has a simple and competitive taxation method. The country is known for its good infrastructure and friendly Government which does not apply discriminatory treatment to foreign investors.

Based on India and Singapores experiences, Binh pointed out that the stability of the environment plays a very important role. Vietnam needs to continue simplifying procedures for business establishment, thus creating a friendly investment environment.

It is also necessary create clear regulations to support IPOs and divestment activities.

At a recent forum on smart cities held by RMIT University, experts said in the new era international investors would consider many new factors when making investment decisions, such as the digitization level of destinations, the sustainability of the economy, and the social nature of the environment.

Vietnam has been advised to accelerate investments in smart cities and integrate new technologies, because this is considered a magnet that attracts FDI.

Once technologies, business models and products change, policies also need to be amended. Citing the success of Axie Infinity, Binh pointed out that technology is changing much faster than policies.

Vietnam still has not created a legal framework for Blockchain, even though Sky Mavis has created a Blockchain-based game valued at billions of dollars.

Trong Dat

Winners of National Innovative Technopreneur Contest announced Otrafy, a startup that provides quality management and supply-chain software to the food industry, will represent Vietnam at the Startup World Cup next year after championing the National Innovative Technopreneur Contest today.
Regular international flights from/to Vietnam will be resumed in two phases, with air travel with nine foreign destinations to be available again in the first phase and fifteen in the second phase.

Regular international flights from/to Vietnam will be resumed in two phases, with air travel with nine foreign destinations to be available again in the first phase and fifteen in the second phase, according to the latest scenario developed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV). (Photo: baodautu.vn)

This is the latest scenario developed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), its Deputy Director Vo Huy Cuong said on December 16.

Under the new plan, Vietnam will restore regular international air routes with Beijing/Guangxi (China), Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (the Republic of Korea), Taipei (Taiwan, China), Bangkok (Thailand), Singapore, Vientiane (Laos), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), and San Francisco/Los Angeles (the US).

The reopening of regular international flights is expected to fuel travel demand from these destinations to Vietnam, Cuong said, adding that people will be able to travel normally to Vietnam without having to transit through other destinations.

During the second phase, flights will be likely to reconnect Vietnam with six more other foreign destinations, including Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Hong Kong (China), Paris (France), Frankfurt (Germany), Sydney (Australia) and Moscow (Russia).

Concerned authorities will evaluate the implementation of the plan before allowing regular international flights to resume to pre-pandemic level, he stressed.

According to a new guidance issued by the Ministry of Health on the same day, fully vaccinated foreign arrivals with negative COVID-19 test results will only need to self-quarantine at home or places of accommodation for three days upon entry into Vietnam by air.

The new regulations will be effective from January 1, 2022, the day Vietnam is set to resume regular international flights on a pilot basis.

The arrivals must have proof of negative COVID-19 test results (using the gold-standard PCR method) within 72 hours prior to entry (except in the case of children under two years old), must declare their health status before entry and must install Vietnams PC-COVID app (available on both Android and iOS) for contact tracing and medical declaration purposes.

Arrivals that are Vietnamese citizens, including Vietnamese citizens residing overseas and the spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens, who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, can be given free inoculation during the quarantine period if they agree.

Entrants who have been fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19, must not make direct contact with others nor leave their places of residence or designated accommodation (hotels, motels, resorts, offices, dormitories, guest houses, etc.) during the first three days.

Two RT-PCR tests will be conducted, on the first and third day since the date of entry.

If the results return negative, then the entrants still need to self-monitor their health status for 14 days after arrival, but this is already a huge step down from the current policies of mandatory seven days of concentrated quarantine and seven days of follow-up medical self-observation.

If they are willing to get a COVID-19 test (RT-PCR) on the tenth day, then the medical self-observation could end then.

For entrants who have not been fully vaccinated, upon entry, they will stay at home or place of accommodation for seven days, with RT-PCR tests conducted on the first and seventh day.

If the results are negative, the full two weeks of self-observation is applied, with another RT-PCR test to be done on the fourteenth day from the entry.

For entrants who are under 18 years old, above 65 years old, pregnant women, or having underlying health conditions (without requiring care or observation of medical facilities), they will be allowed to go into quarantine with their parents or caretakers.

The caretakers must be fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 and sign a commitment document giving their voluntary willingness to quarantine with another person after having been informed of the risks of virus transmission. They will also be subject to the same stringent testing regimes and COVID-19 prevention and control measures expected of foreign arrivals./.

Source: VNA
BOSTON (AP)  Security researchers said Thursday they found two kinds of commercial spyware on the phone of a leading exiled Egyptian dissident, providing new evidence of the depth and diversity of the abusive hacker-for-hire industry.

One piece of malware recently found on an iPhone belonging to Ayman Nour, a dissident and 2005 Egyptian presidential candidate who subsequently spent three years in jail, originated with the increasingly embattled NSO Group of Israel. That company was recently blacklisted by Washington. The other was from a company called Cytrox, which also has Israeli ties. This was the first documentation of a hack by Cytrox, a little-known NSO Group rival.

The spyware was uncovered by digital sleuths at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, who said two different governments hired the competing mercenaries to hack Nour's phone. Both instances of malware were simultaneously active on the phone, investigators said after examining its logs. The researchers said they traced the Cytrox hack to Egypt but didn't know who was behind the NSO Group infection.

The researchers said in a report that the intrusions highlight how hacking civil society transcends any specific mercenary spyware company.
The brother of a Teague man who was indicted last month in the arson death of his former boyfriend in August was indicted Thursday on a capital murder charge.

A McLennan County grand jury indicted Jason Lee Lloyd, 37, of Waco, in an Aug. 12 fire that led to the death of Cargin Madison, 25, two weeks later.

Jason Lloyds brother, Willie Joe Lloyd, 39, was indicted in November on capital murder and attempted capital murder charges. The attempted capital murder charge stems from injuries to a friend of Madison who was at the home and also was badly burned.

Robinson police said Willie Lloyd was Madisons ex-boyfriend and broke into Madisons home in the 100 block of Brentwood Drive, poured gasoline on the bed and set Madison on fire.

The living room couch also was set on fire, police said. Madison and the other male burn victim were rushed to a burn unit in Dallas and a woman was treated at a local hospital for smoke inhalation. The fire also killed a dog, police reported.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  More than five years after a St. Louis man visiting New Orleans to plan his wedding was shot and left to die in an armed robbery, a suspect has been arrested and charged, authorities announced Thursday.

Ernest Weatherspoon, 44, was detained in Jefferson Parish on Thursday morning, a day after he was indicted by a New Orleans grand jury, said District Attorney Jason Williams. He has been charged with the second-degree murder and armed robbery of Thomas Rolfes, 25.

Williams credited his staff, police and victim advocates with continuing to pursue the cold case until evidence led to charges and an arrest. Because they never gave up in trying to find the killer of young Thomas, new evidence was unearthed, Williams said at a news conference. He didn't elaborate on what the evidence was but said it was the result of community members coming forward with information.

I spoke to Thomas parents last night. And I just got off the phone with his then-fiancee, Williams said. They were all very emotional to finally get this measure of closure. This has not been easy on this family. Its not easy on any family.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)  North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, a Republican who is the longest-serving attorney general in state history, said Friday he will not seek reelection in 2022.

Stenehjem, who is 68 years old, said at a news conference he plans to retire to spend more time with his wife, the Bismarck Tribune reported.

I have had over the years many, many difficult decisions, but none really as difficult as this one, he said.

Stenehjem first took office in 2001 and has held the office for six terms. His career in North Dakota politics has spanned over four decades, starting with his election to the House in 1976. He ran for governor in 2016, but lost in the GOP primary to Doug Burgum, who went on to become governor.

Stenehjem carried his last election in 2018 with nearly 68% of the vote. His term will conclude at the end of next year.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  A Catholic humanitarian group aiding migrants on Polands border with Belarus on Friday denounced a police raid on their regional premises as a scandalous act of intimidation.

Armed police questioned four volunteers for hours on Wednesday night and confiscated laptops and mobile phones from the aid center run by the Club of Catholic Intelligentsia near the village of Grodek, outside the off-limits border zone.

Artur Kula, a lawyer working with the group, told a news conference Friday that the police action was excessive and not appropriate to the situation.

The group call the raid scandalous and say it is their mission to help save the lives of migrants stranded in the forests and bogs on the Polish side of the border, in line with Poland's law.

Thousands of Middle Eastern migrants have been trying to illegally cross into Poland and the European Union from Belarus. The 27-member EU says this is a hybrid attack by the authoritarian government in Belarus, intended to destabilize the bloc. Recent diplomatic efforts have reduced the migrant pressure, but attempted border crossings still take place every night.
They take those lessons with them into college, or however they spend their adult lives, said Rios. What were seeing through the research is that these types of programs equip young people on how to avoid victimization, and how not to perpetrate violence in their lives.

He hopes the new law will give every student access to this education. But he and other advocates worry that requiring parents to sign up will diminish the reach.

Some students may simply fall through the cracks, especially those who dont live with their parents or forget to get the paperwork signed. Some parents may not want their children educated about child abuse, particularly if they are the perpetrators of the abuse. Others may not want to admit that their child could fall victim to dating violence.

Its not great to hear that we as adults are often not privy to all of the dynamics of a young persons life, said Rios. But what we do know is that young people talk to each other. Often it takes the support of peer networks to understand how to intervene, how to offer support to a young survivor.
Back in October, we reported that, following some 40,000 hours of volunteer labor, the restoration team at the Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan had completed the restoration of Douglas SBD-2P Dauntless BuNo.2173. That article also noted that the dive-bomber was due to depart Kalamazoo for a new home at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum on Ford Island in Honolulu, Hawaii. We can now report that this combat-veteran Dauntless has completed her ocean voyage to Hawaii, and is safely ensconced within the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museums historic Hangar 79, which still bears scars from that fateful day of the Japanese attack in December, 1941. BuNo.2173 is presently undergoing reassembly for the move into nearby Hangar 37, where she will take the place of SBD-5 BuNo.36177. The latter aircraft will soon return stateside to become a static exhibit within the Collings Foundations American Heritage Museum in Hudson, Massachusetts.

SBD-2P BuNo.2173 has a fascinating history, as the (gently edited) description from the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum illustrates below

Of the 5,936 Douglas Dauntless dive bombers built between 1940 and 1944, only a fraction of them have survived the intervening eight decades. Even fewer have ended up preserved in essentially time capsule condition. The prized addition of a Douglas Dauntless SBD-2P to the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museums collection would have been far less likely were it not for a carburetor icing incident over Lake Michigan on February 18th, 1944. Forced to ditch, our SBD-2P stood nose-down on the lake bottom for nearly 65 years before a salvage team raised her from the depths on June 19th, 2009.
WATERLOO  Six organizations in the Cedar Valley have received grants from Veridian Credit Union.

The credit union awards Successful Financial Future Grants of up to $5,000 each annually. Grants are awarded for general operating expenses of nonprofit organizations who address barriers to financial stability through financial literacy and employment readiness. This year grants given totaled $70,000.

Recipients are The Job Foundation in Cedar Falls, $5,000; in Waterloo, Exceptional Persons Inc., $1,250, House of Hope, $5,000 and Operation Threshold, $5,000; in Waverly, Friends of the Family, $5,000 and The Larrabee Center Inc., $1,250.

Veridian partners with the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa to distribute Successful Financial Future Grants from the Veridian Credit Union Fund. Details are available to veridiancu.org/grants.

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CEDAR FALLS  Zakiren Cole is excited about the new Lowell Elementary School opening in January.

But any enthusiasm the third-grader feels is tempered by the fact that on Friday hell be leaving behind the place where hes been attending school for nearly his entire education  two buildings formerly part of the Central Rivers Area Education Agency offices.

Because in this building Im going to miss walking out there, Cole said, looking out a window toward the building where gym, music and art classes are held. And Im going to miss my classroom.

The Waterloo school temporarily moved to the site in February 2019, just days after a portion of Lowells roof collapsed. The school has remained in the facilities at 3712 and 3706 Cedar Heights Drive ever since. Officials determined the damage was worse than initially believed, eventually demolishing the school and approving plans to rebuild at Williston Avenue and Washington Street.

The new school is now nearly complete and will be ready for students Jan. 3 following winter break. Lowell students are starting the break two days early so teachers can focus on setting up their classes Monday and Tuesday.

Cole has heard some things about the new school that hes looking forward to - including the blue (actually turquoise) paint scheme in its third-grade section.

In passing by the school under construction, fifth-grader Brenae Jackson has noticed it is larger than the former building. She has also heard that there is a shared collaboration space across the hallway from her classroom. In addition, the fifth grade will have lockers instead of the messy coat room they all use now.

So, Im excited to move to the new building, she said.

Principal Carrie Heinzerling said the mood at Lowell is definitely excitement. You can just feel it

It is so exciting and just the thought of being, first of all, back in Waterloo and closer to our families, she said. The staff and students will be in a space with the newest technology and a tornado shelter. Just being in a building designed as a school is going to be fantastic.

She added, I think the biggest thing is having a playground with a field. At the current location, the outdoor play area is asphalt.

Heinzerling noted, though, how grateful she is that the Central Rivers buildings were available for the school.

I think we got very lucky that this was open for us, she said. Even though this wasnt built as a school we were able to turn it into a school in many ways.

Despite a number of things that wont be in place next month, Waterloo Community Schools Superintendent Jane Lindaman said the new building will be primed for student learning when the doors open.

Primarily, the building will be ready, she said. There are a few items that will be back-ordered.

That includes the playground, some technology and a couple furniture items. Lindaman noted, All of the kitchen equipment has arrived with the exception of the dishwasher. So, the school will initially have food brought in from another location.

As anticipated, the 12-classroom preschool wing is not finished. Theyll still be working on that on the southeast corner of the building, she said. Classes at the Elk Run Preschool wont relocate to Lowell until next fall.

Waterloo Schools is expecting to get its occupancy permit for the building on Saturday. On Sunday, she said, custodial staff will move approximately 2,000 boxes of teacher materials and classroom supplies from the current location to the new school. Everything will be ready for staff to move into their classrooms and offices Monday morning.

We started meeting in August to prepare for this move, said Lindaman. I just feel like it is really, really smooth.

She expressed gratitude to all in the community who have assisted Lowell throughout its time in the temporary location. And, like others, the superintendent expressed excitement for the schools homecoming.

I think January third will be a great day, she said.

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WATERLOO  East High dealt with two purported threats to the school Tuesday, neither of which were substantiated by authorities.

One of them involving a social media post actually pertaining to a school by the same name in Wichita, Kan., led the administration to send an email communication to families quashing the rumor.

The other social media threat  aimed at East, West and Cedar Falls high schools  was taken care of quickly with no communication to families. That threat was traced to a 16-year-old East High student, who Waterloo Police said was cited for intimidation with a weapon. The student didnt have an actual weapon.

As a result of the charge, though, that incident was reported by media outlets. Some, including a person who contacted The Courier about the matter, accused the school of lying to parents where their childrens safety was concerned.

Waterloo Community Schools on Thursday sent an email to East High staff and parents explaining that these were two different incidents. The message, which the district shared with The Courier, noted that it was absolutely true the incident communicated to parents originated in a different state and had no impact on the school.

The perception and concern were hearing about is that these two issues were the same and we didnt communicate accurately, said the email message. Please know that these are unrelated issues AND this second incident was not communicated to staff or families because we typically dont communicate about incidents which pose no threat and do not disrupt the school environment and which are specific to one student for reasons of confidentiality laws to which we are bound.

District spokeswoman Akwi Nji said if there would have been a substantiated threat to the school, communication with families would have occurred. But, as stated in Thursdays message, it was very clear to administration fairly immediately there was no credible threat in this situation. It goes on to say that all threats are treated as substantiated until proven otherwise and that even if one isnt credible it can lead to disciplinary action and criminal charges.

We have really effective processes and procedures and protocols to maintain the safety of our schools, said Nji. In addition, we really rely on our students, our staff and our families to be in communication about any concerns. So we dont want that to stop.

She urged parents to have conversations with their kids about what they are posting on social media to ensure that they understand the potential consequences of their actions. Like the incident with the East student, the district is concerned with any post that implies the safety of the school may be compromised, said Nji.

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The American Red Cross serving Eastern Iowa is seeking nominations for the 2022 "Everyday Heroes" event.

Nominations are open through Dec. 31. People are encouraged to visit the Everyday Heroes website to share stories and nominate those who they feel are deserving of the honor.

To submit a nomination, visit redcross.org/iowa to nominate online, or download a nomination form and email it to: emily.holley@redcross.org; or mail to: American Red Cross, ATTN: Emily Holley, 2116 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312. Self-nominations are not permitted.

After last years event was held virtually, the Red Cross is planning to hold an in-person celebration in 2022. Everyday Heroes is scheduled for March 10, 2022. During that event, the heroes will be honored for their impact on the community.

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CEDAR FALLS  The Northeast Iowa Food Bank, in partnership with University of Northern Iowas Office of Community Engagement and Panther Pantry, along with the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley, will hold a MLK Back Packin the Dome Martin Luther King Day of Service event Jan. 17 at the UNI-Dome. It is expected to be the single largest volunteer event held in the Cedar Valley.

Participants are invited to help package food for the food bank that will go to the organizations BackPack Program. The BackPack Program serves 4,100 children at 145 schools across Northeast Iowa each month. Before school lets out for weekends, children receive assembled bags of kid-friendly meals and snacks that can fit in their school bags. Last year, the Northeast Iowa Food Bank distributed 150,000 back packs across its 16-county service area.

More than 800 participants attending the 2020 National Day of Service.

We are extremely excited to partner with UNIs Office of Community Engagement & VCCV to once again hold this event. Northeast Iowa is stronger because of our partnerships we are all coming together to make an impact in the lives of hungry children across Northeast Iowa, food bank Executive Director Barb Prather said in a news release.

The event is open to groups and individuals of all ages. To sign up or learn more about the 2022 Back Packin The Dome event, visit www.packthedome.com.

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At least five people died as a powerful and extremely unusual storm system swept across the Great Plains and Midwest amid unseasonably warm temperatures, spawning hurricane-force winds and tornadoes in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota.

In Benton County, one person was killed when strong winds tipped over a tractor trailer Wednesday night, according to the Iowa State Patrol.

The Freightliner was headed south on U.S. Highway 151 near Norway at about 8:30 p.m. when a gust knocked it on its side, and it came to a rest in the ditch. The identity of the deceased hasnt been released.

In southeastern Minnesotas Olmsted County, a 65-year-old man was killed when a 40-foot tree blew onto him outside his home. In southwestern Kansas, blinding dust kicked up by the storms Wednesday led to two separate crashes that killed three people, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported.

But while Wednesday evenings winds from the record-breaking storm were fierce, the Cedar Valley was spared the worst.

Two gusts reached 62 mph in the early morning Thursday at the Waterloo Regional Airport. But in other parts of the state wind speeds reached 80 or 90 mph.

If it is possible to look on the bright side, I would say Waterloo dodged a bit of a bullet yesterday, said said Bill Bunting, operations branch chief of the NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center based in Norman, Oklahoma.

According to preliminary data, Wednesdays Central Plains to Upper Mississippi Valley Derecho had the most significant wind gusts in a 24-hour period in the U.S. since at least 2004, which is approximately when the metric first was recorded.

The reports are still coming in, but this very well may end up being the most active severe weather day in December in our reportings history, Bunting said.

Wind is deemed significant when it eclipses 75 miles per hour. According to Bunting, 61 reports of winds that strong or stronger were received by the center, breaking the previous record of 53 from the Midwest (Iowa) derecho on Aug. 10, 2020.

In addition, Wednesday was historic when it came to December temperatures, reaching 74 degrees in Waterloo. Parts of Iowa had temperatures in the upper 70s.

The previous high temperature in Waterloo for December had been 67 degrees on Dec. 4, 1998; Dec. 5, 2001; and Dec. 3, 2012.

The storms entered western Iowa after 4 p.m. Heavy rains hit the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area around 8 p.m. Wednesday. That was followed by high winds around 11 p.m.

As many as 23 tornadoes reportedly developed in Nebraska. At least two tornadoes were confirmed in southern Minnesota, the states first twisters on record in December. In Iowa, 10 tornadoes have been confirmed by the National Weather Service, including two in Floyd County and three in Howard County. Suspected twisters also were reported in Winneshiek, Buchanan and Benton counties on Wednesday night.

Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for 43 counties. It allows state resources to be utilized for recovery efforts and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program for qualifying residents. In Northeast Iowa, Bremer, Butler, Chickasaw, Fayette, Floyd, Hardin, Mitchell, and Winneshiek counties were included.

The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website at https://dhs.iowa.gov/disaster-assistance-programs. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.

For information on the Disaster Case Management Program, contact your local community action association or visit www.iowacommunityaction.org.

Kip Ladage, Bremer County emergency management coordinator, said that county was added to the list out of precaution as his team continued to assess the situation, but noted he had nothing substantial to report Thursday afternoon, besides one older barn going down.

Waterloo residents also were assessing damage after winds knocked down power lines and toppled trees.

On Thursday morning, some area streets were blocked by debris, including a section on Vinton Street where part of a sheet metal roof from a commercial building landed. A power line was also down at that location.

A large tree closed off Ricker Street near Hewitt Street, and the 1600 block of Black Hawk Street was closed because of downed power lines.

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WATERLOO  Tristan Ceaser lived in Houston for nine years after graduating high school, and quickly found a type of business he hadnt seen back home in Waterloo: bars that revolve entirely around one particular drink  the frozen daiquiri.

That was a big thing down there, and it was very new to me, Ceaser said. I was just going to different daiquiri bars with friends and family and just hanging out. It was always a good time.

When he moved back to Iowa, he wanted to bring those good times back with him. This winter, hes opened Daq King at the corner of Sycamore and East Fifth streets to see if his hometown agrees.

Theres nothing like this in the Cedar Valley, he said. I thought this would be something different.

A rum cocktail with sugar and citrus juice, daiquiris  particularly the frozen kind Daq King sells  are often thought of as a tropical, summertime drink. Daiquiri bars can be found in many places in the South and in warmer climates like Las Vegas.

But the concept seems to work here, too: The owners of Daquiri Factory, which opened in Rock Island, Ill., in 2004, have done so well they opened a second location in Davenport this year.

Ceaser tested his first four flavors with family and friends  blue raspberry, green apple, mango and strawberry  and soft-opened just before Thanksgiving. He said foot traffic has expanded each weekend, and to-go orders are a big part of his business.

That was the real reason I jumped on it, he said of Iowas new law this year making to-go alcohol permanently legal. He sells 16-, 24- and 32-ounce drinks to go, and hopes to eventually go up to a gallon of daiquiris.

A lot of men come in and get daiquiris for their wives. Then, the wives will send them back to get more daiquiris, Ceaser said.

The flavors can be made into individual daiquiris, mixed with each other (the Royal Flush drink mixes all four) or mixed with other ingredients to create unique offerings, like adding caramel sauce to the glass of a green apple for a caramel apple pairing, or candy to the top.

A third daiquiri-making machine, which will allow him to add two more flavors - hes thinking lemonade and a flavor of the week hell post to Daq Kings Facebook page  is scheduled to arrive this week.

But its not just daiquiris: Ceasar also has full-bar service, with liquor and mixers. His goal is to add a fourth machine by the summer to offer a virgin daiquiri option to nondrinkers, too.

Its new, and so far its been a good group of people that have been coming through, Ceaser said. Each night is just a great time, and thats just how I want to keep it.

A grand opening, complete with ribbon-cutting by Main Street Waterloo, is planned Saturday. Ceaser will have specials from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., with the ribbon cutting at 4 p.m.

Daq King is a unique establishment and we are lucky to have them join us in downtown Waterloo, said Jessica Rucker, executive director for Main Street Waterloo. They have cultivated an unforgettable experience for visitors that makes an incredible addition to downtown.

Ceaser anticipates Daq King will really get busy during the warmer months, and hopes to get a drink truck to take to summer festivals, too.

I want for everyone to come and just experience it, he said.

5 months for $5 Get 5 months of a Courier digital subscription for just $5 at https://go.wcfcourier.com/nov5

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I know say the EU, Lets sanction Russia again and again and again and shoot ourselves in the foot for the hundredth time!

BRUSSELS, December 16. /TASS/. The European Union is preparing a full set of sanctions against Russia, which will be discussed at the EU summit on Thursday, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrel told reporters as he arrived at the meeting of leaders of 27 EU states in Brussels.I cannot tell it (which sanctions in particular  TASS), we are going to discuss it before we have an agreement, but we are preparing a full set of sanctions, he said.Asked whether EU countries will be able to reach a consensus on the issue, Borrel said: Yes, this time, yes.

Source: European Union preparing full set of sanctions against Russia, says foreign policy chief  Russian Politics & Diplomacy  TASS

Never ends and will never end until something Crashes, something Wars, something Explodes, something does whatever something is suppose to do  that these idiots want to have done  and or do  as they do what they do and make no sense to anyone but their own pathetic mental state that they live in

Starting to look like the world is definitely over run with stupid these days? Maybe it has always been that way?

Yet, if stupid was a crop? We have the cream of the stupid crop coming to the surface in abundance these days

WtR

Update: On the next day

BRUSSELS, December 17. /TASS/. Leaders of the 27 EU member states unanimously agreed to extend economic sanctions against Russia by another six-month period, European Council President Charles Michel told reporters on Friday.

Source: EU summit agrees to extend anti-Russian economic sanctions by 6 months  World  TASS
The UN General Assembly has finally adopted a resolution condemning Nazism, neo-Nazism and all forms of racism. A bill co-sponsored by Russia. It had 130 votes for it

The US and Ukraine voted against it

#UNGA76 adopted -initiated resolution "Combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of #racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related #intolerance" with 130 votes in favor, 2 against, 49 abstentions. pic.twitter.com/wC63bhKqrj  Russian Mission UN (@RussiaUN) December 16, 2021

Did I say, US and Ukraine voted against the bill and just the US and Ukraine voted against the bill?

Hmm.US and Ukraine? What does that tell you?

US and Ukraine?

WtR

https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/809848?ln=en
Ann Moore / Alamy Stock Photo

Day 1: Burlington to Stowe (36 miles)

Leaving Burlington, youll catch your first glimpse of Vermonts Green Mountains driving south on Interstate 89. To your left looms the snowy peak of Mount Mansfield, Vermonts tallest at 4,395 feet. To the right, spy the dromedary-shaped pinnacle of Camels Hump. Its 26 miles to exit 10, where Route 100 winds north for 10 miles into the heart of Stowe, one of the states most quintessential ski towns.

Start with an amble along Main Street through Stowe Village. Built in 1897, the Old Depot Building served as a station for the 11-mile-long Mount Mansfield Electric railway until 1932. Today it houses Bear Pond Books, the second-largest independent bookseller in Vermont, and Stowe Mercantile, which stocks a cornucopia of country store curios, including an impressive selection of Vermont maple products. Around the corner on Pond Street, The Current, a center for contemporary art, displays thoughtfully curated exhibitions of both well-known and emerging artists. Back on Main Street, pair a locally crafted beer, cider or mead with a Vermont cheese plate at the Stowe Public House & Bottle Shop. Cap off the day with Umiak Outdoor Outfitters guided moonlight fondue tour: You'll snowshoe along wooded trails to the Stowehof Hotels Fritz Bar for a three-course dinner with fondue.

Where to stay: The Green Mountain Inn, which has been hosting visitors to Stowe since 1833, features 104 antique-filled guest rooms, suites and apartments.


Beetaloo Drilling Success

Sydney, Dec 17, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Empire Energy Group Limited ( ASX:EEG ) ( OTCMKTS:EEGUF ) is pleased to announce that it has successfully drilled, cased, and suspended the C-2H well in Empire's 100% owned and operated EP187, located in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, Northern Territory. C-2H is now awaiting fracture stimulation and production testing to start in Q2 2022.- Empire has successfully drilled, cased, and suspended Carpentaria-2H ("C-2H") - its first horizontal well located within 100% owned and operated EP187- 192 metres of liquids-rich shale gas net pay intersected across the four middle Velkerri pay zones (Velkerri A, B, Intra A/B and C) in Carpentaria-2 vertical hole- C-2H was drilled to a total measured depth of 3,150 metres with the horizontal section length being 1,345 metres and wholly placed within the Velkerri B Shale target window- C-2H is the longest horizontal section drilled to date in the Velkerri shale sequence- The Silver City Rig 40 has been released- Results from Carpentaria-2 vertical, C-2H drilling and the Charlotte 2D Seismic Survey will be incorporated into an updated NSAI Contingent and Prospective Resource report expected to be released in Q1 2022- Sidewall cores from the Carpentaria-2 vertical hole are being transported to WDVG in Houston for shale characterisation and fracture stimulation planning- C-2H completed on time and on budget. Empire is demonstrating improving operating efficiency, with the vertical and horizontal section of C-2H being completed for similar cost as the 2020 vertical-only Carpentaria-1 well- Planning has commenced for fracture stimulation and flow testing of C-2H scheduled to start in Q2 2022Comments from Managing Director Alex Underwood: "The successful drilling of Carpentaria-2H, on time and on budget, is an outstanding result and a testament to the quality of our team and contractors. Empire continues to demonstrate that it is the Beetaloo Sub-basin's cost leader. C-2H, the longest horizontal well targeting the Velkerri formation drilled to date, had a similar cost to our first vertical well, Carpentaria-1, substantially less than peers across the basin. The Velkerri shales intersected at C-2H are highly consistent and contiguous with those intersected at Carpentaria-1, albeit ~240m deeper, with a corresponding increase in pressure which is likely to drive flow rates. Live gas bleeds from core samples taken during the drilling of C-2H reinforce this view. We have commissioned Netherland, Sewell and Associates to prepare an updated independent resource report, and anticipate a material increase in contingent resources, with results expected early in Q1. We are incorporating the log and core data collected during the drilling of C-2H into our fracture stimulation models to optimise the design for the 2022 fracture stimulation and flow test of C-2H. Thank you to all of our stakeholders for your support during 2021. We have continued to drive towards commercialisation and look forward to another big year in 2022."The Carpentaria-2 vertical hole intersected liquids-rich shale gas intervals, with gas compositions nearly identical to Carpentaria-1, across the four middle Velkerri pay zones (Velkerri A, B, Intra A/B and C), representing a net pay thickness of 192 metres. The Carpentaria-2 vertical hole has proven the continuous extension of the Velkerri shales from the Carpentaria-1 well located ~11 kilometres to the south. The consistency of shale thickness between the two wells, coupled with the available 2D seismic grid confirms the lateral extension and regularity of shale targets throughout the mapped EP187 resource.The C-2H horizontal section was drilled in the Velkerri B Shale. This target zone was selected using Carpentaria-1 production testing results, as well as petrophysical analysis of the C-2H vertical hole undertaken by Houston-based W.D. Von Gonten Laboratories ("WDVG") using the advanced wireline log data acquired by Schlumberger.C-2H reached 3,150 metres total measured depth (TD) on 13 December 2021. C-2H was drilled to a total measured depth of 3,150 metres with the horizontal section length being 1,345 metres and wholly placed within the Velkerri B Shale target window. This is the longest horizontal section drilled to date in the Velkerri shale sequence. Strong gas shows throughout the drilling of the horizontal section were recorded; and the core samples from the vertical hole showed encouraging signs of hydrocarbon bubbling representing live gas.Empire is demonstrating improved operating efficiency as we enhance our knowledge and continue to refine drilling techniques to suit the unique geological environment of the Beetaloo Sub-basin. Further operational improvements have been identified for future drilling campaigns. The Silver City Rig 40 was released on 16 December 2021, 39 days after spud and the horizontal section itself took only five days to drill, validating strong time and cost performance compared to all other wells in the Beetaloo Sub-basin.C-2H was completed on time and on budget. The total cost of the C-2H drilling campaign including well pad construction, water monitoring bores, formation evaluation, drilling, casing, cementing, and suspending the well in preparation for fracture stimulation is expected to be approximately $11.5 million. This compares favourably with our vertical-only Carpentaria-1 drilled in 2020 which cost of $11.3 million and with other wells drilled in the Beetaloo Sub-basin to date. Empire expects to further reduce costs in future wells as drilling techniques are refined.Petrophysics from the Carpentaria-2 vertical hole along with revised mapping from the Q4 2021 Charlotte 2D Seismic Survey and 2019 Broadmere Survey will be provided to Netherland, Sewell & Associates Inc ("NSAI") to update Empire's EP187 Contingent and Prospective Resources report. Empire expects to release the updated NSAI certified Contingent and Prospective Resources report during Q1 2022.The Empire technical team and inGauge Energy Pty Ltd operating team have commenced planning for the fracture stimulation and extended production testing of C2-H scheduled to start in Q2 2022 after end of the wet season. WDVG core analysis will be incorporated into Empire's planning.Environment, Social & Governance (ESG) UpdateEmpire has used H2 2021 to deepen our understanding of the ESG impacts most material to our business. Empire has been assisted by a third-party ESG specialist firm and relied on industry best-practice from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board's (SASB) Oil and Gas Exploration and Production ESG standard.The result of these efforts is a detailed ESG workplan to deliver a ESG framework by mid-2022 that includes performance metrics, targets, and an action plan. This ESG framework will have a specific focus on operational and value chain greenhouse gas emissions, as well as our engagement with local communities and Traditional Owner stakeholders where we operate.*To view figures, please visit:About Empire Energy Group Ltd

Empire Energy (ASX:EEG) (OTCMKTS:EEGUF) holds over 14.5 million acres of highly prospective exploration tenements in the McArthur and Beetaloo Basins, Northern Territory. Work undertaken by the Company since 2010 demonstrates that the Eastern depositional Trough of the McArthur Basin, of which the Company holds 80% has very considerable conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon potential. The Beetaloo sub-Basin, in which Empire holds a substantial position, has independently assessed world class hydrocarbon volumes in place with a major ramp up in industry activity underway to appraise substantial discoveries already made by major Australian oil and gas operators.

Empire Energy is an experienced conventional oil and gas producer with operations in the Appalachia region (New York and Pennsylvania). Empire has been successfully developing and producing oil and gas since 2006.


Promising Early Gas Shows

Brisbane, Dec 17, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - State Gas Limited ( ASX:GAS ) advises that the three production test wells continue to provide encouraging results after early testing.Following highly successful production testing of the Nyanda-4 well earlier this year, State Gas undertook jetting at the nearby Nyanda-8 well last month. After 20 days on production test, the well is averaging 16 bwpd and has a steady flare at 36% drawdown. The Nyanda-8 production test was commenced on 28 November 2021The Serocold-1 production test is part of the Company's program of work to confirm the commerciality of its Reid's Dome Project (PL 231) in Central Queensland for delivery of new gas supplies into the east coast market. State Gas performed a foam squeeze on the well last month in order to control the unwanted production of silt and sand. After 14 days on production test the well is averaging 55 bwpd and has an intermittent flare of gas at only 25% drawdown.The production testing at Rougemont-2 has yielded encouragement with gas production at 8 mcfd and water production at 36 bwpd after 32 days with the well at 43% drawdown.The Rougemont-1 and -2 wells are the first wells drilled in the eastern area of ATP 2062, which was issued to the Company in October 2020. The wells targeted the Bandanna Formation coals - currently in commercial production to the south-east at the Santos operated Arcadia Valley project and under development at the Comet Ridge operated Mahalo project to the north-east. The drilling results confirmed the presence of good quantities of gas at or near pipeline quality and the current test to is to confirm its producibility.Water levels are being monitored and drawn down carefully to control the reduction in downhole pressures to optimise production. The early gas flows were unexpected."I am pleased that we are successfully producing from these wells in a controlled fashion, and the early gas production has been both unexpected and fortuitous", said the Company's Executive Chairman Richard Cottee."Remote control of the production via SCADA means we are now much less vulnerable to weather instability at this season of the year", he added."The Reid's Dome gas contents are high - an average of 13.75 m3/tonne at Nyanda-4, so I am looking forward to seeing the results of these new production tests", said Mr. Cottee.About State Gas Limited

State Gas Limited (ASX:GAS) is a Queensland-based developer of the Reid's Dome gas field, originally discovered during drilling in 1955, located in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland. State Gas is 100%-owner of the Reid's Dome Gas Project (PL-231) a CSG and conventional gas play, which is well-located 30 kilometres southwest of Rolleston, approximately 50 kilometres from the Queensland Gas Pipeline and interconnected east coast gas network.

Permian coal measures within the Reid's Dome Beds are extensive across the entire permit but the area had not been explored for coal seam gas prior to State Gas' ownership. In late 2018 State Gas drilled the first coal seam gas well in the region (Nyanda-4) into the Reid's Dome Beds and established the potential for a significant coal seam gas project in PL 231. The extension of the coal measures into the northern and central areas of the permit was confirmed in late 2019 by the Company's drilling of Aldinga East-1A (12 km north) and Serocold-1 (6 km to the north of Nyanda-4).

State Gas is also the 100% holder Authority to Prospect 2062 ("Rolleston-West"), a 1,414 km2 permit (eight times larger than PL 231) that is contiguous with the Reid's Dome Gas Project. Rolleston-West contains highly prospective targets for both coal seam gas (CSG) and known conventional gas within the permit area. It is not restricted by domestic gas reservation requirements.

The contiguous areas (Reid's Dome and Rolleston-West), under sole ownership by State Gas, enable integration of activities and a unified super-gasfield development, providing economies of scale, efficient operations, and optionality in marketing.

State Gas is implementing its strategic plan to bring gas to market from Reid's Dome and Rolleston-West to meet near term forecast shortfalls in the east coast domestic gas market. The strategy involves progressing a phased appraisal program in parallel with permitting for an export pipeline and development facilities to facilitate the fastest possible delivery of gas to market. State Gas' current focus has been to confirm the producibility of the gas through production testing of the wells.
Back in 2018, when Phil Lord and Chris Miller took audiences Into the Spider-Verse with Spider-Man Miles Morales, they reinvented, and reignited, what superhero movies could do, and indeed, could be, completely turning the nature of the superhero movie inside out, while retaining its heart, soul and sense of thrilling adventure.

Its clear that writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who also wrote Spider-Man: Homecoming took note, and inspiration, bringing the Spider-Verse into the most recent, live-action iteration. Helmed with verve and wit by director Jon Watts, who has directed all three of the Tom Holland-starring Spider-Man films, Homecoming, Far From Home and now, No Way Home, the multiverse freshens the formula while also looking back fondly at some of our favorite things about Spidey, now and then.

Coming off Far From Home, our intrepid Peter Parker finds himself in quite a pickle back home in New York when the evil Mysterio reveals his identity on TV news outfit The Daily Bugle, as J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) is now a blowhard broadcaster. For your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man to be unmasked as a quiet high school student who was unfortunately involved in Mysterios drone attacks in London, well it puts Parker in quite a public predicament, and during college applications no less! When he and his besties Ned (Jacob Batalon) and MJ (Zendaya) are rejected from MIT due to the controversy, Peter turns to his not-so-friendly neighborhood wizard, Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for some way to turn back time.

It shouldnt be out of bounds to mention that the spell cast by Strange rips open the multiverse, and former supervillains start to pour in, including Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and Electro (Jamie Foxx). Will there be even more visitors from other Spider-Verses? Youll have to turn up at the theater to find out.

Peter Parker, in every iteration, has always been a deeply earnest do-gooder, those qualities embodied perhaps most innocently by the youthful Holland, and that is at the emotional core of No Way Home, especially inspired by Peters empathetic Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). These arent his supervillains, so maybe he can send them back where they came from just a little bit less villainous? Therein lies the quandary and conundrum of No Way Home, which is: can you change someones fate? It seems, not without a large sacrifice of your own.

The multiverse approach does indeed liven up the proceedings that can get rather rote over the many, many versions of Spider-Man. Though its curious which tropes have a staying power that goes uncriticized, like including the ever-present grayscale airborne CGI climax, and certain emotional beats that are hit time and time again. Watching these repeated moments play out with different actors has a surreal quality, as if we are really in a multiverse.

But despite these limitations, Spider-Man: No Way Home is a fast, loose and funny romp through Spideys greatest hits. It whips through its two hour, 28 minute runtime at a breakneck pace, though it takes its time to breathe in the emotional moments. Turns out its a good thing when our Spider-Man flicks gain sentience, because it doesnt get much more fun than this at the movies.
Lifting up others.

This is the mantra that Keith Allen and Felicia Masias live by.

Its apparent when watching the filmmakers show, Enchanted Foods of ABQ.

The second season kicked off on Dec. 3.

Allen and Masias are the masterminds behind Sopapilla Productions, which produces the series.

With this company, its morphed into productions that will uplift more businesses, Allen says. (For) the second season, weve put more into preproduction and planning. By doing this, it helped us learn what we were missing in the first season.

Allen and Masias filmed the first season in two weeks in the spring.

This was also when there were capacity limits at restaurants.

For the new season, production crews took precautions still, but there were more opportunities to film inside the restaurants.

It was a lot more exciting this season, Masias says. This season felt like all the restaurants were still recouping. We were able to show their resilience.

The husband-and-wife duo have lived in Albuquerque for about a year.

When asking about places to eat, there were about a dozen restaurants mentioned.

The list from a lot of locals was similar, Allen says. Those restaurants are doing well because they have that built-in audience. There are so many other restaurants that need a jump start.

The new season features Grandmas K&I Diner, Soo Bak Seoul Bowl, Lowrider Beef Jerky, The Ivy Tearoom, Vernons Speakeasy and the Ranchers Club.

Allen says the production wanted to try different styles of food.

We have an episode that features beef jerky and it has some true, authentic New Mexico flavors, he says. The city is treating us great and everybody is rallying to help.

Masias says it was important to think outside the box for the new season.

Albuquerque has a lot to offer and for people to take advantage of it, they have to know about it, she says.

There were some firsts for the couple as well this season.

Allen went to his first tearoom. The couple also went to a speakeasy for the first time.

We were in a lowrider, Allen says.

The episodes air on Comcast channel 26. The episodes are also available on Sopapillas Productions YouTube channel. The third episode will air on Friday, Dec. 17.

SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART.

Online

The second season of Enchanted Foods of ABQ is available to stream on YouTube by clicking on Sopapilla Productions page.
Debbie Clemente enjoys the holiday season because its a time for community to come together.

This year, the Corrales Historical Society is able to bring its Festival of the Nativities back for an in-person event.

Last year, we held the event virtually, says Clemente, CHS spokeswoman. Were excited to welcome a crowd back to see all the diverse nativity scenes.

Nativities vary the world over, reflecting the traditions, culture, interpretations and style of the people building the scenes. They can be reverent or light-hearted, representational or abstracted, amusing or serious. All reflect a local cultural view from a particular place or time.

According to Clemente, there will be over 100 special nativities, also called creches, from around the world.

There are so many types of nativities that are lent to us for the show, she says. Its not odd to see a Peanuts nativity next to one made from clay. The fun part about this event is seeing how many different types there are.

Clemente says there will be holiday music and light refreshments as eventgoers browse the one-of-a-kind treasures.

From the tiniest creche to the biggest, all will be beautifully displayed in the Old Church, festively decorated with greens, trees, colorful packages and poinsettias to brighten your visit, Clemente says.

The CHS is proud to have the event be part of New Mexicans holiday traditions.

We are so pleased to once again welcome our friends, neighbors and visitors to view these unique nativities from around the world, in our beautiful, historic Old Church  a gift to the community from the historical society, says Nan Kimball, CHS president.

The event is free but donations are welcome.

All proceeds go to preservation and maintenance of the Old Church.

Clemente says the poinsettias decorating the Old Church will be shared with homebound Sandoval County neighbors after the event to brighten the holiday season.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

New Mexico reported 1,299 new COVID-19 cases and 33 additional virus deaths on Thursday, as the states virus trajectory continues to follow a national trend of rising cases and deaths.

Of the deaths reported Wednesday, 30 were recent and three occurred more than 30 days ago.

A total of 5,549 people in New Mexico have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

Bernalillo County reported the most new cases in the state on Thursday, with 398.

The state Health Department reported that there are 661 people hospitalized with the virus.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday endorsed a recommendation by an agency advisory panel encouraging individuals to receive Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines instead of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The panel made the unanimous recommendation on the clinical preference after reviewing data on rare but serious blood clots linked to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Individuals who want the J&J shot will still have access to the vaccine, and the CDC said Thursday that any vaccine is better than being unvaccinated.

State epidemiologist Christine Ross said during a Wednesday briefing that health officials are concerned about virus spread as New Mexico residents prepare to travel and gather for holiday celebrations.

We had been hoping that we were seeing a deceleration in the growth in new cases, but that doesnt appear to be the case, Ross said.

Ross and other state officials encouraged residents to get vaccinated or get a booster shot, and wear a well-fitting mask indoors.
SANTA FE  The state Senate plunged into an unusually harsh, racially tinged debate Thursday before adopting a plan to redraw the chambers district boundaries in a map that reflects a hard-fought agreement with Native American leaders.

The late-night vote set the stage for the bruising special session on redistricting that started Dec. 6 to come to an end Friday.

The lead Democratic sponsor of the bill  Senate Majority Whip Linda Lopez of Albuquerque  and supporters described the map as a match for New Mexicos diversity.

With this vote, I believe theres a table out there that exists where we can all sit, and no one is higher than the other, said Sen. Shannon Pinto, a Gallup Democrat and member of the Navajo Nation. With this vote, the voices of those overlooked are not silenced.

Opponents, by contrast, accused Democrats in the majority of backing out of a bipartisan deal and diluting the voting strength of Hispanic voters.

The map would pair two Hispanic Republicans  Senate Minority Leader Greg Baca of Belen and Sen. Joshua Sanchez of Bosque  into one district, forcing them to either move or run against each other in 2024 to keep a legislative seat.

This is about political retribution. If youre not the right kind of Hispanic, were going to smite you, said Sen. Mark Moores, an Albuquerque Republican with Hispanic heritage.

Baca called the proposal a racist map. He said when he makes a deal, he honors it and sleeps well at night.

You pray to whatever god you want to at night, he said to Democrats during the debate.

Sen. Jacob Candelaria, an Albuquerque independent, said he was embarrassed to be a member of the chamber, arguing the map would chop up heavily Hispanic neighborhoods in southwestern Albuquerque. He supported the proposal in the end, saying all the maps available were flawed.

Supporters of the bill pushed back.

Sen. Harold Pope Jr., an Albuquerque Democrat and first African American in the Senate, said he was proud to be serve in the chamber.

The rhetoric, we need to tone it down, Pope said.

Lopez said she worked closely with Native leaders and crafted a map that recognizes their standing in the state of New Mexico.

Hispanic, Native districts

The vote came after Republicans lifted a procedural maneuver that had halted action for about 22 hours.

The proposal, Senate Bill 2, won approval 25-13 and now heads to the House for consideration. Each legislative body, however, typically avoids making substantive changes to the map of the other chamber.

The map establishes 15 districts where Hispanic residents are a majority of the adult population. Thats one fewer than the existing map, using 2020 census data. Hispanic residents make up about 44% of the adult population in New Mexico.

Native Americans would make up a majority of the adult population in three districts, same as under the current maps.

But the map reflects an agreement with pueblo governors, Navajo Nation representatives and other tribal government leaders. They worked for months to develop boundaries they said reflect their communities of interest, honor their right to self-determination and increase opportunities to elect Native American senators, especially in northwestern New Mexico.

Native leaders said they rebuffed a Thursday offer from Republican senators to support amendments to the map.

We will not accept anyone putting the blame on our shoulders, said Regis Pecos, a member of the Cochiti Tribal Council and former Cochiti Pueblo governor.

He added: We know better than anyone the history of promises made and promises broken.

The adopted map would establish 27 Democratic-leaning seats and 15 Republican-leaning seats, according to an analysis of voting trends over the past 10 years, conducted by redistricting contractor Research & Polling Inc.

Its similar to the current makeup of 26 Democrats, 15 Republicans and one independent.

It would pair two Democrats  Gerald Ortiz y Pino and Bill ONeill, both of Albuquerque  but Ortiz y Pino said Thursday he had informed his caucus he does not plan to seek reelection in three years.

Budget action

Lawmakers knocked another item off their to-do list Thursday by granting final approval to a $478 million spending package on roads, broadband internet, state parks and other priorities.

The funding comes from New Mexicos allocation of federal stimulus funds under the American Rescue Plan Act.

The legislation, House Bill 2, was amended in the Senate and the House agreed Thursday to the Senate changes, sending the measure on its way to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The bill leaves about $724 million in federal funds unspent for now. The extra money may be allocated in the 30-day legislative session beginning Jan. 18.

The Legislature has already adopted a new congressional map, which is awaiting action by Lujan Grisham.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

For Kimberly Wahpepah, the establishment of a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) subunit within the Bernalillo County District Attorneys Office couldnt come soon enough.

Wahpepah, 38, was one of those missing American Indian women. For years she was caught up in the world of sex trafficking out of Gallup. The men who pimped her as a sex slave were powerful and they blackmailed her to keep her quiet, she said.

On Thursday, Wahpepah, now free of her exploiters but homeless, was among those present to witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department and the Bernalillo County District Attorneys Office. The ceremony took place at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.

The MOU will remain in effect through the end of 2024.

The subunit will assist the statewide MMIWR Task Force in analysis, case investigations and interventions, and will develop a criminal network software platform where victims, families, law enforcement and investigative agencies can share information as quickly as it becomes available.

With a red hand print painted across her mouth, Wahpepah said, Ive been silenced for years, and Im tired of it, so now Im advocating and telling my story and all the things I endured and being a voice for those who cant get out of sex trafficking as well as for those who were murdered or whose whereabouts remain unknown.

State Indian Affairs Secretary Lynn Trujillo said, nationally, American Indian and Alaskan Native people experience violence at more than twice the national average. Murder is the third leading cause of death for these women, particularly in the 15 to 34 age group.

In 2019, a report by the Urban Indian Health Institute named New Mexico as having some of the highest numbers of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, and listed Albuquerque and Gallup in the top 10 cities, Trujillo said. As a result, the governor signed into law House Bill 278 which created New Mexicos MMIWR Task Force in order to address this crisis at a state level.

A report subsequently issued by the task force said that between 2014 and 2019, there were 660 Native Americans reported missing in Albuquerque, of which 287 were women.

These alarming statistics highlight the critical need for partnerships, and thats why the MOU between the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department and the Bernalillo County DAs Office is so crucial, Trujillo said.

This crisis has its roots in colonialism and racism, and is perpetuated by indifference and silence, Trujillo added. The responsibility falls on each of us to end this historic violence against our indigenous communities, which has devastated us for far too long.

Bernalillo County District Attorney Raul Torrez called it an epidemic in terms of missing and murdered indigenous women, not only in New Mexico, but across the country, and while this is only a small step in the right direction, its a critical step for us to try and advance this work.

Torrez said his office has already dedicated one analyst who will be looking at historical crime data to try and understand the historical patterns related to human trafficking and the intersection between the movement of these women out of Indian Country and into Bernalillo County and the streets of Albuquerque.

In addition, he said, his office was hiring another investigator to assist the DAs victim advocacy staff and has submitted a special appropriation request to the state Legislature so it can hire two additional full-time investigators who would spend all of their time, energy and effort going back historically into these records, and trying to understand and piece together the story of these women.

Also attending the MOU signing was Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who said federal legal barriers preventing agencies from sharing information have in the past impeded investigations into these missing and murdered women.

The way that you break through is by making sure that youve got significant leadership dedicating resources to focusing on the problem in a meaningful way, so that youre looking at cold cases, youre looking at issues in real time today, and you are bringing justice to these women and their families, she said.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

A judge will allow jurors to view dozens of photos of 10-year-old Victoria Martens burned and dismembered body when a trial begins next month for a man charged in connection with her 2016 death.

Attorneys at a hearing Thursday sparred over the large number and graphic nature of the photos that prosecutors plan to introduce as evidence in the trial of Fabian Gonzales.

Gonzales, 37, is charged with reckless abuse of a child resulting in death, eight counts of tampering with evidence and one count of conspiracy in connection with Victorias strangulation death.

Prosecutors allege Gonzales had ties to a violent Albuquerque gang and put Victoria in a dangerous environment by using and selling methamphetamine at the Martens apartment, according to court records.

The danger increased after a woman at a barbecue beat up Gonzales, leading to an escalating conflict that ultimately led to a stranger entering the apartment and killing Victoria, prosecutors allege.

The 2nd Judicial District Court trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 3 in Albuquerque.

Gonzales attorney, Stephen Aarons, argued that showing a large number of the gruesome photos at Gonzales trial would prejudice the jury against him.

These would upset any normal human being, Aarons said of the photos, which he called highly inflammatory.

Its clear that somebody tampered with the body and this doesnt help the jury figure out who, Aarons said. The question is, Who did this?'

Prosecutors offered about 60 photos of the girl taken by the Office of the Medical Investigator. They include photos of the contents of a bag containing Victorias dismembered arms, her heart and other organs, in addition to deep cuts, burns and other injuries on the girls body.

Were going to lose the jury, Aarons said. They are not going to be able to base their opinion on evidence.

Deputy District Attorney Greer Rose said she agrees that the photos are inflammatory, but argued that it is necessary for jurors to view them.

The photos are highly relevant because the tampering charges allege that Gonzales dismembered Victorias arms and removed her organs, Rose said.

The jury needs to understand exactly what happened to her, she said.

Investigators also found male DNA under Victorias fingernails on both her hands from scratching at a male, Rose said. Prosecutors must show jurors photos of the girls hands to put the DNA evidence into context, Rose said.

Judge Cindy Leos said she will allow jurors to view dozens of the photos of Victorias remains. Leos excluded several photos that Aarons argued duplicated others.

This is going to be tough for the jury to see, Leos said of the photos. I recognize that it is going to be difficult for the jury, but it is relevant. The state will still have to prove that tampering took place.

The photos also demonstrate the enormous effort spent trying to conceal Victorias killing, Leos said.

The OMI photos are only a portion of the evidence defense and prosecution attorneys presented at the hearing, held to determine what evidence can be presented to jurors.

Other evidence includes screenshots from Gonzales Facebook page, text messages, cellphone records and crime scene photos of the Albuquerque apartment where the girl was killed.

Leos excluded a Facebook profile of Gonzales that showed him wearing a mask and holding a gun.

Aarons argued, and Leos agreed, that the photo was prejudicial because Gonzales is not charged with murder in Victorias death, and no gun was involved in the killing.

Rose said prosecutors intend to show that Gonzales helped create a dangerous environment for Victoria in the days and weeks before she was killed.

Gonzales is the last of three defendants facing charges in connection with the death of Victoria, whose burning body was found by Albuquerque police in a West Side apartment complex in August 2016.

Two other defendants, Jessica Kelley and Michelle Martens, Victorias mother, have accepted plea deals and are scheduled for sentencing in February.

Kelley pleaded no contest to child abuse recklessly caused resulting in death, tampering with evidence and aggravated assault. She faces 50 years in prison.

Michelle Martens pleaded guilty to child abuse recklessly caused resulting in death. Her plea deal calls for her to serve 12 to 15 years in prison.

Gonzales originally was charged with murder, criminal sexual penetration of a minor and other charges.

But the case was upended in June 2018 when District Attorney Raul Torrez announced that Gonzales and Michelle Martens were not in the apartment at the time Victoria was killed. The murder charge against Gonzales was based on a false confession by Michelle Martens and was simply not true, Torrez said.

Prosecutors also indicted John Doe for first-degree murder and other charges based on DNA evidence found on Victorias back. John Doe remains unidentified.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law Friday a bill establishing new political boundaries for New Mexicos three congressional districts for the next decade.

The new congressional map, which was passed by lawmakers on largely party-line votes, with majority Democrats voting in favor, could reshape the political landscape in New Mexico.

It splits Albuquerque into two districts and moves some of southeast New Mexico, traditionally a conservative stronghold, into congressional districts now represented by U.S. Reps. Melanie Stansbury and Teresa Leger Fernandez, both Democrats.

While a court challenge against the new plan could be brewing, Lujan Grisham said the map upholds democracy and sets a level playing field.

The peoples elected representatives in the New Mexico Legislature have spoken with respect to data-driven and representative new congressional boundaries, the governor said in a statement. It is my duty to ratify the will of the majority here, which I believe has established a reasonable baseline for competitive federal elections, in which no one party or candidate may claim any undue advantage.

U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, an Alamogordo Republican whose 2nd Congressional District becomes more Democratic under the plan, assailed the legislation.

The gerrymandered map New Mexico Democrats have proposed shows how desperate they are to try to save Nancy Pelosis majority, Herrell said in a statement this week. I look forward to running and winning in 2022, and providing New Mexico voters the conservative representation they deserve.

The new map, Senate Bill 1, gives each district a mix of urban and rural communities  triggering objections from Republicans who said it would dilute the voting strength of conservatives by lumping them in with liberal city residents.

But a newly established Democratic edge in all three congressional seats wouldnt be guaranteed. The election forecasting site FiveThirtyEight.com, owned by ABC News, rates two of the districts  the seats now held by Herrell and Leger Fernandez  as highly competitive.

Lonna Atkeson, a longtime New Mexico political observer who now works as a political science professor in Florida, said its possible the districts could be more competitive than meets the eye due to recent changes in Hispanic voting trends on a national level.

New Mexico GOP leaders are expected to meet next week to discuss a possible court challenge against the new congressional map. State Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce blasted the redistricting process on Friday.

Democrats have deliberately carved up and extended areas in order to have an advantage, Pearce said in a statement. This is not democracy, but simple partisanship. These maps consciously put the state in a position no longer to have a Republican or conservative voice in Congress.

Political geography

Under the new map, much of Albuquerques West Side, South Valley and parts of the Barelas neighborhood would move into the 2n

d

Congressional District, which is otherwise rooted in southern New Mexico.

The 1st Congressional District would continue to cover most of Albuquerque and the East Mountains. But, under the proposal, it would also take in most of Rio Rancho and cover a host of rural counties, stretching southeast to pick up part of Roswell.

Stansbury, who lives in northeastern Albuquerque and won a June special election for the seat, said she is excited to serve the new territory added to her district, and plans to seek reelection next year.

Our state is a beautifully diverse place with a rich history, she said, and I look forward to getting to know the good people living across our communities.

Meanwhile, the northern New Mexico-based 3rd Congressional District would continue to cover Farmington and Santa Fe. It would also reach into the oil patch and cover part of Hobbs.

Leger Fernandez, a first-term congresswoman from Santa Fe, did not respond directly to questions about the new map, but sent out a fundraising appeal Friday saying the district could be pivotal to Democrats hopes of retaining control of the U.S. House in 2022.

Slow growth

In New Mexico, this years special session, which began Dec. 6 and ended Friday, represents the first time in 30 years that Democrats have controlled both chambers of the Legislature and the Governors Office during a redistricting year.

Official 2020 census data pinpointed New Mexicos population at slightly more than 2.1 million people  a 2.8% increase from 2010. That means the target population for each of the states three congressional districts is 705,841 residents.

New Mexicos population has not, however, grown evenly in all areas of the state, as population gains in the oil patch and in more urban counties, such as Sandoval and Santa Fe outpaced most rural parts of the state. Some sparsely populated counties saw population declines.

Sen. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, who was a lead architect of the new congressional map, described it as a new approach to drawing New Mexicos congressional boundary lines.

For 20 years, Ive worked to erase the chosen boundaries, which historically assigned southern New Mexico to the Republicans in exchange for the north assigned to Democrats, Cervantes said on social media after the bill was signed by the governor.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  State legislators concluded a volatile 12-day special session Friday by granting final approval for a new map for Senate districts and authorizing an emergency update to New Mexicos medical malpractice law.

The two proposals now head to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who has until Jan. 6 to take action on them.

The final work of the Legislature came in the House, where lawmakers engaged in another aggressive debate over how to redraw political boundaries to reflect 2020 census data.

Over the last two weeks, much of the sparring has been especially personal, as lawmakers own districts and reelection chances are at stake.

Some of the most critical debate happened out of public view, in private meetings among legislators and with representatives of tribal governments.

The secretive, contentious process renewed calls  from different parts of the political spectrum  for a constitutional amendment that would take redistricting power away from the Legislature in 10 years and turn it over to an independent body.

But Democratic Rep. Derrick Lente of Sandia Pueblo told his colleagues Friday that they also had something to be proud of  the adoption of legislative maps incorporating the wishes of Native American nations within New Mexico.

Opponents of the maps, he said, had tried to pit Native American and Hispanic residents against each other.

With all the race baiting that I witnessed for the last several days, Lente said, I feel compelled to at least say something  to say something on behalf of the individuals and Indigenous tribes that came together on behalf of their people and the places they live and have lived since time immemorial.

His remarks came after House Minority Whip Rod Montoya, R-Farmington, accused legislators of authorizing a Senate map that harms Hispanic Republicans.

The map heading to Lujan Grisham would establish 15 Senate districts  out of 42 altogether  where Hispanic residents are a majority of the adult population, down from 16 under the current map, based on 2020 census data.

I think if you are a Hispanic with certain values, Montoya said, you have a target on your back.

The House voted 38-22 in favor of the Senate redistricting legislation, Senate Bill 2, which had passed the Senate on a 25-13 vote late Thursday evening.

Emergency action

The chamber also adopted emergency legislation intended to prevent an interruption in health care services after Dec. 31.

The proposal, House Bill 11, would update a medical malpractice law  much of which goes into effect Jan. 1  to resolve questions that have kept insurance carriers from offering insurance to some of New Mexicos health care providers.

Supporters say the bill is necessary to ensure independent doctors  many of them surgeons  can continue to work in hospitals and that independently owned outpatient clinics can continue operations.

A coalition of trial lawyers, hospital leaders, physicians and patient advocates agreed on the suggested changes, and the House granted final approval Friday.

We are facing a real crisis Jan. 1, Democratic Rep. Dayan Hochman-Vigil of Albuquerque said Friday. We must make these fixes as outlined in this law, so we dont put patients at risk and so we dont put doctors in a terrible position of having to practice without insurance.

Takes a toll

The special session  largely dedicated to redistricting  has already prompted argument over how to handle redistricting in a decade.

Unlike 10 years ago, when the courts ended up drawing some boundary lines, lawmakers approved new maps for the states three congressional districts and both legislative chambers.

But some open government advocates said more changes might be needed to the redistricting process after maps crafted by the Citizens Redistricting Committee, an independent group created by legislators this year, were only partially incorporated by lawmakers during the special session.

As the final days of the session made all too clear, Heather Ferguson of Common Cause New Mexico said, New Mexico needs a process that is transparent and rejects the current legislative imperative of incumbent protection in favor of the basics of redistricting: protection of minority voting rights and communities of interest.

Ryan Cangiolosi, a former state GOP chairman who served on the redistricting committee, said the law should be changed to limit the Legislatures ability to make changes to maps recommended by the Citizens Redistricting Committee.

What weve seen is, it got to the Legislature and politics as usual occurred, Cangiolosi told the Journal.

As for lawmakers, some explicitly called for a constitutional amendment that would establish an independent redistricting commission. Others just expressed broad dissatisfaction.

This process sucks, to be totally honest, said Rep. Jane Powdrell-Culbert, a Corrales Republican whose new district is expected to be extremely competitive.

Rep. Miguel P. Garcia, D-Albuquerque, put it this way: Redistricting takes a toll on all of us.

Buddymandering at work?

For this first time, New Mexico this year established a citizen committee  appointed by legislative leaders and the State Ethics Commission  to hold hearings throughout the state and recommend maps.

But the recommendations werent binding.

Democratic supporters of the maps that were adopted by the Legislature repeatedly described them as based on the initial suggestions from the Citizen Redistricting Committee. Republican opponents, in turn, noted that lawmakers made substantial changes to the recommended maps.

Some of the changes were designed to unpair incumbents and ensure they wouldnt have to run against each other or move to keep a legislative seat.

House Minority Leader James Townsend, R-Artesia, described such efforts as buddymandering, or adjusting district lines for political purposes.

But some pairings remain.

Among legislators who say they intend to seek reelection or are undecided, six incumbents are set to be paired in a district with another member under the adopted maps. They are:

 Republican Greg Nibert and independent Phelps Anderson in a Roswell district of the House.|

 Democrat Hochman-Vigil and Republican Bill Rehm in an Albuquerque House District.

 Senate Minority Leader Greg Baca of Belen and Joshua Sanchez of Bosque, both Republicans in a central New Mexico district.

At least some map revisions were based on a delicate consensus reached by pueblo governors, Navajo Nation representatives and other tribal government leaders that was tested but held firm during the special sessions final days.

With the special session over, lawmakers will have a few weeks over the holidays to decompress. A 30-day regular session will then start Jan. 18.

Committee reshuffling

House Speaker Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, announced a series of changes to the leadership of committees in the chamber. The appointees, all Democrats, include:

 Rep. Christine Chandler of Los Alamos as chairwoman of the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. She succeeds Javier Martinez, who is now House majority leader.

 Rep. Joanne Ferrary of Las Cruces as chairwoman of the Consumer and Public Affairs Committee. She replaces Liz Thomson of Albuquerque.

 Thomson as chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. She replaces Deborah Armstrong, who doesnt plan to seek reelection.

 Andrea Romero of Santa Fe as chairwoman of the Rules Committee. She replaces Daymon Ely, who doesnt plan to run for reelection.

Egolf also disbanded the House Local Government, Land Grants and Cultural Affairs Committee, which had been led by Miguel P. Garcia of Albuquerque. Its responsibilities will be assigned to other committees.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Leading California cannabis companies are warning Gov. Gavin Newsom that the states legal marijuana industry is on the verge of collapse.

A letter signed by more than two dozen executives, industry officials and advocates follows years of complaints about heavy taxes and regulation that they say make it impossible for legal companies to compete with the illegal market.

They told Newsom our industry is collapsing. Newsom spokeswoman Erin Mellon said in a statement that the governor supports cannabis tax reform and recognizes the system needs change.

The industry leaders asked for tax cuts and more retail shops. California kicked off broad legal sales in 2018.
CHICO, Calif. - A Chico father in search of his daughter's ashes after someone stole them just three days ago. He is pleading for help to find them.

He was too heartbroken to speak to Action News Now, but we did talk with his girlfriend who says it was a burglary that happened around 3 a.m. Tuesday at the Glenbrook Apartments off Springfield Dr. in Chico.

It all began with a car break-in. Someone had smashed into the car of Mary Larson's boyfriend.

"He was parked out in front of my apartment complex," Larson said. "He was here just for a few hours then realized the dog had to go out to potty. So he came out to take her potty but she didn't go potty so I think that was probably the time she was warning us someone was out there."

They then went back to bed.

But their senses were correct, someone was out there. Larson says a crook smashed the windows of her boyfriend's car and took a backpack that contained his daughter's ashes.

"It's in a like a box about that size and it's like an off-white cream color and its made out of stone and its got a baby angel in the front of it," Larson said.

Larson's boyfriend accidentally left the backpack in the car and they didn't find out about the break-in until they woke up.

The daughter died 10 years ago. She was only seven months old.

"Horrible I feel so bad for him, to lose your daughter twice is a hard thing to go through," Larson said.

Hard because nothing valuable was inside the backpack, just the ashes which the dad holds dear.

"And I was hoping that maybe they would see that the urn was in there and bring it back," Larson said.

But it hasn't and it's devastating the father.

"He can't stop thinking about it, it's constantly on his mind. He's heartbroken," Larson said.

Now the couple only wants one present for Christmas

"We just want the ashes back. No questions asked I'll give you $100," Larson said.

The couple has filed a police report on this and as far as catching anyone on surveillance video, Larson tells Action News Now the apartment complex they are in doesn't have any.

Larson also tells Action News Now that her boyfriend was hoping to put his daughter's ashes in ink for a tattoo.

If you have any information, call the Chico Police Department.
REDDING, Calif. - Redding Rancheria hosted their 3rd Annual Toys and Turkey event, serving 500 families from Shasta and Trinity Counties.

Each family was given a bag full of toys, a turkey, some cookies and candy, and a hot chocolate before leaving the Redding Rancheria Community Center.

Last year, the event was first come first serve, leading to traffic as early as 4 a.m. for families hoping to get presents and turkeys before they ran out.

To avoid that problem, families had to apply beforehand with proof of children to make sure there was enough for everyone.

This led to Redding Rancheria serving around 100 families every hour in a more controlled system.

Redding Rancheria bought over $20,000 worth of toys but needed help from local Save Marts to supply enough turkeys during a turkey shortage.

Sherri Davlin came from Trinity County to get a Christmas dinner for her family.

Without todays event, Davlin doesnt know what Christmas wouldve looked like this year.

We wouldnt have turkey thats for sure, but it definitely helps, Davlin said. Its really awesome because work is really slow up where we are so moneys kind of tight.

Davlin told Action News Now her husband works in construction and has struggled to make ends meet due to COVID-19.

Redding Rancheria Tribal Chairman Jack Potter saw how people struggled with the pandemic this year, and wanted to make sure as many people as possible were able to have a merry Christmas.

It actually warms my heart to know that people are going to be having some sense of normalcy, Potter said. And to get to be around this many people and see them smiling, with their eyes because we cant see their teeth and their actual smiles, and so theres a lot of smiling eyes today.

Potter told Action News Now that today was a way for Redding Rancheria to give back to the community and hold true to their traditional values.

Well, the tribe understands, Potter said. We remember when we used to stand in lines like this, and we have traditional values that say when you have an abundance of a resource. Youre to give, and share, and make sure everybody has what you have, and so we follow those traditional values.

Potter was glad to help people who struggle living paycheck to paycheck knowing he grew up in a similar household that couldnt always celebrate holidays when they were scheduled.

My mom was like, Christmas will be next week when I get my check, and so we lived by that same calendar, Potter said. Like when my son was young before I had some money and stuff we lived by that same calendar. I remember Easter was the day before the Fourth of July one time. You know, if we can do it, and we can provide the holiday, and make the holiday feel like the holiday for people thats what were going to do.

Potter said today was a huge success and that Redding Rancheria will look to expand its budget for next years event to accommodate more families.
CASHe, Indias preferred AI-driven financial wellness platform with a mission to make financial inclusion possible to all, is prepping up for its next phase of growth with a series of key leadership appointments. To this effect, the company has appointed Joginder Rana as the Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, Dhruv Jain as Chief Executive Officer, while the incumbent Chief Technology Officer, Yashoraj Tyagi, has been appointed as the companys first Chief Business Officer. Joginder Rana in his latest stint was the MD of Bank of Baroda Global Shared Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of Baroda.

Operationally, CASHe has witnessed stellar growth in FY 21-22, with its record disbursals, customer acquisitions, top line growth, profitability and differentiated product offerings. The company has charted out a multi-pronged strategy to accelerate its growth to become the platform of choice for the countrys credit underserved millennials and Gen Z population while helping them fulfil their varied everyday financial needs. The key leadership appointments will play a crucial role in driving the companys expansion plans. The new team will work closely with Joginder Rana to help CASHe realise its 3.0 vision of becoming the go-to financial platform for the millennial and Gen Z cohort.

Joginder Rana, a veteran banker, joins as the Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of CASHe. Rana brings in over three decades of global and domestic experience in the banking & ITES industry essentially covering wholesale, retail, rural & FI banking. He has also held senior management positions in leading banks such as RBL Bank, and Citigroup in which he brought transformational changes to reshape their business strategy, technology architecture, processes and risk management. At Bank of Baroda Global Shared Services, Rana successfully created a state-of-the-art Global Shared Services Centre that helped in integrating and consolidating all the acquired banks to deliver an enhanced customer experience through digitized processes.

At RBL Bank as its COO, he was responsible for transforming the banks key functions covering operations, technology, risk & governance and delivering the highest standard of service to all customer segments. During his tenure, RBL was recognized as Indias fastest & best-growing bank in the mid-sized segment. Rana holds a distinguished academic background as an all-India rank holder in CA, ICWA and CS. He is also a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) from the USA.

Joginder Rana, said: I am excited about joining CASHe, an incredibly well positioned company that can transform financial inclusion in an under penetrated and under serviced sector, using its unique and industry first credit rating and credit decision support algorithms and technology platform. Rapid adoption of digital financial products and evolving consumer preferences are strong drivers of growth in this sector and CASHe is well positioned to assume market leadership as a FinTech platform of choice. I look forward to contributing significantly to the companys exponential growth journey.

Dhruv Jain who joins as CASHes CEO brings over three decades of extensive experience in all facets of corporate finance, having worked with large domestic and multinational conglomerates. Most recently, he was MD - CFO with Altico Capital India Ltd., a NBFC, where he spearheaded the companys critical finance functions, including raising debt capital for business growth. As a NBFC specialist, his core competencies include fund raising, syndication, corporate governance, risk management among others. Prior to Altico Capital, he held key leadership roles with India Infoline Group, CitiFinancial (part of Citigroup), Bharti Airtel, Kotak Securities and ITC's financial services group. Jain is a Fellow Chartered Accountant & Licentiate Company Secretary.

Jain said: I am excited to join CASHe, as its vision and growth plans align with my passion for financial inclusion of all in a credit under-served environment. CASHe has a strong business model and I look forward to this leadership role to accelerate growth by expanding its balance sheet and increasing profitability. The Company is focused on growing aggressively and I am keen to lead CASHe and fuel its ambitious growth plans

Yashoraj Tyagi, the youngest CXO level team member, and the Chief Technology Officer has been appointed as the companys first Chief Business Officer in addition to his current role as CTO. Tyagi joined the company in 2017 as a trainee engineer, straight from BITS Pilani and soon rose to become the CTO post his Masters in Financial Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. His experience in data sciences/AI and product management will ensure that the company is at the forefront of innovation and excellence. His expanded role will focus on bringing out innovative financial products that are inclusive and expansive besides striving for tech and business focussed alliances that are key to CASHe's long-term growth and success.

Raman Kumar, Founder Chairman, CASHe said: We have been ramping up our efforts to piece together a best-in-class team to demystify credit and credit rating systems thereby making financial inclusion possible to all. The company is now in a position to make a better life for everyone by expanding its financial products to cover the entire gamut of needs of its customers. Joginder, Dhruv and Yashoraj supported by a young and talented team of professionals will catapult CASHe into becoming the financial platform of choice for all, he added.
There is very little accountability on digital media transformations, unlike the broadcasting and print media, said Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur. He was speaking at the India News Manch, the nations largest political convention for 2021, organised by iTV network. The conclave brought together some of Indias most powerful political figureheads and voices, including union and state cabinet ministers and members of Parliament, chief ministers, party presidents, general secretaries, and spokespersons, for some of the most riveting panel discussions and exclusive interviews ahead of the election season.

Speaking at the event, Thakur talked about Modi Governments accomplishments, the digital revolution, semiconductor chip production, and other topics.

On Wednesday (December 15, 2021), the Cabinet approved a sum of Rs 76,000 crore ($10 billion) for development of semiconductors and display manufacturing ecosystem in India. The Cabinet also gave its nod to incentives amounting to Rs 230,000 crore to position India as global hub for electronics manufacturing with semiconductors as the foundational building block.

Replying to a question on the nations hopes for semiconductors in the next year, Thakur said, Semiconductors and digital ecosystems play a significant part in the world of technology. For such resources, we are reliant on other nations. Should India, on the other hand, be completely reliant on foreign nations? India must become self-sufficient. India will produce semiconductor chips on its own. These reforms will also result in an increase in exports and jobs.

Taking a dig at the Akhilesh Yadav and his party questioning them and asking when the BJP will win the Ram Mandir argument, the minister said, The construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has begun by our government. Construction on the Kashi Vishvanath Corridor has also begun after a 250-year wait. All of this was accomplished in just five years under Narendra Modis leadership. We followed through on our commitment.

On the uproar by 12 political leaders in Parliament attacking the security personnel and their suspension for the whole Winter Session, Thakur commented, Parliament is a place to conduct discussions, not a place to cause annoyance. Tearing papers and dancing on the table is a dreadful display of ineptitude. The television and the windows are not meant to be tampered with. Its a pity some ministers who have been suspended have refused to apologise for their actions.

People have the freedom to say whatever they want on social media. Those on social media who attempt to divide the country, on the other hand, are killing thousands of people throughout the world. The spread of false information during the epidemic has wreaked havoc in peoples lives. Are these social media corporations not to blame for these blunders?, he asked.

Thakur ended by discussing the pandemic condition in India. Many people attempted to deceive the poor by providing false information regarding Indias immunisation programme. This was an infodemic rather than a pandemic. The government supplied free vaccinations to these folks as well as free food grains for a complete 20 months. The people of India are aware that the BJP administration has constructed highways, toilets, and endowed houses with power and water.
iProspect, the digital-first end-to-end media agency from the house of dentsu India, has appointed Nitin Sabharwal as Managing Partner, North. He will also lead the agencys affiliate marketing function, nationally.

As per the mandate, Nitin will be responsible for client relationship management, business operations and new channel development. He will report into Vinod Thadani, CEO iProspect India & Digital Growth Officer India, dentsu Media.

In his new role, Nitin will bring on board a vast depth of knowledge and real-world experiences, which will be further combined with data-driven insights from across industry implementations. Armed with 25 years of experience, Nitin has worked with some of the first digital marketing ecosystems in India, especially in the performance marketing space. He has co-created a unique delivery ecosystem for advertisers across various industries such as BFSI, education, e-commerce and O2O (online to offline) organisations, to name a few. Digital customer acquisition is one of his key specialisations, using 360-degree digital demand generation. Additionally, Nitin has been instrumental in developing full-funnel digital marketing ecosystems for some of the largest advertisers in the performance space. These include managing call centres for advertisers and last-mile customer touch-points with data-driven management to ensure the best-in-class customer acquisition experience.

Nitins first stint with dentsu India was for 7 years wherein he held the position of Chief Operating Officer with SVG Media and also led the network's Columbus brand, nationally. He moved on from dentsu in January 2021 to join Optimise Media, a UK-based performance marketing ecosystem, as Chief Operating Officer. Some of the other companies that Nitin has worked with include DGM India, IndiaHomes.com and MediaTurf.

Vinod Thadani said: Nitin embodies iProspects vision efficaciously. With his understanding of our clients, industry and the market, he is undoubtedly the successor for the role. We look forward to welcoming him at iProspect and working with stakeholders to unlock greater potential and empowering our clients to make better and swifter decisions. I am confident that he will lead the organisation to greater heights and accelerate the momentum of growth."

Nitin Sabharwal added: I am really excited to work with the leadership team at iProspect. This is a great opportunity to carry forward the torch of digital performance marketing for brands in India. I am also looking forward to building new channels of performance delivery via strategic partnerships along with creating a robust team that is client-focused, data-driven, and insight-oriented.
Adgullys four-part indepth series on Film Piracy puts the spotlight on this pertinent issue. Part 1 of the series dwelled on how and where piracy takes place, piracy in the digital era, addressing the deep-rooted cultural issues and more.

Part 2 of this series took a look at the legal provisions available to tackle piracy and whether they have been adequate to curb this menace. Also, what are the alternate steps that producers are taking to crack down on piracy.

Part 3 of this series identified the various challenges faced in successfully tackling piracy and industry experts explain why it might not be possible to end piracy once and for all in the short term at least. This part will also look at VPN and app regulation.

Also read:

Mapping the piracy scourge Part 1: From theatres to Telegram

Mapping the piracy scourge Part 2: Stringent laws alone cannot end piracy

Piracy scourge Part 3: Regulating VPN and file-sharing apps - A tricky road

Now that we have covered various aspects, ranging from societal attitudes to legal challenges, that fuel piracy, its time to explore the available technical solutions to stem piracy. Experts say the deployment of digital signatures, machine learning and AI technologies, undercover investigations and cyber security, blockchain, anti-piracy technologies, etc. can go a long way in stemming the tide to a great extent.

Digital signature

Diving deep into the intelligent ways in which we can stem piracy, Block X Technologies Mugil Chandran, an anti-piracy expert, said that there were several intelligent ways of doing it.

For example, said Chandran, any original content should register itself under certain rules, like scripts are registered. You create a digital signature of film. We at our level are able to do it. For example, if a film is published on YouTube or FB it immediately triggers an update to us. This film has been published, and if you want to publish or take it down. In fact, YouTube gives an even better option. If you dont want to take it down you can monetise it. You are putting down my content so give me the profit. What they earn should come to me, he explained.

All copyrighted materials should have a directory where they register themselves, he said, adding, And that should become like a digital signature where it appears anywhere for any content. Any app should have the technological backup to digitally vet the content.

According to Chandran, It can have huge potential. In fact, as we speak, enough companies and start-ups have created more compact versions of verifying digital content/ digital signature. Make it mandatory. Like you take a driving license, if you want to create a file-sharing site, you have to have embedded this into your platform. This is where the government comes in. This is not a profitable venture; it can make a profit, but essentially, you are securing the rights of the people.

Websites can be banned, but apps cannot. Apps have been here for almost ten years. We still dont have a regulatory framework for it. It is strange. Chandran felt that the government lacked the clarity to come up with something in this regard.

Music as a model

Music has digital signatures. So why cant we mirror that for films?, asked Chandran. Today, the music industry has become profitable; they have turned the tide. Premium music streaming platforms dont allow piracy.

He asserted that sharing becomes impossible once digital signature becomes mandatory across platforms. Technology already exists for digital signature. For any data-sharing application digital signature should be mandatory, he added.

Chandran is someone who believes in the idea of blockchain as a technology, whereby every person who uses the content once will be recorded. The idea is having blockchain as a technology that can play a major role in fighting piracy where every person, when sharing content, his identity is attached to that copy. That is when you can punish the offenders, for there is sufficient proof to find out the person who has consumed that content, he added.

The film itself is a signature. YouTube and FB have digital signatures now. YouTube is stronger in this aspect and so it is easy to pull down a movie that is not copyrighted. YouTube cares because it is losing money because of piracy. If the government is serious about it, if the intention is there, do it. It is a government job. If you upload any content, you need to go through the digital signature check. It is like KYC, Chandran noted.

However, digital signature wont work in website-based piracy. The only solution available is to regulate VPN. VPN regulation is the second important step after digital signature that the government has to do, he said. If VPN has been envisaged as a privacy engine, do only that. Dont give so much bandwidth, which is the danger.

Google searches

Those who want to watch decent content should not be fed pirated ones, thats what this anti-piracy agent has to say.

When people search for pirated content in Google, it should not appear in the first ten pages. Chandran cited the example of child porn being banned from Google searches.

See, how effectively they have banned it. Thats also because even porn sites themselves have regulated child porn which is not legal in any country. They dont publish it, because they can be prosecuted for it. Even within porn also there is something that is legitimate, he said, adding that we should have a similar mechanism in place to eradicate piracy from the cyber world.

Streaming piracy

The arrival of OTT platforms has made streaming piracy so widespread. How can we tackle piracy from a technological point of view?

According to Deepak Bhatia, General Manager & Head of Sales, India, Synamedia, streaming pirates are continually upping their game and finding new ways to steal video content so, in order to keep one step ahead, content owners and service providers need a holistic, 360-degree approach which blends pre-breach, protective technologies with proactive detection and disruption.

The first step, according to Bhatia, is to properly protect the content.

As any criminal hacker will tell you, DRM (Digital Rights Management) and concurrency limits are simply not sufficient because pirates can steal content directly from the Content Delivery Network by getting the DRM license and redirecting pirate clients to the legitimate service. By adopting protective technologies that ensure only legitimate subscribers and applications are granted authorised access and receive content, streaming providers can address the inherent weaknesses that make it easy for pirates to not only steal content, but also the entire OTT services, he explained.

Proactive technologies including advanced monitoring, detection and disruption services such as edge, forensic and head-end watermarking and automated take-down solutions also play a critical role protecting premium content, he added. For example, by embedding an imperceptible watermark in the video stream - unique for each OTT or broadcast subscriber  it is possible to track and identify leaked content, use the watermark system to determine the source of the leak, and take action to remove the leakage as well as disrupt the pirate services offering the stolen content, Bhatia further said.

Another piece of the puzzle, according to Bhatia, is addressing credentials sharing and fraud. With advanced machine learning and AI technologies, we can get to grips with the different kinds of credentials sharing  from family and casual sharing to industrial scale fraud and rampant credential abuses  and use a mixture of deterrents and incentives to tempt viewers back to legitimate services, he said.

Industry stakeholders say that the lack of effective regulation and strict policing are the main villains.

Were all in this together because fighting streaming piracy requires collaboration and solutions to demotivate pirates at every point along the video distribution chain. Everyone, from content network and cloud service providers, ISPs, payment providers, chip manufacturers, and anti-piracy solution providers, to rights owners, streaming providers and legislators, needs to cooperate to combat and outwit the pirates, said Bhatia.

While the financial rewards on offer and the ease of set-up  combined with the relatively low risk of arrest or meaningful punishment  means the problem of streaming piracy will not go away, the industry is making some progress putting steps in place to minimise and contain it, noted Bhatia.

He further said, For example, legal teams have had success taking down pirate streams on platforms such as Telegram and YouTube, and new techniques such as dynamic IP blocking are also having an impact. Rights holders can do their bit by requiring video service providers to put in place better streaming security  for example mandating watermarking in their licensee contracts.

Tackling piracy requires a painstaking, forensic, intelligence-led approach supported by a legal and regulatory framework with the muscle power to deter, detect and disrupt pirates, pointed out Bhatia.

And I cant emphasise enough the importance of Intelligence. Embracing, developing and applying anti-piracy technologies and methodologies is critical, but to mitigate  and even prevent  piracy, content owners need to get inside the criminal mindset and be able to answer such questions as: How do pirates steal the content? How do they repackage and sell it? How is content transported over the networks? Where are the streaming servers hosted? Where are the authentication servers hosted? How should I differentiate my content and disrupt it in real-time? he explained.

The bottom line, according to Bhatia, is that we need to constantly monitor and map the evolving piracy supply chain. Fortunately, there are companies such as Synamedia doing exactly that  our unrivalled intelligence model leverages AI technologies alongside human intelligence, including undercover investigators and cyber security, psychology, criminology, and sociology experts, to watch every move the pirates make in order to orchestrate anti-piracy activities and legal and technical takedowns, he concluded.

Anti-piracy agent Mugil Chandran is optimistic about the future. He said, There is hope. People have changed; their ethics have changed. That will happen to films also. OTT platforms will get consolidated. Big players will own all OTT platforms. Thats a different issue, though. If people can change, nothing like it.
The Federal Council

Bern, 17.12.2021 - The Federal Council wants to further develop Switzerland's participation in military peace support and place even greater emphasis on high-quality contributions. The DDPS drew up a report containing concrete recommendations on this issue in November 2020, and the Federal Council instructed the DDPS and the FDFA to implement these recommendations. At its meeting on 17 December 2021, the Federal Council took note of the progress made so far and instructed the DDPS to submit by October 2022 a bill for consultation regarding partial revision of the Armed Forces Act.

Switzerland has participated in military peace support missions since 1953. The international environment in which such operations take place has changed considerably over the past 15 years or so, and with it the demand for military services. The November 2020 report highlights the areas in which the Swiss Armed Forces can develop their contributions to military peace support going forward, expanding their focus geographically. It also confirms the importance of focusing on high-quality contributions. Switzerland's main contribution to peacekeeping is in UN missions.

The report contains eight recommendations. Since it was published, the DDPS along with the FDFA has carried out in-depth analyses and begun implementing the recommendations. Certain aspects require a revision of the Armed Forces Act, so the Federal Council has instructed the DDPS to prepare a bill for consultation by autumn 2022. The proposed amendments are as follows:

 The Federal Council will have the authority to deploy up to ten armed individuals for self-defence and assistance in self-defence if this is required for security reasons or if the UN requires it; Parliament is to retain the authority to decide on the deployment of armed contingents.

 Members of the armed forces will now be able to conduct civil support services abroad, providing military expertise as army representatives in support of the FDFA in peace processes outside of missions mandated by the UN or OSCE. These are unarmed missions by individual armed forces specialists to provide military advice; Peace processes outside UN or OSCE mandates may arise when parties to a conflict request Switzerland to mediate in the early stages of the peace process or to avert a crisis. Such processes often take place in regions and states where the armed forces enjoy a high degree of influence or social status.

The other recommendations can be implemented within the current statutory framework. The Federal Council has taken note of the progress already made, such as improvements in training and the introduction of more flexible employment conditions to encourage the recruitment of enough specialists for military peacebuilding missions. The following specific measures are now being implemented:

 A special 'international' career path is intended to enable women to complete regular training as army officers and then to be deployed on several UN missions without any obligation to remain in the Armed Forces afterwards.

 Thanks to adapted training, militia members who volunteer for longer peace support missions are now also able to take on functions that were previously reserved for professional members of the Armed Forces.

 A legal review has shown that the Swiss Armed Forces may in principle participate in EU training missions, provided these are related to a UN mandate. However, each case should be assessed individually.

Furthermore, in the medium to long term Switzerland wants to be in a position to offer the UN additional military services for peace support that are in particular demand. Specifically, this means:

 Switzerland now participates in the UN Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System and has registered three company-sized units this summer. Until now, Switzerland had only deployed individuals such as military observers and staff officers in this system. The UN can now consider these deployments in its operational planning. However, Switzerland is still free to decide in each specific case whether it wants to provide these military assets for deployment.

 Going forward, Switzerland intends to provide even more airlift capabilities with helicopters in international peace missions. This will be taken into account in future procurement planning, particularly in view of the planned replacement of the existing Super Puma and Cougar fleets, due to take place towards the end of this decade.

 Analyses have shown that states that provide the UN with reconnaissance drones have a great need for specialists in image evaluation. This gives Switzerland the opportunity to provide the UN with evaluation officers, who can be integrated into the contingents of those countries that themselves provide reconnaissance drones.

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Lorenz Frischknecht

Deputy Head of DDPS Communications / DDPS Spokesperson

+41 58 484 26 17

Publisher

The Federal Council

https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html



Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

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Defence

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The Federal Council

Bern, 17.12.2021 - The Square Kilometre Array (SKA), the most sensitive radio telescope to date, will allow researchers to study the formation of the first stars and galaxies. Operation of the telescope is to be managed by the international Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) organisation. The Federal Council decided on 17 December that Switzerland will join the SKAO, following Parliament's decision to provide the funding necessary for full membership by 2030.

As part of the 20212024 ERI Dispatch, the Federal Assembly approved a guarantee credit of CHF 8.9 million for Switzerland to join the SKAO. SERI later carried out an analysis in conjunction with Swiss industry and research stakeholders having an interest in the SKAO. The results showed that only full membership would guarantee a satisfactory return on investment for the country. The Federal Council therefore requested that Parliament approve a further CHF 24.7 million to fund Swiss participation in the construction and operation of the SKAO until 2030. After Parliament agreed to this increase in December 2021, the Federal Council approved Swiss participation in the SKAO, clearing the way for immediate membership.

Switzerlands participation in international research infrastructures gives the country direct access to experiments and the latest data. Whereas many of the large international research infrastructures in which Switzerland participates are dominated by a strong European core group, the SKAO is managed and funded by three large Commonwealth states: the UK, Australia and South Africa.

The SKAO international observatory has telescope sites in South Africa and Australia along with its Global Headquarters at Jodrell Bank in the UK, which will manage the construction and remote monitoring of the telescope. The SKA is the worlds most sensitive radio telescope. It is expected to deliver revolutionary discoveries about the history of the universe, primarily relating to the formation and development of the first stars and galaxies. Other important areas of research include the role of cosmic magnetism, the nature of dark matter, life forms in the universe, and dark energy and gravity.

Address for enquiries

GS-EAER Communication Service

info@gs-wbf.admin.ch

+41 58 462 20 07

Publisher

The Federal Council

https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html



Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

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From Alvas beginning, education was extremely important. Couples moved their families to Alva so their children could receive the best education possible. Along with education came opportunity.

Alva Goldbug Education Foundation is honored to have been part of that process for about 50 years. An initial keystone gift from Ed Brower continues to offer scholarships to students he knew he would never meet; however, he believed in them and cared about the future of students from his alma mater.

Beverly Kinzie and Ed Brower communicated regularly. Her vision of mini-grants for Alva classroom teachers has grown through the years. Beverly was surrounded with a passionate board of Alva alumni and civic leaders whose mission was assisting the Alva district in excellence in education. Each of these board members recognized Alva as a truly special place. They loved the community and their alma mater. Dedication to the Alva district grew as the mission was expressed and the impact on students and educators was realized.

Today, AGEF remains supportive of Alvas legacy of excellence in education through continued mini-grants, scholarships, funding for special projects, the Distinguished Goldbugs program, teacher appreciation, and recognition of Teacher of the Year.

The Alva community continues its support as well, through the Pump It Up program, memberships in AGEF, and gifts toward scholarships and memorials.

Current AGEF board members are dedicated to the mission, love their alma mater, and love our blessed community. They are enthusiastic, visionary, and devoted to opportunities for Alva students and teachers.

AGEF is honored to announce reaching $1 million in funds. Funds are held with Communities Foundation of Oklahoma for greater return on investment. CFO also matches a percentage of new gifts, which assists fund growth.

As of December 13, 2021, funds available for award include $32,306 in scholarships, $4,723 in mini-grants, and $2,312 in technology.

AGEF is grateful for the vision, dedication, and efforts of the very first director and board members. The 2021 board is honored to continue the legacy.

AGEF is also grateful for the support of our community and looks forward to continued service together for the benefit of the Alva Independent School District.
 Driver injured when truck blown over

Strong wind gusts caused a train derailment at Carmen in Alfalfa County Wednesday. The overturned cars were reported to be empty, and there were no injuries. This photo was posted by Carmen Fire and Rescue.

High wind gusts in northwest Oklahoma Wednesday caused vehicle accidents and damage. A dangerous grass fire erupted near Byron in northern Alfalfa County, and the Alva Fire Department responded to assist the effort to control the blaze.

Near Carmen a train derailed due to the high winds. All of the 15 to 20 railcars that came off the rails and overturned were empty.

According to the Oklahoma Mesonet, the peak wind gust of 79 mph was recorded at Goodwell in the panhandle. Alva's peak gust was 60 mph, and Freedom's highest gust was recorded at 66 mph. The May Ranch site, located in far northern Woods County recorded a top wind speed of 71 mph. Much higher winds were reported in Kansas.

Cherokee and Fairview also had 60 mph wind peaks. Woodward recorded a 61 mph gust, Buffalo had a peak of 77 mph and at Beaver winds reached 78 mph.

At 12:31 p.m. a truck overturned in Major County, one mile east of the US-412 and US-281 junction on US-412. The location is 24 miles west of Orienta.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the 2015 Volvo truck was driven by Joshua Adam Owens, 41, of Oklahoma City. He was transported by Major County EMS to Integris Bass Baptist Health Center in Enid where he was admitted for external head, trunk and leg injuries and listed in stable condition.

Owens was driving eastbound on US-412 when he encountered severe crosswinds on the highway, causing the vehicle to overturn and depart the roadway on the north. The truck came to rest on the driver's side. Owens was pinned for approximately one hour and thirty minutes before being freed by the Fairview Fire Department.

Trooper Justin Barney investigated, assisted by Troopers Brock Morgan, Seth Sturgeon, Dustin McAtee and Tanner Beckner. Also assisting were Major County Sheriff's Office, Major County EMS, Fairview Fire Department, Waynoka Fire Department and Mooreland Fire Department.
No thoughtful person believes that human beings can substantially change the Earth's climate. Even the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, composed of climate activists rather than objective observers, has admitted that there is no practical way for Americans to reduce global temperatures.

At the same time, the IPCC recognizes that natural forces play an important role in climate change and that in the past, these forces have altered the climate more dramatically than anything happening today, and this entirely without the influence of fossil fuels. During the Medieval Warm Period (900 to 1200 A.D.), the Earth's temperatures were warmer than they are now, while in the Little Ice Age (1200 to 1850 A.D.), they were much colder.

Both of these periods of climate change were fairly recent, and neither was influenced by humans. In fact, the climate has been changing dramatically throughout the Earth's history. Is it possible that these natural climate variations suddenly ceased just since 1990, when the idea of global warming came into vogue?

Natural variations are attributed to a number of forces, including solar cycles, shifts in the Earth's tilt, volcanic activity, and changing ocean currents. Past variations in the Earth's temperatures were much greater than what we have experienced since 1850, and none of these previous variations was man-made.

Since 1850, temperatures have risen slightly off a low baseline, but they remain significantly below those of the Medieval Warm Period. Note the IPCC's guarded statement that "[e]ach of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the Earth's surface than any preceding decade since 1850." That's to say, warmer than what the Earth's temperatures have been throughout much of its history, including the past 800 years.

Climate activists warn that polar ice is melting and that the oceans will rise, with devastating consequences. Yet the polar ice has melted completely many times in the earth's geological history, and the sea has risen, all without catastrophic damage. Indeed, the polar regions have been largely ice-free for two thirds of the past 100 million years. Thirty-three million years ago, the South Pole was heavily forested.

Natural forces will continue to be a determining factor behind climate change in the future. Even over much shorter periods of time, the climate changes dramatically with no help from human emissions. The most recent Glacial Maximum (26,000 to 13,300 years ago) caused glaciation of much of North America, but it ended quite rapidly in a geologic time scale. The ice and cold that covered all of the northern regions and that affected global temperatures everywhere suddenly receded and made possible the rise of human civilization based on agriculture and trade. It was warming that made possible the monumental advances in human civilization since 8,000 B.C. None of these advances took place during periods of cooling.

What if we enter another Glacial Maximum with ice many meters thick covering much of the northern temperate zone? The last time around, humans were not prepared for it: populations declined, and advancement of civilization was halted for 13,000 years. It is certain that the cold will return at some point, and with it, lower agricultural production, greater demand for energy, and the need for population redistribution due to glacial ice.

When the ice returns, human civilization can cope with it so long as adequate resources are available. But if we are enslaved by a progressive dictatorship, there will be no resources, public or private, to deal with the cold.

In Build Back Better, Biden wants to spend a trillion dollars in a futile effort to make the climate colder  this at a time when short-term warming may be peaking and we are returning to colder temperatures. Even the liberal New York Times admits that U.S. temperatures have been getting colder in recent years, though it tries to explain this cooling away as an anomaly. If cooling is widespread and happens every year, is it an "anomaly," or is it real?

If that trillion dollars were left in private hands, it would be spent wisely preparing for either warming or cooling. Lower government spending would lead to greater prosperity, and that prosperity would allow private citizens to deal with whatever nature tosses their way. Biden's proposed tax increases will dampen the economy and prevent private citizens from weatherizing their homes, updating heating systems, and dealing with higher food and energy prices if the climate continues to cool.

Biden knows that Green Energy will not reverse climate trends, but he also knows that money buys votes. Green spending goes to favored industries that contribute to the Democratic Party. So Biden transfers hundreds of billions in taxpayer money to green businesses, and those businesses return a share of it to Democrats in the form of political donations. Another word for that practice is "graft," which is a form of corruption as old as politics itself. Biden, who seems incompetent in other ways, is a master of the old politics.

No respectable scientist believes that shifting to electric vehicles or eliminating coal plants will reduce warming in a measurable way, but every liberal knows that alternative energy companies contribute money to progressive causes.

Obviously, climate change proponents are misguided  so much so that they have not even asked whether the warming now taking place, driven by natural forces, is a good or a bad thing. On balance, it is a good thing.

Anyone who has examined the record of the past knows that the Great Ice Age was the most destructive geophysical event of the past 50,000 years, but even more recent events, such as the Little Ice Age, have been harmful  and that ice age was still occurring as recently as 1850. The public should ask whether they would prefer to live in an age when temperatures were so cold that the Thames River froze over, as it did in Shakespeare's day, or to live in a period of warming in which global food production continues to rise, partly as a result of expanding temperate zones and the greater availability of CO2 for plants. (U.S. corn production, for example, has risen from less than 2 tons per hectare in 1940 to almost 11 tons in 2014 and continues to rise. The USDA predicted record corn yields in 202021.)

Globally, there are some 5 million temperature-related deaths each year, and according to sciencedaily.com, "cold weather accounts for almost all temperature-related deaths." A small number of these deaths occur in the U.S. (1,330 each year) because we enjoy better shelter and safer working conditions, but even here, the goal of driving temperatures lower is absurd.

Fortunately, Biden's green energy plan won't result in lower temperatures. Their only effect will be to enrich Biden's corporate cronies and return a percentage of green energy spending to the coffers of the Democratic Party.

What will work is if governments would allow private citizens to retain their tax dollars and spend them as they wish, including on measures that would reduce deaths due to cold exposure. I know that this is a heretical proposal: to allow those who work, save, and invest their money to actually keep it and spend it as they see. But that is what I am proposing. It is the opposite of Biden's suicide mission for America. It will make us stronger, wealthier, and more able to combat whatever nature throws at us. And unlike Biden's climate proposals, it actually works.

Jeffrey Folks is the author of many books and articles on American culture including Heartland of the Imagination (2011).

Image via Good Free Photos.

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I had coffee recently with a friend of mine, a retired FBI agent. We were talking about the mess the FBI has become. Hes even more disturbed about the politicization of the bureau than I am. During our talk he said something very interesting: Current agents are just keeping their heads down and following orders. A simple statement with profound implications.

Jobs in law enforcement are fundamentally different than other jobs. That difference is the oath that all law enforcement officers swear. The FBI oath states:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

All federal, state, and local law enforcement officials swear something similar.

Certainly, following lawful orders is important, but notice that there is nothing mentioned about obedience to leadership. Thats because following orders is between the officers and their leaders. Upholding their oath is between them and us, the American people. We expect them to make judgements about right and wrong, and the oath is their assurance that they will do so conscientiously.

All law enforcement officers, including FBI agents, who are just following orders are missing the point of their oath. They may be bound by agency rules to follow orders, but they are bound by sacred honor to remain faithful to the American people.

Theres a reason why people in law enforcement are required to place their honor on the line for the citizens they serve. No other occupation is allowed to detain, sometimes with restraints, another person solely based on their word that its justified. A cop can pull over a car, administer a sobriety test, handcuff the driver, and arrest him if hes found to be impaired. No citizen who has not sworn the oath can do such a thing.

We grant the police the awesome powers of the state. In exchange, they promise to not abuse those powers. They promise to serve the public, as prescribed in the Constitution. That promise takes precedence over orders. So long as their leadership directs their activities consistent with the Constitution, theres no problem. But when leadership directs them to do something counter to the Constitution -- like ordering them to violate someones civil liberties -- such orders are unlawful. An officers oath, whether he be a police officer or an FBI agent, is a promise to assess the constitutionality of all orders before blindly obeying them.

And yet weve seen widespread infractions of that promise across the range of law enforcement. Churchgoers have been cited or even arrested for failing to comply with closure orders. Worship is a basic human right guaranteed by the 1st Amendment. There is no pandemic exception in the Constitution. Federal and local officials have no authority to order such closures. Orders for police to enforce the closures were unlawful. Yet, far too many cops simply followed their orders.

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness has been affirmed by the courts to include property rights. No government official can take or lower the value of your property without due process and appropriate compensation. Yet some businesses have been ordered closed, rendering them worthless. Police have been charged with enforcing the closures, and theyve done it. An untold number of American citizens have lost their businesses and even their life savings, simply because the police followed orders.

The FBI has dispatched agents to identify and question anyone in attendance at the January 6 protest -- ostensibly to identify the person who placed bombs outside the DNC and RNC headquarter buildings. However, there are no reports that everyone in the surrounding neighborhoods have been questioned. Why are peaceful protesters presumed to have seen something just because they were in the same city on the same day? Have members of Congress been questioned? They were in the city too. Are the agents really investigating? Or are they just letting the protesters know: We know you were there. To have agents show up at ones door has the effect of chilling freedom of assembly and political expression -- a 1st Amendment violation. We dont know how many agents have refused to comply, but we know that a great many have not refused.

Project Veritas has been in the news lately because the FBI raided the homes of its leader, James OKeefe, and a number his reporters. The FBI even seized working documents, and is alleged to have leaked them to other news agencies. That is also a 1st Amendment violation. The courts have interceded to constrain the FBI, but it should have been stopped by the agents before it even happened.

Parents have been arrested for protesting at school-board meetings. The arresting officers werent even responding to the orders of their superiors. They were complying with a request from the school board itself. So now a private citizen can demand that another private citizen be arrested for saying something they dont like, and the police comply without even questioning it? As disturbing as that is, it gets even worse. The FBI has created tags in its tracking database to track this constitutional behavior as possible instances of domestic terrorism. That is a violation of citizens rights to free speech, assembly, and due process -- the 1st and 4th Amendments.

We have even observed the FBI interfering in the peaceful transition of power following an election. Crossfire Hurricane was the FBIs insurance policy against a Trump presidency. Thats not my terminology. Insurance policy is the term Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok used to describe his plan to use the power of the FBI to prevent Trump from being elected, and to interfere with his administration if he was elected anyway. That plot was confirmed by FBI lawyer Lisa Page in sworn congressional testimony. It was a blatant attempt by our public servants to prevent an electoral outcome they found undesirable -- and reverse the election if it didnt go the way they wanted it to.

Compliance with an officers oath can involve personal risk. To refuse an order from ones superior carries the risk of seriously damaging -- or even ending -- an officers career. But the thing is, theyve already promised us that they would make that sacrifice on our behalf. Thats the deal they strike with the public to be in law enforcement.

If their oath no longer binds them, how does that change our relationship with law enforcement? If their sworn word no longer means what it says, how can we believe them the next time they swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in court? When an officer assures us that they made an arrest for sound reasons, are they standing for justice, or using their authority for personal or political gain? If their oath is meaningless, they become no more credible than the person theyve placed under arrest.

Far too many law-enforcement officers, FBI agents included, have demonstrated that they are no longer agents of the Constitution. At best, theyre just employees doing as told. Their oath has become an irrelevant formality. Given that, why should we continue to vest them with the authority of the state? For one reason, and one reason only, its a dangerous world. We need police organizations to maintain order. But we need them to be better than they have been, so that order does not become tyranny.

John Green is a political refugee from Minnesota, now residing in Idaho. He currently writes at the American Free News Network (afnn.us). He can be followed on Facebook or reached at greenjeg@gmail.com.

Image: US Marshals Office of Public Affairs

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I need a favor. Since I no longer live in the Sodom and Gomorrah of journalism (i.e., New York), I cannot take the subway downtown to the newsroom of the New York Times. I need someone to deliver a note to the newspapers publisher. The note contains an address the Times needs to know.

Its apparent the Times does not know the address of Columbia Universitys School of Journalism. Among its other jobs aside from destroying any conservative thoughts in its students minds, Columbias journalist factory serves as judge and jury for awarding Pulitzer Prizes. Every year, members of a distinguished panel of retired newsies put down their scotches, get up from their reclining chairs, and fly to New York from senior citizens havens such as Palm Beach, Naples, and St. Petersburg. They are journalisms omnipotent holiest of holies. They are the men and women choosing who will be crowned with this years Pulitzer Prize.

There was a time when the Pulitzer Prize was the most sought-after award a journalist could ever receive. It was newss Nobel. Receiving it meant that your fellow craftsmen recognized that, in the year just ended, yours was the best work in the country. It was more than a prize. It was truly a lifelong honor.

However, in recent years, as what once was journalism slides further and further into nothing more than reprinting the latest Democrat talking points, the Pulitzer Prize has become about as important as the Oscar for Best Sound Editing in a Foreign Language Film based on an Original Manuscript. The latest Trump coverage fiasco pushes the Pulitzer, the concept of it, and journalism itself further down an unrecoverable slippery slope.

It all happened before. In 1981, Washington Post reporter Janet Cooke wrote a mesmerizing series of articles about an eight-year-old heroin dealer in the Southeast Washington ghetto. It was written in the voice of someone who personally watched the young man selling dope from his grandmothers stoop. Cooke told of her anguish as she watched the boy inject heroin into what she described as his sickly skinny brown arms. In her heralded series, Cooke took her readers on an incredible tour of DCs pre-teen, drug-infested underworld.

Among well-established journalists, it was clear Cookes series was the best thing in any newspaper all year. Cooke was a shoo-in for the Pulitzer Prize she received.

The problem? Cookes stories were entirely fictional. Not one word of them was true. When the Post finally bothered to check Cookes resume, it too was entirely imaginary.

The only decent thing about the entire incident was the Post returning Cookes fraudulently awarded Pulitzer Prize. It was still a huge embarrassment to the newspaper, but as one member of the White House press corps remarked, Perhaps there really is some honor among thieves!

It is now 40 years later, and if any honor existed in what once was called journalism, it is long gone.

Think back if you will to 2017. Ninety-nine percent of the nations journalists absolutely knew Donald Trump colluded with Vladimir Putin to ensure his election. How could there be any doubt? Senior congressmen promised they had seen absolute proof. Anonymous CIA officials confirmed Trumps links with Moscow. So did secret FBI sources. The story led every newscast and consistently captured front pages. All reporters were sure they knew somebody who knew somebody who knew somebody who had actually seen the peepee tape.

When the reporters could not find an on-the-record source to confirm the allegations, they attributed their stories to highly placed and well-informed anonymous sources inside Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation. Other stories were attributed to senior FBI officials.

Reporters on deadline claimed they had no time to check it out.

Image: The Pulitzer Prize medal (public domain); poster by Andrea Widburg.

The hyper-hyped coverage even included CNN reporters and photographers attending the supposedly top-secret, pre-dawn FBI raid on Roger Stones home. Feds in helmets and full body armor and carrying automatic weapons hadnt had so much fun since they stormed that bungalow in Miami where they found little Elian Gonzales quivering in his uncles closet.

To understand just how huge this rush to judgment was, the New York Times mentioned the name Donald Trump 93,292 times during calendar 2018. Somewhere between 94% and 96% of those stories were negative. Probably the only words printed more often were the and a. Somewhere in the United States, some kindergarten class was probably told to memorize the meanings of the words, Dog, Cat, and Collusion.

The obsession with covering the Trump-Russia story was not restricted to the Times. The Washington Post joined the daily competition to see which paper could print the most outrageous anti-Trump story. The false stories spread across the country faster than COVID as paper after paper repeated the lies. How could the editor of the Fargo Daily Dispatch and Trout Wrapper dare question the editorial judgment of the most powerful newspapers in America?

So of course, when the Pulitzer committee met, there was no doubt where the prize would go. Since the Times and the Post both outdid themselves crucifying President Trump, the Pulitzer Prize was bestowed on both.

But then, like Cookes fictional drug boy story, it all began to unravel. First was Special Counsel Muellers report or should I say non-report? That was topped by his doddering inability to recall anything of substance during a nationally televised congressional hearing. Then the real stories began to leak out about senior FBI officials illegitimate warrants to spy on Trump associates. There was more every day.

Now we have Special Counsel John Durhams indictments, which will eventually target the highest levels of the Hillary Clinton campaign. Who is Durhams ultimate target? Trust me on this: Hillary is not sleeping well, nor with Bill, of course.

Imagine what went through the minds of The Suits at the Times and Post when they realized their 2018 publishing year was based entirely on constantly repeated falsehoods. I am sure that realization created added job security for many therapists in New York and Washington.

The Post recently retracted some of the unfortunate errors in their bogus Trump collusion coverage. The New York Times, however, has been silent regarding its incredible libeling of the president.

Mr. Trump will not sue. He does not need the money. But these newspapers which relished repeating false unverified accusations, whose editors wanted so badly for the anti-Trump lies to be true, can do the one thing which would demonstrate at least a small measure of penance. They could follow the Washington Posts lead and return the dishonored Pulitzer Prizes as the Post did in the Cooke kid case 40 years ago.

So, in a quiet nudge to the publishers of these egregiously error-filled newspapers, I am supplying the return address for the Pulitzer Prize Committee. It is Room 203 of Columbias Pulitzer Hall at 2950 Broadway in Manhattan. For the guilty parties at the New York Times, doing the right thing would simply entail a quick ride in an uptown Uber. For the Washington Post, it is a little more involved but worry not. FedEx can have the disgraced prize back to Columbia absolutely, positively, overnight.

Ed Sherdlu is the pen name of a former CBS television network reporter. He uses a pen name because his mother would be so embarrassed to know that Eds 12-Step Journalism Recovery Program had been a failure.

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As far as I can tell, this is what we are now supposed to believe as Americans, in this first year of the Glorious Deep State's Blessed and Eternal Reign:

Our country is so irredeemably racist that people of all races keep sneaking into the United States at breakneck speeds. Our military is so well prepared for future threats from China and Russia that it can dedicate its resources to spreading transgenderism through its ranks, pontificating about "white rage" at book clubs, firing servicemembers for not "vaxxing up," and challenging "climate change" to bouts of fisticuffs. Our border is so secure that we have time to worry about Ukraine's. China is so worrisome a global adversary that our political and business "elites" continue to transfer American wealth and manufacturing capabilities to its shores. Russia is so much of a geopolitical foe that our government's weather warriors have chosen to kill America's domestic energy production and increase Russia's leverage over the world's supply of oil and natural gas. And Iran, which continues to promise "death to Israel," must be coddled and rewarded before it hurts our friends.

A global pandemic caused by a virus most likely created in a Chinese lab with the assistance of U.S. government funds must still be treated as if it just magically appeared. It poses so little threat to young people that their lives must be turned upside-down. Masks were useless until they became mandatory to prove loyalty to the State. The virus should be regarded as if it were so deadly that the only way to survive is to get pumped full of experimental "vaccines." At the same time, encouraging lawless mass migration and actively resettling untreated illegal aliens around the country isn't deadly at all.

The "vaccines," which are touted as medical miracles, have killed and injured tens of thousands and left others with a higher risk of mortality generally. While they are sold as having saved humanity from imminent extinction, strangely, more people have died from the virus this year than before the gene therapy cocktails became widely available. Though they are still routinely extolled as conferring immunity, they apparently become useless if anyone on the planet refuses to be forcibly jabbed. Purely coincidentally, "vaccinated" professional athletes around the globe continue to collapse on pitches and playing fields with severe chest pains. Still, government "scientists" insist that the only answer to failure is to keep jabbing. And after two years of "flattening the curve," blue cities and states have regressed back to mandatory masking as a show of confidence in the effectiveness of these wondrous pharmaceutical elixirs. Twenty years to flatten the curve, twenty trillion dollars in pharmaceutical profits! Progress!

Even though global oligarchs such as Klaus Schwab, Bill Gates, and George Soros immediately used the global pandemic to push a "Great Reset" of society that has expanded the power and control of government over each individual, claims that this "health emergency" is an expedient pretext for conditioning people to accept a new techno-fascist "normal" are just plain hogwash. It is pure happenstance that middle-class wealth has been drained these last two years while the 1% of the 1% has never been richer. People who refuse to understand that State-backed police must occasionally bash their skulls for their own health when caught protesting lockdowns are simply too selfish to comprehend that imprisonment in quarantine concentration camps is for their own good. In order to save lives, governments must deny hospital care and food access for the unvaxxed. In order to increase health care capacities, governments must fire doctors and nurses who are unvaxxed. In order to prove the efficacy of experimental "vaccines," no other commonsense therapeutic treatments must be allowed to succeed. To trust in science, you must put your faith in Big Government! Only Pfizer can set you free!

To save "democracy," we must murder freedom. The religiously devout must seek and receive the government's blessing before gathering to pray. Those who wish to protest against the government must first obtain permission. Those who write and publish must make sure to avoid saying anything "hateful." (Everything "hateful" will be determined by the government in due time.) The government may engage in outright censorship so long as it outsources its work to Google, Facebook, and Twitter. Discussion of any subject dealing with viral pandemics must be monitored for compliance with official State doctrine. "Misinformation" should be considered a "viral pandemic" that causes unacceptable harm. For this reason, all communication must be monitored for compliance with official State doctrine, too. What you could say yesterday, you might not be able to say tomorrow. What you say tomorrow may certainly be outlawed the day after that. Just as COVID will require endless booster shots for an obedient people, COVID-1984's defenestration of the First Amendment will require endless booster shots for a subjugated people as well. Free speech can only be as free as it concurs verbatim with government decree!

It is perfectly permissible to demonize all white people as racists. Whenever any non-white person is injured or killed by law enforcement, racism should be assumed to have been the underlying cause. Before any facts are ascertained, it is proper for Black Lives Matter and Antifa to seek extralegal revenge. Any person who has property should permit this property to be destroyed in the name of "social justice." Any person whose life is threatened by the mayhem should accept death rather than the "white supremacy" of self-defense. Businesses that respond to mass looting by closing their stores or boarding up their windows are only perpetuating prejudice. In order to liberate America from "systemic racism," black neighborhoods must be burned to the ground!

Voting rights and civil rights protests are strongly encouraged by the federal government. Disobedience campaigns are quintessentially American  except for any protests in response to the numerous unresolved discrepancies that tarnished the 2020 presidential election. Fighting for "free and fair" elections is important for "democracy," but only when the right sorts of people are first chosen by the oligarchy for the people to "democratically" elect. Known liar and serial lawbreaker Hillary Clinton? Oh, yes! Known liar and corrupt quid pro quo extraordinaire Joe Biden? Yes, please! A self-made billionaire and independent outsider who promises to "Drain the Swamp"? Send him and his MAGA supporters straight to the gulag for the sake of the Deep State's preservation!

To save America, we must torment and harass any who would dare suggest we "Make America Great." Five years in prison, solitary confinement, and torture for anybody who persists! We must persecute and punish people for their political beliefs to prove to the world that America remains a beacon for liberty! Only by accepting the denizens of D.C. as our rightful rulers can the dissidents in flyover country learn to be thankful for what freedoms they've been allowed to retain. As long as every American obeys, then "democracy" functions perfectly. Soon, we too shall be lucky enough to have elections where D.C.'s puppet president receives 90% of the vote! Why should only China's, Russia's, and North Korea's political leaders be so popular?

Apparently, the American regime in power plans on "commemorating" the events of January 6 so that the country can remember annually how Washington destroyed the working-class voter with ease. For people who routinely celebrate their abortions, it makes sense for them to celebrate aborting freedom, too, with such a grand spectacle. Remember, Comrades: Unity! We shall have it or suffer the consequences until we do!

Image via Pexels.

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The world saw an explosion in hacking and ransomware attacks in 2021. Controversial changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) subdivision, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), ushered in new leadership that scattered to respond to the constantly increasing threat posed by countries that include China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

Over the months, new initiatives would be undertaken with inconclusive results, but one theme that proved consistent was a defensive cybersecurity posture that resulted in billions of dollars in ransoms being paid this year.

Against that backdrop, here are the most notable cybersecurity events for the year 2021.

January : The aftermath of the disputed 2020 presidential election saw the emergence of a bitter feud between outgoing president Donald Trump and CISA director Christopher Krebs over the legitimacy of election results. Ultimately, a November 17 joint statement from the Elections Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council and the Election Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Executive Committees that was endorsed by Krebs and claimed that "the November 3rd election was the most secure in American history" led to Krebs's firing. Despite the unceremonious dismissal, in January of 2021, Krebs would be hired as a consultant by SolarWinds, the victim of perhaps the most wide-ranging cyberattack in history.

: The aftermath of the disputed 2020 presidential election saw the emergence of a bitter feud between outgoing president Donald Trump and CISA director Christopher Krebs over the legitimacy of election results. Ultimately, a November 17 joint statement from the Elections Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council and the Election Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Executive Committees that was endorsed by Krebs and claimed that "the November 3rd election was the most secure in American history" led to Krebs's firing. Despite the unceremonious dismissal, in January of 2021, Krebs would be hired as a consultant by SolarWinds, the victim of perhaps the most wide-ranging cyberattack in history. February : Late in February of 2021, DHS director Alejandro Mayorkas announced several new initiatives intended to improve American cybersecurity. These included a plan to increase cybersecurity spending through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants and "The Reduce the Risk of Ransomware Campaign," which would be handled by CISA.

: Late in February of 2021, DHS director Alejandro Mayorkas announced several new initiatives intended to improve American cybersecurity. These included a plan to increase cybersecurity spending through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants and "The Reduce the Risk of Ransomware Campaign," which would be handled by CISA. March : One of the most widely reported breaches of 2021, the attack targeting Microsoft Exchange Server software, exploited several key flaws in the software and gave hackers access to email accounts belonging to more than 30,000 organizations across the United States. The attack was carried out by the Chinese Advanced Persistent Threat Group Hafnium. The attack prompted threats of economic sanctions against China from the U.S. and European allies that are yet to be established.

: One of the most widely reported breaches of 2021, the attack targeting Microsoft Exchange Server software, exploited several key flaws in the software and gave hackers access to email accounts belonging to more than 30,000 organizations across the United States. The attack was carried out by the Chinese Advanced Persistent Threat Group Hafnium. The attack prompted threats of economic sanctions against China from the U.S. and European allies that are yet to be established. April : Although reports of a hacking attack against Colonial Pipeline by Russia's DarkSide Ransomware Gang didn't surface until May, the attack was initiated in late April of 2021. The attack would see a shutdown in the 5,500-mile pipeline responsible for providing 45% of the east coast's fuel supply. DarkSide struck again shortly after the Colonial Pipeline attack, this time targeting Brenntag, a chemical distribution company. This hack netted the group 150 GB's worth of data and a huge ransom payment of $4.4 million.

: Although reports of a hacking attack against Colonial Pipeline by Russia's DarkSide Ransomware Gang didn't surface until May, the attack was initiated in late April of 2021. The attack would see a shutdown in the 5,500-mile pipeline responsible for providing 45% of the east coast's fuel supply. DarkSide struck again shortly after the Colonial Pipeline attack, this time targeting Brenntag, a chemical distribution company. This hack netted the group 150 GB's worth of data and a huge ransom payment of $4.4 million. May : Adding to the hacking-related supply chain woes of the U.S. in spring of this year was the May attack against meat manufacturer JBS Foods. This attack was also carried out by a Russian-based outfit. This time it was the REvil Ransomware Gang. The attack netted one of the largest ransoms in history, with the hackers receiving 11 million dollars from JBS Foods.

: Adding to the hacking-related supply chain woes of the U.S. in spring of this year was the May attack against meat manufacturer JBS Foods. This attack was also carried out by a Russian-based outfit. This time it was the REvil Ransomware Gang. The attack netted one of the largest ransoms in history, with the hackers receiving 11 million dollars from JBS Foods. June: In early June, the CEO of Colonial Pipeline was summoned to appear before Congress to answer questions regarding the company's handling of the DarkSide hack. Among the more serious issues related to the attack was the question of whether Colonial had violated a 2020 Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) advisory that outlined penalties for American businesses that issued ransom payouts to individuals or groups under U.S. sanctions.

In early June, the CEO of Colonial Pipeline was summoned to appear before Congress to answer questions regarding the company's handling of the DarkSide hack. Among the more serious issues related to the attack was the question of whether Colonial had violated a 2020 Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) advisory that outlined penalties for American businesses that issued ransom payouts to individuals or groups under U.S. sanctions. July: REvil, the outfit that targeted JBS Foods, struck again with an attack against I.T. infrastructure provider Kaseya. Due to nature of Kaseya's client base, the attack had devastating potential across many key areas of the American economy. REvil penetrated the company via a fake software update that infiltrated both Kaseya's clients and its client's customers. REvil claimed that up to one million systems were encrypted as a result of the attack that saw the group demand $70 million in bitcoin.

REvil, the outfit that targeted JBS Foods, struck again with an attack against I.T. infrastructure provider Kaseya. Due to nature of Kaseya's client base, the attack had devastating potential across many key areas of the American economy. REvil penetrated the company via a fake software update that infiltrated both Kaseya's clients and its client's customers. REvil claimed that up to one million systems were encrypted as a result of the attack that saw the group demand $70 million in bitcoin. August: In her first high-profile public statements since being confirmed as director of CISA, Jen Easterly announced the formation of a Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative at the Black Hat cybersecurity conference on August 5. The initiative combines the expertise of the public sector, namely Big Tech companies Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, and the federal government to defend against future cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure and other valuable targets.

In her first high-profile public statements since being confirmed as director of CISA, Jen Easterly announced the formation of a Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative at the Black Hat cybersecurity conference on August 5. The initiative combines the expertise of the public sector, namely Big Tech companies Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, and the federal government to defend against future cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure and other valuable targets. September: Governments around the world suffered key breaches as the South African Department of Justice was struck with a ransomware attack that took the country's DOJ and Constitutional Development website and services offline, while New Zealand's postal service website along with online services for several of the country's largest banks was taken offline in a DDoS attack on September 7. In the U.S., Labor Day weekend saw Howard University fall victim to a ransomware attack that disrupted online classes for several days.

Governments around the world suffered key breaches as the South African Department of Justice was struck with a ransomware attack that took the country's DOJ and Constitutional Development website and services offline, while New Zealand's postal service website along with online services for several of the country's largest banks was taken offline in a DDoS attack on September 7. In the U.S., Labor Day weekend saw Howard University fall victim to a ransomware attack that disrupted online classes for several days. October: Sinclair Broadcast Group, which operates 185 local TV stations across America, was victimized by a Russian-based hack that shut down email, phone systems, and data networks, while an October 24 blog post from Microsoft reported that Russian Nobelium, who were behind the SolarWinds attack, spent three months attacking companies that resell Microsoft cloud services. Additionally, just in time for Halloween, Chicago-based candy-maker Ferrara was victimized by a ransomware attack.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, which operates 185 local TV stations across America, was victimized by a Russian-based hack that shut down email, phone systems, and data networks, while an October 24 blog post from Microsoft reported that Russian Nobelium, who were behind the SolarWinds attack, spent three months attacking companies that resell Microsoft cloud services. Additionally, just in time for Halloween, Chicago-based candy-maker Ferrara was victimized by a ransomware attack. November: A November report that cited findings from security firm Palo Alto Networks indicated that suspected foreign hackers had breached nine entities in the defense, energy, health care, technology, and education sectors.

A November report that cited findings from security firm Palo Alto Networks indicated that suspected foreign hackers had breached nine entities in the defense, energy, health care, technology, and education sectors. December: As part of the Abraham Accords brokered by the Trump administration, the United Arab Emirates and Israel agreed to exchange ambassadors and established agreements on defense and cyber intelligence. In addition, CISA warned that the Log4j vulnerability, which is linked to a utility that runs in the background of many common software applications, could potentially impact hundreds of millions of devices.

The issue of cybersecurity will continue to be a driving force behind everything from diplomatic relations to day-to-day global commerce while cybercriminals and the governments that support them will continue to discover new ways to exploit vulnerabilities in the never-ending effort to gain a competitive geo-political and militaristic edge. Next year should bring a plethora of new ransomware strains and state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) that are sure to keep I.T. professionals in the public and private sectors awake at night.

Julio Rivera is a business and political strategist, the editorial director for Reactionary Times, and a political commentator and columnist. His writing, which is focused on cybersecurity and politics, has been published by numerous websites, and he is regularly seen on national and international news programming.

Image via Pixnio.

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Mitch Landrieu, the former two-term mayor of New Orleans, was recently appointed "Infrastructure Czar" by President Joe Biden. He will oversee spending the $1.2 trillion allocated by Congress for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Not surprisingly, most of the funds will be spent on projects that have nothing to do with infrastructure.

With this appointment and the resulting media attention, Landrieu's stock is rising so fast that CNN has just added him to the list of potential Democrat party presidential candidates in 2024.

Does Landrieu deserve all this hype? Certainly not when considering his performance as mayor of New Orleans. For eight years, Landrieu was a disaster as mayor. The list of his failures is too numerous to document, but here are a few of the lowlights.

The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) suffered a manpower crisis as Landrieu decimated the force, refusing to provide funding for new recruitment classes. The NOPD is still suffering from an understaffed department, compliments of Mitch Landrieu.

With too few police officers, the crime problem, especially murders, in New Orleans has exploded in recent years. In his final year in office, about 75% of murders were unsolved, thanks to a police force that is five hundred officers below minimum requirements. The roots of this crisis can be traced to Landrieu's historic bungling of the NOPD.

Along with mishandling the crime problem, Landrieu is best known for removing four historic monuments. He did not receive approval from voters for this act of destruction. In fact, he manufactured a controversy where none existed.

Today, nothing has replaced the tourist attractions that Landrieu destroyed, and the monuments remain locked in storage. Nothing has been done despite Landrieu's pledge that the monuments would find a new home and their former sites would be turned into new attractions.

Landrieu removed the monuments to garner national attention and potentially launch a presidential bid. Fortunately, his presidential campaign never gained momentum, but he did write a memoir blaming white Southerners for racism. He also started an insufferable nonprofit organization designed to instill racial guilt in white people. All this racial pandering did land him a position as a political analyst at CNN, the favorite home of failed Democrat elected officials.

As mayor, Landrieu did nothing to improve street conditions in the city. A major study conducted during his tenure as mayor indicated that just 14% of the streets were in satisfactory condition. One analyst noted that the Landrieu administration lacked the "senior level personnel" to operate a $2-billion program funded by FEMA that was designed to fix the long neglected streets of New Orleans.

Instead of fixing the horrific streets, Landrieu launched an ambitious project to build an unnecessary new airport. The $1.3-billion price tag was double what he promised and took years longer than projected to complete. The worst part of the project was that it was built before any access ramps were constructed from nearby Interstate-10.

The airport has been open two years, and the access ramps are still nowhere near finished. The perfectly fine old terminal has been turned into a glorified skating ramp for kids. What a waste of taxpayer funds, but to a progressive like Landrieu, there are always more public funds to waste on unnecessary projects.

Despite his horrific handling of a multitude of controversial issues, the worst aspect of Landrieu's tenure as mayor involved his corrupt management of the Sewerage and Water Board. This utility is tasked with providing clean drinking water to the citizens of New Orleans, collecting sewerage, and draining flood waters from the streets of the city.

In a city that is several feet below sea level, this public utility has an extremely important responsibility. As mayor, Landrieu served as president of the Sewerage and Water Board. Unfortunately, his pathetic stewardship of the board led to severe flooding issues for the beleaguered people of New Orleans.

Landrieu installed a political crony, Cedric Grant, to serve as the well paid executive director of the board. Grant was a political veteran of several administrations but had no experience in engineering or water management.

In August of 2017, New Orleans was hit by a couple of rainstorms that turned into a catastrophic flood. While the city was flooding, Landrieu was partying with his fellow liberals at an Aspen Institute conference. He could not be bothered to return to New Orleans, so he left the crisis to be handled by the incompetent Cedric Grant.

Grant should have realized that the flooding was a result of sixteen pumps not operating. Instead, the Landrieu administration maintained that all the pumps were working perfectly, and Grant laughably blamed the flooding disaster on what else but climate change.

As board president, Landrieu did nothing to clean the city's drainage canals, which are critical to removing water from the streets. After Landrieu left office, tons of trash, along with multiple cars, were found stuffed in the drainage canals. This was obviously another contributing factor to the continual flooding problems.

A scathing report by the Louisiana legislative auditor showed other difficulties with the operation of the Sewerage and Water Board. For example, Landrieu did not properly oversee contracts. Some bids were in violation of state law, and some contractors overcharged the utility millions of dollars for work that did not meet performance standards.

The auditor also discovered that Landrieu allowed the Sewerage and Water Board to spend over $70,000 on expensive employee gifts, such as jewelry and watches, and extravagant awards banquets. Funds were also wasted on an in-house power plant that cost the utility much more than the price of power purchased from other local sources.

Mitch Landrieu failed to manage a city budget that totaled less than $700 million and was unable to administer $2 billion in FEMA grants designed to improve road conditions in New Orleans. Therefore, it is laughable to believe that he can competently manage $1.2 trillion in infrastructure funds.

It is even more unbelievable that a failed mayor of New Orleans can be considered a potential presidential candidate. However, in the Democrat party, failing upward has always been rewarded. Just look at our current president and vice president.

Jeff Crouere is a native New Orleanian. His award-winning program, Ringside Politics, airs nationally on Real America's Voice Network, AmericasVoice.News weekdays at 7 A.M. C.T. and from 7 to 11 A.M. weekdays on WGSO 990-AM and Wgso.com. He is a political columnist, the author of America's Last Chance, and provides regular commentaries on the Jeff Crouere YouTube channel and on Crouere.net. For more information, email him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.

Image: JD Lasica/Socialmedia.biz via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (cropped).

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ABC News recently reported that a dozen cities had passed a record they did not want to surpass. Yet, with three weeks left in 2021, those major cities have already set a new record high for homicides in their jurisdictions. One of the twelve cities, Austin, Texas, broke a record since 1984, when it hit 60 homicides. Six other cities (Toledo, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; St. Paul, Minnesota; Louisville, Kentucky; Columbus, Ohio; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana) broke records they set in 2020.

The other cities with record-high homicides are Portland, Oregon; Rochester, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tucson, Arizona; and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

This is not how America should be, where citizens have to worry about being killed. On the contrary, it is a trend that we should be demanding get turned around  not by defunding our police, but by increasing enforcement. "Experts say there are some reasons possibly connected to the jump in homicides, including strained law enforcement staffing, a pronounced decline in arrests and continuing hardships from the pandemic, but that there is no clear answer across the board," according to ABC.

LeRonne Armstrong, police chief in Oakland, California, told ABC that "one of the reasons he suspects" "why his city is seeing the highest number of homicides in decades" is a lack of resources. This includes both financial and human resources.

Politicians in some cities and states responded to pressure from activists last year and reduced funding to their police departments. In other departments, police officers chose to retire rather than continue to lay their lives on the line with fewer and fewer options for defending themselves. For example, Oakland's police department has 676 officers, 70 fewer than in 2020.

"To have 70, nearly 70 fewer officers a year later," Armstrong said, "is definitely going to have an impact on our ability to address public safety." A Police Executive Research Forum survey found that police retirements had increased 45 percent between 2020 and 2021, with another 18 percent of officers resigning.

In Seattle, one of the cities that experienced rioting after the death of George Floyd in 2020, 180 officers left the police department last year, and 66 more officers have gone so far this year. "I have about 1,080 deployable officers. This is the lowest I've seen our department," police chief Adrian Diaz said.

If people want to see crime reduced, then the police need to do their jobs. They need to be able to enforce the law and make arrests, and if they can make a case, they need to see those cases go to trial. That is not happening.

The FBI's crime data show that arrests fell 24 percent in 2020  from more than 10 million in 2019 to 7.63 million  to the lowest number in a quarter-century.

If municipal governments want to lower crime in their cities, they need to support their police departments. An excellent way to start doing that is funding police departments so they can hire the officers they need and equip them properly.

The good news for Democrat politicians who defunded the police in the first place is that their constituents want to have their police re-funded and out on the streets doing their job.

In Maryland, where President Joe Biden received more than 65 percent of the vote, a Washington Free Beacon survey found that 88 percent of Black voters, a group that votes heavily Democrat, support Gov. Larry Hogan's efforts to add another $150 million to the budget for local and state police. Among Latino Maryland voters, support is 74 percent. Yet, despite the overwhelming support to increase funding, Democrat politicians are calling the move divisive and misguided.

While proper funding is necessary, the public also need to support the police in their mission to protect and serve. This means we must stop assuming that in police shootings, police are at fault. While this has happened, it is rare. Typically, it's the fault of the criminal. More often than not, one fights crime. The other engages in it. You don't have to like the police, but at least show them the support they deserve for upholding the rule of law in the face of danger.

Michael A. Letts is the CEO and Founder of In-VestUSA, a national grassroots non-profit organization helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs.

Photo credit: Stephen Melkisethian, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 license.

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Yesterday, House speaker Nancy Pelosi said she does not understand where the lawlessness is coming from. She was talking about all of those attack on shops in San Francisco.

Maybe Mrs. Pelosi finally noticed when the mob attacked her favorite places!

The mayor of San Francisco noticed the looting, too. This is the story:

The mayor's plan includes a series of initiatives to implement a 180-degree reversal from blind compassion to "tough love." Outlined in a Medium post, Breed's proposals take aim at illegal drug sales and restore funding for police with targeted resources dedicated to the low-income Tenderloin neighborhood. The mayor calls for: Executing an Emergency Intervention Plan in the Tenderloin neighborhood Securing emergency police funding to ensure we have the resources to combat major safety problems over the next several Amending our surveillance ordinance so law enforcement can prevent and interrupt crime in real time  something they're effectively barred from doing now  to better protect our homes and businesses Disrupting the illegal street sales of stolen goods that have become a clear public safety issue and are contributing to retail theft

Well, at least the strategy is changing. Let's hope it goes beyond talking points.

Why are Democrats suddenly talking about crime?

The answer is twofold:

First, this level of "lawlessness," as the speaker would say, is driving taxpayers away. My guess is that it keeps a lot of people from driving downtown for dinner on a Saturday. I was in a city in Maryland last summer and asked about Little Italy, a once-charming neighborhood for eating Italian food. My friend said it was still there, but many people were afraid of going down in this atmosphere.

Second, the violence must be hurting Democrats with African-Americans and Hispanics, or the people who live in those areas, which may be both. Check out Chicago and the weekend shootings. It's hard to blame Trump when everyone running the city is a liberal Democrat.

Memo to Democrats: Let the police do their job, and you will see how quickly the "lawlessness" will disappear.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.

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Ever-determined to play the apocryphal role of Salieri to Donald Trump's Mozart, Liz Cheney is making a name for herself on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Jan. 6 investigative committee.

One problem: The committee is proving itself amazingly dishonest in its ambitions to Get Trump. Now it's becoming a pattern.

Here's the latest out of that dishonest bunch from The Federalist:

Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney went after former President Donald Trump in her prime-time performance on Monday claiming that private messages of the presidents staff revealed an apathetic leader complicit in the riot at the Capitol as the attack unfolded. The violence was evident to all  it was covered in real time by almost every news channel, said Cheney, House Speaker Nancy Pelosis hand-picked vice chair of the Select Committee on January 6. But, for 187 minutes, President Trump refused to act when action by our president was required, indeed essential, and compelled by his oath to our Constitution. Trumps 187-minute delay to action, she added, was a supreme dereliction of duty. An actual examination of the days events, however, shows no such delay. According to a detailed timeline of the turmoil by The New York Times, the first building was not breached until about 2:13 p.m. The timeline was corroborated by The Washington Post, which stamped the first break-in at 2:15 p.m. Trumps first tweet addressing the upheaval shortly followed at 2:38 p.m., when the president made a plea for peace, writing, Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!

And following that, Trump urged the crowd to be peaceful again, the Federalist notes.

That makes everything that Cheney claimed a lie. She literally made up a claim against that Trump didn't try to call the crowd off, when he actually did, and she called that the story as the press fawned. This is amazing dishonesty brought on by bitter jealousy and ambitions of replacing Trump, as Tucker Carlson has noted.

But that was far from the only lie in this checkered committee investigation showing a pattern of dishonesty:

The Federalist's Tristan Justice also notes this:

At the same hearing on Monday where Cheney made up her own timeline of the Capitol riot, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., read text messages between Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, which The Federalist revealed on Wednesday were fabricated. The exchange, Schiff said, exposes a lawmaker pressing the vice president to unilaterally deny certification of the electoral college votes as unconstitutional. The message, however, was forwarded to Meadows from Jordan, originally written by Washington attorney and former Department of Defense Inspector General Joseph Schmitz. The message, a sliver of which Schiff took out of context, adding punctuation and cooking up a fake graphic to illustrate it, was part of a four-page document that outlined the legal reasons behind Vice President Mike Pences authority to object to electoral certification from a handful of states. The document was published publicly ahead of Jan. 6 on everylegalvote.com. The Jan. 6 Committee later confirmed The Federalists reporting and admitted that the messages were doctored.

What we see here is dishonesty after dishonesty coming from this committee, rendering its credibility absolutely nil.

Honesty is not that hard for normal people. But Cheney and her new Democrat pals have a lot of problems with it. Facts that don't fit their narrative that President Trump orchestrated the Jan. 6 incident, which was really a failure of crowd control, not a bona fide coup attempt, is driving them in their rage to make up, alter, and fabricate "evidence." Hey Liz: You go with the army you have, as your old mentor Donald Rumsfeld used to say Remember this?

You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.

Old Rummy never would have stooped to this (expletive deleted) no matter what he thought of Trump. Miss Piggy, as she is known as on Twitter by her detractors due to her unfortunate resemblance to the famous puppet, goes with the army she wants to have.

And yeah, it's all about ambition, short- and long term.

Short term, Cheney wants to get Trump arrested. Business Insider has an insightful analysis on what the Cheney masterplan is about.

Cheney, the Republican vice chair of the House committee investigating January 6, called attention to a federal statute making it illegal to obstruct an official proceeding. The daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney spoke up about Trump's legal liability as the panel took steps to hold his former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, in contempt of Congress for ceasing cooperation with lawmakers' probe.

Her only problem is that the evidence just keeps refuting her. Cheney tried to present evidence that various news hosts and other Trump allies sent Trump text messages urging him to use his soapbox to call off the crowd. Since Trump did that, all it proved was that the only conspiracy out there was that Trump's allies and Trump himself tried to stop the crowd. Cheney, though, dishonestly again, tried to "market" it to the public as proof that Trump was trying to overthrow the government.

That's her agenda, and all she needs are facts to prove it, but the facts aren't cooperating, so she's making up some new ones.

It's right in line with her own personal pattern of making up lies to Get Trump. Recall that she was the main vendor of the phony "Russian bounties" stories claiming that Trump was indifferent to the lives of U.S. troops. She made that up, too.

Long term, she wants to knock Trump out so she's all that's left for Republicans to vote for.

Jealousy does weird things to morally rubbery people who are consumed by it. Jealousy is all that will remain of her political legacy now that her fellow Republicans and the voters themselves seem to be onto her, with a large group of Republicans now calling for her ouster from the Republican Conference. Meanwhile her "home" state of Wyoming can't stand her.

Instead of a legacy or a reputation, for that matter, she's now got tons of money rolling in from leftist sources, fawning profiles in the New York Times, and the praise of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had her own role in the Jan. 6 incident that is going curiously unasked about by the committee.

That's what she swapped her reputation and honor for, and that's all she has now.

Was it worth it, Liz? Was it really worth it?

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In Trump Time: A Journal of America's Plague Year

by Peter Navarro, Ph.D.

326 pages, hardcover $22.99, Kindle $2.99

ISBN-13: 978-1737478508

All Seasons Press, 2021

Peter Navarro is uniquely qualified to provide an insider's account of the 2020 events that circumscribe the COVID crisis. He was a senior adviser to President Trump during the campaign and through Trump's term in office on economic matters as assistant to the president and the director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy. Dr. Navarro graduated from Tufts, then got an MBA in Public Administration and a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard.

Dr. Navarro has published more than a dozen books on economic and foreign policy. His China trilogy  The Coming China Wars (2006), Death by China (2011), and Crouching Tiger (2015)  established him as one of the leading scholars and experts on Communist China and its war of economic aggression against America. Trump engaged him as an expert on the China threat, so he was a close aid and adviser on matters of import.

"Trump Time" alludes to Trump's energy and effort and intolerance of delays. Navarro gives plenty of examples of projects done in Trump Time in this book  projects that made a difference and were expedited.

After the COVID attack from Wuhan, Dr. Navarro became Defense Production Act policy coordinator in the Trump administration, sitting in on all the key committees. His insights and commentary are lucid, compelling, and insightful. He is also candid about who was and wasn't a problem during the COVID crisis year of 2020. His book is a rock-and-roll narrative and exposes Anthony Fauci as an audacious, mendacious, sociopathic dissembler  a malefactor who did "more damage to this nation, President Trump and the world than anyone else this side of the Bat Lady of Wuhan." That's just a little bit of the benefit of reading the book: since Navarro was with the president from the beginning, he gives a reader a sense of the problems confronted by the Trump administration, which attempted to recruit reliable supporters of the policy positions but got traitors instead and worse: weaklings, leakers, and saboteurs.

From the beginning, the closet NeverTrumps, the RINOs, the globalists, and the Deep State people from the Republican side were often worse enemies than hair-on-fire leftist Democrats. The result was musical chairs of national security key players but also policymakers and agency key people that repeatedly scuttled Trump's plans and bragged to their friends about it. Navarro was a loyal player, and he recounts the events and players who made things worse.

Navarro asserts that Fauci was responsible for the Wuhan lab production of COVID-19, but the lying Fauci doesn't get off with just that impressive act of malfeasance. Navarro accuses Fauci of withholding information early, when he knew the nature of the Wuhan lab bioweapons project, financed by his agency by means of a middleman.

Navarro first saw Fauci in the Situation Room on Jan. 27, 2020. Soon they were in a heated argument over whether to ban travel to and from China. Days earlier, Fauci had said the Wuhan virus was "a very, very low risk." In the Situation Room, he "echoed that sentiment."

"I've studied travel restrictions many, many times and [they] don't work," said Fauci.

In the end, Navarro prevailed to our benefit as Americans. Trump imposed the travel ban on Jan. 31, and Australia and New Zealand followed suit. The tale of 2020 is a repeating story of Fauci malfeasance, and Navarro reports the details.

Navarro's book is an insider's tale, with all sorts of goodies for political junkies. Navarro is not shy about exposing jerks, incompetents, weaklings, and betrayers on both sides of the aisle and in and out of the White House. I found his story entertaining and enlightening  he revealed people I previously thought well of as deceitful dissemblers.

Read the book to learn more about Fauci and the treachery of the Deep State.

Image: United States Mission Geneva via Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0.

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Without trust, a healthy relationship is not possible, and if such a relationship exists, then it is a highly dysfunctional one.

A trustworthy individual is usually one who is honest, moral or ethical, dependable, competent, and friendly  and a good conversationalist is an added plus.

It has generally been true of many politicians that they say one thing to local constituencies and then don't fulfill their promises when they get into higher office. Essentially, they sometimes lie, deceive, or make false promises to suit the occasion and audience.

When Donald Trump became president, he shocked establishment left, which soon became addicted to his destruction by any means. Leftists started tallying what they considered Trump's lies and misinformation, and the total number exceeded 30,000 by the time he left office.

Since then, Joe Biden has also been caught in lies about COVID, Afghanistan, the Kyle Rittenhouse case, and other matters. His misstatements could be attributed to his ignorance and onsetting dementia, and the fact that he doesn't seem to be in charge of the presidency but lets others run the government, to be charitable.

The establishment media are most egregious in their lying and deceptions. The press is no longer doing much traditional objective fact-based journalism, but primarily opinion pieces, if not outright inventions, to fit a preconceived agenda that incorporates accusations of racism, misogyny, homophobia, white supremacy, and vigilantism. All of these accusations then lead to attempts to blacklist individuals or cancel them in an effort to censor opposing views not in line with Marxist-like overtones of the press itself and its politically correct viewpoints.

The media have become so reckless and brazen that they don't seem to fear defamation lawsuits. Kyle Rittenhouse, a private citizen, was ruthlessly accused of being a racist, a white supremacist, and a murderous vigilante before all the evidence was presented in his trial. The court evidence proved otherwise, and his claim of self-defense was vindicated. Whether Kyle will ever recover his good reputation is debatable, but I would strongly encourage him to sue for defamation, out of which he could make a small fortune with an excellent lawyer's help.

The media are getting reckless because they seem to feel free to defame public figures and think they can get away with the same nefarious tactics on private citizens, too, without any fact-checking ahead of time. In October 2021, CNN fell to 487,000 in viewership and will soon be on the verge of bankruptcy. A big successful defamation suit could be the final nail in the network's coffin as it rapidly goes out of business with a ruined reputation for untrue reporting.

We have broadly covered lying politicians and the lying media so far, but lying or misrepresentation on social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and Gab is even more rampant, where conspiracy theories abound and a boatload of false information is published. Very few politicians and rare media outlets have a good reputation for integrity, but those who do are sources for relatively truthful information. Finding truthful sources of information on social media is difficult for the average human, who is in instant consumption mode without any personal fact-checking or going down the rabbit hole to check original sources of the published information.

The medical profession is fast losing trust with the public with Dr. Anthony Fauci claiming that attacks on him are attacks on science. This is a preposterous claim, because many of his COVID recommendations have no scientific proof or validity. The recommendations are purely the support of fear-based, impulsive, factless, authoritarian, political mandates that do more harm than good to the economy and the long-term health of the population, especially young children, who rarely die and would be better off with natural immunity to COVID. Fauci has never even mentioned the advantages of natural immunity, which are much safer and long-lived after a natural recovery from a COVID infection, which applies to more than 99% of the population. The vast majority do not die from a COVID infection but develop great natural immunity even to other COVID variants.

The reputation of doctors is on the decline since many are doing a poor job of preventing and curing health problems by simply prescribing a pill for almost any illness they think a patient is experiencing. Just Googling research shows that the average adult takes four or more prescription drugs each day, and a whopping 39% of seniors take five or more because often more pills are prescribed for bad pill side-effects.

Just watch a handful of medication TV ads for the artificial pill chemicals. The side-effects publicly mentioned can be so shocking that it should instill fear in any healthy individual. I was shocked when one of the side-effects mentioned was a bodily complication followed by death! Count over-the-counter pill consumption, and the total pill count more than doubles. That too many Americans are drowning in artificial pills is becoming more evident with each passing year thanks to greedy Big Pharma, which loves addictive pills because they represent permanent customers.

Need I mention the legal drug opioid crisis caused by incompetent doctors and greedy Big Pharma? Add to this the use of addictive illegal drugs, and you have a cascading drug problem, which is not showing any signs of getting better.

So which public figures can be trusted? I trust humans whom I know well and who in my opinion have integrity or are honest and moral or ethical. I trust my wife and grown children the most, but they are not public figures. Check out some of these public humans yourself, because they are, next to your family, in my opinion, those who can be trusted: Ben Shapiro, Mark Levin, Gad Saad, Patrick Bet David, Thomas Sowell, and Sabine Hossenfelder (a scientist with a lot of common sense and who even covers topics of interest to the average human). The rest I respect, but I don't know them well enough to trust them, even though they may be trustworthy. They are Jordan Peterson, David Rubin, John Stossel, Dennis Prager, and Condoleezza Rice. The list of public humans whose personalities I like are too numerous to list.

So which public figures do you trust or respect? Make your own list, and then support the trustworthy with your dollars so they can flourish!

Image: U.S. National Archives, no known restrictions.

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PERUGIA - The bestowing of the Lamp of Peace Award to UN chief Antonio Guterres, slated for December 18 at 12:45 in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, will be held online.



Guterres will remain in New York after having come into contact with someone who later tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week. As a precaution, he will take part online instead of in person despite testing negative for the virus.



Thus, the UN secretary general and King Abdullah of Jordan will take part in the ceremony in Assisi remotely.



The award will be picked up by FAO Director General Qu Dongyu.



The event will be streamed on the website sanfrancesco.org and the ceremony will be held on the sidelines of the recording of the 36th Christmas concert, which will be broadcast on Rai1 on December 25 at 12:30 after the pope's address.



Among those expected to take part are Economy Minister Daniele Franco, who will be representing the Italian government, as well as the head of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti.



The concert, conducted by Maestro William Eddins, will see participation by one of the most well-known violoncello players in the world, Stjepan Hauser, as well as tenor Roberto Alagna.



Accompanying them will be RAI's National Symphonic Orchestra with the "small musicians" chorus led by Maestro Mario Mora.
ROME - Over half of Italian universities have signed the Manifesto of Inclusive University launched in 2019 by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).



The initiative aims to facilitate access for refugees to university education and promote social integration and active participation in academic life.



In 2020, ten more universities signed the document, bringing the number to 53 universities that have adopted the agreement.



UNHCR has said that only 5% of refugees in Italy have access to higher education, compared with 38% at the world level.



"The inclusion of refugees in higher education," said the UNHCR representative for Italy, the Holy See, and San Marino, Chiara Cardoletti, "has a fundamental role in their integration, providing them with skills to achieve their aspirations and be independent, benefiting also the communities hosting them.



Italian universities are enthusiastically taking part in the Manifesto of Inclusive University." She added that "we hope that the work that we have undertaken together continues and is strengthened" in order to help refugees in Italy ever more.
TEL AVIV - Hundreds of people took part in a funeral amid high tension on Friday for Yehuda Dimentman, 25, after the student of the Homesh rabbinic school was killed Thursday in an attack allegedly by Palestinians.



He was married and had a child.



The funeral - during which calls for "revenge" were made - was held in Homesh despite Israeli police trying to prevent the entrance of settlers for security reasons.



The man's body was later buried in Jerusalem.



Incidents of violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers against local Palestinians in the West Bank occurred over the night after the attack.



The news agencies WAFA and MAAN said that windows of cars in movement were broken by stones thrown at them and that some inhabitants of the villages of Karyut and Burqa near Nablus were beaten.



The Israeli army has meanwhile sent reinforcements to northern West Bank and taken surveillance cameras that had been set up in the surrounding area, as well as conducting a number of arrests.



Hamas made calls from the Gaza Strip to continue the armed struggle.


TUNIS - On Tunisia's new Revolution Day, some 11 years after street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire and in so doing sparked protests that spread across the country, protestors on Friday took to the streets of the Tunisian capital to protest against President Kais Saied, who announced four days ago his road map towards elections slated for December 17, 2022.



Made up mostly of people close to the Islamist party Ennhadha and the Islamist coalition Al Karama, as well as civil society representatives, a group calling itself Citizens Against the Coup - with at least 1,500 members - protested against special measures brought in by the president on July 25 and called for a road map for the resumption of parliamentary assemblies, defence of the constitution, and protection of rights and freedoms with the aim of "saving the country from the coup d'etat". They are also demanding that a date be set for early parliamentary and presidential elections.



"The people want what you do not", some called out, claiming the population wants "the fall of the regime".



Others chanted "freedom, freedom, the time of a police state is over", saying they had been stopped by the police.



The protestors were blocked between the end of the line of a train connecting the capital to its northern outskirts and a large clock that marks the entrance to the center of the Tunisian capital.



A smaller group of about a hundred supporters of the president gathered in front of the Municipal Theater, waving Tunisian flags as well as a large Algerian one.



The Algerian president had on Thursday visited Tunisia and granted a loan of 300 million dollars to the country.


Cabinet Secretary Simon Case has recused himself from leading an investigation into lockdown-breaking parties across Whitehall, following allegations of gatherings in his own department.

Mr Case had been tasked by the Prime Minister to investigate parties reported to have been held in Downing Street and the Department for Education in November and December 2020.

And it was confirmed the scope could be widened to other alleged parties if Mr Case thought it necessary.

But following reports there were two parties held in the Cabinet Office in December 2020, a No 10 spokesperson said: To ensure the ongoing investigation retains public confidence the Cabinet Secretary has recused himself for the remainder of the process.

The work will be concluded by Sue Gray, second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

She will ascertain the facts and present her findings to the Prime Minister.

Ms Gray was director-general of propriety and ethics in the Cabinet Office from 2012 to 2018, and is seen as a Whitehall heavy hitter who would not pull any punches in an inquiry.

She oversaw the Plebgate inquiry in 2012 after former chief whip Andrew Mitchell was accused of calling a policeman a pleb at the Downing Street gates, and was once described as deputy God by then Labour MP Paul Flynn in a meeting of Parliaments Public Administration Committee the same year.

Former Tory MP and Cabinet office minister Oliver Letwin is reported to have said of Ms Gray: It took me precisely two years before I realised who it is that runs Britain. Our great United Kingdom is actually entirely run by a lady called Sue Gray, the head of ethics or something in the Cabinet Office. Unless she agrees, things just dont happen.

She was once described by BBC Newsnights then policy editor as the most powerful person youve never heard of.

A general view of the sign of the Cabinet Office on Whitehall (Lauren Hurley/PA)

Labours deputy leader Angela Rayner said Ms Gray has the incredible responsibility on her shoulders of restoring public trust.

Ms Rayner said: I do believe that the investigation that Sue Gray is going to be leading up, theres the evidence there, they need to carry that investigation out very swiftly to restore the public trust and then hand over that evidence to the police because nobodys above the law.

Ms Rayner said she was incredibly disappointed in Mr Case.

She said: I wrote to him and obviously had asked for this investigation and the fact that he didnt come right away and say actually, I cant do that investigation because of the implications of my actions I find disappointing.

I hope Sue Gray has took note of that and that actually Sue has followed the rules.

She added: Senior civil servants in our government have a responsibility to the Crown and to the people, and thats why Sue Gray has to restore that public trust by doing the right thing, not by Boris Johnson or this particular government, but by doing the right thing by the people of this country.

Ms Grays appointment comes after the Guido Fawkes website reported on Friday that two Christmas parties were held in Mr Cases department, the Cabinet Office, in December 2020, when restrictions were in place.

The Times reported that one of the parties was held on December 17, the day before the alleged Christmas party at Downing Street at the centre of the saga.

The newspaper reported that the event was listed in digital calendars as Christmas party! and was organised by a private secretary in Mr Cases team.

On Friday evening, a Cabinet Office spokesperson said: Staff in the Cabinet Secretarys private office took part in a virtual quiz on December 17 2020.

A small number of them, who had been working in the office throughout the pandemic and on duty that day, took part from their desks, while the rest of the team were virtual.

The Cabinet Secretary played no part in the event, but walked through the teams office on the way to his own office.

No outside guests or other staff were invited or present.

This lasted for an hour and drinks and snacks were bought by those attending.

He also spoke briefly to staff in the office before leaving.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

After Mr Case was tasked with the investigation earlier this month, the Prime Ministers press secretary insisted that due diligence has been followed when asked if the Cabinet Secretary had attended the Downing Street party at the centre of the saga.

While Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis had told the Commons that Mr Case was not at any relevant gathering.

It comes after a string of claims about parties and gatherings held across Whitehall while London was under restrictions limiting people from meeting indoors, which Ms Rayner dubbed endemic.

She said: At the moment, people are saying which department didnt have a party?

Its incredibly disappointing because we all know what was happening when these parties were going on, people couldnt see their loved ones who were dying, and were making incredible sacrifices.

So I do think that the investigation has to get to the bottom, but I think that the evidence already is showing that Boris Johnson has set a tone for this government and has allowed this to happen under his watch.
A fundraiser who walked 2,500 miles wearing a pair of Speedos said he was ready to lie down for about three months as he was welcomed home.

Everton fan Michael Cullen, now more commonly known as Speedo Mick, celebrating his 57th birthday on Friday by crossing a finish line at Liverpools Pier Head at the end of his Giving Back Tour, which has seen him walk across the UK and Ireland in snow, wind and rain, wearing only his swimming trunks.

After he was greeted by former Everton player Ian Snodin and cheering supporters, he said: I honestly dont think Id have been able to carry on much longer.

Morning everyone, well Ive made it to my final day  Im walking from @AlderHey to @Everton & @LFC then into town, finishing at @MuseumLiverpool on the Pier Head at 3pm Big thanks to @Carra23 for coming out to walk with me Keep donating everyone https://t.co/VoxtJOUHNM pic.twitter.com/lbZtk4aM7e  Speedomick (@speedomick) December 17, 2021

My bodys just saying go and have a lie down for about three months.

All the encouragement and the support I have received along the way has been carrying me on because I think I would have gone home about three months ago, I was knackered after the first month of walking.

The five-month trek has raised almost 180,000 for charities which support homelessness, mental health and disadvantaged young people.

Mr Cullen said the support he received along the way had been phenomenal.

He added: I was amazed that a lot of people, even in the Outer Hebrides, have heard about my exploits in my knickers!

Former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher also showed his support, joining Mr Cullen for a stretch of the walk earlier on Friday.

Mick Cullen, otherwise known as Speedo Mick, arrives in Liverpool, where he finished a 2,500-mile, five-month trek across the UK and Ireland (Peter Byrne/PA)

Speaking of his own struggles with mental health, the fundraiser said: This is amazing for me because Im always intrinsically linked to the lost soul I was over 19 years ago.

That feeling is always there with me so I stay grateful for my life.

I just love my life, Im living my best life now.

He said he would be spending Christmas with his family, including his wife and grandchildren who he had been apart from while on his travels.

Mr Cullen said he had no plans for further challenges in the future and hoped to focus on setting up projects with the SpeedoMick Foundation, but added: You never know, because the knickers call me.
Steve Hoddy from Bispham Kitchen who took a fake reviewer to court and won (SWNS)

An online troll who posted a series of fake negative reviews about a restaurant on TripAdvisor has been ordered to pay 7,455 to the owner.

During his campaign of hate, Martin Stewart Potts wrote ten false reviews about Bispham Family Kitchen in Blackpool. Lancs., with one claiming the food made him and his family sick.

He also made fake accusations that the restaurants haddock was in fact catfish and that their chips were fried in burnt oil.

But Potts bit off more than he could chew when restaurant owner Steve Hoddy, a trained lawyer with a first-class degree from Cambridge, took him to court.

During a hearing at Manchester Crown Court a judge ruled that Potts was guilty of malicious falsehood, and he was ordered to pay thousands of pounds in compensation to Hoddy.

Speaking after the verdict, Hoddy said that trolling had become "rife and called fake reviewers a scourge of modern society.

He said: Online trolling is rife and one of the big problems nowadays. It's becoming a pandemic of its own. It wrecks businesses.

I have owned Bispham Kitchen for 44 years now and my business is robust enough to withstand this sort of nonsense.

"But particularly for hotels it is a real problem, because people really do take note of hotel reviews because they are spending larger sums of money.

It is the scourge of modern society.

An online troll who posted fake negative reviews on Tripadvisor about a Steve Hoddy's Blackpool restaurant has been ordered to pay 7,455 to him in damages (SWNS

Hoddy said that the ten malicious reviews were written in October and November 2018.

He said: "He used eight different usernames. The first said, 'owner glares at you weirdly when you are trying to eat your fish and chips, not a nice experience.'"

I don't normally reply to reviews, but I did to this one.

"I said 'I can assure you the owner of Bispham Kitchen is the most charming delightful person you could possibly hope to meet and he would not dream of glaring weirdly at his customers'."

However, the sarcastic response provoked a stream of negative ratings for Hoddy's chain of businesses.

He said: "It was a whole catalogue of bogus reviews.

He knew exactly what he was doing. I traced him and I went and confronted him."

Hoddy wrote to Potts and requested he apologise.

He said: "I warned him that unless he apologised for the reviews, I would sue him for malicious falsehood.

Unbeknown to him, I did law at university and have two law degrees, although I don't practice as a barrister. I issued proceedings against him in Manchester County Court for malicious falsehood.

He added: "These are difficult actions to take, they are complicated and expensive. Most people could not bring this kind of case as they are complicated, and a law firm would charge a high fee for this sort of action."

Hoddy won his case and was awarded 7,455 in damages and costs.

He said his experience highlighted how easy it is for malicious trolls to hide their identities on websites like Tripadvisor.

He said: You can't get anywhere with Tripadvisor to get them to reveal the identity of the reviewers.

One of their terms and conditions is that any dispute with Tripadvisor must be decided in the court of Massachusetts, where they are based, so you would have to go to the US."

He added: "I didn't do it for the money, it was for the principle - to send a message to those who think they can damage a business or a personal reputation at will."

A UK spokesman for Tripadvisor said: "Tripadvisor takes the issue of fraud extremely seriously and we use the best in technology and human moderation practices to fight it.

"Our advice to business owners and consumers alike is simple: if you see a review that arouses suspicion or breaches any of our guidelines, please report it to us. Our team will then investigate, and act accordingly."
The UKs financial watchdog has hit banking giant HSBC with a 63.9 million fine for failings in its anti-money laundering processes.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) issued the punishment after finding serious weaknesses across HSBCs automated systems used to monitor hundreds of millions of transactions a month to identify possible criminal activity.

It highlighted three key failings which were found over the eight years from March 2010 to March 2018.

This included failures to consider whether the scenarios it used until 2014 to identify money laundering and terrorist financing covered relevant risks, as well as poor risk assessment of new scenarios after 2016.

We fine HSBC Bank plc 63.9 million for deficient transaction monitoring controls https://t.co/6Nx6dQ8euy  Financial Conduct Authority (@TheFCA) December 17, 2021

The FCA also reported failures to appropriately test and update the parameters of the banks systems.

HSBC was also found to be inadequately checking the accuracy and completeness of the data being fed into its monitoring systems.

The bank did not dispute the findings and agreed to settle at the earliest opportunity, resulting in a reduction in the fine from 91 million.

Mark Steward, executive director of enforcement and market oversight at the FCA, said: HSBCs transaction monitoring systems were not effective for a prolonged period despite the issue being highlighted on numerous occasions.

These failings are unacceptable and exposed the bank and community to avoidable risks, especially as the remediation took such a long time.

HSBC continued their remediation to address these weaknesses after the relevant period.

An HSBC spokesman said: We are pleased to resolve this matter, which relates to HSBCs legacy anti-money laundering systems and controls in the UK.

As is well known, in 2012 HSBC initiated a large-scale remediation of its financial crime control capabilities.

More recently, as the FCA recognised, HSBC has made significant investments in new and market-leading technologies that go beyond the traditional approach to transaction monitoring.

HSBC is deeply committed to combating financial crime and protecting the integrity of the global financial system.
Just Eat has launched into the UKs rapid grocery delivery market by joining forces with Asda.

The move, which will initially see Just Eat customers able to buy a range of products from five Asda stores, is the takeaway delivery giants first tie-up with a major supermarket chain.

The partnership will start in January, with the exact locations set to be announced in the new year.

It comes after a period of rapid growth in the grocery delivery market, with rivals Deliveroo and Uber Eats also partnering with UK supermarkets.

Some retailers, including Tesco, have also launched their own services, while a number of start-ups dedicated to grocery delivery, such as Gorillas and Getir, have rapidly expanded across the country since the pandemic hit.

Just Eat UK managing director Andrew Kenny said: We live in an on-demand world and, as the UKs largest food delivery aggregator, we want to ensure we are getting our customers the food they want, when they want it.

Our tie-up with Asda means we can help people access everything from store cupboard essentials to fresh groceries in a matter of minutes.

Its a really exciting development and we look forward to working with Asda on what Im sure will be a popular addition for our customers.

The new deal will build on Just Eats existing relationship with Asda which has seen it deliver pizzas and meal deals from Asda Kitchen, the retailers indoor cafe and diner business, which operates across 42 locations nationwide.

Simon Gregg, vice president of online grocery at Asda, said: Through working with Just Eat were able to give customers in new locations the opportunity to select from a broad range of grocery items for speedy delivery to the doorstep.

The trial will also see Asda become more accessible to a wider customer base through Just Eats significant presence in the on-demand food delivery space.
An artist born without the use of his left arm, who has competed in the Paralympics, is to have his artwork exhibited in Edinburgh.

Mohammad Barrangi, from Rasht, in Iran, makes prints inspired by Persian storytelling and calligraphy.

For some of his work he uses poppy roll, a heavy fabric scroll similar to the old versions of papyrus  a material used in ancient Egypt made from the pithy stem of a water plant for writing or painting on.

He also prints large-scale murals and works on raw canvas.

One of Mr Barrangis prints depicting a zebra on a yellow background (Mohammad Barrangi/PA)

With the disability in his left hand, Mr Barrangi works on the floor and uses his feet to steady his work while he is cutting or printing.

When not immersed in his artwork, the printmaker has excelled in sport, previously representing Iran as a sprinter in Paralympic 100m and 200m races.

Taking inspiration from his body, the artist and athlete said his work often shows images of people with lost arms, limbs or other disabilities.

Without the use of his left arm, Mr Barrangi uses his right hand and feet to steady his work when he is printing (Mohammad Barrangi/PA)

He also draws on images and ideas from a combination of Western and Eastern artwork for his prints, and from women he admires.

In my world, all heroes are women, he said.

I like to depict images of my mother, exiled Iranian queens or just friends who mean a lot to me.

I will often combine them with animals or mythical creatures, as my work often focuses on journeys and travelling and immigration.

Sometimes I combine elements from classical Western paintings with Eastern stories or imagery.

My Strange World (2020) is a print by Mr Barrangi (Mohammad Barrangi/PA)

In August 2017, Mr Barrangi, who now lives in Leeds, arrived in the UK seeking asylum from Iran.

Now, with a Master of Arts from the Royal Drawing School in London under his belt, he is the first artist involved in the Edinburgh Printmakers new pan-European art project called In From The Margins.

The programme, funded by the European Commissions Creative Europe, which supports the culture and audiovisual sectors, will offer residency opportunities to refugees and asylum-seeking artists and/or artists affected by migration.

Mr Barrangis work will be showcased as part of the Anything Is Possible exhibition at the venue, which runs from January 22 to March 27 next year.

A portrait of Mohammad Barrangi, whose artwork will be exhibited at the Edinburgh Printmakers from January next year (Mohammad Barrangi/Edinburgh Printmakers/PA)

Throughout the residency programme, Edinburgh Printmakers will be welcoming refugee and migrant communities in the studios to engage with resident artists, to share their stories and create new work.

Mr Barrangi added: My work ultimately shapes me and my feelings and my view of the community around me so while every exhibition is different it comes from my own innermost feelings.

Every exhibition I like to try new methods and new work. Of course there is a risk, but for me it is a challenge.

Mr Barrangis work combines elements of Persian calligraphy, storytelling, text, and touches of humour (Mohammad Barrangi/PA)

Mr Barrangis work is also included in the Royal Family Collection, British Museum Collection and the San Diego Museum of Art Collection.
Authorities in the US have issued a search warrant for Alec Baldwins mobile phone in the ongoing investigation into the death of Halyna Hutchins.

It is believed there may be evidence on the phone relevant to the case during which a prop gun went off, fatally injuring the cinematographer on the Rust film set in New Mexico.

Santa Fe Magistrates court has issued a warrant, requested by the Sheriffs Department, for the phone to be seized and searched.

Court documents released on Thursday stated: Affiant is requesting a warrant for the seizure and search of Alec Baldwins cell phone to search for any evidence relating to the death investigation of Halyna Hutchins.

Affiant believes there may be evidence on the phone, due to individuals using cellular phones during and/or after the commission of crime(s).

Such information, if it exists, may be material and relevant to this investigation.

Affiant was also made aware there were several emails and text messages sent and received regarding the movie production Rust in the course of interviews.

Director Joel Souza was also wounded in the shooting on the Bonanza Creek Ranch film set near Santa Fe.

Baldwin has said he did not know the gun contained a live round and that investigators must find out who put it in the weapon.
Alec Baldwin has said that he didn't pull the trigger on the gun that killed Halyna Hutchins and wounded Joel Souza. (Photo: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Investigators examining the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of the Alec Baldwin movie Rust believe that his cell phone could contain valuable information.

On Thursday, an eight-page document written by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office, in the hopes of searching Baldwin's iPhone, was approved by a local judge. Authorities can now examine the actor and producer's device for text messages, emails, social media messages, browser history and other information related to the investigation. Any unrelated information taken from the phone will be sealed, according to the affidavit, which was obtained by Yahoo Entertainment.

Hutchins's phone contained conversations about the movie as long ago as July and photos dating back to Sept. 7.

Baldwin, an actor and producer on the Western, was the one holding the gun being used as a prop in a scene when Hutchins was hit with gun fire. (Director Joel Souza was also injured.)

In his first television interview following the tragedy, which aired Dec. 2, he said that he hadn't pulled the trigger on the firearm and that he had not expected it to be loaded with a live round.

Baldwin and others, including Hannah Gutierrez Reid, the movie's armorer, who's the crew member responsible for the guns on set, and Dave Halls, the assistant director for the production who told Baldwin the gun was "cold," or not loaded with live ammunition, just before the incident.

After Baldwin asserted in his big sit-down with ABC journalist George Stephanopoulos that he considered it "highly unlikely" that he will face criminal charges in the shooting, Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies reiterated earlier this month that her office had not ruled out charging someone.

In addition, Baldwin and others involved in the production are facing multiple lawsuits.
Every year, audiences are treated to a barrage of performances in which the actors have gone all-in on every transformative level, and in many instances, have stretched themselves beyond previous expectations. Over the past 12 months, a strong mix of talent has displayed stunning range; crossing various genres, and providing film lovers with the chance to see their favorite stars going against type. Of course, it takes confident casting directors and strong-willed filmmakers with a unique sense of vision to deliver the perfect choice of performer in each role, which can help to separate their film in a crowded field. And for the actors themselves, its clear that some of their finest work can arrive in unexpected projects in which their abilities are in perfect synch with the material.

In Leos Caraxs trippy and exuberant musical Annette, actor Simon Helberg  best known for his comedic work on The Big Bang Theory  went in the opposite direction, delving into a purely dramatic character. He plays a nameless orchestra conductor, whose central importance to the multilayered narrative is most crucial.

Playing a character without a name ignited a little insecurity within me, but the film is cryptic by design. He could have been called The Conductor, because thats what hes so passionate about  hes solely fulfilled by his passion to be a conductor, says Helberg. He saw the character as having a strong moral compass, almost like that of a narrator from a novel, except here its being visualized.

When Helberg first read the audacious screenplay, he knew that the project would amount to a challenge.

The piece read more like an opera than a traditional screenplay, and it can be a little freeing, if daunting, to have such an open-ended process. With Leos, hes very exacting, but in other moments, quite loose, so its a great combination of ingredients. Youre unmoored and tethered at the same time, he says.

Jared Leto has always been an actor who transforms himself with each performance  his work in Suicide Squad and Dallas Buyers Club demonstrates his massive range. In House of Gucci, he is unrecognizable sporting a balding head and jowls as Paolo Gucci, a larger-than-life member in a fashion family filled with outsized relatives.

Its always about finding the heart and soul of a character, and it was definitely in the script, but we were always trying to bring that out as much as possible, says Leto, who underwent hours of make-up and facial prosthetics to effectively portray Paolo. I always feel an obligation when playing a real person, and I try to bring as much dignity as I possibly can. Making a film is like a painting, its highly impressionistic, and the use of make-up changes the process and the possibilities when it comes to creating a life on screen.

Working with Ridley Scott was a dream come true for Leto who also had the chance to work with one of his idols. Al Pacino has always been a big inspiration for me, from Panic in Needle Park to Dog Day Afternoon and The Godfather, he taught me whats possible, he says of the actor who plays his father in Gucci.

Andrew Garfields emotionally stirring performance in Tick, TickBoom! super-charges Lin-Manuel Mirandas spirited directorial debut, with the actor going to new places as performer, and inhabiting the restless role of Rent creator Jonathan Larson with an endless amount of energy and passion. Its even more impressive when you consider Garfield had never sung professionally before.

Theres a part of me who loves to be outside of my comfort zone, doing things that expand me and where the potential to fail is high, says Garfield, who had to learn to carry a tune and look comfortable behind a piano. He also had to dial up the energy. Jonathan was always turned up to 11, always writing for his life. He was a runaway train of talent and ideas, and he was driven to the point of self-obsession, he says.

And because Garfield was so in-synch with all the elements, his aggressiveness never comes off as overbearing; he infused Larson with a sense of vitality that makes the audience immediately warm up to him.

The fiery narrative focuses on the artistic process in a very intimate manner, so it wasnt hard for Garfield to understand some of the frustrations that Larson had experienced. This story takes you on a quintessential artists journey, where you see how Jonathan discovered his true calling. Im always curious about the ultimate potential we can all reach, in anything that we do. So this project contained that good type of fear, where I knew I had to do it, regardless of any of the challenges. That ticking sound we all hear is the shortness of life, he says.

This year, its a one-two-punch for Javier Bardem, between his work in The Good Boss, which is Spains official Oscar selection for international feature at the 94th Academy Awards, and his performance in Being the Ricardos, playing iconic performer Desi Arnaz. Aaron Sorkins splashy recreation of classic Hollywood television takes a snap-shot view of how tough it was for Lucille Ball and Arnaz to navigate everything that came with mega-stardom and calls upon Bardem  who won a supporting actor Oscar for his chilling turn as a killer in No Country for Old Men  to show another side, complete with comedy and singing.

Stepping into Arnazs shoes was an opportunity that Bardem pursued. I felt a strong connection to his energy, and with him, there were no boundaries. He was a comedian, a businessman, a husband who was madly in love with his wife, who just happened to be one of the most iconic women in the world. You have to get very close to what that person meant to everyone around them, during that specific time and place, he says.

And because Bardem is so subtly adept at harnessing so much in every scene, theres an effortless quality to the way he balances comedy and drama.

Desi was a brave man in a time when being a foreigner was a huge burden, and he never turned a blind-eye to himself. He carried an incredible sense of dignity and was a force of nature as a person.

In Fernando Leon de Aranoas sharp social drama The Good Boss, Bardem plays the owner of a family-run factory, who meddles in the lives of his employees in an attempt to win an award for business excellence. Its about the abuse of power within industry, and it hits you in the gut by the ending, he says. The film received a historic 20 nominations at the Goya Awards, which is the Spanish equivalent of the Oscars.

The year was filled with other terrific performances, including Benedict Cumberbatch exploring his dark side in Jane Campions revisionist western, The Power of the Dog, and rising star Jonathan Majors as a hot-blooded gunslinger in the stylish oater, The Harder They Fall.

DJ-turned-comic Simon Rex explored his previously untapped dramatic side in Sean Bakers down and dirty family drama, Red Rocket. Will Smiths lived-in performance as Richard Williams in King Richard further demonstrates the actors innate ability to crawl deep into a character when given the chance by the material, and Leonardo DiCaprio, very much prone to taking on intensely dramatic roles, went in a deceptively lighter direction in Adam McKays satirical comedy, Dont Look Up.

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Swinging into theaters Friday is Sony's blockbuster movie "Spider-Man: No Way Home," in which Tom Holland reprises his role as the title character.

But this time around, the web-spinning superhero seems to be facing battles on and off the screen. It began with COVID-related delays. The film was originally slated to hit theaters on July 16, but the pandemic forced that release date back five months. The extended hiatus seems only to have increased fans' excitement.

Social media has become a tangled web of fan theories and speculations  with some coming dangerously close to spoiling the plot. Marvel and Sony have had to go the extra mile to keep the movie from leaking.

Marvel executive Victoria Alonso has been pleading with fans not to ruin the film for fellow moviegoers. "Don't talk about it," she urged fans. "Let people experience it the way they want to experience it. Because if you already know what happens, there's no point. There are many surprises, so let people enjoy it."

Sony has also joined the fight, going so far as to eliminate specific actors from press junkets to keep fans guessing on who might appear in the film. At a recent presser screening, journalists were made to temporarily hand over their phones so no one could snap stills or videos to release to the public.

With movie studios knowing the difficulties around keeping things hidden, Sony deployed the main stars of the film  Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon and even Jamie Foxx  to release a video on how to avoid spoilers. The caption that accompanied the video reads: ""NO SPOILERS. Don't be that person."

YouTube movie insider and host of "Beyond the Trailer," Grace Randolph, called fans "very good detectives." In one of her latest videos, she pointed out that some fans leaked the soundtrack for the movie to see the song list to find out surprises for the film.

Despite the early precautions, video and screenshots of the film could be found popping up online early Wednesday thanks to the film being released two days prior in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Many of the posted videos and movie stills were immediately removed by Sony with the message, "Video Unavailable. This video contains content from Sony Pictures Movies & Shows, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds."

It isn't just the studios who are unhappy with the leaked material. Fans are working just as hard to keep the movie a secret while they await their show time. The hashtags #DeletingTwitter and #Spoilers began trending this week on social media as people tried to avoid ruining the movie. Some diehard fans even deleted their Twitter accounts altogether.

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Closing arguments began Thursday in the trial of Elizabeth Holmes, who faces as many as 20 years in prison if convicted of defrauding patients and investors in her failed blood-testing startup, Theranos.

In a four-hour closing argument, the prosecution pointed to numerous alleged misstatements about Theranos' blood-testing technology, which Holmes had suggested could perform hundreds of diagnostic tests with a finger prick of blood. The prosecutor also cast off claims raised in her defense that she was abused by her onetime boyfriend and Theranos COO Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani.

You shouldn't find her guilty because of my words. You should find her guilty because of her words, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Schenk said, at the conclusion of arguments focused on recorded phone calls, emails, and texts, all projected on monitors stationed throughout the courtroom.

The defense, meanwhile, contended in closing arguments that began Thursday and will resume Friday that prosecutors failed to tell the whole story of Theranos.

'A house of cards'

That story began when Holmes, now 37, dropped out of Stanford at 19 to launch Theranos, whose name came from a combination of the words "therapy" and "diagnosis." In 2018, she and Balwani were indicted after Theranos imploded under regulatory scrutiny. She's now defending 11 counts of fraud and conspiracy for allegedly misrepresenting the viability of Theranos blood-testing technology to investors and paying customers. Balwani faces the same charges and is scheduled to stand trial next year.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes arrives to attend her fraud trial at federal court in San Jose, California, U.S., December 16, 2021. REUTERS/Peter DaSilva

Throughout the closing argument, the prosecutor pointed to alleged misstatements and evidence he says showed that Holmes knew those statements weren't true. He pointed to the words that Holmes used when talking with investors, in the solicitation documents she sent them, and in media interviews, board presentations, and communications with one time partner, Walgreens. The prosecutor's own words suggested that Theranos was never actually a stable company.

Theranos was a house of cards, Schenk told jurors.

One potentially damning piece of evidence is Holmes' own admission during her testimony that she added the logos of drug giants Pfizer and Schering-Plough to two Theranos reports. Schenk reminded jurors that investors testified that statements from Holmes led them to believe that Theranos blood-testing device had been deployed in U.S. military operations, specifically including battlefields in Afghanistan, and on board medevac helicopters.

Weve thus built a business around partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and contracts with the military wherein we could deploy our framework, Holmes was heard saying on an investor group call recorded unbeknownst to Holmes by investment advisor Bryan Tolbert.

She admitted in her own testimony that Theranos hadn't secured military contracts or field operations agreements.

Other untrue statements, Schenk said, came from Holmes interviews with media, particularly with former Fortune reporter Roger Parloff, who has contributed to Yahoo Finance, and whose 2014 cover story on Holmes titled "This CEO's out for blood" helped elevate her profile. Parloff published a lengthy correction the next year. The prosecutionplayed Parloff's recorded interview with Holmes on Thursday to highlight her representations that Theranos was relying more heavily than it promoted on venous blood draws, rather than its hallmark finger sticks, in tests performed in its Walgreens stores.

At the same time, the prosecution said, Theranos was promoting that its technology could run comprehensive blood tests from finger stick and concealing inquiries from regulators. Holmes boasted to Fortune's Parloff that the company could conduct 70 different tests from a finger stick sample and that it offered more than 200 common tests.

To emphasize what Holmes knew, and when she knew it, Schenk revisited email and text exchanges between Holmes and her co-defendant Ramesh Sunny Balwani. One exchange displayed Balwanis concern that Walgreens was questioning the percentage of venipuncture tests performed in its retail stores.

We can market our lab, Holmes wrote in response to Balwanis concern.

Schenk argued the suggestion to pivot showed Holmes intended to conceal its lacking technology while still capitalizing on the existing narrative around finger stick technology. In addition, he recounted testimony from former Theranos employees and their communications with Holmes expressing concerns about the reliability of certain Theranos tests.

In a start to the defense's closing argument, the defense offered jurors reasons why they should view the government's case as incomplete and count Theranos not as a house of cards, but as a promising startup.

I ask you to wait and hear the whole story and go through the evidence with me," defense lawyer Kevin Downey said. The picture can change a good deal as a result of waiting for the full story and looking through the full material.

Seven large national and multinational companies validated Theranos technology, some continuing talks with Theranos for years, Downey said. Most of them were never mentioned by the prosecution, he said before showing communications between the companies and Theranos.

Contrary to the prosecutions claims, Downey said, Holmes wasnt hiding her technology's shortfalls. Holmes put investors in contact with pharmaceutical companies that had engaged with Theranos, including Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, and Bristol Myers Squibb. Downey also said people inside Theranos believed the companys technology was incredibly valuable.

The defense will continue making its case on Friday, after which prosecutors will have a final opportunity to address the jurors before they begin deliberations.

Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on Twitter @alexiskweed.

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The logo for Procter & Gamble Co. is displayed on a screen on the floor of the NYSE in New York

(Reuters) - Procter & Gamble Co said on Friday it was voluntarily recalling some dry conditioner and shampoo sprays sold in the United States and Canada from its Pantene and Herbal Essences brands due to the presence of a cancer-causing chemical.

The recall also includes products from its Aussie and Waterless brands made in the United States and some discontinued items from its Old Spice and Hair Food brands, in which P&G said it detected "unexpected levels" of benzene, a human carcinogen.

Shares in the packaged goods maker, which have risen 15% this year, were down 1.1% at $159.36 in afternoon trading.

P&G did not disclose the number of recalled products, which were distributed through retail and online outlets, but said they represented less than 1% of its overall hair care product portfolio.

The company said it had not received any reports of adverse events related to the recall, but added that daily exposure to the level of benzene detected in the products would not be expected to cause negative health consequences.

Benzene is classified as a substance that can potentially cause cancer depending on the level and extent of exposure.

Earlier this year, U.S. pharmacy chains pulled Johnson & Johnson's sunscreen products off their shelves after J&J said it had detected benzene in some samples.

(Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam and Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Amy Caren Daniel and Ramakrishnan M.)
(Reuters) -The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday it had received reports of eight cases of myocarditis, a type of heart inflammation, in children aged 5-11 years who received Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine.

The CDC had previously said that reporting rates of myocarditis for boys aged 16 to 17 could be more than 69 cases per million second doses administered and around 40 cases per million second doses in boys aged 12-15 years old.

The CDC did not say whether it believes there is a link between the myocarditis cases and the vaccine, or disclose the rate of myocarditis in the age group without vaccination.

The agency said there had been over 7 million vaccine doses in the 5-11 age group at the time it examined the data, with 5.1 million first doses and 2 million second doses. The cases had a mild clinical course, the CDC said.

The cases were reported in the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System and presented by the CDC to a panel of its expert advisers.

(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru and Michael Erman in New Jersey; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
Travelers arrive at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, where the county set up a free rapid coronavirus testing site. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Holiday travelers are expected to slam Los Angeles International Airport beginning this week, with the airport estimating it will see 3.5 million visitors between Thursday and Jan. 3.

"Last year, 1.85 million passengers went through LAX during this time, making this year almost twice as busy," airport officials said Thursday in a release.

This year's figures look to be a return to near 2019 levels, when 4.5 million travelers used the airport during the last pre-pandemic holiday season.

The airport expects travel to peak Dec. 17, 19 and 26, and Jan. 2 with more than 200,000 travelers each day.

The increased volume has been driven by an increase in demand and in travelers' confidence around the COVID-19 pandemic, airport officials said.

"There's a lot of people who have been waiting to travel," said Heath Montgomery, an LAX spokesman. "We keep hearing stories about families that are visiting from overseas, and even from within the country, and they're meeting grandchildren that they've never met before for the first time.

"I think [travelers'] overall confidence level has risen this year," Montgomery said, although with the Omicron variant, "cautious optimism is where we're at."

The surge in travel is coinciding with a surge in COVID-related hospitalizations in the state over the last three weeks and the rise of new Omicron cases. Overall COVID-19 hospitalizations are up 16% statewide and up 39% in Los Angeles County in that time, and Omicron has been confirmed in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.

With the numbers rising, a new, statewide indoor mask mandate took effect Wednesday.

"I think something that will be important is for travelers to take a little more personal responsibility to stay physically separated from people who aren't in their immediate travel group," Montgomery said, adding that the airport has continued deep cleaning.

Omicron has already affected parts of the travel industry, with travelers from outside the United States now required to have tested negative for the coronavirus 24 hours before their departure. Previous guidance allowed for a negative test up to three days before departure.

The surge in travelers also brings logistical hurdles for those hoping to board a flight to or from LAX.

"On our peak days we could have upwards of 90,000 vehicles a day come through the central terminal area," Montgomery said. With the increased volume of passengers and traffic, people should give themselves extra time to get to the airport, he said.

And for travelers who are parking at the airport, which more people have been doing in recent months, Montgomery advises reserving spots early, as nearly all of LAX's lots were filled during the Thanksgiving travel period.

"Not only does that get you a guaranteed space for the duration of your stay and you know exactly where you're going to park, but it also gives you a discounted rate" depending on the length of stay and parking location, he said. "I think that's the No. 1 thing people can do."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
President Biden presents the Medal of Honor to Army Master Sgt. Earl Plumlee for his actions in Afghanistan in 2013. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press)

President Biden on Thursday recognized three Army soldiers who risked their lives in combat, two of whom were killed in action, by awarding them the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration.

All three were credited with putting themselves in danger as they protected others and sought to repel enemy attacks. The soldiers' heroics stretched over several years, a reminder of how long Americans were engaged in combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Today we honor three outstanding soldiers, whose actions embody the highest ideals of selfless service," Biden said during a White House ceremony honoring the recipients. "We also remember the high price that military members and their families are willing to pay on behalf of our nation."

The White House said that then-Staff Sgt. Earl Plumlee earned the medal through his actions in August 2013 that followed a massive explosion that tore a 60-foot hole in the wall of his base in Afghanistan. As 10 insurgents poured through the wall, Plumlee and five other special operations soldiers hopped into two vehicles and raced to stop the attackers, encountering heavy fire.

Plumlee used his body to shield the driver of his vehicle, leapt out of it, drew a pistol and started firing at the insurgents, killing two of them. In the ensuing gunfight, "with complete disregard to his own safety," Plumlee carried a mortally wounded soldier to safety and helped organize a successful counterattack, the White House said.

Before putting the medal on Plumlee, now a master sergeant, in the East Room of the White House, Biden hailed the soldier's bravery. "Time and again bullets flew by, sometimes only inches away. Time and again Staff Sgt. Plumlee closed with the enemy," Biden said. "This recognition has been too long in coming, for you and your family. No one will forget how you sprang into action when the enemy attacked our base."

Biden also presented medals to the widows of the two soldiers killed in action.

Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe rescued several soldiers in October 2005 from a Bradley fighting vehicle that burst into flames after it struck a roadside bomb in the Iraqi town of Duluiyah, the White House said. Despite suffering severe burns, he refused to be evacuated by helicopter until other soldiers were flown to safety. He died several weeks later from his wounds.

"No soldier was going to be left behind on his watch," said Biden.

Cashe, 35, grew up in Florida and enlisted in the Army in 1989. He deployed to Iraq the same year he was killed.

The White House said Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Celiz, 32, died in Afghanistan in 2018 after exposing himself to enemy fire to reach an injured soldier and carry him to safety. When a helicopter arrived to evacuate the wounded soldier, it came under withering enemy fire. To protect the team carrying the soldier and the helicopter crew, the White House said, Celiz stood between the insurgents and the chopper, acting as a human shield.

As the helicopter lifted off, Celiz was shot and badly wounded. "Fully aware of his own injury, but understanding the peril to the aircraft from the intense enemy machine gun fire, Sgt. 1st Class Celiz motioned to the aircraft to depart rather than remain to load him," the White House said. "His selfless actions saved the life of the evacuated partnered force member and almost certainly prevented further casualties among other members of his team and the air crew."

Celiz, who was born in South Carolina and enlisted in the Army in 2006, died later that day.

"Christopher Celiz was courage made flesh," Biden said.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
FILE - Members of the Texas Army National Guard stand by as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and 10 other governors hold a press conference at Anzalduas Park on Oct. 6, 2021, in Mission, Texas. Texas' Republican governor on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin the state will not direct National Guard members to follow a COVID-19 vaccine order as GOP opposition to the mandate across the U.S. military grows. (Joel Martinez/The Monitor via AP)

AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Texas' Republican governor on Thursday told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that the state will not direct its National Guard members to comply with a Biden administration order requiring all members of the military to get vaccinated for COVID-19, as GOP opposition to the mandate grows.

Gov. Greg Abbott, who has become one of the nation's most outspoken governors in the rejection of vaccine mandates of any kind, told the Texas National Guard in October that its more than 20,000 members were included in his executive orders banning any governmental entity from imposing vaccine mandates.

Texas has the largest National Guard contingent of any state and hasn't disclosed how many of its members are vaccinated.

Abbott's latest beef with the Biden administration came after five other GOP governors sent Austin a milder letter this week urging him to reconsider the requirements for Guard members on state active duty, when they are under their governor's orders but are still funded by the federal government.

Oklahoma's Republican governor has already sued the Defense Department over the vaccine mandate, and Abbott indicated that Texas could do the same.

If unvaccinated guardsmen suffer any adverse consequences within the State of Texas, they will have only President Biden and his Administration to blame, Abbott said.

Neither Abbott nor the Texas Guard immediately responded to inquiries about the number of vaccinated members. Pentagon officials also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Austin has said repeatedly that getting the vaccine is critical to maintaining a heathy, ready force that can be prepared to defend the nation. He decided that Guard members who refuse COVID-19 vaccinations will be barred from federally funded drills and training required to maintain their Guard status.

Army officials said Thursday that 98% of their active duty force had received at least one dose of the mandatory coronavirus vaccine.

Thousands of members of the military are seeking exemptions or refusing the shots. But overall, the percentage of troops  particularly active duty members  who quickly got the shots exceeds the national average. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 72% of the U.S. population age 18 or older has gotten at least one shot. In Texas, about 70% of the population age 5 or older has been vaccinated, according to state data.

Abbott has stationed more than 1,000 Guard members along the U.S.-Mexico border and given them the unusual power to arrest migrants on trespassing charges. In October, he extended a ban on vaccine mandates to private businesses under an executive order. However, the state's Republican-dominated Legislature did not approve a measure passing the prohibition into law.
Recent reports indicate that Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is blocking some measures to restrict fossil fuel development in the Build Back Better bill under consideration in the Senate, but he appears to be accepting other measures that would reduce de facto subsidies to oil and gas drilling operations.

Democratic senators appear increasingly unable to unite behind the massive spending bill before the holiday recess, by which time they had hoped the legislation would already be signed into law.

Manchin, the key centrist senator from a state that relies on the coal and gas industry, has rejected a provision in the version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives that would ban offshore oil drilling near the East and West Coast, as well as in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, according to the Washington Post on Thursday, which cited three anonymous sources. (Manchins office did not respond to a request for comment from Yahoo News.)

During a press conference on Thursday afternoon, deputy White House national climate adviser Ali Zaidi avoided directly responding to a question about Manchin's opposition to the offshore drilling ban and how significant a loss it would be if the proposal was cut from the bill.

"Let me talk a little about what we've been doing," Zaidi said, before going on to list measures President Biden has taken thus far to protect ecologically sensitive areas from fossil fuel development, including restoring protections to Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments that were removed under former President Donald Trump.

"We've had incredibly productive dialogues, in the context of this bill and others, on how we take on the climate crisis in a way that marshals the power of nature-based solutions," he added. "So we're excited about that work and we're moving forward."

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. walks through a hallway in the basement of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

On the other hand, Politico reported late Thursday afternoon that Manchin supports reforms to the oil and gas leasing program on federal land that were included in the House-passed version of Build Back Better. Politico reporter Joshua Siegel, who broke the news, described it as a mild surprise.

The current program, according to a recently released Department of Interior report, subsidizes oil and gas producers by charging below-market rates for royalties, land rental and minimum auction bids. It also does not charge a premium for the costs of pollution caused by fossil fuel extraction and consumption that are borne by society, including conventional air and water pollution and the exacerbation of the effects of climate change.

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, which Manchin chairs, is drafting its own text, which would raise the top royalty rate from 12.5 percent to 16.75 percent. The new, higher royalty rate, would be comparable to the rates charged by most states for drilling on state land. Offshore royalties would rise from 12.5 percent to 14 percent.

That news generated unusual praise for Manchin from some environmentalists. While well have to wait for final language to know for sure, it looks like Senator Manchin is on the right track when it comes to reforming the oil and gas leasing system, Jesse Prentice-Dunn, director of the Center for Western Priorities policy, said in a statement. For a century, oil companies have ripped off taxpayers. Raising royalty rates would be a big step toward making sure the American people get a fair return from publicly owned resources.

Politico also reported on Thursday that Senate Democrats, led by Tom Carper of Delaware, who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, have been working on negotiating compromises with Manchin to keep a fee for methane emissions in oil and gas drilling operations. Methane is a very powerful, short-term greenhouse gas, meaning that its emissions are especially bad for climate change. The House bill contains a fee for excessive leakage of methane in oil and gas wells. To assuage Manchins concerns, the Senate is considering lengthening the phase-in period, focusing penalties on wells that arent in compliance with EPA methane rules, and increasing $775 million in the House bill for subsidies that would assist well operators in adopting technology to stop methane leaks. It remains unclear, nonetheless, whether Manchin will ultimately support the methane fee if it incorporates all of those changes.

The environmental activist organization Friends of the Earth slammed Manchin for insisting on allowing offshore drilling and wavering on the methane fee. "If Manchin really cared about taxpayers, he would put our interests first, instead of borrowing industry talking points for his grandstanding, Nicole Ghio, the groups senior fossil fuels program manager, told Yahoo News in an email. The commonsense leasing reforms in Build Back Better are the bare minimum to limit some of the ways Big Oil rips off taxpayers. And we desperately need methane reforms to shift the burden to the polluters.

President Biden speaks to reporters on Wednesday as he walks to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The reports in Politico and the Post diverge on one crucial point: The Post reported that Manchin also expressed surprise at the bills ban on drilling in Alaskas Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but has not taken a position on it, while Politico reported that Manchins draft language includes the ban.

Federal fossil fuel leasing policy has emerged as a key battlefront in the war on climate change. In 2019, more than 23 percent of U.S. oil production and more than 11 percent of gas production came from federal lands and waters. During his 2020 campaign, President Biden promised to end federal fossil fuel leasing, and he has paused leasing while reviewing the program. Congressional Republicans are uniformly in favor of continued fossil fuel extraction, which also sometimes wins the support of Democrats from states with large fossil fuel reserves. Republican-controlled states with fossil fuel reserves have also successfully sued the Biden administration to force it to complete previously scheduled offshore oil drilling lease auctions. Meanwhile, environmental activists allege that the administration isnt pursuing every legal option it has to slow down and stop fossil fuel extraction offshore and on federal land.

Build Back Better is the core policy vehicle for the Biden administrations agenda to fulfill its pledge to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030. Throughout the recent two-week United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, White House officials and congressional Democrats touted the bill as if it had already passed.

But, in Washington, D.C. Manchin  who holds an effective veto over the legislation because the Senate is evenly split between the two parties  has forced a number of major concessions that weaken its climate change-combating provisions, such as removing a program that would have incentivized energy utilities to transition to clean energy sources.
A federal judge rejected OxyContin maker Purdue Pharmas bankruptcy settlement of thousands of lawsuits over the opioid epidemic Thursday because of a provision that would protect members of the Sackler family from facing litigation of their own.

U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in New York found that federal bankruptcy law does not give the bankruptcy judge who had accepted the plan the authority to grant that kind of release for people who are not declaring bankruptcy themselves.

In a statement Thursday night, the company said that it would appeal the ruling and at the same time try to forge another plan that its creditors will agree to.

Purdue said the ruling will not hurt the company's operations, but it will make it harder for company and Sackler money to be used to fight the opioid crisis as the legal fight continues.

"It will delay, and perhaps end, the ability of creditors, communities, and individuals to receive billions in value to abate the opioid crisis, said Steve Miller, chairman of the Purdue board of directors. These funds are needed now more than ever as overdose rates hit record-highs, and we are confident that we can successfully appeal this decision and deliver desperately needed funds to the communities and individuals suffering in the midst of this crisis.

Representatives of the two branches of the family who own the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who was among a handful of state officials seeking to have the deal undone, called the ruling a seismic victory for justice and accountability. Tong said the ruling will re-open the deeply flawed Purdue bankruptcy and force the Sackler family to confront the pain and devastation they have caused.

Purdue sought bankruptcy protection in 2019 as it faced thousands of lawsuits claiming the company pushed doctors to prescribe OxyContin, helping spark an opioid crisis that has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over the last two decades.

Through the bankruptcy court, it worked out a deal with its creditors. Members of the Sackler family would give up ownership of the company, which would transform into a different kind of entity that would still sell opioids  but with profits being used to fight the crisis. It would also develop new anti-addiction and anti-overdose drugs and provide them at little or no cost.

Sackler family members also would contribute $4.5 billion in cash and charitable assets as part of an overall deal that could be worth $10 billion, including the value of the new drugs, if they're brought to market.

Government entities and businesses agreed to use any money they receive fighting the opioid epidemic. The deal also calls for millions of company documents, including communications with lawyers, to be made public.

In return, members of the wealthy family would get protection from lawsuits over their role in the opioid crisis  both the 860 already filed and any others in the future.

Most state and local governments, Native American tribes, individual opioid victims and others who voted said the plan worked out in the bankruptcy court should be accepted.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, like several others, sued Sackler family members and opposed the settlement before eventually agreeing to it this year. She said in a statement that if the deal doesnt hold up, shes ready to resume the civil lawsuit: Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family remain named defendants in our ongoing litigation and we will hold them accountable for their unlawful behavior, one way or another.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee's office, eight state attorneys general and some other entities have been fighting the deal. They argue that it does not properly hold members of the Sackler family accountable and that it usurps states' ability to try to do so.

A bankruptcy court judge approved the plan over the objections in September. But the opponents appealed to McMahon's court.

The main issue on the appeal was the lawfulness of the measures that would extend legal protections to family members.

Such third-party releases are not used in most bankruptcy cases, but they are common in cases such as Purdue's, in which the companies involved are burdened with lawsuits and have relatively little value  but their wealthy owners could contribute.

The Purdue deal would not protect family members from any criminal charges. But so far none have been filed, and there are no signs that any are forthcoming, though some activists are calling for charges.

In a hearing, McMahon focused in on how Sackler family members transferred $10.4 billion from the privately held Stamford, Connecticut-based company over the decade before the bankruptcy. McMahon wanted to know whether the money was moved in part to ensure a role for the Sacklers in bankruptcy negotiations.

But in her ruling Thursday, McMahon did not dig deeply into those transfers or the idea of holding Sackler family members accountable for the opioid crisis. Instead, she focused on whether the bankruptcy law even allows for the kind of deal the company and its creditors struck if there are objections to it.

The great unsettled question in this case is whether the Bankruptcy Court  or any court  is statutorily authorized to grant such releases. This issue has split the federal Circuits for decades, she wrote.

She also noted that other courts will weigh in on the case. The next step is likely before the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.

This opinion will not be the last word on the subject, nor should it be," she wrote. This issue has hovered over bankruptcy law for thirty-five years.
For Kyanna Parsons-Perez and Andrea Miranda, last Friday will be a night theyll never forget. Despite tornado warnings, both were set to work the night shift at the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory in southwestern Kentucky.

That night, both women were trapped for two hours after a monstrous tornado ripped through the production plant and the building collapsed.

I just heard everybody screaming and yelling, Im going to die, were not going to survive. People were screaming for their family, kids, husband, wife. Thats all I heard. I was screaming for my family myself. There was a lot of suffering, Miranda told Yahoo News.

Andrea Miranda had been working at the Mayfield, Ky., candle factory for two years. (Andrea Miranda)

Miranda, 21, moved from Puerto Rico to Kentucky two years ago in order to work at the candle factory  earning more there than she was while on the island. Parsons-Perez had just begun working at the production plant in early November.

My faith, my faith helped keep me alive. My faith in God, my faith in that he wont leave me, Parsons-Perez, 40, said.

There were 110 people on the clock at the candle factory the night the tornado obliterated the plant, part of a string of violent twisters that tore tracts throughout the upper South. At least eight people died from the tornado at the Mayfield plant  including a co-worker who had been Miranda and Parsons-Perezs close friend. Were very similar and to know I wont see that face, that smile, or hear those sassy comments like OK, girl, thats so heartbreaking for me, Miranda said.

Emergency workers search through the rubble of the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory on Saturday after it was destroyed by a tornado in Mayfield, Ky. (John Amis/AFP via Getty Images)

The workers question why they were in the factory that night as the threat of tornadoes was present throughout the region. The companys spokesperson has said there were regular drills and the employees went to the shelter, which is an interior part of that building, but that the tornado was of such rare size and strength that the building was overpowered.

I wish they would have said, because of the extreme weather, were not going to have to come in tonight. Then maybe Janine would still be here. Kayla would still be here, Parsons-Perez added.

Miranda told Yahoo News she recalls asking management prior to that Friday if employees had to come in to work. She was told they should. Several factory workers spoke out, saying they were threatened with firing if they left their shifts early; the company has denied the allegations, which it called absolutely untrue.

Were heartbroken about this, and our immediate efforts are to assist those affected by this terrible disaster, the Mayfield Consumer Products CEO said in a statement on the company website. Our company is family-owned and our employees, some who have worked with us for many years, are cherished. Were immediately establishing an emergency fund to assist our employees and their families.

Kyanna Parsons-Perez at work at the production plant. (Kyanna Parsons-Perez)

The Mayfield factory was the third-biggest employer in southwestern Kentucky, according to the Guardian, producing scented candles for Bath & Body Works and other major retailers.

Parsons-Perez said the workers in the Mayfield factory were overwhelmingly Black or Latinx.

Boom. Everything came down on us. All you heard was screams. ... We have a lot of Hispanic people there  Puerto Rican, Mexican, Guatemalan. ... You can hear people screaming and praying in Spanish, she recalled in another interview of the moment the building collapsed and the workers there became trapped.

It was a tornado. I believe someone should be held accountable, but who do you hold accountable for something like this? Parsons-Perez asked Yahoo News.

As the community of Mayfield continues to mourn the lives lost from the devastating destruction, Miranda and Parsons-Perez both hold on to the faith that helped them stay alive underneath the rubble.

Theres a God up there looking and protecting us at all times, and I know everything will be better  maybe not tomorrow or the next day  but it will be OK. And we will be better than before the tornado happened, Miranda said.

Both Miranda and Parsons-Perez have launched GoFundMe pages to help them rebuild after the disaster.
Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), shown in January 2021, said a vote to overrule the Senate parliamentarian is being considered. (Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press)

Deportation protection for millions of immigrants in the U.S. illegally cannot be included in the Democrats' social spending and climate bill, a key Senate official ruled Thursday, according to sources familiar with the ruling, a likely death knell for any meaningful immigration policy in the sweeping package.

The Senate parliamentarian, an unelected official tasked with interpreting Senate rules, said the deportation protection plan does not comply with the guidelines Democrats must follow in order to pass their bill under reconciliation, a fast-track legislative procedure that allows senators to circumvent the Senate filibuster.

The deportation protection plan was the third immigration proposal rejected by the parliamentarian.

The parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, wrote in September that Democrats' first proposal  a full pathway to citizenship  would not comply with the rules.

MacDonough said the proposed pathway to citizenship was a major policy change with implications that far exceeded what can be done through the reconciliation legislative process, which is supposed to deal with issues directly related to the budget.

Changing the law to clear the way to [lawful permanent resident] status is tremendous and enduring policy change that dwarfs its budgetary impact, she wrote in a rare written explanation of her decision.

A second plan to change the so-called immigration registry to allow citizenship was rejected days later.

The Senate can overrule the parliamentarian's decision, but such a step would be unprecedented.

Nevertheless, several House Democrats and some Senate Democrats, including California Sen. Alex Padilla, have already made that call, since the social spending bill is probably the last opportunity Democrats will have to enact meaningful immigration policy before the 2022 midterm election. The calls to overrule the parliamentarian are likely to intensify in the wake of her decision.

In recent days, the No. 2 Senate Democrat opened the door to overruling her decision. After weeks of dismissing the idea as unrealistic, Sen. Richard J. Durbin of Illinois said he would support it. I hope it doesnt come to that," he added.

But Democrats are worried about the prospect of enacting a once-in-a-generation bill without any meaningful immigration policy. These chances dont happen very often, Durbin said.

Disregarding the parliamentarians decision would require the support of all 48 Senate Democrats and the two independents who caucus with them. Durbin, who is responsible for keeping track of Democratic votes, said his gut instinct is that the vote would be close.

Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.), the most conservative Democrat in the chamber, is adamantly opposed.

Im not going to vote to overrule the parliamentarian, Manchin said on Fox News in November.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Michael Cohen claimed in a new lawsuit Thursday that Donald Trump retaliated against him for writing a tell-all memoir, saying his abrupt return to federal prison last year endangered his life and amounted to punishment for criticizing the president.

Trumps former personal attorney recently completed a three-year sentence for crimes including tax evasion, campaign finance violations and lying to Congress. He reported to prison in May 2019 but was released to home confinement after about a year as authorities sought to contain the coronavirus outbreak in federal prisons.

Federal authorities abruptly ordered him back to prison weeks later, claiming he failed to accept certain terms of his release. Cohen, however, said he had merely sought clarification on a condition forbidding him from speaking with the media and publishing his book.

He said his second stint behind bars began with 16 harrowing days in solitary confinement. Cohen says he suffered shortness of breath, severe headaches and anxiety inside a small cell he left just 30 minutes a day at the federal prison in Otisville, New York.

Prosecutors insisted probation officers had been unaware of the forthcoming book when they wrote a provision severely restricting Cohen's public communications. But a federal judge ordered him returned to home confinement, saying Cohen's return to Otisville had been retaliatory.

FILE - Michael Cohen, former President Donald Trump's longtime personal lawyer, arrives at Federal Court in New York, on Nov. 22, 2021, after completing his three-year prison sentence. Cohen claimed in a new lawsuit Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, that Trump retaliated against him for writing a tell-all memoir, saying his abrupt return to federal prison last year endangered his life and amounted to punishment for criticizing the president. (AP Photo/Lawrence Neumeister, File)

The new lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, seeks damages for extreme physical and emotional harm and violations of Cohens First Amendment rights.

Without accountability, we have only chaos, Jeffrey K. Levine, an attorney for Cohen, told The Associated Press.

Requests for comment on the new lawsuit were sent Thursday to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and to Trump's spokesperson.

Cohen has called for the former president to be prosecuted and has provided information multiple times to New York prosecutors who are examining whether Trump misled banks or tax authorities about the value of his assets in order to get loans or tax breaks.

Cohen recently vowed to continue providing information, testimony, documents and my full cooperation on all ongoing investigations to ensure that others are held responsible for their dirty deeds and that no one is ever believed to be above the law.
FILE PHOTO: Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at pop-up site in New York

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is up to four times more likely to cause inflammation of the heart muscle, a very rare side effect, than its rival vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech, according to a Danish study published in the British Medical Journal late on Thursday.

The study, in which almost 85% of Danes, or 4.9 million individuals, aged 12 and older participated, investigated the link between mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines and heart inflammation, also known as myocarditis or myopericarditis.

Earlier studies from Israel and the United States have indicated an increased risk of heart inflammation after inoculation with the mRNA-vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

"Vaccination with mRNA-1273 (Moderna's vaccine) was associated with a significantly increased risk of myocarditis or myopericarditis in the Danish population," the study said.

However, the overall risk of getting heart inflammation from the vaccines, both of which are based on mRNA-technology, was low, according to the study, conducted by researchers from Denmark's Statens Serum Institute.

"In general, the rate of myocarditis or myopericarditis was about threefold to fourfold higher for mRNA-1273 (Moderna) vaccination than that for BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccination," the study said.

The researchers found only 1 case per 71,400 vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech and 1 case per 23,800 vaccinated with Moderna. Most of the cases had been mild, the study said.

Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine was only associated with a higher risk of heart inflammation among women, the study said, contrasting with the results of the studies from Israel and the United States.

The authors said the discrepancy could be explained by the average age of the vaccinated population, time span between the first and second shot or because fewer Danes had tested positive for COVID-19.

"Our findings do not generally overshadow the many benefits that come with being vaccinated," study author Anders Hviid said in a statement.

"One must keep in mind that the alternative of getting an infection with COVID-19 probably also involves a risk of inflammation in the heart muscle," Hviid said.
The Senates No. 2 Democrat conceded the obvious Thursday: The partys main legislative agenda has ground to a halt, with no prospect of passing President Bidens social spending bill or voting rights before the end of this year.

Appearing on the Yahoo News Skullduggery podcast, Majority Whip Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. was asked if it is now clear that the Senate will be unable to pass the massive $2 trillion 10-year spending bill, commonly known as Build Back Better, before Christmas  the deadline set by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Correct, he responded, attributing the roadblock in part on a poignant personal problem: The Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough  who must rule on whether items in the bill can be legitimately included as part of a budget reconciliation package  is battling breast cancer and has been unable to work in recent days.

But the chief political roadblock remains, Durbin conceded: We do not have an agreement with Krysten Sinema [of Arizona] and Joe Manchin [of West Virginia] even to say: Here are the parameters of the agreement. He added that it could lead to hundreds of thousands of low-income families  including in Manchins West Virginia  being cut off from child tax credit refund payments when the program expires at the end of the month.

Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill., talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 14. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

As if that wasnt bleak enough for Democrats, Durbin added: Were kind of stuck in the same mode when it comes to voting rights. He was referring to the Freedom to Vote Act, which would prevent states from imposing certain restrictions on access to the ballot.

In recent days, as the prospects for Build Back Better have faded, the White House and Senate Democrats have pivoted to voting rights. But Manchin and Sinema remain opposed to altering Senate rules on the filibuster to pass the proposals by simple majority. Since Republicans in the Senate would use the filibuster to block the voting rights package, it cannot pass without filibuster reform.

Durbin said he is pushing a proposal to at least require senators who want to filibuster to do so by actually talking on the floor of the Senate  as was traditionally the custom  instead of simply filing a slip signaling their intention to do so, effectively killing whatever bill was their target. Weve got to do something, Durbin said. But Sinema and Manchin remain opposed to that as well, arguing that the Senate should not try to make significant changes in the rules with Republican support for doing so.

President Biden speaks to the press after touring areas damaged by tornadoes on Dec. 15, in Dawson Springs, Ky. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Earlier Thursday, Durbin had told reporters that he was stunned that Manchin will not even go along with extending the child tax credit after it expires this month, given that there are so many families in West Virginia that have grown accustomed to depending on checks from the U.S. Treasury under the program.

But Durbin was pressed during his interview with Yahoo News on the fact that Manchin had signaled his opposition to the program as currently constructed five months ago. At the time, he sent a letter to Schumer stating that social spending in Build Back Better had to be needs-based, with means testing guardrails, meaning that he doesnt want the benefits to go to all families with children, only to those with lower incomes.

Asked why the White House and Senate leaders didnt hammer out an agreement with Manchin months ago, Durbin replied: I dont know who is to blame. But I can tell you its not for lack of effort. Everybody has been negotiating.

What will make it any easier to pass the bill next year as Democrats are now vowing to try?

Hope springs eternal, he replied.
When students at Stanford University return to campus in January, they'll be barred from holding parties or other large gatherings for two weeks. (Ben Margot / Associated Press)

Stanford University announced Thursday that students returning from winter break will go back to remote learning for two weeks and will be required to obtain COVID-19 booster shots, joining other mainly East Coast universities as coronavirus cases rise amid the Omicron variant threat.

When the semester begins Jan. 3, Stanford students will also be required to show proof of a booster shot by Jan. 31, with exceptions for those with medical and religious accommodations. The university will also continue previous restrictions placed on student gatherings for the first two weeks, restricting some to outdoor events and limiting food and drinks.

We want to minimize disruptions to students coursework and also provide as much predictability as possible for both students and instructors, Provost Persis Drell and Associate Vice Provost Russell Furr said in a message to the campus community. The current uncertainty around Omicron poses a number of logistical challenges for the start of in-person classes, particularly if students either test positive over the break and cannot travel back to campus on time, or test positive upon arrival and need to isolate.

Occidental College in Los Angeles also announced Thursday that it will require eligible students, staff and faculty to show proof of a booster shot by Jan. 18, citing the rise of the Omicron variant and spread at Cornell University.

"We understand that sending a message like this just before the College shuts down for winter break is far from ideal, but we must adapt to the circumstances of the pandemic as they develop. We want to give everyone as much advance notice as possible," college officials said in a statement.

On Wednesday, University of California President Michael V. Drake sent a letter to the UC community in an effort to encourage booster shots.

"Although there is still much we dont know about the Omicron variant, public health officials have made clear that the variant has the potential to spread quickly," Drake said, noting the increased concern due to the holiday season. "Vaccination, including boosters, is still our best line of defense."

At UCLA, students who live in university housing on and off campus will be required to take a COVID-19 test after returning from travel, the university said. UC Irvine has not changed plans for the spring, according to spokesman Tom Vasich, but he added that the campus plans to "closely monitor the impact of the Omicron variant and transmission levels, and make adjustments as needed."

USC intends to return in the spring with in-person classes and is strongly encouraging students to get the booster shot, according to its latest health advisory.

The two-week notice to Stanford students allows them and their professors to prepare for remote instruction. Students should not change their travel plans but are being asked to get tested before returning to campus, officials said. The Thursday message did not say whether university employees will also be required provide proof of COVID-19 boosters.

The announcement comes as the country faces a rise in coronavirus cases during the holiday season and as thousands of students travel home. Other universities, including Princeton and Cornell , have moved to allow students to take exams remotely this semester. Princeton and Harvard universities have said students will be required to receive COVID-19 booster shots to return to campus in the spring.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
FILE - An above ground section of Enbridge's Line 5 at the Mackinaw City, Mich., pump station is photographed in October 2016. A new federal regulation requires higher safety standards for pipelines carrying oil and other hazardous liquids through the Great Lakes region, marine coastal waters and beaches, officials said Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021. (AP Photo/John Flesher, File)

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP)  A new federal regulation requires higher safety standards for pipelines carrying oil and other hazardous liquids through the Great Lakes region, marine coastal waters and beaches, officials said Thursday.

The rule issued by the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration designates those locations as high consequence zones where pipeline operators must step up inspections, repairs and other measures to avoid spills.

The agency estimated that 2,905 additional miles (4,675 kilometers) of hazardous liquid pipelines will be covered under the new rule, primarily in states along the Gulf of Mexico.

The Great Lakes and our coastal waters are natural treasures that deserve our most stringent protections, said Tristan Brown, the agency's deputy administrator. This rule strengthens and expands pipeline safety efforts."

Congress ordered the pipeline safety agency last year to include the Great Lakes, coastal beaches and coastal waters among unusually sensitive areas" meriting extra attention.

We know a pipeline spill in the Great Lakes would be catastrophic, said Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat who sponsored the provision.

The natural gas and oil industry "is committed to the safe and environmentally responsible operation of U.S. energy infrastructure, and pipelines remain one of the safest ways to deliver affordable, reliable energy," said Robin Rorick, a vice president of the American Petroleum Institute, a trade association. As our industry works to protect the environment and communities where we live and work, this rule provides the opportunity to further that commitment.

Large oil releases would severely damage shoreline and underwater environments, fisheries, human health and coastal community economies, the regulation says.

The 53-page document acknowledges there's no way to know how many disasters the new requirements will prevent. But it offers several previous examples of damaging spills in the designated areas.

Among them: last month's release from an oil pipeline in Southern California and a 2010 spill of about 840,000 gallons (3.2 million liters) of crude near Marshall, Michigan, which contaminated nearly 40 miles (64 kilometers) of the Kalamazoo River.

It also notes a 2018 anchor strike that dented Enbridge Energy's Line 5 in Michigan's Straits of Mackinac connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, although it didn't cause an oil leak.

The new rule requires operators to include any pipeline that could affect the designated environments in their safety management programs.

Those procedures include in-line inspections, pressure tests and other methods to measure pipeline integrity, as well as analyses of significant threats such as corrosion.

Environmentalists praised the measure but said they would continue pushing to shut down Enbridge's Line 5, which moves oil between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario.

The aging pipelines in our basin are a risk to our water and way of life, said Beth Wallace, Great Lakes campaign manager for the National Wildlife Federation.

Enbridge said its integrity management program for Line 5 already meets the new requirements.

Our goal is to protect the waters of the Great Lakes while safely and reliably delivering affordable energy to Michigan and the region daily, spokesman Ryan Duffy said.
Midwest Tornadoes Victims This undated photo shows Kevin Dickey. Dickey, 62, was among six people killed when an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Ill. was struck, Friday, Dec. 10, 2021. Authorities say both sides of the warehouse used to prepare orders for delivery collapsed inward and the roof caved. Rescuers had to pull survivors from the rubble. (Courtesy of Justin Dickey via AP)

A Kentucky woman who worked her way up from school bus driver to become an administrator and school board member. A grandfather who stole the show when he was around his grandchildren. A 2-month-old whose family tried to protect her by putting her in a car seat. A 94-year-old Korean War veteran from Arkansas.

These were among at least 88 people killed during tornadoes Friday night that ripped through five states in the Midwest and South. The tornado outbreak cut a path of devastation that stretched from Arkansas, where a nursing home was destroyed, to Illinois, where an Amazon distribution center was heavily damaged. In Kentucky, 74 people died, and Gov. Andy Beshear said the death toll could grow.

Here are some of the people who perished during the tornadoes.

___

By the time she won election to a vacant school board seat last year, Jenny Bruce had played a role at virtually every level in the small school district in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, where she had graduated from high school decades earlier.

Jenny started out driving a bus and she was a teachers aide, and she gradually worked her way up to finance director, Dawson Springs School Superintendent Leonard Whalen recalled. She was some kind of lady.

During the deadly tornado outbreak late Friday and early Saturday, 65-year-old Bruce was sheltering inside when a tornado obliterated her home, Whalen said. He said neighbors found her amid the wreckage. A county coroner later confirmed her death.

Bruce had worked for the school system for roughly four decades before retiring about two years ago. Whalen helped persuade her to campaign for an empty seat on the five-member school board in 2020, and she ended up running unopposed.

In her years working in the school districts administrative office, Whalen said, Bruce was universally liked  never saying an unkind word about anyone and often bringing cookies and other treats for co-workers to share.

She was a Dawson Springs graduate and she loved our schools, Whalen said. She loved kids.

___

Kevin Dickey loved spending time with his family and stole the show and the hearts of his grandchildren anytime he was around, his family said in a statement. He also had a tight bond with his co-workers at Amazon, they said.

Dickey, 62, was among six people killed when an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, was struck. Authorities say both sides of the warehouse used to prepare orders for delivery collapsed inward and the roof caved. Rescuers had to pull survivors from the rubble.

Dickeys daughter, Kristen Anastasi, told the Marion Republican that a co-worker said Dickey was trying to get people to safety and making sure his drivers were OK. She called his work ethic unmatched and said that's what the family would expect of him.

Dad talked often about his co-workers and their daily stories. He had a great bond with many, the family said.

___

Douglas Koon, his wife, Jackie, and their three children huddled in his mother-in-laws bathroom in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, as the storms approached. The tornado hit the house directly, flinging the family around and tossing in the air a bathtub that was shielding two of his sons. The couple put their infant daughter, Oaklynn, in a car seat to protect her, and she appeared to be OK on Saturday.

But by Sunday, the baby was having seizures, and doctors noticed a brain bleed after she was taken to the hospital. They believed she had a stroke, Koon said in a Facebook post.

Its not looking good at this point, he wrote. The machines are keeping her alive.

Early Monday morning, the family posted that the infant had died.

In a text message to The Associated Press on Monday, Koon said he was struggling to process everything that Im going through.

A family member has set up a GoFundMe account for Koons family and his mother-in-law, Sheila Rose, who lost her home.

___

Lisa Taylor had worked 14 years as a florist at the same family-owned shop in Memphis, Tennessee, when she left in October to start a new career at the airport with the Transportation Security Administration. Co-workers at Rachels Flowers congratulated her with balloons on a sign that read, Good Luck, Lisa.

Taylor, 54, stayed in touch with her friends at the flower shop, making plans to return part time over the holidays to make some extra money. Then the phone rang Saturday, just as the power came back on at the shop after violent storms passed through overnight. Taylors longtime boyfriend was calling with tragic news. A large tree had fallen through her roof overnight, killing Taylor as she slept in bed.

She had just gotten started on her new adventure and shes just been taken, said Angie Morton, who worked as a florist alongside Taylor for several years.

A single mother of two children now in their 20s, Taylor took her new government job for higher wages and the extra stability that came with health insurance and other benefits, friends said.

But she had a creative spark that made her a natural when it came to working with flowers, Morton said, whether she was helping grieving families design funeral arrangements or using bits and pieces of broken, castoff jewelry to add some custom sparkle to high school girls prom corsages.

She really liked to bling everything up, Morton said. She would take stuff other people would throw in the trash and make beautiful things out of it. If she found an earring in a store that didnt have a matching pair, she would think, I know theres somebody who that would be perfect for her corsage.

Charles Newell, deputy emergency management administrator for Shelby County, Tennessee, said she was the only known storm death in the county that includes Memphis.

Rachel Greer, the flower shops owner, was helping plan floral arrangements for Taylors funeral. She said Taylors daughter had requested a sea of purple flowers such as lavender roses and chrysanthemums to match her mothers favorite color.

Meanwhile customers were dropping by the shop to offer condolences and leaving notes. One of them read: Lisa was a light in a dark world.

___

Annistyn Rackley was an outgoing and energetic 9-year-old who loved swimming, dancing and cheerleading, according to her great-aunt Sandra Hooker.

The two had become close over the past four years: Hooker offered the girl support during doctors visits and blood draws required by a rare liver condition that still didnt keep the southeastern Missouri girl from participating in activities.

Annistyn, her parents and her two younger sisters took shelter Friday night in a windowless bathroom in their new home west of Caruthersville, Missouri. To prove theyd gotten to the familys safe space, the girls mom texted Hooker a photo of the three in and next to the bathtub  all of them smiling, 9-year-old Annistyn holding her favorite doll.

Fifteen minutes later, Sandra Hooker said, a tornado splintered the home, carrying the family members dozens of yards through the air into a field where first responders found them in mud. Annistyn died, and the others were injured. The mother, Meghan Rackley, and their middle daughter, 7-year-old Avalinn, remained hospitalized Monday.

Hooker called Annistyn a special angel and said the girl delighted in donning outfits and makeup for cheer competitions and learning new dances from TikTok. She did cartwheels and splits in front of Hooker.

I would just gasp because she could do the splits all the time, and she would just laugh, Hooker said. She loved dancing.

Hooker teaches gifted students at the same elementary school where Meghan Rackley teaches kindergarten in Caruthersville, which is nestled next to the Mississippi River in whats known as Missouris Bootheel region.

Hooker said Annistyns parents learned when she was 2 months old that she had a rare liver disorder in which bile ducts dont develop properly, sometimes making it hard to fight off illness.

___

Golden Wes Hembrey, 94, died when a tornado destroyed the nursing home where he lived in Monette, Arkansas.

His nephew Mike Hembrey said the Korean War veteran and retired farmer had been in the nursing home since 2016 because of Alzheimers disease. But he remembered his uncle as engaged with his extended family throughout their younger years.

He was outgoing, his nephew said. Hed be out in the yard playing with us. But dont make him mad. When he was mad, he was mad.

He liked cutting up, telling jokes, said niece Kristie Carmichael.

The Hembreys said Jimmie Hembrey had visited his brother the day before the tornado and found him to be in good health.

___

Graves County Deputy Jailer Robert Daniel was supervising inmate workers at a candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, when the tornado struck. His boss said Monday that Daniel had been focused on the prisoners in his care when he was killed as the twister wrecked the plant.

Daniel, 47, had worked at the county jail for a few years previously and was rehired a few months ago, said Graves County Jailer George Workman. The seven inmates whom Daniel was overseeing at the factory Friday night were part of a brand-new work program and had just begun their jobs three days earlier.

After the storm hit, the inmates told Workmans deputies that it was Daniel who literally had pushed them all to safety, guiding them through a doorway and against a wall in an interior part of the plant. Workman said the last inmate through the door told deputies that Daniel was behind him one moment, and suddenly he was gone.

He was physically still in the act of trying to get them to safety. And thats when it hit, Workman said. It takes a tremendous person to be able to lay their own life down for somebody else. But he did and he was doing it for the right reasons.

All seven of the inmates in Daniels care survived, Workman said, with two of them suffering broken legs.

A cousin, Mark Saxton Sr., said Daniel was a native of the Mayfield area, which was devastated by the storm.

He loved his community, Saxton said. He was a great family man. Everybody who met him just loved him. Hes the type of person you want to be associated with.

___

Brian Crick, a judge for two western Kentucky counties, was known for his sound judgment when it came to solving problems, a fellow judge said.

Crick, 43, was a district judge for Muhlenberg and McLean counties who handled criminal misdemeanor cases, traffic court and juvenile cases, said Circuit Judge Brian W. Wiggins. Wiggins said he had known his fellow judge since 2005, when Crick was a public defender. He later was in private practice before taking the bench in 2011.

Many of the defendants who came before him werent represented by attorneys, and Crick was very good about seeing to it that their rights were protected, Wiggins said. He had a very common- sense approach. He was very level-headed about how to handle cases and how to talk to people.

Wiggins was killed when the storm hit his familys home in Muhlenberg County. He is survived by a wife and three children, all of whom made it through the storm without major injuries, Wiggins said. He was just a consummate family man ... very engaged with his children and his wife. They were No. 1 to him.

We are especially heartbroken to get the news, Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John Minton said in a statement. This is a shocking loss to his family, his community and the court system and his family is in our prayers.

___

Two of June Penningtons children said the Manila, Arkansas, resident was devoted to her four children and nine grandchildren and had a particular soft spot for animals.

Pennington, 52, was working as an assistant manager at a Dollar General store in nearby Leachville, Arkansas, when it was hit.

She didnt love anything as much in life as her kids and grandkids, said Christie Pennington. She was truly selfless and loved wholeheartedly.

David Benefield, the oldest of June Penningtons four children, said he was born when his mother was only 14.

She was a kid raising a kid. We were just like best friends, he said. Its crazy how close you become.

Her children remember her as someone who would do anything that we asked her to do, Benefield said. Even after her children were grown, they said June Pennington wanted to spend as much time with them as possible.

Christie Pennington said her mother adopted dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, turtles and even a ferret.

If there was ever an animal in need of a home, we took it in, she said.

___

Clayton Lynn Cope, 29, had been working at Amazon for more than a year before the storm killed him at a company facility in southwestern Illinois.

Five other workers also died at the facility located outside St. Louis.

Cope, who lived in nearby Alton, Illinois, had joined the Navy after graduating from high school and was an avid outdoorsman who also liked to ride motorcycles and play video games. He had a special place in his heart for his dog, Draco, said his younger sister, Rachel Cope.

He would go out of his way for anyone, Cope said in a written message.

___

Ollie Borgmann, 84, was a sweet and typical grandmother who had lived in her home in Defiance, Missouri, for decades.

A tornado blew through the home she shared with her 84-year-old husband, Vernon, on Friday night, blowing the house off its foundation, as well as that of a neighbors house in the town located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of St. Louis.

Her son Mark Borgmann told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that his brother, Keith, was on the phone with their father during the powerful storm when the line went dead. The next thing Vernon Borgmann remembers is waking up in a nearby field surrounded by debris. He suffered scratches and bruises but will be OK, said Mark Borgmann.

When Ollie Borgmann was found by rescuers, she was awake. She died later at a hospital.

___

Lovan reported from Louisville, Kentucky. Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. Associated Press writers Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta; Travis Loller in Nashville, Tennessee; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; Terry Wallace in Dallas; Sophie Tareen in Chicago; Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska; Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; and Jeff Amy in Atlanta contributed to this report.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan met with the representatives of the expert community of the Atlantic Council during his visit in the United States, his Office reports.

During the meeting Armen Grigoryan presented Armenias approaches to the unblocking of the region.

In a Q&A format, a wide range of issues, including the development processes of democratic institutions, Armenias foreign policy priorities and the fight against climate change were discussed.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian parliaments human rights and public affairs committee is considering the candidacy of the First Deputy Minister of Justice Kristinne Grigoryan as the next Human Rights Defender of Armenia, as incumbent Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyans term in office nears its end.

Ruling Civil Contract party MP Vladimir Vardanyan praised Grigoryans experience while introducing her at the committee. We know Kristine Grigoryans principles in human rights protection. She has many years of serious professional experience especially in areas relating to the ombudsmans functions, he said.

Grigoryan is serving as Deputy Minister of Justice since 2019, being promoted to First Deputy Minister in 2021.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan had a meeting in the United States with Dereck J. Hogan, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs of the U.S. State Department.

Grigoryans office said in a readout that Hogan appreciated Armenias participation in the Summit for Democracy and highlighted the democratic achievements in Armenia.

In turn, Grigoryan thanked for the invitation to participate in the Summit for Democracy and affirmed Armenias determination for democratic reforms.

Regional developments, prospects for establishing long-term peace and Armenias regional role were also discussed at the meeting, Grigoryans office said.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Practical exercises of TOS-1A heavy artillery systems were held at the Baghramyan shooting range of the MoD Armenia.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Defense Ministry of Armenia, the column of armored and transport vehicles of the conventional enemy at a distance of about 1.5 km were targeted by the use of rocket-propelled grenades.
According to information released on December 17, 2021, Finnish Company Patria, as the industrial coordinator of consortium FAMOUS (European Future Highly Mobile Augmented Armoured Systems), has signed the Grant Agreement (GA) with the European Commission to start the development of the next generation armoured vehicles

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The Patria AMV XP was unveiled in 2013 during the defence exhibition in the United Kingdom, DSEI. (Picture source Army Recognition)

Patria, as the industrial coordinator of consortium FAMOUS (European Future Highly Mobile Augmented Armoured Systems), has signed the Grant Agreement (GA) with the European Commission. This funding agreement is worth 9 million euros and allows the consortium, which includes 19 leading defence companies from across the EU, to start development work of the next generation armoured vehicles. The FAMOUS consortiums Kick-Off day was held on December 14, 2021, when the programme was officially launched together with European Commission, Participating Member States representatives and companies.

It is great to have this project and its development work now officially underway. This FAMOUS consortium is a unique and innovative approach to develop areas of next-generation technology that can be utilized in a variety of armoured vehicles and systems  eventually in actual use, says Jussi Jarvinen, President of Patrias Land Business Unit.

The FAMOUS consortium operates under the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP), which is a programme designed to support the competitiveness and innovation capacity of the Union's defence industry, in the perspective of the next coming steps in the context of the European Defence Fund (EDF). The FAMOUS programme aims to develop future technologies and performances that enhance ground combat capabilities in the areas of mobility, hybrid operation, power generation and energy storage, such as well as security systems, situational awareness, robotics, C4I solutions, weapon systems and modern life cycle support solutions.



The Finnish Company Patria is an international provider of defence, security and aviation life cycle support services, pilot training and technology solutions. Patria provides its aerospace and military customers with equipment availability, continuous performance development as well as selected intelligence, surveillance and management system products and services. Patria has several locations including Finland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Estonia and Spain. Patria employs 3,000 professionals. Patria is owned by the State of Finland (50.1%) and Norwegian Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS (49.9%). Patria owns 50% of Norwegian Nammo, and together these three companies form a leading Nordic defence partnership.



Patria has also developed one of the most modern and popular 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicles, the AMV (Armored Modular Vehicle). In 1996, Patria Vehicles began to develop different concept vehicles and found the 88 one to be most suitable as a replacement for the 66 Sisu Pasi. For several years, Patria has continued the development of her AMV to offer new protection, firepower and mobility according to the users experiences as well as to respond to the new threats of the modern battlefield. In 2013 Patria launched a new upgraded version of its AMV. under the name of AMV XP with more payload, mobility performances and additional protection.



The Patria AMV is now in service with many countries all over the world, including Croatia, Finland, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.
It also recommended widening the scope of proposed data protection legislation

The panel recommended that all social media platforms, which do not act as intermediaries, be treated as publishers. (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi: A parliamentary panel on Thursday recommended tougher norms to regulate social media platforms by holding them accountable for the content they host, while asserting that it is imperative to store data in India and restrict access to it by categorising it as sensitive and critical personal data.

It recommended widening the scope of proposed data protection legislation to include both personal and non-personal data with a single administration and regulatory body, and sought greater accountability for social media platforms by treating them as 'publishers'.

The report, however, did not recommend any major dilution of the contentious exemption clause, which gives powers to the government to keep any of its agencies outside the purview of the data protection legislation.

Privacy advocates have been opposing the said provision, and some Opposition members of Parliament (MPs) too had flagged concerns through their dissent notes.

The 30-member Joint Committee on Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019, headed by BJP MP P P Chaudhary, tabled its report in both the houses on Thursday.

The key takeaways from the report include widening the scope of the draft legislation to also cover non-personal data, tighter regulation for social media platforms along with establishment of a statutory media regulatory authority on the lines of Press Council of India.

The committee in its report observed that since India has become a big consumer market, there is a large collection, processing and storage of data happening daily.

...the committee opined that it is imperative to store data in India and to restrict access to it by categorising them as sensitive and critical personal data, thus giving impetus to data localisation, the report said.

The committee's report made it clear that India may no more leave its data to be governed by any other country.

The panel has also favoured a framework to regulate hardware manufacturers who also collect data along with the software. It advocated a mechanism for certification of all digital and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

The committee, considering the immediate need to regulate social media intermediaries have expressed a strong view that these designated intermediaries may be working as publishers of the content in many situations, owing to the fact that they have the ability to select the receiver of the content and also exercise control over the access to any such content hosted by them, the report said.

The panel recommended that all social media platforms, which do not act as intermediaries, be treated as publishers and be held accountable for the content they host.

Further, the committee has recommended that a statutory media regulatory authority, on the lines of Press Council of India, may be set up for the regulation of the contents on all such media platforms irrespective of the platform where their content is published, whether online, print or otherwise, it said.

A mechanism should be devised where social media platforms, which do not act as intermediaries, will be held responsible for the content from unverified accounts on their platforms.

Once application for verification is submitted with necessary documents, the social media intermediaries must mandatorily verify the account, said the report.

The changes it has proposed to the Bill include classifying social media platforms as significant data fiduciary.

The committee suggested that no social media platform should be allowed to operate in India unless the parent company sets up a local office.

It has sought to bring non-personal data in its ambit too, saying restricting the new legislation only to personal data protection or to name it as Personal Data Protection Bill is detrimental to privacy.

Accordingly, it has suggested that the title of the bill be amended to Data Protection Bill, 2021.

The committee, therefore, recommend that since the DPA (Data Protection Authority) will handle both personal and non-personal data, any further policy / legal framework on non-personal data may be made a part of the same enactment instead of any separate legislation, it said.

Suggestions made by the panel are not binding. The committee has favoured a 24-month timeline for implementation of the provisions of the legislation so that the data fiduciaries and data processors have enough time to make the necessary changes to their policies, infrastructure and processes.

The committee, its report, said though there are provisions (in the Bill) for cross-border transfer of data, some concrete steps must be taken by the central government to ensure that a mirror copy of the sensitive and critical personal data which is already in possession of the foreign entities be mandatorily brought to India in a time-bound manner.
The island warns Communist China not to interfere. Polls open tomorrow. The government has sided with the no vote on all four questions, but the polls do not favour it. The most important, especially for relations with the US, is the one on the reinstatement of the ban on ractopamine meat imports. The others concern energy policy and the conduct of future referendums.

Taipei (AsiaNews) - Tomorrow's four referendums in Taiwan are an internal matter and China is in no position to "interfere", according the Taiwanese Council for Affairs with the Chinese mainland. The tough statement was issued yesterday after Beijing attacked the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of President Tsai Ing-wen, which is in favour of a no vote in all four referendums.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office accused Tsai of using alarmist tones and promoting anti-Beijing sentiments during a rally in Tainan on 12 December. In the eyes of the Chinese leadership, Tsai is a dangerous secessionist. China considers Taiwan a 'rebel province' and has never ruled out recapturing it by force. The island has been de facto independent from Beijing since 1949; at that time Chiang Kai-shek's nationalists found refuge there after losing the civil war on the mainland to the communists, making it the heir to the Republic of China founded in 1912.

Tsai believes that the possible approval of the question on the import ban on ractopamine pork will have an impact on the island's trade relations. Ractopamine is a steroid used on farms in countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan and South Korea, but banned by the European Union, for example.

The Taiwanese leader's reference is mainly to the negotiations between the island and Washington to conclude a free trade agreement. Without such an agreement, Taipei fears that it will not be able to free itself from its economic dependence on Beijing. Despite the Tsai administration's efforts in this direction, Communist China remains the primary destination of Taiwanese exports: 43% of the total, with an increase of almost 15% in 2020.

This year, the Taiwanese government lifted a previous ban on imports of pork containing ractopamine. The referendum on the reinstatement of the ban was promoted by the Kuomintang, the pro-Beijing nationalist party, the main opposition force to the DPP. In the calculations of Chiang Kai-shek's heirs, a referendum victory would be the springboard to return to power after the Tsai interlude.

A second referendum asks whether citizens want the completion of a nuclear power plant (the fourth in the country) in the Gongliao district, which has been kept in mothballs since 2014. The third concerns the possibility of holding referendums in conjunction with general elections, and the last is the decision to move a regasifier, which is planned to be built near a coral seaweed reef off the Datan coast.

A recent poll commissioned by the independence-leaning New Power Party shows that the turnout could be as high as 75 per cent. Voters would be inclined to reject the nuclear question and support the other three.
by Shafique Khokhar

The students of cutting, sewing and candle making showed their products and sold them ahead of Christmas. Women can do a lot if they are given the opportunity, said volunteer.

Karachi (AsiaNews)  I was overwhelmed with joy when visitors bought my candles and Christmas items, said Shirley Fernandez, a student who attended Caritas Karachi's entrepreneurship courses, speaking to AsiaNews.

Lessons in cutting and sewing and candle making enabled her and other Pakistani women to financially support their families.

Yesterday the group organised an exhibit outside a Karachi church and sold the products they made.

Poonam Shahzad, a volunteer who coordinated the initiative, explained that with this project Caritas has allowed women to explore their talents and show that they can do a lot if they are given the opportunity.

Mansha Noor, executive secretary of Caritas Karachi, gave the inaugural address. He urged visitors to let their daughters study and allow them to be economically independent.

"This way they will have the opportunity to gain experience in their chosen field even before they graduate, he said.

Poonam Shahzad, Seemi Kulsoom, Shirly Fernadez, and Nadia Javed honour our community, he said, addressing some of the women who participated in the project.

The visitors included Kashif Anthony, National Commission for Justice and Peace coordinator at the Archdiocese of Karachi, who thanked the entire team.

Christmas, he said, is the time to spread good news and joy, and today's exhibit added happiness to this holiday season.

Most of all, We must appreciate and thank these young women for their efforts and for becoming a support for their families and a role model for many girls.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

The Russian Parliament abolishes the terms 'president' and 'governor' for the leaders of federal bodies. Putin wants a "unitary" and centralised state. The fears of ethnic groups such as the Tatars in the face of Great Russian nationalism. The Caucasus sees hike in "hate of Russians".

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The State Duma has approved the law "On common principles of organisation of public authority in the subjects of the Russian Federation". The measure abolishes the terms "president" and "governor" for the heads of the almost 100 federal subjects (republics, autonomous districts, regions, metropolitan cities), who will now only be able to call themselves "heads".

In the vote on 14 December, a quarter of the 400 deputies voted against, expressing the unease of the "defenders of nationalities", who consider this further step in imposing the "vertical of power" and the death knell of the very concept of a Russian federation.

The Putin regime began to assert itself in 2000 by stripping regional leaders of the autonomy granted to them by electoral consensus, making them presidentially appointed officials. Eligibility was partially restored in 2012, counting on the completed 'normalisation' of all forms of autonomy. However, the issue has become topical again in recent years, with the emergence of an "imperial" variant of Moscow's central power in the face of protests and electoral surprises in many provinces, especially in Siberia.

According to Rkail Zajdullah, deputy of the Tatarstan State Council and president of the writers of the Tatar republic, this step is a prelude to the elimination of the status of "national republics", of which Tatarstan is one of the most historically significant, as he said in an interview with Radio Svoboda. There are about two hundred nationalities throughout Russia, and they enjoy legal and political recognition in various areas, from the use of their native language to foreign representation, which Moscow has tolerated in alternating phases. It was Boris Yeltsyn in the 1990s who invited local authorities to "take as much autonomy as you are able to digest".

Zajdullah speaks of "a sense of impotence in the face of this imposition, which leaves us with our fists clenched in our pockets for the offence received. They didn't accept any corrective measures; we had proposed to at leas include a confirmatory referendum at local level." He explained that 'it's not just a question of the formal titles of the top leaders, chief or khan, as Zirinovsky says; the dignity of the institutions is at stake. So we shouldn't even call those in student clubs president, let alone the Academy of Sciences'.

For Zajdullah, 'the president of Tatarstan is the symbolic leader of all Tatars, we don't want to put him on the same level as the president of France, and in any case many faculties will be taken away from him, not just his name'. The post-Soviet presidents of Kazan, 84-year-old Mintimer Saimiev and his successor Rustam Minnikhanov, in office since 2010, did not want to support the local deputies' revolt against the law, well aware that Putin would not back down on the idea of the "unitary state".

Moreover, the Russian president has intervened several times in recent months, saying that the Federation was "a mistake made by Lenin, a great revolutionary, but a bad statesman", which Stalin had to partially remedy, "even with repression". The Tatars, and like them other ethnic groups in Russia, are afraid not so much of losing their identity, usually well protected in their homeland, but of no longer being able to defend their compatriots in the other regions of the Federation and abroad, and therefore of being 'ghettoised' and compressed by Great Russian nationalism.

Some fear that the centralist forcing may lead to radicalisation of ethnic groups, which is very difficult in a Russia that is increasingly fierce in repressing all forms of "extremism" and foreign interference. It is no coincidence that it is representatives of culture, such as Zajdullah, or the well-known film director Aleksandr Sokurov, who on 10 December argued with Putin live on TV, during an online meeting with members of the Human Rights Council, calling for the "liberation" of regions that want to separate from Russia, especially in the Caucasus, because "they are beginning to hate the Russians". The president reacted harshly, as if they wanted to "return to Muscovy", the original state of central Russia in the Middle Ages, before Moscow started building its Eurasian empire.
According to a report by the countrys statistical agency 18 per cent of families were poor in the first half of 2021. Repeated tight lockdowns are the main factor. [O]ur parish receives requests for help from families every day, said Fr Caelli, parish priest in Paranaque.

Manila (AsiaNews)  At least 26.1 million Filipinos live in poverty, nearly four million more than in 2018, this according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population.

In the first half of the year, the poverty rate rose to 23.7 per cent, much higher than three years ago, when it was 21.1 per cent or 22.26 million people.

About 18 per cent of families (4.74 million) live below the poverty line, that is 700,000 more than in 2018.

This year the minimum revenue needed by a family of five was estimated at P 12,082 (around US$ 242) per month. A household that earns less than that cannot meet its food and other basic needs; in 2018, P 10,532 (around US$ 211) were sufficient.

Fr Simone Caelli, a PIME missionary in Paranaque, one of the 16 cities that make up Metro Manila, can attest to the poverty.

"COVID has increased the contradictions, he told AsiaNews. A few days ago, Paranaque was recognised as the fifth richest municipality based on taxes paid, he explained. Yet, there are still many poor people".

His parish in Paranaque is located near the international airport, an area where tall buildings and large shopping malls continue to be built. But not far away, there is a huge slum.

We faced four very tight lockdowns, dark red if we used Italian (colour-coded) categories, Fr Caelli noted.

"In our parish there are pockets of chronic poverty because many could not make ends meet even before the pandemic, but COVID made it worse.

Because of the restrictions many people have lost their jobs, especially bricklayers and pedicab[*] drivers, he added.

People couldnt work for a very long time and now they can carry at best one person, which is too little. We know this because our parish receives requests for help from families every day.

[*] A hatchback tricycle.
The cabinet has approved a bill that now goes before parliament. Currently the limit is 18, but in rural areas it is largely ignored. Tensions with Muslim groups that consider the bill an arbitrary interference.

New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies)  The Modi government approved a bill on Wednesday that would raise the legal age of marriage for women to 21 years, bringing it on par with that of men. The old law, amended in 1978, set the marriage age of women at 18.

The bill, which now goes before the Parliament of India during its winter session, is another step in the fight against child marriages, which remains a widespread practice, especially in rural areas, despite the law.

According to an official survey conducted in 2019, 23.3 per cent of Indian women between the ages of 20 and 24 were married before turning 18.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the new legislation in his Independence Day speech last year. However, the proposed legislative changes reflect changes in Indian society.

If we talk about gender equity and gender empowerment in every field, then we can't leave marriage out, said Jaya Jaitly, the former Samata Party chief who led the four-member task force charged with making recommendations in the matter.

The very odd message that [the] girl can be fit to be married at 18 [. . .] cuts away her opportunity to go to college while the man has the opportunity to prepare himself for life and earning up to 21.

The governments bill is already a major topic of discussion in Indian society since it would take precedence over local laws that recognise the prerogatives of individual religious communities in relation to marriage.

Indias Muslims have in fact already expressed their opposition to raising the legal age to 21 years.

Indian Union Muslim League leader E T Mohammad Basheer has already presented a motion in parliament today opposing the government's decision saying that it is contrary to Muslim personal law and is a step towards a uniform civil code in the country.

We will oppose this. The government is trying to implement the Sangh Parivar[*]s favourite agenda of uniform civil code. The Muslim Personal Law Board clearly defines marriage, divorce and right to property. These issues relate to our faith, Basheer said.

[*] Sangh Parivar is a collective term that refers to a number of organisations that share the same Hindu nationalist ideology, Hindutva.
Sixty-four out of 65 reporters kidnapped this year were in the Mideast. The one exception is a French reporter who went missing in Mali in April. At least 44 kidnappings took place in Syria, 11 in Iraq, and nine in Yemen. This is an all-time high; however, 2021 saw the lowest number of killings in 25 years (46).

Baghdad (AsiaNews)  Almost all of the journalists abducted in the world this year were in a Middle Eastern country at the time of they went missing, this according to a recent report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF[*]).

Overall, 65 reporters are currently being held in the world, 64 of them by extremist and jihadi gangs and organised groups in Middle Eastern area.

The report, which includes reporters who were arrested, killed, held hostage and gone missing, indicates that 44 abductions took place in Syria, 11 in Iraq and nine in Yemen.

French journalist Olivier Dubois, who disappeared in Mali in April, is the only one held outside the region.

In Syria, the main threat is represented by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an extremist group that controls the Idlib region, in the north-west of the country, one of the few areas still outside government control.

HTS kidnapped four journalists this year: Khaled Hseno, Adham Dashrne and the brothers Bashar and Mohamed Alshekh.

In total about 488 media professionals are in detention around the world, the highest number since RSF began keeping such data more than 25 years ago.

Conversely, this year has had so far, the lowest number of journalists killed (46) in a quarter of a century, largely due to the relative stabilisation of conflicts in the Middle East after the peak of 2016.

Of all the killings that took place in 2021, the vast majority resulted from murders: 65 per cent were deliberately targeted to be eliminated.

The number of journalists arrested is also up, 60 in total, a third more than in 2020.

Among the most striking cases in the Mideast there is that of Ali Aboluhom, a journalist of Yemeni origin who was given a 15-year sentence in Saudi Arabia for a tweet containing ideas of apostasy, atheism and blasphemy.

The oldest journalist under arrest is Kayvan Samimi Behbahani, one of 12 reporters currently jailed in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The 72-year-old editor-in-chief of Iran Farda was sentenced to three years in prison for anti-government propaganda.

[*] Reporters sans frontieres.
Today's headlines: 19 confirmed dead in a fire in Japan; Burmese junta sentences Rohingya who tried to flee the country to 5 years in prison; from April to June this year only two North Korean defectors arrived in the South; Palestinian embroidery added to UNESCO intangible heritage list.

USA - CHINA

The U.S. Congress has passed a law requiring companies to prove that imported goods from Xinjiang were not made with forced labor. The bill had met with criticism from Nike, Coca Cola and Apple that operate in the region. Washington terms Beijing's crackdown on the Uyghur Muslim minority "genocide."

NORTH KOREA

Today North Korea celebrated the 10th anniversary of the death of Kim Jong-il, father of the current leader. Unlike other years, Kim Jong-un did not visit the family mausoleum; state media simply published appeals for the country's unity. From April to June of this year, only two North Korean defectors arrived in South Korea, the lowest number ever in a single quarter.

JAPAN

19 deaths have been confirmed so far in a fire that broke out at a medical clinic in Osaka, but the final toll could be higher. Investigative sources reported that "a man started the fire." The incident took place in Osaka's Kitashinchi district, where many bars and nightclubs are located.

MYANMAR

A Myanmar court sentenced 109 Rohingya refugees to five years in prison for attempting to leave the country. Those convicted were part of a larger refugee group of 228 people intercepted by the Burmese navy in late November off the coast of Bangladesh. Following armed clashes between the army and ethnic militias, hundreds fled and took refuge in Thailand yesterday.

PHILIPPINES

The death toll from typhoon Rai, which hit the Philippines, has risen to 6. More than 300 thousand people have abandoned their homes in search of shelter. Communications have been interrupted and more than 200 flights cancelled. Yesterday winds reached 195 km/h; today they stopped at 155 km/h.

PAKISTAN

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting in Islamabad next week will be used to find solutions to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where the health care system has collapsed. The conference will be attended by the Taliban and representatives from Pakistan, China, Russia and the United States. Japan, Australia, Canada and Germany have also been invited.

PALESTINE

The traditional Palestinian embroidery technique has been included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list. The decision was made yesterday during the 16th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage. "It is an important step to protect our Palestinian identity, heritage and narrative in the face of the occupation's attempts to steal what it does not possess," said Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh.

RUSSIA

A decree has been issued in Moscow banning 400 Central Asian migrants from entering Russia for 40 years, guilty of street brawls and "other impermissible activities," according to Interior Ministry Migrant Department Director Tatiana Dmitrieva. Moscow is currently home to 1.3 million migrants, more than 80% of whom have jobs, including 31% from Uzbekistan, 26% from Tajikistan and 25.4% from Kyrgyzstan.
Lox Club Review: How to Get Accepted to the Elite Jewish Dating App & What to Expect

A Look at Lox Club, a Membership-Based App Advertised for Jewish Singles

Nowadays, theres a dating app for just about every religion, sexual preference, hobby, and interest you can think of  from dog lovers, music fans, and fitness fanatics to sober, polyamorous, and bi-curious people, you name it. The idea, of course, is that these niche apps boost the odds that youll find someone you have things in common with.

Case in point: Lox Club, a relatively new platform thats aimed at Jews with ridiculously high standards. Being described like a Raya for Jewish people (and the people who love them), it isnt super easy to get accepted onto this membership-based app.

As it turns out, the whole idea for Lox Club started as a joke. Founder Austin Kevitch has said the site was initially intended to be a parody of all the dating apps and sites he found so superficial and cringe-y. But it was peak COVID-19 times, leaving many super lonely with more time on their hands to actively search for love. Within just a few days, more than 1,000 people had applied for the Kevitch's app before it even fully existed, leaving him with something unexpectedly special on his hands.

RELATED: The Trick to Joining Raya, One of the Most Exclusive Dating Services Out There

Lox Club, which officially launched in the fall of 2020, has since attracted a slew of eager applicants looking for  you know, the kind of person you want to grab a late-night bite at Katzs deli with or someone your sweet grandmother would take a liking to. Unfortunately, not everyone gets approved, and there are some important considerations youll want to make when submitting your application to increase your odds of acceptance.

Intrigued? We dont blame you.

Heres how to use Lox Club, plus some tips for getting approved and making the most of your app experience.

Applying to Lox Club

The first thing to know? Lox Club is currently only available in select cities: New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. That said, the company plans to launch in more regions as soon as possible.

When filling out basic info like your name, gender, and gender(s) youre interested in, youll also provide your hometown and current location, college, current job, and brief career history. Youll also be asked to explain why you want to join the Lox Club community, a key component to being accepted onto the exclusive app.

Were really looking for thoughtful applicants who make the effort to share a bit more about themselves, including their aspirations and interest in joining Lox, Kevitch told AskMen.

All applicants are required to submit one recent photo of themselves, as well as the link to their Instagram account (or LinkedIn if they dont have social media). The membership board uses this to verify an applicants identity across platforms, thus keeping catfishers and other shady characters off the app entirely.

How Members Are Chosen on Lox Club

Just like the brined salmon its named after, Lox Club isnt just for Jewish people. Rather, its for authentic, well-rounded people with ambitious dreams and careers who dont take themselves too seriously.

Our focus with Lox Club has always been more about connecting people with shared values, says Kevitch. The goal is to curate a culture with our members around keeping close bonds with family and friends, being ambitious and career-oriented, and giving back to their communities or engaging in service. Were Jewish ourselves so were well-versed in those values, but you dont have to be Jewish to have them too. We like to say that Lox Club is like a deli  culturally Jewish, sure, but anyone can enjoy it.

Still, only around 20% of Lox Club applicants are accepted. As for what the membership committee looks for, Kevitch says that showing youre driven, passionate, and balanced and taking the time to provide thorough, thoughtful responses to the questions can go a long way.

Lox Club advises submitting a photo where your face is clearly visible  no far-away body shots or selfies with sunglasses. Ultimately, theyre just seeking non-douchey, ambitious, funny, down-to-earth people.

We dont care about Instagram followers, and we tend to vibe with people who also dont care about that, notes Kevitch. Self-awareness is hot. So is someone who takes time to carefully consider their application responses. Were looking for people who are intentional about being engaged with the platform and our events, not just looking for another dating app to aimlessly swipe on.

You can typically expect a decision on your application within a couple of weeks, and if youre accepted, youll get a notification from the app with a warm welcome. Even if youre not approved, you'll be offered a place on the waiting list instead of a flat-out rejection.

Being Waitlisted for Lox Club

According to Kevitch, there are several factors that might lead to being waitlisted rather than outright accepted. Those who do not take the application process seriously (no, emojis are not ever considered a real or appropriate answer), or who are very clearly only looking for non-committal hook-ups will likely be placed on the waitlist.

No judgment, he says, its just not what Lox Club is all about.

There are currently about 20,000 people on that waitlist, but dont stress  Lox Club reviews this list weekly for potential new members, and theyll send you a push notification as soon as your application status changes.

Membership Fees for Lox Club

Once accepted, everyone pays a certainly amount to officially join.

This ensures each member is joining for the right reasons, and serious about finding a meaningful connection according to the Lox Club team.

Those fees are as follows: $36 for three months, $60 for six months, or $96 for 12 months.

Building Your Profile on Lox Club

Your profile on Lox Club includes a career and ambitions section, followed by school, work, location, and hometown. Members are also required to add six photos of themselves and answer three prompts, which they select from a long list of questions.

Those prompts range from sharing your bar/bat mitzvah theme to admitting the last thing you Googled or the most neurotic thing about you. Have fun with these! They're a great opportunity to let your sparkling personality shine through (and whats going to help rack up those matches).

How to Use Lox Club

In the interest of creating a culture in which every like feels meaningful and intentional rather than a numbers game, Lox Club has a limit on the number of members you can see at one time.

We like to keep you on your toes, so the exact number changes every single time, explains Kevitch. Members typically will see around 10 members every six hours unless they choose to skip the wait and purchase extra swipes.

Once you and someone else both mutually hit the like button on each others profiles, youll both be notified that you have a new match. You cant communicate with someone directly until they have expressed mutual interest.

Undoubtedly, one of the most unique features of the app is that all members have access to a matchmaker, who can help you spruce up your profile and make suggestions regarding images and prompts that are most likely to attract matches.

Kevitch tells AskMen that theyre also working on a new feature where you can share a handwritten note to another member who really catches your eye.

Ultimately, the best way to be successful on Lox Club, says Kevitch, is to be thorough in sharing as much information about yourself as possible.

One-word answers to your prompts are not going to cut it, he explains. Humor is key, but also substance. Who are you? Whats your personality like? What am I getting myself into? I dont want to read a novel, but I also dont want to just see that your morning routine consists of smoothie, yoga, shower. Give us a little bit of a taste. Get a little weird with it.

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Organizers help to get more than 300 people vaccinated in November on the Aspen School District campus. On Monday, boosters are available through Pitkin County to anyone fully vaccinated and at least 18 years of age  though as of Thursday, there was already a waitlist.
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The technical aviation term wind-in-ground vehicle (WIG) depicts a type of vehicle that can float and dock like boats but also take off and fly above the water, like aircraft. The modern version developed by a Boston-based company called Regent features the modern hydrofoil technology (underwater wings) that can be operated even in crowded harbors, with increased performance. Plus, its emissions-free, in line with the green revolution.Regent wants to revolutionize coastal travel, offering passengers a fast, affordable, and sustainable way of flying. And it chose Tampa Bay for the seagliders grand debut because it offers a large harbor, great dock infrastructure, mild weather, and support from local authorities. Tampa Bay Times reports that the first commercial seaglider will carry around 12 passengers to locations such as St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Fort Myers. Regents aircraft can speed up to 180 mph (290 kph) and travel for 180 miles (290 km) at this speed. Regents chief executive Billy Thalheimer told Tampa Bay Times that the first prototype will start testing in the Tampa area as soon as next year, with commercial flights set to start by 2025. This means that Tampa will become one of the first cities in the U.S. to roll out seaglider regular flights.If youre wondering how much will that cost, thats still unknown. The airlines that will operate the seaglider are the ones who will set the ticket price, but Thalheimer says it will be more affordable than regular commercial flights. The upcoming Tampa debut is just the beginning. The Boston-based company plans to develop even larger versions, which can carry up to 100 passengers. Also, as car battery performance continues to evolve, the seaglider will be able to increase its range and reach much further.
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Pricing kicks off at $66,700, before the $1,045 destination charge, and for the MDX Type S with Advance Package, you are looking at a minimum of $72,050. Both return 17/21/19 mpg (13.8/11.2/12.4 l/100 km) in city/highway/combined.Some of the highlights of the vehicle are the air suspension with adjustable ride height, adaptive dampers with three different profiles, specific to the Type S, seven-mode Integrated Dynamics System with exclusive Sport+ and Lift modes, Brembo brakes with 14.3-inch (363-mm) discs, and red four-piston calipers, and exhaust system with active valves and four pipes.The MDX Type S comes with 21-inch wheels wrapped in high-performance all-season tires, heated and ventilated front seats with electric adjustment, a 12.3-inch infotainment system, and digital dials. The wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in Alexa, wireless charging pad, ambient lighting, aluminum trim, remote engine start, and others are also standard.Getting the MDX Type S with Advance Package means benefiting from the head-up display, additional electric adjustment for the front seats that also have a massaging function, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, premium audio, open-pore wood trim, surround-view camera system, hands-free tailgate, acoustic laminated glass for the rear doors, and plush floor mats and carpeting.Powering Acuras sporty crossover is a 3.0-liter V6 turbo that works in concert with a 10-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. The engine produces 355 hp (360 ps / 265) at 5,500 rpm and 354 lb-ft (480 Nm) of torque between 1,400 and 5,000 rpm, for a 0 to 60 mph (0-97 kph) time estimated to take around 6 seconds.
CVT

Right off the bat, you can tell this isnt your run-of-the-mill Corolla , thanks mostly to the factory-custom body package. It consists of a black body kit with bronze accents, a front spoiler, fog light covers, side moldings and a rear diffuser. A large rear aero spoiler will also be available as an option to buyers who want to display even more attitude, as the carmaker puts it.Hidden features, albeit even more important than the improved visuals, include the unique track-tuned suspension, whose dynamic characteristics were developed through extensive testing on different tracks across the globe, including the TMC Higashi-Fuji Proving Ground in Japan, Toyota Arizona Proving Ground and MotorSport Ranch in Texas.Power comes courtesy of a 2.0-liter gasoline unit, with 169 hp and 151 lb-ft (204 Nm) of torque channeled through either a Dynamic Shiftgearbox or a six-speed manual unit (SE grade only). The latter is aimed at car enthusiasts and comes with downshift rev-matching control  meaning it automatically adjusts engine revs when youre changing gears so as to ensure smoother shifting.Other highlights include the lower ride height (by 0.6 inches), 18-inch flow-formed alloy wheels with a gloss black appearance, the bespoke electronic power steering and a specially developed catback exhaust system with a throatier tone at start-up and an enhanced voice at wide-open throttle.Inside, the Corolla SE Apex Edition boasts premium fabric upholstery, while the XSE Apex Edition gets black SofTex-trimmed fabric upholstery. The latter trim also offers heated front seats, including an 8-way power-adjustable drivers seat with power lumbar support.
It goes without saying that some people just resisted the switch until the very last minute, despite all efforts made by Google to make the transition as seamless as possible.Now that Google Play Music is no more, YouTube Music is obviously Googles recommended choice not only on Android mobile devices but in the car as well. But since the Mountain View-based search giant keeps insisting so much on Android Auto users to try out YouTube Music, some believe the company even turns to questionable tactics to reach its purpose.A glitch that was recently discovered by Android Auto users and reported here on Googles forums causes YouTube Music to always return as the default music app in the car.In other words, while users manually configure another app as the default music app in Google Assistant, YouTube Music keeps coming back overnight as the configured choice.This makes it harder to listen to music in the car with Android Auto on the head unit, as the app always tries to launch YouTube Music, obviously recommending a subscription for access to the entire feature lineup.I do not want to use YouTube Music and do not have it installed on my phone. All of my music is stored locally on my phone, someone says on the forums Of course, it was just a matter of time until people out there started thinking of dirty tactics employed by Google to push more users to YouTube Music, though this really doesnt seem to be the case here.Most likely, its all just a problem with the way Google Assistant handles the default music player settings for Android Auto, and while the search giant hasnt said anything in this regard, expect some fixes to be included in the next Google app updates.
Earlier this year, in February, BMW offered an over-the-air update to over one million vehicles , and it brought Amazon Alexa to those vehicles. As usual, not all updates of this kind will go to all BMW models on all markets, which is why this article will focus on those sold in the North American market.Some BMW models sold in other markets may get some of these features with the update when it becomes available for them, but if some features are not available in your market, adding this update will not work magic. For example, BMW has implemented SiriusXM Pandora Artists stations with the new update. If you do not have SiriusXM coverage in your country, this update will not work miracles.Now, coming back to the update, you should know that BMW has made refinements to its Lane Departure Warning function. The latter will know if it is on a narrow road without a center marking and will automatically suppress steering intervention.That means that the vehicles will no longer try to steer towards the middle of a two-lane road without a center marking. So, drivers will no longer have to deactivate the system if they encountered such interventions in the past.Moreover, Real-Time Traffic Information (RTTI) from BMW Maps can now process congestion data on turning lanes, which means a more accurate prediction of the arrival time, along with optimized routing. That only works if you use the vehicle's built-in navigation system instead of Waze, Apple Maps, or Google Maps, though.BMW drivers with Android smartphones will be happy to learn that an advanced volume control feature has been implemented to work when their devices are connected to the vehicle via Bluetooth. The idea is that the seemingly minor update will provide an enhanced sound experience during streaming music or podcasts.Moreover, select Android devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro , will be able to support the second-generation BMW Digital Key. The latter is available as an option for almost all new BMW models, so this is a big update.Users of Spotify and Pandora will be able to enjoy a better integration of those apps within the BMW Connected Music app. All MY2022 and later BMW models equipped with SiriusXM with 360L will get Pandora stations, but the feature will be available to vehicles that are fitted with SiriusXM 360L when they were ordered.If you are not a user of those apps, do not pout, as you might change your preferences in the future. The update process requires user intervention, and this is how it is done Meanwhile, owners of BMW M3 and M4 models will be able to configure sounds they hear when starting the engine, as well as the sound that is heard when gears are shifted on their eight-speed M Steptronic transmissions. With the use of the Sound Control Button, a quieter drive mode can be selected.
Senator Elizabeth Warren penned a letter regarding this matter later obtained by CNN's news team. In this letter, Warren torched the global auto industry, in which just five companies control over 50% of the world's semiconductor production, leaving smaller independent companies at the mercy of multinational corporations."This market concentration has reduced competition, allowing giant corporations to deliver massive returns for shareholders," Warren explained in her passionate letter sent to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. "But it has harmed consumers by enabling these dominant companies to increase prices and underinvest in key capabilities, which has the effect of also reducing product innovation and product quality."The Semiconductor Industry Association of America responded to this statement by agreeing with Senator Warren, urging for support of new chip manufacturing operations in domestic American spaces , which once were outsourced to other nations. Before the global health crisis brought upon the worst supply chain crisis in recent memory. Still, the group didn't agree wholeheartedly with Warren's claims. Offering a retort via John Neuffer, CEO of the trade group"Some of the Senator's other assertions are simply wide of the mark," said Neuffer. "The semiconductor industry is one of the world's most fiercely competitive, innovative, and economically impactful sectors, revolutionizing entire segments of the economy and dramatically improving our way of life."While politicians and business trade groups alike bicker over who is to blame for the current supply crisis , the issues carry on growing more severe each day. As the consuming public, we can only sit back and pray that the situation miraculously improves.
Once the production facility is finalized and running, it will initially produce battery cells for just 1,000 vehicles per year, but the planned production capacity will be 100 MWh per year, which means that it will roll out mass production later.The year 2024 will bring this hike in production to meet increased demand. By 2025, the company will grow its workforce four-fold, from the current 23 employees to about 100 people.As company officials announce, the high-performance battery cells made by Cellforce will likely be installed in electric Porsche models . With that in mind, it is easy to understand why the new facility was positioned in the Stuttgart area.Due to its strategic location, the factory will be close both to the Weissach research center, Porsche 's factories, and even other important companies from the automotive industry. Proximity to one of its largest potential customers will both help speed up delivery times, and reduce the carbon footprint of the supply chain.Initially, the factory was supposed to be constructed near a town called Tubingen, where the company already had a facility. Plans have evolved in a different direction since then, and the shareholders of the two companies that have formed the joint venture have decided on the North Reutlingen/Kirchentellinsfurt industrial estate.With the new position of the factory decided, all that is left is to construct a factory on the 28,151-square-meter site. The Federal Republic of Germany, along with the state of Baden-Wurttemberg, is funding the project that is estimated at 60 million euros. Their goal is to help create a competitive value chain for lithium-ion batteries in Europe.The new cells developed by Cellforce use silicone as their anode material, which allows engineers to increase the power density when compared to current technologies. That means that smaller batteries can be made while maintaining current capacity and performance levels.Moreover, the new battery chemistry allows these high-performance cells to absorb more energy than currently possible with existing cells. That will bring both a rise in performance for fast-charging purposes, but also during energy recuperation. According to Cellforce, the new cells are also more resistant to high temperatures than conventional ones.
These are the latest accusations levied at the Chinese Government. The latest report from Reuters details how the German auto parts supplier Continental has seen pressure from the Chinese Communist Party to cut ties with its facilities in the Baltic state of Lithuania.The news comes after Lithuanian lawmakers doubled down on their stance towards the Republic of Taiwan as its own legitimate and rightfully independent country separate from Mainland China. This notion directly contradicts the edicts of Communist Party leader Xi Xinping. The Chinese President has made it clear he has no qualms with military brinkmanship over the heavily disputed Taiwanese islands.Official party sources have warned the German auto supplier to sever ties with its production facilities in Lithuania immediately or face severing ties entirely with the world's fastest-growing economy. In an auto market where a global supply chain shortage has profits strained on all sides, this could prove a death penalty for an already ailing global supplier Continental is primarily known for its rubber tire production. Their performance tires are world-renowned for their advanced rubber compounds and competitive price to performance figures. Strained ties with one of their largest markets could see the brand unable to continue the high degree of quality control they've prided themselves on for decades. They could become one of the first permanent casualties of the global supply chain crisis if powerful outside actors continue to throw their weight around.Meanwhile, the situation in the South China Sea remains dubious at best. American and Chinese militaries continue to have a profound presence in the region. By rook or by crook, Continental has found itself right in the crosshairs of this scuffle. It's a case of international foreign policy at its absolute worst.
Military aircraft connoisseurs are familiar with the Spitfire, Britains most famous aircraft , but not too many people know about its naval version, the Supermarine Seafire. In the 1940s, the fierce Spitfire was used to develop a naval version that would boast the same powerful characteristics, including its speed, rate of climb, and maneuverability.The Seafire SX336 was produced at the Westland factory in Yeovil, in 1946. It was an Mk XVII model, powered by a Rolls-Royce Griffon VI engine. Compared to the early Spitfires, this ship-borne beast was stronger in terms of firepower and speed. Navy Wings says that the Rolls-Royce engine was famous among pilots and engineers. So much so, that it was said that you can hear a Merlin, but you feel a Griffon.According to the Charity, the Seafire successfully battled with the famous Japanese suicide planes, becoming one of the best carrier interceptors (fast attack aircraft launched by carrier ships) of WWII. It then went on to participate in many other battles, obtaining prestigious honors for its performance. This powerful naval aircraft continued to serve with the Fleet Air Arm until the 1950s, when the first jets started to replace older models.Out of the 2,600 Seafires that were built, very few still exist today. This particular Seafire SX336 is, in fact, the only airworthy Mk XVII, which makes it even more special. After having been restored by its previous owner, the Seafire can now be displayed on the UK Air Show circuit. It even came with a spare for its might engine, essential for the long-term sustainability of this veteran aircraft. Luckily, thanks to this generous gift, future generations will also get the chance to admire one of the most impressive aircraft in naval history.
49 years was enough time for McDonnell Douglas to disappear from the scene, being engulfed by behemoth Boeing , and for the F-15 to gain enough variants to suit all sorts of needs.The F-15C variant, for instance, came to be 42 years ago, in 1979, as an all-weather single-seater fighter. For any other type of machine, that might seem like a very long time, but not for hardware intended to fight and kill.The Eagle however doesnt show its age, and thats clearly visible in the photo we have here. This particular fighter, deployed with the 44th Fighter Squadron out of Kadena Air Base in Japan, looks as fit as new while conducting a routine training mission in the skies over the American Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.Born as the 44th Pursuit Squadron in January 1941, the squadron was responsible with fighting Japanese airplanes and ships in the South and Southwest Pacific in the war years and later took part in the Vietnam war. Since 1971, the unit has been flying defense missions over Japan and is now using solely F-15s for their job.Powered by a couple of Pratt & Whitney turbofan engines with afterburners that develop 23,770 lbf of thrust at full throttle, the F-15C can reach speeds of Mach 2.5 (1,650 mph/2,655 kph).Enough fuel ensures the plane has a range of a little over 1,000 miles (1,609 km) fully loaded with weapons  rotary cannons, missiles  or other high-tech systems hidden in various pods.At the moment, a limited number of countries, under ten, are using this particular airplane.
The arrival of the fighter jets was first announced in 2015 when the Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath was selected to receive the first U.S. F-35A squadrons in Europe. The selection was based on combined training opportunities, very close ties with the RAF, and already existing infrastructure.Moreover, because of its F-35 program partnership and "excellent airspace," UK represents a key component in combat readiness for air forces in Europe.The F-35A Lightning II aircraft is an impressive jet. It's a versatile, 9g-capable multirole fighter that is packed with the latest tech, delivering unparalleled situational awareness. Powered by a Pratt and Whitney F135-PW-100 turbofan engine, this metal beast can fly at speeds that reach Mach 1.6 and cover distances of 1,700 miles (2,800 km).The fighter jet can carry a payload that weighs as much as 18,000 lbs (8,160 kg), and when going into combat, it can be equipped with anything from a 4-barrel rotary cannon to missiles and bombs.Upon landing on UK soil, the aircraft will head to the 495th Fighter Squadron, which is nicknamed the "Valkyries" and is part of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath. The new squadron will consist of 24 F-35A Lightning II aircraft in total, which will be delivered in batches."Valkyries' epitomises the force's move toward more inclusivity and equally represents the fifth-generation stealth fighter's air superiority. Like the Valkyries themselves, we'll be vital to determining the fate of our adversaries in the battlespace," said 495th Fighter Squadron Commander Lieutenant Colonel Ian McLaughlin in a statement.Currently, there are close to 700 F-35s in service around the world. They operate in different configurations that have similar avionics and performance characteristics.
Bell is also responsible for making Americas first jet fighter, the Airacomet, and the mighty X-1 that became the first-ever aircraft to exceed the speed of sound in 1947. Yet, for all its accomplishments with fixed-wing planes, the company, now called Bell Textron, is most visible in the world of helicopters.And their portfolio is simply huge, comprising anything from civilian machines like the 505, the cheapest of the lineup, to the military V-247 unmanned tiltrotor . The company makes the military machines in Fort Worth and Amarillo, Texas, while civilian birds are being put together in Quebec, Canada.It is from there where the video at the bottom of this text comes from, the Commercial Assembly and Delivery Centre where the finishing touches on these machines are made. With a workforce comprising 1,200 employees, the place is responsible, among other things, with providing customized paint services for its customers."This clip, freshly released by Bell, shows in time-lapse fashion the paint process for a Bell 505. And for people who have a fetish for such things, it probably looks just like what was needed to kick off the weekend.A two-man crew in protective overalls is seen going about its business around the body of the bird, the long hoses in their hands spraying black paint all over the body parts.Then come the special graphics, slapped onto the helicopter outside the main paint room, this time in the form of hexagon-shaped white dots, then white, blue and red stripes on the tail.Just when you think thats all there was to it, the 505 goes back in the paint shop to be sprayed black once more, and completely changing the colors previously fitted on it.
Conventional garbage trucks are something that most of us prefer to ignore, but apart from their important job, these vehicles have low fuel efficiency, a high level of CO2 emissions, and high maintenance costs. Plus, they are a nuisance in residential neighborhoods, because of the characteristic noise.An American hydrogen technology company has teamed up with a Dutch company that specializes in zero-emissions refuse collection technology, to develop hydrogen-powered refuse collection trucks. Hyzon s hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle platforms will be fitted with Geesinknorbas refuse collection bodies, compaction mechanisms, and lifters. These innovative garbage trucks will be just as efficient as diesel ones, but will operate with zero emissions and zero noise.Sustainable refuse collection can have a significant impact on decarbonizing communities and improving quality of life in our residential neighborhoods, said Hyzon CEO, Craig Knight. Geesinknorba is the largest provider of battery- and fuel-cell electric garbage trucks in Europe, with more than 7,500 vehicles operating in over 30 countries. Hyzon, on the other hand, is known for its capable hydrogen-powered trucks, which are efficient and robust enough to handle the specific operational requirements of refuse collection vehicles.These types of vehicles that operate a hydraulic compaction system plus lifters work for many hours each day, which is a demanding type of activity for electric trucks. But theres also an advantage  this activity allows a central refueling infrastructure, which makes operating a fleet of hydrogen electric trucks much easier.The first client of the Hyzon-Geesinknorba hydrogen fuel cell garbage trucks is the government of Barcelona, because state agencies are typically early adopters of sustainable technologies. Under a three-year contract, over 300 trucks will be produced at Hyzons manufacturing plant in Groningen, Netherlands, and Geesinknorbas facility in Emmeloord.
This weekend of December 18th and 19th, Hyundai is hosting the very first N Performance Academy at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Bryan Herta Autosport, as a partner of Hyundai, is producing the event that will heavily feature the Veloster N The brand has just announced a new claim, "Never just drive," which they say emphasizes the N mindset and spirit. "Do more than just drive. Enjoy every second of it," they say. That's a refreshing attitude from a brand that a decade ago was known at best for its appliance-like commuter cars.Now, they're leading the way with major award wins, lots of horsepower, and the technology to make their cars some of the fastest in their segment. The i30N, widely believed to be one of the best hot hatches ever, just set an 8:05 lap time at the Nurburgring . That's as fast as a Lamborghini Diablo GT.N Performance Academy will train drivers how to enjoy their cars to the full. Participants will start out on an autocross course before transitioning to the full 12-turn 2.4-mile racetrack. According to Hyundai, after some practice, they'll get to compare their driving line to real racers.Both Mason Fillippi and Harry Gottsacker will be in attendance to provide their expert advice and to give rides to some of the 200 entrants. That's the kind of experience that can make a driver much faster between laps than most standard horsepower upgrades could.There's no word on how participants were selected for the course or how much it might cost to be involved. All we know is that we'll be looking for an invite next year.
EV

The process of buying a new car usually requires going to a dealer and signing up a contract for the new car. All the traditional automakers operate in this way, with the notable exception of Tesla. Theproducer has no dealer network and thus sells its cars directly, through its website. Now, it appears Mercedes-Benz wants to do the same, at least in Europe.The German carmaker announced a deal with its European dealer association (FEAC, Federation Europeenne des Amicales de Concessionnaires Mercedes-Benz) to implement the so-called agency sales model in Europe for the companys cars and vans. The new direct sales model has already been tested in Sweden and Austria and will see a pan-European roll-out, with Germany and UK following in 2023.The new model is more in line with customers changing needs in a digital world and is expected to ensure stronger customer loyalty to the brand. According to Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, responsible for sales, more than half of Mercedes Benz cars available in Europe will be sold under the agency model by 2023.Thanks to this agreement and the new sales model, those who want to buy a Mercedes-Benz vehicle will have more options. They can still go to a dealer to consult product experts or see the cars and even complete the purchase traditionally. Alternatively, they can obtain information and conclude the purchase contract online, without physical interaction.Besides more choices, customers will benefit from a more transparent pricing policy and a greater online selection of vehicles. At the same time, the dealers included in the agency model partnership will be able to concentrate on customers support.Of course, the new model means the dealers will miss some business opportunities since the customer buys the car from Mercedes-Benz. Under the new agreement, the German automaker will compensate the dealers for the cars it sells directly.
Presently, OCC is still around, although not as in the spotlight as it once was, and far less motorcycle-oriented than it used to be - trying to take advantage of the long-ago fame, it mostly sells apparel and such, and does the occasional podcasts.For reasons I cannot fully explain, the custom Harley-Davidson V-Rod we have here brought OCC right back into my memory. Maybe its the flashy orange color (a childish reason, I know) sprayed over the things fenders, frame or fuel tank, or the overall shape of the bike, reminiscent of some of the builds the garage once made, and with a very American feel to it.Now, OCC never really handled V-Rods, as it preferred to build things from the ground up and mostly in the form of choppers. In fact, American custom garages do not like this particular breed of Harleys enough to focus on them, but over in Europe, things are entirely different.These past few days, weve talked aplenty about V-Rods made in Estonia by someone named Fredy Jaates , and we decided to end the week with a blast by bringing to light this orange madness based on a 2002 VRSCA.Propped like all other Fredy Jaates builds on 18-inch wheels, the thing looks much wider than your stock V-Rod thanks to the extra bits of body added in there, like the fenders, covers, fuel tank, or 300 mm wide rear tire.Mechanically, the engine remains the stock one, but other bits were improved, replaced, or added, including the front fork lowering kit, Legend air suspension, brake hardware, or seat.The price of the build was not revealed, of course, as Europeans seldom do that, but dont go thinking that if this Jaates guy is far less famous than Paul Teutul this thing should somewhat be cheap.
EV

Rivian Automotive Inc. said in its first public earnings report since its initial stock offering that it had lost $1.2 billion or $12.21 per share for the quarter. The revenue is $1 million from the delivery of 11 electric trucks. This is in comparison to a year ago-quarter loss of $288 million or $2.88 a share on higher operating losses.In a letter to shareholders, the automaker stated that it lost an adjusted $766 million in the quarter, not specifying the per-share amount. It added that the net orders of its pioneer electric R1T truck had increased to 71,000 by Wednesday from 48,000 pre-orders in September.The companys shares dropped more than 10% to $97.94 in the after-hours trading after initially dropping 5.3% in business hours. Rivian also said that it had lost a total of $2.23 billion in the first nine months of the year.During a call with an analyst Rivian CEO, RJ Scaringe explained that demand for their trucks is not a problem. Thanks to production constraints, an order of one of their electric trucks placed today will most likely get delivered in 2023.Scaringe believes none of the supply chain issues Rivian is facing are long-term and feels they are solvable problems.Rivian has taken the automobile all-electric truck segment by storm . They beat industry leaders Tesla and Ford putting a stamp as the first automaker to bring a fully electric truck to the consumer market.Rivian is riding on a market need for antruck with extreme off-road capability and functionality. Their pioneer truck, the Rivian R1T, is a proven, rugged, unrelenting off-road pickup truck designed to get down and dirty - a first in the EV market segment line.
Nicknamed ADRNLN, the black and yellow piece of perfection last surfaced, to our knowledge back in 2015, when it managed to sell during an auction held by Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, Arizona. It went then for $300,000. Probably believing in good luck charms, the current owner will try and sell it in January next year from the lot of the same auction house and in the same location, with no reserve, but with hopes that it will go for more than last time.Currently reconditioned and presented in the same Ringbrothers quality, the build shines much better than it did when it rolled off the doors of its original manufacturer, thanks to subtle, but effective modifications of the body lines and panels.Its inside where we get to see the Nike influence, with the driver half of the car draped in black leather and the passenger one in yellow, but also things like a more modern instrument cluster, large screen and modern sound system, and also other equally subtle modifications you can experience in full in the gallery above.The sharp apparition is even more so mechanically, as instead of the original Ford it had in there, it now rocks a Wegner Motorsports-handled LS3, paired to a ZF 5-speed manual gearbox and capable of developing 600 horsepower. The engine spins 3-piece forged HRE wheels wrapped in Nitto Invo tires.During its time in this world, the ADRNLN won its share of awards and was even featured in a Petersen Automotive Museum exhibit alongside a 1971 Pantera that belonged to Elvis Presley. You know, in case all the previous bits of info didnt make this thing appealing enough...
Tyler Perry was involved in a serious, two-vehicle crash in California the other night. The good news is that no one was injured, but the bad news is that both cars were totaled.

33 photos
A federal judge on Thursday rejected Purdue Pharma's $4.5 billion bankruptcy settlement with thousands of state, local and tribal governments who sued the company over the opioid epidemic. Purdue said it would appeal the ruling.

Driving the news: U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in New York ruled Thursday the settlement should not be allowed because the court doesn't have the legal authority to release the Sackler family from liability in civil cases, per the New York Times.

McMahon wrote in her decision, "The great unsettled question in this case is whether the bankruptcy court  or any court  is statutorily authorized to grant such releases," according to the NYT.

The big picture: In September, an approved reorganization plan to settle the lawsuits against Purdue included the Sackler family paying the multibillion-dollar sum and renouncing ownership of Purdue Pharma.

The federal government has attempted to hold OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma responsible for the opioid crisis that has killed nearly 841,000 people since 1999.

What they're saying: Attorney General Merrick Garland, whose Justice Department had appealed the bankruptcy settlement plan, said in an emailed statement he's "pleased" with the judge's decision "invalidating the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan."

"The bankruptcy court did not have the authority to deprive victims of the opioid crisis of their right to sue the Sackler family," Garland added.

New York Attorney General Letitia James noted in an emailed statement that her department had "negotiated an agreement that would shut down Purdue Pharma and ban the Sacklers from ever making another opioid again, in addition to guaranteeing up to $4.5 billion in payments."

"The appellate court will now make a determination as to whether this plan will be confirmed, but make no mistake, Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family remain named defendants in our ongoing litigation and we will hold them accountable for their unlawful behavior, one way or another," James added.

Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who objected to Purdue's reorganization, said in a statement he's "prepared to take this fight all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary, to ensure true accountability for the Sackler family," per Reuters.

The other side: Steve Miller, chair of the Purdue board of directors, said in an emailed statement that the ruling "will delay, and perhaps end, the ability of creditors, communities, and individuals to receive billions in value to abate the opioid crisis."

"These funds are needed now more than ever as overdose rates hit record-highs, and we are confident that we can successfully appeal this decision and deliver desperately needed funds to the communities and individuals suffering in the midst of this crisis," Miller added.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with Ferguson's comment.
Ghislaine Maxwell, declaring prosecutors didnt prove their case, will not take the stand
Ghislaine Maxwell says she will not testify, declaring the government has not proven its case
Nurses in crisis over COVID-19 dig in for better work conditions
FILE - Daniel Doctoroff, chief executive officer of Bloomberg LP, walks to a morning session at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 11, 2013. Google parent company Alphabet is folding one of its subsidiaries back into Google as the startup's founder steps down to confront a neurological disease. Sidewalk Labs CEO Dan Doctoroff said Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, he's leaving the company focused on environmentally sustainable urban planning technology because he very likely has ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs diseas
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.
No Volunteers But Oregon Coast Whale Watch Show Goes On

Published 12/16/21 at 4:19 AM PST

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Oregon Coast)  Thanks to the pandemic there is no Whale Watch Spoken Here program coming up at the end of the month, but as they say: the show must go on. This won't stop the whales. (Photo courtesy OPRD)

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) would like visitors to know that.

OPRD is also touting other aspects happening New Year's Day: First Day Hikes on Oregon Coast Coming Up, Free State Park Parking

Late December is an optimal time to head to the Oregon coast and look for gray whales, OPRD said, as they're migrating southward to their birthing waters of Baja, Mexico. Yet again, there will be no volunteers out there for Whale Watch Week, but the whales will be.

Most viewing sites managed by OPRD are open, except for Ecola State Park and the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay. However, the exterior deck on that building is open for whale viewing.

"The peak of the winter whale watching season lasts from late December through mid-January, said Park Ranger Luke Parsons, Beverly Beach Management Unit. Watch the weather forecast for calm weather and clear skies near your favorite coastal destination, then come on over.

Parsons added that the whales can be several miles from shore during the winter migration so bring binoculars to help scan for whale spouts. Mornings, when the sun is at your back, is also a better time than afternoons to look for whales.

Along the southern Oregon coast, Whale Watch spots are: Harris Beach, Cape Ferrelo, Battle Rock, Face Rock Scenic Viewpoint, Shore Acres near Coos Bay, and Reedsport's Umpqua Lighthouse State Park. Just north of there, there is the Sea Lion Caves Turnout, Cook's Chasm Turnout, and the Cape Perpetua Interpretive Center.

In Lincoln County, you'll find the highest number of sites: Inn at Spanish Head Lobby on 10th floor (Lincoln City), Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint (near Depoe Bay), the Whale Watching Center deck in Depoe Bay, Rocky Creek State Scenic Viewpoint (just south of Depoe Bay), Cape Foulweather and the Devil's Punchbowl State Natural Area (both between Newport and Depoe Bay), Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area in Newport; and Don Davis City Park, also in Newport.

See Best Hotels for Whale Watching on Oregon Coast

On the Three Capes Tour there is Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint, Cape Lookout State Park (that one requires a 2.5-mile hike to the site at the tip of the Cape), and then several miles south at the top of Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City.

On the north coast, view them from the Wreck of the Peter Iredale at Fort Stevens and Neahkahnie Mountain Historic Marker Turnout on Highway 101, just above Manzanita.

The very northernmost viewing spot is on the Washington coast at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Ilwaco, Washington.

These are only Oregon State Parks' usual spots, but most high vantage points will do well. The clifftops above Meyers Creek Beach or near Sisters Rocks on the south Oregon coast will be perfect, as well as the various vantage points around Port Orford. On the central Oregon coast, the high gravel pullout just south of Yachats or the concrete walls immediately south of Heceta Head will also be excellent spots for whale watching. In Lincoln City, the clifftop viewpoints at NW 26th St. and NW 21st will make for good viewing.

Along the Three Capes, Anderson's Viewpoint just south of Cape Meares State Park is also good, along with the viewpoints around Silver Point just south of Cannon Beach.

Best Hotels for Whale Watching on Oregon Coast





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A cause of death of compression asphyxia has been determined for the 10 people who died at Travis Scotts Astroworld Festival in Houston last month.

The Harris County Medical Examiners office released a report Thursday, Dec. 16, detailing the cause of and manner, which was ruled an accident for all 10 people as well. Only one victim, 27-year-old Mirza Danish Baig, was listed as having any contributory causes, which were combined toxic effects of cocaine, methamphetamine, and ethanol.

The Harris County Medical Examiners office did not provide any additional comment on the matter.

The youngest victim of the Astroworld crowd surge was nine-year-old Ezra Blount, while Baig was the oldest. In addition to the 10 casualties, hundreds were injured after crowds rushed to the stage toward the start of Scotts set.

In a statement shared with Rolling Stone, Tony Buzbee  the lawyer for the family of one of the victims, Axel Acosta  said, The report confirms what the family already knew, which is that Axel was crushed and killed that night by the crowd, through no fault of his own. It is also important to note that Axels blood contained absolutely no intoxicants or other like substances. Now that we have received the official results, I want to say to our police chief: Shame on you. Shame on you for perpetuating and giving credence to a silly rumor that people were being injected at the concert. In doing so, you added more pain to an already unbearably painful situation for Axels family. Axel Acostas family looks forward now to presenting their case in court, in front of a jury, in the hopes that all those accountable are held legally responsible, and that a preventable tragedy like this never happens again.

Nearly 300 lawsuits have been filed in Harris County since the Astroworld tragedy, the majority of them naming Scott as well as other groups involved in the festival like Live Nation, the promoter ScoreMore, the venue NRG Park and various security companies. Scott and other defendants have denied the allegations against them, though Scott has also requested he be dismissed from multiple lawsuits hes named in.

Last week, Scott made his first public comments since the tragedy in an interview with Charlamagne Tha God. Scott claimed he only learned that people had died after the festival set ended and claimed he didnt hear fans screaming between songs for him to stop the concert. The rapper said the show continued for an additional 40 minutes after Houston police determined it was a mass casualty event because he claimed he was only told that the show must end after the guests (in this case, Drake) appeared on stage.

As for his own responsibility, Scott said: Im the face of the festival, Im the artist, so the media wants to put it on me, but at the end of the day I dont think its more so about that, its more so about stepping up to figure out what the problem is. And I could take that. I could take stepping out to figure out what the problem is, I could take stepping up to figure out what the solution is so that it never happened again.

The families of several victims, however, slammed Scotts interview and pushed him to take accountability. Jennifer Pena, oldest sister of one victim, 23-year-old Rudy Pena, told Rolling Stone, The first minute they told [Scott] to stop the concert early, he could have been like Stop. He should have been like, Okay, and then investigated what was happening. But he still continued. I think he could have avoided all of this. He could have stopped the concert and avoided all of this death.
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Hillary Clinton welled up while reading the speech she would have given if she had won the 2016 presidential election in a clip from her upcoming MasterClass session. Ive never shared this with anybody, she said in the clip, which premiered in a segment from Sunday Today With Willie Geist that premiered today. Ive never read this out loud. But it helps to encapsulate who I am, what I believe in, and what my hopes were for the kind of country that I want for my grandchildren, and that I want for the world, that I believe in that is America at its best. Geists full interview with Clinton will air Sunday.

With nearly five years of hindsight, the words she read seem like something out of an alternate-universe sci-fi series, as she describes her would-be win as a rebuke of many of the divisive policies Trump implemented while in office. The full clip can be seen on the Today shows website.

My fellow Americans, today you sent a message to the whole world, she read. Our values endure. Our democracy stands strong. And our motto remains: e pluribus unum  out of many, one. We will not be defined only by our differences. We will not be an us versus them country. The American dream is big enough for everyone. Through a long, hard campaign, we were challenged to choose between two very different visions for America. How we grow together, how we live together, and how we face a world full of peril and promise together.

Fundamentally, this election challenged us to decide what it means to be an American in the 21st century, she continued. And for reaching for a unity, decency, and what President Lincoln called the better angels of our nature. We met that challenge.

Clinton also talked about becoming the first female president and the chasm between Democratic and Republican ideologies. If you dig deep enough through all the mud of politics, eventually you hit something hard and true, she said. A foundation of fundamental values that unite us as Americans. You proved that today. She also became emotional while thinking about what her becoming president would have meant to her mother.

The scene comes from the former first lady and secretary of states talk about the power of resilience for her MasterClass lesson. Clintons full MasterClass seminar, part of the MasterClass Presents the White House Series, will come out Thursday. One featuring Bill Clinton talking about inclusion and leadership will come out next and another installment with George W. and Laura Bush will come out next year. Madeleine Albright and Condoleeza Rice also contribute to the series.
Photo courtesy of the Beaumont Police Department / Photo courtesy of the Beaumont Police Department

A Beaumont Police Officer was hospitalized early Thursday morning after sustaining a gunshot wound to the leg while responding to a call.

The Beaumont Police Department received a call for a disturbance shortly before 5:50 a.m. at The Woodlands Apartments, located at 3150 West Cardinal Dr.
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has ordered the dismissal of indictments against a Jefferson County Sheriff, but the Texas attorney general has concerns about the precedent it sets for future elections.

Three years ago, Jefferson County Sheriff Zena Stephens and two of her opponents pleaded not guilty in a Chambers County Court to charges of campaign finance violations. The long-fought legal battle continued over the years, including with an appeals court in Houston overturning the Chambers County courts order to void one count of an indictment against Stephens last year.

Ultimately, the ongoing-case swiveled on whether the Legislature properly authorized the Attorney General to prosecute election-law violations.

Against this, Stephens argues that the lower court broadened the Attorney Generals power in a manner violative of the separation of powers requirement in the Texas Constitution, court documents state.

Related: Jefferson Co. elects state's first black female sheriff

Texas' highest court for criminal cases on Wednesday delivered its final 8-1 decision following an analysis of Texas Constitutional history, the current constitution and separation of powers, and the Texas Election Code.

We agree with Stephens, court documents said.

Court documents detail the all-Republican panel of judges close examination into the matter.

Related: Indictment of Jefferson Co. sheriff reinstated

Court documents said the Legislature has expressly permitted the Attorney General to assist, upon request of the local prosecutor, in the prosecution of a number of different types of matters, including theft involving the state Medicaid program, false statements involving mortgage loans, health care fraud, abuse of office and others.

Absent the consent and deputization order of a local prosecutor or the request of a district or county attorney for assistance, the Attorney General has no authority to independently prosecute criminal cases in trial courts, court documents said.

In plain language, this means the Attorney General cannot prosecute election cases without the request of a local prosecutor, district or county attorney.

This ruling could be devastating for future elections in Texas, Attorney General and Republican Ken Paxton said in tweet.

Related: Sheriff, former candidates plead not guilty to criminal charges

The now re-elected Stephens was first sworn into her role in 2016. The Democrat became the first Black female sheriff in Texas history. Following the election, the Texas Rangers investigated alleged campaign-finance violations.

The results of the investigation were presented to the Jefferson County District Attorney, who advised the Rangers to contact the Attorney General instead. The Attorney General decided to prosecute the case and move it to Chambers County, court documents said.

Stephens, Chief Deputy Joe "QB" Stevenson and Ray Beck were indicted by state prosecutors on April 26, 2018 on charges of accepting excessive cash contributions from the owner of a Beaumont car dealership, who was under a federal investigation at the time, according to a previous article in The Enterprise.

Related: Stephens re-elected as Jefferson Co. sheriff

Stephens was indicted on three counts  one for felony of tampering with a government record and two for the misdemeanor of accepting a cash donation exceeding $100.

According to the indictment cited in a previous article in the Enterprise, Stephens was accused of accepting $1,000 in cash from Daylight Motors owner Larry Tillery in May 2016 and $5,000 in cash from Tillery in September 2016.

She also faced a felony charge of tampering with a governmental record for allegedly reporting the $5,000 donation in the section of her campaign finance report designated for documenting donations of less than $50, the previous article said.

Jefferson County Sheriff Zena Stephens, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals were not immediately available for comment by press time.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
Tesla recently unveiled a limited edition Giga Texas Belt Buckle to celebrate the company's main headquarters moving to Gigafactory Texas near Austin.

The Tesla shop releases limited-edition merchandise from time to time and offers apparel, vehicle accessories and more. A few of the previously released products have ranged from a lightning bolt-shaped decanter and a four-wheel vehicle for children to a "cyberwhistle."

The new Tesla belt buckle is inscribed with the words "Dont Mess With" below a prominent, center-aligned Texas Lone Star emblazoned with the Tesla logo.

Every Giga Texas Belt Buckle is manufactured from die-cast zinc, engraved and then brushed with an antique silver finish, according to the shop's website. The product fits belts up to 2 inches.

Photo provided/Tesla

With a listed price of $150, the Tesla belt buckle sold out less than one day after the product was initially released, according to an Austonia report. Interested buyers can sign up to be notified via email when the product is back in stock on the shop website.

Photo provided/Tesla

Both the EV manufacturer's new headquarters location and the belt buckle were revealed at the 2021 Shareholders Meeting in October. Musk did not provide specific details about the move then, though the company did unveil an image of the belt buckle, teslarati.com reported.

The shop made headlines earlier this week when Musk announced some Tesla merchandise can now be purchased with Dogecoin in a tweet on Tuesday.

"Tesla will make some merch buyable with Doge & see how it goes," Musk wrote in the tweet.

The cryptocurrency surged as much as 40% compared with Mondays level at 5 p.m. ET after the announcement, The Wall Street Journal reported.
San Antonio Police Department

The San Antonio Police Department and Crime Stoppers are offering a cash reward for information on the murder of former WOAI-TV account executive Christopher Olivarez, who was found dead with trauma to his body on September 25 at his home in the 300 block of Kirk Place. He was 40.

An autopsy later revealed that Olivarez was stabbed, according to SAPD. Detectives believe the suspect or suspects fled in the victim's vehicle, which was recovered days later on September 28 outside the city limits.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

A week after a plumber discovered money inside the walls of Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church, the Houston pastor is still making headlines. Here's why.

Some of the online buzz is residual coverage from the 500 envelopes of money and checks a plumber found inside the bathroom walls of Osteen's Lakewood Church on November 10. Those envelopes might have helped solve a March 2014 case of money stolen from the church. That remains to be seen, but plumber who found the money hadn't heard from Osteen or church representatives since finding the money. That is until now.
If the pandemic has been good for one thing (anything, anything at all  even if just a silver lining!) its the global shift towards remote working. Suddenly, your commute is gone, you may or may not be working in pajamas or tracksuit pants from time to time, and theres no reason why you cant have fish or eggs for lunch.

Of course, freelancers have been aware of this for years. Decades, even. But remote work doesnt have to mean work from home. It can mean work from a beach in the Maldives or sign into your Zoom call from Morocco. It could even mean work from a street side cafe in Paris, croissant in hand.

I legitimately did spend a few days working from a beach in the Maldives earlier this year, and have also worked across the world in airports, museums, cafes, apartments, and boats. As much as I love home, I also love the freedom to be able to travel and work from anywhere to suit my schedule. But it wouldnt be possible without a few key gadgets that come everywhere with me.

A long charging cable

A looooong charging cable seems obvious, but also seems like an unnecessary purchase you already have one perfectly good cable. Dont be fooled! A good, long cable is an investment. Youll reap the benefits for years to come, and youll quickly realise after taking four phone calls or typing emails the whole morning from your phone that a normal charging cable has two problems. Firstly, youre not always going to be able to sit or stand near a power outlet. Secondly, even if you are near an outlet, being able to move exactly 10 cm in each direction quickly gets limiting. Even in the Maldives, where all you really want to do is sit in one spot with a drink and occasionally go for a swim.

Multi 3 in 1 USB Long Charger Cable, 3M/10Ft Bawanfa amazon.com $12.99 Shop Now

An adaptor

Secondly, youll need to make sure you can actually power all your devices, be they phones, laptops, or tablets. Which means youll need an adaptor which works almost everywhere in the world (seriously, it covers over 150 countries) and can charge up to six devices at a time. Then you pair that with a powerbank which powers literally everything, including ethernet cables, ports for external monitors, and more standard ports for your phone and so on. Now, you basically have the perfect power duo, so youve always got enough juice to check your emails or video call your boss.

Anker USB C Hub, PowerExpand 11-in-1 Anker amazon.com $99.99 Shop Now

Sim card

Ok, so power is sorted. But youll still need to stay connected, which is where a GigSky Sim Card comes in, meaning you always have a way to connect to the internet wherever you are. And you wont have to spend ages searching for a local SIM card when you arrive, keeping track of your various data plans, or going out of service whenever you change country on a train. And if youre in Europe, this is a real and regular consideration!

GigSky 4G LTE/3G Data SIM Card GigSky amazon.com $9.99 Shop Now

World clock

Add a world clock, so you don't have to keep googling "time in California" every time you want to set up a meeting or set a deadline. These little clocks are great if you work in a distributed team with people across multiple time zones, but theyre also really useful if youre travelling around between countries and dont want to accidentally plan something for London time when youve just arrived in Moscow, for example.

Travel Alarm Clock Flashlight Lsaardth amazon.com $16.69 Shop Now

Noise canceling headphones

Now, lets get to the logistics. Working on the beach or from a remote campsite might be cool, but itll wreak havoc on your neck and back if you do it long term without making some adjustments to your portable office. And by adjustments, Im not talking about the addition of a cocktail in each hand. An adjustable laptop stand will let you make a desk out of anywhere, whether its an airplane seat or a bed in a villa in Bali.

Youll also want a few portable gadgets which will help make the transition to remote working seamless. And if youre moving around a lot and boarding planes and trains, things which are foldable and/or lightweight always get bonus points. As long as theyre functional too, as is the case with portable, lightweight, foldable noise canceling headphones. Now Im not advising this or anything, but if you want your boss to think youre somewhere really quiet and studious when thats umm.not the casethese are great for canceling background noise and for taking calls easily. Plus, the battery life is great and should last you a few days at least, so you wont need to use one of those six charging ports from your worldwide adaptor every night.

Jabra Elite 45h On-Ear Wireless Headphones Jabra amazon.com $99.49 Shop Now

Portable second monitor

Flitting between screens is annoying at the best of times, so a portable second monitor which attaches to your laptop is essential if you do a lot of spreadsheets, presentations, video editing, or anything else which requires you to have more than one window open at a time for maximum efficiency.

SideTrak Swivel 14 Attachable Portable Monitor for Laptop SideTrak amazon.com $369.99 Shop Now

Folding bluetooth keyboard

And rounding off the trio of portable goodies to make remote working a possibility anywhere in the world is a folding bluetooth keyboard. Unlike bluetooth headpieces which definitely became less cool and useful once we hit the new millennium, a bluetooth keyboard is actually really handy (pun intended) for working on the go. Were all adept at typing on our phones nowadays, but if you need to write something a bit more meaty, a bluetooth keyboard makes everything much more manageable. And this one feels sturdy enough to type on easily, but folds up to a nice compact size so it doesnt take up snack space in your carry on bag.

Portable Bluetooth Keyboard iClever amazon.com $36.99 Shop Now

A Chromecast or Roku

Finally, youll also want to add a Chromecast or Roku. Technically, you can work without one of these. But it certainly makes things a little bit more comfortable. After a long day of work, sometimes you just want to unwind and watch TV on a big screen, wherever you are in the world. Because ultimately, remote working is all about achieving a better work-life balance.
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrives at a cricket match between India and Bangladesh at The Eden Gardens cricket stadium in Kolkata, India, Nov. 22, 2019.

As Bangladesh marks 50 years of nationhood, it has become increasingly dangerous to speak freely about its founder, as the government led by his daughter has put in place strict laws against defaming him in an effort to control the historical narrative, analysts say.

For Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, ensuring Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans stature as an untouchable hero has important political benefits, said Sumit Ganguly, a professor of political science at Indiana University in the United States.

Hasina is codifying Mujibs standing that had been battered in the previous [opposition leader Khaleda Zias 2001-2006] regime. She is codifying her fathers legacy, but also consolidating her own grip on the country  these can be done simultaneously, Ganguly told BenarNews.

This is happening because Hasina has an authoritarian bent. Khaleda  who is no angel herself  is very ill, her BNP [Bangladesh Nationalist Party] is rudderless, and Hasina has almost decimated it. All the institutions in the country are compromised.

Mujib, the leader of the movement to free East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) from West Pakistan (now Pakistan), is by and large venerated in Bangladesh.

He is considered the countrys founding father, as he called for independence from West Pakistan on March 7, 1971. Bangladesh was born after it won a bloody nine-month war with West Pakistan on Dec. 16, 1971. The day is now commemorated as Victory Day.

After the war, Mujib was named Bangladeshs head of government. But he was assassinated four years later by members of the military  along with his wife and six members of his family. The murders were soon dubbed a martyrdom.

While Mujibs image may have taken a beating during the Khaleda years, Hasina has more than made up for that, critics say. She has made it a crime to speak out against Mujib, and by extension, members of his family, Ganguly said.

In many younger countries, the perceptions of independence and founding leaders can be very sensitive, and criticizing them is often conflated with anti-nationalism, Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia program at the Wilson Center, a think-tank in Washington.

For many in power, the view is that it is critical that images of founding leaders remain sacrosanct, he said.

In Bangladesh it also happens to be a family matter.

This means it is more dangerous to express dissent in Bangladesh today than ever before, Kugelman told BenarNews.

Meenakshi Ganguly, the South Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said Hasina believes the only thing that should be permitted is praise for her and her administration.

There are things to praise, but civil society should also point to shortcomings, HRWs Ganguly told BenarNews.

BenarNews contacted the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladeshs founding father, talks with followers in his home in Dhaka, March 14, 1971. [AP]

Maximum prison sentence of 14 years

Hasinas instrument of choice to muzzle critics of her government  and her father  is the Digital Security Act, which is purportedly aimed at regulating digital communication.

The act empowers police to make arrests on suspicion and without a warrant. Fourteen of its 20 provisions do not allow for bail, so when those accused are brought before a magistrate, they almost automatically are sent to jail.

In addition to mandating punishment for those who hurt religious sentiments or destroy religious harmony, the Digital Security Act also punishes any kind of propaganda or campaign against liberation war, spirit of liberation war, father of the nation, national anthem or national flag.

A person convicted of those offenses can face a maximum prison sentence of 14 years, or a fine of up to 10 million Bangladeshi taka (U.S. $116,900), or both.

Essentially, the Digital Security Act was designed to ensure the government and Hasina were not criticized, said Ganguly, the Indiana University professor.

Authoritarians dont like criticism  Hasina and Khaleda share this tendency, Ganguly said.

Today, there are hardly any avenues left for voicing dissent, Kugelman said.

In Bangladesh, where space for free speech is shrinking, social media remained the repository for dissent. So the state turned its attention to that, he said.

Laws like these are a pretext for crackdowns on content they [leaders] simply dont like.

BenarNews in Washington reached out to a senior media source in Dhaka to comment on these issues, but he declined, saying I so cant touch this right now!

A rickshaw puller pedals past a mural of Bangladeshs founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in Dhaka, Dec. 1, 2021. [AFP]

Arrested for a song, and skepticism

Take the case of Tonmoy Malik from the southern district of Khulna, who was convicted in September 2014 for an offense under the Digital Security Acts precursor, the Information and Communication Technology Act.

Malik, then a 27-year-old electronics shop owner, was sentenced to seven years in prison for composing a song that parodied Hasina and Mujib, which a friend played over a loudspeaker.

Since then, official veneration of Hasinas father has soared. Since 2020  as the country marked the centennial of his birth  more than a thousand government-funded statues and murals of Mujib have sprung up all over Bangladesh.

But two mayors  members of Hasinas Awami League party  were recently ousted for allegedly disrespecting him.

The mayor of a municipality in Rajshahi was arrested earlier this month under the Digital Security Act for saying that creating a mural of Mujib was not allowed under Islamic law. He is in prison awaiting prosecution.

Last month, the mayor of Gazipur was suspended for expressing skepticism, back in September, that 3 million people were killed during the 1971 war of independence.

Mujib himself gave that estimate for the war dead, during a trip to London, but it has since been questioned in a controversial 2011 book by an Oxford academic who posited that he may have meant to say three lakh  or 300,000  instead of three million. However, Bangladesh has never published an official report or census recording how many people in fact were killed during the war against Pakistan.

Nonetheless, questioning the death toll is off limits, said Ganguly, the HRW researcher, as part of a reclaiming of certain historical narratives in the name of nationalism.

Mujib no democrat

What would Bangladeshs founder say about his daughter Hasina clamping down on free speech?

Ganguly of Indiana University said: I doubt Mujib would disapprove.

[F]or all the adulation of Mujib, he was no democrat. Towards the end of his tenure, he dissolved all political parties, the professor said.

People like Mujib grew up in the crucible of an authoritarian state, and Pakistan was also a corrupt state to begin with.

The Wilson Centers Kugelman was more circumspect.

Mujib was a strong proponent of independence and freedom, but I dont know whether that would have extended to freedom for civil liberties and freedom of speech, he said.

In many wars of liberation and independence movements  you have seen purported democrats who fought for independence only to become despots themselves.
Rescuers bring bodies believed to Indonesians who drowned in the waters off Johor state while trying to enter Malaysia illegally by sea, Dec. 17, 2021.

Human traffickers have tried to smuggle in undocumented migrant workers by sea almost every day since May 2020, Malaysias coast guard chief said Friday, after nearly two dozen Indonesians died when their boat sank off Johor state earlier this week.

As of Friday, the death toll had reached 21, while 13 had been rescued and 16 were missing from the boat that sank in the waters of Tanjung Balau, the Malaysian coast guard and Indonesian officials reported.

Such an unfortunate tragedy can be avoided if illegal immigrants and human trafficking syndicates do not conspire to smuggle people into the country through illegal routes by risking their lives during bad weather, said Mohd Zubil Mat Som, director-general of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

In this latest incident at sea, the waves were as high as three to five meters and winds blew up to 50 kph, he said in a statement.

Mohd Zubil said the MMEAs Malaysian Marine Surveillance System had successfully detected 1,110 suspicious targets since May 2020, with 689 of them successfully expelled from Malaysian waters.

While border enforcement is strict, illegal immigrants are willing to risk their lives to enter the country illicitly, Mohd Zubil said.

Smuggling syndicates do not care, in fact they are always looking for space to make a profit without thinking about the risk of life, he said.

Tugs and other small boats often used by smugglers are not properly equipped to sail in rough waters, Mohd Zubil said.

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency hopes that this heartbreaking tragedy can be a lesson and open the eyes of illegal immigrants and smuggling syndicates so that they do not risk their lives by entering through illegal means, he said.

Two ships and three boats belonging to the MMEA, the Royal Malaysian Navy and the Marine Police Force had been deployed for search-and-rescue operations in an area of 79 square nautical miles, said Capt. Simon Templer Lo Ak Tusa, the MMEAs deputy director for operations in Johor state.

The authorities were also using helicopters from the Fire and Rescue Department and the Police Air Operations Force to conduct searches from the air covering an area of 135.8 square nautical miles.

The Indonesian Consulate General in Johor said efforts were under way to identify the victims.

In a media statement issued late Friday, the Consulate General noted that the death toll had risen after a body was found floating in the sea and another victim died while receiving treatment at the hospital.

As of Dec. 17, the number of victims was 21, namely 15 men and six women while the number of survivors was 13, according to a statement issued late Friday.

A Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency officer searches for victims of a boat that sank in the waters of Tanjung Balau, Johor, Dec. 17, 2021. [Courtesy of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency]

Three of the victims have been identified and their remains are to be sent back to Indonesia.

For the 13 Indonesian survivors, they are in good condition and are currently in custody at the Malaysian Immigration Department in Johor, the statement said.

Based on the verification process, nine of them are from Lombok while the rest are from Pekanbaru, Jember and Tanjung Balai Karimun.

The consulate said officials would ensure the health and rights of citizens in detention were maintained, and it urged all Indonesians to not enter or leave neighboring Malaysia illegally.

In August, the Malaysian government reported that it had repatriated nearly 90,000 undocumented migrants, beginning in November 2020, under amnesty programs to send them to their home countries.

At that time, the Indonesian embassy estimated that about 2.7 million of its citizens were working in Malaysia but only 704,000 have the necessary documentation.
The Chinese military has been holding more live-fire drills in the contested South China Sea this week, state media reported, while accusing the United States of saber-rattling and making provocations.

The military exercises come as Washington has amplified its concerns about Chinas aggressive actions. This week the top U.S. diplomat vowed to ensure freedom of navigation in the disputed waterway.

The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Daily quoted the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration as issuing navigation restriction notices for three different locations around Hainan, Chinas largest island, which lies off the south coast of the mainland, because of the live-fire drills.

No additional details were given but live-fire exercises usually are aimed at testing troops combat preparedness, especially in amphibious landing scenarios.

At least two of the drills concluded Friday  one near Hainan and the other in the Beibu Gulf between China and Vietnam.

PLA Daily also carried a video it said showed a naval frigate flotilla attached to the PLA Southern Theater Command on a recent, seven-day intensive live-fire exercise in the South China Sea. Drills included carrier-based aircraft landing, handling of floating mines and artillery firing, the report said, without giving a precise location.

There has been a steady flow of reporting in Chinese state media on military drills in the South China Sea, a potential flashpoint for conflict in the Indo-Pacific. Chinas sweeping claims overlap with those of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Last week, the Global Times reported that the PLA recently practiced live bomb drops and sea mine-laying on islands in the South China Sea using its most advanced H-6J strategic bombers.

Observers said an increasing number of military exercises have been conducted to send a message of deterrence to Taiwan and its ally the United States, which has stepped up its advocacy for a free and open Indo-Pacific as a key plank of its foreign and defense policies.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks on the Biden administration's Indo-Pacific strategy in Jakarta, Indonesia, Dec. 14, 2021. (Reuters)

On Tuesday during a visit to Indonesia, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said theres concern among countries in the region about Beijings aggressive actions and that the U.S. is determined to ensure freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

It was Blinkens first visit to Southeast Asia since he took office as the top U.S. diplomat in January. Theres also expectation that President Joe Biden will invite Southeast Asian leaders to Washington for a summit early next year.

Responding to Blinkens speech, Chinese Foreign Ministrys spokesman Zhao Lijan accused the U.S. of saber-rattling and making provocations by sending advanced military aircraft and vessels to the South China Sea.

On Tuesday, the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative, a Beijing-based think tank, alleged that the U.S. Air Force sent an RC-135W spy plane on a close-in reconnaissance mission alongside Chinas coast, near the locations of the PLA drills. It claimed there had been 94 such reconnaissance flights since November.
Filipinos salvage belongings from their destroyed houses in Cebu province, a day after Super Typhoon Rai (Odette) hit the nation, Dec. 17, 2021.

Super Typhoon Rai (Odette) blew out of the Philippines on Friday but left a trail of devastation and at least a dozen deaths, according to officials, while independent reports warned that the toll could go higher.

The storm, known locally as Odette, brought heavy damage to Cagayan de Oro, a province on southern Mindanao Island, as well as on Siargao, a tear-drop shaped island, which is a surfing paradise northeast of Mindanao.

The Office of Civil Defense in Manila confirmed the death toll as of early Friday evening. Most of the victims were in the central Visayas region, which was pummeled by Odette.

We have 12 reported deaths, seven reported missing and two injured individuals, said Mark Timbal, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council spokesman.

He said deaths were reported on the island of Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Southern Leyte and Bukidnon provinces, Iloilo, Cebu and Lapu-Lapu cities.

Local officials and police who were not authorized by the disaster relief agency to speak to reporters said the toll would likely be higher because there were reports of other people dying either by drowning or being crushed by debris.

By Friday afternoon, the eye of the storm was over the South China Sea about 105 km (65 miles) northeast of Puerto Princesa City in western Palawan province, according to the state meteorological agency (PAGASA). Odette, with gusts up to 205 kph (127 mph), had weakened from a peak of 270 kph (168 mph) when it was classified a super typhoon after making landfall on Thursday.

Gov. Francisco Matugas of Surigao del Norte province, which includes Siargao island, painted a grim picture for the popular holiday destination.

The whole island is totally devastated with an estimated damage of 20 billion pesos [U.S. $400 million], he said in a report aired over radio in Manila.

No communication up to now, he said, adding that at least two deaths were reported in Siargao.

We are safe. We were stranded at the municipal building of San Isidro (town) at 1 p.m. on Dec. 16. The typhoon hit at 1:30 p.m. At 2 p.m., the strongest, probably category 4 typhoon battered San Isidro for two hours which totally damaged buildings and other structures, Matugas said.

This aerial photo shows houses damaged on Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte province, by Typhoon Rai (Odette), Dec. 17, 2021. [Philippine Coast Guard]

The Philippine Coast Guard dispatched a Cessna airplane to fly over the island on Friday to assess the amount of destruction. Aerial photos showed homes and structures in various states of damage. Muddy floodwaters could be seen along the picturesque shoreline. The winds had ripped off the roof of a small airport building.

The island, which is home to many foreign and local tourists, remained cut off late Friday as telecommunications and power were down, officials said.

In Cagayan de Oro city which had no recorded deaths despite being hard hit by the storm, flood waters had begun to subside by Friday. One day earlier, coast guard crews in rubber dinghies ferried hundreds to safety.

The number of those displaced by floods across the nation had more than doubled to more than 338,600 by Friday, disaster relief officials said.

Residents take shelter at a cultural center turned into an evacuation center in Negros Occidental province, Philippines, Dec. 17, 2021. [AFP]

President Rodrigo Duterte, who was briefed on the extent of the damage, said he would go to inspect the devastated region on Saturday. He expressed concern about another storm that could hit in the next week.

What Im worried about is that another one would be coming up during Christmastime. We would be walloped, he told his officials, according to transcripts of the briefing released to the media.

Its Christmastime, people are happy and we have this one after another. I hope not. It will dampen the spirit of the people during Christmastime, he said.

I am not so much worried about damage to structures, infrastructures of the government. My fear is the number of deaths, he said. I am eager as you to go there (and) see for myself.
Myanmar villagers rest in an evacuation area in Tak province after fleeing to Thailand amid clashes between Burmese junta troops and an ethnic Karen rebel group, Dec. 17, 2021.

Thailand is giving shelter to some 2,500 Burmese who fled from fighting between Myanmar junta forces and Karen rebels in Mae Htaw Thalay, a borderland village in Myawaddy township, Thai authorities said Friday.

The influx began on Thursday when around 700 Myanmar residents crossed into Mae Sot, a district in Tak province, followed by hundreds more on Friday morning, officials said. Some of the people fleeing from the fighting swam to the other side of the frontier across the narrow Moei River, the Tak Province Border Center said in statements issued Friday.

[W]e found another 1,800 Myanmar people crossing to the Don Chai temporary shelter, lifting the number to 2,500 people, a statement said, referring to a village 500 meters [546 yards] from Mae Htaw Thalay village on the Myanmar side of the border.

We have provided the displaced people with basic treatment, foods and necessities, as well as discussion about their needs.

Later, the displaced Burmese were moved to Mae Tao Klang School, about 3 miles from Don Chai, to comply with COVID-19 protocols.

Fighting between Myanmars military and a joint force of anti-junta fighters in territory controlled by a rebel Karen ethnic group forced all the 3,000 residents of Lay Kay Kaw township to flee, according to reporting by Radio Free Asia (RFA), with which BenarNews is affiliated.

The anti-junta fighters include the pro-democracy Peoples Defense Force (PDF) militiamen and fighters with the Karen National Liberation Army, which is the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU) political group.

Since the Myanmar military seized power in a Feb. 1 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, security forces in Myanmar have clashed with the PDF in various states.

In Lay Kay Kaw, the clashes began after government troops entered the area at least six times on Dec. 14 and captured more than 20 pro-democracy activists. They included a former member of parliament from the deposed National League for Democracy (NLD).

The clashes continued into Thursday near the village of Mae Htaw Thalay in Kayins Myawaddy township, forcing nearly all of nearby Lay Kay Kaws residents to leave the area, KNU town officials said.

Myanmar residents who fled amid clashes between Burmese junta troops and an ethnic Karen rebel group disembark from Thai military trucks before being processed in Mae Sot, Thailand, Dec. 16, 2021. [Third party via AFP]

On Thursday, a stray shell landed on the bank of the Moei River on the Thai side, but without causing any casualties, according to the Tak Province Border Center in Thailand.

This prompted the Naresuan Task Force to lodge a protest with the Township Border Committee, which comprises Burmese and Thai officials.

However, the fighting between Myanmar troops and the ethnic Karen has not affected the livelihood of the Thai people, the center said.

The Thai Ministry of Defense did not comment on the incident. An army spokesman said the displaced people would go back home when the fighting subsided.

Meanwhile, a Thai NGO said local authorities handled this latest Karen exodus better than the last one in March, when 2,300 displaced people made their way into Thailand.

Back then, Thai authorities had barred, or limited the number of non-governmental organizations providing aid to the displaced, said the Friends Without Borders Foundation, a local NGO.

The Tak province handled the situation well and is well organized to set a new standard for short-term refugee treatment, Pornsuk Kerdsawang, a member of the NGO, told BenarNews.

Most importantly, [the province] must not hurriedly repatriate them because it may endanger their lives. When the situation is calm, they will go back home voluntarily.

Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, but has sheltered some 400,000 displaced Burmese during a past conflict in Myanmar.

Tanee Sangrat, spokesman for the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the relevant agencies have operational procedures based on humanitarian needs.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine in the morning with more clouds for later in the day. High around 30F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy. Snow showers developing after midnight. Low around 25F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 70%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
CLAIM: Faucis sister Angelique Fauci published a book on the omicron variant of the coronavirus the same week it was discovered.
Vaccinated people aren't nine times more likely to be hospitalized
Features Editor

Jennifer Huberdeau is The Eagle's features editor. Prior to The Eagle, she worked at The North Adams Transcript. She is a 2021 Rabkin Award Winner, 2020 New England First Amendment Institute Fellow and a 2010 BCBS Health Care Fellow.
PITTSFIELD  One of three people allegedly involved in an incident during which police said a firearm was used in an assault might enter a change of plea, while another Thursday was ordered released from pretrial custody on $5,000 cash bail.

Marlene Martinez, 26, of Pittsfield, received bail per an order that Judge John Agostini issued Friday, after a dangerousness hearing in Berkshire Superior Court. Agostini also set a curfew, and ordered Martinez to wear a GPS bracelet and to stay in contact with the Probation Department.

The hearing stemmed from an incident on Adams Street in Pittsfield after midnight July 29, when a 45-year-old man flagged down police and said a man had pulled a gun on him from the back seat of a Honda Civic, court files show.

Police found a vehicle matching that description in the parking lot of the Alltown at First and Tyler streets, according to a police report. Martinez was in the passenger seat of the Honda, police said.

With a search warrant, authorities allegedly found a loaded handgun in her bag, as well as 150 baggies containing a substance that police said was heroin inside the car. Law enforcement reported finding another firearm, a revolver, with the hammer cocked, on the back seat.

At Thursday's Zoom hearing, defense attorney Tyler Ingraham noted that Martinez, unlike co-defendant William Bookert Jr., was not indicted for alleged assault with with a firearm. Bookert, 25, is being held without bail, and has pleaded not guilty to charges of an alleged firearms violation with one prior drug crime, carrying a firearm without a license, carrying a loaded firearm without a license and assault with a dangerous weapon.

According to the Berkshire Superior Court clerk's office, his next hearing was continued by several weeks, to Jan. 4, and might be converted from a dangerousness hearing to a change-of-plea hearing.

A second co-defendant, 25-year-old Kevin Lopez, is set to appear via Zoom for a further dangerousness hearing Dec. 27, and he continues to be held without the right to bail.
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Several members of a working group support reimplementing passenger rail between North Adams and Boston via Greenfield. State Rep. John Barrett III is one of the "northern tier" project's most vocal supporters, but he wants the state Department of Transportation to speed up its 18-month study.
NORTH ADAMS  A stark enrollment decline at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts has led to a reduced course schedule, loss of part-time faculty and the closing of a residence hall.

Fall undergraduate enrollment at MCLA, the largest employer in North Adams, declined by almost 20 percent from last year and by 35 percent from pre-coronavirus pandemic levels, according to state data from the Department of Higher Education. The college has lost 475 undergraduates since the pandemic hit, those numbers show.

Coupled with a downward trend in enrollment over the past decade, the pandemic has put MCLAs enrollment below 1,000 for the first time since it rebranded in 1997. That year, the college changed its name from North Adams State College to MCLA.

You can tell that its pretty empty, and its kind of hard to meet people, said Katherine Napier, a senior from Connecticut who is one of two editors in chief of The Beacon, MCLAs student newspaper. There are clubs that were popular two or three years ago that are now defunct because theres less participation.

This fall, the school closed one of its three residence halls, Hoosac Hall, which typically houses more than 200 students.

Since the pandemic hit, enrollments have fallen at public universities and colleges across Massachusetts.

MCLA has registered the largest percentage decrease among four-year state schools in Massachusetts, according to the state estimates. Undergraduate enrollment fell from 1,345 students in fall 2019 to an estimated 870 students in fall 2021, although the Department of Higher Education stressed that its data represents estimates before final data collection.

The estimates put MCLAs enrollment at about half of what it was a decade ago. As a consequence, revenue from tuition and fees fell from $16 million in fiscal year 2020 to $13 million the next year. The impact of that decline has been buffered by $2.1 million in one-time federal COVID-19 relief money to the campus.

Departments have had to rethink which courses to offer, and as the college has cut courses, its payroll shows a 44 percent decrease in part-time faculty from pre-pandemic levels. Students, meanwhile, told The Eagle they face a reduced selection of courses, including some they need to graduate.

I tell myself all the time, 'Thank God Im graduating now,' said Mike OBrien, a senior from Pittsfield and the other editor in chief of The Beacon. Because my biggest fear in college is not graduating on time, and the less courses theyre offering, the harder it is to build your schedule, especially as a commuter.

A spokesperson declined a request for an interview with MCLA President James F. Birge. But, Birge responded to emailed questions.

College administrators told the board of trustees that the enrollment decline is consistent with national trends.

But, those national decreases were smaller than MCLA's decline. Public four-year colleges in rural settings experienced a 7.1 percent decrease in enrollment from fall 2019 to fall 2021, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Meanwhile, part-time faculty ranks are thinning.

The college became North Adams top employer when North Adams Regional Hospital closed in 2014, but employment has fallen since the start of the pandemic, as MCLA has cut course offerings. From 2019-20 to 2020-21, part-time faculty employment dropped from 86 to 48, MCLA's yearly factbook shows.

Total full-time employment fell from 313 to 299, mainly because of the loss of 11 full-time professional staff, and part-time employment, which includes adjunct faculty, dropped from 134 to 74.

Gina Puc, the school's vice president of strategic initiatives, said in an interview that the college cut courses because a smaller student body required fewer course offerings, not because lower revenue prevented courses from being offered.

In his emailed responses, Birge declared that his school's finances are stable and that there are no plans to lay off faculty or staff.

These pandemic months have been some of the most challenging in my time as a college president, Birge said in the email, but MCLA has weathered the storm, helped individual students facing crises, and kept evolving to keep our campus community safe while still preserving our character."

Birge said people should look beyond MCLA's enrollment decline.

My wish for our community is that they ... choose not to focus on national declines in enrollment," he wrote, "but instead keep their eyes on the horizon as we plan to stay the course for future progress and to meet challenges as opportunities for growth and improvement.

Birge, in his Wednesday email, did not address a question that asked whether MCLA expects enrollment to fall again next year. A follow-up email to Birge on Thursday brought no response.

The president of MCLAs faculty association, professor James Moriarty, did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

Emily Maher, chair of the physics department, told The Eagle the enrollment decline has been noticeable in her department and classes.

Two-person classrooms and an empty dorm. The MCLA enrollment decline through students' eyes A residence hall is empty. Some classrooms have just two students and a professor. Students groups have less money and fewer members. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts seniors describe their experience of the college's enrollment decline.

Honestly, we just have fewer students, she said. But, physics departments in general are smaller, and were used to teaching smaller classes. What I love about that, the glass-half-full view, is that they allow for more faculty-student interaction.

Maher said that fewer students taking physics classes led the department to offer fewer upper-level electives and more generic science courses  the kind of classes that nonmajors can take. That has not appeared to cause issues yet, she said, since physics majors still can take all their requirements and have the chance to weigh in on which electives the department will offer.

Theres part of me thats a little worried, she said of the falling enrollment. But, I think we serve a community that probably wouldnt be well-served in our absence. If we keep paying attention to students we have, doing whats best of them, I think MCLA will continue to fill that need.

The big picture

Public higher education enrollments declined sharply in fall 2020. The next year brought continued losses. Total enrollment in Massachusetts public colleges and universities dropped 11 percent from fall 2019 to fall 2021. Outside the University of Massachusetts system, four-year state schools registered a steeper decrease, losing 15 percent of their enrollment from 2019 to 2021.

The bright spot in the MCLA numbers was first-year enrollment. The freshman class shrank by 35 percent from 2019 to 2020, from 368 students to 239. But, the losses stopped there: The freshman class size is about 240 for 2021, Puc said.

Undergraduate enrollment at MCLA peaked in 2010-11, with 1,721 undergraduates. Enrollment fell in all but one of the next eight years, reaching 1,277 in 2018-2019.

The college received an encouraging boost in 2019-20, growing by 78 students, including about 60 who transferred from Southern Vermont College after it closed.

Reiterating what the college told trustees, Birge told The Eagle that he attributes enrollment decline at MCLA to national and regional trends, which, he said, are amplified on a rural campus. He said that MCLA is not directly comparable with other state schools in Massachusetts.

Some characteristics distinguish MCLA from other public higher ed institutions in Massachusetts. More than 40 percent of MCLA students are the first in their family to attend college, MCLA says, while that number at UMass-Amherst is about 25 percent.

But, even compared to state-designated peer institutions, MCLAs enrollment decline was comparatively steep during the first year after the pandemic hit. Enrollment fell by about 7 percent at nine peer institutions from fall 2019 to fall 2020, short of the 20 percent decrease at MCLA. There was not enough information available to compare the two-year trend.

Birge said the college has continued recruitment practices that we know are successful." Puc added that the pandemic led MCLA to expand virtual recruiting. This years student body includes students from 29 states, she said, up from 24 last year.

The college is focused on a rebound, school officials told trustees this fall. At a Sept. 23 meeting of the Enrollment Management Committee, school leaders reviewed staffing for recruitment strategies and told trustees they had filled two vacant admissions positions, according to meeting minutes.

Officials also discussed outreach to potential students.

Targeted postcards were sent to approximately 78,000 high school seniors with more personalized messaging, the minutes read. Interactive text messaging campaigns have been undertaken to reach high school students. ... Overall, the efforts have focused on more intentional and segmented outreach.

MCLA estimates cost of attendance as $11,580 for Massachusetts students, $12,095 for New York and New England students, and $20,525 for out-of-state and international students. Room and board is $12,150 for all students.

'Lack of professors' issue

Administrators say the colleges priority during the pandemic has been to protect full-time employment.

Birge warned trustees in June 2020 of a projected $2.3 million budget loss for fiscal year 2021, although federal relief money and higher-than-expected revenue from the state helped to create a surplus.

While fully understanding the need to present a balanced budget, focus for this budget is on preserving full time employment at the College during a time when unemployment is precariously high and re-employment in the area and the industry will be difficult to secure, the June 2020 meeting minutes read. The economic impact to the region of losing its largest employer would be [devastating].

The college reported $74 million in net assets as of June 30, 2016, but that figure dipped below $60 million in 2020. As of June 30, the college reported just under $61 million in net assets.

MCLAs fiscal year 2021 balance sheet, detailed in its yearly financial statement, shows a net increase of $1.1 million. Administrators told trustees that open positions and early retirements saved the college over $300,000 in full-time salaries. The state provided nearly $1.9 million more in revenue than the school anticipated.

Federal COVID-19 relief through the CARES Act totaled $1.9 million in fiscal 2021 and $236,000 in fiscal 2020, the document shows.

Adjunct faculty members reached by The Eagle said that they were not in a position to comment on how enrollment declines impacted them, but students say they have noticed a slimmer selection of courses amid the decline in adjunct employment.

Enrollment declines appear to have impacted some departments more than others. The physics department, Maher said, is accustomed to fluctuations in its enrollment; other departments, though, are seeing their numbers decrease after years of relative stability.

The English and communications department, for example, took a particularly big hit. From 2014 through 2018, the department taught an average of 210 majors per year, according to the MCLA factbook, never dipping below 190 during that period. In fall 2020, that number dropped to 94 students.

A handful of departments have had enrollment tick up slightly or hold steady in recent years, including computer science and health sciences.

Students said that while they remember having two or three options for courses to fulfill requirements, they have fewer choices now. That can lead to scheduling conflicts, among other challenges.

Right now, I have to take this course on the Age of Milton, and its the only course being offered this semester to fill one of my requirements to graduate, said Dalaina Yamawaki, a senior from New York state. And Im not a big fan of Milton.

Its not a professor issue, she said. Its a lack of professors thats the issue.
ADAMS  Early on the morning that Pete Oleskiewicz was to open his new restaurant, it became clear that two staffers were going to be no-shows.

So, he picked up the phone and called an old friend, AnnMarie Belmonte, for help waiting tables.

She was familiar with the place; after all, she's the former owner.

I told him, 'Ill be there in 15 minutes,' said Belmonte, who now runs Mamas Place on Commercial Street. Hes my bud; I always try to help him out.

And so it went on the first day at Miss Adams Diner, which Oleskiewicz reopened Thursday, more than a year after purchasing the Park Street building from Belmonte.

The diner originally opened Dec. 7, 1949, in a dining car built by the Worcester Lunch Car Co. It has continued to serve food off and on under several owners through the years.

Between new staff, a shortage of workers and an eager crowd of diners, opening day was a learning experience for the whole crew.

We fell behind a bit, said Oleskiewicz, who also owns Desperados Mexican Restaurant in North Adams, where he also serves as on the City Council. But, the customers were understanding that it was our first day.

About 70 customers showed up for breakfast, including North Adams Mayor Tom Bernard, Adams Town Administrator Jay Green and Adams Select Board member Christine Hoyt, and more than 40 for lunch.

Oleskiewicz, taking a break from washing dishes, said he is confident that the process will smooth out during the next few days.

After purchasing the building in August 2020, he took his time with getting new equipment, renovating and permitting, but the process was delayed further by the coronavirus pandemic and the difficulty in finding employees.

Between the cost of the building, equipment and renovation, he has invested more than $140,000 so far.

The new chef, David Travisano, has engineered a new menu featuring traditional diner fare, with specials offered regularly.

Ive always liked this building, and this is such a nice little town, Oleskiewicz said. I want this downtown to thrive, and things are happening here now with new investment.

Customers seemed happy to see the reopened eatery.

The food is really good, said Jennifer McCue, who was finishing up her lunch of grilled cheese and fries.

Absolutely nothing to complain about, not the food or the service, added Leslie Green, who was working on her burger. Well be coming back, of course.

Green said the reopening is a good sign for the downtown economy  that it highlights the fact that things are happening there.

And you just cant beat a classic diner, especially one with good food and affordable prices, he said.

It speaks volumes about this communitys business potential, said Select Board member Christine Hoyt. Quite a few folks came out to support the reopening. And breakfast was terrific.
Ralph Gardner Jr. is a journalist whose work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The New Yorker. He can be reached at ralph@ralphgardner.com. The opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of The Berkshire Eagle.
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data.
The author says that we are, all of us, living in a somewhat difficult world at the moment, so, when you learn that someone is suffering from depression, treat that person with compassion. Remember that depression is a very real and common problem, and that person is not somehow a lesser person for struggling with depression.
The Mohawk Theater in North Adams will not be sold under Mayor Tom Bernard's administration What the city does with the recent proposal to redevelop the long-empty Mohawk Theater will be decided under incoming Mayor Jennifer Macksey.

With a development proposal on the table for the Mohawk Theater, we called for a thoughtful and unrushed process to assess the plan to reinvigorate a long-dormant downtown landmark. It seems the City Council agrees, and their vote to put off a sale decision until after a new mayoral administration gets its feet on the ground is a wise move.

The Mohawk looms large in North Adams hopes for revitalization. As such, any decision about its future deserves as many careful eyes as possible  including those of a new mayor who will soon be taking over City Halls corner office.

This is no shot at outgoing mayor Tom Bernard, whose administration has pursued a sale plan with the sole responder to the citys most recent request for proposals. We applaud his administration for realizing the necessity to find a sustainable future for the Mohawk and proactively pursuing it. That immediacy must be balanced with care, though, which would not be furthered by rushing to forward a sale plan in this administrations remaining few weeks. Mayor Bernard did not run for reelection, and Mayor-elect Jennifer Macksey is set to be inaugurated Jan. 1 after her win in November.

Developer with eye on Mohawk Theater rehab submits plans for apartments on Eagle Street in North Adams Veselko Buntic, the developer who submitted a proposal to redevelop the Mohawk Theater, recently submitted plans to North Adams for apartments on Eagle Street.

Further, we are not saying that the proposal on the table advocated by Mayor Bernard is unworthy of consideration. That consideration should be thorough, though, and that means letting the incoming mayor, whose leadership city voters just endorsed, weigh in as well. As a recent spat between Mayor Bernard and state Rep. John Barrett III unfortunately telegraphed, this important issue is vulnerable to the kind of factional politics too often seen in North Adams that incentivize our leaders to put jockeying with rivals over what is best for the citys future.

We call on city officials to resist this impulse, especially on a matter as critical as the Mohawks future. That goes for Mayor Bernard, who appears to bristle at the notion of any counterpoint to his administrations view of the sale plan, but it also goes for the incoming mayor as well. While we agree with Mayor-elect Macksey that it makes no sense to make a decision of this magnitude in the last days of Mayor Bernards term, we also hope that her administration will not reflexively reject the current proposal, either, and instead give it a fair and thorough look as the only one currently on the table.

Ms. Macksey has signaled a desire to give other potential developers more time, but its worth noting that the city has put out multiple rounds of RFPs for the Mohawk, and in the most recent cycle the current proposal was the sole submission.

That doesnt mean it should automatically get the green light, but it does deserve objective attention. If the current plan is not up to snuff, then it will be up to the incoming administration to prioritize finding a better one.

Either way, more time and room for consideration is a healthy thing here. North Adams leaders should not squander it, and come together in search of the best way forward for the Mohawk Theater. The future of the citys downtown depends on it.
Looking for something to do? The Stay Local events calendar publishes a list of nonprofit events Tuesdays and Fridays. 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.

Wine & Canvas: 6-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17, at Artworks, 106 N. Michigan Ave., Big Rapids. A unique social painting experience. Bring your own beverage and snack. Cost: $40. Register at www.artworksinbigrapids.org/painting-drawing or by calling 231-796-2420.

Nights of Lights: 5:30-9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays from Dec. 11 to Jan. 1, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, The Castle in Canadian Lakes, Pere Marquette Dr., Canadian Lakes. Cost: Free. Nonmember may obtain a free vehicle pass at www.nightsoflights.org.

Tuba Bach Christmas 2021: 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 726 Fuller Ave. in Big Rapids. Concert features Will Sutton, Remus Webb, Ed Mallett and Noah Mallett. No admission charge; masks required.

Letters to Santa: RE/MAX Together is accepting letters to Santa until Dec. 22 at 1411 N. State St., Big Rapids. Include your return address to get a reply from jolly old St. Nick.

RECURRING EVENTS

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.

Reed City Food Pantry: Open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, 831 S. Chestnut St., Reed City.

ARTWORKS ONGOING CLASSES, EXHIBITS

106 N. Michigan Ave. in Big Rapids / 231-796-2420 / artworksinbigrapids.org

After School Arts: (On break. Returns in January) 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.

Fundamentals of Photography, Intermediate: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Nov. 9-Dec. 14, Cost: $75. Register at www.artworksinbigrapids.org/photography.

Holiday Market: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, Nov. 15-Dec. 24
The Michigan Education Association is supporting the re-election of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

The states largest school employee union announced on Wednesday its plan to support the incumbent Democrats as its MEA-PAC Statewide Screening and Recommending Committee decided in a unanimous vote.

Gov. Whitmer closely listens to the voices of educators, and she takes our expertise to heart before acting on education issues, Paula Herbart, MEA President and veteran music teacher from Macomb County, said in a statement. Thats why MEA strongly recommends Gretchen Whitmer for re-election, along with Jocelyn Benson for secretary of state and Dana Nessel for attorney general. This team of strong leaders respects educators and understands the promise of public education.

The MEA-PAC Statewide Screening and Recommending Committee is a panel of teachers, education support professionals, higher education faculty and staff and school retirees from around the state.

The support for Whitmer comes after a historic signing of a $17 billion K-12 budget this year that includes the largest increase in school funding in the states history, according to the MEA. Recommendations for Benson are due largely to her work toward protecting voting rights and for Nessel as she addresses the school-to-prison pipeline and school safety issues.

Despite the unanimous vote by the MEA committee, the Michigan GOP disagreed with the decision to back the Democratic politicians.

Its no surprise that the MEA is backing Gretchen Whitmer, Dana Nessel and Jocelyn Benson. They are the anti-parent squad, who along with Joe Biden, believe parents shouldnt have a say in their childrens education, Gustavo Portela, MIGOP communications director, said in a statement. This election will be a referendum on the failed policies Joe Biden and his Democrat cronies endorsed by the MEA have forced on parents and children across Michigan and as a result kids face years of learning loss. Michiganders will remember.
India always had the best combination of smart minds and able workforce. What was lacking, in some sectors, could be attributed to governmental policies, which have been rectified to a large extent, in the recent past. The pandemic played the role of a catalyst to solidify the countrys prowess as a global manufacturing hub. It has pushed India into optimising the latent capabilities it possesses across the public and private sector by promoting indigenous development and manufacturing particularly in the space of diagnostics and medical devices. Triggered by the governments initiative to develop new medical devices parks and the huge investments by the industry, indigenous diagnostic and medical technology capabilities will continue to be ramped up into 2022 as well...
Sidilega Private Hospital had a vision: to create a world-class, fully digitised radiology department that would empower more radiologists to grow their skill-set while enabling Botswana to host a centre of medical excellence in Southern Africa.

Source: Supplied

Superior image quality

Training: a lasting legacy

Unsurpassed benefits for surgeons

Best-in-class diagnostics

Thanks to Mrs Isaacs  the visionary head of the Radiology Department, this dream is now in the making.Not only did she set up the fully digitised radiology department from scratch but she equipped it with the GE OEC One CFD 31cm complete with vascular capability. This latest in GE's offering of compact C-arm technology, sets Africa's Sidilega Hospital Group as a forerunner in this field.We are very proud to bring this incredible technology to Botswana, and indeed, Africa. I can already see how much value it is adding to our radiographers and surgeons, who can now better meet our patients needs with greater ease and efficiency. says Dr Motsholathebe Phuthego, the hospital director at Sidilega.What I saw in this machine was every radiographers dream. The contrast and image quality are second to none and the design is so well thought out. From the layout to the small screen created just for the operator, the machine is so user-friendly and easy to access. Its the first time Ive seen a company both answer and truly cater to a radiographers every need, says Isaacs.Phuthego agrees. Thanks to the efficiency and mobility of the GE OEC One we can now have two or three theatres operating at the same time. We are able to increase our activity and we dont have to cancel the long list of patients in need of our orthopedic and cardiovascular expertise.GE OEC One has another very important role to play at Sidilega, to be used for endovascular procedures. As mentioned by Isaacs: We have a cath lab and if that should go down and we need to have servicing done, the GE OEC One CFD is the machine we would use to stand in for that process.Procuring the OEC One CFD 31cm, with its low-dose, high-image quality, and large, flat panel detector, was a top priority for Isaacs. As a radiographer with 30 years of experience, she knows how important it is for radiographers to grow their skills in a fully digitised department with high-spec machines and a broad spectrum of modalities. She knows because its the reason she had to leave Botswana for 13 years.I had to go abroad to become the radiographer I wanted to be, she says, recalling the 13 years she spent in Ireland, her UK training in GE healthcare systems and the acquisition of skills she couldnt get in Botswana. Vital skills, like cardiac MRI and cardiac CT, which she brought into the country, and now passes on to her team. In May 2021, one year after opening its doors, Sidilega hired its first permanent interventional radiologist  an area of radiology that the new OEC One CFD mobile C-arm - with vascular software configuration - will be able to offer.The OEC One CFD is already a game changer for Sidilega. With such high quality imaging, catering to the needs of orthopedic-, neuro- and endovascular surgery - and even the ER - surgeons can now execute and deliver faster procedures, which has resulted in quicker turnaround times for the hospital.This is only the beginning. With more time and training, the OEC One CFD vascular capabilities will enable more vascular surgeries to take place at Sidilega.According to Isaacs, its not uncommon for the orthopedic surgeons to double up and get through more caseloads, including government referrals, faster. Even the radiographers are more excited about going into surgery, now that they take up less room and offer more value in theatre, where both space and time is of a premiumIm very proud that in bringing this revolutionary machine to Sidilega, were not only putting this hospital and Botswana on the map as a centre of excellence but proving that we are also leaders and drivers of digital technology in healthcare, says Isaacs.If theres one thing that Sidilega and GE Healthcare share, its their unwavering commitment to bringing world-class equipment to the people and places that need it most. That is why when Sidilega opened its doors in 2020, GE Healthcare was at hand to help the hospital fulfill its mandate to provide best in class efficient and cost-effective healthcare services to the people of Botswana - and it hasnt stopped.GE Healthcare looks forward to supporting Sidilegas vision to build a consortium of leading hospitals across Southern Africa: one world-class GE equipment at a time.
It was with sheer disbelief that some weeks back I found myself waking up to ringing bells and stepping outside the hotel being greeted by the great Duomo - realising I was in the city of Milan, Italy.

Team Africa & Middle East. Source: S.Pellegrino

Gastronomy as a catalyst for change

Chef Paul Prinsloo and Chef Gregory Czarnecki. Source: S.Pellegrino

Source: Jared Ruttenberg

Recipe for success

I had the privilege to bear witness to the Grand Finale of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2019-21 and support the four talented young chefs from the Africa & Middle East region who were finalists in various award categories: Paul Prinsloo from Gate Restaurant at Quoin Rock (mentored by Gregory Czarnecki), Marcus Gericke from Le coin Francais, Callan Austin of Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic, all based in Cape Town and Elissa Abou Tasse from Kanz Handcrafted Delicacies in Lebanon.The focus on the mighty three-day programme of networking and education (that included a series of workshops, forums, and the highly anticipated cook-off between the 10 regional finalists) was magnifying as to how gastronomy can lean in and impact local communities, sustainability and social responsibility.Not only were these chefs here to show off their culinary skills but this years award winners were recognised for their unique talent to use gastronomy as a catalyst for social and environmental change  and our Africa & Middle East finalists did not disappoint.Callan Austin won the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility with his dish The Ghost Net, and Elissa Abou Tasse from Lebanon was the winner of the Acqua Panna Award for Connection in Gastronomy with her signature dish Adams Garden  reflecting her ability to bring together different cultures on a plate.It goes without saying that the South African gastronomy community couldnt be prouder of Chef Paul Prinsloo for making it into the Top 10 of the Grand Finale  representing as the Africa & Middle East finalist.I asked Austin to share with me what fuelled his journey of focus around sustainability: Growing up in the small coastal town of Jeffreys Bay I was constantly being exposed to the beauty of Mother Nature. My buddies and I would spend an entire day at the beach, surfing and playing in the waves.At school, we were encouraged to explore the outdoors and go camping, hiking, kloofing, and immerse ourselves in nature. Ive always felt a strong connection to nature and as a young chef Ive realised I have a responsibility to become an advocate for social responsibility and to protect what has been a fundamental part of my life.Talking to Marcus Gericke about the experience of our few days in Milan, he said some of the highlights were meeting the Grand Jury (judges for the competition), asking them questions, and just getting to know them on a personal note. Callan Austin and I were lucky enough to speak to Chef Massimo Bottura as well and that conversation was so real and heart-warming that I can tell you now that both Callan and I are very motivated for the future and the next edition of the competition," Gericke said.The 10 finalists delighted the Grand Jury panel of Andreas Caminada, Clare Smyth, Enrico Bartolini, Gavin Kaysen, Manu Buffara, and Mauro Colagreco with their culinary flair and creativity; pushing the imagination on his interpretation of Humble Vegetables the dish by reigning winner of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Grand Finale 2019-2021, Jerome Ianmark Calayag from Sweden.With it, he showcased the understated carrot and promoted plant-based dishes. Incidentally, 2015 winner Mark Moriarty also highlighted root vegetables in his signature winning dish of Celeriac baked in barley and fermented hay, a cured and smoked celeriac, and toasted hay tea which opened many doors for his future.Jerome Ianmark Calayags advice for budding young chefs out in the world is in fact a challenge for all of us out there, Do it before you think you are ready. You shouldnt wait until you are ready as you might never do it and thats not good. You miss every shot that you dont take."Thank you to Sanpellegrino for their ongoing support of young chefs and particularly Clearworld South Africa  the distributor of the internationally recognised mineral waters, S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna  for championing our local chefs.
The Provantage Media Group (PMG) has donated R6m of their inventory to spotlight gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa. During a webinar presented with Shared Value on 7 December 2021, PMG's head of Human Capital and Group Projects, Chris Hitchings, called on businesses to stand up and help - now.

South Africas gender-based violence statistics are devastating. According to the African Health Organisation (AHO), a 2010 Gauteng sample noted 51% of women as saying that they had experienced GBV, with 76% of men saying they had perpetrated it at some point.During 2019 and 2020, 53,293 sexual offences were reported  averaging around 146 per day. Many more cases remain unreported.Also, during 2019/2020, 2,695 women were murdered  so, on average, a woman was murdered every three hours. Femicide in South Africa is five times the global average. The AHO states that South Africa has the fourth-highest female interpersonal violence death rate out of the 183 countries listed by the WHO in 2016.It adds that at the start of level 3 lockdown, 21 women and children were murdered in two weeks, leading the president to cite two devastating epidemics: Covid-19 and GBV.I am saddened and ashamed by the data, as we all should be, Hitchens told the webinar audience. He too compared the GBV crisis with the pandemic: Like the Coronavirus, GBV is not someone elses problem  its our collective problem. Its not happening out there; its happening right here. Its happening to you, or your colleague, or your sister, or your mom, or maybe your wife or girlfriend. Its happening in the townships, and in the suburbs. Its happening across the road, and next door, and maybe  in your home.South Africas failure to stem this crisis profoundly affects women, their families, society as a whole, and the economy.Tiekie Barnard, CEO and founder of the Shared Value Africa Initiative (SVAI) quotes the late Ban Ki Moon, eighth secretary-general of the United Nations as saying there is one universal truth violence against women is never acceptable, never excusable, and never tolerable.Sadly, in our society we have normalised gender-based violence  we dont speak up, we look away, we find it uncomfortable to talk about it, she says. Until it starts affecting us personally, we will do nothing.Because silence breeds violence, the Provantage Media Group is contributing R6m of outdoor advertising inventory to the 2022 GBV campaign, to create further awareness of this critical social issue. They challenge other businesses to do likewise.This is a critical social issue, and business really needs to get behind it. Start by starting  do something big, or do something small, said Hitchings.The Provantage Media Group, our management team and our employees are proud to add our voices to this movement, to support the GBV National Strategic Plan in its fight to eliminate GBV in all its forms.View the webinar presented with Shared Value:
Two years ago, Nando's South Africa began supporting Cape Town-based non-profit organisation Bridges for Music, as part of their efforts to nurture South African creative talent. This year, the partnership involved sponsoring ten passionate students with full bursaries to take on the MusicMBA course, an MBA-styled programme at the academy.

Image supplied: The Bridges Graduates

The MusicMBA is a five-month-long music and entrepreneurship programme that looks to enhance the potential of those who wish to strengthen their entrepreneurial skills while learning about sound, music entrepreneurship, digital literacy and mindfulness practice. This is to achieve the outcome of producing employable music experts with the mental and emotional capacity and maturity to become successful in a deeply competitive and mostly under-funded creative industry.All of this years MusicMBA students sponsored by Nandos have successfully graduated from the course. They have completed more than 200 hours of learning music production and the finer details of working within the music industry, more than 20 hours focused on creative entrepreneurship and 50 hours hearing from entrepreneurial experts and creatives from various industries through in-person and online lectures and masterclasses. The students, referred to as co-creators, also completed an intensive programme in leadership and personal development called 'Leading from Within' which was facilitated by Nicola Slingsby as well as an online Yale course entitled The Science of Well-Being. Slingsby has extensive experience in coaching - as the founder of Leading from Within, she works with leaders from across the world.The MusicMBA takes on a holistic approach to learning and includes more than 100 hours engaged in mindfulness practises such as yoga, meditation, gratitude journaling, reflection activities and story-telling through body maps. Entrenching these practices into the curriculum allows the co-creators to realise the depth of their creativity so they can approach their artistry with confidence.We are thrilled that all ten of the students we supported through the course are graduating and we wish them all the best with their next steps towards taking their creative skill forward with technical and entrepreneurial know-how, said Justine Cullinan, Nandos general manager for Marketing: Brand Strategy and Communications. Our partnership with Bridges for Music is really an extension of our commitment to support emerging creatives who produce beautiful works we can all enjoy, showcase and export proudly. We have no doubt each of these bright young creators will go on to make amazing contributions to the creative landscape in South Africa,.Operations director and founding member of the Bridges Academy, Thulani Headman, said, This year has been a great year for Bridges Academy. Coming from 2021 one of the most difficult years, we have managed to give another opportunity to 40 co-creators. Thanks to Nandos for making sure that we are able to create the impact of change. Ten of our co-creators have been able to complete the wonderful program focused on empowering the youth at risk. We have been blessed by young talented souls who are eager to learn and be change-makers. It is sad to see them leave the campus, but they will not be leaving the BFM family entirely as they will still be part of our incubation program where they will be introduced to more opportunities and hopefully their first music-related job experience. We say go and shine in the world. We hope that all will be successful and be self-sufficient while practising the BFM values and being Bridges Ambassadors.Creativity is the heart of Nandos brand and business philosophy. For the last nine years, Nandos has brought the creative community together through the Basha Uhuru Festival which is held at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg. This festival celebrates and showcases South Africas hottest new art, design and music talent. Bonga Kwana, a Bridges Academy alumna, recently performed on the main stage at the Basha Uhuru Festival in October. Bonga also attended the graduation ceremony and shared some words of encouragement with the Class of 2021.
SEO Content Writing Internship

Remuneration: R1000 - R7000 per month basic salary Benefits: Remote company, full day birthday leave Location: Cape Town Remote work: Only remote work Education level: Degree Job level: Junior Type: Permanent Reference: #Internship_SEO Company: Travel Tractions Pty Ltd

Job description

Research

Fact-checking

Data capturing

Content creation

Copywriting

Design

Editing

Proofreading

Link building

Emailing

Meeting deadlines

Administrative and other editorial tasks

Requirements

Good communicator and works well in a team

Writing, editing, SEO, design, or social media experience

Attention to detail

Not afraid to ask questions

Quick-learner who is curious about the bigger picture

A fast-thinker who can work well under pressure

A go-getter who understands that deadlines need to be met

Problem-solving skills. Someone not afraid of researching solutions and troubleshooting issues

Company Description

Travel Tractions is looking for a talented, content-focused individual to join our fast-growing team. We offer internship positions teaching various areas of online marketing, with the possibility of freelancing and further employment. Depending on your experience, skills, time availability, ability to provide value, and pace of learning. The financial incentives will start at R1 000  R7 000 monthly and there are full-time and part-time positions available.Your typical duties and responsibilities will include:If you think you are the correct person for the position, please use the link on our website, traveltractions.com, to apply for the position. No applications will be accepted via email.Should you not have received a reply from us in two weeks, please be advised that your application was unfortunately unsuccessful.Traits we are looking for:Travel Tractions was born from a necessity to offer a better SEO and digital marketing service, and actually help businesses. Having been a travel SEO marketer and consultant for 10 years, Matt found there was no specific travel SEO service that explained exactly what they offered and delivered. Fiverr, Freelancer and Upwork became tiresome to manage, with flakey freelancers and expensive mistakes. Fed up with paying other peoples school fees, Travel Tractions was created. Posted on 17 Dec 12:51, Closing date 15 Feb
View of the old docks in Liverpool. These were built after an Act of Parliament was passed in 1710. Daniel Defoe visited it at the early 18th century and commented that the town had a disadvantage of a flat shore, and no key for delivering goods. Consequently 'the inhabitants and merchants have, of late years, made a large basin or wet dock, at the east end of the town'. The custom house was at the east end and on the quays are shops, houses and warehouses. A guide of 1810 comments 'many of which have a very old and a very inelegant appearance. In the vicinity of this dock, the streets are in general low and wet, but the rent of the houses high, and they are numerously inhabited'. There was a wet dock - where ships were continuously afloat- and a dry dock-which at low tide drained of water and allowed ships to be accessed easily. Numerous vessels used the old docks such as ships from Ireland, the Mediterranean, West Indies and Africa.
The US Senate has passed its National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) military spending bill for the fiscal year of 2022, setting the budget at an astronomical $778 billion by a vote of 89 to 10 . The bill has already been passed by the House, now requiring only the presidents signature. An amendment to cease facilitating Saudi Arabias atrocities in Yemen was stripped from the bill

The most controversial parts of the 2,100-page military spending bill were negotiated behind closed doors and passed the House mere hours after it was made public, meaning members of Congress couldnt possibly have read the whole thing before casting their votes, reads a Politico article on the bills passage by Lindsay Koshgarian, William Barber II and Liz Theoharis.

The US military had a budget of $14 billion for its scaled-down Afghanistan operations in the fiscal year of 2021, down from $17 billion in 2020. If the US military budget behaved normally, youd expect it to come down by at least $14 billion in 2022 following the withdrawal of US troops and official end of the war in Afghanistan. Instead, this new $778 billion total budget is a five percent increase from the previous year.

Months after US President Joe Bidens administration pulled the last American troops out of Afghanistan as part of his promise to end the countrys forever wars, the United States Congress approved a $777.7bn defence budget, a five percent increase from last year, Al Jazeera reports.

For the last 20 years, we heard that the terrorist threat justified an ever-expanding budget for the Pentagon, Win Without War executive director Stephen Miles told Al Jazeera. As the war in Afghanistan has ended and attention has shifted towards China, were now hearing that that threat justifies it.

Upon the removal of US troops from Afghanistan, President Biden said the following in August:

After more than $2 trillion spent in Afghanistan  a cost that researchers at Brown University estimated would be over $300 million a day for 20 years in Afghanistan  for two decades  yes, the American people should hear this: $300 million a day for two decades. If you take the number of $1 trillion, as many say, thats still $150 million a day for two decades. And what have we lost as a consequence in terms of opportunities? I refused to continue in a war that was no longer in the service of the vital national interest of our people.

You would think a government so grieved over the loss of opportunities for the American people due to Afghanistan war spending would be eager to begin allocating that wealth toward providing opportunities to Americans at the end of that war. Instead, more wealth has been diverted to the US war machine.

Antiwars Dave DeCamp reports:

The NDAA passage comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Russia, and the bill includes $300 million for military aid to Ukraine, $50 million more than what the Pentagon requested. According to The Wall Street Journal, at least $75 million of the Ukraine aid will be lethal, meaning it will be spent on offensive weapons, such as Javelin anti-tank missiles the US has already provided to Kyiv. With the Pentagon focused on countering China, the NDAA includes $7.1 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI). The PDI is meant to build up US forces in the Asia Pacific to better confront China. Part of the plan is to establish a network of long-range missiles near Chinas coast.

Americans are being scammed.

A sane military (if there is such a thing) would be bolstered in times when a nation needs to defend itself and scaled down during peacetime. With the US military its completely backwards: its taken as a given that the budget must keep expanding, and then reasons are made up to justify doing so by making peacetime nonexistent. The military budget isnt set to serve existing conditions, conditions are set to serve the military budget.

Before it was the Russians and the Chinese it was terrorists, and before it was terrorists it was the Soviets. After the fall of the USSR, there emerged a popular notion of a peace dividend in which defense spending could be reduced in the absence of Americas sole rival and the abundant excess funds used to take care of the American people instead. The only problem was that a lot of people had gotten very rich and powerful as a result of that cold war defense spending, and that money and power was used at some key points of influence. Less than three months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union we learned of the Wolfowitz Doctrine from The New York Times saying the US had resolved to prevent the rise of another superpower at all cost, and a few years later the neocons found their way into the George W Bush administration to usher in an unprecedented new era of military expansionism and wars of aggression.

The military-industrial complex Eisenhower warned about in his farewell address as president became inevitable as soon as the US government espoused imperialist ambitions. War profiteering is what you get when you mix capitalism with a globe-spanning power structure that must labor continuously to maintain unipolar planetary domination, which can only be done with ceaseless violence and the threat thereof. It was inevitable that an industry would not only arise to meet that demand, but begin using the wealth it generates to push for more warmongering. The war industry surfs on the war-fueled empire like dolphins on the wake of a freight ship, except in this case the dolphins are also able to help propel and steer the ship.

And meanwhile that insane, mindless juggernaut is hurtling toward a direct confrontation with Russia and China, who are growing increasingly intimate and unified against their common enemy. These are forming the head of a rapidly coalescing group of powers who have refused to be absorbed into the folds of the US-centralized power alliance, and you dont have to be a historian to understand that world powers splitting into two increasingly hostile alliance groups can lead some very ugly places. Especially now in the age of nuclear weapons.

The human species has some very daunting tests ahead of it. I hope we pass.

______________________

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Even this threadbare reckoning was too much information for Twitter, which banned a popular account reporting daily from Manhattan Federal Court. The new Twitter CEO has previously said the company is not bound by the First Amendment, and blocked posts that were drawing 500,000 views.The trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, former partner of Jeffrey Epstein, looks like it is being set up to fail. Prosecutors rested their case after nine days in which victims seemed barely prepared for cross-examination and co-conspirators were notable by their absence.

The touchy revelation seems to have been that hard drives removed from Jeffrey Epsteins townhouse in 2019 already had FBI tags on them, suggesting theyd previously been seized and returned to the predator.

The state-corporatist media, like the federal prosecutors, have ignored the clear implication of surveillance and even blackmail. The court case is limited to six counts relating to sex trafficking and Maxwells alleged involvement in Jeffrey Epsteins sexual abuse of teen women.

Not only does it seem U.S. agencies may have been complicit in compromising individuals  Twitter tries to stop us from knowing. Kudos to The Free Press Report for its daily summary of the trial.

AUX ARMES

It is said that Catherine de Medici maintained a unit of female spies. These women, multi-talented in languages and the arts, also formed the escadron volant or flying squadron, so named after the queen introduced ballet to the French court.

The military overtones come from their duties in the field of state security in which they applied all their skills, including those of the boudoir. The way in which Catherine deployed her agents resounds down the years.

The tense political climes demanded tough measures. Henry II (reigned 154759) had died in a jousting tournament and his son Francis II, married to Mary Queen of Scots, lived only a year. That left Catherine as regent to Henrys second son Charles IX (156074).

The inference remains that these young women were pressed into service. Catherine was also from a dominant family in her own right as daughter of Lorenzo de Medici, Duke of Urbino. The squadron dispersed her rivals, presumably using blackmail alongside manipulative techniques of jealousy, rivalry or distraction.

The term blackmail dates from this time. Originally called simply mail it referred to rent. When paid in silver it was white, or reditus albi but when paid in labour, produce or livestock it was black  reditus nigri.

Whether it originally had negative connotations is moot. By the sixteenth century however, it was used on the Scottish borders to refer to protection money extracted by raiders. By the 19th it described extortion by officials or journalists.

The Medicis used those around them and leveraged their skills to gain information, and this extended to the arts. The Flemish painter Peter Paul Reubens (15771640) was fluent in six languages  daubed with talent by the brushful  and no mean spy.

His father had lived in Antwerp when it was was centre of the trading world, moving in the circles of William of Orange. He would reach the loftier orbit of Marie de Medici, second wife of Henri IV of France  a fateful choice for Henri, who would die by an assassins knife the day after her coronation.

Reubens would frequent the courts of Philip IV, mixing with his favourite the Count-Duke of Olivares, and that of Charles I and the Duke of Buckingham. Reubens was loyal to the Spanish power during the Dutch revolt, and he seems to have counseled against war with the English and French.

ALLS FAIR

Though tastes in art have tumbled since Reubens day it remains a tool of cultural exchange and power, while celebrity and bodily beauty are employed more ruthlessly than ever.

The CIA used modern art  the more abstract the better  in the 1960s to overshadow the Soviets in a display of superior creativity and intellectual freedom. Along with compliant authors, journalists, think-tankers and activists it promoted the careers of Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko.

So when we read of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell partying with what may soon again be called the Jet Set, it is easy to miss the underlying power relations. Likewise the grasping seeking out of influence of the museum crowd, amid the contrived and the affected, the grey suits of the moneyed world trying to escape their conventional selves into an orbit where the word eclectic long ago became cliche.

Their connections targeted those in the scientific sphere, leveraging Maxwells fathers ownership of Pergamon Press, a publisher of scientific journals. Epstein had his own connections through universities like MIT and Harvard and John Brockmans Edge Foundation, where futurists and transhumanists discussed how to manipulate hierarchies of need to create new models of cybernetic governance.

This should ring bells for those who have watched how Event Covid rolled out, with the use of behavioural psychology taking primacy in the government response, even ahead of medical treatment.

ITERATING AT SCALE

Hobnobbing is the perfect opportunity, for those of ill will, to try to compromise others but the famous blackmails of the past were, like kidnappings, individual. It takes a spy agency to do it en masse.

So who leveraged Epstein and Maxwells performance art? Who, in the jargon of Silicon Valley, Mountain View and venture capitalists helped them achieve iteration at scale?

Much that we have heard about the duo points to this objective: the townhouse with cameras in every room and a video-editing suite to record them. Flight lists of politicians and business executives: we likely know only a fraction of the roll call but they dont seem to be the sort youd invite to your private island for laughs.

Tabloid stories in the 1990s had already linked Epstein and Prince Andrew, quoting the gossip of the time that Epstein worked for CIA. The connection with intelligence goes deeper than braggadocio.

Robert Maxwell and his daughters are prominent in the evolution of information technology, including Christine Maxwells Chiliad Inc, which claimed as clients for its data analysis software the FBI, Treasury and NSA, and may have included the CIA  an echo of the PROMIS monitoring software that Robert Maxwell helped to sell to intelligence agencies.

Just before the Maxwell trial we got another connection, a declassified CIA inspector general report into child abuse by CIA staffers, obtained by BuzzFeed News through Freedom of Information Act lawsuits. This showed that at least 10 employees and contractors had committed sex crimes against minors and were not prosecuted. Of the news services only CBS seems to have given the story much prominence.

The revelations are ominously reminiscent of the accusations by Human Rights Watch that the State Department contractor DynCorp trafficked women and girls in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Documents submitted to a Florida court in 2008 suggest one of Epsteins helicopters shared the tail number N474AW with a State Department plane leased to DynCorp.

At the very least the CIA failed to act. It is a small step that connects human trafficking, the drug operations chronicled over 50 years by the academic Alfred McCoy, and the money laundering that U.S. financial authorities have ignored and exposed in equal measure.

The historical provenance goes back to Barings Bank and the opium trade, African slavery, and trafficking in Chinese labourers who dug the trenches for the First World War  and stayed on to bury the dead.

COAT OF MANY COLOURS

The Medici coat of arms was five red spheres on a gold shield, under one ball of blue. Jokes aside, given the power of the Medici matriarchy, we can imagine that bouncing balls are to be dispatched to the four corners, with one to spare.

If you send your descendants to penetrate countries, whether you are a banker or monarch, like French kings who sent their sons to Albion, the first thing they will establish is an intelligence operation. In the same way Walsingham, spymaster to the Tudors; or the Cecils and Sackvilles who as Treasurers profited from managing finances for the crown.

Practically the first act of Pope Francis in 2014 was to fire the heads of the Vatican bank. The route to big money is to latch on to monarchs and governments, or the don, or whoever lords it over the manor and to help him fleece it.

It begs the question: if Epstein was a solo operator running an extortion ring his operation would not have lasted one year, let alone 30. For he trod on the toes of the powerful, the architects of the Forever Wars from Helmand to the coca fields of Colombia.

This suggests his connections were more than tangential with intelligence agencies of several countries which are, after all, the footsoldiers of those who established them: Wall Street, the old East India Company money, The Investors, the bankers  slice and dice, pin to a cocktail stick and label to your liking.

Who, then, was kept in check by the rustle and crack of closeted skeletons? Even Donald Trump who gave Epstein the cold shoulder in later years and was unfairly traduced by the Russiagate saga, was an associate of Roy Cohn and managed Resorts International, the casino inheritance of Meyer Lansky. Far from a royal court but princelings still.

Seen from this aspect, the Maxwell trial is the iceberg tip of the oldest, most powerful, still-active syndicate. It sheds light  or would, if fully prosecuted  upon the techniques and trades of the ancient professions, those timeless merchants of weapons, drugs and trafficking.

Twitter is keen that we should not make the connection for The Wretched of the Earth, as Frantz Fanon wrote, might recognize the common enemy and become conscious of a target, and possessed of the will to resist.

COVERT COVID

Without excusing those who accepted Epsteins invitation, those who were captured in the web were captured still.

A report by the Frazer Institute points out that the United States in particular has a history of the state misusing surveillance to commit blackmail, intended to silence dissent, as revealed by the Church Committee of 1976.

Following its report, Congress established the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), to consider requests for secret warrants. Russiagate showed how that went.

The NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed the US government was using the Internet to conduct mass indiscriminate surveillance. Eric Schmidt, then CEO of Google, said in a 2009 interview:

if you have something that you do not want anyone to know, maybe you should not be doing it in the first place.

Yet Supreme Court justice Louis Brandeis, expressed the human necessity of privacy in Olmstead v. U.S (1928):

The makers of our Constitutionknew that only a part of the pain, pleasure and satisfactions of life are to be found in material things. They sought to protect Americans in their beliefs, their thoughts, their emotions and their sensations. They conferred, as against the Government, the right to be let alone  the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued by civilized men.

When the U.S. government acts as the accomplice of blackmailers, and social media companies like Twitter scurry to provide cover, the rights of us all stand on quicksand.

Whatever your view on Event Covid the accent on state security is grave: the military figures prominently, with unprecedented censorship and unbending discipline by politicians in lockstep, if not goose step. There is more than a whiff of compulsion. If you let slip theres a blackmail operation, dont you reveal who is behind it?

FOOTNOTES

[1] The Free Press Report

[2] Gina Dimuro, 2018  Catherine De Medici And Her Flying Squadron Of Female Spies

[3] Frances Stonor Saunders, The Independent, 1995  Modern art was CIA weapon

[4] Emma North-Best, Muckrack, 2017  Sir Robert Maxwells FBI file is getting more classified by the minute

[5] Leopold, Cormier, Buzzfeed, Dec 1, 2021  Secret CIA Files Say Staffers Committed Sex Crimes Involving Children

[6] Wikipedia  Sex trafficking of children in Bosnia

[7] Ben Woodfinden, 2016  Mass Surveillance and the Threat to Personal Privacy (PDF)
The High Court in London has upheld the U.S. governments appeal to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a key step towards his rendition to the United States. The Australian publisher faces up to 175 years in prison once he sets foot on American soil.

Whether he ever makes it to the United States is still in question. His legal team has indicated they will challenge the ruling, which will inevitably draw out court proceedings and prolong his stay inside Belmarsh Prison. Also of note is the 50-year-olds health. This weekend, it was revealed that he had suffered a stroke in October as a result of the stress of the trial.

Two individuals who have been closely monitoring the Assange trial are Pablo Navarette and John McEvoy. Pablo is a British-Chilean filmmaker and the founder of Alborada magazine, an outlet concentrating on Latin American politics. John is an investigative journalist whose work documents the impact of the British national security state on public life. In November, the pair published an article entitled A Lot of Mistakes: The Guardian and Julian Assange, which can be read on MintPress News. Today, they discussed the role that The Guardian, and the mainstream press more generally, have played in persecuting him.

It is now known that UC Global  the private security firm hired to protect the Ecuadorian Embassy, where Assange was confined  was secretly spying on their charge, sending the information they gleaned back to the United States government. This included security cameras and audio bugs. The company even scavenged the embassys garbage, stealing Assanges childrens diapers.

Guardian journalist Stephanie Kirchgaessner was aware of the spying long before it was made public. Yet rather than blowing the whistle, publishing a huge scoop, or even simply notifying Assange privately, she instead chose to write highly dubious articles insinuating that he was an agent of Russian malfeasance. It tells you what questions journalists were asking at this time. They werent asking the right ones, McEvoy told Lowkey.

The Guardian was one of WikiLeakss partner organizations, being fed bombshell after bombshell, revelations that helped build its brand and its audience. Yet, far from standing up for free speech and an open society, it was in the lead in attacking WikiLeaks and its founder. Of particular note is Luke Harding, who, mistakenly or otherwise, published the passcode to a trove of WikiLeaks documents, an act that the U.S. government claims endangered its representatives around the world.

In 2018, Harding also published a viral story that claimed that Assange had secretly met with Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and unnamed Russians while in the Ecuadorian Embassy. The insinuation was that Assange (and Russia) was partly responsible for Trumps shocking election in 2016.

There were gaping holes in this accusation, not least that there was no record of Manafort ever visiting the embassy, one of the most surveilled buildings in the most surveilled city in the world. Police, reporters, activists and intelligence agents were outside 24 hours a day. Yet Manafort was reportedly able to enter without anyone noticing. Almost immediately, The Guardian walked back the claims, adding qualifying language. Even more embarrassing, it later transpired that Hardings source was likely a disgraced Ecuadorian agent who had previously burned The Guardian with fake information, forcing them to retract a story.

From being Assanges partner, the newspaper morphed into the vanguard or the spearhead of a campaign of vilification by the mainstream media, Navarette told Lowkey.

The new MintPress podcast The Watchdog, hosted by British-Iraqi hip-hop artist Lowkey, closely examines organizations about which it is in the public interest to know  including intelligence, lobby and special-interest groups influencing policies that infringe on free speech and target dissent. The Watchdog goes against the grain by casting a light on stories largely ignored by the mainstream, corporate media.

MintPress News is a fiercely independent, reader-supported outlet, with no billionaire owners or backers. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and by subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.

Also, be sure to check out the new Behind the Headlines channel on YouTube.
If theres one thing Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont thinks the provincial government has failed at during the pandemic, its communication.

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TIM SMITH/THE BRANDON SUN Manitoba Liberal Party leader Dougald Lamont speaks to Brandon Sun journalists at the newspaper's offices on Rosser Avenue Thursday.

If theres one thing Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont thinks the provincial government has failed at during the pandemic, its communication.

On Thursday, Lamont and the other two Liberal representatives in the Manitoba legislature  River Heights MLA Jon Gerrard and Tyndall Park MLA Cindy Lamoureux  visited the Suns offices for a sit-down interview during a two-day tour of Westman that included a stop at the Brandon Chamber of Commerce and a visit to striking CUPE workers in the Rolling River School Division.

"[The government has] to be enforcing the measures and not be allowing people to gather in barns," Lamont said, referring to a recent Winnipeg Free Press article about clandestine church gatherings in the Southern Health region.

But more than that, he said, people need to understand why this rule is in place and why its being enforced.

"What they are doing by gathering together at all is dangerous.

"Were in a state of emergency, and being in a state of emergency means the things you regularly do and are a part of your life can be incredibly dangerous. The reason people are being stopped from going into churches is for the same reason you would be stopped from going into a church if there was a poisonous gas leak, if it were about to fall down, if it were on fire."

The Sun published an editorial on Thursday calling for Justice Minister and Morden-Winkler MLA Cameron Friesen to resign from his portfolio for not adequately enforcing consequences for people in the area he serves who are breaking public health orders.

Lamont said its unfortunate that Friesen, a cabinet minister, isnt being the kind of messenger the situation requires him to be when he makes excuses for rule-breakers.

He credited Kyle Penner, an associate pastor at Grace Mennonite Church in Steinbach, for being the kind of messenger Manitoba needs by explaining to his parishioners that to get vaccinated and to act in ways that minimize health risks to others is an act of grace.

That kind of message, he said, might get through to people more easily than being told to respect the fundamentals over and over again. Another thing that could be done is to see what measures might motivate people to go get vaccinated.

The Liberal leader said he believes it has become harder to get through to people because theyre rooted in their positions, whatever they might be.

"I think there could have been a better communication approach," Gerrard said. "Not a punitive approach, but friendly communication."

Another aspect Gerrard criticized the Tories for was its approach to vaccinations.

"Its important that we be vaccinated, but its also important that we consider the people who are not vaccinated and help them," he said.

In June, the federal government approved the use of monoclonal antibodies  proteins used to replicate or stimulate the bodys ability to fight off disease  to treat COVID-19. Gerrard said they should be more widely used in Manitobas health-care system.

A Liberal government would have put a treatment site using monoclonal antibodies in the Winkler-Morden area. It would have also emphasized the use of rapid COVID tests like other provinces have successfully done, whereas the Tories have downplayed the efficacy of the tests, Gerrard said.

"People are reluctant to go in now to get tested," he said. "You make it easier for people to get tested on their own without having to tell anyone else theyre going in to get tested."

Addressing the provinces nursing shortage, Lamoureux said the government needs to make it easier for people with foreign credentials, especially for people with medical training, to be certified to work in Manitoba.

The provincial government recently announced it was going to make that process easier, but the Liberal MLAs expressed doubt that any substantive changes have been made.

In summer, the government introduced the Internationally Educated Nurses in Manitoba project, which sought to support foreign-trained nurses in their licensing application processes. Shortly after the program was launched, it reported applications were in high demand  there were 1,210 online submissions in the first week.

"I think there are a lot of established programs that we can be using, but when youre a new immigrant coming to Manitoba, you need to get a job right away, you need to hit the ground running," Lamoureux said.

The current programs, she said, make immigrants choose between making a living or going back to school to earn credentials so they can eventually earn a livelihood.

With slightly less than two years until Manitobas next provincial election, Lamont said his party has been working hard since 2019 to make sure its in a position to be competitive.

Though he said the process of finding new candidates in Westman has begun and some intriguing people have expressed interest, he didnt want to name them before the party has been able to vet them.

This vetting process also extends to the partys three incumbents, who all said background checks were being performed on them ahead of reannouncing their candidacy.

A recent Probe Research poll showed the PCs have not gained much ground since Heather Stefanson became premier, perhaps opening the door for one of the provinces two opposition parties.

 cslark@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ColinSlark
In the midst of a new threat posed by the omicron variant, the province took time to celebrate a significant milestone: the anniversary of the first COVID-19 vaccine administered in Manitoba.

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In the midst of a new threat posed by the omicron variant, the province took time to celebrate a significant milestone: the anniversary of the first COVID-19 vaccine administered in Manitoba.

Thursday marked exactly one year since the province began rolling out COVID-19 vaccines, but doctors warned there is still a lot of work to do.

MIKE DEAL/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead for Manitoba's vaccine implementation task force, attends the one-year anniversary of the ProtectMB COVID-19 vaccine campaign at the University of Manitoba Thursday morning.

The provinces first COVID-19 vaccine recipients and immunizers were recognized in an event at the University of Manitobas Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, where the first doses were administered.

Since then, more than 2.2 million doses have been jabbed into peoples arms.

Dr. Brian Sharkey was among the first vaccine recipients in the province and was immunized by Lori Ann Laramee, clinical lead of the vaccine implementation task force on Dec. 16, 2020.

Shortly before that, Sharkey said, there was a COVID outbreak at Victoria Hospital, where he worked as a physician in the assisted living and home site. He and several other family physicians were asked to transfer out of the ward for the safety of the patients and himself.

"I am over 60 and as an older person, more vulnerable to severe infection. I did not want to be responsible for making any patients sick," he said. "It was a tough decision. But I thought this is an area where I can make a difference."

As soon as he had the chance to get vaccinated, he took it, so he could return to work to care for patients. He said he sleeps well at night knowing he and everyone around him are protected.

Laramee, who is a trained public health nurse, said she looks back on that day with mixed emotions. It was a day of hope, as they finally had the vaccine and started distributing it to medical colleagues that day. It was also a day of sadness knowing what medical staff had been facing and were still going to face as the second wave hit the province.

"It was an honour to work for many months on the vaccine implementation rollout, then execute," she said.

Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead of the provinces vaccine implementation task force, said its important to mark milestones and give praise where it is deserved while they plan and hope for the future.

"Its times like this we take moments to see how far weve come," Reimer said. "I am grateful for the work of the task force, the immunizers and every Manitoban who protect themselves, each other, their communities and our health-care systems."

She presented Sharkey and Laramee with letters from Manitoba Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon for their work and leadership in fighting the pandemic.

University of Manitoba president Michael Benarroch said he remembers when the provincial government requested the university to be the location of the first COVID-19 vaccine clinic. The university campus that is adjacent to Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg was the pilot site where the first 3,446 Pfizer doses were administered between Dec. 16 and 31, 2020, to eligible health-care workers. He said the campus had freezer space to house the vaccines and provided logistical support.

"It was an easy decision and what Manitoba needed," he said. "While many of our graduates are working on the frontline, many others are making an impact through research."

Work is shifting toward getting the vaccine to those who are not currently eligible. Reimer re-iterated that everyone should get their vaccine as soon as possible to head off the surging cases and blunt a predicted spike caused by the omicron variant.

 kmckinley@brandonsun.com
WINNIPEG - A judge rejected a court challenge Friday of the vote that made Heather Stefanson leader of Manitoba's Progressive Conservatives and the province's premier.

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Shelly Glover (left) and Heather Stefanson after Stefanson was declared the winner of the leadership race in October. (John Woods / The Canadian Press files)

WINNIPEG - A judge rejected a court challenge Friday of the vote that made Heather Stefanson leader of Manitoba's Progressive Conservatives and the province's premier.

Shelly Glover, who came up just short with 49 per cent of the ballots on Oct. 30, alleged there were several problems with the way the race was run and wanted the court to toss out the results.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice James Edmond ruled that while there may have been some problems, Glover did not produce evidence of any irregularities that could have altered the outcome.

"I am not satisfied that any of the alleged irregularities, on their own or in their totality, affected the election result," Edmond said.

Manitoba's newly elected Progressive Conservative leader and the province's new premier, Heather Stefanson, right, greets opponent Shelly Glover at a victory party after defeating her in a leadership race in Winnipeg on Oct. 30, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

Outside court, Glover, a former Conservative member of Parliament, said she was disappointed and is thinking of leaving the party.

"I care about members and I care about democracy and ... I don't think the party actually presented options that made sure that those two things are protected," she said.

Glover said she hadn't decided whether to appeal. Her lawyer, Dave Hill, said it would be a difficult case to appeal.

George Orle, who chaired the Tory leadership election committee, welcomed the ruling and said it should clear the air over the complaints from Glover's campaign.

"They knew what the rules were ... they signed on to those rules."

Glover's lawyers had pointed to daily spreadsheets the party gave to both campaigns as mail-in ballots were coming through in the latter part of October. The sheets were meant to keep track of which party members had voted.

The last spreadsheet, after the voting deadline passed, had about 500 fewer votes than the official results announced some 16 hours later. The party's lawyer said the spreadsheet was not an official document and had no impact on the votes counted.

Glover's lawyers alleged other irregularities. They said unsealed ballot boxes were removed from the counting room after the vote. They also said the party did not write down the number of ballots placed in each ballot box before counting began, so that the numbers could be used to match the number of votes counted from each box.

Edmond sided with the party's lawyers, who said that in the end, any problems did not affect the counting.

Scrutineers from both campaigns oversaw all ballots, both while they were deemed valid after arriving in the mail, and again as they were counted on Oct. 30. The ballots were counted at 18 tables, and each table produced a tally sheet. None of Glover's scrutineers have challenged the counts written on the sheets.

Both campaigns also had the ability to challenge any ballots that might have not been filled out properly at a resolution desk. After the count, the ballot boxes remained under the control of an outside accounting firm and a security company, Edmond said.

"Based on all of the evidence presented, I am satisfied that the ballot verification process, the resolution desk process, and the security used to secure the ballots ensured the election was proper, fair, and conducted in accordance with the (party constitution and leadership election rules)."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2021.
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - The Newfoundland and Labrador government says its new renewable energy plan unveiled Thursday allows for more oil development without straying from the provincial goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Andrew Parsons, minister of industry, energy and technology and the attorney general, left, and Premier Andrew Furey arm bump during the swearing-in ceremony of the cabinet on the grounds of Government House in St. John's on Aug. 19, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - The Newfoundland and Labrador government says its new renewable energy plan unveiled Thursday allows for more oil development without straying from the provincial goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Energy Minister Andrew Parsons said the five-year plan will support the province's transition to a "low-carbon economy" through the development of renewable energy resources, like wind. It lists more than 70 commitments for action, including a review of the current moratorium on wind energy power on Newfoundlands power grid and the creation of a "Hydrogen Development Action Plan."

There are several mentions of the potential for renewable energy to power offshore oil and gas projects.

"We know that transition is not done without the offshore oil and gas sector in mind," Parsons told reporters in St. John's, N.L. "Over the long term, renewable energy development provides a pathway for further offshore petroleum development while respecting net zero."

Newfoundland and Labrador has four offshore oilfields and is the country's third-largest producer of crude oil, behind Alberta and Saskatchewan. Oil revenue accounted for nearly 21 per cent of the provinces GDP in 2019, according to budget documents released in May.

Critics have long called for the province to make a plan for a transition away from oil and gas and into an economy focused on renewables. Last spring, an economic recovery task force set up by Premier Andrew Furey issued a sweeping report urging a transition to a green economy."

Angela Carter, an associate professor at the University of Waterloo, said the plan released Thursday isn't what she has been looking for.

"This kind of plan is a permission slip for continued expansion of the (oil and gas) industry," she said in an interview Thursday. "It is not a genuine strategy for a build-out of renewable energy."

Carter, who is the author of the 2020 book Fossilized: Environmental Policy in Canadas Petro-Provinces, said the government's continued focus on emissions only at the site of oil extraction is misguided.

"If we're only thinking about the emissions at the platform, we have one eye shut," she said. "It's missing the point about what needs to happen in terms of the climate and the economy."

Nick Mercer, a researcher with Dalhousie University's school for resource and environmental studies who has worked with Indigenous governments to develop local renewable energy projects, said Parson's comments about renewables supporting oil development are "extremely concerning."

He pointed to the International Energy Agency's report in May saying there can be no "investment in new fossil fuel supply projects" if the world is going to hit net-zero targets by 2050.

"Even though renewable energy is nice and pretty, if it's being used to facilitate the destruction of the planet, I really don't think that's a path that we want to go down," he said.

Mercer said he felt "deflated" when he read the renewable energy plan.

"It's 45 beautiful pages," Mercer said Thursday. "There's no funding and no targets, no legislation, and no formal promises to actually get us there. I'm happy the province is talking about these things, but I certainly would not qualify this as ambitious renewable energy strategy."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2021.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size If theres an image that stays in the mind after seeing Tarnanthi at the Art Gallery of South Australia, its a pale, ghostly Wandjina by Angelina Karadada Boona. This mysterious spirit figure, whose origins disappear in the mists of prehistory, has been reinvented as an elusive portrait. Its here and not-quite-here; captured in the act of disappearing or coming into being. I thought of those so-called spirit photos, in which a camera captures a whiff of ectoplasm lurking in the recesses of an old house, but Boonas Wandjinas also serve as a potent symbol of Indigenous culture. From the time of the First Fleet it was believed Aboriginal people would simply disappear, as their primitive lifestyles were subsumed by western civilisation. When communities refused to accept the fate decreed by Social Darwinism, melancholy reflection gave way to active coercion. Along came the missions, the stations, the herding of diverse groups into ad-hoc settlements; and the child removal policies that created the Stolen Generation. Angelina Karadada Boona, Wandjina Emerging II, 2020 Credit: Sarah Duguid Through it all, Indigenous people have proven to be amazingly resilient. They have taken what they needed from the march of progress while sticking resolutely to their age-old beliefs and traditions. For many people in the remote communities, the Wandjinas, the Rainbow Serpent, and other ancestor figures, have the same reality as Jesus does to practising Christians. Some figures, such as the artist, Jarinyaru David Downs, had no difficulty reconciling Christian beliefs with local Creation stories. Gail Mabo, Tagai 2020 Credit:: AGNSW, Felicity Jenkins Like Aboriginal life in general, Aboriginal art has been viewed in elegaic terms. Many believe it will inevitably decline as the elderly artists who have experienced traditional lifestyles, are replaced by a younger generation with less connection to the land. The only problem with this prophecy of doom is that its not coming true. Ever since the Aboriginal art movement was born at Papunya Tula in the early 1970s, each generation has produced a new group of outstanding artists. The new artists have been more innovative, more outward-looking than their predecessors, but no less devoted to country  the bedrock on which all Indigenous culture subsists.

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Karen Mills Untitled: Cycadsong from the series Some day we will walk together [on Country]. Credit:Fiona Morrison Tarnanthi, launched in 2015, has become Australias most important biennial survey of Indigenous art. Along with the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, held every year in Darwin, Tarnanthi is essential viewing for anyone with an interest in the field. Loading Curator Nici Cumpston, who has been involved with Tarnanthi since its inception, has travelled all over Australia to research these exhibitions. Shes visited artists on their home territory, listened to their stories, and tried to stitch together a vivid, composite portrait of the state of the art. In a field in which there is no shortage of extroverts and opportunists, Cumpston is a modest, sympathetic personality who deserves to be better recognised. Tarnanthi curator Nici Cumpston with works by Katjarra Butler. Credit:Saul Steed The strength of Tarnanthi is that it has always been uniquely receptive to the art and artists, not subject to the dictates of fashion or ideology. This year has presented more challenges than usual, as travel restrictions meant that most of the show had to be assembled via remote control. In the past, Tarnanthi has been presented as a festival, with hundreds of people descending on Adelaide from all over the country. This year the activities have been muted, and theres less sheer spectacle than in previous outings. Nevertheless, its an exhibition full of surprises and dazzling variety.

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John Prince Siddon, Mix it all up, 2019, Credit:Saul Steed For those whove never seen his work before, there will be no one more surprising than John Prince Siddon. Looking at his surreal, encyclopaedic paintings that combine traditional motifs, local history, and personal stories with reflections on current affairs, one might think Siddon had studied at the Victorian College of the Arts, perhaps under Gareth Sansom or Jon Cattapan. Instead, he is completely self-taught  a former stockman who lost a leg in an accident, and has subsequently devoted himself to art. Former stockman John Prince Siddon with his work 4 - Bullock skull, Tarnanthi 2021, Art Gallery of South Australia. Credit:Saul Steed Siddon is all over this show. His work is on the cover of the catalogue and has been used to paper the long entrance wall of the downstairs gallery. He paints animals, boat people, fantastic landscapes, even the unmistakable mug of Scott Morrison. The works are eccentric by any standards, let alone those of Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley, where Siddon resides. The title of his largest painting in this show, Mix It All Up (2019) is a good summary of his working methods. Its a veritable orgy of shape-shifting animals, fish, birds and insects. A shark swallowing a man in a canoe is also a shark-shaped pool. A larger pond suggests the map of Australia. A redback spider carries a Union Jack. Theres a joyous feel in this free-flowing invention thats rarely encountered in any form of art. Timo Hogan, Lake Baker, 2021, Credit:Grant Hancock  Timothy Hogan/Spinifex Arts Project, Another impressive feat is an enormous painting by Pitjantjatjara artist, Timo Hogan. Spread across three panels of 2x3 metres each, Lake Baker (2021) is Hogans masterpiece to date: four creamy-white shapes set against a black background, surrounded by a thin row of dots and the long, liquid form of a watersnake that moulds its body to the curve of the lake. Echoes of the American Abstract Expressionists are purely coincidental, but hard to ignore.

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Katjarra Butler, Puyurr, 2018 Credit:Katjarra Butler/Tjarlirli ArtHQ In Katjarra Butlers paintings repetition adds force, until its clear that the 16 panels in this display represent a life story and a cosmology. To the untutored observer, each picture is an abstract configuration of sweeping brushstrokes and loose, circular shapes. To the artist they are schematic landscapes and repositories of memory. The colours and forms are meaningful in a way we only begin to discover when we see a video of Butler talking about the old days, telling stories, such as the one about the day her husband speared a big kangaroo. Theres a palpable sense that were not simply looking at a random design but at a kind of dream diary that holds and reconfigures the past. John McDonald on Katjarra Butlers paintings One cant be expected to guess the details behind this exceptional series, yet theres a palpable sense that were not simply looking at a random design but at a kind of dream diary that holds and reconfigures the past. Kaylene Whiskey, Seven Sistas Sign, 2021, Indulkana, South Australia, water-based enamel paint on SA Tourist Attraction road sign. Credit:Saul Steed There are a lot of things in this show worthy of the closest attention. Kaylene Whiskey has become a crowd pleaser with her folky pictures of superheroines, pop stars and celebrities, but these are appreciated with a glance and smile. I was more taken with a large, collaborative painting made by 12 artists at Tjungu Palya, in which each individual hand is easily discernible, but the final composition knotted as tightly as a woven basket. There are bold, confident canvases by Yaritji Young and Doris Bush Nungarrayi; enigmatic pictures by Karen Mills; a room hung floor to ceiling with works on paper by Tiwi artists; and an irresistible set of painted cars made from old sumps retrieved from wrecks by eight artists of the Minyma Kutjara Arts Project.

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Case Study will fascinate anyone with an interest in the radical psychiatry that went hand in glove with 60s counterculture. Its a disorienting, darkly funny novel, constructing a tale about the labyrinth of identity within the game-like frame of metafiction. An author becomes obsessed with writing about an enfant terrible of psychiatry, one Collins Braithwaite, and stumbles across notebooks from a peculiar case. A young woman calling herself Rebecca presents for treatment as one of Braithwaites clients, but she is really gunning for the charismatic shrink himself. Rebecca is convinced her sister, Veronica, a former patient who committed suicide, was driven over the edge by him. Determined to bring him down, she initiates a game of cat-and-mouse between therapist and client  one that hangs on the monkey bars of literary and psychiatric satire before falling onto sharper philosophical ground.

After the success of Jane Harpers The Dry, Australian noir is having a moment in the sun, and Adrian Hylands outback mystery will appeal to fans of the genre. When Daisy Baker is found murdered near the Victorian country town of Canticle Creek, the police are quick to pin the crime on her boyfriend, Adam, found dead in his car trying to escape the crime scene. But Jesse Redpath, a Territorian cop who knew Adam from up north, remains unconvinced Adam was capable of murder and travels to the town to do some digging of her own. She encounters an eccentric cast of characters, uncovering ugly secrets and dark pasts as she edges closer to the explosive truth. Hyland has mastered the architecture of noir  his sinister tale seethes with small-town atmosphere and satisfying twists, set against the dangers and harsh beauty of the Australian landscape.

The One Impossible Labyrinth

Matthew Reilly, Macmillan, $39.99

Matthew Reilly is one of the runaway success stories of Australian commercial fiction. With The One Impossible Labyrinth, his bestselling Jack West jnr series reaches a suitably spectacular finale. Spectacle is something Jack does well  his globetrotting exploits combine the kinetic action of Lee Child with elaborate, Dan Brown-like conspiracy thriller elements  and the final hurdle for the former SAS soldier in his quest to save the world (again!) proves to be the ultimate maze. Ill avoid even the hint of a spoiler and note merely that readers of the previous books will delight in the exuberance of this last volume, which somehow presses all the buttons that make the series appealing without being too busy. Reillys enthusiasm, dedication and skill have produced a remarkable suite of adventure novels  part-Indiana Jones, part-Jack Reacher  that thoroughly deserves its popular following.

The Lowest Depths

Ross Fitzgerald & Ian McFadyen, Hybrid, $24.99

Riffing off The Lower Depths  the Maxim Gorky play about being down and out in Russia  the latest Grafton Everest novel sees our mock-hero on assignment in Moscow. This time, Graftons breathless incompetence is required by the United Nations. His mission? To expose electoral fraud in Russia. He does have an ulterior motive  hes found a decades-old letter from his mother to someone in the Soviet Union, suggesting that he may not be an only child after all. As usual, Grafton arses his way through international espionage and political skulduggery he is ill-equipped to handle, and the hunt for his mystery sibling leads him deep into the wilds of Siberia, where a link to the dark and tangled web of Russian history awaits. Ross Fitzgerald teams up with comic writer Ian McFadyen for a free-wheeling mix of academic satire and political lampoon.
It will be better tolerated and I think it will be safer, and, importantly, it will be even more protective, because the gap increased the immune response, says Booy, of an eight-week-apart dose for children, a model that has already been adopted in Canada. Loading What are the risks? The vaccine is associated with an extremely rare risk of developing myocarditis  inflammation of the heart muscle. This is the condition that has spooked parents since the beginning. Most common in males under the age of 30, the side effect usually goes away without complications. But serious cases can permanently damage the heart muscle and possibly cause heart failure. It has been estimated that 2.7 people per 100,000 who have had the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine have developed the condition. But it is likely that the eight-week-long gap in doses will even further minimise the already extremely rare risk of developing the condition, say experts including Booy. (One Canadian study has shown that rates of myocarditis after the Pfizer vaccine in people aged 12 and above were lowest in those who had doses spaced 56 or more days apart, and highest in those with an interval of 30 or fewer days.)

And, crucially, adds Booy: If you catch it [myocarditis] from COVID-19, its much more likely to be severe, put you in hospital and potentially even be deadly. But myocarditis after a vaccine is almost always mild, you get over it within days. And Im not aware of any deaths from myocarditis as a vaccine side-effect in a child. So if a child experiences chest pains following a COVID-19 vaccination, Dr Daria Fielder, a general practitioner in Sydneys Bondi Junction whos been rolling out the vaccine has a reassuring message: its very possibly the result of anxiety. As a precaution, she recommends that children  particularly boys  engage in only gentle activity for seven days following a COVID-19 vaccination. Her other guidelines: children with conditions including cardiac issues or allergies should see a doctor before vaccination to discuss any potential problems. Children who experience chest pain following vaccination should see a doctor to be assessed and treated. Loading A final word from Professor Bruce Thompson, dean of Health Sciences at Swinburne University. Potential side-effects from the vaccine are so so rare, but if a child experiences any concerning symptoms  like shortness of breath and chest pain  they should not hesitate to see a doctor, so their child can be monitored and treated. Sadly, some of the cases of adults [who died after AstraZeneca-related blood clotting], they ignored symptoms for way too long.

What if children have allergies or require other immunisations? Loading No, I wouldnt be mixing it, says Fielder of immunising a child against other viruses at the same time as COVID-19, adding that a child also needs to be completely well, with no fevers or colds in order to get their vaccination. As for those parents with children who are tiny for their age? These [paediatric] doses, its all been taken into consideration, its very safe for weight of different kinds, says Fielder. Whats the risk of COVID-19 to children?

Currently, the risk of COVID is much higher than any risk of potential side effect for vaccinations, says Fielder, whose 12-year-old son experienced chest pains and palpitations after his first Pfizer dose. (He was fine, and received his second shot without problem.) Im terrified of myself, or anyone getting COVID, and that includes my six-year-old. Why would I play Russian Roulette and allow my child, if I can prevent it, to contract COVID, and not know whats going to happen to his lungs in five years? While COVID-19 has killed five million people globally and is an unpredictable beast that is constantly mutating, she says, the vaccine is controlled, and we know how it behaves, essentially. No one knows how it [COVID-19] affects a person, whether its a child or an adult, six months, 12 months, two years, five years down the track. Loading And children are at risk  though rare  of developing a serious condition associated with COVID-19, says Professor Thompson, a respiratory expert with experience in epidemiology. Theyre not totally and utterly immune from all this [serious problems from contracting COVID-19], he says, referring to multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), which causes inflammation to various parts of the body. Severe cases may cause inflammation of the heart muscle, which may result in low blood pressure, and admission to an intensive care unit. ATAGI states that about one in 3000 children with COVID-19 go on to develop the condition. There have been four confirmed cases of MIS-C in Australia. And, with daily cases well above the 1000 mark in both NSW and Victoria now  and NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard saying on Wednesday that recent research suggests NSW could face 25,000 daily cases by the end of January  the chances of contracting COVID-19 are significant. What of the risk of serious long-term side effects from the vaccine itself?
It wasnt enough to claim an electoral victory, but the Greens are chalking up a triumph after their own mayoral candidate scored close to half the votes against former federal Liberal minister Philip Ruddock.

The Howard-era attorney-general received 57 per cent of the popular vote against the Greens Emma Heyde in Hornsbys mayoral vote at the December 4 local government elections. The environmentalist partys representation in the blue-blooded council area also increased to a third.

Hornsby Greens councillor Emma Heyde. Credit:Picture: Renee Nowytarger

Councillor Heyde described the result as really significant, citing the fact the council had only had one female mayor, Nancy Horne, between 1990 and 1992.

I think in a blue ribbon area, for people to vote in the numbers that they did for a progressive woman, is pretty unheard of around here, Cr Heyde said, adding she believed voters increasing concern about climate change was influential, particularly in one of Sydneys most fire-prone areas.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size As a child Kerry Negara was regaled by stories of Phar Lap almost straight from the horses mouth. Her life-long obsession with Australias most famous thoroughbred was inspired by tales from an old family friend  the strapper and later trainer of Big Red, Tommy Woodcock. Almost 90 years since the death of the 1930 Melbourne Cup winner at Menlo Park, California, the circumstances of the horses tragic end remain wrapped in suspicion, mythology and confusion. Phar Lap racing to win in 1930. Credit:Archives I grew up with the story of how Phar Lap died, and by whose hand, she says. Directly from Tommy himself, as told to my parents Thelma and Cliff [Hinchliffe]. Its not a classic flawed Tommy told me story but rather a true story that comes from an enduring lifetime of friendship. In recent years the smart money has been on a bacterial infection. But over the decades weight has also been placed on various theories that the horse was either deliberately or accidentally poisoned with arsenic, developed colic, or ate grass which had been freshly sprayed with weedkiller. Negara, a researcher, filmmaker and podcaster, remains convinced Phar Lap was killed by men linked to the mafia who were nervous about losing their fortunes in illegal bookmaking scams.

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She is also hellbent on myth busting another part of the legend. Her nine-part podcast Killing Phar Lap: A Forensic Investigation revisits a 40-year-old claim that Phar Laps heart  displayed at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra  is a fake. The saying a heart as big as Phar Lap entered the Australian lexicon as a symbol of courage or victory against adversity not long after the 14-pound (6.35 kilogram) heart was removed by stable vet Bill Nielsen and with jockey Billy Elliot escorting it in a jar of formalin to the boat bound for Sydney. The organ, more than 1.5 times the weight of an average thoroughbred racehorse heart, was sent to the University of Sydney, where it had been requested for examination by Dr Stewart McKay. It was then acquired by and placed on display at the Australian Institute of Anatomy in July 1932. When the institute closed in 1984, the heart became part of the museum where it has continued to enthral a new generation of visitors. The problem? The vet who removed the heart told his daughter, Mary McCann, that it is not Phar Laps heart at all. McCann told journalist Peter Luck three decades ago that when she suggested visiting the heart on a trip to Canberra her father said, Well that will be clever  its not Phar Laps heart. Its a draft horses, adding the original had been cut to pieces in the first postmortem.

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Luck, who died in 2017, remained convinced of McCanns story and likened the heart to Australias shroud of Turin. In the end it doesnt really matter whether this is Phar Laps heart or not, he once said. In the past 60 years several million Australians have seen it and its now well and truly an Aussie icon. Phar Lap wins the 1930 Melbourne Cup. Credit:The Age But Negara finds the truth more interesting. After several years of lobbying and presenting research  including the findings from several postmortems  she succeeded in persuading the museum in 2017 to agree to subject samples of the heart to DNA testing. In an email, museum director Mathew Trinca thanked her for the proposal and said while the directors were not willing to make the heart specimen available for testing they would offer other pieces of the heart, which had been preserved in fluid from the initial dissection of the organ in 1932. The NMA will proceed cautiously and take into account the best available scientific advice to ensure the fragile heart specimen is not damaged, Trinca wrote.

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We hope you will understand that this approach enables the museum to balance its approach  in the national interest and care for the National Historical Collection. Negara was excited. But the process would move slowly and test her patience. Researcher and podcaster Kerry Negara has a personal connection to Phar Lap and she believes the heart on display is not that of the racing icon. A year later Trinca provided an update that the museum was still in the process of seeking to arrange testing and had received mixed professional advice on the likelihood of obtaining scientifically verifiable DNA from an 80-year-old heart. Mindful of the public interest involved in this case, we are moving to test Phar Laps heart pieces through an independent laboratory, he wrote. Please be assured that undertaking this research is a priority for us and we commit to have this completed by the end of February 2019. The months and years ticked by, deadlines came and went and Negara lost faith, drafting an email to the museums director that she later thought the better of sending. The rate of moving forward is so unbelievably slow, watching paint dry would be more engaging, she wrote. Were now into our third year  and the fifth year since I presented my research. For me to be constantly on the cusp of believing the testing is imminent for over two years now is psychologically wearing and financially straining.

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Loading By early 2020 the samples had made their way to the worlds leading equine genetic expert, Ludovic Orlando, a paleogeneticist and research director of the Centre for Anthropobiology and Genomics of Toulouse in France. Negara had recommended the professor as the man most likely to get a result years earlier and, after consulting with Australian experts at the CSIRO, the museum had come to the same conclusion. But with the laboratory shut down during the coronavirus pandemic, more than 18 months would pass before Professor Orlando excitedly notified the museum of his preliminary findings via email. The laboratory had been given several samples which testing had revealed extreme DNA degradation and limited DNA amounts, he wrote to the museums head of curatorial centres Martha Sear on September 4 this year. One sample, however, which had been matched against a sample of Phar Laps hair, did not carry the same mitochondrial genome and the nuclear genome did not match. What we can then say is while the hair, genetically, comes indeed from a chestnut thoroughbred (as expected), the tissues preserved in formaldehyde do not, he wrote, adding it was more than likely a quarter horse.

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The Palaszczuk government has agreed to reform the embattled Crime and Corruption Commission without having to decide whether more drastic action is needed.

The Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee tabled a report on its routine review of the CCC six months ago, before the collapse of the Logan City Council prosecution prompted a more serious and targeted inquiry.

Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission chair Alan MacSporran. Credit:Felicity Caldwell

On Friday, the government formally responded to the recommendations arising from the routine review. Most notably, it acted on calls for the CCC to have fewer lawyers in charge.

The Clerk of the Parliament, Neil Laurie, was highly critical of the composition of the CCC, and the commissioners who support the chairman. He said the Fitzgerald Inquiry never intended to leave the job to lawyers alone.
ATAGI recognises that the epidemiological situation and evidence regarding boosters is evolving rapidly and will frequently review the timing of booster doses, the statement said. Late on Friday afternoon, the Victorian government released a report in Parliament officially declaring the Victorian outbreak a pandemic under new legislation that means the government can impose fresh public health orders if case numbers continue to soar. The declaration by Premier Daniel Andrews  which applies from December 16  replaces the now-expired state of emergency provisions previously used to justify public health orders such as mask mandates, travel limits, curfews and stay-at-home rules. The report, a legal requirement outlining the governments reasoning for the pandemic declaration, paves the way for further public health orders if they are needed. It makes clear there is still a serious risk to public health arising from COVID-19.

But in an ominous warning, the report suggests vaccines alone will not be sufficient to manage the outbreak. While the considerable protection offered by high vaccination rates amounts to a significant change in the risk profile, the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to leave a significant number of people exposed to risk, the report said. The Premier was satisfied that current vaccination rates alone will not suffice to contain transmission within health system capacity, and available treatments are only partially effective in mitigating serious illness or death. The pandemic declaration follows a promise by Mr Andrews that there will be no more lockdowns after the state reached its vaccination targets.

However, since then, the vaccine evasive and highly contagious Omicron variant has triggered renewed doubts about the ability of the health system to cope, particularly if case numbers continue to rise. There are limited preventative and therapeutic interventions to manage COVID-19 and  other than vaccines  many interventions remain supportive (oxygen, ventilation etc.) rather than curative or preventive, the report said. The available therapeutic interventions of antivirals, steroids and supportive care, have been shown to be only partially effective in reducing mortality and decreasing hospital stays. On Sunday, the federal government announced that waiting times for booster shots would be reduced from six months to five.

It means more than two million more Australians will come eligible for a booster this month, at a time when state vaccine hubs are closing, GPs are scaling back over Christmas and people are gathering more with friends and family. Infectious disease experts have been calling for a further shortening of the waiting time for booster shots to three or four months. Those who are immunocompromised in Australia are able to get their booster dose earlier, as soon as two months after they finish their initial course. The vaccine expert panels decision to keep the booster shots five months after the second vaccine dose was heavily criticised by University of South Australia epidemiologist Adrian Esterman, who said he was worried about the thousands of older Australians who had received an AstraZeneca shot several months ago. While AstraZeneca is thought to provide some level of protection against severe illness and hospitalisation, he said emerging research suggests that it may provide far less protection against transmission of the new variant than mRNA vaccines, including Pfizer.

In some studies, AstraZeneca had been shown not to be able to stimulate an antibody response strong enough to neutralise Omicron and appear to show very little protection against people being infected with new variant, Professor Esterman said. We have all these elderly people who are totally exposed susceptible to Omicron who probably wont be able to get their jabs to January or February, the former adviser to the World Health Organisation said. However, Pharmacy Guild president Trent Twomey said he supported the decision to keep the five-month interval. We need to make sure people are protected now but also into next winter, Mr Twomey said.

Data from the federal health department shows pharmacies administered about 50,300 jabs on Thursday, more than double the roughly 17,800 given at the same time two weeks ago. In the UK, where new cases have soared to almost 80,000 a day, a record for the pandemic, authorities have cut the time between the vaccine and booster to three months. In Denmark, the interval has been reduced to four and half months.

Australian Medical Association national president Omar Khorshid said the booster program would be the most important vaccine rollout in the pandemic so far. He said it was too soon to determine how much protection Australias two dose vaccine program provided against severe disease and hospitalisation with Omicron, but it was widely accepted it did not prevent against transmission. Omicron is emerging as a huge threat, even though we dont yet know its severity, the numbers are really scary, he said. Even with a lower severity than Delta it will still cause significant pressures on hospitals and ICU beds when the cases reach the thousands. He said Victorians should brace for an extremely rapid rise of Omicron cases in the community in the coming weeks. Dr Khorsid said the Victorian government would be unlikely to enforce another lockdown unless hospitals were falling apart a scenario he did not foresee happening if the booster program was rolled out effectively and public health measures, such as mask wearing, remained in place.

Coronavirus admissions to hospitals have been steadily increasing and on Friday rose to 386 admissions, up from 289 two weeks ago. Of the hospitalisations, 86 were in intensive care and 43 of whom were ventilated. Another 36 people also remained in intensive care. On Friday, 1510 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Victoria as clusters at two popular bars in Melbourne swelled to 28 cases, amid growing concerns the outbreak is being driven by the highly infectious Omicron variant. Sixteen positive cases are now connected to The Peel Hotel in Collingwood and a further 12 to Sircuit Bar in Fitzroy. One case has already been confirmed as the highly contagious Omicron variant, while genomic sequencing continues for the remaining 27 cases. Victoria currently has 19 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant, with five of Fridays new cases of the variant found in travellers from NSW, and one in an international arrival. On Friday, a number of testing sites in inner Melbourne were recording wait times of two hours. One of the shortest waits was at the St Albans Victoria University Campus, where in the early afternoon people were in and out in 15 minutes.

Loading In the past week, COVID-19 cases have undergone an unprecedented surge in NSW, where Omicron clusters have been detected, rising more than threefold, from 516 to 2200 daily cases in the space of a week. The Victorian and NSW governments also announced on Friday that both states would scrap their 72-hour isolation requirements for international arrivals next week. From Tuesday, all fully vaccinated international travellers and flight crew arriving in NSW and Victoria will be required to get a PCR test within 24 hours of arrival and isolate until they receive a negative result. Earlier this month, the two states introduced additional restrictions on people arriving from overseas, in light of the new Omicron variant of concern.
Bill Vlahos spruiked himself as a horse racing expert who had a foolproof method of picking winners, and encouraged others to enjoy the ride with him.

Instead, he took punters for mugs and defrauded friends, family and others of $17.5 million over six years in a scam a County Court judge labelled breathtaking in its audacity.

Bill Vlahos has been jailed for nine years for fraud offences.

Vlahos was on Friday jailed for nine years, to serve six years before he is eligible for parole, for ripping off 71 people in a large-scale punters club he ran between 2008 and 2013.

The Edge was promoted as a betting syndicate where punters could capitalise on Vlahos self-described genius for devising a mathematical formula for picking the right horse and his connection to an international betting expert, Daniel Maxwell, also known as Max.
Christmas has brought shoppers, diners, theatre-goers and even some office workers back into central Melbourne and Sydney, but the Victorian capitals recovery is trailing that of its northern rival.

Sydney ended its lockdown on October 11 while Melbourne did not reopen until October 21.

Rebecca Yazbek, who has a foot in both camps through the Nomad restaurants she co-owns, says one city is definitely outperforming the other.

Rebecca Yazbek of the Nomad restaurants says people are in a celebratory mood in both cities. Credit:Jason South

In Sydney weve come back with a vengeance, she says. Down here [in Melbourne] the city isnt buzzing, theres still some tentativeness. The roads are choked but the trams arent full. I think everyones driving; theyre not catching public transport.
Principal Jeremy Stowe-Lindner is appalled by the debate around whether religious schools should keep the legal right to discriminate against gay, transgender or queer students or staff members, including by sacking or expelling them.

The headmaster at Melbournes Bialik College, a Jewish co-ed day school in Hawthorn, believes the arguments made by faith groups in favour of keeping the laws carry echoes of the arguments made during Americas segregationist Jim Crow and civil rights era.

Bialik College principal Jeremy Stowe-Lindner said the legal exemptions for religious schools were an anachronism from a time that had long passed. Credit:Chris Hopkins

I really think these schools - and I come from the faith sector - need to reflect on how history is going to judge their desire to discriminate. Its not going to judge it kindly. Nor should it, Mr Stowe-Lindner said.

Change the words sexual orientation and gender identity to black or woman and you realise how insidious it is. It is an anachronism from a time that is quite rightly gone by.
The oversized ticker quickly entered the Australian lexicon, where someone who displayed great courage of victory over adversity is referred to as having a heart as big as Phar Laps.

The organ, more than 1.5 times the weight of an average thoroughbred racehorse heart, was salvaged from the corpse of the 1930 Melbourne Cup winner within hours of him dying in mysterious circumstances in California in April 1932, just 16 days after famously winning the Agua Caliente handicap at Tijuana, Mexico.

Several segments of the heart, which have been preserved in formalin for almost 90 years, underwent testing using cutting-edge sequencing technology earlier this year, but the process was abruptly abandoned in September after a laboratory mix-up used a comparative sample from a quarter horse as proof the heart was not from a thoroughbred.

The heart of champion racehorse Phar Lap  one of the National Museum of Australias most treasured cultural icons  has undergone secret DNA testing in France in an attempt to put to rest a decades-old theory that it is a fake.

Researcher, filmmaker and podcaster Kerry Negara spent more than five years lobbying the museum to test the heart, arguing there was credible evidence that the horses real heart was buried along with several other major organs in the United States. Mary McCann, the daughter of Phar Laps vet Bill Neilson, told the late journalist Peter Luck three decades ago that the horses heart was cut to pieces in the first autopsy and the preserved heart of a draught horse was shipped to Sydney in its place.

The admission by Ms McCann has been dismissed by several historians since, but the circumstances of the champion horses death continues to attract mystery, suspicion and conspiracy theories 90 years on. Leading Phar Lap experts, author Geoff Armstrong and Victorian Racing Club historian Andrew Lemon, both told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age there were few reasons to doubt the heart was authentic but welcomed the debate.

Museum director Mathew Trinca said while the historical records from the heart, which was donated to the Australian Institute of Anatomy in Canberra by Phar Laps trainer Harry Telford after the horses death, showed there was no reason to doubt its authenticity, it was important to give the Australian public an opportunity to consider all available information.

The question of collections and their history is our business, Mr Trinca said. We want to be able to tell a complete story. This had been knocking around for some time, and if there was a prospect of getting a result, we felt there was nothing to lose.

The fragile heart  one of the most visited icons at the Canberra museum  is protected from light and sudden movement in a specially designed display.
The Liberals strike a note of outrage about this fund. They werent so offended by Clive Palmers much larger election spending spree last election, but then that hit Labor. Fighting the independent candidates will be a costly distraction for the Liberals. They are pulling out all stops to label the independents a de facto party, with preselections and common talking points. Morrison declared this week of the voices candidates: Theyre the voices of Labor. And if you vote for an independent from that Voices Of movement, you may as well vote Labor.

This smacks of arrogance  a sledgehammer approach. It also has a ring of Chris Bowens infamous 2019 line, that those who didnt like Labors franking credits policy are, of course, perfectly entitled to vote against us. But rather than being voices of Labor, these candidates are voices of criticism, forming a well-resourced, like-minded, often mutually supportive, protest vote. Loading Years ago the term doctors wives became fashionable among commentators to describe comfortable, middle-class women in the leafy suburbs likely to vote against the Liberals over the Iraq war (although the phrase went back further). Today, one Liberal quips, The doctors wives are not just voting against us  theyre standing against us. These doctors wives are highly qualified professionals  including a couple of medicos. Monique Ryan, running in Kooyong, is director of the department of neurology at Melbournes Royal Childrens Hospital.

For all the Liberals sledging of the high-profile independents, these candidates will increase the heat on Morrison over such matters as whether, if re-elected, hell continue to refuse to introduce legislation for an integrity commission, on the excuse Labor doesnt support his model. In polling done for Climate 200 this month in nine urban and regional electorates in NSW, Victoria and South Australia, voters in most seats rated the Morrison governments behaviour with regard to integrity and ethics as poor, with the intensity of feeling tending to be strongest in urban seats. Prime Minister Scott Morrisons standing with female voters is a concern for the government ahead of next years election. Credit:James Brickwood One unknown is the likely gender divide in the coming vote. Morrison is working hard to shore up his support among male tradies and the like but, after the year weve had on womens issues, will he lose a significant number of female voters? And in the leafy seats, will women be attracted to these female independents? The womens vote is just one of the uncertainties the PM faces as he looks to 2022.

Morrison this week again indicated strongly that he wants the community to put COVID aside  to accept living with the virus. The cases, when it comes to COVID-19, are now not the primary issue, he said. What mattered was the impact on the health system and serious illness. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg declared the states need to keep calm and carry on. Loading The government has made the basic judgment that the community is over lockdowns. But with Omicron set to surge, the messages from various governments and authorities will be mixed. The media will feature the case numbers, not just the hospitalisations. Obviously, the time of living with COVID had to come, but it is arriving inconveniently close to both Christmas and the election.

With outbreaks and people isolating, the virus will continue to randomly disrupt. Morrison on Thursday had to take a rapid antigen test on the way to making an announcement, after finding hed been a casual contact of a COVID-positive woman on Wednesday night. The combination of re-openings and mounting Omicron numbers will likely make for an uncomfortable level of anxiety and confusion for months. On the other hand, some anxiety might work to Morrisons advantage, by making voters more likely to stick with the government. In terms of the electoral map, the government is at a high-water mark in Queensland and Western Australia  its challenge in those states is essentially a defensive one. In NSW, Victoria and Tasmania it will be on the offensive as well as the defensive, in the quest for seats.

Morrison goes into election year in poor shape personally  he has lost a lot of skin over the lying tag  and leading a government seeking a fourth term. But he has one well-inflated life raft to climb aboard  the economy. Thursdays budget update showed an encouraging rebound after the lockdowns, and forecast one million jobs being created over four years. Thursdays employment figures actually pre-empted the budget updates forecast of unemployment at 4.5 per cent by mid next year. The latest numbers show the rate was already at 4.6 per cent in November, down from 5.2 per cent in October. However, slow wages growth remains in prospect, and the opposition will be homing in on this. There is also the issue of when a re-elected Morrison government would start on budget repair  an awkward question which will be pressed in the election campaign.

The update points to a multi-billion-dollar stash for pre-election sweeteners. Loading Whether he hangs out for his scheduled March 29 budget, as he appears set to do, or makes a dash for a March poll, Morrison seems likely to produce some tax cuts for low and middle-income earners (although they are not in the update) among his other offerings to voters, in a well-tried election pitch. Campaigners know that in elections money talks, whether it is in backing local campaigns or in handing out government largesse. What varies from election to election is how loudly. Michelle Grattan is professorial fellow at the University of Canberra. This article was first published on The Conversation.
The NSW government will back the states most powerful crime fighting agency as it launches a dedicated inquiry into alleged money laundering through NSW poker machines in pubs and clubs.

Expert investigators, data analysts, lawyers and intelligence officers will contribute to the NSW Crime Commission inquiry examining the nature and extent of dirty cash allegedly washing through pokies venues.

The NSW Crime Commission has invited submissions to its inquiry into alleged money laundering in pubs and clubs. Credit:Andrew Meares

This masthead on Friday revealed the agency would use its royal commission-style powers, including compulsory hearings and phone tapping, in a significant intervention into the politically contentious issue.

Premier Dominic Perrottet, who has been under pressure to act on allegations that hundreds of millions of dollars of dirty funds were being washed through pubs and clubs, welcomed the inquiry by the independent body.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The reunification of Germany happened first on the dance floor. The party that started the night the Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, kept going as the Ossies of the collapsed East German state and the Berliners of the west came together looking to celebrate. Almost overnight, remembers Mark Reeder, a Mancunian DJ who had been living in West Berlin since 1978, the citys tiny clubbing scene exploded as people hosted raves in once-shuttered industrial buildings. Germans from East and West celebrating on the wall the day after the borders opened on November 9, 1989. Credit:AP The cloud of imminent nuclear holocaust had been lifted from the city with the fall of the wall and everyone was united on the dance floor, says Reeder. Faced with the first opportunity to choose their musical tastes, the Berliners of the east chose techno, a genre of technologically created dance music first labelled by a 1980s Frankfurt DJ to categorise acts such as Depeche Mode, New Order and Germanys own Kraftwerk. But the genre mutated rapidly in the clubs over the next three decades to become the defining soundtrack of Berlin.

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It was mainly instrumental music, Reeder says. Techno had no difficult-to-understand English lyrics and it was also sci-fi modern sounding too. But now Berlins 24-hour party people are fighting for the survival of their scene by campaigning for UNESCO cultural heritage protection for techno. Even before the pandemic, the German capitals rising rents had started closing down some clubs, but the long lockdowns of Europes many COVID waves put the citys raves on the endangered list. The scene had sprung out of urban decay. Disbanded, derelict buildings along what was once no-mans-land were up for grabs, to anyone, for any use. Available to drag drinks, a generator, a smoke machine and a strobe light and make a party, an illegal party and at that point, the Eastie cops had no jurisdiction over no-mans-land, Reeder says.

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By 1991, clubs were spontaneously taking over. Party at Berlin club E-Werk in 1994. Credit:Getty Tresor was the first, then came WMF and eventually the E-Werk, all within dancing distance of each other - arguably, Berlin is the birthplace of what we understand as clubbing today, says Reeder. It has inspired the world. Bruno Schmidt, who began DJing in London and Leeds, moved to Berlin in 2016 to take a job in music publishing. After two years he quit to practise the art full time. He says he owes his career to Berlin. This city created my career, it wouldnt have happened in another place, the 33-year-old says. He recalls DJing in a former Stasi building working alongside complete anarchists, and says its not just the countrys history, but also its personality thats been the driver of electros success.

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Theres the oppression, suffering, remorse, theres so many layers and this all contributes to the way dance music is consumed there. Its very serious, they take it very seriously. The clubs are open all weekend, Berliners party very professionally, they come prepared. Dancer at Berlins now-disbanded Love Parade. There are a lot of brutalist buildings being used as clubs which kind of creates this very dystopian vibe and there used to be very cheap rents available and that contributes to it because you can live the art life there. This was an important lure for talent from overseas, particularly Detroit, from where Alan Oldham originates. He began touring Berlin in the 90s and in 2014 decided he wanted to be closer to the action, permanently. Cheap rent drew many expats here, including me, he says. Dance withdrawal is not good: a lockdown protest in Berlin in November 2020. COVID shuttered clubs that had been operating for three decades. Credit:Getty

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Nightclubs took over the old abandoned buildings in what was once no-mans-land. Here the building that housed the Berghain club being used for a socially distanced listening party in 2020. Credit:AP By the time Oldham took up residency, the kids had turned the concrete wastelands into a lucrative business - worth, before the pandemic, an annual 1.5 billion ($2.3 billion) to the city. But a successful city eventually becomes an expensive city. Even before the pandemic, Berlin had been losing venues due to gentrification, says Oldham. Weve lost almost 100 clubs and live venues in the seven years since I moved here - COVID is only accelerating this. Oldham was tapped by a Berlin titan - DJ Dr Motte who co-founded the ill-fated Love Parade. The first musical festival was a demonstration held in the summer of 1989 that was crucially not against anything but for love, peace and happiness.

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Industrialist on Friday congratulated Leena Nair, who has been appointed as French fashion house Chanel's next global She is the latest to join the pantheon of Indian-origin executives at the helm of a global company, like Alphabets Sundar Pichai, Microsoft Satya Nadella, and Twitters Parag Agrawal.

Nair, a 52-year old HR professional, was the first and youngest chief human resources officer of FMCG giant Unilever, from which she resigned to join the luxury fashion house. She is the second woman of Indian origin to be a global CEO after former PepsiCo chief Indra Nooyi.

So its not just Silicon Valley but also Fashion Alley thats catching the good virus of Indian CEOs. Bravo Leena! Keep making us proud, tweeted

So its not just Silicon Valley but also Fashion Alley thats catching the good virus of Indian CEOs. Bravo Leena! Keep making us proud. https://t.co/CN54EtMdVs  (@anandmahindra) December 17, 2021

Last month, when Parag Agarwal was appointed as the CEO of Twitter, the Mahindra group chief praised Indian-origin persons leading global firms and called it an 'Indian CEO Virus'.

"This is one pandemic that we are happy and proud to say originated in India. It's the Indian CEO Virus... No vaccine against it," he had tweeted.
The (CCI) on Friday suspended the US retail giant Amazons 2019 deal with (FRL) for its deliberate design to suppress information about the scope and purpose of the deal.

In its 57-page order, the competition watchdog said it considered necessary to examine the combination afresh, given that the two players were known in the online marketplace and offline retailing and had contemplated strategic alignment between their businesses.

The antitrust regulator has imposed a penalty of Rs 200 crore on to be paid within 60 days of receipt of order.

We are reviewing the order passed by the CCI, and will decide on the next steps in due course, said a spokesperson for on Friday.

The commission said in its order that ought to have notified the combination for the commercial agreements with Future Group, for the purpose of establishing strategic alignment and partnership between Amazon Group and FRL, as well as have a foot-in-the-door in India's retail sector.

It said Amazon made false and incorrect statements, while seeking approvals.

Legal experts like Salman Waris, managing partner at technology law firm TechLegis Advocates & Solicitors, who analysed the order, said the regulator's unprecedented decision is a huge setback for Amazon and could have far-reaching implications - for not only Amazon, but for the Indian market on the whole.

According to the order, the main reasons stated by for the decision was that it was considered necessary to examine the combination afresh', and for the intervening period the approval provided in 2019 shall remain in abeyance, said Waris.





In August 2019, Amazon acquired 49 per cent stake in Future Coupons, the promoter entity of FRL, for around Rs 1,500 crore. One year later, in August 2020, struck a $3.4-billion asset-sale deal with Reliance Industries (RIL).

In October this year, Amazon had sent a legal notice to Future for striking a deal with RIL. It alleged that Futures $3.4-billion asset sale deal with RIL breached an agreement with Amazon. It cited its non-compete agreement with the Kishore Biyani-led chain. The deal specified any disputes would be arbitrated under the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) rules. The same month, Amazon got a favourable ruling for its plea in SIAC against the deal.

In November 2020, Future moved the Delhi High Court (HC) against Amazon, alleging interference by the US firm in the deal with RIL. Since then, Amazon has been fighting a legal battle with FRL to stop the Kishore Biyani-led retailer's $3.4-billion deal with RIL.

In August this year, the Supreme Court (SC) had ruled in favour of Amazon, upholding the Singapore emergency arbitrator award against the Future-Reliance deal as enforceable in India. But in a major relief to Future Group, the SC stayed proceedings before Delhi HC in September this year, ordering no coercive action. The court also directed the National Company Law Tribunal, CCI, and the Securities and Exchange Board of India to not pass any final order in relation to the dispute for four weeks.

In November this year, the SC extended by two weeks the time granted to CCI by Delhi HC to take a decision with respect to the show-cause notice issued by it to Amazon over the deal with

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which represents around 70 million traders in India, said the CCI had given a landmark order and alleged that Amazon stood fully exposed for its malpractices and lies at all levels, together with continued violation of the laws and rules.

The cat has been belled at last, CAIT National President B C Bhartia and Secretary-General Praveen Khandelwal said in a statement. They said it is a warning to not only Amazon, but to other foreign-funded e-commerce companies, to stop violating the law, rules, and foreign direct investment policy of the government.
Alkalies and Chemicals Ltd and on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding to set up a 500 KLD bioethanol plant at an estimated investment of Rs 1,000 crore in

The MoU was signed by the representatives of both the at Gandhinagar in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, a state government release said, adding that the plant would produce 500-kilo litres of bioethanol per day.

Bioethanol is an alternative to fossil fuel used in vehicles and a form of renewable energy that can be produced from agricultural feedstocks through microbial fermentation.

This joint venture between state government-owned GACL and GAIL is another step towards realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of an "Atmanirbhar Bharat". To reduce the import of crude oil and thereby save on foreign exchange, the Prime Minister has set a target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol by 2025, said the release.

This plant will be using corn or rice husk as feedstock to produce 500 KLD (kiloliters per day) bioethanol, which will be used for blending in petrol.

As by-products, the plant will also produce 135 KTPA (kilo tonnes per annum) protein-rich animal feed and 16.50 KTPA of corn oil, according to the release.

The estimated project cost is Rs 1,000 crore, and it is expected to generate an annual turnover of Rs 1,500 crore, the release said, adding that the project would create employment opportunities for nearly 700 persons.

As per the release, the plant will help India reduce crude imports and save USD 70 million per year in foreign exchange.

(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.)
Good Glamm Group, Indias first beauty and personal care unicorn with a $1.2 billion valuation has appointed Sukhleen Aneja as the to head the Brands business. The move would help to step-change its growth ambition on creating Digital first House of Brands leveraging content to commerce as its moat.

In her new role Aneja, a former executive at consumer goods giant Reckitt, will be responsible for creating a strategic road map for leading digital-first brands at the Good Glamm Group. This includes integrating and scaling the recent acquisitions and leveraging the unique digital ecosystem including content, creator and communities for creating Indias largest content to commerce powerhouse.

I am thrilled to join Good Glamm Group at a time where the D2C (direct to consumer) revolution in India has just begun, said Sukhleen Aneja, - beauty and FMCG Brands Business, Good Glamm Group. Beauty and personal care remain highly underleveraged online and thats where lies the opportunity for creating strong and powerful consumer 1st brands leveraging the unique digital and content ecosystem that the group has built.

Aneja brings with her nearly two decades of FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) and beauty experience and in her most recent role as the CMO for Reckitts Hygiene portfolio across South Asia. She has been a force behind various award-winning campaigns for Reckitt while remaining focused on delivering strong commercial results.

Prior to Reckitt, Anejahas successfully managed diverse commercial teams delivering Marketing ops and innovations for Reckitt Benckiser, Hindustan Unilever and LOreal Paris.

As CEO, Aneja will ensure strategic, financial and operational leadership for the brands and will work closely with CXO's, founders of new acquisitions together with the Group Founder - Darpan Sanghvi and co-founders Priyanka Gill and Naiyya Saggi. She will scale and deliver the organisations operational and fiscal goals while creating a future-fit brand roadmap.

We are extremely excited to have Sukhleen (Aneja) on board as we set our eyes on creating the biggest Digital Beauty Conglomerate from South Asia, said Darpan Sanghvi, group founder and CEO, Good Glamm Group. She brings with her an immense wealth of experience in building strong beauty and personal care brands combined with strong commercial acumen and consumer centricity. Sukhleen will be instrumental in defining the next phase of Good Glamm s evolution on building the house of Brands including the recent acquisitions like The Moms Co. & St. Botanica.

Brands that come under the Good Glamm Group umbrella are able to leverage a large digital audience comprising the Groups 3.5 billion monthly impressions, 88 million POPxo users, 100 million ScoopWhoop users, BabyChakras 20 million mothers community with over a 10,000 doctors network, and 220,000 Plixxo Influencers. This digital reach when combined with MyGlamms 30,000 offline points of sale give the Brands under the Good Glamm Group an enormous scale, further amplified by the groups expertise in DTC growth, new product development and technology and data science.
Private sector Bank on Friday said the bank's micro, small and medium enterprises loan book for Tamil Nadu crossed Rs 20,000 crore as of September 30, 2021.

The bank was the second largest bank in the state with a market share of over 10 per cent, Bank said in a statement here.

Bank has been offering advances to MSMEs in Tamil Nadu from 2004 and in the last 17 years it has supported the growth plans of over 60,000 enterprises in the State.

"MSMEs are the backbone of the economy and are among the largest job creators. We are proud to have been a partner in their growth journey with our world-class products. We thank our customers for the trust reposed in the bank", HDFC Bank, Head-Business Banking, Tamil Nadu, Arun Aravind said.

"Benefiting from the conducive policy environment, the enterprising state of Tamil Nadu presents opportunities for MSMEs and banks alike. To meet these requirements, we will expand to 20 locations in the State as well as increase our digital footprint", he said.

The bank has been offering its products under cash credit, working capital loan, term loan, overdraft against property, export finance among others, to MSMEs operating in the state.

Some of the key sectors the Bank has given advances in the portfolio include textile, metal, paper and packaging, healthcare, food processing, consumer durable, among others.

(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.)
Chartered accountants' apex body will soon have powers to initiate disciplinary action against erring partnership firms as well, with the government proposing amendments to the Act.

The apex institutes for cost accountants and company secretaries too will get similar powers.

As part of efforts to bolster the disciplinary mechanism of the as well as the institutes of cost accountants and company secretaries, Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the Acts governing these professions.

Over the years, the government has taken various measures to curb possible corporate misdoings. In recent years, the role of some has come under the regulatory scanner.

Against this backdrop, the proposed amendments seek to empower to take disciplinary action against partnership firms of (CAs).

At present, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) can only initiate action against its members.

ICAI President Nihar N Jambusaria told PTI that the proposed amendments to the Act would empower the institute to take action against partnership firms.

Various amendments have been proposed to the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949, the Cost and Works Accountants Act, 1959 and the Company Secretaries Act, 1980.

The Chartered Accountants, the Cost and Works Accountants and the Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

In a statement, the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) said the scope to deal with professional misconduct will be widened with the inclusion of a member in his individual capacity or as partner/owner of the firm.

"The bill aimed at strengthening the disciplinary mechanism by making the disciplinary directorate independent will initiate the appointment of non-member, nominated by the central government, as Presiding Officer. ICSI also appreciates the time bound disposal of cases proposed in the bill," ICSI said.

A new provision in the Act has been proposed for registration and register of firms.

Besides, names can be removed from the register of firms and reviewed before the ICSI council. This will help in effective supervision of the firms as well as streamline the process of registration and function of firms of company secretaries.

Bolstering the disciplinary mechanisms, providing provision for time-bound disposal of cases against the members of the three institutes, addressing the conflict of interest between the institutes' administrative and disciplinary arms, and enhancing overall accountability are the bill's key objectives.

(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 (formerly Facebook) on Friday said it has disabled seven 'surveillance-for-hire' entities  including one from India -- which targeted 50,000 individuals, such as politicians, election officials, human rights activists, and celebrities in over 100 countries on behalf of their clients.

The companys fight with the spy firms comes amid a wider move by American tech companies, US lawmakers, and President Joe Bidens administration against purveyors of digital espionage services, notably the Israeli spyware company NSO Group, which was blacklisted earlier this month following weeks of revelations about how its technology was being deployed against civil society.

Surveillance-for-hire target people to collect intelligence, manipulate and compromise their devices and accounts across the internet.

These surveillance providers are based in China, Israel, India, and North Macedonia. The seven entities are BellTroX (India), Cytrox (North Macedonia), Cobwebs Technologies, Cognyte, Black Cube, and Bluehawk CI (Israel), and an unknown entity in China.





The social media giant is sending alerts to almost 50,000 people who it believes were targeted by one or more of these entities.

Nathaniel Gleicher, Meta's head of security policy, told Reuters that the crackdown was meant to signal that "the surveillance-for-hire industry is much broader than one company."

Meta's 'Threat Report on the Surveillance-for-Hire Industry' said it was suspending roughly 1,500, mostly fake accounts run by seven organisations across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

Meta did not provide a detailed explanation of how it identified the surveillance firms but it operates some of the world's biggest social and communications networks and regularly touts its ability to find and remove malicious actors from its platforms.

Among them is Israel's Black Cube, which became notorious for deploying its spies on behalf of Hollywood rapist Harvey Weinstein. Meta said the intelligence firm was deploying phantom personas to chat its targets up online and gather their emails, "likely for later phishing attacks.

"In a statement, Black Cube said it "does not undertake any phishing or hacking" and said the firm routinely ensured "all our agents' activities are fully compliant with local laws."

BellTroX founder Sumit Gupta did not Reuters reporters' messages since his firm was exposed last year. He had previously denied wrongdoing.

The report said Meta had removed about 400 accounts, the vast majority of which were inactive for years, linked to BellTroX and used for reconnaissance, social engineering and to send malicious links.

BellTroX is based in India and sells what's known as "hacking for hire" services, which were reported previously as well. Its activity on Meta's platform was limited and sporadic between 2013 to 2019, after which it paused.

Cognyte, Verint and Bluehawk did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

In 2019, WhatsApp (part of Meta) had sued NSO Group -- which had developed a software called Pegasus, that was allegedly used to conduct cyberespionage on journalists, human rights activists and others.
Ronnie Screwvala-led unicorn upGrad has taken an aggressive route to further strengthen its Study Abroad vertical. The firm has partnered with the USs Clark University to offer a Masters degree in data analytics, information technology, and project management. Designed carefully, keeping in mind the evolving requirements of the professionals, the course provides Dual Certification from IIIT Bangalore and Clark University. Here the learners get to pursue the programme online from Indias leading university in the first year, followed by the on-campus learning in the US in the final year. The partnership comes soon after upGrad had made a consolidation announcement, thus solidifying its stature in the LifeLongLearning space.

To further solidify its position in the North American market and strengthen its leadership team, upGrad has appointed Jerry Czub as the Vice President - University Partnership, North America. Czub comes with almost 20 years of experience in international education and with a wealth of experience in international admissions, marketing and recruitment focused on the Asia region. upGrad looks forward to using his market and cultural understanding for scaling the business.

Ankur Dhawan, President, Study Abroad upGrad, said such partnerships are aligned with the firms aim of providing quality hybrid education to its learners, and also with an opportunity to build a meaningful career outside of India.

This expansion will further strengthen our university network in the region and shall help a million of individuals create a rewarding career for themselves at a significantly lesser cost which otherwise would have been huge, said Dhawan. We look forward to using his (Czubs) business expertise and experiences in setting up our business footprints across the globe.

The hybrid learning arrangement gives learners up to 3 years of optional practical training (OPT) Post Study Work Visa, and high-earning opportunities. Clark University is top-ranked, coming 103rd in National Universities in the US, and 601 - 650 as per QS World Ranking 2022.

There have been tectonic shifts in the job market in the post-pandemic world, with a strong demand for niche skills and courses stacked with hands-on experience and advanced technology. As per World Economic Forum, in the next few years, half of the global workforce will need to upskill or reskill to be relevant in the technologically advanced world. Eighty-four per cent of employers are set to rapidly digitalise working processes. This indicates the potential and demand for tech-driven roles.
is set to resume the Superjumbo aircraft's services to India, after a break of 20 months due to the pandemic-led restrictions.

The services will start from January 10, 2022 between Mumbai and Singapore.

The A380 will replace the Airbus A350-900 on the 'SQ 424/423 VTL' services on this route.

Besides, the airline will operate the A380 in place of the Boeing 787-10 on the 'SQ 406/403 VTL' services between Delhi and Singapore starting February 14, 2022.

The A380 is configured with 471 seats in four classes -- six Suites and 78 Business Class seats on the upper deck, as well as 44 Premium Economy Class -- and 343 economy class seats on the main deck.

Overall, the airline currently operates 48 weekly services from eight Indian cities to Singapore.

Singapore Airline General Manager India, Sy Yen Chen, said: "Ever since we resumed operations from India, we have seen a steadily growing demand for our 'VTL' flights to Singapore."

"We are confident that the A380, with its larger seat capacity, will be the preferred choice for our customers seeking comfortable and safe quarantine-free travel to Singapore from both Mumbai and Delhi."

--IANS

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(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.)
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that its electric vehicle company is planning to invest over $10 billion in Gigafactory Texas and will eventually employ 20,000 workers.

In a Twitter post, he said that Tesla plans to invest as much as $10 billion in the factory over time.

"Giga Texas is a $10B+ investment over time, generating at least 20k direct & 100k indirect jobs," Musk wrote.

According to the auto-tech website Electrek, Tesla is expected to start Model Y production at Gigafactory Texas in Austin any day now. The new factory is critical to Tesla's expansion plans in the US.

Currently, Tesla sells every car it can make in the US, and it has delivery timelines of close to a year out for some of its most popular vehicles.

All Tesla vehicles currently sold in the US are made at its Fremont factory in California, which can produce about 500,000 electric vehicles per year.

Gigafactory Texas is expected to more than double this output once it's fully ramped up, but that's a few years away, the report said.

The automaker is going to start with Model Y, which is Tesla's most popular vehicle, at the new factory. Tesla has been guiding a start of production by the end of the year.

Tesla had previously mentioned 10,000 employees, but now Musk suggests that Tesla will directly employ as many as 20,000 people. Worldwide, Tesla now has over 100,000 employees.

--IANS

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(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 one-and-a-half-year-old girl, who had fallen into a borewell in Doni village of Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur district, was rescued in the wee hours of Friday, in an operation that lasted nearly 10 hours, a senior official said.

The girl, Divyanshi, had slipped into the borewell around 3 pm on Thursday and was rescued at 12.47 am on Friday, the official said.

The incident had occurred when the child was playing in her father's agriculture field in the village. Teams of the district administration and Army immediately began rescue operations to save the girl struck at a depth of 13 feet in Doni village, about 32 km from Chhatarpur district headquarters.

"The girl was rescued from the borewell at 12.47 am. She was handed over to her parents and is safe. A team of doctors is monitoring her," Chhatarpur collector Sandeep G R said.

A parallel 18 feet deep pit was dug and later a six-feet long tunnel was carved to rescue her safely, the collector said.

Team of homeguards from Chhatarpur and Gwalior, Army, State Disaster Emergency Response Force (SDERF), police and district administration officials, including health staff, played a key role in rescuing the child safely.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a move that would seek to both empower and strengthen their disciplinary mechanisms, the government on Friday tabled the bill to amend the laws governing the services of chartered accountants, company secretaries and cost accountants in the

Chartered accountants, cost accountants and company secretaries come under the Act, 1949, the Cost and Works Accountants Act, 1959 and the Company Secretaries Act, 1980, respectively.

The bill has proposed a time limit on resolving cases under investigation and enabled the institute of of India to take action not just against the individuals but also against firms for lapses.

It has also proposed reconstitution of disciplinary benches requiring non- (CA) to be appointed among three out of five members and the presiding officer too to be a non CA pr president of ICAI. All five names however will be recommended by ICAI.

The ICAI had shared its reservation with the Ministry only on one of the points of the CA Amendment bill, with regards to the Constitution of Disciplinary Committee, said Nihar Jambusaria, president, ICAI.

The term of the Council is proposed to be changed from three to four years. ICAI will also be required to maintain a Register of Firms, practicing chartered accountant firms in addition to the Register of Members that is already maintained by the ICAI.

Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, said that on account of changes in the country's economic and corporate environment, it has become necessary to amend the Acts while tabling the bill.
India on Friday reported a net decrease of 830 in active cases to take its count to 86,415. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 0.38 per cent (one in 263). The country is twenty-sixth among the most affected countries by active cases. On Thursday, it added 7,447 cases to take its total caseload to 34,726,049 from 34,718,602  an increase of 0.1%. And, with 391 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 476,869, or 1.37 per cent of total confirmed infections.

With 7,046,805 more Covid-19 vaccine doses being administered on Wednesday, Indias total count of vaccine shots so far reached 1,359,996,267. The count of recovered cases across India, meanwhile, reached 34,162,765  or 98.38 per cent of total caseload  with 7,886 new cured cases being reported on Friday.

Now the twenty-sixth-most-affected country by active cases, third by deaths, second by total cases and recoveries, India has added 51,305 cases in the past 7 days.

India now accounts for 0.38% of all active cases globally (one in every 263 active cases), and 8.91% of all deaths (one in every 11 deaths).

India has so far administered 1,359,996,267 vaccine doses. That is 3916.35 per cent of its total caseload, and 97.22 per cent of its population.

Among Indian states, the top 5 in terms of number of vaccine shots administered are Uttar Pradesh (187759443), Maharashtra (131205842), West Bengal (103004813), Madhya Pradesh (99719602), and Bihar (93531486).

Among states with more than 10 million population, the top 5 in number of vaccine shots per one million population are Gujarat (1410166), Delhi (1370749), Kerala (1344529), Jammu and Kashmir (1331090), and Uttarakhand (1284968).

Backwards from here, the last 1 million cases for India have come in 79 days.

The count of active cases across India on Friday saw a net reduction of 830, compared with 317 on Thursday. States and UTs hat have seen the biggest daily net increase in active cases are Maharashtra (226), Delhi (47), Assam (25), Gujarat (25), and West Bengal (16).

With 7,886 new daily recoveries, Indias recovery rate stands at 98.38%, while fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.37%.

The Indian states and UTs with the worst case fatality rates at present are Punjab (2.75%), Nagaland (2.18%), and Uttarakhand (2.15%). The rate in as many as 14 is higher than the national average.

Indias new daily closed cases stand at 8,277  391 deaths and 7,886 recoveries. The share of deaths in total closed cases stands at 4.72%.

Indias 5-day moving average of daily rate of addition to total cases stands at 0.0%.

Indias doubling time for total cases stands at 3231.9 days, and for deaths at 845 days.

Overall, five states with the biggest 24-hour jump in total cases are Kerala (3404), Maharashtra (877), West Bengal (660), Tamil Nadu (627), and Karnataka (303).

India on Thursday conducted 1,259,932 to take the total count of tests conducted so far in the country to 661,507,694. The test positivity rate recorded was 0.6%.

Five states with the highest test positivity rate (TPR)  percentage of tested people turning out to be positive for Covid-19 infection (by cumulative data for tests and cases  are Dadra & Nagar Haveli-Daman & Diu (14.76%), Kerala (12.83%), Sikkim (11.52%), Goa (11.29%), and Maharashtra (9.87%).

Five states with the highest TPR by daily numbers for tests and cases added  are Mizoram (6.58%), Kerala (6.02%), Sikkim (2.73%), West Bengal (1.78%), and Goa (1.28%).

Among states and UTs with more than 10 million population, five that have carried out the highest number of tests (per million population) are Delhi (1695574), J&K (1353294), Kerala (1137335), Punjab (1066549), and Karnataka (814208).

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6646938), Kerala (5207826), Karnataka (3001554), Tamil Nadu (2737962), and Andhra Pradesh (2075419).

Maharashtra, the most affected state overall, has reported 877 new cases to take its tally to 6646938.

Kerala, the second-most-affected state by total tally, has added 3404 cases to take its tally to 5207826.

Karnataka, the third-most-affected state, has reported 303 cases to take its tally to 3001554.

Tamil Nadu has added 627 cases to take its tally to 2737962.

Andhra Pradesh has seen its tally going up by 148 to 2075419.

Uttar Pradesh has added 11 cases to take its tally to 1710617.

Delhi has added 85 cases to take its tally to 1441935.
Twelve more people tested positive for the new Covid variant Omicron in Delhi on Friday, taking the total to 22, and officials said most of them are "fully vaccinated" and "asymptomatic".

Ten of the 22 patients have been discharged, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said.

A senior doctor at the Lok Nayak Hospital, where a special facility has been set up for isolating and treating suspected Omicron cases, said most of the patients are fully vaccinated and asymptomatic.

"Some of them have mild symptoms such as mild fever, bodyache and sore throat," he said.

The doctor also said that two Omicron patients are "contacts of those who had tested Covid positive upon arrival at the airport".

LNJP's medical director Suresh Kumar said 40 people are currently admitted to the special facility at the Lok Nayak Hospital meant for isolating and treating suspected Omicron cases.

The minister on Thursday had said that many international travellers were turning out Covid positive upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

On Tuesday, he had said that the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has not spread in the community so far and the situation is under control.

Delhi's first case of the Omicron variant -- a 37-year-old man from Ranchi -- was detected on December 5. He was discharged on Monday.

He had travelled from Tanzania to Doha and from there, to Delhi on a Qatar Airways flight on December 2. He stayed in Johannesburg in South Africa for a week and had mild symptoms.

Under new norms, RT-PCR tests are mandatory for the passengers arriving from the "at-risk" countries and they are allowed to leave the airport only after the results come.

Also, two per cent of the passengers arriving on flights from other countries are being tested randomly.

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The University's executive council on Friday approved paid maternity leave for ad hoc and contractual staff, and constituted a committee to look at concerns related to setting up a nanomedicine institute by the varsity.

A panel was constituted to examine whether ad hoc and contractual staff should be granted maternity leave.

According to the report submitted by the panel, recognising the fact that availing maternity leave is a basic and vital necessity for the physical and emotional well-being of the mother and the child, the committee recommends that paid maternity leave be granted to ad hoc/contractual women teaching and non-teaching employees working in the university/colleges of the university".

The committee also noted that ad hoc and contractual staff are hired for a fixed period of time.

"... paid maternity leave may be granted to such women employees by the university/colleges for a maximum period of 26 weeks within the specified period of such fixed term engagement," it said.

The panel also said that the benefits may be made available to women with less than two surviving children, in accordance with the guidelines.

The move was welcomed by the teachers.

"Paid maternity leave for ad hoc teachers/contractual staff was adopted in the DU EC today. It is a big relief to thousands of women teachers working in the varsity and its colleges and is a result of the continuous work of the teachers' collective and many individuals.

The movement will continue to demand parliament order/UGC regulations for absorption of working teachers to bring the real relief and professional and academic growth these young teachers deserve," Abha Dev Habib, secretary, Democratic Teachers' Front, said.

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With the recovery of one more body on Friday, the death toll in a deadly blast-and-fire incident at a chemical plant in Panchamahal district of increased to six, a senior government official said.

A team of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has been called in to clear the debris and search for another worker who was missing, said district collector Sujal Mayatra. Five workers were killed and 16 others injured in a huge explosion and subsequent fire at a plant of Fluorochemicals Limited (GFL) situated near Ranjitnagar in Ghoghamba tehsil on Thursday morning. Following a day-long search and rescue operation, fire services teams pulled out five bodies from the rubble.



As local villagers said that some workers were still missing, an SDRF team was called in, said Mayatra. "The body of a sixth worker was found today. Since one more person is still missing as per villagers, the toll may rise. Search operation is on," the collector said. Of 16 injured workers, 14 have received minor injuries while two suffered over 50 per cent burns, Mayatra said. Those who have suffered minor injuries will be given discharge by Saturday evening, he said.

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A Zimbabwe-based NRI man, his wife and brother-in-law, who were found infected with the Omicron variant of in Jamnagar city of earlier this month, have now tested negative for the infection and were given discharge from a hospital here, officials said on Friday.

They were the first three patients of Omicron variant in Gujarat, which later reported two more such cases - one in Surat and another in Mehsana.

"All the three Omicron patients have recovered from the infection. Their latest COVID-19 tests gave negative results, following which the trio was given discharge from the hospital. The Omicron ward is now empty," said Dr Saugata Chatterjee, nodal officer for COVID-19 at the government-run G G Hospital in Jamnagar city.

On December 4, genome sequencing had established that the 72-year-old NRI man, who arrived here from Zimbabwe, one of the 'at-risk' countries, had contracted the Omicron variant of COVID-19. It was the first case of the new strain in

The elderly man had taken both the doses of a Chinese vaccine in Zimbabwe. When his RT-PCR test came positive, authorities kept him in an isolation ward and sent his samples for genome sequencing.

Two days later, his wife, who had come with him from Zimbabwe, and his brother-in-law, who lives in Jamnagar, had also tested positive for On December 10, genome sequencing had established that they were also infected with the Omicron variant.

Now, has two active cases of the new strain - a 42-year-old businessman undergoing treatment in Surat and a 41-year-old woman health worker admitted to GMERS hospital in Vadnagar, Mehsana district.

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India's COVID count crossed the 100 mark on Friday after recording the highest single day rise of 24 fresh cases of the new variant, even as the Centre advised people to avoid non-essential travel and mass gatherings and keep New Year celebrations at low intensity.

As the tally from 11 states and union territories stood at 111 exactly 15 days after the first case of the potentially more contagious COVID variant was detected in Karnataka, 20 new cases were reported from Maharashtra(8) and Delhi(12) to take their total to 40 and 22 respectively. Telangana and Kerala recorded two more cases each to take their tally to eight and seven respectively.

The Centre also warned it is likely that the spread of the new variant will outpace the Delta variant where there is community transmission.

Addressing a joint news conference in Delhi, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health Lav Agarwal said though daily COVID-19 cases are below 10,000 for the past 20 days, there is a need to stay vigilant in view of the new variant and rising cases in other countries.

According to Central and state officials, Maharashtra has reported 40 cases, Delhi (22), Rajasthan (17), Karnataka (8), Telangana (8), Gujarat (5), Kerala (7), Andhra Pradesh (1), Chandigarh (1), Tamil Nadu (1) and West Bengal (1).

While the country's first two cases of the Omicron variant were detected in Karnataka on December 2, this heavily mutated version of the was first reported in South Africa on November 24.

"As Omicron variant is spreading very fast across Europe and most parts of the world so need to avoid nonessential travel, avoid mass gatherings and it is time to observe low intensity festivities and ushering in new year celebrations has to be at low intensity," said ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava.

Those districts which have more than 5 per cent positivity rate need to ensure restrictive measures until the test positivity rate comes below 5 per cent for at least 2 weeks, he stressed.

Citing the World Health Organization (WHO), Agarwal said the Omicron variant is spreading faster than the Delta variant of the in South Africa, where Delta circulation was low.

It is likely that Omicron spread will outpace Delta variant where community transmission occurs, he said quoting the WHO.

Quoting the WHO DG, Agarwal said Omicron is spreading at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant. We are concerned that people are dismissing Omicron as mild.

In response to a question on whether we are in community transmission of Omicron, Agarwal said, "We cannot at this point say that Omicron variant is widespread in India."



He said most cases of Omicron have a travel history, or have contacts with travel histories. On a limited basis, there are one or two cases in which we have not been able to establish any such history but the process is still on to identify if there has been any travel or contact histories, he added.

Agarwal said the sheer number of cases could once again overwhelm unprepared health systems.

"Vaccines alone will not get any country out of this crisis. Masks, physical distancing, ventilation and hand hygiene should be followed along with vaccines. In most countries, those being hospitalized and dying are those who have not been vaccinated. So, the priority must be to vaccinate the unvaccinated, even in countries with the most access to vaccines."



Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said 10 of the 22 COVID patients infected by the Omicron variant have been discharged.

The minister had on Thursday said many international travellers are turning out COVID positive upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Health experts and Doctors in the national capital warned that people should avoid all kinds of gatherings as Omicron is a highly transmissible variant, and follow COVID-appropriate behaviour, else the situation may worsen.

They also rued that a "sense of complacency" has again crept in large sections of citizens, despite seeing the "horrors of the second wave" early this year.

"Omicron is highly transmissible. First thing people need to do is avoid all gatherings of any form, and follow all COVID-appropriate behaviour, like wearing masks, following social distancing, use of hand sanitiser, and not become lax at all," said a senior doctor at the Lok Nayak hospital, the nerve-centre of Delhi's fight against the pandemic since 2020.

Doctors at other government and private hospitals, concurred that similar complacency level among a larger section of citizens was seen just before the brutal second wave hit Delhi.

In Tamil Nadu, as many as 28 people who arrived from both 'high-risk' and 'non-risk' countries till date have tested COVID positive along with S-gene drop, raising the suspicion of they being infected with Omicron, a state minister said.

Medical and Family Welfare minister Ma Subramanian told reporters in Chennai that the samples of the 28 passengers have been sent for genomic sequencing analysis.

At the joint press conference in Delhi, NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul said a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic is being experienced in Europe with a steep rise in cases despite 80 per cent partial vaccination being done and delta wave being experienced.

"Situation overall is stable but in some districts the positivity rate is increasing and if needed restrictive measures should be implemented. There should be proper contact tracing and clusters should be monitored carefully and containment measures should be implemented. Clusters should be investigated to see if the new variant is driving the rise in cases there," he added.

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India and have inked a letter of intent for enhanced cooperation in the postal sector, an official release said on Friday.

The letter of intent underscores the joint objectives of both the nations to facilitate cooperation in the field of posts and telecom, promote sharing of information and experience, cooperate to implement projects in HR development and promote enhanced cooperation of postal designated operators and service providers.

India and have signed the letter of intent for enhanced cooperation in the postal sector, in line with the comprehensive strategic and economic partnership and growing relations between the two countries, according to the release.

Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan held a bilateral meeting with the delegation from on Friday at Sanchar Bhawan, it added.

Chauhan highlighted that signing the letter of intent would provide new opportunities to both countries in the field of communications and posts.

The Vietnam delegation was led by Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Information and Communications.

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The Indian Society, the apex body of publishers of newspapers, magazines and periodicals in the country has on Friday elected Mohit Jain of The Economic Times as President of the society for the year.

He was elected as the President in the 82nd annual general meeting (AGM) of the society, which was held through video conference.

Mohit Jain will succeed L. Adimoolam of Health & The Antiseptic.

K. Raja Prasad Reddy of Sakshi is the Deputy President, and Rakesh Sharma of Aaj Samaj is the Vice President and Tanmay Maheshwari of Amar Ujala is the Honorary Treasurer for the year 2021-22 of The Indian Society.

Mary Paul is the Secretary General of the Society.

The other members of the the Executive Committee of the are S. Balasubramaniam Adityan of Daily Thanthi, Girish Agarwal of Dainik Bhaskar, Bhopal, Viveck Goenka of The Indian Express, Mumbai and others.
The on Thursday expressed concern at continuing encroachments on government land and the slum problems in all big cities, and called for strict action by authorities.

A bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar emphasised that local governments should wake up and take actions to prevent encroachments.

The bench, also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C.T. Ravikumar orally observed that all major cities have turned into slums and added that Chandigarh might be an exception but there are problems in Chandigarh as well.

"Happening everywhere... Let us rise to reality and think how the problem has to be resolved," it observed.

The bench pointed out that the primary duty to see that there is no encroachment of public land is of local government.

"It is a sad story continuing for 75 years. This is the sad story of this country..," the bench orally observed.

The top court made these observations while hearing a plea in connection with 5,000 jhuggis in Gujarat, with nearly 10,000 persons residing there, facing demolition in the wake of the construction of a railway line between Surat and Jalna.

The Gujarat High Court had dismissed a plea against the demolition, but in August, the top court had stayed the demolition.

On Thursday, the top court allowed the demolition and directed that those affected should be given alternate accommodation.

It added that ultimately the taxpayers' money which will go down the drain.

The bench pointed at the special railway enactment, which empowers it to take criminal action against trespassers, and it also maintains a special police force to protect its properties. It said that it will review the performance of the railways and scheduled the matter for further hearing on January 28.

--IANS

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parent Meta Platforms Inc. has announced a sweeping crackdown on surveillance companies that it says have used its social media websites to spy on people in more than 100 countries.

In a report published on Thursday, Meta identified six companies from Israel, India, and North Macedonia, in addition to an unknown entity in China, which it said carried out indiscriminate surveillance targeting thousands of people.

Meta said it had blocked infrastructure associated with the companies, issued cease and desist warnings to them, and banned about 1,500 of their accounts from and Instagram, which had secretly been used to carry out reconnaissance, launch hacking campaigns and trick people into providing personal information.

Those targeted for surveillance by the companies included journalists, dissidents, critics of authoritarian regimes, and families of opposition and human rights activists, according to Meta. More than 48,000 people believed to have been targeted by the surveillance companies were alerted by Meta.

The goal of today's enforcement is not just to take down their accounts, but to disrupt their activity in the most costly way possible, to blow the cover on their operations and bring transparency to the industry, said David Agranovich, Metas director of threat disruption.

The revelations come amid increasing scrutiny of companies that provide governments with surveillance technologies. The firms, such as Israels NSO Group Ltd, contend that they provide the tools to help intelligence and law enforcement agencies fight serious crime and terrorism. But there have been repeated examples in recent years in which governments have allegedly used the technology to spy on dissidents, human rights activists and journalists.

On Tuesday, a group of 18 U.S. lawmakers wrote to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the State Department, urging them to use Global Magnitsky sanctions to punish NSO Group and other surveillance companies they accused of enabling human rights abuses. The embattled NSO Group is now said to be exploring options that include shutting its controversial Pegasus spyware unit and selling the entire company, Bloomberg News reported.

Meta says its report aims to show that NSO is only one piece of a much broader global cyber mercenary ecosystem. It names four other Israeli firms as having been involved in providing the surveillance-for-hire servicesCobwebs Technologies, Cognyte, Black Cube and Bluehawk CI  in addition to Indias BellTrox, North Macedonias Cytrox and an unknown entity in China. Most of the companies didnt respond to requests for comment.

A spokesperson for Black Cube said the company operates in compliance with local laws and does not undertake any phishing or hacking and does not operate in the cyber world. The company works with the worlds leading law firms in proving bribery, uncovering corruption and recovering hundreds of millions in stolen assets, the spokesperson added.

Meital Levi Tal, spokeswoman for Cobwebs Technologies said the company hasnt been contacted by (Meta) and are unaware of any claims it has allegedly made about our services. Cobwebs operates only according to the law and adheres to strict standards in respect of privacy protection.

John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, a research group at the University of Toronto that focuses on abuses of surveillance technology, said that Metas broad stroke enforcement action would send a really clear signal of the way it's going to treat other offensive players going forward.

It's significant, because it shows this is not the problem of a single company or a handful of companies. It's an industry-wide problem.

Meta accused Cobwebs of operating hundreds of fake accounts used to collect information on their targets, who included activists, politicians and government officials in Hong Kong and Mexico. Bluehawk CI was said to use fake accounts posing as journalists to trick people into installing malicious software on their computers, targeting politicians and businessmen in the Middle East. Black Cube was accused of operating fake personas to gather information on people in medical, mining, minerals and energy industries, as well as Palestinian activists and people in Russia involved in finance and real estate development.

India's BellTroX allegedly operated fake accounts used in suspected efforts to hack peoples phones or computers; the company targeted lawyers, doctors, activists, and members of the clergy in countries including Australia, Angola, Saudi Arabia and Iceland. Meta found a vast domain infrastructure associated with Cytrox, which it said was likely used in hacking campaigns that targeted politicians and journalists, including in Egypt and Armenia. Moreover, Meta linked the unknown entity in China to domestic law enforcement in the country and observed it had been supporting surveillance campaigns focused on minority groups in the Asia-Pacific, including the Xinjiang region of China, Myanmar and Hong Kong.

Separately on Thursday, Citizen Lab published a report linking Cytrox to hacks that targeted two prominent critics of the Egyptian government.

The company has developed spyware called Predator that can penetrate iOS and Android mobile devices to secretly record conversations and steal data, Citizen Lab found.

In June, Cytroxs spy technology compromised a phone belonging to Ayman Nour, the exiled president of the Union of the Egyptian National Forces, an opposition political group. The spyware was also found on the phone of an Egyptian journalist in exile who is the host of a popular news program, according to Citizen Labs report, which does not name the journalist.

Citizen Labs digital analysis identified multiple servers associated with the delivery of Cytroxs spyware, in countries including Armenia, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Madagascar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Serbia. Governments in those countries are likely among Cytroxs customers, according to Citizen Lab.

What the public is learning this year is that there is a large cyber insecurity industry that sells these offensive tools, said Scott-Railton, the senior researcher at Citizen Lab. And as long as there is no serious oversight, the offensive tools will be used in the same way: to target dissidents, journalists and others. Until there are serious systematic efforts to address this problem, the horrors will keep happening.

Cytrox has a limited online footprint and has received little media coverage. The company originated as a startup in Macedonia, but was later acquired by Tal Dilian, an Israeli intelligence agency veteran, in a deal worth about $5 million, Forbes reported in 2019. A representative for Dilian didnt respond to a request for comment.

According to Citizen Lab, Cytrox is involved in a surveillance industry alliance called Intellexa, which was founded by Dilian and says it offers law enforcement and intelligence agencies cutting-edge technological platforms that protect communities from criminal activities.

Cytrox has impersonated popular companies and websitesincluding Apple, Fox News, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tesla, Twitter and YouTubein order to dupe hacking targets into clicking on malicious links, Citizen Labs researchers found.

The two Egyptians who were hacked earlier this year received messages on WhatsApp that tried to trick them into clicking on what appeared to be legitimate news websites, but were in fact malicious domains set up to deliver Cytroxs spyware, Citizen Lab reported.

In Nours case, he became suspicious that his phone had been infected after it began overheating. Citizen Labs researchers forensically examined it, finding that it had been successfully infected by two variants of spyware: Cytroxs Predator and NSO Groups Pegasus.

Citizen Lab notified WhatsApp parent Meta about its findings, which prompted the company to initiate its own investigation. According to Metas report published on Thursday, it identified and removed approximately 300 Facebook and Instagram accounts linked to Cytroxs spying efforts.

Companies such as Cytrox are democratizing access to spying techniques, said Nathaniel Gleicher, Meta's head of security policy. "They are building tools to manage fake accounts, to target and surveil people, to enable the delivery of malware. And they are providing them to any clients most interested  the clients who are willing to pay."
Naga civil society organisations on Thursday organised various protest events in five districts of against the killing of 14 youths and injuring 30 others by the security forces "due to mistaken identity" on December 4.

A dawn-to-dusk shutdown was also observed on Thursday in Mon district where the Army operation had taken place.

All government and private offices and business establishments remained closed during the shutdown and public transportation was crippled as members of the Konyak Naga tribe, to which the civilians gunned down in the December 4 firing belonged, held protest rallies in the district, which shares borders with Myanmar, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

The Eastern Peoples' Organisation (ENPO), a top tribal body, also staged demonstrations in Tuensang, Longleng, Kiphire, and Noklak districts.

Several Naga civil society organisations, including the Konyak Union, had earlier declared "non-cooperation" with the security forces until their demands, including repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958 (AFSPA), are fulfilled and justice is delivered to the 14 victims.

The Army had earlier expressed deep regret for the "unfortunate incident and unfortunate loss of lives" and said the matter would be investigated at the "highest level".

Naga civil society organisations have continued to impose "total restrictions" on the movement of the army and paramilitary in the Konyak-dominated areas of

Announcing the "restrictions", Konyak Union President S. Howing Konyak and other tribal leaders had also said that no military recruitment rally would be allowed in Mon and no Konyak youth would participate in any recruitment rally.

Konyak civil society organisations also said that no ex-gratia or compensation from the government would be accepted until justice was delivered to all the 14 victims.

Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the state government to probe the December 4 incident, continued their investigation.

The Nagaland government would hold a special session of the Assembly on December 20 to discuss and pass a resolution for repealing the AFSPA.

--IANS

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Thousands of people took part in the Peoples' Rally held here on Friday, demanding justice for the 14 civilians killed by security forces in recently and scrapping of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from the Northeast.

Participants of the rally walked for around 2.5 km, and submitted a memorandum on the demands to the governor's secretariat.

In the memorandum, the participating groups demanded immediate justice for the slain youths of Oting and all Naga victims of alleged excesses by the Army, repeal of the AFSPA, and expediting a solution to the Naga political problem.

The protestors raised slogans denouncing the killing of 14 civilians in Oting area of Mon district in a botched up operation and its aftermath in the state on December 4 and 5. They also held banners and placards some of which read, Nagas are not terrorists, Ban AFSPA, not our voice and Justice for Oting victims.

Regretting the death of the civilians, Home Minister Amit Shah had told the Lok Sabha that security forces had fired in self-defence.

Besides members of the Naga Students' Federation (NSF), which organised the rally, representatives of the North East Students' Organisation (NESO), All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and apex bodies of several tribal bodies took part.

The protestors submitted a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the governor's secretariat.

Alleging that people of the state were tortured by security forces as they get immunity under the AFSPA, the memorandum provided a list of alleged incidents of excesses by the armed forces in since 1970.

In 1947, the Naga Council (NNC) had declared as an independent state, following which the Centre sent security forces to the state. The was enacted in 1958, and after decades of insurgency, peace process started and a Framework Agreement was signed in 2015 after over 80 rounds of negotiations spanning 18 years.

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As the tally of India crossed 100 on Friday, the struck a note of caution saying its a phase of worry for the country. India could see 1.3 to 1.4 million daily cases if the case progression is the same as what is being witnessed in some of the European countries such as the UK or France, V K Paul, member-health, Niti Aayog, told reporters.

The variant is not widespread in India so far, the government has pointed out. A new phase of pandemic is being experienced in Europe.We have to ensure the European situation does not occur in India and we dont see a spread like theirs. Conversely, we have to be prepared for this situation,Paul said.

The UK recorded its highest daily cases of Covid19 on Wednesday crossing the 78,000 mark, prompting governments across the world to take notice. In India too, the government is keeping a close watch and making preparations in case of a health crisis.

It has also advised that all non-essential travel should be avoided and celebrations should be low key and with all precautions.

We have to preserve the gains we have made. All cases detected so far are either with a travel history or have a travel contact. We are not in a situation where this is widespread, said Lav Agarwal, joint secretary, health ministry, while denying community spread of the variant in the country.

The variant has spread to 91 countries with more than 27,000 cases detected worldwide.





ALSO READ: India's Omicron Covid count crosses 100; avoid mass gatherings, says Centre



In India, 24 districts, which have more than 5 per cent test positivity rate, have to put restrictive measures in place till that number comes down. Comprehensive preparedness is required for emerging potential scenarios with careful watch and proper ventilation. These measures will not go out of fashion, Paul said.

On whether India is getting late in taking a decision about boosters at a time when several countries have given the third jab, Paul said, Have faith, we have no resource constraint. So the decision will be taken on epidemiology and scientific underpinning.

He said that the booster dose has to be opted when there is appropriate evidence and time.

Paul also said that it may be immature and scientifically incorrect at this stage to extrapolate current Omicrons India data for modelling to identify the real burden of the new variant.

The government has stressed that genome sequencing is being carried out sufficiently in a systematic manner and it has to be used as a surveillance tool. Genomic sequencing is not a diagnostic tool. Every individual cannot be tested, Paul said.

The Indian Council of Medical Research is also analysing data on antiviral pills to cure Covid but has not found enough scientific evidence to recommend its use. We have found that these drugs have to be given even before the diagnosis. Scientific data does not support it in such a big way," Balram Bhargava, director general, ICMR, said.

Bhargava also said that scientific evidence showed that the initial antibody response provided by mRNA vaccines may be higher than the ones being used in India but the fall is also faster. Mix and match of doses is being debated...Basic philosophy of mRNA vaccine is that the immunity is higher but shorter. This is also being debated, he added.
Amid a jump in Omicron cases in Delhi, doctors on Friday said people should avoid all gatherings and follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, else the pandemic situation may worsen given the highly transmissible nature of this variant of

Health experts and doctors treating Covid patients at leading government and private facilities in the city said a "sense of complacency" has again crept in among a large section of citizens despite witnessing the "horrors of the second wave" of Covid infections earlier this year.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Friday said 10 new cases of the new Omicron variant have been detected in the national capital, taking the tally to 20.

Ten of these patients have been discharged, he said.

The rise in cases of Omicron variant comes ahead of the Christmas and New Year, occasions which see massive gatherings of people in public and get-togethers at home.

The minister had on Thursday said many international travellers are turning out Covid positive upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

A couple of days earlier, he had said the Omicron variant of has not spread in the community so far and the situation is under control.

Delhi's first case of the Omicron variant -- a 37-year-old man from Ranchi -- was detected on December 5. He was discharged on Monday.

A senior doctor at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital, the nerve centre of Delhi's fight against the pandemic since 2020, "all these remaining ten patients are asymptomatic" and aged in the region of 18-55.

"Omicron is highly transmissible. The first thing people need to do is avoid all gatherings of any form and follow all Covid-appropriate behaviour such as wearing masks, following social distancing, using sanitiser and not become lax at all," she said.

Doctors at other government and private hospitals concurred that a similar complacency level among a larger section of citizens was seen just before the second wave.

"We saw the same laxity among people then and seeing it now again. Even though almost all families saw the death of near and dear ones or heard of someone losing their family members we still haven't learnt any lessons, it seems, sadly," said Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, a senior consultant at Apollo Hospitals here.

He said in November he didn't attend to any Covid case and in December it has increased to five to six patients daily on an average.

"The cases are mild. But it is a highly transmissible variant and people may still need admission. So, God forbid, if the situation repeats our healthcare infrastructure will again be under strain," Chatterjee said.

The doctor at Apollo hospital, himself a Covid survivor, emphasised that both the government authorities and people need to be "very pro-active" in battling the pandemic "with due seriousness," which he felt was lacking at the moment.

Dr Richa Sareen, consultant, pulmonology at Fortis hospital here, said, "Either we learn from our past or be left to face again the horrors as we saw during the second wave".

"People must realise that this Omicron is a highly transmissible variant and the situation in the West now will be mirrored here, as anticipated. All we can do is be prepared and not lower our guard when it comes to following Covid-appropriate behaviours," she said.

"The first death due to Omicron variant of has happened in the UK and it will be wise to gear up now before it's late again," Sareen added.

All the three doctors, however, said in terms of hospital admissions there is no jump as such but the situation is being closely watched" as daily Covid cases also registered a big jump on Thursday.

The national capital recorded 85 cases on Thursday, the highest in over four months, while the positivity rate rose to 0.15 per cent.

At LNJP Hospital, where patients detected with Omicron variant are being kept in an isolated area, doctors said that resources and manpower are sufficient as of now but everyone is highly alert.

Two deaths due to coronavirus infection have been recorded in December so far, -- December 6 and December 8. Seven COVID-19 deaths were reported in Delhi in November.

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Members of the Opposition slammed the central government over the "summoning" of the Election Commission for a meeting in the Prime Ministers Office (PMO), alleging that the poll authority had become a "subservient tool" of the government.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sushil Chandra and fellow commissioners Rajiv Kumar and Anoop Chandra Pandey recently held informal interaction with the PMO to bridge gaps in understanding of key electoral reforms between the poll panel and the law ministry.

CEC Chandra reportedly had reservations on a note from a Law Ministry official. The note reportedly said that the prime ministers Principal Secretary P K Mishra will chair a meeting on a common electoral roll and expects CEC to be present.

The Congress had contended that such a meeting raised questions of propriety.

Cat is out of the bag! What was whispered till now is a fact. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) summoning the Election Commission of India was unheard of in independent India. Treating EC as a subservient tool is yet another low in Modi Government's record of destroying every institution, Randeep Surjewala, a Congress leader, said on Twitter, tagging news reports in this regard.

Responding to the news report, former chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi said it was absolutely shocking. When asked to explain his remarks, he said his words have summed up everything.

Congress leader Manish Tewari submitted a notice to move an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha on the "summoning" of EC. Why was the Election Commission summoned summarily and whether it is a fact that the Commission took umbrage to the manner in which they were virtually compelled to attend the meeting in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)," Tewari said. What exactly are the implications with regard to the autonomy of the Election Commission?"

Summoning of a constitutional authority such as the EC, shows the hegemonical attitude of the government, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader T R Baalu said.

The EC sources said that the informal interaction resulted in the Union Cabinet on Wednesday clearing various electoral reforms that the EC had been insisting be brought in the ongoing Winter Session.

One of the reforms is linking Aadhaar with electoral rolls on a voluntary basis. The other will allow eligible young people to register as voters on four dates every year. As of now there is one qualifying date January 1 of every year  to register as a voter for those who have turned 18 or above on January 1.

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Prime Minister held a meeting with the Bharatiya Janata Party MPs from on Friday morning at 7, LKM in Delhi, said sources.

The meeting lasted for about an hour, as per the sources.

The Prime Minister had earlier held a meeting with the MPs of northeastern and southern states.

Assembly polls are slated for early next year.

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Prime Minister on Friday thanked Bhutan's king for according the country's highest civilian decoration on him, and said India will always cherish the country as one of its closest friends and neighbours and will continue to support its development journey in every possible way.

Modi also conveyed his greetings to the neighbouring country on the occasion of its day.

The prime minister tweeted that he admires Bhutan for its unique model of sustainable development and the deeply spiritual way of life.

"Successive Druk Gyalpos - Their Majesties the Kings - have given a unique identity to the Kingdom, and nurtured the special bond of neigbhourly friendship that our nations share," he said.

Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering said on social media that he was overjoyed to hear "His Majesty pronounce Your Excellency Modiji's (Narendra Modi) name for the highest civilian decoration, Order of the Druk Gyalpo".

Replying to him, Modi said, "Thank you, Lyonchhen @PMBhutan! I am deeply touched by this warm gesture, and express my grateful thanks to His Majesty the King of Bhutan."



"I have been privileged to receive the utmost love and affection from our Bhutanese brother and sisters, and take this occasion to convey my greetings to all of them on the auspicious occasion of the Day of Bhutan," he added.

The highest civilian honour from Bhutan joins a long list of awards Modi has received from foreign countries.

Last year, Prime Minister Modi received the 'Legion of Merit by the US Government' award of the US Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.

In 2019, Russia conferred on him its highest civilian honour 'Order of St. Andrew' award. The UAE also conferred its highest civilian honour 'Order of Zayed Award' on Modi in 2019.

He had received the 'Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud', highest honour of Saudi Arabia awarded to non-muslim dignitaries, in 2016 and 'State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan', highest civilian honour of Afghanistan, in the same year.

He was conferred 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award', highest honour of Palestine awarded to foreign dignitaries, in 2018 and 'Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin', highest honour of the Maldives for foreign dignitaries, in 2019, officials noted.

Modi received 'King Hamad Order of the Renaissance', the top honour from Bahrain, in 2019. He has also been conferred numerous honours from international organisations and foundations.

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Prime Minister Friday mooted the idea of publicising a list of cities where a blind eye has been turned to the cleanliness campaign so as to build public pressure on the authorities there to work.

Inaugurating the All India Mayors' Conference in Varanasi via video conferencing, he also suggested that cities with rivers celebrate "river festival" (Nadi Utsav) to spread the glory of rivers so that people take pride in them and keep them clean.

The prime minister said in several cities, rivers get ruined in due course, "at times reduced just to a dirty drain or a rainy season river".

"We have to adopt a sensitive approach towards rivers," he told the conference on the theme of 'New Urban India'.

As many as 120 mayors from across the country are participating in the conference. The prime minister exhorted them to build their political career using the opportunity they have got the serve the people.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the mayor of Ahmedabad city during the colonial era when it was a nagar palika, the PM told them. "Sardar sahab started his journey from there, and today, the nation remembers him."



Stressing on cleanliness, he asked Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri to not only give awards to the city excelling in cleanliness but also recognise those making earnest efforts towards cleanliness.

"Also prepare a list of cities that have kept their eyes closed as if they have nothing to do. We should come out with a list, and publicise them. After this, there will be so much pressure from the public that everybody will want to work," he said.

"All the mayors should resolve that in the coming competition, their city does not lag behind."



The prime minister stressed the cleanness drive should not be a once-in-a-year affair and proposed hosting a monthly inter-ward contest on beautification to nudge them to work continuously for cleanliness.

"Like cleanliness, beautification is also important. Can we organise a beautification contest so as to find the most beautiful ward. The parameters can be cleanliness, beautification initiatives, how the walls have been painted, boards of shops and the signboards," Modi said.

Referring to the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Modi said rangoli contests related to freedom movement can be organised till January 26. He also asked the mayors to run programmes such as freedom struggle themed 'rangoli' competitions, songs competition on freedom struggle and lullaby (lori) competition.

He also suggested that the mayors should find out and celebrate the foundation day of cities. He told them to get in touch with NCC units of the city and create groups to clean statues and organise speeches on the personalities in the spirit of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'.

Similarly, mayors can identify a place in their city and create a monument in sync with the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav through PPP mode, he said.

On celebrating rivers, he said taking good care of these water bodies becomes essential as the world debates water crisis, global warming and climate change. "Can we organise a week-long Nadi Utsav, and make the entire city a part of it.

As part of the utsav, he said, rivers could be cleaned and Kavi sammelans organised on the banks. "Rivers should be brought back to the centre of city's life. This will bring a new life to your cities and enthusiasm."



Talking about his recent visit here, he said, "Recently, when I was in Kashi, I had said that the development of Kashi, can be a roadmap for the development of the entire country."



He told the mayors to revitalise the campaign to eliminate single-use plastic and also look into ways to create wealth from waste. Modi welcomed them as the host in the capacity of being a Lok Sabha member from Varanasi.

He also suggested the mayors to keep small businesses and MSMEs in focus while carrying out development activities.

In that regard, he told them about the "PM SVANidhi Yojana" and asked them to make a list of vendors and teach them how to use mobile phones for transactions.

"Vendors are a big force as far as micro-economy is concerned. But, they have been neglected the most. Coronavirus made us realise how precious ('bahumulya') are these people who helped us, and also made us realise their power," Modi said.

He also urged them to promote the use of public transport and also ensure that LED lights are used at homes and in street lights.

Referring to the Uttar Pradesh government's 'One District One Product' programme, Modi asked the mayors to build a unique identity for their cities based on their signature product or place.

He asked the mayors to see that every facility in their city is friendly as per Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan- Accessible India Campaign and also friendly to especially-abled people.

Modi also requested the mayors to give suggestions from their experiences for the development of Kashi. "I will be grateful for your suggestions and I will be your first student, he said.

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The recent developments in Afghanistan, cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, India's festering border row with China and ways to boost bilateral strategic ties were among the key issues that figured in talks between Defence Minister and his French counterpart Florence Parly on Friday, official sources said.

A major highlight of the third annual India- defence dialogue here was an "in-depth" discussion on the 'Make in India' initiative and how French defence majors can either collaborate with Indian firms or set up production facilities on their own in the country, they said.

Parly, on a two-day visit to India, also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and met NSA Ajit Doval.

Ahead of her talks with Singh, Parly said is ready to provide additional Rafale jets to India if it requires and that her country is fully committed to supporting the 'Make in India' initiative and further integrating the Indian manufacturers into its global supply chains.

has already supplied to India 33 Rafale fighter jets out of 36 under a Rs 59,000 crore inter-governmental agreement that was sealed in September 2016.

It is learnt that the French side expressed its readiness to supply more Rafale aircraft to India during the defence dialogue.

Describing the talks as "excellent", Singh said India-France strategic partnership is more relevant today than ever.

"India-France Strategic Partnership is more relevant today than ever. I had an excellent meeting with my French counterpart, Ms @florence_parly. A wide range of bilateral, regional and defence industrial cooperation issues were discussed in the Annual Defence Dialogue today," Singh tweeted.

The defence ministry said Singh and Parly discussed defence industrial cooperation with a focus on future collaborations and co-production of equipment by the two countries.

"The ministers acknowledged their convergences on a number of strategic and defence issues. They expressed commitment to work together to enhance cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral forums," it said in a statement.

The sources said one of the focus areas of the discussion between Singh and Parly was on stepping up cooperation in the aerospace sector with both sides underlining the need for expansion of military in sync with their shared perspectives.

French envoy Emmanuel Lenain said Parly's meeting with Doval showed "great convergence" of views on major regional security issues and a shared will to coordinate closely on countering terrorism, and the situation in Afghanistan.

The sources said India's border row with China in eastern Ladakh, cross-border terrorism from Pakistan and common concerns over the unfolding situation in Afghanistan figured prominently in the talks.

There was also extensive discussions on the situation in the Indian Ocean region and ways to expand India-France maritime cooperation.

"The ministers reviewed the existing military-to-military cooperation, which has increased in spite of pandemic challenges," the ministry said.

It said the discussion between Singh and Parly was focused on increasing defence cooperation in all domains.

"Defence industrial cooperation was discussed with focus on future collaborations and co-production between the two countries," it said.

Following Parly's call on with Prime Minister Modi, Lenain said: "In a world of growing instability, France sees India as major power and partner to build a multipolar order, defend the rule of law and tackle global challenges."



She also paid tributes to India's valiant soldiers at War Memorial and offered her condolences to the armed forces and the people of India on CDS Gen Bipin Rawat's tragic demise, Lenain said.

In an interactive session at a think-tank, Parly described India as a unique land of vibrant colours, impressive landscapes and a millennium of rich history, saying the country is unlike any other.

"I am very happy that the Indian Air Force is satisfied with its Rafale and we are very proud that despite Covid, the 36 aircraft will be delivered on time according to the contract, it is a real achievement," she said.

The French minister was replying to a question.

"Using the same aircraft is a real asset and strength. I am sure that there is room for new developments. We are ready to answer any additional needs of request that could be made by India," she said.

Parly said both India and France promote multilateralism and a rules-based international order, noting that it is good to refer to "rock-solid principles" when the world and the region experienced upheavals.

In this context, Parly talked about the convergence of views by the two sides in dealing with major issues and global challenges including the fight against climate change.

"I believe that armed forces have a lot to contribute to the fight against climate change: this is the meaning of an initiative we took at the Paris Peace Forum in November," she said.

"I think we have a lot to learn from India, which is very determined to meeting the commitments of the Paris Agreement and is actively working on it," she added.

It is the first high-level visit from France to India after Australia, the UK and the US (AUKUS) announced a security partnership in September.

The AUKUS security will facilitate Australia getting technology to build nuclear-powered submarines.

France reacted angrily to the formation of the new alliance as it resulted in Paris effectively losing a multi-billion dollar deal to build 12 conventional submarines for Australia. France is also upset over its exclusion from the alliance.

Asked about AUKUS, she said it was a disappointing development for France.

"We have developed a very good relationship with Australia. Then Australia made its own decision. I will not comment on it. It is of course very disappointing for us," she said.

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Defence Minister and his French counterpart Florence Parly on Friday held wide-ranging talks with a focus on further enhancing bilateral defence and security cooperation as well as pressing regional issues.

Parly arrived in Delhi on Thursday evening on a two-day visit.

Officials earlier said the recent developments in Afghanistan and the situation in the Indo-Pacific region will figure in the talks.

The areas of defence and security, civil nuclear cooperation and trade and investment constitute the principal pillars of the Indo-French strategic partnership.

In addition, India and France are increasingly engaged in new areas of cooperation such as in the Indian Ocean region, climate change and sustainable growth and development.

The two countries share a close degree of convergence on a range of regional and global issues as well including ways to deal with terrorism and extremism.

"Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh receives the visiting Defence Minister of France, Ms @florence_parly at Vigyan Bhawan. The 3rd India-France Annual Defence Dialogue will be start in a short while from now," Singh's office tweeted before the talks began.

Ahead of the meeting with Singh, Parly said at a think-tank that she is in India to say how "precious" the friendship between France and India.

She described India as a unique land of vibrant colours, impressive landscapes and a millennium of rich history, saying the country is unlike any other.

Parly said both India and France promote multilateralism and a rules-based international order, noting that it is good to refer to "rock-solid principles" when the world and the region experienced upheavals.

In this context, Parly talked about the convergence of views by the two sides in dealing with major issues and global challenges including the fight against climate change.

"I believe that armed forces have a lot to contribute to the fight against climate change: this is the meaning of an initiative we took at the Paris Peace Forum in November," she said.

"I think we have a lot to learn from India, which is very determined to meeting the commitments of the Paris Agreement and is actively working on it," she added.

It is the first high-level visit from France to India after Australia, the UK and the US (AUKUS) announced a security partnership in September.

The AUKUS security will facilitate Australia getting technology to build nuclear-powered submarines.

France reacted angrily to the formation of the new alliance as it resulted in Paris effectively losing a multi-billion dollar deal to build 12 conventional submarines for Australia. France is also upset over its exclusion from the alliance.

Asked about AUKUS, she said it was a disappointing development for France.

"We have developed a very good relationship with Australia. Then Australia made its own decision. I will not comment on it. It is of course very disappointing for us," she said.

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is ready to provide additional fighter jets to India if it requires, French Defence Minister Florence Parly said on Friday while noting that the use of the same aircraft by the two strategic partners is a reflection of "real asset and strength" in their ties.

Parly, on a visit to India, also said that is fully committed to supporting the 'Make in India' initiative and further integrating the Indian manufacturers into its global supply chains.

The French defence minister made the comments at an interactive session organised by Ananta Centre on India- cooperation.

"I am very happy that the is satisfied with its and we are very proud that despite COVID, the 36 aircraft will be delivered on time according to the contract, it is a real achievement," she said in response to a question.

"Using the same aircraft is a real asset and strength. I am sure that there is room for new developments. We are ready to answer any additional needs of request that could be made by India," she said.

The French embassy on Thursday said a total of 33 jets have already been delivered to India as per schedule despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in September 2016 for the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 59,000 crore.

The first batch of five Rafale jets, manufactured by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, arrived in India on July 29 last year.

The French minister also referred to India's planned induction of a second aircraft carrier and indicated that France will be interested to supply the carrier-based jets.

"We know that the aircraft carrier will soon be (there)...that aircraft are needed. We are open and ready to provide any other Rafale if this is India's decision," she said.

India's first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC) Vikrant is scheduled to be inducted into the Indian Navy by August next year.

In her comments, Parly said France and India are both "viscerally committed" to sovereignty and independence.

"I think that our industrial partnership is proof of that. France, more than any other country, understands the necessity of the Indian content. And we are fully committed to the 'Make in India' initiative, as well as to the further integration of Indian manufacturers into our global supply chains," she said.

Parly said 'Make in India' has been a reality for the French industry for several years, particularly for defence equipment such as submarines.

Later, the French defence minister held wide-ranging talks with her Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, with a focus on further enhancing bilateral defence and security cooperation between the two countries.

The defence and strategic ties between India and France have been on an upswing over the last few years.

It is learnt that France was pitching for starting negotiations for procurement of another batch of 36 Rafale jets by India.

The Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 years after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.

The Rafale jets are capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

Meteor is a next-generation beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat.

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After a brief lull, of the three Centre-run hospitals in Delhi resumed their strike on Friday and boycotted all services, including emergency, over the delay in NEET-PG 2021 counselling.

The at Ram Manohar Lohia, Safdarjung and Lady Hardinge hospitals said they resumed the strike as the government had made a "fake promise".

They pointed out the "acute shortage" of across the country as the counselling of PG 2021 batch has already been delayed by eight months.

On December 9, the resident doctors had said they were suspending the agitation, called by the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), for a week following the health ministry's assurance to expedite court hearing and subsequently fast-track the counselling process.

However, on Wednesday, FORDA wrote to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informing him that it was resuming the strike.

"The plight of overburdened and exhausted resident doctors seems to have fallen on deaf ears of the authorities who do not seem to be concerned about the shortage of healthcare workforce due to non-admission of fresh batch of resident doctors.

"With the threat of third wave of COVID-19 looming large, the best the authorities could have done was to expedite the counselling and subsequent admission process - instead, there is inaction and lack of urgency in the matter.

Hence, as informed earlier, resident doctors are left with no choice but to go for withdrawal from all services (routine as well as emergency) in healthcare institutions, 17th December, 2021 onwards. The onus of this unfortunate situation affecting healthcare services is on the authorities," FORDA's letter read.

Functionaries of Safdarjung Hospital's Resident Doctors' Association had in a letter on Wednesday said they had been waiting patiently since the agitation was put on hold.

"However, once again, no action was taken by the ministry since one week, which is in stark contrast to its fake promises and false assurances," the letter read.

"With the imminent threat of third wave of COVID 19, it is evident from the lackadaisical and ignorant attitude of the authorities that the healthcare, plight of overburdened doctors and suffering of poor patients is not of any importance to them at all," the letter stated.

Dr Sunil Duchania, RDA president at Lady Hardinge Medical College, said the authorities concerned do not seem to be concerned about the shortage of force in heathcare.

"Due to the irresponsible behaviour, the academic year of 45,000 PG aspirants is almost wasted with the super-added ripple effect of shortage of resident doctors to combat the impending third wave of COVID-19 in all hospitals across the nation," Dr Anuj Aggarwal, general secretary of Safdarjung RDA, said.

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Several other engagements are lined up for Shah in Mumbai, Pune and Ahmednagar during his trip.

The world famous Saibaba Temple at Shirdi in Ahmednagar is all set to receive Union Home Minister who arrives on a two-day visit to Maharashtra starting Saturday, officials said here on Friday.

A trust official said Shah is likely to take 'darshan' of Saibaba Samadhi Temple prior to the pre-noon 'aarti' to ensure there is no disturbance to the regular devotees who throng here from all over the country daily.

The trust is planning to felicitate the Union Home Minister -- who has been a frequent visitor to the temple in the past -- in Maharashtrian traditions with a shawl, coconut, Saibaba's 'vibhuti' (holy ash) and a miniature statue of the saint revered by all communities.

Several other engagements are lined up for Shah in Mumbai, Pune and Ahmednagar during his trip.

Besides the Shirdi Temple, Shah -- who is also the Union Cooperatives Minister -- will attend an event at the Padmashri Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe-Patil Cooperative Sugar Factory at Loni in Ahmednagar before attending the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) awards function in Mumbai.

On Sunday, December 19, Shah will go to Pune where he will inaugurate the new building of the Central Forensics Science Lab at its sprawling 30-acre complex in Chakan and later have lunch with NDRF personnel.

Subsequently, he will attend the VAMNICOM convocation ceremony and lay the foundation stone for a large statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj coming up at the Pune Municipal Corporation lawns, and unveil a bust of Dr. Babasaheb R. Ambedkar there.

Shah is also scheduled to meet the Pune leaders and workers and then visit the home of the renowned historian and theatre personality Balwant Moreshwar alias Dr. Babasaheb Purandare who passed away on November 15 aged 100.

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Soaring infections in Britain driven in part by the variant of the rattled on Thursday, prompting new restrictions on the Continent and fuelling a familiar dread on both sides of the Atlantic about entering a new phase of the pandemic just in time for the holidays.

Much remains unknown about omicron, but officials increasingly warn that it appears more transmissible than the delta variant, which has already put pressure on hospitals worldwide. With so many questions unanswered, uncertainty reigned over how quickly and how severely to crack down on Christmas travel and year-end parties.

After the U.K. recorded its highest number of confirmed new COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began, France announced Thursday that it would tighten entry rules for those coming from Britain. Hours later, the country set another record, with a further 88,376 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported Thursday, almost 10,000 more than the day before.

In England, the chief medical officer urged people to limit who they see in the festive period. Pubs and restaurants said many people were heeding that advice by canceling Christmas parties, though there has been much debate about what's OK to do. In the U.S., the White House insisted there was no need for a lockdown, despite signs that was gaining ground there.

Globally, more than 75 countries have reported confirmed cases of the new variant. In Britain, where cases are doubling every two to three days, omicron was expected to soon replace delta as the dominant strain in the country. The government has accelerated its booster program in response. Authorities in the 27-nation European Union say omicron will be the dominant variant in the bloc by mid-January.

Early data suggests that omicron may be milder but better at evading vaccines making booster shots more crucial. Experts have urged caution in particular about drawing conclusions because hospitalizations lag behind infections and because many variables contribute to how sick people get.

Even if omicron proves milder on the whole than delta, it may disarm some of the lifesaving tools available and put immune-compromised and elderly people at particular risk. And if it's more transmissible, more infections overall raise the risk that more cases will be serious.

While experts gather the data, some governments rushed to act, while others sought to calm fears that the new variant would land countries back on square one.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted Thursday that the situation in the U.K. is different from last year because of the widespread use of vaccines and the ability to test.

If people want to attend an event the sensible thing to do is to get a test and to make sure that you're being cautious,'' he said.

But we're not saying that we want to cancel stuff. We're not locking stuff down, and the fastest route back to normality is to get boosted, he said.

Professor Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, struck a more cautious note, advising people earlier in the week to limit their social contacts.

On Thursday, he told a parliamentary committee hearing that the government could have to review measures if vaccines prove less effective than expected against omicron.

He said that would be a material change to how ministers viewed the risks going forward.

Among those taking the more cautious route was Queen Elizabeth II, who opted to cancel her traditional pre-Christmas family lunch.

In the United States, President Joe Biden's administration said tighter restrictions are not planned.

We're in a very different and stronger place than we were a year ago, and there's no need to lock down," White House response coordinator Jeff Zients said Wednesday. We're not going to shut down our economy in any way. We're going to keep our schools and our businesses open.

Still there's a feeling of unease among some in the U.S.

Michael Stohl, 32, was relieved when he got the Pfizer vaccine last spring, but the spread of omicron has turned his optimism to dread.

Even though I'm fully vaccinated right now, that doesn't seem to give me any sort of guarantee anymore, he said. It just puts this anxiety over you because they tell you the boosters will work, but that's what they said about the original vaccines. Am I going to have to keep getting vaccinated every couple months?



He said he booked an appointment to receive his booster shot Thursday morning.

Stohl, who works at the concierge desk at an apartment building in downtown Washington, said his family all lives in the city so he isn't travelling for Christmas. However, he worries about friends and coworkers who will travel.

I just remember how bad everything was last year, and it's looking like it might be that bad again, he said.

People in the Netherlands, meanwhile, have been in a partial lockdown since November to curb a delta-driven surge. While infection numbers are now declining, the government this week ordered elementary schools to close for Christmas a week early amid fears of a new rise. Authorities also sped up a booster campaign as caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte cited Britain as an example of how swiftly the variant can spread.

EU leaders gathering in Brussels for a summit Thursday sought to balance tackling the surge of infections across the continent while keeping borders open with common policies throughout the bloc.

Let's try to maintain the European solution, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said. If every country goes it alone again, we'll be even further from home.

But ahead of the meeting, European nations already were acting to rein in the spread. Greece and Italy tightened entry requirements for travellers earlier this week, and Portugal decided to keep stricter border controls in place beyond their planned Jan. 9 end.

France said Thursday that it will slap restrictions on travellers arriving from the U.K. which is no longer part of the EU putting limits on reasons for travelling and requiring 48 hours of isolation upon arrival. The new measures will take effect early Saturday.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex said the measures were being imposed in the face of the extremely rapid spread of the omicron variant in the U.K.

The abrupt move comes after weeks of political tensions between France and Britain over fishing rights and how to deal with migration across the English Channel. The French government is desperately trying to avoid a new lockdown that would hurt the economy and cloud President Emmanuel Macron's expected reelection campaign.

Waiting outside a Paris train station, Constantin Dobrynin said that he sometimes felt governments over-reacted and imposed unnecessary measures. As for omicron, it wasn't yet clear how serious it would be.

So we should be balanced, and we shouldn't be panicked, he said.

Britain said it was not planning reciprocal measures.

Fearing a raft of cancelled parties and a general drop in business at the height of the crucial and lucrative Christmas season, British restaurants and pubs demanded government help Thursday. They said concerns about the new variant have already wiped out 2 billion pounds ($2.6 billion) in sales over the last 10 days.

Across London, restaurants that would normally see bustling crowds clinking glasses and tucking into festive meals were reporting droves of cancellations and empty rooms.

It's a complete nightmare. ... This week should be the busiest week of the year for hospitality, said Sally Ab, a chef at the Conrad Hotel in central London. It's everywhere, everybody's cancelling, but there's no support from the government.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A sweeping crackdown was announced by Facebook's parent company Meta on companies that the social media giant alleged snooped on people in over 100 countries. The firm also identified India's BellTrox as one of the firms carrying out indiscriminate targeting people. More on that in today's top headlines to get voluntary norms

India Incs mettle will soon be put to the test with a stricter framework.

Sources said the countrys largest bourse, the Stock Exchange (NSE), will unveil governance and disclosure norms next week that will be more stringent than what is prescribed under the Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India) Regulations or the Companies Act. Read more

Meta identifies six firms for spying on users

parent Meta Platforms Inc. has announced a sweeping crackdown on companies that it says have used its social media websites to spy on people in more than 100 countries.

In a report published on Thursday, Meta identified six companies from Israel, India, and North Macedonia, in addition to an unknown entity in China, which it said carried out indiscriminate surveillance targeting thousands of people. Read more

Govt rolls back proposals in draft power Bill

The Central government has decided to roll back several proposals introduced in the draft Electricity Bill, 2020.

The Bill will no longer have a provision on abolition of electricity subsidies.

This would also impact the Centres commitment to introduce Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in the electricity sector. In the latest round of changes in the Bill, the proposal of DBT has been dropped too. Read more

Govt plans to complete 5G auctions in July

The government is looking at a time frame within the first two weeks of July to kick off and complete the upcoming 5G auctions, according to discussions between officials and stakeholders. It is expected that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) will give its recommendations on the base price by March, after which the necessary cabinet clearances will be given. Read more

Personal bill has 12 recommendations

The parliamentary joint committee on the Personal (PDP) Bill, 2019, headed by P P Chaudhary, MP, on Thursday presented its report, recommending changes to draft legislation, including altering its name to  Bill. Read more
Social media giant on Friday termed as "frivolous" and not tenable on facts or in law the suit filed by (NCB) Zonal Director in Sameer Wankhede and his wife against the company in a court here over some posts on its platform against the couple.

Wankhede and his actor-wife Karnti Redkar had approached a civil court in suburban Borivali last month, seeking a direction to restrain social media giants, including Twitter, from publishing or displaying any "malicious and defamatory" content against the couple on their platforms. The duo has also sought interim and ad-interim reliefs till their application was decided. On Friday, filed its response before the court, saying it's an intermediary and not liable for content hosted on its platform under the relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000. "It is entitled to statutory immunity. If an intermediary is to regulate content which is available on its platform on its own, it loses the safe harbor immunity provided to it under the scheme of the IT Act," the reply said. Therefore, the micro-blogging and social networking site cannot be held liable for any objectionable content being posted by its users on its platform, it said.

The social media company further said the suit itself, and the application herein is, "false, frivolous, and vexatious and is not tenable on facts or in law" and deserves to be dismissed. Citing provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the company said the court doesn't have the jurisdiction to preside over the matter. It said the couple has sought to invoke the jurisdiction of this court based on their residence.

"However, it is settled law that the place of residence of the plaintiff's is not relevant to determine the territorial jurisdiction in any suit," the reply said. As per the CrPC, a suit can only be filed where the defendant resides or the cause of action arises. The plaintiffs have failed to show how the action arose within the jurisdiction of this court, it said. On the interim relief plea, the submitted that the prayer is "overbroad" and ex facie (defective) contrary to the settled principles of law, and cannot be granted. "No content has been identified in the interim application which is allegedly defamatory," it added. The micro-blogging site claimed there cannot be a blanket take down of an account, unless the court finds that all the tweets are defamatory. "This is more so because the plaintiffs have failed to make the account holder a party," it added. It also denied the allegation that gossip and rumour are blown out of proportion by various users of the social media company.

There is a legal mechanism to regulate content available on the platform. However, the plaintiffs' prayers seek to circumvent that legal process, the company told the court. Besides Twitter, in the suit filed before the civil court, the couple had sought permanent injunction against Google and Facebook. The suit claimed that "sponsored misinformation" is being spread on social media platforms by various "unscrupulous elements" at the behest of individuals against whom the NCB officer has acted. It is clear that the "misinformation campaign" is a consequence of vested interests that are affected by investigations carried out by the NCB official, the plea, filed through legal firm Rex Legalis, has claimed. Google and Facebook filed their replies on previous hearing. The matter will be next heard on December 21. Wankhede and his family members had been locked in a bitter spat with Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik, who over the last few months has made a series of allegations against them, all denied by the NCB officer and his kin. Wankhede's father has also filed a defamation suit against the state minister in the Bombay High 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.)
The two-day nationwide called by United Forum of ended on Friday, impacting normal operations across the country. Lakhs of employees of public sector banks were on strike to protest against the proposed privatisation of banks by the government. Banks will work as usual on Saturday, as it is a working day.

United Forum of (UFBU) is an umbrella body of nine bank unions, including All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW).

Services like deposits and withdrawal at branches, cheque clearance and loan approvals remained paralysed due to the two-day strike. ATMs at different parts of the country went dry on the second day.

Government treasury operations, negotiating of import and export bills, grant of loans, cash transactions, etc. were not possible and clearing operations were affected.

In the three clearing centres of Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai, about 39 lacs cheque worth about Rs 37,000 crore could not be taken up for clearance, (AIBEA) general secretary C H Venkatachalam said.

AIBOC General Secretary Soumya Dutta said that about 7 lakh bank employees across the country enthusiastically participated in the two-day strike.

In the Union Budget presented in February, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the privatisation of two public sector banks (PSBs) as part of its disinvestment plan.

To facilitate privatisation, the government has listed the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021, for introduction and passage during the current session of Parliament.

The government has already privatised IDBI Bank by selling its majority stake in the lender to LIC in 2019 and merged 14 public sector banks in the past four years.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Senior leader and former Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Thursday made a sexist and unsavoury comment on in the state Assembly.

Speaking in the Assembly, Kumar said, "There is a saying that when is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That is exactly the position in which you are."

The senior MLA's remark was made when MLAs began to demand time from Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri to discuss farmers' issues in the Assembly. When the Speaker asked how the Session would be conducted if the time was allotted to everyone.

"Whatever you decide I will say yes. What I am thinking is that let us enjoy the situation. I can't control or regulate the system, my concern is about the business of the house, it has also to be covered," the Speaker told the members.

To this, the MLA Ramesh Kumar made the offensive remark and other members including the Speaker was seen and heard laughing.

Instead of condemning the remarks, other members of the house indulged in laughter. It is not the first time that KR Ramesh Kumar has made such a distasteful comment. Previously, during his tenure as Assembly Speaker, he had compared himself to a survivor. Legislators including his party's woman members protested in the session and condemned the statement made by him.

(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.)
proceedings were adjourned on Friday till 2 pm amid vociferous protests by members demanding the removal of Union minister Ajay Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in Uttar Pradesh.

The Question Hour in the Lower House was disrupted for the third straight day as members demanded the removal of the minister whose son Ashish Mishra is among the accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in Uttar Pradesh in October.

Soon after the House met for the day, members started shouting slogans and displaying placards, demanding the sacking of the minister. Many members also trooped into the Well of the House.

Amid the din, Speaker Om Birla told the protesting members that the Question Hour was important and it was not a good practice to indulge in sloganeering.

"You don't want to run the House, you don't want discussions...," a peeved Birla asked the protesting members.

The Speaker also warned the members protesting in the Well against damaging any properties of the House. "If any property of the is damaged, then it will be your responsibility," he told the members.

Four questions and their supplementaries were taken up during the Question Hour.

As the ruckus continued, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.

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proceedings were adjourned for the day on Friday amid protests by Opposition members demanding the removal of Ajay Mishra as Union minister in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

After the House reconvened at 2 pm, the Anti-Doping Bill, 2021, the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021, and the Chartered Accountants, the Cost and Works Accountants and the Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill, 2021 were introduced.

However, soon after the passage of the Surrogacy Bill, Rajendra Agrawal, who was chairing the proceedings, adjourned the till Monday.

proceedings were adjourned for the day amid protests over the issue of suspension of 12 Opposition legislators. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu urged the government and the Opposition to arrive at a consensus over the issue.

The opposition is demanding that the suspension of MPs be revoked as the action is undemocratic and against the rules while the government wants them to apologise for their behaviour first.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Government of India and the Germany Development Bank KfW (Kreditanstalt fr Wiederaufbau) on Friday signed a 442.26 million euros loan pact for Metro Rail project.

The total cost of the project is 1.5 billion euros, of which KfW is financing 442.26 million euros, a Finance Ministry statement said.

The project is being co-financed by French Development Agency, AFD (Agence Franaise de Dveloppemet). The Agreement with AFD for 250 million euros was signed on January 28, 2021, it said.

"The 40.35 km Metro project aims to strengthen and augment the transport infrastructure of the urban agglomeration. It will relieve traffic congestion and provide integrate town and land use planning through Transit-Oriented Development," it said.

The project also aims at an integrated multi modal transport system in the influence zone of metro corridor to provide first and last mile connectivity and improved access to the metro system, it said.

Further, it said, solar energy shall be harnessed at both depots of Surat Metro.

The project is envisaged and planned to have a system and transformational impact in terms of a reliable and safer public transport, reduction in traffic congestion and reduction in long delays on major travel corridors in Surat city and urban area by providing integrated mass public transport system, it added.

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India aims to overhaul its telecommunications sector, an industry key to the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modis digital ambitions but one thats throttled by century-old policies and years of bitter litigation.

The government is exploring ways to allow companies to merge, expand and operate without multiple bureaucratic approvals so as to avoid subsequent court battles, Telecommunications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in an interview at his office in New Delhi on Thursday. He aims to present new rules in February.

 is still governed by an act made in 1885 but things have changed dramatically. And the regulations which flow out of the law are also 60-70 years vintage, Vaishnaw said, referring to the colonial-era Indian Telegraph Act that gives the government exclusive jurisdiction on the sector. We are looking at a complete regulation revamp.

The Wharton graduate, 51, who took charge of the influential ministries of Electronics, Information Technology and Communications in July, has since soothed a fractious relationship with the worlds largest technology companies, offered a rescue package for embattled mobile phone operators, and unveiled a plan to lure semiconductor manufacturers to the South Asian nation.

India needs a thriving industry to cater to its market of billion-plus users and catch up with countries like China and South Korea that already use super-fast networks.

However, its operators are hobbled by a brutal price war sparked by the entry of billionaire Mukesh Ambanis Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. in 2016, as well as years of litigation faced by older players as the government claimed backfees for the use of spectrum.

The government wont set a floor rate for tariffs and will leave it to companies to decide based on their understanding of their customers, Vaishnaw said. He reiterated that India aims to start services by October-December 2022.

The moves stand to complement what is perhaps Vaishnaws most ambitious plan yet: starting the manufacture of semiconductors in India, to benefit from a global shortage of the chips and to reduce the nations reliance on expensive imports of the material used in everything from mobile phones to electric vehicles.

Fine print on a $10 billion package of incentives will be notified in a week and as many as five units will start manufacturing in a year, Vaishnaw said. He added that the government will ensure stable policies and facilitate acquiring land, electricity and other inputs.

Companies from South Korea, Taiwan and several domestic companies are interested in starting manufacturing here, he said. We expect import dependence to come down by at least 50% in the next five years.
Union Minister on Friday called upon investors to take up as they offer "very high" internal rate of return, ensuring their economic viability.

Assuring investors that their investments are safe, the road transport and highways minister said the possibility of any project getting stalled is nil now.

"The internal rate of return in the road sector is very high and so there is no need to worry about their economic viability," Gadkari said while addressing a national conference on investment opportunities in highways, transport and logistics.

Recalling his stint as the Public Works Department (PWD) minister in the first Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra in the early 1990s, he said even in those days money was never a problem to fund infrastructure as he could successfully raise funds and build the Mumbai-Pune Expressway with public money, which then went on to become a model for infrastructure financing.

"When Reliance submitted the tender for the expressway, I rejected it, upsetting Dhirubhai Ambani. Even my ministerial colleagues and the chief minister (Manohar Joshi) were also angry with me. Balasaheb Thackeray asked me why I rejected that bid.

"I told them that I will raise money from the public and construct the expressway, the Worli-Bandra Sealink and 52 other flyovers in the city and all of them laughed at me," Gadkari said.

However, chief minister Joshi gave him the go ahead, leading to the creation of the Maharashtra State Roads Development Corporation (MSRDC), Gadkari said.

Reiterating that there is no dearth of money, Gadkari recalled how he and the first MSRDC managing director R C Sinha used to go to every big and small investor fora, seeking funds for various infrastructure projects.

Soon, MSRDC went to capital markets to raise Rs 500 crore but garnered Rs 1,160 crore. The second time when it wanted to raise Rs 650 crore, MSRDC ended up with Rs 1,100 crore.

"Even Ratan Tata told me that I am smarter than them as he never expected so much money could be raised from the market for infra projects," Gadkari said.

But he rued that when it came to buying a colour TV for himself on installments, there was nothing but disappointment as the shopkeeper never delivered on his promise.

"When the shopkeeper came to know that I was a minister, he told me that he will deliver me a new TV model. But I didn't get the TV set as promised because he would have realised that being a minister I may not pay up," Gadkari said jokingly.

He further said while Reliance quoted Rs 3,600 crore for the expressway, MSRDC completed the project in less than half the amount -- Rs 1,600 crore.

Speaking about the high returns the expressway has given, he said the first time Maharashtra monetised it for Rs 3,000 crore and the second time (after merging with the old Mumbai-Pune highway), the state earned Rs 8,000 crore more, around one-and-a-half years back.

Explaining why are viable now, he said today the NHAI does not tender projects until 90 per cent of the land is acquired and with all clearances, including from forest department and the Railways.

So there is minimal chance of infra projects getting stalled now, 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.)
Former Congress National President will be on a day-long visit to Amethi in the poll-bound on December 18, Saturday.

As per the party, the Congress leader will participate in "BJP Bhagao, Mehangai Hatao" 'padyatra' in Amethi tomorrow as a part of the Congress party's ongoing nationwide campaign 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan'.

The Congress party had launched a countrywide agitation program, 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan' on November 14 to expose the mismanagement of the economy by the Centre.

Following Rahul Gandhi's visit, his sister and party national general secretary Vadra will be in Amethi on December 19, Sunday.

The Wayanad MP is scheduled to participate in the 'padyatra' from Jagdishpur to Harimau with local Congress leaders in Amethi tomorrow.

will also hold 'chaupals' in rural areas.

According to party sources, Rahul will be visiting Amethi after almost two and a half years.

Rahul had represented Amethi, a bastion of the Nehru-Gandhi family, for 15 years in Lok Sabha. He fought from two constituencies in 2019 and was defeated in Amethi but won from Wayanad in Kerala.

The visit of the Congress leaders comes ahead of the Assembly polls slated to be held early next year.

In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Banking operations in West Bengal were severely affected for the second consecutive day on Friday as lakhs of employees and officers of public sector lenders continued their nationwide strike to protest against the Centre's move to privatise government-owned banks, officials said.

Shutters of around 8,590 bank branches and most ATMs in the state were down during the day as the United Forum of Bank Union (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine associations, observed the two-day strike from December 16.

"We got an overwhelming response to the strike call on the second day as almost all staffers participated in the programme. We will carry out more such agitations in future if the government goes ahead with the bank privatisation bill," an official of the UFBU said.

In the Union Budget for 2021-22 presented in February, Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had proposed to take up privatisation of two public sector

To facilitate it, the government has listed the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021, for introduction and passage during the current session of Parliament.

"Besides the two-day strike, a series of protest programmes will be held if the government does not withdraw the bill," All India Bank Officers Confederation general secretary Sanjay Das said.

He also stated the government's decision to privatise PSBs will adversely impact the country's economy, priority sector lending and credit flow to self-help groups and rural entrepreneurs.

"Around 70 per cent of the country's total deposits are with the PSBs, and handing over these to private lenders will put people's money deposited with PSBs in danger," Das 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 (RBI) has turned down the request of non-banking financial companies (NBFC) to relax asset classification and provisioning norms.

This will give rise to bad debt numbers of such para on technical grounds while making asset quality norms standardised across and The para are now rapidly filling in the positions left vacant by the risk-averse banks, and their asset book is close to 20 per cent of banks total credit.

The lobby group Industry Development Council (FIDC) had approached the RBI to offer relaxation in the NPA norms, but the RBI has declined to do so, sources say.

The central bank in a November notification said must recognise their debts as bad debts if they are not serviced for more than 90 days, bringing them in line with banks. Most large already follow this practice, but smaller NBFCs make an account standardised only if one monthly installment is paid after the borrower defaults on three monthly instalments. This is because of the nature of the credit profile the NBFCs lend money.

NBFCs mainly borrow money from banks to lend it further. Therefore, the lending rates of NBFCs are always higher for borrowers who do not get funds from banks because of their low credit profile.

Given the element of risk in these customers, NBFCs follow a delayed NPA recognition and generally classify an account as an NPA only when it is due for 180 days. Earlier, NBFCs were officially allowed by the RBI to let bad debts be recognised only when they were not serviced for 180 days.

There are various estimates by agencies on the spike in bad debt numbers. India Ratings estimates that the NPA numbers could rise by as much as a third. According to ICRA, NPAs could rise by 160-180 basis points by March for the sector. The housing could also see their NPAs rise by about 60-80 basis points by March because of the RBI norms.

In a recent report, India Ratings explained that NBFCs generally classify an account as stage three, or special mention account (SMA-3), when there is a payment overdue for more than 90 days. Typically for monthly payments, this would be when there are three or more installments overdue on any account. However, when the borrower makes part payment such that the total overdue is less than three installments, the account is removed from NPA classification and classified as a standard asset, although it remains in the overdue category in case, not all overdue is cleared. The RBIs November 12 notification said such stage three assets can become standard only when all the overdue, including interests, are cleared by the borrower.

However, India Ratings did not expect a significant spurt in provisioning, as the NBFCs generally are more proactive than banks in providing for their stressed accounts, given the nature of uncertainties in their business. In the 8th annual economic conclave of the State Bank of India, RBI governor Shaktikana Das had assured the NPA spike would not be as alarming as is expected by the analysts.

We have done our homework. Some media reports are saying the norms will increase the NPA level of NBFCs to very alarming proportions. It will not be so, we have looked at the SMA figures of NBFCs, we know exactly how much remains in various SMA baskets and to how much it will go up by, RBI Governor Das had said.

The reports that this will lead to a sudden increase in the NPAs of NBFCs is not correct. The NPA numbers will rise, of course, but it will not be very alarming, Das said on November 16 during an SBI event.


US President has signed into law a legislation that provides for the authority to increase the federal government's limit by $2.5 trillion, averting a looming default.

The move came on Thursday after US Congress on Wednesday morning gave a final approval to the measure that would raise the limit to roughly $31 trillion, which would cover the federal government's borrowing through 2023, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We're relieved policymakers agreed to raise the debt ceiling rather than putting the country's full faith and credit at risk. But this was way too last minute and brought our too close to the brink," Maya MacGuineas, President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said Thursday in a statement.

"Washington now has a couple years before we next have to raise the debt ceiling. Before then, lawmakers should turn their attention to the hard work of developing a plan to start dealing with our problematic debt levels. Both parties are responsible for our near-record levels of debt, and they will need to work together to fix it," MacGuineas added.

The Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, estimated earlier in December that the federal government could be unable to pay its bills as soon as December 21 if Congress fails to raise the debt limit.

Failure to pay the nation's bills on time could send immediate ripple effects throughout the global economy, particularly during a time of economic recovery and heightened uncertainty over a new Covid-19 variant, the think tank warned.

The debt limit, commonly called the debt ceiling, is the total amount of money that the US government is authorized to borrow to meet its existing legal obligations, including social security and medicare benefits, interest on the national debt, and other payments.

--IANS

int/khz/

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In Co's factory of the future, immersive 3-D engineering designs will be twinned with robots that speak to each other, while mechanics around the world will be linked by $3,500 HoloLens headsets made by Microsoft Corp.

It is a snapshot of an ambitious new strategy to unify sprawling design, production and airline services operations under a single digital ecosystem - in as little as two years.

Critics say has repeatedly made similar bold pledges on a digital revolution, with mixed results. But insiders say the overarching goals of improving quality and safety have taken on greater urgency and significance as the company tackles multiple threats.

The planemaker is entering 2022 fighting to reassert its engineering dominance after the 737 MAX crisis, while laying the foundation for a future aircraft program over the next decade - a $15 billion gamble. It also aims to prevent future manufacturing problems like the structural flaws that have waylaid its 787 Dreamliner over the past year.





"It's about strengthening engineering," Boeing's chief engineer, Greg Hyslop, told Reuters in his first interview in nearly two years. "We are talking about changing the way we work across the entire company."

After years of wild market competition, the need to deliver on bulging order books has opened up a new front in Boeing's war with Europe's Airbus, this time on the factory floor.

Airbus Chief Executive Guillaume Faury, a former automobile research boss, has pledged to "invent new production systems and leverage the power of data" to optimise its industrial system.
has launched a nationwide campaign to crackdown on illegal mining, days after 22 workers were trapped in an unauthorised coal quarry following heavy flooding.

Twenty-two people were trapped on Wednesday after a coal mine was flooded in the city of Xiaoyi, north China's Shanxi province, as a result of illegal mining, according to state-run Xinhua news agency. The rescue operations are still underway.

The local public security department has detained six suspects and is hunting others, state-run CGTN TV reported.

Authorities have launched a nationwide campaign against illegal mining, Xinhua reported late on Thursday night.

The high demand for coal has shored up prices, prompting the resurgence of illegal coal mining, according to the Office of the Work Safety Committee of the State Council and the Ministry of Emergency Management.

Coal-producing provinces should comprehensively and thoroughly investigate illegal activities, including unauthorised mining and excessive production beyond the approved capacity, said the authorities.

Those involved in unauthorised mining should be investigated for criminal responsibility in accordance with the law, the report said.

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The management of debt-laden Chinese chip conglomerate Tsinghua Unigroup, set for a state-backed takeover, late on Thursday said its estranged official chairman, also a major investor, had spread "false information" and defended its restructuring plan.



In a notice published on Unigroup's public social media account, attributed simply to Unigroup's management, the company linked its debt situation directly to the leadership of Zhao Weiguo, who spearheaded a wave of asset purchases in the previous decade.



Zhao has retained the post of chairman but China's state council appointed a working group to assume leadership of the company after it defaulted on bonds in November 2020.



The notice comes a day after Zhao published a memo via his personal investment vehicle, Beijing Jiankun, arguing that Beijing Jianguang Asset Management (JAC Capital) and Wise Road Capital, two state-backed firms poised to take over Unigroup, were undervaluing its assets.



Zhao's Beijing Jiankun holds a 49% stake in Unigroup, with the remainder held by China's elite Tsinghua University. In the previous decade, with government funding, Unigroup built up stakes in a number of Chinese chip



In its post, Unigroup management said the value in Zhao's stake in Unigroup via Beijing Jiankun had become negative, and that after several rounds of bidding from strategic investors, the highest offers "still cannot cover all of Tsinghua Unigroup's debts".



Unigroup's management said it "firmly opposes" Zhao's attempt to "interfere with and affect the judicial reorganisation process" of Unigroup, and will "take measures to pursue legal liabilities of relevant individuals in accordance with the law".



The company added that a vote on the pending investment would take place on December 29.



Beijing Jiankun did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

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The U.S. government has warned for years that products from Chinas Huawei Technologies Co., the worlds biggest maker of telecommunications equipment, pose a national security risk for any countries that use them.

As Washington has waged a global campaign to block the company from supplying state-of-the-art 5G wireless networks, Huawei and its supporters have dismissed the claims as lacking evidence.

Now a Bloomberg News investigation has found a key piece of evidence underpinning the U.S. efforts  a previously unreported breach that occurred halfway around the world nearly a decade ago.

In 2012, Australian intelligence officials informed their U.S. counterparts that they had detected a sophisticated intrusion into the country's telecommunications systems. It began, they said, with a software update from Huawei that was loaded with malicious code.

The breach and subsequent intelligence sharing was confirmed by nearly two dozen former national security officials who received briefings about the matter from Australian and U.S. agencies from 2012 to 2019. The incident substantiated suspicions in both countries that used Huawei equipment as a conduit for espionage, and it has remained a core part of a case theyve built against the Chinese company, even as the breachs existence has never been made public, the former officials said.

The episode helps clarify previously opaque security concerns driving a battle over who will build 5G networks, which promise to bring faster internet connectivity to billions of people around the globe. Shenzhen-based Huawei dominates the more than $90 billion global telecommunications equipment market, where it competes against Swedens Ericsson AB and Finlands Nokia Oyj. But the U.S., Australia, Sweden and the U.K. have all banned Huawei from their 5G networks, and about 60 countries signed on to a U.S. Department of State program where theyve committed to avoiding Chinese equipment for their telecommunications systems. Such efforts, which have also included U.S. sanctions against the Chinese company, have slowed Huaweis growth and heightened tensions with

The briefings described to Bloomberg contained varying degrees of detail, and the former officials who received them had different levels of knowledge of  and willingness to discuss  specifics. Seven of them agreed to provide detailed accounts of the evidence uncovered by Australian authorities and included in their briefings.

At the core of the case, those officials said, was a software update from Huawei that was installed on the network of a major Australian telecommunications company. The update appeared legitimate, but it contained malicious code that worked much like a digital wiretap, reprogramming the infected equipment to record all the communications passing through it before sending the data to China, they said.

After a few days, that code deleted itself, the result of a clever self-destruct mechanism embedded in the update, they said. Ultimately, Australia's intelligence agencies determined that Chinas spy services were behind the breach, having infiltrated the ranks of Huawei technicians who helped maintain the equipment and pushed the update to the telecoms systems.

Guided by Australia's tip, American intelligence agencies that year confirmed a similar attack from using Huawei equipment located in the U.S., six of the former officials said, declining to provide further detail.

Mike Rogers, a former Republican congressman from Michigan who was chair of the U.S. House of Representatives intelligence committee from 2011 to 2015, declined to discuss the incidents. But he confirmed that national bans against Huawei have been driven in part by evidence, presented in private to world leaders, that China has manipulated the companys products through tampered software updates, also known as patches.

All their intelligence services have pored over the same material, said Rogers, a former FBI agent who is now a national security commentator on CNN. This whole body of work has come to the same conclusion: It's all about administrative access, and the administrative patches that come out of Beijing are not to be trusted.



Many people familiar with Australias intelligence told Bloomberg that they were bound by confidentiality agreements and couldnt discuss it on the record. But Michele Flournoy, former under secretary of defense for policy at the Department of Defense under President Barack Obama, said she wasnt constrained from doing so.

Flournoy, who is co-founder and managing partner of WestExec Advisors LLC, a national security consulting firm closely aligned with the Obama and Biden administrations, confirmed the intrusion and the tampered software update from Huawei.

She said she learned about the episode after leaving government in early 2012, emphasizing that the information was shared in unclassified forums. The Australians from the get-go have been courageous in sharing the information they had, not only with the intelligence channels but more broadly in government channels, Flournoy said.  experienced it, but it was also a vicarious wake-up call for Australias allies.



The Australian Signals Directorate, that countrys leading cybersecurity agency, declined to answer specific questions about the incident. Whenever ASD discovers a cyber incident affecting an entity, it engages the relevant entity to provide advice and assistance, the agency said in a statement. ASDs assistance is confidential  it is a matter for relevant entities to comment publicly on any cybersecurity incident. is not alone in the threats we face from state-based actors in cyberspace, the agency said, noting that the government has joined with others in the world to express serious concerns about malicious cyber activities by Chinas Ministry of State Security.In the U.S., the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Security Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Counterintelligence and Security Center declined to comment.

Bloomberg didnt find evidence that Huaweis senior leadership was involved with or aware of the attack. Huawei declined to address specific questions. It is hard to comment on speculation and unquoted senior sources, John Suffolk, Huaweis global cybersecurity officer, said in a statement.

It is also hard to comment on generalizations such as Australian telecommunications, software update, equipment, etc.

But, he added, no tangible evidence has ever been produced of any intentional wrongdoing of any kind.



Suffolk said that Huaweis technicians can access networks only when customers authorize it, and that customers control when updates are installed on their systems. He said Huawei considers the possibility of its workers being compromised a valid threat and takes steps to protect against it, including restricting access to source code and using tamper-proofing mechanisms to guard against abuse.

We closely monitor all of our engineers. Where the law allows we undertake additional vetting, he said. We control the software and equipment they use, and mandatory compliance training is required every year.



Suffolk said that Huawei urges governments, customers and the security ecosystem to review its products and look for vulnerabilities, and it is this openness and transparency that acts as a great protector.



Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the country opposes and would crack down on any forms of cyberattack and internet espionage activities in accordance with the law, not to mention refraining from encouraging, supporting or conspiring with hacking attacks.



Australias slander on China carrying out cyberattacks and espionage penetration are purely a move like a thief crying to catch a thief. This kind of arbitrary smear on another county is an extremely irresponsible action that China firmly opposes, the ministry said. We urge not to abuse the name of national security and put groundless accusations and unreasonable pressures on Huawei and other Chinese companies.



Huawei was founded in 1987 by a former officer of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army, Ren Zhengfei, as a sales agent for business telephone systems, and over the last three decades it has grown to become the world's biggest maker of telecommunications equipment, which includes the routers, switches and cell-tower antennas used to shuttle voice and data traffic over mobile networks. Huawei entered the Australian market in 2004 and built relationships with two of the countrys three main wireless network operators.

Australias dominant telecom  Melbourne-based Telstra Corp. Ltd.  has long avoided Huawei products, owing to concerns about potential Chinese tampering and the companys partnership with Ericsson, according to three former Telstra executives. Telstra does not have any equipment from Huawei in its network now, nor have we in the past, the company said in a statement.

But Telstras two smaller rivals embraced the technology.

An early and symbolically important partner was Optus, a division of Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., which is Singapores biggest telecom.

Optus picked Huawei for several large-scale infrastructure upgrades, starting in 2005 with a deal for digital subscriber line equipment. Optus later picked Huawei in 2007 to supply part of its nationwide 3G wireless network and in 2012 for part of its 4G network. In addition to being Australias second-biggest mobile carrier, Optus also operates the countrys largest fleet of satellites, and it works closely with the Australian military.

Huaweis other key partner in Australia was Vodafone Hutchison Australia, the countrys third-biggest mobile carrier. It selected Huawei to overhaul its entire 2G and 3G infrastructure in 2011 and later for parts of its 4G networks as well.

The identity of the telecom impacted by the breach in Australia wasn't shared widely in the briefings by Australian and U.S. intelligence officials, according to the people who received them. But a former senior U.S. intelligence official and a former Australian telecommunications executive who worked in a national security role said they were told it was Optus.

Optus disputed the information. Optus has a strong track record of providing trusted and secure services, including to major government agencies. These are delivered in close collaboration with government and with strict adherence to its advice on security matters, the company said in a statement. Optus takes security very seriously.

Any incidents of breaches or inappropriate vendor behavior would be taken into account in our network investment decisions, but we have no knowledge of the alleged incidents.



After a 2020 merger, Vodafone Hutchison Australia became TPG Telecom Ltd. The company said it wasnt aware of an attack. We can confirm that there was no such malware in our network, and we have never heard of this alleged incident in respect of any Australian networks, the company said in a statement. We comply with all directions and advice from the Australian government in relation to national security.



Starting around 2010, officials in Australia and the U.S. had grown alarmed by two trends: the rising number of hacking attacks from China and Huaweis expanding role in their countries telecommunications systems, according to Michael Wessel, who for more than 20 years has been a commissioner on the congressionally created U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

The commission examines national security implications of the trade and economic relationships between the two countries and reports its recommendations.

The countries began investigating whether any of those hacks traced back to Huawei equipment, he said. If theres a locksmith whos installing more and more locks on the doors in a community and suddenly theres a rash of silent robberies, at some point the locksmith becomes a person of interest, Wessel said. Huawei around that time became a significant entity of interest.



By that point, the NSA had already penetrated Huaweis corporate networks in China, looking for evidence of any links between the company and Chinas military, according to documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and published in news articles in 2014. Under a program called Shotgiant, the U.S. monitored e-mail accounts belonging to Huawei employees including Ren, the companys founder.

NSA also looked for ways to exploit Huawei products in Chinese-built networks in countries considered high-priority intelligence targets, including Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, Kenya and Pakistan, according to the documents and articles.

Huaweis Suffolk said in his statement that no such evidence was ever presented that demonstrated Huawei was anything other than highly professional and that our founder Mr. Ren has many, many boring e-mails.



Concerned about potential intrusion into its communications systems, Australia began taking a harder line on Huawei and China. In particular, Australia blocked Huawei from participating in massive project to build a nationwide broadband network, a surprise decision that triggered a diplomatic uproar when the news leaked in early 2012. Then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the decision involved national security matters that she couldnt discuss. Gillard declined to comment for this story.

Around that time, Australia discovered the breach  an extraordinary find given the hackers' efforts to cover their tracks.

The seven former officials who provided detailed accounts of their briefings said that Australias intelligence agencies had detected suspicious traffic flowing from the countrys telecommunications systems to China, a trail that led to Huawei equipment. Investigators gained access to some of the infected systems, but they arrived too late. Digital forensics on those systems revealed only fragments of the malicious codes existence, and investigators reconstructed the attack using a variety of sensitive sources, including human informants and secretly intercepted conversations, the former officials said.

The attackers had siphoned all the data flowing through the equipment during the malware's short window of operation, the former officials said. The data gave them access to the contents of private communications and information that could be used to target specific people or devices in future attacks, the former officials said. Bloomberg was unable to learn what, if anything, the attackers did with it.

Also in 2012, around the time Australian officials were briefing U.S. agencies about the breach, the intelligence committee of the House of Representatives published findings that Chinas spy services had a wealth of opportunities to tamper with products from Huawei and a similar company, ZTE Corp., from their design to their maintenance on customer networks. One of those involves so-called managed services, a common offering where companies provide ongoing support, including remote software updates, for their equipment after its installed at customer sites, the report found. Unfortunately, such contracts may also allow the managed-service contractor to use its authorized access for malicious activity under the guise of legitimate assistance, the report found.

Huawei and ZTE dont need to be a participant in  or even be aware of  any attacks for them to occur through their employee ranks. Chinese intelligence services need only recruit working-level technicians or managers in these companies to carry out compromises of customer networks, the report found.

At the time, Huawei said the report employs many rumors and speculations to prove nonexistent accusations, while a ZTE spokesman said that after a year-long investigation, the committee rests its conclusions on a finding that ZTE may not be free of state influence. That standard would apply to any company operating in China, the spokesman said.

In the years since then, various reports have linked Huawei or its employees to spying and surveillance. In 2019, for example, the Wall Street Journal reported that Huawei technicians, in at least two instances, helped African governments spy on political opponents, intercepting their encrypted communications and using cellphone data to track their locations. Last year, Australias Financial Review found that Huawei built a facility to store the entire data archive for the Papua New Guinea government, but it contained glaring security gaps that exposed sensitive files to being stolen. And on Dec. 14, the Washington Post published documents from Huawei showing that the company has played a broader role in tracking Chinas populace than it has acknowledged.

Huawei denied each of the reports, and the company has consistently pushed back against allegations that its products pose a security risk.

Huawei has not had any major cybersecurity incidents while working with more than 500 telecom providers, including most of the top 50 telecom operators, for nearly 20 years in 170 countries to connect more than 3 billion people, the company says on its website. No other vendor can claim this level of cybersecurity success.



Keith Krach, the former under secretary for economic growth, energy and the environment at the U.S. Department of State under President Donald Trump, declined to discuss specific incidents. But he confirmed that the U.S. and its allies have had evidence for years that China has manipulated Huawei equipment through software updates.

Huawei has thrown a lot of head fakes by saying it would never put a back door in the hardware  a back door means nothing because there's a front door that's open every day through software, he said. Huaweis software updates can push whatever code they want into those machines, whenever they want, without anyone knowing.



That characterization is a fantasy, said Huaweis Suffolk. There is not a general software update mechanism, patches are not pushed at will and Huawei has no control or say when an operator decides to upgrade or patch their network, he said.

In Australia, after nearly a decade of hostility with the government, Huawei has abandoned many of its operations.

Last year, the company revealed a $100 million financial cut to its Australian investment and more than 1,000 local job losses, according to the Financial Review. A key factor behind that 5G ban, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, was an intelligence assessment that the vulnerabilities associated with Huawei products were so severe that more than 300 separate risks would need to be mitigated in order to use it securely.

In Huaweis statement to Bloomberg, the company said that former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull publicly stated that no evidence had been provided to demonstrate that Huawei had undertaken anything untoward in Australia. In his memoir, which was published in 2020, Turnbull wrote that his administration's 5G ban against Huawei was a hedge against a future threat, not the identification of a smoking gun, but a loaded one.



Turnbull, in a statement to Bloomberg, rejected Huawei's characterization. That is not what I have said  I made no comment as to whether evidence of untoward conduct by Huawei had been presented or observed, he said. So I was, if you like, deliberately making no comment on that point at all. Turnbull declined to comment about the 2012 incident or any other intelligence matters related to Huawei.

Australia continues to deal with the fallout from challenging China on a range of issues, including Huawei.

China has imposed damaging one-sided tariffs on Australian commodities, and Chinese hackers have targeted Australian institutions with relentless attacks since the country called last year for an independent probe into the origins of Covid-19.

Australia also announced a pact in September with the U.S. to build nuclear-powered submarines, a challenge to Chinas growing military presence that has further heightened tensions in the region.

Flournoy, the former Defense Department official under Obama, said China continues to punish Australia in part because of it longstanding position on Huawei, which was informed in part by the breach the country discovered nearly a decade ago.

They didnt do the typical thing of trying to hide the vulnerability; they talked about what happened with their closest allies and took a public stand, Flournoy said. They are still taking a hit for it.


Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye (in pic) are likely to be excluded from an upcoming New Year's pardon, according to legal sources. Photo: Reuters

and Park Geun-hye, former South Korean Presidents currently in jail for corruption convictions, are likely to be excluded from an upcoming New Year's pardon, according to legal sources on Friday.

The Justice Ministry's amnesty review committee plans to hold a two-day meeting from December 20 to determine the beneficiaries of President Moon Jae-in's fifth special amnesty scheduled to be announced later this month, reports Yonhap News Agency.

The nine-member committee meeting will be chaired by Justice Minister Park Beom-kye.

The pardon is expected to be Moon's final presidential pardon before the end of his term in May 2022.

The latest amnesty is expected to focus on those convicted of livelihood-related crimes.

Major corruption-related offenses, such as bribery and embezzlement, will most likely be excluded.

Lee, Park and other convicted big-name politicians, such as former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, are also expected to be excluded, the sources said.

Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who was convicted for bribery but is currently out on parole, is also likely to be excluded from the deliberation, they added.

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A federal appeals court in New Orleans is the latest to uphold a federal ban on bump stocks devices attached to semiautomatic firearms so that a shooter can fire multiple rounds with a single trigger pull.

The ban was instituted in 2019 by the Trump administration after a sniper in Las Vegas used the device to help him massacre dozens of concertgoers in 2017 in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The U.S. Supreme Court could decide next year whether to hear arguments on the ban.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a decision dated Tuesday, affirmed a Texas-based federal judge's ruling in a lawsuit challenging the ban.

A challenge failed recently in the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit when judges split 8-8 on the issue. Another challenge is on appeal to the Supreme Court, arising from an unsuccessful attempt to overturn the ban at the Denver-based 10th Circuit.

The ban was instituted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in a rule declaring that bump stocks are classified as machineguns, banned by National Firearms Act.

According to the ATF, bump stock devices harness the recoil energy of a semiautomatic firearm so that a trigger resets and continues firing without additional physical manipulation of the trigger by the shooter. The National Firearms Act, according to the court records, outlaws weapons that fire continuously with a single function of the trigger.

Opponents of the ATF rule argue that the trigger itself functions multiple times when a bump stock is used. Judge Stephen Higginson, writing for the three 5th Circuit judges that ruled Tuesday, disagreed, quoting from a lower court ruling in the 10th Circuit case.

"As one district court has observed, there is no reason why Congress would have zeroed in on the mechanistic movement of the trigger in seeking to regulate automatic weapons,' given that the 'ill sought to be captured by this definition was the ability to drastically increase a weapon's rate of fire, not the precise mechanism by which that capability is achieved,'" Higginson wrote in an opinion joined by judges James Dennis and Gregg Costa.

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Democrats in the US Congress suffered a major setback on Thursday in their effort to grant work permits to millions of immigrants who have been living in the illegally for a decade or longer.



Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, who advises lawmakers on what is acceptable under legislature rules, rejected the inclusion of the Democrats' proposal in President Joe Biden's $1.75 trillion Build Back Better bill.



Senator Dick Durbin, the no. 2 Senate Democrat, told reporters that he was "disappointed and we're considering what options remain."



The parliamentarian previously rejected two other Democratic attempts to bundle immigration provisions into Biden's domestic investment bill.



MacDonough rejected the proposal on Thursday saying it would increase the deficit by $131 billion over 10 years and included "substantial policy changes with lasting effects," which had already been considered and thrown out before, according to the text of the decision sent to lawmakers.



Her decision could shut the door on Democrats' hopes of passing immigration reform anytime soon, since it could be even more difficult to pass a bill next year as lawmakers shift attention to their November 2022 re-election campaigns.



And if Republicans win control of the House or Senate in those contests, any easing of immigration policy could be on a back-burner for years to come.



With immigration legislation now less likely, Democrats and advocates could shift their focus to pressing Biden to address immigration policy through executive actions.



Democrats passed Biden's spending package - known as the Build Back Better bill - in the House of Representatives in November, amid Republican opposition, and aim to do the same in the Senate.



The House version of the Biden spending package included several immigration measures, including the work permit provision granting a five-year renewable "parole" to immigrants living in the illegally since at least 2011.



The liberal Center for American Progress think tank estimated that 7 million immigrants would be eligible for the temporary protection against deportation and work permits under the Democrats' plan.



Republicans have criticized Biden for undoing some restrictive immigration policies of former President Donald Trump and have opposed Democratic efforts to pass broader immigration legislation.



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There were 66 known Indian-origin fighters affiliated with the global terrorist group Islamic State, the latest US State Department report on has said as it commended India's counterterrorism forces, including the NIA, for actively detecting and disrupting transnational and regional terror forces.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in the 2020 Country Reports on issued on Thursday, said that India collaborates with the United States on implementing UNSCR 2309 and is enforcing compliance with the dual-screen X-ray mandate for cargo screening at airport locations.

The UN Security Council Resolution 2309 calls governments to meet their responsibility to keep citizens secure while travelling by air.

The report said that there were 66 known Indian-origin fighters affiliated with ISIS, as of November.

No Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs) were repatriated to India during 2020, it said.

Highlighting the US-India cooperation, the report said that the United States continues to build its strategic partnership with the Government of India, including through bilateral engagements such as the 17th Counterterrorism Joint Working Group and Third Designations Dialogue in September, as well as the third 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in October.

It also commended the Indian counterterrorism forces, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), for actively detecting and disrupting transnational and regional terror forces.

Indian counterterrorism forces, at the federal and state levels, actively detected and disrupted transnational and regional terror forces.

The National Investigation Agency examined 34 terrorism-related cases related to and arrested 160 persons, including 10 alleged al-Qaeda operatives from Kerala and West Bengal, in September, the report said.

Giving details of the terrorists' arrests made by the NIA, the report said that the premier investigation agency arrested 10 alleged al-Qaeda-affiliated operatives from Kerala and West Bengal on September 19 and 26.

Through the end of September, the NIA had investigated 34 cases it indicated were related to and arrested 160 persons, it said.

The Kolkata Police counter-terrorism Special Task Force on May 29 arrested Abdul Karim, the second-in-command of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, on suspicion of involvement in a 2013 bombing in Bodh Gaya, it said.

India responds to the US requests for information related to terrorism investigations in a timely manner and makes efforts to mitigate threats in response to US information.

Over the past two years, collaborative efforts have disrupted terrorist travel and alerted US authorities to possible threats in the United States and against US interests, the report said.

Officials in India remain concerned about internet use for terrorist recruitment and radicalisation to violence, as well as for fomenting interreligious tensions, it said.

In 2020 there were multiple reports in the media and from the NIA of suspected cases of online terrorist radicalisation, particularly in southern Indian states, the report said.

India is active in leadership roles in the many regional and fora in 2020, where it has promoted multilateral counterterrorism cooperation, it said.

India has agreed to share intelligence on terrorism with Sri Lanka and the Maldives. India's longstanding defence relationship with Russia extends to counterterrorism issues, the US State Department report added.

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US President on Thursday appeared to acknowledge that his Build Back Better spending bill may not pass Congress in the remaining weeks of this year, saying Democrats would seek to advance the legislation "over the days and weeks ahead."



Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has set a Christmas deadline for passing the $1.75 trillion social spending and climate change bill, but negotiations have slowed to a crawl.



Biden has been in negotiations with moderate Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, who has withheld his support for the bill, making him a key vote in the evenly divided chamber.



"I believe that we will bridge our differences and advance the Build Back Better plan, even in the face of fierce Republican opposition," Biden said in a statement.



He said Manchin has reiterated his support for the overall cost of the bill. He said negotiations are continuing but more time is needed.



A source familiar with their conversations said talks between Biden and Manchin have been going poorly with the two "far apart" on the contents of a bill.



"It takes time to finalize these agreements, prepare the legislative changes, and finish all the parliamentary and procedural steps needed to enable a Senate vote," Biden said in his statement.



The legislation has been passed by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives but faces a harder slog in the Senate.



Manchin is coming under increasing fire from fellow Democrats over his stance. They accuse him of holding up Democratic priorities.



Manchin has waved off the criticism.



"No one pressures me, I'm from West Virginia," Manchin told CNN.



Biden said he had spoken to Schumer and House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi about his most recent discussions with Manchin and that he believes Manchin supporting the funding plan.



He said talks with Manchin would continue next week.

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Hitting out at Lithuania for withdrawing its diplomats from China, the Chinese Foreign Ministry termed the Lithuanian side's concerns around diplomats' safety "purely groundless", clarifying that the Chinese side always attaches high importance to protecting the safety of foreign diplomatic missions' premises and personnel in Beijing.

Amid worsening ties between Lithuanian and China, Lithuania has announced that it had recalled its top diplomat in for consultations and that the embassy in Beijing would operate remotely.

The Lithuanian ministry has said consular services to Lithuanians in would be provided remotely and in "limited capacity." Lithuania is open to talk with on a mutually beneficial arrangement, it added.

Addressing a daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that the Lithuanian side never mentioned to the Chinese side any issue with regard to its safety.

"It needs to be pointed out that the so-called allegations that Lithuanian personnel based in China were concerned about their safety and that the Chinese government has prohibited the employment of Chinese citizens by the office of the charge d'affaires of Lithuania are purely groundless," Wang said.

"The Chinese side always attaches high importance to protecting the safety of foreign diplomatic missions' premises and personnel in China and ensure that all foreign diplomatic missions in China including the Lithuanian side conduct their work normally. The Lithuanian side never mentioned to the Chinese side any issue with regard to its safety," he added.

Ties between the two countries soured this year after the Lithuanian government allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in the country. Back in August, China recalled its ambassador from Vilnius, to which Lithuania responded reciprocally in September.

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Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine is 90 per cent effective at preventing Covid-19 illness, according to results from a Phase 3 clinical trial.

In addition to being highly effective in preventing Covid illness of any severity, the vaccine was 100 per cent effective in preventing moderate and severe disease that required hospitalisation, revealed the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

For the trial, the team from University of Maryland included nearly 30,000 adult volunteers at 113 clinical sites in the US and six sites in Mexico.

Approximately 20,000 participants received two doses of the vaccine spaced three weeks apart and 10,000 received placebos. The trial was conducted during the first few months of 2021, and tested only against Alpha variant, which was the predominant circulating strain.

Most side effects were mild to moderate and transient. Fever was very rare. The most common side effects in the vaccine recipients included pain and tenderness at the injection site, headache, muscle aches and fatigue that lasted a day on average. None of the recipients developed serious reactions like heart inflammation (myocarditis) or blood clots.

"Our study results indicate that this vaccine is highly efficacious and very safe. In addition, this vaccine has many attractive features," said Karen Kotloff, Professor of Paediatrics at the varsity's School of Medicine.

"It is made from a small piece of protein, like many currently licensed vaccines in the US and has convenient refrigerator storage requirements, so it will be an important addition to the Covid-19 vaccine portfolio, in the US and in countries where supply is lacking," Kotloff added.

Novavax is also a partner of Pune-based Serum Institute of India. The vaccine NVX-CoV2373 is already being locally manufactured by the company under the brand name Covovax - its vaccine for children aged above 3 years. It will be launched in the next six months, SII CEO Adar Poonawalla has said.

Covavax is currently under trial and has shown excellent results down to the age of 3 years, Poonawalla said.

--IANS

rvt/vd

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will donate just over 2 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to other African countries to boost the continent's COVID-19 vaccine drive, the government announced Friday.

The doses, worth approximately $18 million, will be produced at the Aspen Pharmacare manufacturing facility in Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth, and be distributed to various African countries over the next year, according to a statement.

This donation embodies South Africa's solidarity with our brothers and sisters on the continent with whom we are united in fighting an unprecedented threat to public health and economic prosperity," President Cyril Ramaphosa said in the statement.

The only way in which we can prevent COVID-19 transmission and protect economies and societies on our continent is to successfully immunize a critical mass of the African population with safe and effective vaccines, said Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa is making good progress in his recovery from COVID-19 while continuing treatment for mild symptoms, his office said in a separate statement Friday.

Ramaphosa, 69, tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 12 and has been isolated at the official residence in Cape Town since then, with treatment by the South African military health service.

Ramaphosa is in good spirits and comfortable in his recovery, the statement said.

South Africa's donation will add to the more than 100 million vaccine doses that have been donated to the African Union's African Vaccination Acquisition Trust.

The African vaccination group has also purchased 500 million doses to be distributed to countries across the continent.

Africa remains the world's least vaccinated continent.

The World Health Organization said that Africa might not reach the target of vaccinating 70% of its 1.3 billion population until the second half of 2024.

Just 20 of Africa's 54 countries have fully vaccinated at least 10% of their populations against COVID-19.

Ten African countries have less than 2% of their populations fully vaccinated, according to WHO.

is currently battling the resurgence of the fuelled by the omicron variant.

recorded 24,785 new infections and 36 deaths in the most recent 24-hour reporting cycle.

The country's seven-day rolling average of daily new cases has risen steeply over the past two weeks from 8.59 new cases per 100,000 people on Dec. 2 to 39.11 new cases per 100,000 people on Dec. 16.

More than 78% of the new cases are from the omicron variant, Health Minister Joe Phaahla said in a briefing Friday.

Hospitalisations and deaths from COVID-19 have increased somewhat but not at rates comparable to the sharp upward curve of new cases, health experts said.

In South Africa, omicron has so far resulted in more mild cases than the previous wave, driven by the delta variant, according to health experts.

The population's exposure to the coronavirus, as shown by blood tests for be at 72%, could be contributing to the less severe symptoms from omicron, experts said Friday.

South African scientists say that their analysis of data suggests the Pfizer vaccine offers less defense against infection from omicron and reduced, but still good, protection from hospitalisation.

Despite the increased number of COVID-19 cases, the government hasn't announced an increase in restrictions.

In contrast to many other African countries, South Africa now has adequate supplies of vaccine doses, estimated at 19 million, but the number of people getting vaccinated has slowed dramatically.

Just 12,500 shots were given Thursday, according to official figures, down from an average of about 120,000 per day in November.

More than 15 million South Africans are fully vaccinated, representing 38% of the adult population, according to official statistics.

We are very worried about the drastic decline in the uptake of vaccinations, especially in the last seven to 10 days," Health Minister Joe Phaahla said in a media briefing Friday.

He urged South Africans to get vaccination shots before the holidays. Jab before jive! Phaahla said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The developer of Russias Sputnik V said Friday that its vaccine provides the best protection against the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, disputing a Western study which found the vaccine produced no antibodies against the new variant.



The Gamaleya Institute and the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which bankrolled Sputnik V and its one-shot version called Sputnik Light, said in a statement that a preliminary laboratory study showed Sputnik V had the best virus neutralisation results against omicron in comparison with other vaccines. Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Sputnik V efficiency against omicron earlier on Friday.



Meanwhile, researchers from the University of Washington and the Swiss drugmaker Humabs Biomed SA in yet-to-be peer reviewed study said Covid-19 vaccines from US drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and China's Sinopharm, as well as Sputnik V shot had no neutralizing activity against the Omicron variant.

The study compared the activity of some widely-used Covid-19 vaccines and treatments against Omicron and against the original virus strain first detected in China.
Indian and Chinese oil buyers are snapping up Middle East crude after spot premiums for February-loading cargoes slumped by more than half to three-month lows on improved supplies to Asia.



Easing concerns about the impact of new coronavirus variant Omicron on Asia's fuel demand are also supporting Asian refiners' margins, trade sources said.



"It's quite a busy week as demand all came out," a Singapore-based analyst with a trading firm said.



Supplies to Asia are improving as pricing differences in crude grades make Atlantic Basin crudes become more attractive.



The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies have also agreed to continue ramping up output by 400,000 barrels per day in January.



The slide in spot premiums comes after they hit multi-year highs for January-loading cargoes.



India's Reliance Industries Ltd snapped up 4 million barrels of Abu Dhabi Das supplies this week while top refiner Indian Oil Corp has closed a tender seeking sour crude.



Fuel demand from the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer is robust as industrial activity picks up. Gasoil sales, which account for about two-fifths of India's overall refined fuel consumption, jumped nearly 18% in the first half of December from the same period in November.



In China, Rongsheng Petrochemical, the trading arm of top private refiner Zhejiang Petrochemical, bought 1 million barrels of Abu Dhabi's Upper Zakum last week and is seeking more supplies this week. The refiner also purchased at least 2 million barrels of Emirati and Iraqi crude for delivery between February or March and December.



Another mega Chinese refiner, Hengli Petrochemical , took three of four Qatari al-Shaheen crude cargoes in Qatar Energy's tender while the remaining cargo went to Japan's top refiner ENEOS Holdings.



But there has been less appetite from Chinese independent refiners which have been hit by restrictions on import quotas, increasing scrutiny on tax evasion and probes into unapproved refining units in Shandong province. That has caused spot premiums for Russian ESPO crude to slip to four-month lows.



"Premiums last month were too crazy and not sustainable," a Singapore-based trader said, adding that prices had to correct after refining margins slumped late last month.



The sources declined to be named as they are not authorised to speak to media.



Complex refining margins in Singapore, a bellwether for Asian refiners' profitability, hit a four-month low of $2.15 a barrel in late November on fears about Omicron's impact.



They have since rebounded to about $6 a barrel.



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British Prime Minister on Friday accepted personal responsibility for a crushing defeat of his Conservative Party in a byelection, being dubbed a referendum on his leadership at Downing Street.

Liberal Democrat candidate Helen Morgan overturned a huge Tory party majority to win the Conservative stronghold seat of North Shropshire, sparked by the resignation of former member of Parliament Owen Paterson found to have broken ministerial lobbying rules.

The result comes at the end of ongoing criticism over alleged lockdown-breaching government parties and a House of Commons rebellion by Boris Johnson's parliamentarians over tougher COVID-19 measures.

"I am responsible for everything the government does and of course I take personal responsibility, Johnson told reporters when asked about the byelection defeat.

"Clearly the vote in North Shropshire is a very disappointing result and I totally understand people's frustrations, I hear what the voters are saying in North Shropshire and in all humility I have got to accept that verdict, he said.

Conservative Party co-chairman Oliver Dowden earlier admitted that his party had been given "a kicking" and delivered "a message" that the governing party had heard that loud and clear".

It prompted Johnson's critics within his own party to issue warnings that his leadership now hangs in the balance.

"One more strike and he's out," Tory Member of Parliament Sir Roger Gale told the BBC, adding that the byelection "has to be seen as a referendum on the Prime Minister's performance".

The byelection followed the resignation of Owen Paterson, the parliamentarian for North Shropshire since 1997, who was found to have breached parliamentary rules on lobbying.

In her victory speech, Morgan, who won by 5,925 votes, said: "The people of North Shropshire have spoken on behalf of the British people. They have said loudly and clearly, 'Boris Johnson, the party is over'.

"Your government, run on lies and bluster, will be held accountable. It will be scrutinised, it will be challenged and it can and will be defeated."



Her victory takes the number of Lib Dem members of Parliament up to 13. The party had lost dozens of its seats at the 2015 General Election following its coalition government with the David Cameron-led Conservatives.

The byelection came soon after Johnson faced off the biggest party rebellion of his leadership when 100 Conservative parliamentarians voted against the government's proposals to introduce COVID vaccine certificates as a compulsory requirement for entry to large venues in England as part of measures to curb the raging Omicron variant.

It also comes amid an ongoing internal investigation about alleged parties at 10 Downing Street and other government departments that were held in breach of lockdown rules towards the end of last 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.)
The US has continued to keep on its list of state sponsors of terrorism, a State Department report revealed.

has been on the list of state sponsors of terrorism since 2017 when North Korean agents assassinated leader Kim Jong-un's half brother, Kim Jong-nam, using chemical agents in Malaysia, reports Yonhap News Agency.

"In 2017 the Secretary of State determined the DPRK had repeatedly provided support for acts of terrorism since its State Sponsor of Terrorism designation was rescinded in 2008," the report, Country Reports on Terrorism, released on Thursday said, noting the North was first designated as a state sponsor of terrorism in 1988 for its involvement in the tragic bombing of a South Korean passenger jet the year before.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.

"The DPRK also has failed to take action to address historical support for acts of terrorism," it said of reason remains on the list that includes Iran and Syria.

A State Department official said the North's behaviour remains problematic, though the country may have not been directly implicated in acts of terrorism in recent years.

"North Korea's behaviour, in a number of areas I think, remains problematic and concerning, and that's part of the reason that they have remained on the list," John Godfrey, acting coordinator for counter-terrorism, told reporters on Thursday.

The report, which is annually submitted to US Congress, also said North Korea continues to provide shelter to four Japanese Red Army members wanted by the Japanese government for participating in the March 31, 1970 Japan Airlines hijacking.

"The Japanese government also continues to seek a full accounting of the fate of numerous Japanese nationals believed to have been abducted by DPRK state entities in the 1970s and 1980s," the report said, adding only five such abductees have been repatriated to Japan since 2002.

The report also notes the .S offers rewards of up to $5 million for information leading to the disruption of financial mechanisms of any person or entity that supports the illicit activities of the North Korean government.

--IANS

ksk/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The U.S. government put investment and export restrictions on dozens of Chinese companies on Thursday, including top drone maker DJI, accusing them of complicity in the oppression of China's Uyghur minority or helping the military, further ratcheting up tensions between the world's top two economies.

Blaming DJI and seven other tech firms for supporting "the biometric surveillance and tracking" of Uyghurs, the U.S. Treasury Department added them to a list of entities suspected of having Chinese military links, barring Americans from trading in their securities.

Separately, the Commerce Department added China's Academy of Military Medical Sciences and its 11 research institutes to a trade blacklist, restricting access to U.S. exports. It said such aid included "purported brain-control weaponry" without defining the technology further.

The department also added HMN International, formerly Huawei Marine, Jiangsu Hengtong Marine Cable Systems, Jiangsu Hengtong OpticElectric, Shanghai Aoshi Control Technology Co, Ltd, and Zhongtian Technology Submarine Cable to the list over U.S. allegations of acquiring, or attempting to acquire, technology from the to help modernize the People's Liberation Army.

The Chinese embassy in Washington called the actions "unwarranted suppression" that violated free trade rules, adding that Beijing would take "all essential measures" to uphold the interests of Chinese companies and research institutions.

"China's development of biotechnology has always been for the well-being of mankind. The relevant claims of the U.S. side are totally groundless," embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said in an email.

A DJI spokesperson declined to comment on the U.S. announcement on Friday, but directed Reuters to the company's statement when the U.S. Commerce Department put it on the so-called entity list a year ago for the same reasons. That step barred it from buying or using U.S. technology or components.

At the time, DJI said it had done nothing to justify the move and would continue to sell products in the

U.N. experts and rights groups estimate that more than a million people, mainly Uyghurs and members of other Muslim minorities, have been detained in recent years in a vast system of camps in China's far-west region of Xinjiang.

denies rights abuses in Xinjiang and has pushed back against U.S. "interference" in its affairs, vowing to protect its companies against U.S. sanctions.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said is choosing to use biotechnologies "to pursue control over its people and its repression of members of ethnic and religious minority groups."

"We cannot allow U.S. commodities, technologies, and software that support medical science and biotechnical innovation to be diverted toward uses contrary to U.S. national security," she said in a statement.

Thursday's announcement coupled with last week's investment ban on Chinese facial recognition company SenseTime could worsen already rocky relations between Beijing and Washington, despite President Joe Biden's trying in a November virtual meeting with China's leader Xi Jinping to establish "guardrails" to prevent the two superpowers from sliding toward conflict.

Also on Thursday, the Senate passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Biden has said he will sign it into law. The bill would ban imports from China's Xinjiang region over concerns about forced labor.

SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY

The investment ban, which will also apply to Megvii Technology Limited and Cloudwalk Technology Co Ltd, was first imposed by Donald Trump's administration and revised by Biden. It prohibits U.S. entities from investing in dozens of Chinese companies with alleged ties to the defense or surveillance technology sectors. It now spans dozens of companies, from China's top chipmaker SMIC to oil producer CNOOC.

All eight companies added to the list on Thursday are already on the entity list. The list has become a go-to tool for Washington in the U.S.- tech feud. Suppliers to companies on the list must seek a special license from the Commerce Department to ship goods to the targeted company. The license requests face a tough standard of review.

Megvii said it opposed the U.S. Treasury's decision and that its inclusion on the list would not impact the company's daily operations.

Beijing and Washington have clashed over several issues, including U.S. criticism of China's expanding nuclear arsenal and the Biden administration's decision this month for U.S. government officials to boycott the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics over rights abuses.

China's telecommunications equipment company Huawei Technologies was added to the entity list in 2019. Submarine cable maker HMN Technologies was added later that year.

Washington has become increasingly concerned about security threats posed by the company's role in building undersea internet cables, which have far greater data capacity than satellites. Last year, it sent warnings to Pacific Island nations about HMN's bid to participate in a project to improve communications in the region, Reuters reported.

Beijing says it has no intention of using cable infrastructure for spying.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose, Michael Martina, Alexandra Alper and Daphne Psaledakis; Additional reporting by David Shepardson and Karen Freifeld, David Kirton and Brenda Goh; Editing by Doina Chiacu, Frances Kerry and Grant McCool)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Senate on Thursday confirmed the appointment of career diplomat Nicholas Burns as US ambassador in China.

Burns was confirmed by a 75-18 vote on Thursday, Sputnik reported.

In August, US President Joe Biden on Friday announced R. Nicholas Burns as the country's nominee for Ambassador to China.

Burns, a respected former career member of the Foreign Service, currently serves as Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and Relations at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

He is also Executive Director of the Aspen Strategy Group and Security Forum and Senior Counselor at the Cohen Group.

During his State Department career, Burns served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. As Under Secretary, he worked with the Chinese government on issues as diverse as Afghanistan, United Nations Sanctions against Iran, North Korea, and US policy in the Indo-Pacific.

In October, Burns said during a confirmation hearing that China represents the greatest security threat to the and the democratic world and unlike Washington, Beijing has no real allies.

Burns said that the and China should work on improving their communications in order to avert the possibility of a conflict and maintain regional peace. Burns promised to communicate directly with Chinese officials and to facilitate meetings with US counterparts, including Biden as well as lawmakers.

However, Burns called on Congress and the Biden administration to scale up security cooperation and arms provisions to Taiwan to defend itself from China.

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The key benchmark indices may witness another range-bound trading session, as market participants may prefer to wait and watch over the weekend for fresh developments on the Omicron variant and other major flow. As of 08:20 AM, the SGX Nifty futures were up six points at 17,279. Meanwhile, here the top stocks to focus in trade on Friday.

RateGain Travel & Technologies: The stock is set to make its debut on the bourses today. The grey market premium (GMP) indicates a likely 8-10 per cent listing gain.

Yes Bank: The private lender has scheduled a board meeting on December 21 to consider various options to raise funds.

Supriya Lifescience: A major manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is raising Rs 700 crore from the primary market. While a majority of the equity raise is an offer for sale and will lead to promoter stake dilution, part of the funds will be used to fund capital expenditure and reduce debt. READ MORE



Jindal Stainless: The company aims to garner a revenue of Rs 500 crore from its hot-rolled stainless steel chequered sheet business over the next three years. The current size of the chequered sheet market in India is 2,00,000 tonnes annually and is growing at an annual rate of 8 per cent, the stainless steel player said in a statement to the exchanges. READ MORE



The recently listed company has informed BSE, that it repaid debt amounting to Rs 78 crore in line with its IPO objective, and plans to use the remaining net proceeds to fund the on-going expansion at Panchla in West Bengal.

Indiabulls Housing Finance: The promoter Sameer Gehlaut sold 11.9 per cent in the company in numerous block deals on Thursday to over 10 entities. The combined value of the transactions is estimated at around Rs 1,450 crore, and the average price is around Rs 264 a share. Gehlaut will also be stepping down from the board by the end of FY22 and will complete the de-promoterisation of the company with requisite approvals. READ MORE



Burger King: The company has entered into an agreement with BK Indonesia to acquire 83.24 per cent stake for a consideration of $183 million. Post acquisition to company plans to invest another $40 million by way of subscription to fresh shares to fund BK Indonesias future business requirements.

Coal India: The state-owned firm has drawn up plans to boost coal stock at thermal power plants to over 45 million tonnes (MT) from its own sources by the end of the ongoing fiscal.

EaseMyTrip: The online travel platform said it is acquiring YoloBus, a next-generation premium intercity mobility platform, for an undisclosed amount to expand its non-air business. The acquisition includes the brand name of YoloBus, its technology, team, running business and data expertise. READ MORE



Bharat Electronics (BEL): The company has received an order worth Rs 2,400 crore from Hindustan Aeronautics for the manufacture and supply of 20 types of airborne electronic systems for the LCA Tejas Mk1A fighter aircraft programme. READ MORE



Tata Power: The company informed exchanges on Thursday that its arm TP Saurya has received a 'Letter of Award' from Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) for setting up a 300 MW hybrid (wind & solar) project. This project has been awarded through tariff-based competitive bidding followed by e-Reverse auction, it added.

Stocks in F&O ban: Escorts and and Vodafone Idea are the only stocks in the F&O ban period today.
the Home Minister will inaugurate 23 new branches of Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Bank.

Union Home Minister is slated to hold 'Nishad Samaj Jan Sabha' in Uttar Pradesh on Friday in order to set social equations in their favour ahead of

Top sources in the government told ANI that the Home Minister, in his day-long visit to Uttar Pradesh, will hold a "Nishad Samaj Jan Sabha on Friday in Lucknow".

" is slated to attend the event between 2 pm and 3 pm," said the source, requesting anonymity.

Besides, the Home Minister will inaugurate 23 new branches of Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Bank between 3.45 pm and 4.45 pm.

Shah will also dedicate 29 godowns of Uttar Pradesh State Warehousing Corporation during the event.

The Home Minister will also participate in the inauguration of the seventh National Convention of Sahakar Bharati between 4.45 pm and 6.40 pm.

Shah's visit to Uttar Pradesh to attend 'Nishad Jan Sabh' comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in September end this year formally announced an alliance with the Nishad (Nirbal Indian Shoshit Humara Aam Dal) party led by Sanjay Nishad. BJP said it was also in talks with other small parties to fight the upcoming Uttar Pradesh 2022 assembly polls.

Political experts indicate that the Nishad community has been a useful electoral asset for the BJP as was seen during the previous elections.

The Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal (Nishad) party also launched a survey, along with its alliance partner the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in various districts of eastern and central Uttar Pradesh in August.

The exercise was meant to identify the seats on which Nishad party nominees will be in a winnable position in the 2022 Assembly election due early next year. The survey report is learnt to be submitted to BJP national president JP Nadda to finalize the seat-sharing formula for the election.

The votes of the Nishad community are expected to be decisive in around 160 assembly constituencies in eastern and central Uttar Pradesh.

A total of 18 districts in Uttar Pradesh have a sizeable population of the Nishad community. They are Prayagraj, Firozabad, Ballia, Sant Kabir Nagar, Banda, Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Auraiya, Lucknow, Unnao, Meerut, Mirzapur, Sant Ravidas Nagar, Muzaffarnagar, Varanasi, and Jaunpur. The BJP is dominant in about 20 Lok Sabha constituencies and 60 Assembly segments in Uttar Pradesh.

The seat-sharing has not been announced yet. In 2017, the BJP had given a total of 19 seats to its two allies-Apna Dal(S) and the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP). Formed in 2016, the NISHAD party had contested 100 seats on its own and won in 1.

In an attempt to woo the Nishad community, SP president Akhilesh Yadav met Moola Devi, the mother of bandit-turned-politician, the late SP MP Phoolan Devi in November.

The Samajwadi Party between September to November also launched several yatras, assigning its leaders and coalition partners -- mostly from non-Yadav backward castes -- to reach out to the masses. Former minister Ram Kishore Bind also held social conventions with leaders of the Bind, Nishad, Kevat, and Mallah communities.

(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.)
Sinovac said that the data demonstrated that the administration of a booster shot of its vaccine can effectively enhance the vaccine's neutralizing capacity to the Omicron variant.

China's biotech firm Sinovac claimed that a third dose of its (COVID-19) vaccine is 94 per cent effective against the Omicron variant of the COVID-19.

This comes a day after a study found that the two doses of the vaccine failed to generate any detectable antibody response against the fast-spreading variant.

The study was conducted by the company on 20 people who received two shots and another 48 who received three shots. Seven in the first group and 45 in the second tested positive in neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant, the company said in a statement to the Global Times.

Sinovac said that the data demonstrated that the administration of a booster shot of its vaccine can effectively enhance the vaccine's neutralizing capacity to the Omicron variant, read the statement.

The company's findings are in contrast with those released on Tuesday in a preprint paper by the HKU researchers.

The university study also examined neutralising antibodies, one arm of immune response that serves as a rough marker for protection against infection.

Of 25 people who received a full two-dose course of CoronaVac, none were found to have detectable levels of neutralising antibodies, according to study author and top infectious disease expert Yuen Kwok-yung and his team.

The Omicron variant, first discovered in early November, has been reported in 77 countries and regions, according to the

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The government on Thursday claimed that no deaths had been reported in the state because of lack of oxygen during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Replying to Congress MLC Deepak Singh, State Minister Jai Pratap Singh told Legislative Council, "no death has been reported in the state due to lack of oxygen during the second wave."

COVID-19 cases surged dangerously from April to June and peaked in May with over 4-lakh cases and 4,000 deaths.

Hospitals across the country reported severe oxygen shortages for several days and private hospitals in the national capital approached the High Court demanding a steady supply.

Several hospital administrations in different states have alleged that the shortage of oxygen resulted in the death of several patients.

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Several leaders moved the adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha and gave suspension of business notice in the Rajya Sabha over various issues during the ongoing winter session of Parliament.

MP gave adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss "propriety and autonomy of EC and the independence of institutions" in the wake of the (CEC) and two Election Commissioners' interaction with the principal secretary to the Prime Minister on November 16, as reported in public space.

CPI(M) MP, Dr V Sivadasan gave suspension of Business notice in Rajya Sabha under rule 267 to discuss the privatization policies of the union government which is destroying the public sector banks.

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MP Abdul Wahab gave suspension of Business Notice in Rajya Sabha under rule 276 and demand discussion on the proposal to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 was clear by union cabinet recently.

MP Shaktisinh Gohil gave suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha to discuss Lakhimpur Kheri incident and demand immediate sacking of MoS Home Ajay Misra Teni.

MP and Leader of in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge moved an adjournment motion in the House to discuss the Lakhimpur Kheri matter and demand the resignation of MoS Home Ajay Misra Teni.

The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were on Thursday adjourned till Friday amid demand for the removal of Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra by the

Suspended Rajya Sabha MPs continued their protest at Gandhi Statue on Parliament premises and demanded the resignation of MoS Home Ajay Misra Teni over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

Notably, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case on Tuesday termed the Lakhimpur violence that led to the death of eight people as "a pre-planned conspiracy".

Local farmers had blamed Ajay Kumar Mishra 'Teni' and his son Ashish for the violence that claimed the lives of four farmers and a local journalist among others during a farmers' protest.

Allegedly, they were mowed down by a vehicle that was part of the convoy of the minister in Lakhimpur Kheri. Videos were being circulated on social media, where a Mahindra Thar was seen knocking down protesters from behind.

The minister and his son have denied the charges. However, Ashish Mishra and several others have been booked for murder.

(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.)
Burger King India announced that the company on 16 December 2021 has entered into share purchase agreement to acquire 83.24% stake from existing shareholders of PT Sari Burger Indonesia (BK Indonesia).

BK Indonesia manages and operates the Burger King brand in Indonesia.

The Company believes that BK Indonesia is a good fit given the Company's experience in managing and operating the Burger King brand in India. The Company realizes the high growth potential in the Indonesian market and believes that the Company can be the right partner to drive the Burger King brand in Indonesia through its next phase of growth.

The company's shareholding in BK Indonesia will increase further subsequent to proposed capital infusion.

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This includes Hydro's Kuppam plant having 15000-ton aluminium extrusions capacity

Hindalco Industries today signed a definitive agreement to acquire Hydro's aluminium extrusions business in India for an enterprise value of Rs 247 crore. This acquisition from Hydro, the Norway-headquartered aluminium and energy company, brings into the Hindalco fold, an integrated facility located in Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, an experienced team of employees and the ability to serve a robust portfolio of reputed customers.

Hydro's Kuppam plant has a 15,000-ton aluminium extrusions capacity and is integrated with advanced value addition capabilities for surface finishing and fabrication. Located about 120 kilometres from Bengaluru, the Kuppam facility offers custom aluminium extrusion products and solutions for auto, building & construction, and industrial applications. It will further extend Hindalco's footprint in South India, which is the second largest extrusions market in India.

The acquisition is aligned with Hindalco's strategy to increase downstream capacity to meet the growing market demand, further expand product portfolio and increase revenue from value-added products. The Kuppam plant will also serve as an archetype for Hindalco's upcoming state-of-the-art extrusions plant in Silvassa in western India.

The aluminium extrusions market in India is expected to grow rapidly from the current level of around 373,000 tonnes to reach about 850,000 tonnes by 2030. Once commissioned, the Kuppam and Silvassa units are expected to boost Hindalco's total aluminium extrusions capacity from 60,000 tonnes to 109,000 tonnes. The transaction is expected to close in the next quarter.

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The offer received bids for 8.27 crore shares as against 1.45 crore shares on offer.

The initial public offer (IPO) of Supriya Lifescience received bids for 8,27,05,698 shares as against 1,45,28,299 shares on offer, according to stock exchange data at 17:00 IST on Friday (17 December 2021). The issue was subscribed 5.69 times.

The issue opened for bidding on Thursday (16 December 2021) and it will close on Monday (20 December 2021). The price band of the IPO is fixed at Rs 265-274 per share. An investor can bid for a minimum of 54 equity shares and in multiples thereof.

Ahead of the IPO, the company on 15 December 2021, finalized allocation of 1,14,96,351 equity shares to anchor investors at an allocation price of Rs 274 per share, aggregating to Rs 315 crore.

The IPO comprise of fresh issue of equity shares worth up to Rs 200 crore and an offer for sale of Rs 500 crore by existing shareholders.

Satish Waman Wagh, the promoter of the company, currently holds an aggregate of 7,26,42,390 equity shares, aggregating to 99.26% of the pre-offer issued share capital. The post IPO shareholding for the same is expected to be around 68.24%.

The objectives for the fresh issue are funding capital expenditure requirements of Rs 92.3 crore, Rs 60 crore for repayment/pre-payment, in full or part of borrowings and remaining amount will be used for general corporate purposes.

Supriya Lifescience is one of the key Indian manufacturers and suppliers of active pharmaceuticals ingredients (APIs), with a focus on research and development. As of 31 October 2021, the company has niche product offerings of 38 APIs focused on diverse therapeutic segments such as antihistamine, analgesic, anesthetics, vitamin, anti-asthmatic and antiallergic.

The business operations of the company are supported by a modern manufacturing facility located in Parshuram Lote, Maharashtra, which is approximately 250 km from Mumbai. Its manufacturing facility has received approvals from USFDA, EDQM TGA-Australia, KFDA-Korea, PMDA Japan, NMPA (previously known as SFDA)- China, Health Canada, in relation to the products being exported to the relevant jurisdictions.

The manufacturing facility is spread across 23,806 sq.mt, having reactor capacity of 332 KL/ day and seven cleanrooms. In addition, company has acquired a plot of land, admeasuring 12,551 sq.mt, near the present manufacturing facility, wherein the Company intends to expand its manufacturing infrastructure.

The company intends to continue to drive R&D initiatives towards the development of innovative APIs. It also intends to improve its R&D capabilities, with a focus on capturing more high-value first-to-market opportunities in key international markets, as well as leveraging broad product basket to enhance market position globally.

The company reported a net profit of Rs 65.96 crore on sales of Rs 224.80 crore in six month ended September 2021.

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The 'Rozgar Guarantee rally' will be addressed by party national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, according to Sanjay Singh, the party in charge in Uttar Pradesh.

After announcing that it will contest the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls on its own, the (AAP) will launch its election campaign on January 2 with a rally in Lucknow.

The 'Rozgar Guarantee rally' will be addressed by party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, according to Sanjay Singh, the party in charge in Uttar Pradesh.

The rally is named after the second election promise declared by the party under which the said that that it will provide 10 lakh jobs a year and an unemployment allowance of Rs 5,000 per month, if voted to power.

"To spread our message, we will hold rozgar guarantee sammelans in all 403 assembly constituencies," Singh said.

Earlier, the party had promised to provide 300 units of power free, waiver of all dues, free electricity for farmers and for irrigation and now it has promised 10 lakh jobs.

Singh also hit out against the government for having filed 18 cases against him, the latest being for insulting the Tricolour in Loni.

"The FIR has nothing on what I did to insult the flag. At least, file cases against me on something that has actually happened. I will not be intimidated by such tactics," 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.)
Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) chief Amarinder Singh on Friday announced his party's alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the 2022 Assembly polls in Punjab.

"Met union minister & @BJP4India incharge for Punjab, Shri @gssjodhpur in New Delhi today to chalk out future course of action ahead of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections. We have formally announced a seat adjustment with the BJP for the 2022 Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections," the former Congress leader and two-time Punjab Chief Minister said in a tweet, after meeting Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who is also the state BJP in-charge.

After meeting Shekhawat, Singh said: "Our alliance is confirmed. Only seat-sharing talks are going on. We will see who will contest which seats and winnability is sole criteria for deciding seats.

"We will support the BJP wherever it will contest... and it will support us on the seats we will be contesting. We are prepared and will win the election... 101 per cent sure of winning the election. We are not in contest with anyone," the former Punjab chief minister said.

"After seven rounds of talks, today I confirm that BJP and PLC are going to fight the upcoming elections together. Seats-sharing and other things will be decided later," Shekhawat said after meeting.

Later, the former Punjab chief minister tweeted photos with Shekhawat, and said: "Met union minister & @BJP4India incharge for Punjab, Shri @gssjodhpur in New Delhi today to chalk out future course of action ahead of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections. We have formally announced a seat adjustment with the BJP for the 2022 Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections."

Shekhawat also tweeted a picture of the meeting with Singh. He said, "Captain Amarinder Singh, former Chief Minister of Punjab and founder of Punjab Lok Congress, today visited Delhi residence. His long political experience is reflected in discussions. His priority is interest of the people of Punjab. We had a pleasant exchange of views in this regard."

In another tweet, Shekhawat said: "I have a special respect for Captain saab. The top leadership of BJP has already indicated that we are going to fight elections together."

The election in Punjab is expected to be held in February-March next year along with the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa.

Earlier, after its alliance broke up with its oldest alliance partner, the BJP has announced to contest all the 117 assembly seats in Punjab.

In 2017, the BJP had won three seats out of the 23 it contested. A senior BJP leader said that alliance with the former chief minister's party will definitely help the party.

"Singh is a big name and has an impact on state An alliance with him (Singh) will surely benefit the BJP in upcoming assembly polls," a BJP leader said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The infighting within the party in has deepened after former State chief Mullapally Ramachandran openly criticised Lok Sabha MP Tharoor on Friday and asked the party high command to take note of his statements.

Ramachandran said that it was high time that the High Command stepped in and reined in Tharoor. "He is first and foremost a MP and hence he has to follow the basic discipline that all Congressmen have to adhere to and for that the High Command should step in. It is of least importance on Tharoor's international acclaim and status as more important is the party and its policies," said Ramachandran.

The state party leadership appeared to be unhappy after Tharoor, while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Lulu mall here on Thursday, said he 'stands for development' and came in support of the Chief Minister.

"When I say that certain people would find it awkward. But, I don't think we should refrain from congratulating people for the work they do," said Tharoor.

Soon after making this statement, Tharoor came under fire from the party leaders.

The state party leadership, besides several Congress MPs from the state, are also upset with Tharoor on his stand on K-Rail, when he did not sign a memorandum of all Congress MPs from asking the Union Railway Minister not to sanction the project.

Earlier also, Tharoor took a diametrically opposite stand when the Left and the Congress-led UDF came together to strongly oppose handing over the Thiruvananthapuram international airport to Adani.

Meanwhile, on Friday seeing the strong displeasure coming in from the Congress party Tharoor took to his Facebook and wrote, "enjoyed discussing Kerala's development with CM Pinarayi Vijayan. On some issues it is necessary to put political differences aside and get on with growth. The young people of our state deserve opportunities that the current economic situation does not offer them".

--IANS

sg/dpb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Opposition party leaders on Friday said the fight to keep as a single capital is justified and alleged that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy lacked vision.

Addressing a public meeting organised by the ' Parirakshana Samithi', Leader of Opposition and Telugu Desam party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that when he was in power his government spent Rs 10,000 crore on which is now being neglected by the present CM.

Barring YSR Congress, all other including the BJP and CPI shared the dais. Though BJP had earlier declared that it is in favour of setting up the High Court in Kurnool, the leaders did not mention about it in their speeches.

All the leaders unequivocally declared that they are for Amaravati as capital of AP. YSR Congress party rebel Lok Sabha MP Raghurama Krishnam Raju also attended the meeting. He was seen hugging Naidu on the dais.

"You (Jagan) don't have to spend any money on developing Amaravati. It will automatically develop if you do not disturb. If you cannot develop, say so. Five crore people of AP will take the responsibility of developing it," Naidu said in his speech.

The Legislative Assembly last month passed a Bill to repeal the controversial AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act, 2020, that was intended to establish three capitals for the state.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, however, told the Assembly his government would bring a "comprehensive, complete and better" Decentralisation Bill. The 2020 Act was being repealed to protect the larger interests of people.

Naidu alleged that thousands of false cases have been foisted against farmers and 500 persons were sent to jails.

The High Court on December 15 allowed the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi to hold a public meeting here today as mark of culmination of their foot march from (Naya Sthanam to Devasthanam) Amaravati to Tirupati.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In his 10 years at the helm of North Korea since his father's death, Kim Jong Un, 37, has secured the same absolute power enjoyed by Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung.

on Friday commemorated the 10th anniversary of former leader Kim Jong Il's death with calls for greater public loyalty toward his son and current leader Kim Jong Un, who is struggling to navigate the country out of deepening pandemic-related hardships.

In his 10 years at the helm of since his father's death, Kim Jong Un, 37, has secured the same absolute power enjoyed by Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung, the current leader's grandfather and state founder.

Despite massive economic shocks caused by draconian anti-virus measures and long-dormant diplomacy with the United States, shows no signs of political instability and few outside experts question Kim's grip on power.

But the long-term stability of Kim Jong Un's rule could still be questioned if he fails to work out steps to address the ongoing difficulties and improve public livelihoods, some observers say.

On every previous death anniversary, Kim Jong Un paid respects at a mausoleum where the embalmed body of Kim Jong Il lies in state along with that of Kim Il Sung. Kim Jong Un also convened national meetings honouring his father during some previous milestone anniversaries such as the first and fifth ones.

He was expected to do the same this year but North Korea's state media did not immediately report on any public activities by Kim Jong Un on Friday morning. State-run newspapers published articles venerating Kim Jong Il and calling for greater unity behind Kim Jong Un, while state TV aired propaganda songs and documentary films on the late leader.

Great leader and comrade Kim Jong Il is always with us ... and he is the eternal suryong' and sun of juche (self-reliance)' of our party and revolution, the North's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in an editorial, referring to a revered title reserved for North Korean leaders.

Without mentioning the current difficulties, the paper said that We should make our every effort to bolster our single-minded unity ... by standing united behind respected comrade Kim Jong Un."



On Thursday, ordinary citizens offered flowers and paid homage before giant bronze statues of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung at Pyongyang's Mansu Hill.

This year's death anniversary comes as Kim Jong Un grapples with the toughest moment of his rule because of the coronavirus pandemic, persistent UN sanctions and mismanagement.

North Korea's trade with China, its biggest trading partner and an economic pipeline, shrank by about 80 per cent last year before it plunged again by two-thirds in the first nine months of this year. Last year, the North's economy suffered its biggest contraction since 1997 while its grain production also dropped to its lowest level since Kim took office, according to South Korean government estimates.

Kim refuses to return to talks with Washington and Seoul as he calls for building a stronger, self-reliant economy and retains tough virus restrictions including two years of border shutdowns. Analysts say Kim fears that his country's broken public health care infrastructure could not afford a major virus outbreak though he maintains a questionable claim that North Korea is coronavirus-free.

Unless North Korea accepts offers for denuclearisation talks with the US, it cannot stay away from powerful international sanctions. Without international cooperation, North Korea must continue to seal off its borders due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19. And this is a North Korean dilemma, analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea said in a recent analysis piece.

The North's advancing nuclear arsenal is the core of Kim's rule, and he's called it a powerful treasured sword that ensures peace in the face of US military threats.

During his 10-year rule, North Korea has performed 62 rounds of ballistic missile tests, which are banned by multiple UN Security Council resolutions, according to Seoul's Unification Ministry.

The number is compared to an estimated nine rounds of tests during Kim Il Sung's 46-year rule and 22 rounds during Kim Jong Il's 17-year rule. Four of the North's six nuclear tests and its three intercontinental ballistic missile launches all occurred under Kim Jong Un's rule.

Kim's torrid run of weapons tests in 2016-17 invited tougher UN sanctions and led him to exchange threats of destruction and crude insults with then-President Donald Trump. The two sat down for three rounds of landmark summit talks on Kim's nuclear weapons in 2018-19, but their diplomacy eventually collapsed due to wrangling over the sanctions.

Kim has since threatened to enlarge his nuclear arsenal and build more sophisticated weapons systems.

North Korea marked the 10-year memorial of Kim Jong Il with public ceremonies and state propaganda. More significant will be Kim Jong Un's attempt, after a decade in power, to map out a credible path for post-pandemic diplomacy and economic recovery, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

(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.)
President Kovind is in Bangladesh on his maiden state visit at the invitation of his counterpart M Abdul Hamid.

President on Friday inaugurated the historic Sri Ramna Kali Mandir here, 50 years after it was destroyed by the Pakistani forces in 1971.

President Kovind is in on his maiden state visit at the invitation of his counterpart M Abdul Hamid to attend the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in the 1971 Liberation War.

The President and First Lady Savita Kovind offered prayers at the renovated temple.

The temple was totally destroyed by the Pakistani Army's operation codenamed 'Operation Searchlight' in 1971, targeting the resistance movement in the country.

The temple was set on fire by the Pakistani forces, killing many people, including devotees and those residing in it.

India supported the renovation of the temple.

Hindus make up some 10 per cent of the Muslim-majority Bangladesh's 169 million population.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
SBI's exposure to the road sector is close to Rs 90,000 crore, which is 37 per cent of the total exposure to the segment, its Chairman Dinesh Khara said on Friday.

Speaking at a conference on investment opportunities in highways, transport and logistics, he said State Bank of India (SBI) is a trusted partner in the growth of the roadway sector in the country.

"For all purposes, SBI's exposure to the road sector at Rs 90,000 crore is almost 37 per cent of the total exposure to this particular sector," Khara said.

The lender has granted credit worth Rs 35,000 crore as of June 30, 2021 to support the Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for execution of multiple road infrastructure projects.

It has granted credit worth Rs 5,000 crore to the SPV (special purpose vehicle) for Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, and has recently extended credit of Rs 8,000 crore to the initiative, he said.

The bank is the largest lender to the recently launched Highways Infra Trust, contributing 50 per cent of the overall borrowing to the infrastructure investment trust (InVIT), Khara said.

Welcoming the asset monetisation of national highways generating toll revenues both through primary and secondary medium, he said the step will attract private investment in the road sector.

Khara said the government's ambitious programme to generate Rs 6 trillion over four years under the National Monetisation Plan (NMP) includes an indicative value of core assets of the road sector of almost Rs 2 trillion, which contributes the highest share of 27 per cent of the NMP.

"We, at SBI, have already extended support to investors in participating in the asset monetisation initiatives and have extended the credit facilities to some of the leading investors. We will be more than happy to explore such initiatives," he added.

The preferred mode of monetisation programmes will be through build operate transfer (BOT) and InvITs and the bank has already taken headstart by subscribing to NHAI's InVIT to the tune of around Rs 1,000 crore, Khara said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The (DoT) is working on simplifying the process for setting up networks for expeditious rollout of services, a senior government official said on Friday.

Bharti group-backed OneWeb and US-based SpaceX group firm Starlink Communications are in the fray to start based broadband services in India.

DoT Deputy Director General S Niraniyan while speaking at Satcom Industry Association event said the government has taken several steps in recent times to boost business in the communications sector.

He enumerated rationalisation of bank guarantees and adjusted gross revenue definition, allowing satellite connectivity to support backhaul connectivity for telecom networks as steps taken by the government in this direction.

More steps are in process that will enhance addressable market for satellite communications, he further noted.

"We are also simplifying clearance procedures for satellite networks so that it takes a minimum amount of time to roll out," Niraniyan said.

He appealed to industry players to regularly participate in the various consultation processes of the government to improvise regulatory processes.

Telecom and broadcast sector regulator Trai has also floated a consultation paper to come up with suggestions to simplify various processes that companies need in these verticals for doing their business.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) in its consultation paper on "Ease of Doing Business in Telecom and Broadcasting Sector" has sought views on making all the permissions online and setting up single window clearance system that will coordinate with other ministries concerned involved in granting permission to a telecom or broadcast player.

The paper also talks about simplifying processes for satellite services.

The authority proposes to study existing processes being adopted at various ministries and departments and the efforts required to make them end-to-end online and paperless and make various compliances and reports submissions, including generations of management information system (MIS), etc., through electronic and trackable means of communications.

The paper proposes a single window clearance system for simplified applications form with well-defined processes which should be available on the website of the department and ministries.

The regulator has sought views on time-bound approvals with provision of deemed approvals from the government departments concerned.

It has proposed to involve the Department of Space, power ministry etc also in the process as they too play a key role in various kinds of permits.

(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.)
Security researchers said Thursday they found two kinds of commercial spyware on the phone of a leading exiled Egyptian dissident, providing new evidence of the depth and diversity of the abusive hacker-for-hire industry.

One piece of malware recently found on an iPhone belonging to Ayman Nour, a dissident and 2005 Egyptian presidential candidate who subsequently spent three years in jail, originated with the increasingly embattled NSO Group of Israel. That company was recently blacklisted by Washington. The other was from a company called Cytrox, which also has Israeli ties. This was the first documentation of a hack by Cytrox, a little-known NSO Group rival.

The spyware was uncovered by digital sleuths at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, who said two different governments hired the competing mercenaries to hack Nour's phone. Both instances of malware were simultaneously active on the phone, investigators said after examining its logs. The researchers said they traced the Cytrox hack to Egypt but didn't know who was behind the NSO Group infection.

The researchers said in a report that the intrusions highlight how hacking civil society transcends any specific mercenary spyware company.

In detailing the Cytrox infection, the researchers said they found the phone of a second Egyptian exile, who asked not to be identified, also hacked with Cytrox's Predator malware. But the bigger discovery, in a joint probe with Facebook, was that Cytrox has customers in countries beyond Egypt including Armenia, Greece, Indonesia, Madagascar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Serbia.

Facebook's owner, Meta, announced on Thursday a flurry of takedowns of accounts affiliated with seven surveillance-for-hire firms including Cytrox and notified about 50,000 people in more than 100 countries including journalists, dissidents and clergy who may have been targeted by them. It said it deleted about 300 Facebook and Instagram accounts linked to Cytrox, which appears to operate out of North Macedonia.

Cytrox's last known CEO, Ivo Malinkovski, could not be located for comment. He scrubbed his LinkedIn page earlier this month to remove mention of his Cytrox affiliation -- though a coffee mug with the company name was in his profile photo. The business intelligence website Crunchbase says Cytrox was founded in a Tel Aviv suburb in 2017.

Citizen Lab researcher Bill Marzak said investigators found the malware on Nour's iPhone after it was running hot in June. He said the Cytrox malware appears to pull the same tricks as NSO Group's Pegasus product in particular, turning a smartphone into an eavesdropping device and siphoning out its vital data. One captured module records all sides of a live conversation, he said.

Nour said in an interview from Turkey that he was not surprised by the discovery, as he's sure he has been under Egyptian surveillance for years. Nour said he suspected Egyptian military intelligence in the Cytrox hack. An Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman did not respond to calls and texts requesting comment.

Cytrox was part of a shadowy alliance of surveillance tech companies known as Intellexa that was formed to compete with NSO Group. Founded in 2019 by a former Israeli military officer and entrepreneur named Tal Dilian, Intellexa includes companies that have run afoul of authorities in various countries for alleged abuses.

Four executives of one such firm, Nexa Technologies, were charged in France this year for complicity of torture in Libya while criminal charges were filed against three company executives for complicity of torture and enforced disappearance in Egypt. The company allegedly sold spy tech to Libya in 2007 and to Egypt in 2014.

On its website, Intellexa describes itself as EU-based and regulated, with six sites and R&D labs throughout Europe, but lists no address. Its web page is vague about its offerings, although as recently as October it said that in addition to covert mass collection" it provides systems to access target devices and networks via Wi-Fi and wireless networks. Intellexa said its tools are used by law enforcement and intelligence agencies against terrorists and crimes including financial fraud.

The Associated Press left messages for Dilian and also tried to reach Intellexa through a form on its website, but received no response.

In addition to his involvement in Intellexa, Dilian ran afoul of authorities in Cyprus in 2019 after showing off a spy van there to a Forbes reporter. His company was reportedly fined $1 million as result. He also founded and later sold to NSO Group a company called Circle Technologies, which geolocated cellphones.

The hacker-for-hire industry is facing increased scrutiny as well as regulatory and legal pressure. That includes a call by a group of U.S. lawmakers this week to sanction NSO Group, Nexa and their top executives.

The Biden administration last month added NSO Group and another Israeli firm, Candiru, to a blacklist that bars U.S. companies from providing them with technology. And Apple announced last month that it was suing NSO Group, with the tech giant calling the company's employees amoral 21st century mercenaries. Facebook sued NSO Group in 2019 for allegedly violating its WhatsApp messenger app.

Earlier this month, Israel's Defense Ministry said it was tightening oversight over cybersecurity exports to prevent abuse.

Citzen Lab researchers, who have been tracking NSO Group exploits since 2015, are skeptical. If NSO Group were to disappear tomorrow, competitors could step in without missing a beat with off-the-shelf replacement spyware, they say.

The firms targeted by Facebook in the takedowns announced Thursday included four Israeli companies: Cobwebs, Cognyte, Black Cube, and Bluehawk CI, as well India-based BellTroX and an unknown organisation in China. They provide a variety of different kinds of surveillance activity, ranging from simple intelligence collection through fake accounts to wholesale intrusion.

Nour urged international action against hacker-for-hire firms, whether it comes from Israel or anywhere else. In the end, the biggest problem is those who use these digital monsters to eat and kill innocent people. That includes nonviolent activists and journalists including Nour's late friend, Jamal Khashoggi.

The Saudi journalist was slain in 2018 at his country's Istanbul consulate and is also believed to have been targeted by phone-surveillance

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India is now the worlds biggest smartphone manufacturer after China. And in its next step to make the country a global hub for electronics production, the government has approved a $10 billion incentive package to and display manufacturers. The government announced it will provide support of up to 50% of the project cost to eligible companies. The Centre also said it will work closely with state governments to provide the right infrastructure for fabrication plants. India imports 100% of its semiconductors, spending about $24 billion annually. Now the plan is to make India self-sufficient in production of chips that go into phones, computers, cars and everyday electronics such as washing machines, TVs and refrigerators. It all comes at a time when tech companies and automakers around the world are grappling with chip shortages. Despite strong demand, Indian carmakers are estimated to lose sales of 5 lakh units in FY22 due to chip shortage, according to ICRA Ironically, India is a leading chip designer with 25,000 engineers working in this field. Our design market was worth more than $33 billion in 2020. The new incentive package includes support to homegrown chip product design companies. The is an extremely concentrated one both in terms of companies and countries. Just top 3 companies, Intel, Samsung and TSMC made $188 billion in revenue in 2020, as much as the next 12 largest chipmakers combined. When it comes to foundry business, TSMCs home country Taiwan alone accounted for 63% of the total global foundry market share in 2020, followed by South Korea at 18% and China at 6%. The chip supply crisis that began after the pandemic highlighted our reliance on Taiwan and China. Geopolitical factors are also pushing India to reduce its dependence on Beijing. While the domestic opportunity is huge, making semiconductors is a complex process. It takes hundreds of precisely controlled steps over several months to make a chip. Indias previous attempts to attract chipmakers in 2017 and 2020 had failed. In 2007, Intel had shown interest but moved to China and Vietnam instead because the Indian governments policy and incentives were not thought through.

In 2013, the government approved two proposals by Jaypee Group and HSMC with a promise to subsidise the project cost but the projects were aborted as they failed to attract investors. Promoters failed to raise finances and the projects were aborted.

It takes years and costs upwards of $5 billion to set up a fabrication unit. Factories of companies like Samsung and TSMC cost over $20 billion each.

They require continuous power supply as they run 24x7. Moreover, an entry-level factory consumes more than 20 million litres of ultra-pure water per day. Chip manufacturing requires a pollution-free environment and very clean rooms. Even a single speck of dust can compromise a chip, costing millions of dollars.

India can find early success in outsourced semiconductor assembly and testing or OSAT. An OSAT plant packages, assembles and tests foundry-made silicon wafers. This is what the Tata Group is reportedly planning to set up at a cost of $300 million.

To establish autonomy in the entire semiconductor value chain -- which includes designing, fabrication, testing and assembly, India must promise the right infrastructure apart from the financial incentives. It will take a lot of effort like finding the right spots for factories and coordination with states for uninterrupted water and power supply.

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O-RAN Global PlugFest 2021 more than doubles with 144 corporate participants in the 7 global venues

Scope includes multi-vendor interoperability, Radio Intelligent Controllers, O-Cloud, infrastructure security and end-to-end functionality

PlugFest Virtual Showcase will allow interested public to explore the 2021 PlugFest in detail

The O-RAN ALLIANCE has successfully conducted its O-RAN Global PlugFest 2021 to demonstrate the functionality and multi-vendor interoperability of O-RAN based network equipment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211215005970/en/

O-RAN Global PlugFest 2021 Integration and Testing Configuration (Graphic: Business Wire)

The O-RAN ALLIANCE is a world-wide community of more than 300 operators, vendors and research and academic institutions working in a transparent way to develop a sustainable open RAN ecosystem. 30 mobile network operators committed to O-RAN are serving over 4.5 Billion subscribers around the world.

O-RAN Global PlugFest 2021  O-RANs third world-wide testing and integration event  demonstrated the strength of the O-RAN ecosystem and its global drive towards open and intelligent Radio Access Networks (RAN). The O-RAN PlugFest expanded from 4 to 7 global venues, with 94 participating companies. Many of the companies contributed to multiple venues, bringing PlugFest to a total of 144 active corporate participants compared to 70 at the 2020 PlugFest.

The expanded and diverse participation of companies from across the technology ecosystem at the O-RAN Global PlugFest 2021 is testimony to growing momentum behind Open RAN and its relevance for our industry, said Alex Jinsung Choi, Chief Operating Officer of the O-RAN ALLIANCE and SVP of Strategy and Technology Innovation, Deutsche Telekom. The joint, open and coordinated O-RAN Global PlugFest framework is crucial for all O-RAN members to collaborate within the community and accelerate the ecosystem development of commercially available Open RAN solutions.

Testing multi-vendor interoperability, Radio Intelligent Controllers, O-Cloud, infrastructure security and end-to-end functionality

Overall, O-RAN Global PlugFests bring a great opportunity for the industry to deal with integration challenges in an efficient way and to make major progress in development of commercial O-RAN products. This years PlugFest was not an exception, as demonstrated by the successes:

This years PlugFest proved advanced maturity of the Open Fronthaul (OFH) implementations. Interoperability has been achieved between many vendors in different network setups, base station classes, OFH profiles and RU/CU-DU product combinations.

There were several demonstrations of advanced use cases utilizing the O-RAN Near-Real-Time Radio Intelligent Controller (Near-RT RIC) and Non-Real-Time RIC (Non-RT RIC), like automated network outage detection and recovery, and latency assurance for end-to-end network slicing. A lot of effort also went into testing individual RIC interfaces, application protocols, and related xApps and rApps.

Several venues successfully tested O-Cloud products and multi-vendor virtualized RAN integrations.

Specific tests dealt with the O-RAN infrastructure security.

Thanks to the O-RAN community enthusiasm and great collaboration, several O-RAN end-to-end functionality tests passed against production core network elements, while many others utilized simulators.

All venues proved the readiness of advanced test equipment and simulation of different parts of the network.

PlugFest hosts managed combinations of on-site and remote testing, reflecting the Covid-19 pandemic situation in different parts of the world.

In Asia, the O-RAN Global PlugFest 2021 took place at four venues

The PlugFest in Japan was hosted by NTT DOCOMO, KDDI, Rakuten Mobile, SoftBank and YRP in Tokyo area and Yokosuka. Activities focused on multi-vendor interoperability testing of Open Fronthaul interface in 5G NSA/SA setup achieving 1Gbps DL throughput, as well as multi-vendor vRAN integrations.

Another stream focused on 3GPP RF Conformance testing and demonstration of autonomous RAN outage detection and self-healing utilizing O-RAN Non-Real-Time and Near-Real-Time Radio Intelligent Controllers (Non-RT and Near-RT RIC). Near-RT RIC concept and the detailed mechanisms were also showcased to support latency assurance for end-to-end network slicing. Potential parameters to be supported in the O-RAN specifications were identified as study results.

As a complementing activity, selected participants started a study on RAN emission characteristics.

In addition to the hosts, participants included Fujitsu, HCL,JMA Wireless, Keysight Technologies, NEC, Nokia, NVIDIA, Samsung, VIAVI Solutions and Wind River.

The O-RAN PlugFest in Republic of Korea was hosted by LG Uplus for the first time in Korea at its 5G Innovation Lab in LG Science Park, Seoul. The primary focus was on evaluation of Open Fronthaul for multi-vendor interoperability of a 5G SA system (FR1, TDD).

In addition to the hosts, participants included Altiostar, DZS, Intel, Keysight Technologies and NEC.

Activities at Taiwan-based O-RAN PlugFest in Auray OTIC and Security Lab & Chunghwa Telecom were performed by two hosts:

Auray at their OTIC and Security lab in Taoyuan, Taiwan hosted multi-vendor interoperability testing for indoor scenario focusing on Open Fronthaul as well as scenarios according to O-RAN end-to-end test specification v2.0.

Chunghwa Telecom in Yangmei hosted validation of multi-vendor E2E solutions for O-RU, O-CU/O-DU with real core network, as well as demonstration of Service Management and Orchestration using O-RAN Non-RT RIC.

In addition to the hosts, participants included Aethertek,Alpha Networks, Arcadyan, Calnex, Compal, Delta Electronics, Foxconn, iConnext, Institute for Information Industry, Intel, Inventec, IP Infusion, ITRI, JPC Connectivity, Keysight Technologies, Lions Technology, Liteon, Metanoia Communications, MICAS, MiTAC Computing, NKG, O'Prueba, Pegatron, QCT, Rohde & Schwarz, Sageran, Sercomm, VIAVI Solutions, Wiwynn and WNC.

The O-RAN PlugFest in India was hosted by Bharti Airtel at NOC Manesar in Gurgaon, Delhi.

The primary focus was on traffic steering using the O-RAN Near-RT RIC, physical infrastructure security, O-RU M-plane and S-plane tests, Open Fronthaul gateway tests and E2E testing of O-RAN solution.

In addition to the host, participants included AMI, ASOCS, Capgemini Engineering, Cisco, Intel, IP Infusion, Keysight Technologies, Mavenir, Sercomm, STL, TCS, VIAVI Solutions, VMware and VVDN.

The O-RAN Global PlugFest 2021 in Europe took place at two venues

The O-RAN PlugFest hosted by Skoltech was hosted by Skoltech at its OpenRAN 5G Lab in Moscow.

The activities focused on 3GPP compliance validation for O-RU and on end-to-end integration of O-RAN 5G gNB with commercial 5G core.

In addition to the hosts, participants included Foxconn, Keysight Technologies and Xilinx.

BT, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefonica, TIM and Vodafone have teamed up together with the Telecom Infra Project (TIP) to host the Joint European O-RAN & TIP PlugFest at 4 European OTICs in Berlin, Madrid, Paris and Torino.

The focus was on O-RU conformance testing, E2E multi-vendor integration with performance and functional testing, load and scale testing of O-CU, security testing, validation and demonstration of RIC, xApps and rApps, demonstration of multi-vendor O-RAN based architecture and xHaul transport.

In addition to the hosts, participants included Accelleran, ADVA, Advantech, AirHop Communications, Anritsu, Capgemini Engineering, Ciena, Cisco, Comba Network, Dell Technologies, DZS, EANTC, EXFO, Facebook, Foxconn, Fujitsu, Intel, IP Infusion, IS-Wireless, JMA Wireless, Juniper Networks, Keysight Technologies, Mavenir, MICAS, MTI, NEC, ONF, Precision OT, Radisys, Rohde & Schwarz, VIAVI Solutions, VMware, Wind River, Wiwynn and Xilinx.

In North America, the O-RAN Global PlugFest 2021 brought together companies and academic institutions

The Joint O-RAN, TIP, Linux Foundation PlugFest & Proofs of Concept hosted by AT&T and Verizon, was conducted across 3 labs in the USA: the NSF POWDER lab at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, the NSF COSMOS lab at Rutgers University in New Jersey, and the TIP Community Lab on the Facebook (META) campus in Menlo Park, California.

PlugFest activities focused on Open Fronthaul conformance testing and multi-vendor interoperability. Proofs of Concept demonstrated O-Cloud infrastructure behaviour in latency sensitive applications, RIC demonstration of successful E2AP procedures and measurement collection via E2 Service Model, RAN Slice SLA, AI-enabled management of multiple-operator/multi-vendor RAN with O-RU pooling & multi-vendor slices.

In addition to the hosts, participants included Analog Devices, Anritsu, Calnex, Capgemini Engineering, Casa Systems, CIG, Commscope, Corning, Foxconn, Fujitsu, highstreet technologies, Intel, IP Infusion, JMA Wireless, Juniper Networks, Keysight Technologies, Mavenir, MTI, National Instruments, NEC, Radisys, Rohde & Schwarz, VIAVI Solutions, VVDN and Wind River.

For more information about the PlugFest, see this blogpost.

The O-RAN ALLIANCE is preparing a PlugFest Virtual Showcase to allow interested public to explore the O-RAN Global PlugFest 2021 in detail  soon to be available at www.o-ran.org.

About O-RAN ALLIANCE

The O-RAN ALLIANCE is a world-wide community of more than 300 mobile operators, vendors, and research & academic institutions operating in the Radio Access Network (RAN) industry. As the RAN is an essential part of any mobile network, the O-RAN ALLIANCEs mission is to re-shape the industry towards more intelligent, open, virtualized and fully interoperable mobile networks. The new O-RAN standards will enable a more competitive and vibrant RAN supplier ecosystem with faster innovation to improve user experience. O-RAN based mobile networks will at the same time improve the efficiency of RAN deployments as well as operations by the mobile operators. To achieve this, the O-RAN ALLIANCE publishes new RAN specifications, releases open software for the RAN, and supports its members in integration and testing of their implementations.

For more information please visit www.o-ran.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211215005970/en/
The worlds biggest New Years Eve party is returning to the metaverse this year with the relaunch of VNYE, an immersive virtual experience set in the epicenter of New Year's Eve: Times Square. Through the VNYE app and website, people from across the globe can explore the virtual world of Times Square, play games, and livestream New Years Eve celebrations in Times Square and around the world.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211216006118/en/

VNYE (Photo: Jamestown)

Jamestown, the owner of One Times Square, which is the site of the New Years Eve Ball Drop Celebration, launched VNYE last year as a new way to celebrate New Years Eve amid the pandemic and cancellation of in-person celebrations. In total, VNYE reached more than 3.7 million people worldwide in 2021.

We created VNYE to amplify the New Years Eve experience and keep the world connected to Times Square when physical access was limited, said Michael Phillips, President of Jamestown. In its second iteration, VNYE will both complement the return of in-person celebrations and serve as a destination in its own rightan immersive virtual world where people from across the globe can gather to celebrate the New Year.

Times Square New Years Eve is a global celebration that connects the world as we collectively say goodbye to the year past and look with hope to the year ahead, said Tom Harris, President of the Times Square Alliance. Jamestown has deepened those connections through this innovative VNYE technology allowing people from around the globe to interact with Times Square and this iconic celebration in ways that we never imagined.

In the VNYE metaverse, users can create personalized avatars, explore the Times Square Plazas, collect confetti to earn points for additional avatar customizations, and visit the observation deck at One Times Square to view the virtual world of Times Square from above.

Inside One Times Square, users can discover three unique and immersive games: Dance World, where users show off their dance skills; Nature World, where users can take in various nature landscapes and engage in a scavenger hunt to collect pieces of the iconic New Years Eve Ball; and Zero G, where users can travel around the globe through a slide experience, visiting an array of the worlds landmarks while earning power-ups and points along the way.

Starting December 31, 2021, users can choose from 11 live camera feeds in Times Square and seven EarthCam live streams of New Years Eve celebrations from around the globe, including in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Budapest, Hungary.

At midnight on New Years Eve, users can ring in the new year in the Times Square metaverse with a virtual Ball Drop Celebration and fireworks show.

The VNYE app will be available to download in app stores starting December 18, 2021, with livestreams starting December 31, 2021. For more information, visit VNYE.com and follow along at @onetimessquarenyc.

About Jamestown

Jamestown is a global, design-focused real estate investment and management firm with a 38-year track record and mission to create places that inspire. Since its founding in 1983, Jamestown has executed transactions in excess of $35 billion. As of September 30, 2021, Jamestown has assets under management of $13.1 billion and a portfolio spanning key markets throughout the U.S., Latin America, and Europe. Jamestown employs more than 400 people worldwide with headquarters in Atlanta and Cologne, and offices in Amsterdam, Bogota, Boston, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Current and previous projects include One Times Square and Chelsea Market in New York, Industry City in Brooklyn, Ponce City Market in Atlanta, Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, the Innovation and Design Building in Boston, and Groot Handelsgebouw in Rotterdam. For more information, visit www.jamestownlp.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211216006118/en/
PE /

Exclusive: Private equity tycoon unseen for two weeks

Wang Chaoyong, a Chinese private equity tycoon who founded Chinaequity Investment Co. Ltd., has disappeared from public for two weeks with the company ensnared in regulatory probes into a range of alleged misconduct.

Wang, 56, is the founding chairman and CEO of Chinaequity, which manages more than $1.7 billion. Wang was sought by police Nov. 30 in Beijing and has since lost contact, people familiar with the matter told Caixin.

Wang was last seen in his office in Beijings central business district on the afternoon of Nov. 29. Chinaequity hasnt yet disclosed any information about Wang.

FINANCE & ECONOMY

A school job fair at Shenyang, Liaoning province, on Dec. 12, 2021.

Economy /

Mixed economic picture suggests need for more stimulus, economists say

A mixed picture that emerged last month for the Chinese economy prompted economists to call for more stimulus policies.

Growth in fixed-asset investment eased to 5.2% in the first 11 months of the year from 6.1% in the first 10 months. Retail sales growth weakened 1 percentage point to 3.9% in November as people stayed home amid renewed Covid-19 outbreaks.

On the bright side, industrial output rose 3.8% from a year earlier, a slight uptick from October due to strong production of electronic products and pharmaceuticals. Exports rose 22% year-on-year in November, down from the 27.1% jump in October, but $325.5 billion of exports still set a record.

QDII /

China to boost outbound investment to curb strengthening yuan

Chinas foreign exchange regulator allocated fresh quotas for some institutions to invest in offshore financial markets under a special program in a bid to encourage more outbound investment to ease pressure on the yuans continued appreciation.

The State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) recently added $3.5 billion of fresh quotas for one bank and four fund managers to invest abroad under the Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) program, official data show. Its the seventh QDII quota increase this year and comes after an earlier hike by Nov. 25.

China-Russia /

China and Russia should take more joint actions to ensure their security, Xi tells Putin

China and Russia should carry out more joint actions to safeguard both sides security interests, President Xi Jinping told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin Wednesday.

Xi said certain forces in the world are trying to meddle in the internal affairs of China and Russia under the pretext of democracy and human rights,' according to a statement issued by the Chinese foreign ministry after the virtual summit.

Quick hits /

State-owned investor to buy securities firm linked to fallen Chinese tycoon

BUSINESS & TECH

The incident is likely to have a negative impact on the Ora brand and could affect sales, an analyst said.

Electric cars /

In Depth: Aggrieved car owners mull false advertising suit against Chinese electric-car maker

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) company Ora faces mounting consumer backlash and potential legal action after it installed an old computer chip in one of its car models  despite telling buyers it came with a cutting-edge device worth twice the price.

Buyers of the Ora Good Cat, which has a starting price of around 100,000 yuan ($15,700), say when they complained they were offered a package of store credit including subsidized charging, free software updates and app memberships.

For many owners, that didnt cut it. Now, some are demanding new chips for their cars or full refunds and compensation, saying the inferior processors have had a significant impact on their user experience, with some functions not working properly.

Tech /

Southeast Asian tech industry growth could match Chinas, executive says

Southeast Asia can become a hub for tech investments comparable to China, but tech businesses in that region should not simply imitate their Chinese counterparts path to success, an executive from ride-hailing and digital payment startup Gojek said.

Lien Choong Luen, the general manager of Indonesian-headquartered Gojeks Singapore operations, made the remarks Wednesday in a panel discussion during the 12th Caixin Summit. He said Singapore will be the key gateway to attracting global talent and investors to the region.

Violations /

Top metal producers ordered to comply with environmental rules amid probe

Chinas environmental inspectors urged top metal producers and provincial authorities to clean up their acts after a probe into environmental compliance turned up a string of violations, including illegal mining and monitoring data fraud.

In reports published after meetings held from Sunday to Tuesday, central government inspectors noted significant environmental risks uncovered during the probe, in particular affecting the Yangtze River, Asias longest river, which provides drinking water for millions of people, according to reports published by the Ministry of Environment.

Quick hits /

State steelmaker in Henan seeks private investors

BeiGenes shares plunge 16.4% on STAR Market debut

China health-care, tech stocks fall on reports of expanded U.S. sanctions

GALLERY

Industry leaders speak at Caixin Summit

Recommended newsletter for you /

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(DealStreetAsia)  Global logistics real estate investor GLP Pte. Ltd. has partnered with Chinese state-owned insurer China Life and agribusiness player China Co-Op Group to set up a modern logistics industry fund with a debut size of nearly 3 billion yuan ($471 million).

The fund, dubbed GLP Co-Op Development Fund, targets to raise up to 20 billion yuan in capital commitment.
Changsha Jingjia Microelectronics Co. is the first Chinese maker of graphics processing units added to the U.S. entity list.

The U.S. government added 34 more Chinese companies and research institutes to an export blacklist for allegedly diverting U.S. goods to Irans military programs.

The U.S. governments entity list bans the export of American technology to entities on the list unless the exporter receives a government license. The U.S. Commerce Departments Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) also imposes a presumption of denial for the entities in license reviews.
It seems the possibility of seeing the all-new Toyota Raize on local roads is getting greater and greater by the day. The latest evidence? T...
Photo: Contributed

If democracy dies in darkness, the government of British Columbia just threw our freedom of information rights into a black hole.

Victoria has slapped a brand new fee on requests for public information. Now, when journalists and government watchdogs file freedom of information requests to get government documents, they will need to pay between $5 and $50 every time they ask to see a document.

What kind of documents? Contracts, receipts, emails, travel itineraries and hospitality spending are some of the documents that governments are now going to charge money for the rest of us to see. Each paper in the paper trail will carry a fee.

To be clear, these are elected politicians and bureaucrats spending taxpayers money.

This kind of information should be posted on the internet ahead of time, for all to see, for free, before anyone ever needs to ask for it. Thats called proactive disclosure, and it should be the standard operating procedure when dealing with the public and our money.

Charging money to access this essential information is an attempt to block people from knowing what the government is up to. And governments are up to plenty.

It was through freedom of information requests that Kamloops This Week reporter Jessica Wallace found out that the former CAO of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District had blown more than $500,000 over five years on things such as alcohol gift cards, jewelry for staff and a champagne room.

Penny Daflos, from CTV, used FOI requests to discover that the government paid more than $100,000 to a headhunting group to hire a public health bureaucrat. They flew him out from Montreal, rented him an Audi and paid for his lamb chop supper. The now-ousted public health officials team also blew through about $40,000 on catered steak and salmon lunches and spent millions of dollars on faulty COVID-19 medical masks.

Investigative reporter Bob Mackin used FOI to uncover the fact that Premier John Horgans team was spending $15,000 per month on a rockstar TV studio for press conferences, even though there are plenty of facilities to broadcast from, which taxpayers have already paid to build.

And the Prince George Citizen newspaper used FOIs to find out that a parking garage being built downtown was ballooning in cost from about $12 million to $34 million.

Everyday people and journalists need information like this to hold politicians and bureaucrats accountable. Without essential tools such as freedom of information, we wont know what our rulers are doing with our money and we wont be able to see the influential paper trails behind the laws they pass.

We need more access to this information, not less. We already know what happens when we dont have these toolswood splitters happen.

Former speaker of the legislature, Darryl Plecas, noticed outrageous spending by the clerk and the legislatures sergeant-at-arms shortly after he got the job. To keep track, Plecas kept copies of receipts and expense reports for more than a year and then he blew the whistle in two bombshell spending reports.

Along with fancy international trips, loads of gifts and high tech cameras, taxpayers paid more than $3,000 for a wood splitter and more than $10,000 for a trailer to haul it around in.

The clerk and sergeant-at-arms were marched off of legislature property by Victoria police. The former clerk is now facing charges of fraud and breach of trust.

Plecass work compelled legislature officers to post their expenses online. But the legislature executives are still not subject to freedom of information requests.

Now, with the Horgan government putting a price on freedom of information, holding the powerful to account just got more difficult.

The government rammed the legislation through recently without proper debate, while the province is reeling from devastating flooding and broken infrastructure. This is wrong.

We cant let the government pull the curtains down on transparency.

Kris Sims is the B.C. director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Photo: The Canadian Press

The Senate gave quick approval Thursday to a new round of pandemic aid after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland made a pre-Christmas plea to rubber-stamp the help and promised that benefits would flow quickly to businesses and workers in need.

Bill C-2 would provide targeted aid to businesses that are ordered closed and to workers sent home, as part of a local lockdown, as well as wage and rent subsidies to those still recovering from previous pandemic restrictions.

Freeland told senators the government created the measures in case there was another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and argued they're needed even more now with the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.

Just before Freeland's appearance by video conference at the Senate, the House of Commons voted to fast-track the legislation to the upper chamber as one of its final acts before MPs agreed to leave the national capital for a winter break that will run until the end of January.

It isn't unusual for the House of Commons to send bills to the Senate after MPs have gone on a break, and for the upper chamber to sit longer to deal with any lingering legislation.

But Sen. Scott Tannas told Freeland it has been happening too often for his liking and is limiting the Senate's ability to review legislation as it should as the chamber of sober second thought.

The government is hoping the Senate passes a second bill sent to senators late Thursday, C-3, before breaking Friday for the holidays.

Tannas asked Freeland to persuade the government to "plan a little bit better, so that we are not backed into a corner," adding a moment later: "We know that it's difficult, but this is  we're tired of this."

The sentiments echoed by other senators came during 90 minutes of questioning Freeland faced to help get the final parliamentary sign-off on the new round of aid to workers and businesses that the government says will cost $7.4 billion.

Bill C-2 deems a lockdown to be when a health authority orders non-essential businesses closed and non-essential workers to stay home. Freeland said there may be some regions of the country that apply.

Although she didn't put a specific time frame on when benefits start to flow, she said the government plans to use existing systems for applications and payments in order to quickly dole out aid.

This is a fast-moving situation on the ground, as we are seeing provinces and territories quite appropriately, let me say, responding to COVID and to Omicron, and putting new restrictions in place, she said.

Bill C-3  which would provide 10 days of paid sick leave for federally regulated workers and crack down on harassment and intimidation of health care workers  was also fast-tracked Thursday through the Commons without a recorded vote, and sent on to the Senate.

C-3 was passed with several amendments, one of which incorporated a Conservative private member's bill providing for extended, unpaid bereavement leave for parents who experience a stillbirth or death of a child.

Two other amendments were intended to address concerns that workers would only slowly accumulate their entitlement to paid sick leave, at a rate of one day per month of work, and an employer could demand a doctor's note to validate sick days off.

As amended, the bill now proposes that workers would accumulate three days of paid sick leave after one month and, after two months, would start accruing one additional sick day per month to a maximum of 10 days per year. Employers could still request a medical certificate but only when a worker claims more than five consecutive sick days.

Government House leader Mark Holland praised opposition parties for being "incredibly reasonable" and willing to collaborate to get all the Liberals' priority bills quickly through the Commons in less than four weeks since the start of the new session of Parliament.

A third bill, banning the traumatic practice of conversion therapy, was approved by both parliamentary chambers earlier this month and has already received royal assent.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A federal judge rejected OxyContin maker Purdue Pharmas bankruptcy settlement of thousands of lawsuits over the opioid epidemic Thursday because of a provision that would protect members of the Sackler family from facing litigation of their own.

U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in New York found that federal bankruptcy law does not give the bankruptcy judge who had accepted the plan the authority to grant that kind of release for people who are not declaring bankruptcy themselves.

In a statement Thursday night, the company said that it would appeal the ruling and at the same time try to forge another plan that its creditors will agree to.

Purdue said the ruling will not hurt the company's operations, but it will make it harder for company and Sackler money to be used to fight the opioid crisis as the legal fight continues.

"It will delay, and perhaps end, the ability of creditors, communities, and individuals to receive billions in value to abate the opioid crisis, said Steve Miller, chairman of the Purdue board of directors. These funds are needed now more than ever as overdose rates hit record-highs, and we are confident that we can successfully appeal this decision and deliver desperately needed funds to the communities and individuals suffering in the midst of this crisis.

Representatives of the two branches of the family who own the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesman for the descendants of Mortimer Sackler, one of the late brothers who owned the company, had no comment.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who was among a handful of state officials seeking to have the deal undone, called the ruling a seismic victory for justice and accountability. Tong said the ruling will re-open the deeply flawed Purdue bankruptcy and force the Sackler family to confront the pain and devastation they have caused.

Purdue sought bankruptcy protection in 2019 as it faced thousands of lawsuits claiming the company pushed doctors to prescribe OxyContin, helping spark an opioid crisis that has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over the last two decades.

Through the bankruptcy court, it worked out a deal with its creditors. Members of the Sackler family would give up ownership of the company, which would transform into a different kind of entity that would still sell opioids  but with profits being used to fight the crisis. It would also develop new anti-addiction and anti-overdose drugs and provide them at little or no cost.

Sackler family members also would contribute $4.5 billion in cash and charitable assets as part of an overall deal that could be worth $10 billion, including the value of the new drugs, if they're brought to market.

Government entities and businesses agreed to use any money they receive fighting the opioid epidemic. The deal also calls for millions of company documents, including communications with lawyers, to be made public.

In return, members of the wealthy family would get protection from lawsuits over their role in the opioid crisis  both the 860 already filed and any others in the future.

Most state and local governments, Native American tribes, individual opioid victims and others who voted said the plan worked out in the bankruptcy court should be accepted.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, like several others, sued Sackler family members and opposed the settlement before eventually agreeing to it this year. She said in a statement that if the deal doesnt hold up, shes ready to resume the civil lawsuit: Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family remain named defendants in our ongoing litigation and we will hold them accountable for their unlawful behavior, one way or another.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee's office, eight state attorneys general and some other entities have been fighting the deal. They argue that it does not properly hold members of the Sackler family accountable and that it usurps states' ability to try to do so.

A bankruptcy court judge approved the plan over the objections in September. But the opponents appealed to McMahon's court.

The main issue on the appeal was the lawfulness of the measures that would extend legal protections to family members.

Such third-party releases are not used in most bankruptcy cases, but they are common in cases such as Purdue's, in which the companies involved are burdened with lawsuits and have relatively little value  but their wealthy owners could contribute.

The Purdue deal would not protect family members from any criminal charges. But so far none have been filed, and there are no signs that any are forthcoming, though some activists are calling for charges.

In a hearing, McMahon focused in on how Sackler family members transferred $10.4 billion from the privately held Stamford, Connecticut-based company over the decade before the bankruptcy. McMahon wanted to know whether the money was moved in part to ensure a role for the Sacklers in bankruptcy negotiations.

But in her ruling Thursday, McMahon did not dig deeply into those transfers or the idea of holding Sackler family members accountable for the opioid crisis. Instead, she focused on whether the bankruptcy law even allows for the kind of deal the company and its creditors struck if there are objections to it.

The great unsettled question in this case is whether the Bankruptcy Court  or any court  is statutorily authorized to grant such releases. This issue has split the federal Circuits for decades, she wrote.

She also noted that other courts will weigh in on the case. The next step is likely before the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.

This opinion will not be the last word on the subject, nor should it be," she wrote. This issue has hovered over bankruptcy law for 35 years.
Photo: The Canadian Press Cenovus CEO Alex Pourbaix.

Cenovus Energy Inc. says it has reached a deal to sell its Tucker thermal oilsands project in northeast Alberta for $800 million.

The Calgary-based company did not immediately disclose the name of the buyer.

Cenovus says the sale will reduce net debt and enhance the company's ability to increase shareholder returns.

Cenovus says Tucker's expected average 2022 production is between 18,000 barrels and 21,000 barrels of oil per day.

Tucker is one of four oilsands projects operated by Cenovus in northeastern Alberta.

Cenovus says the deal is expected to close in late January.
Photo: USGS

A magnitude 3.6 earthquake was felt throughout B.C.'s capital region and Gulf Islands early this morning.

There are no reports of damage.

The quake occurred at 4:13 a.m. 12 kilometres east-northeast of Ganges at a depth of 17.3 kilometres, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. The location was 48.899N 123.350W.

People in Colwood, the Saanich Peninsula, Sooke, Esquimalt, Duncan and North Cowichan, Salt Spring Island and Saturna Island reported mostly a weak rumble to Natural Resources Canadas earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca site.

Rob Freeman, who lives in Saanich near the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre on Wilkinson Road, told the Times Colonist his cat woke him up before a big thud that rattled the windows.

Sue Campbell, on Dallas Road near Ogden Point, said the quake woke her up with the house shuddering.

Kelly Black said his wife felt the quake in Shawnigan Lake and Giles Deshon said his wife felt it in Oak Bay at 4:15 a.m. Andrea Carey was awoken by the rumble in the Camosun Lansdowne area.

Others described the quake as sounding like a door slamming or the house groaning or shifting, or as if something loud were approaching their dwelling.

Messages on social media said the quake was felt as a substantial bump.

Shook my apartment a good one, one person posted on Twitter. My bed shook and I was out of it in two seconds, another said. I was expecting more but so far nothing.

There were reports of light shaking along the southeast coast of Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Metro Vancouver.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Canadians flirtation with easier trips across the border has been short lived, with Ottawa reintroducing requirements for negative COVID-19 PCR tests for trips under 72 hours.

The new measures, announced Friday, come amid concerns over the newly identified Omicron variant, which experts have found to be more transmissible than the dominant Delta variant.

American authorities opened their border to fully vaccinated Canadian travellers on November 8, however, Ottawa still required any travellers coming over the land border to produce a negative PCR test. U.S. authorities have no such requirement for those arriving at their border.

Ottawa lifted that requirement on November 30 before Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said Friday the federal government was reintroducing it once again due to the rise of the Omicron variant.

Throughout November, travellers could get their PCR tests taken in Canada, take a trip to the U.S. and then present the negative PCR test taken in Canada to border guards upon returning home.

With the new restrictions set to go into effect December 21, Duclos said tests will now have to be taken outside of Canada.

Like all measures, this is not a perfect measure but its an important one, the health minister said.

With the Omicron variant spreading to at least 70 countries now, Duclos said the government was lifting the travel bans placed on 10 African countries targeted after Omicron was initially detected in those nations.

Those restrictions will be lifted by end of day Saturday.

If Omicron replaces Delta, as weve seen elsewhere, we could have a much stronger and faster resurgence than weve seen before, said chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam, warning health-care systems could be inundated as a result.

It is important to stress that being fully vaccinated and then getting a booster, whether Pfizer or Moderna, is expected to provide a reasonable level of protection against infection and likely strong protection against severe illness.

About 3.5 million Canadians have received a booster dose to date, while the country has 22 million booster doses in stock, according to Duclos.

He said another 3.5 million pediatric doses meant for children ages five to 11 are due to arrive in January.

Duclos revealed new COVID-19 testing requirements for travellers arriving at Canadian airports has yet to hit its target of 23,000 tests administered daily. Those travellers must also possess a negative pre-entry test before arriving in Canada.

One week ago 17,000 tests were being administered daily, while that number has risen to 21,000 tests as of Friday. Travellers from the U.S. are exempt from the new testing requirements.

This situation in the U.S. is different from what we see outside of North America, he said, referring to the Omicron variant.

Per capita, the U.S. officially has about 10 times fewer cases than Canada. Denmark has per capita, 200 times.

Duclos acknowledged the U.S. data could be both inaccurate and outdated.
Photo: The Canadian Press In this courtroom sketch, Ghislaine Maxwell, left, sits at the defense table with defense attorney Jeffrey Pagliuca while listening to testimony in her sex abuse trial, Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)

Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein who was charged with sex trafficking after the financier's death, will not take the stand in her own defense.

U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan asked the 59-year-old British socialite to stand in court Friday afternoon, explaining that Maxwell had the right to either testify in her own defense or decline to.

Your Honor, the government has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt so there is no reason for me to testify, Maxwell responded, attitude defiant.

Maxwell's lawyers have offered a spirited defense, portraying her as a scapegoat targeted by the government because prosecutors could no longer bring Epstein to justice after he killed himself at a federal lockup in August 2019 while awaiting his own sex trafficking trial.

Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges stemming from her interactions with four teenage girls from 1994 to 2004. During that span, Maxwell was romantically involved with and then later worked for Epstein.

While she wont testify before the jury, Maxwell has seemed active in her defense throughout the three weeks of the trial, frequently writing notes to her lawyers and hugging them as she enters and leaves court each day. As Maxwell declared her intention not to testify, attorney Bobbi Sternheims arm was wrapped around her lower back.

Her defense called another of Jeffrey Epsteins one-time paramours to the stand earlier Friday: a former Miss Sweden, New York City doctor and tabloid fixture who told the jury that she trusted the financier with her young daughters and denied taking part in a group sexual encounter with a key accuser.

Eva Andersson-Dubin, 60, testified that she dated Epstein off and on from 1983 to the early 1990s, before he dated Maxwell.

Epstein and Andersson-Dubin remained friends after breaking up and, in 1994, she married another moneyed financier, Glenn Dubin, with whom she had three children.

One of the key accusers in the Maxwell trial, identified in court only as Jane to protect her identity, testified that a woman named Eva joined a group sexual experience with Epstein.

On Friday, Andersson-Dubin was asked by one of Maxwell's attorneys if she had ever been in a group sexual encounter with Jane.

Absolutely not, she responded.

Asked if she had ever been in a group sexualized massage of Epstein with Jane, she responded: I have not.

Later, Andersson-Dubin acknowledged having issues with her memory upon cross examination.

Its very hard for me to remember anything far back," Andersson-Dubin said. "My family notices it, I notice it. Its been an issue.

The Dubins have denied knowing anything about Epstein's sexual misconduct, but were publicly supportive of Epstein when he initially was prosecuted and convicted of sex crimes in Florida in 2008. Another Epstein accuser whose allegations are not part of Maxwell's trial, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, has said that she was trafficked to Glenn Dubin, among other powerful men, all of whom have denied her accounts.

As the Dubin children  including two daughters  grew up, they sometimes joined their parents on flights with Epstein, Andersson-Dubin said.

She testified that Epstein was fond of her children and the children viewed him like an uncle, sometimes calling him Uncle F, an apparent abbreviation of his name, minus the J.

When Andersson-Dubin was asked by a defense lawyer if she ever witnessed any inappropriate conduct between Epstein and teenage girls, she responded: I did not.

The testimony came on the second day of Maxwell's defense presentation, which could be completed as early as the end of Friday. Nathan has said closing arguments could occur Monday and the jury might receive the case by the end of that day to begin its deliberations.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's information technology adviser, Sajeeb Wazed Joy came down heavily on Islamist political party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) for its wartime brutalities and conspiracies geared towards strengthening the footing of Pakistan and wiping out the dream of freedom cherished by Bangladeshis.

Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who is also the son of Prime Minister Hasina, heavily criticized former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia for entrusting war criminals with the charge of ministries.

In a Facebook post from his verified account on Wednesday, he mentioned multiple anti-liberation activities Jamaat engaged in.

"As the Liberation War was drawing towards the end, the victory of the Bengali nation seemed to be a foregone conclusion. When the world was vocal against the atrocities committed by Pakistanis and in favour of freedom sought by Bengalis, Pakistanis hatched one last conspiracy," he added.

Joy said, "They took the initiative to take some Jamaat leaders to the UN council as the representatives of Bengalis. Their purpose was to resist the final victory of Bangladesh."

"When freedom fighters shook the footing of the Pakistani junta in November of 1971, Jamaat spokesperson and Muslim League leader Shah Azizur Rahman resorted to the UN to speak in favor of the Pakistani junta and against Bengalis. They lashed out at the freedom fighters without reservation," he wrote.

"Posing as a Bengali leader of Pakistan's political party, Shah Aziz denied the mass killing conducted by the armed forces of Pakistan in Bangladesh. Later, Ziaur Rahman, after grabbing the state power, made this person the prime minister," he added.

"Armed Al-Badr and Al-Shams, made by Niazi, assisted Pakistani soldiers on the warfield.

They were led by Ghulam Azam, Shah Aziz, Nizami, Mojaheed, and other top leaders of Jamaat and Shibir. Long after the independence of Bangladesh, Khaleda offered the charge of ministries to these commanders of rapists and killers after forming the government," Joy further said.

Condemning the conspiracies and strategic moves of Pakistanis during the Liberation War of Bangladesh, he said as the Liberation War was drawing towards the end, the victory of the Bengali nation seemed to be a foregone conclusion.

"When the world was vocal against the atrocities committed by Pakistanis and in favour of freedom sought by Bengalis, Pakistanis hatched one last conspiracy. They took the initiative to take some Jamaat leaders to the UN council as the representatives of Bengalis. Their purpose was to resist the final victory of Bangladesh."

"The US security apparatus became active to implement the conspiracy of Pakistanis. That is why they formed a right-wing sphere with Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, Taheruddin Thakur, and Mahbub Alam Chashi.

Their target was to resist the defeat of Pakistanis in the Liberation War and wipe out the dream of freedom of Bangladeshis and then form a confederation state with Pakistan. This secret plan was leaked and thus couldn't be carried forward. But that didn't stop Jamaat. They left no stone unturned to bury the desire of Bangladeshis for freedom," he went on saying.

(ANI)

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She had graduated from Middlebury College two years before and was doing a master's program in theology at Boston College, which she completed in 1999. Erika received her law degree from Boston University in 2002 and has been a visiting scholar at the Harvard Law School. Married and the mother of seven, she is one of the country's leading exponents of pro-life feminism, and her recent book, The Rights of Women: Reclaiming a Lost Vision, has received considerable and well-deserved attention. In her spare (sic) time, she helped found a classical academy, St. Benedict's, in Natick, Massachusetts, and led its board for two years. In addition to her affiliation with the Abigail Adams Institute, Erika is also my colleague at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

On December 7, a date that will live in infamy in the fever swamps of pro-abortion America, Erika Bachiochi had the temerity to publish an op-ed article in the New York Times. In it, she criticized the "individualistic libertarianism that characterizes our politics, left and right" and expressed the hope that, with Roe v. Wade out of the way, the "pro-life movement can begin where it left off in 1973, working to convince fellow citizens...that we owe dependent and vulnerable unborn children what every human being is due: hospitality, respect, and care." A post-Roe America, she proposed, would be a country that would "need to move beyond its wrongheaded obsession with autonomy" and "bring forth a renewed solidarity instead"  a solidarity in which "support, assistance, and care" are offered to "pregnant women and their children, both born and unborn," and men are "called to task" when they fail to meet their responsibilities.

It was a well-reasoned, well-written, compassionate, and temperate piece. And it caused thousands of readers of what still imagines itself the country's newspaper of record to come unhinged. An f-bomb in the subject line of an e-mail Erika received set the tone for much of the rest. Several enraged partisans wrote the leaders of the Abigail Adams Institute and the Ethics and Public Policy Center, urging that this heretic be terminated (e.g., "I find it extremely difficult to imagine that anyone would pay her to 'think.'"). One pyromaniacally-inclined correspondent confessed "surprise that you didn't burst into flames upon submitting your opinion [piece] as the Times is the godless heathen nest of all things you despise." Several indulged in crude anti-Catholicism: "I assume that you are rigidly Catholic which may explain your viewpoint;" "the Church only cares for the soul, not the living, breathing child." None of this vitriol involved serious argument, as most contented themselves with a sheer venting of their disgust (e.g., "I cannot find a single sentence in this pitiful attempt at analysis that contains a shred of truth;" "I would suggest that you get out of your...ivory tower;" "Your article and opinion are drivel. Full Stop.")

It was a well-reasoned, well-written, compassionate, and temperate piece.

Considering the nastiness and vacuity of these non-responses to Erika Bachiochi's article, one suspects that those who regard Roe v. Wade as the linchpin of American democracy are beginning to fear that they've lost the debate about abortion. They lost the scientific debate long ago, and now they're losing the constitutional debate. The oral argument over the Dobbs case at the Supreme Court on December 1, in which the defenders of Roe v. Wade were clearly outclassed, could only have intensified those fears.

All of which reminded me of a conversation at the end of Roland Emmerich's film Midway, when Admiral Halsey (Dennis Quaid), on learning that the previously demeaned and underrated U.S. Navy had just sank four Japanese aircraft carriers, said to Admiral Nimitz (Woody Harrelson), "God bless those boys. Turns out all they needed was a fair fight." That was all the pro-life cause needed, too  a fair fight. That what pro-lifers finally got at the Supreme Court on December 1. And by the testimony of just about everyone (including pro-abortion legal commentators), the pro-life forces replicated the feats of the Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown pilots on June 4, 1942: they demolished their adversaries (with Justice Sonia Sotomayor in the role of hapless Japanese admiral Chuichi Nagumo).

Erika Bachiochi and many other women of valor helped make that possible by decades of legal and moral commentary that has eviscerated the worst Supreme Court decision since Dred Scott. By their lives, work, and courage, these women falsify the claim that the pro-life cause is anti-woman. And their critics can't stand it.
After sharp falls in oil and coal, Omicron fears fading  petcoke down but with coal slowly higher, discounts return to positive

17 December 2021

By Frank O. Brannvoll, Brannvoll ApS, Denmark

The euro broke lower due to hawkish talk from the US Federal Reserve of higher yields in 2022. There is a range of US$1.12-1.16 expected in 2022, but the euro is likely move towards US$1.18.

The Turkish lira saw a 47 per cent collapse from TRY9.75 to TRY14.40 in four weeks due to the new policy of negative real rates, making fuels substantially more expensive for Turkish cement makers.

Table 1: Prices at a glance Crude oil (US$/bbl) 75.50 Coal API2  1Q22 (US$) 130.00 API2  Cal 2022 (US$) 115.00 API4  1Q22 (US$) 127.00 API4  Cal 2022 (US$) 115.00 Petcoke USGC 4.5% 40 HGI  FOB (US$) 140.00 USGC 4.5% 40 HGI  CFR ARA (US$) 174.00 USGC 6.5% 40 HGI  FOB (US$) 125.00 USGC 6.5% 40 HGI  CFR ARA (US$) 159.00

Crude oil and gas

The oil market saw a sharp fall from US$85 to support at US$67 in fear of a demand collapse as the new Omicron COVID-19 variant caused new lockdowns of economies. However, a sharp upturn towards US$75 was noted following signs that this variant may not be as harmful as expected and despite some disappointment in the Western world that the vaccines are not shielding as expected.

OPEC+ did not budge in the face of pressure from USA and kept to its planned increase of 0.4mbd from January 2022. The next meeting is scheduled for 4 January 2022. However, some pressure did come to the market as the US published a release of 50mb from its strategic reserves.

The Brent oil price rose nine per cent to US$75.50. Resistance is at US$76 and US$80 with support tested at US$67. For the next 12 months, Brannvoll ApS sees a US$60-100 range with an average of US$75.

Coal

No real specific coal news for the month. Chinese prices came back up based on supply disruptions, but production has been increased. As a result, the price stays below the CNY1200 maximum price at CNY1180 (US$185).

While coal was first down on Omicron news, as gas prices started to rally again, it was seen in Europe as by far the cheapest fuel for power generation, which increased demand in a region used to falling demand. Coal-fired power plants are 5-8 times more profitable than gas-fired plants. As disruptions on Russias rail network and some unrest in South Africa occurred, prices have slightly increased again.

It is interesting that the financial index API4 FOB from South Africa may cease to be calculated and traded from next year.

The API2 front-quarter (1Q22) contract rose five per cent to US$130. Support is at US$120 and US$110 with resistance at US$150 and US$180, while a risk of high volatility remains. The API2 Cal22 contract declined eight per cent to US$115. Support is at US$110 and US$100 with an upside risk to US$130 and US$150. The expected range is between US$110-130, mostly reflecting gas prices and weather forecasts for January-February 2022.

The API4 front-quarter (1Q22) rose four per cent to US$127, with support still at US$110 and US$100. Upside risk is at US$140 and US$160. The API4 Cal22 contract was up nine per cent to US$115 with support at US$100. The upside risk is now capped at US$120 and US$140 with an expected range of US$100-130.

Petcoke

Petcoke finally started to give in based on demand pull-back and increased supply as refineries are running on higher capacity utilisation levels.

The discounts had disappeared and coal switching was seen in India, China and Turkey. Demand in Turkey was also hampered by a sharply falling lira. The spot market saw more cargoes and the refineries have to get the petcoke out, now facing a lack of demand based on the lower coal prices. Depending on coal and gas prices the petcoke market on CIF destinations could easily see a further 10 per cent drop to persuade buyers to return to the petcoke market. Brannvoll expects the petcoke indices that are lagging to continue downwards and most on the liquid 6.5 per cent sulphur (S) as 4.5 per cent S will have more buyers that cannot switch easily. However, Turkey may now substitute with US coal.

The USGC FOB 6.5 per cent S contract fell 19 per cent to US$125 from record levels with the discount to API4 up from zero to 21 per cent. A range between US$115-140 can now be expected. The ARA contract price fell 15 per cent to US$159 and the discount returned to two per cent in the expensive zone.

The USGC FOB 4.5 per cent S contract declined 17 per cent US$140 with a 12 per cent premium. The downside is limited by a lack of supply upside. A range of US$125-150 can be expected. The ARA rate of US$159 represents a fall of 22 per cent but remains at a premium of seven per cent to API2.

The spread between 4.5 and 6.5 per cent petcoke further widened above the normal US$4-6 to US$15 but is expected to stay in US$10-25 range. High sulphur contracts are falling faster.

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The McCallie Middle School art students have had a busy semester, both at creating artwork that draws recognition for their talents and making art for the benefit of others in the community.

Three seventh-graders and one-eighth grader had their artwork selected for the Annual East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition. The artwork of Jack Youngblood, Jack Macziewski, Luke Powe and Drew Zmaj will be on exhibit at the Knoxville Museum of Art through Jan. 9, 2022. A reception was held last week to honor students whose work was featured in the show.

Earlier this month, Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger presented seventh-grader Chance Garvich with an award for his drawing in the county-wide Hamilton Shines competition. The competition is an initiative to decrease littering through improved education. Chance's artwork was chosen out of all middle school entries to be featured on a billboard located on the corner of Willow Street and McCallie Avenue, not far from campus. It features a scene from Chattanoogas waterfront inside a plastic water bottle. The billboard will remain up for about a year.

Middle school art students also made books for the children at 21st Century Child Development Center, located just a few blocks from campus. The books had the first initial of each child's name on the cover and words and pictures starting with that initial throughout each book. The students delivered the books to the children on Monday morning.

These initiatives have been led by middle school art teacher Suzanne Mortimer.
A new procedure that was meant to streamline the process for businesses to get a beer license is instead making it more difficult. The forms filled out by applicants as well as documentation of inspections by the Chattanooga Fire Department, the Department of Agriculture and the citys building inspector along with other records involved with the process now must all be uploaded to opengov.com, an online system.

At the Thursday morning meeting of the Chattanooga Beer Board two out of three businesses applying for licenses to sell or manufacture beer were having problems with the application process, resulting in not being able to access the information on the system.

Edward Williams, Sr., owner of Mr. Eds Mini Mart, 2601 Harrison Pike, was applying for a carry-out beer permit. He told the board that the business had passed all inspections. Because the applicant is responsible for uploading all documents, Mr. Williams assistant had been given the approved health permit from the Agriculture Department after passing the final inspection. Despite uploading it to opengov.com it was not there. After the meeting was paused for officials to help upload the information, it still was unavailable online.

The board approved the application for Mr. Eds to sell carry-out beer subject to the agricultural department permit being in the system. The actual permit will not be available to pick up until the system recognizes the information that has been uploaded multiple times. This mini mart will be open from 10 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. week days and from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Cherry Street Family LLC received a manufacturer/distributor beer license at the Dec. 2 beer board meeting in order for the four-week brewing process to get started. The new brewery, Cherry Street Brewing at 300 Cherokee Blvd., Suite 101-102, is the former location of Heaven and Ale. The space has been remodeled and a kitchen has been added. The business passed the fire inspection - the last thing needed before applying for their consumer/carryout beer license. But it was missing from the opengov.com website because the actual fire approval permit had not been given to the owner who then could not upload it into the system. The beer board approved the beer permit based on Fire Captain William Jacksons verbal statement that it had been approved. The actual permit will be available once it shows up in the opengov.com system.

This business in based out of Atlanta and the new location in Chattanooga is its third expansion. That will allow a larger distribution in Georgia and Tennessee, said Alisa Tanner, co-owner.

A third applicant Chaudry Ali, for his store Rogers Super Market, 1400 E. Main St., could not be considered on Thursday because a second form of proof of citizenship must be provided to get a beer license. His application was passed to the Jan. 6 meeting.

A meeting with wrecker companies to discuss possible changes to the way they are regulated has been scheduled for the Beer Board/Wrecker Board meeting on Jan. 20. Topics expected to be discussed are having one storage lot for all companies rather than individual lots for each company. Among other things, there will also be a discussion of rates that the businesses are allowed to charge. Officer Phillip Moser, the citys new wrecker inspector, will send emails to notify all the wrecker companies of the meeting. The multiple companies will be asked to choose a set number of representatives to speak for the industry. One hour at the beginning of the meeting starting at 9 a.m. will be devoted to the wrecker business.
The Catoosa County Board of Commissioners (BOC) and the Catoosa County Development Authority (CCDA) have approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with CHI Memorial Georgia expressing their strong support of a new hospital to be built on Battlefield Parkway in Ringgold.

The MOU urges the Georgia Department of Community Health to approve CHI Memorial Georgias certificate of need for the new hospital and expresses support by proposing the issuance of revenue bonds of up to $40 million, about 30% of total project cost, by the CCDA. Payment of the bonds principal and interest shall be made by CHI Memorial Georgia and does not obligate Catoosa County and the CCDA to use any public funds or levy taxes for the project.

CHI Memorial is a trusted and valuable partner providing high quality health care for Catoosa County citizens, and we are thankful for their continued commitment to enhance our quality of life with a proposed new, state-of-the-art facility, said Catoosa County Commission Chairman Steven Henry. Our Board of Commissioners fully support CHI Memorials mission and commitment to north Georgia that will benefit local families for generations to come.

The MOU demonstrates our countys commitment to provide access to high quality health care and continued economic vitality by bringing good paying jobs and future community investment opportunities, said Catoosa County Development Authority Board Chairman Rick Partain. The bond financing proposal reflects our desire to make our community an even more attractive place to live and work without taxpayer obligations for the project.

We are truly excited for the counties we serve in north Georgia, said Angie Stiggins, CHI Memorial Hospital Georgia Administrator. The residents deserve this new, cutting-edge hospital close to home that will continue to deliver the high-quality healthcare they expect from CHI Memorial. We could not have better partners on this journey."
Officers were notified by dispatch that three people had set up chairs, bedding and various other boxes in front of a store at 17 Cherokee Blvd. Officers arrived on scene and found two men and a woman. Officers told them they were blocking the entrance to a business and the owner requested they leave their property. The three agreed to leave and gathered their items and left. They were told by the officers not to return to this business.

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A woman on Talladega Avenue said her son needs to leave her home. Police made contact with the son who said he would get some belongings and leave for the evening. The son left without incident.



* * *



A man at Sweet Melissas Billiards at 1966 Northpoint Blvd. was making a scene after disputing his tab. His tab was settled and he was trespassed from the property and left without incident.



* * *



An anonymous caller said there was yelling outside their apartment at Riverside Apartments at 2 Market St. Prior to police arrival, a man called in to report he was stuck in an elevator. The fire department arrived before police got there. After a few minutes and attempts, the fire department was able to open the elevator door. When doing so there were blemishes left on the paint and the door was knocked off the hinges.



* * *



A woman on South Lyerly Street told police her upstairs neighbor was being loud. She said they would drop things and walk around loudly. Officers explained that it was their house and that it is hard to tell them to stop walking around or dropping things. The woman didnt want officers to talk to them, but just a complaint card to show to her landlords. Officers did not hear any excessive noise coming from upstairs while at the scene.



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A man on Mountain Creek Road said he saw two white males attempting to saw off the catalytic converter from his car. He confronted them and asked them what they were doing at which point they fled in a dark-colored SUV. The man said his converter was still attached to his vehicle but wanted to report the vandalism. Police issued the man a complaint card and told him to call back if he needed anything further.



* * *



Police saw a suspicious vehicle parked in the yard towards the end of a driveway on Shallowford Road. The silver 2013 Ford Fusion with Tennessee registration had extremely dark tinted windows. The car was not running at the time. The officer spoke with the two occupants inside the car - a man and a woman. Both were fully clothed and sitting in the back seat of the vehicle. When asked why they were parked in someone else's front yard, the man said they were parked at the residence to talk and observe the view of the city which could be overlooked from the residence. Due to neither subject having a lawful reason or permission to be on the property, they were asked to leave. They left without incident.



* * *

Police received a call from a woman who identified herself as Debra from Alabama. She requested police do a well-being check on a woman on Bradt Street. Upon arrival, police spoke with the woman and her son. She said she was fine. The woman and her son said that didnt know any Debra from Alabama.

* * *



While on patrol an officer saw a white Hyundai Elantra parked in the roadway in front of a home on Dorsey Street. The vehicle was displaying a TN tag that returned to a black Nissan Titan. The officer ran the VIN for the car and it returned to the correct vehicle. The officer documented the incident for future identification purposes.



* * *



A Lowes loss prevention employee at 2180 Gunbarrel Road told police he had an unknown suspect steal two spools of wire and a DeWalt heater valued at $1,484. The employee said he spoke with the suspect who voluntarily gave all the items back to him after he passed the last point of sale. The employee said the suspect then refused to stay with him and got in his car and drove off. The employee provided police photos of the suspects truck and of the suspect inside Lowes. Police could not make out the tag on the white Chevrolet pickup truck with TN tags in the photo or the suspect. Police added both photos to the report.



* * *



The manager of Harbor Freight Tools at 5839 Brainerd Road said a white male (wearing a black mask, gray shirt, brown jacket and blue jeans) entered the store and proceeded to grab three Icon wrench sets from the middle aisle. Once the suspect had the items, he walked past all points of store sales without paying for the merchandise. The suspect then took off running and got into a two-door red vehicle. Police ran the tag but it did not give a return. Police told the manager to watch for the suspect to return and then call police immediately.



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A woman at the Murphys at 5764 Highway 153 reported to police there were two males in a black SUV who were watching her. The males left the scene prior to the officers arrival. The complainant felt uncomfortable being watched and she wanted to make a report in case it happened again.



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An officer was flagged down by management at 1100 Carter St. saying there had been a parking lot crash. Police made contact with a driver who said she was backing up and struck a black Jeep. Police and staff attempted to make contact with the driver of the Jeep but werent successful. Police left a complaint card with staff and told them to notify police when they inquire about their vehicle.



* * *

A complainant called police and said there was a man walking around the Tennessee Aquarium at 1 West Aquarium Way trying to sell a gun. The complainant would give very little information and hang up. The complainant called several times and when the call taker asked for more information, the complainant would hang up again. Police were then dispatched to the area around the Aquarium on the reports of an armed party wearing a gray jacket, blue shirt, and brown pants. Police found the man and identified him. He was not armed and told police a man had been harassing him because he would not give him any more money. The man said he had been having problems with the other man all day. He positively identified him using public resources information websites. He said at this time, he did not want to pursue charges against the other man but wanted the incident documented. Police spoke to other officers familiar with the other man and they said he told them last night someone was trying to sell him a gun. If the harassment continues or if the second man keeps abusing emergency services, police will follow up with criminal charges.



* * *



Police were called to the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport at 1001 Airport Road to assist airport police. Airport police spoke with a man who told police that he felt like someone was trying to kill him. The man could not name the person or people trying to cause him harm. He took a cab to a local hotel to stay the night.



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The bartender at the Edwin Hotel at 102 Walnut St. called police when a man started getting belligerent and yelling slurs at the bar. Due to the manner of yelling and the things said, the bartender decided to not serve the man anymore and he agreed to leave upon police arrival. The bartender only wanted the man to leave for the night and not to trespass.



* * *

A man at Clayton Homes at 620 Boy Scout Road showed police video of a white convertible pulling up around 1:16 a.m. A white male with facial hair took the two rocking chairs off the front porch and put them into the car and then drove off. The officer attached blurry photos of the suspect to the report. The chairs were worth around $200.

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A woman on Manufacturers Road called police to make a theft report. She said she had two electric Townie bicycles locked up with cables inside of a caged area that was also locked with a padlock. When she returned she noticed the fence damaged, cables cut, and the bikes were stolen. They are described as Townie electric bicycles - one is white and the other is black. They are valued around $1,500 each. The victim emailed the officers photos of the bikes which are attached to the report, as well as damage of the fence.

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A woman at Southeast Eye Specialists at 7268 Jarnigan Road told police someone had stolen a catalytic converter off of one of the company vehicles. She showed police video footage of the theft which showed an unknown person covering their face with a white coat walk up to the van and crawl underneath it. The footage then showed the person walk away with a catalytic converter. The footage also showed a truck, possibly a Chevrolet Silverado, pull up next to the van a second time a short time later. The footage showed people get out of the truck and crawl underneath the van a second time, then leave a short time later. Police added photos from the footage to the report.

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A man told police he had parked his truck at Northgate Mall at 271 Northgate Mall Dr. and left in another vehicle. He said that approximately six or seven hours later, Smith Asset Recovery notified him that his vehicle had been involved in an accident and that the truck was now at their lot. The man said he left his truck parked and locked at 271 Northgate Mall Dr. and did not know how the vehicle was involved in an accident, however he now knows where it is.

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A woman on Pine Street called police and said someone got into her car. She said there were no signs of forced entry. Her Glock 19 was stolen but it was not loaded. The firearm was entered into NCIC.
In the years to come, it will be proven that one of the smartest decisions the leaders of Hamilton County have ever made is to buy The McDonald Farm. I know because I am an expert in envisioning what will bloom and blossom on its nearly 2,200 acres. I am an expert because I have quite literally walked the farm for 60 years and any fool who cannot feel such might and grandeur beneath his feet should apply to moan and fret with some think tank in Nashville known as the Beacon Center.

The county is getting a steal. I suspect the Beacon Center has never seen McDonald Farm and I strongly doubt the knaves have much foresight when they claim only 700 acres of the farm can be developed. Trust me, the possibilities are endless. The Beacon Center just lashed out at Hamilton Countys purchase of the farm for $16 million and, in disclosure, let me be clear it is my family who is selling it.The county is getting a steal. I suspect the Beacon Center has never seen McDonald Farm and I strongly doubt the knaves have much foresight when they claim only 700 acres of the farm can be developed. Trust me, the possibilities are endless.

Granted, my heart weeps that its fields are fallow, and its barns are empty, but thats what you get when the wrong guy in an extended family wrestles control and then runs the operation into the ground. The family members who live out of town just want the money so  what? -- here we are.

My attitude towards the demise is Dont cry because its over, be happy that it happened. Before my grandfather died in 1990, the farm was a huge part of my life. My very earliest memory was waking up  this in the early 50s  at the muffled sound of the herd of milk cows just before dawn, tumble out of bed to pull on my boots and grab my rifle (Red Ryder BB gun).

Everybody in the big house would be asleep yet I would dash through the dark and morning dew to the milk barn. Wed milk about 350 head a day and my little hands would milk up a storm, but I was not savvy enough to wonder why I only got droplets on my tries to milk. Id have coffee with the men  a tin cup filled about halfway with warm raw milk, lots of sugar and maybe two tablespoons of actual coffee.

I learned to drive when I was four. Mr. Elmer Pettyjohn would take me in his thick arms as he mowed the grass with an eight-gang rig. We were a great team. Id work the wheel and Elmer worked the gas, the brakes, the clutch and gears. Hed also have a firm fist at the bottom of the steering wheel  he told me it was only to keep him from falling off, you understand. (It was my first brush with power steering.)

Throughout my elementary years Id spent most nearly every weekend up there and almost all the summer, Elmer, who was black, became a second father. Sonny boy, God dont always come when you call Him, but there aint been nary a minute when Hes not right on time. Hey, and never forget, A smile dont go out of style.

Encouraged by my grandfather to try and do everything, I could skillfully drive any tractor or truck on the place from early on. By 12 I could untangle twine in the hay bailer and knew to keep a good knife in my pocket. I could saddle and ride a horse, I watched calves being born, and accepted Jesus into my heart at the Sale Creek Presbyterian Church.

I also went on the payroll at age 12  beginning at $1 a day and when I found out a lot of work is not as fun as it looks  I went to $1 an hour. Anybody who has worked a late-summer hay field knows a dollar an hour teaches character and a lot more.

The lessons a boy learns on a farm are priceless. Be the last to leave on a job. Pick up the heavy end of any load. Tidy any job site before you leave. At 7 a.m. that tractor better be running, or you best be running. There is always something that needs to be done, and if you cant find it then you aint farming.

The Beacon buffoons called it a Field of Dreams when in fact it is plowing time on the field of opportunity. Beacon doesnt realize the best fertilizer is the footprint of the owner and no one involved gives a rip about their opinion. There isnt a county in Tennessees 95 that wouldnt give an arm for 2,200 acres of promise and the McDonald Farm.

I feel sorry for people who are so short-sighted that all they do is whine. I can honestly see a huge future and if the Beacon boys would have bothered to look at the demographics of Hamilton County, about the only area we can expand with significant new growth in a big way is in the north end.

The price of $16 million? Thats easy. In 2009 the farms land in Hamilton County was assessed at $12.2 million but wait, there is another 350 acres in Rhea County. Extrapolate that out with the Rhea County assessment and the total assessment is up to $17.1 million in taxable value. Again, this was 12 years ago and land, particularly a large tract, does not depreciate in a world where they dont make any more dirt.

In the next several days, McDonald Farm will sell away, and Ill be left with sweet, sweet memories. It is not how our farm died but how I remember when it lived. Thank you, Dr Suess, for the stand that we dont cry because its over but smile because it happened.

Golly, Ive been blessed. So unbelievably blessed.
The Tennessee Department of Education released ACT and Graduation Data for the graduating class of 2021. Hamilton County Schools (HCS) achieved an 85.5 percent rate of on-time graduation and an average ACT score of 18.9.

Officials said, "As part of the Future Ready 2023 plan, HCS focuses on future ready students, including ACT, graduation, and early postsecondary opportunities. Almost 84 percent of 2021 on-time graduates completed one or more early postsecondary opportunities compared to only 68 percent of the 2020 graduating class. This included an increase in every historically underserved student group accessing these opportunities.

"The 2021 graduating class faced unique and unprecedented circumstances that contributed to both ACT and graduation rates experiencing a decline mirroring that of the state of Tennessee from the previous levels in 2020 (87 percent on-time graduation rate and 19.7 average ACT). Due to the pandemic, only 38 percent of the class of 2021 were able to take the ACT more than once. However, in 2020, 89 percent of graduates took the ACT multiple times. This is significant because according to research conducted by ACT, taking the ACT multiple times is associated with increased overall composite scores for students. Moreover, in Tennessee, the accountability system uses a students highest overall composite score across all ACT administrations to determine school and district level average ACT scores.

"Even with these challenges, the class of 2021 completed 216 industry certifications during their senior year compared to only 73 certifications earned by the 2020 class during their senior year - a nearly 300 percent increase. Many of these industry certifications include Future Ready pathways such as welding and hospitality as well as collegiate pathway preparations like healthcare and engineering.

"While the pandemic certainly impacted learning opportunities, HCS continued its progress in graduating students who are future ready, including workforce and postsecondary pathways, as part of the Future Ready 2023 strategic plan."
Billy Romain Carver, 52, of Dallas, Georgia, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, December 15, 2021.

Billy was born on Jan. 2, 1969, in Duluth, Ga. He was also a proud retired veteran of The United States Navy from 1989 to 2009.

Billy was preceded in death by his parents, Carly Romain Carver (father from Georgia) and Shirley Woodall Robinson (mother from South Carolina). Billy grew up in Georgia & South Carolina. He attended West Oak High School in South Carolina.

At the age of 20, Billy enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He valued this service highly and attained the rank of E-7/Chief Petty Officer. As part of Billys service, he was stationed in Naval Hospital Beaufort, SC (July 1990-Mar 1992) USS Forrestal CV-59 Pensacola, FL (Apr 1992-Sept 1993), US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD (Oct 1993-May 1996), Naval Hospital Guam Hagatna, GU (Mar 1997-Jan 2000), Naval Hospital, Great Lakes, IL (Feb 2000-Jan 2003), Mobile Security Squadron Seven, Detachment 71, GU (Jul 2003-2006), Naval School of Health Sciences San Diego, CA (Nov 2006-Mar2008), Naval Medical Center San Diego, CA (Mar 2008-Dec 2009). Billy served his first 13 years of his enlistment as a Corpsman as a field-doc with Fleet Marine Forces and in the hospital. Billy received decorations, medals, and badges such as Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Service Deployment Ribbon, Defense Service Medal, South West Asia Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation (Saudi Arabia), Kuwait Liberation (Kuwait), The Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal (7), Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, Fleet Marine Force Ribbon, Army Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Rifle Marksmanship Medal, Pistol Marksmanship Medal. Billy served alongside Fleet Marine Forces during the heated battles of the Invasion of Iraq & Protection of the Kuwait Oil Platforms ensuring nothing & no one was compromised during the war.

After retiring from active duty status from the U.S. Navy, Billy continued service as a civilian within the U.S. Navy as a DOD contractor with the NSA Police Academy. Furthering his career, Billy was positioned and managed the overall anti-terrorism program as the Commanding Officers Primary Advisor for Naval Security Forces of Naval Station Hampton Roads Virginia, Naval Medical Hospital Norfolk and Anti-Terrorism Officer for Navy Recruiting District Atlanta, covering Georgia, Alabama and parts of Florida covering the past 11.5 years.

Billy is survived by his wife of 22.5 years Kristie Hampton Carver, his two sons Christian & William, three Daughters Emalea, Britney, Sydney and two fur-babies Lucky & Maggie. Billy also has 3 grandchildren Emalea, Wyatt, & Annabelle, brother James, sister Wanda, his Aunt Patricia and many cousins. Billy loved his family more than life itself and was a dedicated patriot. He is loved by many and will missed for his kindness, generosity, guidance, wittiness, humor, and welcoming arms.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 28, at noon (CST) at the South Pittsburg Cumberland Presbyterian Church,400 Elm Ave., South Pittsburg, with Reverend David Tullock officiating and full military honors will be conducted at the church.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 28, from 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. (CST) prior to the funeral service at the church.

Arrangements are entrusted to Rogers Funeral Home of South Pittsburg, 400 Laurel Ave., South Pittsburg, Tn., 423 837-7176.
90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days Season 5 only just premiered on Dec. 12, 2021, but one of season 5s stars is already making waves with fans. Caleb and Alina were recently asked about their favorite Before the 90 Days cast member, and Calebs answer shocked fans. Heres what we know.

Caleb | TLC

Who are Caleb and Alina in Before the 90 Days Season 5?

Caleb, who hails from Chandler, Arizona, is on the show this season with his girlfriend, Alina from St. Petersburg, Russia. The two met online when they were teens but lost touch. Now that theyve reconnected, they both realize they want something more than a friendship.

In the Before the 90 Days Season 5 premiere, fans watched as Caleb and Alina made plans to meet in person in Turkey. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Russian and American borders were closed when the series was filmed. Still, the couple found a way around the issue by meeting in Turkey instead.

Fans watched as the two video-chatted about their plans, but some of Calebs comments to Alina concerned fans. Alina is diagnosed with a medical condition known as diastrophic dysplasia. The genetic disorder, a form of dwarfism, affects everyone differently but can cause problems with joints and cartilage. Alina is the series first little person, and shes very upfront about the different accommodations she sometimes needs.

When Alina told Caleb that her friend Elijah would accompany her on her trip to Turkey, Caleb seemed offended. Some fans thought this was insensitive and set off alarm bells for others. Caleb also insisted he wanted to pick Alina up when they met in person despite telling him that she didnt typically allow others to do that.

Alinas parents are under the impression that Alina will be sharing a room with Elijah while in Turkey, but in reality she will be rooming with Caleb #90DayFiance pic.twitter.com/LfJH2gt538  90DayFiance (@90DayFiance) December 13, 2021

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Caleb confessed to Youtuber Kiblz that Jesse Meester is his favorite cast member from Before the 90 Days

With the new season, and the all-new cast, Youtuber Kiblz recently collaborated with Masters of Blackjack to ask some of the Before the 90 Days Season 5 castmates a few questions. One of those questions was, Who is your favorite cast member from Before the 90 Days? Calebs answer surprised a lot of fans.

I feel like I can relate to Jesse a lot. A lot of people say hes an a and I feel like thats unfair. Im sure Darceys a beautiful person. personally, Im much less drama-inclined. So, relationships with me and another person who was very dramatic would stress me out. I can relate to Jesse, so hes probably my favorite for that reason, the 27-year-old replied.

Jesse Meester appeared on two seasons of Before the 90 Days, and both were with Darcey Silva. The couple had a very toxic relationship that ended poorly. Hes probably most well-known for the argument he had with Darcey about how to cut a steak properly. Jesse has never been a fan favorite, as many viewers feel hes arrogant. However, that didnt stop TLC from casting him in the current season of 90 Day: The Single Life.

First gif of the new season, let's start with a bang #90DayFiance pic.twitter.com/S0qvGOyFqv  90DayFiance (@90DayFiance) December 13, 2021

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Fans can watch Caleb and Alinas relationship unfold in Before the 90 Days Season 5

Viewers are excited to watch all new couples navigate the waters of international dating in Before the 90 Days Season 5. Recently, many of the shows in the 90 Day franchise have recycled previous cast members, and audiences were ready for new people. You can catch new episodes of Before the 90 Days Season 5 Sunday nights on TLC.
During the 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 3 tell-all finale, Steven admitted to sending inappropriate photos to nine women after marrying Alina. 90 Day Fiance fans urged Alina to leave Steven, but she said she would give him one last chance to change. Its been one year after Steven and Alina got married in Turkey  are they still together? Heres what we know.

Steven and Alina, 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 3 Tell-All | TLC

Alina and Steven get married in Turkey

On The Other Way Season 3 finale, Alina and Steven finally tied the knot. It was a long journey for the couple. Their two-and-a-half months in Turkey almost resulted in a breakup. Steven came clean about his past sexual encounters and how hes fallen short of the standards of the LDS church.

Because there was a short time frame that Alina and Steven could get married before their visas expired, they planned their wedding on short notice. Neither of their families could join them, but instead, Steven brought alone the neighborhood stray cats that Alina bonded with during her time there as wedding guests.

Alina wore a beautiful and ornate traditional Turkish bridal gown that broke all of the Russian and American expectations for the dress. It was a beautiful ceremony with the backdrop of the Cliffs of Antalya and the sea.

Are Alina and Steven still together one year after marriage?

Since the 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 3 aired, fans have urged Alina to dump Steven. However, it appears that Alina is sticking beside Steven. On Dec 16, Alina posted many photos of herself and Steven to her Instagram Story. The two took a trip to Dubai to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. Check out the Reddit post below:

The couple posted photos of themselves walking through the city with skyscrapers. Then, they showed off their meals at fancy restaurants. The couple looked like they were happy together.

Steven sexts nine women

During the 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 3 tell-all episode, Steven admits to Alina that he inappropriately texted nine women. Steven confessed, Last week, probably about nine girls were sending me inappropriate messages and images of like, you know, their boobs and naked pictures. I started responding back, kind of encouraging that.

Steven confessed, I foolishly started sending pictures of myself and things like that. Alina says she discovered Stevens serial sexting from the women themselves. She said, Those girls, they sent me all the screenshots. Ive seen everything.

On top of the confession that he sexted nine women, Stevens ex-girlfriend, Vanessa, came on the tell-all to warn Alina about his habit of infidelity. However, Alina says she wants to make her marriage work. She has hope that he will change. Still, she said that this was his last chance to prove himself. It appears that Steven and Alina have been able to move on from their challenging first year of marriage  much to many fans dismay.

RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Tell-All: Steven Pressuring Alina To Have a Threesome
Listening to Bruce Springsteens music, you can tell that he gets a lot of inspiration from the things closest to his heart. He might have had a hungry heart to escape once, but Springsteen has always written songs that have paid homage to his hometown, Freehold, New Jersey (and its surrounding areas including Asbury Park), and his family. His song The River, the titular track from his fifth studio album, is a perfect example.

Bruce Springsteen | Ross Marino/Getty Images

Bruce Springsteens The River is about his sister

According to the New York Times, Springsteens The River, a tune about how a teenage couple who give up on their dreams because she gets pregnant, is about his sister, Virginia, who is still married to the boyfriend in the song.

The River is one of Springsteens most somber tracks. In the lyrics, Springsteen speaks from the point of view of Virginias (Mary, in the song) then-boyfriend. He sings that he comes from the valley where he was taught to be just like his father.

After meeting Mary in high school, theyd take long drives to the river. Then, he got Mary pregnant. And for my nineteenth birthday. I got a union card and a wedding coat. We went down to the courthouse. And the judge put it all to rest. No wedding day smiles, no walk down the aisle. No flowers, no wedding dress.

Later, that same night they returned to the river. Then, his job in construction isnt working out because of the economy. Now all them things that seemed so important. Well, mister, they vanished right into the air. Now I just act like I dont remember. And Mary acts like she dont care.

Thinking back to better times only come back to haunt me. They haunt me like a curse. Is a dream a lie if it dont come true? Or is it something worse? When he goes back to the river, its all dried up.

RELATED: Bruce Springsteen: Ranking His Albums From Worst to Best

Springsteen once told a story about his father before playing the titular track in concert

During a concert, Springsteen told an interesting story about his father. When I was growing up, me and my dad used to go at it all the time, over almost anything, Springsteen explained. But I used to have really long hair, way down past my shoulders. I was seventeen or eighteen. Oh, man, he used to hate it. And we got to where wed fight so much that I spent a lot of time outside of the house.

And finally Id get my nerve up to go home, and Id stand there in the driveway, and hed be waiting for me in the kitchen, and Id tuck my hair down in my collar, and Id walk in, and hed call me back to sit down with him, and the first thing hed always ask me was what did I think I was doing with myself, and the worst part about it was I could never explain it to him.

I remember I got into a motorcycle accident once, and I was laid up in bed, and he had a barber come in and cut my hair, and I can remember telling him that I hated him and that I would never ever forget. And he used to tell me, Man, I cant wait until the army gets you. When the army gets you, theyre gonna make a man outta you. Theyre gonna cut all that hair off, and theyll make a man outta you.

And this was, I guess in 68, and there was a lot of guys from the neighborhood going to Vietnam I remember that day I got my draft notice, I hid it from my folks, and three days before my physical me and my friends went out, and we stayed up all night.

We got on the bus to go that morning; we were all so scared. Then I went, and I failed. But I remember coming home after Id been gone for three days and walking in the kitchen, and my mother and father were sitting there. My dad said, Were you been? I said I went to take my physical. He said, What happened? I said, They didnt take me. And he said, Thats good.

For years, Springsteen and his father never got along. His father thought he was wasting his life trying to become a musician. Maybe, Douglas Springsteen, a hard worker, was jealous that his son was chasing his dreams, something hed always wanted to do but couldnt because he had to support a family. He wanted Springsteen to man up. But he wasnt prepared to lose his son over it in a war. Eventually, Springsteen and his father resolved their relationship.

In The River, Springsteen wasnt just talking about his sister and his brother-in-law. In the lyrics, he spoke of all people who have to give up their dreams to support a family, including people like his father.

RELATED: Why Did Bruce Springsteen Divorce His First Wife? He Says He Failed Her as a Husband and Partner

The River represents a place that never lets you down

Something that Springsteen did very well was speaking to the working class. The River is one of those songs that speaks to anyone who had to give up their dreams to support a family or themselves.

Theres always someplace like the river in the song for those people. When times were tough, thered always be a place that never lets you down even when youve let yourself down, a place that doesnt change even when you do. Theres always a place that makes you remember better times, someplace where you can dream.
On Dec. 9, Greys Anatomy Season 18 introduced Greg Tarzan Davis, who plays Dr. Jordan Wright, to the cast. Of course, many viewers are hoping the new addition gets plenty of screen time, particularly because the character is set to become Dr. Miranda Baileys (Chandra Wilson) mentee. So who is Davis and whats next for Jordan in Greys Anatomy? Heres everything we know so far,

Greg Tarzan Davis plays Dr. Jordan Wright in Greys Anatomy Season 18

Greg Tarzan Davis, who plays Dr. Jordan Wright, in Greys Anatomy Season 18 | P. Lehman/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

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Its possible youve seen Davis before he became a recurring cast member in Greys Anatomy Season 18. The actor behind Jordan previously guest-starred in the CBS series, All Rise, and NBCs Chicago P.D. He also appeared in Good Trouble as Zion.

Meanwhile, it seems Davis has a number of high-profile projects on the horizon, aside from his role as Jordan in Greys. Davis is set to appear in Top Gun: Maverick and Mission: Impossible 7.

Who is Dr. Jordan Wright in Greys Anatomy?

RELATED: Greys Anatomy: Camilla Luddington Teases Jo and Links Next Steps and Its Messy

Davis first appeared as Jordan in Greys Anatomy Season 18 Episode 7, Today Was a Fairytale. The character was introduced to Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) as Dr. Nick Marshs (Scott Speedman) favorite resident in Minnesota. Then when Jordan and Meredith performed surgery together, Jordan gushed over Baileys work. He also revealed that he originally applied for residency at Grey Sloan Memorial, and it broke his heart when he didnt match.

At the end of the episode, Meredith pulled some strings and brought Jordan back to Seattle to transfer to Grey Sloan. Then Jordan got to tell Bailey how much he admired her.

I want to learn from you, Jordan said.

Whats next for Dr. Jordan Wright in Greys Anatomy Season 18?

Ben deserves all the coffee he wants  #GreysAnatomy pic.twitter.com/JJ5kc8Nnkc  Grey's Anatomy (@GreysABC) December 17, 2021

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Now, many Greys Anatomy fans are wondering where Jordans storyline is headed in season 18. When speaking with Hollywood Life in December 2021, Davis revealed that Jordan is a great doctor and overachiever who will do anything and everything to try and please Bailey. The actor also revealed a bit about his characters backstory.

A little background information about Jordan is when he was younger, his teachers didnt have faith in him, Davis said. He didnt have much money. He came from a background that wasnt the best.

The actor continued, He wanted something better, so he decided to become a doctor. In order to not fall back to that stage in his life when he was younger, he is willing to do whatever it takes workwise to stay ahead.

Davis also hinted that Greys Anatomy fans will get to see why Jordan is the best that they have. But even so, it seems like there might be some drama coming soon, and viewers will just have to see where the storyline goes.

We would hope that Doctor Wright can become friends with other members at Grey Sloan, but theres drama, Davis said. He may make some enemies. Who knows? .. I think that the writers and creators of the show have an idea where Dr. Jordan Wright is going to go, but that is something I dont know just yet.

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Two comedians locked down in an NYC apartment during a pandemic isnt the ideal setting for a new relationship. But Taylor Tomlinson and Sam Morril originally created some buzz in mid-2020 by creating both a short comedy TV series and a podcast together, although the two stand-up comics now seem to be spending plenty of time apart.

We havent heard much lately about their on-and-off engagement. Regardless, it seems like their relationship has merely entered a new phase as they both get back to life on tour. So is Tomlinson single again?

Is Taylor Tomlinson living the single life again?

Just dreams coming true over here nbd pic.twitter.com/JakQEeEla3  Taylor Tomlinson (@taylortomlinson) June 9, 2021

Despite being an open book when discussing relationships, Tomlinson has left fans guessing about her relationship status with Morril. What we do know is that their engagement didnt last. Tomlinson took to Twitter to mock herself for a brief engagement that ultimately fizzled. This was during late spring of 2020  just a couple of months after they created the short comedy series New Couple Gets Quarantined and podcast This Is Important to Me.

As pandemic restrictions lift, Tomlinson is embarking on a new comedy tour throughout the U.S. and Canada. Notably, the social-media references to Morril have faded. Tomlinson seems to be right back into the swing of stand-up comedy. Her Twitter and Instagram profiles also focus on her tour and Netflix comedy special, Quarter Life Crisis. No links to the work she created with Morril exist.

But Tomlinson has also dropped some recent hints that she and Morril arent completely done either. On her mid-November Self-Helpless podcast with Kelsey Cook, Tomlinson dished about living bi-coastal between New York City and LA and squeezing time for Morril into her busy schedule. The podcast episode was even called 12 Long Distance Relationship Tips with Taylor Tomlinson.

She also shared about their long-distance relationship in August on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Tomlinson and Sam Morrils brief engagement

The best look at Tomlinson and Morrils engagement comes from a Daily Beast interview just as the pandemic unfolded in March 2020. At that point, they had already been dating for roughly six months. The pair sounded upbeat as the world began to shut down around them. In that initial pandemic phase, they seemed bursting with optimism as they used the lockdown to create new content for growing fan bases.

Just a few weeks later, however, everything changed. A People interview in early April 2020 had Tomlinson wishing for a pause button on their relationship. In the interview, she also said, No couple should spend this much time together.

Tomlinson and Morrils web comedy series ended in June 2020. And the podcast only made it to mid-July despite excellent audience ratings. By last fall, the creative collaboration had ended. Many fans were left assuming the couple had agreed to go their separate ways.

Taylor Tomlinson is back to business as the pandemic (kind of) winds down

Taylor Tomlinson on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

After initially making a splash in NBCs Last Comic Standing back in 2015, Tomlinsons popularity spiked following appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Conan. She also turned heads during her 15-minute set on Netflixs The Comedy Lineup in 2018. Her hour-long Netflix special, Quarter-Life Crisis released next. More recently, Forbes added her to its exclusive 30 Under 30 list.

No longer locked down in an apartment with Morril, Tomlinson is living bi-coastal but mostly focusing on her expansive Deal with It tour. From now until the end of April, fans can catch up with her at different comedy clubs around the U.S. and Canada. Shes also busy on the Self-Helpless podcast, which she co-hosts alongside fellow comedians Delanie Fischer and Kelsey Cook.

Although a lot has changed since Tomlinson and Morril were collaborating on content and trying to make it through the worst parts of the pandemic. But it seems like the two busy comedians are still together whenever theyre not selling out comedy shows.

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When the end of the year rolls around is when the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA, Miss America, and Miss Universe winners are crowned. But two of those pageants have stumped some over the years as they wondered what the difference is.

If youre a bit confused by how Miss America and Miss USA differ, weve compiled some interesting information about these two separate competitions.

Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin crowns Miss Virginia, Camille Schrier, as Miss America 2020 | Donald Kravitz/Getty Images

Miss USA winner competes for another crown, Miss America winner gets a scholarship

The older of the two events is Miss America which started back in 1921. Miss USA has been around since 1952. Each also has 51 finalists representing every state and the District of Columbia.

One of the biggest differences between Miss America and Miss Universe is that the Miss USA winner goes on to compete for the coveted title of Miss Universe in that pageant.

Miss America is a scholarship competition. According to a previous report from Bustle, every single contestant who competes wins a scholarship. But the size of that scholarship varies depending on where they place with the winner getting around $50,000.

Miss USA 2012, Olivia Culpo, is crowned 2012 Miss Universe | David Becker/Getty Images

Miss USA has a swimsuit competition, Miss America has a talent competiton

Another big difference between the two contests is that the Miss USA pageant has a swimsuit competition while Miss America has done away with that portion. The change came after Gretchen Carlson was elected chairwoman of the board of directors of the Miss America organization in 2018.

When the swimsuit competition was officially nixed, Carlson told Good Morning America: We will no longer judge our candidates on their outward physical appearance. She also said that Miss America would not be referred to as a pageant anymore, but a competition instead.

Something Miss America has that Miss USA does not is a talent competition. Up to 50% of the Miss America contestants scores are based on how well they showcase their talent.

(R): Miss Louisiana 2012 Kristen Girault smiling on stage during the swimsuit competition | Ethan Miller/Getty Images, (L): Miss District of Columbia 2017 Briana Kinsey participating in Talent showcase during Miss America | Donald Kravitz/Getty Images for Dick Clark Productions

Which competition did a famous woman forced to give up her crown win?

You may remember hearing that Vanessa Williams was stripped of her title after winning one of the competitions. But If you arent sure whether it was Miss America or Miss USA, it was the former.

On Sept. 17, 1983, Williams made history becoming the first Black woman to win the Miss America crown. However, within a year she ended up giving up her title when Penthouse magazine published nude pictures previously taken of her. The first runner-up Miss New Jersey, Suzette Charles, took over the role following Williams resignation.

Three decades later, Williams received an apology from the pageants CEO for how she was treated during the photo controversy.

RELATED: Who Is Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin? (And Why Shes Happy She Didnt Have to Wear a Swimsuit)
Paul McCartney is one of the most recognizable faces in the world. He created music that defined a generation as a member of two prolific bands, the music groups The Beatles and Wings. However, his fame didnt stop him from getting arrested in Japan in Jan. 1980 for marijuana possession and sent to jail.

Paul McCartney | David Harris/Keystone/Getty Images

The story behind Paul McCartneys arrest

Paul McCartney arrived at Tokyos Narita International Airport on Jan. 16, 1980, with his wife Linda to begin an 11-city concert tour with his band Wings. It was his first visit to the country since 1966, when he toured with The Beatles.

According to History, McCartney possessed half a pound of marijuana in his bag upon arriving at the airport. Customs officials found the drug during a search of his belongings.

The amount of marijuana was large enough to warrant a charge of smuggling into the country and had the potential for a seven-year prison sentence. McCartney was detained at the Tokyo Narcotics Detention Center for nine days, and Wings tour was subsequently canceled.

McCartney claimed the drug was intended solely for his personal use.

We were about to fly to Japan, and I knew I wouldnt be able to get anything to smoke over there, McCartney said in 2004, reported History.

This stuff was too good to flush down the toilet, so I thought Id take it with me, he claimed.

Paul McCartneys celebrity helped him avoid jail time

In an interview with James Corden, McCartney spoke about his infamous arrest and stint in jail during a memorable 2018 segment of Carpool Karaoke titled When Corden Met McCartney Live From Liverpool.

I still am hazy as to how that happened, but it did, McCartney explained. There was some marijuana in the suitcase, and I ended up in jail [for] nine days. Scary!

Seven years hard labor, that was the sentence for what Id done, he recalled, saying he waited to learn his fate in a four by eight-foot cell.

McCartney had to do one thing before he left the Japanese detention center

Paul McCartney | Bettmann/Getty Images

McCartney recalled to Corden that guards told him to share a communal bath with his fellow prisoners before he could leave the detention center.

By the end, I was like, Come on! In for a penny. Im going in with the boys, he explained.

So we all went in there, and it was fun, you know, being in the tub with all these Japanese guys, McCartney concluded.

McCartney admitted to Corden he was released because of his celebrity. He flew back to England and disbanded Wings.

In the book Paul McCartney: The Life by Philip Norman, the author wrote that upon his return home, the former Beatles bassist reportedly wrote a 20,000-word account of his ordeal titled Japanese Jailbird.

McCartney reportedly had one copy privately printed for himself and locked the manuscript away to give it to his four children when they were older.

RELATED: The Beatles: 1 Person Kept John Lennon From Going off the Rails During The Bands Early Days
The Lost Daughter is an exceptional and unique piece of storytelling. Its based on Elena Ferrantes novel of the same name, but Maggie Gyllenhaals writing and direction are remarkably singular in nature. Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson, and Ed Harris elevate the work in genuine ways that boost the storys subtleties. The Lost Daughter is the type of movie that allows its biggest secrets to loom under the surface.

The Lost Daughter is Maggie Gyllenhaals feature directorial debut

Olivia Colman as Leda | Yannis Drakoulidis/Netflix

Leda Caruso (Colman) is a professor who decides to head to Greece for her summer holiday. She meets the kind, albeit a bit intrusive Lyle (Ed Harris) and beach house worker, Will (Paul Mescal). Leda is enjoying the silence and serenity of the gorgeous Greek landscapes. However, her peace is short-lived.

Nina (Johnson), her young daughter, and other members of their family noisily enter the beach. Leda is noticeably agitated by their arrival, but she quickly becomes infatuated with Nina and her daughters relationship. It recalls the memories of her early motherhood, which begin to unravel her entire state of being.

Olivia Colman depicts the regret of motherhood

The Lost Daughter opens on Leda driving to her vacation spot. Gyllenhaals screenplay doesnt give any sort of introduction or set any status quo for the lead. The story leaves bread crumbs that are provided through her conversations with staff and other vacationers. Ninas arrival is the onset of something major, as Ledas past and relationship with her daughters become more evident through flashbacks.

Gyllenhaals screenplay is filled with tension, even when its exploring past events. However, Ledas run-ins with other rude vacationers rack up the stress. The audience is never fully made aware of what theyre capable of, making them a constant looming threat throughout the runtime. The Lost Daughter keeps its audience on the edge of their seat and never gives a moment to settle.

The most pivotal and poignant element of The Lost Daughter is its message on motherhood. Ledas past reveals painful moments that impact the present day. At one point, she describes herself as an unnatural mother, as The Lost Daughter rejects the stereotypical and traditional motherhood discourse. This is particularly relevant in the doll motif, as Leda cares for an inanimate object.

The Lost Daughter is subtlety haunting

L-R: Dakota Johnson as Nina and Athena Martin as Elena | Netflix

The Lost Daughter doesnt let its characters off the hook. Gyllenhaal displays the pressure and regret of motherhood, although her approach never seeks to demonize or redeem its characters. They are all deeply flawed, yet complex human beings with an abundance of depth. The Lost Daughter exists entirely in a moral gray area. Its often so stressful because it doesnt tell its audience how to feel. You must do the hard work yourself.

The performances are stellar from top to bottom. Colman is a particular standout in the lead role. She explores the characters moral gray area to perfection. Colman even depicts the contradictory nature of her characters emotions in the way she smiles. Buckleys performance as a younger Leda is just as powerful. Johnson and Harris have smaller roles that remain pivotal to the story, although they are just as magnificent.

The Lost Daughter is a difficult film to process, but its all the richer for it. Gyllenhaal displays fresh talent behind the camera in her feature directorial debut. Her film begs its audience to explore their own moral judgment as Ledas story unfolds. The Lost Daughter is remarkable storytelling that digs under the skin and haunts the audience long after the credits roll.

The Lost Daughter hits limited theaters on Dec. 17 and will stream on Netflix starting Dec. 31.

RELATED: Maggie Gyllenhaal Reveals She Wrote The Lost Daughter After Being Radicalized Politically and Emotionally: Things Started to Shake up Inside Me
Jury finds David Pettis poisoned late wifes ice cream

SPOKANE  A jury has found a Cheney man guilty of first-degree murder.

David Pettis, age, is expected to be sentenced early next year.

Pettis was found guilty Dec. 13 after being accused of putting a lethal dose of hydrocodone in an ice cream float for his late wife, Peggy Pettis,

Closing arguments in the murder trial were presented Dec. 9 in Spokane County Superior Court.

The fatal dose was said to be 10 times more than a recommended therapeutic dose, court records show.

Pettis has been living in Oklahoma and working in Arkansas and recently returned to Spokane to face trial.

Detectives believe the murder was fueled by his interest in starting a romantic relationship with another woman and cashing out his wifes life insurance policy, records show.

The prosecution used its final statements to remind the jury of the aggressive way Pettis pursued the life insurance policy  he tried to collect it just two days after her death, records show.

Prosecuting attorneys said he was eligible for three different life insurance policies after his wifes death and tried to hurry the investigation so he could collect the money from the policy as soon as possible, records show.

At one point, they said he called the coroners office and was upset that the autopsy was taking so long, which needed to be completed for the insurance policy to be cashed out, records show.

The prosecution presented other evidence implicating Pettis in the killing.

Detectives collected seven months of Facebook communications between David Pettis and Robin Kaylor  the other woman he was communicating with, records show. They also have a statement he made to a real estate agent before Peggy Pettis death.

Hoping to be there next month, wish I could be there sooner, prosecuting attorneys presented for the jury.

The defense used their its statements to highlight alleged lies Kaylor told investigators.

On the stand, she told the jury her and David Pettis had been intimate, records show. But the defense said she didnt relay the same information to Detective Johnson.

The defense admitted that while David Pettis certainly acted inappropriately, the trial isnt about an affair, but a murder.

The defense also called witnesses to the stand to aid with their arguments.

One of the witnesses was the Pettis daughter, who testified that her mom suffered from issues with chronic pain and saw her mother crush pain medication and add it to her own ice cream in the past.

However, other witnesses statements seem to indicate David Pettis was feverish around the entire process of collecting the necessary documents to cash out on the life insurance policy, records show.

Krystn Meier is the policy agent that handled Peggy Pettiss life insurance policy and told the jury that David Pettis complained about the life insurance policys procedural length.

Other people testified of similar complaints.

Carol Gahl, assistant physician at Cheneys Multicare Rockwood Clinic and Taylor Diggles, former office assistant at the medical examiners office, both testified to David Petits voicing frustrations around how long the autopsy was taking regarding the life insurance policy.

There were other witnesses at the medical examiners office that said David Pettis tried to rush important pieces of the investigation, like the toxicology report, which was needed to collect the life insurance policy.
Sativa Transues body was returned to Spokane

CHENEY  The body of a former local woman found dead in Mexico over the Thanksgiving holiday has been returned to Spokane.

Cheney High School and Eastern Washington University graduate Sativa Transue, 26, of Milton, was on vacation with her boyfriend Taylor Allen, 31, when her family was notified that she had been found dead in the couples hotel room in Cancun, Mexico.

Allen was arrested by Mexican police and is being held on murder charges, according to Riviera Maya News and several local newspapers.

The Transue family was just able to get the body returned Spokane by working with a l...
The Connecticut State Legislature recently approved changes regarding voting districts that will impact how Cheshire citizens are represented in the future.

Redistricting, which happens approximately every 10 years or so, is designed to accurately reflect the ever-changing populations of Connecticuts municipalities. This year, the process led to a change in which districts cover Cheshire.

For decades now, the Cheshire portion of the 90th District has been proudly served  previously by Mary Fritz, and presently by myself, said State Representative Craig Fishbein (R-90). However, the shifting of the district to  include Middlefield is an especially heartwarming aspect of the redistricting.

The move will mean that Cheshire is no longer represented in the 90th District. By including Middlefield, those portions of Cheshire represented by Fishbein will now be split between the 103rd, 89th, and 83rd Districts, currently represented by Representatives Liz Linehan (Democrat), Lezlye Zupkus (Republican), and Cathy Abercrombie (Democrat), respectively.

The redistricting will go into effect for the 2022 legislative session, starting in February.

This year, when the legislature changed the law regarding where inmates vote, I knew that that would most likely have a significant effect on the 90th district, most likely resulting in (the Cheshire portion) being removed (from the district, Fishbein added.

The law referenced by Fishbein changed the ways in which inmates will now be represented  previously they were counted as part of the district in which they are incarcerated, but now will be represented by individuals from their home district. For example, someone who is imprisoned in Cheshire will no longer be considered a Cheshire voter, but will now be considered a voter in the original town from which they are from.

Now I represent even more of Cheshire, and I gained Hamden, which I am very excited about, said Linehan, who now represents parts of Cheshire, Wallingford, and Hamden, while having lost a portion of Southington. The areas of Cheshire that are now considered a part of the 103rd District lie between Routes 70 and 68 and the side of town closest to Hamden.

I got a big portion of Craigs old district, but I also lost some Cheshire residents as well, which sometimes happens with these redistricting lines, she said.

Linehan understands that some of her previous constituents might be upset with the change, while others are excited that their voices will be represented by her for the first time.

Cheshire residents know who I am, Linehan explained. Whether I represent them or not, I will always be there for the residents of Cheshire regardless, and I hope they still feel like they can come to me for any issues they might be having.

Zupkus, whose 89th District now extends from Moss Farm Road into the west side of Cheshire, also gained a portion of Waterbury. She is excited to have new constituents, and is ready to get to work come February.

There is a lot of work that needs to be done, she told The Herald. Now my district is Prospect, Cheshire, Bethany, and Waterbury, which is fantastic. Were in for a busy year!

New to Cheshire is Abercrombie, who represents the 83rd District that now includes most of Cheshire located to the east of Highland Avenue and Creamery Road, as well as Meriden and Berlin. As a Democrat, Abercrombie is excited to get the opportunity to work with Linehan and Mary Abrams (D-13) much more closely.

I have worked with Liz and Mary before on a variety of projects, but now I am excited to get to work together to represent the people of Cheshire, Abercrombie said. The biggest thing I want to focus on right now is workforce development. I come from a human services background and I know how bad the labor shortage is right now.

Abercrombie hopes that in this shorter legislative session, she and her colleagues will be able to come together to work on items that are a big deal to Cheshire residents.

I have a lot of experience in juvenile justice reform, having (represented) the Chief of Police from Meriden as one of my towns, she explained. I know its an issue Cheshire residents care about and were going to do what we can to address it this year. We (state Democrats) have a few town halls planned in the future to address this very thing.
Rashad Hussain has become Americas new ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, after the US Senate voted 855 last night in favor of his historic nomination as the first Muslim to hold the position.

Previous IRF ambassador Sam Brownback praised the decision and its bipartisan majority. Religious persecution is rampant around the world, and the international community looks to the United States for leadership that can make a difference, he stated.

Knox Thames, a senior fellow for the Institute for Global Engagement who served as the US State Departments special advisor for religious minorities during both the Obama and Trump administrations, also praised the overwhelmingly bipartisan vote.

Its good for the issue that partisan politics stayed out of international human rights advocacy, he told CT. And its good for the persecuted that the Senate confirmed Americans top diplomat promoting religious freedom before Christmas.

The US Commission on International Religous Freedom (USCIRF) thanked Congress for prioritizing the appointment of Brownbacks successor. The right to freedom of religion or belief is under sustained threat globally, stated USCIRF chair Nadine Maenza. With his years of knowledge and experience, Ambassador Hussain is well placed to advance the US governments promotion of international religious freedom.

Image: C-Span screenshot

We are praying for his success and we are eager to work with him, said Brent Leatherwood, acting president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). Religious freedom is under assault around the globe and his position is vital to confronting those who would undermine this fundamental right.

Open Doors president and CEO David Curry said Hussain is well-qualified for the role. His leadership will play a critical role in countering the global rise of religious persecution, he stated. We look forward to partnering together to speak up for people of faith everywhere.

Open Doors, which Brownback joined as a senior fellow this year, urged for Hussains priorities to include the extreme violence against Christians in Nigeria, the genocide against Uyghur Muslims in China, and the deterioration of religious freedoms in India, among others.

USCIRF vice chair Nury Turkel urged the US government to support Hussain by ensur[ing] that other key vacancies are swiftly filled, including the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, the Special Adviser for IRF on the National Security Council (NSC) staff, and Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues.

Twelve Christian IRF advocates previously told CT why they supported Hussains nomination:

Original post (Oct. 27), Religious Freedom Ambassador Nominee Goes Before Senate, by Joseph Hammond for Religion News Service:

A Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday considered the nomination of Rashad Hussain to be President Joe Bidens ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. Hussains confirmation would make him the first Muslim to hold the position.

Hussain held a number of roles in the Obama administration, serving on the National Security Council, as an associate White House counsel, and as special envoy for strategic counterterrorism communications and special envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The OIC is an intergovernmental organization representing 57 member states, most of them with a Muslim majority.

The 42-year-old lawyer was one of five nominees who took part in the virtual confirmation hearing on Tuesday.

(A)s a Muslim American, I have seen the impact of bigotry and guilt by association tactics used against minority communities, including the message it sends and dangers it poses to young people, Hussain said during his prepared remarks to the committee.

Hussain, born in Wyoming to Indian parents and raised in Texas, is a Hafiz, or person who has memorized the entire Quran.

Hussain vowed to ensure that religious freedom issues would never be sacrificed in diplomatic or economic negotiations with China.

China is one of the worst abusers of religious freedom in the world, Hussain said in response to a question about Americas response to the Uyghur genocide. Hussain called for increased US pressure on China to alleviate the suffering of not only the Uyghurs but Tibetan Buddhists, Chinese Christians, and members of the Falun Gong religious movement.

He suggested that America should encourage Muslim-majority nations to protest Chinas treatment of its Muslim population, suggesting such a strategy would have a significant chance of making an impact and helping the lives of people in China.

As the OIC special envoy and in other roles, Hussain gained experience in interfaith diplomacy. He oversaw the Marrakech Declaration, an effort to ensure protections for Christians and other minority religious groups in OIC member states.

A staggering 80 percent of people worldwide live in environments with high or severe restrictions on religious freedom, Hussain told the Senate committee.

He also vowed to continue the work of his predecessor, Ambassador Sam Brownback, nominated by President Donald Trump, vowing to continue to build the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance. The intergovernmental arrangement involving 27 countries was the signature initiative of Brownbacks tenure in the office.

In the history of this position, no ambassador has brought the breadth of policy knowledge that Hussain brings, wrote Princeton University professor Robert P. George and former IRF ambassador Rabbi David Saperstein in an op-ed for RNS. They highlighted the support for his nomination from the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention and from the Baptist World Alliance, as well as from Jewish groups.

Christian leaders advocating for international religious freedom have applauded his nomination and encouraged the Senate to confirm him to the position.

As the first Muslim to serve in this role, Hussain would send a strong signal rejecting despicable anti-Muslim discrimination, stereotyping and hatred that we have seen in America and abroad, wrote Bob Roberts, a Texas pastor and multifaith ministry leader, and Chris Seiple, president emeritus of the Institute for Global Engagement, in a column for the Dallas Morning-News last week.

And, we should note, he is the perfect person to visibly and vocally defend the rights of religious minorities, especially Christians, in some Muslim-majority contexts that have struggled to promote religious freedomas we have witnessed him do throughout his career.

Additional reporting by CT.
Idaho sheriff who allegedly pulled gun on church youth group giving out thank-you notes is charged

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The Idaho Attorney Generals Office has charged Bingham County Sheriff Craig Rowland with aggravated battery, aggravated assault and exhibition of a deadly weapon after he allegedly pulled a gun on a church youth group handing out paper turkeys in his neighborhood last month.

Sheriff Craig Rowland, who was charged on Tuesday, claimed he only had one drink before the incident but told Blackfoot Police Chief Scott Gay that he really screwed up during the Nov. 9 confrontation, according to KTVB7.

The seven girls, aged 12 to 16, were from a local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregation and were accompanied by their female leader.

It has been a very difficult experience for our child to go through, especially the confusion caused whenever the behavior of trusted adults seems harmful and unpredictable, a parent of one of the girls told The Idaho Statesman. Throughout the entire ordeal, the Blackfoot Police Department and the representatives from the Attorney Generals Office have been absolutely professional and thorough. We are grateful for the way they have handled this situation.

Court documents allege the group was going around posting thank-you notes shaped like turkeys on the doors of congregation members and then ringing the doorbell and running away so they wouldnt be seen.

When they reached Rowlands neighborhood, everything went well until they tried to leave a note for Rowland and his wife.

Rowland recalls in court papers that it was about 8 p.m. as he was taking his Yorkie outside that he saw two people run down the road from his house. He said he checked to see if his patrol vehicle had been broken into, then went back inside his home. Minutes after that, he said he heard his front screen door open and a knock.

Thinking someone was trying to break inside his house, Rowland said he asked his wife to get his gun and went outside. Home surveillance video shows Rowland in his long johns, socks and a T-shirt, then looking down and saying, Thank you and Thats frickin bulls***.

He said he later saw a vehicle driving down the road. He stopped it and opened the drivers side door.

I reach in and pull the driver out by the hair, Rowland told investigators, according to court documents. I say, Who the f*** are you? And I do have a gun in my hand, but I still have my finger on the slide.

Rowland admitted pointing his gun at the womans head, and she would later identify herself as a neighbor and family friend for three decades. The sheriff contends that he didnt recognize her and would eventually allow the group to leave as he returned to his home.

Thats when I really got scared because the gun was still at my head and he didnt know who [I] was, the woman noted in an affidavit, reports KTVB7.

The girls and their group leader recalled things differently. They claimed he threatened to shoot their group leader, saying the f-bomb multiple times.

Rowland, who will appear in court on Dec. 22, insists he wasnt drunk and that the recent time change really messed me up. He claimed to have been on edge because of interactions he and his wife previously had with community members.

I have been doing this job for 36 years. Ive had drunk Indians drive down my cul-de-sac. Ive had drunk Indians come to my door, he said. I live just off the reservation, we have a lot of reservation people around us who are not good people.
Pro-lifers rip FDA for lifting in-person dispensing requirement for abortion pills

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Pro-life groups are warning against the Food and Drug Administration for permanently eliminating the in-person dispensing requirements for the abortion pills, thereby allowing women to obtain the drugs by mail and end their pregnancy without seeing a doctor first.

On Thursday, Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, the director of the FDAs Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, sent a letter to Dr. Graham Chelius of the Society of Family Planning informing him that the agency intended to modify the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation System (REMS) program for the abortion pills, referred to in the letter as Mifepristone. The agency has determined that the Mifepristone REMS Program continues to be necessary to ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh the costs, she wrote.

However, we have determined that it must be modified to minimize the burden on the health care delivery system of complying with the REMS and to ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks, Cavazzoni said.

The modifications to the REMS will consist of: (1) removing the requirement that mifepristone be dispensed only in certain healthcare settings, specifically clinics, medical offices and hospitals (i.e., the in-person dispensing requirement); and (2) adding a requirement that pharmacies that dispense the drug be specially certified.

In a chemical abortion, women are given two drugs: mifepristone or RU-486, and misoprostol. Mifepristone works by blocking the effects of the natural pregnancy hormone progesterone. Misoprostol induces contractions and a miscarriage.

The Society of Family Planning sent a letter to the FDA earlier this year arguing that the in-person dispensing requirement for the abortion pills confers no benefit in terms of safety, efficacy, or acceptability of the drug mifepristone and instead creates barriers to use that negatively impact public health and equity in access to care.

The Society of Family Plannings letter followed the FDAs May 7 announcement that it was reviewing the REMS and its April announcement that it was suspending the in-person requirements for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pro-life groups condemned the FDAs move to permanently lift the in-person dispensing requirement for the abortion pills, also known as a chemical abortion.

Tessa Longbons, the senior research associate at the Charlotte Lozier Institute, pushed back on the idea that the abortion pills are safe and not in need of safeguards, such as the in-person dispensing requirement: Peer-reviewed research confirms a 500% increase in the rate of chemical abortion-related emergency room visits.

The FDA claims that complications are rare, yet peer-reviewed research from the United States, Finland and Sweden confirms the abortion [pills have] a much higher complication rate than surgical abortion, she added. As a woman who has studied abortion trends on a state-by-state level and analyzed major studies on chemical abortion, I find todays FDA decision to be historically bad. The FDA is putting women and girls at considerable risk through regulatory malpractice.

Stephen Billy, Charlotte Lozier Institutes executive director, characterized the FDA's move as a Christmas gift to the abortion industry. Sue Liebel, state policy director for the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List, elaborated on how the Biden administrations reckless move puts countless women and unborn children in danger in a statement.

Abortion activists longtime wish has been to turn every post office and pharmacy into an abortion center. They promote abortion drugs as easy, painless and private. Science says otherwise. Women who take chemical abortion pills are significantly more at risk of serious complications and more likely to require a visit to the emergency room, she added.

Some women even die. Already-exhausted ER doctors and nurses will be forced to clean up after an abortion industry that puts profits before safety and wont regulate itself  all to please [President Joe] Bidens radical base and pay back political allies.

In a statement, Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life, asserted that the FDAs decision today places women at risk. According to Tobias, These changes do not make this abortion process safer for women. What these changes do is make the process easier for the abortion industry.

The FDA knows the dangers of this abortion drug combination, but in the name of political expediency, has limited the safety measure requiring an in-person doctors visit, she continued. With this move today, the FDA further expands the scale of chemical warfare on the unborn, putting the lives and health of hundreds of thousands of women at risk for the sake of a powerful, political abortion industry.

Tobias characterized the experiment with mail-order abortion as a deadly experiment with womens lives. She maintained that women are at risk everywhere because abortion activists want abortions to be available at any time, anywhere, and for any reason.

Making this change permanent puts women at greater risk because they may not be adequately screened to make sure they have no disqualifying conditions like allergies or ectopic pregnancy and are not so far along that the drugs will not work or are more likely to result in life-threatening complications, warned Randall OBannon, director of education and research at National Right to Life.

OBannon expressed concern that Without that screening or monitoring, the likelihood of hemorrhage, infection, and missed ectopic pregnancy are greatly increased, and there is a greater possibility that a woman experiencing these adverse events may end up in the emergency room and could arrive too late for life-saving treatment.

The FDAs abandonment of the in-person dispensing requirement for the abortion pills comes as the U.S. Senate is considering Robert Califf, Bidens nominee to serve as the commissioner of the FDA. Pro-life groups have also spoken out in opposition to Califfs confirmation, citing his efforts during his previous tenure as FDA commissioner during the Obama administration to allow abortion pills to be taken as late as 10 weeks into a pregnancy.

While Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins urged senators to oppose Califf in a letter, four Republican senators have already indicated that they plan to support his confirmation. Meanwhile, Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., have come out against Califfs confirmation, although they cite reasons other than his actions on behalf of chemical abortions.

In a previous interview with The Christian Post, Sue Turner, director of Physicians for Life, said that when mifepristone first came out, the U.S. FDA had a protocol for it to be used through seven weeks or 49 days from conception.

Because many abortion clinics in the U.S. were ignoring the FDAs protocol and using the drug in chemical abortions up to 60 days, states began passing regulations saying they had to follow the FDAs protocol. They didnt want to have to follow the FDA protocol, so [then President] Obama made the FDA change it to the later date, the 60 days, to match up with what the abortion providers were doing.

The drug was less effective," she said, and abortionists then had to also perform a surgical abortion, which meant that women were being charged for both chemical and surgical procedures.

Describing the complications that arise from taking abortion pills [specifically misoprostol, the second pill] that induce a miscarriage, Turner added: I shudder to think what happens to her and what she goes through in that process because in about 30 minutes she starts having horrific contractions. And women can die. If the cervix doesnt open it can cause all kinds of horrible problems for her."
Texas AG investigating push to prescribe experimental puberty blockers not approved by FDA for kids

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The Texas Attorney Generals office is investigating two pharmaceutical companies for their promotion of well-established drugs as puberty blockers despite the fact that they have not received approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

The Office of Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Monday that it was investigating Endo Pharmaceuticals and AbbVie Inc. under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

These pharmaceutical companies allegedly advertised and promoted hormone (puberty) blockers for unapproved uses without disclosing the potential risks associated with these drugs to children and their parents, Paxton said in a statement.

Medications Supprelin LA and Lupron Depot are approved to treat children with Central Precocious Property (CPP), when the puberty process begins prematurely. And Vantas, along with other forms of Lupron, has been prescribed for palliative treatment of prostate cancer. These drugs are now being used to treat gender dysphoria even though they are not approved for such use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Attorney Generals Office cites the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act as the source of Paxtons authority to investigate the pharmaceutical companies, explaining that the law gives the attorney general the power to investigate false, misleading, and deceptive conduct by businesses in Texas. In addition to sending out a tweet declaring that I will not allow pharmaceutical companies to take advantage of #Texas children, Paxton detailed some of the concerns pertaining to the experimental use of puberty blockers for children and teenagers.

I will not allow pharmaceutical companies to take advantage of #Texas children. I have officially opened an investigation. https://t.co/WCS5A0qiR5  Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) December 14, 2021

The manufacture, sale, prescription, and use of puberty blockers on young teens and minors is dangerous and reckless, Paxton said. These drugs were approved for very different purposes and can have detrimental and even irreversible side effects.

Earlier this year, the Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden elaborated on some of the detrimental and even irreversible side effects of puberty blockers when announcing that it would no longer prescribe the drugs for experimental use on children younger than 16 who are struggling with gender dysphoria. In a statement, the hospital warned that these treatments are potentially fraught with extensive and irreversible adverse consequences such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, infertility, increased cancer risk, and thrombosis.

The American College of Pediatricians lists additional side effects of puberty blockers, which include mood disorders, seizures, [and] cognitive impairment.

In response to concerns about the side effects of puberty blockers, Arkansas became the first U.S. state to ban doctors from prescribing experimental puberty blockers, hormonal drugs and performing gender reassignment surgeries on children and teenagers with gender dysphoria by passing the Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act.

President Joe Biden's Department of Justice condemned the SAFE Act, filing a statement in an ACLU lawsuit against the Arkansas law declaring that federal law bars the state of Arkansas from singling out [trans-identified] minors for specifically and discriminatorily denying their access to medically necessary care based solely on their sex assigned at birth. The Biden administration contended that the law violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

A federal judge ultimately agreed with the Biden administration, striking down the SAFE Act shortly before it was set to take effect.

Shortly thereafter, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott asked the states Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate whether prescribing puberty blockers to children with gender dysphoria or subjecting them to other experimental procedures constituted child abuse. The agency found that performing such procedures and prescribing such drugs to minors did constitute child abuse.

In a previous interview with The Christian Post, Dr. Paul Hruz of Washington University of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, expressed concern that using Lupron as a puberty blocker could affect childrens bone density. A study published earlier this year reached a similar conclusion, indicating that puberty blockers led to reduced growth in both height and bone strength among minors who took them.

Additionally, informed consent documents that a hospital in California asked children seeking to take puberty blockers and their parents state that If your child starts puberty blockers in the earliest stages of puberty, and then goes on to gender-affirming hormones, they will not develop sperm or eggs. This means that they will not have biological children.

A trans-identified doctor has also raised questions about the consequences of puberty blockers. Dr. Marci Bowers, who performed elective cosmetic surgeries on prominent trans-identified reality star Jazz Jennings, told Wall Street Journal contributor Abigail Shrier in an exclusive interview that if youve never had an orgasm pre-surgery and then your pubertys blocked, its very difficult to achieve that afterwards.

I worry about their reproductive rights later. I worry about their sexual health later and their ability to find intimacy, Bowers added.
The significance of obituaries

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Yesterday, as I was reading The Wall Street Journal editorial pages, I came across a very thought-provoking piece, An Obituary Is the Story of a Life, Not a Death by Danny Heitman.

I confess to reading the WSJ every day it is published. I do so for two reasons. First, I really enjoy the information and perspective I gain from doing so. Second, it helps me to calm down and recover my emotional and intellectual equilibrium after I have read The New York Times every day. My relationship with the Times started when I was a freshman in college, matriculating approximately 50 miles from the Big Apple itself.

I fear that over the decades my daily appointment with the Times has become more of an addiction than a pleasure as the Times has declined catastrophically from its former greatness.

However, I digress. Getting back to the op-ed by Mr. Heitman. As his title asserts, an obituary is the story of a persons life, not their death. As he confesses, when he was assigned the task of writing obituaries for a periodical, I didnt relish the thought of sitting at a keyboard and focusing on the departed. He quickly learned, however, that A good obituary isnt a story about death; its a celebration of life.

As I read these words, I stopped and pondered their wisdom. I have been a regular reader of the obituary column of several newspapers (as well as the obituaries in my Princeton Alumni Weekly) both because I find them fascinating, and in the case of the NYTs obituaries, frequently very informative. Also, I increasingly look to see if among those being memorialized are people I have known at earlier periods of my life.

I have often thought that we would be better people if we spent more time thinking about  and investing in  how our obituaries will read and less time focused on resumes and press releases.

We have heard it said, many times, that when we are ushered into eternity, we will leave everything behind, because you cant take it with you!

The one thing each of us does leave behind is the legacy of the life we have lived, the people we have touched, and the difference we have  or have not  made on the world around us.

As I thought about this yesterday, a person came to mind who was a powerful example of this profound, but simple truth. This person was a prominent ophthalmologist and businessman who grew up in upstate New York and after medical school set up a medical practice in Alabama.

The doctor was a Baptist ministers eldest son, and as a child of the parsonage, he was a man of probity, humility and generosity. As his professional prominence grew, he became increasingly affluent.

It was not until his death that those of us who knew him discovered just how generous a man he was, and how he lived out his convictions.

As preparations were being made for his memorial service, his family members were overwhelmed at the outpouring of affection and respect that came from all segments of the community because of his countless acts of quiet, unpublicized generosity to people in need. Perhaps most surprising to the family were the expressions of gratitude and appreciation that came from the black community in that part of Alabama. As a prominent member of the white establishment in the 1950s, '60s, and '70s Alabama, he had reached out to help those victimized by segregation and racial prejudice.

Numerous black pastors came forward and asked if they could finally publicly acknowledge and pay tribute to this man who worked quietly behind the scenes anonymously as a peacemaker, as a source of funding for important projects, and as a provider of scholarship funds for deserving students, white and black, who did not have the financial resources to continue their education without help.

This physically large and imposing man, quiet in his demeanor in public and private, had been a beacon of hope and assistance to those in society too often treated harshly and unfairly. And, he did so, insisting that he receive no credit or publicity.

I thought at the time, what a godly legacy. What an inspiring example to follow. What a lifeline it must have been to many of the black pastors and community leaders to know they could always go and see the good doctor, and he would help, intervene, and provide assistance whenever he could.

I know that I have never forgotten his example of a life well-lived. The good doctor has been an inspiration to me down through the ensuing decades.

I hope you will join me during this holy holiday season in thinking about our obituaries, our legacies, and resolving to make the best use of the remaining days of our earthly existence, however few or many they may be, to be the salt and light Jesus called us to be.

May we all resolve to live lives ever more worthy of an inspiring and lasting legacy after we have departed this earthly sojourn.
Why are some pastors dying by suicide? Understanding the tragic trend

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Suicide is a tragic trend on the rise in America. Sadly, there has also been an increase in suicide within the Church and among beloved pastors.

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Why is this trend unfolding  and how can Christians help remedy it? Christian Post reporter Leonardo Blair joins host Billy Hallowell to break down the issue.

Listen to this episode of The Christian Post Podcast below:

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As the medical director of a 50-bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) that cares for babies born weighing less than 3 pounds and 5 ounces, I was frankly shocked by Justice Sonia Sotomayors outdated assertion last week that very few doctors  she called us a gross minority  believe pre-term babies can experience pain at younger than 24 or 25 weeks gestation.

During the Supreme Court oral arguments on Mississippis 15-week limit on elective abortions, Justice Sotomayor was openly skeptical that advancements in science and medicine over the last 30 years have any bearing on fetal viability. She questioned whether a babys pain is even relevant to the abortion debate and declared the idea of early fetal pain is not well founded in science at all. She described doctors who take fetal pain seriously as fringe.

Science has not stood still since Roe was decided in 1973. Modern studies demonstrate improved outcomes for babies born on the edge of viability when their pain is avoided, mitigated, or treated. So, its good that neonatologists and anesthesiologists are not listening to Justice Sotomayors clinical advice. Treating pain in our very youngest patients is not a fringe or fluky thing to do; it is our current, evidence-driven, medical standard of care.

Neonatal medicine treats newborn babies, including those born prematurely. Today some top neonatal intensive care units report that more than 3 out of 4 premature babies born at 22-23 weeks survive. Just a few decades ago medical intervention at 22 weeks was never even a consideration.

The remarkable progress in prenatal and neonatal care is due to advancing medical technology but also to advancements in patient care, including a priority on minimizing the babys pain before and after birth. As one example, during fetal surgery anesthesia is routinely administered both to the mother and the unborn baby. Intentionally decreasing painful procedures (such as blood draws) and avoiding noxious stimulation (such as interrupting an infants natural sleep time to check their blood pressure) have contributed measurably to the positive outcomes for babies at the edge of viability.

In fact, the presence of pain in premature infants is so uncontroversial that recent studies involve not only decreasing and/or treating pain, but also reevaluating how to make the neonatal environment more soothing. The science indicates that it is specifically our tiniest, most premature babies that benefit from these adjustments.

During last weeks Supreme Court hearing, Justice Sotomayor cited outdated science in another way. She referred to a 2010 study that concluded preborn infants are not capable of pain until the cerebral cortex becomes active between 24-30 weeks of gestation. The co-author of the study was an internationally known pro-choice neuroscientist named Stuart Derbyshire. To this day, pro-abortion activists routinely cite the study to claim that abortion before 24 weeks hurts no one.

Yet Stuart Derbyshire has firmly recanted his 2010 finding because further research demonstrated that preborn infants can experience pain well before they have a developed cortex.

His updated scientific conclusion? Overall, the evidence, and a balanced reading of that evidence, points towards an immediate and unreflective pain experience mediated by the developing function of the nervous system from as early as 12 weeks.

The discussion about pain is important because of the ramifications for improving our medical care. However, the capacity to be affected by pain is not what determines our humanity. Neither do the circumstances of conception or whether the new baby is wanted.

Derbyshire confronts this inherent contradiction between abortion and science with rare candor. In a recent interview, he said that even though he remains philosophically pro-choice, from a scientific perspective the discussion about viability is insane ... If you are defending abortion and youre trying to say a fetus is like a rock or a tree, then you are in trouble. It is alive.

He didnt stop there. Derbyshire told the interviewer that pro-choice advocates like himself (and Justice Sotomayor) need to face the fact that abortion impacts two humans.

Its a simple truth. The baby is fully human whether or not he or she can feel pain; the baby is fully human whether or not the mother reports feeling the pain of grief (often they do, even if it is complicated). However, in uncovering the intrinsic pain that abortion inflicts on mother and baby, perhaps we may uncover better ways to nurture the mother-infant dyad.

Being pro-life is more than being pro-birth. By better caring for both the mother and the baby may their love ignite the embers of hearts grown old and cold beneath the weight of a law that has damaged and destroyed so many.
Catholic diocese instructs priests to withold baptism, communion from trans-identified individuals

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A Catholic diocese in Michigan has ordered its priests not to perform baptisms, confirmations and other Catholic sacraments on trans-identified or nonbinary individuals, with an exception for those who have engaged in repentance for rejecting their biological sex.

The Catholic Diocese of Marquette, believed to be one of the first dioceses in the United States to issue the policy in July, stated in an official instructional report that its priests are to also withhold communion from trans-identified individuals who have not repented. The diocese clarified the instruction in a statement last week.

In the Catholic faith, communion is believed to be the process of taking in the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Additionally, in some cases, the order will prevent trans-identified people from receiving the anointing of the sick, which is often associated with providing physical or spiritual healing to very ill individuals.

We are not defined or identified by our sexual attractions or conflicts about sexual identity [and] our fundamental identity is as a beloved son or daughter of God, the instructional letter reads. Thus, it is best to avoid identifying persons merely using labels such as gay or transgender. It speaks more to our fundamental identity and dignity as persons to speak of persons with same-sex attraction or persons with gender dysphoria.

The instruction aims to provide considerations for pastoral care. It addresses the art of pastoral accompaniment, the meaning and purpose of human sexuality, general approaches to the accompaniment of persons with same-sex attraction and persons with gender dysphoria, and guidance for select pastoral circumstances.

There is an ever-greater need today for the pastoral care of persons with same-sex attraction and persons with gender dysphoria, the order said. Let us open our hearts to the love of God that we may overflow with love and kindness and respect for others.

The document, however, states that the experience of ones sexual identity is not sinful if it does not arise from the persons free will, nor would it stand in the way of Christian initiation.

But, the deliberate, freely chosen and manifest behaviors to redefine ones sex do constitute such an obstacle.

The Diocese of Marquette contends that the best way to approach people with same-sex attraction and persons with gender dysphoria is through pastoral care and through a loving approach to spread the news about Jesus Christ.

Human persons are created in the image and likeness of God. We are beloved sons and daughters of the Father, the instruction states. Jesus Christ died for us, which shows the depths of our human dignity. Thus, we are to treat persons with same-sex attraction and gender dysphoria with dignity and respect and all unjust discrimination is to be avoided.

The order addressed how the Churchs teaching is good news to a broken world.

The sexual revolution and the breakdown of marriages have led to barrenness, broken hearts, broken lives and broken families, it reads. The Churchs teaching, in contrast, fosters steadfast love, fidelity, unity, and fruitfulness. This is good news. The way to healing is embracing Jesus and His teaching.

The instruction notes that for priests to accompany others, it's insufficient merely to state the Churchs teaching.

In addition, we must strive to meet people and lead them, step-by-step, as we all walk toward the fullness of truth, the instruction reads. Accompaniment requires docility to the Holy Spirit and discernment of the steps along the path. Discernment requires the virtue of pastoral prudence and must be carried out in fidelity to the teachings of the Church. Accompaniment does not dilute the teachings of the Church, but rather, animated by charity, we are to proclaim the Gospel in its fullness.

The Diocese of Marquette released a statement last Thursday stating that The Church teaches that persons experiencing feelings of same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria is not sinful, but freely acting upon them is.

Experiencing feelings and desires that are not in accord with the true meaning and purpose of sexuality is not sinful, the statement reads. To commit a sin, we must know that something is wrong and freely choose to do it.



Bishop John Doerfler of the Diocese of Marquette said that in his years of ministry, hes found working with same-sex attracted people to be a privilege. He said he remains inspired by their faith and desire to live chastely.

Jennifer Haselberger, a former chancellor for canonical affairs in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, told The Washington Post that the new policy could contradict Canon Law, a set of ordinances and regulations that guide the Catholic Church.

Canon Law, she said, states that anyone who has not been baptized can be eligible for the sacrament and that those who will be impacted by the policy might have a way to challenge the order if they appeal to the Vatican.

Theres nobody who approaches baptism from a state of perfection, she said. The presumption is the opposite. You come to baptism as a sinner, and original sin is forgiven you.

Doerfler told a local Fox affiliate that its crucial for people to realize the gift of the body that the Lord has given them.

Hes given us this body as male or female to acknowledge that, to treasure that, and to respect that, he said.

The Catholic Church is widely known for hosting primarily infant baptisms. The new policy will likely impact non-Catholic adults wanting to be baptized within the Catholic Church, trans-identified teenagers prepping for confirmation and children of Catholic migrants who could not be baptized due to migration and other factors, according to The Washington Post.
Tim Kellers health has seen remarkable improvement amid stage 4 cancer, doctors say

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Popular pastor and author Tim Keller, who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer, was told by doctors that his health has seen remarkable improvement in the months following his diagnosis, according to his wife, Kathy Keller.

In a series of tweets posted on her husband's official Twitter page, Kathy Keller thanked supporters for their prayers and shared an update regarding the pastor's condition.

"Through Gods mercy and your prayers, there has been remarkable improvement in the last 18 months  in fact, his doctors are using words like 'fantastic' and 'dramatic' to describe the progress. Your prayers are working!" she wrote.

"As Tims begins a new round of chemotherapy this week, we hope you will pray for continued effectiveness of the treatment with even fewer side effects. Thanks again for the outpouring of love and support. We are grateful and ask for your continued prayers."

Keller, the founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City and City to City, was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in May 2020. He publicly revealed his illness less than a month later. At the time, he asked supporters to pray that God would use medical means or his direct intervention to make the cancer regress to the point of vanishing.

I feel great and have no symptoms. It was what doctors call an incidental pickup, otherwise known as providential intervention, he said. I have terrific human doctors, but most importantly I have the Great Physician himself caring for me.

He added, Though we have had times of shock and fear, God has been remarkably present with me through all the many tests, biopsies, and surgery of the past few weeks.

Keller, the co-founder of The Gospel Coalition, is also a survivor of thyroid cancer, which he had in 2002. He wrote about the experience in his book, Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering.

The pastor has regularly updated supporters on his condition and continued to speak, write and participate in ministry. In June, he said he was "extremely encouraged" by his body's response to his cancer treatment.

In an April 2021 interview with The Christian Post, Keller also expressed gratitude for his health despite mentioning that pancreatic cancer is typically an aggressive disease that often claims its victims within a year.

My wife Kathy and I are pretty grateful, he said in the interview. It looks like Ive got more time than we thought when we originally got the diagnosis.

The pastor told CP that no matter what lies ahead, hes ready for anything.

What the future holds, I dont know. Pray that I would have years and not months left, and that the chemotherapy would continue to be effective. But we are ready for whatever God decides for me. Were spiritually ready," Keller contended.

I do know, he added, that the resurrection of Jesus Christ really happened. And when I die, I will know that resurrection too.
Joe Rogan: People hate Chris Pratt because 'he just believes in Jesus'

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Chris Pratt has faced adverse treatment in Hollywood and on social media because he just believes in Jesus, according to Joe Rogan, who has the No. 1 most-listened-to podcast in the United States.

On Tuesday's episode of The Joe Rogan Experience (offensive language warning), the eponymous host lamented that people in Hollywood are terrified that if they step outside the lines, they will experience criticism and ostracization from their overwhelmingly liberal and secular colleagues.

Chris Pratt gets in trouble because hes Christian, Rogan remarked, explaining that the adverse treatment Pratt has received is unwarranted. He described the actor as the nicest ... guy Ive ever met in my life. ... He's done nothing. Hes so nice.

Hes kind of outside of the lines in terms of his ideology. Hes a Christian and pretty open about it, he added. Because of that, they attack him. Its something so simple, like, he just believes in Jesus and he  likes to be a good person.

Most recently, Pratt experienced backlash for a Nov. 2 Instagram post expressing gratitude for his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt, and illustrating how faith has played an important role in their relationship.

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 ear buds to drown it out, but thats love!

Pratt received criticism for the post because it didn't acknowledge his son with his ex-wife, Anna Faris, who's had health issues. In response to the pushback he received for the Instagram post, Pratt posted an Instagram story declaring that while he woke up depressed as a result of all the negative feedback he had received, I knew that if I put on my Christian music playlist, and I got out of the woods and ran that Id feel better.

Although he "just didn't want to" at first, Pratt said he did it anyways and, gosh, was I right. It felt amazing. I got out of the woods, got my blood pumping. After noting that listening to Christian music made him feel better, he proclaimed: All glory to God.

In 2019, actress Ellen Page, who now identifies as Elliot Page, claimed in a tweet that Pratts Church, the Zoe Church in Los Angeles, was infamously anti lgbtq.

Pratt denied the allegation in an Instagram story: It has recently been suggested that I belong to a church which hates a certain group of people and is infamously anti LGBTQ. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Oh. K. Um. But his church is infamously anti lgbtq so maybe address that too? https://t.co/meg8m69FeF  Elliot Page (@TheElliotPage) February 8, 2019

I go to a church that opens their doors to absolutely everyone. Despite what the Bible says about divorce, my church was there for me every stop [sic] of the way, never judging, just gracefully accompanying me on my walk. They helped me tremendously offering love and support. It is what I have seen them do for others on countless occasions, regardless of sexual orientation, race or gender, he wrote.

While Rogan noted that Hollywood has an anti-Christian bias, Pratt offered a different take in 2018, telling The Associated Press that he thinks theres this narrative that exists out there that Hollywood is anti-Christian, but its just not the case. He added that They are kind of not anti-anything.

In recent years, Pratt has discussed his faith in numerous social media posts, interviews and public appearances. As his wife gave birth to their son last year, Pratt took to Instagram to share the Bible verse Psalm 127:3-4.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are the children of ones youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate, Pratt declared.

In a 2019 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Pratt credited his faith with saving him from the lions den of fame, which he warned has the power to kill those it entraps.

As he delivered an acceptance speech at the 2018 Teen Choice Awards, Pratt thanked God before telling the audience that I always do that when Im up on a big platform in front of a bunch of young faces. I say, I love God! Thats my thing, I love Him  and you should too!
Republican senators urge FDA to label abortion pill as deadly,' hazard to women's health

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A group of nearly two dozen Republican senators have signed onto a letter to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn asking him to protect women and girls by removing abortion-inducing drugs from the U.S. market.

In the letter, lawmakers urge the FDA to "classify the abortion pill as an 'imminent hazard to the public health' that poses a 'significant threat of danger.'"

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, one of the lawmakers who signed onto the letter, took to Twitter Wednesday to proclaim that pregnancy is not a life-threatening illness, and the abortion pill does not cure or prevent any disease.

The letter comes less than a week after the Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to lift an injunction on an FDA rule requiring abortion clinics to schedule in-person appointments with patients before dispensing or prescribing the abortion-inducing drugs sold as Mifeprex in the U.S.

The rule came as the abortion industry has used the coronavirus pandemic to push for the expansion of TelAbortions, where women receive Mifeprex, formerly known as RU-486, in the mail. TelAbortions enable abortion clinics to circumvent the Risk Evaluation Mitigation Strategies, or REMS, which require a qualified medical professional to dispense the abortion pills at a clinic, hospital or other medical facility.

As the senators explained in the letter, Under the REMS, an abortion pill prescriber must guarantee his competence to properly date a pregnancy, and to provide or arrange for surgical intervention in case the pill fails, or in case the woman needs emergency intervention. The senators proceeded to make the case that forcing women to engage in a form of DIY chemical abortion comes with significant risks.

In a previous interview with The Christian Post, Sue Turner, director of Physicians for Life, said that when Mifepristone first came out, the FDA had a protocol for it to be used through seven weeks, or 49 days from conception.  But the longer you wait," she said, the less effective it is.

Because many abortion clinics were ignoring the FDAs protocol and using the drug in chemical/medical abortions up to 60 days, states began passing regulations saying they had to follow the FDAs protocol.

They (abortionists) didnt want to have to follow the FDA protocol," Turner said. "So [then President Barack] Obama made the FDA change it to the later date, the 60 days, to match up with what the abortion providers were doing. The drug was less effective and abortionists then had to also perform a surgical abortion, which meant that women were being charged for both chemical and surgical procedures.

In their letter, the senators noted: According to FDA reporting, the abortion pill has taken more than 3.7 million preborn lives, caused 24 maternal deaths, and resulted in at least 4,195 adverse maternal reactions including hemorrhage, excruciating abdominal pain and severe life-threatening infections. The fact is that the abortion pill poses a four-times higher risk of complication than surgical abortion in the first trimester.

The senators letter to the FDA also cited a report from the pro-life group Live Action called Abortion Pill Kills. The report explained in detail the complications experienced by women who take the abortion pill, which can include severe cramping, contractions, and heavy bleeding.

According to the FDA, women can expect the bleeding to last 9 to 16 days on average, while 8% experience bleeding for more than 30 days, the report states. It also warns that the ultimate goal of the abortion industry is to make abortion pills available over the counter and remove all requirements mandating that licensed physicians be involved in the process.

While the senators praised the FDA for continuing to fight to defend the REMS and monitor dangerous clinical studies, they argued that these measures alone fail to protect the thousands of women harmed even by compliant usage of this drugor the millions of children killed.

These senators are not the only group expressing concerns about abortion pills and calling for their removal from the market. A group of six dozen Republican members of the House of Representatives sent Hahn a nearly identical letter seconding the concerns of their Senate colleagues.

Earlier this summer, a coalition of pro-life groups wrote a letter to Hahn calling on the FDA to ban abortion pills. Signatories included the presidents of Live Action, the Susan B. Anthony List, Samaritans Purse, and the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists  a group of practitioners who broke away from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists after it began advocating for abortion on demand and abortion for minors without parental consent.

BREAKING: Live Action President @LilaGraceRose & 22 Pro-Life Leaders have sent a letter to @SteveFDA urging the @US_FDA to BAN the abortion pill.



The deadly drug is an imminent hazard to public health and poses a significant threat to the lives of women & children.



RT! pic.twitter.com/4kYbxs8DEy  Live Action (@LiveAction) July 28, 2020

Pro-abortion activists were quick to condemn the push to label Mifeprex as dangerous. Ilyse Hogue, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, slammed the fear and lies featured in the letter and declared that medication abortion is incredibly safe.
Supreme Court reinstates FDA rule blocking delivery of abortion pills by mail

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The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated a rule at the Food and Drug Administration requiring women to see doctors before they can receive medication for chemical abortions, overturning a lower court decision that enabled them to obtain the abortion pill via mail.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court voted 6 to 3 to grant the FDAs application for a stay against a lower court order requiring the government agency to suspend requirements for dispensing the abortion pill, also known as mifepristone.

Since its implementation in 2000, mifepristone, sold as Mifeprex in the United States, has been subjected to a risk-evaluation mitigation strategy, or REMS. REMS restrictions require the abortion-inducing drug to be administered by a qualified medical professional at a healthcare setting, such as a clinic or hospital.

But during the coronavirus pandemic, groups in favor of increasing abortion access like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have argued that the rule constituted a substantial obstacle for women looking to have an abortion.

In July, U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Maryland, who was appointed by Democrat President Barack Obama, agreed with their analysis and suspended the FDA rule.

In a concurring opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts rejected the premise that the issue at hand was whether the requirements for dispensing mifepristone impose an undue burden as a general matter.

Roberts maintained that the question is instead whether the District Court properly ordered the Food and Drug Administration to lift those established requirements because of the Courts own evaluation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Courts owe significant deference to the politically accountable entities with the background, competence, and expertise to assess public health, Roberts contended. The chief justice added that he did not see a sufficient basis here for the District Court to compel the FDA to alter the regimen for medical abortion.

Tuesdays decision comes months after the Supreme Court temporarily upheld Chuangs ruling while asking the judge to promptly consider amending or withdrawing his decision. When Chuang declined to amend his decision last month, the FDA again appealed to the Supreme Court.

As a result of the Courts ruling, the requirement that women see a doctor before obtaining abortion pills will be reinstated as the case continues to make its way through the legal system. However, the incoming Joe Biden administration, which is expected to ally itself with the pro-abortion movement, could opt to suspend the ban on receiving abortion pills by mail.

Planned Parenthood, the nations largest abortion provider and one of the most outspoken abortion advocacy groups in the U.S., took to Twitter to voice its disapproval with the decision.

Forcing patients to travel unnecessarily to a health center and risk COVID-19 exposure in order to access safe medication abortion is dangerous and serves only to create more barriers to care, especially for people of color and people with low incomes.

Forcing patients to travel unnecessarily to a health center and risk COVID-19 exposure in order to access safe medication abortion is dangerous and serves only to create more barriers to care, especially for people of color and people with low incomes. https://t.co/U7gRREpeWO  Planned Parenthood (@PPFA) January 13, 2021

Lila Rose, the founder of the pro-life activist organization Live Action, described the ruling as a small but positive step.

BREAKING: SCOTUS has granted Trump admin request, reverses nationwide injunction that allowed abortionists to ship abortion drugs via mail during the pandemic for at-home abortions. A small but positive step. NO abortion should be permitted by law, whether at home or in clinic.  Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) January 12, 2021

The prominent pro-life lobbying group Susan B. Anthony List celebrated the decision. The group accused the pro-abortion lobby of seeking to further jeopardize the health and safety of women.

Planned Parenthood and the abortion lobby even sought to exploit the #COVID 19 pandemic to push abortion by mail, promoting DIY abortion at home, upping the risk of serious complications, the organization tweeted.

Last year, Live Action released an investigative report called Abortion Pill Exposed, which is part of a larger effort called Abortion Pill Kills. The movement seeks to expose the history of the pill and the abortion industrys plans to expand the drug. The report highlights some of the complications that sometimes result from taking the pill, which include severe cramping, contractions, and heavy bleeding. According to the report, the abortion pill has caused 24 maternal deaths, more than 1,000 hospitalizations and more than 4,000 adverse events.

Additionally, the report highlights how the Obama administrations FDA extended the period women could take the abortion pill from the first 7 weeks of pregnancy to the first 10 weeks, reduced the required dosage of mifepristone from 600 milligrams to 200 milligrams, and reduced the number of required visits from three to two.

Conservative senators who share the concerns of Live Action wrote a letter to FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, asking him to classify the abortion-inducing drugs as an imminent hazard to the public health that poses a significant threat of danger. They also urged the agency to pull it from the market.

On the other hand, abortion advocacy groups insist that women have nothing to worry about when taking the pill. During a recent appearance on a podcast, Ilyse Hogue, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, referred to medication abortions as very safe.

She expressed hope that the Biden administration would use the FDA to pursue the advancement of the abortion pill.
SD Gov. Kristi Noem introduces bill to 'restore protections for prayer in schools'

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South Dakotas Republican Gov. Kristi Noem has introduced a bill that would allow students in public schools to pray every morning at school if they so choose despite pushback from secular groups to similar bills in other states.

On Monday, Noem released the text of legislation that would require a moment of silence in schools to begin the school day.

In a statement, Noem shared her belief that every student deserves the opportunity to begin their day with a calm, silent moment.

I hope students will take this opportunity to say a quick prayer or reflect on their upcoming day. However they choose to take advantage of this time, it will be beneficial to students and teachers alike, she added.

The bill calls for all public school districts in the state to provide students and teachers the opportunity each morning that school is in session to have a moment of silence lasting up to one minute.

Potential uses for this moment of silence include voluntary prayer, reflection, meditation or other quiet, respectful activity.

The legislation would mandate that no school employee may dictate the action to be taken by students or teachers during the moment of silence and that no student may interfere with another students engagement in the moment of silence. It also clarifies that the language in the bill shouldnt be construed to permit schools to conduct the moment of silence as a religious exercise.

The legislation contends that a moment of silence at the beginning of the school day is necessary to provide students and teachers with a reprieve from the frenzy of daily life and to set a tone of decorum that will be conducive to learning.

South Dakota is one of several states where elected officials are pushing for a moment of silence in schools.

An Ohio Senate bill introduced in October would establish a moment of silence in schools.

In June, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that would give students a daily opportunity to reflect and be able to pray as they see fit.

Separation of church and state advocacy groups see the moment of silence measures as causes for concern.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which advocates for a strict separation of church and state, wrote a letter to the Ohio Senate criticizing Senate Bill 248 as an unconstitutional promotion of religion.

The Wisconsin-based advocacy group expressed particular opposition to the language of the bill calling on each public school district to provide for a moment of silence each school day for prayer, reflection, or meditation upon a moral, philosophical, or patriotic theme.

FFRF Staff Attorney Ryan Jayne maintained that moment of silence bills that contain an explicit reference to prayer  such as the bills in Ohio, Florida and South Dakota  run afoul of U.S. Supreme Court precedent in the 1985 Wallace v. Jaffree decision. The court struck down an Alabama law setting aside time for meditation or voluntary prayer during the school day.

The addition of or voluntary prayer indicates that the State intended to characterize prayer as a favored practice, the decision stated.

The Supreme Court concluded that such an endorsement is not consistent with the established principle that the government must pursue a course of complete neutrality toward religion. Jayne argued that the Ohio bills mention of prayer before other potential uses for the moment of silence makes the endorsement even more clear.

There can be no serious doubt that the primary intent of this bill is to inject religion into the public school day, which is an improper legislative purpose, he wrote. Mandatory moment of silence bills are a trend across the country and invariably they are described in terms of promoting religion.

DeSantis described the Florida moment-of-silence bill as an initiative allowing students to pray as they see fit and one that counters attempts to push God out of every institution. The headline included with the statement from Noems office about the South Dakota bill characterizes the legislation as an effort to restore protections for prayer in the classroom.
Supreme Court temporarily allows abortion pill by mail despite health risks

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The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily allowed doctors to prescribe the abortion pill without meeting the women who seek it during the COVID-19 pandemic, which means the drug can now be mailed or delivered. Pro-life groups have warned it can be highly risky.

The Trump administration had urged the court to reinstate a U.S. Food and Drug Administration rule requiring women to visit a hospital or clinic to obtain the drug after a federal district court suspended the requirement. But the high court declined to immediately act on the request and sent it back to the district court.

Conservative justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented.

"While COVID19 has provided the ground for restrictions on First Amendment rights, the District Court saw the pandemic as a ground for expanding the abortion right recognized in Roe v. Wade," Alito wrote in his dissent, adding that the FDA requirement has been enforced for the course of four presidential administrations.

"During the COVID19 pandemic, the FDA suspended in-person dispensing requirements for some drugs, but it evidently decided that the mifepristone requirement should remain in force. Nevertheless, a District Court Judge in Maryland took it upon himself to overrule the FDA on a question of drug safety.

"Under the approach recently taken by the Court in cases involving restrictions on First Amendment rights, the proper disposition of the Governments stay application should be clear: grant. But the Court is not willing to do that. Nor is it willing to deny the application. I see no reason for refusing to rule."

Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser expressed disappointment. Chemical abortion poses serious complications for women that can include heavy bleeding, intense and prolonged pain, infection, and even death," she noted.

Every day of delay is a day that unborn children and their mothers are at risk from these dangerous drugs.

Blocking the FDAs rule, U.S. Judge Theodore Chuang in Greenbelt, Maryland, had ruled in July that the requirement for the doctors to meet patients in-person place a substantial obstacle in the path of women seeking a medication abortion and possibly violate their constitutional rights.

Without elaborating, the high court last week asked the federal judge to promptly consider within 40 days whether his ruling should be withdrawn or amended due to the pandemic.

Litigation on the issue is ongoing in some lower courts.

Dr. Ingrid Skop from Faith and Law wrote on the groups website that abortion advocates are aggressively working to remove FDA and legislative restrictions so that medical abortion can be provided without evidence-based oversight.

These trends must be recognized and countered for the protection of American women, she added.

Medical abortion is increasing as a percentage of all abortions for reasons that benefit abortion providers but there are distinct disadvantages for women. Medical abortion is far more likely to fail than surgical abortion, resulting in frequent complications and requiring surgical completion in one out of twenty women, she explained.

Last September, the National Right to Life Committee, a pro-life group, supported the FDAs ban on online abortion pill sales.

Randall K. OBannon, the groups director of education and research, told The Christian Post that the evidence out there of the risks and dangers associated with these pills show that the FDA is more than justified in maintaining strict controls on their distribution and use.

Late last month, a federal judge struck down a Tennessee law requiring abortion providers to inform women who undergo a drug-induced abortion that the process can be reversed to save the baby.

Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Utah also have laws requiring abortionists to inform mothers that they have the ability to reverse their medication abortion. Tennessee is one of three states where such a policy has been put on hold by a court ruling. The others are North Dakota and Oklahoma.
UN urged to promote religious engagement and literacy, especially in the West

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NEW YORK  The United Nations was urged to use its status as the seat of global politics to promote the importance of religious engagement and literacy to advance development and diplomacy at a worldwide gathering of diplomats and representatives of various religious institutions Friday.

The meeting held at the U.N. Church Center in midtown Manhattan was organized by Religions for Peace and the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations under the theme, Faith and Diplomacy: Strategic reflections on religiously inspired efforts towards building peaceful, just and inclusive societies.

Religions for Peace, led by Prof. Azza Karam, is the worlds largest and most representative multi-religious coalition advancing common action among religious communities for peace. The organization works to transform violent conflict, advance human development, promote just and harmonious societies and protect the Earth.

Religions for Peace is the United Nations of religious institutions.  There is not a single faith community that is unrepresented on the Council of Religions for Peace, Karam said in welcoming the audience on Friday. As such, we are deeply honored and constantly humbled when we listen to our faith leaders speak.

Several members of the diplomatic and religious communities shared various recommendations on the nexus between faith and diplomacy.

But it was Chief Rabbi David Rosen, the international director of the Department of Interreligious Affairs at the American Jewish Committee, who argued that a lack of religious sensibility and religious literacy among diplomats in the West is causing them to miss out on the critical value of engagement with religions.

We know from the famous Pew study that some 84% of our world considers religion to play an important part in their lives. And that to ignore the influence, power and capacities of religions is foolhardy, counterproductive. It is akrasia, Rosen said.

It would, therefore, be funny if it were not so sad to see how so many Western countries in particular disregard the critical value of engagement with religions. More often than not, it is because the people engaged with diplomacy themselves are lacking in religious sensibility, let alone religious literacy, he continued. The situation is often even worse in the field of development where it is not unusual to find an ignorance of religious realities and even hostility towards religion  which is sometimes considered the enemy, an attitude which, again, is totally self-defeating.

Miguel Angel Moratinos, the high representative of the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations, highlighted that while the world has become increasingly complex, religious and cultural issues remained at the heart of much of the conflict around the world today.

If you go to most of the diplomats and member states here taking part in the normal life of the U.N. system, they will be in absolute agreement with me that if you go to the agenda of the Security Council today, you will have practically 90% or 95% of the crisis, conflict have a cultural or religious dimension, he said. So that means that you cannot ignore the religious and cultural dimension of any crisis or problem that affect the peace and security in the world.

Rosen explained that globally, faith and religions are manifested differently, making it impossible to discuss faith generically.

Not all religions are about faith. Faith is a varying element in religions and sometimes even quite marginal. This makes the widespread use of the word in the West problematic to begin with. But even if we refer to religion, a more encompassing term than faith, it also cannot be generalized about, he said.

Religions vary from one context to another. Indeed the same religion may have a very different character at one time or place from the same religion in other times or places. Even more to the subject of our consultation, the relationship between a religion and the political authority or civil society varies enormously from one context to another.

Variety extends from places in our world where religion is the foundational fabric of society and where religious leaders exercise overwhelming influence to places where religious institutions have lost virtually all temporal power but where many people expect it to offer some kind of moral guidance, he added. We need to talk about religions in the plural and to understand that each context has to be addressed with its own particularity.

Rosen also said that while there are good arguments that can be made for the alienation of religion in some contexts, the perversion or prostitution of something is no proof of its inherent value or lack thereof.

There are, of course, some good reasons for alienation from religions where one sees the terrible things that have been done and often are still done in their names.  The role that religions have to play, both in development and diplomacy, is so great that to ignore it is to undermine ones own interest, the rabbi said.

What should be clear  is the importance of bringing the worlds of diplomacy and religions to learn about one another and to support one another in the pursuit of peace and reconciliation and the promotion of the common good, he argued before noting that Religions for Peace and the UNAOC should be used in the U.N. system to highlight the importance of religious engagement and literacy.

Rosen added that the U.N. should be a structure highlighting the importance of religious engagement and literacy.

And a fact that it established the Alliance of Civilizations and has collaborated in the past closely with Religions for Peace should make them the natural agencies to entrust this crucial task, he said. However, first and foremost, it requires that the leadership of the U.N. itself charges its member states to engage with these bodies developing the key capacities for those working on international issues, strategizing together in relation to each and any given context precisely to assess the role that each can play and the potential of their mutual collaboration.
Most Americans say there are no valid reasons to refuse COVID vaccines but are open to exemptions

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Most Americans support religious exemptions for COVID-19 vaccinations although only one in 10 say their religious teachings forbid them from getting vaccinated, and 60% dont believe there are valid religious reasons to avoid vaccination, a new poll suggests.

The Washington-based polling nonprofit Public Religion Research Institute released survey data last Thursday about Americans views about COVID-19 vaccination based upon a sample of 5,366 adults interviewed online between Oct. 18 and Nov. 9.

Among the findings, PRRI noted that 10% of respondents believed that the teachings of their religion prohibit them from getting vaccinated. In comparison, 13% said getting vaccinated for COVID-19 goes against their personal religious beliefs.

When asked if they agree or disagree that too many people are using religion as an excuse to avoid COVID-19 vaccination requirements, 59% of respondents said they either completely (30%) or mostly agreed (29%). Twenty-two percent said they mostly disagree and 18% said they completely disagree.

Meanwhile, 60% agree there are no valid religious reasons to refuse a COVID-19 vaccine, and 38% disagreed.

Although only 39% said they either completely or mostly agree that anyone who simply says that receiving a COVID-19 vaccination goes against their religious beliefs should be granted a religious exemption, Americans were more open to providing religious exemptions to individuals and groups with a history of refusing vaccinations for other illnesses.

Fifty-five percent of respondents said anyone who has a record of refusing to receive other vaccinations due to their religious beliefs should be able to claim a religious exemption. About 43% disagreed.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents agreed that anyone who belongs to a religious group that has a record of refusing to receive other vaccinations should be able to claim a religious exemption, while 41% said they disagree.

Fifty-one percent of respondents said they agree that anyone with a document from religious leaders saying that COVID-19 vaccinations go against their religious beliefs should be able to claim a religious exemption. Forty-seven percent disagreed.

Most Americans (52%) disagreed with the statement that no one should be allowed to claim an exemption from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine based on their religious beliefs. About 45% agreed with the statement.

There was a noticeable partisan divide among the respondents as PRRI finds that 73% of Republican respondents and 33% of Democrat respondents supported religious exemptions.

When asked specifically about COVID-19 vaccine mandates by the government, slightly more Americans support religious exemptions (58% favor, 41% oppose) for those who sincerely believe they violate the teachings of their religion, a summary report states.

Majorities of most Christian groups say that the government should allow people to opt out of vaccinations if they sincerely believe they violate the teachings of their religion.

The PRRI report comes amid widespread litigation over COVID-19 vaccine mandates, both for those enacted at the federal and state levels.

Last week, a federal judge issued a nationwide injunction against the Biden administrations vaccine mandate for entities that contract with the federal government.

Judge R. Stan Baker of Georgia, a Trump appointee, temporarily blocked the mandate in response to arguments that letting the mandate take effect on Jan. 4 would result in irreparable injury to workers.

Baker wrote that forcing plaintiffs to comply with the mandate would require them to make decisions which would significantly alter their ability to perform federal contract which is critical to their operations.

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to grant two emergency requests to block New Yorks COVID-19 mandate for healthcare workers. Critics contend that the state should allow religious exemptions since it allows medical exemptions.
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It was 50 years ago today that Jesus saved me from my sins. Fifty years! I am beyond amazed that I can even write these words. Lord, You are so good!

It was 50 years ago today that, after weeks of spiritual wrestling and deep conviction of sin, I encountered His love so deeply that I said, I will never put a needle in my arm again. And the rest, as they say, is history.

And what an amazing history it has been. I cannot help but stop and give God praise. And I truly believe that the best is yet to come. Truly!

Thank You, thank You, Lord!

I have shared the details of my personal testimony countless times in many forms and formats. But today, celebrating 50 years as a believer, I want to celebrate what He has done over the decades, publicly and specifically, declaring the depth of my gratitude to the Lord for saving a wretch like me  and I mean a wretch.

I was doing LSD at the age of 14 and shooting heroin at the age of 15.

Stealing money from my own father.

Breaking into a doctors office with a friend, just for fun (and to steal drugs).

Full of pride and rebellion, with an ugly, wicked temper, too.

Utterly lost in sin.

And yet, by Gods amazing grace  and I mean amazing!  in these last 50 years, I have had the privilege of:

Preaching the gospel thousands of times all over America and around the world.

Taking the message of Jesus across the globe, including almost 200 ministry trips outside the USA to more than 30 nations (with more than 50 trips to Asia alone).

Writing more than 40 books and over 2,000 articles and op-eds.

Serving as a leader in what has been called the longest-running, local-church revival in American history.

Leading many Jewish people to Yeshua through our outreach materials in English, Hebrew, Russian and more.

Enjoying more than 45 years of marriage to my wonderful bride, Nancy, herself a former Jewish atheist, now the mother of our two wonderful children and grandmother of our four amazing grandchildren. (And a shout-out to our terrific sons-in-law too!)

What a testimony to the grace and mercy of the Lord. Any good that has come out of my life is to His glory alone. For that, I am eternally grateful. All praise and honor go to Him!

Just think.

This same person who used to huff diesel gas to get high earned a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures from New York University and has delivered scholarly papers at venues like Harvard University, conducted debates, or delivered outreach lectures at venues like Oxford University, the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Yale University, Ohio State University and contributed to some of the finest academic works in print. That is what you call transforming grace!

I can assure you that, when I was shooting heroin into my veins and listening to Led Zeppelins Dazed and Confused, conducting lectures on university campuses was not on my radar at all.

My life goals used to be getting high and playing drums with my rock band, and I didnt have the slightest thought of serious study or academic work. Yet the Lord has now given me the privilege of serving as an adjunct or visiting professor at 7 leading seminaries and training thousands of students in our ministry schools. It was the man once known as Drug Bear and Iron Man who helped train them!

Only the Lord can take credit for that. Only God can get the glory for taking someone so worthless and making his life count. And He can do the same for you or someone you love who is hopelessly lost today. I am living proof. Jesus can completely turn you around.

I know the depth of my own sin outside of the Lords goodness. I know how vile and depraved I could have been. And I know the incredible amount of mercy the Lord has shown me over these 50 years as a believer. Mercy indeed!

I am a perfect example of God using something foolish and weak to confound the wise and strong. Thats why my only boast is in Him. And thats why I am humbled to the point of tears of gratitude. How I love the Lord!

And so, in celebration of 50 years in Him, may I ask you for two small favors?

First, if our ministry has been a blessing to you or played a significant role in your life, would you please take a moment and share some of those details with us? This will allow us to praise Him even more and bring encouragement to our whole ministry team. (You can send your story to us at info@askdrbrown.org.)

Second, please pray with us that the Lord will enable us to blanket the nation with the Line of Fire broadcast. We feel a holy mandate to see exponential expansion in 2022, but we can only do this with supernatural help, favor, wisdom, and provision. Please join us in prayer for this.

And to all of you who have prayed for me and my family and our ministry over the years and supported us in so many different ways, thank you, thank you, thank you. And a special thanks on this day to those of you who are still alive who helped pray me into the kingdom back in 1971 when I was just 16 years old. Your prayers were not in vain!

Thank You, thank You, Lord!

Lord, on that glorious night of December 17, 1971, I would never have dreamed in a million years what You had in store for me in the decades that would follow. And so, today, overwhelmed with gratitude, wonder, and awe, I wholeheartedly consecrate the rest of my days to You  whatever the cost or consequence, whether by life or by death.

You are worthy of it all!
ISIS extremists in Mozambique enslaved hundreds of women, girls as sex slaves: watchdog

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Militants linked to the Islamic State terror group in the southern African country of Mozambique have enslaved more than 600 women and girls, many of which have been abused and sold as sex slaves for as low as $600, a report by Human Rights Watch reveals.

The United Kingdom-based watchdog organization reports that the armed group Al Sunnah wa Jamaah, also known as Al-Shabab, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado has forced younger, healthy-looking and lighter-skinned women and girls in their custody to marry their fighters.

Others have been sold to foreign fighters for between $600 and $1,800, according to the report. And, abducted foreign women and girls have been released after their families paid ransom.

The oil-rich Cabo Delgado province, a coastal region on the Indian Ocean, has suffered an emergence of a jihadi movement that has displaced thousands and killed hundreds since 2017. In 2018, the terror group pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. In 2019, the Islamic State confirmed the group as an affiliate and has claimed responsibility for some attacks.

Militants abducted women and girls during attacks in various Cabo Delgado districts. HRW interviewed 37 people, including former abductees, relatives, security sources and government officials between August 2019 and October 2021.

A 33-year-old woman stated that local Al-Shabaab fighters held her aunt at gunpoint so that she would identify houses with girls between the ages of 12 and 17 in Mocimboa da Praia. The source counted 203 girls but is unsure if all the girls were abducted.

Some mothers were begging the fighters to take them instead of their daughters, a 27-year-old man who was interviewed said. But one of the [militants] said they didnt want old women with children and diseases.

A former abductee from Mocimboa da Praia said he was forced to select the women and girls for sex with fighters when they return from military operations.

Those [women] who refused were punished with beatings, and no food for days, he said.

Human Rights Watch Africa Director Masi Segun said that an unknown number of women and girls remain in captivity in Mozambique, although regional security forces have rescued some of them. Those who remain captive face horrific abuses daily, including enslavement and rape by Al-Shabab fighters.

Mozambican authorities should intensify efforts to rescue and reintegrate survivors into their communities, and promptly ensure their humane treatment and access to medical and psychosocial services, Segun stressed in a statement.

The Al-Shabab group in the majority-Christian country of Mozambique is not believed to have any connection with the deadly Somalia-based terror group with the same name.

Last November, ISIS-linked militants beheaded over 50 people, including women and children, and abducted others in weekend raids in the Miudumbe and Macomia districts of the Cabo Delgado province.

According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), the Cabo Delgado province had suffered from at least 776 organized violence events since 2017, and as of January 2021, 2,578 fatalities from organized violence and 1,305 fatalities from civilian targeting.

The United Nations estimates more than 745,000 people are internally displaced in Mozambique due to the Islamic extremism that erupted in 2017.

Mozambique also ranks as the 45th worst country for Christian persecution on Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List. This 2021 report is the first time the country has been listed on Open Doors annual list. Extremist attacks have killed many Christians, and terrorists have burned churches and schools.
home World Over 500 UK church leaders prepared to face criminal charges if conversion therapy is banned



Over 500 church leaders from across the UK have written to the government to say they are prepared to face criminal charges if a conversion therapy ban is introduced.

In the letter, they say that they will "continue to do our duty to God" even if the proposed ban comes into force.

"It should not be a criminal offence for us to instruct our children that God made them male and female, in his image, and has reserved sex for the marriage of one man and one woman. Yet this seems to be the likely outcome of the proposed legislation," they write.

"We therefore very much hope (and pray) that these proposals will be dropped in their current form. We have no desire to become criminals, and place a high value on submitting to and supporting our government.

"Yet we think it important you are aware that if it were to come about that the loving, compassionate exercise of orthodox Christian ministry, including the teaching of the Christian understanding of sex and marriage, is effectively made a criminal offence, we would with deep sadness continue to do our duty to God in this matter."

The open letter, which is still collecting signatures online, has been sent days before a government consultation on the proposed ban ends on Friday. Christians are being urged to participate in the consultation to make their concerns known.

Dr. Ian Paul, a theologian and member of the Church of England's General Synod, said the current proposals were "ill considered and ill conceived."

"As the consultation document itself states, many of the issues highlighted are already illegal," he said.

"The term 'conversion therapy' is ill defined, and the proposals appear to be driven by an ideological agenda rather than real concern and clear thinking.

"There is a real risk that pastoral ministry will be criminalised, and that human rights, including the right to religious belief will be trampled on."

Rev. Dr. Matthew Roberts, Minister of Trinity Church York, warned that standard Christian teaching on sexuality and gender stands to be criminalised under the proposed ban.

"It is deeply concerning that the government seems to be considering legislation that would criminalise normal, loving Christian ministry, while stopping us from helping young people who are being caught up in the horrible damage being done by transgender ideology," he said.

"Nothing we do could be considered 'therapy'. But the proposals are drafted so badly, and with such apparent ignorance of basic Christian teaching, that entirely standard Christian teaching would be criminalised in the name of something that has nothing to do with us.

"'Conversion', as Christians understand it, is an amazing thing: realising that life is not all about focusing on ourselves, but on the God who made us. It is deeply wrong that this proposed legislation implies that being converted to Jesus Christ is akin to violence or abuse."

Rev. Roberts also expressed concern about the rights of Christian parents to raise their children in accordance with their beliefs.

"Being able to raise children in their own faith is a legal right, and one which these proposals would take away. The government cannot do this without running into serious legal difficulties," he said.

"The Queen is appointed to be the Defender of the Faith. It would be very strange indeed if Her Majesty's Government legislated against the faith of their own sovereign."

Dr. Julie Maxwell, a paediatrician and youth worker at St. Mary's Basingstoke, said she was especially concerned about the potential impact of the proposed ban on pastoral youth work.

She warned that the ban would leave adults scared of sharing their views on gender and sexuality with young people.

"As we know children and young people need direction from adults around them regarding all sorts of lifestyle issues. Teenagers are navigating huge changes associated with puberty and issues around sexuality and gender are important topics that need to be discussed," she said.

"As Christians we seek to support young people who are seeking to follow Jesus Christ to understand these issues from the perspective of Biblical teaching regarding God's creation of men and women and his design for marriage.

"To find ourselves in a situation where parents, youth workers and other adults are afraid to address these issues risks leaving children and young people confused and vulnerable.

"There is already a significant increase in mental health problems in children and young people and being unable to support those struggling with issues around sexuality and gender identity will negatively impact on this."

Rev. Graham Nicholls, Director of the Affinity church network, said he was prepared to go to prison to defend his traditional Christian beliefs.

He said: "We particularly wanted to write from the perspective of practitioners, people who are pastors, youth workers, and counsellors.

"We don't know how this law about conversion therapy could impact their work and their ordinary, everyday work of chatting with people, encouraging people, praying with people that could be severely impacted. So we thought it was important from the point of view of practising pastors.

"Those who are campaigning for the law, their stated aim is that prayers or any kind of encouragement to do what we would say the Bible is teaching in terms of sexual ethics, should be prohibited.

"We don't know how the law will work out, but I think if those demands were met, then really any conversation with your family or if your child asks a question about their sexuality or their gender and you give them some advice, potentially, that could fall foul of the law  if you give them advice from a Christian perspective that questions or suggests there is a good or a bad path to follow."

Originally published at Christian Today.
In the latest trading session, Danaher (DHR) closed at $318.49, marking a +1.11% move from the previous day. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.87%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.08%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 0.54%.

Coming into today, shares of the industrial and medical device maker had gained 1.71% in the past month. In that same time, the Conglomerates sector lost 3.01%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.7%.

Danaher will be looking to display strength as it nears its next earnings release. The company is expected to report EPS of $2.50, up 20.19% from the prior-year quarter. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $7.76 billion, up 14.82% from the year-ago period.

Looking at the full year, our Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $9.85 per share and revenue of $29.07 billion. These totals would mark changes of +56.1% and +30.47%, respectively, from last year.

Any recent changes to analyst estimates for Danaher should also be noted by investors. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the company's business outlook.

Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-team stock moves. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.46% higher. Danaher currently has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Digging into valuation, Danaher currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 31.98. This represents a premium compared to its industry's average Forward P/E of 17.82.

Investors should also note that DHR has a PEG ratio of 1.47 right now. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. The Diversified Operations was holding an average PEG ratio of 1.73 at yesterday's closing price.

The Diversified Operations industry is part of the Conglomerates sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 71, which puts it in the top 28% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Make sure to utilize Zacks.com to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and more, in the coming trading sessions.

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Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
I've written previously about how the pandemic has made cooking with my children part of my normal routine. Its an opportunity to get them to help me in the kitchen and to teach them about healthy eating. It's also an important opportunity for me to start shattering stereotypes about how certain types of foods arent good for them. One particular cuisine that too often gets branded as "unhealthy" is Mexican food.

From an American perspective, we think of Mexican food as being fried, filled with cheese and topped with sour cream, and extremely greasy. And thats just not true,  says Hector Saldivar, founder of Tia Lupita Foods. There is so much more to Mexican food than the Americanized burrito. Mexican food has been and continues to be a trendsetter in the food space  and it's healthy.

So Saldivar is on a singular mission to change Americans' relationships with Mexican food. As a Mexican founder, he knows that food is love. His mother, known affectionately as Tia Lupita ("Aunt Lupita" in Spanish), filled the family kitchen with the love, laughs and tasty eats that brought everyone together. In Mexico, family recipes are valuable heirlooms carefully handed down from generation to generation, Saldivar says. Tia perfected her own family hot sauce recipe to create a delightful balance of heat and flavor, coveted by anyone lucky enough to get a taste. I named the brand to honor my mother and our family legacy.

From hot sauces (my favorite is Tia Lupita Chipotle) to cactus tortilla chips, Saldivar is focused on cutting out preservatives, using gluten-free ingredients and adding no sugar and very little salt. The Tia Lupita grain free cactus tortillas are also soft and flavorful, with only six grams of net carbs and 45 calories per serving.

Its important for me to introduce these amazing ingredients we have on hand that are so culturally connected to Mexico and my heritage  nopales, or cactus. Cacti are the most sustainable plants in the world and need little water to grow, Saldivar says. We are intentional about reducing our carbon footprint and saving water. We are on a mission to help save the world, one taco at a time.

Here are three lessons Saldivar has learned on his journey to bring the bold flavors of his Mexican home straight into our kitchens:

Over-index on your strengths

As a child, Saldivar always thought he would follow in his fathers footsteps and become a doctor. After struggling during the first two years of medical school, Saldivar's father sat him down and encouraged him to follow a different career path.

After leaving medical school, Saldivar had a successful career in the food industry working at Nestle and Diamond Snacks. It was an incredible training ground to start Tia Lupita. I learned how to develop a business plan and to understand the details about how much it was going to cost you to solve the problem, and how much money you would ultimately make, Saldivar says. He also learned the art of telling a story, with scripts and narratives on how to present and sell. And finally, understanding the basics of sales planning and forecasting was critical in his training.

I over-index on my strengths now, all of which have helped me ultimately start Tia Lupita, Saldivar says. I had built a track record of success and the skills I needed to finally bet on myself.

Image Credit: Tia Lupita Foods

Understand your market opportunity

In 2017, when Saldivar was working at Diamond Foods, the company was sold. He found himself at a crossroads. Did he work for another food industry titan or finally go off on his own? I saw so much white space and little-to-no competition, Saldivar says. Mexican brands that were in the marketplace had not updated their ingredients and were filled with junk. They had not been innovating and were comfortable offering bland or mild-tasting products.

Saldivar envisioned creating a brand that wasnt for his grandparents or his parents, but rather a brand that was authentic, original and connected with the next generation. I started my career selling nostalgic products to Mexican immigrants, Saldivar says. Now, I'm selling to the kids of Mexican immigrants who have grown up and are paying attention to what they put on their kitchen tables.

Today, Hispanic buying power in the U.S. is $1.9 trillion, which is larger than the GDP of Italy. Hispanics make up 20.8% of the millennial generation, now the most diverse generation in U.S. history. Three out of four Americans agree that Hispanics continue to have a huge impact on mainstream culture and a significant influence on the food industry.

Dont underestimate the power of one

As a Mexican founder, the road to fundraising hasnt been easy for Saldivar. Although he initially bootstrapped the business and self-funded, he needed access to more capital and resources to continue to scale. There are more people eating tacos than pizza and pasta both at restaurants and at home," he says. "But theres still a significant underrepresentation of Hispanic-founded startups. Im raising funds right now, and its definitely a struggle.

Saldivar also shares that because English is his second language, it can make it harder for him to communicate in corporate settings and meetings with investors. He describes having to translate what he's thinking into English to land his point. Saldivar sees some investors making snap judgements upon meeting him about whether he as a founder is investable or bankable or not.

Hes looking forward to the world opening up again, where he and the Tia Lupita team can be in stores, doing field marketing events and attending food trade shows. Meeting people face-to-face and offering them Tia Lupita products to try for the first time are the moments Saldivar appreciates most.

We need more allies to pay attention to Hispanic founders and support us, he says. Dont underestimate the power of one individual. If you try Tia Lupita and love it, please share the experience. We need all the allies we can get.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Mutual Fund Equity Report fund seekers should consider taking a look at Matthews China Small Companies Investor (MCSMX). MCSMX bears a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.

History of Fund/Manager

Matthews Asia is based in San Francisco, CA, and is the manager of MCSMX. Since Matthews China Small Companies Investor made its debut in May of 2011, MCSMX has garnered more than $347.76 million in assets. The fund is currently managed by Winnie Chwang and Andrew Mattock.

Performance

Investors naturally seek funds with strong performance. This fund in particular has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 25%, and is in the top third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 34.26%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame.

When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. Over the past three years, MCSMX's standard deviation comes in at 19.05%, compared to the category average of 18.33%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 19.65% compared to the category average of 15.69%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.

Risk Factors

With a 5-year beta of 0.53, the fund is likely to be less volatile than the market average. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. The fund has produced a positive alpha over the past 5 years of 15.41, which shows that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.

Expenses

For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, MCSMX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.41% compared to the category average of 1.40%. So, MCSMX is actually more expensive than its peers from a cost perspective.

This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $2,500, and each subsequent investment should be at least $100.

Bottom Line

Overall, Matthews China Small Companies Investor ( MCSMX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and higher fees, this fund looks like a good potential choice for investors right now.

Want even more information about MCSMX? Then go over to Zacks.com and check out our mutual fund comparison tool, and all of the other great features that we have to help you with your mutual fund analysis for additional information. If you are more of a stock investor, make sure to also check out our Zacks Rank, and our full suite of tools we have available for novice and professional investors alike.

Infrastructure Stock Boom to Sweep America

A massive push to rebuild the crumbling U.S. infrastructure will soon be underway. Its bipartisan, urgent, and inevitable. Trillions will be spent. Fortunes will be made.

The only question is Will you get into the right stocks early when their growth potential is greatest?

Zacks has released a Special Report to help you do just that, and today its free. Discover 5 special companies that look to gain the most from construction and repair to roads, bridges, and buildings, plus cargo hauling and energy transformation on an almost unimaginable scale.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



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MOSCOW (AP)  Russia on Friday published draft security demands that NATO deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back the alliance's military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe  bold ultimatums that are almost certain to be rejected by the U.S. and its allies.

The proposals, which were submitted to the U.S. and its allies earlier this week, also call for a ban on sending U.S. and Russian warships and aircraft to areas from where they can strike each others territory, along with a halt to NATO military drills near Russia.

The demand for a written guarantee that Ukraine won't be offered membership already has been rejected by the West, which said Moscow doesn't have a say in NATO's enlargement.

NATOs secretary-general emphasized Friday that any security talks with Moscow would need to take into account NATO concerns and involve Ukraine and other partners. The White House similarly said its discussing the proposals with U.S. allies and partners, but noted that all countries have the right to determine their future without outside interference.

The publication of the demands  contained in a proposed Russia-U.S. security treaty and a security agreement between Moscow and NATO  comes amid soaring tensions over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine that has raised fears of an invasion. Moscow has denied it has plans to attack its neighbor but wants legal guarantees precluding NATO expansion and deploying weapons there.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russias relations with the U.S. and NATO have approached a dangerous point, noting that alliance deployments and drills near Russia have raised unacceptable threats to its security.

Moscow wants the U.S. to start talks immediately on the proposals in Geneva, he told reporters.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had received the Russian documents, and noted that any dialogue with Moscow would also need to address NATOs concerns about Russias actions, be based on core principles and documents of European security, and take place in consultation with NATOs European partners, such as Ukraine.

He added that the 30 NATO countries have made clear that should Russia take concrete steps to reduce tensions, we are prepared to work on strengthening confidence building measures.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the administration is ready to discuss Moscows concerns about NATO in talks with Russian officials, but emphasized that Washington is committed to the principle of nothing about you without you in shaping policy that impacts European allies.

Were approaching the broader question of diplomacy with Russia from the point of view that ... meaningful progress at the negotiating table, of course, will have to take place in a context of de-escalation rather than escalation, Sullivan said at the event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations. He added that its very difficult to see agreements getting consummated if were continuing to see an escalatory cycle.

While U.S. intelligence has determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made plans for a potential further invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Sullivan said the U.S. still does not know whether he has decided to move forward.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted that strategic security talks with Moscow go back decades, saying that theres no reason we cant do that moving forward to reduce instability, but were going to do that in partnership and coordination with our European allies and partners.

We will not compromise the key principles on which European security is built, including that all countries have the right to decide their own future and foreign policy free from the outside interference," Psaki said.

Moscows draft also calls for efforts to reduce the risk of incidents involving Russia and NATO warships and aircraft, primarily in the Baltic and the Black seas, increase the transparency of military drills and other confidence-building measures.

A senior U.S. official said some of the Russian proposals are part of an arms control agenda between Moscow and Washington, while some other issues, such as transparency and deconfliction, concern all 57 members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, including Ukraine and Georgia.

The official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity in order to talk about the proposals, said the U.S. is looking at how to engage every country whose interests are affected in prospective talks on European security issues and will respond to Moscow sometime next week with concrete proposals after consulting with the allies.

President Vladimir Putin raised the demand for security guarantees in last weeks video call with U.S. President Joe Biden. During the conversation, Biden voiced concern about a buildup of Russian troops near Ukraine and warned him that Russia would face severe consequences if Moscow attacked its neighbor.

Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and shortly after cast its support behind a separatist rebellion in the country's east. More than seven years of fighting has killed over 14,000 people and devastated Ukraines industrial heartland, known as the Donbas.

The Russian demands would oblige Washington and its allies to pledge to halt NATO's eastward expansion to include other ex-Soviet republics and rescind a 2008 promise of membership to Ukraine and Georgia. The alliance already has firmly rejected that demand from Moscow.

Moscow's documents also would preclude the U.S. and other NATO allies from conducting any military activities in Ukraine, other countries of Eastern Europe and ex-Soviet republics in the Caucasus and in Central Asia.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry commented on Moscows proposals by emphasizing that its up to the alliance and Ukraine to discuss NATO membership prospects and its military cooperation with other countries.

The Russian aggression and the current Russian escalation along the Ukrainian border and on the occupied territories is now the main problem for the Euro-Atlantic security, said its spokesman Oleg Nikolenko.

The Russian proposal also ups the ante by putting a new demand to roll back NATO military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe, stating that the parties agree not to send any troops to areas where they hadn't been present in 1997  before NATO's eastward expansion started  except for exceptional situations of mutual consent.

Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999, followed in 2004 by Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the former Soviet republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In the following years, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia also became members, bringing NATO membership to 30 nations.

The draft proposals contain a ban on the deployment of U.S. and Russian warships and aircraft to areas where they can strike targets on the territory of the other party.

Moscow has long complained about patrol flights by U.S. strategic bombers near Russia's borders and the deployment of U.S. and NATO warships to the Black Sea, describing them as destabilizing and provocative.

Russia's draft envisages a pledge not to station intermediate-range missiles in areas where they can strike the other partys territory, a clause that follows the U.S. and Russian withdrawal from a Cold War-era pact banning such weapons.

The Russian draft also calls for a ban on the deployment of U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons on the territory of other countries  a repeat of Moscow's longtime push for the U.S. to withdraw its nuclear weapons from Europe.

Dmitri Trenin, the director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, noted that the publication of the Russian demands signals that the Kremlin considers their acceptance by the West unlikely.

This logically means that Russia will have to assure its security single-handedly" using military-technical means, he said on Twitter.

___

Cook reported from Brussels. Darlene Superville, Ellen Knickmeyer and Aamer Madhani in Washington and Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed.
Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) closed the most recent trading day at $661.25, moving +0.84% from the previous trading session. This move outpaced the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.87%. At the same time, the Dow lost 0.08%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.54%.

Heading into today, shares of the maker of scientific instrument and laboratory supplies had gained 2.89% over the past month, outpacing the Medical sector's loss of 0.67% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.7% in that time.

Thermo Fisher Scientific will be looking to display strength as it nears its next earnings release. On that day, Thermo Fisher Scientific is projected to report earnings of $4.82 per share, which would represent a year-over-year decline of 32.02%. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $8.62 billion, down 18.33% from the year-ago period.

Looking at the full year, our Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $23.40 per share and revenue of $37.13 billion. These totals would mark changes of +19.69% and +15.25%, respectively, from last year.

It is also important to note the recent changes to analyst estimates for Thermo Fisher Scientific. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the company's business outlook.

Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant within the past month. Thermo Fisher Scientific is currently a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking at its valuation, Thermo Fisher Scientific is holding a Forward P/E ratio of 28.02. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 40.62, which means Thermo Fisher Scientific is trading at a discount to the group.

Investors should also note that TMO has a PEG ratio of 2 right now. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. Medical - Instruments stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 3 based on yesterday's closing prices.

The Medical - Instruments industry is part of the Medical sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 179, putting it in the bottom 30% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank includes is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Make sure to utilize Zacks.com to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and more, in the coming trading sessions.

Infrastructure Stock Boom to Sweep America

A massive push to rebuild the crumbling U.S. infrastructure will soon be underway. Its bipartisan, urgent, and inevitable. Trillions will be spent. Fortunes will be made.

The only question is Will you get into the right stocks early when their growth potential is greatest?

Zacks has released a Special Report to help you do just that, and today its free. Discover 5 special companies that look to gain the most from construction and repair to roads, bridges, and buildings, plus cargo hauling and energy transformation on an almost unimaginable scale.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO): Free Stock Analysis Report



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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Some parents kept their children home, police stepped up patrols and educators tightened security protocols Friday in response to viral TikTok posts alluding to unconfirmed threats of violence that raised anxiety levels at schools nationwide.

Vickie Cartwright, the interim superintendent of schools in Broward County, Florida, one of the nations largest school districts, said the U.S. government should take action if TikTok wont get rid of dangerous posts that hurt American schools.

"Im asking for our federal government at this point in time to intervene. We need help. I cannot fathom that any other country would allow this type of attack to be occurring on their education system, she said.

With stress levels already soaring from the effects of the pandemic and a rash of hoax threats following a deadly school shooting in Michigan on Nov. 30, districts said they were taking precautions out of an abundance of caution.

The posts circulating online said schools would face shooting and bomb threats Friday. In a tweet, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it did not have any information indicating any specific, credible threats to schools but recommends communities remain alert.

Some districts opted to cancel classes for the day or limit where students could go inside school buildings. Many others increased security staffing. More than a half dozen school districts in the Houston area told middle and high school students to leave their backpacks at home Friday in response to the TikTok posts, though none of the districts had received credible threats, officials said.

TikTok has been deleting posts spreading misinformation that is generally sparking alarming warnings but is not finding posts that are promoting violence or making threats, company spokesperson Hilary McQuaide said.

We are removing the alarmist warnings, she said. Those are misinformation.

McQuaide said the company began hearing the rumors late Wednesday and has been working with law enforcement agencies to try to get to the bottom of them.

The post most widely associated with Fridays fears is not really a threat, its just saying they are hearing this thing is happening, said Justin Patchin, a criminal justice professor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center.

How to respond to that presents a dilemma both to TikTok and educators, especially since many of the previous panics about TikTok challenges have proven to be bogus and acknowledging them can make them more influential.

It definitely puts schools in a tough spot, said Patchin, whose center has worked with TikTok and other social media companies in the past to research online bullying. There are these potential threats they cant ignore but they also cant shut down schools every time someone posts a generalized threat on social media.

Educators have been on edge in many places since the deadly shooting in Michigan as copycat threats have led to isolated cases of schools switching to remote learning over the last several weeks.

In Newtown, Connecticut, all schools were open Friday, with an increased police presence. District schools had switched to remote learning Tuesday, the ninth anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, due in part to threats that schools elsewhere were receiving in the aftermath of the Michigan shooting.

In Michigan, West Bloomfield schools went remote for the entire week after a social media threat prompted a lockdown Monday. The 14-year-old daughter of Julia Anderson Pulver texted her saying it was probably nothing but "theres still a little voice in the back of my head saying youre gonna die.

I was very pleased they wanted to ensure the mental health of our students and teachers and staff because they didnt want us to come back and then go through a similar lockdown because a new threat came in and repeatedly traumatize everyone, Pulver said.

As her 15-year-old son studied for his big algebra test, word of vague threats of school violence on TikTok prompted Kelley Swiney to quiz the freshman about other calculations: Whats your fastest exit from that classroom? Where would you run? Do you feel safe going to school Friday?

Swiney, a mom of three school-age boys in Upper Arlington, Ohio, said shed had a similar conversation with him and her middle son, a sixth-grader, after the recent school shooting in Michigan. She asked them to take a few seconds in each classroom they enter to think about where they could hide and how they could get out.

She told her son that if he felt truly unsafe  not just trying to skip the test or the last day before holiday break  he could stay home Friday, even if it meant a failing grade.

I think its really pretty depressing that we live in a world where I have to have that conversation with my child, Swiney said.

On Friday morning, he felt comfortable enough to head to school for the exam, and by midday he was safely back home.

___

O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island. Associated Press writer Anna Liz Nichols in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report.
The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Berkshire Hathaway Inc. ( BRK.B ), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. ( TMO ), and salesforce.com, inc. ( CRM ). These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today.

You can see all of todays research reports here >>>

Shares of Berkshire Hathaway have outperformed the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry over the past year (+31% vs. +16.6%). The Zacks analyst believes that Berkshire Hathaway is poised to benefit from its insurance, manufacturing, service and retail businesses, and disciplined capital management.

A strong cash position supports earnings-accretive bolt-on buyouts, and indicates BRK.Bs financial flexibility. Continued insurance business growth fuels increase in the float, drive earnings and generates maximum return on equity. A sturdy capital level provides further impetus. Exposure to catastrophe loss, however, leads to earnings volatility and also impacts the property and casualty underwriting results of Berkshire.

(You can read the full research report on Berkshire Hathaway here >>> )

Thermo Fisher shares have gained +39.8% in the year to date period against the Zacks Medical Instruments industrys gain of +7%. The Zacks analyst sees that Thermo Fisher has been expanding its inorganic growth profile through takeovers such as the Advanced Bioprocessing buyout from BD and Patheon.

TMOs focus on emerging markets is also encouraging. Thermo Fisher delivered a strong performance in the last-reported third quarter, leveraging on a significant rebound in its base business. Strong end-market growth in the quarter was driven by robust fundamentals in life sciences, strong economic activity globally and a strong pandemic response. TMOs raised 2021 guidance indicates that the momentum is likely to continue through the next year.

(You can read the full research report on Thermo Fisher here >>> )

Shares of salesforce.com have gained +2.4% in the last six months against the Zacks Computer Software industrys gain of +19.3%, but things seem to be improving. The Zacks analyst believes that CRM has been benefiting from a robust demand environment as customers are undergoing a major digital transformation.

The rapid adoption of its cloud-based solutions is driving demand for its products. The recent acquisition of Slack is likely to position salesforce as a leader in enterprise team collaboration solution space. Stiff competition, unfavorable currency fluctuations, and increasing investments in international expansion are some of the major headwinds, though.

(You can read the full research report on salesforce.com here >>> )

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Roche Holding AG ( RHHBY ), Nike, Inc. ( NKE ) and Texas Instruments Inc. ( TXN ).

Mark Vickery

Senior Editor

Note: Sheraz Mian heads the Zacks Equity Research department and is a well-regarded expert of aggregate earnings. He is frequently quoted in the print and electronic media and publishes the weekly Earnings Trends and Earnings Preview reports. If you want an email notification each time Sheraz publishes a new article, please click here>>>

Bitcoin, Like the Internet Itself, Could Change Everything

Blockchain and cryptocurrency has sparked one of the most exciting discussion topics of a generation. Some call it the Internet of Money and predict it could change the way money works forever. If true, it could do to banks what Netflix did to Blockbuster and Amazon did to Sears. Experts agree were still in the early stages of this technology, and as it grows, it will create several investing opportunities.

Zacks has just revealed 3 companies that can help investors capitalize on the explosive profit potential of Bitcoin and the other cryptocurrencies with significantly less volatility than buying them directly.

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Texas Instruments Incorporated (TXN): Free Stock Analysis Report



salesforce.com, inc. (CRM): Free Stock Analysis Report



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The remote island of Kauai boasts pristine beaches, jewel-toned tides, and the dubious distinction of being a federally designated medically underserved area. In a pandemic that means an unnervingly finite number of ICU beds and ventilators, but even before Covid, women on the island knew the designation meant a crushing number of obstacles to navigate if they discovered an unwanted pregnancy. Theres the cost of airfare, hotel, and local transportation, at a minimum, and often taking time off of work or finding child care, too.

Because there is no abortion provider on Kauai, women who live on the island  and on its even more isolated neighbor, Niihau  are left with no option but to fly to Oahu in order to terminate a pregnancy. Its a frustrating reality not only for the women themselves, but for one of the islands doctors, who in 2017 sued the federal government over a set of arbitrary rules that made it difficult to prescribe mifepristone, the first of the two-pill regimen that together constitute a medication abortion, the method by which almost 40 percent of pregnancies are terminated. The suit was delayed by the pandemic, but in May, the FDA announced it would review its restrictions on mifepristone. It declared on Thursday that it will modify the current restrictions on medication abortion.

Mifepristone was first approved by the FDA more than 20 years ago, but it has been subject to a number of arbitrary restrictions, known as a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, or REMS, since 2007. Under those rules, doctors were not allowed to write a prescription unless they obtained an additional certification specifically for prescribing mifepristone, and patients were forced to pick-up the mifepristone from that provider in person. The burden the FDAs rules placed on doctors  to acquire both a separate certification and the drug itself  inevitably meant that mifepristone was only available at abortion clinics, the number of which has been rapidly dwindling in recent years.

In a letter to the plaintiffs in the case, the FDA said it would remove the in-person dispensing requirement, meaning women from Kauai and other underserved areas around the United States will no longer be forced to travel hundreds miles to a certified clinic in order to pick up the pills.

Experts have long held that the requirement was medically unnecessary. The risks of mifepristone are just totally independent of the regulatory burdens the FDA placed on the drug, says Greer Donley, assistant professor at the University Pittsburgh Law School, who has studied FDA policy. Even though it has risks, its not risky by any means compared to other drugs that are on the market without any REMS.

The fatality rate for the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, for example  which is not subject to REMS  is six times higher than mifepristones. According to the ACLU, which represented the plaintiffs in the case, mifepristone was the single medication  out of 20,000 FDA-approved drugs  that required patients pick it up at a medical facility, regardless of where they ultimately took the drug.

In the same letter, the FDA noted that it will require pharmacies that dispense the drug to be specially certified to dispense the drug, rather than doctors themselves. The agency is leaving in place a requirement that patients sign a special form before they can be prescribed mifepristone. In a statement, Georgeanne Usova, senior legislative counsel at the ACLU, said it was disappointing that the FDA fell short of repealing all of its medically unnecessary restrictions on mifepristone.

The FDA did not specify when the rule will take effect. Even when it does, the decision will not have an immediate effect in 19 states, including Texas, where there are additional restrictions on the administration of mifepristone. But in states that do not have those restrictions, Donley says, the significance could be quite enormous.

Because of the pandemic, Donley says, Weve already seen the proliferation of virtual abortion clinics. My guess is that virtual abortion clinics in those 31 states [that do not have additional restrictions on mifepristone] will become almost the standard of care for many women who need early abortion  Not only do women not have to deal with the administrative or logistical hurdles of traveling to a clinic, finding child care, taking time off work  all that stuff  they dont have to face protesters, they dont have to worry about their privacy being [violated] because of protesters, and virtual clinics are actually offering abortion for hundreds of dollars less than clinic-based care.

The FDAs decision is especially crucial now, as a conservative Supreme Court contemplates overturning Roe v. Wade. In a statement, Julia Kaye, staff attorney with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project and lawyer for plaintiffs, called it critical progress, though far from complete.

She added, We will continue to fight every day for a world where we can all control our reproductive destinies, regardless of where we live, how much money we make, or the color of our skin.
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Robert Palmer apologized for acting upon a false narrative about a stolen election when he attacked police officers with a fire extinguisher during at the Capitol on Jan. 6. It didnt save him from getting slapped with a a 63-month prison sentence on Friday, the longest to date among those who have been charged as a result of the riot.

Palmer said in court that he was really, really ashamed of what I did, and promised to never, ever, ever attend another political rally. He wont for another five years and change, at least.

Arrested and charged shortly after his identity was revealed in a HuffPost story in March, Palmer pleaded guilty in October. His lawyer sought a sentence of 24 months behind bars. Unfortunately for Palmer, his case came before U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, a former public defender who has voiced concerns that some Capitol rioters were getting off too easy.

There have to be consequences for participating in an attempted violent overthrow of the government beyond sitting at home, Chutkan said back in October while sentencing another Jan. 6 defendant to 45 days in prison even though federal prosecutors had requested three months of home confinement.

If there was a glimmer of hope that Palmers sentence would be on the lighter side, it was dashed when it came to light that Palmer wrote on his fundraising website that he had merely acted in self-defense. This conflicted with his comments about taking responsibility for his actions after pleading guilty, Judge Chutkan noted.

Palmer is among the more than 700 defendants who have been charged as a result of the Capitol riot. The longest prison term before Fridays sentencing had been 41 months, a punishment shared by Scott Fairlamb, who assaulted a police officer, and Jacob Chansley, the so-called QAnon Shaman. The FBI is still searching for more than 350 individuals accused of crimes that day.
The RNCs Executive Committee approved paying for certain legal expenses that relate to politically motivated legal proceedings waged against President Trump, Emma Vaughn, a GOP spokeswoman, said in a statement provided to the Post on Thursday. As a leader of our party, defending President Trump and his record of achievement is critical to the GOP. It is entirely appropriate for the RNC to continue assisting in fighting back against the Democrats never-ending witch hunt and attacks on him.

Trumps record of achievement is not the issue, though. The investigations have nothing to do with his time in office or any of his political dealings. They involve potential financial crimes perpetrated by his private business. New York Attorney General Letitia James is reportedly seeking to depose Trump as her offices civil probe into whether the Trump Organization fraudulently doctored the valuations of various properties. Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance is leading a criminal investigation. Earlier this week, the Post reported that a longtime Trump accountant testified before a grand jury as part of that case, which is also looking into the Trump Organizations financial practices.

The RNCs footing Trumps legal bills may be part of whats keeping him tethered to the party. According to Betrayal, Jonathan Karls new book on the end of Trumps presidency, Trump on his final day in office told RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel he was leaving the party because Republicans werent sticking up for him. McDaniel and other members of the RNCs leadership spent the ensuing days impressing upon the newly former president that if he left the GOP he would no longer have access to the partys mailing list and the party would stop paying for his lawsuits contesting the election results.

Trump stuck around, and the RNC is now not only paying for lawsuits contesting the election, but its also paying for legal expenses pertaining to the former presidents private business.
DANIEL SLIM/AFP/Getty Images

Days after announcing service to a brand-new city, Southwest is back with good news for San Antonio travelers. Beginning this summer, the Dallas-based airline will expand daily service to a popular Mexican vacation destination.

Beginning on June 5, 2022, the carrier will now offer a daily nonstop flight from San Antonio International Airport to Cancun International Airport, according to a news release. Currently, Southwest only flies from SAT to CUN on Saturdays.
Youth who are involved in extracurricular activities while in school tend to do better academically in reading and math for higher test scores, according to Texas A&M University. Not only do they develop social skills in the real world, but they develop problem solving techniques, advance creative skills while increasing self-worth and self-confidence.

Bob Price founded the Jazz Connection band in March 2009, comprised of junior high and high school musicians out of Willis ISD, Montgomery ISD, Conroe ISD and Spring ISD area schools. As a musician, Bob loves the 40s and Big Band Music. It is not taught at the schools, so Bob brought it to the youth through Jazz Connection.

Our program is geared towards students that are interested in a comprehensive approach to jazz, swing, rock, R&B and improvisation, said Price. The Jazz Connection was started as I began to notice only one of the schools had a working jazz ensemble - Willis High School. As a private music teacher, I had several students with the desire to explore various genres of music and felt that giving them a place to further learn their instrument and build relationships with students from other schools would benefit them immensely.

Bob Price attended the University of North Texas fine tuning his interest in music and education, although he has been a musician since the early age of five. He currently operates a used instrument and repair business while propelling over 100 students privately on saxophone, clarinet and flute lessons when not instructing the Jazz Connection.

The youth musicians learn music ranging from the 30s and 40s to current day music including songs by Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Gordon Goodwin and Woody Herman. All practices and performances are on a voluntary basis with rehearsals two to three Sundays per month at the Conroe Community Church. The Jazz Connection is a volunteer nonprofit 5013 organization with no pay going to anyone. There is no fee to be a part of the group.

Show up, work hard and have fun performing!

Jazz Connection plays at the annual Christmas on Main in Downtown Conroe, they have played for the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Park, with Rotary of Conroe at Honor Cafe, the Montgomery Music and Wine Festival, the Commemorative Air Force, the Continental Club in Houston, and the Home and Outdoor Living Show. The band even had the opportunity to perform at a dance on board the Battleship Texas.

It is enjoyable to witness the excitement from the kids when they play old style big band jazz, Price said. They enjoy it so much that after four years of playing with the Jazz Connection, as college students they often dont want to leave. One of our newest members, an eighth grader at Oak Hills, told her family that she was thankful for the Jazz Connection and what it has done to her life.

There have been youth who take their band experience to advance their education. One of the early year members Adam Sadberry, played tenor saxophone in the band for many years. He went on to Eastman School of Music on flute and now plays in the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Riley Giampaolo played trombone in the band at the same time as Adam. He went to the Boston Conservatory of music and at 19 got a job with the Indianapolis Symphony.

Bob Price gains respect from youth and parents alike. He mentors students in a way allowing them to be independent and have fun while learning. The Jazz Connection youth are exceptional musicians matching professional counterparts that one would pay to see perform. These are the kids that consistantly make Region Jazz Band, Honor Band, participate in solo parts or ensembles. They often get scholarships to attend local schools like Baylor, SFA and Texas A&M.

They have not had a fundraiser since 2019 with COVID-19 derailing a planned fundraiser. Any donations are always useful an appreciated. Donate a check by sending to Jazz Connection at 103 S. Delmont W. Conroe Texas 77301. To get involved contact Bob Price directly at bob@badbobs.com.

Connect with Jazz Connection by following their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/JazzConnection or viewing their website: www.jazzconnectionband.com.

Contributed by Margie Taylor
Montgomery County jurors have sentenced a man in connection to an armed robbery of an armored truck where one alleged accomplice was killed.

On Wednesday, a jury in presiding Judge Patty Maginnis 435th District Court sentenced Treveon Shelldrick Poole, 29, of Houston, to 50 years in prison after finding him guilty of the first-degree felony offense of aggravated robbery following three days of trial, according to the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office.

Poole will have to serve at least one half of his sentence, or 25 years, before he is eligible for parole. He was on deferred adjudication probation for a bank robbery he committed in League City when he robbed an armored truck driver in Willis at gunpoint on Nov. 19, 2019, the DAs Office detailed.

This defendant decided to make robbery his daytime job, and then he decided to come to Montgomery County to practice his trade, said District Attorney Brett Ligon in a statement. Now he can sit in prison for decades considering just how wrong both of those decisions were.

Jurors heard about how Poole and two alleged accomplices conspired to follow armored trucks out of Houston with the intent to commit an armed robbery of the courier, the District Attorneys Office noted.

On the day of the robbery, Poole and one of his alleged accomplices, Javahnte Jawun Parker, 27, jumped out of a black vehicle at the Chase Bank at FM 1097, threatened the armed guard with a handgun and demanded he back up from the money. The armed guard fired his gun six times at the robbers, striking and killing Parker, according to the DAs Office.

Poole fled the scene on foot and was picked up by another alleged accomplice, Alan Travon Gillespie, 29, a short distance away, the DAs Office mentioned.

Gillespie is facing aggravated robbery charges, according to court documents.

The black Toyota used in the crime was registered to Parker, Willis Police Chief James Nowak told The Courier at the time. The armed guard worked for Brinks and was servicing the banks ATM, the article mentioned.

A Texas Ranger leading the investigation was able to use cell phone records and law enforcement databases to develop Poole as a suspect, according to the District Attorneys Office.

Both Poole and Gillespie were taken into custody Feb. 5, 2020, according to a previous article from The Courier.

Prosecuting Assistant District Attorneys Adam McLane and Donna Berkey presented DNA evidence and surveillance video confirming Poole was the gunman in this crime. Jurors deliberated approximately two hours before reaching their verdict, according to the DAs Office.

During the punishment phase of the trial, a League City Police Department detective testified about how an IBC Bank robbery Sept. 29, 2017 resulted in Pooles arrest. The detective provided the handwritten letter demanding money and threatening violence, which was evidence in the case, for jurors determining Pooles sentencing, according to the District Attorneys Office.

Despite this previous robbery arrest, the DAs Office pointed out, Poole remained eligible for probation in this case. Following an approximately hour-long deliberation, according to the District Attorneys Office, jurors reached their sentencing verdict.

McLane acknowledged the combined the efforts of Montgomery County agencies including the Willis Police Department, the Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constables Office and the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office.

We are proud to work with some of the best that Texas law enforcement has to offer, and we are privileged to present cases to Montgomery County jurors, McLane said in a statement.

jose.gonzalez@chron.com

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THE BACKGROUND: An 11-day war between Israel and Gazas ruling Hamas militant group in May left over 260 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead.

It was the fourth war between the bitter enemies since Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007, with fighting erupting after weeks of tensions and clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli police in contested east Jerusalem.

Israeli aircraft struck hundreds of targets in Gaza, while Hamas launched over 4,000 rockets at Israel. In a first, the violence also spilled over into clashes between Jews and Arabs inside Israel as well.

In Gaza, tens of thousands of homes were damaged and more than 2,000 others were destroyed. Israel has eased its blockade of Gaza as part of Egyptian-led efforts to broker a longer-term cease-fire, but reconstruction efforts have yet to get off the ground. In rocket-scarred southern Israel, residents remain jittery.

On the sixth day of the war, the Israeli air force bombed the 12-story al-Jalaa tower, roughly an hour after ordering all occupants to evacuate. No one was injured, but the building was destroyed. The building was home to offices belonging to The Associated Press, the Al-Jazeera satellite channel as well as dozens of families. Israel has said it had evidence Hamas was using the building for military purposes, though it has not released any evidence publicly to back the claim.

Here, some AP journalists involved in the coverage reflect on the story and their own experiences.

____

FARES AKRAM, correspondent, Gaza City, Gaza Strip

The destruction of the AP office felt like an attack on all of us. The office had been our professional home for years  and most of us had been sleeping there throughout the war, wrongly thinking that it was a rare safe place in Gaza.

Just days earlier, my family farmhouse was also destroyed by a bomb from an Israeli fighter jet. The house, located near the Israeli frontier in northern Gaza, had provided a precious escape from Gazas concrete jungle of homes and dirty streets.

After the war, I left Gaza through Egypt and went to visit my wife and children who have been living in Canada. I had not seen them for nearly two years due to coronavirus lockdowns. The four-month visit was the longest time I've ever stayed outside the tiny, impoverished crowded land on the Mediterranean that I call home.

Six months later, I wish I could say that things are getting better. But nothing has improved.

Large-scale reconstruction has yet to start. The nearly 15-year blockade that Israel and Egypt maintain on Gaza is still in place. Efforts to reach a deep, long-term cease-fire are stalled, and fears of another war breaking out are widespread. The process of rebuilding our office is moving slowly.

The crater made by the bomb on our farmhouse is still there, and the house is still in ruins.

It was my favorite spot in Gaza, something to look forward to on the weekends. It was where I could spend cold winter nights warmed by a burning bonfire or where my family would bake pastries and other dishes on the wood-fired clay oven. I self-isolated there during the lockdown because of the feeling of freedom walking in the field or feeding the chickens.

All of these lovely things have become a memory.

___

JOSEF FEDERMAN, bureau chief, Jerusalem:

The airstrike happened on the sixth day of the war. During those first few days, we had worked out a nice little routine. Karin Laub, the Mideast news director, would keep an eye on the story in the mornings while I would rest and do TV interviews. Then I would come in and handle the story and write the night's big roundup at the end of the day.

The airstrike happened on a Saturday, and it was actually kind of quiet. I went out and did a TV interview for Chinese television. Whenever I did TV, I would turn my phone off and put it down so I could focus on the interview. So, I turned my phone off for about 10 minutes.

When I turned it back on, there were eight missed calls from the office. I thought, What the heck is going on? And then as I was staring at my phone, it rang again and it was Karin and she was frantic. We had just received a warning from the Israeli army that the building with our Gaza office was going to be blown up. We've been given an hour to clear out," she said, before asking me to call my contacts to see if we could stop it.

A couple of days earlier, I had given the Israeli military the GPS coordinates of our office to make sure it wasnt accidentally bombed. So I called them to see if they could stop this. The spokesman was very nice, asked for more details about the building and said he would make some phone calls to see if anything could be done.

I then called the Foreign Ministry, telling the spokesman that this would be a public relations disaster if Israel destroyed the AP office. He also promised to make some calls and see if he could help.

Then, I called the prime minister's office and got a very different reply. There were no offers of help. The spokesman merely said: Make sure you get your people out of there and they are safe.

That's when I knew the office was going to get blown up.

I rushed home, flipped on the TV and watched our office get blown up in real time on live TV.

___

This wasnt the worst thing weve dealt with. In 2014, two people were killed in an accident, an explosion in Gaza, and another staffer was badly wounded. So, all things considered, this wasnt the worst outcome. At least everybody was safe.

They had an hour to get out of there. They grabbed what they could. And the amazing thing is, they went to work. They ran down the stairs, they got out of the building and they took incredible footage: They interviewed people, they spoke to the owner of the building who was also pleading with the army not to do this, they got incredible photos. We wrote some great stories and a first-person account. The resilience is amazing.

Its not easy, but everybody kind of knows what to do. They spring to life, everybody knows their job, and they just go to work and take care of business.

___

For a full overview of the events that shaped 2021, A Year That Changed Us: 12 Months in 150 Photos, a collection of AP photos and journalists recollections, is available now: https://www.ap.org/books/a-year-that-changed-us
LHEIBAN, Iraq (AP)  As a backhoe dug up the ground to build trenches, Iraqi soldiers scanned the vast farming tracts for militants; not far away, their Kurdish counterparts did the same.

The scene earlier this month in the small northern Iraqi farming village of Lheiban was a rare instance of coordination between the federal government and the semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The two sides were fortifying a joint position aimed at defending the village against attacks by the Islamic State group.

Despite a long-standing territorial dispute, Baghdad and Iraqs Kurds are taking steps to work together to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group.

Whether the fragile security partnership can hold is the big test in the next chapter of Iraqs war with IS. Both sides say they need the Americans to help keep it together  and they say that is one reason why the U.S. military presence in Iraq is not going away even as its combat mission officially ends on Dec. 31.

Iraq declared IS defeated four years ago this month. But the rivalry between Baghdad and the Kurds opened up cracks through which IS crept back: a long, disputed zone snaking through four provinces -- Nineveh, Kirkuk, Salaheddin and Diyala -- where the forces of either side did not enter. In some places, the zone was up to 40 kilometers (24 miles) wide.

Lheiban lies in one part of the zone, and a recent flurry of IS attacks threatened to empty the area of its residents, mostly Kurds. So for the first time since 2014, Iraqi troops and peshmerga are setting up joint coordination centers around the zone to better police the gaps.

Daesh took advantage, said Capt. Nakib Hajar, head of Kurdish peshmerga operations in the area, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Now, he said, we are coordinating ... It begins here, in this village.

NIGHT VISIONS

Like all residents of Lheiban, Helmet Zahir is tired. In past months, the cement factory worker would spend all night on the roof of his humble home, his wife and children sleeping inside, holding his rifle and waiting.

Security personnel guarding a nearby oil company -- the only ones in the area equipped with thermal night vision -- would send the signal when they spotted IS militants making their way down the Qarachok Mountain range toward Lheiban.

It was up to Zahir and other armed residents to fend them off.

We were abandoned. The peshmerga was on one side, the Iraqi army on another and neither was intervening, he said.

A recent uptick in attacks on the village, with three in the first week of December alone, prompted many of the villages residents, who are mainly Kurds, to leave. Zahir moved his family to Debaga in the relative safety of the Kurdish-run north.

Once numbering 65 families, Lheiban now has only 12 left, said village mukhtar Yadgar Karim.

On Dec. 7, peshmerga and Iraqi forces moved into the village with plans to replicate coordination elsewhere across the disputed territories. Kurdish officials hoped this would prompt villagers to return. Maintaining a Kurdish population in the area is key to their territorial claims.

Zahir is not convinced. I came to check on the situation only, I am too afraid to return, he said.

The peshmerga have positions all along the ridge of the Qarachok mountains. But they dont have orders to stop IS militants as they cross on attacks or to raid IS positions because of wariness over entering disputed territory, explained Col. Kahar Jawhar.

Moreover, the militants move at night, using tunnels and hiding in caves, and the peshmerga lack key equipment including night vision.

That is why IS are able to terrorize the residents, because we cant see them, Jawhar said.

DISPUTED LAND

The talks to re-establish joint coordination centers between the Iraqi army and peshmerga began over two years ago, but fell apart because of deep mistrust and differences over how to carve out lines of control.

Under current Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, talks were rekindled, paving the way for an agreement to set up six joint coordination centers in Baghdad, Irbil, and across the disputed zone.

Kadhimi also agreed to establish two joint brigades to conduct anti-IS operations. But this is awaiting budget approval from Baghdads Finance Ministry, said Hajar Ismail, peshmerga head of relations with the coalition.

Between 2009-2014, Iraqi and Kurdish forces conducted joint security in the northern provinces of Ninevah, Kirkuk and Diyala. But the collapse of the Iraqi army during the IS onslaught of 2014 ended the arrangement.

Kurdish authorities managed to solidify control over Kirkuk and other disputed areas during this time, even developing oil fields and conducting an independent export policy, to the ire of the federal government.

After Iraq declared victory over IS in 2017, Baghdad turned its sights to these areas, launching a military operation in October 2017 to retake them. Relations soured, with Baghdad cutting off budget allocations to the Kurdish region, rendering it unable to pay public sector workers and debts to oil companies.

Baghdad was long reluctant to resume security talks partly due to political optics in the capital, with many dominant Shiite parties deeply mistrustful of Kurdish intentions, according to federal officials.

The Popular Mobilization Forces, made up largely of Shiite militia groups close to Iran, has opposed joint patrols with the peshmerga. The PMF also has a powerful presence in many areas in the disputed zone.

So far, the PMF has been surprisingly quiet about the new joint arrangement, as it copes with a devastating loss in federal elections earlier this year.

But at some point they will speak out against it, Zmkan Ali, a senior researcher at the Institute of Regional and International Studies, a research center in Sulaymaniyah.

COMMON FRIEND

The road to better coordination has often involved a common friend: The U.S.

Iraqi and Kurdish officials said the U.S.-led coalitions mediation and support were key in bringing parties to the table.

They played an important role, coordinating with us and the Iraqi side, said Jawhar, the peshmerga based in Qarachok. Without them we wouldnt speak  they wouldnt come here, and we wouldnt go there.

Both sides say they still need the Americans to play that role.

U.S. troops quietly stopped direct involvement in combat against IS months ago and have since been advising and training troops. That role will continue when the combat mission formally ends on Dec. 31.

The U.S. presence is also crucial in other ways. The Americans pay the salaries of many peshmerga fighters, amid ongoing budget disputes with Baghdad. Some $240 million in U.S. funding covers the salaries of around 45,000 peshmerga personnel, according to Ismail.

Thankfully, this will continue in 2022, he said.
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)  Alaska's largest school district is dropping its requirement that students and staff wear face masks in school buildings, starting next month, in response to lower COVID-19 case numbers, Superintendent Deena Bishop said.

The change in policy for the Anchorage School District comes after the Anchorage Assembly lifted its indoor mask mandate earlier this month, Alaska Public Media reported.

We do a lot of tests, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of tests a week, and our positivity rate is low, Bishop said.

Under the district's new policy, masking will be optional for students, teachers and staff, starting Jan. 3.

Bishop cited testing rates, current case counts and the availability of COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 5.

Since the start of this school term, there haven't been any widespread COVID-19 outbreaks or closures of entire schools in the district, she said.

What weve done as a district has set us up for success, Bishop said.

Corey Aist, president of the Anchorage Education Association teachers union, said he thinks the success of keeping schools open has been due to universal face mask wearing. Making masks optional feels a little premature," he said.

Aist said the district should wait to see what COVID-19 case numbers look like after the holiday break before making changes to the policy.

Bishop said students still must wear masks on buses in line with federal rules.
JERUSALEM (AP)  An Associated Press photographer was pushed and beaten by Israeli police in an unprovoked attack Friday while covering a protest in a tense Jerusalem neighborhood, sending him to the hospital with head injuries.

The AP said it was outraged by the violence against staffer Mahmoud Illean, while a prominent journalists advocacy group called for disciplinary action against the officers involved.

Illean had been covering a weekly demonstration in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, where longtime Palestinian residents are battling efforts by Jewish settlers to evict them from their homes. The case, which has drawn global attention and fueled Israeli-Palestinian tensions, has been before Israels Supreme Court for months.

According to Illean, Fridays demonstration was relatively quiet, with only minor scuffles between Israels paramilitary border police and protesters.

He said that about 15 minutes after the demonstration wrapped up, he was approached by a group of border police officers who threw stun grenades toward him.

Video from the scene shows Illean standing in front of a white car when one of the officers approaches him, pushes him backward onto the ground and then proceeds to punch him several times. A second video showed Illean photographing police attacking several other journalists before the officer turned on him.

Illean's face was bleeding and he was taken to Jerusalems Hadassah Hospital for X-rays. He did not suffer any fractures and returned home several hours later with a bruised face and head and back pain.

Israels border police is a paramilitary force that often is sent to quell riots, and its officers have been targets of Palestinian attackers. At the same time, its officers have frequently been accused of using excessive force against unarmed protesters and journalists.

We are outraged by this senseless and unprovoked attack by Israeli police on an AP photographer, who was simply doing his job, said AP spokeswoman Lauren Easton. "Such violence against journalists is abhorrent and unacceptable.

The Foreign Press Association, which represents some 400 journalists working for international media in Israel and the Palestinian territories, said Fridays incident was the latest in a string of attacks on journalists by the border police.

The Foreign Press Association strongly condemns this behavior, which raises serious questions about the discipline and professionalism of the officers, the group said. It called for a "serious investigation and appropriate disciplinary action against the officer involved.

Responding to the FPA, police sent a statement saying that officers were clearing out the area after a violent demonstration in which one officer was hit in the head and slightly hurt by a chair thrown by a protester. It gave no explanation as to why Illean was targeted, saying only that relevant authorities would investigate.

Illean has worked for the AP for five years. His image of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at Jerusalems Al-Aqsa Mosque last May was named one of Time magazines top 100 photos of 2021.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Democrats must drop an effort to let millions of immigrants remain temporarily in the U.S. from their expansive social and environment bill, the Senate parliamentarian decided Thursday, dealing the latest blow to a longtime priority of the party, migrant advocates and progressives.

The opinion by Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate's nonpartisan arbiter of its rules, all but certainly means Democrats will ultimately have to pull the proposal from their 10-year, roughly $2 trillion package. The measure carries health care, family services and climate change initiatives, mostly paid for with higher taxes on corporations and the rich, that are top priorities for President Joe Biden.

When the Senate considers the overall legislation  which is currently stalled  Democrats are expected to try reviving the immigration provisions, or perhaps even stronger language giving migrants a way to become permanent residents or citizens. But such efforts would face solid opposition from Republicans and probably a small number of Democrats, which would be enough for defeat in the 50-50 chamber.

MacDonough's opinion was no surprise  it was the third time since September that she said Democrats would violate Senate rules by using the legislation to help immigrants and should remove immigration provisions from the bill. Nonetheless, it was a painful setback for advocates hoping to capitalize on Democratic control of the White House and Congress for gains on the issue, which have been elusive in Congress for decades.

MacDonough's finding was the second defeat of the day inflicted on Democrats' social and economic package. Biden was also forced to concede that Senate work on the massive overall bill would be delayed until at least January after his negotiations stalled with holdout Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who wants to further cut and reshape the legislation.

We will advance this work together over the days and weeks ahead," the president said in a statement.

Democrats' latest immigration proposal would have let an estimated 6.5 million immigrants in the U.S. since at least 2010 without legal authorization apply for up to two five-year work permits. The permits would let them hold jobs, avoid deportation and in some instances travel abroad without risking their residency here. Applicants would have to meet background checks and other requirements.

Immigration advocates and their Democratic Senate allies have said they will continue seeking a way to include provisions helping migrants in the legislation, but their pathway is unclear.

Disappointed. And were considering what options remain, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told reporters about the parliamentarian's ruling.

White House spokesperson Vedant Patel said the ruling relegates millions to an uncertain and frightening future and said Biden and Democrats will keep fighting to protect immigrants.

Democrats are using special rules t hat would let them push the overall bill through the Senate by a simple majority vote, not the 60 votes legislation usually needs. GOP opposition means the immigration provisions Democrats want would not survive as a freestanding bill.

But under those same rules, such bills can't have provisions that are driven more by policy changes than by cuts or increases in the federal budget.

The parliamentarian makes that call. Her opinion said Democrats had failed that test because the disputed language would have changed a program that currently awards work permits sparingly into one where it would be mandatory to issue the permits to migrants who qualify for them.

These are substantial policy changes with lasting effects just like those we previously considered and outweigh the budgetary impact," MacDonough wrote. Earlier this year, she rejected two Democratic proposals that would have each created a chance for permanent legal status for 8 million migrants.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the bill's immigration provisions would end up costing the government around $111 billion over 10 years, largely due to federal benefits immigrants would qualify to receive by gaining legal status.

The rejected plan would have created no new pathway for those getting work permits to remain in the U.S. permanently. But the budget office estimated last month that of 6.5 million migrants who would ultimately get the temporary permits, around 3 million would later gain permanent residency because their new status would remove some obstacles in that process.

Many progressives and migrant supporters have long urged Democrats to vote to overrule the parliamentarian, whose opinion is advisory and whose decisions senators seldom overturn. Advocates resumed pressuring the party to do so after MacDonough's ruling.

This is a fight about racial justice, said Greisa Martinez Rosas, executive director of United We Dream, an immigrants' rights group. Citing the strong support Democrats usually receive from Hispanic voters, she said advocates would accept no excuses for inaction.

It's time for Democrats to deliver on their promises; they must disregard today's recommendation by the parliamentarian and add citizenship provisions to the bill, she said.

It seems unlikely that Democrats would have the unanimous support they would need to overturn MacDonough's opinion. Manchin, one of Congress' more conservative Democrats, has said he would not vote to overturn a ruling the parliamentarian on every issue.

Even so, top Democrats signaled Thursday evening that they would try.

We strongly disagree with the Senate parliamentarians interpretation of our immigration proposal, and we will pursue every means to achieve a path to citizenship" in the social and environment bill, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Durbin and four Latino Democratic senators said in a statement. They added, We stand with the millions of immigrant families across the country who deserve better and for whom we will not stop fighting.

The latest proposal fell well short of Bidens initial plan this year to give the 11 million immigrants in the U.S. without legal authorization a way to seek permanent residency and even citizenship.

Even so, it would have been Congress most sweeping move in decades to help migrants in this country. A 1986 immigration overhaul helped an estimated 2.5 million immigrants win permanent residency.

___

Associated Press writer Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.
Dec. 10-16, 2021

This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by Associated Press photographers in Asia and Pacific.
GULF BREEZE, Fla. (AP)  A man who was rewarded by the Planters peanut company for being a good Samaritan is continuing to help others in his Florida Panhandle city.

Over the previous two Christmas seasons, Mike Esmond donated about $12,000 to pay off utility bills for people in Gulf Breeze who needed some extra help. Then, in March, Planters sent Esmond a check for $104,000 for his good works as part of the company's A Nut Above" campaign.

Since then, Esmond has continued helping with past-due utility bills, paying off balances for 677 accounts.

In other words, I paid everybodys past-due account for a while, about March to August, like six months straight, Esmond told the Pensacola News Journal. Nobody that had their utilities, Gulf Breeze utilities, had anything disconnected.

Last week, Esmond donated funds to pay off 29 accounts, putting his total donations at about $85,000 this year and more than $96,000 over the past three years.

He said he's continuing his effort in hopes of inspiring others.

Esmond said it's been touching to hear how the donations have helped older Gulf Breeze residents who may need additional assistance.

Ive had some older, retired people call me crying on the phone, because I paid their bills, because they live on Social Security, and they dont know whats going on, Esmond told the newspaper. So its not only families. Theres older single people that you know, are in this predicament also.

Esmond runs Gulf Breeze Pools and Spas, which he started in 2010. The U.S. Army veteran said he was inspired to help with utility bills because of his own experience in the 1980s, when he couldn't afford to pay his gas bill in the winter.

I was raising three daughters and my wife and I would run around at night with this little plug-in electric heater in the rooms trying to give them a little bit of heat, Esmond said.

And for that reason, Esmond said he'll likely continue the Christmas donations as long as he can afford to.
ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP)  President Joe Biden pledged Friday to fight for stalled voting rights and police reform legislation, addressing graduates of South Carolina State University amid the harsh reality that months of talks with lawmakers have failed to move the measures closer to becoming law.

Biden spoke at the historically Black school a day after conceding that his nearly $2 trillion social and environmental bill was unlikely to become law this year, as he had hoped, due to continued disagreement among fellow Democrats. Republicans unanimously oppose the spending.

Wearing a black gown as he delivered the December commencement address, the president bemoaned GOP opposition keeping voting rights bills from advancing in the 50-50 Senate following passage by the Democratic-controlled House. He blamed that other team, which used to be called the Republican Party, for refusing to even allow the bills to be debated.

But this battles not over, Biden said. Were going to keep up the fight until we get it done.

Biden's vow to keep pushing to protect what he called the sacred right to vote as the NAACP and similar groups have grown frustrated with the White House over the lack of progress on the issue. Voting rights is a priority for Democrats heading into next year's midterm elections after Republican-controlled legislatures passed a wave of restrictive new voting laws.

Biden pledged similar advocacy for police reform, another issue important to the Black community after a series of killings of Black men by police, including George Floyd's death last year after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for about nine minutes.

The House passed a sweeping police reform measure earlier this year in response to Floyd's killing, but months of negotiations among a bipartisan group of senators failed to produce a bill.

Biden vowed to keep pressing for police reform, too.

The fight's not over, he said at the alma mater of House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, the highest-ranking Black member of Congress and South Carolina's only Democrat in the delegation. Clyburn, who sat on stage with Biden, accepted his degree from the president, a longtime friend.

Part rah-rah speech for the graduates as they prepare to venture out into the world, Biden at times sounded more like a candidate as he used the appearance before a predominantly Black audience to stress how his administration is working to improve their economic and educational standing, from increased funding for historically Black colleges and universities to fighting housing discrimination.

Black voters, in South Carolina and other states, were a crucial part of the coalition that helped Biden win election as president.

He also touched on the infrastructure bill he recently signed into law, including the promise of thousands of new jobs, but avoided discussing his centerpiece social welfare and environmental bill. That measure remains bottled up in the Senate, largely due to opposition from a fellow Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and facing an uncertain fate next year, when Democrats need accomplishments to show as they campaign for reelection in the November.

Biden also pledged to help stamp out hate and racism, referenced the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, carried out in hopes of subverting his election, and talked about his appreciation for historically Black colleges and universities. He noted that key members of his team had graduated from historically Black schools, including Vice President Kamala Harris, a Howard University alum.

You can defeat hate, but you cant eliminate it," Biden said. It just slides back under a rock and, when given oxygen by political leaders, it comes out ugly and mean as it was before. We cant give it any oxygen. We have to step on it.

He did not discuss legislative strategy, including how he would turn hard Democratic opposition to the $2 trillion plan into support. All he offered was the promise to keep fighting  the same advice he gave the graduates.

Biden told them their secret power is the ability to understand the injustices and complications of the world, with the enduring legacies of racism leaving Black Americans at a disadvantage in home ownership and economic mobility.

There were no December ceremonies when Clyburn graduated in 1961, so he received his diploma by mail. Instead of addressing this year's graduates, as had been planned, Clyburn joined the procession of students on stage to receive his degree from Biden, whom he invited to deliver the commencement address.

The president visited at a fraught time for his agenda, with the future of his $2 trillion social and environmental spending package in doubt. While Democrats had hoped to make progress on the bill before Christmas, continued disagreements among lawmakers have all but halted negotiations, and Biden himself has signaled Democrats should shift their focus to passing a voting rights bill  another heavy lift in the evenly divided Senate.

On Friday, Senate Democrats huddled privately, as they have for weeks, discussing with parliamentary experts ways to adjust the chambers filibuster rules so they can push past Republican opposition and pass voting and election bills ahead of the 2022 midterms. No decisions have been reached, but senators insist theyre making progress.

Biden and Clyburn had been planning a gathering in South Carolina, Clyburn told reporters this week, and they figured Friday's ceremony would suffice. The meetup is significant for both, in that it's Biden's first time as president in South Carolina, where Clyburn's public support is credited with boosting Biden to the Democratic presidential nomination.

On the cusp of South Carolinas first-in-the-South primary, after struggling through less-than-stellar performances in other early-voting contests, Biden secured a public endorsement from Clyburn, an awaited signal for many Black voters that Biden would be the candidate to stand up for their interests.

Biden subsequently bested chief rival Bernie Sanders on Super Tuesday and claimed the nomination before defeating Republican incumbent Donald Trump in the general election.

___

Superville reported from Washington. AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report from Washington.

___

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  BNSF Railway has agreed to pay a $1.5 million settlement arising from an oil spill into northwest Iowa waters in 2018, according to court documents filed Thursday.

The settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency comes after about 160,000 gallons (606,000 liters) of tar sand oil leaked into the floodwaters near Doon, Iowa, in June 2018.
Property owners who ask to remove their names from online property searches to conceal their address may keep their names confidential under a ruling the Iowa Supreme Court published Friday.

Des Moines Register reporter Clark Kauffman filed a complaint with the Iowa Public Information Board against Polk County Assessor Randy Ripperger in 2017 after Ripperger refused to release a list of people who had requested their names be removed from the county's online search-by-name property search database. The list includes police officers, prosecutors, judges, and crime victims who want to make it harder for criminals or harassers to find out where they live. There are more than 3,500 property owners on the list.

Kauffman alleged that Ripperger was violating the state's open records law by refusing to provide the list of names. Kauffman said in a hearing that he sought the disabled name list to determine who opts in to the policy and find out if developers, landlords, or slumlords are trying to keep their names from public disclosure.

The board, which under Iowa law is empowered to enforce the state's open records law, found in 2018 that Ripperger had violated the law. An administrative law judge and a state court judge affirmed that conclusion and Ripperger appealed.

The court concluded that the list of names fits within an exception the legislature allowed in the state law. The open records law provides confidentiality for communications with a government body by private citizens outside of government who would not have made the communication if they had known it would be made public.

The court found the list was a public record but that it fit within the exception to disclosure as a communication intended to be confidential.

Communications requesting removal from the assessors search-by-name function are useful to promote public safety, especially for those in risky occupations or victims of domestic abuse who want to make it harder for potential assailants to locate their home addresses. When, as here, the record custodian could reasonably believe disclosure of the list would deter such communications, that determination should be upheld, not second-guessed, even if others could reasonably disagree with the custodian, the court said.

The court sent the case back to the board to determine who falls within the meaning of the law as being outside of government for a determination about whether some names may not fit the exception to the law.

Were looking at the ruling and will talk to IPIB about next steps, said Lynn Hicks, a spokesman for the Iowa attorney generals office, which represented the board.

Justice Thomas Waterman wrote the opinion, which was supported by Chief Justice Susan Christensen and Justice Dana Oxley. Three justices did not consider the case and Justice Edward Mansfield disagreed.

He said in a dissenting opinion that the 2012 law creating the board gives it the authority to interpret the open records law and the court should give deference to that authority. He said, citing language from the open records law, that "free and open examination of public records is generally in the public interest even though such examination may cause inconvenience or embarrassment to public officials or others.

Ripperger said the assessors office will continue to make individual real estate records and assessed values available for inspection at its office during business hours in compliance with Iowa law.

The assessors office continues to believe this is an issue of public safety especially for victims, witnesses, and our law enforcement community, he said.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Peng Her, CEO of the Hmong Institute in Madison, announced Friday that he is running for lieutenant governor as a Democrat.

Her joins a crowded field seeking to replace Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who is running for U.S. Senate rather than a second term. The winner of the Aug. 9 primary will be paired with Gov. Tony Evers.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Department of Justice officials are accusing a former dentist from West Linn of defrauding the government out of nearly $8 million in money meant to help small businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The United States Attorneys Office, District of Oregon, said officials believe Salwan Adjaj in 2021 submitted dozens of loan applications from his dental practice computer to the Small Business Administration in an effort to obtain funds through the Economic Impact Disaster Loan program, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
PARIS (AP)  The mugshot-style photos are posted on online message boards in black and white and look a little like old-fashioned wanted posters.

The Jews own COVID just like all of Hollywood, the accompanying text says. Wake up people.

The post is one of many that white supremacists and far-right extremists are using to expand their reach and recruit followers on the social media platform Telegram, according to the findings of researchers who sifted through nearly half a million comments on pages  called channels on Telegram  that they categorized as far-right from January 2020 to June 2021.

The tactic has been successful: Nine of the 10 most viewed posts in the sample examined by the researchers contained misleading claims about the safety of vaccines or the pharmaceutical companies manufacturing them. One Telegram channel saw its total subscribers jump tenfold after it leaned into COVID-19 conspiracy theories.

COVID-19 has served as a catalyst for radicalization, said the study's author, Ciaran OConnor, an analyst at the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue. It allows conspiracy theorists or extremists to create simple narratives, framing it as us versus them, good versus evil.

Other posts downplayed the severity of the coronavirus or pushed conspiracy theories about its origins. Many of the posts contain hate speech directed at Jews, Asians, women or other groups or violent rhetoric that would be automatically removed from Facebook or Twitter for violating the standards of those sites.

Telegram, based in the United Arab Emirates, has many different kinds of users around the world, but it has become a favorite tool of some on the far-right in part because the platform lacks the content moderation of Facebook, Twitter and other platforms.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Telegram said it welcomed the peaceful expression of ideas, including those we do not agree with." The statement said moderators monitor activity and user reports "in order to remove public calls for violence.

OConnor said he believes the people behind these posts are trying to exploit fear and anxiety over COVID-19 to attract new recruits, whose loyalty may outlast the pandemic.

Indeed, mixed in with the COVID-19 conspiracy posts are some direct recruitment pitches. For example, someone posted a link to a news story about a Long Island, New York, synagogue on a channel popular with the far-right Proud Boys and added a message urging followers to join them. Embrace who you were called to be, read the post, which was accompanied by a swastika.

The researchers found suggestions that far-right groups on Telegram are working together. ISD researchers linked two usernames involved in running one Telegram channel to two prominent members of the American far-right. One was a scheduled speaker at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a white supremacist deliberately drove into a crowd of counterdemonstrators, killing one and injuring 35.

That channel has grown steadily since the pandemic began and now has a reach of around 400,000 views each day, according to Telegram Analytics, a service that keeps statistical data on about 150,000 Telegram channels on the site TGStat. In May 2020 the channel had 5,000 subscribers; it now has 50,000.

The data is especially concerning given a rash of incidents around the world that indicate some extremists are moving from online rhetoric to offline action.

Gavin Yamey, a physician and public health professor at Duke University, has written about the rise of threats against health care workers during the pandemic. He said the harassment is even worse for those who are women, people of color, in a religious minority or LGBTQ.

Yamey, who is Jewish, has received threats and anti-Semitic messages, including one on Twitter calling for his family to be executed. He fears racist conspiracy theories and scapegoating may persist even after the pandemic eases.

I worry that in some ways the genie is out of the bottle, Yamey said.

The pandemic and the unrest it has caused have been linked to a wave of harassment and attacks on Asian-Americans. In Italy, a far-right opponents of vaccine mandates rampaged through a union headquarters and a hospital. In August in Hawaii, some of those who harassed that state's Jewish lieutenant governor at his home during a vaccine protest brandished fliers with his photo and the word Jew.

Elsewhere, people have died after taking sham cures, pharmacists have destroyed vaccine vials, and others have damaged 5G telecommunication towers since the pandemic began nearly two years ago.

Events such as the pandemic leave many people feeling anxious and looking for explanations, according to Cynthia Miller-Idriss, director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab at American University, which studies far-right extremism. Conspiracy theories can provide an artificial sense of control, she said.

COVID-19 has created fertile ground for recruitment because so many people around the world feel unsettled," Miller-Idriss said. "These racist conspiracy theories give people a sense of control, a sense of power over events that make people feel powerless.

Policing extremism online has challenged tech companies that say they must balance protecting free speech with removing hate speech. They also must contend with increasingly sophisticated tactics by groups that have learned to evade platform rules.

Facebook this month announced that it had removed a network of accounts based in Italy and France that had spread conspiracy theories about vaccines and carried out coordinated harassment campaigns against journalists, doctors and public health officials.

The network, called V_V, used both real and fake accounts and was overseen by a group of users who coordinated their activities on Telegram in an effort to hide their tracks from Facebook, company investigators found.

They sought to mass-harass individuals with pro-vaccination views into making their posts private or deleting them, essentially suppressing their voices, said Mike Dvilyanski, head of cyber espionage investigations at Meta, Facebooks parent company.

O'Connor, the ISD researcher, said sites like Telegram will continue to serve as a refuge for extremists as long as they lack the moderation policies of the larger platforms.

The guardrails that you see on other platforms, they don't exist on Telegram, O'Connor said. That makes it a very attractive place for extremists.

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Klepper reported from Providence, R.I.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  On billboards throughout northern Nevada, Republican gubernatorial candidate Joey Gilbert can be seen with clenched fists and a promise: Joey Gilbert Law, Fighting for Nevada.

Now, Gilbert is fighting efforts to reprimand him by the State Bar of Nevada. Gilbert has yet to be disciplined, but a screening panel that reviewed his work sent him a draft letter of reprimand in August alleging he harmed a client and violated the bars rules of professional conduct.

Your misconduct actually injured your client, albeit not substantially because he had no formal deadline for filing the petition. Your misconduct actually injured the integrity of the profession as well, Richard Williamson, the chair of a disciplinary panel convened by the bar, wrote in the Aug. 27 letter to Gilbert.

Gilbert is an attorney and former professional boxer who in the last year has become one of Nevada's most prominent voices calling into question the 2020 election result and decrying coronavirus vaccines. He was present in Washington, D.C., during the Jan. 6 insurrection but has said he did not enter the Capitol. Gilbert is running in a crowded primary field of Republicans hoping to unseat Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2022.

The letter obtained by The Associated Press was confirmed as authentic by the State Bar of Nevada.

The Nevada Bar appoints three-member panels to evaluate grievances lodged by clients claiming harm against its attorneys. After deliberation, panels can impose sanctions, reprimand an attorney or dismiss the allegations. If the panel chooses sanctions or a reprimand, it must provide the attorney an opportunity to review the allegations and file an objection within 14 days.

Gilbert filed a motion to dismiss the letter, which the disciplinary panel denied on Dec. 1, according to filings provided by his attorney, Dominic Gentile.

Gentile said Gilbert denied all the allegations in the letter and planned to continue to fight the bar over its process and conclusions. He said the draft letter was not a public record and the State Bar should not have commented on it at this stage.

There is no final determination as to the validity of any grievance against Mr. Gilbert. A lawyer is entitled to a live hearing at which witnesses must be called to testify and be subject to cross-examination, he said.

Bar counsel Daniel Hooge said the letter was unofficial and Gilbert would not be formally disciplined until the panel holds another hearing.

While the Supreme Court of Nevada retains ultimate authority to regulate the legal profession, the Office of the Bar Counsel serves as the Courts arm to investigate and prosecute claims that a lawyer has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct. Our primary goal is to protect the public, Hooge said.

The panel's consideration comes as Gilbert campaigns throughout Nevada ahead of the Republican gubernatorial primary next June and files headline-grabbing lawsuits challenging vaccine and mask mandates.

To voters, Gilbert cites his legal work as evidence that he's the best choice to be Nevada's next governor and committed to fighting for the state.

In stump speeches he's made across the state and shared on his Facebook page, he says the legal work he's done throughout the pandemic prove his willingness to be in the trenches, fighting, referencing cases such as Calvary Chapel Lone Mountain's ongoing challenges to Nevada's coronavirus-related capacity cap on religious gatherings.

Gilbert is part of the legal team representing that church in Las Vegas, which along with another in rural Nevada, won an appeal challenging a statewide capacity cap on religious gatherings. The 9th U.S. Circuit of Appeals ruled in favor of the church after the governor had rolled back the restrictions in question.

The State Bar letter claims Gilbert's firm allowed employees who weren't licensed attorneys to handle a case without supervision  a violation of professional standards and bar requirements. It alleges that a law student, who was supposed to be under Gilberts supervision per bar rules, falsely implied to a client that a petition had been filed in court when it had not.

Though Gilbert's client had paid a $3,500 retainer four months prior, the firm later dropped him as a client and returned the deposit. The draft letter also reprimands Gilbert for violating a diligence rule by not promptly alerting the client that he did not want to represent him.

Gentile said Gilbert denied the allegations.

After speaking to employees mentioned in the letter, Gentile said he believes the disciplinary panel hadn't sufficiently investigated the incident. He said he was confident the reprimand would be dismissed.

"What Joey Gilbert is doing here is he's standing up for his integrity," Gentile said.

The State Bar of Nevada said it has about 9,000 active members and prosecutes roughly 200 to 300 grievances annually. In 2021, it issued 24 reprimands, nine stayed suspensions and 15 actual suspensions. One attorney was disbarred.

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Associated Press writer Scott Sonner contributed reporting from Reno. 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.
GREECE, N.Y. (AP)  The former police chief for the town of Greece who crashed his SUV pleaded guilty to charges Thursday and the district attorney said the department hampered the investigation into the crash.

Andrew Forsythe resigned as police chief after he crashed his town-issued vehicle into a guardrail in October and then kept driving for several miles. He pleaded guilty to driving while ability impaired and admitted he was intoxicated, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported.

Im embarrassed, ashamed, and most importantly, disappointed in myself, Forsythe said outside of court.

Forsythe was sentenced to a license suspension of 90 days and will pay $1,103 in fines, the newspaper reported. He must take an impaired driving course, participate in a victim impact panel and can be resentenced within a year if he does not comply with the terms of his conditional release.

Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley said the three officers who responded to the crash did not conduct a field sobriety test. Those officers have been suspended, the newspaper reported.

We were called into this investigation two-and-a-half days after the crash. We had to play catchup and put together a case that was not investigated one iota by the Greece Police Department, Doorley said outside of court. Their actions that early morning hampered the investigation.

A request for comment sent Friday to the Greece police department was not immediately returned.

A spokesperson for the Greece police department initially told local media Forsythe swerved to avoid a deer, hit the guardrail, then continued driving because his radio was not working.

Investigators determined Forsythe had consumed six alcoholic drinks in two hours before getting in his car. They reviewed surveillance footage, a 911 call from the crash and interviewed witnesses, the newspaper reported.

If approved by the town board, Rochester police deputy chief Michael Wood will take over as permanent police chief for Greece starting Jan. 10, the newspaper reported.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Following three confirmed cases of the omicron variant in Oregon, health officials warned on Friday that the state may face its worst COVID-19 surge in the coming weeks, with the number of patients hospitalized more than doubling the pandemics peak.

As local scientists predict that the state has a three week window to prepare for the next surge, Gov. Kate Brown and health authorities are urging people to get their COVID-19 booster shot.

Todays forecast is a warning we cant ignore. Like a tsunami alert, the (Oregon Health & Science University) forecast is telling us that a big wave is coming, said Patrick Allen, the director of the state health authority. And it threatens to be bigger than any wave weve seen before.

Officials say the threat that the highly transmissible omicron variant poses is deeply troubling and demoralizing, especially as hospitals continue to struggle with staffing shortages and limited available beds due to the surge caused by the delta variant.

As of Thursday, 389 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized in Oregon. There currently are only 57 available adult intensive care unit beds and only 94% of the states adult non-ICU beds are full.

We are approaching this next surge, while still sitting at the halfway point coming down from delta, said Dr. Renee Edwards, the chief medical officer for Oregon Health & Science University,

During the peak of the delta surge  in September  nearly 1,200 coronavirus patients were hospitalized. Peter Graven, a data scientist at Oregon Health and Science University and author of an influential COVID-19 statewide forecast, predicts the number of hospitalizations in the state could eclipse Oregons peak by two or three times.

Graven says omicron will likely become the dominant variant in the state within a month and possibly trigger a fifth wave of infections. The first three cases of omicron were detected in Oregon on Monday.

Oregon probably has a little time, but each day is counting now, Graven told Oregon Public Broadcasting this week.

Health officials say the best way to combat the quick spread of the new variant is for people to be fully vaccinated and receive a booster shot.

The health authority announced on Friday they are working to expand booster vaccination  with the goal of getting booster doses to one million more Oregonians by the end of January. As part of the effort to more than double the number of Oregonians with booster shots, the health authority is focusing on getting shots to high-risk individuals in the next three weeks.

Currently, 74% of Oregonians 18 and older are fully vaccinated. Approximately 26% of Oregonians have received a booster or third dose.

Although officials warn of another wave of COVID-19, Gov. Brown did not announce any added statewide coronavirus-related restrictions.

Throughout the pandemic, Oregon has had some of the strictest safety measures and restrictions in the country. In the past there have been outdoor mask requirements, capacity limitations, closure of in-person learning and restaurants have been restricted to outdoor dining. Currently there is a statewide indoor mask mandate.

As for if any restrictions will return Brown said that nothing is off the table, but right now the focus is on administering booster doses to vulnerable populations.

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Cline 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
ST. LOUIS (AP)  Police have made an arrest after a woman charged in a 2020 St. Louis homicide was herself killed in a shooting in St. Louis Hamilton Heights neighborhood.

Tatyana Smiley, 28, was found shot to death Tuesday morning inside a building in the same block where she lived, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
For one month each summer, roughly 60 middle-school students around Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, descend on the campus of Bucknell University to attend the Kaupas Camp. At the free day camp, organized by the local school district, Bucknell coaches run clinics in basketball, field hockey, and other sports. Campers can learn, for example, about ecology or how to play the drums. For some, its the first time theyve set foot on a college campus. These opportunities are provided in large part by philanthropists serving long-term sentences at a nearby medium-security prison.

At the State Correctional InstituteCoal Township, about 250 men participate in the Lifeline Association, a giving circle that contributes to charities in the surrounding Pennsylvania coal region. Many of its members are incarcerated for life; the rest will have spent at least 10 years in prison by the end of their sentences.

The men in Lifeline were drawn to the camps mission to connect local kids with a range of extracurricular activities in hopes that theyll discover a new passion to pursue during the school year. They understand that can help change a childs trajectory and prevent kids from disconnecting from their community or even harming it.

David Dawud Lee, a founding member of Lifeline who is serving a life sentence for being on the scene of the shooting death of another young man, knows about disconnection. Interventions like the Kaupas Camp are critical for kids need to feel that they belong and are valued.

If we have an opportunity to send a child to camp, to experience something that I never experienced in my lifetime, Lee says, I think thats a wonderful thing.

While Lifeline primarily contributes to charities that promote the well-being of children, the group has also given to nonprofits that serve incarcerated people. Members gave $2,000 to Books Through Bars, which mails free books to people incarcerated in mid-Atlantic prisons, and $500 to the Human Rights Coalition, which helps families advocate for better treatment of incarcerated relatives. In addition, they raised $3,743 for Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia and $500 for Marleys Mission, a local nonprofit that offers horseback-riding therapy to children overcoming trauma.

Before the Lifeline Association was established, in 2016, many of the men incarcerated for life at SCI Coal Township, as the prison is known, longed for programs designed just for them. Gradually, the men who would establish Lifeline found one another inside the prison. They shared a sense of justice and a desire to mentor their peers and encourage them to expand their idea of who an incarcerated person could be and how he could contribute.

That camaraderie has changed how they experience prison life. Without it, I would have still been drowning, says Tito McGill, a Lifeline member who is serving a life sentence for homicide. It was something I could hold on to to float with until I could find my buoyancy, until I could find a space to make other people be able to float.

McGill, Lee, and others led by example, and that impressed Thomas McGinley, superintendent of SCI Coal Township. He tapped them to start Lifeline with the help of other men who were known as informal leaders and mentors, as well as several prison staff members. Three hundred people responded to the initial call for members.

The generosity and introspection that Lifeline encourages has a profound effect on its members, McGinley says. It not only has them become more empathetic to the victims and the victims family but allows them to also see the forest beyond the trees and say that theres more out there  that we can help.

Members pay $7 in annual dues from the accounts they hold at the prison for wages from janitorial, food-service, tutoring, and other jobs they do there. Family members and friends can also make contributions. Lifeline raises more funds by selling concessions from local vendors inside the prison. In advance of the Super Bowl, for example, the group advertised a sale of chips and soda. Sales of locally produced Pellman cheesecakes are especially popular. Other fundraising drives have sold items like vitamins and earbuds.

McGinley must approve each event, but Lifeline members plan and schedule them on their own. The prison holds the money and cuts checks to the nonprofits Lifeline members choose to support.

Long before they started the group, the founders were focused on encouraging what they call transformation within themselves and their peers. To them, rehabilitation is a quick fix, while transformation addresses what led Lifeline members to commit the crimes that landed them in prison.

Ive been in prison for 33 years now. The person I was 33 years ago dont exist today, says Lee. We change, we become better, we care about our communities, we care about our families, and we want people to know these things.

It is important to Lee and others that Lifeline include a mentorship program to make sure their peers have the support they need to stay committed to change. So Lifeline began Dare to Care, a 15-week mentorship program open to the full prison population.

Academic learning is also crucial. At the request of Saleem Barlow, a founding member of Lifeline, Bucknell sociologist Carl Milofsky designed a college class that brings together about 12 Bucknell students with about seven men serving life sentences.

During the pandemic, most of prison life has been crammed inside the cell block, if not the cell itself. Lifelines leaders share a cell block, and theyve kept meeting throughout the pandemic. Full membership meetings, however, have been suspended. Milofskys class has continued on Zoom, with students from SCI Coal Township calling in masked-up from their cells. Men incarcerated at the prison endured months of near-complete lockdown.

They spent roughly 23 hours a day in their cells, including mealtimes. Time in the prison yard was cut back to just 50 minutes every few days, down from three outdoor periods a day. Visits from family, friends, and associates like Milofsky were suspended for nearly 17 months. Despite the precautions, Covid-19 cases soared at the prison last winter. To date, more than 600 people incarcerated at SCI Coal Township have contracted the coronavirus, and three have died.

As the virus upended day-to-day life inside and outside the prison, Lifeline donated $1,500 to the COVID-19 relief effort at the Geisinger Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the regional medical system.

But COVID-19 is far from the only challenge that Lifeline members share with nearby communities. The men say they identify with the social issues in the area, which was once home to bustling mining towns populated with immigrants from Germany, Ireland, and Eastern Europe. And while theres plenty of need in Philadelphia and Harrisburg, which many of Lifelines members call home, they recognize that rural communities can also face long-term problems like poverty, trauma, and addiction.

If we have an opportunity to help these people, were going to help them, says McGill, the Lifeline member. It just felt natural to say, OK, lets just reach out to these people right around us and let them know that were right here in their community and were here to help them and support them in any way we can.

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This article was provided to The Associated Press by the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Emily Haynes is a staff writer at the Chronicle. Email: emily.haynes@philanthropy.com. The AP and the Chronicle receive support from the Lilly Endowment for coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits. The AP and the Chronicle are solely responsible for all content. For all of APs philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.
VIENNA (AP)  Talks aimed at salvaging Iran's tattered 2015 nuclear deal with world powers adjourned Friday to allow the Iranian negotiator to return home for consultations after a round marked by tensions over new demands from Tehran.

European diplomats said it was a disappointing pause and that negotiators in Vienna are rapidly reaching the end of the road." However, they did point to some technical progress so far.

A senior U.S. official involved in the talks also expressed frustration. It was better than it might have been, it was worse than it should have been, which leaves us in an uncertain position as to whether we can get to where we need to go in the short time that we have left to get there, the official said, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity.

Participants said they aim to resume quickly, though they haven't yet firmed up a date. China's chief negotiator, Wan Qun, said the talks will resume hopefully before the end of the year. Enrique Mora, the European Union diplomat who chaired the talks, echoed that, saying: I hope it will be during 2021.

The current talks in Vienna among the remaining signatories to the 2015 nuclear agreement  known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA  opened on Nov. 29, after more than five months, a gap caused by the arrival of a new hard-line government in Iran. There was also a short break last week as delegations returned home to consult with their governments.

The United States has participated indirectly in the ongoing talks because it withdrew from the accord in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump. President Joe Biden has signaled that he wants to rejoin the deal.

For the eighth round, we have a lot of work ahead, a very complex task, I have to say, Mora said. Difficult political decisions have to be taken.

The accord was meant to rein in Irans nuclear program in return for loosened economic sanctions. Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China are still part of the agreement.

Negotiators from the three Western European powers said they respect Iranian negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani's decision to return to Tehran though it brings a disappointing pause in negotiations. They said the other participants were ready to continue the talks, and stressed that this negotiation is becoming ever more urgent.

After twice expressing frustration during the recent talks, they said that there has been some technical progress in the last 24 hours, but this only takes us back nearer to where the talks stood in June.

Following the U.S. decision to withdraw from the deal and reimpose sanctions on Iran, Tehran has ramped up its nuclear program again by enriching uranium well beyond the thresholds allowed in the agreement. Iran has also restricted monitors from the U.N. atomic watchdog from accessing its nuclear facilities, raising concerns about what the country is doing out of view.

Diplomats from the three European nations said earlier this week that they were "losing precious time dealing with new Iranian positions inconsistent with the JCPOA or that go beyond it.

Still, there was one sign of progress on a related issue when Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency reached a deal Wednesday to reinstall cameras damaged at an Iranian site that manufactures centrifuge parts, though inspectors remain limited on what footage they can access.

We hope that Iran is in a position to resume the talks quickly, and to engage constructively so that talks can move at a faster pace, the European negotiators said.

Iran's nuclear program is now more advanced than it has ever been, making it critical that Tehran refrain from taking further steps that escalate the situation, they said.

As we have said, there are weeks not months before the JCPOAs core non-proliferation benefits are lost, they added. We are rapidly reaching the end of the road for this negotiation.

Russia's delegate to the talks, Mikhail Ulyanov, said the latest round has set a sound basis for more intensive negotiations.

The negotiators now much better understand each other, Ulyanov wrote on Twitter.

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Associated Press writer Geir Moulson in Berlin and Matthew Lee in Honolulu, Hawaii, contributed to this report.
A federal judge rejected OxyContin maker Purdue Pharmas bankruptcy settlement of thousands of lawsuits over the opioid epidemic Thursday because of a provision that would protect members of the Sackler family from facing litigation of their own.

U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in New York found that federal bankruptcy law does not give the bankruptcy judge who had accepted the plan the authority to grant that kind of release for people who are not declaring bankruptcy themselves.

In a statement Thursday night, the company said that it would appeal the ruling and at the same time try to forge another plan that its creditors will agree to.

Purdue said the ruling will not hurt the company's operations, but it will make it harder for company and Sackler money to be used to fight the opioid crisis as the legal fight continues.

"It will delay, and perhaps end, the ability of creditors, communities, and individuals to receive billions in value to abate the opioid crisis, said Steve Miller, chairman of the Purdue board of directors. These funds are needed now more than ever as overdose rates hit record-highs, and we are confident that we can successfully appeal this decision and deliver desperately needed funds to the communities and individuals suffering in the midst of this crisis.

Representatives of the two branches of the family who own the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesman for the descendants of Mortimer Sackler, one of the late brothers who owned the company, had no comment.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who was among a handful of state officials seeking to have the deal undone, called the ruling a seismic victory for justice and accountability. Tong said the ruling will re-open the deeply flawed Purdue bankruptcy and force the Sackler family to confront the pain and devastation they have caused.

Purdue sought bankruptcy protection in 2019 as it faced thousands of lawsuits claiming the company pushed doctors to prescribe OxyContin, helping spark an opioid crisis that has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over the last two decades.

Through the bankruptcy court, it worked out a deal with its creditors. Members of the Sackler family would give up ownership of the company, which would transform into a different kind of entity that would still sell opioids  but with profits being used to fight the crisis. It would also develop new anti-addiction and anti-overdose drugs and provide them at little or no cost.

Sackler family members also would contribute $4.5 billion in cash and charitable assets as part of an overall deal that could be worth $10 billion, including the value of the new drugs, if they're brought to market.

Government entities and businesses agreed to use any money they receive fighting the opioid epidemic. The deal also calls for millions of company documents, including communications with lawyers, to be made public.

In return, members of the wealthy family would get protection from lawsuits over their role in the opioid crisis  both the 860 already filed and any others in the future.

Most state and local governments, Native American tribes, individual opioid victims and others who voted said the plan worked out in the bankruptcy court should be accepted.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, like several others, sued Sackler family members and opposed the settlement before eventually agreeing to it this year. She said in a statement that if the deal doesnt hold up, shes ready to resume the civil lawsuit: Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family remain named defendants in our ongoing litigation and we will hold them accountable for their unlawful behavior, one way or another.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee's office, eight state attorneys general and some other entities have been fighting the deal. They argue that it does not properly hold members of the Sackler family accountable and that it usurps states' ability to try to do so.

A bankruptcy court judge approved the plan over the objections in September. But the opponents appealed to McMahon's court.

The main issue on the appeal was the lawfulness of the measures that would extend legal protections to family members.

Such third-party releases are not used in most bankruptcy cases, but they are common in cases such as Purdue's, in which the companies involved are burdened with lawsuits and have relatively little value  but their wealthy owners could contribute.

The Purdue deal would not protect family members from any criminal charges. But so far none have been filed, and there are no signs that any are forthcoming, though some activists are calling for charges.

In a hearing, McMahon focused in on how Sackler family members transferred $10.4 billion from the privately held Stamford, Connecticut-based company over the decade before the bankruptcy. McMahon wanted to know whether the money was moved in part to ensure a role for the Sacklers in bankruptcy negotiations.

But in her ruling Thursday, McMahon did not dig deeply into those transfers or the idea of holding Sackler family members accountable for the opioid crisis. Instead, she focused on whether the bankruptcy law even allows for the kind of deal the company and its creditors struck if there are objections to it.

The great unsettled question in this case is whether the Bankruptcy Court  or any court  is statutorily authorized to grant such releases. This issue has split the federal Circuits for decades, she wrote.

She also noted that other courts will weigh in on the case. The next step is likely before the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.

This opinion will not be the last word on the subject, nor should it be," she wrote. This issue has hovered over bankruptcy law for thirty-five years.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP)  Kentucky's death toll from a line of tornadoes that tore through the state has increased to 77, Gov. Andy Beshear said Friday.

The most recent death was recorded in Lyon County, which had not previously reported any casualties.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Sung-Yoon Lee, Tufts University

(THE CONVERSATION) By the grim metric of fatalities in the first 10 years of a dictators rule, Kim Jong Un has yet to match the records set by his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, or father, Kim Jong Il  the two tyrants who reigned by terror in North Korea before him.

For now, the number of people Kim Jong Un has personally ordered killed  such as his uncle in 2013 and half-brother in 2017  is likelyto number in the hundreds.

But his decade in power, which began after his fathers death on Dec. 17, 2011, has proved a disaster for people living in the communist nation. The isolationist state has become even more so, as the northern border to China closed during the coronavirus pandemic  cutting off an escape route for those desperate to flee. Meanwhile, food insecurity means that an entire generation of children are undernourished, as the United Nations has reported.

Concrete numbers of how many have died from starvation and malnourishment-related conditions such as diarrhea and pneumonia under Kim are difficult to come by. But as a scholar of Korean history, I believe the young dictator  who turns 38 next January  has the capacity to surpass even the ghastly death tolls of his two familial predecessors.

Three generations of misery

Kim Jong Uns first decade in power has seen a continuation of the deadly repression and failed policies that have kept North Koreans living in fear and under the threat of starvation for the last 70 years.

The Korean War that the current leaders grandfather started in 1950, just two years after founding North Korea, claimed upwards of 4 million lives  most were North Korean civilians killed by the United Nations coalition that came to defend South Korea.

Once his campaign to take South Korea by force was thwarted by the 1953 armistice, Kim Il Sung turned to purging pro-Soviet and pro-Chinese party officials who had dared to criticize him. The North Korean leader went on a killing spree in which thousands of party officials were from the Workers Party of Korea.

His son, Kim Jong Il, inherited power in July 1994 and oversaw a devastating famine in which upwards of 2 million people starved to death.

But instead of buying food, Kim Jong Il sought aid, most of which he diverted to North Koreas military. At the height of the famine in 1997, the U.S. State Department estimated North Koreas military budget as US$6 billion. During those dark times, Kim spent over a billion dollars a year on his missile programs alone and over $600 million on luxury goods imports.

He also managed to eke out enough money to build an estimated $800 million mausoleum for his dead father  one in which he himself was entombed in December 2011 after succumbing to a suspected heart attack.

Had he spent just $200 million of his wealth each year on grain and distributed it fairly, no one would have died. Instead, as the 2014 U.N. Commission of Inquiry Report on Human Rights in North Korea alleges, Kim Jong Il committed the inhumane act of knowingly causing prolonged starvation.

The same claim could be made against Kim Jong Un during his decade in power. Faminelike conditions have been observed in the mid-2010s and have resurfaced during the pandemic.

Even before Kim sealed the border with China in January 2020, North Korea recorded food shortages of around 1.36 million metric tons in 2018and 2019. His solution has been to rely on aid and, in October, telling his people to eat less until 2025. Meanwhile, during his 10 years in power, Kim has diverted around a quarter of North Koreas GDP toward the military.

And under Kim Jong Un it has only become harder for North Koreans to escape chronic hunger. During the famine in the 1990s, many North Korean people were able to escape to China in search of food, despite attempts by Kim Jong Il to block them.

In the first year of Kim Jong Uns rule, the number of escapees who made their way to South Korea dropped in half from the previous year to approximately 1,500.

And in the past nearly two years of lockdown under Kim, border-crossing has become far more difficult. In 2021, the number is expected to be well below 100.

A deadly legacy

When Kim came to power in December 2011, I predicted his rule would be marked neither by reform nor power-sharing but extreme internal repression and strategic threats against neighbors.

Sadly, these projections have been proved right. The past decade has seen a continuation of the atrocious human rights record of Kims predecessors and a great leap forward on the despotic dynastys missile programs. North Korea has fired off over 130 missiles over the last 10 years, punctuated by three intercontinental ballistic missile blasts in 2017. Of the four nuclear tests, the last in 2017, was a thermonuclear bomb.

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These lethal weapons are custom made for threatening the U.S. with a nuclear war while Kim dangles the possibility of peace, thus compelling Washington to withdraw U.S. troops and strategic weapons from South Korea  as Kims sister, Kim Yo Jong, called for in August.

Kim Jong Uns apparent goal is to render Washingtons longtime non-nuclear ally, Seoul, vulnerable to his nuclear-armed state bent on completing its supreme national task of completing the great Juche Revolution  the absorption of the south and unifying the Korean peninsula on North Korean terms.

A nuclear war, even if limited, could cause civilian deaths in the millions  a horrendous feat already achieved under the leadership of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

What is different under Kim Jong Un is that he has built the capacity to inflict much more carnage on the outside world, including the U.S.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/kim-jong-uns-decade-in-power-starvation-repression-and-brutal-rule-just-like-his-father-and-grandfather-173809.
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP)  Kosovo is hopeful that a deal with Denmark to rent 300 prison cells to help the Scandinavian country cope with its overpopulated prison system would help upgrade its correctional service and also cope with the energy crisis.

The justice ministry has said the small Balkan country would be paid 210 million euros ($236 million) from Denmark for a 10-year agreement, which will fund Kosovos justice system and renewable energy projects.

Earlier this week, Danish Justice Minister Nick Haekkerup said the agreement with Kosovo would help "expand the prison capacity in Denmark by several hundred places.

Eris Hana, a senior legal adviser with Kosovo's justice ministry and also part of the negotiating team, said the deal also included a donation of more than 60 million euros ($68 million) for 10 years to help Kosovo build green energy.

Kosovos energy system, totally based on coal production, is in crisis, producing only 60% of daily consumption, which has resulted in daily cuts.

The Danes have conducted a research study from that concluded that Kosovos correctional institutions have the best infrastructure in the region and also have the capacity to take 300 inmates, Hana said.

Haekkerup, the Danish minister, said Friday that "it will be a groundbreaking and historic agreement that will both create space in our prisons and ease the pressure on our prison officers, Denmark will expand the capacity of Danish prisons by creating 326 new places in existing jails.

Kosovos prison system has a capacity of up to 2,000 from which about 400 are still free.

The plan is for the 300-cell prison in Gjilan, 50 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of the capital, Pristina, to be used to house the inmates from Denmark, according to Hana.

A Danish warden will run the new 300-cell facility, accompanied by an Albanian one and other local staff.

Fatmira Haliti of the Kosovo Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims, a nonprofit organization that monitors the system, said that transferring about 200 inmates from Gjilan prison to make way for Danish prisoners would naturally overpopulate other prisons.

Despite systemic improvements and some new facilities in recent years, "Kosovos correctional service leaves much to desire and can hardly be compared to those in Denmark, Haliti said.

Hana said they aren't speeding up negotiations, which are considering every detail. The Danish delegation is requesting investment in infrastructure.

We want to create the same standard for them and we will achieve it, he said, referring to Denmark's prison standards.

Following the letter of intent to be signed next week, the agreement is expected to be signed early next year and then both countries' parliaments should ratify it.

One of the strongest and biggest benefit is that we are returning the Kingdom of Denmark as a strategic partner to the Republic of Kosovo, and we are making them one of our strongest donors, he said.

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Llazar Semini reported from Tirana, Albania. Jan M. Olsen contributed to this report from Copenhagen, Denmark.

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Follow Llazar Semini at https://twitter.com/lsemini
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)  Amid a surge in infections, the Maine Legislature will follow last year's safety guidelines  including mandatory masks  next month.

The full Legislature will meet at the State House on Jan. 5 and again on Jan. 26 but other business including committee meetings will be conducted by video conference.

Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, said legislative leaders can't afford to loosen restrictions now in the middle of an unbelievable crisis with the COVID-19 surge affecting Maine and New England. Maine is currently dealing with some of the highest infection rates and hospitalizations since the pandemic began.

"We simply cant afford to put our families and communities at risk or further stress our hospitals, health care providers and frontline workers, Jackson said.

House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, said Mainers proved last year that they could fully participate in the legislative process remotely from every corner of the state--from barns, kitchen tables, garages and shops.

Masks will be required in the Maine State House unless an individual is alone in an office, socially distanced in a cubicle, or on the third-floor balcony.
YAZOO, Miss. (AP)  A guard at a Mississippi prison has been arrested for allegedly having sex with an inmate.

Tiffany Necole Simmons, 37, was arrested Wednesday, WLBT-TV reported. According to jail records, Simmons is free after posting bond. It was unknown if she has an attorney who could speak on her behalf.
BOSTON (AP)  Graduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology want to unionize.

The Boston Globe reports that a majority of the graduate students signed cards supporting unionizing and asked the administration to voluntarily recognize the union.

University spokesperson Kimberly Allan said the administration plans to carefully consider the request.

If the university does not voluntarily recognize the union by Dec. 26, the students plan to enter a formal election process with the National Labor Relations Board.

The union would represent more than 5,000 graduate students who work as teaching and research assistants. One of its priorities would be affordable housing, since students say that more than half of their monthly stipends go toward rent.

The students said they were motivated by successful unionizing efforts at other Boston schools.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Prosecutors in New Mexicos busiest judicial district and the state Indian Affairs Department are teaming up to create a special unit to focus on investigating cases of missing or slain Native Americans.

State Indian Affairs Secretary Lynn Trujillo and Bernalillo County District Attorney Raul Torrez announced a memorandum of understanding Thursday to form the investigative team. Under the agreement, the unit within the district attorneys office will help a statewide task force with analysis, case investigations and interventions.

Officials said New Mexico has the fifth-largest Native American population in the U.S. but the highest number of Indigenous people who have been killed or are missing in the country.

Native American women in New Mexico experience the highest rate of homicide among all racial and ethnic groups, officials have said, and Torrez characterized the situation as an epidemic.

It is clear that steps need to be taken to help bring resources to the victims, families and communities affected by this crisis," he said in a statement. "Working with Native communities and law enforcement to collect actionable data is crucial to moving these cases forward and preventing future violence.

The district attorney's office has dedicated one analyst to reviewing crime data to understand historical patterns related to human trafficking and the intersection of movement of people between the state's tribal communities and the Albuquerque metropolitan area.

The office also is hiring another investigator to assist with victim advocacy and has submitted a special request to the state Legislature to hire two full-time investigators.

Trujillo said a previous report by the Urban Indian Health Institute showed New Mexico had some of the highest numbers of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls and that Albuquerque and Gallup were among top 10 cities nationwide. As a result, New Mexico created a task force in 2019 to begin addressing the crisis.

A report issued by the task force said that between 2014 and 2019, there were 660 Native Americans reported missing in Albuquerque, of which 287 were women.

These alarming statistics highlight the critical need for partnerships, and thats why the MOU between the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department and the Bernalillo County DAs Office is so crucial, Trujillo said.

Trujillo said the crisis has its roots in colonialism and racism and is perpetuated by indifference and silence.

The responsibility falls on each of us to end this historic violence against our indigenous communities, which has devastated us for far too long, said Trujillo, who is a member of Sandia Pueblo and is part Acoma and Taos Pueblos.

Navajo Nation Council Delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty was among those at the signing ceremony. She leads the Missing and Murdered Dine Relatives task force that is developing a framework for a proposed data institute and a missing persons toolkit for communities.

It is clear that our Indigenous women are plagued by high rates of violence and in response, there continues to be a lack of government support to meet the growing needs of our families," she said.

Crotty added: In order to restore harmony and begin the healing process, criminal cases must fully be prosecuted and our Indigenous relatives must be found. The lives of our missing Navajo relatives are sacred and their stories must be told.
DURHAM, N.H. (AP)  The University of New Hampshire's Institute on Disability is going to develop a new resource center to address behavioral health needs of children up to age 21.

We have a wonderful opportunity to create a system of supports to respond to youth and families in crisis and to help them find hope so they can move on and live their best lives, said JoAnne Malloy, research associate professor and co-director of the Childrens Behavioral Health Resource Center.
A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts:

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Vaccinated people arent nine times more likely to be hospitalized

CLAIM: People who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are nine times more likely to be hospitalized than those who are unvaccinated.

THE FACTS: The false assertion that vaccinated people are more likely to be hospitalized is based on one former physician assistants claim that 90% of all patients admitted to her hospital during a recent period were vaccinated against COVID-19. But the hospital records show the vaccination rate was far lower and there was no evidence of any connection between vaccination status and the various illnesses that led to the hospitalizations. A post circulating on Instagram last month cites a blog post by a lawyer representing Deborah Conrad, a former physicians assistant at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, New York, to falsely claim that people are 9x more likely to be hospitalized if they are vaccinated over unvaccinated patients. Conrad wrote to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration earlier this year warning of possible serious injuries from COVID-19 vaccines. In the blog post, it notes that Conrad saw the number of patients in the hospital had increased dramatically and claimed that 90% of them were vaccinated against COVID. The hospital disputes her figures. Conrad provides no information for when the patients she reported were hospitalized, and her spokespeople declined to clarify. Her letter was sent in July 2021, and in it, she claims to have alerted the FDA of her concerns in April and May. Hospital records show that in July, just 60% of the facilitys inpatients had received the vaccine, according to Rochester Regional Health spokesperson Jillian Parker. In early April, 15% of hospital patients were vaccinated. And on May 24, 25% of the hospital patients were vaccinated. Conrad also argued that she found an increase in various illnesses  including blood clots, Bells palsy, pneumonia and strokes  after the initial roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine. She logged these in VAERS, or the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which allows anyone to submit reports. But VAERS reports are not verified and do not prove that the illnesses are connected to the vaccine. In a response to The Associated Press, Conrads legal team acknowledged that she did not speculate on causation and only did what she was obligated to do: report to VAERS any adverse event following vaccination that led to hospitalization. No doctors or experts at the hospital raised the same concerns about a rise of these illnesses, Parker said. Parker acknowledged that admissions had gone up at the time, but said the hospital attributed the rise to other factors, including patients deferring care during the height of the COVID pandemic, or scheduling elective surgery that was put off. Conrads lawyer said she stands by her observations and her reporting. Several experts told the AP that studies have shown serious side effects from the vaccine to be rare. And many of the illnesses Conrad listed  including Bells palsy, pneumonia and strokes  are not known side effects of the shots, they said. The vaccine is not causing all of these conditions that shes concerned about, said Dr. Melanie Swift, the associate medical director for occupational health service at the Mayo Clinic. As more of the country is vaccinated, the communitys vaccination rate will be reflected in hospitals patients, she explained. Blood clots have been one of the rare side effects of the vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was briefly paused in 2020 over those concerns. But federal regulators allowed the shots to resume less than two weeks later after the risk was found to be rare.

 Associated Press writer Karena Phan in Santa Maria, California, contributed this report.

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Queensland is not punishing unvaccinated people for coughing in public

CLAIM: Australia is punishing unvaccinated people who cough or sneeze in public with fines and jail time.

THE FACTS: Authorities in Queensland, Australia, are not punishing unvaccinated people who cough or sneeze in public. However, people who intentionally spit, cough or sneeze on public officials or workers, or threaten to do so, face fines and jail time under an April 2020 public health order issued amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2021, Queensland officials announced that the policy, which applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, would be expanded to include more types of workers. Inaccurate claims regarding the directive have since circulated widely on social media. One erroneous tweet posted Sunday falsely claimed that from the 17th of December, The Unvaccinated will be fined up to $13,000 or 6 months in prison, for offences such as sneezing or coughing in public. The claims leave out the fact that the policy, which isnt new, only applies to deliberate acts of sneezing, coughing, or spitting on public officials or workers, as well as threats to do so, according to Queensland officials. These measures arent targeting unvaccinated people. If you go into a retail store or a coffee shop or anywhere and deliberately cough on someone with the intent of causing fear, it doesnt matter if youre vaccinated or not, youre causing an offense, a spokesperson for Queensland Health told The Associated Press. Earlier this month, Queensland officials announced that they would relax COVID-19 measures for businesses and add a variety of new restrictions for unvaccinated people. As part of the new measures, the existing policy regarding intentional coughing, sneezing, or spitting will be expanded to include such deliberate acts against hospitality workers. Violating the directive is punishable by fines up to $13,785 or a maximum of six months imprisonment. The policy covers workers while they are at their place of work and during their commutes to and from work. The current directive states that there are increasing reports of people intentionally spitting at or coughing or sneezing on public officials and workers during the COVID-19 declared public health emergency. During a Dec. 7 press conference, Yvette DAth, the Queensland minister for health and ambulance services, said that the measure was intended to protect workers from appalling behavior while they were just trying to do their jobs.

 Associated Press writer Josh Kelety in Phoenix contributed this report.

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Santa wasnt arrested for mask violation at German market

CLAIM: Santa was arrested at a Christmas market in Germany because he wasnt wearing a mask.

THE FACTS: A man in a Santa costume was detained by police at a Christmas market in Stralsund, Germany, but police said it was because he refused to show identification at an unregistered protest against vaccine mandates, not because he wasnt wearing a mask. A video circulating on Twitter shows a man dressed like Santa being escorted out of a Christmas market in Germany. The video is accompanied by claims on social media saying he refused to wear a mask. A statement issued by the Stralsund Police said that authorities responded late Monday to a report of an unregistered gathering at the Old Market square in Stralsund, where about 65 people had gathered and appeared to be voicing their opinion on the current coronavirus measures and a vaccine mandate. Parliament last week approved compulsory vaccinations for health care professionals, but a general vaccine mandate isnt in force. Officers asked participants to show their IDs, noting that the gathering wasnt registered and therefore constituted a criminal offense for the organizer. The man dressed as Santa, who wasnt working at the Christmas market, refused to provide his name to officers, according to the report, and pulled away as police escorted him out. The police statement said a complaint was made against the 47-year-old local man on suspicion of resisting law enforcement officers, among other allegations. He was released by police that evening after being identified. The incident is similar to another case elsewhere in Germany this month. A video claimed to show an elderly woman being detained by police because she didnt have a vaccine passport. However, police said the woman, 80, was being briefly detained during an unauthorized protest because she did not provide German authorities with identification. Witnesses confirmed the police account. According to authorities, only IDs were checked on the scene, not vaccination passports.

 Associated Press writers Frank Jordans in Berlin and Phan contributed this report.

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Clips show 2020 protests in France, not anti-vaccine rallies

CLAIM: Video shows people rioting against vaccine mandates in France.

THE FACTS: The videos recently posted on social media show scenes from November 2020 protests against a security law in France that would restrict the filming of police officers, not an anti-vaccine demonstration. The widely shared video pieced together two clips taken by separate people during the 2020 protests in Paris to make the false claim that the footage is from 2021. The video shows protesters clashing with police while surrounded by clouds of tear gas. Horror in France as vaccine mandate riot sees protesters beaten by armed police - WATCH, a Twitter post stated. Looks like the French police are losing, wrote another. But the clips were first posted on social media in November 2020, when dozens of rallies took place against an initial provision in the law that would make it illegal to publish photos or video of on-duty police officers with harmful intent, The Associated Press reported at the time. The miscaptioned video in the Twitter post uses two separate clips from the protests. The first 40 seconds of the post came from a Facebook live stream recorded on Nov. 28, 2020, by Vecu, a French media outlet. It shows rioting near Bastille Majestic Cinema Paris, which is visible in the background. The footage in the second portion of the video from 0:40 to 1:21 showing rioters attacking police was taken by French journalist Amar Taoualit, and features a watermark with his Twitter handle @Taoualitamar. Taoualit confirmed to the AP that he filmed the material second portion of the video on Nov. 28, 2020, during demonstrations against the security law.

 Associated Press writer Arijeta Lajka in New York contributed this report.

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Fox News is not banned in Canada or the UK

CLAIM: Canada and the U.K. both banned Fox News.

THE FACTS: Neither Canada nor the U.K. has banned Fox News. The network remains authorized for distribution in Canada and it voluntarily pulled itself from U.K. airwaves in 2017. A widely shared tweet purporting to share a FUN FACT, falsely claimed that the two major U.S. allies had permanently banned the television channel. However, the claim isnt a fact at all. Instead, it parrots a false narrative that has circulated online for years. Fox News is currently authorized for distribution in Canada, said Isabella Maestri, a spokesperson for Canadas broadcasting regulator, the Canadian Radiotelevision and Telecommunications Commission. The channel is featured on a public list of non-Canadian services and stations that are greenlit for distribution in Canada, accessible on the CRTCs website. Being on that list means that a Canadian television provider is authorized to distribute the service, Maestri told the AP in an email. The Canadian Cable Television Association first sought permission to broadcast Fox News and several other non-Canadian networks in the country in 2003, according to an archived letter on the CRTCs website. The CRTC rejected that request, citing concerns about competitiveness and a need for more information. A year later, in 2004, the CRTC approved Fox News for distribution. The AP has previously debunked the claim that the U.K. banned Fox News. According to both Fox News and U.K. officials, U.K. regulators never banned the channel from operating in the region. Instead, Fox News voluntarily stopped broadcasting in the U.K. in 2017 due to the channels low viewership there.

 Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed this report with additional reporting from Kelety and Angelo Fichera in Philadelphia.

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This story has been updated to correct the location of United Memorial Medical Center. It is in Batavia, New York, not Rochester, New York.

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Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck

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Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP)  The widow of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet died Thursday in the apartment where she led a secluded life in her final years, away from the luxuries and power she held during the military regime of 1973-1990, her family said. She was 98.

Lucia Hiriart died at her home in Santiago's affluent La Dehesa neighborhood surrounded by close relatives, six days after her birthday, her son Marco Antonio said. She had been admitted on several occasions this year to Chile's military hospital, mainly affected by respiratory problems.

Pinochet died in 2006, on Dec. 10, his 91st birthday.

Known for her strong character, Hiriart on many occasions influenced her husband's decisions on whom to appoint to public office. She was also known for expensive tastes in clothes and in furnishing of her family's homes.

Hiriart never had words of regret for the bloody legacy of her husbands dictatorship, which resulted in more than 3,000 opponents killed, thousands of political prisoners tortured and tens of thousands forced into exile.

She was rarely seen in public in recent years. One of those occasions was in November 2015 when she attended a Mass in memory of her late husband, with whom she had three daughters and two sons.

Hiriart faced two judicial investigations related to a fortune that Pinochet was discovered to have in more than 100 bank accounts at Riggs Bank in Washington, D.C.

In 2005, she was accused along with her son Marco Antonio of complicity in an $8.7 million tax fraud. In 2007, Hiriart, her five children and 17 other people from the dictators entourage were charged with embezzlement of public funds.

In both cases, Chile's courts overturned the prosecutions of Hiriart and her family. Charges against Pinochet himself were dismissed after his death. The Chilean high court confiscated about 20 pieces of real estate from the family and seized $1.6 million from Pinochets bank accounts.

Pinochets accounts at Riggs Bank had been discovered by chance in 2004 during a U.S. congressional investigation into an unrelated matter.

An accounting audit valued Pinochets accounts at about $21 million, with the origin of $17.8 million undetermined. The former dictator claimed at the time that his funds abroad were life savings.

After news of Hiriat's death surfaced Thursday, about 200 people, most of them young people born after democracy was resorted in Chile, gathered in a central square to celebrate. They waved flags and held up improvised posters against Hiriart.

Lucia Hiriart dies in impunity despite the deep pain and division she caused our country, said Gabriel Boric, the leftist candidate in Chile's presidential runoff election Sunday.

His opponent, far-right politician Jose Antonio Kast, said that the death of Mrs. Lucia will not move the election for either side.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  A 16-year-old at a South Florida high school was arrested Friday morning after authorities found a loaded firearm in a small bag, police said.

The arrest came as multiple schools across South Florida remained on lockdown following viral TikTok posts alluding to unconfirmed threats of violence that raised anxiety levels at schools nationwide.

The junior at Miramar High School was detained and searched due to his demeanor and for having a small bag with him that wasn't allowed due to testing in classrooms on Friday, said Miramar police spokeswoman Tania Rues.

Authorities found the loaded handgun and charged him with possessing a firearm on school grounds. The student isn't cooperating with detectives, and investigators don't yet know why he was carrying the gun, she said.

Investigators have not found any evidence of threats posted online by the teen, and it's not clear whether this case had anything to do with the TikTok threats, which prompted other schools in Broward County, the nation's sixth largest district, to lock down their campuses.

The TikTok threats represent an attack on the American education system, interim superintendent Vickie Cartwright said. Earlier this week, Broward's school board approved a $26 million settlement to victims of the mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School who accused the district of failing to do enough to prevent the massacre.

We are under attack by a social media platform that will not intervene when it is necessary, Cartwright told a news conference on Friday. Im asking for our federal government at this point in time to intervene. We need help. I cannot fathom that any other country would allow this type of attack to be occurring on their education system."

Plantation South High School, just outside Fort Lauderdale, went into Code Red  the highest level of alert  on Friday morning after reports of someone being on campus with a gun, Plantation police said. A gas leak was also reported at the school.

Parents in nearby Cooper City were notified that Pioneer Middle School remained on Code Yellow on Friday out of an abundance of caution." An email from Principal Robert Pappas said they were working with law enforcement to ensure the safety of students." The school was on a Code Yellow lockdown on Thursday for similar reasons.

Officials in Miami-Dade County notified parents via Twitter that they were aware of general social media" threats and planned to increase law enforcement at schools on Friday. The statement did not specifically mention the Tik Tok threat.

Both counties have experienced a wave of student arrests over online threats of violence at schools this month.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Polands president will have the final decision on a controversial media bill seen as targeting a U.S.-owned TV network that's often critical of the Polish government, after lawmakers on Friday overturned a Senate veto on the proposed legislation.

In its last session of the year, the lower house, or Sejm, unexpectedly returned to the draft law that had seemed on freeze after the upper house rejected it in September. The lower house voted 229-212, with 11 abstentions, to reject the Senates veto.

Now the bill, which has already been approved by the Sejm, only needs backing from President Andrzej Duda to become law. But Duda has indicated he sees it as controversial and incomprehensible to the United States, citing the U.S. attitude toward the protection of property and freedom of speech.

He can either approve it, reject it or send to the Constitutional Tribunal  which is friendly to the right-wing government  for assessment.

The law would prevent any non-European entity from owning more than a 49% stake in television or radio broadcasters in Poland.

Its practical effect would be to force Discovery Inc., the U.S. owner of Polands largest private television network, TVN, to sell the majority or even all of its Polish holdings. Discovery Inc. is the only non-European media owner in Poland and the law is seen as targeting it.

Discovery Inc. said the outcome of Fridays "surprise vote in the Polish Parliament should be deeply concerning to any enterprise investing in Poland and to anyone who cares about democracy and freedom of the press."

Through this vote, Poland risks directly undermining the values that have connected Poland with Europe, and uprooting the foundation of the Polish-American relationship, the company said in a statement.

It appealed to Duda to prevent the bill from becoming law.

The top U.S. diplomat in Poland, Embassy charge daffaires Bix Aliu, said on Twitter that the U.S. was extremely disappointed by todays passage of the media bill by the Sejm.

We expect President Duda to act in accordance with previous statements to use his leadership to protect free speech and business, Aliu said.

TVN management said the vote was an unprecedented attack on free media that targeted the U.S., a key security and economic ally of Polands.

It said Discovery Group and Discovery Inc. will defend its interests and investment in Poland and use all legal ways to ensure that the mission of our media is continued.

The management said it trusts that Duda will veto the so-called Lex TVN, in line with his earlier statements.

Opposition groups on Facebook called for a street protest on Sunday night.

A top European Union official for values, Vera Jourova, condemned the vote on Twitter as targeting the TVN Group and putting  further pressure on an already troubled media sector in Poland.

If the bill becomes law the EU Commission, the 27-member blocs executive arm, will not hesitate to take action in case of non-compliance with EU law, said Jourova, who is the commissions vice-president for values and transparency.

Polands right-wing coalition government is in conflict with EU bodies over policies seen as violating the principles of democracy and rule of law. Since being elected in 2015, the government has been taking steps to take control of the media, the judiciary and other areas like education.

The main nationalist ruling party, Law and Justice, which proposed the media law in the summer, has argued that its a matter of national security to prevent outside bodies from being able to influence Polish public opinion. Its members insisted the law is to protect against ownership coming from non-democratic countries like Russia or China.

Party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Polands most influential politician, maintained that state-owned companies will not be buying TVN and that it will most probably remain critical of the government.

The unexpected and last-minute vote on the controversial law drew protests from opposition parties, which allege there was a breach of procedures in the sudden return to the bill.

Opposition leaders also appealed to Duda to veto the bill.
DOVER, Del. (AP)  Workers at a Mountaire Farms poultry processing plant in southern Delaware have voted to decertify the labor union that has been representing them, the company said Friday.

The company said more than 80% of workers who are members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 27 union voted to remove the union, according to a tally of mail-in votes at the National Labor Relations Board regional office in Baltimore on Thursday. The vote count, which was 356 to 80, is expected to be officially certified next week.

After 44 years of union representation, the Selbyville plant takes a huge step forward today, Mountaire President Phillip Plylar said in a prepared statement. Our employees have just been asking for their voices to be heard, and today, they were heard loud and clear.

A spokesman for the union did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

The vote comes after the NLRB earlier this year rejected a previous decertification effort. The board voted 3-1 in April to overturn a regional NLRB directors ruling last year that the decertification effort was not barred by an existing collective bargaining agreement for workers at the Selbyville facility because the labor agreement contained a clearly unlawful union-security clause.

Local 27 appealed the directors ruling, saying the security clause at issue was not unlawful on its face and instead was capable of a lawful interpretation.

The regional director interpreted the clause in question as denying nonunion employees who were working for Mountaire when a new collective bargaining agreement was executed in February 2019 a 30-day grace period required under federal law before having to pay union dues. The clause stated that nonunion members had 31 days from the beginning of their employment, not 31 days from the date of the collective bargaining agreement, to become union members.

The board ruled that, because the union-security clause was subject to interpretation and not clearly unlawful, the decertification effort was prohibited under a contract bar doctrine that prevents workers from holding a decertification vote for up to three years after a collective bargaining agreement is reached.

Following the ruling, which meant that ballots that were cast by Mountaire workers in the summer of 2020 would not be counted, a Selbyville employee filed a petition in October to decertify the union. The mail-in ballot was sent to employees in November and had to be received by the NLRB by Thursday.

Mountaire Corp. and its affiliates, Mountaire Farms and Mountaire Farms of Delaware, operate facilities in Arkansas, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.
OCALA, Fla. (AP)  A federal prison guard in Florida has been sentenced to one year and eight months in prison for participating in a scheme to smuggle drugs into a facility.

Wayne Grant Jr., 28, of Orlando, was sentenced Thursday in Ocala federal court, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in September to receipt of a bribe by a public official.
MOSCOW (AP)  Russian President Vladimir Putin called Pope Francis Friday to congratulate him on his 85th birthday, praising the pontiff's efforts to strengthen ties between the Vatican and Russia.

The Russian leader noted Francis' high global authority and his big personal contribution to the development of ties between Russia and the Vatican, the Kremlin said in its readout.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  Public schools in Rapid City closed Friday after a social media post threatened a middle school amid nationwide TikTok posts warning of shooting and bomb threats.

The Rapid City Police Department said officers believed the threatening social media post directed at a North Middle School had originated in Iowa. The department said Rapid City Area Schools canceled classes in the spirit of caution for the safety of students."

At this time, local law enforcement has yet to find any credible or actionable threat directed at our local school system, the department said.

The social media threats had many educators on edge as they circulated in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Michigan, which has been followed by numerous copycat threats to schools elsewhere. School officials in states including Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania said Thursday there would be an increased police presence because of the threats.

The vague, anonymous posts circulating online warned that multiple schools would receive shooting and bomb threats.
HONOLULU (AP)  A working group tasked by the state Legislature to come up with recommendations for a new management plan for Hawaii's tallest peak and its affiliated telescopes released the first draft of its proposal Friday.

Mauna Kea is the proposed site for what would be the worlds largest optical telescope  the Thirty Meter Telescope. The giant telescope project has sparked a cultural movement among Native Hawaiians who believe the mountain is sacred. Construction of the massive instrument has been blocked by opponents.

The group, which was asked in a House resolution earlier this year to develop the report, suggested a new governing entity for the mountain, which is managed by the University of Hawaii.

The group recommended that the university not have a seat on the board of the new governing body. The university's lease expires in 2033.

The University of Hawaii was represented at the table during the working group discussions," said the group's chairperson, Rep. Mark Nakashima, a Democrat whose Hilo district includes Mauna Kea. One of the premises of the resolution was that the university failed in some of its duties and responsibilities to the Native Hawaiian population, and so it was not included in the final management structure.

The group could not come to a consensus on whether someone from the astronomy field should participate and recommended any such involvement be in an advisory capacity.

The group did not discuss or make any recommendations about the Thirty Meter Telescope project.

The working group early on discussed the fact that ... some of those decisions were not in our control," Nakashima said.

Other entities have come down and decided that, not the least of which is the Hawaii Supreme Court, he said. "And so we did not touch upon that discussion.

The proposed management structure should include many Native Hawaiians, especially those from the Big Island where Mauna Kea stands, the reports said.

Native Hawaiian Pualani Kanahele, one of the groups cultural advisers, is relieved to have Indigenous voices at the table.

Im just happy at the fact that at this time we are allowed to have input into what goes on on the mountain, she said. We included a lot of cultural aspects in the report.

The group recommended the eventual decommissioning of the telescopes that sit atop the mountain and to have those areas restored to their natural state. The group emphasized cultural and environmental restoration of the mountain.

It also said the new management team should develop a framework that limits the development of new observatories on the summit.

The mountain is already home to more than a dozen of the world's most advanced telescopes.

Opponents of the telescopes say Mauna Keas observatories desecrate the peak and harm the environment.

Scientists and other supporters of the telescopes say the summit offers some of the best conditions for astronomical observations in the world. Some of the research from Mauna Kea has contributed to science's understanding of black holes and gravity, among other major breakthroughs.

The report will be open to public comment until early January. The group will conduct a final review and submit its recommendations to state lawmakers to be considered.
They are just three little words, but they have become nearly impossible for many Republicans to say: Joe Biden won."

Eleven months after the Democrats inauguration, Republican lawmakers and candidates across the country are squirming and stumbling rather than acknowledging the fact of Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election. In debates and interviews, they offer circular statements or vague answers when asked whether they believe Biden won.

Yes or no?

In Minnesota this week, five GOP candidates for governor came up with 1,400 other words when asked by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt for an answer.

On NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, GOP Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas would only concede: Joe Biden was sworn into office.

The hazy statements are one measure of election denialism within the Republican Party. Former President Donald Trump's lies about a stolen election have so taken hold among GOP voters that many of the party's candidates either believe them or fear the political repercussions of refuting Trump. That sets up a surreal dynamic for next year's elections, where the toughest question posed to GOP candidates  particularly in primaries  may be one with a one-word answer that they're reluctant to give.

Biden received more than 81 million votes to Trumps 74 million, according to the tally of the Federal Election Commission. The tightest margin was in Arizona, where Biden won by 10,457 votes. More important, he won 306 votes in the Electoral College, more than the 270 required to become president. Trump got 232.

Even a GOP-led audit of votes in Arizonas largest county came up with a Biden win. Dozens of state and federal courts, as well as the Trump administration's Justice Department, have dismissed claims of widespread voter fraud.

When The Associated Press set out to count every fraud claim in the states disputed by Trump, it found fewer than 475 potential cases  15 hundredths of 1% of Biden's winning margin in those states.

And yet, many Republican candidates may be eying another number: A July Associated Press-NORC Poll found 66% of Republicans said Biden was not legitimately elected president. More than two-thirds of Americans overall said Biden was legitimately elected.

The doubt has been fueled by Trump, who has argued without evidence that the election was rigged" and has urged his supporters to reject the outcome. He's set out to oust fellow Republicans who voted to certify the results.

Kansas' Marshall was among five senators who voted against certifying the electoral votes for Arizona and Pennsylvania in January, the day a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent effort to prevent the final step that sealed Biden's win.

While Marshall hangs his answer on process, other Republicans go further. Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, who was part of a group of GOP congressmen who pushed false claims, recently answered a question from a colleague about who won by saying flatly, "We don't know.

Theres the problem, Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, replied at a hearing of the House Oversight Committee. Donald Trump refused to accept the results, and unfortunately we have one of the worlds great political parties which has followed him off of the ledge of this electoral lunacy, and its dangerous for democracy.

There are some Republicans who clearly, without squirming, acknowledge Bidens win. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is among them, along with Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, who was the GOP's 2012 presidential nominee, and Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse, for instance. Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel uttered the words last month.

Painfully, Joe Biden won the election, and its very painful to watch. Hes the president. We know that, McDaniel told Washington reporters at a breakfast hosted by The Christian Science Monitor.

But it's clear not all Republicans know. In October, the second-ranking House Republican, Steve Scalise of Louisiana, repeatedly stopped short of disavowing Trumps claims of fraud, asserting without evidence that a number of states didn't follow their election laws.

On Friday, Josh Mandel, a GOP candidate for Senate in Ohio, called for more investigations into the vote in battleground states. I think Trump won, he said in an interview on Hewitt's radio show.

It is an important question and needs to be framed, I think, as I did. I expect it will be often asked and answered (or not) of many candidates in the year ahead, Hewitt tweeted after the Minnesota debate.

The answers demonstrate the pressure for Republican primary candidates to appeal to, or at least not offend, the vocal Trump wing of the party, strategists say.

In todays grim Republican Party, the was-the-election-legit question has become a litmus test for whether you are truly loyal to the Republican Trumpist tribe or not, said Mike Murphy, a veteran Republican strategist and Trump critic.

It took a while  that is, winning the Republican nomination for Virginia governor  for Glenn Youngkin to get there. In May, he said in an interview, I mean, the reality is, and I have said this before, Joe Biden was legitimately elected our president."

But in February, though he stopped short of saying Biden stole" the election, he was equally hesitant to declare Biden had been legitimately elected," according to the nonpartisan political watchdog group Politifact.

Other candidates have moved in the other direction  away from the facts. In Ohio, where Republicans are vying for the nomination for an open Senate seat, candidate Bernie Moreno began airing an ad this week where he is quoted as saying, President Trump says the election was stolen, and hes right.

Yet, just days after the election last year, Moreno urged conservatives on Twitter to accept the results of the 140+ million votes cast, and tweeted a congratulatory note to Biden for a hard fought victory.

On Wednesday, the discomfort for Republicans played out in full view from the debate stage in suburban Minneapolis.

One-by-one, five Minnesota Republicans running for governor talked around Hewitt's question: Did President Biden win a constitutional majority in the Electoral College."

State Sen. Michelle Benson spilled 240 words recruiting Republican poll-watchers and blasting Minnesota's Democratic secretary of state before Hewitt bluntly asked again: Did President Biden win?

Her answer: He was certified by Congress as having won the Electoral College."
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP)  The National Labor Relations Board confirmed a vote Friday to form a union at a Starbucks store in Buffalo, meaning the coffee retailer, for the first time, will have to bargain with organized labor at a company-owned U.S. store.

We don't want to fight Starbucks  we're asking them to turn over a new leaf, said Jaz Brisack, an organizer at the store, one of three New York Starbucks locations that petitioned the labor board for a union election in October.

Voting wrapped up last week and the board certified the results of the Buffalo employees' 19-8 vote Friday.

Workers United, the union representing the employees, filed formal objections in the other two elections late Thursday, delaying certification. The objections claim Starbucks waged a shock and awe campaign meant to dissuade workers from voting to unionize.

The 50-year-old company has actively fought unionization for decades, saying its more than 8,000 company-owned U.S. stores function best when it works directly with employees.

Workers at a store in the Buffalo suburb of Hamburg voted 12-8 against a union. The outcome of a Cheektowaga store's vote could not be determined because both sides challenged seven separate votes. Union organizers said six of the votes were cast by ineligible employees.

If the outcome of the ballot challenges favors unionization, organizers will drop the objection to the Cheektowaga results, attorney Ian Hayes said.

The objections say Starbucks employees were subjected to a massive campaign of overwhelming psychological force from the moment they publicly expressed the desire to form a union.

Dozens of managers were sent in to speak against the efforts in individual and group meetings with employees, according to the filings. Workers were told they could lose benefits under a union, and pro-union employees were spied on and saw their schedules changed and hours reduced.

The actions disrupted the laboratory conditions considered necessary for a fair election, the union said.

These claims are grossly inaccurate. We did not and do not engage in intimidation tactics, Starbucks responded in a statement. We are partners and we show up for one another. Thats what we do and what we continue to do.

If the NLRB determines that the claims could be grounds for setting aside an election, it would order a hearing to determine whether a new election should be held.

Workers at all three stores began voting by mail last month on whether they wanted to be represented by Workers United, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union.

After the Buffalo vote, Starbucks workers at two locations in Boston petitioned the NLRB for union elections. Three other Buffalo-area stores and a store in Mesa, Arizona, also have filed petitions with the labor board for their own union elections. Those cases are pending.
DENVER (AP)  The U.S. military's new Southern Command Gen. Laura Richardson said Friday she is focused on strengthening military relationships with South American countries despite fraught politics.

Richardson was in Denver to speak at a graduation ceremony at her alma mater, Metropolitan State University, a little more than a month after taking on her role as the highest ranking female in the U.S. Army.

While the politics between the U.S. and South American nations might not be what we would want .... the military relationships are really strong," Richardson said in a media roundtable.

Richardson referenced an example in El Salvador where U.S. political relationships are souring. In November, Jean Manes, the interim charge daffaires in El Salvador announced she was leaving her post and said the government of President Nayib Bukele is showing no interest in improving the bilateral relationship.

Manes departure was preceded by the Bukele government pulling out of an anti-corruption agreement with the Organization of American States and their refusal to extradite members of the MS-13 gang to the U.S. for trial.

Earlier this year, the U.S. government also published lists of allegedly corrupt officials in Central America which included Bukeles Chief of Staff Carolina Recinos.

Meanwhile, Richardson said the U.S.-El Salvador security partnership remains strong, adding that she recently called the Minister of National Defense Rene Francis Merino Monroy to offer condolences for his son who died as a pilot in an aircraft accident. The U.S. also sent a helicopter unit from Honduras to aid with search and rescue, she said.

Richardson noted that 23 countries came to the Southern Commands October change of command ceremony where she was officially given her position as head of the agency.

That was really tremendous to have that many come and represent because they want to partner with us, she said. They want to do the exercises. They want to work with us as much as possible.

Since assuming the position, Richardson traveled to Colombia and Brazil. She recalled her father in her hometown of Northglenn, Colorado, asking how far she was and what time zone she was in.

I wonder how many other people are like my father and don't realize how close things are," she said. Because those are our neighbors,.

As the new agency head, Richardson said she's thinking about how to maintain relationships with nations large and small "so we never leave anybody ... untouched or feeling like we're not partnering with them.

Richardson said the work of Southern Command is increasingly related to humanitarian response due to climate change disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes. They're also dealing with heightened illicit drug trades noting that metric tons of cocaine intercepted by the U.S. more than doubled between 2019 and 2020.

As a woman who broke through numerous glass ceilings in the military, Richardson said she strives to represent her demographic and make them proud and quipped, you can get in there and hook and jab with the rest of them.

___

Nieberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.
The Houston police officer who hit and killed a man walking to his barber Dec. 4 sped onto the sidewalk to avoid crashing into another car, according to details in a crash report.

Michael Wayne Jackson, a 62-year-old laborer who lived with his brother in Sunnyside, was pronounced dead on scene. The report identified the driving officer as Orlando Hernandez, a 25-year-old beat cop with fewer than two years on the force. Ofc. Anthony Aranda, 25, was in the cruiser's passenger seat. The two were automatically placed on three days' administrative duty but have since been listed as active duty, Houston Police Department spokesperson Jodi Silva said Wednesday. Silva declined to answer if either officer was back behind the wheel of a patrol car or was assigned to a desk.

Investigators determined that Hernandez was "traveling at an unsafe speed" westbound along the 4100 block of Reed Road that Saturday evening. With lights and sirens activated, the pair was rushing to help fellow officers detain five individuals who fled from their car on foot after a short pursuit. As Hernandez approached the intersection of Scott Street, he encountered stopped traffic, according to the report.

Investigators said Hernandez "performed a faulty evasive action" by driving onto the sidewalk to avoid colliding with a car. He hit Jackson from behind, throwing the 6-foot, 195-pound man nearly 60 feet. The cruiser continued into an adjacent parking lot and stopped after crashing into a Dumpster. It is not noted whether Hernandez had control of the cruiser by the time it hit the bin.

"I need HFD here," Hernandez told dispatchers at 5:41 p.m., according to archived police radio traffic. "I just got wrecked out, uh, Scott and Reed. One male patient is going to be knocked unconscious, not breathing, uh, bleeding from the head."

Paramedics with the Houston Fire Department rushed to the scene and pronounced Jackson dead. An autopsy from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences determined Jackson died from "multiple blunt force injuries." His manner of death was determined to be an accident.

Hernandez and Aranda declined to give statements to investigators for the crash report, which was filed by an officer in HPD's vehicular crimes division. Hernandez was not tested for alcohol or drugs, it was noted in the report.

"It looks like to me, maybe the guys couldn't drive that well," Jackson's adult brother Timothy Jackson said in the days following the collision. "They just weren't ready. Their skill level in pursuits maybe wasn't that good, because they came out of the street onto the sidewalk. They put anybody that's on the sidewalk in danger."

At a press briefing on the night of the collision, HPD Executive Asst. Chief Larry Satterwhite and prosecutor Sean Teare each maintained that the officers were en route to a "volatile" call.

"The officers were responding to a violent felony," Teare said. "That's something we're going to take into account. We're looking at all of this. This is not a normal crash. A normal crash in situations like this would probably constitute different charges than we're even going to think about in this case."

A grand jury will decide if the officers are charged. That process could take weeks, Teare said. He did not explain on potential charges.

The late Jackson's car broke down a few months ago, forcing him to walk nearly everywhere, take the bus, or catch occasional rides to work from his brother.

"He was always making jokes," Timothy said of his brother. "He was real sociable like that. He liked to try to sing a little bit. He was proud of a lot of people he's met, musicians and so forth. He knew B.B. King. That's who he was. He was a happy person."

HPD has not yet returned a request made Wednesday for department data that shows how many officers have been involved in collisions that left someone dead or seriously injured. In 2019, another HPD officer crashed into a pedestrian during a pursuit. The victim in that case was hospitalized.
The University of Texas at San Antonio and Baylor University have become the latest universities in the state to achieve the prestigious ranking for research activity often referred to as Carnegie Tier One. The designation is awarded by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and is based on the level of research activity conducted at a university.

UT-San Antonio joins eight other public universities in the state that are designated as Tier One universities with very high research activity. That list includes Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, the University of Houston, the University of North Texas, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Texas at El Paso. Baylor becomes the second private university in Texas to reach that designation, after Rice University.

Carnegie R1 is a historic waypoint on our trajectory to transform UTSA into one of the nations great public research universities, UTSA President Taylor Eighmy said in a press release. It is one of the most prestigious research designations that a U.S. research university can attain. I am so proud of our faculty and staff; their extensive contributions made this possible.

Over the past five years, UT-San Antonio has made multiple strides to achieve this goal, according to a press release sent Thursday. The school increased research spending by 106% from $68 million to $140 million this year. Faculty received more than 300 funding grants annually over the same time period, which is one factor that the Carnegie group factors in when determining a universitys research status.

Eighmy noted in the press release that UT-San Antonio is now one of about 20 universities across the country that have achieved Carnegie Tier One status and are Hispanic-serving institutions, which means at least 25% of the student population is Hispanic.

In a message to the Baylor University community Thursday, President Linda Livingstone emphasized that this designation makes Baylor a preeminent Christian research university.

Our R1 aspirations have represented an incredible opportunity  one given to us by God  to do what very few, if any, universities have achieved: maintaining our foundational Christian mission while reaching R1 status as a top-tier research university, she wrote.

Earlier this year, Baylor had projected the university would reach its goal to become a Tier One research university by 2024 as part of a five-year plan for the school. A spokesperson said they thought they would be close this year.

Universities work to achieve Tier One status because it helps attract grants and industry partners who might want to work on research projects. It also helps universities recruit faculty and graduate students, who in turn look better to potential employers. Carnegie classifies universities every three years.

UT-San Antonio officials say they hope this new status will impact the San Antonio area to be something called a knowledge economy, with focuses on national security, data science and cybersecurity.

Disclosure: Texas &M University, Baylor University, Rice University, Texas Tech University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at El Paso, the University of Texas at San Antonio, the University of Houston and the University of North Texas have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
I learned something in my days advocating on the hill after Sandy Hook. Republicans in general live by a political ethos that is not against gun regulation. Those who dont speak with them or try to understand them, often miss the hidden impasse  its not regulation itself to which they object, but who is doing the regulating. Conservatives are thinking Hunger Games, and make an argument based on a pattern of nations who disarm their citizens and subsequently plunder and exploit them.

As a Jew, I imagine myself armed in Polands forests in 1944. Personalizing it enables me to see the appeal of the argument. If you yourself dont find it appealing, try to see why so many others do.

The federal government is the last party conservatives want to be the regulator. They make some arguments that liberals can agree with too. For instance, they detest when police start using military surplus weapons in civilian settings. They say its only human nature for the police to eventually want to play with their new lethal weapons and us liberals agree.

Then there is the California/Wyoming problem and the power structure in the U.S. Senate. Gun laws can pass in the House with 435 seats but not in the Senate with 100 seats. Sixteen rural states such as Wyoming can always be relied upon for both senators voting down any gun reform bill every time. This gives the conservatives 32 votes right out the gate. Even if they win only half of the remaining votes, they carry it. Unfortunately, they win even more.

I am therefore saddened when people like my own community in Newtown and the kids in Parkland cry out in pain in public hearings and invest so much effort believing they can win the Senate this way. I believed it too! But all we won and ever win is the moral victory and the opportunity to be heard. I learned from my mentors: Elliot Fineman from the left, and Ralph Benko from the right, that weve been putting our energy into a losing strategy. Ive grown tired of feel good strategies that treat the trauma and pain but fail to deliver the political goods. Its time for real politic.

The problem with the liberal side is that we also have our measure of fundamentalists in our ranks. By this I mean, we have a favored method of solving gun violence which looks primarily to the federal government for solutions. There is however, an alternative that I floated to senators I know. And while I am not yet being followed, I have been heard and continue to be heard. The idea caught them by surprise. It felt like they kept it in the back of their minds for further consideration.

Its a simple elegant idea that is challenging to both sides, but is a plan both liberals and conservatives could embrace, and it could work. I have people who can deliver it to the conservatives, but I do not yet have people who could deliver it to the liberals. Are you ready for it? Its so short and elegant you could miss it, so please pay attention. I will unveil it in one sentence.

Put the training and regulation of firearms in the hands of the National Guard who report to governors of states.

Dont confuse the word national with federal. The National Guard may get money from the federal government like any other state entity but they are governed by the state in which they operate. Their boss is the governor. All states can fashion training and regulations of firearms in their own image. And because it is not the federal government, conservatives would allow for higher training standards and dynamic robust regulation like the Israeli and Switzerland models that have lots of guns and little domestic gun violence.

Whereas, illegal guns are a different issue altogether and can be solved with educational/vocational/ opportunities returned to inner cities post systemic racist red lining that ripped these opportunities away decades ago. Rebuild the inner cities so people have good jobs, housing, education and health care and the illegal guns will go away. I work in Connecticuts prisons, and have spoken with hundreds of perpetrators of gun violence. I know this is true.

Rabbi Dr. Shaul Marshall Praver, a Fairfield resident, is the former Congregational Rabbi of Newtown and spiritual first responder to the Dec. 14, 2012 tragedy. He serves as a prison chaplain and is the author of The Love Zap: Harnessing the Power of Love to Transform the World.
Texas school districts are facing a wave of book challenges from local lawmakers and parents, all of whom are aiming to keep specific titles about topics they deem inappropriate out of the hands of students.

This process was started by an October letter drafted by Republican state representative Matt Krause to Texas school districts in which he questioned whether a list of 850 books he believed could "make students feel uncomfortable" were stocked in school libraries and classrooms. Most of the books listed in the 16-page spreadsheet deal with race and racism, sex education, and LGBTQ topics.

In November, Gov. Greg Abbott followed with instructions sent to the Texas Education Agency asking them to notify him of any instance of pornography being provided to minors under the age of 18 for prosecution to the fullest extent of the law."

Both messages were sent amid debates throughout Texas and many other states about how subjects such as race and racism should be discussed in schools. On Dec. 2, the Lone Star State also installed a so-called critical race theory law prohibiting teachers from discussing "widely debated and currently controversial issue of public policy or social affairs."

While different titles are being pulled off school bookshelves in response to these demands, some have faced more scrutiny than others. Below are the books that have been most frequently targeted in recent challenges, investigations and subsequent removals throughout Texas schools.

"Out of Darkness" by Ashley Perez

Loosely based on Romeo and Juliet, this 2015 novel uses the 1937 New London School explosion in East Texas  where a natural-gas leak ignited and killed some 295 students and school employees  as a backdrop for an interracial love story between a Black boy and a Mexican American girl.

The novel was temporarily removed from Leander ISD's optional book club curriculum and classroom libraries along with 10 other titles following a year-long review, which deemed the content inappropriate. In Keller ISD, the book is now only available in high school libraries  just not on open shelves with other books  and requires parental consent for students to check out because of its "violence and difficult imagery." The title was also listed in Krause's inquiry.

During a national teach-in for students Wednesday hosted by PEN America, a non-profit that promotes literature and free expression, Perez noted how relevant the themes of her book still are despite the story being set 84 years in the past.

"What I wanted to do in 'Out of Darkness' first of all was to write the kind of historical novel that my former Texas high school students would have finished and I wanted to center the experiences that have been pushed to the margins of conversations of history in our communities," Perez said. "I also wanted 'Out of Darkness' to make connections between the histories of racialized violence and misogyny in our current realities."

Perez continued, saying "Unfortunately what's happening in 2021 is a sweeping effort to silence that conversation, to stop critically engaging with our history. So a book like 'Out of Darkness' which asks folks to sit with the roots of our current racialized violence is under attack for those reasons."

"Lawn Boy" by Jonathan Evison

This semi-autobiographical, coming-of-age novel tells the story of a Mike Munoz, a young adult Mexican-American who has faced hardships since his childhood and is now going through a phase of self-discovery. The book was recently removed from North East ISD in San Antonio for "very descriptive details of sexual encounters," according to the Houston Chronicle. (Chron and the Houston Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another.)

The novel was also one of five titles recently removed from Katy ISD for containing "pervasively vulgar content" and was included in Krause's list. In September, a Leander ISD parent told school board members at a meeting that the book was "full of obscenity and sexual content." The Leander Police Department said in September that it was investigating reports about obscenities in the book.

In September, Evison told the Washington Post his book was meant to explore themes of capitalism, wealth disparity and racial assumptions. He also denied accusations of his work containing pedophilia, addressing concerns some parents had with an adult man in the book recalling a sexual encounter he had with another fourth-grader when he too was in the fourth grade.

He also defended his novel in a Dec. 3 Facebook post saying, "Whether these would-be book banners are willing to admit it, their kids almost certainly have gay friends, impoverished friends, and non-white friends dealing with the same issues my protagonist Mike deals with. This book is modern realism. A large portion of America lives under similar circumstances as Mike, dealing with wealth inequity, racial assumptions, and sexual identification questions."

Evison continued, writing the underlying reason why people want to ban his book is because "they don't want representation for people beyond straight, white, Christians. They don't want to acknowledge wealth inequity, racial assumptions, or non-binary sexual identifications."

"V for Vendetta" by Alan Moore

Perhaps one of the older books that has been targeted, the classic 1982 graphic novel by acclaimed author Alan Moore depicts a dystopian, post-apocalyptic England ruled by a fascist regime and details a growing revolution against it. The books protagonist disguises himself in a mask of Guy Fawkes, a 17th-century English conspirator who has become a symbol of resistance.

The now 40-year-old comic book was adapted into a hit Warner Bros. film by the same name starring Natalie Portman, released in 2005. The novel was recently removed from Leander ISD's classroom libraries and optional book club curriculum. It was also among more than 400 titles pulled from North East ISD for review to "ensure they did not have any obscene or vulgar material in them" and was also listed in Krause's book inquiry.

"The Handmaid's Tale: The Graphic Novel" by Margaret Atwood and Renee Nault

Originally published in 1985, this dystopian novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood is set in a fictional, near-future fertility crisis, where the U.S. government has been overthrown by a totalitarian theocracy. In order to rebuild the population, the new government has reintroduced the biblical practice of forced surrogacy. More ironically, the society began to crumble after the government banned certain books.

The young adult novel, which was adapted into an award-winning Hulu original series in 2017, has been frequently challenged for a variety of reasons, but mostly for its disturbing sex scenes and appearing to be anti-Christian. It made the American Library Association's top ten most challenged books of 2019, as well as the ALA's list of top 100 banned books in the entire decade for both the 1990s and the 2000s.

Recently, the book was listed in Krause's inquiry and was one of 11 titles removed from Leander ISD as well as at North East ISD after being deemed inappropriate for students.

"Flamer" by Mike Curato

Award-winning author and illustrator Mike Curato draws on his own experiences for his 2020 debut graphic novel. The story, set in 1995, follows 14-year-old Aiden Navarro, a Filipino American away at a Boy Scout camp the summer before his first year of high school who is struggling with body issues and coming to terms with his sexuality and identity. The book was recently removed from school library shelves at Keller ISD and North East ISD. It also made Krause's list, which mostly targets books with LGBTQ themes.

Earlier this month, Curato signed a joint statement from the National Coalition Against Censorship along with more than 600 authors, publishers and activist groups calling for an end to political attacks on books in public schools.

"In communities across the country, an organized political attack on books in schools threatens the education of America's children," the statement read. "These ongoing attempts to purge schools of books represent a partisan political battle fought in school board meetings and state legislatures. The undersigned organizations and individuals are deeply concerned about this sudden rise in censorship and its impact on education, the rights of students, and freedom of expression."
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Canada's immigration minister and other provincial and federal leaders gathered for the announcement of the new Atlantic Immigration Program.

Atlantic Immigration Pilot to become permanent program in new year Canada's immigration minister and other provincial and federal leaders gathered for the announcement of the new Atlantic Immigration Program.

Atlantic Immigration Pilot to become permanent program in new year Canada's immigration minister and other provincial and federal leaders gathered for the announcement of the new Atlantic Immigration Program.

Atlantic Immigration Pilot to become permanent program in new year Canada's immigration minister and other provincial and federal leaders gathered for the announcement of the new Atlantic Immigration Program. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Immigration Minister Sean Fraser and provincial leaders announced the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) will become a permanent program starting January 1. The name will be changed to the Atlantic Immigration Program.

The program will allow for 6,000 newcomers to come to Atlantic Canada per year.

Fraser, who is from Nova Scotia, was joined by fellow Liberal member of parliament Ginette Petitpas Taylor, who is the minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, as well as provincial leaders from the other Atlantic provinces.

Fraser said since the AIP was launched in 2017, it has brought nearly 10,000 newcomers to the provinces. Participating employers have made over 9,800 job offers in key sectors, including health care, accommodations, food services and manufacturing. After one year, more than 90% of newcomers on the AIP were still living in Canada, which is much higher than other immigration programs in the region.

The news comes shortly after Nova Scotia announced its population grew to one million. In the first quarter of 2021, 5,696 people moved to Nova Scotia from other countries and other parts of Canada, and the provinces population grew by 2,877, which is the largest increase in a first quarter since 1971. The province also has an immigrant retention rate of 71%, the highest in Atlantic Canada.

The pilot will officially close on December 31, but Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will still accept applications under the pilot from those with a valid provincial endorsement until March 5, 2022.

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What is the AIP and why is it considered a success?

Atlantic Canada has one of the oldest populations in the country. A large sum of the workers in these provinces are retiring, and few new workers are coming in.

While this is a problem throughout the country, it is especially pronounced in the four east-coast provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

The demographic challenges of having an old population has long been a case in support of economic immigration in Canada. However, despite the success of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), created in 1998 to address the regional labour market and demographic needs, Atlantic Canada has struggled to retain immigrants.

Enter the AIP. It was launched in 2017, and has already begun to show early signs of success according to an IRCC report from the winter. The report suggests that the AIP is improving retention rates in the region.

Through the AIP, immigrants come to Atlantic Canada with a job and a settlement plan from a designated service provider. These elements address the reasons why many immigrants tend to leave the region, due to lack of job opportunities. Those who stay, oftentimes do so because of family or friends in the area.

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Canada has landed over 361,000 immigrants this year and will likely achieve its target of landing 401,000 immigrants in 2021.

Canada breaks monthly record again by landing over 47,000 immigrants in November Canada has landed over 361,000 immigrants this year and will likely achieve its target of landing 401,000 immigrants in 2021.

Canada breaks monthly record again by landing over 47,000 immigrants in November Canada has landed over 361,000 immigrants this year and will likely achieve its target of landing 401,000 immigrants in 2021.

Canada breaks monthly record again by landing over 47,000 immigrants in November Canada has landed over 361,000 immigrants this year and will likely achieve its target of landing 401,000 immigrants in 2021. Kareem El-Assal Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Canada landed more than 47,000 new permanent residents in November.

This is a modern era record (such data is only readily available dating back to 1980). It is also marks the third month in a row that Canada has broken the record.

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CIC News obtained this data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) last night. The data also shows that Canada has now landed over 361,000 immigrants in the first eleven months of this year. Given it has landed more than 45,000 immigrants in each of the past three months, it appears very likely Canada will achieve its 401,000 immigrant target by the end of this year. The rise in the Omicron variant may complicate such efforts but given IRCCs focus on transitioning those within Canada to permanent residence, the department should still be able to achieve its goal.

A landing occurs when an individual sees their legal status officially converted to permanent residence in Canada. Prior to the pandemic, this usually occurred when a foreign national would arrive from overseas and gain permanent residence. During the pandemic, Canada has focused on transitioning those living in the country as temporary residents to permanent residence. The rationale for this policy is those in Canada are less likely to experience COVID-related disruptions during the process of acquiring permanent residence (e.g., travel delays, delays obtaining documents).

New Permanent Resident Landings Per Month (Preliminary Estimates Provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada)

Prior to the pandemic, about 30 per cent of new economic class permanent residents lived in Canada at the time of landing while some 70 per cent came from abroad. This has been reversed in 2021 with some 70 per cent landing from within Canada and about 30 per cent arriving from overseas. IRCC has made this shift to enable it to achieve its Immigration Levels Plan target of landing 401,000 new permanent residents this year.

Among the shifts IRCC has made include focusing Express Entry draws on Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates and launching six streams in May to transition as many as 90,000 international students and temporary foreign workers living in Canada to permanent residence.

Before COVID, Canada landed between 25,000 and 35,000 immigrants per month, with figures being higher during the warmer spring and summer months. Canada got off to a slow start this year before ramping up landings in June. The period between June and November has been particularly notable due to Canada consistently landing over 35,000 new permanent residents each month, including setting three consecutive monthly modern records since September.

Canada landed more than 340,000 immigrants in 2019 and had its eyes set on the same target in 2020 before the pandemic got in the way. It ended up landing just 184,000 last year but doubled-down on immigration by seeking to tie its annual immigration record set in 1913. The motivation behind pursuing at least 401,000 admissions each year beginning in 2021 and beyond is to support Canadas post-pandemic economic recovery.

Achieving the target has been one of IRCCs top priorities in 2021. Now that they are closing in on this goal, IRCC will broaden its priorities following the release of a new mandate letter yesterday.

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Following internal and international criticism, Canada has back-pedalled on its African travel bans ahead of schedule.

Canada lifts ban on 10 African countries Following internal and international criticism, Canada has back-pedalled on its African travel bans ahead of schedule.

Canada lifts ban on 10 African countries Following internal and international criticism, Canada has back-pedalled on its African travel bans ahead of schedule.

Canada lifts ban on 10 African countries Following internal and international criticism, Canada has back-pedalled on its African travel bans ahead of schedule. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Canada is lifting the ban on international travel from the 10 countries in Africa starting December 18 at 11:59 p.m.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos made the announcement on December 17.

Canada first implemented the ban on November 26 to seven African countries, but within days expanded to 10: South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt. The ban was originally set to expire on January 31.

Canada will also re-introduce pre-arrival tests for all new incoming travellers. Currently, Canadian residents can leave and come back within 72 hours without needing a pre-arrival COVID-19 test. A negative pre-arrival test will be required for all new arrivals to Canada starting December 21.

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The government said the bans were originally put in place due to a high rate of travellers testing positive for coronavirus from those countries. However, African political leaders and scientists criticized Canada for only including African countries in its ban, even though the Omicron variant had been detected in 44 countries at the time.

Canada was also the only country among the Group of Seven nations to require its citizens to return with a COVID-19 test from a third country, although this requirement was temporarily suspended for South Africa.

The federal government also requires travellers who are allowed to still enter Canada from those countries to get a negative COVID-19 test in a third country before boarding  which travellers say has made getting to Canada next to impossible. Over the weekend, the government suspended that requirement for South Africa.

Canadas ban, along with other bans from Western countries became known as travel apartheid. The World Health Organization Director-Genera Tendros Adhanom Ghebrevesus said the rules were disappointing. Advocates from within Canada also called for the rules to end.

In mid-December, when Canadas two top doctors were asked about the rationale for continuing the ban, one said there was none and the other said the bans should be re-examined.

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Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun in the morning followed by cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 33F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow. Low 27F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches.
This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration co-founded by CJR and The Nation strengthening coverage of the climate story. The author is CCNows deputy director.

IN JANUARY, WE WROTE in this column, Humanity begins 2021 with a real chance to pull back from the brink of climate catastrophe. In the United States, then-President-elect Joe Biden promised bold climate legislation at home and renewed climate leadership globally. Elsewhere, dozens of countries had declared a climate state of emergency, while still others, including China, were ramping up commitments to slash emissions. In the business world, one after another, banks and financial institutions pledged to divest from dirty energy. Steps to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius  urgently needed to fend off the worst climate impacts, but stymied for four years by a climate-denying US administration  felt within reach.

On many counts, since then, 2021 has frustrated. The US is still waiting on that climate legislation  desirable as a matter of science and survival, not of partisan politics  which until now has been held up by lockstep Republican opposition and the dissembling of a single West Virginia Democrat. On the world stage, Novembers COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland, a critical juncture in the climate fight, delivered better on rhetoric than on action; countries pledges there fell well short of United Nations targets, and questions of justice for developing countries, which are least responsible for climate change but often first to bear its burdens, were mostly shrugged off by their wealthier peers.

The result is that 2021 amounts to a missed opportunity, even as the physical consequences of climate change grow ever more harrowing and obvious.

Yet hope, however feeble, springs eternal, and journalists have a role to play if 2022 is to be any better. Leaders at COP26 did not muster sufficient will to meet the 1.5 degrees C target  the summit left humanity on track for a disastrous 2.4 degrees C of warming by the end of this century  but a late inclusion in the Glasgow Climate Pact does compel countries to return to the table next year, at COP27 in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, with improved climate plans (whereas, under 2015s Paris Agreement, updates were only expected every five years). In this way, COP leadership claimed to have kept 1.5 alive. Accountability will be key moving forward, and that is where journalists come in.

Critically, all COP pledges are voluntary and non-binding. That 2.4 degrees C projection, then, in fact represents a best-case scenario in which countries all follow through on their stated plans  unlikely, given the broken promises that mark the climate story so far (the US withdrawal from the Paris accord during the Trump administration being only one example). How countries integrate new emissions-reduction commitments into their domestic climate programs, how they plan to advance those commitments in time for COP27 next November, and whether such advancements square with climate science are all important questions journalists must ask in the months ahead.

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Ambition, though, is the easy part. How and whether countries execute on that ambition is more important  and more complicated. As with any large policy, climate action will be characterized by struggle; results are likely to diverge from intent. In the US, for example, should Democrats finally pass significant climate legislation, much of the resulting funding will be administered through federal grants. Competition between local governments will be fierce  indeed, its well underway vis-a-vis the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package Biden signed into law in November  and in those municipalities that obtain funds a motley array of governmental and nongovernmental actors will compete to implement them. Powerful interests along the way will jockey to delay or benefit from change. In the meantime, what this all entails for emissions reduction  never mind important questions of justice and the economy in the relevant communities  might easily get lost in the scrum. Its on journalists everywhere to follow the action and ensure it isnt.

Then theres the matter of accuracy. Reaching 1.5 degrees C is still possible, but doing so will require, among other things, precise emissions accounting across the globe. In this regard, a pathbreaking Washington Post investigation this November did not inspire confidence: Drawing on many years of data submitted to the UN by 196 countries, the Post showed that theres an enormous gap between what countries say theyre releasing into the atmosphere and what they actually emit. The gap is enough to substantially alter the planets overall warming  and it means the data on which countries are basing their climate pledges is fundamentally flawed.

Post journalists discovered that much of the data countries report to the UN has been incomplete or plainly inaccurate. Accounting tricks have also been common: Countries are allowed, for instance, to subtract from their total emissions carbon that supposedly is absorbed by land and forests within their borders  but they often do so erroneously, claiming outlandish levels of carbon absorption or absorption that isnt happening at all.

The Posts investigation was extensive and thorough; to more accurately determine countries emissions, the reporting team built a world-spanning data set, employed statistical models to estimate emissions where data were absent, and called on many experts to help guide their efforts. Theres plenty of room for journalists in newsrooms big and small to carry this accountability work forward.

Our data is only really a starting point, because it can suggest discrepancies but you really have to figure out why they exist and whats actually going on [in these countries], Chris Mooney, a reporter on the Post story, told me. Similar investigations can also be tackled in local outlets around the world. Knowing whats likely to be missed  and then getting scientific help to analyze whats going on in your backyard  thats the blueprint, Mooney said.

Journalistic accountability alone cannot necessarily compel governments to do better. In democratic countries, at least, public pressure on leaders to follow through on and improve their climate pledges is essential. But lets be real: As important as emissions policies are, theyre too wonky to connect with many news consumers. And so, journalists must continue to emphasize peoples lived experience of the climate emergency  increasingly dramatic and deadly, as humanity careens towards 1.5 degrees C  while drawing a clear connection to the policies that are helping or not.

Although the door would seem to be closing on 1.5 degrees C, science is clear that if humanity acts fast to curb emissions, temperature rise will also stop quickly. And climate solutions remain ready at hand. That means there is always hope, Alex Thomson, of Channel 4 in the UK, said during a recent Covering Climate Now webinar. And the worst thing that journalists can possibly ever do is engender despair. Which is to say that in 2022 hope must undergird all of our journalistic efforts, even and especially as we hold the powerful to account.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Andrew McCormick is an independent journalist and former CJR Delacorte Fellow. His work has appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, the South China Morning Post, and more. Follow him on Twitter @AndrewMcCormck.
On June 22, India Walton, a registered nurse and community organizer in Buffalo, New York, won the Democratic primary for her citys mayoral race, defeating four-term incumbent Byron Brown (who, as several reports put it, had all but ignored Waltons primary challenge). Walton was widely portrayed in coverage as a longshot, not least because she campaigned as a democratic socialist. The day after the primary, Walton spoke with a reporter for a local NBC station who called her victory a major upset, and whose first question was, Tell me the difference between a Democrat and a democratic socialist. Local and national coverage noted the momentous upset, and foreshadowed a victory for Walton in the November mayoral race; the New York Times reported that Waltons primary win made it almost certain that she will become not only the first woman elected mayor in New York States second-largest city, but also the first socialist at the helm of a large American city in decades.

Brown, the incumbent, didnt suspend his mayoral bid. Instead, days after his primary loss, he launched an independent write-in campaign to challenge Walton again in the November 2 election. Browns challenge attracted support from area conservatives and Republicans, whose party did not run a candidate against Walton. (There were several other write-in candidates.) In August, WGRZ, a Buffalo-based NBC affiliate, reported that nearly one-third of the signature pages submitted by Brown to get his name on the ballot were carried by members of right-leaning parties  most of them Republicans, most of them residing outside the city. By October, Investigate Post, a Buffalo-based investigative nonprofit, reported that Brown had raised nearly half a million dollars since his primary loss, far outpacing Waltons own fundraising. Browns donors, Investigate Post noted, include developers and other companies who do business with the city and patronage employees who depend on the mayor for a paycheck. A number of noteworthy Republicans have also donated significant sums.

Meanwhile, local outlets picked over Waltons past. Following her primary victory, WKBW, a Buffalo-based ABC affiliate, reported that Walton had been accused of welfare fraud, failed to pay her taxes and was caught driving with a suspended license at various points in her life, according to public records. (The station noted that it acquired the documents through its own search of court dockets, not from political adversaries or the Brown campaign.) Another story, published in the Buffalo News, reported that Waltons landlord had evicted her from her rental house in 2018, after a neighbor claimed that an acquaintance of Waltons was selling drugs from the house. Walton and her friend both disputed the allegation, which was not substantiated in police reports. The News did not name Waltons former landlord, who asked not to be identified because he feared retribution.

Such stories captured why it is nearly impossible for an ordinary person, let alone a working-class Black woman, to run for public office, wrote Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, who profiled Waltons campaign for The New Yorker ahead of the election. The Buffalo News article never questioned whether a landlord might harass a woman who, at the time, was one of the most prominent opponents of the citys rising rents, Taylor wrote. It also devoted seven paragraphs to the criminal record of Waltons male friend, impugning her by association. Taylor also rounded up details of investigations into Browns administration, and termed the allegations against Walton petty by comparison.

Browns write-in campaign proved successful, with the incumbent defeating Walton by a margin of eighteen percentage points. The day after the mayoral election, the News published an analysis piece by its Washington bureau chief, whose sources included political pros and political insiders frustrated by a speech Walton made after her primary-night victory, in which she addressed elected officials and told them theyd been put on notice. One, who described himself as a centrist, referred to Waltons fringe organization, and suggested Waltons speech let the cat out of the bag: what her real intentions are. The analysis suggested Waltons speech mightve been an act of sabotage for her own campaign; it paid little attention to Browns advantages in the race, from his long incumbency to his support from legacy local media. (The News endorsed Brown for mayor in October.)

Following Browns re-election, pundits and national outlets have turned over Waltons loss for insights into progressive candidates and the future prospects of the Democratic party. Frederik deBoer, in the New York Times, boiled things down to voter turnout, noting that it was time for young socialists and progressive Democrats to recognize that our beliefs just might not be popular enough to win elections consistently. It does us no favors to pretend otherwise. Taylor took up turnout, too, but did not bind it to the relative popularity of progressive policy proposals. When working-class people have been neglected by powerful and well-connected Democratic administrations, like that of Byron Brown, it may be hard for them to believe that a political outsider will have the clout to change the status quo, Taylor wrote. For decades, Democrats have told these voters that help is on the way, and constant disappointment may eventually give way to a belief that things cant change.

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For Jacobin, Branko Marcetic noted that Waltons working-class status and encounters with the criminal-justice system make her a relative rarity among politicians, who dont have these particular blots on their records; they either come from backgrounds where money is never an issue, or sociopathically design their entire adult lives, down to its minutiae, so as to have a spotless record when they eventually make their run. In the wake of Waltons campaign, Marcetic locates a number of pressing questions about factors that might have influenced the races outcomefrom Waltons speech and the self-sabotage theory to the wider police-defunding debate to voter perceptions of her experience. Reviewing the coverage, one might add additional questions to the listincluding what constitutes a blot, and how they are applied.

Below, more on progressive candidates and local news:

In a June opinion piece for the Washington Post , Radley Balko wrote about the bogus backlash against progressive prosecutors, focusing on San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who has been criticized for his support for prosecutorial reform policies. Boudin, who faces a recall election next June, has been blamed unfairly for everything from Walgreens closures to long-rampant car break-ins, San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight wrote. (Critics have occasionally identified similar dynamics in the Chronicle as well. ) In coverage of a carjacking attempt, a local ABC affiliate reported that Boudins office dropped all charges against a juvenile suspect. However, Balko writes that the charges against the assailant were never dropped, and that the erroneous story gained traction among Boudins critics. SFGate noted that the station later updated its story, but did not label the update a correction.

Recently, a jury found actor Jussie Smollett guilty of disorderly conduct for falsely reporting a hate crime in 2019. For Vulture , Zak Cheney-Rice recently wrote about how Smolletts case has featured in coverage of Kim Foxx, a progressive states attorney in Illinois, whose critics have suggested Foxxs prosecutorial leniency for nonviolent crime is an abuse of her power. When the Chicago Tribune hosted an hour-long debate with Foxx and her challengers in January 2020, Cheney-Rice wrote, a full 30 minutes was dedicated to her handling of the Smollett case.

For CJRs summer 2020 issue, Jack Herrera wrote about how uninformed media coverage of efforts to defund and abolish the police flattened the proposal into an election talking point. The way political coverage has engaged with the countrys anti-racist uprising has often felt inadequate, even hackish, Herrera wrote, later adding that demands to defund and abolish the police have existed for decades, but in the kinds of places journalists and presidential contenders rarely go and even more rarely come from: overpoliced neighborhoods, underserved Black communities, and Black feminist spaces.

Other notable stories

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Feven Merid is CJR's staff writer and Senior Delacorte Fellow.
BRUSSELS/BANGKOK  Tens of millions of migrants may be denied COVID-19 vaccines from a global program because some major manufacturers are worried about legal risks from harmful side effects, according to officials and internal documents from Gavi, the charity operating the program, reviewed by Reuters.

Nearly two years into a pandemic that has already killed more than 5 million people, only about 7% https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations of people in low-income countries have received a dose. Vaccine deliveries worldwide have been delayed by production problems, hoarding by rich countries, export restrictions and red tape. Many programs have also been hampered by hesitancy among the public.

The legal concerns are an additional hurdle for public health officials tackling the coronavirus  even as officials say unvaccinated people offer an ideal environment for it to mutate into new variants that threaten hard-won immunity around the world. Many COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers have required that countries indemnify them for any adverse events suffered by individuals as a result of the vaccines, the United Nations says.

Where governments are not in control, that is not possible.

The concerns affect people, such as those displaced by the Myanmar, Afghanistan and Ethiopian crises, who are beyond the reach of national governments vaccination schemes.

For refugees, migrants and asylum-seekers, as well as people afflicted by natural disasters or other events that put them out of reach of government help, the global program known as COVAX created a Humanitarian Buffer  a last-resort reserve of shots to be administered by humanitarian groups. Gavi, the vaccine alliance, is a public-private partnership set up in 2000 to promote vaccination around the world.

But that buffer does not have any mechanism to offer compensation. Gavi, which operates COVAX with the World Health Organization (WHO), says that where those applying for doses, mainly NGOs, cant bear legal risks, deliveries from that stockpile can only be made if vaccine-makers accept liability.

The companies that are willing to do so under these circumstances provide only a minority of the programs vaccines, according to people familiar with the matter and the documents, written by Gavi staff for a board meeting starting at the end of November.

More than two-thirds of COVAX doses have come from Pfizer Inc. and its partner BioNTech SE, AstraZeneca PLC and Moderna Inc., Gavi says. Moderna declined to comment. AstraZeneca and Pfizer said they were in talks with Gavi but declined to comment further. All three said they are committed to making doses available to poorer nations at relatively low prices. Pfizer said it was collaborating directly with governments in Jordan and Lebanon to donate doses for refugees.

Mainly because of the legal concerns, less than 2 million doses have so far been sent from the buffer, Gavi says. About 167 million people risk being excluded from national programs, according to United Nations data cited in the documents.

Unless all the firms accept legal liability, access to vaccines for some populations will remain a challenge, the Gavi documents say, adding that new crises will generate additional demand to cover displaced populations.

The vaccine makers reluctance to take on the legal risks is a major hurdle in attempts to provide vaccines for the buffer, a spokesperson for Gavi told Reuters. Gavi did not comment on the details in the documents, but said applications for vaccines are confidential until the doses are delivered. In September, Gavis CEO, Seth Berkley, tweeted https://twitter.com/GaviSeth/status/1440780492324818945?s=20 an appeal to drugmakers to waive their requirements for legal indemnity.

Three Chinese drugmakers have agreed to shoulder legal risks when their shots are delivered through the buffer: SinoVac Biotech Ltd, Sinopharm Group Co. Ltd, and Clover Biopharmaceuticals Co. Ltd, according to the Gavi document. The drugmakers did not respond to requests for comment.

Johnson & Johnson of the United States confirmed it would waive a requirement for indemnity for deliveries from the buffer: We are proud to be part of this effort to protect the worlds most vulnerable people, said Paul Stoffels, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Scientific Officer. He did not elaborate.

However, less than one-third of COVAX supplies have come from these four firms, COVAX data shows: Clovers shot has not yet been approved so is not in use.

The global industry association, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), said no company has refused to consider taking on the legal risk. However, in the case of shots delivered from the buffer, it said some firms felt they could not do so without full knowledge of where and how vaccines would be used.

It would be hard to continuously monitor vaccines for safety in refugee camps, and delivery is logistically very challenging and not suitable for all types, said the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), which represents large pharmaceutical companies in Europe.

People may blame vaccines for problems that emerge afterwards even if they are unrelated, it said.

This could then lead to an increased number of litigation cases  during which the safety and efficacy of the vaccine would be publicly questioned, it said in a statement to Reuters. That might lead to increased vaccine hesitancy and a slower recovery from the pandemic, it said.

So far there is scant information on COVID vaccine litigation, but claims made to out-of-court compensation programs are one measure of the risk. A program in the United States has so far not paid out anything, public data show; neither has one set up by the WHO for lower income countries, the WHO said. In Europe, a handful of compensation awards have been granted for undisclosed amounts of money, official data from Denmark, Germany, Norway and Switzerland show .

Globally there have been few reported COVID infections among refugees, migrants and asylum-seekers  testing is not always systematic and infections can generate only mild symptoms especially in younger people.

But cramped conditions and weak healthcare expose them to high infection risk. This, combined with low levels of vaccination in a mobile population could favor the emergence of new variants and be a vector for infection, said Mireille Lembwadio, Global Vaccination Coordinator at the International Organization of Migration (IOM), a U.N.-related body that advises governments and migrants.

Leaving them unvaccinated could help spread the virus and its variants across the world, she said.

Waiting For Doses

Francois Nosten, a French professor who helps coordinate healthcare for people from Myanmar living on the border with Thailand, is one of those waiting for vaccines. In June, he put in a request from the Humanitarian Buffer for 70,000 doses  some for some of the 90,000 or so who are sheltering in camps along the border, but most for unregistered migrants in the border town of Mae Sot and nearby villages.

Nosten, whose main work is researching malaria, is expecting the doses  a fraction of the more than 8 billion administered worldwide  this month. He has been told they will come from Sinopharm, and he hopes they can help inoculate key at-risk groups in Thailands Tak province. Gavi said delivery arrangements are still being finalized.

About 20,000 doses will be given to people in the camps by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a humanitarian group working with Nosten.

At this point whatever vaccine we can secure we are grateful for, said its Thailand Director, Darren Hertz. He added that the IRC believed the likelihood that a member of the refugee population would attempt to take legal action in case of side-effects was extremely low.

Hertz said the IRC has received a handful of ad hoc vaccine donations from the Thai government and is currently tackling significant outbreaks in five of nine camps on the border, where about 3,000 cases have been confirmed, including at least 26 deaths. A Thai foreign ministry spokesperson confirmed the government was working with the IRC on providing vaccinations in shelters along the border.

Nostens charity, Border Health Foundation (BHF), is one of eight organizations worldwide that have applied to distribute the shots from the Humanitarian Buffer and one of three to be approved, Gavi said.

Ann Burton, Chief of Public Health at the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, said the liability issue was one reason agencies have been slow to apply. The program has also been delayed by the general shortage of vaccines and administrative hurdles .

Organizations applying for supplies from the buffer may not choose which vaccines they receive. Working with displaced people, Nosten said it would be more convenient to give them Johnson & Johnsons vaccine, which offers protection after a single dose instead of the two doses needed for Sinopharms.

But the Sinopharm version will be better than nothing, he said.

More than 100 national governments have promised to offer vaccines where possible to all the displaced people on their soil, according to the IOM. However, the U.N. group says migrants and refugees are often effectively excluded from such schemes because of administrative or cultural hurdles.

In cases where governments arent in charge or have not agreed to vaccinate migrants, COVAXs Humanitarian Buffer is the only option. At least 40 countries have yet to include unauthorized migrants in their vaccination programs, according to the IOM  it and the UNHCR declined to name the countries.

Gavi set up the buffer in March 2021, planning to reserve up to 5% of vaccine doses as they become available to COVAX, which would amount to roughly 70 million doses so far.

The only shots delivered from the buffer so far  just over 1.6 million Sinopharm doses  landed in Iran in November, where high numbers of displaced Afghans have arrived, UNICEF Iran said. Thats enough to inoculate about 800,000 people; more will likely be needed, UNICEF said.

Need For Speed

The vaccine makers legal concern is rooted in the unprecedented speed of the effort to develop the COVID shots, the EFPIA said.

In normal circumstances, drugmakers buy insurance to cover liability for vaccines potential adverse effects. But COVID forced them to develop drugs so quickly that some side effects  for instance, a rare blood-clotting condition in some of those who took the AstraZeneca vaccine  are emerging as shots go into peoples arms.

Many governments and international agencies have set up compensation schemes to reimburse victims and avoid lengthy litigation. An emergency law invoked by the U.S. government provides legal immunity for drug companies for side effects from their COVID-19 vaccines used in the country. The only exception is for instances of wilful misconduct.

For drug companies, accepting potential liability runs counter to standard practice.

Vaccine manufacturers try to minimize legal risks in almost every setting, said John T. Monahan, Professor at Georgetown University. The gold standard is full immunity from lawsuits. If they accept carve-outs, it may become more difficult to reach that goal.
SAN DIEGO (AP)An electrical engineer who examined the USS Bonhomme Richard after it was destroyed by fire last year testified Wednesday that it might have started with a faulty cable, while a former federal fire investigator said he also found no data to back the governments finding that it was arson.

Andrew Thoresen was hired by the defense attorneys representing the junior sailor accused of setting the fire aboard the amphibious assault ship. He told a military court during a preliminary hearing that he found highly combustible lithium ion batteries with their caps blown off and a copper cable with a melted end in the engine of a forklift, indicating it may have sparked the fire.

They cannot be eliminated as a source of the fire, said Thoresen, who has examined 3,000 fire scenes as a forensic electrical engineer.

Phil Fouts, a former federal fire investigator also hired by defense attorneys, told the court he agreed after inspecting the ship.

For me the cause of the fire is undetermined at this point, said Fouts, a former fire investigator with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, adding later: I have not eliminated the forklift and batteries (as potential causes) and I dont have any data to support an intentionally set fire.

Both the batteries and forklift were inside the lower vehicle storage area of the warship where the lead federal fire investigator for the government determined the July 12, 2020, fire was started by someone who ignited carboard boxes stored there.

The testimony came in a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence for Ryan Sawyer Mays to face a military trial.

Mays is charged with aggravated arson and the willful hazarding of a vessel. The Navy judge, who listened to three days of testimonies, will be reviewing thousands of pages of material and hours of video. A decision is not expected for weeks.

Mays, 20, has denied igniting the blaze that burned for nearly five days on the USS Bonhomme Richard, injuring dozens of personnel aboard and sending acrid smoke wafting over San Diego. The ship was damaged so badly that it had to be scuttled. The blaze was one of the worst noncombat warship disasters in recent memory.

Prosecutors disputed that the governments investigation overlooked other causes. They said Fouts inspected the charred vessel four months after the fire and spent only 15 hours on board compared to the governments team of 10 certified fire investigators who spent days aboard the ship shortly after the blaze was extinguished.

Fouts acknowledged he did not closely examine the forklift and based his conclusion on the engineers report. The engineer also inspected the ship months after the fire.

Defense attorneys have argued there is no physical evidence tying Mays to the crime. Much of the case relies on sailors accounts of that morning.

One sailor, Edwin Kongo, testified Wednesday that he thanked Mays for saving his life after he alerted him there was a fire on board. Kongo said he had woken up minutes before Mays told him to get off the ship.

About 160 sailors and officers were on board when the fire started on the 840-foot (256-meter) vessel, which had been docked at Naval Base San Diego while undergoing a two-year, $250 million upgrade.

A key witness for the Navy testified Tuesday that he is certain he saw Mays in the area where the flames ignited and another sailor said the suspect mumbled Im guilty on the way to the brig after being taken into custody.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Kenji Velasco said Mays was wearing blue work coveralls; other sailors said they saw him in a green camouflage uniform that day.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Betz testified Wednesday that Velasco initially told him he did not recognize the person he saw go down below before the fire. But Betz told the court he considered Velasco to be really truthful and found Mays would lie.

Betz said Mays told him he had to drop out of SEAL training because he got injured during the programs Hell Week, which is the most grueling part that comes at the end of the weeks-long training. Mays actually dropped out voluntarily after five days.

One thing that the sailors have been consistent about in their testimonies is that Mays was not liked by many on the ship and did not want to be there.

Betz told investigators Mays was selfish, whiney and mad because he dropped out of the SEALs.

Navy prosecutors have argued Mays set the ship on fire because he was angry about being assigned to the ship.

On Tuesday Carissa Tubman, a sailor who was assigned to escorting Mays to the brig on Aug. 20, 2020, testified that she heard a stunned Mays mumble to himself: Im guilty, I guess. I did it. Then she said he mumbled some more before she heard him say: It had to be done.

Defense attorneys said he was joking and speaking sarcastically after being surprised that he was being locked up.

About the photo: Navy Seaman Ryan Sawyer Mays arrives for a hearing at Naval Base San Diego, Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, in San Diego. The Navy is set to hold a hearing to review whether there is enough evidence to order a court martial for a San Diego-based sailor charged with setting the fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard in the summer of 2020. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
DAWSON SPRINGS, Ky. (AP)  Tightknit communities still digging out from the deadly tornadoes that killed dozens of people across eight states in the South and Midwest are turning to another heavy-hearted task: honoring and burying their dead.

The storms that began Friday night destroyed lives and property from Arkansas to Illinois and in parts of neighboring states, carving a more than 200-mile (320-kilometer) path through Kentucky alone. The National Weather Service recorded at least 41 tornadoes, including 16 in Tennessee and eight in Kentucky.

Along the violent storm path, a funeral home in western Kentucky prepared to serve the families of those who lost loved ones while grieving losses of its own.

Beshear Funeral Home in Dawson Springs was preparing for at least four services in coming days for storm victims, while also catching up with funerals delayed by the massive storm, said funeral home owner Jenny Beshear Sewell, a second cousin of Kentuckys governor.

The storm-related deaths include those of two sisters who had worked at the funeral home, the only one in town.

Eighty-year-old Carole Grisham and 72-year-old Marsha Hall decided to ride it out in their home as the tornado barreled down in the dark of night, Sewell said by phone Wednesday. The home, which lacked a basement, was demolished.

Hall, a fixture at the funeral home, had a hard days work Friday, hours before she died in the storm, Sewell said. As she left work, Halls parting words were: Well, Ill see you.

As the tornado approached, Sewell texted Hall with an update on the storms path and urged the sisters to shelter in the funeral homes basement or a church basement. Hall replied OK _ the last communication Sewell received from the longtime employee whom she considered a member of the family.

Arrangements were still pending for Grisham and Hall, but a double funeral is expected, Sewell said.

Meanwhile, the funeral home is also preparing services for other storm victims and for a woman whose funeral was delayed since last Saturday, the day after the storm hit. If the buildings natural gas hasnt been restored once services resume, everybody will just need to bundle up, Sewell said. Thats the best we can do.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has pledged $5,000 payments to each of the victims families to help with burial expenses. The state was the hardest hit, with 74 deaths reported so far.

In the western Kentucky town of Madisonville, family and friends were mourning a couple killed when the twister ripped through nearby Dawson Springs.

Jeffrey Eckert, 70, was remembered as mysterious and cool by his nephew Mike Eckert, who recalled his uncle playing in various bands, always owning a boat and buzzing his home after hed earned his pilots license to let the family know it was time to meet him at the airport.

Many of the mourners wore animal prints in honor of Jeffrey Eckerts wife, Jennifer Eckert, 69, who loved to wear them and was remembered by her niece Kathy Moore for her chocolate meringue pies and the love of her grandchildren.

Moore said her grief was tempered by the memories and the relationships Jennifer Eckert left behind.

When its all said and done, relationships are all that matters, Moore said. Life has to end. Love does not.

The grieving, meanwhile, has extended beyond the states hardest hit and into Florida, the home of a father and son killed while staying at a west Tennessee resort.

Steve Gunn and his 12-year-old son Grayson were staying at the Cypress Point Resort, a popular destination for hunters and anglers. They will be buried in Florida this weekend.

You couldnt go to Walmart with him without a hundred people stopping him, said Steve Gunns sister, Sandy Gunn. His son was the kid you grew up dreaming to have.

Sandy Gunns brother-in-law, Jamie Hall, also was part of the hunting group and remains missing.

Our world has been shattered, she said. Im terrified each time I hear the phone ring. My brother-in-law was the kindest and most gentle man you would have ever known.

At the heavily damaged courthouse in downtown Mayfield, Makayla Wadkins, 24, helped set up a makeshift memorial. Flyers with color photographs and the names of victims were taped to the fence surrounding the building.

Were just going to allow the families to have a place to come where they can grieve and see their loved ones surrounded with flowers and beauty, said Wadkins, from neighboring Kirksey.

Across town, a vigil was held earlier this week for the eight victims of a Kentucky candle factory flattened by a tornado. A deputy jailer, Robert Daniel, who was escorting a group of inmates working at the factory, was one of those who died. He will be buried Saturday.

Some surviving factory workers filed a lawsuit in state court late Wednesday claiming that Mayfield Consumer Products demonstrated flagrant indifference by refusing to allow employees to go home early as the storm approached the western Kentucky town.

A spokesman for the company has previously insisted that employees were free to leave anytime. The spokesman did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment Thursday.

Associated Press writer Kim Kruesi in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.

About the photo: Marlee Burden holds her daughter Zelphea Burden while her mother Jennifer Burden, below helps salvage possessions from her sisters destroyed home in the aftermath of tornadoes that tore through the region, in Dawson Springs, Ky., Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A bankruptcy filing did not stop the clock from running on North Carolinas three-year statutory deadline for filing a lawsuit seeking insurance coverage, a panel of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday.

The appellate court affirmed a decision to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Skyline Restoration Inc. against Church Mutual Insurance Co. The Illinois company was seeking to recover $692,735.90 for mitigation work after the FirstBaptist Church in Lumberton was damaged by Hurricane Matthew, but the appellate panel decided Skyline had filed its suit more than a month too late.

The panel said that while Section 108(a) of the Bankruptcy Code allows a bankruptcy trustee to extend a limitations period, that right does not extend to a creditor seeking to collect an insurance debt under an assignment of rights.

Regardless of the merits of Skylines claims, these claims are time barred under the applicable statute of limitations and Section 108(a) simply does not extend the deadline for an assignee, the opinion says.

On Oct. 7, 2016, Hurricane Matthew caused extensive damage to both the First Baptist Church and several affordable housing units that it owned through a nonprofit subsidiary. The church filed a claim with Church Mutual shortly after the hurricane and hired Skyline for wind and flood damage remediation work.

Skyline eventually invoiced First Baptist a total of $2.4 million for its work on three church buildings and the affordable housing units the church owned. It filed a lawsuit in federal court in Chicago in November 2017. In 2018, the church filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Bankruptcy court records show that Skyline settled its dispute with the church in January 2020, accepting $173,930.93 in cash, a $50,000 promissory note and six parcels of real estate with an estimated value of $150,000. The church also assigned its rights for insurance coverage by Church Mutual to Skyline.

But Skyline did not file a lawsuit against Church Mutual until Nov. 22, 2019. The company sought to recover the nearly $700,000 that it had invoiced the church for remediation of the church buildings and also sought damages for the insurers alleged violations of the Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

Church Mutual filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit because it was filed more than three years after the date of the loss. Skyline argued that the limitations period did not begin until Nov. 28, 2016, which was the date that Church Mutual notified the company that part of its claim was not covered.

U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle in Wilmington ruled that North Carolina statutes required Skyline to file its lawsuit within three years of the loss. The bankruptcy filing did not toll the limitations deadline, the judge decided.

On appeal, the 4th Circuit panel agreed. The opinion says that in North Carolina, breach of contract claims are subject to a three-year statute of limitations. Separate statutes also assign a three-year statute of limitations for property insurance claims, measured from the inception of the loss.

While it is true that bankruptcy trustees can add two years to that deadline, that privilege is not afforded to creditors in a bankruptcy proceeding. The opinion says the Bankruptcy Code allows the extension because trustees have a duty to represent the interest of all creditors who are attempting to collect on debts.

Skyline is not representing all creditors, the court said.

To the contrary, Skylines breach of contract claims could not possibly enhance the assets of the bankruptcy estate because it is attempting to recover monetary relief, not as a fiduciary of the bankrupt or for the benefit of the estate, but for itself, the opinion says. Therefore, if Skyline, as an assignee of First Baptist, were permitted to use this tolling provision to bring its claims, this would run counter to creditor interests.

About the photo: Floodwaters from Hurricane Matthew engulf homes and businesses in Lumberton, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016. AP file photo.
LOS ANGELES (AP)A Houston-based oil company and two subsidiaries were indicted Wednesday for a crude spill that fouled Southern California waters and beaches in October, an event prosecutors say was caused in part by failing to properly act when alarms repeatedly alerted workers to a pipeline rupture.

Amplify Energy Corp. and its companies that operate several oil rigs and a pipeline off Long Beach were charged by a federal grand jury with a single misdemeanor count of illegally discharging oil.

Investigators believe the pipeline was weakened when a cargo ships anchor snagged it in high winds in January, months before it ultimately ruptured Oct. 1, spilling up to about 25,000 gallons (94,600 liters) of crude oil in the ocean.

U.S. prosecutors said the companies were negligent six ways, including failing to respond to eight leak detection system alarms over a 13-hour period that should have alerted them to the spill and would have minimized the damage. Instead, the pipeline was shut down after each alarm and then restarted, spewing more oil into the ocean.

Amplify blamed the unnamed shipping company for displacing the pipeline and said workers on and offshore responded to what they believed were false alarms because the system wasnt functioning properly. It was signaling a potential leak at the platform where no leak was occurring, the company said.

The leak, in fact, was from a section of undersea pipe 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) miles away, Amplify said.

Had the crew known there was an actual oil spill in the water, they would have shut down the pipeline immediately, the company said.

The Associated Press first reported last week that Amplifys leak detection system was not fully functional. At the time, the company declined to explain what that meant.

AP in October reported on questions surrounding the companys failure to respond to an alarm.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday that it was responding to a report of a sheen off the coast of Bolsa Chica State Beach but hadnt determined the source and planned to fly over the scene Thursday morning.

The area is in the same general vicinity as that of the October leak, although the pipeline currently is out of service.

In that case, the first pipeline rupture alarm sounded at 4:10 p.m. Oct. 1, but the leak was not discovered until well after sunrise the next morning and reported about 9 a.m. Citizens on shore called 911 to report the strong smell of crude that first afternoon, and an anchored cargo vessel reported seeing a large sheen on the water before sunset.

Local authorities who went looking for a spill Oct. 1 didnt find it. The Coast Guard said it was too dark to go out and search for the spill by the time they received a report about it. They went out after sunrise, finding it around the time the company reported it.

Just days after the spill, Amplify CEO Martyn Willsher had refused to answer questions at news conferences about the timeline surrounding the spill and a report that an alarm at 2:30 a.m. Oct. 2 alerted controllers about a possible spill. He maintained the company didnt learn of the spill until a boat saw a sheen on the water at 8:09 a.m. that morning.

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said the indictment validates residents who had detected the spill a day earlier and reported it.

Its terrible that they basically lied to the community during the press briefings and caused people to believe that what they saw with their own eyes or smelled or knew was actually not true, she said. What we know now is that the company knew this, and the alarms went off like they were supposed to, and nobody did anything.

Even after the eighth and final alarm sounded, the pipeline operated for nearly an hour in the early morning, prosecutors said.

Pipeline safety advocate Bill Caram said the indictment paints a picture of a reckless company.

I understand there are false positives on leak detection systems but this is our treasured coastline, said Caram, director of the Bellingham, Washington-based Pipeline Safety Trust. The fact that they kept hitting the snooze button and ignoring alarms, stopping and starting this pipeline and all the while leaking oil in the Pacific Ocean is reckless and egregious.

Prosecutors also found that the pipeline was understaffed and the crew was fatigued and insufficiently trained in the leak detection system.

The indictments description of company personnel as fatigued pointed to a long-standing industry problem, said pipeline expert Ramanan Krishnamoorti with the University of Houston.

Fatigue and overworked staff is old and trite and inexcusable, he said. This has been demonstrated over and over again as being the single most important vulnerability.

Its not clear why it took so long for the 1/2-inch (1.25-centimeter) thick steel line to leak after the apparent anchor incident, or whether another anchor strike or other incident led to the rupture and spill.

The spill came ashore at Huntington Beach and forced about a weeklong closure of the citys beaches and others along the Orange County coast. Fishing in the affected area resumed only recently, after testing confirmed fish did not have unsafe levels of oil toxins.

If convicted, the charge carries up to five years of probation for the corporation and fines that could total millions of dollars.

Brown reported from Billings, Montana. Associated Press reporter Amy Taxin contributed.

About the photo: In this aerial image taken with a drone, workers in protective suits clean the contaminated beach after an oil spill in Newport Beach, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. A Los Angeles federal grand jury on Wednesday, Dec. 15 charged a Houston-based oil company and two subsidiaries for the oil spill off the California coast in October. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17) President Rodrigo Duterte will visit areas hit by Typhoon Odette this weekend.

In a situation briefing with government officials on Friday, the President announced he would be flying to Surigao and other provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao.

"I'm flying tomorrow to the area (Surigao). Also I would hit maybe Leyte, and if there is enough time, Bohol," Duterte said.

The chief executive added that he's also planning to check on Cebu, Bacolod, and Iloilo on Sunday.

Odette made at least nine landfalls in the country  the latest in Roxas, Palawan. Some local officials have estimated billions of damage due to its onslaught while disaster management officials are still verifying reports on casualties.

Meanwhile, Duterte said the government is still trying to raise funds for the typhoon response. He admitted that the national budget has been "immensely depleted" due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Itong COVID, naubos ang pera natin (Because of COVID, our funds were depleted). So we're trying to scrimp how much we can raise so that we can marshal it to the areas affected," the President said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17)  Over 338,000 residents from various areas in the Visayas and Mindanao were evacuated Friday due to Typhoon Odette.

In a briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte, Office of Civil Defense Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad said this is equivalent to 84,674 families evacuated as of Friday afternoon.

Eastern Visayas (Region 8) logged the highest number of evacuees with 244,741; followed by Caraga with 78,290; Western Visayas (Region 6) with 6,616 evacuees; MIMAROPA with 4,975; Central Visayas (Region 7) with 2,335; Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9) with 872; and Davao Region (Region 11) with 833. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said 249 barangays in these regions were directly hit, including those from northern Mindanao.

A total of 4,503 passengers, along with 2,245 rolling cargoes, 75 vessels, and three motorbancas, were stranded in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region (Region 5), Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Caraga.

Meanwhile, 73 ports are currently non-operational. Three domestic flights were cancelled.

A total of 62 cities and municipalities are experiencing power outage or interruption as of press time.

"I spent the night here at the provincial capitol and we don't have power as well because the (National Grid Corporation of the Philippines) connection to Leyte has been affected," Bohol Governor Arthur Yap told CNN Philippines' New Day.

Palawan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management head Jerry Alili also told The Source that there is no electricity in Puerto Princesa City as yet.

Cebu's Visayan Electric Company, Inc., the second largest electricity-providing utility in the Philippines, said in a statement on Thursday that 95 percent of its franchise area "are interrupted due to strong winds."

On Friday, it said it is still evaluating the damage brought by the typhoon to its sub-transmission lines.

Communication lines in affected areas have been also cut due to Odette.

Speaking to CNN Philippines, Cathy Yang - PLDT and Smart FVP and Group Head of Corporate Communications - said efforts are ongoing and they are close to restoring communication in Mindanao. In the Visayas, network is up to 88% restored, she added.

The typhoon made at least nine landfalls in the country - the latest in Roxas, Palawan.

State weather bureau PAGASA expects Odette to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday morning or early afternoon.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17)  More Filipinos were pushed into poverty in the first six months of 2021 versus the same period of 2018, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed Friday.

We had set a target of reducing poverty by 6 million Filipinos by 2022. We have achieved that in 2018. But as of the first half of this year, there are 3.9 million more poor, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief Karl Chua said in a briefing.

Poverty incidence among Filipinos was estimated at 23.7%, up from the 21.1% recorded three years earlier. This means 26.14 million Filipinos were found to be living below the poverty line of 12,082 per month for a family of five, the PSA said.

The data also indicated that poverty incidence among Filipino families stood at 18%, translating to 4.74 million poor families, higher than 2018's first-semester figure of 4.04 million.

The number of Filipinos living in subsistence or extreme poverty also increased to 10.94 million from previous 2018 data of 8.5 million.

We have to work hard to at least bring them out of poverty before the term ends, Chua said.

During H1 of this year, Filipinos had to deal with stricter COVID-19 rules where only essential services were allowed amid rising cases.

We are hoping that the second half of the year where we see better growth and employment prospects will help us achieve that or at least minimize the impact on the poor, the NEDA official added.

After the Philippines faced a spike in cases driven by the Delta variant, the pandemic response task force decided to impose the COVID-19 alert level system in Metro Manila last September.

The new approach, which opens more sectors and allows local government units to place specific areas under granular lockdown, has been expanded across the Philippines starting November.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17) Several 2022 hopefuls have launched their own initiatives to help in the relief efforts for communities hit by Typhoon Odette.

The tandem of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan called for relief goods and cash donations alike. Donations can be dropped off at their volunteer center in Quezon City.

Robredo also personally flew to Bohol on Friday.

Those who would want to donate through Manila Mayor Isko Moreno's drive can also head to Quezon City.

Senator Manny Pacquiao also launched a fundraiser for the typhoon victims. Volunteer-supporters have also started packing relief goods for his drive.

The camp of former Senator Bongbong Marcos and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte also prepared relief packs for the calamity-struck areas.

Progressive coalition Laban ng Masa  which fielded the tandem of Ka Leody de Guzman and Walden Bello  said it will be "reorienting all campaign efforts" for the disaster response.

Some local officials have estimated billions of damage due to the onslaught of Typhoon Odette, which made nine landfalls in parts of the Visayas and Mindanao. Disaster management officials, meanwhile, are still verifying reports on casualties.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17)  The University of the Philippines' Department of History has strongly denounced the move of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to replace the country's World War II heroes with the image of the Philippine eagle on the face of the banknote.

In a statement on Thursday, the department said the BSP should have initiated public consultation first before removing the faces of Jose Abad Santos, Josefa Llanes-Escoda, and Gen. Vicente Lim in the new edition of the bill.

It added that the National Historical Commission of the Philippines should have been the first to be consulted on the matter.

"The removal of the images of these three heroes from the new design of the 1,000 bill is a slap on the face of our heroes," the statement read.

"It appears that by this act the BSP is not only disregarding the Filipino symbol of its quest for nationhood and what it means through our heroes; the BSP is also trivializing this symbol," it added.

The department also likened the BSP's move to the issuance of the controversial "Mickey Mouse money" by the Japanese government at the outbreak of World War II, in an attempt to make currency for the country. Filipinos previously coined the term due to its lack of value.

"Ironically, the one parallel moment when a 1,000 bill was issued without public consultation and without the faces of Philippine heroes was the 1,000 bill issued during the Japanese occupation: the classic Mickey Mouse money bill," the department said.

"Today, in the twenty-first century, under Filipino auspices, through the BSP, that act is being mindlessly repeated," it also said.

On Dec. 11, the BSP issued its new design for the 1,000 bill which was already approved by the Monetary Board, Office of the President. This is the first in a new series of Philippines currency that will focus on the country's flora and fauna, to be issued in April 2022.

Abad Santos, Llanes-Escoda, and Lim are known for their heroism during the Japanese occupation.

Abad Santos was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who briefly served as acting President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. He also became the acting Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on behalf of then President Manuel L. Quezon. He was executed by the Japanese forces for his refusal to cooperate with them during their occupation.

Llanes-Escoda, founder of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, was active in the underground resistance movement by bringing food and medicine to prisoners of war who were maltreated by the Japanese forces. This led to her arrest and execution.

Lim, on the other hand, was the first Filipino graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was the Commanding General of the 41st Infantry Division, Philippine Army (USAFFE) and held the line against Japanese onslaught. He also organized resistance groups until his arrest and execution.

"Abad Santos, Llanes Escoda, and Lim, to this day, are graveless," the UP department said. "Perhaps, this signifies that they belong not to their graves but to the entire country."

"We earnestly call on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to retain the images of our three heroes in the 1,000 bill, most especially in the new polymer bill," it also said.

"As our national anthem continues to grace even our most ordinary official celebrations...our heroes by whose genuine sacrifices have enabled us to take our place in the community of nations and in world history should be equally honored and given their rightful place in the symbols of our nation," it added.
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12/17/2021

Photo (c) Gusztav Hegyi - Getty Images Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 50,523,620 (50,381,441)

Total U.S. deaths: 803,769 (802,542)

Total global cases: 273,130,047 (272,382,144)

Total global deaths: 5,340,643 (5,333,237)

Omicron may resist vaccines, researchers say

Researchers at Columbia University have published a study that suggests the Omicron variant is markedly resistant to vaccines  even booster shots. They suggest it may be hard to check the spread of the mutation as it works its way around the world.

A striking feature of this variant is the large number of spike mutations that pose a threat to the efficacy of current COVID-19 vaccines and antibody therapies, the authors write.

The scientists point out that the variants extensive mutations can greatly compromise the vaccine, robbing it of its protective powers. The study said a booster shot may provide limited protection against the new variant.

CDC advisers find issues with Johnson & Johnson vaccine

An advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reviewed data and presentations on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and is recommending that people choose either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine instead.

The committee members were troubled by the possibility of rare but serious blood clotting that has been linked to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The CDC immediately adopted the recommendations.

Todays updated recommendation emphasizes CDCs commitment to provide real-time scientific information to the American public, said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. I continue to encourage all Americans to get vaccinated and boosted.

Vaccination plus infection equals super immunity, researchers say

Theres some good news for fully vaccinated people who have recovered from a breakthrough case of COVID-19. Researchers at Oregon Health and Science University say you may achieve super immunity against reinfection.

Their study found that people who had been vaccinated and then suffered a mild case of the virus had a lot more antibodies in their blood than those who had not been infected but were vaccinated.

The scientists say their finding is good news because it means the population will build up a strong immunity to future COVID-19 infection as more people get vaccinated and exposed to the virus.

Around the nation

Maryland: Hospitals across the state are reaching capacity with what health officials say are mostly unvaccinated patients. What I am concerned about is that were already having a surge before the holiday and then youre having another one right afterward theres going be limited capacity in the entire healthcare system, said Dr. Kinjal Sheth, chief of Critical Care at Northwest Hospital.

Missouri: Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Don Kauerauf is urging state residents to get tested before holiday travel. Maybe this is a time that we need to kind of need to reset as a state and as a nation, Kauerauf said. Maybe we got a little comfortable with COVID.

Florida: Federal health officials say new cases of the virus have risen sharply in the last seven days. Theyre reporting 117 more deaths and 6,381 additional COVID-19 cases, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. This is the largest jump in newly reported cases since September.

Kansas: Mask mandates are being reimposed in some parts of the nation, but Johnson County officials will decide on Jan. 6 whether to end their school mask mandate. That raised a few eyebrows, as cases of the virus continue to rise ahead of the busy holiday travel season.
12/17/2021

Photo (c) CatLane - Getty Images A U.S. District Court judge in New York has voided a $4.5 billion opioid settlement with Perdue Pharma, handing victory to plaintiffs who contend that the settlement is too lenient.

Judge Colleen McMahons ruling, however, is technical in nature. She found that the settlements provision that shielded members of the Sackler family  major Perdue shareholders  is not allowed under U.S. bankruptcy law.

The settlement proposed by Perdue earlier this year increased its payout to states affected by the opioid crisis from $3 billion to more than $4 billion. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, representing one of the plaintiff states, was initially unimpressed with the new offer. She said she and several other state attorneys general planned to keep fighting, and it was their court challenge that overturned the settlement.

Several other attorneys general who signed onto the lawsuit concurred, saying they want the Sacklers to pay more of their personal funds in any settlement. "This plan does not go as far as it needs to," said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein in response to the proposed settlement.

Protected family members from damage claims

Specifically, the proposed settlement provided members of the Sackler with releases against civil lawsuits over the companys marketing of opioid painkillers. If approved, the settlement would have barred states that did not accept the settlement from further legal action.

Perdue Pharma entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019 and pursued a settlement as a way to emerge from bankruptcy. When it entered Chapter 11 status, it proposed a plan that it said would produce $10 billion to $12 billion to reimburse municipalities for the money theyve spent to deal with the opioid crisis.

The latest ruling means the Perdue Pharma saga isnt over yet. Judge McMahon told the Wall Street Journal that her ruling probably isnt the last word on the subject since the company is likely to appeal.

It must be put to rest sometime; at least in this Circuit, it should be put to rest now, she said.
Uttarakhand people have felt though their percentage in the Indian Army is the highest, none of the natives ever got the opportunity to become Army Chief



Coming to reaction to General Rawals death, Pakistans handles in social and digital media have been busy with conspiracy theories around General Rawats chopper crash. Many of them even compared his death to that of General Ziaul Haq. But they forgot that they are speaking about the death of a General who happened to be the senior-most officer of the Indian Army. Some spoke really insulting language.

In Tamil Nadu people showered flower petals on the ambulances that carried the bodies of General Rawat and his colleagues. But elsewhere responses to his untimely death were mostly as per the political thoughts of those who reacted. It also reflected caste identities. While Rajputs were jumping in valour and trying to put him above other Generals of the past, others were not that enthused. Most TV channels ensured that the event benefitted the ruling party.

While it is good that the government gave General Rawat and others due respect, there is a limit to making everything public. One will rarely understand what happens to a family, which has lost both the parents. The TV channels dont even want the families to moan their near dear ones in a deeply private way. They are forced to speak about the valour of their father.

General Rawat might have crossed his line when he spoke on certain issues, but that happened when media put questions in his mouth, and the military man, known for not being diplomatic, push the ruling partys agenda giving it a garb of nationalism, one reason why he was misunderstood. Questions related to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), for instance, should be asked to the ruling establishment, and not to a military man.

---

*Human rights defender. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat. Twitter: @freetohumanity Terrorists assassinated General AS Vaidya in August 1986 for his alleged role in the raid on the Golden Temple Complex by the Indian Army in June 1984. Yet, we never heard any outpouring around him. The Operation Blue Star was not his personal effort but that of the Government of India. Militaries normally do what they are asked to.Coming to reaction to General Rawals death, Pakistans handles in social and digital media have been busy with conspiracy theories around General Rawats chopper crash. Many of them even compared his death to that of General Ziaul Haq. But they forgot that they are speaking about the death of a General who happened to be the senior-most officer of the Indian Army. Some spoke really insulting language.In Tamil Nadu people showered flower petals on the ambulances that carried the bodies of General Rawat and his colleagues. But elsewhere responses to his untimely death were mostly as per the political thoughts of those who reacted. It also reflected caste identities. While Rajputs were jumping in valour and trying to put him above other Generals of the past, others were not that enthused. Most TV channels ensured that the event benefitted the ruling party.While it is good that the government gave General Rawat and others due respect, there is a limit to making everything public. One will rarely understand what happens to a family, which has lost both the parents. The TV channels dont even want the families to moan their near dear ones in a deeply private way. They are forced to speak about the valour of their father.General Rawat might have crossed his line when he spoke on certain issues, but that happened when media put questions in his mouth, and the military man, known for not being diplomatic, push the ruling partys agenda giving it a garb of nationalism, one reason why he was misunderstood. Questions related to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), for instance, should be asked to the ruling establishment, and not to a military man.---

The untimely death of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat in an air crash along with 12 other colleagues from different forces at Coonnoor in Tamil Nadu is a huge blow to our nations armed forces, particularly at a juncture when he was in the process of creating a joint command, as mandated by the government. The General was not travelling in a very advanced chopper of the Indian Air Force, Mi17.The Indian Air Force has constituted a high-level tri-services inquiry which will look into the entire sequence, and one can hope that a full-fledged report will be out as soon as it is completed. So far few inquiry committee reports have been made public, but since this case is now being extraordinarily discussed, perhaps the government may go public so that there is no space for rumour mongering.Right from the day of his elevation to the top post in the Indian Army, General Rawat was in the eye of storm by opponents of the government, though as Commander of the Indian forces, his ability was beyond doubt. There have been questions against him but it is also a fact that in the armed forces too there are lobbies.Uttarakhand is a State where every family has a member in the Indian forces. The tiny Himalayan State not only has two prestigious regiments of the Indian Army from the British period, namely Garhwal Regiment with headquarter in Lansdown, and Kumaon Regiment with headquarter in Ranikhet, but also has substantial presence in the Border Security Force as well as the Indo-Tibetan Border Police.For long, Uttarakhand people felt that though their percentage in the Indian Army is perhaps the highest, none of the natives ever got the opportunity to become the Chief of Army. Bipin Joshi was made the General of the Army, but unfortunately he passed away due to heart failure. General Bipin Rawats father Lt General LS Rawat got retired as Deputy Chief of the Army.Political leadership always calculates on its choice. General Rawat superseded two Generals senior to him but then government says he has more experience in counter insurgency operations and his track record was better. Superseding has not happened for the first time and it is a fact that the government of the day as peoples representative would select people at the top position as per its choice.General Rawat was outspoken and he spoke like a fauji. He justified the act of Major Gogoi for using a Kashmiri as a human shield saying that you have to deal with the stone pelters strongly. His statements regarding NRC and CAA were condemned by political leaders. He was much more articulate than many of his predecessors.Of course, many a time he was not politically correct and that is why he was misunderstood. He spoke the language of the government, and I dont think any officer of the government would take a different stand on such issues, because if they do it they would not be part of the ruling establishment.One needs to look at an important point that he made -- that the main threat to India actually is from China and not from Pakistan. Our Brahminical seculars were more critical of him for his so-called statements without understanding that he is a General who will have to stand with his officers and jawans fighting the battle in difficult conditions.There is a need to understand that, while the government treated Jammu and Kashmir as an administrative issue though it is a political issue, the army will do what is expected of it. A soldier who is trained in warfare will always be aggressive given the situation he is in. With growing right-wing propaganda, there is enormous mental pressure on the common soldiers. It wants to exclude marginalized sections and minorities from the popular discourse and convert everything into a we versus them philosophy.The result is that common soldiers speak that language and officers too feel pressured. For any officer in uniform in any country, the issue of the nation comes first. The forces are only trained to fight the external warfare or help the civil administration during the times of emergencies, particularly natural calamities, though of late the Army is being used regularly in the civilian administration, whether in Kashmir or in the North-Eastern states, and the result is growing criticism of the armed forces.Pushing the Army more and more into civilian work makes things tense for soldiers, especially when the border situation is not good, as China continues to put pressure and attempts to encircle India by clandestinely working with Pakistan.Indeed, the Narendra Modi government has been cleverly using armed forces for its own purpose. It has forced the armed forces to face criticism of human rights organisations for its failure. It is in this overall context that after the retirement as Chief of Staff General Rawat was made Chief of Defence Staff, and tasked to bring synergy in all the three services to make them more complimentary and focus on jointness.A hard taskmaster, General Rawat interacted with his junior officers very well and was an extremely popular General with ordinary citizens and common soldiers. His Uttarakhand background was helpful in understanding the fauji psyche, and though he led the Gurkha regiment, he was always proud of his identity.One may say that General Rawat was not General Sam Manekshaw or General KM Cariappa. But who remembers how they were cremated? Indeed, one must concede, General Rawats cremation was unprecedented. No doubt, the Modi government tried to make it an event that suits it politically, yet this does not hide how the previous governments failed to acknowledge the brave voices of our Army.
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And, eventually, he was elected mayor of his hometown of Guamote, handily defeating a guy with zero music videos over the 19 million view mark on YouTube. Unfortunately, his latest viral headlines aren't that positive: it was announced this November that Mayor Delfin has been sentenced to five years in prison for overpaying a single seller of pandemic-related medical supplies by almost $100,000, prompting thousands of "It can't be, nooooo!" responses on social media.

Delfin's defense claims that he agreed to pay that insane amount to get the supplies faster and save lives, which would mean he's going to jail for letting himself get scammed. Either way, this should serve as evidence that starring in hilarious music videos and governing are very different talents. Please keep that in mind before you elect the "Bed Intruder" guy president in 2024, America, as tempting as the idea might seem.

Maxwell Yezpitelok lives in Chile and also on Twitter.

Top image: Delfin Quishpe
As COVID cases continue to mount in Connecticut, President Joe Biden on Friday announced plans to restrict travel to the U.S. from South Africa and seven other nations starting on Monday, amid heightened concerns over a new strain of the coronavirus.

The administration plans to restrict travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi, CNN reported.

As we move forward, we will continue to be guided by what the science and my medical team advises, Biden said in a tweet. For now the best way to strengthen your protection if youre already vaccinated is to get a booster shot, immediately. For those not yet fully vaccinated: get vaccinated today.

The president also called for other nations to help in vaccinating the rest of the world. It is time for other countries to match Americas speed and generosity, the president said in a statement.

In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order that would allow public health officials to limit non-essential medical procedures in anticipation of a possible surge.

We've taken extraordinary action to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and combat this pandemic. However, we continue to see warning signs of spikes this upcoming winter, and while the new Omicron variant has yet to be detected in New York State, it's coming, Hochul said in a statement.

The World Health Organization on Friday classified the strain, known by the scientific name B.1.1.529, as a variant of concern alongside the widespread delta variant and three other strains. The WHO named the new strain Omicron, in keeping with its Greek alphabet naming convention.

The strain has so far not appeared in Connecticut, according to the latest report to the state Department of Public Health. That data, published Wednesday, showed all cases tested through genetic sequencing the past week were delta.

The organization said the variant shows a large number of mutations and may pose a greater risk of reinfection from the virus compared to other variants of concern.

The news comes as cases and hospitalizations are on the rise in Connecticut, leading many local public health experts to raise concerns about family gatherings over the holidays, even as many celebrated a more traditional Thanksgiving on Thursday. The state is now recording more than 750 new cases each day on average, public health data shows, and new hospital admissions are also on the rise after the surge fueled by the delta variant in the late summer.

The irony of this is that there is a variant that we should all really be worried about at this point, which is the delta [variant], said Dr. Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare. Unfortunately not everybody has taken that one seriously.

He said for Connecticut residents the key takeaway should not be to sow fear or panic, but continue with public health measures like masking and getting vaccinated. If youre not boosted or vaccinated, please get vaccinated, get boosted, he said. He also advocated for people to wear masks indoors. The reality of this is we will continue to create variants until we get enough people vaccinated not just in Connecticut or the U.S. but the world, he added.

Connecticut recorded 1,900 new infections over the last two days, according to state figures released Friday (reporting was paused over the Thanksgiving holiday Thursday), with 3.61 positivity rate out of 52,595 tests. Hospitalizations for the virus remained flat with 300 patients currently admitted.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention so far has not named the new strain a variant of concern.

Very little is known so far about the variant, said Nathan Grubaugh, head of the Yale School of Public Healths variant surveillance project, but in some provinces of South Africa it now makes up to 90 percent of cases. The concern here is that its growing faster than delta, and therefore could be more transmissible than delta, Grubaugh said Friday.

The strain also features several different mutations to its spike protein,he said, some of which are important to the bodys immune response to the virus either from antibody treatments, or from the vaccines.

Besides genomic sequencing, where researchers study the virus found in positive test kits to see what variants and lineages of the virus are circulating, Grubaugh said the new variant can also be detected through a particular PCR test for COVID-19. People who test for the virus will still receive an accurate positive or negative test result, but public health officials can use the data to get a sense if the variant is circulating faster than they would be able to through genomic sequencing.

I think the message is that... we have a very robust surveillance system in Connecticut and in our region through both sequencing and the PCR testing to detect it early, Grubaugh said. But once it does show up in the region, he said vaccines will still be our most powerful tool to prevent its spread.

Statewide a little less than 76 percent of those eligible to receive a vaccine - those over the age of 5 - are fully vaccinated, according to CDC data. A little over 21 percent of those who are fully-vaccinated have received a booster shot or additional dose of the vaccine (the CDC data groups both additional shots together).

Its also unknown how well the variant will compete with delta in the U.S. and in Europe, both of which have seen a resurgence in infections, Grubaugh said. He noted the U.S. also has a higher vaccination rate than much of Africa. While he said the Biden administrations plan to restrict travel might buy some time, it wont prevent the variant from spreading.

But, I am concerned because this is the worst time to have a new, potentially more transmissible variant to be introduced with the holidays, the family gatherings it could provide the right environment it needs to take off, he added.

Wu, the Hartford HealthCare epidemiologist, expressed a similar attitude. The reality is were witnessing Darwinism at its finest, he said, pointing to how delta surpassed other major variants of the virus to become predominant. We need to see if [Omicron] will become the proverbial Hulk Hogan of variants.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.
BRIDGEPORT  A Milford lawyer has filed a federal class-action lawsuit against Pratt & Whitney and several other aerospace engineering firms alleging the companies are conspiring to prevent employee poaching and therefore restricting employees potential wage growth.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court Wednesday morning, on behalf of David Granata, of Rhode Island, claims the companies conspired to restrain competition within the industrys labor force.

A similar lawsuit, filed by Stamford law firm Silver Golub & Teitell, also makes the same allegations against the companies on behalf of a client.

The Milford suit states the alleged conspiracy dates back to at least 2011 through at least 2019 when senior executives and managers at Defendants entered into a conspiracy not to solicit, recruit, hire without prior approval, or otherwise compete for employees, including engineers and other skilled employees.

In addition to Pratt & Whitney, other companies named in the lawsuit include QuEST Global Services-NA, Inc., of East Hartford; Belcan Engineering Group, LLC and Belcan Engineering Group Limited Partnership, both of East Hartford; Cyient Inc., the East Hartford subsidiary of a company based in Hyderabad, India; Parametric Solutions Inc., of Florida; and Agilis Engineering, Inc., of Florida.

QuEST intends to vigorously defend against these allegations, said QuEST spokeswoman Yumi Clevenger-Lee.

Pratt & Whitney, Belcan and Cyient, and the Florida companies did not return emails and calls for comment.

Defendants agreed to restrict competition for their employees services with the purpose and effect of fixing, suppressing, and stabilizing wages, salaries, and benefits and restraining competition in the market for their employees services, the suit states. The conspiracy disrupted the efficient allocation of labor that would have resulted if Defendants had competed for, rather than colluded against, their current and prospective employees.

The defendants action was an ideal tool to suppress their employees compensation that was simple to implement and easy to enforce, the lawsuit says.

The defendants in this case knowingly, intentionally, and cooperatively engaged in a contract, conspiracy, in unreasonable restraint of trade, said Attorney David Slossberg, who brought the lawsuit.

Granata worked for QuEST Global Services-NA from 2013 to March 2018, primarily on projects for Pratt &Whitney, the suit states.

As a result of defendants no-poach agreement, Mr. Granata earned less than he would have absent the alleged agreement, the lawsuit states. Further, because of Defendants unlawful agreement, he was also denied access to better, higher-paying job opportunities and his ability to change employment was restricted.

The lawsuits come nearly one week after the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed a criminal complaint against a former manager for Pratt &Whitney, Glastonbury resident Mahesh Patel, alleging he participated in a long-running conspiracy with managers and executives of several outsource engineering suppliers... to restrict the hiring and recruiting of engineers and other skilled laborers among their respective companies, according to a press release issued by the department.

Patel appeared remotely before a federal court in Hartford on Dec. 7 on a charge of conspiracy in restraint of trade. He was released on conditions including travel restrictions and a $100,000 appearance bond, the justice department said, adding that the charge against Patel is the first in this ongoing federal antitrust investigation.
The states Attorney General is calling on TikTok to address concerns in Connecticut, where officials say a challenge on the social media app spurred a series of school threats and led to the arrest of a 13-year-old boy on Friday.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said TikTok is cooperating with officials and authorities after a challenge on the social media site led to nationwide threats directed at schools on Friday.

Tong said he has urged TikTok to send leaders to Connecticut to hear firsthand from parents, educators and students. He said he expects that conversation to take place early next year.

Weve been in close contact with TikTok  not just over the last 24 hours, but over the last several weeks  about whats been happening on their platform, Tong said in an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media on Friday. Were pushing them very hard. Ive met with them in person and on Zoom. Theyre on top of this situation.

He said the threats on social media often start on one site  like TikTok  and then snowball as it spreads throughout other platforms.

It is undeniable that TikTok and other social media platforms have been used to spread dangerous and reckless content encouraging self-harm, vandalism and abuse, Tong said in a statement on Friday. I have spoken to TikTok leaders on multiple occasions about my concerns and while they have assured me that they have robust systems in place to police their content, I have made clear that whatever they have been doing is just not enough.

Some Connecticut schools in Litchfield County and Norwich closed Friday, while Wolcott dismissed early as officials investigated threats.

In Naugatuck, police said Friday they learned of social media posts circulating Thursday night that suggested a possible threat against a school in town.

Police said investigators identified a 13-year-old boy  a student at City Hill School  who was allegedly responsible for sharing a post, suggesting fellow students stay home from school Friday because of what he might do. The teen was charged with breach of peace. Additional officers were stationed at all Naugatuck schools as a precaution Friday.

In a statement released Thursday, TikTok said it was working with law enforcement agencies to investigate the threats.

We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why were working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok, the social media app said.

In Litchfield County, the superintendent overseeing Region 10 schools said threats were discovered late Thursday night in reference to specific schools in the district.

Regional School District 10 Superintendent Howard Thiery said officials received information from state and local police about possible threatening information specific to Region 10 schools, which includes four schools in Burlington and Harwinton: Lewis S. Mills High School, Har-Bur Middle School, Lake Garda School and Harwinton Consolidated School.

Thiery said he decided to close schools on Friday because they discovered the threats so late on Thursday.

The safety of our students and school community is paramount and in order to open schools I must have all the information possible that assures us that our schools and children are safe, Thiery said.

All Norwich Public Schools were also closed Friday, after Superintendent Kristen E. Stringfellow said officials were alerted to a Snapchat post of an alleged threat against Teachers Memorial Global Studies Magnet Middle School that apparently featured a gun.

Parents from the middle school reached out to the principal Thursday night to report a Snapchat story sent to their children by someone who they believe attends Norwich Public Schools, Stringfellow said.

The social media story allegedly referenced a threat to the school as well of a picture of what appeared to be a handgun, she said.

The principal called the superintendent and the officials contacted police, who launched an investigation. Stringfellow said officers went to the homes of the students who were alleged to be involved.

In Wolcott, Superintendent Tony Gaspar said after unsubstantiated claims about school violence, all public schools dismissed early on Friday.

In response to the rumors of threats spread online this week, a number of municipalities and school officials in Connecticut  including Bethel, Middletown, Norwalk, Stamford, Newtown, Shelton, Danbury, Stratford, Wallingford, Darien, Weston, Westport, Wilton, Windsor Locks and Bridgeport  said they planned to increase police presence at schools on Friday.

There have been multiple incidents statewide over the last several weeks, prompting police investigations, early dismissals and canceled school in some cases, including in Danbury, Hamden, New Haven, Trumbull, Ansonia, Norwalk and Windham.

Staff writer Paul Schott contributed reporting to this story.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)  An Arkansas state trooper shot and killed two men during a chase that began in Arkansas and ended in Memphis, authorities said.

The chase along Interstate 55 ended about 2:30 p.m. on Interstate 55 at McLemore Avenue, according to a joint statement from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Arkansas State Police.
DATE: January-August 2021

PLACE: Roma, Texas; Mission, Texas; Northern Africa; Italy; Van, Turkey

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Dario Lopez-Mills; Julio Cortez; Javier Fergo; Joan Mateu Emrah Gurel

___

Their faces are like our faces -- hesitant, sad, expectant, wary, curious, hopeful. They are the human beings among us who are trying to get  desperate to get  somewhere else. Somewhere safer, more prosperous, more for them.

Look at the man lying on the beach of Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in northern Africa, after swimming there from Morocco. His face, at a distance, is exhausted.

Look at the group of migrants arriving at the coast of Italy after being rescued in the Mediterranean. Their eyes are filled with tentative hope and a question: What might be next for me? Look at the group of migrants pinned by a flashlight at night after being apprehended by Turkish security forces. They are less hopeful, but their question is the same: What's next?

Or take a glimpse from above at the long dirt road along the Rio Grande in Mission, Texas, where migrants walk after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

They seek what so many of us are seeking: safety. Comfort. Security. Home.

___

QUOTED

Dario Lopez-Mills, Associated Press photographer:

After years of covering stories on migration and human trafficking along the Mexico-U.S. border, I keep thinking that any of us could potentially become migrants, refugees or asylum seekers because of natural disasters, climate change, civil war or so many other reasons.

___

For a full overview of the events that shaped 2021, A Year That Changed Us: 12 Months in 150 Photos, a collection of AP photos and journalists recollections, is available now: https://www.ap.org/books/a-year-that-changed-us
BRIDGEPORT  An interfaith partnership will on Saturday feed 2,500 families struggling through the holidays.

The executive director of Catholic Charities (of Fairfield County) received a call last week from the president of the Mormon Church  the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brian Wallace, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, said. The church leaders in Utah decided to send a large tractor trailer truck with over 40,000 pounds of food to Bridgeport because they heard there was great need here due to COVID.

The Mormons and their Catholic Charities partner needed a distribution spot, so they turned to Wades Dairy on Barnum Avenue, which for months during the coronavirus pandemic hosted Saturday drive-up food box giveaways.

As previously reported, that program, which was initially funded by the federal government and then taken over by the state, ended Oct. 30, leaving the responsibility up to Bridgeports individual food pantries and shelters.

Dairy owner Douglas Wade on Friday was preparing to greet the shipment and the local Morman volunteers who will help assemble the donation into boxes for pick-up by car or on foot Saturday, beginning at 7:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. or the supplies run out. Wallace added that the first 300 families will get a gallon of milk and a dozen eggs along with the non-perishable food provided by the Mormons.

This is pretty amazing, Wade said. They shipped me 24 pallets of food direct from Utah.

This is the second Saturday in a row Wade and other volunteers have been able to re-activate their prior food box giveaway. Last weekends event, which included the distribution of turkeys and fresh vegetables, was made possible, Wade said, by $14,000 raised by Fairfield-based Sacred Heart University students, parents, faculty and alumni and an additional $12,000 worth of donations.

Wades Dairy is located at 1316 Barnum Ave.
BRUSSELS (AP)  European Union leaders on Thursday pressed Russia to return to peace talks with Ukraine and renewed their threat to impose unprecedented sanctions on Moscow in tandem with the United States and Britain should Russian armed forces cross the border.

The EUs call for a return to the negotiating table came as Russia said it had submitted draft documents to the United States outlining security arrangements that it wants to negotiate with Washington and its allies in the NATO military alliance. NATO is suggesting it might be willing to discuss them.

U.S. intelligence officials say Russia has moved 70,000 troops and is preparing for a possible invasion early next year. Moscow denies it has any plans to attack, as it did in 2014 when it annexed the Crimean Peninsula, but says it wants guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO.

In a statement in Brussels, the EU leaders underlined the urgent need for Russia to de-escalate tensions caused by the military buildup along its border with Ukraine and aggressive rhetoric. They pledged their full support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity.

They said the EU encourages diplomatic efforts and supports the Normandy format in achieving the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements, in reference to French and German brokered talks between the two sides aimed at enforcing a 2015 peace deal.

The leaders repeated a message sent from the U.S., Britain and the Group of Seven industrial nations in recent weeks that any further military aggression against Ukraine will have massive consequences and severe cost in response, including restrictive measures coordinated with partners.

The EU is divided over when to hit Moscow with sanctions. France and Germany want to hold fire, expressing concern that such action could bring on an attack and believing that a diplomatic solution can be found.

Both countries' leaders underlined Thursday the importance of reviving the Normandy talks, which have made little headway this year.

We have a very good format, the Normandy format, that we want to reactivate, re-energize," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told reporters. "It wont be easy, we should not be naive, and we should be very clear when it comes to the integrity of borders.

France and Germanys peace efforts in 2015 helped end large-scale hostilities in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have been fighting Russia-backed separatists since 2014. But the conflict, which has left 14,000 dead, has simmered.

In contrast, countries on the EUs eastern flank closer to Russia believe sanctions would work best as a deterrent and should be imposed immediately. Ukraines president wants more sanctions to be imposed before  instead of after  any possible incursion, but his plea has fallen on deaf ears.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, whose country borders Russia, said the EU should not underestimate the threat the troop buildup poses. He warned that Moscows actions are creating one of the worst security situations since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Im talking not only about Ukraine, Nauseda said, stressing that the entire Baltic region and Poland should be concerned.

EU lawmakers said in a resolution that any new sanctions package should include the Russian officer corps and flag officers involved in the planning of a possible invasion, as well as the immediate circle and oligarchs in the orbit of the Russian President and their families.

They said it should involve the freezing of financial and physical assets in the EU, travel bans, the exclusion of Russia from the SWIFT payment system for international financial transfers, target key economic sectors and disrupt the financing of the intelligence services and the armed forces.

The lawmakers have no decision-making powers on sanctions, but their experts often have detailed knowledge of what member countries are thinking on joint foreign policy initiatives.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin again prodded Western leaders to provide legally binding guarantees that Ukraine would never join NATO or that its members weapons would ever be deployed there, calling such moves a red line for Moscow.

The U.S. and its allies have refused to make such a pledge, but Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed last week on further talks to discuss Russian concerns.

___

Associated Press writers Frank Jordans in Berlin and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.
FAIRFIELD  This call may be recorded for awesomeness.

For customers who hear that when calling their local restaurant to order food, theres a chance they might instead be getting in touch with a call center run by Grubhub.

That is the issue Andrew Pane, the owner of Pizza Post of Fairfield, ran into recently. His customers have come in frustrated by long phone wait times, not being able to understand the person on the line and just generally feeling bad about not calling the restaurant directly, he said.

Our customers are getting upset, he said. Its not like were burning their pizza or getting an order wrong. Were simply annoying them because theyre not speaking to us.

Andrew Pane said Grubhub approached him approximately 10 years ago after he had signed up with a different food ordering service called Eat24. Grubhub renegotiated rates with Pane, and it eventually bought Eat24.

I was just trying to get as much business as possible, he said.

He said he doesnt have a contract or written agreement with the company, but was working with them to drum up more businesses.

I was hoping to get some online orders, meaning that they would simply put my menu on their website, accept orders for my product, they take a percentage and thats basically it, he said. Maybe naive in my part but it was that simple to me.

But he said he realized about two months ago that some people who were looking up Pizza Post were sometimes finding a number that did not lead them directly to his restaurant, but instead to Grubhub. Therefore, he said, many of his customers are unintentionally giving the company a cut of his business.

When people order with them, even if they pay cash or whatever, and they meant to call us and not call Grubhub, now theyre taking a commission as well, he said. Grubhub representatives pick up the call and take the order, then those representatives send us an order.

Looking up Pizza Post on various services, several different numbers can be seen attributed to the business. Numbers listed on Grubhub and other services under its umbrella, lead callers to the Grubhub line.

When a customer calls the Grubhub phone number, the person answering says something to the tune of This is Pizza Post in partnership with Grubhub. May I take your order?

When reached for comment by Hearst Connecticut Media, Grubhub Director of Corporate Communications Katie Norris said the phone numbers those customers were calling were a part of the companys assisted ordering service, but Grubhub would opt Pizza Post out of it.

Andrew Pane said neither he or his son were aware they were enrolled in the assisted ordering service.

Controversy

Grubhub has made headlines for some of its business practices in recent years.

In 2020, Buzzfeed reported on the Grubhub practice of redirecting calls through phone numbers they create for which restaurants are charged fees that can sometimes exceed the income the order generates.

The article notes that because of the fees restaurants pay to Grubhub when an order comes through it, a customer ordering something small like a coffee could actually put the restaurant in the red, as it has to pay Grubhub a flat fee.

It also notes that the redirect number can also appear higher in Google search results than the restaurants own line. Grubhub, however, stated in its statement to Hearst Connecticut that it does not control whether Google displays this phone number.

Some governments have taken actions against food delivery services, such as Grubhub.

In 2020, the New York City Council passed a bill that put a cap on commissions charged by third-party delivery services as well as another bill that banned fees for phone calls that dont end in a sale, like those requesting information about a restaurants hours or menu.

In California, Grubhub and other food ordering services had to pull thousands of restaurants from their listings after a law that took effect this year began requiring apps to only offer delivery from restaurants with which they had a direct partnership.

Troubles with orders

Andrea Pane, Andrews son, said customers are coming in very frustrated after bad experiences on the phone  thinking they were talking to the restaurant, but in fact were on the line with a call center.

Andrew Pane said he has a lot of loyal customers and they do not like mistakenly calling another company to order food from Pizza Post.

They dont memorize our phone number, and so weve started to tell people to put it in their cell phones so they dont have to look us up, he said. They get upset that people are taking a commission of the sales of their whatever, and they didnt want that.

Another issue, Andrew Pane said, is that customers have said they have a hard time communicating with some of the people working for Grubhub and it has led to some customers getting frustrated.

Andrea Pane, said he started noticing the issues when Pizza Post began getting Grubhub orders electronically with weird modifications or incorrect pricing.

As an example, Andrea Pane said an order for a sausage and meatball pizza would come in as a meat lovers pizza, but with a comment that specified to just put sausage and meatball. So, customers were overpaying at the end of the day, he said.

Andrea Pane said customers would come in and get confused when he asked them if their order was the Grubhub order.

Well, we received this as a fax from Grubhub, he said. They would say, Well, I was on the phone with someone and it took forever. It took like 10 to 15 minutes to place this order for a large pizza. Its terrible customer service and it gives us a bad reputation.

Andrea Pane also took umbrage with the fact that the call center answers customers by identifying themselves as Pizza Post, saying it misleads them.

Not only are people often overpaying for these orders that Grubhub is putting in, but they are also doing this whole rigmarole on the phone that takes a good 10 minutes, he said. An order on the phone with us takes like 30 seconds to put in.

Andrew Pane said he had called Grubhub five or six times to ask them to stop redirecting calls through their services. He said he has been told that a senior or supervisor would call him, but that has not happened yet.

The senior Pane said he is mainly just worried about his restaurants reputation.

Norris said Pizza Post was enrolled in the assisted ordering service, which gives customers options to order through a Grubhub representative or speak with the restaurant directly. When they were a part of that service, she said, the phone number appeared on the restaurants Grubhub listing and AllMenus, which is a Grubhub portfolio brand.

Were getting this resolved on our side including reaching out to the restaurant owner and removing the assisted ordering number, but it will take a little time for our team to take all of the necessary steps, she said. We're committed to working with Pizza Post on a resolution.

Andrew Pane said he first heard from Grubhub on Friday, after Hearst Connecticut Media reached out to the company. He said he was told they would contact him on Monday to discuss his account with Grubhub, but never received the call.

He said he got a couple of complaints from customers over the weekend that the issue was still occurring, but it has not happened since Sunday.

Im happy with that outcome, but it makes you wonder why they would assume they could do something like that without speaking to me or to my son, he said. Its ridiculous.

joshua.labella@hearstmediact.com
NEW YORK (AP)  A teen who authorities accused of wielding the knife and fatally stabbing a New York City college student in December 2019 pleaded guilty Thursday to murder and robbery, the third and final suspect in the killing of Tessa Majors.

Rashaun Weaver, now 16, faces 14 years to life in prison when he is sentenced next month. In state Supreme Court in Manhattan, he admitted stabbing Majors, an 18-year-old first-year student at Barnard College, in Manhattans Morningside Park.
Property revaluation notices are out  and many residents are feeling the sticker shock of major jumps in their home assessments.

Coinciding with the boom in housing prices during the pandemic, some residents have seen the assessed values of their homes jump anywhere from 25 to more than 40 percent. But Mayor Mark Lauretti says with this hike a reduction will come in the coming years mill rate.

There is no need for anyone to panic  youre in good hands, Lauretti said referring to those paying property taxes in the city.

Municipal Valuation Services, LLC handled the revaluations. The resulting figures are based on 70 percent of the market value as of Oct. 1, 2021.

Lauretti, who has overseen similar revaluations in his three decades in office, said residents may see minimal increases in their local property taxes, and some may see no increase at all.

The 2022-23 budget process begins in full in January, so no numbers are close to being finalized, but Lauretti said residents should expect a mill rate decrease. The citys mill rate sits at 22.03, which was a slight reduction from the previous fiscal year.

Based on past performance, past history, the mill rate may end up about 18  but I can see it somewhere between 16 and 17, Lauretti said. Its been that low before.

Property assessments are done every five years according to State of Connecticut law. The revaluations allow for all 169 municipalities in Connecticut to set the value of all property within their borders.

Longtime Alderman Anthony Simonetti, who himself has lived through these revaluations as a property owner and city official, says the values are established by a company who is hired to do a fair and unbiased assessment of all properties.

These new values form the basis upon which the next (2022-23) mill rate is applied, Simonetti said.

The mill rate is only applied to 70 percent of the propertys fair market value.

No one can predict the future but based on past history, increases in property values do not necessarily result in a tax increase, Simonetti said. Conversely, assessed property value decreases do not necessarily result in tax reductions.

Lauretti said the revaluation process allows all property owners  residential and commercial alike  to be treated fairly.

Property owners who question the reassessment can request an informal hearing with the revaluation company at www.

munival.com/appointments. Property owners need to request the appointment within seven days of receiving the revaluation notice letter. Appointments will be held between Dec. 14 and Dec. 23.

I have received complaints  and I tell people to take a deep breath, calm down, Lauretti said. My house went up $90,000, and Im not worried about it. People who have lived here and know how I do things know there is a level of comfort. For most of the past 10 years, the mill rate has been left alone or lowered.

brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  The current surge in virus cases in Nebraska continues to send more people to the hospital and put stress on the state's health care system.

Health officials said Thursday that they are already concerned about hospital capacity and the spread of the new omicron variant of the virus could make the situation worse if it proves to be more contagious. Nebraska confirmed six cases of the omicron variant earlier this month, and state epidemiologist Dr. Matthew Donahue said one new possible case was being investigated Thursday.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Angela Hewlett said hospitals may soon have to ration care to patients by imposing what doctors call crisis standards of care because doctors and nurses are spread so thin.

It may be likely that omicron will cause a giant surge and honestly we cant handle that right now," said Hewlett, who helps oversee the biocontainment unit at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha. "Our hospitals in Nebraska are already struggling so significantly that we are taking about crisis standards of care. And if we start to see what we think were going to see with omicron were going to have a big problem.

The number of people hospitalized with the virus remains near the highest level since before vaccines became available last December. The 602 people currently hospitalized in the state remains below last November's peak of 987, but hospitals have less capacity now because they are so busy with other patients in addition to the growing number of COVID-19 patients.

Nebraska Chief Medical Officer Dr. Gary Anthone said the state is considering imposing new restrictions if hospitalizations continue to rise. Nearly 15% of the state's hospital beds are already occupied by COVID-19 patients. One of the most likely possibilities is that there will be additional restrictions on surgeries and other procedures to free up hospital capacity.

For every COVID patient thats admitted to the hospital youre taking up a bed for somebody that needs that cancer surgery. And that can be prevented by getting vaccinated or getting your booster dose, Anthone said.

Over the past two weeks, the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has risen from 836.29 new cases per day on Nov. 30 to 866.14 new cases per day on Dec. 14.

Cases and hospitalizations continue increasing with no clear signs of slowing or stabilizing at all really, Donahue said.

The doctors discussing the spread of the virus Thursday reiterated that everyone should get vaccinated and get a booster shot if they are eligible to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. Wearing a mask indoors would also help.

Last fall was miserable. This fall and winter unfortunately feels like a rerun," said Dr. Jessica Jones with Methodist Health System in Omaha. "And its that much more disappointing because we have these wonderful tools with vaccination available. And because we know that this is truly preventable..
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP)  Police in Virginia say the discovery of four bodies at two different locations in the state are the work of a serial killer who used a shopping cart to transport his victims' bodies after meeting them on dating sites.

At a press conference Friday, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis dubbed the suspect, 35-year-old Anthony Robinson of Washington, D.C., the shopping cart killer and said police are working to determine if there are other victims.

Davis said Robinson, who was taken into custody in Rockingham County last month, has lived in multiple locations, including New York and Maryland, in recent years.

Police in Harrisonburg arrested Robinson last month and charged him with two counts of murder after finding two bodies in a vacant lot in the city.

The good thing is hes in custody. The challenge that remains is identifying other victims, Davis said.

Evidence uncovered after Robinson's arrest led police to search an area near the Moon Inn in Fairfax County south of Alexandria.

During the search, detectives noticed a shopping cart and recalled that a cart had been used to transport the bodies in the Harrisonburg cases, said Ed O'Carroll, commander of the major crimes unit in Fairfax County.

Near the shopping cart was a large plastic container that held the remains of two women. One has been tentatively identified as Cheyenne Brown, 29, whose disappearance had been under investigation by Washington, D.C., police. The second body found in Fairfax County has not yet been identified.

The three victims who have been identified all went missing in the last few months. Police say they are trying to research Robinson's life going back many years to see if there might be more victims.

Thats what worries us, Davis said. He didnt suddenly turn into who he is three months ago.

Harrisonburg Police Chief Kelley Warner said Robinson has not given police any kind of cooperative statement since his arrest. Police arrested him relatively quickly after the bodies in Harrisonburg were found, based on video surveillance and cellphone records, Warner said.

Robinson's lawyer, Louis Nagy, declined to comment on the substance of the charges against his client in Harrisonburg. Robinson has not yet been formally charged in Fairfax County, but police said charges are forthcoming.

All three victims who have been identified met Robinson through dating websites. Police believe his dating history may provide clues into any additional victims.

Police did not say whether the victims were sexually assaulted, but Davis stated bluntly during the press conference that the suspect did unspeakable things with his victims.

The two victims who were found dead in Harrisonburg were previously identified as Tonita Lorice Smith, 39, of Charlottesville, and Allene Elizabeth Beth Redmon, 54, of Harrisonburg.

A scheduling hearing in Harrisonburg is set for Dec. 27.
Educators announced plans to increase security in response to TikTok posts warning of shooting and bomb threats at schools around the country Friday as officials assured parents the viral posts were not considered credible.

The social media threats had many educators on edge as they circulated in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Michigan, which has been followed by numerous copycat threats to schools elsewhere.

School officials in states including Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania said Thursday there would be an increased police presence because of the threats.

The vague, anonymous posts circulating online warned that multiple schools would receive shooting and bomb threats.

We are writing to inform you and not alarm you, Oak Park and River Forest, Illinois, school administrators said in an email to parents. We have been made aware of a nationwide viral TikTok trend about school shooting and bomb threats for every school in the USA even elementary on Friday, December 17.

The administrators said local police departments would increase their presence around schools out of an abundance of caution.

In a statement on Twitter, TikTok said it was working with law enforcement to investigate.

We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, the statement said, which is why were working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok.

At least a few districts announced plans to close school buildings Friday, including Gilroy High School in northern California. Gilroy police said they had found threats on social media not to be credible, but school officials said final exams scheduled for Friday, the last day before winter break, would be postponed to January out of an abundance of caution.

Making the decision to cancel classes tomorrow has not been an easy one, Principal Greg Kapaku said in a message to parents.

The posts follow a disturbing trend that has had students acting out in response to social media challenges. In September, students across the U.S. posted videos of themselves vandalizing school bathrooms and stealing soap dispensers as part of the devious licks challenge.

In October, students were challenged to slap a teacher, prompting the National Education Association to call on the leaders of Facebook, Twitter and TikTok to intervene.

The Michigan State Police, among law enforcement agencies responding to the posts, said in a statement Thursday it was unaware of any credible threats.

Internet companies such as TikTok are generally exempt from liability under U.S. law for the material users post on their networks, thanks in large part to the legal safe harbor they are given by Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act.

It would be unlikely that TikTok would be liable if there were actually to be a shooting, said Jeff Kosseff, who wrote a book about Section 230 and teaches cybersecurity law at the U.S. Naval Academy. Even without 230, there are just a lot of barriers against being able to bring a cause of action against the medium on which a threat was posted.

But Kosseff, who got a warning about the TikTok challenge Thursday from his daughters school district in Arlington, Virginia, said that doesnt mean TikTok cant do something about it.

They have a lot of flexibility to be doing the right thing and taking down harmful content. I am hopeful they are doing that, he said.

The threats outraged educators around the country.

Whether done as a joke or with malicious intent, its unacceptable. We know our school personnel will do everything in their power to keep our students safe, officials with the Iowa State Education Association, the Iowa Association of School Boards and School Administrators of Iowa said in a joint statement.

___

Associated Press writer Matt OBrien contributed from Providence, Rhode Island.
As incredible as it may sound to most people familiar with the political machinations of Mayor Joe Ganims administration, the Dec. 11 Connecticut Post article reporting that Ganim wants to rename the Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport the Bridgeport Sikorsky Memorial Airport is surely the most outrageous of all of his political acrobatics.

Does he really expect any of us to believe that he cares one bit about putting the name of the city of Bridgeport in a positive light?

If he did, perhaps he wouldnt have sold the naming rights to his latest economic development project to a business that prominently includes the name of the capital of this state, Hartford.

After all, is there anything in the name of Bridgeports new state-of-the-art amphitheater that even hints that it is a Bridgeport development?

Of course not! What is prominently displayed for everyone to see as they ride by on Interstate 95 in Bridgeport is the name of the out-of-town business.

You know the one, the one that includes Hartford in its name.

And now, Mayor Ganim wants to rename an airport in our neighboring town of Stratford to include the name Bridgeport. When it comes to the Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport, which is named for Igor I. Sikorsky and does not include the name of any municipality, regional cooperation is not only desirable, it is essential. After all, the airport is located in Stratford.

So, what does our mayor decide to do?

He decides to stick his finger in the eye of a neighboring municipality and to add insult to injury, he does so in apparent violation of the Freedom of Information Act. In the process, he undermines the years of work expended by Bridgeports employees, aimed at establishing the airport as a regional asset.

Evidently, Ganim hatched this naming conspiracy without consulting the mayor of Stratford, or the Friends of Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport, two significant players in this drama.

Given a choice between good manners and good politics, Ganim chose the latter.

Perhaps this is designed to impress the Secretary of transportation or another federal official. This is what politicians in search of their next job do.

Have we learned nothing?

Is the way to establish a functioning airport in the greater Bridgeport area in order to compete with Tweed New Haven, to insult both the town of Stratford, and the memory of Igor I. Sikorsky?

I am reminded of the memorable line uttered by Big Daddy in Tennessee Williams Pulitzer Prize winning work, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. He responded to his son Bricks cry of despair and disgust concerning his mendacity, which he described as Lies and Liars.

Big Daddy replied: Whats the smell in this room? Didnt you notice it Brick? Didnt you notice a powerful and obnoxious odor in this room? There aint nothin more powerful than the odor of mendacity. You can smell it. It smells like Death.

And, as we all know, that smell of mendacity permeates Joe Ganims City Hall.

And we wonder why no one will do business in Bridgeport without corporate welfare accompanied by lavish tax breaks.

Maybe the smell of mendacity in Bridgeport has become the stench of mendacity.

Carmen L. Lopez is a retired Superior Court judge.
Welcome to the CUInsight Minute, sixty seconds from our Associate Publisher Robbie Young with our favorite reads from the week.

Mentioned:

Traditions and customs  Why they matter

by ANTHONY HERNANDEZ  DEFENSE CREDIT UNION COUNCIL

Throughout my Air Force career, I saw many changes that have had a profound impact on the way our Air Force flies, fights, and wins. At the time, I didnt think much of these changes as they appeared to be adapting to modern times or getting rid of the old ways in the hope that somehow operations would improve. As I look back, none of these promises did much to advance the service and, in some ways, they degraded unit cohesiveness at all levels of command. (read more)

Thought leadership and global change begins with one single step

by LOIS KITSCH  CU DIFFERENCE

Every journey begins with a single step. Some journeys are harder  much harder than others. This is why these are the most memorable.  Lois Kitsch, Co-Founder of CUDifference

In October of 2022, I will be joining nine other Americans who plan to scale the highest peak in Africa  Mount Kilimanjaro  also affectionately known as Kili. Having done this once before in 2007, I know that this is no easy task. Joining us and rounding out our international climbing team are climbers from the UK, Germany, Canada, Kenya, the Gambia and Ghana. People who know me have asked me why are you doing this? Caroline Willard, President of the Cornerstone League and a member of the Climb Team says it perfectly, This climb blends two of my greatest passions exploration and travel along with credit unions and getting to live at the intersection of these two things is pretty remarkable. (read more)

Top 10 reasons why CUs under $800M need Cuery

by Aux

Unlike anything else in the market, Cuery, brought to you by collaborative CUSO Aux, is a robust data analytics solution that was designed specifically for small and mid-sized credit unions. Cuery is both affordable and scalable to your credit unions size while being totally comprehensive. Think of it as the best of both worlds.

Cuery can help you dive into the waters of data analytics and swim like a pro: it provides deep and revenue-generating member insights, with easy-to-use dashboards for your whole team, and equips your credit union with a data analytics program (including experts!) that you can afford. (read more)
STORY LINK Pound Euro Exchange Rate News: GBP/EUR Muted Despite Strong UK Retail Sales Data

GBP/EUR Mixed as UK Retail Sales Jump

Pound (GBP) Muted Despite Retail Sales Overshooting Expectations

Euro (EUR) Directionless amid Disappointing German Data

GBP/EUR Exchange Rate Forecast: Lack of Data Leaves GBP and EUR Vulnerable



Looking ahead, the Pound Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate is likely to be influenced by market movement and external factors due to an absence of notable data scheduled to be released for the rest of the weeks session.



Omicron developments are likely to act as a key catalyst of movement for both Sterling and the single currency.



GBP is likely to be impacted by reports of the UK governments possible implementation of a Plan C as the Omicron variant continues to surge throughout the country.



If Plan C was to be instated, then further restrictions would hamper GBPs potential as the UK economy would be in danger of reversing its gains shown in Novembers retail sales data.



In addition, EUR will also be negatively impacted by the rising number of cases as Omicron rattles the single currencys appeal.





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The Pound to Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate is trading in a narrow range in the beginning of todays session in spite of strong UK retail sales data.At the time of writing, the GBP/EUR exchange rate is trading at approximately 1.1749 with minimal market movement.The Pound (GBP) is trading in a narrow range against the Euro (EUR) this morning despite UK retail sales printing higher than expected.UK retail sales for November was forecast to print at 0.8%, down from an upwardly revised 1.1%, however sales growth overshot expectations by printing at 1.4%.This is 7.2% higher than the pre-pandemic level of February 2020. The most significant contributions came from named-clothing stores and non-food stores, including toy, computer and jewellery stores.Black Friday and the lead up to Christmas have been regarded as the main reasons for this surge in increased retail sale activity.However, the recent implementation of Plan B by the UK government regarding the Omicron situation is likely to negatively impact the economy throughout December and into the new year.Lisa Hooker, consumer markets leader at PwC, said:A month is a long time in retail. The worst that high streets had to contend with in November was the aftermath of Storm Arwen. By the beginning of December, the effects of the Omicron variant had begun to impact across the UK, and footfall has already begun to drop in city centres.In addition, GBP are still digesting yesterdays shock rate hike announcement by the Bank of England (BoE).At the same time, the Euro (EUR) is mixed against the Pound (GBP) this morning as Germanys latest Ifo business climate index disappointed.December business climate index fell for the sixth consecutive month, falling to 94.7, down from the previous 96.6 and below the market forecast of 95.3.Ifo's president Clemens Fuest said that the German economy isnt getting any presents this year, implying that the disappointing figures will cause frustration for many businesses.Moreover, rising cases of Omicron throughout Europe is causing further pressure on the single currency.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said:Like many of you, Im sad that once again this Christmas will be overshadowed by the pandemic.Were seeing an increasing number of people falling ill, a greater burden on hospitals and unfortunately an increase in the number of deaths.The evolving Omicron situation is weighing on EURs potential as the severity of the strain remains to be seen.

International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.

TAGS: Pound Euro Forecasts
The date and the dance is etched on my brain. November 13 2021. Rose Ayling-Ellis is on Strictly, performing an intimate Latin routine with her dashing partner, Italian Giovanni Pernice.

Its an awful piece of music  Symphony by Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson. All synthesizers and wailing.

Yet despite the soundtrack, EastEnders star Rose dances beautifully. Dipping, twirling. She looks radiant, confident. You would never know to see her move that shes been profoundly deaf since birth.

Rose, who has not only reached tonights final but is the favourite to win, is the one contestant who cannot appreciate the orchestra behind her.

Although she has a hearing aid  which enables her to pick up some of the music  the fluidity and precision of her movements is all down to a mind-boggling combination of her counting the beats, feeling vibrations, muscle memory and practice. Practice. Practice.

Think about that for a minute. Not only the incredible mental and physical feat involved. But to realise that this young woman, whose dancing is so utterly in tune with the music, has never heard more than snatches of a Mozart sonata or Bach sarabande. How limiting, how awful.

And then . . . part way through their routine, the dance floor falls silent. The music stops. Rose covers her partners ears, and they keep dancing. For the first time, she leads him, and importantly the millions watching, into her reality.

BBC handout photo of Giovanni Pernice, Rose Ayling-Ellis during rehersals for Saturday's BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing. Issue date: Saturday November 13, 2021.

For a long few seconds, there is no sound. We are underwater, or in outer space. Rose keeps dancing. And smiling.

Instead of this new, silent world being terrifying and, that dreaded word, disabled, its captivating and beautiful and moving. Rose is flying.

As someone whos been profoundly deaf since a childhood bout of measles, it was a rare moment of television that gave me goosebumps.

Ill be honest, Ive never been a Strictly fan. Its too extrovert and old-fashioned. Comforting yes, but cutting-edge? Never.

A bunch of pop stars, actors and tired celebrities who learned to dance in drama school competing for the naffest trophy on TV. Sprinkled not just with glitter but the requisite diversity box-ticking weve come to expect of the BBC. In my view, tokenism of the very worst kind.

But then, I saw Rose dancing. And what I saw was incredible  not just that she could do the jive and the paso doble so convincingly, but that shes smiling, all the time! She is unapologetically happy in her own skin.

I find this incredible because I have lived my life unsmiling, cowed and fearful.

Rose Ayling-Ellis, Giovanni Pernice, Saturday Dec 11.

There isnt one photo of me as a child when I look happy. Instead, Im scowling, anxious and confused. Afraid I was going to be run over by a car I never heard coming. Barked at by a teacher for not answering a question. Discarded by boyfriends because they grow tired of having to talk dirty loudly.

The only deaf person Id seen as a child was in the film Mandy, the true story of a girl born both deaf and blind. She learns to speak by feeling the vibrations of a balloon held against her lips: B, b, b. That film terrified me. If only Id had Rose to look up to.

Ive never been able to enjoy key moments of my life. I heard not one word the registrar said when I got married: my husband had to prompt me with a sharp elbow. I never did find out what he wrote in his vows, or what my brother said at my nieces wedding. My mothers funeral? The hymns, the eulogy? Not one clue.

My deafness is partly genetic, but mainly due, Im told by my specialist, to a bad bout of measles aged ten that killed the cells in my inner ear. My deafness was never diagnosed, noticed or mentioned by family. I simply learned to cope.

My mum had seven children, so didnt notice I just sat in a corner, never saying anything.

At school, I sat in the front row and cribbed from my classmates. In my first big job, I hired an intern to repeat things and write notes. Ask anyone who has worked with me for my catchphrase and they will parrot, What did he say?

I learned to lip read. Avoided parties. Deafness became a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more stressed I became, the less I could hear: my brain is so busy with adrenaline, it shuts off anything non-essential.

In a way, it is possible to limp by. Because deafness is an invisible disability. Were not even allowed in the Paralympics. People dont open doors, or smile. They roll their eyes, then turn away, tired of the effort it takes to engage.

The worst part is everyone assumes youre rude: I didnt ignore you  I didnt hear you. For me, Rose is nothing short of a revelation. Unlike me, she isnt pretending she can hear. And she isnt ashamed of being deaf.

During Strictly, we have seen Rose teach Giovanni British Sign Language (BSL)  she says he swiftly learned to sign: Shockingly horrible. Even judge Craig Revel Horwood delivered A-maz-ing! in sign language. How mainstream is that!

Rose grew up in Kent, attending a mainstream school which, luckily, had extra funding for deaf pupils. She studied fashion at university before becoming an actress.

She had small parts before landing the part of landlords daughter Frankie in EastEnders last year. She loves the fact her storylines have nothing to do with being deaf.

During Strictly, we have seen Rose teach Giovanni British Sign Language (BSL)  she says he swiftly learned to sign: Shockingly horrible. Even judge Craig Revel Horwood delivered A-maz-ing! in sign language. How mainstream is that!

Yet I never learned to sign, because I didnt know any other deaf people. The first one I met was a neighbour. He taught me one sign, two fingers dragged down each side of the nose. Its meaning? Old woman. Charming.

And for years, I didnt want to give in and wear a hearing aid. Not just because I imagined them huge and pink (theyre not: modern ones are tiny), but because I had grown inured to the quiet.

But then, in January 2018, I went to a retreat in Switzerland to help deal with the constant state of fear I now realise is down to deafness.

Giovanni Pernice and Rose Ayling-Ellis look super relaxed arriving at It Takes Two ahead of Strictly finals - Dec 16.

The village was car-free, so I thought, fantastic! I can walk around without being on high-alert. And then, bam! I walked into the path of an electric buggy.

So I gave in and purchased several thousand pounds worth of hearing aids. The result? A revelation. Owls are really loud! Who knew my washing machine beeped upon finishing? I keep saying, What on earth is that noise? and it turns out to be an aeroplane.

Like Rose, who can hear a little with hearing aids, I can hear singing, but I miss consonants, whole words and struggle with accents. I have no idea what happened in the new James Bond.

As for Covid, and face masks? Unable to lip read, Im again tipped into that murky world of mumbling. The impact of masks on the deaf hasnt been raised. Its as though we dont exist. But now, thanks to Rose, we do. If she wins tonight I will be waggling my jazz hands at the screen, yelling, although I know she will never hear me.

I hope she will feel the good vibrations thundering her way.

Rose, your dance partner said you dont want to play the deaf card. But you have, brilliantly.

Lift the glitter ball for all of us who will now, finally, be heard.
If you'd like to buy something meaningful for your friends this Christmas, you need to check out the latest collection by jewelry brand Zena.

Not only are the pieces full of personality, but each purchase directly benefits women in Uganda. All of Zena's cute pendants, statement ear-rings and attention-grabbing ear cuffs are made by women working hard to escape poverty and save the capital to start a new business.

When women are employed in the Zena studio creating the brand jewellery, 40 per cent of their earnings go towards a living wage and 60 per cent is saved to accumulate to become their start up fund. So far, Zena has lifted 200 women out of debt and paid for 45 people to attend school.

Lizzo wore the Zena Star Top Down Ear-Rings ($22) to a Harry Styles concert a few weeks ago

The brand has caught the attention of celebrities including Lizzo who posted a photo to Instagram of her wearing the Zena Star Top Down Ear-Rings at a Harry Styles concert a few weeks ago.

And back in November, Gemma Styles wore the Zena Sustainable Iconic Hoops to the GQ Heroes dinner in the UK where she spoke on sustainability in light of COP 26.

Zena jewelry is not only fun, sustainable and celeb-approved, but it's also pleasingly affordable. The Top Down Ear-Rings sported by Lizzo cost just $22 while Gemma's Iconic Hoops are $27.

The brand has also released a few new festive pieces for the holiday season. The theme of the newest collection is music, dancing and disco with some gorgeous Mic Drop Ear-rings that looks like a mini vinyl placed above a star.

The Mic Drop Ear-rings (left) are are a popular choice on the site, while Gemma Styles opted for the Zena Sustainable Iconic Hoops to wear to the GQ Heroes dinner in the UK (right)

Or if you'd prefer something slightly more subtle, there's a cute cuff for just $9.50. This can be worn on its own around the ear or layered up with the stars for extra impact.

And one of the best value items is the disco necklace that has a secret message on the back, which means you get two looks in one for just $24.

Marketed for fun times and fun people, these pieces make perfect Christmas gifts for your pals who like to make the most out of every day and care about the people and planet around them.

The Zena Ear Cuff (right) is just $9.50 and looks great on its own or layered with the Star Hoops, which are also great value at $22

Women in Uganda have started their own businesses and attended school after working with Zena for a few years

Another element that separates Zena from other jewelry brands is the use of cattle horn in the pieces, which is a byproduct of the meat industry that would normally be discarded and burned as waste.

Caragh Bennet, co-founder of Zena, said: 'What we love about our business is that we don't do hand-outs and we don't do debt.

'Women who graduate from Zena do so from a place of strength, they know they started their businesses themselves, they have the confidence to know they don't owe anyone anything.'
A New York family is experiencing the unimaginable as they watch an artificial heart keep their one-year-old son alive while he awaits a heart transplant  just two years after their daughter underwent surgeries for the exact same rare heart condition.

Brian and Ashley Cotter's daughter Ruby was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy  an enlarged heart condition that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood  in 2019, two months after she was born.

She nearly died from the condition, but was kept alive with an artificial heart for three months until she could undergo a heart transplant.

Now two-and-a-half, Ruby is thriving  but just a couple of weeks ago, Brian, 37, and Ashley, 31, noticed their son Everett exhibiting some of the same symptoms that had first troubled them in Ruby.

Now Everett, who turns one on December 30, is surviving with the help of his own artificial heart as his family anxiously awaits news that he, too, will be the recipient of a donor heart.

Both of Brian and Ashley Cotter's children have had the same rare heart condition - and now two years after their daughter Ruby got a transplant, their son Everett needs one

Everett, who turns one on December 30, was recently rushed to the hospital and is surviving with an artificial heart as he awaits a donor heart, which can takes up to nine months

In 2019, his sister Ruby, then just two months old, was also rushed to the ER and nearly died. She, too, had an artificial heart and waited three-and-a-half months for a donor heart

The Cotters' heart-wrenching story began on September 4, 2019, two months after Ruby was born.

'She woke up not herself,' Brian told DailyMail.com. 'She didnt want to eat, she was dry heaving, and her limbs were very cold. Her core was very warm and we found all of this very strange.'

They called her doctor, who told them to take Ruby straight to the Stony Brook University Hospital nearby on Long Island.

'We got her there just in time for her life to be saved,' Brian said.

Within 10 minutes of arriving, Ruby stopped breathing and had to be intubated. Doctors managed to stabilize her, but she was kept in the pediatric intensive care unit with wires and tubes coming out of her little body.

The hospital ran tests, including an echocardiogram, which revealed that Ruby had cardiomyopathy, which causes the heart to have trouble pumping blood through the body  and can lead to heart failure.

The condition is thought to be caused by a genetic predisposition or a viral infection, and affects about 4 in 100,000 infants under the age of 12 months.

Ruby (pictured) was the first to be diagnosed cardiomyopathy, a condition that causes the heart to have trouble pumping blood through the body - which can lead to heart failure

After Ruby (pictured) stopped breathing, doctors intubated her. Once she was stabilized, they performed surgery to implant a pump to work as her heart as she awaited a transplant

The next three months with the Berlin Heart were spent in physical therapy, with Ruby learning how to do things like hold her head up and bottle-feed again

Finally, on December 22, 2019, Ruby underwent another surgery to get her new donor heart

For Ruby, it had caused heart failure, requiring her to be sent to New York-Presbyterian for further treatment.

She was put on IV medications, and after a week, doctors tried to take her off the support she was getting for breathing and eating  but when they did that, 'her heart rate jumped up to 300 beats per minute,' Ashley told New York-Presbyterian's Health Matters.

So Ruby was put on the transplant list, which can take three to nine months.

Until a donor heart came through, she could have remained sedated and intubated  but instead, doctors implanted her with a Berlin Heart, an external pump that maintains blood flow in babies with heart failure.

That surgery went well, but as she recovered and gained strength, her mother said 'she would play and lift her Berlin Heart with her feet and give me a heart attack.'

'It didnt bother Ruby that she was in the hospital or that she was hooked up to a machine,' Ashley added. 'The nurses loved that about her because it means she is resilient, and nothing will bring her down.'

The next three months were spent in physical therapy, with Ruby learning how to do things like hold her head up and bottle-feed again.

Then, finally, on December 22, 2019  about three-and-a-half months after she first went to the hospital  she underwent another surgery to get her new donor heart.

'We knew she could have died on the operating table and it was terrifying. Me and my wife cried happy tears when we were told she was ok after ten hours or surgery,' Brian said

Since then, she has taken medication and required checkups, and she may need up to two more transplants in her lifetime

Brian told DailyMail.com this week that Ruby is 'doing very well'

'She is funny and smart. Very strong and very sweet,' Brian said of Ruby

'To see your daughter go through something like this horrifying,' Brian told Metro last year. 'Seeing her go in for the operation was the thing we feared the most as parents.

'She is an extremely rare baby, only 0.4 per cent of children are born with with the condition Ruby has and only a third of those end up needing a heart transplant. She has been so strong and has amazed us at how well she has done.

'We knew she could have died on the operating table and it was terrifying. Me and my wife cried happy tears when we were told she was ok after ten hours or surgery.'

Since then, she has taken medication and required checkups, and she may need up to two more transplants in her lifetime.

But Brian told DailyMail.com this week that she is 'doing very well.'

'She is funny and smart. Very strong and very sweet. Of course there are still many challenges for her. There will always be. She takes a lot of medication and will always have to. She also goes to the city to see her team every three months for a biopsy and check up,' he said.

The Cotters thought they were out of the woods when they were hit with another shock: A couple of weeks ago, their son Everett fell ill, and they recognized the signs that something was wrong.

A couple of weeks ago, the Cotters' son Everett fell ill, and they recognized the signs that something was wrong and brought him to the hospital

'Never in a million years did we think our happy healthy boy would be where his sister was almost two years ago,' the couple said

On December 8, Everett lost his pulse for four minutes. He was put on ECMO, and soon got his own artificial heart, this time a Jarvik Heart

'Ev was eventually showing the same signs as Ruby but it took longer,' Brian explained. 'He acting strange, so we made an appointment to see his pediatrician.'

'We were always worried about him having the same condition,' he admitted. 'We were traumatized from our experience with Ruby.'

Still, the signs were good that he would be fine: Neither Brian nor Ashley had the mutated gene that might have caused Rubys heart condition, 'and the chances were less than one per cent of it happening to our next child,' he said.

They'd also done tests on Everett, and saw that he was big, healthy, and happy.

But as they watched him develop Ruby's symptoms, they grew too anxious to wait until the following day for a pediatrician appointment and made a trip to the emergency room instead.

After six hours, they were told to go home, and tests determined that he had rhinovirus  which doctors said would 'run its course.'

But by Monday, December 6, Everett was worse  and presenting similarly to Ruby when she was in heart failure.

'So my wife brought him to the ER and found out shortly that his heart was enlarged,' Brian said.

Everett was transferred twice, ultimately ending up at New York-Presbyterian  where he went into cardiac arrest and was put on ECMO.

'Hopefully Everett will continue learning how to be a toddler because of our choice,' Brian said

Everett's implant surgery was successful. He is recovering, and photos and videos show him in the hospital hooked up to countless tubes and wires while he awaits a transplant

Loved ones have pitched in to help. A GoFundMe page has been set up by one friend, while another friend is accepting donations on their behalf

What to know about cardiomyopathy Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart that can lead to heart failure. It causes the heart to thicken, stiffen, thin out, or fill with bodily substances, which result in it being difficult to pump blood to the rest of the body. Ruby and Everett appear to have developed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, in which the heart muscle is thickened and enlarged. Symptoms of cardiomyopathy include trouble breathing, fatigue, irregular abdominal bloating, fainting, heart beat, and swelling of legs and ankles. In children, it is most often caused by infections or a family history.

Treatment may include medication, surgically implanted devices, heart surgery, or a heart transplant. Sources: CDC and Mayo Clinic Advertisement

'Never in a million years did we think our happy healthy boy would be where his sister was almost two years ago,' the couple wrote on Instagram. 'We are broken. We did all of the tests, the scans, the checks with nothing to show. He was thriving, happy, strong. But here we are again. There are no words to describe this feeling, our sweet boy.'

On December 8, Everett lost his pulse for four minutes. He was put on ECMO, and his parents had to make a decision: Would they put have him implanted with the same Berlin Heart that sustained their daughter for months, or would they try a new device called the Jarvik?

'Because he is bigger than Ruby was  and also moving so much more  we decided to be a part of the Jarvik trial,' Brian said.

'We felt it would be better for him. We also think that it is a step in the right direction for future children with that will need it to survive until their transplant. Hopefully Everett will continue learning how to be a toddler because of our choice.'

Everett's implant surgery was successful. He is recovering, and photos and videos show him in the hospital hooked up to countless tubes and wires, including a nasogastric tube (NG tube) that carries food and medicine to his stomach through his nose.

Now the Cotters are focused on keeping the little boy comfortable as he awaits his heart transplant, which could take months.

'[We're] making sure he gets back to eating and moving. Making sure he is as healthy as possible so when a heart is available for him he can survive the surgery and heal quickly. Keeping him happy and making sure he feels loved is the most important,' Brian said.

One difference this time around is that they have two children to care for  so Brian and Ashley are taking turns being at home with Ruby and living at the hospital with Everett.

One difference this time around is that they have two children to care for - so Brian and Ashley are taking turns being at home with Ruby and living at the hospital with Everett

Brian said Ruby 'knows something is going on but doesnt understand. She looks for her brother sometimes and still says night night to him at bed time'

'Ruby has been doing well,' Brian said. 'She knows something is going on but doesnt understand. She looks for her brother sometimes and still says night night to him at bed time.'

Loved ones have pitched in to help. A GoFundMe page has been set up by one friend, while another friend told Patch that she is accepting donations on their behalf, as well as toys for Ruby  who loves Minnie and Mickey Mouse, drawing, and Barbie dolls  and Uber Eats or Door Dash gift cards for the parents.

'We love our children more than anything and would do anything for them,' Brian told DailyMail.com.

He also stressed the importance of organ donation, noting that someone else's generosity has mean life for their daughter.

'Its not easy knowing your child needs a heart from another child to live. Its not easy knowing a child is going to pass in order for yours to live.

'Its something we think about every day when we wake up to see our happy daughter. Organ donation is important and it saves lives,' he said.
She was a foreigner who married into the Monaco royal family to great fanfare, only to become an absentee princess, and her story bear striking similarities to the case of Princess Charlene who has spent most of the year away from the principality.

Alice Heine of New Orleans was the first American princess of Monaco, marrying Prince Albert I 67 years before Grace Kelly tied the knot with Rainier III.

Despite waiting eight years to wed her prince charming, the couple grew apart and mutual infidelity ruined their relationship, forcing her to seek solace in London's high society.

Princess Alice of Monaco, whose father came from a prominent German banking family, became a widow aged 22 following the death of her first husband Duke of Richelieu, before meeting Albert I in the early 1880s.

But she didn't walk down the aisle again until 1889 because her groom's father Prince Charles III did not approve of the match and would not permit them to marry.

Following his father's passing, Albert ascended to the Monegasque thrown and just seven weeks later wed his bride, who along with two children, also brought an extensive collection of jewels and a substantial dowry of $6 million.

Her forgotten story has been thrown into the spotlight again by Royal Central, following Princess Charlene's absence from Monaco, with the mother-of-two having spent 10-months in her native South Africa while she recovered from surgery after contracting a sinus infection.

She briefly rejoined her husband Prince Albert and their twins Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, both seven, in early November - only to then leave Monaco to be admitted to a European treatment facility.

Alice Heine (pictured) Heine of New Orleans was the first American princess of Monaco, marrying Prince Albert I 67 years before Grace Kelly tied the knot with Rainier III

And she was also one of the first to flee the principality - despite waiting a staggering eight years to wed her prince charming (pictured) - as infidelity ruined their relationship and forced her to seek solace in London's high society

Her forgotten story comes following Princess Charlene's (pictured with her husband Prince Albert II) absence from Monaco, with the mother-of-two having spent 10-months in her native South Africa while she recovered from surgery after contracting a sinus infection

Prince Albert revealed last month his wife is suffering from 'exhaustion, both emotional and physical', while friends recently told Page Six that the mother-of-two 'almost died' while she was in South Africa.

The princess born Marie Alice on February 10, 1858, into a wealth family, grew up at the height of New Orleans society in Louisiana, and spent her early years enjoying the vibrant French quarter of the city.

Her mother, Amelie Marie Celeste Miltenberger, came from a wealthy family, and her father, Michel Heine, a successful banker and businessman from a well-off German banking family.

Her and her two brothers' Paul and Isaac's lives were changed forever when their father moved them from the US to Paris following the American Civil War.

Making good connections in the French capital, 17-year-old Alice was soon walked down the aisle to Armand, Marquis of Jumilhac and the heir to the Duke of Richelieu.

Jewish by birth, Alice converted to Catholicism for her nuptials and within a year, she had given birth to a son, also known as Armand.

A daughter, Odile, followed in 1879, the same year that Alice and her husband became Duke and Duchess of Richelieu.

Yet the new duchess' happiness was cut short when her husband died in 1880, leaving her a widow with two children at the age of just 22, according to Royal Central.

Helped by the fortune she had inherited on her husband's death, Alice started to establish herself in European society.

Soon she met Albert I, heir to the Monegasque throne, while in Portugal. And despite him being ten years her senior, and previously married with a son, the two were eager to get together.

Princess Alice of Monaco (pictured), whose father came from a prominent German banking family, became a widow aged 22 following the death of her first husband Duke of Richelieu, before meeting Albert I in the early 1880s

But Albert's father Charles III refused to offer his blessing, believing she wasn't the right fit for his son.

Yet the couple were prepared to wait, and wait they did - not marrying until eight years later, following the death of Charles on September 10, 1889.

Just a month later, Alice and Albert exchanged wedding vows in Paris on October 30, 1889, with the bride bringing an extensive collection of jewels and a substantial dowry of six million dollars.

Alice was hugely popular in Monaco, thanks to the money lining her pockets and her keen business sense.

She set about transforming the principality's financial state and was credited with helping the economic stability of the nation.

Passionate about the arts, she also brought more theatre and ballet to her new country.

However, as the years went on, the couple realised that most of their interests were different and failed to support one another in them.

Alice liked music, dance and culture, while her husband was a passionate environmentalist and oceanographer.

But she didn't walk down the aisle again until 1889 because her groom's father Prince Charles III did not approve of the match and would not permit them to marry. Pictured, Prince Albert I

Eventually, both lived separate lives and reportedly began having affairs. Yet Albert struggled to cope with his wife's relationship with composer Isidore de Lara.

Humiliated, Alice left Monaco - and not wanting her to return, her husband allegedly banned her from the principality.

Alice and Albert were granted a separation in 1902 but never divorced. Alice's father tried to negotiate a return of some part of her large dowry, but the Grimaldi family refused.

While he ruled Monaco, Alice found peace in London, living at Claridges and throwing herself into the high society scene.

She even counted Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII, among her friends and would often house glamorous parties for her well-off guests.

The royal became Dowager Princess of Monaco on the death of her estranged husband on June 26, 1922.

She died three years later in Paris on December 22, 1925, at the age of 67. She was buried at Pere Lachaise Cemetery in the French capital and her gravestone reads Alice, Princess of Monaco.

Meanwhile, Prince Albert II revealed last month his wife Charlene had been admitted to a European treatment facility within days of her return to Monaco following a 10-month absence in her native South Africa.

At the time he ruled out cancer, Covid and plastic surgery as the cause of his wife's problems.

He said she is suffering from 'exhaustion, both emotional and physical', while friends recently told Page Six that the mother-of-two 'almost died' while she was in South Africa.

Princess Charlene (pictured upon her return to Monaco) missed the seventh birthday of her twins Gabriella and Jacques

The royal missed the seventh birthday of her twins Gabriella and Jacques but shared photos of the celebration on Instagram on Thursday, writing: 'Happy birthday my babies. Thank you God for blessing me with such wonderful children. I'm truly blessed. Love mom.'

Speaking to Page Six, a source described as the royal's friend said: 'It is unfair that she is being portrayed as having some kind of mental or emotional issue.

'We don't know why the palace is downplaying that she almost died in South Africa.'

The source explained the royal had a severe ear, nose and throat infection, which resulted in 'severe sinus and swallowing issues stemming from an earlier surgery'.

The friend added: 'She has not been able to eat solid food in over six months because of all the surgeries she has since gone through. She has only been able to take in liquids through a straw, so she lost nearly half her body weight.'

Elsewhere friends of Princess Charlene gave Tatler a rare insight into what the royal is really like, insisting that the former swimmer is a force to be reckoned with.

One source rubbished any public perception that Charlene is 'naive' and trapped in an unhappy marriage with Albert, saying: 'I don't for one second think she did not know what she was doing when she married him.'

But one warned the mother of Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, seven, is not the type to be blindly controlled by the Monaco royal household.

Missing their mother: Meanwhile Prince Albert has continued to make public appearances with their six-year-old twins, Jacques and Gabriella, who held up these signs to Charlene during the Monaco National Day celebrations on November 19

'Charlene is no Princess Di.' one said. 'She may come across as being extremely naive, but nothing could be further from the truth. She is very good at keeping her smarts under wraps.'

Meanwhile Prince Albert has continued to make public appearances with their twins, Jacques and Gabriella. The trio attended a tree planting event in Monaco and the Monaco National Day celebrations, where the children held up heartrending signs saying, 'Miss you Mommy' and 'Love you Mommy'.

In interviews, Albert explained he had stepped up to play a bigger role in his children's lives as the family copes with Charlene's ongoing health issues.

Timeline: Prince Albert and Princess Charlene's 10 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 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. Prince Albert said within hours it became clear she was 'unwell' November 13 - Prince Albert attends Expo 2020 in Dubai without Princess Charlene Following his return from the trip, Prince Albert holds an intervention with Charlene's brothers and a sister-in-law in which Charlene 'confirmed' she would seek 'real medically framed treatment' outside of Monaco November 16 - Royal household confirms Princess Charlene will not attend National Day celebrations on November 19 - Prince Albert attends a Monaco Red Cross event without Princess Charlene November 17 - Prince Albert reveals Princess Charlene has left Monaco and is recovering in a secret location November 19 - Prince Albert reveals Charlene is in a treatment facility 'elsewhere in Europe' after a family intervention Advertisement

Jacques and Gabriella are homeschooled at the palace after being taken out of the classroom due to Covid.

'For me, it's pretty simple  my priority is my family,' he said in an interview this month. 'Of course, without neglecting state affairs... I hope everyone understands that. When I can be with my kids, I do it without hesitation.

'This is an extremely important time in their life  the way they grow up helps them see the world.

'And if one of the parents is away for medical reasons, the other parent has to be there. I have heard too many friends and acquaintances telling me that they wish they had been there for their children, at a certain age, taken up by their work or their professional life. I don't want to have these regrets.'

Charlene returned to her husband and twins Jacques and Gabriella in Monaco earlier this month following a 10-month absence, while she recovered from surgery following a sinus infection she contracted during a solo charity trip to her native South Africa earlier this year.

In the days after her arrival, Charlene's sister-in-law Chantell Wittstock, told MailOnline the princess may not be returning to the palace and did not plan to immediately return to public engagements, although she later retracted the remark.

Charlene's time away followed fresh allegations last December that Albert had fathered a love-child (which would be his third, if proven) with an unnamed Brazilian woman during the time when he and Charlene, a former Olympic swimmer for South Africa, were already in a relationship.

Photographs of their reunion earlier this month were greeted with a hefty dose of scepticism by the French media.

Albert was waiting for her at the Monte Carlo helipad, along with their six-year-old twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques. The family were joined by a hand-picked photographer inside the Palace walls for the 'reunion' photos.

Albert said the family reunion in Monaco last week after she spent six months in her native South Africa initially went 'pretty well' in the first few hours, but it then became 'pretty evident' that Charlene was 'unwell.'

He said the former Olympian 'realised she needed help', adding: 'She was overwhelmed and couldn't face official duties, life in general or even family life.'

Albert explained: 'I'm probably going to say this several times, but this has nothing to do with our relationship. I want to make that very clear. These are not problems within our relationship; not with the relationship between a husband and wife. It's of a different nature.'

He went on to tell the magazine her current state was a result of 'several factors which are private'.

Albert continued: 'She hadn't slept well in a number of days and she wasn't eating at all well. She has lost a lot of weight, which made her vulnerable to other potential ailments. A cold or the flu or God help us, COVID.'

He said it is 'not cancer-related or personal relationship issue.'

He later confirmed Charlene has been admitted to a treatment facility for undisclosed medical issues, as she works through a period of ill health. The location of the facility was not confirmed, though several sources claim it is in Switzerland.

The prince also said rumours around the state of his marriage 'don't bother him too much'.

Doubts about the central relationship of Monaco's royal family are not new.

Several residents living in the narrow medieval alleys of Monaco Ville confirmed to MailOnline that before she left for South Africa Charlene was spending most of her time outside the Palace, living in a modest two-bedroom apartment above an old chocolate factory about 300m away, rather than in the 12th Century Palace itself.

'We often saw her outside the Palace and she would usually be alone or with a bodyguard,' said one source, 'but she was never with Albert - it was obvious she chose to spend most of her time in the apartment rather than the palace.'

Princess Charlene met Prince Albert in 2000 during a swimming competition in Monaco and the pair married in 2011, before welcoming twins Gabriella and Jacques in 2014.

Born in Rhodesia- a previously unrecongised state in Southern Africa colonised by the British, she relocated to South Africa aged 11.

She had a successful swimming career and went on to win three gold medals and a silver medal at the 1999 All Africa Games in Johannesburg, as well as representing South Africa at the 1998 and 2002 Commonwealth Games and winning a silver medal in the 4  100 m medley relay in the latter competition.

However the pair's marriage has made numerous headlines over the years, with a third paternity suit emerging last year.

Soon afterwards Charlene infamously shaved half her head in the style of a punk rocker last December.

This was seen as the first public sign of a worsening crisis that could end in a multi-million pound divorce.

Charlene's exile in South Africa began a month after it emerged last December that Albert was facing yet another paternity suit.

Prince Albert revealed last month his wife had been admitted to a European treatment facility within days of her return to Monaco following a 10-month absence in her native South Africa. The royal looked frail in this Instagram post shared from South Africa in October

A Brazilian woman who cannot be named for legal reasons said her 15-year-old daughter was the result of an affair with Albert in 2004.

Albert and Charlene were not yet engaged at this time, but they had known each over for four years after meeting at a swimming gala in Monaco in 2000.

Lawyers for the claimant were scheduled to demand a DNA test from Albert at a court in Milan earlier this year, while his own counsel branded the action 'a hoax'.

Neither party is now commenting, suggesting some kind of generous settlement may have been reached, as happened with Albert's earlier love children.

They are Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, who is now 29 and the result of Albert's affair with an American estate agent, and Alexandre Coste, 17, whose mother is a former Togolese air hostess.

Both children were struck off Monaco's line of succession in return for vast financial settlements.
A mother who had to rush her daughter to the hospital after the 14-month-old bit a Christmas tree bauble has warned other parents of the dangers associated with festive decorations.

Nikki, who lives in Australia, took to Instagram, explaining that she laid out ornaments for a festive photo shoot with her daughter Savannah, and before she knew it, the youngster picked up a bauble and bit into it.

The paramedic said she had to remove all the small fragments from Savannah's mouth after the bauble exploded and then took her to a children's hospital for an assessment and x-rays.

She admitted to being emotional despite the results coming back clear, saying: 'I just wanted to share because I know the Christmas season is upon us, and our little ones are attracted to shiny and bright objects. It happened within seconds and it could have ended up with surgery.'

Nikki told how the terrifying situation had happened quickly and left many of her friends and family members shocked.

Nikki, who lives in Australia, took to Instagram , explaining that her daughter, 14 months, had bitten into a bauble during a festive photo shoot, which shattered in her mouth

Sharing a photo of the shattered bauble, Nikki wrote: 'We had a bit of an incident yesterday and I felt like I wanted to reach out to you guys to let you know our story especially because its coming up to Christmas!

'So many of my friends and family have been shocked by this and its such a great reminder for our little ones to keep safe.

'My 14-month-old daughter Savannah and I were getting into the spirit doing a Christmas photo shoot in our lounge room. Id gone all out with a backdrop and props and had some beautiful baubles nearby that my grandma had given me.

'So I wanted to get them in the shot. I was watching Savannah the whole time, got her into position with a jingle bell toy and before I knew it she had scooped up this precious bauble and decided to bite it. As I turned around I heard a massive crunch, and it had exploded in her mouth.

'Thankfully I stayed as calm as possible thanks to your course! I immediately got her, didnt let her swallow and removed the small and tiny fragments out of her mouth.

I was absolutely petrified inside and made sure she was okay. I knew the parts were so small, and had essentially exploded in her mouth. We went to the childrens hospital for an all over assessment and X-rays.

Nikki explained that she had to take 14-month-old Savannah (pictured) to hospital for an assessment and x-ray after the bauble exploded in her mouth

Nikki, who is a paramedic, said she didn't let Savannah swallow and removed all the small fragments out of her mouth

'I was more worried about her accidentally ingesting but the nurses brought to my attention she could have inhaled a fragment/s in shock when she bit down. Thankfully the X-rays came back clear and we were able to go home. I felt so lucky and relieved, and of course super emotional.'

Many parents commented on the post praising Nikki for raising awareness of the dangers of Christmas baubles, while some admitted they've had similar accidents with their own children.

One person wrote: 'Glad she's ok. I felt guilty for not letting our daughter touch our tree (I love it and I'm OCD with the decorations) now I'm glad it's still in sight but now where she can access it. Would never have thought it'd be an issue.'

Another said: 'My son recently did it with plastic ones from Kmart and had the same shard result.'

A third commented: 'I just recently broke my four-year-old's 'First Christmas' bauble... I couldn't believe how paper thing it was and dangerous they are. Glad your little one is ok.'

Another added: 'Thanks for sharing, I had no idea that it would explode. Will definitely be keeping my little ones hands off these bubble balls'
The countdown to Christmas has begun, and Toff London has released a challenging brainteaser guaranteed to get heads scratching this holiday season.

Hidden amongst identically striped candy canes lies one odd one out with a very subtle difference - it is facing in the opposite direction.

The current record to spot the odd candy cane out is two minutes - but can you beat it?

Scroll down for the answer - but don't cheat!

Hidden amongst identically striped candy canes lies one odd one out with a very subtle difference - it Is facing in the opposite direction

Christmas gift specialists, Toff London, have released the brainteaser to celebrate Christmas and to get customers excited for the big day.

Commenting on the brainteaser, Faisal Bhatti, Chief Operations Officer at Toff London said: 'With Christmas right around the corner, we wanted to help spread some festive cheer with a tricky brainteaser that the whole family can get involved with.'

So, are you any closer to finding the answer? Scroll down and find the answer in the circled image.

The answer is revealed in the circle, with the cane facing in the opposite direction

Elsewhere, MIST has shared an equally infuriating brainteaser.

Whilst most Brits are relaxing and getting tucked in bed before the big day, Santa's workshop is in disarray.

With only a few hours until midnight, Santa's elves are feeling stressed. There are toys that need to be fixed, gifts that must be wrapped and the Christmas cheer is low in the workshop.

Scroll down for the answer

As chaos hits the workshop, every elf is feeling the stress - except for one. This easy-going elf is embracing the spirit of Christmas, and working to get the job done whilst not letting the pressure get to them

As chaos hits the workshop, every elf is feeling the stress - except for one. This easy-going elf is embracing the spirit of Christmas, and working to get the job done whilst not letting the pressure get to them.

Can you spot the one cheery elf in Santa's stressful workshop? The current record to beat is 1 minute - how did you do?

Scroll down to find the only elf with a happy smile on his face.

Did you spot the one cheery elf (circled) in Santa's stressful workshop? The current record to beat is 1 minute - how did you do?

Meanwhile Feel Good Contacts have just launched their Christmas brainteasers for the festive season.

They boast an average time taken of 20 seconds to solve these puzzles - so can you beat this score?

In today's puzzle, the retailer challenges you to find the doe among the reindeer in this Christmas inspired scene - scroll down for the answer, but no cheating!

In the first puzzle, the retailer challenges you to find the doe among the reindeer in this Christmas inspired scene - scroll down for the answer, but no cheating!

The scene sees dozens of reindeer clearly identifiable by their antlers, some leaping and some grazing in a forest.

But there is one lone doe in the scene, which you may spot as it doesn't have antlers.

Focus your attention on the top half of the picture and you may spot it - otherwise keep scrolling to reveal the answer.

The doe can be seen circled in the top left-hand corner, standing under the tree and surrounded by reindeer

And elsewhere only the most eagle-eyed participants can spot the Christmas tree hidden within the festive-themed scene in this tricky seek-and-find puzzle.

The brainteaser, by UK-based 247 Blinds, challenges you to find the item between plenty of leaves and flowers.

Putting puzzlers' observation skills to the test, the vibrant graphic is packed with details to confuse the eye.

Only the most eagle-eyed participants can spot the Christmas tree hidden within the festive-themed scene in this tricky seek-and-find puzzle (pictured)

To top it off, all the surrounding features are in similar shades of green, meaning the matching Christmas tree is well camouflaged.

But if you're struggling, concentrate your attention towards the bottom right of the busy image.

Give up? Scroll down to find the well-hidden Christmas tree circled.

The Christmas tree was hidden towards the bottom right-hand section of the vibrant puzzle

Meanwhile, this autumnal seek-and-find quiz challenges you to find the hidden hedgehog, but will you be up to the challenge?

British blinds retailer 247 Blinds have created this challenging brainteaser with a seasonal theme to test your attention to detail.

If you're looking for a clue, try focusing your attention on the bottom of the image and you might have more luck. Still struggling? Simply scroll down for the answer.

Scroll down for reveal

Can you find the tiny hedgehog hiding in this leafy scene for a brainteaser created by British blinds retailer 247 Blinds?

To make it harder, the hedgehog is shaped to look like the items that surround him, so that you'll need to have a proper look at the picture to locate him.

Struggling to find the little critter? Focus your attention on the bottom part of the picture.

Giving up or want to check you got it right? You can scroll down to see the answer.

If you want some more, try your hand at more tricky brainteasers below!
A 22-year-old woman who is 'stuck' inside the body of a little girl is documenting her struggle to be treated as an adult despite her appearance in the new TLC reality series 'I Am Shauna Rae.'

Shauna Rae's stunted growth was a side effect of her surviving brain cancer as an infant. At 3 feet, 10 inches tall, she is the average height of an eight-year-old and is frequently mistaken for a child.

'If you were to look at me, you would think I'm just a normal little girl, doing normal little girl things with my fun, crazy family,' she says in the trailer for her new show, which premieres on January 11.

Scroll down for video

Shauna Rae is a 22-year-old woman who is 'stuck' in the body of a child after cancer treatment stunted her growth

She is documenting her struggle to lead a normal adult life in the new TLC reality series 'I Am Shauna Rae,' which premieres on January 11

At 3 feet, 10 inches tall, she is the average height of an eight-year-old and is frequently mistaken for a child

'But the truth is I'm not a little girl. I'm a woman, a 22-year-old woman stuck in the body of an eight-year-old.'

Shauna was six months old when she was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer and underwent chemotherapy.

'My pituitary gland was rendered almost dormant because of the chemotherapy,' she explains. 'The doctor told me I was done growing. My bones were fused, and my height is 3 feet and 10 inches.'

The docuseries follows Shauna as she attempts to go to bars, get a tattoo, and work out at a gym. During each instance, she is mistaken for a child.

Shauna was six months old when she was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer and underwent chemotherapy that stunted her growth

'My pituitary gland was rendered almost dormant because of the chemotherapy,' she explains in the show's trailer. 'The doctor told me I was done growing'

Shauna's mom tearfully admits that she feels 'almost guilty' that she will struggle for the rest of her life because of her appearance

Shauna feels her parents are too overprotective and is trying to assert her independence

Her youthful appearance has also made dating extremely difficult.

'My relationship status is single,' she says. 'I attract creeps, a**holes, and idiots. It is scary to put myself out there, but you have to put some risk in to get happiness.'

When Shauna meets a blind date, he confesses that he thought he was 'being punked or something' after she walked up and introduced herself.

Shauna's mom tearfully admits in the trailer that it is has been difficult watching her grapple with adulthood.

Shauna has to stand on a chair just to put her makeup on in the bathroom

The trailer shows her being told that children can't sit at the bar when she tries to order a drink

She gets a similar response from a gym employee who also mistakes her for a child

'I feel, I guess, almost guilty that she will have to go through this for the rest of her life,' she says. 'So all I can do is protect her.'

However, Shauna feels her parents are too overprotective. At one point, her father gives her the third degree before she heads to a brewery with friends.

'I do desire more independence from my family because I can't go anywhere without them asking questions,' she says.

When her pals pick her up, she explains that her parents plan on buying her a house with an addition for her to live in.

When she goes in a blind date, the guy admits that he thought he was 'being punked' when she introduced herself

Throughout the trailer, she is seen enjoying some cocktails, just like any other woman her age

'I'm determined to make this year my year to shine,' Shauna says

'No. You have to tell them no,' her friend insists.

The trailer also shows her taking a pole dancing lesson and enjoying some cocktails, just like any other woman her age.

While sipping champagne, she says she has been told she is a 'fun drunk.'

'I don't know if I am ready to let her go, but she needs to be let go,' her mom says.

'I'm determined to make this year my year to shine,' Shauna adds.
The heartwarming generosity of a kind stranger who covered the debts of 150 lay-by orders at a toy store has left thankful customers in tears.

With Christmas only a week away, shoppers visited Toyworld Launceston in Tasmania, Australia to pay for their items, but were baffled after being told it had already been taken care of.

Earlier this month a mystery woman representing a local charity group approached store owner Patrick Williams and offered to pay for the amount of 150 lay-bys.

Mr Williams told Daily Mail Australia he believes the group wanted to 'give something back' to the community, as many families often 'do it tough' during the busy festive season.

And rather than telling the shoppers the 'wonderful news' over the phone, he decided to wait until they came to pick-up the toys in-store.

Toy store owner Patrick Williams (pictured, second from left) was approached by a mystery woman representing a local charity group earlier this month who offered to pay for the amount of 150 lay-by orders

The exact amount given to the store wasn't disclosed but Mr Williams confirmed it was 'well in the thousands'.

'It was a considerable, generous offer and many customers broke down in tears at the counter,' he said.

'We had between 700 and 800 people paying off presents in time for Christmas and so, to make it fair, we needed to put a cap on how much was offered to each lay-by.'

A random draw system was used to select the lucky 150 shoppers whose lay-bys were either partially or fully paid for.

'The response has been wonderful,' Mr Williams said.

He wasn't too surprised at the offer because he's heard of similar kind acts occurring at this time of year.

Another two Toyworld locations in the Queensland regions of Townsville and Gympie have also previously been approached by kind strangers looking to make a similar contribution.

A random draw system was used to select the lucky 150 shoppers whose lay-bys were either partially or fully paid for. Another two Toyworld locations in the Queensland regions of Townsville and Gympie have also previously been approached by kind strangers (Gympie Toyworld pictured)

In Townsville, 20 lay-by items were paid for by an anonymous woman, while in Gympie another mystery woman generously forked out hundreds of dollars to help out struggling shoppers.

The Gympie store owner Lorraine Broadley told news.com.au the employees were 'very uplifted by the generosity' of others.

It comes after every lay-by at Ms Broadley's shop was paid for by an anonymous person last year.
Top Australian furniture brand Koala released a pet bed that sold out in thirty-six hours.

The limited edition $250 'Furbaby' came after years of countless requests from customers and was a natural progression from the brand's world-renowned sofas and mattresses.

Only 120 Furbabys were available for purchase in the country and the release was boosted by Australian influencer Ozzy Man Reviews along with a number of rising petfluencers.

Over 2 million people viewed the social media release event and the video received 40,000 likes and 6,500 shares.

The limited edition $250 'Furbaby' came after years of countless requests from customers

Poll Would you splurge on this pet bed for your furry friend? YES, my pet deserves nothing but the best NO, my bed has enough room for us Would you splurge on this pet bed for your furry friend? YES, my pet deserves nothing but the best 42 votes

NO, my bed has enough room for us 19 votes Now share your opinion





Chief Commercial Officer Rory Costello was shocked by the speedy results. 'We didn't expect this reaction at all,' he said in a press release. 'It's our fastest-selling product.'

When asked about the inspiration behind Koala's unconventional product launch, Costello cited lockdown and a new-found love Australians have for their pets.

'After spending so much time with our pets because of the pandemic, we designed the Furbaby so that your four legged friend can be just as comfortable on their bed as customers are on their award-winning Koala products.'

An instant fan-favourite, the product amassed multiple positive reviews online.

'I can't wait to have matching beds with my dog,' commented an Instagram-user.

Another got into a gifting-mood, 'surely I know someone with a dog who deserves a Christmas present.'

The product features 100% human-quality polyester upholstery, a removable cover that can simply be wiped clean or machine-washed for no-fuss care.

Chief Commercial Officer Rory Costello did not expect the product to become a best-seller

Though Australia's highest-rated mattress brand rolled out the Furbaby as a limited edition product, there's already a petition entitled 'bring back Koala's PET BEDS.'

'Hes not an aspiring dogfluencer or preoccupied with his own TikTok,' wrote petition-starter Sarah Morrison about her Blue Heeler, Toby. 'He is a gentleman of simple things, and he deserves the best sleep he can get.'

'I promised him a pet bed for Christmas,' Morrison went on. 'So Koala, if youre reading this  dont be a Grinch and get your act together. You know what to do.'
A woman has shared her impressive revamp project online after transforming an old horse float into an incredible outdoor bar.

Marcella Merrill's project has wowed the internet with many commending the tremendous effort and creative skills that went into creating the portable party float.

The 'Geaux Mobile Bar' features bar taps, a wooden ledge, candle decorations, fairy lights, windows, doors and is completely functional on wheels.

A women has shared her impressive revamp project online after she transformed an old horse float into an incredible outdoor bar

The 'Geaux Mobile Bar' features bar taps, a wooden ledge, candle decorations, fairy lights, windows, doors and is completely functional on wheels

Marcella from Louisiana also shared online that she transformed the entire front section of the horse float storage bin into a cooler space.

This dedicated cooler space is used to store champagne, beer, wine, mixers and a variety of other beverages.

According to Facebook, horse float transformations are the trending upcycle project as many have revealed online they trailers they've seen done up.

The dedicated cooler space is used to store champagne, beer, wine, mixers and a variety of other beverages

Marcella from Louisiana also shared online that she transformed the entire front section of the horse float storage bin into a cooler space

'I recently saw an old wooden one [horse float] made up for coffee and toasties,' a woman shared online.

'I saw a revamped horse float down by the beach selling cocktails and burgers, such a cool idea,' another said.

Since transforming the horse trailer, Marcella has begun a business where she rents out the portable bar to weddings, parties and other events.

Since transforming the horse trailer, Marcella has begun a business where she rents out the portable bar to weddings, parties and other events

'Now this is what you call a party on wheels,' a woman commented on Facebook

People have flooded Marcella's post with comments of praise and left messages thanking her for the project inspiration

'Now this is what you call a party on wheels,' a woman commented on Facebook.

This is so, so clever and so insanely creative,' another said.
A chef who lost his hand following a high-speed motorcycle crash left BBC viewers heartbroken as he revealed he'd crashed after 'dozing off' after working a 13-hour shift.

Adrian, 51, from Suffolk, was travelling home from work at 70mph and collided with a crash barrier, trapping his arm, losing one third of his circulating blood and critically injuring his forearm and hand.

He appeared on documentary series Surgeons: At the Edge of Life, which aired last night, where plastic and orthopaedic surgeons made the tough decision to amputate Adrian's hand and forearm.

Viewers were left heartbroken at the 'blow for his livelihood and vocation' and his loved ones have started an online fundraiser to help the chef, who has been learning to cook with just his left hand, return to the catering industry.

Adrian, 51, from Suffolk, had his hand and forearm amputated following a high-speed motorcycle crash and appeared on BBC2 documentary series Surgeons: At the Edge of Life

Adrian was rushed to the major trauma unit at Addenbrookes hospital in the early hours of the morning after crashing his motorbike at 70mph into a crash barrier on his way home from a 13-hour shift working as a chef

'Absolutely gutted for Adrian on #surgeons. Utterly life-changing, and a blow for his livelihood and vocation. Really hoping he found fulfilling ways to keep working in the food industry after his injury', wrote one viewer.

'Adrian seems positive about his future. I wish him all the very best', commented a second viewer.

'This is just incredible tonight. Gruesome, but such skill. These medics are just awe inspiring', said a third.

Last night's documentary series followed the major trauma unit at Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge, where staff are up against the clock to treat critically injured patients.

Viewers were left heartbroken at the 'blow for his livelihood and vocation' and his loved ones have started an online fundraiser to help the chef

Adrian was rushed to hospital in the early hours of the morning after crashing his motorbike at 70mph into a crash barrier on his way home from a 13-hour shift working as a chef.

During the collision he trapped his arm between the crash barrier and impaled his abdomen with a piece of metal, loosing a third of his circulating blood.

Adrian was in a critical condition when he arrived in the trauma departments resus bay with potential internal haemorrhaging along with the threat of losing a limb.

Adrians condition is serious. He is very unstable, hes at a real risk of dying. We could lose him in the emergency department, said Dr Mariam Imam, Specialty Registrar in Emergency Medicine.

Led by Dr Imam, a specialist major trauma team rapidly assembled to assess the external damage - checking his breathing, life threatening injuries and whether he needs urgent surgery - while inserting intravenous lines and giving Adrian fluid while assessing his pain.

Led by Dr Mariam Imam (pictured), a specialist major trauma team rapidly assembled to assess the external damage - checking his breathing, life threatening injuries and whether he needs urgent surgery - while inserting intravenous lines and giving Adrian fluid while assessing his pain

Adrian was in a critical condition when he arrived in the trauma departments resus bay with potential internal haemorrhaging along with the threat of losing a limb

'The first few minutes tying to stabilise a trauma patient is pretty much detective work, said Dr Imam. 'Finding out clues as to what might be going on and what life-threatening injuries he might have.

'Adrian has lost a third of his circulating blood volume, my instant concern is for his chest and abdomen he could be bleeding to death from those places and we can't see it, every second counts in those situations'.

Adrian was given blood and a cocktail of pain relief drugs before being sent to CT to see if the metal had pierced any vital organs during his crash, which a scan quickly ruled out.

All attention then turned to his arm and hand, the most likely source of his heavy blood loss, which has been so badly injured doctors feared he would likely lose the limb.

Adrian was brought back to resus where an orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in bones and joints was called to assess the damage to his arm, enlisting the plastic surgery team to help explore the extent of the damage.

Adrian was given blood and a cocktail of pain relief drugs before being sent to CT to see if the metal had pierced any vital organs during his crash, which a scan quickly ruled out

After determining that there is decent blood supply to the hand, Adrians limb was stabilised until he can undergo further surgery.

'The hand is a bit like a Swiss watch inside, there are many moving arts, with these kind of cases, one tries to make order out of disorder with the options that are available at the time', said plastic and hand surgeon Alex Reid.

While waiting in the critical care unit, Adrian recalled his accident: 'I'd been at work for 12 or 13 hours and it was the last day before my day off and I dozed off.

'I woke up finding myself actually heading side on to the crash barrier, I remember the ambulance coming and taking my jacket away.

'The pain I was in was unreal. You could sense that the blood was pumping out of your arm.

While waiting in the critical care unit for his second surgery, Adrian recalled his accident, saying: 'I'd been at work for 12 or 13 hours and it was the last day before my day off and I dozed off'

Adrian's second surgery began with the doctor opening up a narrow tunnel in Adrian's wrist, through which tendons and nerves run into his hand

'I'm a chef', he added. 'Very passionate, always have been from the days of working in France, so yeah. I'm constantly working with my hands.'

Forty-eight hours later, he was brought back to theatre with consultant plastic and hand surgeon Ian Grant to discover if there was enough nerves, functioning tissue and blood vessels in Adrian's forearm to allow it to be reconstructed.

The surgery began with the doctor opening up a narrow tunnel in Adrian's wrist, through which tendons and nerves run into his hand.

While both the vital median and ulnar nerve were in tact and there was blood flow into the hand, Ian found that tissue in Adrian's hand had started to die.

'You cannot keep dead tissue, dead tissue has to go If you leave it it can be a focus of infection', said Grant. 'He could get sick and he could get sick very quickly.'

Adrian spent eight months in hospital with the occupational therapy team learning to cook with just his left hand

He found that the small muscles which allow Adrian to flex individual joints in his fingers, the bones surrounding them, and the soft tissue were dead, leading to the decision that reconstructive surgery was not an option.

Twelve days after his motorbike accident, Adrian had his hand and forearm amputated and spent eight months in hospital with the occupational therapy team learning to cook with just his left hand.

'The first session was lets get on with it', said Adrian. 'Id like to think the future will look bright and im certainly determined to ensure that it is'.

Now, eleven weeks on from his accident, friends of Adrian have set up a GoFundMe to help him get back on his feet, revealing he's had his first consultation to be fitted with a prosthetic hand.

Adrian is hoping to return to catering and is considering a job lecturing and teaching the next generation of chefs.
The Queen's Sandringham Christmas 'continues to be under review' and senior royals have agreed to cancel their festive plans in the run-up to December 25th to ensure they can be with the monarch for it, sources have claimed.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Charles and Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and wife Sophie have agreed to reduce all but essential contacts ahead of the big day, according to The Mirror.

Their decision comes after the Queen, 95, cancelled her annual Royal Family Christmas lunch next Tuesday 'with regret' as a 'precaution' to try to save her loved ones' festive plans, amid fears over the rapid spread of the Omicron Covid variant.

Her Majesty was planning to welcome 50 or so relatives, including Prince Charles and Camilla, to the event at Windsor Castle next week, and the decision to axe the party was made because too many people's Christmas arrangements were at risk if it went ahead.

It is MailOnlines understanding that there are no immediate plans for staff to form a Covid bubble with the Queen as they did last year, because the situation is constantly changing.

However, insiders have suggested that the monarch will continue staying at Windsor over the Christmas period rather than going to Sandringham because she already has a secure set up.

The Queen's (pictured this week) Sandringham trip 'continues to be under review' and senior royals have agreed to cancel their festive plans in the run-up to December 25th to ensure they can be with the monarch on Christmas Day, sources have claimed

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (pictured with Princess Charlotte and Prince George at Sandringham on December 25, 2019), Prince Charles and Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and wife Sophie have agreed to reduce all but essential contacts ahead of the big day, according to The Mirror

One day after the festive lunch, the Queen was due to travel by helicopter to Sandringham in Norfolk, where she hopes to spend Christmas day.

However, the Queen 'with regret' cancelled her family lunch as a 'precautionary' measure, feeling that too many people's Christmas arrangements were at risk if it went ahead.

Royal sources said 'there is a belief that it is the right thing to do for all concerned.'

Dickie Arbiter, the Queens former press secretary, told The Sun: The luncheon is very important to the Queen because it is the one time of the year when the whole extended family gets together.

Having cancelled this lunch Id be very surprised if she decamped and took her family to Sandringham. Windsor has been a secure bubble since the start of the pandemic.

The Queen leads by example and expects the rest of the family to follow suit. In this very infectious time it is better to be safe than sorry.

It marks the second year the Queen has cancelled the luncheon, usually held at Buckingham Palace. Last year she called off the lunch when tougher restrictions were brought in amid the surge of the Delta Covid strain.

The decision came as millions of Britons axed their festive plans so they can see family on Christmas Day after Boris Johnson and Chris Whitty triggered a 'tsunamis of cancellations' for pubs and restaurants by urging the country only to socialise if necessary - and not in large groups or with strangers.

Their decision comes after the Queen (pictured with several senior royals in March 2020), 95, cancelled her annual Royal Family Christmas lunch on Tuesday 'with regret' as a 'precaution' to try to save her loved ones' festive plans, amid fears over the rapid spread of the Omicron Covid variant

The annual Christmas lunch was due to be held at Windsor Castle (pictured) this year, instead of the usual Buckingham Palace

Elsewhere, royal sources told the Mirror that while there is obvious uncertainty as to how Christmas will look exactly, the senior royals are determined to be by the Queens side.

They said one alternative is spending Christmas at her Windsor Castle home, where she has stayed for most of the pandemic.

Family members invited will reportedly have to take Covid tests on the days leading up to any celebrations and on Christmas Day.

A royal source said: In terms of plans for Christmas, everything is up in the air. Senior members of the family have spoken with each other and cut back on all but essential contacts in public so they are ready to travel to be with the Queen wherever Christmas can take place.

As she has acted throughout the pandemic, the Queen will do what she feels is right in the current circumstances which are ever changing.

Meanwhile, sources close to the Queen told Vanity Fair that she is still hopeful that a family Christmas at Sandringham will go ahead, even if its with fewer guests.

The intention is to go to Sandringham for a family Christmas, but that might look a bit different and it may well be a much smaller family affair, the royal source said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a media briefing in Downing Street, Londo

Prince Charles and Camilla will be going to Sandringham on Christmas Eve while Prince William and Kate are expected on December 25th, alongside the Wessexes, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew and his daughters.

This year's annual Christmas lunch in Windsor would have seen the family brought together in the largest reunion since the Duke of Edinburgh's death in April.

While three of her four new grandchildren - August, Lucas and Siena - had been expected to attend the lunch, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and their son Archie and newborn Lilibet, also born this year, were remaining in the US.

The Queen is currently residing in Windsor Castle, where she remains on 'light duties' following multiple health scares in recent weeks.

An ITV film crew recorded the Queen's Christmas Day address several weeks ago.

The Mail reported last week that palace aides were also exploring options for the monarch to appear in public in the run up to December 25 to wish the country a very happy Christmas.

Although photographs and videos have been released by Buckingham Palace of the sovereign undertaking in-person and virtual audiences with foreign ambassadors, dignitaries and the Prime Minister, all meetings have taken place behind palace walls.

The hope is that the Queen will be well enough to take part in a short public engagement in the castle grounds. Her appearance will be seen as a 'small shot of joy' in difficult times.

'It won't be a normal Christmas, but like many families around the country, it will be as normal as it can get,' a source said.

The Queen was last seen in public at a Windsor Castle reception on October 19. The next day, she cancelled a trip to Northern Ireland and was taken to hospital overnight for undisclosed 'preliminary tests'.

She was ordered to rest for several weeks and since then has undertaken a small number of low-key engagements, including recording a video message for the Cop26 summit.

It comes as many people across the country started voluntarily self-isolating in a bid to avoid having to isolate on December 25 if they test positive for Covid.

Prof Whitty said that a rise in Omicron hospitalisations is 'nailed on' after cases hit a record high, telling a televised No 10 press briefing: 'I think that what most people are doing is  and I would think this seems very sensible  is prioritising the social interactions that really matter to them and, to project those ones, de-prioritising ones that matter much less to them.'

And after weeks of refusing to admit Christmas plans could be under threat, Mr Johnson told the country to cut back on Christmas partying and 'think carefully' before going out during the festive season.

The Independent SAGE group of scientists and medics called for an immediate 10-day 'circuit-breaker' shutdown, with bans on households mixing and the closure of hospitality firms. They accused the Prime Minister of 'delaying' from imposing tighter controls and said the time for 'emergency action' had now come.
Kate Middleton has been 'really, really upset' about the royal family's estrangement from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, a source has claimed.

Rumours of a rift between the Duke of Sussex, 37, and the royal family have been circulating since before Megxit, with relations taking a further blow following Harry and Meghan's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March this year.

Meanwhile Prince William and Harry are said to have barely spoken and have an 'incredibly strained' relationship after two years of rows over Harry's wife and her alleged treatment of staff, the couple's decision to emigrate to America and the 'truth bombs' the Sussexes have dropped in TV interviews watched by tens of millions of people around the world.

Speaking to People magazine, insiders claimed the Duchess had found seeing the Duke of Cambridge, 39, 'distraught' over the estrangement had been 'tough', adding: 'Everything with Harry and Meghan has been hugely stressful, but if anything, it's pulled [her and William] closer together.'



Kate Middleton, 39, has been 'really, really upset' about the fall-out with Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan Markle, 40, this year, a source has claimed

During an explosive chat with Oprah Winfrey in March, Meghan claimed Kate made her cry before she married Prince Harry as the couple dropped a series of 'truth bombs' including saying there was 'concern' over Archie's skin colour.

When Harry was reunited with his family just weeks later at his grandfather Prince Philip's funeral, Kate was the first member of the family to be seen chatting to him - and was even spotted holding back in a bid to reunite him with brother, Prince William.

At the time, Kate's uncle Gary Goldsmith said his niece was 'trying to mediate' and bring peace to the royals after Prince Harry's nuclear truth-bombing.

Gary Goldsmith, 56, who is brother to Kate's mother Carole, described the Duchess as a 'brilliant arbiter and peacemaker' and insisted she was doing everything she could to make things right between her husband and his brother.

Prince William and Harry are said to have barely spoken and have an 'incredibly strained' relationship after two years of rows over Harry's wife Meghan

Meanwhile, sources have claimed that Duchess of Cornwall is unlikely to ever forgive her stepson Prince Harry for their actions since stepping back as senior royals in March last year.

Harry has addressed his relationship with his father in several interviews throughout the year - after first opening up about it in a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March where he claimed he has been 'let down' by Prince Charles.

Writing in The Telegraph, royal expert Camilla Tominey reported that a source close to Camilla has said that even though Buckingham Palace is conveying the message that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are still loved by the family, the Duchess of Cornwall will struggle to move on.

Another source claimed that Prince Charles was deeply affected by the reported fall out with Prince Harry and that it had been 'really hard for him.'

The source said that the Cambridges have found 'everything with Harry and Meghan' has been 'hugely stressful' but has 'pulled Kate and William closer together'

The latest comments come amid speculation that Harry and Meghan, 40, will not be spending Christmas with the rest of the Royal Family.

Instead, it is thought the Sussexes may spend the holidays in their 11 million mansion in the Californian enclave of Montecito.

According to reports, the couple turned down an invitation to spend the festive period with the Queen and other family member, because they wanted to avoid the media scrutiny such a trip could trigger.

A royal source told Page Six: 'There's a lot that goes into the logistics and the planning of the family Christmas, so of course, staff know that Harry and Meghan are not coming. If they were, they would have communicated it to their family by now.

'But this is Her Majesty's first Christmas without her husband, so one would have hoped they would want to be with her.'

As well as losing her spouse of 73 years, Prince Philip, the monarch, 95, has also suffered with several health problems which forced her to miss events recently - including Remembrance Sunday commemorations last month - often considered to be one the most important dates in her diary.
Kate Middleton appeared to pay tribute to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana with her choice of outfit to host her Christmas carol concert.

The Duchess of Cambridge, 39, sported a festive red 1,350 cardigan with a white collar from Miu Miu as she appeared in the first trailer for Royal Carols - Together At Christmas.

With its vibrant scarlet colour, black and white polkadot style pattern and white collar, the look was remarkably similar to the Princess of Wales' 'black sheep jumper'.

The late Diana famously wore the knit, created by Joanna Osborne and Sally Muir's Warm and Wonderful, in 1981 at the Guards Polo Club at Smith's Lawn in Windsor and again in 1983.

The Duchess of Cambridge, 39, sported a festive red 1,350 cardigan with a white collar from Miu Miu as she appeared in the first trailer for Royal Carols - Together At Christmas (right). With its vibrant scarlet colour, black and white polkadot style pattern and white collar, the look was remarkably similar to the Princess of Wales' 'black sheep jumper' (left)

The Duchess beamed in new photos released this morning ahead of the Westminster Abbey concert, which will be broadcast on Christmas Eve on ITV.

Sporting her hair in a soft 'bronde' wave, the royal opted for a natural make-up look for the concert and looked delighted as she sat in pews at the famous abbey where she married Prince William in 2011.

Her red knit features a sweet Peter Pan collar and is made of super soft cashmere.

Meanwhile it features a distinctive white and black pattern across the bodice.

Kate's look echoed a style worn by Lady Diana Spencer, who donned a similar patterned jumper to attend several events in the 1980s

Kate's look echoed a style worn by Lady Diana Spencer, who donned a similar patterned jumper to attend several events in the 1980s.

The playful knit  featuring rows of white sheep and a single black sheep on a red background  caused quite a stir when the royal bride-to-be, newly engaged to Prince Charles, wore it with jeans to a polo match in the summer of 1981.

Diana's jumper was apparently a gift from the mother of one of the princess' page boys at her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981.

Many believed Princess Diana's infamous 'black sheep' jumper cheekily hinted at her feelings of being an outsider in the Royal family.

The playful knit  featuring rows of white sheep and a single black sheep on a red background  caused quite a stir when the royal wore it to several polo matches

If her outfit raised eyebrows among courtiers that day, it caused even more of a kerfuffle in the tiny London knitwear shop owned by Joanna Osborne and Sally Muir, whose humble design was about to go global.

The jumper became a Sloane Ranger staple and even found its way into the wardrobes of David Bowie, Tippi Hedren and Penelope Keith.

Eventually, it fell out of fashion and the duo stopped making it in 1994.

However Princess Diana's 'black sheep' jumper garnered attention again thanks to the fourth series of The Crown, which focused on the early romance between Prince Charles, played by Josh OConnor, 30, and Diana, played by Emma Corrin, 24.

And as such, Warm & Wonderful released the jumper again which is available to pre-order for $295 (250) on American fashion brand Rowing Blazers under the name of 'women's original "Diana" sheep sweater'.

The Duchess donned a scarlet Catherine Walker coat as she arrived to host a Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey last week

Showing off her maternal side! Kate could be seen sharing a candle with Mila Sneddon, 6, ahead of the Together At Christmas community carol service

With a keen eye for detail, Kate often references Princess Diana with her style choices.

In September, mother-of-three Kate dazzled at the James Bond No Time to Die premiere in a custom Jenny Packham embellished gown - which is usually priced at 2,800. Featuring cape sleeve detailing and structured shoulders, she teamed her dress with bespoke 290 Onitaa earrings - which were made in Pakistan by the South Asian luxury couture label.

Kate's choice of dress was extremely reminiscent of a similar outfit worn by Princess Diana in 1985 for the premiere of the James Bond film A View to Kill.

What a show! Stunning pictures show Leona Lewis is a sparkling festive number being watched on by famous attendees

In May, the Duchess sported a 59.99 Zara blazer and 95.00 pleated midi skirt by Hope Fashion in the colour of the Scottish flag which drew a striking similarity to a look the Princess of Wales donned nearly three decades ago for a day of royal duties in Nottingham.

The trailer for Kate's carol service also shows celebrity performers including Leona Lewis, Ellie Goulding and Tom Walker. It also features a clip of presenter Kate Garraway speaking at Westminster Abbey concert - which was filmed on 8th December.

The service has been developed with BBC Studios Events Productions but will be broadcast on ITV at 7.30pm on Christmas Eve as part of a special programme called Royal Carols: Together At Christmas.

Prince William and Kate reportedly dropped the BBC as the broadcaster for their Christmas special in the wake of the two-part series The Princes and the Press, which was criticised by the Queen, Prince Charles and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for giving credibility to 'overblown and unfounded claims' about the Royal Family.
The final of the Miss World competition has been cancelled after dozens of beauty queens were struck down with Covid-19.

The prestigious beauty pageant was due to take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Thursday, presented by Peter Andre.

But just hours before the 70th final was due to begin organisers announced it was to be postponed after 23 of the 97 contestants tested positive for coronavirus.

Miss England Rehema Muthamia, 25, said she was devastated by the news having reached the top 30 of the final.

The final of the Miss World competition has been cancelled after dozens of beauty queens were struck down with Covid-19. Miss England Rehema Muthamia (pictured), 25, said she was devastated by the news having reached the top 30 of the final.

Rehema, from north west London, said: 'We are all devastated to have come this far. We had the most amazing final show rehearsed for the 70th Miss World.

'For this to happen on the day of the event was a shock to us all. But safety must come first.

'I've already had the most incredible opportunity to take part and I'm grateful to have had the chance to make friends from all over the world.

'I've also had a wonderful experience in Puerto Rico.

'I'm just hoping my boss will allow me to have more time off to participate and return in the next 90 days as I've already taken over six weeks off work and taken all my leave.'

Angie Beasley, director of Miss England flew out to support Rehema, who had spent the last month in Puerto Rico practicing for the final.

Rehema, from north west London, said: 'We are all devastated to have come this far. We had the most amazing final show rehearsed for the 70th Miss World'. She is pictured with Miss Ireland Pamela Uba

Rahema had already reached the top 30 in the Miss World contest after being chosen as one of the top six Beauty with a Purpose Charity winners.

Angie added: 'We feel so disappointed for the contestants after so much effort and preparation.

'I know Rehema's family arrived two days ago and were so looking forward to seeing her have her special moment on stage.

'As travellers need to show proof of double vaccination and proof of their PCR test before travelling, I was sure it was relatively safe to travel.

'Lots of other international events have taken part safely. It's the first time I've personally travelled anywhere for three years.

'It just goes to show Covid will find a way of getting in, even in the most safe environments.

'I heard everyone at Miss World where being tested daily and had been wearing masks.

Rehema Muthamia, 25, was crowned Miss England in a glittering ceremony in Coventry in August

'My thoughts are with those who now have to isolate here and can't travel home for Christmas.

'I sincerely hope the Miss World organisers and contestants affected will recover and are able to travel home safely very soon.'

Miss World said the contest was cancelled for the health and safety of the contestants and will be rearranged and held within the next 90 days.

Julia Morley, CEO of Miss World, added: 'After meeting with the virologists and medical experts hired to oversee the Miss World 2021 event and discussing with the Puerto Rico Health Department, the decision has been made by the organizers of the event to postpone the globally broadcast finale at the Puerto Rico Coliseum Jose Miguel Agrelot to be held within the next 90 days.

Rahema had already reached the top 30 in the Miss World contest after being chosen as one of the top six Beauty with a Purpose Charity winners.

'As of yesterday, additional safety measures were implemented in the best interest of the contestants, production team and spectators, understanding the event increased risks on the stage and in the dressing room.

'However, after additional positive cases were confirmed this morning after consulting with health officials and experts, the postponement decision was made.

'The next step according to the medical experts is immediate quarantine, pending observation and further testing according to best practices in situations like this.

'Once and only when contestants and staff are cleared by health officials and advisors, will contestants and related staff return to their home countries.

'We are very much looking forward to the return of our contestants, who we have grown to know and love, to compete for the Miss World crown.'
BBC podcast presenter Deborah James, who has incurable cancer, has said she is looking for 'magic medicine miracle' after her liver stent failed.

The former deputy head teacher turned cancer campaigner, 40, from London, a mother-of-two, has been living with stage four bowel cancer since she was diagnosed in December 2016, and was told early on that she might not live beyond five years.

Earlier this summer, she was told she had an aggressive new tumour that had wrapped itself around her bile duct - requiring a life-saving stay in hospital - and a stent fitted to stop her liver from failing.

However posting on Instagram last night, she said she felt she was 'on a London hospital tour', and explained how the stent 'stopped working'.

She explained having a 'quick replacement operation' had turned into a 'nightmare', adding: 'I'm now at the mercy of hopefully some super 'magic medicine miracle' - but then I always have been, and any chance is a chance right? All I ever say Is all I want is hope and options.'

BBC podcast presenter Deborah James, 40, who has incurable cancer, has said she is looking for 'magic medicine miracle' after her liver stent failed

Posting a snap from the car park of a hospital, she wrote: 'Plan B bile stent operation wasn't an option either, so I'm now back to the Marsden asap to look at Plan C! Or D or Z if there is one!

'Just to clarify - about 6 months ago I needed a bile stent to keep my liver draining.

'Despite feeling actually the best I have done in a while, we could see this was beginning to stop working (as they often do), but unfortunately what was supposed to be a quick replacement operation turned into a nightmare.

'Mainly due to cancer changes in that area, meaning it's no longer straight forward to just get my plumbing working!

Posting on Instagram last night, she said she felt she was 'on a London hospital tour', and explained how the stent 'stopped working'

'So I now have no stent, and desperately need some out of the box quick thinking!'

She continued: 'At about 4pm today I really thought all hope was lost, But luckily a few chats later with my oncologist, and just talking through what pathways we can try is all I need.

'To be given a realistic glimmer of them is enough to help me keep the faith. So I'm not sure what my next steps look like, but as always it's one at a time.

'It's all rather ironic that on this same night, five years ago I was desperately wondering how I'd put one foot in front of another when I heard the words 'you have cancer'.

The mother-of-two spent weeks this autumn recovering from an infection, after she was rushed to hospital with a fever

'If there's one thing I've learnt over five years - its that somehow you can keep walking, even when it's scary, but you must always keep the faith.'

The mother-of-two has spent the last few months recovering from an infection, after she was rushed to hospital with a fever.

She shared an update on Instagram last month, writing: 'Apologies for being quiet on here but it turns out Im pretty ill at the moment. All your messages have brought a smile to my face at a really tough time.'

She continued: 'Im using all my energy to recover and today is the first day Ive felt able to give you an update.

The social media star has documented her battle with cancer online since being diagnosed and campaigned for better awareness around bowel cancer diagnosis

'Despite so desperately wanting a break from these hideous cancer treatment side effects, it seemed my body had other ideas.

'On Wednesday I was admitted with what we now know was another septic infection. I was so ill my incredible husband had to blue light me quickly to A&E.

'This time all my Bowel issues have come to ahead and Im currently dealing with a condition called infectious colitis. Essentially I have a bacterial gut infection that is causing colitis - (Bowel inflammation) and is also in my blood stream.

'I never knew you could poo so much in the space of 5 minutes! And I look about 8 months pregnant! Im being looked after well, pumped continually full of antibiotics and fluids but of course feel incredibly weak and tired from no sleep.'

Last month she revealed how she was rushed to A&E after experiencing 'spiking 40 degree temperatures' on Tuesday (pictured)

She added: 'Whilst Ive always wanted to show every side of cancer, right now living through this all is hard and isnt something I want even my kids to be witness to.

'Im just getting through it day by day, second by second and my family have been incredible at rallying around to support.

'Im making slow progress and hoping things continue to improve.'

BOWEL CANCER: THE SYMPTOMS YOU SHOULDN'T IGNORE Bowel, or colorectal, cancer affects the large bowel, which is made up of the colon and rectum. Such tumours usually develop from pre-cancerous growths, called polyps. Symptoms include: Bleeding from the bottom

Blood in stools

A change in bowel habits lasting at least three weeks

Unexplained weight loss

Extreme, unexplained tiredness

Abdominal pain Most cases have no clear cause, however, people are more at risk if they: Are over 50

Have a family history of the condition

Have a personal history of polyps in their bowel

Suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease

Lead an unhealthy lifestyle Treatment usually involves surgery, and chemo- and radiotherapy. More than nine out of 10 people with stage one bowel cancer survive five years or more after their diagnosis. This drops significantly if it is diagnosed in later stages. According to Bowel Cancer UK figures, more than 41,200 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK. It affects around 40 per 100,000 adults per year in the US, according to the National Cancer Institute. Advertisement

Thanking fans for support, she added: 'Keep telling those close to you that you love them. Having good health is such a blessing - never take it for granted.'

The Instagram post came just days after she revealed her chemotherapy is working.

The podcast host, who admitted she has suffered the 'hardest three months' of her life, posted on social media and indicated her battle with the disease had turned a corner, revealing: 'MY CHEMO IS WORKING! Words, I wanted to hear, but didn't allow myself to think might happen.'

She continued: 'I think I've been preparing for the worst actually. I have to say waiting for these scan results has been incredibly hard. In my head I've gone to hell and back.

'These are the first scans since my previous drugs stopped working, my liver packed up, and I got sepsis.

'We started me back on what was my first line 'nuclear chemo' and it's fair to say it's floored me.

'Despite the snippets of smiles and glam dresses I choose to share here (because they are the moments in my day that make me smile), behind closed doors this has been the hardest 3 months since my diagnosis physically (and mentally).'

She revealed doctors have said she is 'stable', adding: ' Essentially the cancer that was rapidly growing and causing my liver to fail, has been halted at least temporarily.

'And my lymnodes are even shrinking! Am I cured? No. Will I ever be - No. Do I still have active cancer - sadly yes.

'But this buys me more time. At least until my next scan!'

Adding she is 'on her knees' after having intensive chemotherapy for years, she said: 'I'm of course over the moon by this news, and know how close I am to have receiving the other side of the coin.

'But it hasn't really sunk in because I've had my head down the loo for the last 3 days due to chemo and been asleep minus the fleeting windows of prancing you might see!'

She finished the post by writing: 'But cheers to the blessing of another day, another chance, more options, and more life I didn't think I'd see! One day at a time!'

In April, James shared that her cancer, which has been kept at bay by pioneering treatment, was back again and she was forced to endure a 12th operation.

In December 2016, the West London mother-of-two, a deputy head, was diagnosed 'late' with incurable bowel cancer.

She has frequently said that as a vegetarian runner, she was the last person doctors expected to get the disease.

After sharing her experiences on living with the disease on social media, Deborah became known as the 'Bowel Babe' and began writing a column for the Sun.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall got festive today as they posed in their London home to promote Age UK.

The royal couple sported formal attire as they urged the public not to forget about elderly people who could be lonely this Christmas.

Opting for a suave navy suit, the heir, 73, stood next to their brightly lit Christmas tree with Camilla by his side in their home.

Camilla, 74, opted for a black tweed cropped jacket with cuffed sleeves and a simple black skirt with black knee high boots.

The royal couple asked the public to turn on their lights in remembrance of the elderly who may be lonely at Christmas, and donate to Age UK

Posting from their joint instagram account, Clarence House, the couple wrote: 'This Christmas, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall encourage you to remember your older friends and relatives over the festive season.'

'Did you know almost 1.5 million older people feel more lonely at Christmas than any other time of year?'

'@age_uk and The Silver Lines #BrighterChristmas campaign supports those who may be lonely this year.'

Age UK is Britain's leading charity for vulnerable elderly people, who help alleviate loneliness within the older population.

'The Prince is Patron of Age UK, a charity that supports older people throughout the UK, and The Duchess is Patron of The Silver Line, which provides a 24 hour helpline for older people to call for information, support or just a friendly chat.'

It comes after the Duchess of Cornwall showed her festive side on Tuesday as she welcomed seriously ill children to Clarence House for a 'magical' Christmas treat .

Camilla sported a white coat dress, her signature black boots and fetching owl broach as she opened the doors of her London home to ten excited youngsters from Helen & Douglas House children's hospice and Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity.

The children were invited to decorate her Christmas tree, enjoy a lunch of sausages and mash - served up by the royal herself - and treated to festive tunes by the Band of the Welsh Guards.

There was also a very special surprise in the form of a video message from children's television star Mr Tumble - and even a royally-approved goodie bag to take home.

The duchess has held the festive gathering for the last 16 years but was bitterly disappointed to be forced to do it virtually last December due to lockdown.

The Duchess of Cornwall proved she welcomed seriously-ill children to Clarence House for a 'magical' Christmas treat today. She is pictured helping a little boy try on a bearkin

Putting the star up! Camilla had some assistance from Captian Ed Andresen of the Welsh Guards to put star on top of the tree

This year, after careful consultation with the charities, they decided to go ahead with it in person again amid strict Covid protocol, including lateral flow tests for all those involved.

'It wasn't the same without you' smiled Camilla as the doors opened the the youngsters came in, one by one.

She added to reporters: 'It's just magical to have them here. Such a special, special event for me. It makes my year.'

They were greeted by her equerry, Captain Edward Andersen of the Welsh Guards, resplendent in his bearskin, who invited the first child, Nathan Best, ten to pick a decoration, before placing it on his sword and attempting to place it on the tree.

'This is Ed here,' explained the duchess, sporting an elegant cream dress.

'He's going to help you decorate the tree. And if you ask really nicely, he might let you try on his bearskin. '

The duchess has held the festive gathering for the last 16 years but was bitterly disappointed to be forced to do it virtually last December due to lockdown

This year, after careful consultation with the charities, they decided to go ahead with it in person again amid strict Covid protocol, including lateral flow tests for all those involved

Duchess of Cornwall, with assistance from Captian Ed Andresen of the Welsh Guards, invites children to help decorate the Clarence House Christmas Tree

Nathan, from Bambury, Oxfordshire, who suffers from Prader-Willi syndrome and other complex medical disorders, placed the first decoration on himself and then watched intently as Captain Andersen tried to place his decoration on for him - failing at his first attempt but managing on his second. 'This is a tricky one!' he laughed.

Oscar Richards, seven, who suffers from severe epilepsy, shyly asked to try on Captain Andresen's bearskin.

Camilla eagerly grabbed it from his head band placed it on Oscar's.

'Is that quite heavy?' she asked. 'There we are!'

Ahuoyiza Okino, ten, who has sickle cell and was with her Roald Dhal nurse, Elizabeth Joshua-John, wanted to go one better - and asked to use Captain Andersen's sword herself.

He and Camilla carefully accompanied her to the tree. 'Oooh, careful, there you go,' said Camilla.

Spotting another little boy eyeing up the bearskin, Camilla introduced him to her equerry.

The children were greeted by her equerry, Captain Edward Andersen of the Welsh Guards, resplendent in his bearskin, who invited the first child, Nathan Best, ten to pick a decoration, before placing it on his sword and attempting to place it on the tree. Pictured are guests speaking to Camilla

Camilla walked around handing out plates of food herself as the children tucked in. Her private secretary then told their guests they had a very special surprise - a personal video message from children's television legend Mr Tumble himself

Ready to protect the Queen! One little boy tried on a bearskin - the helmet worn by Queen's Guard - with the help of Camila

'It's quite hot under there isn't it? She said.

She also teased Captain Andersen when another child insisted they wanted to put their decoration on the tree themselves. 'Oh dear you have been declined,' she told him. 'No surprise, he's seen my work!' the solder replied.

Afterwards the youngsters were invited into the dining room for sausages and mash - created in the shape of smiley faces - and all sorts of sweet treats.

Camilla walked around handing out plates of food herself as the children tucked in.

Her private secretary then told their guests they had a very special surprise - a personal video message from children's television legend Mr Tumble himself.

The youngsters gazed goggle-eyed as a video was played for them on the screen - laughing uproariously at his antics - before they were filmed wishing him a very happy Christmas in return.

Her Royal Highness became Patron of Helen & Douglas House in 2007. She is also patron of Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity, which provides specialist nurses and support for seriously ill children.

Duchess of Cornwall, with assistance from Captian Ed Andresen of the Welsh Guards, invites children to help decorate the Clarence House Christmas Tree at Clarence House

William and Kate's Together at Christmas message Camilla's visit with children comes as William and Kate shared a sweet message on their Instagram page. They wrote: 'The past 18 months has been an incredibly difficult time for people across our nation, and particularly for those who might be more vulnerable, isolated or have limited access to support. #TogetherAtChristmas was a moment to recognise those who have struggled during the pandemic, as well as to celebrate the individuals and organisations who carried out inspirational acts of kindness and incredible feats to help those in need in our communities. We wanted to share some of the stories of those who attended last weeks service: Daisy Briggs, dealing with spina bifida and told she may never walk, Daisy used her frame to walk for 25m a day, dressed in a different colour of the rainbow, and raised over 23,000 for NHS Charities Together. Gary Rutherford, who overcame addiction to qualify as a mental health nurse, before going on to set up the ARC Addiction Recovery Coaching and Fitness Programme. Gary maintained the service during the pandemic through Zoom and online, going above and beyond to help addicts recover and integrate back into their communities. Rohima Poosch is a care leaver, and a graduate of the Foundling Museum's traineeship, who has worked at the museum for five years running workshops for children. During lockdown, Rohima was struggling - living by herself was hard on her mental health, but now she is focusing on her future and is very driven to succeed. Janette Thorne, who volunteered every day to collect and distribute surplus food from local supermarkets and other donors, collected prescriptions, and as part of a team delivered over 10,000 bags of free school meals, making sure children were fed during the first lockdown and in the months thereafter. Kirsteen McDonagh, who as a health visitor works with some of the most vulnerable families, supporting those affected by homelessness as well as vulnerable women and children, ensuring they have access to the health and care services they need. Advertisement

Camilla then spoke to the children, telling them: 'I just wanted to say how thrilled I am that you are able to come here today. Having missed out on last year, as you know I did it on Zoombut the joy of getting you all back again this year is wonderful.

'I didn't think it was going to happen at times, but thank goodness you all decided to come. I just really wanted to wish you all a very merry Christmas and I have got a bit of a star here who would like to sing you a song which he sung to me last year on Zoom brilliantly.'

She then took Nathan Best by the arm and helped him to his feet as he sang and signed 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas', bringing tears to the eyes of the staff.

'Brilliant!' said Camilla, before Nathan gave her a bouquet of flowers.

Clare Periton, CEO of Helen & Douglas House, a children's hospice in Oxfordshire, told the duchess: 'On behalf of both of the charities we are so pleased to be here. This is something that makes memories for all, our children, is is so very very special. Thank you for your hospitality, your generosity. I think we have all had a dark 18 months and this has been a shining star, so thank you so much.'

Speaking afterward Ms Periton said: 'I can't quite believe we are here, I really can't. Even last night I was thinking 'is this going to happen?' And I think having the children be able to come in person has been so special. It is absolutely about making memories for them. This is magical, special and I think something that will sustain them through difficult times for a long time to come.

'The last 18 months have been so difficult and isolating for these family, really lonely. They have lost a lot of their support networking through shielding. So it was so lovely for them to be with other families who have experienced the same.

'We have taken every precaution there is to ensure they have a safe as well as happy day.'

Star of the day Nathan said he had 'loved' the day, while his parents, Stuart and Jenny Best said it had been a 'highlight in a difficult year'.

'It has been a very tough and lonely time. We shielded for nine months and then we all got Covid. We prepared for the worse. But Nathan smashed it. He is such a joy. The hospice offers him respite care and he can't wait to go and stay there.

'We can't thank the duchess enough for inviting us here. It has meant a lot.'

Helen & Douglas House was the world's first children's hospice when it opened in 1982 and cares for local terminally ill children and their families from Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties.

They provide medical, emotional and practical support, helping families deal with the implications of living with a child who will die prematurely, so they can make the most of their time together.

Her Royal Highness became Patron of Helen & Douglas House in 2007.

She is also patron of Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity, which provides specialist nurses and support for seriously ill children.

Its network of 82 Roald Dahl Nurses operate across the UK and they provide expert help and support to over 24,000 children and their families every year.
Today show host Sheinelle Jones has revealed that she secretly suffered a devastating miscarriage 12 years ago, while opening about the 'painful' grief she felt after the 'traumatic' loss.

Sheinelle, 43, has welcomed three kids over the years with her husband, Uche Ojeh; together, they have a son, named Uche, 12, and nine-year-old twins, named Kayin and Clara.

But before her son was born, the TV personality said she suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage - which left her feeling like her sadness would 'never end.'

In a personal essay published by the Today show, Sheinelle opened up about the loss of her unborn baby, revealing that her miscarriage occurred while she was attending a journalism conference - with the on-air host recalling how she continued to work until one of her mentors finally made her take a break.

She said she was in so much 'pain' afterwards, but she only took a few days off of work - forcing herself to 'tuck her grief away' and 'keep moving forward.'

'I was an anchor in Philadelphia and I was pretty stressed out at the time,' she recalled. 'I remember finding out that something was wrong [with the baby]; the doctor told me the babys heartbeat was weak. In response, I did what a lot of women do: I just kept moving forward.

Today Show host Sheinelle Jones has revealed that she secretly had a miscarriage 12 years ago, while opening about the 'painful' grief she felt after the 'traumatic' loss

Sheinelle, 43, has welcomed three kids over the years with her husband, Uche Ojeh. Together, they have a son, named Uche, 12, and twins, named Kayin and Clara, nine

Sheinelle (pictured while pregnant with her nine-year-old twins) said that she felt as though her sadness would 'never end' in the wake of her miscarriage

'I was at a journalism conference and I was going from table to table, meeting people in the news business, networking in my blazer and heels and feeling so sick. I miscarried while I was there.

'It took one of my mentors saying, Sheinelle, go back to your hotel room and rest. This is traumatic.'

Afterwards, Sheinelle recalled feeling 'so sad,' and said 'nothing would make her feel better.'

'Youre grieving. I remember asking my girlfriend, When is this sadness going to end?

'I took a couple days off, but it was the news business - I had to get back to work. It was so painful, but I think you take the grief and tuck it away somewhere as you move forward in life.'

Now, she said she is sharing her story in an attempt to help other women who are going through the same thing.

She continued: 'Shortly after, I had my first son, who is now 12 years old, and then my twins, who are now nine.

'I didnt have any problems with those pregnancies, and today I cant imagine my life being any different.

'But it wasnt until the last couple of years that I even remembered how painful that experience was.

It happened while she was attending a journalism conference, and Sheinelle said she continued to work until one of her mentors made her take a break

She said she was in so much 'pain' afterwards, but she only took a few days off of work - forcing herself to 'tuck her grief away' and 'keep moving forward'

Now, she said she 'cant imagine her life being any different' but is sharing her story in an attempt to help other women who are going through the same thing

'Its amazing what the mind will do to move forward with grief. I had completely forgotten how dark that time was.

'Then I think about all the women who are still stuck in that place of grief, and I just want to help.'

She wants to encourage more people to talk about infertility challenges so that women don't have to 'struggle silently.'

She is now gearing up to release a documentary about fertility problems, called Stories We Tell: The Fertility Secret, which airs on Sunday.

'For so long I have listened to girlfriends talk about the infertility challenges they battle behind closed doors,' she added.

'I have watched them struggle silently. They move forward with their careers, go to church, the gym - all while carrying this painful secret.

'As a society, were doing ourselves a disservice by letting people navigate something so challenging in silence.

'We need to talk about what women are really dealing with. Im not a doctor. Im not a researcher. But I am a journalist, and I can tell stories.'

Sheinelle's Today co-host Dylan Dreyer previously revealed that she too suffered from a miscarriage.

In 2019, Dylan admitted that she and her husband, Brian Fichera - who shared one son, named Calvin, at the time - had lost their baby.

She wants to encourage more people to talk about infertility challenges so that women don't have to 'struggle silently'

Sheinelle's Today Show co-host Dylan Dreyer previously revealed that she too suffered from a miscarriage

In 2019, Dylan revealed she and her husband, Brian Fichera - who had one son, Calvin, at the time - had lost their baby. She called the experience a 'nightmare,' and said she blamed herself

Months later, the couple announced that they were expecting another child together, and their second son, Oliver, was born in January 2020

She called the experience a 'nightmare,' and said she began to blame herself for the tragic loss.

'In news that came as pure joy - we found out that I was pregnant a second time. It was a jump up and down, jump into each others arms kind of moment. We were so excited,' she said.

'Then one morning eight weeks later, as I got ready to go into work on Today, I realized I was bleeding like I never had before.

'I was having a miscarriage. To go from that high of finding out we were pregnant to this extreme low - right before I had to go into work - it was like a nightmare come true.

'You doubt yourself. What did I do wrong? I thought back on everything Id done over the past several weeks: Did I walk too much? Did I exercise too much? Should I not have done this or that?

'I even thought of a moment a couple of days earlier when my brother had playfully thrown a snowball at my back. As irrational as it was, my mind ran with it: Was it the snowball?

'Of course it wasnt the snowball or the exercise or the walking. But in that moment, the self-blame is hard to escape. You just have this ultimate guilt.'

Months later, the couple announced that they were expecting another child together, and their second son, Oliver, was born in January 2020.
The Duke of Cambridge has shared a touching Christmas message to staff at the Royal Marsden hospital thanking them for their 'selfless dedication and hard work' over the last year.

Prince William became President of the Royal Marsden in 2007, taking over the esteemed role from the late Princess Diana who held the role from 1989 until her death in 1997.

He has regularly visited the hospital since his appointment as President and expressed his gratitude to staff at the world-leading cancer centre - who he called the 'heart and soul' of the institution.

The heartwarming festive message was shared on the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust Twitter account and William, 39, received praise for the 'lovely, very personal' message.

The Duke of Cambridge shared a touching Christmas message to staff at the Royal Marsden hospital thanking them for their 'selfless dedication and hard work' over the last year

Prince William became President of the Royal Marsden in 2007, taking over the esteemed role from the late Princess Diana. He is pictured visiting patients at the hospital in 2019

'I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone at the Royal Marsden for their selfless dedication and hard work that all of you put in throughout the year, all through the year', he said in the video.

'We appreciate it, we dont forget about what you do and you are the heart and soul of that hospital, you give everyone such cause for hope and optimism during a very difficult time in their life.

'So this is me saying, thank you very much for all the hard work you do. We love what you do and are very proud of all of you, wishing you a hugely happy Christmas and hope to see you all very soon.'

The hospital has a poignant significance for William because it was the location Diana's first solo engagement in 1982, and continued to be a cause close to her heart.

The hospital has a poignant significance for William because it was the location Diana's first solo engagement in 1982. She is pictured at a fundraiser for the hospital in 1997

Yesterday the royal made a special appearance on the hospital's radio station in an interview recorded at Kensington Palace, where he lives with wife Kate, 39, and their three children George, eight, Charlotte, six and Louis, three.

Opening up about the festive period, he said it was 'special' to seeing his children play with their relatives and that he 'loves to play Monopoly' during the festive season.

'I think generally for me, bringing the family together at Christmas time, it's always lovely because we're quite spread out to doing our things a lot of time throughout the year,' he explained.

'And so we get very few moments actually coming together. And when I see my children meet up with some of my cousins' children and they will have a wonderful time playing together, it's very special.

Prince William said he was looking forward to spending Christmas with his family. Pictured with Kate Middleton, 39, and Prince George, eight and Princess Charlotte on Christmas Day 2019

'So I'll look forward to that a lot. And also Christmas is a new dynamic now that we have children. Suddenly it's it's a whole different ballgame of noise and excitement. So now I'm enjoying the new version of Christmas in my life.'

He also revealed his favourite Christmas film is Elf, adding that he watches the 2003 comedy starring Will Ferrell as Santa's helper Buddy every year.

William last visited the trust's Sutton hospital in 2020 when he spoke of the 'unimaginable challenges' faced by cancer patients as a result of the Covid pandemic.

The Duke said the 'knock-on effects' of the crisis had been particularly acute for those who faced delayed treatments.
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Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria were seen running errands as they geared up to leave New York City on Friday, the day after a search warrant was issued for his iPhone following the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.

The actor, 63, was dressed in a black T-shirt and black pants as he picked up a cup of java at Think Coffee in his neighborhood earlier in the morning, while Hilaria, 37, was later spotted with two of their six children.

The outline of Baldwin's cellphone was visible in his pocket as he walked to and from the coffee shop with disheveled hair and without a coat, despite the weather only being in the high-50s.

Around 8:30 a.m., he was seen loading up an SUV with bags, luggage, and a holiday wreath as her and his family got ready to leave the city ahead of the weekend. They were not traveling light and appeared to be heading out of town for a while.

Baldwin filled the vehicle with their stuff before slipping into the backseat and leaving with his driver. The couple needed two more SUVs to accommodate their nannies and six children, who each require either a car seat or booster seat, depending on their age.

Alex Baldwin was seen packing up an SUV with his family's belongings on Friday, one day after New Mexico police issued a search warrant for his iPhone in regards to the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins

The actor loaded the car up with bags, luggage, and a holiday wreath ahead of their departure

The dad had boxes of new toys, which were presumably Christmas presents for their children

Earlier in the morning, Baldwin ran to Think Coffee to grab a cup of java on Friday, and the outline of his cellphone was visible in his pocket

Meanwhile, his wife Hilaria, 37, was spotted walking with two of their six children later on in the day

After her husband left, Hilaria was seen walking with their one-year-old son Eduardo 'Edu' Pao Lucas strapped to her chest, with a coffee in one hand and her cellphone in the other.

The mom, who was wearing a mask for the coffee run, was joined by their seven-year-old daughter Carmen Gabriela.

Hilaria had on a tie-dye half-zip sweatshirt, faux leather leggings, and a pair of $334 funky black slippers adorned with colorful baubles from Alameda Turquesa as she hit the streets with her kids.

She later swapped her sweatshirt for a $198 black knit sweater with jungle cats on it by RAILS. She kept on her leggings but traded her slippers for a pair of black padded platform snow boots.

The yoga lover seemed to be sending a message with her $25 gray cap by HATX, which featured the word 'HATE' with the 'E' crossed out so it said 'HAT.'

Hilaria then drove off in her Range Rover while her children and two nannies left with a driver in another SUV.

Baldwin brought down a luggage cart filled with all of their necessities, including a box of diapers from Jessica Alba's Honest brand for their little ones

Their belongings were packed into paper bags, reusable shopping bags, and suitcases

The family was not traveling light and appeared to be heading out of town for the Christmas holiday

Baldwin filled an entire SUV with just their stuff alone, and he was seen trying to squeeze everything in the back

The day before, Hilaria slammed the paparazzi on her Instagram Stories and warned them to 'stay away' from her husband. She shared footage of the photographers snapping their pictures, claiming they were purposefully provoking him.

'These people are trying to taunt Alec,' she captioned the clip. 'This is not good for ptsd. I'm sure that comes as no surprise when you see this. I get you guys want to make money...but this is disgusting. And those of you who pay for these photos  shame.'

In a second post, she demanded that the paparazzi back off while vowing to protect her family.

'Stay away from him,' she insisted. 'Stop it right now. Have some humanity. Stop thinking about money and attention. Let the investigation do [its] process and it will play out. You don't need to come and traumatize him more every single step of the way. This is my family and I will protect them until the end.'

The family's departure on Friday came just one day after Baldwin took to Twitter to deny that he had requested a larger Colt gun before Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of Rust.

He tweeted an article from Newsweek, which claimed that he had requested a bigger gun before the accidental shooting.

Baldwin ran his fingers through his hair as he took a quick break from loading up the vehicle

The couple presumably needed at least one more vehicle, possibly two, to accommodate all of their children and nannies before they left town

Baldwin was sporting a bit of facial scruff and disheveled hair while he was out and about on Friday

Baldwin put on a face mask to pick up his coffee, and he was still wearing it when he left the location with his cup and a paper bag

'This, in fact is a lie,' Baldwin wrote over the article link.

'The choices regarding any props by me for the film RUST were made weeks before production began. To suggest that any changes were made "before fatal shooting" is false,' he added.

His tweet came after Sante Fe sheriffs in New Mexico issued a search warrant for his iPhone in regards to the fatal October 21 shooting.

The warrant authorizes police to review all text messages and photos on the actor's cellphone, as well as any stored location data, as part of their investigation.

Baldwin was seen on his phone making a call shortly after the shooting, and Judge David Segura, a magistrate in Santa Fe, approved the search warrant request on Thursday afternoon.

Detective Alexandria Hancock  referred to as the 'affiant' in the warrant  said that they requested Baldwin hand over his phone, but the actor and his lawyers said that they require a warrant first.

Hilaria had her one-year-old son Eduardo 'Edu' Pao Lucas strapped to her chest, with a coffee in one hand and her cellphone in the other

The mother of six was joined by her seven-year-old daughter Carmen Gabriela

While still holding her coffee and cellphone, Hilaria pulled her face mask down to give her baby a sweet kiss

Hilaria later swapped her sweatshirt for a $198 black knit sweater with jungle cats on it by RAILS

She also ditched her slippers and put on a pair of black padded platform snow boots

The yoga lover seemed to be sending a message with her $25 gray cap by HATX, which featured the word 'HATE' with the 'E' crossed out so it said 'HAT.'

She topped off the look with gold hoop earrings, gold bangles, and a gray velour scrunchie on her wrist

Hilaria then drove off in her Range Rover while her children and two nannies left with a driver in another SUV

'Affiant requested Alec's phone from him, as well as his attorney, and was instructed to acquire a warrant,' the warrant request states.

Hancock, in the request for the warrant, spelled out in detail what she wanted to obtain from Baldwin's phone  a list that included his contacts, call records, photos, videos, and text messages.

'Affiant is requesting a warrant for the seizure and search of Alec Baldwins' cell phone to search for any evidence relating to the death investigation of Halyna Hutchins,' the warrant request states.

'Affiant believes there may be evidence on the phone, due to individuals using cellular phones during and/or after the commission of crime(s).

'Such information, if it exists, may be material and relevant to this investigation.

'Affiant was also made aware there were several emails and text messages sent and received regarding the movie production 'Rust' in the course of interviews.'

The family's departure on Friday came just one day after Baldwin took to Twitter to deny that he had requested a larger Colt gun before Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of Rust

Hutchins (center), a 42-year-old cinematographer, died after being shot by Baldwin during a rehearsal in New Mexico on October 21

Baldwin is seen on October 21 after speaking to investigators about the fatal shooting of Hutchins. His phone is now being sought by the team probing Hutchins's death

The fatal shooting took place on the set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch outside of Santa Fe (pictured)

Hutchins was shot just moments after the crew entered a church set to rehearse a scene (above)

According to the search warrant, Baldwin told police that he exchanged emails with the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, regarding what style of gun to use in the film.

They ultimately decided on a Colt .45 pistol.

Baldwin had been handed the antique pistol for the scene and was told that it was 'cold'  not loaded.

He was rehearsing a scene in which he pulls out his gun, and later said in an interview with ABC that he never pulled the trigger, but the gun went off anyway.

Hutchins, a 42-year-old cinematographer, was shot and killed. The director of the film, Joel Souza, was shot in the shoulder and survived.

It is unclear why it has taken so long for New Mexico police to seize Baldwin's phone.

Sante Fe sheriffs in New Mexico issued a search warrant for Baldwin's iPhone on Thursday. The actor is pictured at the RFK Ripple of Hope gala in Manhattan on December 9

A Santa Fe judge approved a search warrant for his phone after a request from Detective Alexandria Hancock, who has been granted access to his texts, call records, contacts, photos, videos, and geolocation data

The actor has insisted that he has fully cooperated with the investigation.

During his emotional interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos that aired on December 2, he described in detail for the first time the immediate aftermath of the accident on October 21.

He was filming a scene inside a church on the set of the movie when the gun was handed to him.

'She's getting me to position the gun  everything is at her direction. I draw the gun, to her marker. I'm not shooting to the camera lens, I'm shooting just off. In her direction. This was a completely incidental shot, that may not have ended up in the film.'

Baldwin said he cocked the gun and was discussing with Hutchins how it looked on camera.

'I'm just showing. I go, 'How 'bout that? Does that work? You see that? Do you see that?' And then she goes, "Yeah, that's good."

An irate Baldwin was caught on video lunging at a New York Post reporter while gripping an umbrella on December 2

The confrontation took place outside Woody Allen's Upper East Side home, where reporter Jon Levine was waiting for Baldwin to quiz him about the shooting on the set of Rust

'I let go of the hammer, bang. The gun goes off. Everyone is horrified. They're shocked. It's loud. They don't have their earplugs in.

'No one was  the gun was supposed to be empty. I was told I was handed an empty gun. If they were cosmetic rounds, nothing with a charge at all, a flash round, nothing.

'She goes down, I thought to myself, "Did she faint?" The notion that there was a live round in that gun did not dawn on me 'till probably 45 minutes to an hour later.'

He added: 'Well, she's laying there and I go, "Did she hit by wadding? Was there a blank?" Sometimes those blank rounds have a wadding inside that packs, it's like a cloth that packs the gunpowder in. Sometimes wadding comes out, it can hit people, and it could feel like a little bit of a poke.

'But no one could understand. Did she have a heart attack? Because remember the idea that someone put a live bullet in the gun was not even in reality."

'I never pulled the trigger. No, no, no. You would never do that.'

Baldwin spoke to George Stephanopoulos about the tragic shooing in an interview that aired on December 2, saying: 'Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can't say who it is, but it's not me'

Hutchins' Instagram post from October 19 showed her (circled center) with cast members and staffers, including herself Baldwin (circled left) and armorer Gutierrez-Reed (circled right) on the set of Rust

Dave Halls, the assistant director who was watching, confirmed Baldwin's account, through his lawyer.

Baldwin recalled how he stood over her for 'about 60 seconds' and was then ushered out. Was she conscious?' Stephanopoulos asked. 'My recollection is yes,' he replied.

Baldwin's version of the on-set tragedy 'I'm just showing. I go, "How 'bout that? Does that work? You see that? Do you see that?'" 'And then she goes, "Yeah, that's good." 'I let go of the hammer, bang. The gun goes off. Everyone is horrified. They're shocked. It's loud. They don't have their earplugs in. 'No one was  the gun was supposed to be empty. I was told I was handed an empty gun. 'If they were cosmetic rounds, nothing with a charge at all, a flash round, nothing. 'She goes down, I thought to myself, "Did she faint?" 'The notion that there was a live round in that gun did not dawn on me 'till probably 45 minutes to an hour later.' He added: 'Well, she's laying there and I go, "Did she hit by wadding? Was there a blank?" 'I never pulled the trigger. No, no, no. You would never do that. 'The gun was supposed to be empty. I was told I was handed an empty gun. 'Nobody gave a f*** who you are anymore until this. You see a lot of people with their phones now, in a coffee shop,' he said, showing them filming him. Advertisement

He said 'no one had any idea' there was live ammunition used until a police officer showed a photo of the shrapnel removed from Souza's arm.

Then began 'the agony, insanity, that someone put a live bullet in the gun,' he said. 'She was laying there and she was there for a while I was amazed at how long they didn't get her in a car or get her out, but they waited until a helicopter came.

'And by the time the helicopter took off with her, we were literally all glutted to that process outside.

'When she finally left, I don't know how long she was there for. She kept saying, she's stable, just as you disbelieve there was a live round in the gun, you disbelieve its going to be a fatal accident.

'At the end of my interview with the sheriff's department, they told me, "We regret to inform you she didn't make it." They told me then and there.'

He added: 'That's when I went outside and called my wife.'

Baldwin said that he has been told by people 'in the know' that it is 'highly unlikely' he'll face criminal charges.

'Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can't say who it is, but it's not me,' Baldwin told Stephanopoulos.

'Honest to God, if I thought I was responsible I might have killed myself. And I don't say that lightly.'

He also took a swipe at former President Donald Trump, his media foe whom he impersonated on Saturday Night Live, for suggesting that he 'loaded the gun himself.'

'He said that I did it deliberately. Just when you think things can't get any more surreal, here's the president of the United States making a comment on this tragic situation.'

Following the interview, New York Post's Jon Levine attempted to quiz the actor about the claim.

Baldwin refused to engage, and his wife Hilaria repeatedly asked the journalist to leave and 'please go away' while training her cellphone camera on him.

Levine met the couple as they were leaving Woody Allen's townhouse, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

When Levine would not stop asking questions about the shooting, Baldwin charged at him while grasping his umbrella and yelled that he was not allowed to be on someone's private property.

He did not make contact with the reporter, who pointed out to him that the sidewalk was, in fact, public property.

After the interview aired, Baldwin posted an Instagram photo of himself cradling one of his six young children.

'No matter what happens to me. No matter what I suffer. If I win or lose, anything. Anything. No one can take away from me the joy and love you have given me, @hilariabaldwin,' he wrote.

'These are tough times. The world is choked with fumes of hate. But you have given me a reason to live. Our life with our family is all I care about. Nothing else. I owe that to you.'
Pregnant women should be prioritised for Covid-19 jabs due to 'growing evidence they were at increased risk of serious consequences', the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has said.

The new advice comes after new data showed 34 women had died in the UK after catching the virus while pregnant. Four newborn babies have also died where medics said the reason was Covid-19.

Studies suggest the death rate for pregnant women is usually about nine per 100,000 live births - equivalent to around 60 pregnant women dying per year from any cause.

But up to the end of October this year, there were 27 extra Covid deaths  an almost 50 per cent rise on what would normally be expected for the year, according to analysis by the University of Oxford.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has said pregnant women should be prioritised for Covid-19 jabs due to 'growing evidence they were at increased risk of serious consequences'

In a snapshot of cases, 1,436 pregnant women were admitted to hospital between May 16 and the end of October this year with symptoms of Covid-19, of which 230 ended up in intensive care.

More than 96 per cent of these women were unvaccinated. Just 16 women in hospital had had two vaccine doses, showing the powerful effect of vaccines.

The figures relate to before the Omicron variant of coronavirus took hold.

The JCVI urged all those who are unvaccinated to book their vaccines now, while women who have had two doses can get their booster if they have had their second vaccine dose at least three months ago.

Data from UKOSS and MBRRACE-UK suggests that clinical outcomes following Covid-19 in pregnant women have worsened over the course of the pandemic.

It found that more pregnant women with Covid-19 are experiencing more severe disease as the pandemic progresses, with more of those going to hospital being admitted to intensive care (7.9 per cent in the first wave compared with 16 per cent in the third wave).

In a snapshot of cases, 1,436 pregnant women were admitted to hospital between May 16 and the end of October this year with symptoms of Covid-19, of which 230 ended up in intensive care. More than 96 per cent of these women were unvaccinated

Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of the JCVI, said: 'There is no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 vaccines used in pregnancy increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirths, congenital abnormalities or birth complications.

'Having a UK-approved Covid-19 vaccine is safer than having Covid-19 itself.

'Women who are pregnant are strongly encouraged to have a first, second or booster vaccine dose as appropriate in order to better protect yourself and your baby from any serious consequences from Covid-19.'

Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, from the UK Health Security Agency, said: 'The serious risks posed to women who become infected with Covid-19 during pregnancy have become increasingly clear.

'We know that the vaccines used in the UK Covid-19 vaccination programme have been highly effective in preventing serious complications and those recommended for pregnant women have a good safety record.

'I would urge all pregnant women to come forward and get their vaccine without delay. This is the best way to protect you and your baby.'

Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of the JCVI, said: 'There is no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 vaccines used in pregnancy increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirths, congenital abnormalities or birth complications'

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and Royal College of Midwives published a joint statement saying the Government should ensure that there are no barriers of access to the vaccine, and should consider ways in which the system can prioritise pregnant women.

They said targets should be set to rapidly increase uptake of the vaccine in pregnant women and eliminate the disparities by ethnic group and socioeconomic status.

Gill Walton, chief executive of the RCM, said: 'The RCM together with the RCOG and other organisations have been calling for pregnant women to be prioritised in the vaccination and booster programme.

'What is crucial now is that women are able to access vaccination hubs or clinics close to where they are receiving their maternity care.

'We are aware of reports of pregnant women waiting for hours in queues at walk-in centres or even when they have appointments and this is unacceptable.

'Providing clinics in or very near antenatal clinics, staffed by vaccination teams, is a great way to encourage uptakeX$ and will also ensure that midwives, already in short supply, aren't taken away from their core work.

'It's also vital that all vaccinators and vaccination centres are not only aware that pregnant women are recommended to be vaccinated and have the booster and pregnancy, but are trained in supporting them through the process too.'
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The Omicron COVID-19 variant could already be making up one-in-every-five Covid cases in major U.S. cities like New York and Seattle and experts warn of a 'viral blizzard' that could infect millions of Americans in the coming weeks.

Dr Pavitra Roychoudhury is a vaccine and infectious disease expert at the University of Washington. She told DailyMail.com that her team's spike gene target failure (SGTF) tests found that 20 percent of samples in Seattle, Washington were of the Omicron variant.

While it is slightly less accurate than the genetic sequencing health agencies perform to confirm variants, when used on large samples SGTF can often give a general idea as to how prevalent a certain virus strain is. Results from SGTF are also obtained much faster than results from sequencing.

Roychoudhury's team is testing anywhere from 100 to 200 samples a day, and have seen the variant quickly grow from non-existent in the Seattle area in early December to suddenly accounting for about 20 percent of cases. And while her data only includes Seattle, she believes other major cities likely have the same rates of Omicron prevalence.

This means that places like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and others could currently have a much larger Omicron problem than official numbers indicate.

'It seems to suggest that up to 20 percent right now, could be Omicron among our positives,' she told DailyMail.com

'And we think that other places should be similar to that proportion, it is very likely to [be the same in] many major cities around the US ... I think what this suggests is that this is a variant that is spreading really quickly.'

Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and a former advisor to President Biden's Covid response, warned CNN on Friday morning that the country will soon have millions more infections.

'We're really just about to experience a viral blizzard... in the next three to eight weeks, we're going to see millions of Americans are going to be infected with this virus, and that will be overlaid on top of Delta, and we're not yet sure exactly how that's going to work out,' he said.

The spike in Omicron cases reported by Roychoudhury comes only a day after Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, warned that cases of the strain could double as quickly as every three days. He also said that the new variant - which was first discovered by South African health officials last week - will overtake Delta as the country's dominant strain in the coming weeks.

As of Friday morning, the U.S. has confirmed 421 cases of the variant across 38 states and Washington D.C. Cases so far have been relatively mild, though, with no confirmed hospitalizations or deaths confirmed to have been caused by Omicron yet. Cases increased another 31 percent between Thursday and Friday, as there were only 319 confirmed cases nationwide yesterday.

Most recent sequencing data unveiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows the variant accounts for three percent of U.S. cases, a seven-fold increase from the 0.4 percent of cases it counted for a year before. In New York and New Jersey, the variant has especially become a problem, making up 13 percent of cases.

If Roychoudhury's data is applicable elsewhere, like she believes, then the rate of Omicron could be even higher.

Daily SGTF sequencing at the University of Washington finds that up to 20% of cases in Seattle, Washington are of the Omicron COVID-19 variant. Dr Roychoudhury believes other major cities have similar figures, despite what official data indicates

Whether Delta or Omicron, cases and deaths caused by the virus are rising across much of the nation. The U.S. is currently averaging 124,413 new cases every day - a 31 percent increase from two weeks ago. The nation is also recording 1,288 deaths from the virus daily, 23 percent over 14 days. America also recorded its 800,000th Covid death and 50 millionth positive test earlier this week.

The CDC thinks that the situation will even worse over time. The agency revealed projections on Wednesday afternoon that show America will suffer up to 15,600 new Covid deaths a week as of January 8 - or 2,228 deaths per day - and that cases will rocket to 1.3 million a week by Christmas Day.

The flu is also starting to make a comeback in the U.S., after being non-existent last year, giving health officials just one more thing to worry about.

The UK's situation could prove to be a warning to Americans of what will happen if the spread of Omicron is not curbed. The nation is averaging 88,376 cases every day, a massive 73 percent increase over only one week. Omicron is believed to account for nearly half of cases in the country, and London - the capital city - has been almost totally overrun by a recent surge.

On Friday, 93,045 cases were recorded, the most ever on a single-day.

Local health officials warn that it will even get worse, and England Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty warns the nation could even reach 400,000 new cases per day by the end of the year. In that disaster scenario, the nation's healthcare system would likely collapse.

The nation has also recorded 15 hospitalizations tied to the variant and the world's only Omicron death so far.

Meanwhile, Denmark, Norway and South Africa have also emerged as global Omicron hubs, and are experiencing record surges at the moment as well.

The hospitalization rate in South Africa is actually lower now than it was during the summer Delta surge, though, a positive sign going forward.

Dr Pavitra Roychoudhury (pictured) is an infectious disease expert at the University of Washington. Using spike gene target failure, he team found that around 20% of new cases in Seattle are of the Omicron variant, and believes other major population hubs are suffering similar rates

In Connecticut, 74 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, one of the highest rates in America. The state has also seen its Covid situation spiral out of control in recent weeks. New cases are up 162 percent over the past two weeks, with 72 out of every 100,000 residents testing positive for the virus every day.

Rhode Island currently has the highest Covid rate in America, with 99 out of every 100,000 residents testing positive for the virus every day - up 63 percent over the past two weeks. It is also the second most vaccinated state in America with 75 percent residents fully jabbed.

The most vaccinated state in America is Vermont, where 76 percent of residents are fully immunized. The state is experiencing a surge of its own still, though, with 69 out of every 100,000 residents being infected everyday.

To credit the vaccine, though, deaths in all three states have remained low despite recent case surges.

Other nearby states like Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire, all with more than 70 percent of their populations fully vaccinated, are dealing with cases surges as well.

'I think the only thing that it can come down to is behaviors and waning immunity,' Dr Chris Thompson, an infectious disease expert at Loyola University of Maryland, told DailyMail.com about the increasing rate of infections in highly vaccinated states.

'So the boosters will help to overcome the waning immunity and it's up to us to become vigilant about those behaviors of handwashing, masking, social distancing, testing, vaccinations and those sorts of things.

'[There are] also colder temperatures up there, so people are probably gathered together more indoors again, and that gathering can can lead to easier spread, especially with Omicron.'

New York and New Jersey have become early Omicron hubs. According to CDC data, around 13 percent of sequenced cases in the states are of the new strain.

Cases in New York have increased by 75 percent over the past two weeks, and the state is also among the nation's leaders in Omicron cases sequenced, with 59 confirmed in the state.

The real figure of cases in the stare is likely much higher, though. New York City is currently experiencing a surge in Covid cases, recording 4,142 new cases every day. Official figures say that one percent of sequenced cases in the city are of the new variant - though Dr Pavitra Roychoudhury of the University of Washington says that figure is likely around 20 percent in New York, and other major cities.

Unvaccinated people are being hit especially hard by this surge, with official city data showing that 804.46 out of every 100,000 testing positive for the virus during the week that ended on December 5 - nearly doubling from 415.99 cases per 100,000 a week earlier.

According to city data, 96.81 our of every 100,000 vaccinated residents tested positive that week.

Long lines for Covid testing have plagued the city in recent days, as many rush to get tested ahead of the holidays.

Gerlan Suela, a Healthline Force employee administering tests in Astoria, Queens on Thursday told The New York Post that business was booming at his plastic bubble on Steinway Street.

'Normally we have 25 to 30 people per day but this morning, in just an hour, I had more than 50 people,' he said.

'I started swabbing at 8:30 a.m. I ran out in an hour. I waited an hour to get restocked.'

In Washington D.C., the case rate per 100,000 remains much lower than many other states, at 39, but the figure is rapidly rising. The city has experienced a 230 percent increase in cases over the past two weeks. Like New York, it is a densely populated city that also struggled when the virus initially broke out in Spring 2020.

Cases have also doubled, and then some, in Hawaii over the past two weeks. The islands have suffered a 140 percent increase in new cases over the past two weeks.

While cases seem to be rising on the east coast - and Hawaii - the Midwest and the Great Plains states are suffering a wave of deaths.

Michigan leads the nation in deaths at the moment, with 1.16 out of every 100,000 residents dying from Covid every day. Hospitals in the state are being swarmed by new cases, and officials fear that situation will only get worse.

Indiana is also among the nationwide leaders in Covid deaths, averaging 0.8 deaths per 100,000 residents every day. Also in the Midwest, Ohio (0.71 deaths per 100,000 each day), Wisconsin (0.69) and Minnesota (0.62) are dealing with recent case surges.

Montana finds itself right behind Michigan in death rate at the moment, and is suffering the most of states in the northwestern plains. The state is averaging 1.15 deaths per every 100,000 residents every day, and especially worrying total for a place with a small, spread out, population.

Wyoming is dealing with a surge of its own, with 0.74 of every 100,000 residents dying from Covid each day. In North Dakota, its 0.62, and 0.61 in South Dakota. Colorado is recording 0.69 deaths per every 100,000 residents every day.

Cases are decreasing in these states, though, down 49 percent in Montana, 34 percent in Wyoming, 19 percent in North Dakota and 19 percent in South Dakota as well, signaling they may be past the worst of the recent surge.

Other states like Pennsylvania (0.92 deaths per 100,000 every day), Arizona (0.96), West Virginia (0.84) and Colorado (0.69) are also among the nation's leaders in Covid deaths.

In the south, cases are also rising across many states. Florida is currently posting a 127 percent increase in cases over the past two weeks, though that figure is unreliable as the state does not regularly report cases.

Alabama (70 percent increase in cases over the past two weeks), Georgia (60 percent), Texas (89 percent) and Virginia (62 percent) are all experiencing sharp case increases, leading the region.

Cases are declining for states on the west coast, though, with California posting an 11 percent decrease in cases, Alaska down 35 percent, Washington down four percent and Oregon down three percent.

The Omicron variant is the most mutated strain of Covid discovered yet, with more than 50 deviations from the virus's original strain, including 30 on the spike protein. These mutations allow it to circumvent protection provided by the vaccines, leaving millions vulnerable to the strain.

One study from Hong Kong finds that the strain can replicated is self in the air 70 times faster than the Delta variant does, allowing it to transmit so quickly. It also found that it variant ten times slower in a person's lungs, a sign it may not be as severe as other variants.

Researchers from Columbia University found that the new strain is 'markedly resistant' against the vaccines, and urge people to get boosted as soon as possible.

New York City has once again emerged as one of the nation's Covid hubs. Official numbers show that around 1% of sequenced cases in the city are of the Omicron variant. Testing sites across the city have been plagued by long lines and nearly 8% of positive tests are coming back positive. Pictured: People in New York City wait in line to receive a Covid test on December 14

ALL major Covid vaccines are 'markedly' weaker at preventing Omicron infection - even boosters - lab study finds, but third doses still give high protection against hospitalization and death The Omicron Covid variant rapidly spreading around the globe is likely to make every existing vaccine weaker at preventing infection  even boosters  another study has found. Columbia University researchers tested the mutant strain against the blood of people vaccinated with two doses of the four big brands of vaccines  Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca. They also looked at people given a booster of the two American mRNA vaccines as part of their study, which has not been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal. There was a 21-fold drop in neutralizing antibodies against Omicron after two doses of Pfizer compared to the original Wuhan strain and a 8.6-fold drop with Moderna's jabs. Columbia researchers found that all four major COVID-19 vaccines (L-R) Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZenca failed to consistently provide adequate protection against the Omicron variant on there own. Booster shot protection proved consistently reliable but sometimes fell just above the line of acceptance Antibodies were so low two-dose course of Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca's jabs that they were undetectable, suggesting they offer virtually no protection against infection from the new variant. For patients given a booster jab, the fall in antibodies was 6.5 times less for Omicron than the original strain. Scientists caution that antibody lab studies are a very narrow view of the immune response to Covid as they don't account for T cell and B cells, which are key for preventing severe symptoms but harder to measure. US Covid tsar Dr. Anthony Fauci insisted booster shots will still offer extremely high protection against hospitalisation and death from Omicron. Data in the UK and South Africa suggests that even in people given two doses of Pfizer's vaccine six months ago, they should still get 70 per cent protection against severe Omicron disease. In the study published Wednesday, Columbia's Dr. David Ho and 20 other researchers said that Omicron's 'extensive' mutations can 'greatly compromise' all major COVID-19 vaccines. The report, the first of its kind and conducted along side the University of Hong Kong, also said that while booster shots provided an additional layer of protection, the variant 'may still pose a risk' for those who get the third shot.' The study does not prove booster shots are ineffective, and it comes a day after Fauci said the additional shots work against the Omicron variant and urged Americans to get their third jab. 'Our booster vaccine regimens work against Omicron. At this point, there is no need for a variant-specific booster,' Fauci said. 'If you're unvaccinated, you need to get vaccinated to diminish you're vulnerability, and if you are vaccinated, get boostered.' The Columbia University study looked at the effectiveness of each major vaccine against the Omicron variant, finding several cases where they failed to provide the needed protection against infection. While the booster shots proved to be overall consistent, some recorded instanced put it right at the threshold of being fully effective. 'These findings are in line with emerging clinical data on the Omicron variant demonstrating higher rates of reinfection and vaccine breakthroughs,' the scientists wrote. 'Even a third booster shot may not adequately protect against Omicron infection.' Ho and the Columbia research team said the study delivers a grave warning about the future of COVID and its variants. 'It is not too far-fetched to think that this [COVID-19] is now only a mutation or two away from being pan-resistant to current antibodies,' the researchers wrote. 'We must devise strategies that anticipate the evolutional direction of the virus and develop agents that target better conserved viral elements.' The new study, however, is out of step with other reports that found three jabs provided sufficient coverage. Earlier this week, Israeli researchers found that three-shot course of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine provides significant protection against the new Omicron variant. The study, carried out by Sheba Medical Centre and the Health Ministry's Central Virology Laboratory, compared the blood of 20 people who had received two vaccine doses 5-6 months earlier to the same number of individuals who had received a booster a month before. Gili Regev-Yochay, director of the Infectious Diseases Unit at Sheba, said: 'People who received the second dose 5 or 6 months ago do not have any neutralisation ability against the Omicron. While they do have some against the Delta strain. 'The good news is that with the booster dose it increases about a hundred fold. There is a significant protection of the booster dose.' The findings were similar to those presented by BioNTech and Pfizer, which were an early signal that booster shots could be key to protect against infection from the Omicron variant. Other studies in South Africa, Germany and Sweden found similar results that showed three jabs were much more efficient than two. Advertisement

Boosters for the Pfizer and Moderna shots were found to re-establish some protection against the variant, though, and health officials are urging Americans to get their shots as soon as they can.

According to most recent data from the CDC, less than 17 percent of Americans have received their booster doses.

Just over 72 percent of Americans have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine and 61 percent are fully vaccinated.

Fauci said on CNBC early Friday that the definition of 'fully vaccinated' would likely change soon to only include people who have received their booster shots.

Thompson told DailyMail.com on Thursday that people who have not received their booster dose yet may want to bring back some early pandemic habits like social distancing, masking, frequent hand washing and more.

'The data that I've seen says that you're about 33 percent protected after a two dose regimen of either of the mRNA vaccines [the Pfizer or Moderna shots] and we don't have good data from Johnson and Johnson's vaccine yet. Then if you get your booster you look like you get back up into the 75 percent protection range and for preventing disease'

Thompson says that the Omicron variant will likely take over the U.S.'s dominant strain within the coming months, but how soon will depend on the behavior of Americans.

It's hard to predict because so much depends on our behaviors,' he said.

'Travel and holidays and everything else [will affect Omicron spread], but since a fair number of people have received their booster and a lot of people are being more cautious, I'm hopeful that we can delay [Omicron overtaking Delta] for a while.'

He also said that it is likely that Omicron and Delta both continue to cause outbreaks across the U.S., just in different areas. In parts of the country where vaccination remains low, the Delta variant will continue its rampant spread.

In areas where people are protected from Delta by the vaccines, the Omicron variant will manage to take hold.

Some areas of the country are already reporting sharp increases in cases. Jackson Health System, in Miami, Florida, reports that its Covid test positivity rate has reached seven percent - after only one percent of cases were coming back positive in November.

Lingering around the corner may be an outbreak of the flu as well. While influenza is a relatively minor virus compared to Covid, danger from the virus grows as Covid does.

'[The flu] tends to peak right around Christmas time,' he said.

'The concern is that our hospitals are so overwhelmed with Covid patients right now that we don't have room for influenza cases.

'And normally we have about 30 to 40,000 deaths. per year from influenza. And a lot of those deaths could be prevented by going to the hospital.'

Last year, the flu was nearly non-existent as strict masking and social distancing measures will still in place around the country.

As people return to a semblance of normal life this winter, the flu has a chance to return from its dormancy and affect the lives of American's once again.

All of this comes as the holiday season is in full swing, though.

Millions of Americans plan to travel for large Christmas gatherings next week.

With many festivities canceled last year by the pandemic, Americans will be more willing to take health risks to gather with family and friends this time around.

Large gatherings, and thousands of people interacting with each other at travel hubs like airports and train stations, create the perfect conditions for the both viruses to spread, though.

'I think everyone needs to do their own risk assessment and look at the risk of severe infection, the risk of transmitting the infection, and the risk of severe disease to a risk of exposure,' Thompson said about holiday travel in the time of Omicron.

Dr William Schaffer, an infectious-disease specialist at Vanderbilt University, told DailyMail.com that Americans who plan to attend large gatherings should make sure to get boosted, and even take a Covid test in the days before and after the event to control potential spread of the virus.

Fauci made a worrying revelation on Thursday, though, that some of the rapid antigen tests Americans are using to test themselves before travel or attending large events may not be able to detect the Omicron variant.

'We're getting preliminary information that not all of the diagnostic tests will be accurate with Omicron,' Fauci said on Thursday.

'Some, and many of the commonly used ones appear to pick up and detect Omicron quite well, we're hearing. We're in the process of doing large screening to determine which of these antigen point of care, rapid tests, still maintain their accuracy of diagnosis.

'But clearly there are some that don't. We're trying to find out those that don't reflect an accurate result. And if we do, make sure that those tests are not used to diagnose Omicron.'

Meanwhile, American officials have also discovered its first massive outbreak of Omicron, this week at Upstate New York's Cornell University.

The school recorded 930 Covid cases this week, with almost all of the sequenced cases showing indicators that they were Omicron. School officials also report that every believed Omicron case discovered is among a fully vaccinated person. According to official data from the school, 97 percent of on-campus students and staff are fully vaccinated.

Cornell has since shut its campus down and will finish the semester virtually. Princeton and New York University - which are dealing with smaller but still worrying surges in cases - have made the same moves as well to prevent another situation like Cornell's.

If the UK is any indicator, situations like Cornell's will become common place in much of America, and the rest of the world.

The country is currently dealing with a massive surge of cases, recording a record 88,376 new cases on Thursday. Over the past week, the UK is averaging 57,074 cases per day, with that figure expected to dramatically shift upwards in the near future.

London is being struck particularly hard, accounting for a third of the new cases recorded Thursday. It is believed that the new strain is making up around 40 percent of new cases in the country.

Omicron is fueling the spread, so far being sequenced 11,708 times in the UK, though is is actually believed to have accounted for over 100,000 cases so far.

Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer of England, warns that 'records will be broken a lot' in the near future as the variant only continues to spread. He also warns that with the way the variant is doubling around every 2.5 days, the nation could face around 460,000 new Covid cases every day by Christmas Eve - a figure that would collapse the nation's health system.

While early data shows that the Omicron variant may be a relatively mild strain of Covid compared to Delta and others, he does not want Britons to feel too comfortable with the new variant. He warned people not to assume that Omicron is less dangerous because of preliminary data showing it appears to cause milder symptoms on Wednesday.

Some fear the lockdowns may return for Britons in the New Year, at least in places like London. Last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson enacted Covid mandates for the first time in months, showing the potential severity of the new variant. Britons who can are now to work from home, masks are required in many indoor public spaces, and proof of vaccine status or recent negative test is required to enter some venues.

Denmark is following behind the UK, having confirmed 9,009 cases of the Omicron variant as of Thursday morning. The Nordic nation was struck early by one of the largest confirmed Omicron outbreaks and the situation has only been exacerbated since.

A Christmas lunch event in the Viborg region, attended by 150 students on November 27 from two local high schools has been linked to 70 cases of the variant, though all were mild.

Currently, the nation is averaging a record 8,773 new cases per day, a logged the largest single day Covid case total ever on Thursday with 9,999 cases added to the ledger.

Covid deaths are still flat in the capital, but this is a lagging indicator because of the time taken for someone to fall seriously ill with the virus and be hospitalised

Experts in the nation expect the Omicron variant to become the nation's dominant strain by the end of the week.

Prime Minister Mette Fredericksen announced new measures to prevent spread of the virus last week, joining the UK.

People who can will now be ordered to work from home, and virtual schooling has been extended as well. On Friday, she announced that concert halls and theatres will be closed in response to a recent surge.

This comes after orders last week, where bars and nightclubs were forced to have reduced operating hours, being forced to close at midnight now, in an effort to prevent transmission.

European Union officials are sounding alarms as well, saying that the variant could be the continent's dominant strain by mid-January.

In South Africa, the nation where the variant was first detected, has reached a new record of over 23,000 Covid cases per day this week.

Nationwide, the amount of people admitted to the hospital for Covid has increased ten-fold over the last four weeks, from 562 to more than 5,900 last week.

While officials in the country report that Omicron cases are relatively mild, many people in the Covid plagued nation are still suffering serious enough cases to require the additional care.

Hospitalizations are on the way down, though, with eleven times fewer South Africans being hospitalized with Covid now than were during the Delta surge over summer - a sign of hope going forward as the U.S. and UK begin their own struggles with the virus.
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The United States is suffering another Covid wave, and whether it is being fueled by the Delta or Omicron variant, the nation is currently reeling.

New York has become an epicenter for the new variant, with the new strain accounting for around 13 percent of cases in the state. On Friday, New York logged a record 21,027 new cases. New York City is struggling as well, with reports of hours long waits for Covid tests coming out from all five of its boroughs.

The rise in cases in the past three days caused Dr. Jay Varma, Mayor Bill de Blasio's top medical advisor, to tweet 'we've never seen this before in New York City.'

Varma noted how the citys daily positivity rate doubled from 3.9 percent to 7.8 percent between December 9 and December 12. The citys current seven-day average is 5.19 percent, according to city data.

However, the variant is spreading nationwide, with 39 states now having detected cases as of late Friday, according to CDC.

Cases are up 31 percent nationwide over the past two weeks, with 124,413 people testing positive for the virus. Deaths have increased by 28 percent over the past two weeks as well, with 1,288 people dying every day.

The Omicron variant, which was first discovered last month in South Africa, is taking hold in the U.S. as well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that three percent of new cases in the U.S. are of the variant, and the confirmed case total has reached 421 as of Friday morning - a 31 percent increase from Thursday.

While not many cases have yet been confirmed, it is speculated that this new variant is responsible for much of the recent increase in cases nationwide.

Highly vaccinated states in the northeast seem to be struggling the most at the moment, as cold weather, waning immunity and the new variant all contribute to a new case surge.

The Omicron variant has now been detected in 39 American states after the first case was reported in Alabama this week

In Connecticut, 74 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, one of the highest rates in America. The state has also seen its Covid situation spiral out of control in recent weeks. New cases are up 162 percent over the past two weeks, with 72 out of every 100,000 residents testing positive for the virus every day.

Rhode Island currently has the highest Covid rate in America, with 99 out of every 100,000 residents testing positive for the virus every day - up 63 percent over the past two weeks. It is also the second most vaccinated state in America with 75 percent residents fully jabbed.

The most vaccinated state in America is Vermont, where 76 percent of residents are fully immunized. The state is experiencing a surge of its own still, though, with 69 out of every 100,000 residents being infected everyday.

To credit the vaccine, though, deaths in all three states have remained low despite recent case surges.

Other nearby states like Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire, all with more than 70 percent of their populations fully vaccinated, are dealing with cases surges as well.

'I think the only thing that it can come down to is behaviors and waning immunity,' Dr Chris Thompson, an infectious disease expert at Loyola University of Maryland, told DailyMail.com about the increasing rate of infections in highly vaccinated states.

'So the boosters will help to overcome the waning immunity and it's up to us to become vigilant about those behaviors of handwashing, masking, social distancing, testing, vaccinations and those sorts of things.

'[There are] also colder temperatures up there, so people are probably gathered together more indoors again, and that gathering can can lead to easier spread, especially with Omicron.'

New York and New Jersey have become early Omicron hubs. According to CDC data, around 13 percent of sequenced cases in the states are of the new strain.

Cases in New York have increased by 75 percent over the past two weeks, and the state is also among the nation's leaders in Omicron cases sequenced, with 59 confirmed in the state.

The real figure of cases in the stare is likely much higher, though. New York City is currently experiencing a surge in Covid cases, recording 4,142 new cases every day. Official figures say that one percent of sequenced cases in the city are of the new variant - though Dr Pavitra Roychoudhury of the University of Washington says that figure is likely around 20 percent in New York, and other major cities.

Unvaccinated people are being hit especially hard by this surge, with official city data showing that 804.46 out of every 100,000 testing positive for the virus during the week that ended on December 5 - nearly doubling from 415.99 cases per 100,000 a week earlier.

According to city data, 96.81 our of every 100,000 vaccinated residents tested positive that week.

Long lines for Covid testing have plagued the city in recent days, as many rush to get tested ahead of the holidays.

Gerlan Suela, a Healthline Force employee administering tests in Astoria, Queens on Thursday told The New York Post that business was booming at his plastic bubble on Steinway Street.

'Normally we have 25 to 30 people per day but this morning, in just an hour, I had more than 50 people,' he said.

'I started swabbing at 8:30 a.m. I ran out in an hour. I waited an hour to get restocked.'

In Washington D.C., the case rate per 100,000 remains much lower than many other states, at 39, but the figure is rapidly rising. The city has experienced a 230 percent increase in cases over the past two weeks. Like New York, it is a densely populated city that also struggled when the virus initially broke out in Spring 2020.

Cases have also doubled, and then some, in Hawaii over the past two weeks. The islands have suffered a 140 percent increase in new cases over the past two weeks.

While cases seem to be rising on the east coast - and Hawaii - the Midwest and the Great Plains states are suffering a wave of deaths.

Michigan leads the nation in deaths at the moment, with 1.16 out of every 100,000 residents dying from Covid every day. Hospitals in the state are being swarmed by new cases, and officials fear that situation will only get worse.

Indiana is also among the nationwide leaders in Covid deaths, averaging 0.8 deaths per 100,000 residents every day. Also in the Midwest, Ohio (0.71 deaths per 100,000 each day), Wisconsin (0.69) and Minnesota (0.62) are dealing with recent case surges.

Montana finds itself right behind Michigan in death rate at the moment, and is suffering the most of states in the northwestern plains. The state is averaging 1.15 deaths per every 100,000 residents every day, and especially worrying total for a place with a small, spread out, population.

Wyoming is dealing with a surge of its own, with 0.74 of every 100,000 residents dying from Covid each day. In North Dakota, its 0.62, and 0.61 in South Dakota. Colorado is recording 0.69 deaths per every 100,000 residents every day.

Cases are decreasing in these states, though, down 49 percent in Montana, 34 percent in Wyoming, 19 percent in North Dakota and 19 percent in South Dakota as well, signaling they may be past the worst of the recent surge.

Other states like Pennsylvania (0.92 deaths per 100,000 every day), Arizona (0.96), West Virginia (0.84) and Colorado (0.69) are also among the nation's leaders in Covid deaths.

In the south, cases are also rising across many states. Florida is currently posting a 127 percent increase in cases over the past two weeks, though that figure is unreliable as the state does not regularly report cases.

Alabama (70 percent increase in cases over the past two weeks), Georgia (60 percent), Texas (89 percent) and Virginia (62 percent) are all experiencing sharp case increases, leading the region.

Cases are declining for states on the west coast, though, with California posting an 11 percent decrease in cases, Alaska down 35 percent, Washington down four percent and Oregon down three percent.
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Southwest Chief Executive Gary Kelly tested positive for COVID-19 after appearing at a Senate hearing on Wednesday, where he questioned whether face masks were necessary on airplanes.

Kelly did not wear a mask for parts of the hearing and questioned the health benefit of masks on airplanes.

'The statistics, I recall, is that 99.97 percent of airborne pathogens are captured by the HEPA [high-efficiency particulate air] filtering system, and it's turned over every two or three minutes,' Kelly told the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

'I think the case is very strong that masks don't add much, if anything, in the air cabin,' he said. 'The environment is very safe, very high quality compared to any other indoor setting.'

Senator Maria Cantwell, the chairwoman of the committee, told reporters on Capitol Hill on Friday that she is getting tested in the light of Kelly's positive result.

'We weren't in close proximity. We may have fist bumped at the end,' she said, adding that 'we are following Senate protocols.'

Southwest Chief Executive Gary Kelly tested positive for COVID-19 after appearing at a Senate hearing on Wednesday

At the Senate hearing, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly questioned the health benefit of masks on airplanes, saying 'the statistics, I recall, is that 99.97 percent of airborne pathogens are captured by the HEPA [high-efficiency particulate air] filtering system, and it's turned over every two or three minutes'

Kelly appeared at the Senate Commerce hearing with the CEOs of United Airlines and American Airlines as well as a senior Delta Air Lines executive and the head of a flight attendants union.

Reuters reported his positive test, writing that Southwest confirmed it after Reuters learned of it through other officials.

The other airlines did not immediately comment on whether their executives had tested for COVID-19. Kelly told other airlines of the positive test on Thursday.

Face masks are not mandatory in the Senate, unlike the House side of the Capitol, where they are required. Some senators voluntarily wear them however.

Meanwhile, the Omicron COVID-19 variant could already be making up one-in-every-five Covid cases in major U.S. cities like New York and Seattle and experts warn of a 'viral blizzard' that could infect millions of Americans in the coming weeks.

Dr Pavitra Roychoudhury is a vaccine and infectious disease expert at the University of Washington. She told DailyMail.com that her team's spike gene target failure (SGTF) tests found that 20 percent of samples in Seattle, Washington were of the Omicron variant.

While it is slightly less accurate than the genetic sequencing health agencies perform to confirm variants, when used on large samples SGTF can often give a general idea as to how prevalent a certain virus strain is. Results from SGTF are also obtained much faster than results from sequencing.

Roychoudhury's team is testing anywhere from 100 to 200 samples a day, and have seen the variant quickly grow from non-existent in the Seattle area in early December to suddenly accounting for about 20 percent of cases. And while her data only includes Seattle, she believes other major cities likely have the same rates of Omicron prevalence.

This means that places like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and others could currently have a much larger Omicron problem than official numbers indicate.

'It seems to suggest that up to 20 percent right now, could be Omicron among our positives,' she told DailyMail.com

'And we think that other places should be similar to that proportion, it is very likely to [be the same in] many major cities around the US ... I think what this suggests is that this is a variant that is spreading really quickly.'

Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and a former advisor to President Biden's Covid response, warned CNN on Friday morning that the country will soon have millions more infections.

'We're really just about to experience a viral blizzard... in the next three to eight weeks, we're going to see millions of Americans are going to be infected with this virus, and that will be overlaid on top of Delta, and we're not yet sure exactly how that's going to work out,' he said.

The spike in Omicron cases reported by Roychoudhury comes only a day after Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, warned that cases of the strain could double as quickly as every three days. He also said that the new variant - which was first discovered by South African health officials last week - will overtake Delta as the country's dominant strain in the coming weeks.

As of Friday morning, the U.S. has confirmed 421 cases of the variant across 38 states and Washington D.C. Cases so far have been relatively mild, though, with no confirmed hospitalizations or deaths confirmed to have been caused by Omicron yet. Cases increased another 31 percent between Thursday and Friday, as there were only 319 confirmed cases nationwide yesterday.

Most recent sequencing data unveiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows the variant accounts for three percent of U.S. cases, a seven-fold increase from the 0.4 percent of cases it counted for a year before. In New York and New Jersey, the variant has especially become a problem, making up 13 percent of cases.

If Roychoudhury's data is applicable elsewhere, like she believes, then the rate of Omicron could be even higher.

Daily SGTF sequencing at the University of Washington finds that up to 20% of cases in Seattle, Washington are of the Omicron COVID-19 variant. Dr Roychoudhury believes other major cities have similar figures, despite what official data indicates

Dr Pavitra Roychoudhury (pictured) is an infectious disease expert at the University of Washington. Using spike gene target failure, he team found that around 20% of new cases in Seattle are of the Omicron variant, and believes other major population hubs are suffering similar rates

Whether Delta or Omicron, cases and deaths caused by the virus are rising across much of the nation. The U.S. is currently averaging 124,413 new cases every day - a 31 percent increase from two weeks ago. The nation is also recording 1,288 deaths from the virus daily, 23 percent over 14 days. America also recorded its 800,000th Covid death and 50 millionth positive test earlier this week.

The CDC thinks that the situation will even worse over time. The agency revealed projections on Wednesday afternoon that show America will suffer up to 15,600 new Covid deaths a week as of January 8 - or 2,228 deaths per day - and that cases will rocket to 1.3 million a week by Christmas Day.

The flu is also starting to make a comeback in the U.S., after being non-existent last year, giving health officials just one more thing to worry about.

The UK's situation could prove to be a warning to Americans of what will happen if the spread of Omicron is not curbed. The nation is averaging 88,376 cases every day, a massive 73 percent increase over only one week. Omicron is believed to account for nearly half of cases in the country, and London - the capital city - has been almost totally overrun by a recent surge.

On Friday, 93,045 cases were recorded, the most ever on a single-day.

Local health officials warn that it will even get worse, and England Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty warns the nation could even reach 400,000 new cases per day by the end of the year. In that disaster scenario, the nation's healthcare system would likely collapse.

The nation has also recorded 15 hospitalizations tied to the variant and the world's only Omicron death so far.

Meanwhile, Denmark, Norway and South Africa have also emerged as global Omicron hubs, and are experiencing record surges at the moment as well.

The hospitalization rate in South Africa is actually lower now than it was during the summer Delta surge, though, a positive sign going forward.

Four U.S. states and the District of Columbia have seen new daily cases double over the past two weeks. Connecticut is currently dealing with the nation's worst Covid surge, with cases jumping 162 percent over two weeks despite a 74 percent vaccination rate.

Maine, which has a very high 75 percent vaccination rate, has also experienced a 148 percent increase in cases. Hawaii (140 percent increase in cases) and Florida (127 percent) are among the leaders in case growth as well.

States are feeling these outbreaks despite higher vaccination rates because of the variant's rare nature. Omicron has more than 50 mutations, including 30 on its spike protein, more than any detected strain of the virus. Early data shows that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines provide limited protection against the variant, and the J&J vaccine is almost entirely ineffective.

New York City, which also suffered the first major Covid surge in March 2020, is experiencing a sharp increase in cases as well. Long lines have been reported at public testing sites across the city, with thousands of New Yorkers trying to get tested in the wake of this new threat.

Nearly eight percent of tests are coming back positive as well, and 804.46 out of every 100,000 unvaccinated city residents are testing positive for the virus every week, according to data from city health officials. The city also averaging around 4,100 new cases every day, the highest total since April.

The Omicron variant is the most mutated strain of Covid discovered yet, with more than 50 deviations from the virus's original strain, including 30 on the spike protein. These mutations allow it to circumvent protection provided by the vaccines, leaving millions vulnerable to the strain.

One study from Hong Kong finds that the strain can replicated is self in the air 70 times faster than the Delta variant does, allowing it to transmit so quickly. It also found that it variant ten times slower in a person's lungs, a sign it may not be as severe as other variants.

Researchers from Columbia University found that the new strain is 'markedly resistant' against the vaccines, and urge people to get boosted as soon as possible.

New York City has once again emerged as one of the nation's Covid hubs. Official numbers show that around 1% of sequenced cases in the city are of the Omicron variant. Testing sites across the city have been plagued by long lines and nearly 8% of positive tests are coming back positive. Pictured: People in New York City wait in line to receive a Covid test on December 14

ALL major Covid vaccines are 'markedly' weaker at preventing Omicron infection - even boosters - lab study finds, but third doses still give high protection against hospitalization and death The Omicron Covid variant rapidly spreading around the globe is likely to make every existing vaccine weaker at preventing infection  even boosters  another study has found. Columbia University researchers tested the mutant strain against the blood of people vaccinated with two doses of the four big brands of vaccines  Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca. They also looked at people given a booster of the two American mRNA vaccines as part of their study, which has not been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal. There was a 21-fold drop in neutralizing antibodies against Omicron after two doses of Pfizer compared to the original Wuhan strain and a 8.6-fold drop with Moderna's jabs. Columbia researchers found that all four major COVID-19 vaccines (L-R) Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZenca failed to consistently provide adequate protection against the Omicron variant on there own. Booster shot protection proved consistently reliable but sometimes fell just above the line of acceptance Antibodies were so low two-dose course of Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca's jabs that they were undetectable, suggesting they offer virtually no protection against infection from the new variant. For patients given a booster jab, the fall in antibodies was 6.5 times less for Omicron than the original strain. Scientists caution that antibody lab studies are a very narrow view of the immune response to Covid as they don't account for T cell and B cells, which are key for preventing severe symptoms but harder to measure. US Covid tsar Dr. Anthony Fauci insisted booster shots will still offer extremely high protection against hospitalisation and death from Omicron. Data in the UK and South Africa suggests that even in people given two doses of Pfizer's vaccine six months ago, they should still get 70 per cent protection against severe Omicron disease. In the study published Wednesday, Columbia's Dr. David Ho and 20 other researchers said that Omicron's 'extensive' mutations can 'greatly compromise' all major COVID-19 vaccines. The report, the first of its kind and conducted along side the University of Hong Kong, also said that while booster shots provided an additional layer of protection, the variant 'may still pose a risk' for those who get the third shot.' The study does not prove booster shots are ineffective, and it comes a day after Fauci said the additional shots work against the Omicron variant and urged Americans to get their third jab. 'Our booster vaccine regimens work against Omicron. At this point, there is no need for a variant-specific booster,' Fauci said. 'If you're unvaccinated, you need to get vaccinated to diminish you're vulnerability, and if you are vaccinated, get boostered.' The Columbia University study looked at the effectiveness of each major vaccine against the Omicron variant, finding several cases where they failed to provide the needed protection against infection. While the booster shots proved to be overall consistent, some recorded instanced put it right at the threshold of being fully effective. 'These findings are in line with emerging clinical data on the Omicron variant demonstrating higher rates of reinfection and vaccine breakthroughs,' the scientists wrote. 'Even a third booster shot may not adequately protect against Omicron infection.' Ho and the Columbia research team said the study delivers a grave warning about the future of COVID and its variants. 'It is not too far-fetched to think that this [COVID-19] is now only a mutation or two away from being pan-resistant to current antibodies,' the researchers wrote. 'We must devise strategies that anticipate the evolutional direction of the virus and develop agents that target better conserved viral elements.' The new study, however, is out of step with other reports that found three jabs provided sufficient coverage. Earlier this week, Israeli researchers found that three-shot course of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine provides significant protection against the new Omicron variant. The study, carried out by Sheba Medical Centre and the Health Ministry's Central Virology Laboratory, compared the blood of 20 people who had received two vaccine doses 5-6 months earlier to the same number of individuals who had received a booster a month before. Gili Regev-Yochay, director of the Infectious Diseases Unit at Sheba, said: 'People who received the second dose 5 or 6 months ago do not have any neutralisation ability against the Omicron. While they do have some against the Delta strain. 'The good news is that with the booster dose it increases about a hundred fold. There is a significant protection of the booster dose.' The findings were similar to those presented by BioNTech and Pfizer, which were an early signal that booster shots could be key to protect against infection from the Omicron variant. Other studies in South Africa, Germany and Sweden found similar results that showed three jabs were much more efficient than two. Advertisement

Boosters for the Pfizer and Moderna shots were found to re-establish some protection against the variant, though, and health officials are urging Americans to get their shots as soon as they can.

According to most recent data from the CDC, less than 17 percent of Americans have received their booster doses.

Just over 72 percent of Americans have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine and 61 percent are fully vaccinated.

Fauci said on CNBC early Friday that the definition of 'fully vaccinated' would likely change soon to only include people who have received their booster shots.

Dr Chris Thompson is an infectious disease expert at Loyola University of Maryland. He told DailyMail.com on Thursday that people who have not received their booster dose yet may want to bring back some early pandemic habits like social distancing, masking, frequent hand washing and more.

'The data that I've seen says that you're about 33 percent protected after a two dose regimen of either of the mRNA vaccines [the Pfizer or Moderna shots] and we don't have good data from Johnson and Johnson's vaccine yet. Then if you get your booster you look like you get back up into the 75 percent protection range and for preventing disease'

Dr Thompson says that the Omicron variant will likely take over the U.S.'s dominant strain within the coming months, but how soon will depend on the behavior of Americans.

It's hard to predict because so much depends on our behaviors,' he said.

'Travel and holidays and everything else [will affect Omicron spread], but since a fair number of people have received their booster and a lot of people are being more cautious, I'm hopeful that we can delay [Omicron overtaking Delta] for a while.'

He also said that it is likely that Omicron and Delta both continue to cause outbreaks across the U.S., just in different areas. In parts of the country where vaccination remains low, the Delta variant will continue its rampant spread.

In areas where people are protected from Delta by the vaccines, the Omicron variant will manage to take hold.

Some areas of the country are already reporting sharp increases in cases. Jackson Health System, in Miami, Florida, reports that its Covid test positivity rate has reached seven percent - after only one percent of cases were coming back positive in November.

Lingering around the corner may be an outbreak of the flu as well. While influenza is a relatively minor virus compared to Covid, danger from the virus grows as Covid does.

'[The flu] tends to peak right around Christmas time,' he said.

'The concern is that our hospitals are so overwhelmed with Covid patients right now that we don't have room for influenza cases.

'And normally we have about 30 to 40,000 deaths. per year from influenza. And a lot of those deaths could be prevented by going to the hospital.'

Last year, the flu was nearly non-existent as strict masking and social distancing measures will still in place around the country.

As people return to a semblance of normal life this winter, the flu has a chance to return from its dormancy and affect the lives of American's once again.

All of this comes as the holiday season is in full swing, though.

Millions of Americans plan to travel for large Christmas gatherings next week.

With many festivities canceled last year by the pandemic, Americans will be more willing to take health risks to gather with family and friends this time around.

Large gatherings, and thousands of people interacting with each other at travel hubs like airports and train stations, create the perfect conditions for the both viruses to spread, though.

'I think everyone needs to do their own risk assessment and look at the risk of severe infection, the risk of transmitting the infection, and the risk of severe disease to a risk of exposure,' Thompson said about holiday travel in the time of Omicron.

Dr William Schaffer, an infectious-disease specialist at Vanderbilt University, told DailyMail.com that Americans who plan to attend large gatherings should make sure to get boosted, and even take a Covid test in the days before and after the event to control potential spread of the virus.

Fauci made a worrying revelation on Thursday, though, that some of the rapid antigen tests Americans are using to test themselves before travel or attending large events may not be able to detect the Omicron variant.

'We're getting preliminary information that not all of the diagnostic tests will be accurate with Omicron,' Fauci said on Thursday.

'Some, and many of the commonly used ones appear to pick up and detect Omicron quite well, we're hearing. We're in the process of doing large screening to determine which of these antigen point of care, rapid tests, still maintain their accuracy of diagnosis.

'But clearly there are some that don't. We're trying to find out those that don't reflect an accurate result. And if we do, make sure that those tests are not used to diagnose Omicron.'

Meanwhile, American officials have also discovered its first massive outbreak of Omicron, this week at Upstate New York's Cornell University.

The school recorded 930 Covid cases this week, with almost all of the sequenced cases showing indicators that they were Omicron. School officials also report that every believed Omicron case discovered is among a fully vaccinated person. According to official data from the school, 97 percent of on-campus students and staff are fully vaccinated.

Cornell has since shut its campus down and will finish the semester virtually. Princeton and New York University - which are dealing with smaller but still worrying surges in cases - have made the same moves as well to prevent another situation like Cornell's.

If the UK is any indicator, situations like Cornell's will become common place in much of America, and the rest of the world.

The country is currently dealing with a massive surge of cases, recording a record 88,376 new cases on Thursday. Over the past week, the UK is averaging 57,074 cases per day, with that figure expected to dramatically shift upwards in the near future.

London is being struck particularly hard, accounting for a third of the new cases recorded Thursday. It is believed that the new strain is making up around 40 percent of new cases in the country.

Omicron is fueling the spread, so far being sequenced 11,708 times in the UK, though is is actually believed to have accounted for over 100,000 cases so far.

Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer of England, warns that 'records will be broken a lot' in the near future as the variant only continues to spread. He also warns that with the way the variant is doubling around every 2.5 days, the nation could face around 460,000 new Covid cases every day by Christmas Eve - a figure that would collapse the nation's health system.

While early data shows that the Omicron variant may be a relatively mild strain of Covid compared to Delta and others, he does not want Britons to feel too comfortable with the new variant. He warned people not to assume that Omicron is less dangerous because of preliminary data showing it appears to cause milder symptoms on Wednesday.

Some fear the lockdowns may return for Britons in the New Year, at least in places like London. Last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson enacted Covid mandates for the first time in months, showing the potential severity of the new variant. Britons who can are now to work from home, masks are required in many indoor public spaces, and proof of vaccine status or recent negative test is required to enter some venues.

Denmark is following behind the UK, having confirmed 9,009 cases of the Omicron variant as of Thursday morning. The Nordic nation was struck early by one of the largest confirmed Omicron outbreaks and the situation has only been exacerbated since.

A Christmas lunch event in the Viborg region, attended by 150 students on November 27 from two local high schools has been linked to 70 cases of the variant, though all were mild.

Currently, the nation is averaging a record 8,773 new cases per day, a logged the largest single day Covid case total ever on Thursday with 9,999 cases added to the ledger.

Covid deaths are still flat in the capital, but this is a lagging indicator because of the time taken for someone to fall seriously ill with the virus and be hospitalised

Experts in the nation expect the Omicron variant to become the nation's dominant strain by the end of the week.

Prime Minister Mette Fredericksen announced new measures to prevent spread of the virus last week, joining the UK.

People who can will now be ordered to work from home, and virtual schooling has been extended as well. On Friday, she announced that concert halls and theatres will be closed in response to a recent surge.

This comes after orders last week, where bars and nightclubs were forced to have reduced operating hours, being forced to close at midnight now, in an effort to prevent transmission.

European Union officials are sounding alarms as well, saying that the variant could be the continent's dominant strain by mid-January.

In South Africa, the nation where the variant was first detected, has reached a new record of over 23,000 Covid cases per day this week.

Nationwide, the amount of people admitted to the hospital for Covid has increased ten-fold over the last four weeks, from 562 to more than 5,900 last week.

While officials in the country report that Omicron cases are relatively mild, many people in the Covid plagued nation are still suffering serious enough cases to require the additional care.

Hospitalizations are on the way down, though, with eleven times fewer South Africans being hospitalized with Covid now than were during the Delta surge over summer - a sign of hope going forward as the U.S. and UK begin their own struggles with the virus.
Boohoo has tie-ups with celebrities such as Megan Fox (pictured)

Boohoo shares crashed yesterday as it became the latest retailer to warn of the devastating impact of Omicron on sales.

The fast fashion seller said its sales growth for the year ending February 28 will be cut in half by the new variant.

It was expecting sales to grow between 20 per cent and 25 per cent for the year but slashed this guidance to between 12 per cent and 14 per cent.

The company warned profits would be hit as well, sending shares down 23.1 per cent, or 31.8p, to 106.05p, the lowest level for five years taking losses in 2021 to 68 per cent.

Retail analyst Clive Black of Shore Capital said if Boohoo (which has tie-ups with celebrities such as Megan Fox, whose collection Boohoo x Megan Fox was launched in October) was catching a cold, other retailers will be catching the flu.

He said: Omicron is a seasonal nightmare for any retailer exposed to going-out wear as with so many parties cancelled and gatherings reduced to small numbers it doesnt need to be bought.

It has brought about a real and rapid change in market conditions and is a perfect storm heading into Christmas.

On Wednesday, Currys warned that retailers were bracing for softer Christmas sales because of fears over the variant. And last week Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin said pubs would be hit hard by Omicron fears  especially as older customers stayed away.

Boohoo, which has 19m customers worldwide, said Omicron has driven the rate at which customers return clothes they buy towards 40 per cent.

Throughout lockdowns last year it was around a quarter as shoppers turned to comfy clothes to work from home in, which are more likely to fit.

But as lockdowns ended and customers geared up for Christmas parties they stocked up on dresses and other outfits. It is now grappling with a wave of returns from workers whose office Christmas parties have been cancelled.

AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould said: Concerns that the Omicron variant is spreading fast do not bode well for the hospitality and leisure sector, and consumers are become more nervous about going out.

That could be bad for Boohoos near-term sales as there would be less of a reason to buy a new dress or shirt if that special night out has turned into yet another session on the sofa with Netflix.
Pearson has taken on a former Twitter executive to be its chairman as it speeds up a transition to online learning.

Omid Kordestani, 58, will join the education publisher in March and take over from Sidney Taurel at the annual meeting in April.

He will help spearhead the launch of an online subscription service that contains its 1,500 textbooks. He was chief business officer at Google.

He is also on the board of buy-now-pay-later firm Klarna.
Reddit, whose forums helped spark the 'meme stock' trading frenzy earlier this year, has unveiled plans to list on the US stock market.

The social media company has filed confidential paperwork for a float with US regulators. However, it said the price and size of the float has 'not yet been determined'.

The company was valued at 7.5billion in a private fund-raising in August and is reportedly aiming for a market cap of over 11billion when it eventually lists, according to Reuters.

Reddit has filed confidential paperwork for a float with US regulators. However, it said the price and size of the float has 'not yet been determined'

San Francisco-based Reddit was launched in 2005 and as of January had around 52m active daily users and over 100,000 communities, known as 'subreddits'.

But this is well below the numbers seen from other social networks, with Facebook pulling in nearly 2bn daily active users.

Reddit's message boards were at the forefront of a battle between several financial institutions and thousands of small traders earlier this year when retail investors attempted to drive up the share prices of companies that Wall Street financiers were betting against.

US computer game retailer Gamestop became the first target of the small trader army back in January.

During a particularly frantic week, the company's stock price shot up 135 per cent in a single day before crashing 44 per cent the next day only to rebound 68 per cent the day after.
Chemicals giant Johnson Matthey has announced the 325million sale of its health business to investment firm Altaris Capital Partners.

It will retain a 30 per cent stake in the division, which develops and manufactures specialist pharmaceutical ingredients for pharma and biotechnology customers and was the subject of a strategic review begun in April by the group.

This review concluded that the health unit was not a core element of the company, so the London-listed multinational considered offloading it and returning some of the proceeds to shareholders.

Control: Johnson Matthey will retain a 30 per cent stake in the health division, which creates complex and specialist pharmaceutical ingredients for pharma and biotechnology customers

Health contributed sales of over 230million and an underlying operating profit of 31million in the year ending March 2021, but in the six months afterwards, it made a loss of 4million on sales of 83million.

Johnson Matthey expects to receive 150million once it completes the sale, an additional 50million dependent should it hit specific performance targets in 2023 and 2024, and another 50million in the form of a vendor loan note.

Bosses said New York-based Altaris was a suitable buyer due to its record of expanding companies within the healthcare industry since being set up 18 years ago.

Robert Macleod, Johnson Matthey's chief executive, believes the deal would help the firm concentrate on sustainable technologies, such as hydrogen technology, chemical and fuel decarbonisation, and circularity solutions.

The manufacturer is well-known for producing catalytic converters that help to filter harmful emissions from petrol and diesel vehicles. One-third of all cars in use worldwide are estimated to contain the company's converters.

He added: 'While health has good long-term prospects, near term trading has been challenging, and the business requires significant capital investment.

Hard times: Johnson Matthey's announcement comes during a difficult time for the group, which is set to be relegated from the blue-chip FTSE 100 Index on Monday next week

'Health operates in different markets from the rest of JM, and we believe Altaris is the best partner to drive its future value.'

Johnson Matthey's announcement comes during a difficult period for the group, which is set to be relegated from the blue-chip FTSE 100 Index on Monday next week, along with newly-listed cybersecurity giant Darktrace.

Its value took a knock last month when it decided it would shut down its electric car battery programme due to competitors in China and South Korea having far more advanced technology.

Commenting on the sales of the health business, Matt Britzman, an equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'Having recently exited the battery scene in surprising fashion, this news compounds the strategy to strip back to basics.

'The good news is that the core business is actually very profitable, and catalytic converters, where it makes money, won't disappear overnight. But the new electric world is gathering pace, and the clock's ticking to find new growth opportunities.

'A new CEO at the helm, with a cash hoard at his disposal, means the group can pounce on new opportunities. But as JMAT's proven already, it's not easy to embark on a new business, and for the moment at least, the group looks out of ideas.'

Shares in Johnson Matthey closed trading 1.5 per cent lower at 1,962.5p on Friday.
HSBC has been fined 63.95million by the Financial Conduct Authority, which found multiple failings in the banks anti-money laundering processes.

Three key parts of HSBC's transaction monitoring systems in the UK showed serious weaknesses over a period of eight years to 31 March 2018, the FCA said on Friday.

HSBC was found to have made a string of failings, including inadequate monitoring of money laundering and terrorist financing scenarios until 2014, and poor risk assessment of new scenarios after 2016.

It is the second fine handed out to a high street bank for money laundering in a week, with the FCA having slapped Natwest with a 264.8million penalty after multiple failures emerged including the acceptance of dustbin bags of cash arriving at 50 branches across the country.

HSBC is the second bank to be fined on money laundering grounds in just two months

The bank was also found to have had inappropriate testing and did not check the accuracy and completeness of data in monitoring systems.

Mark Steward, executive director at the FCA, said: These failings are unacceptable and exposed the bank and community to avoidable risks, especially as the remediation took such a long time.

HSBC did not dispute the findings, resulting in its penalty being reduced from 91million.

The fine comes amid a renewed crackdown by the regulator on money laundering failures.

Natwest's fine was revealed this week after pleading guilty to charges in October for failing to prevent 365million of money allegedly being laundered by a single customer.

The FCA said Bradford jeweller Fowler Oldfield - which was liquidated in a police raid in 2016 - deposited 365 million with the bank over a five-year-period, including 264 million in cash.

It marked the FCA's first major win on money laundering and a new phase in the watchdog's charge against shoddy practices and weak links in the City.

HSBC has already been fined overseas for money laundering failures in recent years, having agreed to pay a 1.2billion fine to regulators in the US in 2012 after admitting it had served as a middleman for Mexican drug cartels.

The bank has had to tighten up its money-laundering controls globally after a string of past scandals.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday recently, former business secretary Vince Cable called on high street banks to do more to combat fraudsters.

Commenting on the banks most recent money laundering fine, an HSBC spokesperson said: We are pleased to resolve this matter, which relates to HSBC's legacy anti-money laundering systems and controls in the UK.

HSBC is deeply committed to combating financial crime and protecting the integrity of the global financial system.
By ensuring you're fully vaccinated and following the new public health guidelines, we will be able to enjoy the festive season with our loved ones

For the second year running we'll all be celebrating New Year under the cloud of Covid-19.

But while rates are going up and face coverings and working from home are now fully back in our lives, our festivities can still be fun. With a few precautions, we can all enjoy celebrating the start of a new year - please may it be better than the last! - and spend time with our families and friends.

Key to stopping both our loved ones and ourselves falling ill is making sure we are all fully vaccinated and that all adults get their booster jabs.

You can still have a happy New Year, despite the spread of the Omicron variant

The new Omicron Covid-19 variant is still spreading fast, and this means it will quickly infect very large numbers of people. Anyone who is unvaccinated or who hasn't had their booster jab is at even greater risk of serious illness from Covid-19.

Wearing masks when appropriate, using rapid lateral flow tests before get-togethers and opening windows when we've got people visiting are also very effective in reducing the spread of infection.

Professor Catherine Noakes, Professor of Environmental Engineering from Leeds University says: 'It's important to remember that Covid-19 is still spreading and can be transmitted easily in the home  even when people are vaccinated.

Professor Catherine Noakes says it's important to open windows, even for just ten minutes

'In enclosed spaces, infectious particles hang around in the air like smoke, and can build up over time.

'This increases the risk of other people in the room breathing in the virus, especially if there is no ventilation helping to refresh the air. That's why it's so important to ventilate indoor spaces by opening windows, even if just regularly for 10 minutes at a time.'

So, before you have the family round or go visiting loved ones, make sure you:

GET VACCINATED

Vaccines are the best way we can protect ourselves, so it's vital that you don't just have the initial 'double jab', but a booster, too. Booster jabs give you the best possible protection against the virus, and should significantly reduce your risk of serious illness and hospitalisation.

Get Boosted Now is the national mission to build a wall of defence against the Omicron variant. This mission is more urgent and important than ever before because Omicron is spreading fast.

Because two doses do not give you enough protection against catching the new variant, every adult in the country now needs to get their booster jab.

Dr Farzana Hussain says we're in a better place this year than last because of jabs

Book your booster now at nhs.uk/covidvaccination. All adults are now eligible for a booster, and you can get this just 12 weeks after your second dose.

Dr Farzana Hussain, a GP in Newham, East London, says: 'We're in a much better place this Christmas because of the vaccine rollout, but it's important to have the booster because we know immunity does go down.

'But it's never too late to have your first jab, and some protection is better than no protection, so do come forward to have the vaccine.'

TAKE THE TEST

Rapid lateral flow tests are quick and simple to take. They are a brilliant weapon in our defence against Covid-19. As many as one in three people with Covid-19 don't know they have it. So, testing ourselves regularly  especially before going to a crowded event, meeting friends and family or visiting vulnerable people  can help.

Dr Helen Lawal advises taking a rapid lateral flow test before meeting family and friends

'Taking a rapid lateral flow test before meeting friends and family or celebrating with colleagues will help stop the spread of the virus and keep each other safe,' agrees GP Dr Helen Lawal.

To get your free rapid lateral flow tests from a local chemist, you first need a 'collect code' from gov.uk, which you then give to the pharmacy. Once you've picked up the test kits, you can start using them  you'll find out if you have the virus within half an hour.

If your test is negative, you're free to carry on as normal. But if it's positive, you should self-isolate immediately and book a PCR test through gov.uk/get-tested.

It's important to record all results at gov.uk/report-covid19-result as it helps keep track of levels of the virus around the country.

Those working in vulnerable settings have access to daily testing and should continue to follow the specific guidance from their workplace as this can vary.

Dr Claire Ashley says rapid lateral flow tests are good at picking up infections that don't have any symptoms

And make sure also that you've downloaded the NHS Covid-19 app, which can tell you if you've been in contact with someone with the virus. If you have been in contact with someone with Covid-19 and are double vaccinated, you should take a daily rapid lateral flow test for seven days if you have no symptoms. If you test positive in that period or develop symptoms you must self-isolate, take a PCR test and follow the latest guidance on gov.uk. If you are unvaccinated, you must self-isolate for 10 days if you are a contact of someone with Covid-19.

'Rapid lateral flow tests are really good at picking up infections that don't have any symptoms,' says GP Dr Claire Ashley. 'Use them regularly when you're not displaying any of the symptoms of Covid-19 (cough, fever, loss of sense of taste or smell are the main features).

'A test before granny comes over for lunch, that's the best way to check you're not infectious  even if you don't have any symptoms. If you have symptoms, don't have people over, isolate and get a PCR test.'

MASK UP

Professor Tim Sharpe says masks and social distancing are second in our armoury of defences against Covid, after vaccines

Face coverings are another great way to stop the virus spreading.

'When you are speaking to someone without a mask, you are breathing on them,' says Professor Tim Sharpe, Head of Architecture at the University of Strathclyde. 'Wearing a mask prevents larger particles, which contain a higher load of the virus, travelling so far.'

So wear masks in a crowd or public enclosed space, such as a supermarket or bus.

'When it comes to what we have in our armoury against Covid-19, vaccines are the number one thing, and then masks and social distancing,' says Dr Ashley.

OPEN THE WINDOWS

Covid-19 spreads most quickly indoors, so if you're having people round, remember to open the windows regularly to get rid of the virus.

'It's a very airborne virus,' says Prof Sharpe. 'When people with the virus exhale, the particles they breathe out will contain the virus. Other people breathe them in, and that's a route of transmission.

'Make sure you open the windows, not necessarily all the time, but for short periods regularly  open fully for maybe 10 minutes every hour.'

Use extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms, and opening windows on both sides of the house creates a cross-flow which helps. CO monitors can also tell you if levels of breathed-out air might be getting high.

HOW GPS ARE STAYING SAFE THIS PARTY SEASON

Dr Sophie Newton is a GP based in Halifax:

'I'll be celebrating with extended family  we're going to see my sister, who lives nearby. I think there are a few sensible precautions that hopefully won't prevent us from having a fabulous time, things like just keeping the window ajar to let some fresh air in, encouraging family members to take a rapid lateral flow test, reminding my children to cover coughs and sneezes into the elbow, and lots of hand washing. And then just considering whether we need to limit close contact with any vulnerable family members. Whether or not I'll be smothering my 94-year-old grandmother in kisses, I'm not quite sure, but probably not.'

Dr Sophie Newton and family will be taking 'a few sensible precautions' over the party season

Dr Farzana Hussain is a GP in east London:

'My dad is 80 in January, and lives in Lancashire. He's not coming down even though he's fit and well. Because of his age, I just didn't want to take a chance. While I'm going to miss him, my preference is to keep him safe. I'm going to have a quiet time with my two children, who are 18 and 19. They like to go out, and as one in three of us with Covid-19 don't have any symptoms, even my own children could be infected without us knowing. So I've got used to opening a window for 10 minutes every couple of hours or so.'

Dr Claire Ashley is a GP based in south-west England:

'I've had my booster jab. We are going to be spending time with my parents, and they've had their booster shots, too. We'll all take a rapid lateral flow test the morning we travel there, and obviously if anything comes back positive we won't go. If any of us have symptoms, we won't be going. I'm very much aware that our plans might be disrupted, so we're staying flexible.

'If anyone gets Covid-19, we'll just be at home on our own. It's not perfect, especially after last year, but it's not the end of the world and I'd rather everyone stayed safe.'

WHERE TO ACCESS RAPID LATERAL FLOW TESTS 1) Use any unused stocks of tests that you may have at home. 2) Collect from your school/university if you already obtain test kits from there. 3) Collect from your local pharmacy, maps.test-and-trace.nhs.uk. 4) Collect from your local community test sites, maps.test-and-trace.nhs.uk. 5) Order online at gov.uk.

This article is part of a paid-for partnership with the UK Government for England only
William Tyrrell's foster parents have both pleaded not guilty to assaulting a child - and the foster mother will apply to have her case heard under Mental Health Act.

The foster father may also apply to have his charge heard under the Mental Health Act, his lawyer told Hornsby Local Court on Friday, but was awaiting the return of a report about the 54-year-old.

The pleas were entered via the couples lawyers as the foster parents attended court by dialling in via audio visual link, although their faces did not appear on screen.

The assault is alleged to have occurred at a home on Sydney's upper north shore this year against a child who police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Amin Assaad told the court would be re-interviewed 'shortly ... some time this year'.

The brief hearing on the alleged common assault charge came after Magistrate Robyn Denes blasted lawyers from all sides in a hearing about suppression orders surrounding the case.

Magistrate Denes told the Hornsby Local Court hearing she had been up 'last night at what I would describe as stupid o'clock' reading submissions and other material about the case.

She was addressing lawyers for the foster parents, the media, and the NSW Department of Justice and Communities during a hearing about a raft of suppression orders over the case.

'To put it bluntly, I was very annoyed. I'm still not sure what you all want me to do,' Magistrate Denes said.

William Tyrrell's foster father (above, on Friday) has entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of common assault and may apply to have it heard under the Mental Health Act like the foster mother

'You wanted me to do something and now the goal posts are moved.'

William's foster mother entered a plea of not guilty on Friday to one count of common assault via her lawyer, Sharon Ramsden who said the 56-year-old will apply to have her case heard under the Mental Health Act.

The foster father, 54, also pleaded not guilty to the same charge via his barrister Kirralee Young who said she was waiting on a report to determine if he would also be applying to plead under the same act.

The Hornsby Local Court hearings were on the same day that a month-long search for William's remains is winding up at Kendall on the NSW Mid North Coast, where the three-year-old vanished in September 2014.

During submissions challenging the non publication orders the foster parents had applied to have imposed over evidence or detail about the common assault charge, Magistrate Denes said media interest in the case had been 'relentless'.

'It's about the impact ... that may have on the safety of the (foster parents),' she said.

'All persons charged must be presumed innocent. Simply anonymising their names does not provide the protection ... necessary to protect the names.'



William's foster mother has pleaded not guilty to one count of alleged common assault against a child who is not William and will apply to have it heard under the Mental Health Act

The 54-year-old foster father of William Tyrrell has pleaded not guilty via AVL in Hornsby Local Court to an allegation of common assault

Suppression orders related to evidence in the assault allegation against the foster parents of William Tyrrell were reinforced on Friday

Inquiries into the boy's disappearance continue, although a month-long search for his remains at Kendall is due to wind up today.

Last month, then NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller identified the foster mother as a 'person of interest' in the case.

It is not suggested the foster mother had anything to do with Wiliam's disappearance, just that she is a person of interest in the case.

Geomorphologist Professor Jon Olley (right) on Thursday with police at the William Tyrrell dig where a bone fragment was found this week

More than 15 tonnes of soil has been taken to a lab for analysis during the just over four weeks police and Rural Fire Service officers worked on the site searching for William's remains.

Police have sent away more than 30 items including pieces of cloth and string for DNA and forensic tests.

A bone fragment found by searchers on Wednesday has been sent to the Forensic and Analytical Science Service at Lidcombe in western Sydney for testing.
Smiling for the camera as an innocent child, this is the young girl who grew up into a monster who stood by and did nothing while her toddler daughter Star Hobson was murdered.

Frankie Smith is pictured in happier times as she starts an eight-year prison sentence for allowing 16-month-old Star Hobson to die, with her partner Savannah Brockhill, sentenced to a minimum of 25 years for the brutal killing.

The photographs were taken by David Fawcett, 61, the long-term partner of Smith's great-grandmother Anita Smith, who helped to raise her. He said that he hoped that they might help the family remember her what she was like before she met Brockhill.

Mr Fawcett told MailOnline: 'I look at these pictures and like to remind myself of the beautiful person Frankie was and not what she became after the relationship with Brockhill started.

'They tell you what a gentle, innocent girl she was. And we believe that deep down, she is still like that, despite the horrors of what has gone on. We're planning to send them to Frankie in prison in the hope of getting back the girl that we know, not the one who was convicted of such a horrendous crime.'

This is Frankie Smith as a girl with her face painted like a cat years before her involvement in the killing of toddler Star Hobson

Smith is seen here in her school uniform and right in a photo taken in 2009 in the never-before-seen pictures of her childhood

The photos of Smith were taken by David Fawcett, partner of her great-grandmother Anita Smith, who helped to raise her

Mr Fawcett revealed that one of his favourite pictures is of Smith standing beside her Chopper bike, which she still owns

Mr Fawcett said he released the snaps to remind Smith's family what she she was like before she met lover Savannah Brockhill

Partners in death: Savannah Brockhill, 28 and Frankie Smith, 20, were both jailed this week over the killing of little Star

During the trial, Brockhill was described as 'controlling' and 'violent' with Smith's family claiming that she changed for the worse after meeting her.

The pictures of her in the years before the relationship started come as it emerged that the Children Service's boss who was in charge of Star's care was praised for his work shortly before he quit.

Mark Douglas resigned from his 120,000-a-year post as Bradford Council's Director of Children's Services just five days before Smith, 20 and Brockhill, 28 went on trial in October.

But shortly before news of him stepping down became public, staff were sent a gushing email from Kersten England, the Chief Executive of Bradford Council praising him.

Smith dressed up in a witch's hat and make up years before she became a mother

The email stated: 'I would like to take the opportunity to thank Mark for his contribution and achievements since he joined the Council in 2019. During this time Mark has led a comprehensive improvement programme working with a number of stakeholders and partners leading our Children's Services improvement journey focussing primarily on Children's Social Care where we have made progress in terms of the quality of social care practice.'

Mr Fawcett hit back: 'How could anyone in their right mind think that Mr Douglas or anybody else in his department had done a good job. That is ridiculous and insulting to Star and our family.'

Mr Fawcett has been with Anita for 25 years and Smithcalled him 'grandad' while also living with them from the age of 14 to 16.

Mr Fawcett revealed that one of his favourite pictures is of Smith standing beside her Chopper bike, which she still owns. Others that bring back fond memories are of their time going strawberry picking in the Yorkshire countryside and her 'coming of age picture' for her high school prom, when she poses in an elegant blue dress wearing make-up.

He added: 'That was Frankie throughout her life. She loved dressing up, especially in Disney costumes when she was younger because she wanted to be a princess.'

Other pictures show Smith on family camping trips, getting ready to go trick or treating for Halloween and visits to a local fun fair.

Mr Fawcett revealed that Smith was raised in a terraced home in Shipley, West Yorkshire by her mother Yvonne Spendley and father Andrew Smith. She was the eldest of five children and had three younger sisters; Ruby; India and Isla; and a younger brother, Harrison.

She also had two half-sisters and a half-brother who lived nearby.

He added: 'We all lived close to each other and didn't have a lot of money, but we did a lot of things together as a family. There was a lot of love there and fun times.

'Out of all the grand kids, I was closest to Frankie and still am because we had a very special bond and that hasn't changed just because of the terrible things that have happened.'

Other pictures show Smith on family camping trips, getting ready to go trick or treating for Halloween and visits to a fun fair

Mr Fawcett revealed Smith was raised in a terraced home in Shipley, West Yorks, by her mother Yvonne and father Andrew

She was the eldest of five children and had three younger sisters; Ruby; India and Isla; and a younger brother, Harrison.

Smith is pictured with her daughter Star who she had when she was still a teenager with her then-boyfriend Jordan Hobson

Smith is pictured here on a train with her mother Yvonne Spendley during a family day out away from their West Yorks home

The trial at Bradford Crown Court heard details of the horrific injuries inflicted upon Star and the vicious treatment she suffered at the hands of Brockhill and Smith.

Star's fleeting life came to an end after being 'punched, stamped on, or kicked' in the stomach by Brockhill, while Smith left the living room to go to the bathroom, the court heard.

The savagery in September last year left Star with a ruptured vein that led to bleeding in her abdominal cavity.

Prosecutors say her injuries were caused by a severe and forceful blow or blows, 'either in the form of punching, stamping or kicking to the abdomen'. The toddler's injuries were described as being similar to those involved in major car crashes.

Instead of dialling 999, Smith and Brockhill Googled 'how to bring a baby out of shock' and there was an 11-minute delay as Brockhill attempted CPR before calling an ambulance.

By the time Star reached hospital she was already dead.

The court also heard that Ms Smith contacted social services after learning about play-fights in the flat with Star that involved a 'choke-slam' wrestling manoeuvre.

She told the court that this involved Star being lifted up by her neck or throat and then thrust onto the bed, the court heard.

Ms Smith told the jury: 'I said 'What are you doing to that baby? She (Smith) said they were playing, and it wasn't hurting her.'

The great grandmother added that the incident was preceded by Smith having lost interest in being a mother after meeting Brockhill.

Giving evidence, she continued: 'She was talking and dressing like a traveller; it was all Savannah. Her focus was all on her, she was asking 'please make friends with Savannah, please'.

'She just couldn't be bothered and was on her phone all the time.'

Brockhill, a nightclub bouncer, and Smith were both jailed this week for their roles in the killing of Smith's daughter, Star

The court also heard details about the five separate occasions friends and family made referrals to social services, highlighting concerns about how Star was being treated.

Despite visiting the flat where Smith lived with Star, social workers closed the case claiming that the allegations were malicious because Mr Fawcett and Ms Smith objected to same-sex relationships and Brockhill's traveller background.

The court heard Smith met Brockhill at The Sun, a gay bar in Bradford where she was working on the door, in November 2019 and they started an 'on-off' relationship.

Mr Fawcett said: 'We were surprised as she'd always had boyfriends.'

Smith developed a 'strange and unhealthy obsession' with her new girlfriend Savanah Brockhill, 28, at the expense of her daughter, Star Hobson, a judge was told.

Mr Fawcett said it was 'a volatile relationship' and his granddaughter began to change how she talked, using 'mam' instead of 'mum' and 'yous' instead of 'you'.

He said: 'For 18 years she'd not talked like that and now she was, I thought it was strange, that she'd changed. It concerned me.

'I told Frankie she needed to get away from Savannah because she was going to ruin her life. She had marks on her neck, ' he told the court.
An RAF Typhoon fighter jet has downed a drone in Syria - the first time Britain has shot down an enemy aircraft since the Falklands War.

The British warplane, part of a US-led coalition in Syria, shot down the target near al-Tanf coalition base in the war torn country's south on Tuesday.

Two RAF Typhoon FGR4s were patrolling the airspace over Syria and Iraq when they were scrambled to investigate reports of two hostile drones above the garrison's 'deconfliction' zone.

The pilots identified a 'coffee table-sized' drone, thought to belong to either Islamic State or an Iranian-backed militia, and shot it down with a heat-seeking air-to-air ASRAAM missile. The second drone was no longer in the area.



It marked the first air-to-air combat involving a British aircraft in nearly 40 years since RAF pilots brought down Argentinian Skyhawks using Aim 9 Sidewinder missiles during the 1982 Falklands War.

Britain has shot down its first enemy aircraft since the Falklands War after a Typhoon fighter jet (pictured approaching RAF Coningsby, England, in August 2020) downed a drone in Syria

Two RAF Typhoon FGR4s were patrolling the airspace over Syria and Iraq when they were scrambled to investigate reports of two hostile drones above the garrison's 'deconfliction' zone. The pilots identified a drone and shot it down with an ASRAAM missile

US Central Command spokesman, Navy Captain Bill Urban, said there were no casualties or damage to facilities.

Britain's defence ministry said Tuesday's air-to-air engagement was the first for a Royal Air Force Typhoon.

'A pair of Typhoon FGR4s from Royal Air Force Akrotiri (on the island of Cyprus) were conducting one of their regular patrols over Syria and Iraq as part of the global coalition. and were tasked to investigate [reports of hostile drones],' a statement said.

'The pilots were able to identify a small hostile drone and despite the diminutive size of the target eliminated the threat it posed to coalition forces'

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: 'This strike is an impressive demonstration of the RAF's ability to take out hostile targets in the air which pose a threat to our forces.

'We continue to do everything we can alongside our coalition partners to stamp out the terrorist threat and protect our personnel and our partners.'

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: 'This strike is an impressive demonstration of the RAF's ability to take out hostile targets in the air which pose a threat to our forces'

The RAF in January destroyed two Islamic State terror cells found hiding in caves in Iraq using laser-guided bombs.

Meanwhile the RAF in April helped clear a stronghold of Islamic State militants in Iraq after a 10-day operation using missiles and bombers.

And in a separate operation in April, an RAF Reaper armed with Hellfire missiles completed a successful strike on a small ISIS camp in northern Syria.

A defence spokesperson said at the time that while ISIS has been 'territorially defeated', some 10,000 terrorists are still at large in Syria and Iraq.

The al-Tanf base is located in a strategic area near Syria's border crossing with Iraq and Jordan of the same name and houses a small number of US troops.

It is the only position with a significant US military presence in Syria outside the Kurdish-controlled north.

Iranian-backed forces have in the past attacked US troops with drones and rockets in eastern Syria and Iraq.

In October, a number of drones were launched against the base, although there were no US casualties.

US officials have said Iranian-backed militia could increase attacks on US troops in Iraq and Syria in coming weeks, in part to mark the anniversary of the killing of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis

The two were killed by a US drone strike in Iraq on January 2, 2020.
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Covid hospital admissions have spiked by more than a third in a week in Britain's Omicron hotspot of London, official data shows amid fears NHS wards could be hit just as badly as they were in the second wave.

The ultra-infectious strain already makes up three-quarters of all new cases in the capital, which yesterday posted 23,000 cases  a record high.

Experts have already called for tighter restrictions to be placed on the city to curb the spread of the virus, which is feared to be doubling every one-and-a-half days. But Tory MPs have urged ministers to rely on the wall of defence built by vaccines.

Hospitalisations have already started to shoot up in the capital, offering a glimpse of what Government advisers fear is in store for the rest of the country. While the trend is increasing in the capital, actual admissions remain low.

Some 199 infected patients were admitted to wards in London on Tuesday, the most recent day UKHSA figures are available for. This was up 34 per cent on the previous week. For comparison, nearly 1,000 a day were being recorded during the darkest days of the second wave in January.

But admissions are expected to go up even further because of the time it takes for infected people to become severely ill. Cases are skyrocketing across the country and are now going up in over-60s in the capital, who are the most vulnerable to Covid.

NHS England statistics shows eight of London's worst hit hospitals have seen their number of admissions double over the past week. And Croydon Health Services Trust has already seen half its critical care beds taken up by Covid patients.

Several trusts in the capital are shelving 'non-urgent' procedures, such as hip and knee replacements, as they redeployed doctors and nurses to the frontlines to battle staff shortages.

Covid hospital admissions have spiked by more than a third in a week in Britain's Omicron hotspot of London, official data shows. Some 199 infected patients were admitted to wards in London on Tuesday, the most recent day UKHSA figures are available for

Croydon Health Services Trust has already seen half its critical care beds taken up by Covid patients. Map shows: The top pen worst and least affected hospitals in terms of Covid critical care bed occupancy in the capital

MailOnline's analysis of NHS England data shows overall Covid hospital bed occupancy in London have jumped by a fifth in the past week, in a possible sign of what Omicron has in store for the capital. Map shows: The top pen worst and least affected hospitals in terms of Covid bed occupancy in the capital

LONDON CASES: Cases spiralled by 130 per cent in a week to 19,643 in London on Tuesday, the latest date regional data is available for

LONDON DEATHS: The surge in cases has yet to have an impact on mortality, however, with 10 deaths within 28 days of a positive test recorded on Tuesday. Fatalities usually lag at least two weeks behind changes in infection because of the time it takes for the virus to incubate and become deadly

LONDON TESTING: Swabbing has been increasing consistently in the capital since the start of November, surging to more than 1.6million on Wednesday

The above graph shows the infection rate in age groups compared to the same time a week ago. It reveals that cases are now more than doubling week-on-week among adults in their 20s, and rising in all over-15s

The above map shows the proportion of Covid cases being triggered by Omicron across England's regions. It is now dominant in London, where 60 per cent of cases are now thought to be triggered by the variant

The UK Health Security Agency's estimated doubling times for Omicron in every region of England. The variant is believed to be doubling every one-and-a-half days in London

 Slide me  Official data show cases are growing by up to 48 per cent a week in the worst-hit boroughs, which include Barking and Dagenham, Hackney and City of London and Greenwich

NHS forced to drop rules telling fully-vaxxed staff who live with Covid cases to isolate for 10 days The NHS today rolled back self-isolation requirements for staff who live with a positive Covid case, as staff absences surge 40 per cent in a week. Initially doctors and nurses were required to stay away from wards for ten days if someone they lived with tested positive for the virus, regardless of whether they had tested negative for the virus. But in updated guidance published last night fully vaccinated employees were told they should return to work as soon as they get a negative PCR swab. They must also take daily lateral flow tests. It has raised questions over why it took so long to drop the stringent requirement, given that self-isolation rules for the double-vaccinated were dropped in England on August 16 or four months ago. Current guidance asks fully-vaccinated people who are a close contact of a positive case to test themselves every day for a week using a lateral flow test. Un-vaccinated people must isolate for ten days. The move has also raised fears that more doctors and nurses could unwittingly transmit the virus to vulnerable hospital patients. Some 12 per cent of Covid admissions, or 500 patients, in England last week were in people who had being checked in to hospital for a separate condition such as a bad fall. It comes amid fears London's NHS is already creaking at the seams, with hospitals cancelling operations and battling against surging Covid absences  in what could be a warning sign for the rest of the country. Several trusts in the capital are shelving 'non-urgent' procedures, such as hip and knee replacements, as they redeployed doctors and nurses to the frontlines to battle staff shortages. Some 1,000 are off due to the virus. The capital's hospitalisations are up 50 per cent week-on-week, with admission surging from 133 to 199 a day by December 14 the latest date available. There are mounting fears these will continue to rise as more people who have caught the virus fall seriously ill. Advertisement

MailOnline's analysis of NHS England data shows overall Covid hospital bed occupancy in London has jumped by a fifth in the past week, in a possible sign of what Omicron has in store for the capital.

Bed occupancy is a different metric to admissions and takes into account discharges, with patients known to be spending less time in hospital now because of the vaccines. It lags slightly behind the UKHSA admission figures.

In total, 990 of the citys 13,145 beds were occupied by Covid patients on December 14, 7.5 per cent of the total beds available.

But Homerton University Hospital Foundation Trust, in the east of the capital, saw the biggest spike in demand, with the number of beds taken up by Covid patients doubling from 15 to 32.

Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals Trust also saw the raw number of occupied beds double, going to 57 from 27.

Some of the capital's biggest hospitals are also seeing rises in Covid patients. Barts Health Trust, which serves 2.6million people, saw a nearly 22 per cent rise to 112.

But the NHS is under strain because of standard winter pressures and a backlog of demand built up through the pandemic, meaning it has less safety room to deal with a Covid surge.

And the rapid spread of Omicron has led to a spike in staff absences, piling pressure on an already over-stretched workforce.

Two hospitals in London claimed to have no available beds at all, meaning they are already unable to cope with any more patients ahead of the predicted surge in demand in the coming weeks.

North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust and The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust reported zero unoccupied beds this week.

Hospital bosses across the country have already been told to discharge as many patients who don't 'need' a bed as 'soon as practically possible'. They should be sent to care homes, hospices and hotels if it is 'safe' to do so.

Hospitals are on red alert in the wake of modelling by No10's scientists that warned admissions could exceed levels seen during the darkest days of the nation's second wave last January, when 4,000 infected patients were needing medical care every day.

Nurses are being flown in from Spain and Greece to offer temporary assistance at hotels that are being converted into care sites over Christmas to help deal with the oncoming crisis, it was also revealed today.

Separate data also shows a fifth of Londons critical care beds are already occupied by Covid patients, with some hospitals also reporting they have none of these beds currently available.

While critical care bed uptake by Covid patients is down four per cent across the capital, some hospitals are becoming overrun with virus patients.

Croydon Health Services NHS Trust is the worst hit so far, with eight of its 16 critical care beds occupied by Covid patients, a 33 per cent rise on last week.

Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is in a similar situation, with six of its 13 beds taken up by Covid patients, but this is a 14 per cent decrease on last week.

And North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust was the only hospital with zero critical care beds available this week.

Others were not far behind with eight reporting having fewer than five of these beds available.

Graph shows: The cumulative number of Omicron cases confirmed in the UK, broken down by nations

Department of Health data shows London is now seeing just as many cases as last January, when it was battered by the Alpha variant and put under harsher measures than the rest of the country.

London's spiralling crisis was initially driven by teenagers and adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s, who were seeing an uptick in cases two weeks before the ultra-infectious strain was first detected. Infections started to rise in the over-60s days after Omicron was confirmed to be in Britain, according to MailOnline analysis.

In another warning sign for the country, UK Health Security Agency data published yesterday revealed the capital now has the 25 areas with the fastest growing outbreaks in England.

Experts have admitted the capital's crisis will inevitably slow down because the virus will simply run out of room, and people adhere to dire warnings from Boris Johnson and Professor Chris Whitty's plea to 'prioritise' the most important social events in the coming days.

And they said the astronomical spike in cases being seen in younger adults won't necessarily occur in over-60s, who are most vulnerable to the virus. Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia, said: 'This is partly because other age groups don't socialise as much.'

He also said Britain's booster vaccine drive  which prioritised older adults  should help to thwart the virus's spread, even though three jabs won't protect thousands from catching the virus and getting ill.

Scientist hopes it means the rapid increase in cases won't necessarily translate into monumental pressure on the NHS. Data also shows two vaccines can still drastically slash the risk of severe illness, with Chris Whitty yesterday hinting three jabs against Omicron may be even better than two against Delta.
Californians are moving out of the Golden State faster than new people are coming in with crime-plagued San Francisco is getting hit especially hard by the exodus.

All 58 counties observed a slump in newcomers, the nonpartisan thinktank California Policy Lab revealed Wednesday.

The number of people moving to the Democratic state dropped 38 percent since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic while the amount leaving California spiked by 12 percent.

The most significant plunge happened in Northern California, where 45 percent fewer out-of-staters moved into the Bay Area in September than in early 2020, the nonpartisan thinktank found.

Declines in San Francisco County hit 53 percent; in San Clara Clara County 52 percent; and in San Mateo Count 48 percent.

'Domestic entrances are down across the state, but the Bay Area has seen the biggest drop,' report co-author Evan White said in a release. 'San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties have all lost population to migration for the first time since at least 2016 because of these new patterns.'

Report authors did not speculate why the San Francisco area was disproportionately represented in the exodus trend. But it's been widely reported that residents there are increasingly tired of the growing crime rate and sense of lawlessness among some taking advantage of the city's lax shoplifting laws.

The amount of Bay Area residents leaving the state jumped 21 percent during the timeframe, compared with a one percent increase in the Northern California region. The chart above shows the entry rate before, during, and after the pandemic

Every single county in California has observed a decrease in new entrants this year. The chart above depicts the exit rate among counties before before, during, and after the pandemic

The number of people moving to the Democratic state dropped 38 percent since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic while the amount leaving California spiked 12 percent, according to researchers' findings

California has suffered some high-profile exits throughout the past year, including Tesla boss Elon Musk, who confirmed last December he relocated to Texas following a feud with state lawmakers over pandemic-related government shutdowns.

He moved Tesla's headquarters to the Lone Star state as well.

Podcaster Joe Rogan also made the move to Texas last year as Hollywood darlings Tom and Rita Hanks secured Greek citizenship.

YouTube personality Dave Rubin said he too is making plans to get out of the Gov. Gavin Newsom-led state.

'I am officially leaving the dystopian nightmare of California for the free state of Florida,' Rubin tweeted December 13. 'My successful business and all my employees are coming with me.'

Elon Musk on Twitter announced he was moving Tesla's headquarters to Texas; he also relocated to the Lone Star state amid a feud over pandemic-related government restrictions

Podcaster Dave Rubin announced he, too, was leaving the west coast for Florida. On his way out the door he blasted Gov. Gavin Newsom for the state becoming a 'dystopian nightmare'

Researchers used anonymized credit bureau information to track the amount of people entering and exiting California, and said all 58 counties experienced fewer people moving in since early 2020.

The amount of Bay Area residents leaving the state jumped 21 percent during the timeframe, compared with a one percent increase in the Northern California region.

Overall, the amount of movers who left California reached 20.3 percent at the end of September, outpacing the 16.3 percent who made the leap in 2016.

Others also lashed out at Newsom over the report, including state Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, who ran against him in the September recall election.

'The California Exodus is rapidly accelerating,' Kiley tweeted. 'Net departures from our state have doubled since Newsom began the State of Emergency.'

Newsom defended the state during an October 2020 conference call with reporters.

'We've been enjoying economic prosperity the likes of which few states have enjoyed,' he said, citing record surpluses, reserves, and startups.

'The balance sheet of the state is extraordinary, our competitiveness is second to none, the international status we enjoy as a brand and our compacity to compete also is best of class. I am very confident in our ability to continue to prosper well into the future.'

Governor Gavin Newsom said he's confident in California's ability to 'prosper well into the future'

During first-quarter 2020, 60,000 more people left California than moved in. By third-quarter 2021, the number more than doubled with a total of 150,000 departures.

While state exits are up 'slightly' compared to pre-pandemic times, they're not much higher than researchers studying long-term trends expected, said report co-author Natalie Holmes.

'There's been a slow, steady increase in the number of people leaving California for other US states over the past decade,' Holmes told DailyMail.com. 'What surprised me more was the drop in new entrances to California from other US states.'

She said the report did not dive into the reasoning behind the trend.

'These are all important questions, which we'd love to dig into in the future,' Holmes said. 'There are many, complicated reasons that people choose to live where they do--and whether and when to move. Some of these include work (including whether this can be done remotely), proximity to family and support networks, school quality, access to various amenities, and housing affordability.'

San Francisco is experiencing a rise in smash-and-grab lootings and windows are pictured boarded up

Across San Francisco, there were 3,375 reports of larceny theft, the majority being car break-ins, last month

Across San Francisco, there were 3,375 reports of larceny theft, the majority being car break-ins, as of November 28. San Francisco Police Department's Central District recorded the most car smash-and-grabs, recording 876 last month.

Meanwhile, there was a terrifying 15 per cent increase in homicide across the city compared to last year, with 53 cases recorded so far this year alone, compared with 46 the year before.

Assault in the city also increased by more than 9 per cent from 2,075 last year to 2,2271 cases this year, while overall crimes shot up by 10.2 per cent.

Larceny theft also saw a massive 18.3 per cent increase from 24,474 to 28,947, according to crime statistics released by the San Francisco Police Department.

But robbery and rape across San Francisco decreased when compared with the year before, with robbery cases falling by 5 per cent and rape dropping by more than 13 per cent.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking Wednesday, slammed the 'attitude of lawlessness' sweeping the nation, citing the mobs of robbers have targeted luxury boutiques in her hometown of San Francisco and stores in other cities.

'It's absolutely outrageous. Obviously, it cannot continue,' Pelosi said Wednesday. 'We cannot have that lawlessness become the norm. And these people have  they coordinate with each other. And they plan traffic patterns and the rest, so that they can reach their goal and depart very quickly.'
Disgraced alleged sex harasser, abuser and former New York State governor Andrew Cuomo has been ordered to pay back all money, totaling about $5 million, that he made from the writing and sale of 'American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic.'



Judging from the self-righteous objections of Cuomo's lawyer and spokesman, he plans to fight this tooth and nail.

Cuomo's profoundly tone-deaf, self-gratifying book extolled his supposed leadership in the early days of the pandemic, as the chief executive of the Empire State.

The wildly profitable New York Times bestseller stuck in the caw of many as Cuomo is also accused of rampant sexual harassment and worse as governor, as well as, supposedly covering up the full scope of pandemic-related nursing home deaths on his watch.

In October, he was charged with groping a female aide's breast 'for the purposes of degrading and gratifying his sexual desires,' according to a criminal complaint.

The gov resigned in the face of the exploding sex misconduct and abuse scandal in August.

Now, though it may come as little consolation to Cuomo's critics, it looks to me like he will also be forced to kiss his allegedly his ill-begotten millions goodbye.

In order to write his book, Cuomo, as any governor would, had to make a case for it before a state ethics panel, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE), which has jurisdiction over all New York state employees.

Cuomo's profoundly tone-deaf, self-gratifying book extolled his supposed leadership in the early days of the pandemic, as the chief executive of the Empire State.

The wildly profitable New York Times bestseller stuck in the caw of many as Cuomo is also accused of rampant sexual harassment and worse as governor, as well as, supposedly covering up the full scope of pandemic-related nursing home deaths on his watch. (Left) Protesters rallied outside of the then-governor's office in Manhattan, New York on March 02, 2021, amid an exploding sexual misconduct scandal. (Right) Families of elderly people who died from COVID-19 in New York nursing homes protested on March 21, 2021.

Federal employees are held to similar review and standards, especially when it comes to writing books.

The JCOPE was founded in 2011 as part of the Public Integrity Reform Act, which comprehensively reformed the oversight and regulation of ethics and lobbying in New York State.

The Commission is charged with investigating and 'promoting compliance' of all state employees, through audits, investigations and enforcement proceedings.'

Under this auspice, it's clear that the Commission has the legal authority to investigate Cuomo and his actions relating to the book.

The 'enforcement proceedings' language provides teeth to the Commission's work, giving it the power to enforce penalties.

In that review process, Cuomo promised the commission that he would not be utilizing state funds or resources to write the book.

But after an internal inquiry, the commission concluded that Cuomo did in fact use state resources extensively in writing the ego-stroking tome.

'Contrary to the representations made on behalf of Governor Cuomo, and not disclosed to the Commission,' the panel concluded in its November 16th report, 'State property, resources and personnel, including staff volunteers, were used in connection with the preparation, writing, editing and publication of the Book.'

Additionally, Cuomo was not candid with the Commission about how far along he was in the writing process at the time of the application.

"The Approval Request Letter submitted on behalf of Governor Cuomo stated, 'Specifically, Governor Cuomo is seeking to author a book in the very near future', when, in fact, the Book was completed or substantially completed prior to the issuance of the Conditional Approval Letter," the commission noted.

Now don't be fooled by a new ruling on Thursday from the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James, which is stalling the process.

This is procedural.

According to the New York Attorney General, the Commission needs to follow its own internal procedures and issue a full report outlining the governor's offenses related to the book, and its remedy.

The Commission must also try to claw back the funds through its enforcement mechanisms, rather than turning to the attorney general's office for collection.

But sooner or later, Cuomo will have to cough it up.

As a result of his violations, the Commission has given the former governor 30 days to pay back all his book proceeds.

Unsurprisingly, Cuomo  through his lawyers  threw a fit.

Disgraced alleged sex harasser, abuser and former New York State governor Andrew Cuomo has been ordered to pay back all money, totaling about $5 million, that he made from the writing and sale of 'American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic.'

'JCOPE's actions today are unconstitutional, exceed its own authority and appear to be driven by political interests rather than the facts and the law,' said Cuomo attorney Jim McGuire.

Cuomo claims that the Commission has overreached, and is punishing him for political reasons. We've heard this excuse before  he used something similar to push back against sex misconduct allegations

'Obviously, in a highly political matter like this, there are many agendas and there are many motivations at play. If anyone thought otherwise, they would be naive, and New Yorkers are not naive,' he said in an August news conference announcing his resignation amid the exploding scandal.

Cuomo also says that the staffers working on the book were 'volunteers', and that their work was not in the course of their state employment.

In applying to the Commission for permission to write the book, the former governor's lawyer vowed that 'no state property, personnel or other resources may be utilized for activities associated with the book.'

Here, the Commission found a breach of ethics, and the clearest remedy is to 'claw back' proceeds gained under false pretenses. A 'claw back' punishes the perpetrator and attempts to make the State of New York whole.

According to the Commission's report, the former Governor used staffers extensively in the researching and writing of his book.

One staffer reportedly received 1,000 emails relating to work on the book, another staffer received in excess of 300 similar emails.

Cuomo's top aide, Melissa DeRosa, attended video meeting with publishers, and helped Cuomo edit early drafts of the book.

Another top aide, Stephanie Benton, twice asked assistants to print portions of the book and deliver them to Cuomo at the Executive Mansion in Albany.

Cuomo, right, is followed by his daughter Michaela Kennedy Cuomo, from left, Office Director Stephanie Benton and former Executive Secretary Melissa DeRosa as they prepare to board a helicopter after announcing Cuomo's resignation, Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, in New York

One aide to the governor, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that she and others were asked to assist in the typing and transferring of notes for Cuomo's book, which he was partially composing by dictating into his cellphone.

Cuomo's claim that the aides were 'volunteers', and not on state time when they helped him with the book, defies practice and common sense.

He says that their time cards prove they were acting on a 'volunteer' basis. But the staffers worked for the Governor.

It's highly unlikely that they would turn down a request from their boss to work on the book assignment. And, because of the power inequity between boss and staffers, most staffers would likely feel pressure to enter the time spent on the book in accordance to whatever their boss instructed them to do.

Also troubling is the timing of a separate report filed by the Health Department.

That report threatened to disclose a far higher rate of death in New York state nursing homes due to the pandemic than the Cuomo administration had previously admitted.

After Ms. DeRosa and others on the Cuomo staff intervened, the higher number of deaths was removed from the final version of the Health Department report.

If this intervention was done to make Cuomo look like more of a hero to potential book publishers, then that intervention should be an aggravating factor before the Commission.

Clearly, the fewer nursing home deaths on his watch, the better Cuomo looked to publishers.

Cuomo has not yet been convicted of any criminality relating to his tenure, but he is presently facing criminal charges for 'forcible touching' alleging that he groped a former executive assistant in 2020, and he has been accused of sexual harassment by at least 11 women. (Above) Image of then-governor Andrew Cuomo giving a deposition to during the New York attorney general's office investigation into sexual misconduct claims.

Sadly, had New York legislators been alerted to the actual, higher number of nursing home deaths reported earlier, they may have acted on the true nature of the tragedies facing nursing homes, and potentially saved lives.

New York State Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Queens) recently told the New York Post, 'This book deal establishes the criminal conduct behind his suppression of nursing home data.'

'While our families were experiencing complete pain and despair, this disgraced former governor was carefully crafting his public image in order to maximize his personal profit.'

The spirit of the law is clear: nobody should benefit monetarily from their ethical misdeeds, or criminal activity.

Take the 'Son of Sam' laws, for example, which were instituted when the notorious serial killer looked poised to sell his story based on the crimes for which he had been convicted.

New York has a modified 'Son of Sam' law that applies to any economic benefits derived from criminal activities, not just proceeds from book publications.

Cuomo has not yet been convicted of any criminality relating to his tenure, but he is presently facing criminal charges for 'forcible touching' alleging that he groped a former executive assistant in 2020. (Cuomo has been accused of sexual harassment by at least 11 women.)

The ethics commission does face some obstacles in trying to claw back the roughly $3.12 paid to Cuomo by his publisher, Crown, a subsidiary of Penguin Random House.

After taxes and expenses, Cuomo netted $1.5 million. He has given $500,000 to charity, and put the remaining $1 million in trusts for his daughters.

The $500,000 given to charity will be tough to claw back because the money did not stay with Cuomo but instead went back to the people of New York.

If I were representing the former governor, I would try to get a 'claw back' exception on that $500k.

The trusts are a different matter. Through some legal maneuvering, the trusts can be dissolved or nullified based on the Commission's order.

An individual should not escape a legitimate claw back by shielding ill gained money in trusts or offshore accounts, for example.

It's unclear whether Crown will pay the additional $2 million owed on its contract with Cuomo. If Crown does pay, that money would also be subject to a 'claw back'.

The former governor and his team are poised to fight the ruling in court. They have bluster and political finger pointing on their side. But they don't have the law.

The ethics Commission is a legitimate and binding entity tasked with ferreting out possible ethical breaches by state employees. The absolute condition for its allowing Cuomo to write his book was that he would not use state resources or personnel to complete his work.

Multiple sources show he violated that condition. Paying the money back to the people of New York is the obvious, sensible and legal solution.

Lis Wiehl is a former federal prosecutor and author of the upcoming book, A Spy in Plain Sight: The Inside Story of the FBI and Robert Hanssen-Americas Most Damaging Russian Spy?
Corporate lawyer Maria DiLorenzo helped J. Crew shed its $1.6 billion bankruptcy problem only to be fired when she suffered sudden hearing loss

A corporate lawyer who helped rescue J. Crew from nearly $1.6 billion in crushing debt was mocked and then canned when she suddenly went deaf in one ear, according to a federal lawsuit filed Thursday in Manhattan federal court.

Maria DiLorenzo, who has worked for the company since 2015, said she was a diligent and dutiful attorney representing the mid-market fashion company in a 2020 do-or-die bankruptcy, but they refused to fully accommodate her affliction, she claims.

In June last year, the lawyer woke up deaf in her right ear and unable to walk without help, she said.

Overnight she was afflicted with Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss, which left her with hearing loss and suffering from vertigo, ringing in the ear and other complications, according to court papers.

DiLorenzo asked COO Michael Nicholson for a reasonable accommodation, she says, to have a week off around Thanksgiving 2020 to recover from cochlear implant surgery.

But on the day of the operation, Nicholson called her, she said, and instructed her to work that day and the next week.

'They forced Ms. DiLorenzo to work through her medical leave after surgery and refused to engage with her about her accommodations requests, as required by law," her lawyer, Valdi Licul wrote in the civil complaint.

In August, the company won a court decision to restructure its debt and bring it back from bankruptcy.

When new CEO Libby Wadle took over, she touted the company's 'fair and decent working conditions, the freedom of opinion and expression' and promised 'an accessible and inclusive environment for everyone,' according to the complaint.

But DiLorenzo says was instantly pressured to commute to New York from her home in Chicago despite her ailment.

She eventually negotiated only traveling to Manhattan for board meeting, but had to tell to her underlings the details of her medical condition to explain her absence.

'Ms. DiLorenzo broke down in tears as she explained her plight to her colleagues,' according to Licul's complaint.

During a 2021 board meeting in which she was tasked with recording the minutes, she was corralled to a side table where she could not hear nor read the lips of the board members.

Maria DiLorenzo, who has worked for J Crew (stock image) since 2015, said she was a diligent and dutiful attorney representing the mid-market fashion company in a 2020 do-or-die bankruptcy, but they refused to fully accommodate her affliction, she claims

Wadle's chief of staff, Tracy Bay, apparently mocked her condition during the meeting by saying 'in a loud mocking tone,' according to the complaint, 'can you hear?'

She said the experience left her humiliated, but her complaint to the Human Resource department was ignored.

Though she was repeatedly told that there was no issues with her performance, Nicholson told her that they were going in a 'different direction,' according to the complaint.

On Dec. 7 she wrote a memo to the executives complaining of the retaliation, and a week later she was fired because she had 'asserted a claim against the company.'

The clothing company denied that DiLorenzo was discriminated against.

'J. Crew Group is committed to fostering an equitable, safe and inclusive workplace' spokesman Nat Garnick said. 'We believe these allegations are without merit and we will defend ourselves vigorously.'

Licul said DiLorenzo has not settled on a dollar amount for her claim.
A 'ripple effect' of grief is expected to run through the Tasmanian town of Devonport after five local children were killed in the jumping castle tragedy.

In a community of just 20,000 people, the small town on the state's north coast is dealing with an unimaginable event in which many residents will have a connection to one of the children or families involved.

'Everyone will know someone who knows someone in the family or in the school community,' Devonport Mayor Annette Rockcliff told the Today Show on Friday morning.

'There are lots of connections in this community and it will be a really tough time and Im sure that everyones trying to process it as best they can.'

'I know my community well and I know that  they are taking care of each other and we will continue to do that as best we can over the coming days and weeks.

'It is, as you say, unimaginable and its a very difficult time for so many people in our community.'

She told Sunrise that the small, close-knit community 'will wrap our arms around them and do the best we can to support them'.

'Everyone is interconnected, so everyone knows somebody and we are all still struggling to even comprehend what has happened,' she said.

'This will affect everyone differently, and some more than others.

'We had more than 90 ambulance officers on site yesterday... and all of those are part of our community as well.

'It's a huge ripple effect right through.'

Zane Gardam has been identified as one of the victims in the Devonport jumping castle tragedy

Addison Stewart (pictured) was also one of the five students who was tragically killed when the jumping castle lifted 10 metres in the air

Devonport Mayor Annette Rockcliff has described the terrible 'ripple effect' the tragedy will have on residents of the town. 'Everyone is interconnected, so everyone knows somebody and we are all still struggling to even comprehend what has happened,' she told Sunrise

The deaths of five children celebrating their last day of primary school has devastated the town.

A freak gust of wind scooped up the inflatable castle hoisting it 10m into the air before crashing back to the ground at a Hillcrest Primary School event to mark the Year 6 students ending their stint at the school.

Around 40 Year 5 and 6 students were taking part in the end-of-year activities.

Several adults in attendance rendered first aid to nine seriously injured children until emergency services arrived.

Grade six students Addison Stewart and her classmate Zane Gardam were among five pupils killed, while three other children are fighting for their lives in hospital in critical condition and one is recovering at home.

Three boys and two girls were killed in the incident. One was aged 11 and four of the children were 12 years old.

The deaths of five children celebrating their last day of primary school has devastated the town of Devonport

'I have had the opportunity to speak with people in this community, to come to understand just how connected this community is,' Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said on Friday.

'The number of people I've spoken to that knew people who were there yesterday, or had connections to the school, and I know that this is going to be a very challenging time for this entire community.'

Even hardened police and ambulance crews - some of whom likely have a personal connection to the students and school in the 20,000-strong community - were shaken and brought to tears at the distressing scene.



Ms Rockliff told The Project last night that the people of the city are reeling from Thursday's tragedy and 'struggling to get their head around it', revealing she had met some of the children only a week earlier.

'I did meet all of those children last week, I was in their classroom for an hour or so, so it's pretty tough to think about that,' an emotional Ms Rockliff told the Channel Ten program.

'We're all still in shock. We're all still struggling to come to terms with the accident and how it is playing out.

'We're certainly trying to take care of each other but we're all still struggling to really get our heads around it.'

Ms Rockliff said at she had not been told the identities of the families involved but was deeply concerned for their wellbeing and mental health, as well as that of the first responders.

'I understand there were at least 70 ambulance officers on-site for most of that time and then there were obviously police and the firies involved as well,' she said.

'So they're all members of our community, they all have connections in our community. Many of them have children. For them it has been a tough day as well.'

Five children from Hillcrest Primary School (pictured) have died in a freak jumping castle accident

A jumping castle was launched 10m into the air at Hillcrest Primary School (pictured)

Just days ago the school announced on social media they would be holding a 'Big Day In' celebration to mark the end of the school year and celebrate the primary school graduates.

'We are excited to let you know that on Thursday December 16, as an alternative arrangement to our school picnic, we will be having a Big Day IN celebration at the school,' Hillcrest Primary wrote on Facebook on Monday.

'The purpose for the day is to celebrate a successful year and enjoy some fun activities with classmates.'

The ill-fated day of fun kicked off at 9:30am with student given the opportunity to 'rotate through a range of activities with their cohort'.

Among the activities were wet play zone including a slippery slide with water puddles and sprinklers.

There was also games and dancing as well as zorb balls and art and crafts areas.

But the main attraction for the big day was the jumping castle with parents told in the social media post to bring a hat, sunscreen and a packed lunch.

Hillcrest Primary School is located in northwest of Tasmania in the town of Devonport

Mourners in the heartbroken community paid tribute by leaving flowers at the school

'On a day when these children were meant to be celebrating their last day of primary school, instead we're all mourning their loss,' Tasmania Police Commissioner Darren Hine said.

'Our hearts are breaking for the families and the loved ones, schoolmates, teachers of these young people who were taken too soon.'

The school announced on Facebook it was closing for the remainder of Thursday and asked parents to urgently collect their children.

Bob Smith, who lives near the school, told The Mercury newspaper he saw kids on the ground.

'There was one really strong gust of wind on what is a beautiful calm day,' he said.

'At first we thought it might have been an emergency services training exercise then the reality of what was happening kicked in.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was tragic how cuh a happy occasion could have ended as it did.

'Young children on a fun day out, together with their families and it turns to such horrific tragedy. At this time of year, it just breaks your heart,' he told reporters on the NSW Central Coast.

Two police officers console each other at Hillcrest Primary School, in Tasmania

Paramedics and police are pictured at a scene at Hillcrest Primary School (pictured)

Two rescue helicopters and multiple ambulances were sent to the scene.

Detectives are investigating how many children were on the jumping castle when the tragedy unfolded, and would include that in a brief to be prepared for the coroner.

A harrowing photo showed distraught cops consoling each other after two children were declared dead at the scene.

Commissioner Hine said seasoned first responders who were at the shaken by the devastating events.

'It is an emotional day for everyone who is tragically impacted by today,' he said.

'I've already seen pictures of police officers quite upset, as you'd expect. Any emergency services and teachers, everyone is affected in some way.'

More than 70 ambulance officers attended the tragic scene on Thursday

Two rescue helicopters and multiple ambulances were sent to the scene on Thursday (pictured)

Hillcrest Primary School said 'counselling is being made available to the families affected by this in the school community along with the first responders.'

Images at the scene showed a wall of tarpaulin sheets set up as paramedics worked desperately to save those who had been injured.

A school boy said he was about to have his turn on the jumping castle when the accident happened.

'It was our turn next,' he said, according to The Mercury. 'Grade five and six went first.'

Paramedics are pictured at Hillcrest Primary School, near Devonport in Tasmania

The primary school said in a statement there had been an accident and the site would be closed for the rest of the day
Advertisement

The Omicron Covid variant rapidly spreading around the globe is likely to make every existing vaccine weaker at preventing infection  even boosters  another study has found.

Columbia University researchers tested the mutant strain against the blood of people vaccinated with two doses of the four big brands of vaccines  Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca.

They also looked at people given a booster of the two American mRNA vaccines as part of their study, which has not been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal.

There was a 21-fold drop in neutralising antibodies against Omicron after two doses of Pfizer compared to the original Wuhan strain and a 8.6-fold drop with Moderna's jabs.

Antibodies were so low two-dose course of Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca's jabs that they were undetectable, suggesting they offer virtually no protection against infection from the new variant.

For patients given a booster jab, the fall in antibodies was 6.5 times less for Omicron than the original strain.

Scientists caution that antibody lab studies are a very narrow view of the immune response to Covid as they don't account for T cell and B cells, which are key for preventing severe symptoms but harder to measure.

US Covid tsar Dr. Anthony Fauci insisted booster shots will still offer extremely high protection against hospitalisation and death from Omicron.

Data in the UK and South Africa suggests that even in people given two doses of Pfizer's vaccine six months ago, they should still get 70 per cent protection against severe Omicron disease.

Columbia researchers found that all four major COVID-19 vaccines (L-R) Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZenca failed to consistently provide adequate protection against the Omicron variant on there own. Booster shot protection proved consistently reliable but sometimes fell just above the line of acceptance

During his regular COVID update on Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci said a three jab course would provide adequate protection against the Omicron variant and there was currently no need to develop an Omicron-specific vaccine

Experts and health officials warn that COVID-19 cases will soar in the coming weeks and urged Americans to get third jab

In the study published Wednesday, Columbia's Dr. David Ho and 20 other researchers said that Omicron's 'extensive' mutations can 'greatly compromise' all major COVID-19 vaccines.

The report, the first of its kind and conducted along side the University of Hong Kong, also said that while booster shots provided an additional layer of protection, the variant 'may still pose a risk' for those who get the third shot.'

The study does not prove booster shots are ineffective, and it comes a day after Fauci said the additional shots work against the Omicron variant and urged Americans to get their third jab.

'Our booster vaccine regimens work against Omicron. At this point, there is no need for a variant-specific booster,' Fauci said.

'If you're unvaccinated, you need to get vaccinated to diminish you're vulnerability, and if you are vaccinated, get boostered.'

The Columbia University study looked at the effectiveness of each major vaccine against the Omicron variant, finding several cases where they failed to provide the needed protection against infection.

While the booster shots proved to be overall consistent, some recorded instanced put it right at the threshold of being fully effective.

'These findings are in line with emerging clinical data on the Omicron variant demonstrating higher rates of reinfection and vaccine breakthroughs,' the scientists wrote.

'Even a third booster shot may not adequately protect against Omicron infection.'

Columbia University Professor Dr. David Ho

Ho and the Columbia research team said the study delivers a grave warning about the future of COVID and its variants.

'It is not too far-fetched to think that this [COVID-19] is now only a mutation or two away from being pan-resistant to current antibodies,' the researchers wrote.

'We must devise strategies that anticipate the evolutional direction of the virus and develop agents that target better conserved viral elements.'

The new study, however, is out of step with other reports that found three jabs provided sufficient coverage.

Earlier this week, Israeli researchers found that three-shot course of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine provides significant protection against the new Omicron variant.

The study, carried out by Sheba Medical Centre and the Health Ministry's Central Virology Laboratory, compared the blood of 20 people who had received two vaccine doses 5-6 months earlier to the same number of individuals who had received a booster a month before.

Gili Regev-Yochay, director of the Infectious Diseases Unit at Sheba, said: 'People who received the second dose 5 or 6 months ago do not have any neutralisation ability against the Omicron. While they do have some against the Delta strain.

'The good news is that with the booster dose it increases about a hundred fold. There is a significant protection of the booster dose.'

The findings were similar to those presented by BioNTech and Pfizer, which were an early signal that booster shots could be key to protect against infection from the Omicron variant. Other studies in South Africa, Germany and Sweden found similar results that showed three jabs were much more efficient than two.

Another recent study from the University of Hong Kong found that while Omicron multiplies 70 times faster than Delta, it replicates slower in the lungs, claiming the variant is more infectious but causes milder illness than its predecessors, something South African doctors have been claiming for weeks.

The researchers exposed lung tissue in a laboratory to the original COVID strain that was identified in Wuhan last year, along with the two variants, to compare how the viruses behave after infection.

Omicron replicated faster in the bronchus  tubes connecting the windpipe and lungs  suggesting people with the strain may be more infectious.

Higher viral loads nearer the throat means people are more likely to breathe out viral particles.

Delta was found to duplicate much quicker in the lungs, where more of the virus can lead to the most severe illness.

The findings add to data, studies and reports from doctors on the ground that the virus spreads rapidly but causes less severe symptoms

An analysis of cases in London, where Omicron is growing most rapidly, also showed Omicron was milder and reported the most common signs of the virus between December 3 and 10 were a runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, and a sore throat.

None of these are the classic signs of the virus that Britons are warned to watch for  a new continuous cough, high temperature or change/loss of their sense of taste and smell.

Reports from the UK's Covid symptom tracking study indicate Omicron cases are triggering cold-like health problems like a runny nose and sneezing, as opposed to traditional signs of the virus from earlier in the pandemic, like a persistent cough

The graphs show the amount of the coronavirus detected in human bronchial cells (left) and lung cells (right) 24 and 48 hours after coming into contact with the original strain of the virus (pink), Delta (orange) and Omicron (red). There was 70 times more Omicron recorded in the bronchus  the main pipe connecting the airways and lungs  compared to previous strains, but 10 times less virus in the lungs when compared to the original version and Delta. Experts from the University of Hong Kong said this suggests the virus is more transmissible but may cause less severe illness

The image depicts the Omicron variant (shown in red) in infected human bronchus tissue

Fauci has remarked on the variant's 'extraordinary' ability to spread, before revealing that cases will double every three days.

US Omicron cases have jumped by a third overnight, from 241 on Wednesday to 319 on Thursday. But experts have warned those are the tip of the iceberg, and that American cases likely already number in the tens of thousands.

The number of people testing positive in New York also has doubled in three days, from 3.9 per cent of all swabs coming back positive on December 9, to 7.8 per cent on December 12. More than four fifths of New York

Bill de Blasio's senior public health adviser Dr. Jay Varman, a Cornell epidemiology professor, tweeted the news, saying: 'Um, we've never seen this before in #NYC. Test positivity doubling in three days.'

A total of 81 per cent of New Yorkers are fully-vaccinated, and 18.5 per cent have received their booster shots - but a worrying new study from Columbia University suggests that neither may be sufficient in protecting from Omicron.

Immunologists have also forecast a potential triple-whammy of Omicron, Delta and regular flu infections this winter. Two doctors interviewed by DailyMail.com said those who haven't received a booster shot should consider returning to Spring 2020-style self-isolation, when COVID's Alpha variant raged through the US, and no vaccines were available.

Dr. Anthony Fauci (pictured), the nation's top infectious disease expert told Good Morning America on Thursday that Omicron transmits very efficiently, and the current outbreaks overseas are signs of things to come for the U.S. if more people do not get boosted

Speaking on Good Morning America on Thursday, Fauci also confirmed Omicron was on track to be the dominant Covid strain in America within weeks.

He said: 'Certainly what [Omicron] is showing us in other countries [is that it spreads faster than other variants] and I believe soon in our own country.

'It has an extraordinary ability to transmit efficiently and spread. It has what we call a doubling time of around three days.

'And if you do the math on that, if you have just a couple of percentage of the isolates being Omicron, very soon it's going to be the dominant variant. We've seen that in South Africa, we're seeing it in the U.K. and I'm absolutely certain that's what we're going to be seeing here relatively soon.'

The doubling time of three days is slightly longer than the 2.5 days reported by British and South African health officials. On Thursday, the UK recorded its second-consecutive day of record infections - 88,376 - 24 hours after Wednesday's total of 78,610. That is a 74 per cent jump in a week, with 15 people who've been infected with Omicron so-far hospitalized in the UK.

The US is much larger, with most of its landmass not as densely populated as the UK or South Africa.

But Omicron is believed to represent up to 13 per cent of new diagnoses in New Jersey and New York - states with extremely well-populated areas - giving a possible early taste of what's to come with the new strain.

Fauci continues to urge Americans to get vaccinated, and boosted, to protect themselves from the virus, especially now with the new threat of Omicron circulating. A total of 16.5 per cent of Americans have so-far had the booster shot.

'We need to do everything that we have been talking about up to now, and even more so,' he said.

He spoke hours after the CDC agency released forecasts on Wednesday night showing that weekly Covid cases will increase by 55 percent to 1.3 million per week - or 185,714 per day - by Christmas.

It also predicted deaths with jump by 73 percent to up to 15,600 per day by early January - or 2,228 deaths per day.

Some of that predicted surge is already appearing in parts of the country, with Florida revealing 6,381 new cases on Thursday - the state's largest single day Covid increase since September.

The Delta variant is still the dominant Covid strain in the U.S., accounting for around 97 percent of sequenced cases. Omicron is quickly making up ground, though, with the newly discovered variant jumping seven-fold in a week from making up 0.4 percent of cases to 2.9 percent of case, according to the most recent CDC data.

Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, has warned of a nightmare scenario where Delta, Omicron and regular seasonal flu could combine to inflict the winter from hell on US hospitals already struggling to cope with an influx of patients.

She told CNN: 'It's the combination. It's kind of the perfect storm of public health impacts here with Delta already impacting many areas of the country and jurisdictions. We don't want to overwhelm systems more.'

Early data also shows that people who are only fully vaccinated, but have not yet received their booster, are still extremely vulnerable to the virus, with Johnson & Johnson's single-dose shot offering effectively no protection.

Booster shots have been deemed effective against the variant, though, with both Moderna and Pfizer revealing data in recent days showing their vaccines will cause massive increases in antibody levels and up to 75 per cent protection from Covid symptoms.

But confusion remains about just how effective boosters are against a strain that was only identified after Americans began receiving them en-masse.

A new study by Columbia University in New York, published on Thursday, said: 'Even serum from persons vaccinated and boosted with mRNA-based vaccines exhibited substantially diminished neutralizing activity against (omicron),'

Dr. Chris Thompson (pictured), an infectious disease expert at Loyola University of Maryland, said that Americans who have not yet been boosted should bring back some early-pandemic habits

Only around 16.5 percent of Americans have received the additional vaccine dose so far though - as they were not widely available until late November - meaning that more than 80 percent of Americans are at risk from Omicron.

Dr. Chris Thompson is an infectious disease expert at Loyola University of Maryland. He told DailyMail.com on Thursday that people who have not received their booster dose yet may want to bring back some early pandemic habits like social distancing, masking, frequent hand washing and more.

'The data that I've seen says that you're about 33 percent protected after a two dose regimen of either of the mRNA vaccines [the Pfizer or Moderna shots] and we don't have good data from Johnson and Johnson's vaccine yet. Then if you get your booster you look like you get back up into the 75 percent protection range and for preventing disease'

Whether Delta or Omicron, U.S. is experiencing yet another surge of Covid cases during the holiday season. The nation is recording 121,188 new cases every day - a 40 percent increase over the past two weeks. Deaths are making a sharp rise as well, up 34 percent to 1,302 per week.

The number of Americans hospitalized with the virus increased over the past 14 days as well, up 21 percent to 68,079.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects that the situation will only worsen as well.
Robert Durst was seen looking frail and with a breathing tube in a new mug shot released by the California Department of Corrections on Wednesday.

Durst, 78, who was convicted in September of murdering his best friend two decades ago, was seen looking worse for wear in his new mug shot, where the former real estate agent was seen sporting a breathing tube as he frowned at the camera.

Just months earlier, Durst - who has numerous medical issues, including contracting COVID-19 - was seen in a wheelchair throughout most his trial in California. Throughout his trial, his defense attempted to postpone his case due to ongoing health problems, including chest pains, breathing problems, pain while dressing and from having a catheter, and urinary tract infections due to his bladder cancer.

Despite his slipping health, he has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the December 2000 murder of his best friend Susan Berman and has since been indicted for the murder of his first wife Kathie Durst in 1982.

Prosecutors said Durst killed Berman to prevent her from telling police what she knew about the disappearance and suspected killing of his wife Kathie, who vanished in New York in 1982.

Murderer Robert Durst, 78, (pictured) was seen looking worse for wear in his new mug that was released on Wednesday. The former real estate agent was seen sporting a breathing tube and looking frail

Durst (right) was seen in a wheelchair throughout most of his trial in California

Durst (pictured in 2003) was convicted of murdering his best friend Susan Berman after she was about to come forward about her role in the murder of his first wife Kathie

Durst testified he didn't kill his wife or Berman and doesn't know who did.

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.

In December 2000, Durst shot and killed her as she was preparing to tell police about her involvement in Kathie Durst's death. She had told friends she provided a phony alibi for him after his wife vanished, prosecutors said.

Durst was convicted in Los Angeles Superior Court in September of first-degree murder for shooting Berman point-blank in the back of the head.

The 78-year-old was later indicted on November 1 for the murder in the death of his first wife, Kathie, whose disappeared nearly four decades ago.

Kathie's 1982 disappearance garnered renewed public interest after HBO aired a documentary in 2015 in which the eccentric Durst appeared to admit killing people after stepping off camera and muttering to himself on a live microphone: 'Killed them all, of course.'

The killings had been a mystery that haunted the women's' families for years before Durst participated in the 2015 HBO documentary The Jinx: The Life and Crime of Robert Durst that unearthed new evidence and caught him in the stunning confession:

'What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course,' Durst mumbled on a hot mic as he went to the bathroom, unaware that he was being recorded, during an interview with filmmaker Andrew Jarecki. The real estate scion was arrested the day before the documentary aired after the recording was shared with police.

Berman (above) is thought to have helped Durst (pictured with Berman) 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

He was indicted in November for the murder of his wife Kathie (pictured)

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, a community in Lewisboro. Her body was never found. Robert Durst divorced her in 1990 citing abandonment. At the request of her family, she was declared legally dead in 2017.

Robert Durst's behavior became increasingly erratic as investigators made several attempts over the years to close the case. In 1999, authorities searched a lake and the couple's home but turned up little evidence, with Becerra equating the search to 'a needle in a haystack.'

Durst, testifying in the Los Angeles trial in August, where he denied killing Kathie, After her medical school called to report that she hadn't been going to class, he said he figured she was 'out someplace having fun' and suggested that perhaps drug use was to blame.

'It hadn't occurred to me that anything had happened to her,' Durst said, speaking slowly in a strained, raspy voice. 'It was more like: What had Kathie done to Kathie?'

The multimillionaire whose grandfather founded one of New York City's premier real estate companies was considered a suspect in Kathie's disappearance, but evaded justice for 39 years.

After his conviction, 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.'

After Berman's death, Durst went into hiding, disguising himself as a mute woman living in a cheap apartment in Galveston, Texas. There, he killed a neighbor, chopped up his body and tossed it out to sea. Durst claimed self-defense  that he and Black were struggling for control of a gun  and was acquitted. He was convicted of destroying evidence for discarding the body parts.

Durst was also sentenced in 2016 to over seven years in prison after pleading guilty to a federal weapons charge stemming from a 2015 arrest in New Orleans.
A rebel Australian MP has given an extraordinary insight into Dan Andrews' 'ego-driven' Cabinet meetings which he claims focuses upon the Premier's popularity on social media.

Former Labor-turned-independent MP Adem Somyurek launched a vicious attack on the Victorian Premier over his weekly meetings with ministers, claiming they were cringeworthy boasting sessions about 'the size' of Mr Andrews' online following.

Mr Somyurek - who resigned from the party following branch-stacking allegations - claimed Mr Andrews' large following is usually the 'first item' of business.

'It is a ritual that bores all ministers and interferes with the business of government. But ministers shut up - lest they offend the mad king.'

A rebel Australian MP launched a vicious attack on Dan Andrews as an 'ego-driven... mad king', claiming his Cabinet meetings were weekly 'measuring contests'

First item on the agenda every Cabinet meeting is the size of Dans online performance. It is a ritual that bores all ministers and interferes with the business of government. But ministers shut up - lest they offend the mad king. Dans private office contains a social media unit.  Adem Somyurek MP (@AdemSomyurek) December 16, 2021

Dan calls a senior female advisor to report on Dans online performance. The advisor reports glowingly about Dans big reach, comparing the size of Dans reach with the size of the PMs and other premiers in what is a weekly reach measuring contest.  Adem Somyurek MP (@AdemSomyurek) December 16, 2021

'Dan calls a senior female advisor to report on Dans online performance,' he Tweeted.

'The advisor reports glowingly about Dan's big reach, comparing the size of Dan's reach with the size of the PMs and other premiers in what is a weekly reach measuring contest.'

Mr Somyurek claimed the Premier sought feedback from other ministers, which always came first from people aligned with his own Socialist Left faction.

Invariably they were 'effusive in their praise of their 'dear leader's 'massive' reach.'

Outspoken Independent Adem Somyurek, a disgraced Victorian government minister, posted Tweets portraying ministerial briefings as cringeworthy boasting sessions about 'the size' of the premier's online following

Mr Somyurek, who resigned from Labor in 2020 amid a branch-stacking scandal, painted a picture of cringeworthy briefings led by social media advisors tolerated by 'bored' ministers because they don't want to offend the premier.

Mr Somyurek quit the Labor Party last year before he was expelled following a 60 Minutes investigation which made allegations about branch stacking.

His resignation came after Mr Andrews referred Mr Somyurek to the Victorian police and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission. Those investigations are ongoing.

There was a significant backlash to Mr Somyurek's tweets, with some arguing Andrews 'lives rent free in [his] head' and that it was no surprise the Premier discussed his social media reach.

Hairstyles change, but one thing stays the same:



We say what we do, and we do what we say.



And today Victoria has 54 fewer level crossings. pic.twitter.com/6ejePkiVCR  Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) November 24, 2021

Andrews is well known for skilful use of social media and has a considerable Twitter following, with 393,000 followers - more than the Federal Labor leader, Anthony Albanese.

Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian had 147,000 followers and her replacement Dominic Perrottet has just 32,000. Mr Somyurek has just 14,000 followers.

Last month Mr Somyurek accused the premier of over-reaching in his bid for sweeping powers that would allow him to declare a pandemic for an unlimited time even if there are no cases of a virus.

Daily Mail Australia approached Dan Andrews for comment.
A heartbreaking tea-towel features the self-portrait cartoon faces of the five schoolchildren killed in the freak jumping castle tragedy in Tasmania on Thursday.

The commemorative towel was produced as a keepsake to mark the end of the Hillcrest Primary School year which was being celebrated when the horror unfolded.

It carried the students' own artwork, with adorable sketches of their faces and their teachers.

Included on the third bottom row, seventh from right, is year six student Addison Stewart who was one of the first victims to be identified, along with classmate Zane Gardam.

On the bottom row, third from left, is Peter Dodt, 12, who dreamed of being an astronaut. He was known by his teacher as the Ginger Ninja - and he drew himself with Ninja-style spectacles.

A heartbreaking tea-towel (pictured) features the self-portrait cartoon faces of the five schoolchildren killed in the freak jumping castle tragedy in Tasmania. Circled are the self-portraits of Addison Stewart and Peter Dodt, two of the five tragic victims

Peter Dodt, 12, (pictured) dreamed of being an astronaut and was known by his teacher as the Ginger Ninja - and he drew himself with Ninja-style spectacles

Year six students Zane Gardam (pictured, left) and Addison Stewart (right) were among of five pupils killed when a wind gust blew a jumping castle about 10 metres into the air at his primary school graduation

The tea-towel was sold at the school for $10 - but has become a gut-wrenching reminder of the devastating accident that shocked the nation on Thursday.

Now the traumatised residents of Devonport are trying to comfort each other in the wake of the disaster.

People gathered outside the primary school on Thursday night for a candlelight vigil and flowers and messages of sympathy have been left near the gates.

Some residents turned off their Christmas lights as a mark of respect.

The five children died when the bouncy castle - part of a Big Day In celebration at the school - was suddenly sent flying by a sudden gust of wind.

It carried a group of around a dozen youngsters 10 metres into the air before they were sent crashing to the ground.

Two boys and two girls were killed in the accident, with the gender of the fifth yet to revealed. Four more children are in hospital, including three in a critical condition.

'It is difficult for me to find the right words in such tragic circumstances,' Premier Peter Gutwein posted on Facebook on Thursday night.

'On a day when school children are celebrating the end of term, so close to Christmas, it is simply inconceivable that this shocking tragedy has occurred.'

Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie, who went to school in Devonport, said people were still in shock.

Zane (pictured) was enjoying his last day of primary school when his life was tragically cut short

'We still don't know how the other four children are going,' she told Nine Network on Friday.

'It's just awful. I don't even want to pick up the phone, I know it's going to be somebody that we know ... a week before Christmas.'

Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said the island state was in mourning.

'These children were meant to be celebrating their last day of primary school, instead we're all mourning their loss,' he said on Thursday.

'Our hearts are breaking for the families.'

Hillcrest Primary School was holding a 'Big Day In' celebration to mark the end of the school year, with the jumping castle and a number of inflatable zorb balls.

The school was closed and parents rushed to collect their children after the fatal accident. Several rescue helicopters were used to transport the injured to hospital.

Tasmanian Governor Barbara Baker and Prime Scott Morrison have extended their sympathies to the families and the community.

Police at the scene of a freak accident tragically claimed the lives of five children at a primary school in Devonport in Tasmania's north-west

'People who just have no connection to the school or any of the families have just come in crying and grieving over the loss of the children in something that was supposed to be a celebration,' Fiona Morrison, a member of the local Uniting Church, told Nine Network on Friday.

'They just can't believe what has happened.

'Last night, people turned off their Christmas lights in respect, or turned on their Christmas lights to offer the other children some hope, some light, at this time when they are grieving.'

HOW DANGEROUS ARE JUMPING CASTLES? According to Safe Work Australia, inflatable amusement devices such as jumping castles can be a hazard if they are not set up and operated to relevant instructions. It states devices must be evacuated when wind gusts exceed the manufacturer's guidelines or when the wind gusts are over 40 km per hour. In 2018, a Spanish study published in the Journal of Children's Orthopaedics recorded a 'rapid increase' in injuries sustained while playing on inflatables such as jumping castles. It reported the rate went up 15-fold from 1995 to 2010 and declared these 'supposedly safe structures are likely unsafe,' the report stated. The report recommended adults supervision at all times, restricting use to children aged over-6 and that users be separated by age and height. The study also suggests jumping castle not be in operation in adverse weather conditions such as high wind or in wet weather, describing the devices as a preventable cause of injury in children. Advertisement

An investigation into how the jumping castle lifted from its footing will take some time as police need to interview multiple witnesses.

Officers remain at the scene, along with Worksafe Tasmania investigators, ahead of a report being given to the coroner.

Tasmania's Education Department is providing support to the school children, their families and school. Counselling has also been offered to first responders.

'Our approach is being guided by our senior psychologists, who are trained in trauma-informed practice,' department secretary Tim Bullard said.

'What has occurred is a tragedy and there are no words that I can give that would take away the grief that those impacted families are feeling right now.'

A number of online fundraising accounts were set up on Thursday to support the affected families. One had raised almost $250,000 as of Friday morning.
Former prime minister John Howard mingled in a room closely surrounded by at least 50 people who weren't wearing face masks despite a surge in Omicron cases.

Australia's second longest-serving leader, 82, was one of 250 people, who registered to attend the Menzies Research Centre's annual lecture in Sydney delivered by another former Liberal leader Brendan Nelson, 63.

The 9th John Howard Lecture was held late on Thursday afternoon, a day after the NSW government relaxed mask rules for indoor settings, and was the first in-person event since 2019.

Mr Howard was seen in deep conversation with former City of Sydney Liberal councillor Craig Chung with little social distancing practised among the conservative crowd.

Scroll down for video

Former prime minister John Howard mingled in a room closely surrounded by at least 50 people who weren't wearing face masks despite a surge in Omicron cases (he pictured next to the table on the right talking with former City of Sydney councillor Craig Chung)

Hornsby Mayor and NSW Liberal Party president Philip Ruddock, 78, who served as immigration minister and attorney-general in the Howard government, was also at the Wesley Centre in central Sydney, along with Michael Yabsley, a 65-year-old former state Liberal minister.

Daily Mail Australia spotted just four people wearing face masks in the common area and later the lecture theatre for Dr Nelson's address, 'Our National Character and Outlook: Values Matter.'

Mr Howard gave a vote of thanks after Dr Nelson's lecture, covering the sacrifices of Australians in war, noting his career as a doctor and the head of the Australian Medical Association before being preselected for the safe Liberal seat of Bradfield, on Sydney's north shore, ahead of the 1996 election.

'You began as a healer of the sick and as a carer of people who needed medical attention and you rose to the organisational pinnacle of that profession,' he said.

Dr Nelson, who was previously a GP in Hobart, said while public health orders to reduce the spread of Covid were necessary, it was up to elected politicians instead of health bureaucrats to make the decisions noting their recommendations were just 'advice'.

The AMA which Dr Nelson used to lead has advocated lockdowns and state border closures to deal with rising Covid cases.

The gathering occurred just hours after Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared those worried about Covid should stay at home rather than demand other people stop going out.

Australia's second longest-serving leader, 82, was one of 250 people who registered to attend the Menzies Research Centre's annual lecture in Sydney delivered by another former Liberal leader Brendan Nelson, 63

The event was held late on Thursday afternoon, a day after the NSW government relaxed mask rules for indoor settings

'If you feel uncomfortable about going out in other public spaces, well, you can choose to stay home,' he said.

'You can choose to wear a mask, you can choose many things to protect your own health.

'But they're your choices and we have to be careful about imposing our choices on others.'

New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet, who Mr Howard backed in the October Liberal Party leadership race, on Wednesday scrapped QR codes for shops and restricted face masks to public transport for members of the public.

The state on Friday reported 2,213 new Covid cases, the highest daily tally since the start of the pandemic.

Hornsby Mayor and NSW Liberal Party president Philip Ruddock, 78, who served as immigration minister and attorney-general in the Howard government, was also at the Wesley Centre in central Sydney

Michael Yabsley (left), a 65-year-old former state Liberal minister was in conversation with Brendan Nelson (right) and his wife Gillian

It surpassed the previous record of 1,742 new infections reported on Thursday.

Hospitalisation rates have also risen with 215 patients being treated in hospital - compared to 194 reported on Thursday.

The escalating case numbers are being driven by super-spreading events at large venues like pubs and nightclubs, exacerbated by the highly-transmissible Omicron variant.

Newcastle remains the biggest area of concern with three more venues placed on the exposure list and pub-goers told to isolate immediately.

In a positive twist, the number of patients being treated in intensive care has dipped from 26 to 24.

As of December 15, 93.8 per cent of NSW residents aged 16 and over had had two doses of a Covid vaccine.
A flock of chickens joined Santa Claus and a woman from bed during an outrageous court hearing for Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

Thousands of people from across Australia live streamed into the video court hearing at Wangaratta on Friday to watch the private prosecution of the Victorian premier.

Mr Andrews had been summoned to appear before the criminal court on a charge of concealing treason and fraud.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews had been summonsed to court for concealing treason

An image similar to the one shared on a live court hearing where Premier Daniel Andrews was accused of treason

The video court hearing was joined by a flock of chickens, which could be seen wandering about a participants yard (stock image as taking screen grabs of court links is illegal)

The private prosecution had been accepted at the Myrtleford Magistrates' Court in country Victoria

But for near on an hour, thousands upon thousands of ordinary people were able to link into the court hearing - many of whom chose to keep their cameras running.

A photograph of Daniel Andrews depicting him as a Chinese dictator was beamed up onto the screen during the live court hearing as wild participants shouted from their lounge rooms.

At one stage a young child appeared to share an image of himself playing hangman, while another woman checked her emails to the audience of thousands.

All the while the beeping sound of new participants joining the live link endlessly chimed, sending viewers stir crazy.

Painful hold music further angered court users, who messaged, rang and verbally begged court staff to mute the entire meeting.

'Enjoy the hold music, it's soothing Dan's soul,' one person wrote on the court chat.

'This really is a sham, makes me think the Magistrates Court wants it to fail,' another wrote.

The charge against Mr Andrews had been successfully filed with the Myrtleford Magistrates' Court and Mr Andrews - or at least his legal representative - was listed to face the court on Friday at 9.30am.

Jolly old Santa was among participants on the chaotic court link on Friday

Anti-lockdown campaigner Jim Rech addressed the crowd on November 27

The link to the meeting was no doubt shared across the country, with more than 10,000 people tuning in.

'Father God, in the name of Jesus Christ, I pray the blood of Jesus Christ over this case today and over the people of this country and around the world. Please have mercy on u,' one woman wrote as the madness dragged on.

Meanwhile, other legitimate court users were unable to have their case heard as the video link sunk further into the muck.

'We're here for an actual legitimate court case. Nothing to do with Dan. If the rest of you could stop the background palava it would be greatly appreciated,' one person pleaded.

In ordinary times, such behaviour would have resulted in dozens of people being charged with contempt of court.

But Covid-19 has seen Victoria's justice system upended with crooks simply phoning or video stream in from wherever they like.

After more than an hour waiting, a court representative made an announcement declaring that the premier's matter had been concluded and simply tossed out among the commotion.

Daily Mail Australia was unable to hear any actual court hearing amid the sound of dozens of voices, music and cries of abuse.

The court later confirmed the proceeding against Mr Andrews had indeed been struck out, but could not provide an explanation as to why.

Daily Mail Australia revealed on Tuesday the premier had been summoned to appear before the court.

While the prosecuting agency on the court record was listed as 'unknown', it is understood anti-lockdown campaigners Jim Rech and photographer Dezi Freeman had the matter listed privately.

Sources had told Daily Mail Australia the private prosecution had been rejected from several Victorian courts before finally being put into the criminal justice stream in Myrtleford - 280 km northeast of Melbourne.

Protesters hit the streets in Melbourne last month to have Daniel Andrews sacked. On Friday they logged into a virtual court hearing

Thousands of protesters logged into a court hearing for Daniel Andrews on Friday

Protesters bombarded a live court hearing for the despised Victorian premier

Addressing 'freedom' protesters last month, Mr Rech claimed to have been successful in having the matter brought before the court, but it had since been suppressed to the general public.

Mr Rech, who refers to himself as a 'Commonwealth Public Official' is known to have tried similar proceedings against other members of parliament across the country, reportedly arresting 'those sitting on the bench without any Crown authority'.

Under the law in Victoria, ordinary citizens can pay $85.70 and file a criminal charge in court.

While many private prosecutions are described by legal professionals as 'wacky', they have a long history in Victoria.

The case against Mr Andrews had faced significant challenges, with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions able to take control of the matter before it got off the ground.

Under the law, the CDPP has the power to overtake and discontinue private prosecutions should it find it has no reasonable prospect of a conviction being secured on the available evidence or was 'not in the public interest'.

In July, a private prosecution against the Chief Magistrate of Victoria Lisa Hannan was dealt with in Victoria under similar laws.

Mr Andrews, who is on leave, did not appear to be present on the court video link.

On Friday, it was revealed Mr Andrews had tested negative to Covid-19 after coming into contact with an infected person at a swank party.

His office has refused to comment on the now failed private prosecution.
A mother whose three-year-old died after choking on a bouncy ball sent a heartfelt message to families who lost children in the jumping castle tragedy in Tasmania.

Anna Davis lost her son Alby after he choked on a bouncy ball he was gifted for his fourth birthday at his home in Wynyard, Tasmania, in 2018.

The devastated mother relived the agony of losing a young child after hearing that five school children had died while jumping on a bouncing castle at Devonport on Thursday.

She extended her condolences to the parents who lost loved ones in the incident and penned a heartfelt message on the Facebook page of her toy business, 'The Small Folk'.

Anna Davis lost her son Alby after he choked on a bouncy ball he was gifted for his fourth birthday at his home in Wynyard, Tasmania, in 2018

Peter Dodt, 12, who tragically died at a jumping castle disaster on Thursday morning

The devastated mother relived the agony of losing a young child after hearing that five school children had died while jumping on a bouncing castle at Devonport on Thursday

'To all of the Devonport families waking up without their babies this morning, I'm so, so sorry it wasn't all just a bad dream,' she wrote.

'For a split second, you'll open your eyes and think for a moment "today is just another regular, ordinary day," but then the enormity and the permanence of this new "forever" will flood in like a freight train and feel entirely suffocating and completely unbearable.'

The school children had been celebrating the end of school year when the bouncing castle was lifted into the air by a gust of wind.

The first of the two victims have been identified as year six students Addison Stewart, Zane Gardam and Peter Dodt.

'You will bear this reality that you never expected would ever - could ever - be your own,' Ms Davis wrote.

'You will shed thousands upon thousands of tears and live with a longing you never knew your heart could hold.

'You will have days permanently punctuated with "if onlys" and "what ifs" and "should have beens" and moments that even years on, will bring you to you knees.'

Ms Davis described the inconsolable pain she has carried with her since losing her own child before offering words of strength to the parents.

'You will have times on the mountain tops and times in the trenches,' she wrote.

'You will be fragile and strong and angry and soft. You will desperately seek answer,s and you will surrender.

She extended her condolences to the parents who lost loved ones in the incident and penned a heartfelt message on the Facebook page of her toy business 'The Small Folk'

Ms Davis described the inconsolable pain she has carried with her since losing her own child before she offered words of strength to the parents

'You will forever know a life intertwined with both joy and grief, because right there? Thats where unshakable, unrelenting love lives.

'Im so, so sorry you know this pain. Place your hand on your chest. Your heart is broken, but it is still beating. Beating for them.'

Ms Davis' son Alby was playing with the small bouncy ball, which was no bigger than a 50 cent piece, when it became lodged in his throat.

She did everything she could to pull out the green ball, which featured the smiling face of a character from the animated children's program PJ Masks.

But the bouncy ball couldn't be removed and Alby choked to death in the arms of his mother - who was pregnant at the time.

Four children were also taken to hospital in a critical condition following the jumping castle incident.

Ms Davis' son Alby was playing with the small bouncy ball, which was no bigger than a 50 cent piece, when it became lodged in his throat

The school children had been celebrating the end of school year when the bouncing castle was lifted into the air by a gust of wind

The jumping castle was blown into the air by a freak gust of wind, killing five kids and leaving several injured (paramedics are pictured at the scene)

On Friday, Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine revealed one had been discharged.

'Nine children were seriously injured,' he said.

'Tragically, five of those children have died, three boys and two girls. One was 11 years old, four were 12 years old.

'Three remain in a critical condition at the Royal Hobart Hospital. One is now recovering from home.'

When journalists repeatedly asked whether the bouncy house was tethered to the ground before the tragedy, police refused to answer the question.

'Was the jumping castle tethered at all?' one reporter asked.

'That forms part of the investigation,' Mr Hine said.

Two rescue helicopters and multiple ambulances were sent to the scene on Thursday (pictured)

Two police officers console each other at Hillcrest Primary School, in Tasmania, after four children were killed when a jumping castle flew ten metres into the air

'It is fair to say that those injured were inside the castle. We need to piece the movements of the individuals together so we can present a full picture to the coroner.'

Seven zorb balls, which are large and inflatable balls that children get stand inside, also took flight during the strong wind gust - but the commissioner again remained tight-lipped about the details.

'What was the connection with the zorb balls, were they inside the castle or outside?' a reporter asked.

'That will form part of the investigation,' he said.

'But my understanding is that the zorb balls were outside. But it will form part of the investigation.'
The federal government on Thursday permanently lifted a restriction on an abortion pill that prevented prescribers from sending it through the mail.

The drug, mifepristone, is the first in a two-drug medication therapy used to terminate pregnancies up to 10 weeks.

Under US regulations on the pill, it must be dispensed in clinics or hospitals by specially-certified providers who must sign an agreement, and obtain the patient's signature to acknowledge the provider informed them about the drug.

The second drug in the regimen, misoprostol, which is taken up to 48 hours after the first, though. has long been obtainable with a prescription at any pharmacy.

But on Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration means that medication abortion will become more readily available to women who find it burdensome to travel to an abortion clinic, and those who would like to terminate their pregnancies from the comfort of their own home.

It allows patients to have a telemedicine appointment with a provider who can prescribe them the abortion pills, and send them to the patient by mail.

The decision, though, comes as the Supreme Court is set to hear a major case about abortion rights - and could overturn Roe v. Wade.

The FDA on Thursday lifted a restriction on Mifepristone that prevented prescribers from sending the drugs through the mail

As the Supreme Court prepared to hear arguments challenging the constitutionality of Roe v. Wade, Amelia Bonow, Erin Jorgensen and Alana Edmondson publicly took abortion pills

Under the current practice, women who live in states that do not allow telemedicine for abortion pills must travel to a state that does - but they may be in any location within the state for the telehealth visit and can receive the pills at any address in the state.

Thursday's decision will not override the regulations in 19 states - mainly in the South and the Midwest - where telemedicine visits for the pills are banned.

'It's really significant,' Mary Ziegler, a law professor at Florida State University, said of the FDA's decision on Thursday.

'Telehealth abortions are much easier for both providers and patients, and even in states that want to do it, there have been limits on how available it is,' she told the New York Times.

Several states have restricted the mailing and prescribing of abortion pills over the past year, with six states banning the mailing of the pills in preparation of the FDA's decision, the Times reports, and seven states passing laws requiring pills be obtained from a provider.

Four others passed laws to set the limit on medication abortion at earlier than 10 weeks gestation, which is when the pills cease to be effective.

Meanwhile, data released last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that medication abortion has become an increasingly popular way to terminate a pregnancy.

The data shows that 42 percent of all abortions and 54 percent of abortions before 10 weeks occurred with medication in 2019.

And in 2020, in states like Indiana, Kansas and Minnesota, medication abortion accounted for the majority of abortions.

The CDC also reported that 79 percent of all abortions occurred before 10 weeks gestation, suggesting more women may choose abortion pills over an in-clinic procedure, according to the Times.

Under previous US regulations on mifepristone (pictured) it must be dispensed in clinics or hospitals by specially-certified providers who must sign an agreement, and obtain the patient's signature to acknowledge the provider informed them about the drug

Misoprostol, one of the abortion pills, has been readily available at pharmacies throughout the country with a prescription

Medical and abortion rights groups have previously urged the federal government to ease restrictions on mifepristone, citing data indicating that it is safe and effective.

And when the coronavirus pandemic began, medical groups filed a lawsuit asking that the in-person dispensing requirement be lifted, claiming that with the pandemic a woman who wants to get the pill could get COVID during an in-person meeting.

A federal judge granted the request, but it was soon overturned after a challenge from the Trump administration.

Then in March, after Joe Biden took office, the medical groups tried once again to get the rule overturned, and in April the FDA decided not to enforce the rule during the pandemic.

Its decision on Thursday has now made that permanent, with the agency saying a scientific review from 2017 supported broadening access, including no longer limiting dispensing to a small number of specialty clinics and doctors' offices.

The prescribers will still need to undergo certification and training, with physicians who prescribe the drug having to certify that they can provide emergency care to deal with potentially adverse side effects, and the dispensing pharmacy will also need to be certified.

The FDA noted in its decision there have been 26 deaths associated with the drug since 2000, though not all of them could be directly linked to the drug due to underlying health conditions.

Common side effects of the drug include cramping, bleeding, nausea, headache and diarrhea. In some cases, the Associated Press reports, bleeding needs to be stopped with a surgical procedure.

In its decision on Thursday, the FDA said a scientific review from 2017 supported broadening access, including no longer limiting dispensing o a small number of specialty clinics and doctors' offices

Anti-abortion groups have now blasted the FDA's decision as 'reckless,' the Hill reports, with Susan B Anthony List State Policy Director Sue Liebel saying it 'puts countless women and unborn children in danger.'

The ACLU, meanwhile, hailed the elimination of the strictest requirements on the drug, but said regulator should have gone further and allow any doctor to prescribe the drug, with more pharmacies dispensing it.

'The FDAs decision will come as a tremendous relief for countless abortion and miscarriage patients,' said Georgeanne Usova, a lawyer with the ACLU.

'However, it is disappointing that the FDA fell short of repealing all of its medically unnecessary restrictions on mifepristone and these remaining obstacles should also be lifted.'

Planned Parenthood Federation of America President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson also called the decision a 'victory for public health and health equity.

'Abortion is time-sensitive, essential health care and this decision will remove a sometimes insurmountable barrier for patients seeking an abortion,' she said in a statement.

'With abortion rights at risk like never before, the FDA's decision is a long overdue step toward expanding people's access to safe medication abortion.'

The conservative-leaning Supreme Court ruled on December 10 that abortion providers' lawsuit against Texas could proceed but with a limited scope

The FDA's decision comes as the Supreme Court returned a case over Texas' six-week abortion ban back to a federal court that twice upheld it, in the latest setback for pro-choice activists.

In handing it back to the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, the justices rejected abortion providers and pro-choice advocates' wish to have the case sent to US District Judge Robert Pitman in western Texas, who previously blocked the ban.

The decision was signed off on by Donald Trump-appointed Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Texas abortion providers also scored a small victory last week when the conservative-majority court ruled that their case against the law can move forward.

However they also allowed the law, which is known as S.B.8 deputizes private citizens to go after women seeking abortions and those who help them, to stay in effect while it's being litigated in a 5-4 vote.

'Every day S.B. 8 is in effect, it is causing devastation in Texas and surrounding states, forcing countless people to carry pregnancies against their will as they are unable to get the essential health care they need,' the American Civil Liberties Union told DailyMail.com.

'Today's decision by Justice Gorsuch means that the narrow path the Court afforded us is now blocked, and there is no relief on the horizon. Last week's decision was far from a "victory" for providers and Texans, and Justice Gorsuch's order is yet another blow to that effort.'
The National Institute of Health's outgoing director says he ignored calls to ax Dr. Anthony Fauci and was confronted by Donald Trump for defying a request to endorse hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 remedy.

In a preview of his CBS New interview, set to air Sunday, retiring NIH boss Dr. Francis Collins said he was pressured by the former president to endorse the malaria drug.

'And I got into a difficult place and got a bit of a talking-to by the president, but I stuck my ground,' he said.

He said he would have resigned before acquiescing to such a request.

'I was not going to compromise scientific principles just to hold onto the job,' Collins told interview Rita Braver.

Retiring NIH boss Dr. Francis Collins said during an interview with CBS News that he was pressured by the former president to endorse hydroxychloroquine

The National Institute of Health's outgoing director says he ignored calls to ax Dr. Anthony Fauci and was confronted by Donald Trump for defying a request to endorse hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 remedy. The trio are pictured together in the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory at National Institutes of Health and Vaccine Research Center in Bethesda, Maryland on March 3, 2020

In a preview of his CBS New interview, set to air Sunday, retiring NIH boss Dr. Francis Collins said he was pressured by the former president to endorse the malaria drug. 'And I got into a difficult place and got a bit of a talking-to by the president, but I stuck my ground,' he said. Trump is flanked by Anthony Fauci, director of the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar as he listens to National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins in Bethesda, Maryland, March 3, 2020

This "Sunday Morning"



"I was not going to compromise scientific principles to just hold onto to the job."



NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins tells Rita Braver he stood up to pressure from former President Trump to endorse disproven COVID-19 treatments like hydroxychloroquine pic.twitter.com/Jd5P1tq3Zp  CBS Sunday Morning  (@CBSSunday) December 16, 2021

Trump previously touted the drug as a potential miracle treatment, claiming in March 2020 that he was taking it to prevent catching the virus, rather than treating it. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 in October 2020 and was not treated with it.

Researchers in July found hydroxychloroquine did nothing to help COVID-19 patients recover.

During his time at the institute, Collins was also under pressure to fire Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert.

'Can you imagine a circumstance where the director of the NIH, somebody who believes in science, would submit to political pressures to fire the greatest expert in infectious diseases the world has known just to satisfy political concerns?' Collins said.

A segment of the population has been critical of Fauci, accusing him of overblowing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, despite the fact it has killed more than 800,000 Americans and sickened countless others.

Despite the battles he's faced, Collins said he has intentionally tried to keep out of partisan politics.

'It's really not a place where medical research belongs,' he said.

Collins, 71, said in October that he is stepping down by the end of the year amid a greater polarization of science.

During his time at the institute, Collins was also under pressure to fire Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, and revealed he got a talking to from Trump over hydroxychloroquine

'Every issue, the polarization gets deeper and deeper,' Collins told the Washington Post, 'the tribes have formed their views, and it's very hard to see how we step back from that.'

Collins has led the research center for 12 years and became a prominent source of public information during the coronavirus pandemic. He announced his decision to step down in a tweet.

'It's been a privilege and honor to serve as NIH Director for over 12 years,' he wrote. 'However, I believe no person should hold this position for too long. So with deep gratitude to this great agency and the people who carry out it's mission, I've decided to step down.'

He added in the interview with the Washington Post: 'There comes a time where an institution like NIH really benefits from new vision, new leadership. This was the right timing.'

Lawrence Tabak, the principal deputy director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has been named as the biomedical research agency's acting director as Collins steps down.

Tabak will assume his new position on December 20. Tabak has been with the NIH for more than two decades and has been its principal deputy director since 2010.

'Dr. Tabak's long tenure and broad experience at the NIH will ensure that the agency is in capable hands and serve it well during the search for Dr. Collins' successor,' HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement.

Before joining the NIH, Tabak was the senior associate dean and professor of dentistry, biochemistry, and biophysics at the University of Rochester in New York.

Collins bid his colleagues farewell by reprising his bizarre COVID-themed version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow called 'Somewhere Past the Pandemic,' all while the Omicron variant surges across the US.

He picked up a guitar on Tuesday and began singing about hopeful times after the pandemic in what critics have called a 'cringe' performance.

'Somewhere past the pandemic, when we're free, there's a life I remember, full of activity,' Collins sang in his parody that he first performed on November.

'Somewhere past the pandemic, no quarantine, we'll all stay well and healthy, thanks to a safe vaccine.'

Collins performance came on the same day the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that US COVID-19 deaths will soar by 73 per cent to 15,600 a week by January 8, and that cases will rocket to 1.3 million a week by Christmas Day.

Collins picked up a guitar on Tuesday and began singing his bizarre COVID-themed version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Collins appears fond of the song, which he previously played for the American Academy of Arts & Sciences last month.

'The intensity of seeking answers for a myriad of unsolved human ills can be exhausting, especially amid a global pandemic,' Collins told the Academy.

'At times, we all need a way to unwind, smile, and bond with each other. Music has the ability to help us do that!'

In the song, Collins sings 'Thank God the shots came very fast, so all my fears are now behind me... Masks off finally!'

'Thank God science and people have brought the pandemic's end.'

Collin's performance gained backlash on social media as many claim it to be tone deaf amid the growing COVID crisis.

Conservative podcaster Benny Johnson tweeted, 'How is this real,' as he questioned the bizarre performance.

A Twitter user with the handle Giazillashow wrote, 'Geez. I legit have second hand embarrassment from this little concert.'

Another Twitter user with the name Sabrina was much more critical, tweeting, 'The U.S. science administrations & government have completely lost their minds.'
A group of Kentucky candle factory workers are suing their employer, claiming they were forced to stay during a tornado that destroyed the building and left eight dead.

Elijah Johnson, 20, who filed the suit, and 109 other employees of Mayfield Consumer Products, a family-owned candle factory in Kentucky, are suing for an undisclosed amount after they say they were told that if they left the factory they'd be fired - despite tornado sirens going off.

Only a few hours later, the whole factory was destroyed by the tornado, killing eight and injuring several. It is unclear how many are injured or missing.

Employees were trapped under debris for several hours, with some were buried under five feet of rubble.

The lawsuit claims the company showed 'flagrant indifference to the rights of Plaintiff Johnson and to the other similarly situated Plaintiffs with a subjective awareness that such conduct will result in human death and/or bodily injuries.'

The company has since denied this claim, stating that they followed protocol.

Elijah Johnson, 20, (pictured) has filed a lawsuit with 109 other employees after their employer Mayfield Consumer Products told them they couldn't go home before the tornado on Friday, they claimed

Several employees were hospitalized with injuries after Mayfield Consumer Products - a family-owned candle factory in Kentucky - was torn down in a tornado on Friday. Employee Lauren Barclay (left) was one of reportedly five employees who were told they could not go home after the sirens went off the first time around 5.30pm

Around 15 employees were reportedly told by management they could not leave their shift to go and be with family unless they wanted to be fired.

Johnson and another employee Lauren Barclay, who was hospitalized after the tornado hit with unknown injuries, were among them.

'I'm angry [with Mayfield Consumer Products],' Johnson told DailyMail.com on Friday. 'We were threatened with termination if we left when the tornado sirens came on.

'Signing out wasn't an option, either you stay or if you leave you get terminated, simple as that.'

Johnson also claimed that supervisors went out to take attendance after having a meeting with the five to see who had already left.

'We should not have been working,' Lauren Barclay told Wave 3 News from her hospital bed.

Barclay said workers were on the factory lines just moments before the roof was taken off, with just minutes to spare.

'My house was fine. If I had been at home, I wouldnt be in this hospital right now. We didnt even have a tree fall on our yard,' Barclay told Wave 3.

Another employee McKayla Emery, 21, and Haley Conder, 29, told NBC that they, too, heard supervisors telling people not to go home and that employees were sheltering in bathrooms and in hallways.

The before and after of the factory which was completely obliterated by the tornado as it tore through Kentucky, leaving nothing but rubble behind. The company has since denied telling its employees they couldn't leave and are offering hazard pay

The factory was left completely destroyed, leaving some employees buried under the rubble for several hours as rescue teams pulled them out

It is unclear how many were injured in the destruction or how many remain still missing

CEO Troy Propes (pictured) denied not allowing his employees to leave, but said it was a 'game' to leave. 'It's such a gamble to stay "leave," you know, because the last thing you do, [experts] say "don't get in your car"'

CEO Troy Propes told Wave 3 News: 'If we believe we could do anything differently - in hindsight, I think all of us would do something different.

'It's such a gamble to stay "leave," you know, because the last thing you do, [experts] say "don't get in your car.""

A spokesperson for Mayfield Consumer Products told Wave 3 News that managers and team leads go through safety drills that follow FEMA and OSHA guidelines.

Conder told the outlet that the first alarms went off around 5.30pm and hours later a second set of alarms went off around 9pm.

Thats the thing. We should have been able to leave,' Mark Saxton, a forklift operator, told NBC. 'The first warning came, and they just had us go in the hallway. After the warning, they had us go back to work. They never offered us to go home.'

Emery recounted being struck by a piece of concrete following the second alarms and how she became 'stuck' underneath its weight.

'I kid you not, I heard a loud noise and the next thing I know, I was stuck under a cement wall,' she said. 'I couldnt move anything. I couldnt push anything. I was stuck.'

She was standing near the wax room in the factory and was pulled out from under the piece of concrete six hours later with burns on her body from the hot wax.

She now reports that she has kidney problems, black urine, and the swelling in her legs is so severe she still can't move her legs.

Another employee Kyanna Parsons-Perez was trapped for two hours under 'five feet' of rubble after she sheltered in a hallway and got trapped under a water fountain.

Kirks' boyfriend Lannis Joe Ward (right), as well as Robert Daniel (left), who's son Zachary confirmed his death on Facebook, died at the factory during the tornado

'I did not think I would make it out alive,' she told Today.

'I had been in this weird position for so long that I couldn't feel my legs,' she told Today.

Parsons-Perez said she fell in a weird position and couldn't feel her legs by the time emergency assistance arrived and that several people were trying to help others out from under the debris.

She commended the inmates working in the factory, who helped free people from under heavy debris.

'I tell you, some of those prisoners were working their tails off to get us out,' she told Today. 'But we were able to get the debris under us to move around and we were able to get out.'

However, a team lead at the factory Autumn Kirks said she did not hear any supervisors telling employees they cannot leave.

Kirks' boyfriend Lannis Joe Ward, as well as Robert Daniel, who's son Zachary confirmed his death on Facebook, died in the destruction. It is unknown who the other six victims are.

The company claims that any employee has always been allowed to leave whenever they wanted since it changed its policy due to COVID-19.

Johnson told DailyMail.com on Friday: 'There is a policy like that, but if you use it for more than two weeks straight, it will lead to termination because of poor job attendance. That's what the supervisor sat down and told me.'

Following the tornado, the Mayfield candle factory was completely destroyed, leaving on a large pile of rubble behind.

It is unclear how many employees were injured or are still missing.

Johnson also told DailyMail.com on Friday that there is another factory in Hickory that is owned by the same family, where he suspects most people will go.

Johnson said he will not be joining them if this happens as he is not currently 'physically capable of getting another job.' He did not say if he was injured.

There are still 16 people missing in the state and the death toll has risen to 76 people. More than 3,000 people are also experiencing power outages due to storm damage.
South Australia has recorded 64 new cases of Covid-19, marking the highest daily increase since the start of the pandemic.

The increase in cases comes as the state government announces a revised plan for the next stage of easing restrictions.

From December 28 once 90 per cent of the state are vaccinated, the government will ease density restrictions for hospitality venues and nightclubs, but only for fully vaccinated punters.

Meanwhile, mask wearing in indoor public venues will remain, along with quarantine requirements for vaccinated international travellers, but the period will reduce from seven days to three.

South Australia has recorded 64 new cases of Covid-19 , marking the highest daily increase since the start of the pandemic (pictured crowds at the Ashes second Test in Adelaide)

The state's Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier confirmed 49 cases from Friday's infections were locally acquired, three are from interstate and 12 are under investigation.

She added she expected more cases to pop up from interstate travellers coming into Adelaide for the Ashes Test this week.

Premier Steven Marshall said there was only one Covid patient in hospital as of Friday, down from two on Thursday when the state recorded 24 infections.

'We're going to see the numbers in South Australia continue to climb,' he said.

Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said cases are likely to rise with interstate travellers coming in for the Ashes

As part of the new restrictions nightclubs will open for 50 per cent capacity, while other venues allowing drinking while standing up and dancing will increase to 75 per cent density.

There will be no limits to guests at homes, having previously been capped at 30 people.

Sit down venues will also have no density limits.
Queensland announced 20 new Covid cases on Friday, including five people with the Omicron variant, as the premier reintroduced a mask mandate and warned case numbers will rise further in the state.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said the new cases were detected in Brisbane north and south, West Moreton, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Cairns.

'There are new cases in Cairns today,' Ms D'Ath said.

'There are thousands and thousands of people moving around this state seeing loved ones and we know this virus could pop up anywhere in Queensland at any time in coming days and months.'

Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said the new cases comprised seven infections acquired interstate, four from overseas, three from contacts within Queensland, four unlinked to other cases, and two under investigation.

Two of the new Omicron cases - one in Brisbane and one on the Gold Coast - are linked to the growing Newcastle cluster, Dr Gerrard said.

'These numbers will continue to increase and that is expected,' he said.

'Omicron will become dominant and we will not be able to stop it.

'Both individuals were vaccinated and neither had symptoms, they were simply screened because they were contacts [of other cases].

Dr Gerrard said residents of the Holland Park aged care facility, where a visitor had tested positive, had screened negative for Covid so far.

'We're doing this to slow the spread of the virus we know Christmas is the busiest time of the year for people shopping and getting ready,' Ms Palaszczuk said as she reintroduced a mask mandate for some indoor settings in the state

Ms D'Ath said 105,923 applications for GV border passes into Queensland from people in southern states showed that visitors were 'flooding Queensland'.

Earlier, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk reintroduced a mask mandate in the state as new Covid cases grow following the easing of border restrictions last Monday.

'It's time to bring out these,' she announced at a press conference on Friday, holding up a mask.

Masks will be required again in retail settings, hospitals, aged care, public transport, rideshare and airports from 1am tomorrow.

'I'm asking Queenslanders once again, it's a small price to pay for your freedoms,' Ms Palaszczuk said.

'We're doing this to slow the spread of the virus we know Christmas is the busiest time of the year for people shopping and getting ready.

'We dont want to see a massive escalation [in cases] over Christmas and New Year.'

The move comes as the state announced 20 news Covid cases on Friday, following on from 22 announced yesterday. Five of the cases were confirmed as having the Omicron variant, after three were detected yesterday.

Masks will not be required in outdoor settings or in workplaces, the Premier said.

Ms Palaszczuk the new mandate will likely remain in place until the state reached 90 per cent of the eligible population with two doses of a Covid vaccine.

'Were looking good to reach 90 per cent single dose over Christmas, and double dose some time in January,' she said.

The premier said the dramatic escalation in cases in NSW and the fact more than 60,000 border passes to enter Queensland had been received from people in interstate hotspots made the reintroduction of masks necessary.

Mask will be required again in retail settings, hospitals, aged care, public transport, rideshare and airports from 1am tomorrow. Pictured: People cross a Brisbane street while wearing masks

NSW Covid case numbers jumped again to 2,213 infections on Friday, with one death, while Victoria recorded 1,510 cases and eight fatalities.

Visitors from both states and the ACT were welcomed back to Queensland by road and air last Monday, provided they were fully vaccinated, possessed a valid border pass and had proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours of arriving in Queensland.

Queensland Health added new contact tracing sites to its website overnight.

These include Virgin flight VA511 from Sydney to the Gold Coast on December 15 between 8am-9.40am. All passengers, excluding Rows 28-32, are considered casual contacts and are asked to quarantine and get tested.

Those in rows 28-32 are considered close contacts.

Passengers sitting in rows 23-27 of Qantas flight QF756 from Brisbane to Townsville on Tuesday, December 14 between 3.32pm - 5.19pm are also considered close contacts of a positive case and must quarantine even after receiving a negative PCR test.

Yesterday, Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath urged Queenslanders to start wearing masks again in indoor settings after a spike in Covid case numbers to 22.

That was the highest number of new cases in Queensland since August.

'Please, get out your masks and start wearing them anywhere in Queensland just to protect yourself and reduce the risk of the spread of this virus,' Ms D'Ath said.

'It is now not about the number of cases, but the number of people who end up in the ICU.'

Visitors from both states and the ACT were welcomed back to Queensland by road and air last Monday, but the state is on edge about the new Covid cases the travellers will inevitably bring

Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said he expected the state would see a surge in Covid cases in coming weeks now that border restrictions had eased.

'It is likely well see fatal cases, particularly among the unvaccinated,' he warned.

Dr Gerrard said the state was not yet seeing rapid 'person-to-person transmission' of Covid because of higher vaccination rates.

Ms Palaszczuk praised a number of Queensland regions for reaching the 90 per cent mark on first doses of a vaccine, including Mackay and Cairns, but once again noted the Gold Coast was trailing state averages at just over 80 per cent of residents with a first dose.

The return of the mask mandate comes on the day Queenslanders need to display their vaccination status in order to enter most venues in the state.

The mandate will be revised once 90 per cent of eligible Queenslanders are fully vaccinated.

Density limits on venues have been completely lifted, provided all patrons are fully vaccinated.

Some business owners have said they will openly flout the rules because they do not want to police the vaccination status of patrons.

Queenslanders must check in to venues in Queensland from today and display their vaccination status as density limits are dropped

Gold Coast businessman Glen Day, who owns eateries such as Pancakes in Paradise in Surfers Paradise and The Aztec on Broadbeach, said he will allow unvaccinated people at his venues.

'Money is not the important thing. It's people's rights that are important,' he told the Today Show this week.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll reminded businesses that the new vaccine pass rules were mandatory with fines for those operators who failed to check the vaccination status of patrons.

'We have increased patrols and compliance checks... this is the law,' she warned.

'If there is blatant disregard for the rules, for the law, there are fines for individuals up to $1378 and for businesses, $6892.

'Those people who've given us good intelligence that they will do the wrong thing, they will be getting a visit from police.'

Queensland vaccination rates are now 89.3 per cent of eligible people with a first dose of a Covid vaccine, and 83.7 per cent with a second dose.
Elon Musk has clashed with Joy Reid over his feud with Sen. Elizabeth Warren after the MSNBC host accused him of culturally appropriating the insult 'Karen' from black people.

The Tesla CEO shot back that Reid was nothing more than a lobbyist for Warren.

The argument began when Musk, 50, was named by Time magazine as the person of the year - leading Warren, who has long campaigned for higher taxes for the wealthiest, to say that Musk was unworthy because he had not paid enough tax.

Warren and Musk traded insults, and then on Wednesday Warren appeared on Joy Reid's MSNBC show and continued her attacks.

Musk called Warren 'Senator Karen', using the pejorative slang term for an entitled, ignorant and culturally insensitive white woman.

Reid then defended Warren, accusing Musk of misusing the 'Karen' insult.

Joy Reid on Wednesday accused Musk of 'misappropriating black vernacular for misogynistic purposes'

Musk is pictured on Monday after being named Time Magazine's Person of the Year

'Elon wasn't happy, so he did what he always did, and stomped his little feet and insulted Senator Warren,' said Reid.

'Calling her an 'angry mom' and referring to her as Senator Karen.

'So for so many reasons - being a freeloader, and a selfish and disrespectful one, and for misappropriating black vernacular for misogynistic purposes - Elon Musk is the absolute worst.

'Meanwhile Senator Warren has better things to do than fight with Junior Birdman on Twitter.'

Elon Musk was named Time Magazine's 2021 Person of the Year

Musk, inevitably, responded, tweeting: '(Lack of) Joy Reid is a lobbyist for Sen Karen.'

Reid prefaced her interview with Warren by calling Musk 'the absolute worst' - highlighting his opposition to President Joe Biden's Build Back Better agenda, and noting that, even though he has called for an end to government subsidies, electric vehicle subsidies helped Tesla get ahead.

Then, after quoting Warren's tweet, Reid referenced a ProPublica report, saying: 'Its investigation found that in 2018, Musk paid nothing in federal income taxes, and less than $70,000 in 2015 and 2017.'

She then turned the conversation over to Warren to get her thoughts on Musk's tweet about her.

Warren replied: 'The world's richest freeloader evidently has a very thin skin.

'But you know the part that makes me angry about this?

'It's on behalf of every public school teacher, every waitress, every computer programmer, every street cleaner who actually paid taxes, and that means they paid more than Elon Musk did in federal income taxes.

'And that's just not right, and it means the system is broken.

'But the days - when these guys not only get to rake it all in, but then rub everybody else's nose in it while they head off into outer space and declare how they did this all on their own when they were subsidized by the federal government and subsidized by every waitress and public school teacher who paid their taxes - are over.

'This is wrong and Elon Musk needs to eat a big dish of that,' she concluded.

In an interview with MSNBC's Joy Reid on Wednesday, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, right, clapped back at Tesla founder Elon Musk for calling her 'Senator Karen' by saying he is 'the world's richest freeloader,' and claiming he 'evidently has a very thin skin'

Sen. Elizabeth Warren criticized Telsa CEO Elon Musk after he was named Time Magazine's 2021 Person of the Year. She called on him to pay his fair share of taxes

Musk attacked the senator on Twitter and dubbed her Senator Karen

Last month, Musk mocked Senator Bernie Sanders who called on the nation's 'extremely wealthy' to pay more taxes, in a tweet that drew the attention of Musk - who had sold more than $5 billion of his Tesla stake.

Musk did so after launching a Twitter poll that guided him toward selling $25 billion in stock to fund Biden's proposed billionaire tax.

Musk, responding to Sanders' demands, indicated he wouldn't draw the line there.

'I keep forgetting that you're still alive,' Musk, the world's richest man, tweeted at the senator.

'Want me to sell more stock, Bernie? Just say the word '

He also attacked Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, of Oregon, who supported a wealth tax for billionaires and criticized Musk's twitter poll.

'Whether or not the world's wealthiest man pays any taxes at all shouldn't depend on the results of a Twitter poll,' Wyden wrote.

'It's time for the Billionaires Income Tax.'

Musk lashed back by mocking Wyden's face, writing, 'Why does ur pp look like u just came?'

Musk attacked senators Bernie Sanders and Ron Wyden after they also complained about his lack of paying taxes and called on billionaires to pay their fair share

2021 Time magazine awards Heroes of the Year: Vaccine scientists Athlete of the Year: Simone Biles Entertainer of the Year: Olivia Rodrigo Advertisement

His row with Warren, though, comes as the Tesla founder was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year.

He was recognized for selling off his possessions and moving to Texas; launching rockets into space; inventing new driverless cars; sharing his Asperger's diagnosis while hosting Saturday Night Live; and influencing the stock market with this tweets.

In his bid to become the Person of the Year, Musk spoke with Time magazine and discussed his 'semi-separated' status with his musician girlfriend Grimes, slammed vaccine mandates as an 'erosion of freedom' and shared his plans to fly a Noah's ark spaceship packed full of animals to Mars as he works to colonize the planet.

As of Thursday, Musk has a net worth of $243 billion.

Speaking about being the richest man in the world and all of history, Musk pointed to someone who he claims is even richer than he is.

'Well, I think there's like some, you know, sovereigns,' he said.

'I think [Russia's] President Putin is significantly richer than me. I can't invade countries and stuff.

'When looking at income and asset distribution, it is very important to normalize that for age. So as societies age, there are more older people; the older somebody is, the richer they are,' he explained.

'But a lot of the push for higher government involvement and expropriation of assets by the government is pushed by a bunch of politicians who are actually saying that resources shouldn't be in control of private individuals. They should be in control of the government,' Musk said.

One of the biggest criticisms leveled at the billionaire is the fact of his enormous wealth, while paying little to no taxes.

Recently, he has attacked Biden's Build Back Better Plan, which is fully funded by 'the very largest corporations and the wealthiest Americans.'

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO made history several times this year - including SpaceX's September launch of the first all-civilian crew into space.

The aerospace company also won a $3 billion contract with NASA - sparking a feud with fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos.

Musk, left, is expected to have to pay $15 billion in taxes in August for stock options he was awarded in 2012. He is pictured with Time Magazine Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal on Monday after being named Time Magazine's Person of the Year

The SpaceX CEO commented on the success of the aerospace company.

'If we have ships and boosters but no engines, we would be losing billions of dollars a quarter. And if that continued, then bankruptcy would not be out of the question,' he admitted.

'I feel as though we've had many years of success and a lot of people at the company have never seen a launch failure. A lot of people have never in their career experienced a recession,' Musk said.

'If somebody entered the workforce after 2009, it just seemed like things always go up. I was concerned that we may be getting complacent.'

Musk has described himself as a 'utopian anarchist' and aims to utilize his businesses to create a more efficient and automated future.

'If there's a utopia where people have access to any goods or services that they want, there's plenty for everyone,' he said.

'If we have a highly automated future with the robots that can do anything, then any work you do will be because you want to do it, not because you have to do it.

'I don't mean to suggest chaos, but rather that you're not under anyone's thumb.'

But the billionaire is now facing a tax bill of more than $15 billion, which will come due in the coming months on stock options, CNBC reports.

In 2012, when Tesla was just a fledgling company, Musk was awarded stock options as part of a compensation plan that would give him 22.8 million shares at a stock price of $6.24.

His gains on those shares have now reached nearly $28 billion.

Stock options give the investor the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a stock at an agree-upon price.

It also allows the trader to choose a specific date when they expect a stock to rise or fall, known as the expiration date, according to Investopedia.

In Musk's case, his stock options come due in August 2022, and in order to exercise them, Musk has to pay the the income taxes on the gains, and since they are taxes as an employee benefit or compensation, they will be taxed at 37 percent, plus the 3.8 percent net investment tax, CNBC reports.

Musk will also have to pay the top tax rate in California, since the options were granted and earned when he was a California resident.

Combined, CNBC reports, the state and federal tax rate on his gains will be 54.1 per cent, so the total tax bill would be $15 billion by August.

Meanwhile, Telsa has disclosed that he has taken out loans using his shares as collateral, and with the sales, he may want to repay some of those obligations.

As the company noted in its third-quarter Securities and Exchange 10Q filing: 'If the price of our common stock were to decline substantially, Mr. Musk may be forced by one or more of the banking institutions to sell shares of Tesla common stock to satisfy his loan obligations if he could not do so through other means.

'Any such sales could cause the price of our common stock to decline further.'

Tesla closed at $975.99 on Wednesday, up more than 1 per cent from the day before.
Ray Hadley has slammed premier Dominic Perrottet for easing restrictions despite the growing outbreak of the Omicron variant in NSW in his latest bout of Covid doomsaying.

The 2GB host erupted into a strongly-worded rant after phoning the radio station while holidaying in Queensland on Friday.

His colourful insults ranged from calling the premier 'weak as p***' to claiming that his brain was in 'his butt right now'.

'Someone needs to shake (Mr Perrottet) and say, "You are doing this community a great disservice",' Hadley said.

Ray Hadley has slammed premier Dominic Perrottet for easing restrictions despite the growing outbreak of the Omicron variant in NSW

Mr Perrottet eased restrictions for the unvaccinated and scaled back QR code check-ins and the face mask mandate as planned on Wednesday

'He's a great man with a big brain, but his brains are in his butt right now  he's being very obstinate, very stubborn and very stupid, I'm really concerned.'

Mr Perrottet eased restrictions for the unvaccinated and scaled back QR code check-ins and the face mask mandate as planned on Wednesday.

The decision was made despite Covid-19 cases continuing to climb across the state with a record 2,213 new infections recorded on Friday.

'It's great stupidity  Newcastle is a basket case  because of rampaging numbers in that area, there are people in parts of Sydney who are too scared to go out  he has got to change the narrative and he has got to do it now,' Hadley said.

The fired-up radio host claimed the Mr Perrottet was committing political suicide and jeopardising the health of residents by rolling back the restrictions.

'It's about the safety of New South Welshmen and at the moment  he's got the training wheels on as Premier, we need someone to get in there with a bit more experience and say, 'This is a dumb decision, wake up to yourself'.'

Hadley's comments come after the radio host directly sent a text message to Mr Perrottet slamming his decision.

Mark Levy, who has filled in for Hadley, read out the message before speaking to Hadley on the phone.

'Thanks for stuffing everyone's Christmas by being simply too pig-headed and going too early with too many easing of restrictions,' he read.

'The electorate won't forget it and I'll make sure of that. You've only had the job a few months but you've misread this one. Unless you change direction, you'll be the next Kristina Keneally, a partial one term premier'.

Hadley's colourful insults ranged from calling the premier 'weak as p***' to claiming that his brain was in 'his butt right now'

Mr Perrottet responded with a text message reportedly remaining firm on his decision to ease restrictions and that he was acting in the interests of the community.

The unvaccinated, who've remained in quasi-lockdown since restrictions eased for the vaccinated in October, can return to hospitality venues and non-essential retail.

There's no cap on visitors in homes, to hospitality venues, or on numbers for outdoor public gatherings.

The use of QR code check-ins will be scaled back and masks required only in certain high-risk settings.

The new cases announced in NSW on Friday smash the state record marking the highest daily tally since the pandemic began.

It beats the previous record of 1,742 new infections that were reported on Thursday.

Hospitalisation rates have also spiked with 215 patients being treated in hospital - compared to 194 reported on Thursday.

In a positive twist, the number of patients being treated in ICU has dipped from 26 to 24.
Two 'serial killers' responsible for the brutal execution of flashy mafia gangster Pasquale Barbaro - and two other underworld figures that same year - have been jailed for life.

Siar Munshizada and Abuzar Sultani were sentenced by NSW Supreme Court Justice Des Fagan on Friday morning, who described the men as having a 'depraved gratification for killing'.

Munshizada held up a piece of paper after the sentencing had been delivered which read 'bias dog'.

He had reacted to Justice Fagan's remarks by saying, 'Triple life. Are you serious?'

It comes after the identities of the men - and two others - involved in Barbaro's death were revealed on Thursday after their lawyers lost a last ditch appeal in a so-called 'bikie super trial.'

Lawyers for Munshizada and Sultani had made a last ditch bid to the Court of Criminal Appeal to stop their identities being shared - which was ultimately unsuccessful.

That court heard the men 'shared the arrogant and immoral belief they had the entitlement to extinguish the life of another person'.

The duo's assassination spree which ended the lives of the three gangsters and bikies took place over three months in Sydney in 2016.

A 35-year-old heavily-tattooed drug dealer, Barbaro was related to a well-known crime family regarded as Australia's mafia.

The four men are guilty of murdering underworld figure Pasquale Barbaro (above) a big-mouthed gangster known for his love of designer clothes, bling and fast cars

Barbaro, 35, was brazenly gunned down (above) in the streets of inner Sydney in November 2016.

Michael Davey, a Rebels gang enforcer known as 'Ruthless', received a phone call and was lured into his driveway on March 30, 2016 and shot dead

'Ruthless' was laid to rest in a white coffin brought in on a sidecar (above) at a funeral attended by hundreds of bikies and their girlfriends which was told he lived his life 'like a rock star'

Known for his Lamborghini, Armani and Versace clothing and bling jewellery, his love of Instagram and for having a big mouth, Barbaro was brazenly gunned down in the streets of inner Sydney in November 2016.

His killers can now be revealed as members of a gang known as 'Sultani's Crew', named after their leader, Abuzar 'Afghani Abs' Sultani, now aged about 32.

The cohorts in Barbaro's murder to Sultani, a former head of the Rebels bikie gang Burwood chapter, are Siar Munshizada, who is aged about 33, and Joshua Baines and Mirwais Danishyar, both now in their late 20s.

Alll four men are being sentenced in separate hearings this week for Pasquale Barbaro's murder.

Sultani and Munshizada are also guilty of the murders of two other bikies, Michael Davey and Mehmet Yilmaz.

In his sentencing remarks, Justice Fagan revealed Sultani and Munshizada met in prison in 2008 or 2009 when they were about 20 years old.

Both had originally emigrated to Australian from Afghanistan.

Munshizada introduced Danishyar, his cousin, to Sultani during 2010 while Baines, who had no family connection with the other three, became associated with the group in October 2013.

From late 2013 through until 2016 the four offenders were associated with about 13 other men of similar age in an organised criminal group led by Sultani, the judgement read.

Hundreds of bikies and their girlfriends attended the funeral of Michael 'Ruthless' Davey in 2016 which heard he had a passion for 'bikes, girls and fast cars' and was a legend as a bikie

Head of the organised crime group known as Sultani's Crew was Abuzar 'Afghani Abs' Sultani (above), now aged about 32 and a former Rebels gangmate of one of the men he murdered

Michael Davey, known as 'Ruthless' and 'Micky D' was a Rebels gang mate of one of the men who murdered him after he was lured outside his home around midnight and shot

Four men have been found guilty of the murder of Pasquale Barbaro in November 2016, which was the third in an assassination spree by Sultani and his cohorts

Sultani and Munshizada were Davey's former Rebels outlaw motorcyle gang mates.

Davey, a Rebels gang enforcer known as 'Ruthless' was gunned down in the driveway of his Kingswood home, in Sydney's west, after receiving a call to go outside and meet someone just after midnight on March 30, 2016.

Known for his love of bikes, girls and fast cars, he was laid to rest in a white coffin brought in on a sidecar by a masked rider at a funeral attended by hundreds of bikies which heard how he 'he lived his life like a rock star'.

A funeral cortege of thundering Harleys rode up with Davey's coffin followed by a vintage GTS Monaro and a white Rolls Royce.

Siar Munshizada, now aged in his early 30s, was arrested (above ) in 2016 and it can now be revealed that he is guilty of three brutal executions of gangland men

At the funeral of 'Micky D', the chapel was crowded with female friends who wept at his passing, and mourners were told that despite his passing 'brotherly love lives on forever'

Joshua Baines, now aged in his late 20s, was found guilty of Pasquale Barbaro's murder and will be sentenced this week in the Supreme Court of NSW

Sultani pleaded guilty to Barbaro's murder, while the other three were found guilty by the court.

Sultani also pleaded guilty in 2019 to murdering Mehmet Yilmaz and Michael Davey.

Mehmet Yilmaz, 29, was shot multiple times as he returned to his car after visiting the home of a Comanchero bikie in September, 2016.

Munshizada was found guilty of murdering Davey last year and guilty of murdering Yilmaz in May this year.

Mirwais Danishyar was found guilty in March this year of the murder of Pasquale Barbaro on November 14, 2021

Family and friends gathered at Pinegrove Cemetery in Michinbury (above) for a 45 minute service at which an 'Ode to Micky' was read and a slideshow of his life was broadcast

Siar Mushizada (above, being arrested) has been found guilty of three brutal underworld executions and was described on Monday by a judge as a 'serial killer'

A funeral cortege of thundering Harleys rode up with Davey's coffin on a sidecar followed by a vintage GTS Monaro and a white Rolls Royce

But the guilty findings for all the four men being sentenced this week remained a secret as their lawyers successfully applied for non publication orders to suppress their clients' names.

The three-year blackout began to run out last week when the four men had their application to continue a suppression order rejected by the NSW District Court.

They applied to the Court of Criminal Appeal to extend the secrecy orders and were ordered to appear before Justice Desmond Fagan on Monday.

Justice Fagan ruled that the suppression orders be lifted by 4pm on Monday, December 6 removing the cloak of secrecy from the killer bikies.

The bikies' lawyers then made an urgent application before three judges in the Court of Criminal Appeal to have the names suppressed.

But that was rejected on Thursday in a very brief judgement by the bench of the CCA.

The first being sentenced by Justice Fagan, Danishyar appeared at the NSW Supreme Court on Monday wearing prison greens and surrounded by correctional officers.

His sentencing hearing was told that Danishyar 'shared the arrogant and immoral belief they had the entitlement to extinguish the life of another person'.

Earlier this month, Justice Fagan questioned an attempt by Danishyar's lawyers to have the seriousness of his sentence mitigated by the idea that he had sought out the company of his co-offenders because he was 'at a loss or seeking identity'.

His Honour then described the two offenders who are guilty of all three murders in 2016 as 'serial killers'.

Justice Fagan also said he 'couldnt possibly sentence him on the basis hes contrite or remorseful' as attested by a forensic psychiatrist, because Danishyar had pleaded not guilty to Barbaro's murder before being found guilty.

The court heard evidence that Sultani regularly used and threatened violence against members and associates of his group after disassociating from the Rebels some time in 2015.

The group continued to conduct criminal activity under the direction of Sultani, including drug supply, intimidation and stand-over in the collection of debts, dealing in firearms, motor vehicle theft and procurement of false registration plates.

By 2016, Sultani had built up a 'significant arsenal' of firearms and ammunition hidden in safe-houses around Sydney.

The court heard that Sultani avoided police surveillance between 2014-2016 through the use of Phantom Secure BlackBerry handsets used by active members of his group.

The handsets were modified to eliminate all electronic functionality except the ability to send and receive encrypted emails.

Justice Fagan said encrypted emails were transmitted between group members in connection with each murder and that the offenders were 'emboldened' to commit the murders aided by the clandestine communications system.

In his remarks, Justice Fagan said Sultani had a 'personal hostility' towards Mr Barbaro because he believed he was in some way responsible for the death of alleged standover man Joe Antoun, who had been a mentor to Sultani.

'I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that for some time before 14 November 2016, Sultani had planned to kill Mr Barbaro and that he was waiting to receive definite information of a time at which he would attend a location where he could be surprised and murdered,' Justice Fagan said.

On the night in question, Munshizada drove an Audi Q7 at speed along Larkhall Avenue and stopped next to Barbaros' Mercedes after he had emerged from the Earlwood home of George Alex.

Baines then fired four shots from his position in the back of the Q7 through the front passenger window of Mr Barbaros car.

Hit four times, including in the torso, Barbaro fled the car and attempted to run.

Sultani left the front passenger seat of the Audi and fired a shot in Barbaro's direction. After Barbaro collapsed, Sultani fired five rounds into the back of the victims head and neck as he lay face down on the ground.

Two of the gunshots inflicted instantly fatal wounds, Justice Fagan found.
Coal exports have saved Australia in 2021 by boosting state government coffers despite a series of trade sanctions from China.

A record surge in coal prices is expected to see Queensland double its coal royalties but that luck is expected to run out next year.

Thermal coal prices, for the commodity used to generate electricity, hit record highs in October.

This occurred as Chinese authorities refused to allow Australian coal to be unloaded from ports, which only led to widespread blackouts.

This year, the spot prices for both thermal and metallurgical or coking coal have surged to record highs, even though China continued to punish Australia for banning telecommunications giant Huawei from installing the 5G mobile network.

Coal exports have saved Australia in 2021 by boosting state government coffers despite a series of trade sanctions from China (pictured is an Aurizon freight train at the Port of Gladstone in central Queensland)

A record surge in coal prices is expected to see Queensland double its coal royalties but that luck is expected to run out next year (pictured is Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk)

A Queensland government budget update, published on Thursday, predicted coal royalties for 2021-22 would climb to $4.64billion - more than double the $2.048billion forecast in the June budget.

'China's strong import demand from other exporters (due to the self-imposed ban on sourcing Australian coal) is distorting market dynamics, leading to short supply of spot cargoes that is impacting the broader market,' the state Treasury papers said.

Covid outbreaks in Mongolia have restricted coal exports while flooding and heavy rain in China and Indonesia affected the supply of thermal coal, used to generate electricity.

Major coal producers in the Queensland's Bowen and Galilee basins, including diversified mining giant BHP, successfully found alternative export markets.

'Queensland exporters have been successful in finding alternative markets for the majority of these coal exports, with more than 85 per cent of export volumes lost to China having been replaced by increased exports to other markets, particularly India, Japan and South Korea,' Queensland Treasury said.

Thermal coal prices increased from US$74.50 per tonne on June 15 to a peak of US$179.05 per tonne on October 19, the highest spot price in the eight-year history of the data series, Queensland Treasury noted.

Federal Treasury's Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, also published on Thursday, predicted the thermal coal spot price falling back to US$60 a tonne by the June quarter of 2022 as the metallurgical coal spot price fell back to US$130 a tonne

Thermal coal prices, for the commodity used to generate electricity, hit record highs in October. This occurred as Chinese authorities refused to allow Australian coal to be unloaded from ports, (pictured is Chinese President Xi Jinping)

'Despite the slowing in the Chinese steel sector, metallurgical coal prices spiked in the second half of the year following supply disruptions at Chinese mines,' federal Treasury said.

Coal was far from the only commodity to have a good year with liquefied natural gas and steel-making mineral iron ore, Australia's biggest export, also reaching record highs before retreating.

Key facts about coal Thermal coal prices hit record highs in October Queensland Treasury now expecting coal royalties of $4.64billion in 2021-22 - double the $2.048billion forecast in the June budget But state and federal Treasury experts expecting prices to fall in 2022 and 2023 Advertisement

Since October, coal prices have retreated from record highs, with the Newcastle spot price, the benchmark number for thermal coal, falling from $US270 a tonne to just $US169 now.

Westpac is expecting prices to plunge by another third to $US113 by December 2022 and to $US103 by March 2023 as recent flooding affects supply.

The fall in coal price occurred after China's National Development and Reform Commission announced it would intervene in the domestic coal market.

Queensland Treasury is expecting coal royalties to moderate in the 2022-23 financial year back to $2.611 billion, down from $4.64billion in 2021-22.

'China's informal ban on the import of Australian coal remains in place, with a substantial decline in coal exports to China since October 2020,' it said.

'Coal prices are expected to return to more sustainable levels over the coming months as the short-term supply disruptions unwind, although the timing and extent of the decline remains uncertain.'

'Despite China's unofficial ban on Australian coal imports, global coal prices have risen significantly since mid-May 2021.

'However, given the upward pressure on prices was largely driven by supplyside constraints, coal prices are expected to return to more sustainable levels over coming quarters.'

This only led to widespread blackouts (pictured is a man eating noodles in the dark at Shenyang in north-east China's Liaoning Province)
An investigation is under way after a woman allegedly threw her boyfriend's dog to its death from a third floor window.

Police are investigating claims that Kayleigh Smee, 37, threw her partner Ryan Doe's eight-year-old chihuahua Prince out from a 30ft- high window during a heated argument at the property in Rochester, Kent.

Residents have claimed the couple had returned from the pub when they were heard shouting at around midnight last Friday.

Police are investigating claims that Kayleigh Smee, 37, threw her partner Ryan Doe's eight-year-old chihuahua Prince out from a window (Stock image)

Mr Doe had stepped outside to apologise to neighbours when his partner is said to have thrown the canine out of the window and shouted: 'You can take your f****** dog with you.'

Officers were called to the property following the incident, according to reports.

A source told The Sun: 'They went out to the pub and started to have a row. This continued until they got home.'

They added: 'Ryan went out of their top-floor flat to apologise to neighbours and that's when little Prince just came flying out of the window.

'She shouted, ''You can take your f****** dog with you.''

The canine died at the scene after suffering a broken neck.

Ms Smee has denied the claims, The Sun reports.


Britain's richest man has helped save a priceless collection of literary treasures which were at risk of being lost to the nation.

Billionaire Sir Leonard Blavatnik, 64, donated half of the 15million needed to buy the Honresfield Library Collection  which contains valuable manuscripts from some of the country's greatest writers.

The private collection  which had been hidden for more than a century  includes notebooks from the Bronte sisters, letters from Jane Austen and original manuscripts by Sir Walter Scott.

Sir Leonard's 7.5million contribution  the largest ever given by an individual in Britain for a literary treasure  has prevented the texts from being split up and sold around the world.

Billionaire Sir Leonard Blavatnik, 64, donated half of the 15million needed to buy the Honresfield Library Collection  which contains valuable manuscripts from some of the country's greatest writers

The collection was due to go to auction in July but Sotheby's agreed to halt the sale so that charity Friends of the National Libraries (FNL) could raise the funds needed to keep it in Britain

Now after an ambitious fundraising effort  which included donations from Prince Charles and the National Heritage Memorial Fund  the charity has managed to buy the entire collection

The collection was due to go to auction in July but Sotheby's agreed to halt the sale so that charity Friends of the National Libraries (FNL) could raise the funds needed to keep it in Britain.

Now after an ambitious fundraising effort  which included donations from Prince Charles and the National Heritage Memorial Fund  the charity has managed to buy the entire collection.

It paid tribute to the 'extraordinary donation' made by Sir Leonard, who is worth 23billion and whose music group WMG represents artists such as Rita Ora.

The private collection  which had been hidden for more than a century  includes notebooks from the Bronte sisters (pictured)

Geordie Greig, former editor of the Daily Mail and chairman of the FNL, said: 'Rescuing [the collection] has seemed a little like opening an Egyptian tomb... Thanks to FNL's successful campaign the collection will be shared by libraries and writers' houses all across our island, restoring a treasure trove of manuscripts to their birthplaces.'

Prince Charles, a patron of the charity, said the acquisition was 'tremendous news'.

He added: 'I can only congratulate the chairman, Geordie Greig, and his team for saving the Blavatnik Honresfield Library for the nation, with its treasures now to be owned by some of our greatest national libraries across the UK.'
It was a cry of frustration that spoke for Britain. Aiming squarely at Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty, Tory MP Joy Morrissey accused unelected experts of turning Britain into a public health socialist state.

She was immediately jumped on by No 10 and made to retract her comments. But this paper believes she was making a powerful and hugely important point.

No one doubts Professor Whittys scientific expertise. In recent days, however, he has morphed from adviser to policy maker  with disastrous effect.

By telling people not to mix with others unless they absolutely have to, he instantly torpedoed the revival hopes of this countrys hospitality and retail sectors.

No one doubts Professor Whittys scientific expertise. In recent days, however, he has morphed from adviser to policy maker  with disastrous effect

Still struggling to recover from earlier Covid wounds and hoping the pre-Christmas period would be their salvation, these businesses have been left shattered.

The predicted costs are devastating. Three million pub and restaurant booking cancellations. Some 2billion in lost earnings. An estimated 37million fewer pints sold. Rail fare income down by half as people work from home, with all the damage that does to businesses relying on footfall. Also a predicted 50 per cent drop in theatre bookings.

Taken together, it is an utter bloodbath, made infinitely worse because furlough and many other support structures have been taken away. These sectors are effectively being thrown to the wolves.

To be fair, its not entirely Professor Whittys fault. As a medical adviser its his job to be Covid-cautious. It is for Boris Johnson, though, to listen to his advice and balance any call for new guidance against the huge damage it would do to the economy and mental health of the nation.

As Margaret Thatcher said, advisers advise, ministers decide. Yet Mr Johnson seems to have turned this wise maxim on its head, leading many of his backbenchers to ask: Who is running the country?

The PM insisted yesterday that Britain was not being dragged into lockdown by stealth. Has he not seen the pictures of empty streets in our biggest towns and cities? Has he not noticed that the public, spooked by doomsday rhetoric over Omicron have gone into elective purdah?

To be fair, its not entirely Professor Whittys fault. As a medical adviser its his job to be Covid-cautious. It is for Boris Johnson, though, to listen to his advice and balance any call for new guidance against the huge damage it would do to the economy and mental health of the nation

The evidence is damning. Talk of tidal waves of infection and the unremittingly grim prognoses of Professor Whitty have scared people away from shops, cinemas and theatres at the busiest time of year.

And for what? How dangerous is this new variant? All the signs are that its a relatively mild strain. Just one person in the UK appears to have died with it.

Shamefully, the Government refuses to tell us anything about that patient. Whether he or she was old, or vaccinated, or had other health issues.

It is claimed he was an elderly anti-vaxxer, yet Downing Street refuses to confirm or deny. This is exactly the sort of detail the public need to know if they are to make an informed decision about their safety.

There must be no more secrecy and no more kow-towing to advisers while great swathes of the economy crumble. Wednesdays massive Commons rebellion shows its high time for a full reset.

Benefits of Brexit

How Remainers loved to mock the idea Brexit would open the door to independent trade agreements across the world.

Well, theyre not mocking now. In less than two years we have a historic free trade deal with Australia, unlocking billions in extra business and potentially slashing consumer prices.

It allows under-35s from both countries to live and work in the other for up to three years and gives protection to our farmers.

It may pain diehard Remainers, but Brexit is paying handsome dividends.
The billionaire family threatened to walk away from the settlement absent that guaranteed legal protections

The Sacklers insisted on the legal shields, known as nondebtor releases, in exchange for contributing $4.5 billion toward resolving opioid litigation

Shielding the Sacklers from future opioid litigation was not allowed under U.S. bankruptcy law, McMahon said in her ruling

The Sacklers are being accused of helping fuel the opioid crisis in the US, a decision that threatened to upend the bankruptcy restructure of Purdue Pharma

A federal judge rejected OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma's offer for a $4.5billon settlement with thousands of plaintiffs, including individuals affected by the opioid crisis and local, state and Native governments, because of a clause which would have protected the Sackler family from litigation.

U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in New York said that the bankruptcy court that first agreed to the settlement, did not have the legal authority to release the family from liability.

Attorney General Merrick Garland, the head of the Justice Department which had appealed that settlement plan, said he was 'pleased' with McMahon's ruling.

'The bankruptcy court did not have the authority to deprive victims of the opioid crisis of their right to sue the Sackler family,' Garland added.

In a statement Thursday night, Purdue said that it would appeal the ruling and at the same time try to forge another plan that its creditors will agree to.

Eight members of the billionaire Sackler family are being sued by multiple American cities, counties and states, including Richard, Jonathan, Mortimer, Kathe, David, Beverly and Theresa Pictured (left to right): Dr. Thomas Lynch, Richard Sackler, Jonathan Sackler, and Dean Robert Alpern; Seated: Mr. and Mrs. Raymond and Beverly Sackler

Purdue filed for bankruptcy in 2019 after being involved in thousands of lawsuits claiming the big pharma company pressured doctors to prescribe OxyContin, a highly addicting drug that contributed the opioid crisis, resulting in more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over the last two decades

A federal judge has rejected OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma's sweeping deal to settle thousands of lawsuits over the toll of opioids. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen McMahon in New York found flaws in the way the bankruptcy settlement protects members of the Sackler family who own the company from lawsuits

U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon (pictured) overturned an estimated $4.5 billion settlement that legally shielded members of the Sackler family on Thursday, saying the settlement did not have the legal authority to exclude the family from liability

Purdue claimed the ruling will not hurt the company's operations, but it will make it harder for company and Sackler money to be used to fight the opioid crisis as the legal fight continues.

'It will delay, and perhaps end, the ability of creditors, communities, and individuals to receive billions in value to abate the opioid crisis,' said Steve Miller, chairman of the Purdue board of directors. 'These funds are needed now more than ever as overdose rates hit record-highs, and we are confident that we can successfully appeal this decision and deliver desperately needed funds to the communities and individuals suffering in the midst of this crisis.'

Representatives of the two branches of the family who own the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who was among a handful of state officials seeking to have the original deal undone, called the ruling 'a seismic victory for justice and accountability.'

Tong said the ruling will 're-open the deeply flawed Purdue bankruptcy and force the Sackler family to confront the pain and devastation they have caused.'

Purdue sought bankruptcy protection in 2019 as it faced thousands of lawsuits claiming the company pushed doctors to prescribe OxyContin, helping spark an opioid crisis that has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over the last two decades.

Through the bankruptcy court, it worked out a deal with its creditors. Members of the Sackler family would give up ownership of the company, which would transform into a different kind of entity that would still sell opioids  but with profits being used to fight the crisis. It would also develop new anti-addiction and anti-overdose drugs and provide them at little or no cost.

Sackler family members also would contribute $4.5 billion in cash and charitable assets as part of an overall deal that could be worth $10 billion, including the value of the new drugs, if they're brought to market.

Government entities and businesses agreed to use any money they receive fighting the opioid epidemic. The deal also calls for millions of company documents, including communications with lawyers, to be made public.

In return, members of the wealthy family would get protection from lawsuits over their role in the opioid crisis  both the 860 already filed and any others in the future.

Raymond Sackle (left) acquired Purdue Pharma together with his brothers Arthur M. Sackler and Mortimer Sackler in 1952 for only $50,000. His wife, Beverly, was a member of the company's board until her death in 2019

Jonathan was a vice-president of Purdue Pharma before his death in June 2020. He had less involvement in the company's operation than his older brother Richard, who has been the president since 1999

Mortimer Sackler had seven surviving children, three of whom are on the board of directors of the company he co-founded, Purdue Pharma. Ilene Sackler, Kathe A. Sackler, and Mortimer Sackler (pictured)

David Sackler, former member of Purdue Pharma's board from 2012 to 2018, testifying via video to a House Oversight Committee hearing on December 17, 2020, over the company's questioning in bankruptcy court

Most state and local governments, Native American tribes, individual opioid victims and others who voted said the plan worked out in the bankruptcy court should be accepted.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, like several others, sued Sackler family members and initially opposed the settlement before eventually agreeing to it this year.

She said in a statement that if the deal doesn't hold up, she's ready to resume the civil lawsuit: 'Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family remain named defendants in our ongoing litigation and we will hold them accountable for their unlawful behavior, one way or another.'

A bankruptcy court judge approved the plan over the objections in September. But the opponents appealed to McMahon's court.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee's office, eight state attorneys general and some other entities have been fighting the deal. They argue that it does not properly hold members of the Sackler family accountable and that it usurps states' ability to try to do so.

The main issue on the appeal was the lawfulness of the measures that would extend legal protections to family members.

Such 'third-party releases' are not used in most bankruptcy cases, but they are common in cases such as Purdue's, in which the companies involved are burdened with lawsuits and have relatively little value  but their wealthy owners could contribute.

The Purdue deal would not protect family members from any criminal charges. But so far none have been filed, and there are no signs that any are forthcoming, though some activists are calling for charges.

Thousands of lawsuits are accusing Purdue Pharma of aggressively marketing OxyContin while downplaying its addiction and overdose risks. The company and family members have denied the allegations.

An anti-opioid activist holds a sign that reads DOJ Hammer the Sacklers' during a protest with advocates for opioid victims outside the Department of Justice in Washington D.C. on Dec. 3

Jen Trejo, left, from California holds a sign that reads 'jail time for the Sacklers' in one hand and a photo of her son Christopher in the other who died from opioid addiction at 32, and Kathy Moorehead of Louisville, Kentucky, holds a sign of P. Ryan Wroblweski, during a protest with other advocates for opioid victims outside the Department of Justice in Washington D.C., Friday, Dec. 3

In a hearing, McMahon focused in on how Sackler family members transferred $10.4 billion from the privately held Stamford, Connecticut-based company over the decade before the bankruptcy. McMahon wanted to know whether the money was moved in part to ensure a role for the Sacklers in bankruptcy negotiations.

But in her ruling Thursday, McMahon did not dig deeply into those transfers or the idea of holding Sackler family members accountable for the opioid crisis. Instead, she focused on whether the bankruptcy law even allows for the kind of deal the company and its creditors struck if there are objections to it.

'The great unsettled question in this case is whether the Bankruptcy Court  or any court  is statutorily authorized to grant such releases. This issue has split the federal Circuits for decades,' she wrote.

She also noted that other courts will weigh in on the case. The next step is likely before the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.

'This opinion will not be the last word on the subject, nor should it be,' she wrote. 'This issue has hovered over bankruptcy law for thirty-five years.'
US Rep. Maxine Waters was spotted without her mask on during a United Airlines flight - and a witness claims she kept it off for an entire hour - despite the mandatory mask regulations in place and the growing risk of COVID-19 as cases of the Omicron variant soar.

Waters, a California Democrat, was pictured on a flight from Dulles Airport, in Virginia, to Los Angeles International without her mask on and even took a nap maskless, all while flight attendants supposedly nagged other passengers to wear their masks, the Daily Wire reported.

'Attendants brought her fresh coffee while she was napping and didn't say a thing as three of them walked past and saw Maxine reading and then sleeping while she remained maskless,' the source who gave the Daily Wire the photo on Thursday said.

US Rep. Maxine Waters went maskless for at least an hour aboard a United Airlines flight. The photographer said the California Democrat was not asked to put her mask on by staff

Experts and health officials warn that COVID-19 cases will soar in the coming weeks

The photo showed her next to a coffee cup although the witness claims her mask was off for closer to an hour.

The source who took the photograph of Waters said she did so because she felt it was unfair for the United Airlines staff to hound her about keeping her mask on after she suffered a bloody nose while Waters was allowed to be maskless for so long.

United Airlines and Water's office did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment.

Waters had heavily criticized then-President Donald Trump in 2020 for his refusal to wear masks and follow social distancing protocols at many events.

She slammed the former president on Twitter as 'dangerous' and called the refusal to wear masks part of 'Trump's failed leadership,' which she claimed was 'responsible for growing infections, death & surge in coronavirus cases.'

Waters, of California, had been critical of Donald Trump for not wearing a mask and said his attituded helped the surge of coronavirus cases last year

Waters maskless appearance comes as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the US, with the nation reporting 141,205 new cases in the past day and 2,167 new deaths, according to John Hopkins University.

Only about 62 percent of eligible Americans are currently vaccinated against COVID.

US Omicron cases also jumped by a third overnight, from 241 on Wednesday to 319 on Thursday.

But experts have warned those are the tip of the iceberg, and that American cases likely already number in the tens of thousands.

White House COVID tsar Dr. Anthony Fauci even remarked on the variant's 'extraordinary' ability to spread, before revealing that cases will double every three days.

Immunologists have also forecast a potential triple-whammy of Omicron, Delta and regular flu infections this winter. Two doctors interviewed by DailyMail.com said those who haven't received a booster shot should consider returning to Spring 2020-style self-isolation, when COVID's Alpha variant raged through the US, and no vaccines were available.

Speaking on Good Morning America on Thursday, Fauci also confirmed Omicron was on track to be the dominant Covid strain in America within weeks.

Dr Anthony Fauci (pictured), the nation's top infectious disease expert told Good Morning America on Thursday that Omicron transmits very efficiently, and the current outbreaks overseas are signs of things to come for the U.S. if more people do not get boosted

He said: 'Certainly what [Omicron] is showing us in other countries [is that it spreads faster than other variants] and I believe soon in our own country.

'It has an extraordinary ability to transmit efficiently and spread. It has what we call a doubling time of around three days.

'And if you do the math on that, if you have just a couple of percentage of the isolates being Omicron, very soon it's going to be the dominant variant. We've seen that in South Africa, we're seeing it in the U.K. and I'm absolutely certain that's what we're going to be seeing here relatively soon.'

The doubling time of three days is slightly longer than the 2.5 days reported by British and South African health officials.

On Thursday, the UK recorded its second-consecutive day of record infections - 88,376 - 24 hours after Wednesday's total of 78,610. That is a 74 per cent jump in a week, with 15 people who've been infected with Omicron so-far hospitalized in the UK.

Omicron is believed to represent up to 13 per cent of new diagnoses in New Jersey and New York - states with extremely well-populated areas - giving a possible early taste of what's to come with the new strain.

Fauci continues to urge Americans to get vaccinated, and boosted, to protect themselves from the virus, especially now with the new threat of Omicron circulating. A total of 16.5 per cent of Americans have so-far had the booster shot.

'We need to do everything that we have been talking about up to now, and even more so,' he said.

He spoke hours after the CDC agency released forecasts on Wednesday night showing that weekly Covid cases will increase by 55 percent to 1.3 million per week - or 185,714 per day - by Christmas.

It also predicted deaths with jump by 73 percent to up to 15,600 per day by early January - or 2,228 deaths per day.

Some of that predicted surge is already appearing in parts of the country, with Florida revealing 6,381 new cases on Thursday - the state's largest single day Covid increase since September.

The Delta variant is still the dominant Covid strain in the U.S., accounting for around 97 percent of sequenced cases. Omicron is quickly making up ground, though, with the newly discovered variant jumping seven-fold in a week from making up 0.4 percent of cases to 2.9 percent of case, according to the most recent CDC data.

The graphs show the amount of the coronavirus detected in human bronchial cells (left) and lung cells (right) 24 and 48 hours after coming into contact with the original strain of the virus (pink), Delta (orange) and Omicron (red). There was 70 times more Omicron recorded in the bronchus  the main pipe connecting the airways and lungs  compared to previous strains, but 10 times less virus in the lungs when compared to the original version and Delta. Experts from the University of Hong Kong said this suggests the virus is more transmissible but may cause less severe illness

Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, has warned of a nightmare scenario where Delta, Omicron and regular seasonal flu could combine to inflict the winter from hell on US hospitals already struggling to cope with an influx of patients.

She told CNN: 'It's the combination. It's kind of the perfect storm of public health impacts here with Delta already impacting many areas of the country and jurisdictions. We don't want to overwhelm systems more.'

Early data also shows that people who are only fully vaccinated, but have not yet received their booster, are still extremely vulnerable to the virus, with Johnson & Johnson's single-dose shot offering effectively no protection.

Booster shots have been deemed effective against the variant, though, with both Moderna and Pfizer revealing data in recent days showing their vaccines will cause massive increases in antibody levels and up to 75 per cent protection from Covid symptoms.

But confusion remains about just how effective boosters are against a strain that was only identified after Americans began receiving them en-masse.

A new study by Columbia University in New York, published on Thursday, said: 'Even serum from persons vaccinated and boosted with mRNA-based vaccines exhibited substantially diminished neutralizing activity against (omicron),'

Dr Chris Thompson (pictured), an infectious disease expert at Loyola University of Maryland, said that Americans who have not yet been boosted should bring back some early-pandemic habits

Only around 16.5 percent of Americans have received the additional vaccine dose so far though - as they were not widely available until late November - meaning that more than 80 percent of Americans are at risk from Omicron.

Dr. Chris Thompson is an infectious disease expert at Loyola University of Maryland. He told DailyMail.com on Thursday that people who have not received their booster dose yet may want to bring back some early pandemic habits like social distancing, masking, frequent hand washing and more.

'The data that I've seen says that you're about 33 percent protected after a two dose regimen of either of the mRNA vaccines [the Pfizer or Moderna shots] and we don't have good data from Johnson and Johnson's vaccine yet. Then if you get your booster you look like you get back up into the 75 percent protection range and for preventing disease'

Whether Delta or Omicron, U.S. is experiencing yet another surge of Covid cases during the holiday season. The nation is recording 121,188 new cases every day - a 40 percent increase over the past two weeks. Deaths are making a sharp rise as well, up 34 percent to 1,302 per week.

The number of Americans hospitalized with the virus increased over the past 14 days as well, up 21 percent to 68,079.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects that the situation will only worsen as well.
Saddam Husseins regime committed 2,000 war crimes against Britons following Iraqs 1990 invasion of Kuwait, a report kept secret for 30 years reveals today.

Records released to the National Archives show the extent to which those seized during the Gulf War by the dictators forces  mostly civilians  were murdered, tortured and raped.

Some had electric shocks applied to their head and testicles.

The report, compiled by Special Branch investigators with the Royal Military Police in 1992, says there is compelling evidence of systematic breaches of the Geneva Convention by Iraq, with 1,373 Britons held hostage, including 556 used as human shields.

Saddam Husseins regime committed 2,000 war crimes against Britons following Iraqs 1990 invasion of Kuwait, a report kept secret for 30 years reveals today

More than 300 of these were on a British Airways flight that landed in Kuwait just as Saddam invaded.

Last month Foreign Secretary Liz Truss apologised, admitting that ministers had been aware of the invasion but did not tell BA to divert the aircraft.

Many on board claim the flight was not stopped because it was carrying a Special Forces intelligence-gathering team.

Yesterday a Government spokesman again denied this.

Eight held as human shields died as a result of their treatment, from heart attacks or suicide, after being released.

Investigators from Operation Sand Castle interviewed 1,868 witnesses and took a further 725 statements.

They found 1,944 offences had been committed against British subjects and a further 1,506 against persons of other nationalities.

The report concluded that there was considerable and compelling evidence of systematic and grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention [designed to protect civilians during wartime] committed by the Iraqi authorities, members of the Iraqi armed forces and their collaborators against the personal and property rights of British subjects.

The report reveals that eight people held as human shields died as a result of their treatment, either from heart attacks or suicide after being released by Saddam. Ten Britons were victims of attempted murder.

It added that the gratuitous use of violence by the Iraqi authorities and their collaborators to achieve their ends appears to have known no bounds.

Four Britons were subjected to inhuman treatment, including former Royal Marine Douglas Brand and his associate Patrick Trigg, who were captured when they tried to leave Kuwait.

The pair said they were routinely beaten and had electric shocks applied to their head and testicles.

Records released to the National Archives show the extent to which those seized during the Gulf War by the dictators forces  mostly civilians  were murdered, tortured and raped. Some had electric shocks applied to their head and testicles

The report also details the severe beatings handed out to five captured Special Forces operatives, who were randomly and gratuitously assaulted by their guards.

This is believed to refer to the Bravo Two Zero mission later recounted by Chris Ryan and Andy McNab in bestselling books.

It adds that the men were beaten with canes, pieces of wood or improvised whips.

Although such assaults sometimes took place during interrogation, it is clear that the beatings were aimed at breaking the soldiers spirits and will to resist, rather than by way of torture to extract specific information, the Sand Castle memo details.
A tribunal has ruled it was harassment to say that a woman battling cancer was having 'cosy days' when she worked from home.

HR worker Ranjit Panesar said she was 'looked down on' by members of her team for being away from the office while she was undergoing treatment.

She said she often received demeaning comments as there was a 'widespread' perception that her working from home amounted to 'idle or inactive' days - with her boss telling her that her health had not 'helped' her.

And the colleague who referred to her remote working as 'cosy days' even tried to claim it was just 'banter.'

An employment tribunal dismissed this defence, ruling that 'all but the most insensitive' should have understood that Mrs Panesar was a sick employee who did not welcome the comments.

She is now in line for compensation.

Watford Employment Tribunal (pictured) ruled it was harassment to say that HR worker Ranjit Panesar who was battling cancer was having 'cosy days' when she worked from home

The hearing was told Mrs Panesar began work at delivery company DX Network Services Limited, which has a head office based in Slough, Berkshire, in January 2017.

In June she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and was allowed to work from home a few days a week due to her treatment, medication and its side effects.

The tribunal heard that during the course of a work-related email exchange in January 2019, her colleague Scott Agius, a payroll and benefits specialist, said to Mrs Panesar: 'So you're having an extra cosy day at home this week?'

She replied: 'Hahaha* not so cosy day in Northampton actually.'

In another email in March 2019, Mr Agius said to Mrs Panesar: 'I'm on holiday for the rest of the week, so you'll miss the pleasure of my company until next week when you're not on one of your cosy days.'

He also messaged her on another occasion calling her working from home days 'cosy days' and later claimed it was just 'banter.'

The tribunal ruled: 'There was no evidence of reciprocal comments from Mrs Panesar.

'Her responses were defensive, and she appeared to attempt to laugh it off. This does not diminish the upset and vulnerability Mrs Panesar said she felt.

'A defence to 'banter' might be Mrs Panesar engaged and she 'gave as good as she got' but that was not present here.

'All but the most insensitive or deliberate should have understood this was a sick employee who felt vulnerable and did not welcome these exchanges.'

In June 2017 Mrs Panesar (not pictured, stock image) was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and was allowed to work from home a few days a week due to her treatment, medication and its side effects

The tribunal, held in Watford, heard Mrs Panesar's boss Daniel Seabrook equated her working from home with being off work.

Whilst scheduling a date for a meeting with Mrs Panesar, he said: 'I know you're 'off,' sorry working from home.'

The comment came during a meeting about her role being at risk of redundancy as the company was restructuring and introducing a new human resources and payroll system.

Mr Seabrook went on to say to Mrs Panesar in the meeting: 'Your health has not helped you this year.'

Mrs Panesar later complained to Mr Seabrook that she felt 'looked down on' by members of her team and she felt she had to justify herself as comments about her working from home were made so frequently.

The tribunal heard: 'Mrs Panesar's case was that such comments were widespread and regularly made.

'She said working from home was not valued by the company and there was a widespread perception in her workplace that her working from home amounted to idle or inactive days.

'Mrs Panesar maintained that the comments represented a persistent and unrelenting attitude by individuals in this workplace who felt sufficiently confident to demean an individual suffering from a major illness because she was unable to be present at the office on a daily basis.'

The panel found that the company did not properly look into her complaints about the comments made to her.

It said: 'DX Network Services officials sought to limit the investigation to only those individuals for which there was an indelible record of making such comments and, we adjudge, shut down Mrs Panesar's allegations deliberately and unnecessarily.

'There was no wider investigation or attempt to interview others or set Mrs Panesar's complaint in its wider, and proper, context.'

In July 2019 Mrs Panesar (not pictured, stock image) was made redundant. However, she claimed the process was a 'sham' and she had been preselected for it on the basis of her cancer

In July 2019 Mrs Panesar was made redundant. However, she claimed the process was a 'sham' and she had been preselected for it on the basis of her cancer.

The employment tribunal, held virtually, threw out her claim of unfair dismissal, as well as her claims for disability discrimination and not receiving reasonable adjustments.

However, her claim for harassment in relation to four comments made about her working from home succeeded.

Employment Judge Gary Tobin ruled: 'The comments were undeserved as well as uncalled [for] and I am satisfied [they] were related to her reasonable adjustment.

'Mrs Panesar genuinely believed the comments violated her dignity.'

Judge Tobin said Mrs Panesar and DX Network Services Limited may agree on compensation without the need for a further hearing.
Jumping castles had been safely erected in schools just down the road of the deadly Hillcrest Primary disaster.

Daily Mail Australia has been told the weather conditions on and leading up to Thursday's tragedy in Tasmania had been suitable for the inflatable jumping castles.

Peter Dodt was celebrating his last day at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, northern Tasmania, on Thursday morning when a supposed freak gust of wind lifted the bouncing house off the ground, along with nine children who were playing inside.

The remains of a jumping castle stuck in a tree at Hillcrest Primary

Pictured: Peter Dodt, 12, who tragically died at a jumping castle disaster on Thursday morning

The jumping castle was blown into the air by a 'freak gust' of wind, killing five kids and leaving several injured (paramedics are pictured at the scene)

Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine (pictured right with the Tasmanian premier) would not say whether the jumping castle was tied down before the disaster struck

He was among five children to die in the disaster along with classmates Zane Gardam and Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, all age 12, and their class mate Addison Stewart, 11.

A professional in the erection of jumping castles in the Devonport area told Daily Mail Australia conditions had been ideal.

The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said he had erected jumping castles within the nearby vicinity of Hillcrest on the very same day as the tragedy.

The castle, he said, ought have been either secured to the ground with pegs or sandbags.

At a press conference on Friday morning, police refused to say whether the jumping castle was tied down when into flew the air.

'That forms part of the investigation,' Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said.

'It is fair to say that those injured were inside the castle. We need to piece the movements of the individuals together so we can present a full picture to the coroner.'

Seven zorb balls, which are large and inflatable balls that children get stand inside, also took flight during the strong wind gust - but the commissioner again remained tight-lipped about the details.

Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones was the last victim of the tragic accident named

Zane Gardam has been identified as one of the victims in the Devonport jumping castle tragedy

Addison Stewart (pictured) was also one of the five students who was tragically killed when the jumping castle lifted 10 metres in the air

Peter (pictured) was remembered as a 'mischievous' boy who wanted to become an astronaut

The Devonport operator told Daily Mail Australia he had never seen anything close to the Hillcrest tragedy ever occurring in his years of operating within Tasmania's north.

'We are always pretty careful. I'm not sure what happened ... how strong is a gust of wind? It all depends. There are so many variables such as how well the ground holds the pegs or if the ground is dry, it's hard, it's soft - there are so many variables that even the coroner is going to have trouble,' he said.

The experienced operator said he had erected a jumping castle at another local school just 15kms from the Hillcrest disaster on Thursday.

'We were working fine. It was great,' he said.

'We were in a pretty sheltered spot, but that's what we do. We pick the sheltered spots. There were no issues there because we picked our spot in the quadrangle out of the wind and anything else. But there wasn't much wind where we were anyway.'

Mourners flocked to Hillcrest Primary on Friday to pay their respects to the dead children

The school is in Devonport in northern Tasmania (pictured). Hillcrest Primary School had posted online before the accident advertising its 'Big Day In' celebration to parents

Two police officers console each other at Hillcrest Primary School, in Tasmania, after four children were killed when a jumping castle flew ten metres into the air

The identity of the business who erected the jumping castle remains a mystery, with local operators telling Daily Mail Australia they were all keen to know the answer too.

'The police are keeping it well under their hat,' another operator said. 'But it wasn't us.'

Mystery also remains about whether the zorb balls were inside or out of the doomed jumping castle.

'That will form part of the investigation,' the commissioner said.

'But my understanding is that the zorb balls were outside. But it will form part of the investigation.'

When another journalist tried to ask whether all the young victims were inside the jumping castle at the time, the commissioner gave a very similar response.

'Again, that forms part of the investigation,' he said.

'It is fair to say that those injured were inside the castle. We need to piece the movements of the individuals together so we can present a full picture to the coroner.'

Commissioner Hine said the investigation would take 'some time' as many witnesses needed to be interviewed.

'We'll be supplying a report to the coroner in conjunction with WorkSafe Tasmania,' Commissioner Hine told reporters on Thursday afternoon.

'That will take some time to complete and once that's completed it will be handed to the coroner for an inquest.'

Tasmania's Education Department is providing support to children, families and staff, while counselling has also been offered to first responders.
These are the five precious students whose lives were cruelly cut short in a freak jumping castle accident on Thursday.

Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, all age 12, and their class mate Addison Stewart, 11, tragically lost their lives when a jumping castle flew 10 metres into the air during a 'mini tornado' at Hillcrest primary School in Devonport, Tasmania.

Tasmania Police released the names and photos of each child as the nation rallied around their distraught families and community.

A fundraiser created by a local woman to help the victims' familied reached more than $700,000 within the first 24 hours.

Three more children are fighting for life at Royal Hobart hospital, and one was released and will continue to recover at home.

Peter Dodt (pictured), 12, lived in Devonport, Tasmania, with his dad Andrew and his sisters before his life was tragically cut short on Thursday

Zane (pictured) was enjoying his last day of primary school on Thursday when he died, along with four of his classmates

Addison Stewart (pictured) was also one of the five students who was tragically killed when the jumping castle lifted 10 metres in the air

On Friday morning, the mum of a boy next in line for the jumping castle said she feels guilty because her son survived.

Tanya's son's class was getting ready for their turn on the bouncing house when the tragedy struck.

'It was our turn next, and we were getting ready to walk down to the oval,' the nine-year-old told The Mercury.

'Grade five and six went first, and we were waiting.'

Tanya said she feels both guilty and relieved that her son narrowly avoided serious injury or death in the disaster that shocked Australia.

'We all feel so heartbroken for the parents involved, and feel guilty that we are also relieved our children were not injured,' she said.

'The school had a jumping castle for school break-up last year as well. You wouldn't dream a fun activity day would end like this.'

Tanya said she was doing her Christmas shopping when she heard the tragic news, and rushed to be with her son.

Pictured: Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, 12, who also died in the tragedy on Thursday morning

Police announced on Friday afternoon that Jye Sheehan, 12, was also one of the victims

Pictured: Peter Dodt, 12, who tragically died at a jumping castle disaster on Thursday morning

Witnesses said distraught parents broke down in the gutter sobbing when they heard what happened to their children.

Peter's aunt Tamara Scott broke down on Friday morning when explaining that the boy's father, Andrew Dodt, was 'beyond shattered'.

'He went to the school this morning to collect his school bag - he felt he had to do that, and he just cuddled it and cried,' Ms Scott said.

'He's unrepairable.'

The devoted aunt said her brother Andrew is a single father with sole custody of his four children, but that he and Peter shared a special bond.

'He loved his dad with everything he had,' she said.

'It was him and his dad against the world.'

Pictured: People leaving flowers and tributes outside Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, on Friday morning

Tasmanians flocked to Hillcrest Primary School on Thursday and Friday to pay their respect (pictured)

On Thursday night, Andrew wrote a heartfelt tribute to his 'baby boy'.

'My baby boy Peter Dodt has grown his wings this afternoon and left me so heartbroken,' he shared on Facebook.

'I would do anything in this world just to have him back.

'Dad loves you so much. Peter, till I see you again in heaven xxxx.'

Ms Scott said her nephew was determined to overcome his ADHD and become an astronaut.

The family set up a Go Fund Me campaign to help Andrew with living and funeral expenses.

Paramedics and police are pictured at a scene at Hillcrest Primary School where five children died in a jumping castle incident

At a press conference on Friday morning, police refused to say whether the jumping castle was tied down when into flew the air.

'Was the jumping castle tethered at all?' one reporter asked.

'That forms part of the investigation,' Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said.

'It is fair to say that those injured were inside the castle. We need to piece the movements of the individuals together so we can present a full picture to the coroner.'

Seven zorb balls, which are large and inflatable balls that children stand inside, also took flight during the strong wind gust - but the commissioner again remained tight-lipped about the details.

'What was the connection with the zorb balls, were they inside the castle or outside?' a reporter asked.

'That will form part of the investigation,' he said.

'But my understanding is that the zorb balls were outside. But it will form part of the investigation.'

Zane Mellor has been identified as one of the victims in the Devonport jumping castle tragedy

Hillcrest Primary School graduate Zane (pictured right with dad Tim) was the first of the five victims to be identified

When another journalist tried to ask whether all the young victims were inside the jumping castle at the time, the commissioner gave a very similar response.

'Again, that forms part of the investigation,' he said.

'It is fair to say that those injured were inside the castle. We need to piece the movements of the individuals together so we can present a full picture to the coroner.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday described the tragedy as 'horrific' and said he's been in contact with the Tasmanian Police Commissioner.

'I want to extend on behalf of the Government, and Jenny and I, our deepest sympathies to all the families and all the community in Devonport for this horrific tragedy that's occurred with the loss of five young precious lives, and more that hang in the balance,' he said.

Pictured: Bouquets of flowers and cards at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, on Friday

Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein and Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the situation as a tragedy

'I want to thank all the first responders. Our first responders each and every day are trained to deal with some of the most unimaginable things, but on this occasion it goes beyond what they could have imagined at the scene on the ground.'

The Prime Minister, who has two school-age daughters and is a Pentecostal Christian, said he was praying for the victims' families.

'As a parent there are no words. There can only be prayers,' he said.

Police commissioner Hine also said there were close to 40 Year 5 and 6 students taking part in the end-of-term activities at the time.

'Several adults were also in attendance when the inflatable equipment lifted into the air and they rendered first aid until emergency services arrived,' he said.

Harrowing accounts came from eyewitnesses at the scene, who described seeing distraught parents broken down in the gutter, sobbing.

Flags at the Devonport Council chambers were at half mask on Friday morning to honour the young victims.

Two police officers console each other at Hillcrest Primary School, in Tasmania, after four children were killed when a jumping castle flew ten metres into the air

The jumping castle was blown into the air by a freak gust of wind, killing five kids and leaving several injured (paramedics are pictured at the scene)

Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein described the tragedy as 'beyond comprehension'.

'It is devastating, heartbreaking. It's just simply incomprehensible. What should have been a celebration for the end of the school year turned into an unfortunate tragedy for our young children at Hillcrest Primary.'

'As a parent, I cannot understand how the parents of those who have lost children must be feeling.

'But as a parent, I hope that they can understand that we are all feeling for you as well.'

Tributes have begun pouring in online for the beloved students who have been remembered as a 'beautiful, caring boy' and a 'precious' girl with a 'sweet, kind, old soul'.

Zane's aunt wrote a gut-wrenching tribute to her nephew on Friday morning.

'My heart is so heavy and broken, how do I even write this,' she shared on Facebook.

'Never would I have imagined I would have to say goodbye to you my boy. Yesterday we lost the most beautiful soul my sisters first baby, my first nephew, our heart and our soul.

'Thankyou for the outpour of love and support we have all received. Rest easy our beautiful boy, I'll live my life everyday for you.'

The school is in Devonport in northern Tasmania (pictured). Hillcrest Primary School had posted online before the accident advertising its 'Big Day In' celebration to parents

A GoFundMe page has been launched to help Zane's grieving family financially through this devastating time.

'Zane was such a beautiful, caring, gentle soul who had challenges growing up with his autism and ADHD, but that never set him back. He kept achieving,' the fundraiser reads.

'This has shook so many people and the community and we want to do anything to help make things a little easier for [his mum] at this hard time.'

Addison's aunt has also launched a GoFundMe to help her parents as they 'navigate life without their precious daughter'.

'My niece was tragically taken in the accident at Hillcrest Primary,' she wrote.

'I'm hoping to raise some money for my brother and sister in-law to help pay for funeral costs and to pay off some bills for them while they try and navigate life without their precious daughter.

'I don't even know what to write at this stage. Everyone is devastated , she was always such a sweet kind, old soul.

'We all love you Paddi Melon.'

Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine (pictured right with the Tasmanian premier) would not say whether the jumping castle was tied down before the disaster struck

Distraught police officers were seen consoling each other at the scene of the tragedy, while desperate parents were seen at the gates trying to find out if their children were dead or alive.

Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said on Thursday that an investigation will take 'some time' as many witnesses needed to be interviewed.

'We'll be supplying a report to the coroner in conjunction with WorkSafe Tasmania,' Commissioner Hine told reporters on Thursday afternoon.

'That will take some time to complete and once that's completed it will be handed to the coroner for an inquest.'

Tasmania's Education Department will provide support to children, families and staff in coming days and into the school holidays, while counselling has also been offered to first responders.

Bouquets of flowers have been laid at the base of the fence as the community mourns the tragedy

'Our approach is being guided by our senior psychologists, who are trained in trauma-informed practice,' Secretary Tim Bullard said.

Local resident Connor told Daily Mail Australia his colleague lives across the road from the primary school and ran over when she heard sirens.

'She first thought there was a shooting,' he said.

'She said the scene as horrific and confronting, with children everywhere on the ground.

'[But] what got her the most was the parents sitting in the gutters, on the side of the road head in hands, crying.'

'The community is just devastated.'

Two rescue helicopters and multiple ambulances were sent to the scene on Thursday (pictured)

Bob Smith, who lives near the school, said he saw kids on the ground.

'There was one really strong gust of wind on what is a beautiful calm day,' he said.

'At first we thought it might have been an emergency services training exercise then the reality of what was happening kicked in.'

Within an hour of the tragedy, dozens of frantic parents had rushed to the school and were forced to wait at the entry gates, not knowing whether their children were dead or alive with one claiming they were left in the dark.

'I'm here now they won't let us in, it was (child's name) grade but no one knows who was hurt yet,' she wrote.

'I have a friend with children there and he hasn't heard anything yet,' another added.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the accident as 'unthinkably heartbreaking'.

'Young children on a fun day out, together with their families and it turns to such horrific tragedy. At this time of year, it just breaks your heart,' he said while on a visit on the NSW Central Coast.

'It just breaks your heart.'
An ABC reporter who was left visibly shocked after hearing of the jumping castle tragedy had also lost loved ones in the Dreamworld Thunder River Rapids ride disaster.

Patricia Karvelas was presenting ABC's Afternoon Briefing on Thursday when the program cut to a press conference on Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport Tasmania.

Addressing the media, police announced the death toll had climbed, after a gust of wind blew a jumping castle 10metres into the air during end of year celebrations.

After hearing the news, Karvelas, a mother of two, let out an emotional gasp - unaware her microphone was still on.

'Oh my god,' she said in a sorrowful voice, as she watched the press conference from the newsroom.

The tragedy hit close to home for Karvelas, who lost close friends in the 2016 Dreamworld Thunder River Rapids disaster on the Gold Coast.

Patricia Karvelas (pictured) gasped live on air after hearing the Devonport jumping castle tragedy's death toll had risen to four

A malfunction at Dreamworld's Thunder River Rapids ride caused a six-person raft to flip, crushing and drowning two men and two women

A malfunction with a ride caused a six-person raft to flip, crushing and drowning two men and two women while miraculously throwing two children to safety.

The freak accident claimed the lives of Kate Goodchild, 32, her brother Luke Dorsett, 35, his partner Roozi Araghi, 38, and Cindy Low, 42.

Karvelas was working as an ABC radio presenter when she discovered her close friends Mr Dorsett and Mr Araghi were among the deceased.

She described the couple as 'the best and most loyal friends' in a heartbreaking tribute posted to Twitter.

Roozi & Luke were the best and most loyal friends. They never missed one of my girls birthdays. They never forgot to check in. Words fail me  Patricia Karvelas (@PatsKarvelas) October 26, 2016

'Roozi and Luke were the best and most loyal friends. They never missed one of my girls birthdays. They never forgot to check in. Words fail me,' she wrote.

Forced to watch Thursday's heartbreaking tragedy unfold Karvelas later apologised for the on-air blunder.

4 children have died in Tasmania. This story is beyond my comprehension #Heartbreaking  Patricia Karvelas (@PatsKarvelas) December 16, 2021

I think people heard me I apologise  Patricia Karvelas (@PatsKarvelas) December 16, 2021

'I think people heard me I apologise,' she wrote on Twitter.

Many followers told the journalist there was 'no need to apologise', praising her 'human' response to the devastating situation.

Colleague Michael Rowland commended Karvelas for getting through the rest of her program

Tasmania Police Commissioner Darren Hine (pictured) fronted a press conference on Thursday afternoon

Two police officers console each other at Hillcrest Primary School, in Tasmania, after four children were killed when a jumping castle flew ten metres into the air

Paramedics are pictured at Hillcrest Primary School, near Devonport in Tasmania. Four children have died and several others left in a critical condition after they fell from a jumping castle at the school

Fellow ABC reporter Michael Rowland commended his colleague for getting through the rest of her program.

'Props to @PatsKarvelas for getting through that hour,' he Tweeted.

'Your reaction to that wrenching news was ours.'

Karvelas replied to his Tweet: 'Im on my way now to my childs grade 6 graduation heartbroken.'

The horrific tragedy has rocked the tight knit Devonport, with investigations underway to determine how many children were on the jumping castle at the time.

The victims, two boys and two girls, were Year 6 students. Five children in total are in hospital.

'On a day when these children were meant to be celebrating their last day of primary school, instead we're all mourning their loss,' Commissioner Hine said.

'Our hearts are breaking for the families and the loved ones, schoolmates, teachers of these young people who were taken too soon.'

Tasmania Police initially confirmed one child had died, before reporting a second death in the early afternoon.

Paramedics and police are pictured at a scene at Hillcrest Primary School after four children died in a jumping castle incident

'Several children fell from the jumping castle. It appears they may have fallen from a height of approximately 10 metres,' Commander Debbie Williams said at the scene earlier in the day.

'This is a very tragic event and our thoughts are with the families and the wider school community and also our first responders.

'This has been a very distressing and confronting scene.'

Several rescue helicopters were used to transport the children after police units and multiple ambulance crews rushed to the scene around 10am.

Police have indicated counselling will be available to families and the community.

The school announced on Facebook it was closing for the remainder of Thursday and asked parents to urgently collect their children.

Hillcrest Primary was holding a 'Big Day In' celebration to mark the end of the school year.

Bob Smith, who lives near the school, told The Mercury newspaper he saw kids on the ground.

'There was one really strong gust of wind on what is a beautiful calm day,' he said.

'At first we thought it might have been an emergency services training exercise then the reality of what was happening kicked in.'

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein passed on his thoughts to the community.

'My thoughts are obviously with ... the parents of the children that have been injured and with the emergency services,' he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the accident as unthinkably heartbreaking.

'Young children on a fun day out, together with their families and it turns to such horrific tragedy. At this time of year, it just breaks your heart,' he told reporters on the NSW Central Coast.
Warning signs will be attached to every mobile speed camera in NSW from February following a public backlash as speeding fines skyrocketed.

Fixed signage was removed across the state in November 2020. From then until August 2021 the state Government raised $21million in fines.

From February large double-sided blue and white warnings will again appear on the roofs of mobile speed cameras but not on the street before them.

A graph (pictured) was released by NSW opposition leader Chris Minns that shows the sharp increase in revenue collected by speed cameras once signage was removed

'The focus on safety as well as awareness will ensure the program is still effective in reducing speeding and the significant trauma it causes,' Transport Minister Rob Stokes said.

'This was always about saving lives, and we will continue to find ways to reduce the number of lives lost on our roads as we aim towards zero fatalities by 2050.'

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said the new signs will be rolled out along with an additional previously announced 1,000 fixed signs.

'This is about striking the right balance,' he told reporters on Friday.

'There is no excuse for those who are speeding... this is a government that has listened to the community.'

Mobile speed camera warning signs are returning to New South Wales from February in a Government backflip following a public backlash as speeding fines skyrocketed

In November, former NSW roads minister Duncan Gay told a parliamentary road safety inquiry the removal of the signs was done in good faith but was the wrong decision.

'Speed cameras are important but they shouldn't be there for entrapment,' he said at the time.

Revenue NSW data shows the number of mobile digital speed camera fines where the speed limit was exceeded by 10kmh or less went from 3,222 in October 2020 to 27,855 by February 2021.

The Government said camera revenue goes directly into the Community Road Safety Fund to improve road safety and provide education, lifesaving infrastructure and enforcement.
Almost half of Australia's default superannuation accounts have delivered substandard returns during the past seven years.

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, which regulates financial products, has revealed 31 out of 69 funds had a MySuper product that delivered annual returns that were unacceptable.

'Poor performing choice products are concentrated in the hands of a few trustees,' it said.

'Multiple poor performing investment options indicates broader issues with the trustees' approach to investments and their product offerings.

'There is a very long tail of poor performing options in all growth asset categories.'

Almost half of Australia's default superannuation accounts have delivered substandard returns. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, which regulates financial products, has revealed 31 out of 69 funds had a MySuper product that delivered annual returns that were unacceptable (pictured is a stock image)

Since September 27 this year, underperforming super funds have been required to tell their members so workers could decide whether to switch to another fund. A new APRA report has named 13 super products that failed the performance test including Maritime Super, Australian Catholic LifetimeOne, CBGS, BT Asgard, Christian Super, LUCRF, AvSuper and Colonial First State

Under laws that came into effect in January 2014, only funds offering a specific MySuper product have been able to receive default compulsory employer superannuation contributions for new staff.

Since September 27 this year, underperforming super funds have been required to tell their members so workers could decide whether to switch to another fund.

A new APRA report has named 13 super products that failed the performance test including Maritime Super, Australian Catholic LifetimeOne, CBGS, BT Asgard, Christian Super, LUCRF, AvSuper and Colonial First State.

Those funds had one million accounts collectively worth $56billion.

APRA benchmarked the returns on $50,000 invested in 2014 and found an outperforming superannuation account would have been worth $90,594 as of June 30, 2021.

By comparison, an underperforming MySuper account would be worth $79,207.

After seven years, the difference between a good and bad super account added up to $11,287 or a foregone return of 12.6 per cent.

Since December 2019, 22 MySuper products have been closed for delivering poor investment returns or high fees, with three of them closed in 2021 for failing APRA's Your Future, Your Super performance test.

APRA benchmarked the returns on $50,000 invested in 2014 and found an outperforming superannuation account would have been worth $90,594 as of June 30, 2021. By comparison, an under performing MySuper account would be worth $79,207

They covered 1.3million accounts worth $41.8billion.

APRA said fees and costs for MySuper products were declining but more needed to be done.

Annual fees on a $50,000 super account typically ranged from $470 to $186, with APRA noting this $284 difference would be a big annual drag on retirement savings.

As of December 2021, a quarter of MySuper funds charged fees of $582 a year on a $50,000 balance, compared with $646 in December 2019.

The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia recommends a retirement balance of $535,000 based on the pension age of 67 from 2023.

The Grattan Institute think tank has said Australians on median incomes of $60,000 only needed $150,000 for retirement, provided they had already paid off their home by retirement.

Since September 27 this year, underperforming super funds have been required to tell their members so workers could decide whether to switch to another fund (pictured is Superannuation Minister Jane Hume)

Since July 1, compulsory super contributions have increased to 10 per cent from 9.5 per cent and will continue rising by 0.5 percentage points every year until it reaches 12 per cent by 2025.

Former Labor prime minister Paul Keating, the architect of the compulsory super scheme that debuted in 1992, wants 15 per cent superannuation and that is still the Labor Party's position.

Julia Gillard's Labor government legislated to have super increase to 10 per cent on July 1, 2015 with the goal of reaching 12 per cent by July 2019.

But Tony Abbott's Coalition government in 2014 delayed to July 1, 2021 the super increase to ten per cent.
A Delaware judge has rejected Fox News' motion to dismiss a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit by Dominion that alleges the network pushed Donald Trump's conspiracy theory about the voting company rigging the 2020 presidential election.

Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis said that the Denver-based voting machine company had shown that 'At this stage, it is reasonably conceivable that Dominion has a claim for defamation per se,' in the 52-page ruling on Thursday.

Dominion filed the lawsuit in May against the Rupert Murdoch-owned cable news giant alleging that employees elevated false charges that Dominion had changed votes in the 2020 election through algorithms in its voting machines that had been created in Venezuela to rig elections for the late dictator Hugo Chavez.

Among the Fox anchors cited for pushing the narrative were Mario Bartiromo, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Jeanine Pirro and Lou Dobbs, whose Fox Business Network program was canceled in February.

The conspiracy theory helped seed doubt in the election results, and is partially blamed for spurring on rioters to storm the US Capitol on January 6 in a violent siege that left five people dead. The siege led to Trump's second impeachment.

On-air personalities brought on Trump allies Sidney Powell (right) and Rudy Giuliani, who spread the claims, and then amplified those claims on Fox News massive social media platforms

Dominion filed a lawsuit against FOX alleging that some employees elevated false charges that Dominion had changed votes in the 2020 election

Dominion is one of the nation's largest voting machine companies and provided machines for the state of Georgia, a key battleground state that Joe Biden eventually won after early ballots showed him trailing.

The state was also vital in flipping control of the U.S. Senate after Democratic candidates won both seats to create a 50-50 split in the chamber. Biden's victory ensured Vice President Kamala Harris would have the tie-breaking vote.

The defamation lawsuit argues that Fox News amplified inaccurate assertions that Dominion altered votes and 'sold a false story of election fraud in order to serve its own commercial purposes, severely injuring Dominion in the process.'

The suit said on-air personalities brought on Trump allies Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, who spread the claims, and then amplified those claims on Fox News' massive social media platforms.

Dominion has previously filed similar lawsuits against Trump allies Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, and Mike Lindell, the CEO of Minnesota-based MyPillow, over the claims.

Davis said that Dominion's complaint 'supports the reasonable inference that Fox either (i) knew its statements about Dominions role in election fraud were false or (ii) had a high degree of awareness that the statements were false.'

The judge added that 'Fox possessed countervailing evidence of election fraud from the Department of Justice, election experts, and Dominion at the time it had been making its statements. The fact that, despite this evidence, Fox continued to publish its allegations against Dominion, suggests Fox knew the allegations were probably false.'

Dominion is one of the nation's largest voting machine companies and provided machines for the state of Georgia, a key battleground state won by Joe Biden

There was no widespread fraud in the election, a range of election officials across the country including Trump's former attorney general, William Barr, have confirmed.

Republican governors in Arizona and Georgia, key battleground states crucial to Biden's victory, also vouched for the integrity of the elections in their states.

Nearly all the legal challenges from Trump and his allies have been dismissed by judges, including two tossed by the Supreme Court, which includes three Trump-nominated justices.

The judge also wrote that despite emails from Dominion attempting to factually address Fox's fraud allegations, Fox and its news personnel continued to report Dominion's 'purported connection to the election fraud claims without also reporting on Dominions emails.'

'Given that Fox apparently refused to report contrary evidence ... the Complaints allegations support the reasonable inference that Fox intended to keep Dominions side of the story out of the narrative,' the judge ruled.

Fox News maintains that the network was only fairly covering the voter fraud claims.

The network has argued that its coverage is protected by the First Amendment and that a free press must be able to report both sides of a story involving claims that strike at the core of democracy.

'As we have maintained, Fox News, along with every single news organization across the country, vigorously covered the breaking news surrounding the unprecedented 2020 election, providing full context of every story with in-depth reporting and clear-cut analysis. We remain committed to defending against this baseless lawsuit and its all-out assault on the First Amendment,' Fox News Media said in a statement.

The network may be forced to settle and admit some culpability or risk the release of possible damaging emails from its highly-rated stable of talent during the discovery phase of the lawsuit.

'The danger for them is that a lot of embarrassing email correspondence and other documents will come out if they don't settle the case,' Timothy Zick, a professor at William & Mary Law School who specializes in First Amendment law, told the New York Times.

Dominion, however, might not be willing to settle, the lawyer added.
Veteran broadcaster Alan Jones has unloaded on the politicians who sentenced Australian businesses to death with lengthy Covid lockdowns - while they escaped unscathed.

Jones, 80, ripped into the ministers and bureaucrats behind the lockdown laws that caused untold misery for millions and killed off many small businesses.

'None of them lost a cent during coronavirus while they dished out dictatorial edicts to battling Australians in the last 17 months,' he said on his latest Facebook show, Alan Jones Direct To The People.

His comments come after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern and her ministers took a 20 per cent pay cut at the start of the pandemic last year.

'It is about showing solidarity in New Zealands time of need,' said Ms Ardern in April 2020.

'If there was ever a time to close the gap between groups of people across New Zealand in different positions, it is now.

'I am responsible for the executive branch and this is where we can take action.'

But it was a different story in Australia where none of the leaders - including state premiers Dan Andrews and Gladys Berejiklian - took a pandemic pay cut.

Veteran broadcaster Alan Jones (pictured) has unloaded on the politicians who sentenced Australian businesses to death with lengthy Covid lockdowns - while they escaped unscathed

But it was a different story in Australia where none of the leaders - including state premiers Dan Andrews (pictured left) and Gladys Berejiklian (centre) - took a pandemic paycut, while PM Scott Morrison (right) appointed almost half his MPs as Government ministers

Entrepreneur Mark Bouris has previously also called for governments to show leadership with a pay cut while small business suffered in lockdown.

'We keep hearing that "Were in this together", and together means to me, really together, what are you doing to be "in this together" with us?' he said.

'A pay cut or acknowledging the fact that, "We the government are getting full whack, were getting 100 per cent of our income, youre not."

'Acknowledge it, I just think the acknowledgement of it would be important.'

Alan Jones ripped into the pollies and bureaucrats behind the lockdown laws that caused untold misery for millions and killed off many small businesses

Mr Jones also railed against the explosion of government power which has taken place in Australia during the pandemic too.

The notoriously right-wing commentator even unleashed on Coalition Prime Minister Scott Morrison for the size and scale of his government.

He lambasted the Prime Minister for appointing almost half of all the Coalition MPs as a minister or assistant minister in his government.

Alan Jones's comments come after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (pictured) and her ministers took a 20 per cent pay cut at the start of the pandemic last year

Entrepreneur Mark Bouris (pictured) has previously also called for governments to show leadership with a pay cut while small business suffered in lockdown

'We are a country which might be a democracy, but it's run by bureaucrats,' he blasted. 'Listen to this - sit down, or you'll faint.

'At last count, we've got our 42 ministers in the system. This is federal - 42 ministers and assistant ministers, so 20 per cent of the Federal Parliament and 48 per cent of the coalition party room.

'And Scott Morrison talks about getting government out of our lives!'

He said the numbers of bureaucrats had also blown up in recent years.

Alan Jones also railed against the explosion of government which has taken place in Australia during the pandemic too (pictured, a pedestrian crosses an abandoned street in Redfern during lockdown)

'The Australian Government directory lists 198 government departments and agencies and 148,736 federal public servants as of December 2020,' he said.

'Australia-wide, the Australian Bureau of Statistics report argues that there are over two million public sector employees, 1,609,100 at the state government level.

'None of them lost a cent during Coronavirus while they dished out dictatorial edicts to battling Australians in the last 17 months.'
A former guest star on Law and Order: Criminal Intent has added her name to the growing chorus of women accusing actor Chris Noth of sexual misconduct.

In an Instagram story on Thursday, actress Zoe Lister-Jones detailed her encounters with the embattled actor, claiming that he was 'sexually inappropriate' to women who worked at a New York City club he owned, and sniffed her neck while drunk on set of the detective show.

Her allegations come just hours after The Hollywood Reporter published two other women's claimed he raped and sexually abused them.

Since then, a newspaper clipping has also emerged featuring claims by model Beverly Johnson who claims that Noth had attacked her and threatened to kill her while they were dating in the 1990s.

The Los Angeles Police Department has now said they are not investigating the Sex and the City star 'at this point' on claims he raped a woman in his LA apartment in 2004, as Noth, 67, vehemently denied all allegations of sexual abuse.

Noth admitted to having 'consensual encounters' with the two accusers mentioned in the Hollywood Reporter story but strongly denied any abuse.

DailyMail.com has reached out Noth for further comment.

Zoe Lister-Jones, left, has claimed that actor Chris Noth was 'sexually inappropriate' to female workers at a club he owned in New York City and once sniffed her neck as she guest starred on an episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent in 2005. Noth, right, has vehemently denied the claims of sexual abuse

Noth returned to his role as Detective Mike Logan following the original run of Sex and the City

In her Instagram story on Thursday, Lister-Jones said she was 'relieved' by the death of Chris Noth's character on And Just Like That because she remembers him being 'consistently sexually inappropriate' with a female promoter and sniffing her hair when she guest starred on Law and Order: Criminal Intent

Lister-Jones, 39, became the first woman to publicly call out Noth for alleged sexually inappropriate behavior in her Instagram story Thursday night.

She wrote that she was inspired to come out with her story after the two women - who used the pseudonyms Zoe, now 40, and Lily, now 31 - told The Hollywood Reporter their stories.

The actress known for her work on Life in Pieces began her statement: 'Last week, my friend asked me how I felt about Mr. Big's death on And Just Like That, and I said honestly, I felt relieved,' she wrote, referring to Noth's role on Sex and the City and its spin-off.

'He asked why, and I told him it was because I couldn't separate the actor from the man, and the man is a sexual predator.

'My friend was alarmed at my word choice. And to be honest, so was I.

An old newspaper clipping posted to Instagram on Thursday appeared to show court documents accused Noth of 'battering' model Beverly Johnson back when they were dating

'I hadn't thought of the man in so many years, and yet there was a virility to my language that came from somewhere deep and buried.'

Lister-Jones then explained: 'In my twenties, I worked at a club in New York that Chris Noth owned and on the few occasions, he would show up, he was consistently sexually inappropriate with a fellow female promoter.'

'That same year, I was a guest star on Law and Order, and it was his first episode returning as a detective after "SATC,"'

'He was drunk on set,' she alleged in her statement, noting: 'During my interrogation scene he had a 22 ounce beer under the table that he would drink in between takes.

'In one take, he got close to me, sniffed my neck and whispered, "You smell good."

'I didn't say anything. My friend at the club never said anything. It's so rare that we do.'

Noth's most famous role is as Carrie Bradshaw's (Sarah Jessica Parker) love interest John James 'Mr. Big' Preston on Sex and the City and now its spin-off

She claimed that her experiences were small in comparison to the other allegations against Noth that were reported on Thursday

She concluded her statement by cursing out Noth's character on Sex and the City, claiming that he capitalized on the role to seduce women

'Part of being a woman in this world is taking a certain amount of pride in knowing how to handle yourself in these situations,' she continued.

'In denying their impact as a means of survival. And burying the feelings that come with the transgressions that we have been taught are simply to be expected.

'My experiences are small in comparison to the accounts of assault that have so bravely been shared today.

'Navigating predation at any level is a burden all woman have to bear. And for the most part there is no accountability and no consequence.

'Chris Noth capitalized on the fantasy that women believe Mr. Big represented,' she alleged, concluding: 'F*** Mr. Big.'

Lister-Jones guest starred on Law and Order: Criminal Intent in 2005, the first year Noth returned to the series following the original run of Sex and the City, in an episode entitled Diamond Dogs.

It was unclear which club she claims Noth was 'sexually inappropriate' at. According to Page Six, Noth co-owns The Cutting Room in Manhattan and was an investor in The Plumm, which closed in 2009.

The sexual misconduct allegations against Noth emerged after the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That, returned to HBO.

It does not appear that any of his Sex and the City costars have commented on the allegations.

In fact, Kristin Davis, who plays Charlotte, failed to mention them entirely when she appeared on the Late Late Show on Thursday.

Host James Corden also decided to avoid the issue. When he asked her how she feels about the spin-off, to which she simply replied, 'good.'

Lister-Jones' apparent confession comes after The Hollywood Reporter published other allegations against Noth.

Both of the accusers in the report claimed that Noth had sex with them from behind in front of a mirror, with the first attack allegedly taking place in 2004, while the second reportedly occurred in 2015, three years after Noth married his wife, Tara Wilson, with whom he has two children.

The two women both also allege that the attacks took place in one of Noth's homes - the first in his Los Angeles apartment and the second in his New York City property - after the actor invited them over.

Both women claim that the recent publicity surrounding the Sex and the City reboot - And Just Like That - 'stirred painful memories' of their encounters with Noth, who has featured heavily in the news in the past week as a result of the shock death of his character, Mr. Big, in the first episode of the new series.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Noth, who has two sons with Wilson - Keats and Orion - admitted that he had 'consensual encounters' with the two women in the Hollywood Reporter story, both of which reportedly took place while he was in a relationship with his wife, but he strongly denied any accusations that he assaulted them.

'The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false,' the statement reads.

'These stories couldve been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago  no always means no  that is a line I did not cross. The encounters were consensual.

'Its difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. I dont know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this: I did not assault these women.'

Married Sex And The City star Chris Noth - pictured with his wife Tara Wilson this month - has also been accused of rape and sexual assault by two other women

Noth has two sons with Wilson - Orion (left), 13, who was born in 2008, seven years before the alleged second attack took place, and Keats (right), one, who was born in 2020

One of the accusers - using the pseudonym Zoe - said she first met Noth while working 'in an entry-level position at a high-profile firm where Noth and other celebrities regularly had business' in 2004.

She claims that the actor - who was then at the height of his Sex and the City fame and, according to Zoe's then-boss was seen as a 'god' by her and colleagues - began flirting with her in the office.

'It was very painful and I yelled out, "Stop!"' Noth's alleged first victim says actor left her bleeding after attack in his LA home Noth's first accuser - Zoe, now 40 - claims that the actor invited her to his Los Angeles apartment to return a book in 2004, before raping her from behind. She claims that he 'kissed her as she stepped through the door' and that she 'tentatively kissed him back' before trying to leave his home. Zoe alleges that the actor then 'pulled her toward him, moved her toward the bed, pulled off her shorts and bikini bottom, and began to rape her from behind' while they were 'facing a mirror'. 'It was very painful and I yelled out, "Stop!"' she claims. 'And he didnt. I said, "Can you at least get a condom?" and he laughed at me.' Following the alleged incident, Zoe says she saw 'blood on her shirt' and returned to a friend's apartment, which was located in the same building as Noth's home, to try and wash it out. It was there that her friends urged her to go to hospital - where she says she had to get stitches. 'I had stitches. Two police officers came. I wouldnt say who it was,' she says, claiming that she feared she would 'not be believed' and could 'be fired' if she publicly accused Noth of rape. Advertisement

At the time, Noth had been dating his now-wife Wilson for three years; the pair began their relationship in 2001 after first meeting at The Cutting Room, a New York jazz club owned by the actor, where Wilson, who was in her early 20s at the time, worked as a bartender.

However, according to Zoe, the actor began leaving 'flirty' messages on her voicemail - which her boss alerted her to.

Speaking to THR, the boss confirmed that she was aware of the messages, saying that it struck her as strange that the actor would be reaching out to her much younger employee, however she insists she was not in any way concerned by them.

Zoe claims that she was raped by Noth in his West Hollywood apartment when she was just 22 and he was 49 - alleging that the actor invited her and a friend over to the pool at his building. Her unnamed friend confirmed that the two visited the pool and recalled that they sat in the jacuzzi with Noth, who then left a book with Zoe while he went to his apartment to take a call.

She states that Noth then asked her to return the book to his home, telling her that he'd 'love to know what she thought'.

When Zoe went up to his home to give the book back, she says Noth 'kissed her' as soon as she walked through the door, however she says she was not initially concerned by the kiss - and in fact thought it would be a 'funny story' she could tell her friends about.

However, she says Noth then pulled her towards him, moved her to his bed and removed her shorts and bikini bottoms, before raping her 'from behind' while they were 'facing a mirror'.

She also claimed that the actor did not use protection, that he 'laughed at her' when she asked him to get a condom - and says she was left bleeding after the assault, and had to go to the hospital to get stitches.

'It was very painful and I yelled out, "Stop!"' she told THR. 'And he didnt. I said, "Can you at least get a condom?" and he laughed at me.'

After the alleged assault, she says she returned to a friend's apartment, which was located in the same building as Noth's home, and tried to wash the blood out of her shirt, before being urged by her friends to go to Cedars-Sinai, where she told hospital workers that she had been assaulted.

'I had stitches. Two police officers came. I wouldnt say who it was,' she says, claiming that she feared she would 'not be believed' and could 'be fired' if she publicly accused Noth of rape.

Although Zoe has not previously accused Noth of assault or rape, she says did speak to several people about the attack - including her boss at the time, who told THR that Zoe phoned her after the alleged rape and told her Noth had attacked her.

Speaking to the outlet, Zoe's now-former boss said that her ex-employee sounded 'upset' and was 'in shock' during the phone call while relaying details of the 'horrible' incident, however she says Zoe insisted that she not tell anyone about it.

'I was 25 at the time. It was a lot. I didnt know what to do,' the unnamed woman said.

It does not appear that any of his Sex and the City costars have commented on the allegations. In fact, Kristin Davis, who plays Charlotte, failed to mention them entirely when she appeared on the Late Late Show on Thursday

Both women told THR that the recent publicity surrounding the release of the Sex and the City sequel And Just Like That prompted them to come forward with their claims

Noth has featured heavily in the press in the past week after his character, Mr. Big, died of a heart attack in a shocking twist in the first episode of the new reboot

Noth's second accuser, Lily, who is now working as a journalist, told a similar story to THR, alleging that the actor raped her in his home in Greenwich Village after they struck up a flirty relationship while she was working as a server at former New York nightclub No.8 in 2015, when she was 25.

At the time, Noth - who was then 60 years old - had been married to his wife for three years and the couple had one child together, Orion, who was born in 2008. They have since had a second son, Keats, born in 2020.

'I was crying as it happened': Actor's alleged second victim claims he raped her in his New York apartment The second accuser - a woman using the pseudonym Lily, now 31 - alleges that Noth assaulted her in his apartment in Greenwich Village in 2015 after he invited her on a date at Italian restaurant Il Cantinori. According to Lily, the kitchen at the restaurant had closed by the time they arrived, so they drank wine together at the bar. She claims that she 'had too much to drink' but was 'nowhere near blacking out' when Noth suggested that they go back to his home to 'sample his collection of whiskeys'. She says they spent time 'listening to music' and discussing his collection of 'books about art and fashion', before he 'tried to make out with her'. Lily says she 'cautiously entertained' him, but that he became more forceful as time went on. 'He kept trying and trying and trying, and I should have said no more firmly and left. And then the next thing I knew, he pulled down his pants and he was standing in front of me,' she says, alleging that he then 'thrust his penis into her mouth'. She claims that Noth - who was married to wife Tara Wilson and had one child with her at the time - told her 'marriage is a sham' and that 'monogamy is not real', before raping her. '[Suddenly] he was having sex with me from the back in a chair,' she said. 'We were in front of a mirror. I was kind of crying as it happened.' After the alleged attack, Lily says she 'went to the bathroom and put on her skirt', adding that she 'felt awful... totally violated'. Advertisement

Describing herself as a long-time fan of the actor - whom she knew from his days starring in Law & Order, as well as his role on Sex and the City - Lily says she was 'truly star-struck' when he began 'hitting on her'.

'He was hitting on me, for sure. I was flattered. I knew he was married, which is shameful of me to admit,' she said.

According to Lily, Noth asked for her number and later asked her out for dinner; they arranged to meet at Italian restaurant Il Cantinori - which featured in an episode of the original Sex and the City series.

However, by the time the pair met at the eatery, the kitchen had closed, so Lily says they 'had wine at the bar' and discussed Noth's lack of interest in appearing in a potential third Sex and the City movie.

Lily admits that she 'had too much to drink' but insists that she was 'nowhere near blacking out' when the actor invited her to his nearby home in Greenwich Village so that they could 'sample his collection of whiskeys' together.

The woman - who describes herself as being 'not super sexually active' at the time - insists that she did not believe he would try and have sex with her, and that she simply though they would 'drink whiskey and talk about his acting career'.

Once inside his 'amazing' home, Lily says the pair listened to music and discussed the actor's collection of art and fashion books, before he began trying to 'make out with her'.

Although she admitted that she 'cautiously entertained' him, she says that she was hesitant because he was 'older and looked older' than her.

However, Lily says he became more forceful as time went on, claiming that he 'kept trying and trying and trying'.

'I should have said no more firmly and left,' she said, claiming that 'the next thing she knew' he had pulled down her pants and 'was standing in front of her', before 'thrusting his penis into her mouth'.

She says that she mentioned the fact that he had a wife and child, only for the actor to tell her that 'marriage is a sham' and 'monogamy is not real'. Lily claims Noth then raped her from behind in a chair in front of a mirror.

'He was having sex with me from the back in a chair. We were in front of a mirror. I was kind of crying as it happened,' she says.

After the alleged assault took place, Lily says she went to the bathroom and put on her skirt, claiming that she 'felt awful' and 'totally violated'.

'All of my dreams with this star I loved for years were gone,' she added.

The second woman - Lily - claims that the alleged attack took place in Noth's Greenwich Village apartment (building pictured) after they met while she was working as a server in a club

Lily says she was working as a server in the VIP section of New York nightclub No. 8 (pictured), which has since closed, when Noth 'hit on her' in 2015

While in an Uber home, Lily says she spoke to a friend - who was named Alex by THR - on the phone, whom she told that Noth had sex with her 'pretty forcibly'. Despite her friend insisting that Lily should phone the police, she says she refused to.

Speaking to the publication, Lily's friend Alex confirmed her story and claimed that she listened to a voicemail Noth left on Lily's phone after the incident.

According to Alex, Noth said in the message: 'Hey, hope you didnt take anything wrong last night. We had fun. Just want to make sure you didnt take it the wrong way.'

However Lily offered a different recollection of the message, claiming that Noth told her: 'I had a nice time and would really appreciate it if you wouldnt talk to your girlfriends. If we could keep this between you and me, that would be great.'

Lily also handed over text messages sent between herself and Noth in March and April 2015 to The Hollywood Reporter, in which the pair seemingly discussed the incident, with the actor asking whether Lily 'enjoyed their night last week', adding that he 'thought it was a lot of fun' but that he 'wasn't quite sure how she felt'.

According to the outlet, Lily responded that she 'certainly enjoyed [Noth's] company' but that she 'felt slightly used', before suggesting that they continue their conversation on the phone.

Noth went on to propose that the pair meet up for another date, sending her messages suggesting that they 'have a drink' and telling her that it 'didn't have to be at his place although he has the best whiskey'.

In another message seen by THR, Noth reportedly asked Lily: 'Oh mysterious one where did you go.'

Lily says she agreed to see him for dinner on one occasion but ultimately canceled and the two did not meet again.

According to Lily, she and Noth went on a date to Italian eatery Il Cantinori - however the kitchen was closed by the time they got there, so she says they drank wine at the bar

The restaurant actually featured in season four of Sex and the City, serving as the location for lead character Carrie Bradshaw's 35th birthday party (pictured)

Neither she nor Zoe have spoken publicly about their accusations until getting in touch with The Hollywood Reporter 'months apart' after being prompted by the frenzy of publicity surrounding the news about the new Sex and the City reboot, which was first announced in January of this year.

The accusations against Noth come just one week after he hit headlines the world over while reprising his role as Mr. Big in the Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That - in which his character controversially dies of a heart attack after doing a workout on a Peloton bike.

Mr Big's shock death sparked outrage among viewers - and prompted furious backlash from Peloton, whose shares dropped 11 per cent in the wake of the debut episode's premiere last Thursday.

Three days after the first two episodes aired on HBO Max, Peloton hit back at the show by airing a commercial featuring Noth in his role as Mr Big - alongside real-life instructor Jess King who starred as his trainer in And Just Like That.

That commercial has now been deleted from Peloton's social media accounts - as well as from the account of King, who featured in it alongside Noth.

In a statement made to DailyMail.com, a spokesperson for Peloton addressed the allegations made against Noth, saying: 'Every single sexual assault accusation must be taken seriously.

'We were unaware of these allegations when we featured Chris Noth in our response to HBOs reboot. As we seek to learn more, we have stopped promoting this video and archived related social posts.'

HBO Max has yet to publicly comment on the allegations; DailyMail.com has reached out to representatives for Noth and the streaming site.
The distraught father of a young boy who tragically died when a jumping castle flew 10 metres in the air during a school celebration is 'completely lost' without his son.

Zane Mellor's life was cut short on Thursday morning at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, northern Tasmania, when the bouncing house was picked up by a 'mini-tornado' and flew 10 metres in the air.

On Friday afternoon, police released the names of his classmates who also died in the disaster - Peter Dodt, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, all age 12, and Addison Stewart, 11.

Three more are fighting for life at Royal Hobart hospital, and one was released and will continue to recover at home.

Zane's step-mum Denitta Ryder told Daily Mail Australia that the 12-year-old was 'an incredible young man' who loved fishing.

'We are going to miss him so much, his cheeky smile, a smile so big his eyes would light up,' she said.

'To Zane's dad Tim, his children are his whole world and he is completely lost without him.'

Pictured: Zane Mellor (right) with his dad Tim Mellor and little brother Max, age eight

Tim Mellor posted a photo to Facebook just hours after the tragedy and wrote 'I'm going to miss you mate'

On Thursday night, just hours after the tragedy unfolded, Tim Mellor shared a photo of him and his son together.

'I'm going to miss you, mate,' he wrote.

Ms Ryder also said her step-son was a smart boy who loved going on adventures with his family.

'He was so gentle with his younger siblings, they all absolutely adored him and he adored them,' she shared.

She set up a Go Fund Me campaign for Mr Mellor to ensure he doesn't have to worry about money while he grieves the loss of his son.

Zane's step-mother Denitta Ryder said he was gentle with his little siblings. Pictured: Zane, left, with his brother Max, eight, and sister Paisley, age one

Zane is pictured left with his little sister Paisley, and right with siblings Max, eight, Katanna, 17 , and Seanna, nine

Zane Mellor tragically died on Thursday morning in a jumping castle incident in Tasmania

Witnesses said distraught parents broke down in the gutter sobbing when they heard what happened to their children.

Peter's aunt Tamara Scott broke down on Friday morning when explaining that the boy's father, Andrew Dodt, was 'beyond shattered'.

'He went to the school this morning to collect his school bag - he felt he had to do that, and he just cuddled it and cried,' Ms Scott said.

'He's unrepairable.'

The devoted aunt said her brother Andrew is a single father with sole custody of his four children, but that he and Peter shared a special bond.

'He loved his dad with everything he had,' she said.

'It was him and his dad against the world.'

Peter Dodt (pictured), 12, lived in Devonport, Tasmania, with his dad Andrew and his sisters before his life was tragically cut short on Thursday

Zane (pictured) was enjoying his last day of primary school on Thursday when he died, along with four of his classmates

Addison Stewart (pictured) was also one of the five students who was tragically killed when the jumping castle lifted 10 metres in the air

On Thursday night, Andrew wrote a heartfelt tribute to his 'baby boy'.

'My baby boy Peter Dodt has grown his wings this afternoon and left me so heartbroken,' he shared on Facebook.

'I would do anything in this world just to have him back.

'Dad loves you so much. Peter, till I see you again in heaven xxxx.'

Ms Scott said her nephew was determined to overcome his ADHD and become an astronaut.

The family set up a Go Fund Me campaign to help Andrew with living and funeral expenses.

Pictured: Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, 12, who also died in the tragedy on Thursday morning

Police announced on Friday afternoon that Jye Sheehan, 12, was also one of the victims

Pictured: Peter Dodt, 12, who tragically died at a jumping castle disaster on Thursday morning

A fundraiser created by a local woman to help the victims' familied reached more than $700,000 within the first 24 hours.

At a press conference on Friday morning, police refused to say whether the jumping castle was tied down when into flew the air.

'Was the jumping castle tethered at all?' one reporter asked.

'That forms part of the investigation,' Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said.

'It is fair to say that those injured were inside the castle. We need to piece the movements of the individuals together so we can present a full picture to the coroner.'

Pictured: People leaving flowers and tributes outside Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, on Friday morning

Tasmanians flocked to Hillcrest Primary School on Thursday and Friday to pay their respect (pictured)

Seven zorb balls, which are large and inflatable balls that children stand inside, also took flight during the strong wind gust - but the commissioner again remained tight-lipped about the details.

'What was the connection with the zorb balls, were they inside the castle or outside?' a reporter asked.

'That will form part of the investigation,' he said.

'But my understanding is that the zorb balls were outside. But it will form part of the investigation.'

Paramedics and police are pictured at a scene at Hillcrest Primary School where five children died in a jumping castle incident

When another journalist tried to ask whether all the young victims were inside the jumping castle at the time, the commissioner gave a very similar response.

'Again, that forms part of the investigation,' he said.

'It is fair to say that those injured were inside the castle. We need to piece the movements of the individuals together so we can present a full picture to the coroner.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday described the tragedy as 'horrific' and said he's been in contact with the Tasmanian Police Commissioner.

'I want to extend on behalf of the Government, and Jenny and I, our deepest sympathies to all the families and all the community in Devonport for this horrific tragedy that's occurred with the loss of five young precious lives, and more that hang in the balance,' he said.

Pictured: Bouquets of flowers and cards at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, on Friday

Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein and Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the situation as a tragedy

'I want to thank all the first responders. Our first responders each and every day are trained to deal with some of the most unimaginable things, but on this occasion it goes beyond what they could have imagined at the scene on the ground.'

The Prime Minister, who has two school-age daughters and is a Pentecostal Christian, said he was praying for the victims' families.

'As a parent there are no words. There can only be prayers,' he said.

Police commissioner Hine also said there were close to 40 Year 5 and 6 students taking part in the end-of-term activities at the time.

'Several adults were also in attendance when the inflatable equipment lifted into the air and they rendered first aid until emergency services arrived,' he said.

Harrowing accounts came from eyewitnesses at the scene, who described seeing distraught parents broken down in the gutter, sobbing.

Flags at the Devonport Council chambers were at half mask on Friday morning to honour the young victims.

Two police officers console each other at Hillcrest Primary School, in Tasmania, after four children were killed when a jumping castle flew ten metres into the air

The jumping castle was blown into the air by a freak gust of wind, killing five kids and leaving several injured (paramedics are pictured at the scene)

Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein described the tragedy as 'beyond comprehension'.

'It is devastating, heartbreaking. It's just simply incomprehensible. What should have been a celebration for the end of the school year turned into an unfortunate tragedy for our young children at Hillcrest Primary.'

'As a parent, I cannot understand how the parents of those who have lost children must be feeling.

'But as a parent, I hope that they can understand that we are all feeling for you as well.'

Tributes have begun pouring in online for the beloved students who have been remembered as a 'beautiful, caring boy' and a 'precious' girl with a 'sweet, kind, old soul'.

Zane's aunt wrote a gut-wrenching tribute to her nephew on Friday morning.

'My heart is so heavy and broken, how do I even write this,' she shared on Facebook.

'Never would I have imagined I would have to say goodbye to you my boy. Yesterday we lost the most beautiful soul my sisters first baby, my first nephew, our heart and our soul.

'Thankyou for the outpour of love and support we have all received. Rest easy our beautiful boy, I'll live my life everyday for you.'

The school is in Devonport in northern Tasmania (pictured). Hillcrest Primary School had posted online before the accident advertising its 'Big Day In' celebration to parents

A GoFundMe page has been launched to help Zane's grieving family financially through this devastating time.

'Zane was such a beautiful, caring, gentle soul who had challenges growing up with his autism and ADHD, but that never set him back. He kept achieving,' the fundraiser reads.

'This has shook so many people and the community and we want to do anything to help make things a little easier for [his mum] at this hard time.'

Addison's aunt has also launched a GoFundMe to help her parents as they 'navigate life without their precious daughter'.

'My niece was tragically taken in the accident at Hillcrest Primary,' she wrote.

'I'm hoping to raise some money for my brother and sister in-law to help pay for funeral costs and to pay off some bills for them while they try and navigate life without their precious daughter.

'I don't even know what to write at this stage. Everyone is devastated , she was always such a sweet kind, old soul.

'We all love you Paddi Melon.'

Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine (pictured right with the Tasmanian premier) would not say whether the jumping castle was tied down before the disaster struck

Distraught police officers were seen consoling each other at the scene of the tragedy, while desperate parents were seen at the gates trying to find out if their children were dead or alive.

Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said on Thursday that an investigation will take 'some time' as many witnesses needed to be interviewed.

'We'll be supplying a report to the coroner in conjunction with WorkSafe Tasmania,' Commissioner Hine told reporters on Thursday afternoon.

'That will take some time to complete and once that's completed it will be handed to the coroner for an inquest.'

Tasmania's Education Department will provide support to children, families and staff in coming days and into the school holidays, while counselling has also been offered to first responders.

Bouquets of flowers have been laid at the base of the fence as the community mourns the tragedy

'Our approach is being guided by our senior psychologists, who are trained in trauma-informed practice,' Secretary Tim Bullard said.

Local resident Connor told Daily Mail Australia his colleague lives across the road from the primary school and ran over when she heard sirens.

'She first thought there was a shooting,' he said.

'She said the scene as horrific and confronting, with children everywhere on the ground.

'[But] what got her the most was the parents sitting in the gutters, on the side of the road head in hands, crying.'

'The community is just devastated.'

Two rescue helicopters and multiple ambulances were sent to the scene on Thursday (pictured)

Bob Smith, who lives near the school, said he saw kids on the ground.

'There was one really strong gust of wind on what is a beautiful calm day,' he said.

'At first we thought it might have been an emergency services training exercise then the reality of what was happening kicked in.'

Within an hour of the tragedy, dozens of frantic parents had rushed to the school and were forced to wait at the entry gates, not knowing whether their children were dead or alive with one claiming they were left in the dark.

'I'm here now they won't let us in, it was (child's name) grade but no one knows who was hurt yet,' she wrote.

'I have a friend with children there and he hasn't heard anything yet,' another added.
Booster doses will not be brought forward further, despite a growing number of COVID-19 cases in Australia driven by the Omicron variant.

Australia's leading vaccine advisory group said the gap between the second and third vaccine dose would remain at five months for the time being.

Health experts remain optimistic large COVID-19 outbreaks can still be brought under control.

However, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation said there would be some flexibility for those who were close to the five-month period and looking to get their booster shot.

Chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly said people would be able to get their booster shot one or two weeks early if they needed to.

'Because of this time of year, ATAGI is urging anyone giving vaccines to be flexible, given clinics may be closed or people may be travelling,' Professor Kelly told reporters in Canberra.

'But mostly, the five months is the time (ATAGI) want to stress.'

ATAGI continues to meet regularly to review the time frame for booster shots.

The chief medical officer said talks were also under way with overseas colleagues on the spread of the Omicron variant.

The new strain has led to an explosion of cases in several states, with NSW recording a pandemic-high daily case number of 2213, with one death.

While the rise in cases were not unexpected, Professor Kelly said Omicron had given an added complexity to the situation.

'There are some places that are seeing cases for the first time, locally transmitted. This is what we knew would happen," Professor Kelly said.

'There was an expectation that as we opened up as a society, became more attuned to living with COVID, that indeed we have to live with COVID.'

Thursday saw a record number of booster shots administered across the country, with more than 135,000 third doses handed out.

The head of Australia's vaccine rollout Lieutenant General John Frewen said there were no concerns with vaccine supply issues.

'The amounts that we have available far exceed any demand right now, we have done forecasting work on exactly when boosters come due,' he said.

'The big demand when large numbers of people become eligible for boosters is into the February and March period.'

The change from a six-month wait to a five-month wait between the second dose and third dose has seen the number of people eligible for boosters rise from 1.7 million to four million people.

That figure is expected to jump further to seven million eligible by the end of January and 11 million by the end of February.

Thursday saw the national booster program tick over one million doses administered, as the overall national vaccine rate passed 90 per cent of over 16s.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the vaccination milestone was an incredible achievement.

'Thanks to the efforts of every single Australian, we are coming through COVID with one of the lowest fatality rates, strongest economies and now highest vaccination rates in the world,' he said on Facebook.

There were eight new infections in the Northern Territory as Tennant Creek was forced into a lockdown just a week before Christmas.

Victoria registered 1510 new cases and seven deaths on Friday while the ACT had 20 new cases.

South Australia will ease restrictions further on December 28 despite recording 64 new cases.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk reintroduced a mask mandate for hospitals, retail, public transport and airports after the state recorded 16 new cases.
The family of a girl who died in a jumping castle accident five years ago are calling for the inflatables to be banned in the wake of the Tasmanian tragedy.

The uncle of Summer Grant, a British seven-year-old girl who died when a jumping castle she was in blew away in 2016, has urged for the inflatables to be banned after a similar accident killed five children in Devonport in the state's north on Thursday.

Summer died after strong winds blew the jumping castle more than 150m across a park in Essex in the UK.

Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, all age 12, and their classmate Addison Stewart, 11, lost their lives this week when a jumping castle flew 10 metres into the air during a 'mini tornado' at Hillcrest Primary School.

The uncle of Summer Grant (above), a British seven-year-old who was killed after a jumping castle flew into the air, is calling for a ban on the inflatables after Thursday's Tasmanian tragedy

Five young children lost their lives on Thursday after a 'mini tornado' at Hillcrest primary School (above) in Devonport, Tasmania, caused a jumping castle to fly 10 metres into the air

Summer Grant's (above) uncle said jumping castles should be banned to protect children's lives after highlighting similarities between the two tragedies

Three more children are fighting for life at Royal Hobart hospital, and one was released and will continue to recover at home.

Summer's uncle, Shawn Grant, highlighted the similarities between the tragedies and said strong action needs to be taken now.

'I don't know what it is going to take for there to be a ban. How many children need to die?,' Mr Grant told UK newspaper Your Harlow.

'Our hearts go out to the families in Australia. We know what that heartache feels like.'

The manslaughter trial for Summer's death called for proper wind speed measuring equipment to be made compulsory equipment at fairs.

Peter Dodt, 12, was one of the five victims of the Tasmania jumping castle tragedy

Addison Stewart (above), 11, died after a jumping castle in Tasmania was blown 10 metres into the air

Jye Sheehan (above), 12, died along with four other classmates on Thursday while they were celebrating the end of term

Zane Mellor (above), 12, died after a 'mini tornado' hit his school and sent a jumping castle 10 metres into the air

Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones (above), 12, died with four other classmates on Thursday during end-of-term celebrations

However Mr Grant believes this isn't enough and a ban should be placed on inflatable houses to protect children in the future.

'We are talking about childrens lives, as was proven with Summer as well as the young girl that died in Norfolk and now this in Australia,' he said.

Many people agreed with Mr Grant and are voicing their pleas for a ban on Twitter.

'Time to ban these things...RIP little ones,' one user wrote.

Three more children are fighting for life at Royal Hobart hospital after the Thursday incident, and one was released and will continue to recover at home

Harrowing eye witness accounts describe the desolate scene of the incident

Many social media users agreed the Tasmanian tragedy proves the inflatables are too dangerous

'Ban jumping castles accidents and deaths all over the world. BAN inflatable play equipment!' another said.

At a press conference on Friday morning, police refused to say whether the Tasmanian jumping castle was tied down when into flew the air on Thursday.

'Was the jumping castle tethered at all?' one reporter asked.

'That forms part of the investigation,' Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said.

Pictured are tributes outside Hillcrest Primary School. An outpouring of grief from the public have seen people demanding a ban on the inflatables

Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine could not reveal key details of the incident due to an ongoing investigation

'It is fair to say that those injured were inside the castle. We need to piece the movements of the individuals together so we can present a full picture to the coroner.'

Seven zorb balls, which are large and inflatable balls that children stand inside, also took flight during the strong wind gust - but the commissioner again remained tight-lipped about the details.

'What was the connection with the zorb balls, were they inside the castle or outside?' a reporter asked.

Speculation as to whether the inflatable was tethered down or not has not been answered

Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said there were close to 40 Year 5 and 6 students taking part in the end-of-term activities at the time

'That will form part of the investigation,' he said.

'But my understanding is that the zorb balls were outside. But it will form part of the investigation.'

Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said there were close to 40 Year 5 and 6 students taking part in the end-of-term activities at the time.

Harrowing accounts came from eyewitnesses at the scene, who described seeing distraught parents broken down in the gutter, sobbing

'Several adults were also in attendance when the inflatable equipment lifted into the air and they rendered first aid until emergency services arrived,' he said.

Harrowing accounts came from eyewitnesses at the scene, who described seeing distraught parents broken down in the gutter, sobbing.

Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein described the Thursday tragedy as 'beyond comprehension.'

A fundraiser created by a local woman to help the Tasmanian victims' families reached more than $700,000 within the first 24 hours

Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the accident as 'unthinkably heartbreaking'.

'Young children on a fun day out, together with their families and it turns to such horrific tragedy. At this time of year, it just breaks your heart,' he said while on a visit on the NSW Central Coast.

'It just breaks your heart.'

A fundraiser created by a local woman to help the Tasmanian victims' families reached more than $700,000 within the first 24 hours.
Prosecutors in Michigan are clamping down on school shooting threats in the aftermath of last month's Oxford High School massacre by bringing criminal charges against children as young as 11 years old.

The crackdown comes as the FBI is investigating a purported school shooting TikTok challenge daring students to call in threats, which has lead schools around the US to cancel classes on Friday, or bring in additional police officers as a precaution.

School officials in states including Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania said Thursday there would be an increased police presence because of the threats, even as police agencies have assured parents and students that they have found scant evidence of any credible threats.

'There is information circulating that today may be a day of attacks on schools. Administration and DC Police are very aware of this and on close watch,' a message sent to parents by a school in Takoma Park in Washington said.

A TikTok user by the handle @enigmasoul_ explained that the challenge started as a call for kids to skip school before it turned into something more sinister

The Pennsbury School District in Pennsylvania told parents that there would be an increased police presence around school buildings even though they 'do not believe the threat to be credible.'

TikTok said it was investigating, even as it appeared to distance itself from the video that appeared on its platform.

'We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why we're working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok,' the company said in a statement on Twitter.

'We've exhaustively searched for content that promotes violence at schools today, but have still found nothing. What we find are videos discussing this rumor and warning others to stay safe,' TikTok added.

'Local authorities, the FBI, and DHS have confirmed there's no credible threat, so we're working to remove alarmist warnings that violate our misinformation policy. If we did find promotion of violence on our platform, we'd remove and report it to law enforcement.

TikTok said in a statement on Friday that it has found no evidence of the December 17 school shooting challenge on its platform

'Media reports have been widespread and based on rumors rather than facts, and we are deeply concerned that the proliferation of local media reports on an alleged trend that has not been found on the platform could end up inspiring real world harm.'

The FBI confirmed on Friday it was examining the threat.

'The FBI takes all potential threats seriously. We regularly work with our law enforcement partners to determine the credibility of any threats,' it said in a statement.

The social media challenge comes less than three weeks after the fatal school shooting in Michigan, which has led to an uptick in copycat threats.

Prosecutors in Oakland, Wayne, Macomb and Muskegon counties in Michigan have brought charges ranging from threats of terrorism to disturbing the peace against juveniles to make an example out of them and put an end to the wave of copycat threats, reported Detroit Free Press.

'Parents, please talk to your children,' Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy implored during a press conference last week. 'Let them know this is serious. Let them know even if they intend it to be a prank, it isn't a joke.'

Since November 30, when police say 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley opened fire inside Oakland High School, killing four students, Worthy's office has charged 38 people in connection with threats.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy in Michigan has charged 38 juveniles in connection with threats against schools

In Macomb County, prosecutors have filed charges against 30 people, and in Oakland County, where the massacre took place, 17 people have been hit with charges, some as young as 11.

In the faraway Muskegon County, 19 students have been charged for allegedly threatening violence against schools.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, whose deputies were the first on the scene at the high school after the fatal shooting spree last month, said that his office has investigated nearly 140 copycat threats over the past two weeks.

'We'd rather check out 1,000 nothings than miss one real deal,' he added.

The origin of Friday's TikTok challenge daring children to call in threats against schools is not clear, though multiple videos on the app reference 'December 17' and school shootings.

'Prepared to hopefully not get shot tomorrow at school,' one TikTok user wrote on their video. 'Basically there was school threats tomorrow, Friday (December 17th) for most schools.'

In a statement Thursday afternoon, TikTok said it was working with law enforcement to look into 'warnings about potential violence at schools,' but that it didn't determine the threats to originate or spread on TikTok.

A TikTok trend reportedly urging students to call in shooting threats at their schools on Friday, December 17 has sent some schools scrambling to cancel classes last minute

Gov. Phil Murphy said 'there are no known specific threats against New Jersey schools'

The news comes less than three weeks after 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley shot four people and injured seven others at Oxford High School in Michigan.

The news comes less than three weeks after 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley shot four people and injured seven others at Oxford High School in Michigan

Little Falls Community Schools in Minnesota; the Gasconade County in Missouri; Gilroy High School in Gilroy, California; and Kaufman High School in Kaufman, Texas all cited the TikTok 'trend' or 'challenge' when announcing that classes were canceled on Friday, The Verge reports.

At the same time, various school districts have sought to reassure parents that no credible threats exist.

'Based on law enforcement interviews, Little Falls Community Schools was specifically identified in a TikTok post related to this threat,' the district said.

'Therefore, school throughout the district is canceled tomorrow, Friday, December 17.'

In Missouri, the Gasconade County Sheriff's Office cited 'posts circulating on social media sites, such as Tik Tok' before announcing it was closing its schools the next day.

Little Falls Community Schools in Minnesota said it was cancelling classes on Friday after the district was 'specifically identified in a TikTok post related to this threat'

Little Falls Community Schools in Minnesota will be closed due to the threat

Kaufman High School in Kaufman, Texas said it was canceling classes on Friday after it got a threat in line with the TikTok trend

Owensville High School - Gasconade County is another school closing its doors Friday

On Thursday, Gilroy High said it was closing down schools on Friday after 'it was determined that a social media post thought to involve Gilroy High School had actually originated out of Los Angeles.'

The post turned out to refer to a school outside of Los Angeles, with the district adding that it was deemed to not be a credible threat,

Meanwhile, Kaufman High in Texas said it got a threat in line with the December 17 trend.

'The threat did not include a specific time, but was specific to a date: December 17,' the district said in a letter to parents, according to WFAA.

'This falls in line with a national TikTok trend threatening to coordinate violence at schools on December 17, 2021.'

On Thursday, a woman on TikTok by the handle @enigmasoul_ updated her followers on the trend.

'Apparently there's a TikTok challenge going around. It was originally that kids were supposed to skip school tomorrow, December 17,' she said.

'Apparently it turned into - instead of skipping school - you're supposed to call a school to report a bomb threat or a shooting.'

Some school districts investigated and found nothing to be worried about.

'Many of our schools are being inundated with parent calls this morning asking about these latest threats and their validity,' tweeted Floridas Citrus County School District, according to the New York Post. 'As of Thursday morning, we have not received any indication of a credible threat to any of our schools.'

Baltimore County Public Schools warned parents and students about the trend, but later said the TikTok threat 'originated in Arizona and is not credible'

'Law enforcement agencies have investigated this threat and determined that it originated in Arizona and is not credible,' Baltimore County Public Schools tweeted.

'Currently, there have been no threats to any of the schools in Mexico, [Missouri], the Mexico School District said, according to KMIZ.

'There have been no local, credible threats,' Ohios Milford Exempted Village School District told parents.

Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey said on Twitter that 'there are no known specific threats against New Jersey schools.'

In Arizona, the Scottsdale Unified School District said the TikTok threats aren't credible but that schools are taking extra precautionary measures anyway.

'You may notice an increased police presence on and around our campuses today and tomorrow,' the district said, according to WNYW, adding that it 'takes all threats seriously.'

In upstate New York, the superintendents of the Jamesville-DeWitt School District and the Baldwinsville Central School District said they adding extra security or police presence at their schools on Friday, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard.

The newspaper says that the TikTok challenge labels Friday as 'National Shoot Up Your School Day' and encourages students to make threats against their schools.
NSW is considering bringing back mandatory mask mandates to stem the spread of its latest Covid crisis, the state's deputy premier has warned.

Face coverings are no longer compulsory in most public indoor spaces in NSW after authorities eased social distancing measures on Wednesday.

Masks are now only needed in high-risk public transport settings including planes, trains and buses.

NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole though said he was considering making masks mandatory again in shops, restaurants and cafes after the state recorded 2,213 new Covid-19 cases and one death from the virus on Friday.

Shoppers are seen hitting the city stores for some pre-Christmas shopping. NSW is considering bringing back mandatory mask mandates to stem the spread of its latest Covid crisis, the state's deputy premier has said

'Paul Toole says the NSW Government is looking at reintroducing mandatory mask wearing,' 2GB reporter Chris O'Keefe wrote on Twitter.

Toole floated re-tightening restrictions on O'Keefe's radio show on Friday afternoon hours after NSW recorded its highest daily tally of new cases since the pandemic began.

Friday's total beats the previous record of 1,742 new infections that were reported on Thursday.

Hospitalisation rates have also spiked with 215 patients being treated in hospital.

That figure is compared to the 194 Covid patients in hospital state-wide reported on Thursday.

In a positive twist, the number of patients being treated in ICU has dipped from 26 to 24.

NSW premier Dominic Perrottet has insisted he will not plunge the state back into lockdown while his Victorian counterpart Daniel Andrews has been forced into isolation after coming into contact with a positive case.

NSW Health has announced temporary restrictions at health facilities in light of the growing number of cases.

NSW has reported a record 2,213 new Covid-19 cases and one death while Victoria has recorded 1,510 a week before Christmas

The new cases announced in NSW on Friday smash the state record marking the highest daily tally since the pandemic began

Patients will be allowed visitors for compassionate reasons only and to provide essential needs including palliative care and supporting women in childbirth.

All visitors must be fully vaccinated and follow mask-wearing rules.

'We have temporarily restricted visitors to healthcare facilities due to increasing transmission rates with the emergence of the Omicron variant,' NSW Health tweeted on Thursday night.

'We have not made this decision lightly. We must always prioritise our vulnerable patients and staff who are arguably the most vital workers needed in a pandemic.'
Two young anti-vaxxers allegedly threatened to behead Mark McGowan after becoming enraged by Western Australia's vaccine mandate.

Zayvier Rose, 20, and Max Czirr, 18, allegedly phoned the state premier on the evening of November 20 after realising his Covid vaccine policy would mean they lose their jobs.

They allegedly left voicemail messages comparing the WA Premier to infamous Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and made a string of abusive and expletive-laden threats.

The pair allegedly said: 'I am going to behead you and your f**king family' and 'no one likes you, you deserve to die'.

Max Czirr, 18, has been charged after allegedly threatening WA Premier Mark McGowan last month in a series of vile voicemails

Zayvier Rose, 20, will also face court after he was charged with one count of acts creating false apprehension as to the existence of threats or danger

Mr Rose works as an electrical apprentice, while Mr Czirr's employment status is unclear, WAtoday reported.

Ever since the McGowan government confirmed the vaccine mandate in October, which means one million people were forced to have Covid jabs or lose their jobs, McGowan's safety has been called into question.

After his residential address was leaked online, the Premier admitted he may have to move so the safety of his family isn't compromised.

He labelled the recent incident with the two young men a 'very unpleasant episode'.

'Obviously there is a lot of agitation. The anti-vaxxers, some of them are very entitled and quite irresponsible so both myself and other premiers have had to improve security,' he said.

'I just urge the anti-vaxxers to stop and to act responsibly like the overwhelming majority of West Australians are.'

Acting WA Police police commissioner Col Blanch confirmed both men were charged with one count of acts creating false apprehension as to the existence of threats or danger.

Both men are yet to enter pleas to the charges and are on bail.

The pair though must follow drug and alcohol testing rules and abide by a curfew.

Mr Rose will reappear in court on January 25, with Mr Czirr due to reappear on February 8.

Mr McGowan described the threats as a 'very unpleasant episode' - it came after his number was leaked online by anti-vaxxers

Earlier on Friday, Mr McGowan locked out Queenslanders from Western Australia for Christmas - requiring all visitors from the state to go into 14 day quarantine.

The WA Premier declared the Sunshine State as 'medium risk', meaning travellers must have an exemption to enter and isolate for two weeks upon arrival.

Tasmanians will also now have to self-isolate for 14 days in WA with the state now dubbed 'low risk', however they will not need an exemption.

The new border policies will come into effect at 12.01am on Monday.

Mr McGowan had already on Wednesday locked out NSW residents, deeming the entire state 'extreme risk' as Covid infections continue to skyrocket.
This is the moment a determined dog bounced up and down while whining as she tried to bag herself a stick that was still attached to a tree.

Three-year-old Jessie the German Shepherd wouldn't take no for an answer as she wrestled with a low-hanging branch in Altai Republic, southern Russia.

Her owner, Ekaterina Kudritskaya, 21, posted the video on Tik Tok on December 4 and already the clip of the hilarious battle has amassed 19.5 million views.

More than 63,000 people have commented on the video, with many praising Jessie's perseverance.

Three-year-old Jessie the German Shepherd was set on a stick that was still attached to a tree in southern Russia (left). However, try as she might the branch wouldn't break from the tree (right)

One social media user commented: 'Legend has it [s]he is still in the forest'.

Another user said they had watched the clip on loop 'for no less than 15' minutes.

With every bounce Jessie shook the small tree and came a little closer to tearing the branch off.

However, the poor pooch never manages to retrieve the prized stick.

She whimpers as the branch comes agonisingly close to breaking off while her owner films her.

As another Tik Tok user wrote online, Jessie 'played the best game of tug of war in [her] little furry life'.

It's not the first time a dog has come up against a stick that just won't budge.

Alice the Jackapoo took playing 'Fetch' to a whole new level when the tiny pooch leaped into the air to steal the stick arm from a snowman.

Left: The dog leaps up and ends up hanging from the snowman as she tries to pull out the stick which is at least three feet above the ground. Right: Charlotte Beard, pictured along with Alice the dog, who she says is obsessed by sticks

The footage was captured by her owner Charlotte Beard, 22, as Alice was being taken for a walk in Milton Keynes by Ms Beard and her partner Sam Grogan, 28.

The two decided to make a snowman, but had to fend off Alice as she tried to grab the stick from their hands.

The determined six-year-old dog would not give up and once the snowman was complete she kept jumping up to try to pull the stick free.

However, Ms Beard and Mr Grogan, who is a mechanic, had made sure the stick was lodged deep into the ice structure.
Steam train operators will have to import coal from thousands of miles away amid pit closures in the UK, experts have warned.

The boss of Heritage Railway Association said businesses will be forced to buy from abroad or will have to run their engines on 'coal dust'.

He said the countries 400 remaining steam locomotives are under increased threat as the last mine in Britain prepares to close in 2022.

It comes after it emerged one heritage steam railway started importing coal from more than 3,000 miles away.

Bodmin and Wenford Railway had been supplied by Ffos-y-Fran in South Wales but is now using products sourced from Kazakhstan after a ban on British mining.

Bodmin and Wenford Railway (pictured) had been supplied by Ffos-y-Fran, an opencast mine less than 200 miles away in South Wales, for the last four years

Mr Oates said the countries 400 remaining steam locomotives (pictured) are under increased threat as the last mine in Britain prepares to close in 2022

Pictured are the two mines in Kazakhstan and the one remaining in South Wales soon set to close

Chief executive of the Heritage Railway Association said Steve Oates: 'Over the past five years, every planning application for a new mine which could have produced the kind of coal we need has been refused.

'There are some limited stocks in reserve, and the last producing mine in the UK, Ffos-y-fran in South Wales, will close in early 2022.

'After that, unless we find an alternative source of supply, heritage railways will be running on coal dust.'

Bodmin and Wenford Railway had been supplied by Ffos-y-Fran, an opencast mine less than 200 miles away in South Wales, for the last four years.

The pit near Merthyr Tydfil, one of the last sources of British coal, is to close in the coming months following the Government's announcement that the fuel will be phased out from February next year.

The boss of Heritage Railway Association said businesses will be forced to buy from abroad or will have to run their engines on 'coal dust'. Pictured: Bodmin Parkway station in Cornwall

It leaves the Cornish railway with little option but to source lower quality coal from a mine 3,100 miles away in Kazakhstan, after the Heritage Railway Association secured special dispensation to continue to use imported supplies despite available resources close by. All other heritage railways will have to soon do the same.

The Bodmin and Wenford Railway, which runs for six-and-a-half miles between Bodmin Parkway and Boscarne Junction, can burn up to two tons of coal a day.

Spokesman Jimmy James said: 'Coal from Kazakhstan is imported through the port of Immingham after a couple of thousand miles of travel across Europe.

'It then reaches Bodmin by road, through yet more eco-unfriendly travel. And it vastly increases the cost.

The Bodmin and Wenford Railway, which runs for six-and-a-half miles between Bodmin Parkway and Boscarne Junction, can burn up to two tons of coal a day

'The Bodmin and Wenford was once part of the Great Western Railway, which used high-quality, less polluting Welsh steam coal to power its locomotives.

'The majority of our locos are ex-GWR, thus purpose-built for the Welsh variety.

'We do not know how reliable the Kazakh source may prove to be, nor as yet how much we will have to raise our prices.'

Mr James said Ffos-y-Fran was primarily there to supply the steel works at Port Talbot and nearby Aberthaw power station, and supplies to steam railways was 'just a small part of their business'.

He added: 'The logic of the steel industry having to import coal from around the world, and not using home resources, appears to be lost on the green lobby.'
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The Omicron Covid variant makes all major vaccines 'markedly' weaker at preventing infection after two doses, another lab study has found.

Columbia University researchers tested the mutant strain against the blood of people vaccinated with two doses of the four big brands  Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca.

They also looked at people given a booster of one of the two mRNA vaccines as part of their study, which has not been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal.

There was a 21-fold drop in neutralising antibodies against Omicron after two doses of Pfizer, compared to the original strain and a 8.6-fold drop with Moderna's jabs.

Antibodies were so low after a two-dose course of Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca's jabs that they were undetectable, suggesting they offer virtually no protection against infection.

Patients given a booster jab of either Pfizer or Moderna had 6.5 times fewer antibodies for Omicron than the original virus.

But scientists cautioned that antibody studies are a very narrow view of the immune response to Covid because they don't account for T cell and B cells, which are key for preventing severe symptoms but harder to measure.

And experts told MailOnline other parts of the immune system response to the virus, due to vaccination or an earlier infection, should hold up against Omicron and keep hospitalisations below the levels seen in previous waves.

America's top Covid doctor Anthony Fauci insisted booster shots will still offer extremely high protection against hospitalisation and death from Omicron.

England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty yesterday said booster jabs could leave Britons better protected against Omicron than they were after two doses against the Delta strain, which was dominant in Britain until this week.

Data in the UK and South Africa suggests that even in people given two doses of Pfizer's vaccine six months ago, they should still get 70 per cent protection against severe Omicron disease.

Columbia researchers found that all four major Covid vaccines, (L-R) Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca, failed to consistently provide adequate protection against the Omicron variant on their own. People jabbed with Pfizer produced 21 times less antibodies against Omicron, while protection from Moderna fell nine-fold. And neutralising antibodies from AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson were almost undetectable. People who had been triple-jabbed (far right graph) with Pfizer and Moderna showed a 6.5-fold drop in neutralising antibodies against Omicron, compared to the levels recorded when their blood was exposed to the Wuhan strain

A separate study by researchers at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard also found two doses of vaccine are less effective against Omicron. However, their study showed third doses bring neutralising antibodies back to the level they were against the Delta variant. The graphs show neutralising antibody levels against the original version of Covid compared to Delta (left) and Omicron (right). The dotted black line shows antibody levels after two jabs, while the solid black line shows antibody protection after three jabs. The booster line is much steep against Omicron, meaning that third doses there is higher protection after three jabs, the researchers said

Professor James Naismith, director of national research centre the Rosalind Franklin Institute, who was not involved in the study, told MailOnline the study results echo other findings on Omicron and 'should be taken seriously', but antibodies are just part of the body's response to a Covid infection.

He said: 'Omicron is extremely good at evading the antibody response.

'People without a booster are likely to be infected by Omicron if they are exposed to it because of its evasion. Case numbers will get very high, very quickly.'

But antibody response is 'not all or nothing, a 10 nil win is just as a good as 1 nil win in extra time', Professor Naismith said.

Omicron-hotspot London's Covid wave is soaring in EVERY age group except children Covid cases are now rising in every age group except young children in Omicron-hotspot London, according to official figures that lay bare the threat the NHS faces in the coming weeks. The super-mutant variant, which is already dominant in the capital, has effectively sent the city of 10million into its own lockdown, with tens of thousands of workers staying at home today to avoid isolating over Christmas. Department of Health data shows London is now seeing just as many cases as last January, when it was battered by the Alpha variant and put under harsher measures than the rest of the country. London's spiralling crisis was initially driven by teenagers and adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s, who were seeing an uptick in cases two weeks before the ultra-infectious strain was first detected. Infections started to rise in the over-60s days after Omicron was confirmed to be in Britain, according to MailOnline analysis. In another warning sign for the country, UK Health Security Agency data published today revealed the capital now has the 25 areas with the fastest growing outbreaks in England. Experts have admitted the capital's crisis will inevitably slow down because the virus will simply run out of room, and people adhere to dire warnings from Boris Johnson and Professor Chris Whitty's plea to 'prioritise' the most important social events in the coming days. Advertisement

'The higher level of antibodies in boosted people does give improved protection against infection, think of the booster as a super sub,' he said.

And people have innate immunity as well as a T-cell response from vaccination or previous infection which offers extra protection, Professor Naismith said.

He added: 'What is as yet unknown is how many hospitalisations will result from 1,000 Omicron infections in the UK.

'I am sure it to be much less than the first wave and I very much hope it will be significantly less than Delta.'

Clear-cut evidence of the efficacy of boosters on the super-mutant variant in the UK is due within a fortnight.

The UK Health Security Agency says there needs to be 250 patients in hospital with Omicron before it can make estimates on vaccine effectiveness.

Just 16 Britons have been confirmed to be hospitalised with the variant in the UK so far, but this is a huge underestimate because not all positive tests are analysed for variants.

It comes as the UK's daily Covid cases yesterday soared to their highest level for the second year in a row, with 88,376 positive tests reported. On Wednesday, 78,610 cases were identified. The previous high was 68,053, which was recorded in January.

A turbo-charged booster programme is dishing out third doses in a bid to limit the impact of the Omicron wave, with 745,183 administered yesterday, the most third doses in a single day.

Top scientists say the top-up jabs will increase protection against severe illness, hospitalisation and death caused by the mutant strain, but they are expected to have a limited impact on transmissibility.

The Colombia researchers said blood samples showed Omicron triggered 32 times fewer neutralising antibodies compared to the original virus strain.

Even blood samples from people boosted with Pfizer or Moderna  the vaccines being used for third doses in the UK  showed the vaccines had 'diminished' neutralising activity against Omicron.

And people who had been triple-jabbed with Pfizer and Moderna showed a 6.5-fold drop in neutralising antibodies against Omicron, compared to the levels recorded when their blood was exposed to the Wuhan strain.

Professor Jonathan Ball, a molecular virologist at the University of Nottingham who was not involved in the study, told MailOnline previous studies showed blood from double-jabbed patients, or those previously infected with the virus, 'gave good virus killing in the laboratory'.

And data for Omicron killing after three doses 'was like that seen against Delta following two jabs', he said.

Professor Ball added: 'I am very hopeful that the vaccines, especially after a booster, will protect the majority of people from serious disease.

'The vaccines also generate T cell immunity, and these T cells, together with the elevated levels of antibodies following boost, should keep us in good stead.'

The team also evaluated monoclonal antibody treatments and found their effectiveness was 'abolished or impaired' against the variant.

This finding means the treatments already approved in the UK, such as Ronapreve, could be much less effective. GSK claim their new antibody treatment, called sotrovimab, should still be highly effective against Omicron, but this has yet to be shown.

The Columbia University researchers said four of Omicron's spike mutations  S371L, N440K, G446S, and Q493R  make it better at resisting antibody protection.

But it has a total of 32 mutations on its spike protein alone, many of which have been described as unusual and scientists are probing what effect they may have on immunity.

'The Omicron variant presents a serious threat to many existing Covid vaccines and therapies,' the researchers warned.

Professor Whitty warns jab that frees Britain from endless cycle of restrictions won't be ready until mid-2023 Britain can expect another 18 months of potential Covid misery until a vaccine that protects against all variants is developed and rolled out, Chris Whitty warned today. The chief medical officer said he expects a universal jab that can fight multiple strains to be ready at some point in mid-2023 as well as several new antiviral drugs, which should do the 'heavy lifting' for the NHS. But he admitted that in the meantime, ministers will have to rely on social restrictions when vaccine-resistant variants like Omicron threaten to overwhelm the health service. Speaking to MPs on the Health and Social Care Select Committee, Professor Whitty said: 'If I project forward, I would anticipate in a number of years, possibly 18 months, possibly slightly less... we will have polyvalent vaccines which will cover a much wider range [of variants]. 'And we will probably have several antivirals... and a variety of other countermeasures that mean that the great majority, and probably almost all of the heavy lifting, when we get a new variant, unless it is extremely different, can be met by medical means.' Vaccine makers have been quietly working on as polyvalent Covid jabs, designed to immunise against multiple strains, but they are all in early development and way off clinical trials. Professor Whitty's 18-month timeline is more optimistic than many scientific advisers. Nervtag, a subcommittee that feeds into SAGE, last week warned in advice to ministers that Covid would pose a threat to the NHS for at least five years. Advertisement

Speaking to MPs on the Health and Social Care Committee, Professor Whitty said the best case scenario is that six per cent of over-65s who get infected with Omicron are hospitalised, the same rate as Delta.

For comparison, in the first and second waves when there were no vaccines, the hospitalisation rate among infected people in that age group was 22 per cent.

'But it is possible that with a boost we are better off with Omicron than we are with two vaccines with Delta for severe disease,' Professor Whitty said.

Researchers at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard also found two doses of vaccine are less effective against Omicron.

However, their study showed third doses bring neutralising antibodies back to the level they were against the Delta variant.

Top US expert Professor Carl Bergstrom, a biologist at the University of Washington, said the study shows boosters have a 'much greater impact on protection against Omicron' than they offer against earlier strains of the virus.

'That suggests the booster does not merely increase antibody titres, but that it changes those antibodies in ways that better target Omicron,' he said.

And data from the UK Government last week revealed booster jabs offer up to 75 protection against mild illness caused by Omicron.

The real-world analysis by the UKHSA looked at 581 people with confirmed Omicron and compared their vaccine status to a control group of people who tested positive for Delta.

It estimated that a Pfizer booster provides between 70 and 75 per cent protection against mild Omicron illness, regardless of which vaccine was originally used, compared to 90 per cent for Delta.

Two doses of Pfizer may offer just 37 per cent protection after three-and-a-half months compared to 60 per cent for Delta. Two shots of AstraZeneca offered virtually no protection after the same amount of time.

But the scientists cautioned that data for AstraZeneca was less reliable due to the fact the vaccine was restricted in some age groups and typically used at the very start of the initial vaccine rollout in vulnerable people.

And early data from South Africa, the epicentre of the Omicron outbreak, suggests the variant is causing up to a third fewer hospitalisations than Delta, while two Covid jabs do appear to cut the risk of hospitalisation.

Officials who analysed 78,000 Omicron cases in the past month estimated the risk of hospitalisation was a fifth lower than with Delta and 29 per cent lower than the original virus.

As a crude rate, Omicron is currently leading to a third fewer hospital admissions than Delta did during its entire wave  38 admissions per 1,000 Omicron cases compared to 101 per 1,000 for Delta.

The researchers also found two doses of Pfizer's vaccine still provide 70 per cent protection against hospital admission or death from Omicron, compared to 93 per cent for Delta.

While this is more protection than many scientists initially feared, it still leaves 30 per cent of people vulnerable to severe Omicron disease, four times as many as Delta.
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Thousands of revellers are partying the night away in Sydney despite record Covid case numbers across NSW from the Omicron variant.

Friends and work colleagues gathered in the CBD with plenty celebrating office Christmas parties.

And sore heads on Saturday seem to be on the cards for many, if the enthusiastic scenes at some pubs are any guide.

The fashion was varied, with one group of men opting for matching red-collared shirts while other outfits left little to the imagination.

Face masks were also rare after authorities finally eased social distancing measures on Wednesday across NSW.

This glamorous female party-goer was sure to turn plenty of heads in her Christmas inspired get-up in Sydney on Friday night

A young reveller in a snazzy blue dress walks through the crowds in Sydney as thousands made the most of the sunny weather

These glamorous party-goers were spotted having a ball at Darling Harbour - despite the high case numbers of Covid across NSW

This pubgoer raised a glass and offered a beaming smile with Sydney pubs and restaurants packed to the rafters on Friday night

Party time: this group of women looked in the mood to party at Darling Harbour on Friday despite the record Covid cases

Sydneysiders were in full party mode a week out from Christmas on Friday night. Pictured are revellers in the Rocks in Sydney

Fiesta time! Mexican-themed punters were spotted queuing up outside The Argyle, a bar in The Rocks in the heart of Sydney

Celebrations continued into the night as revellers dressed up to the nines and enthusiastically got into the Christmas spirit

The festive season is in full swing for some, including the man (left) who was preparing to dress as an inflatable Santa at Darling Harbour

These men all opted for matching attire on Friday, as celebrations leading into Christmas go up a notch for many, despite record Covid cases

This eager party-goer (pictured) opted for a very bold Xmas fashion statement few would have the courage to emulate

This couple enjoyed an intimate moment together on Friday next to a Christmas tree in the Rocks in Sydney

These three ladies were all smiles as they enjoyed a Friday night in Sydney, with Christmas looming and people in a festive mood

For some, the night became too much to handle (pictured) as Sydney put on a balmy evening a week out from Christmas

Masks are now only needed in high-risk public transport settings including planes, trains and buses.

However, earlier on Friday it was announced NSW is considering bringing back mandatory mask mandates to stem the spread of its latest Covid crisis.

NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole confirmed he was 'considering' making masks mandatory again in shops, restaurants and cafes after Friday's record new case numbers.

Meanwhile, under new tweaks to rules announced by NSW Health on Friday, close contacts of Covid cases must now isolate for seven days and get tested three times in the one fortnight leading into Christmas.

In a statement published on Facebook, the state government said close contacts of Covid-19 patients must get tested immediately and self-isolate for seven days.

NSW Health said: 'Get tested again on day 6 and you can stop self-isolating on day 7 if you've received a negative test result.'

Close contacts will then be banned from entering 'high risk settings' for the next seven days and get tested again on day 12.

This glammed up couple were dressed to impressed as they donned safari style get-ups in Sydney on Friday at Darling Harbour

Crowds are pictured in the Sydney CBD as thousands got into the festive spirit on Friday night from 5pm onwards

This trio of women were all smiles at Darling Harbour as they headed for a night out in Sydney - despite record case numbers of Covid from the Omicron strain

These two women (pictured above) also looked keen to let their hair down leading into Christmas on Friday in Sydney near Cockle Bay

This glamorous woman opted for a very eye-catching outfit as well as a captain's hat (pictured) on Friday in Sydney

An inflatable Santa and a clear Christmas theme with red and white clothing was followed by this group (pictured) in Sydney

This group of two men and two ladies were happy to enjoy a night in Sydney - despite surging Covid case numbers across NSW

The Rocks was the place to be for many partygoers, with these ladies opting for casual footwear on Friday night (pictured)

The changes come as NSW Health now looks to adopt a more relaxed view on casual contacts and focuses on protecting the close contacts of those at high risk of severe disease.

The top priority for NSW Health contact tracers now are those connected to healthcare, aged care, disability care and correctional facilities.

And instead of being notified by the Services NSW app, Covid patients themselves will be expected to tell their close household contacts to get tested and isolate.

'Immediately inform your household and others who they have been in the same home with you for four hours or more, and your workplace or education facility that they are close contacts and must follow testing and self-isolation requirements,' posted NSW Health.

'You must also advise friends and other people you have spent time with socially that they are casual contacts and must follow testing and self-isolation requirements.'

People were keen to see Christmas holiday party season underway and kept the celebrations going well into the night

Young revellers enjoyed the long-awaited chance to let their hair down and celebrate the festive season together

Celebrations continued late into the night as party-goers dressed in their festive-best celebrated the Christmas season

The fashion was varied, with these revellers opting for floral shirts as they stood in front of a giant Christmas tree

NSW Health can also declare people exposed in specific other situations close contacts, such as where significant Covid transmission occurred (pictured, patrons at a Bondi cafe)

NSW HEALTH CLOSE CONTACT RULES QR Codes have been largely scrapped across the state, minimising the impact of rising Covid numbers and increasing numbers of casual Covid contacts. Confirmed Covid cases will now be expected to trace all their close household, workplace and/or educational facility contacts to tell them to get tested and isolate. Close household contacts now also includes relationship partners like boyfriends or girlfriends, even if they do not live permanently at the same address. NSW Health contact tracers will now focus mainly on contacts of Covid cases who are connected to high risk sectors like healthcare, aged care, disability care and correctional facilities where the impact of a Covid outbreak would be severe. Advertisement

It comes just days after NSW Health all but scrapped the use of QR codes across the state apart from at high risk facilities like aged care.

Supermarkets including Woolworths have axed the requirement for customers to check in on the Services NSW app before shopping.

The move will reduce the number of casual contact alerts, which would force people into isolation until they have a negative result.

And instead it put the onus on confirmed cases to tell their own close contacts to get tested.

In the UK, the country was almost brought to a standstill after they relaxed Covid restrictions and were hit instead by a 'pingdemic'.

British casual contacts were alerted by a ping on their phone which sent them into isolation while they got tested and awaited a result, causing a nationwide workforce crisis while contacts stayed at home.

Premier Dominic Perrottet on Wednesday said close contacts would be redefined as household contacts or those who have spent a significant time in the house.

These include 'household-like' contacts like boyfriends and girlfriends who stay overnight or spend a lot of time in their partner's home.

NSW Health can also declare people exposed in specific other situations close contacts, such as where significant Covid transmission occurred.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant (pictured) said residents would have to reach 'a pretty high bar' to be defined as a close contact by NSW Health

The new rules would include superspreader events like The Argyle nightclub in Newcastle, where at least 150 caught the virus and 780 were declared close contacts.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said residents would have to reach 'a pretty high bar' to be considered a close contact.

Dr Chant added NSW Health is 'streamlining the procedures' and urged residents to 'limit their activities' as Omicron threatens to wreak havoc in the community.

On Wednesday NSW lifted rules surrounding masks and QR check-in codes with face coverings only mandatory on public transport and in planes and airports.

NSW has lifted rules surrounding masks and QR check-in codes with face coverings only mandatory on public transport and in planes and airports (pictured, people at Sydney Airport)

Dr Chant said she strongly recommended people continue to wear masks from a 'public health position', despite the rules being relaxed amid a spike in cases.

'My clear advice is that in indoor settings people should be wearing masks, I feel personally it does reduce the risk and gives a lot of people comfort as they move around,' she said.

NSW reported a record 2,213 new Covid-19 cases and one death while Victoria had 1,510 new infections and eight deaths a week before Christmas.

The new cases announced in NSW on Friday smash the state record marking the highest daily tally since the pandemic began.

It beats the previous record of 1,742 new infections reported on Thursday, which had skyrocketed from 804 just 48 hours earlier.

The last time NSW's daily case numbers were this high was on September 11, when 1,599 new cases were detected.
Miss America 2021 has been slammed by furious viewers for its 'terrible' production amid sliding ratings and the elimination of a swimsuit round.

The competition was attacked on social media by unimpressed viewers who claimed it was a 'dumpster fire' in terms of productions, saying it felt like they were watching a 'botched rehearsal'.

During Thursday night's finale, Emma Broyles, Miss Alaska, claimed the centennial crown and a $100,000 college scholarship at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

The contest took place over five days and Miss Alaska topped a field of 51 contestants, representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia, to win over the crowd.

But as the much-anticipated finale marked the competition's 100th anniversary, viewers were left underwhelmed, slamming the production as a 'fail'.

Miss America 2021 has been slammed by furious viewers for its 'terrible' production amid sliding ratings. Pictured: Miss Alaska Emma Broyles is crowned as Miss America 2021

During Thursday night's finale, Emma Broyles, Miss Alaska, claimed the centennial crown and a $100,000 college scholarship at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut

The contest took place over five days and Miss Alaska topped a field of 51 contestants, representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia, to win over the crowd

The criticism comes after the contest made a number of changes in 2018, including getting rid of the swimsuit round and no longer requiring contestants to wear evening gowns, in a bid to be more inclusive.

It also experienced its own #MeToo scandal in late 2017, while TV audiences dropped to an all-time low of 4.3million people in 2018.

This year, disappointed viewers hit out at the contest's 'embarrassing' production value, and for ending the show before the newly crowned Miss America was given a bouquet of flowers or did the famed walk.

One person wrote: 'Are we watching the actual broadcast or is this a botched rehearsal?'

Another tweeted: 'No flowers, no walk, what a perfect wrap up of the most embarrassing #MissAmerica production.'

While a third added: 'I literally feel so bad for these contestants tonight.

The competition was attacked on social media by viewers who claimed it was a 'dumpster fire' in terms of productions, saying it felt like they were watching a 'botched rehearsal'

'They deserve so much more than what this awful broadcast is showcasing, especially for the 100th year.

'I have never seen worse production in my life! So cringey, it's hard to watch.'

And a fourth fumed: 'I thought this was a beauty pageant. Where's the swimsuit and evening gowns? Voting on TikTok videos and screeching violins??'

A fifth commented: 'I will defend Miss America (with a critical eye on its shortcomings) until my dying breath BUT this production is a MESS! I feel bad for the candidates.'

A number of viewers expressed their disappointment that there was no longer a swimsuit round, which was scrapped in 2018 to be more inclusive.

Viewers hit out at everything from the quality of the sound, the microphones to the 'transitions', while others questioned why the show no longer had a primetime TV slot.

The popular competition has historically been featured in a primetime television broadcast but was available only to stream this year via NBC's Peacock service.

Organizers said the decision was aimed at attracting younger and more affluent viewers who are accustomed to watching media on digital devices rather than on traditional television.

Miss Alaska Emma Broyles waves in confetti after being crowned Miss America on Thursday night

The competition has been featured in a primetime television broadcast was available only to stream this year via NBC's Peacock service. Pictured: Miss Alaska is crowned as Miss America

Emma Broyles reacts while Miss America 2020 Camille Schrier places the winners sash on her after she was announced as winner on the competition's 100th anniversary

'We look forward to entering the streaming world with Peacock this year to help introduce our 51 outstanding individuals to a younger, broader audience and showcase their unique personal stories,' Shantel Krebs, a former Miss South Dakota and current chief executive of the Miss America organization, said in a statement.

The move also follows a slump in viewers to record lows and the elimination of the swimsuit round to take account of a new wave of female empowerment.

TV audiences dropped to an all-time low of 4.3million people in 2018, when the swimsuit round was eliminated, and fell again to 3.6million the following year.

It experienced its own #MeToo scandal in late 2017 when internal emails came to light that contained sexist comments on the weight and appearance of some of the contestants.

Miss America began in 1921 as an Atlantic City beauty pageant but has since moved away from solely judging on appearances, placing a new focus on leadership, talent and communication skills.

In 2018, Gretchen Carlson, the chairwoman of the Miss America board of directors, announced that Miss America would 'no longer judge our candidates on their outward physical appearance'.

Criticism follows a slump in viewers to record lows and the elimination of the swimsuit round. Pictured: Miss Alaska (left) reacts as she is announced as the winner of Miss America 2021

Emma Broyles (center), Miss Alaska, stepped away with a $100,000 college scholarship after beating 50 contestants to win the crown

Newly-crowned Miss America Emma Broyles reacts while speaking to media after winning the 100th Anniversary of the Miss America Pageant at the Mohegan Sun Arena

Carlson said Miss America would be a competition rather than a beauty pageant as they scrapped the swimsuit portion and contestants were no longer required to wear evening gowns.

Instead contestants will be asked to wear any attire that makes them feel confident, expresses their personal style, and shows how they will advance the role of Miss America.

At the time, Carlson said: 'We've heard from a lot of young woman who say, "We'd love to be a part of your program but we don't want to be out there in high heels and a swimsuit".

'So guess what, you don't have to do that anymore.'

The swimsuit competition was be replaced with an interactive session with the judges, in which the women are asked to demonstrate their 'passion, intelligence, and overall understanding of the job of Miss America'.

The event hands out millions of dollars in college scholarships to its winners every year.
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Health service bosses last night ditched self-isolation requirements for medical staff who live with Covid-positive cases amid fears the rapid spread of Omicron would deplete hospitals and force them to cancel thousands more routine operations.

Doctors and nurses were required to stay away from wards for ten days if someone they lived with tested positive for the virus, regardless of whether or not they were fully vaccinated.

It was different to the rules issued at the same time for the rest of the nation in August, which meant that double-jabbed people did not have to self-quarantine if someone in their household caught the virus. Officials wanted to protect vulnerable patients in hospital.

But updated guidance sent out to NHS chiefs yesterday saw the household rule quietly scrapped. Workers should return as soon as they get a negative PCR test result, so long as they have had two vaccines. They must then take daily lateral flow swabs before turning up for their shift.

It comes amid fears the NHS will be crippled by the incoming Omicron wave, with Government advisers warning of upwards of 4,000 daily hospitalisations  mirroring levels seen virus earlier this year when the health service was ravaged by Britain's second wave.

No10's experts fear the ultra-infectious variant's rapid spread may trigger up to one million cases a day by the end of December, raising huge concerns that the country will be partially paralysed by the millions of Britons shoved into isolation.

Around 12,000 NHS workers  slightly more than one per cent of the workforce  were off ill or isolating because of Covid on any day last week, with the rate barely changing on the previous seven days.

But absences in Omicron-hotspot London have leapt by 40 per cent over the same time-frame, suggesting worse is on the way for the rest of the country with the strain still rapidly spreading across the rest of the nation.

Hospitals in the capital have already been forced to cancel operations as they battle with staff taking time off sick. Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust told staff that the high absence rates would leave them with no option but to 'step down non-urgent care to redeploy staff to support urgent services.'

Researchers last night warned the variant could cause an extra 100,000 cancelled operations this winter. Elective surgeries such as hip and knee replacements have already taken a hit this month, with some being postponed to free up NHS staff for the booster rollout.

Pictured above is the old guidance published in August. It says that people who live in the same household as someone who tests positive for the virus must self-isolate for ten days

But an updated version released last night made no mention of this. It said all fully vaccinated staff who are close contacts of a Covid case should return to work once they have received a negative PCR test

The above map shows the proportion of Covid cases being triggered by Omicron across England's regions. It is now dominant in London, where 80.8 per cent of cases are now thought to be triggered by the variant

This shows the cumulative number of Omicron cases confirmed in the UK, broken down by nations

A total of 1,540 nurses and doctors in London were off due to Covid on December 12, according to NHS Statistics. For comparison, it was 1,100 the week before.

Nationally 12,240 were off due to Covid, up nine per cent on the previous week. But figures have fluctuated over the past fortnight, making the trend harder to decipher.

The NHS does not break down figures into staff that are off because they tested positive and those who are close contacts, making it impossible to establish whether the absences are due to an outbreak among staff or stringent self-isolation requirements.

The updated NHS guidance published last night was reported by the Health Service Journal.

It reiterated that unvaccinated NHS staff who come into contact with a Covid case will still need to isolate for 10 days. From April next year, all NHS employees will need to be double-jabbed.

Ministers dropped national self-isolation requirements for the double-vaccinated on August 16, saying at the time that jabs had 'tipped the balance in our favour'.

A previous version of the guidance released in August read: 'If... they are living directly (same household) with a positive Covid case, they will be asked not to come to work.'

But last night's version made no mention of the requirement for those living with a positive Covid case.

Professor Whitty warns hospitals to brace for 'many' absences Professor Chris Whitty has warned hospitals to brace for 'very large numbers' of staff absences as the Omicron Covid variant takes hold. England's chief medical officer said that trusts should prepare for a 'sharp' peak in absences over the next few weeks. Speaking at a gloomy Downing Street press conference, he said: 'The speed of onset is going to lead to lots of people getting ill simultaneously and we have to be realistic about that.' He added: 'Very large numbers of people in society, and that includes doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers, are going to get Covid at the same time because it is a very sharp peak. 'There will be a significant problem [of] people actually providing staff to man and generally be able to look after any part of the health and social care system.' Official figures show staff absences in epicentre London are up 40 per cent in a week. More than a thousand employees are off due to the virus, although it isn't clear how many have actually tested positive and how many have been told to isolate because they are a close contact. Nationally, Covid absences in hospitals rose nine per cent last week with 12,240 staff members off sick. Advertisement

London's hospitalisations are up 50 per cent week-on-week, with admissions surging from 133 to 199 a day by December 14, the latest date available.

There are mounting fears these will continue to rise as more people who have caught the virus fall seriously ill.

The city's Covid cases are now inches off the peak last year, with 19,643 people testing positive for the virus on December 14 compared to the record 19,868 set last winter. It also has 25 of the areas with the fastest growing outbreaks in the country, separate figures show.

Hospitals were last night told to draw up contingency plans for dealing with absences over the next three months amid growing fears over an Omicron wave that could paralyse the NHS.

Chief executive Amanda Pritchard has also told hospital leaders to train staff for redeployment to frontline roles, and 'accelerate' recruitment plans reports The Guardian.

Some London hospitals are already struggling against the tide of absences, ahead of an expected wave of Covid admissions.

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is one of several that has now started cancelling operations.

Its chief executive Ben Travis told staff in a video message yesterday that because so many were off sick with the virus some would need to be 'redeployed to support urgent services'.

He said that doctors and nurses not working in frontline services would be asked to 'return to the floor', and that corporate staff would be asked to move to 'patient-facing tasks that don't require a clinical qualification'.

Professor Chris Whitty warned earlier this week that 'very large numbers' will likely be off sick with Covid at the same time because of the 'sharp peak' in cases.

He told a Downing Street press conference: 'The speed of onset is going to lead to lots of people getting ill simultaneously and we have to be realistic about that.'

He added: 'Very large numbers of people in society, and that includes doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers, are going to get Covid at the same time because it is a very sharp peak.

'There will be a significant problem [of] people actually providing staff to man and generally be able to look after any part of the health and social care system.'

The state of the NHS is generally seen as a bellweather for whether more restrictions are needed, with ministers imposing more to limit the spread of the virus if it approaches breaking point.

But Professor Whitty has stopped short of calling for further measures to be introduced, instead calling on people to 'prioritise' their social mixing in the run up to Christmas.

Meanwhile University of Birmingham modelling has suggested 100,000 operations in England could be cancelled over the next three months if Covid hospitalisations this winter are on a par with last year.

The research team used NHS England data from September 2020 to July 2021 to develop a model to project elective surgery activity based on the number of Covid patients in hospital.

Using this model they estimate that, if 5,000 patients are in hospital with the virus, there is a 21.9 per cent reduction in elective surgery.

Meanwhile if there are 10,000 Covid patients in hospital, their model estimates a 27.6 per cent reduction in elective operations.

At the top of their scale is 30,000 patients in hospital with Covid  which is still less than the January peak of nearly 40,000  when their model estimates a 46.3 per cent reduction in non-urgent surgeries.

The researchers say that if Omicron leads to similar numbers of people in hospital as seen during the first wave, when there were about 20,000 hospitalised Covid patients, then the volume of elective operations in England would be cut by 33.9 per cent.

Hospitals were told to drop social distancing and rigorous cleaning requirements on September 28, five months behind when the two-metre rule was abandoned in England on freedom day.

Experts blasted the move for hospitals at the time, saying it risked a spike in transmission of the virus between wards.

But hospitals are currently calling on staff to work extra hours to help battle through the mammoth backlog built up when whole wards were turned over to fighting the virus.

During the first and second waves the virus also managed to spread in hospitals, accounting for around ten per cent of Covid admissions.

Covid cases in London are now inches away from the record set last winter amid fears some trusts are already creaking at the seams with patient admissions

Hospitalisations in London are also starting to tick up. Professor Chris Whitty has warned that a further rise is already 'baked in' to these numbers
Christmas shoppers will face serious disruption on much of the London Underground from tonight because of an ongoing row about the Night Tube.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are set to stage an eight-hour walkout on the Central and Victoria lines from 8.30pm.

This will be followed by a 24-hour stoppage on Saturday on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines - severe disrupting the capital's network on the last weekend before Christmas.

WHICH LINES WILL BE DISRUPTED? Friday, December 17: Services on the Central and Victoria lines will ramp down from 7pm ahead of strikes which start at 8:30pm, potentially causing severe disruption on those lines. Other lines will be running as usual, but will likely be busy, as will other modes of transport, especially in central London. Saturday, December 18: Full-day strikes will run for 24 hours starting at 4:30am on these lines: Central (including Night Tube)

Victoria (including Night Tube)

Jubilee

Northern

Piccadilly TfL warns of 'severe disruption during strikes' with 'little or no service in some places'. Sunday morning early services will also likely see disruption. The Bakerloo, Circle, District, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines will be operating as normal but will be busier than usual. Services to and from central London are also likely to be busier than normal, as will bus services and local roads. Advertisement

Around half of tube drivers are RMT members and the strike is expected to be 'strongly supported'.

Travellers were warned that the action will mean there is little or no service in places on the underground.

Union negotiators were calling for the Underground to recruit new part-time Night Tube drivers rather than force existing staff to work four night shift weekends each year.

However, they claimed the proposal was rejected for 'mainly financial reasons', citing the cost of training the new drivers.

Talks were held this week but the row remains deadlocked.

The RMT said new rosters for the Night Tube are being imposed on drivers.

General secretary Mick Lynch said: 'We are angry and disappointed that Tube management have refused yet again this week to move forward based on genuine and realistic proposals that could have enabled us to recommend the suspension of the planned action.

'As a result the strike action this weekend goes ahead.

'The issue at the heart of the dispute is that the dedicated Night Tube driver grade, which was popular with women and those with caring responsibilities, and which the union fought to get written into the original agreement, has been ripped up with the loss of 200 posts and complete disregard for the staff themselves.'

He added that the union 'remained available' for talks but added 'it's time for the Mayor [Sadiq Khan] to stop siding with the management'.

Nick Dent, London Underground's director of customer operations, said: 'Our view remains that rostering Tube drivers to work up to four night shift weekends each year, which they can swap with colleagues if they wish, is fair and reasonable.

Transport for London (TfL) said a strike by Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union members is expected on the Central and Victoria lines on Friday 'despite months of talks' over changes to rosters. TfL also said five lines, as well as Night Tube services on the Central and Victoria lines, will be affected on Saturday and into Sunday morning - the last weekend before Christmas Day

Travellers were warned that the action will cause disruption to Tube services with little or no service in places. Pictured: Commuters on the Jubilee line at London Bridge

Trains are expected to become crowded with Christmas shoppers and those going to office parties and gatherings that have not been cancelled

'We have also guaranteed that there will be no job losses. We urge the RMT to call off this unnecessary strike action, which will reduce the level of service we can run at a time when coronavirus cases are rising.

'It will not serve any purpose other than to disrupt Londoners and visitors to the city as they enjoy the festivities at this special time of year.'

A London Underground spokesman added: 'We've urged the RMT union to put the current dispute aside and cancel this weekend's strike action, which will reduce the level of service running at a time when coronavirus cases are rising.

'Calling off the action would mean London Underground services can run as normal to support people travelling to work and those going to get their vaccination boosters.

'No drivers have been forced to switch to part- or full-time work if they do not want to.'
A painting pig named Pigcasso who was saved from slaughter at the 11th hour before becoming a world-renowned artist has sold an abstract work for a record breaking 20,000.

The painting, Wild and Free, was bought on Monday hours after it came up for sale by a German buyer named Peter Esser.

It trumps the previous record of 14,000 for an animal's artwork, set by a chimp named Congo in 2005.

A painting pig dubbed Pigcasso has made history after her latest piece of abstract art sold for a record-breaking 20,000.

The painting, Wild and Free, was bought on Monday hours after it came up for sale by a German buyer named Peter Esser

It trumps the previous record for an animal's artwork, set by a chimp named Congo in 2005

The painting is a large canvas featuring blue, green and white acrylic streaks which took Pigcasso several weeks to complete.

The animal artist has created hundreds of paintings over the last five years after being saved from the slaughterhouse as a piglet by owner, Joanne Lefson.

The pair live at Farm Sanctuary SA - a safe haven for rescued farm animals nestled in the Franschhoek Valley of South Africa.

Joanne said she had Congo's record in mind before the concept of Pigcasso's latest piece was developed, but rather than break the record, simply wanted to show how intelligent and creative animals are.

The animal artist has created hundreds of paintings over the last five years after being saved from the slaughterhouse as a piglet by owner, Joanne Lefson (pictured)

The pair live at Farm Sanctuary SA - a safe haven for rescued farm animals nestled in the Franschhoek Valley of South Africa

She said: 'I wanted to have Pigcasso create something that had never be done before.

'An oversize, larger-than-life canvas that could challenge the intrinsic value of an artwork created by an animal.'

On completion, the work was posted on social media and sold within 72 hours of release.

Joanne added: 'There was significant interest in the piece.

'It's not just a visually striking and beautiful painting it's a profound moment for Pigcasso, and for farm animals.

The painting is a large canvas featuring blue, green and white acrylic streaks which took Pigcasso several weeks to complete

Joanne said she had Congo's record in mind before the concept of Pigcasso's latest piece was developed

Pigcasso was rescued a month after birth from an industrialized hog operation on the outskirts of Cape Town in 2016

'You can't look at it and not place greater value on their intelligence, individual and creativity.'

Pigcasso was rescued a month after birth from an industrialized hog operation on the outskirts of Cape Town in 2016.

Joanne noticed that the pig had a knack for painting after some old paintbrushes were left in her stall by accident.

She decided to nurture the pig's interest and now, at five-years-old and weighing a whopping 1,500lbs, Pigcasso has created over 400 works of original art.

Proceeds from all sales go towards the running of Farm Sanctuary SA and the care of the vulnerable animals there.
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Around 100 more migrants have already arrived on Britain's shores this morning  just days before Christmas.

Tired and freezing from the winter cold, at least 30 people, including men, women and children, were seen without lifejackets stepping on to dry land Dungeness in Kent at around 7am after being picked up in the English Channel by the RNLI.

They walked up the vast shingle beach escorted by police before being taken to be processed.

Down in Dover, Border Force vessels have brought in dozens more - leading them up a gangway from the pontoon to the immigration processing facility that has seen thousands arrive this year.

The last few days have seen an influx of migrants after bad weather conditions made crossing the treacherous shipping lane nearly impossible for almost two weeks.

This year has seen a record number of crossings, with 26,747 migrants detained by Border Force after reaching the UK by small boat in 2021, compared to just 8,410 for the whole of 2020.

Before Wednesday the last groups to make the crossing came on December 5, when Border Force needed three boats to deal with the numbers.

Dozens of men, women and children, were seen without lifejackets walking up the vast shingle beach at Dungeness in Kent at around 7am after being picked up by a lifeboat

Around 30 people were pictured walking up the vast shingle beach escorted by police before being taken off to be processed this morning

The last few days have seen an influx of migrants after bad weather conditions made crossing the treacherous shipping lane nearly impossible for almost two weeks

The group included two small children - one a toddler where immigration officers were waiting for them

Around 40 migrants were detained by Border Force officials on Thursday after they landed on the beach at Dungeness at 1.30pm after being brought to shore on a RNLI lifeboat.

It comes after inspectors found migrants were still being held in 'very poor' conditions after coming ashore despite Home Office assurances of 'significant improvements'.

Women who said they had been raped by smugglers were 'not adequately supported', and lone children were being held with unrelated adults, according to findings published after migrant detention facilities had been visited in the past three months.

Earlier this week, the Home Office confirmed part of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) site in Manston, near Ramsgate, will also be used to process migrants.

Meanwhile, French prosecutors said all 27 of the people who died after trying to cross the English Channel by boat last month to reach the UK have now been formally identified.

The group, who drowned when their boat sank in the Channel last month while trying to reach Britain, included seven women, a teenager and a seven-year-old girl.

The final identification made was of a 29-year-old Vietnamese man, the Paris authorities said.

Most of the victims of the boat accident were Iraqi Kurds, according to the 26 earlier identifications. Four Afghan men, three Ethiopians, a Somalian, an Egyptian and an Iranian Kurd were also drowned in the disaster.

It comes after inspectors found migrants were still being held in 'very poor' conditions after coming ashore despite Home Office assurances of 'significant improvements'. Pictured: A family arrives at Dungeness having been rescued by a lifeboat

Meanwhile, French prosecutors said all 27 of the people who died after trying to cross the English Channel by boat last month to reach the UK have now been formally identified

Dan O'Mahoney, Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, said: 'We are determined to work with our European and international partners to target the ruthless organised criminal gangs behind them'

What happens to migrants after they arrive in the UK? Migrants who have been picked up after landing or intercepted at sea are taken to a Border Force processing centre, usually near Dover Here arrivals are triaged to identify any medical needs or vulnerabilities, fed and checked to see if they have a criminal record. Adults have an initial interview before being sent to accommodation centre across Britain, paid for by UK taxpayers and provided by private contractors. The migrants are given 37.75 per week for essentials like food, clothes and toiletries while they wait for a decision on their asylum application. Kent County Council normally takes unaccompanied children into its care, although other local authorities are also involved in this programme. Other migrants might be kept in a detention centre ahead of a plan to send them back to Europe. However, just five were deported last year as ministers admitted to 'difficulties'. While a member of the EU, Britain was part of the Dublin Regulation, an EU-wide deal that required migrants to apply for asylum in the first member state they arrive in and could be deported back to that country if they moved on to another. However, since Brexit there has been no formal arrangements to allow migrants to be deported to France or another EU member country. Advertisement

The majority were men but seven women, a 16-year-old and a seven-year-old were also among the dead.

Authorities often have difficulties identifying dead migrants because they do not carry official documents and their family members frequently have to travel from remote areas overseas to see the bodies.

The accident was the most deadly involving a migrant boat in the Channel and cast a spotlight on the increasing number of desperate people seeking to cross the narrow waterway between France and England.

It also caused major diplomatic tensions between London and Paris.

Within 48 hours of the accident, French President Emmanuel Macron accused British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of being 'not serious' in his approach to stopping the crossings.

France was irked by Johnson's initial reaction, which was seen as deflecting blame onto France, and then by his decision to write a letter to Macron which he published in full on his Twitter account before the French leader had received it.

According to the investigation, the migrants left in an inflatable boat from Loon-Plage in northern France at night.

After their boat capsized only two men, an Iraqi Kurd and a Sudanese national, were rescued safely. according to the French interior ministry.

According to the Iraqi survivor there had been a total of 33 people aboard.

French investigators are still trying to establish a clearer picture of what happened during the disaster.

They are investigating reports the passengers had telephoned both French and British emergency services, appealing for help when the vessel began sinking.

Dan O'Mahoney, Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, said: 'Last month's tragedy is a devastating reminder of the dangers of Channel crossings and we are determined to work with our European and international partners to target the ruthless organised criminal gangs behind them.

'Unbelievably, these gangs continue to ply their deadly trade with more crossings taking place today, shamelessly putting lives at risk.

'The Governments New Plan for Immigration will be firm on those coming here via illegal routes and fair for those using safe and legal routes. This will reduce the pull factors in the current asylum and immigration system.'
Timeline of Jordan Monaghan's murders January 2013 Monaghan's daughter Ruby dies at their home in Blackburn, Lancashire aged just three weeks. August 2013 Monaghan's son Logan dies, aged 21 months. Monaghan is questioned by police for eight hours but released. August 2013 An inquest is held into the death of the two children. Ruby's death is attributed to bronchiolitis and Logan's cause of death remained 'unascertained'. Monaghan and his then partner, Laura Gray, the children's biological mother, undergo genetic tests to determine whether the children were killed by a hereditary condition. January 2018 Monaghan is arrested and quizzed by police, after an incident involving another child, who cannot be named for legal reasons. Police reopen the investigation into the deaths of the two children and Monaghan is arrested on suspicion of murder. January 2019 Monaghan at this point is in a relationship with Evie. Police become so worried about her welfare that they take her to a place of safety. But manipulative Monaghan ignores their orders and continues to see her. When the pair are stopped together in a car he claims she is 'some bird I just met'. October 2019 While he is on bail for double murder of the two children, Monaghan's new partner, Evie Adams dies of a drug overdose. Despite now suspecting he is behind the deaths of two children and Evie, police bail him again and the investigation appears to make little progress. Between October 2019 and January 2019 Police continue their investigation. Detectives, who had earlier warned Evie through a court order to steer clear of Monaghan, make a breakthrough. They discover in the toxicology reports that Evie had a cocktail of tramadol and diazepam in her system. It is revealed the defendant illegally bought strong prescription drugs on the black market via WhatsApp and other contacts. Police meanwhile call in 12 of the country's leading experts in cardiology, genetics, neurology and paediatrics, to try and get to the bottom of what happened to the babies. January 2021 Monaghan is rearrested and charged with all three murders. December 2021 Monaghan is found guilty of three counts of murder following a 10 week trial at Preston Crown Court. He is due to be sentenced at 3pm today. Advertisement

Video footage shows the moment a murderous father sings along with The Killers' Mr. Brightside in a pub a year after he smothered his two children and later killed his partner.

In the clip, Jordan Monaghan, 30, can be seen belting out the lyrics to the iconic rock tune while drinking with friends in Newcastle.

He shared the Facebook live footage on October 24, 2020, a year after he murdered his then-girlfriend Evie Adams with a deadly cocktail of tramadol and diazepam in her system.

Six years earlier, Monaghan had killed his 24-day-old daughter Ruby in his home on New Year's Day, and smothered 21-month-old son Logan at at Waves swimming pool in Blackburn eight months later.

It comes as Blackburn council launched a formal review into the deaths of two children after their father was today jailed for at least 40 years after being found guilty of murdering them, and his girlfriend six years later.

In 2018 Monaghan was arrested as police reviewed their investigation into the deaths of the two children.

But with the inquiry seemingly stalled, the killer was released on police bail, and it was during this period that he poisoned his girlfriend Evie Adams.

In a statement, Blackburn Council said: 'The Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews (CSPR) (previously known as a Serious Case Review) have already been initiated.

'These are done across agencies with a joint Domestic Homicide Review planned. These reviews were placed on hold pending Police investigations to avoid the risk of prejudicing the trial.

'An independent CSPR is undertaken when a child dies or the child has been seriously harmed and abuse or neglect is known or suspected in order to identify any improvements to practice that are necessary.'

It comes after Monaghan was jailed for a minimum period of forty years.

The triple killer, described as a manipulative and controlling gambling addict, obstructed the airways of his helpless children in separate murders in Blackburn, Lancs, in January and August, 2013.

After evading just for six years, and while on bail for the murder of his two children, he killed his new girlfriend, 23-year-old Evie Adams, with a deadly cocktail of prescription drugs in October 2019.

During a court case which laid bare the struggles police and prosecutors had in bringing Monaghan to justice, it was revealed officers had arrested and interviewed six years earlier under caution after the death of Logan.

But they did not have enough evidence to charge him with either of the murders, and he was released on police bail.

After further information came to light involving the collapse of another child, who cannot be named, police reviewed the deaths of Ruby, aged 24 days, and Logan, aged 21 months, and in 2018, Monaghan was arrested.

But astonishingly he was then allowed on police bail, with the investigation appearing to have moved little further ahead. While on bail and free to walk the streets Monaghan killed Ms Adams.

Even after her death, Monaghan was still allowed free once more, with police taking a staggering 15 months to finally arrest him against in January 2021, raising questions for Lancashire Police and the CPS as to how he was allowed to continue to evade justice for so long.

The murder trial heard from a host of experts that the medical evidence regarding the children's deaths was complicated and contradictory, including at the inquest, where Ruby's death was attributed to bronchiolitis and Logan's cause of death was 'unascertained'.

But on Friday, after a 10 week trial and a 26 hour deliberation by jury members at Preston Crown Court, Monaghan was finally convicted of three murders and two counts of attempted murder.

He was sentenced to three life orders, with a minimum term of at least 40 years.

Triple killer Jordan Monaghan is facing life behind bars after being convicted of murdering his newborn baby girl and toddler son by smothering, and six years later killing his new partner with a drug overdose

In self-filmed footage a year after he murdered then-girlfriend Evie Adams, Monaghan can be seen singing along to The Killers' Mr. Brightside in a Newcastle pub

Jordan Monaghan was today found guilty of smothering three-week-old daughter, Ruby (pictured left), on New Year's Day 2013, and 21-month-old son, Logan (pictured right), eight months later

Monaghan, of Blackburn, was also found guilty of murdering his girlfriend Evie Adams (pictured) in 2019 by giving her an overdose of tramadol and diazepam, which he bought on the black market

Monaghan was also sentenced to 27 years on each count of attempted murder, though his actual sentence will be life with a minimum term of 40 years.

Tonight, as questions are asked over whether there were chances to stop Monaghan at an earlier stage, Blackburn Council announced it would launch a review into the deaths of Ruby and Logan.

The court heard how Monaghan had repeatedly and secretly harmed his two children to make them appear sick every time his former partner, Laura Gray, the children's biological mother, had attempted to end their relationship.

Ms Gray, the 28-year-old mother of the children, could be heard weeping in the public gallery as the verdicts were given.

Today, in a heartbreaking statement read out at Monaghan's sentencing, Ms Gray said: 'All I ever wanted was to be a mum. I wanted to give children the love and opportunities I never had growing up. Jordan knew how much I wanted that.

'My children are the most important thing in my life. I loved every single day I had with them.

'I have the memories and they are truly lovely memories but memories will never beat the reality.

'I will never be the same person again. When the children went a huge part of me went with them.'

Jordan Monaghan posted this picture of him proposing to girlfriend Evie Adams, who he has today been found guilty of murdering

Pictured: Jordan Monaghan and his former partner Laura Grey leaving Blackburn Coroners in 2014 after the inquest into their son Logan's death. Monaghan later killed girlfriend Evie Adams

Mr Justice Goose passing sentencing, told Monaghan: 'Your victims were your children, then your partner.

'It is difficult to know why you carried out these offences. Having listened to the evidence in this trial, in short you are an exceptionally controlling, selfish and cruel man.

'The trigger to these offences were your volatile relationships.

'The consequences were the snuffing out of the lives of two very young children and a young woman.

'You killed them secretively and then pretended it was by tragic accident. I have no doubt Laura, a good mother, would not have remained with you if she had known the truth.'

Triple killer Jordan Monaghan faked grief of losing children and complained police were treating him like a criminal Jordan Monaghan faked the grief of losing his children by claiming their deaths were 'heart-breaking.' Days after murdering Logan, the 30-year-old spoke about the torment of losing both of his children  and complained the police had treated him and the children's mum, Laura Gray, 28, as criminals. Digger driver Monaghan sobbed: 'It's been like a bad dream and we expect to wake up at any moment. 'You never get over losing a child but we were just starting to move on and then Logan dies. 'You always expect your children to outlive you and don't think you'll have to plan their funeral. But we have had to do it twice it eight months. It's heart-breaking.' He added: 'We wanted Ruby and Logan to be buried together but we have been told our daughter's grave is just for one person. 'Logan will be buried in the next-but-one plot to Ruby, so we take comfort in that. 'We are happy that they are going to be close to each other.' Following Logan's death on August 17, Monaghan were quizzed for eight hours by cops before being released. Jordan said: 'Even though we were told they weren't treating the death as suspicious, we did feel like criminals.' Advertisement

Speaking of Ruby, the judge added: 'Her life had barely started and you extinguished it.'

Meanwhile, a statement read out on behalf of Evie Adam's family said: 'The outcome of the trial is a small degree of comfort to us but doesn't bring Evie back.'

The court previously heard how construction worker Monaghan, of Belgrave Close, Blackburn, smothered Ruby on New Year's Day, 2013, as she slept in her Moses basket. Monaghan was alone with the child as her mother slept upstairs at the family home.

Eight months later, after Miss Gray discovered that her boyfriend owed thousands of pounds in gambling debts, she told him the relationship was over.

The next day he took their son, Logan, aged 21 months, to a local swimming pool, Waves in Blackburn.

While alone in a cubicle in the changing rooms he smothered the child, the jury heard.

Ruby's and Logan's deaths were both investigated as sudden and unexplained events, but the girl's death was attributed to bronchiolitis and Logan's cause of death remained 'unascertained'.

Both had been seen by medics in the days and months before their deaths, but other than usual childhood illnesses no serious medical condition was found.

But a review was carried out by Lancashire Police after further information came to light and Monaghan was arrested and bailed on suspicion of murder in January 2018.

As the highly complex police investigation continued, Monaghan began a 'toxic' relationship with mother-of-one Evie, who had suffered 'chronic abuse' before becoming a foster child aged 12.

Police warned her not to be with him and a court order was made banning contact.

But the relationship continued and, while on bail for the murder of his children, Monaghan killed Miss Adams after she threatened to dump him.

Monaghan told her: 'I won't keep putting up with you saying we are over.'

The defendant illegally bought strong prescription drugs on the black market via WhatsApp and other contacts.

Ruby's and Logan's (pictured) deaths were both investigated as sudden and unexplained events, but the girl's death was attributed to bronchiolitis and Logan's cause of death remained 'unascertained'.

A construction worker, Monaghan, of Belgrave Close, Blackburn, smothered Ruby (pictured left) on New Year's Day, 2013, as she slept in her Moses basket. Monaghan was alone with the child as her mother slept upstairs at the family home.

Ruby's (pictured) and Logan's deaths were both investigated as sudden and unexplained events, but the girl's death was attributed to bronchiolitis and Logan's cause of death remained 'unascertained'

Laura Gray (pictured here with Monaghan), the 28-year-old mother of the children, could be heard weeping in the public gallery as the verdicts were given.

Jordan Monaghan 'faked suicide note and then staged its discovery' Triple killer Jordan Monaghan faked a suicide note for his partner Evie Adams and then staged its discovery, a court previously heard. During his murder trial, prosecutors told the jury that Monaghan was the real author of the letter which he said was from Ms Adams. The court heard he then staged its 'discovery' when it fell out of a picture frame, as he removed the couple's favourite photo of themselves to place in her coffin. Monaghan has been found guilty of murdering Ms Adams with an overdose of drugs he bought illegally online. Advertisement

Miss Adams was found to have tramadol, diazepam, amitriptyline, zopiclone and pregabalin medication in her body after her collapse and death on October 24, 2019.

She died from tramadol and diazepam toxicity.

He then faked a suicide note from Miss Adams, discovered apparently by chance falling out of a picture frame as he removed the couple's favourite photo of themselves to place in her coffin.

Monaghan was re-arrested in January this year and charged with all three murders.

He claimed to have nothing to do with the death of his children, but a dozen experts told the court that while the exact cause of the deaths was difficult to pin down, imposed airway obstruction was either 'likely' or could not be ruled out.

Monaghan also claimed the illegal prescription drugs were for himself and denied ever giving any to Miss Adams.

Following the conviction of Jordan Monaghan, Martin Hill, deputy head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) North West's Complex Case Unit, said: 'Jordan Monaghan's cruelty is beyond belief and the ruthlessness of these murders is harrowing.

'It is difficult to comprehend the depravity that went into planning and committing these murders.

'Three innocent people needlessly lost their lives due to Monaghan's utter selfishness.

'Together, the CPS and Lancashire police were able to build a strong case against him by ensuring all possible medical explanations for the deaths of the children could be discounted.

'I cannot begin to imagine the pain and suffering that Monaghan's actions have caused to the families of the victims.

'They have conducted themselves with the upmost dignity and been incredibly brave and patient throughout.

'Nothing can make up for the loss of their loved ones, but we can only hope, following today's conviction, they feel justice has been done. Our thoughts remain with the families.'

Meanwhile, Jayne Ivory, Director of Children's Services at Blackburn and Darwen Council, said: 'It is truly difficult for anyone to comprehend that a father could murder his own children and partner in such a callous and calculated way. Our thoughts are with family and anyone affected by this heart-breaking case.

'These cases date back as far as 2013 where his innocent children and partner died at the hands of a cruel father and partner who was able to manipulate them all, his environment and tell lie after lie to the Police and professionals.

'Looking at what and if anything could have been done to prevent these single catastrophic incidents is something that will be addressed as part of independent reviews into each tragic case.

'Every single incidence of harm against a child or another human being is a tragedy and it is imperative lessons are learned across all agencies which can help prevent such terrible events.'
Sex and the City's Kristin Davis was not quizzed about her co-star Chris Noth, after he has been accused of sexual misconduct, by James Corden on the Late Late Show.

Davis, who is best known for playing Charlotte York Goldenblatt in Sex and the City and its new reboot And Just Like That, appeared on Corden's late-night talk show on Thursday night.

The actress was all smiles as she appeared on the show alongside actress Chloe Grace Moretz, speaking about her roles in iconic sitcoms, including guest appearances in Seinfeld and Friends.

But host Corden, 43, steered clear of asking her about her Sex And The City co-star Chris Noth, 67, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by women.

When Corden asked Davis how she feels about the new spin-off series, she simply replied, 'good'.

Kristen Davis, who is best known for playing Charlotte York Goldenblatt in Sex and the City and its new reboot And Just Like That, appeared on the Late Late Show on Thursday night

The Los Angeles Police Department said they are not investigating Noth 'at this point' on claims he raped a woman in his LA apartment in 2004, as Noth vehemently denied all allegations of sexual abuse.

It does not appear that any of Noth's Sex and the City costars have commented on the allegations.

The allegations come one week after Noth reprised his role as Mr. Big in the Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That - in which his character controversially dies of a heart attack after doing a workout on a Peloton bike.

On Thursday, a former guest star on Law and Order: Criminal Intent added her name to the group of women accusing Noth of sexual misconduct.

In an Instagram story, actress Zoe Lister-Jones detailed her encounters with the embattled actor, claiming that he was 'sexually inappropriate' to women who worked at a New York City club he owned, and sniffed her neck while drunk on set of the detective show.

Her allegations come just hours after The Hollywood Reporter published two other women's claimed he raped and sexually abused them.

The actress was all smiles as she appeared on the Late Late Show alongside actress Chloe Grace Moretz, but Corden steered clear of asking her about her co-star Chris Noth

Sex And The City star Noth (pictured in December 2018), 67, has been accused of sexual misconduct by a group of women

Since then, a newspaper clipping has also emerged featuring claims by model Beverly Johnson who claims that Noth had attacked her and threatened to kill her while they were dating in the 1990s.

The Los Angeles Police Department has now said they are not investigating the Sex and the City star 'at this point' on claims he raped a woman in his LA apartment in 2004, as Noth, 67, vehemently denied all allegations of sexual abuse.

Noth admitted to having 'consensual encounters' with the two accusers mentioned in the Hollywood Reporter story but strongly denied any abuse.

DailyMail.com has reached out Noth for further comment.

Lister-Jones, 39, became the first woman to publicly call out Noth for alleged sexually inappropriate behavior in her Instagram story.

She wrote that she was inspired to come out with her story after the two women - who used the pseudonyms Zoe, now 40, and Lily, now 31 - told The Hollywood Reporter their stories.

Zoe Lister-Jones, left, has claimed that actor Chris Noth was 'sexually inappropriate' to female workers at a club he owned in New York City and once sniffed her neck as she guest starred on an episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent in 2005. Noth, right, has vehemently denied the claims of sexual abuse

Noth returned to his role as Detective Mike Logan following the original run of Sex and the City

In her Instagram story on Thursday, Lister-Jones said she was 'relieved' by the death of Chris Noth's character on And Just Like That because she remembers him being 'consistently sexually inappropriate' with a female promoter and sniffing her hair when she guest starred on Law and Order: Criminal Intent

The actress known for her work on Life in Pieces began her statement: 'Last week, my friend asked me how I felt about Mr. Big's death on And Just Like That, and I said honestly, I felt relieved,' she wrote, referring to Noth's role on Sex and the City and its spin-off.

'He asked why, and I told him it was because I couldn't separate the actor from the man, and the man is a sexual predator.

'My friend was alarmed at my word choice. And to be honest, so was I.

'I hadn't thought of the man in so many years, and yet there was a virility to my language that came from somewhere deep and buried.'

Lister-Jones then explained: 'In my twenties, I worked at a club in New York that Chris Noth owned and on the few occasions, he would show up, he was consistently sexually inappropriate with a fellow female promoter.'

'That same year, I was a guest star on Law and Order, and it was his first episode returning as a detective after "SATC,"'

'He was drunk on set,' she alleged in her statement, noting: 'During my interrogation scene he had a 22 ounce beer under the table that he would drink in between takes.

'In one take, he got close to me, sniffed my neck and whispered, "You smell good."

An old newspaper clipping posted to Instagram on Thursday appeared to show court documents accused Noth of 'battering' model Beverly Johnson back when they were dating

Noth's most famous role is as Carrie Bradshaw's (Sarah Jessica Parker) love interest John James 'Mr. Big' Preston on Sex and the City and now its spin-off

'I didn't say anything. My friend at the club never said anything. It's so rare that we do.'

'Part of being a woman in this world is taking a certain amount of pride in knowing how to handle yourself in these situations,' she continued.

'In denying their impact as a means of survival. And burying the feelings that come with the transgressions that we have been taught are simply to be expected.

'My experiences are small in comparison to the accounts of assault that have so bravely been shared today.

'Navigating predation at any level is a burden all woman have to bear. And for the most part there is no accountability and no consequence.

'Chris Noth capitalized on the fantasy that women believe Mr. Big represented,' she alleged, concluding: 'F*** Mr. Big.'

Lister-Jones guest starred on Law and Order: Criminal Intent in 2005, the first year Noth returned to the series following the original run of Sex and the City, in an episode entitled Diamond Dogs.

It was unclear which club she claims Noth was 'sexually inappropriate' at. According to Page Six, Noth co-owns The Cutting Room in Manhattan and was an investor in The Plumm, which closed in 2009.

Lister-Jones' apparent confession comes after The Hollywood Reporter published other allegations against Noth.

She claimed that her experiences were small in comparison to the other allegations against Noth that were reported on Thursday

She concluded her statement by cursing out Noth's character on Sex and the City, claiming that he capitalized on the role to seduce women

Both of the accusers in the report claimed that Noth had sex with them from behind in front of a mirror, with the first attack allegedly taking place in 2004, while the second reportedly occurred in 2015, three years after Noth married his wife, Tara Wilson, with whom he has two children.

The two women both also allege that the attacks took place in one of Noth's homes - the first in his Los Angeles apartment and the second in his New York City property - after the actor invited them over.

Both women claim that the recent publicity surrounding the Sex and the City reboot - And Just Like That - 'stirred painful memories' of their encounters with Noth, who has featured heavily in the news in the past week as a result of the shock death of his character, Mr. Big, in the first episode of the new series.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Noth, who has two sons with Wilson - Keats and Orion - admitted that he had 'consensual encounters' with the two women in the Hollywood Reporter story, both of which reportedly took place while he was in a relationship with his wife, but he strongly denied any accusations that he assaulted them.

'The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false,' the statement reads.

'These stories couldve been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago  no always means no  that is a line I did not cross. The encounters were consensual.

'Its difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. I dont know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this: I did not assault these women.'

Married Sex And The City star Chris Noth - pictured with his wife Tara Wilson this month - has also been accused of rape and sexual assault by two other women

Noth has two sons with Wilson - Orion (left), 13, who was born in 2008, seven years before the alleged second attack took place, and Keats (right), one, who was born in 2020

One of the accusers - using the pseudonym Zoe - said she first met Noth while working 'in an entry-level position at a high-profile firm where Noth and other celebrities regularly had business' in 2004.

She claims that the actor - who was then at the height of his Sex and the City fame and, according to Zoe's then-boss was seen as a 'god' by her and colleagues - began flirting with her in the office.

'It was very painful and I yelled out, "Stop!"' Noth's alleged first victim says actor left her bleeding after attack in his LA home Noth's first accuser - Zoe, now 40 - claims that the actor invited her to his Los Angeles apartment to return a book in 2004, before raping her from behind. She claims that he 'kissed her as she stepped through the door' and that she 'tentatively kissed him back' before trying to leave his home. Zoe alleges that the actor then 'pulled her toward him, moved her toward the bed, pulled off her shorts and bikini bottom, and began to rape her from behind' while they were 'facing a mirror'. 'It was very painful and I yelled out, "Stop!"' she claims. 'And he didnt. I said, "Can you at least get a condom?" and he laughed at me.' Following the alleged incident, Zoe says she saw 'blood on her shirt' and returned to a friend's apartment, which was located in the same building as Noth's home, to try and wash it out. It was there that her friends urged her to go to hospital - where she says she had to get stitches. 'I had stitches. Two police officers came. I wouldnt say who it was,' she says, claiming that she feared she would 'not be believed' and could 'be fired' if she publicly accused Noth of rape. Advertisement

At the time, Noth had been dating his now-wife Wilson for three years; the pair began their relationship in 2001 after first meeting at The Cutting Room, a New York jazz club owned by the actor, where Wilson, who was in her early 20s at the time, worked as a bartender.

However, according to Zoe, the actor began leaving 'flirty' messages on her voicemail - which her boss alerted her to.

Speaking to THR, the boss confirmed that she was aware of the messages, saying that it struck her as strange that the actor would be reaching out to her much younger employee, however she insists she was not in any way concerned by them.

Zoe claims that she was raped by Noth in his West Hollywood apartment when she was just 22 and he was 49 - alleging that the actor invited her and a friend over to the pool at his building. Her unnamed friend confirmed that the two visited the pool and recalled that they sat in the jacuzzi with Noth, who then left a book with Zoe while he went to his apartment to take a call.

She states that Noth then asked her to return the book to his home, telling her that he'd 'love to know what she thought'.

When Zoe went up to his home to give the book back, she says Noth 'kissed her' as soon as she walked through the door, however she says she was not initially concerned by the kiss - and in fact thought it would be a 'funny story' she could tell her friends about.

However, she says Noth then pulled her towards him, moved her to his bed and removed her shorts and bikini bottoms, before raping her 'from behind' while they were 'facing a mirror'.

She also claimed that the actor did not use protection, that he 'laughed at her' when she asked him to get a condom - and says she was left bleeding after the assault, and had to go to the hospital to get stitches.

'It was very painful and I yelled out, "Stop!"' she told THR. 'And he didnt. I said, "Can you at least get a condom?" and he laughed at me.'

After the alleged assault, she says she returned to a friend's apartment, which was located in the same building as Noth's home, and tried to wash the blood out of her shirt, before being urged by her friends to go to Cedars-Sinai, where she told hospital workers that she had been assaulted.

'I had stitches. Two police officers came. I wouldnt say who it was,' she says, claiming that she feared she would 'not be believed' and could 'be fired' if she publicly accused Noth of rape.

Although Zoe has not previously accused Noth of assault or rape, she says did speak to several people about the attack - including her boss at the time, who told THR that Zoe phoned her after the alleged rape and told her Noth had attacked her.

Speaking to the outlet, Zoe's now-former boss said that her ex-employee sounded 'upset' and was 'in shock' during the phone call while relaying details of the 'horrible' incident, however she says Zoe insisted that she not tell anyone about it.

'I was 25 at the time. It was a lot. I didnt know what to do,' the unnamed woman said.

Both women told THR that the recent publicity surrounding the release of the Sex and the City sequel And Just Like That prompted them to come forward with their claims

Noth has featured heavily in the press in the past week after his character, Mr. Big, died of a heart attack in a shocking twist in the first episode of the new reboot

Noth's second accuser, Lily, who is now working as a journalist, told a similar story to THR, alleging that the actor raped her in his home in Greenwich Village after they struck up a flirty relationship while she was working as a server at former New York nightclub No.8 in 2015, when she was 25.

At the time, Noth - who was then 60 years old - had been married to his wife for three years and the couple had one child together, Orion, who was born in 2008. They have since had a second son, Keats, born in 2020.

'I was crying as it happened': Actor's alleged second victim claims he raped her in his New York apartment The second accuser - a woman using the pseudonym Lily, now 31 - alleges that Noth assaulted her in his apartment in Greenwich Village in 2015 after he invited her on a date at Italian restaurant Il Cantinori. According to Lily, the kitchen at the restaurant had closed by the time they arrived, so they drank wine together at the bar. She claims that she 'had too much to drink' but was 'nowhere near blacking out' when Noth suggested that they go back to his home to 'sample his collection of whiskeys'. She says they spent time 'listening to music' and discussing his collection of 'books about art and fashion', before he 'tried to make out with her'. Lily says she 'cautiously entertained' him, but that he became more forceful as time went on. 'He kept trying and trying and trying, and I should have said no more firmly and left. And then the next thing I knew, he pulled down his pants and he was standing in front of me,' she says, alleging that he then 'thrust his penis into her mouth'. She claims that Noth - who was married to wife Tara Wilson and had one child with her at the time - told her 'marriage is a sham' and that 'monogamy is not real', before raping her. '[Suddenly] he was having sex with me from the back in a chair,' she said. 'We were in front of a mirror. I was kind of crying as it happened.' After the alleged attack, Lily says she 'went to the bathroom and put on her skirt', adding that she 'felt awful... totally violated'. Advertisement

Describing herself as a long-time fan of the actor - whom she knew from his days starring in Law & Order, as well as his role on Sex and the City - Lily says she was 'truly star-struck' when he began 'hitting on her'.

'He was hitting on me, for sure. I was flattered. I knew he was married, which is shameful of me to admit,' she said.

According to Lily, Noth asked for her number and later asked her out for dinner; they arranged to meet at Italian restaurant Il Cantinori - which featured in an episode of the original Sex and the City series.

However, by the time the pair met at the eatery, the kitchen had closed, so Lily says they 'had wine at the bar' and discussed Noth's lack of interest in appearing in a potential third Sex and the City movie.

Lily admits that she 'had too much to drink' but insists that she was 'nowhere near blacking out' when the actor invited her to his nearby home in Greenwich Village so that they could 'sample his collection of whiskeys' together.

The woman - who describes herself as being 'not super sexually active' at the time - insists that she did not believe he would try and have sex with her, and that she simply though they would 'drink whiskey and talk about his acting career'.

Once inside his 'amazing' home, Lily says the pair listened to music and discussed the actor's collection of art and fashion books, before he began trying to 'make out with her'.

Although she admitted that she 'cautiously entertained' him, she says that she was hesitant because he was 'older and looked older' than her.

However, Lily says he became more forceful as time went on, claiming that he 'kept trying and trying and trying'.

'I should have said no more firmly and left,' she said, claiming that 'the next thing she knew' he had pulled down her pants and 'was standing in front of her', before 'thrusting his penis into her mouth'.

She says that she mentioned the fact that he had a wife and child, only for the actor to tell her that 'marriage is a sham' and 'monogamy is not real'. Lily claims Noth then raped her from behind in a chair in front of a mirror.

'He was having sex with me from the back in a chair. We were in front of a mirror. I was kind of crying as it happened,' she says.

After the alleged assault took place, Lily says she went to the bathroom and put on her skirt, claiming that she 'felt awful' and 'totally violated'.

'All of my dreams with this star I loved for years were gone,' she added.

The second woman - Lily - claims that the alleged attack took place in Noth's Greenwich Village apartment (building pictured) after they met while she was working as a server in a club

Lily says she was working as a server in the VIP section of New York nightclub No. 8 (pictured), which has since closed, when Noth 'hit on her' in 2015

While in an Uber home, Lily says she spoke to a friend - who was named Alex by THR - on the phone, whom she told that Noth had sex with her 'pretty forcibly'. Despite her friend insisting that Lily should phone the police, she says she refused to.

Speaking to the publication, Lily's friend Alex confirmed her story and claimed that she listened to a voicemail Noth left on Lily's phone after the incident.

According to Alex, Noth said in the message: 'Hey, hope you didnt take anything wrong last night. We had fun. Just want to make sure you didnt take it the wrong way.'

However Lily offered a different recollection of the message, claiming that Noth told her: 'I had a nice time and would really appreciate it if you wouldnt talk to your girlfriends. If we could keep this between you and me, that would be great.'

Lily also handed over text messages sent between herself and Noth in March and April 2015 to The Hollywood Reporter, in which the pair seemingly discussed the incident, with the actor asking whether Lily 'enjoyed their night last week', adding that he 'thought it was a lot of fun' but that he 'wasn't quite sure how she felt'.

According to the outlet, Lily responded that she 'certainly enjoyed [Noth's] company' but that she 'felt slightly used', before suggesting that they continue their conversation on the phone.

Noth went on to propose that the pair meet up for another date, sending her messages suggesting that they 'have a drink' and telling her that it 'didn't have to be at his place although he has the best whiskey'.

In another message seen by THR, Noth reportedly asked Lily: 'Oh mysterious one where did you go.'

Lily says she agreed to see him for dinner on one occasion but ultimately canceled and the two did not meet again.

According to Lily, she and Noth went on a date to Italian eatery Il Cantinori - however the kitchen was closed by the time they got there, so she says they drank wine at the bar

The restaurant actually featured in season four of Sex and the City, serving as the location for lead character Carrie Bradshaw's 35th birthday party (pictured)

Neither she nor Zoe have spoken publicly about their accusations until getting in touch with The Hollywood Reporter 'months apart' after being prompted by the frenzy of publicity surrounding the news about the new Sex and the City reboot, which was first announced in January of this year.

The accusations against Noth come just one week after he hit headlines the world over while reprising his role as Mr. Big in the Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That - in which his character controversially dies of a heart attack after doing a workout on a Peloton bike.

Mr Big's shock death sparked outrage among viewers - and prompted furious backlash from Peloton, whose shares dropped 11 per cent in the wake of the debut episode's premiere last Thursday.

Three days after the first two episodes aired on HBO Max, Peloton hit back at the show by airing a commercial featuring Noth in his role as Mr Big - alongside real-life instructor Jess King who starred as his trainer in And Just Like That.

That commercial has now been deleted from Peloton's social media accounts - as well as from the account of King, who featured in it alongside Noth.

In a statement made to DailyMail.com, a spokesperson for Peloton addressed the allegations made against Noth, saying: 'Every single sexual assault accusation must be taken seriously.

'We were unaware of these allegations when we featured Chris Noth in our response to HBOs reboot. As we seek to learn more, we have stopped promoting this video and archived related social posts.'

HBO Max has yet to publicly comment on the allegations; DailyMail.com has reached out to representatives for Noth and the streaming site.
A sex predator who attacked six women days after he was released from a prison sentence for similar offences has been jailed for life.

Joshua Victorin, 24, was supposed to be under supervision when he embarked on a 12-day spree of terror during the festive season last year.

He attacked four women in a single day, Inner London crown court heard.

Victorin's previous victims included a prison officer as well as a drug and alcohol worker.

He was released in early December and attacked his next victim on December 23, 2020 when she got off a bus in Peckham.

At an earlier hearing, prosecutor Claire Harden-Frost said: 'These offences can be seen as part of a campaign to rape and sexually assault women walking alone in the streets of London.

'This, frankly is most people's nightmare in this situation.'

Victorin has seven previous convictions for 14 offences dating back to 2014.

He was jailed for 17 months in February 2019 for unlawful wounding and possession of an offensive weapon.

Victorin was jailed for a year after sexually assaulted two prison guards while serving his sentence, as well as a separate sexual assault on a female police officer in March last year.

He was released halfway through his sentence in August, but recalled to prison after being charged with possession of cannabis and outraging public decency - by having consensual sex in a park in front of people, including children - and was then freed under licence in December.

Joshua Victorin (pictured), 24, was supposed to be under supervision when he embarked on a 12-day spree of terror during the festive season last year

Judge Silas Reid told him: 'You grabbed her forcefully and she screamed. You pulled her jogging bottoms to the floor with both hands.

'A passer-by saw her with your hands around her waist. On the 31st December that year the second victim was walking home in Elephant and Castle.

'You had dark clothing on. You grabbed her and pulled her trousers down causing her to fall.

'You pulled your trousers. You got on top of her. You had a hand on each of her legs which you had in the air.

'When challenged by a security guard, you didn't immediately stop your actions but you dragged her around the corner to continue.

'You had what was described as a neutral expression as you attempted to rape your victim. You have come close to destroying [this victim's] life and her relationships.

'She had been planning to start a family with her husband prior to this attack but has been unable to do so because of what you did to her.'

The victim said afterwards: 'I dread to think what might have happened. I couldn't have fought him off for much longer.'

'He could have slit my throat or choked me. Or if my head had hit the floor in a different way, I could easily be six feet under now.'

Victorin's previous victims included a prison officer as well as a drug and alcohol worker

The victim, who previously spoke to the Mail On Sunday under the pseudonym Laura, had been on her way home from a shop when she was attacked at 7.30pm on New Year's Eve.

Victorin carried out four sex assaults on 4 January this year in the Bermondsey and Elephant and Castle area.

On each occasion Victorin came up behind the women, grabbing them around the waist and legs.

He pulled the trousers of the sixth victim down, she pulled them back up again but he pulled her towards him so that his groin was against her, panting as he did so.

Victorin was charged three days later.

He asked police officers if he could be released immediately and explained he was very sorry and 'had done enough contemplation.'

Judge Reid said: 'There is no possible real evidence of the length of time you will remain a danger. You can be charming and seemingly sincere.

'Underneath you have no real understanding of the impact of your behaviour or you just do not care about the impact you have.

Laura (not her real name), pictured, was saved from the rapist by a security guard who witnessed the attack near her home in London. She is one of seven women attacked by the same man

'While you dressed so as to avoid detection, you were determined on each day to find a victim to attack.

'You were not deterred by having been interrupted on neither the first nor the second occasion by members of the public.

'I do not accept you have any genuine remorse at all. Many times in the past you have claimed to have victim awareness.

'These actions prove those are at the moment entirely empty words.'

Stephen Akinsanya, defending, earlier said his client's 'indication of remorse is genuine', adding: 'This is a young man who is unable, or has been unable, to contain sexual urges and it is an area in which he needs help.'

Victorin was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of eight years and eight months, minus the 334 days he has already spent in custody for the two attempted rapes.

He was given concurrent sentences totalling three years and two months for the sexual assaults with no separate penalty for the possession of cannabis.

Vitorin who was living in various addresses in the Southwark area, admitted two attempted rapes, four of sexual assault and possession of cannabis.
A Ukrainian soldier has been killed in a mortar attack by suspected Russian separatists in fighting around the border, amid fears Moscow is about to invade.

One soldier died and another was injured after Ukrainian positions came under fire from machine guns, mortars, and grenade launchers overnight, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry said today without giving exact details.

It comes amid a massive build-up of troops on the Russian side of the border, with Moscow on Friday laying out a list of demands for the US and its NATO allies.

The Kremlin wants guarantees that Ukraine never be allowed to join NATO and that no more troops will be sent to other eastern European nations, state media said.

It comes after President Putin spoke angrily of 'red lines' which he said were not being 'respected' in recent weeks.

A Ukrainian soldier has been killed in fighting with pro-Russian separatists as tensions on the border continue to escalate. Pictured: a Russian rocket launcher fires during military drills in Orenburg

The Ukrainian army said separatists had targeted its positions with grenade launchers and mortars. Pictured: Russian military drills

NATO has also been told abandon all military activities in eastern Europe and to call a halt to military drills in border zones.

Russia wants guarantees that no short or medium-range missiles will be moved into zones where they can strike its territory, that neither side do anything that could be perceived as a 'threat', and that information on drills should be regularly shared.

It also wants general agreements in place that neither side perceives the other as a threat, and that everything will be done to avoid the use of force.

Russian state newswires published the list on Friday as Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the US and NATO have so-far rejected the ideas, and called the response 'not encouraging'.

Moscow said the proposals were handed over to the United States earlier this week in an attempt to ease tensions that have been building in eastern Europe for months.

At a briefing with journalists Ryabkov said Russia was ready to hold urgent security talks with the United States 'as early as' Saturday.

'We are ready to immediately, even tomorrow - literally tomorrow, on Saturday - to go for talks with the US in a third country,' he said, noting that 'Geneva was suggested to the Americans'.

Kiev has been battling a pro-Moscow insurgency in two breakaway regions bordering Russia since 2014, when the Kremlin annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.

Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops near Ukraine's borders and the West has for weeks accused it of planning an invasion, warning Moscow of massive sanctions should it launch an attack.

Kiev and its allies accuse Russia of supporting the rebels militarily - claims which Moscow denies.

Russia now has 50 battalions comprising up to 94,000 troops stationed on the Ukrainian border with another 80,000 - 100,000 sitting in reserve and will be ready to invade within weeks, the US has warned

Kiev and its allies accuse Russia of supporting the rebels militarily - claims which Moscow denies

The latest death brings Ukraine's toll in the simmering conflict to 65 since the start of the year, according to an AFP tally based on official figures, compared to a total of 50 in all of 2020.

Russia has massed around 100,000 troops on its side of the border.

US President Joe Biden warned his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin of 'sanctions like he's never seen' should the troops attack Ukraine.

European Union leaders on Thursday urged Moscow to halt its military build-up and return to talks led by France and Germany.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine has so far left more than 13,000 dead.

A Ukraine minister warned on Thursday that a full Russian invasion would spread global conflict and could be the trigger for World War Three.

Yuliia Laputina, the minister for veterans affairs, said that her country was prepared to defend itself should Moscow launch another attack.

But she warned that the consequences of an invasion ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin would be far-reaching, and would not be contained in her country.

'If Russia will invade you know, you should also take care about the Balkans. What Russians are doing now in Serbia - they try to provoke a situation in the Balkans,' she told Sky News in an interview on Thursday.

A Ukrainian serviceman keeps watch at a position on the frontline with Russia-backed separatists near the village of Pesky

'But we also take into account [the beginning of] World War Three.'

Meanwhile NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has set conditions for working with Russia on its new security proposal and offered to work with Moscow to build fresh confidence if tensions are eased with Ukraine.

Russia has submitted draft documents outlining security arrangements it wants to negotiate with the United States and its NATO allies.

No details have emerged, but the Kremlin says that a senior Russian envoy stands ready to depart for talks in a neutral country on the proposal.

Stoltenberg said that NATO had received the documents, and 'that any dialogue with Russia would also need to address NATO's concerns about Russia's actions, be based on core principles and documents of European security, and take place in consultation with NATO's European partners, such as Ukraine.'

He added that the 30 NATO countries 'have made clear that should Russia take concrete steps to reduce tensions, we are prepared to work on strengthening confidence building measures.' He didn't elaborate.

A Soviet truck-mounted 122mm multiple rocket launcher shoots during military drills near Orenburg

In a statement late Thursday, NATO envoys warned that they are 'seriously assessing the implications for alliance security of the current situation.' They said the world's biggest security organization stands ready to bolster its presence in eastern Europe, near to Russia, if necessary.

It comes as Russia today confirmed that its new deadly hypersonic 208-ton 'Satan-2' intercontinental ballistic missile will go into service within a year.

The Kremlin will also significantly increase the number of test launches of its ICBMs in 2022, it was announced.

And the head of Moscow's strategic missile forces Col-Gen Sergey Karakayev vowed to replace the Mach-27 capable Avangard hypersonic gliding unit by the time the West finds an 'antidote' to it.

The head of Moscow's strategic missile forces Col-Gen Sergey Karakayev vowed to replace the Mach-27 capable Avangard hypersonic gliding unit (pictured)

New images purport to show heavy weaponry suspected to be en route to a military field camp near the village of Klintsy in Bryansk region, some 28 miles from the Ukrainian border.

'Starting from 2022, it is planned to begin gradual removal of the heavy-class silo-based Voyevoda missile system, and replace it with Sarmat,' announced Karakayev, referring to the newly developed biggest beast in the Russian nuclear arsenal known in the West as Satan-2.

The 15,880 mph weapon can deliver a MIRV warhead that weighs up to 10 tonnes to any point in the world flying over both the North and South Poles, say the Russians.

It has the capability to use trajectories and unpredictable routes which 'substantially impede their destruction even by advanced missile defence systems'.

Karakayev also vowed to keep developing hypersonic weapons to stay ahead of the West.

'We must understand this and do it and go further with hypersonic weapons,' he said.

'By the time they find an antidote, we must have found another solution to this. And today we are working on it.

'There are developments, there is work in progress. I think that this task is within our reach.'

Moscow also made clear that in the coming year it would launch more than ten ICBMs.

This compares with a total of 25 such launches in the past five years, indicating a significant increase.

'If we look at the statistics for the past five years, I think it becomes clear how intense and difficult the next year is going to be,' he said.
Facebook has banned seven cyber-mercenary firms from its platforms, including an Israeli company hired by Harvey Weinstein to target his accusers.

The company also said in a report published on Thursday that it will send warning notices to 48,000 users who Facebook believes were targeted by malicious activity, after a months-long investigation carried out into the 'cyber mercenary' industry.

The social media giant said its investigation had uncovered new details about how the surveillance companies enable their clients to 'indiscriminately' target internet users worldwide to collect intelligence about them and manipulate them.

Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc said said it was suspending roughly 1,500, mostly fake accounts run by seven organisations across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Meta said the entities targeted people in more than 100 countries.

Among them is Israel's Black Cube, which became notorious for deploying its spies on behalf of Hollywood rapist Harvey Weinstein against his accusers.

Meta said the intelligence firm was deploying phantom personas to chat its targets up online and gather their emails, 'likely for later phishing attacks.'

Facebook has banned seven cyber-mercenary firms from its platforms, including an Israeli company hired by Harvey Weinstein to target his accusers. The company's report said the companies would 'indiscriminately' target internet users worldwide to collect intelligence

Others called out by Meta include BellTroX, an Indian cyber mercenary firm and the internet watchdog Citizen Lab last year, an Israeli company called Bluehawk CI, and a European firm named Cytrox - all of whom Meta accused of hacking.

Cognyte, which was spun off from security giant Verint Systems Inc in February, and Israeli firms Cobwebs Technologies were accused not of hacking but of using fake profiles to trick people into revealing private data.

Meta did not provide a detailed explanation of how it identified the surveillance firms, but it operates some of the world's biggest social and communications networks and regularly touts its ability to find and remove malicious actors.

The company's fight with the spy firms comes amid a wider move by American tech companies and President Joe Biden's administration against purveyors of digital espionage services.

One of the most notable is the Israeli spyware company NSO Group, which was blacklisted earlier this month following weeks of revelations about how its technology was being deployed against civil society.

Meta is already suing NSO in a U.S. court. Nathaniel Gleicher, Meta's head of security policy said Thursday's crackdown was meant to signal that 'the surveillance-for-hire industry is much broader than one company.'

'It's important to realize that NSO is only one piece of a much broader global cyber mercenary ecosystem,' Facebook said.

Facebook's investigation comes as the company itself is facing scrutiny over the effect its effect on society.

Accusations by a whistleblower, Frances Haugen, who said Meta's platforms spread hate speech and disinformation and harm young people only intensified that scrutiny from Washington lawmakers.

Meta is already suing NSO in a U.S. court. Nathaniel Gleicher, Meta's head of security policy said Thursday's crackdown was meant to signal that 'the surveillance-for-hire industry is much broader than one company'

Facebook's investigation comes as the company itself is facing scrutiny over the effect its effect on society. Accusations by a whistleblower, Frances Haugen (pictured giving testimony in the US in October), who said Meta's platforms spread hate speech and disinformation and harm young people only intensified that scrutiny from Washington lawmakers

The investigation gives more significant insight into how social media platforms are used by the surveillance industry to create fake accounts and deceive their targets.

Responding to Facebook's report, Black Cube said in a statement it 'does not undertake any phishing or hacking' and said the firm routinely ensured 'all our agents' activities are fully compliant with local laws.'

Black Cube has previously apologised for its work for Weinstein.

Cognyte, Verint and Bluehawk did not immediately return messages seeking comment from Reuters news agency.

In an email, Cobwebs spokesperson Meital Levi Tal said the company drew on open sources and that its products 'are not intrusive by any means.'

Messages left with Ivo Malinovski, who until recently identified himself as Cytrox's chief executive on LinkedIn, received no immediate response.

BellTroX founder Sumit Gupta has not returned Reuters' messages since his firm was exposed last year. He had previously denied wrongdoing.

Gleicher refused to identify any of the targets by name but Citizen Lab, in a report published at the same time as Meta's, said that one of Cytrox's victims was Egyptian opposition figure Ayman Nour.

Nour blamed the Egyptian government for the spying, saying in an interview from Istanbul that he had long suspected he was under surveillance by officials there.

'For the first time I have evidence,' he said.

Egyptian authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Among the companies banned by Facebook is Israel's Black Cube, which became notorious for deploying its spies on behalf of Hollywood rapist Harvey Weinstein against his accusers. Pictured: The Hollywood mogul seen in February 2020

Gleicher said other targets of the spy firms included celebrities, politicians, journalists, lawyers, executives and regular citizens. Friends and family of the targets were also swept up in the espionage campaigns, he said.

Meta cybersecurity official David Agranovich said he hoped Thursday's announcement would 'kickstart the disruption of the surveillance-for-hire market.'

There were some signs that other social media firms were taking similar action, with Twitter announcing the removal of 300 accounts a few hours after Meta's announcement.

Whether the takedowns deal the companies involved more than a temporary setback remains to be seen. Two of the companies, Black Cube and BellTroX, have bounced back after being embroiled in previous spy scandals.

Gleicher said that targets of the spy firms would receive automated warnings, but he said Facebook would stop short of identifying the specific firms involved or their clients.

That's despite the fact that Facebook said it had identified several customers of Cobwebs, Cognyte, Cytrox, and Black Cube - the latter of which includes law firms.

Marta Pardavi, one of several Hungarian human rights defenders who say they were targeted by Black Cube in 2017 and 2018, said she was gratified by the news of Facebook's report but wanted more information.

'They name law firms,' she said. 'But law firms have clients. Who are the clients for these law firms?'
Italy is hoping to make Covid vaccines available to children aged under five next year, the country's health minister has revealed.

Andrea Costa said on Thursday that he is 'hopeful' jabs can be made available to the very youngest by the end of March.

'We await the work of the scientists, who every day give is the right weapons to fight the pandemic, with great trust,' he said.

Most countries are now vaccinating at least some children against Covid, with a handful already inoculating those aged under five.

That is despite the fact that serve illness in under-fives is extremely rare, and deaths in that age group are almost unheard of.

Covid vaccines for children aged under 5 could be approved in Italy before April next year, the country's health minister has said (file image)

In England throughout the whole of 2020 there was just one death in a child aged under five, and just 25 in children under 17 between March 2020 and February 2021.

Around half of the 25 who died had severe underlying conditions and required intensive medical care such as breathing or feeding tubes.

But it is hoped that immunizing children will help to stop the spread of Covid to older and more-vulnerable age groups - especially among school-age children.

Vaccines are not as effective at stopping infection as they are at preventing serious disease and death from Covid, but they do still provide some protection against transmission - including against the Omicron variant.

Nations which do not routinely vaccinate children are also finding it hard to get their overall jab rates above 70 per cent - the theoretical level required for herd immunity.

For example, the UK vaccinated its adult population at a faster rate than most other European countries with its campaign largely finished by early summer.

Europe has vaccinated around 65 per cent of its population against Covid on average, but countries with the highest jab rates have all widely vaccinated children

But its overall jab rate then stopped around 68 per cent, slightly above the European average but just short of the herd immunity threshold.

Britain has since been overhauled by the likes of Spain and Portugal which have vaccinated 80 per cent and 90 per cent of their population respectively - largely because they have been offering the jabs to children.

The UK only offers a single dose to children aged 12-15, and has only recently started offering two doses to those in that age group with underlying conditions.

Spain and Portugal have been fully vaccinating all children aged over 12 for months, and began offering two doses to those aged over five earlier in December.

As a result, both countries have fared better against the winter wave of Covid than the UK has.

Cases are now climbing in both due to the emergence of the vaccine-busting Omicron variant, but neither has introduced widespread restrictions while hospital admissions and deaths remain very low.

A handful of countries are already vaccinating the under-fives against Covid, with China becoming the first to approve a shot for those aged three and above in June

China was among the first countries to offer jabs to the under-5s, having approved its Sinovac vaccine for those aged 3+ back in June.

Several countries which rely on the Sinovac shot for their jab campaigns have followed suit, including the likes of Hong Kong, Argentina, and Bahrain.

Most European nations now vaccinate or have plans to vaccinate children aged above five after the EU's medical regulator approved the move last month.

The United State also gave approval for Pfizer's vaccine to be used in children aged five and above back in November. Some states have started mandating vaccines for children aged above 12.

A much-smaller group of nations restrict the jabs to only older children, including the likes of Brazil, Russia, India, Sweden, Norway, and Mexico.

Cuba is the country which has offered vaccines to the youngest kids, making shots available to everyone aged two and above.
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Whether they are curled up on a bed or enjoying the afternoon sun, cats certainly make the most of their cosy relationships with their human owners.

But if it wasn't for a troubled English artist, 21st century Britons might view felines as the Victorians once did: irritating instruments of Vermin control.

Louis Wain became famous for the thousands of sketches and paintings of cats which he produced in his lifetime.

Often seen with large eyes or human-like smiles, the depictions softened the hearts of many.

Now, the tragic story of the life of the painter, who was imprisoned in an asylum after being plagued by mental illness, has been retold in new film The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role and Claire Foy as his wife Emily.

Narrated by Olivia Colman, the film  which is released in UK cinemas later this month  tells how, when Emily fell ill, the couple were comforted by their beloved pet cat Peter.

As the feline sat on Emily's sickbed day after day, Wain would depict him on paper. These sketches went on to be published after Emily's death and formed the springboard for the popularity of Wain's later work.

Artist Louis Wain became famous for the thousands of sketches and paintings of cats which he produced in his lifetime. Now, the tragic story of the life of the painter, who was imprisoned in an asylum after being plagued by mental illness, has been retold in new film The Electrical Life of Louis Wain. Right: A 1906 Louis Wain postcard

Born in 1860, Wain's father worked for a textile firm and his mother was French.

After studying at the West London school of Art, Wain became a freelance artist and specialised in the depiction of animals and country scenes.

Wain's wife Emily, whom he married in 1883, had worked as a governess to his five sisters. The couple adopted Peter, who had been a stray, when they discovered him meowing in the rain.

However, Emily fell ill soon after she and Wain married. Despite the tragedy that was to come, it was the close bond that the couple developed with Peter that transformed Wain's career.

Before her death in 1887, Emily encouraged Wain to have his sketches of Peter published. Although they did not appear in print until after her death, they ultimately proved enormously popular.

Wain later wrote of his pet, 'To him, properly, belongs the foundation of my career, the developments of my initial efforts, and the establishing of my work.'

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain stars Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role and Claire Foy as his wife Emily

Narrated by Olivia Colman, the film  which is released in UK cinemas later this month  tells how, when Emily fell ill, the couple were comforted by their beloved pet cat Peter. As the feline sat on Emily's sickbed day after day, Wain would depict him on paper. These sketches went on to be published after Emily's death and formed the springboard for the popularity of Wain's later work

The development which clinched his lasting fame as an illustrator was when he gave his cats human features and depicted them wearing clothes.

Published in the hugely popular Illustrated London News in 1890, the cats were seen sporting monocles, dancing and even smoking cigars.

Wain also became president of the National Cat Club and created the world's first animated cartoon cat, which was called Pussyfoot.

Writing in his biography of Wain, author Rodney Dale said: 'It is not, I think, too far-fetched to speculate that Louis Wain's having met Peter changed the course of domestic history.

'Certainly, the attitude of the general public towards cats, and their feeling (or otherwise) for cats was greatly affected by Louis Wain's work.'

Wain's anthropomorphised depictions of cats proved hugely popular. Pictured: A World War One comic postcard published by Raphael Tuck & Sons, 1916

The development which clinched his lasting fame as an illustrator was when he gave his cats human features and depicted them wearing clothes

Wain expert Chris Beetles told Collectors Weekly that more than 1,000 postcards featuring the artist's depictions were produced by 75 different publishers over 40 years. Above: One of the paintings which Wain produced when he was in hospital

He added: 'Had Peter not found comfort on Emily's sick-bed, he would not have made such a ready model for Louis Wain. And had he not received so much attention, he might well have not developed such a personality.'

But as well as doing much to change the popular view of cats via his pencil and paint brush, Wain also pushed for his contemporaries to treat felines better.

Wain wrote a letter in the Daily Mail in 1911 which called on people to treat animals, including cats, better

Writing a letter to the Daily Mail in 1911, he said: 'The societies devoted to the cause of animal redemption have done and are doing great work towards the alleviation of suffering in the animal world; but there is more unnecessary suffering through sheer thoughtlessness than would be credited.

'The number of people who allow their animals to become covered with vermin during hot weather or who neglect the very elementary duty attached to keeping pets, is large.

'Every summer the newspapers are generous enough to give space to call attention to the cruelty of turning cats astray while the owners are away, and this is having a good effect.

'But despite everything that is being done, and the help of the police, the parishes are doing nothing to aid the good work of the charities and the press.'

He added: 'I trust that a few words of warning will not be thrown away upon the public, because an excuse is made for the rabid dog, but should a poor wretched cat run wild, that is put down to its savage nature, and the old prejudice will tend to undo the good that is being done by many cat societies.'

Earlier, in an 1897 edition of the newspaper, wrote a potted history the domestic feline in which he claimed that the 'finest English cats come from the Midlands'.

Educating his Victorian readers, he said: 'The English cat, despite the hard life that was usually his lot has shown very sturdy quality, and does not degenerate as will a dog thrown upon his own resources in the streets.'

He predicted that one day, 'the present day good qualities of the cat will develop until it has attained the status of the dog.

'When this point has been reached, there can be little doubt that the cat will be found to be superior to the dog in qualities of gentleness and affection, and also in general intelligence.'

Whilst dog lovers would disagree with the last sentiment, Wain's hope that cats would become adored household pets on a similar par with dogs has arguably come to pass.

Louis Wain strokes his pet cat as he works at his drawing board in the 1890s. The artist worked prolifically to produce thousands of depictions of felines

In another letter, Wain said that people who were 'subject to nervous fear of the cat would be the greatest gainers electrically by nursing one of these creatures'

Wain expert Chris Beetles told Collectors Weekly that more than 1,000 postcards featuring the artist's depictions were produced by 75 different publishers over 40 years.

During the 1900s, Wain was producing more than 600 new designs each year and in his lifetime he illustrated more than 200 books.

However, despite the enormous popularity of his work, Wain struggled financially because he often sold his work without holding onto publishing rights.

It meant that he did not benefit from the prolific reproduction of his work and was in debt for much of his life.

His mental health took a turn for the worse when, due to a paper shortage in the First World War, he struggled to keep up his work rate.

With his depression getting worse and his behaviour becoming stranger Wain was admitted to London's Springfield Hospital in 1924.

The Modern 'Arry and 'Arriet Gouache by Louis Wain. During the 1900s, Wain was producing more than 600 new designs each year and in his lifetime he illustrated more than 200 books

The cat lover did much to persuade Britons that cats were good pets, rather than just tools for killing unwanted vermin. Above: One of Wain's drawings

An unperceived danger, drawing by Louis Wain from The Illustrated London News, volume 97, No 2691, November 15, 1890

The Acrobats by Louis Wain. The painter depicted cats in a way which Britons loved. However, despite the enormous popularity of his work, Wain struggled financially because he often sold his work without holding onto publishing rights

The Chairman, by Louis Wain. Wain expert Chris Beetles told Collectors Weekly that more than 1,000 postcards featuring the artist's depictions were produced by 75 different publishers over 40 years

During the 1900s, Wain was producing more than 600 new designs each year and in his lifetime he illustrated more than 200 books. Above: A comic postcard produced by Wain during the First World War

This depiction, named 'A Boat Ride', shows to cats enjoying themselves on the water. It was the cats' human-like actions and appearance which made them so popular

With the understanding of mental illness being primitive at the time, there is little way of knowing what Wain's specific ailment was.

Remarkably, when the popular painter's plight was discovered, a fund was set up to finance a move to a private room at Bethlem Royal Hospital.

The much-loved author HG Wells was one of those who appealed for people to donate money to help Wain. Wells later said warmly that the artist had 'made the cat his own.

'He invented a cat style, a cat society, a whole cat world. English cats that do not look and life like Louis Wain cats are ashamed of themselves.'

In 1930, Wain was moved again to Napsbury Hospital in Hertfordshire and he died there in 1939 aged 78.

The upcoming film about Wain's life also stars Toby Jones, Andrea Riseborough, Aimee Lou Wood, Richard Ayoade, Taika Waititi, Nick Cave and Olivia Colman.
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Richard Horton, the editor of the Lancet, admitted he knew about the lead author behind a letter denouncing the Covid lab-leak theory Peter Daszak's (right) Chinese affiliations more than a year before the journal published an addendum

The editor of one of the world's most prestigious medical journals has admitted it took more than a year to declare the conflict of interests of a scientist who denounced the Covid lab leak theory and called anyone who questioned the official Chinese narrative a conspiracy theorist.

Dr Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet, said it took 16 months to publish an official conflict of interest statement in which he revealed Peter Daszak had links to the Wuhan laboratory at the centre of the spillover theory.

Dr Daszak organised the letter in February 2020, co-signed by 26 other leading researchers which condemned 'conspiracy theories' that Covid did not arise naturally.

The move is claimed to have shut down any debate over whether the virus could have escaped from a lab last year. But the zoologist, a Lancastrian who now lives in New York, had ties to Wuhan Institute of Virology stretching back 15 years.

During a grilling from MPs on the Science and Technology Select Committee on Wednesday, Dr Horton was forced to defend the 16-month delay before Dr Daszak's important conflicts of interest were finally published in a memorandum in the journal this June.

Dr Horton, who was honoured at The Great Hall of the People in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 2008, to mark an 'unprecedented' collaboration between Peking University and The Lancet, admitted to MPs: 'A hundred per cent, I completely agree, the information that we published in June as an addendum should definitely have been included in the February letter.'

But he told the committee it took longer than a year to persuade Dr Daszak to formally record his links with China.

The Lancet editor said: 'We ended up having a debate with him about, well, do you have a competing interest or not?'

Dr Daszak argued that he was an expert on bat coronaviruses in China, with a view that should be listened to. Dr Horton said: 'It took us over a year to persuade him to declare his full competing interest, which we eventually did in June of this year.'

The journal editor was accused of doing 'too little too late' by Conservative MP Aaron Bell, who also questioned whether the controversial original Lancet letter had 'served to close down scientific debate'.

On why Dr Daszak's links with Wuhan Institute of Virology had not been checked, Dr Horton said: 'We ask everybody who submits a piece that's accepted for publication in The Lancet to declare their competing interests, and we take those statements on trust.

'And in this particular case, regrettably, the authors claim that they have no competing interests, and of course... there were indeed competing interests that were significant, particularly in relation to Peter Daszak.'

The Lancet established an office in Beijing, in addition to its New York office and London headquarters, in 2010.

In 2015, Dr Horton travelled to Beijing to receive the Friendship Award from China  the highest honour awarded to 'foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the country's economic and social progress'.

He claimed China faced a 'blame game' over the origins of the pandemic, despite admitting that it had denied the World Health Organisation access to crucial information needed for an investigation into the cause of the outbreak.

Leaked emails earlier this year revealed it was Dr Daszak who drafted the Lancet letter dismissing non-natural causes of the pandemic, such as a lab leak, as conspiracy theories.

As president of the EcoHealth Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation researching emerging infectious diseases, he asked colleagues to sign and 'circulate it among some eminent scientists'.

On the 'debate' with Dr Daszak over his conflicts of interest, Dr Horton told MPs: 'It's quite an interesting debate, because his view was, look, I'm an expert in working in China on bat coronaviruses.

That isn't a competing interest  it actually makes me an expert with a view that should be listened to. Our take was, well, in the court of public opinion, that is a competing interest you should declare.'

Dr Horton faced comparisons with The Lancet's notorious publication of a paper linking the MMR vaccine to autism, by disgraced academic Dr Andrew Wakefield, which was only retracted 12 years later.

Labour MP Graham Stringer said: 'Was nothing learnt about trust in The Lancet from the experience with Wakefield?'

Virologist Shi Zheng-li works with her colleague in the P4 lab of the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Hubei province

A May 2021 report from The Wall Street Journal cited an undisclosed intelligence report detailing how three scientists from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the outbreak

President Xi is alleged to have significant influence over WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a former Ethiopian minister whose country has been a major recipient of Chinese investment

Peter Daszak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology before the pandemic

During the session, Harvard scientist Dr Alina Chan said the Wuhan lab leak is now the most likely origin of the coronavirus pandemic because China tried to cover it up and because experts still haven't found an animal host despite extensive searching.

She said the idea that the virus may have been genetically engineered is 'reasonable'.

She highlighted a number of coincidences in the Covid timeline and said the state-sponsored Chinese cover-up of the early stages of the pandemic added to suspicion.

DID COVID LEAK FROM A WUHAN LAB? THE EVIDENCE FOR AND AGAINST Evidence for Wuhan lab-leak theory An article in the respected Science journal on May 14 kick-started the surge in interest for the lab-leak theory. Some 18 experts wrote in the journal that 'we must take hypotheses about both natural and laboratory spillovers seriously until we have sufficient data'. Later that month, a study by British Professor Angus Dalgleish and Norwegian scientist Dr Birger Srensen claimed it had 'prima facie evidence of retro-engineering in China' for a year. The study included accusations of 'deliberate destruction, concealment or contamination of data' at Chinese labs. It followed statements from the WHO Director General, US and EU that greater clarity about the origins of this pandemic is necessary and feasible to achieve. Previously, the theory had been dismissed as conspiracy by most experts, partly because of its association with President Donald Trump. President Joe Biden in May ordered a full investigation into the origin of the pandemic virus and demanded scientists work out whether there is truth to the theory. The head of the World Health Organization insisted just a day earlier that the theory that Covid emerged from a Wuhan lab has not been ruled out  as he said China should help solve the mystery out of 'respect' for the dead. The body's director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, suggested that Beijing had not cooperated fully as he urged more 'transparency' in the continuing investigation. Evidence against the theory Several other sects of the scientific community continue to suggest the virus could only be natural in origin. A series of recent papers pointed to the virus evolving in animals before being transmitted to humans, in the same way as all other previously discovered coronaviruses. The first study, published in Scientific Reports, showed some 47,000 wild animals from 38 species were sold across four markets in Wuhan between May 2017 and November 2019. The authors, including Dr Chris Newman, an evolutionary ecologist at Oxford University, claimed the evidence showed the conditions for animal-to-human transmission were in place in Wuhan. But they acknowledged there was no proof Sars-CoV-2 was present or originated in any of these animals. A joint World Health Organization-China investigation also concluded it was 'very likely' the virus jumped from bats to humans via an as-yet-unknown intermediary animal. Advertisement

Speaking to the Science and Technology Select Committee, Dr Chan said: 'I think the lab origin is more likely than not.

'Right now it's not safe for people who know about the origin of the pandemic to come forward.

'But we live in an era where there is so much information being stored that it will eventually come out.

'We have heard from many top virologists that a genetically engineered origin is reasonable and that includes virologists who made modifications to the first Sars virus.'

Dr Chan, who wrote a book on the origin of the virus, added: 'We know this virus has a unique feature, called the furin cleavage site, and without this feature there is no way this would be causing this pandemic.

'A proposal was leaked showing that EcoHealth and the Wuhan Institute of Virology were developing a pipeline for inserting novel furin cleavage sites.

'So, you find these scientists who said in early 2018 'I'm going to put horns on horses' and at the end of 2019 a unicorn turns up in Wuhan city.'

Viscount Matt Ridley, who co-authored the book with Dr Chan, also said a lab leak is now the most likely theory because experts have still not found the animal host that would support a natural origin despite two years of extensive searching.

Recent revelations of China's attempted cover-up have forced British and US intelligence officials to take seriously the lab-leak hypothesis, once dismissed as a crank conspiracy theory.

Lord Ridley said: 'I also think it's more likely than not because we have to face the fact after two months we knew the origins of SARS, and after a couple of months we knew MERS was though through camels, but after two years we still haven't found a single infected animal that could be the progenitor, and that's incredibly surprising.

'We need to find out so we can prevent the next pandemic. We need to know whether we should be tightening up work in laboratories or whether we should be tightening up regulations related to wildlife markets. At the moment we are really not doing either.

'We also need to know to deter bad actors who are watching this episode and thinking that unleashing a pandemic is something they could get away with.'

A May 2021 report from The Wall Street Journal cited an undisclosed intelligence report detailing how three scientists from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the Covid pandemic.

The lab specialised in engineering dangerous coronaviruses and is the only level four biochemical lab in China.

An article in the respected Science journal on May 14 kick-started the surge in interest for the lab-leak theory.

Some 18 experts wrote in the journal that 'we must take hypotheses about both natural and laboratory spillovers seriously until we have sufficient data'.

Later that month, a study by British Professor Angus Dalgleish and Norwegian scientist Dr Birger Srensen claimed it had 'prima facie evidence of retro-engineering in China' for a year.

The study included accusations of 'deliberate destruction, concealment or contamination of data' at Chinese labs.

It followed statements from the WHO Director General, US and EU that greater clarity about the origins of this pandemic is necessary and feasible to achieve.

Previously, the theory had been dismissed as conspiracy by most experts, partly because of its association with Donald Trump.

President Joe Biden in May ordered a full investigation into the origin of the pandemic virus and demanded scientists work out whether there is truth to the theory.

The head of the WHO insisted just a day earlier that the theory that Covid emerged from a Wuhan lab has not been ruled out  as he said China should help solve the mystery out of 'respect' for the dead.

Security personnel keep watch outside the Wuhan Institute of Virology during the visit by the WHO team tasked with investigating the origins of Covid, February 3, 2021

The body's director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, suggested that Beijing had not cooperated fully as he urged more 'transparency' in the continuing investigation.

How British expert Dr Peter Daszak orchestrated a 'bullying' campaign A British expert orchestrated a behind-the-scenes 'bullying' campaign to ensure blame for Covid was directed away from a Chinese lab with which he had worked closely. Dr Peter Daszak, 55, from Manchester, persuaded 26 other scientists to sign off on a letter he had written to world-leading scientific journal The Lancet claiming the virus could only have been natural in origin and to suggest otherwise creates 'fear, rumours, and prejudice'. The letter flatly denied the virus could have originated in a lab in Wuhan and dismissed it as a 'conspiracy theory'. Dr Daszak runs the New York-based, tax payer-funded non-profit EcoHealth Alliance, which has funnelled hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. He worked closely with the lab's so-called 'bat woman' Shi Zhengli as they investigated and modified coronaviruses. Shi, 57, proved that horseshoe bats were behind a SARS virus that killed nearly 800 people in 2002 and has collected thousands of samples from bat caves. Dr Daszak was one four Brits to sign the letter, including SAGE advisor Sir Jeremy Farrar and two other experts working for the Welcome Trust at the time. The letters' signatories included four others who worked for EcoHealth. The letter was seen as so influential it cowed most experts into refusing even to consider that the virus could have been man-made and escaped from the Wuhan Institute. Advertisement

However, several other sects of the scientific community continue to suggest the virus could only be natural in origin.

A series of recent papers pointed to the virus evolving in animals before being transmitted to humans, in the same way as all other previously discovered coronaviruses.

The first study, published in Scientific Reports , showed some 47,000 wild animals from 38 species were sold across four markets in Wuhan between May 2017 and November 2019.

The authors, including Dr Chris Newman, an evolutionary ecologist at Oxford University, claimed the evidence showed the conditions for animal-to-human transmission were in place in Wuhan.

But they acknowledged there was no proof Sars-CoV-2 was present or originated in any of these animals.

A joint WHO-China investigation also concluded it was 'very likely' the virus jumped from bats to humans via an as-yet-unknown intermediary animal.

Lord Ridley slammed the Lancet for a 'lack of transparency', with Dr Daszak's links to the lab and role in orchestrating the letter only being revealed after it was leaked.

In the grilling with MPs, Dr Horton insisted he did not know about the scientist's connections to the lab's so-called 'bat woman' Shi Zhengli  who did experimental research on coronaviruses coming from thousands of samples from the animal  until after the letter was published.

But he admitted that his opinion on the theory has now changed, calling it a 'valid hypothesis that requires investigation'.

Dr Horton said the Lancet usually takes authors' declarations of interest at face value.

He said: 'In this case regrettably the authors claimed they had no interest but there were indeed competing interests that were significant, particularly in relation to Peter Daszak.

'We weren't aware of those competing interests but we became very quickly aware of them afterwards because he was subject to considerable public criticism.'

Dr Horton added that the World Health Organization's investigation into the lab  which in March this year concluded that the leak theory was one of four valid hypotheses for Covid's origins  had changed his mind that it was impossible for the virus to have come from anything other than natural origin.

But he said he agreed with the organisation's assertion that it was an unlikely hypothesis  despite acknowledging that the investigation was hampered by Chinese authorities.

Asked to provide a percentage figure on his confidence in the theory, he said: 'I agree with the World Health Organization that it's a valid hypothesis that requires investigation but is extremely unlikely.'

Lord Ridley slammed Dr Daszak for not revealing his direct role in funding controversial gain-of-function research  which manipulates viruses to make them more transmissible and deadly and is illegal in Europe  at the lab until the information was leaked.

And he said it was 'extraordinary' that Dr Daszak's role in orchestrating the Lancet letter was also not revealed until it was revealed by leaked emails.

He said: '[Daszak] said to his co-authors that it should not appear to be coming from him or his organisation and he remained on the Lancet commission investigating the origin of Covid for many months thereafter.

World Health Organisation 'bowed to China' by skipping a letter in the Greek alphabet when naming the new Covid variant The World Health Organisation has been accused of bowing to China by skipping a letter in the Greek alphabet when naming the new Covid variant. The agency on Friday announced that it would be calling the new strain Omicron  jumping over the letter Xi, which is also the name of China's premier Xi Jinping. The WHO said its decision was based on Xi being a 'common surname' and to avoid either 'stigma' or the risk of causing offence to 'cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic groups'. But critics said the decision provided yet more evidence that the WHO is 'scared' of the Chinese Communist Party. It has already been accused of overseeing a whitewash inquiry into the origins of the pandemic in the Chinese city of Wuhan and of ignoring evidence suggesting it may have started in a laboratory there. President Xi is famously thin-skinned and is even said to have banned the character Winnie the Pooh in China after critics pointed out his resemblance to the bear. The WHO began naming new variants after characters in the Greek alphabet rather than by the place in which they emerged in May on the basis that they are 'easy to pronounce and non-stigmatising labels'. Omicron is the fifth mutation to be named as a variant of concern. Other variants  such as Epsilon, Lambda and Mu  were categorised as 'of interest' so went largely unnoticed outside the scientific community. Texas Senator Ted Cruz tweeted: 'If the WHO is this scared of the Chinese Communist Party, how can they be trusted to call them out the next time they're trying to cover up a catastrophic global pandemic?' Advertisement

'So there has been a significant lack of transparency, not just from the Chinese authorities, but from Western ones as well on this and that does seem to me a huge problem.'

Earlier this year, an investigation by The Sunday Times revealed efforts by Beijing to control the WHO's decision making, sabotage investigations and even install officials.

The newspaper claims the WHO failed to publicly challenge Chinese misinformation, delayed declaring an international emergency, and discouraged governments from placing travel bans on China to protect its economy.

It has also been suggested officials agreed a 'backroom deal' with the Chinese to water down the inquiry into the origins of Covid-19.

This meant steering scientists away from the theory coronavirus actually escaped from a Wuhan laboratory, rather than coming from wild animals in a wet market in the city in December 2019.

The theory was initially dismissed as 'extremely unlikely' by the WHO but now experts say there might have been 'human error' at the lab.

Central to the paper's claims is that close ties between the WHO's leadership and China had impacted on its ability to challenge the country over the emergence of the virus.

It is suggested China has for some time been using financial leverage over poorer nations to install its preferred figures into key roles at the WHO as well as other UN-governed bodies.

Chief among the decision makers at the WHO is Tedros, who is a long-time friend of China. He visited President Xi in January 2020, two months before the pandemic began.

Between 2000 and 2012, there were around 130 official Chinese finance projects in Zimbabwe, with some totalling hundreds of million of pounds to build hydroelectric dams and provide agricultural machinery.

In June last year, Zimbabwe was one of 53 countries to back the Hong Kong national security law at the United Nations, derided by Western nations as a clampdown on protestors and free speech by China.

Professor Richard Ebright, a fellow of America's Infectious Disease Society, told the Times that China's efforts had a 'decisive role' in affecting the agency's failure to act.

'There was no scientific or medical or policy justification for the stance that the WHO took in January and February of 2020. That was entirely premised on maintaining satisfactory ties to the Chinese government,' he said.

'Through that process, the WHO actively resisted and obstructed efforts by other nations to implement effective border controls that could have limited the spread, or even contained the spread of the outbreak.'

The support for Tedros especially had a 'remarkably high return on the investment' compared to the funds and influence used to help him get elected.

A spokesperson for the organisation hit back at the claims, saying: 'WHO's top priority is ending the acute stage of the Covid-19 pandemic.'

They later added: 'The Sunday Times piece is riddled with inaccuracies, falsehoods, half-truths, unsubstantiated assertions, willful distortions and the intentional omission of anything that didn't fit the pre-determined premise of the story.

'There have been several independent reviews of the global response to Covid-19, including the work of WHO, and these reviews note the work of the organisation and the early warnings we issued.

'Frankly, WHO's top priority is ending the acute stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and we are supporting countries to implement comprehensive, evidence-based responses, based on the consistent use of public health measures and the equitable use of life-saving tools including vaccines.

'In particular, we are working to enable all countries to vaccinate health workers, older people and other vulnerable groups, at a time when 75 per cent of vaccinations have taken place in only 10 countries.'
Policing minister KIt Malthouse

Two years ago, to kickstart the recruitment of 20,000 additional officers, we announced the biggest increase in police funding in a decade.

Having made huge strides to cut crime, this year we have listened to you, the public, once again, and I am hearing loud and clear that increasing police numbers and making our streets safer is a priority all year round.

Our police do extraordinary work to keep our neighbourhoods safe, but there is always more to do. From day one, the Prime Minister has been clear that cutting crime is one of his primary goals, and I wholeheartedly share his determination.

Yesterday, we showed that commitment by announcing an extra 1.1 billion to help police forces to do what they do best: fight crime and protect the public.

As a result, next year, the policing system will receive up to 16.9 billion to confront crime, protect vulnerable people and create safer, more peaceful neighbourhoods.

This year we have seen some truly horrific cases of serious violence against women and girls. I want to make sure that police have the resources to support victims of harassment and sexual assault, and the technology they need to zealously pursue the evil perpetrators of this violence.

The Home Office, with the support of the National Police Chiefs Council, has already launched a new online tool called StreetSafe, which allows the public, particularly women and girls, to pinpoint areas on a map where they feel unsafe and why. The information is used by police forces to better work with communities to improve local safety.

Primary school teacher Sabina Nessa was killed while walking to a pub in September

The government has also appointed the first ever National Police Lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, DCC Maggie Blyth, focused entirely on tackling this abhorrent issue and coordinating police action across England and Wales. This has already resulted action, with police pledging to improve their response to these abhorrent crimes and challenge sexism and misogyny within forces.

And the Safety of Women at Night Fund was launched earlier this year with up to 5 million made available for projects and initiatives, including such as drink spiking detection kits, a transport safety campaign and trained staff to support safe taxi journeys, to improve the safety of women in public spaces at night.

But we also need to address the threat caused by serious organised crime, which includes some of the most dangerous and damaging types of criminality in our society, such as cybercrime and child sexual exploitation.

Organised criminal gangs are one of the deadliest threats facing the UK today - blighting communities, ruining lives and costing the UK at least 37 billion each year. It is vital that we get a grip on this and show this country will not be a safe space for gangs to operate.

Just last month, an organised criminal gang who tried to smuggle 69 Albanian migrants into the UK on a dilapidated fishing vessel - and planned to bring in 50 more every week - were brought to justice.

Altogether, 1.4 billion will be spent on national priorities, including taking down more county lines, reducing violent crime, and tackling child sexual abuse and exploitation, fraud and modern slavery.

Sarah Everard was murdered in March by Met police officer Wayne Couzens

We have already made a huge impact here: since 2019, our county lines crackdown has seen over 1,500 lines closed, over 7,400 arrests, 4.3m seized and more than 4,000 vulnerable people safeguarded; almost 16,000 weapons have been taken off the streets in a drive to address serious violence; and our Safer Streets Fund has seen proven crime prevention measures, such as improved street lighting and CCTV put in place in areas blighted by robbery, burglary and vehicle theft.

And were going further and faster  as evidenced in our ten-year drug strategy published last week, which sets out the biggest ever increase in funding for treatment and recovery service, plus a commitment to dismantle 2,000 more county lines.

None of this would be possible without the sizeable increase in police numbers we know the PM would like to see  and I know that Mail Online readers, like so many people around the country, also want to see more officers on the beat!

We have made outstanding progress so far, with over 11,000 extra officers recruited in England and Wales, meaning we are over half-way towards meeting our target.

Every single new recruit is an asset to their force and another brave individual joining our mission to fight crime and protect people from harm.

But we must not stand still. Criminal threats are always evolving, so we must keep our eye on the ball.

We must always stand with the law-abiding majority, and against criminals who prey on the vulnerable, cause bloodshed on our streets and inflict misery on victims all over the country.

This is a mission that demands tenacity and focus. As the police funding settlement shows, there will be absolutely no let-up in our efforts to fight crime and keep the public safe.
An Indian politician has sparked outrage after joking about rape in parliament.

Ramesh Kumar, former parliamentary speaker-turned congressional leader from southern Karnataka state, made the remark during a debate on Thursday.

He made the jibe as current speaker Vishweshwar Kageri struggled to control a debate on farmer's rights, saying he was temped to sit back and let the row rage.

'There is a saying: When rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it,' Mr Kumar replied to laugher from Mr Kageri and elsewhere in the house.

Ramesh Kumar sparked outrage when he joked during a parliamentary debate in India that: 'When rape is inevitable, lie back and enjoy it' (file image)

But the remark also sparked outrage among female members of the house, who accused Mr Kumar of belittling an issue that continues to plague India.

Poornima Srinivas, of the ruling BJP, shot back: 'When we came to the assembly, we looked up to Ramesh Kumar for his parliamentary acumen.

'But it looks like he has no respect for women.'

Roopakala M, another lawmaker, added: 'A woman who faces sexual assault suffers trauma all her life. It is wrong to use this as an analogy for something else.'

Mr Kumar has since apologised for the remark on Twitter, describing it as 'indifferent and negligent'.

'My intention was not trivialise or make light of the heinous crime, but [to make] an off the cuff remark! I will choose my words carefully henceforth,' he said.

But he declined to make an on-camera apology while attending parliament on Friday and has refused to address the issue since.

Mr Kageri, who also faced ire for laughing at the 'joke', refused to allow further debate on the issue during Friday's session.

'We all respect women and we strive to ensure that the respect for the woman is not diluted,' he said.

The remark was made in Karnataka's state assembly on Thursday while the speaker was struggling to control a debate on farmer's rights

Vishweshwar Kageri said he was tempted to sit back and let the argument rage, after which Mr Kumar made his joke

'I don't think there is need to raise the issue and create a controversy.'

It is not the first time that Mr Kumar has got into trouble for making a joke in which he compared parliamentary process to rape.

In 2019, he made a similar jibe after fending off corruption allegations.

'I got raped once. But like every rape victim, I am being made to feel like I was raped multiple times,' he said.

India is known for having an endemic issue around sexual violence, particularly rape, which gained prominence after the horrific 2012 Delhi gang rape on board a bus during which a female student was killed.

Though the issue frequently makes headlines in India following that attack, tens of thousands of rapes are still reported each year - with many tens of thousands more suspected to go un-reported.

Despite pledged by politicians and police chiefs to take offences more seriously, the conviction rate for reported rapes in India remains below 30 per cent and has done for at least the last decade.

India also has a particular problem with sexual violence against minors, with around a fifth of victims in any given year being under the age of 18.
Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyers called a high profile false memory expert who helped Harvey Weinstein and OJ Simpson as they kicked off their defense in the British socialite's sex trafficking trial.

Dr Elizabeth Loftus, who is being paid $600 per hour, has been called in an effort to undercut the accounts of four women who say Maxwell groomed them for abuse by the pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Loftus told the Manhattan Federal court that people can confidently recall events that never happened.

She described to the jury experiments in which she and colleagues had successfully planted false memories in study participants' minds.

'Even traumatic experiences can be subjected to post-event suggestion,' Loftus said.

'False memories ... can be very vivid, detailed. People can be confident about them, people can be emotional about them, even though they're false.'

Dr Elizabeth Loftus, who is being paid $600 per hour, arriving at the Manhattan Federal court on Thursday

Maxwell glances back to the public gallery as Loftus testifies on memory corruption at the trial on Thursday in this court sketch

The psychologist has also helped Ted Bundy (left) and OJ Simpson (right). The defensive in Bundy's trial used her study on the unreliability of memory between initial and recalled memory of Carol DaRonch, who Bundy attacked in her car while he dressed as a police officer

Loftus has worked on numerous trials, including convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein (pictured), where she failed to convince the jury of his witness Annabella Sciorra's memory was defective

Maxwell's attorneys argue that her four accusers' memories have become corrupted over the years, the alleged abuse taking place between 1994 and 2004.

Maxwell, 59, denies eight counts of sex trafficking and other charges.

Her lawyers say that she is being tried as a stand-in for Epstein, who was found hanged in his Manhattan prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial.

Loftus, a professor at the University of California, said: 'The older the event is the more susceptible people are to having post-event suggestion contaminate their memory.'

Maxwell's lawyers have said the accusers did not mention Maxwell during initial talks with law enforcement, and Loftus' testimony could help them argue that their memories of Maxwell's involvement was shaped by news reports or questions FBI agents asked them.

Prosecutor Lara Pomerantz sought to portray Loftus' work as irrelevant to the case.

'Have you conducted a study where you arranged for girls to be sexually abused?' Pomerantz asked.

'No, absolutely not,' Loftus replied, adding that she had never conducted a study in which she attempted to implant a false memory of sexual abuse either.

Pomerantz noted was Loftus profiting from her testimony after the psychologist said she was receiving $600 an hour from the defense.

She also accused Loftus of bias, referencing her 1992 book 'Witness for the Defense.'

'You haven't written a book called "Impartial Witness," right?' said Pomerantz.

'No,' replied Loftus.

Loftus has testified at more than 300 trials, including that of serial killer Ted Bundy and the officers accused in the Rodney King beating.

She also testified at Weinstein's trial - but he was convicted in February, 2020, of sexual assault and rape.

The professor has spent years researching the malleability of human memory and often claims in court that memories are wrong or distorted.

'The world is full of people who support accusers,' Loftus said in a 2020 interview with the Los Angeles Times. 'I think people who are accused deserve some modicum of support as well.'

Maxwell, Epstein's ex lover, is accused of grooming teenagers for her then-boyfriend

Maxwell, 59, denies eight counts of sex trafficking and other charges. Her lawyers say that she is being tried as a stand-in for Epstein, who was found hanged in his Manhattan prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial.

Loftus has studied the supposed unreliability of witness accounts and memory repression and has used it against sexual assault survivors to support the alleged rapist discontinue the victim's testimony.

Bundy used Loftus' study on inconsistent memories to point out that Carol DaRonch - whom Bundy attacked in her Volkswagen Beetle and got away - had inconsistencies in her initial description of the serial killer and what she later recollected.

Bundy had dressed as a fake police officer when he attacked DaRonch and witness accounts from her showed that she added more color in her description of the police badge he wore after authorities showed her a picture, and that his car went from white or light blue to the actual color beige.

'When people are afraid their memories slip and slide, neglecting details, rearranging facts,' Loftus said at the time.

'When we remember, we pull pieces of the past out of some mysterious region in the brain  jagged pieces that we sort and shift, arrange and rearrange until they fit into a pattern that makes senseit is part fact, part fiction, a warped and twisted reconstruction of reality.'

Time's Up - a feminist movement popularized by the overwhelming number of women coming forward and having support from major celebrities, such as Emma Watson, Reese Witherspoon and Meryl Streep - called Loftus' 'false memory' work a 'tool that has been used to try to discredit survivors of sexual assault for decades.'

False memory syndrome has not been ratified by the American Psychological Association and is labeled 'controversial' and is 'not [an] accepted diagnostic term.'
This is the shocking moment a man set fire to a Porsche with a woman inside it at a petrol station in southern China.

CCTV footage captured in Shenzhen on December 16 at just after 3pm shows a man rush towards the Porsche as it was being refuelled.

He pulled out the fuel gun and ignited the gasoline. Flames quickly engulfed one side of the Porsche.

The man, wearing a grey jacket, grabbed the petrol gun out of the car and set it on fire at the petrol station in Shenzhen on December 16

He dropped the petrol gun and fled as flames engulfed one side of the Porsche

A man who had been standing behind the Porsche rushed forward to help the woman out of the car

The two then ran away from the burning vehicle before staff rushed to put out the flames

Another man who had been standing behind the Porsche rushed forward to help the woman out of the front of the car.

The two of them ran clear as petrol station staff rushed forward with extinguishers and swiftly put out the flames, preventing a deadly explosion.

It was unclear whether the woman was the driver, or the car was a left or right-hand drive.

The man who started the fire was detained by police and the incident is being investigated.

The woman (left) flees the burning car as petrol station staff rush forward to put out the flames

A man ignited gasoline and flames engulfed the Porsche before pump staff came to the rescue

It was a very different outcome when a driver drove away from a petrol station in Jieyang, Guangdong province, south-east China, with the gas pump still in his fuel tank.

Shocking video footage from April 2019 shows the petrol pump being knocked to the ground and sparking a fire which then exploded into a massive blaze.

The vehicle yanked over the petrol dispenser in Jieyang, Guangdong province, south-east China and sparked a fire in footage from April 2019

The pump crashed to the ground sparking a fire which explodes into a massive blaze which resulted in an evacuation of the area around the gas station

Prior to the blaze, the footage shows the driver pulling away from the petrol pump and yanking it down at 8:50pm local time.

Petrol station staff, customers and nearby residents were evacuated as the fire quickly grew out of control and engulfed the entire area, according to Guangzhou Daily.

Local fire service dispatched 15 fire engines and 58 rescuers to the scene.
Fewer than one in 10 Britons believe life will revert back to normal by next summer, according to official data.

Polling by the Office for National Statistics revealed just 7 per cent of adults think pre-Covid normality will resume by June.

For comparison, the equivalent figure stood at 28 per cent when asked last winter, just days before strict lockdown curbs were introduced to tackle the second wave.

The findings highlight the fears Britons have about Omicron, with ministers facing pressure to bring back tougher restrictions to curb its rapid spread.

The ONS quizzed more than 3,000 people during the first two weeks of December, shortly after the mutant variant was first identified.

It was also when Boris Johnson confirmed he would resort to Plan B, including work from home guidance, compulsory face masks in more places and the Covid pass for large events.

Younger people, Londoners and men were more optimistic about the virus having little impact on life in six months time, while the over-70s, those from the north were less hopeful.

A survey of more than 3,000 Britons by the Office for National Statistics found just seven per cent of adults believe there will be a return to normality within the next six months, a quarter of the 28 per cent of people who believed this to be the case when asked last winter

Professor Whitty warns jab that frees Britain from endless cycle of restrictions won't be ready until mid-2023 Britain can expect another 18 months of potential Covid misery until a vaccine that protects against all variants is developed and rolled out, Chris Whitty warned today. The chief medical officer said he expects a universal jab that can fight multiple strains to be ready at some point in mid-2023 as well as several new antiviral drugs, which should do the 'heavy lifting' for the NHS. But he admitted that in the meantime, ministers will have to rely on social restrictions when vaccine-resistant variants like Omicron threaten to overwhelm the health service. Speaking to MPs on the Health and Social Care Select Committee, Professor Whitty said: 'If I project forward, I would anticipate in a number of years, possibly 18 months, possibly slightly less... we will have polyvalent vaccines which will cover a much wider range [of variants]. 'And we will probably have several antivirals... and a variety of other countermeasures that mean that the great majority, and probably almost all of the heavy lifting, when we get a new variant, unless it is extremely different, can be met by medical means.' Advertisement

It comes after England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty warned Britons should expect another 18 months of Covid interfering with their lives.

He told MPs it would take that long for a combination of both vaccines and drugs to be able to bring new variants under control.

Ministers have not ruled out further restrictions or a lockdown in England, with fears growing that a lockdown could be around the corner.

Other parts of the UK are already being given stricter guidance, with Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon advising that people don't mix with more than two other households at a time.

And Wales' leader Mark Drakeford said nightclubs would close in the country after December 26 to manage the 'storm of Omicron'.

Of the 3,276 people who completed the ONS survey, just seven per cent of adults said they expect life to return to normal in less than six months.

For comparison, 28 per cent of adults felt life would return to normal in six months or less when asked between December 2 and 6 last year.

The data revealed just nine per cent of 16 to 29-year-olds believed Covid would no longer be affecting daily life in six months.

Eight per cent of men thought life would be back to normal by spring, compared to five per cent of women.

And one in 10 Londoners said Covid would no longer be affecting daily life in that timeframe, compared to just four per cent of people in the North East, North West and Yorkshire and Humberside.

And just six in 10 people said they expect a return to normality in the next 12 months, down from eight in 10 people last year.

Some 14 per cent of people said they never expect life to return to normal.
Schools in England are being left to decide for themselves how to plan for next term in the face of ever-rising cases of Omicron, as unions called again on the government to tell head teachers 'promptly and clearly' about what new measures to expect next year.

As students and teachers across the country prepared to head home for the Christmas holidays which start tomorrow or early next week, it was still unclear whether classrooms will be full again in January and what, if any additional restrictions schools in England might face.

Unions had called on the government to tell schools before the end of term what the plan is for reopening in January, but were only given vague advice about getting vaccinated and to continue Covid testing.

Meanwhile in Wales, teachers have been told to plan for a 'high risk scenario', and in Scotland the government insisted today closing schools would only be as a 'last resort'.

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: 'Schools and colleges in England have been asked by the government to review their contingency arrangements during the final week of this term in order to be prepared for measures which might be introduced next term because of the risk posed by the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

Schools in England are being left to decide for themselves how to plan for next term in the face of ever rising cases of Omicron, as unions called again on the government to tell head teachers 'promptly and clearly' about what new measures to expect next year. Pictured: A school in North London

'It is imperative that the government communicates the introduction of any additional measures to schools and colleges promptly and clearly. It does not have a good record on either front.'

The Guardian has reported of 'scores' of primary and secondary schools in England and Wales sending children off for Christmas early because of staff shortages caused by illness and Covid-related isolation.

Parents at Mersey Drive community primary school in Bury were told by the school: 'We have reached the point where we are unable to maintain safe staffing levels.

'After consultation with the local authority we have reluctantly had to make the decision to close early for Christmas in order to keep everyone safe.'

But pupils and teachers going home not knowing when they will return has prompted fears of a repeat of last year when staff scrambled to reopen following a last minute decision by the government.

Fears over schools' ability to return next year have peaked because of rising infections due to the Omicron variant of coronavirus

The Guardian has reported of 'scores' of primary and secondary schools in England and Wales sending children off for Christmas early because of staff shortages caused by illness and Covid-related isolation

Operational guidance made for schools by the government has left teachers and parents confused after it appeared to suggest each school is responsible for making its own decision.

'Schools and trusts should work closely with parents and carers (future references to parents should be read as including carers), staff and unions when agreeing the best approaches for their circumstances,' the document says.

One teacher working at a school in the East of England told MailOnline that staff were being left in the dark about decisions.

'We'll be the last to know but I think they will do everything they can before closing the schools again,' they said.

'Teachers will find out [what's happening] when it's announced to the nation and will be expected to spring into action  and we basically will.'

The teacher added: 'In the meantime, I'll be bringing my laptop home each day  ready for remote learning.

'I really don't want to go back online, but it's looking pretty inevitable.'

In Wales, known for its draconian restrictions under First Minister Mark Drakeford, Welsh Education Minister Jeremy Miles (pictured) told head teachers the start of term would be delayed by two days so that they could get plans in place before lessons started up again

Staff have clearly been told to plan for a 'high risk scenario' and also for the possibility of moving lessons partly or wholly online. Pictured: Roath Park Primary School in Cardiff

The picture in the devolved administrations of Wales and Scotland was however slightly clearer.

In Wales, known for its draconian restrictions under First Minister Mark Drakeford, teachers have been told to plan for a 'high risk scenario' and also for the possibility of moving lessons partly or wholly online.

Government worried education catch-up plan is 'insufficient' The government has predicted that its approach to education recovery plan 'may be insufficient' to combat the learning lost during the pandemic lockdowns. The Department for Education warns in its annual accounts that the risk of catch-up efforts failing to address learning loss was 'critical/very likely' as of March. While there was no update on the next nine months of the year, the report 'in-year direction' note said the situation was 'worsening'. The warning was made in the 'Significant risks' section of the report, which also looks at the effects of a cyber hack and widespread failure of the early years market. On the catch up plan, the report noted that since schools have reopened, the main challenge would be to 'limiting differential lost learning' as pupils are forced out of school by positive Covid tests or to isolate because of contact tracing. 'Despite the initial mitigations and continuing work, this risk is likely to remain one of the Departments principal risks for a sustained period,' it adds. Advertisement

The Welsh Education Minister Jeremy Miles told head teachers the start of term would be delayed by two days so that they could get plans in place before lessons started up again.

'I am providing all schools with two planning days at the start of the spring term. This will allow time for schools to assess staffing capacity and put the necessary measures in place to support the return of all learners,' Miles said.

Meanwhile Scotland said today they were not considering school closures, insisting the move would only be as a 'last resort'.

This is despite First Minister Nicola Sturgeon issuing other new restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of Omicron which she said was now the dominant strain in Scotland.

A spokesperson said: 'The Scottish Government is not considering school closures.

'As the First Minister has made clear, protecting the education of children and young people remains a top priority.

'National school closures would only be an absolute last resort. COVID-19 protections will be reviewed on a daily basis due to the rapid increase in cases of the Omicron variant.'

A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said: 'As we approach the Christmas break, with many schools ending term today, we are incredibly grateful to teachers and all education staff for their efforts to keep young people in face-to-face education.

'We know children and young people want to be in the classroom and it is the very best place for their education and wellbeing.

'In response to rising cases and the Omicron variant we have asked older students and staff to wear face coverings in communal areas, and the Education Secretary has written to all education staff to explain what were doing to support the workforce, boost supply teacher capacity, and keep children in school.

'We strongly encourage students, staff and families to keep testing regularly and get their booster jab  or second jab if they are 12-15 - as soon as possible.'


Enraged monkeys have killed 250 dogs in an Indian district by dragging them to the top of buildings and trees and dropping them.

Panic-stricken residents have also come under attack and say the acts of animal violence have been carried out 'in revenge' after a pack of dogs killed one of the monkeys' infants.

The horrific incidents have been reported in the villages of Majalgaon, where 250 dogs are said to have been killed by rampaging primates, and nearby Lavul in Maharashtras Beed district.

According to India's News18 website, 'not a single pup' is left in Lavul where even school children are being chased and attacked.

Enraged monkeys have killed 250 dogs in an Indian district by dragging them to the top of buildings and trees and dropping them. Pictured: Footage purportedly showing a monkey carrying a puppy on a roof in India, Lavul village

Children were seen fleeing the enraged monkeys which have killed 250 dogs in an Indian district by dragging them to the top of buildings and trees and dropping them

Two panic-stricken women flee enraged monkeys that have attacked residents 'in revenge' after a pack of dogs killed one of the monkeys' infants

Villagers have reported that monkeys set upon dogs as soon as they see them before taking them up to a high place - the top of a building or a tree - and dropping them to their death.

The reports say that in the last month alone, 250 dogs have been killed in this way.

Pictures in local media show a monkey on a rooftop holding a dog

Pictures in Indian media appeared to confirm the attacks. In one, a monkey can be seen on a roof carrying a puppy to the edge of a building.

Separate footage, possibly of the incident that sparked the revenge attacks, showed dogs chasing monkeys through the village as local women and children ran for safety. The dogs appeared to be protecting a child.

Residents of the village contacted officials at the forest department, asking that they round up the killer monkeys. However, when officers were sent to the village they were unable to catch even one of the primates, News18 said.

According to the villagers, the monkeys are taking revenge.

They say that the violence erupted when some of the dogs killed a baby monkey.

After the officials failed to deal with the problem, villagers reportedly took it upon themselves to try and save the dogs.

But when they did, the monkeys fought back against their efforts, with the news station reporting some men even fell from heights themselves when trying to save dogs that had been dragged there.

Pictured: One of the monkeys appeared to go for a child in the village, before a dog ran at the monkey, scaring it odd

Rampage: Video from the village of Lavul shows monkeys terrorising people in the street. Locals say the animals have been killing their dogs

Pictured: A still grab from video showing a dog chasing a monkey through Lavul village

Clearly not content with the extermination of the dogs, monkeys are now said to be going after young children.

School children are reportedly being attacked by the monkeys, creating a further sense of panic among the villagers.

In one reported instance, an eight-year-old was grabbed and dragged away by the monkeys, forcing villagers to throw stones at them to scare them off.
Switzerland is set to hold a referendum on whether all mandatory vaccinations should be banned.

The Swiss Freedom Movement (MLS) association collected 125,000 signatures, 25,000 more than required, to trigger the vote.

While mandatory vaccinations are not in place at the moment, they are currently allowed in Swiss law and the incoming president has said he would consider their use.

Switzerland is set to hold a referendum on whether all mandatory vaccinations should be banned. Pictured: anti-Covid protests in Bern

MLS is calling for the Swiss Constitution to be amended to include the fundamental right of each citizen to decide for themselves whether to be injected or implanted by anything.

The initiative says: 'The person concerned must not be punished for having refused to give his consent, nor suffer social or professional disadvantages.'

The law would apply to Covid as well as 'other vaccines, chips and digital information that would be implanted in the body'.

Swiss authorities have said mandatory vaccinations will not be enforced but the Epidemic Act does allow for compulsory jabs in extreme instances.

And the incoming president Ignazio Cassis said he would consider mandatory vaccines 'as a last resort' to curb infections.

Cassis, who takes office on January 1, is a trained doctor and said 'mandatory vaccination can be useful'.

The date for the referendum in Switzerland's famously democratic system has not yet been set but will likely take place in 2022.

Shoppers are seen under Christmas illuminations in Zurich amid the spread of the coronavirus disease

It comes after a recent controversial vote approved Covid restrictions and vaccine passports despite protests.

Around 62 per cent of voters supported the legislation, which had already been in force.

Health Minister Alain Berset said, with the result, authorities 'still have the necessary instruments to manage the crisis, and we can, if necessary, adjust the instruments to developments.'

'A decision has been made and we must come together now to get through this winter as well as possible,' Berset said. 'This is an appeal for unity but also for respect for decisions that have been taken.'

Turnout was 65.7 per cent, unusually high for a country that holds referendums several times a year.
Kind-hearted Australians have already donated $1million to support the families of the five children killed in the Tasmanian jumping castle tragedy.

On Thursday a 'mini tornado' hit Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, where children were playing on a jumping castle set up for end-of-year celebrations.

The inflatable flew 10 metres into the air in an accident that claimed the lives of five young children. Three more are fighting for life in hospital and another is now recovering at home.

A fundraiser set up on Thursday has reached over $1 million to help the families who lost children in the Hillcrest jumping castle tragedy in northern Tasmania. Pictured are mourners at the school

The children lost in the tragedy (left to right) were identified on Friday as Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan, and Jalailah Jayne-Marie Jones

On Friday large groups of mourners gathered out the front of Hillcrest Primary School's gates to pay tribute to and mourn the tragic death of the five young children

The children who died were identified on Friday as Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, all age 12, and their classmate Addison Stewart, 11.

Devonport local Zoe Smith created a GoFundMe page to help support the family and process their grief through the Christmas period.

'All funds will go to the families of the children who were tragically killed and injured too not only support them but provide them with much needed gifts in this time of such sadness,' she wrote.

The scene is pictured in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy. On Friday night the fundraiser reached $1,035,000 across more than 13,000 donations

The funds from over 13,000 donations - including a $45,000 donation from an anonymous user - will help the families of the victims through the holiday period

On Friday night the fundraiser reached $1,035,000 across more than 13,000 donations.

One person, who chose to stay anonymous, donated $45,000 to the fund.

On Friday large groups of people gathered out the front of Hillcrest Primary School's gates to pay tribute to and mourn the tragic death of the five young children.

Mourners of all ages were seen crying and comforting one another as they left stuffed toys, flowers, and handwritten notes for the victims.

Pictured are tributes outside Hillcrest Primary School. An outpouring of grief from the public have seen people demanding a ban on the inflatables

At a press conference on Friday morning, police refused to say whether the Tasmanian jumping castle was tied down when into flew the air on Thursday.

'Was the jumping castle tethered at all?' one reporter asked.

'That forms part of the investigation,' Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said.

Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine could not reveal key details of the incident due to an ongoing investigation

'It is fair to say that those injured were inside the castle. We need to piece the movements of the individuals together so we can present a full picture to the coroner.'

Seven zorb balls, which are large and inflatable balls that children stand inside, also took flight during the strong wind gust - but the commissioner again remained tight-lipped about the details.

'What was the connection with the zorb balls, were they inside the castle or outside?' a reporter asked.

Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said there were close to 40 Year 5 and 6 students taking part in the end-of-term activities at the time

'That will form part of the investigation,' he said.

'But my understanding is that the zorb balls were outside. But it will form part of the investigation.'

Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said there were close to 40 Year 5 and 6 students taking part in the end-of-term activities at the time.
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Eleven times fewer patients diagnosed with Covid in Omicron-stricken South Africa are being admitted to hospital now than in the summer, experts claimed today.

The countrys health minister Joe Phaahla revealed 1.7 per cent of Covid cases went on to be hospitalised during the second week of the current wave. For comparison, he said the equivalent figure was 19 per cent in the second week of South Africas Delta crisis.

It comes as 4,000 fewer new cases were reported in the country in the past 24 hours. A total of 20,713 new infections were reported today, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.

A further 35 Covid-related deaths were also recorded on Friday, bringing total fatalities to 90,297.

Mr Phaahla told a press conference there were early indications that 'the peak has been reached' in Gauteng, which was first to feel the full force of the variant.

The provinces daily infections have started to trend downwards, about three weeks after the ultra-infectious variant took hold.

Higher immunity levels due to vaccination and previous infection now than when Delta took off are thought to be behind the lower hospitalisation rate.

But Mr Phaahla suggested Omicron may have evolved to be milder, bolstering claims made by doctors treating patients on the frontline.

Public health official Wassila Jassat, who also attended the conference, said South Africa had fewer patients needing oxygen now than when Delta emerged. She added that patients were hospitalised for a shorter period.

It is the latest glimmer of hope for Britain that Omicron may be milder than first feared, suggesting that its rapid rise wont cripple the health service in the coming weeks  despite gloomy projections.

But Professor Chris Whitty has warned against making comparisons between the two countries, pointing out that a far larger proportion of South Africa's population is young and less vulnerable compared to the UK.

Data from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases showed that less than two per cent of patients were being hospitalised in the second week of the Omicron wave in South Africa. For comparison, when the Delta wave struck it was 12 per cent

Graph shows: the proportion of Omicron patients admitted to intensive care units in Guateng, the epicentre of South Africa's fourth wave, during the Omicron wave (left) and Delta wave (right)

Graph shows: the proportion of Omicron patients put on ventilators in Guateng, the epicentre of South Africa's fourth wave, during the Omicron wave (left) and Delta wave (right)

Daily Covid cases in South Africa have risen 10 per cent in a week today. But the country is currently enjoying a public holiday, which likely skewed the figures

Hospitalisations in the country fell 23.4 per cent in a week today after another 374 people were admitted. But this could also be down to the holiday, with fewer people available to process data

Graph shows: The number of cases (left), hospitalisations (central) and intensive care admissions (right) from the start of the Delta (blue lines) and Omicron (red lines) waves in South Africa

Health minister Joe Phaahla said in a press conference today that 1.7 per cent of Covid cases were currently being admitted to hospital. For comparison, he said it was 19 per cent during the second wave. Mr Phaahla is pictured above getting a Covid jab

Mr Phaahla did not present an analysis to back up his suggestion that a lower proportion of patients were being hospitalised now than when Delta took off.

But two-thirds more swabs were being carried out every day at this point during the Omicron wave than for Delta which may have skewed the analysis.

Officials figures show some 54,800 tests were carried out every day in the second week of the current wave, compared to 32,600 in the second week of the Delta wave.

Omicron was first detected in South Africa on November 25, and Delta was first detected on May 8.

Its cases rocketed when Omicron first struck the country, and earlier this week reached a record high of almost 26,000 infections reported in a single day. Yesterday they rose 10 per cent week-on-week after another 24,700 were recorded.

Hospitalisations in the country also dipped yesterday compared to the same time last week, but they are trending upwards to about 600 admissions a day from less than 100 before Omicron emerged.

But they are still below hospitalisations during the country's second wave, which surged above 700 a day.

Doctors on the frontlines say that fewer patients need to be admitted to ICU or receive oxygen than when Delta took off, suggesting it may be more mild.

Mr Phaahla told the conference: 'We believe that [the reduced severity] might not necessarily just be that Omicron is less virulent.'

He said it also depends 'coverage of vaccination' and 'natural immunity', adding: 'Thats why we are seeing mild illness.'

He also pointed to a slowdown in cases in Gauteng, where the average number of daily infections has dipped from 10,448 at the peak four days ago to 9,235 yesterday.

He said: 'In terms of case numbers and percentage of testing positive, we are seeing a decrease in Gauteng, and early indications suggest that the peak has been reached, but there is rapid increase in the other provinces.'

Professor Whitty has warned against comparisons with South Africa, however, telling a gloomy Downing Street press conference on Wednesday that it was hard to compare the two.

He said: 'I think there has been a certain amount of commentary about the fact that doctors and scientists from South Africa... have indicated that there may be some reduction in the hospitalisation rates they are seeing with Omicron.

'I want to put a really serious caution on this because I think it has been overinterpreted.

'The amount of immunity for this wave because of prior Delta wave and vaccination is far higher than it was for their last wave and, therefore, the fact they have a lower hospitalisation rate this time is unsurprising.

'That doesn't mean there is some degree of milder disease  that is possible  but I think there is a danger that people have overinterpreted this to say this is not a problem and there's nothing to worry about. I want to be clear, I am afraid this is going to be a problem.'
A new list of America's top 'boom towns' reveals the areas where growth is the hottest, showing how many smaller cities have thrived in the pandemic.

The analysis by SmartAsset reviewed population, economic and housing data from the 500 largest cities in the country to determine which are 'booming' the most amid major pandemic migrations.

Of the top ten cities on the list, six are cities in the Pacific Northwest, including towns in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, which may be benefiting from record net outmigration from California.

Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a city of about 157,000 about 35 miles outside of Nashville, was the top-ranking boomtown in the study, thanks to its strong growth and low unemployment rate.

Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a city of about 157,000 about 35 miles outside of Nashville, was the top-ranking boomtown in the study

The analysis found that many of the top boomtowns had low unemployment rates, with Murfreesboro recording 3.4 percent unemployment in August, when the national rate was 5.2 percent.

The top ten list of boomtowns included Nampa and Meridian in Idaho, Bend, Oregon, and Vancouver, Bellingham and Seattle in Washington.

Though the study does not confirm it, the concentration of smaller booming cities in the Northwest could be related to an exodus of residents from California, many of whom moved to other states in the region during the pandemic.

California's population fell by more than 182,000 people in 2020, marking the first year-over-year loss ever recorded for the nation's most populous state.

Nampa and Meridian are just 10 miles apart on the outskirts of Boise, and both cities grew by nearly a third from 2015 to 2020, the study found.

In Washington, Vancouver is located just across the river from Portland, Oregon, which ranked 44th on the list following prolonged unrest and frequent riots.

Aerial view of the Old Mill District in Bend, Oregon which was number six on the list

In the number 10 spot, Seattle was the largest city in the top ten list, with a population of about 775,000

In the number 10 spot, Seattle was the largest city in the top ten list, with a population of about 775,000.

Though Seattle has experienced its own unrest over the past year, it has made an attractive destination for some of those fleeing the Bay Area and Silicon Valley, who see it as a more affordable alternative.

Rounding out the top ten list were Tempe, Arizona; Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, which is just outside of Charleston; and Conroe, Texas on the northern outskirts of Houston.

The pandemic sparked massive migrations as major cities shut down and remote working opportunities abounded, and much of the movement seemed to be from larger cities to smaller cities not far from major metropolises.

In California, all 58 counties observed a slump in newcomers during the pandemic, with crime-ridden San Francisco hit the hardest, the nonpartisan think tank California Policy Lab revealed Wednesday.

Nampa and Meridian (above) are just 10 miles apart on the outskirts of Boise, and both cities grew by nearly a third from 2015 to 2020, the study found

The racetrack in Meridian, Idaho is seen in a file photo. The city is experiencing strong growth

The number of people moving to California dropped 38 percent since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic while the amount leaving California spiked 12 percent

The number of people moving to the Democratic state dropped 38 percent since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic while the amount leaving California spiked by 12 percent.

The most significant plunge happened in Northern California, where 45 percent fewer out-of-staters moved into the Bay Area in September than in early 2020, the nonpartisan think tank found.

Declines in San Francisco County hit 53 percent; in San Clara Clara County 52 percent; and in San Mateo Count 48 percent.

'Domestic entrances are down across the state, but the Bay Area has seen the biggest drop,' report co-author Evan White said in a release. 'San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties have all lost population to migration for the first time since at least 2016 because of these new patterns.'
The Enid Blyton Society has hit back at Oxford University Press after it urged parents to read their children 'woke' modern books.

The group warned new novels should be read alongside classics rather than replace them so youngsters learn about history, sociology and language.

It said the old literature keeps their 'minds and emotions fully engaged' and helps them understand 'how the past shaped the present'.

It comes after Oxford University Press told parents they should 'be more adventurous' and pick up books on topics such as diversity and homelessness.

The major publisher told them to 'broaden the types of books' they pick at story time 'to prompt questions and build greater understanding of global issues'.

It followed new OUP research that found two thirds - 63 per cent - of UK parents prefer to read their children books they enjoyed in their own childhood.

The Enid Blyton Society has hit back at Oxford University Press after it urged parents to read their children 'woke' modern books. Pictured: The author

The group warned new novels should be read alongside classics rather than replace them so youngsters learn about history, sociology and language

It comes after Oxford University Press told parents they should 'be more adventurous' and pick up books on topics such as diversity and homelessness

Anita Bensoussane, society administrator for the Enid Blyton Society, told MailOnline: 'It's good for young readers to grow up understanding how the past shaped the present, and how the present will shape the future.

'Reading older literature (or having it read aloud) enables children to 'experience' the past through characters they care about.

'That means their minds and emotions are fully engaged and they learn important lessons about history, sociology and language while enjoying a cracking story.'

She said modern books should be digested too, but not in replace of classics such as Blyton's Famous Five.

She added: 'Why narrow children's reading by discarding older texts even though they continue to appeal and inspire?

'Providing a wide selection of both new books and classics will result in a rich, rewarding reading experience that is informative and thought-provoking as well as entertaining.'

The original Peter Rabbit is an icon of children's literature, but should parents be 'broadening' the books they read to their children to reflect today's issues?

Enid Blyton's Famous Five stories and Roald Dahl's Matilda have embedded themselves as family classics

OUP is urging parents to 'broaden the types of books' they pick at story time 'to prompt questions and build greater understanding of global issues'.

When asked which book or author they most enjoyed reading to their children, parents named Roald Dahl, who wrote Matilda and James And The Giant Peach.

Stories from Enid Blyton, such as Noddy and The Famous Five, and Beatrix Potter, who created Peter Rabbit and Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, also proved popular.

And Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking remained a firm favourite. Other recent picks were Julia Donaldson, Michael Morpurgo and Winnie the Witch.

Almost four in ten - 37 per cent - parents said they did not know how to find out what the latest books are and almost half prefer to re-read books to their child.

Stella and the Seagull by Georgina Stevens and Izzy Burton is a trailblazer in modern children's literature; as is Ben Davis' The Soup Movement, which tackles illness and moving home

Pirate Mums by Jodie Lancet-Grant looks at the diversity of modern families, while Tim Allman's Max Takes a Stand follows a bold, environmental hero

And it's not just parents who would prefer to stick to something familiar.

Almost six in ten - 56 per cent - said their children preferred them to revisit the same books at story time.

OUP put together a list of books it recommends to help children learn about 'wider society'.

These include The Pirate Mums by Jodie Lancet-Grant, about a boy whose mothers are pirates, and Max Takes A Stand by Tim Allman, about a child trying to save Earth.

Bear Shaped by Dawn Coulter-Cruttenden hopes to teach children about loss while Jon Burgerman's Everybody Worries offers support during the coronavirus crisis.

Nigel Portwood, OUP chief executive, said it was 'wonderful' that classics continued to be popular with families but he added that reading is a 'valuable tool' to help children understand 'societal issues'.
The arrival of the omicron variant has led some politicians and public health grandees to call for a return to business closures and 'circuit-breaker' lockdowns.

The variant has been found worldwide, including in the US and the UK. The variant has already surpassed delta  dominant before omicron  in the UK.

Early reports from South Africa confirm that the variant is more transmissible but produces a milder disease, with a lower chance of hospitalization and death upon infection.

My message is this: we cant stop the spread of COVID, but we can end the pandemic.

In October 2020, I wrote the Great Barrington Declaration (GBD) along with Prof. Sunetra Gupta of Oxford University and Prof. Martin Kulldorff of Harvard University.

The centerpiece of the declaration is a call for increased focused protection of the vulnerable older population, who are more than a thousand times more likely to die from COVID infection than the young.

(From right to left) Drs. Jay Bhattacharya of Stanford University, Sunetra Gupta of Oxford University and Martin Kulldorff of Harvard University are co-authors of The Great Barrington Declaration, published in October 2020, which expressed, 'grave concerns about the damaging physical and mental health impacts of the prevailing COVID-19 policies.'

We can protect the vulnerable without harming the rest of the population.

As I stated above, we do not have any technology that can stop viral spread.

While excellent vaccines protect the vaccinated versus hospitalization or death if infected, they provide only temporary and marginal protection versus infection and disease transmission after the second dose.

The same is likely true for booster shots, which use the same technology as the initial doses.

What about lockdowns?

It is now abundantly clear that they have failed to contain the virus while wreaking enormous collateral damage worldwide.

The simplistic allure of lockdowns is that we can break the chain of viral transmission by staying apart.

Only the laptop class -- those who can just as easily work from home as in the office -- can abide by a lockdown in actual practice, and even they have trouble.

Essential workers who keep society going cannot afford the luxury, so the disease will keep spreading.

Will the same policies that failed against a more virulent strain succeed in containing a more transmissible strain?

The answer is self-evidently no.

The Great Barrington Declaration (GBD) calls for a return to normal life for low-risk children and non-elderly adults. (Above) The GBD website shows nearly 900,000 signatures in support of the document. It can be read at https://gbdeclaration.org/

The harms of lockdown on children and the non-elderly are catastrophic, including worse physical and mental health and irretrievably lost life opportunities.

Lockdowns imposed in rich countries mean starvation, poverty, and death for the residents of poor countries.

There is, however, a good alternative to lockdown.

The Great Barrington Declaration (GBD) calls for a return to normal life for low-risk children and non-elderly adults.

The principles at the heart of the GBD are as important today as they were a year ago.

In fact, they are more important now because we now have technological tools that make focused protection of the vulnerable much more straightforward than it was a year ago.

First and most importantly, the vaccine.

Because unvaccinated older people face such a high risk for a poor outcome on infection, and because the vaccine is so effective at blunting severe disease and death, vaccinating older people is the top priority if life-saving is to be the top priority.

However, the vast majority of unvaccinated older people live in poor countries.

At current rates, the worldwide vaccination campaign will not be complete until the end of 2022, too late to save countless vulnerable people.

We do not have any technology that can stop viral spread. While excellent vaccines protect the vaccinated versus hospitalization or death if infected, they provide only temporary and marginal protection versus infection and disease transmission after the second dose. (Above) Chart showing the percentage increase of COVID cases in the United States over the past two weeks

Prioritizing those who have never previously had COVID will help preserve doses for those who would most benefit since  like the vaccine -- COVID recovery provides excellent protection against future severe disease.

Booster shots for older people also make sense.

But to preserve doses, they should be reserved for those who have not previously had COVID and were vaccinated more than 6 to 8 months ago.

According to a careful study conducted by Swedish scientists, vaccine efficacy versus severe disease also starts to wane around that point, so boosting before then does not provide a substantial benefit.

Second, we should make available effective early treatment options.

During Floridas summer wave, Gov. Ron DeSantis promoted the use of monoclonal antibodies  an FDA-approved treatment  by patients early in the course of the disease, an action that saved many lives.

Safe and inexpensive supplements like Vitamin D have been shown effective. Promising new treatments from Pfizer and a new antibody treatment for the immunocompromised by Astra Zeneca promise to become more widely available. Until that happens, they should be preserved for use by the most vulnerable when sick.

Third, the widespread availability of inexpensive, privately conducted, rapid antigen tests in the UK has empowered everyone to make wise choices that reduce the risk of infecting vulnerable people. So far, the FDA says that these tests work to detect omicron.

Even if you have no COVID-like symptoms, these tests accurately read whether you harbor the virus and pose a risk of spreading it to close contacts. With this test in hand, anyone can check if it is safe to visit grandma before heading over to her care home. It is a perfect tool for focused protection of the vulnerable.

US COVID policy should focus on making these tests cheaper and more widely available, as they are in the UK.

The graphs show the amount of the coronavirus detected in human bronchial cells (left) and lung cells (right) 24 and 48 hours after coming into contact with the original strain of the virus (pink), Delta (orange) and Omicron (red). There was 70 times more Omicron recorded in the bronchus  the main pipe connecting the airways and lungs  compared to previous strains, but 10 times less virus in the lungs when compared to the original version and Delta. Experts from the University of Hong Kong said this suggests the virus is more transmissible but may cause less severe illness

Finally, since the virus very often spreads via aerosolization events, upgrades to ventilation systems in public spaces will reduce the risk of older people participating in everyday social life outside the home.

It is no accident that COVID disease spread is so rare on airplanes since they are all outfitted with excellent air filtration systems. Upgrading other public facilities, such as other public transportation systems, would reduce the risk of infection for the vulnerable.

There are some hopeful signs that the political and ideological winds are shifting, while other developments signal a return to failed strategies.

Colorado's Democrat Governor Jared Polis recently declared that the widespread availability of vaccines spells the end of the medical emergency, and he is resisting calls to impose new statewide mask mandates.

Yet on the coasts, in California and New York, elected officials are renewing mask requirements for all  regardless of health or vaccination status.

The end of the pandemic is primarily a social and political decision.

Since we have no technology to eradicate the virus, we must learn to live with it. The fear-based lockdown policies of the past two years are no template for a healthy society.

The good news is that with the new and effective technologies available and the focused protection ideas outlined in the GBD, we can end the pandemic if only we can muster the courage and political will to do so.

In Sweden and many US states that have eschewed lockdowns, the pandemic is effectively over, even as the virus continues to circulate.

As normal society resumes, the vast majority will find that living with the virus is not so hard after all.

Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD is a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine
Cabinet ministers today heaped praise on chief medic Chris Whitty after Tory MPs accused him of undermining the government's message on Covid curbs.

Sajid Javid delivered a barely-veiled rebuke to critics with a tweet hailing the 'first-class advice' he is getting from 'extraordinary scientists and clinicians'.

Meanwhile, Conservative chairman Oliver Dowden insisted Boris Johnson and Prof Whitty are 'in agreement'.

However, Chancellor Rishi Sunak struck a slightly different tone, stressing in an interview that the government is 'not telling people to cancel things'.

The row erupted yesterday when a Tory MP lashed out at Prof Whitty for advising people to prioritise what social events they attend in the run up to Christmas.

Joy Morrissey said on Twitter that England's Chief Medical Officer should 'defer' to what MPs and the government decide when it comes to slowing the spread of Omicron.

Cabinet ministers today heaped praise on chief medic Chris Whitty after Tory MPs accused him of undermining the government's message on Covid curbs

Conservative chairman Oliver Dowden insisted Boris Johnson and Prof Whitty are 'in agreement'

Sajid Javid delivered a barely-veiled rebuke to critics with a tweet hailing the 'first-class advice' he is getting from 'extraordinary scientists and clinicians'

Ms Morrissey, who is a parliamentary private secretary (PPS), the lowest rung on the ministerial ladder, suggested Prof Whitty was behaving like the UK is a 'public health socialist state'.

After Labour demanded an apology and her own Tory colleagues said it was 'completely unacceptable' to attack civil servants, Ms Morrissey deleted the tweet.

But she was later accused of 'doubling down' as she tweeted she is 'increasingly concerned at public health pronouncements made in the media that already seem to exceed or contradict decisions made by our elected representatives'.

Number 10 defended Prof Whitty as a 'hugely respected and trusted public servant who provides independent, evidence-based advice'.

However, other Conservative MPs have also voiced frustration at interventions by advisers, as well as slating the 'extraordinary' predictions about Covid from modellers.

Posting on Twitter today, Mr Javid said: 'I want to thank the extraordinary scientists and clinicians who provide the government and I with first class advice every single day. You are a huge credit to our country.'

Mr Dowden said Prof Whitty, advises rather than speaks for the Government.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Professor Whitty advises the Government.

'The Prime Minister speaks for the Government. Chris Whitty advises the Government. Actually, the Prime Minister and Chris Whitty are in agreement not just on the vaccine rollout, they're also in agreement that we have to show some caution.

'So, for example, if you are going to events with lots of people, then you should, for example, look at taking a negative lateral flow test before doing so.'

He added: 'Chris Whitty  and I know this because I've spoken to Chris Whitty about it  agrees with the Government that the right approach is to get the vaccine in people's arms. And that is a way of preventing much further and more stringent restrictions.'

In an interview with CNN overnight, Mr Sunak - who has long been seen as on the lockdown-sceptic side of the Cabinet - defended not having come forward yet with a package for bars and restaurants hammered y customers opting to stay away.

'The situation is very different to what we've encountered before  the government is not telling people to cancel things,' he said.

Prof Whitty said at a Downing Street press conference earlier this week that people should limit and prioritise social contact in the coming days amid a growing wave of coronavirus infections.

His comments went beyond what Mr Johnson said, with the Prime Minister advising the nation to be cautious over the festive period.

Joy Morrissey said on Twitter that England's Chief Medical Officer should 'defer' to what MPs and Boris Johnson decide when it comes to slowing the spread of Omicron
nthony Herman has vowed to take the matter to the Victorian Supreme Court

A private prosecution brought by a Victorian man against Premier Daniel Andrews has been struck out by the court.

The prosecution brought by Anthony Herman, alleging Mr Andrews was 'concealing an overt act of treason', was due to be heard in Myrtleford Magistrates Court on Friday morning.

It's understood the premier, who was this week ordered to test and isolate after coming into contact with a Covid-19 positive case, did not attend in person or online.

The online hearing cut out before the matter was heard, but AAP has confirmed the case was struck out.

The magistrate issued an order noting 'charge issued not served'.

Criminal procedure rules require charges brought against a person be served on them, and magistrates have the discretion to discontinue cases where there's been a failure to comply.

A private prosecution brought by a Victorian man against Premier Daniel Andrews has been struck out by the court. Pictured are recent protests against the state leader

The prosecution brought by Victorian man Anthony Herman, alleging Mr Andrews was 'concealing an overt act of treason', was due to be heard in Myrtleford Magistrates Court on Friday morning

Outside court, Mr Herman said he would not give up and claimed the failed prosecution would continue in the Supreme Court.

He said he would also file charges against staff at Myrtleford's court who had been involved in Friday's case, claiming there had been 'horrendous corruption' and accusing them, alongside Mr Andrews, of 'concealing treason and fraud'.

'What people need to understand (is) our constitution has been trespassed upon and stolen from us as we sat around and watched,' he said.

'Until we stand up together in a peaceful way, use our brains in a legal way, we are not going to change this.'

More than 900 people attended the online hearing, including many who oppose the premier and Victoria's coronavirus regulations.

It quickly descended into chaos with people talking, sharing their screens and posting images of Mr Andrews.

One image styled Mr Andrews as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The massive number of people in the online hearing caused delays in the premier's case and others due to be heard in the small local court.

'Seriously, this is a joke. Some of us are here for legitimate court cases and are being held up by all of you and the palava you are creating. Find another focus and move on,' one woman said.

Throughout the pandemic online meeting users have become used to being told 'you're on mute' but on Friday the opposite issue occurred with dozens of participants seemingly unable to mute their microphones.

Some took phone calls, others used it as a chance to share the rally cry 'sack Dan Andrews' and one person observed it had become 'a clown show'.

The premier, who was this week ordered to test and isolate after coming into contact with a Covid-19 positive case, did not attend in person or online

The matter was due to be heard at the Myrtleford Magistrates Court in Victoria (pictured) and quickly descended into chaos

Some speculated it was a conspiracy designed to distract from the actual hearing, sharing their theories in the chat function.

'Is this a decoy? Where is the judge,' someone with the username Sovereignlaw wrote.

'Looks like a fake meeting to me. Just to piss people off,' another woman named Debbie added.

One woman going by the name Tracey Lucas said it was nice to see everyone on the link.

'We all want the same thing. Dan Andrews and the government to go down,' she said.

Outside court there was a crowd of about 100 protesters who gathered for the case.
Fallen ex-New York governor Andrew Governor may get to keep his $5.1 million pandemic book money thanks to his arch-nemesis, Attorney General Letitia James.

On Monday, the state ethics commission ordered Cuomo to return the profits from his coronavirus tome 'American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic' to his publisher within 30 days.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics, which oversees lobbyists and government officials, ruled that the disgraced state executive used state employees to write and tout the book and would have to return his gains.

Disgraced Gov. Andrew Cuomo, once a supporter of New York state Attorney General Letitia James, but the relationship came apart after her investigation concluded that he sexually harassed 11 women

Nearly a dozen women accused ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo (shown here with his mother Matilda Cuomo and daughters Cara, Mariah and Michaela) of making sexually charged comments or inappropriately touching

JCOPE referred the collection of the cash to James's office.

But the state AG's lawyer dashed off a letter Thursday halting the process, saying that JCOPE had not gone through the proper procedures to justify its decision.

The ethics watchdog would have to produce an investigative report, outlining which laws were violated and what sums and penalties it was seeking, the attorney general's top lawyer Larry Schimmel wrote.

Any referral to the attorney generals office 'should also include additional clarifications,' the letter said, including 'a record of the administrative process, and the statutory authority for the decision, the amount of the imposed fines and penalties, and a determination concerning the appropriate amount of disgorgement attributable to the violation of law.'

Additionally, the committee would need to document any communications it had with Cuomo or his lawyers about the order, and then show it had exhausted efforts to collect the debt.

'It is therefore premature to ask the OAG to begin collection efforts before a demand for payment is made to Mr. Cuomo, or his counsel, and he has had an opportunity to address the demand,' Schimmel wrote.

Cuomo's lawyer, Jim McGuire, who had called the commission's attempt to seize the book profits illegal, said the letter was another sign that JCOPE was acting outside the law.

'JCOPEs actions violated fundamental constitutional rights and flagrantly exceeded its statutory authority,' said McGuire. 'It is not at all surprising that the lawlessness of JCOPEs latest unlawful action is being recognized as just that.'

'American Crisis' came out in October 2020, published by Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House. Months later, Cuomo resigned amid allegations he sexually harassed at least 11 women.

New York's top ethics watchdog ordered fallen-Gov. Andrew Cuomo to return $5M in book profits to his publisher after determining that he used state employees to write and promote it

Cuomo had been granted approval for his book deal in July 2020 by the commission's staff, after his lawyer said he would not use any state personnel or resources to produce his book and that he would write it 'entirely on his own time.'

An investigation commissioned by the state Assembly concluded that, in fact, state resources and personnel were used to prepare, write, edit and publish the book.

Cuomo was forced out of office after James's office found that he sexually harassed 11 women.

Shortly afterward she announced her bid for governor, but bowed out weeks later, saying she wanted to focus on the investigations started during her term.

Cuomo's spokesman has said any state employees who worked on the book did so on their personal time, not during work hours.

The ex-state executive had accused James of being motivated by politics, but she was absent from his latest broadside against top elected officials.

'This had nothing to do with the law and is evidence of political attacks by the appointees of Governor Hochul, Speaker Heastie and Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins,' Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi said. 'Ironically, these Hochul, Heastie and Stewart-Cousins appointees taking the position that staff cannot do non-governmental volunteer work on their personal time damns them and their own employees, who should now be held to the same standard for volunteer work on their bosses' re-election campaigns.'
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A Michigan pastor who leads the congregation that includes six of the missionaries among the 17 Americans and one Canadian held captive in Haiti for two months before they were finally freed said the kidnap victims were 'treated relatively well' during the ordeal.

'God has answered our prayers,' Reverend Ron Marks of Hart Dunkard Brethren Church told Good Morning America. 'We're rejoicing and a great load is lifted.'

The remaining 12 Christian Aid Missionaries (CAM) from a group of 17 kidnapped in October were released Thursday, ending a saga that brought global attention to the Caribbean nation's growing problem of gang abductions.

Five of the hostages had been freed in recent weeks, and the final dozen were found by authorities in the remote mountain Morne a Cabrit, said police spokesman Garry Derosier.

'They were treated relatively well,' Marks said. 'I'm still waiting to hear the rest of their story. I'm sure they weren't treated supremely, life in Haiti is hard even at its best,' the pastor said.

'I think if there had been any severe problems, any injuries, or any illnesses that they had, we would have probably heard.'

Derosier declined to provide further details on their condition or how they were found.

Reverend Ron Marks of Hart Dunkard Brethren Church leads the congregation where six of the 16 Americans and one Canadian kidnapped missionaries attended. He said the missionaries were treated 'relatively well'

People are pictured embracing on the Christian Aid Missionaries in Haiti after the release of remaining 12 captives

The names of the freed missionaries, who have yet to return to the US, have not been released

Cars are seen being packed as the rescued missionaries prepared to return home

The kidnapping of the American Canadian missionaries brought global attention to the Caribbean nation's growing problem of gang abductions. People were seen being driven around the Christian Aid Missionaries campus in Haiti

The names and locations of the rescued missionaries have not been released but CAM, which is based in Ohio, said the hostages were 12 adults aged 18 to 48, and five children ranging in age from eight months to 15 years.

The five children and their mother all attended Marks's church in Oceana County, Michigan.

The group was abducted by a gang known as 400 Mawozo on October 16 and had demanded $1 million per missionary. It's unclear if any ransom was.

'I knew the FBI was involved, I do not know to what extent, I do not know what the final terms were, I just know they're free,' Marks said to 9&10 News.

He believes they are still in Haiti.

US officials have yet to release details but said the missionaries will be reunited with loved ones soon.

A man embraces a missionary at the Christian Aid Ministries headquarters at Titanyen, north of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, after the 12 remaining members of a U.S.-based missionary group who were kidnapped two months ago were freed

Five of the hostages had already been freed in recent weeks, and the final dozen were found by authorities on a mountain called Morne a Cabrit, said police spokesman Garry Derosier

Some of the children who were among the hostages are loaded into the car after being rescued

The remaining 12 American and Canadian missionaries from a group kidnapped in October in Haiti were released Thursday. They are pictured boarding a car

A woman takes a photo of members of the Christian Aid Ministries who are departing to the airport from the group's headquarter at Titanyen, north of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Thursday

Unidentified people carry bags to a vehicle before departing to the airport from the Christian Aid Ministries headquarters at Titanyen, north of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Thursday

A caravan drives to the airport after departing from the Christian Aid Ministries headquarters at Titanyen, north of Port-au-Prince, Haiti

'Join us in praising God that all seventeen of our loved ones are now safe,' CAM said in a statement on Thursday.

'Thank you for your fervent prayers throughout the past two months. We hope to provide more information as we are able.'

Both the US and Canadian governments have said they do not pay ransoms for kidnapped citizens. But officials from the State Department and FBI have been working in Haiti to help secure the safe release of the hostages.

The gang's leader, Wilson Joseph, aka Lanmo Sanjou or 'Death Without Days,' has appeared in internet videos wearing a Spider-Man mask, had said he was willing to kill the hostages.

The group was abducted by a gang known as 400 Mawozo on October 16 - exactly two months before all were rescued. The gang had demanded $1 million per missionary. It's unclear if the ransom money was paid

Haitian police have sought the gang's leader since last December for crimes including assassination, kidnapping, vehicle theft and hijacking of cargo trucks.

Authorities said they were trying to negotiate with Joly 'Yonyon' Germine, a jailed gang member considered to be the second-in-command of 400 Mawozo.

The widely-feared group, whose name loosely translates to '400 inexperienced men,' is responsible for approximately 80 percent of the kidnappings in Haiti and is often associated with 'collective kidnappings' in which they abduct entire cars or buses of people.

Members are known to use rape, assassination and abduction, among other methods, to maintain their hold on Haiti's streets, businesses and power players.

Dan Hooley, a former CAM director, said that some of the missionaries had not been in Haiti for long.

One family had lived there for 'a couple of months,' he told the New York Times, and another man had arrived the day before the kidnappings to work on a relief project related to an earthquake that struck in August.

He described CAM as 'the big dog in the mission world,' capable of importing containers full of medicines into Haiti whereas others 'just can't get it done.'

The group was founded in 1981 'to be a trustworthy and efficient channel for Amish, Mennonite, and other conservative Anabaptist groups and individuals to minister to physical and spiritual needs around the world.'

The missionary organization reported a revenue of more than $130 million in 2019, largely through donations, and operates in 126 countries.

A person familiar with the situation claimed one of the abducted Americans posted a cry for help in a WhatsApp group as the kidnapping was occurring.

'Please pray for us!! We are being held hostage, they kidnapped our driver. Pray pray pray. We don't know where they are taking us,' the abductee wrote.

400 Mawozo gang leader Wilson Joseph also known as Lanmo Sanjou wears Spiderman mask in a video posted to YouTube

Wilson Joseph aka Lanmo Sanjou has been wanted by Haitian police since December 2020

Gangs have extended their control of territory in Haiti since the assassination in July of President Jovenel Moise. One gang coalition in October created a nationwide fuel shortage by blocking access to storage terminals.

Haitians say everyone from well-heeled elites to working class street vendors face the threat of abduction by the gangs.

The US State Department travel advisory warns US citizens to avoid visiting the Caribbean nation, noting 'kidnapping is widespread and victims regularly include US citizens.'

Previously confined to the poorer districts of the capital, gangs have recently extended their reach and increased the number of kidnappings, as the country, already struggling with a years-long social and economic crisis, was hit by a presidential assassination and a major earthquake.

Hundreds of people have been kidnapped for ransom since January in Haiti, according to the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights (CARDH).
Cabinet Secretary Simon Case tonight stepped down from the Downing Street 'Partygate' probe after claims two potentially lockdown-busting gatherings were held in his own office.

The civil service chief recused himself from the investigation after the latest extraordinary revelations - which emerged as he was due to deliver his conclusions.

MailOnline understands that one event was held on December 17 last year, with an email sent out to around 15 people in Mr Case's Private Office titled 'Christmas Quiz'.

A Downing Street spokesman said in a statement: 'To ensure the ongoing investigation retains public confidence the Cabinet Secretary has recused himself for the remainder of the process.

'The work will be concluded by Sue Gray, second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

'She will ascertain the facts and present her findings to the Prime Minister.'

Sources admitted that alcohol was consumed at desks with about six people present, and others participating virtually, but there was apparently no catering.

Although Mr Case did not take part he was 'aware of what they were doing' just outside his own personal office, and at one point stopped to 'thank them for their hard work' as he moved between meetings.

A second event last December allegedly featured drinks for a group of people in Mr Case's office before attendees continued the party elsewhere. However, the Cabinet Office denies that event took place.

The allegations - first reported by the Guido Fawkes website - surfaced as Tory chairman Oliver Dowden insisted that Mr Case's inquiry will 'vindicate' Mr Johnson's position that no rules had been broken.

He has been looking into alleged No10 Christmas party on December 18, as well as leaving dos and a Cabinet Office quiz.

A whistleblower said two events were held last December in Simon Case's (pictured) Private Office despite coronavirus restrictions

Oliver Dowden, a minister in the Cabinet, today said the Mr Case's investigation would 'vindicate' the Prime Minister (file image)

The work will be concluded by Sue Gray (pictured), second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Simon Case's replacement? The ethics chief from 'Plebgate' storm Sue Gray has been described as the most powerful civil servant you have never heard of. In her former job as director-general of propriety and ethics in the Cabinet Office she had enormous power and long experience in Westminster scandals, and developed a fearsome reputation among ministers and officials. She dealt with complaints against ministers on behalf of the Cabinet Secretary and Prime Minister. Her inquiry into the so-called Plebgate affair led to the resignation of minister Andrew Mitchell, pictured. Her investigation into Damian Green led to his forced resignation after she discovered he had lied about pornography found on his Commons computer. From 2018 to 2021 she served as the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Finance at the Northern Ireland Executive. She returned to London to head up work on the Union earlier this year. Advertisement

Boris Johnson ordered Mr Case to investigate last week after extraordinary footage emerged of his former press secretary Allegra Stratton and No10 aides giggling about a 'party' that was held in Downing Street last year.

The findings of Mr Case's probe were expected by today, but they have been pushed back.

The damaging scandal has been blamed for the Tories' disastrous loss in the North Shropshire by-election overnight.

Speaking to reporters on a visit in his Uxbridge constituency today, Mr Johnson insisted the public was more interested in other matters such as coronavirus, and suggested the media reporting on lockdown-busting parties had caused the Tories to lose the North Shropshire by-election.

He told broadcasters 'what people have been hearing is just a constant litany of stuff about politics and politicians and stuff that isn't about them'.

Earlier, Scottish National Party's Westminster leader Ian Blackford called for Mr Case to be removed from the investigation and to resign.

Mr Blackford said: 'The Prime Minister's appointed lead investigator into the Downing Street parties has also been reported to have hosted a party in his office  whilst thousands were forced to spend the Christmas season apart as a result of necessary coronavirus restrictions. He, along with his inquiry report, must go.'

He said it was 'vital there be an inquiry led by an independent arbitrator  someone who owes the UK government nothing', and in a letter to the PM suggested it should be judge-led.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said: 'Boris Johnson as Prime Minister has set the tone for the civil service and the rest of government.

'Which each new revelation there is growing evidence of a culture of turning a blind eye to the rules.

'Labour made it clear when the investigation was launched that the person in charge should be uncompromised and able to make a fair and independent judgement. These fresh revelations put that into question.'

Mr Dowden told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I understand and I appreciate that there was a perception, particularly from the media coverage surrounding those alleged events, that we were not abiding by the rules.

'I have to say to you that there is an ongoing inquiry by the Cabinet Secretary and I'm confident that that inquiry will vindicate the Prime Minister's assertion that everything that happened was within the rules.

'But I do appreciate the noise and the sound around that was something that was of concern to voters.'

By far the most damaging has been reports that a party was held at Downing Street during a 2020 Christmas lockdown when such festivities were banned, with a video emerging this week which showed staff laughing and joking about it.

It prompted the tearful resignation of the PM's former press secretary, Allegra Stratton

How many parties is the Government alleged to have held last year and when did they happen? PARTIES IN DOWNING STREET Dom's Gone bash - November 13: Dominic Cummings alleges that the PM held a gathering at his grace-and-favour flat on November 13 last year, the day the adviser was ousted from Downing Street. Mr Cummings also suggested there had been 'other flat parties'. Leaving do - November 27: The Prime Minister reportedly gave a speech at a packed Number 10 leaving do for a 'senior aide'. Sources claimed that '40 or 50 people' were present. Christmas party - December 18: Staff in Downing Street are believed to have held a Christmas party, with reports that dozens of people attended the event, some wearing festive jumpers and exchanging Secret Santa presents. London had been placed into Tier 3 restrictions on December 16 - the highest level of curbs on freedoms at the time which banned people from different households mixing indoors. Downing Street has said Boris Johnson did not attend the event. Quiz night - December: Sources told the BBC that a separate Christmas quiz event was held for Number 10 staff at some point in December. Everyone was apparently invited to attend and to form teams. One source said some people attended virtually via Zoom but others did attend in person and sat in groups of six. Downing Street has insisted the quiz was 'virtual'. ... AND ELSEWHERE IN WHITEHALL December 10: Then-education secretary Gavin Williamson hosted a Department for Education party for 'up to 24 people' on December 10. The gathering, which included food and drink, took place in the department's canteen. The department has admitted the event happened. December 14: About 25 people gathered in the basement of the Conservative party's Matthew Parker St offices in Westminster. The Times reported last night that advisers at Conservative campaign headquarters held an event with Shaun Bailey, the party's unsuccessful candidate for mayor of London this May. Advertisement

Mr Johnson was accused of breaking the rules imposed by his own government after it was revealed he acted as an impromptu quiz master in Downing Street amid Tier 2 restrictions last year.

In an image published in the Sunday Mirror, Johnson is seen in front of a laptop in the No. 10 library closely shadowed by two colleagues, one draped in tinsel, the other wearing a Christmas hat.

The quiz is believed to have taken place on December 15 - just three days before the now infamous Downing Street party.

Government sources cited by the Times said the Cabinet Secretary 'would look at credible allegations of other gatherings and you can't really say that a photo of the prime minister is not a credible allegation.'

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi defended the Prime Minister after it emerged Mr Johnson personally hosted a Christmas quiz in Downing Street last year.

Mr Zahawi said Mr Johnson had not broken any coronavirus rules by taking part in the event.

Downing Street has insisted the quiz was 'virtual' but reports claimed many staff were huddled by computers in Number 10 as they conferred on questions and drank alcohol.

At the time of the quiz, London was in Tier 2 which dictated there should be no mixing of households indoors, apart from support bubbles, and a maximum of six people outside.

The Sunday Mirror reported Mr Johnson surprised staff by turning up on screen as quiz master for one round lasting between 10 and 15 minutes.

A Number 10 spokeswoman said: 'This was a virtual quiz.

'Downing Street staff were often required to be in the office to work on the pandemic response so those who were in the office for work may have attended virtually from their desks.

'The Prime Minister briefly took part virtually in a quiz to thank staff for their hard work throughout the year.'

Staff reportedly held a Christmas bash in Number 10 on December 18, with a leaked video  filmed four days after the alleged gathering  showing senior Downing Street aides joking about a 'fictional' party.

A second reported Downing Street event  an aide's leaving do which is said to have taken place on November 27  was allegedly attended by the Prime Minister, who The Mirror said made a speech.

Mr Case is investigating both alleged events, along with a festive celebration arranged at the Department for Education, which officials have admitted did take place and have expressed regret over.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has since confirmed that staff working for Therese Coffey drank alcohol and ate takeaways 'late into the evening' on a number of occasions while coronavirus restrictions were in place.

It comes after the Sunday Mirror reported that political staff and officials frequently drank after work until the early hours of the morning, and ordered food to the Work and Pension Secretary's office at the department's Whitehall headquarters.

The DWP has confirmed there were times when alcohol was consumed in a work space outside the Cabinet minister's Whitehall office but stressed it took place while work was continuing past normal employment hours.

A source said the desks in the office are socially distanced and there was 'no party atmosphere going on'.
France has demanded that the EU must launch legal proceedings against Britain over fishing licenses as President Emmanuel Macron continues to accuse the UK of breaking post-Brexit agreements.

The move, announced by France's European affairs minister on Friday, is the latest over a long-running dispute on fishing licenses for French boats in British waters.

Britain and the EU agreed to set up a licensing system to grant fishing vessels access to each other's waters when Britain left the bloc.

But France says it has not been given the full number it is due, while Britain says only those lacking the correct documentation have not been granted.

'In the coming days we will ask the European Commission to launch litigation, a legal procedure, for the licenses we are entitled to,' Clement Beaune said.

France has demanded that the EU must launch legal proceedings against Britain over fishing licenses. The move, announced by France's European affairs minister Clement Beaune (pictured in Brussels on Tuesday) on Friday, is the latest over a long-running dispute on fishing licenses for French boats in British waters

His comments came after President Emmanuel Macron met fishing representatives and local officials, and follows a long running dispute between France and Britain.

The threat of proceedings also comes despite France claiming to have obtained 93 percent of the post-Brexit fishing licences it claims from Britain.

It hopes the European Commission will put further pressure on London.

The U.K. licenses are at the center of the dispute following Britain's split with the EU last year. Before Brexit, French fishermen could fish deep inside British waters.

Now they need a special license from the British government or the self-governing British Crown dependencies of Jersey and Guernsey to fish in certain areas.

French fishermen say Britain and the Channel Island of Jersey, a British crown dependency, are holding back on licenses for French boats that had been allowed to ply their waters for years before Britain left the EU.

Olivier Le Nezet, head of the fishermen's committee in the Brittany region, said '(Macron) made it very clear: the fight continues, it will end only when we will get the licenses.' Macron 'won't stop negotiating,' Le Nezet added.

French Minister of the Sea Annick Girardin said participants at the meeting also discussed economic support for fishermen whose licenses won't be approved.

The dispute has sparked the possibility of an all-out trade war, with fishermen in northern France vowing this week to step up protests and block British boats from French ports along the Channel coast.

Fishing represents a tiny share of both the French and British economies, but it is politically sensitive.

France's Maritime Minister Annick Girardin on Tuesday said 'we won't give in' over the fishing row. Mr Beaune said earlier this week in an interview that France would still need 'a few dozen' fishing licences to settle the conflict with London.

French President Emmanuel Macron, French Minister of Marine Affairs Annick Girardin and French European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune attend a meeting with a delegation of French fishermen, over post-Brexit fishing licenses in the English Channel at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 17 December 2021

Protests by French fisherman in November included the Channel Tunnel's entrance being blocked. Pictured: French fishing boats block the entrance to the port of Saint-Malo on November 26, 2021

On Saturday, The UK and Jersey governments issued another 23 licences to French fishing boats to trawl British waters in an apparent attempt to ease tensions.

It came a day after a December 10 deadline for the UK to grant licences to dozens of French fishing boats under a Brexit deal signed last year, with Paris threatening European legal action if no breakthrough emerged.

The licences were agreed last Friday night after British officials met European Union counterparts and followed what the spokesman called an 'evidence-based approach' ensuring vessels qualify to work in UK waters.

The spokesperson added that the approach 'provides stability and ensures the sustainability of our fisheries', with the UK granting 18 licences and the Channel Island of Jersey five.

The EU hailed the agreement as 'an important step in a long process' towards implementing the 2020 Brexit agreement and said work continued to license seven more vessels by Monday.

France had previously said 104 of its boats still lacked licences to operate in British and Channel Island waters that should have been granted under the Brexit agreement.

Under the deal, EU fishermen can continue to work in British waters if they can prove they used to fish there.

Pictured: French Fishermen arrive at the port of Calais to blockade the entrance in a protest designed to increase pressure on the UK Government to grant licenses to European boats for licenses to fish within British waters on November 26, 2021 in Calais, France

A spokesperson said the decision to grant more licenses had come after Environment Secretary George Eustice spoke with European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius last Friday 'following several weeks of intensive technical discussions on licensing'.

French fishermen last month disrupted cross-Channel ferry and freight traffic in protest at the post-Brexit arrangements and consequent loss of trade.

Half a dozen fishing boats blocked access to ferries at the northern port of Calais and the port of Ouistreham in Normandy to the west.

In May, protesting French trawlers massed in front of Jersey's main port and even caused a brief standoff with Royal Navy vessels.

The UK is highly dependent on French ports, particularly for fresh food imports, and any extended blockade would have the potential to have a significant impact.

The EU and Britain are also locked in a separate trade row over checks on products entering the British province of Northern Ireland after the UK government unilaterally postponed the introduction of checks.

The dispute has exacerbated deteriorating bilateral relations between Britain and France, who have clashed this year over migrant crossings in the English Channel, post-Brexit trade arrangements and submarine sales to Australia.

To satisfy UK criteria, vessels need to prove that they have fished in UK waters for one day in each of the four years between 2012 and 2016, while Guernsey and Jersey ask for evidence of fishing for more than 10 days in one year of the above period.
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper said he feels 'terrible' for his good friend Chris Cuomo after he was fired by the network, but admitted it was the correct decision during an uncomfortable segment with late-night host Stephen Colbert.

'Look, I don't want anything bad to happen to somebody who is a colleague and a friend of mine, and I feel terrible for him and his family,' said Cooper as he stammered and wriggled in his seat during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday.

'That being said, journalists have strict ethics and strict rules that we are to abide by and if you don't abide by them, there are repercussions. I wish Chris the best, and I'm sorry how all this played out.'

Cuomo, 51, was fired from the network's top-rated show on Dec. 5 after the New York Attorney General's Office released transcripts and exhibits that revealed he helped his sex pest brother Andrew Cuomo battle sexual harassment allegations to a greater extent than he admitted.

The host of Anderson Cooper 350 said he was not tipped off to the network's decision and that Cuomo's canning came as a 'surprise' to him.

But it didn't take long for another good buddy to ask for the job.

'The first call I got after I got the call about Chris Cuomo was Andy Cohen, like, ''Do you think I could get that show?''' Cooper told Colbert. 'I was, like, ''Andy, you've got enough real estate in television.'' '

The host of CNN's Cooper 360 appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday and spoke about the 'surprise' ousting of Chris Cuomo

Cooper (pictured left) said Cuomo's firing came as a surprise to him and that he found out with the rest of the world that his good friend was gone from the network

The ever-present Bravo personality hosts CNN's annual New Year's countdown with Cooper and is better known for producing the Real Housewives franchise.

'He feels he is fully qualified to host a presidential debate because he hosts the Housewives reunions,' Cooper joked about his best friend's qualifications, to which Colbert said: 'I 100% agree.'

Cooper and Cohen have been friends for years after the two were originally set up on a blind date.

The two never went out after Andy broke Anderson's 'cardinal rule' during a phone call setting up their date: he asked him a question about his famous mother Gloria Vanderbilt.

While Cohen might not be a good fit to replace Cuomo, rumors are swirling that CNN host Jake Tapper is the top choice to take over the high-profile time slot, which follows Cooper's show.

Tapper, 52, is one of many candidates vying for the position following Cuomo's downfall as the network scrambles to find his replacement.

'He is the logical choice, but if he takes over, it will have a cascading effect because Jake's unlikely to be able to continue State of the Union and remain lead DC anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent. In short, this really has screwed with CNN's programming line-up.

'The only saving grace is that it is the end of the year and network bosses can position 2022 as a revamped line-up,' a source told Radar.

Since Cuomo's axing, radio host Michael Smerconish has been filling in after being appointed by CNN president Jeff Zucker.

Cooper joked that his best friend Andy Cohen,(pictured right) host of Bravo's Watch What Happens Live, immediately gunned to replace Cuomo, which Cooper shut down

CNN said in a statement that Chris had mislead them about his efforts this spring to help his brother, Governor Andrew Cuomo, (pictured left) in countering allegations of sexual harassment

Other candidates for the position include the network's Reliable Sources anchor Brian Stelter.

MSNBC host Brian Williams also has been eyed as a possible choice after exiting MSNBC last month. The former longtime NBC Nightly News anchor has his own baggage for making false claims about his work during the Iraq War in 2003.

Another possibility is political commentator and writer S.E. Cupp, one of the sole rumored female candidates. She hosts S.E. Cupp: Unfiltered on the network.

On top of the Attorney General Letitia James' trove of documents, CNN said that accusation that Chris Cuomo sexually harassed a former co-worker at ABC was the final straw that led to his firing.

The network was set to investigate an unspecified allegation dating back to Cuomo's time at ABC before he was fired.

Debra S. Katz, a prominent attorney who also represents one of Andrew Cuomo's accusers, Charlotte Bennet, told CNN about a client with an allegation of sexual harassment against the younger Cuomo, according to the New York Times.

The allegation is 'unrelated to the Gov. Andrew Cuomo matter,' Katz said in a statement.

Chris Cuomo's spokesman has insisted: 'These apparently anonymous allegations are not true.'
Donald Trump and his administration deliberately underminded the response to the coronavirus to focus on getting him re-elected, a damning new report released on Friday from the House committee investigating the pandemic found.

The 46 page end-of-the-year report, written by the panel's Democratic majority, harshly condemns the former president and his officials, noting 'Trump Administration officials engaged in a staggering pattern of political interference in the pandemic response and failed to heed early warnings about the looming crisis.'

'These decisions placed countless American lives at risk, undermined the nation's public health institutions, and contributed to one of the worst failures of leadership in American history,' the report notes.

The report from the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis outlines:

How the administration blocked briefings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials on public health needs

Failed to implement a national strategy to combat the pandemic and alleviate critical supply shortages

Intentionally weakened CDC recommendations to churches regarding services

Failed to have essential fraud controls within the Small Business Administration (SBA) to guard critical relief funds against fraud

Purposely weakened CDC testing guidance

The Farmers-to-Families Food Box Program (Food Box Program), championed by Ivanka Trump, wasted taxpayer money and delivered rotten food

Neglected the response to the pandemic to focus on Trump's 2020 re-election campaign

The report cites more than 430,000 pages of documents, interviews of key officials involved in the pandemic response, and public hearings on the matter as the source of its findings.

Some of its findings had been previously released throughout its investigations over the past year. But Friday's report has new details of the Trump administration's actions and it combines all its findings into one damaging document.

It reveals that Dr. Deborah Birx, who was the pandemic coordinator for Trump's Coronavirus Task Force, told the panel that Trump White House officials 'were actively campaigning' for the presidential election and that the narrow focus on campaigning 'took people's time away from and distracted them away from the pandemic.'

The report also charges the Trump administration published guidance for faith communities that 'softened some very important public health recommendations,' such as removing all references to face coverings, a suggestion to suspend choirs, and language related to virtual services.

Donald Trump and his administration deliberately underminded the response to the coronavirus to focus on getting him re-elected, a new report from a pane investigating the pandemic found - above Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci listen to President Trump at a March 20, 2020 briefing

Dr. Jay Butler, a former senior CDC official, told the panel that the Trump administration published guidance for faith communities that 'softened some very important public health recommendations'

Dr. Jay Butler, a former senior CDC official, said the May 23, 2020, guidelines that 'what had been done [by the Trump White House] was not good public health practice,' and acknowledged that the concerns he had about Americans getting sick and potentially dying.

He wrote in an email about the change that he was 'very troubled on this Sunday morning that there will be people who will get sick and perhaps die because of what we were forced to do.'

'I was doing a lot of soul searching about whether or not I should have agreed to even make the change in the document,' Butler told the committee. 'Clearly, it was a directive, but that was a real struggle as I felt like what had been done was not good public health practice.'

He also said he wasn't aware of any examples where the guidance had hurt the health of Americans but 'that concern will haunt me for some time.'

The panel also revealed documents that showed Trump Administration officials purposefully weakened CDC's coronavirus testing guidance in August 2020 to obscure how rapidly the virus was spreading across the country.

Birx told the panel that Dr. Scott Atlas, whose recommendations during the pandemic were questioned by other medical professionals, was involved in changing the CDC's testing guidance to say that most asymptomatic people should not be tested even if they were exposed to the virus. She said that advice was contrary to consensus science-based recommendations.

Trump brought Atlas onto the Coronavirus Task Force after seeing him appear on Fox News.

The CDC eventually restored the science-based testing guidance on September 18, 2020, over the objections of senior White House officials, according to Dr. Birx.

President Donald Trump was known not to be a fan of wearing face masks

In the congressional report, Dr. Birx revealed her frustrations with Dr. Scott Atlas, seen above with Trump at a September 2020 briefing

A White House Coronavirus Task Force meeting in the Oval Office in April 2020 with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Deborah Birz, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and Trump

Birx also revealed her frustration with some of the advice the president was getting as COVID cases spread around the nation, refusing to attend one meeting that included doctors that she said were part of a 'fringe group.'

The doctors were pushing a 'herd immunity' theory that decried by public health experts, who have noted a previous infection of COVID doesn't guarantee immunity.

'I can't be part of this with these people who believe in herd immunity,' Birx wrote in an email released by the committee. She offered to go out of town to avoid it and save the White House embarassment.

'These are people who believe that all the curves are predetermined and mitigation is irrelevant -- they are a fringe group without grounding in epidemics, public health or on the ground common sense experience. I am happy to go out of town or whatever gives the WH cover,' she wrote.

Birx also described how she was surprised to discover when she joined the COVID response team that no one from the federal government had contacted some of the largest diagnostic companies operating in the United States to help scale up testing efforts.

The Trump White House also blocked CDC's requests to conduct public briefings for more than three months in early 2020 as the pandemic was gaining speed.

The order was a reaction to a February 25, 2020 briefing from then-CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Director Dr. Nancy Messonnier, who warned about the risks posed by the coronavirus.

Dr. Messonnier told the panel her briefing 'angered' then-President Trump and she received calls from then-CDC Director Robert Redfield and then-HHS Secretary Alex Azar that caused her to feel 'upset.'

Another CDC official said the agency wanted to hold a briefing in April 2020 that would have provided information on the state of the pandemic, the new CDC recommendation to wear cloth face coverings, and new evidence of pediatric cases and deaths from the coronavirus, but the Trump White House refused the CDC's request.

Former CDC Principal Deputy Director Dr. Anne Schuchat told the Select Subcommittee that 'many of us' in the CDC felt muzzled by a Trump White House.

The committee also found that nearly 97% of the fraud prosecutions tied to COVID loan were from applications made during the Trump Administration's implementation of the program in its first five months.

And almost 50% of those prosecutions involved government grants to fictitious, inactive, or inoperative businesses.

The Small Business Administration under the Trump Administration failed to implement essential fraud controls to guard critical relief funds against fraud, the committee found, noting the Biden administration implemented such controls.

The panel also found the billion dollar Farmers-to-Families Food Box Program championed by Ivanka Trump wasted taxpayer dollars, delivered rotten food, and was used for Donald Trump's political gain.

The Trump administration also used the Food Box Program for political advantage, the panel said.

In its findings, it revealed that in the six weeks leading up to the election, vendors employed by the program were 'required include in all outgoing boxes a letter signed by President Trump in which he took credit for sending out the food, despite the fact that the boxes were to be distributed through apolitical nonprofit organizations.'
Chris Cuomo's CNN producer John Griffin hosted sleepovers and pool parties with friends of his three young children while being investigated for sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl.

A Connecticut man who knows the Griffin family told of his disbelief that the suspected pedophile was free to interact with children while authorities spent 17 months probing the case.

Griffin, 44, and his wife Allyson, 46, hosted children's parties at their colossal $4 million mansion overlooking Long Island Sound in Wilson Point, Connecticut.

'The Griffins have young children, and those young children have friends,' the resident told Fox News. 'I know someone who is friends with their daughter and went to a pool party at their house last summer, and he [Griffin] was there.'

Griffin was charged in Vermont in October 2020 for drink driving after smashing into another car. Federal authorities were made aware of allegations of sex abuse and the month before his car crash they seized 'computers, storage media, devices, phones, cameras, MicroSD cards, images and video' from the suspect

CNN presenter Chris Cuomo horsing around with producer John Griffin when they worked together at the news network

Griffin and his wife separated last year but had been trying to repair their marriage at some point last summer, sources told the broadcaster.

The source said it was well known that Griffin was a heavy drinker and was rumored to have spent time in rehab.

He was charged in Vermont in October 2020 for drink driving after smashing into another car.

He was arrested on December 10 in Connecticut on a federal indictment out of Vermont for allegedly soliciting three mothers to have sex with their underage daughters.

However, Griffin had been on the authorities' radar for more than a year after a mother who took her nine-year-old daughter to meet the TV producer was arrested in August 2020.

Griffin is alleged to have paid the mother $3,350 so that he could sexually abuse the child.

The mother and daughter flew from Nevada to Boston where Griffin picked them up in his Tesla in July 2020. He then took the pair to his $2 million Vermont mountain chalet where the abuse is said to have taken place.

Police in Henderson, Nevada, arrested 48-year-old Heather Carriker the following month on two counts of child abuse, two counts of sexual assault against a child under 14 and one count of lewdness with a minor under 14.

Griffin was named in the complaint against her.

Federal authorities were made aware of the allegations and on September 2, 2020, seized 'computers, storage media, devices, phones, cameras, MicroSD cards, images and video,' from Griffin, according to court papers.

But they waited another 16 months before arresting the TV producer, leaving him free to interact with young children who were friends with his own kids.

The Connecticut resident suggested that Griffin's status in the community may have helped shield him from being arrested sooner.

He told Fox the Griffin family have a 'nouveau riche vibe' and 'splashed money all over town.'

Heather Carriker, 48 (left), from Nevada, has been charged with child abuse, sexual assault against a child under 14 and lewdness with a minor under 14 in a case involving fired CNN producer and accused pedophile John Griffin (right)

Carriker is accused of transporting a nine-year-old girl to Griffin's ski cabin in Ludlow, Vermont (pictured), for sex in July 2020 in exchange for more than $3,000

Carriker allegedly told police in Nevada that she had the nine-year-old photograph her BDSM sex with Griffin at his Vermont home (pictured)

A federal grand jury in Vermont last Friday indicted Griffin on three counts of using a facility of interstate commerce to attempt to entice minors to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

According to the indictment, from April to July of 2020, Griffin, who had worked at CNN for nearly eight years, used the messaging apps Kik and Google Hangouts to communicate with people purporting to be parents of young daughters, telling them, among other things, that a 'woman is a woman regardless of her age,' that women are 'the dirtiest sluts possible,' and that they should be sexually subservient and inferior to men.

Federal prosecutors stated that Griffin sought to convince parents to allow him to train their daughters to be sexually submissive.

CNN initially suspended Griffin while awaiting the conclusion of the investigation but the network has since terminated him.

'The charges against Mr. Griffin are deeply disturbing. We learned of his arrest Friday afternoon and terminated his employment Monday,' a CNN spokesperson said in a statement.

The federal indictment alleged that Griffin once bragged about how he 'sexually trained girls as young as 7 years old' and recommended a mother's 14-year-old daughter, after describing how she 'would be a good candidate for such training.'

He allegedly offered virtual training, where he 'planned to instruct the 14-year-old and her mother to remove their clothing and touch each other' on webcam.

Griffin, 44, a former producer at Cuomo Prime Time (pictured with Chris Cuomo) was fired by CNN after being indicted last week by a federal grand jury for alleged sex crimes with girls

Federal prosecutors alleged that Griffin (right, with Cuomo) engaged in unlawful sexual activity with the nine-year-old at his ski cabin

He also told them about how in-person sessions would include 'spanking' and 'c**k worship.'

According to the indictment, Griffin also 'attempted to entice two other children over the internet to engage in sexual activity'.

In another unrelated encounter in June 2020, Griffin 'proposed to a purported mother of a 16-year-old daughter that she take a 'little mother-daughter trip' to Griffin's Ludlow ski house for sexual training involving the child.'

Griffin is the son of longtime William Morris agent Jim Griffin, who represented Regis Philbin, Geraldo Rivera and Fred Thompson. He left the agency in 2009 for Paradigm, before it merged with Endeavor.

Federal prosecutors say Griffin used messaging apps to convince parents to let him 'train' their daughters to be sexually submissive

However, back in the day, one of Jim Griffin's clients was a young Chris Cuomo.

Jim's son, John, joined Cuomo on CNN's 'New Day' from the show's birth in 2013 and stuck with the recently-axed anchor until the launch of Cuomo Prime Time in 2018.

Griffin's LinkedIn page hasn't been updated since the producer's termination by CNN. But, it states that Griffin and Cuomo worked 'shoulder-to-shoulder' on each show, 'producing live breaking news across the country and around the world.'

Cuomo had previously worked with Griffin at ABC News between 2005 and 2013.

Cuomo was fired earlier this month for helping his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as the politician faced sexual harassment allegations.

At a court appearance via Zoom at the U.S. District Court in Connecticut Griffing agreed to be extradited to Vermont.

He also admitted that he had been drinking.

Magistrate Judge Robert Spector asked if he had taken any drugs or alcohol in the last 24 hours.

'Yes, Your Honor,' he replied. 'I am confident it was long enough ago that I am bone-dry sober at this point.'

Griffin is on his way to Vermont to be arraigned on a sex trafficking indictment.

He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and could be handed a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for each count, according to the Department of Justice.
Ex-cop Kim Potter broke down and wept on the witness stand at her trial as she re-lived the moment she yelled 'Taser! Taser! Taser!' and shot Daunte Wright dead.

Taking the stand Friday Potter recalled how the April 11 traffic stop devolved into 'chaos' and ended with her grabbing her gun and fatally shooting the 20-year-old.

Her voice shaking and catching she said: 'We were struggling, we were trying to keep him from driving away. It just went chaotic.

'And then I remember yelling, 'Taser! Taser! Taser!' and nothing happened....and then, he told me I shot him.'

As she uttered the words Potter, 49, put her hands over her face and wept.

In the moments leading up to the shooting, she recalled, both her trainee Officer Anthony Luckey and Sergeant Mychal Johnson who arrived to provide back-up had told Wright that he was under arrest.

Former Brooklyn Center officer Kim Potter broke down in tears as she testified in her trial Friday, hoping to persuade jurors to acquit her of manslaughter charges in what she has said was a gun-Taser mix-up

Potter became emotional as she recalled shooting 20-year-old Daunte Wright during a fatal traffic stop on April 11

Earlier in the trial, jurors were shown body cam and dash cam footage of the dramatic moment Potter shot Wright dead after 'accidentally' pulling out her gun instead of her taser

'Officer Luckey had him put his hands behind his back[he] started to say something about, 'Don't do that, Don't tense up, Stop doing that,' and then it just went chaotic,' she said.

'I remember a struggle with Officer Luckey and the driver at the door, the driver was trying to get back into the car.

'I went around Officer Luckey as they were trying to get back in the door, and I was between the door and Officer Luckey.'

Potter did not use Wright's name once, referring to him only as 'the driver.'

She continued: 'They're still struggling, and I can see Sgt. Johnson and the driver struggling over the gear stick because I can see Johnson's hand.

Crying she recalled: 'And then I can see his face. He had a look of fear on his face... it's nothing I'd seen before.'

Potter later recounted the events that immediately followed the shooting.

Body camera footage shown to the court earlier in the trial had shown Potter reacting hysterically and crying that she was 'going to prison' after realizing she had fired her gun.

When asked about her comments she replied: 'I don't remember what I said,' before choking up again.

'They had an ambulance for me - I don't know why - and then I was at the station. I don't remember a lot of things afterwards,' she added.

When asked if she remembered saying 'something about prison', she replied: 'No.'

Body cam footage showed a struggle ensued between Wright (pictured) and the officers when they tried to arrest him after learning he had an outstanding warrant

Dash cam also captured the struggle that broke out between the officers and Wright after he had jumped back into his car while cops were trying to apprehend him

Potter and her trainee, rookie officer Anthony Luckey initially stopped Wright for having an air-freshener hanging from his rear view mirror and expired tags

Earlier, questioned by her attorney Earl Gray, Potter had recounted the events of the day.

Had she been alone and not working as a field training officer, she said she probably would not have stopped Wright.

It was her trainee, Officer Luckey who initiated the stop having seen an air-freshener hanging from the rear-view mirror and noting that the tags had expired.

When asked if she would have made the call to pull Wright over for such an offense if she was working alone, Potter replied: 'Most likely not.'

Anthony Luckey, Kim Potter's trainee and witness to the shooting of Daunte Wright testified on the first day of trial

Potter explained: 'An air freshener to me is just an equipment violation and during the high covid times the Department of Motor Vehicles were so offline, people weren't getting tags, and we were advised not to enforce those sorts of things because the tags just weren't available.'

But after they found that Wright had a bench warrant for a weapons violation, they were required, Potter said, to arrest him because the warrant 'was an order of the court.'

She said they were also required to find out who Wright's female passenger was, because a woman - a different one, it turned out - had taken out a restraining order against him.

She told how a check showed that the licensed driver  Wright's brother  had a warrant for a minor drug offense.

A check on Wright himself revealed that he was driving with a suspended license and had an outstanding bench warrant for a gross misdemeanor weapons violation as well as being the subject of a protection order.

Luckey told her that there was a heavy smell of marijuana from the car.

Potter told the jury that the weapon charge heightened her concern that there might be weapons in the car or on the driver.

Traffic stops were, she said, inherently dangerous which is why she stepped out to provide cover, 'Sometimes there's guns in the car sometimes there's uncooperative people, you don't know who you're stopping.'

Within minutes of cross examination resuming after a lunch break, Potter was weeping uncontrollably on the stand

The former officer appeared increasingly harrowed, twitching and closing her eyes as the cross examination continued

Prosecutor Erin Eldridge was unmoved by the weeping woman on the stand during a dramatic cross examination

'The plan was for Officer Luckey to get the driver into custody for the warrant and for us to find out from the female if she was the petitioner or the subject of the protection order,' she said.

It was, according to Potter, her 'duty to make sure she was not in harm's way.'

Gray had begun his examination of Potter by trying to humanize her, putting her in the context of her family and upbringing.

She is a wife of more than 25 years to husband Jeff, a mother to sons Nicholas and Samuel, and has two sisters and two brothers.

Her husband, mother, one of her sisters and one brother were all, Gray pointed out, present in court.

She wanted to be a police officer right from grade school, the court heard, after a police officer visited her elementary school, the Immaculate Conception in Fridley, Minnesota, to discuss bicycle safety.

He showed her, she said, that, 'The police are good people and I wanted to be something like that someday.'

Her whole life, jurors heard, was focused on working in law enforcement and she was sworn in as an officer of Brooklyn Center Police Department, February 27, 1995.

Building a picture of her life's work Gray asked her to tell the court about her time as a Field Training Officer, a hostage negotiator, a member of the Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART) and her time with the Law Enforcement Memorial Association (LEMA) for whom she carried the caskets or urns of fallen officer.

Asked by Gray if she knew any officers killed in the line of duty while doing a traffic stop Potter said, yes and named the fallen officer.

Earlier in the trial jurors watched video of officer Kim Potter panicking and screaming immediately after shooting Daunte Wright

She was seen screaming and burying her face in her hands moments after she fired her gun

Bodycam footage from a fellow officer showed Potter sitting roadside repeating over and over, 'Oh my God, what have I done?' and crying that she is 'going to prison'

Potter told jurors that she had undergone therapy in the aftermath of the shooting and that while she had taken her taser out of its holster to de-escalate or prepare for what might be on the other side of a door, she had never deployed it in all her years as an officer.

She said that she had resigned from the job that she loved out of concern for her fellow officers and the city.

'There were so many bad things happening I didn't want my co-workers [to have trouble]. I didn't want bad things to happen to the city.'

During cross-examination, prosecutor Erin Eldridge focused on Potter's training, alleging that weapons confusion was a subject addressed in 'power point, after power point, after power point.'

Potter agreed that it was a topic that was raised but said that it was not something upon which trainers ever expounded.

Eldridge drew out the differences between Potter's gun and her taser.

Displaying a picture of Potter's gun and taser side by side Eldridge said: 'They look different don't they? The taser is yellow, your gun is black. The taser weighs about half what your firearm weighs.'

Potter, 49, is charged with first and second-degree manslaughter in the April 11 shooting of Daunte Wright

She also highlighted the fact that Potter carried her taser on her left, or non-dominant side.

Addressing the court Potter revealed that she had not always done so. She said: 'In the beginning I carried it on my right side in a drop holster.'

She acknowledged that she had, however, carried her taser on her left side 'for many years.'

Eldridge asked: 'The taser holster is made of plastic correct? And you have to press a button and rock it out. Your gun holster is made of leather and has a little snap and how does that gun come out of the holster?'

Potter replied: 'It would rock forward and you would pull it up.'

Eldridge clarified: 'A taser however you would rock backward and pull it up.'

The prosecutor described the April 11 traffic stop as 'routine' a point upon which Potter disagreed.

'No traffic stop's routine,' she said, 'But it would have been something I'd have done several times.'

Eldridge questioned why Potter didn't correct Officer Luckey when, as was pointed out in earlier testimony, he failed to walk Wright away from the open car door and towards the rear of the vehicle.

Displaying a picture of Potter's gun and taser side by side, prosecutor Erin Eldridge drew out the differences between the two weapons before the jury

During cross-examination, the prosecution highlighted that part of Potter's training including performing reaction-hand draws to reduce the possibility of accidentally drawing and firing a gun instead of a taser

She said: 'I wouldn't do that to a rookie in front of a suspect.'

Showing dash cam video of Potter approaching the car and appearing to manipulate her holster Eldridge said: 'You agree you unsnapped your gun holster as you approached.'

Potter said that no, she did not.

Zoning in on the moment where the stop descended into chaos, Eldridge asked: 'Was there a moment when it appeared that Mr Wright was going to flee or attempt to flee?'

Potter replied: 'When he started struggling with Officer Luckey.'

Eldridge hectored: 'You never saw a weapon on Mr Wright did you? You never saw a gun. He never threw a punch. He never kicked anyone. He never said I'm going to kill you. He never said, "I'm going to shoot you."

'He never said, "There's a gun in the car and I'm coming after you?"'

Potter replied: 'No' to all.

Eldridge pointed out: 'You don't get to shoot' someone just because they have a warrant.

Potter said: 'No.'

But when the prosecutor categorized a misdemeanor as 'not serious,' Potter bit back: 'all crimes are serious.'

Eldridge cast doubt on the idea that Potter was concerned for the safety of the female passenger because of the protection order saying, 'fifty percent of the population is female aren't they?' noting that a protection order did not preclude being in the company of any female.

As Eldridge had bodycam video played in court Potter become more and more uncomfortable.

Eldridge drew attention to the moments when Potter took a piece of paper out of Wright's hand and placed it in her own as Officer Luckey tried in vain to handcuff him.

Eldridge drew attention to the moments when Potter took a piece of paper out of Wright's hand and placed it in her own (pictured) as Officer Luckey tried in vain to handcuff him

Describing the moments leading up to the fatal shooting, Potter said she and Officer Luckey were 'trying to keep Wright from driving away' when 'it just went chaotic'

Potter was so clearly in distress that her attorney stepped up and ask for a break

The bodycam played to the point where Potter could be heard shouting 'Taser! Taser! Taser!'

Potter began blinking and swallowing rapidly as the footage played.

She tugged at her hair and was so clearly in distress that Gray stepped up and ask for a break.

Judge Chu asked Potter if she needed a break and she nodded yes prompting the judge to dismiss the jurors for their lunch break.

Returning after lunch, Potter appeared diminished and downcast as she took the stand once more.

Within minutes of cross examination resuming Potter was weeping uncontrollably on the stand.

Eldridge was immediately on the attack.

Returning to Potter's testimony about the events of April 11 she said: 'You testified that after you saw a scared look on Officer Johnson's face that's why you decided to sue the taser.

Potter said: 'Yes.'

Eldridge pointed out that she had told clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Laurence Miller that she didn't know why you decided to use the taser.

Eldridge read from Miller's report: 'When asked by this examiner why she decided to use the taser the respondent said: "I don't have an answer my brain said grab the taser."'

Potter said: 'I don't remember my interview with him, I was distraught. I wasn't in a good place.'

The former officer appeared increasingly harrowed, twitching and closing her eyes as the cross examination continued.

'You said: "Taser! Taser! Taser!" so Officer Luckey and Johnson would disengage,' Eldridge said. Potter agreed.

'And they did let go of Daunte Wright and step backAnd after you shot Daunte Wright you said: "S**t I just shot him I grabbed the wrong f***ing gun and I shot him I'm going to prison,"' Eldridge added.

Potter shook her head as if she could hardly bear to hear her own words parroted back at her by the prosecutor.

Prosecutors argued that Potter betrayed her badge and oath by using her weapon 'rashly or recklessly' on the day of the botched traffic stop

A fellow cop is pictured on bodycam consoling Potter after she shot and killed Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota

She said: 'I don't remember. I don't remember. I was very distraught. I'd just shot somebody I'd never done that.'

Eldridge was unmoved by the weeping woman on the stand. She turned her attention to Potter's demeanor towards Johnson.

'You never asked if he was okay.'

When Sgt. Johnson said that she had saved him from being dragged, Eldridge said: 'You didn't bite, you didn't respond to that at alland you didn't say anything like, "Thank God I shot that guy and saved your life?" You didn't say that, right?'

Potter accepted: 'No, I didn't.'

Eldridge continued: 'You would agree that as a police officer you have the duty to render aid and communicate information to other officers?

'It's part of your job to assist those who are hurt and injured? And to indicate to officers what you know about a particular scene?

'But you didn't do any of those things on April 11, did you?'

Eldridge wasn't done: 'You stopped doing your job completely,' she said.

'You didn't communicate over the radio, right?

'You didn't make sure other officers knew what you had done, you didn't run down the street and try to save Daunte Wright's life?'

Wright managed to drive several blocks before coming to a stop when he hit another car. He was pronounced dead at the scene and his girlfriend, who was a passenger in the car, sustained non-life-threatening injuries

Officer Kim Potter, a 26-year veteran in the force, claims she accidentally shot Daunte Wright (right) when she reached for her gun instead of her taser during a traffic stop over his expired plates in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota on April 11

'You were focused on what you had done because you had just killed somebody,' Eldridge added.

Potter's reply came as a wail: 'No,' she said, tears coming as she continued: 'I'm sorry it happened!

'I'm so sorry,' she sobbed.

When asked if she intended to use deadly force that day, Potter wept: 'No.'

'I didn't want to hurt anybody.'

The defense rested as soon as Potter left the stand. With no rebuttal case from the state the judge told jurors that she would give them instructions first thing Monday morning.

After that they will hear closing statements from both sides and deliberations will begin.

Before Potter took the stand, jurors heard testimony from an expert witness who told them Potter's catastrophic mistake of drawing her gun instead of her taser was an 'action error' - a recognized hazard of high-pressure jobs and situations.

Clinical and Forensic Psychologist Dr. Laurence Miller took the stand for the defense Friday morning to explain what he said were the mechanisms at play in Potter's mind when she shot Wright.

He explained an action error as a situation in which 'you intend to do one thing, you think you are doing that thing, but you do something else and only realize after the action that that action you intended is not the one you took.'

He told the court such behavior happens every day  writing the wrong date on a check at the turn of a new year, keying in an old password  and can usually be laughed off but that it is also common in the worlds of medicine, aviation and law enforcement in situations of high stress.

The defense's first witness Friday was clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Laurence Miller who explained the mechanisms at play in Potter's mind at the time was an 'action error'

This image, provided by the prosecution, shows the difference between a Taser and a Glock

According to Miller memory works on two systems: 1 and 2.

The first is reserved for information that we learn to the point of it being automatic and is, he said, constantly overwritten as new things become well learned. The second deals with more conscious thinking.

How does an officer use a gun instead of a Taser? HOW FREQUENTLY DOES THIS HAPPEN? Experts agree that such incidents are rare and probably happen fewer than once per year throughout the U.S. A 2012 article published in the monthly law journal Americans for Effective Law Enforcement documented nine cases dating back to 2001 in which officers shot suspects with handguns when they said they meant to fire stun guns. WHY DOES IT HAPPEN? Reasons that have been cited include officer training, the way they carry their weapons and the pressure they feel during dangerous and chaotic situations. To avoid confusion, officers typically carry their stun guns on their weak sides - the side of their nondominant hand - and away from handguns that are carried on their dominant hand's side. That's how Potter carried hers, and the chief of her suburban Minneapolis police department at the time of the shooting said that's how the department's officers were trained. WHAT DOES THE DEFENSE SAY? Defense attorney Paul Engh told jurors in his opening statement that an expert would testify about how in chaotic situations like this shooting, a person's ingrained training takes over. He said Potter had 26 years of gun training, but fewer years of training on her Taser, which is a newer weapon. Engh said Potter made an 'action error,' the sort in which someone does something while meaning to do something else, such as writing the previous year on a check out of habit, or typing an old password into a computer. He also compared them with errors made under stress by experienced pilots or surgeons. Bill Lewinski, an expert on police psychology and the founder of the Force Science Institute in Mankato, Minnesota, has used the phrase 'slip and capture' errors to describe the phenomenon. Lewinski, who has testified on behalf of police, has said officers sometimes perform the direct opposite of their intended actions under stress - that their actions 'slip' and are 'captured' by a stronger response. He notes that officers train far more often on drawing and firing their handguns than they do on using their stun guns. Other experts are skeptical of the theory. Source: Associated Press Advertisement

An 'action error' occurs when stress factors combine to see the brain reach for a well-engrained 'program' that may not be the newest or most appropriate for the moment.

'In most cases the factors usually involve an extremely compressed timeframe, high threat, confusing and changing circumstances,' he said.

'The circumstances may be ambiguous and put all these things together and this creates a high state of arousal and agitation and that is the perfect storm for an action error.'

He told the court that weapon confusion is a subsection of these action errors with studies devoted to it. The doctor told jurors that the most common of these is confusing a gun for a taser.

He said that this was called 'slip and capture,' a phrase coined by a police psychologist.

According to Miller: 'It refers to the fact that, under these states that are conducive to action errors, the ability of system 1 to pick out the correct response slips away, and the actual behavior is captured by the older, more baked-in knowledge program, before the newer -more appropriate program - has a chance to engage.'

During the action itself, he said: 'The person thinks they are performing one action when they are performing something else.

'Typically, what happens is it doesn't have the intended result and they realize what they've done.'

He said that an officer may have little to no memory of what happened of very tunnel-vision, specific memories of aspects of it.

In a brief cross-examination prosecutor Erin Eldridge tried to characterize the notion of 'action error' and 'slip and capture' as 'junk science.'

Potter is charged with first and second-degree manslaughter in the April 11 shooting of Wright.

Besides arguing that Wright's death was a tragic mistake, Potter's attorneys have also said that she would have been justified in using deadly force to stop Wright from driving away and possibly dragging one of Potter's fellow officers.

Prosecutors on the other hand argue that Potter was an experienced officer who had been thoroughly trained in the use of a Taser, including warnings about the danger of confusing one with a handgun.

They have to prove recklessness or culpable negligence in order to win a conviction on the manslaughter charges.

After the prosecution rested on Thursday, the defense opened its case with use-of-force expert Stephen Ijames, a former assistant police chief in Springfield, Missouri.

That contradicted a prosecution use-of-force expert who testified earlier that using either a gun or a Taser on Wright would have made things worse because he could have been incapacitated and his vehicle could have become a weapon.

The defense also called several character witnesses for Potter who testified she is a peaceful person.

Each was limited to speaking only to Potter's reputation for being peaceable and law-abiding due to an earlier ruling by Judge Chu.

The death of Wright set off angry demonstrations for several days in Brooklyn Center.

It happened as another white former officer, Derek Chauvin, was standing trial in nearby Minneapolis for the killing of George Floyd.
Ivanka Trump on Friday slammed a government report that charged her billion dollar Farmers-to-Families Food Box Program with wasting taxpayer dollars, delivering rotten food, and being used for political gain by Donald Trump as an attempt to distract from Joe Biden's failures in office.

'It's unfortunate, yet hardly surprising to see the media work hand in hand with congressional democrats in a desperate and transparent effort to distract from the staggering incompetence of the current administration,' a spokesperson for Ivanka Trump told DailyMail.com.

No specific actions of the Biden administration were addressed. President Biden ended the Food Box Program in May.

A 46-page report from the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, written by the Democrats on the panel, charges the program with delivering a 'windfall profits to unqualified food distributors who wasted taxpayer dollars.'

The Trump administration also used the Food Box Program for political advantage, the panel said.

In its findings, it revealed that in the six weeks leading up to the election, vendors employed by the program were 'required include in all outgoing boxes a letter signed by President Trump in which he took credit for sending out the food, despite the fact that the boxes were to be distributed through apolitical nonprofit organizations.'

Donald Trump also announced an extension of the Food Box Program at an official event in a battleground state that coincided with the opening of the Republican National Convention.

And, at that event, then-Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue engaged in overt political activity that the Office of Special Counsel found to violate the Hatch Act, as the secretary's 'first words were not about USDA, but about the president's 2016 and 2020 campaigns.'

The billion dollar Farmers-to-Families Food Box Program championed by Ivanka Trump wasted taxpayer dollars, delivered rotten food, and was used for Donald Trump's political gain, a new report found - above Ivanka delivers food boxes at a December 14, 2020 event

The program was used for Donald Trump's political gain, a congressional committee charged - above the former president and Ivanka Trump at a August 2020 event

Then-Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perduem whose department ran the food box program, engaged in overt political activity that the Office of Special Counsel found to violate the Hatch Act

The $4.5 billion program, founded in the Spring of 2020, was championed by Ivanka Trump, who got it a $1.5 billion cash infusion in early December of last year.

It delivered 173,699,775 boxes and served nearly 4 billion meals, according to Trump's Agriculture Department.

The former first daughter traveled the country to deliver food boxes as part of her support for the program.

Her spokesperson pointed out that Democrats have supported the program.

'This was a wildly successful program that fed tens of millions of hungry people and kept small American farms afloat through the worst lows of the pandemic. Don't take our word for it  Democratic Senator Durbin and Representative DeLauro were effusive in their praise of the program,' Ivanka Trump's spokesperson said.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Democratic chairwoman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, in September introduced the Fresh Produce Procurement Reform Act, legislation to continue the program.

'Along with creating the greatest public health and economic crisis in a generation, the COVID pandemic exploited our country's nutrition crisis and highlighted the need to build resiliency in local and regional food systems,' DeLauro said in a statement.

'Throughout 2020, USDA's Farmers to Families Food Box Program succeeded in connecting healthy fruits and vegetables from our nation's farmers to hungry families who needed it the most. I saw gratitude on the faces of so many families as I helped distribute boxes from Cecarelli's Harrison Hill Farm at Common Ground High School in my district. Many of them would go on to say that never before had they had access to such high-quality, fresh produce,' she noted.

And Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois endorsed the program in April when speaking at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

'I am about to say something that will have you fall back in your chair. When it comes down to the food box program, I think the Trump administration got it right. That's right, Durbin, this Democrat said it and I mean it,' he said.

The program paid large food distributors to supply pre-packed boxes to nonprofits running food lines. There were food shortages during the pandemic, particularly for low income families.

In Friday's report, the committee focused on three of the largest contractors hired by Trump's Agriculutre Department: Yegg, Inc. (Yegg), CRE8AD8, and Ben Holtz Consulting, Inc. (Ben Holtz) - which were awarded a combined $95.7 million in contracts to deliver food.

It charged the Trump administration didn't do the proper monitoring of the contractors, noting that the administration reimbursed Yegg for over $2.85 million for food boxes purportedly delivered to 'Helping Feet,' a real estate-focused nonprofit operated by Yegg's co-owner, who was also the wife of Yegg's CEO.

It found that Yegg, which got a $16.5 million contract, was a self-described 'Export Management, Trading, and Trade Finance company.'

CRE8AD8, which receivied contracts worth $39 million, specialized in wedding and event planning.

Ivanka Trump helps distribute food boxes as part of the Farmers to Families food box program in July of 2020

Ivanka Trump greets people as she distributes food boxes in Miami, Florida on December 22, 2020

Ivanka Trump personally championed and touted the Food box program

USDA personnel told the committee they did not contact the professional references bidders provided on their applications to confirm the bidder's experience.

In the references section of Ben Holtz' bid proposal, the contractor wrote: 'I don't have any.'

The panel also charged the vendors with contributing to 'food waste' by failing to provide timely deliveries, delivering food in unsafe packaging, and pressuring recipients to accept more food than they could reasonably distribute or store.

One nonprofit director said YEGG once delivered 2,500 more gallons of milk than planned, adding: 'I had to pay for that refrigeration out of my own pocket.'

Another recipient said of CRE8AD8: 'They didn't understand that you couldn't send us bad food and expect us to take it.'

Recipient nonprofits also the panel that contractors delivered 'rotten food and wet or collapsing boxes,' provided large amounts of commercially packaged meat inappropriate for family consumption, or delivered produce at temperatures that presented a 'food safety issue.'

Profits for the contractors were large.

CRE8AD8, which was ultimately paid $31.5 million in taxpayer funds, said its profits were between 10 and 25 percent - a total of $3.1 million to $7.75 million for one month of deliveries.

Yegg repeatedly charged taxpayers a 50 percent markup on the amount that it paid to a dairy for milk boxes, despite acting as little more than a middleman, the panel charged.
Trent Kellee Freeman, 38, is accused of forging doctors notes to claim sick pay while she was in fact working in a private sector job

A Florida sheriff's deputy is in jail after being caught faking a severe COVID illness which she claimed put her in a coma, when she was in fact working in the private sector in a different job.

Trent Kellee Freeman, 38, has been arrested for fraudulently claiming $3,700 from Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office in the form of paid sick leave that her co-workers donated to her out of sympathy.

She told them that she couldn't work because of a severe COVID diagnosis, and even went as far as to tell bosses she was put in a coma for a period of time.

Freeman forged doctors' signatures to claim sick pay, according to a release put out by the sheriff's department on Wednesday.

They started noticing inconsistencies in her requests, and asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate.

'Rather than being comatose in the hospital as she claimed, Freeman had in fact started working at a full-time private-sector non-law-enforcement job early in her scheme, one which she applied for prior to the filing of the initial fraudulent FMLA paperwork,' the release said.

At a press conference on Thursday, the Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz shamed her for lying to her colleagues and stealing from the department

At a press conference on Thursday, the Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz shamed her for lying to her colleagues and stealing from the department.

'This was the first time Ive ever seen anything like this.

'Obviously Ive seen law enforcement officers get in trouble, to this magnitude of what she did and how she took advantage of the goodness of her fellow employees is saddening,' he said.

Freeman is now being held in the Levy County Jail in Bronson, Florida, on a $50,000 bond.

She turned herself in earlier this week.
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Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum's former security manager who was in charge after the sheikh's wife had a two-year affair with another bodyguard is fighting an unfair dismissal battle.

Mark Bromilow, 41, who served in the Royal Marines and is a former world powerlifting champion is claiming that he was wrongly picked for redundancy due to a flawed process.

He has alleged that favouritism was shown to other guards who kept their jobs even though they had less experience than him.

Mr Bromilow became a team leader in 2016 and was later promoted to lead a dozen close protection officers guarding Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum and his family at his UK base in Newmarket, Suffolk.

He stepped into the role in March 2019 to replace Russell Flowers who quit after a two-year affair with Sheikh Mohammed's sixth and youngest wife Princess Haya.

Reference to the 'scandal' surrounding Princess Haya, 47, was made when Mr Bromilow's case was aired at an employment tribunal on Thursday in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

The one-day hearing heard how Mr Bromilow was among eight guards in Newmarket who were made redundant in September 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, which meant that members of Dubai's ruling family were largely staying away from the UK.

Princess Haya fled her home in Dubai with her two children in fear of her life after being confronted by her husband about her affair with married Mr Flowers.

She was represented by high profile lawyer Fiona Shackleton (right) in a bitter High Court battle against the sheikh who was seeking the return of their children to Dubai

During the hearings, which the sheikh tried to keep private, the judge ruled Princess Haya had suffered a 'campaign of intimidation'.

Family court judge Sir Andrew McFarlane heard evidence of her relationship although Mr Flowers was not named in the court judgment. He was identified at a later date.

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum's former security manager Mark Bromilow (pictured centre), 41, who was in charge after the sheikh's wife had a two-year affair with another bodyguard is fighting an unfair dismissal battle. Mr Bromilow, who served in the Royal Marines and is a former world powerlifting champion is claiming that he was wrongly picked for redundancy due to a flawed process

Mr Bromilow became a team leader in 2016 and was later promoted to lead a dozen close protection officers guarding Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum (pictured) and his family at his UK base in Newmarket, Suffolk

Mr Bromilow argued at the employment tribunal on Thursday that the process for redundancy selection did not properly take into account his seven years of service of loyal service, and his wide experience in the security industry.

The hearing was told that he had worked for five years in personal protection in Baghdad and had also protected ships from Somali pirates since leaving the Royal Marines.

He said it was unfair that others with far less experience were inexplicably given higher marks in a 'scoring' exercise to decide which staff should lose their jobs.

Mr Bromilow of Methwold, Norfolk, and Mr Flowers were employed by UK Mission Enterprise which provides security for billionaire Sheikh Mohammed.

The Knightsbridge-based company boasts on its website that it offers 'a 6 star quality private concierge service to exclusive VIP Clients, across the areas of property maintenance, in-house recruitment, procurement, finance, IT and human resources service'.

Mr Bromilow who now works as a fitness instructor claimed that one of the people awarding marks for different categories was best friends with a guard who ended up being removed from the redundancy process and kept his job.

But Sue Aslett, the company's former head of human resources said the employee was kept on as he had an 'established relationship' with the 'client' who liked to see familiar faces.

Mr Bromilow stepped into the role in March 2019 to replace Russell Flowers (pictured left next to Mr Bromilow) who quit after a two-year affair with Sheikh Mohammed's sixth and youngest wife Princess Haya (pictured centre with her husband at Ascot)

Mr Bromilow who is claiming that he was unfairly dismissed by UK Mission Enterprise, said that he was told that he would be 'invited to come back' if more guards were needed, but he was not approached when the company advertised for four new close security operatives in April this year.

His barrister Mike Magee said the company which had made a total of 63 redundancies in 2020 was effectively owned and managed by the Dubai Royal family.

He said: 'The company itself provides a range of services to support the extended Dubai Royal family in the UK including security services, housekeeping and a whole series of ancillary support functions.

'The company was set up at the behest of the Dubai Royal family and Sheikh Mohammed.

'It's quite clear that Dubai pulls the strings in terms of the respondent organisation I'm going to suggest it is owned by the Dubai Royal family.'

Sue Aslett, the company's former head of human resources, responded that she only answered to the firm's managing director, and was unable to give any information about the ownership of the company.

She said that redundancies were necessary due to 'a requirement to reduce the head count because our clients were not coming to the UK' during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ms Aslett added: 'By default our workforce could not be maintained because we didn't have the work for them. We were in a pandemic and had sufficient reductions in workload to the point where people had nothing to do.'

When asked by Judge Richard Conley if the Dubai Royal family had insisted on job cuts as owners of the company or 'influential clients', she replied: 'No one wanted a redundancy situation.'

Mr Bromilow said he was unhappy that the different categories which staff were being marked on when being assessed for redundancy did not include fitness which he described as 'a vital role'

Mr Bromilow, who is claiming that he was unfairly dismissed by UK Mission Enterprise, said that he was told that he would be 'invited to come back' if more guards were needed

Mr Bromilow, who runs a personal training business called Commando Strength states on his website that he was crowned London's strongest man, represented England in world powerlifting events and was a World Champion in Deadlift Powerlifting in 2019

Mr Magee asked her: 'Obviously you were aware of the situation regarding Princess Haya?'

She replied: 'I was aware in terms of rumours. I was not in a client facing role.'

Mr Magee went on: 'You would be aware there was a scandal around that and as a result of that, Mr Flowers was dismissed from the company.'

Ms Aslett responded that Mr Flowers had resigned and had not been dismissed.

Mr Magee continued: 'Were you aware that following on from that, Mr Bromilow was required to go and give detailed information to investigators for the Dubai Royal family?

'And he gave a full account of what he knew about this situation. He gave it to investigators. It was in fact representatives of Sheikh Mohammed.'

Ms Aslett replied: 'I am not aware of that.'

Mr Bromilow said he was unhappy that the different categories which staff were being marked on when being assessed for redundancy did not include fitness which he described as 'a vital role'.

The hearing heard that the guard who was later excused from the redundancy process had helped draw up the categories in his role as an employee representative, and had excluded fitness.

Mr Bromilow described it as a 'conflict of interest' because the guard had performed poorly in a fitness test and would have feared that including it would count against him.

Princess Haya fled her home in Dubai with her two children in fear of her life after being confronted by her husband about her affair with married Mr Flowers

Family court judge Sir Andrew McFarlane stated in his fact-finding ruling in favour of Princess Haya (pictured above with her former husband), that she had 'embarked upon an adulterous relationship with one of her male bodyguards'

He said he raised concerns about the fairness of the scoring system, but was ignored.

He added: 'In my opinion, I had no flaws or misdemeanours against me, and I should have scored maximum points.

'It was not conducted correctly. I was not given a fair crack of the whip when I had been there seven years and been an honest team leader and manager.

'I would like to think they were happy with the service I provided. I got promoted through the ranks.'

Under cross examination by UK Mission Enterprise's barrister Daniel Barnett, he said he agreed that the role of close protection operative 'requires upmost discretion'.

Mr Barnett pointed out that Mr Bromilow's solicitors had sent a letter in November 2020 which 'hints at security breaches involving one of the subjects'.

The letter also alleged that Mr Bromilow had been targeted in 'bad faith' over information he had about one of the subjects he was guarding.

Mr Barnett suggested: 'The reason why these things were put in that letter was because you thought if you threatened to make certain things public, then you thought UK Mission Enterprise would be willing to settle their claim.' Mr Bromilow replied: 'No, sir'.

Mr Bromilow also questioned why only security teams in Newmarket had been targeted for redundancy while all guards based in London were allowed to keep their jobs.

But Richard Hardaker, the company's head of close protection, said the London security staff were 'a specialist group of individuals' involved in different work as a result of an incident many years ago which had 'put somebody's life at risk'.

He said that they gave support to help protect members of the Dubai Royal family when needed, but it was not their primary role.

Princess Haya was represented by high profile lawyer Fiona Shackleton (right) in a bitter High Court battle against the sheikh who was seeking the return of their children to Dubai

Mr Magee described the redundancy process as a 'capricious lottery' and 'fundamentally flawed' with the two people awarding scores to each guard having little knowledge of their skills.

He added: 'The obligation was on the respondents to deliver a system with a fair assessment and outcome.'

But Mr Barnett said there was no suggestion that the two scorers had been 'put under any pressure' to come up with their marks and it had not been suggested should have done the job.

He went on: 'It is said that the criteria was subjective, not objective. But the question is whether they are capable for fair assessment.'

Mr Barnett said it was 'reasonable' that the other guard was excused from the redundancy process as he a 'very long relationship going back years in double figures with the main principal'.

He added: 'He was just someone who was too important to let go.'

Judge Richard Conley said he would deliver his judgement on the case in the New Year.

Family court judge Sir Andrew McFarlane stated in his fact-finding ruling in favour of Princess Haya, that she had 'embarked upon an adulterous relationship with one of her male bodyguards'.

He also found the sheikh had carried out a campaign of fear and intimidation which included divorcing her without telling her, arranging for guns to be left in her bedroom and attempting to have her abducted by helicopter.

The princess now lives at a 85m home in Kensington, London, with her two children.

Mr Bromilow, who runs a personal training business called Commando Strength states on his website that he was crowned London's strongest man, represented England in world powerlifting events and was a World Champion in Deadlift Powerlifting in 2019.

UK Mission Enterprise denies the claim and the hearing continues.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi continues to face blowback for her comments defending lawmakers who trade in stocks even while having access to potentially market-moving information.

'We are a free-market economy. They should be able to participate in that,' Pelosi responded Wednesday when asked whether Members of Congress and their spouses should be banned from trading individual stocks.

She was responding to questions about a Business Insider report on dozens of lawmakers who have failed to meet requirements of the STOCK Act by failing turn in timely reports on their asset sales and purchases.

Some of those lawmakers held back information on trades in pharmaceutical stocks even as the nation battles the pandemic and Congress pushes out trillions in relief. Others did not file reports on time for sales and purchases of bitcoin or stocks in defense contractors.

It all leads to a situation that Walter Shaub, the former top White House ethics officer in the Obama administration, blasted as leading to an array of potential conflicts.

'In reality, it's not exactly a free market when she has inside access to information from government experts that isn't public, that can affect influence their trading activity that the public doesn't have access to,' he told CNN's The Lead on Thursday.

'It's not exactly free when we're locked outside of the kind of information that members of Congress get all the time,' he said. Shaub added: 'This isn't a right, left or center issue. This is a right and wrong issue and it's objectively clear that Nancy Pelosi is wrong.'

Pelosi herself has benefitted from the free market transactions undertaken by her husband, Paul, a wealthy investor.

He bought 4,000 shares of Google parent Alphabet in June, with an initial gain of $4.8 million, after previously purchasing a call option allowing him to buy the stocks at a set price in the future, as Fortune reported at the time.

The trade was disclosed in accordance with the STOCK Act, which does not ban such transactions, but does require lawmakers reveal the information.

Paul Pelosi (l) bought 4,000 shares of Google parent Alphabet in June, with an initial gain of $4.8 million

'We are a free-market economy. They should be able to participate in that,' Pelosi said when asked whether lawmakers should be able to trade in individual stocks

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) was late in reporting an investment of up to $50,000 by her husband, Richard Blum, in a polling company. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) was late in reporting transactions worth up to $3.5 million

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was more than a year late in reporting trades in a company that makes antiviral COVID-19 treatment. Rep. Katherine Clarke (D-Mass.), a member of Pelosi's leadership team, was late in disclosing $285,000 in transactions by her husband

'In reality, it's not exactly a free market when she has inside access to information from government experts that isn't public,' said former chief White House ethics officer Walter Shaub, blasting Pelosi's comment

The Insider report that prompted the question to Pelosi revealed that 49 lawmakers have failed to keep up with their reporting requirements.

Among them was Rep. Katherine Clarke (D-Mass.), a member of Pelosi's leadership team, who was late in disclosing $285,000 in transactions by her husband, according to the report.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was more than a year late in reporting trades in a company that makes antiviral COVID-19 treatment.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) was late in reporting transactions worth up to $3.5 million. This included a stock option in Chinese firm Alibaba Group Holding Limited. He also traded in Regeneron, which has a covid-fighting drug, Johnson & Johnson, and 3M, which makes personal protective equipment.

Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) failed to report trades worth up to $2.8 million in what he said was an oversight. One involved shares in a company that makes covid tests in March of 2020, as the first wave of the pandemic was peaking in the U.S.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) was late in reporting an investment of up to $50,000 by her husband, Richard Blum, in a polling company.
An gang of robbers has been arrested after police said they targeted elderly Asian women in a string of at least 177 crimes in the San Francisco Bay Area.

San Jose Police Chief Anthony Mata announced the bust on Wednesday, saying it followed a year-long investigation into the 'prolific robbery crew' targeting women in the city's Little Saigon neighborhood.

Arrested and charged were: Anthony Michael Robinson, 24; Cameron Alonzo Moody, 27; Derje Damond Blanks, 23; Hassani Burleson Ramsey, 24; Clarence Jackson, 21; and Malik Short, 21.

'Through search warrants of their phones, through interviews, it was very, very clear that they were targeting Asian women specifically,' Chief Mata said at a press conference announcing the arrests.

Arrested (left to right): Derje Damond Blanks, Cameron Alonzo Moody, Hassani Burleson Ramsey

Arrested (left to right): Anthony Michael Robinson, Malik Short, Clarence Jackson

An image from surveillance video shows a suspect fleeing to a getaway vehicle after allegedly stealing something from a victim in the gold-colored car on April 12

'They believed that they were easy targets and that they were going to have large sums of cash.'

Police believe that the crew was responsible for as many as 177 Bay Area robberies, including 70 incidents in San Jose, in which many of the victims were injured.

The attacks occurred on nearly a daily basis from October 2020 until September

The group's standard pattern was to stalk older Asian women in the parking lots of businesses such as grocery stores, pin their cars in with their getaway vehicles, and snatch their purses and other valuables, smashing their car windows if necessary.

'These victims were being essentially hunted,' prosecutor Marisa McKeown of the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office told the Washington Post.

Three members of the crew - Robinson, Blanks, and Moody - were originally arrested in September.

Police said that as they moved in to arrest him in San Jose, Blanks fled wildly in a vehicle, running a red light and ramming another car, injuring a two-year-old girl and her father.

Moody was arrested in Union City, where police said he was in possession of two loaded guns, including one so-called 'ghost gun' without a serial number.

Moody was arrested in Union City, where police said he was in possession of two loaded guns (seen above), including one so-called 'ghost gun' without a serial number

San Jose Police Chief Anthony Mata announced the bust on Wednesday, saying it followed a year-long investigation into the 'prolific robbery crew' targeting Asian women

It was not immediately clear what investigative steps led to the other members of the crew.

Blanks's attorney, Patrick Coughlin, told the Post that his client 'until proven otherwise  is innocent.'

The robbery spree, along with a broader wave of anti-Asian violence across the country, contributed to an atmosphere of fear and intimidation that terrorized the Asian community in the Bay Area.

If you were an Asian female in certain parts of San Jose, it would feel  and it actually was  unsafe [at] certain times of the day to go to the bank, to go to the grocery store,' McKeown told the Post. 'And so it absolutely created an atmosphere where  on any given day, you could have been victimized.'

At a press conference this week, District Attorney Jeffrey Rosen expressed solidarity with the residents of the Little Saigon neighborhood in San Jose, where many of the attacks occurred.

'I have a message to all the hardworking and good people of Little Saigon and to the people who have preyed upon them,' said Rosen. 'This is my neighborhood... and it's Chief Mata's neighborhood.

San Jose Police Chief Anthony Mata addresses the Little Saigon community this week

'While we live in different places and our families came from different countries, we take your safety seriously and we take it personally.'

John Le, founder of a community-patrol volunteer group called Asians With Attitude, said that he was relieved by the arrests.

'It was really scary because I'm not worried about myself, but of course, my grandma, mom, dad,' Le told KPIX-TV. 'I still remind them, 'Always have your pepper spray on you, have your taser on you, always be aware of your surroundings.''

Le warned that although the arrest was a significant step, it didn't spell an end to crimes targeting the Asian community.

'I don't think this was the only crime ring that was doing everything,' Le said. 'I still want everyone to be aware of their surroundings, keep an eye out.'

The suspects in the case are being charged with hate crime enhancements.

'We are sensitive to the hate aspect targeting Asian females. I commend District Attorney Jeff Rosen for pursuing hate crime enhancements,' Chief Mata said in a statement.

'We have tenacious investigators, and a dedicated apprehension team that was tasked with bringing these suspects to justice.'
The Justice Department is investigating whether a Trump-supporting woman who took over Ashley Biden's room in a Florida rental house sold her diary to Project Veritas.

And whether the right-wing group Project Veritas tried to extort an interview with now President Joe Biden during the final weeks of the 2020 campaign, using the diary as leverage.

The New York Times revealed new details Thursday about the ongoing probe, as DOJ and FBI investigators look into whether there was a criminal conspiracy to steal and publish the diary that involved the woman, who was in a bitter custody battle, her associate, who once pleaded guilty in a money laundering scheme, a Trump donor who the ex-president elevated to a political position in the waning days of his administration and current and ex-operatives of Project Veritas.

The Justice Department is investigating whether a Trump-supporting woman who took over Ashley Biden's (right) room in a Florida rental house tried to sell her diary to Project Veritas during a bitter custody battle. She's photographed with her dad on the Fourth of July 2021

Ashley Biden (right) sits with her parents Jill Biden (left) and Joe Biden (center) at the Democratic National Convention in 2008, when Biden was then Sen. Barack Obama's running mate

Ashley Biden (right) at age six is seen with her father, now President Joe Biden, when the then-senator was running for president the first time in August 1987

After going to rehab in Florida in 2019, Ashley Biden moved into a two-bedroom house rented by a friend Delray Beach, Florida, staying there while her father competed in the Democratic primaries in the spring of 2020.

But in June, for the final months of the campaign, Ashley Biden relocated back to the Philadelphia area, leaving some of her belongings at the house, with plans to move back in the fall before the lease expired in November.

Her roommate allowed an ex-girlfriend named Aimee Harris and her two children to move in.

Harris was going through a bitter custody battle and struggling financially.

Her 'social media postings and conversations with friends suggested that she was a fan of Mr. Trump,' The Times report said.

Harris soon found out that Ashley Biden had lived at the address previously and left some of her things at the home, according to the Times' sources.

What happened next is the subject of the investigation.

Project Veritas told a federal judge that in September someone described as 'a tipster' called and left a voicemail, telling the conservative group that 'a new occupant moved into a place where Ashley Biden had previously been staying and found Ms. Biden's diary and other personal items.'

Ashley Biden (left) walks alongside her father President Joe Biden (right) as they leave church last month in Wilmington, Delaware

Ashley Biden is photographed arriving at a White House state dinner in October 2016

Ashley Biden (left) onstage at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in 2008 alongside her mother Jill Biden (right) and grandmother Jean Biden (center)

The 'diary is pretty crazy,' the message said. 'I think it's worth taking a look at,' the caller added.

Project Veritas confirmed that the group paid money for the diary.

They did it through an unnamed proxy from two people identified by their initials - A.H. and R.K.

The group said they purchased the diary lawfully.

The Times identified those individuals as Harris and Robert Kurlander.

Kurlander was a longtime friend and former housemate of Harris, who previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in a drug-related money laundering scheme and was sentenced to 40 months in prison.

Kurlander tweeted at Trump and Donald Trump Jr. in October 2020, just weeks before election day, asking 'where are Biden's two kids? Why aren't they campaigning like your 4 kids? Your great awesome kids. You can tell a lot about the family by the children !!!!!'

'Ashley and Hunter are disasters,' he continued. 'Reflection of the parents. Joe !!!'

Robert Kurlander tweeted at Trump and Donald Trump Jr. in October 2020, just weeks before election day, telling them that 'Ashley and Hunter are disasters'

The head of Project Veritas, James O'Keefe, was pulled out of his apartment wearing just underwear and handcuffs during an early morning raid last month

He's continued to share pro-Trump tweets since.

Kurlander is the possible link to a Trump donor whose conduct investigators are looking into, The Times found.

The woman, Elizabeth Fago, is a Florida-based businesswoman, who was nominated by Trump in December 2020 to serve on the National Cancer Advisory Board.

She and Kurlander are pictured together in July 2020.

The newspaper also found that she visited the Trump White House twice, and her realtor son, Joey Fago, worked with Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle, when the couple bought their $9.7 million Florida property.

Joey Fago posted a video that showed he and his mother at the White House on election night 2020.

It remains unclear how Harris and Kurlander made contact with Project Veritas - and what role, if any, Elizabeth Fago played.

The head of Project Veritas, James O'Keefe, was pulled out of his apartment wearing just underwear and handcuffs during an early morning raid last month, two days after other Project Veritas employees had their homes raided by the FBI.

O'Keefe, according to court filings, told his team in an October 12 email that he decided not to publish a story about the diary.

'We have no doubt the document is real,' he said, but he added that it would be 'characterized as a cheap shot.'

Four days later, Project Veritas wrote to the then-Democratic nominee and his campaign to say they had obtained Ashley Biden's 'abandoned' diary and wanted to question the now-president on-camera.

'Should we not hear from you by Tuesday, October 20, 2020, we will have no choice but to act unilaterally and reserve the right to disclose that you refused our offer to provide answers to the questions raised by your daughter,' Project Veritas' chief legal officer Jered T. Ede wrote.

Biden's lawyers responded by calling the ask an 'extortionate effort to secure an interview.'

They refused to acknowledge whether the diary belonged to Ashley Biden, but told Ede it should be regarded as stolen property and called it 'ludicrous' that it was abandoned.

The lawyers said 'serious crimes' might have been committed.

Biden's lawyer Roberta Kaplan told Ede, according to The Times, 'This is insane; we should send to SDNY.'

Biden's lawyers did alert prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, which is now in charge of the probe.

During the back-and-forth, on October 24, the conservative site National File published excerpts of the diary, and later the full thing.

The postings didn't get a lot of attention.

Lawyer Adam Leo Bantner (pictured) was captured in bodycam footage dropping off bags of possessions that belonged to Ashley Biden in November 2020 to the Delray Beach Police Department

The site said it obtained the diary from someone at another organization that refused to publish it.

In a court filing last month, O'Keefe's lawyer said Project Veritas arranged for Ashley Biden's possessions to be delivered to a police station in Florida in early November 2020, near the Delray Beach property.

'Project Veritas gave the diary to law enforcement to ensure it could be returned to its rightful owner,' O'Keefe said in a statement last month.

A Florida lawyer named Adam Leo Bantner dropped off the bags the day after Biden was declared the winner of the presidential election.

Citing the police report and bodycam footage, The Times said Bantner told officers that his client told him that the property was 'possibly stolen' and he 'got it from an unknown person at a hotel.'

Bantner describes the bags as 'crap' to an officer, who then responds he's going to throw the bags in the garbage because there was no 'information' or 'proof of evidence.'

'Like I said, Im fine with it,' Bantner replied.

The police report said that officers determined the items in the bags belonged to Ashley Biden, alerting both the Secret Service and the FBI, which collected them.
The Biden administration is withdrawing from settlement talks to compensate migrant families separated under former President Donald Trump, the American Civil Liberties Union revealed on Thursday.

The civil rights group accused President Joe Biden of 'playing politics' for pulling out of the negotiations.

'After our government deliberately abused young children by separating them from their families, today they've walked away from negotiations to help those who were traumatized heal,' the ACLU stated on its Twitter account.

'Candidate Biden promised to help these children and families. But today, President Biden is shamefully playing politics with their lives and futures. We will never forget who takes action to help these families  and who turns their backs on them.'

The government will instead defend itself in individual lawsuits brought forth by the ACLU and other groups on behalf of migrant families rather than distribute class-wide payments.

His administration's decision comes after eight months of negotiations and weeks after reports of a proposed settlement that would include payments of several hundred thousand dollars to each family sparked outrage among Biden administration critics in Congress and elsewhere.

Justice Department officials informed lawyers for the plaintiffs in a conference call that the government would not offer a global settlement in family separation cases and will defend each individual suit in court, Deputy Director for the ACLUs Immigrants Rights Project Lee Gelernt said.

'It would be an understatement to say we are disappointed that the Biden administration allowed politics to get in the way of helping the little children deliberately abused by our government,' Gelernt said in a statement provided to DailyMail.com by the ACLU.

He vowed to restart the ACLU's lawsuits on behalf of migrant families he says were victimized by the United States.

'We are going back to court. The trauma inflicted on these children and parents at the hands of our very own government is unfathomable. We need to do the right thing,' Gelernt said.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Justice Department for comment.

In a statement to NBC, the DOJ said, 'While the parties have been unable to reach a global settlement agreement at this time, we remain committed to engaging with the plaintiffs and to bringing justice to the victims of this abhorrent policy.'

Settlement talks over compensating migrant families for the trauma of being separated at the border were relatively quiet until a report from the Wall Street Journal blasted them wide open.

Reports from October detailed that payments could be as much as $450,000 per person or $1 million per family - and could cost US taxpayers $1 billion or more.

The federal government reportedly thought the $450,000 payments were a nonstarter but the plaintiffs refused to budge, an official told the Washington Post.

But Zachary Manfredi, litigation director for the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, told the outlet that that's not the case.

'Plaintiffs were awaiting the governments new proposal at the time the government unilaterally withdrew from discussions,' Manfredi said.

Biden caught heat from immigrants' rights groups including the ACLU in November when he dismissed the reported payments as 'garbage.'

The White House was forced to walk back the president's comments, with Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre telling reporters: 'If it saves taxpayer dollars and puts the disastrous history of the previous administrations use of zero tolerance and family separation behind us, the president is perfectly comfortable with the Department of Justice settling with the individuals and families who are currently in litigation with the United States government.'

About 5,500 children were forcibly removed from their parents in 2017 and 2018 under President Donald Trump as his administration sought to stop an increase in people crossing the US-Mexico border with criminal prosecutions, even if the migrants were presenting themselves to authorities to seek asylum as permitted under the law.

The parents of hundreds of children have still not been located.

Trump halted the practice in June 2018 amid widespread outrage, including from many Republicans, just six days before a judge ordered an end to the program in response to a lawsuit filed by the ACLU.

The suits filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act are intended to help compensate families for the psychological damage of the separation, but critics argue it would reward people for illegally crossing the border.

In defending against the suits, the Biden Justice Department will also be defending senior Trump administration officials named individually in the ACLU suit, including former senior adviser Stephen Miller and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

In October when they were first revealed, Arkansas GOP Senator Tom Cotton described the plans as 'insanity' while likening the migrants as 'burglars who broke into a home'.

'It's unthinkable to pay a burglar who broke into your home for the 'psychological trauma' they endured during the crime. Yet the Biden admin wants to reward migrants who illegally entered our country with up to $450,000 each for just that reason. Insanity,' Cotton wrote on Twitter.

Fellow Arkansas Rep. Steve Womack shared Cotton's view.

'Insanity. Rewarding illegal immigrants with hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars is the ULTIMATE insult to law-abiding citizens. President Biden wants to send the IRS to surveil your bank account while cutting checkswith your moneyto people who've broken our laws,' Womack said.

Michigan Rep. Tim Wahlberg said it was 'pure madness and an insult to hardworking taxpayers.'

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said the reported payments were 'a slap in the face.'

'The Biden administration is reportedly looking to pay $450,000 to illegal immigrants who knowingly broke the law. It's a slap in the face to our law-abiding citizens who wake up, go to work, and pay their taxes,' he tweeted at the time.
President Joe Biden condemned attacks on voter rights as 'unAmerican' on Friday as he delivered a commencement speech at South Carolina State University.

His visit was in part a favor to his ally Rep. Jim Clyburn, who helped resurrect Biden's faltering primary campaign in South Carolina last year.

But he also used it to attack the Republican 'assault' on voting rights and to implore his audience to become leaders and business owners investing in their own communities, and helping raise the number of government contracts going to entrepreneurs from minority groups.

'We learned there's no difference between a black entrepreneur and a white entrepreneur in success,' he said.

'Except the black entrepreneur usually doesn't have a lawyer, usually doesn't have someone who is going to be there and accounting to get it all set up.

'Their idea is as profound but the help is missing.'

President Biden delivered a commencement speech at South Carolina State University on Friday, condemning attacks on voter rights and urging his Black audience to become leaders

In a slip, Biden referred to his vice president as 'President Harris' in his opening remarks

Biden called on his audience of young, Black Americansto lead the way in building a more equitable country

He arrived a day after the White House was forced to clarify Vice President Harris's comments that she and the president had not discussed plans for his reelection.

Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that Biden still plan to stand again in 2024 with Harris as his running mate.

So a momentary slip during his speech when he promoted Harris to the top job, as he discussed historically black colleges and universities, will be seized on by opposition meme makers.

'But all kidding aside, of course, President Harris is a proud Howard alum,' he said in his opening remarks.

He called on his audience to lead the way in building a more equitable America.

'Maybe most important of all we have to protect that sacred right to vote, for God's sake,' he said.

He described how his introduction to politics came through the civil rights movement.

'Guess what? I've never seen anything like the unrelenting assault on the right to vote,' he said. 'Never.

'As John Lewis said ... without the right to vote there is no democracy. It's not just about who gets to vote, or making it easier ... It's about who gets to count the vote and whether your vote counts at all.'

Progress was being turned back, he said.

'This new sinister combination of voter suppression and election server and elections aversion. It's unAmerican. It's undemocratic and sadly, it is unprecedented since Reconstruction.'

Rep James Clyburn (D-SC) helped revive Biden's stalling primary campaign last year and on Friday he received his diploma in person from South Carolina State University - as he received it in the mail when he graduated in the 1961

He said Democrats were pushing for new protections on voting rights but they were blocked in the Senate.

'But each and every time it gets to be brought up, that other team blocks the ability even to start to discuss it, that other team that used to be called the Republican Party,' he said.

Biden's visit to Columbia, South Carolina, came at a tricky moment in his presidency, with his $1.8 trillion package of social and environmental spending stuck in limbo.

Democrats had hoped to have made progress before the end of the year but stalled negotiations mean their focus is shifting to voting rights.

Even so Biden had said he was keen to help out his friend Rep. Jim Clyburn.

Clyburn introduced him on Friday at his alma mater, where he was joining this year's graduates to receive his diploma in person. When he graduated in 1961 there were no December ceremonies so he received his diploma in the mail.

'I'd almost walk to South Carolina to be able to do that for Jim,' said Biden in an interview this week with WLTX-TV in Columbia.

'Jim has been a champion for all the things that matter.'
Ghislaine Maxwell confirmed that she would not be testifying in a dramatic moment on the final day of her defense.

Maxwell stood up with her hands held together as her lawyer Bobbi Sternheim put her arm around her.

Judge Alison Nathan asked Maxwell if she would be testifying as she had the right to do so.

Speaking confidently in a cut glass English accent, Maxwell said: 'Your honor, the government has not proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt so there is no need for me to testify.'

And after just two days and nine witnesses Maxwells defense rested.

As Maxwell was led away back to prison at the end of the day, her sister Isabel, who was standing in the public gallery, made a prayer sign for her.

Maxwell hugged all of her lawyers one by one before walking out of the court.

Ghislaine Maxwell confirmed that she would not be testifying in a dramatic moment on the final day of her defense.

The jury in Maxwell 's trial was shown these photos last week that speak to the close relationship between the pair, which prosecutors have characterize as 'partners in crime'

Maxwell's second day of defense got off to a rocky start Friday when it emerged that one witness refused to respond to a subpoena, another said they would take the fifth and a third was not being called.

The defense was able to call witness Dr. Eva Andersson, 60, an internist and former girlfriend of Epstein who is now married to hedge fund billionaire Glenn Dubin. Glenn, 64, was previously accused of having sex with Virginia Roberts when she was an underage teen - allegations he's denied.

The former Miss Sweden wore a black blazer, black pants and a gray and black dress, her blonde hair being shoulder length as she denied taking part in orgies.

In her testimony earlier in the trial, Maxwell accuser under the pseudonym Jane claimed that an 'Eva' had taken part in orgies with her and other women at Epstein's home in Palm Beach, Florida, during the 1990s when she was a teenager.

Maxwell's lawyer Jeff Pagliuca said to Dubin: 'I apologize for asking these questions. Have ever been in a group sexualized encounter with the person we are calling Jane?'

Dubin said: 'Absolutely not.'

Pagliuca said: 'Were you ever in a group sexualized massage with Jane?'

Dubin said: 'I have not'.

Dubin (seen leaving court Friday) dated Epstein for 11 years in the 80s. Dubin's husband is hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin, who has been accused of having sex with Virginia Roberts when she was a teen

The defense was able to call two witnesses Friday, including Eva Dubin, Epstein's former longtime girlfriend and former miss Sweden

The defense was able to call witness Dr. Eva Andersson, 60, an internist and former girlfriend of Epstein who is now married to hedge fund billionaire Glenn Dubin (pictured together)

Dubin said that she dated Epstein 'off and on' from around 1983 to 1990 or 1991, the time he began dating Maxwell.

In 1994 she married Glenn Dubin but said that she stayed friendly with Epstein and socialized with him and flew on his private plane, including with her three children.

Pagliuca asked Andersson if she was 'comfortable' with Epstein's relationship with her children, and she said she was.

Pagliuca asked if Epstein was 'fond' of her three children, one of whom was his goddaughter. Dubin said: 'Yes he was'.

Asked if her children were fond of Epstein, Dubin said: 'They were'.

Pagliuca asked if the children had an 'uncle-like relationship' with Epstein and gave him the nickname 'F', apparently short for Jeff, and Andersson said that was correct.

Dubin was shown a number of flight log entries from Epstein's private planes including one where she is listed as flying with Jane.

Asked if she remembered ever meeting Jane, Dubin said: 'I don't recall ever meeting this person'.

Pagliuca showed Dubin a photo that was found inside Epstein's house which she said showed her youngest daughter, his goddaughter.

Dubin said she had 'never seen this picture before' in a moment that appeared to surprise the defense.

During her testimony, Pagliuca asked Dubin: 'Did you observe any inappropriate conduct between Mr. Epstein and any teenage females?'

She replied: 'I did not'.

During cross examination prosecutor Alison Moe asked Dubin if she knew if, between 1994 and 2000 Epstein and Maxwell were in an 'open relationship.'

She replied: 'I couldn't really say whether they did or did not'.

Dubin confirmed that she was having issues with her memory due to a medical condition which she did not specify, although she has publicly described a battle with breast cancer.

She said: 'It's very hard for me to remember anything far back. Sometimes I can't even remember things from last month.

'My family notices and I notice it. It's been an issue'.

As Dubin walked into the court, Maxwell turned her head around and looked to the door and followed her with her eyes as she walked in and up to the witness box.

During Dubin's evidence Maxwell stared intently at her, sitting up in her chair.

Dubin appeared curt and tense: it was not clear if she was willingly giving evidence or after being subpoenaed.

During a 2016 deposition which was revealed publicly for the first time in 2019, Rinaldo Rizzo, a butler for the Dubins, tearfully described seeing a 15-year-old girl in his boss's kitchen in 2005.

Rizzo said he saw a 15-year-old Swedish girl confined to Epstein's private island and kept there as a sex slave.

Rizzo testified in his deposition that the girl was brought to the home by Maxwell and Epstein, who were visiting the Dubins.

Maxwell's defense lawyer Bobbi Sternheim and Laura Menninger are seen arriving to court Friday morning. Maxwell's lawyer Laura Menninger said that Maxwell's 'life is on the line' and they were only being given one and a half days to mount their defense

Maxwell's defense attorneys Jeffrey Pagliuca (left) and Christian Everdell (right) are seen arriving to court Friday. One witness refused to respond to a subpoena, another said they would take the fifth and a third was not being called

Maxwell tried to have an 81-year-old pub owner from England try to fly over to bolster her case at the 11th hour.

Maxwell's lawyers said they would not be calling the owners of the Nag's Head pub in London or asking for a witness called Kelly to be arrested for failure to comply with a subpoena in order for the case to finish today.

Judge Nathan appeared exasperated that these issues were being raised at the last minute.

The previous night Maxwell's lawyers had said they planned to call three women named Eva, Kelly and Michelle - but their plans fell apart before the jury were even brought in.

Maxwell's lawyer Laura Menninger told the court that the witness named Kelly had 'refused' to respond to their subpoena which they had issued two-and-a-half weeks ago.

She asked that the US Marshals force Kelly to attend the court, as is standard practice with witnesses who do not reply to a subpoena.

Judge Nathan asked: 'Why am I hearing about it for the first time now?'

Menninger pleaded: 'There's been a lot going on. To be honest your honor, it's a lot of work.'

Judge Nathan told her: 'A non responsive witness is not a little thing'.

Menninger replied that Maxwell's 'life is on the line' and they were only being given one and a half days to mount their defense.

Judge Nathan said that the defense could make an application for the US Marshals to get involved but said that she was not inclined to delay the trial.

Christian Everdell, another of Maxwell's lawyers, said that they planned to call the owner of the Nag's Head pub in London, which was across the road from a house that Maxwell owned.

Everdell said that the man knew the previous owners of Maxwell's home and Maxwell and could verify that she didn't live there until 1997 when she bought the place.

Maxwell claims that the accuser known as Kate's testimony that she was lured by Maxwell to her house before that time was wrong because she wasn't living there then.

Everdell said that it was a 'critical issue' but the pub owner could not be there until Monday at the earliest.

Kevin and Isabel Maxwell arrive for their sister's trial in Manhattan Federal court on Friday

Prosecutor Maurene Comey said that the defense had had an 'extraordinary amount of time' to prepare for their case and that it was not appropriate to introduce a new witness at this stage.

Judge Nathan was again unimpressed and said that she did not want to delay the trial.

She said that 'if this case closes today', meaning Friday, then 'it closes today'.

Another problematic witness was one who was going to take the fifth, meaning she would refuse to comment if she appeared in court.

Everdell told the court that the person's lawyer had indicated that to them in a letter.

Judge Nathan suggested to both side to agree to a stipulation to save the person turning up in court

A British man named Alexander Hamilton had been due to give evidence for Maxwell via video link to claim that the accuser Kate told him that the Epstein case 'fell into my lap'.

Maxwell's lawyer Bobbi Sternheim said he would not be giving evidence any more and blamed technical issues.

The defense kicked off on Thursday with its first witness, Cimberly Espinosa, 55, who worked at Epstein's Madison Avenue office between 1996 and 2002, first as a legal assistant and then a month into her employment Maxwell asked her to be her executive assistant, a job she held until she left.

Espinosa, wearing a black jacket, top and trousers, described a parade of women visiting Epstein in his office, one of them being Celina Midelfart, a Norwegian heiress who also once dated Donald Trump

Espinosa said that she remembered ordering some flowers for Midelfart on Epstein's behalf during the early years of her employment in the 1990s.

That was the time that Epstein was dating Maxwell as well, the court heard.

Maxwell's defense lawyer Christian Everdell asked: 'Did you get the impression there was a romantic relationship?' referring to Epstein and Midelfart.

Espinosa said: 'I felt like Jeffrey liked herI felt they were a couple, they were together. A couple'.

Everdell asked: 'Did this happen during or after the time when it appeared to you that Ghislaine was in a romantic relationship with Epstein?'

Espinosa said: 'It was at the very beginning of my employmentthey could have been concurrent for a little bit of time'.

Everdell asked if Maxwell knew that Espinosa was buying flowers for Midelfart.

Despite being Maxwell's executive assistant at the time, Espinosa said: 'No, she did not.'

The pedophile Epstein was seeing Celina Midelfart in the mid 1990s around the same time he was dating other women, it was claimed

Midelfart later dated former President Donald Trump and is allegedly the woman he dumped to be with his eventual third wife, Melania

Taking the witness stand Thursday morning was Cimberly Espinosa, 55, who worked at Epstein's Madison Avenue office between 1996 and 2002, first as a legal assistant and then a month into her employment Maxwell asked her to be her executive assistant, a job she held until she left

Asked how old the women visiting Epstein were, she said: '18 and over. Young women.'

'We were together just about every day,' she told the court.

Among the women Espinosa saw was Shelley Lewis, who Espinosa said was 'English' - Lewis is said to have dated Epstein from 1999 to 2002. Another woman Espinosa recalled was Gwendolyn Beck.

Espinosa said Maxwell, 59, was a demanding boss but that she learned a lot from her. 'I highly respected Ghislaine,' Espinosa said. 'I looked up to her very much.'

Earlier Espinosa described how she thought that Epstein and Maxwell were 'together' when she first met them.

Asked why she said it as the 'way they interacted together, they were a little flirtythey behaved like a couple'.

Espinosa said that she recalled that Maxwell dated computer millionaire Ted Waitt some time in the 2000s and was still with him when she applied for a job with Waitt some time before 2010 - she didn't get it.

Everdell asked Espinosa about Jane, the accuser who claims that Maxwell and Epstein recruited her at 14 and that he repeatedly raped and abused her.

Espinosa said that the first time she met Jane she thought she was 'probably 18' and that she visited Epstien's office around five times, usually with her mother.

Espinosa said that Jane's mother told her that she was Epstein's goddaughter which meant she was 'treated with utmost respect' and that the women who worked in the office 'considered her (Jane) family of Jeffrey's'.
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With a newborn baby in Downing Street, Boris Johnson must be enduring some disturbed nights.

But if he was up with a bottle when the North Shropshire by-election came in just after 4am he might be forgiven for thinking it was a nightmare.

Although there had been a widespread mood of despair in Conservative circles for weeks, some had still harboured hopes that the party's enormous majority might allow it to scrape home or at least come a close second.

In the event, the scale of the loss was far greater than even pessimists had feared. The Lib Dems achieved a 34 percentage point swing that wiped out Owen Paterson's 23,000 advantage at the 2019 election and deliver victory by nearly 6,000 votes.

The stunning turnaround came despite the Tories fielding a candidate, Neil Shastri-Hurst, with good credentials who was regarded as having performed respectably.

Meanwhile, the Lib Dems put up Helen Morgan, a strident Remainer, to fight a seat that voted enthusiastically for Brexit in 2016. She was also dogged by stories about her previous social media output, including claims she compared Mr Johnson to Hitler and appearing to liken the experience of Channel migrants to Jewish prisoners at Auschwitz.

So what did go wrong for the Conservatives?

Well, it seems almost everything did, from the obvious sleaze and Partygate scandals to the PM's ramblings about Peppa Pig, tactical voting and the emergence of the Omicron strain.

The Lib Dems insisted that voters were 'so fed up' with Mr Johnson's 'incompetence and behaviour' that they were open to being won over.

And a senior Tory MP deeply involved in the North Shropshire campaign told MailOnline that the outcome was down to a 'perfect storm' of local and national pressures.

They pointed out the cause of the by-election was far from ideal, having been triggered by the resignation of Owen Paterson after Boris Johnson mounted an abortive attempt to save him from punishment for lobbying.

The Lib Dems mounted an 'effective tactical voting campaign', which was helped by Labour 'recognising they were not in it'.

'Daily national negative stories are going to have an impact,' the MP said. 'There was general frustration at the national level compounded by frustration about Covid.

'The resurgence of Covid coming in the week before the by-election made people feel they wanted to vent their anger.'

The senior Conservative said that people should be wary about drawing dramatic conclusions from the outcome.

'I think we need to take it seriously but I don't think you can extrapolate from it. The Conservatives won Hartlepool in a by-election seven months ago. Who would have put any money on that?' the MP said.

Another senior Tory MP argued that the Lib Dems have finally been able to return to 'chameleon' tactics from before they went into coalition - adjusting their policy pitch dramatically depending on local factors and soaking up protest votes.

The Lib Dems put up Helen Morgan (pictured left today), a strident Remainer, to fight a seat that voted enthusiastically for Brexit in 2016

Lib Dems have suggested that Mr Johnson's toe-curling speech to the CBI, where he lost his place in his notes before going on a long digression about Peppa Pig World and comparing himself to Moses, had a surprising amount of cut-through during the campaign

Tories pointed out the cause of the by-election was far from ideal, having been triggered by the resignation of Owen Paterson after Boris Johnson mounted an abortive attempt to save him from punishment for lobbying

Mr Johnson admitted he is 'responsible for everything the government does' as he was asked during a brutal interview today whether he was personally to blame for the 'earthquake' result in North Shropshire

New Lib Dem MP is a Remainer who likened Boris Johnson to Hitler New Lib Dem MP Helen Morgan is an ardent Remainer who once compared Boris Johnson to Hitler in a rant about Brexit. She made the astonishing comments - that were caught on camera - as she addressed a pro-EU rally in Shrewsbury in August 2019. At the time the Government was embroiled in a row over its attempts to prorogue Parliament to circumvent efforts to thwart Mr Johnson's Brexit plans. The Cambridge-educated accountant, who was raised and still lives and works locally with her husband, told the crowd that the plans would set a 'dangerous precedent', adding: 'It's what Hitler did in 1933 this is a shameless power grab by a right-wing elite.' At the time Ms Morgan made the comments about Mr Johnson she was the Lib Dem candidate running against Mr Paterson at the 2019 general election. She would go on to finish a distant third behind the former environment secretary and the Labour candidate. Earlier this month she apologised after The Mail on Sunday uncovered social media posts appearing to liken the experience of Channel migrants to Jewish prisoners at Auschwitz. She wrote on Twitter about her son's experience of reading The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, in which the son of the camp commandant befriends a Jewish boy on the other side of the fence. Ms Morgan said in September 2020: 'He commented that the Nazis were only able to do such terrible things because they didn't think their victims were people. He's 11. 'On Twitter this morning, there are people talking about cancelling their RNLI donations because they have picked up 'illegals'. 'The language used every day in this country  by the Government, press and people with thousands of followers on social media  it's nothing short of chilling. 'We have travelled too far down this road. We urgently need to turn back.' In the same thread, she liked a tweet by an unidentified user who claimed: 'Having visited Auschwitz concentration camp in the recent past. 'It really brings home man's inhumanity to man. Now on a daily basis the language and actions of the Conservative Party make me more and more concerned about the direction they are taking the UK and its people.' Advertisement

'We know what the Lib Dems are like. They shoved up a Remainer in a 66 per cent Leave-voting constituency, and all they did is retract anything she had said that was pro-EU,' the MP said.

'If you are in a seat that has voted Tory for the last 200 years you aren't going to vote Labour as your protest. They have dropped 12 (percentage points) which is not exactly a vote of confidence.

'The Lib Dems have got a formidable by-election machine.'

The MP voiced hope that a 'people aren't going to risk a protest at a general election', but also cautioned: 'The Lib Dems are pretty clever. They will put a team in there now to try to make sure they hold on. The whole thing will depend on whether the Tories start to turn things around.'

Lib Dems have suggested that Mr Johnson's toe-curling speech to the CBI, where he lost his place in his notes before going on a long digression about Peppa Pig World and comparing himself to Moses, had a surprising amount of cut-through during the campaign.

Farmers in the largely rural seat were said to be fed up with the lack of support from the government post-Brexit.

There is also a sense that the 'Get Brexit Done' tidal wave that swept Mr Johnson to his historic 80-strong majority two years ago might have run its course.

One Conservative MP for a key northern seat warned that Mr Johnson had to recognise the public have 'moved on' from Brexit.

'It shows Brexit is no longer a relevant conversation in politics,' they told MailOnline. 'If Boris and co think it is, and that it will save them - it won't.

'This was Brexit heartland and they voted for a candidate who was a publicly vociferous campaigner for a second referendum.

'Boris told everyone Brexit was done. So they've moved on. Has he?'

People out and about in North Shropshire today were unrepentant about abandoning the Tories.

Richard Wilson, 76, from Oswestry, said: 'I have voted Conservative in the past - not this time. Liberal Democrats for me.

'This time, I was deliberately voting against the government - especially after the sleaze/Owen Paterson scandal that happened towards the end of his tenure.

'Then, after that, they ask for our votes? No this time.

'The whole government is smeared with dishonesty, people have not accepted this time around.

Duncan Borrowman, 61, Landlord of The Bailey Head Pub from Oswestry said there were a 'combination of factors' behind his support for the Lib Dems.

'It is not only Boris but his whole cabinet and the antics they have gotten up to,' he said.

'The party and the quiz are something that will last long in the memory of people. As a publican, my pub was closed, then the whole outdoor eating, curfews - the whole time Downing Street were laughing at us.

'The government, Boris and the cabinet have to be told it was wrong - maybe this election win for the Lib Dems is a way of showing them.'

Election guru Prof John Curtice highlighted that something seems to have shifted dramatically for the Tories since the Partygate row erupted.

'In a sense, two weeks ago, nobody would have seen this coming. Two weeks ago, yes the Conservatives were in trouble - their position in the polls was down to neck-and-neck and they lost 13 points in the Old Bexley by-election,' he said.

'But this was not a constituency first of all that at all looked like promising territory for the Liberal Democrats - it voted 60 per cent to Leave - very, very different from Chesham and Amersham... and secondly while the Conservative position had weakened it hadn't weakened that much.'

Veteran backbencher RogerGale - a long-standing critic of the PM - was in no doubt about the cause of the problems.

'The electorate wanted to send a very clear message to Downing Street that they were dissatisfied with the management of this Government,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'I think this has to be seen as a referendum on the Prime Minister's performance and I think that the Prime Minister is now in 'last orders' time.

Thatcherite former minister John Redwood opened another front by suggesting the eye-watering tax burden was responsible for the slumping popularity.

'Will the Chancellor now admit his high tax economic slowdown is wrong?' he tweeted. 'Will the Environment Secretary back British farming instead of trying to stop us growing our own food? Time to listen to Conservatives.'

But Mr Johnson himself had other ideas - moaning that the media were asking too many questions about sleaze and alleged lockdown breaches in Downing Street.

Repeatedly pressed by the Sky News reporter on what was going wrong and how he was going to turn things around, Mr Johnson said: 'I think that people are frustrated and I understand that Basically what's been going wrong is that in the last few weeks some things have been going very well, but what the people have been hearing is just a constant litany of stuff about politics and politicians and stuff that isn't about them and isn't about the things that we can do to make life better.

'And so to that extent, of course, you're right  and I think the job of the Government is to make people like you interested in the booster rollout and in skills, and in housing, and in everything else that we're doing.

'And unfortunately, you're totally right, we haven't been able to get the focus on those issues.'

Challenged again on what he was doing wrong, Mr Johnson snapped: 'If I may say respectfully, Omicron... is a very serious threat to us now.'

Pushed on how he will avoid repeats of damaging rows such as over Downing Street parties and the funding of refurbishing his grace-and-favour flat, a visible irritated Mr Johnson said: 'Those questions are exactly the kind of questions about politics and politicians and all those kind of things, the running of government, that I'm going to have to fix of course.

'But the real issue people want to focus on is what we're doing to sort out the NHS, the investment we are putting in to get us through a very tough time and what we are doing to tackle the pandemic.'
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'
Suspected ISIS-linked extremists have decapitated a Christian pastor before handing his severed head to his wife to show authorities in Mozambique.

The killing, reported by local news, took place in the country's gas-rich northern province of Cabo Delgado.

Last Wednesday, the man's widow carried a sack containing the head of her husband to the district police headquarters, according to the BBC who cited military sources.

Suspected ISIS-linked extremists have decapitated a Christian pastor before handing his severed head to his wife to show authorities in Mozambique. Pictured: ISIS-affiliated al-shabab recruits seen in a file image from 2012. The Cabo Delgado province where the killing is said to have taken place has been rocked by attacks by Islamic State-linked militants since 2017, killing at least 3,340 people and displacing more than 800,000

She was ordered to inform the authorities of her husband's killing by the suspected Islamic State-linked insurgents, who found the pastor in a field, she told police.

The woman, a resident of Nova Zambezia, told officials that the attackers kidnapped her husband from the farm before beheading him.

Speaking on Thursday, Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi Thursday stressed that his country had witnessed fewer jihadist attacks this year than last, after Rwanda and neighbouring countries helped tackle the four-year insurgency.

The Cabo Delgado province has been rocked by attacks by Islamic State-linked militants since 2017, killing at least 3,340 people and displacing more than 800,000.

In one attack earlier this year, dozens of innocent people were killed when Islamist insurgents launched a raid on the northern town of Palma on March 24, including Briton Philip Mawer.

But since July, more than 3,100 African, European and US soldiers have been deployed to the northern province to quell the unrest.

Despite ongoing attacks against villages and civilians on a weekly basis, Nyusi told parliament that these efforts had been partially successful.

'We were able to reduce terrorist attacks by three times,' he said.

While in 2020 the country registered just over 160 attacks, that number was reduced to 52 in 2021, he said.

The Sea Star 1 (pictured) evacuated around 1,400 people, mostly workers from the French energy giant Total, after armed insurgents attacked the city of Palma in April

Al-Shabab, an ISIS-affiliated jihadi group, made gains in Cabo Delgado, the northeast of Mozambique, this year and seized the strategic port of Mocimboa da Praia in August before an attack on Palma in April this year

He said it was thanks in part to 'military cooperation' with Rwanda and the 16-nation Southern African Development Community of its neighbouring countries.

Nyusi said recent operations had led to the capture of '245 suspected terrorists', and killing of about 200 'terrorists' and 10 'terrorist leaders'.

Addressing fears the jihadists were instead spreading to territory adjacent to Cabo Delgado, he said some suspected fighters had also been captured in the province of Niassa.

Nyusi however discouraged the displaced from returning to their villages.
Former President Trump has been accused of anti-Semitism after claiming that Jews in America 'no longer love Israel,' and that evangelical Christians love it more.

'It used to be that Israel had absolute power over Congress and today I think it's the exact opposite,' Trump told Israeli journalist Barak Ravid in a clip provided to the Unholy podcast, released Friday.

'I think Obama and Biden did that,' the former president continued. 'Yet in the election they still get a lot of votes from the Jewish people. Which tells you that ... the Jewish people in the United States either don't like Israel or don't care about Israel.'

He then went after the New York Times.

'I mean you look at the New York Times, the New York Times hates Israel. Hates them. And they're Jewish people that run the New York Times.'

Trump referenced the Sulzberger family, which has published the Times for generations.

But Times publisher Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. is not Jewish. He was raised in his mother's faith, Episcopalian, and later stopped practicing religion, according to The Times of Israel.

Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is Jewish, as is his daughter Ivanka, who converted when they married.

But the former president has reportedly accused his son-in-law of being too loyal to Israel.

'Jared's more loyal to Israel than the United States,' Trump once said during a White House meeting, journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa wrote in their book, 'Peril.'

'It used to be that Israel had absolute power over Congress and today I think it's the exact opposite,' Trump said

Trump, pictured above visiting the Western Wall in 2017, said: 'I mean you look at the New York Times, the New York Times hates Israel. Hates them. And they're Jewish people that run the New York Times'

Elsewhere in his explosive conversation Trump had with Ravid, he hit out against his longtime ally, ex-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

New quotes from Trump to @BarakRavid: Most US Jews don't love Israel. Exclusive for Unholy podcast

@Freedland pic.twitter.com/Hv4joYkbCN  Yonit Levi (@LeviYonit) December 17, 2021

The Democratic Majority for Israel condemned the former president's remarks as anti-Semitic.

'While we hesitate to share this antisemitic screed from former President Trump, we cannot turn a blind eye  every elected Republican who still stands by him should answer for this dangerous rhetoric & must condemn it in the strongest possible terms,' the progressive pro-Israel PAC wrote on Twitter.

'This is nauseating stuff. But wholly unsurprising,' conservative commentator S.E. Cupp wrote on Twitter.

'Jaw-dropping,' CNN anchor Jake Tapper wrote on Twitter of the clip.

'Rep Omar made & immediately apologized for her comments about then Israeli PM Netanyahuunrelenting GOP outrage. Donald Trump repeats antisemitic tropes that Jews control media, control congress, & have dual loyaltiesunrelenting GOP support. GOP never cared about antisemitism,' human rights lawyer Qasim Rashid wrote on Twitter.

'While American Jews represent only 2% of Americans, FBI data shows Jews suffer more than 60% of religiously motivated hate crimes,' Rashid added. 'Donald Trump's reckless antisemitism further endangers Jewish Americans, and the GOP proudly standing by him makes them complicit. Unacceptable.'

'Idiotic and offensive remarks here. If you put a microphone on front of Trump, chances are thats what youll get. Then you freak out over it, feigning surprise, and give him more oxygen,' Leon Wolf, managing editor of The Blaze, wrote on Twitter.

'Idea: stop it. He feeds off these controversies.'

'Trumps antisemitism can be a little trickier for some to recognize (or easier to ignore) because its couched in positive terms. When he says It used to be that Israel had absolute power over Congress, hes saying that was a good thing he misses! But its the same old trope,' Jacob Rubashkin wrote on Twitter.

'Trump couldn't be more explicit that he does not give a s**t about the jewish community or Israel. All he cares about is motivating evangelical christian voters in the US. This is truly vile antisemitism,' Pod Save America host Tommy Vietor said.

Elsewhere in his explosive conversation Trump had with Ravid, he hit out against his longtime ally, ex-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Of his efforts to enact a peace plan between the Israelis and the Palestinians, Trump said in quotes leaked Monday: 'I don't think Bibi ever wanted to make peace.'

But in a piece for Axios, Ravid said that Trump spoke highly of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

'I thought he was terrific,' Trump said. 'He was almost like a father. Couldn't have been nicer. I thought he wanted to make a deal more than Netanyahu.'

Abbas reportedly told Trump he was eager to make a deal, while Netanyahu told him to wait.

Peace between Israel and Palestine has eluded US presidents for decades, and in the beginning of 2020, Trump proposed a deal that would have been the most favorable to Israel since the Madrid peace conference in 1991.

'My whole life is deals. I'm like one big deal. That's all I do, so I understand it. And after meeting with Bibi for three minutes  I stopped Bibi in the middle of a sentence. I said, 'Bibi, you don't want to make a deal. Do you?' And he said, 'Well, uh, uh uh'  and the fact is, I don't think Bibi ever wanted to make a deal.'

Trump also said that Netanyahu's opponent, deputy Prime Minister Benny Gantz, would have been much easier to strike a deal with.

Trump said of Gantz: 'I thought he was great. A really impressive guy. In my opinion, it would have been much easier to make a deal with the Palestinians [with Gantz] than with Netanyahu. The Palestinians hate Netanyahu. ... They did not hate Gantz. It's a big factor.'

Earlier this year, Trump said that US Jews 'don't love Israel enough' because he only got 25% of the Jewish vote in the 2020 election.

'You know what really surprised me?' Trump asked in an interview with the ultra-Orthodox magazine Ami. 'I did the Heights, I did Jerusalem and I did Iran  the Iran deal was a disaster, right?' he said referring to his decisions to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, move the US embassy there and pull the US out of the Iran nuclear deal.

'And I also did many other things. Jewish people who live in the United States don't love Israel enough. Does that make sense to you?' he asked.

'I'm not talking about the Orthodox Jews. I believe we got 25% of the Jewish vote, and it doesn't make sense. It just seems strange to me,' he said,

Trump has drawn criticism for such comments before, as associating US Jews with dual loyalty to Israel is often be interpreted as an anti-Semitic trope.

In 2018 while speaking to a US Jewish group, the president referred to Israel as 'your country.' And in 2019, he said that Jews who vote for Democrats are 'disloyal.'
However on Friday, Northam announced that crews found the top of a square box embedded in a 2,000-pound granite block

The day after the statue was removed, crews spent over 12 hours searching for the time capsule in the 40-foot tall pedestal, but were unable to locate it

The news comes more than a year after Governor Ralph Northam ordered its removal following protests over racism, police brutality erupted across the US

The massive bronze equestrian statue of Lee, erected in 1890, was taken down in September

Crews working to remove the pedestal where a Confederate General Robert E. Lee statue believe they've found a time capsule that was buried there in 1887

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Crews working to remove the pedestal where a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee towered over Richmond for more than a century believe they've found a time capsule that was buried there in 1887.

The massive bronze equestrian statue of Lee, erected in 1890, was taken down in September, more than a year after Governor Ralph Northam ordered its removal after protests over racism and police brutality erupted across the country - including in Richmond - following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The day after the statue was removed, work crews spent more than 12 hours searching for the time capsule in the 40-foot (12-meter) tall pedestal, but were unable to locate it.

Pictured: a time capsule that was placed in 1887 in the pedestal that once held the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee is uncovered on Monument Avenue

Michael Spence, pictured, superintendent for the crew, looks over a time capsule that was placed in 1887 in the pedestal that once held the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee

Workers begin the disassembly of the pedestal that once held the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue Wednesday, December 8, 2021, in Richmond

On Friday, Northam announced that crews found the top of a square box embedded in a 2,000-pound granite block.

It was located approximately 20 feet (6 meters) off the ground in the main section of the pedestal, not in its base. Workers who searched for it in September believed it was tucked inside or under a cornerstone of the pedestal.

Northam said in a news release that the stone must be removed and lowered to the ground before historic preservation teams are able to confirm whether it is the time capsule.

'It looks like it is (the time capsule),' said Clark Mercer, Northam's chief of staff.

'We're hoping it hasn't been damaged by water over the last 100-plus years.'

Pictured: workers continue to dismantle the pedestal that once held the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue on Tuesday Dec 14, 2021

A time capsule that was placed in 1887 in the pedestal that once held the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee is uncovered on Monument Avenue, Friday December 17, 2021

Another view of a stone from under a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and in which the crew founding it believe is a time capsule that was buried in 1887

A newspaper article from 1887 suggests the capsule contains Civil War memorabilia and a 'picture of Lincoln lying in his coffin,' although historians believe it's doubtful the picture is an actual photograph.

Records from the Library of Virginia suggest that 37 Richmond residents, organizations and businesses contributed about 60 objects to the capsule, many of which are believed to be related to the Confederacy.

If workers confirm the box is the time capsule, it will be transported to the state Department of Historic Resources to be opened using best practices for historic preservation to maintain the integrity of the artifacts.

General view of a stone, pictured, from under a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and in which the crew founding it believe is a time capsule that was buried in 1887

Pictured: Workers remove the first stone as they begin the disassembly of the pedestal that once held the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue on Wednesday Dec 8, 2021

Pictured: crews carry away part of the Robert E. Lee monument after it was removed from Richmond, Virginia following nationwide protests over racism and police brutality

The Lee statue, which became a symbol of racial injustice, was one of five Confederate tributes along Richmond's Monument Avenue and the only one that belonged to the state.

The four city-owned statues were taken down in 2020, but the Lee statue removal was blocked by two lawsuits until a ruling from the Supreme Court of Virginia in September cleared the way for it to be taken down.

Northam announced earlier this month that the enormous pedestal would be removed, a reversal from September, when the governor said the pedestal would stay in place so its future could be determined by a community-driven effort to reimagine Monument Avenue.

After Floyd's murder in 2020, the Lee statue became a focal point of the racial justice movement in Richmond.

Since then, the pedestal has been covered in graffiti, some of it profane and much of it denouncing the police. Some activists wanted to see it remain in place as a work of protest art.
Johnson & Johnson's share price nosedived on Friday morning when the markets opened in reaction to the CDC's announcement yesterday that Americans shouldn't get the company's COVID-19 vaccine because it can cause blood clots.

J&J's one-shot vaccine was popular in March and April because it was seen as more convenient than the two-shot Pfizer and Moderna alternatives.

It was briefly taken out of use in April after a handful of cases of women who had received it, developed blood clots and then died.

It was put back into use on April 23 but this week, the CDC announced Americans should instead opt for Pfizer or Moderna when choosing which vaccine to get.

The announcement sent the company's shares down by $5 per share from $173 to $168 at opening bell on Monday - a drop of 2.8 percent.

The shots are, however, still available but the CDC is now recommending that Americans opt for Pfizer or Moderna instead.

The announcement on Thursday night sent the company's shares down from $173 to $168 at opening bell on Monday - a drop of 2.8 percent. Chart reflects J&J's five day share price

A dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is seen in a file photo. A government advisory panel advises getting Moderna or Pfizer instead

In a statement on Thursday, Johnson and Johnson said it was still confident in its vaccine.

'Johnson & Johnson remains confident in the overall positive benefit-risk profile of its COVID-19 vaccine. Studies have shown that the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine generates strong antibody and cellular immune responses and long-lasting immune memory and breadth of protection across variants.

'In addition, a growing body of evidence is revealing the strength of protection of our vaccine as a booster to either the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine or a different authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine, both in terms of its efficacy and durability,' the company said in a statement.

The clotting problem has caused nine confirmed deaths after J&J vaccinations - while the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines don't come with that risk and also appear to be more effective, advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Until now the U.S. has treated all three COVID-19 vaccines available to Americans as an equal choice, since large studies found they all offered strong protection and early supplies were limited.

J&Js vaccine initially was welcomed as a single-dose option that could be especially important for hard-to-reach groups like homeless people who might not get the needed second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna options.

But the CDCs advisers said Thursday that it was time to recognize a lot has changed since vaccines began rolling out a year ago.

More than 200 million Americans are fully vaccinated, about 16 million of them with the J&J vaccine.

The other two vaccines used in the U.S. - from Pfizer and Moderna - account for the vast majority of vaccine doses administered in the country.

The CDC experts say that the two mRNA vaccines do not have the same risk, and unlike in the spring when vaccine supplies were tight, Pfizer and Moderna shots now are plentiful in the U.S.

The J&J shot also shows signs of being much less effective against the Omicron variant, and a booster is recommended just two months after the dose, opposed to six months for Pfizer and Moderna.

COVID-19 itself can cause potentially deadly blood clots. But the suspect culprit for the vaccine-related kind is a rogue immune response linked to both the J&J shot and a COVID-19 vaccine made by AstraZeneca.

Both of those vaccines are made similarly, using a cold virus known as an adenovirus, although AstraZeneca's shot is not used in the U.S.

The FDA this week warned that another dose of the J&J vaccine shouldn't be given to anyone who developed a clot following either a J&J or AstraZeneca shot.

At issue is a weird kind of blood clot that forms in unusual places, such as veins that drain blood from the brain, and in patients who also develop abnormally low levels of the platelets that form clots.

Symptoms of the unusual clots, dubbed 'thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome,' include severe headaches a week or two after the J&J vaccination - not right away - as well as abdominal pain and nausea.

Several other countries already have recommended age restrictions for both the AstraZeneca and J&J vaccines, or that preference be given to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Confirmed Omicron cases jump by a third overnight: Fauci warns of its 'extraordinary' ability to spread, and says cases are doubling every three days

Dr Anthony Fauci (pictured), the nation's top infectious disease expert told Good Morning America on Thursday that Omicron transmits very efficiently, and the current outbreaks overseas are signs of things to come for the U.S. if more people do not get boosted

Omicron cases in the US have soared by 32 per cent in 24 hours, with White House COVID tsar Dr Anthony Fauci warning of of the variant's 'extraordinary' ability to spread, before revealing that cases will double every three days.

Confirmed US Omicron cases jumped by a third overnight, from 241 on Wednesday to 319 on Thursday. But experts have warned those are the tip of the iceberg, and that American cases likely already number in the tens of thousands.

The number of people testing positive in New York has doubled in three days, from 3.9 per cent of all swabs coming back positive on December 9, to 7.8 per cent on December 12. More than four fifths of New York

Bill de Blasio's senior public health adviser Dr Jay Varman, a Cornell epidemiology professor, tweeted the news, saying: 'Um, we've never seen this before in #NYC. Test positivity doubling in three days.'

A total of 81 per cent of New Yorkers are fully-vaccinated, and 18.5 per cent have received their booster shots - but a worrying new study from Columbia University suggests that neither may be sufficient in protecting from Omicron.

Immunologists have also forecast a potential triple-whammy of Omicron, Delta and regular flu infections this winter. Two doctors interviewed by DailyMail.com said those who haven't received a booster shot should consider returning to Spring 2020-style self-isolation, when COVID's Alpha variant raged through the US, and no vaccines were available.

Speaking on Good Morning America on Thursday, Fauci also confirmed Omicron was on track to be the dominant Covid strain in America within weeks.

He said: 'Certainly what [Omicron] is showing us in other countries [is that it spreads faster than other variants] and I believe soon in our own country.

'It has an extraordinary ability to transmit efficiently and spread. It has what we call a doubling time of around three days.

'And if you do the math on that, if you have just a couple of percentage of the isolates being Omicron, very soon it's going to be the dominant variant. We've seen that in South Africa, we're seeing it in the U.K. and I'm absolutely certain that's what we're going to be seeing here relatively soon.'

The doubling time of three days is slightly longer than the 2.5 days reported by British and South African health officials. On Thursday, the UK recorded its second-consecutive day of record infections - 88,376 - 24 hours after Wednesday's total of 78,610. That is a 74 per cent jump in a week, with 15 people who've been infected with Omicron so-far hospitalized in the UK.

The US is much larger, with most of its landmass not as densely populated as the UK or South Africa.

The CDC released these projections on Thursday, predicting 15,600 Covid deaths for the week ending January 8, and 1.3 million infections for the week that concludes on Christmas Day

But Omicron is believed to represent up to 13 percent of new diagnoses in New Jersey and New York - states with extremely well-populated areas - giving a possible early taste of what's to come with the new strain.

Fauci continues to urge Americans to get vaccinated, and boosted, to protect themselves from the virus, especially now with the new threat of Omicron circulating. A total of 16.5 per cent of Americans have so-far had the booster shot.

'We need to do everything that we have been talking about up to now, and even more so,' he said.

He spoke hours after the CDC agency released forecasts on Wednesday night showing that weekly Covid cases will increase by 55 percent to 1.3 million per week - or 185,714 per day - by Christmas.

It also predicted deaths with jump by 73 percent to up to 15,600 per day by early January - or 2,228 deaths per day.

Some of that predicted surge is already appearing in parts of the country, with Florida revealing 6,381 new cases on Thursday - the state's largest single day Covid increase since September.

The Delta variant is still the dominant Covid strain in the U.S., accounting for around 97 percent of sequenced cases. Omicron is quickly making up ground, though, with the newly discovered variant jumping seven-fold in a week from making up 0.4 percent of cases to 2.9 percent of case, according to the most recent CDC data.

Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, has warned of a nightmare scenario where Delta, Omicron and regular seasonal flu could combine to inflict the winter from hell on US hospitals already struggling to cope with an influx of patients.

She told CNN: 'It's the combination. It's kind of the perfect storm of public health impacts here with Delta already impacting many areas of the country and jurisdictions. We don't want to overwhelm systems more.'

Early data also shows that people who are only fully vaccinated, but have not yet received their booster, are still extremely vulnerable to the virus, with Johnson & Johnson's single-dose shot offering effectively no protection.

Booster shots have been deemed effective against the variant, though, with both Moderna and Pfizer revealing data in recent days showing their vaccines will cause massive increases in antibody levels and up to 75 per cent protection from Covid symptoms.

But confusion remains about just how effective boosters are against a strain that was only identified after Americans began receiving them en-masse.

A new study by Columbia University in New York, published on Thursday, said: 'Even serum from persons vaccinated and boosted with mRNA-based vaccines exhibited substantially diminished neutralizing activity against (omicron),'

Dr Chris Thompson (pictured), an infectious disease expert at Loyola University of Maryland, said that Americans who have not yet been boosted should bring back some early-pandemic habits

Only around 16.5 percent of Americans have received the additional vaccine dose so far though - as they were not widely available until late November - meaning that more than 80 percent of Americans are at risk from Omicron.

Dr Chris Thompson is an infectious disease expert at Loyola University of Maryland. He told DailyMail.com on Thursday that people who have not received their booster dose yet may want to bring back some early pandemic habits like social distancing, masking, frequent hand washing and more.

'The data that I've seen says that you're about 33 percent protected after a two dose regimen of either of the mRNA vaccines [the Pfizer or Moderna shots] and we don't have good data from Johnson and Johnson's vaccine yet. Then if you get your booster you look like you get back up into the 75 percent protection range and for preventing disease'

Whether Delta or Omicron, U.S. is experiencing yet another surge of Covid cases during the holiday season. The nation is recording 121,188 new cases every day - a 40 percent increase over the past two weeks. Deaths are making a sharp rise as well, up 34 percent to 1,302 per week.

The number of Americans hospitalized with the virus increased over the past 14 days as well, up 21 percent to 68,079.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects that the situation will only worsen as well.

The UK is the world's leader in sequenced Omicron cases, reaching 11,708 on Thursday - adding over 4,000 cases in only one day earlier this week. London, the nation's capital, has become on of the world's Covid hotspots, with the new variant now making up around 40 percent of cases in the city.

Denmark is following right behind, with 6,047 sequenced cases of the variant as of Thursday morning, with the nation also reporting a record 9,999 cases on Thursday as the nation deals with a surge of its own.

In South Africa, where the highly mutated variant was first discovered last month, the 1,000th Omicron case was reported Wednesday, becoming the fourth country to reach that mark in recent weeks.
Wayne Couzens is appealing his whole-life term

The police officer who murdered Sarah Everard is expected to challenge the length of his prison sentence at the Court of Appeal in early May.

Ex-PC Wayne Couzens was handed a whole-life term in September after kidnapping, raping and murdering the 33-year-old.

Couzens abducted Ms Everard as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham, south London, on the evening of March 3.

The depraved killer used Covid powers to conduct a fake arrest of the 33-year-old marketing executive as she walked home from a friend's house in March, before committing crimes so horrific they shocked the nation and undermined confidence in the police.

The 48-year-old, who used his warrant card and handcuffs to carry out the crime, had been planning for at least a month before he targeted Ms Everard.

In October, the Court of Appeal confirmed that an application to bring an appeal against Couzens' sentence had been lodged.

On Friday, a Judicial Office spokesperson said that the hearing is likely to be in early May, adding that the date is not fixed and may change.

Couzens abducted Sarah Everard as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham, south London, on the evening of March 3

Sentencing Couzens at the Old Bailey earlier this year, Lord Justice Fulford said the circumstances of the case were 'devastating, tragic and wholly brutal' and were so exceptional that it warranted a whole-life order.

It was the first time the sentence had been imposed for a single murder of an adult not committed in the course of a terror attack.

The judge said: 'The misuse of a police officer's role such as occurred in this case in order to kidnap, rape and murder a lone victim is of equal seriousness as a murder for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause.'

Couzens is one of over 60 criminals serving whole-life sentences. They are reserved for the most serious crimes such as serial killings and politically motivated murders.

Couzens joins infamous killers such as British soldier Lee Rigby's murderer Michael Adebolajo, police officer killer Dale Cregan and Mark Bridger, who murdered five-year-old April Jones.

The 48-year-old, who used his warrant card and handcuffs to carry out the crime, had been planning for at least a month before he targeted Ms Everard. Right: Couzens after his arrest

Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley also got whole-life orders. Serial killer Levi Bellfield is unique in being given two.

The Met has faced a wave of criticism over missed opportunities to expose Couzens as a sexual predator before he went on to murder Miss Everard.

It emerged the 48-year-old was known as 'the rapist' by staff at the Civil Nuclear Constabulary because he made female colleagues feel so uncomfortable.

He had been accused of indecent exposure in Kent in 2015 and in London in the days before Ms Everard's murder, but was allowed to continue working.

Priti Patel has announced there will be an independent inquiry into the 'systematic failures' that allowed Wayne Couzens to serve as a Met police officer. The Home Secretary said that 'recent tragic events have exposed unimaginable failures in policing'.

She said that the public 'have a right to know' why Couzens was able to be employed by the Metropolitan Police.
Longtime Donald Trump fixer Michael Cohen has disavowed Donald Trump and cooperated with investigators  and now he is suing his former longtime boss, claiming he endured 'extreme physical and emotional harm' in prison payback.

Cohen claims in a new lawsuit filed Thursday that that Trump retaliated against him for writing a tell-all memoir, saying his abrupt return to federal prison last year endangered his life and amounted to punishment for criticizing the president.

His memoir, Disloyal: A Memoir: The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump, rips Cohen's former employer.

The new lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, seeks damages for 'extreme physical and emotional harm' and violations of Cohen's First Amendment rights.

Longtime Donald Trump fixer and lawyer Michael Cohen claims in a new lawsuit filed Thursday that that Trump retaliated against him for writing a tell-all memoir

Trumps former personal attorney recently completed a three-year sentence for crimes including tax evasion, campaign finance violations and lying to Congress. He reported to prison in May 2019 but was released to home confinement after about a year as authorities sought to contain the coronavirus outbreak in federal prisons.

Federal authorities abruptly ordered him back to prison weeks later, claiming he failed to accept certain terms of his release. Cohen, however, said he had merely sought clarification on a condition forbidding him from speaking with the media and publishing his book.

He said his second stint behind bars began with 16 harrowing days in solitary confinement. Cohen says he suffered shortness of breath, severe headaches and anxiety inside a small cell he left just 30 minutes a day at the federal prison in Otisville, New York.

Cohen is suing Trump, claiming he was sent back to prison in retaliation for writing a tell-all memoir about his former boss

Cohen was sentenced to three years in federal prison Otisville, NY after pleading guilty to tax and campaign finance crimes

Cohen provided $130,000 in hush payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, who claimed she had an affair with Trump

Prosecutors insisted probation officers had been unaware of the forthcoming book when they wrote a provision severely restricting Cohen's public communications. But a federal judge ordered him returned to home confinement, saying Cohen's return to Otisville had been 'retaliatory.'

'Without accountability, we have only chaos,' Jeffrey K. Levine, an attorney for Cohen, told The Associated Press.

Requests for comment on the new lawsuit were sent Thursday to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and to Trump's spokesperson.

Cohen has called for the former president to be prosecuted and has provided information multiple times to New York prosecutors who are examining whether Trump misled banks or tax authorities about the value of his assets in order to get loans or tax breaks.

He testified in Congress in 2019 that about finances, and produced a check showing reimbursement he received for facilitating $130,000 in hush payments to former porn star Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an affair with Trump.

Cohen wrote a tell-all memoir

He also testified that the Trump Organization would inflate the value of assets when seeking finance, but diminish them with tax authorities  and would later cooperate with New York prosecutors investigating Trump's company.

Trump raged at Cohen in response, accusing his former fixer of 'going rogue' and claimed he committed 'perjury on a scale not seen before' and had 'lied a lot.'

Cohen recently vowed to continue providing 'information, testimony, documents and my full cooperation on all ongoing investigations to ensure that others are held responsible for their dirty deeds and that no one is ever believed to be above the law.'

New York prosecutors are examining Trump holdings in upstate New York and have obtained Trump's tax information. Longtime Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg has been indicted on tax and fraud charges.
A Washington DC man arrested last month and charged with murdering two women in Virginia has been identified as the 'Shopping Cart Serial Killer' after being linked to two more women found dead in the state - and cops fear there may be more bodies in other states.

Anthony Robinson, 35, is the serial killer who used grocery store carts to transport his victims remains after meeting the women on dating sites, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said Friday.

'The good thing is hes in custody. The challenge that remains is identifying other victims,' Davis said.

Davis said Robinson, who was taken into custody in Rockingham County last month in connection with the deaths of two women, has lived in multiple locations along the East Coast in recent years, including in New York.

Police in Harrisonburg arrested Robinson in November and charged him with two counts of murder after finding the bodies of Tonita 'Nita' Lorice Smith, 39, of Charlottesville, and Allene Elizabeth 'Beth' Redmon, 54, of Harrisonburg, in a vacant lot in the city.

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Anthony Robinson, 35, has been linked to the murders of four women in northern Virginia. Police dubbed him the 'Shopping Cart Serial Killer' for his use of a grocery store cart to transport victims' remains

Robinson was arrested in late November and charged with two counts of murder stemming from the deaths of Tonita Smith, 39 (left), and Allene Redmon, 54 (right)

Police have identified Robinson's third victim as Cheyenne Brown, a 29-year-old pregnant mom-of-one, who had last been seen leaving her home in Washington DC in September

Evidence uncovered after Robinsons arrest led police to search an area near the Moon Inn in Fairfax County south of Alexandria, more than 130 miles east of Harrisonburg.

During the search on Wednesday, detectives noticed a red shopping cart and recalled that a shopping cart had been used to transport the bodies in the Harrisonburg cases, said Ed OCarroll, commander of the major crimes unit in Fairfax County.

Near the shopping cart was a large plastic container that held the remains of two women. One has been tentatively identified as Cheyenne Brown, 29, whose disappearance had been under investigation by Washington, DC, police. The second body found in Fairfax County has not yet been identified.

The three victims who have been identified all went missing in the last few months. Police say they are trying to research Robinsons life going back many years to see if there might be more victims.

Police said Robinson would meet his victims on dating sites and then take them to the Moon Inn Hotel in Fairfax County (pictured), before doing 'unspeakable things' to them

A red shopping cart police say Robinson had used to transport his victims' bodies sits in the woods near Alexandria, where the bodies of two women were found on Wednesday

Virginia law enforcement officials hold a press conference on Friday to provide details on the investigation into the serial killings

'Thats what worries us,' Davis said. 'He didnt suddenly turn into who he is three months ago.'

The police chief noted that what is 'remarkable' about Robinson that he had had no known criminal record prior to his arrest on murder charges last month.

All three victims who have been identified met Robinson through dating websites. Police believe his dating history may provide clues into any additional victims.

Police did not say whether the victims were sexually assaulted, but Davis stated bluntly during the press conference that the suspect did 'unspeakable things with his victims.'

Redmon, a mother of two and a grandmother, had vanished sometime around October 24. Her last sighting was in the downtown area of Harrisonburg.

Smith, a mother of six, had last been seen on November 14 in the 300 block of 10 1/2 Street near Charlottesville. Her mother reported her missing on 19.

Smith was the aunt of Sage Smith, the 19-year-old from Charlottesville who went missing in November 2012. Erik McFadden, 29, a person of interest in that case, was supposed to be interviewed by the police but vanished in 2019.

The bodies of the Redmon and Nita Smith were discovered a short distance apart in a vacant lot at the intersection of Route 33 and Interstate 81 in Harrisonburg on November 23. Police said the women were killed at different times.

Smith was a mother of six and the aunt of Sage Smith, 19, who went missing in 2012

Brown who was last seen leaving her home in the 200 block of 36th Street in the Southeast section of DC at around 3pm September 30.

Her family said the 29-year-old, who has a seven-year-old son, was pregnant with her second child at the time of her disappearance.

After police announced Robinson's arrest in late November in connection with the deaths of Redmon and Smith, Brown's family became concerned that she had been harmed by him as well.

Browns cousin, Jonathan Willis, told NBC Washington prior to the discovery of her remains that he believes Robinson was the man who was with Brown in her home about 10 days before she disappeared.

'My heart is broken,' Nicadra Brown, Cheyenne's mother, told The Washington Post. 'Just the thought of my baby not being here is devastating. Its like a bad dream I just want to wake up from.'
A Crown Court judge was caught almost four times over the drink-drive limit after crashing his car on the way to walk his dog, a court has heard.

James Dawson, 65, mounted the kerb in his Mini Cooper before smashing into the back of a parked car in Bromley, south-east London, on Sunday May 23.

The other driver took the keys from Dawson, who sat as a Recorder in Croydon and Inner London Crown Courts for 20 years, who was arrested after he returned from walking his dog.

Dawson, a barrister at 2 Hare Court, was previously found guilty of driving his Mini Cooper with 137 micrograms of alcohol in his breath, when the legal limit is 35, following a trial in his absence.

But he was spared jail at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday after Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram accepted he has Wernicke's syndrome - a neurological condition which means he does not know he has drunk alcohol.

'Someone cynical might find that difficult to accept but I am referred to all the surrounding circumstances, including your own behaviour on the day,' he said.

'You thought you were walking your dog in the morning when in fact you were walking your dog in the evening.'

Judge James Dawson, 65, was spared jail at Westminster Magistrates' Court after he mounted the kerb with his Mini Cooper while four times over the legal drink-drive limit

Christopher Foulkes, defending, highlighted medical reports outlining his client's 'cognitive impairment and chronic memory impairment'.

'Mr Dawson would never have contemplated committing any such offence had he not suffered from that impairment. It is because of that impairment he did not contemplate it at all,' he said.

Dawson's head of chambers, Jonathan Laidlaw QC, told the court they have been friends and colleagues for some 35 years.

He said Dawson is in the process of retiring from working as a Recorder and will not practise as a barrister again.

'Professionally, he observed the highest of standards. He is old-fashioned in terms of his approach,' he said.

'It is horrifying to hear what has happened to him in recent months, and the idea he was driving a car with a breath at this sort of level, with all of the risk factors it presents to him and others, is extraordinary to me.

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a severe neurological condition caused by a deficiency in thiamin (vitamin B1) and has been linked to excessive consumption of alcohol

'I am not suggesting he wasn't an enthusiastic socialiser - we all were - but James would never have driven drunk.'

Mr Ikram handed Dawson a four-month community order, including an 8pm to 6am curfew, banned him from driving for three years, and ordered him to pay 870 in court costs and other charges.

'I have to say that, in a case such as this, I would ordinarily not hesitate to send the driver of a vehicle straight to prison,' he said.

'I have accepted you have this disorder; I wish you well because it needs to be dealt with.'
The former MP who was jailed after he was found to have committed three sexual assaults, including chasing a woman shouting 'I am a naughty Tory', was today given another year to pay his legal debts.

Charlie Elphicke was handed a two-year jail sentence in September last year after he was convicted of three counts of sexual assault following a lengthy trial.

Having served one year in jail, the former Government whip still owes 35,000 worth of prosecution costs that he was ordered to pay after his initial trial.

During that trial, the jury heard that the former MP had asked one of his victims about bondage and sex, before kissing her and groping her breast. He then chased her around his home chanting: 'I am a naughty Tory.'

Charlie Elphicke (pictured), the former MP who was jailed after he was found to have committed three sexual assaults, including chasing a woman shouting 'I am a naughty Tory', was today given another year to pay his legal debts

Today, a hearing at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court was told that Elphicke had been unable to get a job or return to his former work as a law, due to his convictions.

He told the court: 'I hope by the end of my sentence to be back on my feet, it is difficult for me currently due to the conviction. I am working well with the Fulham job centre and probation officer and I hope to be able to earn money in due course but today, I do not have the means to be able to do so.

'I would intend to be a writer.'

Magistrates Davinderpal Kooner and Martha Desmond heard that the former MP had received 1,284 worth of universal credit benefit so far after he began working with the probation service on his release from prison in September this year.

Elphicke will remain on licence under the supervision of the probation service until September 15, 2022.

Today, a hearing at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court (pictured) was told that Elphicke had been unable to get a job or return to his former work as a law, due to his convictions

When he was asked whether he might be able to borrow the money to pay off his debts, Elphicke told the magistrates: 'I do not have enough money or prospect to be able to receive any money at this time.'

During a previous hearing, Elphicke told the court Step Change, a debt advice charity, had told him to offer to pay back the debt at the rate of 1 per month, an offer that the courts rejected. He also told the court that he had received 51,000 from the sale of his marital home, which he had used for legal fees and rent.

Today, when he was asked how much the home had sold for as a whole, Elphicke told the magistrates: 'I don't know how much the home sold for, I was in prison.'

The former MP, who was first elected in 2010, admitted he paid six months rent upfront for a flat in Fulham, south-west London, that was valued online at nearly 475,000.

Elphicke needed to find a new home after he separated from his wife Natalie, who took up his seat as the MP for Dover, after supporting him through his trial.

Having served one year in jail, the former Government whip (pictured in 2020) still owes 35,000 worth of prosecution costs that he was ordered to pay after his initial trial

Elphicke also told the court that as the initial fine had not been due until September this year, he had been forced to pay thousands of pounds in legal fees for his appeal, which failed.

He claimed 'it was a kind of catch-22' and asked the court to give him until the end of his sentence, September 15 next year, so he could 'get back on his feet again' and find the 35,000.

After retiring to make their decision Mr Kooner told Elphicke: 'We have listened to everything you have said to us and it is never the court's desire to set people up to fail.

'We are going to accept your offer that you will clear the 35,000 on or before September 15 next year. If you become employed or come by means and become more financially stable it is in your in your interests to start clearing the amount as soon as possible.'

Elphicke will appear before the court on March 25 next year to review his progress.
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Eleven times fewer patients diagnosed with Covid in Omicron-stricken South Africa are being admitted to hospital now than in the summer, experts claimed today.

The countrys health minister Joe Phaahla revealed 1.7 per cent of Covid cases went on to be hospitalized during the second week of the current wave. For comparison, he said the equivalent figure was 19 per cent in the second week of South Africas Delta crisis.

Phaahla also told a press conference there were early indications that 'the peak has been reached' in Gauteng, which was first to feel the full force of the variant.

The provinces daily infections have started to trend downwards, about three weeks after the ultra-infectious variant took hold.

Higher immunity levels due to vaccination and previous infection now than when Delta took off are thought to be behind the lower hospitalization rate.

But Phaahla suggested Omicron may have evolved to be milder, bolstering claims made by doctors treating patients on the frontline.

Public health official Wassila Jassat, who also attended the conference, said South Africa had fewer patients needing oxygen now than when Delta emerged. She added that patients were hospitalized for a shorter period.

It is the latest glimmer of hope for the US that Omicron may be milder than first feared.

Data from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases showed that less than two per cent of patients were being hospitalized in the second week of the Omicron wave in South Africa. For comparison, when the Delta wave struck it was 12 per cent

Daily Covid cases in South Africa have risen 10 per cent in a week today. But the country is currently enjoying a public holiday, which likely skewed the figures

Hospitalisations in the country fell 23.4 per cent in a week today after another 374 people were admitted. But this could also be down to the holiday, with fewer people available to process data

Health minister Joe Phaahla said in a press conference today that 1.7 per cent of Covid cases were currently being admitted to hospital. For comparison, he said it was 19 per cent during the second wave. Phaahla is pictured above getting a Covid jab

Phaahla did not present an analysis to back up his suggestion that a lower proportion of patients were being hospitalized now than when Delta took off.

But two-thirds more swabs were being carried out every day at this point during the Omicron wave than for Delta which may have skewed the analysis.

Officials figures show some 54,800 tests were carried out every day in the second week of the current wave, compared to 32,600 in the second week of the Delta wave.

Omicron was first detected in South Africa on November 25, and Delta was first detected on May 8.

Its cases rocketed when Omicron first struck the country, and earlier this week reached a record high of almost 26,000 infections reported in a single day. Yesterday they rose 10 per cent week-on-week after another 24,700 were recorded.

Hospitalizations in the country also dipped yesterday compared to the same time last week, but they are trending upwards to about 600 admissions a day from less than 100 before Omicron emerged.

But they are still below hospitalizations during the country's second wave, which surged above 700 a day.

Doctors on the frontlines say that fewer patients need to be admitted to ICU or receive oxygen than when Delta took off, suggesting it may be more mild.

Phaahla told the conference: 'We believe that [the reduced severity] might not necessarily just be that Omicron is less virulent.'

Daily SGTF sequencing at the University of Washington finds that up to 20% of cases in Seattle, Washington are of the Omicron COVID-19 variant. Dr Roychoudhury believes other major cities have similar figures, despite what official data indicates

He said it also depends 'coverage of vaccination' and 'natural immunity', adding: 'Thats why we are seeing mild illness.'

He also pointed to a slowdown in cases in Gauteng, where the average number of daily infections has dipped from 10,448 at the peak four days ago to 9,235 yesterday.

He said: 'In terms of case numbers and percentage of testing positive, we are seeing a decrease in Gauteng, and early indications suggest that the peak has been reached, but there is rapid increase in the other provinces.'

Meanwhile in America, the Omicron variant could already be making up one-in-every-five Covid cases in major cities like New York and Seattle and experts warn of a 'viral blizzard' that could infect millions of Americans in the coming weeks.

Dr Pavitra Roychoudhury is a vaccine and infectious disease expert at the University of Washington. She told DailyMail.com that her team's spike gene target failure (SGTF) tests found that 20 percent of samples in Seattle, Washington were of the Omicron variant.

While it is slightly less accurate than the genetic sequencing health agencies perform to confirm variants, when used on large samples SGTF can often give a general idea as to how prevalent a certain virus strain is. Results from SGTF are also obtained much faster than results from sequencing.

Roychoudhury's team is testing anywhere from 100 to 200 samples a day, and have seen the variant quickly grow from non-existent in the Seattle area in early December to suddenly accounting for about 20 percent of cases. And while her data only includes Seattle, she believes other major cities likely have the same rates of Omicron prevalence.

This means that places like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and others could currently have a much larger Omicron problem than official numbers indicate.

'It seems to suggest that up to 20 percent right now, could be Omicron among our positives,' she told DailyMail.com

'And we think that other places should be similar to that proportion, it is very likely to [be the same in] many major cities around the US ... I think what this suggests is that this is a variant that is spreading really quickly.'

Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and a former advisor to President Biden's Covid response, warned CNN on Friday morning that the country will soon have millions more infections.

'We're really just about to experience a viral blizzard... in the next three to eight weeks, we're going to see millions of Americans are going to be infected with this virus, and that will be overlaid on top of Delta, and we're not yet sure exactly how that's going to work out,' he said.

The spike in Omicron cases reported by Roychoudhury comes only a day after Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, warned that cases of the strain could double as quickly as every three days. He also said that the new variant - which was first discovered by South African health officials last week - will overtake Delta as the country's dominant strain in the coming weeks.

As of Friday morning, the U.S. has confirmed 421 cases of the variant across 38 states and Washington D.C. Cases so far have been relatively mild, though, with no confirmed hospitalizations or deaths confirmed to have been caused by Omicron yet. Cases increased another 31 percent between Thursday and Friday, as there were only 319 confirmed cases nationwide yesterday.

Most recent sequencing data unveiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows the variant accounts for three percent of U.S. cases, a seven-fold increase from the 0.4 percent of cases it counted for a year before. In New York and New Jersey, the variant has especially become a problem, making up 13 percent of cases.

If Roychoudhury's data is applicable elsewhere, like she believes, then the rate of Omicron could be even higher.

Whether Delta or Omicron, cases and deaths caused by the virus are rising across much of the nation. The U.S. is currently averaging 124,413 new cases every day - a 31 percent increase from two weeks ago. The nation is also recording 1,288 deaths from the virus daily, 23 percent over 14 days. America also recorded its 800,000th Covid death and 50 millionth positive test earlier this week.

The CDC thinks that the situation will even worse over time. The agency revealed projections on Wednesday afternoon that show America will suffer up to 15,600 new Covid deaths a week as of January 8 - or 2,228 deaths per day - and that cases will rocket to 1.3 million a week by Christmas Day.

But Professor Chris Whitty, England's Chief Medical Officer, has warned against making comparisons between the UK and South Africa, pointing out that a far larger proportion of South Africa's population is young and less vulnerable compared to the UK.

He said at a press conference: 'I think there has been a certain amount of commentary about the fact that doctors and scientists from South Africa... have indicated that there may be some reduction in the hospitalisation rates they are seeing with Omicron.

'I want to put a really serious caution on this because I think it has been overinterpreted.

'The amount of immunity for this wave because of prior Delta wave and vaccination is far higher than it was for their last wave and, therefore, the fact they have a lower hospitalisation rate this time is unsurprising.

'That doesn't mean there is some degree of milder disease  that is possible  but I think there is a danger that people have overinterpreted this to say this is not a problem and there's nothing to worry about. I want to be clear, I am afraid this is going to be a problem.'
A New Jersey man has been arrested and charged with murder for allegedly beating to death his elderly mother-in-law over the course of two days as the woman's son begged him to stop.

James Pica, 58, who is married to the victim's son, was taken into custody at his home in Nutley on Tuesday night after he called 911 to report that he had killed 84-year-old Barbara Bezzone, police officials said.

According to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, Pica has confessed to the killing, which he blamed on his being 'sleep-deprived' from caring for both his husband and the man's mother, and having 'a bad tempter.'

The case began unfolding at around 8.20pm on Tuesday, when the Nutley Police Department received the call from Pica and responded to the home he shared with his husband and mother-in-law on Prospect Street.

James Pica, 58, from New Jersey, has been charged with murder for allegedly beating to death his mother-in-law

Pica summoned police to his home on Prospect Street in Nutley, New Jersey, after telling a 911 dispatcher he had killed his husband's mother

When police entered the residence, they found Bezzone lying unresponsive on the floor and suffering from visible injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to a probable cause affidavit cited by NJ.com, during his interview with homicide detectives, Pica told them he was the sole caretaker for his husband and mother-in-law, both of whom required unspecified assistance.

'[Pica] said he was sleep-deprived from being the sole caretaker and that he had a bad temper,' the affidavit stated.

The 5-foot-10, 230-pound Pica allegedly admitted to hitting Bezzone in the head and body on Tuesday, which caused her to fall. Once the woman was on the floor, Pica said he kicked the woman in the head, and the beating continued on Wednesday.

The murder suspect told investigators that his husband was begging him to stop and call the police.

Pica is being held in Essex County Jail without bond.
A Metropolitan Police officer has been sacked after he was found to have sent racist WhatsApp messages.

PC Harry Chandler, who served with the North East Borough Command, sent 'on the plus side, no p***s', when texting with disgraced former constable Jamie Lewis, 33 about places to live in London.

PC Lewis, along with Deniz Jaffer, 47, shared vile pictures of the bodies of murdered sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman while policing a cordon where the sisters had been fatally stabbed in bushes at a country park in north London.

Racist messages sent by Chandler were discovered by investigators with the Independent Office for Police Conduct, who were analysing messages on Lewis' phone.

Following a two-day hearing in which he was found guilty of sending the texts, Chandler will now be barred from any future employment within the police service.

PC Chandler had texted disgraced officers Deniz Jaffer, 47, (pictured left) and Jamie Lewis, 33, (right)

PC Chandler was sacked after he was found to have sent racist WhatsApp messages. [File image]

The racist messages were uncovered by an investigation into the sharing of crime scene photographs by PC Lewis and PC Jaffer.

Chandler had been accused of texting 'on the plus side, no p***s' in texts to Lewis on June 10, 2020.

The latter's failure to challenge the messages was among allegations put forward in a recent hearing when he was dismissed from the force, after he was convicted of misconduct in public office.

Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, were stabbed to death in a double murder in Wembley's Fryent Park

A separate Independent Office for Police Conduct report said Jaffer's phone contained 'numerous incidences of race discrimination an racist language' over a period between June 8 and 22.

Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Tucker, who leads the North East Command Unit, said: 'Using language of this nature is utterly unacceptable and will not be tolerated. PC Chandler has rightly been held to account for his actions.'

Regional Director Graham Beesley said: 'PC Chandler's offensive use of language in his WhatsApp messages came to light while we investigated the photographs taken at the scene of Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry's murders by former Met officers Jamie Lewis and Deniz Jaffer.

'His dismissal today sends a clear message that the use of offensive language, whether on or off duty, is wholly unacceptable.'
Biden administration officials considered teacher contract negotiations - not just issues like mask policy - as they planned the release of guidance on school reopenings, according to emails published on Friday.

They also reveal that White House staffers helped set up a meeting between Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky and Becky Pringle, the head of the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union.

The union official involved in that exchange later joined the Department of Health and Human Services.

'These emails show time and time again that the White House inserted itself into the shaping of school guidance with a primary focus of accommodating teachers unions,' Caitlin Sutherland, executive director of Americans for Public Trust, which obtained the emails, told Fox News.

'However, the only thing the White House should have been focused on was how to get our children safely back into the classroom.'

Administration officials said the emails were simply routine communications about logistics rather than substantive policy discussions.

Emails obtained by Americans for Public Trust show how a White House official helped set up a meeting between Becky Pringle (left), the head of the National Education Association, and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky ahead of new guidance on schools reopening

In a message dated Jan. 31, Maureen Tracey-Mooney, special assistant to the president for education, wrote to Carrie Pugh, senior director of campaigns and elections at NEA, to facilitate a meeting between Walensky and Pringle

The CDC released its guidance on Feb. 12.

Four days earlier, an HHS official emailed colleagues to say they had 'homework assignments' after a call with the White House.

'Hey team - Just got off a call with the White House and Department of Education regarding the school reopening guidance that is projected to roll out on Friday,' wrote Michael Baker.

'We have some homework assignments.'

The details were redacted in the emails provided to APT as part of an ongoing lawsuit with HHS and the CDC, but Fox News obtained unredacted versions from HHS.

'Eduardo is going to connect with AJ on some of the mayor/labor union issues that are ongoing across the country,' said one of the bullet points, referring to Eduardo Cisneros, a White House employee.

'We need to think about this in the broader context of teacher contract negotiations.'

During another email exchange on Feb 11, a CDC official attached a news story about union contract negotiations in Chicago.

Critics of the Biden administration will also say the communications reflect a cozy relationship between the White House and unions.

Critics say President Biden and his administration are too cozy with unions like Pringle's

In a message dated Jan. 31, Maureen Tracey-Mooney, special assistant to the president for education, wrote to Carrie Pugh, senior director of campaigns and elections at NEA, to facilitate a meeting between Walensky and Pringle.

'I'm reaching out to introduce you to Carole Johnson from our COVID team,' she wrote.

'She'd like to set up a meeting with Pres. Pringle for tomorrow with her and CDC Director Walensky.'

Minutes later Johnson responded, saying: 'We would welcome the opportunity to hear directly from President Pringle and to continue to have the benefit of NEA's insights as we work on reopening schools safely.'

Three months later, in April, HHS announced that Pugh had taken a job in its Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs.

Previous releases of emails have shown how the American Federation of Teachers lobbied the CDC as it drafted its guidance, the New York Post reported, and even suggested language.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates told Fox News that President Biden was proud of the way that 99 percent of schools had no reopened, based on sound medical and scientific guidance.

'These are all routine emails about logistics and ensuring that local officials, Members of Congress and outside groups of all kinds could be in touch with the proper officials and quickly informed about guidelines when finalized; none of them concern anything substantive about policy,' he said.
Political operative and longtime Trump ally Roger Stone said that he met briefly with the House committee investigating Jan. 6 and informed lawmakers he would invoke his Fifth Amendment right.

Stone gave a deposition for 90 minutes before leaving and telling reporters that he would plead the Fifth 'not because I have done anything wrong, but because I am fully aware of the House Democrats' long history of fabricating perjury charges.'

Stone slammed the inquiry as 'witch hunt 3.0' and denied having any involvement in the 'illegal and politically counterproductive' activities of that day.

Stone gave a deposition for 90 minutes before leaving and telling reporters that he would plead the Fifth 'not because I have done anything wrong, but because I am fully aware of the House Democrats' long history of fabricating perjury charges'

Stone was subpoenaed last month as the committee looks into his actions leading up to Jan. 6. Stone said he was particularly concerned with the committee's probing of his actions on Jan. 5.

'I don't like to see the criminalization of constitutionally protected political activity. I think it is a slippery slope,' he said.

The committee noted that Stone was in Washington before the rally, and was photographed with a security detail that included Oath Keepers.

Stone gave a deposition for 90 minutes before leaving and telling reporters that he would plead the Fifth 'not because I have done anything wrong, but because I am fully aware of the House Democrats' long history of fabricating perjury charges'

Stone is pictured above entering the Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Federal Building ahead of his deposition before the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack

Stone was subpoenaed last month as the committee looks into his actions leading up to Jan. 6

'Before traveling to Washington, Mr. Stone promoted his attendance at the rallies and solicited support to pay for security through the website stopthesteal.org. While in Washington, Mr. Stone reportedly used members of the Oath Keepers as personal security guards, at least one of whom has been indicted for his involvement in the attack on the Capitol. Mr. Stone has made remarks that he was planning to 'lead a march to the Capitol' according to the release.

'I stress yet again that I was not on the Ellipse. I did not march to the Capitol. I was not at the Capitol and any claim, assertion or even implication that I knew about or was involved in any way whatsoever with the illegal and politically counter-productive activities of January 6, is categorically false,' he said Friday.

Stone has been fundraising off the subpoena. 'Because of the many death threats against me and my family generated by the constant smears in the media the professional security protection I need to travel to Washington, attend the Committee session and return home will cost over $10,000,' he said in an email to supporters.

'The lawyers I need to advise me to avoid this latest attempt to set me up and destroy me will cost another $25,000. The Democrats know their last attempt to destroy me left my wife and I broke battered and exhausted. Now they are at it again- all because I resisted their pressure to testify falsely against President Trump in the Mueller witch-hunt!'

In addition to Stone, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Trump adviser Steve Bannon, former Trump lawyer John Eastman and former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark have all refused to cooperate.

Earlier this week, the House voted to recommend criminal contempt charges against Meadows. Bannon and Clark also face contempt charges.

Stone was sentenced to three years in prison after a jury found the GOP operative guilty on seven felony counts including lying to authorities, obstructing a congressional investigation and witness intimidation in 2020, but Trump before leaving office pardoned his longtime confidant.
A retired BBC director who claimed he accidentally downloaded hundreds of indecent images of children is facing jail after he was convicted by a jury.

Victor Melleney, 76, who worked on shows including Question Time and Panorama, stored 832 indecent images of children across his laptop, desktop, two hard-drives and a WIFI dongle between May 2011 and October 2018.

He admitted he was addicted to legal pornography but said he had no interest in indecent images of children.

National Crime Agency officers were greeted by Melleney and his wife at their home in Kensington at 7am on 15 October 2018.

Melleney was wearing a light coloured dressing gown and the most damning evidence came from a portable silver hard-drive later found in one of the pockets.

Kingston Crown Court heard 612 of the total 832 images were found on the drive but Melleney insisted he had no idea how the illegal material got there.

Victor Melleney, 76, (pictured) a retired BBC director who claimed he accidentally downloaded hundreds of indecent images of children is facing jail after he was convicted by a jury

After eight hours and 38 minutes the jury at Kingston Crown Court found Melleney guilty of possessing indecent photographs of children.

They found him not guilty on three other counts: making indecent photographs of children, possessing an extreme pornographic image and possessing a prohibited image.

It can now be revealed that twice-married Melleney earlier admitted four charges of possession of prohibited weapons for discharge of noxious gas, namely three tasers and CS gas spray.

The weapons were found during the NCA raid.

Melleney said his porn addiction began after he retired from working with the BBC in 1996/1997 while his children were at school.

In the evenings if my wife was out of the country and I was alone it was something interesting to do.

He admitted he was addicted to legal pornography but said he had no interest in indecent images of children

But he denied ever having any interest in indecent images of children.

Absolutely not, he said. No, no sexual interest in children at all. Horrible.

Jurors heard 832 indecent images of children were found across five devices belonging to Melleney.

Mr Melleney does not dispute that the images or videos were on his devices, said Paul Douglass, prosecuting.

It is his case that he did not know that they were there.

He says that he is a prolific watcher of legal pornography and the material for which he is now being prosecute...somehow got onto his devices by accident when he was downloading legal material.

The prosecution suggests that the defendant is not telling the truth about this.

Mr Douglass said the digital content was discovered when NCA officers found two IP addresses had received indecent images of children during 2018.

Melleney was identified as the subscriber to those two IP addresses, in the boroughs of Kensington and Hammersmith and Fulham.

On Monday 15 October 2018 officers from the NCA entered the address at about 7am, Mr Douglass said.

They were let in by the defendants wife and then afterwards asked the defendant to join them.

He was asked by an officer if he had a computer and he pointed to a grey apple MacBook.

After eight hours and 38 minutes the jury at Kingston Crown Court found Melleney guilty of possessing indecent photographs of children

It later transpired that in the pocket of the dressing gown that they defendant was wearing...was a portable silver ultra-hard drive which contained the majority of the indecent images of children - 612 of the total 832.

Devices were seized from two addresses and they were forensically examined...

Jurors were told how peer to peer (P2P) technology, which facilitates file sharing, was used to download the content.

One such example of P2P technology found on Melleneys devices was an application called Vuze.

Vuze had been installed on a Mac Pro desktop as well as a MacBook laptop and across both devices contained file names indicative of child sexual abuse exploitation.

An officer searched for the term PTHC, which stands for pre-teen hard core, and found more than 40 items. Other file names were read out in court: Preteen young, underage sex, pedo.

A jury at Kingston Crown Court (pictured) found him not guilty on three other counts: making indecent photographs of children, possessing an extreme pornographic image and possessing a prohibited image

The prosecutor also named search terms found in Melleneys Vuze history: 11yo PTHC, PTHC and pre-teen.

Melleney explained that one of the side effects of his addiction to viewing pornography was a corresponding addiction to downloading it.

He said he would simply click a select all button on applications like Vuze, which he used to search for and download material, and simply download the lot.

According to the IMDb website - an online database of information relating to films and TV programs - Melleney has directed episodes for BBC current affairs programmes dating back to 1980, including Nationwide, Panorama and Question Time.

Melleney, of Kensington, denied making indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images of children, possessing an extreme video of intercourse with an animal and possessing a prohibited pornographic image.

Melleney will return for sentence on January 14.
A woman who left her baby daughter with more than 60 broken bones before the little girl died will spend Christmas behind bars.

Naomi Johnson, 23, and her partner, former army reservist Benjamin O'Shea, 26, were arrested after the sudden death of their eight-week-old daughter Amina on 26 April 2019.

Paramedics arrived on the scene in minutes and tried to save the baby's life but despite their best efforts, she died at the scene in Southwark, central London.

Naomi Johnson, pictured, had previously been granted bail because of a health issue but the judge ordered she be remanded in custody before her sentence is passed

Johnson and O'Shea appeared in Inner London Crown Court today for their sentencing, but Judge Nigel Peters, QC, adjourned the case until 28 January 2022.

The mother had previously been granted bail because of a health issue but the judge ordered she be remanded in custody before her sentence is passed.

Judge Peters said it was a case of the 'utmost seriousness'.

He said: 'It was only the eye operation that caused me to grant a concession.

'This is a case of the utmost seriousness and will involve a significant period of custody for both defendants.

'I'm afraid she will be remanded in custody along with him.'

Johnson and O'Shea (above) later claimed Amina's death was the result of the earlier visit to the GP and the fractures had been caused by the paramedics

Johnson appeared in court wearing a grey checked two piece suit and an eye patch while O'Shea was wearing a green prison tracksuit.

Both spoke only to confirm their identity.

Tyrone Smith, for Johnson, wanted to use the findings of separate Family Court proceedings in his mitigation to submit that Johnson should get less prison time than O'Shea on the basis that he was the sole perpetrator of the actual violence.

The High Court judgement was published and anonymised, meaning it cannot be used in open criminal proceedings in its current state.

Judge Peters told the court he has written to the High Court judge and they both believe the Family Court judgement needs amending.

He said: 'We all know that High Court orders with a punishment of Contempt of Court could get us all into trouble.

'I am not prepared to start the sentence hearing with that issue outstanding.

Ed Vickers, QC, for O'Shea said: 'Findings of the Family Court judge has absolutely no bearing on Your Honour.

'He [Mr Smith] can mitigate on anything he likes; Your Honour has to put that out of your mind.'

'I cannot deal with it today because I've got to hear what happened in the High Court,' reiterated Judge Peters.

He also raised the issue of how both parents, but especially O'Shea, behaved after baby Amina had died.

'Although it's not a statutory aggravating feature I don't see how I cannot take into account the conduct of a defendant who is seeking to deflect attention from himself,' said Judge Peters.

Both parents blamed the baby's death on her inoculation and even the paramedics who tried to save her.

The cause of her death was originally thought to be Sudden Unexplained Death but the post-mortem revealed a catalogue of injuries.

Amina was found to have over 60 fractured bones, including 41 identified fractures to her ribs, anteriorly and posteriorly, 24 limb bone fractures.

'I make it clear that I think the conduct of the defendants, but primarily the first defendant, in impersonating other people, trying to blame other people...that needs to be gone into,' the judge said.

The callous couple have repeatedly lied about the circumstances leading to little Amina's death and even blamed paramedics for the fractures.

O'Shea initially told paramedics the day before Amina's tragic death, he had taken her to the GP for a routine visit and she seemed fine upon returning home.

The next morning, he said that she seemed grumpy when she woke up at 7:30am and Johnson had given Amina some paracetamol before settling the child down to sleep again.

O'Shea also told paramedics that when Amina had settled, he put her back to bed and then when he checked on her about 20 minutes later, she was unresponsive which is when he woke Johnson and phoned 999.

Later in hospital, O'Shea told doctors that they had given Amina paracetamol before she went to bed and that she had woken at 1am.

O'Shea took her to the front room to settle her and Johnson fed her. Amina woke again later and was fed again by Johnson.

Johnson later put his ear to her chest and upon hearing a faint heartbeat and no breathing he ran to Johnson to phone 999 and commenced CPR.

Johnson and O'Shea appeared in Inner London Crown Court today for their sentencing, but Judge Nigel Peters, QC, adjourned the case until 28 January 2022 (file photo of Inner London Crown Court)

As there was no visible evidence of injury to Amina a regular post-mortem was scheduled following her death and it was when the radiological examination was carried out that the first fractures were discovered.

Radiologists found the multiple fractures were highly indicative that Amina had suffered continued physical abuse.

As a result of these findings a special post-mortem was carried out, but no cause of death could be established.

But a police investigation was launched on 3 May 2019 and Johnson and O'Shea were arrested.

Both Johnson and O'Shea later claimed Amina's death was the result of the earlier visit to the GP and the fractures had been caused by the paramedics.

Johnson, of Octavia Street, Battersea and O'Shea, of Dominion Drive, Southwark, were convicted of causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm in relation to Amina after a four-week trial.

They were also convicted by the jury of cruelty to a second child.
Ex-FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, who was convicted of forgery during the Russiagate investigation, can practice law again in the nation's capital

A former top FBI lawyer convicted of forgery during the federal investigation of Russian interference into the 2016 election can now practice law again in Washington, D.C. after a one-year suspension of his license.

Kevin Clinesmith, who pleaded guilty to a felony in August 2020, admitted to doctoring an email that served as support a Russiagate wiretap of Carter Page, a former campaign official in President Donald Trump.

In January, Judge James Boasberg ordered the disgraced lawyer to work 400 hours of community service and 12 months probation, ending at the end of 2021.

Through some legal maneuvering, Clinesmith, knowing he would be convicted, agreed to suspend his own license in August 2020, allowing him to serve out the sanction before his criminal sentence was up.

The DC Court of Appeals Board of Professional Responsibility, which oversees all sanctions against lawyers, agreed to what amounts to a lawyer's plea deal that doesn't permit them from imposing further sanctions.

Clinesmith doctored an email regarding Trump campaign advisor Carter Page (pictured) so that a federal judge would renew a warrant during the FBI's so-called Cross Fire Hurricane investigation into Russia hacking the 2016 presidential election

The disgraced lawyer may have let his political leanings get in the way of his legal responsibilities. Federal prosecutors found anti-Trump social media posts logged by Clinesmith

Clinesmith reported his plea deal on August 25, within the 10-day period required by law.

The Office of Disciplinary Counsel head Phil Fox, which reviews the cases, said that his office reviewed other cases of lawyers convicted of the same offense and found the punishment was only a one-year suspension.

'We have to compare the sanction that would be imposed on Mr. Clinesmith to the sanction that have been imposed on other lawyers for the same thing,' he told Dailymail.com.

His office does not have the authority to issue fines and a panel of DC judges signed off on his finding.

In contrast, the Michigan Bar suspended his law license for two years and fined him over a thousand dollars, RealClearInvestigations reported.

His DC license was reinstated on September 2, according to Fox, because his offense did not rise to the level of moral turpitude, the legal standard for disbarring a lawyer.

During Clinesmith's sentencing, federal prosecutors pointed out that his actions ran contrary to the vow he took as a lawyer.

'As a licensed attorney and an officer of the Court, the defendant took an oath, was bound by professional and ethical obligations, and should have been well-aware of this duty of candor,' Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony F. Scarpelli and Neeraj Patel wrote in a memorandum.

The federal prosecutors also pointed out that Clinesmith appeared to let his personal politics get in the way of his job.

'It is plausible that his strong political views and/or personal dislike of the current President made him more willing to engage in the fraudulent and unethical conduct to which he has pled guilty,' they wrote.

The judge, however, disagreed, citing a federal inspector general's report that concluded Clinesmith's forgery was not politically motivated.

'The exhaustive [Horowitz Report]...determined after a detailed investigation that Mr. Clinesmith had not acted with any political bias or any desire to harm the Trump campaign, or anyone affiliated with it, in forwarding the e-mail,' the judge said during sentencing. 'I see no reason to disagree with that conclusion.'

The DC Court of Appeals Board of Professional responsibility did not seek additional punishment against him because a felony forgery conviction was not considered a severe enough crime

And Clinesmith told the court that he failed his profession.

'With my action, I failed to satisfy the high standard that I have as a civil servant as as an attorney. As a consequence, I've lost the means to provide for my growing family. I have lost the career I relentlessly sought most of my life,' he said during his sentencing.

Attorneys for Clinesmith did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment.
Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon is expanding a program to drop criminal proceedings against juveniles charged with a range of felonies, according to a leaked memo.

The Restorative Enhanced Diversion for Youth (REDY) program was launched on a pilot basis last month, and Gascon is expanding it to cover a range of felony charges, according to the memo obtained by KTTV reporter Bill Melugin.

Under the expansion, youth would be eligible for 'diversion' after being charged with burglary, assault, vehicle theft, robbery, grand theft person, sexual battery, and arson, according to the memo.

A number of felonies would remain ineligible for diversion, including homicide, forcible rape, gun crimes, and crimes resulting in serious injuries.

'According to this policy, prosecutors in the LA DA office tell me if a juvenile were to follow you home, pull a knife on you, threaten to kill you, then use force to rob you, and they are later arrested, they would be eligible for diversion rather than prosecution,' Melugin wrote in a tweet.

Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon is expanding a program to drop criminal proceedings against juveniles charged with a range of felonies

The Restorative Enhanced Diversion for Youth (REDY) program was launched as a pilot basis last month, and Gascon is expanding it to cover a range of felony charges

Gascon's latest move drew criticism from some, including venture capitalist David Sacks

The expansion of the REDY program drew outrage from critics, with venture capitalist David Sacks tweeting: 'Gascon works for the criminals, not the people.'

The district attorney's office did not immediately respond to an inquiry from DailyMail.com on Friday afternoon.

Gascon is a progressive prosecutor who has been vocal about his belief that the criminal justice system needs to focus more on intervention and rehabilitation, blasting 'tough on crime' policies as racist and a failure.

'This program will help repair the immense harm that criminal behavior inflicts on our community by giving crime victims the opportunity to actively participate in the restorative justice process,' Gascon said in a statement on the launch of the REDY pilot last month.

'Restorative justice' is a trendy approach to criminal justice that focuses on mediating between the offender and the victim as they discuss the crime, with the goal of achieving some kind of redress for the harms caused by the offense.

For example, the offender could apologize to the victim, or offer to return or replace stolen or damaged property.

Officials with Gascon's office say that the REDY program seeks to 'expand opportunities for young people to be connected with services that support their development while offering opportunities to take accountability for their actions through a process that also supports those who have been hurt and their needs.'

Gascon is a progressive prosecutor who has been vocal about his belief that the criminal justice system needs to focus more on intervention and rehabilitation

Eligible candidates can avoid criminal charges if they participate in programs to 'address the underlying issues that contribute to criminal behavior, such as mental health needs or substance use,' the DA's office said.

Gascon has been outspoken in his belief that tough-on-crime policies are a failure, most recently lamenting that the career criminal accused of killing philanthropist Jaqueline Avant in her home hadn't been properly rehabilitated.

Gascon has lamented that accused killer Aariel Maynor (above) was not properly rehabilitated earlier in his criminal career

Aariel Maynor, 29, was on parole when he was arrested earlier this month and charged with the shocking home-invasion murder in Avant's Beverly Hills mansion.

Maynor served two prison terms of five years and four years on separate robbery convictions, in addition to convictions on domestic violence and grand theft charges.

'As far as we can see, he never received any meaningful intervention that may have helped him set his life on a different path,' Gascon told reporters of the case on Wednesday. 'One that would have prevented the terrible tragedy from occurring.'

'I'm angry at a system that allows a disturbed young man with a proven track record of violent behavior to be cycled in and out of prison with little or no meaning intervention to be able to gain access to an AR-15 military-style weapon and go out and kill Jacqueline Avant,' he said.

The murder of Clarence Avant's 81-year-old philanthropist wife, Jacqueline inside her $7 million Beverly Hills home on December 1 follows a disturbing rise in crime

LA crime is on the upswing, according to police statistics. Homicides are up by 46 percent, car thefts are up 53 percent and shootings have risen by a staggering 51 percent in Los Angeles compared with the same time frame through November 27 of 2019

Los Angeles, like many cities across the country, has witnessed an alarming rise in violent crime over the past two years.

Homicides in the City of Angeles are up 52 percent so far this year from the same period in 2019, and shooting incidents are up 59 percent, according to LAPD data.

The city has also suffered a shocking wave of follow-home robberies and organized smash-and-grab attacks on retailers.

Gascon has been accused of letting dangerous criminals run free as they await their day in court.

On December 2, LA police arrested 14 suspects alleged to have been involved in 11 recent smash-and-grab robberies at stores last month, where nearly $340,000 worth of merchandise was stolen in strikes on an LA Nordstrom, a Lululemon in Studio City, a Fairfax district store, and a CVS pharmacy in South LA.

However, due to city's zero-bail policies, the suspects were all released within hours of being handcuffed and are currently walking the streets while they wait for their cases to go to court.

'If you look at the 14 people arrested, they could have been charged, there could have been bail amounts set, but none of that was done because the district attorney refuses to take a leadership position on this issue,' prosecutor Eric Siddall told Fox, slamming Gascon office's do-nothing approach to the rampant crime wave currently afflicting cities all across the Golden State.
Boris Johnson was told to get his Government back on track within the next six months last night as Tory MPs put him on notice over the historic Shropshire by-election defeat.

In one of the biggest by-election swings in history, the Liberal Democrats overturned a Tory majority in the North Shropshire constituency of almost 23,000  and won by 5,925 votes.

The decisive result, which saw Helen Morgan take the seat, was described by polling expert Sir John Curtice as a political earthquake that measured '8.5 out of ten' on the Richter scale.

Boris Johnson was told to get his Government back on track within the next six months last night as Tory MPs put him on notice over the historic Shropshire by-election defeat. (The PM is pictured at a west London police station on Friday)

The turnaround triggered a bitter day of recriminations and fresh questions over the Prime Minister's authority yesterday, with Tory MPs telling him to urgently 'get a grip' of the No 10 operation.

Some of Mr Johnson's critics even tried to seize on the result to suggest the Prime Minister was 'drinking in the last chance saloon'  with Sir Roger Gale warning: 'One more strike and he's out.'

And while senior figures firmly dismissed any suggestion of Mr Johnson facing an immediate leadership challenge, they warned he had little time to turn things around.

Several MPs said the PM had around six months to get back on track ahead of critical local elections in May.

Lib Dem victor Helen Morgan with ex-party leader Tim Farron on Friday. In one of the biggest by-election swings in history, the Liberal Democrats overturned a Tory majority in the North Shropshire constituency of almost 23,000  and won by 5,925 votes

The decisive result, which saw Helen Morgan take the seat, was described by polling expert Sir John Curtice as a political earthquake that measured '8.5 out of ten' on the Richter scale

Above, ballot papers are counted in Shrewsbury. The turnaround triggered a bitter day of recriminations and fresh questions over the Prime Minister's authority yesterday, with Tory MPs telling him to urgently 'get a grip' of the No 10 operation

One former Cabinet minister said: 'If there is a bloodbath at the local elections that could well be the trigger for a move against him.'

Another Tory MP said: 'He's got some time to rebuild but he has to do it by the spring. He cannot afford a meltdown at the local elections. That might easily push people into action.' And another minister added: 'Hopefully the message will have now got through to the bunker that all is not well outside.

Biggest swing in almost three decades The Liberal Democrats achieved the biggest by-election swing against a government in 28 years. The 34.1 per cent swing from the Tories to the Lib Dems in North Shropshire gave newly-elected Helen Morgan a majority of nearly 6,000. The only time this has been beaten in recent years was at the Christchurch by-election in July 1993. Following the death of the sitting Conservative MP, Liberal Democrat candidate Diana Maddock turned a Tory majority of more than 23,000 into a Lib Dem majority of over 16,000. The Tories regained the seat at the 1997 general election. The historic record does not include by-elections where the same person retained their seat as a member of a different party. For example, sitting Tory MP Douglas Carswell defected to Ukip for the Clacton by-election in 2014 and won with a swing of 44 per cent. Advertisement

'The vote this week in Parliament was Tory MPs sounding the alarm, now voters have done the same. No 10 should listen  the PM has six months maximum to get back on track.'

Yesterday, Mr Johnson said he took 'personal responsibility' for what he described as a 'very disappointing' loss in the seat vacated by Owen Paterson after he was found to have broken lobbying rules.

The PM acknowledged he needed to 'fix' issues such as the allegations about Downing Street parties, which have fuelled anger inside Parliament and beyond.

However, he appeared to implicitly criticise the media by insisting that a 'constant litany of stuff about politics and politicians' had overshadowed the Government's successes like the rapid rollout of the Covid booster jab campaign.

'I've got to put my hands up and say 'Have I failed to get that message across in the last few weeks? Has it been obscured by all this other stuff?' Yes, I'm afraid it has,' he said.

Yesterday's result came at the end of a grim week dominated by claims of Covid rule-breaking in No 10 and a revolt by Tory MPs over restrictions.

And it has led to fresh speculation over the leadership ambitions of both Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss  widely seen as the favourites to suceed him  while some Tories even claimed that Michael Gove was 'on manoeuvres' for a potential third leadership bid.

'People turn up and find that Michael is the guest of honour, setting out how he sees the world,' a source said. 'It's just like last time.'

But an ally of Mr Gove dismissed the claim as 'total nonsense'.

Senior Tories insisted yesterday that there was no chance of Mr Johnson facing an immediate leadership challenge.

Yesterday's result came at the end of a grim week dominated by claims of Covid rule-breaking in No 10 and a revolt by Tory MPs over restrictions. And it has led to fresh speculation over the leadership ambitions of both Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss  widely seen as the favourites to succeed him  while some Tories even claimed that Michael Gove was 'on manoeuvres' for a potential third leadership bid

Ruth Davidson (above), the former Scottish Conservatives leader, told BBC Radio 4's World at One that the PM was 'in the last chance saloon' and that backbenchers were 'tired of the constant drama coming out of No 10 and the No 11 flat' where he lives

One backbencher poured cold water on the idea, saying: 'The mood is bad, there is plenty of venom, but we did not get rid of Theresa May after she lost our majority. Anyone saying Boris should go is a fantasist.'

But Ruth Davidson, the former Scottish Conservatives leader, told BBC Radio 4's World at One that the PM was 'in the last chance saloon' and that backbenchers were 'tired of the constant drama coming out of No 10 and the No 11 flat' where he lives.

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the treasurer of the 1922 committee, said it was not the time for a 'big blame game' but that Mr Johnson needed to stop the 'self-inflicted own goals'.

'I want him to succeed, I am giving him the benefit of the doubt,' he told Sky News. 'But in doing that, as one of his seasoned backbenchers, I am asking him to think carefully how he governs the country and avoid these self-inflicted measures.'

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith added: 'Going forward now, Downing Street has only one purpose and that is to deliver for the Prime Minister. That means structured discipline and a purpose of delivery. If those are not in place then those individuals who cannot focus need to go.'

JASON GROVES: As one disillusioned MP put it: 'We've had an advent calendar of s***. Every day the door opens, more pours out'

By JASON GROVES for the Daily Mail

By now Owen Paterson could have served his 30-day suspension for breaking lobbying rules and, in a parallel universe, be back in the Commons as MP for the ultra-safe Tory seat of North Shropshire.

Instead, Mr Paterson has resigned in disgrace, the Conservatives have contrived to lose the seat to the Liberal Democrats and backbench Tory MPs are openly warning that Boris Johnson is 'one strike' away from being forced from office.

The scale of the by-election defeat is dire for the Tories, even by the standards of governments suffering mid-term blues.

The last time the Tories suffered a swing of more than 30 per cent to the Lib Dems was in Christchurch in 1993. Historians will note at the following general election the party was demolished by a Labour landslide.

But it is the self-inflicted nature of the wound that is causing Conservative MPs to ponder whether Mr Johnson really is the right man to lead them into the next election.

The scale of the Shropshire by-election defeat is dire for the Tories, even by the standards of governments suffering mid-term blues. The last time the Tories suffered a swing of more than 30 per cent to the Lib Dems was in Christchurch in 1993. But it is the self-inflicted nature of the wound that is causing Conservative MPs to ponder whether Boris Johnson really is the right man to lead them into the next election

Without the PM's botched attempt to save Mr Paterson there would likely have been no by-election. Without the attempt to change Parliament's sleaze rules, the Conservatives would likely not have suffered the tidal wave of allegations over bad behaviour that cost them the support of thousands of traditional Shropshire Tories.

One senior Tory who spent considerable time in the constituency said claims of lockdown-busting parties in No 10 had triggered molten anger on the doorsteps of Oswestry and Market Drayton. 'We had a good candidate  people thought he was a nice guy  but they are p***** off with us,' the source said.

'It was just party, party, party on the doorstep. After that video dropped of people in No 10 laughing, it just got worse and worse.

'They are Tories, it's a Tory seat  and if we can get our act together we can win it back  but they want competent government and they don't feel they are getting that at the moment.'

By now Owen Paterson (above) could have served his 30-day suspension for breaking lobbying rules and, in a parallel universe, be back in the Commons as MP for the ultra-safe Tory seat of North Shropshire. Instead, Mr Paterson has resigned in disgrace, the Conservatives have contrived to lose the seat to the Liberal Democrats and backbench Tory MPs are openly warning that Boris Johnson is 'one strike' away from being forced from office

The mood among Tory MPs about the Government's performance in recent weeks is equally hostile. One backbencher complained: 'We've had an Advent calendar of s*** from No 10. Every day another door opens and more s*** pours out.'

Some  admittedly Remainer allies of former PM Theresa May  are in open revolt.

Sir Roger Gale yesterday revealed he had submitted a letter of no confidence in Mr Johnson and declared it was 'last orders time'. Ruth Davidson, another frequent Boris critic, said Mr Johnson had been 'put on warning by his MPs'. 'They're looking for a bit of bloody grip to be exerted,' she said.

But most backbenchers yesterday agreed with the more measured assessment from Tory grandee Sir Charles Walker, who warned it would be 'completely self-indulgent' to force a leadership contest as Britain enters another Covid crisis.

'If we go on making unforced errors over the next three to six months or nine months, it will become a lot more serious,' he said.

Helen Morgan of the Liberal Democrats following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election on Friday

Several MPs identified next May's local elections as a possible flashpoint for a leadership challenge. 'He's got six months to sort it out,' said one former Cabinet minister.

'People need to see government competence as a bare minimum. He's got to cut out the debilitating self-inflicted damage. But the poll ratings matter too. People are starting to calculate what it all means for their own seats. If there is a bloodbath at the local elections, that could well be the trigger for a move against him.'

Most MPs believe the PM has the capacity to right the ship. He still attracts some residual loyalty for his 2019 win and there is widespread recognition that behind the bluster he remains one of the shrewdest politicians of his generation.

Almost all want him to sort out a No 10 team widely viewed as dysfunctional. Many want to see a clear out of the whips office in the wake of this week's extraordinary rebellion over Covid restrictions by 100 Tory MPs.

Some believe a wider reshuffle is needed. But there are serious doubts about whether the PM has the will to change  or even really accepts he has a problem.

The issue was raised this week at a hastily-convened meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee, where Mr Johnson tried and failed to persuade mutinous MPs to back him over Covid.

According to witnesses, Andrew Percy, a long-time member of the Tory 'Awkward Squad', told Mr Johnson he could potentially remain PM for years provided he 'sorted out his team in No 10'.

One witness said: 'The PM said we 'shouldn't believe all that media guff'  he just dismissed it. People had their heads in their hands at the level of denial.'

One former Cabinet minister predicted that discreet campaigning by potential successors was likely to intensify in the wake of the PM's nightmare week. Liz Truss is brazenly portraying herself as the second coming of Margaret Thatcher  a low tax, freedom loving, woke-bashing Tory

Mr Johnson yesterday insisted he took 'personal responsibility' for the disastrous result in North Shropshire.

But, he again appeared to blame the media  and even the voters  for his predicament, saying people had been too fixated on 'politics and politicians' and failed to notice the Government's other achievements, such as the rapid rollout of booster jabs.

All of this has led to fresh speculation about who might replace him. One former Cabinet minister predicted that discreet campaigning by potential successors was likely to intensify in the wake of the PM's nightmare week.

Liz Truss is brazenly portraying herself as the second coming of Margaret Thatcher  a low tax, freedom loving, woke-bashing Tory, who is only too happy to pose for a photo op on top of a tank.

In a swipe at rival Rishi Sunak, the Foreign Secretary has let it be known that she opposed his decision to raise taxes to pay for social care  and has even hinted she briefly considered resigning from the Cabinet over the issue.

Allies of Mr Sunak gently point out that, unlike the Chancellor, Miss Truss is a late convert to Brexit, having campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum.

At his own briefings, the Chancellor stresses his tax-cutting ambitions, indicating he hopes to emulate Nigel Lawson by slashing the main rate of income tax when circumstances allow.

But the two frontrunners are by no means the only ones on manoeuvres.

Tory MPs report that Treasury minister Mel Stride has again started hosting cosy dinner parties for backbenchers at which Michael Gove is always the guest of honour  prompting speculation he is considering a third tilt at the top job.

Tory MPs believe Priti Patel is 'certain' to run, and the former defence secretary Penny Mordaunt is also said to have sounded out potential supporters.

Sajid Javid and Nadhim Zahawi both have their admirers. And ambitious outsiders like Tom Tugendhat are expected to have a go, if only to increase their prospects of a Cabinet post.

The lack of an obvious successor will buy Mr Johnson some time. Even his critics acknowledge there is no one with his tried and tested electoral appeal.

But his unique selling point has always been his ability to defy political gravity  the politician who won two terms of office in Labour London, who led a victorious Brexit campaign against the odds, who secured seats in Labour's heartlands that had been red for a century.

Suddenly political gravity has started to reassert itself. In fact, some MPs fear Mr Johnson is in danger of becoming a political black hole which sucks the party down with him.

He has time to turn the anti-gravity machine back on if he can remember how. But perhaps not as much time as he thinks.
Ghislaine Maxwell is set to call on a London landlord to provide testimony in her defence during his high-profile grooming case, it was revealed today.

Kevin Moran, 81, pulls the pints at The Nags Head pub in Londons exclusive Belgravia district which is located opposite to the home where Maxwell used to live.

Mr Moran is expected to fly to the US to give evidence on Maxwells behalf, challenging claims by an accuser that she was taken to the property by her and forced to have sex with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein in 1994.

Mr Moran refused to comment when asked about his involvement in the case by MailOnline.

Maxwell's second day of defence got off to a rocky start on Friday when it emerged one witness refused to respond to a subpoena, another refused to testify pleading the Fifth Amendment and a third was not called.

Kevin Moran, 81, pulls the pints at The Nags Head pub in Londons exclusive Belgravia district which is located opposite to the home where Maxwell used to live

Known for its strict banning of mobile phones, and a cash-only policy for orders under 15, The Nag's Head stands across the road from a house that Maxwell once owned in the 1990s

Across the road is the 1.75m Belgravia townhouse that Ghislaine Maxwell once owned

Mr Moran has run The Nags Head for more than 30 years, which is considered one of the capitals quirkiest and most charming pubs.

Known for its strict banning of mobile phones, and a cash-only policy for orders under 15, the pub stands across the road from a house that Maxwell once owned in the 1990s.

Mr Moran's relationship with Maxwell has not yet been confirmed, but he is understood to be a key witness that will be called forward by defence lawyers during her trial.

Christian Everdell said that the legal team had planned to call the landlord in order to confirm Maxwell did not live at the Belgravia property until 1997.

A witness using the pseudonym 'Kate' claimed Maxwell called her a 'good girl' after she gave Epstein a massage in a townhouse in London, Belgravia, while she was a teenager

A British accuser using the pseudonym Kate alleges she was just 17 when Maxwell persuaded her to give Epstein massages at her Belgravia townhouse.

She allegedly led the youngster to a room where a naked Epstein 'engaged in a sex act', before Maxwell asked her accuser afterwards: 'How did it go, did you have fun? Was it good?'

Earlier this month the woman, now 44, took the witness stand at the Thurgood Marshall Courthouse in New York where Maxwell is on trial for allegedly sex trafficking children.

Giving evidence under the pseudonym Kate, she told jurors Maxwell once gave her a schoolgirl uniform and said: 'I thought it would be fun for you to take Jeffrey his tea in this outfit.'

Under questioning from the prosecution, Kate claimed that while in Palm Beach, Florida, she was told to wear a schoolgirl outfit to 'take Jeffrey his tea' by Maxwell (both pictured in 2005)

Ghislaine Maxwell's second day of defense got off to a rocky start Friday

But Everdell said that Mr Moran knew the previous owners of Maxwell's home and Maxwell, and could verify that she didn't live there until 1997 when she bought the property.

Everdell said that it was a 'critical issue' but the pub owner could not be there until Monday at the earliest.

He was due to be flown in to bolster Maxwell's defence case at the 11th-hour, but Judge Alison Nathan appeared exasperated by the last-ditch move to call a new witness.

The previous night Maxwell's lawyers had said they planned to call three women named Eva, Kelly and Michelle - but their plans fell apart before the jury were even brought in.

Maxwell's lawyer Laura Menninger told the court that the witness named Kelly had 'refused' to respond to their subpoena which they had issued two-and-a-half weeks ago.

In New York, the defence team was able to call ex-Miss Sweden Dr. Eva Andersson, 60, who is now married to hedge fund billionaire Glenn Dubin on Friday.

Glenn, 64, was previously accused of having sex with Virginia Roberts when she was an underage teen - allegations he has strenuously denied.

Dr Andersson said that she dated Epstein 'off and on' from around 1983 to 1990 or 1991, the time he began dating Maxwell.

The defense was able to call witness Dr. Eva Andersson, 60, an internist and former girlfriend of Epstein who is now married to hedge fund billionaire Glenn Dubin (pictured together)

In 1994 Andersson married Dubin but said that she stayed friendly with Epstein and socialised with him and flew on his private plane, including with her three children.

In her testimony earlier in the trial, one Maxwell accuser using the pseudonym Jane claimed that an 'Eva' had taken part in sexual parties with her and other women at Epstein's home in Palm Beach, Florida, during the 1990s when she was a teenager.

Dubin denied any group sexual activity with the accuser named 'Jane'.

Maxwell's lawyer Jeff Pagliuca asked Andersson if she was 'comfortable' with Epstein's relationship with her children, and she said she was.

Epstein is said to have enjoyed an 'uncle-like relationship' with the couple's children, and when Pagliuca asked if Epstein was 'fond' of her three children, one of whom was his goddaughter Andersson said: 'Yes he was'.

Maxwell's lawyer Laura Menninger told the court that the witness named Kelly had 'refused' to respond to their subpoena which they had issued two-and-a-half weeks ago.

She asked that the US Marshals force Kelly to attend the court, as is standard practice with witnesses who do not reply to a subpoena.

Judge Nathan asked: 'Why am I hearing about it for the first time now?'

Menninger pleaded: 'There's been a lot going on. To be honest your honor, it's a lot of work.'

Judge Nathan told her: 'A non responsive witness is not a little thing'.

Menninger replied that Maxwell's 'life is on the line' and they were only being given one and a half days to mount their defense.

Kevin and Isabel Maxwell arrive for their sister's trial in Manhattan Federal court on Friday

Judge Nathan said that the defense could make an application for the US Marshals to get involved but said that she was not inclined to delay the trial.

Christian Everdell, another of Maxwell's lawyers, said that they planned to call the owner of the Nag's Head pub in London, which was across the road from a house that Maxwell owned.

Everdell said that the man knew the previous owners of Maxwell's home and Maxwell and could verify that she didn't live there until 1997 when she bought the place.

Maxwell claims that the accuser known as Kate's testimony that she was lured by Maxwell to her house before that time was wrong because she wasn't living there then.

Everdell said that it was a 'critical issue' but the pub owner could not be there until Monday at the earliest.
By now Owen Paterson could have served his 30-day suspension for breaking lobbying rules and, in a parallel universe, be back in the Commons as MP for the ultra-safe Tory seat of North Shropshire.

Instead, Mr Paterson has resigned in disgrace, the Conservatives have contrived to lose the seat to the Liberal Democrats and backbench Tory MPs are openly warning that Boris Johnson is 'one strike' away from being forced from office.

The scale of the by-election defeat is dire for the Tories, even by the standards of governments suffering mid-term blues.

The last time the Tories suffered a swing of more than 30 per cent to the Lib Dems was in Christchurch in 1993. Historians will note at the following general election the party was demolished by a Labour landslide.

But it is the self-inflicted nature of the wound that is causing Conservative MPs to ponder whether Mr Johnson really is the right man to lead them into the next election.

The scale of the Shropshire by-election defeat is dire for the Tories, even by the standards of governments suffering mid-term blues. The last time the Tories suffered a swing of more than 30 per cent to the Lib Dems was in Christchurch in 1993. But it is the self-inflicted nature of the wound that is causing Conservative MPs to ponder whether Boris Johnson really is the right man to lead them into the next election

Without the PM's botched attempt to save Mr Paterson there would likely have been no by-election. Without the attempt to change Parliament's sleaze rules, the Conservatives would likely not have suffered the tidal wave of allegations over bad behaviour that cost them the support of thousands of traditional Shropshire Tories.

One senior Tory who spent considerable time in the constituency said claims of lockdown-busting parties in No 10 had triggered molten anger on the doorsteps of Oswestry and Market Drayton. 'We had a good candidate  people thought he was a nice guy  but they are p***** off with us,' the source said.

'It was just party, party, party on the doorstep. After that video dropped of people in No 10 laughing, it just got worse and worse.

'They are Tories, it's a Tory seat  and if we can get our act together we can win it back  but they want competent government and they don't feel they are getting that at the moment.'

By now Owen Paterson (above) could have served his 30-day suspension for breaking lobbying rules and, in a parallel universe, be back in the Commons as MP for the ultra-safe Tory seat of North Shropshire. Instead, Mr Paterson has resigned in disgrace, the Conservatives have contrived to lose the seat to the Liberal Democrats and backbench Tory MPs are openly warning that Boris Johnson is 'one strike' away from being forced from office

The mood among Tory MPs about the Government's performance in recent weeks is equally hostile. One backbencher complained: 'We've had an Advent calendar of s*** from No 10. Every day another door opens and more s*** pours out.'

Some  admittedly Remainer allies of former PM Theresa May  are in open revolt.

Sir Roger Gale yesterday revealed he had submitted a letter of no confidence in Mr Johnson and declared it was 'last orders time'. Ruth Davidson, another frequent Boris critic, said Mr Johnson had been 'put on warning by his MPs'. 'They're looking for a bit of bloody grip to be exerted,' she said.

But most backbenchers yesterday agreed with the more measured assessment from Tory grandee Sir Charles Walker, who warned it would be 'completely self-indulgent' to force a leadership contest as Britain enters another Covid crisis.

'If we go on making unforced errors over the next three to six months or nine months, it will become a lot more serious,' he said.

Helen Morgan of the Liberal Democrats following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election on Friday

Several MPs identified next May's local elections as a possible flashpoint for a leadership challenge. 'He's got six months to sort it out,' said one former Cabinet minister.

'People need to see government competence as a bare minimum. He's got to cut out the debilitating self-inflicted damage. But the poll ratings matter too. People are starting to calculate what it all means for their own seats. If there is a bloodbath at the local elections, that could well be the trigger for a move against him.'

Most MPs believe the PM has the capacity to right the ship. He still attracts some residual loyalty for his 2019 win and there is widespread recognition that behind the bluster he remains one of the shrewdest politicians of his generation.

Almost all want him to sort out a No 10 team widely viewed as dysfunctional. Many want to see a clear out of the whips office in the wake of this week's extraordinary rebellion over Covid restrictions by 100 Tory MPs.

Some believe a wider reshuffle is needed. But there are serious doubts about whether the PM has the will to change  or even really accepts he has a problem.

The issue was raised this week at a hastily-convened meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee, where Mr Johnson tried and failed to persuade mutinous MPs to back him over Covid.

According to witnesses, Andrew Percy, a long-time member of the Tory 'Awkward Squad', told Mr Johnson he could potentially remain PM for years provided he 'sorted out his team in No 10'.

One witness said: 'The PM said we 'shouldn't believe all that media guff'  he just dismissed it. People had their heads in their hands at the level of denial.'

Mr Johnson yesterday insisted he took 'personal responsibility' for the disastrous result in North Shropshire.

But, he again appeared to blame the media  and even the voters  for his predicament, saying people had been too fixated on 'politics and politicians' and failed to notice the Government's other achievements, such as the rapid rollout of booster jabs.

All of this has led to fresh speculation about who might replace him. One former Cabinet minister predicted that discreet campaigning by potential successors was likely to intensify in the wake of the PM's nightmare week.

Liz Truss is brazenly portraying herself as the second coming of Margaret Thatcher  a low tax, freedom loving, woke-bashing Tory, who is only too happy to pose for a photo op on top of a tank.

In a swipe at rival Rishi Sunak, the Foreign Secretary has let it be known that she opposed his decision to raise taxes to pay for social care  and has even hinted she briefly considered resigning from the Cabinet over the issue.

Allies of Mr Sunak gently point out that, unlike the Chancellor, Miss Truss is a late convert to Brexit, having campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum.

At his own briefings, the Chancellor stresses his tax-cutting ambitions, indicating he hopes to emulate Nigel Lawson by slashing the main rate of income tax when circumstances allow.

One former Cabinet minister predicted that discreet campaigning by potential successors was likely to intensify in the wake of the PM's nightmare week. Liz Truss is brazenly portraying herself as the second coming of Margaret Thatcher  a low tax, freedom loving, woke-bashing Tory

But the two frontrunners are by no means the only ones on manoeuvres.

Tory MPs report that Treasury minister Mel Stride has again started hosting cosy dinner parties for backbenchers at which Michael Gove is always the guest of honour  prompting speculation he is considering a third tilt at the top job.

Tory MPs believe Priti Patel is 'certain' to run, and the former defence secretary Penny Mordaunt is also said to have sounded out potential supporters.

Sajid Javid and Nadhim Zahawi both have their admirers. And ambitious outsiders like Tom Tugendhat are expected to have a go, if only to increase their prospects of a Cabinet post.

The lack of an obvious successor will buy Mr Johnson some time. Even his critics acknowledge there is no one with his tried and tested electoral appeal.

But his unique selling point has always been his ability to defy political gravity  the politician who won two terms of office in Labour London, who led a victorious Brexit campaign against the odds, who secured seats in Labour's heartlands that had been red for a century.

Suddenly political gravity has started to reassert itself. In fact, some MPs fear Mr Johnson is in danger of becoming a political black hole which sucks the party down with him.

He has time to turn the anti-gravity machine back on if he can remember how. But perhaps not as much time as he thinks.
Forty years ago this weekend, the Penlee lifeboat Solomon Browne was launched into hurricane-force winds that had whipped up 50ft waves off the treacherous Cornish coast.

The crew of eight experienced volunteer lifeboatmen were attempting to reach a stricken coaster, the Union Star, which was in danger of drifting on to rocks.

What followed was an audacious act of seamanship in extreme conditions which nearly succeeded in saving those in peril. Instead, it is remembered as one of the greatest tragedies in the 197-year history of the RNLI.

Forty years ago this weekend, the Penlee lifeboat Solomon Browne was launched into hurricane-force winds that had whipped up 50ft waves off the treacherous Cornish coast. As the 47 ft wooden lifeboat sped down the slipway (above), Kevin Brockman watched in awe. He recalled: 'I've never seen a piece of seamanship like that. People don't realise what the weather was like that night'

The crew of eight experienced volunteer lifeboatmen were attempting to reach a stricken coaster, the Union Star, which was in danger of drifting on to rocks. (The rescue as depicted by a Penzance artist)

8am, Saturday, December 19, 1981

The 900-ton merchant ship MV Union Star is heading west along the English Channel on her maiden voyage from the Netherlands to Ireland with a cargo of fertiliser. Her skipper is 32-year-old Henry Morton and this is his first command. He has a crew of four.

Yesterday, Henry called into the port of Brightlingsea in Essex to pick up his pregnant wife Dawn, 34, and two teenage stepdaughters, Sharon and Deanne, so they could be together for Christmas.

Out in the Atlantic, a massive storm is brewing.

10am

Henry Morton's brother Malcolm calls for a chat. He asks about the weather and Henry says the wind is Force 5 and expected to deteriorate. Although the Union Star is rolling in the sea swell, he says she is performing well.

4pm

Off the Cornish coast, the Union Star's engines suddenly fail. Her engineer, George Sedgwick, heads down into the engine room to investigate. What no one knows is that seawater has got into the fuel tanks. Restarting the engines is going to be impossible.

The ship now has only low-level emergency power and so no radar, which means Morton doesn't know his exact position. The wind is getting up and the swell increasing.

Duty calls: The 47ft Solomon Browne lifeboat (pictured) rescued more than 90 people in its 21 years

6.03pm

Although George Sedgwick has failed to fix the engines, Captain Morton, an experienced sailor, judges there is no need yet to make a Mayday call.

Instead, he radios the Falmouth Coastguard. He calmly explains that his wife and stepchildren are on board and he would like a helicopter to be put on standby to rescue them if need be.

The Coastguard has radar and is able to tell Henry the Union Star is eight miles east of Wolf Rock, a lighthouse close to Land's End. The wind is gusting Force 10.

6.10pm

The Coastguard is concerned that the Union Star is drifting and in danger of being wrecked. The nearest lifeboat station is at Penlee Point, about a mile from the small fishing village of Mousehole.

The Coastguard telephones Trevelyan Richards, 56, a trawler skipper who has been coxswain of the Penlee lifeboat Solomon Browne for the past 11 years. It explains the plight of the Union Star and asks Trevelyan to put his crew on standby.

As his widowed mother, Mary, lays the table for supper, he starts phoning senior crew members to warn them they may be needed.

6.16pm

A Dutch-owned tug named the Noord Holland, based in nearby Penzance, is alerted by the Coastguard. Its captain, Johannes Buurman, radios the Union Star to offer help, as he is just a mile away.

But Morton knows that salvage companies often charge enormous fees, sometimes running into millions of pounds, just for a call-out  even if a rescue isn't needed  so he declines the offer.

Even so, he tells his employers, Union Transport, about the situation and they begin negotiations with the Dutch tug company.

The Falmouth Coastguard radios the Union Star for an update and Morton tells them: 'All he [the tug skipper] is interested in is the money at the moment. We are holding steady as we are. We don't seem to be drifting into land.'

But he is mistaken.

Real courage: Some of the crew members of the lost lifeboat Solomon Browne, who died while trying to save others

6.30pm

Nigel Brockman, the Solomon Browne's second mechanic, arrives at Trevelyan Richards's house. Trevelyan gets out his charts so they can establish exactly where the Union Star is.

Meanwhile, Coastguard Don Buckfield opens the lookout station at Gwennap Head, four miles from Land's End.

He has instructions to confirm the Union Star's location, so he gets a radar fix on the coaster and is shocked by how far north the ship has drifted; he knows that anything that hits this rocky coast will break up immediately.

7.23pm

The owners of the Noord Holland tug have reached a deal with Union Transport, so they instruct skipper Johannes Buurman to sail from Penzance and start the salvage operation.

7.41pm

The Coastguard again radios the Union Star to see if there is any change in their situation. Henry Morton no longer sounds calm.

His engineer has discovered seawater in the port fuel tank and they are planning to use the starboard tank: 'We're hoping that one is OK.' Concerned about his family, he asks if a helicopter is on its way and the Coastguard reassures him that one will be airborne shortly.

7.50pm

Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose scramble a Sea King helicopter, call sign Rescue 80.

As the helicopter approaches the Union Star, the ship's crew fire a flare to guide the pilot in. Even at 400 ft the Sea King is being hit by sea spray, and the crew are alarmed that the drifting ship is now only two miles from the coast.

Concerned that the coaster is in serious danger, the Falmouth Coastguard calls Trevelyan Richards and asks him to launch the Solomon Browne immediately.

Trevelyan's mother Mary calls the launch crew to tell them to go to the boathouse and the maroon rocket is fired, alerting the lifeboat volunteers whose homes are scattered throughout the village.

7.52pm

Janet Madron, the wife of the Solomon Browne's mechanic Stephen, has a premonition that something is going to go terribly wrong and tells him she doesn't want him to go.

She later recalled: 'I'd never said anything like that before; never felt like that before.' But Stephen replies: 'I've got to go. There's women and children out there.'

Kevin Smith, 23, mutters, 'God, what a night!' as he walks into the wind and rain.

Missing at sea: The wreckage of the Union Star washed ashore

His sister Annette later said: 'The irony is that Kevin should never even have been on the shout. He was a merchant seaman with Cunard and he wasn't due to come home until the following week . . . but he arrived on December 16.'

Local fisherman Barrie Torrie, 33, and his wife Lynn have booked a babysitter for their two young sons, as they had plans to go out for the evening. As Barrie heads out of the door, he says: 'I'll see you later.' Lynn decides to meet up with their friends as planned.

Charlie Greenhaugh, the landlord of the Ship Inn, by Mousehole harbour, leaves his busy Saturday night crowd and joins the rush to the boathouse.

8pm

The pilot of Rescue 80, Lt Commander Russell Smith, can see only the Union Star's navigation lights, so he asks Captain Morton to turn on all available lights to illuminate the deck.

Morton replies: 'We've managed to get a generator started so we'll put lights on for you and see how it goes.'

Union Star  this is looking too difficult. We're getting very close to your mast and we don't have a long enough line

Smith has more than 2,000 hours of flying experience and these are the worst weather conditions he has ever seen.

More than a dozen men have arrived at the Penlee boathouse, but only a crew of eight is needed. Trevelyan Richards picks his most experienced men for what he knows will be a difficult job.

Denis Leslie, a retired local doctor, has driven from Penzance and offers to go, but Trevelyan turns him down.

Father and son Nigel and Kevin Brockman have arrived and Trevelyan chooses Nigel over 17-year-old Kevin because of his greater experience and the coxswain's policy of not allowing two members of a family to go on the same mission.

Kevin is disappointed.

Fisherman Barrie Torrie is reluctant to wear a lifejacket, but Trevelyan insists that he wears one and he helps him get it on.

8.05pm

Henry Morton tells the Sea King crew he wants them to start taking people off the boat. Russell Smith asks: 'How many people do you plan on transferring?'

'One woman and two children,' Morton replies. The Sea King crew have no idea the skipper's family are on board. 'Sorry, say again?' says Smith. 'One woman and two children. The crew will remain on board until the last.'

8.12pm

The Solomon Browne, which in the past 21 years has rescued more than 90 people, prepares to launch.

As the 47 ft wooden lifeboat speeds down the slipway, Kevin Brockman watches in awe. He recalled: 'I've never seen a piece of seamanship like that. People don't realise what the weather was like that night.'

8.20pm

Flying above the Union Star, Rescue 80 is bravely struggling with the high winds, which have now reached hurricane strength. Its crew tell Henry Morton: 'We have a bit of sorting out of this rope before we're ready . . . we'll be another five or six minutes.'

Swinging dangerously below Rescue 80, winchman Stephen Marlow looks down at the deck of the Union Star and watches as a girl is led outside by a member of the crew to be winched to safety. Marlow notices she is wearing pink court shoes: 'They seemed so incongruous in that violent situation,' he later recalled.

Every year on December 19, the Christmas lights at Mousehole (above) are switched off for an hour, between 8pm and 9pm, to remember those who lost their lives that night

8.24pm

Waves 50 ft high are lifting the Union Star up towards the Sea King and the pilots have to take evasive action to avoid the vessel hitting their rotors. They can see that rescuing anyone from the violently pitching deck is going to be impossible.

They radio the ship: 'Union Star  this is looking too difficult. We're getting very close to your mast and we don't have a long enough line.'

Morton says courteously: 'OK. Very much obliged for your assistance. Going to put an anchor down.' It is a desperate measure, as the Union Star is now less than a mile from the cliffs.

8.47pm

The Solomon Browne has arrived on the scene after a perilous journey from Penlee Point. Coxswain Trevelyan Richards radios the Union Star, asking if they want the lifeboat to come alongside so they can rescue the women and children.

Henry Morton replies: 'Yes please, the helicopter is having a bit of difficulty getting to us . . . I'd be very much obliged.'

Morton is struggling to control his ship and, despite the anchor, the Union Star is still heading towards land.

8.54pm

The Solomon Browne again urgently radios the Union Star: 'Advise you with crew, everybody to come off, over.'

'Yes, we're all coming off,' Morton replies.

The Noord Holland is now also on the scene. Skipper, Johannes Buurman can see he is too late to save the Union Star. He and his crew can only watch as the lifeboat attempts to rescue the passengers and crew.

Their spirit and dedication was amazing, considering the horrific hurricane seas and the constant pounding they were taking. They were the bravest eight men I've ever seen

Back in Mousehole, Janet Madron is listening to the rescue unfold on a radio scanner. She cooks dinner for her husband Stephen, the Solomon Browne's mechanic, and puts it in the oven to keep it hot. But as she opens the oven door, she thinks: 'He's not coming back to eat this.'

9pm

Trevelyan Richards has managed to manoeuvre the lifeboat alongside the pitching Union Star and his crew are throwing grappling hooks on to the ship in a desperate attempt to secure the two vessels. Russell Smith, the pilot of Rescue 80, watches the boiling green water with concern  the Union Star is now only 300 yards from the rocks.

He recalled: 'The Penlee crew never appeared to hesitate. After each time they were washed, blown or bumped away from the casualty vessel, the lifeboat immediately commenced another run-in.

'Their spirit and dedication was amazing, considering the horrific hurricane seas and the constant pounding they were taking. They were the bravest eight men I've ever seen.'

9.10pm

Local journalist Andrew Besley, who knows the crew of the Solomon Browne well, is watching from the top of a nearby cliff. To his horror, he sees a colossal wave pick up the lifeboat and drop it across the deck of the Union Star.

Russell Smith, in the Sea King, fears both vessels will capsize, but the Solomon Browne slides off the deck and Trevelyan Richards somehow steers the lifeboat alongside once more.

9.15pm

Time is running out. Trevelyan radios the Union Star to tell them that in ten minutes they will be on the rocks. The Sea King crew watch dark figures in fluorescent orange lifejackets run across the deck of the Union Star and jump into the arms of the lifeboat crew.

A large wave then hits the Solomon , but she miraculously surfaces on the other side 'like a submarine', in the words of Russell Smith. The helicopter crew watch the Solomon Browne head out to sea, assuming they are heading home, mission accomplished.

They decide they can do no more and turn the Sea King towards RAF Culdrose.

9.21pm

On board the Solomon Browne, the crew realise they haven't rescued everyone from the Union Star. They decide to go back.

The lifeboat's mechanic, Stephen Madron, comes on the radio to speak to the Coastguard.

At their home in Mousehole, his wife Janet, listening on the radio scanner, hears her husband say, out of breath: 'This is the Penlee Lifeboat. Penlee Lifeboat calling Falmouth Coastguard. We got four men off  look, hang on  we got four off at the moment, male and female. There's two left on board . . .'

Then there is a loud noise and Stephen is cut off.

On the Noord Holland tug, Johannes Buurman sees the lights of the Union Star and the Solomon Browne go out. The Coastguard radios the Solomon Browne: 'Penlee Lifeboat. Penlee Lifeboat. Falmouth Coastguard. Over . . .' But there is no reply.

Midnight

Coastguard rescue parties find fragments of blue-painted wreckage at the foot of the cliffs and spot an RNLI lifejacket, with its light still on, floating in the water. Pieces of oilskin and an orange bobble hat are also recovered.

Fishing boats and neighbouring lifeboats join the search out at sea. Radio messages from the search parties fill the airwaves: 'Can you hear us, Trevelyan?' 'What is your position?' 'Do you need help?' 'Shall we come out, Trev?'

The Union Star is found upside down in a cove and paint from the Solomon Browne can be seen on her guard rails.

Aftermath

There were no survivors that night and only some of the 16 bodies were recovered. Kevin Brockman, turned down by Trevelyan for being too young, reported back for duty just two days later. 'It's in your blood and you can't escape it,' he said.

Within days, the RNLI had enough volunteers to form a new crew.

Almost everyone in the village of Mousehole and its surrounds knew someone on board the Solomon Brown, and the tragedy that befell the community just before Christmas  the loss of husbands, brothers, sons, and 12 young children left without fathers  struck a chord worldwide.

In 1983, an official investigation took evidence from more than 50 witnesses and concluded that no one was to blame for the tragedy. The loss of the Union Star had been caused by the failure of the coaster's engines and the 'extreme severity of the weather'.

Some of the families of the Solomon Browne crew criticised the conclusions, feeling that lives would have been saved if the lifeboat had been launched sooner.

Since then, the Coastguard has been given powers to initiate a Mayday and to require a ship's captain to take a tow.

Trevelyan Richards was posthumously awarded the RNLI's Gold Medal for Gallantry and each member of his crew the Bronze Medal for their courage and devotion to duty.

Forty years on, their sacrifice has not been forgotten. A memorial close to the Penlee Lifeboat Station bears the names of all the lost crew, under the motto 'Service Not Self'.

And every year on December 19, the Christmas lights at Mousehole are switched off for an hour, between 8pm and 9pm, to remember those who lost their lives that night.
Donald Trump's Energy Secretary Rick Perry was revealed on Friday to be the person who texted Mark Meadows with an 'aggressive' plan to have Republican-controlled state legislatures overturn Joe Biden's election victory.

CNN revealed Perry as the person behind the text, which was read publicly - but anonymously - on the House floor this week during the vote on holding Meadows in contemp of Congress.

A spokesman for the former Texas governor, however, denied it was Perry's number to the network. But CNN said that 'multiple people' who know Perry confirmed that the phone number the committee associated with that text message is Perry's number.

The cell phone number the text was sent from also appears in databases as being registered to a James Richard Perry of Texas, the former governor's full name. The number is also in a second database as registered to a Department of Energy email address associated with Perry when he was secretary.

The Nov. 4, 2020, text message was read on the House floor Tuesday night by Rep. Jamie Raskin: 'HERE's an AGRESSIVE (sic) STRATEGY: Why can t (sic) the states of GA NC PENN and other R controlled state houses declare this is BS (where conflicts and election not called that night) and just send their own electors to vote and have it go to the SCOTUS.'

Raskin cited the text in the debate over holding Meadows, who served as Trump's final chief of staff, in criminal contempt of Congress, which the House voted to do so. Democrats argue it showed there was a concentrated plan from Republicans to try and illegally overturn the election based on Trump's false claim that he was the winner.

In his remarks, Raskin described the text message as having come from a 'House lawmaker.' CNN, citing sources, said that was an error and Raskin has written a letter to correct the Congressional Record.

Donald Trump's Energy Secretary Rick Perry was revealed on Friday to be the person who texted Mark Meadows with an 'aggressive' plan to have Republican-controlled state legislatures overturn Joe Biden's election victory - Trump and Perry are seen together in June 2017 at the Department of Energy

The House voted to hold Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows (above) in contempt of Congress and now Attorney General Merrick Garland must decide whether to pursue charges

The text message that CNN said was written by Rick Perry to Mark Meadows

Raskin used the text in making his case to hold Meadows in contempt for refusing to testify before the special committee investigating the January 6th MAGA riot in the Capitol.

'How did this text influence the planning of Mark Meadows and Donald Trump to try to destroy the lawful electoral college majority that had been established by the people of the United States and the states for Joe Biden,' Raskin asked on Tuesday evening in his remarks. 'Those are the kinds of questions that we have a right to ask Mark Meadows.'

Perry, the longest serving governor in the history of Texas, was Secretary of Energy for President Trump from 2017-2019.

He wasn't always a Trump fan. The two men clashed during the Republican presidential primary. Perry called Trump a 'cancer on conservatism,' a 'barking carnival act' and a 'toxic mix of demagoguery, mean-spiritedness and nonsense.'

He isn't the only Republican to be outed as texting with Meadows ahead of the official certification results of the 2020 presidential election.

Ohio congressman Jim Jordan was revealed as the 'lawmaker' who sent a text to Meadows on the eve of the Capitol riot, suggesting a way in which then-Vice President Mike Pence could avoid certifying the November 2020 vote.

Jordan, a staunch ally of Trump, confirmed through his spokesman that on January 5 he texted Meadows, Trump's chief of staff, with advice on overturning the election.

The text was a three-paragraph summary of a longer legal argument, and had been sent to Jordan by attorney Joseph Schmitz.

Jordan then forwarded Schmitz's argument to Meadows.

Jim Jordan, congressman for Ohio, confirmed on Wednesday that he had forwarded a text to Mark Meadows suggesting an avenue for Mike Pence to overturn the election

Mike Pence is seen on January 6, certifying the results of the November 2020 election - despite pressure from Donald Trump to refuse to do so. Pence told Trump he did not have the authority to overturn the vote

Jim Jordan sent the above text to Mark Meadows on January 5. It was a forwarded message, which had been sent to Jordan by Joseph Schmitz, an attorney. Critics have pointed out that there was a period added at the end, and the full message was far longer.

At the time, Trump was desperately seeking a way to prevent his vice president, Pence, from certifying the results of the November vote in Congress - usually, a routine and uneventful procedure.

Full text of Joseph Schmitz's message to Jim Jordan, which Jordan forwarded to Mark Meadows On January 6, 2021, Vice President Mike Pence, as President of the Senate, should call out all electoral votes that he believes are unconstitutional as no electoral votes at all - in accordance with guidance from founding father Alexander Hamilton and judicial precedence. 'No legislative act,' wrote Alexander Hamilton in Federalist No. 78, 'contrary to the Constitution, can be valid.' The court in Hubbard v. Lowe reinforced this truth: 'That an unconstitutional statute is not a law at all is a proposition no longer open to discussion.' 226 F. 135, 137 (SDNY 1915), appeal dismissed, 242 U.S. 654 (1916). Following this rationale, an unconstitutionally appointed elector, like an unconstitutionally enacted statute, is no elector at all. Advertisement

The text was read out on Monday by Adam Schiff, a member of the January 6 Committee which is looking into events surrounding the insurrection.

Schiff read: 'On January 6, 2021, Vice President Mike Pence, as President of the Senate, should call out all electoral votes that he believes are unconstitutional as no electoral votes at all.'

Schiff said the text was from 'a lawmaker' - on Wednesday, Russell Dye, a spokesman for Jordan, told CNN: 'Mr. Jordan forwarded the text to Mr. Meadows, and Mr. Meadows certainly knew it was a forward.'

Schiff, chair of the House Intelligence Committee in addition to being a member of House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, read only part of the three-paragraph message.

His team also added a period at the end of the text, leading The Federalist to say that the text had been 'doctored'.

Critics of the committee - who argue that it is an anti-Trump witch hunt - seized on the period at the end of the sentence, insisting it was a twisting of Jordan's message.

'We shouldn't be surprised given his actions over the past 5 years and given how my emails magically had their dates changed, but he will continue to do this till someone steps up & says enough!' said Donald Trump Jr, the former president's son.

Other figures have been revealed to have texted Meadows - among them Fox News hosts Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and Brian Kilmeade.

They all messaged Meadows on January 6, during the riot, urging Meadows to ask Trump to appear on camera and condemn the insurrectionists, and call them off.

Meadows, on Tuesday night, was declared in contempt of Congress for refusing to appear before the January 6 Committee.

The final vote was 222-208, with two Republicans - Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger - joining all Democrats.

The matter will now be turned over to the Justice Department.

In October, the House voted that former Trump adviser Steve Bannon be held in contempt for refusing to comply with the subpoena.

The Justice Department then charged him with two counts of contempt.

He has pleaded not guilty but faces up to a year in prison on each charge if convicted.

Jordan, before Tuesday's vote to censure Meadows, tweeted: 'Mark Meadows is a great American.

And President Joe Biden on Wednesday said that Congress was right to hold Meadows in contempt for going back on his initial cooperation with the committee probing the January 6 riot.

'I don't know enough  just what I've seen, I have not spoken to anyone,' President Biden told reporters when departing for Kentucky to survey severe weather damage.

He added: 'It seems to me he's worthy of being held in contempt.'

Biden also brushed it off when he was pushed on what he thinks about the text messages that were released from Meadows' phone.

'I haven't seen them all,' he dismissed.

President Joe Biden told reporters Wednesday the House was right to vote to hold former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress

After handing over thousands of documents and communications to the House January 6 committee, Meadows abruptly withdrew his cooperation and refused to sit down before the Democrat-led panel for a deposition.

The contempt vote came after Cheney said the text messages Meadows received during the siege left 'no doubt that the White House knew exactly what was happening here at the Capitol.'

A text from the president's son Donald Trump Jr. on the day of the riot urged Meadows: 'He has got to condemn this sh*t ASAP. The Capitol police tweet is not enough.'

And another from Fox host Laura Ingraham who begged: 'Mark, the president needs to tell people in the capitol to go home, this is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy.'

Now Attorney General Merrick Garland will have to decide whether to proceed with those charges, like he did for Trump adviser Steve Bannon last month.

The House voted shortly before midnight on Tuesday to hold Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress

If Garland moves as swiftly as he did the first time, Meadows could be indicted before February.

The House voted to hold Bannon in contempt of Congress on October 21. He was indicted less than a month later on November 15.

Eight Republicans joined Democrats in voting for Bannon's charges.

The January 6 Committee previously told Meadows he may have violated federal record keeping laws regarding information on his personal cell phone and on email earlier today.

Meadows has emerged as a key figure in the investigation  with Cheney reading into the record Tuesday three more text messages he received from fellow Republican lawmakers the day of the attack pleading with him to intervene with former President Donald Trump.

Additional texts revealed on the House floor Tuesday evening included an unnamed lawmaker sending Meadows an 'aggressive strategy' for overturning election results in battleground states and an exchange with an anonymous Georgia state official.

'It is really bad up here on the Hill,' one wrote him, according to Cheney.

'The president needs to stop this ASAP,' wrote another.

'Fix this now,' wrote a third lawmaker.

Rep. Liz Cheney read into the record new texts that GOP lawmakers sent to Trump on Jan. 6

The lawmakers were urging Meadows to intervene with Trump

'Fix this now,' one lawmaker wrote Meadows

'We know that for 187 minutes, President Trump refused to act,' said Cheney.

She shared those messages, gleaned from a trove of information the committee obtained from Meadows when he was cooperating and perhaps from other sources, after on Monday night reading pleas from Fox News commentators for Trump to make a public statement urging rioters to get out of the Capitol.

More newly-revealed texts brought up during the House's debate over Meadows' contempt charge continued to paint a damning picture of the former chief of staff.

Committee member Rep. Zoe Lofgren read a message to Meadows sent by an unnamed Georgia state official on January 2.

'Need to end this call,' the text read. 'I don't think this will be productive for much longer.'

In a message read by Adam Schiff, an unknown number commended Meadows on Trump's potential appointment of Jeffrey Clark to head the DOJ - which was derailed by the threat of mass resignations among former Trump officials

'I heard Jeff Clark is getting put in on Monday. That's amazing. It will make a lot of patriots happy, and I'm personally so proud that you are at the tip of the spear, and I could call you a friend,' the text read.

A January 3 text from Meadows to an unnamed lawmaker read, 'He thinks the legislatures have the power but that the Vp has power too.'

In a 51-page report on holding Meadows in contempt for his failure to testify to the panel, the committee says Meadows has 'frustrated' its efforts to 'locate and discover highly relevant documents, even while turning over thousands of other documents.

'Based on Mr. Meadows's production of documents and recently reported information, it appears that Mr. Meadows may not have complied with legal requirements to retain or archive documents under the Presidential Records Act,' according to the report.

'He has denied the Select Committee the opportunity to question him about these circumstances so that the Select Committee can fully understand the location of highly relevant materials to its investigation and which materials may now be lost to the historical record.'

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) read aloud a series of tweets people sent to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows amid the Capitol riot. Many asked him to get to Trump urging him to take action

Lawmakers debated Meadows' conduct during a House Rules Committee markup Tuesday

A Jan. 6th committee report references Meadows' Gmail and cell phone use

Punchbowl reporter Jake Sherman revealed some of the texts Cheney read aloud were from him

By publicly revealing pleading texts sent to Meadows, Cheney may be signaling that the panel may have found a way to get some of the information anyway. It has previously subpoenaed communications companies.

The report also states that panel chair Rep. Bennie Thompson, in a letter to Meadows lawyer George Terwilliger III, asked the lawyer to 'identify for the Select Committee the current location of Mr. Meadows's cell phone and whether Mr. Meadows provided his texts and other relevant cell phone records to the National Archives.'

The push for the information comes as Meadows is citing a claim of executive privilege by former President Donald Trump as a reason for holding back and refusing to appear.

The texts highlighted actions Meadows had with elected officials and private individuals that would not be subject to a privilege claim.

But if the work he performed was official, even if he did it on a personal phone or private email account, federal records laws require him to turn it over to the National Archives  the repository for a trove of other information the panel is seeking to obtain.

Meadows' personal devices have shown up in several areas amid Trump election overturn effort. One involved his and Trump's contacts with state election officials in Georgia, where Trump was claiming election fraud.

'Mr. Meadows used a personal account in his attempts to reach the secretary of state before,' the committee wrote, citing its documents.

The committee, again citing documents on file, says Meadows 'used his personal cell phone to discuss the rally in the days leading up to January 6.'

Another Meadows lawyer, Michael Francisco produced 2,300 text messages from data backed up on Meadows' personal cell, according to the report, while also handing over a 'privilege log' stating Meadows was holding back more than 1,000 additional texts 'from his personal cell phone due to claims claims of executive, marital, and other protective privileges' an indication he was using the phone for official communications were covered by an executive privilege that a president can assert.

The panel cites Meadows' use of a pair of Gmail accounts as among the topics they would have questioned him about had he appeared.

'We would've asked him how and for what purpose he used those Gmail accounts and when he used one of them as opposed to his official White House email account. We would've similarly asked him about his use of a personal cellular telephone,' the committee wrote.

Cheney referenced Meadows' texts repeatedly during a hearing Tuesday at the House Rules Committee.

She said he 'appears to have been texting at least one other participant on the call' when Trump phoned Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to push him to 'find' 11,800 votes.

She also pointed to his texts around another area of the inquiry: Trump's potential move to designate DOJ official Jeffrey Clark as Attorney General. Meadows 'was communicating multiple times with a member of Congress, a currently serving colleagues of ours, who was working with Mr. Clark,' she said.

The report itself references 'texts in December of 2020 regarding the prospect of the President's appointment of Jeffrey Clark as Acting Attorney General.'

Meanwhile, Punchbowl DC reporter Jake Sherman tweeted Tuesday that he had been the author of some of the texts read aloud last night by Cheney. From a secure location in the Capitol amid the riot, Sherman contacted Meadows with his own pleas for assistance.

'We are under siege,' he wrote in one. 'There's an armed standoff at the house chamber door,' he wrote in another. 'We're all helpless.'

Cheney, the select committee's vice chair, read a number of text messages from political and journalistic heavyweights which 'leave no doubt that the White House knew exactly what was happening here at the Capitol.'

'[President Trump] has got to condemn this sh*t ASAP. The Capitol police tweet is not enough,' Don Jr. texted Meadows.

Donald Trump (pictured in the East Room of the White House in July 2020) held a rally at the Capitol which descended into a deadly riot on January 6

Don Jr. and Fox host Laura Ingraham sent desperate messages to Meadows urging him to get a grip of the chaos at the Capitol

Rep. Adam Schiff read a number of lawmaker texts to Mark Meadows in advance of Monday's contempt of Congress vote

Meadows replied to the president's son: 'I'm pushing it hard, I agree.'

'Donald Trump Jr. texted again and again urging action by the president, 'We need an Oval Office address. He needs to lead now. It has gone too far and gotten out of hand,'' Cheney told the committee.

Laura Ingraham messaged: 'Mark, the president needs to tell people in the capitol to go home, this is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy.'

'Please get him on TV. Destroying everything you have accomplished,' Brian Kilmeade wrote to Meadows.

Sean Hannity advised: 'Can he make a statement? Ask people to leave the capitol.'
The last evening Thomas Schreiber would spend with his mother Anne and her aristocratic partner, Sir Richard Sutton, began with a deceptively civilised air given the carnage to come.

Smart in shirt, cufflinks and Russell & Bromley boots, aspiring artist Schreiber, 35, put out champagne glasses and bowls of pistachios.

They would remain untouched in the frenzy of violence that seemingly erupted out of nowhere on April 7 at the country mansion of one of Britain's wealthiest men.

First came a 'commotion' in the study of the 2million Dorset estate where police believe landowner, Sir Richard, 83, was attacked by Schreiber as he sat at his desk in his green leather swivel chair.

Minutes later, Anne, 66, turned from the kitchen sink to see her son  with a 'wild' and 'determined' look in his eyes - holding a 20cm knife from a block on the island.

'Don't be so silly,' she said walking towards him. Then 'What are you doing?' as he plunged the blade into her. Police would later find one of those cufflinks on the blood-drenched stone floor where Anne fell with 15 stab wounds. She is now paralysed.

Thomas Schreiber pictured with his mother Anne, who was maimed by her son's wild attack

Undated handout photo issued by Dorset Police of Thomas Schreiber who has been found guilty at Winchester Crown Court of the murder of millionaire hotelier Sir Richard Sutton and the attempted murder of his mother Anne Schreiber. Issue date: Friday December 17, 2021.

Schreiber's bloody boot-prints would lead detectives upstairs where they found Sir Richard  who had managed to escape the initial onslaught  with appalling facial injuries and fatal stab wounds. One of the blows had pierced his heart.

Nearby, lay his broken walking stick. The top had snapped off in the kitchen 'warzone' as he'd tried in vain to save Anne. Defensive cuts to his hands showed how he'd tried to fend off Schreiber when he came to finish him off.

Missing from the garage was Sir Richard's Range Rover, from which a fleeing Schreiber sent hysterical messages to family and friends, admitting to the attacks and threatening to commit suicide. Leading police on a high-speed chase from Higher Langham to London where he was finally outmanoeuvred, Schreiber tried to stab himself, then begged officers to kill him after being dragged from the car.

Schreiber would later claim he'd been overcome by 'demons', an alcohol-fuelled 'madness'  a voice in his head saying 'attack, attack' when all he'd wanted was 'a hug' from his mum.

But yesterday a jury at Winchester Crown Court rejected Schreiber's plea of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to an 'abnormality of mental function'.

Instead they found him guilty of murdering Sir Richard and attempting to murder his mother.

Undated family handout photo of Sir Richard Sutton and and Anne Schreiber

Damning messages he sent to worried friends in the nine months leading up to the stabbings, the court heard, spoke of a festering hatred for Sir Richard, who Schreiber called 'a stupid old fool', a 'c***' and his mother's 'bastard partner'.

As for his mother, Schreiber described her as 'a psychotic, evil, selfish, gold-digging bitch c*** whore'. He spoke of his desire to 'get a gun and shoot a bullet in my mum's face and Richard's.'

Restaurant supervisor Sathia Pagliuca, Schreiber's girlfriend of six months, told the court she'd fled her flat, terrified, and dialled 999 when Schreiber begged to see her after transferring 30,000 to her bank account following the attacks.

Today the Mail can reveal the full story of the tragedy, triggered by the deep-rooted resentment Schreiber had nursed since the day his mother Anne and father David separated in 2002 when he was 16.

And how Sir Richard was so concerned by Schreiber's increasingly 'erratic' behaviour during lockdown, he told his long-serving housekeeper he feared 'something awful would happen'.

Which tragically it did, on the eighth anniversary of David Schreiber's death, aged 73, just hours after the defendant laid daffodils on his late father's grave at St Mary's Church in Stalbridge, Dorset.

The killer had never forgiven his mother for 'abandoning' his alcoholic, bankrupt father and starting a relationship with their wealthy friend, Sir Richard, whom he accused of 'buying' the affections of his family.

'Tom always thought the world of his father and I know that when David and Anne were separating, it was not the happiest time,' Schreiber's godmother, arts patron Isabel de Pelet, told the Mail. 'Clearly, the shattering of the family unit had a profound effect on Tom. This has come as an awful shock. I remember Tom as a charming young man, I thought him incapable of killing anyone.'

Schreiber was so premature at birth that he 'fitted in the palm of David's hand', Isabel recalls, growing into a sensitive child with a fighting spirit.

An 'attractive blond little boy', Anne told the court that she and David 'oozed' love on their son, spoiling him.

Even as a child, however, he had a 'ferocious temperament', lashing out at both parents  though she took the brunt of it.

File photo dated 08/04/21 of the late Sir Richard Sutton. Thomas Schreiber, of Gillingham, Dorset, who is accused of murdering the millionaire hotelier and paralysing his own mother told a psychiatrist that without lockdown the attack 'wouldn't have happened', a court heard.

Over the years, family and friends would often have cause to wonder if Schreiber's prematurity had left some lasting damage as he struggled through life, drifting from one job to another.

Certainly, he idolised his Wellington College educated father, who  born into a prominent military family originally from Suffolk  served as a cavalry officer in the Army before going to into business. Described as 'theatrical', locals remember David Schreiber as a popular bon vivant.

His first marriage, which produced three children, ended in divorce when, friends say, he fell for their nanny, Anne Thea Ramlaus-Hansen, who arrived from Denmark aged 18.

Fifteen years his junior, the couple wed in 1982 and went on to have daughters Louisa and Rose, followed by their only son Thomas.

By this time David, after working as a moderately successful art dealer in London, had set up a church candle business.

'He was a charming fellow, but he was not a particularly good manager,' said former business partner Michael Keane. 'He liked a drop or two of the drink.' David later worked as a writer and translator but his alcoholism sent his life into freefall and then bankruptcy.

Police on Chiswick High Road following a incident in which a vehicle was stopped at approximately 22:30hrs on Wednesday 07/04/2021. When police approached the vehicle, officers discovered the lone male occupant - later revealed to be Thomas Schreiber - had sustained a number of serious self-inflicted injuries.

His marriage to Anne  a physiotherapist described by friends as 'determined and capable'  came under strain and in 2002 hit crisis when they faced losing their Grade II listed farmhouse in Stalbridge.

Hearing of their problems, family friend Sir Richard came to the rescue with an act of generosity for which he would pay with his life.

Separated in 2000 from his wife Lady Fiamma, with whom he had two children, the aristocrat invited the Schreibers to move into his sprawling estate where he lived alone. His wife had returned to her native Italy and was in a new relationship.

Landowner and hotelier Sir Richard, who could trace his family tree back to Norman times, had a family fortune estimated at 300million and was described by those who knew him as the 'perfect country gentleman'.

His property holdings included high-end London hotels, the Sheraton and Athenaeum, and 16,000 acres of land.

Schreiber's sister Rose told the court: 'Richard was incredibly generous, he lived in a huge house by himself and he said on more than one occasion he would have been very happy to have us all there together. My mother was incredibly cautious of (my father's) deteriorating mental health and alcoholism and felt there was no way dad could move in to Moorhill if he was still drinking.

'She didn't want Richard's generosity to be used. So she said to dad 'You can only come with us if you stop drinking' and he refused. He laughed at the notion, he laughed when Richard even offered to send him to rehabilitation.'

The break-up of the family, however, had a devastating effect on Schreiber who told the court it was 'excruciating' to see his father in 'floods of tears, very upset' during the 'chaos' as the family moved out of their home, leaving him behind.

While his sisters grew to love Sir Richard, Schreiber  as he witnessed his father's further decline  grew to loathe him and his mother. A close friend of the Schreibers for more than 30 years says: 'David and Anne were kind, generous and absolutely madly in love.

Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Thomas Schreiber (right) with his counsel, Joe Stone QC appearing at Winchester Crown Court, where he is on trial accused of the murder of Sir Richard Sutton and the attempted murder of his mother, and Sir Richard's partner, Anne Schreiber, on April 7, 2021

'I know they split up because of his drinking and the terrible pressures his bankruptcy brought. Anne didn't go looking for anyone else, but you can understand why she would want to be with Sir Richard. He gave her financial security.

'I'm convinced David carried on loving her and, Anne him, until the day he died,' says the woman, who had a brief romance with David after his marriage break-up. 'Tom was a very polite, pleasant young man, but I know he never forgave his mother for leaving his father.'

David Schreiber's resentment over Anne's developing romance with Sir Richard resulted in bitter letters to the family calling her a 'gold digger'. His 'toxicity,' the court heard, transferred to his troubled son.

Nevertheless, Sir Richard showed compassion towards his old friend, offering David a bungalow on his estate in the final years of his life as his health worsened.

Rita Sherward-Hudson, Sir Richard's housekeeper for 28 years, told the Mail: 'Everything Sir Richard ever did was simply born of kindness. He tried to help Anne's family and provided David with a roof over his head and let Anne nurse him when he was dying.

'David's behaviour and language when he was in drink could be horrible and I lost count of the number of times I had to help remove him from the house because he was drunk and abusive.'

There would be a terrible sense of history repeating itself when, depressed and unemployed, Thomas Schreiber accepted Sir Richard and Anne's invitation to move into Moorhill in November 2019 for a three-month stay to help him back on his feet.

Over the years he had struggled to settle into a permanent career, holding more than 30 jobs including a spell in retail sales at London store Peter Jones. Family and friends had noticed a decline in his mental wellbeing after his return to the UK in early 2019 after two years drifting in Australia.

Moving into the spacious annexe over the garage in Sir Richard's home, he bitterly resented being dependent on the baronet, who paid each of Anne's children a 1,000-a-month allowance.

Relations were already strained when lockdown happened, trapping the three inhabitants in a 'vicious triangle' that would end in murder. As the weeks passed, Sir Richard became frustrated with their 'lazy', ungrateful guest.

Police footage of the high speed chase and arrest of Thomas Schreiber on 7th April 2021

Caroline Sutton, Sir Richard's daughter, told the court her father wanted Schreiber to leave so badly he gave him 100,000 for a house deposit, but 'Tom wouldn't go'.

Violence erupted at Christmas 2019 after the whole family had spent the day at Wincanton races. Schreiber attacked Rose after she accused him of being selfish for not driving them home.

Sir Richard tried to intervene in the resulting 'tussle', taking a swing at Schreiber, which missed. Schreiber's returning punch sent the baronet crashing to the ground, leaving him with a black eye.

In March 2020, Schreiber, who had his own issues with alcohol, agreed to attend a four-day residential therapy course to address his anger, but violence flared again in November that year, during a row with sister Louisa over who'd inherit a chandelier.

As the siblings traded slaps, Sir Richard delivered a hard rap across Schreiber's back with his walking stick, which broke.

From this moment, the court heard, Schreiber grew 'fixated' with Sir Richard's failure to apologise and obsessed with thoughts of revenge.

In January he messaged one friend: 'to tell you the truth I actually want to murder... Richard and mother, it's that bad. Everything is festering under the surface, eating away at me like a cancer.'

In March, to another friend, he wrote: 'I'm so sad to report that my mind is consumed with hatred of the very worst kind towards my family... Simply put I contemplate murdering them all morning day and night.I want them to suffer.'

On Monday Schreiber will be sentenced to life in prison for acting on those wishes.
Customs and Border Patrol officials encountered nearly 10,000 more border crossing attempts in November than October, up 140% over last November, according to newly released statistics.

Agents reported 173,620 encounters at the US-Mexico border in November, up from 164,303 encounters reported in October. The November figure is still down from 192,001 encounters in September and 209,840 in August.

In November 2020, there were 72,113 crossings.

Agents saw 127,653 unique individuals attempt to cross, a 10% increase over October. More than 50% were processed for expulsion under Title 42, a coronavirus public health order.

Encounters with unaccompanied children rose 9% to 13,959.

Fiscal year 2021 saw the highest number of border crossings on record at 1.7 million.

CBP commissioner Chris Magnus struck a positive tone on the new border figures.

'CBP's November Monthly Operational Update reflects an incredible amount of work on behalf of the American people to keep dangerous drugs and products out of our communities, to facilitate travel and billions of dollars in trade, and to maintain security along our borders,' Magnus said in a statement.

'It's an honor to lead a workforce whose mission is so vital to our economic health and national security. CBP's vigilance is key to disrupting smugglers and transnational criminal organizations as they exploit vulnerable populations and attempt to traffic illegal and dangerous products.'

Agents reported 173,620 encounters at the US-Mexico border in November, up from 164,303 encounters reported in October

The November figure is still down from 192,001 encounters in September and 209,840 in August

Meanwhile, the Biden administration this month was forced to resume former President Trump's Remain-in-Mexico policy by court order. Two bids by the Biden administration to end the policy, which requires those seeking asylum to wait in Mexico while their claims are being processed, were overruled in court.

And on Friday Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that Democrats cannot include immigration reform in President Biden's Build Back Better plan being debated in the Senate.

And after Biden ceased Trump's plan to complete the border wall, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is taking steps to build the border wall in his state.

Abbott has aimed to crack down on migration through Operation Lone Star Initiative, which utilizes Texas' National Guard and its Department of Public Safety.

The initiative has already placed physical hurdles, like steel shipping containers, on borderlines to block migrants.

The initiative has already placed physical hurdles, like steel shipping containers, on borderlines to block migrants

'Texas has officially started building its own border wall,' Abbott tweeted on Friday. '

Biden allows open border policies and refuses to enforce laws passed by Congress to secure the border and enforce immigration laws. Texas is stepping up to do the federal government's job.'

During an appearance on Fox Business on Friday, Abbott said that the Texas legislature had allocated $3 billion for the project.

'Three billion dollars of Texas taxpayer money has been devoted to this cause of Texas securing the border, and so we have a lot of money available to us to continue to build the wall,' Abbott said, adding, 'For Texas [this] is going to cost less than it did for the Trump administration for one reason. And that's because in Texas, unlike the Trump administration, we're not having to devote money to acquire the land The state of Texas owns [land] on the border itself.'

Abbott also said, 'There are property owners of massive acreage on the border who are fed up with Biden's open border policies, and they are donating their land to Texas for us to be able to use that land for free to build a wall on their property.'

However, Abbott said Texas would try to get the federal government to foot the bill.

'We are seeking federal government to pay for this and there have been requests made by members of the Texas Congressional Delegation to the federal government for funding to get all of this done,' Abbott said. 'Texas will also be bringing legal action against the federal government for the state of Texas to get reimbursed for all the costs we have incurred to do the federal government's job.'
Rowling, 56, created the boy wizard and has ruled over every aspect of his fictional life, not to mention his financial exploitation in films, on stage and in theme parks

On a chilly November night in 2001, the film Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone premiered in London.

Author J.K. Rowling walked the red carpet with her Harry  actor Daniel Radcliffe  and noticed that the 12-year-old was trembling.

She put her arms around the youngster to try to reassure him that he was going to be all right. My, how the tables have turned.

Rowling, 56, created the boy wizard and has ruled over every aspect of his fictional life, not to mention his financial exploitation in films, on stage and in theme parks. The total worth of the Harry Potter empire today is estimated to be 180 billion.

But she has now been repudiated by Radcliffe and the other young actors whom she turned into rich-beyond-dreams stars  all for daring to challenge the hard-line dogma of trans activists who insist biological sex does not exist.

In fact, so universal is the condemnation of Rowling, who has been cast into cinematic Siberia, that even Warner Bros, which owns the rights to all eight Potter films, is doing its best to distance themselves from her.

Not only has she been ostracised from the original cast line-up for the televised reunion to mark the 20th anniversary of the first film, but in the newly released trailer for the upcoming Fantastic Beasts film  Rowlings prequels to Harry Potter  her writing credit is so small you could easily blink and miss it.

Both moves have been widely interpreted as a deliberate act of downplaying Rowlings involvement in a bid to keep the brand palatable for the next generation of Potter fans.

But therein lies the problem. How do you magic away the goose who lays the golden egg? Not even Hogwarts has a spell for that.

For although Rowling, worth 820 million, now finds herself cast as a modern-day witch for her views  which are shared by millions  she still has almost absolute creative control over all things Potter.

Therefore the ability of Warner Bros to continue to make billions from the brand still rests in her hands. No wonder one source this week described Rowlings presence at the heart of the Potter empire as an unexploded bomb.

In fact, so universal is the condemnation of Rowling, who has been cast into cinematic Siberia, that even Warner Bros, which owns the rights to all eight Potter films, is doing its best to distance themselves from her

And as any bomb disposal expert will tell you, delicate handling is essential.

Rowling was not invited to film for the 20th anniversary reunion special. All the young stars - who haven't been seen together since the premiere of the last film in 2011 - were secured by producer Casey Patterson, who put the show together for HBO. HBO has had streaming rights to the films since September and have poured a fortune into creating a televisual event to drive viewers.

But although Rowling will not appear alongside the original cast in the show, which will go out on New Year's Day, she has not - and cannot - be airbrushed completely.

Asked about the anniversary plans, Rowlings publicist Mark Hutchinson told me this week: Jo isnt commenting at the moment, but on the 20th anniversary retrospective, she will be included via archive material with the approval of her team.

Note the phrase with the approval of her team. Warner Bros have to seek consent from Rowlings agent, Neil Blair, and her team of lawyers for every move they make.

In a similar fashion, the trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, which Rowling helped to write, was notable for downplaying the author. The two-minute trailer, released this week, opens: Warner Bros invites you and only mentions Rowling in small print in a publishing rights note at the end.

This fulfils a legal requirement  they cannot air the trailer without it, or erase her from the brand, however much it might suit them to do so. Nor, as they were also reminded this week, can they silence her views.

With a timing that would derail most PR campaigns, Rowling returned to the Twitter fray, criticising police rules in Scotland which allow rape suspects to self-identify as women.

In a nod to the doublespeak of Orwells dystopian novel 1984, she wrote: War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. The Penised Individual Who Raped You Is A Woman.

Asked about the anniversary plans, Rowlings publicist Mark Hutchinson told me this week: Jo isnt commenting at the moment, but on the 20th anniversary retrospective, she will be included via archive material with the approval of her team'

She is, then, a woman who not only will not loosen her grip on her empire but one who wont observe a convenient silence.

Lesley Goldberg of The Hollywood Reporter confirms: The Harry Potter franchise has complicated rights issues . . . Rowling controls the franchise and has a say in everything involving the property.

This presents continued headaches for Warner Bros, who bought the rights to Potter for a reputed $250 million in 2013.

It now emerges they want to make a live-action Hogwarts TV series  with a $10 million per episode budget. In January this year they quietly started casting about for writers and concepts for the show, which would stream on its TV affiliate HBO. It could go into production as early as next year.

Meanwhile a further two Fantastic Beasts films are planned and a film of the stage play Cursed Child, Rowlings story of what happens when Harry and Hermione grow up, is also in development.

As ever in this world, riches are in prospect: the Potter films have globally taken more than $7 billion at the cinema, and they continue to make millions from streaming.

In the world of intellectual property, Harry Potter is a megastar.

Scott Mendelson, of Forbes business magazine, comments: Warner Bros wants to stay in the J.K. Rowling business. It still profits from those groundbreakingly huge Harry Potter movies, the first of which snagged $27 million in China just this year.

As do the youngsters she plucked from nowhere and turned into staggeringly rich household names.

Rowling, who was consulted over every aspect of the eight films, gave the nod to the initial director Christopher Columbus and had the right to approve every actor  which she did. She wept when she saw Radcliffes screen test because he was exactly the son she had in mind.

She spent months on set helping the cast, and the director, to bring her vision to life. By the time the final films were being shot, her role was such that she was even credited as an executive producer.

Plaudits that will continue to be diminished  all because Rowling stepped into the toxic world of trans dogma. Little did she imagine when she took to Twitter in June 2020 to take issue with the phrase People who menstruate the furore that would follow.

She wrote: Im sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud? There was outrage, led by Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe.

Radcliffe solemnly repeated the mantra transgender women are women and said that he hoped Rowlings venture into gender politics would not taint the books for their fans.

In a statement he said: To all the people who now feel that their experience of the books has been tarnished or diminished, I am deeply sorry for the pain these comments have caused you.

Within hours of Rowlings tweet about trans women, Emma Watson cast her aside, tweeting: Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they arent who they say they are.

Warner Bros also made a statement which largely sided with the woke mob, saying our inclusiveness is well established, and fostering a diverse and inclusive culture has never been more important to our company and to our audiences around the world.

It threw just a tiny nod to Rowlings talents, adding: We deeply value the work of our storytellers who give so much of themselves in sharing their creations with us all before concluding that she was nevertheless in need of educating. We recognise our responsibility to foster empathy and advocate understanding of all communities and all people, particularly those we work with and those we reach through our content.

Rowling published a lengthy and thoughtful essay, explaining that she is not remotely against trans women. It made no odds, naturally  the abuse continued unabated on social media.

Interestingly, Stephen Fry, the voice of the Harry Potter audio books, did not add his name to those condemning her but even agreed to narrate her more recent book The Ickabog, which was published after the trans row erupted.

When he drew fire for this, he commented: Shes a friend and will remain a friend. But Im also sorry that people are upset. I dont have to break links with J.K. Rowling to say that I have huge sympathy and I endorse the efforts of trans people everywhere to live the lives that they feel they want to lead. I recognise the courage it takes.

Many would argue it also shows considerable personal courage on Rowlings part to continue with her campaign for free speech.

Three weeks ago, she said that she had received enough death threats to paper her house. She took on three activists who shared her home address on Twitter  asking people to delete the image and adding: Perhaps  and Im just throwing this out there  the best way to prove your movement isnt a threat to women, is to stop stalking, harassing and threatening us.

Her response marked yet another step in Rowlings evolution from childrens author to feminist icon daring to challenge the extreme trans narrative.

Another case in point is her support of fellow victim of cancel culture Johnny Depp, whom she cast in Fantastic Beasts.

Hes a personal friend of J.K. Rowlings  he sold her his yacht some time ago and she stuck by him during his lurid divorce from actress Amber Heard.

Little did she imagine when she took to Twitter in June 2020 to take issue with the phrase People who menstruate the furore that would follow

Rowling, who has spoken about being a victim of domestic abuse during her first marriage, took Depps side when others wanted to cancel him for allegedly assaulting Heard.

She said: Based on our understanding of the circumstances, the film-makers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting, but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies.

At a time when nobody else wanted to speak up for him, she did. Naturally when he lost a libel action in 2020 after being called a wife-beater, there was a prolonged pause.

On the advice of his lawyers, Depp turned up for work on the set of the Fantastic Beasts film in Leavesden, Herts.

He even shot a scene, before he was asked to resign from the role by Warner Bros  it was evident film-goers couldnt be asked to see him in the role given the evidence of drug use and violence so sensationally rehearsed in the High Court.

The company recast the role but still paid Depp his $16 million fee in full  an extraordinary turn of events which stunned Hollywood.

Why were they so generous to Depp? Many believe that J.K. insisted that they look after the actor.

Rowling, who has long enjoyed a reputation for being implacable when it comes to her oeuvre, has proved a surprisingly effective player when it comes to haggling with Hollywoods power brokers.

In a rare early interview about her role in film-making she said: I have stuck to my guns all the way through.

In the tale of Harry Potter And The Hollywood Power Struggle, she shows no signs of bowing down to the high priests of todays pernicious cancel culture any time soon.
NSW has reported a record 2,482 new Covid-19 cases and one death while Victoria has recorded 1,504 new infections and seven deaths.

The new cases announced in NSW on Saturday smash the previous record of 2,213 cases reported on Friday.

It marks the highest daily tally recorded since the pandemic began.

Hospitalisation rates have dropped with 206 patients being treated - the figure is down from 215 reported on Friday.

Intensive care numbers have increased to 26 - up from 24. Eight people are currently on ventilation.

NSW has reported a record 2,482 new Covid-19 cases and one death while Victoria has recorded 1,504 new infections and seven deaths

The new cases announced in NSW on Saturday smash the previous record of 2,213 cases reported on Friday

Healthcare workers conducted 137,149 tests in the last 24 hours.

In Victoria, hospitalisation rates have remained stable with 384 patients being treated.

The number of patients in ICU has jumped to 86 - up from 84 reported on Friday.

NSW premier Dominic Perrottet is determined to hold his course and encourage individual responsibility, rather than reimpose restrictions like mandatory masks in retail settings.

He has stood by his government's plan to ease restrictions on mask-wearing and check-ins on Wednesday, despite the escalation in cases.

'It is obviously going to be a challenging time. We accept that,' the premier said on Friday.

'But we need perspective.

'Our number one focus is to keep people safe, to keep hospitalisations and ICU numbers down.'

Deputy Premier Paul Toole on Friday said the government would keep an eye on the numbers and continue to look at advice.

Rules around masks will be a conversation the government will 'continue to have in the coming days and weeks'.

But, he said, 'we are sticking with our road map at this point in time'.

Healthcare workers conducted 137,149 tests in the last 24 hours in NSW

Premier Dominic Perrottet is determined to hold his course and encourage individual responsibility, rather than reimpose restrictions like mandatory masks in retail settings

Individuals can make the decision to wear masks if they are in high-risk areas, he said.

Mr Toole made it clear the government is not looking at imposing a localised lockdown on Newcastle, despite a huge surge in infections.

Thirty per cent of the new cases - a total of 674 - were diagnosed in the Hunter New England Local Health District in the latest reporting period.

Meanwhile, NSW will join Victoria in walking away from imposing a 72-hour home quarantine requirement on all fully-vaccinated international arrivals from Tuesday.

Instead, the fully vaccinated will be required to be tested within 24 hours of arrival and isolate until they receive a negative result.

NSW and Victoria will lift 72-hour isolation rules for international arrivals from December 21 - less than a month after authorities first imposed the rule.

The requirement was introduced on November 29 amid the global emergence of the hyper-contagious Omicron variant of Covid-19.

NSW and Victoria will lift 72-hour isolation rules for international arrivals from December 21 (pictured, travellers arriving at Sydney Airport earlier this month)

Mr Perrottet said the rule would now be scrapped in a matter of days as part of a joint approach in both states to 'simplify' the overseas arrival process.

'From the beginning of Tuesday, December 21, all fully vaccinated international travellers and flight crew arriving in NSW and Victoria will be required to get a PCR test within 24 hours after arrival and isolate until they receive a negative test result,' the NSW and Victorian governments said in a joint statement.

'Under existing arrangements they are also required to produce a negative pre-departure test, within three days of boarding their flight.

'Previously, all fully vaccinated international arrivals in both NSW and Victoria had to get a test as soon as possible and isolate for 72 hours, regardless of when they received their negative test result.
The new head of the charity watchdog dramatically quit yesterday before even taking up his post.

Martin Thomas, 58, a friend of Boris Johnson, stepped down from his new job after it emerged he had resigned from a previous post after being found guilty of inappropriate conduct.

It came after questions were raised about his appointment at the Charity Commission in the wake of a probe into alleged bullying earlier this year, when he was chairman of Women for Women International UK.

He faced three formal misconduct complaints at the charity, which helps women in warzones rebuild their lives, in five years.

In one incident, Mr Thomas sent a junior female employee a picture on WhatsApp of himself taken in a Victorias Secret lingerie store. He said he had intended to send it to the charitys chief executive.

Martin Thomas sent a photo of himself in a Victoria's Secret store to a junior female employee

The photo shows him holding a mannequin in a black thong, while standing beside a poster of a model in underwear and a leather jacket. He was cleared over that incident after an investigation.

The third complaint was lodged in March about an aggressive way in which he dealt with an employee during a telephone call.

Women for Women said: The investigation concluded that the chairs actions were not deliberate bullying but that the complaint was partly upheld insofar as aspects of the chairs conduct were judged to have been inappropriate. The charity filed a serious incident report on the case, identifying its chairman as the subject of the allegations, to the Charity Commission.

No one from Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries department contacted Women for Women for a reference, The Times reported.

MPs on the Comons culture committee, who approved Mr Thomass appointment, were unaware of the history of disciplinary issues. It prompts questions over what due diligence was performed and whether Mr Thomass links with the Prime Minister influenced the appointment process.

Mr Thomas, 58, a friend of Boris Johnson, stepped down from his new job after it emerged he had resigned from a previous post after being found guilty of inappropriate conduct

Mr Thomas was only confirmed as chairman of the Charity Commission last week by Mrs Dorries, who said he would bring a wealth of experience. He was due to begin work on December 27. It is a two-and-a-half days a week post with a 62,500-a-year salary.

Last night Mr Thomas said in a statement he had stepped aside from the role as chairman of the Charity Commission over an error of judgment on a technical omission during the application process. He added: I have never deliberately set out to offend anyone. Mr Thomas was the subject of formal complaints in 2018, 2019 and 2021 while chairing Women for Women.

The Victorias Secret photo was taken in 2018 at a time when the charity was debating whether to accept a donation from the lingerie brand. In his statement last night, Mr Thomas said: I was not sure whether a company that advertised using sexual content should be partnered with a charity which helped women escape sexual violence.

I was in an airport at the time of this discussion and took a photo of an item for sale in a Victorias Secret store which I felt was appropriate to illustrate my point.

Instead of sending it to the charity CEO who was in agreement with me, I sent it in error to another colleague. I apologised immediately and my apology was accepted. The charity went on to decline the donation and I felt justified in the stance I took.

A Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokesman said: Martin has acknowledged his error of judgment during the application process and we acknowledge that he entered the process in good faith, without looking to mislead.
Ministers will decide this weekend whether any new Covid restrictions are needed following the latest dire warnings from scientists.

An emergency Cobra meeting will discuss if a joint response to the threat of the Omicron variant is needed across the UK.

The meeting will raise fears that more curbs could be imposed before Christmas  despite the opposition of Tory MPs and Downing Street's apparent determination to get through without them.

Ministers will decide this weekend whether any new Covid restrictions are needed following the latest dire warnings from scientists. An emergency Cobra meeting will discuss if a joint response to the threat of the Omicron variant is needed across the UK. (The PM is pictured in west London on Friday)

Any further restrictions would increase the pressure on Rishi Sunak to give more help to the hospitality sector, which has been hit by the warnings over the new strain. On Friday, the Chancellor met business leaders to discuss their concerns after he was forced to return early from a work trip to San Francisco. (Above, he is seen arriving at Heathrow)

It came as one scientific study predicted a large spike in the number of deaths, while an official assessment gave Omicron a 'red' risk rating for its growth advantage over the Delta variant and how well it escapes the immune system.

Late on Thursday, the Welsh government said it would close nightclubs from December 27 and impose a two-metre social distancing rule in offices.

This weekend's Cobra meeting, involving ministers from all the devolved administrations, is the second in a matter of days.

Many business leaders have been left enraged by advice from government scientists to cut down on socialising which has led to a collapse in trade. (Pictured: A closed venue in Leeds)

Boris Johnson held crisis talks with the leaders of the three devolved administrations, including Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon, earlier this week.

Any further restrictions would increase the pressure on Rishi Sunak to give more help to the hospitality sector, which has been hit by the warnings over the new strain.

Care home visits warning Care homes were warned last night that they must allow residents to see relatives over Christmas as some firms started to bring in bans. The Care Quality Commission has contacted some providers to remind them of Government guidelines that care home residents must be allowed visits from three named visitors and an 'essential care giver'. It comes after one major firm, Barchester, banned all but essential care givers. Other providers have warned that a shortage of lateral flow tests will make it much harder for them to continue having visits. This week Barchester, whose facilities are home to about 11,000 people, said until December 23 it will only allow anyone who is not an essential care giver to visit through screens. The CQC's Kate Terroni said it is 'making absolutely clear to pro-viders that blanket approaches to visiting are unacceptable and may trigger an inspection'. Barchester said it would review its rules on Monday. Advertisement

Yesterday the Chancellor met business leaders to discuss their concerns after he was forced to return early from a work trip to San Francisco.

Many have been left enraged by advice from government scientists to cut down on socialising which has led to a collapse in trade.

The CBI and other groups asked him for emergency grants, 100 per cent business rates relief for retail, and for VAT to be reduced to 5 per cent for hospitality and tourism.

The business groups raised concerns about the impact of cancellations on certain sectors and the importance of clear messaging from the Government.

It came as figures showed that footfall in London's West End on Thursday was 32 per cent down on the same day in 2019, before the pandemic. Numbers were down 7 per cent on a week ago.

Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of New West End Company, said: 'With rising Covid cases dampening consumer confidence and a planned Tube strike looming on Saturday, we're anticipating a muted final weekend of Christmas trading at a time when West End businesses should be enjoying a much-needed boost.

'The Government must act quickly to provide temporary financial support to leisure businesses across the UK, otherwise we run the risk of further viable businesses closing their doors in the coming months.'

The Institute of Directors' chief economist, Kitty Ussher, said: 'It made sense to unwind pandemic-related business support schemes when it looked like business conditions were beginning to return to some semblance of normality.

'However, following the Omicron variant and the subsequent drop in consumer demand in some parts of the economy, this is patently no longer the case. For restaurants, travel companies and venues, this couldn't come at a worse time.

'We are therefore calling on government to stop the unwinding of remaining support schemes, such as the VAT reduction for hospitality and business rates support.'

UK Hospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said she was not optimistic the hospitality sector will get the support it needed, but was confident some kind of package will be announced.

She said the crisis was 'rapidly deteriorating' and 'getting worse by the hour' as measures introduced in Wales had a knock-on effect on businesses in England.

A Treasury spokesman said: 'The Chancellor spoke to business and industry leaders.

'We recognise how important the festive period is for so many businesses and the Government will continue to engage constructively on how it can best provide ongoing support to the businesses and sectors affected.'
France last night vowed to sue Britain within days as the long-running dispute over fishing licences hit a new low.

Clement Beaune, one of President Emmanuel Macrons most trusted aides, called on the EU to start legal action as he accused the UK of refusing to grant enough fishing boat access.

Under post-Brexit rules, French skippers can no longer enjoy unfettered access to UK waters and must instead apply for a permit.

Although Britain has approved 93 per cent of the licences France has applied for, Mr Macron has claimed that UK officials are deliberately withholding another 73.

Clement Beaune, one of President Emmanuel Macrons most trusted aides, called on the EU to start legal action as he accused the UK of refusing to grant enough fishing boat access

The British Government has handed over 23 additional permits as a gesture of goodwill  but it has failed to defuse tensions.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Beaune said: We are going to ask the European Commission to initiate a legal procedure for the remaining licences that we feel that we are entitled to.

His comments are the latest sign of fraying tempers between the countries and come after France banned British travellers over fears about the Omicron variant.

They also come a week after militant French fishing barons renewed their threat to disrupt cross-Channel trade and block Christmas deliveries to Britain.

The British Government has handed over 23 additional permits as a gesture of goodwill  but it has failed to defuse tensions

In an apparent sign of his support for their plans, Mr Macron yesterday met industry bosses at his official residence, the Elysee Palace. Olivier Le Nezet, the head of Brittanys powerful fisheries committee who took part in the talks, warned that France would not surrender in the long-running row. The fight continues. It will end only when we will get the licences, he said.

Industry sources said Mr Macron promised the fishermen that he would hit British vessels with more red tape  such as extra checks when docking in French ports from January 1.

Yesterday a European Commission spokesman said they will examine together with the French authorities the legal circumstances around every requested licence which has not been granted.

A win for France could see heavy tariffs slapped on British fish exports or even UK trawlers being banned from EU waters.

A British Government source said: We have licensed vessels where sufficient evidence has been provided to demonstrate they qualify for access under the Brexit deal. Where that evidence has not been provided, licences have not been issued.

n EU plans to change its own laws to ensure the free flow of medicines between Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a step in the right direction but not far enough, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said.

European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said he hoped the move would create the momentum needed to resolve other disputes around the Brexit Irish Sea border.

But Brexit minister Lord Frost expressed disappointment that solutions to wider issues had not yet been resolved.
A two-bedroom flat built in the grounds that were once home to Lipton Tea founder Sir Thomas Lipton is for sale for 1.3million.

The luxury home in Southgate, North London, is part of a new development that sits in five acres where the Lipton Tea founder lived for more than 50 years.

The property includes a private roof terrace and is surrounded by large green open spaces, while at the same time being only a five-minute walk from Southgate underground station.

New flats have built in the grounds of the former home of Lipton Tea founder Sir Thomas Lipton

The penthouse in Southgate, North London, is for sale for 1.3million via estate agents Connect Property

Sir Thomas was born in Glasgow in 1848, and often helped his parents run their small shop in the Gorbals.

He eventually opened his own called Lipton's Market in 1871, and it soon became a chain of more than 200 grocery shops across Britain by the 1880s.

In 1890, Sir Thomas bought a tea estate in Ceylon - now Sri Lanka. A change in processes meant that he could sell tea in his stores and globally more cheaply.

He began packaging loose tea in multiple weight options rather than in large crates, which reduced the cost of shipping.

Lipton was the first brand to sell tea leaves in tea bags, and the company is today owned by Unilever.

Historic site: Sir Thomas Lipton lived in a separate building on the grounds for fifty years

The exterior of the building where Sir Thomas Lipton lived is marked with a blue plaque

Pictured: Sir Thomas was born in Glasgow in 1848, and opened his own called Lipton's Market in 1871

In 1892, Sir Thomas Lipton settled at Southgate's Osidge Mansion, which has since been converted into flats.

In addition, eight separate new flats have built in the grounds, including the one that is currently for sale via estate agents Connect Property.

The living area has porcelain floor tiles, recessed ceilings with LED lighting, and a bespoke Italian kitchen. Double doors open out to the terrace that runs along the length of the flat.

There is underfloor heating throughout the property, and both bedrooms have ensuites, with the main bedroom also having a study space.

The living area in the penthouse has porcelain floor tiles, recessed ceilings, and a bespoke Italian kitchen

The property includes a private roof terrace and is surrounded by large green open spaces

Glamour: The luxury property has two bedrooms and underfloor heating throughout

Helen Whiteley, of OnTheMarket.com, said: 'This penthouse is undeniably impressive, from it's luxurious interior to its special location which carries historic significance.'

Andrew Philippou, of estate agents Connect Property, said: 'This penthouse is fitted with high-tech features, from the Sonos multi-room music system to the Lutron mood lighting system.

'The video entry phone system alongside the on-site security who are present at the grounds on a daily basis also make this an incredibly private place to live despite being in the capital.'

There are good transport links nearby, including Southgate station with links into central London. Brent Cross shopping centre is a short drive away and there is easy access to the M25.
Cosmic rays may be used to scan the sealed tomb of China's First Emperor  long rumoured to contain deadly traps and an ancient map with liquid mercury rivers.

Buried under a 249-feet-high pyramidal mound, the tomb lies within a necropolis in Xi'an's Lintong District, and is famously guarded by the Terracotta Army.

Found in their thousands to the tomb's east, as if to protect Qin Shi Huang in death from the eastern states he conquered in life, each statue was once brightly painted.

However, exposure to the dry Xi'an air before appropriate conservation techniques had been devised meant that most of the soldiers' colours faded after recovery.

For this reason, Chinese officials have long been reluctant to allow the tomb itself to be unearthed until they can guarantee the preservation of any artefacts within.

However, new proposals would see subatomic particle detectors placed beneath the 2,229-year-old tomb to map out the structure's layout in three-dimensions.

Qin Shi Huang (259210 BCE) succeeded in conquering and unifying the whole of China in 221 BCE, creating an empire that lasted for some two millennia.

His other achievements including starting construction on the Great Wall of China, establishing a nationwide road network and standardising writing and units.

His lavish burial site was unearthed in 1974, and has inspired both films and video games, including instalments in both The Mummy and Indiana Jones franchises.

Cosmic rays may be used to scan the sealed tomb of China's First Emperor  long rumoured to contain deadly traps and an ancient map with liquid mercury rivers

Buried under a 249-feet-high pyramidal mound (pictured), the tomb lies at the heart of a necropolis in Xi'an's Lintong District, one famously guarded by the Terracotta Army

Found in their thousands to the tomb's east, as if to protect Qin Shi Huang in death from the eastern states he conquered in life, each statue was once brightly painted. However, exposure to the dry Xi'an air before appropriate conservation techniques had been devised meant that most of the soldiers' colours faded after recovery  as seen in the examples pictured

For this reason, Chinese officials have been reluctant to allow the tomb itself to be unearthed until they can guarantee the preservation of any artefacts within. Pictured: a map of the necropolis complex, which was modelled after the Qin capital Xianyang. The tomb mound can be seen in the centre of the image, with the inner and outer walls. The Terracotta Army was buried in a 'garrison' to the east, between the Emperor and the states he conquered

When high-energy cosmic rays (white line) from space interact with Earth's atmosphere, they create a shower of subatomic particles  including some called 'muons' (solid orange lines) which form from the rapid decay of pions (solid yellow lines)

INSIDE QIN'S TOMB According to historical record, construction on the mausoleum began when Qin was just 13, in 246 BCE  and took thousands of workers some 38 years to complete. According to the Han dynasty historian Sima Qian (14586 BCE), the necropolis complex contained 'Palaces and scenic towers for a hundred officials', while Qin's underground tomb itself 'was filled with rare artefacts and wonderful treasure.' 'Craftsmen were ordered to make crossbows and arrows primed to shoot at anyone who enters the tomb. 'Mercury was used to simulate the hundred rivers, the Yangtze, Yellow River and the great sea  and set to flow mechanically.' (Some studies have claimed to have detected anomalously high mercury contents in the soil around the tomb  although some have attributed this to local industrial pollution.) 'Above were representation of the heavenly constellations, below, the features of the land.' Alongside these wonders, the first Emperor was interred  at the behest of his predecessor  with those of his concubines that had not borne child, who were slaughtered for the burial. They were not the only ones to be caught up and unwillingly entombed with the emperor, however. 'After the burial, it was suggested that it would be a serious breach if the craftsmen who constructed the mechanical devices and knew of its treasures were to divulge those secrets,' Sima Qian wrote 'Therefore after the funeral ceremonies had completed and the treasures hidden away, the inner passageway was blocked, and the outer gate lowered, immediately trapping all the workers and craftsmen inside. None could escape. 'Trees and vegetations were then planted on the tomb mound such that it resembles a hill,' he concluded. Advertisement

When high-energy cosmic rays from space interact with Earth's atmosphere, they create a shower of subatomic particles, including some called 'muons'.

The scanning technique  'muon tomography'  works like an X-ray, with detectors measuring the rate at which muons are absorbed by the material they pass through.

Just as bones absorb relatively more X-rays than flesh to create contrast in a radiograph, so does stone and metal block the passage of more muons.

The same approach has previously been used, in 2017, to reveal the presence of a previously hidden, 98-feet-long chamber within the Great Pyramid at Giza.

The muon-scanning technique has been proposed by physicist Yuanyuan Liu of the Beijing Normal University and her colleagues, who normally use cosmic rays to investigate dark matter at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory, which is the world's deepest cosmic ray facility which is buried some 3.7 miles under the Sichuan province.

'As an ancient civilisation with a long history, China has a large number of cultural relics that are in need of archaeological research,' the team told the Times.

'For the non-intrusive detection of the internal structure of some large artefacts such as imperial tombs, the traditional geophysical methods used in archaeology have certain limitations.

'The application of muon absorption imaging to the archaeological field can be an important supplement to traditional geophysical methods,' they concluded.

To put their proposal to the test, the group used existing archaeological and historical data on the mausoleum to build models of the tomb complex.

They then buried these in the ground on top of two muon detectors to show that they could indeed images the chambers in their models.

'Preliminary imaging results prove the feasibility of muon absorption imaging for the underground chamber of the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor,' the team said.

The feasibility studies were funded by the central Chinese government.

Based on their tests, the team have concluded that  to scan the real-life tomb  at least two muon detectors, each of which is about the size of a washing machine, would need to be placed in different locations within 328 feet (100 metres) of the tomb's surface.

This is not the first time that archaeologists and other scientists have tried to use non-invasive methods to map out the inside of Qin's tomb.

Unfortunately, most approaches have limitations that make them difficult to apply to the mausoleum's particular circumstances.

Gravity anomaly detectors are good at detecting changes in density underground  but such are easily affected by environvenmental disturbances and their range is limited to a small area.

The necropolis surrounding the unopened tomb harbours more than 8,200 of the earthenware sculptures, which were first uncovered in 1974 by local farmers

Pictured: Qin Shi Huang (259210 BCE), who succeeded in conquering and unifying the whole of China in 221 BCE, creating an empire that lasted for some two millennia

Ground-penetrating radar, meanwhile  a favourite of archaeological geophysicists  suffers from a too limited depth to be of much use here.

These studies have succeeded in revealing, however, that an underground complex of some kind and state of preservation does extend some 98 feet beneath the pyramidal mound.

Archaeologists believe that there is a good chance that the subterranean chambers may still intact. Certainly, no evidence has been found that graverobbers have ever succeeded in tunnelling their way into the tomb.

Qin Shi Huang  or Zheng, King of Qin, as he was formerly known  began his wars of unification in 230 BCE with an assault on the state of Han. Next to fall, aided by natural disasters, was Qin's birth state of Zhao, in the north, where it is said he avenged himself of those who mistreated him as a child. The final state to fall to the Qin was Qi, in 221 BCE

Geophysicist Yang Dikun of the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen  who was not involved in the present study  told the South China Morning Post that the latest proposal to scan the Emperor's tomb was feasible.

'The muon detectors that we build and use for fieldwork nowadays have become so small they can be carried around by a child,' he commented.

However, Dr Yang warned, the cosmic ray approach is not without potential challenges  the main one being that the detectors have to be physically emplaced underneath the mausoleum complex without damaging it or the artefacts within.

It was also require considerable patience, he added. Unlike other imaging techniques, muon tomography is far from instantaneous, and the detectors will need operate until they have racked up enough particle counts for meaningful analysis.

In fact, simulations by Dr Liu and her team have suggested that  to produce a clear image of the tomb's structure  the detectors would need to be left in place for at least one year.

The full findings of the study were published in the journal Acta Physica Sinica.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang's tomb lies buried at the heart of a 249 feet (76 meter) -tall mound in what is today Xi'an's Lintong District, in the northwest of China

Qin Shi Huang (259210 BCE) succeeded in conquering and unifying the whole of China in 221 BCE, creating an empire that lasted for some two millennia. His lavish burial site  unearthed in 1974  has inspired both films and video games, including instalments in both The Mummy (left) and Indiana Jones franchises (right).
An early tester of Meta's Horizon Worlds app has revealed her avatar was virtually groped by a stranger within the metaverse.

The incident, acknowledged by Meta (the company formerly known as Facebook), took place during Horizon Worlds' beta testing and was reported November 26.

Horizon Worlds, finally released by Meta on December 9, allows users in the US and Canada to gather with others, play games and build their own virtual worlds.

It's an early step in Meta's ambition to transform into a 'metaverse'  a collective virtual shared space featuring avatars of real people.

But the recent incident has raised concerns about the safety of the metaverse and suggests the virtual world 'has a groping problem already'.

Horizon Worlds, released by Meta on December 9, allows users in the US and Canada to gather with others, play games and build their own virtual worlds. An early tester of Meta's Horizon Worlds metaverse app said her avatar was virtually groped by a stranger

WHAT IS HORIZON WORLDS? Horizon Worlds, released by Meta on December 9, is a gaming app that allows users in the US and Canada to gather with others, play games and build their own virtual worlds. Users have to be at least 18 years old and have the proper equipment - a Quest 2 virtual reality (VR) headset. Horizon World first announced in 2019 and launched last year in beta. An early tester of Meta's Horizon Worlds metaverse app said her avatar was virtually groped by a stranger. Advertisement

'Sexual harassment is no joke on the regular internet, but being in VR [virtual reality] adds another layer that makes the event more intense,' the unnamed beta tester posted in the official Horizon group on Facebook, as quoted by The Verge.

'Not only was I groped last night, but there were other people there who supported this behaviour which made me feel isolated.'

The incident was acknowledged by the company, which changed its name from Facebook to Meta in October, in line with CEO Mark Zuckerberg's new obsession with the metaverse.

'We want everyone in Horizon Worlds to have a positive experience with safety tools that are easy to find  and its never a user's fault if they dont use all the features we offer,' Meta spokesperson Kristina Milian said.

'We will continue to improve our UI and to better understand how people use our tools so that users are able to report things easily and reliably.

'Our goal is to make Horizon Worlds safe, and we are committed to doing that work.'

Meta's internal review of the incident claims that the victim should have used a safety tool called 'Safe Zone'.

This in-built tool activates a protective bubble that no one else can penetrate by touching them, talking to them or interacting with them in any way.

But Katherine Cross, a researcher of online harassment at the University of Washington, has criticised this attitude to safety in the metaverse.

'Generally speaking, when companies address online abuse, their solution is to outsource it to the user and say, "Here, we give you the power to take care of yourselves",' Cross told Technology Review.

Meta told MailOnline that Horizon Worlds launched the beta last year with safety features built in from the start

Meta's internal review of the incident found that the unnamed beta tester should have used a safety tool called 'Safe Zone'

THE METAVERSE The 'metaverse' is a set of virtual spaces where you can game, work and communicate with other people who aren't in the same physical space as you. Facebook explained: 'You'll be able to hang out with friends, work, play, learn, shop, create and more. 'It's not necessarily about spending more time online  it's about making the time you do spend online more meaningful.' While Facebook is leading the charge with the metaverse, it explained that it isn't a single product one company can build alone. 'Just like the internet, the metaverse exists whether Facebook is there or not,' it added. 'And it won't be built overnight. Many of these products will only be fully realized in the next 10-15 years.' Advertisement

'At the end of the day, the nature of virtual-reality spaces is such that it is designed to trick the user into thinking they are physically in a certain space, that their every bodily action is occurring in a 3D environment.

'It's part of the reason why emotional reactions can be stronger in that space, and why VR triggers the same internal nervous system and psychological responses.'

While being groped in the virtual world is generally deemed less serious that in the physical world, the point is it's just another form of sexual harassment, according to another expert.

'I think people should keep in mind that sexual harassment has never had to be a physical thing,' said Professor Jesse Fox, a researcher of new technologies at Ohio State University, told Technology Review.

'It can be verbal, and yes, it can be a virtual experience as well.'

It's not the first time a user has been groped in VR  in 2016 a gamer by the name of Jordan Belamire described her experience of being virtually groped in Quivr, a VR game where players shoot zombies with arrows.

In an open letter published on Medium, Belamire describes another user's 'floating hand' approaching her body before he started to virtually rub her chest.

'"Stop!" I cried... This goaded him on, and even when I turned away from him, he chased me around, making grabbing and pinching motions near my chest.

'Emboldened, he even shoved his hand toward my virtual crotch and began rubbing.

'There I was, being virtually groped in a snowy fortress with my brother-in-law and husband watching.'

Aaron Stanton, the designer of Quivr, apologised and provided an in-game fix where users can push any offenders away using their virtual arms.

A later review of the incident by University of Melbourne researchers said: 'Many online responses to this incident were dismissive of Belamires experience and, at times, abusive and misogynistic.

'On the other hand, many responses empathised with her experience and called on developers to take this kind of behaviour seriously.

'At the same time, readers from all perspectives grappled with understanding this act given the virtual and playful context it occurred in.'

Meta told MailOnline that Horizon Worlds launched the beta last year with safety features built in from the start.

As well as Safe Zone, these features include the ability to block and mute people, the ability to report people or content, and user complaints being able to include recordings of the incident captured by the Oculus headset.

We want Horizon Worlds to be a safe and respectful environment, so everyone must follow our Conduct in VR Policy, Meta said on the day of Horizon Worlds' release.

You have several safety options, including access to your personal Safe Zone at any time through your wrist menu, which lets you take a break and then block, mute or report people.
Elon Musk has once again ratcheted up his war of words with billionaire space race foe Jeff Bezos, saying the Amazon founder doesn't work as hard as him and should spend 'less time in the hot tub'.

The Tesla CEO, who was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year 2021, did offer faint praise of his rival when he said he has 'reasonably good engineering aptitude', despite Blue Origin falling behind his own space company SpaceX.

But he followed this up by adding that Bezos 'does not seem to be willing to spend mental energy getting into the details of engineering'.

Swipe: Elon Musk has ratcheted up his war of words with space race foe Jeff Bezos, saying the Amazon founder doesn't work as hard as him and should spend 'less time in the hot tub'

The Tesla CEO, who was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year 2021, did offer faint praise of Blue Origin's Bezos (pictured) when he said he has 'reasonably good engineering aptitude'

BEZOS VS MUSK: HOW THE RIVALRY BEGAN The rivalry between SpaceX's Elon Musk and Blue Origin's Jeff Bezos appears to trace back to a dinner meeting between the pair in 2004. At this point, both space exploration firms were still relatively new, and neither had completed any launches. The pair met to discuss their shared interest in the production of reusable rockets  but, if Musk is to be believed, Bezos was not receptive to what he had to say. 'I actually did my best to give good advice, which he largely ignored,' Musk is reported to have said in the wake of the meeting, according to the Washington Post's Christian Davenport in his book 'The Space Barons'. Tensions only became heated, however, in 2013, when SpaceX attempted to secure exclusive use of NASA launchpad for its rockets. Bezos' Blue Origins  along with fellow SpaceX competitor United Launch Alliance'  filed a protest with the US government, suggesting it should be turned into a commercial spaceport for all companies to use. In response, Musk called the move a 'phony blocking tactic'  and publicly mocked Blue Origin's failure to have created a viable suborbital craft. In 2014, the pair's firms got into a patent battle over 'drone ships' used to provide landing pads at sea for reusable rocket boosters. A judge sided with SpaceX, forcing Blue Origin to withdraw most of the claims in its patent, the original form of which would have forced SpaceX to pay them to use the drone ship tech. In more recent years, their rivalry has included more spats on Twitter. Advertisement

'The devil's in the details,' Musk said in an interview with the Financial Times after being named the paper's person of the year.

'In some ways, I'm trying to goad him into spending more time at Blue Origin so they make more progress.

'As a friend of mine says, he should spend more time at Blue Origin and less time in the hot tub.'

Musk, 50, then hammered home his own work ethic, revealing he works every day and 80 to 90 hours per week overseeing SpaceX and Tesla projects, before taking one more parting shot when he said Bezos 'does take himself a bit too seriously'.

The Blue Origin founder, 57, has not yet responded to the remarks but the pair have been in an ongoing spat for a number of years now.

Their rivalry only intensified when Blue Origin announced in August that it was suing Nasa over a decision to award a $2.9bn (2.1bn) lunar lander contract to SpaceX.

Bezos' firm took issue with the decision in April to hand the deal to one company, not two as expected, because of a funding shortfall.

It called the deal unfair and said there were 'fundamental issues' with it, but last month a judge dismissed the lawsuit.

Once again Musk was quick to revel in his adversary's misery.

He responded to the news by tweeting a Judge Dredd meme that showed a photo of the titular character, played by Sylvester Stallone, with the caption 'YOU HAVE BEEN JUDGED.'

There was a brief thawing in their relations a couple of months ago, however, when Musk congratulated Bezos for the 'cool' decision to send Star Trek's William Shatner into space.

The rare show of solidarity came hours after Prince William offered an unexpected rebuke of the pair's race to leave Earth during a BBC Newscast interview.

The Duke of Cambridge, 39, said the world's greatest minds should be 'fixed on trying to repair this planet', rather than taking steps towards a life on another.

The support between the pair of space-focused billionaires is a rare reprieve in their long-running rivalry, which is thought to date back to a bad meeting in 2004.

Since then, the duo have clashed repeatedly, with notable battles including a dispute over access to a NASA launch pad and a patent for drone ship technology.

In recent years the billionaires have fired salvos at each other publicly on Twitter, with Musk mocking Bezos in September after overtaking him as the world's richest man.

The Tesla chief said he would send the Amazon founder a silver medal.

Musk is worth about $252billion (189bn) while Bezos is worth $195billion (146bn), according to Forbes.

Musk, 50, works every day and 80 to 90 hours per week overseeing SpaceX and Tesla projects

Feud: Musk and Bezos' rivalry only intensified when Blue Origin announced in August that it was suing Nasa over a decision to award a $2.9bn (2.1bn) lunar lander contract to SpaceX

Along with Virgin Galactic's Sir Richard Branson, the billionaires have been dubbed the 'NewSpace' set.

Bezos had looked set to be the first of the three to fly to space, having announced plans to launch aboard his space company Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft on July 20, but Branson beat him to the punch.

The British billionaire became Virgin Galactic Astronaut 001 when he made it to space on a suborbital flight nine days before Bezos  on July 11 in a test flight.

Bezos travelled to space on July 20 with his younger brother Mark, Oliver Daemen, an 18-year-old physics student whose dad purchased his ticket, and pioneering female astronaut Wally Funk, 82.

Although SpaceX and Tesla founder Musk has said he wants to go into space, and even 'die on Mars', he has not said when he might blast into orbit  but has purchased a ticket with Virgin Galactic for a suborbital flight.

However, SpaceX appears to be leading the way in the broader billionaire space race, with numerous launches carrying NASA equipment to the International Space Station and partnerships to send tourists to space over the next for years.
Whether it's TikTok or Instagram, many of us are so obsessed with social media apps that we feel lost without our smartphone in our hand.

Now, an online calculator has been developed that reveals just how much screen time you've endured in 2021.

The calculator, by Sortlist, asks you to enter your daily screen time, before calculating how much that equates to over the course of the year.

You'll also be told how your results compare to the average amount of screen time for 16-64-year-olds this year, which was a whopping 52,925 minutes - the equivalent of 36 days, 18 hours, 5 minutes!

Nicolas Finet, co-founder and CMO at Sortlist, said: 'Without even knowing, we spend a lot of time behind a screen and because of this, we wanted to create the calculator to enable users to fully understand the extent of our digital lives and where the majority of our time is spent and how this compares to countries across the world.'

Whether it's TikTok or Instagram, many of us are so obsessed with social media apps that we feel lost without our smartphone in our hand

The calculator, by Sortlist, asks you to enter your daily screen time, before calculating how much that equates to over the course of the year. You'll also be told how your results compare to the average amount of screen time for 16-64-year-olds this year, which was a whopping 52,925 minutes - the equivalent of 36 days, 18 hours, 5 minutes

Average time scrolling in 2021 Time Time spent on social media (minutes) Time spent on social media Per day 145 2 hours, 25 minutes Per week 1,015 16 hours, 55 minutes Per month 4,410 3 days, 1 hour, 30 minutes Per year 52.925 36 days, 18 hours, 5 minutes

As part of the research, Sortlist analysed the daily time spent on the internet and social media, based on data from Hootsuite's Global State of Digital 2021 report.

The data shows that the average person now spends 145 minutes a day on their smartphone - up from an average of 142 minutes in 2020.

This adds up to 1,015 minutes a week, 4,410 minutes a month and a huge 52,925 minutes a year spent online!

'Over the past 18 months or so we have spent more time behind a screen than ever,' Mr Finet said.

Delving deeper into the data, Sortlist found that YouTube was the app that we tend to spend the most time on, racking up an average of 23 hours, 12 minutes per month

Digital detox tips Delete social media apps for a short period of time Remove notifications from apps to avoid temptation Set aside some phone free time each day to enjoy other activities Advertisement

'As a result of the pandemic, many people have been forced to work from home, spend copious amounts of time on Zoom calls and used their free time to scroll social media and utilise the array of apps at our disposal, but all of this time spent online can build up.'

Delving deeper into the data, Sortlist found that YouTube was the app that we tend to spend the most time on, racking up an average of 23 hours, 12 minutes per month.

This was followed by Facebook (19 hours, 30 minutes per month), WhatsApp (19 hours, 24 minutes per month), VK (113 hours, 54 minutes per month) and TikTok (13 hours, 18 minutes per month).

Breaking down the results by country, Sortlist found that people in the Philippines spent the most time scrolling (10 hours, 56 minutes per day).

This was followed by Brazil (10 hours, 8 minutes per day) Colombia (10 hours, 7 minutes per day), and South Africa (10 hours, 6 minutes per day).

Based on the findings, Sortlist advises that it might be wise for some users to take a digital detox over the festive period.

'In today's world the majority of day to day tasks are completed online and this isn't a bad thing, but it's important that we remind ourselves that there is more to enjoy than just social media and online browsing, ' Mr Finet added.

'Taking a digital detox isn't always easy and temptation can get the better of us, but if you're persistent and enjoy some time away from your screen, it's very likely you'll reap the benefits from doing so.'
A new four-wheeled robot designed to carry anything from parcels and drinks to babies and health monitors, has been developed by Hyundai.

The Mobile Eccentric Droid (MobED) robot has a low and flat body that is perfect for 'stability and high manoeuvrability' tasks, according to Hyundai.

It will be officially unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022 in January, where it will be shown undertaking tasks in complex and challenging environments.

In a promotional video for the device, it can be seen carrying a baby and crossing a hill while loaded with a pyramid of glasses filled with champagne.

MobED is 26 inches long, weighs 110lb and would be a useful 'mobility device for hte elderly or disabled,' Hyundai explained.

No pricing details have been released for the device, and Hyundai is yet to say when it will be commercially available.

The Mobile Eccentric Droid (MobED) has been developed with a low and flat body that is perfect for 'stability and high manoeuvrability' tasks, said South Korea-based Hyundai

MOBED: FACTS AND FIGURES Length: 26 inches (67 cm) Width: 23 inches (60 cm) Height: 13 inches (33 cm) Weight: 110lb (50kg) Wheelbase: Its wheelbase expands to 25 inches (65 cm) for optimum stability in high-speed driving. This then scales down to 17 inches (45 cm) for low-speed manoeuvres in more complex environments. Speed: 18.6mph (30kmh) Battery capacity: 2kWh Maximum runtime: Four hours Advertisement

It has been designed with a flat, rectangular body to allow for multiple uses, and rides on four large wheels with an independent suspension.

This enables 'optimal body posture and stable movement even on inclined and uneven roads,' Hyundai engineers explained.

It means the platform can move through even the most complicated urban environments by adjusting the wheelbase and steering angles more freely.

'We have developed the MobED platform to overcome the limitations of existing indoor guide and service robots while maximizing its usability in cities,' said Dong Jin Hyun, Head of Hyundai Motor Group Robotics Lab.

'We are also looking ahead to assess how potential users of MobED will further expand their needs and use for this type of technology.'

It comes with a number of new technologies, including 'Eccentric Wheel' drive and high-tech steering, breaking and altitude control systems.

This allows it to adapt and realise the optimum posture on different road surface and environments, without requiring human input or new wheels.

There are three motors mounted to each wheel, providing power and precise steering to the wheels, while providing greater posture control for the body.

It has been designed with a flat, rectangular body to allow for multiple uses, and rides on four large wheels with an independent suspension

Individual power and steering control for each wheel enabled 'in-place rotation and omnidirectional movement,' the firm explained in a press release.

This allows for highly effective mobility even in narrow situations, they added.

The 'Eccentric' wheel drive controls the posture and stabilised the body attitude by adjusting the height of each wheel according to the ground environment.

The MobED's 12-inch pneumatic tires further help to absorb bumps and vibrations, allowing it to carry even the most delicate payloads.

This enables 'optimal body posture and stable movement even on inclined and uneven roads,' Hyundai engineers explained

In a promotional video for the device, it can be seen carrying a baby, and crossing a hill while loaded with a pyramid of glasses filled with champagne

Hyundai says its device has been designed for full versatility and modularity, allowing it to be utilised for multiple applications.

The wheelbase expands to 25 inches long when moving at speed, and shrinks to 17 inches when traversing more complex terrain.

This provides even more flexibility, allowing it to be used at speed in consistent, flat environments, or more slowly over unexpected terrain - regardless of payload.

Hyundai says it expects the platform's wheel adjustability, compact body size and low vibration capabilities to make it an optimal technology solution for delivery, guiding and filming equipment.

It has been designed with a flat, rectangular body to allow for multiple uses, and rides on four large wheels with an independent suspension

'Thanks to its outstanding manoeuvrability, the platform can also be used for service robots that can operate both indoors and outdoors,' it said in a press release.

In the future its expects MobED could also be used as a mobility device for the elderly or the disabled, but would need to be increased in size first.

Right now they believe it could also be used as a stroller or leisure vehicle.

Hyundai aren't alone in going after the personal mobility market, with both Toyota and Honda investing in devices in this sector.
Fourteen new species of shrew have been discovered on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, a new study reveals.

The creatures, found following a decade-long survey on Sulawesi, are confirmed as new species based on physical characteristics and DNA sequences.

It marks the largest number of new mammals described in a scientific paper for 90 years, since 1931, according to researchers.

Shrews are a diverse group of mammals  461 species have been identified so far  and they have a nearly global distribution.

These small insectivorous animals are closer relatives to hedgehogs and moles than to any other mammals.

Crocidura pallida (pictured) is one of the 14 new shrew species discovered by a team led by Jake Esselstyn at Louisiana State University

The discovery was made by group of scientists led by Louisiana State University mammologist Jake Esselstyn.

'It's an exciting discovery, but was frustrating at times,' said Esselstyn, curator of mammals at the LSU Museum of Natural Science and associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences.

'Usually, we discover one new species at a time, and there is a big thrill that comes from it.

Fourteen new species of shrew have been discovered on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, the eleventh-largest island on Earth

Crocidura pallida, one of the new species found. All the 14 species are from the genus Crocidura, which is part of the red-toothed shrew family called Soricinae

'But in this case, it was overwhelming because for the first several years, we couldn't figure out how many species there were.'

All the 14 species are from the genus Crocidura, which is part of the red-toothed shrew family called Soricinae.

Within this particular genus, the 14 species have been separated into five groups  Long-Tailed, Rhoditis, Small-Bodied, Thick-Tailed and Ordinary.

THE 14 NEW SHREW SPECIES Researchers discovered the existence of 21 species of shrews on Sulawesi, only seven of which were previously recognised. Pictured, Elongata subgroup skulls Long-Tailed Group: C. microelongata, C. quasielongata Rhoditis Group: C. pseudorhoditis, C. australis, C. pallida Small-Bodied Group: C. baletei, C. mediocris, C. parva, C. tenebrosa Thick-Tailed Group: C. brevicauda, C. caudicrassa Ordinary Group: C. normalis, C. ordinaria, C. solita Advertisement

Genetic information and morphological clues helped the researchers separate the shrews into different species.

Differences in colour were strong physical indicators  some have white feet and others dark feet  as well as length and density of the fur.

'Morphologically, we found that various body proportions were most useful in distinguishing the species,' Esselstyn told MailOnline.

'These included overall body size and several ratios, including tail length relative to body length, skull length relative to skull width, the length of the anterior part of the skull relative to the posterior portion.'

Esselstyn said he found three species that have really long tails particularly interesting  C. elongata, C. quasielongata and C. microelongata.

'They all have very similar body proportions, which was quite confusing in the beginning,' he told MailOnline.

Mount Bawakaraeng in south Sulawesi, Indonesia. It's the third-highest peak on the Indonesian island

The researchers say: 'The species-level diversity of Crocidura on Sulawesi is nearly three times the known diversity of any other insular shrew fauna'. Pictured, Mount Gandang Dewata

'Once we had collected genetic data, we say that they are not each others' closest relatives.

'So they are probably either similar morphologically to the ancestral shrew species that first colonized Sulawesi a few million years ago, or they represent a remarkable case of morphological convergence.'

Along with Anang Achmadi from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences in Cibinong, Indonesia, Esselstyn began capturing shrews on the island in 2010 and soon realised there were too many undocumented species.

In total, the group trapped and examined genetic and morphological data of 1,368 shrews between 2010 and 2018.

Researchers discovered the existence of 21 species of shrews on Sulawesi, only seven of which were previously recognised.

Crocidura caudipilosa. This is not one of the new species. Esselstyn and colleagues described this species in another paper in 2019

The known diversity of shrews on Sulawesi is now three times more than is known from any other island, they say.

So far, little has been documented about shrews in mountainous regions such as Sulawesi.

'It's essential that we document and name that diversity,' Esselstyn said.

'If we can make discoveries of this many new species in relatively well-known groups like mammals, imagine what the undocumented diversity is like in less conspicuous organisms.'

The findings are detailed further in the published paper published in a new issue of the Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History.
It's the go-to destination for many party-loving sunseekers every summer, but a new study will fill Ibiza fans with dread.

Scientists have warned that up to 65 per cent of all beaches in the Balearic Islands will be permanently lost by the end of the century - and climate change is to blame.

A model was created to look at sea level changes under current climate change projections by researchers from the Oceanographic Centre of the Balearic Islands.

While the impact of the climate crisis on coastal areas has been widely studied, this is the first to show the impact specifically on popular tourist spots in the Balearics.

More than a quarter of the economy of the Balearic Islands comes from beach and sun tourism, so losing the beaches to climate change would be devastating.

'Here we show that climate change will lead to the permanent loss of more than 50 per cent of the beach surface, rising up to more than 80 per cent during storm conditions,' said study author Miguel Agulles.

These predictions are based on the worst case scenario of climate change, but efforts to cut carbon emissions could see a significant reduction in sea level rises around the world, the team said.

They also call on local and national governments to enact measures to reduce the risk of climate change on beaches, including by planting more seagrass.

Up to 65 per cent of all beaches in the Balearic Islands will be permanently lost by the end of the century, according to a new study, and climate change is to blame

The findings show that climate change will lead to the permanent loss of more than 50% of the beach surface, rising up to more than 80% during storm conditions

WHAT IS THE PARIS AGREEMENT? The Paris Agreement, which was first signed in 2015, is an international agreement to control and limit climate change. It hopes to hold the increase in the global average temperature to below 2C (3.6F) 'and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C (2.7F)'. It seems the more ambitious goal of restricting global warming to 1.5C (2.7F) may be more important than ever, according to previous research which claims 25 per cent of the world could see a significant increase in drier conditions. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change has four main goals with regards to reducing emissions: A long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels To aim to limit the increase to 1.5C, since this would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change Governments agreed on the need for global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognising that this will take longer for developing countries To undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with the best available science Source: European Commission Advertisement

Even under the most extreme climate change models, sea levels are not expected to rise everywhere on Earth to the same extent.

There will be differences caused by winds and ocean currents, according to researchers.

Earlier studies have predicted that around the Balearic islands, sea levels will increase by up to 26 inches, under the highest level of warming.

However, it isn't just sea levels that will impact the quality of beaches for tourism.

Flood levels, rather than constant sea level rises, depend on tides and waves, and are more of an important indicator of the future shape of beaches, the team behind this study explained.

They created a new, cost-efficient and accurate method to model future flood levels along the coastlines of the Balearic islands.

They considered the shape and slope of each beach, how grainy the sand is on the beach, the extent of seagrass meadows and used it to predict coastal flooding.

'A detailed analysis of the evolution of each beach in the Balearic archipelago is very demanding on computer power,' Agulles told Frontiers.

'We have therefore devoted considerable effort in our study to develop methodologies for the analysis and to optimise the computation.'

They discovered that it isn't all bad news, with extreme events less extreme than previously thought.

Wave heights will be up to six inches lower than the current maximum heigh of up to 13ft, they predict.

Despite this, Agulles and colleagues warn there will still be 'devastating inroads on the coastline', leading to a reduction in the number of beaches.

They say this will be mainly due to the overall rise in sea level, with at least 56 per cent of beaches in the region permanently lost to the sea.

This, combined with regional projections of sea level and wave changes over the next 100 years, allowed them to predict the future total water level.

They applied their new model to 869 beaches across the Balearic Islands, and looked at what is most likely to happen for the next few decades.

Under the most pessimistic climate change scenario, 66 per cent of current beaches will be flooded, and lost to the sea by the end of this century.

This is under average conditions, but under the most extreme conditions it will increase to a loss of 86 per cent of beaches during a storm.

While the impact of the climate crisis on coastal areas has been widely studied, this is the first to show the impact specifically on popular tourist spots in the Balearics

In total, 72 of the 869 beaches of the region would permanently disappear, while 314 would be completely flooded during storm episodes.

Under a moderate scenario of emissions, considered the most likely under current climate change scenarios, 37 beaches would permanently disappear while 254 would disappear only during storm episodes.

In both cases, the average permanent loss of beach surface area by the end of the century will still be over 50 per cent, and could reach 80 per cent.

In total, 72 of the 869 beaches of the region would permanently disappear while 314 would be completely flooded during storm episodes

Co-author Dr Gabriel Jorda said the results show climate change is a serious threat to tourism in the islands, and beaches will be seriously impacted.

He said national and regional governments should make plans to minimise hte impact of storms by preserving seagrass - a natural protection against storms.

'These projections indicate that adaptation plans for beach areas should be put in place as soon as possible.'

The findings have been published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.
Horseshoe crabs have been around for 450 million years, surviving mass extinctions and several ice ages, but conservationists say the creatures could soon go extinct because their bright blue blood is vital to pharmaceutical companies.

The blue blood has immune cells, known as Limulus polyphemus (LAL), which are sensitive to toxic bacteria and can be used to test vaccines and drugs for dangerous bacterial toxins before products hit the market.

The coveted blood has been used for nearly 20 years and has been vital tool in testing the coronavirus vaccines currently on the market.

Scientists drain the horseshoe crabs of their blood and return them to the ocean, after which most of the creatures die - one South Carolina lab says crabs are drained for up to eight minutes.

'As it is now, the entire supply chain for endotoxin testing of drugs rests upon the harvest of a vulnerable or near extinct sea creature,' Kevin Williams, a scientist who manufactures synthetic LAL told The Washington Post.

Convationists fear the Atlantic horseshoe crabs could go the way of the Asian horseshoe crab that is extinct in Taiwan and disappearing in Hong Kong, as a result of mainly biomedical testing.

While the US horseshoe crab is not currently endangered - they are near threatened - data shows up to 30 percent of the crabs harvested for their blood die when returned to the ocean.

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The blue blood has immune cells, known as Limulus polyphemus (LAL), which are sensitive to toxic bacteria and can be used to test vaccines and drugs for dangerous bacterial toxins before products hit the market

Ryan Phelan, co-founder and Executive Director of Revive and Restore, a wildlife conservation group based in California that lobbied for the synthetic, told Yahoo News: 'You've got a very large, biomedical bleeding industry with a vested interest in keeping those horseshoes crabs coming in and basically protecting this monopoly.'

Pharmaceutical companies in Europe and Asia have switched to using a synthetic copy of Limulus polyphemus, but many American firms are still bleeding horseshoe crabs in labs.

'In the US, 525,000 horseshoe crabs per year were captured during 2013 to 2017 and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission estimates short-term bleeding-induced mortality to be 15 percent (4 percent to 30 percent), resulting in mortality of approximately 78,750 horseshoe crabs annually in recent years comprising a minor portion,' according to a study published in Frontiers.

The Atlantic Marine Fisheries Commission also estimates that in 2019 US labs extracted blood from 640,000 horseshoe crabs.

The Atlantic Marine Fisheries Commission also estimates that in 2019 US labs extracted blood from 640,000 horseshoe crabs

The coveted blood has been used for nearly 20 years and is being used to test the coronavirus vaccines that are currently on the market. Above is someone pointing at the part where the blood is drawn for use

According to The Verge, horseshoe crab blood has become a $500 billion industry - it can bring as much as $15,000 per quart - and a South Carolina lab that still clings to the old practice is worth $13 billion because of it, The State reports.

Representatives from Charles River previously said that more than 80 million LAL tests are performed each year .

Dr James Cooper, who founded the Charleston facility in 1987, wrote in a company publication last year: 'The horseshoe crab blood donation is similar to human blood donation.

'The crabs are bled for a few minutes and returned to sea unharmed.'

A Charles River representative told The State: 'Eight minutes is unofficially recognized as the maximum bleeding time across the industry.'

Scientists drain the horseshoe crabs of their blood and return them to the ocean, after which most of the creatures die - one South Carolina lab says crabs can be drained for up to eight minutes

While the horseshoe crab is not currently endangered, data shows up to 30 percent of the crabs harvested for their blood in the US die when returned to the ocean

Research conducted at the College of Charleston shows that half of the horseshoe crab's blood can be drained within those eight minutes and this much harvested can the creatures to move slower when returned to the ocean.

Never mind the stress of being captured, hours spent out of the water and mishandling in the lab - all of which experts say contribute to their deaths.

A 2011 study conducted by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), conservation officers responsible for enforcing the environmental and conservation laws and policies, found 20 percent of the crabs died, according to records obtained by The State.
Roma manager Jose Mourinho is lining up a January move for Ruben Loftus-Cheek with the Chelsea star high on his list of midfield targets, according to reports in Italy.

The Portuguese boss has endured a mixed start to life in the Italian capital so far and a 2-0 win over Spezia on Monday saw his side move into sixth place in Serie A after losing their previous two league matches.

Now he's planning for the January transfer window and has identified Loftus-Cheek as a target as he plots a raid of his former club in a bid to bolster his midfield ranks.

Jose Mourinho is plotting a January raid of ex-club Chelsea, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek a target

Reports say Mourinho hopes Tammy Abraham (pictured) can convince his former Chelsea team-mate to join him in Rome

According to Il Romanista, Mourinho is also hoping Tammy Abraham can convince his former Chelsea team-mate to ditch west London and join him in Italy.

Roma are said to be considering a number of midfield options, including another Chelsea player in Saul Niguez after his struggles adapting to the Premier League since joining on loan from Atletico Madrid.

However, it's claimed the Spaniard, Bayern Munich's Corentin Tolisso, Douglas Luiz of Aston Villa and Borussia Monchengladbach's Denis Zakaria are all too expensive for Roma so attention has moved elsewhere.

That has led to the emergence of Loftus-Cheek on Roma's radar with the 25-year-old boasting the 'characteristics' that Mourinho is looking for in his new midfielder.

Roma are said to be keen on an initial loan deal with an option to buy and it's believed they would be willing to cover Loftus-Cheek's wages, believed to be around 170,000 per week.

Loftus-Cheek and Abraham were Chelsea team-mates throughout their time in the club's youth system and also played together at senior level.

The Chelsea star has been used frequently by Thomas Tuchel in recent weeks due to injuries

Abraham, who left Chelsea for Roma in the summer after falling out of favour under Thomas Tuchel, has scored 10 goals in 23 appearances this season.

Loftus-Cheek has seen his game time increase in recent weeks at Stamford Bridge as a result of injuries to N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic but it remains to be seen where he fits in Tuchel's plans when everybody is available.

He has played 90 minutes in four of the Blues' last five Premier League games and has registered three assists in 17 appearances but is yet to find the back of the net.

Austrian midfielder Florian Grillitsch is believed to be another midfield target for Roma but they are wary that newly-rich Newcastle can blow them out of the water in terms of financial power.
Piers Morgan has jumped to the defence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang once again, insisting Mikel Arteta is 'publicly humiliating him' as the striker continues to be absent after losing the Arsenal captaincy.

Aubameyang was stripped of the captaincy earlier this week and dropped from the squad following a breach of discipline.

The striker failed to report back in time for a Covid test after travelling to France, with his manager's permission, to visit his unwell mother.

Piers Morgan has jumped to the defence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after Mikel Arteta said he would not be involved against Leeds on Saturday

Morgan insisted Arteta is 'publicly humiliating him' after he was removed as the club's captain

The Gunners have coped well in the striker's absence, beating Southampton 3-0 at the weekend before goals from youngsters Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe secured a 2-0 win over West Ham on Wednesday.

Arsenal are back in action against Leeds on Saturday and Arteta has confirmed that Aubameyang will not be involved once again at Elland Road.

'He is not available for selection,' the Spaniard said on Friday morning.

Asked if he has a future at the club or what he has to do get back in favour, Arteta swerved both questions, repeating: 'For this game he is not available for selection.'

But Morgan, a renowned Arsenal fan, was furious with Arteta's reasoning for leaving Aubameyang out again and vented his fury on Twitter.

He posted: 'No, @Auba IS available but his manager wants to continue publicly humiliating him for going to see his sick mother.'

Arteta dodged questions on Aubameyang's future but insisted he will not play at Elland Road

In the aftermath of the announcement that Aubameyang was no longer club captain, Morgan took to social media to write: 'Shameful decision by Arteta.

'What a disgusting way to treat a man who went - with the clubs full knowledge & permission - to help his sick mother.'

It came after a statement released by Arsenal that said 'we expect all our players, particularly our captain, to work to the rules and standards we have all set and agreed' in light of Aubameyang's breach.

Arsenal had agreed the striker would return to England later on Wednesday evening, in turn ensuring he would be available to train on Thursday morning.

Instead, Aubameyang reportedly flew home on Thursday morning, and due to current Covid protocols was unable to return to training until he had produced a negative PCR test.

Arsenal agreed the striker would return on Wednesday but he reportedly flew home Thursday

Sportsmail understands the latest incident only amplified pre-existing concerns regarding Aubameyang's position as captain, with the decision made amid worry of disruptions to the wider squad.

Alex Lacazette wore the armband in the Gabon forward's absence, with the French striker one of the senior figures in Arsenal's 'leadership group' which will take temporary charge of the captaincy while Arteta searches for his next club captain.

Granit Xhaka, who was stripped of the captaincy himself in late 2019 after publicly criticising the Arsenal faithful, is also part of that group with out-of-favour defender Rob Holding another senior leader.

The likes of Kieran Tierney, Martin Odegaard, Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale have all been tipped as potential Arsenal captains for Arteta - a former Gunners skipper himself - to choose.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been banished from Arsenal first-team training and will continue to be exiled from Mikel Artetas plans until the end of 2021 at the earliest.

The strikers future at Emirates is looking increasingly bleak following the decision to strip him of the club captaincy on Monday, for what Arsenal called his latest disciplinary breach after returning late from an agreed trip to France to collect his sick mum.

Sportsmail understands the 32-year-old has not been involved in first-team training at the clubs London Colney HQ this week, a development that casts further doubt over his future in north London.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been banished from Arsenal first team training after his dismissal as captain

Instead, the striker has been training alone, away from the squad. Arteta confirmed on Friday that Aubameyang would not be considered for the weekend game versus Leeds and it is understood his non-inclusion in first-team affairs will continue until he leaves for Africa Cup of Nations duty at the end of the month.

A date for Aubameyangs release for the tournament, which is taking place in the Cameroon next month, is still to be agreed.

But the forward is understandably keen to leave for international duty as soon as possible.

Sources are adamant Aubameyangs non-inclusion within the senior set-up this week is not tantamount to a strike - but described as a mutual decision from all parties.

The striker's (left) future is looking increasingly bleak after he fell out with Mikel Arteta (right)

Aubameyang headed back to France last week to visit his mother, who has been unwell, but arrived back late from the trip

Indeed, Aubameyang is particularly keen to stay as fit as possible ahead of Gabons tournament campaign and is not refusing to train.

Despite this weeks fall-out, Arsenal are contractually obliged to provide Aubameyang with training provisions with the striker still using the clubs facilities despite his exile.

But his non-involvement at first-team level raises questions over whether there is a way back for him under Arteta.

There appears no chance of Aubameyang being reintegrated into the first team before he reports for international duty later this month.

The decision to not bring Aubameyang back into training is a 'mutual' decision

Aubameyang is still training and wants to maintain his fitness for the Africa Cup of Nations

The Gunners are open to letting Aubameyang go in January and will discuss any offers in next months window but a summer exit seems more likely as it stands.

That leaves the club facing the tricky task of potentially phasing Aubameyang back into the the squad when he returns from duty with Gabon but that issue will be dealt with upon the players return from Cameroon.

Much may depend on how Arsenal fare in Aubameyangs absence as to whether Arteta looks to merge his 350,000-per-week striker back into his plans.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Alex Ferguson have reunited for a heart-to-heart chat.

Manchester United posted a preview of an upcoming video interview with the Portuguese star and his former boss on Twitter.

Ferguson speaks to Ronaldo about the importance of forging a bond with the club, telling the Portuguese: 'It's vital that people recognise that you care.'

Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Alex Ferguson (right) have been reunited by Manchester United

Ronaldo and Ferguson are seen having an in-depth conversation for the club's media

The Scot acted like a father figure to Ronaldo after bringing him to the club when he was only 18.

And in the video it appears that Ronaldo discusses his fraught relationship with his own father, who died in 2005 of liver failure following long-running struggles with alcoholism.

'Everything that he said to me, he did, and it's difficult,' Ronaldo can be seen saying.

Ferguson famously pledged to sign Ronaldo after watching the then teenager ripping United apart in a pre-season friendly away to Sporting Lisbon in 2003.

The Scot has spoken before about how he discussed swooping for him with his staff and squad on the flight home from that game, completing a 12 million move for him shortly afterwards.

Ronaldo is thought to discuss his relationship with his late father in the interview

Ferguson is thought to have played a big role in Ronaldo returning to United this summer

Ronaldo showed flashes of his future brilliance in his first couple of seasons at Old Trafford before emerging as a true superstar in the 2006/07 season, helping United to win the first of three consecutive Premier League titles.

Ferguson acted like a mentor and father figure when he brought Ronaldo to United in 2003

Ferguson decided to sign Ronaldo on the plane home from a friendly with Sporting Lisbon in which the Portuguese had starred

He also scored in the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea, which United won on penalties in Ferguson's second European Cup triumph. Later that year, Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or for the first time.

Ronaldo eventually moved to Real Madrid in 2009, a year after the Spaniards first made a move for him, and went on to establish himself as one of the best players of all time, forging a compelling rivalry with Barcelona counterpart Lionel Messi.

But he continued to show fondness for the club where he made his name and Ferguson is believed to have played a big role in helping bring him back to United last summer from Juventus.
After what's probably been the most outrageous year of our entire lives, it's safe to say Christmas can't come soon enough.

We can all hear Mariah Carey playing in the back of every store, the tree is up and glowing and we're at the stage where eating an entire cheese board is all in the 'festive spirit' - and after the year we've had, you better believe we deserve it.

So as we count down the days until December 25, we've picked out some of our favourite things December has to offer - from last minute gift ideas, to a glamorous new reality series and events that will get you in the Christmas mood.

Guess who's back! What's the festive season without a dusting of drama? That's right, the highly-anticipated new season of The Real Housewives of Miami is set for release just in time for Christmas - and you can watch the entire thing on hayu

What to watch: Real Housewives of Miami Season Four

What's the festive season without a dusting of drama? That's right, the highly-anticipated fourth season of The Real Housewives of Miami has released just in time for Christmas - and you can watch it all exclusively on hayu.

Don't fear, as the icons themselves - Alexia Echevarria, Lisa Hochstein, and Larsa Pippen - are all returning for another wild instalment of your favourite show.

There's also a bunch of new faces, including Guerdy Abraira, Dr. Nicole Martin and Julia Lemigova who promise to bring the glamour and sass to the new season.

Franchise favorites Marysol Patton and Adriana de Moura are also back as 'friends of' the cast, alongside new addition Kiki Barth.

Awkward! As soon as we launch into the preview, Marysol (pictured) makes things a little bit spicy as she asks her castmates 'I'd like to know, who here you trust the least?'

'My life is like a movie. And the award for best drama, goes to me,' Alexia says in the intro - and if the trailer is anything to go by, she's certainly not wrong.

As soon as we launch into the preview, Marysol makes things a little bit spicy as she asks her castmates: 'I'd like to know, who here you trust the least?'

When Nicole says Marysol should go first, she swiftly responds: 'I think I trust Nicole the least...' - a move which was bound to cause some drama from the get-go.

'Marysol, you are bored in your life!' Nicole bites back, before Larsa seemingly asks her: 'Who the f**k are you?'

Larsa then throws some major shade at Lisa as she blurts out: 'Just stay out of it, like you normally do.' And this is all within the first minute. Amazing.

Yikes! When Nicole says Marysol should go first, she swiftly responds: 'I think I trust Nicole the least...' - a move which was bound to cause some drama from the get-go.

Another slice of drama includes Larsa saying she's 'obsessed' with OnlyFans - which sparks a ton of comments from the other ladies - to her later being ruthlessly slammed by Adriana de Moura for 'trying to be the new Kim Kardashian'.

The diss is particularly harsh considering the mom-of-four, 47, and 41-year-old SKIMS founder's decades-long friendship came to an abrupt end last summer, resulting in them unfollowing each other on Instagram. Eek.

But the spotlight focuses on Alexia at the end of the video, as it shows the devastating moment the cast discovered her mother had died from Covid-19 - on what was supposed to be the day she married her fiance, Todd Nepola.

Drama: Larsa seemingly asks Nicole: 'Who the f**k are you?' before throwing some major shade at Lisa as she blurts out: 'Just stay out of it, like you normally do'

'She was preparing for the worst and then the worst happened,' one of her castmates says in the video.

From highs, to lows and everything in-between, season four of The Real Housewives of Miami is definitely a must-watch for every reality fan - and the perfect accompaniment to an evening of wrapping gifts.

Stream the new season of The Real Housewives of Miami right now, exclusively on hayu.

What to buy: Last minute gift ideas

This year's festive season seems to have snuck up on us all - and many have been left lagging behind on their shopping as plans are thrown up in the air amid the pandemic.

And while there's not much time left to grab a bargain, we've put together some of our top picks of what to nab last-minute this year.

For those who like to be up to date with the latest and greatest new tech gadgets, the Polaroid IE50 Wave Underwater Digital Camera is available to nab for just $129.

Perfect for travel! For those who like to be up to date with the latest and greatest new tech gadgets, The Polaroid IE50 Wave Underwater Digital Camera is available to nab for just $129

The handy gadget can be a great companion to your Christmas holiday adventures - catching crisp photos and videos in 4K UHD up to 10 feet underwater. Pretty amazing for those upcoming trips we have planned, right?

Gamers would be thrilled to get their hands on an Oculus Quest VR Headset (available for $479) and the Sony Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (from $399) which are great for music, games and travel.

For beauty lovers, Charlotte Tilbury has an incredible offer on a mystery box which will fit perfectly under the Christmas tree.

How good! Gamers would be thrilled to get their hands on an Oculus Quest VR Headset (available for $479, pictured) and the Sony Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (from $399) which are great for music, games and travel

The box is worth a whopping $360, but is being sold right now for just $180, meaning you get an entire 50 per cent off. Not bad, hey?

There's seven full-sized items in the box, with one being an iconic contour and highlighter palette and another as a berry-red lipstick - but the rest is a complete mystery until opened. What a surprise that would be!

For the runners, sportsmen and gym-goers in your life, you can't go past a Fitbit Versa 3 ($399.95) - designed to inspire people to improve their fitness and reach their goals.

Brilliant: If you want to grab something for someone who hasn't come off social media for entire year, then look no further that The Unofficial TikTok Cookbook

You could even buy an outdoor 60-minute personal training session with 'Commando Steve' Willis for four people for $699. Now that's a present we wouldn't forget in a hurry!

If you want to grab something for someone who is simply obsessed with social media, then look no further that The Unofficial TikTok Cookbook.

The handy little book contains 75 internet-breaking recipes, snacks, drinks and treats that have gone absolutely viral this year. Help your mates become the next viral sensation and cook you delicious food to boot - what's not to love?

What to get excited for: Events

How festive! If you love Christmas and every little thing it entails, then Wonderland Bar in Sydney is the place for you to be this December

If you love Christmas and every little thing it entails, then Wonderland Bar in Sydney is the place for you to be this December.

The entire places is decked out in Christmas decor, and is the perfect little haven for you to get in the festive spirit - expect bar elves, Christmas games, Xmas anthems on repeat and a fully festive cocktail menu!

Tickets are just $15 each and get you a 90 minute session and a drink on arrival, and it's running right up until December 31.

There's prizes for the best dressed - and ugliest Xmas jumper - each session. It's perfect for date nights, work night or simple festive hangs. What more do we want!

After this corker of a year, they're even opening the bar up right until the end of January, but without the immersive experience. It really can be Christmas every day!

If you're looking for something a bit different to look forward to, how about grabbing a last-minute ticket to As Seen On TV  the epic new 2022 regional Australian tour and drag workshops from drag queen icons Art Simone and Etcetera Etcetera.

Iconic: If you're looking for something a bit different to look forward to, how about grabbing a last-minute ticket to As Seen On TV  the epic new 2022 regional Australian tour and drag beauty workshops from drag queen legends Art Simone and Etcetera Etcetera

The RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under stars are heading all over Australia from May to July next year, where they promise to perform side-splitting numbers about their misadventures in drag. The perfect gift, you might say!

Of course, there can be such a thing as 'too much' Christmas for some people, so that's why our last suggestion is something completely un-festive related.

Everyone knows The Grounds of Alexandria always have on an incredible theme for when you grab lunch or dinner - and until Sunday, 30 January, it's entirely Beauty and The Beast Themed.

That's right, mademoiselle - to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Disneys Beauty and the Beast, the entire venue has been decorated in fairy tale decor to ensure you feel just like Belle.

You can book a table for lunch or dinner, and immerse yourself in one of the greatest Disney movies of all time. Be our guest!
Home and Away actress Sam Frost went out partying with a co-star on Thursday night as news broke she was leaving the Channel Seven soap after four years.

Sam, 32, who has played nurse Jasmine Delaney since 2017, quit the long-running series after copping backlash in October when she revealed she hadn't had the Covid vaccine.

As her exit from the show made headlines, Sam appeared to celebrate as she visited a hookah lounge in Sydney with Nicholas Cartwright, who plays Cash Newman.

Exit: Home and Away's Sam Frost (right) went out partying with co-star Nicholas Cartwright (left) on Thursday night as news broke she was leaving the Channel Seven soap after four years

The pair documented their night out on Instagram Stories, with one video showing Nicholas inhaling from a hookah pipe alongside the caption 'Celebrate!'

Sam, a former Bachelorette, will film her last scenes for Home and Away on Friday at Sydney's Eveleigh Studios, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The actress will then move to Melbourne to be closer to her friends and family.

Moving on: Sam, 32, who has played nurse Jasmine Delaney since 2017, quit the long-running series after copping backlash in October when she revealed she hadn't had the Covid vaccine

She left the show after Seven Productions announced a vaccine mandate for all cast, crew and presenters, which takes effect on January 10.

Sam had revealed she was unvaccinated in a tearful Instagram video uploaded in early October.

She also admitted she was struggling with her mental health due to other people judging her for her vaccination status.

Last days: Sam, a former Bachelorette, will reportedly film her last scenes for Home and Away on Friday at Sydney's Eveleigh Studios. She was on location in Palm Beach on Thursday (pictured: an on-set video from her Instagram Story)

'I was really hesitant about doing a video or even speaking up about this sort of thing, but I feel like it's getting to a point now in the world where there's a lot of segregation,' she said.

'There's a lot of harsh judgement and opinions being thrown around a lot and it's taking its toll on my mental health for sure, and I know people around me are struggling - particularly if they're on the side of they don't want to get vaccinated, for whatever reason.

'There are lots of different reasons why people are not getting vaccinated and it might be because of their medical history, their concerns, they might have family history, it could be religious reasons.'

Sam then said she hadn't been vaccinated, but claimed she had spoken to her doctor as well as a psychologist about her decision.

Reasons: She left the show after Seven Productions announced a vaccine mandate for all cast, crew and presenters, which takes effect on January 10

She added tearfully: 'It's a really hard time to be in society right now and you feel like you are less of a human and you feel like people judge you.

'And you're too scared to talk about your opinion or your feelings and part of you wants to go, "Well, it's none of your damn business why I'm not! And there's good reasons why I'm not and I don't want you to judge me."

'I'm struggling a lot with my mental health and I like to think that I'm pretty on to it. I see a psychologist regularly. So I can't imagine what it's like for people who don't have a support network around them.'

Her video caused a great deal of controversy, mainly because of her use of the word 'segregation' when referring to the way society 'judges' unvaccinated people.

'Segregation' is typically used to describe societies that are divided due to race, religion or sexual orientation.

Relocating: The actress will soon move to Melbourne to be closer to her friends and family

In the following weeks, Sam was pictured on the Palm Beach set of Home and Away.

However, Seven announced a vaccine mandate across all shows in late October.

The network said it 'will only engage fully vaccinated presenters, cast and crew' from January 10, meaning Sam was essentially told: 'Get the jab or face the sack.'

She later confirmed on November 2 she would be fully vaccinated by late February - about seven weeks after the vaccine mandate comes into effect.

Her character would be 'written out temporarily' in the meantime, she said.

Judgement: Sam had revealed she was unvaccinated in a tearful Instagram video uploaded in early October (above). She also admitted she was struggling with her mental health due to other people judging her for her vaccination status

At the time, she claimed she wasn't able to get the jab sooner because of an unspecified 'medical procedure booked in for January'.

She also insisted she wasn't leaving the soap permanently and that she had the full support of Seven executives.
She always puts on a dazzling display on BCC's Strictly Come Dancing.

And Motsi Mabuse, 40, looked stunning in soft pink pin curls and a green sequin suit as she left the It Takes Two studio on Thursday.

The judge, rocked her incredible new hairstyle as she pulled out all the stops for her festive outfit after recently saying that.

Glamorous! Strictly's Motsi Mabuse dazzled in a glamorous PINK pin curled hairstyle and green sequin suit as she left the It Takes Two studio on Thursday

She donned the glitzy two piece with a busty black strappy top and sequin peep-toe heels.

Motsi is never shy of a new look as she stunned in her classy new hair do and full face of glamorous makeup.

As she made her exit from the studio she wrapped up in a longline padded coat and carried an oversized leather tote.

Dazzling: Motsi, 40, is never shy of a new look as she stunned in her classy new hair do and full face of glamorous makeup

This comes as the dancer revealed that she finally feels comfortable showing off her ever changing hair.

If anyone is giving scores, the fabulous styles appearing on the top of Motsi's head have deserved tens across the board.

Earlier this month, she strutted down the stairs wearing a veritable tower on her head as she said 'some people have called that my Marge Simpson look'.

Wow! This comes as the dancer revealed that she finally feels comfortable showing off her ever changing hair

Another week, she was seen sporting fierce Bantu knots close to the scalp followed by her biggest-ever Afro style.

Speaking to the MailOnline Motsi said: 'Maybe it [her hair] will get its own seat next year.'

She added that fellow judge Craig Revel Horwood is a fan, as she explained: 'The week he was off, isolating with Covid, he texted to say: "Love the hair, darling."'

Huge! Another week, she was seen sporting her biggest-ever Afro style

Motsi explained that it hadn't always been that way as during her childhood in South Africa: 'Hair like ours had to be made more neat, more tidy  we had to fit in.'

Now, the dancer has her own hair cupboard in the Strictly make-up department with many hairstyles to choose from.

She added: 'I can have hundreds of looks, depending on what I do and how big I want to go.'
Former AFL WAG Amie Rohan has spoken candidly about the loss of her daughter Willow just hours after giving birth three years ago.

The mental health advocate choked back tears while recounting the bittersweet arrival of twins Willow and Bella on the Pregnancy Uncut podcast.

Amie and her ex-husband Gary Rohan suffered unimaginable grief in 2018 when Willow died five hours after birth due to a defect called anencephaly which causes babies to be born without parts of the brain and skull.

Bella survived and is now three years old.

Emotional interview: Gary Rohan's ex-wife Amie has said giving birth to twins but losing one to a birth defect 'was one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful moments of my life'

Amie explained that early on in her pregnancy she and Gary, 30, were told Willow wouldn't survive due to her condition.

'The language used was "incompatible with life" and I still went, "What needs to be done?" and the lady was like, "No, no, no, your baby will pass away,"' she said.

'I loved being pregnant and it was daunting to not know what was on the other side.'

Bittersweet: 'It was beautiful, one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful moments of my life, to have so much joy and sorrow at the same time, it was beautiful... because we had the support of an entire medical team behind us trying to make it as special as it could be,' she explained

Amie went on to have a C-section and said the birth of her twins was 'one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful moments of my life'.

'It was beautiful, one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful moments of my life, to have so much joy and sorrow at the same time, it was beautiful, beautiful... because we had the support of an entire medical team behind us trying to make it as special as it could be,' she explained.

'Willow was just there and so serene... They both got put on my chest and I wanted that moment to last forever... it was like I was having an out-of-body experience.'

Moment: 'Willow was just there and so serene... They both got put on my chest and I wanted that moment to last forever... it was like I was having an out of body experience,' she said

Shortly after the birth, their family met the babies and Willow soon died.

'I had to be a strong person over the past year and put on a strong front,' she said through tears as she recalled the heartbreaking moment.

Amie said they had a memorial for Willow in the hospital and now she's determined to 'protect her memory'.

'It was a real turning point in my life knowing that highs and lows are a part of life and just being like, "Hey, s**tty things happen and you just have to power on basically,"' she said.

Amie added that she had experienced a lot of 'healing' by speaking about her story.

Bella is now three. Gary and Amie also share a one-year-old daughter, Sadie.

Their girls: Bella is now three. Gary and Amie also share a one-year-old daughter, Sadie

The Rohans' four-year marriage reportedly ended just months after their daughter Sadie was born in March last year.

They split shortly after he entered the AFL's Gold Coast coronavirus hub. While in the hub, he hooked up with club staffer Madi Bennett after his marriage broke down.

Madi had been flown cross-country to use her physiotherapy skills to help Geelong Cats legend Gary Ablett Jr see out his final season.

She'd been working as a physiotherapist at BodyLab Health and moonlighted as a Cats trainer and physio.
Roxy Jacenko has built a fashion and toy empire for her 10-year-old daughter Pixie.

And now she has launched a new business for her seven-year-old son Hunter: a range of streetwear and accessories for kids called HPC.

The 41-year-old PR queen launched the brand this week, and told News.com.au they initially had a difficult time finding the right kind of product.

Little entrepreneur: Roxy Jacenko has launched a new business for her seven-year-old son Hunter: a range of streetwear and accessories for kids called HPC

She said: 'We had the idea of bow ties, but he turned his nose up pretty quickly at that idea and said, "Hats! That's what I wear and that's what kids want, so they don't have to bother with hair product!"'

'We worked together on the campaign model casting and of course he features in the campaign,' she added.

She revealed Hunter chose the first release of products ideal for summer, including bucket hats and trucker caps.

Product input: The 41-year-old PR queen said, 'We worked together on the campaign model casting and of course he features in the campaign'

Cool for kids: She said Hunter (centre) chose the first release of products ideal for summer, including bucket hats and trucker caps. Next year, the range will include socks and jackets

Next year's second collection, set for release at the end of January, will expand to include socks and a denim jacket.

Roxy's philosophy for starting her children's businesses has been to help them develop a strong work ethic early.

'Whilst uni is great, having hands on experience in the "real world" prior and during and seeing something from concept to on shelves is invaluable learning,' she added.

Preparing her kids: Roxy's philosophy for starting her children's businesses has been to help them develop a strong work ethic early

Ready for the real world: She added, 'Whilst uni is great, having hands on experience in the "real world" prior and during and seeing something from concept to on shelves is invaluable learning'. Pictured is Roxy with her children Pixie and Hunter

Earlier this month, Roxy discussed the success of her daughter Pixie's two business ventures: the accessory line Pixie's Bows and toy range Pixie's Fidgets.

The 10-year-old is en route to retire before she even finishes high school - with estimates she'll earn $21million over the next decade.

'You won't need to worry; you can retire at 15 the way you're going,' Roxy said to her daughter in a recent joint interview in Stellar magazine.

Money matters: Earlier this month, Roxy discussed the success of her daughter Pixie's two business ventures: the accessory line Pixie's Bows and toy range Pixie's Fidgets

Nice! The 10-year-old is on route to retire before she even finishes high school - with estimates that she'll earn $21million over the next decade. 'You won't need to worry; you can retire at 15 the way you're going,' Roxy said to her daughter in a recent joint interview

'When I was 14, I got a job at McDonald's because that's what you did back in my day.

'So, I guess to me the biggest thing is her drive as an entrepreneur. Yes, I've enabled it, but she's still got it, which is for me the most rewarding part.'

In May, Pixie's line of fidget toys alone sold a mammoth $200,000 worth in their debut month across Australia.
Stephen Colbert commemorated the 20th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings' theatrical release Wednesday with #1 Trilly, a special rap featuring Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, and other stars of the motion picture.

Also appearing the rap included cast alums Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis and Viggo Mortensen, as well as cameos from rappers Method Man and Killer Mike; and actress Anna Kendrick, who absorbed jabs about her films Pitch Perfect and Twilight.

As the film initially hit theaters on December 19, 2001, Colbert said he wouldn't 'be on the air next week to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, which also happens to be the 20th anniversary of me not shutting up about The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.'

The latest: Stephen Colbert, 57, commemorated the 20th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings theatrical release Wednesday with #1 Trilly, a special rap featuring stars of the motion picture and others

Colbert said that the film anthology - which also includes 2002's The Two Towers and 2003's The Return of the King - is his 'favorite film series of all time,' noting how it should get the same reverence as the Harry Potter series, which will have a reunion on HBO Max January 1.

'Seriously? Harry Potter's fine, but it's no Lord of the Rings,' said Colbert.

He continued: 'If you ask me, there is no better film series. Lord of the Rings is without a doubt the greatest trilogy in movie history. I know I may have said that many times before, but I have never - not once - rapped it. Until now.'

In the musical number with his bandleader Jon Batiste, the video alternated between a luxe studio set and a retro video store hearkening decades back.

Colbert said that the film anthology - which also includes 2002's The Two Towers and 2003's The Return of the King - is his 'favorite film series of all time'

Colbert was joined in the musical number by his bandleader Jon Batiste

Elijah Wood, who played Frodo in the anthology, is seen in the musical showcase

Colbert was joined by Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd in the number

The chorus blared, 'Lord of the Rings is the number one trilly/Ask anybody and they know the dilly.'

Wood, who played Frodo Baggins in the films, chat with People in September about the legacy of the film series.

'Those films had a massive impact on all of our lives,' he said. 'It was the experience we had making them tucked away in New Zealand for the better part of four years, making some of the best friends of our lives. I'm really proud to be a part of it.'

Colbert this past April hosted three cast reunions for the film in conjunction with Alamo Drafthouse.

The Lord of the Rings is slated to get a prequel series on Amazon Prime set to debut next September on Amazon Prime.

Rappers Method Man and Killer Mike lent their musical expertise in the segment

Orlando Bloom donned a blue coat with cloudy patterns in the rap

Colbert has been a noted fan of the trilogy since it came out two decades back

Anna Kendrick absorbed jabs about her films Pitch Perfect and Twilight in the number
Denzel Washington revealed he did not cry at his mother's funeral during an emotional interview on Wednesday's episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

The 66-year-old actor appeared on the program to promote his upcoming feature, The Tragedy of Macbeth, before the topic of conversation changed to that of his late mother Lennis, who passed away at the age of 97 this past June.

The performer became choked up during several points of the sit-down, and bluntly told the show's host: 'This is terrible!...I didn't cry at her funeral.'

Dealing with it his way: Denzel Washington revealed that he did not cry at his mother's funeral during Wednesday's episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

When Colbert asked why, Washington humorously expressed: 'I guess I saved it up for you!'

The Training Day star made a point of noting that his mother had an especially long life and that he and his siblings were grateful for the time they were able to have with her.

He made a point of expressing that 'she didn't get cheated, nor did my brother and my sister and I.'

Washington then noted that the first time that he had experienced love was for his own mother.

Emotional: The performer became choked up during several points of the sit-down, and bluntly told the show's host: 'This is terrible!...I didn't cry at her funeral'; he is seen with his wife, Pauletta, and his mother at the 1990 Academy Awards

On the bright side When Colbert asked why, Washington humorously expressed: 'I guess I saved it up for you!'

'A mother is a son's first true love. A son, especially that first son, is a mother's last true love,' he stated.

The performer then noted that he came to understand that assertion upon seeing his own son interact with his mother at a young age.

He remarked: 'You know when I knew that? When I saw my son, John David Washington, handle my wife. I don't care what she does, she's going, "All right, baby."'

Washington also pointed out that Lennis was a constant presence in his life right up until her passing.

Doting mother: Washington also pointed out that Lennis was a constant presence in his life right up until her passing

He notably stated that his mother 'was there for everything and, uh, she went home.'

At one point, Colbert showed the audience a photo of the actor being accompanied by his wife and mother at the 1990 Academy Awards, when he won the Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Glory.

Washington became visibly emotional after the picture was shown and wiped several tears from his eyes.

The program's host then quoted Sigmund Freud and stated: 'A son who believes himself to be his mother's favorite has a life long confidence that nothing can shake.'

Heart-wrenching: Washington became visibly emotional after the picture was shown and wiped several tears from his eyes

The actor attempted to make light of the quote in his context and made it clear that he was not the easiest child to raise.

'I don't know if I was her favorite, I gave her the hardest time, I can tell you that,' he said.

Washington concluded the sit-down by expressing that the audience members should 'hug' and show their 'love' to their parents.

Advice: Washington concluded the sit-down by expressing that the audience members should 'hug' and show their 'love' to their parents

According to Lennis' obituary, she was born on April 4th, 1924, and grew up in Harlem after leaving with her family as part of the Great Migration.

She eventually moved to Mount Vernon, New York, where she met her eventual husband, Rev. Denzel H. Washington Sr, and they went on to welcome three children, including the actor.

The performer's mother ran several successful salons after working as a beautician and retired in Rockville, Maryland.

Washington's mother passed away on June 14th.
Ioan Gruffudd's girlfriend Bianca Wallace has paid a heartfelt tribute to her late friend, one year on from her tragic death.

The Australian actress, 29, took to Instagram stories on Thursday to share her previous tribute following the death of Lisa Griffiths last year, with Bianca adding images of her pal to the post.

Captioning the post, she penned: 'One year on and not a day goes by without you crossing my mind'.

Devastated: Ioan Gruffudd's girlfriend Bianca Wallace has paid a heartfelt tribute to her late friend, one year on from her tragic death

Lisa was a real estate agent who lost her battle with brain cancer at just 27.

She was first diagnosed with the incurable disease at 22 years old when doctors found a 6.7cm tumour in 2015.

But after five years of surgeries and tests she tragically lost her fight last year at Cairns Hospital surrounded by family and friends.

Ms Griffiths' cancer was so rare that there wasn't any other patient nationally who had her strain.

So sad: The Australian actress, 29, took to Instagram stories on Thursday to share her previous tribute following the death of Lisa Griffiths last year, with Bianca adding images of her pal to the post

Among the heartfelt words in Bianca homage to her friend, she wrote: 'I am so lucky to have lived at the same time that Lisa graced this earth.

'She was such a rare and precious soul in her short time here. She didn't for a second stop fighting for her life, she wanted to live and knew how precious life truly is.'

Bianca added in the tribute: 'You were a part of my life for longer than you weren't., My goodness I will miss you. The world just won't be the same.'

Tragic: Lisa was a real estate agent who lost her battle with brain cancer at just 27. She was first diagnosed with the incurable disease at 22 years old when doctors found a 6.7cm tumour in 2015

Sharing a poignant message, she added to the old post: 'Reminder - Life is incredibly short. Never stop following your heart, never stop fighting for your life & never give up on yourself.'

It comes after Alice Evans stated that she 'needs to accept' that her estranged husband Ioan Gruffudd and his girlfriend Bianca 'are besotted' with one another.

The actress, 53, has made her split from Ioan, 48, extremely public, after their 14-year marriage broke down in January, with tensions only further rising when the actor stepped out with Bianca this month.

In the wake of their appearance together, Alice, who is in a custody battle over her and Ioan's daughters Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, took to Instagram once again to send her regards and also reveal she was seeing a rise in her own popularity.

Following the release of images of the couple making their first public outing together, Alice then reflected on how she felt about the shots in a kind message.

Acceptance: It comes after Alice Evans stated that she 'needs to accept' that her estranged husband Ioan Gruffudd and his girlfriend Bianca 'are besotted' with one another

Bitter: The actress, 53, has made her split from Ioan, 48, extremely public, after their 14-year marriage broke down in January, with tensions only further rising when the actor stepped out with Bianca this month

In her post, Alice penned: 'Ive been so careful for 20 years. because I wanted a private life. so I looked at them, felt a little embarrassed, also a little warm...

'If theyre that in love then lets try to make it work for them. and I deliberately did not post or mention anything. and no longer intend to...

'Theyre clearly besotted with each other abs i need to accept that. ( Besides, ive never had so many hot guys ask me out on DM Im quite overwhelmed!!!'

Evans is now adjusting to life on her own after he publicly confirmed a new relationship with his Harrow co-star on Instagram, a move she described as 'every woman's nightmare.'

Ioan filed for divorce in March, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason behind their split.

Warmed up: In the wake of their appearance together, Alice, who is in a custody battle over her and Ioan's daughters Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, took to Instagram once again to send her regards and also reveal she was seeing a rise in her own popularity

Last month, Alice claimed Bianca 'ruined her life' in a scathing social media post.

Hitting back at trolls claiming they're defending the actress, the star took to Instagram to share a playful snap, along with a caption claiming Bianca was 'a b***h who manifested Ioan away from their daughters.'

Alice claimed the pair had been embroiled in a three-year affair - which has been denied by a friend of the couple.

Evans and Gruffudd met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000, when Alice was in a relationship with Pablo Picasso's grandson Olivier.

The former couple 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.

Gruffudd hasn't publicly addressed the couple's divorce.
Jeff Garlin has been replaced by his regular stand-in to wrap up his character's story on ABC's The Goldbergs.

The body double stood in for Garlin's body, while the 59-year-old comedian's face will later be digitally superimposed, sources told Deadline on Thursday.

The actor was reported Wednesday to have 'immediately' departed the production after coming to a mutual agreement with Sony Picture Television following an HR investigation into claims of inappropriate 'verbal and physical conduct' on set.

Replaced: Jeff Garlin, 59, was replaced by a body double for his final day filming ABC's The Goldbergs, with his face to be superimposed via CGI later, Deadline reported Thursday; seen in 2017 in NYC

Sources previously told the publication that Garlin only had one day left of filming for the ninth season, which began airing episodes in September.

They also claimed that using CGI to replace his face over the stand-in was not a new practice and had been done multiple times in the past. The scenes filmed with the stand-in are set to wrap up Garlin's run on the series.

In his lengthy interview with Vanity Fair, Garlin defended himself following an alleged altercation with two stand-ins, but it's unclear if the person who replaced him in the episode was one of those people.

It hasn't yet been revealed whether The Goldbergs will be renewed for a tenth season, but the series is reportedly getting an extra four-episode order for the ninth season, bringing it to a total of 22 episodes.

The Curb Your Enthusiasm actor reportedly canceled his Covid-19 test on Monday.

Sources on set revealed that executives visited on Wednesday night to 'the elephant in the room' of Garlin's departure, while also congratulation everyone on filming the series' 200th episode.

'It feels a little surreal that he will never be here again but the mood on the set is ecstatic,' said a person who witnessed the visit. 'In fact several people cheered when the execs said that Jeff would not be returning.'

Not coming back: Garlin reportedly didn't bother to get his Covid-19 test on Monday. After executives addressed the departure Wednesday night the cast and crew reportedly cheered; seen with Wendi McLendon-Covey

Deadline reported Wednesday night that Garlin was abruptly exiting The Goldbergs following an HR investigation.

So far, representatives for Sony have not commented on Garlin's swift departure.

The standup comedian admitted in a lengthy interview with Vanity Fair earlier this month that he had been investigated multiple times by HR over complaints of inappropriate touching and offensive language, though he claimed at the time that he had not been fired.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a producer on the The Goldbergs informed the cast and crew on set Wednesday that Garlin wouldn't be returning after reaching an agreement with the studio.

Sources claimed that he wasn't expected to stick with the series if it was renewed, and it's currently unclear how the show will address his absence.

He star as the patriarch Murray Christian Goldberg, who is married to Beverly Goldberg, played by Wendi McLendon-Covey. The autobiographical comedy series is inspired by creator Adam F. Goldberg's childhood in the 1980s.

Following Garlin's interview with Vanity Fair, in which he defended himself against complaints from on set, his coworkers spoke with Deadline anonymously.

The described conditions on set as being relatively professional and cordial, though the atmosphere allegedly turned sour when he was on set to film.

He's out: Garlin mutually decided with Sony to leave The Goldbergs immediately following several HR investigations, Deadline reported Wednesday; seen November 26 in Burbank

'He is extremely verbally and emotionally abusive,' one employee claimed.

One source alleged that a camera assistant complained to her department head about Garlin's use on set of the word 'vagina,' which he admitted to using in his interview.

After he learned of the complaint, Garlin reportedly put his hands around the camera assistant's face and repeatedly said the word to her.

He also allegedly made a variety of off-color sex jokes that offended some crew members.

The comedian reportedly had a tendency to refer to some female crew members by nicknames, some of which they found offensive.

Elsewhere in his Vanity Fair interview, Garlin defended himself after he was accused of having a 'physical and verbal' incident with a stand-in.

A person who claimed to have witnessed the incident said that he screamed at a female stand-in, 'Why are you always in my way? Get the f*** out of my way,' as she walked in front of him down a ramp.

Speaking out: Following a defensive interview with Vanity Fair, his coworkers anonymously claimed that he was 'extremely verbally and emotionally abusive' on set; seen on The Goldbergs

Rude behavior: Garlin allegedly told a female stand-in to 'get the f*** out of my way' after filming a scene and repeated the comment to her husband, who is also a stand-in; still from The Goldbergs

He allegedly then told her husband, also a stand-in, to 'tell your wife to get the f*** out of my way.'

Sources described this incident as 'the straw that broke the camels back,' and it allegedly led to new HR complaints.

'Not just would he intimated that woman, he would then turn around and belittle and embarrass her husband,' the eyewitness said. 'This is just the grossest abuse of power.'

Sources contended that during the few times when Garlin was on set after the incident, his offensive behaviors continued and he even mocked the HR investigations.

Jeff Garlin is speaking out and denying claims that he behaved inappropriately on the set of his ABC comedy series The Goldbergs.

The 59-year-old standup comedian, who has been part of the main cast since the series premiered in 2019, claimed that he was still part of the series in a lengthy interview with Vanity Fair published Friday.

The actor also downplayed allegations that he told inappropriate language on set and defended himself as a 'person who hugs' after sources reportedly complained about being touched by him.

Pleading his case: Garlin previously denied claims he had 'engaged in a pattern of verbal and physical conduct on set that made people uncomfortable' in an interview with Vanity Fair; seen in 2018 in Burbank, Calif.

Garlin, who plays the father on the family sitcom, was said to have 'engaged in a pattern of verbal and physical conduct on set that made people uncomfortable' from three people who formerly worked on the show.

One of the sources noted that they weren't personally made uncomfortable by his behavior, though they other people thought it was 'demeaning or unprofessional.'

The insiders claimed that some people on set were made uncomfortable by the actor touching or hugging them, though it's unclear if any of the offended parties told him that they were uncomfortable.

'He got away with it because he would call himself out for it  saying he was a big teddy bear, saying things like, "Oh you know me, just a big bowl of mush, Im a hugger. I just love you,"' one source claimed.

In his interview, Garlin made it clear that he was still working on the series.

'No, I was not fired from The Goldbergs. I have not been fired from The Goldbergs,' he said.

In a statement sent to People, a spokesperson for Sony Pictures Television wrote: 'The well-being of our cast and crew is of utmost importance to us. This is an employment matter and it is being addressed by HR and production.'

Fighting back: Garlin stressed that he hadn't been fired from ABC's The Goldbergs and claimed that one complaint about him from a stand-in was over a joke 'that was completely missed'; still from The Goldbergs

After he was asked about an incident with a stand-in that was described as both 'physical and verbal,' Garlin denied that there was any physical component to the altercation.

'And the verbal part was a joke that was completely missed,' he continued, adding that he personally like the man and his wife, who were unnamed.

'If someone misses a joke, thats unfortunate to me. I dont like it,' he said, though he refused to disclose what the joke was, only calling it 'silly' and saying it was 'misconstrued.'

The comedian, who is currently on a stand-up tour to aid comedy clubs harmed by the coronavirus pandemic, denied that he had ever 'sent a text to a Goldbergs colleague saying that they should go to the next table-read wearing only panties.'

'I didn't write those words. And I'd like to see the text and who I sent it to,' he replied. 'But everything that I write like that is about joking. I am respectful of women and women's bodies. And I don't make jokes about that, because I don't find it funny.'

Garlin claimed there was 'no story' behind the allegations, and suggested it was all a misunderstanding over his attempts to bolster his humor.

'My opinion is, I have my process about how Im funny, in terms of the scene and what I have to do. [Sony] feels that it makes for a quote unsafe workspace,' he said.

'I am always a kind and thoughtful person. I make mistakes, sure. But my comedy is about easing peoples pain,' he continued. 'Why would I ever want to cause pain in anybody for a laugh? Thats bullying. Thats just uncalled for.'

Garlin continued, saying that 'HR has come to me three years in a row for my behavior on set.'

He didn't say what set off the investigations but claimed they were over 'silly' matters.

'If I said something silly and offensive, and Im working at an insurance company, I think its a different situation,' the comic argued.

'If I, as the star of the show, demanded a gun range and on set, and I was firing guns every day and I was a little bit loose  to me, thats an unsafe work atmosphere,' he continued. 'If I threatened people, thats an unsafe work atmosphere.

Touchy feely: Garlin admitted he's a 'person who hugs for sure' after he was confronted with complaints, but said he wished offended people would have told him or a producer before HR; seen in 2019 in NYC with Netflix COO Ted Sarandos

'None of that goes on ever with me. Thats not who I am,' he said, adding that there was 'no big story' unless it was framed around 'political correctness.'

Garlin then denied any kind of physical misconduct and and said that anyone complaining about his verbal conduct on set 'has it out for' him.

As for the question of unwanted hugs, the Curb Your Enthusiasm star said people on set who never want to be hugged by him tell him that.

'I am a person who hugs for sure. And its quick hugs, but I didnt realize that anyone was feeling  so if you want to write that story, thats a true story,' he said. 'It puts the onus on them to say something, and I would gladly respect anyone who said, "Please dont hug me. I dont feel comfortable."'

However, he said that 'HR has never said a word to me about hugs.'

Garlin did agree that hugging that made someone uncomfortable would be 'wrong.'

In response to a question about Garlin allegedly 'saying things on set that make people feel uncomfortable and demeaned,' he claimed it was just his 'silliness on set' and said he thought it was acceptable behavior in the workplace, while again saying he wished the offended parties had told him or one of the producers about their concerns before bringing the matter up with HR.

Although he again reiterated that he had not been fired, he indicated that negotiations were ongoing about his future with the series.

'Were trying to come to a place where we come to an agreement,' he said. 'Either I can behave the way [they want] or not. Well see, but Im not being fired and Ive not been fired.'

He also said he would 'not be doing any of my silly stuff or anything, out of respect,' when he returned to work.

Garlin wound down the interview by claiming he almost hadn't returned for the ninth season because he was 'bored' by filming on it, and he suggested the series might not even be renewed for a tenth season.
On Thursday, NBC teased two more promotional shots of Grammy nominee Miley Cyrus and SNL star Pete Davidson glammed up ahead of her New Year's Eve Party special, which tapes live in Miami.

The 29-year-old pop star and the 28-year-old comedian were captured by her personal photographer Vijat Mohindra at The North End in Hollywood back on December 7.

For the shoot, Miley (born Destiny) slipped into a sexy black Bob Mackie cocktail dress selected by stylist Bradley Kenneth.

Ready for the countdown! On Thursday, NBC teased two more promotional shots of Grammy nominee Miley Cyrus and SNL star Pete Davidson glammed up ahead of her New Year's Eve Party special, which tapes live in Miami

And Pete looked dapper, for once, in a traditional Giorgio Armani tuxedo selected by stylist Britt Theodora.

Cyrus and Lorne Michaels are executive producing her special, which will feature a 'star-studded lineup of special guests and musical performances' - likely including Davidson's new flame Kim Kardashian.

The Am I Dreaming hitmaker poked fun of the girl-crazy comic's love affair with the 41-year-old thrice-divorced mother-of-four in a song she belted on the December 9 episode of The Tonight Show.

'Pick your character': The 29-year-old pop star (L) and the 28-year-old comedian (R) were captured by her personal photographer Vijat Mohindra at The North End in Hollywood back on December 7

'Big debut energy!' Miley and Pete's special - airing December 31 from 10:30pm to 12:30am EST on NBC/Peacock - will succeed Carson Daly's NYE specials, which spanned 2004-2020

Broadcasting their NYE kiss? Cyrus and Lorne Michaels are executive producing her special, which will feature a 'star-studded lineup of special guests and musical performances' - likely including Davidson's new flame Kim Kardashian (R, pictured November 16)

Cyrus used her three-octave mezzo-soprano pipes to cover Yvonne Fair's 1975 song It Should Have Been Me with lyrics like: 'It should have been me. In that Lamborghini leaving that nice a** restaurant. I want to watch a movie in frickin' Staten Island.'

Miley and Pete's special - airing December 31 from 10:30pm to 12:30am EST on NBC/Peacock - will succeed Carson Daly's NYE specials, which spanned 2004-2020.

'I wanted to do something that's traditional, but I knew that we would do it in a way that is unique and unconventional, and we did that by starting with going to Miami,' the 'gender-fluid' millennial told host Jimmy Fallon.

Good sport: Cyrus poked fun of the girl-crazy comic's love affair with the 41-year-old thrice-divorced mother-of-four in a song she belted on the December 9 episode of The Tonight Show

The Am I Dreaming hitmaker used her three-octave mezzo-soprano pipes to cover Yvonne Fair's 1975 song It Should Have Been Me with lyrics like: 'It should have been me. In that Lamborghini leaving that nice a** restaurant. I want to watch a movie in frickin' Staten Island'

Miley told host Jimmy Fallon: 'I wanted to do something that's traditional, but I knew that we would do it in a way that is unique and unconventional, and we did that by starting with going to Miami. He'll be funny and I'll be naked and, together, we've got a show!'

'He'll be funny and I'll be naked and, together, we've got a show!'

But first audiences can catch Davidson performing in this week's episode of Saturday Night Live hosted by Paul Rudd and featuring musical guest Charli XCX.

The Suicide Squad actor also executive produces and voices intellectual stoner Phineas T. Phreakears in the 11-episode animated series The Freak Brothers, which airs Sundays on Tubi.
Another week, another nightmare of cancellations, chaos and catastrophe for Londons theatres as the Governments scaremongering devastates West End audiences and Covid takes its toll on both cast and crew.

All across the capital, shows have been on. Then off. Then on again. Until no one knows whether theyre coming or going.

Andrew Lloyd Webber had to cancel last nights performance of Cinderella after five more company members tested positive for Covid.

The Lion King and Cabaret  the new (up to) 310-a-ticket extravaganza  have both been closed for several performances this week due to Covid-enforced absences. Both were off again last night.

The Lion King has been closed for several performances this week due to Covid-enforced absences

Life Of Pi at Wyndhams Theatre cancelled five shows from December 9 to 13. Moulin Rouge! restarted on Monday after a ten-day Covid-enforced break and Hamilton is closed until further notice.

Others, including The Rhythmics  a sort of Calendar Girls meets The Full Monty  are done for, closed for good after disruption caused by ongoing illness and Covid-19-related absences in the company.

Its not just London. Pantos everywhere from Brighton to Milton Keynes, Coventry to Pembrokeshire have been cancelled or pushed back to Christmas 2022. Doors closed. Programmes pulped. Ice creams ditched and Christmas staff laid off.

All of which is, of course, a total nightmare.

But even worse, and thanks to the Governments scaremongering about tidal waves of Omicron, now the audiences  once so loyal and stead- fast  are vanishing.

Christmas sales usually represent the fat that carries many theatres through the rest of the year. But the Governments endless mixed messages and threats of record-breaking infection rates have seen this years bookings hit for six.

Life Of Pi at Wyndhams Theatre cancelled five shows from December 9 to 13. Moulin Rouge! restarted on Monday after a ten-day Covid-enforced break and Hamilton is closed until further notice

Indeed, the minute Omicron was reported as a serious threat, SeatPlan, the theatre ticket agency, saw a 30 per cent drop in sales almost overnight. When Boris made his announcement, they dipped again.

On top of all that, industry reports suggest that nearly half of the theatregoers who bought tickets in advance are choosing not to attend, despite refunds for general twitchiness being out of the question. (Theatres can give refunds or exchanges when someone cant attend because they either have Covid or have been forced to isolate).

The truth is that the figures just dont add up for theatre companies any more. A decimated audience doesnt inspire confidence. Cancelled shows cost money  about 30,000 a week to keep a 1,000-seater West End theatre closed. And far more for the really big shows  a cancelled Cinderella costs 80,000 a night.

Andrew Lloyd Webber had to cancel last nights performance of Cinderella after five more company members tested positive for Covid

Cabaret  the new (up to) 310-a-ticket extravaganza  has been closed for several performances this week due to Covid-enforced absences

The irony is that, barely a fortnight ago, it was all looking so hopeful. Bookings were up, spirits were high and Londons West End was showing signs of bouncing back after the financial damage caused by Covid.

Sales in recent months had been strong, just shy of 2019 levels, says a spokesperson for the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre. Audiences were rushing back from all over.

Even Lord Lloyd-Webber  who saw his new musical Cinderella delayed for a year and a half and had ploughed in 1 million a month of his own money to keep his seven London theatres afloat  was feeling cautiously optimistic.

Not any more.

The depressing sense of deja vu to it all doesnt help.

On December 15, 2020  just as Boris was assuring us that Christmas rules would be relaxed (something he backtracked on just three days later)  the West End was flattened by Londons move to Tier 3.

Back then, of course, the Government shut it all down overnight, so there was no choice.

This year, it seems the tactic is to scare people so witless about the risks that they wont dare go to the theatre. Closure by stealth is what industry insiders call it.

Which must be terribly frustrating because, over the past 18 months, Londons theatres couldnt have done more to demonstrate that with masks, vaccine certificates, lateral flow tests and myriad carefully thought-out Covid safety measures in place, the audience couldnt be better protected.

In fact, the theatre world actively supported Boriss Plan B  with mandatory masks and vaccination passes. Covid passes are not yet mandatory, but many theatres had implemented them already. Why not? Anything to protect their customers.

Here, for those who refuse to be cowed and are determined to support the industry, we provide a guide of whats on, whats off, whats coming back and whats not  for this week, anyway!

How shows across the country are falling victim

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club yesterday confirmed that performances would be cancelled for the rest of the week after members of the company tested positive.

Moulin Rouge! reopened at the Piccadilly theatre on Monday after a ten-day Covid-enforced break.

Cinderella was cancelled last night. No news yet on tonights performance.

The Royal Shakespeare Companys Comedy Of Errors at the Barbican has cancelled everything until December 22.

The press night for Hex, at the National Theatre, a major new musical based on Sleeping Beauty has already been postponed once and has now been shunted back to 2022.

The Lion King, at the Lyceum, has been off since Tuesday and yesterday announced further cancellations due to ongoing Covid-enforced absences among cast and crew.

Hamilton, at Victoria Palace Theatre, had been due to resume following the cancellation of Wednesdays evening show, but yesterday it was announced that producers were not able to make it work.

The press night for Hex, at the National Theatre, a major new musical based on Sleeping Beauty has already been postponed once and has now been shunted back to 2022

Life Of Pi at Wyndhams Theatre pulled five shows from December 9 to 13.

Londons Southwark Playhouse has closed its new musical The Rhythmics  described as Calendar Girls meets The Full Monty  three weeks early, after disruption caused by ongoing illness and Covid-related absences in the company.

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In the Night-Time at the Troubadour theatre in Wembley Park had cancelled performances until today.

Performances of The Donmar Warehouses Force Majeure, starring Rory Kinnear, were cancelled this week from Tuesday to Thursday, due to cases of Covid-19 in the company.

Maria Callas Letters And Memoirs at Her Majestys theatre, has been postponed until April 2022. Theatregoers with tickets for the Book Of Mormon at the Manchester Palace were given 90 minutes notice that Tuesday and Wednesday evening shows had been cancelled this week.

There has also been widespread pantomime pandemonium around the country.

The Brighton Centres Aladdin, starring Anita Dobson, has been postponed until 2022 due to the uncertainty and risk surrounding the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

Peter Pan at The Chrysalis Theatre in Milton Keynes was cancelled after junior cast members tested positive.

Performances of Beauty And The Beast at Coventrys Belgrade Theatre have been suspended since December 8 and will not resume until December 18, at the earliest.

Jack And The Beanstalk from the Big Pembrokeshire Panto in Tenby, due to star The Only Way Is Essexs James Argent, has been cancelled.

Rapunzel at the ADC Theatre in Cambridge will now finish early.

Jack And The Beanstalk at the Byre Theatre in St Andrews, Scotland, has been cancelled.

The whole industry's having a nightmare!

By Andrew Lloyd Webber for the Daily Mail

It has been a terrible few days and it is getting worse. It is simply heartbreaking for me to see our industry decimated by a situation beyond all of our control.

We had to cancel yesterday evenings performance of Cinderella with three hours notice.

Five more members of the company have tested positive, on top of three on Thursday. Were a very large production and every cancelled show is devastating, but we simply cant rehearse around the gaps in the cast and cover the performance.

Of course, the entire industry is having the same nightmare  from huge extravaganzas such as Cinderella, with a massive cast and endless costume changes, to small and local theatres, many showing our beloved pantomimes, in city centres up and down the country.

It is simply heartbreaking for me to see our industry decimated by a situation beyond all of our control, writes Andrew Lloyd Webber

Not to mention all the hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars and thousands of others who rely on us to bring people into town and city centres.

I am nearly 74 and desperate to get back to writing again. Instead, for the last year and a half, I have been campaigning for the commercial theatre industry.

But in the end, I have come to the conclusion that no one in the Government listens. Certainly not the new Culture Secretary, Nadine Dorries, who has made it abundantly clear that she doesnt think commercial theatre needs any support.

Its a difficult message for all the industries, jobs and people who are now lurching from day to day to hear from someone who is supposed to be a Tory minister representing the arts.
Mark Wright and Vogue Williams quit their respective Heart FM shows on Thursday to spend more time with their families.

The stars took to Instagram to share the news with their fans, with Mark revealing: It's time to spend more time with what's most important. my family.'

Vogue- who is married to Spencer Matthews- revealed her Sunday's will now be a 'chill day, lazy mornings with my babies and Spen!'

Family: Mark Wright and Vogue Williams (pictured) quit their respective Heart FM shows on Thursday to spend more time with their families

Although listeners will miss Vogue on Sunday mornings, they will still be able to catch Mark on Saturday's, however he will no longer host his Monday-Thursday shows.

Alongside a video montage of his favourite interviews he wrote: 'I've had so much fun over the last couple of years on my evening show here @thisisheart

'I have been lucky enough to chat to some of the biggest stars in the world whilst playing the best feel good music there is to play. It's now time to pass over the reins to an incredible talent in @dev'

'It's been a terribly tough decision as I have had the time of my life every evening in the studio playing for you.

Alongside a video montage of his favourite interviews he wrote: ' I've had so much fun over the last couple of years on my evening show here @thisisheart

New show: DJ and broadcaster Dev will be taking over Mark's mid week slot

'But sometimes life moves in different directions and after the last year or so, it's made me think about life slightly differently and it's time to spend more time with what's most important. My family.

'Here's the better news, to all my loyal listeners I'm not going too far, as every Saturday from 4-7pm I will be here at heart with you doing what I do best, playing the best tunes to get you ready for Saturday night. If you need getting up for Saturday night, you know where I am.

'To my bosses and all my listeners. Thank you for the memories.'

While Vogue shared a stunning snap of herself in the Heart FM studio's and wrote: 'What a brilliant almost two years it's been at @thisisheart 

While Vogue shared a stunning snap of herself in the Heart FM studio's and wrote: 'What a brilliant almost two years it's been at @thisisheart 

Signing off: 'I adore radio, I loved working with Heart but I was finding it hard having no days off most weeks. Sunday is gonna be my chill day, lazy mornings with my babies and Spen!'

New host: Presenter and model Katrina Ridley (pictured) will now be taking over Vogue's show

'I'm signing off from my Sunday morning show but just found out the amazing news that my pal and fab presenter @katrina_ridley is taking over!

'I adore radio, I loved working with Heart but I was finding it hard having no days off most weeks. Sunday is gonna be my chill day, lazy mornings with my babies and Spen!'

The Irish TV presenter shares two children Theodore, three, and one-year-old Gigi with founder and CEO of CleanCo, Spencer.

Vogue began hosting the new Sunday breakfast show in March 2020 from 6-9am every week and presenter and model Katrina Ridley will now be taking over the hot seat.

Sweet: The Irish TV presenter shares two children Theodore, three, and one-year-old Gigi with founder and CEO of CleanCo, Spencer

Mark joined Heart with his Club Classics show in December 2012, however he moved to America in 2017 until 2019 to present Extra.

After returning to the UK he began presenting his Monday-Thursday slot in June 2020.

The former TOWIE star and wife Michelle Keegan have almost completed work on their 3.5 million Essex mansion.

Mark and Michelle, who are estimated to have a net worth of 12million, have been documenting the construction process after purchasing the original property for 1.3million in October 2019.
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Katherine Schwarzenegger was spotted out for the first time on Thursday after it was revealed she is expecting her second child with husband Chris Pratt, 42.

The 32-year-old author's burgeoning baby bump poked out from under a pair of baggy black overalls as she strolled the sidewalk in Los Angeles with an iced coffee in hand.

Schwarzenegger and Pratt also share baby daughter Lyla Maria, whom they welcomed into the world in August 2020.

Out and about: Katherine Schwarzenegger was spotted out for the first time on Thursday after it was revealed she is expecting her second child with husband Chris Pratt

Katherine's adorable maternity getup was completed with a beige long-sleeve thermal top and some comfy slide sandals.

Her flowing light brown tresses were styled in an effortless half up half down hairdo and she appeared to be wearing little to no makeup.

A pair of black RayBan shades rested on her head and she accessorized with a pair of chunky gold hoops and several matching chain necklaces.

She swung by an LA coffee joint in her black Range Rover vehicle, which remained parked just steps away as she placed her order.

Burgeoning bump: The 32-year-old author's burgeoning baby bump poked out from under a pair of baggy black overalls as she strolled the sidewalk in Los Angeles with an iced coffee in hand

Pint-sized companion: Katherine appeared to be joined by Chris' nine-year-old son Jack, who helped her carry a bag of goodies back to the car

Katherine appeared to be joined by Chris' nine-year-old son Jack, who he shares with ex wife Anna Faris, 45.

It's unclear whether or not Pratt had joined them on the morning outing.

After grabbing coffee and several yummy treats, Katherine and Jack leisurely strolled back to her car.

Finishing touches: Katherine's adorable maternity getup was completed with a beige long-sleeve thermal top and some comfy slide sandals

Natural beauty: Her flowing light brown tresses were styled in an effortless half up half down hairdo and she appeared to be wearing little to no makeup

Accessorized: A pair of black RayBan shades rested on her head and she accessorized with a pair of chunky gold hoops and several matching chain necklaces

Being the perfect little gentleman, Jack carried the bag of to-go food for his pregnant stepmom.

She eventually snagged the bag from Jack and got herself situated in the driver's seat.

The day prior, Jack was spotted enjoying some one-on-one time with his famous father in Los Angeles.

Father-son time: The day prior, Jack was spotted enjoying some one-on-one time with his famous father in Los Angeles

Suited up: The duo ran errands together, with the Guardians Of The Galaxy actor suiting up for the occasion in a black zip-up, denim jeans, and some lace-up sneakers

Favorite pair: Jack rocked the same bright red New Balance kicks he wore during his Thursday outing with Katherine but paired them with a matching hoodie and navy blue pants

The duo ran errands together, with the Guardians Of The Galaxy actor suiting up for the occasion in a black zip-up, denim jeans, and some lace-up sneakers.

Jack rocked the same bright red New Balance kicks he wore during his Thursday outing with Katherine but paired them with a matching hoodie and navy blue pants.

Sources revealed to PEOPLE on Thursday morning that Katherine and Chris have another baby on the way just a little over a year after welcoming their 16-month-old daughter.

Their new baby joy comes shortly after Pratt honored his wife with a sweet social media tribute for her birthday.

'Happy Birthday Honey! You are such a wonderful wife, mother, step-mother, and life partner,' he wrote. 'I simply can't imagine how lost I'd be without you.

Confirmed: Sources revealed to PEOPLE on Thursday morning that Katherine and Chris have another baby on the way just a little over a year after welcoming their 16-month-old daughter; Katherine and Chris pictured in 2019

'You're beautiful, tough as nails, reasonable, deeply thoughtful, extraordinarily smart, you're a complete boss, eternally driven and you communicate like no other. Thank you for everything.'

He added: 'We fit so perfectly into each others lives that our Union is a daily reminder that God is looking out for us. Navigating the odd circumstances of our world is a task I cannot handle alone. And Im so grateful I dont have to. Your commitment to helping others is contagious.'

Katherine is the oldest daughter of former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, who is the niece of President John F. Kennedy.

Chris and Katherine first sparked romance rumors in early 2018, after they were spotted canoodling in Santa Barbara, CA.

Mom and Dad: Chris and Katherine are parents to Lyla Maria, 16 months

Coparents: Pratt shares co-parenting responsibilities of his nine-year-old son, Jack, with ex-wife Anna Faris; Anna, Jack, and Chris pictured in 2017

Seven months prior, Chris filed for divorce from wife Anna Faris after eight-years of marriage, citing 'irreconcilable differences,' according to TMZ. They asked for joint custody of their son Jack who was five-years-old at the time.

Katherine and Chris were later captured on a PDA-packed outing in July of 2018, followed by numerous family hangouts with the Schwarzenegger's and the Pratt's, which were documented on social media.

The couple did not confirm their relationship status until December of 2018, a little over a month after Chris' divorce from Anna was finalized, as reported by E! News.

The confirmation came in the form of 'Happy Birthday' post from Chris to Katherine, which included a photo collage of the brunette beauty.

Blessed: Pratt discussed family planning efforts earlier this year and told E! News last summer that he'd 'love' to have more kids, and was willing to have 'as many [kids] as the man upstairs will provide'

'Happy Birthday Chief! Your smile lights up the room. I've cherished our time together. Thrilled God put you in my life. Thankful for the laughs, kisses, talks, hikes, love and care,' wrote the Parks And Rec alum.

On January 9, Chris proposed to Katherine, which he proudly announced to his 28.8million Instagram followers.

'Sweet Katherine, so happy you said yes! I'm thrilled to be marrying you. Proud to live boldly in faith with you. Here we go!' captioned Pratt.

He included a photo of himself and Katherine embracing that gave his followers a clear view of the giant rock on her finger.

Birth announcement: She'd give birth to their little girl in August 2020, with the couple confirming her arrival via Instagram on August 10

Moving fast: 10-months after their June 2019 wedding, it was revealed by Katherine's mother Maria that the newlyweds were expecting their first child; Katherine and Chris pictured in August 2020

They moved in together shortly after getting engaged.

Katherine and Chris were married on June 8 of 2019 during what was described as 'an intimate ceremony' in Montecito, California.

10-months later in May 2020, it was revealed by Katherine's mother Maria that the newlyweds were expecting their first child together. The 66-year-old journalist let the news slip during an episode of her Instagram Live series #HomeTogether.

'You're gonna have another beautiful family member,' said Shriver to Pratt at the time, who was a featured guest.

Bumping along: In May 2020 - just days after her mom's reveal - Katherine unveiled her baby bump for the first time during a dog walk near her home in Brentwood

Days later, Katherine unveiled her baby bump for the first time during a dog walk near her home in Brentwood.

She'd give birth to their little girl Lyla Maria in August, with the couple confirming her arrival via Instagram on August 10.

'We are beyond thrilled to announce the birth of our daughter, Lyla Maria Schwarzenegger Pratt,' Pratt captioned the post. 'We couldnt be happier.'

He included a photo of him and his wife tenderly holding the newborn's hand.

'Both mom and baby are doing great. We are extremely blessed,' he continued, signing off: 'Love Katherine and Chris.'

Earlier this year, Pratt gushed over the thought of having more children with Katherine and that he's willing to have 'as many [kids] as the man upstairs will provide.'

He added, 'We'll do it. I'll probably have to talk to Katherine about that but my plan is, let's go.'
Sofia Vergara went on a solo shopping trip on Thursday in upscale Beverly Hills, California.

The 49-year-old bombshell sported a white crewneck Gucci sweatshirt and distressed denim as she left jewelry store XIV Karats, Ltd.

Her lengthy light brown locks were bone straight and obscured her face as they blew in the wind.

Retail therapy: Sofia Vergara went on a solo shopping trip in Beverly Hills on Thursday

The Modern Family actress wore a leopard print face mask over her visage.

Only her eye makeup was visible over the swath of material as she left the Beverly Hills jeweler.

The mother-of-one carried a medium size black leather YSL bag cross-body style.

Windblown air: Her lengthy light brown locks were bone straight and obscured her face as they blew in the wind

The Colombian-born beauty sported light wash blue jeans that were ripped at one knee.

And she was seen walking to a dark-colored SUV in crisp white platform Puma sneakers.

Sofia displayed a black manicure as she carried two black bags from the retailer.

Her sweater displayed the Italian brand's name in black studs with the year it came out, 1921, inscribed above it.

Casual fashion: The 49-year-old bombshell sported a white crewneck Gucci sweatshirt and denim as she left jewelry store XIV Karats, Ltd

Staying safe: The Modern Family actress wore a leopard print face mask over her visage

Casual style: Sofia kept it casual in ripped jeans while shopping in Beverly Hills

Earlier in the day Vergara appeared on Instagram to interact with her 24 million followers.

The bombshell shared a throwback image of herself posing on a black leather chair in an itty bitty string bikini.

She wore strappy black heels as she rested her head on the furniture with her eyes shut.

'#tbt Los Angeles early 2000s,' she wrote in the caption with a string of bikini emojis.
The Block favourites Ronnie and Georgia Caceres have denied their marriage is over after rumours surfaced they were 'living apart'.

The Perth couple, who married in 2011 and have two children, set the record straight during an Instagram Q&A on Friday.

Georgia insisted they were very much still together and urged fans not to believe everything they read in gossip magazines.

Clearing up the rumours: The Block favourites Ronnie and Georgia Caceres have denied their marriage is over after rumours surfaced they were 'living apart'

'So many rumours you two aren't together anymore. Please tell me this isn't true,' one worried fan wrote.

'Don't believe everything you read! Rondog was filming in Sydney before The Block auction [in November] and I was in Perth with the kids,' Georgia replied.

'I think this is where this "living apart" rumour started.'

She added: 'Those gossip mags write literal lies. It's crazy what they get away with.'

Don't believe it! The Perth couple, who married in 2011 and have two children, set the record straight during an Instagram Q&A on Friday afternoon. Georgia insisted they were very much still together and urged fans not to believe everything they read in gossip magazines

Ronnie and Georgia, who are parents to nine-year-old son Leo and seven-year-old daughter Charlotte, placed last during The Block's season finale in November.

They had been 'strong contenders' heading into auction day, but ended up making the least amount of money when their four-bedroom home sold for $3,696,000.

The Cacereses expressed mixed feelings about the result in a lengthy Instagram post they shared after the episode went to air.

Disappointing outcome: Ronnie and Georgia, who are parents to nine-year-old son Leo and seven-year-old daughter Charlotte, placed last during The Block's season finale in November

While they said their profit of $296,000 was a 'fabulous financial outcome for our family', they acknowledged placing last was a crushing disappointment.

They also couldn't resist taking a parting shot at the teams who'd gained an unfair advantage by cheating - namely Tanya and Vito Guccione and the Packham twins.

They boasted of the fact they'd played 'an honest and fair game' throughout, despite finding themselves at a disadvantage by having a corner home on the smallest parcel of land.

Gutted: The couple (pictured with The Block host Shelley Craft) had been 'strong contenders' heading into auction day, but ended up making the least amount of money when their sophisticated four-bedroom home sold for $3,696,000

Mixed feelings: While they said their profit of $296,000 was a 'fabulous financial outcome for our family', they acknowledged placing last was a crushing disappointment. Pictured with host Scott Cam

Ronnie and Georgia also graciously congratulated winners Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie, who secured an upset victory over bookies' favourites Kirsty Lee Akers and Jesse Anderson.

'Our The Block journey might not have ended the way we planned but its still such a fabulous financial outcome for our family,' they said.

'We hold our heads high knowing we left nothing in the tank, did the best we could whilst playing an honest and fair game.

'Being on the smallest parcel of land and positioned on a corner were factors out of our control.'

Dishonest: They also couldn't resist taking a parting shot at the teams who'd gained an unfair advantage by cheating - namely Tanya and Vito Guccione (pictured) and the Packham twins

The pair continued: 'Thank you to our amazing family of builders, in particular SJ Carpentry Services and Chippie Timber who built a seriously sensational home.

'To our families back in Perth who selflessly allowed us to tap out for three months, we are forever grateful. David Wood and Jenny Dwyer at Belle Property, thank you for being consummate professionals; it's been a pleasure having you in our corner.

'Congratulations to our friends Mitch and Mark on your massive win. Finally, to our amazing Block fans, thank you so much for your continued support, we love you!

'Stay tuned folks, so many exciting things happening in 2022 - it's going to be big!'

Ronnie will appear on Nine's Celebrity Apprentice next year.
The Lost Daughter (15, 121 minutes)

Rating:

Verdict: Colman is absolute mustard

Spider-Man: No Way Home (12A, 148minutes)

Rating:

Verdict: Fun, but not a marvel

Soon it will be awards season, and if Olivia Colmans name is not on the lists of Best Actress nominations for her performance in The Lost Daughter, then, simply put, the lists will be wrong.

Jessie Buckley should also be firmly in the frame, and so too Maggie Gyllenhaal, always an engaging actress herself but here content to stand behind the camera.

The Lost Daughter is her exceedingly auspicious directorial debut.

It is an intense psychological drama, an adaptation, also scripted by Gyllenhaal, of a 2008 novel by Elena Ferrante.

Colman plays Leda, a middle-aged academic originally from Leeds though now, it is implied, a Harvard professor.

She is on holiday on her own on a Greek island, where her tranquil beach idyll is shattered by the arrival of a boorishly boisterous family of Greek-Americans, visiting their Greek cousins.

One day, the family loses a little girl on the beach, sending everyone, but especially the childs mother (Dakota Johnson), into a frenzied panic.

Soon it will be awards season, and if Olivia Colmans name is not on the lists of Best Actress nominations for her performance in The Lost Daughter , then, simply put, the lists will be wrong

Jessie Buckley should also be firmly in the frame, and so too Maggie Gyllenhaal, always an engaging actress herself but here content to stand behind the camera

This episode, and the subsequent fallout, reminds Leda of her own challenging years as a mother of two young daughters, which we visit through repeated flashbacks, with Buckley as her younger incarnation.

That is really all the synopsis you need, because to say much more would be to edge into spoiler territory.

But the main point is that Leda is a troubled soul, whose profound feelings of guilt about her perceived inadequacies as a mother are easily stirred.

From the start, even without the loud Americans, there are symbolic suggestions, nicely handled by Gyllenhaal, that all is not entirely well in this Greek-island paradise of hers.

In her rented apartment, some appetising-looking fruit in a bowl turns out to be rotting; the cool night air blowing in through an open window carries an alarming giant cicada onto her pillow; the beam of a nearby lighthouse keeps illuminating her bedroom at night.

From the start, even without the loud Americans, there are symbolic suggestions, nicely handled by Gyllenhaal, that all is not entirely well in this Greek-island paradise of hers

The Lost Daughter is her exceedingly auspicious directorial debut. It is an intense psychological drama, an adaptation, also scripted by Gyllenhaal, of a 2008 novel by Elena Ferrante

I havent read Ferrantes novel but I can imagine all this being skilfully rendered in prose and not quite working on screen. Yet it does work, projecting a vivid sense of unease.

Above all, Colmans performance is astonishingly good. She won an Oscar for her Queen Anne in The Favourite (2018), another psychologically fragile woman, but that part was a gift for an actress as good as her.

The unhappy Leda is a much more subtle and demanding role, and its hard to think of anyone who could do it quite as well, although Buckley is scarcely less brilliant, especially in the scenes with the daughters.

Above all, Colmans performance is astonishingly good. She won an Oscar for her Queen Anne in The Favourite (2018), another psychologically fragile woman, but that part was a gift for an actress as good as her

Colman plays Leda, a middle-aged academic originally from Leeds though now, it is implied, a Harvard professor. She is on holiday on her own on a Greek island, where her tranquil beach idyll is shattered by the arrival of a boorishly boisterous family of Greek-Americans, visiting their Greek cousins

Its a piercingly accurate and moving depiction of the yin and yang of young motherhood, both the pleasures and the tribulations.

In the films lesser roles, too, the casting is spot on. Johnson is perfect, as are Ed Harris as the American caretaker of Ledas apartment, and Peter Sarsgaard (the directors husband) as the pompous, much-older academic who seduces Buckleys Leda.

I first saw The Lost Daughter at this years Venice Film Festival, where sometimes initial impressions can be influenced by a reverential audience. But when I saw it again in more intimate circumstances this week, I admired it even more.

It would have been easy to get carried away, too, at the IMAX screening I attended on Tuesday evening of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The crowd hooted and hollered its approval, not just at the end of the film but sporadically during it, at those moments when director Jon Watts sprang a surprise or dropped one of those in-jokes that fans of superhero movies adore.

The story is even more cosmically daft than usual.

At the conclusion of 2019s Spider-Man: Far From Home, inoffensive high school kid Peter Parker (Tom Holland) was outed as the spandexed ones alter ego by his vanquished foe Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal).

It would have been easy to get carried away, too, at the IMAX screening I attended on Tuesday evening of Spider-Man: No Way Home

This film shows the consequences as Peter, blamed for Mysterios death, is hounded by the media and forced to go into hiding with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei).

In the meantime, he, his girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) and best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) have applied to the same college, but are all considered so toxic that they are rejected.

Aghast, and feeling responsible, Peter asks Dr Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a spell, making the world forget he is Spider-Man.

Alas, the spell backfires, luring villains from all over the multiverse who have tangled before with the web-slinging crimebuster.

Aghast, and feeling responsible, Peter asks Dr Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a spell, making the world forget he is Spider-Man

There are a couple of genuine shocks in store for Spider-Man enthusiasts, and a pleasing balance of genuine wit and dramatic oomph

That at least means a juicy part for Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin, always one of the best Marvel baddies, as Watts and his writers shamelessly, but at times uproariously and poignantly, find a way to splice No Way Home with the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield Spider-Man films.

There are a couple of genuine shocks in store for Spider-Man enthusiasts, and a pleasing balance of genuine wit and dramatic oomph.

But overall its a greatest hits album of a film, certain to delight fans but maybe not the true comic-book purists.

A longer version of the Spider-Man: No Way Home review ran in Wednesdays paper. Both films are in cinemas now. The Lost Daughter is also on Netflix from December 31.
Megan Thee Stallion withdrew from her scheduled performance at Jingle Ball Atlanta at the State Farm Arena on Thursday, after she was potentially exposed to COVID-19 after members of her crew tested positive for the virus.

'We recently learned a few members of my team have been exposed to COVID,' the Houston native, 26, said in an Instagram Stories post. 'While I tested negative this afternoon, I'm not feeling well and as a safety precaution, I unfortunately, won't be able to perform at Jingle Ball Atlanta tonight.'

The musical artist, whose full name is Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, continued: 'I'm extremely disappointed to let my hotties down. Hoping to feel better tomorrow, and plan to take another test as an extra safety measure.'

The latest: Megan Thee Stallion, 26, withdrew from her scheduled performance at Jingle Ball Atlanta on Thursday, after she was exposed to COVID-19 after members of her crew tested positive for the virus

The announcement from Megan Thee Stallion came after the Jonas Brothers said they were pulling out of the show after a crew member tested positive for the virus.

'A member in our production crew has tested positive for COVID-19,' the group said in a statement on Instagram Thursday. 'As a safety precaution in for the health of the rest of the crew, unfortunately we wont be able to perform at iHeartRadios Power 96.1 Jingle Ball.'

The brothers said they were 'extremely disappointed that we cant be there with our fans in Atlanta' in the statement.

Doja Cat on Sunday took to social media to reveal she was withdrawing from the remainder of the Jingle Ball tour after she tested positive for COVID-19.

The Jonas Brothers, seen performing on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., withdrew from Thursday's show after a crew members tested positive for COVID-19

The group issued a statement earlier Thursday regarding their absence

Doja Cat on Sunday took to social media to reveal she was withdrawing from the remainder of the Jingle Ball tour after she tested positive for COVID-19

'As most of you probably heard earlier, a few members on my production team tested positive for Covid 19 and I had to cancel a couple of my upcoming performances as a safety precaution,' Doja Cat, 26, said on social media. 'Unfortunately, Im sad to share that I just tested positive as well and will no longer be able to perform on the rest of the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour.

'While my spirits are down since I cant be there to celebrate the holiday with my fans in Philly, DC, Atlanta and Miami, Im doing ok and look forward to recovering and getting back out there as soon as I can! The rest of the tour stops have some really great lineups, wish I could be there. Much love XO.

Among the artists who were seen at the venue on Thursday included Dixie D'Amelio, Tai Verdes and Monsta X.

Tai Verdes was snapped on the red carpet at iHeartRadio Power 96.1's Jingle Ball Thursday at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta

Dixie D'Amelio donned a white top and designer jeans as she walked the red carpet

The artist chat with radio personality MiKeith at the venue
The Seven Network has confirmed Sam Frost has left Home and Away.

A spokesperson said of her departure on Friday: 'We support and respect Sam's decision to leave Home and Away. Sam leaves with our sincere thanks and very best wishes for the future.'

Sam, 32, who has played nurse Jasmine Delaney since 2017, quit the long-running soap two months after copping backlash in October when she revealed she hadn't had the Covid-19 vaccine.

Her exit comes just weeks ahead of Seven Productions' January 10 deadline for all actors, crew and presenters to be double-vaccinated.

However, a source told Daily Mail Australia Sam's decision to leave was 'not related' to the network's vaccine mandate.

The role of Jasmine will not be recast.

Confirmation: The Seven Network has confirmed Sam Frost has left Home and Away. A spokesperson said of her departure on Friday: 'We support and respect Sam's decision to leave Home and Away. Sam leaves with our sincere thanks and very best wishes for the future'

Sam had been pictured looking cheerful while filming her final scenes on location in Sydney's Palm Beach on Thursday.

While she still has several indoor scenes left to complete at Eveleigh Studios on Friday, it's likely this shoot was her character's last time visiting Summer Bay.

She was joined on set by co-stars Kirsty Marillier, Jacqui Purvis and Nicholas Cartwright.

Farewell: Sam (second from left) filmed her final scenes on location in Sydney's Palm Beach on Thursday. While she still has several indoor scenes left to complete at Eveleigh Studios on Friday, it's likely this shoot was her character's last time visiting Summer Bay. Pictured with Kirsty Marillier (left), Nicholas Cartwright (second from right) and Jacqui Purvis (right)

After their day on set, Sam and Nicholas documented their night out on Instagram Stories.

One video showed Nic inhaling from a hookah pipe alongside the caption 'Celebrate!'

Sam left Home and Away after Seven Productions announced a vaccine mandate for all cast, crew and presenters, which takes effect on January 10.

Partying: After their day on set, Sam and Nicholas documented their night out on Instagram Stories. One video showed Nic inhaling from a hookah pipe alongside the caption 'Celebrate!'

The former Bachelorette had revealed in early October she was unvaccinated in a tearful Instagram video.

She also admitted she was struggling with her mental health due to other people judging her for her vaccination status.

'I was really hesitant about doing a video or even speaking up about this sort of thing, but I feel like it's getting to a point now in the world where there's a lot of segregation,' she said.

'There's a lot of harsh judgement and opinions being thrown around a lot and it's taking its toll on my mental health for sure, and I know people around me are struggling - particularly if they're on the side of they don't want to get vaccinated, for whatever reason.

'There are lots of different reasons why people are not getting vaccinated and it might be because of their medical history, their concerns, they might have family history, it could be religious reasons.'

Last days: Sam will film her last scenes for Home and Away on Friday at Sydney's Eveleigh Studios. She was on location in Palm Beach on Thursday (pictured: an on-set video from her Instagram Story)

Sam then said she hadn't been vaccinated, but claimed she had spoken to her doctor as well as a psychologist about her decision.

She added tearfully: 'It's a really hard time to be in society right now and you feel like you are less of a human and you feel like people judge you.

'And you're too scared to talk about your opinion or your feelings and part of you wants to go, "Well, it's none of your damn business why I'm not! And there's good reasons why I'm not and I don't want you to judge me."

'I'm struggling a lot with my mental health and I like to think that I'm pretty on to it. I see a psychologist regularly. So I can't imagine what it's like for people who don't have a support network around them.'

Her video caused a great deal of controversy, mainly because of her use of the word 'segregation' when referring to the way society 'judges' unvaccinated people.

'Segregation' is typically used to describe societies that are divided due to race, religion or sexual orientation.

Judgement: Sam had revealed she was unvaccinated in a tearful Instagram video uploaded in early October (above). She also admitted she was struggling with her mental health due to other people judging her for her vaccination status

In the following weeks, Sam was pictured on the Palm Beach set of Home and Away.

However, Seven announced a vaccine mandate across all shows in late October.

The network said it 'will only engage fully vaccinated presenters, cast and crew' from January 10, putting Sam in a challenging position.

She later confirmed on November 2 she would be fully vaccinated by late February - about seven weeks after the vaccine mandate comes into effect.

Her character would be 'written out temporarily' in the meantime, she said.

At the time, she claimed she wasn't able to get the jab sooner because of an unspecified 'medical procedure booked in for January'.

She also insisted she wasn't leaving the soap permanently and that she had the full support of Seven executives.
She previously called 2021 the 'hardest year' of her life after revealing in April that she had relapsed following nearly four years of sobriety.

But Kelly Osbourne, 37, turned to family on Thursday when she was spotted out in Los Angeles with her mother Sharon Osbourne.

She and the 69-year-old former host of The Talk were seen enjoying a round of shopping after having lunch together in the city.

Bonding time: Kelly Osbourne, 37, and her mother Sharon Osbourne, 69, enjoyed a shopping trip in Los Angeles on Thursday after having lunch together

The motherdaughter duo were both bundled up with long black overcoats due to chilly weather.

Kelly had her collar turned up, revealing the gold plaid lining underneath, and she stuck to the black color scheme with a sheer top and loose-fitting pants underneath.

She added fuzzy white slippers to her casual look and had her pale lavender hair pulled back in a fanned-out ponytail.

The daughter of Ozzy Osbourne carried a large quilted black handbag on her shoulder and wore black cat-eye glasses.

Staying warm: The motherdaughter duo were both bundled up with long black overcoats due to chilly weather

Back in black: Kelly had her collar turned up, revealing the gold plaid lining underneath, and she stuck to the black color scheme with a sheer top and loose-fitting pants underneath

Low key: She added fuzzy white slippers to her casual look and had her pale lavender hair pulled back in a fanned-out ponytail

Sharon stayed toasty under her coat with a brown cable knit sweater and baggy jeans, which she wore with blue suede loafers.

Like her daughter, she had on a black mask to guard against the novel coronavirus, and she wore black sunglasses.

The two were also joined by a friend, who wore a fuzzy brown coat with a tie-dye sweatsuit and Ugg boots.

After wrapping up their shopping trip, Kelly and Sharon were seen packing shopping bags into their car's trunk.

Casual: Sharon stayed toasty under her coat with a brown cable knit sweater and baggy jeans, which she wore with blue suede loafers

Safety first: Like her daughter, she had on a black mask to guard against the novel coronavirus, and she wore black sunglasses

Heading home: After wrapping up their shopping trip, Kelly and Sharon were seen packing shopping bags into their car's trunk

Missing from the trip was Sharon's husband Ozzy Osbourne, 73, who appeared frail when he was seen earlier this month as he met up with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith in Beverly Hills.

Late last month, Kelly declared 2021 the 'hardest year' of her life following a struggle with her sobriety earlier this year.

She added that she was 'utterly broken' and said she was 'still putting myself back together again.'

However, she concluded on an optimistic note, adding that she was 'happy' and 'healthy,' which was 'all that should matter.'

Hard times: Late last month, Kelly declared 2021 the 'hardest year' of her life following a struggle with her sobriety earlier this year

Off the wagon: In April, the former Fashion Police co-host shared a clip from her Red Table Talk interview in which she admitted she had broken her sobriety after nearly four years

In April, the former Fashion Police co-host shared a clip from her Red Table Talk interview in which she admitted she had broken her sobriety after nearly four years of abstaining.

'This is a little hard for me to talk about, but I've always promised you that I will always be honest with you about where I'm at and what's going on in my road to recovery,' Kelly said at the time. 'I relapsed. Not proud of it. But I am back on track.'

She seemed to be on an upswing in October, when she celebrated five months of sobriety since her relapse.

'Today marks my 37th birthday and I'm 5 months sober!!! I am filled with so much gratitude it's almost overwhelming!' she captioned a beaming selfie.
Gal Gadot and her husband of over ten years, Jaron Varsano, enjoyed lunch together in LA on Thursday.

And afterward the lovebirds took turns swapping a vanilla ice cream cone as they strolled the city of angels.

Gal, 36, wore a blue and white checked jacket as she walked alongside her beau, 46.

Yummy: Gal Gadot and her husband Jaron Varsano took turns swapping a vanilla ice cream cone as they strolled the city after eating

The mom-of-three layered her outerwear over a grey turtleneck sweater with a chunky collar.

She wore a studded black leather phone case over her torso cross-body style as she carried a white box of food and a small brown paper bag.

The Israeli beauty pulled her dark hair back into a messy bun that was arranged at the middle of her head.

She had on understated stud earrings and shielded her eyes from the sun in a pair of large square-shaped shades.

The look was rounded out with a pair of black slip-on shoes with a very thin platform.

Her look: Gal wore a blue and white checked jacket as she walked alongside her beau

For his part, Jaron went for a much darker look as he walked near his bride.

The real estate mogul was dressed in a black zip-up hoodie topped with a dark grey jacket.

He had on faded black jeans and black sneakers. A pair of sunglasses rested along the collar of his shirt.

A black face mask hung below his chin as he and his wife alternated licking the sweet treat.

Social media activity: Also on Thursday, the Wonder Woman sensation was active on Instagram as she shared two selfies with her 69.3 million followers

Also on Thursday, the Wonder Woman sensation was active on Instagram as she shared two selfies with her 69.3 million followers.

Gal looked ready for business as she was dressed in a black pantsuit with a green button-up shirt.

The star pulled her hair back and threw up a peace sign as she gazed in a mirror.

She kept her caption brief, only dropping a peace sign emoji.
Selling Sunset star Christine Quinn brought baby boy Christian Georges Dumontet to her promotional ShoeDazzle event at Santa Monica Pier on Thursday afternoon.

The 32-year-old reality star beamed as she cooed to her seven-month-old son: 'Look who came! Hello! Say hi! Hi, big boy!'

Little Christian was dressed in a grey knit bear-eared beanie, baby blue onesie, and striped socks.

Favorite accessory! Selling Sunset star Christine Quinn brought baby boy Christian Georges Dumontet to her promotional ShoeDazzle event at Santa Monica Pier on Thursday afternoon

Christine held the adorable tyke as she posed in front of a pink convertible Cadillac dubbed the 'ShoeDazzle Holiday Sleigh.'

Christian Jr. is Quinn and retired tech millionaire Christian Richard's first child, and they quietly celebrated their second wedding anniversary on Wednesday.

The Oppenheim Group realtor made sure to rep ShoeDazzle by donning her silver Lurex 'Marjolaine' boots, which originally cost $104.95 but are now on sale for $18.24 for 'VIPs.'

Christine's 24-piece collection originally launched on November 15 with the Cali-based online fashion subscription service.

The 32-year-old reality star beamed as she cooed to her seven-month-old son: 'Look who came! Hello! Say hi! Hi, big boy!'

Squeee! Little Christian was dressed in a grey knit bear-eared beanie, baby blue onesie, and striped socks

'ShoeDazzle Holiday Sleigh': Christine held the adorable tyke as she posed in front of a pink convertible Cadillac

July 15 family portrait: Christian Jr. is Quinn and retired tech millionaire Christian Richard's first child, and they quietly celebrated their second wedding anniversary on Wednesday

Quinn previously disclosed that she owns an eye-popping 400 pairs of shoes in the walk-in closet of her $5M Hollywood Hills home.

The platinum blonde Texan wore a long white coat over a matching crop-top, and high-waisted acid-wash grey skinny jeans.

Hairstylist Jason Haiir coiffed Christine's waves and make-up artist Gilbert Estrada made sure her complexion was fully contoured for the outdoor event which ran 11am-3pm.

'Come stop by, say hi, get some free shoes and some goodies,' Quinn - who boasts 2.4M social media followers - said via Instastory.

Kinky boots: The Oppenheim Group realtor made sure to rep ShoeDazzle by donning her silver Lurex 'Marjolaine' boots, which originally cost $104.95 but are now on sale for $18.24 for 'VIPs'

Sitting pretty: Christine's 24-piece collection originally launched on November 15 with the Cali-based online fashion subscription service

Slow down Carrie Bradshaw! Quinn previously disclosed that she owns an eye-popping 400 pairs of shoes in the walk-in closet of her $5M Hollywood Hills home

Winter in LA! The platinum blonde Texan wore a long white coat over a matching crop-top, and high-waisted acid-wash grey skinny jeans

Close-up: Hairstylist Jason Haiir coiffed Christine's waves and make-up artist Gilbert Estrada made sure her complexion was fully contoured for the outdoor event which ran 11am-3pm

'I can't wait to meet you all!'

Indeed, the 'gothic Barbie' was full of playful energy as she greeted each fan, asked their names, and posed for countless selfies.

Worryingly, neither Christine nor many of her diverse variety of fans wore protective face masks for their close encounters despite the growing COVID-19 Omicron variant.

Quinn - who boasts 2.4M social media followers - said via Instastory: 'Come stop by, say hi, get some free shoes and some goodies. I can't wait to meet you all!'

Smile! Indeed, the 'gothic Barbie' was full of playful energy as she greeted each fan, asked their names, and posed for countless selfies

Get tested after, girl! Worryingly, neither Christine nor many of her diverse variety of fans wore protective face masks for their close encounters despite the growing COVID-19 Omicron variant

Safety first: However, one lady in a wheelchair did keep her mask on while chatting with the MTV Cribs guest star

However, one lady in a wheelchair did keep her mask on while chatting with the MTV Cribs guest star.

On Wednesday, Quinn claimed to E! Daily Pop that there's 'definitely favoritism in the editing room' when it comes to the Netflix reality show, which was renewed for two more seasons in March.

Abrams Image will publish Christine's 224-page literary debut How to be a Boss Bi*** on May 17.

Season five premieres in 2022! On Wednesday, Quinn claimed to E! Daily Pop that there's 'definitely favoritism in the editing room' when it comes to the Netflix reality show, which was renewed for two more seasons in March
Jeff Goldblum helped welcome a brand new Manhattan attraction by lighting the torch for a Statue of Liberty replica.

The 69-year-old actor was on hand at RiseNY, a new attraction that gives viewers a virtual tour of some of New York City's most famous sites.

The actor was all smiles at the festive ceremony, with the grand opening set for January 12, 2022.

New attraction: Jeff Goldblum helped welcome a brand new Manhattan attraction by lighting the torch for a Statue of Liberty replica

Goldblum looked dapper in a black-on-black suit for the special event in Manhattan, close to Times Square.

He also wore thick-rimmed black glasses which matched his black coat, shirt, tie and pants.

The actor completed his look with black shoes as he was spotted addressing the crowd from the replica of Lady Liberty's torch on Thursday evening.

Jeff's look: Goldblum looked dapper in a black-on-black suit for the special event in Manhattan, close to Times Square

RiseNY is described as a, 'three-part journey that lifts and connects you to New York Citys most famous sites and moments.'

The experience begins with a, 'captivating film by award-winning documentarian Ric Burns,' while visitors will also, 'explore museum-style galleries that transport you through the citys expansive pop-culture evolution.'

The final part of the journey simulates flying over the, 'iconic skyline on a soaring ride that suspends you 30 feet in the air,' according to the RiseNY website.

Journey: RiseNY is described as a, 'three-part journey that lifts and connects you to New York Citys most famous sites and moments'

Captivating: The experience begins with a, 'captivating film by award-winning documentarian Ric Burns,' while visitors will also, 'explore museum-style galleries that transport you through the citys expansive pop-culture evolution'

Soaring: The final part of the journey simulates flying over the, 'iconic skyline on a soaring ride that suspends you 30 feet in the air,' according to the RiseNY website

Goldblum voiced Dr. Armstrong in the animated sequel The Boss Baby: Family Business earlier this year.

He will return to play his iconic Dr. Ian Malcolm character in Jurassic World: Dominion, which is slated for release on June 10, 2022.

Aside from this highly-anticipated blockbuster action sequel, 2022 will be a busy year for Goldblum with a number of other projects in various stages.

Role: Goldblum voiced Dr. Armstrong in the animated sequel The Boss Baby: Family Business earlier this year

Character: He will return to play his iconic Dr. Ian Malcolm character in Jurassic World: Dominion, which is slated for release on June 10, 2022

Goldblum also has Asteroid City in post-production, a new film from director Wes Anderson also starring Tom Hanks and Margot Robbie.

He is currently filming The Liar, based on Stephen Fry's novel, also starring Charles Dance and Rupert Everett.

He also has projects such as They Shot the Piano Player and The Price of Admission currently in pre-production.

Coming soon: Goldblum also has Asteroid City in post-production, a new film from director Wes Anderson also starring Tom Hanks and Margot Robbie

Filming: He is currently filming The Liar, based on Stephen Fry's novel, also starring Charles Dance and Rupert Everett
Keanu Reeves was snapped on the red carpet Thursday at the Toronto premiere of The Matrix Resurrections at the Scotiabank Theatre.

The A-list actor, 57, donned a black suit with a grey tie and brown boots to the debut of the latest installment in the iconic sci-fi franchise.

He sported a beard and had his shaggy locks down at the premiere, the most recent in the franchise that also includes 1999's The Matrix, and 2003's The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.

The latest: Keanu Reeves, 57, was snapped on the red carpet Thursday at the Toronto premiere of The Matrix Resurrections at the Scotiabank Theatre

Reeves on Tuesday appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he said that in making the latest film, he did stunt work which consisted of jumping off a building 'around 46-stories' high 'around 19 or 20 times' with costar Carrie Ann Moss, who reprises her role as Trinity in the motion picture.

He told Colbert of the stunt, 'To prepare for something like that, [Moss] speaks a lot about preparing mentally for it, I was doing that too.

'By the time you get there, my heart rate was a little raised, but after the first time, you can't think of the fear. You have to block that, or nor block it, but deal with it, absorb it, and just be there, and do.'

Reeves said they did the stunt 'because it is [director] Lana Wachowski, and it is The Matrix and you need natural light and you want to do it real.'

The A-list actor donned a black suit with a grey tie and brown boots to the debut of the latest installment in the iconic sci-fi franchise

Reeves sported a beard and had his shaggy locks down at the premiere

Reeves reprises his trademark role as Neo in the new motion picture

The film also features Carrie Ann Moss as Trinity, Jessica Henwick as Bugs, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Morpheus, Neil Patrick Harris as The Analyst, Erendira Ibarra as Lexy, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Sati.

It also features notable names such as Jada Pinkett Smith, Lambert Wilson, Daniel Bernhardt, Christina Ricci, Telma Hopkins, and Max Riemelt.

The timeline is placed 20 years following The Matrix Revolutions, with Neo residing in San Francisco under the name Thomas A. Anderson. He is prescribed a blue pill, and does not recognize Trinity when they see one another. Morpheus gives him a red pill and he is thrust back into the Matrix.

The film is directed by Lana Wachowski, who co-wrote the script with David Mitchell and Aleksandar Hemon.

The motion picture is set to debut on December 22 in both theaters and on HBO Max.

The actor posed in front of a poster at the debut of the film in Toronto

Reeves was the center of attention at the cinematic event in Toronto

The actor told Stephen Colbert he did some heavy duty stunt work on the film
Patrick Schwarzenegger took to Instagram on Thursday night to debut a head of platinum blond hair.

The 28-year-old actor shared a video of himself sitting in the salon chair after banishing his natural brunette strands.

'Moms gonna kill me,' joked Patrick, whose mother happens to be journalist Maria Shriver.

New look: Patrick Schwarzenegger took to Instagram on Thursday night to debut a head of platinum blond hair

Before/after: The 28-year-old actor shared a video of himself sitting in the salon chair after banishing his natural brunette strands

His selfie-mode video has earned over 50,000 views in the three hours since he posted.

Schwarzenegger's dramatic transformation comes just hours after it was confirmed that his older sister Katherine Schwarzenegger is pregnant with her second child with husband Chris Pratt.

In photos obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, the 32-year-old author gave a glimpse at her burgeoning baby bump in a pair of baggy overalls during an errand run in LA.

Just jokes: 'Moms gonna kill me,' joked Patrick, whose mother happens to be journalist Maria Shriver; Patrick and Maria pictured in 2018

Multiple sources close to the couple further confirmed the exciting baby news to PEOPLE.

She sported a noticeable pregnancy glow while getting a caffeine boost at a local coffee shop with Chris' nine-year-old son Jack following tow.

Chris and Katherine are parents to Lyla Maria, 16 months, and Pratt shares co-parenting responsibilities of Jack with ex-wife Anna Faris.

Katherine Schwarzenegger is expecting her second child with husband Chris Pratt , according to PEOPLE magazine sources; seen in 2019

Their new baby joy comes shortly after Pratt honored his wife with a sweet social media tribute for her birthday.

'Happy Birthday Honey! You are such a wonderful wife, mother, step-mother, and life partner,' he wrote. 'I simply can't imagine how lost I'd be without you.

'You're beautiful, tough as nails, reasonable, deeply thoughtful, extraordinarily smart, you're a complete boss, eternally driven and you communicate like no other. Thank you for everything.'

He added: 'We fit so perfectly into each others lives that our Union is a daily reminder that God is looking out for us. Navigating the odd circumstances of our world is a task I cannot handle alone. And Im so grateful I dont have to. Your commitment to helping others is contagious.'

Mom and Dad: Chris and Katherine are parents to Lyla Maria, 16 months

Pratt discussed family planning efforts earlier this year and told E! News last summer that he'd 'love' to have more kids, and was willing to have 'as many [kids] as the man upstairs will provide.'

He added, 'We'll do it. I'll probably have to talk to Katherine about that but my plan is, let's go.'

Katherine is the oldest daughter of former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, who is the niece of President John F. Kennedy.

Chris and Katherine first sparked romance rumors in early 2018, after they were spotted canoodling in Santa Barbara, CA.

Blessed: Pratt discussed family planning efforts earlier this year and told E! News last summer that he'd 'love' to have more kids, and was willing to have 'as many [kids] as the man upstairs will provide'

Coparents: Pratt shares co-parenting responsibilities of his nine-year-old son, Jack, with ex-wife Anna Faris; Anna, Jack, and Chris pictured in 2017

Seven months prior, Chris filed for divorce from wife Anna Faris after eight-years of marriage, citing 'irreconcilable differences,' according to TMZ. They asked for joint custody of their son Jack who was five-years-old at the time.

Katherine and Chris were later captured on a PDA-packed outing in July of 2018, followed by numerous family hangouts with the Schwarzenegger's and the Pratt's, which were documented on social media.

The couple did not confirm their relationship status until December of 2018, a little over a month after Chris' divorce from Anna was finalized, as reported by E! News.

The confirmation came in the form of 'Happy Birthday' post from Chris to Katherine, which included a photo collage of the brunette beauty.

Whirlwind romance: Chris and Katherine confirmed their romance with a string of loved up outings in June of 2018 after sparking romance rumors earlier that year; Chris and Katherine pictured in August 2018

'Happy Birthday Chief! Your smile lights up the room. I've cherished our time together. Thrilled God put you in my life. Thankful for the laughs, kisses, talks, hikes, love and care,' wrote the Parks And Rec alum.

On January 9, Chris proposed to Katherine, which he proudly announced to his 28.8million Instagram followers.

'Sweet Katherine, so happy you said yes! I'm thrilled to be marrying you. Proud to live boldly in faith with you. Here we go!' captioned Pratt.

He included a photo of himself and Katherine embracing that gave his followers a clear view of the giant rock on her finger.

Engaged: Chris had proposed to Katherine in January of 2019 and they were married on June 8 during an intimate Montecito, California ceremony

Round one: 10-months later in May 2020, it was revealed by Katherine's mother Maria that the newlyweds were expecting their first child together. The 66-year-old journalist let the news slip during an episode of her Instagram Live series #HomeTogether

They moved in together shortly after getting engaged.

Katherine and Chris were married on June 8 of 2019 during what was described as 'an intimate ceremony' in Montecito, California.

10-months later in May 2020, it was revealed by Katherine's mother Maria that the newlyweds were expecting their first child together. The 66-year-old journalist let the news slip during an episode of her Instagram Live series #HomeTogether.

'You're gonna have another beautiful family member,' said Shriver to Pratt at the time, who was a featured guest.

Days later, Katherine unveiled her baby bump for the first time during a dog walk near her home in Brentwood.

Birth announcement: She'd give birth to their little girl in August 2020, with the couple confirming her arrival via Instagram on August 10

She'd give birth to their little girl Lyla Maria in August, with the couple confirming her arrival via Instagram on August 10.

'We are beyond thrilled to announce the birth of our daughter, Lyla Maria Schwarzenegger Pratt,' Pratt captioned the post. 'We couldnt be happier.'

He included a photo of him and his wife tenderly holding the newborn's hand.

'Both mom and baby are doing great. We are extremely blessed,' he continued, signing off: 'Love Katherine and Chris.'

Earlier this year, Pratt gushed over the thought of having more children with Katherine and that he's willing to have 'as many [kids] as the man upstairs will provide.'

He added, 'We'll do it. I'll probably have to talk to Katherine about that but my plan is, let's go.'
Keeping Up with the Kardashians alum Kim Kardashian and her daughter North West had fun transforming their famous faces with special FX make-up on Thursday night.

The 41-year-old SKIMS/KKW Beauty CEO and her precocious eight-year-old posted a reversed TikTok video of themselves removing the grotesque red and black make-up beneath golden prosthetic latex masks.

It was certainly an eccentric mother-daughter bonding activity, but the robe-clad ladies - who share 3.5M followers - seemed to have a great time doing it together.

Unrecognizable! KUWTK alum Kim Kardashian and her daughter North West had fun transforming their famous faces with special FX make-up on Thursday night

After using a considerable amount of wet wipes to remove the masks of make-up, Kim and North pulled funny faces at the camera phone before bedtime.

Earlier that same day in a solo TikTok video, West practiced her technique by covering her entire mouth with a layer of prosthetic latex resembling real skin.

In a follow-up TikTok, the aspiring rapper opened her mouth as wide as she could in order to pull the latex off her lips.

Kardashian and her estranged third husband Kanye West share joint legal and physical custody of little North, son Saint, 6; son Psalm, 2; and daughter Chicago, turning 4 on January 15.

Elaborate! The 41-year-old SKIMS/KKW Beauty CEO and her precocious eight-year-old posted a reversed TikTok video of themselves removing the grotesque red and black make-up beneath golden prosthetic latex masks

Smiles: It was certainly an eccentric mother-daughter bonding activity, but the robe-clad ladies - who share 3.5M followers - seemed to have a great time doing it together

Fresh faced: After using a considerable amount of wet wipes to remove the masks of make-up, Kim and North pulled funny faces at the camera phone before bedtime

Just like The Matrix! Earlier that same day in a solo TikTok video, West practiced her technique by covering her entire mouth with a layer of prosthetic latex resembling real skin

Creepy! In a follow-up TikTok, the aspiring rapper opened her mouth as wide as she could in order to pull the latex off her lips

Last Friday, the half-Armenian beauty filed legal documents to restore her marital status to single, 10 months after filing to end their nearly seven-year marriage - according to TMZ.

'No counseling or reconciliation effort will be of any value at this time,' Kim wrote to the judge in the declaration.

'I have been attempting to settle our dissolution with [Kanye] since I filed for divorce in February 2021. I have requested several times that [Kanye] agree to bifurcate and terminate our marital status. [He] has not responded to my request.'

On Monday, Kardashian announced she passed the 'baby bar' exam after previously failing the test three times in her journey to becoming a lawyer without law school or college.

'Heart and Soul': Kardashian and her estranged third husband Kanye West share joint legal and physical custody of little North, son Saint, 6; son Psalm, 2; and daughter Chicago, turning 4 on January 15 (pictured November 11)

2020 family portrait: Last Friday, the half-Armenian beauty filed legal documents to restore her marital status to single, 10 months after filing to end their nearly seven-year marriage

The criminal reform advocate is following the footsteps of her late father - OJ Simpson defense attorney Robert Kardashian Sr. - who died, age 59, from esophageal cancer in 2003 when she was only 22.

'My dad would be so proud [and] he would actually be so shocked to know that this is my path now but he would've been my best study partner,' Kim wrote.

'I am told he was notorious for making fun of people who didn't pass on their first attempt like him, but he would've been my best cheerleader!

'Don't ever give up!' On Monday, Kim announced she passed the 'baby bar' exam after previously failing the test three times in her journey to becoming a lawyer

'My dad would be so proud': The criminal reform advocate is following the footsteps of her late father - OJ Simpson (R) defense attorney Robert Kardashian Sr. (M, pictured in 1995) - who died, age 59, from cancer in 2003

'Bottom line is don't ever give up even when you are holding on by a thread, you can do it! Set your mind to it and get it done because it feels so good once you get to the other side!'

Fans can next expect to see a very public midnight kiss between Kardashian and her new flame - SNL star Pete Davidson - who's co-hosting Miley Cyrus' New Year's Eve Party special in Miami for NBC.

The Calabasas socialite has also been filming her family's upcoming Hulu/Star reality spin-off as part of the multi-year global content deal they signed a year ago.

PDA alert! Fans can next expect to see a very public midnight kiss between Kardashian and her new flame - SNL star Pete Davidson (L, pictured November 16) - who's co-hosting Miley Cyrus' New Year's Eve Party special in Miami for NBC
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The Crown has become the latest victim of Covid, days after the Blair family were seen on set for the first time.

Filming of the new series was halted on Wednesday after at least eight crew members tested positive, a source close to the Netflix hit told the Daily Mail.

On Thursday night, Netflix confirmed: 'The Crown finished filming one day earlier than planned for the Christmas break following a few positive cases within the team, thus ensuring others' safety and so that everyone on production can enjoy a festive break with their loved ones.'

The coronavirus outbreak on set comes after Bertie Carvel, 44, and Lydia Leonard, 40, were pictured for the first time as Tony Blair and wife Cherie in Kent on Tuesday.

Pictured: The Crown has become the latest victim of Covid, days after the Blair family were seen on set for the first time as they filmed scenes in Kent on Tuesday (pictured Bertie Carvel and Lydia Leonard as Tony Blair and wife Cherie)

His walk to PM: Tony Blair cast his vote in the 1997 Election at the Community Centre in Trimdon Colliery, Durham alongside his family (pictured left to right; Cherie Blair, daughter Kathryn, sons Nicky and Euan and Tony)

The actor bore a striking resemblance to the former PM as The Crown filmed the Blairs casting their votes in the 1997 election that swept labour to power.

It marked a poignant moment as Tony, then 43, became the youngest person to be prime minister since Lord Liverpool became PM aged 42 in 1812.

The scene, filmed in Kent rather than County Durham, showed Tony and Cherie setting off to vote with their three children; daughter Kathryn and sons Nicky and Euan, in tow.

The cast wore near identical costumes to those that the Blairs wore when walking to the Community Centre in Trimdon Colliery, with Bertie rocking a bouffant wig and red tie, and production bringing in a huge cast of journalists and photographers to recreate the media frenzy.

Spitting image: The cast wore near identical costumes to those that the Blairs wore when walking to the Community Centre in Trimdon Colliery, with Bertie rocking a bouffant wig and red tie

New role: Lydia (L) transformed into Cherie (R) as she arrived on set in the brown white collared shirt and matching trousers

The Crown series 5: The coronavirus outbreak on set comes after Bertie, 44, and Lydia, 40, were pictured for the first time as Tony Blair and wife Cherie

Action: The scene, filmed in Kent rather than County Durham, showed Tony and Cherie setting off to vote with their three children in tow

The 1997 election saw Labour win by a landslide majority, making a net gain of 146 seats and winning 43.2% of the vote.

The overall result of the election ended 18 years of Conservative government, in their worst defeat since 1906.

The party suffered a loss of 178 seats, despite winning 30.7% of the vote. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats, under the leadership of Paddy Ashdown, made a net gain of 28 seats, winning 16.8% of the vote.

The fifth series of The Crown will air next November. It features Charles and Diana's marriage split and the lead up to her death.

1997 election: It marked a poignant scene as in May of that year Tony Blair, then 43, was the youngest person to become prime minister since Lord Liverpool in 1812

Remarkable: Lydia got into character waving at fans as the couple made their vote. The 1997 election saw Labour win by a landslide majority, making a net gain of 146 seats and winning 43.2% of the vote

Monumental moment: The party suffered defeat with a loss of 178 seats, despite winning 30.7% of the vote. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats, under the leadership of Paddy Ashdown, made a net gain of 28 seats, winning 16.8% of the vote

Stepping in the PM's seat is Bertie, whose previous roles have ranged from Nick Clegg to Rupert Murdoch to the philandering former husband of TV's Doctor Foster.

It is a giant role for the actor, who possesses an uncanny, chameleon-esque ability to disappear into his characters.

Lydia, meanwhile, played Jackie O - the widow of assassinated US President John F Kennedy, who married a Greek shipping tycoon - in the 2010 West End play Onassis.

What's in store: The Crown wants to examine more of the constitutional crisis behind the scenes; and how the Queen was said to have felt bullied by her Prime Minister into making a public declaration about Diana

PM: Blair famously hailed Diana as 'The People's Princess', while the Queen deemed her death a private matter and was not prepared for the national outpouring of emotion from the public

Media buzz: Production enlisted a huge cast of photographers and journalists as they family walked to the polling station

The actress is most well known for her role as Suranne Jones' lesbian lover in Gentleman Jack.

The Crown's creative team have a draft script written by Peter Morgan that explores Diana's death in a car crash in Paris in August 1997, three months after Blair was elected to No 10 following a landslide victory.

Peter has been very clear the episode will not show the actual crash. Intriguingly, though, it will explore a different angle from the one depicted in the 2006 film The Queen, which starred Helen Mirren as the monarch and Michael Sheen as Blair.

Politician: It is a giant role for Bertie (pictured left as Nick Clegg in Coalition, right in Doctor Foster), who possesses an uncanny, chameleon-esque ability to disappear into his characters

Stage star: Lydia played Jackie O - the widow of assassinated US President John F Kennedy - in the 2010 West End play Onassis

Blair famously hailed Diana as 'The People's Princess', while the Queen deemed her death a private matter and was not prepared for the national outpouring of emotion from the public.

The Crown wants to examine more of the constitutional crisis behind the scenes; and how the Queen was said to have felt bullied by her Prime Minister into making a public declaration about Diana.

'We don't want to go the same route as the film,' an executive on the production confided.

'There are aspects of the clash between the Queen and Blair that haven't really been aired yet. It's being so sensitively handled because of Diana's sons  and the Queen . . . and Charles.

'Just making it is seen as controversial. And then we have to show it.'
Strictly pro Johannes Radebe says dancing in a same sex partnership with John Whaite has improved the relationship he has with his mother, who until now struggled to accept his sexuality.

The South African dancer, 34, who joined Strictly in 2018, revealed his mum responded with an 'awkward silence' when he first told her he would compete with baker John, 32, but now she admires the duo after watching them perform together.

Speaking emotionally about his mum's change of heart, Johannes confessed to feeling like he's already won this series of Strictly after receiving praise from his 'traditionalist' family for the first time in as long as he can remember.

'Special': Johannes Radebe says dancing in a same sex partnership with John Whaite has improved the relationship he has with his mum, who until now struggled to accept his sexuality

Johannes said: 'For what it represents John did say that he was a little apprehensive  dancing with another man on the show and for me, for all different kinds of reasons.

'But my mum's relationship with me has improved because of this partnership and for that I have won.

'I have won because my mum follows my journey with John, which is something that hasn't happened in I don't know how long. If anything, that for me is the biggest takeaway from this partnership.

'She has never confronted my issue and me this whole thing and I knew when I told her about the partnership she said, 'oh you're dancing with a man?' and I said, 'yes I'm dancing with a man and his name is John.' And there was an awkward silence and she said 'okay.'

'Like everybody else she waited to see how it would play it because she's such a traditionalist. I remember our first tango, she called me, and she was like 'oh that was brilliant' and I was like 'what?' It has been special.'

'She has never confronted my issue': Johannes revealed his mum responded with an 'awkward silence' when he first told her he would compete with John but now she admires the duo

John and Johannes are the first same sex male partnership to star on Strictly after Olympic boxer Nicola Adams competed with Katya Jones last year, and were later forced to withdraw from the competition after catching Covid.

Johannes explained how being partnered with John was challenging for him as a dance professional after spending his entire career dancing with women.

He said: 'I have done this show for many years back in South Africa as well, but this has been special.

'To have somebody that matches you in strength and not only that because I've had moments of doubt in this competition where I was like am I going about this the right way? Are they steps correct? Do we look good?

'I have won': Johannes confessed to feeling like he's already won this series of Strictly after receiving praise from his 'traditionalist' family for the first time in as long as he can remember

'I had to try things out on John, I had to say, hold me here, hold me there. I have never been in this position or to follow I have always been a leader and led a woman but for the first time I have been lifted in the air.'

The pair, who have earned the highest scores across the series, will face Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice in Saturday's final.

AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington were forced to pull out on Friday after the TV presenter suffered an injury to her foot, leaving her unable to perform.

Reflecting on his Strictly experience, John added: 'Every single week has been a little remarkable revelation for me about myself and our partnership and what it means to be two men dancing together, what it means to have self-confidence and self-belief and to be accepted.

'Every single week it has been little life lessons  I could write a book about it I mean I'm not going to because I don't have the time. It has been a remarkable little journey for me.'
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Frances McDormand looked chic at the premiere of The Tragedy Of Macbeth at LA's DGA Theater on Thursday.

The leading actress, 64, who graces the big screen as Lady Macbeth, put on a show-stopping display in a white overcoat featuring striking red leaf prints while sporting unmissable pink socks and black sandals.

She was joined by her co-star Denzel Washington, 66, who plays Lord Macbeth, and looked dapper in a navy blazer, which he layered above a coordinating knitted sweater.

Confident: What a pair! Frances McDormand commanded attention in a white overcoat featuring striking red leaf prints as she joind her dapper co-star Denzel Washington at the premiere of their film The Tragedy Of Macbeth at LA's DGA Theater on Thursday

What a pair! The talented actors put on a united display as they beamed from ear-to-ear while walking the red carpet

He coordinated his look with a matching pair of suit trousers while keeping things casual in a pair of black trainers.

Frances, who also produced the film, was joined by her husband Joel Coen, who looked stylish in a burgundy suit with a buttoned-down black shirt.

Elsewhere on the red carpet, Sharon Stone, 63, looked fierce as she showed off her sense of style in a sheer leopard-print dress as she posed up a storm upon arrival.

Adorable: Frances, who also produced the film, was joined by her husband Joel Coen (right), who looked stylish in a burgundy suit with a buttoned-down black shirt

Trendy: She was joined by Denzel, who looked ever-suave in a navy blazer, which he layered above a coordinating knitted sweater

Looking good: He coordinated his look with a matching pair of suit trousers

Happy: Frances beamed from ear-to-ear as she posed for photographers

Having a blast! She certainly put on an animated display during the star-studded event

Sharon's eye-catching dress was tied off around her midriff with a small cutout emphasising her trim figure.

The long-sleeve look reached all the way to the ground and featured a matching bow tied around her neck.

She contrasted the animal print with a sharp black overcoat that she wore casually draped over her shoulders while adding some extra colour to her look with hot pink hoop earrings.

The Academy Award nominee completed her ensemble with pointy burgundy heels and a black Dolce & Gabbana handbag that sells for $2,295.

A classic: His new film, his first to be made without his brother, is a black-and-white adaptation of William Shakespeare's immortal play Macbeth, with Denzel starring as the title character, while Frances plays his wife  and the source of his downfall  Lady Macbeth

They love it! The film has so far been rapturously received by critics, who noted its violent approach to the classic play, and the film has been commended for it's black-and-white cinematography and the bravura performances of the main cast

The lead: Denzel looked in good spirits as he posed on the red carpet ahead of watching the film with the A-list crowd

He's got game: Denzel looked like he was loving life as he beamed broadly while strutting down the red carpet

Safety first: Frances put on an affectionate display with her costar and slipped on a black mask later to fight the surging coronavirus

His new film, his first to be made without his brother, is a black-and-white adaptation of William Shakespeare's immortal play Macbeth, with Denzel starring as the title character, while Frances plays his wife  and the source of his downfall  Lady Macbeth.

The film has so far been rapturously received by critics, who noted its violent approach to the classic play, and the film has been commended for it's black-and-white cinematography and the bravura performances of the main cast.

The film will be distributed in a limited number of theaters by A24 beginning on Christmas Day, followed by a streaming release on Apple TV+ on January 14, 2022.

Also making a splash on the red carpet was Moses Ingram, who roses to prominence with her first major role in the acclaimed Netflix series The Queen's Gambit.

Hilarious: Denzel sweetly tapped his co-star's nose while shooting a serious expression

Playful: It was evident that the pair certainly have a close bond as they larked about

Pals: She appeared to be in deep conversation with Lucas Barker who donned a navy suit

Friends: She gave him a tight hug as they each closed their eyes

Excited: The pair appeared to be delighted to see one another as they beamed broadly

She looked radiant in an orange off-the-shoulder dress, and she wore her raven tresses parted down the middle in a chic bob.

Her costar Corey Hawkins posed with her at the premiere. He wore a loose-fitting cream-colored suit with a white sweater and cream-colored sneakers.

The two appear in the film as Macduff and his wife Lady Macduff.

The model Kota Eberhardt added some more color to the proceedings with her striking knit top.

The crop top highlighted her flat tummy and featured thick strands of candy-colored material woven together, and she paired it with a green satin skirt and gold heels.

Big night: Sharon Stone, 63, looked fierce as she attended the premiere as she rocked a sheer leopard-print dress

Back in black: She wore a stately black overcoat draped over her shoulders and added extra color with hot pink hoop earrings. The Oscar nominee completed her look with burgundy heels and a black eel Dolce & Gabbana handbag that sells for $2,295

Age-defying looks: Sharon's eye-catching dress was tied off around her midriff with a small cutout emphasizing her trim figure. The long-sleeve outfit reached all the way to the ground and featured a matching bow tied around her throa

Actress Emma King opted for something more reserved with her black polka dot dress, which featured puffy short sleeves.

She styled her blond tress in an updo and wore gold studded open-toe heels while accessorizing with a shining gold clutch.

Joining her was her husband Alex Hassell, who appears in the film as Ross. He wore a stylish green suit with a cream-colored mock turtleneck.

Glowing: Also making a splash on the red carpet was Moses Ingram, who looked radiant in an orange off-the-shoulder dress. She wore her raven tresses parted down the middle in a chic bob

On-screen couple: Her costar Corey Hawkins posed with her at the premiere. He wore a loose-fitting cream-colored suit with a white sweater and cream-colored sneakers. The two appear in the film as Macduff and his wife Lady Macduff

Unmissable: The model Kota Eberhardt added some more color to the proceedings with her striking knit top. The crop top highlighted her flat tummy and featured thick strands of candy-colored material woven together, and she paired it with a green satin skirt and gold heels

Daniella Pineda, who starred on the recently canceled Netflix series Cowboy Bebop, looked effortless cool in a black leather tube top with matching slacks and large pink-tinted glasses.

She brought along her boyfriend and occasional costar Andre Hyland, who sported a thick beard and a long blond mullet.

He wore a navy suit with contrasting red sneakers.

Elegant: Actress Emma King opted for something more reserved with her black polka dot dress, which featured puffy short sleeves. She styled her blond tress in an updo and wore gold studded open-toe heels while accessorizing with a shining gold clutch

Coupled up: Joining her was her husband Alex Hassell, who appears in the film as Ross. He wore a stylish green suit with a cream-colored mock turtleneck

Cute: The lovebirds shared a kiss on the red carpet

Stylish couple: Daniella Pineda, who starred in Netflix's live-action Cowboy Bebop series, looked cool in a black leather tube top with matching slacks and large pink-tinted glasses. She brought along her boyfriend and occasional costar Andre Hyland, who sported a thick beard and a long blond mullet. He wore a navy suit with contrasting red sneakers

Hellboy star Ron Perlman was bundled up on the chilly evening with a black coat and a blue patterned scarf.

Sean Patrick Thomas, who plays Monteith in The Tragedy Of Macbeth, wore a fashion-forward burgundy suit with a tie-free white shirt and brown leather shoes.

His wife Aonika Laurent sizzled in a red sequined dress with a plunging neckline.

Rugged: Hellboy star Ron Perlman was bundled up on the chilly evening with a black coat and a blue patterned scarf

Suited up: Sean Patrick Thomas, who plays Monteith in The Tragedy Of Macbeth, wore a fashion-forward burgundy suit with a tie-free white shirt and brown leather shoes

Dazzling: His wife Aonika Laurent sizzled in a red sequined dress with a plunging neckline

Stephen Root, who has previously collaborated with the Coen brothers, appears in the role of The Porter in The Tragedy Of Macbeth.

He wore a black suit with a dark purple shirt, and he spiced up the look with patent leather shoes and scarlet socks.

Chike Okonkwo, who currently appears on the TV series La Brea, wore a cool black suit with a white pocket square.

Mary Zophres, whose costumes for The Tragedy Of Macbeth have been singled out for critical praise, opted for a relatively muted look.

She wore a short black dress with thick pockets around her waist, along with black leggings, leather boots and a long silver chain dangling from her neck.

Old friend: Stephen Root, who has previously worked with the Coen brothers, appears as the Porter in The Tragedy Of Macbeth. He wore a black suit with a dark purple shirt. Chike Okonkwo, who currently appears on the TV series La Brea, wore a cool black suit with a white pocket square

Clothes expert: Mary Zophres, whose costumes for The Tragedy Of Macbeth have been singled out for critical praise, opted for a relatively muted look. She wore a short black dress with thick pockets around her waist, along with black leggings, leather boots and a long silver chain dangling from her neck
They recently exchanged barbs after their unhappy nuptials on Married At First Sight.

And on Friday night, unfriendly exes Nasser Sultan and Gabrielle Bartlett no doubt tried to avoid one another when they showed up at the same event.

Gabrielle, 47, called Nasser, 53, both attended the Believe Advertising Celebrates 20th Birthday party at The Flamingo Lounge in Sydney's Potts Point.

Oh no! They recently exchanged barbs after their unhappy nuptials on Married At First Sight. And on Friday night, unfriendly exes Nasser Sultan and Gabrielle Bartlett (pictured) no doubt tried to avoid one another when they showed up at the same event

Gabrielle looked gorgeous in a crossbody dress featuring a nature print in vivid green tones.

She wore her blonde hair down around her face and chose a rosy makeup palette with a pale pink lipstick.

Nasser hammed it up on the red carpet in a blue shirt open to expose his chest and showcase his pearl necklace, which he paired with a matching bracelet.

Same place: Gabrielle, 47, called Nasser, 53, (pictured) both attended the Believe Advertising Celebrates 20th Birthday party at The Flamingo Lounge in Sydney's Potts Point

Pretty: Gabrielle looked gorgeous in a crossbody dress featuring a nature print in vivid green tones. She wore her blonde hair down around her face and chose a rosy makeup palette

He added grey trousers fastened with a black belt with a metal 'love' logo at the front.

The close call comes after Nasser told former X Factor star Jason Owens in August that he realised things weren't going to work with Gabrielle halfway through their on-screen marriage.

Responding to other allegations Nasser made during that interview, which cannot be published for legal reasons, Gabrielle commented below the video: 'Oh babe. You're a lonely little man with no friends or job or life.

Pearly whites: Nasser hammed it up on the red carpet in a blue shirt open to expose his chest and showcase his pearl necklace, which he paired with a matching bracelet

A look: He added grey trousers fastened with a black belt with a metal 'love' logo at the front

'You do not make any money You do not have any media demand. Check out your Instagram followers compared to anyone else.

'All of us get invitations to the opening of envelopes - but it's you that feverishly turns up as if you're a VIP bless. The friends you had have cut their ties. Why is that?'

The controversial reality star hit back at his TV bride and told her she 'needs to move on' with her life.

War of words: The close call comes after Gabrielle hit back at Nasser over comments he made about their on-screen marriage in August. Pictured on Married At First Sight in 2018

Responding to other allegations Nasser made during that interview, which cannot be published for legal reasons, Gabrielle commented below the video: 'Oh babe. You're a lonely little man with no friends or job or life.' Pictured on MAFS

'Doesn't Gab have anything better to do with her time than watch and leave nasty comments on all of my interviews?' Nasser told Daily Mail Australia.

'That was such a long time ago. I think it's time to move on. I'm not lonely. I'm never alone. I've had many relationships after the show,' he added.

Nasser also denied he was unemployed, saying: 'I have several streams of income on top of commercial deals and online endorsements.'
Jimmy Kimmel was stunned on Thursday's show as Julia Roberts gatecrashed his interview with George Clooney.

The actor, 60, had tuned in to talk about his directorial film The Tender Bar with child star Daniel Ranieri, 10, when Julia, 54, decided to make a surprise appearance.

George and the actress are currently in Australia filming their latest movie, Ticket To Paradise.

Surprise! Jimmy Kimmel was stunned on Thursday's show as Julia Roberts gatecrashed his interview with George Clooney

During the interview, George said of Daniel: 'He showed up never acted before and did everything in one take.'

And the interview was interrupted after Jimmy asked the child actor: 'Who's your favourite batman, Ben Affleck or George Clooney.'

Julia then decided to comedically crash George's remote appearance as she slid in silently next to him wearing sunglasses for a brief moment.

Interview: The actor, 60, had tuned in to talk about his directorial film The Tender Bar with child star Daniel Ranieri, 10, when Julia, 54, decided to make a surprise appearance

No reaction: George pretended that he didn't notice Julia who slid in and out without talking

Exclaiming in surprise, Jimmy said: 'Oh my goodness, wow. Holy moly.'

He continued: 'I don't know if you're aware of this but the woman sitting next to you, there's a woman sitting next to you,' as George looked in the other direction.

As she slid out of the camera's view, Jimmy said: 'Maybe I hallucinated that. It looked like Julia Roberts though.'

Was it all a dream? As she slid out of the camera's view, Jimmy said: 'Maybe I hallucinated that. It looked like Julia Roberts though'

George directed the movie in which Ben Affleck stars in, after both playing Comics' Bruce Wayne/Batman as well as having a long-term friendship.

The Tender Bar was the leading men's second film collaboration after Ben's 2012 directorial effort Argo, which George produced.

The story follows author J. R. Moehringer during his early years in New York City as he searches for his father while growing closer to his uncle and a group of locals at a nearby bar.

Impressed: During the interview, George said of Daniel: 'He showed up never acted before and did everything in one take'

Development on The Tender Bar began in 2013 with Hidden Figures director Theodore Melfi set to helm the film, before he exited the project.

After several years of difficulties, Amazon Studios acquired the rights to the project in July 2020, with George being confirmed to spearhead the feature in December.

Ben's role was confirmed in February, with much of the rest of the cast being added then in March.
Rachel Shenton detailed how her father Geoff lost his hearing when she was just 12 years old during a Friday appearance on Lorraine.

The actress, 33, revealed the chemotherapy he received following a throat cancer diagnosis affected his ears and that he went deaf overnight.

Although he died two years later when Rachel was 14, by then she was learning sign language and it became a refuge for her as she mourned.

Open book: Rachel Shenton detailed how her father Geoff lost his hearing when she was just 12 years old during a Friday appearance on Lorraine

She began: 'My dad had throat cancer. He was diagnosed quite late and he had huge doses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

'One of the side effects was losing his hearing completely kind of almost overnight so I saw just what a massive impact that has on the family.

'And I was always doing plays and going up and do things at school and drama and things, and he was no longer able to and watch those things.

'I guess it's the things you take for granted, really, that became difficult.'

Tragic: The actress, 33, revealed the chemotherapy he received following a throat cancer diagnosis affected his ears and that he went deaf overnight (pictured, centre, at an unknown date with Geoff, centre-right)

Upsetting: Although he died two years later when Rachel was 14, by then she was learning sign language and it became a refuge for her as she mourned

The Hollyoaks star won the Best Live Action Short Academy Award in 2018 for The Silent Child, which she told Lorraine she keeps on her bookshelf at home.

The poignant 20-minute film is about a young deaf girl who can't communicate with her family, who can all hear.

She said: 'I never thought for a second I would win an Oscar, maybe they'll show the film in primary schools, It really touched people.'

In 2010, Rachel became an ambassador for the National Deaf Children's Society in the UK and is a committed advocate to raising deaf awareness.

Wow: She said: 'I was always doing plays and going up and do things at school and drama and things, and he was no longer able to and watch those things'

Humble: Rachel (right) said: 'I never thought for a second I would win an Oscar, maybe they'll show the film in primary schools, It really touched people'

Going on to heap praise upon Strictly Come Dancing's Rose Ayling-Ellis, Rachel admitted she is hoping the deaf actress will win the series during Saturday's final.

She said: 'Rose is brilliant, isn't she Just the representation. I think she'll do it.'

Rachel previously told Good Morning Britain about the short film in further detail, which saw her star alongside Maisie Sly, then six.

She said: 'I've seen the needless struggles that deaf children and deaf people face and that gave me the impetus to write.

Talented: The Hollyoaks star won the Best Live Action Short Academy Award in 2018 for The Silent Child, which she told Lorraine she keeps on her bookshelf (pictured with Maisie Sly)

'A lot of the struggles are borne from a lack of education from hearing people, people don't know how to deal with it and not knowing the best way to deal with it.

'That's why access to services is a constant struggle. It doesn't need to be like that.'

Speaking about the casting of talented Maisie, who is profoundly deaf, she said: 'That particular character was so difficult to cast, we always knew it would be because the brief was so specific.

'She needed to be profoundly deaf, we did a nationwide search, saw over 100 kids in total. Maisie walked in and we made our decision within 10 seconds, she was just perfect.'
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Saturday night's live final will see just two celebrities compete for the glitterball trophy, after AJ Odudu pulled out just a day before due to a foot injury.

And now that it's a two horse race, Rose Ayling-Ellis, 27, is at 1-20 odds on favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing with 95% chance of lifting the glitterball trophy, as she prepares to go head-to-head with John Whaite, 32, who is the 8-1 outsider.

Other predictions suggest that EastEnders star Rose and dance partner Giovanni Pernice could finish their three routines with 119 points out of 120, compared to chef John and dance partner Johannes Rabede's predicted 117 points.

Both finalists are groundbreaking contestants, with Rose being the first deaf celebrity to compete in Strictly come dancing and John being the first male celebrity to be in a same-sex pairing.

The winner? Rose Ayling-Ellis, 27, is at 1-20 odds on favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday, with 89% chance of lifting the glitterball trophy while John Whaite, 32, is the 8-1 outsider

Leading bookmaker Coral has given Rose Ayling-Ellis an 89% chance of winning Strictly Come Dancing, and named her the shortest priced Strictly favourite ever.

The soap star has been very popular in the firm's outright market throughout the series and is now long odds-on to lift the glitterball trophy at 1-20, while John Whaite is the 8-1 outsider to cause an upset over the weekend.

Coral's John Hill said: 'It's very unfortunate that AJ has had to withdraw at this stage. Rose is now the shortest priced favourite we have ever had in a Strictly final.

WHAT ARE THE ODDS? Rose now 1-20 after AJ's withdrawal John Whaite is 8-1 to cause an upset over the weekend Advertisement

'Rose has been the favourite to lift the Glitterball Trophy from very early into this series. Our odds suggests she has a 89% chance of winning the final this weekend.

'It will be an early Christmas present for many punters as Rose has been well backed to prevail ever since she stepped foot on the dance floor in week one.'

Elsewhere, analysis of Google search data has revealed that online searches for Rose and Giovanni have been 150% more popular than John and Johannes over the course of the current series.

A new finding by PokerListings.com reveals that online interest for favourites Rose and Giovanni has been almost three times higher than fellow finalists John and Johannes in the 2021 series, with the final due to air this Saturday.

A spokesperson for PokerListings.com commented: 'It's clear from the data that the internet has already picked their winner for this year's series, so it'll be fascinating to see how these findings match up to the real results this weekend.

'Thus far, Rose has avoided the dreaded dance-off, whilst both John and AJ have been in the bottom two, suggesting that Rose will be the clear winner, taking home the glitterball this Saturday.

'With searches high for all three, it is likely the result will be spoken about for weeks to come.'

Could it be perfection? Other predictions suggest that EastEnders star Rose and dance partner Giovanni Pernice could finish their three routines with 119 points out of 120

Close but not close enough? Chef John and dance partner Johannes Rabede are predicted to receive 117 points for their final three performances

Elsewhere, bookmaker Sporting Index has predicted that Rose will be just one point off achieving a perfect 120 in the Strictly final with two routines scoring 40 and the other 39.

John Waite is predicted to bag 117 points from his and Johannes' final three dances, while betting on AJ Odudu was suspended after she pulled out of the competition due to a ligament injury.

Neville Burdock, head of trading at Sporting Index, said: 'Last week's tango from Rose was gripping, and three dances of that standard will see her go mightily close to receiving a maximum of 120 points on Saturday night.'

The battle for the Strictly glitterball has sparked a regional war as southerner Rose takes on northerner John.

A TV insider told The Sun: 'The regional vote has a massive effect on the success of contestants on TV contests, and never before has there been two people in the final with such a clear geographic divide.

'There's a strong sense that this is a clash of the titans, as both Rose and John are incredible dancers who will now go into the final neck-and-neck with voters.

'AJ's exit was a tragedy for her. But getting the votes she'd have received from northerners is likely to be the last-minute surge John needed to put him in reach of the glitterball.'

Saturday's show will see the finalists take on a whopping three dances in a bid for the glitterball trophy - their favourite dance of the series, a routine picked by the judges and of course their spectacular showdance.

Rose and Giovanni will be recreating their Couple's Choice routine from week 8 which saw them dancing to Symphony by Clean Bandit (ft Zara Larsson).

Spellbinding: Rose and Giovanni will be recreating their Couple's Choice routine from week 8 which saw them dancing to Symphony by Clean Bandit (ft Zara Larsson)

Has to be done: Speaking during a recent press conference about their decision to recreate the dance, Giovanni said that because it was 'such a big moment', it would be 'weird for us not to do it again'

The performance left people in tears as halfway through the dance, the music stopped, with the silence signifying what Rose hears as she dances.

Speaking during a recent press conference attended by MailOnline and other media about their decision to recreate the dance, Giovanni said that because it was 'such a big moment', it would be 'weird for us not to do it again'.

'Obviously the silent moment was so powerful, and because this got so much attention. Rose keeps saying the dance changed her life and lots of people's lives, so it's just fair to do it again and I think it's the right thing to do.'

Of their showdance, the Italian pro said: 'Our show dance is a celebration of me and Rose and our relationship together, in the sense of, we found this beautiful friendship and that's what we want to celebrate on Saturday night.

He added: 'Saturday night is to be a celebration, we are in the final, we made it all the way, then que sera sera.'

While Rose noted: 'I think we're going to enjoy it because it's the last Saturday night ever. I don't know what I'm going to do with Saturday nights [after Strictly].'

Prepare for tears: Meanwhile, their competitors John and Johannes will be recreating their emotional week 7 Rumba to Shape Of My Heart by Sting, with the routine leaving everyone sobbing after they dedicated it to the LGBT+ community

Exciting: The pair will also perform their dazzling Paso Doble set to the Pirates Of The Caribbean theme as well as their such anticipated Showdance choreographed by Jason Gilkison

The couple will also be dancing to the judges pick of the Quickstep to Frozen's Love Is An Open Door from Movie Week.

Meanwhile, their competitors John and Johannes will be recreating their emotional week 7 Rumba to Shape Of My Heart by Sting, with the routine leaving everyone sobbing after they dedicated it to the LGBT+ community.

John recently said of the dance, which the judges asked them to perform again in the final: 'This was such an important moment for us. Two men dancing such an intimate dance on national TV was really a huge step forward.'

The pair will also perform their dazzling Paso Doble set to the Pirates Of The Caribbean theme as well as their such anticipated Showdance choreographed by Jason Gilkison.

Teasing the showdance to Florence + The Machine's You Got The Love, John shared to Instagram: 'This choreography by @jasongilkison is so gorgeous. It's really fast, but full of bits of everything: waltz, Viennese waltz, Argentine tango, Charleston, street.

'I really really love this and the song is an ANTHEM.'

STRCITLY COME DANCING FINAL DANCES Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice THEIR CHOICE: Couple's Choice to Symphony by Clean Bandit (ft Zara Larsson) JUDGES PICK: Quickstep to Love Is An Open Door from the Frozen soundtrack SHOWDANCE: Dancing to The Rose by Bette Midler John Whaite and Johannes Radebe THEIR CHOICE: Paso Doble to Pirates Of The Caribbean theme JUDGES PICK - Rumba to Shape Of My Heart by Sting SHOWDANCE: Dancing to Florence + The Machine's You Got The Love Advertisement

Oh no! On Thursday, Giovanni's foot was crushed in a closing door as he arrived at the It Takes Two film studios in London with Rose

Elsewhere, on Thursday, Giovanni's foot was crushed in a closing door as he arrived at the It Takes Two film studios in London with Rose.

Thankfully, a spokesperson for Giovanni Pernice told MailOnline: 'He is 100% OK.'

His near-injury added further worry to the fast-approaching Strictly final as AJ Odudu, 33, pulled out of the competition on Friday.

The presenter, who was partnered with rumoured boyfriend Kai Widdrington, 26, pulled out of the competition after suffering ligament damage to her foot earlier this week, leaving her unable to stand and relying on crutches.

She was spotted on Friday leaving her London hotel to head to her final rehearsals on crutches, just one day before the Strictly final.

The star - who is said to have had treatment on Wednesday - is unable to put any weight on her foot, and was hoping to compete in the final but made the decision to pull out on Friday.

Oh no! Giovanni's foot incident came after Strictly's AJ Odudu, 33, pulled out of the competition after suffering ligament damage to her foot earlier this week

Sad news: The presenter had no choice but to pull out of Saturday's grand final with pro dancer Kai, 26, after suffering ligament damage to her foot during rehearsals this week (pictured on Friday)

After consulting medical professionals, AJ said in a statement: 'I'm deeply upset that I am unable to perform in the final due to a torn ligament in my right ankle.

'Learning to dance over the last 13 weeks has been an incredible honour and to do it alongside someone as special, patient and devoted as Kai is something I'll treasure forever.

'Thank you to the Strictly family for the experience, the medical team for trying to get me back on my feet and mostly, to everyone at home for watching and supporting. You've made this experience one to remember.

'Strictly Come Dancing has been a lifelong dream and I'm glad it came true. Good luck to my partners in dance, John and Johannes and Rose and Giovanni. I will be cheering you on (on one leg!)'

AJ and Kai broke down in tears on Friday's It Takes Two as they made their first TV appearance since being forced to quit the show.

Speaking to Rylan Clark-Neal, 'gutted' AJ wiped away tears after watching a VT of their Strictly journey as she remarked: 'It wasn't the way we wanted to come out.'

Emotional: AJ and Kai broke down in tears on Friday's It Takes Two as they made their first TV appearance since being forced to quit the show

Devastated: Speaking to Rylan Clark-Neal, 'gutted' AJ wiped away tears after watching a VT of their Strictly journey as she remarked: 'It wasn't the way we wanted to come out'

Kai was left sobbing next to the star with Rylan handing him a tissue as they spoke about being forced to leave ahead of the final - his very first one.

AJ explained of the situation: 'Do you know what, we had the best time and on Monday we rehearsed and we were just excited like: 'Right, we're going to do the jive, we're going to do the Charleston, what a way to end our experience.'

'My ankle's given way and my ligament has ruptured and it's just not gonna happen. We're gutted because we were ready to smash it.

'This isn't the way that we wanted to go out, obviously, but even just looking back at all of those moments, it's just been an absolute pleasure dancing with Kai every single week, so thank you.'

Elsewhere, it had been reported that the run time for Saturday's final will now be significantly shorter now it has one couple down, though it's not clear by how much.

The Sun reports that there is speculation that the BBC could be made shorter by 'as much as 30 minutes', which would cover the amount of screen time the couple may have occupied had they been competing.

MailOnline have contacted Strictly representatives for comment.
Selling Sunset star Heather Rae Young and Tarek el Moussa attended a hot yoga class in Newport Beach, after revealing she is on vocal rest.

For the class, the 34-year-old real estate agent cut a sporty figure in a grey sweatshirt, matching sweatpants and a pair of fuzzy UGG slippers.

She kept her platinum blonde tresses up in a messy ponytail, while her new husband wore a black t-shirt, shots and a pair of sandals.

Pushing through: Selling Sunset star Heather Rae Young and Tarek el Moussa attended a hot yoga yoga class in Newport Beach, after revealing she is on vocal rest

Despite her doctor's recommendation to stay in bed and recover, Young seemed to be powering through for a relaxing workout session.

On Friday morning, Young revealed she is suffering a 'serious' vocal cord injury, which required vocal rest for three months to recover.

After learning of the devastating news, the reality star told her more than 2.1million Instagram followers that she was feeling 'sad.'

Casual: For the class, the 34-year-old real estate agent cut a sporty figure in a grey sweatshirt, matching sweatpants and a pair of fuzzy slippers

Workout buddies: She kept her platinum blonde tresses up in a messy ponytail, while her new husband wore a black t-shirt, shots and a pair of sandals

'I have inflammation & calluses on vocal chords. I have to be on bed/vocal rest for 3 months,' she captioned a somber car selfie.

The former model continued: 'And after that we will evaluate again & get surgery if needed.

'I started crying, it could be worse but it's serious & I have to get better or I won't heal. So basically moves & very limited talking for a while.'

Sad: Earlier in the day, Young revealed she is suffering a 'serious' vocal cord injury, which requires vocal rest for three months

In the image, she wore a black fuzzy jacket, liquid eyeliner and pink lipstick as she slightly pouted at the camera.

Inflammation of the vocal cords is typically caused by 'using your voice too much, infections, breathing in irritants, or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux),' according to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's website.

Her diagnosis comes just after marrying Tarek El Moussa in October and their lavish honeymoon to the Maldives and Dubai last month.

Snag in her newlywed life: Her diagnosis comes just weeks after marrying Tarek El Moussa in October and their lavish honeymoon to the Maldives and Dubai last month

The couple initially met in 2019 when they were introduced by mutual friends during a boating trip in Newport Beach, California.

Following their wedding, the former Playboy Playmate told People that she was happy to be able to spend the rest of her life with her now-husband.

'We're best friends, we're true soulmates, and our love is so rare and so special. It's the love I've always dreamed of my whole life,' she said.

Starting off strong: El Moussa and his now-wife initially met in 2019 when they were introduced by mutual friends during a boating trip in Newport Beach, California; they are seen in July

Opening up: The pair spoke to People following their wedding, and the former Playboy Playmate expressed that she was happy to be able to spend the rest of her life with her now-husband; they are seen in September

El Moussa added: 'I'm just excited to live this life with her. We've got the two babies, we have a family, and we have a very bright future.'

When it comes to expanding their family, she recently told E! News Daily Pop: 'We're going to freeze embryos first, go from there and then see what happens.'

Tarek then went on to say they spent their honeymoon 'having talks about having babies' and 'practicing having babies.'

Honeymoon bliss: The couple, who tied the knot on October 23, recently returned from their romantic honeymoon in the Maldives

The Flip or Flop star is already father to daughter Taylor, 11, and son Brayden, six, whom he shares with ex-wife Christina Haack, 38.

Heather said, 'I'm more open to it because our life is already crazy.

Fans will get an inside look at the pair's nuptials when their televised wedding special Tarek And Heather The Big I Do premieres on December 16 on HGTV.

Fun: Fans will get an inside look at the pair's nuptials when their televised wedding special Tarek And Heather The Big I Do premieres on December 16 on HGTV

Heather also confessed she initially had reservations about filming the wedding. 'For me, like, a girl's wedding day is one of the most important defining moments of your life and I was just so worried something was going to go wrong or it wasn't going to turn out how we wanted.

She continued,'But honestly, we didn't even notice the cameras. We weren't even paying attention.'

Tarek added, 'It was nice. It was like the cameras weren't there. That was something really important, we didn't want it to feel like filming, we didn't want it to feel like like work. We just wanted the cameras to capture our wedding and I think they achieved that.'
Bella Hadid stunned in a two-piece lace outfit and a bright pink purse from Michael Kors' newest collection #MKSoHo.

The 25-year-old model is the face of the newest Michael Kors campaign.

Bella steals the show wearing a lace bra top, showing off the top of her toned tummy, with their matching feather skirt. She tops the look off with their new pink studded handbag.

Knockout: Bella Hadid stunned in a two piece lace outfit and a bright pink purse from Michael Kors' newest collection #MKSoHo

The #MKSoHo campaign also features star Lori Harvey, 24, who became a face for the brand this year by promoting a one-piece bathing suit collaboration.

Bella has worked with the Michael Kors brand since 2019, when she first became the face of their Spring 2019 campaign.

Gigi Hadid's little sister has made a name for herself in the modeling world for the past several years.

At the beginning of her career in 2016, Bella was voted Model of the Year by industry professionals. This was the same year she walked in her first ever Victoria's Secret fashion show.

It is no surprise that Bella has rose to superstardom fame, following in her mother, Yolanda Hadid and sister, Gigi's footsteps.

Star studded campaign: The 25-year-old model is the face of the newest Michael Kors campaign. Bella steals the show wearing a lace bra top, showing off the top of her toned tummy, with their matching feather skirt. She tops the look off with their new pink studded handbag

The face of the campaign: Bella rocks two looks for the newest campaign, a two piece set and a laced, feather dress with black tights and gold jewelry

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star was a major model in the '80s and '90s and got Gigi into modeling when she was just two-years-old.

This campaign comes shortly after Bella announced at the beginning of December that she decided to return to Victoria Secret as the brand attempts to rebrand as the VS Collective.

The former Victoria's Secret angel left the brand after the 2018 New York fashion show, where she claimed the former Victoria's Secret executive Ed Razek sexually assaulted her during her fitting.

Cheers to #MKSoHo: The IMG super model has worked with the Michael Kors brand since 2019, when she first became the face of their Spring 2019 campaign

'What magnetized me to coming back was them coming to me and really proving to me that, behind the scenes, Victoria's Secret has changed so drastically,' Bella said during an interview with Marie Claire. Ed Razek left Victoria's Secret after the 2018 New York fashion show.

Besides modeling, Bella has been active on Instagram, memorializing her good friend, Virgil Abloh, who passed away in November from a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma.

The Off-White founder was a pioneer in the fashion industry and was remembered by many of the world's biggest stars. Bella and the creative director for Louis Vuitton had both a professional and personal relationship. She remembered him in several Instagram posts by referring to him as her brother who was 'someone to everyone.'

Remembering Virgil Abloh: Besides modeling, Bella has been active on Instagram, memorializing her good friend, Virgil Abloh, who passed away in November from a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma

This week it was shared that in an effort to continue Watch Hunger Stop philanthropic messaging year-round, Michael Kors has recently launched a content series titled #WhatsOnMyTable.

The series presents world-renowned chefs and famed at-home cooks as they create dishes with easy-to-follow recipes for viewers to whip up in their own kitchens.

#WhatsOnMyTable kicked off in October on World Food Day with Shereen Palvides, a social media cooking star known for her account @cookingwithshereen. The series then continued with Andy Baraghani as the author and chef prepped the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving.

Australias leading food editor and bestselling cookbook author Donna Hay now takes the series global in her filmed Upside Down Pavlova, from her native Sydney.

Through the end of the year and into 2022, viewers can expect more episodes of the #WhatsOnMyTable series with notable chefs to come. The series will feature talent from around the world  from USA to London, from the Middle East to Asia, amongst others. As the stars share their dishes, they will also be modeling special-edition Michael Kors Watch Hunger Stop products whose sales help fight global hunger.

Watch Hunger Stop supports the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in their mission to achieve Zero Hunger and provide much needed school meals to children in food insecure areas.
Chrissy Teigen showed off her stunning curves in a pair of sexy black criss-cross pants while on a date night with her husband John Legend.

As they enjoyed a kids-free night, the best-selling cookbook author, 36, rocked a black bra beneath a chic matching blazer.

She completed her edgy ensemble with a pair of tall open-toed pumps and light brown hair in a romantic updo with curls hanging down the front.

Looking good! Chrissy Teigen showed off her stunning curves in a pair of sexy black criss-cross pants while on a date night with her husband John Legend

'Nice pants,' she captioned her slideshow, which featured Legend giving her a kiss on the cheek as he wore a grey argyle sweater.

The EGOT winner, 42, commented three heart-eyes emojis, while her pal Tess Holliday quipped: 'I would look like a can of biscuits popping open in those pants but lawdddd you're rocking them.'

Her post received more than 57,000 likes in under an hour from her more than 36.2 million Instagram followers.

'Nice pants,' she captioned her slideshow, which featured Legend giving her a kiss on the cheek as he wore a grey argyle sweater

Stylish: She completed her edgy ensemble with a pair of open-toed pumps and light brown hair in a romantic updo with curls hanging down the front

Earlier this week, Legend proved he's a man of his word and got a tattoo that was inspired by a drawing by his five-year-old daughter Luna.

His decision came after Teigen publicly teased him for seemingly backing out of getting the tattoo after she lived up to a bargain to get a butterfly drawing also by their little girl inked to her arm.

The saga began when little Luna drew the butterfly on her mom and the floral bouquet on her father.

Shoutout: Teigen made sure to tag @thellenshow when she posted a video of the tattoo work, which comes days after she called out her husband on the talk show for not living up to his end of a bargain by getting the body ink

Tribute: Just over a year ago, Legend and Teigen paid tribute to their late son by getting matching tattoos of his name of their late son 'Jack' on their wrists by Winter

'Luna was drawing on us one night, and she was like, 'I love this. This is the best butterfly I've ever drawn,' and I was like, 'I agree,'' the model recalled during a guest appearance The Elle DeGeneres Show earlier this month.

'And then she drew a beautiful floral bouquet on John's arm, and he was like, "I'll tattoo mine, if you tattoo yours," and I was like, "Well, I don't wanna say it, but yours looks a lot better than mine,"' Teigen explained, adding, 'But we support the arts in our household, so'

Waisting little time, Teigen called up Winter, the celebrity tattooist, and got her butterfly tattoo but her husband did not.

Documented: Teigen was on sight to shoot video of her husband living up to his end of a deal they made to get tattoos inspired by art done by their little daughter Luna

'Luna drew this butterfly on me today and it seemed fitting to make permanent,' she wrote when she posted a photo on Instagram, adding, 'I wanted @winterstone to move and center it, due to issues I also discuss in therapy, but in the end we decided to leave it right where she belonged. A little imperfect, a little messy, but h**l she's here to stay.

In his own defense, Legend maintained that the days went by and their deal just slipped his mind.

'Honestly, I just forgot all about it and Chrissy's appearance on 'Ellen' reminded me and I called up our tattoo artist that did Chrissys, and I'm going to do mine this weekend,' Legend reveled in an interview on Today on Wednesday.

It would take four days, but the Conversations In The Dark star star did in fact get the floral bouquet in Winter's famous scripted style, and his wife was there to shoot video and post it on Instagram.

Mom's end of bargain: 'Luna drew this butterfly on me today and it seemed fitting to make permanent,' Teigen wrote when she posted a photo of her tattoo on Instagram in June

This isn't the first time the acclaimed musician has gotten some body art.

Just over a year ago, Legend and Teigen paid tribute to their late son by getting matching tattoos of his name 'Jack' on their wrists by Winter in his familiar cursive script style.

The couple were devastated when they lost their baby Jack, who was stillborn after a partial placental abruption at 20 weeks in September 2020.

'JACK @chrissyteigen @johnlegend My heart is with you, sending you all the love!' Winter wrote in a message to the couple on Instagram, along with the hashtags: '#love #jack #tattoo #tattoolove #singleneedle #freehand #script'

Memorialized: Winter posted the tribute to the couple's late son, 'Jack', on Instagram

Winter previously gave the pair family-themed tattoos: Teigen's reads, 'John  Luna  Miles,' just above her new 'Jack' script, in a nod to her husband, daughter and two-year-old son Miles. While Legend similarly has a matching tattoos featuring the names, 'Chrissy  Luna  Miles.'

Winter's celebrity clientele also includes the likes of Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Emma Roberts, Joe Jonas, Mandy Moore and her husband, Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith, and Demi Lovato.

'People come to me for fine-line, really meaningful, powerful pieces,' Winter, who describes his aesthetic as 'delicately sharp', revealed during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
As a mixed-race actress she has made a point of openly discussing her heritage, saying that her position as a light-skinned black woman makes her Hollywoods acceptable version of a black girl.

Now we can reveal another intriguing part of the glossy Spider-Man star Zendayas ancestry: her great-grandfather was a heroic WW1 soldier from Dundee.

Zendaya knows about her Scottish heritage and is proud of it, says her mother Claire Stoermer, speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail by telephone from her home in California. She hasnt been to Scotland yet, but I know shed love to visit some time.

As a mixed-race actress, Zendaya has made a point of openly discussing her heritage, saying that her position as a light-skinned black woman makes her Hollywoods acceptable version of a black girl

Now we can reveal another intriguing part of the glossy Spider-Man star Zendayas ancestry: her great-grandfather was a heroic WW1 soldier from Dundee

The recent premiere of the latest Spider-Man film, No Way Home, saw Zendaya  who plays Spider-Mans girlfriend MJ  on the red carpet in a revealing Valentino cobweb dress, much to the delight of her boyfriend British actor Tom Holland, who plays Spider-Man.

Its all a long way from nineteenth century Dundee, where, the actresss maternal great grandfather Douglas Whitelaw was born in 1896. Then, most of the jobs in the city were in jute manufacture  but it was women, rather than men who were employed to keep costs down.

It meant Dundee had very high male unemployment, and many men were, in effect, house husbands  known rather disparagingly as kettle bilers, or kettle boilers.

Its against this backdrop that Zendayas relatives decided to emigrate to Canada, as so many other Scots did at the time  first her great-great grandfather, Harry Tulloch Whitelaw, and then his son, her great-grandfather, Douglas, who made the long and arduous journey by ship, in 1911.

He was about 15 when he left Dundee and went to Canada, arriving first in Halifax, and then taking a train to Vancouver where his father had already set up a business as a certified public accountant, says Claire.

Yet that wasnt the last time Douglas would cross the Atlantic. The family has preserved a photograph of their beloved ancestor, which Claire sends me: a black and white photograph of Douglas, in a kilt and Glengarry hat as part of his military uniform for the Canadian Highlanders. Douglas, it seems, was a patriotic soldier who volunteered for service in WW1.

The recent premiere of the latest Spider-Man film, No Way Home, in LA saw Zendaya  who plays Spider-Mans girlfriend MJ  on the red carpet in a revealing Valentino cobweb dress

Zendaya knows about her Scottish heritage and is proud of it, says her mother Claire Stoermer, speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail by telephone from her home in California

He fought in the First World War for about a year, adds Claire. He was shot in the shoulder while in the trenches and came home [to Canada] with shrapnel wounds.

There, Douglas went on to marry Thelma Ray Kelly, a Canadian, and their baby girl  Zendayas future maternal grandmother  Daphne Carol, was born in Vancouver. While Douglas and his family settled permanently in Canada, his daughter Daphne  Claires mother  went to the US to study.

She met my father and thats why the family is here, says Claire.

Its this mix  Scottish and German ancestry on her mothers side and African American on her fathers  that have contributed to Zendayas elfin beauty. So passionately does her Arkansas-born father feel about his own Nigerian ancestry that he changed his name from Samuel David Coleman to Kazembe Ajamu Coleman.

An astute businesswoman, Zendaya has amassed 114million followers on Instagram and 19.4million followers on Twitter.

With this, has come her own clothing and shoe line called Daya, her childhood nickname, and endorsements from a wide variety of fashion and beauty companies. Rumours abound that boyfriend Tom Holland, 25  originally from Kingston-upon-Thames  might be about to walk her down the aisle.

An engagement ring has seemingly been spotted and he has spoken of his desire to become a father.

So will Zendaya be making a trip to Dundee, via Kingston? Her mother hopes so. When I was about 16, I went with my Mom to Scotland and we loved it, recalls Claire. We did all the touristy stuff and we found out about the family tartan, which is called Drummond.
Anna Faris was seen out for the first time since news broke that her ex Chris Pratt and wife Katherine Schwarzenegger are expecting their second child.

The 45-year-old best-selling author, who shares nine-year-old son Jack with the Guardians of the Galaxy, appeared in high spirits while running errands around Los Angeles by herself.

For the outing, she rocked a navy sweater, distressed jeans, sunglasses and a pair of short brown Ugg boots.

Running errands: Anna Faris was seen out for the first time since news broke that her ex Chris Pratt and wife Katherine Schwarzenegger are expecting their second child

As she walked back to her car, she toted a blue gift bag and snacked on some gluten-free pretzels.

Sources revealed to PEOPLE on Thursday morning that Katherine and Chris have another baby on the way just a little over a year after welcoming their 16-month-old daughter.

Their new baby joy comes shortly after Pratt honored his wife with a sweet social media tribute for her birthday.

Effortlessly chic: The 45-year-old best-selling author, who shares nine-year-old son Jack with the Guardians of the Galaxy, appeared in high spirits while running errands around Los Angeles by herself

'Happy Birthday Honey! You are such a wonderful wife, mother, step-mother, and life partner,' he wrote. 'I simply can't imagine how lost I'd be without you.

'You're beautiful, tough as nails, reasonable, deeply thoughtful, extraordinarily smart, you're a complete boss, eternally driven and you communicate like no other. Thank you for everything.'

He added: 'We fit so perfectly into each others lives that our Union is a daily reminder that God is looking out for us. Navigating the odd circumstances of our world is a task I cannot handle alone. And Im so grateful I dont have to. Your commitment to helping others is contagious.'

Coparents: Pratt shares co-parenting responsibilities of his nine-year-old son, Jack, with ex-wife Anna Faris; Anna, Jack, and Chris pictured in 2017

Katherine is the oldest daughter of former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, who is the niece of President John F. Kennedy.

Chris and Katherine first sparked romance rumors in early 2018, after they were spotted canoodling in Santa Barbara, CA.

Seven months prior, Chris filed for divorce from Faris after eight-years of marriage, citing 'irreconcilable differences,' according to TMZ. They asked for joint custody of their son, who was five-years-old at the time.

Confirmed: Sources revealed to PEOPLE on Thursday morning that Katherine and Chris have another baby on the way just a little over a year after welcoming their 16-month-old daughter; Katherine and Chris pictured in 2019

Katherine and Chris were later captured on a PDA-packed outing in July of 2018, followed by numerous family hangouts with the Schwarzenegger's and the Pratt's, which were documented on social media.

The couple did not confirm their relationship status until December of 2018, a little over a month after Chris' divorce from Anna was finalized, as reported by E! News.

The confirmation came in the form of 'Happy Birthday' post from Chris to Katherine, which included a photo collage of the brunette beauty.

Mom and Dad: Chris and Katherine are parents to Lyla Maria, 16 months

Blessed: Pratt discussed family planning efforts earlier this year and told E! News last summer that he'd 'love' to have more kids, and was willing to have 'as many [kids] as the man upstairs will provide'

'Happy Birthday Chief! Your smile lights up the room. I've cherished our time together. Thrilled God put you in my life. Thankful for the laughs, kisses, talks, hikes, love and care,' wrote the Parks And Rec alum.

On January 9, Chris proposed to Katherine, which he proudly announced to his 28.8million Instagram followers.

'Sweet Katherine, so happy you said yes! I'm thrilled to be marrying you. Proud to live boldly in faith with you. Here we go!' captioned Pratt.

He included a photo of himself and Katherine embracing that gave his followers a clear view of the giant rock on her finger.

Birth announcement: She'd give birth to their little girl in August 2020, with the couple confirming her arrival via Instagram on August 10

They moved in together shortly after getting engaged.

Katherine and Chris were married on June 8 of 2019 during what was described as 'an intimate ceremony' in Montecito, California.

10-months later in May 2020, it was revealed by Katherine's mother Maria that the newlyweds were expecting their first child together. The 66-year-old journalist let the news slip during an episode of her Instagram Live series #HomeTogether.

'You're gonna have another beautiful family member,' said Shriver to Pratt at the time, who was a featured guest.

Moving fast: 10-months after their June 2019 wedding, it was revealed by Katherine's mother Maria that the newlyweds were expecting their first child; Katherine and Chris pictured in August 2020

Days later, Katherine unveiled her baby bump for the first time during a dog walk near her home in Brentwood.

She gave birth to their little girl Lyla Maria in August, which they both confirmed via Instagram on August 10.

'We are beyond thrilled to announce the birth of our daughter, Lyla Maria Schwarzenegger Pratt,' Pratt captioned the post. 'We couldnt be happier.'

Earlier this year, Pratt gushed over the thought of having more children with Katherine and that he's willing to have 'as many [kids] as the man upstairs will provide.'

He added, 'We'll do it. I'll probably have to talk to Katherine about that but my plan is, let's go.'
India is now seeing an exponential rise in Omicron cases and there are no deaths reported yet. Cases have risen in the past week; and several states are getting restrictions back in place.

Here are the latest updates on Omicron:

1. INDIA HAS 97 OMICRON CASES IN TOTAL

Here's the states break-up:

Maharashtra - 32

Delhi - 20

Rajasthan - 17

Karnataka - 8

Gujarat - 5

Kerala - 5

Telangana - 6

West Bengal - 1

Andhra Pradesh - 1

Chandigarh - 1

Tamil Nadu - 1

2. 10 NEW OMICRON CASES IN DELHI

Ten new cases of Omicron were confirmed in the national capital on December 17. The state tally is now at 20 and all have been admitted at Delhi's Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital. Delhi's Health Minister Satyendar Jain was quoted by PTI as saying, "Delhi logs 10 new cases of Omicron, tally now 20. Of these, 10 have been discharged." The Health Minister also said that none of the Omicron cases are severe.

Delhi logs 10 new cases of Omicron, tally now 20. Of these, 10 have been discharged: Health Minister Satyendar Jain  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 17, 2021

3. 12 NEW OMICRON CASES EMERGE IN TELANGANA

G Srinivas Rao, Health Director, Telangana has confirmed that there are 8 Omicron cases in Telangana. The director said that all cases are imported.

4. VACCINATED WOMAN WITH NO TRAVEL HISTORY TESTS POSITIVE FOR OMICRON IN GUJARAT

A fully vaccinated 21-year-old woman tested positive for Omicron in Vijapur, Mehsana district in Gujarat on December 16. As per the Mehsana chief district health officer Dr Vishnu Patel, the woman is asymptomatic and stable. Even though she has no travel history, her family recently interacted, at a funeral, with the relatives of a person who had returned from Zimbabwe. Dr Patel said on December 16, "The Zimbabwe-returnees arrived in India on November 25. They have gone through RT-PCR tests thrice since their arrival but have been negative for Covid-19. The 41-year old woman who has now been detected with Omicron attended a funeral function on November 28 along with the Zimbabwe-returnees, who are her relatives.
HYDERABAD: Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar inaugurated a network of 60 CCTV cameras under the Afzalgunj police limits on Thursday.

These cameras were installed under the Nenu Saitam initiative, with contributions from donors. Speaking on the occasion, Kumar said that by setting up CCTV cameras, they were able to control criminal activities. Any kind of criminal case can be easily solved with the help of CCTV cameras, he said. Further, Kumar also said that one CCTV camera is equal to 100 police officers. We may get tired, but the cameras are working constantly.

Hyderabad citys population is 1.2 crore, and it has 16,000 police personnel. All kinds of facilities have been set up in the police department with the help of taxpayers, he added. Previously, police officials worked hard to catch a single thief, and it involved the formation of many teams. But now, with a single CCTV camera, the case can be easily solved, thereby reducing expenditure to a large extent. There are nearly 5,000 traffic junctions in the city. It is impossible to deploy police personnel at all junctions. Even then, 16,000 policemen will not suffice, the commissioner said. Unmanned traffic junctions have been set up in the city. The Chief Minister has provided 30 per cent reservation for women in the police department. Therefore, the number of policewomen is set to increase. The image of the police department is much better than before. People have the same responsibility as the police in helping detect cases. CCTV cameras help maintain peace and security, he added.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed the state government to constitute a committee headed by principal secretary, home, as per its earlier order, to fix rates of admission to cinema theaters. (DC Photo))

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed the state government to constitute a committee headed by principal secretary, home, as per its earlier order, to fix rates of admission to cinema theaters.

There is the need that the joint collector who is the licensing authority be allowed to fix rates in consultation with stakeholders, the court said.

A division bench of Chief Justice PK Mishra and Justice Satyanarayana Murthy heard the government appeal on a single judge interim order on GO35 here on Thursday. The court observed that the interests of cine-goers with regard to rates of admission into cinema theaters were of top priority.

The court asked both the state government and the stakeholders to arrive at a decision on rates of admission and advised them not to create a situation wherein the court would have to fix the rates of admission.

In some critical observations, the court said that it was at the time of release of a new film that the issue of fixing rates of admission was coming before the court. The court was being involved in the conflict of interest between the government and the film exhibitors, it noted.

The court said procedural lapses were occurring during the fixing of rates of admission into cinema theaters and asked the state government as to why it failed to comply with its earlier order in the constitution of a committee headed by principal secretary, home, to fix rates.

It said there should not be more liberty to exhibitors to fix high rates, and opined that such a move could cause loss to the theaters.

The court allowed the interim order issued earlier by the single judge Justice Manavendranath Roy on fixing rates of admission to be in vogue and adjourned the case for next hearing on Dec. 20.

Advocate general Sriram told the court that though a committee was constituted by the principal secretary, home, the chief secretary was in the committee and hence the principal secretary was not heading it and he was only the member convener of the committee.

He submitted that based on the single judge interim order, some cinema theaters raised the ticket rates exorbitantly and sought a direction from the court that the exhibitors could fix rates only after taking permission from the licensing authority.

Petitioners counsel Adinarayana argued that the GO 35 issued by the state government was against the earlier orders issued by the court. The committee constituted to fix rates of admission was not headed by the principal secretary, home. He said the stakeholders were not accommodated in the committee.

He argued that when films were produced by investing huge amount of money, the nominal rates fixed at Rs 10 and Rs 100 would not help the theaters to operate. He appealed to the court to allow the exhibitors to collect rates of admission proposed to the committee until a decision is taken by the court on the state government's appeal.

Three writ petitions on GO35 were filed in the court with 300 petitioners.
National Green Tribunal (NGT), in an order on Friday, restrained the Andhra Pradesh government from undertaking any work on the ground. (Photo: Twitter)

KURNOOL: The Chennai bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), in an order on Friday, restrained the Andhra Pradesh government from undertaking "any work on the ground" in the guise of preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme at Pothireddypadu in Kurnool district.

It was responding to a petition filed by Gavinolla Srinivas of Nagarkurnool district. The bench said there, however, was no need to proceed against the chief secretary of Andhra Pradesh for the injunction violations alleged in a case of civil contempt.

Observing that the groundwork done so far at the project was in excess of DPR requirements, the bench said the government should pay compensation for the excess work done.

To ascertain this, a joint committee has been formed consisting of one each senior officer from the MoEF&CC, the Integrated Regional Office, Vijaywada, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the Design and Planning of Irrigation and Multipurpose Projects under the Centre Water Commission (CWC), New Delhi  thats if it has a regional office in Andhra Pradesh, or an officer deputed by CWC).

The MoEF&CC and the joint committee are directed to submit their reports to this tribunal within four months.

NGT said the DPR should be strictly in compliance with the guidelines issued by the CWC and GSI. If unnecessary excess work has been found to have been executed, a compensation for the excess work must be assessed and the damage caused to the environment thereof too be considered, it said.
New Delhi: A Delhi based NGO on Friday filed a complaint against KR Ramesh, Congress MLA in Karnataka Assembly, on his "rape" remark with the Governor of Karnataka to take legal action and disqualify him as MLA.

The complaint requested Karnataka Governor to take strict legal action against Ramesh and further disqualify him as a member of the Karnataka Assembly for his insensitive and offensive remark against women which is against the Constitution as his comment hampers the right to live with the dignity of women, stated the complaint.

The Society for Securing Justice, NGO through its vice president Vineet Jindal, a lawyer, on Friday filed a complaint with Thaver Chand Gahelot, Governor of Karnataka against Congress MLA Ramesh for allegedly making disgraceful and derogatory remarks against women.

The Congress MLA had stoked controversy in the Assembly on Thursday by saying "when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it."

However, the MLA on Friday apologised for his 'off the cuff remark'. "I would like to express my sincere apologies to everyone for the indifferent and negligent comment I made in today's assembly about 'Rape!' My intention was not trivialise or make light of the heinous crime, but an off the cuff remark! I will choose my words carefully henceforth!" Ramesh Kumar tweeted.

The complaint further states that, "this offensive, outrageous, and disgusting alleged remark by the MLA reflects his pessimistic outlook towards women. It is ignominy for a progressive and empowered society like ours that such kind of statement has been used in Assembly by MLA's in a very insensitive manner."

KR Ramesh's comment is condemnable and offending to women's dignity and honour and completely unacceptable. The representatives, if fail to exemplify the respect for the laws then what could be expected from the others who are meant to abide by them, it added.

The complaint also stated that it is a matter of great shame for our nation where women are treated as divine souls and endless endeavours have been carried out by our government for women empowerment, the situation in the state assembly of Karnataka shows a pitiable and pathetic picture of the status of women with the said remark by KR Ramesh, while it was to be objected there and then only but rather it was a matter of mockery in the Assembly.

It is ironic that the laws are created in these Assemblies to protect the rights of the citizen to secure their right to live with dignity and the MLAs who are a part of lawmaking are not sensitive to the rights of women. This event is very disappointing for all the people of the country and especially the women population, the complaint read.

The MLA's remark came amid the Assembly discussing rain and flood related damages on Thursday. While many MLAs wanted to speak to highlight the plight of people in their constituencies, Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri found himself in a fix as he wanted to wind up the discussion at the earliest whereas the MLAs were insisting to extend the time.

"I am in a situation where I have to enjoy and say 'yes, yes.' That's it. This is what I feel. I should give up controlling the situation and take the proceedings in a systematic manner, I should tell everyone to continue your talks," Kageri said laughing.

He explained that his only grievance is that the business of the house is not happening.

Ramesh Kumar intervened and said, "See, there is a saying- when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That's exactly the position in which you are."

The former minister came under fire from various quarters including the MLAs from his own party for his statement.

The Congress party's Khanapur MLA Anjali Nimbalkar took a strong view of it.

She tweeted, "The House shall apologise to entire womanhood, every mother, sister & daughter of this nation for such an obnoxious & shameless behaviour."

Another Congress MLA Sowmya Reddy too denounced the statement in her tweet: "This is just NOT ok. There needs to be an apology."

The chairperson of the National Commission for Women Rekha Sharma flayed the statement in her tweet.

She said, "It is extremely sad and unfortunate that we still have public representative who are misogynists and have horrible mindset towards women.

It's really disgusting. If they sit in assemblies and speak like this how they must be behaving with women in their lives?"
Boris Johnson suffered a seismic political upset as his ruling Conservatives lost a key parliamentary election, a result that will heap intense pressure on the U.K. prime minister and may even call his position into question.

The Liberal Democrats capitalized on weeks of turmoil and plummeting poll ratings for Johnson and his Conservative party to overturn a huge Tory majority and take the North Shropshire seat in the West Midlands that the ruling party has held for almost two centuries.

Voters in North Shropshire were fed up and they gave us a kicking, Conservative Party chairman Oliver Dowden told Sky News on Friday. They wanted to send us a message, he said, I want to say that we heard that loud and clear.

The collapse in Tory support piles pressure on Johnson to prove to his own colleagues that he has a grip on government and can still be relied on to guide the party to victory in the next general election due by 2024.

This has to be seen as a referendum on the prime ministers performance and I think that the prime minister is now in last orders time, veteran Conservative Member of Parliament Roger Gale told BBC radio on Friday. One more strike and hes out.

A no-confidence vote takes place if 15% of Conservative MPs (54) write to the chair of the so-called 1922 committee, Graham Brady. The current number of letters, which are safely locked away, is never revealed.

If more than 50% of all Conservative MPs vote in support of the prime minister, the leader can stay and no new vote can be triggered for 12 months.

If the leader loses the vote, they must stand down and any other Conservative MP can stand for the leadership. MPs and party members then decide on the next leader.

The damaging result comes at an especially sensitive time for the U.K. given the surge in Covid-19 omicron infections that threatens to overwhelm the National Health Service this winter. Johnson earlier this week pushed new Covid rules through Parliament -- but only at the expense of the biggest Tory rebellion of his tenure so far.

The special election was triggered by the resignation of former minister Owen Paterson after he was found to have breached Parliamentary rules on paid lobbying. Johnsons attempt to protect him quickly backfired, and led to a damaging row over ethics and intense Tory infighting.

Paterson represented the seat for 24 years, and was returned with a thumping majority of close to 23,000 in 2019. But the Tory vote was slashed to 12,032, while the Liberal Democrats Helen Morgan became member of Parliament with 17,957 votes after a massive 34% swing.

The main opposition Labour Party won just 3,686 votes, suggesting many of their former voters backed the Lib Dems to defeat the Conservatives in an informal alliance. In her victory speech, Morgan thanked Labour supporters and told them: You have shown tonight that together, we can defeat the Conservatives, not with deals behind closed doors, but with common sense at the ballot box.

Johnson has struggled to move past the Paterson row, and with the Tories falling behind Labour in national polls, he has faced growing questions about his leadership.

This weeks 100-strong Tory rebellion over new Covid rules to tackle the fast-spreading omicron variant underlined the depth of anger among Johnsons MPs, not only at his handling of the pandemic, but over what they see as a series of self-inflicted missteps.

The Liberal Democrats fought hard to capitalize on the turmoil surrounding Johnson. Last week, they distributed leaflets highlighting reports the prime ministers staff broke pandemic rules by holding Christmas parties in his Downing Street office, and contrasting the alleged behavior with the reality faced by most people who were forced to stay away from loved ones last year.

Lifelong Conservatives had turned to the Liberal Democrats in their droves and sent a clear message to the prime minister that the party is over, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said in an emailed statement.

Special elections are known for being used as protest votes, to give the government a kicking between general elections. Former Conservative Prime Minister John Major lost a string of by-elections during his premiership in the early 1990s -- including in Christchurch, Dorset, in 1993 when a Tory majority of 23,000 became a Lib Dem majority of over 16,000. The series of embarrassing losses ultimately set the scene for a landslide defeat at the hands of Tony Blairs Labour in 1997.

In June this year, the Lib Dems defied political pundits to take another Tory stronghold -- the wealthy commuter district of Chesham and Amersham. But the pro-Brexit constituency of North Shropshire was seen as a much tougher challenge for the Remain-supporting party.

Parliaments Christmas break offers Johnson an opportunity to reset his premiership. Although there is no sign yet of any immediate challenger, history shows that the Conservative Party does not hesitate to move against its leader if theyre no longer seen as a vote winner.
India's antitrust agency on Friday suspended Amazon.com's 2019 deal with Future Group, potentially denting the US company's attempts to block the sale of Future's retail assets to an Indian peer.

The regulator ruled that the US e-commerce group had suppressed information while seeking regulatory approval on an investment into Indian retailer Future Group two years ago.

The ruling by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) could have far-reaching consequences for Amazon's legal battles with now estranged partner Future.

Amazon has for months successfully used the terms of its toehold $200 million investment in Future in 2019 to block the Indian retailer's attempt to sell retail assets to Reliance Industries for $3.4 billion.

The regulator's 57-page order said it considers "it necessary to examine the combination (deal) afresh," adding its approval from 2019 "shall remain in abeyance" until then.

The CCI's order said Amazon had "suppressed the actual scope" of the deal and had made "false and incorrect statements" while seeking approvals. The CCI order imposed a penalty of around Rs 200 crore ($27 million) on the US company.

"The approval is suspended. This is absolutely unprecedented," said Shweta Dubey, a partner at Indian law firm SD Partners, who was formerly a CCI official.

"The order seems to have found new power for CCI to keep the combination approval in abeyance," she added.

Amazon will be given time to submit information again to seek approvals, the CCI added.

Future and Reliance did not respond to a request for comment. Amazon said it is reviewing the order "and will decide on next steps in due course."

The 2019 Future deal approval being put on hold could dent Amazon's legal position and retail ambitions, while making it easier for Reliance - the country's largest retailer - to acquire number two player Future, people familiar with the dispute said.

Amazon has argued that terms agreed in its 2019 deal to pay $200 million for a 49% stake in Future's gift voucher unit prevent parent, Future Group, from selling its Future Retail Ltd business to certain rivals, including Reliance.

But after Future complained to the CCI that Amazon had concealed facts, the CCI in June sought explanation from Amazon saying it hid factual aspects of the transaction by not revealing its strategic interest in Future Retail while seeking approvals.

Amazon, in responses to CCI said it never concealed material information, warning the watchdog that the deal's revocation would send a negative signal to foreign investors.

The Future-Reliance deal has been on hold for months as Amazon got favourable interim rulings from a Singapore arbitrator and Indian courts.

Future denies any wrongdoing.

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Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc is calling out half a dozen private surveillance companies for hacking or other abuses, accusing them in a report published Thursday of collectively targeting some 48,000 people across its platforms.

The company's fight with the spy firms comes amid a wider move by American tech companies, US lawmakers and President Joe Biden's administration against purveyors of digital espionage services, notably the Israeli spyware company NSO Group, which was blacklisted earlier this month following weeks of revelations about how its technology was being deployed against civil society.

Meta is already suing NSO in US court. Nathaniel Gleicher, Meta's head of security policy, told Reuters that Thursday's crackdown was meant to signal that "the surveillance-for-hire industry is much broader than one company."

Meta's report said it was suspending roughly 1,500, mostly fake accounts run by seven organisations across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Meta said users in more than 100 countries were targeted.

Also Read | India's talent will help us create 'better' Metaverse: Mark Zuckerberg

Meta did not provide a detailed explanation of how it identified the surveillance firms, but it operates some of the world's biggest social and communications networks and regularly touts its ability to find and remove malicious actors from its platforms.

Among them is Israel's Black Cube, which became notorious for deploying its spies on behalf of Hollywood rapist Harvey Weinstein. Meta said the intelligence firm was deploying phantom personas to chat its targets up online and gather their emails, "likely for later phishing attacks."

In a statement, Black Cube said it "does not undertake any phishing or hacking" and said the firm routinely ensured "all our agents' activities are fully compliant with local laws."

Others called out by Meta include BellTroX, an Indian cyber mercenary firm exposed by Reuters and the internet watchdog Citisen Lab last year, an Israeli company called Bluehawk CI, and a European firm named Cytrox - all of whom Meta accused of hacking.

Cognyte, which was spun off from security giant Verint Systems Inc in February, and Israeli firms Cobwebs Technologies were accused not of hacking but of using fake profiles to trick people into revealing private data.

Cognyte, Verint and Bluehawk did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

In an email, Cobwebs spokesperson Meital Levi Tal said the company drew on open sources and that its products "are not intrusive by any means." Messages left with Ivo Malinovski  who until recently identified himself as Cytrox's chief executive on LinkedIn  received no immediate response. BellTroX founder Sumit Gupta has not returned Reuters reporters' messages since his firm was exposed last year. He had previously denied wrongdoing.

Gleicher refused to identify any of the targets by name but Citisen Lab, in a report published at the same time as Meta's, said that one of Cytrox's victims was Egyptian opposition figure Ayman Nour.

Nour blamed the Egyptian government for the spying, telling Reuters in an interview from Istanbul that he had long suspected he was under surveillance by officials there.

"For the first time I have evidence," he said.

Egyptian authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Gleicher said other targets of the spy firms included celebrities, politicians, journalists, lawyers, executives and regular citisens. Friends and family of the targets were also swept up in the espionage campaigns, he said.

Meta cybersecurity official David Agranovich said he hoped Thursday's announcement would "kickstart the disruption of the surveillance-for-hire market," but whether it deals the companies involved more than a temporary setback remains to be seen. Two of the companies, Black Cube and BellTroX, have bounced back after being embroiled in previous spy scandals.

Gleicher said that targets of the spy firms would receive automated warnings, but he said Facebook would stop short of identifying the specific firms involved or their clients. That's despite the fact that Facebook said it had identified several customers of Cobwebs, Cognyte, Cytrox, and Black Cube - the latter of which includes law firms.

Marta Pardavi, one of several Hungarian human rights defenders who say they were targeted by Black Cube in 2017 and 2018, said she was gratified by the news of Facebook's report but wanted more information.

"They name law firms," she said. "But law firms have clients. Who are the clients for these law firms?"
Nearly three months after Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai shocked everyone by saying the government had spent a whopping Rs 20,060 crore in the last five years on maintaining roads in Bengaluru, the BBMP has come up with a list of streets spanning 168.21 km that require immediate repairs worth dozens of crores.

The list of damaged roads drawn up by the BBMP's major roads division clearly shows the Rs 20,060 crore hasn't been well-spent. Senior BBMP officials assessing the roads say that of the city's 1,261.36 km of major roads (arterial and sub-arterial), nearly 168 km of roads are not motorable and need immediate reconstruction.

As an indication of how bad the roads are, the civic body is in the process of colour-coding them based on the extent of damage and present condition. The 168.21-km roads that are not motorable fall under the 'Red' category. Another 272.92 km of roads have been categorised into Yellow and 99.49 km into Green (see the table). The yellow and green roads are in motorable condition with the immediate requirement of bitumen mix coat due to worn-out surface like potholes," a senior engineer said.

The list, reviewed by DH, shows that a total of 441.13 km of roads fall under the yellow or red category and are in dire need of repairs.

This apart, over 50 per cent of the roads in various parts of the city are not maintained by the BBMP as they are either undergoing development or the works have been recently completed and they are maintained by the contractor as per the Defect Liability Period (DLP) clause. "We just have to monitor the progress of work and make sure they are maintained well," a senior BBMP official said.

The BBMP is chalking out an action plan to develop these roads and may soon approach the government for funds. "No capital investment is required for roads under the green category. But the other two categories will need a huge capital investment as they need to be reconstructed fully," the official said. Some of the red roads also fall under the 110 villages that were added to the city limits in 2007. "Works have been approved for these roads and will begin soon," he said.

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US President Joe Biden said on Thursday the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is going to spread more rapidly in the United States and that a winter of severe illness and death awaits the unvaccinated.

Getting an update on the pandemic from top advisers, Biden also said it is past time for people to get booster shots and urged them to do so as quickly as possible.

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The G7 on Thursday called the Omicron variant the "biggest current threat to global public health", saying its emergence meant it was "more important than ever" for countries to "closely cooperate".

"Deeply concerned by the rise in cases, ministers agreed that these developments should be seen as the biggest current threat to global public health," Britain, which is currently chair of the group, said in a statement.

"It is more important than ever to closely cooperate, and monitor as well as share data," it added.

The G7 health ministers earlier held their final meeting hosted by Britain, which has seen spiralling case rates over recent days, registering record numbers on Thursday.

The ministers focussed on global access to diagnostics, genome sequencing, vaccines and therapeutics in a bid to combat its spread.

"They also agreed on the increasing importance of booster campaigns and regular testing alongside continued non-pharmaceutical measures," the statement said.

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The UK is to get its first purpose-built crematorium for the Hindu community in Buckinghamshire, south-east England, after a charity organisation won its appeal for the creation of the structure adjacent to its temple building.

The UKs Planning Inspectorate granted the appeal on Thursday, which means Anoopam Mission UK has the requisite planning permission to erect a crematorium with associated landscape and biodiversity enhancements in Denham.

The construction will come up next to the missions Swaminarayan Temple at The Lea, Western Avenue, and will cater to the needs of the wider regions Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities.

Read more: Organisations demand repair of Hindu crematorium in Meenpete

We welcome this important decision and the opportunity for Anoopam Mission to serve the Hindu population of the UK, said Param Puya Sahebji, the Spiritual Leader of Anoopam Mission.

Observing antim sanskar or last rites in accordance with our Hindu customs and rituals provides liberation for the departed soul and peace of mind for families during a sensitive time. Our large and tranquil grounds in Denham, with our newly built Mandir facilities, provides an ideal location for this manav sewa, or service to humanity. We look forward to working with all Hindu organisations to deliver this vision for the whole community, he said.

In the decision on an application dating back to November 2019 and backed up by a petition of over 2,000 supporters, the Planning Inspectorate acknowledged the very special circumstances which justify building on what is designated as Green Belt land.

In particular, the Planning Inspector noted that for faith and cultural reasons, the Hindu community around the area  which also covers parts of London  are disadvantaged by being denied the opportunity to fully observe their cultural and religious beliefs and traditions for funerals and cremations.

It is recognised by all parties that this proposal would represent the first purpose built Hindu faith crematorium nationally, the inspector notes.

The proposals were accepted as offering a quality, auspicious and fitting funeral experience for the Hindu community that is currently not provided for in the UK.

This is a landmark moment for the Hindu community in UK. Many of us have actively campaigned for a purpose-built Hindu crematorium to meet the needs of our community and the provision of better facilities sensitive to our cultural and social requirements, said Lord Jitesh Gadhia, a British Indian House of Lords peer who spoke in favour of the appeal.

I congratulate the Anoopam Mission UK for persevering with this planning application and appeal. The welcome judgment from the Planning Inspector recognises the very special circumstances that exist in meeting the unfulfilled needs of the Hindu community and I hope will enable other facilities to be considered in areas of high Hindu, Sikh and Jain population, he said.

According to Anoopam Mission, the design of the crematorium building and associated facilities such as a dining hall has been specifically tailored and architecturally designed to fit within the surroundings. The proposal includes two waiting rooms, two private ritual rooms for pre-ceremony rituals, a large ceremony hall and a crematory hall. There is also a separate canteen building, including dining seating and showering facilities. This would enable ritual washing and communal eating following a cremation. Ample car parking would also be provided under the missions agreed proposal.

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The United States on Thursday unleashed a volley of actions to censure China's treatment of the Uighur minority, with lawmakers voting to curb trade and new sanctions slapped on the world's top consumer drone maker.

The United States has been ramping up pressure on China amid a crop of disputes, with President Joe Biden's administration a day earlier targeting producers of painkillers that have contributed to America's addiction crisis.

The US Senate unanimously voted to make the United States the first country to ban virtually all imports from China's northwestern Xinjiang region over concerns of the prevalence of forced labor.

"We know it's happening at an alarming, horrific rate with the genocide that we now witness being carried out," said Senator Marco Rubio, a driver behind the act, which already passed the House of Representatives and which the White House says Biden will sign.

After prolonged negotiations to secure its passage, Rubio lifted objections and the Senate confirmed veteran diplomat Nicholas Burns as ambassador to China.

Burns, a widely respected former ambassador to Greece and NATO and a professor at Harvard, has described China as an "aggressor" and denounced the "genocide" of the Uighurs, but has also voiced a willingness to cooperate on issues such as climate change.

Some US businesses had voiced unease about the Uighur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which bans the import of all goods from the region unless companies offer verifiable proof that production did not involve slavery.

Xinjiang is a major source of cotton, with an estimated 20 per cent of the garments imported each year into the United States including some material from the region.

Rights experts, witnesses and the US government say more than one million Uighur and other Turkic-speaking Muslims are incarcerated in camps in an effort to root out their Islamic cultural traditions and forcibly homogenize them into China's Han majority.

Beijing describes the sites as vocational training centers and says that, like many Western nations, it is seeking to reduce the allure of radical Islam following deadly attacks.

The United States has described the campaign as genocide and, along with Australia, Britain and Canada, has planned a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Games next year over the issue.

The Biden administration on Thursday also fired off a round of new sanctions over surveillance in Xinjiang, where rights groups say China has been honing new technologies in artificial intelligence and DNA tracking to keep tabs on Uighurs.

Companies hit by Treasury Department sanctions include SZ DJA Technology, by far the world's largest producer of consumer drones of the type used in filmmaking and aerial photography.

"These eight entities actively support the surveillance and tracking of members of ethnic and religious minority groups in the PRC, predominantly Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, referring to the People's Republic of China.

The United States had already restricted trade exports to the company, but the new Treasury Department sanctions will criminalize any US investment in it.

Other companies targeted included Xiamen Meiya Pico Information, which has developed a mobile application to track files on individuals' phones, and Cloudwalk Technology, which was developed to recognize faces of Uighurs and Tibetans and has since been deployed to Zimbabwe to help improve the technology, according to the Treasury Department.

Separately, the Commerce Department restricted sensitive exports to the Academy of Military Medical Sciences and 11 of its research institutes over biotechnology work including "purported brain-control weaponry," a notice said.

The research institutes include centers focused on blood transfusions, bio-engineering and toxicology.

"The scientific pursuit of biotechnology and medical innovation can save lives," Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement.

"Unfortunately, the PRC is choosing to use these technologies to pursue control over its people and its repression of members of ethnic and religious minority groups," she added.

Based in Beijing, the Academy of Military Medical Sciences has been active in development of a Covid-19 vaccine.

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As a backhoe dug up the ground to build trenches, Iraqi soldiers scanned the vast farming tracts for militants; not far away, their Kurdish counterparts did the same.

The scene earlier this month in the small northern Iraqi farming village of Lheiban was a rare instance of coordination between the federal government and the semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The two sides were fortifying a joint position aimed at defending the village against attacks by the Islamic State group.

Despite a long-standing territorial dispute, Baghdad and Iraq's Kurds are taking steps to work together to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group.

Whether the fragile security partnership can hold is the big test in the next chapter of Iraq's war with IS. Both sides say they need the Americans to help keep it together  and they say that is one reason why the US military presence in Iraq is not going away even as its combat mission officially ends on December 31.

Iraq declared IS defeated four years ago this month. But the rivalry between Baghdad and the Kurds opened up cracks through which IS crept back: a long, disputed zone snaking through four provinces  Nineveh, Kirkuk, Salaheddin and Diyala  where the forces of either side did not enter. In some places, the zone was up to 40 km (24 miles) wide.

Lheiban lies in one part of the zone, and a recent flurry of IS attacks threatened to empty the area of its residents, mostly Kurds.

So, for the first time since 2014, Iraqi troops and peshmerga are setting up joint coordination centres around the zone to better police the gaps.

Daesh took advantage, said Capt. Nakib Hajar, head of Kurdish peshmerga operations in the area, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Now, he said, we are coordinating ... It begins here, in this village.

Like all residents of Lheiban, Helmet Zahir is tired. In past months, the cement factory worker would spend all night on the roof of his humble home, his wife and children sleeping inside, holding his rifle and waiting.

Security personnel guarding a nearby oil company  the only ones in the area equipped with thermal night vision  would send the signal when they spotted IS militants making their way down the Qarachok Mountain range toward Lheiban.

It was up to Zahir and other armed residents to fend them off.

We were abandoned. The peshmerga was on one side, the Iraqi army on another and neither was intervening, he said.

A recent uptick in attacks on the village, with three in the first week of December alone, prompted many of the village's residents, who are mainly Kurds, to leave. Zahir moved his family to Debaga in the relative safety of the Kurdish-run north.

Once numbering 65 families, Lheiban now has only 12 left, said village mukhtar Yadgar Karim.

On December 7, peshmerga and Iraqi forces moved into the village with plans to replicate coordination elsewhere across the disputed territories. Kurdish officials hoped this would prompt villagers to return. Maintaining a Kurdish population in the area is key to their territorial claims.

Zahir is not convinced. I came to check on the situation only, I am too afraid to return, he said.

The peshmerga have positions all along the ridge of the Qarachok mountains. But they don't have orders to stop IS militants as they cross on attacks or to raid IS positions because of wariness over entering disputed territory, explained Col. Kahar Jawhar.

Moreover, the militants move at night, using tunnels and hiding in caves, and the peshmerga lack key equipment including night vision.

That is why IS are able to terrorise the residents, because we can't see them, Jawhar said.

The talks to re-establish joint coordination centres between the Iraqi army and peshmerga began over two years ago, but fell apart because of deep mistrust and differences over how to carve out lines of control.

Under current Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, talks were rekindled, paving the way for an agreement to set up six joint coordination centres in Baghdad, Irbil, and across the disputed zone.

Kadhimi also agreed to establish two joint brigades to conduct anti-IS operations. But this is awaiting budget approval from Baghdad's Finance Ministry, said Hajar Ismail, peshmerga head of relations with the coalition.

Between 2009-2014, Iraqi and Kurdish forces conducted joint security in the northern provinces of Ninevah, Kirkuk and Diyala. But the collapse of the Iraqi army during the IS onslaught of 2014 ended the arrangement.

Kurdish authorities managed to solidify control over Kirkuk and other disputed areas during this time, even developing oil fields and conducting an independent export policy, to the ire of the federal government.

After Iraq declared victory over IS in 2017, Baghdad turned its sights to these areas, launching a military operation in October 2017 to retake them. Relations soured, with Baghdad cutting off budget allocations to the Kurdish region, rendering it unable to pay public sector workers and debts to oil companies.

Baghdad was long reluctant to resume security talks partly due to political optics in the capital, with many dominant Shiite parties deeply mistrustful of Kurdish intentions, according to federal officials.

The Popular Mobilization Forces, made up largely of Shiite militia groups close to Iran, has opposed joint patrols with the peshmerga. The PMF also has a powerful presence in many areas in the disputed zone.

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From greeting foreign leaders to heading regional summits, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is taking over the reins from his elderly father and becoming Saudi Arabia's uncrowned king.

With increased concerns over the nearly 86-year-old King Salman's health, Prince Mohammed, 36, is taking charge of presidential meetings and reception of dignitaries, with the king rarely making public appearances.

While Prince Mohammed has been considered the de facto leader since his appointment as heir to the throne in June 2017, his growing prominence has never been more apparent than when he met with French President Emmanuel Macron in early December, and led the Gulf Cooperation Council summit on Tuesday.

King Salman, who usually heads the annual meeting after warm embraces and friendly handshakes, was a no-show.

"The idea that a crown prince is the de facto ruler of the country, meeting with foreign presidents and presiding over summits, only happened before when Saudi kings were not in good health," Yasmine Farouk, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told AFP.

"What's new is that there is now national and media acceptance of a parallel, even more important, role for the crown prince even when King Salman fulfils all his duties."

Since the outbreak of Covid-19, King Salman has been residing in Neom, a futuristic development on the Red Sea.

His last meeting with a foreign official in Riyadh was in March 2020, when he sat down with then-UK foreign minister Dominic Raab, and his last trip abroad was to Oman to offer his condolences over the death of Sultan Qaboos in January 2020.

Prince Mohammed has sought to position himself as a champion of moderate Islam, even as his international reputation took a hit from the 2018 murder and dismemberment of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate.

The crown prince, also known as MBS, has opened Saudi Arabia to tourists and foreign investments in an effort to diversify the economy of the world's largest oil exporter economy away from crude.

He has overseen sweeping social changes, including allowing women to drive and work in the public sector, enabling citizens to enjoy the additional income and recreational outlets that opened up across the country.

These changes have come alongside a crackdown on dissent and free speech.

He even seemed more open than his father towards Israel, allowing its commercial aircraft to pass through Saudi air space.

According to Kristin Diwan, of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, Prince Mohammed has benefitted from the king's longevity.

"His ongoing presence conveys traditional authority to cover MBS's youth and unconventional actions while rarely impeding them," she told AFP.

The Saudi authorities did not say why King Salman was not present at Tuesday's summit, especially since he delivered a televised address on the country's budget earlier in the week.

However, Saudi government adviser Ali Shihabi said the king is well and just being careful.

"Reliable sources confirm that the King is in excellent health, exercising every day etc but is 86 years old and is uncomfortable wearing a mask and has a tendency to want to shake hands and warmly greet people so extra caution is taken to keep him safe and away from public mtgs," Shihabi tweeted on Wednesday.

Prince Mohammed embarked on a Gulf tour ahead of the summit, meeting with heads of Gulf Cooperation Council member states.

"Any current arrangement with the royal court happens only through the crown prince's office," a western diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.

"The king is no longer in the picture... (Prince Mohammed) is no longer a king in the making, he is a king in the palace."

His path to the throne is clear and has been for some time, with no foreseeable obstacles after he drove out one rival after another.

"There is no identifiable source of effective opposition inside or outside the royal family," said Hussein Ibish, a Washington-based Middle East expert.

He added that "MBS is indeed becoming more prominent and powerful".

Despite some concern that the international community would not want to deal with Prince Mohammed, especially after the Khashoggi murder, a Riyadh-based diplomat said that such fears "dissipated after Macron's visit to Saudi Arabia".

While US President Joe Biden vowed a tougher approach than his predecessor Donald Trump, and has yet to directly communicate with Prince Mohammed, the administration has made it clear that it is inevitable.

"It's only a matter of time," said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

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Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Friday said 10 new cases of the new Covid variant Omicron have been detected in the national capital, taking the tally to 20.

Ten of these patients have been discharged, he said.

The minister said 10 out of the 40 samples sent for genome sequencing tested positive for the new variant.

The minister had on Thursday said many international travellers are turning out Covid positive upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Also Read | 5 more suspected Omicron cases in Tamil Nadu

On Tuesday, he had said the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has not spread in the community so far and the situation is under control.

Delhi's first case of the Omicron variant  a 37-year-old man from Ranchi  was detected on December 5. He was discharged on Monday.

He had travelled from Tanzania to Doha and from there, to Delhi on a Qatar Airways flight on December 2. He stayed in Johannesburg in South Africa for a week and had mild symptoms.

Meanwhile, 40 people are currently admitted to the special facility at the Lok Nayak Hospital meant for isolating and treating suspected Omicron cases, Medical Director Suresh Kumar said.

Under new norms, RT-PCR tests are mandatory for the passengers arriving from the "at-risk" countries and they are allowed to leave the airport only after the results come.

Also, two per cent of the passengers arriving on flights from other countries are being tested randomly.

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The BJP and the Congress indulged in a war of words on Thursday after the Modi government celebrated the Vijay Diwas without recalling the role of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi in Indias victory against Pakistan in the 1971 war.

The Congress slammed the BJP and called it misogynist for the omission, but the government argued that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had paid homage to soldiers, who had made the supreme sacrifice in the war, and it was not necessary to talk about politicians at all events.

The war resulted in the defeat and surrender of the Pakistan Army in Dhaka on December 16, 1971, and the creation of Bangladesh as a new nation.

Leading the nation in celebrating the 50th anniversary of Indias victory against Pakistan, Modi recalled the valour and sacrifice of liberation warriors and brave women of Bangladesh and the bravehearts of the armed forces of India in the war.

He, however, did not refer to Indira; neither did Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Our first and only woman prime minister, Indira Gandhi is being left out of the misogynist BJP governments Vijay Diwas celebrations. This, on the 50th anniversary of the day that she led India to victory and liberated Bangladesh, tweeted Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, general secretary of the Congress.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi also attacked the government, saying the name of the woman, who had taken 32 bullets for the nation, had not been mentioned once during the celebrations.

The BJP replied by calling Rahul an immature part-time politician.

The Prime Minister talked about the martyred soldiers in the 1971 war. Is it necessary to talk about politicians at all events, asked Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. He also said that the Congress leaders were not aware of the history of India.

Our first and only woman Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi is being left out of the misogynist BJP governments Vijay Diwas celebrations. This, on the 50th anniversary of the day that she led India to victory and liberated Bangladesh...1/2 pic.twitter.com/Ymlm57Ji7e  Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) December 16, 2021

When the Prime Minister had visited Dhaka on March 26 and 27 this year, he had referred to Indira Gandhis role as Indias PM in the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.

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Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Friday accused the BSP leadership of backstabbing the Scheduled Castes community by "selling" the party to the Shiromani Akali Dal.

He also slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), calling it the modern day East India Company aimed at "plundering the wealth of the state", and said its national convener Arvind Kejriwal does not even know how to milk a cow.

Targeting the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Channi said it no longer represents the ideology of its founder Kanshi Ram.

Its leadership backstabbed the Scheduled Castes community by "selling" the party to the Akali Dal, Channi said.

He alleged that the BSP "sold" 15 of 20 seats allotted to them to the Akali Dal.

The BSP leadership has made itself a "slave" of the Akali Dal, he added.

Also read: Amarinder Singh announces alliance with BJP for Punjab polls

For the Assembly polls next year, the SAD has forged an alliance with the BSP. As per the seat-sharing arrangement, the Mayawati-led party will fight 20 of the 117 Assembly seats in Punjab while the rest will be contested by the SAD.

Taking on AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, the CM dared him to explain why Punjabis should believe him when his own "flock does not have faith in him".

He claimed three of four AAP MPs elected in 2014 have left the party and even 11 out of 20 MLAs elected in 2017 have too left.

Channi said this is indicative of the fact that the Aam Aadmi Party is a "house of cards that is bound to doom in a day or two".

The chief minister said Kejriwal has no basic knowledge about the state due to which he does not know that in Punjab, every youth has to do multitasking every day for running his household.

Kejriwal does not even know how to milk a cow, what does he know about problems of the state, Channi said.

Terming AAP the "modern East India company, he said Kejriwals party aims at "plundering wealth of the state".

Also read: Punjab polls: Navjot Singh Sidhu promises urban employment guarantee mission

Channi said he himself faced hardships, so he is well aware of problems of the common man. Due to this reason only, he is ensuring optimal utilisation of all government funds for the well-being of the poor and common man, he claimed.

Addressing the gathering, former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar urged people not to vote by falling in the "malicious" propaganda of any party.

"Those leaders who are teaching the lesson of nationalism to us today were nowhere in scene when India was fighting for freedom and only the Congress Party did the fighting," he added.

In his address, AICC general secretary Harish Chaudhary slammed the Akalis, the BJP and the AAP leadership for working against the interest of the state. He said Channi is the representative of the poorest of poor in the state.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tributes to the valour and sacrifices of Bangladeshi freedom fighters and Indian armed forces on the 50th anniversary of Vijay Diwas, which commemorates India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war.

Bangladesh, then part of Pakistan, became an independent country after the war.

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The mortal remains of Group Captain Varun Singh, who succumbed to his injuries after surviving last week's helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu, were consigned to flames with full military and state honours in Bhopal on Friday.

Wrapped in a tricolour, the mortal remains were brought to the cremation ground in Bairagarh area here from the Military Hospital here in a flower-bedecked Army truck with people raising slogans of 'Bharat mata ki jai' and 'Group Captain Varun Singh amar rahe'.

As the mortal remains reached the cremation ground, a ceremonial guard of honour was given by the defence forces personnel, after which the senior services officers paid their tributes by laying floral wreaths on the coffin of the Group Captain. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Medical Education Minister Vishvas Sarang also paid their tributes to the decorated air warrior.

Read | Lone survivor of TN chopper crash a decorated IAF pilot

After the rituals were performed by a priest and the family members, his younger brother, a Lieutenant Commander in the Indian Navy, and his son lit the funeral pyre amid the slogans of 'Group Captain Varun Singh amar rahe' raised by the people. Singh's wife and daughter, his father Colonel K P Singh (retd), mother Uma besides, other close relatives were also present there and bid a teary-eyed farewell to him.

Group Captain Varun Singh died at a military hospital in Bengaluru on Wednesday after surviving December 8 helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu that killed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 armed forces personnel. The air warrior was conferred with the Shaurya Chakra, India's third highest peacetime gallantry award, in August this year for displaying exemplary composure and skill when his Tejas aircraft developed a technical snag during the sortie.

The 39-year-old officer, who was known to be an excellent test pilot, is survived by an 11-year-old son, an eight-year-old daughter and his wife. His younger brother Tanuj Singh is posted as Lieutenant Commander in the Indian Navy. The Group Captain's family originally hails from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh.

He was admitted to a hospital in Wellington in Tamil Nadu with severe burn injuries following the helicopter crash. A day later, he was shifted to the Command Hospital in Bengaluru, but after battling for life nearly a week he succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday.

On Thursday, CM Chouhan had announced that the Madhya Pradesh government will give Rs one crore 'Samman Nidhi' to the kin of the officer. "The state government will give Rs one crore Samman Nidhi to the family of the martyred Group Captain Varun Singh and in consultation with them, install his statue, name an institution after him and also offer a job to his kin in the state government as per the laid down practices," he had told reporters.

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India is committed to assisting Bangladesh in its efforts to achieve strong economic growth and greater prosperity, President Ram Nath Kovind said here on Friday, as he highlighted the "uniquely close" bilateral relationship based on age-old ties of kinship, shared language and culture.

President Kovind made the comments while addressing the Indian community in Bangladesh before concluding his first visit to this country.

He arrived in Bangladesh on Wednesday on a three-day state visit at the invitation of his counterpart M Abdul Hamid to attend the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in the 1971 Liberation War.

"Bangladesh has a special place in the hearts of Indians. Ours is a uniquely close relationship based on age-old ties of kinship, shared language and culture," he said, adding that the ties have been nurtured by the sagacious leadership of the two countries.

Reiterating support for Bangladesh, Kovind said that India will stand in support of a Bangladesh that embodies the values that emerge from the Liberation Movement of this country.

Also Read | Kovind inaugurates Dhaka's historic Kali Mandir destroyed by Pak Army in 1971

"India remains committed to assisting Bangladesh in its journey towards a strong economy, partnering with you as you proceed to greater prosperity," he said.

He said that with Bangladesh becoming a model of growth and development in the region, the country has proven to the world that the fight of the people of Bangladesh was for a just cause.

The President noted that Bangladesh has undergone a major socio-economic transformation since the Liberation War, especially under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

In November, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the graduation of Bangladesh, the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic and Nepal from the least developed country category.

"India has also witnessed commendable growth. The economic and social linkages that have been forged between the people of our two nations have also contributed to this shared story of growth and development," Kovind said.

Also Read | Inspired by the moral courage of Bangabandhu: Ram Nath Kovind

"I am glad that the leadership in both countries is cognizant that our growth trajectories are interlinked and that sharing of resources and experiences is the mantra for sustainable development," he said.

President Kovind said that the two governments have also ensured that the fundamentals of the economies of the two countries remain strong and robust and they have also made strong commitments to make growth inclusive, sustainable and environment-friendly.

He said that there is a huge potential in strengthening the cooperation further in the areas of green energy and clean technology.

President Kovind also urged business communities on both sides to seize the opportunity to enhance trade and economic linkages to new heights especially between Bangladesh and India's North Eastern Region.

Stressing on harnessing the potential of youth, he noted that the focus is being given on youth exchanges and capacity building initiatives between the two countries which will help in building skills needed to succeed in this globalised world.

Read | India joins Bangladesh in celebrating golden jubilee of victory over Pakistan

Addressing the Indian community, President Kovind lauded their contribution to various sectors of importance in Bangladesh.

"While you have contributed to the economic and social development of Bangladesh, you have also cemented our long-standing, close bilateral relations. You are making India proud by bringing prosperity to our region," he said.

Stressing on the safety, security, welfare, and well-being of Indian citizens across the world is a priority for the Indian government, President Kovind said that in every corner of the world, over the last one and a half years, the government made special efforts to enable Indian citizens to return home during the worst phase of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He noted that the Indian High Commission in Dhaka was at the forefront of the Vande Bharat Mission and other welfare activities for Indian citizens in distress.

"As we celebrate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in India, I urge our citizens here to come forward and contribute in their own way to the cause of nation-building," he said.

President Kovind also paid tribute to the enormous sacrifices made by the people of Bangladesh to achieve freedom from tyranny.

"We salute your indomitable courage in fighting against the formidable odds, and standing up against injustice," he said.

He also paid homage to the "sacrifices of your friends from India and the Indian Armed Forces, who laid down their lives in support of a righteous cause."

"I am confident that the bond forged by blood and sacrifice in 1971 will continue to bind our nations together in future," he said.

The war in 1971 broke out after the sudden crackdown past midnight on March 25, 1971, in erstwhile East Pakistan by the Pakistani troops and ended on December 16. The same year Pakistan conceded defeat and unconditionally surrendered in Dhaka to the allied forces comprising freedom fighters and Indian soldiers.

Officially three million people were killed during the nine-month-long war.

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With the number of Omicron cases crossing 100-mark in India, top health officials on Friday appealed to people not to undertake non-essential travel and follow Covid-appropriate behaviour even during the upcoming assembly elections in five states in order to avoid a recurrence of the emergency situation now seen in a few European countries where Omicron cases are spiraling up.

India currently has 109 cases of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 with Maharashtra topping the list with 40 such patients followed by Delhi (22), Rajasthan (17), Karnataka (8) and Telangana (8).

Barring the lone example of a Bengaluru-based doctor, all Omicron-infected persons so far are either international travelers or people who came in contact with such passengers.

The central officials have asked the state authorities to impose curbs in districts if the test positivity rate goes beyond 5 per cent.

Also, a consultation process has begun with the Election Commission on the conduction of the assembly polls in five states including Uttar Pradesh  the country's most populous state. Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur are the other states where elections would be held.

This is the time to avoid non-essential travel and mass gatherings. Also, it is time to observe low-intensity festivals, said Balram Bhargava, director general, Indian Council of Medical Research.

Also read: A runny nose and itchy throat? It may be Omicron, says study

Globally more than 27,000 Omicron cases have been found in 91 countries but the most concerning rise has been experienced by the UK and Denmark with nearly 12,000 and 9,000 plus cases, respectively. Norway too has close to 2,000 cases.

A new phase of the pandemic is being experienced in Europe. Such a spread should not happen here, said NITI Ayog member V K Paul, the government's principal advisor on Covid-19.

One of Omicron's worrying trend is its ability to spread very fast. Omicron is spreading faster than the Delta variant in South Africa where Delta circulation was low. But at the same time, it spread more quickly than Delta in places like the UK where the Delta circulation is high.

Government officials and health experts are keeping their fingers crossed on the so-called mild nature of the Omicron. We should not dismiss Omicron as mild. Even if Omicron does cause less severe disease, the number of cases could once again overwhelm health systems, said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia.

The concerns on Omicron come at a time when the reproduction number (R value) is more than one in almost all the metros with Delhi, Mumbai and Pune leading the chart.

The large metros (with the exception of Bengaluru whose R has just gone below 1 it seems) all have R more than one and they have been showing such a situation for the past several weeks. Thus, urban India is definitely showing a rise in cases while the rest of India has not yet followed through, said Sitabhra Sinha, a mathematician at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, who is successfully tracking the pandemic with his model.

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By Santosh Kumar and Shruti Srivastava

India aims to overhaul its telecommunications sector, an industry key to the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modis digital ambitions but one thats throttled by century-old policies and years of bitter litigation.

The government is exploring ways to allow companies to merge, expand and operate without multiple bureaucratic approvals so as to avoid subsequent court battles, Telecommunications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in an interview at his office in New Delhi on Thursday. He aims to present new rules in February.

Telecom is still governed by an act made in 1885 but things have changed dramatically. And the regulations which flow out of the law are also 60-70 years vintage, Vaishnaw said, referring to the colonial-era Indian Telegraph Act that gives the government exclusive jurisdiction on the sector. We are looking at a complete regulation revamp.

Read | DoT to deactivate extra SIM of subscribers beyond 9 connections

The Wharton graduate, 51, who took charge of the influential ministries of Electronics, Information Technology and Communications in July, has since soothed a fractious relationship with the worlds largest technology companies, offered a rescue package for embattled mobile phone operators, and unveiled a plan to lure semiconductor manufacturers to the South Asian nation. India needs a thriving telecom industry to cater to its market of billion-plus users and catch up with countries like China and South Korea that already use super-fast 5G networks.

However, its operators are hobbled by a brutal price war sparked by the entry of billionaire Mukesh Ambanis Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. in 2016, as well as years of litigation faced by older players as the government claimed backfees for the use of spectrum.

The government wont set a floor rate for tariffs and will leave it to companies to decide based on their understanding of their customers, Vaishnaw said. He reiterated that India aims to start 5G services by October-December 2022.

The moves stand to complement what is perhaps Vaishnaws most ambitious plan yet: starting the manufacture of semiconductors in India, to benefit from a global shortage of the chips and to reduce the nations reliance on expensive imports of the material used in everything from mobile phones to electric vehicles.

Fine print on a Rs 76,000 crore package of incentives will be notified in a week and as many as five units will start manufacturing in a year, Vaishnaw said. He added that the government will ensure stable policies and facilitate acquiring land, electricity and other inputs.

Companies from South Korea, Taiwan and several domestic companies are interested in starting manufacturing here, he said. We expect import dependence to come down by at least 50% in the next five years.

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Notwithstanding union minister Ajay Mishra's continuance in the union cabinet despite vociferous demand for his sacking by the Opposition over his son's alleged involvement in the killing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in October, BJP has kept him away from election campaigning in Uttar Pradesh so far.

According to the sources in the UP BJP here, barring Mishra, all the other ministers in the union cabinet who hailed from UP had been entrusted with election related tasks.

Although Mishra had shared the stage with union home minister Amit Shah on the inaugural day of the All India DGP Conference in Lucknow last month, the BJP state leadership had not invited him to take part in the organisational meetings held to discuss electoral strategy.

Although it was not clear if Mishra would be sharing stage with PM Narendra Modi, who was scheduled to address a public meeting on Saturday at Shahjahanpur, the neighboring district of Lakhimpur Kheri from where he was the MP, sources in the saffron party said that the possibility of him being present on the stage was 'remote'.

Read | Caste comes to Ajay Mishra's aid as BJP fears 'Brahmin' backlash

Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders have asked Modi not to share stage with Mishra. "The prime minister should not allow Mishra to share the stage with him given his son's involvement in the Lakhimpur violence," said a senior SP leader here.

"We don't want any controversy. Involving Mishra in the campaign may invite criticism from the Opposition parties and others," said a senior UP BJP leader while speaking to DH here.

Sources said that the saffron party also did not want Mishra to be grilled by the media especially after he recently allegedly grabbed a scribe by his collar and abused him when the latter asked for his response on the SIT's revelations that the Lakhimpur Kheri violence was pre-planned.

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The Congress on Friday announced it will conduct a three-day yatra to commemorate chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Bipin Rawat, who died recently in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu, from his village in Uttarakhand on his terahvi.

The yatra will begin from either December 20 or 21, whichever day happens to be the terahvi, the day that marks the end of the mourning period in many Hindu families.

The three-day campaign will be launched by Pradesh Congress Committee president Ganesh Godiyal from Rawat's village, Congress campaign head for Uttarakhand Harish Rawat said at a press conference here.

Congress leader and former state assembly speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal will launch another yatra -- part of the same initiative -- on the same day from the village of the first army chief from Uttarakhand General BC Joshi in Kumaon.

Also Read | BJP slams Rahul Gandhi for 'using' Gen Rawat's posters in Uttarakhand rally

The procession - named Veer Gram Parikrama Yatra -- will cover villages of all martyrs who died fighting for the country's freedom or during the agitation for a separate Uttarakhand or defending the country's borders, Rawat said.

The BJP had on Thursday accused the Congress of using the photograph of Gen Bipin Rawat for purely political reasons ahead of elections, and had asked it to explain why one of its leaders had once described him as a "roadside hooligan".

Rawat on the other hand described Rahul Gandhi's rally at the Parade Ground here as a big success.

He said that by honouring war veterans and martyrs, the Congress leader had deepened the ties Uttarakhand has had for years with the Gandhi family.

"Indira Gandhi's mother Kamla Nehru was at a sanatorium here, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was lodged in a jail here. Our ties with the family are very old and they have been further deepened after yesterday's rally," Rawat said.

The former Uttarakhand chief minister said he will also launch a campaign named "Bhajpai dhol ki pol khol" from Moonakot in Pithoragarh district from Dec 19 to expose the failures of the state government as reflected in the Kumbh testing scam and shoddy handling of the religious congregation.

The massive Kumbh event was alleged by many to be responsible for the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

He said the Congress' poll manifesto for the state will be drafted as envisioned by Rahul Gandhi with emphasis on employment for youths, and empowerment of women, weaker sections and the minorities.

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Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Friday took a dig at the Congress, saying that it is now a "part-time" party which is slowly vanishing from the country, and added that the parties from Delhi and West Bengal have arrived in Goa ahead of the Assembly elections to carry out their experiments and to create division.

He was referring to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC), which have announced their decision to contest the upcoming polls in Goa.

Slamming the TMC and Banerjee, he said there is no democracy left in West Bengal and that the state is at the top in terms of unemployment and crime.

Fadnavis, who is BJP's election in-charge of Goa, was addressing people in Panaji after the induction of former Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte into the party fold.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and BJP's state unit chief Sadanand Shet Tanavade were also present.

Also read: No project will be carried out in Goa without people's consent if AAP forms govt: Kejriwal

"People are here for experiment. They want to conduct experiment of their own (political) parties in Goa. But Goans are wise enough to understand all this. Goans know who will be with them and who will fly away after the election," the former Maharashtra chief minister said.

Fadnavis said that political parties from Delhi and Kolkata have come to Goa only to create division and play their own politics.

"When they lose election, they disappear for five years only to return during the next election. They don't have any plan or programme for the development of Goa," he added.

Fadnavis said that the Congress is slowly vanishing from the country.

"Congress has remained a part-time party in the country. Congress leaders are part-time, they don't get into full-time politics and hence their party has also become a part-time party," he said.

The Congress leaders are running the party for the sake of it, he added.

"They want to run the party on its past accomplishments, but that has also got over. Even old leaders are no more with them," he said.

Fadnavis said the TMC has started claiming that it is the original Congress.

"But I want to question Mamata didi that if your administration is good, then why is West Bengal in a bad situation?" he said.

He asked why investors are not coming to West Bengal and why the state tops the list in unemployment and crime rate.

"There is no democracy in West Bengal. If any opposition party leader raises any issue, in the next four days, you will find him hanging," Fadnavis alleged.

He said he was surprised to know that a local party like the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), which understands the political situation in the state and knows its history, has joined hands with the TMC.

Fadnavis also took a dig at the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP, saying the "party shows only trailer, but no movie".

"They go everywhere to show the trailer. You know that trailer of every film is always a hit. But when you actually see the movie, you realise that whatever was shown in the trailer is not there," he said.

The Assembly elections in Goa, which is currently ruled by the BJP, are due in February.

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The Congress on Friday criticised the BJP government for making Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and the two other Election Commissioners interact with an official at the office of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The opposition party accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modis government of treating the EC as a subservient tool.

Also Read | Fadnavis calls Congress a 'slowly-vanishing part-time party'

Chandra and the two other Election Commissioners, Rajiv Kumar and Anup Chandra Pandey, had a virtual meeting with the Principal Secretary at the PMO, P K Mishra, on November 16. An official of the Ministry of Law and Justice had earlier written to the EC, conveying that Mishra would expect Chandra to be present at a meeting on common electoral roll.

The CEC did not attend the meeting as the way the Ministry of Law had conveyed the PMOs expectation for his participation in the meeting had not been in sync with the stature of the EC  an autonomous constitutional authority. The senior officials of the commission attended the meeting, but later the CEC and the two other Election Commissioners also had an informal interaction with the Principal Secretary of the PMO.

Also Read  PMO talks with CEC Chandra, ECs on electoral reforms

(The) PMO summoning (the) ECI (Election Commission of India) was unheard of in independent India, Congresss general secretary and chief spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala, posted on Twitter. Treating EC as a subservient tool is yet another low in Modi Govts record of destroying every institution.

The communique from the union Ministry of Law and Justice to the EC seeking the CECs presence in the meeting with the PMO Principal Secretary raised the questions of constitutional propriety. Chandra, along with Kumar and Pandey, apparently chose to attend the informal interaction with Mishra in order to find a middle way between completely disregarding the expectation of the PMO and lowering the dignity of the EC by attending the main meeting.

The Congress and the other opposition parties repeatedly criticised the Modi government for allegedly trying to use the EC for the advantage of the ruling BJP.

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Yielding to Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhus alleged pressure to replace senior IPS officer Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota, the Punjab government has made Siddharth Chattopadhyaya as the states new officiating police chief.

The order to appoint Chattopadhyaya as the officiating DGP was issued late Thursday night. Reacting to the development, the Punjab BJP and BSP said it has now become clear that Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had no authority in the state and Sidhu is running the show.

Sidhu has been pressing for replacing Sahota who had headed the special investigation team formed by the previous SAD-BJP government to probe desecration incidents. Sidhu was learnt to have been backing Chattopadhyayas name as the state DGP after Channi replaced Capt Amarinder Singh as the Punjab chief minister in September.

A 1986-batch IPS officer, Chattopadhyaya would hold this charge until a regular DGP is appointed out of a panel of three IPS officers shortlisted by the Union Public Service Commission. The UPSC is set to hold a meeting on December 21 in Delhi for shortlisting the panel of three officers from the state government's list of 10 officers.

Sahota, a 1988-batch IPS officer, was appointed as the officiating DGP after Channi became the chief minister of Punjab in September. Sahota was considered as Channi's choice. Last month, the Channi government replaced the state's advocate general A P S Deol following strong opposition from Sidhu. Later, senior advocate D S Patwalia was appointed as the AG. Chattopadhyaya, meanwhile on Friday, assumed the charge of Punjabs officiating police chief.

Chattopadhyaya would also continue to hold the charge of the director-general of police, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, Patiala and the additional charge of chief director of the Vigilance Bureau. After assuming the charge, Chattopadhyaya held a meeting with the top brass of the state police. An official release quoting Chattopadhyaya said besides maintaining law and order ahead of the Punjab assembly elections, he will focus on the fight against drug trafficking, human trafficking and improving road safety in the state.

A President's Police Medal for Gallantry awardee, Chattopadhyaya had served in various critical and sensitive capacities in the state police during days of terrorism and on deputation at the Border Security Force (BSF), said the release. Reacting to the appointment of a new officiating DGP, Punjab BJP general secretary Subhash Sharma took on the Congress-led government in Punjab, saying this move reflected that Channi has "no authority" in the state.

Before that the AG who was appointed by the CM was also replaced, said Sharma. He alleged that Sidhu had been "running" the government from the backdoor with the "blessings" of the Gandhi family while Channi has just remained a rubber stamp.

With Sidhu also being appointed as the chairman of the Punjab election committee of the Congress, it has become clear that Channi was appointed as the CM just to "garner" votes of the scheduled caste community. Punjab Bahujan Samaj Party chief Jasvir Singh Garhi also took an exception to the replacement of Sahota and said with the replacement, an officer belonging to the scheduled caste community, the anti-Dalit face of the Congress has been exposed.

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The Punjab government has appointed senior IPS officer Siddharth Chattopadhyaya as the officiating director general of police.

Chattopadhyaya replaces senior IPS officer Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota.

The order to appoint Chattopadhyaya as the officiating DGP was issued late Thursday night.

A 1986-batch IPS officer, Chattopadhyaya would hold this charge until a regular DGP is appointed out of a panel of three IPS officers shortlisted by the Union Public Service Commission.

The UPSC is set to hold a meeting for shortlisting the panel of three officers from the state government's list of 10 on December 21 in Delhi.

Chattopadhyaya would also continue to hold the charge of chief director of the vigilance bureau.

Sahota, 1988-batch IPS officer, was appointed as the officiating DGP after Charanjit Singh Channi became the chief minister of Punjab in September. Sahota was considered as Channi's choice.

However, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has been pressing for replacing Sahota, who had remained the head of the special investigation team formed by the previous SAD-BJP government to probe desecration incidents.

Sidhu was learnt to have been backing the name of Chattopadhyaya as the DGP after Channi replaced Amarinder Singh as the Punjab chief minister.

Last month, the Channi government replaced the state's advocate general A P S Deol after strong opposition from Sidhu.

Later, senior advocate D S Patwalia was appointed as the AG.

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The Supreme Court on Friday stayed all proceedings before the Justice M B Lokur Commission, formed by the West Bengal government, to inquire into charges of snooping of citizens by use of Isreal's Pegasus spyware.

A bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli issued notice to the Commission in the matter as the West Bengal government submitted that the panel was no longer under its control.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Lokur Commission had asked Rahul Gandhi, Abhishek Banerjee, Prashant Kishor, Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana, Bengal Chief Secretary H K Dwivedi among 31 people to appear before it in its probe. Notably, the top court had already set up an experts panel for the purpose.

Also Read | US lawmakers call for sanctions against Israel's NSO, other spyware firms

On Friday, the top court reminded senior advocate A M Singhvi about his oral assurance that he would convey to the Commission about the restraint to be observed in the matter.

"What is this Singhvi? You told us there is no need to order," the bench asked him.

To the query, Singhvi said, "I had conveyed the need for restraint but the Commission is not controlled by the state government. They did not work till the court's orders were out."

"We understand your predicament," the bench said, issuing notice to the state government and the Commission on a plea to stay its functioning and quash the notification on its formation.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, who appeared for NGO-petitioner, sought permission to implead the Commission as a party to the petition.

Advocate M L Sharma, who filed the PIL along with several others including journalist N Ram, contended before the court the Commission's functioning was gross contempt of court.

Also Read | Not aware of any unlawful interception of any message, says Centre

On August 25, the top court had told the West Bengal government, which formed the Justice M B Lokur-headed Commission of Inquiry to probe Pegasus snooping case, to observe restraint as the matter with pan-India effect was being examined by it.

The court was then hearing the PIL, filed by Global Village Foundation Public Charitable Trust.

On October 27, the court had formed an independent experts committee, to be supervised by a retired judge Justice R V Raveendran, a retired top court judge, to examine charges of snooping.

Right to privacy and freedom of speech are alleged to be impacted, which needs to be examined. The entire citizenry is affected by such allegations due to the potential chilling effect, it had said.

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The Centre should come up with an anti-conversion law on the lines of the draft bill in Karnataka, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad demanded on Friday. The outfit is also mounting a mass awareness campaign nationwide to this effect.

Among other demands, the VHP said that a commission of inquiry along the lines of the Niyogi Commission and the Venugopal Commission should be set up. The saffron outfit has made similar demands for statewide legislation in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Also Read | Karnataka anti-conversion bill will also cover 'Love Jihad', says Home Minister Jnanendra

Apart from the draft bill in Karnataka, the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill 2021, anti-conversion laws have come into effect in BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. The legislation in these states have penal provisions for forced religious conversions and can land those accused in jail for up to 10 years.

A functionary of the outfit said that they will launch a countrywide campaign in the next ten days.

Also Read | Karnataka anti-conversion bill proposes 10-year jail term

In June, the joint secretary Surendra Jain issued a statement pressing these demands. The VHP is of the view that now for a comprehensive inquiry into such atrocious forms of conversions, a commission of inquiry on the lines of the Niyogi Commission should be formed and mandated with jurisdiction to cover the entire country, the statement said.

Earlier, the outfit had identified 70 places in Uttar Pradesh where they said Hindus were in fear of conversion.

In UP, 128 people were arrested under the anti-conversion law within a year of its implementation, and in MP, nine people were arrested.

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India's tally of Omicron cases has crossed 90 as multiple states reported new cases on Thursday and Friday. Meanwhile, the US CDC has recommended Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 shots over J&J's, and the G7 has called Omicron the 'biggest current threat' to world health.
More than 62 lakh doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have gone to waste in India, half of which are from just three states  Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Madhya Pradesh tops the list with 16.48 lakh wasted doses followed by Uttar Pradesh (12.60 lakh) and Rajasthan (6.86 lakh). Taken together the three states squandered nearly 36 lakh doses, which is over 50 per cent of the total loss.

Also read: Scientists looking into Covid-19 booster dose; primary vaccination foremost goal, says Centre

Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar presented a list of 25 states and union territories that reported Covid-19 vaccine wastage in the last 11 months. There are eleven states that wasted more than one lakh doses.

Other states wasting more than one lakh doses are Assam (4.58 lakh), Jammu and Kashmir (4.57 lakh), Andhra Pradesh (3.80 lakh), Gujarat (2.28 lakh), Tamil Nadu (2.38 lakh) Tripura (2.10 lakh), West Bengal (1.4 lakh) and Karnataka (1.27 lakh).

"An expenditure of Rs 19,675.46 crore (till Dec 19) has been incurred for procurement of Covid-19 vaccines by the Centre for free of cost supplies of vaccine doses to State and UTs," the minister informed the Lok Sabha.

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Another day of protests was seen in the Parliament on Thursday as the Opposition demanded the resignation of MoS Ajay Mishra. Suspended MPs have planned 'Jan Sansad' to protest suspension. They will focus on people's issues inside Rajya Sabha today. Stay tuned for updates
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Goa on December 19 and attend an event marking Goa liberation day celebrations at the 'Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium', his office said on Friday.

Modi will felicitate freedom fighters and veterans of 'Operation Vijay', undertaken by the Indian armed forces to liberate Goa from Portuguese rule, and will also inaugurate multiple development projects, including the renovated Fort Aguada jail museum, super speciality block at the Goa Medical College and new South Goa district hospital.

Besides these, the prime minister will inaugurate an aviation skill development centre at the Mopa airport and a gas insulated substation at Dabolim-Navelim in Margao.

He will also lay the foundation stone for the India International University of Legal Education and Research of the Bar Council of India Trust at Goa, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.

Goa is among five states which are headed for assembly polls early next year.

Also read: Goa MLA Alina Saldanha joins AAP from BJP; says was 'feeling suffocated'

The PMO noted that it has been Modi's constant endeavour to improve medical infrastructure and provide top class medical facilities across the country.

In line with this vision, the super-speciality block at the Goa Medical College and Hospital has been constructed at a cost of over Rs 380 crore under the 'Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana' scheme, it said.

It is the only state of the art super-speciality hospital in Goa, providing high-end super speciality services.

It will provide specialised services like angioplasty, bypass surgery, liver transplant, kidney transplant and dialysis, among others, the PMO said, adding that the super-speciality block will also house a 1,000 liter per minute (lpm) oxygen pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plant installed under PM-CARES.

The new South Goa district hospital, built at a cost of around Rs 220 crore, is equipped with modern medical infrastructure, including OPD services in 33 specialities, latest diagnostic and laboratory facilities and services like physiotherapy and audiometry.

The hospital has 500 oxygenated beds, 5,500 litre liquid medical oxygen tank and two PSA plants for generating the life-saving gas at 600 lpm, the PMO said.

The re-development of the Aguada Fort jail museum as a heritage tourism destination under the 'Swadesh Darshan Scheme' has been done at a cost of over Rs 28 crore, it said.

Before Goas liberation, the Aguada Fort was used to incarcerate and torture freedom fighters, the PMO said.

The museum will highlight the contributions and sacrifices made by prominent freedom fighters who fought for the liberation of Goa and will be a befitting tribute to them.

Modi will also release a Special Cover and Special Cancellation to mark the commemoration of Indian armed forces freeing Goa from Portuguese rule, it said.

This special episode of history is shown on the special cover, whereas the special cancellation depicts the war memorial at the Indian Naval Ship Gomantak, constructed in memory of seven young gallant sailors and other personnel who laid down their lives in 'Operation Vijay'.

Modi will also release 'My Stamp' depicting the 'Hutatma Smarak' at Patradevi, which salutes the great sacrifices made by those who made the supreme sacrifice in the Goa liberation movement.

A 'Meghdoot Post Card' depicting a collage of pictures of different events during the movement will also be presented to the prime minister, the statement said.

He will also distribute awards to the best panchayat/municipality, 'Swayampurna Mitras' and beneficiaries of 'Swayampurna Goa Programme'.

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An article in an RSS-linked Bengali magazine has stirred up a hornet's nest by claiming that both BJP and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee share the dream of "Congress-mukt Bharat" (Congress-free India).

While the BJP distanced itself from the article in 'Swastika' calling it "baseless" and far from the party's official stand, the Trinamool Congress also rubbished allegations of "understanding with the saffron camp" but the Congress said that the "cat is now out of the bag".

The article titled 'Keno itihas muchte chaichen Mamata? Shilpo agroho na Sonia khotom?' (Why is Mamata keen on erasing history? To attract investment or to destroy Sonia?) was written by Nirmalya Mukhopadhyay and published in the December 13 issue of the magazine.

It speaks about the TMC chairperson's recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, and claimed that both share the dream of "Congress-free India".

"It is clear from her changing stance that this is not the same Mamata Banerjee. Narendra Modi's dream is Congress-free India. I feel that Mamata now also believes in the same dream. That's why she is trying to erase the history to sell this dream," the author wrote.

The writer also wondered what "political calculation" Banerjee has in her mind that she is bringing her "enemies and known rivals" close to her.

Repeated calls to Tilak Ranjan Bera, editor of the magazine, went unanswered.

RSS state general secretary Jishnu Basu said that he is yet to go through the article.

"I am yet to read the article, so I cannot comment on it. But I don't know about any understanding as the truth is that 62 BJP workers have been killed in the post-poll violence in West Bengal," Basu told PTI.

RSS sources said that the magazine is linked with the organisation as its editorial and managing committee has several people who have an RSS background.

State BJP spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya termed the article "baseless" and said it has nothing to do with the party's policy or stand.

"It has nothing to do with the BJPs policy or stand. Swastika might be an RSS-linked magazine, but many articles in it come out which are not in tandem with our policies and principles," he said.

Senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh dubbed the allegations of "understanding with the BJP" as baseless.

"The allegations of understanding with the BJP are baseless. Mamata Banerjee is the strongest opposition face against the saffron camp," the TMC's state general secretary said.

The opposition Congress, however, alleged that the "cat is out of the bag".

"The secret is now out in the open. For a long time, we have been saying that BJP and the TMC have a covert understanding and have been working together to destroy Congress. But they won't succeed," Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya said.

The TMC, which is trying to make inroads in other states, has been up in the arms against the Congress over its alleged failure to counter the BJP.

In an escalation in the war of words between the TMC and the Congress, Banerjee's party had last week claimed that it is now the "real Congress", given the fact that the "war-weary" grand old party has failed to perform its role as the main opposition to the BJP.

Ties between the Congress and the TMC got further strained after the ruling party in West Bengal, in an article in its mouthpiece 'Jago Bangla', asserted that Banerjee, and not Rahul Gandhi, has emerged as the face of the opposition against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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Leaders representing various political parties in Andhra Pradesh came on one platform to express their solidarity with the Amaravati farmers' agitation against the YSRCP government's three capital plan for the state.

A mega rally was organised in Tirupati on Friday to mark the culmination of a 400 km long padayatra of the protesting farmers and other locals from Amaravati. Themed as Nyayasthanam (high court) to Devasthanam (temple), their march passed through four districts, over six weeks.

It was on December 17, 2019, that CM Jaganmohan Reddy had first unveiled his controversial plan of three capitals in the Andhra Pradesh assembly. The Amaravati farmers have been agitating since that day with their 'One State - One Capital' demand.

Also read: Andhra Pradesh government withdraws 3-capital legislation

During the course of the padayatra, Jagan on November 22 took back the two contentious legislations stripping Amaravati of its sole capital status while allowing the relocation of the executive to Visakhapatnam, judiciary to Kurnool with Amaravati remaining only the legislative capital.

However, Jagan said that the withdrawal was only to bring in more effective, inclusive laws. His capital shift is on hold since last year following directions of the Andhra Pradesh high court which is reviewing the petitions of farmers.

Speaking at the Tirupati rally on Friday, Leader of Opposition and Telugu Desam party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu asked, Why CM Jagan was not changing his adamant stand when all opposition parties  TDP, Janasena, BJP, Congress and the Left parties - were opposed to three capitals?

The BJP, in power at the Centre, has clearly expressed its support to Amaravati as the one and only capital, Naidu said.

The opposition leader alleged that over 180 Amaravati agitators have died so far for their cause and that thousands of false cases were filed including those against the padayatris.

The TDP chief said that Jagan is alarmed by the all-around support Amaravati is receiving. A big rally was organised in the temple town on Thursday in favour of three capitals.

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With efforts of Kerala forest authorities to capture a tiger that killed 17 domestic animals over the last three weeks yet to yield any result, Wayanad district was even witnessing tension between the local people and the forest officials.

Kurukanmoola near Manathavady in Wayanad has been facing the tiger menace for nearly three weeks. Even as forest officials were not able to spot the tiger so far it kept on the killing spree with 19 domestic animals being killed so far. The picture of the tiger was captured in camera traps of the forest department four times.

On Friday, a section of local people claimed that they had spotted the tiger in the morning and alerted the forest authorities. But the forest officials allegedly failed to reach the spot swiftly. This even led to an altercation between a section of local people and forest officials.

Forest Minister A K Saseendran said that a team of over 100 forest officials were engaged in the search for the tiger over the last two weeks. Chief wildlife warden Bennichan Thomas was also deputed to Wayanad to coordinate the activities.

A section of local people had raised suspicions that the tiger could have been released by the Karnataka forest officials in the adjacent border forest areas as tigers were not spotted in the Kurukanmoola region earlier. Kerala forest officials had sought the help of the National Tiger Conservation Authority to get the identity of the tiger on the basis of the images captured in the camera traps.

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Tamil Thai Vaazhthu (Invocation Song) penned by renowned scholar Manonmaniam Sundaranar was on Friday declared as the state song of Tamil Nadu.

Chief Minister M K Stalin made the announcement in a press statement in which he said all should remain standing when the song is sung at the beginning of functions organised by the state government and educational institutions.

The following lines penned by Manonmaniam Sundaranar known as Tamil Thai Vaazhthu is declared as state song of Tamil Nadu. The song should be sung in 55 seconds, Stalin said in the statement recalling a recent order that the song should be sung at events, avoiding recorded versions of the same.

He said everyone, barring physically-challenged, should stand when the song is sung. The Chief Minister said the state song should be sung mandatorily at all government functions and events hosted at educational institutions across the state.

In the statement, Stalin also said private companies will be encouraged to play Tamil Thai Vaazhthu at the beginning of the functions or events organised by them as part of the efforts to take the tradition of singing the anthem to the younger generation.

The announcement by the government comes close on the hells of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court observing that Tamil Thai Vaazhthu was just a prayer song and that there was no order requiring attendees to stand up when it is played.

The court was hearing a petition relating to a controversy over Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal, then junior pontiff of the Kanchi Kamakodi Peetam, not standing up for the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu at an event in Chennai in 2018 even as the then Governor Banwarilal Purohit was standing.

Vijayendra Saraswathis act in 2018 had triggered a massive controversy with many accusing him of deliberately insulting Tamil. Political parties had sought action the pontiff for sitting through the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu. However, the pontiff had justified his action, saying he was meditating when the song was played.

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Residents of Nanjappanchathiram, a nondescript village near Coonoor in the Nilgiris, attained a heroic status for their courage and determination in joining the rescue operations in December 8 helicopter crash by risking their own lives.

The villagers have received all-round praise from all quarters, especially the Armed Forces  Lt. Gen. A Arun, General Officer Commanding, Dakshin Bharat, visited the tiny hamlet of 70 families earlier this week to personally thank them for rushing to the spot where the chopper carrying Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and 13 others crashed.

However, the villagers told DH they are not yet out of the shock and regret that we were not able to save anyone from the crash. According to eyewitnesses, three persons, including Gen Rawat, were pulled out alive, though the Indian Army has not yet commented on the exact details.

While two are believed to have died on their way to Army Hospital in Wellington, Captain Varun Singh succumbed to injuries a week later.

The villagers did not care about their lives. They went to the site and did whatever they could. The villagers helped the police and fire service personnel in pulling out charred bodies and dousing the fire. No words to laud their courage and selfless service, the Lt. Gen told the media on the sidelines of an event in Chennai.

The villagers pulled out everything that they had in their modest dwellings, most importantly blankets, to carry the survivors out of the crash site. Almost all of them are labourers who work in the nearby tea estates or in the construction sector.

Also read: Group Captain Varun Singh, the decorated pilot who saved an LCA Tejas

In an extraordinary gesture, Lt. Gen. Arun visited the hamlet on Monday along with state government officials to thank the villagers for standing with the Indian Army. The Army Commander distributed a kit containing blankets and other household items to the villagers and announced a free check-up for them for a year at the Army Hospital in Wellington.

I want to give something in return to you for all the selfless service you people did on December 8 when the helicopter crashed. Till December 8, 2022, for one year, every month, I will send a doctor and a nurse to your village for a medical check-up. And for one year, you can get a free consultation at the Army Hospital, the Lt. Gen told the villagers in Tamil.

Sagayaraj, a resident of Nanjappanchathiram, said the villagers are unhappy that they could not save anyone who was on board the helicopter.

We are happy that the Army Commander visited us. But we are not happy with the fact that we could not help anyone. We were shocked to know the lone survivor, Capt Varun Singh also died. We are yet to come out of the shock. We thought at least the people who were pulled out alive will survive. But that too didnt happen, Sagayaraj told DH over the phone.

V Jaishankar, an MGNREGA worker, said several people rushed to the crash site almost immediately with the intention of saving lives. We came to know those inside the helicopter were Army officers only after reaching the site. We were hoping that at least a few of them survive. We are so lucky to help the Army men who stand guard at the border saving us. But we are stressed that we could not save anyone, Jaishankar told DH.

We never helped expecting anything in return. But we are happy that the Army Commander visited our village and spoke to us. I have been a fan of the Indian Army, and we all would have been happily accepting the help if at least one person was alive, Jaishankar added.

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Eight new cases of Omicron were reported on Friday in Maharashtra taking the total cases to 40 of the new Covid-19 variant.

As per the report given by National Institute of Virology, Pune, of the 8 new patients 6 are form Pune, one from Mumbai and one from Kalyan-Dombivli.

Till date, a total of 48 patients infected with Omicron virus have been reported in the state - Mumbai-14, Pimpri Chinchwad-10, Pune (rural)-6, Pune Municipal Corporation-2, Kalyan Dombivali-2, Osmanabad-2, Latur -1, Buldhana-1, Nagpur-1, and Vasai Virar-1.

Read more: Breakthrough infections generate super immunity to Covid-19: Study

Out of these, 25 cases have been discharged following a negative RT PCR test, according to the Public Health Department.

The new 8 patients are in the age group of 29-45 years.

While 7 patients are asymptomatic, 1 patient is having mild symptoms.

According to preliminary information, 4 patients from Pune have a history of travel to Dubai, 2 are their contacts.

One patient from Mumbai had travelled to the USA and the other patient from KDMC had travelled to Nigeria.

Out of these 8 patients, 2 are in hospital and 6 are at home isolation.o

The close contacts of these patients are being tracked.

All patients have been vaccinated.

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Goa BJP MLA Alina Saldanha, who joined the Aam Aadmi Party after resigning from the Assembly, said she was feeling suffocated in the ruling party whose policies were "anti-people".

Saldanha had resigned from the Assembly and BJP on Thursday and joined AAP in the presence of its convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal later in the evening in the national capital.

"I was feeling suffocated. Even the party (BJP) also felt I was an obstruction for their goals which are anti-people. If I am with the people, I can't be with the BJP. I am in Delhi and I have seen the progress the Kejriwal government has brought here and so I joined the AAP, Saldanha said at an online press conference in the presence of the Delhi CM.

Also Read | No project will be carried out in Goa without people's consent if AAP forms govt: Kejriwal

Saldanha, who had opposed the double-tracking of South Western Railway's line in Goa, said the BJP in the state was no longer that of late Manohar Parrikar. Her husband Matanhy Saldanha was part of the Parrikar government earlier and had died when he was a minister.

During the online press conference, Kejriwal said no project would be imposed in Goa without the consent of the people. adding that his party was against the three linear projects which were being pushed by the BJP in the coastal state to benefit a few capitalists.

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A meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the MPs of Uttar Pradesh is currently under way in Delhi.

The PM had earlier held a meeting with the MPs of northeastern and southern states, ANI reported.

A meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the MPs of Uttar Pradesh is underway at 7, LKM in Delhi. The PM had earlier held a meeting with the MPs of northeastern and southern states.  ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2021

The meeting comes just months ahead of the Assembly elections in the state. The PM had inaugurated the first phase of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham project earlier this week in Varanasi.

Later today, Modi will inaugurate and address the All India Mayors Conference, which is being organised in Varanasi, via video conferencing.

The saffron party is leaving no stones unturned to woo voters in UP. It plans to hold a series of 'yatras' across the state before January and cover each of the 403 Assembly constituencies.

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Moscows concerns about the Quad are increasingly emerging as a matter of discussion and debate. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during his visit to New Delhi in March 2021 called Quad the Asian NATO. Primarily, it signified Russias opposition to the creation of security blocs in the region. Moscows concerns about the Quad are also driven by the China factor, India-Russia relations and the evolving contours of Moscows role in the Asian region.

Since 2017, we have witnessed the rebooting of the Quad grouping comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia. Russia sees the Quad as an anti-Chinese construct and hence primarily targeted at China. From the Russian perspective, challenging China is akin to challenging the basics of a multipolar world. Close on the heels of the first Quad summit that took place in March 2021, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited China, Pakistan, South Korea and India to re-emphasise Russias relevance in the region. Lavrovs visit to Pakistan raised some concerns in India, especially the potential possibilities of greater Russia-Pakistan defence and strategic cooperation.

The major Russian arguments about the Quad are as follows: One, that Quad reflects the United States persistent, aggressive and devious policy intended to ensnare India in its anti-China game. Secondly, that Quad is meant to undermine the close partnership between India and Russia. Third, that Quad is divisive and undermines the centrality of the ASEAN grouping of South-East Asian countries.

The rediscovery of the Quad by the Trump administration signified a reiteration of Americas Indo-Pacific strategy. Trump perceived the Indo-Pacific as a crucial theatre of competition, which is more maritime-based. Moscow has also expressed its reservations about replacing the Asia-Pacific construct with that of the Indo-Pacific.

Russia perceives the Quad as a potential game-changer that could impact Moscows role in Asia, especially in terms of its economic and political interests in Asia. The growing economic, political and strategic complementarities in Moscow-Beijing relations has evolved over the years. Though Russia has its concerns about China, yet it perceives Beijing as a partner against the Western liberal order. Russia perceives China as an important anchor in the creation of a multipolar world. Hence, the Quad represents an attempt to isolate Russia as well as China.

From its perspective, Moscow has promoted the idea of a Greater Eurasian Partnership as a platform for greater Asian engagement, through forums like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). The underlying sense is that Russia seeks to enhance its visibility and relevance by leveraging its geographical location to act as a bridge between Europe and Asia. Russia has been making a case for greater cooperation between the ASEAN and the EEU.

Russia also has its divergencies with China, though it tends to play them down. Russia does not go along with Chinas self-proclaimed nine-dash line, for instance, as it would be detrimental to the Russian oil giant Rosnefts position in Vietnam and also weaken its own Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) claims in the Arctic region. Overall, Russia maintains a neutral stance on the South China Sea dispute.

Moscow should know better that Indias engagement with the Quad is also the outcome of New Delhis growing concern with Chinas territorial claims along the border. In terms of Indias role in the Quad, Russia realises that India matters. While India is one of the top arms importers in the world, Russia accounts for 49% of those Indian imports. The purchase of the S-400 anti-missile system is a huge decision that could attract US sanctions against India in Washingtons bid to isolate and punish Russia. From Moscows perspective, the strengthening of the US-India strategic and defence cooperation could dent Russias interests in India. Hence Moscow seems to make a case for New Delhi to prioritise the SCO, and even the BRICS grouping, rather than the Quad.

Moscow sees no contradiction in its ties with China on the one hand and its ties with India on the other. It desires that extra-regional actors like the US are deterred from gaining any additional strategic advantages which could be detrimental to Moscows interests in the region. Russia opposes any anti-China alliance, which President Putin perceives as un-Asian. India, on its part, does not consider the Quad to be a NATO-like military alliance. Russia considers the Quad as a project of US strategic competition in the region. From Indias perspective, Russias ability to convince India about the need to distance itself from the Quad is contingent on Moscows ability to leverage its influence with China.

Another dimension is that the interests of India, China and the US with respect to the Indo-Pacific have revolved around their respective visions, interests, strengths and weaknesses. Hence, India would have reservations about perceiving the Quad as an alliance of democracies targeted at China. India is concerned about an aggressive China, especially across its borders. Yet, India does not perceive the Quad as a collective security arrangement. The Quad presents both dilemmas as well as possibilities for India.

The underlying sense is that the Quads strategic imprint is bound to grow, especially with the Chinese tentacles spreading across the Indo-Pacific region. The flip side is that the more assertive China gets on the border dispute with India, the greater will be Indias propensity to fall back on the Quad. Hence, Russia would have to be more receptive and sensitive to Indias concerns on Chinas territorial aggression. The challenge before India is to strike the right balance between Russia and the Quad.

(The writer is Professor, Department of International Studies, Politics and History, Christ (deemed-to-be) University, Bengaluru)
Breakthrough infections greatly enhance immune response to variants of the virus that causes Covid-19, according to a new study.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), revealed that a breakthrough infection generates a robust immune response against the Delta variant.

The findings, led by researchers from Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), suggest the immune response is likely to be highly effective against other variants, including the Omicron variant, as the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to mutate.

Read more: Why antibodies aren't the only defence against Omicron

The study is the first to use live SARS-CoV-2 variants to measure cross-neutralisation of blood serum from breakthrough cases.

"You can't get a better immune response than this," said senior author Fikadu Tafesse, Assistant Professor of molecular microbiology and immunology in the OHSU School of Medicine.

"These vaccines are very effective against severe disease. Our study suggests that individuals who are vaccinated and then exposed to a breakthrough infection have super immunity," Tafesse added.

The study found that antibodies measured in blood samples of breakthrough cases were both more abundant and much more effective - as much as 1,000 per cent more effective - than antibodies generated two weeks following the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Vaccine immunity is currently undergoing a real-world test against the new Omicron variant.

"We have not examined the Omicron variant specifically, but based on the results of this study we would anticipate that breakthrough infections from the Omicron variant will generate a similarly strong immune response among vaccinated people," Tafesse said.

The study compared blood samples collected from a total of 52 people, who were vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and subsequently enrolled in the study.

A total of 26 people were identified as having mild breakthrough infections following vaccination. Among the sequence-confirmed breakthrough cases, 10 involved the highly contagious Delta variant, nine were non-delta and seven were unknown variants.

The researchers then measured the immune response to the live virus exposed to blood samples from people with breakthrough cases and compared it with the immune response to the control group. They found the breakthrough cases generated more antibodies at baseline, and they found that those antibodies were substantially better at neutralising the live virus.

"The key is to get vaccinated," Curlin said. "You've got to have a foundation of protection."

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By Todd Gillespie

The world likely will generate more electricity from the dirtiest source this year than ever before, indicating just how far the energy transition still needs to run in the fight against climate change.

Coal-fueled generation is set to jump 9% from last year, according to an International Energy Agency report released Friday. That U-turn from the declines of the previous two years threatens the worlds trajectory to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, the organization said.

The US and European Union had the biggest increases in coal use at about 20% each, followed by India at 12% and China -- the worlds largest consumer -- at 9%, the IEA estimated. The comeback is being driven by economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, which is outpacing the ability of low-carbon energy sources to maintain supply.

Also Read | Being frank about Indias energy dilemma

Coal is the single largest source of global carbon emissions, and this years historically high level of coal power generation is a worrying sign of how far off track the world is in its efforts to put emissions into decline toward net-zero, IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said.

Record natural gas prices have increased reliance on other sources, including coal, and amplified calls for faster investments in renewables. Power prices in Europe have more than tripled in the past six months, and its become more profitable to burn coal than gas. Still, utilities have struggled to get their hands on it even as China and the US boost production.

Carbon-dioxide emissions from coal in 2024 are now predicted to be at least 3 billion tons higher than in a scenario reaching net-zero by 2050, the report said. The IEA expects peak coal to occur next year at 8.11 billion tons, with the biggest production increases coming from China, Russia and Pakistan.

The Paris-based IEA said in May that the development of new oil, gas and coal sources must stop this year if the world is to meet emissions targets in line with the Paris Agreement. Climate campaigners were dismayed in November when a key aspiration of the United Nations COP26 climate summit in Scotland was watered down to produce a pledge to phase down -- rather than phase out -- coal use. US President Joe Bidens administration since has halted federal aid to new fossil-fuel projects abroad.

Some banks have pledged to phase out their financing of coal, though activists want to see greater urgency. This year, coal demand as a whole -- for power generation as well as cement and steel production -- is set to rise by 6%, the IEA said.

That demand could set a record next year, depending on economic growth and weather patterns, the agency said. One Australian exporter predicts strong demand for at least two more decades.

Also Read | World coal power demand to hit new high after China, India, US surge: IEA

Regional disparities in use are playing out globally as Europe shuts down coal power stations while China and India step up production. The European Union ramped up its climate pledge in July, targeting a 55% drop in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, relative to a 1990 baseline, with a transition to cleaner sources at the centre. Its a tough target, especially considering that countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic primarily power themselves with coal and lignite.

For now, China accounts for about half of global coal production and needs to meet rising domestic demand. The government has pressured miners to reduce prices and lower the cost of burning coal during this years energy crisis, which triggered blackouts and rationing in the country.

It is disappointing that coal power may hit an all-time high in the very same year that countries agreed to phase it down, said Dave Jones, global program lead at climate think-tank Ember. Coal power will inevitably begin to decline soon: China has committed to phasing down coal from 2025, while Indias huge renewables target should remove the need for more coal.

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As many as 600 elephants have been killed due to electrocution in India from 2009-10 to 2019-20 with Karnataka accounting for 116 of the deaths, second only to Odisha (117).

Officials warn that constant pressure of development work in elephant ranges and climate change may pose more challenges to conservation.

Data presented by the Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change (MoEF & CC) in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday showed varied performances of 16 states, many of which had reported a decline in electrocution deaths over the past few years. There were, however, instances of when deaths spiked with Assam and Odisha recording a surge in 2018-19.

In comparison, Karnataka has fared slightly better than other states with the deaths dropping to single digits in recent years, thanks to the intervention of the Karnataka High Court. Following the death of 25 elephants in a span of six months in 2008, the high court had taken up a suo motu case and set up an expert task force which had made a set of recommendations.

Raman Sukumar, honarary professor at IIScs Centre for Ecological Sciences, who was the chairman of the task force, said the man-elephant conflict was a complex issue that requires comprehensive measures involving all stakeholders.

We have found that farmers are illegally drawing power from main lines, mostly to contain wild boars. One of the less appreciated issues is the fact that more elephants are roaming areas outside the forests and elephant zones. Some are going to places where they were not seen even 50 years ago. This is why the framework and the recommendations that we gave should be adopted by all the elephant states in the country, he said.

Among the major recommendations made by the task force was the setting up of an expert group within the state wildlife board, checking land use change in elephant zones and adjoining areas, preventing fragmentation of forest zones and corridors.

Retired IFS officer Ajai Mishra, who was also part of the task force and worked on other elephant projects, said the steps taken by the department helped in bringing down the annual deaths from over 25 to less than 10.

There is still a long way to go. We need very active committees at the district level to create awareness on conservation and take action against violations, he

said.

Noting that elephants are long range animals that wander around 500-700 sq km areas, he said prevention of forest degradation and taking up works that will help make elephant ranges climate change-resistant were crucial steps going forward.

PCCF (wildlife) Vijay Kumar Gogi was not available for comment. An official, however, said violations in forest corridors need close monitoring.

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Karnataka, on Thursday, unveiled the e-sahamathi platform, a consent-driven system that authorities say will give citizens complete control on sharing their personal data with private companies.

Private or public companies and nonprofits willing to use the e-sahamathi platform to access citizen data will have to pay a one-time registration fee of Rs 50,000.

Citizens get full control of their data and the government wont have any role in what they choose to share, additional chief secretary (e-governance) Rajeev Chawla said.

Consent manager

The platform, which will use Aadhaar authentication, will act as a consent manager for citizens who are data principals.

Citizens are the owners of their personal data. Government departments that collect and maintain citizen information are data fiduciaries, Chawla said.

The government expects students and job seekers to be the immediate users of e-sahamathi.

Lets say a student has landed a job with Wipro and the company requires his or her academic credentials. The student can log on to e-sahamathi and give consent for his or her data to be shared with Wipro. The government has the students academic data, which will be shared once there is consent, Chawla

explained.

So far, the government has academic data of students from 63 out of 65 universities in Karnataka. The IIM Bangalore and IIIT Dharwad are yet to come on board.

We have SSLC marks cards from 2003, PU marks cards from 2008 and university certificates from the last 10 years, he said. Citizens can specify the purpose and validity of the consent.

Data blind

The citizen can revoke consent any time, Chawla pointed out. e-sahamathi per se is data blind. So, we dont know what data is being shared.

Allaying fears over misuse of data, Chawla said a committee will approve data seekers who apply for registration on e-sahamathi.

We want reputed, big companies to use e-sahamathi and not spurious ones, he said.

Also, once the Personal Data Protection Bill is approved (in Parliament), citizens can sue data seekers for misuse of their data.

Chawla said e-sahamathi is a more advanced version of DigiLocker.

DigiLocker is where you store data, which may not be genuine. Data shared through e-sahamathi is genuine as it comes from the government, he said.

e-sahamathi will be available in the form of a mobile app and web portal. It will become operational after a formal launch by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai soon.

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Hindu activists in large numbers assembled at Sambhaji Circle late night Friday condemning the desecration of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue at Bengaluru, demanding action against culprits behind the incident.

Video of the statue of the warrior king's statue being desecrated went viral on social media on Friday night.

Bengaluru Police faced the mob which swelled with time. Unruly protesters were caned near Sambhaji Circle and arterial roads connecting the busy circle to bring the situation under control. People moving on streets and outside their houses were told to remain indoors by the police.

MLA Abhay Patil condemned the disrespect shown to Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Bengaluru. He said it was disrespect shown to the Hindu community as Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had dedicated his life to Hindus. He demanded strict action against those responsible for the act and a precedent be set. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Home Minister Araga Jnanendra should ensure the arrest of culprits. Insult of national heroes was an insult of the nation, he stated.

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When Covid-19 first struck in early 2020, it turned out to be a trial by fire for frontline health workers completely weighed down by the severity and the sheer number of cases.

More than one-and-a-half years later, a new variant  Omicron -- has raised its head, and the frontline health workers are pulling up their socks, preparedness being their watchword.

But by all accounts, how prepared is the healthcare system in Karnataka?

"At this juncture, given the rising number of Omicron cases in countries like South Africa and the UK, the Government of India has already given necessary directions to hospitals, healthcare professionals, and associations to raise awareness about Covid-appropriate behaviour which comprises two doses of vaccination coupled with mask, ventilation, social distancing, and hand hygiene, Dr Vishal Rao, member of the Genomic Surveillance Committee of the state Covid Task Force, said.

Read | Panel bats for night curfew in B'luru from Dec 30-Jan 2

"In addition, healthcare entities will have to be ready to cope with the likelihood of a hike in Omicron cases in January-February 2022 in the guiding light of the experience of the second wave, as also further intensify the vaccination drive pan India," he said.

On Thursday, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar had said that five more cases of the Omicron variant were detected in the state which took cases with Omicron strain in the state to eight.

Already, the state government has increased the availability of both oxygenated and ICU beds in most hospitals, Dr Rao said.

The state government has also increased capacity building and training of ICU staff and critical care teams in collaboration with various associations like the IMA and Karnataka Pulmonary Association.

For frontline health workers, being more exposed to the virus translates into increased stress and added anxiety as well.

With children yet to be vaccinated, the fears of parents cant get more real and concerns about the new strain in children are palpable.

Read | Why antibodies aren't the only defence against Omicron

Meanwhile, the state government has constituted a third wave committee comprising experts from paediatrics and critical care pulmonology who will play a crucial role in close monitoring and analysis of cases, Dr Rao said. Besides that, all hospitals will assume the role of a vigilante in proactively sharing with the government the trends and patterns of, as also changes in, symptoms and severity of cases based on age groups and other key factors as actionable input for decision making.

Moreover, he informed that the genomic surveillance committee will also continue to sequence samples to identify any new variants emerging during this critical phase.

Dr Nikhil Swamy, a specialist in a Critical Care Unit in a Bengaluru hospital said, yes and no when asked how well-prepared the frontline health workers are to meet Omicron cases.

We have gone through two waves of Covid and the government is taking firm steps to re-train health workers and we are physically and mentally sufficiently prepared. However, given the staff attrition at various levels, we may still be underprepared from a manpower point of view," he said.

As the Omicron cases rose, the IMA had demanded Covid-19 booster doses for healthcare and frontline workers.

Dr Swamy feels that at this point, the best booster is probably giving a shot of vaccine for an unvaccinated neighbour as we haven't yet achieved vaccination for 50-60% of our population.

He said that studies have shown that the vaccine is effective in preventing severe illness up to 12 months after vaccination. Since we aren't yet post 12 months of our vaccination programme, right now it would make more sense to target shots for the unvaccinated.

Beyond 12 months, however, if a booster for the individual does come into play, then yes, we should take it," he noted.

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The BJP on Friday slammed the Congress for its Karnataka MLA's comments on rape on the floor of the state assembly, and questioned its leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's silence over the issue, alleging that its leaders have a history of making such insulting comments about women.

The BJP was, however, also left embarrassed when its spokesperson Aparajita Sarangi also criticised Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, who is from the ruling party, for not objecting to Congress MLA K R Ramesh Kumar's rape remarks.

"What is sad that the Speaker said nothing after such objectionable comments were made and even laughed," she said.

Read more: Delhi lawyer seeks dismissal of Karnataka MLA Ramesh Kumar over 'rape' remark

Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and another BJP spokesperson Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, however, defended the Speaker. Rathore said Kageri made no statement, and things should not be implied.

Chandrasekhar accused Kumar of trivialising crime against women.

Sarangi, who was also at the dais with them for a party press conference, later clarified that she meant to refer to Kumar as he is also a former speaker. Even as speaker he had made such remarks by equating himself with a rape victim for being dragged to court over various issues, she noted.

She said Congress leaders have a history of making humiliating and shameful comments about women and referred to remarks made by the likes of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh.

Noting that the Gandhi siblings had rushed to Hathras, where a Dalit girl was allegedly raped and murdered, Sarangi questioned their silence over the issue.

BJP chief spokesperson said Kumar's comments were very painful and shameful and alleged that the Congress has a history of making such remarks against women.

Kumar, who had courted controversy by saying "when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it", apologised for his remarks on Friday.

As the proceedings of the Assembly began, Kumar stood up and said he made a statement (in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday), which people found outrageous. "However, my intention was never to demean the prestige of this House or behave in an inferior way. I will not defend myself. I tender my sincere apology for my utterance during the proceedings of the House if it has hurt people from any part of the country," Kumar said.

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Former union minister RL Jalappa, 96, breathed his last on Friday evening, drawing curtains on a political career that spanned four decades.

Jalappa died at a hospital named after him in Kolar. He was admitted a month ago and was shifted to the ICU a few weeks ago. Besides age-related ailments, Jalappa suffered kidney and lung problems.

Born on October 19, 1925, at Rajanukunte, Doddaballapur, Jalappa's first foray into politics was in 1968 when he became president of the Taluk Development Board.

Jalappa, an Idiga, represented Chikballapur in the Lok Sabha four times from 1996 until his political retirement in 2009. He was a union minister in the HD Deve Gowda government.

He was associated with former chief minister D Devaraj Urs. They were with the Congress before they broke away to form Kranti Ranga, which was later merged into the Janata Party. It was Urs who got Jalappa into the Legislative Council in 1980. In 1983, Jalappa entered the Assembly as a representative of the Doddaballapur constituency.

Such was his connection with Urs that he started the Sri Devaraj Urs Educational Trust for Backward Classes in 1984. The trust runs educational institutions, including a Deemed-to-be university.

From Janata Party, Jalappa went to the Janata Dal and then came back to the Congress. This journey was filled with colours, including controversial shades. In 1987-88, the then home minister Jalappa was linked to the sensational murder of lawyer Abdul Rasheed.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, JD(S) legislature party leader HD Kumaraswamy, KPCC president DK Shivakumar and others condoled his death.

Jalappa's last rites will be performed in Doddaballapur on Saturday.

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A day after he courted controversy over his remarks on rape, former Karnataka Speaker and senior Congress leader K R Ramesh Kumar issued an apology on the floor of the House on Friday.

Speaking at the start of the Assembly session on Friday, Kumar said, If my remarks have hurt women, (or) if their feelings are hurt, I regret my remarks. Kumar said that he had "just referred to a proverb" and his goal was not to insult women or the Assembly or to speak lightly (about rape).

Also Read  Ex-Karnataka Speaker makes shocking remark on rape

He said that the video of his comments in the House was aired out of context and "only a part was highlighted".

Kumar pointed out that even Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri was a co-accused. But, Kageri did not apologise.

Were one family. We also have family ties in our respective lives. I did say, Lets enjoy the situation, to which Kumar said something that has become the subject of a controversy. This House, all of us, have respect for women. Were committed to protecting that and increasing that, Kageri said.

Kageri did not allow Muzrai Minister Shashikala Jolle and other MLAs to speak on the issue. Congress MLA Anjali Nimbalkar, meanwhile, sought an apology to women from the entire Assembly for the remarks.

On Thursday, Kumar stirred a controversy on Thursday evening at the Assembly after he he told Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Theres a saying... when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. Thats exactly the position into which you are."

"If anyone is hurtI am not ashamed to apologise," he said.

Following his remarks, Speaker Kageri said, "We are bound to uphold their (women's) dignity." He requested members of the House not to drag the controversy further.

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Karnataka on Thursday reported five new cases of Omicron Covid-19 variant, taking the total count to eight.

Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar announced the fresh cases in a tweet.

The health department said in a statement: The current health status of these Omicron affected patients is good and no one has serious symptoms.

The new cases include: A 19-year-old woman from the UK, a 52-year-old man from Nigeria housed at the Belagavi district hospital, a 70-year-old woman from Delhi, a 36-year-old man from Delhi and a 33-year-old man from South Africa.

The 19-year-old womans samples were collected at the city airport on December 13. She tested Covid positive, though she carried a negative report from the UK. She has been fully vaccinated with Covishield. She had got her second dose on August 12.

Also read: Micro-containment zones in Bengaluru double in just two weeks

She was shifted in an ambulance from the airport to Bowring Hospital on the same day, and to a private hospital on December 14. She has no primary contact, as she travelled directly from the airport to hospital.

The 52-year-old man from Nigeria was carrying a negative report, but when tested on December 13 on arrival at the city airport, he tested positive.

Since he had a connecting flight to Belagavi in the next two hours, he was supposedly given permission to travel. He took a flight to Belagavi on December 14 and received a positive report there.

The 70-year-old womans sample was collected on December 5 at a private lab in Mahadevapura, as she was a primary contact of an Omicron-confirmed case in Delhi.

The 36-year-old man from Delhi, a contact of the 70-year-old woman, also had his samples collected at the same lab on December 5.

The 33-year-old man from South Africa, who travelled via Delhi, had his samples collected at a private city lab on December 10. He tested positive on December 11. The man had travelled on December 9. He received his second vaccine dose on August 27.

He was tested at Delhi airport and was negative for Covid on December 8. He was isolated at home in Bengaluru on December 9. He had developed mild symptoms on December 10. He has been shifted to a private hospital for treatment. All four of his primary contacts and 25 secondary contacts tested negative.

None of the designated private hospitals acknowledged receiving these patients.

Pattern repeating?

Dr C N Manjunath, member, State Covid Task Force, noted that the spread of Omicron cases now is following the pattern of previous years, especially of weeks before the first and second waves. We are reaching that period of time between December and February where historically cases prompted by new variants started to rise, he said. As per reports, Omicron cases are currently doubling every 1.9 days, down from 2.5 days on November 30. In Karnataka, growth of Omicron cases has implications for people in public spaces and in closed-door settings. With Omicron, there is also the added threat of reinfections, he added.

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The Opposition Congress on Friday staged a protest in both houses of the legislature on Friday demanding a discussion on Urban Development Minister Byrathi Basavaraj's alleged involvement in a land-grabbing case.

This led to a din in both the Assembly and Council.

During zero hour, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah sought a discussion on the issue under Rule 60 (adjournment motion) and demanded Basavaraj's resignation.

Kageri rejected this, saying the matter is sub-judice. This left the Congress livid and a furious exchange of words followed.

Siddaramaiah said that there was precedence. "We have allowed this the past," he said, citing how the suspected suicide of DySP MK Ganapathy was discussed in the House despite being subjudice. "Let him (Byrati) resign and take charge as minister if the charges against him are not proved," he said, pointing at how the then home minister KJ George resigned and came back into the Cabinet after his name was cleared.

Also read: Excess commitments: Karnataka govt asked to stop clearing new works

Congress leaders said a metropolitan magistrate court has ordered a criminal case to be registered against five accused, including Basavaraj and MLC R Shankar, in connection with creation and registration of fake documents for land in Kalkere village, KR Pura hobli, Bengaluru East taluk.

Law Minister JC Madhuswamy said that there was no provision in law for such a discussion. "Exceptions given once cannot be a precedent for all," he said.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the FIR against the minister was based on a private complaint and mere registration of FIR did not make anyone guilty. "Allowing discussion will set a bad precedent," he said, warning of future ramifications if discussions are allowed. "The trial of the case cannot be done in the Assembly."

Congress MLA Krishna Byre Gowda said that the discussion should be allowed based on an order by the People's Representatives Court. Congress MLAs jumped to the well and Kageri adjourned the House till Monday.

Siddaramaiah, speaking to reporters later, said they would continue the stir on this issue.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Council.

'Sudhakar intervened'

Earlier, Congress MLC M Narayanaswamy told reporters that he was approached by Health Minister K Sudhakar who tried to reach a compromise on the issue concerning Basavaraj. "Sudhakar tried to speak to Siddaramaiah also," he said.

Both Sudhakar and Basavaraj were earlier with the Congress. In fact, Basavaraj was seen as a Siddaramaiah loyalist.

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Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar on Friday said sorry to all women of Karnataka following his senior party colleague K R Ramesh Kumars 'joke' on rape in the Assembly.

To all the women of Karnataka, I am sorry and I will ensure words like these are never repeated, Shivakumar said in a tweet, adding that he is deeply saddened over Kumars comments.

On Friday, Kumar, a former Speaker, issued an apology on the floor of the Assembly.

The Congress party condemns the words spoken by one of our own legislators in the Karnataka assembly. The insensitive remarks against women are contrary to the values of gender equality the Congress party champions. 1/2  DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) December 17, 2021

While we note that the legislator has tendered an apology, the incident in the assembly is a sign that all of us men in politics need to do better to shed our inherent regressive attitudes towards women, Shivakumar said.

Shivakumar also said that Kumars insensitive remarks against women are contrary to the values of gender equality that the Congress bats for.

Also read: BJP slams Congress for Karnataka MLA's 'rape' comments

Entire Assembly should apologise

Congress MLA Anjali Nimbalkar demanded that the entire Assembly should apologise for the incident.

Speaking to reporters, Nimbalkar said that women legislators from the Congress wanted to raise the issue in the Assembly and protest the remarks. However, Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri denied the request.

Elected representatives are forgetting the pain of the victims when the word 'rape' is used lightly. We wanted to raise the issue as none of the women legislators was present when the statement was made," she said.

Soon after Kumar said he was sorry, Muzrai Minister Shashikala Jolle rose to speak further, but Kageri did not allow it.

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A new exhibition at Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre is celebrating famous men and women who made an impact on the area over the past 100 years.

Entitled NI100 - Influencers from the Roe Valley, the display delves deeper into the lives of 17 of the Famous Sons and Daughters shortlisted by Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council as part of its centenary programme.

Visitors to the exhibition can view individual portraits, with summaries, as they line the new museum exhibition space at the Arts Centre while accompanying printed handouts are also available.

The influencers were selected by Roe Valley Ancestral Researchers (RVAR), who spoke with families, friends and relatives to bring their stories to life.

The aim was to share their achievements with a new audience and highlight the collective pride that we can all feel towards the people who have helped shaped the area we live in.

The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Richards Holmes, who officially opened the exhibition, said: Through our NI 100 programme we want to celebrate our people, and this exhibition is an inspiring showcase of some of those who influenced life in Roe Valley over the past century.

Were very grateful to Roe Valley Ancestral Researchers for their commitment to this project and Im glad that Council was able to support their research through the NI 100 Centenary Small Grants Fund.

The exhibition includes portraits of the 17 famous men and women, with details of their role in the culture and daily life of the area. Research for the project took four months, with contributions from as far away as New Zealand and as close as next door.

The exhibition is open at Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre until Saturday, January 29. For more details you can visit www.roevalleyarts.com.

The project is set to continue with plans to take miniatures of the portraits to communities within the Roe Valley.

This will see researchers ask residents who their influential local heroes are, and which notable names are celebrated in their streets, villages or townlands.

History groups from the area will also be invited to give their perspective, building on the existing research with views, opinions, and personal recollections to build a shared history.

NI100 - Influencers from the Roe Valley is supported by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Councils NI100 Centenary Small Grants Fund.
Rainey Endowed School, Magherafelt has been listed in the Sunday Times Parent Power list of highest achieving schools for the UK.

The list ranks the schools by their examination results from 2017-19. As well as assessment of all academic results on a school-by-school basis, the list enables parents to compare the performance of a given school with other schools in the same town, local authority or nationally.

There were two Derry Schools in the top ten listed state secondary schools for the North - Lumen Christi College in Derry was ranked number one in the region whilst Rainey Endowed School, Magherafelt was listed as seventh for Northern Ireland.

The rankings in the secondary school league tables are determined by the average percentage of examination entries in the three years, 2017-19, gaining A* to B grades at A-level (which is given a double weighting) and the average percentage of entries returning 9-7 or A* and A grades at GCSE. Rainey Endowed School ranked 79.1% A-level A*-B, 61.7% GCSE A*/A

Principal of Rainey Endowed Neil McClements spoke of his delight at the school's recognition.

Obviously I am once again thrilled that the Sunday Times is recognising The Rainey for what a great school it is. This is a great accolade for everyone involved  staff, pupils, parents and the wider Rainey community.

As I said when we were awarded the Secondary School of the Decade there is much more to a school than the bricks (in our case 300 year old bricks!) and mortar, this has been recognised by the Sunday Times, said Mr. McClements.

We aim to fulfil the potential of each and every pupil both inside and outside the classroom. As with our building project in Uganda we recognise the importance of solid educational foundations for later life. Today the Rainey, which opened its doors in 1713, continues to be a place where young people from a wide range of backgrounds meet, grow up and learn together, said the principal.

The Rainey aims to broaden pupils perception and understanding of the wider world. Ensuring our pupils become global citizens in the 21st century Rainey, where education is about developing pupils morally, socially, spiritually, physically and academically. Academic excellence is one of the hallmarks of the Rainey, but it is not the defining feature.

"We believe in a blend of pastoral and academic learning.

"We understand where our pupils need help. We have outstanding parents and governors who ably support us and staff who are dedicated to getting the best from and for each individual pupil. ETI have highlighted our pupils as confident and well-rounded and highlighted the excellent relationships between pupils and staff and the extensive range of extracurricular and enrichment programmes.

Mr. McClements concluded; I am honoured and privileged to be the Principal of this great school which constantly looks to the future and the future education of pupils in Magherafelt, Uganda or China.
A Derry mum and son who feature in a music video alongside popular YouTube stars LadBaby are hoping the new song will secure the Christmas Number One spot alongside a place in chart music history.

Mark Hoyle, better known as LadBaby, along with his wife Roxanne have raised money for the Trussell Trust food bank charity with their sausage roll-themed singles since 2018.

And now they could overtake the Spice Girls and The Beatles, as the act with the most consecutive Christmas Number Ones.

The new track titled, Sausage Rolls For Everyone, is a cheeky version of fellow Christmas Number One contender Merry Christmas, by Ed Sheeran and Elton John.

Ahead of its official release tomorrow (Friday, December 17), bookmakers William Hill have made the song 2-9 favourites to clinch the top spot.

Donna Kennedy pictured ahead of filming.

If it does, it will be the duo's fourth consecutive Christmas Number One breaking an all-time chart record.

Maghera mum Donna Kennedy and her 12 year-old son Ronan will be very interested to see how the song does as they feature among the choir in the music video.

Donna and Ronan flew to London on Wednesday of last week to record the video in a former church-turned food bank in Streatham, London.

Explaining how the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came about, Donna, who volunteers with the Trussell Trust's food bank in Magherafelt, said: I volunteer for the food bank and I happened to say I am a big fan of LadBaby  I follow them on Facebook and TikTok - and their work with the Trussell Trust so they asked me did I want to come along and join in on their music video for their song.

Former nurse Donna suffered two mini strokes and found herself in difficulty after her illness meant she couldn't work and she wasn't eligible for sick pay.

As a result, the mum-of-three was forced to use a food bank.

Mark and Roxanne have never experienced meeting somebody who actually had to use the food banks and that's why they were so keen to have us involved in the video, continued Donna.

When Rox heard my story, she actually cried. She said she had never spoken to anybody that has had to use a food bank. They are so passionate about it.

Mark and Roxanne Hoyle pictured performing their new song last week.

Ronan, a year eight pupil at Sperrin Integrated College in Magherafelt, was also interviewed by Mark about the importance of food banks and was delighted to receive a signed copy of their new book, Greg the Sausage Roll: Santa's Little Helper.

He was loving it  he was absolutely enthralled. He was the only child there and Mark from LadBaby really took to him, said Donna, who in turn presented the celebs with a unique LadBaby-themed Christmas lantern which she designed herself.

Donna and Ronan have been sworn to secrecy and aren't allowed to reveal any major details ahead of the song's launch. however. they are both confident the tune will clinch the coveted Christmas Number One spot.

It's going to be number one  I know it is, continued Donna.

Ronan and I are actually singing beside them (Mark and Roxanne) in the video. Rox was so emotional singing it and she actually broke down crying a couple of times the words of the song are so meaningful.

It was so much fun and was just amazing to be a part of it. I actually thought my fame had stopped, laughed Donna, whose story about her struggle with poverty also featured on the back of Kellogg's Cornflakes boxes earlier this year.

Appealing for people to support LadBaby's new single by downloading the song, Donna added: We need people to support the single. Every bit of money goes toward the Trussell Trust. Not only the Trussell Trust, but any food bank in general, does so much hard work so it's for a very worthy cause.
The Derry Chamber of Commerce has backed Finance Minister Conor Murphys call on the British Government to install a financial safety net for hospitality and retail businesses in light of the current uncertainty of the Covid pandemic. a

The anxiety and concerns around the new Omicron variant have led to a steep decline in hospitality bookings and footfall in shops, while existing restaurant and bar reservations have been cancelled.

Chamber CEO Paul Clancy has said the fall in trade, at traditionally the busiest time of year for many businesses, is deeply concerning and will have a significant impact on already hard-hit small business owners.

Mr Clancy says the Executive must continue to lobby the Treasury to put in place a comprehensive financial package which brings businesses back from the brink and recognises the severity of their trading conditions right now.

He said: The heightened concerns and anxieties around the Omicron variant, driven by mixed messaging and briefings in the media from medical advisors and politicians, are now actively harming businesses.

While we are conscious of the need to do everything in our power to quash the expected Omicron spike of infections, this cannot and must not come at the detriment to our already-suffering hospitality and retail businesses.

Our shops, pubs, restaurants, and hotels cannot be allowed to become the scapegoat.

Now is the time for significant and substantial financial support for our businesses across the North West and Northern Ireland.

We understand that devolved administrations across the UK like Stormont are limited in what finances they can provide and that Finance Minister Conor Murphy has last night called on the Treasury to reinstate substantial financial supports.

We are urging our Executive Ministers, as a united collective, to strongly lobby the UK Government and the Treasury to put in place a proper financial package which supports our businesses.

Any extra money, like the 75m Northern Ireland received from the Treasury earlier this week, must also be directed towards the economy and protecting our businesses.

Local and small business owners are extremely concerned right now. Uncertainty and a lack of clarity, mixed with public fear over the new variant, is driving a serious dip in trade. Christmas is a vital period for all businesses.

Its no longer sustainable for the government to ignore the plight of the economy. Support must be provided as soon as possible.

We would again urge the public to continue supporting local and spending local this Christmas, as well as following all existing Covid protocols including mask wearing, hand washing, and getting your Covid jabs.

Backing locally owned, small businesses is more important than ever as they struggle with uncertainty and dwindling trade.
Sinn Fein Councillor Sandra Duffy has said the Health Minister must bring forward a plan to address the shortage of frontline health workers.

The Health service has been stretched to its full capacity since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic with many members of staff working above and beyond to help patients.

However, the strain has taken its toll upon nurses with 575 leaving their jobs between June and October this year.

Cllr Duffy, who represents the Ballyarnett ward and is also Sinn Fein's local Health spokesperson said: Between June and October this year, 575 nurses have left their jobs in the health service  thats deeply concerning.

Nurses have been under pressure for years now and that has only increased during the pandemic. They are overworked and underpaid and that needs to change.

The 575 nurses that have left havent been redeployed into other areas of the health service, resulting in a huge loss of frontline workers.

The Minister of Health must immediately bring forward a plan to address this very serious capacity shortage in the health and social care system.

We know that in a recent appeal, over 30,000 people applied to work in health and social care and only 4936 new appointments were made.

Given this crisis, I am urging the Department of Health to revisit the large number of applications and to fill posts immediately so that we can begin taking the pressure off our frontline healthcare staff.

In response, the Department of Health said that while current vacancy rates were presenting a major challenge, they had been able to call upon experienced staff via the Workforce Appeal and have recruited 1000 international nurses.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said: The nursing and midwifery professions are experiencing intense pressure as staff continue to deal with the impact of Covid 19 while facing what may be one of the most difficult winters the service has ever seen.

The Health Minister and the Department are very grateful for their ongoing contribution and dedication to patient care.

Current vacancy rates are presenting a major challenge to the system as a whole. This is a situation that has developed over many years and the Department is addressing it in a number of ways, both short and long term.

A Regional Retention Initiative for Nurses and Midwives is now underway, with a steering group comprising a wide range of key stakeholders including the Departments workforce policy and nursing, HSC employers, nurses and midwives, and Trade Union/Staff Side representatives. They are collaborating to co-produce a strategic retention plan.

In terms of immediate action, we have been able to call on a reservoir of experienced staff through the ongoing Workforce Appeal.

In addition, nearly 1000 international nurses have been recruited, who are contributing to the HSC every day.

Since 2015/16 the annual number of pre-registration nursing and midwifery university places commissioned by the Department has increased by nearly 87 per cent, from 710 to an all-time high in 2021/22 of 1325.

This is a hugely significant investment in the workforce of tomorrow. The 2022/23 academic year will see the commencement of training of the final cohort of 300 of the 900 additional nursing and midwifery pre-registration training places, as set out in New Decade, New Approach.

Cumulatively, this combination of short term measures and sustained investment, is designed to ensure that HSC Trusts have the nursing and midwifery workforce to continue to deliver safe and effective services.
Investment Supports Ramp Production of USB Multiprotocol Retimer Solutions and Ongoing Development of Chord Signaling Technology

Lausanne, Switzerland  December 16, 2021  Kandou, an innovative leader in high-speed, energy-efficient, chip link solutions, today closed its Series D round of funding, resulting in $75 million raised in the round.

The total investment in Kandou to date is $207.8 million from new and existing investors.

Proceeds from Series D will be used to ramp production of Kandous first silicon product known as Matterhorn, a USB-C multiprotocol retimer solution with USB4 support for consumer and networking applications for electronic devices. Funds also will be used for ongoing development of product and technology roadmaps, including new silicon products and Chord signaling intellectual property (IP) for ultra-short reach and long-reach signaling applications.

This round of funding will enable us to meet the demand for Matterhorn from customers while we continue to innovate and deliver high-speed connectivity solutions, remarks Dr. Amin Shokrollahi, Founder and CEO of Kandou. We thank Bessemer Venture Partners for their ongoing commitment to us and welcome new Kandou investors participating in this round.

About DC Investment Partners

DC Investment Partners is a private fund that invests in early- and growth-stage companies. It targets businesses that have strong leadership, demonstrated market acceptance and a competitive edge. Its goal is to leverage intellectual with financial capital to foster innovation.

About Bessemer Venture Partners

Bessemer Venture Partners helps entrepreneurs lay strong foundations to build and forge long-standing companies. With more than 135 IPOs and 200 portfolio companies in the enterprise, consumer and healthcare spaces, Bessemer supports founders and CEOs from their early days through every stage of growth. Bessemers global portfolio includes Pinterest, Shopify, Twilio, Yelp, LinkedIn, PagerDuty, DocuSign, Wix, Fiverr and Toast and has $9 billion of capital under management. Bessemer has teams of investors and partners located in Tel Aviv, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, New York, London, Boston, Beijing and Bangalore. Born from innovations in steel more than a century ago, Bessemers storied history has afforded its partners the opportunity to celebrate and scrutinize its best investment decisions (see Memos) and also learn from its mistakes (see Anti-Portfolio).

About Kandou

Kandou, an innovative leader in high-speed, energy-efficient chip-to-chip link solutions to improve the way the world connects and communicates, is revolutionizing wired connectivity with greater speed and efficiency. It enables a better-connected world by offering disruptive technology through licensing and standard products for smaller, more energy efficient and cost-effective electronic devices. Kandou has a strong IP portfolio that includes Chord signaling, adopted by the OIF and JEDEC standards organizations. Kandou offers fundamental advances in interconnect technology that lower power consumption and improve the performance of chip links, unlocking new capabilities for customer devices and systems. Kandou is a fabless semiconductor company founded in 2011 and headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, with offices in Europe, North America and Asia.






Minister Simon Coveney welcomes update on EU-UK talks on NI Protocol

Press release

Minister Simon Coveney welcomes update on EU-UK talks on Northern Ireland Protocol and guarantees on supply of medicines to NI

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney, T.D., and Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, T.D., welcomed the update today by the EU and the UK on the ongoing talks on the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

On talks on the implementation of the Protocol, Minister Coveney said:

I firmly believe the Protocol will work, if we allow it, with flexibility and pragmatism. A positive outcome to the current talks remains our key objective. I welcome the fact that the EU and the UK have agreed on the importance of continuing talks in the New Year. This is the best way to bring about substantive progress and find durable solutions to the practical problems faced by people and business in Northern Ireland.

Brexit has been one of the dominant issues on my agenda this year and I spent a lot of time listening to stakeholders in Northern Ireland in order to understand the genuine challenges they face. Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic has done likewise. Ireland continues to strongly support his solution-driven approach.

"Reaching an agreed approach on the Protocol would be an important factor in allowing us all to turn a page and open up a new chapter of positive forward-looking partnership between the EU and the UK. It would of course strengthen our British-Irish relationship in the years to come.

"I will continue to encourage all parties to prioritise constructive engagement in pursuit of flexible and practical outcomes for people and businesses in Northern Ireland."

Speaking following the announcement today by the European Commission of plans to ensure security of supply of medicines, Minister Coveney said:

Access to medicines has been at the top of my agenda. The plan announced today turns commitment into solutions. By ensuring the continued long-term supply of medicines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and in addressing other supply issues for Ireland, it provides reassurance to people across the island that they will continue to have access to the medicines they need.

"I hope that this solution on medicines can act as a catalyst for solving the other Protocol issues early in the new year.

Minister Byrne said:

"Given the family, business and cultural links between our two countries, hardly any area of Irish life has been unaffected by the UKs departure from the Union. The transition has been challenging, particularly for Irish businesses who have had to make significant changes to their operations and supply chains. However, in a testing time we have shown ourselves to be remarkably resilient and adaptable.

"Brexit will continue to have an impact on this island and the Government remains committed to supporting businesses and working with all stakeholders as the consequences of the UKs departure continue to be felt.

"The EU-UK trade and cooperation agreement, agreed at the end of last year, provides not just for free trade and continued cooperation in areas such as energy, fisheries and policing, but also contains as yet untapped potential for future cooperation between the EU and the UK. It is my hope that an agreed approach on the Protocol will pave the way for even greater cooperation and partnership between the EU and the UK next year.

"As we continue to manage the out-workings of Brexit, solidarity with Ireland remains a hallmark of the EU approach. I have seen this at first hand in my engagements across Europe. Partnership and solidarity with EU Member States is our greatest strength when dealing with any challenges that we face. The EUs continued support for the island of Ireland through the PEACE PLUS programme and the Brexit Adjustment Reserve are concrete examples of that solidarity in action.

ENDS

Press Office

17 December 2021

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By ANDREW SELSKY

Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. Theft of water during a drought. Exploitation of immigrant laborers. Intimidation of residents by armed criminals.

A Democratic state senator from southern Oregon said his region, awash in illegal marijuana farms that are protected by gunmen, is starting to look more like a failed state.





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LAS VEGAS (AP)  Fireworks that were called off last year due to the coronavirus pandemic are returning to the Las Vegas Strip this New Year's Eve with a theme pointed toward 2022  Deuces Wild  and the addition of an eighth hotel-top launching spot, tourism and elected officials announced Thursday.

Aside from last year, America's Party' has been the culminating event of the entire year for more than 20 years, said Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events, a nonprofit agency created to produce and support big events.





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The HSE has said that due to NPHET advice and local risk assessment Louth Disability Services cannot deliver respite service at Sruthan House and that it is seeking an alternative building to provide its respite services.

In a letter to Louth TD Fergus O'Dowd, Des O'Flynn, Chief Officer of Midlands Louth Meath Community Health Organisation, said that Louth Disability Service hope to commence delivering this service in early 2022, depending on NPHET advice.

The letter was sent to Deputy O'Dowd as a request to the HSE from the Minister for Health's department. The request was made to the HSE in the context of a Parliamentary Question, which Deputy O'Dowd submitted to the Minister for Health, in which the Louth Deputy sought an update on the status of the provision and full resumption of services in Sruthan House.

In the letter to Deputy O'Dowd, Mr O'Flynn states that:

"Due to NPHET advice and local risk assessment Louth Disability Services cannot deliver respite service at this location at this time. Outreach and alternate respite has been provided.

"Service Users have also availed of respite with MS Ireland and MND Ireland based on individual choice.

"Louth Disability Services are scoping an alternate building to deliver this respite service. Louth Disability Service hope to commence delivering this service in early 2022, depending on NPHET advice."
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has said there are no current investigations into sexual assault allegations against Sex and the City (SATC) star Chris Noth.

The US actor, 67, best known for his role as Mr Big in the hit TV series and current spin-off And Just Like That, has been accused of assaulting two women more than 10 years apart.

Noth has said the accusations, made by two different women, are categorically false.

Officer Drake Madison of the LAPD confirmed that despite the allegations, no report had been filed.

There is no record of a report being filed at this time, he told the PA news agency.

Without a report there is no investigation.

The two women, who do not know each other, approached trade publication The Hollywood Reporter separately to claim Noths reprisal of his role in the SATC spinoff show had stirred up painful memories.



Chris Noth

One woman, who is given the pseudonym Zoe, said she was 22 and working in an entry-level job for a high-profile firm where Noth and other celebrities regularly had business when he assaulted her in his apartment in Los Angeles in 2004.

Another woman, given the pseudonym Lily, was 25 and working as a waitress in the VIP section of a New York nightclub when she met Noth in 2015.

She claims he assaulted her in his New York apartment.

A statement from Noth said: The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false.

These stories couldve been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago  no always means no  that is a line I did not cross.

The encounters were consensual.

Its difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. I dont know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this: I did not assault these women.

Noths character in And Just Like That, was killed off in the series debut after completing a Peleton spinning class  and he subsequently appeared in an advert for the fitness brand.

Peloton has since removed their campaign from social media, saying they were unaware of the allegations against Noth.

It is understood that actor Ryan Reynolds, 45, and senior fitness instructor at Peloton Jess King, who stars in the clip, have also deleted the video from their social media accounts.
 

Liubaretske is an agribusiness located in the small village of Liubartsi  an hours drive from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. The company produces cereals  soy, corn and wheat  and is among 550 companies which have benefited from the financing of the EU4Business-EBRD Credit Line. With support from the EBRD and the EU, the company has created a safe and healthy working environment for its 160 employees, increasing access to modern machinery and relevant skills.

The company purchased a wheel tractor and a combine harvester thanks to a loan of 516,000 paid in local currency through Credit Agricole Ukraine. The internationally recognised John Deere harvester has been sent straight into the field to harvest corn. But Liubaretske has a mission beyond crops: its their people who matter the most.

A strong bond with locals as a cornerstone of success

Ukraine is mostly associated with fertile land and a strong agricultural sector but the countrys greatly experienced human capital is often overlooked, says Liubaretskes CEO, Oleksandr Safonov.

According to Oleksandr, the company has relied heavily on employing and nurturing a wide array of experts and specialists from the local community since the start of operations in 2003: We are a full cycle business, meaning we plant, grow and harvest cereals all by ourselves, he says. To sustain this approach, we continually invest in new machinery, including specialised vehicles and innovative cereal drying and storage technologies, but none of that would have been enough if it wasnt for our people.

Oleksandr believes that Ukrainians are among the most talented people in the world and his vision lies in creating opportunities for locals while advancing their broader skill sets. We employ people with expertise ranging from warehouse and lab management to the operation of specialised vehicles; from agronomics and finance to business development and trade. All our employees are either from Liubartsi or the surrounding villages. They are the cornerstone of our success, Oleksandr concludes.

When it comes to younger generations and future agricultural expertise, Oleksandr sees access to modern technology as the main challenge in the local education system. In order to tackle this problem, the company works closely with local educational institutes: Whether its computers, interactive multimedia boards, desks or simple school renovation, we are always there doing our best to help build a comfortable and an efficient educational system in the village. Kids are the future of our country!

Longstanding partnerships as a way forward

The Covid-19 pandemic has created new difficulties and obstacles for businesses but thanks to Ukraines international partners and local collaborations, small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) still have access to much-needed finance and new markets. Our partnership with Credit Agricole has lasted more than a decade. Under the financing programme, the bank continues to help us purchase and lease additional machinery in this record-breaking harvest year for Ukraine, says Oleksandr.

This year the company also partnered up with Nibulon, the countrys leading grain and oil seed trader. Nibulon helps to export Liubaretskes products to Eastern Asian countries.

A private sector boost to strengthen the countrys economy

SMEs are among the key drivers for economic growth, providing employment opportunities and opening new markets for local businesses.

Through partner banks in Ukraine and other EU Eastern Partnership countries, the EBRD and the EU help SMEs to unlock their full potential. EBRD financing complemented by EU grant incentives helps businesses boost export volumes, contributing to sustainable growth and a healthier economy overall.
New 16 million in EBRD financing to support Bulgarias Saint Nikola wind farm

Package will refinance an existing EBRD loan and extend  16 million in new funds

Company to fund green university scholarships and provide internships to students

To boost Bulgarias renewable energy sector, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has committed new funds to the 156 megawatt (MW) Saint Nikola wind farm located in the Kavarna region of northeast Bulgaria.

The Bank had supported the construction of Saint Nikola, Bulgarias largest wind farm, in 2008, with a 119 million loan. The project was completed in 2010. The new 32 million financing package, will refinance the remaining exposure on that loan and extend a new commitment of 16 million.

The new EBRD funds will complemented by an additional 32 million in financing, split equally between two commercial banks.

In anticipation of the phase-out of coal in Bulgaria, Saint Nikola has committed to participating in a renewable energy studies programme at the Technical University of Varna.

With a focus on bringing about a greener, smarter energy future, the company will help develop a new, accredited course, in which its employees will share practical aspects of designing, constructing and operating a large wind park. Saint Nikola also plans to fund scholarships and offer internships to young people, with an emphasis on support for female students.

The EBRD is a major investor in Bulgaria, where it focuses on making local firms more competitive, both at home and abroad, financing modern, sustainable infrastructure and developing financial products and capital markets in light of the countrys plans to adopt the euro.

To date, the EBRD has invested more than 4.2 billion in Bulgarias economy through more than 270 projects.
BARRETSTOWN has launched a Christmas appeal to help fund the charitys free camps and programmes for seriously ill children in Ireland.

Thousands of children have benefitted from the work of Barretstown, including nine-year-old Cork native Darragh Nolan.

Darragh was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2019, at age six.

It was a big shock to our system. Our world was turned upside down, said Darraghs father, Karl Nolan.

He had a few visits to hospital for pains in his arms and chest and the worst possible outcome that we were prepared for manifested.

Speaking with The Echo, Mr Nolan and Darraghs mother, Paola Denis, said that Barretstown has played a huge part in their lives since.

Its all very fine for him to get his treatment every day, but we had to put a lot of care into his personal wellbeing as well. It made a big dent in his childhood, Mr Nolan said.

At the lowest point of his treatment, he started asking questions. In terms of morale, he was very low. He didnt know any other kids that were sick. He couldnt go to school for nine months, Ms Denis said.

When he went to Barretstown, he saw a completely new world. It opened his eyes that he wasnt the only one that was sick and it really boosted his confidence.

Attending Barretstowns camps was also a boost for Darraghs parents.

We took a lot of confidence out of meeting children who were on their way to recovery. Its really encouraging and it helps you see a way out, Mr Nolan said.

When Darragh returned to school in Rochestown Educate Together, some members of Barretstowns outreach programme even came to the school to provide a puppet show explaining Darraghs medical condition to his classmates.

It just made it all easier. Its such a magical place. They completely exceed any expectations you might have. The support structures they have in place for families are just above and beyond, Mr Nolan said.

The childrens leukaemia unit in the Mercy Hospital in Cork has also been a lifeline for the family in the past two years.

They have been amazing. Our lives would be so different if we had to go to Dublin all the time, said Ms Denis.

We get home support as well and were the only county that gets that.

Darragh pretty much has a bed with his name on it in the Mercy. Theyre a second family there.

Though the first year after Darraghs diagnosis was hell, the family is now in the maintenance phase of treatment.

Darragh is also getting used to his new fame as a Barretstown ambassador and is contemplating the future of his career as a Youtube star.

Hes delighted. Hes so popular in school and they see him as a hero, said Mr Nolan.

Hes on track. Our spirits and our hopes are all lifted, because his numbers are on course and were hoping hell be ringing the end-of-treatment bell in Crumlin next September.
The Cork murder trial came to an end with the hope that the 55-year-old who was stabbed 25 times and had his skull split open with a bill-hook in a frenzied attack over two years ago can now finally rest in peace.

Liam Jones expressed this sentiment in his victim impact statement as his sister Helen Jones, 54, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of their 55-year-old brother Paul in a row over inheritance of their family home at 27 Cahergal Avenue in Mayfield.

Her then partner 43-year old Keith OHara was also jailed for life for the murder.

Liam Jones said, Since Pauls death on September 4 2019 I have been feeling physically sick. Since Pauls death and how he died I have not felt well at all. In fact, I could not attend court because I was so sick.

His victim impact statement was read by Detective Sergeant Joe Young.

I cant get over Pauls death and how he died. When I realised how he died I was shell-shocked. I went into a state of numbness and disbelief. When I heard the details of Pauls death, how savage it was, the shock took over for 24 hours.

This was a tragic death that Paul had and he didnt deserve it. Paul lived a quiet life in the last few years and only went out two or three times a week to do some shopping. Pauls death left a big void in my life.

When the verdict came out as guilty I felt that my brother Paul got justice. I am glad that this day has come and the court case is finally over. Hopefully now Paul can rest in peace.

Further impact evidence

In further impact evidence, the family spoke of never getting the opportunity to say goodbye to the deceased and they were left to think about his last moments  what he must have felt, what he must have been thinking and what he suffered.

The family said the two accused could have admitted the murder and spared the further trauma of the court case and all the awful details having to be given in evidence.

The house in Cahergal Avenue is still there but (Paul Jones) is not, due to their actions. A house is only bricks and mortar but he was a live human being.

Background

Detective Sergeant Young outlined the background to the case which has been set out in great detail in the past four weeks at the Central Criminal Court in Cork  how the two accused went to Paul Joness home in a taxi at 9.45pm on September 4 2019 and murdered him because of a dispute about the inheritance of 27 Cahergal Avenue which was left to Paul and Liam Jones, with a residential provision for Helen.

(Left to right) Helen Jones and Keith O'Hara

The parties later agreed that the house would be sold and Helen Jones would get 50,000. Liam Jones took the house off the market when the best offer reached 180,000 and he brought it to another auctioneer but as Det. Sgt. Young said, Ms Jones was unhappy about that.

The jury was never told of previous convictions against Helen Jones. These were outlined at the sentencing. She had eight convictions for assaulting people. Six of those were for simple assault. Two were for assault causing harm.

Keith OHara who is originally from Churchfield had been in a relationship with his co-accused for seven months before they carried out the murder. He had four previous convictions for assault, one for assault causing harm and one from the UK for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He had two convictions for possession of knives and one for possession of an article to cause injury.

Condolences

Mr Justice McGrath expressed his condolences to the wider Jones family and to the friends of the late Paul Jones as he imposed the mandatory life sentences on Helen Jones and Keith OHara.

To Det. Sgt. Young, the judge said, You and your team carried out this investigation in a meticulous manner.

Sentencing, Mr Justice McGrath said,

This murder of Paul Jones was senseless, carried out in a violent frenzied attack. His loss will be deeply felt. This had a deep and significant effect on Liam Jones. One can hope the passage of time will ease the pain.

Helen Jones and Keith OHara did not communicate with each other at the sentencing hearing or at any stage during the four-week trial despite the fact that they were sitting in the same dock some three metres from each other throughout the case.

On the aggravated burglary charge, Helen Jones got a concurrent four-year sentence. For trespassing with intent to cause injury, Keith OHara got a concurrent three-year sentence.

Both of the convicted murderers have been in jail since the date of their arrest on September 10 2019.
Overview: The United States partnered with Afghanistan on a bilateral counterterrorism effort through Operation Freedoms Sentinel. The U.S. military, along with 37 other Defeat-ISIS Coalition nations, supported the ANDSF through NATO-led Resolute Supports Train, Advise, and Assist mission. In 2020 the Taliban and the affiliated HQN continued attacks targeting Afghan civilians and government officials. Drawing largely from information compiled in 2019, the UN Security Council reported on May 27 that relations between al-Qaida and the Taliban remained close. ISIS-K continued to perpetrate high-profile attacks against civilians, journalists, religious minorities, and members of the international community. The attack trend in 2020 remained high, apart from a seven-day period before the signing of the U.S.-Taliban Agreement and three-day ceasefires for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Qurban. ISIS-K, elements of al-Qaida (including affiliate AQIS), and terrorist groups targeting Pakistan, such as TTP, continued to use the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region as a safe haven.

2020 Terrorist Incidents: Attacks attributed to insurgent and terrorist activity continued at high levels in 2020. Militants conducted high-profile complex attacks involving multiple attackers, vehicle-borne IEDs (VBIEDs), and magnetically attached IEDs (or MAIEDs) to target ANDSF, government buildings, public infrastructure, and other civilian targets. However, attacks against provincial capitals and district centers declined. In addition, direct targeting of U.S. interests dropped significantly in 2020 owing to stipulations within the U.S.-Taliban agreement that prohibited Taliban attacks on foreigners. At years end, no U.S. servicemember had been killed on the battlefield since the February 29 signing of the agreement and announcement of the U.S.-Afghanistan Joint Declaration. Terrorist groups continued to torture, recruit, and use child soldiers and target attacks against religious minority groups and journalists. According to Resolute Support Mission reporting, between January 1 and September 30, insurgent and terrorist attacks were responsible for killing 1,818 civilians and wounding 3,488. Significant terrorist incidents in 2020 included the following:

On March 7, after attacking a progovernment militia outpost in Herat province, the Taliban kidnapped and killed seven civilians.

On March 6, at least 32 civilians were killed when gunmen attacked an event in Kabul attended by opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah.

On March 25, ISIS-K gunmen attacked a Sikh temple in Kabul, killing 25 and injuring 11.

On May 12, three ISIS-K gunmen killed 24 persons, including mothers and babies, and injured at least 20 in a complex attack involving gunmen and grenades at a Medecins Sans Frontieres hospital maternity ward in a predominantly Shia neighborhood of Kabul.

Two gunmen attacked Kabul University on November 2, killing 20 persons and wounding 28. ISIS-K took responsibility for the attack.

On December 26, armed men killed womens rights activist Freshta Kohistani and her brother in Kapisa province. The government arrested two Taliban members in connection with the murders.

Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security: The Afghan Attorney Generals Office investigated and prosecuted violations of the laws prohibiting membership in terrorist or insurgent groups, violent acts committed against the state, hostage taking, murder, and the use of explosives against military forces and state infrastructure. General Command of Police Special Units continued to respond to militant attacks throughout Afghanistan. In October, President Ashraf Ghani tasked First Vice President Saleh with oversight of Kabul security, later adding 10 provinces under the governments Security Charter plan, launched in July in an effort to strengthen security and combat crime by building cooperation between Afghans and their security forces. Afghanistans Security Charter was modeled on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Citizens Charter, which seeks to make service delivery more effective and citizen-centric.

Afghanistan continued to face significant challenges in protecting its borders, particularly those with Pakistan and Iran. Resource constraints, lack of training, corruption, and the COVID-19 pandemic impeded Afghan law enforcement and border security efforts. Afghan and Pakistani officials met August 31 under the bilateral Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Security (APAPPS) to discuss cross-border violence, potential intelligence sharing, and increased regional cooperation. President Ghani and Prime Minister Khan reaffirmed their commitment to APAPPS during Khans November 19 visit to Kabul.

Afghanistan continued to process traveler arrivals and departures at major points of entry using the U.S.-provided Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System (PISCES), a border security management system.

The Afghan government achieved some success in tracking and arresting terrorist suspects. On November 14 the National Directorate of Security announced the arrest of the alleged architect of the November Kabul University attack. On November 30, Afghan officials arrested two suspected would-be suicide bombers, one with links to the Taliban and the other to ISIS-K, before they reached their target in Nangahar province. OFS and ANDSF operations in January successfully denied ISIS-K the ability to regain a regional headquarters in Kunar province.

On December 10 the Ministry of Interior announced it had arrested the suspected killers of two prominent Afghan journalists: Ilyas Dayee, who died in a targeted bomb blast in Helmand province on November 12 after being threatened by the Taliban, and female news anchor Enikas Malala Maiwand, who was gunned down in an ISIS-K-claimed attack in Nangahar province on December 10. ANDSF benefited from Resolute Supports Train, Advise, and Assist capacity-building efforts.

Countering the Financing of Terrorism: Afghanistan is a member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG). In line with FATF recommendations, Afghanistans Financial Intelligence Unit, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Center of Afghanistan, conducted a national money laundering and terrorist financing risk assessment in 2020.

Afghan Peace Process: Under the February 29 U.S.-Taliban Agreement, the Taliban committed to taking specific steps to prevent any group or individual, including al-Qaida, from using Afghan soil to threaten the security of the United States and its allies, including preventing any such group or individual from recruiting, training, and fundraising, and not hosting them or facilitating their entry into areas of Afghanistan controlled by the Taliban. The Taliban also committed to entering into intra-Afghan negotiations to determine the date and modalities of a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire and to reaching an agreement over the future political roadmap of Afghanistan. As part of the U.S.-Afghanistan Joint Declaration, announced on February 29, Afghanistan also reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to prevent any terrorist groups or individuals, including al-Qaida and ISIS-K, from using Afghan soil to threaten the security of the United States, its allies, or any other country. As confidence-building measures before the launch of peace negotiations, the Afghan government released 5,000 Taliban prisoners and the Taliban released 1,005 Afghans it had held hostage. Negotiations commenced in Doha, Qatar, on September 12.

Countering Violent Extremism: The Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs prioritized the countering of violent extremist theology throughout Afghanistan and educating imams to ensure they have a full understanding of Islam, reject extremism, and embrace tolerance.

International and Regional Cooperation: In May Foreign Minister Haneef Atmar participated in a trilateral meeting with Uzbekistan and the United States and discussed security cooperation, cross-border threats, and terrorism. In October, Atmar participated in a trilateral meeting with Turkmenistan and the United States and discussed improving security cooperation and information sharing.
171 million of EU financing (EIB loans and EU grants) signed for strategic investments during the European Union-Eastern Partnership summit in Brussels underlines the EU commitment to sustainable and resilient socioeconomic growth in the region.

As the EU bank, the EIB fully supports the Eastern Partnerships agenda for recovery, resilience and reforms underpinned by the EU Economic and Investment Plan.

The EIB has provided 11 billion of financing to the Eastern Partnership countries since the establishment of the partnership in 2009.

At the European Union-Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels, EIB President Hoyer joined EU and Eastern Partnership leaders in pledging support for economic recovery and sustainable investment in the Eastern Neighbourhood. In the margins of the summit, the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed some of the first investments under the EU Economic and Investment Plan in the region: a total of 171 million, combining EIB loans and EU grants for Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

These investments in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine will boost digitalisation, energy efficiency and climate action, as well as education. They will also unlock new sources of financing for the faster recovery of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from the coronavirus pandemic. The Bank also highlighted its intention to provide finance and expertise for strategic investments in Armenia and Azerbaijan following its recent joint mission to these two countries alongside the European Commission and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

All of the EIBs activities are designed to support the EU Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) for the Eastern Partnership presented by Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi in July 2021. The Economic and Investment Plan offers 2.3 billion of EU grants to Eastern Partnership countries, with the potential to mobilise up to 17 billion in public and private investments for the economies of the region.

EIB President Werner Hoyer said: The investments that we have just finalised with our partners in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine reinforce the European Unions support for the Eastern Partnership countries as well as Team Europes commitment to ensuring the sustainable and resilient socioeconomic development of our partner countries. Team Europe and Eastern Partnership countries share the same vision of a safe, prosperous, green and sustainable future for our children, a future that offers jobs, security and a clean environment to all. The EIB is very proud to be able to support this shared vision with our investments in key economic sectors such as digitalisation, education, climate action and SMEs. We look forward to the opportunity to further strengthen ties between the European Union and the Eastern Partnership and reinforce EIBs role as one of the biggest multilateral investors in Eastern Partnership countries. We want to remain a reliable source of financial and technical support for the Eastern Partnership and advance the climate action agenda in the region.

In Eastern Partnership countries  Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine  the EIB offers accessible, long-term financing supported by guarantees from the European Union, as well as technical advice for the preparation of bankable projects. It complements its loan financing by attracting grants from the European Union.

EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwinska, who is in charge of operations in the Eastern Partnership countries, said: As a key stakeholder in the Eastern Partnership, the EIB continues to support the social and economic growth of EU partner countries in the Eastern Neighbourhood, reinforcing pan-European solidarity. Our most recent investments are dedicated to creating the conditions needed for better digital connectivity in Georgia, greater energy efficiency and a more sustainable future in Moldova, as well as faster COVID-19 recovery, refurbishment of about one thousand of individual schools and hospitals and modernisation of Vocational Education and Training infrastructure in Ukraine. This package of 171 million of investments is just the start of our support for the region under the EU Economic and Investment Plan and we look forward to cooperating with all the stakeholders in the Eastern Partnership to realise our ambitious objectives that we have set for the future.

Improved energy efficiency and road connectivity for Moldova

In the Republic of Moldova, the EIB is leading an ambitious EU initiative to increase the energy efficiency of public buildings in the country, allowing for a 47% reduction in energy consumption and annual savings of 136 GWh of power. Renovations and upgrades financed by a 30 million loan from the EU bank will also boost local and regional economic activity, increase employment in the construction industry and in turn accelerate the post-COVID-19 recovery of the Moldovan economy. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is co-financing this project, which also benefits from EU grants.

The EIB also signed a Letter of Intent with the Government of the Republic of Moldova with a view to making 150 million available to support the rehabilitation and upgrade of priority Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) road sections and the implementation of road safety measures on selected road segments.

Since the start of pandemic in 2020, the EIB has provided 20 million in support of the accelerated recovery of Moldovan SMEs from the coronavirus pandemic.

Functional education for modern jobs, SME support and improved energy efficiency of public buildings in Ukraine

In Ukraine, the EU bank will invest 58 million to strengthen the countrys vocational education system and ensure efficient training for young people in professional skills required by local employers.



An additional 20 million to be made available in local currency will be provided to the State Export-Import Bank of Ukraine (Ukreximbank) in order to enhance access to affordable financing for local SMEs and accelerate their recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

A 5,2 million grant from the EU Neighbourhood Investment Platform signed at the European Union-Eastern Partnership Summit will facilitate the preparation and implementation of an 300 million EIB framework loan aimed at increasing energy efficiency in about 1000 public buildings, including hospitals, schools, cultural centres and kindergartens.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the EIB has supported the European Union-Ukraine partnership by investing close to 1.39 billion for urban development, SME credit lines, transport, digitalisation, innovation, energy and the reconstruction of infrastructure in areas affected by the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Fast internet for better quality of life and new business opportunities in rural Georgia

In Georgia, the EIB will invest 34 million to deliver high-speed internet connections to some 500 000 people living in rural and remote areas. The loan will finance the installation of some 5 000 km of optic fibre cables and provide open access internet infrastructure for Georgias telecom operators.

The investment will improve quality of life, create new business opportunities and increase Georgias resilience to crisis.

EIB financing supports climate action, COVID-19 recovery, transport and connectivity, and digitalisation

Since 2020, the European Investment Bank has approved 1.52 billion in loans for the countries of the Eastern Neighbourhood, namely Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova, supporting EU priorities and key initiatives.

This included investments in faster job creation and retention through support for the COVID-19 recovery of SMEs, climate action, digitalisation and fast internet, and transport and connectivity projects across the region.

From 2014 to date, the EU bank has invested 8.5 billion across all key economic sectors in partner countries of the EU Eastern Neighbourhood, including the Republic of Belarus, where the EIB ceased all of its activities to back EU sanctions against the regime in Minsk.

EIB activities in the Eastern Neighbourhood included investments and technical assistance in project preparation for the renovation of hospitals and procurement of vital COVID-19 medical equipment, fast internet networks and the construction of major road corridors in Georgia. The EIB also invested in the renovation of municipal social infrastructure, innovation centres, and the digitalisation of postal services in Ukraine, as well as the creation of credit lines for Moldovan SMEs to accelerate their recovery from COVID-19.

EU Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) On 2 July, 2021, the European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy outlined a proposal on how to take forward priorities for cooperation with our Eastern partners in the years to come. This agenda is based on the five long-term objectives, with resilience at its core, as defined for the future of the Eastern Partnership in March 2020. It will be underpinned by a 2.3 billion Economic and Investment plan in grants, blending and guarantees, with a potential to mobilise up to 17 billion in public and private investments.
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The Covid numbers are getting worse in Catalonia and new measures are possible. The Catalan health minister, Josep Maria Argimon, said this Friday that all close contacts of a positive case will have to go into quarantine, whether vaccinated or not, and regardless of the variant with which they have been infected. According to Beteve, Argimon has said that this will come into force when the omicron variant becomes the main variant in new cases in Catalonia, which seems likely to occur next week.

This means a change in the protocol that Catalans will have to observe: since last June, as the TV broadcaster notes, isolating and quarantining have not been required for those who have had their "two shots". However, a few days ago, 10-day quarantines were restored for close contacts of an omicron positive. Now, the policy is likely to be generalised.

What is a close contact?

"A co-worker has tested positive, am I a close contact?" This is a question that could be repeated countless times. The Catalan health department considers that close contact means being within two metres of a confirmed Covid case for more than 15 minutes and without protection, that is, without a mask. The time period included is from 48 hours prior to the onset of the person's symptoms.

The data for Spain and Catalonia

As of this Friday, Spain's 14-day Covid incidence rate (IA14) is at 511 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, thus putting the state into "very high risk" situation just a week before Christmas. A total of 33,359 people have been infected in Spain in the last 24 hours. The level of incidence in the Spanish state remains well below those of most countries north of the Pyrenees - France has an IA14 of 1,025 and the UK, 1,153 - but the figures are now comparable in parts of Spain.

When the data is broken down by autonomous communities, there are 12 at very high risk: Navarre (IA 14 of 1,359) and the Basque Country (1,038) continue to top the list, followed by Aragon (843), Castilla y Leon (703), Ceuta (699), La Rioja (699), Asturias (658), Melilla (619), the Balearic Islands (593), Murcia (539) and Galicia (511.95).

Catalonia (483) is below the Spanish state's average, along with Madrid (482), the Canary Islands (426), Cantabria (436) and Extremadura (331), but the situation in all communities is worsening.

For several days, Catalonia has been exceeding the figure of 6,000 new positive cases daily, with the effects of the Purissima holiday week, a fortnight ago visibly affecting the statistics. In 2020, the Purissima break triggered a new wave of pandemic cases, and indeed the rise in case numbers is comparable with last year's data, but the major difference is that last year the vaccination campaign had not yet begun and now, third doses are being administered to older age groups and jabs have been introduced for the under-12s.

The EPG outbreak risk in Catalonia is situated at 902 points, a rise of 136 in the last 24 hours. The Rt transmission index is at 1.59, up by 0.12 since yesterday. There are 1,139 Covid patients in Catalan hospitals, and 287 Covid patients in intensive care, with both figures showing a tendency to rise.

Omicron: what are the symptoms?

So far, the medical data indicate that people who have this new variant of coronavirus have noticed milder symptoms. In particular, that's the news from the Medical Association of South Africa, where the omicron variant exploded several weeks ago. Headaches, sore throats, fatigue and general malaise are normal common symptoms of this new variant. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) states that congestion and runny noses are being seen more frequently. Other symptoms, however, are less frequent with omicron. Loss of taste and smell, very evident with the alpha variant and less so with the delta, seem to be even less common with the latest wave, and some studies show that coughs and fever are not so common.

Another change is in the incubation period. With omicron it could all move faster: the South African research company Discovery refers to an incubation period of between 3 to 4 days, considerably shorter than the 5 to 7 days measured up till now by the ECDC .

There is still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the new variant. In the UK, contagion rates are already skyrocketing, led by omicron cases, and authorities are preparing for a difficult January; and while the South African experience up till now has been for a significantly smaller proportion of omicron cases to require hospitalization than in previous waves, the very high infection rates have caused the authorities to exercise extreme caution. Spain's public health committee decreed a quarantine of 10 days for those in contact with the omicron variant. With Argimon's announcement this Friday, the introduction of isolation periods could be generalised soon.
The Spanish right's hatred seems to have no limit. The leader of Spain's opposition Popular Party, Pablo Casado, made the remarkable assertion this Friday that in Catalonia "there are teachers with instructions not to let children go to the toilet because they have spoken Spanish". He added that "children of Spanish National police and Civil Guards are being pointed out in class and told they can't be integrated" into the class group, and that there are children who have been punished by "putting stones in their backpacks" for having spoken in Spanish in the playground. "Can it be tolerated that someone asks for a five-year-old child to be stoned and isolated in class?" he commented with respect to the alleged harassment of the child from the family in the Catalan town of Canet de Mar that demanded 25% of classes delivered in Spanish.

Beyond these expressions of hatred towards teachers, Casado lashed out against against both the pro-independence parties and the governing Socialists. "This is not only what ERC, JxCat and the CUP are doing," but also "the party that makes them essential at Spanish national level, which is the PSOE," he said. In this regard, he described as "scandalous" the alleged harassment of the child of Canet, while he also criticised the demonstration to support the Catalan schooling model which has been called for this Saturday "with all of Pedro Sanchez's nationalist partners." It should be remembered, on the one hand, that the PSOE ministers are in fact demanding that the Catalan government abide by the court decision and implement 25% of Spanish in Catalan classrooms, while, on the other hand, the Catalan Socialists (PSC) have refused to attend the language immersion mobilization that will take place this weekend.

This is the point that this race to the bottom has reached. The lies of the PP leader come after Ciudadanos deputy Carlos Carrizosa equated the case of the Canet school with the 1990s situation in the Basque town of Ermua, where the ETA terrorist group assassinated Miguel Angel Blanco. "Canet is a kind of Ermua, differences aside," the Catalan leader of Cs told Parliament.

The PP and Cs are competing to see who can best inflame the crowd, and have been coming out with statements so extreme that have even been repudiated by those far removed from the Catalan independence movement. On Wednesday, the director general of the National Police, Francisco Pardo responded forcefully to a PP deputy's parliamentary question: "It is clear to everyone that social coexistence in Catalonia has improved significantly in the last three years, that is, it has improved since your party left the government". The administrative head of the Spanish police corps said that the Spanish right was "looking for the daily apocalypse" and should be trying to put out fires instead of starting them.

Not everything is acceptable in politics

Casado's latest statements have not been well received in Madrid, where Spanish government spokesperson Isabel Rodriguez has criticised the style of political comments made in recent days. These statements "detract" from the democratic quality and prestige of the institutions. "Although Casado believes that anything goes in politics and that it all helps, not everything is acceptable in politics, and it doesn't. And although there are many ways to criticize this government, I sincerely believe that Casado is not representing his voters when he acts in this way," she said.

This Friday the families at the Turo del Drac school, in Canet de Mar, have spoken out to express their rejection of the lies being told by the Spanish right. In a press statement, they said they felt "used, slandered and saddened" by the "false narrative that is being generated, which does not correspond to the cohesive atmosphere" in the school. "There is no attempt to harass, isolate or attack any child or family," they recalled, calling for an end to the dissemination of falsehoods that threaten "to break the climate of good social harmony that has always existed in the school."
A number of school districts in the US has canceled classes for today, December 17th, due to shooting and bomb threats supposedly circulating on TikTok and other social media channels. According to Bloomberg and The Verge, they include districts in Michigan, Washington, California, Texas, Minnesota and Missouri. The threats reportedly don't mention specific schools, but school authorities across the country are on alert and have opted to work with law enforcement and ensure students' safety.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy tweeted that while "there are no known specific threats against New Jersey schools," authorities "will work closely with law enforcement to monitor the situation and remain prepared." In most cases, law enforcement agencies announced that they haven't found evidence that the threats are real and credible. A county sheriff in Missouri said that they don't think their schools are going to be attacked, but they want to be prepared just in case.

While the source of the threats remain unclear, California's Gilroy Police Department determined that the post thought to involve Gilroy High School actually originated from outside of LA. Similarly, the Baltimore County Public Schools Twitter account posted that law enforcement agencies had discovered that the threats originated from Arizona and aren't credible.

(2/3) Law enforcement agencies have investigated this threat and determined that it originated in Arizona and is not credible. We want to continue to encourage members of Team BCPS to report suspicious or threatening activities or postings.  Baltimore County Public Schools (@BaltCoPS) December 16, 2021

In response to the situation, TikTok issued a statement stating that it's "working with law enforcement" to investigate the rumored threats. However, it denied any knowledge of the threats and said that it found no evidence that they originated or are spreading on the platform.
Friday, December 17, 2021

Author: Paul Mark Tag

Publisher: iUniverse

ISBN:978-1-6632-2226-8

Bookpleasures.com welcomesas our guest, Paul Mark Tag. Paul received multiple degrees in thefield of Meteorology from Pennsylvania State University. He workedfor the Naval Research Laboratory as a research scientist for overthirty years before leaving his job to write fiction full time.

In 2002, Tag started hisfirst novel, a thriller entitled Category 5, which tookadvantage of his knowledge of meteorology and weather modification.Prophecy and White Thaw: The Helheim Conspiracy completedthe trilogy.

After penning How MuchDo You Love Me? that explored the travesty of the JapaneseInternment, Tag returned to the excitement of writing thrillers.



Retribution Times Two is the sequel to the trilogy andcontinues the original character set.

Tag lives with his wife,Becky, in Monterey, California

Good day Paul and thanksfor taking part in our interview.

Norm: Whatdo you consider to be your greatest success (or successes) so far inyour writing career?







Paul: As an aside, Norm,Im reminded that this Bookpleasures interview is my second withyou. In 2007, you interviewed me after I had completed the first twothrillers in my trilogy. I thank you for this repeat opportunity. Ireally appreciate it.

Greatest success? Illset the bar low. Id say that my greatest success has beento mysurprisemy learned ability to fashion together a string of words,sentences, and paragraphs interesting enough to hold a readersattention.

In my previous career as aresearch scientist, I wrote many papers and journal articles. I cansay, without fear of contradiction, that no one would ever haveargued that anything I had written was a page-turner. Fictionrequires a different mindset.

Norm: Whatdo you think most characterizes your writing?



Paul: As a card-carryingVirgo, I have been cursed since birth. Typical for those of the Virgosign who must deal daily with the need to be neat and organized, Ithink that trait manifests itself in my writing.

There is usually a lot ofdetail that I painstakingly go over...and over...and over again tomake sure that all is correct.

My approach coincides witha favorite quote of mine. I dont remember who said it, and Iapologize to that writer. He or she said, Im not much of awriter, but Im one hell of a rewriter.

For me, getting that firstdraft down is the most challenging step in the process. Once done,though, I really enjoy searching for the slightest error ormiscalculation.

Norm: What did you findmost useful in learning to write? What was least useful or mostdestructive?



Paul: I had the goodfortune to have Arline Chase as a mentor during my first years ofwriting fiction, back when I wrote short stories exclusively.

In addition to studyingbooks on writing fiction, Arline taught me most of what I know. Interms of switching from technical writing to fiction, the biggestchange for me was to avoid the passive voice.

Beyond the passive voice,there is one rule that Arline left emblazoned on my brain. That wasthe need to foreshadow. She emphasized that foreshadowing can besneaky (in fact, that is the best kind), but it has to be there. Youneed to play fair with the reader, she kept telling me.

What I, the writer, amstriving for is that pivotal moment when the reader slaps him orherself on the forehead and shouts: Of course! Of course! Whydidnt I see that one coming?

In How Much Do You LoveMe? there is a secret that isnt revealed until the booksend. All of the clues are there for the reader to diagnose themystery, but you have to pay attention.

Least useful or mostdestructive? Thats a tough one. I guess the one concept that wedbe better off not having invented is Writers Block.

Even suggesting that thereis such a thing does a disservice to the budding author. I dontthink Ive ever run into this problem.

That doesnt mean that Ihavent been stymied at the get-go by the overall concept or ideabehind the book. For me, that process can take months or more. Butthat problem occurs well before any writing takes place.

Norm: Doyou write more by logic or intuition, or some combination of the two?Please summarize your writing process.



Paul: Here is my take onthat question. In the early 2000s, I had the opportunity to attend acouple of writing conferences. I still remember this one sessionwhere there was a clear line drawn between two philosophies.

On one side stood theoutliners. They swore that the only way to write a book was tooutline the story, beginning to end. That outline could be dozens ofpages long, theyd say!

On the other side, staringdown their opponents were the make it up as you go folks. Theircommon refrain: Are you out of your mind? If you outline the wholestory, you have eliminated all opportunity for innovation as thestory develops.

Not to be outdone, theoutliners come back with their own retort: Yeah? How much time doyou waste rewriting sections that you had to toss in the trashbecause one of your brilliant ideas did not work out?

To be sure, bothapproaches can work. A new author needs to learn what is best for himor her. I can imagine a combination of the two techniques working formany.

If I may, Id like toexpand on this question through my own experience. Based on what younow know about me, which approach do you think I use? Nine out of tenwould say that my Virgo-like nature would dictate that my preferredapproach would be to outline. I could easily agree with you, but thenwe would both be wrong.

Unbelievably, I make it upas I goand I rarely need to backtrack. How can that be? Ivethought about this, and I think that I know the answer: I cheat!

Give me starting andending points, and I am off and running. But heres where I have toacknowledge that Im probably closer to the outline method than Icare to admit.

My secret is this; itsakin more to playing chess than writing. After finishing a chapter,in my mind I lay out every possible path for going forward. Thisoccasionally happens while I sleep. By the time I start writing thatnew chapter, Ive already decided how it will evolve. As I developthe options for moving forward, my goal is to make sure that the pathI choose is exciting (particularly for a thriller), interesting, andrational.

Norm: Howdid you become involved with the subject or theme of RetributionTimes Two?

Paul: Retribution TimesTwo is a sequel to a trilogy involving two Navy scientists (andseveral minor characters) who often find themselves called upon tosave the world.

We all know the oldsaying, You write what you know. My background in meteorologyspawned books one and three (Category 5 and White Thaw: TheHelheim Conspiracy), where hurricanes and climate change are thefocus.

For Retribution,before I started, I had already decided that this book would be acontinuation of the Silverstein/Kipling trilogy.

To provide interest andallow for more offshoots in the storys development, I added a newprotagonist, Dmitri Smirnov, a Russian spy, who teams up with theAmericans. Different from the trilogy, I also decided to up thesuspense by addressing not one, but two, crises simultaneously facingthe U.S. Different from my earlier thrillers, I split up theSilverstein/Kipling team, one for each crisis.

Norm: What were yourgoals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel youachieved them?

Paul: As you know, in thesecond half of the book, Russia and the U.S. face a nuclearconfrontation. My intention throughout the story was to make thereader appreciate that in the end, people are people, and that,ultimately, we all want the same thing. It was fun playing around onboth sides of the U.S./Russia fray. Im hoping that a Russianreader of my story would say that I had played fair.

Ultimately, my goal for myreaders is to have a darned good time and enjoy visiting differentlocales.

For example, all mythrillers cover significant portions of Planet Earth. Although Icannot say that Ive personally traveled to all locations in mybooks, Ive visited most. For example, the first two chapters inRetribution start out in Prague, Czechoslovakia, and Havana,Cuba.

My wife and I havetraveled to both cities, and I have imagined the action unfoldingthere. If you go to my website, youll find a Google Earth photofor every chapter location in the book. (I doubt that a non-Virgowould ever go to such trouble.)

Norm: Howmuch of the book is realistic?

Paul:When Im asked at book signings what a thriller is, I emphasizethat it is a fast-paced, world-hanging-by-a-thread type of fiction.But then I make the following distinction: often, the premise of thestory is incredible, but plausible. In other words, whatever happensin the book is probably never going to happen in real life, but itmakes sense that it could happen.

Ifyoull permit me, Id like to make this point by way of myprevious thriller, White Thaw: The Helheim Conspiracy.



There, oldschool Nazis crate up a nuclear reactor and transport it to Greenlandwhere they plan to use the heat from the reactor to melt a glacier.The resulting fresh (as opposed to salt) water is released to thenorthern Atlantic Ocean.



By doing so, they intend to disrupt the GulfStream, which carries heat from the tropics to the North Atlantic.Doing so would cause an environmental disaster; the mild climates inEngland and to the east would. change dramatically. This premise isnot from my imagination, but from scientists who worry about theeffects of melting Greenland ice.

Now,could you do, technically, what is suggested above? Probably not, butit seems plausible. I ran the concept by an acquaintance, Dr. KonradSteffen, a world famous glaciologist, and he blessed the idea. Thatmade me feel good.

Allthree of my trilogy books have an incredible, but plausible, premise.For Retribution,that distinction may be a bit blurred. Ill leave it to those whoread my book to decide how incredible the premise really is. I fearthat it is not as unrealistic as I would hope.

Norm: Whatwas the time-line between the time you decided to write your book andpublication? What were the major events along the way?

Paul:The date on my computer for the first chapter in Retributionis October of 2017.

Priorto that, it took some four to six months working with my primaryreader/consultant, Robin Brody, to create the premise for the book.

Thedate for the last chapter I wrote was August of 2019, which meansthat it took two months shy of two years to pen the first draft. Ithen spent about a year refining the manuscript, based primarily onmy ten first-readers who had never before seen the manuscript.

Duringthat process, Retribution shortened in length from 120,000 to 105,000words. I removed (hopefully) most excess verbiage, nonrelevant sidestories and, most importantly, logic holes.

Therewas one final step that needed doing; finding a publisher. I had beenfortunate to have a traditional publisher for my previous novel, HowMuch Do You Love Me?

Unfortunately,that publisher had no interest in thrillers. So, starting in July of2020, I spent three months writing formal query letters to literaryagents who were interested in thrillers.

Iqueried 164 of them. Of that number, roughly 40% replied, allnegatively. What Ive been told by several sources is thatpublishers these days, particularly the big ones, are looking forsure-fire money-makers and are unwilling to take chances with newauthors.

Longstory short, I published Retributionwith iUniverse. I must say that theexperience was a positive one.

Theywere attentive to my needs, and not only produced a good lookingbook, but also a cover design that Im particularly proud of. Retribution cameout in print in June of 2021. All told, it took nearly four yearsfrom start to finish.

Norm: How did you goabout creating the characters of Dr. Victor Mark Silverstein and Dr. Linda Ann Kipling? As a follow up, is there much of you in thesecharacters?

Paul: Those characterscame to life in the first book of the trilogy: Category 5. Ithen continued them in the remainder of the trilogy and inRetribution.

Because you write whatyou know, their general backgrounds and work environments aremodeled after my own when I worked for the Naval Research Laboratoryin Monterey, California.

Their imagined offices arewhere I worked. Other than these general details, there is little ofme in the characters.

To further answer yourquestion, though, my intent was to create characters who are biggerthan life. One who is the epitome of that goal is Dr. Victor MarkSilverstein, my principal protagonist.

Norm: Infiction as well as in non-fiction, writers very often take libertieswith their material to tell a good story or make a point. But howmuch is too much?

Paul:For nonfiction, I understand that movie makers, for example, whenthey adapt a true story for the screen, often add or modifycharacters and story lines to produce a more interesting story. Isuppose that is acceptable as long as those additions dontdominate or become the overriding theme.

Infiction, Im not sure how you define taking liberties. Frommy point of view in writing thrillers, I would say that liberties aretaken to excess when the story evolves into another genre: forexample, from thriller to fantasy or science fiction. I say that onlybecause I think that the thriller genre should stay true to theaxiom, incredible but plausible. Still, who am I to say that doingotherwise is a bad thing?

Norm: Forthose interested in exploring the subject or theme of your book,where should they start?



Paul: Retributionis a made-up story about two individuals who swear retributionbecause of incidents from their past, in which they think theyvebeen wronged. In one case, it is the U.S. Civil War.

The second retributionalso concerns a war, but more specifically one in which enemy bombingkilled my characters family.

The reactions of my twoantagonists fall outside the normal realm of what people do whentheyve been wronged.

In essence, they becamevigilantes to create their own retribution. Because civilized societyhas built-in systems and procedures to impose justice, most ofus accept our societys methods and obligations to punish crimesthat fall outside human mores.

Im not an expert on thepsychological reaction of humans to tragedy. If anyone is interested,the following article may be a good place to start: Revenge and thepeople who seek it by Michael Price of the American PsychologicalAssociation. Just search for this title on Google.

Norm: Where can ourreaders find out more about you and Retribution Times Two?

Paul: Probably on my WEBSITE: There you will find hundreds of blogs,many relevant to each of my books, but others related to writingfiction in general. For the latter, I also address topics such asbook signings, getting published, and so on.

Norm: What is next forPaul Mark Tag?

Paul: If Im to writeanother thriller, it all hinges on me and my co-reader developing akiller premise. Once I know the beginning and end to the story, therest of the process is straightforward.

Norm: As this interviewcomes to an end, what would you like to say towriters who are reading this interview and wondering if they can keepcreating, if they are good enough, if their voices and visions matterenough to share?

Paul: You have to believein yourself and keep trying. And if youre interested in fictionspecifically, my advice is to start out by writing short stories.

Thats what I did forfive years before I tackled a novel. Short stories are bite-sized, soto speak; if one isnt working out, you can just toss it. Yearsago, a reviewer of one of my short stories encouraged me by sayingthis: If you can write as good a short story as this one, you areready to write a novel.

And, please, dont thinkthat it is easy to write a good short story. It isnt! Imreminded of a relevant quote from Mark Twain. I apologize for sucha long letterI didn't have time to write a short one.

Norm: Thanks once againand good luck with all of your future endeavors

Follow Here To Read Norm Review of Retribution Times Two


Rating: Worth a drive

Like a movie screen at a drive-in theater, Tacos La Salsita radiates its luminescent glow over banks of cars spread across a dusty vacant lot on the West Side. Theyve come for some of the best tacos in San Antonio, ordering from a menu just four tacos deep: carnitas, carne asada, al pastor and cabeza.

Thats enough to make this pocket-size taco truck worth a drive.

Its a simple menu, but not a simple task to win the hearts and stomachs of many, said Monica Lopez, the daughter of owner and founder Jesus Lopez. Without our loyal and beloved clientele, La Salsita wouldnt exist.

Mike Sutter /Staff

The beloved clienteles still showing up in force, but a few things have changed since I first hit La Salsita four years ago for the series 365 Days of Tacos. Gone are the days of $1 tacos, a victim of the pandemic surge in pricing across the board. Theyre $1.50 now, still just as good, even if its harder to do the math on multiples.

On ExpressNews.com: El Remedio keeps birria craze going with tacos and tortas worth the drive

The increase is the first since Jesus Lopez opened La Salsita in 2009, selling everything he does now, plus lengua. But lenguas off the menu for now, one of those foods like chicken wings that just went through the roof after COVID. Itll be back when the prices settle back down, Monica Lopez said.

Mike Sutter /Staff

Some things havent changed at all. Theres still no delivery, no phone orders and no credit cards. Bring cash. And for the record: 37 tacos cost $55.50.

Tacos La Salsita Location: 8802 Marbach Road, Facebook: @TacosLaSalsitaSA Hours: 6:30 p.m.-midnight Tuesday-Sunday Takeout/delivery: Takeout only. No onsite seating or delivery. See More Collapse

Best dish: If you know barbacoa, then you know cabeza ($1.50), the meat from a cows head, as velvety soft as a down pillow, painting its fatty oils across your fingers for the brief moment its in your hands. La Salsita didnt jazz it up, they just roasted it and heated it up on the flat-top grill with doubled-up corn tortillas and hit it with onions and cilantro.

Euphoria doesnt have to be complicated; it just has to taste like this.

Other dishes: Lets talk about playing dress-up. La Salsita does the onions-and-cilantro thing, if you want. They also make an electrifying green salsa and a flinty red that sets things off like a flash of gunpowder.

But the not-so-secret weapon is a plastic tub full of escabeche made from onions, carrots and jalapenos. It was puckeringly tart and memorably hot, with crunch and color to make your simple $1.50 taco something beautiful and complex.

Jesus Lopez said carne asada ($1.50) is the hot ticket at the truck, but all the tacos are his favorites (nice save, Dad). Cut in small, shaggy pieces, the asada was happy to be the mild, beefy team player for all the flashier flavors piled on top.

Mike Sutter /Staff

On ExpressNews.com: Review: Frida Mexican Restaurant & Bar in Stone Oak among San Antonios worst Mexican restaurants

Al pastor ($1.50) at La Salsita cant compete with the places that shave al pastor from the rotisserie trompo. But the flat-top grill version still glowed with tangy, tropical achiote spice, the pork staying juicy all the way through.

Mike Sutter /Staff

And La Salsita gave pork carnitas ($1.50) the ideal blend of fiber, floss and fat. Overall, its a taco experience thats fast and inexpensive without feeling rushed and cheap.

msutter@express-news.net | Twitter: @fedmanwalking | Instagram: @fedmanwalking
PHOENIX (AP)  Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has extended an executive order prohibiting state and local governments from requiring people to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

The prohibition includes an exception for hospitals and other licensed health care institutions. It's a small part of a nine-page order signed Wednesday that largely deals with surveillance and monitoring of health care institutions during the pandemic.
The San Antonio Police Department said it has no suspects after a man was shot to death in his vehicle Thursday night.

Just before 9:30 a.m., first responders were called to 300 Albert Street for a crash, where they found a man shot inside his vehicle.
The University of Texas at San Antonio can check off a key item on its to-do list.

It has received the coveted R1 classification for its research activity, also known as Tier One status, from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

With 34,734 students, UTSA now is among only 20 Hispanic-serving institutions across the U.S. that are Tier One universities, its president, Taylor Eighmy, announced Thursday.

Carnegie R1 is a historic waypoint on our trajectory to transform UTSA into one of the nations great public research universities, Eighmy said in a news release. It is one of the most prestigious research designations that a U.S. research university can attain. I am so proud of our faculty and staff; their extensive contributions made this possible.

The Carnegie Commission developed the classification system in 1970 and reviews colleges and universities every three years to convey the ranking.

Baylor University also got the distinction this year. Other Texas schools with a Tier One designation include UT-Austin, UT-Dallas, UT-Arlington, UT-El Paso, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, University of Houston, University of North Texas and Rice University.

UTSA worked toward the designation for many years, growing the diversity of its faculty and research portfolio, driving innovation and improving doctoral programs, said Bernard Arulanandam, the universitys vice president for research, economic development and knowledge enterprise.

By attracting new companies and strengthening the workforce, a research network and faculty strong enough to attract research funding contributes to the economic growth of San Antonio, he said  and UTSA finished its 2021 fiscal year with research expenditures that reached $140 million, a high for the institution.

It was the second year it has spent more than $100 million in such programs.

Kudos to the phenomenal faculty that we have. The domain expertise that our faculty bring, the problems that they work, these echo great societal challenges, Arulanandam said. They are solving great problems that align to funding, and thats how we are able to grow our portfolio.

From research in biomedical sciences to engineering and computation  just to name a few areas  UTSA has focused on attracting and retaining knowledgeable faculty and qualified doctoral students to help drive those projects, he said.

The university also focused on fostering research collaborations with other local organizations, including UT Health San Antonio, the Southwest Research Institute, Texas Biomedical Research Institute and Brooke Army Medical Center and other Joint Base San Antonio components, Arulanandam added.

UTSA faculty received 376 research awards this year, bringing in $168 million. The largest, for $12.5 million, was received by a cross-disciplinary team led by Brian Hermann of the National Institutes of Health for brain research. The university also received one-time funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, which added $102 million to bring the total to $270 million.

The state is reviewing UTSA for possible access to the National Research University Fund, Arulanandam said, and a decision is expected early next year.

If approved, UTSA will be able to tap what the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board describes as a dedicated, independent and equitable source of funding to enable emerging research universities in this state to achieve national prominence.

So we are going to grow our portfolio even further, Arulanandam said. But the tangible aspect of all of this is having the ability to tackle these grand challenges that we as a nation face.

danya.perez@express-news.net | @DanyaPH
Texas is well known for its deep-red policies and conservative leaders, yet the state may send a handful of progressive Democrats to Washington next year.

From Dallas to Austin to the Rio Grande Valley, far-left candidates are popping up in congressional races, including some in reliably blue districts that would likely elect them in November, if they make it past the primaries.

The list features some of the Texas Houses most liberal members, community activists and Greg Casar, the self-avowed Democratic socialist from Austin who pioneered the citys defund the police move last year.

We don't just need progressives coming from each of the coasts, said Casar, also an architect of Austins loosened homeless camping laws that were reinstated by the citys voters earlier this year. I think it's so important for progressives to come from places like Texas that are bearing the brunt of failed Republican leadership in the state.

Political experts say the increase in viable candidates is both a reflection of the increasing polarization across the country and of the popularity of young progressives in Congress, especially U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. If they can win March 1 primary races, progressive candidates are likely to claim at least two  and possibly three or more  Texas seats next year.

IN-DEPTH: With 31 lawmakers moving on, Texas Legislature has room to get redder

There's a real shot, said Jen Clark, a professor of political science at the University of Houston. Its not necessarily just folly, and they're just entering the race just to raise issues. Because those are solid blue districts, they do have a real chance if they reach out to the voters and can make a convincing case.

Texas Republicans say theyre more than ready for that challenge  and it might even make their campaigns easier. Some candidates are salivating at the chance to take on progressives in the general election, said Austin-based GOP strategist Brendan Steinhauser.

They want to brand them as radical leftists out of touch with Texans, especially moderates and swing voters, Steinhauser said. We think that if the Democrats nominate those types of candidates in that B category, we're going to have a lot of success  and there are going to be races on the table that otherwise may not be.

Tom Reel, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

Right-wing extremism gives sense of urgency

Casar is running in the 35th Congressional District, which stretches from Austin to San Antonio. It is currently held by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, who decided to swap districts after boundary changes made in redistricting. He faces state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez  also a progressive, but not a Democratic socialist  in the primary, along with two other Democrats.

Casar is undoubtedly the farthest-left candidate of the group, but Rodriguezs record is similar: He is ranked among the most liberal members of the state House, where hes served for nearly two decades, and he helped lead the Democrats dramatic walkouts over the summer in an effort to delay the GOPs priority elections bill.

Whoever comes out on top is likely to also win in the November general election, as 72 percent of voters in the district picked Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.

TEXAS TAKE: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday

The progressive momentum this year is, in part, related to a nationwide sense of urgency kindled by right-wing extremism that snowballed during the Trump administration, Rodriguez said. That filters down to Texas, he said, where GOP politicians this year implemented new voting restrictions and approved a near-total abortion ban in a remarkably partisan legislative session.

There are already five members of Texas Democratic congressional delegation in the House Progressive Caucus, and one is retiring next year: U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, who represents the 30th Congressional District in the Dallas area. The incumbent, who is the longest-serving House member in Texas, has already given her endorsement to state Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas  the most liberal member of the Texas House.

Eight other Democrats are also vying for the nomination in the 30th, including at least three who self-identify as progressive: Abel Mulugheta, Arthur Dixon and Jessica Mason.

What progressive means in 2021

All seven candidates who spoke to Hearst Newspapers for this article embrace the term progressive, even if they have different definitions for it  but all of them spoke either of grassroots organization or the idea of putting people first instead of corporations.

On most of their priority lists: Improving access to health care (in many cases, Medicare for all); addressing climate change (in many cases, the Green New Deal); expanding abortion access; increasing voting options; legalizing marijuana; implementing gun control; facilitating a path to citizenship for people living in the country without authorization; promoting social equity and diversity.

But those policy items  a few of which are popular among Texans, according to recent polling  arent always well-received in Texas and elsewhere. The term progressive on its own can evoke images of more extreme, national politicians; and, for that reason, Crockett said she shies away from using it on the campaign trail.

People don't even understand what it is to be progressive, and everybody defines it a little differently, Crockett said. But if there is a narrative that has been put out there  that this is what it is to be progressive, and someone has a negative connotation of it  then it does you a disservice.

Republicans would argue that progressive policies have earned that reputation, especially in Texas. While the GOP-led Legislature passed a slate of conservative legislation this year, local officials in Democrat-controlled cities have been working to undo their policies.

Weve been building the bench at the local level, and now I think its really important for there to be more progressive representation thats willing to stand up against the status quo at the federal level, Casar said.

But even if Texas progressives expand their presence in Congress, they likely wont have a broad impact on policy, said Matt Mackowiak, a GOP strategist and chair of the Travis County Republican Party. He has been a longtime Casar critic, asserting that his camping and police initiatives in Austin have been disastrous.

Hes going to be another Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez squad member focused on extreme policy ideas that are going to have 10 or 15 or 20 votes at most, Mackowiak said.

Progressive battlegrounds in South Texas

In 2020, immigration attorney Jessica Cisneros raised $1 million in her challenge to longtime U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Laredo, one of the Democrats most moderate House members. She lost by less than 4 percentage points.

Tom Reel, Staff / Staff photographer

Now, Cisneros is back for round two.

This time around, we're not starting from scratch, Cisneros said. People know who I am. They know what I stand for. They know the people-centered progressive policies that I'm running on.

National Republicans are targeting Cuellars district in 2022, hoping to flip the seat after making gains in majority-Latino communities in 2020. Former President Donald Trump earned about 46 percent of the vote there in 2020, and President Joe Biden, 53 percent.

Polling shows Democrat policies are not popular in Texas, said Torunn Sinclair, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.Theyre not popular in Texas, and theyre not popular across the country. ... No matter who makes it through a Democrat primary, theyre going to have a tough time winning in 2022.

In the neighboring 15th Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of McCallen is stepping aside to run instead in the 34th Congressional District, after redistricting made the 15th redder.

Six Democrats are now vying for the nomination in the 15th Congressional District, where Trump won 51 percent of the vote last year. One of them, 30-year-old Michelle Vallejo, has earned the support of local nonprofits for her progressive platform, and she says her top priority is Medicare for All.

Back in the 34th District, where Biden beat Trump by about 15 percentage points, Gonzalez  one of the more moderate House members  is also facing a progressive challenger in Beatriz Reynoso, an Air Force veteran who is campaigning on raising the minimum wage.

And then there are the districts where Democrats have little to no chance of winning in the general election, but progressive candidates run anyway.

Texas, especially our established Democratic Party, needs to shift the complete focus and invest in these red areas, invest in these unwinnable elections and non-viable candidates, said Claudia Zapata, a community activist running in the 21st Congressional District currently represented by U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin.

The willingness to run even for unlikely offices speaks to the energy of the progressive movement nationwide, experts say  and its a trend likely to grow in Texas as the state increases in population and diversity.

A lot of this really does come from progressives who feel that the Democratic Party  their strategy, whatever it is, it hasnt been working, said Mark Kaswan, a government professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. We've had 25 years of Republican control of the state, so maybe it is time to take a different approach.

cayla.harris@express-news.net
A part of the 1836 battle is returning to the Alamo on Friday  a partial, re-created version of a wooden fortification that has been a subject of lore and debate.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush will provide remarks as guest speakers at an unveiling ceremony set to begin at 5 p.m. The state-owned historic mission and battle site will remain open for a few hours, with free access to its annex gallery and holiday festival on the grounds.

The new Palisade Exhibit is the second re-created feature from the 1836 compound, following the April dedication of the Alamos 18-Pounder/Losoya House interpretive space at the southwest corner of the city. Both are part of an extensive, nearly $400 million public-private makeover of the Alamo that is underway.

On ExpressNews.com: Critical repairs at Alamo, palisade re-creation approved

The Alamo, made famous through books, movies, paintings and music, originally was the first permanent Spanish-Indigenous mission in San Antonio, where more than 1,000 Native Americans and others lived, worked and were buried, before it was converted to a Spanish military outpost and later fortified by Mexican and Texian troops.

According to archaeological reports, work on the fence-like palisade, composed of a cannon station, trenches and at least one row of upright timbers, began under Mexican Gen. Martin Perfecto de Cos, who surrendered to the Texians after the December 1835 Battle of Bejar. Anglos and Tejanos serving in the Texian Army continued work on the fortification but may have never finished it.

The palisade typically has been linked to the Alamos most famous fallen defender, former congressman David Davy Crockett, whose exploits as a frontiersman, often exaggerated in literature and theater, made him a celebrity in his own time. As part of the unveiling, the Alamo will exhibit a 19th century violin, like one Crockett is believed to have played there in 1836, in the annex gallery.

The palisade played an important function, providing a protective barrier by the Alamo Church, where there was no stone mission-era wall, like those that surrounded most of the compounds perimeter.

In Three Roads to the Alamo, author William C. Davis described the wooden fortification as 50 to 60 feet long, from the southwest corner of the church to the compounds south wall.

To span that gap, the Texians expanded on defenses previously erected by the Mexicans, and now had a picket palisade, Davis wrote.

Courtesy Photo / Alamo Trust /

On the outside of the barrier was a ditch and abatis  partially buried felled trees with sharpened branches pointing outward.

According to Davis, Alamo commander William Barret Travis may have stationed Crockett and other Tennessee volunteers at the palisade. Although theres little known about Crocketts actions during the early morning battle of March 6, 1836, the palisade withstood an attack led by Mexican Col. Juan Morales before Mexican troops breached the Alamos north, west and east walls.

Contrary to expectations, that portion of the perimeter was anything but weak, Stephen L. Hardin wrote in Texian Iliad.

By Hardins account, Moraless troops, in the face of direct fire from a cannon and Crocketts riflemen  angled to the left toward the southwest corner, where they penetrated the walls.

Renderings released by the Alamo in October of preliminary designs of the exhibit show a two-row fortification with a ramp, replica bronze cannon and handrails for public safety and access, in the approximate location of the original palisade. Alamo officials said the exhibit will be temporary, and can be taken down. It may be replaced by 2025, the targeted completion for a museum and visitor center on the west side of Alamo Plaza.

As with many things related to the Alamo, theres been disagreement about what the palisade looked like, based on historic maps and descriptions and archaeological excavations of the 1970s. It traditionally has been interpreted as two rows of cedar posts, fastened by rawhide strips, with the rows placed 6 feet apart and dirt packed between the rows.

On ExpressNews.com: Alamo exhibit highlights famed cannon station, Losoya House

Archaeologist James E. Ivey, considered one of the most knowledgeable experts still living on Alamo archaeology, has challenged that interpretation, saying there was likely just one row of posts. In a recent 16-page paper titled, Defenses of the Alamo: The Southeastern Stockade, Ivey said the two-row structure does not have a reasonable fit with the standards of field fortification in use in 1836.

Ivey argues historic maps from the period and archaeological evidence support his single-row theory. He maintains the palisade protected Alamo defenders from musket balls and other small-arms fire, but wouldnt have withstood large artillery, because work to construct a thick earthen embankment on its outer face didnt get finished.

Because this ditch was apparently never completed, the stockade remained just that, a bare wall of logs without any exterior earth blanket at all for most of its length, making it vulnerable to cannon fire, Ivey wrote.

shuddleston@express-news.net
Not so picture perfect Charlie Wheeler and Nichol Olsen came from different worlds. He was raised amid comfort, horses and Christian faith. Her past was marked by loss and hardship. They met on Instagram and seemed meant for each other. Then tragedy struck.

Not so picture perfect Charlie Wheeler and Nichol Olsen came from different worlds. He was raised amid comfort, horses and Christian faith. Her past was marked by loss and hardship. They met on Instagram and seemed meant for each other. Then tragedy struck.

April 4, 2019

Nichol Leila Olsen took pride in her appearance. Her dark hair cascaded past her shoulders and was always meticulously styled. She wore outfits that highlighted her petite figure.

She had warm brown eyes, an electric smile and a personality that drew others to her. Her humor was contagious  if she was particularly amused, she would crinkle her nose and tilt her head as she laughed.

The 37-year-old single mother doted on her daughters, leaving work by 2:30 p.m. every day to pick them up from school. She kept an immaculate home. She worked hard as a hairstylist, double- and triple-booking appointments with clients at a North Side salon. She was resolutely upbeat, having survived a string of hardships in her younger years.

2021 UPDATE: Two years later, sheriff sends case back to investigators for more scrutiny

Charles Edward Wheeler spotted Olsen on Instagram and was so taken with her that he reached out with a private message. Soon after meeting, they were romantically involved.

About This Story To develop a picture of the lives of Nichol Olsen and Charles Wheeler, Express-News reporter Peggy O'Hare conducted dozens of interviews and examined police, court, school and property records in Bexar, Gillespie, Kendall and Brazoria counties. News archives yielded information about Wheeler's and his father's rodeo careers and the family's involvement in the oil and gas business. Records of Olsen's two divorces and three child custody cases shed light on her life before she met Wheeler in 2016. O'Hare interviewed friends and family members of both Wheeler and Olsen, including Olsen's brother and cousin and Wheeler's mother. O'Hare also attended the visitation and funeral services for Olsen and her two daughters. Charles Wheeler did not respond to a request for an interview.

Wheeler, 31, was an avid hunter and a former rodeo competitor turned successful businessman.

A lifelong bachelor, he lived comfortably in a $1 million home in the gated Anaqua Springs Ranch subdivision near Leon Springs on Bexar Countys far Northwest Side. He had a Maserati and a Range Rover.

Though he came from money, Wheeler aimed to make it on his own. He used his winnings from the rodeo circuit to start a security-gate company, which he sold when he was 24. He went on to establish an oil field services business.

Olsen and Wheeler appeared happy and enamored with one another.

They seemed to be the perfect couple.

Rigid to the touch

On the morning of Jan. 10, Wheeler called 911. He told the dispatcher there had been a suicide at his home.

A Bexar County sheriffs deputy arrived to find Wheeler on the ground, crying, in his front yard.

Bexar County sheriffs personnel went to the Anaqua Springs home of Charlie Wheeler on the morning of Jan. 10, after Wheeler called 911 to report a suicide. Inside, deputies found the bodies of Nichol Olsen and her two daughters. All three were cold and rigid to the touch, according to the sheriffs incident summary. Photo: Court Documents

Inside, deputies confronted a scene of horror. Olsen had been shot dead along with her two daughters: Alexa Denice Montez, 16, and London Sophia Bribiescas, 10.

Alexa was a sophomore at Clark High School and a cheerleader. London was in the fifth grade at Leon Springs Elementary School.

All three were lying close together in an upstairs hallway. Blood was everywhere. The bodies were cold and rigid. A handgun was found near Olsen.

UPDATE: Father of Anaqua Springs shooting victim loses patience

Wheeler told investigators he found the bodies when he returned home that morning. He said hed left about 10 the previous night after arguing with Olsen and had spent the night at a relatives house.

Autopsies found that Olsen and Alexa had each been shot once in the head. London suffered a gunshot wound to her head and neck.

Within days, the Bexar County Medical Examiners office declared Olsens death a suicide. The younger girls deaths were ruled homicides.

Nearly three months later, the killings are still under investigation by the sheriffs office and the FBI. No suspect has been identified, nor any arrests made.

Sheriff Javier Salazar said Wheeler remains a person of interest, but not a suspect.

At this point, were not ready to clear anybody of anything, the sheriff said. Until we are done following every possible lead, were not willing to shut the door on this case just yet.

Salazar was noncommittal as to whether he believes Olsens death was a suicide.

I dont have any direct evidence that would refute the medical examiners initial ruling, he said. By that same token, we dont have all the evidence back from the FBI yet.

He said Wheeler has cooperated throughout the investigation and that authorities may want to talk with him again.

The medical examiners office declined to make public the full autopsy reports or results of toxicology tests on the victims remains after the sheriffs office said releasing the information could interfere with the investigation and the prosecution of anyone ultimately charged.

UPDATE: Anaqua Springs aunt: A plea for red flag laws

Authorities have also declined to release a recording of Wheelers 911 call or records of previous calls to the sheriffs office from his home.

The question of who is responsible for the shootings has sharply divided those who knew Olsen and Wheeler.

Olsens family and friends reject the idea that she committed suicide or killed her children. Wheelers defenders say they cant conceive he would ever shoot Olsen or her daughters.

Wheelers mother said the family is grieving.

'He loved Nichol. And he loved those girls.'

Theres no way that we even saw this coming at all, Cynthia Stein Wheeler, 61, of Fredericksburg, said in an interview. My son is heartbroken. And he cant even mourn. He cant do anything because theres a target on his back."

Charlie Wheeler didnt respond to requests for an interview. Patrick Hancock, one of three criminal defense attorneys representing him, declined to comment.

Some of those in mourning say they doubt theyll ever learn the truth.

No ones ever going to know what happened that night, besides the individuals that were there, said Justin Olsen, 30, Nichols brother.

A difficult childhood

Olsen and Wheeler met in person for the first time at La Cantera Resort. It was the summer of 2016.

She had a business meeting at the resort, and she had invited Wheeler after he reached out to her on Instagram.

Vanessa Turney, Olsens friend and business partner, was there, too. Turney recalled Wheeler, who was six years younger than Olsen, as courteous, respectful and self-assured.

He definitely chased her down, Turney remembered. He made it very clear that he was very interested in her.

Olsen had three children and had been divorced twice. She had just broken up with a man she had lived with for several years.

Her romance with Wheeler took off quickly. Early on, the couple was featured in a promotional video and photo shoots for KeVa Col, a wristwatch and jewelry business that Olsen co-owned with Turney and another friend, Kelly Myrick.

In the video, Olsen and Wheeler looked every bit the giddy couple, cuddling and smiling while gazing into each other's eyes.

Yet they came from starkly different worlds.

Olsen lost both of her parents when she was young. Her father, who worked for H.B. Zachry Company, a San Antonio construction business, died of a heroin overdose two days before Christmas in 1988. Olsen was just 7.

His death was devastating to Nichol because she said she was a daddys girl, a social worker wrote in a 2009 report related to one of Olsens divorces. Nichol said her childhood memories revolve around her dad, not her mom.

Olsen described her mother as a functional alcoholic who drank to quell her grief over her husbands death, the report said.

Olsen became a mother herself at 15, when she gave birth to a son, Skylar Nobles, in 1996. She quit high school during her junior year, according to North East Independent School District records. She later obtained a GED, friends said.

She married her sons father, James W. Nobles II, in 1998 when she was 16. They divorced a year later.

In 2001, on the day after Christmas, Olsens mother died unexpectedly. The cause was heart disease. Olsen, then 20, became a parental figure to her younger brother, who was just 13.

She didnt have it the easiest, said friend Roni Garza, 39, who lived with Olsen for three months in 2014. She was a survivor. She picked herself up, she dusted herself off and she kept going no matter what life threw at her.

After her first divorce, Olsen worked at a series of low-paying jobs at places like Las Palapas and had trouble keeping up with child support for her son, who at times lived with his father, court records show. Court orders issued in 2000 and 2001 required her employers to withhold part of her wages to fulfill those obligations. Her sons father later claimed Olsen failed to make nearly $24,000 in payments. Its unclear how the matter was resolved.

Olsen remarried in 2001. Her new husband was Carlos Montez Jr., a U.S. Marine. Their daughter, Alexa, was born in 2002. The family lived in Hawaii where Montez was stationed. They divorced in 2006.

Olsen returned to San Antonio, where she met and became engaged to Hector Bribiescas, who worked at his fathers 18-wheeler dealership. Their daughter, London, was born in 2008. The couple never married but shared custody of the girl after breaking up.

Olsen seemed to find her footing professionally when she became a licensed hairstylist in 2006. She was 25 and worked at several salons over the years, most recently Salons By JC on East Sonterra Boulevard.

She also appeared to mature as a mother. The social worker who wrote the 2009 report sought to determine whether Olsens son, Skylar, then 12, should live with his mom or dad. The report concluded the parents should have joint custody, but noted that Olsen appeared to provide the more stable living arrangement.

Nichol Leila Olsen is shown in a booking mugshot taken when she was arrested March 10, 2014 on a charge of misdemeanor assault after she was accused of hitting her then-boyfriend with an open hand. | Bexar County Central Magistrate

"During interviews with Nichol, she admitted that she 'was not a very good mother' to Skylar when he was young because she was young and immature herself," the social worker wrote. "Nichol said she is now a good mother, that the children 'are all she has in the world' and that she 'cannot imagine' not having them in her life."

Benessa Russell, a cousin of Olsens, described her as having transcended her hard-knocks upbringing.

Nichol was the epitome of class, grace, elegance, beauty, love, she said.

Yet relationships were troublesome.

In March 2014, while living with a boyfriend in an upscale home near The Dominion, Olsen was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor assault.

Olsen told a deputy that she and her 39-year-old boyfriend had been fighting and that he dragged me out of the house, a sheriffs report shows. She appeared very intoxicated, but spoke softly and politely, the deputy wrote.

Olsen said she was mad because she had called her boyfriend for a ride, but he didnt answer. When she arrived home, she saw something on his phone about another woman. She then struck him in the face with an open hand, according to the sheriffs report. Yes, I admit, I did hit him first, she told the deputy.

The boyfriend had a bruise on his left eye and an abrasion on his knee, the report states. He told the deputy he took Olsen to the ground during the altercation because she was hitting me.

The assault charge against Olsen was dismissed nearly a year later because of the boyfriends lack of cooperation, records show.

Rodeo and oil

Wheeler was raised from age 10 in a rural area of Fredericksburg, in a home that embraced God, horses and ranching. His parents celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary last summer.

Wheeler went to Fredericksburg High School through his sophomore year and was home-schooled by his mother after that. He later attended Schreiner University in Kerrville for less than a year.

Wheelers parents have long been active in rodeo events. His father, Forrest Wheeler, 60, was a team roper. His mother is a talented horse trainer and barrel racer.

Charlie followed his father into team roping. He competed professionally on the rodeo circuit for three years, beginning when he was 18, according to a 2014 article in Shale magazine, which covers the oil and gas industry.

He later carved out a successful career in the oil industry, using his rodeo earnings to start On the Go, a security gate company servicing the Eagle Ford Shale area, Shale reported. When he was 24, he sold the company.

In 2011, Wheeler launched OTG Services, an oil field services company based in Fort Stockton that provided safety restraints, roustabouts, plant maintenance, equipment hauling and other services to customers in the Eagle Ford and Permian shales in Texas and the Haynesville Shale in Louisiana. By May 2014, the company had 140 employees.

He built this company himself from the ground up, said Joyce Adams, who interviewed Wheeler and wrote the article for Shale.

By late 2016, OTG Services had ceased operations. This was around the time that oil prices bottomed out in Texas.

Cynthia Wheeler said her son then worked with his father in Fredericksburg on ranching, oil and gas endeavors.

The younger Wheelers image as a resourceful entrepreneur belied a turbulent personal life.

On Oct. 12, 2008, Wheeler, then 21, was arrested for public intoxication at a country and western nightclub near Angleton during the Brazoria County Fair. Wheeler, still working the rodeo circuit, was dressed in a cowboy hat, a white metal necklace, a pink shirt, blue jeans, blue boots and a pair of spurs, records show.

He pleaded guilty and was fined $300.

A little over a year later, Wheeler was arrested by Fredericksburg police for driving while intoxicated.

An officer reported seeing Wheeler in a black 2008 Chevrolet Silverado pickup driving erratically in a restaurant parking lot at 2:20 a.m. on Dec. 27, 2009. When the officer shined a flashlight at the drivers side window, Wheeler made an obscene gesture and drove past, a police report states.

The officer sprinted after Wheeler, yelling at him to stop.

When Wheeler finally pulled over, the officer smelled a strong odor of alcohol and noted that Wheelers eyes were bloodshot, the police report states.

The officer gave Wheeler a series of field sobriety tests, at one point asking him to count backward from 31 to 10. Instead, Wheeler counted backward from 31 to zero and told the officer he did so to prove a point, the report says.

Wheeler declined to give a breath sample to determine his level of intoxication, the report states.

The DWI charge was dismissed seven months later.

On April 13, 2013, San Antonio police arrested Wheeler, then 25, at a downtown hotel bar. An off-duty officer reported Wheeler had been cut off from buying more drinks after he became loud and caused problems.

The officer said Wheelers girlfriend bought a beverage, which Wheeler began to drink, so he was ejected from the bar. Wheeler started to yell and was asked to leave the hotel.

He was arrested and taken to a detoxification facility. No charges were filed.

Wheeler also had been drinking when he called San Antonio police on Nov. 27, 2013, to report his vehicle stolen from a mens club called Perfect 10 at 111 Northwest Loop 410, another police report shows. OnStar, a vehicle locator service, found Wheelers truck at a shopping mall at La Cantera, 12 miles away. He declined to file a theft report.

Wheeler also racked up speeding tickets in San Antonio and Boerne, municipal court records show.

Boerne police cited Wheeler for speeding four times between July 2015 and August 2016, court records show.

Wheeler was driving a 2015 Maserati GranTurismo when Boerne police stopped him for two of those offenses, including going 74 mph in a 45-mph zone.

A Boerne police officers report on a June 2016 traffic stop described Wheeler as a habitual speed violator.

Turbulent relationship

About a year after Olsen and Wheeler began dating in 2016, she moved out of her apartment into his house. Olsen brought her two daughters with her.

I think more than anything she was looking to have some stability, a stable relationship, something long term, said Turney, Olsens friend and business partner. Those are things that you look for as youre older.

Olsens older daughter, Alexa, lived with her mother at Wheelers home on weekdays, then stayed with her father, Montez, the Marine veteran, or his family.

After high school, Alexa planned to enroll at Texas A&M University with the goal of becoming an obstetrician. She attended Kingsborough Ridge Baptist Church, where she participated in the puppet ministry and volunteered in the nursery.

Olsens younger daughter, London, also split time between her parents, staying with her mother Mondays through Thursday mornings, custody papers show. She loved monkeys, singing, painting and theater, her obituary said.

There was plenty of room for Olsen and the girls at Wheelers house. Olsens son had reached his early 20s and lived elsewhere.

The home, which Wheeler bought in April 2017, spanned 4,500 square feet, on a lot of nearly 3 acres. There were five bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms and a wine cellar, real estate listings show. A swimming pool and a hot tub sat in the backyard.

The house was tucked inside a gated community that had 24-hour video surveillance and a security guard monitoring the entrance.

After moving in, Olsen continued working as a hairstylist. She and her daughters occasionally saw Wheelers family, and went to his parents home for holidays and Bible study. We let her in our hearts and our home, Wheelers mother said.

There were signs of discord in Olsen's relationship with Wheeler.

One day in May 2017, Olsen showed up for a video shoot for KeVa Col, the jewelry business she co-owned. She had a bruised eye and began applying makeup to conceal the injury, Turney said.

Olsen insisted she was fine. She said she and Wheeler had argued but wouldnt go into detail, Turney recalled.

In January 2018, Olsen and Turney went to a Spurs game. As they drove to the arena, Wheeler called Olsens phone and asked to speak with Turney.

Vanessa Turney, one of Nicol Olsens friends and business partners, said she will never believe Olsen killed herself or her children. (Photo: William Luther, San Antonio Express-News)

Hes like Youre really lucky that Im letting her go with you. I would trust you, Turney said, recalling Wheelers words. I played along because I was just glad to have my friend there.

Olsen was humiliated by the call, Turney said.

After the Spurs game, the friends went to Jazz Texas, a music club and restaurant at the Pearl. Wheeler began calling Olsens phone repeatedly, Turney said. The more he called, the more upset Olsen became.

He knew that her location had changed and he wanted her home right now, Turney said. Olsen had ordered a drink, but didnt get to finish it.

We actually at that moment, before she walked out that door, had a conversation in Jazz Texas, and (I) said, You know, this is emotional abuse. He is controlling everything youre doing. You know this, right? Turney said.

Olsen left and went home.

She was just very concerned to get out because (Wheeler) was blowing up her phone, Turney said. And she needed to go.

Turney, 45, who owns a brand development agency in San Antonio, described her uneasiness during her one and only visit to Wheelers house last summer.

I think it was there that I got a sense of how the lay of the land was, Turney said. He dictated the rules. And I was very uncomfortable.

As Olsen and Turney sat in the hot tub outside, Wheeler became upset because someone had dropped pepperoni from a pizza on the kitchen floor, Turney said. He told Olsen that her daughters had probably dropped it. Then he ordered Olsen to pick it up, Turney said.

Wheeler also became upset when the sound system briefly wouldnt work and blamed it on Olsens daughters, though she insisted they werent responsible, Turney said.

After two hours, Turney was ready to go. Olsen walked her outside.

I told her, I dont like him, Turney recalled. I said, What are you doing?

She added that Olsen appeared to be a guest in the house. Olsen didnt disagree.

She said, I am a guest in this house. This is Charlies home. This is not my home, Turney said.

Despite the tension, Olsen assured Turney that all was well and she shouldnt worry.

That was the only time I was there and honestly just didnt really care to go back, ever, Turney said.

As Olsens relationship with Wheeler continued, she became more withdrawn and quiet  traits at odds with her normal gregariousness.

Her core group saw much less of her, Turney said. For someone who was as social as Nichol ... its a little odd, you know. Its not normal for her to just be shut in like that.

Monica Patel, another friend of Olsens and a cardiologist at a Houston-area hospital, recalled a visit Olsen made to her home in July 2017.

Olsen and Wheeler had been in Galveston celebrating their anniversary when they started arguing. Wheeler was asked to leave the hotel where the couple was staying, Olsen later told Patel. Wheeler argued with the security officers, who escorted him back to the couples room to collect his things, Olsen told her friend.

Patel said Olsen told her that Wheeler took all of the couples belongings, including Olsens phone, and left her stranded at the hotel.

Olsen took a taxi to Patels house. They stayed up and talked for 17 hours straight. Patel said she urged Olsen to get out of the relationship.

She told me that theyve had lots of fights. And this time that she was done because he was really embarrassing and he left her in a whole different city. He left her stranded, said Patel, 42, who noted she never met Wheeler.

She was shaking, she was crying, she was terrified about everything. It was supposed to be a good moment for them  they were supposed to be celebrating their anniversary.

We went over it all, and shes like, No, youre right, youre right, Im leaving.  We just stayed up the whole night talking about this.

The next day, Olsen flew home to San Antonio after a friend bought a plane ticket for her. Patel soon learned from mutual friends that Olsen immediately reunited with Wheeler.

You cant help but feel like you just wasted your time, like you were speaking to a wall or something, Patel said. And I hate to say it like that. But  I was drained. I was emotionally drained with her  I stayed up the whole night, I was crying, I was horrified with her for 17 hours.

Patel said Olsen texted her after returning home to express thanks for her help. Patel told her to reach out again if she ever needed anything.

The two women never spoke again.

He loved Nichol

While Olsen has her defenders, so does Wheeler. His mother and several friends say Wheeler is a good-hearted man and nothing like the person depicted by Olsens friends.

Cynthia Wheeler said her son and Olsen quarreled at times, but she observed nothing between them that isnt typical in relationships.

I just know that Charlie could never do anything like that, Cynthia Wheeler said of the shootings. I just know. Because he loved those girls. And he loved Nichol. Did they have problems? Absolutely. Who doesnt? That doesnt mean that you go out there and shoot yourself and shoot your girls.

Wheelers parents have been accused online of protecting him and not expressing public condolences for Olsens and her daughters deaths.

Cynthia Wheeler said she and her husband havent spoken publicly before now because Charlies attorneys instructed them to remain silent.

Its so hard for me to stand back and not be able to speak out and try to defend what were fighting for, his life, she said. My son is suffering, too.

He still has a life that hes got to try to put back together. And, honestly, it isnt going to be easy.

Several friends of the Wheelers described them as a family steeped in Christian faith, love of horses and hard work. Some asked that their names not be published to protect their own families from the public rancor surrounding the case.

Its a horrible, horrible situation, what happened in his home, one friend said. But I dont feel like any of them deserve whats being said ... especially from people who have no idea who he is.

Another friend, Justin Davis, 36, of Madisonville, described Wheeler as a good guy willing to go out of his way for anyone.

If Charlie dated this woman for three years and allowed her kids to live in the house with him  I know Charlie just would absolutely adore and love those kids, Davis said, who also hasnt seen Wheeler in a couple of years. To me, it would be impossible for him to do what they say hes done.

London Sophia Bribiescas, 10, the youngest daughter of Nichol Olsen, was found dead near the bodies of her mother and older sister. She was a fifth-grader at Leon Springs Elementary School and was described as a fun-loving child who was fond of singing. less London Sophia Bribiescas, 10, the youngest daughter of Nichol Olsen, was found dead near the bodies of her mother and older sister. She was a fifth-grader at Leon Springs Elementary School and was described as ... more Photo: Elma Flores /Courtesy Of The Bribiescas Family Photo: Elma Flores /Courtesy Of The Bribiescas Family Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close A single mother, her millionaire boyfriend and how their storybook romance ended in horror 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

She protected those girls

Sheriffs officials havent yet determined who shot Olsens daughters  one of the main questions Salazar hopes to answer.

Olsens family and friends have remained adamant that she wouldnt harm her children or kill herself.

'I will never believe that it was a suicide and I will never believe that she killed her children.'

She was very strong and she protected those girls with her life ... So, in my opinion, there is a lot of room for questioning the entire situation, Turney said.

Kelly Myrick, another friend and business partner, said memories of Olsen surround her constantly. There will never be anyone else like her. Its ironic how she didnt like being the center of attention or even posing for pictures, and yet here we are, she said.

Alexas family is relying on their faith to carry them through the ordeal, said their attorney, Paul Torres.

The lives of many are forever changed by the loss of Alexa, and theres not anyone in the family who hasnt been deeply impacted by it, Torres said. The lack of any substantive answers and lingering uncertainties is perhaps the most challenging part of the ongoing investigation.

Londons father, Hector Bribiescas, said his life will never be the same.

She was my world, my best friend, Bribiescas said of his daughter. Every decision I made revolved around her.

Wheeler and his family didnt attend the visitation or memorial service for Olsen and her daughters. Alexas family sent a letter asking the Wheelers to stay away from all services, according to one of Charlie Wheelers attorneys.

During the visitation, Olsen and Alexa lay in closed caskets in the same room at Mission Park Funeral Chapels Stone Oak location.

In a nearby room, London was in an open casket lined with purple trim. The lid was inscribed on the inside with the word Princess and displayed three pink hearts.

Benessa Russell, Olsens cousin, walked up to see the young girl. Then she sat down on a couch, rocking back and forth, wrapping her arms around herself.

So sad, Russell whispered tearfully. Thats my baby. She was going to be somebody, just like her mama.

Nearly every seat was full for the memorial service the next day at Place For Life, a church on the Northwest Side.

At the end, the crowd stood as the three caskets were taken slowly out of the chapel one by one. Sobs, then loud wailing, filled the room  sounds of grief drowned out only occasionally by heartwrenching music.

Hundreds of mourners walked outside and filled the parking lot to watch as Olsen and her daughters were placed in three separate hearses. A harrowing silence fell over the crowd.

Then the hearses drove away.

Peggy O'Hare has been a reporter for 25 years, covering crime, courts, health care and other subjects. She joined the San Antonio Express-News in 2013. Her recent work has focused on the Iconic Village apartment fire in San Marcos and its aftermath. Five young people died in the blaze. O'Hare holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Texas A&M University. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pohare@express-news.net | Twitter: @Peggy_OHare

Design by Joy-Marie Scott | Twitter: @joymariescott

A version of this article appeared in print on April 7, 2019, on Page A1 of the San Antonio Express-News. | Today's Paper

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A Bexar County Jail inmate facing a murder charge in the death of his girlfriend killed himself Wednesday night.

Deputies found Evan Aaron Held, 30, unresponsive in his cell just before 9 p.m., according to the Bexar County Sheriffs Office.

The officer who found Held called for assistance while lifting him, officials said. Deputies from the Special Emergency Response Team helped cut Held down and began life-saving measures until medical staff arrived.

First responders from the San Antonio Fire Department arrived and continued life-saving measures until Held was pronounced dead at 9:49 p.m., the Sheriffs Office said.

Held had been in the jail since Oct. 21, charged with murder in the Oct. 13 fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Sara Silva, 31. He was accused of killing her during an argument at her North Side home.

Held also faced charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, theft and evading arrest.

On the day of the shooting, officers were alerted to it at about 11:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of El Monte Boulevard. They arrived to find Silva dead in the bedroom from gunshot wounds.

Officers said Silva went into the bedroom during the argument and wouldnt let Held in. They said he fired shots through the door, several of which struck Silva.

A 71-year-old woman, who was in the home at the time, was also shot in the arm and taken to the hospital.

Held fled, authorities said, but turned himself in two days later to Dallas police.

He was being held on bail totaling $390,000.

The Bexar County Sheriffs Office criminal investigations division, internal affairs and public integrity unit are investigating Helds death, which is standard procedure.

The Karnes County Sheriffs Office was notified of the death and will conduct an investigation as the designated outside agency required by the Sandra Bland Act. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards has also been notified of Helds death, officials said.

jbeltran@express-news.net

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
Early Monday morning, Mark Roye and Warren Beemer, two men of faith from the San Antonio area, got their first glimpse of Mayfield, Ky.

The rural town of 10,000 resembled a war zone.

Rubble and debris covered houses that had been leveled by tornadoes. Pieces of twisted metal encircled barren trees. The sound of chirping birds had been replaced by silence.

It was like a bomb went off, recalled Roye, 63. Its just devastating.

Tornadoes and severe storms tore a path of destruction through six Midwestern and Southern states last weekend, leaving at least 92 people dead, hundreds injured and many others missing.

President Joe Biden flew to western Kentucky, one of the hardest-hit areas, on Wednesday to offer words of comfort to survivors, along with a commitment to do whatever it takes to support recovery and reconstruction.

Roye and Beemer, who both work in humanitarian relief, had arrived in the disaster zone two days earlier, with considerably less fanfare. Their mission: to assess the damage and coordinate relief efforts.

Roye is director of Somebody Cares San Antonio and BloodnFire Ministries, which he founded with his wife, Susie. Both are ordained ministers and Red Cross chaplains. They partner with Houston-based Somebody Cares America, a nonprofit that provides crisis relief.

As a Somebody Cares relief coordinator, Mark Roye travels to stricken communities within 24 hours of a disaster. Hes been all over the country and overseas on humanitarian missions.

Billy Calzada/Staff photographer

On ExpressNews.com: Shes like an auntie: Northeast Side crossing guard uses music to connect with students, parents

His base of operations is a pair of modest buildings in Southtown. On Sunday, he was in Rio Grande City, helping to prepare meals for Border Patrol agents and other law enforcement officers, when he heard that tornadoes had ripped a deadly swath across Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Roy drove to San Antonio and met up with Beemer, pastor of Healing Place Church in Boerne. That day, the two flew to Nashville, Tenn., where they spent the night. At sunrise the next morning, they got into a rented gray Nissan Rogue and headed northwest to Mayfield, about an hour and a half away.

As they crested a hill, the ravaged town came into view.

Its really like a sacred ground, Roye said. You know theres been life thats been lost.

What the two men saw stunned them.

The breadth and width was historical, Roye recalled.

He said the tornadoes had struck in a random pattern, flattening buildings and trees in some areas while leaving others nearby untouched.

Its devastation (here), then over there its normal, Roye said. Its a real oddity, an odyssey of an experience.

Somebody Cares was among many relief agencies that put people on the ground in the disaster zone.

With it hitting the heartland and at Christmas, people are really wanting to do something to help, Roye said.

More than 400 trained Red Cross disaster relief personnel from across the nation are helping, said Michael Vela, executive director of the Greater San Antonio Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Vela said financial donations are the quickest and best way to help those affected, giving them flexibility to buy what they need.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios top chefs train active duty military at Culinary Institute of America

Roye said his group also encourages people to make monetary contributions. He said doing so makes it easier to deliver immediate help. In contrast, it costs money to arrange transportation, storage and distribution of tangible goods from outside a disaster zone, he said.

Royes group is working with donors to send gift cards to survivors by Wednesday, to help people buy gifts for Christmas. They are also collecting bereavement cards to help survivors pay funeral expenses.

Roye said relief distribution sites have been set up in Mayfield, Dawson Springs, Bremen and Bowling Green, Ky. A group from Baton Rouge, La., called the United Cajun Navy arrived with 18-wheelers stocked with generators, chainsaws, tools and other supplies.

Roye said two barbecue teams from Houston and Muncie, Ind., are en route to stricken areas to provide food.

The items most in demand are lights, heaters, generators, tarps, blankets and gloves.

We try to look for the overlooked and underserved, Roye said. We rely on local churches because we come and go, but theyre the constant there.

On ExpressNews.com: We are responsible: San Antonio charity hosts drive to help homeless and less fortunate

Were not looking at the short term, said Roye, whos back home in San Antonio, but the long haul.

He plans to fly back to Kentucky on Sunday.

Roye said years of ministry work in lower-income communities taught him how to handle himself in disaster areas.

That literally taught us how to deal with people with dignity, Roye said. Just learning through the years, how do we position ourselves to be kind to people and give them hope.

For the past 21 years, his ministry has held a community party on the last Saturday of each month with food for 200 people. He grills brisket on a barbecue trailer  the same trailer that he drives across the country on relief missions.

That was my school for feeding 200 people, Roye said.

When a disaster hits, he added, everyone is poor.

To donate to the relief effort, go to somebodycares.org or redcross.org/donate.

vtdavis@express-news.net
The San Antonio area has recently seen an increase in hoaxes involving threats of school shootings, with the ages of those behind such hoaxes getting younger, according to the FBI.

While its common to see a rise in hoax threats after mass school shootings, the local task force that handles these types of threats said it started seeing an increase even before the shooting in Oxford, Mich., on Nov. 30 that left four students dead and seven injured, FBI spokeswoman Michelle Lee said.

The reason for the increase is unclear, she said.

The FBI has also started seeing a fair number of threats from children around 11 or 12. Historically, such threats have come from people of high school age or older.

On ExpressNews.com: Warren High student may face charges after gun found in backpack at school

Districts around the country monitored their students closely Friday after a viral TikTok started circulating, calling for a National Shoot Up Your School Day on Dec. 17. The anonymous threat on TikTok warned students against attending school Friday and called for them to commit acts of violence.

No specific schools or districts were referenced.

The TikTok quickly gained steam, with hundreds of other posts warning students to take precautions. TikTok released a statement Thursday afternoon saying that it takes the threats with the utmost seriousness and is working with law enforcement to investigate the warnings.

The FBI released a statement Friday saying that it takes all threats seriously.

We regularly work with our law enforcement partners to determine the credibility of any threats, the FBI said. As always, we would like to remind members of the public that if they observe anything suspicious to report it to law enforcement immediately.

It also recommended that people avoid sharing threats on social media and instead pass such information directly to law enforcement and school officials. The FBI said law enforcement depends on tips from the public regarding suspicious activities, which could help prevent school shootings.

No San Antonio-area school districts canceled school Friday, though many said they were taking precautions and monitoring the situation closely.

While officials have been able to deem the threats referencing NISD schools not credible, district staff and Northside ISD police remained vigilant in keeping students and staff safe, Northside Independent School District said in a statement.

Many districts reminded students and parents that if they hear or see something suspicious to say something to officials so all threats  joking or not  can be investigated fully.

The safety and well-being of our students and staff is top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to ensure the safety of everyone inside our district, Harlandale ISD Superintendent Gerardo Soto said in a letter to parents.

IDEA charter schools in the area asked their students from kindergarten through fifth grade to leave their backpacks at home, and the parents of older students were asked to check their childrens backpacks for weapons before dropping off their students.

Austin ISD reported that it increased security on its campuses, and some Houston-area districts did not allow backpacks in their schools Friday. At least one Houston school district also banned hooded sweatshirts for the day. Houston ISD officials, however, let each school decide whether to have students leave their backpacks at home Friday, said Luis Morales, senior media specialist for the district.

No campus in the San Antonio area reported violent incidents Friday.

On ExpressNews.com: These San Antonio-area schools received threats this week

Between Dec. 6 and 10, at least six area schools received threats via social media. All of them were determined to not be credible.

A 17-year-old student from Davenport High School in Comal County and a seventh-grader from Krueger Middle School in San Antonio were arrested that week for allegedly posting threats online.

Southwest High School, Champion High School, Medina Valley High School and Dobie Junior High School also received threats. The Medina County sheriff said the threat involving the high school there was a rumor that got out of control, while Cibolo police said the perceived threat against Dobie turned out to be an old video that had recirculated on social media.

In all cases, local law enforcement increased the police presence on campuses.

In at least one reported incident, the FBI said threats were made from a fake social media account, though the bureau did not say which incident it was referring to. In whats known as social media impersonation, someone established an account in a students name and then posted threats to get that student in trouble, the FBIs Lee said.

FBI officials said students need to be aware of the serious consequences of making hoax threats online and that doing so could result in felony charges. Posting threats online can land perpetrators in federal prison for up to five years, in addition to potential punishments from state or local charges.

Individuals who have made hoax threats have been prosecuted in the past, Lee said in an email. Hoax threats disrupt school, waste law enforcement resources, divert resources away from true public safety threats and put first responders in unnecessary danger.

The Houston Chronicle contributed to this report.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
Women interested in a career in law enforcement can get a peak behind the badge while learning situational awareness skills at a recruiting event next month.

San Antonio police will host the free self-protection training for women ages 18 through 44 on Jan. 8 at the San Antonio Police Training Academy, 12200 SE Loop 410.

Limited space is available, so women interested in the course are encouraged to sign up soon online at the SAPD careers website.

On Thursday, instructors at the academy gave a preview of what participants can expect, including an obstacle course and a chance to go through a shoot or dont shoot simulation.

Officer Sara Munoz, a recruiter who has been on the force for five years, said women who are interested or on the fence are invited to run the course to gain a feel for the physical skills needed to join.

Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News

Ive always said that I never knew this is what I was going to be doing, Munoz said. Even people who havent thought about it can come out. Maybe it can get your mind thinking that it is possible.

Munoz said more women are encouraged to join because of the different perspectives they bring to the force, such as when responding to incidents of domestic violence, which is considered by many to be an epidemic in San Antonio.

Officer Annie Salinas-Lauer, who has been a tactics instructor at the academy for five years, said women are a little more nurturing in the social aspect of law enforcement.

On ExpressNews.com: She was shot in the face in a Quarry Market parking lot. Now, her spirits are high and her wounds healing

Women who attend Januarys training will go through a variety of simulated scenarios, such as mental health calls and civil disputes, said Salinas-Lauer, who has been with the department for 16 years.

It gives them a glimpse into the life of an officer on duty, she said. There are a lot of split-second decisions behind it.

One shooting scenario put Salinas-Lauer face to face with a man projected on a screen who was knelt over with a wrench in his hand. After he dropped the wrench, he reached behind his back, and a metal click could be heard. A split second after, the suspect pulled a bright, silver revolver from his back. Lauer met him with simulated gunfire just before he could aim the revolver at her.

Salinas-Lauer, who was born and raised in San Antonio, said she joined the police department as part of her calling to make a safe community for her family, a mission she continues for her son. She called it a rewarding career that involves sacrifice.

Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News

I love the fact that I get to have an impact so early on in (new officers) careers, and hopefully, it keeps them safe in their patrols, Salinas-Lauer said.

Salinas-Lauer said the department can always use more women. The most recent class had 17 women, she said.

Officer Nathan Sandoval, an instructor who teaches officers to be aware of risk factors that make people potential victims, provided tips for civilians to maintain situational awareness, a necessity when using an ATM or walking to a car in a parking lot.

It doesnt mean that you have to walk around scared, Sandoval said. Just consider the environment and things that you see that could give rise to potential issues before those issues actually become a risk.

One example is noticing a person sitting in a vehicle in a parking lot watching other vehicles as they arrive.

If someone may be watching, it doesnt need to be construed that the individual has violent intent.  But overall, we may be aware that someone is watching our activities, he said. Now we can take actions to minimize potential risks if that person does have that in mind.

Some steps include moving to a different part of a parking lot, or staying away from high-profile trucks or vans, which can conceal an opportunist. People should also avoid parking near areas with fences or pillars that perpetrators can hide behind.

Another related tip is to make sure no one is inside your car before opening it. Sandoval said people can also use the reflections from vehicle windows to see the world around them.

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Opportunists also watch for people who are looking down at cellphones or fumbling with keys as they walk.

A lot of times, those individuals (perpetrators) state that they chose that particular victim of that crime because that individual did not appear to be aware of their surroundings, Sandoval said.

He said that a person willing to speak and address someone walking aggressively toward them can present a sufficient challenge from the criminals perspective, making them no longer a soft target.

If someone gets into a confrontation with a perpetrator demanding their belongings, Sandoval said its better to give them up.

No property is worth an individuals life, he said.

He said people should consider nearby loved ones when deciding whether to defend ones property, as doing so could endanger them.

Is this really worth potentially submitting my loved one to injury or death as a result of my defense of property? Sandoval asked. I would submit that a large amount of individuals would not take that risk.

jbeltran@express-news.net
For many Americans, Afghanistan is as far away in mind as it is on a map.

The phenomenon isnt new. The quiet conflict in the Graveyard of Empires hummed in the background for two decades, only vaulting into the headlines when something especially tragic occurred.

There would be a few days of attention, and then the war would slink away like Taliban fighters vanishing into the Hindu Kush.

Such was the case in August during those chaotic, bloody and heroic final days of Americas Afghanistan odyssey. The wars death garnered more attention than the war itself.

The withdrawal outraged many, and the nation demanded accountability, but with time, Afghanistan faded back into that dusty place more than 8,000 miles away.

On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: For 13 years, Afghanistan alarms blared

Thankfully, the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act has provisions to keep the lost war in the spotlight. The bipartisan law mandates a Commission on Afghanistan to investigate and articulate lessons from the 20-year conflict that cost taxpayers at least $2.3 trillion.

According to the legislation, the commissions 12-person panel, selected by the House and Senate Armed Service Committees, will have a $5 million budget from the Defense Department for the project.

The commission is separate from the Special Investigator General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, SIGAR, a government watchdog thats produced 680 audits, reports, lessons learned and criminal investigations since 2008.

In October, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform requested SIGAR work with the Defense Department to declassify all classified portions of its quarterly reports. The committee also asked SIGAR to examine the underlying causes of the rapid collapse of Afghan military forces and government.

The good news is that throughout 2022, these two independent groups will delve into the war that confounded generals and politicians and left those deployed wondering about their murky and oft-changing mission.

On ExpressNews.com: Lingle: Public was indifferent to a war made abstract

The Commission on Afghanistan will provide an interim update by March 3 and its final report by Aug. 31. The report will be unclassified, but it can have a classified annex.

Commission members will have much required reading. Beside government resources, the list must also include media reporting and various non-governmental organization reports.

NGO reports should definitely be incorporated because CENTCOM (the U.S. militarys Central Command) and the DOD have left the investigations of civilian casualties claims up largely to groups like Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, Brian Castner, a senior crisis adviser for weapons and military operations with Amnesty International, wrote in an e-mail. Along with a few dogged journalists, we are effectively doing their jobs for them.

Civilian harm and human rights violations are one of the commissions focus areas.

Civilian casualties undermined the legitimacy of both the U.S. effort and the former Afghan government.

Views & Voices: Editorials, columns and commentary, delivered to your inbox

According to Castner, an author and former Air Force explosive ordinance disposal officer, the militarys air strike programs need additional congressional oversight and scrutiny to identify systemic failures that continue to cause civilian casualties.

After twenty years of strikes, to have the same so-called mistakes over-and-over again in all these cases is rising to the level of negligence, he wrote. On air strikes especially, the DOD does not have credibility to investigate itself.

The commission will also dig into U.S. training of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

The Afghan National Army and Air Force lost a lot of legitimacy in the eyes of average Afghans because they were so sloppy and reckless in their attacks, they killed civilians constantly, said Castner. These are American-trained forces. What needs to be done different, as a part of global U.S. training efforts, to keep this from happening again?

Its not just a human rights issue - this lack of legitimacy hastened the end of the Kabul regime itself.

On ExpressNews.com: Lingle: Two Afghans, but only one journey to safety

Commission members have a rough road ahead. Theyll need cooperation to sift out the truth.

We can hope the commission gets unfettered and timely access to the intelligence and materials it needs regardless of classification. With luck, witnesses will answer all questions with candor and honesty. Even then, the truth may elude us.

In the meantime, we must pay attention. But will we? Each time the Commission or SIGAR release findings or publish reports, Afghanistan should rise back into the headlines and conversation.

If the Commission succeeds and creates an honest report, the truth will be uncomfortable for us all. Maybe we werent paying enough attention when the outcome couldve changed. Maybe well learn that lesson this time. Maybe.

brandon.lingle@express-news.net
Parents and schools across the country have been grappling with viral TikTok threats that dubbed Friday as National Shoot Up Your School Day.

We all know students are capable of making such once unimaginable tragedies real.

Tuesday marked nine years since the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting that stole the lives of 20 first graders and six educators. What happened in Newtown is a tragedy still impossible to comprehend  even more so since so many other school shootings have followed it.

This is school in America  where children and teachers risk getting killed.

As a teacher at three local school districts over 8 years, I had some frightening experiences. One of my students told other students of a desire to shoot me. The student said it more than once and seemed to have a plan, indicating access to a family members gun.

It came to light after the students classmates saw a chilling gun violence prevention video, produced by the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation, and decided to take the threats seriously and notify administrators.

Many believed the student was just trying to get attention, but its possible the other students decision to make a report saved lives.

I had no clue the student was upset  a strong student who was well-behaved and, before this point, I assumed enjoyed my classes. I couldnt even picture the student as violent, but I later learned the student was frustrated because the student wanted a higher grade without revisions.

I think of this experience every time I see the brutal carnage of mass school shootings in headlines, such as the 15-year-old boy at Oxford High School in Michigan who shot 11 people on Nov. 30, killing four students and seriously or critically injuring others.

I also think of the time someone aggressively banged on my classroom door and we all froze in panic and fear.

And I think of the time when, after school one day, all teachers huddled into the library for a Stop the Bleed training, required by Texas law for schools since 2019. Not one of us seemed to doubt the need to learn how to use tourniquets.

A Stop the Bleed spokesperson told me the total number of people in Texas who have been trained so far is 278,049, but he couldnt say how many were from San Antonio or schools.

Tuesday, President Joe Biden spoke in a video of the sadness and frustration of horrific gun violence, and said on Twitter: As a nation, we owe the families of Newtown  and all the other victims of gun violence  more than our prayers. We owe them action.

Its past time we not only stop the bleed, but prevent the deaths. The alarming reality is, aside from a pause during COVID-19 quarantine, school shootings havent stopped. The headlines of tragic loss of life and threats of violence are back  see the TikTok threats  and theyre constant.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio area sees rise in school shooting hoaxes, FBI says

On ExpressNews.com: These San Antonio-area schools received threats this week

On ExpressNews.com: Comal ISD high school student facing terroristic threat charges, district says

Brian A. Pounds /

Locally, law enforcement have been investigating recent threats in at least six middle and high schools, and parents in social media groups have been sharing information, some saying that out of fear, they made the choice to keep their children home. Its clear that students have access to guns. On Wednesday, a gun was found in a Northside ISD Warren High School students backpack.

On Tuesday, North East ISD Superintendent Sean A. Maika sent a video message to parents about the rising trend of threats in schools, and the district followed up with an email Thursday about the TikTok threat. Other districts also sent emails.

On ExpressNews.com: Warren High student may face charges after gun found in backpack at school

Education Week, a national publication, provides updates and a school shooting tracker that includes many incidents that dont make it into headlines. As of Wednesday at 5 p.m., their summary was harrowing:

There have been 32 school shootings this year, 24 since August 1. A shooting on Nov. 30, in which a student killed four people and injured seven at an Oxford, Mich., high school, was the deadliest school shooting since May 2018. There have been 90 school shootings since 2018.

Tyler Sizemore /Tyler Sizemore

Biden is correct in classifying gun violence as a public health threat. Tuesday, he spoke of three bills that call for more extensive background checks for gun sales, keeping guns out of the hands of more abusers and investing $5 billion in community violence prevention and intervention programs.

We need these federal policies and more.

States, cities, schools and parents must also be proactive with mental health and violence detection and policies. Our leaders must go beyond the reactive Stop the Bleed training, lock-downs and active-shooter-drills.

Everyone should be doing all they can to change the reality of our dangerous American schools.

Nancy.Preyor-Johnson @express-news.net
On Aug. 25, 2020, Bexar County sheriffs deputies shot and killed my brother, Damian Daniels, while responding to a mental health check.

My family reached out to the Red Cross for help as my brother, a veteran, spiraled in a mental health crisis. The Red Cross then contacted the sheriffs office. If we had known our call would end in Damians death, we never would have picked up that phone. Damian was suffering from combat-related PTSD and trauma. We asked for help because he needed medical support, not armed officers.

It is time for the San Antonio City Council to develop a program where mental health professionals respond to mental health crises instead of police. About 1 in 4 people killed by law enforcement since 2015 had a mental illness, according to a Washington Post database. Sending police, who are trained in restraint, arrest and weapons use to these types of calls is dangerous. This is especially true for situations involving people of color, like my brother, who are disproportionately victimized by police. Even Bexar County officials agree that sending armed officers to respond to these calls is the wrong solution.

I live in Colorado, where we have enormously successful alternative crisis response teams that are made up of trained professionals who are not law enforcement. That program, the Support Team Assisted Response, or STAR, sends mental health professionals and paramedics to calls involving mental health, homelessness and substance use  instead of armed officers.

In addition to having mental health backgrounds, these professionals receive rigorous training in de-escalation and trauma-informed care. During its tenure, STAR has responded to 13 percent of all emergency calls, connecting people to community-based support while avoiding unnecessary police interaction. Teams like these should be the first responders to mental health calls in every community.

San Antonio City Council has the opportunity to support a model like Denver STAR. There is money available to fund such a program through the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, funds allocated to the city, and soon, the city will decide how to allocate those funds. The council can use these funds to create and implement programs that respond to mental health crises.

Right now, the city of San Antonio sends a mental health professional to crisis calls, but he or she is accompanied by an armed officer. The city insists this format better protects the safety of the professionals, arguing that without an officer, medical and mental health responders would not be safe. This is simply not true. Last year, the STAR program responded to more than 1,600 calls, and not a single one of those calls required police backup.

A co-responder approach at the county level has also already failed this community. After my brothers death, Bexar County created a co-responder program. Less than 1 year later, Bexar County deputies took the life of Nicholas Norris, whom the sheriffs office knew was in the midst of a mental health crisis. Norris was shot dead after deputies responded to a call reporting him for allegedly scaring customers at a convenience store.

We shouldnt wait for another tragedy to spur us into action. It is too important an issue, and there is public support for this solution. High-profile killings in recent years have eroded public trust in police, and voters now favor sending unarmed, mental health professionals alone to these calls.

My family knows the presence of an officer doesnt correspond with public safety. Damian would be alive today if the sheriffs deputies had understood how to help a veteran suffering from PTSD and trauma or sent medical professionals in the first place.

We dont know if we will receive justice for his death through the court system. But we will fight for alternative responders to save San Antonio families from undergoing the same grief we will carry forever.

It is time for this city to stop disregarding the needs of people in a mental health crisis and their loved ones. San Antonio must pass a program like Denver STAR. And the Bexar County Commissioners Court should follow suit. This is the only way we will stop these tragic and unnecessary deaths.

Brendan Daniels is a 33-year-old retired Army veteran and police reform advocate whose brother, Damien Daniels, was killed by law enforcement in 2020.
WASHINGTON  With Texas primaries just weeks away, Democrats in the U.S. Senate are pushing yet again to pass new voting rights laws aimed at the state, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer saying they want to get them enacted before the midterm elections.

Schumer said Thursday that Democrats are having detailed conversations about how the Senate will get voting rights done in time for the 2022 elections.

To do so, however, the party would almost certainly have to change Senate rules, which require at least 60 votes to pass most legislation and have derailed past attempts because of the Democrats slim majority. There is growing pressure within the caucus to make a change, even as some moderates still oppose such a move.

BACKGROUND: Voting bill gets no GOP votes in Senate; Democrats vow to keep pushing it

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, said Democrats are delusional if they think theyll pass any new voting laws by the next election. Republicans have labeled the bills a power grab.

Our primary is in March in Texas and filing for office is closed now, and this idea that this could somehow impact the 2022 election is a pipe dream, Cornyn said. I dont expect the votes, which so far have not been enough to pass it, that that will change at all. But they may want to talk about it some more, which is their right.

The voting bills, which Texas state lawmakers spent weeks advocating in D.C. this summer, are aimed at undoing new voting laws passed this year in GOP-led states including Texas and requiring them to get approval from the U.S. Department of Justice for future changes to election laws.

It comes as the Biden administration sues Texas over the new voting laws and redrawn political maps, claiming theyre discriminatory against Black and Latino voters and individuals with disabilities.

In state after state, Republican-led Legislatures are approving the most draconian voter laws since segregation, and doing it entirely on a partisan basis, Schumer said. Senate Democrats are working to find a path forward to respond to these attacks.

DOJ SUES: Biden administration claims new political maps discriminate against minority voters

Schumer said Democrats are discussing ways to restore the Senate so it can once again work as its supposed to, as it has worked for generations before the gridlock of the past decade or so.

The ceiling of our Democracy is crashing

Also Thursday, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris joined nine Senate Democrats  including U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat who has opposed changing the filibuster  for a video meeting.

In a statement afterward, Biden called for the Senate to press forward on voting rights legislation, and make progress on this as quickly as possible.

I had a productive conversation today with several Senators about how we can get this vital legislation passed, Biden said. Our democracy is at stake.

Without a change to Senate rules, any future attempt to pass voting laws will almost surely see the same outcome as Democrats multiple other attempts this year: Blocked by Republican filibusters.

But there are growing calls for Democrats to at least tweak the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to pass most legislation  especially as progress appears to have stalled on a $1.85 trillion spending bill with major expansions of the nations social programs that Democrats had hoped to pass before Christmas.

Some Senate Democrats have pointed to a recent agreement with Republicans that allowed them to raise the debt ceiling on a simple majority vote. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Georgia Democrat, has said the Senate should not recess for the holidays until it does the same to pass voting rights legislation.

We need to acknowledge that the ceiling of our democracy is crashing in on us; it needs to be raised and repaired, Warnock told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. And voting rights needs to be next in the queue. It is the very next thing we should take up. And we should not leave for recess until we, at minimum, have a clear path that weve all agreed on to get there.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

But key Democratic holdouts remain.

U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona has said repeatedly shes opposed to changing the filibuster rule.

Manchin told reporters this week that Democrats were talking about everything, including the Senate rules. But he said any change to the rules needs to be part of a bipartisan agreement, which seems unlikely.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat who was in the virtual meeting with Biden, told reporters that Manchin isnt there yet.

But were working on him, he said. Well continue to work on him.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday said a rules change would be an attack on the Senate. Senate rules have been changed before  by both parties  including under McConnells watch. In 2017, Republicans lowered the vote threshold to confirm Supreme Court nominees.

I understand my colleagues are frustrated they may not get to spend $4.9 trillion on their way out the door for Christmas, McConnell said. But believe me, lashing out at our democracyat the Senate itself is not going to solve anything.

ben.wermund@chron.com
What happens when youre fed up with your coastal city  particularly the high housing costs and taxes  and suddenly youre free to work anywhere?

For reasons I dont quite understand, more than 200,000 people in that situation have moved to Florida  Florida  since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly two years ago, more than to any other state.

Texas is a close second, according to a new report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

From the onset of COVID-19, between the first quarter of 2020 and the second quarter of this year, Texas saw net in-migration just shy of 200,000 people. Net in-migration is whats left after subtracting the number of people leaving Texas from the number moving in.

Not surprisingly, the overwhelming majority of them are moving to Texas major metros: Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio; the points that make up the emerging Texas Triangle.

The newcomers are mostly arriving from California and New York. As the report notes, the number of Californians moving to Texas nearly doubled in the first year and a half of the pandemic, to 64,000 from 34,000.

In the San Antonio-New Braunfels area, the biggest influx is coming from Southern California, namely the Los Angeles and Riverside metros, with a few trickling in from San Diego. (A note to San Antonios tech boosters: The number of migrants from the Bay Area and Silicon Valley doesnt even register in the Dallas Feds report. Theyre flooding into Austin.)

Gov. Greg Abbott will tell you  has told you, over and over again  that these newcomers are fleeing liberalism, that theyre coming here to finally taste liberty. Maybe so, as long as were only talking about Texas age-old aversion to high taxes and burdensome regulations.

Certainly very few of the new arrivals are here for the de facto abortion ban, efforts to suppress minority voters or the scapegoating of undocumented immigrants and trans kids. Keeping taxes low has paid off for Texas over the long haul; the intentionally-cruel culture war led by Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick never will.

Migrants are choosing Texas because its less crowded, its houses and apartments are generally less expensive and theres no state income tax. And good jobs are plentiful for service-sector employees for whom remote work isnt an option.

Its about money and quality of life.

But whatever their reasons for moving here, their presence will help solidify the Texas Triangle as an economic power.

As such individuals relocate, they bring their demand for local services with them to their new home cities and metros, stimulating business and creating jobs in the destination locations, Dallas Fed researchers wrote.

They added: The growing talent pool in Texas may, in turn, become a magnet for relocating firms searching for local talent.

After reading the report, Rogelio Saenz, a demography professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, said, I think the notion that Texas and the Texas Triangle in the 21st century will play the role that California and its major cities played in the 20th century is clearly afoot.

Downsides

The report also delivered some bad news for high-rise-loving, premium coffee-swilling urbanists: Within five miles of their downtowns, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston all lost more residents than they gained. Neighborhoods at least 20 miles from downtown took in by far the most newcomers.

The pandemic has at least temporarily brought the great urban density drive to a standstill.

The important reason behind the suburbs heightened popularity during the pandemic is the increased prevalence of the option to work remotely, Dallas Fed economists wrote. As this arrangement becomes commonplace for office jobs, the reduced need to commute to job centers  city centers or office parks  allows people to relocate to more-remote neighborhoods, which provide cheaper, more-spacious living areas.

The news wasnt great for small Texas cities, either.

Before COVID-19, Amarillo, Brownsville, Beaumont, El Paso, Laredo and Wichita Falls had seen more residents moving away than newbies moving in. The Texas tide of migration since early 2020 has only slowed that trend a little bit.

The states fortunes are made in its major metros, the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford Shale oil fields notwithstanding. Thats why Laredo was San Antonios fourth-largest source of migrants between Jan. 1, 2020, and this past June 30. McAllen and El Paso were eighth and ninth, respectively.

But San Antonio didnt gain population just at the expense of California, New York and small in-state cities. We also took in refugees from Austin, our sister city 70 miles to the north. It was No. 7 on San Antonios in-migration list, just ahead of McAllen.

Which is a warning for the rest of the Texas Triangle.

Warning flag

Austin has racked up many successes, including corporate relocations by electric-vehicle maker Tesla and enterprise-software giant Oracle, both products of California. Facebook, Google and Amazon have major operations there, too. Austin is home to UTs flagship campus and its the seat of state government, such as it is.

Assuming its economy continues running hot, Austins population will overtake San Antonios in the near future.

A Nov. 27 headline in the New York Times neatly sums up the price the city is paying for its surge: How Austin Became One of the Least Affordable Cities in America. The story notes that Austins median home price in October was $536,000, up from $441,250 the year before.

San Antonios median home price a month and a half ago: a record-breaking $305,400. Hence Austinites interest in our gritty city. Theyre being squeezed out by sky-high housing costs.

The Texas Triangles other metro areas should take note.

In their report, Dallas Fed economists raised the question of whether Texas cost advantage over states such as California and New York can be maintained as more people move in.

Timely expansion of affordable housing could certainly help relieve those price pressures, they said.

In other words, to build on its recent gains and insure its long-term success, Texas will have to do what Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, the Bay Area, Seattle and New York have failed to do.

greg.jefferson@express-news.net


Ljubljana Joze Pucnik has said it is willing to resume discussions with low cost carrier Ryanair, confirming that talks have taken place between the two sides in the past. It comes as the budget airline continues to expand out of nearby Zagreb Airport, from which it will introduce its 24th route today. Speaking to the Finance daily, the General Manager of operator Fraport Slovenija, Babett Stapel, said, We have already held talks [with Ryanair] and we are ready to continue them. We welcome all airlines that fit into our business model. Slovenia is the only European Union-member state from which Ryanair does not operate any flights. Ljubljana Joze Pucnik has said it is willing to resume discussions with low cost carrier Ryanair, confirming that talks have taken place between the two sides in the past. It comes as the budget airline continues to expand out of nearby Zagreb Airport, from which it will introduce its 24th route today. Speaking to the Finance daily, the General Manager of operator Fraport Slovenija, Babett Stapel, said, We have already held talks [with Ryanair] and we are ready to continue them. We welcome all airlines that fit into our business model. Slovenia is the only European Union-member state from which Ryanair does not operate any flights.





However, Ms Stapel said the airport is satisfied with its existing LCC customers, which include easyJet, Transavia and Wizz Air. Ljubljana has low cost carriers as well as hybrids, and our strategy is to be committed to the partners we have, because we believe that our partnerships are solid. These airlines proved themselves as they stood by our side even in times of crisis, Ms Stapel said. Wizz Air restored operations between London Luton and Ljubljana this week after more than two years, with the service having been discontinued prior to the pandemic. On the other hand, Wizz will temporarily suspend operations on its other Ljubljana route, to Charleroi, as part of a wide-scale network shake-up resulting from reduced demand in light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. At this point, services are scheduled to resume on March 11.





Ryanair has considered launching flights to Ljubljana on several occasions over the past decade. In 2011 Ljubljana Airport proposed for Ryanair to operate services out of Dusseldorf, Madrid, Oslo and London to the Slovenian capital, however, the deal never materialised. The budget airline briefly maintained flights between London Stansted and Maribor in 2007 and 2008. Despite solid loads, the route was terminated after Ryanair hiked fees for a joint advertising program, which was turned down by local authorities. In 2013, Ryanair requested for the European Commission to act swiftly and conclude its investigation into whether Adria Airways received state aid and benefits from the Slovenian government to the tune of up to 85.5 million euros from 2007 to 2011, contrary to European Union competition laws. The Commission subsequently ruled in favour of Adria. Three years later, in 2016, Ryanairs David O'Brien said the Slovenian governments privatisation of Ljubljana Airport to monopolist Fraport was a disaster. This summer, Ryanair applied for slots from London Stansted Airport to maintain flights to the Slovenian capital. Although the airline was granted its request, it never launched services to Ljubljana.








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Cristina Rosetti, Claremont McKenna College

(THE CONVERSATION) From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon church or LDS church, followed government guidelines to protect members of their religious community. On March 25, 2020, the church closed its temples and encouraged members to wear masks. Leaders praised vaccination, which church President Russell M. Nelson, a retired surgeon, called a literal godsend. He and other senior members received vaccinations, calling on church members to follow their example.

Fundamentalist branches of Mormonism, however  groups who began separating from the LDS church after it ended the institutionally sanctioned practice of polygamy in 1904  took a different route. Many fundamentalists have refused to take the vaccine and have sought alternative therapies, including the controversial use of Ivermectin, a drug commonly prescribed to treat intestinal parasites.

Nationwide, about 30% of Americans have not received any vaccine dose against COVID-19. Many express skepticism about government intervention in their families health, opinions that are sometimes rooted in misinformation or conspiracy theories.

Wariness toward government and medical authorities can run especially deep in isolated or marginalized communities. As a scholar of Mormon fundamentalism, Ive seen how, for fundamentalists, such fears are rooted in distrust. From the founding of the LDS church in 1830, its members often faced discrimination and persecution, but conflict decreased significantly after the end of institutionally sanctioned polygamous marriages. Fundamentalist groups, on the other hand, still view the government with suspicion. Many continue polygamy, and fear of being reported to law enforcement keeps them from accessing resources like health care.

Cautious care

Joseph Smith, the founder of the LDS church, taught that God has a body and that peoples own bodies are sacred gifts to help them reach eternity.

Given the religious importance of human bodies, his followers believed they required great care  and many 19th-century church members were suspicious of medical authorities, amid rising anti-Mormon sentiment. During the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848, for example, George B. Sanderson was appointed medical officer for the Mormon Battalion, a unit recruited from the Utah Territory. He frequently prescribed mercury chloride and arsenic, which were standard treatments at the time, but caused contention among the troops. Distrustful soldiers questioned whether he was poisoning them and remembered him as Dr. Death.

Early LDS leaders warned against poisonous medicines. Brigham Young, the churchs second president, counseled his community in alternative therapies to keep them away from medical professionals they did not trust.

An often-quoted adage  popularly attributed to Young  is that Latter-day Saints should have knowledge of several herbs to withstand the scourges of the last days. Comfrey in particular became a catch-all treatment and remains a staple in fundamentalist homes wary of medical professionals.

After the turn of the 20th century, when the LDS church began supporting legal prosecution of polygamy and excommunicating members who practiced it, fundamentalist groups became even more isolated and continued to rely on home remedies. During the Cold War, former members of one group recall, their late leader instructed followers that a bitter concoction called green drink could preserve the bodies of the most righteous from nuclear fallout.

Changes ahead?

In my own research within these fundamentalist communities, Ive seen the use of comfrey firsthand  and even had it prescribed to me for colds.

In 2018, I was doing fieldwork in a rural polygamous community in Nevada during a whooping cough outbreak. Many members deemed vaccines dangerous and were reluctant to enter hospitals for fear of being reported to authorities. At the instruction of their leader, an alternative health practitioner who was esteemed as a prophet, women took to their kitchens and prepared a bitter drink called anti-plague, a dark brown liquid made primarily of comfrey.

Today, medical professionals and government agencies warn against consuming comfrey because of potential liver damage. Yet many fundamentalist families deem government interference more risky than the herb.

[Science, politics, religion or just plain interesting articles: Check out The Conversations weekly newsletters.]

When people from polygamous communities explain the barriers they face because of their chosen lifestyle, access to medical care for their children is a central concern. This became a central point of debate during the legislative hearings for SB102, a bill signed into law in 2020 that effectively decriminalized polygamy in Utah after years of debate. The new law lowers polygamy to an infraction, rather than a felony, unless connected to other crimes such as abuse.

Since the bill passed there has been significant growth in the number of families seeking community and government resources. In 2019, for example, one nonprofit working with polygamist families reported that 800 victims of crime received assistance, including mental health services and legal support. By the end of 2020, that number had increased to 1,098.

Researchers will be watching closely to see how decriminalization affects fundamentalist communities health.

The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. The Conversation is wholly responsible for the content.
More than 80 percent of Connecticut school districts have adopted a state policy allowing unvaccinated children who have come in close contact with someone with COVID to remain in class, as long as they remain symptom-free, according to the results of a state survey.

The initiative, known as Screen and Stay, was rolled out last month, with districts given the option to participate. State officials have billed it as a way to prevent students needing to quarantine following a potential COVID-19 exposure.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday endorsed a similar policy, which allows students exposed to the virus to test to stay in the classroom. The policy outlined by the CDC involves testing children repeatedly after an exposure to ensure they have not been infected.

The agency said it based its new recommendations on studies in the U.K., Illinois and California that all showed schools that followed test-to-stay protocols had low infection rates when layered with other strategies meant to curb transmission of the virus.

After schools reopened in fall 2020, quarantine rules sometimes meant classes or even entire schools had to go remote over potential exposure  often because there were not enough staff to safely monitor students in-person.

Screen and Stay is one of the critical tools in our toolbox to keep schools open, and most importantly, keep our students in school, Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement Friday.

Under the policy, unvaccinated students may remain in-person at school following a COVID-19 exposure under a narrow set of circumstances. The exposure has to have been during school, on a bus or outside during school supervision. Exposures that occur during school sports, social interactions outside of school or at home do not qualify. The option also doesnt apply if masks are not worn or students were not following social distancing rules when the exposure occurred.

School districts were surveyed about their participation in the program, with their responses collected between Nov. 18 and Dec. 6, Lamonts office said.

The results of the survey, conducted across all 199 public school districts, showed 162 have implemented a Screen and Stay policy. In 154 of those districts, the policy has been implemented in each of its schools. The state Department of Education estimated around 7,000 students statewide have participated in Screen and Stay.

Twenty-eight districts have not opted-in to Screen and Stay, while nine remain undecided, according to the survey.

Among the challenges that were reported by school officials in the survey were explaining why the policy is allowed while all other mitigation strategies are still being followed, unlike the rest of society, the departments report on the survey results states. School officials in the state have been besieged at some meetings by parents calling for an end to mask mandates in schools.

Other schools cited the additional work of record keeping required by Screen and Stay, explaining to parents the rule only applies in narrow circumstances, and determining whether staff and students were properly wearing their masks when the exposure occurred.

The results of the survey come as school districts have seen a steady increase in COVID-19 cases among students and staff since the beginning of November.

A total of 2,483 new cases were identified in students in the seven-day period ending Wednesday, according to state data. Staff cases were down slightly at 400 in the same period compared with 444 the week prior, but still showed a four-fold increase over where weekly case numbers were in late October, the state data shows.

Those cases mirror the rest of the state, where infections have been surging. On Friday, the state recorded 1,443 new infections, with a daily positivity rate of 6.78 percent out of 21,269 tests. There were 26 more hospitalizations, increasing the statewide total to 736. Deaths, a lagging indicator, rose above 9,000 on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Lamont also acknowledged the risk of infections rising again this year after families gather for the holidays.

Look, if youre with people you know, you know that theyre vaccinated, relax and have fun with your family and friends, Lamont said. If youre with a big group you dont know them quite as well, be careful probably wear a mask if youre indoors.

But despite surging infections, the governor again stated he has no plans to reinstate an indoor mask mandate. New York announced a rule last week requiring masks to be worn indoors in all businesses and public venues that do not require proof of vaccination.

I think if you saw the hospitals being overwhelmed, and we were in a crisis situation, I think youd have to rethink, but right now with 95 percent of our eligible population having at least one shot, no plans for that, Lamont said Friday.

Id like to think the infection rate is stabilizing, but I keep watching the hospitalizations, he added. Remember hospitalizations are half what they were a year ago, and a third of what they were a year and a half ago, so we think good progress and keeping people out of the hospital and safe, thats the most important metric.

Amid the surge, the state is also administering more vaccines each week now than it has at any point since the early summer. In the most recent week of data, more than 157,000 doses of vaccines  the most since May  were administered in Connecticut.

Among those are children between the ages of 5 and 11 who have been eligible since the beginning of November. Some 82,000 children  about 30 percent of those in this age group  have received at least one dose of a vaccine, state data released this week shows. About 50,000, or just under 18 percent, are now fully vaccinated.

But the states data suggests vaccinations among younger children are mostly occurring in suburban communities. In the towns of Westport, New Canaan and Woodbridge, more than half of children in this age bracket have received at least one dose of a vaccine, state data shows. Meanwhile, the cities of Bridgeport, Waterbury and Hartford report less than 12 percent of children in that age group have started vaccination.

That trend is broadly similar to how vaccines rolled out to other age groups throughout the year. Statewide, a little under 86 percent of Connecticut residents have received at least one dose of vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the states data by town shows rural communities in the east are lagging behind the rest of Connecticut in vaccination rates, along with some major cities.

Lamont said the state is making a big effort to convince parents of the importance of getting their children vaccinated, using trusted advocates  particularly in disadvantaged communities.

But he acknowledged some of the challenges posed by vaccinated the states younger children.

These are 6-year-old kids, so a lot of them didnt want to be the very first in the class to get the vaccination, he said Friday. But now its a couple of months later youll find a lot of your classmates have gotten vaccinated and they feel a lot safer for it, so I think this will begin to solve itself over the next month or two.

Staff writer Abigail Brone contributed to this story.
HELENA, Mont. (AP)  Federal wildlife officials say two species of rare insects in the Rocky Mountains will need several thousand acres of glaciers and snowfields if they are to survive a warming world that's threatening them with extinction.

The western glacier stonefly and the meltwater lednian stonefly live in streams that flow from melting glaciers and snowfields. Scientists say the insects are not doing well and face continued declines as they lose a projected 80% of their habitat in Glacier National Park by 2030.

The stoneflies peril underscores the threat climate change poses worldwide to mountaintops that are biodiversity hotspots  home to a rich variety of plants, animals and insects that scientists are still learning about.

The two species live in and around Glacier National Park in Montana, Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada, and Native American tribal lands in western Montana. More recently, they've been found in streams in Wyomings Grand Teton National Park and the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in Montana and Wyoming.

They are mostly found in steep, remote areas that are hard to reach and away from backcountry trails.

A new draft recovery plan from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service suggests the possible transplant of some of the insects to new areas, exploring ways to artificially propagate populations and research into the stoneflies' heat tolerance.

Researchers have said its uncertain what other direct steps could preserve the insects, which are mostly found in national parks that already have strong regulations in place to protect wildlife. That reflects the difficulty of dealing with climate change at the local level.

The wildlife service listed them as a threatened species in 2019 after being sued by environmentalists to act. To be safe from continued decline, the agency says the two species each need at least 3,087 acres (1,250 hectares) of glaciers and snowfields. That's about how much meltwater habitat the insects had in northwestern Montana in 2005, but much has since been lost.

Public comments on the recovery plan are due by Feb. 14, Montana Public Radio reported.

Climate change is directly driving the loss of glaciers in parts of the Rockies. Glacier National Park early last century had 150 glaciers larger than 25 acres (10 hectares). Only 25 glaciers of that size remain.
FRIDAY, Dec. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- In an effort to further lower lead levels in drinking water, the Biden administration on Thursday announced $2.9 billion in infrastructure bill funds for lead pipe removal and tighter lead limits.

The new, tougher limits to be imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are expected to be finalized by 2024 and would require the replacement of remaining lead drinking water pipes as quickly as possible, the White House said in a statement announcing the new plan.

"Over the past year, I have visited with and heard from communities in Chicago, Flint, Jackson, and many other areas that are impacted by lead in drinking water," EPA administrator Michael Regan said in an agency statement. "These conversations have underscored the need to proactively remove lead service lines, especially in low-income communities. The science on lead is settled  there is no safe level of exposure and it is time to remove this risk to support thriving people and vibrant communities."

In remarks made at the AFL-CIO's Washington, D.C., headquarters on Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged the goal is lofty.

"The challenge that we face is, without any question, great. Lead is built into our cities. It is laid under our roads and it is installed in our homes," Harris said.

Environmental advocates had mixed reactions to the 10-year plan.

"The top priority must be to require removal of all lead pipes within the decade and to set a strict at-the-tap standard, which is the only way to prevent another generation of kids from drinking water through what is essentially a lead straw," Erik Olson, senior strategic director of health at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told the Associated Press. "Good intentions won't be enough to get the job done."

John Rumpler, senior attorney with Environment America, told the AP that the plans are "long overdue and an indispensable step toward securing safe water." He also said the EPA should set a 10-year deadline to replace lead service lines, as New Jersey did in July.

The Trump-era rule said public water systems should replace 3% of their lead service lines each year if lead levels exceed 15 parts per billion. That rate is lower than the previous 7% requirement, but Trump administration officials said at the time that the rule eliminated loopholes that allowed water systems to avoid removing pipes and would actually make the replacement process faster.

The federal government estimates that as many as 10 million homes nationwide get water through lead service lines, which connect buildings to the water main. Lead from the pipes can get into the water.

Ingestion of lead can cause severe developmental and neurological problems, especially in children, the AP reported.

More information

Visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for more on lead in drinking water.

SOURCE: Associated Press
Exports of UK food have continued to see a significant and persistent drop, new figures show, largely due to new barriers of trade with the EU and the pandemic.

Exports of food and drink are down 2.7bn (-15.9%) in the first three quarters of 2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels, Food and Drink Federation (FDF) figures show.

This substantial drop is largely due to a decline in sales to the European Union, accounting for a 2.4 billion (-23.7%) loss.

Exports to core markets including Germany (-44.5%), Italy (-43.3%) and Spain (-50.6%) have been particularly badly hit since 2019.

Elsewhere, UK exports to Ireland  the food sector's biggest overseas market  are down more than a quarter since 2019, a loss of nearly 0.75bn in sales.

Major products, including beef (-18.4%), cheese (-13.2%) and pork (-5.7%) have continued to decline, with the exception of soft drinks which grew 11% from 2020.

More positive news can be seen in non-EU markets, with exports up 11%, driven by a return to strong growth in China (+22.1%), Taiwan (+21.8%), the UAE (+18.3%), Japan (+10.6%) and Singapore (+5.4%).

Imports have been badly impacted since 2019, with sales from the EU down nearly 11% in the nine months to September compared to pre-Covid levels.

This was a fall of more than 2.5bn. Imports from the Netherlands (-19%), Ireland (-20.1%) and Germany (-33.1%) were most severely hit over the last two years.

With the UK due to implement its delayed import controls on products arriving from the EU in 2022, the FDF warns it will further impact the cost and availability of supplies of food from the EU, including essential ingredients and raw materials required by UK manufacturers.

Dominic Goudie, head of international trade at the FDF said: It is extremely disappointing to see how badly our trade with the EU has been affected, with our smallest exporters hardest hit.

"It is essential that the government works constructively with the EU to improve the implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to ensure that it works for small businesses, otherwise this downturn will be here to stay."

John Whitehead, Food & Drink Exporters Association (FDEA), said it was 'encouraging' to see meat sales increase to Asian countries, where there is a big demand for pork.

Our In Market Associates in both ASEAN and GCC markets report that there is also strong demand for added value products from the UK."

However, he said small firms were struggling: "It is the SME producers of value-added products hit hard by both Brexit and the pandemic who continue to need support to take advantage of these opportunities.
The Welsh government's bovine TB eradication strategy is not stemming the disease, Senedd Conservatives have warned, as new data shows an increase in infections and slaughtered cattle.

In the 12 months to September 2021, there were 664 new herd incidents reported in Wales, an 8% increase on the previous year, when there were 617 new incidents.

The Welsh government's figures also show that 10,551 cattle were slaughtered due to bTB control, a 4% rise on the previous 12 months, when 10,124 cattle were slaughtered.

It comes after the Welsh government last month unveiled a 12-week consultation on a new disease eradication strategy for Wales.

It includes new plans for the TB testing programme to help reduce the risk of the disease's spread, such as testing protocols in relation to the pre-movement test.

Proposals also look at informed purchasing and its aim to encourage farmers to provide TB information about cattle they wish to sell and for keepers to make wise purchasing decisions.

The Welsh government is also seeking to change payments for cattle slaughtered as a result of TB, by introducing table valuations instead of individual valuations.

But the Senedd Conservatives said the strategy was a 'rehash' of previous plans, which instead needed to 'beef up' to deliver quicker results for farmers and livestock.

Welsh Conservatives are calling for a new bovine TB testing regime to be put in place, and for this to be paired with the expansion of the existing compensation scheme.

Shadow Rural Affairs Minister, Samuel Kurtz said that with over 10,000 cattle a year slaughtered, the new figures provided 'little comfort' to farmers.

He slammed the Welsh government for 'persistently failing' to tackle the disease. It is little wonder then that hundreds of thousands of cattle have been slaughtered.

"Wildlife continue to suffer from this horrific disease and farmers deal with the mental anguish from Welsh government policy failures.

We know that a bovine TB vaccine for cattle is still at least half a decade away, so accurate testing is the key to tackling the spread."
The huge surge in fertiliser prices has made business planning and nutrient management a 'financial nightmare' for farmers and growers, NFU Scotland has warned.

Nitrogen fertiliser has rapidly increased in price, from just over 200 per tonne in spring to around 700 per tonne by the end of autumn.

Phosphate and potash prices have also increased by over 70 percent over the same period.

Grain prices have also been rising, but not to the same extent, leaving farmers questioning how fertiliser and other input cost increases can be managed and absorbed.

NFU Scotland warned that the cost implications of recent fertiliser price increases would affect almost every farming business.

The union has been signposting farmers to online planning tools and encouraging industry bodies like AHDB and Scotlands Farm Advisory Service to direct resources towards the issue to help support the industry.

With reduced European fertiliser production and increased global demand, there are predictions of a lasting shortfall across Europe.

For the fertiliser price to fall, there needs to be changes in energy costs, trade policies of fertiliser producing countries, and global crop demand.

At this early stage, NFU Scotland predicted that the impacts of a shortage would be most acute in early spring 2022.

The union's vice president, Andrew Connon said: Fertiliser must be viewed by politicians as a vital component in ensuring food supplies rather than simply a by-product of carbon dioxide production.

For those growing combinable crops, potatoes, fruit and veg, decisions will be made as to whether to maintain previous acreages."

The livestock sector is also seriously affected by the rise. "Across all sectors a substantial rise in working capital is needed and restricted credit terms from suppliers will create pressures on cash flow."

Mr Connon said it was difficult to predict when prices would fall, with Covid still causing market jitters, Brexit uncertainty ongoing, and global demand for fertiliser higher than ever.

"With the UK, as a small player in the global fertiliser market, we are exposed to these severe price hikes," he explained.

"It is equally difficult to predict whether current grain price rises will be able to cover these higher fertiliser costs as this depends on harvests around the world."

In response to the situation, NFU Scotland said farmers needed to get the most out of nitrogen fertiliser, slurries and manures.

Adopting technologies that monitor crops and soils in real-time could also identify smarter ways of applying nitrogen to crops.

Getting fertiliser onto crops and grass in the right way, in the right conditions, and at the optimum time could increase fertiliser utilisation, potentially maintaining or producing higher yields from lower applications at a field scale.

This improvement in efficiency also benefits the environment, as nitrous oxide from fertiliser is the arable sectors biggest source of emissions.

Mr Connon said: We will continue to engage with stakeholders and use communications channels to signpost key information as we approach a very challenging spring.
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Steve Harvey hosted the Miss Universe pageant 2021 and has got himself into a pickle for a rather offensive ask on stage. He asked Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu to do a cat impression during the pageant in Israel and this has not gone down well with anyone.

On Sunday, while he asked other contestants about their accomplishments in life, Harnaaz was surprised when she was asked to do animal impressions by Steve. He questioned, " I hear you do some pretty good animal impersonations. Let's hear your best one."To respond to this odd question, Harnaaz laughed and said "Oh my god, Steve, I was not expecting to do this on the world stage." She then said, " I have to do this, I have no other option." She then did what was asked and meowed on the world stage impersonating a cat.

People became furious when they saw these clippings and expressed their anger on twitter. One user tweeted "What in the living hell was this about? While other contestants were asked about their accomplishments Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu was asked to do an animal impression and she meowed on stage. I want to know who wrote this question for her?". Others appreciated Harnaaz's witty response to the 'weird' question and congratulated her for her sporting spirit.

Harnaaz Sandhu represented India and won the Miss Universe pageant after 21 years, bringing back the same glory and appreciation that was once won by actors Sushmita Sen and Lara Dutta.




VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 16, 2021 / GoPublic.AI Acquisitions Corp. (the "Company") and Forrest Innovations Ltd. ("Forrest") are pleased to announce that they have closed the previously announced brokered private placement of subscription receipts of the Company (each, a "Subscription Receipt"), with Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. (the "Agent") acting as sole agent and bookrunner, for the sale of 2,704,423 Subscription Receipts at a price of $1.00 per Subscription Receipt (the "Offering Price") for gross proceeds of $2,704,423 (the "Brokered Offering").

The gross proceeds of the Brokered Offering (less 50% of the Agent's cash commission, being 8%, and all of the Agents' expenses incurred up to the closing date) will be held in escrow and, upon the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions (the "Escrow Release Conditions"), including all conditions to the closing of the Transaction (defined below) and the receipt for the final Prospectus (defined below), the escrowed funds will be released to the Company (less the escrowed portion of the Agent's cash commission and any additional expenses, which will be released to the Agent).

Each Subscription Receipt entitles the holder thereof to receive, without any further action on the part of the holder or payment of any additional consideration, one unit of the Company (each, a "Unit"), subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the Escrow Release Conditions (as defined herein) on the date that is 120 days following the final closing of the Brokered Offering (or such other date as may be agreed to by the Company and the Agent), and provided that the Transaction has not otherwise been terminated.

Each Unit to be issued on conversion of the Subscription Receipts shall consist of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of $1.50 at any time prior to the second anniversary of the date of issuance subject to acceleration of the expiry date as described below (the "Expiry Date"). If at any time following the first anniversary of the date of issuance of the Warrants, the ten-day volume-weighted average trading price of the Common Shares on the exchange on which the Common Shares may be listed is greater than $3.00, the Company may deliver a notice to the holders of Warrants accelerating the Expiry Date to a date that is not less than 30 days following the date of such notice.

In connection with the closing of the Brokered Offering, the Company also issued 208,980 compensation options (each, a "Compensation Warrant") to the Agent and certain selling group members. Each Compensation Option entitles the holder to purchase one Unit at the Offering Price for a period of 24 months from the date of the completion of the listing of the Company on a recognized Canadian securities exchange.

The Company is also currently completing a non-brokered offering of Subscription Receipts at the Offering Price for gross proceeds of up to $3,000,000 which is intended for existing shareholders of Forrest and certain prospective international subscribers.

The net proceeds of the Brokered Offering will be used to expand Forrest's natural vector control projects in Brazil, expand its operations in India, fund United States regulatory approval objectives, research and development in Israel, repayment of debt and for general working capital and other corporate purposes.

The Brokered Offering has taken place in connection with the Company's acquisition of Forrest, which is expected to be conducted by way of a securities exchange between the Company and the securityholders of Forrest, and which will result in the reverse takeover of the Company by Forrest (the "Transaction").

It is a condition of the proposed Transaction that the parties receive all required board, shareholder, third party, and regulatory approvals, and that the resulting issuer (the "Resulting Issuer") receives conditional approval to list its common shares on a recognized stock exchange based in Canada. In connection therewith, the Company expects to file a non-offering preliminary prospectus (the "Prospectus") with the British Columbia Securities Commission (the "BCSC") and a Listing Application (the "Listing Application") with a Canadian stock exchange, in accordance with the policies of the BCSC and the chosen exchange.

The Company is not a reporting issuer in any province or territory of Canada. As such, the Subscription Receipts will not be transferable under the laws of Canada, except pursuant to applicable statutory exemptions, until the date that is four months and a day after the date the Company becomes a reporting issuer in any province or territory of Canada (subject to any control person distribution restrictions) in accordance with National Instrument 45-102 - Resale of Securities. Subject to the rules of the relevant securities exchange and Canadian securities law requirements applicable to "control distributions", the Common Shares and Warrants issuable upon the exchange of the Subscription Receipts are expected to be qualified for distribution under the Prospectus and will be freely tradeable for Canadian holders pursuant to exemptions from the prospectus requirements of applicable Canadian securities laws.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities of the Company, Forrest or the Resulting Issuer in the United States. The securities of the Company, Forrest and the Resulting Issuer have not been and will not be registered under 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.

Contact Information

For further information, please contact:

GoPublic.AI Acquisition Corp.,

Nick Findler, Director, (778) 952-0418

For more information on Forrest, please visit https://www.forrestinnovations.com/.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, all required board, shareholder, third party, and regulatory approvals, and that the Resulting Issuer receives conditional approval to list its common shares on a recognized stock exchange based in Canada. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon.

All information contained in this news release with respect to Forrest and the Company was supplied by the parties, respectively, for inclusion herein.

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the timing and completion of the Transaction, the future operations of Forrest, the Company, and the Resulting Issuer, the completion of the non-brokered offering, the use of proceeds of the Offering and the filing of the Prospectus and the Listing Application, the satisfaction of the Escrow Release Conditions 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 Transaction, the Brokered Offering and the future plans and objectives of Forrest, the Company, and the Resulting Issuer are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Forrest's, the Company's, and the Resulting Issuer's expectations include the failure to satisfy the conditions to completion of the Transaction set forth above and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by Forrest, the Company, and the Resulting Issuer with securities regulations.

The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Forrest, the Company, and the Resulting Issuer. As a result, Forrest, the Company, and the Resulting Issuer cannot guarantee that the Transaction will be completed on the terms and within the time disclosed herein or at all. 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 each of Forrest, the Company, and the Resulting Issuer disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any of the forward-looking statements herein to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise except as expressly required by Canadian securities law.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAW.

SOURCE: GoPublic.AI Acquisitions Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/678213/GoPublicAI-Acquisition-Corp-and-Forrest-Innovations-Ltd-Announce-Closing-of-CAD27-Million-Brokered-Private-Placement-led-by-Echelon-Wealth-Partners
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 16, 2021) - High Fusion Inc. (CSE: FUZN) ("High Fusion" or the "Company") announces today that it has made an application to the Ontario Securities Commission to approve a temporary management cease trade order ("MCTO") under National Policy 12-203 - Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203"), which, if granted, will prohibit trading in securities of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and certain other insiders of the Company, whether direct or indirect, so long as the 2022 Filings (as defined below) remain outstanding. The issuance of an MCTO would generally not affect the ability of persons who are not, or who have not been, directors, officers or other insiders of the Company to trade in the Company's securities.

The Company has determined that it is not able to meet the December 30, 2021 filing deadline (the "Filing Deadline") for its interim financial statements for the three months ended October 31, 2021, the management's discussion and analysis and the related CEO and CFO certification relating to the such financial statements (collectively, the "2022 Filings"). Although the preparation of the financial statements is progressing, the Company anticipates some delays in finalizing the 2022 Filings, such that the Company is not able to meet the Filing Deadline.

Although the Company remains confident in its ability to complete the 2022 Filings, it requires an extension and has therefore applied for an MCTO. In particular, the Company is preparing a realistic timetable with specific tasks to be completed on a daily basis. The Company will use its best efforts to complete the process within this timeline. The Company anticipates that, subject to current conditions remaining the same, it will require approximately three additional weeks to complete the process of preparing the 2022 Filings and in any event will use its best efforts to complete the process within the next two months.

The Company intends to satisfy the provisions of the alternative information guidelines set out in Sections 9 and 10 of NP 12-203 so long as the 2022 Filings are outstanding.

About High Fusion Inc.

High Fusion Inc. (formerly Nutritional High International Inc.) is focused on developing and manufacturing branded products in the cannabis industry with a specific focus on flower, pro-rolls, vapes, edibles and oil extracts for medical and adult recreational use. The Company operates and controls licenses in California, Colorado and Oregon.

High Fusion has manufacturing, retail and grow operations in California through its acquisition of the business of OutCo and owns and operates oil extraction and edible manufacturing facilities in Colorado and Oregon. The Company's brand portfolio includes its award winning FLI edibles and vape product, along with a number of new brands including Red Octopus and Dubbi Brothers in addition to the OutCo and Thrive brands recently acquired.

Neural Therapeutics Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of High Fusion focused on ethnobotanical drug-discovery and development company. Neural Therapeutics is focused on developing products and conducting research on the psychoactive cacti plants with the primary objective to find where the historical use in traditional medicine has proven to be effective and capitalize on the opportunities that can be applied in modern medical and natural health product markets.

For updates on the Company's activities and highlights of the Company's press releases and other media coverage, please visit www.high-fusion.com.

For further information, please contact:

High Fusion Inc.

Robert Wilson, Chief Financial Officer

416-666-4005

Email: rwilson@nutritionalhigh.com

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR OTC MARKETS GROUP INC., NOR THEIR REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDERS HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Risks that may have an impact on the ability for these events to be achieved include completion of the 2022 Filings. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be correct. We assume no responsibility to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.

The Company's securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. Persons", as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking information expressed in this press release include, but are not limited to: obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals including acquiring and renewing U.S. state, local or other licenses, 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, market and general economic conditions of the cannabis sector or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/107875
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 16, 2021) - Further to its news release dated December 1, 2021, Angold Resources Ltd. (TSXV: AAU) (FSE: 13L) (OTCQB: AAUGF) ("Angold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce closing of a non-brokered private placement of 22,727,273 units (each, a "Unit") for gross proceeds of $2,500,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant ("Warrant"), each of which is exercisable at a price of $0.165 until December 16, 2024.

Angold's CEO, Mr. Adrian Rothwell, stated: "With great interest in this placement, we are very grateful for the continued support of our shareholders. We look forward to kicking off exploration drilling at the Company's Iron Butte, Nevada, project and advancing our portfolio in 2022."

Net proceeds from the Offering will be used to advance the Company's projects as well as for general working capital purposes. In connection with the Offering, the Company paid total finders fees of $26,348 and issued 366,900 Units to certain arms-length third-parties who assisted in introducing subscribers to the Offering. All securities issued in connection with the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period until April 17, 2022, in accordance with applicable securities laws.

The Offering included participation by directors and officers of the Company in the aggregate amount of 2,081,819 Units. Their participation constitutes "related party transactions" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The issuances are exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as they were a distribution of securities for cash and the fair market value of the Units issued to and the aggregate consideration paid by the directors and officers did not exceed 25 percent of the Company's market capitalization.

The Company did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing of the Offering because the details of the participation therein by the related parties of the Company were not settled until shortly prior to the closing of the Offering and the Company wished to close on an expedited basis for business reasons.

About Angold

Angold is an exploration and development company targeting large-scale mineral systems in the proven districts of the Maricunga, Nevada and Ontario. Angold owns a 100% interest in the Dorado, Cordillera and South Bay-Uchi projects, and certain claims that append the optioned Iron Butte project.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF ANGOLD RESOURCES LTD.

"Adrian Rothwell"

Chief Executive Officer

Further information on Angold can be found on the Company's website at www.angoldresources.com and at www.sedar.com, or by contacting the Company by email at investors@angoldresources.com or by telephone at (855) 917 4091.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualifications under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance and includes expectations of the intended use of proceeds from the Offering. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements and information are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "appear", "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "approximate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe", "would" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, timelines and information contained in this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/107887
NEW BRUNSWICK (dpa-AFX) - U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC recommends that people take the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna instead of Johnson & Johnson's single-shot COVID-19 vaccine due to a rare blood clotting disorder. The CDC is endorsing updated recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for the prevention of COVID-19, expressing a clinical preference for individuals to receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine over Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC noted that the ACIP's recommendation followed a discussion of the latest evidence on vaccine effectiveness, vaccine safety and rare adverse events, and consideration of the U.S. vaccine supply. The updated CDC recommendation follows similar recommendations from other countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom. The ACIP reaffirmed that receiving any vaccine is better than being unvaccinated. Individuals who are unable or unwilling to receive an mRNA vaccine will continue to have access to Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC said in a statement. The U.S. FDA in mid-April temporarily halted the usage of Johnson & Johnson's single-shot COVID-19 vaccine after some recipients developed a rare blood clotting disorder following the administration of doses. Women aged between 18 and 48 are most affected by the blood clotting issue. 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.




CEO Ian Crosbie to participate in a panel discussion on

"MedTech and digital tools: What is the Mindset for 2022?"

Ghent, Belgium- 17 December2021- Sequana Medical NV (Euronext Brussels: SEQUA, the "Company" or "Sequana Medical"), an innovator in the treatment of diuretic-resistant fluid overload in liver disease, malignant ascites and heart failure, today announces that it will attend the following upcoming virtual investor conferences:

11th (https://www.meetmax.com/sched/event_78427/invitee_login.html) Annual LifeSci Partners Corporate Access Event (https://www.meetmax.com/sched/event_78427/invitee_login.html), 5-7 January 2022

H.C. Wainwright BIOCONNECT Virtual Conference (https://hcwevents.com/bioconnect/toggle-id-1), 10-13 January 2022

11th Annual LifeSci Partners Corporate Access Event, 5-7 January 2022, virtual

Ian Crosbie, CEO of Sequana Medical, will participate in a panel discussion on "MedTech / Digital Tools: What is the Mindset for 2022?" on Wednesday, January 5th at 02:00 pm ET / 08:00 pm CET.

Please register for the event and confirm your interest in meeting with Sequana Medical management here.

The LifeSci Partners Corporate Access Event will feature innovative publicly traded and privately held biotechnology, medical technology, pharmaceutical, life sciences, and digital health companies from across the globe. The event will include meetings with company senior management teams and panel discussions featuring KOLs, CEOs, specialized investors, and healthcare experts, highlighting the most relevant topics impacting today's life sciences industry.

H.C. Wainwright BIOCONNECT Virtual Conference, 10-13 January 2022

Sequana Medical's pre-recorded presentation will be available on-demand on the event platform during the entire conference from 10 to 13 January 2022.

For more information about the event and registration, please click here.

For more information, please contact:

Sequana Medical

Lies Vanneste

Director Investor Relations

Tel: +32 498 05 35 79

Email: IR@sequanamedical.com

LifeSci Advisors

Guillaume van Renterghem

Tel: +41 76 735 01 31

Email: gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com

About Sequana Medical

Sequana Medical is a commercial stage medical device company utilizing its proprietary alfapump and DSR (Direct Sodium Removal) technologies to develop innovative treatments for fluid overload in liver disease, malignant ascites and heart failure where diuretics are no longer effective. Fluid overload is a frequent complication of many large diseases - including advanced liver disease driven by NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis)-related cirrhosis and heart failure - with diuretic resistance being widespread. The U.S. market for the alfapump resulting from NASH-related cirrhosis is forecast to exceed 3 billion annually within the next 10-20 years. The heart failure market for DSR and the alfapump DSR is estimated to be over 5 billion annually in the U.S. and EU5 by 2026.

The alfapump is Sequana Medical's unique, fully implanted wireless device that automatically pumps fluid from the abdominal cavity into the bladder, where it is naturally eliminated through urination. DSR is Sequana Medical's proprietary approach to managing sodium and fluid overload through use of a sodium-free infusate administered into the abdominal cavity.

In the U.S., the Company's key growth market, the alfapump has been granted breakthrough device designation by the FDA for recurrent or refractory ascites due to liver cirrhosis. Interim data from the ongoing North American pivotal study (POSEIDON) showed positive outcomes against all primary endpoints and a rapid and persistent clinically important improvement in quality of life. All patients have been enrolled in the study and primary endpoint reporting is planned for Q4 2022. This study is intended to support a future marketing application of the alfapump in the U.S. and Canada. In Europe, the alfapump is CE-marked for the management of refractory ascites due to liver cirrhosis and malignant ascites and is included in key clinical practice guidelines. Over 900 alfapump systems have been implanted to date.

Sequana Medical has combined its proven alfapump and proprietary DSR therapy, and is developing the alfapump DSR, a breakthrough approach to fluid overload due to heart failure. RED DESERT demonstrated that repeated DSR therapy in diuretic-resistant heart failure patients is able to not only manage the fluid and sodium balance of these patients but also improve their cardio-renal status and restore their diuretic response for months post-treatment. Interim results from the ongoing SAHARA DESERT study of alfapump DSR in decompensated heart failure patients indicated a safe, effective and rapid elimination of persistent congestion and restoration of euvolemia, together with a considerable benefit in cardio-renal status and a dramatic improvement in diuretic responsiveness. Reporting of top-line data is planned for H2 2022.

Sequana Medical is headquartered in Ghent, Belgium. For further information, please visit www.sequanamedical.com .

Important Regulatory Disclaimers

The alfapump system is not currently approved in the United States or Canada. In the United States and Canada, the alfapump system is currently under clinical investigation. The DSR therapy is still in development and it should be noted that any statements regarding safety and efficacy arise from ongoing pre-clinical and clinical investigations which have yet to be completed. The DSR therapy is not currently approved for clinical research in the United States or Canada. There is no link between the DSR therapy and ongoing investigations with the alfapump system in Europe, the United States or Canada.

Note:alfapump is a registered trademark. DSR and alfapump DSR are registered trademarks in the Benelux, China, the EU, United Kingdom, and Hong Kong.

Forward-looking statements

This press release may contain predictions, estimates or other information that might be considered forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements represent the current judgment of Sequana Medical on what the future holds, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Sequana Medical expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release, except if specifically required to do so by law or regulation. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of Sequana Medical only as of the date of this press release.

Attachments
EQS-Ad-hoc: Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. / Schlagwort(e): Firmenubernahme

COSMO PHARMACEUTICALS N.V. UND CASSIOPEA S.P.A. VEROFFENTLICHEN DIE ABWICKLUNG DES OFFENTLICHEN UMTAUSCHANGEBOTS FUR ALLE SICH IM PUBLIKUM BEFINDENDEN AKTIEN DER CASSIOPEA S.P.A.



17.12.2021 / 06:01 GMT/BST

Veroffentlichung einer Ad-hoc-Mitteilung gemass Art. 53 KR

Fur den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent / Herausgeber verantwortlich.



Ad-hoc-Mitteilung gemass Art. 53 LR Dublin, Irland und Lainate, Italien - 17. Dezember 2021 - Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. (SIX: COPN) ("Cosmo") und Cassiopea S.p.A. (SIX: SKIN) ("Cassiopea") gaben heute die Abwicklung des offentlichen Umtauschangebots von Cosmo gemass Artikel 125 ff. des Bundesgesetzes uber die Finanzmarktinfrastruktur und das Marktverhalten im Effekten- und Derivatehandel vom 19. Juni 2015 fur alle sich im Publikum befindenden Namenaktien von Cassiopea ("Angebot") bekannt. Die Abwicklung und Lieferung der im Rahmen des Angebots ausgegebenen 2'506'039 neuen Cosmo-Aktien wird heute erfolgen, die Kotierung und der erste Handelstag werden voraussichtlich am 20. Dezember 2021 stattfinden. Cosmo halt damit rund 96,5% der derzeit ausgegebenen Cassiopea-Aktien und wird die Dekotierung der Cassiopea-Aktien von der SIX Swiss Exchange veranlassen. Die Aktivitaten von Cassiopea werden in die neue Dermatologie-Division von Cosmo integriert. Die Auszahlung der Barabfindung fur die Bruchteilsaktien wird voraussichtlich am 23. Dezember 2021 erfolgen. About Cosmo Pharmaceuticals

Cosmo is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercialising products to treat selected gastrointestinal disorders and improve endoscopy quality measures through aiding the detection of colonic lesions. Cosmo has also developed medical devices for endoscopy and has a partnership with Medtronic for the global distribution of GI Genius its artificial intelligence device that uses artificial intelligence to help detect potential signs of colon cancer. Cosmo has licensed Aemcolo(R) to Red Hill Biopharma Ltd. for the US and has licensed Relafalk(R) to Dr. Falk Gmbh for the EU and other countries. For additional information on Cosmo and its products please visit the Company's website: www.cosmopharma.com About Cassiopea

Cassiopea is a specialty pharmaceutical company developing and preparing to commercialize prescription drugs with novel mechanisms of action (MOA) to address long-standing and essential dermatological conditions, particularly acne, androgenetic alopecia (or AGA) and genital warts. Cassiopea is investing in innovation that is driving scientific advancement in areas that have been largely ignored for decades. The portfolio comprises four unencumbered clinical candidates, for which Cassiopea owns the worldwide rights. The Company's strategy is to leverage this expertise to optimize the commercial potential for its products directly or with partners. For further information on Cassiopea, please visit www.cassiopea.com. Contact Niall Donnelly, CFO & Head of Investor Relations Diana Harbort, CEO & Head of Investor Relations Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. Cassiopea S.p.A. Tel: +353 1 817 03 70 Tel: +39 02 868 911 24, ndonnelly@cosmopharma.com dharbort@cassiopea.com Disclaimer This communication (the "Communication") has been prepared by Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. ('Cosmo" and together with its subsidiaries, "we", "us" or the "Group") solely for informational purposes and has not been independently verified and no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made or given by or on behalf of any of the Group. Cosmo reserves the right to amend or replace the Communication at any time, and undertakes no obligation to provide the recipients with access to any additional information. Cosmo shall not be obligated to update or correct the information set forth in the Communication or to provide any additional information. Nothing in this Presentation is, or should be relied upon as, a promise or representation as to the future. Certain statements in this Communication are forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial consequences of the plans and events described herein. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward looking statements as a result of various factors (including, but not limited to, future global economic conditions, changed market conditions, intense competition in the markets in which the Group operates, costs of compliance with applicable laws, regulations and standards, diverse political, legal, economic and other conditions affecting the Group's markets, and other factors beyond the control of the Group). Neither Cosmo nor any of its respective directors, officers, employees, advisors, or any other person is under any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak of the date of this Communication. Statements contained in this Communication regarding past trends or events should not be taken as a representation that such trends or events will continue in the future. This Communication does not constitute or form part of, and should not be construed as, an offer or invitation or inducement to subscribe for, underwrite or otherwise acquire, any securities of Cosmo, nor should it or any part of it form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract to purchase or subscribe for any securities of the Group, nor shall it or any part of it form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract or commitment whatsoever. This Communication constitutes neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation to buy securities of Cosmo and it does not constitute a prospectus or similar notice within the meaning of articles 35 et seqq. or 69 of the Swiss Financial Services Act or a prospectus pursuant to the laws of any other jurisdiction. This Communication may be considered to be marketing material. The offer [and listing] will be made solely by means of, and on the basis of, a prospectus which is to be published. An investment decision regarding the publicly offered securities of Cosmo should only be made on the basis of the prospectus. The prospectus is expected to be published on or around 4 October 2021 and will be available free of charge at https://www.cosmopharma.com/investors. United States of America The securities described in this Communication have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or under any law of any state of the United States of America, and may not be offered, sold, resold, or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into the U.S., except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Neither this document nor the exchange offer described herein constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the U.S. or in any other jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation would be unlawful. Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. will not register or make a public offer of its securities, or otherwise conduct any public tender offer, in the U.S. In the U.S., this document is being provided to "qualified institutional buyers" (as defined in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act) only on a confidential basis. Neither the United States Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission in the United States has approved or disapproved the Offering of the shares or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of the Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States. PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT SELLERS OF COSMO SHARES MAY BE RELYING ON THE EXEMPTION FROM THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 OF THE US SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144A. By tendering securities of Cassiopea S.p.A. into this offer, you will be deemed to represent that you (x) (a) are not a U.S. person, (b) are not acting for the account or benefit of any U.S. person, and (c) are not in or delivering the acceptance from, the United States or (y) you are a "qualified institutional buyer" as that term is used in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act. United Kingdom This Communication is directed only at persons in the U.K. who (i) 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 (the Order), (ii) are persons falling within article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.") of the Order or (iii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as Relevant Persons). This communication must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this communication relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons. Australia, Canada, Japan This Communication is not addressed to shareholders of Cassiopea S.p.A. whose place of residence, seat or habitual abode is in Australia, Canada or Japan, and such shareholders may not accept the offer. European Economic Area The offer set out in this Communication (the Offer) is only being made within the European Economic Area (EEA) pursuant to an exemption under Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended and together with any applicable adopting or amending measures in any relevant member state (as defined below), the Prospectus Regulation), as implemented in each member state of the EEA (each a relevant member state), from the requirement to publish a prospectus that has been approved by the competent authority in that relevant member state and published in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation as implemented in that relevant member state or, where appropriate, approved in another relevant member state and notified to the competent authority in that relevant member state, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation. Accordingly, in the EEA, the Offer and documents or other materials in relation to the Offer and the shares in Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. (the Offeror Shares) are only addressed to, and are only directed at, (i) qualified investors (qualified investors) in the relevant member state within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Regulation, as adopted in the relevant member state, and (ii) persons who hold, and will tender, the equivalent of at least EUR 100,000 worth of shares in Cassiopea S.p.A. (the Target Shares) in exchange for the receipt of Offeror Shares (collectively, permitted participants). This offer prospectus and the documents and other materials in relation to the Offer may not be acted or relied upon by persons in the EEA who are not permitted participants, and each Target shareholder seeking to participate in the Offer that is resident in the EEA will be deemed to have represented and agreed that it is a qualified investor or that it is tendering the equivalent of EUR 100,000 worth of Target Shares in exchange of Offeror Shares. Italy The offer set out in this Communication (the Offer) does not constitute a public offer nor a tender or exchange offer nor an advertisement of securities to the public in the Republic of Italy. Neither the Offer nor the COPN Shares have been registered with or cleared by the Commissione Nazionale per la Societa e la Borsa ("CONSOB") (the Italian securities exchange commission), pursuant to Italian securities legislation. Neither the CONSOB nor any other Italian public authority has examined, approved, cleared or registered this Prospectus or will examine, approve, clear or register this Offer. Accordingly, Italian residents cannot participate in the Offer nor may copies of this Communication or of any other document relating to the Offer be distributed or published in the Republic of Italy, either on primary and on secondary market. This Communication has not been prepared in accordance with the prospectus requirements nor the tender offer requirements provided for, or otherwise applicable in, Italy. Cosmo Pharmaceutical N.V. will not accept, directly or indirectly, any order relating to the Offer made in, or coming from, the Republic of Italy; any such order will be deemed null and void. General Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V.'s public tender and exchange offer for all publicly held shares of Cassiopea S.p.A. (the Offer) is not being made, directly or indirectly, in any country or jurisdiction in which such offer would be unlawful or otherwise violate any applicable law or regulation or which would require Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. to make any amendment to the terms or conditions of the Offer, to make any additional application to, or to take any additional action with respect to, any governmental, regulatory or legal authority. It is not intended to extend the Offer to any such country or jurisdiction. Documents relating to the Offer may not be distributed in, or sent to, any such country or jurisdiction. Such documents may not be used for the purpose of soliciting purchases of Cassiopea S.p.A. securities by any person or entity resident or incorporated in such country or jurisdiction. This Communication is not for distribution in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan or Italy. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in any jurisdiction in which is unlawful to do so.

Ende der Ad-hoc-Mitteilung
EQS-Ad-hoc: Cassiopea S.p.A. / Schlagwort(e): Firmenubernahme

COSMO PHARMACEUTICALS N.V. UND CASSIOPEA S.P.A. VEROFFENTLICHEN DIE ABWICKLUNG DES OFFENTLICHEN UMTAUSCHANGEBOTS FUR ALLE SICH IM PUBLIKUM BEFINDENDEN AKTIEN DER CASSIOPEA S.P.A.



17.12.2021 / 07:01 CET/CEST

Veroffentlichung einer Ad-hoc-Mitteilung gemass Art. 53 KR

Fur den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent / Herausgeber verantwortlich.



Ad-hoc-Mitteilung gemass Art. 53 LR Dublin, Irland und Lainate, Italien - 17. Dezember 2021 - Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. (SIX: COPN) ("Cosmo") und Cassiopea S.p.A. (SIX: SKIN) ("Cassiopea") gaben heute die Abwicklung des offentlichen Umtauschangebots von Cosmo gemass Artikel 125 ff. des Bundesgesetzes uber die Finanzmarktinfrastruktur und das Marktverhalten im Effekten- und Derivatehandel vom 19. Juni 2015 fur alle sich im Publikum befindenden Namenaktien von Cassiopea ("Angebot") bekannt. Die Abwicklung und Lieferung der im Rahmen des Angebots ausgegebenen 2'506'039 neuen Cosmo-Aktien wird heute erfolgen, die Kotierung und der erste Handelstag werden voraussichtlich am 20. Dezember 2021 stattfinden. Cosmo halt damit rund 96,5% der derzeit ausgegebenen Cassiopea-Aktien und wird die Dekotierung der Cassiopea-Aktien von der SIX Swiss Exchange veranlassen. Die Aktivitaten von Cassiopea werden in die neue Dermatologie-Division von Cosmo integriert. Die Auszahlung der Barabfindung fur die Bruchteilsaktien wird voraussichtlich am 23. Dezember 2021 erfolgen. About Cosmo Pharmaceuticals

Cosmo is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercialising products to treat selected gastrointestinal disorders and improve endoscopy quality measures through aiding the detection of colonic lesions. Cosmo has also developed medical devices for endoscopy and has a partnership with Medtronic for the global distribution of GI Genius its artificial intelligence device that uses artificial intelligence to help detect potential signs of colon cancer. Cosmo has licensed Aemcolo(R) to Red Hill Biopharma Ltd. for the US and has licensed Relafalk(R) to Dr. Falk Gmbh for the EU and other countries. For additional information on Cosmo and its products please visit the Company's website: www.cosmopharma.com About Cassiopea

Cassiopea is a specialty pharmaceutical company developing and preparing to commercialize prescription drugs with novel mechanisms of action (MOA) to address long-standing and essential dermatological conditions, particularly acne, androgenetic alopecia (or AGA) and genital warts. Cassiopea is investing in innovation that is driving scientific advancement in areas that have been largely ignored for decades. The portfolio comprises four unencumbered clinical candidates, for which Cassiopea owns the worldwide rights. The Company's strategy is to leverage this expertise to optimize the commercial potential for its products directly or with partners. For further information on Cassiopea, please visit www.cassiopea.com. Contact Niall Donnelly, CFO & Head of Investor Relations Diana Harbort, CEO & Head of Investor Relations Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. Cassiopea S.p.A. Tel: +353 1 817 03 70 Tel: +39 02 868 911 24, ndonnelly@cosmopharma.com dharbort@cassiopea.com Disclaimer This communication (the "Communication") has been prepared by Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. ('Cosmo" and together with its subsidiaries, "we", "us" or the "Group") solely for informational purposes and has not been independently verified and no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made or given by or on behalf of any of the Group. Cosmo reserves the right to amend or replace the Communication at any time, and undertakes no obligation to provide the recipients with access to any additional information. Cosmo shall not be obligated to update or correct the information set forth in the Communication or to provide any additional information. Nothing in this Presentation is, or should be relied upon as, a promise or representation as to the future. Certain statements in this Communication are forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial consequences of the plans and events described herein. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward looking statements as a result of various factors (including, but not limited to, future global economic conditions, changed market conditions, intense competition in the markets in which the Group operates, costs of compliance with applicable laws, regulations and standards, diverse political, legal, economic and other conditions affecting the Group's markets, and other factors beyond the control of the Group). Neither Cosmo nor any of its respective directors, officers, employees, advisors, or any other person is under any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak of the date of this Communication. Statements contained in this Communication regarding past trends or events should not be taken as a representation that such trends or events will continue in the future. This Communication does not constitute or form part of, and should not be construed as, an offer or invitation or inducement to subscribe for, underwrite or otherwise acquire, any securities of Cosmo, nor should it or any part of it form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract to purchase or subscribe for any securities of the Group, nor shall it or any part of it form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract or commitment whatsoever. This Communication constitutes neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation to buy securities of Cosmo and it does not constitute a prospectus or similar notice within the meaning of articles 35 et seqq. or 69 of the Swiss Financial Services Act or a prospectus pursuant to the laws of any other jurisdiction. This Communication may be considered to be marketing material. The offer [and listing] will be made solely by means of, and on the basis of, a prospectus which is to be published. An investment decision regarding the publicly offered securities of Cosmo should only be made on the basis of the prospectus. The prospectus is expected to be published on or around 4 October 2021 and will be available free of charge at https://www.cosmopharma.com/investors. United States of America The securities described in this Communication have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or under any law of any state of the United States of America, and may not be offered, sold, resold, or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into the U.S., except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Neither this document nor the exchange offer described herein constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the U.S. or in any other jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation would be unlawful. Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. will not register or make a public offer of its securities, or otherwise conduct any public tender offer, in the U.S. In the U.S., this document is being provided to "qualified institutional buyers" (as defined in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act) only on a confidential basis. Neither the United States Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission in the United States has approved or disapproved the Offering of the shares or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of the Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States. PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT SELLERS OF COSMO SHARES MAY BE RELYING ON THE EXEMPTION FROM THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 OF THE US SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144A. By tendering securities of Cassiopea S.p.A. into this offer, you will be deemed to represent that you (x) (a) are not a U.S. person, (b) are not acting for the account or benefit of any U.S. person, and (c) are not in or delivering the acceptance from, the United States or (y) you are a "qualified institutional buyer" as that term is used in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act. United Kingdom This Communication is directed only at persons in the U.K. who (i) 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 (the Order), (ii) are persons falling within article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.") of the Order or (iii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as Relevant Persons). This communication must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this communication relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons. Australia, Canada, Japan This Communication is not addressed to shareholders of Cassiopea S.p.A. whose place of residence, seat or habitual abode is in Australia, Canada or Japan, and such shareholders may not accept the offer. European Economic Area The offer set out in this Communication (the Offer) is only being made within the European Economic Area (EEA) pursuant to an exemption under Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended and together with any applicable adopting or amending measures in any relevant member state (as defined below), the Prospectus Regulation), as implemented in each member state of the EEA (each a relevant member state), from the requirement to publish a prospectus that has been approved by the competent authority in that relevant member state and published in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation as implemented in that relevant member state or, where appropriate, approved in another relevant member state and notified to the competent authority in that relevant member state, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation. Accordingly, in the EEA, the Offer and documents or other materials in relation to the Offer and the shares in Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. (the Offeror Shares) are only addressed to, and are only directed at, (i) qualified investors (qualified investors) in the relevant member state within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Regulation, as adopted in the relevant member state, and (ii) persons who hold, and will tender, the equivalent of at least EUR 100,000 worth of shares in Cassiopea S.p.A. (the Target Shares) in exchange for the receipt of Offeror Shares (collectively, permitted participants). This offer prospectus and the documents and other materials in relation to the Offer may not be acted or relied upon by persons in the EEA who are not permitted participants, and each Target shareholder seeking to participate in the Offer that is resident in the EEA will be deemed to have represented and agreed that it is a qualified investor or that it is tendering the equivalent of EUR 100,000 worth of Target Shares in exchange of Offeror Shares. Italy The offer set out in this Communication (the Offer) does not constitute a public offer nor a tender or exchange offer nor an advertisement of securities to the public in the Republic of Italy. Neither the Offer nor the COPN Shares have been registered with or cleared by the Commissione Nazionale per la Societa e la Borsa ("CONSOB") (the Italian securities exchange commission), pursuant to Italian securities legislation. Neither the CONSOB nor any other Italian public authority has examined, approved, cleared or registered this Prospectus or will examine, approve, clear or register this Offer. Accordingly, Italian residents cannot participate in the Offer nor may copies of this Communication or of any other document relating to the Offer be distributed or published in the Republic of Italy, either on primary and on secondary market. This Communication has not been prepared in accordance with the prospectus requirements nor the tender offer requirements provided for, or otherwise applicable in, Italy. Cosmo Pharmaceutical N.V. will not accept, directly or indirectly, any order relating to the Offer made in, or coming from, the Republic of Italy; any such order will be deemed null and void. General Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V.'s public tender and exchange offer for all publicly held shares of Cassiopea S.p.A. (the Offer) is not being made, directly or indirectly, in any country or jurisdiction in which such offer would be unlawful or otherwise violate any applicable law or regulation or which would require Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. to make any amendment to the terms or conditions of the Offer, to make any additional application to, or to take any additional action with respect to, any governmental, regulatory or legal authority. It is not intended to extend the Offer to any such country or jurisdiction. Documents relating to the Offer may not be distributed in, or sent to, any such country or jurisdiction. Such documents may not be used for the purpose of soliciting purchases of Cassiopea S.p.A. securities by any person or entity resident or incorporated in such country or jurisdiction. This Communication is not for distribution in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan or Italy. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in any jurisdiction in which is unlawful to do so.

Ende der Ad-hoc-Mitteilung
Phase 1 study in patients with advanced solid tumors planned to start in the first quarter of 2022





Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

Basel, Switzerland, December 17, 2021

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. (SIX: BSLN), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to meeting the needs of patients with cancer and infectious diseases, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company's Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the novel kinase inhibitor BAL0891, a potential first-in-class mitotic checkpoint inhibitor (MCI) that drives aberrant tumor cell division leading to tumor cell death.

Dr. Laurenz Kellenberger, Chief Scientific Officer of Basilea, said: "We are excited about the FDA approval of the IND for BAL0891, allowing us to proceed with the phase 1 clinical study, which we are planning to initiate in the first quarter of 2022. The drug candidate offers the potential for a targeted development strategy in multiple cancers. BAL0891 is differentiated through its unique kinase inhibition profile targeting both threonine tyrosine kinase and polo-like kinase 1. This may be the key factor driving its potent single agent activity seen in preclinical studies. We are looking forward to adding this potential first-in-class mitotic checkpoint inhibitor to our clinical oncology pipeline."

The IND approval triggers a milestone payment of CHF 1.85 million to the Dutch precision medicine company, NTRC, from which Basilea in-licensed BAL0891 in 2018. Under the terms of the agreement, NTRC remains eligible to receive development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments and royalties on global sales.

About BAL0891

BAL0891 is a first-in-class mitotic checkpoint inhibitor that pushes cells through mitosis without adequate time for correct chromosome segregation. This results in aberrant tumor cell division leading to tumor cell death. The compound is a unique dual inhibitor of threonine tyrosine kinase (TTK) and polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1). Both kinases collaborate in activating the mitotic spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), a cell division mechanism regulating correct chromosome alignment and segregation. The dual action of BAL0891 leads to a rapid disruption of the SAC driving cells through mitosis before the chromosomes are properly aligned leading to premature cell division and tumor cell death. BAL0891 has shown anti-proliferative activity across diverse tumor cell lines in vitro and single agent efficacy in in-vivo models of solid human cancers. BAL0891 was in-licensed from NTRC in 2018.

About NTRC

NTRC is a privately owned biotech company based in Oss in the Netherlands that has two subsidiary companies: NTRC Therapeutics B.V. and Oncolines B.V.

NTRC Therapeutics is a precision medicine company that is specialized in discovery and development of innovative kinase inhibitors to treat cancer patients. Using its proprietary EPriL platform NTRC Therapeutics is now developing next-generation kinase inhibitors to treat acquired drug resistance observed in cancer patients treated with first generation inhibitors. Please visit ntrctx.com.

Oncolines is a precision medicine services company in oncology and cancer immunotherapy. Oncolines helps to bring improved and novel therapies to the right patient population faster by offering a set of complimentary services to enable clients to characterize their compounds, and to determine activities, selectivities and mechanism of action. Please visit oncolines.com

About Basilea

Basilea is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2000 and headquartered in Switzerland. We are committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative drugs to meet the needs of patients with cancer and infectious diseases. We have successfully launched two hospital brands, Cresemba for the treatment of invasive fungal infections and Zevtera for the treatment of severe bacterial infections. We are conducting clinical studies with two targeted drug candidates for the treatment of a range of cancers and have a number of preclinical assets in both cancer and infectious diseases in our portfolio. Basilea is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN). Please visit basilea.com.

Disclaimer

This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements, such as "believe", "assume", "expect", "forecast", "project", "may", "could", "might", "will" or similar expressions concerning Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. and its business, including with respect to the progress, timing and completion of research, development and clinical studies for product candidates. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. 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.

For further information, please contact:

Peer Nils Schroder, PhD



Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Phone +41 61 606 1102 E-mail media_relations@basilea.com (mailto:media_relations@basilea.com)

investor_relations@basilea.com (mailto:investor_relations@basilea.com)

This ad hoc announcement can be downloaded from www.basilea.com.

Attachment
CoreLogic a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, is pleased to announce that it has reached agreement with Ecclesiastical Insurance Group ("EIG") for EIG to use CoreLogic's digital claims platform to augment its property claims operations.

EIG is one of the largest independent British-owned insurers with operations in the UK, Australia, Canada and Ireland offering not simply award-winning specialist insurance but also investment management and advisory services and the agreement with CoreLogic will enable it to enhance its existing claims capabilities by digitising processes to positively influence claims outcomes on a secure, real-time web application.

The CoreLogic Claims Connect platform (formerly known under the brand Symbility) helps standardise claims processing on a single, cloud-based platform enabling rapid claim settlement, improved triage and distribution, supply chain collaboration and enhanced accuracy and transparency of the claims management process. The platform provides a streamlined workflow management solution enabling users to easily and securely access, share and process information and communicate and collaborate more effectively.

EIG will be utilising the platform's modules, Claims Connect, Desk Adjuster (including CoreLogic's claim triage and rapid settlement scripted workflows), Video Connect and will leverage CoreLogic's UK managed Schedule of Rates for damage estimating, to enhance the claims experience for its customers, claims teams and suppliers.

Michael Porter, Senior Leader International Markets, Insurance, CoreLogic, said:

"In our discussions with the team at Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, it was very clear that they attach significant importance to simplifying insurance for their customers through a fast, streamlined and easy-to-use claims experience. We are delighted that they have put their trust in our claims platform to help them achieve that goal.

"This agreement gives CoreLogic a tremendous opportunity to work with a dynamic, fast-growing business which puts its customers front-and-centre of everything it does and we are excited about bringing additional value and expertise to EIG and its customers through this important relationship."

Jeremy Trott, Claims Director for Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, commented

"When it comes to selecting suppliers, we take a very rigorous approach and then establish strong relationships with them to help us deliver the best possible service to our customers.

"The CoreLogic team showed they understood our claims philosophy and Ecclesiastical's wider company ethics something which we place enormous value on. I'm looking forward to building a strong relationship with them and using their digital claims technology to help us to continue to fulfil our customer promises and enhance their claims experience."

Notes for Editors

About CoreLogic

CoreLogic is a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider. The company's combined data from public, contributory and proprietary sources includes over 4.5 billion records spanning more than 50 years, providing detailed coverage of property, mortgages and other encumbrances, consumer credit, tenancy, location, hazard risk and related performance information.

The markets CoreLogic serves include real estate and mortgage finance, insurance, capital markets, and the public sector. CoreLogic delivers value to clients through unique data, analytics, workflow technology, advisory and managed services. Clients rely on CoreLogic to help identify and manage growth opportunities, improve performance and mitigate risk. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., CoreLogic operates in North America, Western Europe and Asia Pacific.

For more information, please visit www.corelogic.com

CORELOGIC, DESK ADJUSTER, VIDEO CONNECT, CORELOGIC CLAIMS CONNECT, and the CoreLogic logo are trademarks of CoreLogic, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Ecclesiastical

1. Owned by a registered charity, Allchurches Trust, Ecclesiastical is a unique financial services organisation. With its main operations and headquarters in the UK, Ecclesiastical also operates in Australia, Canada and Ireland.

2. Ecclesiastical is a specialist insurer of the faith, charity, heritage, education, real estate, schemes and art and private client sectors.

3. Founded in 1887 to provide insurance for the Anglican Church, the company now offers a wide range of commercial insurances, as well as home insurance, selling through brokers and directly.

4. The Ecclesiastical Group also includes award-winning investment management business, EdenTree Investment Management, which provides a range of ethically screened investment funds.

5. Ecclesiastical is the fourth-largest corporate donor to charity in the UK, according to the UK Guide to Company Giving 2021/22. It has donated over 99m to charity since 2016 and is aiming to reach its target of giving more than 100m by the end of 2021.

6. Ecclesiastical Insurance is a thirteen-time winner of Fairer Finance's best home insurance provider.

7. Many businesses say they are different. Ecclesiastical really is. Find out why here www.ecclesiastical.com/aboutus

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211217005012/en/

Contacts:

Robin Wachner

CoreLogic

newsmedia@corelogic.com
Iktos, a company specialized in Artificial Intelligence for new drug design, and The Drug Discovery Unit (DDU), School of Life Sciences, The University of Dundee, focused on the discovery of therapeutics for neglected diseases and the translation of novel biology through small molecule drug discovery, today announced entering a collaboration to apply Iktos's generative modelling artificial intelligence (AI) technology in one of DDU's drug discovery programs. Under the agreement, Iktos will apply its de novo ligand and structure-based generative modelling technologies, its AI-based retrosynthesis analysis and planning tool Spaya, and know-how complementing DDU's drug discovery capabilities to expedite the identification of potential pre-clinical candidates and to identify additional novel chemical matter with suitable properties.

The DDU was established in 2006 to respond to a lack of drug targets identified for neglected tropical diseases being translated into therapeutics for diseases impacting the poorest people in the world. The DDU translates basic science into lead compounds to validate putative drug targets, to use as tools to investigate disease pathways and, when appropriate, advance to pre-clinical drug candidates for multiple diseases, e.g. TB and cancer.

Iktos's AI technology, based on deep generative models, helps to bring new insights and directions into the drug discovery process based on a comprehensive data-driven chemical structure generation technology. This technology automatically designs virtual novel molecules with all of the characteristics of a successful drug molecule. This approach, validated through Iktos's other collaborations, is a novel solution to one of the key challenges in drug design: rapid identification of molecules that simultaneously satisfy multiple parameters, such as potency, selectivity, safety, and project-specific properties. This approach uniquely enables the exploration of chemical space and produces innovative molecule designs with greater freedom to operate.

Iktos has recently diversified its R&D efforts into the development of an AI technology for retrosynthesis. Identifying and selecting synthetic pathways is one of the most challenging and time-consuming tasks in synthetic and medicinal chemistry. Iktos has developed AI based retrosynthesis analysis and planning tool Spaya by harnessing the power of data-driven retrosynthesis algorithm for systematic exploration and prioritisation of synthetic routes for a desired compound in minutes.

Professor Paul Wyatt, Head of the DDU said, "We are thrilled to be working with Iktos to drive our projects towards drug candidates. Iktos AI platform combined with our own in-house computational and medicinal chemistry design teams provide a powerful combination for innovative new drug design."

"We are thrilled and proud to join forces with DDU with the aim to help in the discovery of therapeutics for neglected diseases and the translation of novel biology through small molecule drug discovery," commented Yann Gaston-Mathe, President and CEO of Iktos. "Pleased to have earned DDU's trust, we are confident that together with DDU and their established R&D partners, we will be able to identify promising novel chemical matter and solve complex multiparametric optimisation problems. The feedback from DDU's research team will be highly valuable as we improve our product offerings. Our strategy has always been to tackle challenging problems alongside our collaborators where we can demonstrate value generation for new and on-going drug discovery projects."

About DDU

The Drug Discovery Unit (DDU) (est. 2006) within the School of Life Sciences at The University of Dundee is a fully integrated, Biotech-style, drug discovery centre working across multiple disease areas. The DDU collaborates with partners to translate world-class biology research into novel drug targets and candidate drugs to address unmet medical need.

More information on: http://www.drugdiscovery.dundee.ac.uk/

About Iktos

Incorporated in October 2016, Iktos is a French start-up company specialized in the development of artificial intelligence solutions applied to chemical research, more specifically medicinal chemistry and new drug design. Iktos is developing a proprietary and innovative solution based on deep learning generative models, which enables, using existing data, to design molecules that are optimized in silico to meet all the success criteria of a small molecule discovery project. The use of Iktos technology enables major productivity gains in upstream pharmaceutical R&D. Iktos offers its technology both as professional services and as a SaaS software platform, Makya. Iktos is also developing Spaya, a synthesis planning software based upon Iktos's proprietary AI technology for retrosynthesis.

More information on: http://www.iktos.ai/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211217005034/en/

Contacts:

Grant Hill (Press Officer) g.hill@dundee.ac.uk, +44 (0)1382 384768

Yann Gaston-Mathe (CEO) contact@iktos.com +33 6 30 07 99 26
The partnership between the two Italian companies will help to monitor, evaluate and prevent the effects of extreme weather events and natural disasters through Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions that can be deployed on existing Edge devices in minutes

AMARO, Italy, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eurotech, a trusted and leading enabler of the Internet of Things (IoT) in mission-critical applications, and WaterView, a company specialized in computer vision and AI for meteorology, hydrology, and environmental modeling, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a strategic partnership to enable real-time weather condition monitoring applications.

Eurotech's hardware and software enable a simple and fast deployment of WaterView's AI at the Edge. The integrated solution transforms existing surveillance cameras into remotely managed intelligent sensors without the need to change the existing infrastructure, to detect early signs of the increasingly recurring extreme weather events and quantify natural disasters.

"We are thrilled to partner up with a company like WaterView, with a strong vision towards a more sustainable future enabled by AI technologies: a perfect match with our DNA of enabling Edge AI in mission-critical applications," stated Paul Chawla, Eurotech CEO. "We are excited to share our international footprint and customer reach, our long-term know-how and premium technology to scale up this solution to a wide range of use cases, with a common go-to-market and a 'one stop' integrated solution for our customers."

"Eurotech provides a unique combination of certified hardware and software that enable us to cut down system integration efforts, time-to-market and costs of deployment of our AI on the Edge," commented Paola Allamano, WaterView CEO. "Their integrated solution is open, guarantees a simple and safe connectivity to any Cloud with a vendor-agnostic approach and allows secure remote management and configuration of our Edge AI software."

Both companies have a solid track record in offering their solutions to customers managing large infrastructures, like road and railway networks, electricity transmission grids and communication towers. From NextGenerationEU to the US Infrastructure Deal, the post-pandemic economy will be driven by unprecedented investments in infrastructure renovation, digital transformation and green transition, with an underlying focus on climate change resilience.

By joining their forces, Eurotech and WaterView are already demonstrating the potential of cameras as sentinels for the environment, to monitor weather and its effects. The first joint pilot projects are ongoing and opportunities have been identified in the markets of: smart infrastructures by leveraging cameras on highways and railways - on average 1 device every 3 to 5 km, over 100 thousand estimated cameras on Europe and USA; onboard trains and truck fleets, where cameras are already installed for other applications; and on tower sites - over 426 thousand telco towers in Europe and over 1 million including USA. Accidents can be avoided by analyzing the level of rain and snow on roads and rail tracks, flood damages can be safely evaluated by measuring the water level at a distance and wildfires can be prevented by detecting smoke at early stages.

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Illumina, Mambu, Nintex, Proofpoint and Zebra honored with Impartner Catalyst Award for channel program excellence

SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Impartner, the world's most complete channel management platform and Partner Relationship Management (PRM) provider, today announced its 6th Annual Impartner Catalyst Awards recognizing channel program excellence. The yearly global awards, which are typically presented at the company's annual customer and channel management summit (pre-Covid) ImpartnerCON, honor those companies and teams that have powerfully ignited the performance of their channel. This year's Impartner Catalyst Award winners include:

Illumina: Enabling Doctors and Nurses Real-Time Data and Testing Using "Partner Tech"

For making Illumina's genetic testing, oncology and medical testing accessible to doctors and nurses, to help them detect health issues and susceptibilities based on genetic makeup. By making medical professionals "the partners," Illumina ensures the marketing and educational materials are understood and gives them the path to improve the media experience for the end consumer.

Mambu: Disrupting Partner Experience for Fintech

For creating multiple automation journeys that not only ensure partners the platform but also have access to APIs and the technology ecosystem necessary to deliver global economic scale in the fintech industry.

Nintex: Advancing Partner Automation for the Automation Industry

For excellence in workflow automation of the partner experience that sets a new industry bar in making things easy, fast and powerful for the partner.

Proofpoint: Revolutionizing Partner Demand Generation

For creating the most automated, adoptable ecosystem to engage partners fully in demand generation and driving revenue growth for both the company and partners.

Zebra: Redefining Partner Communications

For ensuring every partner, across the globe, receives a constant steady drumbeat of communications, tailored specifically for them in the language of their choice.

"We simply could not be prouder of and more honored to serve our customer base of world-leading corporations," said Curtis Brinkerhoff, Impartner's VP of Customer Success. "There are so many great examples of how companies have taken their channel performance to the next level using our technology, which continues to be ever more critical in an environment where it continues to be challenging to be on the ground. The indirect channel is more important now than ever before. The selection process is always difficult, but this year's winners truly stand out for their bar-raising efforts in a crowd of very talented channel professionals."

To learn best practices from this year's winners, click here. For a demo on how Impartner can help you deliver these kinds of results and accelerate the performance of your channel by an average of 32.3 percent, click here.

The news of this integration continues an ongoing stream of news from the fast-growing channel management technology provider, including recently raising $50 million in funding, led by growth equity investment firm Brighton Park Capital ("Brighton Park"). The company also recently launched Impartner PX PartnerExperience - a sleek, revolutionary PRM interface built from the ground up for partners. Impartner PX positions the business enablement data partners need to manage their pipeline and grow their business front and center, eliminating the need to dig through marketing-driven websites to find information. In addition, Impartner was just named the No. 1 and global winner on its Vendor Selection Matrix for Partner Management Automation (PMA) and is already a leader in "The Forrester Wave: Partner Relationship Management, Q4 2020."

About Impartner

Impartner is the fastest-growing, most award-winning provider of channel management technologies, including its flagship Partner Relationship Management (PRM) and Through Channel Marketing Automation (TCMA) solutions, which help companies worldwide manage their partner relationships, drive demand through partners and accelerate revenue and profitability through indirect sales channels. For more information on Impartner, which is based in Utah's tech hotbed, the Silicon Slopes, visit impartner.com.

Follow Impartner on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Impartner Contact:

Kerry Desberg

Impartner

kerry.desberg@impartner.com

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Adds advisor to the Board of Directors for the New York market

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 17, 2021 / Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc. ("Zinc8" or the "Company") (CSE:ZAIR)(OTC:ZAIRF)(FSE:0E9) is pleased to announce the engagement of Ramboll Americas Engineering Solutions Inc. ("Ramboll") to investigate potential manufacturing sites in the state of New York. Additionally, Zinc8 has engaged Robert F. Parker as an advisor to the Board of Directors for the New York market.

Ramboll will provide engineering consulting services in support of the evaluation of three potential sites in the state of New York which were identified through the coordinated efforts of Zinc8 and Empire State Development ("ESD"). Based on specific project requirements outlined by Zinc8, Ramboll's scope of services include site-related information compilation, identification of permits and approvals, preliminary code review, "red flag" analysis and recommendations.

"The state of New York is one of the most ambitious states when it comes to the reduction of greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions as exemplified by New York City's Local Law 97," stated Mark Baggio, VP Business Development for Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc. "Under Local Law 97, buildings with 25,000+ square feet of space will be required to meet new energy efficiency and GHG emissions starting in 2024. This represents a significant market opportunity for Zinc8's zinc-air energy storage systems. We have built strong relationships with government agencies, incubators and private sector partners in New York. Between these relationships and the regulatory backdrop, the need to explore potential manufacturing opportunities in the state was evident to us."

Mr. Robert. F. Parker has 25 years of experience in leadership, management, capital markets, and creating sustainable growth at public & private, non-profit, and government clients. Mr. Parker is a Director at Sif Capital Advisors and an Innovation Advisor to NYSERDA. Since 2005, he has focused on the ClimateTech sector, working as an entrepreneur, executive, banker, policy advisor, project developer, consultant, and investor. Robert's ClimateTech sector experience spans: Solar / PV; Energy Storage / Battery; CarbonTech; Smart Grid, Monitoring & Energy Efficiency; Waste Energy; Heat-to-Power; Thermal Efficiency; Geothermal; Thermal Efficiency; AgTech & FoodTech; Smart Water; Policy, Energy Insurance & Risk Products; and Smart Water. Mr. Parker has advised more than 100 technology companies and helped raise nearly $500 Million for start-ups and Cleantech projects - with significant experience supporting cross-border expansion and renewable energy project development.

Zinc8 Energy Solutions focuses on developing and commercializing its low-cost, long duration ZESS for utilities, microgrid, and Commercial & Industrial markets. By using the patented ZESS as a standalone or an enabling technology, it allows opportunities for peak demand reduction, time-of-use arbitrage, and participation in both the value stacking programs and the distributed long-duration energy storage space, all in conjunction with the opportunity for a significant reduction in carbon footprint. The long duration (8-100+ hours) ZESS has no fire and explosion risk, has no capacity fade over extensive lifetime, and offers complete charge operational flexibility.

About Ramboll

Ramboll is a global engineering, architecture and consultancy company founded in Denmark in 1945. Our 16,000 experts create sustainable solutions across Buildings, Transport, Water, Environment & Health, Architecture & Landscape, Energy and Management Consulting. Across the world, Ramboll combines local experience with a global knowledgebase to create sustainable cities and societies. We combine insights with the power to drive positive change to our clients, in the form of ideas that can be realized and implemented.

About Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc.

Zinc8 has assembled an experienced team to execute the development and commercialization of a dependable low-cost zinc-air battery. This mass storage system offers both environmental and efficiency benefits. Zinc8 strives to meet the growing need for secure and reliable power. To learn more about Zinc8's technology, please visit: https://zinc8energy.com

More about the Zinc8 Energy Storage System (ESS)

The Zinc8 ESS is a modular Energy Storage System designed to deliver power in the range 20kW - 50MW with capacity of 8 hours of storage duration or higher. With the advantage of rechargeable zinc-air flow battery technology, the system can be configured to support a wide range of long-duration applications for microgrids and utilities. Since the energy storage capacity of the system is determined only by the size of the zinc storage tank, a very cost-effective and scalable solution now exists as an alternative to the fixed power/energy ratio of the lithium-ion battery.

Technology

The Zinc8 ESS is based upon unique patented zinc-air battery technology. Energy is stored in the form of zinc particles, similar in size to grains of sand. When the system is delivering power, the zinc particles are combined with oxygen drawn from the surrounding air. When the system is recharging, zinc particles are regenerated, and oxygen is returned to the surrounding air.

Applications

The flexibility of the Zinc8 ESS enables it to service a wide range of applications. Typical examples include:

Smoothing energy derived from renewable sources such as wind and solar

Commercial/Industrial backup replacing diesel generators

Industrial and grid scale, on-demand power for peak shaving and standby reserves

Grid-scale services such as alleviating grid congestion, deferring transmission/distribution upgrades, energy trading and arbitrage, and increasing renewable energy penetration.

Architecture

The Zinc8 ESS is designed according to a modular architecture that enables a wide variety of system configurations to be created from a small number of common subsystems. Each subsystem implements a single element of the technology:

The Zinc Regeneration Subsystem (ZRS) provides the recharging function

The Fuel Storage Subsystem (FSS) provides the energy storage function

The Power Generation Subsystem (PGS) provides the discharging function

Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains certain statements or disclosures relating to Zinc8 Energy Solutions that are based on the expectations of its management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Zinc8 Energy Solutions which may constitute forward-looking statements or information ("forward-looking statements") under applicable securities laws. All such statements and disclosures, other than those of historical fact, which address activities, events, outcomes, results or developments that Zinc8 Storage anticipates or expects may or will occur in the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking statements.

Forward looking statements in this press release include that we will commence the demonstration unit now, that we can validate a low-cost, long-duration (8-to-100-hour), and sustainable energy storage technology which can provide megawatt-scale standby power solutions; that we can execute the development and commercialization of a dependable low cost zinc-air battery; that our mass storage system offers both environmental and efficiency benefits; and that we can help meet the needs for secure and reliable power. Zinc8 Energy Solutions believes the material factors, expectations and assumptions reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable at this time, but no assurance can be given that these factors, expectations and assumptions will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are not guarantees of future performance. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements including, without limitation: that the demonstration unit does not provide the kind of data that can be applied in other projects or validate our technology; that our technology fails to work as expected or at all; that our technology proves to be too expensive to implement broadly; that customers do not adapt our products for being too complex, costly, or not fitting with their current products or plans; our competitors may offer better or cheaper solutions for battery storage; general economic, market and business conditions; increased costs and expenses; inability to retain qualified employees; our patents may not provide protection as expected and we may infringe on the patents of others; and certain other risks detailed from time to time in Zinc8 Energy Solution's public disclosure documents, copies of which are available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the CSE nor any Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For more information please contact:

Incite Capital Markets

Kristian Schneck / Eric Negraeff

Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc.

Ron MacDonald

Ph: 604.493.2004

Email: investors@zinc8energy.com

SOURCE: Zinc8 Energy Solutions

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/678217/Zinc8-Energy-Engages-Consulting-Firm-in-Effort-to-Advance-Initiatives-in-New-York-State
PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Credit Agricole Group (CRARF.PK, CDA.L, ACA.PA) and Stellantis said they plan to create a pan-European player in long-term leasing, owned equally by CA Consumer Finance and Stellantis. The target of the joint venture would be to manage a fleet of over one million vehicles by 2026. Also, CA Consumer Finance plans to establish on a stand-alone basis a pan-European, multi-brand operator in automotive financing, leasing and mobility. The new entity would aim at managing 10 billion euros of outstandings by 2026. It would offer white-label services and also target platforms, car-dealerships and short-term leasing operators. The implementation of the intended transactions would take place in the first half of 2023. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
17 December 2021

Clean Invest Africa Plc

("CIA", the "Company" or the "Group")

Placing to raise 102,276; Total Voting Rights

Clean Invest Africa Plc, the AQUIS quoted investment company is pleased to announce the successful completion of a placing (the "Placing"), to raise 102,276 to support the continuing growth of its wholly owned subsidiaries CoalTech Limited ("CoalTech") and Coal Agglomeration South Africa (Pty) Ltd ("CASA") and to provide limited working capital to the Group.

Placing

A total of 20,455,200 ordinary shares of 0.25p nominal value each ("Placing Shares") have been placed with investors at 0.5p per share. For every two Placing Share issued, one warrant will be granted, exercisable at 1.5p valid for a period of three (3) years from the date of admission of the Placing Shares to the AQSE Growth Market. Further, should the placees validly exercise the 1.5p warrants in full, these will be replaced by a further one 3p warrant for every two Placing Shares, valid for three years from grant. Application has been made for the Placing Shares to trading on the AQSE Growth Market and this is expected to occur on or around 23 December 2021.

Total Voting Rights

Following the issue of Shares as described above totaling 20,455,200 ordinary shares, the issued share capital of the Company will consist of 1,200,210,501 ordinary shares. No shares were held in treasury at the date of this announcement. The total current voting rights in the Company are therefore 1,200,210,501. The above figure of 1,200,210,501 may be used by shareholders in the Company as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change in their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.

The directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.

ENQUIRIES :

Clean Invest Africa plc

Filippo Fantechi - Chief Executive Officer +973 3 9696273

Peterhouse Capital Limited

Guy Miller +44 20 7469 0930
AMSTERDAM, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Norgine B.V. (Norgine), a leading European specialist pharmaceutical company, today announces that Christopher Bath has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective 1st January 2022. Chris will be responsible for a business with a portfolio of market leading medicinal products with net annual sales of approximately 500 million, a pipeline of innovative product candidates and global operations with direct presence in 12 European markets, Australia and New Zealand. Chris, who is currently Norgine's Chief Operating Officer (COO), will continue to report to Peter Stein, who is stepping down as CEO after 35 years in the role to take on the role of Executive Chairman. Chris will be Norgine's fifth CEO in its 115 year history and the first person to hold the role who is not a member of the founding family.

Peter Stein, Executive Chairman of Norgine, commented: "I am delighted to announce Chris's appointment as CEO. Chris is an outstanding leader and since he became COO in July 2020 he has been instrumental in implementing an enterprise-wide transformation programme, as well as making a number of strategic appointments to the Executive Committee and overseeing a period of strong growth, as we have successfully managed the challenges of the pandemic. Under Chris's leadership as CEO, Norgine will continue to bring innovative healthcare products to more patients around the world. I look forward to supporting this journey in the role of Executive Chairman."

Christopher Bath, said: "I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to lead Norgine as CEO and I am so proud to lead a company that already helps over 22 million patients around the world. I strongly believe that Norgine has a great future, as we build on our long history of innovation and our culture of doing the right thing for our patients and our other stakeholders. I look forward to working with all my colleagues in my new role and I would like to thank Peter for his continued support. Peter has been an inspirational leader of the business for the past 35 years and I am thrilled that Norgine will continue to benefit from his experience and expertise in the years to come."

Chris joined Norgine in 2014 from Shire plc, where he was Head of M&A. His career in healthcare started at Rothschild in 2000, where he spent 10 years in the healthcare investment banking team. Chris is a Chartered Accountant and holds a degree in Physics from Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.

www.norgine.com

Follow us @norgine

Notes to Editors:

About Norgine

Norgine is a leading European specialist pharmaceutical company that has been bringing transformative medicines to patients for over a century. Our commitment to transforming people's lives drives everything we do and our European experience, fully integrated infrastructure and exceptional partnership approach enables us to quickly apply creative solutions to bring life-changing medicines to patients that they may not otherwise be able to access. Norgine is proud to have helped 22 million patients around the world in 2020 and generated 448 million in net product sales, a growth of 7% over 2019.

Norgine has a direct presence in 12 European countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand. We also have a strong global network of partnerships in non-Norgine markets. We are a flexible and fully integrated pharmaceutical business, with manufacturing (Hengoed, Wales and Dreux, France), third party supply networks and significant product development capabilities, in addition to our sales and marketing infrastructure. This enables us to acquire, develop and commercialise specialist and innovative products that make a real difference to the lives of patients around the world.

In 2012, Norgine established Norgine Ventures, a complementary business which supports innovative healthcare companies through the provision of debt-like financing in Europe and the US. For more information, please visit www.norgineventures.com

NORGINE and the sail logo are trademarks of the Norgine group of companies.
BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - German business confidence weakened in December amid deteriorating pandemic situation, survey results from the ifo Institute showed on Friday. The business climate index fell more-than-expected to 94.7 in December from 96.6 in the previous month. The expected reading was 95.3. The institute said companies assessed their current business situation as less positive. Pessimism regarding the first half of 2022 also increased. The current conditions indicator came in at 96.9, down from 99.0 a month ago and economists' forecast of 97.5. The expectations index dropped to 92.6 from 94.2 in November. The score was seen at 93.5. 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.
BEIJING, Dec 17, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - OKLink, the world-leading blockchain big-data company, has launched support for 9 new languages including Russian, French, German, Japanese, Turkish, Korean, Portuguese (Brazilian), Spanish, Vietnamese on its official website to spread its reach across boundaries.The new language options will provide more opportunities for OKLink's international expansion, which is progressing steadily, while the company serving more than 50 million blockchain participants around the world over time.OKLink is one of the leading blockchain companies from China. Ranging from product research and development, blockchain adoption, blockchain crime crackdown to police education and training, lab research and investigation, OKLink has been acting as a leading power in blockchain industry since its inception in 2013.After years of dedication in blockchain big-data and blochchain security industry, OKLink has launched a series of blockchain products including OKLink Blockchain Explorer, Chaintelligence and Chainhub, providing blockchain big-data service for millions of customers in China. Chaintelligence, the well-known blockchain big-data/security product in China, has assisted police from over 30 provinces and cities in solving a spate of blockchain crimes and recovering over $10 billion worth of cryptoassets."We are happy to announce that OKLink is rolling out the first wave of local language support. People from Germany, France, Japan, Vietnam and many other countries can visit OKLink in a way that feels a bit more native to them," Chao Zhang, vice president of OKLink said."Implementing brand internationalization strategy and providing world-class products and services are OKLink's core objectives. In August, OKLink joined Global Digital Finance (GDF) as an Advisory Council Member and the Chamber of Digital Commerce (CDC) President's Circle, strengthening communication with global tech giant and industry leaders, promoting blockchain security and AML standards. By launching support for 9 new languages, OKLink will speed up internationalization, follow up the on-chain data needs among global markets, serving global blockchain participants with world-class blockchain big-data products."Media ContactJin Pengcheng, OKLinkOukehudong Network Technology (Beijing) Co., LtdE: pengcheng.jin@oklink.comU: https://www.oklink.comSource: OKLink Technology Company LtdCopyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
MoneyTV with Donald Baillargeon television program, Copyright MMXXI, all rights reserved. MoneyTV does not provide an analysis of companies' financial positions and is not soliciting to purchase or sell securities of the companies, nor are we offering a recommendation of featured companies or their stocks. Information discussed herein has been provided by the companies and should be verified independently with the companies and a securities analyst. MoneyTV provides companies a 3 to 4 month corporate profile with multiple appearances for a cash fee of $6,950.00 to $11,995.00, does not accept company stock as payment for services, does not hold any positions, options or warrants in featured companies. The information herein is not an endorsement by Donald Baillargeon, the producer, publisher or parent company of MoneyTV.

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.
DGAP-News: Survey54 / Key word(s): Market launch

Survey54: Tapping into Africa's fast-growing consumer market: Insights backed by technology



17.12.2021 / 11:15

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Tapping into Africa's fast-growing consumer market: Insights backed by technology

Connecting African consumers to companies like Uber and Diageo through cutting-edge consumer insights

With household consumption and urbanization increasing on the continent, Africa represents a veritable gold mine for companies looking to expand their markets.

But this market remains largely untapped because companies rely on traditional methods to gather essential and valuable consumer insights, market research, and data. These methods usually require extensive legwork with face-to-face and labor-intensive practices. And even after all this input, the physical consumer research can often produce inaccurate data after long lead times.

Africa's population will account for one-fifth of the world's population by 2025, creating the world's fastest-growing consumer market[1]. However, this consumer group has been largely forgotten by traditional market researchers, resulting in a disconnect between the products consumers get and the ones they need.

"Africa is the last market. These consumers are becoming increasingly valuable. Not only do companies need to understand their habits and trends in the region to unlock the market, but Africans also deserve access to products and services that fit the unique circumstances on the continent," says Survey54 CEO and co-founder Stephan Eyeson.

Survey54 (https://Survey54.com/) consumer research platform that provides solutions that simplify the process of survey creation, tracking and insights for marketing teams and researchers.

However, companies find it challenging to get accurate consumer research completed on the continent, especially at an affordable rate and quick turnaround time. This is why new research methods that embrace technology will stimulate economic growth in Africa, says Eyeson.

"We are making it easier by building technology that can reach those within rural areas and those from low to high-income cities. We are also making it more affordable, which allows small, medium, and large companies to make data-driven decisions that serve the needs of consumers on the continent.

Survey54 tackles the traditional challenges of data collection on the continent through dynamic market research channels, including data-free web link, USSD and data light mobile app. The fast and responsive mobile-led platform has solved the major limitations caused by in-person data collection, using machine learning to predict trends through data.

This tech-first approach will become even more in demand as Africa's younger population becomes income earners. In the next decade, consumers between 16 and 34 years old (53% of income earners in Africa) are likely to contribute more than $400 billion in total consumption growth[2].

The consumer research platform boasts more than 150 000 users regularly taking surveys and performing tasks in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. While looking to expand into African and emerging markets, Survey54 raised a pre-seed round of $500 000 in funding late last year.

"The platform provides innovative solutions that simplify the process of survey creation, tracking and insights for marketing teams and researchers," says Eyeson.

The insights that marketers have always relied on are often drawn from research that is decades old[3]. But African markets are diversified, and consumers have varying needs - there is no one-size-fits-all approach in Africa's fragmented markets, explains Eyeson.

This is why the cutting-edge technology has two arms: A self-serve platform, used by companies such as Diageo and Kelloggs to get survey responses from multiple African markets in minutes, and category trackers - used by companies such as Uber to understand transport within cities across Africa. Media companies can also track what consumers are watching and listening to on radio and TV.

Clients, Uber and Diageo, have reported that the platform provides them with deeper understanding of their clients, through insights that keep up with the ever-changing markets on the continent.

Eyeson adds: "We are on a mission to make pan-African consumer research easier for companies wanting to expand and understand this market. Companies need to make decisions backed by data, but also, we aim to enable small businesses and startups to actually gain consumer insights before launching products. We believe a lot of data still needs to be unearthed in Africa, and we hope to do that through our market research platform."

Ends.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Survey54.

Image: https://bit.ly/3GUg5js

[1] Brookings (https://brook.gs/3mf9cRY)

[2] McKinsey (https://mck.co/3p0ZXqy)

[3] Harvard Business Review (https://bit.ly/3sceuBD)

17.12.2021 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.dgap.de


EvoCare invites investors to support global roll-out

FURTH, Germany, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EvoCare offers a pioneering digital health platform for professional health-related services enabling care providers to interact with patients at home. Already a market leader in the German speaking markets Germany, Austria and Switzerland, EvoCare is in negotiations with Chinese and Japanese partners, and is currently inviting investments for global roll-out.

EvoCare's key benefit is to offer care providers the option of adding a digital extension to their conventional services and using individually tailored on-to-many treatments to solve staff shortages and increase capacity. Services and content can be supplied by the providers themselves, by cooperation partners, or by EvoCare operated service centers. The EvoCare platform provides professional resources as well as technology. Active stakeholders include insurances, clinics, physicians, therapists, and patients. In addition to acknowledged key conditions, treatment for Long Covid has been added recently.

- Cross reference: Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) -

Originally founded as a Siemens Healthcare spin-off, EvoCare's develops and promotes digital healthcare methods and technologies to support patient treatment at home. Since its foundation in 2018 EvoCare Holding AG has opened new and innovative ways to medically treat patients in the comfort of their own home: Independent of fixed time slots in clinics or practices, therapists can treat their patients and keep officially recognized records, allowing for reimbursements by the German statutory pension insurance.

For 2022 EvoCare AG is planning to increase capital with two investment rounds, raising 5mio Euros each - coinciding with Germany's INVEST incentive.

"Based on our proof-of-concept, we are now ready for global expansion," says Dr. Achim Hein, CEO and founder. "After our successful launch in Europe, we are set to make significant progress in getting this third, digital, pillar of medical services installed in an increasing number of health systems."

Contact: info@evocare.de

https://telemedizin.de/investor-info.html
NFTU, Bjarne Melgaard Release January NFT Art Drop

Bjarne Melgaard, often touted as the heir of Edvard Munch in collaboration with the WEB 3 company NFTU enters the crypto-market, with a series of NFT Lightbulb Men.

The Norwegian artist has partnered with UK based NFTU to release a collection of 1122 unique Lightbulb Man NFT pieces birthing new life into the infamous figure on the Ethereum Blockchain. It is not the first reimagining of the work, often ahead of his contemporaries Melgaard is always looking for new ways to explore the immortalised sculpture. The Lightbulb man has already been digitized through augmented reality via a mobile-app. This time around the artist has chosen to experiment with the Metaverse, creating the world of Skygge, the fictional realm explores many of the darker themes of his work. The artist is no stranger to creating immersive virtual landscapes, previously partaking in a virtual reality exhibition in Berlin where he utilised digital mediums to replicate the experience of the naturally occurring chemical DMT. The artist is now entering Web3 hosting a pre-sale, party in Decentraland, featuring industrial tech DJ and friend of the artist DJ Hell, Melgaard who is equally censored and celebrated is integrating POAP's into the event it is an important aspect for Melgaard who has been a victim of vandalism in the past for his work and his viewership to be immutable. As an artist it is important for Bjarne to evolve and shape the future, he is described as a paradigm disruptor and the collection is a fusion of technical and artistic innovation.

The beauty of the Lightbulb Man and his disturbing presence are not easily articulated beyond the figure itself, yet Melgaard's reworking of the sculpture in sombre expressions against vivid colours with Web3 distribution reopens discussion around the mythical piece. The physical Lightbulb Man currently stands a lone bronze figure in the Norwegian National Gallery. To see examples of the lucid digital artwork on offer, keep up with the release dates and minting information, visit the website https://lightbulbman.com/.

NFTU are an NFT Consultancy with a unique and broad range of experience from both Web2 and Web3. NFTU are NFT maximalists with a passion for the crypto-art ecosystem and blockchain in general.

Mint Volume: 1122

https://lightbulbman.com/

https://twitter.com/LightbulbmanNFT

https://instagram.com/lightbulbmannft

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211215006132/en/

Contacts:

Curator: Sam Farao

mail@lightbulbman.com
With immediate effect, Continental will handle part of its natural rubber purchasing via HeveaConnect's digital trading platform which ensures greater transparency and sustainability in the natural rubber supply chain

SINGAPORE, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With immediate effect, the premium tire manufacturer Continental will handle part of its purchasing of natural rubber through a digital trading platform designed to ensure greater transparency and sustainability in the natural rubber supply chain.

"Our goal is to procure all materials from responsible sources. The key to achieving this lies in innovative technologies and digitalization, which can make a decisive contribution to transparency in complex supply chains," says Dr. Andrea Appel, Head of Purchasing of the Tires business area at Continental. She adds: "HeveaConnect shows how digital platforms enable solid analyses of complex supply chains as well as their targeted management. Ecological, social and financial risks are made equally transparent for all market participants."

The HeveaConnect platform validates key aspects of a sustainable supply chain and ensures compliance through transparency and special offers. Platform participants are provided with a dashboard showing standardized information on quality, traceability, and compliance with social and environmental standards, as well as information on average selling prices. In addition, Continental can use the platform to call up offers from rubber suppliers in real time, compare and negotiate them, conclude short- or long-term supply contracts and document them electronically.

Consulting services with special conditions that demonstrably adhere to certain minimum standards are made available to natural rubber producers via HeveaConnect. For example, it is possible to integrate results from analyses carried out by Rubberway, a sustainability risk analysis joint venture between Continental and Michelin.

"Our platform aims to make trading in physical natural rubber more efficient, transparent and provide buyers with key sustainability focused data to make better procurement decisions. We create data-backed rubber by pairing the sustainability information with the physical rubber product that is traded on our platform. Continental has long been committed to sustainable supply chains and we are delighted to have them join HeveaConnect. Through the engagement of Continental and other industry players on our trading platform, we are one step closer to creating data-backed physical indices. With the help of the Singapore Exchange (SGX), we thus aim to complement the SICOM benchmark, the global price index for natural rubber, with an index with greater price granularity", explains Gerald Tan, CEO of HeveaConnect.

Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2020, Continental generated sales of 37.7 billion and currently employs more than 192,000 people in 58 countries and markets. On October 8, 2021, the company celebrated its 150th anniversary.

HeveaConnect is a Singapore-based technology company that provides solutions to solve digitalization and sustainability challenges in the agri-commodities sector. HeveaConnect allows companies to integrate traceability and sustainability into the procurement decision process through data-backed commodities, providing greater visibility over their supply chains and uncover sustainability risks. Since its inception in 2018, over 400,000 metric tons of natural rubber worth over USD 550 million has been transacted through the HeveaConnect Platform. HeveaConnect is a strong believer in sustainability and works extensively with various conservation organizations to develop solutions and programs that address these issues.

Contact for journalists:

Henry Schniewind

Head of External Communications

Continental Tires business area

Phone: +49 511 938-21810

E-Mail: henry.schniewind@conti.de

Eric Pratama Kurniawan

Head of Commercial

HeveaConnect Pte Ltd

E-Mail: eric.kurniawan@heveaconnect.com

Press portal: www.continental-press.com

www.heveaconnect.com/press/
VANCOUVER, BC / December 17, 2021 / Gold Springs Resource Corp. (TSX:GRC)(OTCQB:GRCAF) (the "Company" or "GRC") is pleased to announce assay results that confirm the existence of a gold system at the "White Point" target, located on the Nevada portion of its USA flagship Gold Springs project.

Highlights include:

0.82 g/t gold equivalent over 36.6 meters within hole WP-21-005,

1.40 g/t gold equivalent over 15.3 meters within hole WP-21-006,

0.70 g/t gold equivalent over 13.7 meters within hole WP-21-002,

0.56 g/t gold equivalent over 19.9 meters within hole WP-21-003.

Randall Moore, Executive Vice President of Exploration, stated: "These results confirm a significant gold system at "White Point".

Our 2021 drilling program has produced 3 significant discoveries:

at "Tremor" highlighted by 1.00 g/t gold equivalent over 163.1 meters

1.00 g/t gold equivalent over 163.1 meters at "Charlie Ross" highlighted by 1.17 g/t gold equivalent over 45.7 meters

1.17 g/t gold equivalent over 45.7 meters at "White Point" highlighted by 0.82 g/t gold equivalent over 36.6 meters .

The Gold Springs project is developing as we hoped with 4 resources at "North Jumbo", "South Jumbo", "Grey Eagle", and "Thor" open to expansion and with new gold discoveries on 3 additional targets, where we believe we can add new resources in 2022.

We are still waiting for results in the coming weeks on 15 additional holes at "Tremor" and on 7 holes at "Charlie Ross"."

(For additional information about the "Charlie Ross" and "Tremor" drill results, please refer to GRC's press releases dated October 19 and December 3, 2021)

2021 ongoing drilling program:

The Company's 2021 drilling program has now ended as the first major snowstorm has closed access to the site. The Company will now focus on completing the detailed logging of the 2021 drill holes, updating current models and developing new ones for the new discovery areas.

Plans for 2022 include updating the resource in the first quarter and restarting the drilling program as soon as weather conditions permit, which is expected to be in late March 2022.

White Point Target

"White Point" is located 400 meters west of the "Grey Eagle" resource area and is characterized by gold-bearing sheeted veins and breccias. The holes completed at "White Point" this year are expanding the knowledge of the controls for the gold mineralization in this structurally complex area. "White Point" is situated in an area along a caldera margin that has been impacted by radial and circular fracture systems associated with the caldera. These drill results, which trace gold mineralization for over 200 meters at "White Point", will assist in the development of a model to aid in the planning of future drill programs.

Drilling highlights include

Hole From (m) To (m) Thickness** (m) Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) Gold Equivalent*

(g/t) WP-21-002 61.0 74.7 13.7 0.62 6.0 0.70 WP-21-003 79.2 99.1 19.9 0.50 4.3 0.56 and 121.9 129.5 7.6 0.56 3.9 0.61 WP-21-004 54.9 106.7 51.8 0.32 3.65 0.37 WP-21-005 27.4 64.0 36.6 0.74 5.8 0.82 including 27.4 36.6 9.2 1.36 11.8 1.52 including 50.3 59.5 9.2 1.15 6.9 1.25 and 132.6 147.8 15.2 0.41 18.6 0.67 WP-21-006 3.0 6.1 3.1 1.28 6.8 1.37 and 15.2 18.3 3.1 0.77 13.2 0.95 and 33.5 48.8 15.3 1.31 6.5 1.40 including 33.5 44.2 10.7 1.75 8.4 1.87

* Gold Equivalent calculated at $1,800/oz gold and $25/oz silver

** True thickness is estimated to be 70-90% of total thickness

Drill Hole Table

Hole ID Easting UTM NAD 27 Northing Elevation Meters Azimuth Inclination TD (m) WP-21-001 756410 4201030 2132 300 -45 274.3 WP-21-002 756418 4201000 2153 270 -45 207.3 WP-21-003 756451 4200913 2124 210 -45 152.4 WP-21-004 756452 4200916 2099 270 -45 146.3 WP-21-005 756380 4200944 2112 90 -50 158.5 WP-21-006 756333 4201006 2112 90 -45 182.9 WP-21-007 756372 4201110 2104 250 -60 195.1 WP-21-008 756317 4201023 2017 300 -45 167.6 WP-21-009 756333 4200956 2094 120 -70 128.0

Qualified Person

The Qualified Person on the Gold Springs property is Randall Moore, Executive Vice President of Exploration of GRC, and he has reviewed and approved the content of this press release. The Qualified Person verified the data disclosed herein for its geological reasonableness, checked all the inputs and verified the analytical data through an analysis of the blanks and standards submitted with the drill-chip samples.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

Approximately 7 kg of RC chips were sent to the laboratory for each 1.52 meters drill interval. Standards and blanks are submitted into the sample stream at the rate of 15% for QA/QC purposes. In addition, the laboratory also includes duplicates of samples, standards and blanks. The results of these check assays are reviewed prior to the release of data. All RC sample assays are also reviewed for their geological context and checked against the drill logs.

Assay Method

Assays were performed in Sparks, Nevada by ALS Geochemistry, ISO 9001:2000 Certified and independent laboratories. Gold was analyzed by fire assay of a 30-gram sample with an AAS finish with samples assaying greater than 5 g/t re-assayed using a 30-gram sample and a gravity finish. All other elements were analyzed by a four-acid leach ICP method.

Director Resignation

The Company also announces that Robert van Doorn has tendered his resignation as a director of the Company. The Company thanks Robert for his contributions and wishes him well on his future endeavours.

About Gold Springs Resource Corp.

Gold Springs Resource Corp. (TSX: GRC and OTCQB: GRCAF) is focused on the exploration and expansion of the gold and silver resources of its PEA-stage Gold Springs project located on the border of Nevada and Utah, USA. The project is situated in the prolific Great Basin of Western USA, one of the best mining jurisdictions in the world.

Gold Springs Resource Corp. Contact:

Antonio Canton, President and CEO

acanton@goldspringsresource.com

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements contained herein constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements look into the future and provide an opinion as to the effect of certain events and trends on the business. Forward-looking statements may include words such as "potential", "plan", "next", "continue", "will", and similar expressions, and include the Company's belief that it will be able to complete an updated mineral resource estimate for the Gold Springs project in 2022. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and entail various risks and uncertainties. Actual results may materially differ from expectations if known and unknown risks or uncertainties affect our business or if our estimates or assumptions prove inaccurate. Factors that could cause results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, include, but are not limited to, risks of the mineral exploration industry which may affect the advancement of the Gold Springs project, including possible variations in mineral resources, grade, recovery rates, metal prices, capital and operating costs, and the application of taxes; availability of sufficient financing to fund planned or further required work in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; availability of equipment and qualified personnel, failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, changes in project parameters, including water requirements for operations, as plans continue to be refined; regulatory, environmental and other risks of the mining industry more fully described in the Company's Annual Information Form and continuous disclosure documents, which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . The assumptions made in developing the forward-looking statements include: the accuracy of current resource estimates and the interpretation of drill, metallurgical testing and other exploration results; the continuing support for mining by local governments in Nevada and Utah; the availability of equipment and qualified personnel to advance the Gold Springs project; execution of the Company's existing plans and further exploration and development programs for Gold Springs, which may change due to changes in the views of the Company or if new information arises which makes it prudent to change such plans or programs.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason. Unless otherwise indicated, forward-looking statements in this press release describe the Company's expectations as of the date hereof.

SOURCE: Gold Springs Resources Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/678226/Gold-Springs-Resource-Corp-Announces-Drill-Results-from-the-White-Point-Target
The "Norway Data Center Market Investment Analysis Growth Opportunities 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Norway data center market size by investments to reach USD 1095 million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.22% during 2021-2026.

The report considers the present scenario of the Norway data center market and its market dynamics for 2021-2026. It covers a detailed overview of several growth enablers, restraints, and trends in the market. The study includes the demand and supply aspects of the market.

In Norway, data center investment has traditionally been from homegrown data center operators; investments from global companies have increased in the last few years. Bergen, Trondheim, Sandefjord, and Stavanger are secondary markets witnessing data center project development. DigiPlex, Green Mountain, Bulk Infrastructure, Itsjefen, and Basefarm (Orange) are some of Norway's leading colocation service providers.

NORWAY DATA CENTER MARKET OUTLOOK

In June 2021, the Norwegian data center industry announced the establishment of Norsk Datasenterindustri (Norwegian Data Center Industry), an industry association to strengthen the data center industry in Norway.

In 2020, the Norway Government reintroduced tax breaks for cryptocurrency data centers, which will boost data center investment opportunities in the country.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT

The growing adoption of innovative, intelligent devices, the increasing demand for analytics, cloud adoption, and the growth of wireless networking technologies have led several organizations in Norway to invest in big data and IoT technology.

Cisco Systems introduces a new software solution for on-premises data center cloud environments, which simplifies IT operations.

WHY SHOULD YOU BUY THIS RESEARCH?

Market size available in the investment, area, power capacity, and data center colocation revenue.

An assessment of the data center investment in Norway by colocation, hyperscale, and enterprise operators.

Data center investments in the area (square feet) and power capacity (MW) across cities in the country.

A detailed study of the existing Norway data center market landscape, an in-depth industry analysis, and insightful predictions about the Norwegian data center market size during the forecast period.

Snapshot of existing and upcoming third-party data center facilities in Norway

Facilities Covered (Existing): 23

Facilities Identified (Upcoming): 07

Coverage: 11 Cities

Existing vs. Upcoming (Data Center Area)

Existing vs. Upcoming (IT Load Capacity)

Data center colocation market in Norway

Market Revenue Forecast (2021-2026)

Retail Colocation Pricing

Wholesale colocation Pricing

The Norway data center market investments are classified into IT, power, cooling, and general construction services with sizing and forecast.

A comprehensive analysis of the latest trends, growth rate, potential opportunities, growth restraints, and prospects for the industry.

Business overview and product offerings of prominent IT infrastructure providers, construction contractors, support infrastructure providers, and investors operating in the industry.

A transparent research methodology and the analysis of the demand and supply aspect of the market.

NORWAY DATA CENTER MARKET VENDOR LANDSCAPE

In 2018, AWS deployed its Amazon CloudFront edge location in Oslo, cutting network latency for its customers in Norway by around 35%.

In September 2021, Microsoft announced the launch of three availability zones in its Norway East Azure Cloud region in Oslo.

In June 2021, the Solor Bioenergy Group announced the acquisition of the district heating business from Veolia Nordic in Norway and Sweden.

IT Infrastructure Providers

Arista Networks

Cisco Systems

Dell Technologies

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Huawei Technologies

Hitachi Vantara

IBM

Inspur

Juniper Networks

Lenovo

NEC

NetApp

ORACLE

Pure Storage

Super Micro Computer

Data Center Construction Contractors Sub-Contractors

Designer Group

RED

YIT

SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS

ABB

Alfa Laval

Bosch Security Systems

Caterpillar

Cummins

Delta Electronics

Eaton

FlaktGroup

HITEC- Power Protection

KOHLER-SDMO

Piller Power Systems

Rittal

Schneider Electric

STULZ

Socomec

Trane (Ingersoll Rand)

Vertiv

Data Center Investors

AQ Compute

Bulk Infrastructure

DigiPlex

Green Mountain

Green Edge Compute

Nordkraft

STORESPEED

REPORT COVERAGE:

EXISTING VS. UPCOMING DATA CENTERS

Existing Facilities in the region (Area and Power Capacity)

Oslo

Other Cities

List of Upcoming Facilities in the region (Area and Power Capacity)

NORWAY DATA CENTER INVESTMENT COVERAGE

Infrastructure Type

IT Infrastructure

Server

Storage Systems

Network Infrastructure

Electrical Infrastructure

UPS Systems

Generators

Transfer Switches and Switchgears

PDUs

Other Electrical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems

CRAC and CRAH Units

Chillers

Cooling Towers, Condensers, and Dry Coolers

Economizers Evaporative Coolers

Other Cooling Units

Mechanical Infrastructure

Rack Cabinets

Other Mechanical Infrastructure

General Construction

Building Development

Installation and Commissioning Services

Building Engineering Design

Physical Security

Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)

Tier Segments

Tier I Tier II

Tier III

Tier IV

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1: Existing Upcoming Third-Party Data Centers In Norway

20+ Unique Data Center Properties

Data Center IT Load Capacity

Data Center White Floor Area Space

Existing Vs Upcoming Data Center Capacity by Cities

Cities Covered

Oslo

Other Cities

Chapter 2: Investment Opportunities In Norway

Data Center Investments

Investment by Area

Investment by Power Capacity

Chapter 3: Data Center Colocation Market In Norway

Colocation Services Market in Norway

Retail Colocation vs Wholesale Data Center Colocation

Colocation Pricing (Quarter Rack, Half Rack, Full Rack) Add-ons

Chapter 4: Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Market Trends

Market Restraints

Chapter 5: Market Segmentation

IT Infrastructure: Market Size Forecast

Electrical Infrastructure: Market Size Forecast

Mechanical Infrastructure: Market Size Forecast

General Construction Services: Market Size Forecast

Chapter 6: Tier Standard Investment

Tier I II

Tier III

Tier IV

Chapter 7: Key Market Participants

IT Infrastructure Providers

Construction Contractors

Support Infrastructure Providers

Data Center Investors

Chapter 8: Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/muean9

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211217005185/en/

Contacts:

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Freedom Boat Club, a division of Brunswick Corporation (BC), has acquired the Freedom Boat Club of Rhode Island franchise operation and territory. The deal includes all four current Rhode Island-based locations, and the rights to expand and build new club locations throughout Rhode Island. The Freedom Boat Club brand entered the Rhode Island market under the leadership of former owner Richard Cromwell. The company noted that Cromwell will remain onboard to assist with the transition, and the local staff has been retained. 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.
Positioning as the most welcomed technology in the "Blooming Cup" Competition

BEIJING, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 4th "Blooming Cup" 5G Application Pitch Competition was completed recently, which was organized by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), IMT-2020 (5G) Promotion Group, and 5G Applications Industry Array. With the extensive development of 5G B2B applications in China, the competition has attracted broad participation from industries, businesses, and individuals. In 2021, 12,281 5G B2B projects participated in the competition. Industry Internet, smart campus, and smart city are the top 3 application areas. Positioning is the technology most adopted by the participating projects.

Technologies Adopted by the 5G B2B Projects Participating in the 4th Blooming Cup Competition



Technology Adoption Rate in Participating Projects Positioning 58% Big Data Analytics 52% Edge Computing 52% Cloud Computing 51% Network Slicing 47% Artificial Intelligence 46% Uplink Enhancement 38% 5G LAN 12%





Source: CAICT

The result indicates that vertical players have strong demands for positioning solutions in their 5G B2B applications. Since many vertical players have deployed 5G networks, could the 5G network be leveraged to improve the efficiency of the positioning service? Dr. Wang Jun, Chief Architect of Industrial Internet at Midea Group gave an answer from Midea's point of view.

Fully Connected Factory

Midea Group is a Chinese household appliance manufacturer headquartered in Foshan, China. It has been listed on the Fortune Global 500 since July 2016. Midea produces lighting, water appliances, floor care, small kitchen appliances, laundry, large cooking appliances, refrigeration appliances, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, etc. It also owns KUKA, the world's leading industrial robot manufacturer. In its manufacturing base in Foshan, more than 3,000 workers produce diverse appliances in the 160,000 square meters plant.

Since 2019, Midea Group has piloted 5G + Industry IoT applications in its manufacturing bases and started deploying the 'fully connected factory' in 2021. So far, Midea Group has collaborated with China Unicom Guangdong Branch to deploy a customized 5G network in its Foshan base. The network includes 16 macro base stations, 253 indoor small cells, and two sets of edge computing platforms. Industrial automation equipment, such as robotics, AGVs, machine-vision cameras, PLC controllers, etc., are connected through the customized network to the private cloud in Midea Group headquarters. As a result, diverse industrial automation applications have been implemented, including smart logistics.

Smart Logistics Not Only Means AGV

Unlike people's imagination, even in today's connected factory, the logistics system cannot entirely rely on an AGV system yet. The operation of an AGV system will require a high-precision positioning system that is often very expensive. On the other hand, many labor works are still necessary for a logistics system, e.g., most forklifts and trailers still need drivers, and the communications and coordination in the field cannot fully rely on AI assistants either.

Most commercial AGV systems today require a positioning precision at 1 cm level. For some exceptional cases, the 1 mm positioning precision will be needed. Either 1 cm or 1 mm positioning accuracy must rely on high-precision positioning solutions, such as laser radar or geomagnetic positioning. However, it will be too expensive for a factory to deploy these high-precision positioning solutions across the entire plant area and all vehicles.



In addition to AGVs, there are many other intelligent devices in a modern logistics system, such as machine-vision cameras, AR glasses, digital assistants of workers, etc. All these devices also need to be positioned, meanwhile need to be connected to the intra-network of the factory. The short-range wireless system, such as RFID, Bluetooth, or UWB, can provide the positioning service, but unfortunately, they cannot provide the necessary capacity of data connectivity. Wi-Fi system can meet the capacity requirement, but the mobility support for forklifts or trailers is still an issue.

5G at the Core of the Indoor Positioning System in a Fully Connected Factory

Midea Group's fully connected factory illustrates how to leverage a 5G network to build a comprehensive positioning solution. The 5G network in its manufacturing base has become a common infrastructure for all industrial automation applications, which not only provides data connectivity for smart devices but also enables the positioning service across the entire plant area.

Now the 5G positioning technology can provide a positioning precision at the level of 1 meter. It is not as high as the precision of laser radar or geomagnetic positioning solution but is enough for a forklift driver in a warehouse. The 5G network on the campus can be a basic positioning layer across the plant. Other high-precision positioning solutions can be deployed in dedicated areas to facilitate the use of AGVs, robotics, or any other devices that require high-precision positioning. The two layers are integrated to form a cost-effective, comprehensive positioning system for the smart factory.

With the 5G positioning system, Midea Group significantly improves the efficiency of the warehouse operation:

The average time to find goods is reduced by 80%.

The warehouse labor efficiency is improved by 21%.

The loading efficiency is improved by 55%.

The positioning system also plays a critical role in the overall smart factory operation. The 5G fully connected factory solution has helped the Midea factory in Foshan improve efficiency across the entire production process, which leads to a cost-saving of over RMB 30 million per year. Midea Group is now working with industry partners to test the low cost and low power consumption modules for 5G positioning to extend the 5G positioning service to containers, trays, and even workers.

With these developments, people expect the 5G positioning will be adopted by more vertical players and support broader industrial applications. As a result, 5G positioning will play a key role in the positioning system of vertical industrial applications and will be blooming in the 5G B2B market.

Original link: https://www.strategyanalytics.com/strategy-analytics/blogs/service-providers/networks-and-service-platforms/networks-service-platforms/2021/12/16/5g-at-the-core-of-the-positioning-system-in-midea-s-fully-connected-factory

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NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION (IN WHOLE OR IN PART) IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION.

Voluntary Public takeover offer for Aareal Bank starts today - Offer Document published following approval by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin)

Acceptance period expected to expire at midnight (CET) on 19 January 2022

The offer price of EUR 29.00 in cash represents a premium of 35% based on the weighted average price of the Aareal Bank share over the three months ending 6 October 2021, and a premium of 23% over the last unaffected closing share price on 6 October 2021

The Management and Supervisory Board of Aareal Bank support the offer and intend, subject to final review of the Offer Document, to recommend that Aareal Bank shareholders accept the offer

FRANKFURT, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / December 17, 2021 / Atlantic BidCo GmbH (the "Bidder"), a non-controlled company indirectly held by funds which are respectively managed and advised by Advent International Corporation ("Advent") and Centerbridge Partners, L.P. ("Centerbridge") as well as further minority shareholders, today published the Offer Document for its voluntary public takeover offer for all shares in Aareal Bank ("Aareal Bank" or the "Company"; ISIN: DE0005408116) following approval by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht - BaFin).

Aareal Bank shareholders are offered a cash consideration of EUR 29.00 per share. This represents a premium of 35% based on the weighted average price of the Aareal Bank share over the three-month period ending 6 October 2021, and a premium of 23% over the last unaffected closing share price on 6 October 2021. The acceptance period for the offer begins today and is expected to expire at midnight (CET) on 19 January 2022. During this time, Aareal Bank shareholders can accept the offer and tender their shares to the Bidder. The Management and Supervisory Boards of Aareal Bank support the offer, and intend, subject to final review of the offer document, to recommend that Aareal Bank shareholders accept the offer.

The offer will be subject to a minimum acceptance threshold of 70%, and as further specified in the Offer Document, approval from bank regulatory, antitrust and foreign investment authorities, among other offer conditions. After a successful tender offer, the transaction is expected to close, subject to regulatory proceedings, in the second half of 2022. In the Investment Agreement entered into with Aareal Bank, the Bidder committed not to cause Aareal Bank to conclude a domination and/or profit and loss transfer agreement with the Bidder or any affiliated company to the Bidder, in line with customary regulatory expectations.

The objective of the transaction is to support Aareal Bank's existing strategic ambitions. With a stable shareholder base, the Bidder believes Aareal Bank will be better positioned to focus on its longer-term objectives and accordingly accelerate Management's "Next Level" agenda. As part of this programme, the Bidder supports plans to strengthen all three of Aareal Group's segments by increasing investments across the financial services, real estate, software and payments sectors, primarily financed by retaining earnings.

The Offer Document for the offer is now available online at https://atlantic-offer.com/ . Along with the German version of the Offer Document, a non-binding English version of the Offer Document is also available at this web address. The Offer Document is also available free of charge at Morgan Stanley Europe SE, New Issues Operations, Groe Gallusstrae 18, 60312 Frankfurt am Main, Germany (order by fax at +49 69 21667676 or by email at newissues_germany@morganstanley.com).

Media Contacts of the Bidder

Olaf Zapke, Finsbury Glover Hering, Tel +49 170 764 1971, olaf.zapke@fgh.com

Markus Stoker, Finsbury Glover Hering, Tel +49 162 245 3946, markus.stoker@fgh.com

Roland Klein, Kekst CNC, Tel +44 7776 162 997, roland.klein@kekstcnc.com

Isabel Henninger, Kekst CNC, Tel +49 174 940 9955, isabel.henninger@kekstcnc.com

Information about Shareholders of the Bidder

About Advent International

Founded in 1984, Advent International is one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors. The firm has invested in over 380 private equity investments across 42 countries, and as of June 30, 2021, had USD 81 billion in assets under management. With 15 offices in 12 countries, Advent has established a globally integrated team of over 245 private equity investment professionals across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. The firm focuses on investments in five core sectors, including business and financial services; health care; industrial; retail, consumer and leisure; and technology. After 35 years dedicated to international investing, Advent remains committed to partnering with management teams to deliver sustained revenue and earnings growth for its portfolio companies.

For more information, visit:

Website: www.adventinternational.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/advent-international

About Centerbridge

Centerbridge Partners, L.P. is a private investment management firm employing a flexible approach across investment disciplines - private equity, private credit and real estate - in an effort to develop the most attractive opportunities for our investors. The Firm was founded in 2005 and as of August 31, 2021, has approximately USD 32 billion in capital under management with offices in New York and London. Centerbridge is dedicated to partnering with world-class management teams across targeted industry sectors and geographies. For more information, please visit www.centerbridge.com .

Important Notice

This publication is for information purposes only and neither constitutes an invitation to sell, nor an offer to purchase, securities of the Company. The offer document published by the Bidder after approval by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority ( Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) , is the sole binding document with regard to the terms and conditions and other provisions relating to the public takeover offer. Investors and holders of securities of the Company are strongly recommended to read the offer document and all announcements in connection with the public takeover offer as soon as they are published, since they contain or will contain important information.

The offer will be made exclusively under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, especially under the German Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act ( Wertpapiererwerbs- und Ubernahmegesetz - WpUG ), and certain provisions of the securities laws of the United States of America applicable to cross-border tender offers. The offer will not be executed according to the provisions of jurisdictions other than those of the Federal Republic of Germany or the United States of America (to the extent applicable). Thus, no other announcements, registrations, admissions or approvals of the offer outside of the Federal Republic of Germany have been filed, arranged for or granted. Investors in, and holders of, securities in the Company cannot rely on having recourse to provisions for the protection of investors in any jurisdiction other than the provisions of the Federal Republic of Germany or the United States of America (to the extent applicable). Subject to the exceptions described in the offer document as well as any exemptions that may be granted by the relevant regulators, a public takeover offer will not be made, neither directly nor indirectly, in jurisdictions where to do so would constitute a violation of the laws of such jurisdiction.

The Bidder reserves the right, to the extent legally permitted, to directly or indirectly acquire further shares outside the offer on or off the stock exchange. If such further acquisitions take place, information about such acquisitions, stating the number of shares acquired or to be acquired and the consideration paid or agreed on, will be published without undue delay, if and to the extent required by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany or any other relevant jurisdiction.

To the extent any announcements in this document contain forward-looking statements, such statements do not represent facts and are characterized by the words "expect", "believe", "estimate", "intend", "aim", "assume" or similar expressions. Such statements express the intentions, opinions or current expectations and assumptions of the Bidder and the persons acting together with the Bidder. Such forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and forecasts, which the Bidder and the persons acting together with the Bidder have made to the best of their knowledge, but which they do not claim to be correct in the future. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and usually cannot be influenced by the Bidder or the persons acting together with the Bidder . These expectations and forward-looking statements can turn out to be incorrect and the actual events or consequences may differ materially from those contained in or expressed by such forward-looking statements. The Bidder and the persons acting together with the Bidder do not assume an obligation to update the forward-looking statements with respect to the actual development or incidents, basic conditions, assumptions or other factors.

SOURCE: Atlantic BidCo GmbH

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/678237/Atlantic-BidCo-GmbH-Aareal-Bank-Shareholders-can-Tender-Their-Shares-from-Today--Offer-Document-Published
CHICAGO, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis by Type (Unit Load, Mini Load, VLM, Carousel, Mid Load), Industry, and Region (North America, Europe, APAC, RoW) - Global Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is projected to grow from USD 7.8 billion in 2021 to USD 11.0 billion by 2026 at CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period. The growth of the ASRS market is majorly driven by growing demand for ASRS in e-commerce due to onset of COVID-19, increasing demand for ASRS in the automotive industry, need for, optimum utilization of space and rise in labor costs.

Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=195267987

Unit load ASRS accounted for the largest share of the ASRS market in 2020.

Unit load ASRSs are used for storing large size articles and also provide real-time information on inventory making them more preferable type in several industries compared to other types of ASRS. Moreover, unit load ASRS is a high-density heavy payload ASRS that enables accurate, efficient, safe, and stable handling of full pallets. The market growth is also supported by their wide range of applications in consumer goods, automotive, electronics, food & beverages, pharmaceuticals & medical supplies, and retail & apparel industries.

Automotive industry to account for the largest size of ASRS market in 2021.

The shift in demand toward electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles has prompted automakers to ramp up automotive manufacturing, which requires automotive spare parts. Automotive suppliers must effectively manage large amounts of goods and variation and breadth of stock. Also, these suppliers need to improve the storage capacity within the available floor space. Thus, automated storage and retrieval systems are increasingly being used to fulfill the requirements related to material handling capacity.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Automated Storage and Retrieval System Market"

174 - Tables

57 - Figures

238 - Pages

Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=195267987

APAC is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2021-2026.

The ASRS market for APAC is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The rapid growth of automotive, food & beverages, and healthcare industries in emerging economies such as China, Japan, Australia, and South Korea has contributed to the growth of the ASRS market in APAC. Moreover, governments in APAC countries are increasingly emphasizing on safety and security on production floors, which can be best achieved by the implementation of ASRSs. The ASRS market is witnessing rapid growth in countries such as China and Japan owing to increasing investments by manufacturers and suppliers in the installation of these systems at warehouses and distribution centers.

Daifuku (Japan), Kardex (Switzerland), Murata Machinery (Japan), SSI Schaefer (Germany), TGW Logistics (Austria), KION (Germany), KUKA (Germany) are some of the major players in ASRS market.

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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.

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ISTANBUL, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- D-MARKET Electronic Services & Trading ("Hepsiburada", or the "Company"), a leading Turkish e-commerce platform, today announces the entry into a definitive agreement to acquire Doruk Finansman A.S., a Turkish consumer finance company ("Doruk Finansman").

In line with its strategy to add incremental fintech capabilities to Hepsipay Wallet and its embedded value offerings, Hepsiburada takes a solid step by tapping the lending and buy-now-pay-later market through the acquisition of Doruk Finansman. Once completed, Hepsiburada will be able to offer its customers diversified consumer financing solutions matching their affordability needs, enhancing its value proposition through providing financial flexibility.

On December 16, 2021, Hepsiburada, through one of its wholly owned subsidiaries, entered into a Share Sale and Purchase Agreement (the "SPA") with the holders of 100% of the equity interest in Doruk Finansman: Dogan Sirketler Grubu Holding A.S. ("DoHol"), the holder of 97% equity interest in Doruk Finansman, Dogan Dis Ticaret ve Mumessillik A.S. and Dogan family individuals (collectively, the "Sellers"), to acquire 100% stake in Doruk Finansman, for a total transaction value of TRY 20 million (equivalent to US$1.3 million as of December 16, 2021) (the "Transaction Value"). In accordance with the Turkish regulatory requirements, the Company retained KPMG to issue an independent valuation report with respect to the Transaction Value.

At closing, the Company will pay the Sellers in cash an aggregate of TRY 5 million on a pro rata basis. The Company will pay DoHol TRY 15 million (the "Conditional Amount") in cash only upon collection of certain receivables identified in the financial statements of Doruk Finansman as of the closing day. The Conditional Amount shall be paid to DoHol depending on the collection of receivables starting three months after the closing. If on the tenth anniversary of the closing date, the collections do not reach the total Conditional Amount, DoHol will no longer be entitled to the remaining portion of the Conditional Amount.

The SPA provides for customary representations, warranties and covenants related to, among other things, the conduct of the business by Doruk Finansman prior to closing, such as limiting investments to an amount not to exceed TRY 100,000 in the aggregate. The SPA also provides that all expenses related to the receivables collection efforts, will be covered by the Company and invoiced to DoHol. DoHol has assumed all liabilities related to the business activities of Doruk Finansman prior to closing. Following the closing, the Company has the right to collect any related damages directly from DoHol.

The Sellers are all related parties and the transaction, including the SPA, has been approved by the Company's Audit Committee, the Corporate Governance Committee, as well as the Board of Directors.

The closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval of Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency and Hepsiburada expects to complete the acquisition during the first quarter of 2022.

About Hepsiburada

Hepsiburada is a leading e-commerce technology platform in Turkey, combining a globally proven e-commerce business model with a one-stop 'Super App' to cater to our customers' everyday needs and to help make people's daily lives better. Customers can access a broad range of products and services including same-day delivery of groceries and essentials, products from international merchants, airline tickets and payment services through Hepsiburada's embedded digital wallet, HepsiPay. As at the end of September 2021, we had seamlessly connected 39.6 million members and approximately 67 thousand Active Merchants.

Founded in Istanbul in 2000, Hepsiburada was built to lead the digitalization of commerce in Turkey. As a female-founded organization, Hepsiburada is committed to meaningful action to empower women. Through its 'Technology Empowerment for Women Entrepreneurs' program, Hepsiburada reached over 24,000 female entrepreneurs across Turkey to date.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Safe Harbor provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that reflect the current views of the Company about future events and financial performance, including but not limited to statements regarding the closing of the transaction, the payment of consideration for the transaction and impact of future events thereon, certain rights and responsibilities under the SPA up to and following such closing, and the anticipated impact of the transaction on Hepsiburada and its ability to offer certain services to its customers as a result of the transaction. . These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may", "could", "will," "expects," "anticipates," "aims," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "targets", "likely to" and similar statements. Among other things, statements in this announcement regarding our strategic and operational plans contain forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations. However, it is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors and circumstances that may cause Hepsiburada's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from its expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including conditions in the U.S. capital markets, negative global economic conditions, potential negative developments in the COVID-19 pandemic, other negative developments in Hepsiburada's business or unfavorable legislative or regulatory developments. We caution you therefore against relying on these forward-looking statements, and we qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements. For a discussion of certain factors that may affect the outcome of such forward looking statements, see our Prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in connection with our initial public offering, and in particular the "Risk Factors" section of our Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File No.333-256654) as filed with the SEC. Copies of these filings are available online from the SEC at www.sec.gov, or on the SEC Filings section of our Investor Relations website at https://investors.hepsiburada.com. These and other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of the date of this press release. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information currently available to the Company, and the Company and its authorized representatives assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events.

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New fund targets projects at the bleeding-edge of innovation, in both crypto and emerging tech.

Kraken Ventures, an independent investment fund led by Kraken alumni targeting early stage companies and protocols across the crypto and fintech ecosystem, has today announced the successful closing of its first fund, Kraken Ventures Fund I LP. In addition to Kraken as the anchor LP, the fund raised capital from a broad group of global institutional investors.

Kraken Ventures invests in the underlying technologies powering the next wave of crypto and fintech innovation and focuses on areas including financial infrastructure, Web3, decentralized finance (DeFi), consumer crypto protocols as well as enabling technologies, such as AI and Machine Learning. It has already made a number of investments including positions in Blockdaemon, Anchorage, Messari, Hashflow, Acala, and pStake.

"We're extremely pleased to have successfully closed our first fund," said Brandon Gath, Managing Partner of Kraken Ventures. "Our long-term view on investing, and the possibility to leverage Kraken's experience in building a truly global, scalable platform, definitely contributed to the overwhelming interest we received from investors. Our focus now is to put that money to work and help some of the most innovative projects and their exceptionally talented founders accelerate the development of their companies and protocols."

Kraken Ventures is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with a distributed team in New York and London. The fund targets initial investments in the $500K to $2M range. Its investment strategy is based on a long-term investment horizon and hands-on approach. The team works side-by-side with its portfolio companies to build and scale their businesses by offering strategic guidance, sourcing new commercial opportunities and providing capital support.

European Expansion

As part of Kraken Ventures' global expansion, Kraken Ventures is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Laurens De Poorter as Head of Europe. Before joining Kraken Ventures, Laurens was Vice President at Dawn Capital in London where he focused on early-stage investments in enterprise software and fintech companies. He holds an MBA from Harvard and an Engineering degree from KU Leuven. Based in London, Laurens will focus on identifying and executing investments and working with portfolio companies across the European continent and beyond.

"The European crypto scene is booming. Deal count doubled in the last two years and continues to accelerate," said Laurens De Poorter. "With the influx of institutional money and impending regulation wave, one of the most promising areas will be the intersection of crypto and fintech. I couldn't be more excited to join Kraken Ventures and look forward to working with the broader team to identify the most promising opportunities out there."

De Poorter added: "In this competitive industry, what makes Kraken Ventures really stand out is the amount of time and resources it can allocate to each of its portfolio companies, allowing it to add real value to the businesses it invests in."

Kraken Ventures also recently appointed Mavis Xu as a Senior Associate based in New York, where she will be responsible for sourcing new investment opportunities, conducting due diligence and closing investments. After finishing graduate school at NYU for Public Policy and Social Impact Investing, Mavis joined Liberty City Ventures to invest in early-stage companies building blockchain infrastructure.

About Kraken Ventures

Kraken Ventures is an independent investment fund targeting early stage companies and protocols across the crypto and fintech ecosystem. The fund invests in the technologies powering the next wave of crypto and fintech innovation, providing entrepreneurs with the resources and industry expertise they need to build and scale their business. For more information about Kraken Ventures, please visit www.krakenventures.com.

About Kraken: Anchor LP in Kraken Ventures

Kraken, the anchor LP in Kraken Ventures, is the world's largest global digital asset exchange based on euro volume and liquidity. Globally, Kraken's client base trades nearly 90 digital assets and 7 different fiat currencies, including GBP, EUR, USD, CAD, JPY, CHF and AUD.

Kraken was founded in 2011 and was the first U.S. crypto firm to receive a state-chartered banking license, as well as one of the first exchanges to offer spot trading with margin, regulated derivatives and index services. Kraken is trusted by well over 7 million traders, institutions and authorities around the world and offers professional, round the clock online support.

For more information about Kraken, please visit www.kraken.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211217005208/en/

Contacts:

Media inquiries: Alex Rapoport, press@kraken.com
(All dollar amounts are in United States dollars unless otherwise specified)

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 17, 2021) - Bear Creek Mining Corporation (TSXV: BCM) (OTCQX: BCEKF) (BVL: BCM) ("Bear Creek" or the "Company") is very pleased to announce it has entered into a definitive agreement with Equinox Gold Corp. ("Equinox") to acquire a 100% interest in the Mercedes gold-silver mine ("Mercedes") located in Sonora, Mexico.

The Mercedes acquisition will transform Bear Creek into a precious metal producer and provide a source of funding for future construction of the Company's world class Corani silver mine.

Benefits of the Mercedes acquisition to Bear Creek shareholders

The Mercedes acquisition will:

Add a high quality, low cost, cash flowing asset to Bear Creek's project portfolio

Provide a source of free cash flow to help fund development and construction of the Corani silver mine

Offer excellent near-mine and regional exploration upside

Diversify Bear Creek's asset base with mix of jurisdictions, project stages and commodities while retaining a precious metals focus

Create an opportunity for re-rating of the Company's shares to align with junior precious metals producers

Enhance the Company's share registry and market profile with the addition of two new strategic stakeholders

"Moving from a development stage company into a precious metals producer is an important step in Bear Creek's evolution," states Anthony Hawkshaw, President and CEO of the Company. "The acquisition of Mercedes provides our shareholders a cash flowing asset with expansion potential and participation in a land package with an exciting exploration outlook. Furthermore, the financial and technical support provided by Sandstorm reinforces management's conviction that Mercedes will be a positive contributor to each of our treasuries; a positive contribution that for Bear Creek will, in large part, be directed to the continuing development of Corani."

Strategic Rationale

The Mercedes acquisition adds an attractive operating asset that provides free cash flow, which the Company will use as a non-dilutive source of funding to develop the Company's world-class Corani silver deposit, and to explore the Mercedes property. With a strong track record of exploration success, consistent historical replacement of ore reserves, and vast areas of the property unexplored, management believes the Mercedes property offers exploration upside with the potential to expand known reserves and extend the mine life beyond current projections, with ample spare mill capacity for expansion of production.

Key Acquisition Terms

Payment to Equinox will consist of:

A cash payment of $75 million and issuance of 24,730,000 Bear Creek common shares on the closing of the acquisition (the "Closing Date")

A deferred cash payment of $25 million due within six months of the Closing Date

A 2% NSR payable on metal production from the Mercedes mining concessions

The $75 million cash payment on the Closing Date will be funded by $15 million from the Company's treasury and $60 million from Sandstorm Gold Ltd. ("Sandstorm") as described below.

The Mercedes acquisition is expected to close during the first quarter of 2022 subject to customary closing conditions including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and Mexican authorities.

Sandstorm Stream and Debt Financing

Bear Creek and Sandstorm have entered into a gold purchase agreement (the "Gold Purchase Agreement ") and a debt financing agreement, each of which are subject to customary closing conditions.

Under the Gold Purchase Agreement, Sandstorm will provide the Company with $37.5 million and in exchange Bear Creek will sell to Sandstorm 600 ounces of refined gold per month for 42 months (a total of 25,200 ounces) at a price equal to 7.5% of the spot gold price at the time of delivery. Thereafter, the Company will sell to Sandstorm 4.4% of gold produced by Mercedes at a price equal to 25% of the spot price at the time of delivery. Sandstorm will also be granted a right of first refusal on any royalties, streams or similar transactions with respect to production from Mercedes.

On the Closing Date, Sandstorm will pay the Company $22.5 million (the "Principal Amount") to subscribe for a 6%, three-year Convertible Debenture. Interest will be paid quarterly on the outstanding Principal Amount. The Principal Amount may be reduced by conversion of debt to common shares of the Company during the term. Otherwise, the Principal Amount is due on the third anniversary of closing. The Principal Amount is convertible, in whole or in part, into common shares of the Company at any time prior to maturity at the greater of a 35% premium to the closing price per common share of the Company on the closing date of the acquisition or as otherwise permitted by the TSX-V.

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP is acting as legal advisor to Bear Creek in the Mercedes acquisition.

About Mercedes

The information in this section is derived from the NI 43-101 Technical Report, Mercedes Gold-Silver Mine with an effective date of December 31, 2020. Readers are urged to review the NI 43-101 Disclosure below for further details.

The Mercedes mine is located in the state of Sonora, Mexico, approximately 300 km northeast of the city of Hermosillo and 300 km south of Tucson, AZ, within the prolific Mexican epithermal gold belt. It comprises 43 mineral concessions covering 69,285 ha.

Gold-silver mineralization on the Mercedes property is hosted within epithermal, low sulphidation veins, stockwork, and breccia zones. Aside from a brief Covid-related shut down in the spring of 2020, Mercedes has been in continuous operation since commencing production in 2011. Up to December 31, 2020, 5.84 million tonnes grading 4.42 g/t gold and 49.5 g/t silver have been processed, with a total of approximately 781,800 ounces of gold and 3,356,200 ounces of silver produced.

The Mercedes mine is a ramp-access underground operation that utilizes fully mechanized cut-and-fill mining. Ore is processed by conventional milling followed by agitated leach with Merrill-Crowe recovery of gold and silver. The process plant has a capacity 2,000 tpd with an average production rate from 2016-2020 of approximately 1,450 tpd. From 2012-2020 the average gold and silver recovery rates were 95.4% and 39.2%, respectively.

Throughout Mercedes' production history, gold-silver ore has been produced from five deposit areas, of which two (Diluvio and Lupita) are currently being mined. Thirteen mineralized zones in four vein systems have been identified to date within the Mercedes property through surface and underground drilling. These mineralized zones occur in three sub-districts: Mercedes (Mercedes and Barrancas - Marianas vein systems); Klondike (Klondike - Rey de Oro vein system); and Lupita (Lupita- Diluvio vein system). Readers are referred to the Mercedes Project and Deposit maps, below.

While the geological setting of the Mercedes property is very prospective, most of the property area has seen little to no substantive exploration. Conceptually, additional vein zones with tonnages and grades similar to currently mined areas could be discovered and delineated as systematic exploration continues. District-wide studies suggest that approximately 45 km of structures remain to be tested for short-term, near-mine evaluation, as well as long-term generative exploration, which may have potential for hosting additional low sulphidation gold-silver bearing vein systems.

The Mercedes property is estimated to contain the following Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources (1):

Mercedes Mineral Reserves Contained Metal Category Tonnage

('000 tonnes) Gold Grade

g/t Silver Grade

g/t Gold

('000 oz) Silver

('000 oz) Proven 381 5.47 41.3 67 507 Probable 2,224 3.61 27.2 258 1,943 Proven & Probable 2,605 3.89 29.2 325 2,450

Mercedes Mineral Resources in addition to Reserves Contained Metal Category Tonnage

('000 tonnes) Gold Grade

g/t Silver Grade

g/t Gold

('000 oz) Silver

('000 oz) Measured 521 3.59 31.2 60 2,633 Indicated 2,220 3.22 36.9 230 641 Measured & Indicated 2,742 3.29 35.8 290 3,155 Inferred 1,545 4,73 44.0 235 2,186

(1) The effective date of these Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates is December 31, 2020. See NI 43-101 Disclosure, below, for the assumptions used in the estimation of the Mercedes Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources.

Mercedes Project and Deposit Maps

Mercedes Location Map



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Mercedes Concession Map



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Mercedes Known Gold-Silver Deposits

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Bear Creek Mining will host a webcast presentation on the Mercedes mine acquisition as follows:

WHEN? Friday, December 17, 2021 at 8:00 am Pacific time / 11:00 am Eastern time WHERE? https://viavid.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1520117&tp_key=3a7adad69b

Interested parties are encouraged to visit the webcast url provided above in advance of the scheduled presentation time as registration is required.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Anthony Hawkshaw

President and CEO

For further information contact:

Barbara Henderson - VP Corporate Communications

Direct: 604-628-1111

E-mail: barb@bearcreekmining.com

www.bearcreekmining.com

Forward-looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding: the structure, anticipated closing date and regulatory approval of the Acquisition; the merits and expected benefits of the Acquisition to the Company and its shareholders; the terms and conditions of the Sandstorm Gold Stream and the Sandstorm Convertible Debenture; the anticipated future operating performance, production and cash flow from the Mercedes Mine; the potential for the discovery of additional mineralized vein systems and mineralized bodies at the Mercedes property; the possibility of defining additional mineral resources within the Mercedes property, to convert known or future mineral resources to mineral reserves, and to extend the current Mercedes Mine life projection; the Company's plans to direct free cash flow from Mercedes toward the development and construction of the proposed Corani Mine; the potential benefits of the Acquisition to the Company's ongoing Corani project financing efforts; the potential for re-rating of the Company's shares; and other statements regarding future plans, expectations, guidance, projections, objectives, estimates and forecasts as well as the Company's expectations with respect to such matters. These forward-looking statements are provided as of the date of this news release, or the effective date of the documents referred to in this news release, as applicable, and reflect predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events based on the Company's beliefs at the time the statements were made, as well as various assumptions made by and information currently available to them. In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to: that the terms and conditions of the Acquisition, the Sandstorm Gold Stream and the Sandstorm Convertible Debenture will not be subject to material changes; that the Acquisition will be approved by regulators; that the documents, projections and models on which the Company has relied are accurate in all material respects; and, that the Company will continue to seek financing for and develop the Corani project in accordance with its stated strategies. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions on which they are based do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the expectations expressed in them. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions expressed above do not occur, but specifically include, without limitation, risks relating to general market conditions and the additional risks described in the Company's latest Annual Information Form, and other disclosure documents filed by the Company on SEDAR. The foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on behalf of the Company, except as required by law.

NI 43-101 Disclosure

Disclosure of a scientific or technical nature in this news release has been reviewed and approved by, Andrew Swarthout, AIPG Certified Professional Geologist, Director of the Company and a Qualified Person ("QP") as defined in NI 43-101.

Technical information regarding the Mercedes property and mining operation included in this news release is derived from a NI 43-101 Technical Report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Mercedes Gold-Silver Mine, Sonora State, Mexico" (the "2020 Mercedes Report") dated June 30, 2021, with an effective date of December 31, 2020. The 2020 Mercedes Report is available on SEDAR under the profile of Equinox Gold Corp.

The 2020 Mercedes Report was prepared on behalf of Equinox Gold Corp. by BBA Inc. and G Mining Services Inc. and was authored by following QPs: Julie-Anais Debreil, P. Geo. (G Mining) responsible for Chapters 10, 11, & 12; Colin Hardie, P. Eng., (BBA) responsible for Chapters 1, 2,3,13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26 & 27; Todd McCracken, P. Geo. (BBA) responsible for Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14 & 23; and, David Willock, P. Eng., (BBA) responsible for Chapters 15 & 16. All of the 2020 Mercedes Report QPs contributed to Chapters 1, 25, 26 and 27, based upon their respective scope of work and the chapters/sections under their responsibility.

Mercedes Reserve estimate assumptions

CIM Definitions Standards on Mineral Resource and Reserves (2014) have been followed.

Mineral Reserves are minable tonnes and grades; the reference point is the mill feed at the primary crusher.

Mineral Reserves are estimated at a cut-off of 2.10 g/t Au, except Diluvio, which is estimated at 2.00 g/t Au.

Cut-off grade assumes a price of gold of US$1,350 per ounce, a 95.5% gold metallurgical recovery; US$45.09/t mining cost, US$19.59/t processing costs, US$13.00/t G&A and US$8.48/oz refining costs.

A minimum mining width of 3.5 m was used in the creation of all reserve blocks.

Mercedes Resource estimate assumptions

The CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resource and Reserves (2014) have been followed.

Mineral Resources are exclusive of Mineral Reserves.

Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves have not demonstrated economic viability.

The mineral resource cut-off grade of 1.70 g/t gold was calculated using the following parameters: gold price =US$1,500/oz; metallurgical recoveries of 95.5% for gold; refining charges US$8.48/oz gold; mining costs of US$44.70, processing costs of US$21.60 and G&A costs of US$13.00 per tonne of ore.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources

The Company prepares its disclosure in accordance with the requirements of securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Terms relating to mineral resources in this news release are defined in accordance with NI 43-101 under the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves 2014 ("CIM Definition Standards").

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") has adopted amendments effective February 25, 2019 (the "SEC Modernization Rules") to its disclosure rules to modernize the mineral property disclosure requirements for issuers whose securities are registered with the SEC under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The SEC Modernization Rules have replaced SEC Industry Guide 7, which has been rescinded.

As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC now recognizes estimates of "Measured mineral resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources", which are defined in substantially similar terms to the corresponding CIM Definition Standards. In addition, the SEC has amended its definitions of "Proven Mineral Reserves" and "Probable Mineral Reserves" to be substantially similar to the corresponding CIM Definition Standards.

United States investors are cautioned that while the foregoing terms are "substantially similar" to corresponding definitions under the CIM Definition Standards, there are differences in the definitions under the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Definition Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any Mineral Resources that the Company may report as "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company prepared the resource estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules.

United States investors are also cautioned that while the SEC will now recognize "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources", investors should not assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories would ever be converted into a higher category of Mineral Resources or into Mineral Reserves. Mineralization described by these terms has a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to assume that any "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources", or "Inferred Mineral Resources" that the Company reports are or will be economically or legally mineable.

Further, "Inferred Mineral Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. Therefore, United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of the Inferred resources exist. In accordance with Canadian securities laws, estimates of "Inferred Mineral Resources" cannot form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies, except in limited circumstances where permitted under NI 43-101.

In addition, disclosure of "contained ounces" is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC has historically only permitted issuers to report mineralization as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulatory 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/107877
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 17, 2021) - Kovo HealthTech Corporation (TSXV: KOVO) (the "Company" "Kovo") - a leader in healthcare technology and Billing-as-a-Service - is providing a year-end update on its strong organic growth and overall acquisition optimization.

"Kovo continues to be fueled by a combination of strong organic growth in our core business and a disciplined acquisition strategy which targets buying $1 of ARR for every $1 investment of debt or equity to deliver immediate accretive growth for shareholders with minimal dilution," explains Kovo CEO Greg Noble. The cumulative impact contributed to Kovo's 94% year-over-year revenue growth in the quarter ending September 30, 2021.

+400% Growth at Kovo's RPM Billing

Since it acquired Nevada-based RPM Billing in March 2020, Kovo has grown revenue at the medical billing specialist four-fold - from USD$1,400,000 to USD$5,700,000 million annualized.

Noble attributes the strong performance to "the RPM team's leadership and customer service excellence combined with Kovo technology and operational efficiencies that are driving faster payments for clients and better overall profitability for the company."

+33% Revenue Growth at Kovo's Midwest Medical Billing

In the six months since Kovo acquired Nebraska-based Midwest Medical Billing, the newly acquired company's revenues have increased by more than 30% to date, confirms Kovo CFO Inder Saini.

Kovo Partners Show Support

One of the Company's creditors has agreed to (i) extend an existing CAD$300,000 Convertible Note maturity date from January 18, 2023 to January 18, 2024 and (ii) the reduction the conversion price of such notes from USD$1.00 per common share to CAD$0.40 per share, pending TSXV approval.

The Company also announced that it has entered into a shares for debt agreement with a strategic acquisitions partner Lawrence, Evans & Co., LLC that, pending TSXV approval, will convert USD$43,480 of payables into approximately 140,513 common shares of the Company at a price of CAD$0.40.

About Kovo HealthTech Corporation

Kovo HealthTech Corporation is a growing healthcare technology company that specializes in Billing-as-a-Service offering SaaS-style recurring revenue contracts and software for more than 1700 US healthcare providers. Kovo helps healthcare providers digitally track and manage complex patient care registration, services, billing and payments in a seamless way, using its proprietary OneRev technology platform. Currently, through its clients, Kovo processes billing transactions for more than 3.5 million patients. By offering effective billing practices and technology through long-term SaaS-style contracts, Kovo helps healthcare practitioners get paid so they can focus on offering quality care. The Company posted 94% year-over-year revenue growth in the quarter ending September 30, 2021. To learn more about Kovo and to keep up-to-date on Kovo news, visit www.kovo.co.

For more information:

Greg Noble, CEO

investors@kovo.co

1-866-558-6777

Debra Quinn

deb@kovo.co

1-866-558-6777

Forward-Looking Information and Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") concerning the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information may relate to the future financial outlook and anticipated events or results of the Company and may include information regarding the Company's financial position, business strategy, growth strategies, acquisition prospects and plans, addressable markets, budgets, operations, financial results, taxes, dividend policy, plans and objectives. Particularly, information regarding the Company's expectations of future results, performance, achievements, prospects or opportunities or the markets in which the Company operates is forward-looking information. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "outlook", "forecasts", "projects", "prospects", "strategy", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will" occur. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, intentions, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances.

Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, without limitation, those listed in the "Risk Factors" section of the final prospectus of the Company dated May 26, 2021. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results, performance, or achievements could vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Forward-looking information, by its nature, is based on the Company's opinions, estimates and assumptions in light of management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company currently believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances. Those factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Despite a careful process to prepare and review forward-looking information, there can be no assurance that the underlying opinions, estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information. Although the Company bases its forward-looking information on assumptions that it believes were reasonable when made, which include, but are not limited to, assumptions with respect to the Company's future growth potential, results of operations, future prospects and opportunities, execution of the Company's business strategy, there being no material variations in the current tax and regulatory environments, future levels of indebtedness and current economic conditions remaining unchanged, the Company cautions readers that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which the Company operates may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. In addition, even if the Company's results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which it operates are consistent with the forward-looking information contained in this press release, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in subsequent periods.

This press release makes reference to certain non-IFRS measures. These measures are not recognized measures under IFRS, do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Rather, these measures are provided as additional information to complement those IFRS measures by providing further understanding of the Company's results of operations from management's perspective. The Company's definitions of non-IFRS measures used in this release may not be the same as the definitions for such measures used by other companies in their reporting. Non-IFRS measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of the Company's financial information reported under IFRS. The Company uses non-IFRS financial measures, including "EBITDA", "Adjusted EBITDA" and "Adjusted EBITDA Margin" to provide investors with supplemental measures of its operating performance and to eliminate items that have less bearing on operating performance or operating conditions and thus highlight trends in its core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS financial measures. "EBITDA" means net income (loss) before amortization and depreciation expenses, finance and interest costs, and provision for income taxes. *"Adjusted EBITDA" adjusts EBITDA for stock-based compensation expense, transactional gains or losses on assets, asset impairment charges, interest income, net foreign exchange gains or losses, income tax expense or recovery, forgivable one-time government financial payments related to the COVID-19 pandemic ("PPP Loans"), and any transactional expenses. Specifically, the Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA, when viewed with the Company's results under IFRS and the accompanying reconciliations, provides useful information about the Company's business without regard to potential distortions. By eliminating potential differences in results of operations between periods caused by factors such as depreciation and amortization methods and restructuring, impairment and other charges, the Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA can provide a useful additional basis for comparing the current performance of the underlying operations being evaluated. The Company believes that securities analysts, investors and other interested parties frequently use non-IFRS financial measures in the evaluation of issuers. The Company's management also uses non-IFRS financial measures in order to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other risk factors not presently known to the Company or that the Company presently believes are not material that could also cause actual results or future events to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking information. 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 information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information, which speaks only as of the date made (or as of the date they are otherwise stated to be made). Any forward-looking statement that is made in this press release speaks only as of the date of such 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

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/107945


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Joe Biden has warned that the Omicron variant of coronavirus is going to spread much more rapidly in the beginning of the New Year, and repeated his call on Americans to get vaccinated.



Speaking to the media after meeting with Members of the Covid-19 Response Team, Biden said he wants to send a direct message to the American people: 'Due to the steps we've taken, Omicron has not yet spread as fast as it would've otherwise done and as is happening in Europe. But it's here now, and it's spreading, and it's going to increase.'



Biden said 83 percent of the eligible American population have received one dose of Covid vaccine, 202 million are fully vaccinated, and 57 million were administered the booster dose.



'For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death - if you're unvaccinated - for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they'll soon overwhelm,' he told reporters.



With 138885 additional cases of infection reported on Thursday, the total number of people infected with the pandemic in the U.S. has risen to 50,513,437, according to the latest data collected by Johns Hopkins University.



The national total of Covid-related casualties has reached 803,652, with the addition of 1441 deaths in the last 24 hours.



New York reported the most number of cases - 17520, while Florida reported the highest number of casualties - 117 - caused by the pandemic Thursday.



Daily coronavirus infections climbed 31 percent and Covid fatalities by 23 percent in two weeks, the New York Times reported.



Covid hospitalizations are up 20 percent from a fortnight ago. 68,410 people are currently hospitalized due to the viral infection.



40,406,796 people in the country have recovered from the disease.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Sustainability Concerns to Give Tailwinds to the Natural and Bio-based Detergent Polymers Demand at 6% CAGR

Fact.MR's latest study on the global detergent polymers market provides a detailed analysis of various drivers, trends, and opportunities from 2020 to 2030. In addition, it presents elaborate information about the leading segments in terms of source, chemical, function, application, end-use, and region.

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fact.MR - A Market Research and Competitive Intelligence Provider: The global detergent polymers market is projected to exhibit growth at 5% CAGR during the forecast period between 2020 to 2030, predicts Fact.MR. Increasing preference for these polymers among detergent manufacturers owing to their excellent soil removal properties is likely to drive the market in the upcoming years.

Detergent polymer is a type of new generation polymer that is used in detergent cakes and powders as a replacement of the conventional phosphates. Due to its biodegradable and eco-friendly nature, demand for detergent polymers is expected to increase over the forecast period.

Further, detergent polymers act as anti-redeposition agents and hence, are extensively utilized by various manufacturers in the forthcoming years. In addition, rising demand for cost-effective and high performance detergent formulations is anticipated to propel the growth in this market.

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As per Fact.MR, detergent polymers are likely to be utilized in industrial and institutional cleaning applications as these provide the benefits of scale encrustation inhibition and dye transfer. Also, these are capable of reducing the energy and water consumption when used in dishwashers or washing machines.

"Demand for liquid detergents on the back of high spending power of people in developing countries is expected to accelerate the market over the forecast period. Besides, focus of key players on the expansion of their production capacities is also set to aid the growth," says a Fact.MR analyst.

Key Takeaways:

Based on application, the washing powders segment is expected to account for more than half of the global market share in the near future.

By source, the natural and bio-based segment is anticipated to exhibit growth at a CAGR of 6% during the forecast period.

In terms of chemical, the polycarboxylates segment is projected to remain at the forefront owing to their increasing usage as binders in detergents.

In terms of country, China is likely to hold more than 1/3 rd of the global market on the back of surging demand for liquid detergents.

is likely to hold more than 1/3 of the global market on the back of surging demand for liquid detergents. Based on region, East Asia is set to expand at a growth rate of 6%, with China leading the growth in the region.

Growth Drivers:

Increasing preference for natural detergents and stringent norms revolving around the usage of phosphate-based detergent formulations are set to drive the market.

Rising utilization of detergent pods as these require less amount of water for cleaning is likely to propel the growth in this market.

Restraints:

Constantly changing norms associated with the management of ingredients used in the production of detergents may limit the growth in this market.

For Critical Insights on Detergent Polymers Market, Request for Methodology here

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Competitive Landscape

Many key players operating in the detergent polymers market are currently focusing on launching state-of-the-art products to extend their customer bases. Meanwhile, a few other players are engaging in mergers & acquisitions and collaborations to introduce novel products and gain a competitive edge in the market.

For instance,

February 2020 : Clariant, a multinational specialty chemicals company headquartered in Switzerland , launched the TexCare SRN 260 Life. It is a bio-based detergent polymer that has an 80% Renewable Carbon Index (RCI). Unlike the other soil release polymers used in cleaner and detergents, this new product is more sustainable and cleaner.

: Clariant, a multinational specialty chemicals company headquartered in , launched the TexCare SRN 260 Life. It is a bio-based detergent polymer that has an 80% Renewable Carbon Index (RCI). Unlike the other soil release polymers used in cleaner and detergents, this new product is more sustainable and cleaner. January 2020 : Itaconix, a manufacturer of sustainable specialty polymers based in the U.K., launched its latest Itaconix TSI 322 at the American Cleaning Institute Convention. This new product is capable of replacing multiple ingredients to achieve cost savings. It would also help the company to expand its customer base in North America and Europe .

: Itaconix, a manufacturer of sustainable specialty polymers based in the U.K., launched its latest Itaconix TSI 322 at the American Cleaning Institute Convention. This new product is capable of replacing multiple ingredients to achieve cost savings. It would also help the company to expand its customer base in and . January 2019 : Nouryon, a renowned specialty chemicals manufacturer headquartered in the Netherlands , signed an agreement with Itaconix. This agreement would help the company to gain access to the latter's polymers with chelating properties. It would also enable the company to broaden its position in the detergents market.

Key Players in the Detergent Polymers Market Include:

Ashland

BASF SE

Clariant AG

Dow Inc.

Solvay SA

Lubrizol Corporation

Nouryon

ADEKA Europe GmbH

Henkel

Aquapharm Chemical Pvt. Ltd.

Kao Corporation

Itaconix Corporation

More Valuable Insights on Detergent Polymers Market

Fact.MR provides an unbiased analysis of the detergent polymers market, presenting historical demand data (2009-2019) and forecast statistics for the period from 2020-2030. The study divulges compelling insights on the global detergent polymers market with a detailed segmentation on the basis of:

Source

Synthetic

Natural & Bio-based

Chemical

Polycarboxylates

Carboxymethyl Cellulose

Polyester

Vinylpyrrolidone and PVP

Others

Function

Anti-redeposition Agent

Dispersing Agent

Soil Release Agent

Dye Transfer Inhibitor

Application

Washing Powders

Liquid Detergents

Detergent Pods and Tablets

End-use

Laundry Care

Industrial & Institutional Cleaning

Automatic Dishwashing

Region

North America

Latin America

Europe

East Asia

South Asia & Oceania

& Oceania Middle East & Africa

Key Questions Covered in Detergent Polymers Market Report

The report offers insight into the detergent polymers market demand outlook for 2020-2030.

The market study also highlights projected sales growth for detergent polymers market between 2020 and 2030.

Detergent polymers market survey identifies key growth drivers, restraints, and other forces impacting prevailing trends and evaluation of current market size and forecast and technological advancements within the industry.

Detergent polymers market share analysis of the key companies within the industry and coverage of strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, collaborations or partnerships, and others.

Explore Fact.MR's Coverage on the Chemical & Materials Domain -

Polymer Surfactants Market Forecast - The high and specialised applications of polymer surfactants have increased demand for surfactants in recent decades. Polymer surfactants are commonly employed as wetting agents in formulations to lower the surface tension of two liquids. Polymer surfactants in cleaning solutions allow the solution to thoroughly wet the cleaning surface, making it easier to clear unclean, greasy, and oily substances, especially protein or carbohydrate stains. Polymer surfactants are widely used in shampoos, showerbaths, face tonics, and deodorants in the personal care business. Polymer surfactants are used in the paint industry to improve water-borne latex.

Conditioning Polymers Market Analysis - Despite the economic crisis, conditioning polymer manufacturers are continuing to operate their businesses, which has a beneficial impact on conditioning polymer demand. Various industrial facilities are being established around the world to suit the demand for an ever-increasing population. As a result of the rising community's wants and the installation of new production plants, the consumption of conditioning polymers will rise, accelerating the global market's expansion throughout the forecast period.

Bio-based Surfactants Market Insights - The usage of conventional surfactants in industry raises environmental problems. As a result, a growing number of producers are switching to bio-based surfactants. This is one of the main reasons why the bio-based surfactants market is expected to grow in the future years. Furthermore, bio-based surfactants have a number of advantages over conventional surfactants, including superior performance characteristics at high temperatures and emulsion stabilization, which are expected to boost demand for natural surfactants in a variety of industries.

About Fact.MR

Fact.MR is a market research and consulting agency with deep expertise in emerging market intelligence. Spanning a wide range - from automotive & industry 4.0 to chemical and materials, technology to even the most niche categories. 80% of Fortune 1000's trust us in critical decision making.

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US Sales Office

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United States

Tel: +1 (628) 251-1583

E: sales@factmr.com

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 17, 2021) - World Copper Ltd. (TSXV: WCU) (OTCQB: WCUFF) ("World Copper" or the "Company"), provides the public and its shareholders with a corporate update.

A Message from World Copper's CEO, Nolan Peterson:

"My fellow stakeholders, I greet you at an exciting time for World Copper. As the New Year approaches and we naturally look to the future, I would like to take this opportunity to provide you all with an update on our exciting prospects, while also reflecting on a busy past year. While we all prepare for the upcoming holiday season and time with our families and loved ones, rest assured that our tireless efforts to build World Copper continue unabated. Merry Christmas, Season's Greetings and a Happy New Year to all."

2021 in Review:

Much of our efforts this year focused on laying the foundations for the Company's future and 2021 will be viewed as a formative year for World Copper. In January the Company listed on the TSX-V and traded publicly for the first time. In April we announced the merger with Cardero Resource Corp. to acquire the Zonia project in Arizona. We have successfully navigated the merger process and are now on the cusp of completing this acquisition. (See new releases of April 20, 2021; June 9, 2021; September 20, 2021; November 9, 2021 and December 13, 2021).

In August we announced the most significant update to our flagship asset, Escalones, in many years, by re-defining the resource as a copper oxide resource (see news release of August 23, 2021). This opportunity, created by our skilled geology team, has set Escalones and World Copper on the path to becoming a household name in the mining community, with the largest copper oxide project in exploration and development in Chile.

Management is focused on developing World Copper into a mining company. Throughout the year we have engaged in intensive investor outreach, through numerous webinars, one-on-one meetings and attendance at in-person events. The Company's story has been well received and excitement continues to build worldwide as our reputation grows. We pride ourselves on our open communication with stakeholders and delivering on commitments and expectations in a timely manner.

Escalones Status:

Escalones is our flagship asset and has become the crown jewel in our portfolio. The update to Escalones resource statement, re-defining the resource as an oxide copper deposit, has allowed the Company to fast-track a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for Escalones. This PEA is expected to be delivered in early Q1 2022. The PEA will be the first publicly issued economics for the Escalones project and will provide a clear indicator of the potential value of the property. We are excited for the results to come and our opportunity to share them with stakeholders.

While we advance Escalones down a development path, significant blue sky exploration potential exists with drilling of the four other large footprint targets at Escalones. The first and most attractive target is the "Mancha Amarilla" immediately south of and adjacent to the existing defined resource. We expect to have received necessary drill permits and start a drill program on this target in January of 2022. Favorable results of this program would allow us to potentially grow the existing resource substantially, enlarging and making more valuable that which is already a fantastic resource.

Developing The World's Greenest Copper Project:

Copper is a critical component required for the "Green Revolution" to happen, and for the world's efforts to transition to an electric economy to be successful. With Escalones, World Copper has the opportunity to not only leverage into this future by supplying the world with copper, but also doing it in the greenest manner possible. This is not simply an unrealistic marketing slogan (AKA Greenwashing) but a quantifiable, achievable objective, borne out of Escalones' unique geographical location and substantiated by state-of-the-art modern technologies available on the market today. Stakeholders can take comfort in knowing that this initiative is genuine and achievable and driven at the highest levels of the organization. Look for more news in the future as we continue to integrate this into our Escalones development plans.

Zonia Status:

In 2022 we will look to welcome Zonia into our portfolio of projects. Zonia is significantly undervalued and as such we will look to begin rewriting the story on Zonia with a PEA Update in early 2022 to repeat the success of Escalones. Concurrently with that, we will plan to start definition drilling of the main resource in preparation for more detailed engineering studies (PFS/FS) as well as a program targeting the north eastern anomaly at Zonia which has the potential to expand the resource significantly. Our aim will be to turn Zonia into an Escalones-sized resource in the Arizona a premier jurisdiction for mining development.

Outlook 2022:

The Company is poised for continued sustained growth in 2022 as we build off of the expected successes from our early 2022 program. We will aim to advance and plan the next phase of drilling at Escalones, and continue developing other exploration targets within that property concurrently, to further understand the resource and advance exploration and development of Zonia in parallel. Copper demand is expected to remain strong in the near-term and strengthen over the long-term further adding tailwinds to our endeavours. We look forward to continuing to provide updates throughout the upcoming year with continued investor outreach programs.

Upcoming Amvest Webinar:

Further to these updates, the Company announces that CEO Nolan Peterson will be presenting a World Copper overview along with the latest company developments in a live webinar format taking place on Tuesday, December 21st at 1:05pm PT / 4:05pm ET.

The webinar will be hosted by Amvest Capital and participants are encouraged to register for the webinar at https://www.amvestcapital.com/webinar-directory/worldcopper122121.

Upcoming Conferences & Events in 2022:

World Copper also announces that it will be attending the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference ("VRIC") from January 16-17th, the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada ("PDAC") from March 10-11th in Toronto, Canada and the CRU World Copper Conference from March 29-30th in Santiago, Chile. The Company looks forward to meeting with investors and stakeholders at all three events, and will be providing additional details for the events in the weeks to come.

About VRIC

The Vancouver Resource Investment Conference has been the bellwether of the junior mining market for the last twenty-five years. It is the number one source of information for investment trends and ideas, covering all aspects of the natural resource industry. Each year, the V.R.I.C. hosts over 60 keynote speakers, 350 exhibiting companies and 9000 investors. Investment thought leaders and wealth influencers provide our audiences with valuable insights. C-suite company executives covering every corner of the mineral exploration sector as well as metals, oil & gas, renewable energy, media and financial services companies are available to speak one on one. This is a must-attend for investors and stakeholders in the global mining industry. For more information, including event registration, please visit the VRIC website.

About PDAC

The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada event is considered to be the world's premier mineral exploration and mining convention for people, companies and organizations in, or connected to, the mineral exploration industry. This four-day annual event will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, in Toronto, Canada. For more information, including event registration, please visit the PDAC website.

About CRU World Copper Conference

Annually, almost 500 senior executives, including the most influential copper market executives, convene at this crucial copper industry conference. Delegates and speakers at CRU's World Copper Conference are among the most knowledgeable participants in the industry, and an important source of opinion on the myriad issues that could influence the market. The international attendees represent the complete copper value chain from miners, to smelters, traders and end-users, as well as high-level government representatives. For more information, including event registration, please visit the CRU World Copper Conference website.

ABOUT WORLD COPPER LTD.

World Copper Ltd., headquartered in Vancouver, BC, is a Canadian resource company focused on 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 April 20, 2021; June 9, 2021; September 20, 2021; November 9, 2021 and December 13, 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

For further information, or to schedule a Zoom meeting with Management, please contact:

Nolan Peterson or Michael Pound

Phone: 604-638-3665

E-mail: info@worldcopperltd.com

For all Investor Relations inquiries, please contact:

John Liviakis

Liviakis Financial Communications Inc.

Phone: 415-389-4670

For all Public Relations inquiries, please contact:

Nancy Thompson

Vorticom, Inc.

Office: 212-532-2208 | Mobile: 917-371-4053

Follow Us:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WorldCopperLtd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldCopperLtd

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/worldcopperltd

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/107866
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 17, 2021) - Cardero Resource Corp. (TSXV: CDU) (FSE: CR51) ("Cardero" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that the British Columbia Supreme Court has granted a final order dated December 14, 2021 approving the previously announced plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") with World Copper Ltd. ("WCU") which will result in the acquisition of the Company by WCU (see news releases dated April 20, June 9, September 20, November 15 and December 13, 2021).

The Arrangement is expected to be completed on or about December 20, 2021. The completion of the Arrangement will be subject to receipt of all necessary approvals, including final acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") of the Arrangement and the delisting of the Cardero common shares, and satisfaction by the parties of TSXV's closing conditions and other conditions customary in transactions of this nature.

Further information on the Arrangement can be found in Circular, which is available on Cardero's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Debt Settlement

The Company also announces that it has reached an agreement (the "Debt Settlement") with an arm's length creditor (the "Creditor") to settle an aggregate of approximately $36,224.33 in debt owed by the Company to the Creditor. The Creditor has agreed to convert their indebtedness into common shares of the Company ("Common Shares") at deemed price of $0.13 per Common Share, subject to receipt of the approval from the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). It is expected that, upon the completion of the Debt Settlement, subject to receipt of the requisite approvals, the Company will issue 278,648 shares to the Creditor.

Any securities issued in connection with the Debt Settlement will be issued in reliance on certain prospectus and registration exemptions under applicable securities legislation and will be subject to a hold period of four months plus one a day from the date of issuance. Closing of the Debt Settlement is anticipated to occur immediately after receipt of TSXV approval.

ABOUT CARDERO RESOURCE CORP.

Cardero Resource Corp., headquartered in Vancouver, is a resource company focused on building a minerals exploration and development company. Cardero has exercised the exclusive option to acquire a 100% interest in the Zonia Copper Oxide Project, located in Arizona. Zonia is a near-surface copper-oxide resource and a brownfields site having already been mined in the late 1960s and '70s. The Project has been significantly de-risked with almost 700 drill holes completed to date and with substantial amounts of detailed engineering completed. The estimated resource (NI43-101 as amended and dated October 2017) is located entirely on private land. Cardero completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") published in April 2018 which outlines a mine plan and a chosen development route that will allow permitting to be done on private land thereby reducing the timeline for permitting. Engineering at Zonia is more advanced than a typical project at this stage of development and it is reasonable to assume that the Project could go straight to Feasibility from PEA. The deposit is amenable to truck and shovel open pit mining and copper recovery via leaching and SX-EW processing to copper cathode.

Detailed information is available at the Company's web site at www.cardero.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of

CARDERO RESOURCE CORP.

"Stuart R. Ross" (signed)

Stuart R. Ross, CEO and President

Contact Information:

Stuart Ross or Marla Ritchie

604 408 7488

General Contact:

Email: info@cardero.com

Toll Free: 1-888-770-7488

Tel: 604 408-7488

Fax: 604 408-7499

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Forward Looking Information: This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements, including statements that Arrangement will be consummated on the terms and timeline provided herein or at all, the benefits of the Arrangement to Cardero and the receipt of all required approvals including without limitation the company's shareholders and applicable regulatory authorities and applicable stock exchanges. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "proposed", "will", "subject to", "near future", "in the event", "would", "expect", "prepared to" and other similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the state of capital markets; risks relating to (i) the ability of the parties to satisfy the conditions precedent to the Arrangement, (ii) the impact on the respective businesses, operations and financial condition of Cardero and WCU resulting from the announcement of the Arrangement and/or the failure to complete the Arrangement on terms described or at all, (iii) a third party competing bid materializing prior to the completion of the Arrangement, (iv) delay or failure to receive board, shareholder regulatory or court approvals, where applicable, or any other conditions precedent to the completion of the Arrangement, (i) unforeseen challenges in integrating the businesses of Cardero and WCU, (vi) failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the Arrangement, (vii) other unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the aforesaid expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant, including any escalation in the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic; and other risks described in Cardero's and WCU's documents filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. We disclaim any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.

This press release is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/107882
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / December 17, 2021 / Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Investment Company Limited (TSX:FAP) (the "Company"), a closed-end investment company trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX"), announces today that it has completed its re-domiciliation from Cook Islands to Singapore. The Company will begin operating under its new name abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund VCC effective immediately. The new name reflects the global rebranding of the Company's manager under the abdrn brand and the Company's re-domiciliation to Singapore as a variable capital company ("VCC"). Henny Muliany and Hugh Young, have joined the Board of Directors (the "Board") of the Company as Singapore resident, qualified representatives of the Company's investment manager, abrdn Asia Limited. The Company will begin trading on the TSX under its new name at the open of trading on December 17, 2021.

Shareholders holding physical share certificates will receive a letter of transmittal to exchange their share certificate(s) for direct registration advice(s) ("DRS Advices"). Under the direct registration system, or DRS, shares will be registered in a shareholder's name and held electronically in the Company's records maintained by its transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company of Canada. DRS may also streamline participation in an annual redemption. Existing DRS holders will be mailed a new DRS Statement reflecting the Company's new name and ISIN/CUSIP number.

As announced by the Company in August, an annual redemption feature has been included in the Company's new variable capital company constitution. The first annual redemption may be exercised by shareholders starting in February 2022, if the volume weighted average trading price of the ordinary shares of the Company ("Shares") on the Toronto Stock Exchange during the 12-month period ending December 31, 2021 (the "Trading Discount Determination Date") represents a discount greater than 12% of the average daily net asset value per Share during such period. Up to 10% of the aggregate issued and outstanding Shares of the Company may be surrendered for redemption on March 31, 2022 (the "Redemption Date"), being the last business day of March.

A shareholder whose Shares are redeemed on the Redemption Date shall be entitled to receive a cash redemption price per Share equal to the average net asset value per Share calculated on the Redemption Date less any expenses and charges incurred by the Company in order to fund such redemption payment (the "Redemption Proceeds"). The "average net asset value per Share" will be calculated by taking the arithmetic average of the net asset values per Share calculated on the three trading days immediately preceding the Redemption Date. Additional information with respect to the first annual redemption will be provided to shareholders in late January or early February.

Important Information

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investment returns and principal will fluctuate and shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than the original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. NAV returned data includes investment management fees, custodial charges, bank loan expenses and administrative fees (such as Director and legal fees) and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions. The Company is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of principal. Total return based on net asset value reflects changes in the Company's net asset value during each period. Total return based on market price reflects changes in market value.

Aberdeen Standard Investments ("ASI") is the registered marketing name in Canada for the following entities, which now operate around the world under the abrdn brand: Aberdeen Standard Investments (Canada) Limited, Aberdeen Standard Investments Luxembourg, abrdn Private Equity (Europe) Limited, abrdn Capital Partners LLP, abrdn Investment Management Limited, Aberdeen Standard Alternative Funds Limited, and Aberdeen Capital Management LLC. Aberdeen Standard Investments (Canada) Limited, is registered as a Portfolio Manager and Exempt Market Dealer in all provinces and territories of Canada as well as an Investment Fund Manager in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. The Company'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 company's portfolio. There is no assurance that the Company will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Information in this news release that is not current or historical factual information may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of securities laws. Implicit in this information, particularly in respect of future financial performance and condition of the Company, are factors and assumptions which, although considered reasonable by the Company, Aberdeen Standard Investments (Canada) Limited, Aberdeen Standard Investments , and/or abrdn Asia Limited, as applicable, at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect. Shareholders are cautioned that actual results are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the completion of the proposed Re-domiciliation and the anticipated benefits of the Re-domiciliation, general economic and market factors, including credit, currency, political and interest-rate risks and could differ materially from what is currently expected. The Company has no specific intention of updating any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact Investor.Relations@abrdn.com

https://www.abrdn.com/en-ca/canadaclosedend

For More Information Contact:

Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc.

Investor Relations

1-800-992-6341

Investor.Relations@abrdn.com

SOURCE: Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Investment Company Limited

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/678216/Abrdn-Asia-Pacific-Income-Fund-VCC-Announces-Re-Domiciliation-to-Singapore-VCC
Libourne - 16 December 2021 - Fermentalg (Euronext - FALG), a major French player in microalgae, has announced an equity investment from the NextStage AM investment fund in connection with the private placement subscribed by Theodore H. Nixon, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DDW, as well as the allocation of free share subscription warrants to all the shareholders.

As a reminder, in June 2020, Fermentalg established a multi-year technological, industrial, and commercial development partnership with US industrial group DDW, which was recently acquired by Swiss company Givaudan[1], to place its natural blue food colouring, BLUE ORIGINS, on the market. Building on the success of this collaboration, Theodore H. Nixon had expressed his interest in making a personal investment of 5 million in Fermentalg[2].

In response to NextStage AM's desire to become a significant shareholder of the company, Fermentalg decided to increase the size of its capital-raising target to 8 million, allowing NextStage AM to invest 3 million.

NextStage AM has been supporting growth entrepreneurs in their development since 2002 with its multi-strategy Private Equity platform, which at the end of December 2020 represented more than 6.1 billion in assets under management, directly and indirectly collected from institutional and individual investors.

Florent Saint Leger, Director of Listed Investments at NextStage AM, explained, "For more than 18 months, we've been watching Fermentalg, analysing the company's value in depth, and having regular discussions with its management. Today, we are convinced that it's a good time for us to become a shareholder and support the company in its growth. Fermentalg is positioned in the right markets with the right products, the right partners, and a strong team to make commercial successes out of their innovations".

The investment is made through the private issue of 2,909,090 ordinary shares exclusively to a class of qualified investors, with cancellation of the preferential subscription right of the Company's shareholders, to which Theodore H. Nixon subscribed for 1,818,181 ordinary shares and NextStage AM for 1,090,909 ordinary shares.

The subscription price was set at 2.75, which is the volume-weighted average share price over the three trading days preceding the issue of the shares minus a 10% discount.

Following the settlement and delivery of the new shares, scheduled for 21 December 2021, Fermentalg's capital will consist of 39,921,587 shares. Theodore H. Nixon and NextStage AM will hold approximately 4.6% and 2.7% of Fermentalg's capital respectively.

This deal strengthens Fermentalg's available cash flow and supplements the 3.5m deleveraging associated with the conversion by Bpifrance Investissement and Bpifrance Participations on 9 December 2021 of the convertible bonds subscribed in June 2020.

Free allocation of share subscription warrants to all shareholders

As mentioned, to involve all existing shareholders in the company's success, each Fermentalg shareholder will be allocated, on 22 December 2021, 1 BSA-BLUE warrant for each share held at the close of trading on 15 December 2021. This free allocation was approved by the shareholders today at the general meeting.

18 BSA-BLUE warrants will allow their holders to subscribe for 1 new share at 2.75 until 15 December 2023. The exercise of all 36,966,203[3] issued BSA-BLUE warrants would allow Fermentalg to raise 5.5 million in additional funds.

Next publication: 2021 turnover, 27 January 2022 (after markets close)

About Fermentalg:

As an expert in research and bioindustrial exploitation of microalgae, Fermentalg's objective is to offer sustainable solutions and innovative products contributing to the development of healthful, natural, and effective products. Our business: the development, production, and marketing of sustainable solutions and active ingredients from microalgae for nutrition, health, and the environment. Nutritional lipids, alternative proteins, natural food colourings, and innovative environmental solutions are our current and future company offerings.?

The Fermentalg share, listed on Euronext in Paris (FR0011271600 - FALG), is eligible for the "PEA-PME" and the "SRD long-only". It is part of the Gaia index, intended for Socially Responsible Investment (SRI), which groups together the SME-ETIs that have received the best ratings in terms of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance.

More information: www.fermentalg.com

Journalist contact: Investor contact: ACTUS Finance & Communication

Anne-Catherine Bonjour

Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 93

acbonjour@actus.fr ACTUS Finance & Communication

Jerome Fabreguettes-Leib

Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 78

fermentalg@actus.fr





About NextStage AM

An independent management company based in Paris, approved by the AMF, NEXTSTAGE AM, which has cultivated an "entrepreneur-investor" philosophy since its founding in 2002, is one of the pioneers and leaders of innovative and patient development capital in France. NEXTSTAGE has developed a multi-strategy PE platform representing, in terms of outstandings at the end of December 2020, directly and indirectly, more than 6.4 billion in AUM. NEXTSTAGE AM invests in a limited number of mid-sized companies (70 companies in the portfolio as of 03/09/2021), both French and European, innovative, and growth, to which it brings entrepreneurial investor expertise and strong operational support (integration of innovation, talents, international, external growth). NEXTSTAGE AM provides long-term support to these mid-sized companies, unlisted and listed on Alternext and Euronext B and C, which are positioned around the ongoing industrial revolution and its three technological disruptions-digital, environmental innovation, and smart health-and focus on the four major cross-cutting underlying fund trends-the on-demand economy (digital platforms and SaaS), the industrial internet (from robots to AI), the positive economy (green growth, blue growth, environmental performance), and the emotion-driven economy and the quality of the customer experience. It gives them the means to accelerate their development and their capacity for innovation to become "Champions" in their markets, both in France and internationally, through organic and/or external growth. NEXTSTAGE AM received the Gold Award for the best player in development capital in Europe by Private Equity Awards in December 2015. NextStage Croissance won the special jury prize of "Actifs de l'innovation" in 2017, and the editorial award, Private Equity category, from the "Pyramides de la Gestion de Patrimoine" in 2019 and 2021.

https://www.nextstage-am.com

[1] Givaudan completes acquisition of DDW, The Color House

[2] New developments around BLUE ORIGINS natural colouring

[3] After deducting 46,294 treasury shares

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Report covers a year of new offerings, partnerships, and commitments to help build a more sustainable Internet

Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, today published its first annual Impact Report showcasing its commitment to helping build a better Internet that is principled, accessible for everyone, and sustainable. In 2021, Cloudflare began publicly reporting information about its environment, social and governance (ESG) impacts. The company focused on crafting a blueprint for a zero-emissions Internet, improving efficiencies of its global network that already runs on 100 percent renewable energy, and launching new tools to help other businesses build sustainability into their applications. Further, the report documents the company's initiatives to be a force for good by protecting vulnerable groups from cyberattack, providing free Internet connection services to underserved communities, and helping vaccine distributors meet the high demand for appointments worldwide.

"Our mission is to help build a better Internet. Throughout the pandemic, it's become abundantly clear that we all have a responsibility to help where we can. That's why we have been using Cloudflare's infrastructure, one of the largest networks in the world, to bring these efforts front and center," said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. "It is our belief that everyone should have access to reliable, secure, and sustainable Internet. And we're here to do our part to make that happen."

Highlights of the 2021 Cloudflare Impact Report include how the company is:

Helping make the Internet more efficient

The fastest way to reduce the Internet's greenhouse gas emissions is to use less energy. The Cloudflare network was fundamentally engineered to be more efficient at every level: distributed design, hardware, protocols, systems, and services. Alongside running on 100 percent renewable energy, Cloudflare committed in 2021 to remove by 2025 all historical carbon its global network has emitted since its founding. It also deployed new Arm NeoverseTM-based processors to improve the efficiency of how it serves Internet requests at the edge by more than 50 percent. Overall, the Cloudflare global network is now securely processing 10X as many Internet requests for every watt consumed as it did in 2013.

Beyond its own network, Cloudflare is helping its customers build sustainability into their own applications. Now businesses can choose to intelligently route traffic through data centers powered by renewable energy using Green Compute on Cloudflare Workers. Customers can also understand and quantify their individual footprints and approximate savings from Cloudflare's network in comparison to Internet averages with the Carbon Impact Report. Furthermore, organizations that deploy websites on Cloudflare Pages will automatically operate on renewable energy and receive a green certification from The Green Web Foundation displayed through a verified badge.

Supporting more than 100 organizations in 10 countries to schedule approximately 100 million vaccinations through Project Fair Shot

In February 2021, Cloudflare launched Project Fair Shot to provide free access to its Waiting Room service to any government, hospital, pharmacy, or organization that is helping distribute COVID-19 vaccines. By relying on Cloudflare's global infrastructure, Project Fair Shot can scale regardless of demand without requiring organizations to dedicate limited IT resources to code changes.

Protecting 1,600 civil society organizations from an average of 53 million cyber threats per day

Founded in 2014, Cloudflare's Project Galileo provides free cybersecurity protection to qualified public interest groups like artists, advocates, humanitarian organizations, and the voices of political dissent that face cyber threats in disproportionate numbers. Cloudflare blocked 53 million cyber threats per day on average, and in 2021 alone the number of organizations participating increased more than 50%. During the pandemic, Cloudflare also began offering its Cloudflare for Teams product to help these organizations quickly and securely transition to remote work to ensure their operations and work in promoting human rights, journalism, and community-based activities.

Providing civil society organizations with new tools to monitor Internet shutdowns

In 2021, Cloudflare announced a new program to help its Project Galileo civil society partners track and document Internet shutdowns and protect democratic elections around the world from cyberattacks. Radar Alerts alert civil society organizations when Cloudflare has detected significant drops in traffic, typically associated with an Internet shutdown, with the hope that the information is used to document, track, and help hold institutions accountable for these human rights violations.

Helping more communities access the Internet through Project Pangea

Launched in July 2021, Project Pangea provides free connection services to the Internet for rural, nonprofit, and local community networks-particularly in underserved areas. Cloudflare can help communities solve the network challenges of routing traffic to and from the Internet on behalf of the local or community network, while also providing state-of-the-art security, privacy, and performance.

Cloudflare is a signatory of the UN Global Compact, and is committed to the UN Ten Principles. To read the Cloudflare 2021 Sustainability Report, click here. For more in-depth information about the company's commitment to be a force for good and an engine of global sustainability, please visit cloudflare.com/impact.

About Cloudflare

Cloudflare, Inc. (www.cloudflare.com @cloudflare) is on a mission to help build a better Internet. Cloudflare's suite of products protect and accelerate any Internet application online without adding hardware, installing software, or changing a line of code. Internet properties powered by Cloudflare have all web traffic routed through its intelligent global network, which gets smarter with every request. As a result, they see significant improvement in performance and a decrease in spam and other attacks. Cloudflare was named to Entrepreneur Magazine's Top Company Cultures 2018 list and ranked among the World's Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in 2019. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Cloudflare has offices in Austin, TX, Champaign, IL, New York, NY, San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Lisbon, London, Munich, Paris, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "explore," "plan," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," or "continue," or the negative of these words, or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans, or intentions. However, not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements expressed or implied in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the capabilities, effectiveness, and sustainability of Cloudflare's products and technology, the benefits to Cloudflare customers from using Cloudflare's products and technology, the expected functionality, performance, and sustainability of Cloudflare's products and technology, Cloudflare's technological development, future operations, growth, initiatives, or strategies, and comments made by Cloudflare's CEO and others. Actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to, risks detailed in Cloudflare's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including Cloudflare's Annual Report on Form 10-Q filed on November 5, 2021, as well as other filings that Cloudflare may make from time to time with the SEC.

The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. Cloudflare undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. Cloudflare may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on Cloudflare's forward-looking statements.

2021 Cloudflare, Inc. All rights reserved. Cloudflare, the Cloudflare logo, and other Cloudflare marks are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Cloudflare, Inc. in the U.S. and other jurisdictions. All other marks and names referenced herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211217005066/en/

Contacts:

Daniella Vallurupalli

press@cloudflare.com
BANGALORE, India, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Laryngoscope Market segmented By Type - Xenon, LED, Others, Market By Application - Hospital, Clinic. Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2021 - 2027. It is published in Valuates Reports under the Medical Devices & Equipment Category.

In 2020, the global Laryngoscope market size was USD 147.8 million and it is expected to reach USD 192.8 million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 3.9% during 2021-2027.

Major Factors Driving The Growth Of The Laryngoscope Market Are:

The global laryngoscopes market is driven by rising demand for non-invasive procedures, increased awareness among healthcare professionals about the benefits of video laryngoscopes, and an increase in the global elderly population.

Other factors such as the rising prevalence of laryngeal malignancies, infections, and chronic respiratory disorders are expected to further propel the growth of the laryngoscope market.

Get Your Sample Today: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-27G4584/Laryngoscope_Market

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE LARYNGOSCOPE MARKET:

The laryngoscopes market is experiencing substantial growth, owing to the rising demand for minimally invasive devices for laryngeal disorders such as vocal cords or throat tumor therapy. These procedures promote shorter hospital stays, increasing cost savings in healthcare. As a result, governments all over the world are supporting the use of non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures as part of their value-based healthcare strategies. In addition, producers are concentrating their efforts on developing technologically sophisticated multifunctional laryngoscopes. This has resulted in an increase in research and development (R&D) activities, which is projected to contribute to the growth of the laryngoscope market.

The laryngoscope is a minimal invasive medical procedure. The term minimally invasive refers to procedures that provide the least amount of trauma or stress to the body. All surgery, by definition, is invasive in some way. The body does not have to recuperate from the huge incisions associated with open surgery with minimally invasive operations. This implies that patients recover faster, have less discomfort, and are able to return home sooner. Patients are less likely to require pain medication during recovery since these operations are associated with reduced pain. This advantage offered by minimal invasive procedure is expected to drive the growth of the laryngoscope market.

Players are expanding their investments in low-cost new-generation product development. In addition, the growing use of video laryngoscopes and the development of disposable blade laryngoscopes to avoid cross-contamination are two key trends expected to boost the laryngoscope market during the forecast period.

There is a growing demand for robot-assisted laryngoscopy majorly due to increased complications or dangers connected with advanced and experimental procedures. The qualities of robot-assisted devices, such as reliability, will boost precision levels and have near-absolute geometric accuracy, reducing specialist workload and improving patient care. Robotic technologies improve performance and safety while also allowing for faster skill development than manual operations. This trend is in turn expected to create lucrative growth opportunities for the laryngoscope market players.

Browse The Table Of Contents And List Of Figures At https://reports.valuates.com/reports/QYRE-Auto-27G4584/global-laryngoscope

LARYNGOSCOPE MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS

Based on region, Europe is expected to hold the largest Laryngoscope market share of about 52%. Europe is closely followed by North America with a 36% market share.

Based on end-users, the hospital's segment is expected to be the most lucrative. The growing emphasis on healthcare is leading to an increase in the number of hospitals and the expansion of existing ones.

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TOP COMPANIES IN THE LARYNGOSCOPE MARKET

The top three companies controlled around 36% of the market share. Some of the companies that are discussed in this report are:

Richard Wolf GmbH, Schoelly Fiberoptic GmbH, Welch Allyn, Inc, HOYA, Timesco Healthcare Ltd, Truphatek International Ltd, GIMMI GmbH, XION GmbH, Olympus, HEINE OPTOTECHNIK GmbH & Co. KG, Zhejiang Tiansong Medical Instrument, Shenda Endoscope, China Hawk, Kangji Medical, Zhejiang Sujia, etc.

Laryngoscope Market By Region

North America

United States



Canada

Asia-Pacific

China



Japan



South Korea



India



Southeast Asia



Australia



Rest of Asia-Pacific

Europe

Germany



France



U.K.



Italy



Russia



Nordic Countries



Rest of Europe

Latin America

Mexico



Brazil



Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

& Turkey



Saudi Arabia



UAE



Rest of MEA

Laryngoscope Market By Company

Richard Wolf GmbH

Schoelly Fiberoptic GmbH

Welch Allyn, Inc

HOYA

Timesco Healthcare Ltd

Truphatek International Ltd

GIMMI GmbH

XION GmbH

Olympus

HEINE OPTOTECHNIK GmbH & Co. KG

Zhejiang Tiansong Medical Instrument

Shenda Endoscope

China Hawk

Kangji Medical

Zhejiang Sujia

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RAIPUR, India, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research announces the launch of a new market research report on Military 3D-Printing Market by Platform Type (Airborne, Naval, and Land), by Offering Type (Printer, Material, Software, and Service), by Application Type (Prototyping, Parts Manufacturing, and Tooling), by Process Type (Material Extrusion, Powder Bed Fusion, VAT Photopolymerization, Binder Jetting, Directed Energy Deposition, and Others), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2022-2027.

This strategic assessment report, from Stratview Research, provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects today's military 3D printing market realities and future market possibilities for the forecast period of 2022 to 2027. 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.

Military 3D Printing Market: Highlights

3D printing is one of the emerging technologies of industry 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution, which is used to create a three-dimensional object through layer-by-layer deposition of material by utilizing the computer-created design. The significance of 3D printing in the military is of paramount importance as it offers rapid production of parts and supports military readiness on the battlefield. Furthermore, it shortens the supply chain as the required parts/structures can be self-produced anywhere and anytime. However, the utilization of this technology is still at the introduction stage as it is majorly used to produce prototypes and perform analysis for its suitability for the military before its use in real operations.

Military 3D-Printing, a sizeable market, could not resist the attack of the pandemic and witnessed a decline of -3.8% in 2020 amid the global downturn. However, the industry gradually started to rebound from the year 2021 with the resumption of manufacturing facilities, availability of materials, continuation of pending projects, etc. Furthermore, the growth of 3D-printing applications, emergence of new technologies, increasing flexibility of materials, etc. would support the growth of the market in the coming years. Overall, the military 3D-printing market is likely to rebound at a double-digit CAGR of 14.8% in the coming five years to reach US$ 1.7 billion in 2027.

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Based on the platform type, the military 3D-printing market is segmented as airborne, naval, and land. With large and wide-scale utilization of 3D printing for military aircraft and drones, airborne platform is expected to remain the largest and the fastest-growing platform type in the market during the forecast period, owing to the increasing demand for 3D printing for replacement of parts to support aircraft sustainability management. 3D printing is highly utilized for the MRO activity of military aircraft, especially in the production of spare parts for old aircraft which are unable to obtain from their respective suppliers. Moreover, with the production of new aircraft, the use of 3D printing would grow more in the production of custom and complex parts.

Based on the offering type, printer is expected to remain the dominant offering type in the market during the forecast period, owing to the increasing preference of military to 3D-printed parts coupled with the increasing trend of portable 3D printers, which can be utilized anywhere at any point of time.

Based on the application type, prototyping application is expected to remain the largest application type in the market during the forecast period, owing to increasing R&Ds associated with application of 3D printing in military products. Many prototypes are made by military personnel to test the suitability of 3D-printed parts for military environments. However, the shift towards actual parts' production for real operations will drive the growth of parts manufacturing applications over the next five years.

Based on the process type, material extrusion is expected to remain the most preferred process type in the market during the forecast period, owing to the ease of operation and cost efficiency offered by the process. This process is highly preferred by the military to produce polymer prototypes.

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In terms of regions, North America is expected to remain the largest market for military 3D printing during the forecast period. This dominance is led by the USA, which is the largest country in the world to utilize 3D printing for the military category. 3D printing is highly utilized by the US military in their home and overseas military bases. The USA is the global leader in terms of market size as well as growth in military 3D printing, propelled by favorable government policies with a sole aim to expand the utilization of 3D printing. For an instance, recently in January 2021, the US Department of Defense unveiled its additive manufacturing strategy to achieve widescale adoption of 3D printing by integrating 3D printing in its department and defense industrial bases and promotion of training and research and its agile and secure usage in defense. The highest defense expenditure of the country paired with the heavy funding for defense R&Ds will support the growth of the market in the region over the coming years.

Asia-Pacific is likely to grow at the fastest rate in the coming five years. This region has many markets/countries with reasonably high defense expenditure and are ready to grab the opportunities offered by this technology. Moreover, there is a lot of research undergoing in various countries, further boosting the pace of adoption of 3D printing in the region.

The market for military 3D printing is consolidating as major companies are performing mergers & acquisitions to quickly gain the leading position and to tap the growing opportunities in this briskly expanding market. For an instance, Desktop Metal, Inc., a leading provider of metal and carbon fiber 3D-printing solutions, acquired The Exone Company.The supply chain of this market comprises several nodes including suppliers and distributors of 3D-printed parts, printers, materials, 3D-printing software providers, 3D-printing service providers, OEMs, and MRO companies using 3D printing. Following are the key players in the military 3D printing market:

GE Aviation (GE Additive)

3D Systems Corporation

Stratasys Ltd.

OC Oerlikon Management AG

Markforged Inc.

The Exone Company (Now a part of Desktop Metal Inc.)

Desktop Metal Inc.

Proadways Group

Optomec, Inc.

Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (Wipro 3D)

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. 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 military 3D printing market and has segmented the market in four ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. Following are the four ways in which the market is segmented:

Military 3D-Printing Market, by Platform Type

Airborne (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Naval (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Land (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Military 3D-Printing Market, by Application Type

Prototyping (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Parts Manufacturing (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Tooling (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Military 3D-Printing Market, by Process Type

Material Extrusion (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Powder Bed Fusion (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

VAT Photomerization (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Binder Jetting (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Directed Energy Deposition (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Military 3D-Printing Market, by Region

North America (Country Analysis: the USA , and Rest of North America )

Europe (Country Analysis: the UK, Germany , France , Russia , and Rest of Europe )

Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: China , Japan , Australia , South Korea , India , and Rest of Asia-Pacific )

Rest of the World (Country Analysis: Brazil , Israel , and Others)

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MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / December 17, 2021 / Grand Havana, Inc. (OTC PINK:GHAV), is proud to announce today that it has furthered its distribution agreement with Ambassador Foods for continued growth with SYSCO.

Ambassador Foods is a leading distributor of food products for food service markets and is a multimillion-dollar distributor with SYSCO and one of the largest distributors in the U.S.

This expansion to our original agreement with Ambassador will further streamline our growth with the two major distributors and will increase our sales in 2022. This is a win-win as it straightens our sales channels while covering an even wider reach in Foodservice nationwide.

Tanya Bredemeier, President of Grand Havana, Inc, said, "We are very pleased to be expanding our partnership with Ambassador Foods as it strengthens our partnership with Sysco and together we will be expanding the brand nationwide. Furthermore, Ambassador Foods has also made a significant financial investment into Grand Havana by purchasing the company's stock. We are delighted to have such partners and look to a very positive year to come."

About Grand Havana, Inc.

Grand Havana is a specialty coffee company headquartered in Miami, Florida offering a broad array of coffee products and services. Grand Havana's Optimum Blend is available nationwide and proudly served in our corporate owned cafes Grand Havana Cafe, Mobile Coffee Truck and other locations including universities, supermarkets, cafes, convenience stores, hotels, and online marketplaces. We also offer a b2b solution that provides our coffee product paired with high quality coffee machines, reliable delivery, and timely technical service. Grand Havana is the consumer's brand of choice for the best tasting Cuban Style Espresso.

Safe Harbor Statement: The information posted in this release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by use of the words "may, "will," "should," "plans," explores," expects," anticipates," continue," estimate," project," intend," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties include, but not limited to, general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and marketing, and various other factors beyond the Company's control.

For more information, visit www.Grandhavanacoffee.com, call 1.800.608.5441, or email orders@grandhavanacoffee.com.

Find out more about the company at www.Facebook.com/grandhavanacoffee, twitter.com/grandhavcoffee1, or www.instagram.com/grandhavanacoffee/.

Contact Info:

Robert Rico

Tel. 305-283-9237

SOURCE: Grand Havana, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/678288/CORRECTION-Grand-Havana-Announces-an-Expansion-Agreement-to-Its-Strategic-Distribution-Agreement-with-Ambassador-Foods
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 17, 2021) - Fremont Gold Ltd. (TSXV: FRE) (OTCQB: FRERF) (FSE: FR2) ("Fremont" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update regarding exploration at the Company's Cobb Creek project in Elko County Nevada.

Highlights are as follows:

The Cobb Creek project occurs at the northern end of the Independence trend, one of the most important gold belts in northern Nevada, and contains a non-N43-101 compliant, historical resource of 160,000 ounces of gold, named the McCall deposit.1

Fremont's recent structural and alteration mapping at Cobb Creek reveals widespread epithermal or high-level Carlin-style alteration, including wide zones of jasperoid-silica alteration and pervasive brecciation, which were previously unmapped or unrecognized, and most importantly, untested by drilling.

These zones occur on the northeast and southeast portions of the 3,648 ha Cobb Creek claim block, within northwest and northeast striking structural corridors which in part intersect under volcanic cover, and define new untested target areas.

Recent expanded ground magnetic surveys reveal volcanic cover that masks the magnetic response of potential prospective host rocks below the volcanic rocks. An expanded geochemical soil sampling program over the Cobb Creek area has also recently been completed. Results are pending.





Figure 1. Cobb Creek Location



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3169/107900_93df5c6a5461fa47_002full.jpg

Regional Background

Major gold deposits in Nevada are located within well-defined mineralized structural "trends". Cobb Creek is hosted within the Independence trend which includes the Jerritt Canyon, Big Springs, Wood Gulch and Gravel Creek gold deposits.

Fremont VP of exploration, Dr. Clay Newton, explains, "Figure 2 is a regional view to show the relationship of the projected Gravel Creek epithermal corridor to the McCall resource. The epithermal corridor has been traced along a structural zone from the 1.4 million ounce gold Gravel Creek epithermal gold deposit, 12 km north, to the Cobb North area which was staked earlier this year. The relationship of the 160,000 ounce McCall gold resource is analogous to the relationship between the Carlin-type Wood Gulch deposit and Gravel Creek epithermal deposit, which form a couplet. Similarly, Fremont's McCall deposit may be the top of a larger Carlin-type system with the possibility of an adjacent and overprinting classic epithermal deposit to the east."





Figure 2. Structural interpretation of Cobb Creek area in relation to nearby deposits



To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3169/107900_93df5c6a5461fa47_003full.jpg

Recent work

Doctor Newton, continues, "Recently identified prominent linear zones of pervasive jasperoid silicification, and quartz veining appear to be epithermal in character. This silicification and veining are developed in both upper plate and lower plate lithologies, and are possibly part of an epithermal vein system or the top of a Carlin-type system. These altered and silicified structural corridors at Cobb Creek strike northeast and southeast of the historical McCall gold deposit, and are in part, under volcanic cover (see Figure 3). These newly identified areas of alteration and silicification have never been drilled, and constitute exciting new drill targets."





Figure 3. Mapped siliceous alteration with potential drill targets



To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3169/107900_93df5c6a5461fa47_004full.jpg

Final North Carlin drill results

Final results have been returned for three deep reconnaissance RC holes which were drilled within the Coyote and Alkali claim blocks, part of Fremont's North Carlin project. Coyote is located 6 km north of, and along-strike of Nevada Gold Mines/Premier Gold Mines' South Arturo mine and 12 km northwest of Nevada Gold Mines' Goldstrike mine, which hosts 11.1 million ounces gold in the measured and indicated category. The Alkali claim block is a further one to eight kilometers along strike to the northwest and approximately 8 kms northeast of the Hollister mine.

RC holes NR-1, NR-2 and NR-3 were drilled to 2,950, 1,995 and 1,320 feet respectively. Drill cuttings were composited into 25 foot intervals and selected zones were subsequently assayed for gold at the individual five foot intervals. All three holes returned significant intervals of anomalous gold and pathfinder elements in zones containing sulfides and altered dykes, but did not penetrate the more prospective "Lower Plate" lithologies due RC drilling depth limitations.

The presence of anomalous gold and pathfinder elements in upper plate rocks directly on trend of some of the largest Carlin-style gold deposits in the world suggests that the drilling may have intersected the weakly mineralized halo of a concealed Carlin-type gold deposit

Fremont is currently evaluating all of the recently acquired drill data in order to plan further exploration.





Figure 4. North Carlin project showing nearby mines and drill hole locations



To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3169/107900_93df5c6a5461fa47_005full.jpg

Qualified person

The content of this news release was reviewed by Dennis Moore, Fremont's President and CEO, a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Fremont

Fremont's mine-finding management team has assembled a portfolio of high-quality Nevada gold projects with the goal of making a new discovery. Fremont's other projects include Griffon, North Carlin, and Hurricane.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Dennis Moore

President & CEO

Fremont Gold Ltd.

For further information, contact:

Corporate Information

Fremont Gold Ltd.

Dennis Moore

Telephone: +351 9250 62196

www.fremontgold.net

https://twitter.com/GoldFremont

https://www.linkedin.com/company/fremont-gold/

Email: dennis@fremontgold.net

1 Pawlowski, M.R., 2004, Technical report on the Cobb Creek Property, McCall Area, Elko County, Nevada.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements and information contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which are referred to collectively as "forward-looking statements". The United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements and information regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that are based upon assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action. All statements and information other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "seek", "expect", "anticipate", "budget", "plan", "estimate", "continue", "forecast", "intend", "believe", "predict", "potential", "target", "may", "could", "would", "might", "will", "hope", "will be", "expected" and similar words or phrases (including negative variations) suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Forward-looking statements in this and other press releases include but are not limited to the potential for the discovery of a Carlin-type deposit, and the amount of metres and holes to be drilled. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Fremont undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this press release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/107900
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.


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Joe Biden administration has unveiled an action plan to replace all of the lead water pipes in the United States in the next decade.



The plan includes more than 15 new actions from more than 10 federal agencies that ensure the federal government is marshalling every resource to make rapid progress towards replacing all lead pipes in the next decade.



According to the CDC, more than half of children in the U.S. are at risk of lead exposure - often in their own home.



Up to 10 million American households and 400,000 schools and child care centers are served by a lead service line or pipes and other fixtures. Approximately 24 million housing units have significant lead-based paint hazards, of which 4 million of these are home to young children.



It has been scientifically proven that drinking water from a lead pipe can cause increase in blood pressure and decrease kidney function among adults. For children, it can severely harm mental and physical development, including stunt growth, slow down learning, and cause irreparable damage to the brain.



The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is allocating $3 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to states, Tribes, and Territories for lead service line replacement in 2022, and calling on states to prioritize underserved communities.



The Treasury Department is clarifying that the $350 billion State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund provided in the American Rescue Plan can be used for lead service line and lead faucet and fixture replacements;



EPA and DOL will establish regional technical assistance hubs to fast track lead service line removal projects in partnership with labor unions and local water agencies. It is estimated that there are currently more than 148,000 public water systems in the United States.



The Department of Housing and Urban Development will be awarding grants to remove lead paint and other home health hazards in low-income communities.



All lead service lines and paint hazards in federally assisted housing, including Tribal housing, will be removed.



A new Cabinet Level Partnership for Lead Remediation in Schools and Child Care Centers will be established.



This funding builds on $350 billion provided in the American Rescue Plan that states, localities, and Tribes are able to utilize for lead pipes and the replacement of faucets and fixtures inside schools and child care facilities.



The President's agenda invests $15 billion of direct funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for lead service line replacements at EPA through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF), and an additional $11.7 billion in SRF funding for which lead pipes replacement is eligible



$9 billion is set aside in the Build Back Better Act for lead remediation grants to disadvantaged communities through the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN) program, including for schools and childcare centers at EPA.



Announcing the Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan, Vice President Kamala Harris said more than half of children under six in the United States are at risk of lead exposure.



'So, it's not right, obviously, and we cannot let this stand any longer. Lead exposure in our nation is an emergency,' she added.



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BROOKFIELD, NEWS, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookfield announced today it has closed its latest flagship real estate debt fund, Brookfield Real Estate Finance Fund VI (BREF VI), with total capital commitments of over $4 billion, exceeding an initial target of $3 billion.



A diverse group of nearly 50 LPs committed to BREF VI, including public and private pension plans, labor organizations, endowments and foundations, financial institutions, and insurance companies. The United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia Pacific are all represented among the investors in the Fund.

Brookfield committed $400 million to the fund highlighting its longstanding alignment of interests with investors.

Andrea Balkan, Managing Partner who oversees the Fund, said, "Our fundraising effort has gone exceptionally well, and we appreciate the strong support we have received from our investors. We have been actively investing and are excited about the opportunities to generate attractive, risk-adjusted returns on real estate debt investments."

BREF VI continues Brookfield's successful real estate debt investment strategy, with a focus on lending against high-quality real estate assets in major U.S. metropolitan markets, and selectively in the U.K. and Europe, at valuations that are below long-term intrinsic value. To date, the Fund has closed on 15 investments, representing aggregate mezzanine lending commitments in excess of $700 million.

About Brookfield

Brookfield is a leading global alternative asset manager with approximately US$650 billion of assets under management across real estate, infrastructure, renewable power, private equity, and credit. Brookfield owns and operates long-life assets and businesses, many of which form the backbone of the global economy. Utilizing its global reach, access to large-scale capital and operational expertise, Brookfield offers a range of alternative investment products to investors around the world - including public and private pension plans, endowments and foundations, sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions, insurance companies and private wealth investors.

Brookfield is listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the symbols BAM and BAM.A respectively.

For more information, please visit our website at www.brookfield.com (http://www.brookfield.com) or contact:
AMSTERDAM, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Freya Pharma Solutions, a late clinical stage biotech company focusing on the development of effective pharmaceutical therapies for women who have been diagnosed with Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (FSIAD), today announced to have reached agreement with shareholders on the acquisition of all intellectual property (IP), including all know-how and prior clinical trial results, for two therapies against FSIAD in clinical development, from Dutch Emotional Brain BV (EB).

Freya Pharma has been established to further advance two compounds for the FSIAD-disorder, Lybrido and Lybridos, that have shown clinical and statistical relevance in an earlier phase 2b clinical trial, clearly meeting the primary endpoints. Freya is examining the possibilities for a clinical phase 3 evaluation of one or both therapies in development. With the acquisition of EB's IP, Freya is currently seeking to attract new investors and strategic partners for the upcoming third phase of clinical trials in Europe.

About FSIAD

FSIAD is a type of sexual dysfunction and a recognized unmet medical need that lacks effective treatment. FSIAD is defined in the official DSM-5 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a publication by the American Psychiatric Association, as lack of, or significantly reduced, sexual interest and or arousal. As with other types of sexual dysfunction, FSIAD can be distressing. It can affect a person's self-esteem, relationships, and overall well-being. Persons can be medically diagnosed after having a well-defined number of symptoms causing clinically significant distress and which have persisted for a minimum of six months. The disorder is specified by severity level and subtyped into lifelong versus acquired, generalized versus situational.

About Freya Pharma Solutions

Freya Pharma Solutions is an Amsterdam, the Netherlands, based pharmaceutical late clinical stage biotech company focusing on the development of effective pharmaceutical therapies for female sexual interest/arousal disorder (FSIAD). Freya will build further upon the previous fifteen years of research with two pharmaceutical compounds Lybrido and Lybridos, bringing a therapy for this recognized unmet medical need to the market and available to patients that suffer and experience great distress from this mental disorder.

Please contact for further information:

Freya Pharma Solutions

LifeSpring Life Sciences Communication, Amsterdam

Leon Melens

T: +31 6 538 16 427

E: lmelens@lifespring.nl

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NEO Finance, AB (code 303225546, address A. Vivulskio st. 7, Vilnius, hereinafter - the Company) has previously announced that pursuant to Republic of Lithuania Law on Electronic Money and Electronic Money Institutions and Resolution of the Bank of Lithuania No. 03-181 "On The Approval Of The Guidelines For The Assessment Of Members Of The Management Body And Key Function Holders Of Financial Market Participants Supervised By The Bank Of Lithuania", provided The Bank of Lithuania with the necessary documents and information about Paulius Tarbunas in order to obtain the approval of Bank of Lithuania for his candidacy for the Head of administration of the Company. 9th December 2021 The Bank of Lithuania has taken a decision not to oppose the candidacy of P.Tarbunas. Taking into account the above-mentioned decision of the Bank of Lithuania, 17th December 2021 Aiva Remeikiene, the interim Head of administration of the Company, has submitted a request to be dismissed from her current position. 17th December 2021 Evaldas Remeikis, chairman of the Board, on behalf of the Company, signed the termination of the employment contract with Aiva Remeikiene, as well as the addendum to the existing employment contract and all other related documents, with the new Head of administration P. Tarbunas, who was previously the Head of the Company's Open Banking Department. "I thank the Management board for the trust, and I am keen to jump into action. Our top priorities are to ensure the compliance, focus on the efficiency and growth. We have ambitious plans to expand to Europe with the direct account-to-account payments service "Neopay", keep the leading position in peer-to-peer lending market, operated under "Paskolu klubas" brand name, we will also continue to grow our crowdfunding platform "FinoMark". There are synergies between our brands to offer one-stop solutions for financing and payments, which we are planning to do", said P. Tarbunas. P Tarbunas P. Tarbunas has been working in the fields of banking and finance for more than 25 years. He led the Fintech Lithuania Group, which is part of the information and communication technology association Infobalt. Prior to that, P. Tarbunas managed and led a project to establish the joint central credit union Kreda, and for 20 years he held various management positions at SEB Bank in the Baltic States and Ukraine. Former Head of Administration A. Remeikiene will continue to be a member of the company's Board, which also includes Marius Navickas, Deividas Tumas and Evaldas Remeikis. Evaldas Remeikis Chair of the Board of Directors Email: e.remeikis@neofinance.com
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 17, 2021 / Searchlight Resources Inc. ("Searchlight" or the "Company") (TSXV:SCLT)(OTC PINK:CNYCF)(FSE 2CC2) is pleased to announce that it has closed the second tranche of a private placement of flow-through and non-flow-through units (the "Private Placement") as previously announced by press release on November 24th , 2021.

Second tranche of private placement totaled $495,600, Totaling $215,000 of flow through units and $280,600 non flow through units

First Tranche of private placement closed December 2 nd , 2021, totaled $878,337, Totaling $718,337 of flow through units and $160,000 non flow through units

, 2021, totaled $878,337,

In the second tranche the Company issued 3,507,500 units at a price of $0.08 per unit (the "Unit") for aggregate proceeds of $280,600. Each Unit consists of one common share and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (the "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.12 per common share for a period of 2 years from the date of issue.

The Company also issued 2,150,000 flow-through ("FT") units at a price of $0.10 per unit (the "FT Unit") for aggregate proceeds of $215,000. Each FT Unit consists of one flow-through common share and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (the "FT Warrant"). Each FT Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.15 per common share for a period of 2 years from the date of issue. FT shares will entitle the holder to receive the tax benefits applicable to flow-through shares, in accordance with provisions of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

The Company expects to incur cash commissions and finders' fees of $34,594 and 401,800 broker warrants exercisable on the same terms and conditions as the warrants issued to investors, which will expire 2 years from the date of closing. All the securities issued are subject to a four-month hold period from the date of closing.

Searchlight intends to use the proceeds of the Private Placement to fund exploration expenditures on its portfolio of mineral properties and for general working capital.

About Searchlight Resources Inc.

Searchlight Resources Inc. (TSXV:SCLT; US:CYNCF; FSE 2CC2) is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on Saskatchewan, Canada, which has been ranked as the top location for mining investment in Canada by the Fraser Institute. Exploration focus is on gold, uranium and battery minerals throughout the Province,

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Stephen Wallace"

Stephen Wallace, President, CEO and Director

SEARCHLIGHT RESOURCES INC.

For further information, visit the Company's website at www.searchlightresources.com or contact:

Searchlight Resources Inc.

Alf Stewart, VP Corporate Development

(604) 331-9326

info@searchlightresources.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. 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 Company's limited operating history and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

SOURCE: Searchlight Resources Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/678283/Searchlight-Resources-Closes-Second-Tranche-of-Private-Placement-Financing
Regulatory News:

TotalEnergies (Paris:TTE) (LSE:TTE) (NYSE:TTE) and its co-venturers have been today successful in winning the Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) of the Atapu and Sepia pre-salt oil fields offered by Brazil's National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) in the Transfer of Rights (ToR) Surplus Bidding Round.

Atapu is a pre-salt oil field in the Santos Basin, located in water depths of about 2,000 meters. Production started in 2020 and has reached a plateau of 160,000 barrels per day with a first Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading unit (FPSO). A second FPSO is planned to be sanctioned, which would increase the overall oil production of the field to around 350,000 b/d. TotalEnergies, with a 22.5% interest,alongside operator Petrobras (52.5%) and Shell (25%) are partners in the Atapu Production Sharing Contract.

Sepia is located as well in the Santos Basin, in water depths of about 2,000 meters. Production started in 2021 and is targeting a plateau of 180,000 barrels per day with a first Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading unit (FPSO). A second FPSO is planned to be sanctioned, which would increase the overall oil production of the field to around 350,000 b/d. TotalEnergies, with a 28% interest,alongside operator Petrobras (30%), QatarEnergy (21%) and Petronas (21%) are partners in the Sepia Production Sharing Contract.

Production from both fields will contribute to increase TotalEnergies' production in Brazil from the effective date of the PSC planned by end of April 2022, with 30,000 boe/d in 2022 growing to 50,000 boe/d from 2023.

"With the successful bids on Atapu and Sepia, TotalEnergies further expands its footprint and production in the pre-salt Santos Basin, a key growth area for the Company. These are unique opportunities to access giant low-cost and low emissions oil reserves, in line with TotalEnergies' new strategy", said Patrick Pouyanne, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies. "These assets benefit from world-leading well productivities to keep costs well below 20 $/boe. They also leverage technological innovations to limit greenhouse gas emissions to well below 20 kg/boe. Growing our presence in Brazil will enable us to accelerate the restructuring of our oil portfolio towards low-cost and low emissions hydrocarbon resources that will contribute to transform TotalEnergies to a sustainable multi-energy company. Moreover, TotalEnergies, through its subsidiary Total Eren, pursues its growth in renewables in Brazil with already a capacity of 300 MW."

About TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies is a global multi-energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our 105,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, cleaner, more reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people.

Twitter: @TotalEnergies LinkedIn: TotalEnergies Facebook: TotalEnergies Instagram: TotalEnergies

Cautionary Note

The terms "TotalEnergies", "TotalEnergies company" or "Company" in this document are used to designate TotalEnergies SE and the consolidated entities that are directly or indirectly controlled by TotalEnergies SE. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to these entities or to their employees. The entities in which TotalEnergies SE directly or indirectly owns a shareholding are separate legal entities. TotalEnergies SE has no liability for the acts or omissions of these entities. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Information concerning risk factors, that may affect TotalEnergies' financial results or activities is provided in the most recent Registration Document, the French-language version of which is filed by TotalEnergies SE with the French securities regulator Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF), and in the Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211217005426/en/

Contacts:

TotalEnergies

Media Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 99 l presse@totalenergies.com l @TotalEnergiesPR

Investor Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 46 l ir@totalenergies.com
About Transgene Transgene (Euronext: TNG) is a biotechnology company focused on designing and developing targeted immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. Transgene's programs utilize viral vector technology with the goal of indirectly or directly killing cancer cells. The Company's clinical-stage programs consist of two therapeutic vaccines (TG4001 for the treatment of HPV-positive cancers, and TG4050, the first individualized therapeutic vaccine based on the myvac platform) as well as two oncolytic viruses (TG6002 for the treatment of solid tumors, and BT-001, the first oncolytic virus based on the Invir.IO platform). With Transgene's myvac platform, therapeutic vaccination enters the field of precision medicine with a novel immunotherapy that is fully tailored to each individual. The myvac approach allows the generation of a virus-based immunotherapy that encodes patient-specific mutations identified and selected by Artificial Intelligence capabilities provided by its partner NEC. With its proprietary platform Invir.IO, Transgene is building on its viral vector engineering expertise to design a new generation of multifunctional oncolytic viruses. Transgene has an ongoing Invir.IO collaboration with AstraZeneca. Additional information about Transgene is available at: www.transgene.fr Follow us on Twitter: @TransgeneSA

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.
SINGAPORE, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Government of Grenada has announced the appointment of Yuchen (Justin) Sun as its new Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO in Geneva. Justin Sun is thus authorized and empowered to represent the Government of Grenada at meetings of the WTO.

H.E. Mr. Justin (Yuchen) SUN, a leading figure in the crypto and blockchain sphere, is best known as the Founder of TRON, one of the world's largest and most popular blockchain platforms.

Grenada is a key member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

"It is truly an honor to serve as the WTO ambassador for Grenada," said Justin Sun. "I look forward to the opportunity to represent Grenada and work with WTO leadership to reinvigorate global trade in various ways, particularly the development of a robust digital economy internationally."

With the appointment of H.E. Sun as Grenada's Ambassador to the WTO, the Government of Grenada expects H.E. Sun to use his contacts to promote trade, investment and development opportunities for the country. To mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic, H.E. Sun is expected to promote Grenada as a viable economic destination by introducing advanced tools and methods. And these changes could improve the marketing and promotion of this Caribbean country in the near future. Likewise, H.E. Sun is expected to support the development of human resources, infrastructure and information and communication technology for Grenada's government. He is also expected to conduct himself in a manner that promotes Grenada's image at all times.

Media Contact

Name: Jessica ZHANG

E-mail: jessica.zhang01@tron.network

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CHICAGO, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Riversand, a Syndigo company and visionary cloud-native SaaS Master Data Management (MDM) and Product Information Management (PIM) solution provider, today announced a strategic partnership with Nexer Group, a modern tech company with expertise in strategy, technology and communication. The new partnership will provide Nexer clients with the opportunity to use technology solutions to enable better data management and governance to drive their business growth.

"We are thrilled to partner with Riversand and to share their portfolio of Data Management solutions to new and existing customers. Nexer provides strategy, tech and communication, all through cutting-edge digital solutions, ensuring our clients are not just part of the change, but rather being ahead of it. Riversand's innovative multi-domain cloud-native platform will help them make that shift," says Fredrik Larsson, Business Unit Manager at Nexer Data Management.

Nexer Group is founded on the vision of enabling a promising future for their clients, with offerings in digital transformation and software development, including business solutions around data management, data insight, cybersecurity, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, IT and R&D.

"We're pleased to partner with Nexer Group, as we share a client-centric approach to developing unique solutions," says Jasleen (Jas) Ahluwalia, Vice President & Global Head - Alliances.

Jas Ahluwalia continues: "With Syndigo's added capabilities, Nexer's clients will have the opportunity to leverage a world-leading SaaS platform for product content creation, management, syndication, and analytics, to accelerate the flow of information that drives commerce."

About Nexer:

Nexer Group is an entrepreneurial tech company that leads the digital revolution with an inspiring vision of a promising future for clients, employees, and the world. Nexer takes pride in leading change with an agile and forward-looking approach. Through long-term partnerships, Nexer supports customers' digital transformation with strategy, technology, and communication expertise. Nexer has 1,900 experts in 10 countries. Before 2021, Nexer operated under the name Sigma IT. Visit https://www.nexergroup.com/ for more information and follow us Nexer Group on LinkedIn.

About Riversand:

Riversand, a Syndigo company, provides a Master Data Experience Platform (MDxP), enabling customers to leverage their data through intelligent insights, automation, and multi-domain SaaS solutions. Riversand's MDxP platform is the engine that powers customers' digital transformation journeys through improved business agility, faster adoption and improved collaboration across the enterprise. Visit https://www.riversand.com/ for more information and follow us @RiversandMDM on Twitter and Riversand on LinkedIn.

About Syndigo:

Syndigo enables commerce by supporting the efficient transfer of product information through its network of brands and their customers. The company provides descriptive product and nutritional information, images and other digital media, powered by deep analytics to empower engaging brand experiences online and in store.

Through Syndigo's integrated platform, Content Experience Hub, clients can publish, manage, syndicate and audit product content across the largest trading network of brands and recipients in the world.

Syndigo serves more than 12,000 manufacturers and 1,750 retailers and distributors globally in many important consumer industries, including grocery, foodservice, hardlines, home improvement/DIY, pet, health and beauty, automotive, apparel, and healthcare products. For more information, please visit www.syndigo.com.

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PAREF Group announces the signature of an asset and development management contract for the 29,000 sqm. "Trade" office building located in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany. Located at 5 minutes only from the main railway station and 15 minutes from the airport, the "Trade" building occupied a strategic location in the center of Frankfurt.

Initially built in 2002 for the Frankfurt Commerzbank, the "Trade" building was acquired by Fosun Group with the aim of restructuring it and adapting it to the best market standards, in line with PAREF ESG strategy to integrate sustainability during both design and construction phases. The building, which is scheduled for delivery in 2025, will be managed by the PAREF Group. It will develop over 29,000 sqm of office space designed to meet the highest expectations of future users.

PAREF Group continues to strengthen its expertise in restructuring and developing large and complex assets. This is the second major asset managed by PAREF teams, following "The Medelan" building located in the center of Milan, Italy. Thanks to the renewed support of Fosun Group, its majority shareholder, this new project will enable PAREF Group to accelerate the development of its third-party institutional asset management business.

" FOSUN Group is pleased to support PAREF Group, a 360 real estate player, a key member of the Fosun ecosystem with proven expertise and the ability to deliver major projects. The Trade asset is an iconic building in Frankfurt and we are looking forward to leading its rebirth together. "

Elvis Liu Mingtao - Co-President at Fosun Hive

" PAREF Group continues to secure new mandates to consolidate its strategy across Europe by creating long-term revenues for its shareholders. We are delighted to strengthen our asset management expertise, particularly for large-scale assets located in dynamic and central cities such as Frankfurt. "

Antoine Castro - CEO at PAREF Group

Financial Agenda

February 17th, 2022: Full Year results

About PAREF Group

PAREF is a European real estate group listed on Euronext, with 2.4 bn assets under management on behalf of third parties, through PAREF Gestion and PAREF Investment Management. PAREF is a company listed on Euronext Paris, Compartment C, under ISIN FR00110263202 - Ticker PAR.

More information on www.paref.com

About Fosun

Fosun was founded in 1992. Fosun's mission is to provide high-quality products and services for families around the world in health, happiness, wealth and intelligent manufacturing segments. Fosun International Limited is a global innovation-driven consumer group that has been listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 00656.HK) since 2007, with total assets of RMB778.9 billion (c. US$120.6 billion) as of 30 June 2021. Fosun International ranks No.459 on the 2021 Forbes Global 2000 List.

About Fosun Hive

Fosun Hive is the global fund management arm of Fosun group with platforms and offices in over 11 locations. The company is a leading fund manager with approx. USD 12.5 billion in AUM outside China in sectors such as office, hospitality, residential and logistics. Within China, Fosun Hive manage over CNY 3800 billion (approx. USD 58.7 billion) of AUM.

Contacts

PAREF Group

Samira Kadhi / Melissende Debarge

07 60 00 59 52 / 07 60 00 59 62

Samira.kadhi@paref.com / Melissende.debarge@paref.com

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Tom Ruvira

07 60 90 89 18

Paref@citigatedewerogerson.com

Warning: This document is destined for journalists and media professionals. It is provided solely as information and does not constitute in any way an investment recommendation or personalized advice.

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 17, 2021) - Marble Financial Inc. (CSE: MRBL) (OTC Pink: MRBLF) (FSE: 2V0) ("Marble" or the "Company"), an AI-driven financial technology company, has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Offering"). (see news release of November 29, 2021). In connection with the closing of the second tranche of the Offering, the Company issued 4,755,384 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.13 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $618,200. As part of this second closing, the Company paid a total of 122,780 finders' Units to certain finders. The cumulative total gross proceeds raised in the Private Placement was $2,000,000.

Each Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Company ("Common Shares") and one half of one Common Share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant (a "Warrant") entitling the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.15 per Common Share for a period of 12 months from the closing date. The Units (including the underlying securities) will be subject to a hold period of four months plus one day following the closing of the Offering.

In connection to the second tranche, certain insiders of the Company participated in the Offering by purchasing an aggregate of 435,000 Units, representing approximately 9% of the total number of Units issued. The portion of such participation by the insiders constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of the policies of the CSE and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying upon the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements pursuant to sections 5.5(a) and (b), and 5.7(1)(a), respectively, of MI 61-101 on the basis that neither the fair market value of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the transaction insofar as it involves interested parties (within the meaning of MI 61-101) in the Placement exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization calculated in accordance with MI 61-101, and on the basis that no securities of the Company are listed or quoted on a stock exchange as specified in MI 61-101.

Net proceeds received by the Company from the Offering are intended to be used to help fund (a) sales and marketing programs for Marble Connect, (b) further development and launch of Credit Beacon and Credit Meds on the MyMarble platform. (c) development and launch of the MyMarble Mobile App. (d) expansion of the MyMarble Platform through its existing partnership agreements in the USA market, and (e) general working capital and corporate purposes.

The securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act), except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of those laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, or for the account or benefit of U.S. persons (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act).

About Marble Financial Inc. (CSE: MRBL) (OTC Pink: MRBLF) (FSE:2V0) Marble's proprietary MyMarble platform utilizes the power of machine learning, data science, and artificial intelligence, in leveraging its proven data-driven strategies through technology solutions Connect, Inverite, MyMarble (formerly Score-Up), Fast Track, Maestro and Boost to engage in and navigate a clear path towards financial wellbeing and a meaningful credit score, since 2016, Marble is proud to have empowered thousands of marginalized consumers to a positive financial future, and we continue to establish ourselves as leaders in financial wellness through the licensing of our proprietary products on the MyMarble Platform.

For further information about Marble Financial, please visit: mymarble.ca.

Mike Marrandino, Executive Chairman

T: (855) 661-2390 ext. 104 Email: ir@marblefinancial.ca

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements, including with respect to the Company's intention or ability to complete the Offering, the timing of closing the Offering and the intended use of proceeds from the Offering Forward-looking statements, without limitation, may contain the words beliefs, expects, anticipates, estimates, intends, plans, or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements do not guarantee future performance. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated. Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management 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 projected in the forward-looking statements. Except for historical facts, the statements in this news release, as well as oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by Marble, are forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking information included in this release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/108004
HOUSTON, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mayflower Wind Energy LLC (Mayflower), the 50-50 joint venture between Shell New Energies US LLC (Shell) and OW North America LLC, has been awarded the right to provide 400 MW of offshore wind energy by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its three biggest utilities as part of Massachusetts' 83C III offshore wind energy procurement. Combined with its power purchase agreement of 804 MW awarded in 2019 from the 83C II procurement round, Mayflower could deliver more than 1200 MW of clean energy to electricity customers throughout Massachusetts and New England. That is enough energy each day to power over half a million homes and businesses.

With today's announcement, Mayflower will start development of the federal lease area and continue pursuing additional energy contracts until the full 2000 MW maximum lease capacity is realized. Subject to a future investment decision, operations are expected to be commissioned in the mid to late 2020s. The award is accompanied by an economic development package that includes commitments to spend up to $42.3 million, including $27 million over 10 years to the South Coast Community Foundation.

"This has been a significant week for our company and renewables businesses. Announcing a substantial expansion of our global solar portfolio along with this considerable offshore wind contract award showcases Shell's progress towards providing zero- and lower-carbon assets and technologies," said Wael Sawan, Integrated Gas and Renewables & Energy Solutions Director. "Shell remains committed to meeting our customers' needs by providing a range of renewable power generation options."

Shell's target is to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, in step with society's progress towards achieving net-zero. As part of the measures to fulfill its targets, Shell is progressing its wind business by building on a foundation of offshore experience and leveraging operational excellence, including safety and cost-efficiency, with positive community and regulatory relationships.

Notes to editors

The total economic package will support the building of the offshore wind supply chain; provide for education and training of an offshore wind workforce; make significant investments in local ports, businesses, and infrastructure; as well as offer diversity, equity, and inclusion measures that include the hiring of specialized firms and support for low-income electric consumers, among other measures.

Mayflower Wind is one of Shell's two significant US offshore wind entries. In June 2021 Atlantic Shores, a joint venture with Shell New Energies LLC and EDF Renewables North America, won the rights to provide 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable offshore energy to New Jersey , enough energy to power over 700,000 homes.

Atlantic Shores, a joint venture with Shell New Energies LLC and EDF Renewables North America, won the rights to provide 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable offshore energy to , enough energy to power over 700,000 homes. Subject to a future investment decision, Mayflower will develop and operate in an area located approximately 30 miles south of Martha's Vineyard and 20 miles south of Nantucket .

and 20 miles south of . Shell aims to sell more than 560 terawatt-hours globally per year by 2030 as part of its Integrated Power business, twice as much electricity as the company sells today, and expects to serve more than 15 million retail and business customers worldwide as a leading provider of clean Power-as-a-Service.

On February 11, 2021 , Shell set forth its Powering Progress strategy, including details of how it will achieve its target to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, in step with society's progress as it works towards the Paris Agreement goal of limiting the increase in the average global temperature to 1.5C. In October 2021 , Shell set a target to reduce absolute emissions by 50% by 2030, compared to 2016 levels, which includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

, Shell set forth its Powering Progress strategy, including details of how it will achieve its target to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, in step with society's progress as it works towards the Paris Agreement goal of limiting the increase in the average global temperature to 1.5C. In , Shell set a target to reduce absolute emissions by 50% by 2030, compared to 2016 levels, which includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions. For more details on Shell's Powering Progress strategy, please visit www.shell.com/poweringprogress. For more details on Shell's climate target, please visit www.shell.com/climatetarget.

Cautionary note

The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this press release "Shell", "Shell Group" and "Group" are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. 'Subsidiaries', "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this press release refer to entities over which Royal Dutch Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to as "joint ventures" and "joint operations", respectively. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as "associates". The term "Shell interest" is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

Shell's operating plan, outlook and budgets are forecasted for a ten-year period and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next ten years. Accordingly, Shell's operating plans, outlooks, budgets and pricing assumptions do not reflect our net-zero emissions target. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell's operating plans, outlooks, budgets and pricing assumptions to reflect this movement.

This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management's expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "aim", "ambition", 'anticipate', 'believe', 'could', 'estimate', 'expect', 'goals', 'intend', 'may', "milestones", 'objectives', 'outlook', 'plan', 'probably', 'project', 'risks', "schedule", 'seek', 'should', 'target', 'will' and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this press release, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, such as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak; and (n) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Royal Dutch Shell plc's Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this press release and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, December 17, 2021. Neither Royal Dutch Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

The contents of websites referred to in this press release do not form part of this press release.

We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this press release that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

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Red Deer, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - December 17, 2021) - Rifco Inc. (TSXV: RFC) ("Rifco" or the "Company") announces that at the special meeting of shareholders of Rifco (the "Shareholders") held today (the "Meeting"), the Shareholders voted in favour of a special resolution (the "Resolution") to approve a proposed plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") pursuant to which Chesswood Group Limited ("Chesswood") will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Rifco (the "Rifco Shares") by way of a statutory plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta).

Under the terms of the Arrangement, each Rifco shareholder will receive consideration of $1.28 for each Rifco Share held, to be satisfied, at the election of each Rifco Shareholder, either in cash or Chesswood common shares (with the number of Chesswood common shares to be determined based on the 10 day volume weighted average price determined five business days before the Meeting), representing aggregate consideration of approximately $28 million on a fully diluted basis.

The Resolution required approval by at least 662/3% of the votes cast by Shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Meeting and entitled to vote thereat. At the Meeting, 66.97% of the Rifco Shares were present in person or represented by proxy and the Resolution was approved by Shareholders holding 98.90% of the Rifco Shares voted at the Meeting.

Completion of the Arrangement remains subject to, among other things, receipt of all applicable TSX, regulatory and court approvals, and customary conditions to closing. The hearing in respect of the required final court order to approve the Arrangement is currently scheduled to take place on January 10, 2022. At this time it is expected that the Arrangement will close mid-January, 2022.

Further information about the Arrangement is set forth in the materials prepared by Rifco in respect of the Meeting, copies of which are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

About Rifco Inc.

Rifco is focused on being the best alternative auto finance company through its wholly owned subsidiary Rifco National Auto Finance Corporation. Our mission is to help deserving Canadians own automobiles.

Rifco seeks to create sustainable long-term competitive advantages through personalized partnerships with dealers, innovative products, the use of industry-leading data and analytics, and leading collections practices. Rifco's corporate culture fosters employees that are highly engaged innovative and performance driven.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to the Company, its products and operations and the contemplated Arrangement. These statements generally can be identified by use of forward-looking words such as "may", "will", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intends", "believe" or "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The actual results and performance of the Company discussed herein could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, among other things, general economic and market factors, competition, changes in government regulations, and the factors described under "Risk Factors" in the Management Information Circular of the Company prepared in connection with the Meeting, Management's Discussion and Analysis and Annual Information Form of the Company which are available at www.sedar.com. The cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributable to the Company and persons acting on their behalf. Unless otherwise stated, all forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and the Company has no obligation to update such statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

All trade names are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Rifco Inc.

For further information: MEDIA CONTACTS: Rifco Inc.: Warren Van Orman, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, 403-314-1288 Ext 7007

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/108013
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, CAYMAN ISLANDS, JAPAN OR SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION OR WOULD REQUIRE REGISTRATION OR OTHER MEASURES. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONTAIN OR CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE OR AN INVITATION OR OFFER TO THE PUBLIC OR FORM OF APPLICATION TO SUBSCRIBE FOR SECURITIES.

Reference is made to the announcement made on 10 December 2021 by Brigade-M3 European Acquisition Corp. (Amsterdam:BACEU) (the "Company"), a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by Brigade SPAC Sponsor II LLC, with the strategic partner M3 Euro SPAC Sponsor I, LP, regarding potential stabilisation activities in connection with the private placement of units (the "Units"), each consisting of one ordinary share (an "Ordinary Share") and one-half (1/2) of a warrant (a "Warrant"), which was launched on 8 December 2021 (the "Offering") and the admission to trading of the Units on Euronext Amsterdam.

Cantor-Aurel, a division of Aurel BGC SAS (the "Stabilisation Manager"), acting as stabilisation manager in connection with the Offering, hereby gives notice that stabilisation transactions have been carried out between 10 and 14 December 2021. No further stabilisation transactions have been carried out nor will be carried out after 17 December 2021 and the stabilisation period has therefore ended on that date and the over-allotment option granted to the Stabilisation Manager by the Company will not be exercised.

Further details of the stabilisation activity carried out by the Stabilisation Manager are set out in the table below.

Date Buy/Sell Volume Lowest price Highest price Stabilisation Currency Trading Venue 10/12/21 Buy 450,000 9.90 9.90 USD Amsterdam 14/12/21 Buy 50,000 9.90 9.90 USD Amsterdam

Cantor-Aurel, a division of Aurel BGC SAS and Cantor Fitzgerald Europe acted as Joint Global Coordinators. Cantor-Aurel acted as Sole Bookrunner.

DISCLAIMER

This announcement is not for distribution or release, directly or indirectly, and should not be distributed in or sent into, the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, Cayman Islands or South Africa or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution or release would be unlawful or would require registration or other measures. This announcement does not contain or constitute an offer of securities for sale or an invitation or offer to the public or form of application to subscribe for securities.

The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which they are released, published or distributed, should inform themselves about, and observe, such restrictions. No action has been taken by the Company that would permit an offer of securities or the possession or distribution of this announcement or any other offering or publicity material relating to such securities in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required.

This announcement is not and does not form a part of, and should not be construed as, an offer for sale of or solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the United States. The securities referred to in this announcement have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and in accordance with the applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. The Company does not intend to register any portion of the offering in the United States or to conduct a public offering of securities in the United States. Any public offering of the securities to be made in the United States would be made by means of a prospectus that may be obtained from the Company and that will contain detailed information about the Company and its management, as well as financial statements.

In the EEA, this announcement is only directed at persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation (EU 2017/1129) as amended.

In the United Kingdom, this announcement is directed only at "qualified investors" within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation (EU) No 2017/1129 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the "EUWA") (the "UK Prospectus Regulation") as amended, who are also (i) persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments who fall within the definition of "investment professionals" in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order"); (ii) high net worth bodies corporate, unincorporated associations and partnerships and trustees of high value trusts as described in Article 49(2) of the Order; or (iii) persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons being referred to as "relevant persons"). This announcement must not be acted on or relied on by persons in the United Kingdom who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement relates is available only in the United Kingdom to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.

This announcement does not constitute a prospectus. An offer to acquire securities pursuant to the proposed Offering will be made, and any investor should make his investment, solely on the basis of information contained in the Prospectus made generally available in the Netherlands in connection with the admission of Ordinary Shares and Warrants to listing and trading on Euronext Amsterdam ("Admission"). Copies of the Prospectus may be obtained from the website of the Company.

Matters discussed in this announcement may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "intends," "estimate," "plan," "forecast", "project," "will," "may," "continue," "should" and similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this announcement are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, such as no changes in existing political, legal, fiscal, market or economic conditions or in applicable legislation, regulations or rules (including, but not limited to, accounting policies, accounting treatments and tax policies), which, individually or in the aggregate, would be material to the results of operations of the Company or its ability to operate its businesses and that the Company does not become a party to any legal or administrative processes that may have a material effect on the Company. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors, which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond its control. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in this release by such forward-looking statements. In addition, the information, opinions, targets, and forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are not guarantees of future financial performance and the actual results of the Company could differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based after the date of this announcement or to update or to keep current any other information contained in this announcement. Accordingly, the Company urges readers not to place undue reliance on any of the statements set forth above.

The information, opinions, and forward-looking statements contained in this announcement speak only as at the date of this announcement, and are subject to change without notice.

Any purchase of any securities in the Offering should be made solely on the basis of information contained in the Prospectus. The information in this announcement is subject to change. Before purchasing any securities in the Offering, persons viewing this announcement should ensure that they fully understand and accept the risks which are set out in the Prospectus. No reliance may be placed for any purpose on the information contained in this announcement or its accuracy or completeness. This announcement shall not form the basis of or constitute any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer to purchase any securities nor shall it (or any part of it) or the fact of its distribution, form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract therefor.

The date of Admission may be influenced by a variety of factors which include market conditions. There is no guarantee that Admission will occur. You should not base your financial decision on this announcement. Acquiring investments to which this announcement relates may expose an investor to a significant risk of losing all of the amount invested.

Persons considering making investments should consult an authorised person specialising in advising on such investments. This announcement does not form part of or constitute a recommendation concerning any offer. The value of securities can decrease as well as increase. Potential investors should consult a professional advisor as to the suitability of a possible offer for the person concerned.

No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made or given, and no responsibility is accepted, by, or on behalf of, Cantor-Aurel or any of its affiliates or representatives, or their respective directors, officers or employees or any other person, as to the accuracy, fairness, verification or completeness of information or opinions contained in this announcement and nothing in this announcement is, or shall be relied upon as, a promise or representation by Cantor- Aurel or any of its affiliates or representatives, or their respective directors, officers or employees or any other person, as to the past or future. None of Cantor-Aurel or any of its affiliates or representatives, or their respective directors, officers or employees or any other person in any of their respective capacities in connection with the Offering, accepts any responsibility whatsoever for the contents of this announcement or for any other statements made or purported to be made by either itself or on its behalf in connection with the Company, the Offering, the Units, the Ordinary Shares and/or the Warrants. Accordingly, Cantor-Aurel and its affiliates or representatives, and their respective directors, officers or employees or any other person disclaim, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all and any liability, whether arising in tort or contract or which they might otherwise be found to have in respect of this announcement and/or any such statement.

Cantor-Aurel is acting exclusively for the Company and for no one else in connection with the Offering and will not regard any other person as their respective client in relation to the Offering and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for giving advice in relation to the Offering, Admission or any transaction or arrangement referred to in this announcement.

Cantor-Aurel and/or its affiliates may in the future, from time to time, engage in commercial banking, investment banking and financial advisory and ancillary activities in the ordinary course of their business with the Company or any parties related to any of it, in respect of which they have and may in the future, receive customary fees and commissions. Additionally, Cantor-Aurel and/or its affiliates may in the ordinary course of their business hold the Company's securities for investment purposes for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Also, Cantor-Aurel is entitled to receive a deferred fee conditional on the completion of a Business Combination. The fact that Cantor-Aurel or its affiliates' financial interests are tied to the completion of a Business Combination may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in providing services to the Company, including potential conflicts of interest in connection with the sourcing and completion of a Business Combination or the rendering of a fairness opinion. As a result, these parties may have interests that may not be aligned, or could possibly conflict with the interests of investors or of the Company. In respect hereof, the sharing of information is generally restricted for reasons of confidentiality, by internal procedures and by rules and regulations.

In connection with the Offering, Cantor-Aurel and any of its affiliates, acting as an investor for its own account, may take up Units in the Offering and, in that capacity, may retain, purchase, subscribe for, or sell for its own account such securities and any Units or related investments and may offer or sell such Units or other investments otherwise than in connection with the Offering. Accordingly, references in this announcement to Units being offered or placed should be read as including any offering or placement of Units to Cantor-Aurel or any of its affiliates acting in such capacity. In addition, Cantor-Aurel or its affiliates may enter into financing arrangements (including swaps) with investors in connection with which Cantor-Aurel (or its affiliates) may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of Units, Ordinary Shares and Warrants. None of Cantor-Aurel or its affiliates intends to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than pursuant to any legal or regulatory obligation to do so. As a result of these transactions, Cantor-Aurel and its affiliates may have interests that may not be aligned, or could potentially conflict, with the interests of the Ordinary Shareholders or Warrant Holders, or with the Company's interests.

This announcement contains information that qualifies as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 on market abuse.

Information to EEA Distributors

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in delict, tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Units, Ordinary Shares and Warrants have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that: (X) the Units are: (i) compatible with an end target market of investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties only, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) appropriate for distribution through all distribution channels to eligible counterparties and professional clients as are permitted by MiFID II; (Y) the Ordinary Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II; and (Z) the Warrants are: (i) compatible with an end target market of investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties only, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) appropriate for distribution through all distribution channels to eligible counterparties and professional clients as are permitted by MiFID II (each, an "EEA Target Market Assessment

Any person subsequently offering, selling or recommending the Units, the Ordinary Shares and/or the Warrants (a "Distributor") should take into consideration the manufacturers' relevant EEA Target Market Assessment(s); however, each Distributor subject to MiFID II is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Units, the Ordinary Shares and/or the Warrants (by either adopting or refining the manufacturers' EEA Target Market Assessments) and determining, in each case, appropriate distribution channels.

In respect of the Ordinary Shares, notwithstanding the EEA Target Market Assessment, Distributors (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) should note that: (i) the price of the Ordinary Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; (ii) the Ordinary Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and (iii) an investment in the Ordinary Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom.

The EEA Target Market Assessments are without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Units, the Ordinary Shares and the Warrants. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the EEA Target Market Assessments, the Joint Global Coordinators will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties.

For the avoidance of doubt, the EEA Target Market Assessments do not constitute: (i) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MIFID II; or (ii) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Units, Ordinary Shares and Warrants.

Information to UK Distributors

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook (the "UK Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the UK Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Units, Ordinary Shares and Warrants have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that: (X) the Units are: (i) compatible with an end target market of investors who meet the criteria of eligible counterparties, as defined in the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook ("COBS"), and professional clients, as defined in COBS; and (ii) all channels for distribution to eligible counterparties and professional clients are appropriate; (Y) the Ordinary Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of investors who meet the criteria of retail clients, professional clients, and eligible counterparties each as defined in COBS; and (ii) all channels for distribution are appropriate; and (Z) the Warrants are: (i) compatible with an end target market of investors who meet the criteria of eligible counterparties and professional clients, as defined in COBS; and (ii) all channels for distribution to eligible counterparties and professional clients are appropriate (each, a "UK Target Market Assessment

A Distributor (as defined above) should take into consideration the manufacturers' relevant UK Target Market Assessment(s); however, each Distributor subject to UK Product Governance Requirements is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Units, the Ordinary Shares and/or the Warrants (by either adopting or refining the manufacturers' UK Target Market Assessments) and determining, in each case, appropriate distribution channels.

In respect of the Ordinary Shares, notwithstanding the UK Target Market Assessment, Distributors (for the purposes of the UK Product Governance Requirements) should note that: (i) the price of the Ordinary Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; (ii) the Ordinary Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and (iii) an investment in the Ordinary Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom.

The UK Target Market Assessments are without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Units, the Ordinary Shares and the Warrants. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the UK Target Market Assessments, the Joint Global Coordinators will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties.

For the avoidance of doubt, the UK Target Market Assessments do not constitute: (i) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of Chapters 9A or 10A of COBS; or (ii) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Units, Ordinary Shares and Warrants.

Prohibition of sales to EEA retail investors

The Units and the Warrants are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area ("EEA"). For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/97 (as amended, the "Insurance Distribution Directive"), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Regulation. Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended the "PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the Units and the Warrants or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Units and the Warrants or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation.

Prohibition of sales to UK retail investors

The Units and the Warrants are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the United Kingdom. For these purposes, a "retail investor" means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 2017/565 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the "EUWA"); (ii) a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the "FSMA") and any rules or regulations made under the FSMA to implement the Insurance Distribution Directive, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation. Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 as it forms part of the domestic law of the United Kingdom by virtue of the EUWA (the "UK PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the Units and the Warrants or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the United Kingdom has been prepared and, therefore, offering or selling the Units and the Warrants or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the UK may be unlawful under the UK PRIIPs Regulation.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211217005609/en/

Contacts:

ENQUIRIES

Brigade-M3 European Acquisition Corp.

c/o Brigade Capital Management, LP

BrigadeM3EAC@brigadecapital.com
Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 17, 2021) - Sixth Wave Innovations Inc. (CSE: SIXW) (OTCQB: SIXWF) (FSE: AHUH) ("Sixth Wave" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it is conducting a non-brokered private placement of up to 8,000,000 units at $0.20 per unit, for total placement proceeds of $1,600,000 (the "Private Placement"). Each unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant gives the holder the right to purchase one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.35 for a period of 24 months. The Company intends to close the Private Placement in the coming week.

The Company plans to use the proceeds of the Private Placement for general working capital, the deployment of its AffinityTM cannabis purification units, as well as continuing development of its AMIPs virus detection technology.

The closing of the Private Placement is subject to the final approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange.

About Sixth Wave

Sixth Wave is a nanotechnology company with patented technologies that focus on extraction and detection of target substances at the molecular level using highly specialized Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs). The Company is in the process of a commercial rollout of its Affinity cannabinoid purification system, as well as, IXOS, a line of extraction polymers for the gold mining industry. The Company is in the development stages of a rapid diagnostic test for viruses under the Accelerated MIPs (AMIPs) label.

Sixth Wave can design, develop and commercialize MIP solutions across a broad spectrum of industries. The company is focused on nanotechnology architectures that are highly relevant for the detection and separation of viruses, biogenic amines, and other pathogens, for which the Company has products at various stages of development.

For more information about Sixth Wave, please visit our website at: www.sixthwave.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Jonathan Gluckman"

Jonathan Gluckman, Ph.D., President & CEO

For information, please contact the Company:

Phone: (801) 582-0559

E-mail: info@sixthwave.com

Cautionary Notes

This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" including statements regarding the planned use of proceeds and performance of the AMIPs technologies. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future events or developments that the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual events or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In particular, successful development and commercialization of the AMIPs technology are subject to the risk that the AMIPs technology may not prove to be successful in detecting virus targets effectively or at all, the uncertainty of medical product development, the uncertainty of timing or availability of required regulatory approvals, lack of track record of developing products for medical applications and the need for additional capital to carry out product development activities. The value of any products ultimately developed could be negatively impacted if the patent is not granted. The Company has not yet completed the development of a prototype for the product that is subject of its patent application and has not yet applied for regulatory approval for the use of this product from any regulatory agency.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/108016
DEARBORN (dpa-AFX) - Ride-hailing service Lyft Inc. (LYFT) has teamed up with with autonomous vehicle technology startup Argo AI and its Ford Motor Co. (F) to launch at least 1,000 self-driving vehicles on Lyft's ride-hailing network over the next five years, starting with Miami and Austin. Ford's autonomous vehicles, powered by the Argo Self-Driving System, on Lyft's ridesharing network will be made available for ridesharing in Miami later this year and in Austin starting in 2022. 'This collaboration marks the first time all the pieces of the autonomous vehicle puzzle have come together this way,' Lyft co-founder and CEO Logan Green said. 'Each company brings the scale, knowledge and capability in their area of expertise that is necessary to make autonomous ride-hailing a business reality.' 'This collaboration is special because we're executing on a shared vision for improving the safety, access to and affordability of transportation in our cities,' said Bryan Salesky, founder and CEO, Argo AI. 'Beyond the link that Lyft provides to the customer, we'll be able to work together to define where an autonomous service will benefit communities the most and ensure we're deploying the technology safely.' As part of the agreement, Argo will use anonymized service and fleet data from Lyft in exchange of Lyft receiving 2.5% of the common equity of Argo AI. 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.
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - December 17, 2021) - Canadian Natural Resources Limited (TSX: CNQ) (NYSE: CNQ) ("Canadian Natural" or the "Company") announces that the previously announced acquisition by Canadian Natural of all the issued and outstanding common shares of Storm Resources Ltd. ("Storm") pursuant to a plan of arrangement has been completed.

Canadian Natural welcomes Storm employees to its Northeast British Columbia and Calgary head office teams. The acquired production, infrastructure and land complements Canadian Natural's natural gas assets in the Northeast British Columbia area, providing the Company further opportunities to leverage synergies within our diversified portfolio.

Canadian Natural is working to finalize its 2022 Budget as we optimize and leverage synergies of the newly acquired assets. As such, the Company targets to release the details of its 2022 Budget as well as host a conference call and slide presentation on January 11, 2022. Further details of the conference call and webcast can be found on the Company's website at www.cnrl.com.

Canadian Natural is a senior oil and natural gas production company, with continuing operations in its core areas located in Western Canada, the U.K. portion of the North Sea and Offshore Africa.

CANADIAN NATURAL RESOURCES LIMITED

2100, 855 - 2nd Street S.W. Calgary, Alberta, T2P4J8

Phone: 403-514-7777 Email: ir@cnrl.com

www.cnrl.com



TIM S. MCKAY

President



MARK A. STAINTHORPE

Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice-President, Finance



JASON M. POPKO

Manager, Investor Relations



Trading Symbol - CNQ

Toronto Stock Exchange

New York Stock Exchange

Certain information regarding the Company and the announced transaction contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections and are subject to known or unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Refer to our website for a complete forward-looking statement advisory at www.cnrl.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/107998


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest Airlines Co.(LUV), tested Covid positive after he visited a Senate hearing on Wednesday, with CEOs and representatives of other major airlines.



A spokesperson said, 'Although testing negative multiple times prior to the Senate Commerce Committee Hearing, Gary tested positive for COVID-19 after returning home, experiencing mild symptoms, and taking a PCR test. Gary is doing well and currently resting at home, he has been fully vaccinated and received the booster earlier this year. Gary's symptoms continue to be mild, and each day he is moving closer to a full recovery.'



Kelly was joined by the CEOs of United Airlines Co. (UAL), American Airlines Co. (AAL), and Delta Airlines (DEL) and a flight attendant union president. The Senate Commerce Council asked the representatives about a $54 billion federal support that was given to the airlines to support the companies during the pandemic lockdown.



United Airlines CEO and Delta Air's COO were sitting in close proximity with Kelly as well Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants. All three have tested negative as of Friday but will continue to keep testing for the CDC-advised period.



The lawmakers also asked the companies about the mask mandates and how soon can the passengers fly maskless. In reply, Kelly said, 'I think the case is very strong that masks don't add much if anything in the air cabin environment.'



The reply has caused some raised eyebrows but the CEO issued a note of clarification on Friday in support of the current administration's decision. 'I confused some with a short answer to a question about masks. So, to be clear, I and Southwest and along with [U.S. airline lobbying group] Airlines for America are all aligned and support the current federal mask mandate at airports and on airplanes. The majority of our Employees and Customers have felt it has been an important layer of protection, and I certainly agree with that. So we'll continue to rely on the advice of our medical experts regarding the necessity of masks. And my apologies for any confusion!'



Airlines industries has been one of the most affected industries due to the virus but the companies are expecting an increase in footfall during the holiday season.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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BandLab, a Singapore-based social music creation platform, raised US$53m in funding.

The round, which results in a post-money valuation of US$303m, was led by Vulcan Capital with participation from K3 Ventures.

The company intends to use the funds to expand its team and its platform to stimulate the creator economy and reach music creators worldwide.

Led by CEO & Co-Founder Meng Ru Kuok, BandLab is a free, cross-platform music creator ecosystem that supports anyone, anywhere, on any device. The platform supports creators of all kinds of sophistication levels, from first-time creators to producers, much as workplace productivity tools support businesses large and small. Its cross-platform creative ecosystem offers users everything from their Mix Editor to a comprehensive royalty-free Sounds library, as well as Mastering, newly announced AI-powered SongStarter and more. Beyond creation tools, artist services like Distribution and direct fan subscriptions empower the creator economy, and the upcoming integration of recently acquired leading independent artist services platform ReverbNation into BandLab will further expand the suite of services available to independent artists.

BandLab is the flagship product of BandLab Technologies, which also includes professional-level digital audio workstation, Cakewalk.

FinSMEs

17/12/2021
Gtmhub, a Denver, CO-based provider of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) software, closed a $120m funding round.

The round was led by Index Ventures with participation from Visionaries Club and returning investors Insight Partners, Singular and CRV.

The company intends to use the funds for scaling operations, increasing market penetration and expanding product offerings, including predictive and prescriptive capabilities.

Led by Ivan Osmak, CEO, Gtmhub provides an OKRs and Strategy-Execution management software platform to enable organizations to improve internal alignment and maintain focus. With offices in Denver, Sofia, Berlin, Paris and London. the company serves 1,000+ clients  including enterprises, not-for-profits, startups, and governments enable them to achieve their goals with OKRs along their journey of accelerated growth and transformational change. Clients include companies like Adobe, TomTom, Red Hat and Experian, and its 500,000+ users span more than 75 countries.

The company employs 240 people.

FinSMEs

17/12/2021
Oddlygood products include oat milks, oat yogurts and plant-based cheeses. Oat yogurt to debut in the U.S. in early 2022.

Oddlygood Global, a spinoff of Valio, one of Finlands premiere food companies, closes its first round of funding with an investment of $28m from the private equity division of Helsinki-based Mandatum Asset Management.

Oddlygood develops and markets plant-based products, including oat drinks for coffee, oat yogurts, cheeses and dairy alternatives used in cooking and baking. Known for its Finlandia brand of cheeses and butter in the U.S., Valio spun off the plant-based divisions business earlier this year and will continue as Oddlygoods majority shareholder.

Mandatums investment will accelerate Oddlygoods goal of becoming a global leader in plant-based products.

Led by CEO Niko Vuorenmaa, Oddlygood Global sells its products in Finland and Sweden, as well as in the U.K., Russia and the Baltic countries. U.S. sales are slated to begin in early 2022 as production begins of Oddlygood Oat Yogurt in Northern California.

The companys U.S. headquarters are in Parsippany, N.J. Earlier this year, Oddlygood started marketing its cheeses to the U.S. foodservice sector with a focus on pizza operators. The company plans to grow sales and distribution in existing markets and enter new ones.

FinSMEs

17/12/2021
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has been in the news for quite some time now, and the marketing materials of the phone has surfaced last month. Even though the earlier leak said that there will be change in camera specs, the new leak that reveals that complete specifications and the image says that it will retain the telephoto camera.

The S21 FE is said to lack a microSD expansion slot, and the phone will be 20 grams lighter and slightly sleeker than the predecessor, says the leaked spec sheet.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE rumoured specifications

6.4-inch (2340 x 1080 pixels) FHD+ Infinity-O Dynamic AMOLED Display, 120Hz refresh rate, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection

Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5nm Mobile Platform

6GB LPDDR5 RAM with 128GB storage / 8GB LPDDR5 RAM with 256GB storage

Android 11 with One UI 3.1

Single / Dual SIM

12MP rear camera with f/1.8 aperture, OIS, LED Flash, 12MP Ultra Wide camera with f/2.2 aperture, 8MP Telephoto camera with f/2.4 aperture, PDAF, OIS, 3X Optical Zoom

32MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture

Water-resistant (IP68)

In-display fingerprint scanner

Dimensions: 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm; Weight: 170g

5G SA/NSA, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS + GLONASS, USB 3.1, NFC

4500mAh (typical) with 25W fast charging, WPC Qi wireless fast charging, Wireless PowerShare

Even though this mentions only the Snapdragon 888 for the European market, based on recent benchmark listings, the company might release an Exynos 2100 version in some markets, just like the other phones in the S21 series.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is expected to come in graphite, olive, lavender and white colours and cost 749 Euros (US$ 848 / Rs. 64,645 approx.) for 6GB + 128GB and 819 Euros (US$ 927 / Rs. 70,650 approx.) for 8GB + 256GB models. These are not the final pricing and might change when it launches next month at the CES.

Source
realme already has realme Link companion app for managing its smart devices, including the realme Band and the realme Watch. Now it has silently released a new realme Fit Android app, and the description says that this is a companion app for the TechLife Watch S100, and there is also an iOS app.

Even though the app doesnt reveal any details, we looked into the APK that has an image titled body testing with a person placing two fingers on a realme band / watch. This could be similar to the Apple Watch and the Galaxy Watch4 that uses a dedicated chip to measure Heart Rate and ECG when you place the fingerprint on the crown or home and back buttons.

The Samsung Watch also lets you calculate the body composition to get details such as body fat, skeletal muscle, body water, BMI and BMR.

The app also shows images of ECG, so there are high chances that the company will release a new smart band or a smartwatch with these features.

To remind you, realme launched its realme Band 2 and realme Watch 2 Pro in India and realme Watch T1 in China recently with support for heart rate and Blood Oxygen (SpO2) sensor.

Source
As the world approaches 2 years of on-again, off-again Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, business activity and the economies of many countries are picking up worldwide, though unevenly. And the appearance of the Omicron variant has thrown another spanner in the works, as the Brits say. Nevertheless, here are 10 recent deals global franchise brands have announced recently.

9Round has finalized an expansion deal in South Korea and renewed its agreement in the Middle East. The master franchise agreement calls for 9Round to open 160 locations throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey (MENAT) and 40 locations in South Korea over the next several years. There are currently 43 locations operating in the area, and 9Round projects 200 locations to be open by 2034.

Churchs Texas Chicken is on track to open 20 new restaurants in Canada in 2021. For 2022, the brand is looking to open 40 more locations in the country.

Crepe Delicious has signed a master franchise agreement in Jordan for 10 locations in the next 5 years. The franchisee, Anabtawi sweets, is set to begin development by Q1 2022.

Island Poke has announced plans to open 4 new restaurants in Edinburgh in the next 2 years. The brand now has 15 locations in London, 8 in France and 4 dark kitchens across the English capital.

Legendary Restaurant Brands (Bennigans, Steak & Ale) has partnered with Franklin Junction to accelerate its growth in the Asia/Pacific region. Menu items for the two brands, adapted for local preferences, will be available throughout Southeast Asia in the next 10 to 12 months.

Nathans Famous has expanded into Saudi Arabia with the opening of seven kiosks across the country, with plans for three more. The kiosks will offer halal hot dogs and toppings, crinkle-cut fries, and Nathans halal New York Cheesesteak.

School of Rock has entered Taiwan with a location in Taichung City. John Caraccio, the master franchisee in Taiwan, is set to open at least 19 additional schools in the market in the coming years.

Subway and Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co, the leading franchise retailer in Saudi Arabia, have signed a new master franchise agreement for the country. The new agreement kicks off a growth plan to nearly double Subways footprint of 210 restaurants in Saudi Arabia over the next 6 years by adding a minimum of 145 new locations.

Wayback Burgers has inked a deal with Japans WB Burgers Asia (WBBA) to open 60 locations within 20 years. WBBA also acquired the right of first refusal to become the master franchisee for Eastern Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, India, Korea, Thailand and Singapore.

Xponential Fitness has signed a master franchise agreement in New Zealand for CycleBar, StretchLab, and Rumble. The agreement provides the master franchisee with the opportunity to license at least 30 studios across the three brands to franchisees in New Zealand over the next 10 years.
Zabka Is The First Company In Poland With Scientifically Approved Decarbonization Goals

December 16, 2021 // Franchising.com // POLAND - Zabka Polska is the first company in Poland and the first food network in the Central and Eastern Europe region, whose decarbonization goals, included in its ESG strategy, were scientifically verified and approved by the international initiative called Science Based Targets (SBTi). The company thus proves that the path it has taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the commitments it has made jointly constitute a viable plan.

Combating climate change is a global challenge and a huge responsibility test for the company. Zabka is actively working to reduce its negative environmental impact. As a sustainable company, it addresses this challenge comprehensively by working to reduce energy consumption, looking for low- and zero-carbon sources, testing innovative green technologies and encouraging consumers to make planet-friendly choices. Among the goals that Zabka has declared in the new Corporate Responsibility Strategy announced this year is the achievement by 2025 of climate neutrality, in terms of GHG emissions in the range 1 and 2, and emission intensity reduction in the range 3, in line with the objectives of the Science Based Targets (SBTi) initiative, which the company joined in 2021.

In December this year the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets declared by Zabka have been officially approved by the SBTi Target Validation Team. The climate targets set by Zabka, according to the SBTi assessment, are accordant with the most ambitious provision of the Paris Agreement, whose goal is to limit global warming to 1.5C compared to the pre-industrial era.

In Zabka every day we take a number of ecological actions. We involve both our employees, franchisees and customers in these processes. We are actively working to reduce the negative environmental impact of our activities. In order to be even more effective, we are the first CEE chain to join the Science Based Targets initiative, which promotes responsible and transparent setting of carbon footprint reduction targets based on scientific knowledge. We are proud that our goals have been positively verified and approved by the SBTi  emphasizes Anna Grabowska, Vice-President of the Management Board for Consumer Strategies in Zabka Group.

The goals scientifically approved and verified by SBTi assume that Zabka will reduce by 25% total greenhouse gas emissions in the range 1 and 2 by 2026 compared to base year 2020 and will reduce by 70%. the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions in stores by 2026 (range 3, tCO2/PLN1m) for the same time frame. In addition, by the end of 2026, the chain will involve business partners responsible for 75% of the purchasing expenditure in products and services area in the process of setting the scientifically confirmed reduction targets.

Science Based Targets is an initiative co-founded by the UN Global Compact, which has already been joined by over 1000 companies from 60 countries, operating in 53 sectors of the economy and employing over 32 million people! This demonstrates the scale of the impact of the initiative, whose main objective is to promote ambitious corporate goals to reduce the negative environmental impact of businesses and thus stop the rise in temperatures. I am pleased that Zabka, a member company of the UN Global Compact and a partner of our programs, is joining this initiative - it is a chance that the actions taken and the objectives set will be effective and in line with the scientific guidelines of UN experts on climate change. Only by acting on the basis of sound knowledge can we fight climate change quickly and according to the best standards - commented Kamil Wyszkowski, Country Representative and Executive Director of UN Global Compact Network Poland.

The Science Based Targets (SBTi) initiative is a collaboration between the United Nations Global Compact (UN Global Compact), the World Resources Institute (WRI), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and CDP, the world's most famous climate data disclosure company. It aims to promote the setting of carbon footprint reduction targets based on scientific knowledge. SBTi members aim to limit global warming to well below 2C compared to the pre-industrial era and continue efforts to limit warming to 1.5C.

SOURCE Zabka Polska Sp. z o.o.

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CPR Grows in Pennsylvania with Two New Stores

December 17, 2021 // Franchising.com // Independence, OH - CPR Cell Phone Repair, a retail mobile device repair franchise network in North America, is pleased to announce two locations opening in East-Central Pennsylvania. The franchise congratulates Aqib Rehman on opening his new CPR stores, CPR Shillington and CPR Wyomissing.

Were delighted for Aqibs new franchises to officially join into the CPR network, said Chris Jourdan, Director of Franchise Operations at CPR Cell Phone Repair. Based on his extensive background in tech repair, we have no doubts these two new franchises will perform well under his management.

Suburbs of Reading, PA, Shillington, and Wyomissing offer residents a small-town, suburban feel with plenty of shopping areas and outdoor activities to keep busy. In recent years, Wyomissing was named one of Pennsylvanias best places to live. The city is also known as a Tree City USA. Shillington is notable for being the location of the homestead to Pennsylvanias first governor. Both CPR Wyomissing and CPR Shillington are located near busy shopping areas, not far from major highways.

Moving to Pennsylvania over a decade ago with his wife and children, Aqib began his electronic management career by opening a small kiosk in a local mall. He worked hard to expand his career and open multiple repair stores from then on. Now, he currently operates multiple CPR locations. While hes not working, he enjoys gaming, motorsports, and watersports.

I love what I do, and Im thrilled to be working as a franchisee with CPR, said Aqib. Im eager to see whats in store for these new locations. My team and I are looking forward to the expansion and serving residents with the top repair solutions in the Reading, PA area.

In addition to providing affordable repair options, Aqib and his team are pleased to extend free repair estimates and device financing for their customers. To learn more, please swing by the store in person or get in touch using the contact details below.

CPR Cell Phone Repair Shillington is located at:

502 E Lancaster Ave, Shillington, PA, 19607

CPR Cell Phone Repair Wyomissing is located at:

1812 State Hill Road, Wyomissing, PA

SOURCE CPR Cell Phone Repair

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There will be an increased Albany Police Department presence at all Albany schools on Friday, Dec. 17, in preparation for any potential threats, according to a Facebook post from APD.

The post says a viral TikTok post is encouraging students to shoot up your school on Friday, Dec. 17.

We have not received any credible threats at any Albany school and are working closely with the FBI and [the Greater Albany Public Schools] to ensure the safety of all students, the APD post reads.

The wider social media trend follows false alarm threats at Lebanon High School and South Albany High School earlier this month.

Lebanon High School was placed on lockdown Dec. 3 after staff members at the school were alerted a student may have had a weapon on campus. No weapon was found.

On Dec. 6, a false report of a threat at South Albany High School spread across social media, leaving community members concerned. No schools went on lockdown as a result, but there was an increased law enforcement presence at the high schools that day.

We take any school threat seriously, and even if these trends are intended as a joke, we find no humor in it, the Facebook post reads. Please talk to your kids. Be aware what they are doing on social media. Please report any school safety threats to us or the Safe Oregon Hotline at 844-472-3367 and encourage your kids to speak up.

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Editors note: This editorial was written by the editorial board of the Los Angeles Times. Guest editorials in this space are intended to provide our readers with a sampling of opinion from other publications and do not necessarily represent the views of the Mid-Valley Media editorial board.

In quitting halfway through his 10th term in Congress to join former President Trumps social media venture, Rep. Devin Nunes leaves his constituents with a parting gift: a round of confusing, costly elections to replace him.

Hes not the only one. Three members of the state Assembly  Ed Chau (D-Arcadia), Jim Frazier (D-Fairfield) and David Chiu (D-San Francisco)  also recently quit halfway through their two-year terms. In all four cases, there will be special elections next year to fill the remainder of the terms that end in late 2022, as well as regularly scheduled elections to fill the following terms. The upshot: Voters in parts of Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Valley will face as many as four elections in one year to choose who will represent them in Sacramento or Washington.

On top of that, next year is when new political boundaries kick in following the once-a-decade redistricting routine that balances out representation as the population shifts. That means voters in the current district boundaries will choose a replacement to serve the remainder of the current term, while voters in the new boundaries will elect someone to represent them for the next term. Depending on where a voter lives and how the lines are drawn, some voters will only choose the short-term replacement, some will only choose the long-term replacement, and some will choose both. Different candidates could get elected to each, so a new representative might get sworn into office only to be replaced a few months later.

Confused yet?

Theres nothing inherently wrong with more elections. But the low turnout in special elections makes us wonder how well they serve democracy. In the last several special elections for state Legislature in Los Angeles County, fewer than 15% of registered voters bothered to cast a ballot. More voters participate in special elections in other parts of the state  around 20% to 40%  but that is still nowhere close to whats necessary for a healthy representative government.

Nepotism is another feature of many special elections. Two special elections in the Assembly this year were won by family members of the outgoing officials, with turnout below 30% in each. Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) was elected to replace her husband, Rob Bonta, after Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed him attorney general. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) was elected to replace her mother, Shirley Weber, after Newsom appointed her secretary of state. Two years earlier, north state voters elected Megan Dahle (R-Bieber) to replace her husband, Brian Dahle, who quit the Assembly to take a seat in the state Senate.

Did we mention the cost? The most recent special election to fill a Los Angeles seat in the Legislature cost taxpayers $2.4 million. Elections in districts that stretch across multiple counties can cost even more.

The obvious way to avoid offseason, low-turnout elections is for politicians to complete the terms they were elected to. Sometimes thats not practical, because they have health issues or an opportunity to continue serving the public in another office and no control over when it becomes available. Chiu, for example, left the Assembly to become San Francisco city attorney, and Chau left to become a Los Angeles Superior Court judge. Other times, politicians presumably have more leeway about when they quit. Frazier, a former chair of the transportation committee, is resigning from the Assembly at the end of the month to seek new opportunities in the field of transportation, he said.

If they  and Nunes  had waited a few months and instead resigned in March, the special elections could have been avoided. But the law requires an election be held if a lawmaker quits before the deadline for candidates to file for the next election.

Ideally, voters and lawmakers would embrace a new system to reduce the frequency of special elections. That could be accomplished by extending the time an office can remain vacant, or allowing a legislative seat to be filled by appointment, as half the states do. The appointment would not have to be made by the governor  it could be made by a leader from the same house and same party, to retain the Legislatures role as a check on the governor. Another option would be to allow the appointment of a short-term caretaker who would be prohibited from running for the full term. (Such changes could only apply to legislative seats, as federal law does not allow appointments to the House of Representatives. But they would have great impact, as midterm resignations are more common in the Legislature than in Congress.)

Realistically, none of these changes are likely to happen soon. The Legislature, or someone with enough money to circulate a successful petition, would have to put a measure on the ballot  and then voters would have to approve it.

The best solution in the meantime is for voters to show up for special elections so that their representatives know whos in charge. The outcomes shape environmental, criminal justice and other policies crafted in the state Capitol. Thats why special interest groups pour so much money into the special elections that many voters ignore.

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Sydney, Dec. 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of BuddeComm report outlines the latest developments and key trends in the telecoms markets. - https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Botswana-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW

This is characteristic of many markets in the region, itself a legacy of years of underinvestment.



However, the government and the wholesale network provider BoFiNet have made considerable progress in recent years to expand the reach of the national fibre network. This is being used to develop e-health and e-government services, and also to foster e-commerce.



The government in October 2021 launched a revised e-commerce strategy in partnership with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). This strategy aims to address various barriers which could potentially restrict growth of e-commerce, and is premised on the wider availability of quality broadband. It is also supported by the wider efforts being made as part of Botswanas Vision 2036 program, which aims to propel economic development through ICT.



Key developments:



BTC improves satellite connectivity to improve rural broadband access and support e-learning and e-government services;



Regulator tenders for a multi-spectrum mobile broadband licence;



Government revises e-commerce strategy as part of the Vision 2036 program;



Orange Botswana expands its Digital Schools Project, extends the reach of LTE-A services;



Alphabet cancels Project Loon trials;



Korea Telecom advises BTC on LTE network optimisation;



Orange Money initiates cross-border m-payment platform;



BTC reports 16% increase in net profit in fiscal 2021;



Report update includes Statistics Botswanas data to Q2 2021, telcos data to Q3 2021, regulators annual report updates and market data to Q1 2021, updated Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.






Ulaanbaatar, April 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mongolian President Battulga Khaltmaa issued an emergency directive to disband the Mongolian Peoples Party (MPP), in order to safeguard the sovereignty and democracy of the country. The action came after the MPP gave itself unconstitutional authority to change election rules for the June 9 presidential election that would exclude President Battulga from the ballot.

In his announcement, President Battulga said the MPP threatens the country's democratic foundations by creating a parallel military structure alongside its party. This endangers the fundamental rights and interests of our citizens and constitution. The law explicitly states that any political party that takes any militarized form shall be disbanded.

MPP Forms Military Union

Former Prime Minister, and current MPP Chairman, Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, has created a parallel military structure alongside the Party called the Mongolian Military Union and has arranged for the organization to have a branch at each Military Staff of local administrations leading to growing concerns the Party is at risk of and preparing to execute military actions.

Bold Luvsanvandan, former Minister of Defense and current Advisor to the President on National Security, made the following statement:

MPPs parallel militarized structure headed by MPP Chairman Khurelsukh Ukhnaa is a blatant violation of Mongolias Constitution. The military union should be immediately disbanded and banned. Not only will it undermine the civilian oversight over the Mongolian military, but will lead to the creation of quasi-fascist regime.

Leader of Mongolias Anti-Democratic Forces

The effort to rig the June 9 elections is led by former Prime Minister Batbold Sukhbaatar of the MPP, which ruled Mongolia under a Communist dictatorship until the 1990 democratic revolution and is now attempting to seize power, once again, and reinstall one-party rule. This stealth attack on the countrys institutions follows active efforts by the MPP to subvert the Constitutional Court, deter the functioning of the National Security Council, rubber-stamp the rigging of the June 9 elections and protect Batbold from prosecution for corruption. Batbold, was recently charged with receiving hundreds of millions of dollars from kickbacks and fraudulent and illegal transactions in deals involving the nations two largest mines. The investigation was launched by the Metropolitan Prosecutors Office and Independent Authority Against Corruption of Mongolia that now spans in five jurisdictions from the U.K., Hong Kong, BVI, Singapore and the United States.

Uyanga Gantumur, former Member of Parliament and a member of the Democratic Party, made the following statement:

President Battulga has sworn to defend the Constitution, sovereignty and democracy of Mongolia. The decision to dissolve the MPP was not easy, but necessary, to protect the country from the anti-democratic forces organized by former Prime Minister Batbold Sukhbaatar and their foreign collaborators. President Battulga urges public officers to honor the Constitution and comply with the laws when executing their jobs, and pledged to defend free and fair elections in the face of MPP actions to prevent them.

President Battulga and the Democratic Party

Battulga Khaltmaa became the fifth President of Mongolia on July 10, 2017. Before this, President Battulga served for almost two decades as a Member of Parliament in the State Great Khural and held cabinet positions as the Minister of Roads, Transportation, Construction and Urban Development and later as the Minister of Industry and Agriculture. He was one of the leaders of the Democratic Union Coalition, which later became the foundation of the modern day Democratic Party of Mongolia. The Democratic Union Coalition was instrumental in ushering a peaceful democratic transition to a multi-party democratic system in Mongolia after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1990.

For the original news story, please visit https://www.prdistribution.com/news/mongolian-president-takes-emergency-action-to-protect-sovereignty-and-democracy.html

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SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GPS Capital Markets, Inc. (www.gpsfx.com), a leading Fintech firm offering foreign exchange services, today announced the expansion globally with a new international office in Vilnius, Lithuania.



GPS Capital Markets Europe, UAB will start payments and foreign exchange operations from the new Vilnius office. GPS is pleased to capitalize on its growth in the EU, with the opening of the new office. We are excited to start operations from our Vilnius office and be able to offer tailored FX and international operations solutions for local corporates and our clients in other EU counties, said Julius Juodele, Sales Director. Competition in the Lithuania FX market is quite low compared to Western FX markets and therefore, we see many opportunities to help companies here to get the best service and save money while managing their international operations.

The opening of GPS Vilnius Lithuania office is an important step towards realizing our global footprint with all of our FX products and service offerings. The new Vilnius office not only allows us to efficiently serve our current EU clientele, it will also provide us the ability to expand and grow our FX services into new countries and territories, said Brandon Parke, President and CEO at GPS Capital Markets.

ABOUT GPS CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.:

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, GPS Capital Markets, Inc. provides corporate foreign exchange services that help companies manage their foreign currency risks and execute foreign currency transactions through one unified platform. GPS has several offices throughout the United States, as well as in Australia, Lithuania, and the United Kingdom. Learn more at www.gpsfx.com.

PRESS CONTACT:

GPS Capital Markets

Lindsey Wing

801-979-6114

lwing@gpsfx.com
GREENWICH, Conn., Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- XPO Logistics, Inc . (NYSE: XPO), a leading provider of freight transportation services, has expanded its support of military veterans with the donation of trucking services in seven states. The company will deliver a total of 1,666 wreaths to veterans cemeteries this week in preparation for National Wreaths Across America Day on December 18, 2021.

XPO drivers who formerly served in the military will make the deliveries to veterans cemeteries in Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. XPO is also donating $25,000 to the non-profit Wreaths Across America, and employees are participating in commemorations across the country.

Drew Wilkerson, XPOs president of North American transportation, said, Were proud that our services for Wreaths Across America will be performed by XPO drivers with military experience, representing the values shared by Team XPO. This is an opportunity to show respect for everyone who served.

XPO is a Military Friendly Employer with dedicated resources for veterans, including an Employee Resource Group, Recruitment Steering Committee and job opportunities site . The company is a signatory of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, reinforcing its commitment to support US employees in meeting their service obligations.

Wreaths Across America was founded in 2007 as a 501(c)3 organization, from a grassroots effort to pay tribute to military veterans. In 2021, wreaths will be laid at more than 2,800 cemeteries, monuments and parks across the US.

About XPO Logistics

XPO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: XPO) is a leading provider of freight transportation services, primarily truck brokerage and less-than-truckload (LTL). XPO uses its proprietary technology, including the cutting-edge XPO Connect automated freight marketplace, to move goods efficiently through supply chains. The companys global network serves 50,000 shippers with 756 locations and approximately 42,000 employees, and is headquartered in Greenwich, Conn., USA. Visit xpo.com for more information, and connect with XPO on Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn , Instagram and YouTube .
NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Snap Inc. (NYSE: SNAP) between July 22, 2020 and October 21, 2021, inclusive (the Class Period), of the important January 10, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the firm.



SO WHAT: If you purchased Snap securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Snap class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2188.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 10, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Apples privacy changes would have, and were having, a material impact on the Companys advertising business; (2) Snap overstated its ability to transition its advertising with Apples privacy changes; (3) Snap knew of, but downplayed, the risks of the impact that Apples privacy changes had on the Companys advertising business; (4) Snap overstated its commitment to privacy; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, defendants public statements and statements to journalists were materially false and/or misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Snap class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2188.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:



Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

lrosen@rosenlegal.com

pkim@rosenlegal.com

cases@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com
English French

MONTREAL, Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Falco Resources Ltd. (TSX-V:FPC) (Falco or the Company) announces that Bryan Coates is stepping down as chair and director of the Company with immediate effect, which decision was accepted by the Company.



The board of directors of Falco has elected Mr. Mario Caron as Chair with immediate effect.

About Falco Resources Ltd.

Falco Resources Ltd. is one of the largest mineral claim holders in the Province of Quebec, with extensive land holdings in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt. Falco owns approximately 70,000 hectares of land in the Rouyn-Noranda mining camp, which represents 70% of the entire camp and includes 13 former gold and base metal mine sites. Falcos principal asset is the Horne 5 Project located in the former Horne mine that was operated by Noranda (now Glencore Canada Corporation) from 1927 to 1976 and produced 11.6 million ounces of gold and 2.5 billion pounds of copper. Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd.s subsidiary, Osisko Development Corp., is Falcos largest shareholder owning a 17.3% interest in the Company.

For further information, please contact:

Luc Lessard

President and Chief Executive Officer

514-261-3336

info@falcores.com

Jeffrey White, LL.B, MBA

Director, Investor Relations

416-274-7762

rjwhite@falcores.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 press release.
NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Gaotu Techedu Inc. f/k/a GSX Techedu Inc. (NYSE: GOTU, GSX) between March 22, 2021 and March 29, 2021, inclusive (the Class Period), of the important December 20, 2021 lead plaintiff deadline.



SO WHAT: If you purchased Gaotu securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Gaotu class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2182.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than December 20, 2021. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (Goldman Sachs) and Morgan Stanley sold a large amount of Gaotu American Depository Shares (ADSs) during the Class Period while in possession of material non-public information about Archegos Capital Management (at the time a family office with $10 billion under management) and its need to fully liquidate its position in Gaotu because of margin call pressure. As a result of these sales, the defendants in the case, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, avoided billions in losses combined.

To join the Gaotu class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2182.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

lrosen@rosenlegal.com

pkim@rosenlegal.com

cases@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com
TORONTO, Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSX: PFIA, PFSS) Picton Mahoney Asset Management announced today that it has declared the December 2021 monthly cash distribution of $0.0432 per unit for the ETF units (ETF Units) of the Picton Mahoney Fortified Income Alternative Fund.



Picton Mahoney Asset Management announced today that it has declared the December 2021 monthly cash distribution of $0.0562 per unit for the ETF Units of the Picton Mahoney Fortified Special Situations Alternative Fund.

Unitholders of record of the ETF Units, at the close of business on December 23, 2021, will receive a per-unit cash distribution payable on December 31, 2021.

About Picton Mahoney Asset Management

Picton Mahoney Asset Management specializes in differentiated investment solutions and rules-based volatility management. Picton Mahoney helps its clients fortify their portfolios based on experience honed over the years through different market cycles and investing environments.

Founded in 2004 and 100% employee-owned, Picton Mahoney is a portfolio management boutique entrusted with over $9.9 billion (as at November 30, 2021) in assets under management. Pioneers of Authentic Hedge investment principles and practices in Canada, the firm offers a full suite of investment solutions, including mutual and alternative funds, to institutional and retail investors across the country.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees, performance fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated. Alternative funds can only be purchased through a registered dealer and are available only in those jurisdictions where they may be lawfully offered for sale.

For further information please contact:

Arthur Galloway

Picton Mahoney Asset Management

Tel: (416) 955-4108

Web site: www.pictonmahoney.com

Email: service@pictonmahoney.com
Pune, India, Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global nitrogenous fertilizers market size is projected to reach USD 140.51 billion by the end of 2026. The massive investments in R&D products with active ingredients will aid the growth of the market. According to a report published by Fortune Business Insights, titled "Nitrogenous Fertilizers Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Urea, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate, UAN, Ammonium Sulphate, and Other Nitrogenous Fertilizers), By Crop Type (Cereals, Pulses & Oilseeds, Fruits & Vegetables, and Turf & Ornamentals), and Regional Forecast, 2019  2026, the market was worth USD 113.70 billion in 2018 and will exhibit a CAGR of 2.73% during the forecast period, 2019-2026.

Nitrogenous fertilizers are products that are produced through a combination of substances that are inclusive of nitrogen. The constantly rising global population has created a subsequent demand for crop production across the world. Recent advances in agricultural activities will emerge in favor of the companies operating in the market. The increasing number of agricultural subsidies will bode well for nitrogenous fertilizer vendors across the globe. The ability of nitrogenous fertilizers to improve the nutrient content of agricultural crop production will lead to wider adoption of the product across the world.





Increasing Number of Company Collaborations Will Aid Market Growth

The report encompasses several factors that have contributed to the growth of the market in recent years. The increasing number of company mergers and acquisitions has had a massive impact on the growth of the market. Accounting to the massive demand for crop and crop production across the world, large-scale companies are looking to acquire smaller companies with a bid to establish a stronghold in the market. In November 2019, Nutrien Ltd. announced that it has completed the acquisition of Ruralco Holdings Ltd. Through this acquisition, the company plans to build on its existing range of nitrogenous fertilizer products. Due to the massive global customer reach of the company, this acquisition will not just help the company grow, but will also have a massive impact on the growth of the market in the coming years.





Get Sample PDF Brochure:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/sample/nitrogenous-fertilizers-market-102532





The Asia Pacific Holds the Highest market Share; Growing Demand for Crop Produce Will Aid Growth

The report analyses the ongoing nitrogenous fertilizers market trends across North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, and Africa. Among these regions, the market in the Asia Pacific holds the highest market share, driven by the huge demand for crop production in several countries across this region. Besides the Asia Pacific, the market in North America will witness considerable growth in the coming years. As of 2018, the market in North America was worth USD 21.18 billion and this value is projected to increase further in the coming years.





Some of the companies that are operating in the market include:

Yara International ASA

Nutrien Ltd.

EuroChem Group AG.

CF Industries Holdings Inc.

PJSC Togliattiazot

Koch Fertilizers, LLC

OCI Nitrogen

Sinofert Holdings Limited

Coromandel International Ltd.

URALCHEM Holding Plc.





Inquiry Before Buying:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/queries/nitrogenous-fertilizers-market-102532





Detailed Table of Content:

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Overview of the Parent/Related Market Supply Chain and Regulatory Analysis Industry SWOT Analysis Recent Industry Developments - Policies, Partnerships, New Product Launches, and Mergers & Acquisitions

Global Nitrogenous Fertilizers Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2015-2026 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Type Urea Calcium Ammonium Nitrate Ammonium Nitrate Ammonium Sulphate Other Nitrogenous Fertilizers Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Crop Type Cereals Oilseeds & Pulses Fruits & Vegetables Turf & Ornamentals Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa



TOC Continued!





Industry Developments:

January 2018: Tata Chemicals announced that it has completed the sale of its urea fertilisers business unit to Yara Fertilisers India for an estimated INR 2,682 crore.





Have a Look at Related Research News:

Biofertilizers Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Nitrogen Fixing, Phosphate Solubilizers, and Others), Microorganism (Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillum, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, VAM, and Others), Application (Seed Treatment, Soil Treatment, and Others), Crop Type, and Regional Forecast, 2020  2027

Urea Fertilizers Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Product Type (Conventional Urea Fertiliser, Specialty Urea Fertiliser)and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028





About Us:

Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in.

Our reports contain a unique mix of tangible insights and qualitative analysis to help companies achieve sustainable growth. Our team of experienced analysts and consultants use industry-leading research tools and techniques to compile comprehensive market studies, interspersed with relevant data.

At Fortune Business Insights, we aim at highlighting the most lucrative growth opportunities for our clients. We therefore offer recommendations, making it easier for them to navigate through technological and market-related changes. Our consulting services are designed to help organizations identify hidden opportunities and understand prevailing competitive challenges.





Contact Us:

Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd.

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BC Craft Supply Co. Ltd., (CSE: CRFT) (CRFT or the Company), a diversified wellness company advancing cannabinoid and psychedelic innovation and psychotherapy, announces that, pursuant to a directors resolution, the Company will be consolidating all of its issued and outstanding share capital (the Common Shares) on the basis of every one hundred (100) old Common Shares into one (1) new Common Share (the Share Consolidation), effective December 24, 2021 (the Record Date).



As a result of the Share Consolidation, the issued and outstanding Common Shares will be reduced to approximately 2,276,454. Any fractional Common Shares remaining after giving effect to the Share Consolidation will be cancelled. The exercise or conversion price and the number of Common Shares issuable under any of the Companys outstanding convertible securities will be proportionately adjusted upon the Share Consolidation.

New ISIN: CA07335D2014

New CUSIP: 07335D201

The Common Shares are expected to begin trading on a post-Share Consolidation basis on the Canadian Securities Exchange when markets open on December 23, 2021.

Shareholders of record as at the Record Date will receive a letter of transmittal providing instructions for the exchange of their Common Shares as soon as practicable following the Record Date.

The Company believes that the Consolidation will make the Company more attractive to financing opportunities, and will allow for the restructuring and settlement of certain existing liabilities. Completion of the Consolidation remains subject to completion of appropriate regulatory filings with the Canadian Securities Exchange.

About BC Craft Supply Co. Ltd.

BC Craft Supply Co. Ltd. is a diversified wellness company advancing cannabinoid and psychedelic innovation and psychotherapy. The Company offers a reimagined vision for craft markets through collaboration, expertise, and adaptation. Its operations include:

CRFT a curator and aggregator of craft cannabis, providing advocacy and access for premium small-batch growers to Canadas cannabis market;

a curator and aggregator of craft cannabis, providing advocacy and access for premium small-batch growers to Canadas cannabis market; Medcann Health Products - a cultivation and processing facility in Chemainus BC;

- a cultivation and processing facility in Chemainus BC; Feelwell Brands , a successful cannabinoid brand house licensed in the state of California; and

, a successful cannabinoid brand house licensed in the state of California; and AVA Pathways a pre-clinical biotech company focused on neuroplasticity and mental health applications using psilocybin and compounds derived from mushrooms.

BC Craft works with local artists cross-sector and remains fervently committed to keeping the art, technique, and purity of their pursuit.

Follow @BC_Craft on Twitter for the latest updates.

THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE (THE "CSE") HAS NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. NEITHER THE CSE NOR ITS MARKET REGULATOR (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE CSE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the anticipated closing the Private Placement.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, CRFT assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

For further information:

Matthew Watters, CEO, and Director

Phone: (604) 687-2038.

Email: info@bccraftsupplyco.com

BC Craft Supply Co. Ltd.

Suite 810  789 West Pender Street

Vancouver, British Columbia

V6C 1H2
THIS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Vancouver, BC, Canada, Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (the Company or First Tellurium), announces a non-brokered private placement to raise up to $150,000 through the sale of up to 600,000 flow-through units at a price of $0.25/unit. Each flow-through unit consists of one flow-through common share and one common share purchase warrant exercisable at $0.40 per warrant share for a period of two years following the close of the offering. The Company may pay a finders fee consisting of cash to eligible finders as permitted under applicable securities laws and CSE policies. Proceeds from this offering will be used for exploration programs on the Companys Deer Horn property.



About First Tellurium Corp.

First Telluriums unique business model is based on leveraging diverse partnerships to generate revenue and value. Working with Indigenous peoples, NGOs, governments and industry, First Tellurium explores for metals in British Columbia and helps indigenous communities grow and thrive through various industrial, social and environmental ventures.

First Tellurium proudly adheres to and supports the principles and rights set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and in particular the fundamental proposition of free, prior and informed consent. First Tellurium has been a vocal advocate of the BC Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act since its introduction and passage in the British Columbia legislature in November 2019. First Tellurium also supports federal Bill C-15, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.





On behalf of the board of directors of

First Tellurium Corp.







Tyrone Docherty

Tyrone Docherty

President and CEO



For further information please contact:



Tyrone Docherty

604.789.5653

tyrone.doccap@dccnet.com





Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulations services accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking information

All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Companys control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated event.
New York City, US, Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cybershinu is an ERC-20 token that aspires to evolve the dog meme coin. This cryptocurrency takes the tedium out of investing by telling a truly unique and epic story. The tale of Cybershinu takes place in a dystopian future in which the Shinu, a dog-like race, is attempting to gain equality with humans. In this generation, dogs have evolved into self-aware, fully capable race as a result of technology developments. Cybershinu, the protagonist, takes the lead in the struggle against Humacorp, the ruling company whose drastic actions aim to return the newly self-aware pets to their previous domesticated status.



The Cybershi, a samurai clan that fights alongside Cybershinu, are noted for their bravery in battle. The Cybershi movement might be viewed as an analogy for real-world issues. Hedge funds and venture capitalists, according to Cybershinu, have a significant voice in communities, while the people within those communities are left to deal with those decisions made by those companies dictating the peoples lives. People are being inspired to step outside of their comfort zones and stand up for something true by this cryptocurrency.

For individuals who would otherwise be powerless, Cybershinu aims to provide that power to the community and make a difference in the world. With the quick evolution of crypto throughout our lives, some are left wondering where they should fit into this community. With one simple token and memes, Cybershinu seeks to alleviate most people's worry and propel humanity toward success. With NFTs, its own exchange, gamefi exposure, and more, Cybershinu is a trustable token that will continue to evolve in crypto. Through significant donations to humane societies, rescues, and other animal-saving causes, Cybershinu redefines what it means to be a meme coin with a dog theme.

Efforts by the community propel the Cybershi movement forward. Cybershinu streamlines the process of joining the Cybershi community by making it easier for new members to join. All a Cybershi needs to do is uphold the three core ideals of the Cybershi: Honor (never wronging another cybershi), Altruism (the selfless desire to help others), and Heart (to show courage in every living moment of life). Welcoming Cybershinu civilization doesn't believe in overpopulation of warriors. Use Cybershinu, a forward-thinking cryptocurrency, to expand the horizons.

Expand the mind with the forward thinking cryptocurrency Cybershinu and stay updated in cybershinu.com



Website: https://www.cybershinu.com/
Pune, India, Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global halal food and beverages market size was USD 1.96 trillion in 2020. The market is projected to grow from USD 2.09 trillion in 2021 to USD 3.27 trillion by 2028, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.56% during the forecast period of 2021-2028.

Fortune Business Insights provides this information in its report, titled, Halal Food and Beverages Market, 2021-2028. According to our researchers, the growing Islamic population across the globe coupled with the rising consumer worries concerning food safety, superiority, and animal brutality have substantially upsurged the demand for halal food & beverages. Moreover, the constantly extending distribution network and the assessment in customer buying configurations are projected to further power the global market in the forthcoming years.





List of Key Players Covered in the Halal Food and Beverages Market:

Cargill, Inc. (Minnesota, U.S.)

Nestle S.A. (Vevey, Switzerland)

American Foods Group, LLC (Wisconsin, U.S.)

Unilever (London, U.K.)

BRF S.A. (State of Sao Paulo, Brazil)

Saffron Road (Connecticut, U.S.)

Tahira Foods Ltd. (London, U.K.)

Al Islami Foods (Dubai, UAE)

QL Foods Sdn Bhd (Perak, Malaysia)

DagangHalal Group (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)





Get a Sample PDF Brochure:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/halal-food-and-beverages-market-106186

Commotion in Supply Chain to Hinder Market Growth amid COVID-19 Crisis

The preliminary months of the COVID-19 pandemic had disturbed all stages in the supply chain cycle of the halal food and beverage industry. The prominent manufacturers in Islamic and non-Islamic nations registered a decline in the workforce which considerably impacted the production ability. Additionally, the strike in demand for retail products such as pre-cooked and ready-to-eat meat products too adversely influenced the industry.

The affirmative progression in the customer's preferences for halal products owing to their welfare and superiority is estimated to drive the halal food and beverages market growth in the foreseeable future.





Report Coverage



We have implemented a unique research approach comprising statistics triangulation based on the famous bottom-up and top-down approaches. Our researchers have led thorough primary research to verify the estimated size of the halal food and beverages industry. The data utilized to portray the shares for multiple national, regional, and global segments is extracted from comprehensive interviews with various stakeholders. Our analysts have also derived information from paid databases, industry journals, SEC filings, and many other similar resources.





Segmentation

By Product, the global market is segregated into meat, poultry & seafood, dairy products, cereal & grain-based products, non-dairy beverages, fruits, vegetables & nuts. By distribution channel, the market is divided into traditional retailers, supermarkets/hypermarkets, online retail, and others. Geographically, the market is classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa





Drivers and Restraints

Increasing Islamic Population & Moving Customer Responsiveness to Fuel Market Growth

Islam is the quickest-growing religion globally, which affirmatively impacts the global demand for halal food & beverage products. As per the latest record declared by the Government of Saudi Arabia, the global Muslim population signifies about 28.26% of the total world population.

Additionally, the rising consciousness among the Muslim population concerning the requirement and inevitability to ingest only halal food predominantly powers the growth of the global market. Moreover, the growing dispensable revenue levels of the Islamic population are further anticipated to thrust the market growth during the upcoming years.





Get Your Customized Research Report:



https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/halal-food-and-beverages-market-106186





Regional Insights

Asia Pacific held the maximum halal food and beverages market share and was valued USD 1.20 trillion in 2020. The largest Islamic population is focused in the Asia Pacific region as the four biggest nations in terms of the Muslim population are situated on this continent, comprising India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

The Middle East and Africa have huge latent for the market growth as the customers in this region are principally Muslim with increasing per capita revenues.

Europe is observing significant growth in the market. Surging flexible incomes coupled with a rising Muslim population is estimated to elevate the demand for halal products.





Competitive Landscape

The major players such as Cargill, Inc., Nestle S.A., and Unilever are fixated on novel product improvements, collaborations, and procurements to associate the market. The advent of small-scale companies in this market expressively donates to the competition occurring within the market, which has an optimistic influence on the market's growth.





Key Industry Development

January 2021: Koita, a UAE-based milk company, has declared that it has received Halal authorization for its goods and is set to magnify its business across the Asia Pacific region.





Detailed Table of Content:

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities Emerging Trends

Key Insights Overview of the Parent/Related Markets Industry SWOT Analysis Supply Chain Analysis Recent Industry Developments - Policies, Partnerships, New Source Launches, and Mergers and Acquisitions Market Analysis and Insights (in Relation with COVID-19) Impact of COVID-19 on the Market Supply Chain Challenges due to the Pandemic Potential Opportunities Due to COVID-19

Global Halal Food and Beverages Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 Key Findings / Summary Market Size Estimates and Forecast By Product Type Meat, Poultry and Seafood Dairy Products Cereal and Grain-based Products Non-dairy Beverages Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts By Distribution Channel Traditional Retailers Supermarkets/Hypermarkets Online Retail Others By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East and Africa



TOC Continued!





Inquire Before Buying:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/queries/halal-food-and-beverages-market-106186

Have a Look at Related Research News:

Halal Ingredients Market Size, Share and Global Trend By End-users (Food Industry, Beverage Industry, Cosmetic Industry, Pharmaceutical Industry) and Geography Forecast Till 2021-2028





About Us:



Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them to address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving 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
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meltwater, a global leader in media and social intelligence, is proud to announce that it is the recipient of four Comparably Awards for Best Company Culture, Best CEO, Best Company for Women, and Best Company for Diversity.



Meltwater ranks in the top 30 for Best Company Culture alongside companies such as Google, Netflix and Peloton, based on data compiled from 15 million employee ratings across 70,000 companies. The award takes into account employees ratings and testimonials about life at Meltwater, including work environment, career growth, pay and benefits, and approval of leadership. In addition to the Company Culture list, Meltwater also ranked in the top 50 of the Best CEO, Best Company for Women, and Best Company for Diversity lists.

As the nature of what it means to be a top employer in 2021 and beyond continues to evolve, Meltwater is proud to be employee-recognized as a great place to work across these categories. Since its founding in 2001, the company has placed company culture at the center of everything it does. Meltwaters core values are Norwegian words, based on the company's Norwegian heritage, that translate to fun, number one, respect, and more the last of which represents a commitment to continuous improvement in all areas of the business.

Recent employee reviews on Comparably include:

The most positive thing about the culture at Meltwater is that every day presents a new challenge. And you're encouraged to take the responsibility to face those challenges from a very early point in your career. Believing in the culture and vision of the company has taken me to opportunities, in line with my strengths, that I never expected. Best of all, I am learning every day.





The culture is very team-oriented and fun, while also bringing together diverse personalities to achieve collective success and personal development.





The leadership team is approachable and transparent with their vision and objectives. They foster Meltwaters culture throughout the everyday.





Meltwater has core values that aren't just true on paper, but are really exemplified each and every day. Our culture is based on trust and support. We back each other up and share our diverse experiences and insights.

Meltwater is especially proud to receive the Best Company for Women, and Best Company for Diversity awards, as supporting female employees and employees from underrepresented groups continues to be a focus for the company globally. Meltwaters DEI initiatives include a network of affinity groups, regional DEI councils, the Women in Tech program, and partnerships with nonprofits dedicated to advancing equity. Meltwater ranks in the top 15% of companies with 1,001-5,000 employees for Comparablys Gender Score, and the top 10% for Diversity Score, which measures how employees rate their work experience at Meltwater across various culture dimensions.

These focuses are supported by Meltwaters CEO John Box, who ranked on the Best CEO list and previously was awarded Comparablys Best CEO for Women award.

Box said, We are thrilled to be recognized with four new Comparably Awards this quarter that validate our commitment to creating a workplace culture where all employees feel valued and respected, have opportunities to grow and develop and can contribute to the companys success. These awards are especially meaningful since they are based on the opinions and experiences of our employees, who are the foundation of our business.

Meltwater was also named a Best Company for Career Growth and named to the Best Sales Team and Best Product and Design Team lists in 2021. The team is actively recruiting in a variety of exciting roles around the world to continue to grow and expand the team. To learn more about the open opportunities, please visit the Meltwater careers website, or visit our Comparably page here .

About Meltwater

Meltwater was founded in 2001 as the worlds first online media monitoring company. Today, we are a global leader in media intelligence and social analytics, helping to bridge the gap between Public Relations, Communications and Marketing departments with an intuitive, all-in-one solution powered by AI-driven insights. Over 30,000 of the worlds most respected brands rely on Meltwater to help inform their strategic decision-making, and with over 55 offices across six continents, Meltwater is a truly global partner. We are also proud to support the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST), a pan-African entrepreneurial program & incubator, fostering the next generation of African tech talent. Learn more at meltwater.com.

About Comparably

Comparably is a leading workplace culture and compensation monitoring site that provides the most comprehensive and accurate representation of what its like to work at companies. Employees can anonymously rate their employers in 20 different workplace culture categories, providing the public a transparent and in-depth look at the experiences workers have based on their gender, ethnicity, age, department, experience, location, education, and company size. Since launching in 2016, Comparably has accumulated 10 million ratings across 60,000 U.S. companies. The platform has become one of the fastest-growing SaaS solutions for employer branding and a trusted third-party site for workplace and salary data, including its annual Best Places to Work series.

Media Contact:

Kelly Costello

Communications Manager

kelly.costello@meltwater.com




MELBOURNE, Australia, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Community-focused platform MRHB DeFi has received an investment from Australian Gulf Capital , a global investment management company, as part of the strategic venture round of the world's first inclusive and ethical DeFi ecosystem platform.



The funding from Australian Gulf (AG) Capital is not the first from the region, with the Islamic DeFi pioneer having received investments from institutions such as Blockchain Australia and other Aussie angel investors. The AG Capital investment presents further opportunity to expand MRHB DeFis presence and growth in this key market.

We are pleased to have an early-stage opportunity to support first-mover Marhaba in the development of their high-growth, disruptive venture in ethical and halal DeFi, commented CEO and founder of AG Capital, Salman Masaud . Our investments are typically focused on a companys early funding stages when the product is nascent and the upside potential is the greatest. We expect to support the project by bringing our legal, consulting and investment banking expertise to assist the Marhaba team in launching their socially impactful vision.

The Australian PE/VC funds management company is also currently in the process of establishing a license under ADGM in the UAE, a key growth hub for MRHB DeFi, having recently signed a partnership with local partner Masary Capital to provide halal crypto solutions to the retail and institutional sectors in the UAE.

Australia Gulf Capitals ethos of actively supporting startups who align with their ambitious growth vision makes them a strong partner for us, said MRHB DeFi CEO Naquib Mohammed . As we continue on our journey of building the worlds first ethical DeFi platform, it is this shared vision and support from amongst our family of investors and partners that will help transform our dream into reality.

MRHB DeFi: An Islamic Finance DeFi Pioneer

MRHB DeFi was created to bridge a perceived gap - by providing excluded and crypto-cautious communities greater access to the growing opportunities and utilities of the cryptosphere. The project is underpinned by faith-based DeFi offerings which adhere to the ethical investment and financing principles rooted in Islamic Finance. Many values upheld by the halal platform also align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Business practices deemed ethical include those that avoid interest, usury, social exploitation as well as support sustainability, asset or utility backed financing, transparency and equitable risk-reward sharing. These principles have universal appeal far beyond the faith conscious community.

With the Islamic Finance market sized at around USD 3 trillion of assets, bringing even a small portion of Shariah-sensitive liquidity into DeFi will represent a major boost to the total value of the DeFi sector worldwide.

About MRHB DeFi

MRHB DeFi is a halal, decentralized finance platform built to embody the true spirit of an Ethical and Inclusive DeFi by following faith-based financial and business principles, where all excluded communities can benefit from the full empowerment potential of DeFi.

The diverse team comprises researchers, technocrats, influencers, Islamic fintech experts & business entrepreneurs, who came together to ensure that MRHB DeFi prevails in a manner that will impact society as a whole, essentially bridging the gap between the faith-conscious communities and the blockchain world.

MRHB DeFi Official Channels

Website: https://marhabadefi.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/marhabadefi

Telegram: https://t.me/mdf_official

Telegram Announcements: https://t.me/marhabadefi_ANN

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHuvZG9DbS5ffeoqLX_bERg

Medium: https://medium.com/@mrhbdefi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marhabadefi

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MRHB-DeFi-105893235209147

Telegram (Arabic): https://t.me/mdf_arabic

Telegram (Russian): https://t.me/marhabadefi_russia

Telegram (Turkish): https://t.me/MarhabaDefiTR

About Australian Gulf Capital

Australian Gulf Capital is a prominent global investment management company specializing in alternative investments and providing innovative world-class products and services. AGs substantial and diversified investor base includes corporations, financial institutions, sovereign wealth funds, superannuation/pension funds, insurance companies, qualified high-net-worth investors, and family offices.

Australian Gulf Capitals business activities are distinguished by exceptional vigor and a profound understanding of clients needs and risk profiles. They have become the company of choice because of their insightful approach to creating partnerships with clients for sourcing and investing in attractive investment opportunities. Australian Gulf Capital employs high-caliber teams with diverse expertise and extensive experience.
New York, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 3PL (Third-Party Logistics) Market Overview: According to a comprehensive research report by Market Research Future (MRFR),  3PL Market Research Report: by Service (Domestic Transportation, International Transportation, Value-added Warehousing and Distribution, and Others), by Mode of Transport (Railways, Roadways, Waterways, and Airways), by Application (Manufacturing, Retail, Healthcare, Automotive, and Others), and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America)  Forecast till 2030, the market is projected to be worth USD 2,137.12 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 9.1% during the forecast period (2022 - 2030), The market was valued at USD 968.92 billion in 2021.

Eminent industry players profiled in the global 3PL (Third-Party Logistics) Market report include

BDP International, Inc. (US)

CEVA Logistics (Switzerland)

DB Schenker Logistics (Germany)

DSV Panalpina A/S (Denmark)

Agility Logistics (Kuwait)

Kerry Logistics (Hong Kong)

C.H. Robinson Worldwide (US)

Burris Logistics (US)

FedEx Corporation (US)

DB Schenker (Germany)

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (US)

DHL (Germany)

Nippon Express (Japan)

Among others.





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Competitive Analysis

The third-party logistics (3PL) market witnesses rapid strategic initiatives, such as mergers & acquisitions, collaborations, expansions, and product/technology launches. Leading industry players make strategic investments in R&D activities and foster their expansion plans.

India is increasingly becoming a trading hub worldwide. The country is strategically important for international goods and services exports, totaling a significant valuation. International players strive to expand their global footprint by increasing their presence in India.

For instance, recently, on Dec.16, 2021, S&K Aerospace, LLC (SKA), a leading 3PL provider, announced receiving a multimillion-dollar third-party logistics contract from the US Army for helicopter parts procurement. The 3PL contract is for the support of aircraft parts for various non-standard rotary-wing platforms. The contract awarded by the US Army Contracting Command supports the mission of the US Armys Multi-National Aviation Special Project Office (MASPO).





Browse In-depth Market Research Report (190 pages) on 3PL (Third-Party Logistics) Industry

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/third-party-logistics-3pl-market-9996







The global third-party logistics (3PL) is a promisingly growing market space, states Market Research Future (MRFR), the leading Indian research firm. In 2021, the 3PL market had garnered a valuation of USD 968.92 billion. MRFR, in its recent market analysis, asserts that the global third-party logistics market would further touch a valuation of USD 2,137.12 billion by 2030, registering 9.1% CAGR during the assessment period (2022 - 2030).

The global supply chain is changing continuously, witnessing the growing adoption of automated technologies in retail and eCommerce logistics. Therefore, 3PL companies are implementing micro-fulfillment technology to maximize supply chain efficiencies, optimizing last-mile logistics to boost their businesses. These factors are certainly impacting the 3PL market growth positively.

Favorable government trade policies provide measurable expansion opportunities to the market players, increasing the market demand substantially. Simultaneously, government initiatives and economic reforms to strengthen logistics attract vast investments. The development of transport and logistics-related infrastructures helps improve transportation efficiency.

Governments worldwide strive to position their countries forefronts and make the economy competitive by increasing domestic and international trade. Furthermore, growing uses of third-party logistics and reducing logistic costs and congestion on roads push the growth of the market.

Industry Trends

Policy reforms that have significantly improved the market landscape and ease in trades contribute to the market shares. Moreover, rapid globalization, ever-increasing population, and changing consumption patterns worldwide have boosted import-export activities in countries. The spurring rise in e-commerce sectors across the globe has further boosted transportation revenues.





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Automation in supply chains and third-party logistic services has become a prevalent trend. Also, strategic partnerships between new entrants, policy reforms, and increasing consumerism push the market growth, increasing complexities in supply chains. 3PL suppliers adapt changing landscape by improving collaboration skills, equipping their teams with appropriate insights and eliminating existing system-wide silos.

COVID-19 Impact

The COVID-19 outbreak severely hit the third-party logistics market industry, causing huge revenue losses to end-user industries. Lockdown mandates halted trades within the domestic and international markets. However, the third-party logistics market soon returned to normalcy, witnessing the steadily increasing demand, especially from the healthcare sector.

As governments worldwide race to respond to the global health crisis with efficient vaccines, the need for timely delivery and distribution of vaccines remains a priority. Also, the constant demand for healthcare supplies and COVID-19 vaccine, alongside the rising distribution activities of coronavirus vaccine worldwide, is increasing market revenues.

Segmentation:

The 3PL market analysis is segmented into types, modes of transportation, applications, and regions. The type segment is bifurcated into domestic transportation, international transportation, value-added warehousing & distribution, and others.

The mode of transportation segment is bifurcated into railways, roadways, waterways, and airways. The application segment is bifurcated into manufacturing, retail, healthcare, automotive, and others. By regions, the market is bifurcated into the Asia Pacific, Americas, MEA, Europe, and rest-of-the-world.





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Regional Analysis

APAC dominates the global third-party logistics market due to the increased trades in domestic and international markets. Besides, the rapid urbanization and growing demand for customized shipments boost the 3PL market size in the region. A huge consumer base and increasing 3PL companies in this region positively influence market growth.

Moreover, increasing imports and exports and increased adoption of outsourced logistic services substantiate the regions market shares. The huge demand for 3Pl logistic services due to economic growth and urbanization drives the growth of the market in the region.

Japan, China, India, South Korea, and Vietnam hold sizable shares in the APAC third-party logistics market due to the growing population and manufacturing base in these countries. Additionally, vast investments for developments and upgrades in the logistic industry in the region increase the market revenues.

Segmentation of Market covered in the research:

3PL Market Research Report: by Service (Domestic Transportation, International Transportation, Value-added Warehousing and Distribution, and Others), by Mode of Transport (Railways, Roadways, Waterways, and Airways), by Application (Manufacturing, Retail, Healthcare, Automotive, and Others), and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America)  Forecast till 2030



To Buy: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=9996











Report Scope:

Report Attribute/Metric Details Market Size 2030: USD 2,137.12 billion CAGR 9.1% CAGR (2022-2030) Base Year 2021 Forecast Period 2022 to 2030 Historical Data 2019 & 2020 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Service, Mode of Transport, Application Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW) Key Vendors C.H. Robinson Worldwide (United States), BDP International, Inc. (United States), Burris Logistics (United States), CEVA Logistics (Switzerland), DSV Panalpina A/S (Denmark), DB Schenker Logistics (Germany), FedEx Corporation (United States), J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (United States), Kerry Logistics (Hong Kong), Nippon Express (Japan), DB Schenker (Germany), DHL (Germany), and Agility Logistics (Kuwait) Key Market Opportunities Advent of e-commerce portals and services Key Market Drivers Growing market demand for consumer goods

rise in the demand for on-location deliveries, last-minute shipping, fast and convenient services







About Market Research Future:

Market Research Future (MRFR) is a global market research company that takes pride in its services, offering a complete and accurate analysis with regard to diverse markets and consumers worldwide. Market Research Future has the distinguished objective of providing the optimal quality research and granular research to clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help answer your most important questions.

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Beverly Hills , Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ken Eslick works with businesses large and small to help them find talent across the country. Throughout his career, he has trained hundreds of sales executives, sales leaders, and operational leaders from all over the US. A lifetime honoree in Whos Who in Business and winner of multiple Outstanding Achievement and Presidents Club awards, Eslick is also part of a small group of trainers worldwide with The Anthony Robbins Companies, traveling the globe to help people maximize their potential both personally and professionally.

Listen to the complete interview of Ken Eslick with Adam Torres on Mission Matters Business Podcast.

What mission matters to you?

Eslick says his mission is to help great leaders find good companies and vice versa. Leaders have a lot to offer, he notes, and Leaders Lab's mission is to find talent in leaders and nurture it to create greater impact.

How did you start Leaders Lab?

After serving in the U.S. Army, Eslick says he wasnt getting reasonable job offers, so he decided to start his own business: a first aid and safety supply company in California alongside his wife, Shannon. He eventually sold it to Cintas, a Fortune 500 Corporation, and worked with them for 14 years. While there, he realized that his favorite role involved finding talent. When he left the company, thats what he set out to do on his own: find and nurture talent to its greatest potential. He poured all his life experience into the creation of the Summit brand in 2012, which became The Leadership LAB in 2021.

What should employers be thinking about when it comes to winning talent?

Eslick says companies should follow three basic rules:

Be clear about the roles they're offering. Responsibilities should not be compromised or sacrificed based on business culture, and roles should be realistic for the current environment and flexible to make them more appealing. Create a transparent and defined hiring process. A company should be able to streamline its recruitment process, screening and interviewing candidates on the same day, for example. This way, the hiring process is sped up in a defined and structured way that benefits all involved. Clearly communicate the companys growth story, business culture, and other relevant information; dont make candidates dig for it.

How should employers portray themselves to attract potential candidates?

Eslick says its a bitter truth that people generally don't want to work for small businesses. So, if you're looking to recruit talent for a small brand, its critical to prove what makes you unique and worth working for. Companies need to define their demographic targets and connect with them by narrating an appealing story. He says every company should have an exciting story to tell, and with time, it should evolve to remain relevant to the modern environment; it should include elements like work ethic, culture, and growth perspective.

On the other hand, he notes, candidates are also look for opportunities within an organization. Nobody wants to work for a company that has job instability, so companies have to tell their stories in a way that makes them attractive to candidates in the long-term, too, drawing them in with a strong sense of sustainable opportunity.

Tell us more about Leaders Lab.

Leaders Lab was initially called Summit Careers, Eslick says, and it now has recruiters all over the US, recruiting people for mid-level to executive-level management positions. Different recruiting teams handle various geographical locations and also work with sourcing teams.

Although Leaders Lab generally works with larger companies, they do also work with some small businesses. For larger companies, management notes, its an easier proposition because people know the brands by name, while small businesses can be a tougher sell when theyre not well-known. For those clients, Leaders Lab helps to shape their stories to help them recruit top-tier talent.

For both, he says, Leaders Lab focuses on candidates who are trying hard to risepeople who aren't satisfied with their current jobs and have tremendous potential to propel them forward (and upward).

What should companies look for when working with recruiters? What questions should they be asking?

Eslick says a business owner should always ask the following things about a recruiter:

What is their niche expertise? Who have they placed in the past in that niche? What level of placement do they provide? What recruitment process do they follow? Were the candidates placed previously in the same industry? How often does the recruitment company place people in the same industry? References? How well is the recruitment company connected to the current market?

What's next for The Leaders Lab?

Eslick says hell continue working as a trainer with Tony Robbins, and Leaders Lab will continue partnering with companies that share a vision of recruiting the best talent possible. To date, the firm has placed more than 400 talented leaders and plans to continue doing more the same.

To learn more about Leaders Lab,

visit www.theleaderslab.co or email Ken Eslick at ken@theleaderslab.co to set up a call.

Media Communications

Inquiries: adamtorres@missionmatters.com

Publicist for Adam Torres and Mission Matters Media

KISS PR Brand Story PressWire

Brand Publicity Partners KissPR.com: T: 972.437.8942





Attachment
Dublin, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Europe Coin-operated Laundries Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Application (Residential, Commercial), By Country (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Russia), And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Europe's coin-operated laundries market size is anticipated to reach USD 7.5 billion by 2028. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.1% from 2021 to 2028. The industry has undergone a revolution. Laundromats are no longer dingy, unsafe, and tedious places that customers must endure on a weekly basis, and have instead become fun and attractive multiservice centers that customers may even enjoy visiting. Modern-day businesses have snack bars, a place to leave off and pick up dry cleaning, and video games. Some of them even use additional methods of payments instead of exclusively being dependent on coins. Many laundry owners also employ attendants to keep an eye on the store and help customers use the equipment.



In addition, owners have realized that they can maximize their profits by providing customers with access to multiple services. Since they pay a set amount of rent on their commercial space, they have started to use that space to its fullest potential. Coin-operated laundry firms are located in apartment housing and are referred to as multi-housing laundry businesses or route laundry businesses. These businesses thrive in periods of both growth and recession. During periods of recession, when homeownership decreases, the self-service laundry market expands as more people are unable to afford to repair, replace, or purchase new washers and dryers, or as they move to apartment housing with inadequate or nonexistent laundry facilities. The market size grows proportionately to the increase in population.



Moreover, most hotels, hostels, and temporary lodging establishments offer coin-operated laundry services for their guests. Hotels often have an agreement that lets guests use laundromat services. In January 2021, Springboard Hospitality expanded its roster of Hawaii properties with the addition of Ohia Waikiki Studio Suites. The studio suit, along with offering 251 apartment-style accommodations, full kitchens, pool, bar, and restaurant, also offers coin-operated laundry facilities. Similarly, in November 2020, 304-room Marriott Tacoma Downtown was inaugurated, which, along with various facilities, also offers coin-operated laundry services.



Furthermore, Hybrid card-op laundry payment allows one to audit the amount of both coin and card sales in each of the machines. As money boxes near capacity, the one gets alerted by email and schedule the right time to have them emptied. Along with this, with an accurate system of accounting for machines, the collections get correctly deposited. Hybrid coin-and-card systems allow one to take the complexity out of dealing entirely with coins alone and save time. As a result, the acceptance of payment through various different channels can increase the traction and contribute to the growth of the industry.



Also, even though the COVID-19 pandemic is on the decline in terms of its impact, its economic impact continues to spread. From laundry businesses having to close down temporarily to closing up shop completely, the ripple effects that the outbreak has had and will continue to have on the national and global economies are unprecedented. For many Europeans, it was routine to run a quick wash at the local laundromat after coming home from work. However, with many Europeans still working from home, the need to go out and use these services has declined.



Europe Coin-operated Laundries Market Report Highlights

The market is expected to witness a CAGR of 9.1% from 2021 to 2028

The residential application segment accounted for the largest revenue share of 80.5% in 2020

Germany held the largest revenue share of 17.1% in 2020

Companies Mentioned

Elis SA

COLAN Cordoba

Quesada Laundry Service

WASH' N DRY (LAVERIE LIBRE SERVICE)

TECNITRAMO

REMBLI

LAVANDERIA LAVISA

Broomfield Launderette

Girbau

Johnson Service Group PLC

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope

1.1. Market Segmentation & Scope

1.2. Market Definition

1.3. Information Procurement

1.4. Information Analysis

1.5. Market Formulation & Data Visualization

1.6. Data Validation & Publishing



Chapter 2. Executive Summary

2.1. Market Outlook

2.2. Application Outlook

2.3. Country Insights



Chapter 3. Europe Coin-operated Laundries Market Variables, Trends & Scope

3.1. Market Introduction

3.2. Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping

3.3. Industry Value Chain Analysis

3.3.1. Retail Chain Analysis

3.3.2. Profit Margin Analysis

3.4. Market Dynamics

3.5. Business Environment Analysis

3.5.1. Industry Analysis - Porter's

3.6. Roadmap of Europe Coin-Operated Laundry Market

3.7. Market Entry Strategies

3.8. Impact of COVID-19 on the Europe Coin-Operated Laundry Market



Chapter 4. Consumer Behavior Analysis

4.1. Consumer Trends and Preferences

4.2. Factors Affecting Buying Decision

4.3. Consumer Product Adoption

4.4. Observations & Recommendations



Chapter 5. Europe Coin-Operated Laundry Market: Application Estimates & Trend Analysis

5.1. Application Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2018 & 2025

5.2. Residential

5.3. Commercial



Chapter 6. Europe Coin-Operated Laundry Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis

6.1. Regional Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2018 & 2025

6.2. Europe

6.2.3. Germany

6.2.4. UK

6.2.5. France

6.2.6. Spain

6.2.7. Italy

6.2.8. Russia



Chapter 7. Competitive Analysis

7.1. Key global players, recent developments & their impact on the industry

7.2. Key Company/Competition Categorization (Key innovators, Market leaders, Emerging players)

7.3. Vendor Landscape

7.3.1. Key company market share analysis, 2020



Chapter 8. Company Profiles









For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yo3svn
Dublin, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Norway Data Center Market - Investment Analysis & Growth Opportunities 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Norway data center market size by investments to reach USD 1095 million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.22% during 2021-2026.



The report considers the present scenario of the Norway data center market and its market dynamics for 2021-2026. It covers a detailed overview of several growth enablers, restraints, and trends in the market. The study includes the demand and supply aspects of the market.

In Norway, data center investment has traditionally been from homegrown data center operators; investments from global companies have increased in the last few years. Bergen, Trondheim, Sandefjord, and Stavanger are secondary markets witnessing data center project development. Digiplex, Green Mountain, Bulk Infrastructure, Itsjefen, and Basefarm (Orange) are some of Norway's leading colocation service providers.



NORWAY DATA CENTER MARKET OUTLOOK

In June 2021, the Norwegian data center industry announced the establishment of Norsk Datasenterindustri (Norwegian Data Center Industry), an industry association to strengthen the data center industry in Norway.

In 2020, the Norway Government reintroduced tax breaks for cryptocurrency data centers, which will boost data center investment opportunities in the country.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT

The growing adoption of innovative, intelligent devices, the increasing demand for analytics, cloud adoption, and the growth of wireless networking technologies have led several organizations in Norway to invest in big data and IoT technology.

Cisco Systems introduces a new software solution for on-premises data center cloud environments, which simplifies IT operations.

WHY SHOULD YOU BUY THIS RESEARCH?

Market size available in the investment, area, power capacity, and data center colocation revenue.

An assessment of the data center investment in Norway by colocation, hyperscale, and enterprise operators.

Data center investments in the area (square feet) and power capacity (MW) across cities in the country.

A detailed study of the existing Norway data center market landscape, an in-depth industry analysis, and insightful predictions about the Norwegian data center market size during the forecast period.

Snapshot of existing and upcoming third-party data center facilities in Norway

Facilities Covered (Existing): 23

Facilities Identified (Upcoming): 07

Coverage: 11 Cities

Existing vs. Upcoming (Data Center Area)

Existing vs. Upcoming (IT Load Capacity)

Data center colocation market in Norway

Market Revenue & Forecast (2021-2026)

Retail Colocation Pricing

Wholesale colocation Pricing

The Norway data center market investments are classified into IT, power, cooling, and general construction services with sizing and forecast.

A comprehensive analysis of the latest trends, growth rate, potential opportunities, growth restraints, and prospects for the industry.

Business overview and product offerings of prominent IT infrastructure providers, construction contractors, support infrastructure providers, and investors operating in the industry.

A transparent research methodology and the analysis of the demand and supply aspect of the market.

NORWAY DATA CENTER MARKET VENDOR LANDSCAPE

In 2018, AWS deployed its Amazon CloudFront edge location in Oslo, cutting network latency for its customers in Norway by around 35%.

In September 2021, Microsoft announced the launch of three availability zones in its Norway East Azure Cloud region in Oslo.

In June 2021, the Solor Bioenergy Group announced the acquisition of the district heating business from Veolia Nordic in Norway and Sweden.

IT Infrastructure Providers

Arista Networks

Cisco Systems

Dell Technologies

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Huawei Technologies

Hitachi Vantara

IBM

Inspur

Juniper Networks

Lenovo

NEC

NetApp

ORACLE

Pure Storage

Super Micro Computer

Data Center Construction Contractors & Sub-Contractors

Designer Group

RED

YIT

SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS

ABB

Alfa Laval

Bosch Security Systems

Caterpillar

Cummins

Delta Electronics

Eaton

FlaktGroup

HITEC- Power Protection

KOHLER-SDMO

Piller Power Systems

Rittal

Schneider Electric

STULZ

Socomec

Trane (Ingersoll Rand)

Vertiv

Data Center Investors

AQ Compute

Bulk Infrastructure

DigiPlex

Green Mountain

Green Edge Compute

Nordkraft

STORESPEED

REPORT COVERAGE:



EXISTING VS. UPCOMING DATA CENTERS

Existing Facilities in the region (Area and Power Capacity)

Oslo

Other Cities

List of Upcoming Facilities in the region (Area and Power Capacity)

NORWAY DATA CENTER INVESTMENT COVERAGE

Infrastructure Type

IT Infrastructure

Electrical Infrastructure

Mechanical Infrastructure

General Construction

IT Infrastructure

Server

Storage Systems

Network Infrastructure

Electrical Infrastructure

UPS Systems

Generators

Transfer Switches and Switchgears

PDUs

Other Electrical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems

CRAC and CRAH Units

Chillers

Cooling Towers, Condensers, and Dry Coolers

Economizers & Evaporative Coolers

Other Cooling Units

Mechanical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems

Rack Cabinets

Other Mechanical Infrastructure

General Construction

Building Development

Installation and Commissioning Services

Building & Engineering Design

Physical Security

Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)

Tier Segments

Tier I & Tier II

Tier III

Tier IV

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1 : Existing & Upcoming Third-Party Data Centers In Norway

20+ Unique Data Center Properties

Data Center IT Load Capacity

Data Center White Floor Area Space

Existing Vs Upcoming Data Center Capacity by Cities

Cities Covered

Oslo

Other Cities

Chapter 2: Investment Opportunities In Norway

Data Center Investments

Investment by Area

Investment by Power Capacity

Chapter 3: Data Center Colocation Market In Norway

Colocation Services Market in Norway

Retail Colocation vs Wholesale Data Center Colocation

Colocation Pricing (Quarter Rack, Half Rack, Full Rack) & Add-ons

Chapter 4: Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Market Trends

Market Restraints

Chapter 5: Market Segmentation

IT Infrastructure: Market Size & Forecast

Electrical Infrastructure: Market Size & Forecast

Mechanical Infrastructure: Market Size & Forecast

General Construction Services: Market Size & Forecast

Chapter 6: Tier Standard Investment

Tier I & II

Tier III

Tier IV

Chapter 7: Key Market Participants

IT Infrastructure Providers

Construction Contractors

Support Infrastructure Providers

Data Center Investors

Chapter 8: Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7h4uzs
LONDON, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Proxymity, the leading digital investor communications platform, announced today that it has raised $31 million in its second-round investment stage. The company has delivered significant growth since its launch in April 2020, providing digital access to over 12,000 meetings in 29 markets worldwide. Proxymity will use the new funds to expand further their product and market footprint, drawing on the platform's capabilities in delivering digital global investor communications.

Proxymity secures second-round investment from its existing consortium members of $31 million.

Proxymity will use funds to further expand the company's product and market footprint, drawing on the platform's capabilities to deliver digital global investor communications.

Original Consortium Investors BNY Mellon, Citi, Computershare, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Borse, J.P. Morgan, and State Street are all participating in current round.

Original consortium investors BNY Mellon, Citi, Computershare, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Borse, J.P. Morgan, and State Street have participated in this current round. In doing so, these global institutions confirmed their commitment to invest in Proxymity's vision of enhancing the global investor communications ecosystem and providing significant benefits for all involved.

Co-Founder and CEO Dean Little commented, "We're delighted to announce this successful round of fundraising, both in terms of the confidence our investors have shown in us, and in accessing new funds to fuel our significant global momentum. We continue to work closely with all our founding consortium members, and together, the Proxymity team is delivering on our vision, changing the industry ecosystem for the better."

Proxymity is an innovative investor communications platform that connects issuers, intermediaries, and investors via their proprietary digital network. Its industry-leading services include real-time and fully transparent digital proxy voting, and shareholder disclosure, automating shareholder ID requests in industry compliant formats without the need for any manual intervention.

This means that investors receive "golden source" meeting announcements in real time and are able to vote up until the market deadline. This can add up to six extra days to enable research and decision-making when compared to existing market solutions. The Proxymity platform also drives solutions compliant with all the security and data protection requirements established under (EU) SRD II regulations, as well as shareholder rights.

Co-founders Dean Little and Jonathan Smalley, who have many years of combined industry experience in custody product development, now lead a successful business serving investor markets worldwide, with a team of over 100 employees. Little and Smalley formulated the idea for Proxymity while working in Citi's Equities and Securities Services (ESS) Custody Product group. The platform was first launched in the UK in 2018, following a collaborative pilot partnership with Computershare, and the company was spun out by Citi in April 2020.

In addition to its London, UK-based HQ, and customer hubs in both Manchester, UK, and Melbourne, Australia, Proxymity will continue to maintain its technology and R & D team in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Comments from Consortium Investors:

Caroline Butler, Global Head of Business Solutions, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing

"Proxymity is changing how investor communications work by connecting issuers and investors in a transparent and more efficient digital ecosystem. We are excited to continue this collaboration with Proxymity and our industry partners as its success will be beneficial to the industry as a whole, which is the objective of BNY Mellon's objective in all of our consortium investments."

Matthew Bax, Managing Director, Global Head of Custody, Securities Services, Citi

"Citi has been part of the Proxymity story from the beginning, and we're delighted to be part of the company's next stage of growth, allowing Proxymity to continue to drive value and innovation to investor communications. The Consortium's continued support for the Proxymity vision reflects the value that the Proxymity platform is bringing to the whole ecosystem."

Paul Conn, President, Global Capital Markets, Computershare

"Computershare's partnership with Proxymity continues to evolve and gain momentum as together we seek to deliver smarter solutions to known pain points in the investor communications market. In the last few months alone, we have seen Proxymity open its APAC hub in Australia, following joint collaboration of an integrated voting solution for custodians and their institution investors in [2020]; we've also delivered a market-first digital proxy voting into New Zealand. This further investment enables us to broaden our partnership to enter new geographic markets and develop new services for the benefit of many stakeholders."

Paul Maley, Global Head of Securities Services, Deutsche Bank

"We're excited to extend our partnership and investment in Proxymity. Deutsche Bank, as Custodians, welcomes industry-wide initiatives that use technology to drive more efficient capital markets. In providing a fully transparent and real-time platform, Proxymity is assisting with the deployment of the SRD II legislation across Europe."

Samuel Riley, Head of Clearstream Investor Services & Financing, Deutsche Borse

"Asset servicing is a strategic differentiator in the securities servicing space and proxy-voting is an integral part of that proposition. Proxymity's goal of efficient and transparent investor communications is fully in line with Deutsche Borse's vision. Hence, this joint collaboration will significantly improve our clients' experiences throughout the whole securities life cycle."

Hannah Elson, Head of Global Custody, J.P. Morgan

"J.P. Morgan has been an active partner and investor in the Proxymity vision, and we're excited to be part of the company's next stage of growth. We continue to utilize the Proxymity platform, helping to ensure it achieves scale for digital communications throughout the industry ecosystem, benefiting clients and supporting corporate governance."

Brenda Lyons, EVP and Global Head of Asset Servicing Product, State Street

"State Street is excited to continue our investment and partnership with Proxymity. We look forward to working with the team to create new opportunities on behalf of our clients. Being an original member of the consortium, we are confident this investment will not only benefit our custody services offerings but also our shared ambition to see a digitally connected ecosystem."

For any media enquiries:

Kate Hamilton

Proxymity

K.Hamilton@Proxymity.io

About Proxymity

Proxymity's leading digital investor communications platform connects issuers, intermediaries, and investors in real-time via its unique digital pathway, bringing efficiency, accuracy, and transparency to every participant in the global custody chain. Our solutions give public companies confidence that their AGM/EGM agendas are transmitted as "golden source" and provide institutional investors with the time they need to research and vote on corporate decisions, as well as actual digital confirmation that their votes have been received.

Proxymity promotes enhanced environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) by improving communication between issuers and investors and making it easier for intermediaries to be efficient, timely and compliant when servicing their clients.

The company is backed by a global consortium of the industry's most influential financial institutions (BNY Mellon, Citi, Computershare, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Borse HSBC, J.P. Morgan, State Street).

For more information, visit https://proxymity.io/

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Luxembourg  17 December 2021 - Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Brs: SUBC, ADR: SUBCY) today announced the award of a sizeable1 contract by Aker BP for the Hanz field development located in the North Sea.

The project involves a subsea tie-back of approximately 15 kilometres to the Ivar Aasen platform. The contract scope includes engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of the gas lift and production pipelines, and associated subsea infrastructure, using vessels from Subsea 7s fleet. The production pipeline is a pipe-in-pipe design.

Project management and engineering will commence immediately at Subsea 7s offices in Stavanger, Norway. Fabrication of the pipelines will take place at Subsea 7s spool base at Vigra, Norway and offshore operations are expected to be carried out in 2023.

Monica Bjrkmann, Vice President for Subsea 7 Norway said: This award continues our long-standing collaboration with Aker BP, through the Aker BP Subsea Alliance2. The partnership enables Subsea 7 to engage early in the field development process, optimising design solutions and contributing to a positive final investment decision. Subsea 7 looks forward to continuing our alliance with Aker BP for the Hanz field development, with a focus on safe, efficient and reliable operations.

Subsea 7 defines a sizeable contract as being between USD 50 million and USD 150 million. The Aker BP Subsea Alliance is a partnership between Aker BP, Subsea 7 and Aker Solutions.

*******************************************************************************

Subsea 7 is a global leader in the delivery of offshore projects and services for the evolving energy industry, creating sustainable value by being the industrys partner and employer of choice in delivering the efficient offshore solutions the world needs.

Subsea 7 is listed on the Oslo Brs (SUBC), ISIN LU0075646355, LEI 222100AIF0CBCY80AH62.

*******************************************************************************

Contact for investment community enquiries:

Katherine Tonks

Investor Relations Director

Tel +44 (0)20 8210 5568

katherine.tonks@subsea7.com

Contact for media enquiries:

Jan Roger Moksnes

Communications Manager, Norway

Tel +47 415 15 777

janroger.moksnes@subsea7.com

www.subsea7.com

Forward-Looking Statements: This announcement may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the safe harbour provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These statements relate to our current expectations, beliefs, intentions, assumptions or strategies regarding the future and are subject to known and unknown risks that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, future, goal, intend, likely may, plan, project, seek, should, strategy will, and similar expressions. The principal risks which could affect future operations of the Group are described in the Risk Management section of the Groups Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2020. Factors that may cause actual and future results and trends to differ materially from our forward-looking statements include (but are not limited to): (i) our ability to deliver fixed price projects in accordance with client expectations and within the parameters of our bids, and to avoid cost overruns; (ii) our ability to collect receivables, negotiate variation orders and collect the related revenue; (iii) our ability to recover costs on significant projects; (iv) capital expenditure by oil and gas companies, which is affected by fluctuations in the price of, and demand for, crude oil and natural gas; (v) unanticipated delays or cancellation of projects included in our backlog; (vi) competition and price fluctuations in the markets and businesses in which we operate; (vii) the loss of, or deterioration in our relationship with, any significant clients; (viii) the outcome of legal proceedings or governmental inquiries; (ix) uncertainties inherent in operating internationally, including economic, political and social instability, boycotts or embargoes, labour unrest, changes in foreign governmental regulations, corruption and currency fluctuations; (x) the effects of a pandemic or epidemic or a natural disaster; (xi) liability to third parties for the failure of our joint venture partners to fulfil their obligations; (xii) changes in, or our failure to comply with, applicable laws and regulations (including regulatory measures addressing climate change); (xiii) operating hazards, including spills, environmental damage, personal or property damage and business interruptions caused by adverse weather; (xiv) equipment or mechanical failures, which could increase costs, impair revenue and result in penalties for failure to meet project completion requirements; (xv) the timely delivery of vessels on order and the timely completion of ship conversion programmes; (xvi) our ability to keep pace with technological changes and the impact of potential information technology, cyber security or data security breaches; and (xvii) the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting;. Many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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HOUSTON, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ION Geophysical Corporation (NYSE: IO) today announced that the company has been awarded a contract with an Exploration and Production company in the Middle East and a Letter of Intent by a Ministry of Ports & Maritime Transport in East Africa for IONs Marlin digital infrastructure. These awards are for the deployment and support of Marlin in multi-year contracts whose first year revenues are expected to exceed more than $10 million dollars in aggregate. The Letter of Intent is subject to the execution of final closing documents, which ION expects to occur in the first quarter of 2022.



We are excited to have signed a new multi-year contract with an energy company in the Middle East, said Sheila Rodermund, Executive Vice President, Operations Optimization. This contract is a clear signal of the proven success Marlin demonstrated in the region through its ability to handle simultaneous operations in what is a very complex maritime area with multiple platforms, shipping vessels, and fishing activity.

Through our award of a Letter of Intent by an East African government ministry to support their maritime monitoring efforts, the Marlin platform demonstrates its flexibility in supporting various maritime-related operations, said Chris Usher, CEO. In this deployment, Marlin and its Marlin SmartPort module will offer our client a means to better understand and manage their maritime traffic, thereby increasing operational efficiencies, reducing emissions, securing their seas against illegal activity, as well as ultimately improving their profitability.

To learn more, visit: iongeo.com/marlin or iongeo.com/marlinsmartport.

About ION

Leveraging innovative technologies, ION delivers powerful data-driven decision-making to offshore energy and maritime operations markets, enabling clients to optimize investments and results through access to our data, software and distinctive analytics. Learn more at iongeo.com.

The information herein contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements may include information and other statements that are not of historical fact. Actual results may vary materially from those described in these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements reflect numerous assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include the risks associated with the timing and development of ION Geophysical Corporation's products and services; pricing pressure; decreased demand; changes in oil prices; agreements made or adhered to by members of OPEC and other oil producing countries to maintain production levels; the COVID-19 pandemic; the ultimate benefits of our completed restructuring transactions; political, execution, regulatory, and currency risks; the outcome or changes, if any, of our consideration of various strategic alternatives; and the impact to our liquidity in the current uncertain macroeconomic environment. For additional information regarding these various risks and uncertainties, see our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed on February 12, 2021, and our Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2021, June 30, 2021, and September 30, 2021, filed on May 6, 2021, August 12, 2021, and November 3, 2021, respectively. Additional risk factors, which could affect actual results, are disclosed by the Company in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including its Form 10-K, Form 10-Qs and Form 8-Ks filed during the year. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements.
BALTIMORE, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Superpedestrian today launched its first fleet of seated e-scooters in a major US city, bringing a more accessible option to riders in Baltimore, Maryland. Starting today, the MIT-spin off micromobility provider will deploy 150 of the seated scooters alongside its conventional fleet of 1,000 standing scooters, giving a more diverse range of riders a safe, comfortable way to make last-mile trips.

There is no additional cost and riders don't need to pre-book before riding. The seated scooters can be unlocked using the LINK app, which also distinguishes them on its map. The new seated model will be deployed next in Arlington, Virginia and then to select partner cities across the US in 2022.

Superpedestrian has prioritized the development of scooters that feel safe and comfortable for non-traditional scooter riders. With autonomous safety features, a longer wheelbase and sturdier construction, Superpedestrian already makes the safest and easiest-to-ride standard e-scooter. With this newest seated model, Superpedestrian is taking the lead in deploying vehicles that suit the most diverse possible range of riders, including many people with disabilities, older riders and many novice riders as well.

"We want to be a company that serves everyone. That's why we're the lowest-cost operator here in Baltimore and why we engineered a scooter that feels safe and comfortable to novice riders. And now with our seated scooter, we can open up the benefits of micromobility to a whole new world of riders," said Cheyanne Woodyard, Policy Manager at Superpedestrian.

The new seated Superpedestrian model features:

An adjustable seat that can be easily raised or lowered 7 inches to accommodate riders of varying height

Special recognition on the LINK app, so riders can quickly locate a seated scooter near them

Durable, quality engineering that ensures a smooth and comfortable ride

Learn more at Superpedestrian.com.

jfalvo@rubenstein.com

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Highlights



Fourth phase metallurgical test work underway to define the plant design for final optimisation tests in the new year

Detailed tailings storage facility study underway to produce a design in line with global best practise

Offer letter from Namibian parastatal power utility (NamPower) to supply mine with grid power accepted by Osino and power supply agreement discussions underway

Substantial progress on diversified water supply strategy with high yielding boreholes indicating numerous strong marble aquifers close to the plant site

Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), Scoping Report and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) submitted for public review

Final ESIA study planned to be submitted in the new year toward obtaining Environmental Clearance Certificate

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Osino Resources Corp. (TSXV:OSI) (FSE:RSR1) (OTCQX:OSIIF) ("Osino or the Company) is pleased to provide an update on the ongoing development studies and project de-risking activities aimed at fast-tracking Osinos Twin Hills gold project in Namibia.

Twin Hills is a PEA-stage open pit gold development project with a mineral resource prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 of 0.43Moz @ 1.00g/t in the Indicated category and 1.47Moz at 1.08g/t in the Inferred category at a cut-off grade of 0.5g/t. The Twin Hills maiden resource was released on April 12, 2021.

Heye Daun, Osinos Co-founder and President & CEO commented: It is very pleasing to again be part of an exciting mine development project in Namibia. We have made significant progress in de-risking the project through the advancement of various technical studies in 2021. Much progress has been made with proving up or procuring the key utilities, namely power and water. Metallurgical variability testing has advanced to the point where we will soon be able to determine the optimal processing plant parameters, which will enable us to soon commence with feasibility studies. The ESIA and public participation process has also advanced substantially, thereby supporting a likely permitting decision that could set the project up for commencement of early works during the end of 2022.

Permitting Process and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA)

Under Namibias Environmental Management Act, the permitting system requires several steps toward approval of the mining license which the Company applied for in August 2021. These steps are regulated by Namibias Environmental Management Act (2007) and the Minerals (Prospecting and Mining) Act (1992).

The most important of these steps are the completion and approval of the ESIA, including public consultation, and the compilation of an EMP. Once these are approved, the Namibian Ministry of Environment, Fisheries and Tourism (MEFT) issues an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) which is generally the precursor to the granting of a mining license by the Ministry of Mines & Energy (MME).

There are a range of additional, secondary approvals, most of which are usually obtained subsequent to the granting of a mining license.

There are no prescribed timelines, but mining licenses are commonly granted after the completion of the ESIA process.

The following tasks have been completed to-date:

Project registration and Environmental Scoping Study (ESS) report submission

Baseline specialist study compilation

Public participation meetings and feedback documentation

EMP submission

Public review of ESS and EMP



Stakeholder engagement meetings were completed in September 2021 drawing key figures and representatives from local communities. The general commentary in the meetings was one of support for the project based on an expectation that the proposed mine would provide employment and stimulate the economy on a local as well as national level.

The next step of the approval process is now underway to produce an ESIA which will be reviewed by the MME who make recommendations to the MEFT to issue an ECC. The certificate is normally issued if no significant risk has been identified, and approval is normally expected within two to three months of submission of the ESIA.

The following permits are expected to be applied for during 2022:

Land clearing permit

Accessory works permit

Bulk fuel storage permit

Explosives storage and usage permit

Water extraction permit

Tailings waste disposal permit

Heritage permit



The process of applying for these secondary approvals will commence once the Mining License has been issued.

Mining and Optimisation

A phase one geotechnical program consisting of three preliminary holes was completed during 2021 which has guided the current pit design and slope angles. A follow up program consisting of four further holes in the Twin Hills Central pit and three holes in the previously untested Clouds pit will be drilled in Q1 2022 to provide a level of confidence to the pit design suitable for future work towards a Bankable Feasibility Study.

Plant Metallurgy Test Work

A fourth phase of metallurgical test work was started in the final quarter of 2021 designed to do variability testing suitable for future work towards a Bankable Feasibility Study. The test work is designed to target the optimal grind size and costs for a 4.5mtpa processing plant.

The program progressed according to schedule in Q4 2021 with the following items being completed:

Comminution



Thickening

Filtration

Gravity separation

Heap leach test work



The remaining program and test work in progress are:

Cyanide leaching targeting optimal grind size

Flotation concentrate and grind size variability test work

The initial results are looking positive and indicate that the processing parameters used thus far will be confirmed and will enable optimization of the processing layout. This metallurgical testwork program is expected to be completed in January 2022 and the results thereof will be integrated into an updated processing plant design to be published during Q1 2022.

Tailings Storage Facility

Design work has begun to develop a suitable tailings disposal strategy according to the Global Industry Standards for Tailings Management (GISTM) of August 2020. Geochemical Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) test work has indicated that the tailings material is not expected to be problematic due to its low acid generating potential and the high acid neutralizing potential of the host rock and regolith. As a result, it is likely that co-disposal and engineered lining will be optimal for the dry-stacked tailings deposition strategy. Test work and modelling of the geochemical results are ongoing and the updated strategy will be reflected in the next form of technical report.

Power Supply

Initial estimates from completed comminution test work, including crushing and milling tests, indicate a minimum power requirement of 16MW with a potential for further power up to 20MW. NamPower has performed a network analysis on the local grid and recommended developing a new dedicated 66kV feeder bay from the planned NamPower Erongo Substation. The new substation is to be constructed near the town of Karibib, which is situated approximately 15km southwest of the proposed mine site. An offer from NamPower to supply 16MVA via a 66kV overhead line to a metering substation at the mine site has been accepted by Osino, with the option to update the requirement before signing the final agreement based on the confirmed power demand calculations.

Discussions are now underway with NamPower to finalise the power supply agreement and determine options to fast track the development of the substation and transmission infrastructure.

Power supply cost analysis has determined grid power to be the most cost-effective source at an estimated NAD2.07/kWh over the life of mine taking both capital and operating costs into account. A cost-benefit analysis has shown the potential of implementing a hybrid system including solar power generation to reduce the cost to NAD1.73/kWh, and to supplement energy demand in a sustainable manner.

Mine Water Balance and Water Supply Options

Osinos mine water supply strategy is designed to develop a diversified mine water supply which will rely on three alternative supply options. 1) own supply from groundwater 2) additional potential supply from Khan River sand aquifers augmented through the construction of ground weirs and 3) supply from Namibias national water utility, NamWater, through the national water grid.

The 4.5mtpa processing plant is estimated to require 5.5Mm3pa and filtration test work results at 63micron grind size indicate a 23% moisture content in the filter cake, resulting in a plant make-up water requirement of 1.3Mm3pa.

Figure 1 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/15854e32-1b71-4e22-9ae3-ee73b6733612

Field work during the year has been focused on advancing each of the strategies:

Water supply borehole drilling has successfully identified two different areas of groundwater along a marble syncline. The southern area has been drilled and pump tested with a proven sustainable yield of ~1Mm 3 pa. Drilling is currently targeting the northern limb and drill rig blow yields have already shown the potential for a further 0.5Mm 3 pa.

pa. Drilling is currently targeting the northern limb and drill rig blow yields have already shown the potential for a further 0.5Mm pa. The Khan River ground weir study was progressed with a geophysical study confirming the potential for between 0.5Mm 3 and 1Mm 3 of water storage, and drilling will now confirm the aquifer dimensions.

and 1Mm of water storage, and drilling will now confirm the aquifer dimensions. As further de-risking, an application has been made to Namwater to secure a backup source of up to 1Mm3pa via a pipeline connection to Karibib. Under this scheme raw water would be sourced from the Swakoppoort dam supply.



Planned Project Schedule

Following a successful year of project development studies, Osino will continue to fast-track the development of the Twin Hills Gold Project. The company is working towards publishing a new technical report with an updated mineral resource estimate in Q2 2022 intended as a pre-feasibility study which is aiming to reflect improved project economics resulting from 1) project optimization 2) a larger mineral resource and 3) a substantial increase in processing plant capacity.

The next intended pre-feasibility study technical report is then also intended to be followed by a definitive, or bankable feasibility study and advancement of the constituent specialist studies to bankable level of detail by the end of Q3 of 2022. Based on that timeline, and subject to a positive bankable feasibility study, and project financing and permitting being in place by the end of Q3 2022, early works could commence towards the end of 2022. The Company presently only has a preliminary economic assessment technical report (the "PEA") entitled, Amended and Restated Twin Hills Gold Project, Namibia, Preliminary Economic Assessment, National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report dated effective July 14, 2021. The PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the preliminary economic assessment will be realized. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Conceptual Development Schedule: Twin Hills Gold Project/Namibia

Figure 2 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/15854e32-1b71-4e22-9ae3-ee73b6733612

The conceptual development schedule indicated above outlines a potential development timeline for operations at Twin Hills.

Qualified Persons Statement

David Underwood, BSc. (Hons) is Vice President Exploration of Osino Resources Corp. and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release and is a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Pr. Sci. Nat. No.400323/11) and a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.

About Osino Resources

Osino is a Canadian gold exploration and development company focused on the development of our Twin Hills gold discovery in central Namibia. The Twin Hills Gold Project is at an advanced stage of exploration with various advanced development studies underway with the aim of fast-tracking the project.

Osino has a large ground position of approximately 6,700km2 located within Namibias prospective Damara sedimentary mineral belt, mostly in proximity to and along strike of the producing Navachab and Otjikoto Gold Mines. The Company is actively advancing a range of gold prospects and targets along the belt by utilizing a portfolio approach geared towards discovery, targeting gold mineralization that fits the broad orogenic gold model.

Our core projects are favorably located north and north-west of Namibias capital city Windhoek. By virtue of their location, the projects benefit significantly from Namibias well-established infrastructure with paved highways, railway, power and water in close proximity. Namibia is mining-friendly and lauded as one of the continents most politically and socially stable jurisdictions.

Osino continues to evaluate new ground with a view to expanding our Namibian portfolio.

Further details are available on the Company's website at https://osinoresources.com/

CONTACT INFORMATION

Osino Resources Corp.

Julia Becker: Investor Relations Manager

Tel: +1 (604) 785 0850

jbecker@osinoresources.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Company's recently completed financings, and the future plans or prospects of the Company, including prospects for economic recoverability of mineral resources. 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 statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. 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. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

The reader is cautioned that any reference to mineral resources or geological technical information about Osinos mineral properties is based on, excerpted from and expressly qualified by Osinos current technical report (the Technical Report) which was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 entitled, Amended and Restated Twin Hills Gold Project, Namibia, Preliminary Economic Assessment, National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report dated effective July 14, 2021 prepared for Osino Resources Corp. Accordingly, Osino recommends that the reader refer to and read the Technical Report in its entirety, a copy of which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under Osinos issuer profile.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
Dublin, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Military Cyber CONOPS Growth Opportunities" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This research highlights the most important military cybersecurity market trends, evaluates the market and the competition, sums up existing and evolving global threats identifies the main mergers and acquisitions, and explores upcoming disruptive technologies.

This study also identifies the emerging trends, opportunity areas, and technologies that can help achieve security objectives. It provides insights into the impact and evolution of technologies that will benefit participants in the defense industry, relevant verticals, and technology companies seeking new avenues to enhance their portfolios.

Digitization is transforming every aspect of the defense industry, from back-end office operations to the training of military personnel. Cyberwarfare has become common, and cyberspace has turned into a battlefield for major geopolitical and social issues, with different nations using it to gather intelligence or engage in shadow diplomacy.

Cyberthreats continue to evolve, making them harder to detect, prevent, or mitigate. Today, weapon systems are software dependent and networked. Embedded software and IT systems enable operational success; however, they create new and extensive vulnerabilities.

Cyber concepts of operations (CONOPS) are constantly evolving as global defense industries are transforming their operations and capabilities. Investments in disruptive new and existing technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, blockchain, and quantum computing, will drive further changes in cybersecurity in the coming years.

Technology companies that are looking to address the potential requirements of the military cybersecurity market will benefit from this study.

Key Issues Addressed

Which disruptive technologies will have an impact on the military cybersecurity market over the next 10 years?

Over what time frame will each technology have an impact on the market?

How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the defense industry? What was its impact on the military cyber market?

What are the key military cybersecurity trends?

Key Topics Covered:

1. Strategic Imperatives

Why is it Increasingly Difficult to Grow?

The Strategic Imperative

The Impact of the Top 3 Strategic Imperatives on the Military Cyber industry

Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine

2. Growth Environment

Market Overview

Trends Impacting the Demand for Cybersecurity

Disruptive Forces

Capability Impact - Evolving Technologies

Key Predictions

3. Research Scope and Objectives

Research Scope

Research Objectives and Questions

4. Economic and Geopolitical Analysis

Geopolitical Snapshot

Geopolitical Analysis

COVID-19

5. Growth Opportunity Analysis - General Trends

General Trends in the Military Cyber market

6. Growth Drivers and Restraints

Growth Drivers in the Military Cyber market

Growth Drivers Analysis for the Military Cyber market

Growth Restraints in the Military Cyber market

Growth Restraints Analysis for the Military Cyber market

7. Factors Influencing CONOPS

Military Cyberconcepts Evolution

8. Technology

Disruptive Technology Maturity Timelines

Technology Analysis

9. Use Cases

Case Study 1: Disruption of Capabilities - Operation Olympic Games

Case Study 2: Theft of Personal Data

Case Study 3: Manipulation of eCommerce

Case Study 4: Disruption of Capabilities - Wannacry

10. Growth Opportunity Universe

Growth Opportunity 1: Increasing R&D Investments for the Military Cyber market

Growth Opportunity 2: Advanced Threat Simulation for the Military Cyber market

Growth Opportunity 3: Training of Skilled Personnel for the Military Cyber market

Growth Opportunity 4: Cyber EW for the Military Cyber market

Growth Opportunity 5: Low-Cost and Extended Support to Cater to Operators with Limited Budgets

Growth Opportunity 6: Endpoint Security for the Military Cyber market

Growth Opportunity 7: Mergers and Acquisitions for the Military Cyber market

11. The Last Word

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/agerel




Toronto, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- How can Canadians age the best? Thats a critical question for a country where almost 18% of the population is over 65, heading to 20% within a few years and 25% by mid-century.

Canadians are living longer, and as they do they also need to live better. To explore how, RTOERO released four white papers in December, available for download at rtoero.ca.

Since 1968, RTOERO has been a voice for teachers, school and board administrators, educational support staff and college and university faculty in their retirement. Our mission is to improve the lives of our members and seniors.

Older adults are the fastest-growing age group in Canada. We want to share some insights around the issues that are critical to them, for the sake of a healthy, active and secure future, says Rich Prophet, the chair of the board at RTOERO.

The four RTOERO white papers look at on different dimensions of healthy aging.

The health coverage gap: How Canadian retirees can protect themselves against the inevitable. Health and wealth  people want to preserve both. But health care can drain personal budgets, especially in retirement. Many retirees arent fully prepared to cover their health costs. Good health is never guaranteed. But there are ways to plan for their expenses. RTOERO offers five things for Canadian retirees to consider.

5 ways to think about retirement planningand money isnt one of them. During the 2020s, some 5 million Canadians will turn 65. The Baby Boomer generation has quickened the pace of retirements. RTOERO wants people to have their best life in retirement. But what defines a meaningful retirement? Beyond money, RTOERO explores five ways to re-think retirement planning.

Healthy at any age: Understanding wellness across the lifespan. In a society that values youth and physical appearance, aging may seem like something to try to avoid. But everyone ages. Its natural. Canada will soon be a super-aged society. Addressing healthy aging has never been more important. While there are actions individuals can take, healthy aging must also be a societal priority.

The nuances of ageism: How intersectionality can impact the experience of aging. Ageism has significant individual and societal consequences. When ageism intersects with other forms of bias, individuals implications can worsen. Its urgent to address ageism and to look at it alongside other biases.

The health of our communities depends in large part on the well-being of its seniors, says Prophet. We want to spark a dialogue about these four issues, and contribute to the policies and actions that benefit such a huge and vital segment of the population.

The new white papers add to RTOEROs library of thought leadership papers on issues including a national seniors strategy, geriatric health care, and environmental stewardship.

RTOERO is a bilingual trusted voice on healthy, active living in the retirement journey for the broader education community. With 81,000+ members in 51 districts across Canada, we are the largest national provider of non-profit group health benefits for education retirees.

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NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

LONGUEUIL, Quebec, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reunion Gold Corporation (Reunion or the Company) (TSX-V: RGD) announces the successful completion of its early warrant exercise incentive program, as described in its press release dated November 15, 2021 (the Program). A total of 67,606,028 common shares of the Company (each a Share) were issued upon the exercise of 67,606,028 previously outstanding share purchase warrants (the Outstanding Warrants), providing aggregate gross proceeds of $8,112,723 to the Company.

For every Outstanding Warrant that were exercised, the holders of such Outstanding Warrant received the one Share to which they were otherwise entitled under the terms of the Outstanding Warrants and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (the Incentive Warrant). Each whole Incentive Warrant allows the holder to acquire one Share at an exercise price of $0.20 for a period of two years expiring on December 16, 2023. A total of 33,803,011 Incentive Warrants were issued pursuant to the Program.

Holders of 80,469,344 common share purchase warrants issued on May 18, and May 21, 2021 (the May Warrants) and 37,499,999 common share purchase warrants issued on August 6, 2020 (the August Warrants) were eligible to participate in the Program. Following completion of the Program, there remains 28,783,652 May Warrants and 21,579,663 August Warrants. For those holders of Outstanding Warrants who chose not to participate in the Program, the applicable Outstanding Warrants will continue to be exercisable on the same terms that previously existed.

The Company is well funded to pursue its planned exploration activities. The proceeds from the Program will be used for exploration on the Companys mineral projects in Guyana and Suriname and for general working capital requirements.

The Incentive Warrants issued are subject to a hold period ending April 17, 2022. The Program is subject to the final acceptance of the TSXV.

A portion of the Outstanding Warrants were exercised by insiders of the Company. Participation by such insiders in the Program constitutes a related party transaction pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Special Transactions (MI 61-101). Such participation is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 based on the fact that neither the fair market value of the Shares subscribed for by the insiders, nor the consideration for the Shares paid by such insiders, would exceed 25% of the Companys market capitalization.

Cautionary Statement

The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent U.S. federal and state registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities in the United States.

This press release contains 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking information in this news release includes information with respect to the intended use of proceeds. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by Reunion Gold Corporation as at the date of the information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

About Reunion Gold

Reunion Gold Corporation is a leading gold explorer with a portfolio of projects in the Guiana Shield, South America. The Companys Shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol RGD. Additional information about the Company is available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on the Companys website (www.reuniongold.com).

For further information please contact:

REUNION GOLD CORPORATION

Carlos Bertoni, Interim CEO

Paul Fowler, Manager, Corporate Development

Tel: +1 450.677.2585

Email: info@reuniongold.com
AMSTERDAM, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FeedbackFruits has been selected from over 1,100 submissions as a multiple winner of the Reimagine Education Awards 2021, across two categories. The Dutch EdTech scale-up won the Gold Award in the "E-Learning" category for the active learning Tool Suite, and the Silver Award in the "Artificial Intelligence" category for the Automated Feedback tool.

The Reimagine Education Awards is the largest global awards program for innovative pedagogies. The awards, organized by the Wharton School and QS Quacquarelli Symonds, celebrate approaches that enhance student learning outcomes and employability, thus fundamentally changing the educational landscape.

Nunzio Quacquarelli, CEO, QS and co-founder of Reimagine Education, said: "[...] With over 300 independent judges participating in the evaluation process, plus a distinguished 20-persons Grand Jury, our winners have received the unequivocal backing of expert educationalists across the world. They should take exceptional pride in their achievement."

FeedbackFruits has been co-creating evidence-based pedagogical technology with thought-leading institutions since 2012. Ranked as the 42nd fastest-growing technology company in the Netherlands by Deloitte in November, FeedbackFruits is now partnered with over 100 higher education institutions worldwide, such as Queen's University, Cornell University, Texas Tech University, TU Delft, Monash University, and Central Michigan University. The winning FeedbackFruits projects aim to provide educators with the utmost flexibility and scalability to engage their students in any educational context.

Ewoud de Kok, CEO of FeedbackFruits, attributes this achievement to the company's commitment to centering educators in developing pedagogical technology: "The awards are not only for FeedbackFruits, but for the entire education sector that is affiliated with our EdTech DoTank. In the EdTech DoTank, we develop all tools through co-creation with educational institutions, which together form our tool suite."

For Joost Verdoorn, Head of Product at FeedbackFruits, the awards were the legitimization of the company's focus on security and transparency: "Because we develop not only our tools but also artificial intelligence in co-creation with our education partners, we safeguard public values such as privacy, security and sovereignty in our code. In many companies, AI is a black box where sometimes wrong motives are programmed in; we want to prevent this at all times and therefore we involve our partners in every step of the process."

This achievement has validated FeedbackFruits' mission of empowering the main drivers of educational transformation - the educators - to implement effective pedagogy that enhances the learning experience and moves pedagogical innovation forward.

About FeedbackFruits

FeedbackFruits is an EdTech scale-up based in Amsterdam whose mission is to drive student engagement while increasing teacher productivity. The platform encompasses a range of learning activities such as self and peer assessment, online discussion, and team-based learning. For further information, visit feedbackfruits.com.

About Reimagine Education Awards 2021

Reimagine Education is a global conference and competition, open to educational innovators from all around the world. For further information, visit reimagine-education.com/.

For more information, press only: marketing@feedbackfruits.com

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London, England, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Net Savings Link, Inc. (OTC Pink: NSAV), a cryptocurrency, blockchain and digital asset technology company, today announced that Malaysian conglomerate, CN Asia Corporation Bhd https://www.cnasia.com/ , has joined the recently launched Nirvana Meta project http://nirvanameta.com/home . CN Asia is a holding company which trades on the Malaysian Stock Exchange Main Board KLSE: CNASIA (7986). NSAV is thrilled to welcome CN Asia as a partner with Nirvana Meta for the Malaysia region and is truly honored to have been a part of the spectacular and hugely successful December 14 grand launching of Nirvana Meta in Malaysia. Below is footage of the event to which NSAV is also the main sponsor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3SxgViMjtg

Last week, NSAV announced that the Company has partnered with Nirvana Meta to enter the $500 billion annual global Metaverse market. Nirvana Meta will bring NSAV into the RPG (Role Playing Games) metaverse gaming arena. Published reports predict the global metaverse market will reach $800 billion annually by 2024.

https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/blog/metaverse-may-be-800-billion-market-next-tech-platform/

Mr. Wang Jie, CEO of Nirvana Meta stated, This relationship is a proven milestone and achievement for Nirvana Meta. With NSAV's involvement, I am confident that more partners will join our project and harmonize this huge market opportunity together with us. It has been a great pleasure working with Desmond Lim, CEO of NSAV. He is running a very professional team."

Mr. Chang Chee Ching, Executive Director of CN Asia stated, CN Asia will form a consortium with Metaverse and other parties to promote Nirvana Meta in Malaysia and South East Asia, with the ultimate objective of forming a joint venture between a subsidiary of CNASIA and Metaverse when it is determined to be commercially and economically viable. We would also assist Metaverse and Bebao to ensure compliance with the relevant laws and regulations in Malaysia, including the licensing requirements related to Nirvana Meta and also the rest of the region when necessary.

Dato Sri Desmond Lim, Interim CEO and Senior Vice President of Cryptocurrency Operations, NSAV will continue to work closely with Nirvana Meta to ensure that Metaverse GameFi will become a game-changer in the industry. We were extremely excited to be part of the Nirvana Meta grand launching and to also be the main sponsor is icing on the cake.

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/gamefi-potential-change-lives-create-192702157.html

About CN Asia:

CN Asia is a public limited company, listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad under the sector of Industrial Products and is involved in the business of investment holdings and providing management services. Its subsidiaries are involved in the manufacturing and supply of storage tanks such as underground and overground tanks and skid tanks for the petroleum, logistics, power generation and general process industries. The public listed company also provides metal forming services which includes dish end and plate rolling services for the food and beverage, petrochemical, energy and heavy engineering industries. In the transportation industry, CN Asia manufactures vacuum tanks, pressure vessels and road tankers, which are used in transporting CO2. It also provides piping works for the petroleum industry including specialized engineering and fabrication works.

About Nirvana Meta:

Nirvana Meta is a 3D new magic chain developed by South Korean blockchain gaming company NirvanaSoft, adapted from the classic Korean fantasy online games, with all its classic elements. Games with beautiful picture style, rich epic content, large-scale 3D siege warfare, the unique magic of the magic of PK play attention. And put forward to "magic play" as the core of the "new magic" chain tour concept, from "magic vision, magic play, magic battle" three aspects of the chain tour redefined the new standard.

About NSAV:

NSAV's vision is the establishment of a fully integrated technology company, which provides turnkey technological solutions to the cryptocurrency, blockchain and digital asset industries. Over time, the Company plans to provide a wide range of services such as software solutions, e-commerce, financial services, advisory services and information technology.

For further information please contact NSAV at info@nsavholdinginc.com

The NSAV Twitter account can be accessed at https://twitter.com/nsavtech

The NSAV corporate website can be accessed at http://nsavholdinginc.com

The NSAV Premium OTC Crypto Trading Desk website can be accessed at https://nsavholdinginc.com/otc-desk/

The NSAV Hong Kong OTC Crypto Trading Desk website can be accessed at https://hkotc.co/

The NSAV Decentralized Cryptocurrency Exchange (DEX) website can be accessed at https://nsavdex.org/#/home

The NSAVDEX Telegram account can be accessed at https://t.me/NSAVDEXorg

Silverbear Capital Inc. https://www.sbcfinancialgroup.com.hk/ , a leading, global investment banking firm, will be advising NSAV on strategic matters related to this transaction.

Silverbear Capital Inc. (SBC) has a dynamic of disciplines on a broad commercial level and practice. SBC has a strong group of Partners in a wide range of disciplines with seasoned experience in finance, management, and professional practice. https://www.sbcfinancialgroup.com.hk/meet-our-team/ .

Disclaimer: Silverbear Capital Inc. does not constitute investment advice, or an offer or solicitation to sell, or a solicitation to buy, or any other investment product (nor shall any such shares or product be offered or sold to any person) in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation, purchase or sale would be unlawful under the securities law of that jurisdiction.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the ability of Net Savings Link, Inc. to accomplish its stated plan of business. Net Savings Link, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward- looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by Net Savings Link, Inc. or any other person.
ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Twelve automakers are ahead of schedule in meeting a voluntary pledge to equip nearly all the light vehicles they produce for the U.S. market with automatic emergency braking (AEB).

Ford/Lincoln and Honda/Acura installed AEB on more than 95 percent of the vehicles they produced between Sept. 1, 2020, and Aug. 31, 2021, joining 10 other automakers that fulfilled the voluntary commitment in previous years. The others to cross the finish line early are Audi, BMW, Hyundai/Genesis, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota/Lexus, Volkswagen and Volvo.

Two additional automakers exceeded the 90 percent threshold. However, five of the 20 participating automakers equipped fewer than three-quarters of their vehicles with AEB.

The 20 manufacturers submit progress reports annually until they meet the target as part of the commitment brokered by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). They pledged to equip at least 95 percent of their light-duty cars and trucks with the crash avoidance technology by the production year beginning Sept. 1, 2022. Light-duty vehicles are those with a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,500 pounds or less.

The final sprint these lagging automakers are making shows that a rapid rollout of advanced safety features is possible, says IIHS President David Harkey. With the Ford and Honda brands hitting the target, this essential safety feature is now on a huge number of affordable, top-selling vehicles.

Though they fell short of the target, Mitsubishi and Nissan/Infiniti installed AEB on 9 out of 10 vehicles they produced last year. Kia just missed that mark, equipping 89 percent of its vehicles with the technology. Maserati also made big strides, boosting its percentage of AEB-equipped vehicles to 72 percent from 48 percent a year earlier.

The voluntary commitment doesnt specify phase-in milestones. However, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Porsche and Stellantis  the company created by the recent merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot  will need big gains to meet the 2022-23 target for light-duty vehicles. In the past year, they equipped fewer than two-thirds of the units they produced with AEB systems that meet the performance requirements of the voluntary commitment.

Along with Mitsubishi, two of those companies, Jaguar Land Rover and Stellantis, are among the three that made the most progress in 2021. Mitsubishi raised the portion of its vehicles equipped with AEB to 92 percent from just 39 percent last year. Jaguar Land Rover boosted its tally to 60 percent from 0. Stellantis raised its total to 43 percent from 14 in 2020.

It is good news for consumers that city-speed AEB now comes standard across most models, but Stellantis, GM and the other lagging companies really need to pick up the pace, says David Friedman, vice president of advocacy for Consumer Reports. The next step should be for NHTSA to set standards that ensure all automakers AEB systems work effectively at highway speeds and stop for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users both during the day and at night.

Separate from the manufacturers commitment, Consumer Reports also tracks the proportion of models on which AEB is standard equipment across all trim levels, as opposed to their overall production volume. Its latest information shows that several automakers are making city-speed AEB standard equipment on 100 percent of their models, guaranteeing that the technology will be included on all new vehicles.

To fulfill their present commitment, manufacturers must attest that the AEB system on their vehicles meets certain performance standards. The forward collision warning feature must meet a subset of NHTSAs current 5-Star Safety Ratings program requirements on the timing of driver alerts. The AEB must earn at least an advanced rating in the IIHS vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention evaluation. To earn that rating, the system must slow the vehicle by at least 10 mph in either the 12 or 25 mph test or 5 mph in both of the tests.

Many manufacturers standard systems earn a superior rating in the IIHS test. A significant portion of new vehicles can also detect and avoid pedestrians  a requirement for the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards.

Along with light-duty vehicles, automakers also committed to installing AEB on vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,501-10,000 pounds by September 2025. Six automakers reported producing vehicles in that range for the U.S. market in 2021. Among them, Ford equipped three-quarters of its vehicles with AEB, Stellantis 13 percent and Nissan/Infiniti 12 percent.

IIHS expects the voluntary commitment to prevent 42,000 crashes and 20,000 injuries by 2025. The estimate is based on IIHS research that found that front crash prevention systems with both forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking cut rear-end crashes by half.

###

For more information from IIHS, go to iihs.org

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing deaths, injuries and property damage from motor vehicle crashes through research and evaluation and through education of consumers, policymakers and safety professionals. IIHS is wholly supported by auto insurers.

For more information from CR, go to consumerreports.org

Consumer Reports is a nonprofit membership organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer and healthier world. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers interests.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New research from University of Alabama at Birmingham, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggests a gene therapy called LentiGlobin could provide a permanent cure for sickle cell disease.

Julie Kanter, M.D., director of the UAB Adult Sickle Cell Clinic, says patients treated with this therapy are beginning to show signs of producing stable amounts of normal red blood cells containing hemoglobin.

SCD occurs in about one out of every 365 Black or African American births, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and about one in 13 Black or African American babies is born with sickle cell trait.

How the therapy works

Kanter says there are several types of gene therapy (gene addition/transfer, gene editing, gene correction and gene silencing), but this particular therapy is gene addition or transfer.

In this therapy, we do not change or edit the gene that causes sickle cell disease, Kanter said. Instead, we use a viral vector to deliver a new gene that will make a healthy hemoglobin  a beta hemoglobin  into the stem cell. This is like coding new instructions into the cell. The old instructions for hemoglobin S are still there, but now the cell can make HbA and HbS. The vector can deliver more than one copy of the instructions to each cell  usually between one and four copies  so the cell can make more HbA than HbS.

What is a vector?

A vector is part of a virus. Kanter compares vectors to envelopes and letters.

I like to think of it as an envelope, she said. We take out the bad part of a virus (the letter) and leave the empty envelope. We put a new gene (the new letter) with the right instructions into the envelope and send it into the stem cells. The viral parts of the letter are removed so patients dont get the virus itself  they only get the letter coding for the new hemoglobin, called HbAT87Q.

What is T87Q?

T87Q is a special type of hemoglobin A that is slightly different from regular hemoglobin A and has two advantages:

The intentional change inserted (called T87Q) makes the hemoglobin even less likely to cause sickling when it is near a hemoglobin S.

The HbAT87Q can also be measured more accurately inside the cell (since it is slightly different from regular hbA), which allows doctors to know how much of the new hemoglobin a patient is making compared to how much they get from a transfusion.

Next steps

Kanter says that, although this therapy is providing a significant amount of hope, researchers continue to test to make sure the therapy remains safe.

In an earlier part of this study, we were not able to get enough of the new gene into each cell, Kanter said. Not enough envelopes were delivered.

This caused the stem cells to be extra stressed and the patients to still have some parts of sickle cell disease. They had only slight improvements compared to group C.

Unfortunately, the stressed-out cells are also more likely to make bad clones, which can cause cancer, she said. Two patients in group A developed leukemia because the cells were too stressed.

It is important to note that this was not caused by the viral vector or the new gene (not from the LentiGlobin) but from the stress of the procedure and the insufficient cell correction.

We need to see that we have fixed this problem in group C  and no one else develops leukemia, Kanter said. We also need to make sure this procedure both reduces pain/stops all pain crisis and prevents organ damage from sickle cell. This will take time. We will have to watch people for the next two to 15 years and measure their organ function compared to those who did not get this therapy.

Hope for the future

Much of Kanters career has been dedicated to helping those with SCD. A therapy like this is a game changer, according to Kanter.

It means a lot, she said. People with sickle cell disease have endured unnecessary hardship for more than 100 years. They have fewer medications and therapies than many other diseases and have received much less attention and funding. We need new and better options for people with sickle cell disease.

She also says this is just a beginning.

We need to make these treatments available, and we need all people with sickle cell disease to have a sickle cell doctor to make that happen, she said. We need the therapy to be affordable so that people everywhere living with this disease have the option for gene therapy. Right now, most people with sickle cell disease live in sub-Saharan Africa and in India. They dont have even the basic treatments they need like vaccines, penicillin or hydroxyurea that can make a huge difference in peoples lives with SCD. Eventually we need people in these areas to have equal opportunity to better outcomes.

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TORONTO, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- All resolutions set out in the information circular for the 2021 annual and special meeting of shareholders passed, reported Amarillo Gold Corporation (Amarillo or the Company) (TSXV: AGC, OTCQB: AGCBF).



The Companys annual meeting was held virtually yesterday. All director nominees  David Birkett, David Laing, Lawrence Lepard, Michael Mutchler, Rostislav Raykov, Antenor Silva, and Rowland Uloth  have been re-elected to serve for the coming year. The following resolutions were also approved:

re-appointing MNP LLP, Chartered Accountants as auditor

re-approving the stock option plan

re-approving the restricted share unit plan.



A total of 193,546,613 common shares representing 50.13% of the outstanding common shares were represented in person or by proxy at the meeting. Further details on the matters considered at the meeting can be found in Amarillos 2021 information circular, which is available at the Company website or under its profile on SEDAR.

ABOUT AMARILLO

Amarillo is advancing two gold projects located near excellent infrastructure in mining-friendly states in Brazil. The development stage Posse Gold Project is on the Companys Mara Rosa Property in Goias State. It has a positive definitive feasibility study that shows it can be built into a profitable operation with low costs and a strong financial return. Mara Rosa also shows the potential for discovering additional near-surface deposits that will extend Posses mine life beyond its initial 10 years. The exploration stage Lavras do Sul Project in Rio Grande do Sul State has more than 23 prospects centered on historic gold workings.

Amarillo trades on the TSXV under the symbol AGC and the OTCQB under the symbol AGCBF.

Follow Amarillo on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

www.amarillogold.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

Mike Mutchler

President & CEO

416-294-0736

mike.mutchler@amarillogold.com Annemarie Brissenden

Investor Relations

416-844-6284

annemarie.brissenden@amarillogold.com

NOTES

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

Forward-looking statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Companys current expectations regarding future events, including its business, operations and condition, and managements objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions.

Various factors may prevent or delay our plans, including but not limited to, the trading price of the common shares of the Company, capital market conditions, impacts from the coronavirus or other epidemics, counterparty risk, TSXV approval(s), contractor availability and performance, weather, access, mineral and gold prices, and success and failure of the exploration and development carried out at various stages of the program. Permission from the government and community is also required to proceed with future mining production. Readers should review the Companys ongoing quarterly and annual filings, as well as any other additional documentation comprising the Companys public disclosure record, for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements.

Readers should also review the risk factors applicable to junior mining exploration companies generally to better understand the variety of risks that can affect the Company. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any Forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

PDF available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/0a19c37f-980d-4c6c-a008-ec7e8c4b3647
SACHSE, Texas, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the humanitarian crisis in Yemen continues to worsen, Pure Hands has enhanced its effort to provide critical medical supplies to health care facilities. Pure Hands has now surpassed $100 million in medical aid and supplies delivered to Yemen.

Decimated by years of war, targeted attacks and the spread of disease, Yemen is facing a collapsed healthcare system. Only 50 percent of health care facilities are still functioning, while others are on the brink of shutting down due to shortages of equipment and supplies.

"I am deeply grateful to all those that have helped deliver lifesaving medical aid to Yemen. As the situation on the ground worsens, we continue to rely on the generosity of our donors and supporters to help save lives and build a brighter future for Yemen," said Dr Mohamed Alhajaji, President of Pure Hands.

Pure Hands envisions a Yemen where communities are empowered, and all individuals have access to basic human needs. Pure Hands delivers quality relief, sustainable development, and capacity building services to Yemeni communities through a dedicated and accountable team.

As a leader in protecting the health of Yemeni families and communities, Pure Hands continues to support the most vulnerable populations amidst the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Since 2012, Pure Hands has delivered over $100 million in medical aid and supplies benefiting those in dire need.

For more information, visit www.purehands.org .

Press interested in learning more, contact info@purehands.org .

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Protocol Title: The Effect of CBD Gum on Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy



New York, NY, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: TAUG) (Tauriga or the Company), a New York based diversified Life Sciences Company, today announced that it has formally submitted its Clinical Study Protocol (Protocol) to the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The Companys Protocol Title: The Effect of CBD Gum on Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy.

The purpose of this Clinical Study is: to examine the Effects of Different Cannabidiol Doses on Reducing the Frequency and Severity of Nausea in Otherwise Healthy Pregnant Women with Excessive First Trimester Emesis and the Diagnosis of Hyperemesis Gravidarum.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum is also known as: Morning Sickness

On December 16, 2021 the IRB acknowledged receipt of the Companys above-referenced Study Protocol (CIRBI Link: Pro00059685).

The IRB will begin Administrative Review of the Protocol Submission, and notify the Company if there are any clarifications required.

The Companys proposed Cannabidiol delivery system (via: sublingual absorption / oral mucosa) utilizes its proprietary Cannabidiol infused chewing gum platform. This focuses on Sublingual Delivery, which refers to the pharmacological route of administration by which substances diffuse into the blood through tissues under the tongue. The Company expects to develop mission critical versions of its proprietary chewing gum, incorporating varying concentrations of CBD (potentially combined with other substances).

ABOUT TAURIGA SCIENCES INC.

Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (TAUG) is a revenue generating, diversified life sciences company, engaged in several major business activities and initiatives. The company manufactures and distributes several proprietary retail products and product lines, mainly focused on the Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG) Edibles market segment. The main product line, branded as Tauri-Gum, consists of a proprietary supplement chewing gum that is Kosher certified, Halal certified, and Vegan Formulated (CBD Infused Tauri-Gum Flavors: Mint, Blood Orange, Pomegranate), (CBG Infused Tauri-Gum Flavors: Peach-Lemon, Black Currant), (DELTA 8 THC Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Evergreen Mint), (Vitamin C + Zinc Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Pear Bellini), (Caffeine Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Cherry Lime Rickey), & (Vitamin D3 Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Golden Raspberry). The Companys commercialization strategy consists of a broad array of retail customers, distributors, and a fast-growing E-Commerce business segment (E-Commerce website: www.taurigum.com). Please visit our corporate website, for additional information, as well as inquiries, at http://www.tauriga.com

Complementary to the Companys retail business, is its ongoing Pharmaceutical Development initiative. This relates to the development of a proposed Pharmaceutical grade version of Tauri-Gum, for nausea regulation (specifically designed for the following indication: Patients Subjected to Ongoing Chemotherapy Treatment). On March 22, 2021, the Company announced that it had Converted its U.S. Provisional Patent Application (filed on March 17, 2020) into a U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application. The Patent, filed with the U.S.P.T.O. is Titled MEDICATED CBD COMPOSITIONS, METHODS OF MANUFACTURING, AND METHODS OF TREATMENT. On December 18, 2020 the Company disclosed that it had entered into a Master Services Agreement with CSTI to lead the Company's clinical development efforts.

The Company is headquartered in Wappingers Falls, New York. In addition, the Company operates two full time E-Commerce fulfillment centers: one located in Montgomery, Texas and the other in Brooklyn, New York.

DISCLAIMER -- Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which represent managements beliefs and assumptions concerning future events. These forward-looking statements are often indicated by using words such as may, will, expects, anticipates, believes, hopes, believes, or plans, and may include statements regarding corporate objectives as well as the attainment of certain corporate goals and milestones. Forward-looking statements are based on present circumstances and on managements present beliefs with respect to events that have not occurred, that may not occur, or that may occur with different consequences or timing than those now assumed or anticipated. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in forward looking statements due to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, such as are not guarantees of general economic and business conditions, the ability to successfully develop and market products, consumer and business consumption habits, the ability to consummate successful acquisition and licensing transactions, fluctuations in exchange rates, and other factors over which Tauriga has little or no control. Many of these risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in the Risk Factors section of Taurigas Form 10-K and other periodic filings made from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and Tauriga assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Contact:

Tauriga Sciences, Inc.

4 Nancy Court, Suite 4

Wappingers Falls, NY 12590

Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Seth M. Shaw

Email: sshaw@tauriga.com

cell # (917) 796 9926

Company Instagram: @taurigum

Personal Instagram: @sethsms47

Twitter: @SethMShaw

Corp. Website: www.tauriga.com

E-Commerce Website: www.taurigum.com
CLEVELAND, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Remarkable war stories told by the veterans who fought in themtheir own words, their voices, their memories. Warriors In Their Own Words makes history very personal with reflections from the heart and the battlefield.

Now, Evergreen Podcasts is proud to announce that Americaneagle.com is sponsoring Warriors In Their Own Words.

Americaneagle.com is a global, family-owned and operated technology company of over 650 employees that includes veterans who have risked their lives for freedom. The firm specializes in web design and development, digital marketing, hosting, and additional digital services.

Americaneagle.com CEO Tony Svanascini expressed the company's excitement as a sponsor and said, "We're proud to sponsor a podcast that highlights the veterans who fought for our nation. Our team includes veterans we honor, and the Warriors in Their Own Words podcast is a great vehicle to promote these heroes."

Warriors In Their Own Words is a production of The HONOR Project: Heroes of Our Nation On Recording. Documentarians Rob Kirk, Rob Lihani and Donna Lusitana have been recording and archiving the stories since 1991. The HONOR Project is an initiative to preserve and share these personal accounts. Kirk says, "We are in the business of reporting history. Right now, these incredibly candid stories from a passing generation are what America wants to hear."

"Americaneagle.com's sponsorship of Warriors In Their Own Words is a significant endorsement of the podcast as a remarkable archive of history told in a personal way that puts you in the war theater during the most vulnerable times," says Gerardo Orlando, VP of Network Development.

Learn more about Evergreen Podcasts and check out their complete lineup of shows . Their storytelling podcasts have something for everyone.



Contact: David Allen Moss, Chief Creative Officer (CCO)

dmoss@evergreenpodcasts.com

216.544.7942

evergreenpodcasts.com

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RADNOR, Pa., Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against Owlet, Inc. (Owlet) (NYSE: OWLT) f/k/a Sandbridge Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: SBG) (Sandbridge). The action charges Owlet with violations of the federal securities laws, including omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations relating to the companys business, operations, and prospects. As a result of Owlets materially misleading statements to the public, Owlet investors have suffered significant losses.



CANNOT VIEW THIS VIDEO? PLEASE CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR OWLET LOSSES

LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: January 18, 2022

CLASS PERIOD: March 31, 2021 through October 4, 2021

CONTACT AN ATTORNEY TO DISCUSS YOUR RIGHTS:

James Maro, Esq. (484) 270-1453 or Toll Free (844) 887-9500 or Email at info@ktmc.com

OWLETS ALLEGED MISCONDUCT

Owlet, headquartered in Lehi, Utah, operates as a digital parenting platform, focusing on giving real-time data and insights to parents. Its products include: Owlet Monitor Duo that gets the snapshot of babys wellbeing; Owlet Smart Sock that tracks babys heart rate and oxygen while sleeping and gets notifications if baby needs to be checked on; Owlet Cam, a smart HD video baby monitor; and Dream Lab, an online and personalized infant sleep solution.

On July 15, 2021, Sandbridge combined with the company Owlet Baby Care Inc., and the combined company was renamed Owlet. Then, on October 4, 2021, Owlet disclosed that it received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDAs letter informed Owlet that its marketing for the Owlet Smart Sock in the United States renders the Smart Sock a medical device requiring premarket clearance or approval from FDA, and that [Owlet] has not obtained such clearance or approval in violation of the Federal, Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. In the letter, the FDA requested that Owlet take prompt action to remedy the alleged violations and that Owlet cease commercial distribution of the Smart Sock for uses in measuring blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate where such metrics are intended to identify or diagnose desaturation and bradycardia using an alarm functionality to notify users that measurements are outside of preset values.

Following this news, Owlets stock price fell $1.29, or 23%, to close at $4.19 per share on October 4, 2021.

WHAT CAN I DO?

Owlet investors may, no later than January 18, 2022 , seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Owlet investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASE

WHO CAN BE A LEAD PLAINTIFF?

A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.

ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP

Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. At the end of the day, we have succeeded if the bad guys pay up, and if you recover your assets. The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com.

CONTACT:

Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP

James Maro, Jr., Esq.

280 King of Prussia Road

Radnor, PA 19087

(844) 887-9500 (toll free)

info@ktmc.com

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3ccb5648-a43f-4f40-891d-79a4ad017f00
BEVERLY, Mass., Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LexaGene Holdings, Inc., (TSX-V: LXG; OTCQB: LXXGF) (the Company), a molecular diagnostics company that has commercialized an instrument for automated multiplex PCR testing, is pleased to announce the voting results of the Companys 2021 Annual General Special Meeting (the Meeting) held on December 16, 2021 in Vancouver, British Columbia.



A total of 50,094,097 common shares were voted at the Meeting, representing 41.97% of the votes attached to all outstanding common shares of the Company.

All matters presented for shareholder approval at the Meeting were duly authorized and approved as follows:

To set the number of Directors to be elected at five.

Election of Directors.

The appointment of RSM US LLP, Certified Public Accountants, as auditor of the Company for the ensuing year.

The adoption by the Company of New Articles.

Increase the number of Common Shares available for conversion of Restricted Share Units.

Increase the number of Common Shares available for exercise of Options

Detailed voting results for the election of directors were as follows:

Name Shares Voted For % Shares Withheld / Abstain % Dr. John (Jack) Regan 23,261,101 95.39 1,123,964 4.61 Stephen Mastrocola 23,184,814 95.40 1,117,128 4.60 Thomas Richard Slezak 23,241,987 95.31 1,143,078 4.69 Dr. Jane Sykes 23,222,315 95.23 1,162,750 4.77 Joseph Caruso 23,088,689 94.68 1,296,376 5.32

For further details regarding the voting results of the Meeting, please refer to the Companys Report of Voting Results filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com

To be added to the LexaGene email list, please subscribe on the Company website.

To learn more about LexaGene and the MiQLab System or subscribe to company updates, visit www.lexagene.com, or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Dr. Jack Regan

Chief Executive Officer & Chairman

Corporate & Media Contact:

Gail Winslow

Director, Marketing

gwinslow@lexagene.com

978.482.6237

Investors:

ir@lexagene.com

800.215.1824

About LexaGene Holdings Inc.

LexaGene is a molecular diagnostics company that develops molecular diagnostic systems for pathogen detection and genetic testing for other molecular markers for on-site rapid testing in veterinary diagnostics, food safety and for use in open-access markets such as clinical research, agricultural testing, and biodefense. End-users simply need to collect a sample, load it onto the instrument with a sample preparation cartridge, enter sample ID and press go. The MiQLab system delivers excellent sensitivity, specificity, and breadth of detection and can return results in approximately two hours. The unique open-access feature is designed for custom testing so that end-users can load their own real-time PCR assays onto the instrument to target any genetic target of interest.

The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. Important factors -- including the availability of funds, the results of financing efforts, the success of technology development efforts, the cost to procure critical parts, performance of the instrument, market acceptance of the technology, regulatory acceptance, and licensing issues -- that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations as disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time on SEDAR (see www.sedar.com). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
RIVERSIDE, Calif., Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Claybourne Co. is proud to announce the signing of skateboarding's own "Provider" Collin Provost.

Born in Huntington Beach, Ca., Collin Provost has become one of skateboarding's most exciting guys to watch and is now linked up with one of California's most exciting cannabis brands, Claybourne Co. Not one to shy away from the conversation around the importance cannabis plays in his skating and recovery, Claybourne recognized Provost as a perfect fit for his advocacy for the plant and fast & aggressive style on the board.

Claybourne Co. CEO Nick Ortega was instrumental in the direction of the brand's addition of an athlete program, starting with bringing on Collin Provost. "Collin is as real as it comes in the skateboard industry. He beats to his own drum and doesn't care what other people think about his style or his trick selection, which is very much the Claybourne way. We at Claybourne aren't trying to prove anything to anyone, and Collin exudes that in his skating. This type of mentality is what makes him perfect for Claybourne and perfect for a California cannabis industry that is filled with too many brands trying to ride the hype train."

Collin Provost will be featured in the upcoming full-length film GangGreen, produced by Creature Skateboards.

About Claybourne Co: Born and raised in Southern California, Claybourne Co. features the most diverse portfolio of flower products in the state, from grams to ounces of big buds and small nugs, to flower + kief packs, and infused pre-rolls. Claybourne has become an industry leader in producing premium flower products through innovation and in-house breeding and genetics. Roll with Claybourne and visit claybourneco.com

Contact: Joey daRoza

Phone: 805-234-0947

Email: joey.daroza@claybourneco.com

Website: www.claybourneco.com

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Cleveland, Ohio, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Millennia Companies (Millennia) is pleased to announce that the $11.8 million renovation of 152 affordable homes at Line Creek Apartments, formerly known as Englewood Apartments, is complete. The rehabilitation project transformed once-distressed physical conditions and preserved the affordability of the housing complex located at 5432 NW Waukomis Drive in Kansas City, Missouri.

One indication of change is the result of a recent inspection by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In November, a HUD-certified inspector facilitated the agencys Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) process and subsequently issued the apartment development a score of 97c, up 35 points from a previous score of 62c.

To support this rehabilitation, in June 2019, Millennia closed on the financing necessary to preserve the affordable apartment development and soon after broke ground on the construction project, which addressed structural, systemic, and functional deficiencies that developed over time at the decades-old complex. Construction costs totaled $11.8 million, resulting in an investment of over $77,000 per apartment.

The scope of work included extensive improvements to the interiors of the buildings such as removing drywall to the studs, upgrading mechanical systems, and installing new flooring, kitchens, and bathrooms. On the exteriors of the buildings, contractors put in place new roofs, insulation, siding, and energy-efficient windows, among making other infrastructure upgrades. Additionally, there is dedicated space for resident programs and activities in the newly constructed community center.

We are proud to have preserved this apartment development at a time when access to affordable housing opportunities is needed more than ever in Kansas City and in communities across our nation, says Frank T. Sinito, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Millennia. We are finding that both residents and the surrounding community are embracing the changes made at Line Creek.

Across Missouri, there is a shortage of 122,075 rental homes affordable and available to extremely low-income households, whose incomes are at or below the poverty guideline or 30 percent of their area median income, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

At Line Creek Apartments, 100 percent of the apartments participate in the HUD Project-Based Section 8 program, meaning that the resident pays 30 percent of their income toward rent and utilities, and the remaining portion of the expenses are subsidized. Additionally, the entire apartment development benefits from low-income housing tax credits.

The following partners provided resources and support for this rehabilitation project: City of Kansas City, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Missouri Housing Development Commission, Industrial Development Authority of the City of Kansas City, WNC, Inc., Red Stone and Sterling Bank. Millennia Housing Management, Ltd. is the property management agent.

About The Millennia Companies

In 1995, Frank T. Sinito founded The Millennia Companies (Millennia), a high-performance business enterprise with a strong sense of mission to enrich lives. Millennia operates in a closely aligned set of sectors including real estate development and property management, and its portfolio includes more than 275 multifamily residential communities in 26 states - over 100 apartment developments have undergone transformative rehabilitations. In 2020, Affordable Housing Finance ranked Millennia #1 Top 10 Companies Completing Substantial Rehabilitations and #4 Top 50 Affordable Housing Owners; in 2021, Multi-Housing News ranked Millennia #16 Top Multifamily Development Firms.

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New York, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has called on the Iranian government to end its discrimination of minorities in Iran, including of the Bahai community, Irans largest non-Muslim religious minority. The vote confirms a Third Committee resolution passed in November.

The resolution, endorsed by the General Assemblys 76th session and introduced by Canada and 47 co-sponsors from all regions, passed by 78 votes in favor, with 31 against and 69 abstentions.

The international community has, yet again, used its highest forum to call on the Islamic Republic to abide by its human rights commitments and to respect the rights of the Bahais, said Bani Dugal, Principal Representative of the Bahai International Community to the United Nations. We are grateful for this constant supportand we hope the Iranian government will heed this call.

Resolutions on Irans human rights situation have been tabled and approved since the early 1980smaking it one of the UNs most enduring and troubling human rights concerns. The Bahais face harassment and intimidation, arbitrary detention in violation of due process, incitement to hatred in the media and from the pulpit, denial of business licenses and livelihoods, denial of access to higher education and confiscations of property.

One of the latest incidents, in the village of Kata, saw thirteen irrigated farmlands belonging to Bahais listed for public auction without their permission. The auction came during a serious water shortage in Iran, which may have been a pretext by authorities who for years have tried to expropriate Bahai-owned assets.

Numerous other instances of persecution of Bahais in Irana constant since the 1979 Islamic Revolutionhave also been reported over recent months. Lands belonging to Bahais in Semnan, Roshankouh and Ivel have been confiscated; hate propaganda articles have increased; new evidence has emerged of the religious prejudice motivating Irans policy of banning Bahais from higher education; and official documents have come to light that detail measures ordered by security services to suppress the Bahai community.

New laws in Irans Penal Code, articles 499 bis and 500 bis, which further criminalize religious practice for Bahais, and which also affect Sufis, atheists and any communities that hold beliefs not recognized by Irans constitution were also addressed by the motion. Article 500 bis, in particular, enables judges to impose sentences of up to five years in prison on any Bahai for sharing their beliefs with others.

Bahais do not proselytize, but the freedom to share ones beliefs with others is an inalienable right under the principles of freedom of religion and belief and an inseparable part of Bahai life, Ms. Dugal said. Iran must act on this latest United Nations resolution by respecting the rights of the Bahaisincluding their right to follow their faith and to share it with others.
SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Westamerica Bancorporation announces the appointment of Inez Wondeh to its Board of Directors.



"We are pleased to add Inez Wondeh to our Board of Directors." says David L. Payne, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Westamerica Bancorporation. Inez has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry and her unique background will enhance our board and contribute to our continued positive growth.

Ms. Wondeh was named the Chief Executive Officer at BASS Medical Group in 2019. She has held several key positions in various healthcare organizations, including four years as Chief Operating Officer at BASS where she helped execute many of the companys growth strategy shifts. BASS credits Wondeh for providing visionary leadership that inspires the highest levels of performance in the financial and operational administration of the company. She led their strategic vision in the development and expansion of one of the largest independent physician-led groups in the Bay Area, which currently includes more than 42 specialties and 200 locations.

Ms. Wondeh holds a BA in Business Administration from St. Marys College and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of San Franciscos School of Management. Additionally, Ms. Wondeh is the founder and CEO of Ngozi Educational and Health Care Foundation (NEHCF). The mission of NEHCF is to provide educational and health care needs to children impacted by wars in Africa.

Westamerica Bancorporations wholly owned subsidiary Westamerica Bank, operates commercial banking and trust offices throughout Northern and Central California.

For additional information contact:



Westamerica Bancorporation

Robert A. Thorson, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, (707) 863-6840

E-mail: investments@westamerica.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4b26590c-1561-4fe9-80a8-12f1aae4b589
LAS VEGAS and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQX: TOBAF) (FRANKFURT: 2TP) (the Company or TAAT) is pleased to announce that TAAT is now selling in tobacco retailers across the Greater London area of the United Kingdom, primarily in the borough of Croydon. In a May 20, 2021 press release, the Company outlined the unique competitive advantages it stood to benefit from by selling TAAT in the United Kingdom to include a lower price point, as well as its exemption from federal U.K. laws that mandate plain packaging of tobacco products (i.e., TAAT can be sold in colourful branded packages). Moreover, TAAT could later capitalize on an impending market gap in the tobacco category in the United Kingdom after cigarette giant Philip Morris International announced in July 2021 that it was planning to discontinue sales of tobacco cigarettes in the country by the end of the decade1.



In October 2021, the first commercial shipment of TAAT arrived in the U.K., as a partial fulfillment of more than CAD $1,200,000 worth of purchase orders from Green Global Earth (GGE), the Companys exclusive distributor for TAAT in the United Kingdom. GGE has leveraged the unique value propositions of TAAT to place all three varieties in at least 17 confirmed points of sale across Greater London, pending reports of additional verified retail placements. GGE has also obtained a finalized Confirmation of Registration from the National Health Service (NHS) for each specific variety of TAAT, further to the initial general Confirmation of Registration issued by Public Health England in August 2021.

London-area retailers currently carrying TAAT are afforded a far greater degree of flexibility with respect to how the product is positioned at the point of sale for the purpose of capturing the interest of smokers of legal age in-store, compared to products that contain tobacco. Additionally, as mentholated tobacco cigarettes were made illegal in the United Kingdom in May 20202, tobacco retailers carrying TAAT are now able to offer their customers who are smokers of legal age an option to enjoy a substantially similar smoking experience with a menthol taste.

TAAT Chief Executive Officer Setti Coscarella commented, We have been launching TAAT all over the United States for the past year, and we are thrilled to be executing our first international launch in the Greater London area. Similar to what we did in Ohio last December, we are focusing on specific areas of Greater London such as Croydon where GGE believes there are strategic advantages to launching TAAT before expanding into other regions of the United Kingdom. Something youll notice in many U.K. convenience stores and other tobacco retailers is that it is very common for them to advertise various products that impart a menthol taste and scent into regular cigarettes, since menthol tobacco cigarettes cannot be sold in the United Kingdom anymore. This is one aspect of the U.K. market that we are building our commercialization strategy around, as we continue executing our first launch of TAAT outside of the United States.



Sources

1 - https://www.npr.org/2021/07/26/1020571339/marlboro-maker-ceo-says-the-company-plans-to-stop-selling-smokes-in-the-u-k

2 - https://www.acs.org.uk/advice/menthol-ban

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company,

TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC.

Setti Coscarella

Setti Coscarella, CEO and Director

For further information, please contact:

TAAT Investor Relations

1-833-TAAT-USA (1-833-822-8872)

investor@taatglobal.com

THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE (CSE) HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE, NOR HAS OR DOES THE CSES REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER.

About TAAT Global Alternatives Inc.

The Company has developed TAAT, which is a tobacco-free and nicotine-free alternative to traditional cigarettes offered in "Original", "Smooth", and "Menthol" varieties. TAAT's base material is Beyond Tobacco, a proprietary blend which undergoes a patent-pending refinement technique causing its scent and taste to resemble tobacco. Under executive leadership with "Big Tobacco" pedigree, TAAT was launched first in the United States in Q4 2020 as the Company seeks to position itself in the $814 billion1 global tobacco industry.

For more information, please visit http://taatglobal.com .

References

1 British American Tobacco - The Global Market

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and information can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur, or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding the anticipated performance of TAAT in the tobacco industry, in addition to the following: Continued performance of TAAT at retail in stores located in the United Kingdom. The forward-looking information reflects managements current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed timeframes or at all. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include: (i) adverse market conditions; (ii) changes to the growth and size of the tobacco markets; and (iii) other factors beyond the control of the Company. The Company operates in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Companys management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Companys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

The statements in this news release have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As each individual is different, the benefits, if any, of taking the Companys products will vary from person to person. No claims or guarantees can be made as to the effects of the Companys products on an individuals health and well-being. The Companys products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This news release may contain trademarked names of third-party entities (or their respective offerings with trademarked names) typically in reference to (i) relationships had by the Company with such third-party entities as referred to in this release and/or (ii) client/vendor/service provider parties whose relationship with the Company is/are referred to in this release. All rights to such trademarks are reserved by their respective owners or licensees.

Statement Regarding Third-Party Investor Relations Firms

Disclosures relating to investor relations firms retained by TAAT Global Alternatives Inc. can be found under the Company's profile on http://sedar.com .

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/06863f5a-006e-4f80-bb3e-4e29a6930c12




Hartford, CT, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Thursday, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman , head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) , visited New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut, to meet with small business owners and to promote how the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) will bring communities together to build a better America. Administrator Guzman kicked off her visit with New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker at Attikus Book Store and Cafe and later met with Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont at Meriden Sewage Treatment Plant.

It was a privilege to see firsthand the grit, resilience, and fortitude of Connecticuts small business owners and workers as we work to Build a Better America, said Administrator Guzman. Under President Bidens leadership, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is set to deliver historic new investments in Americas economy and our most critical systems, creating more contracting opportunities for our entrepreneurs. My thanks to Governor Lamont and his team for simplifying access to procurement so more Connecticut small and disadvantaged businesses can stand ready to help build Americas next great economyone that creates more good jobs and lifts up more families and communities.

After breakfast with Mayor Elicker, the Administrator stopped by the historic Shubert Theater, a Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) recipient. While there, she met with Anthony McDonald, Shubert Theatre CEO and toured the facility to see how SBAs economic relief funding helped the venue save jobs and weather the pandemic.

Administrator Guzman also toured a series of New Haven pizza spots throughout the day, including Modern Apizza, Frank Pepe Pizzeria, and Sallys Apizza. She met with owners and staff at each restaurant to hear about their experience during the height of the pandemic and to discuss the SBAs impact on the recovery of America's small businesses.

To conclude her trip to Connecticut, the Administrator met with Governor Ned Lamont, where they discussed the implementation of BIL in Connecticut, how SBA programs have assisted the state's economic growth and the benefits of President Bidens Build Back Better Act.

Cabinet-level officials are traveling the country to discuss how the historic provisions of BIL will bring communities together and equitably invest in our country's infrastructure and significantly improve the lives of the American people.

The trip marks Administrator Guzman's first visit to Connecticut since her confirmation. Since June, Administrator Guzman has visited 21 states and U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

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TORONTO, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PIMCO Canada Corp. (PIMCO Canada) today announced the estimated 2021 December and annual cash distributions for the ETF series (ETF Series) of the PIMCO Canada mutual funds that distribute monthly (Funds). The estimated distribution amounts may differ from the actual amounts.

Unitholders of record of the ETF Series, at the close of business on December 23, 2021, will receive a per-unit cash distribution payable on or about January 4, 2022.

Details of the per-unit cash distribution amounts are as follow:

Fund Name Ticker Cash Distribution per Unit PIMCO Monthly Income Fund (Canada) PMIF $0.18904 PIMCO Monthly Income Fund (Canada) US$ PMIF.U US $0.19222 PIMCO Investment Grade Credit Fund (Canada) IGCF $0.05026 PIMCO Global Short Maturity Fund (Canada) PMNT $0.05196 PIMCO Low Duration Monthly Income Fund (Canada) PLDI $0.04604

Final distribution amounts will be announced by PIMCO Canada on or about December 22, 2021

The Manager, PIMCO Canada, administers and manages the PIMCO Canada ETFs, and retains Pacific Investment Management Company, LLC (PIMCO) to provide sub-advisory services to the Funds.

About PIMCO

PIMCO was founded in 1971 in Newport Beach, California and is one of the worlds premier fixed income investment managers. Today we have offices across the globe and 3,000+ professionals united by a single purpose: creating opportunities for investors in every environment. PIMCO is owned by Allianz S.E., a leading global diversified financial services provider.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those identified by the expressions expect, intend, will and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Funds. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect the Funds, PIMCO Canadas and/or PIMCOs current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations, including, but not limited to, market factors. Although the Funds, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. The Funds, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement or information whether as a result of new information, future events or other factors which affect this information, except as required by law.

No offering is being made by this material. Interested investors should obtain a copy of the prospectus, which is available from your Financial Advisor.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

All investments contain risk and can lose value. For a summary of the risks of an investment in a specific fund, please see the risks of mutual funds section of the prospectus.

Investments made by a Fund and the results achieved by a Fund are not expected to be the same as those made by any other PIMCO-advised Fund, including those with a similar name, investment objective or policies. A new or smaller Funds performance may not represent how the Fund is expected to or may perform in the long-term. New Funds have limited operating histories for investors to evaluate and new and smaller Funds may not attract sufficient assets to achieve investment and trading efficiencies. A Fund may be forced to sell a comparatively large portion of its portfolio to meet significant shareholder redemptions for cash, or hold a comparatively large portion of its portfolio in cash due to significant share purchases for cash, in each case when the Fund otherwise would not seek to do so, which may adversely affect performance.

Funds can offer different series, which are subject to different fees and expenses (which may affect performance), having different minimum investment requirements and are entitled to different services.

The products and services provided by PIMCO Canada may only be available in certain provinces or territories of Canada and only through dealers authorized for that purpose.

PIMCO Canada has retained PIMCO LLC as sub-adviser. PIMCO Canada will remain responsible for any loss that arises out of the failure of its sub-adviser.

PIMCO as a general matter provides services to qualified institutions, financial intermediaries and institutional investors. Individual investors should contact their own financial professional to determine the most appropriate investment options for their financial situation. This material contains the current opinions of the manager and such opinions are subject to change without notice. This material has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission. PIMCO is a trademark of Allianz Asset Management of America L.P. in the United States and throughout the world. 2020, PIMCO

Contact:

Agnes Crane

PIMCO  Media Relations Phone: +212 597.1054
READING, Pa., Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EnerSys (NYSE: ENS), the global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications, announced today that it is now a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). Launched in 2000, the UNGC is focused on helping companies align around ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption and to ensure that businesses leverage and embody the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).



David M. Shaffer, EnerSys President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, Joining the United Nations Global Compact is an important milestone as we advance our sustainability efforts. We are pleased to confirm our support of the Ten Principles, which are fully aligned with our core values. Our business is at the center of the transition to a low-carbon, clean energy future and we look forward to leveraging the UN Global Compact and the UN Sustainable Development Goals to Power the Future  Everywhere for Everyone.

EnerSys membership in the UN Global Compact is part of the companys commitment to a global sustainability strategy. To learn more, please visit our Sustainability Webpage.

With more than 14,000 companies in over 160 countries participating, the UN Global Compact holds members to the highest sustainability standards. A key requirement for participation in the UN Global Compact is an annual submission of a Communication on Progress that highlights company efforts to implement the Ten Principles. To learn more, visit www.unglobalcompact.org

About EnerSys

EnerSys, the global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications, manufactures and distributes energy systems solutions and motive power batteries, specialty batteries, battery chargers, power equipment, battery accessories and outdoor equipment enclosure solutions to customers worldwide. Energy Systems, which combine enclosures, power conversion, power distribution and energy storage, are used in the telecommunication, broadband and utility industries, uninterruptible power supplies, and numerous applications requiring stored energy solutions. Motive power batteries and chargers are utilized in electric forklift trucks and other industrial electric powered vehicles. Specialty batteries are used in aerospace and defense applications, large over-the-road trucks, premium automotive, medical and security systems applications. EnerSys also provides aftermarket and customer support services to its customers in over 100 countries through its sales and manufacturing locations around the world. With the NorthStar acquisition, EnerSys has solidified its position as the market leader for premium Thin Plate Pure Lead batteries which are sold across all three lines of business.

More information regarding EnerSys can be found at www.enersys.com.

For more information, contact Michael J. Schmidtlein, Chief Financial Officer, EnerSys, P.O. Box 14145, Reading, PA 19612-4145, USA. Tel: 610-236-4040 or by emailing investorrelations@enersys.com.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

EnerSys is making this statement in order to satisfy the Safe Harbor provision contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any of the statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may include forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. A forward-looking statement predicts, projects, or uses future events as expectations or possibilities. Forward-looking statements may be based on expectations concerning future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties relating to operations and the economic environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by forward-looking statements, please see our risk factors as disclosed in the Risk Factors section of our annual report on Form 10-K for fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, even if subsequently made available by EnerSys on its website or otherwise. EnerSys does not undertake any obligation to update or revise these statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.
United Nations, New York, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UNITED NATIONS, New York, 17 December 2021  United Nations Member States today reaffirmed their support for the UN Global Compacts mandate to engage the private sector in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals with a renewed resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly.

The resolution, under General Assembly agenda item 27  Towards global partnerships: A principle-based approach to enhanced cooperation between the United Nations and all relevant partners  reiterates the mandate of the UN Global Compact, which is to advance United Nations values and responsible business practices within the United Nations system and among the global business community. UN Member States also welcomed the commitment of the Secretary-General to continuing to retain the integrity and unique role of the United Nations Global Compact.

The resolution is an expression of broad-based support by governments of the north and south for the work of the UN Global Compact. The General Assembly expressed support for the implementation of the UN Global Compact Strategy 2021-2023, including the Africa Strategy 2021-2023 and SME Strategy 2021-2023.

Furthermore, Member States referred to UN Global Compact flagship Uniting Business Live events that occurred in the margins of the General Assembly. These events include the annual United Nations Private Sector Forum, the Global Impact Forum, the Young SDG Innovators Summit, and the SDG Business Forum.

UN Member States recognized the importance of the private sector, multi-stakeholder engagement, innovative partnerships and a conducive policy environment in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They also recalled multilateralism as a necessity. In this context, the resolution supports the work of the UN Global Compact to raise ambition and achieve stronger private sector engagement, accountability and partnerships, in support of a sustainable, resilient and inclusive recovery from COVID-19.

UN Global Compact CEO & Executive Director Sanda Ojiambo commented: We thank the UN Member States for reaffirming their strong support for the UN Global Compact. We will continue to expand our global reach by mobilizing businesses and engaging in strategic partnerships to accelerate progress towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

The progress of the UN Global Compact in engaging the private sector to implement responsible business practices and support UN goals will next be reviewed in 2024.

Notes to Editors

About the United Nations Global Compact

As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Our ambition is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 13,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and 69 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact is the worlds largest corporate sustainability initiative  one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.

For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at https://www.unglobalcompact.org/

Media Contact: Dan Thomas Email: thomas@unglobalcompact.org
SALISBURY, N.C., Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of Food Lions continuing efforts to support towns and cities impacted by the recent tornadoes, beginning Sunday, Dec. 19, through Saturday, Jan. 1, Food Lion customers at over 1,100 stores across 10 states will have the option to round up at the register. All proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross relief efforts to help people affected by tornadoes in the South and Midwest. Food Lion will match register donations up to $50,000.



The American Red Cross is thankful for Food Lions support, which will enable us to offer a safe place to stay, emotional support and comfort to impacted families across the South and Midwest in the face of one of the most devastating tornado outbreaks in years, said Elizabeth Penniman, vice president of Communications at the Red Cross.

In addition, the omnichannel retailers associate care fund, Lions Pride Foundation, will further support community members by making a $10,000 donation to an emergency relief fund established by Pilgrims Pride, one of Food Lions suppliers in Kentucky.

Food Lion is committed to helping people in the communities we serve, said Scott Libbey, Division Vice President, Food Lion. We want to do our part to support recovery efforts in the areas devastated by the recent tornadoes. We want our community partners and neighbors to know they can always count on Food Lion when they need us.

About Food Lion

Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, has more than 1,100 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 82,000 associates. By leveraging its longstanding heritage of low prices and convenient locations, Food Lion is working to own the easiest full shop grocery experience in the Southeast, anchored by a strong commitment to affordability, freshness and the communities it serves. Through Food Lion Feeds, the company has donated more than 800 million meals to individuals and families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025. Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com or job applicants may visit www.foodlion.com/careers.
Chicago, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IV Solution and Ketamine Centers of Chicago is the citys first private facility to offer clinically proven intravenous ketamine therapy for the treatment of depression, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and other ailments. These treatments are done in a state-of-the-art facility by medical professionals that fully believe in tailoring treatments to meet each patients needs. Safety is also at the forefront of every treatment that this facility administers and the clinics staff is committed to providing the best patient outcomes that seek to improve a patients quality of life and overall well-being. The leader of the medical team at IV Solution and Ketamine Centers of Chicago is Dr. Bal Nandra, who has nearly 20-years of experience in the field of anesthesia and critical care. He says, For many years the main way to treat those with mental health issues was to medicate them. While this did seem to help some patients, there were other drawbacks associated with using this approach to treat such conditions as anxiety. This includes the tendency of patients to over-medicate themselves. Sometimes these treatments even resulted in what is known as treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Thats why we here at the IV Solution and Ketamine Centers of Chicago use treatments that take a much different approach when it comes to helping people deal with an assortment of mental health issues.

Dr. Nandra went on to state that their ketamine infusion treatments typically take around 45-minutes to perform. They are undertaken with the patient lying down comfortably during the duration of them. At which time the patients blood pressure and other vital signs are constantly monitored. He also mentioned that patients experience different durations that their treatments will last. At first, it may only be as little as 1 or 2 months and then after a few sessions, a patient may be able to go up to 6-months without needing another infusion. It was also mentioned that these treatments typically produce the desired results very quickly, can tap into worrisome & bothersome thinking patterns, and may help lessen or eliminate an anxious or depressed patients dependency on medications. Other mental health concerns that ketamine therapy may be able to help with include those that suffer from OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). These are common mental health issues that can severely complicate a persons ability to lead a full and productive life. Dr. Nandra pointed out that ketamine infusion is also a clinically proven therapy for chronic pain. This includes Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) which typically occurs in the hands, feet, arms, or legs after an injury takes place in one of these areas. The team leader at the center even talked about how many patients seek out ketamine infusion therapies to help them try and get over the migraine headaches that they frequently experience.

Many of those in the Chicago area that have sought help from the center have been extremely pleased with the treatments that they have received. Brian Shehan stated, Took amazing care of me. I was in the middle of a real meltdown and they got me in immediately. Everyone on staff was compassionate and friendly. Dr. Lopez is an angel of mercy. They may have saved my life. Tara Piryaei proclaimed, Very caring and patient staff, they made me feel very welcomed and calm. Also, its a tidy and clean facility that makes me feel comfortable being there during COVID. Ive had a wonderful experience with every staff person I have met. If you are thinking about checking this place out, I definitely recommend calling in for a consult. Great work Chicago IV Solution!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQjVkoqDjwk

Those that would like a free consultation to find out how the therapies offered at the IV Solution and Ketamine Centers of Chicago fibromyalgia management solutions may benefit them can contact the center by phone, email, or by filling out and sending in the form thats found on their website. Dr. Nandra also stated that their competent team of anesthesiologists, registered nurses, and support staff performs their potentially life-changing therapies on an outpatient basis in private, confidential settings.

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For more information about IV Solution & Ketamine Centers of Chicago, contact the company here:



IV Solution & Ketamine Centers of Chicago

Bal Nandra, M.D.

(844) 948-6337

b.nandra@chicagoivsolution.com

712 N Dearborn St

Chicago, IL 60654
CAMBRIDGE, Ontario, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Association of PPE Manufacturers (CAPPEM) would like to thank all House members for the unanimous vote of approval for the federal government to supply Canadian made PPE in the parliamentary precinct and various departments and organizations of the federal government by January 31, 2022.



This is a testament to the quality of Canadian PPE and the recognition of the strategic importance of securing high quality PPE in the nations interest. It was also a stunning turn of events as new Canadian PPE manufacturers had been shut out of federal procurement since answering the governments call to action in March 2020.

Buoyed by overwhelming public support and the non-partisan collaboration of all parties leading to yesterdays unanimous vote, CAPPEM president Barry Hunt remarked This is a significant step to assuring that Canadas critical supply chain of personal protective equipment is secure against failing global supply chains, market surges, and geopolitics.

The Opposition Members unanimous consent motion (Bloc Quebecois) followed a series of media articles and a question period exchange last week between Conservative MP Tony Baldinelli, Niagara Falls, who pointed out that, while Canadian companies struggle against product dumping and unfair trade practices by China, Canadian Ministers of Parliament and other Canadian officials are being supplied only Chinese made masks on Parliament Hill.

In the early months of the COVID 19 pandemic, the Canadian government challenged innovative companies to develop PPE technologies and products with a promise of direct support and flexible procurement by government to build domestic manufacturing capacity. Canadian manufacturers responded by investing millions of dollars to establish domestic PPE manufacturing and develop some of the worlds best PPE materials, technologies, products and standards.

Today, Canada is self-sufficient in the manufacture of PPE products with the majority of materials now being sourced here in Canada, notes Mr. Hunt, but new Canadian PPE companies were still being shut out of federal procurement.

CAPPEM and its members across Canada wholeheartedly applaud yesterdays unanimous motion. However, there is still a lot of work to do before January 31st to purge foreign-made PPE from Canadian federal institutions that is often of inferior quality and may be manufactured in jurisdictions with poor labor and environmental records, adds Mr. Hunt.

We understand the challenges and we are ready to work with government to help make the necessary changes that, in the face of Omicron and future national health crises, will keep our front-line healthcare workers and all Canadians safer with access to high quality PPE, concludes Mr. Hunt.

CAPPEM represents Canadian manufacturers of PPE including masks, respirators, medical gowns, surgical gloves, disinfectants, and more. Canadian PPE producers invested over $100 million and hired over 1,000 people in response to the pandemic.

For more information, please contact: Danielle Cane  danielle.cane@cappem.ca
Governor Northam Announces Virginia to Reduce Water Pollution, Increase Access to Clean Water

$411.5 million investment in American Rescue Plan funds will improve aging water and sewer infrastructure, restore waterways

RICHMONDGovernor Ralph Northam today announced that Virginia plans to allocate $411.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to reduce water pollution and increase access to clean water across the Commonwealth. The proposal will make substantial investments in aging water systems and improve drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure.

The announcement is part of Investment Week, during which the Governor and legislative leaders will highlight proposals for distributing the $4.3 billion in ARP funding available to the Commonwealth in advance of the August 2nd special session.

With this funding, we have a tremendous opportunity to rebuild our aging water systems and ensure every Virginia family has reliable access to safe, clean drinking water, said Governor Northam. In addition to modernizing water and sewer infrastructure across the Commonwealth, these investments will go a long way towards restoring the health of our waterways and reducing pollution in our communities.

The proposal includes $186.5 million for wastewater treatment and nutrient removal, $125 million for combined sewer overflow projects in Richmond, Alexandria, and Lynchburg, and $100 million to assist water systems in small and disadvantaged communities. These proposed investments supplement more than $300 million in ARP funding that the Commonwealth sent to towns in June and $2.3 billion made available to Virginias 133 counties and cities directly from the federal government to meet local response and recovery needs, which include improving access to clean drinking water and to supporting vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.

Protecting the environment, and particularly providing for sanitary disposal of wastewater, is critical to public health and the economy, said Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources Matthew J. Strickler. These investments will put us even closer to restoring the Chesapeake Bay, and will clean up streams and improve septic and sewer systems across the Commonwealth.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of ensuring all Virginians have access to basic necessitiessafe housing, quality health care, food security, and reliable utilities, said Secretary of Health and Human Resources Daniel Carey, MD, MHCM. Investing in our water systems will help advance health equity and ensure a robust economic recovery.

Clean water supports overall public health by preventing water-related ailments, increasing sanitation, and enabling food production. Affordable and reliable access to clean water is also important for driving economic activity across a broad range of industries, from tourism and outdoor recreation to agriculture and manufacturing.

Maintaining wastewater infrastructure is an essential function of government, said Senator Mamie Locke. I am grateful to my colleagues in the General Assembly and to Governor Northam for investing in this issue that has gone unaddressed for far too long.

This is a public health issue, an economic issue, and an equity issue, said House Majority Leader Charniele Herring. This investment means more Virginians can focus on leading healthy lives and taking pride in their communities, not worrying about high utility bills.

As someone who values our natural ecosystems, I am excited to see the tremendous benefits this will bring to improving the health of watersheds across the Commonwealth, said Senator David Marsden. It is critical to use these federal funds to make permanent improvements in our fight for clean water.

Every Virginian deserves access to clean water and we know that a healthy environment is the backbone of a strong economy, said Delegate David Bulova. I look forward to continuing to work with the Administration and my fellow legislators to make Virginia the healthiest state in the nation.

# # #
Blue Biofuels (BIOF) and the United States Department of Agricultures Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) are collaborating on optimizing the yields of Pennisetum hybridum, commonly known as king grass, a perennial grass biomass crop, that the Company is using as feedstock for its patented mechanocatalytic cellulose-to-sugar (CTS) process.





The USDA ARS and BIOF are cooperating to develop production methods which can be used to increase the productivity of land in Florida formerly used for orange production prior to the devastation of the industry by citrus greening.

(Citrus greening is one of the worlds most serious citrus plant diseases. It is also known as Huanglongbing (HLB) or yellow dragon disease. Once a tree is infected, there is no cure. While the disease poses no threat to humans or animals, it has devastated millions of acres of citrus crops throughout the United States and abroad. Citrus greening is spread by a disease-infected insect, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama)).

The growth of a perennial grass biomass crop can add additional profit opportunities for Florida and to other parts of the US with climates suitable for tropical biomass production.

This agreement will study the ability to minimize inputs using nitrogen fixing cover crops, or other production practices, while maintaining or increasing biomass yields. The USDA ARS will gain knowledge which would then be published, and BIOF will optimize its production practices for biomass feedstocks.

The knowledge gained from this agreement will be available to growers to allow them to efficiently supply the required biomass feedstock for production of sugars for cellulosic ethanol or further processed into renewable jet fuel.

Both the USDA ARS and BIOF will supply resources needed for the project. BIOF has a research farm near Arcadia, Florida, upon which king grass is growing, and facilities for conducting tests for productions trials; The USDA ARS will supply expertise and harvesting equipment to collect materials for storage, processing, and conversion by BIOF.

The trials will be set up to allow for public presentations and publications. The work will be open access via scientific and popular press to allow both local and other producers to use the production practices developed to help supply feedstock to BIOF facilities and other bioenergy conversion facilities. This project allows BIOF and the USDA ARS to support missions to help producers develop integrated solutions that solve their problems related to productivity, profitability, energy efficiency, and natural resource stewardship.

CTS technology is a near-zero-carbon footprint system that can convert virtually any plant materialgrasses, wood, paper, farm waste, yard waste, forestry products, fruit casings, nut shells, and the cellulosic portion of municipal solid wasteinto sugars and lignin. Sugars are subsequently processed into biofuels. Lignin may be further converted into biodegradable bioplastics or used in ion exchange resins.

Management believes that biofuel originating from the Companys CTS process will be eligible to receive generous D3 cellulosic Renewable Fuel Credits (RINs) from the US Government. The D3 RIN is currently around $3/gallon of ethanol, which could be earned in addition to the market price of ethanol. This incentive is offered to all domestic cellulosic fuel producers whose fuel is used in the transportation industry. The Environmental Protection Agencys newly proposed revised mandate for cellulosic ethanol for 2020 is 510 million gallons, for 2021 is 620 million gallons, and for 2022 is 770 million gallons.
GREENWICH  A Greenwich native has been hired as the new head of school at Eagle Hill School, a private school in town that specializes in educating children with learning differences.

The Board of Trustees made the announcement Thursday that Gretchen Larkin will be the fifth permanent head of school. Larkin will succeed Interim Head of School Jim Heus on July 1, 2023.

The announcement came after an extensive search that involved reviewing many highly qualified candidates from schools throughout the United States in partnership with search consultants at RG175, Eagle Hill said in a statement.

While visiting our campus, Gretchen demonstrated that she is a dynamic and engaging leader, said Patty Murphy, chair of Eagle Hills Board of Trustees. Her personal and professional experiences, as well as the time spent with members of our community, confirm her passion for the mission of Eagle Hill School. The Board is looking forward to working with Gretchen to build on Eagle Hills reputation as a national leader in LD education.

Larkin, a graduate of Greenwich Academy, said she is excited to return to her hometown with her husband, Bill, a native of Darien.

I cannot remember a time that I have been as excited as I am at this moment  being named Eagle Hill Schools fifth head of school is a dream come true, she said in a statement. The future is bright for this amazing school that quite literally transforms the lives of children and their families.

She will begin in the job in July 2023, and in a statement, Eagle Hill said, a long lead time for leadership change at independent schools is becoming more common.

Given the issues schools are facing with COVID, having a full school year to transition allows both schools to prepare their constituents and plan accordingly for the change, resulting in a smooth transition from one institution to another, the statement said.

Larkin is now in her eighth year of serving as the head of school at Charles River School, a PK-8 school in Dover, Mass. As the leader there, she created a new multi-age model for delivering early childhood education, oversaw a comprehensive strategic plan, increased enrollment, reduced attrition and led a record-breaking capital campaign, according to the statement from Eagle Hill.

Before that, Larkin served in a variety of roles at independent schools in greater Boston, as well as teaching positions at Brunswick School in Greenwich and Windward School in White Plains, N.Y. At the beginning of her teaching career, Larkin served as a second-grade co-teacher at Brunswick as part of her graduate school field work in 1998.

Larkin holds a Master of Arts in Teaching degree with honors from Manhattanville College as well as a bachelors degree in French from Lake Forest College in Illinois.

Founded in 1975, Eagle Hill School is an independent, co-educational day and five-day boarding school for students ages 5 to 15 with language-based learning differences, including dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, executive functioning disorder, auditory processing disorder and ADHD.

Heus was named interim head of school at Eagle Hill in July 2020, replacing Clay Kaufman. Previously, Heus had worked for 20 years at Ridgefield Academy.

Kaufman had announced in April 2020 that he was leaving effective June 30, 2020, to pursue other career opportunities, the trustees said. He is now the head of school at the Cedar School, which opened this fall in town and is also focused on students with language-based learning differences.

The goal of Eagle Hill is to provide intensive, short-term remedial instruction to children with learning differences and return them to the educational mainstream. It serves children from across Fairfield County, Westchester County, N.Y., and beyond.

For students at Eagle Hill, the learning experience is completely personalized based on an evaluation of the specific nature of his or her learning difference. For more information, visit eaglehillschool.org.
The clock struck midnight as Kourtney Vier was wheeled into the delivery room at the University of Iowa Hospital. She had just crossed the line between her 22nd and 23rd week of pregnancy, and the baby was coming.

"I'm scared," she cried out to her husband.

Doctors and nurses kept telling her "you're doing great" and before long, the room erupted into cheers. Zeke Vier - at 1 pound 5 ounces and 11 inches long - had been born.

Vier saw her son for just a few seconds before he was swaddled away to neonatal intensive care. He wasn't crying or moving, she remembered. But as she looked at his little fingers and toes, she thought about how he would not be alive if she had stayed at the first hospital she had tried near her hometown. "They told me there was nothing they could do," she recalled, since their policy before 24 weeks of pregnancy was to offer only compassionate care.

Today, at 7 months old, after several surgeries and a bout with infection, Zeke is a chubby 12-pound baby, who left the hospital in mid-November just in time to meet his older brother for the first time for the holidays.

Babies like Zeke are surviving earlier than once thought possible, intensifying debate about how early in a baby's development to use aggressive lifesaving treatments and remaking the debate over abortion. Abortion opponents cite cases like Zeke's to challenge the concept of fetal viability - a central issue in a case argued earlier this month before the U.S. Supreme Court court about Mississippi's abortion restrictions that has the potential to overturn nearly 50 years of abortion precedents.

The antiabortion movement is harnessing advances in neonatology to suggest that the notion of viability laid out in Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 ruling establishing a constitutional right to abortion, will soon be obsolete as a matter of science and of law. That is playing out one way in the survival of tiny preemies - and another way in legislative chambers and courtrooms, where abortion opponents use such developments to chip away at the framework of viability that has undergirded abortion rights for nearly five decades.

The arguments often elide painful realities - among them, that babies that survive at these very early stages of development need extraordinary and costly medical interventions that often have lifetime consequences, including cerebral palsy, deafness, blindness or motor impairment. As a result, these lifesaving efforts are often undertaken on behalf of parents with both the means and the desire to care for them through what may be many challenging years to come.

Decades of advances in medical treatment have made Roe's viability threshold a moving target - compressing the timeline by about one week every 10 years from the original 28. Led by the University of Iowa health system, which has pioneered some of these advances, an increasing number of hospitals are delivering babies 22 and 23 weeks into pregnancy. One study of more than 900 U.S. hospitals found the number offering active treatment for infants born at 22 weeks grew from 26% in 2007 to 58% in 2019. With new scientific advances on the horizon such as artificial wombs, in which fetuses could be grown outside the body, some wonder if we are headed to a point where Roe's viability framework is on a collision course with modern medicine.

When Supreme Court justices heard arguments earlier this month about whether to uphold a Mississippi law that bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, several conservative justices seemed ready to limit if not overturn Roe's legal framework based on viability.

"The fetus has an interest in having a life," Justice Samuel Alito Jr. said. "And that doesn't change, does it, from the point before viability to the point after viability?"

Elizabeth Prelogar, the U.S. solicitor general who represented the Biden administration and arguing in support of Jackson Women's Health Organization, the last abortion clinic in Mississippi, countered that she does not believe "there's any line that could be more principled than viability."

"The factors the court would have to think about are what is most consistent with precedent, what would be clear and workable, and would preserve the essential components of the liberty interest," she argued. "Viability checks all those boxes."

It is against this backdrop that extremely premature babies like Zeke, and the work of neonatologists Edward Bell and Matthew Rysavy at the University of Iowa saving babies at ever younger ages, have received such scrutiny from foes and proponents of abortion rights both.

- - -

Edward Bell went to medical school in 1979, six years after the historic Roe ruling. In that decision, the late Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun, a former attorney who represented the Mayo Clinic, wrote the opinion that established a woman's constitutional right to terminate her pregnancy - but held that the state's interests in fetal life justified restrictions after the second trimester, which was then considered the threshold of viability.

The line was drawn at around 28 weeks and 1,000 grams, or about 2.2 pounds.

Bell vividly recalls what happened when, as a young medical student, he instinctively tried to save a baby that did not meet those criteria.

"I got scolded for resuscitating a baby less than 1,000 grams. That was thought to be the limit," he said. "Now we have babies at 300 grams [about 10.6 ounces]."

The scientific advances that changed the timeline of viability accelerated as Bell's career took off. There was no single miracle treatment or discovery, he said, just a series of incremental improvements over time. They included things such as giving steroids to the mother if there are signs of possible premature birth to supercharge the fetus's lung development, new screenings and care to prevent damage to eyes, a better understanding of oxygen levels needed during the first weeks of life, and new knowledge about how to nourish babies and keep them warm.

By the 1980s and '90s, babies were regularly surviving at 26 weeks and by the 2000s, around 24 weeks. It wasn't long before doctors discovered they could save some babies at 23 weeks or even younger.

That has spurred a patchwork of legal, financial and ethical standards among different states, institutions and doctors. Many hospitals have held firm to a 23- to 24-week line, and, as a matter of policy, do not provide lifesaving care to babies under that gestational age, arguing it's unethical to subject a baby, parents and medical providers to such procedures, only to have the child die.

But a growing number are offering aggressive treatment to babies in that difficult 22- to 23-week "gray zone," - or even younger - resulting in an estimated 5,000 extremely premature babies born each year.

The youngest premature baby to survive is believed to be Curtis Means, born in July 2020 at 21 weeks, weighing about 420 grams, or 14.8 ounces - less than one pound. The attending physician, Brian Sims, expressed surprise that Means beat the odds in a statement issued by the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, where he cared for Means and his mother: "We typically advise for compassionate care in situations of such extremely preterm births." But Curtis's mother had asked Sims and other doctors to give him a chance.

In November, after Curtis had been at home for more than seven months and Guinness World Records declared him the world's most premature baby, he was still on oxygen but able to sit up on his own, and his mother, Michelle "Chelly" Butler, described him as "very active."

A consensus statement updated in 2019 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine describes borderline viability as 20 weeks to 25 weeks and six days. Instead of offering specific guidelines, the medical groups note that when "delivery is anticipated near the limit of viability, families and health care teams are faced with complex and ethically challenging decisions."

Bell, the University of Iowa neonatologist, believes the line of viability is now at 22 weeks and will soon move to 21 weeks.

In a study published in June in the Journal of Pediatrics that followed up a pivotal 2015 paper in the New England Journal of Medicine, Rysavy, Bell and other researchers rocked the neonatology world by showing that if some extremely premature babies are given intensive care, they can survive. In essence, they demonstrated that part of the previously reported, low survival rates may have been because of hospitals' reluctance to give active care - making "poor survival a self-fulfilling prophecy," as one doctor put it in an opinion piece that ran with the study.

"There was a time we thought that there was a biological barrier to viability we were never going to surpass," Bell said, "but we now know that's not the case."

Still, he and other neonatologists acknowledge that development of radical technology such as artificial wombs may be needed to move the needle much further. Part of the challenge is the baby's lungs, which are not developed enough to breathe room air and may do better in a watery environment.

The field experienced a major breakthrough in 2017 when Emily Partridge, Marcus Davey and Alan Flake from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) announced a prototype of a "biobag" that they had used to gestate sheep. It consists of a replacement placenta that provides oxygen to the sheep fetus via the umbilical cord and blood that is pumped by the fetus's heart. Scientists in the Netherlands, funded by an innovation grant from the European Union, are working on a similar technology to create a fluid-based environment and have said their prototype could be ready for use with human fetuses by 2029.

Bioethicists, philosophers and other experts said the development would challenge the whole notion of viability as a marker for when abortion can occur. Today, a person's right to decide not to be pregnant results in the termination of the fetus. But if science evolves to the point that those two things could be separated, a person might retain the right to cease carrying a fetus - but not terminate the fetus.

"The abortion debate as we know it now would change profoundly, if not altogether be ended," said Christopher Kaczor, a professor of philosophy at Loyola Marymount University, a Catholic institution, and who lays out arguments against abortion in his book, "The Ethics of Abortion."

Kaczor imagines that artificial wombs would likely be used first as part of the intensive care given to premature infants. But soon, that technology would become more common: "You could end pregnancy but still have the human being put into the artificial womb."

Katie Watson, a bioethicist and lawyer at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine who has served as an adviser on the Planned Parenthood medical board, calls that notion an "Orwellian scenario": "If a woman does not want to create another person, suddenly the state takes it out of the womb so the state can raise it - or force her to?"

Watson argues that Supreme Court justices always knew that viability would be a moving target and that evolving science does not change that. As a result, she argued, Roe's framework should stand.

She believes viability is not only a fair approach - but the best one: "It's the only biological standard that includes the woman in which the fetus lives. Until that time when they can live separately, it is legally and ethically appropriate to think about both."

"The Roe court was very wise to not peg its definition of viability to a number," she said. "They intentionally used that flexible language so that the viability standard could move with medicine."

Bell and Rysavy, the University of Iowa doctors, are cognizant of the collision between treatment advances in neonatology and abortion rights. Medical teams such as theirs go to extraordinary lengths to save and nurse premature babies back to health. Yet some state laws allow - and many physicians support - the right to abortion at those same fetal ages, although as a practical matter, few people abort on or after 21 weeks of gestation.

The researchers did not want to comment on the Supreme Court case, or the new Texas abortion law, which effectively bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, except to stress their dismay that their work is being politicized.

"Our work is really completely divorced from the political issue of abortion, and when abortions should be legal," Bell said. "We're really focused on what is possible for babies that are born prematurely."

For Rysavy, the wishes of his patients are what drive his work: "We're talking about babies where the parents have requested intensive care. It's their desire to have a baby that survives. In that way, it's very different than the abortion debate."

In September, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists took a major step recognizing that the viability threshold is moving by recommending that doctors consider giving steroids to a pregnant person at 22 weeks, if premature birth appears likely.

- - -

Kourtney and Riley Vier met in college when she hosted a soup party at the University of Iowa in the fall where everyone was supposed to bring homemade concoctions. Riley brought bread instead and asked her out. They dated for 11 months and were engaged for seven years before marrying in 2013. She got a job in social media communications, and Riley was working in marketing for an agricultural construction firm.

A few years later, the couple had a boy, Jack, but she had two miscarriages before becoming pregnant again. At 19 weeks, Kourtney Vier feared she'd lose another. The doctor at the nearest hospital in Des Moines noticed her cervix had lengthened, indicating a risk for premature birth and within days, she started bleeding.

"It was lots and lots of blood, and I was like, 'Is there anything you can do?' and he just said, 'Not until 24 weeks,' " she said. "The plan of care was, if you come here before 24 weeks, 'I'm sorry your child is going to die.' "

Vier made a follow-up appointment with her regular OB/GYN who advised her to go immediately to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City about two hours away. By that time, she was 22 weeks and four days along.

The couple drove that night and when they arrived, doctors gave Vier a shot of steroids and antibiotics and put her on bed rest to try to delay the delivery as long as possible.

She recalls focusing on the numbers: The University of Iowa has among the highest survival rates for infants born so young. Since 2008, it has admitted 60 premature infants born at 22 weeks gestation, with 62% survival, and 101 premature infants at 23 weeks gestation with 75% survival.

It was at 10:30 p.m. at 22 weeks and six days, when the baby would no longer wait. Two hours later, on May 14, Zeke Vier was born.

The first few weeks of his life in NICU Bay No. 1 were tough. Most babies born that early die within the first day, but Kourtney Vier didn't know that until later. Zeke had three surgeries the first week. After that, he started retaining fluids and swelled up dangerously. A minor infection followed. Then pneumonia.

The hospital bill grew into the hundreds of thousands; luckily, their insurance covered the bill after they paid their deductible.

It wasn't until Day 66 that Zeke got off the higher-flow ventilator and his care team began to talk about plans for discharge. "It is amazing," she said. "He has come so far, exceeding everyone's expectations."

Vier, who recently celebrated her 30th birthday, still has moments of upset over what could have been. "I am still angry about it," she said. "If it was up to some of the doctors, I would be a grieving mother right now."

By the same token, she is frustrated at those who politicize the heroic measures that allowed her son to survive.

Vier said that with the Mississippi case before the Supreme Court, she thinks a lot about the stories of the people seeking abortions, as well as about people in her position trying to save early pregnancies. "Regardless of what side you are on," she said, "that's a very difficult position."

"Whenever I hear people talk about, 'My child was saved at a young gestational age . . . Shouldn't that prove abortion at later times is not right?' I think I don't want the absolute beauty and amazing advancements of science to be clouded by that. The doctors saving these babies are not trying to change laws," she said.

After 182 days in the hospital, on Nov. 12, Zeke was ready to go home. He's still on supplemental oxygen, but on track developmentally for his due-date age of 3 months.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  The Minnesota police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright told jurors at her manslaughter trial on Friday that she didnt want to hurt anybody that day, saying during sometimes tearful testimony that she shouted a warning about using her Taser on Wright after she saw fear in a fellow officers face.

Kim Potter, 49, has said she meant to draw her Taser instead of her handgun during the April 11 traffic stop in Brooklyn Center when she killed Wright. She testified that she was sorry it happened" and that she doesnt remember what she said or everything that happened after the shooting, saying much of her memory of those moments is missing.

Potter is charged with first-degree and second-degree manslaughter in the killing of Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist who was pulled over for having expired license plate tags and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. Potter, who was training another officer at the time, said she probably wouldn't have pulled Wright's car over if she had been on her own that day because many drivers were late on renewing their tags at that point of the pandemic.

After she and the other two officers at the scene that day decided to arrest Wright on an outstanding warrant for a weapons violation, the encounter just went chaotic," Potter told the jury. Wright pulled away from the officers and got back in his car, police body camera footage of the traffic stop shows.

I remember yelling, Taser, Taser, Taser, and nothing happened, and then he told me I shot him, Potter said through tears. Her body camera video recorded Wright saying, Ah, he shot me an instant after the shooting.

Potters attorneys argued that she made a mistake but also would have been justified in using deadly force if she had meant to because one of the other officers, then-Sgt. Mychal Johnson, was at risk of being dragged by Wrights car.

Johnson testified last week that he was leaning into the car to make sure the gear shifter was in park and to shut off the vehicle, and that he had grabbed Wright's right arm with both hands to try to handcuff him. He said at the time he couldn't see what Potter was doing, but began backing out when he heard Potter shout, Taser!

Composite video appeared to show Johnsons hands still in the car at the time the shot was fired.

Potter said nothing in court about making a mistake, and she seemed to give a chronology of what happened without providing insight into what she was thinking.

During cross-examination, prosecutor Erin Eldridge noted that Potter testified that she decided to draw her Taser after she saw Johnson looked scared. Potter agreed that was her testimony. But Eldridge said Potter told a defense expert that she didn't know why she drew her Taser. Quoting from the expert's report, Eldridge said that Potter said: I dont have an answer, my brain said grab the Taser. Potter told the court she didn't recall saying that.

Eldridge also got Potter to say that she didn't plan to use deadly force.

Eldridge drove hard at Potters training, getting her to agree that her use-of-force training was a key component to being an officer. Potter testified that she was also trained on when to use force and how much to use, and that there was a policy that dictated what officers could or could not do.

Potter testified under questioning by one of her lawyers that she had no training on weapons confusion, saying it was mentioned in training but wasn't something her departments officers were physically trained on. She also said she never used a Taser while on duty during her 26 years on the force, though she had pulled it out a few times to de-escalate situations, and that she never used her gun until the day she shot Wright.

Potter, who was training Officer Anthony Luckey, said Luckey noticed Wrights car in a turn lane with the signal turned on inappropriately, then saw an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror as well as expired tags.

She said Luckey wanted to stop the vehicle, and although she most likely wouldn't have done so if shed been on patrol by herself, it is important for trainees to have many encounters with the public. She said after they found there was a warrant for Wright's arrest, they were required to take him into custody.

She said they also were required to find out who Wrights female passenger was because a woman  a different one, as it turned out  had taken out a restraining order against him.

While defense attorney Earl Gray walked her though what happened, he did not ask her whether she meant to draw her Taser. A prosecution witness testified earlier in the week that she would not have decided to use her Taser if she thought there was a danger it could cause a death or great bodily harm.

Potter, who resigned two days after the shooting, was matter-of-fact and gave brief answers for most of the cross-examination.

Under questioning by her own attorney, Potter said she has been in therapy since the shooting, and that she left Minnesota and is no longer a police officer. She said she quit the police force because there was so much bad things happening. ... I didnt want anything bad to happen to the city.

Wright's death set off angry demonstrations for several days in Brooklyn Center. It happened as another white officer, Derek Chauvin, was standing trial in nearby Minneapolis for the killing of George Floyd.

Before Potter took the stand, a defense witness testified that police officers can mistakenly draw their guns instead of Tasers under high-stress situations because their ingrained training takes over.

Laurence Miller, a psychologist who teaches at Florida Atlantic University, said that the more someone repeats the same act, the less they have to think about it. Miller said that when a person learns a new skill, memory of an old skill might override that, resulting in an action error in which an intended action has an unintended effect.

You intend to do one thing, think youre doing that thing, but do something else and only realize later that the action that you intended was not the one you took, he said.

Some experts are skeptical of the theory. Geoffrey Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina who is not involved in Potter's trial, has said theres no science behind it.

On cross-examination, Eldridge quoted from a 2010 article Miller wrote in which he described how police can avoid what he termed one big mistake. He wrote that many such mistakes are preventable through proper training and practice.

State sentencing guidelines call for just over seven years in prison upon conviction of first-degree manslaughter and four years for second-degree, though prosecutors have said they plan to push for longer sentences.

Both sides will present closing arguments Monday before the case goes to the mostly white jury.

___

Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin. Associated Press writers Tammy Webber in Fenton, Michigan, and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis also contributed.

___

Find the APs full coverage of the Daunte Wright case: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright
NEW YORK (AP)  Alarmed by a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases and the increasing prevalence of the omicron variant, New York City officials will distribute one million masks and 500,000 home tests, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday.

The mass distributions are part of a broader plan to counter the virus' spread that also includes making testing more easily available through more sites and extended hours.

The state's governor also said an online site would be set up where residents could ask for at-home tests to be sent to them, in targeted ways.

While only a few cases of the omicron variant have been confirmed so far in the city, federal health officials are estimating that it already accounts for around 13% of virus cases in the region that includes New York and New Jersey.

De Blasio said it's clear omicron is "in full force and spreading.

This variant moves fast. We need to move faster, the mayor said at a news briefing in Brooklyn.

New York state reported nearly 18,300 new cases of the virus Wednesday, the third highest total for any single day since COVID-19 tests became widely available to the public in the spring of 2020. Nearly 83,000 people have tested positive in the seven-day period that ended Wednesday, the most for any such period since last January.

New York City had been mostly spared the worst of the big surge in COVID-19 cases that has taken place across the northeastern and midwestern U.S. since Thanksgiving, but the situation has been changing rapidly in recent days.

One million N95 masks will be distributed for free through the city's Test & Trace Corps, community based organizations and clinics. The 500,000 free at-home tests will similarly be distributed through community organizations, the mayor said.

The plan also includes beefed-up business inspections to check compliance with the citys vaccine mandates and a media campaign to promote booster shots.

I do expect cases will continue to increase in the coming days, and this is based on the trajectory that were following from other countries like South Africa, the United Kingdom and Denmark, City Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi said.

Chokshi was issuing an updated advisory detailing steps New Yorkers should take to limit the spread of the virus.

De Blasio said it's possible they could alter current plans to allow a crowd into Times Square this New Years Eve. But he also noted proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be required for revelers.

For the state, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday an online portal would allow New Yorkers to ask for at-home tests, and that there would be targeting of areas with criteria, such as having the least number of people vaccinated and higher case rates.
GREENWICH  With a record-setting 64 new cases of COVID-19 reported Friday in the Greenwich schools, the district topped 300 cases so far this school year, according to the districts online tracker.

The 64 new cases was the largest one-day report for the Greenwich Public Schools since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, topping the previous one-day record of 35 new cases set Tuesday, the tracker said.

That brings the total for December so far to 149 cases of COVID-19 among students and staff, the largest one-month total in GPS this school year. The total number of COVID-19 cases reported since classes began on Sept. 1 is now at 303, according to the district.

The school district also reported there are 104 active cases of COVID-19, with cases reported in every school building and the most at Greenwich High with 43 active cases, according to the tracker. That is up from 53 active cases district-wide reported on Tuesday.

All 15 school buildings were impacted by active COVID-19 cases. This is the school-by-school breakdown: 43 cases at Greenwich High; 11 at North Mianus; eight at Eastern Middle; six each at North Street and Western Middle; five each at Central Middle and Glenville; four at New Lebanon; three each at Parkway and Riverside; and two each at Cos Cob, Hamilton Avenue, International School at Dundee, Julian Curtiss and Old Greenwich.

The surge in COVID in the public schools mirrors an increase in the town and across the state.

In the town of Greenwich, a total of 157 cases of COVID-19 were reported between Dec. 7 and Dec. 14, Director of Health Caroline Baisley said, and a town resident diagnosed with COVID-19 died in the past week.

I dont think Im an alarmist, I just want people to take the necessary precautions for themselves, Baisley told Greenwich Time. People need to know they need to take personal precautions when they go out.

The town was monitoring 126 active COVID cases as of Wednesday, which is 28 more than last week, said Baisley, who urged residents to increase their use of masks to protect themselves against COVID-19.

As I am sure you are all well aware, there has been a large uptick in positive COVID cases in town, Superintendent Toni Jones said in a statement emailed Friday afternoon to families in the Greenwich Public Schools.

The majority of positive cases in the schools are primarily from birthday parties, sports and holiday events, she said. There is much talk about different variants now found in the State of Connecticut, and they are proving to be more contagious than before.

Jones praised the the health care team who are working tirelessly to alert families  either by phone or email  if their child has been exposed. They are truly our heroes working behind the scenes to keep us all safe.

She urged parents to keep children at home if they have symptoms of COVID-19.

If you are having difficulty scheduling a lab COVID test to be cleared for the return to school, GPS is temporarily accepting home tests for reentry, Jones said. The family may take a picture of the negative test and submit it to their school nurse.

COVID numbers

Cases have been rising steadily since mid-November, mirroring a similar trend seen among the population of Connecticut, where the positivity rate of COVID-19 tests, overall infections and hospitalizations have increased sharply in recent weeks.

Fridays numbers were the sixth-straight double-digit report of new cases of COVID in the public schools, according to the Greenwich tracker, which the district updates every Tuesday and Friday. The district reported a total of 35 cases of COVID-19 on Dec. 14, with 21 cases on Dec. 10, 14 cases on Dec. 7, 17 cases on Dec. 3 and 10 cases on Nov. 30.

Students were the largest affected group, with 91 active cases reported among the 104 active cases in the district. The district also reported eight cases among teachers, four cases among service providers and one case in a non-teaching staff member, the district said.

Of the active cases, 61 were attributed to infection from family or outside activity, 41 were of undetermined origin and two were due to in-school transmission, according to the district.

The latest figures show that 27.7 percent of children between the ages of 5 and 11 in Greenwich are fully vaccinated, according to the tracker. For children ages 12 to 17 in town, the vaccination rate is 89.2 percent. At Greenwich High, more than 83 percent of all students are fully vaccinated, according to the district.

Since the start of the school year, a total of 49 families in the district have reported multiple cases of COVID-19 affecting 110 individuals, according to the tracker.

The district says it updates the online tracker every Tuesday and Friday to keep the community informed on the pandemic. The district reported 65 cases in November, 29 cases in October and 58 cases in September, according to the tracker.

For the 2020-21 school year, a total of 700 cases of COVID-19 were reported across the Greenwich school district.

Lamont: No remote learning

Despite the increase in cases, Gov. Ned Lamont said Monday he has no plans to send Connecticuts schools back to remote learning.

Our schools opened a year-plus ago, they opened safely, they were some of the safest places in Connecticut, Lamont said, pointing out that additional precautions, such as vaccines for children ages 5 and older, have become available.

In the latest weekly numbers reported Thursday, schools across Connecticut reported a total of 2,483 cases of COVID-19 cases among students, a sharp uptick from the low of 487 cases reported the week ending Nov. 3. Of the cases, 294 of the students were fully vaccinated, 1,951 were not vaccinated and there was no vaccine information for 238 cases.

The state also reported 400 cases of COVID among teachers across Connecticut as of Thursday. Of those cases, 286 of the teachers were fully vaccinated, 105 were not vaccinated and there was no vaccine information for nine of the cases.

Includes prior reporting by staff writer Ken Borsuk.
Im in a local grocery store, 1994, Eugene, Oregon, standing in front of the sweet potato bin and the yam bin. These kamutis dont look like the ones I ate at home. Theyll change color once I boil them.

Took them to my apartment. Boiled them. They didnt change. I must have picked up the yam. Went back to the store, for sure got the ones labeled sweet potatoes.

Boiled them. They still didnt change color. The yams must have rolled into the sweet potato bin. Went back to the store. Got sweet potatoes from the opposite side of the bin.

Boiled them. They didnt turn to beige. Threw my hands in the air and gave up. And on the same grocery visit, why are there no heads on the shrimp cuz how am I supposed to make shrimp kado?

Fast forward to 2004, having not purchased kamuti since. Im flipping through a produce binder in Cary, North Carolina, and to my surprise, there are so many kinds of sweet potatoes, not just the beige-skinned, beige-fleshed ones I grew up with on Guahan. Wow, I never knew!

Here I am, the end of 2021, in awe of how growing up on Guahan is special and isolating. My Guahan memories center on food, as Im sure yours do too.

Discovering cuisines from around the world has been both enlightening, and sad  leaving a yearning for what I had back home. The orange sweet potatoes still dont hold a candle to the beige ones. And shrimp kado without the head isnt the same because sucking the juice from the body is different from sucking the juice out of the head.

A bit of history is fun, and for me, important. How do we know where we are going, if we dont know where weve been?

Sweet potatoes originated in South America. The Spaniards introduced it to Europe, and it spread to the rest of the world. Its believed that sweet potatoes were in most of the Polynesian islands before Magellan, dispersed as the Polynesians populated the Pacific.

However, for Micronesia and the westernmost islands of Polynesia, the Spaniards, in their travels and conquests of the Pacific, brought the sweet potato.

After the Spanish-American War, when Guahan was given to the United States, the U.S. established agricultural experiment stations on the island. According to the stations 1920s report, the local varieties of sweet potatoes (Spanish-introduced) did not yield much.

The station grew many varieties including the beige-skinned, beige-fleshed Nancy Hall. The Nancys, while still a low-producer, had the highest yield of all the sweet potato experiments, and was probably the stuff of my kamuti dreams. I loved them dururururu! Indeed, according to my dad, sweet potatoes dont grow well on Guam.

Alas, time continues on. Culture changes. And with that, our Guam CHamoru food table is transformed  like it or not. Which brings us to the purple sweet potato.

I didnt eat, nor did I see a lot of, purple sweet potatoes when I was young on Guahan, but it has become popular since. There are several varieties of purple sweet potatoes, to include the Okinawan or Rota purple sweet potato, and the North Carolina Stokes purple sweet potato.

It was during one of my trips back home in the early 2000s, that my auntie gave us purple sweet potatoes from Rota; and I think I saw a picture of bushels of them in the newspaper.

I still miss the beige sweet potatoes, but let me tell you, the purple sweet potatoes, oh wow!

The color, the density, and the flavor, superb. Ive baked this pie with the Rota and the North Carolina kamuti.

They are interchangeable in my recipe, however there are a few subtle differences. The Rota variety is creamier, a little sweeter, and not as purple.

The NC ones can be a tad stringy, not as sweet, but way more purple. Both types yield a beautiful, decadent purple sweet potato pie that is, in my opinion, better than an orange sweet potato pie.

Okinawan/Rota potatoes can be found in Asian grocers around the world, and the Stokes potatoes are grown in California too so you might find them in your national chains.

If the purple sweet potatoes are seasonal in your area, you can bake and freeze to use until the next season.

Rinse the purple sweet potatoes and pat dry. Pair two potatoes together that are of similar width and will measure about 1  cups of flesh.

Wrap snuggly in heavy duty aluminum foil. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake for one and a half to two hours, or until the potatoes are soft when you press on the foil.

Leave wrapped in foil and cool completely. Vacuum seal or wrap the foil packets in freezer storage bags and freeze.

Thaw overnight then measure for the recipe.

Purple Kamuti Pies

Ingredients

Set 1

1 deep dish 9-inch pie crust, thawed

Set 2

1  cups of cooked and mashed purple sweet potatoes

12 ounces evaporated milk

 cup coconut milk

2 large, whole eggs

 cup granulated sugar

1  teaspoons ground cinnamon

 teaspoon ground ginger

 teaspoon salt

Tools: Fork, large-capacity blender, 4-cup pitcher, half-sheet pan

Rinse the potatoes then pat dry. Wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1  to 2 hours.

Push on the foil-wrapped potatoes. If the potatoes are soft, they are done; if not, bake another 10 minutes. Cool completely.

Set the oven rack on the bottom third of the oven. Place the sheet pan on that rack and preheat at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use the fork to gently pierce a thawed-out pie crust along the rims and on the bottom. Set aside.

Put all the pie ingredients in a large-capacity blender. Blend on low to medium speed till well combined. Scrape down sides of blender once then puree a few more seconds. Transfer the batter to the smaller pitcher.

Pull out the oven rack that has the sheet pan. Place the pie crust on the sheet pan then fill it with the batter from the pitcher.

Bake for 15 minutes then reduce the temp to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake another 25 minutes. Check the pie. If the top jiggles a lot, bake another 2 minutes. Check again.

If the top jiggles a little, its done. If you overbake the pie, it will tend to crack in the middle  but it will still be delish. Set on wire rack to cool to room temp. Continue to cool uncovered in the fridge overnight so the pie sets properly.

This pie freezes and thaws beautifully, even the crust on the rim stays crunchy. Once cold, wrap the entire pie in plastic wrap then in heavy duty foil. Thaw in fridge overnight when ready to eat.
Show us a photo of your family Christmas tree at home for a chance to win a $100 gift card from one of our partners!

Specially selected submissions will also be printed in our newspaper as well as our website and social media accounts around Christmastime for all to enjoy!

Deadline to submit photos is Dec. 21 at 5 p.m.

We will select seven winners who will receive one $100 gift card from one of our partners below:

Smart Town

MedPharm

(gift card to Pepper Lunch Guam)

Geek Out

The Vault GU

Micropac

Tony Romas

Goodyear Tire Center

Photos will be printed in the Dec. 24, 2021, edition of the Pacific Daily News. Winners will be selected on Dec. 22 and notified that day via email or social media. Winners will be announced on our website and on social media by Dec. 24.

Weve already posted the request on our Facebook and Instagram pages, so if youve already posted there, youre automatically entered!

You can submit your photos by:

Email: life@guampdn.com

Facebook and Instagram: Send by direct message to Pacific Daily News @guampdn or post on your own profile with the hashtag #pdn4life. Your profile must be set for public viewing in order for us to see the post.

No purchase necessary. For full contest rules, go to bit.ly/2021pdntree.

If you have any questions, email life@guampdn.com.
UOG civil engineering students look over an architectural plan for their design project with Thomas Camacho, a structural engineer and principal at Duenas, Camacho & Associates. From left, Camacho, Kayleena Blas, Ashton Analista, and Anthony Reyes.
A group that campaigned to end cockfighting on Guam  an activity prohibited by federal law but not by local law  said it obtained a secret schedule of cockfighting derbies planned for an arena in Dededo starting on New Years Day and continuing through the month of January.

Animal Wellness Action worked to pass the federal law to outlaw cockfighting throughout the nation, including territories. Since the law went into effect, the group has been pushing to have it enforced on Guam.

The organizers of these planned cockfights are engaged in a criminal conspiracy to violate U.S. law, Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, said in the news release. They are disregarding and disrespecting the norms and the laws of a civil society.

He added: The people organizing these fights should unwind their illegal plan of action. If they do not, federal authorities should be present to arrest these lawbreakers.

Local agencies have said they are powerless to enforce anti-cockfighting laws because the activity is legal under Guam law.

Sen. Jose Pedo Terlaje issued a news release criticizing the process by which cockfighting on Guam was made illegal.

The Animal Wellness Foundation says the people of Guam arent civilized because of cockfighting, Terlaje stated. It is more uncivilized to deny human beings real representation in the laws that govern them. We have real crimes to deal with and we should not commit any law enforcement resources to appease an outsider who doesnt even recognize our human rights.
A grand jury indicted former Department of Corrections Deputy Director Joey Allan Acfalle Terlaje on charges connected to an incident at a barbecue in 2017.

Terlaje, the son of Sen. Joe Pedo Terlaje, was indicted on charges of felonious restraint as a third-degree felony and two charges of official misconduct as a misdemeanor, according to Office of the Attorney General spokeswoman Carlina Charfauros.

The details of the incident included in the indictment accuse Joey Terlaje of exposing a victim to risk of serious bodily injury at the 2017 barbecue, and for ignoring and abusing his position as a government official in relation to a crime.

Joey Terlaje will appear in court Jan. 5, 2022, to plead guilty or not guilty to the charges.

On Friday, the senators office said he just had heart surgery and hasnt been reached or available for comment.

Resignation

Joey Terlaje resigned as DOC deputy director after being implicated by the FBI of being associated with ex-Yona Mayor Jesse Mendiola Blas, who was convicted of extortion charges.

In the midst of Blas court proceedings, an FBI agent testified Joey Terlaje was present at a party when Blas punched a woman in the face, dragged her and kept her in a room for three days. The woman was an FBI source who alleged Blas allowed mailboxes to be used by drug traffickers.

Joey Terlaje, while in his law enforcement uniform, was also seen with Blas when Blas received bribe payments, according to court documents. When asked if the informant should be worried about Joey Terlaje, Blas said she shouldnt because Terlaje was his pare, PDN files state.

Joey Terlaje wasnt charged at the time of his resignation in September 2019.

Investigation

Earlier this year, Sen. Jose Terlaje asked the Guam Police Department to launch an investigation into several allegations of corruption in the public safety agencies, PDN files state.

The allegations included:

The tampering of warrants in the court system

Alleged physical abuse by public safety officers mentioned in federal court

The alleged involvement of public safety officers in the drug trade

I realize that several of these allegations would involve investigating a member of my immediate family, Jose Terlaje stated in a Feb. 12 letter to Chief Stephen Ignacio. This must not prevent you from conducting this investigation.

In particular, Jose Terlaje stated police should investigate tampering of warrants, alleged physical abuse mentioned in federal court and alleged involvement of public safety officers in the drug trade, PDN files state.

Hearing

This week, Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood heard arguments about whether to release Blas from his sentence early.

In the hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Sambataro argued Blas should serve the remainder of his sentence because of his conduct as a public official.

At the end of the day, this is someone who should serve the full sentence. He betrayed the public trust on this island, Sambataro said. Even if it is only a matter of a few months, theres a reason we hold public officials to a higher standard because of the damage done by their crimes.

What about the other public officials, because you guys havent been prosecuting them? Tydingco-Gatewood asked. This is an old case. Mr. Blas has been confined for over two years now, as I recall, but I mean if public corruption is such a high priority for the United States Attorneys Office, then Im sorry I only see part of it but not all of it.
Waves crash on the rocky shoreline of Cabras Island Nov. 16, 2021. The National Weather Service warns of a high risk of rip currents for Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan through Sunday night.
The woman who accused former Port Authority of Guam police officer and spiritual healer, or suruhanu, Frank San Nicolas of sexual assault testified at his jury trial in Superior Court Friday.

The woman said San Nicolas sexually assaulted her in January 2020, according to court records.

In her testimony, the woman detailed her issues with mental health, and told about a recent stay at Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center.

San Nicolass attorney, Jay Arriola, then confirmed parts of the testimony given on the previous day to Assistant Attorney General Christine Tenorio.

Arriola in particular asked about a visit, around the time of the assault was reported to have taken place, when the woman was screened for sexually transmitted disease.

Did you get a STD screening because you had sex with Frank San Nicolas? Arriola asked.

As the woman was about to answer, Tenorio quickly objected, something she did multiple times during cross-examination.

This time, however, Judge Arthur Barcinas overruled the objection.

Yes, the woman said.

Arriola followed up asking if the woman told her doctor she had been sexually assaulted.

I do not recall telling her, the woman said.

Thats not my question. Im not asking if you recalled, Im asking if you told her? Arriola asked again.

No, the woman replied.

Arriola asked similar questions about doctor visits the woman had before she reported the case to the police months later.

Incident

The then-23-year-old woman first reported the assault to the police in June 2020. The woman sought the services of the suruhanu in December 2019 and in January she had met with him at Tanguisson Beach, according to a magistrates complaint.

San Nicolas was charged with two counts each of third- and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct after he was accused of pulling the womans pants down and forcing himself onto her. San Nicolas allegedly told the woman he wouldnt be able to provide spiritual healing services to her if she told anyone what happened, court documents state.
A procession and two ceremonies will take place Saturday to honor military veterans during the national Wreaths Across America commemoration.

Wreaths Across America began at Arlington National Cemetery, becoming an official event in 2007 and has grow to include more than 3,000 locations all across the country.

This is the first year Guam will be participating.

Every year on a Saturday in December, communities lay ceremonial wreaths upon the graves of veterans and their spouses, paying tribute to their lives. The goal is to remember the fallen, honor those who have served and teach children the value of freedom.

There will be a procession from Yigo Gym to the Guam Veterans Cemetery starting at 8:30 AM. Residents are encouraged to come outside on Marine Corps Drive and wave to show support for Wreaths Across America.

At 10 a.m., a ceremony will be held at Guam Veterans Cemetery. The ceremony will be streaming live on the governors Facebook page, facebook.com/govlouguam.

Then at 1 p.m., the Gold Star Families  Matson Wreaths Across the Islands ceremony will be held at Skinner Plaza. This event will honor the fallen from across Micronesia and who are not buried at the Veterans Cemetery.

Every name will be called during the ceremony, and families of the fallen will be in attendance.




Haiti - FLASH : The Gang 400 Mawozo released all the American hostages





After the release of the first 2 American hostages on November 21 of the 17 kidnapped on Saturday October 16, 2021 by the "400 mawozo" gang (American missionaries, their relatives and 1 Canadian: 5 men, 7 women, 4 children as well as an 8 month old baby) hhttps://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35012-haiti-flash-at-least-fifteen-american-missionaries-kidnapped-in-port-au-prince.html , followed on December 5 by the release of 3 other hostages https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35417-haiti-flash-3-new-american-hostages-released.html , the "400 mawozo" gang released on Thursday December 16 the 12 remaining hostages.



The news was confirmed by the Divisional Inspector, Garry Desrosiers, Spokesman for the National Police of Haiti (PNH) "We confirm the release of the 12 people who remained hostage" stressing that he could not "give more details for the moment" (as in previous releases)



Reacting to this announcement on its website "Christian Aid Ministries", the religious congregation of which the hostages are members wrote "We give glory to God for the answered prayer : the 12 remaining hostages are free ! [...] Thank you for your fervent prayers over the past two months. We hope to provide more information as soon as we can."



Republican Senator Rob Portman (Ohio) thanked "the FBI, the State Department and the Haitian police who worked tirelessly to bring these missionaries home."



Let's underline as for the 5 first releases the circumstances of these releases remain still unknown.



Let's tecall that the gang "400 mawozo" had claimed a million US dollars hhttps://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35037-haiti-flash-the-gang-400-mawozo-demands-one-million-dollars-for-the-release-of-each-american-hostage.html by people for their release, threatening to execute the hostages if the ransom was not paid https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35061-haiti-news-zapping.html



Note that the last report published this week from the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights (CARDH), a Haitian civil society organization with consultative status with the UN, revealed that with 949 cases of kidnappings from January to December 15, 2021, Haiti had the highest kidnapping rate per capita in the world https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35491-haiti-insecurity-haiti-is-the-country-with-the-highest-rate-of-kidnappings-per-capita.html



Read also on this case :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35417-haiti-flash-3-new-american-hostages-released.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35299-haiti-flash-2-of-the-17-kidnapped-american-hostages-released.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35204-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-35112-icihaiti-insecurity-the-pnh-has-proof-that-the-16-american-hostages-are-alive.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35094-haiti-flash-joe-biden-sends-a-large-number-of-specialists-to-release-the-american-hostages-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35061-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35053-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35037-haiti-flash-the-gang-400-mawozo-demands-one-million-dollars-for-the-release-of-each-american-hostage.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35028-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35012-haiti-flash-at-least-fifteen-american-missionaries-kidnapped-in-port-au-prince.html



SL/ TB/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - FLASH : High-level international virtual meeting on Haiti





The United States convened a senior-level virtual International Partners Meeting on December 17 to address the security, political, and economic challenges in Haiti and put forward opportunities to support the Haitian people. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols will chair the meeting.



Participants will include a broad range of governments and international organizations committed to Haitis development. The meeting will seek commitments to prevent further deterioration of security and economic conditions, as well as efforts to support Haitian-led solutions to Haitis political impasse.



The United States seeks to bring together the international community to work together in partnership with the Haitian people on a unified approach to assist Haiti in restoring its democratic institutions.



Haitian Chancellor Jean Geneus and Haitian Ambassador to Washington Edmond Bocchit will attend this meeting. Jean Geneus will deliver the opening remarks, following those of Brian Nichols



"[...] It is a good thing that the partners want to come together to help Haiti find much more lasting solutions to the social and economic crisis and especially to the security problem [...] They will see with the Haitian authorities how to help," said Ambassador Edmond.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Culture : The Soup joumou on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity





Thursday, December 16, 2021, UNESCO at its 16th intergovernmental session adopted the inscription of the traditional Haitian "Soup joumou" on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.



After the adoption of the "Soup joumou", UNESCO ambassadors visited the Haitian representative office to taste the fabulous giraumon soup.



Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO :

"It is an inscription of which we are very proud because it marks the recognition of the international community with regard to the Haitian heritage, so much the 'Soup Joumou' is linked to the history of the country and to the heroes and heroines of the independence."



Ambassador of Haiti to UNESCO :

"This historic moment was made possible thanks to the collaboration of a large number of actors : the Haitian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO, the Haitian Government. Thanks also to the students, professors and researchers of the State University of Haiti who carried out an inventory of this element; associations and community groups that supported the candidacy; to the photographers and videographers who contributed to it; to the experts who provided the writing and translation; national and international media. Long live the 'Soup Joumou' !" Dominique Dupuy, Permanent Delegate Ambassador of Haiti to UNESCO.



Ambassador of Switzerland Muriel Berset Kohen :

"If today we accept the application of giraumon soup on the list, it is not out of generosity due to the exceptional circumstances that Haiti is going through, but it is because of the quality of the dossier. The criteria were met and this, it must be emphasized [...]"



Ministry of Culture :

"Joumou soup is officially listed on the Representative List of the Intangible Heritage of Unesco. Bravo 'Soup Joumou', bravo libete, bravo Haiti" Ministry of Culture.



Claude Joseph :

"[...] I welcome this news with great pride and emotion. 'Soup joumou raple nou sakrifis zanset nou yo te fe pou te goumen kont esklavaj ak rasis sou late. Ayibobo pou zanset nou yo. Ayiti pap peri' !!' Claude Joseph, Former Prime Minister, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs.



Find out more about the Giraumon soup :

Joumou or giraumon soup is a traditional Haitian pumpkin soup made with vegetables, plantains, meat, pasta and spices. It is a celebratory dish, deeply rooted in Haitian identity, and its preparation promotes social cohesion and belonging among communities. Originally reserved for slave owners, Haitians took ownership of the soup when they gained independence from France, turning it into a symbol of their newly acquired freedom and an expression of their dignity and resilience.



It is made from giraumon, a variety of pumpkin once cultivated by the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, and is prepared and consumed specifically on the first of January  Haitis Independence Day  when it constitutes the first meal of the year. It also serves as traditional Sunday breakfast. The preparation of Joumou soup is a family and community affair: women manage the overall activities, children help to prepare the ingredients, artisans make the aluminium pots and other utensils used to prepare the soup, and farmers work the land to harvest the vegetables. Today, several variations of the soup can be found in Caribbean and Latin American cuisines.



S/ HaitiLibre


















By Panos Kotzathanasis | Published on 2020/02/22

Shim HyeJung directed a number of experimental features, such as "Dancing Hunter & Rabbit" in 2014, "Searching for Nasi Goreng" and "Carnival "in 2016, "Lost Voices" in 2017. She also directed a documentary, "The Camel and The Arab", in 2013 and fiction features "Kimchi" in 2012, "Heels Over Head" in 2016 and "Camellias in Bloom" in 2016. All her movies have been selected in many Korean film festivals over the past years.

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On the occasion of her latest film, "A Bedsore" (festival entry) screening at FICA Vesoul, we speak with her about the concept of the bedsore, family issues in Korea, casting an actress who never moves, "Parasite" and other topics.

The story of "A Bedsore" seems very real and all the characters are well analyzed and with a proper back story. How did you manage to accomplish that?

My mom was very sick for a long time and the story of the housekeeper was also based on my mother's situation. I know the problems a family can have when there is a sick person in the house, and I based the characters on these experiences.

How did a bedsore ended up being the initiation point of the story?

When you have a family problem, it may not appear clearly on the outside, but inside, it rots. A bedsore is a wound that you can only see underneath the clothes, it is not visible outside, and is, in essence, a metaphor for the family issues.

The issue of the fate of the elderly members of families, particularly if they are sick, seems to be a global one, since the state does not usually provide proper care for them. What is your opinion on the subject?

It is not only family problems that I wanted to show in the movie, but that everyone has a bedsore inside of them, and that is the desire to be loved and I also wanted to show how the relations between the family members are developing. And to answer your question, in Korea right now, there is the issue of what the government should do about the elderly and what the family should do, and this is a turning point for our society right now.

The way the daughter and the son are treated in the film by their father is much different, and actually leads the daughter to feel the victim of injustice. What is your opinion about this difference?

In our society right now, there is a specific role for male and female children. The latter are expected to do the family's "manual labour" while the former to be in charge of financial issues. Therefore, there is an injustice in the case of the family in the film, since the daughter takes care of her family but the brother does not, even though in his mind, he is. It is an obvious difference that exists between age/generation and sex.

Ji-soo's character highlights all the issues a woman can face inside a family. As a daughter, a mother and a wife. Can you give us some more details about that? Is that a reference to the Confucian "laws" about women?

As I mentioned before, all characters in the movie have a bedsore. Ji-soo is a middle class woman who lives well, but her husband is seeing another woman and she still remains in her home without divorcing him. She just acts like this because she wants to retain her financial status and continue to live well. This gives her a "bedsore" and nowadays in our society a lot of middle-class women, even though they have these kind of problems, they cannot really solve them.

You are right about the Confucian laws. The Korean society is very conservative right now and those problems are obvious. It has changed for the better in comparison with the past but the issues still persist. I have a daughter and I still have to take care of the errands of her parents, and these kinds of problems do not even change.

What is the situation with illegal immigrants who work as in-house caretakers in Korea? How difficult is it for an immigrant to attain citizenship at the moment?

In Korea, we have a lot of Koreans of Chinese origin so all the men that come in the country deal mostly with manual labour, construction for example, and women work in restaurants or as housekeepers. Because their culture is similar to ours, they can understand the food and how to take care of people. I do not know if there is a kind of insurance for the elderly in Europe, but in Korea there is no such a thing, so we have to pay people to take care of them, and that is why we hire housekeepers, although their pay is very meagre.

Why are the children so quick to accuse the housekeeper about their mother's issues?

A bedsore is very difficult to be taken care of, you have to turn the person on different sides all the time to prevent it. However, because it actually happened to their mother, they started accusing her while the son was not happy with the housekeeper and the bedsore for him was an excuse to kick her out. Their behaviour, however, is unfair towards her.

The base of the film is dramatic, but Soo-ok is the source of much comedy, particularly through her interactions with Chang-sik. Why did you choose this approach and how difficult was it to balance comedy with drama?

I did not want to do a comedy, not really, but then I like this kind of humour points in the housekeeper's life. Housekeepers do a very hard job and they have to face a lot of sadness but still we see that they have a bright side and they can find joy in their work, and I wanted to show this aspect also. Therefore, even though the bedsore shows the rotten side of people, I wanted the bright side to be there also.

How was the casting process for the film like and how did you guide the actors? Was your approach different for the veterans and the younger ones?

Kim Do-young, who plays the daughter is a good friend of mine and also a filmmaker but for the rest of the family members, I saw them in TV dramas or the theatre and I always wanted to work them. So, when I finished the scenario, I proposed to them and they accepted.

I had a different approach for each character but because they were veterans in theatre, I did not direct them much during the filming process. Before the shooting however, we prepared a lot, we did a lot of readings, a lot of practice about their movements and I told them which tone they should use during the dialogues.

Did you allow them to improvise a lot?

Yes, I let them be free during the shooting but they are not actors that improvise a lot.

How do you convince an actor to play a part where she does no nothing? (Jeon Guk-hyang) (laughter).

(In English) Very good point (laughter). This was the hardest casting part actually, because the emotion of this character is very important for the movie. Jeon Guk-hyang has shot a short movie with me in the past, and that is why I think she accepted.

The scene with the fight among the family members is the most intense in the film. Can you give us some details about the way you shot it and how you guided the actors for it?

I like having many fight scenes in my movies, even my short ones include a number. I have my opinion about fight scenes, and I do not want the tension to go down at all during these sequences, so I only do one or two takes, because after that, the energy and the chemistry is not the same. First, I do a master shot, I do the scene from beginning to end in one take, because that is the best energy that you could have.

Why do you like to have many fight scenes in your films? (laughter)

Maybe because I also like to fight (laughter).

Do the actors enjoy these scenes?

They like them a lot.

During the latest years, Busan and Jeonju Film festival have tried to "promote" women directors, probably because Korean cinema seemed to repeat itself lately. The result were film like yours, "House of Hummingbird" and "Moving On" this year. What is your opinion about this change?

I am a woman, so I am very happy with it (laughter). There are a lot of women that come out, because now there are a lot of opportunities for them. Before, as you said, the industry was male dominated with a lot of crime thrillers, but the quality started to decrease. So, now the women put more personal and fresh points of view in their movies, so Korea can now have more female spectators that feel the movies address them and thus can appreciate more. But still, there are not many big feature films that are directed by women and I hope there will be more opportunities for women, not only in the independent sector but also on the commercial one.

However, would you say that is more difficult to shoot a movie in Korea than a man?

Yes, because the producers are the people who invest in the movie, and they are not really interested in woman's stories, and because the tickets sold are much more if the main actor is a male, they cannot ignore this fact, since most women's filmmakers' stories feature women main characters.

What do you think about "Parasite"? (laughter).

I really liked the movie, I found it very detailed and profound and I envy him because he is one of the directors in Korea that can do whatever he wants, without any limits and have his own style. Because of him, we now have an important place in international cinema and Korean movies are now more exposed to the world. I am very proud to be part of this industry and I am happy for his success.

Are you working on any new projects?

I am writing a script at the moment based on a short stories collection which I want to make into a feature film. It is a love story about a woman who picks up trash and knows what people like from that trash and falls in love with her neighbour.

Interview by Panos Kotzathanasis

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"A Bedsore" is directed by Shim HyeJung, and features Kim Jong-goo, Kang Ae-shim, Jeon Guk-hyang, Kim Do-young, Kim Jae-rok, Lee Jae-in-I. Release date in Korea: 2020/06~Upcoming.
Published on 2021/12/16 | Source

Actress Park Eun-bin successfully completed the new challenge through "The King's Affection".

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In KBS 2TV's Monday-Tuesday drama "The King's Affection" which aired its grand finale on the 14th, Park Eun-bin presented an unforgettable happy ending as she wrapped up Lee Hwi's narrative accumulated from the beginning.

Although she has mastered a variety of genres, including youth, sports, and romance, setting up as a woman dressed as a king for the first time in historical drama history would have been her first challenge. It was necessary to combine all elements, including various actions, politics, and romance, which were considered exclusive to male protagonists in historical dramas.

Park Eun-bin became Hwi, wearing the Yongpo on behalf of her brother, who died in Dami. She expressed the anxiety that her secret might be revealed with the prince's sharp charisma and the constant doubts and attacks toward her depicted Lee Hwi's survival in the court, defending with civil affairs.

She faced her fresh childhood first love Jeong Ji-woon (Rowoon) again as a king and servant, drawing fateful love deeper and more affectionately.

Park Eun-bin said through her agency Namoo Actors, ""The King's Affection" can be seen on Netflix at all times so I hope it's remembered by many for a long time". "The King's Affection" ranks first in seven countries and fourth in the world on Netflix.

Park Eun-bin will be back with the movie "The Witch : Part 2. The Other One" and is currently filming Netflix's "Weird Lawyer, Woo Young-woo" which will premiere in 2022.
Mueller: Investigation showed threat Wednesday was non-credible; Havre Police: suspect in custody

Editors noteL This version contains additional information released by Havre Police Department after printing deadline this morning.

Havre High School was in session today after a short disruption Wednesday as a threat was investigated.

Havre Chief of Police Gabe Matosich said in a release that the department began an investigation after it was notified about 2:40 p.m. that a threatening note was found at the school.

Matosich said the note, turned into school administration by a student, said a shooting would occur near the end of the day.

Matosich said a 16-year-old girl was interviewed during the investigation and was subsequently arrested and transported to the Cascade County Juvenile Detention Center to be held pending felony charges of intimidation.

Havre Superintendent Craig Mueller said a student notified administration of the potential threat about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and the school was put into a hold-in-place status. In that status, doors to rooms are closed students and school employees stay in the rooms they are in until released.

Mueller said the threat was found to be non-credible shortly before the end of the school day and Havre High was back in session today.

Matosich said the officers responded to the report and assisted the district and began investigating, he said, including gathering information and evidence and interviewing witnesses.

Matosich said the investigation is ongoing and more information on the incident may be available later.

Incidents of this nature are always taken seriously and are fully investigated, Matosich said in the release. Anyone having any information about this information, please call the Havre Police Department at 406-265-4361 or the Hill County Sheriffs Office at 406-265-2512.
Approves landslide vote to dissolve Meadowlark Estates Water and Sewer District

Editors note: This version corrects the spelling of Great Northern Fair Board member Kaleb Fisher.

The Hill County Commission appointed Ken Erickson and Kaleb Fisher to the Great Northern Fair Board at its weekly business meeting Thursday, allowing the board to have a quorum for the first time since August.

The commission has been searching for new board members to form a quorum since the resignation of then-board chair Josh Heitzenroder and the removal of then-board member Bob Sivertsen earlier this year.

The board still has three vacancies.

Current board member Bob Kauls term on the board is up, but Hill County Commissioner Diane McLean said he has indicated he is willing to be reappointed, and he will be at the next meeting as a voting member.

Requests for the names of other applicants have not been answered by the Hill County Commission by print deadline this morning. They previously refused to provide the names for applicants when asked by the Havre Daily News for those names.

Under Montana law, the names of applicants for public positions are public information.

The commission also approved the dissolution of the Meadowlark Estates Water and Sewer District, signing off on the landslide 22 to 3 vote by the districts residents to do so.

In October, Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson said Meadowlark Estates, many years ago, had planned to put in a water and sewer system and applied to become a district, but later decided against creating the system, making the district inactive.

He said because the district was inactive it was not reporting anything to the state and has since racked up about $1,100 in penalties owed to the state, and the commission found that the easiest way to negate those penalties was to dissolve the district.

The commission originally thought it would be a simple process and that theyd be able to dissolve it with a resolution in a commission meeting, Peterson said at the time, but it had become clear that it is a more-involved process.

The commissioners tabled the resolution at that time, and earlier this month sent ballots to the people of the district to vote on whether or not to dissolve the district.

Of the 29 residents 25 returned their ballots, almost 90 percent of whom voted to dissolve.

During the meeting the commission also approved an amendment to county budgets to allow for the receipt of just under $40,000 from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services for COVID-19 vaccination planning.

Commissioners also approved the replacement of grant agreements for the Beaver Creek Dam Instrumentation Project, replacements that include necessary language relating to the American Rescue Plan Act and other funding information.

McLean said the project itself has been approved and this replacement just adds required language left out of the original versions.

They also approved the closing of the Montana State University Hill County Extension Services Trust Fund.

McLean said MSU Extension recently contacted them saying Extension services are transferring to using MSU Campus accounts and requested that the fund, established by the commission in 2008, be closed.
It is finally time for the U.S. Senate to pass the Build Back Better legislation, and it cant come soon enough. Many families have not financially recovered from the pandemic, and with the cost of gas, food, and other necessities rising worldwide, people are really struggling. This legislation will improve the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of Montanans.

Here are a few of the most critical ways the bill will reduce poverty in Montana:

Child Tax Credit. This year, for the first time, families most in need were eligible to receive the full amount of the Child Tax Credit....
Foundation v. Opp House lawsuit can proceed, judge rules

A lawsuit to determine whether the Opportunity House is operating as a nonprofit agency and whether it can sell its building and land can proceed, Chief Resident Superior Court Judge Peter Knight said in an order last month.

The order came after a hearing on Nov. 1 on the Opportunity Houses three motions to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Community Foundation of Henderson County. The lawsuit asks the Superior Court to decide, after a trial that figures to shed light on the nonprofits governance, finances and activities, whether the Opportunity House is still a tax exempt nonprofit organization and whether it has the authority to sell the real estate, valued on the tax books at $1.9 million, and to determine what should become of the assets if the court rules that its no longer a nonprofit organization.

Formed in the late 1950s as a senior center, the Opportunity House at its peak had hundreds of dues-paying members and offered arts and crafts classes, dances, card playing, performances, lectures, art exhibits and other activities. But for a decade or longer it has seen its membership and community activities fizzle out and has stayed afloat by renting space in its building. The building and land at 1411 Asheville Highway, valued at just over $1 million, contains space that is currently rented to a music school, florist, medical transportation company and cellular phone store. The agencys 2019 IRS form 990, which nonprofits are required to file annually, reported $83,018 in rental income.

As happens with a lot of charitable institutions, times can be better on them or harder, Opp House attorney Edward L. Bleynat Jr. told Judge Knight in a hearing on Nov. 1. In 2008-10, Opportunity House was in a financial crisis.

He and other Opportunity House attorneys  Bleynat is the third since the Community Foundation filed the lawsuit in December 2018  depict the agency executive director, Ken Rhoads, as an experienced consultant who was hired in 2016 to stabilize the operation. Bleynat argues that the lawsuit and an accompanying lis pendens  a legal document that lets the public know litigation involving the property is pending  make it impossible for the Opp House board to sell the property and use the proceeds for community-oriented programming.



Foundation ready for trial

Community Foundation President McCray Benson said his organization has no interest in taking over the Opportunity House but instead seeks clarity in what would happen if the organization sold the property. The Opp House charter originally declared that if the organization were to fold its assets would go to the foundation. But in what Community Foundation attorney Steve Grabenstein described as a magical amendment, a new three-member board deleted that reference. Grabenstein told Knight in court on Nov. 1 that information the foundation has obtained through discovery raises more questions about the Opp Houses governance.

Several things jump out from that procedure, Grabenstein said. That process (spelled out in the charter) was not followed when Mr. Rhoads assumed the helm of the Opportunity House. Similar provisions in bylaws regarding electing officers were not adhered to.  The evidence clearly shows Mr. Rhoads was not elected by officers or board members in compliance with the bylaws or charter that were then in effect. So at best what we have is a question of fact regarding did they comply with policies and principles when Mr. Rhoads took over the organization and put in a so-called board of directors. To us clearly the answer is no.

Benson said the foundation is ready for trial.

We understand that a court date will be set and we should be prepared to move forward with a hearing, he said. The court provided us with three dates and theyre asking us which ones we could fit. The dates are between February and June. I think were ready for any one of them that is offered as long as our attorney is ready, he said.
SONNING Common is a victim of a broken planning system, says a former parish councillor.

Tom Fort was speaking after the High Court rejected a request for a judicial review of the decision to approve a new retirement complex in the village.

South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, twice challenged the decision made by a planning inspector but has now conceded defeat.

Inspired Villages won an appeal after being refused planning permission by the council in June last year for the large assisted living complex with up to 133 flats on a field off Blounts Court Road, known as Little Sparrows.

The council said it would be a major development in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and there were no exceptional circumstances which justified the harm to the surroundings.

But inspector Harold Stephens overturned this decision after a virtual inquiry in April, saying the field was not a particularly attractive part of the AONB. In a statement following the courts decision, the district council said it had reluctantly decided to end its legal challenges and not pursue the matter further.

Council leader David Rouane said: We were disappointed by the judges decision it highlights the problematic nature of planning legislation in that a huge amount of discretion and judgement is made available to planning inspectors  they have much more discretion than sits with locally democratically elected councillors in planning matters.

Were disheartened that our ability to challenge this effectively has come to an end and feel we have done everything in our power to prevent an unsuitable development in the AONB.

We understand the need for suitable care accommodation for older people and our Local Plan has a robust policy in place to provide this. However, it must be done appropriately in locations that are acceptable in planning terms.

Sonning Common Parish Council also opposed the application, arguing that the scheme was excessive and inappropriate and contrary to the villages neighbourhood plan.

It spent more than 20,000 hiring a planning consultant to fight the appeal and was one of nine parish councils in the surrounding area that signed a letter urging the district council urging it to seek a judicial review.

Mr Fort, who chairs the villages neighbourhood plan working group, resigned from the parish council in protest at the inspectors decision. He said he was not surprised by the High Courts decision.

It was going to be a tall order, said Mr Fort. They had to try to show that the inspector had acted outside the law.

The inspectors have a huge amount of latitude in their decision-making and thats a problem as they are not answerable to anybody.

In this case, the inspector has shown himself over a long period of time to favour developers over local authorities and thats what he did in this case. Sonning Common is a victim of a system that is very broken and flawed.

Councillor Leigh Rawlins, who represents the village on the district council, said: Its obviously extremely disappointing and for me it indicates that our normal planning system is flawed.

If the judges seriously think that the findings of that inspector, who has been called rogue by the Chilterns Conservation Board, is worthy of defending then our planning system is broken.

Fellow district councillor David Bartholomew said: I am very disappointed that yet again an unelected person listened to very expensive lawyers appointed by the appellants and used his own discretion to override decisions made locally through a democratic process.
By Shira Hanau

(JTA)  Some of the music industrys most popular Jewish artists were included in the 2022 Grammy Award nominations unveiled on Tuesday.

Heres a roundup:

Doja Cat, a Black and Jewish pop star-rapper hybrid who has become one of the most listened-to artists in the world  Spotify lists her as the 7th-most-streamed musician on its platform as of Wednesday morning  racked up nominations in in seven categories, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, Melodic Rap Performance and Rap Song....
With the holiday season behind us, cool weather upon us, and our wax-covered Chanukiahs needing a polish before being put away until next year, there are few better films to snuggle up to than the Steven Spielberg produced, Don Bluth directed, An American Tail. Originally conceived as a television special, Spielberg felt that the work had the potential to expand into a feature. After having finished The Secret of Nimh, Spielberg approached Bluth and asked him to make me something pretty, like you did in Nimh  make it beautiful. Thus, began Universal Pictures first an...
(JTA)  In The Social Justice Torah Commentary, Rabbi Brian Stoller describes a turtle-shaped dinner bell that his great-grandmother used to summon a Black butler to attend to her needs at the familys Shabbat table.

When I got to that line while editing the volume, I felt a jolt of familiarity: An identical bell served the same purpose at my own grandmothers table.

All of my grandparents  and all four of my American-born great-grandparents  hailed from the South, and social justice activism was not baked into my DNA.

Yet unlike many old southern families, I was rai...
Maybe we should change the name to un-American Airlines ...

Before I write about celebrities, I must comment on this ... A story I just heard over the television news: An elderly orthodox Jewish couple were kicked off an American Airlines flight for refusing to place his Tallis bag and tefillin on the floor! They placed the bag in the overhead bin but the hostess and other flight crew made them take it down. They tried to explain that the bag could not be placed on the floor and they refused to remove it. When they refused, they were kicked off the flight!

(Oy vay! Maybe I'll fly Delta nex...
(JTA)  Student governments considered resolutions to boycott, divest from and sanction Israel at 17 college campuses in the United States during the 2020-2021 school year, according to a new report from the Anti-Defamation League.

The watchdog group, which released the data Wednesday as part of its annual reporting, called the BDS resolutions a cornerstone of anti-Israel campus activity during the last year.

During a school year in which a May conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza was accompanied by widespread criticism of Israel on and beyond college campuses, the number of st...
Michael Steinhardt speaks at the Champions of Jewish Values International Awards Gala in New York City, May 21, 2017.

(JTA) - Michael Steinhardt, the hedge funder and megadonor to Jewish causes, has agreed to surrender 180 stolen antiquities worth $70 million to their rightful homelands and to never again collect ancient artifacts.

In exchange, Steinhardt will avoid criminal charges related to an investigation that found he had acquired, owned and sold more than 1,000 looted items over the past three decades.

Those are the terms of a deal that Steinhardt finalized Monday with Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, whose office began investigating several years ago over a Lebanese statue that Steinhardt l...
Contestants of the Miss Universe pageant visit the Tower of David Museum in the ancient citadel of Jerusalem near the Jaffa Gate entrance to Jerusalem's Old City, Nov. 30, 2021.

(JTA) - When she won the privilege of representing Puerto Rico in the Miss Universe contest, Michelle Marie Colon spoke of her pride in making history as the first Black woman from the territory to seize the honor.

This week in Israel, where the contest is being held, she has been touting pride in another aspect of her heritage: her Jewish great-grandfather who escaped the Holocaust.

Last week, Colon posted a photo of her holding hands with Noa Cochva, the Israeli entrant into the contest, beneath a wall covered with portraits of victims of the Holocaust.

"My great grandfather, Rodolfo Coh...
The "Rook," a new autonomous unmanned ground vehicle introduced by Israeli companies Elbit Systems and Roboteam, operating on rough terrain.

(JNS) - A new autonomous unmanned ground vehicle introduced by Israeli companies Elbit Systems and Roboteam, called "Rook," can carry out a remarkable number of roles on the battlefield.

Elad Levy, CEO of Roboteam, told JNS that the ground robot is tailor-made to client needs through its ability to be assembled in a system of "boxes," with each box allowing for clients to choose a different kind of capability - much like assembling Legos.

While one box can act as an electrical engine, others can be used for the robot's communications, surveillance capabilities, remote-control weapons sy...
(New York Jewish Week via JTA)  Israel will set plans in motion to renovate the non-Orthodox prayer space at the Western Wall, an Israeli official said Tuesday in New York.

The current Israeli government is expected to implement an agreement, shelved under former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that would expand an area of the holy site where men and women could pray as they please.

But speaking to journalists at the Israeli consulate in New York City, Diaspora Affairs Minister Nachman Shai said that before it formally implements the 2016 agreement, the government plans to do more...
(JTA)  Leaders of the New Hampshire House of Representatives released a statement last week condemning antisemitism after a state lawmaker tweeted in support of Palestinians using a slogan many deem to be antisemitic.

Speaker of the House Sherman Packard, a Republican, and House Democratic leader Renny Cushing wrote in a joint statement Thursday that any form of bigotry  anti-Semitism, racism, bigotry  has no place in our society and it is unacceptable that any member of this historic legislative body is involved in perpetuating hate in any form.

The statement came af...
(JNS)  Jewish groups are sounding the alarm after the New York City Police Department released statistics on Wednesday indicating that hate crimes have doubled in a single year.

Of the nearly 500 hate crimes reported in the city as of November, some 180 were antisemitic in nature. The total is up from 121 incidents the year before and accounts for the largest number of hate crimes against any group.

Scott Richman, NY/NJ regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, said its alarming that in the past seven weeks alone, we have had to issue five reward offers asking for informa...
(JNS)  Students Supporting Israel said in an open letter that it urges the Duke University Student Government to vote against its president, who vetoed a decision to formally recognize the organization.

DSG president Christina Wang vetoed recognition of SSI on Monday because the group called out a student on social media in a way that was unacceptable for any student group, Wang wrote in a statement obtained by Dukes student publication, The Chronicle.

Have we really gotten to the point where one student government leader can de-platform Jewish students and delegitimize...
Recent reports have slammed Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert for comments that were offensive to her colleague, Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Boebert shared a security-related incident in the U.S. Capitol, quipping that she saw Congresswoman Omar, noticed she didnt have a backpack, so everything would be fine.

Since her comment, Boebert has been slammed by the media, other congressional members, and more. There have been calls for her to be censured. Omar herself called out Boebert for real consequences of her anti-Moslem hate.

Id like to share another pe...
(JNS) Diaspora Jews have a collective history of constant migration. Ethnically cleansed hundreds of years ago from their ancient homeland in Israel, they wandered between continents that periodically persecuted them, threw them out or barred them altogether.

How, then, should Jews approach todays phenomenon of the mass migration of peoples?

All over the world, millions are on the move from the impoverished and violent developing world to the West in search of a better and safer life.

On Americas border with Mexico, tens of thousands are trying to cross into the United States in order...
(JNS)  A Knesset committee headed by Meretz Party member Moshe (Mossi) Raz recently sounded the alarm  sirens, even  over a supposed rise in settler violence against innocent Palestinians in Judea and Samaria.

The figures provided by Yesh Din, which calls itself a non-governmental organization, do seem alarming. Of course, Yesh Din only deals with violence against Palestinians, not against Israelis.

The organization has counted over 1,400 acts of violence since 2012  416 of them in the first half of this year. However, neither the Knesset fact-finding committee nor Y...
In a recent online exchange, the YouTuber Casey Neistat posted his fury after his car was broken into and the contents stolen. Los Angeles, he railed, was turning into a 3rd-world s-hole of a city.

The multimillionaire actor Seth Rogen chastised Neistat for his anger.

Rogen claimed that a cars contents were minor things to lose. He added that while living in West Hollywood he had his own car broken into 15 times, but thought little of it.

Online bloggers ridiculed Rogen. No wonder  the actor lives in multimillion-dollar homes in the Los Angeles area, guarded by sophisticated sec...
In October, I wrote about the presidents announced shift from a foreign policy strategy of military intervention to a policy of relentless diplomacy; and the challenges he will face in dealing with Iran and with increased Palestinian intransigence toward any concessions in the conflict with Israel (Everywhere, Oct. 22, 2021)

I also opined in that column, that the president conveyed a subtle message of reluctance to back up his relentless diplomacy with hard power coming on the heels of the humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Now the president is faced with two very...
Suns star Devin Booker is getting close to returning to action, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports.

Booker did individual on-court work with Suns assistant Jarrett Jack after the morning shootaround at the teams practice facility on Thursday. Booker didnt play in Phoenixs night game against the Wizards, the seventh consecutive game hes missed due to a left hamstring strain.

Booker was running, dribbling and shooting as he showed progress from the injury he suffered on November 30 against Golden State.

Prior to the workout, Booker had been limited to weight lifting and shooting. He said earlier in the week hed like to undergo some contact in practices before he suits up again.

Get some up-and-down, check all the boxes, Booker said.

The Suns have two days off before Sundays game against Charlotte and Booker could come back in that game. Heading into the game against Washington, Phoenix was 4-2 since Booker was injured.
Now Open

17 December 2021

Given Audemars Piguet's fastidious eye for design, it's likely to create a very impressive hotel suite. So concluded Whitepod, an idyllic eco-resort in the Swiss Alps, which recently enlisted the Swiss watchmaker to help develop a new nature-focused oasis for its guests.

Established in 2004, Whitepod is comprised of 18 private pods that are perched on the Dents-du-Midi mountain range, at an altitude of nearly 4,600 feet. The resort, which is at the intersection of luxury and sustainability, was inspired to incorporate the creative prowess and meticulous craftsmanship that fellow Swiss brand AP has exemplified since 1875 into its new Timeless Suite.

Of course, the watch brand is no stranger to the hospitality biz. It opened its own 50-room Swiss inn called Hotel des Horlogers in 2005; it was razed in 2018 to make space for a new 75,350-square-foot hotel that will be designed by noted architect Bjarke Ingels (it's slated to reopen in 2022).

To make things interesting, AP held a competition to find the best budding design firms to execute the project. After careful consideration, the perennial tastemaker landed on Benedicte Meynet and Singal Depery-Moesch. The duo then set about creating a cushy domed cocoon that blends seamlessly with the Alpine landscape.

To give guests a true "multi-sensory experience," the bubble has an array of special touches to stimulate all five senses. The Swiss pine used throughout emanates a calming, woody aroma, while the fluffy, wool carpet and organic concrete give you a chance to enjoy contrasting textures. Throughout the stay, you can sip on artisanal teas and listen to a soothing soundtrack featuring either birds, water or wind to help you relax. The lights also pulse in sync with the soundscape to create a meditative atmosphere. To top it off, the outdoor terrace is fitted with a private Nordic bath from which you can soak in the mountain views.

"AP's brand presence is discrete in the pod," Whitepod COO Hugo Pozzo di Borgo tells Robb Report. "There are no watches or specific watch designs, except the bathroom is in green and gray mineral colors, related to AP's corporate colors. However," he notes, "the architecture is based on a watchmaking concept called 'cardiac coherence.' Ancestral mechanical watches have a rhythm, like a metronome, on which the heart beats. With the light and sound experiencethree different types of music and lightingbased on this cardiac coherence, guests of the suite can relax or meditate in a natural way."

So while AP aficionados may not find any specific watch-related furnishings in the suite, perhaps that's the point: This is your time to unwind. The Timeless Suite starts at approximately $1,626 per night, which includes breakfast for two and a bottle of Champagne to enjoy in-room.

Source: robbreport.com
Pipeline

17 December 2021

Melia continues with its growth in Mediterranean destinations with the announcement of its fourth hotel in Albania

This new project on the Albanian Riviera will be part of The Melia Collection, the company's portfolio of luxury hotels with their own particular personality

Melia Hotels International continues with growth in Mediterranean destinations after announcing the addition of a new hotel in Albania, a rapidly emerging travel destination. The Hotel Palasa Beach, Member of Melia Collection, will be the company's fourth hotel in the country, located on the Albanian Riviera, whose spectacular beaches and scenery make it one of the most beautiful destinations in Europe.

A prime location overlooking the sea, and architecture which will be fully integrated with the natural environment, will allow the Hotel Palasa Beach to offer unique hotel and destination experiences for guests. As part of The Melia Collection, a portfolio of luxury hotels with their own particular personality, this new hotel will invite guests to discover the Albanian Riviera and connect with the destination through its design, cuisine and many other details to enhance the customer experience.

Hotel Palasa Beach, Member of Melia Collection, will have 142 rooms and suites, including spectacular villas. On the beachfront and with spaces on different levels, fully integrated with the environment and offering sea views from practically all of its spaces, the hotel will offer 5 villas, 1 superior villa, 16 deluxe rooms, some with a private swimming pool, 6 suites with access to an exclusive pool and 8 suites, in addition to other standard rooms. A wide variety of rooms that will also provide exclusive amenities and exquisite decoration to make them the perfect refuge for every type of guest.

The facilities at the Hotel Palasa Beach, Member of Melia Collection, will include a spa and wellness centre with an indoor pool and a gym. The outdoor areas will include a large pool for guests to enjoy a dip while admiring the scenery. The beach club alongside the pool and the hotel restaurant will provide a wide range of dining options for guests, reflecting the uniqueness of the environment through a careful selection of local and international flavours. The Hotel Palasa Beach will also provide a casino. As a commitment to the MICE segment, this Melia Collection hotel will also provide 4 rooms for meetings and events.

This new addition means Melia Hotels International now has 4 projects in Albania, where it is already preparing the future opening of the Melia Durres, Sol Durres and Melia Tirana hotels. The hotel company remains firmly committed to Mediterranean destinations, supported by its considerable experience and market leadership. The addition also demonstrates the company's commitment to differentiation and high-end travel with The Melia Collection, a portfolio of unique hotels with a strong connection to their destinations, already comprising 6 hotels around the world which will now be joined by the Hotel Palasa Beach, Member of Melia Collection.
Industry Update

Appointment

17 December 2021

Tom Buoy

Named Interim Chief Executive Officer

At Radisson Hotel Group Americas (RHGA) in St. Louis Park - MN, USA

Radisson Hotel Group Americas (RHGA) today announced Tom Buoy, Chief Commercial Officer, will serve as Interim Chief Executive Officer as Jim Alderman has left the company to pursue other opportunities. The company has started its search for a replacement but remains focused on the future and the continued success of RHGA hotels by continuing to provide best-in-class commercial, franchised and managed support. "Our plan is to continue to move forward with the vision set forth by our board and executive team to grow the company," said Tom Buoy, Interim Chief Executive Officer. "We have an exceptional internal team of leaders focused on making Radisson Hotel Group Americas better for owners, franchisees, team members, and investors alike, and I am very confident we will continue to grow in 2022 and beyond."

Hotelschools.com Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration Tom Buoy (Class of 1995) is a graduate of Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration in Ithaca, New York - United States (Class of 1995) is a graduate of Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration in Ithaca, New York - United States more information

Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) Radisson Hotel Group (formerly Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group) is one of the world's largest hotel groups with eight distinctive hotel brands, more than 1,400 hotels in operation and under development around the world. more information

Recent Appointments at Radisson Hotel Group Caroline Jonsson - Regional PR & Communcations Manager Middle East 27 December 2021  Based in Dubai, Caroline will be responsible for supporting the development and execution of the group's communication & PR strategy in the area, focusing on the Middle East region. She will also support the hotels with their PR and communication to further increase the awareness of Radisson Hotel Group and its brands. read more

Kevin Kelly - Director of Sales and Marketing 6 December 2021  Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel proudly announces the appointment of Kevin Kelly to Director of Sales and Marketing at the Chicago hotel, the first in North America. A Midwest native and marketing and sales expert, Kelly brings over thirty years of experience in the hospitality industry to Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel. read more
Press Release

17 December 2021

A new methodology to guide hotels on how to set a net zero pathway has been released by a group of global hospitality, travel and tourism sector organizations.

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The Net Zero Methodology for Hotels provides detailed guidance on how hotels can approach the technical aspects of net zero, such as what should be included in Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, milestones to be reached by target years such as 2025, 2030 and 2040, and how to approach decarbonization through renewable energy. The methodology also provides guidance on alignment with frameworks such as the Science Based Targets Initiative, Race to Zero and the Glasgow Declaration.

The Methodology is authored by Greenview, a global sustainable hospitality consultancy, in partnership with Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). It was developed through a collaborative process with industry experts, including an Advisory Group of over 20 hotel companies, and after a wide stakeholder consultation.

Eric Ricaurte, Founder and CEO of Greenview said As more and more hotel companies make net zero commitments, it is important to document how the specific challenges faced by this sector should be addressed. All too often existing guidance relates to commercial real estate which does not take into account issues such as the particular owner / operator / franchisee relationships in hotels, ongoing changes in portfolio, or the differing status of renewable energy in countries around the world. The methodology provides comprehensive and detailed guidance on all the topics which will need to be addressed by a hotel owner or operator wishing to achieve net zero by 2050.

The methodology is not only for those in the hotel sector wishing to set a net zero pathway, but also aims to provide additional insights for the wider climate change and net zero community so that the specific challenges and opportunities faced by hotels can be better understood. Furthermore, as hotel stays are included in Scope 3 Business Travel for companies in all sectors wishing to achieve net zero, this methodology aims to provide a consistent approach to net zero for hotels which will support these ambitions.

Jeremy Smith, founder of Tourism Declares added We are seeing a great momentum now within the tourism and hospitality sector when it comes to net zero, with many commitments being made by companies large and small. The challenge now is how to realize those commitments and this methodology represents a critical tool in supporting actual progress being made. The challenge is significant, but by following the guidance set out in this methodology hotel companies can start to plot their own pathway, in a way which is aligned with global frameworks and, importantly, in line with climate science.

Chris Imbsen, Director of Sustainability at WTTC, said At the COP 26 meeting in Glasgow last month we launched our Net Zero Roadmap for the Travel & Tourism sector. In it we identified the opportunity for the hotel industry to decarbonize more quickly than some other industries in our sector, such as cruise and aviation, and this methodology provides the details which they can follow in order to achieve this.

Patrick OMeara, CEO of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance said The Net Zero Methodology for Hotels is a significant innovation which will enable hotels to make credible and achievable net zero commitments. The Methodology helps hotels to set boundaries, to measure and report emissions in a consistent way, and to make appropriate use of carbon offsetting in the short to medium term. It will help those hotels who have yet to make significant progress to start immediately on their net zero journey. We are looking forward to reflecting the guidance set out in this methodology in our Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality which will be launched early next year.

Graham Harper, PATA Sustainability and Social Responsibility Advisor, said We are delighted to have supported the development of this new Net Zero Methodology for Hotels. Although many parts of Asia are still suffering significantly from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, as we gradually reopen it is clear that sustainability is top of the agenda. This methodology will help hotel companies understand the steps they need to take to get on the path to net zero.

The Net Zero Methodology for Hotels is available for download from the Greenview website along with a Summary and Practical Guide to Getting Started.
Press Release

17 December 2021

ROCKVILLE, Md. and RALEIGH, N.C. - Building on the company's commitments to increasing diversity across the hospitality industry, Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) and Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company are sponsoring a hospitality management accelerator program for recent students graduating from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to gain valuable experience at the upscale Cambria Hotels brand.

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Two recent Morgan State graduates are the first to participate in the six-month managers-in-training (M.I.T.) rotational program, launched in September with Concord Hospitality, at the Cambria Hotel Washington, D.C. Convention Center and the Cambria Hotel Nashville Downtown. Upon successful completion of the immersive training program at the hotels, these managers-in-training will have the opportunity to pursue full-time managerial positions with Concord Hospitality.

In addition to debuting the management accelerator program, Choice Hotels joined the HBCU Partnership Challenge developed by Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC-12) and created to strengthen public-private relationships with HBCUs to ensure the schools' future sustainability, increase career prospects for their students, and advance diversity, equity and inclusion within all sectors. Thus far, 78 companies have joined the Challenge.

"Choice Hotels is committed to advancing diversity, equity and belonging both within our organization and across the entire hospitality industry. As part of these ongoing efforts, Concord Hospitality has been an important collaborator for us in helping to create a bridge for recent HBCU graduates so they can pursue meaningful careers in hospitality," said Janis Cannon, senior vice president, upscale brands, Choice Hotels. "We look forward to working with Congresswoman Alma Adams, the International Franchise Association, hotel management companies and HBCUs to build a diverse pipeline of talent, seeding future general managers as well as future hotel owners."

"At Concord Hospitality, we believe our biggest differences are our greatest strengths and we are committed to living up to our mission to be 'A Great Place to Work for All," said Mark Laport, president and CEO, Concord Hospitality. "It is through initiatives like this that we build a strong associate base not only at Concord, but within the hospitality industry as a whole. We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to work with Choice Hotels on such an important program and look forward to the bright futures of these hospitality industry employees."

Choice Hotels has recently made several enhancements as part of its decades-long commitment to diversity, including:

Teaming with the Executive Leadership Council (ELC) to build an inclusive business leadership pipeline and increase the number of successful black executives by adding value to their development, leadership and philanthropic endeavors across the lifecycle of their careers, including funding scholarships for students enrolled in HBCUs and creating career development opportunities for Choice associates.

Forming the Choice Hotels Owners African American Alliance (CHOAAA), the industry's only franchisee-focused group dedicated to Black and African American hoteliers, to allow a platform for owners to express their voices and unique experiences directly with the company's leadership.

Creating opportunities for minority-owned businesses. As a franchisor, it is the company's vision to fuel small business through proven brands where all are welcome to pursue the American dream of entrepreneurship. To reach underrepresented groups, Choice has a dedicated Emerging Markets Program focused on establishing relationships within the African American, Hispanic, Native American and veteran communities, and women owners as well. Since the program began, the company has awarded and financially supported over 270 franchise agreements, including 24 agreements last year, despite the pandemic.

Implementing hiring, promotion and retention benchmarks and goals to improve the diversity of company leadership and employees at all levels of the organization.

Similarly, Concord Hospitality has instilled the following ideals, among others, at its hotel properties across the nation and throughout its entire associate footprint:

Our biggest differences are our greatest strengths  Associates from all over North America are encouraged to share their stories to gain understanding and appreciation for everyone's differences, celebrating "I am free to be me."

Be authentic  Concord believes that when a person feels safe enough to be themselves and be accepted, they are sure to bring their best selves to work  which translates into improved performance, innovation and results.

Treat each person how they deserve to be treated  The company aims to ensure that the associate experience is the same across all levels, genders, ethnicities or other characteristics, regardless of how a person defines him or herself.

These ideals are paramount in a number of Concord initiatives, including through its Diversity & Inclusion Council, which was launched in 2017, as well as in more recent endeavors like the 2020 "End Racism Now" initiative, which aimed to increase the level of understanding about the Black community amongst its associates, within the hospitality industry and across the U.S. and ultimately drive change to secure equality, justice and freedom for all Americans.

"Applying for the M.I.T. Program has been one of the smartest decisions I have ever made," said Je'lynn Gould, Morgan State alumna and hospitality management accelerator program participant. "Many companies do not offer programs for recent college students and graduates, but I am grateful that Concord has! I honestly couldn't be prouder to work for such a great company! This program is truly necessary for recent graduates who have the passion for this industry, but just need a great starting point to build the experience. Completion of this program will help transform participants into managers, with the flexibility of choosing the department they like best. I can truly say that my time with Concord and Choice thus far has helped me to develop critical skills in every department of the hotel."

The Morgan State University Hospitality Management Program facilitates students' higher education by providing financial assistance through numerous scholarship opportunities. Donors can make a tax-deductible gift to the Morgan State University Foundation to support students in Morgan State's Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management Hospitality Management Program: https://www2.morgan.edu/ba/hospitality

To learn more about Choice Hotels' initiatives and efforts to promote diversity, equity and belonging, view the company's Environmental, Social and Governance Report.

About Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company

As an award-winning hotel development and management company, Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company has spent the last three decades successfully growing the company's portfolio, which includes premium-branded properties across the United States and Canada. Recognized as one of the top 10 management companies in North America, Concord Hospitality creates benefits for its partners and associates by leveraging its operations, development, sales and marketing, technology, accounting and operational management expertise to continue to grow its portfolio of best-in-class hotels. The company believes its people are its greatest strength. With the brightest talent, the most innovative processes and a commitment to giving back to the communities where associates live and work, Concord Hospitality is committed to being a great place to work for all. Learn more at concordhotels.com.

About Morgan State University

Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
Press Release

17 December 2021

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the worlds largest business travel association, is delighted to announce the appointment of Ben Park as the new chair of the GBTA Europe Advisory Board, following an extensive application process including a quorum of representatives from GBTA Committees, GBTA France and GBTA Italy. Ben Park will serve a three-year term, replacing Mark Cuschieri, who recently joined the GBTA Global Board as Vice-Chair.

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The new appointment is supported by a newly restructured European Advisory Board, including representation from GBTA France and GBTA Italy including former President and now Vice-President for GBTA France, Stephane Vallegeas, and President for GBTA Italy Roberta Bille, ensuring all of GBTAs volunteer community is represented across the region. Following his election in July, Jens Liltorp will represent Europe on the GBTA Global Board.

After a challenging couple of years for our industry, I am delighted to take on the role, to lead the European advisory board and help our members and partners throughout the region navigate a return to a new kind of business travel  considered, strategic and sustainable. I am looking forward to meeting many of the members at the GBTA Europe 2021 Conference 28 Feb-2 March in Berlin, said Ben Park, President GBTA Europe Advisory Board.

European Partners Renew Exclusive Partnerships with GBTA

The following GBTA European partners have agreed a renewal on an exclusive partnership with GBTA including:

ITM (UK & Ireland)

SBTA (Sweden)

NBTA (Norway)

DBTA (Denmark)

FBTA (Finland)

NATM (Netherlands)

VDR (Germany)

Further association partnership renewals will be announced shortly.

The new agreements will give all partner members access to GBTA membership including content, events and education and will continue to foster collaboration across the regions and GBTA in Europe. GBTA Europe will support regional events through content and research, the partners will continue to provide specific regional content to address local issues in the market.

Advocacy efforts will continue in Europe, supported by Grayling and will expand the remit to include the UK.

Scott Davies, CEO, ITM said: We are excited to re-launch ITMs partnership with GBTA. Now, more than ever before, is the time to collaborate globally to support our business travel community. ITM is proud to be the representative for GBTA in the UK and Ireland, as the industry body that understands the concerns, needs and challenges facing corporate buyers in this market. Travel buyers and managers have a heavy to-do list in 2022 with sustainability, supplier collaboration, traveller management and financial value all at the top as they manage their organisations return to travel across people, planet and profit. Our partnership with GBTA will give our members the opportunity to access valuable resources to help them achieve this.

On behalf of the partners across Europe, I am delighted that we are all joining forces once again to work with GBTA. By coming together we can better serve our members and represent the business travel industry as one voice, collaborate more and advocate on behalf of our community, said Lotten Fowler, President SBTA.
Opinion Article

17 December 2021

In many ways, 2021 was a year of hope: for vaccines, for the pandemic to reach an end, for travel to rebound so that we could safely see the world again. While were not out of the woods yet, we see positive signs that traveler optimism is continuing to grow, which we discuss in detail in the Q3 2021 Travel Recovery Trend Report. For most of 2021, howeveras travel restrictions and requirements remained unpredictablemany hotels looked for ways to increase visibility and fill empty rooms. In this post, well recap a few success stories from the past year, featuring hotels that leveraged TravelAds Sponsored Listings to reach travelers during this challenging time.

The Burrard, Vancouver, Canada

The first hotel we highlight is The Burrard, a boutique hotel located in Vancouver, British Colombia. This property was converted from an old motor inn but, despite its uniqueness, it struggled to stand out from the competition of global hotel chains  especially in such a bustling city where travelers have so many options to choose from. Thats why The Burrard turned to TravelAds, hoping to take advantage of our built-in targeting tools to reach the right travel shoppers.

The propertys management worked with an Expedia Group Media Solutions trusted advisor to develop a strategy in response to the shifting travel behavior weve seen since 2020. The strategy included targeting domestic travelers searching for hotels at the last minute, as well as presenting shoppers with custom ad copy. The result was an increase in room night demand of 90% between the second half of 2020 and the first half of 2021.

To learn more about The Burrards strategy and results, read the full story here.

Hotel IMLAUER & Brau, Salzburg, Austria

Next, well turn our attention to Hotel IMLAUER & Brau, a family-owned hotel located in the alpine city of Salzburg. Famed as the birthplace of Mozart and the location of the events told in The Sound of Music, the destination has always been a favorite stop for international travelers. Thats why before the COVID-19 pandemic, the hotel saw success when it used TravelAds to promote international travel across all booking windows. With international travel at a halt, however, the hotel knew it needed to reconsider its strategy to increase demand.

Heading into 2021, the hotel worked with its Media Solutions advisor to adjust its approach, choosing to instead focus on domestic travelers and shorter booking windows. Leveraging our huge volume of first-party search and booking data to target a different type of traveler, they were able to promote the hotel to those looking for a room at the last minute. In addition, they promoted the hotels commitment to hygiene, and also employed localized ad copy to further engage travelers. The result was increased room night demand, click-through-rates, and market share.

For more information, read the full story here.

Amber Hotel Jeju, Jeju City, South Korea

Another hotel to leverage localized ad copy was Amber Hotel Jeju in South Korea. Due to a spike in COVID-19 cases, the recently renovated hotel wasnt attracting as many travelers as hoped. To turn this around, and capitalize on the peak season of August and September, the property partnered with Media Solutions. One of our trusted advisors helped Amber Hotel Jeju formulate a strategy that would drive demand and help it stand apart from the competition.

This included activating all travel windows and creating localized ad copy. By translating the copy into local languages, the hotel ensured it was represented accurately to travel shoppers. In the end, Amber Hotel Jeju saw an average of 130,000 monthly impressions and a click-through-rate of 4.5%, and has remained almost fully booked.

Find out more about their success story here.

Hotel Effie Sandestin, Miramar Beach, Florida

In addition to advanced targeting capabilities and localized ad copy, TravelAds also provides hotels with flexible payment options. This is especially important now, as budgets remain limited and paying upfront for advertising can be burdensome.

This was true for Hotel Effie Sandestin in Florida, which started using TravelAds late last year but had difficulties getting funding to pay for its campaigns in advance. Thats why the hotel adjusted its payment strategy and switched to Post Bill, a new payment option that extends a predetermined line of monthly credit hotels can spend against. This meant Hotel Effie Sandestins ads could stay live even without upfront payment, and they only paid for the spend accrued while the campaign was active. As a result of the more sustained campaignand visibilitythis solution enabled, the hotel saw dramatic results in a short period of time.

To read more about their campaign and results, check out the success story here.

PA Hospitality, Houston, Texas

The final hotel whose story well share is PA Hospitality. The hotel used TravelAds to increase visibility through several trying times in the past few years, including an ice storm, hurricane, and of course, a global pandemic. They found long-term success by working with a TravelAds expert to create a customized strategy. To find out more about the challenges PA Hospitality has faced and why they continue to choose TravelAds, check out the video.

General Manager Brandon Romero also took the time to share what his hotels strategy is for the future, in a post-pandemic world we all look forward to. You can read the full blog post here.

Let TravelAds Be Part of Your Hotels Strategy

As you can see, whether youre part of a major chain or an independent hoteland no matter where you are on the path to recoveryTravelAds can help you increase visibility and drive occupancy. You can create customized ad copy to precisely target travel shoppers across our global portfolio of travel sites, as well as access real-time reporting to analyze performance and optimize campaigns as needed. To learn more about how you can inspire travelers to book your hotel, download our TravelAds Sponsored Listings guide.

You can also find out about how the wider travel industry is maintaining momentum on the continued road to recovery by reading our Q3 2021 Travel Recovery Trend Report. Or contact us to connect with one of our market experts who can tell you about more ways we can help your hotel boost business as the industry continues to rebuild.
Opinion Article

17 December 2021

The recent Covid crisis has highlighted the resilience of the hotel sector in France. An investment in a hotel (as in a boutique hotel) should also be regarded by investors as a pleasure asset. When benefiting from the French favourable tax reinvestment regime, what should investors be looking at if they wish to make the switch to hospitality?

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Hotel investments remain an attractive asset class in France and even more so if the favourable tax reinvestment regime, as per Article 150-0 B TER of the French General Tax Code, is considered. Here, we outline several steps that investors should take before they can happily sign any hotel purchase agreement and break out the champagne.

Suggested course of actions to be followed by the investor

First, the future investor must successfully dispose of the shares of their former company, and one of the common obstacles to the disposal of these shares for the seller/future hotel investor is capital gains tax (taxed at 30%). It should be noted that in most cases, capital gains (equal to the difference between the sales price of the shares and the subscription or acquisition price of the same shares) are significant.

To avoid being taxed, the prospective seller can transfer the shares of the company he wishes to sell to a personal holding company. The capital gains on these shares will then be subject to tax deferral for the contributor, and the capital gains on the sale of these shares by the holding company will hypothetically be null or negligible: as the sales price is equal to the contribution value, the two operations will not therefore be subject to taxation if the deferral is maintained.

In principle, the contributors tax deferral ceases in the case of resale of the transferred shares by the holding company within three years, unless the holding company reinvests at least 60% of the proceeds of the sale in an economic activity within two years of the sale.

It should be remembered that in France the management of personal property or personal real estate (furnished or unfurnished property rental activity) does not benefit from this exemption. The maintenance of the deferral is conditional on the reinvestment of the capital gains generated by the sale in the financing of permanent operating resources allocated to an economic activity, and by the operational management of the investor. The operational nature of the investors involvement in the management should be studied in detail, particularly if a hotel management contract is proposed.

With this in mind, if the investor chooses to reinvest in a real estate asset dedicated to hotel or hotel-residence use (and thus of an economic nature), the conditions for deferral are met.

Precautions in the event of works on the hotel should also be considered, as the investor must often take into account hotel renovation or extension works. This phase may significantly delay the hotels opening and thus weaken eligibility under Article 150-0 B TER of the French General Tax Code.

The latest major investments made in the hotel industry, particularly in the thalassotherapy sector and in hotel programmes in Paris, show that these investments are eligible for tax reinvestment. This must nevertheless be examined on a case-by-case basis.

Beyond the substantial tax aspects, investors are advised to ensure that their hotel investment is a pertinent investment in its market segment (including works), particularly with a view to a resale in the medium term.

Good tax advice is valuable for confirming the eligibility of a hotel reinvestment, since the economic nature of the reinvestment may subsequently be called into question by the French tax authorities, with immediate taxation of the capital gains. For example, even though an investment in a company holding the real estate and the business is, in principle, economic in nature, this is not the case for the acquisition of one company holding the real estate and another company holding the business, one of which has granted a commercial lease to the other.

In this case, the French tax authorities tend to consider that the reinvestment in the company holding the real estate is not eligible, as it is a property rental activity (that is excluded). A ministerial response regarding this issue has not yet been issued (Question N 40906 from Mr. Joan Bachelier, 7 September 2021).

The final stage is the actual hotel acquisition. This phase starts with buy-side due diligence covering accounting, technical and tax aspects  all essential for making an informed decision on whether to go ahead or not. To respect the short timeframe for reinvestment, the investor will seek to negotiate rapidly with the seller to close the deal in time, i.e.:

negotiating on acquiring control of the company that owns the hotel business and real estate and the change of management,

the whole accompanied by an efficiently negotiated asset and liability guarantee regarding accounting, legal and tax aspects to protect against any unpleasant surprises.

Failing this, the entire hospitality reinvestment project will be undermined.

In conclusion, all small obstacles become big if they are not addressed. Quote from Henri-Frederic Amiels diary, 23 January 1869.

By Christopher Boinet, Lawyer at the Paris Bar and Partner at In Extenso Avocats and Anne Epinat, Partner In Extenso Avocats and Olivier Charpentier-Stoloff and Roman Kowalik partners and tax specialists in Extenso Avocats ,
Opinion Article

19 December 2021

If we were to ask you what word described 2020 and 2021, the term unprecedented might come to mind. Over the last 24 months, after all, weve been berated with mention of the unprecedented times and the new normal that followed in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic after it first made headlines in early 2020.

But for hoteliers and travel professionals, another term might better encapsulate the shared experience of the pandemic-era: volatile. Like any other industry that offers consumers an experience as a service, Hospitality is especially vulnerable to the impact of world events. In the case of COVID-19, hotels and airlines werent simply at the mercy of fluctuating traveler demand, but rather, at the mercy of stay-at-home orders and bans on non-essential travel. In many ways, hospitality encountered a stalemate unlike anything it had ever experienced  an industry that otherwise never stops, came to a sudden, grinding halt.

Now, as the hospitality industry (and the world at large) shifts into a period of tentative recovery, we find ourselves taking a collective sigh of relief  but not without noticing another potential threat on the horizon. Over the last few months, experts worldwide have voiced their concerns regarding the emerging COVID-19 variants. Most recently, the Omicron variant has been making headlines after being first reported by South Africa on November 24th. New data suggests the variant was also found in the Netherlands from samples taken between November 19 and 23, meaning it was likely in Europe before it was in Africa.

While there is still much to learn about the Omicron variant, headlines have been awash with mention of its highly transmissible nature, as well as questions pertaining to vaccine efficacy in the face of this new threat. What does this mean for our long-awaited return to normal? Could this variant derail the road to recovery that hard-hit industries, like hospitality, are finally on? Could borders once again close on the heels of further lockdown measures? Moreover, If historical trends have been circumvented by the COVID-19 pandemic, how can hotels and airlines keep their finger on the pulse of booking demands and anticipate the impact of this latest variant on travel demand?

What Does the Omicron Variant Mean for Holiday Travel?

Fortunately, the technology required to derive travel demand insights at a hyper-local and city level does exist  taking shape as RateGains SaaS solution powered by AI called Demand.AI, that empowers hoteliers and travel professionals to identify a demand index for cities ranked from 0 to 100. Using this new platform, we were able to derive essential predictions surrounding the emergence of the Omicron variant.

This index illustrates how demand is evolving over 75 days, and also reveals what type of demand would be coming into the city, the popular booking patterns, and how it would affect hotel and vacation rental bookings. The easy-to-use platform also allows hotels to track demand for each locality within the city, using a map-view or a table view to compare which locality in each city will see higher demand.

Perhaps the most important takeaway is that even though Omicron appears to have created a small blip in travel demand immediately, the future demand does not appear to be affected across many regions.

Photo: RateGain Technologies Limited

When we look to major cities and travel destinations like New York, we see that even amidst a gradual rise in cases and reporting regarding the Omicron variant, the Demand Index shows strong, stable demand through early next year. Specifically, if we look at late November in New York, the demand index was at 71.71 (out of 100), and now, if we fast forward to the beginning of January, we see a demand index of 71.54. With this data, we can determine that the Omicron variant has had little to no impact on holiday demand.

Photo: RateGain Technologies Limited

In many cases, regions that have not detected any Omicron cases yet, such as Las Vegas, see prospective travelers still waiting for more information on the variant; however, an increase in demand is expected across the next 90 days.

Photo: RateGain Technologies Limited

However, when we look at select cities in the US, specifically those which have reported cases of the Omicron variant, there does appear to be a short-term demand decrease after the announcement of Omicron. In Savannah, Georgia, this trend reveals itself, but January and February seem to have a steady increase in demand due to the holiday season. For hoteliers and travel professionals, this is good news. While we can expect slight fluctuations in demand as news regarding the new variant continues to emerge, it seems unlikely that travel demand will come to a standstill as it did earlier this year, pending state-specific response measures.

The Right Way to Attract Future Demand

Where is travel demand coming from? What impacts fluctuations in that demand? It is precisely this line of questioning (and associated data) which should inform the way(s) in which hotels and travel brands allocate their marketing dollars both now and in the future. Using billions of data points on user searches, transactions, and price points across hotels and airlines, car rentals, vacation rentals, as well as other forward-looking demand indicators such as new COVID-19 variants, active COVID cases, vaccination numbers, lockdowns/restrictions news, etc. RateGains Demand.AI opens up a world of data-backed, actionable insights. Understandably, at a time when historical context and trends are often made irrelevant by world events, its more important than ever before for hoteliers to leverage intuitive forecasting data to optimize strategy and protect their bottom line.

Hoteliers, in this new normal, predicting future demand is more complex than it ever has been  so why not give yourself the tool(s) needed to gain clarity? RateGains Demand.AI platform uses forward-looking and real-time indicators to transform the hospitality forecasting process to predict occupancy, bookings better and see peak demand periods. The future doesnt have to be a mystery  connecting to the power of AI will reveal real-time demand insights that will help any travel-related businesses recover from the pandemic and find long-term success.
Walking into the Electronics Parts Outlet is a lot like walking into museum  well, except for the shelves stuffed with microprocessors, circuit boards, electric motors and other components stacked to the rafters.

Across from the cash register sits a working tube tester, where customers bring vacuum tubes harvested from old TVs, amplifiers and radios to see if they still work. In the rear, youll find Cold War-era oscilloscopes yanked from decommissioned Navy vessels. Near the entrance, a World War II-era crank telephone rings its twin near the back of the store. (And no, those are not for sale).

The Electronic Parts Outlet  EPO to its fans  is a survivor from another time, when do-it-yourselfers and hobbyists yammered into ham radios, repaired computers and restored classic TVs. But it also is danger of going the way of countless other mom-and-pop electronics stores that have vanished from downtowns, shopping malls and commercial districts in recent decades.

Like all small players, EPO is under pressure from chains like Best Buy and e-commerce giants like Amazon. But for EPO, falling electronics prices not only makes it tougher to compete with the big retailers, but also undermines a key customer base by making gadgets easier and often cheaper to replace than repair.

COVID-19 hasnt helped, either, driving customers from the stores cramped, narrow aisles

This business is in decline, conceded EPOs co-owner Chris Macha,. I have to be honest with you, its tough.

One of a kind

EPO is one of a kind in Houston, and possibly in the United States. Founded in 1985  Macha began working there in 1999 and bought it with Rick Zamarrippa in 2013  the store has become a fixture in the areas geek culture.

Customers with technical expertise conduct workshops on everything from vacuum tube technology to the science of coffee. The store hosts tech swap meets and battle bots competitions in which robots try to tear each other apart, and promotes them in a mailing list with about 2,000 subscribers.

EPOs clientele ranges from the professional to the student, from the collector to the artist. Macha said hes sold parts to oil field technicians looking to repair downhole drilling equipment, a medical technician working on an MRI machine in the Texas Medical Center, and a movie producer looking for props.

EPO is crammed so full of items old and new that its notoriously hard to find what youre looking for. But thats OK: The hunt is its own reward.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Stung by shifting tastes and the pandemic, retailer adjusts on the fly

One glassed-in shelf holds dozens of elaborate kits made of polished metal sheets to make models of the Eiffel Tower, the Beatles drums kit or classic cars. Youll come across dozens of classic radios, a Japanese pachinko machine from the 60s, and steampunk masks that look as if they are made of gears and pipes.

You may also find an old foghorn that works. But, if you value your ear drums, dont lean directly over it as you crank the handle.

Iris Story, 65, first came to EPO in the mid-1990s in search of a motor for a project for one of her students in Odyssey of the Mind, a global initiative that teaches young people from kindergarten to college age to solve problems and think critically.

She recalled Macha greeted her right away, put her on the mailing list, and gave a tour of the store, leaving her agog at endless shelves brimming with components and vintage gear.

Story soon became a regular, going with her students to EPO for wires, motors, circuit boards and hobby kits. As a result, her house is filled with EPO finds - including a Victrola phonograph.

When I go there to shop for something, I get exposed to other things, Story said. One time I went back in there and spent $400 just on  things. And thats just not me!

Beginnings

Longtime customers say the store has not changed since the original owners, Michele and Daniel Bretch, opened it at its original location, just a few blocks near the stores current home on Fondren Road. From the beginning, longtime customers said, it was quirky and cluttered.

EPO has tracked consumer electronic trends over the years. In its first incarnation in the 80s, it was a destination for ham and CB radio operators. Dan Johnson, 56, was one of EPOs earliest customers as a teen and a ham-radio enthusiast. He was hooked, and returned almost every weekend, he said, even as he became an adult and landed a job in the oil field services industry.

Even if I didnt buy anything, Id stop by on weekends, Johnson said.

As the times changed, so did the stores focus. When the personal computer boom began, and hobbyists were building their own systems, EPO stocked up on those components.

When Macha and Zamarripa bought the store from the Bretches, Johnson said they brought in more antique technology, something the original owners had done early on. The Bretches couldnt be reached for comment.

Johnson moved to Missouri in June to start a new career as a long-haul trucker. He said he misses his weekend visits to EPO, and hopes his driving job will eventually have him passing through. The last thing he bought was, like the very first, radio-related.

I bought plenty of stuff from them; they treated everybody like gold, he said. I really miss those guys.

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Time running out

Whether EPO will be around when Johnson returns is uncertain. Macha said that hes gone into survival mode to try to keep the store going, but EPO faces daunting consumer trends.

The worldwide consumer electronics market is massive, estimated at more than $1 trillion by the market research firm Global Market Insights. But the industrys transition to online sales is accelerating, claiming retailer after retailer that sold consumer electronics and the components to build and fix them.

The most prominent among them: RadioShack. The retailer began selling ham radio components in Fort Worth in 1921, and, at its peak, had thousands of stores across the country as it expanded in into general electronics parts, consumer electronics and cellphones.

But after bankruptcies in 2015 and 2017, the chain all but vanished. All that remains is a handful of stores run by independent dealers. and a website owned by Retail Ecommerce Ventures, which holds defunct brick-and-mortar brands such as Radio Shack, Pier One, Stein Mart and Dress Barn

Other national chains, such as Circuit City and CompUSA, also have imploded. Earlier this year, the California chain Frys Electronics shuttered its three Houston area locations.

Many local electronics parts stores also have closed their doors over the years. Only a few remain in Houston, including EPO, Ace Electronics, which dates back to 1964; JPM Supply; and Directron ,which is primarily mail-order but also has a walk-in store.

In addition to industry trends, EPO has been buffeted by local events. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 didnt flood the store, but it put many of EPOs commercial customers out of business. Then, on Black Friday 2019, a customer trying to park accidentally accelerated and drove through one of EPOs painted-over windows.

The storefront was boarded up for through January 2020. Customers thought we were out of business, Macha said.

Then came the coronavirus pandemic. Like most retailers, EPOs traffic plunged. It has yet to completely recover, averaging about 80 customers today, down from 220 customers before the pandemic.

COVID-19, meanwhile, claimed a particular source of business, school projects, after it forced schools to shut down.

Students used to come in frequently, from elementary through college, Macha said. Not much anymore.

Fight to the death

So far, Macha and Zamarrippa have avoided laying off any of the stores staff of 11, but filling jobs when employees leave is difficult.

The loss of EPO would leave a hard-to-fill hole in the local tech scene. On a recent Saturday afternoon, for example, five teams of robotics enthusiasts gathered in the parking lot for a battle bots competition.

The teams, some comprising children and parents, placed small, radio-controlled robots equipped with wedges, buzz saws and hammers into plexiglass cabinets that served as arenas. The goal: disable opponents.

Sparks and parts flew. Tears flowed among losers, who marched into EPO to buy replacement components for the next round.

Bill Jameson, another longtime customer, said he has served as a marketing and business consultant to Macha and Zamarripa. Jameson, 80, is a former director of HAL-PC, the legendary Houston computer users club that was the biggest of its kind in the country until it succumbed in 2014 to changing habits in personal tech.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Ho w Houstonians scored the elusive PlayStation 5

EPO needs better marketing, Jameson said, but what makes EPO unique  the crazy jumble of parts, gadgets and long-lost technology, and the treasure-hunting experience  is hard to market. While some consumers might be dazzled by it all, others would find it overwhelming, frustrating and not worth the effort to buy something.

They like the eclectic approach, Jameson said. But at the same time, thats their worst enemy.

For now, change is not in the cards for EPO. Macha said hes just trying to meet payroll and keep the lights on, with little time to devise marketing strategies, plan new initiatives, or explore different business models.

I want this business to survive, Macha said. I have poured quite a bit of my life into this. We are just doing whatever we can to keep it going.

dsilverman@outlook.com

twitter.com/dsilverman
Work underway at Houstons major airports will get a lift from nearly $55 million in federal funds authorized in the recently approved infrastructure law.

The Federal Aviation Administration of Thursday announced how it will allocate the first $3 billion in new funds for airports from the infrastructure law, money that could spur upgrades in terminals and on the tarmac to help get passengers to planes more quickly and into the air on time.

Its the first major new tranche of federal airport funding since the stimulus adopted after the financial crisis more than a decade ago. It also represents a new level of investment by the federal government in terminals  at an average of 40 years old  which could help airports update aging facilities by plugging gaps in existing funding sources.

Bush Intercontinental Airport will receive $40.2 million and Hobby Airport will receive $14.7 million, according to the FAA.

The bipartisan infrastructure law has given us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build safer and more sustainable airports that connect individuals to jobs and communities to the world, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. With this new funding, urban, regional and rural airports across the country now can get to work on projects that have waited for years, modernizing their infrastructure and building a better America.

Like much of the transportation funding in the $1.2 trillion legislation, the federal government wont determine how the money is spent, leaving the decisions to individual airports. The money will start flowing at a time when airports are gradually recovering from the coronavirus pandemic, which nearly brought air travel to a standstill and left them dependent on billions in federal aid. While air travel has rebounded, airports expect to miss out on revenue, compared to pre-pandemic levels, for years to come.

On HoustonChronicle.com: United Airlines brings thousands of jobs to Houston

Houston Airport Systems has been working since 2014 to redevelop IAH in ways that make it more efficient for passengers, such as renovations at Terminal D, the construction of a brand new pier and new arrivals and departures halls. Redeveloped portions of the airport will include new features, such as automated systems allowing passengers to check bags without waiting in line at the counter, and streamlined checkpoint access at Terminals D and E, which will have 17 different lanes for passengers to go through.

For Hobby, local politicians have recently signaled support for investing in light rail routes to the Houstons southern airport. Smaller airports in the region are also on the funding list, including Jack Brooks Regional in Beaumont, which will receive $1 million, and Easterwood Field in College Station, which will receive $1.2 million.

The infrastructure money is divided through a formula set out in the law, broadly awarding funds based on an airports size. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the nations busiest, will receive $92.5 million this year, while hundreds of small airports will each get $110,000. In the Washington region, Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport will each get about $22 million, and Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport will get almost $26 million.

In all, the infrastructure legislation allocates $25 billion for aviation projects over five years.

Airports Council International-North America, which represents authorities that own and operate airports, says facilities are aging and have a significant backlog of projects. In an infrastructure survey published this year, the organization identified $115 billion in investments that airports say they need in the coming five years  including $40 billion in terminal projects.

We will see a significant portion of this money go in some way to terminal projects, said Annie Russo, the councils senior vice president of government and political affairs. It will be incredibly helpful in jump-starting projects.

Amanda Drane and the Washington Post News Service contributed.
Lawmakers have ordered Comptroller Glenn Hegar to wrap up Texass biggest corporate tax break program, but he wants to give companies one last gift: an end to public accountability.

Activists, corporate relocation specialists and lawmakers are scrambling to comment on Hegars proposal that companies no longer report key data about their progress toward meeting the terms of their property tax abatement agreements.

If the comptroller adopts the rule, the public will find it much more difficult to monitor whether companies really create the jobs or make the investments they promised in return for $1 billion a year in school property tax breaks.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Texas property tax breaks for businesses are only the tip of a troubling iceberg

Hegars plan is the latest twist in the Texas GOPs surprise closure of the Chapter 313 program, named for its place in the tax code. School boards dont mind granting the abatements because school funding formulas guarantee they dont lose per-student revenue when they slash taxes by millions of dollars. So the pain is spread across all districts.

The Legislature created Chapter 313 two decades ago to better compete with states offering tax incentives for corporate relocations. Typically, a school board gives a company 10 years or more of tax reductions. They also usually negotiate side deals for cash payments in return for the abatement.

School boards have no incentive to scrutinize Chapter 313 deals, and the comptroller typically approves them automatically. About 600 existing deals worth $11 billion in tax cuts stretch into 2049.

Supporters argue that the jobs created and the money invested in the community generates other revenues that far exceed the lost property taxes. School boards dont really lose out, they argue, because they get some property tax from projects that wouldnt exist without an incentive.

In a rare act of good governance, the Legislature and the comptroller required beneficiaries of Chapter 313 to file updates every two years on their hiring and investments. After all, business plans and economic conditions change, and companies frequently change strategies.

Fulfilling their watchdog function, the Chronicle and the Texas Observer dug into those reports. They found that not all companies fulfill their promises, and state officials rarely claw back the abated taxes when companies default.

The Chronicle, using a formula put forward by Gov. Greg Abbott, calculated the state is giving up $1.1 million in taxes for every job created through Chapter 313. While some reject that characterization, it rallied conservatives and progressives to kill Chapter 313 earlier this year.

Now Hegar wants to radically change the biennial corporate reports. We will no longer know what a company is doing in return for the tax breaks, nor will we know how much money the state has given away to some of the nations biggest corporations.

He also wants to change the annual reports filed to school boards on how many jobs a company creates and how much they pay workers, two vital elements of any Chapter 313 deal. Hegar would no longer require school boards to report the information to his office, making it more challenging to compile statewide data.

Interfaith groups that fought the corporate giveaway that hurts Texas children demanded Hegar roll back his plan on Wednesday.

Why would Hegar do this? The new proposals would benefit the public by improving the administration of local property valuation and taxation, the Texas Register filing cites as justification. His deputies have also said collecting detailed data is no longer necessary since the Legislature is allowing Chapter 313 to expire on Dec. 31, 2022.

Lets be honest, though, the 110 corporations rushing to apply for tax breaks before the program ends do not want to face public scrutiny going forward. They dont want any more bad press.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Attracting business to relocate to your community is not that hard

What is the benefit of less accountability and less transparency? San Antonio state Senator Jose Menendez asked at a Texas Industrial Areas Foundation press conference. The taxpayer should know how their money is going to be used and what they are getting in exchange.

Lastly, there is another twist to this tale of corporate welfare. Rumors are swirling in Austin that Texas Republicans will resurrect the property tax break, if not in a special legislative session next year, then definitely in 2023. But they are unlikely to restore the reporting requirements Hegar is eliminating.

If the business lobby gets a new tax break program with less transparency, they will turn a significant loss into a huge win. Hegar should be protecting taxpayers by demanding more accountability, not giving Texas businesses a huge Christmas present.

The public can comment on Hegars proposed rule change through Monday. E-mails opposing or supporting the move should be sent to John.Villarreal@cpa.texas.gov.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
Luke Sharrett, Bloomberg / Bloomberg

Processing the high-sulfur crudes produced in the Gulf of Mexico hasnt been this profitable since 2017, thanks largely to cheap shale gas.

While Europe and Asia grapple with surging prices for natural gas this winter, cheap U.S. supplies allow refiners to extract low-cost hydrogen needed to remove sulfur from the fuel made with sour crudes. That means those crude grades, which were out of favor just a few months ago, are back in demand again.
WASHINGTON  Tensions over the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissions tougher approach on climate change are flaring up, as Republicans look to put a halt to lengthy environmental reviews that have resulted in the cancellation of two pipeline projects.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., ranking member on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said in a letter this week that the climate policies undertaken by FERCs Democratic chairman, Richard Glick, had the potential to diminish American natural gas supplies in the years ahead.

The impression  if not the reality  that the commission is sympathetic to efforts to keep natural gas in the ground will inflict more harm on the nation, he wrote. It is increasingly clear that the commissions current posture toward its natural gas docket may jeopardize, rather than enhance, Americas energy security.

The letter comes as FERCs Republican and Democratic members spar over Glicks commitment to analyzing greenhouse gas emissions produced by natural gas pipelines and liquefied natural gas facilities, which require FERC approval to begin construction.

On HoustonChronicle.com: EPA pushes FERC to weigh climate impacts of pipelines, LNG

So far no project has been rejected for its contribution to climate change, but pipeline companies are undergoing more rigorous review than they are used to.

In a letter to Barrasso last month, Commissioner James Danly, a Republican and former FERC chairman, claimed that rigor has resulted in extending what was essentially a 12-month review process to 18 months or longer.

Talking to reporters Thursday, Glick questioned that analysis, suggesting Danly had cherry picked his data and saying he would conduct his own review.

Slowed from what? Glick said. I would say weve slowed from what when Commissioner Danly was chair and we looked the other way.

But the new approach on climate change is getting the attention of pipeline companies. This fall, both New Jersey Resources and Berkshire Hathaway Energy GT&S, which is based in Virginia, withdrew their applications for projects to expand their pipeline networks, citing the slow approval process at FERC.

The project has been delayed well beyond (our) expectations, a lawyer for New Jersey Resources wrote in October. There is significant uncertainty regarding when an order will issue in this docket.

FERC is in the middle of revising the criteria natural gas projects need for approval. But in the meantime companies are left to try to navigate a stop-gap process that changes case by case, said Robin Rorick, a vice president at the American Petroleum Institute.

Having a clear and consistent permitting process in place ensures that needed infrastructure can be built to provide the affordable, reliable energy Americans rely on every day, she said in an email.

Since the Supreme Court ruled in 2007 the federal government must regulate carbon dioxide emissions, the question of how FERC should consider pipelines and other facilities that transport natural gas has been the subject of regular debate, not only within FERC but in the courts.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Manchin cautions FERC on shift from natural gas

This summer the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals found that FERC failed to adequately consider greenhouse gas emissions in approving the Texas LNG Brownsville facility on the Gulf Coast, likely tying up the project for years. The review was completed in 2019, when Republican Neil Chatterjee was chairman.

Its a lot longer (timeline) than if we did it right the first time, Glick said. If we dont cross our Ts and dot our Is in our environmental reviews were not going to achieve what we want to achieve, which is more certainty.

But Republicans say Glick and other Democratic commissioners, one of whom is a former attorney for the environmental group Natural Resources Defense Council, are going far beyond what is required under court rulings.

In his letter last month, Danly argued that the ruling on the Brownsville LNG facility was the result of FERC failing to adequately explain its decision, not because it had not conducted adequate environmental review.

And he questioned the legal reasoning behind the D.C. Circuits contention that FERC must consider the emissions from the natural gas that pipelines transport, suggesting it was only a matter of time before the Supreme Court, with its new conservative majority, took up the question.

I am not at all confident that its holding would survive review at the Supreme Court, he wrote.

james.osborne@chron.com
A new drilling rig put into service by the Houston company Nabors Industries recently completed its first well in the Permian Basin, drilling to a depth of nearly 20,000 feet.

That might not seem like a big deal. But in this case, the task was accomplished without a single worker on the rig floor.

Nabors Pace-R801 is the worlds first fully automated land rig, and its introduction in West Texas marks a milestone in the automation of the oil and gas industry. Robots, such as the robotic arm that lifts and connects drill pipe on the new rig, are transforming the industry, promising to save billions of dollars while further shrinking a labor force that has shed tens of thousands of jobs in recent years  particularly oil field laborers.

At least one in five drilling jobs could be replaced by automation over the next decade, according to Rystad, a Norwegian energy research firm.

Robots are already widely used in offshore oil and gas. Remotely operated underwater vehicles with propellers and robotic arms roam the oceans, inspecting and cleaning equipment. Four-legged robotic dogs prowl offshore platforms, reading gauges and monitoring for methane leaks. On land, shale producers in West Texas use drones to detect gas leaks from wells and pipelines.

This is the direction that the industry is heading and should head, said Travis Purvis, Nabors senior vice president of global drilling. This robotic technology really is game-changing. Over the next five to 10 years, its going to be really exciting to see the innovation that happens around that.

Nabors autonomous rig is more evidence of the technological transformation  progress to some, disruption to others  that has taken place in many industries, including farming, manufacturing and banking. Big Oil, which has always relied on new technologies to extract more fossil fuels from the ground, is the latest to embrace robotics and automation.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Will all the oil and gas jobs lost during the pandemic ever return?

The global pandemic accelerated adoption of robotics and automation, said Baker Hughes CEO Lorenzo Simonelli. The pandemic imposed social distancing requirements and financial pressures, which forced oil companies to turn to technology to keep employees safe and cut costs.

Many rigs and platforms in West Texas already are remotely controlled and operated from central offices in Houston. More than 90 percent of Baker Hughes wells are drilled using remote technology, up from about 60 percent two years ago, according to the Houston oil field services company.

Digital allows you to go into remote operations so we can do the same activity that previously needed people in the field from a central location, Simonelli said in an October interview. Our customers were starting to adopt it, but when we got into the pandemic, you suddenly had the inability to move people as easily and freely.

Added safety, fewer workers

Nabors, the worlds largest land drilling contractor with 10,000 employees, began developing its autonomous rig technology about five years ago to improve drilling efficiency and safety. In 2017, Nabors acquired Robotic Drilling Systems, a robotic drilling company.

Pace-R801, which was built in Houston, uses a combination of robotic hardware and automated software to drill a well. A blue robotic arm, called a pipe handler, lifts drill pipe horizontally up the rig, rotates and turns it vertically and spins it into place. Another robot roughneck on the rig floor connects the drill pipes and tightens them together.

Purvis said Nabors autonomous rig aims to make drilling safer by removing workers from the rig floor, where the combination of slippery mud and heavy equipment can lead to injury and death.

Although the Pace-R801 doesnt have any workers on the rig floor, Purvis said the autonomous rig still requires humans to operate, including a drilling manager, control engineers and maintenance workers. The autonomous rig employs five or six workers, about the same number as Nabors traditional rigs, although some of these jobs require higher levels of education and training.

However, the rise of robots has raised concerns about the future of roughnecks on drilling rigs. Rystad estimates robotic drilling systems can speed the time it takes to drill a well by as much as 40 percent. The efficiency gains mean oil companies will need fewer rigs to drill wells and consequently, fewer workers.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Who benefits from Big Oils big profits? Not Houstons laid-off oil workers.

The number of laborers on U.S. drilling rigs could decline by as much as 30 percent, or 140,000 workers by 2030, according to Rystad, saving U.S. oil producers more than $7 billion in wages.

It will take time to replace the whole fleet of rigs, said Audun Martinsen, Rystads head of energy service research. Since these rigs still have to be proven, we dont expect this technology to really take off until closer to 2030.

Getting smaller

The oil industrys robot revolution could compound job losses after recent oil busts.

Texas lost 60,000 drilling and extraction workers during the pandemic last year after the number of drilling rigs in Texas plunged by more than 60 percent to a record-low of 100. The state has recovered 25,900, or 43 percent, of those jobs lost as coronavirus vaccines have lifted economies.

The state has about 183,000 oil drilling and production workers, about 17 percent fewer than the 220,000 before the pandemic began in January 2020 and more than 35 percent below the 297,000 workers at their peak of employment in December 2014.

Exxon Mobil, which reduced its global workforce by 15 percent last year in response to the pandemic-driven oil bust, contracted with Nabors to drill three horizontal wells using the Pace-R801 rig.

The autonomous drilling contract was part of the Irving oil giants annual research and development of ways to increase operational safety and efficiency. The Texas oil major, which has remotely monitored its drilling rigs since the late 1980s, has significantly increased the number that are controlled remotely over the past two years.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Power couple: This BP husband and wife are major players on opposite sides of energy industry's future

Exxon said it has evaluated additional opportunities to deploy autonomous drilling technology, including in deepwater Guyana and on its Hebron platform near Newfoundland.

We see the potential to move crews away from the rig floor, making drilling operations safer, Exxon spokeswoman Sarah Nordin said. This technology also has the potential to reduce the number of drilling days, increasing drilling efficiency and consistency.

New skills

The Pace-R801 robotic arm eliminates the need for floorhands and derrickhands, who on traditional rigs move, guide, connect and drive drill pipe into the well. While robots would replace roughneck jobs, automation would create other jobs on rigs, such as engineers, supervisors and maintenance crews.

Purvis said autonomous drilling rigs free up workers to focus on other tasks and provide employees an opportunity to train for new jobs as electricians, mechanics and maintenance workers to operate this technology.

Were moving some of these positions around, and there are just different skill sets that are required, but were absolutely committed to giving opportunities to our employees to evolve and develop into those new roles, Purvis said. At the end of the day, these rigs have a fairly large footprint. It does require human intervention to move and maintain these rigs, so there will always be a human element.

paul.takahashi@chron.com

twitter.com/paultakahashi
Texas regulators approved reforms to the states wholesale electricity market to make the grid more resilient in response to last winters catastrophic blackouts.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas ordered the main state grid operator, Electric Reliability Council of Texas Inc., to begin using a new method of pricing power during shortages starting January, according to Thursdays commission meeting.

ERCOT must also submit a plan for implementing the rest of the first phase of reforms by Jan. 10, such as increasing services to cut demand during tight periods, providing voltage support to maintain uninterrupted power flow, and compensating generators for securing fuel.

Texans shouldnt have to worry about whether they can power their lives or power our economy, PUC Chairman Peter Lake said at the meeting. When they flip the lights on, the lights should come on. And these efforts go a long, long way to ensuring that.

The four commissioners unanimously backed the broader blueprint filed earlier this month to reform the power market. The state has long prided itself on maintaining an energy only power market, where extreme prices in tight conditions drive investments to maintain reliability. That failed in February when blackouts left millions in the dark, more than 200 people dead and billions of dollars in damages.

TOMLINSON: Overseers of Texas electricity moving fast and loose with grid changes

Texas has to move away from the crisis-based business model and to redesign as needed our market to ensure a resilient, reliable grid, Lake said.

Shifting curve

The first rule to go into effect is a tweak to the so-called Operating Reserve Demand Curve, which sets how high and how fast prices can climb when demand jumps. By shifting the curve, prices can jump higher faster in less extreme conditions. ERCOT will have to maintain daily reserves of 3,000 megawatts, up from 2,800 megawatts.

Other reforms aim to ultimately increase payouts for providing services key to keeping the grid running when power plants go offline or renewables dont produce because the wind isnt blowing or the sun isnt shining.

This plan is basically a grab bag of good ideas, with specifics to be determined, said Beth Garza, a former utility executive who is now a consultant for research group R Street Institute. What seems to be missing is a detailed determination of the reliability risks to be addressed, or even a call to determine what standard is trying to be achieved.

A second phase of the blueprint is controversial because Texas is considering a rule to require consumers to pay generators for being ready. An alternative is to award credits only to new generators that come online. Both are meant to be incentives to get developers to build new plants.

Separately, the PUC is considering payouts to plants to stay on standby for emergencies, which would take daily supply out of the market and raise costs. The commissioners asked Ercot to analyze what would it would take to implement these options and determine the best path forward.

These costs money, but nothing is more expensive than losing power, Lake said.

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
Working at H-E-B, which is among Houston-area retailers scrambling to find new employees, is almost as good as working at Google, according to Glassdoor.

Current and former employees of the H-E-B told the website that they had a favorable experience working at the grocery empire.

On ExpressNews.com: Readers weigh in on their favorite H-E-B brand products  and what they skip

H-E-B took the No. 10 spot on Glassdoors Best Places to Work in 2021 ranking, just below Californias In-N-Out Burger (No. 3) and Texas Delta Airlines (No. 7). There were 97 other companies on the list, including Facebook, Zoom and Pfizer, one of the companies to develop the coronavirus vaccine.

Glassdoor is a website that allows current and former employees to anonymously review their employers. The rankings were based on rankings and employee feedback, according to a Glassdoor news release.

Employees generally praised H-E-B for its flexible schedules, its pay and benefits and for its understanding management, according to reviews posted on Glassdoor. Other employees complained about not getting enough hours.

On ExpressNews.com: Texas woman accused of threatening to shoot people over a parking space at H-E-B

H-E-B has more than 360 supermarkets, superstores and gourmet markets throughout Texas. In addition to groceries, the company owns a variety of local restaurants. The company manufactures dairy, bread, salty snacks and other products in San Antonio.

The grocery chain has about 20,000 workers employed in Alamo City.

Brian & Company  a management consulting firm  was named Americas No. 1 employer, according to Glassdoor. Google was No. 6.

Glassdoor's 100 Best Places to Work in 2021 list features employers across a range of industries, including technology, health care, biotech and pharmaceuticals, retail, travel and tourism, consulting, finance and more.

Heres a list of Glassdoor's top 10 companies to work for:
John Mueller, influential Texas pitmaster and one-time heir-apparent to the Louie Mueller Barbecue dynasty, died this week. He was 52. His family has not shared the cause of death. He was living in Frisco, and working with Hutchins BBQ there.

John grew up working alongside his father Bobby in the eponymous barbecue joint his grandfather Louie opened in the 1950s in downtown Taylor. By the late 1990s, however, due to disagreements with his family, he left the business. When his father died in 2008, Johns older brother Wayne left his job as a sports marketing consultant in Houston to take over the business.

John would go on to open his own barbecue joint on Manor Road in Austin in the early aughts where he perfected a technique known as hot-and-fast cooking in which the barbecue is cooked at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time. Though the location would become a cult favorite among nearby University of Texas students and alumni, his time there was famously marked by who he hired as a kitchen assistant.

In 2004 he brought on an inquisitive young pitmaster from College Station named Aaron Franklin to chop onions. Franklin would go on to open Franklin Barbecue in Austin, now the most famous and lauded of all Texas barbecue joints.

John Mueller/Twitter

Mueller opened the JMueller BBQ trailer on South First Street with his sister LeAnn in 2011. He invited a talented Franklin Barbecue alumnus, John Lewis, to help him out on the pits. When the partnership with his sister ended acrimoniously, LeAnn reopened the trailer without John as La Barbecue (her initials) with Lewis as the pitmaster. John and LeAnn reconciled in later years.

La Barbecue is still one of the most highly-regarded barbecue joints in Austin, and John Lewis is now one of the foremost ambassadors of Texas barbecue in the United States, opening Lewis Barbecue in Charleston, S.C., in 2015.

John Mueller opened several other barbecue trailers and outlets over the years, with his barbecue often mirroring his state of mind, veering from lucid and focused to erratic and disjointed. He earned a reputation for an irascible personality that gained him the nickname of the dark prince of Texas barbecue, a title he himself often embraced.

Anyone who got to know John knew that was mostly just a persona. He was more often than not generous and charming.

John Mueller was well-known to the Houston barbecue community, participating in charitable events here and mentoring Houston pitmasters including Jim Buchanan of Doziers BBQ and Wes Jurena of Pappa Charlies Barbeque.

In 2012 he began traveling to Galveston once a year to cook at his friend Neil Strawders charitable event at the St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church. I attended that year and found John sitting by himself in a lawn chair tending the fire in a trailer pit. I had met John only briefly the year before at his JMueller BBQ trailer, but he remembered me and waved me over to join him.

We sat for an hour talking mostly off the record about his family and Texas barbecue.

When I got up to leave he shook my hand and said, See, Im not really the bad guy everyone makes me out to be.

Houston Chronicle critic Alison Cook remembers him similarly.

"I've always liked John and rooted for him once I got over the shock of our first meeting," she said. "He was so talented, and so prickly."

She explains: "Back when he had his place on Manor Road in Austin, I went to check it out for a piece I was doing for Gourmet. It was closed, no one there, so I got out of my rental car and went up to peer in the window. Suddenly this big Jeep roars up, slams on the brakes, and I hear this loud, challenging voice: "Can I HELP you? It was John.

"He struck me as so rude and unpleasant that I was reluctant to return. But when I did, I was bowled over by his brisket. It had this unforgettable aroma. I became a fan, and later we laughed over our unfortunate first encounter."
The easiest way to open a barbecue joint is to start as a pop up. Set up a tent and a table at a bar or brewery and start selling your smoked meats. Ironically, its also the most challenging: factors like bad weather and flaky equipment can shut down a whole days service.

With a little more investment, an aspiring pitmaster can open a barbecue trailer or truck. But the weather and equipment factors remain. He or she can cook for hundreds of potential guests, but if the weather turns bad, no one shows up. Similarly, if the truck breaks down on the way to the event, they are stuck with hundreds of pounds of unsold meat.

The holy grail of barbecue entrepreneurship is a permanent location  a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

Reveille Barbecue Co. is an example of a small family business that has reinvented itself through the years. It started out as a trailer and recently opened as a full-fledged brick-and-mortar in a shopping center just south of Magnolia on a newly-built section of Highway 249.

Current owner and pitmaster Michael Michna has been part of Reveille from the beginning when he partnered with James McFarland to open as a trailer in Magnolia in 2018. They eventually brought on pitmaster Wade Elkins to help with the day-to-day cooking.

Reveille Barbecue Co. 32360 Texas 249, No. 140, Pinehurst; 832-616-6900 Open Sat. and Sun. only, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. See More Collapse

Accolades and success quickly followed  Reveille was named one of the Texas Monthly Top 25 New Barbecue Joints in 2019.

However, regulatory issues  another challenge endemic to the food trailer business  required they relocate to the nearby Lone Pint Brewery in 2020. McFarland would move on to running his own pop-ups as Nomad Barbecue, while Elkins left to open Mimsys Craft Barbecue in Crockett.

Michna soldiered on as the in-house barbecue vendor for Lone Pint, opening weekends while he continued his day job as a firefighter in Houston.

When a slot opened up in a shopping center at a busy intersection of the newly-built Highway 249 in Pinehurst, Michna and family jumped at the chance. Along with his parents, Paul and Delphine, and his sister Shelley, they opened the latest brick-and-mortar version of Reveille Barbecue Co. in November.

For now, its a basic operation concentrating on making the best barbecue possible.

We plan to add pictures on the wall and a full sound system in the future, says Michna.

The dining room is spartan but welcoming, with the music flowing from small speakers. Michna has brought on a veteran group of friends and associates to help with the operation: Wyatt Norton as assistant pitmaster (who has been with Reveille since the earliest days), Johnny Freeman making the pastries, and Dianne Walker as assistant catering manager.

Michna and Norton are making barbecue worthy of a trip north on Highway 249. A recent visit yielded a tray of smoked meats with great Central Texas-style brisket, pork ribs and exemplary house-made sausage.

The menu is surprisingly full-featured for a recently-opened barbecue with additional items such as beef ribs, pulled pork, pork belly and turkey available. Sides include borracho beans, mustard-based potato salad and Mexican-style street corn (elotes). For dessert? An excellent bread pudding.

However, the brisket taco special stole the show. Flour tortillas cradled peppery chopped brisket covered in a hatch chile queso, pickled red onions and flakes of cilantro.

The newest iteration of Reveille Barbecue Co. is a testament to how barbecue joints can continue to reinvent themselves in new and better ways, while keeping the small-town and family-friendly feel that makes Texas barbecue great.

jcreid@jcreidtx.com

twitter.com/jcreidtx
A search of Spring Branch Middle School didnt yield a bb gun, but it didnt deter school administrators taking action on an alleged threat.

Spring Branch ISD spokesperson Terry Abbott said district administrators had received an anonymous phone call that a student was in possession of a bb gun on campus today at the middle school.

Thats when we immediately put the school on lockdown and began searching, Abbott said. A search throughout the campus by Spring Branch ISD police failed to yield the discovery of the gun and eventually the lockdown was lifted.

Abbott said students and staff remained safe during the search and officials deemed it as an unconfirmed threat.

The safety of every student and staff member is our highest priority, and we will always keep you informed on matters related to the safety of the campus, wrote Stefanie Spencer, principal of the middle school in a letter to parents.

School districts around the area have been on heightened alert following alleged threats of violence on the last day of school around the country on social media. Some going so far as requesting students leave their backpacks at home

The threats follow the deadly shooting in Oxford, Michigan and school officials in Fort Bend ISD asked students to leave backpacks at home out of an abundance of caution.

School activities resumed almost immediately following the search and students were dismissed at noon today.

The Memorial Villages Police Department also sent out an alert to the surrounding community and reminded parents and community members that All schools are being closely monitored with officers present.

Abbott said he didnt believe the incident was connected in any way to the social media threats.
GASTONIA, N.C. (AP)  Five men have been arrested and accused of posing as police officers looking for someone at a North Carolina motel, police said.

Gastonia police officers responded to a report at 1:10 a.m. of a possible burglary at a motel in the 1400 block of East Franklin Avenue involving five suspects who claimed to be law enforcement, The Charlotte Observer reported.
ANDERSON, S.C. (AP)  South Carolina state police said Thursday they are investigating a police shooting that led to the death of one man in Anderson County this week.

Officials with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said that Anderson County sheriffs deputies were trying to serve Brandon Mauldin with several outstanding warrants Tuesday when Mauldin fled.
NEW YORK (AP)  U.S. officials intensified calls Friday for unvaccinated Americans to get inoculated in the face of the new omicron variant that contributed to a record number of infections in New York and threatened to wipe out a second holiday season in Europe.

Though the calendar is about to change, Friday had a distinctly 2020 feel: NFL games were postponed because of COVID-19 infections. The Rockettes Christmas show was canceled for the season. European governments imposed a spate of restrictions that ground travel to a halt and saw travelers lying low.

Much remains unknown about omicron, but officials warn that it appears more transmissible than the delta variant, which has already put pressure on hospitals worldwide. The uncertainty alone was enough for many people to change their plans.

In the United States, President Joe Bidens administration resisted tightening any restrictions, but also sketched out dire scenarios for the unvaccinated in a plea for hesitant Americans to get the shot.

For the unvaccinated, youre looking at a winter of severe illness and death, for yourselves, your families, and the hospitals you may soon overwhelm, White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients said Friday, echoing the president's own comments earlier this week.

The new variant is already in full force in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, with new cases hitting a one-day record of more than 8,300 on Thursday. But new hospitalizations and deaths  so far  are well below their spring 2020 peak and even where they were this time last year, city data shows.

The coronavirus also interrupted sports in the U.S. again. The NFL announced Friday that three games would be pushed from the weekend to next week because of outbreaks. The league has not specified whether the cases came from the omicron variant.

The Radio City Rockettes called off four performances scheduled for Friday because of breakthrough COVID-19 cases in the production, and plans for upcoming shows were still being assessed. The popular holiday program generally has four shows per day in December at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan.

Dr. Stanley Weiss, a Rutgers University epidemiology professor, said officials need to react faster, citing a willingness to redefine fully vaccinated to include booster shots, for example.

Everyone wants us to be through with this pandemic, but in order to get us through it, we cant ignore the realities of whats going on and what is needed, Weiss said.

Denmark decided to close theaters, concert halls, amusement parks and museums in response to virus cases. In Spain, friends and classmates canceled traditional year-end dinners.

Scotland and Wales on Friday pledged millions of pounds for businesses hurt in Britain's latest infection surge, a move that heaped pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnsons government to do the same in England.

Treasury chief Rishi Sunak held talks with business representatives who have demanded more support, decrying a lockdown by stealth in which government officials recommend people cut back on socializing as much as possible without officially imposing the strict rules of past shutdowns.

Britain reported record numbers of infections three days in a row this week, the latest on Friday with more than 93,000 cases tallied.

Businesses ranging from vacation providers to pubs and theaters saw a wave of cancellations as customers decided to skip merrymaking for now rather than risk being infected and missing family celebrations later.

Even Britains Christmas pantos  beloved and raucous holiday performances  are under threat. The Belgrade Theatre in Coventry in western England had to refund 180,000 pounds ($240,000) in ticket sales after customers decided not to go to shows. It was also forced to cancel 12 performances of Beauty and the Beast because half the cast tested positive.

Theres been a real dent of confidence, Executive Director Joanna Reid told the BBC.

Scotlands first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said Friday that financial assistance for business must come from the central government because it has the borrowing power to finance the scale of aid that is needed.

Business is already bleeding, every 24 hours counts, Sturgeon said during a briefing in Edinburgh, Scotlands capital. There is no time to waste.

The already beleaguered travel and tourism industry is being particularly hammered.

Eurostar, which operates trains across the English Channel, sold out of tickets to France on Friday before new rules restricting travel to and from Britain took effect. Long lines snaked around the parking lot at the Eurotunnel, which runs the tunnel that drivers use to cross the water.

Ryanair originally expected to carry about 11 million passengers in December, but that figure dropped to 10 million, chief executive Michael OLeary told the Guardian. Europes biggest airline will also cut about 10% of its capacity in January.

Amanda Wheelock, 29, a graduate student at the University of Michigan, canceled a trip to France with her partner as cases spiked there. Even though the surge isnt necessarily due to omicron, the uncertainty about the new variant, and a new requirement that all U.S. travelers have to test negative before flying back to the U.S., made her worry that the trip would be more stressful than fun.

Instead, shes traveling to the Anchorage, Alaska, area to see friends.

A vacation with a lot of stress is probably not a great vacation, said Wheelock, who is from Arvada, Colorado.

The Advantage Travel Group, which represents about 350 U.K. travel agents, said business fell by 40% in mid-December from a month earlier. Those numbers, including flights, cruise bookings and package holidays, add to the travel industry's existing slump, which had already seen business fall by two-thirds since the pandemic began, CEO Julia Lo Bue-Said.

Our members are dealing with customers who are really nervous about traveling now, she said Theyre really nervous about bookings for the New Year because they fear that theres a risk that the government will make more knee-jerk reactions.

Many in the travel and hospitality trades hoped they had put the worst behind them, nearly two years into a pandemic that has devastated those industries. They saw this holiday season as a chance to claw back some of what was lost  until omicron cast a pall reminiscent of the early days of the crisis.

Richard Stevens estimates he has lost out on 4,000 pounds ($5,300) worth of bookings at his rental ski chalet in the French Alps after the new, stricter travel rules for people coming from Britain were announced.

He lost his first reservation when a guest called to say that the restrictions wont allow anybody to come to France without a compelling reason, Stevens said. And the compelling reason doesnt include going on holiday.

Celebrity chef Michel Roux and other restaurateurs have invested heavily to remake their venues to address safety concerns  and hoped to reap some of the benefits.

To return to a state of huge uncertainty for a second consecutive Christmas is like a kick in the stomach, said Roux, who has a destination restaurant in London.

Jorge Riera, who manages a traditional Spanish diner in central Madrid, said it doesnt matter that authorities have not imposed specific restrictions and, at most, have only issued recommendations.

Most of our customers prioritize the well-being of their relatives over going out for a fun night with colleagues, Riera said.

In the past week alone, cancellations rolled in for about half of the booked space, sometimes on the same day of the event, the manager said.

People are once again afraid of the virus, he said.

___

Associated Press writers Kelvin Chan and Danica Kirka in London; Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar in Washington, Mae Anderson in New York, Aritz Parra in Madrid, Barry Hatton in Lisbon and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report.

___

Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP)  Some former vaccine skeptics in Eastern Europe have shifted over to the other side as coronavirus infections surge, countries are making it more difficult for the unvaccinated to travel abroad and authorities battle against government distrust and vaccine disinformation.

When she rolled up her sleeve in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo to take her first COVID-19 vaccine dose, Fata Keco was afraid of possible adverse side effects. But she said the worst she had to contend with over the next few days was moderately discomforting pain in her left arm around the site of the injection.

More significantly, the 52-year-old self-employed cleaning woman has joined the global community of vaccine-believers after months of being very susceptible to what she now describes as the most ridiculous theories.

She told The Associated Press that some of those that she heard were that the coronavirus does not exist, that journalists were paid to spread panic, that planes were spraying us with viruses at night, that vaccines were being used by the powers that be to implant us with tracking microchips.

Now I feel relief for having done something to protect my health after putting myself in danger for a long time, Keco said. Also, I dont mind that it will make my life easier if I decide to take a trip abroad."

She isn't alone in her transformation, especially after numerous European countries started tightening their anti-virus rules, including by requiring proof of vaccination from foreign visitors.

I want to travel and study abroad and for that I have to be vaccinated, said Esma Dzaka, 18, after getting her first dose Tuesday in Sarajevo.

This week, health authorities in Sarajevo stepped up their efforts to administer COVID-19 vaccines as widely as possible, stymied so far by public mistrust and an onslaught of disinformation. They started dispatching nurses to dispense vaccines in local council offices and shopping centers around the city in hopes that easy access will persuade more people to get their shots.

Sarajevos top health official, Haris Vranic, said he believed that some vaccine skeptics have been having a change of heart recently, not just because they want to travel abroad freely, but also because the numbers do not lie.

The statistic is clear  between 92% and 94% of our people who died in the third and the (current) fourth wave (of COVID-19) were not vaccinated, Vranic said.

Bosnia, which is still struggling to recover from a devastating ethnic war in 1992-95, has so far inoculated just under a quarter of its 3.3 million people, one of the lowest vaccination rates in Europe.

But while such a level of mistrust in vaccines, which have been widely available since late last spring, may not be surprising in the poor, corruption-plagued and ethnically divided Bosnia, similar woes have befallen many of its Balkan neighbors, including some European Union members.

In Romania, a EU nation of about 19 million, the vaccination rate hovered around 28% until mid-October, when a sharp spike in new COVID-19 infections and deaths forced some hospitals to put body bags in their hallways as morgues ran out of space.

Fear  combined with stricter anti-virus measures introduced by authorities, including a nighttime curfew and requiring proof of vaccination, a recent recovery or a recent negative test to enter most public venues  has sent the vaccination rate in Romania spiking to over 40% by Dec. 10, according to Our World in Data.

I was scared, there are so many (negative) rumors about vaccines, said Ofelia Gligor, who got her first COVID-19 jab on a frigid December day this week in the main vaccination center in Sighisoara, a small, historic Romanian town 300 kilometers (185 miles) north of Bucharest, the capital.

The 18-year-old trainee nurse had to overcome her fears for a practical reason  without proof of vaccination, she wouldn't be allowed to attend her training program at the local hospital.

My advice to people now is to get vaccinated, because sooner or later vaccines will become mandatory for all, she said.

A similar scenario played out in Croatia, which joined the EU in 2013. Amid a major surge in daily COVID-19 infections and deaths, Croatian authorities introduced a vaccine mandate on Nov. 15 for all public sector workers and all citizens using their services.

Despite sporadic protests against the COVID-19 restrictions, Croatias overall vaccination rate has since been steadily rising over 1.2% per week to encompass nearly 55% of its population of 4.2 million on Dec. 11.

In ethnically and administratively fragmented Bosnia, where jurisdiction over pandemic management is divided between 14 different levels of government that don't always move in lockstep, the introduction of mandatory COVID-19 vaccination passes is still on hold. While indoor mask-wearing and social distancing mandates remain, their enforcement is haphazard.

Bosnia has seen over 12,900 COVID-19 deaths, but for some people like Keco, it took more than just mortality statistics to come to terms with the reality of the pandemic. It took a dispute with her daughter, Mahira.

She said: Mom, vaccines work 100%. Millions of people were vaccinated by now and they are all doing fine, dont be silly, Keco recalled, adding that her son-in-laws friend  who claimed he would not be caught dead getting vaccinated  got infected and COVID-19 had left him feeling broken.

I finally realized that I need to get vaccinated if I want to be safe, Keco said, shaking her head in bafflement. People and their chatter crazed me. For a time at least, I believed in all their silly stories.

___

Eldar Emric in Sarajevo, Bosnia, and Stephen McGrath in Sighisoara, Romania, contributed to this story.

___

Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Wisconsin's unemployment rate tied a record low of 3% in November, a number last hit exactly three years ago, the state Department of Workforce Development reported Thursday.

The state rate is below the national unemployment rate of 4.2% for November. The state rate was down from 3.2% in October. Wisconsin gained 12,300 private sector jobs over the month.
Baylor University and University of Texas-San Antonio on Thursday attained Carnegie Tier One status, becoming the two latest higher education institutions in Texas to earn the countrys highest research classification, university leaders said.

The designation comes from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, which classifies universities every three years by level of research activity. Tier One, or Research One, status means that a university partakes in the highest amount of research, meeting certain criteria for research expenditures, doctorates awarded and research staffing in science and engineering fields.

Baylor and UT-San Antonio will join several other Texas universities in the classification: UT-Austin, UT-Dallas, UT-Arlington, UT-El Paso, UT-San Antonio, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, University of Houston, University of North Texas and Rice University.

Through top-tier research, scholarship and external funding support, R1 universities  that now include Baylor University  bring their voice to bear in addressing our worlds most significant challenges, Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone said in her weekly email newsletter. And as a Christian research university, Baylor infuses the quest for solutions, at the highest levels, with the Universitys distinct Christian voice and mission.

UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken also applauded UT-SA's announcement on Thursday.

From the moment it was founded just more than 50 years ago, UTSA has been on the fast track to excellence, Milliken said. For a university this young to have achieved so much so quickly speaks to great leadership, quality faculty and a broad community of supporters who all share a vision for a forward-thinking university that values innovative research and all the good that comes from it.

Universities generally seek Tier One status to make themselves more marketable, both to receive future grant money and to attract and potential employees and students.

The new classification is under a six-week public review before becoming official by the end of January 2022, Baylor spokeswomen said. Baylor also received the news three years sooner than planned, with its goal officially being 2024.

Baylor increased its research expenditures to $47 million this year from $29.4 million in 2017, according to the university. Research staff numbers and research doctorates awarded also increased.

UT=SA's expenditures also increased over the same period, to $150 million this year from $68 million in 2017, according to the university.
A former top Houston ISD official and vendor were indicted Thursday in connection with an alleged bribery scheme over the last decade that federal prosecutors estimate cost the district millions of dollars and resulted in plea agreements with at least five other former district officials, including a former president of the districts Board of Education.

Federal authorities arrested former Chief Operating Officer Brian Busby, 43, and contract vendor Anthony Hutchison, 60, both of Houston, on Thursday, hours before their initial court appearance. Both men pleaded not guilty to all counts and were expected to be released under conditions that include no contact with current and former HISD employees with the exception of Busbys wife, who prosecutors said has filed for divorce.

Prosecutors accused Busby of helping award HISD construction and grounds maintenance contracts to Hutchison in return for cash bribes and hundreds of thousands of dollars in home remodeling, according to a 26-count indictment unsealed Thursday.

This investigation and resulting indictments reflect my offices commitment to rooting out public corruption, Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery said in a statement. We will not stand idly by when there are people in positions of trust who are suspected of such wrongdoing.

Dick DeGuerin, Busbys lawyer, denied any wrongdoing by his client.

For most of his adult life, Brian Busby has been a loyal employee of HISD, rising from the lowest employment to chief operating officer, DeGuerin said. He has never taken a penny from any contractors or any illegal money  ever. I am sure that a fair jury will find him innocent.

The indictments and plea agreements stem from a corruption probe that began in February 2020 when authorities raided HISDs headquarters and Busbys Cypress-area home. They arrived as the district continues to fight an attempt by the state to takeover due to a chronically low-performing school, the continued presence of a state-appointed conservator and a state probe that found misconduct among board members.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Top HISD administrator on paid leave after FBI, IRS search

Investigators found more than $186,000 in cash during the searches of Busby and Hutchisons homes in 2020, federal prosecutors said Thursday, and have estimated about $7 million in false billing and $2.6 million in cash deposits connected to the scheme. The two men were scheduled to have a hearing Monday in federal court in a civil forfeiture case connected to the cash.

Rhonda Skillern-Jones, who served two terms as HISD trustee between 2012 and 2019, and as board president in 2015 and 2018, was among the former officials charged in connection with the alleged bribery scheme and pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges. She currently serves as a Houston Community College Trustee. It was not clear Thursday whether she would have to resign or be fired. A spokesman for the college did not respond to a request for comment.

She also worked for Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis community and government affairs team until Thursday.

The news today came as a shock to us, and we never had any indication of such inexcusable wrongdoing during her time at Precinct One, Ellis office said in a statement. Upon learning of this news today, her employment was immediately ended.

Attempts by the Chronicle to contact Skillern-Jones, as well as the other former officials who entered plea agreements, were unsuccessful Thursday.

Those other former employees were identified by prosecutors as Derrick Sanders, 50, Missouri City, officer of construction services; Alfred Hoskins, 58, Missouri City, general manager of facilities, maintenance and operations; Gerron Hall, 47, Missouri City, area manager for maintenance; and Luis Tovar, 39, Huffman, area manager for maintenance.

Sanders had joined Aldine ISD in September 2020 and voluntarily resigned Oct. 22, school officials there said.

On HoustonChronicle.com: DeGuerin denies ex-HISD official involved in kickback scheme, says seized money obtained legally

Saying he was extremely outraged, HISD Superintendent Millard House II, who began leading the largest public school district in Texas in July, told the Chronicle he had ordered a review of the internal team and systems for contracting and vendors, as well as an external review of the districts procurement procedures before he was even made aware of the charges. He said he had made changes to make sure everyone on my staff knows it is a new day inside HISD.

I am outraged. Outraged that were talking about this. Outraged how adults who are supposed to be working for the public trust may have taken money from children, House said. In my 26 years as an educator  in Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee  I have never seen such a failure. As a parent, as a teacher, as a taxpayer, I promise you - HISD will do everything in its power to never be vulnerable to this kind of alleged misconduct again.

He added: I will not be deterred by 10 years of corruption, waste, and fraud that came before me. My team did not create this problem, but we will solve it. Permanently.

Court documents made public Thursday offered the most comprehensive outline to date of the alleged corruption.

Starting in 2011 and stretching to 2020, according to court documents, Hutchison overbilled the district and inflated bills, paying Busby a portion of the profits in cash and free home remodeling. Federal authorities also accused him of obtaining purchase orders for construction, repair, landscaping and maintenance jobs at specific HISD campuses by paying cash bribes and kickbacks to district personnel, including the individuals who entered plea agreements.

Hutchison also is accused of maintaining a bribe ledger in 2017, which he later told Hoskins to falsely tell the FBI was for gambling, according to court records.

Sanders, Hoskins, Hall and Tovar have admitted to helping award or refraining from interfering in the awarding of HISD jobs to Southwest Wholesale LLC, a longtime HISD contractor owned by Hutchison, according to federal authorities.

Meanwhile, Skillern-Jones admitted to putting the expenditure of funds of funds for landscaping and construction projects on a 2017 Board of Education agenda and voted to approve it, according to federal prosecutors. The projects eventually were awarded to Hutchison.

Busby personally delivered thousands of dollars in bribe payments to Skillern-Jones from Hutchison, according to federal authorities, who said she made the admission in her plea agreement.

Federal prosecutors also accused Busby and Hutchison of interfering in the federal criminal investigation once they learned of the probe. During Thursdays court appearance, a prosecutor told the federal judge neither man was a flight risk but the government had concerns they would tamper with witnesses.

The investigation remains open and FBI officials asked that anyone who may have information about the alleged scheme report to it to the bureaus corruption unit.

Todays arrests and related charges are the result of a lengthy, multifaceted FBI Houston investigation, acting special agent in charge Richard A. Collodi said in a statement. Houston taxpayers and the thousands of HISD students, along with their teachers and staff, are the potential victims of this alleged multimillion-dollar public corruption scheme.

The alleged corruption was the latest related to HISD.

In 2016, a jury found that another former board president, Larry Marshall, had participated in a kickback scheme, causing millions of dollars in damages to a local construction contractor. In 2020, a senior manager resigned after disclosure of a document alleging he had assisted the kickback scheme involving Busby.

House, the superintendent, said it was his job to set the standard for meaningful accountability district-wide.

I have been here less than four months, and my heart goes out to the tens of thousands of hard working educators and staff of HISD whose only desire is to put Houstons children first, and who share my outrage and frustration with todays revelations, he said. We will not waver in our commitment to create a better district and a brighter future, and we will raise the bar for accountability at every level of our district.

alejandro.serrano@chron.com
Some Houston-area school districts have requested all middle school and high school students leave their backpacks at home on Friday as a safety precaution due to social media threats that authorities say are not credible.

Alief, Channelview, Fort Bend, Katy, La Porte and Spring ISDs as well as Lamar CISD have all issued requests to that effect, citing posts on the social media platform TikTok challenging students to threaten their schools with gun violence.

School districts across the nation made announcements that there would be changes to safety protocols in light of the alleged threats, including other parts of Texas, as well as in New York, California, Connecticut, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri. In some cases, classes were canceled and in other, more police were deployed to schools.

A statement posted by TikTok said that there is no evidence any threats of school violence originated on the platform.

"(W)e've exhaustively searched for content that promotes violence at schools today, but have still found nothing," the statement reads. "What we find are videos discussing this rumor and warning others to stay safe."

The statement said the platform is working to remove all alarmist videos that violate its misinformation policy.

"Media reports have been widespread and based on rumors rather than facts, and we are deeply concerned that the proliferation of local media reports on an alleged trend that has not been found on the platform could end up inspiring real world harm," the statement said.

TIKTOK CHALLENGE: Texas schools suffer damage from viral TikTok 'devious lick' challenge

In Houston ISD, officials left the decision to ask students to leave backpacks at home up to individual campuses Friday, said Luis Morales, senior media specialist for the district. Houston ISD's Hogg Middle School told parents Thursday that there would be no backpacks or hooded sweatshirts permitted at the school Friday.

We are closely monitoring the situation and taking it seriously, Houston ISD Police Chief Pedro Lopez Jr. said in a letter he released Thursday night, adding that investigators don't believe any of the threats to be credible.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez wrote in tweets Friday morning that the office was "aware of the general school threat found on social media related to non-specific schools nationwide."

"There have been no local school threats identified," he wrote. "However, several school districts have increased security today. At this time, there are no known threats to schools in our region but we will continue to monitor the situation and work with all public safety partners."

Fort Bend ISD officials said campus police have investigated local alleged threats this week, but did not release any information regarding potential suspects or arrests.

"Our investigators have been very successful locating individuals responsible for the posts," reads a statement from the district. "Please know that consequences will be significant and will include any and all applicable criminal charges."

The announcement comes almost a week after Fort Bend ISD's Travis and Elkins High Schools received threats.

Katy ISD sent an email to parents Thursday night saying that while no campuses in the school system received direct threats, administrators would implement additional safety measures.



To minimize disruptions to the instructional day, as well as any potential concerns about the Tik Tok posts, it is recommended that secondary (6th through 12th grade) students leave their backpacks at home tomorrow, the email reads. Also, out of an abundance of caution, additional police officers have been assigned to patrol our junior high and high school campuses on Friday.

Channelview ISD placed more officers on patrol at its campuses Friday in addition to not allowing backpacks.

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD did not issue a backpack ban Friday, however officials said the district will continue to implement its clear backpack policy on secondary campuses as a "precautionary measure." The school system also had additional officers at schools Friday.

On HoustonChronicle.com: As 'slap a teacher' trends, Humble school warns parents of disturbing monthly TikTok challenges

Scott Moore, Conroe ISD trustee, said Friday morning that none of the districts campuses are named in any social media threats, but encouraged the school community to report anything suspicious.



Safety is our top priority, and all reports are investigated, he said in a Facebook post. While there are no substantiated threats naming our campuses, we are vigilant in our efforts to provide a safe learning environment.

Kaufman ISD near Dallas closed one of its high school campuses Friday in light of the alleged threats.

NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here.

In Spring Branch ISD, administrators on Friday received an anonymous phone call that a student was in possession of a bb gun on campus at the middle school. The school was immediately put into lockdown, district spokesperson Terry Abbott said. A search yielded nothing. Abbott said he didn't believe the incident was connected to the alleged social media threats.

Earlier this week, a 15-year-old was expelled in Klein ISD due to alleged threats of school violence. The unsubstantiated threats caused a mass exodus of students from Klein Cain High School. Extra officers were deployed to the campus Monday and backpacks will no longer be allowed on the campus through at least the end of the year, officials said.



The incident occurred a week after a deadly school shooting in Oxford, Michigan that killed four students.

Many districts in the Houston region will be released early Friday ahead of winter break.

joel.umanzor@chron.com
A fire started by improperly discarded cigarettes damaged several units at a Harris County apartment complex early Friday, according to the Harris County Fire Marshals Office.

No one was reported injured in the fire at the complex at 90 Uvalde Road, which affected at least 12 units, per tweets from the fire marshals office. It started accidentally, according to the office, and the Red Cross is helping affected families.
For Destini Rhodes, the Chevrolet Equinox stuffed with gifts, including bikes for her children, was really the gift of independence.

Rhodes, a teaching assistant in the Head Start program, had been relying on a borrowed vehicle after her car broke down. But the lack of reliable transportation made it difficult to drop off and pick up her kids from three places each day  and get herself to and from work.

Ill be able to take care of my daily tasks and be able to keep up with my goals, Rhodes said. Because I cant focus on future goals if I cant handle whats going on right now.

Rhodes and another mother were nominated by the Harris County Department of Educations Head Start program to receive refurbished cars from Bates Collision Centers.

The company, owned by Lee and Leila Bates, started the tradition of donating cars in 1998 to recognize the sacrifices that parents often make for their children. Each year, employees with the company volunteer their time to refurbish the cars and fill them with gifts such as toys, gas cards and car seats, according to the company.

Transportation is life-changing, whether you have it or you dont, and people want to help people that are helping themselves, Leila Bates said in a statement. This program doesnt just focus on their needs  it focuses on their desire to go beyond.

Alionuska Montalvo Perez, a Cuban immigrant with a 3-year-old son enrolled at Pugh Head Start, will receive her vehicle Friday, according to a news release from the countys education department.

Perez works as a custodian at the city of Houstons Bob Lanier Public Works Building. She is also a certified phlebotomist, according to the department. She relies on public transportation but hopes the car will allow her to be more actively involved in her sons school activities, the department said.

Head Start gives children under age 5 a safe learning environment for language, literacy, social and emotional development, according to the county. Harris Countys program serves more than 1,300 students each year with free snacks and meals, screenings and physical activities.

I feel very grateful, said Rhodes, a single mother of children ages 3, 4, and 12. Ive never really been gifted anything before. Ive always had to work for everything.

Rhodes will graduate in May with an associate degree in early childhood education from San Jacinto College. After that, she plans to pursue a bachelors degree in special education.

In light of the recognition for her responsible parenting, Rhodes said she wants to encourage other mothers to be less hard on themselves and remember they are not alone, even when it feels that their work goes unseen.

Your children will notice, she said. Just take it day by day.

anna.bauman@chron.com
Seventy years after Robert W. Hainsworth sued the Harris County Comissioners Court to desegregate the county law library, a group of elected officials and prominent Black attorneys rededicated the library Thursday in honor of the late attorney and civil rights leader.

Hainsworth, a native Houstonian, returned to the city in 1949 after graduating from the Howard University School of Law and was required to sit at a single table marked for African Americans when he visited the law library to research his cases.

Two years later, he walked into the courthouse and sued the commissioners court for the insulting barrier to his work, and though his case was lost and appeals denied, the rededication honored Hainsworths vision.

Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee likened Hainsworths impact for Black people in law to fellow Howard University graduates Oliver Hill and Thurgood Marshall.

These lawyers were fearless and their legacies must never be forgotten, and among their ranks was attorney Robert W. Hainsworth, Menefee said.

While the courts denied his call for equality, his vision blazed a trail to fight against segregation in our state. It is only fitting that the law library should be rededicated to acknowledge the victory attorney Hainsworth envisioned, he said.

Commissioner Rodney Elliss resolution to rename the Harris County Law Library was approved by the commissioners court in February.

Today, the building at 1019 Congress St. was formally rededicated in Hainsworths honor, and will now be called Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library. Attendees closed the ceremony by miming scissor motions with their fingers, a virtual ribbon-cutting in place of an in-person event that was foregone due to COVID-19 concerns.

Archivists and librarians spent months gathering resources to learn about Hainsworths life in preparation for the rededication, and the law librarys website has been redone to include photos and a thorough biography Hainsworth.

In addition to his lawsuit against the commissioners court, which made national news at the time, Hainsworth was also a World War II veteran and a leader in Houstons legal community.

He founded the Houston Lawyers Association with five other Black attorneys who were banned from joining the Houston Bar Association, and argued several high-profile voting rights cases, including two, Hainsworth v. Martin and Hainsworth v. White, that appeared before the Supreme Court.

Tiffany Hill, who currently serves as president of the Houston Lawyers Association, was on hand for Thursdays rededication ceremony.

I can only be eternally grateful that he and our other founders got togetherand for the past 66 years, HLA is still thriving and were still trying to follow in their footsteps and fill the shoes of the hard work that they implemented, Hill said.
Police have arrested a 47-year-old man in the death of his wife  who Houston detectives say witnessed him sexually abuse a young relative and told authorities what she saw.

Investigators allege Sean Preston killed his wife, Keysha, the day before Thanksgiving by unknown manner and means. According to police, her body has not been found  though authorities think she likely was dismembered after searching a north Houston motel for evidence linked to her death.

One of her sons reported her disappearance Nov. 29 after getting a disturbing phone call.

The caller alleged that Preston confessed to killing the woman. Officers checked her home and found it empty, locked and with no signs of forced entry.

The womans disappearance did not go unnoticed. She failed to show up for a Thanksgiving dinner with her family, police learned.

Investigators spoke to the same caller and learned that Preston asked for muriatic acid and a throw-down vehicle. He did not honor Prestons request, according to police.

Preston called the same person again from the Sheldon Reservoir, according to a search warrant. The two met later that day, and the witness said Preston had scratches on his face  as if he had been in a fight.

Preston then said his wife was no longer a problem  and that only three people knew.

If you dont want to end up like Keysha, then keep your mouth shut, Preston said, according to the search warrant.

The search warrant does not mention Prestons ties to the sexual assault case. Court documents for a sexual assault of a child charge filed Dec. 15 identify Prestons wife as a witness.

In the sexual assault case, the child told investigators that the abuse happened in December 2020 when Preston repeatedly touched him inappropriately, often while drunk. He was afraid to stop Preston from doing so because he would be physically able to beat him in a fight.

The woman initially told a Special Victims Division investigator that the child warned her about what Preston was doing but she thought the kid was embellishing.

She later witnessed Preston molesting the child.

The witness called police the next day to make a report, according to court records. The child underwent a medical examination that same day.

Investigators confronted Preston about the sexual assault allegations  which he denied  nine days before his wifes death, according to prosecutors. He and his wife were in the middle of a divorce, he said.

He stated that she likes to call in false CPS reports in hopes to stop the divorce, court records said.

Police reviewed surveillance footage from Motel King, at 3618 Laura Koppe Road, where Preston had been staying and saw him and a woman enter a room on Nov. 24 together. Video later showed him carrying what appeared to be heavy bags to a car.

He had a difficult time getting the suitcase or duffle bag on wheels down the stairs and had to use both hands to lift it into the trunk of the car, the search warrant said. Preston left the motel for an hour and returned with the same bags  this time appearing to be lighter in weight.

The woman seen earlier never left the room, investigators said.

Keysha Prestons mother told police that the woman in the surveillance footage appeared to be her missing daughter.

Police arrested Preston in October on two misdemeanor charges  reckless driving and unlawful carrying of a weapon in a motor vehicle  before releasing him on a general order bond. He was apprehended again Wednesday on the latest charges.

Preston was charged with murder Thursday. Hes being held at Harris County Jail, with bail set at $2 million.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
For the past 15 years, the city of New Braunfels has paid millions of dollars to a subsidiary of Home Depot to encourage the company to hire new employees and expand a customer service center.

But theres no telling how much money New Braunfels is paying the company or if taxpayers are getting a good deal on their investment.

A lawyer for Home Depots firm, HD Supply, says the payment records contain trade secrets that could aid competitors and shouldnt be made public.

The Texas attorney generals office agrees with HD Supply  despite language in the Texas Public Information Act stating that the financial value of a government contract is public information, even if a companys trade secrets are at stake.

The lack of transparency could affect scores of similar agreements across Texas that rely on sales-tax rebates under obscure economic incentive laws known as Chapter 380 for cities and Chapter 381 for counties.

An investigation published last month by the Houston Chronicle found the laws lack safeguards in other types of corporate incentive programs. The laws dont limit the duration of the deals or require any reporting showing how much the agreements cost taxpayers. The types of incentives are limited only by the imaginations of city and company officials.

The trade-secret claim by HD Supply illustrates another problem.

Texas lawmakers amended the states open records law in 2019 to make sure trade secrets cant be used to block the disclosure of government expenditures in a contract.

But the price of New Braunfels deal with HD Supply isnt in the contract. City officials agreed to pay the company a portion of the local sales taxes it collects every month from its customers. The exact value of the rebates fluctuate every month and arent disclosed in the contract itself.

The purpose of this law was to assure that the public knew what the total cost of those contracts was, said former state Sen. Kirk Watson, one of the primary authors of the 2019 legislation.

While Im not sure of all the details of this objection by the company, it is troubling that the public is locked out of knowing what the total value of this contract is, Watson said.

The attorney generals office didnt respond to questions about its decision.

Nathan Brown, a lawyer for the city of New Braunfels, said the city cant disclose the financial value of its contract with HD Supply because the payments to the company are tied to local sales taxes that it collects from customers. Those sales-tax receipts are confidential for all businesses under a different state law.

It stinks, said Brown, who acknowledged there should be a way for the public to know how their tax dollars are being spent.

HD Supplys lawyer, John Torigian, declined to answer most questions about his client, but said New Braunfels agreement with the company was an invaluable tool in bringing jobs to the community.

Asked how taxpayers can evaluate the agreement with HD Supply without knowing its cost, Torigian said: People elect government officials to carry out the peoples business. And one must assume that the people who are doing that work are doing it correctly. And if not, Im sure that would be brought to someones attention at some point in time.

Trade secrets

Sales-tax rebates are frequently offered to companies under the Chapter 380 and 381 programs. In Texas, the state collects a 6.25 percent sales tax, and local government entities such as cities can levy sales taxes of up to 2 percent. New Braunfels current tax rate is 1.5 percent, and Comal Countys rate is half a percent.

In the case of HD Supply, the company agreed in 2006 to report its local sales-tax receipts to the city on a monthly basis, and the city agreed to pay back HD Supply half that revenue as part of an incentive to hire 47 new employees at the firms call center at 1511 Common St. More than 340 workers were employed at the facility at the time.

The agreement only applies to New Braunfels sales-tax rate. The state of Texas isnt a party to the agreement, so it collects the full share of its sales tax revenue. HD Supply signed a similar deal with Comal County, where New Braunfels is located.

Under the Texas Public Information Act, government records are presumed to be public and anyone can request them. The act specifically says that information in an account, voucher, or contract relating to the receipt or expenditure of public or other funds by a governmental body is a public record.

Watson and other lawmakers amended the states open records law in 2019 to make clear that trade secrets cant be used to block the release of information in a government contract that describes the total price the governmental body will or could potentially pay.

But the agreement with HD Supply simply says that New Braunfels will pay the company half its net sales-tax receipts. The payment amounts are contained in invoices or check registers  not the contract itself.

Those payment records are being withheld by New Braunfels.

The spirit of the law is that when a private entity receives a government benefit, the public has a right to know the amount of that public benefit, said James Hemphill, an Austin lawyer who specializes in open government law and serves as a board member of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas.

This is a place where there might be some friction between traditional types of contracts where the government pays out a fixed amount for some kind of service, and this type of agreement, Hemphill added.

That means government contracts that contain sales-tax incentives for companies are stuck in an open-records limbo. The payments could be made public if a company or government agency raises no objection to their release. Or they might be public if someone objects, but fails to sway one of the many open-records lawyers in the Texas attorney generals office.

Or, as in the case of HD Supply, a company could object, the attorney generals office could agree with its argument, and the amount of taxpayer funds spent on the deal remains a secret.

Mixed results

As part of its investigation into economic incentive agreements, the Chronicle sent open-records requests to cities across Texas for copies of their payment records to calculate how much they spent on sales-tax rebates.

The cities of Round Rock, San Marcos and DeSoto provided the information to the newspaper. The records show they paid more than $220 million in rebates to Dell, Best Buy and Kohls.

Lawyers for New Braunfels and HD Supply told the Texas attorney generals office that the information shouldnt be released.

Torigian, HD Supplys lawyer, told the attorney generals office that the payment records contained trade secrets that HD Supply has safeguarded from competitors.

In a Nov. 19 letter, Assistant Attorney General Chase Young agreed with Torigian that the records must be withheld.

The exact number of sales-tax deals in Texas is unclear  theres no reporting requirement to keep track of them. The Chronicle found 15 agreements in which companies collected local sales tax revenue from all their online customers in Texas. There are also other types of rebates involving businesses such as restaurants that collect taxes in face-to-face transactions.

The city of Coppell near Dallas offers sales-tax rebates to several e-commerce firms such as Staples and its affiliated office-supply company, Quill. Coppells lawyer, Darrell Noga, remained neutral on the release of the payment information, but told the attorney general there was a conflict between the public information act, which says government payments are public, and the language of the state law that says sales-tax receipts are confidential.

Staples and Quill didnt ask the attorney general to withhold the information. Coppell released records showing it paid Staples nearly $25 million in rebates since 2005, and it paid Quill more than $7 million since 1998.

Another company in Coppell, business supplier Uline, objected to the release of records showing how much in tax rebates it received. But Assistant Attorney General Blake Brennan wrote in a Nov. 29 letter that Uline had failed to demonstrate the payment information compromised any trade secrets that would result in substantial competitive harm. Brennan didnt provide further details why he disagreed with the company.

Records show Coppell has paid Uline $12.7 million since 2007. Ulines most recent agreement with Coppell states it receives tax rebates of 60 percent in the first six years of the contract, and 50 percent in the final phase.

HD Supplys contract with New Braunfels was signed in 2006. It was supposed to last 10 years, but a renewal clause states that if HD Supplys sales-tax receipts exceed $10 million, then the contract will automatically be renewed for another decade.

HD Supply reached the $10 million threshold sometime before September 2015, records show, and the city renewed the contract.

Since New Braunfels agreed to pay HD Supply 50 percent of its sales tax revenue, that means the total payments to HD Supply likely exceeded $5 million in rebates between 2006 and 2015.

Since then, the exact payments to HD Supply is anyones guess.

john.tedesco@chron.com
Houston soon will be home to an art project to honor the life of Jose Campos Torres, the victim of a tragic case of police brutality.

Houston and Harris County officials announced Thursday afternoon their intention to rename the Austin Street Plaza to the Jose Campos Torres Plaza and to establish a memorial art project in honor of Torres on Buffalo Bayou along the downtown trail extension.

Torres, a 23-year-old Latino Vietnam War veteran, was murdered in May 1977 when six Houston police officers arrested him in response to a report of disorderly conduct at a bar. The officers took Torres to a spot called The Hole next to Buffalo Bayou and beat him severely. The officers tried to drop him off at the city jail but were turned away and told to take him to a hospital. Instead, they brought him back to the banks of the bayou and pushed him into the water. Torres body was found two days later.

In an hourlong meeting, Mayor Sylvester Turner  alongside Torres nephew Richard Molina, sister Janie Torres, the League of United Latin American Citizens and the Buffalo Bayou Partnership  stressed the historic nature of the project. They also began talks with San Antonio-born artist Vincent Valdez about what the memorial will look like.

In May, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner and Turner issued an official apology to the family 44 years after the incident and vowed to erect a monument in Torres honor.

We just want to do this in the proper way and in such a way that pays tribute to Joe Campos Torres, Turner said. And the fact that this is not only historical but points to the future as well.  Its a defining moment for the city of Houston.

For City Council member Robert Gallegos, the importance of telling this story is in documenting the history of Houston  both the good and the bad and the significance of the location.

Especially with Buffalo Bayou, which is the start of our city, we need to tell our story, Gallegos said. This is part of the bad, in terms of the story, but it needs to be told.

The tentative plan, according to officials, is to unveil the name at a renaming ceremony that will take place April 2 at the Austin Street Plaza. Although Valdez presented initial ideas, nothing is official as to what the memorial will look like. The artist will meet with the family in the coming weeks to incorporate their ideas into the project.

Molina, a community activist, said Thursdays meeting was significant to his journey of honoring victims of police violence in the community.

I was born into this work of activism centered around police brutality as a kid. As we started working to do these types of memorials, we looked towards the future  about 10 years ago  and we started to think, What havent we done? and that was work with the city and work with city officials to do things more officially. To be at this point now is a very significant thing and, like the mayor said, historical.

At the end of the meeting, Isidro Garza of LULAC called for the family to have the last say on the projects details.

Of course the family has spent a lifetime on this story. In their minds, weve already developed with a lot of dialogue, how it might look, Garza said in response to some initial ideas Valdez presented. I dont think the family wants to be given something and be told to like it.  The protocol is they are the ones to tell us what to do.

Editor's note: A story posted Thursday incorrectly stated the new name for the Austin Street Plaza. It will be renamed the Joe Campos Torres Plaza, according to Houston city officials.

joel.umanzor@chron.com
A wave of protests have emerged in the trucking community after a Colorado judge handed out an unusual, hefty 110-year sentence to a truck driver who was convicted in a fiery 2019 crash that killed four people and injured several others.

The man, Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was found guilty on 27 counts on Monday including vehicular homicide after he crashed an out-of-control semi truck that reportedly lost its brakes as he descended on Interstate 70, according to CBS4 Denver. The crash reportedly damaged or destroyed 28 vehicles.

The four victims killed in the crash are Doyle Harrison, 61, of Hudson, Colorado; William Bailey, 67, of Arvadal; Miguel Angel Lamas Arrellano, 24, of Denver; and Staney Politano, 69, of Arvada, according to Daily Mail.

Aguilera-Mederos, who was 23 years old at the time, is reportedly from Texas and worked for a Houston-based truck company, Castellano 03 Trucking, LLC, according to the Denver Post. Castellano 03 could not be reached for comment. The company is a small carrier with five trucks and five drivers, according to the Post, and is no longer active with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, according to records.

Investigators with the Lakewood Police Department said no alcohol or drugs were involved in the crash, and his attorney told the judge that Aguilera-Mederos had no prior criminal record and he was an immigrant from Cuba who greatly valued his life in America, according to the report.

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His case has caused a national uproar as many question how Aguilera-Mederos could net such a lengthy sentence in comparison with other crimes that have gotten lighter sentences like rape and sexual assault.

"Actual rapists and murderers, WHO MEANT HARM, arent given 110 years," wrote journalist and author Shaun King on Facebook.

During sentencing, the judge said under guidelines set by the law his sentence could be no less than 110 years, CBS4 reported.

"I accept and respect what the defendant has said about his lack of intent to hurt people, but he made a series of terrible decisions, reckless decisions," the judge said.

"If I had the discretion, it would not be my sentence."

People expressed their frustration with the justice system on social media following his sentence and countless supporters within the truck industry are protesting the sentence by refusing to drive through the state of Colorado.

Heather Gilbee started a change.org petition to grant Aguilera-Mederos clemency or commutation-as time served. The petition has become one of the top signed on the site, receiving more than 3 million signatures of its 4.5 million goal.

"This accident was not intentional, nor was it a criminal act on the drivers part," Gilbee wrote in the post.

"No one but the trucking company he is/was employed by should be held accountable for this accident. No, we are not trying to make it seem any less of a tragic accident that it is because yes, lives were lost. We are trying to hold the person who needs to be held responsible, responsible. The trucking company has had several inspections since 2017, with several mechanical violations."

OnHoustonChronicle.com: Texas AG Paxtons $2.2M voter fraud unit closed three cases in 2021. GOP lawmakers still boosted its budget.

On Thursday, Colorado Governor Jared Polis responded to questions about the possibility of granting him clemency.

"We review all clemency applications, weve yet to receive one from the individual but every clemency application that we receive, we review and make a determination," he said.

Aguilera-Mederos who gave an emotional testimony in court Monday, said his life has been very difficult, terrible and depressing since the accident on April 25, 2019.

"I know that it has been hard and heartbreaking for everyone involved in this tragedy," he said crying.

"Your honor I don't know why I'm alive. Like for what?"

Aguilera-Mederos elaborated in his testimony that he wished he had died rather than the victims.

"I ask God too many times why them and not me? Why did I survive that accident?" he said.

An appeal is now planned in Aguilera-Mederos' case according to CBS4, but will be based on any errors that may have occurred during the trial rather than the sentence given.
As a serviceman and a civilian, Mauro Gauna made sure that others were always taken care of, his family said.

He made sure that if he ate, that we all ate at the table with him. He made sure that if someone was hurt, he was there to help in any way, said his widow, Daniela Gauna. The Navy veteran was kind and cared for his family, his country and his community, she said.

On Thursday, the Houston woman and other family members asked the community to help find the person who shot and killed him earlier this month.

Gauna was driving near the area of the 1700 block of North Freeway near Interstate 10 around 6:40 p.m. Dec. 1 when he was shot through a window on his drivers side. He pulled his vehicle over to the shoulder and then lost consciousness, according to police. Paramedics pronounced him dead.

We need to know what happened, Daniela Gauna said at a news conference organized by advocacy group FIEL Houston. We need to know who was responsible for his death. We will not rest until we know any little bit that will help us bring this case to a closing, until we have that person in custody and answers as to why this happened.

A Houston Police spokesperson said the investigation is ongoing. Police earlier said that they had no suspects in the shooting.

Daniela Gauna said her husband was driving a 2016 Ford Mustang, which had an orange UT Longhorn sticker and a Navy one. He was going to a market that evening to get some things they needed for dinner.

Gauna served for five years in the Navy.

He made sure that if he understood his material in school, that his fellow classmates also were there at that same level with him, she said. He would never leave someone behind. He made sure to carry us all with him, whether it was friends, family or even strangers.

The slain veterans older brother, Jose Gauna, described him as a role model, a hero and a selfless person. Theyll have an empty chair at their table for Christmas, he said, and they want people to help them get justice for his brother.

Those who have information about the incident are asked to call Houston Polices homicide division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
How could she?

That was our first thought when news broke Thursday that former Houston ISD board president Rhonda Skillern-Jones had admitted to accepting bribes in an alleged kickback scheme that also led to the indictments of the districts former chief operating officer and a vendor.

This is a trustee who constantly talked about standing up for kids and struggling against periodic budget crises to address the inequities among HISDs campuses.

If you have schools that we have to budget, because they are in the red, toilet paper for  because their small school subsidy didnt cover it  then you have schools that have enough money for two or three years to put a marble floor in, theres a problem, she told a Chronicle columnist in 2018. Anybody who doesnt see thats an issue is obviously very, very biased or very, very dumb.

And anybody who thinks its OK to steal from those children? Whats the word for that?

Most of the headlines Thursday led with the indictments and arrests of the districts former chief operation officer, Brian Busby, and contract vendor Anthony Hutchison, announced by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Texas. According to a 26-count indictment, Busby is accused of helping award HISD construction and grounds maintenance contracts to Hutchison in return for cash bribes and hundreds of thousands of dollars in home remodeling. The scheme, allegedly spanning 2011 to 2020, involved Hutchison systematically over-billing the district for services, causing HISD to lose millions of dollars.

Busby, through a lawyer, maintained his innocence. Hutchisons lawyer couldnt be reached by the Chronicle.

The allegations against them are no doubt troubling as well. But neither man was elected and entrusted by the people of Houston to safeguard taxpayer dollars and the education of thousands of children in the states largest school district.

Skillern-Jones was. As part of her plea, the Justice Department says she admitted that, in return for bribe payments from Hutchison, she caused an expenditure of funds for school landscaping and construction projects to be placed on the 2017 board agenda and voted to approve it.

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In her plea agreement, Skillern-Jones said Busby personally delivered thousands of dollars in bribe payments to her from Hutchison, according to federal prosecutors.

Skillern-Jones and four former district employees pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and face up to five years in prison, a Justice Department press release said.

Its another sad testament to the legacy of failed leadership at HISD. The district, still at risk of a state takeover due to chronically under-performing campuses, made headlines repeatedly during Skillern-Jones tenure for infighting among trustees and meetings that spiraled out of control.

We have to wonder, in the days after she allegedly accepted the payments, did she pass by any of HISDs many schools surrounded by unkempt grounds and wonder if they might have benefited from the millions of dollars in grounds maintenance funds that were apparently siphoned off to enrich a few?

Did she take any complaints about moldy classrooms with leaky air-conditioning units, or plumbing so bad kids are forced to use portable toilets, and feel a twinge of guilt? Did she look into the eyes of some of the lowest-paid teachers in the region and have second-thoughts about her role in draining the trough of taxpayer dollars?

The only good news here is that all of the people named in the indictment are no longer with HISD. Unfortunately, Skillern-Jones was elected in 2019 to a position on the board of Houston Community College.

But the new leadership at HISD, Superintendent Millard House II, appears to have no tolerance for these shenanigans. In a district once accused of suspending a chief auditor for asking too many questions, House has already ordered an audit of the procurement process. We encourage him to continue to do everything he can to root out corruption and enact policies that prevent it in the first place.

The bookkeeping at HISD, known for its decentralized system that gives principals on individual campuses much freedom over their budgets, has long been a mess. Its hard for district officials, let alone watchdogs and journalists, to keep track of expenditures, payments to contractors, or even if the services were actually rendered.

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While the failures of HISD trustees did inspire a crop of new candidates for board positions, the strongest among them did not prevail. We can only hope that the winning challengers whose campaigns hinged on denunciation of critical race theory and masks will wake up once they take office to the gravely serious responsibility theyve been given.

Will they use this latest development as easy ammo against the current administration that had no part in it? Will they play politics or get serious about reforms to bring accountability and transparency into a district that desperately needs it?

This is a time to look long and hard at what happens when greed and hubris are left unchecked. This is a time for HISDs board to truly focus on children whose many challenges in learning need not be exacerbated by the dishonesty of adults elected to help them.

We will not stand idly by when there are people in positions of trust who are suspected of such wrongdoing, acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery said in a statement.

Nor should any of us.

How could she? We may never know. Our concern now should be making sure she, or any other unscrupulous public official, never will again.
Parents of disabled children together with Disability Rights Texas won a ruling in November that could have ramifications well beyond the state of Texas. The dispute arose in July, when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order prohibiting schools from instituting a mask mandate, insisting that whether to wear a mask should be a childs parents decision.

But a federal judge ruled last month that Abbotts order violated the the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) because it put students with disabilities at risk.

This decision was immediately seen as a win for disabled students in Texas, who, like their cohorts elsewhere, have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, the ensuing school closures and breakdowns in the provision of needed services.

Children with disabilities are especially vulnerable to COVID-19. They catch the virus more easily and have a greater likelihood of serious illness or death.

It was also a win for parents of disabled children in other states across the nation who would have a playbook to follow to help protect the rights of their children to safely attend school.

Unfortunately, the victory did not last long. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appealed, and was granted an emergency stay of the judges ruling, which means for now the governors order remains in effect. Now it is the parents and Disability Rights Texas who must appeal  but there is great hope that they will win on the merits of the case.

A successful appeal would be a win for all students in Texas, disabled or not.

COVID-19 variants such as Delta and now Omicron are a significant threat. Since the start of the 2021-22 school year, at least 45 districts have been temporarily shut down due to COVID-19 outbreaks among the student body and staff. The impact has been felt by about 42,000 students and their families

Children everywhere would benefit. Even as children would mask up to protect those unable to do so, they would also be gaining powerful protection themselves.

Mask mandates have proved successful in keeping schools safe and open. The CDC reported in September that three studies of counties without masking requirements saw the number of pediatric COVID-19 cases increase two to three times more than those who had mandates in place during the same period. With more pediatric cases, we have more children ill and hospitalized, and even deaths.

Studies confirm that localities without mask mandates have suffered more losses in the number of school days open. Children out of school also result in parents forfeiting workdays.

It is worth stepping back to see why the rights of disabled children can have the potential to have such a long reach. Without the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, by which children with disabilities were integrated into the school system, the rebuke to Abbotts order would not have been imaginable. Similarly, it would not have been possible without legislation such as the ADA, which protects the rights of people with disabilities to needed services and accommodations.

It is equally important to understand how the world already has been made better, in small as well as large ways, when people with disabilities are included and their rights and needs recognized. Curb cuts and ramps are everyday examples. Intended for wheelchair users, they also answered a need for the parent with a stroller, for the traveler with wheeled luggage, for the elderly woman with a shopping cart. These turned out to meet needs many had never realized were unmet.

The Texas decision can be such a benefit  if the stay is lifted and the parents and Disability Rights Texas prevails.

Too often people with disabilities have been viewed as only a burden for families, the community and the nation. The decision on this lawsuit, if upheld, directly challenges such a view. Making an environment safer and more suitable for people with disabilities continues to have crucial positive benefits for all of us.

Eva Kittay is distinguished professor of philosophy, emerita, at Stony Brook University.
WASHINGTON  Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry allegedly sent a text to former President Donald Trumps chief of staff the day after the 2020 election suggesting that at least three state Legislatures ignore the will of their voters and send their states electors to re-elect Trump, CNN reported Friday.

HEREs an AGRESSIVE (sic) STRATEGY: Why can t (sic) the states of GA NC PENN and other R controlled state houses declare this is BS (where conflicts and election not called that night) and just send their own electors to vote and have it go to the SCOTUS, said the text revealed this week by the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

A $2.2 MILLION HUNT FOR VOTER FRAUD: Paxtons voter fraud unit closed just three cases in 2021

CNN reported that members of the committee believe the former Energy Department secretary sent the text to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, whom the House this week voted to hold in criminal contempt of Congress.

Multiple people who know Perry confirmed the phone number the committee has associated with that text is Perrys number, CNN reported, and that the number appears in databases as registered to a James Richard Perry, the former governors full name, of Texas.

A Perry spokesman said the former governor denies sending the text, according to CNN. Attempts by Hearst Newspapers to reach him were not successful late Friday.

With the revelation of the text, Perry has now been implicated in both scandals that led to Trumps two impeachments.

Perry, who left the Trump administration in 2019, was one of several senior administration officials who Democrats said knew about and approved of Trumps attempt to use the powers of his office to solicit foreign interference on his behalf in the 2020 election when Trump pushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to announce investigations into Democrat Joe Biden. Trump was impeached for the call in 2019.

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Perrys text is also the latest example of his devotion to Trump, whom the former governor during the 2016 Republican primary labeled a cancer on conservatism that must be clearly diagnosed, excised and discarded.

But by 2019, Perry declared Trump Gods chosen one to lead the nation, comparing the president to several Old Testament kings.

God used imperfect people all through history, he said in an interview with Fox News at the time. King David wasnt perfect, Saul wasnt perfect, Solomon wasnt perfect.

Perry has largely kept quiet since leaving the Energy Department in 2019. This year, he led a nearly hourlong news conference at the Texas Capitol trying to convince state leaders to buy a brand of air filtration products from a company  Houston-based Integrated Viral Protection  that he acknowledged he has a part in.

Perry is now among a handful of Texans who may be targeted by the committee now probing the Capitol riot.

CNN reported in August that the committee requested that telecommunications companies preserve the phone records of a handful of GOP lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Tyler Republican who is retiring from Congress to run for state attorney general.

FLASHBACK: Rick Perry says Trump is Gods chosen one

Gohmert last December sued Vice President Mike Pence to try to force him to take control of the election certification process and keep Trump in office.

He may count elector votes certified by a states executive, or he can prefer a competing slate of duly qualified electors, Gohmert wrote in the lawsuit. That is the power bestowed upon him by the Constitution.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, meanwhile, led a separate failed lawsuit seeking to overturn election results in four battleground states that went for Biden. Paxton also spoke briefly at Trumps rally outside the White House on Jan. 6, just before the riot.

Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, meanwhile, led an effort in the Senate to delay certifying Trumps loss and objected to Arizonas electoral votes less than an hour before demonstrators breached the building. Seventeen of 25 Texas Republicans in the House objected to counting Electoral College votes for Biden later that night.

ben.wermund@chron.com
Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton has been one of former President Donald Trumps most reliable allies in spreading the myth of widespread voter fraud, particularly in the 2020 election, and frequently boasts that few states are as vigilant.

His offices election integrity unit added two lawyers to the team in the last year, bringing it up to six staffers total, and worked more than 20,000 hours between October 2020 and September 2021. Its budget, meanwhile, ratcheted up from $1.9 million to $2.2 million during that time.

Yet records from the office show that the unit closed just three cases this year, down from 17 last year, and opened seven new ones. That includes the newly created unit focused on the 2021 local elections, which has yet to file a single case.

DEJA VU?: Ken Paxtons beefed-up 2020 voter fraud unit closed 16 minor cases, all in Harris County

This is an exorbitant amount of money that has resulted in no benefit for the average Texan, said Austin Evers, executive director of American Oversight, a left-leaning nonprofit government watchdog that regularly files public information requests and files suits to force compliance with those requests. The organization shared some records it obtained from the Texas Attorney Generals Office with Hearst Newspapers for this report; others were obtained independently by Hearst Newspapers.

Evers added: Taxpayers are funding a political stunt meant to fuel the false claim of a stolen election and justify voting restrictions.

The scant caseload comes after Texas Republican lawmakers insisted a 2020 election audit was necessary and passed a sweeping elections overhaul bill loaded with voting restrictions that Democrats have warned will have a disproportionate effect on already-marginalized voters. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, under pressure by Trump, initiated reviews of election processes across the state in the fall.

Paxtons office has not uncovered any evidence of voter fraud in 2020 beyond isolated incidents affecting a handful of votes in an election in which more than 11 million Texans cast ballots.

Paxtons office did not respond to a request for comment for this story, but in a podcast his office produced in November 2020 about voter fraud, Paxton blamed low resources for the election integrity units output.

I dont think anybody knows the degree to which it happens because even our office who probably prosecutes more election fraud than anyone else in the country. ... We dont have enough resources to cover all election fraud. So its really hard to know how large an issue this is because very few states put any resources in to actually detect or prosecute voter fraud.

Its a point hes made often before, though hes never offered specifics as to what kind of staffing or funding he would find sufficient.

Richard L. Hasen, an election law professor at the University of California at Irvine, said theres a more likely explanation, noting that Paxton, who is running for re-election, has every incentive, politically speaking, to vigorously go after voter fraud, as its an issue that energizes his partys base.

Hes finding very little of it despite spending a lot of money and using a lot of resources looking for it, Hasen said. The reason is not that such fraud is too hard to find. Those that commit voter fraud tend not to be brain surgeons. The reason hes not finding a lot of it is because voter fraud is rare.

Multiple academic studies and journalistic reviews have uncovered no evidence of widespread voter fraud, nor did a wide-ranging investigation of election fraud in 2020 conducted by the U.S. Justice Department.

After Texas own director of elections Keith Ingram testified to lawmakers in March that the 2020 election was smooth and secure, the Secretary of State failed to receive confirmation of her appointment by the Republican-majority state Senate and was forced to step down.

In one of the most comprehensive reviews to date, an AP analysis this month reviewed potential election fraud cases in six battleground states contested by Trump and found 475, nowhere near enough to have altered the results of his 2020 loss.

SUDDEN STEPDOWN: Did a smooth and secure 2020 election cost the Texas secretary of state her job?

Trumps insistence otherwise led hordes of his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in a violent attack, hours after Paxton gave a speech at a March to Save America rally in D.C. that day.

Cases from 2020 pending

The biggest case closed this year by the Texas Attorney Generals Office involved a Medina County resident who allegedly unlawfully assisted 10 voters with mail ballot applications during the 2020 election.

The other two were people in Lubbock and Guadalupe counties who allegedly made false statements on their voter registration applications and voted illegally in the 2018 election, and one of them also in the 2020 election.

In 2016, 2017 and 2019, Paxtons office also closed three cases per year.

Yet in a tweet in October, Paxton proclaimed that his office was between pending cases & investigations  working more voter fraud cases than Texas has ever seen.

While its true that the office has more cases pending this year over last year, 44 up from 38, thats not because of a surge in new prosecutions. Its because the vast majority of cases that were pending around this time last year are still making their way through the court system.

Among the cases pending include that of Hervis Rogers, a Black man from Houston who was charged this year with illegally voting while on parole, after he had made national headlines for waiting six hours to vote in the 2020 primary election.

A new ruling from the states highest criminal court Wednesday may afford legal relief to Rogers and potentially others, after it found that Paxtons office does not have the constitutional right to prosecute voter fraud without the consent of local prosecutors.

The office is also in the midst of investigating 386 allegations of fraud, according to its website, up by about 150 over what it reported it was looking into last year.

Paxton, members of his office and his supporters often use an unusual metric to tout the election integrity unit as a success, citing the more than 500 counts of offenses filed against defendants in pending cases, as opposed to the number of defendants, about 45.

This can prove misleading: An individual case can involve dozens of counts because the states lawyers can file many different charges for the same action or set of actions. For example, a social worker in the Mexia State Supported Living Center was charged in October with two election fraud offenses for each of the 67 residents she registered to vote prior to the 2020 presidential election without their permission, landing her a total of 134 counts. No illegal votes were cast.

FACT CHECK: Texas lawmaker falsely claims Texas has 400 voter fraud cases open

As has been the trend since the voter fraud unit began its work 15 years ago, the majority of defendants, including the three whose cases were resolved this year, have been entered into diversion programs. Those are alternatives to prosecution for low-risk, typically first-time offenders that often involve some court supervision.

Twenty-seven defendants, or 17 percent, were sentenced to deferred adjudication, which is a form of probation that gives the person a chance to avoid a criminal conviction on their record.

Under a third of defendants cases ended in a conviction, and of those 46, a little over a dozen spent time behind bars.

The extensive use of these diversion programs makes it difficult for the public to find much information about the situations leading to the alleged crimes, which would typically be uncovered in court documents.

The Republican chairs of the committee in charge of writing the budget in the Texas House and Senate did not respond to questions about why funding increases to the election integrity unit continue to be approved despite its lack of results.

Democratic state Rep. Jessica Gonzalez, vice chair of the elections committee in the Texas House, called the spending unacceptable.

It is clear the Election Integrity Unit receives an absurd level of funding considering their inability to find real cases of voter fraud, and this funding increase only continues to fuel their witch hunt, Gonzalez said.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com
The Retired Investor: Has Labor Found Its Mojo?

Workers in America are rethinking who they are and what they want. For the first time in decades, the stars have aligned to give the labor movement a much-needed lift. Will this prove to be a flash in the pan or something more lasting?

The share of American workers who claim union membership has been declining for years. There is a myriad of reasons for this decades-long decline. U.S. legislation and the court system has created enormous challenges to forming unions. The transfer of jobs to low-paying countries overseas has also devastated union membership. Labor membership can also be expensive with high monthly dues. In the past thirty years of declining real wages, most workers were grateful to just keep their jobs. Paying union dues when they had a family to feed was not a high priority.

At the same time, the decline of those willing to obtain skills through education or apprenticeship in the U.S. has contributed to a rise in unskilled, service industry jobs. Unfortunately, these jobs suffer from high turnover and minimum wages, and were not a target market of the existing labor union movement.

Everything changed with the arrival of COVID-19. The pandemic ushered in massive unemployment, huge safety risks for employed workers in essential sectors, and a wholesale movement towards work-at-home solutions. It was a tiring time for the American worker. And from the ashes a new attitude towards labor was born.

Workers employed in "essential industries" who showed up to keep the country running were no longer taken for granted. Nurses, truck drivers, food industry workers and more became the new American heroes. Local media outlets, politicians, and even the White House honored and featured ordinary laborers, who made extraordinary efforts in our time of crisis.

But the pandemic was also the match that forced many Americans to rethink their relationship to work overall. We are, for example, one of the few nations where health care benefits are dependent on your employment. As health care risks and unemployment skyrocketed simultaneously, holes in our private health insurance became readily apparent.

"Life is too short" became more than just a quaint slogan. Many Americans, obsessive belief that "work first, ahead of everything else" as life's pre-eminent goal, might need to be re-examined. For others, long-buried work issues such as safety, benefits, wages, and more rose to the surface. Burnt-out workers simply decided to resign or retire rather than remain at their jobs. Others are taking a more aggressive approach to the workplace.

Unionization, for many, has been perceived as a viable instrument for change. In 2020, union membership ticked up to 11 percent; about half that gain came from the public sector. It is early days, but through November 2021, union actions have increased. The Department of Labor reports 13 labor strikes so far this year, but they only include strikes that include 1,000 workers or more. As such, they did not report, for example, a seven-month strike here in Massachusetts of 700 nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester. Under the surface, labor experts say that well over 225 strikes is a more accurate number if you include smaller company workforce actions.

The nation's attention, however, has been focused on several high-profile union actions. Some big companies like Amazon, Starbucks, John Deere and Kellogg's, have been targets of the labor movement.

Amazon, the country's number two employer, fought a massive campaign to defeat union organization in Bessemer, Ala., this year. The vote to organize was defeated  a major blow to unions nationwide. But soon after, the National Labor Relations Board determined that the company improperly pressured warehouse staff not to join the union. That was no surprise to union organizers. It is a part of an ongoing trend dating back to the 1970s where companies have engaged in unfair labor practices that were largely supported by labor laws favoring employers over workers. However, times are changing

Thanks to the pandemic-induced change in attitude towards workers, positive union sentiment, for example, is at a generational high in the U.S., with 68 percent of Americans supporting unions, according to new data from a Gallup poll. The Biden administration is also supportive of unions as are many in the progressive wing of the Democrat Party. The PRO Act, currently being debated in the U.S. Senate, for example, would make it easier for employees to unionize and establish tougher penalties for employers who illegally attempt to stop their efforts. It would also allow gig workers and contractors to organize alongside traditional employees.

These trends, together with the present labor shortage, has strengthened the hand of labor unions going forward. Amazon workers are slated to vote again in Alabama. Kellogg's workers, on strike since Oct. 5, 2021, are still holding out for better wages after rejecting a five-year, 3 percent offer from the company. In November 2021, John Deere's 10,100 production and maintenance workers won their strike with management and signed a new six-year agreement.

Only last week, workers in Buffalo, N.Y., a city with a pro-union history, voted to form a union at Starbucks. It was one of three Starbucks locations in the city that held a vote (the second branch ended in a tie, while the last voted to reject unionization). The workers in the winning branch want better wages, benefits, and working conditions.

Observers are watching these actions carefully, given that there are 8,000 corporate Starbuck locations across the U.S. It is the first successful attempt to unionize an unskilled labor force in the leisure and hospitality sectors. As such, a better, union-negotiated contract could spur more unionization efforts across the country. Whether these union efforts end with a bang or a whimper, bringing the American worker's condition to the forefront of the American agenda, is an absolute positive in my book.
Kerry Raheb, the owner of Indica LLC, presents his plans to the Board of Selectmen on Wednesday. He said he hopes to have a community outreach meeting for the dispensary as soon as possible.

Adams Officials Hears Presentation on New Cannabis Dispensary

ADAMS, Mass.  Kerry Raheb, the owner of Indica LLC presented to the Board of Selectmen on Wednesday on plans for his cannabis dispensary, which will open at 127 Columbia St.



Raheb, who previously worked as an investment banker, said this business is his first cannabis dispensary. He said he intends on holding a community outreach meeting for the dispensary, which will be at the former site of Woodstock South, a former gift and novelties shop, as soon as possible.



Raheb said he hopes his business can benefit the community beyond selling cannabis by working with and supporting local artists by selling their work in the store. He said he has several other plans in mind, including hiring workers who live in Adams and surrounding communities, helping to create a beautification program for Columbia Street and donating a percentage of the business's annual profit to the town.



"I just thought I would go in a lot more aggressive and set my goal a lot higher for the town," he said. "I feel blessed to be welcomed here."



Additionally, Raheb intends on donating $7,000 to Adams Police Department, $3,000 to the Adams Fire Department and $5,000 to the town's Community Development Office in the first year of the dispensary's operation. He intends to donate even more money to those organizations in years two and three.



Town Administrator Jay Green said the town receives several inquiries about having a cannabis dispensary in Adams on a consistent basis.


Blackmer Tapped as Business Administrator for North Berkshire School Union

Lisa Blackmer is interviewed Thursday night at Clarksburg School.

CLARKSBURG, Mass.  The North Adams City Council president is replacing the new mayor.

At least in the Northern Berkshire School Union.

Lisa Blackmer, town treasurer for Buckland, was selected on Thursday to fill the position being left vacant by Jennifer Macksey, pending contract negotiations.

Macksey, assistant superintendent for business and finance, will be sworn in as mayor of North Adams on Jan. 1.

Blackmer was the only candidate brought forward for the position of business administrator for the school union that includes the towns of Clarksburg, Florida, Monroe, Rowe and Savoy. She was peppered with questions ranging from grant writing to communicating with town and school officials in five communities to her management style.

"I have been the treasurer/tax collector for the town of Buckland for over five years and it's a great town. I love it there. I don't dislike my job, but there's really nowhere to go from where I am," Blackmer told the committee members on Thursday night at Clarksburg School. "This is something that I feel is in my wheelhouse that I can learn what I don't know and apply what I do know and feels like a next step."

The North Adams resident said she thinks of Northern Berkshire as her community and that she would much rather use her skills and her experience to improve things here.

In response to how long she would stay in post, Blackmer said she might "possibly retire from it."

She described herself as being task focused, particularly when doing budgets and talking about personnel policies, and ensuring people she trains understand why things have to be done in certain ways. She also noted grants she had written and how it was important to consider the long-term ramifications of those grants on education and town finances.

Blackmer was confident she could obtain her business administrator license required by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

"I've always been a part of continuing education, professional development. I've always tried to do that," she said, in response to getting her certification as business administrator. "It wasn't a requirement on my job to be a certified treasure but I went and did that and I'm working on my certification for the collector ... professional development is kind of what I do, along with my job."

She said she had completed her master of business administration and a master's level program on leadership and government while working full time and serving on local, regional and statewide boards, and recently completed procurement training on her own.

"I think my overall knowledge of municipal finance and my big picture skills are probably my strength," Blackmer said. "My weakness in this case would be in the weeds, the details of school finance, but I feel that that's a skill that's easier to learn than how to think big picture."

She joked she was so organized she "dreams in spreadsheets."

She said she would build on the work that Macksey has already done since it wasn't worth reinventing the wheel but rather tweaking things as personnel and programs change.

The School Committee members were generally positive although they had two concerns: Blackmer's lack of experience in educational finance and her involvement in other boards and organizations.

"She is very well versed with a lot of the governmental side of things but she did say she doesn't have as much experience with the school," said Carla Davis-Little of Monroe. "There might be some challenges with the school and every thing. But again, we only have one person interview for the position."

Davis said she was impressed with Blackmer but would have liked to have had another candidate to compare.

"I do have some concerns about how much involvement she has with a lot of various things where that may distract her from learning to the position," said Arleigh Cooper of Savoy, but also thought she had strong qualities and a good attitude.

Others saw Blackmer's busy life as a positive.

"I think people who have lots of goals and do things get it all done," said Susan Zavotka of Rowe. "She appears to me to be a responsible person who wants to do things."

She thought even with other candidates, Blackmer would have stood out.

Matthew Crowningshield of Rowe noted her passion for professional development, describing it as like a hobby for her, and Chairwoman Judith Oleson of Florida acknowledged Blackmer is involved in a lot "but she has the strength and dedication and could be a great asset."

They agreed that she seemed highly organized and capable of learning the job.

After going into executive session for a discussion of administrative contracts, the committee voted unanimously to offer the post to Blackmer. The committee also voted to make Josh Arico's title to be the director of Information technology and authorized Superintendent John Franzoni to hire Cheryl Boillat as the part-time interim director of student services until Stephanie Pare can be replaced.

Blackmer had indicated she could not start until the end of January to give Buckland appropriate notice. Macksey, whose last day is Friday, acknowledged there would be a gap but said this was primarily budget preparation period. There is, however, Clarksburg's books left to be closed. The town is behind in its financial processes but has hired a town administrator and is seeking a treasurer.

"We're going to miss the heck out of you but we wish you the best," Oleson told Macksey.
BHS COVID-19 Testing Centers Holiday Hours

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The testing centers in Pittsfield, North Adams and Great Barrington will be open for regular hours most of the holiday season.

Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) has been testing over 600 people each day at its three COVID-19 testing centers in Pittsfield, North Adams, and Great Barrington, and the need for testing is expected to continue to be strong throughout and just after the holidays.

The Pittsfield and North Adams testing centers will be open daily during the holidays, including Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Christmas Day. Great Barrington will be open for its regular hours, 7:30 am to 12 noon, on Dec. 24 and 31 but closed on Christmas and New Year's Days.

The Pittsfield testing center is located at 505 East St., St. Luke's Square; North Adams testing center is located at 98 Church St., next to the city library; and the Great Barrington testing center is at 475 Main St., next to the town Police Department.

"As members of our community gather for the holidays, we expect that due to the current COVID-19 surge and the new Omicron variant that there will be a great demand for testing," said Dr. James Lederer, BHS Chief Medical Officer/Chief Quality Officer. "We want to remind people that if you are asymptomatic and feel you may have been exposed to the virus, to wait 5 to 7 days after the potential exposure to be tested, in accordance with the most recent guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health."

Vaccination Clinics and Appointments

Berkshire Health Systems continues to provide COVID-19 vaccination, including first and second doses and boosters for all who are eligible through its testing centers in Pittsfield and North Adams, and at Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington. A community clinic being held at Berkshire Community College on Saturday, Dec. 18 will provide vaccination to nearly 1,000 people and is at capacity  and the Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative is planning a second community clinic on Saturday, Jan. 8, with more details to be provided early next week.

Appointments are required for testing and vaccination and can be made by using the Berkshire Patient Portal or calling 855-BMC-LINK (855-262-5465).
State Rep. John Barrett III points out a feature of the Mass MoCA neighborhood during a tour for Mass Cultural Council Executive Director Michael J. Bobbitt, left, on Friday morning. From left, state Rep. John Barrett III, Mass MoCA Director Kristy Edmunds, curator Denise Markonish and Mass Cultural Council Executive Director Michael J. Bobbitt view Glenn Kaino's 'In the Light of a Shadow' in Building 5 on Friday. Barrett and Bobbitt view part of 'Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retrospective' at Mass MoCA on Friday morning. Bobbitt views North Adams artist Kim Faler's 'Double Bubble' at Mass MoCA on Friday. Barrett, Bobbitt and Mass MoCA curator Denise Markonish view Joe Wardwell's wall-size 'Hello America: 40 Hits from the 50 States.' Mass MoCA Executive Director Kristy Edmunds gives Bobbitt a tour of the museum on Friday morning. Mass Cultural Council Executive Director Michael J. Bobbitt shares some thoughts during his tour of Mass MoCA on Friday morning. PreviousNext

Mass Cultural Council Head Tours North County Venues



Mass Cultural Council Executive Director Michael J. Bobbitt follows the conversation in a working lunch at the Clark Art Institute on Friday afternoon. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  On Friday afternoon, leaders of the North Country arts community gathered on the top floor of the Clark Art Institute's Manton Research Center to talk to the executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

And there was more talk about buses than Botticelli.

"When you're 20, you do not come with a car," Clark Director Olivier Meslay said during a working lunch with the MCC's Michael J. Bobbitt. "But here, if you don't have a car, you are in trouble."

Meslay and other representatives of the arts community were invited to share their thoughts about what support is needed to build the cultural economy in the region. A good deal of the talk centered on how to create an environment where young artists and other workers in the industry can earn a sustainable living in the area.

"If a family wants to get by on one car, they should be able to do that," said Cecilia Hirsch, the co-chair of the Northern Berkshire Cultural Council. "But it's not possible."

Public transportation is one piece of the puzzle for creating the kind of infrastructure the cultural institution leaders discussed on Friday. Bobbitt encouraged them to spread that message to state legislators.

"Biden's infrastructure money is coming to the state," he told the panel. "You need to get loud."

One member of the potential audience for that message, state Rep. John Barrett III, D-North Adams, invited Bobbitt to the Berkshires on Friday to tour North Adams' Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art and the Clark, meet with representatives of the Williamstown Theatre Festival and sit down with members of the wider arts community for a 90-minute working lunch.

"I've been blown away," Bobbitt said when asked about his impressions of the region. "After being inside for two years on Zoom meetings and all that. It's amazing to get out and see all these wonderful assets we have."

Joining Meslay and Hirsch in providing feedback to Bobbitt were Joe Finnegan and Kristen Johanson of the WTF Board of Directors, MCLA Berkshire Cultural Resource Center Director Erica Wall, Adams Theater owner Yina Moore, Williams College Museum of Art curator Lisa Dorin, Mass MoCA Director Kristy Edmunds and members of Meslay's team at the Clark.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' Wall set the stage for a conversation about the challenges facing young members of the arts community who want to live and work in the Berkshires.

"What brought me here to this place is it has so much potential," said Wall, who started at MCLA in fall 2019 . "It's a space that is so ideal for artists and creators.  Having a sustainable infrastructure for them to have a living is lacking."

Wall advocated for financial support that would provide seed money for artists to be able to live and work in the region while they are getting established.

"I created residencies for [Black, indigenous and people of color] artists," Wall said. "There is no shortage of artists who want to stay here."

Bobbitt pointed to an art studio project in Lowell that is providing affordable housing and suggested that model could be replicated in the commonwealth.

"We have to get legislators and city managers and mayors to talk to each other," he said. "[Mass Cultural Council] doubled artist grants this year, but even that is not enough."

Meslay talked about a joint venture between his institution, Mass MoCA and WCMA to create an internship program for recent college and high school graduates so they could learn the museum business.

"Not just art history people," he said. "We would love to have electricians. They could also be artists.  We have three museums that are completely different. Someone who would spend a year training in our three museums could go anywhere. And the museums are all well regarded. It would look good on a [resume].

"The main thing would be to have housing. Only if you're really comfortable can you afford to live in this area, which is odd since we're so remote. For really affordable housing, we have a big need."

While the arts community leaders used Friday's meeting as an opportunity to share their needs with Bobbitt, he returned the favor by telling the institutional leaders how they can help the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency that supports cultural endeavors throughout the commonwealth primarily by awarding grants from a budget derived mostly from state funding.

"I don't think legislators are hearing from voters about arts and culture," Bobbitt said. "It's a numbers game. Whatever you can do about advocacy will help."

Barrett agreed.

"You have to reach out to your colleagues around the state," he said. "I'm in the minority [on Beacon Hill] realizing the importance of the arts for economic development. Talk to other colleges, talk to other theater owners, talk to other cultural institutions."

Bobbitt said the museum and theater community needs to engage its patrons on the issue.

"[Legislators] know we're the third-largest sector contributing to GDP, but their appropriations don't reflect that," he said. "Do we have enough people writing and talking to them? Make sure that every single person who walks in your door becomes an advocate."
Aung San Lin, a reporter for the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), was taken into junta custody during a midnight military raid on his home in the Sagaing regions Wetlet Township. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the journalists arrest and calls on Myanmars military to immediately release Aung San Lin.

Around midnight on December 11,approximately 20 soldiers arrived at Aung San Lins residence in Pin Zin village and arrested him. The journalist was transferred to a Wetlet police station before being transported to the Shwebo Interrogation Centre on December 12.

Aung San Lin was reportedly beaten during his arrest, according to family members present at the scene, who have not been allowed to visit him and are concerned for his wellbeing.

The journalist was arrested after he published an article regarding the recent burning down of the homes of three National League for Democracy (NLD) supporters by Myanmars military and Pyu Saw Htee militia forces.

Executive director of DVB, Aye Chan Naing, confirmed Aung San Lins arrest. So far, we havent got any updated news about him. We heard he was taken to the Shwe Bo military station and is no longer in his village in Wet Latt township, he said.

On December 12, Min Theik Tun, an underage reporter for Myanmars Regional News Agency, was also arrested in Monywa of the Sagaing region along with 11 others. The young journalist was covering a protest in the area when he was detained.

Myanmars junta has antagonised journalists since it assumed control in the military coup on February 1, with over 100 journalists arrested during its administration and many remaining in custody. After its exclusion at a regional summit in October, the junta released dozens of journalists in an amnesty on humanitarian grounds, an action largely met with distrust.

The IFJ said: The juntas persistent detainment and harassment of journalists continues to contravene international human rights standards and curb press freedom in Myanmar. The IFJ calls for the immediate release of Aung San Lin and urges the military to cease its intimidation of Myanmars media.
Inc. Rating 81 81 818 Tequila Reposado | $54.99* Kendall Jenner Presentation 4/5

Star role 5/5

Insta followers 5/5 Some folks knocked Jenner for cultural appropriation when she launched this tequila named for her Calabasas area code. The model with a staggering 198 million Instagram followers makes a spirit with a mild, grassy finish--too mild, frankly. Yet 818 is tracking to be the most successful tequila launch ever. Inc. takeaway: Never underestimate the power of social media fame to move product.

Inc. Rating 69 69 SelvaRey Coconut Rum | $37.99* Bruno Mars Presentation 4/5

Star role 3/5

Insta followers 3/5 If you're in a spring break kind of mood, Bruno Mars has just the ticket: a rum that tastes like Bain de Soleil and bad decisions. The bottle is sleeker than this sickly sweet rum deserves. After the coconut, SelvaRey pummels your taste buds with notes of banana, vanilla, molasses, and sugarcane. Inc. takeaway: Know your market, even if it's gone wild.

Inc. Rating 85 85 D'Usse VSOP Cognac | $54.98* Jay-Z Presentation 5/5

Star role 5/5

Insta followers 1/5 Presented in a regal glass orb embossed with gold leaf that would add a glint of class to any living-room bar cart, Jay-Z's Bacardi-backed cognac is marketed as a sophisticated, striver's product. The taste--thin at first sip--develops a pleasantly sweet and figgy follow-through. D'Usse doesn't have 99 problems, just one: It left our lips numb. Inc. takeaway: If you can make every customer feel like a billionaire married to Beyonce, you're onto something.

Inc. Rating 75 75 Haig Club Deluxe Single Grain Scotch Whisky | $52.99* David Beckham Presentation 4/5

Star role 2/5

Insta followers 4/5 When a whiskey sits on the top shelf, it's nice to be able to admire and evaluate its deep amber hue from a distance. That could be why this single-grain scotch is masked in an electric-blue bottle, reminiscent of Polo Sport cologne. The contents are light--almost watery--and bland. An argument against blending it like Beckham. Inc. takeaway: In a crowded, brown-bottle market, the purple cow--or the blue cologne bottle--stands out.

Inc. Rating 95 95 Wild Turkey Longbranch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | $39.99* Matthew McConaughey Presentation 4/5

Star role 5/5

Insta followers 2/5 All right, all right, all right ... this one is more like it. A small-batch whiskey--smooth and sweet with hints of vanilla, honey, and toffee--Longbranch imparts the perfect amount of fire. It's the real deal, filtered through oak and mesquite charcoal from the actor's home state of Texas. Hands down the best celebrity spirit we sampled. Inc. takeaway: Authenticity can't be faked.

Inc. Rating 67 67 Skinnygirl Bare Naked Vodka | $21.99* Bethenny Frankel Presentation 2/5

Star role 5/5

Insta followers 2/5 At only 60 proof--hence the reduced-calorie branding-- Skinnygirl is the Michelob Ultra of spirits. This brand mogul's booze goes down raw, as if spilling forth from a plastic bottle, and is best used in, say, half a dozen mixed drinks during a sloppy night on the town. Bravo, though, for the appealing implication that you can maintain your buzz and your waistline, too. Inc. takeaway: The promise of being able to have it all always sells.

Inc. Rating 86 86 Lobos 1707 Reposado Tequila | $49.25* LeBron James Presentation 35

Star role 3/5

Insta followers 4/5 With an hourglass-shaped bottle that looks less top shelf and more supermarket syrup aisle, King James's agave has, fittingly enough, a strong maple-and- caramel nose. As for the taste, it packs a pleasing punch that goes strong to the hoop, with definitive notes of pepper and spice. Inc. takeaway: Even when he's not playing on his home court, it's tough to beat LeBron James.

Inc. Rating 92 92 Heaven's Door Double Barrel American Whiskey | $49.99 Bob Dylan Presentation 3/5

Star role 4/5

Insta Followers 3/5 Not to knock, knock, knock Heaven's Door, but we kind of wish that Dylan's personal artwork on the bottle-;depicting one of his life-sized ironwork sculptures-was a little less busy. The whiskey itself, a blend of Tennessee, rye, and bourbon, stands neatly on its own merits. Nicely balanced with a strong-but-not-too-strong oaky flavor, Heaven's Door has a pleasant, smooth finish-;certainly smoother than Dylan's voice. Inc. takeaway: Dylan's brand, cultivated over his 60-year career, is unadulterated Americana, and no spirit fits that uncompromising image better than American Whiskey. Another vote for authenticity.

Inc. Rating 72 72 Blue Chair Bay Spiced Rum | $19.99 Kenny Chesney Presentation 2/5

Star role 5/5

Insta Followers 3/5 Chesney's appeal is that he's just a regular guy-;a breezy, barefoot country strummer with nothing but a sun-dappled good time on the agenda. And this is a regular-guy kind of spiced rum, with no hint of pretentiousness. Strong tropical coconut notes dominate. This rum seems designed to be used as a mixer, which may be for the best since on its own it has a leathery aftershave taste. Inc. takeaway: Blue Chair may not be top shelf, but mixed with Coke in a red Solo cup at sunset, it does the job. Proof that the main floor is still a great place to make money.

Inc. Rating 81 81 Tres Papalote Espadin Mezcal | $43.99 Cheech Marin Presentation 3/5

Star role 5/5

Insta Followers 2/5 I really wanted to like this one more...a lot more. But Marin's mezcal is almost as smoky as an old Cheech & Chong film. Which is to say, the heavy mesquite aroma and charred flavor are overpowering. And if we're not mistaken, that lingering aftertaste reminded us of burned tires. Then again, Tres Papalote is meant to be sipped-;and it does get smoother as it goes on. Inc. takeaway: Cheech has been riding the culture wave for decades, first with pot movies in the stoner 1970s, then with cop procedurals in the 1990s, and now with the Mexican liquor rush. And, of course, as a Mexican-American, he has the street cred for this latest move.

Inc. Rating 65 65 Indoggo Strawberry Flavored Gin | $28.99 Snoop Dogg Presentation 2/5

Star role 5/5

Insta Followers 4/5 The easygoing hip hop legend-turned-entrepreneur should know a thing or two about gin. After all, he hit it big with "Gin and Juice" back in 1994. Unfortunately, Indoggo's Skyy vodka knockoff bottle feels like it comes from 1994, too. As for the strawberry-flavored gin inside, it's not a good sign that you can smell this sickly sweet juice from across the room. The taste is even more overpowering-;a mix of SweeTarts and Kool-Aid powder, albeit with a grown-up kick. (And no, it's not any better with juice.) Inc. takeaway: Sometimes you can overdiversify. Snoop's foray into the liquor biz evokes cautionary tales like Pierre Cardin, the clothing brand that famously let its name get slapped on everything from ball caps to cigarettes through indiscriminate licensing deals, and eventually collapsed.

Inc. Rating 80 80 Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka | $33.99 Sean "Diddy" Combs Presentation 3/5

Star role 5/5

Insta Followers 4/5 Ciroc is the OG of celebrity booze. The brand has been a table-service staple since at least two Diddy name changes ago. Distilled from French grapes, this premium vodka has a slightly sweeter nose and finish than typical vodkas sourced from grain or potatoes. While it's hard to argue with success, I'm not sure how "premium" Ciroc tastes. On its own, it comes off as a bit medicinal and...Windex-y. Inc. takeaway: Invest the sweat equity. Diddy became Ciroc's posterboy in 2007, but he's worked hard for his 50 percent cut of the company's profits, personally crafting new flavors and brand extensions.

Inc. Rating 88 88 VDKA 6100 | $29.95 Robert De Niro Presentation 5/5

Star role 4/5

Insta Followers 1/5 Much like its Method-acting movie-star backer, this New Zealand vodka speaks clearly without shouting. The bottle has a clean and elegant typeface and its whey-based contents are equally crisp and light with none of the harsh alcohol burn that accompanies so many vodkas. It's especially smooth when properly chilled. VDKA 6100 may not be Grey Goose, but it's not too far off, either. Inc. takeaway: Look for partnerships. De Niro has been moonlighting as a top-tier boutique hotelier and restaurateur for years now and VDKA is the house vodka in all of his establishments-;a pretty smart way to build buzz.
Starting in April 2022, the New York City Council will require employers in the Big Apple to post salary ranges on job listings. Even if your state hasn't pushed a similar law yet, it could--and it might even be a good employee retention strategy.

The bill, which passed on Wednesday in a 41 to 7 vote, says employers failing to list minimum and maximum salary ranges for New York City-based roles are engaging in discriminatory practices.

"Lack of salary transparency is discriminatory and anti-worker," council member Helen Rosenthal said in a statement. You might think differently about it. Posting salary ranges could, after all, lead to having to fork over more money to employees.

No matter your feelings on the subject, now's the time to start weighing your options and possibly recalibrate your employee salaries. Many companies are already doing so. Businesses overall are expected to boost pay by an average of 3.9 percent in 2022, according to a November survey from the Conference Board, a private research group. One thing you can't do is ignore the law. Those that skirt the law could also be slapped with fines or a lawsuit.

You might think if you're not based in NYC you dodged a bullet. Not quite. Similar pay transparency laws already exist in California and Colorado, and what happens in one state has a way of spreading.
An internal memo being circulated at Google that was viewed by CNBC.com gives most unvaccinated employees in the U.S. until January 18 to get vaccinated or be placed on paid administrative leave for 30 days. Those who are still unvaccinated at the end of that time will go on unpaid leave for up to six months, and then be dismissed if they still haven't gotten the vaccine.

The mandate puts Google in compliance with an executive order from President Joe Biden requiring companies with 100 or more employees to ensure those employees are vaccinated or else that they are regularly tested for Covid. The memo reportedly specifies that "frequent testing is not a valid alternative to vaccination."

Biden's executive order has not yet taken effect--it faces lawsuits from states, business groups, and some individual businesses. Google has apparently decided to start complying with the rule now, rather than wait for the various legal challenges to work their way through the courts.

Standing behind its policy.

Although Google has not released its memo, a Google representative told The Verge that the company was standing firmly behind its vaccination policy. "As we've stated before, our vaccination requirements are one of the most important ways we can keep our workforce safe and keep our services running," she said.

Google faces a small but vocal opposition to its vaccine mandate in the form of a manifesto signed by at least 600 of its 150,000 employees. The company has generally been tolerant of protests and vocal opposition to its policies from its employees. When many Googlers walked out over sexual harassment policies in 2018, CEO Sundar Pichai announced his support for the protests and the company ultimately met their key demand. As a result, employees are no longer bound by the forced arbitration clause that once prevented them from suing, or speaking publicly, when they faced workplace harassment or bias.

But vaccine refusal is a very different matter. Employers these days are facing some tough choices when it comes to the question of mandating vaccines. Although most Americans are in favor of Biden's vaccine mandate, a solid minority, including most Republicans, are against it. Google's policy allows for possible exemptions on religious, medical, or personal ground and the memo says such requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis. There is also the small possibility that a few Google jobs may not fall under Biden's order, which the memo said employees could explore.

The sad fact is there's no way to handle vaccine mandates that will make everyone happy. But Google's approach makes a great deal of sense and it's one other employers should consider. Here's why.

1. It's consistent.

As my colleague Jason Aten noted recently, stability is what employees need most right now. Google has said all along that it was mandating vaccines, so this new deadline simply makes the policy more explicit and lets employees know how long they have to comply with the rule. The employees who signed the manifesto may not like it, but no one should be at all surprised by it.

2. It's compassionate.

Although Google remains firm in its stance that employees (other than those who qualify for exemptions) must be vaccinated, it's giving employees a lot of time in which to work things out. Thirty days paid leave followed by up to six months unpaid leave is plenty of time to either get a vaccine or find work elsewhere.

3. It puts employees' safety first.

Before the Omicron variant arrived in the U.S., Google had planned to reopen its offices in January, with most employees working in the office three days a week. Now that the new, highly contagious variant is here, the company announced it was delaying those plans with no new return-to-the-office date set.
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During the 1971 war, battles were being fought on two fronts. One in the west and one in the east. So it was not unexpected that cities on the border states should get a feel of the action even though not being involved directly at any point.

One such city was Kolkata in West Bengal. Not too far from the action in what would eventually become East Pakistan, Kolkata was no stranger to PAF jets flying over the city in the dead of the night. It happened a lot in 1965, and while the frequency was less, it happened in 1971 too. Even 50 years later, people have not forgotten. Now in many cases, it was not always possible to ascertain if the flights were PAF or IAF. In fact most of the time it was IAF as it was unlikely that PAF jets made it that deep into India on a consistent basis. Truth be told, maybe one out of ten of the planes heard were PAF jets but it did keep a city very restless knowing that we were at war with our neighbours just 6 years since the last time we had engaged in battle.



While no actual damage was caused, it did leave many of the citizens with sleepless nights, as they revealed while talking exclusively to Indiatimes.

"We had to keep the lights off or else we presented a target," recalls Aniruddha (66) while reliving those days.

Reuters

"They could bomb us anytime, luckily nothing like that happened as they were busy with the IAF," said Nilanjana (71)

"Black gauze was used to avoid the glass reflecting any form of light," remembers Abhijeet (66)

"At night we kept a low profile and when we heard the sound of planes we were never sure if it was IAF or PAF," said Siddhartha (66).



Some people even recall dogfights, of course, nobody could see beyond a couple of shadows in the night sky. Though the trail of smoke or the burst of aerial gunfire was occasionally visible.

Reuters

"It was risky to look up but we took a peek and saw one plane's shadow chasing the other," said Somnath (77)

The nights were long and terrifying at times and while it did end in an anti-climax, no doubt people were relieved when the war ended. An Indian victory was all the more reason to celebrate.

5 decades later, the memories of those experiences remain and live on in the minds of those who lived them.



Now one must remember that these jets were flying very high so unless they engaged the city, there would be nothing to worry about for the citizens. Even the aerial battles that took place were well above and thankfully no plane crashed into the city at any point in time. And those were very few and far between. One can look back now and say maybe the fears of an attack were unfounded, but on those winter nights of 1971, one can understand the apprehension among those down below.

And one can certainly understand the fear of the citizens, after all, it was not something they were used to.

The war ended on December 16 as Pakistan surrendered. A new nation named Bangladesh was born, a country that had already declared itself independent on March 26 that year.

India and Pakistan would not engage in another war for almost 3 decades until the Kargil conflict of 1999. As of now it stands India 4 Pakistan 0 in all wars since 1947 and it looks unlikely to change.
Is the future of diplomacy digital? It appears so. Now, US military commanders have built a software to predict which American actions are likely to have negative reactions from China in the future.

With focus on the Pacific region, US military's software will assess how China would react to military sales, military activity, and diplomatic visits to places like Taiwan.

According to Reuters, US Deputy Secretary of Defense received briefing on the same during a visit to the United States Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii on Tuesday.

Getty

Calculating strategic friction

The tool in question essentially calculates "strategic friction" - analysing data since 2020, taking into account all data that could impact the relationship between China and the US.

The goal of the computer-based system is to assess whether certain actions on the part of American officials would cause China to react significantly.

A US official told Reuters that the tool is largely inspired by recent events, including when the US and Canada sent a warship each through the Taiwan Strait, which garnered a strong response from China.

Also read: Artificial Intelligence: 7 Achievements From 2021 Driven Entirely By AI

The tool takes a lot of activities into consideration - including congressional visits to Taiwan, arms sales to allies in the area, or letting US ships sail through the Taiwan Strait. China believes Taiwan is its own territory, to be taken by force in the future if necessary.

Reuters

With this software, US officials would be able to predict China's reaction four months in advance. What do you think - is the future of diplomacy digital? Should such software be normalised to help strained relations among states? Let us know in the comments below.

Uncredited

Also read: This Bird-Like Air Taxi Could Change Everything We Know About Flight



For more in the world of science and tech, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

Citation

Stone, M. (2021, December 16). U.S. builds new software tool to predict actions that could draw Chinas ire. Reuters.
Before the era of WhatsApp, Signal and even Internet Messaging was the era of pure and simple text messaging. Saying all you can in 160 characters or less, and each message was either charged monetarily or against your total SMS quota -- that was a unique, beautiful time.

Unsplash

Also Read: How NFT Blockchain Is A New World Order Brewing For Art Like Never Before

The first-ever text message was sent 30 years ago, in 1992 which was received on a Vodafone network by an employee in the UK. The message wished the recipient, Merry Christmas, and now this message is being auctioned off as an NFT by the networking giant.



The message was sent by engineer Neil Papworth in Newbury, Berkshire to Richard Jarvis. Papworth worked as a test engineer working on the Short Message Service (which the world will soon know as SMS) for Vodafone.

The message was successfully sent on December 3, 1992, to the Orbitel 901 handset. After the sending of the first message, mobile phone makers started bringing the feature to receive and send text messages, with Nokia being first in the line.

The NFT auction for the worlds first SMS will be conducted in Paris on December 21, 2021, by Aguttes -- the first independent auction house in France. However, bidders can also place their bids online.

The NFT will be exclusive and Vodafone has assured that it wont mint another NFT from the worlds first SMS in the future.

Vodafone

Also Read: NFT Of First Wikipedia Edit Auctioned For $1 Million, With Jimmy Wales' iMac

The buyer will be awarded a certificate guaranteeing the authenticity of the message signed by Vodafone Group CE, Nick Read. Moreover, a detailed replica of the original communication protocol created by Vodafone, along with documents of the sending/receiving of the SMS as well as a replica of original communication protocol as TXT files and as PDF files will be given to the buyer by the company.



Vodafone estimates to receive over $200,000 for this NFT. Proceeds from this auction will be donated to UNHCR -- the UN Refugee Agency to help 82.4 million people who were forced to leave their homes due to conflict and persecution.

Keep reading Indiatimes.com for latest science and technology news.


The first true millipede has been discovered by scientists in one of Australia's mining regions. The blind millipede has an impressive 1,306 legs - the most legs for any known animal ever.

The pale-coloured millipede is 3.5 inches (95 mm) long and 0.95 mm wide. Possessing a "conical head" complementing its "beak-shaped mouth" and large antennae, the first true millipede of Earth is unfortunately blind.

Reuters

First true millipede on Earth

In the absence of eyes, the creature called "Eumillipes persephone" uses its large antennae as its only source of sensory input.

The research about Earth's first actual millipede was published in the journal Scientific Reports and led by Virginia Tech entomologist Paul Marek.

Reuters

Even though organisms were previously also categorised as millipede, no actual organism with over 1,000 legs was found. Marek was quoted by Reuters as saying that this is the firs Earth organism to have 1,000 feet, justifying the terminology "millipede" which literally translates into "thousand feet."

Also read: Unknown Blob-Like Creature On Australian Coast Reveals Mysteries Of Our Oceans



The millipedes were discovered about 60 metres (200 feet) underground and females belonging to the Eumillipes persephone family had more legs than males.

"In my opinion this is a stunning animal, a marvel of evolution," study's co-author Bruno Buzatto from Bennelongia Environmental Consultants in Perth, Australia was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Over 1,300 legs

The millipede species lives in complete darkness loaded with iron and volcanic rocks. To take note of its environment, the millipede uses its touch and smell sensory abilities in the absence of eyes. Scientists suspect that these millipedes consume fungi.

Reuters

Discovered in Western Australia's Goldfields-Esperance region where miners dig for gold and other minerals like lithium and vanadium, none of the millipedes were observed alive.



Also read: Scientists Mutate Critter To Create Ghastly Spider-Like Creature With Short Legs

A female described in the study possessed 1,306 legs while another had 998. One of the two males observed by scientists had 818 legs while the other had 778 legs.

What's your take on this crazy discovery of the world's true first millipede species? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of tech and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

Citation

Dunham, W. (2021, December 16). This subterranean creature has 1,306 legs. Yes, thats a record. Reuters.
If ultra-conservative lawmakers have their way, owning a cat or a dog could become illegal in Iran as government floats legislation to ban most household pets.

The proposed law pits growing numbers of people with pets against those who consider the practice decadent and hold that under Islamic law dogs, like pigs, are unclean.



AFP

As many as 75 MPs, or one-quarter of parliamentarians, recently signed a text entitled "Support for the rights of the population in relation to harmful and dangerous animals", Daily Sabah reported.



The authors of the proposed law say that the phenomenon could "gradually change the Iranian and Islamic way of life" by "replacing human and family relationships with feelings and emotional relationships towards animals".



According to the bill, walking dogs will be punishable by a heavy fine, and the concerned authorities will confiscate vehicles transporting dogs for three months.

In addition, homeowners will soon not be allowed to rent their flats to dog and cat owners. In Islam, keeping a dog in the house is considered "unclean," but the clergy in Iran takes a hard line on all pets. They also believe that walking dogs causes panic among the public.



The proposition has been met with severe outrage by animal lovers in Iran, who believe such a law is cruel towards animals.



Shutterstock

"No, my cat is not dangerous," Iranian animal lover Mostafa, told AFP.



The 25-year-old, who runs a pet supplies shop on busy Eskandari Street in downtown Tehran, is stunned.

"Crocodiles can be called dangerous, but how can rabbits, dogs and cats be dangerous?" he asked incredulously about the bill introduced a month ago.

Pixabay

A person posted a photo of his kitten on Twitter with the message: "I have renamed my cat 'Criminal' since I heard the proposed law.



In recent years, more and more Iranians have been taking on dogs and cats as pets, especially for their children.

Accordingly, there have also been more and more veterinary clinics and shops for pet supplies for some years now, especially in the capital Tehran and other large cities.

For more trending stories, click here.


The simple thought that comes to our mind when we think of currency notes is to purchase something from that money, right? From low denominations like  10,20, 50 or 100 to the higher ones of  500 and 2000, these are the commonly used currency notes which we all know. But, have you ever seen or even thought of a Zero rupee note? Yes, you read that right. In fact, India has had Zero rupee notes for more than a decade!



But unlike the RBI who handles the printing of other notes, Zero rupee notes are different and aimed for a special purpose. Eager to know what is it?

britishmuseum.org

The aim of zero rupee note

Well, most of us can't deny the presence of corruption in various forms in our country, especially when it comes to paying bribes. So, instead of handing over your hard-earned money to those taking bribery, wouldn't it be cool to have a rupee note specifically made to troll the corrupt officials?

That's exactly what the zero rupee notes were introduced for. It all dates back to 2007 when an NGO named the Fifth Pillar introduced this note.

Also Read: Weird And Unusual Things That Have Been Used As Currency Around The World

The note has contact details of the authorities on the backside, and the motive of the note is to dissuade bribery in any form. So, whenever some official asks for a bribe, citizens are encouraged to 'pay' these zero rupee notes.

This Tamil Nadu-based NGO has actually printed millions of these notes in various languages like Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, and its volunteers distribute these notes at public places such as railway stations, bus stations and markets in order to raise awareness about bribery, and share their primary goal of eradicating corruption. There's even a cheeky note within the note that says- If anyone demands a bribe, give this note and report the case.

For more of such interesting financial content, click here.

Click here to download CRED
Entity Framework Core 7.0, a planned update to Microsofts open source, cross-platform, object-relational mapper (ORM), will focus on themes such as JSON and SQL queries

Also referred to as EF Core 7, or EF7, the update, due in November 2022, will be the the next release after EF Core 6, which arrived last month, according to a Microsoft blog post published December 15. There are no plans for a EF Core 6.1 release, Microsoft said.

Among the themes slated for investment in EF7 is JSON columns, with users able to save and query into JSON-based documents stored in relational database columns. The capability is slated to introduce a common mechanism and patterns for JSON support that can be implemented by any database provider. Plans call for working with the community to align existing implementations for PostgreSQL and MySQL while adding support for SQL Server and SQL Server Lite.

Also eyed for EF7 are raw SQL queries for unmapped types. This feature would allow applications to execute more types of raw SQL queries without dropping down to ADO.NET or using third-party libraries.

Microsoft said much work planned for EF7 involves improving the data access experience for .NET across different platforms and domains. This involves work in EF Core where needed but also work in other areas, with a focus on platforms such as the .NET MAUI cross-platform development framework, the ASP.NET Core web development framework, and the Azure Synapse analytics platform.

EF7 currently is targeted for use with .NET 6, but may be updated to a planned .NET 7 release. Other themes eyed for EF7 include:
A landlord accused of demanding sex from his low-income tenants under threat of eviction or in exchange for helping them receive rent assistance will pay more than $4 million to settle a federal lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

The action against Joseph Centanni resolves a lawsuit filed in August 2020 that accused Centanni of engaging in severe or pervasive sexual harassment over a period of approximately 15 years. The settlement still must be approved by a federal judge.

According to the lawsuit, Centanni has owned numerous properties in and around the city of Elizabeth, New Jersey, that accept federal Section 8 housing vouchers. He allegedly demanded oral sex in exchange for helping residents stay in their housing or receive rent assistance, and threatened to evict tenants who rejected his advances.

He would often take tenants or prospective tenants to empty apartments or storage rooms and ask them for massages, expose himself and force them to touch him sexually, according to the lawsuit. The victims numbered in the dozens though more could be identified, the DOJ said Tuesday.

No one should have to submit to demands for sex in order to have a place to live, Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general in the DOJs civil rights division, said Tuesday.

Centanni will pay approximately $4.4 million to his victims, to be administered through a compensation fund, according to the DOJ. He also will pay the government a civil penalty of about $107,000 and will be prohibited from owning or managing rental properties. It represents the largest monetary settlement the DOJ has obtained in a case alleging sexual harassment in housing.

Centanni also faces multiple sexual assault and attempted sexual assault charges that were filed in March in Union County. A spokesperson for the Union County prosecutors office said Tuesday that case is proceeding.

Raymond Londa, an attorney representing Centanni, said Centanni did not admit wrongdoing in the consent decree.

Mr. Centanni settled the matter to avoid protracted litigation, Londa said. Mr. Centanni continues to deny the allegations.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics New Jersey
Alphabet Inc.s Google is facing potentially heavy fines in Russia after a court ruled it must unblock the YouTube account of a TV channel owned by a sanctioned ally of President Vladimir Putin.

The Moscow Ninth Arbitration Court of Appeals on Thursday upheld an April ruling that ordered the U.S. technology giant to restore the Tsargrad account or face a daily fine, the channel said in a statement Thursday. Settlement talks between the two sides failed to yield a deal in August.

A Google representative in Moscow confirmed the judgment and declined further comment. The court press service didnt answer calls.

Russia has stepped up confrontation with foreign social media and internet companies in what the government calls a campaign to uphold its digital sovereignty. Regulators have levied fines and slowed content in a bid to force companies including Google and Twitter Inc. to delete posts encouraging unauthorized protests and other material deemed illegal.

In September, Google and Apple Inc. removed a protest-voting app from their Russian stores as parliamentary elections got underway after the authorities threatened to imprison their local staff.

Google now faces a daily fine of 100,000 rubles ($1,360), which will double each week that the company refuses to comply. Tsargrad said the court capped the total fine at 1 billion rubles in the first nine months and then it will be allowed to grow further. Under Russian law, theres no upper limit on the potential fines.

Google earned revenues in Russia of around 85 billion rubles ($1.16 billion) in 2020, according to the Spark-Interfax database.

Tsargrad, which sought the fines and will receive any collected in the case, is owned by Kremlin ally Konstantin Malofeev, who was sanctioned by the U.S. and European Union in 2014 for allegedly funding the pro-Russian rebellion in eastern Ukraine.

Google said the July 2020 blockage was in response to the violation of legislation on sanctions and trade rules. Tsargrad, which says it promotes traditional Orthodox Christian traditional values, had a million YouTube subscribers.

In court filings, Google cited testimony showing that it could face fines in the U.S. if it failed to observe the sanctions.

Photograph: Google logo by photographer Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Legislation Russia
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Aon, Willis Towers Watson and Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS).

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Aon Recruits James from WTW as Chief Broking Officer, Commercial Risk UK

Aon plc, a leading global professional services firm, announced it has appointed Angela James as chief broking officer for Commercial Risk in the UK. James will join the business in June 2022 and report to James Baum, head of Commercial Risk, UK.

In this newly created role, which will cover commercial risk in the Global Broking Centre (GBC) and the London and UK Regions, she will work closely with Baum and other UK Commercial Risk leaders to continue to build out its broking strategy, and that of the global network.

James brings 15 years of insurance experience to Aon with extensive knowledge of direct and facultative risk transfer solutions throughout the global marketplace. She joins from Willis Towers Watson (WTW), where she was most recently Global Property and Casualty (P&C) Hub leader for its centers in London, Bermuda, Singapore, and Shanghai. Having begun her career as a graduate trainee at Aon in 2006, she joined WTW in 2014 and led several P/C broking teams, responsible for designing strategies to deliver growth.

***

WTW Hires Allianz Strong as Head of Environmental Practice

Willis Towers Watson, a leading global advisory, broking, and solutions company, announced the appointment of Chris Strong as its head of Environmental Practice, based in London

Strong was previously at Allianz Global Corporate & Speciality where he was regional practice leader, responsible for the Environmental Risk business. At Willis Towers Watson, Strong will be responsible for international placement strategies alongside business development and growth of the environmental practice.

Our environmental practice is a crucial part of our overall Global Market P&C offering. In a world that is increasingly focused on damage to the environment from corporate activity, environmental liability is increasingly becoming a key coverage for our clients, and we are delighted to be strengthening our team with todays appointment of Chris Strong, commented Garret Gaughan, head of Global Markets P&C Hub and Facultative.

Willis Towers Watsons environmental practice provides environmental insurance expertise, specialized market knowledge, technical support and claims advocacy services across a wide range of industry sectors, including chemical manufacturing, construction and waste disposal.

***

AGCS Promotes Yee to Global Industry Solution Director for Technology, Media & Telecom

Jody Yee will be appointed Global Industry Solution Director for Technology, Media & Telecom (TMT) at Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), effective Jan. 1, 2022.

Throughout his 18 years in corporate insurance and alternative risks transfer, he has specialized in developing innovative solutions to drive growth and scale business development.

Yee has worked in both traditional insurance underwriting as well as alternative risk transfer. In his most recent role as managing director and Global Practice Group Leader Cyber in the Alternative Risk Transfer (ART) division of AGCS, his focus was on business development, global captive fronting as well as structured and integrated transactions. He led a team that designed and launched the first insurer technology insurance partnership for Google Cloud customers in March 2021.

Yee joined AGCS in 2007 and has had several leadership roles in finance and underwriting in Munich, London and New York. In his new role, he will be based in London.

Yees appointment follows the successful launch of the Financial Services industry practice in 2020 with Paul Schiavone as a Global Industry Solution Director. Both are reporting to Jeremy Sharpe as AGCS Global Head of Distribution.

A similar role will be announced for the Construction industry in due course. AGCS has introduced these new global functions as part of the AGCS transformation program to tailor product development, marketing and distribution to specific industries. Global Industry Solution directors will build special risk expertise for their sectors and help developing bespoke solutions across all AGCS lines of business as well as other Allianz units.

Yee will drive the development of bespoke solutions for clients and brokers in the technology, media and telecom space  be it traditional insurance products, global programs and increasingly also alternative risk transfer and captive support, said Henning Haagen, AGCS board member and chief regions & markets officer for AGCSs business outside North America.

Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance Aon Willis Towers Watson Pollution Allianz
Ratings agency AM Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings to a (Excellent) from a- (Excellent) of Co-operators General Insurance Co. and its subsidiary, Sovereign General Insurance Co.

Both insurers are domiciled in Ontario, Canada. Co-Operative sells property/casualty and life insurance, and has investment management, institutional asset management and brokerage operations. Its subsidiary, Sovereign GeneraIt , focuses on commercial lines insurance. Co-Operative is governed by member organizations, including co-operative organizations, credit union centrals and representative farm organizations.

AM Best said the upgraded ratings of CGIC and Sovereign General reflect CGICs balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

The analysts said the rating upgrades reflect the strategic importance of CGIC to The Co-operators Group Limited enterprise, as the business produced by CGIC is strategic to the parents overall business plan and operations while providing the potential for greater growth opportunities throughout Canada. Through CGIC and CLIC, CGL is the fourth-largest property/casualty writer and 11th-largest life company in Canada, based on direct premiums written.

AM Best has also affirmed the FSR of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICR of a (Excellent) of Co-operators Life Insurance Company (CLIC) (Saskatchewan, Canada). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. The company offers a wide variety of products to individual, group and credit union markets throughout Canada.

The ratings of Co-operators Life reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate ERM., AM Best said.

Topics AM Best Canada
The Chicago Council on Wednesday voted to pay nearly $3 million to a woman who was handcuffed while naked by police officers during a 2019 raid of her home.

The unanimous vote to pay Anjanette Young $2.9 million was widely expected, coming two days after a council committee voted to recommend that the full council accept the settlement and after the citys law department said Youngs attorney had agreed to the amount.

Before the vote, Alderman Maria Hadden said the council decision to pay the money was the correct way of admitting we were wrong and that the city did something wrong.

We need to fix the system and fix the policies so we dont keep making the same mistakes, she said.

With the settlement, the city avoided what Chicago Corporation Counsel Celia Meza said could have been a much larger price tag had Youngs lawsuit gone to trial. And the citys case had serious problems, starting with the fact that the officers _ as Young told them repeatedly _ were at the wrong address. More recently, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability recommended the suspension or firing of eight officers involved in the February 2019 raid.

Young, a social worker, was getting ready for bed when several officers serving a search warrant stormed into her apartment, and handcuffed her while she was naked. The citys law department said Young was naked for 16 seconds but the covering they put on her kept falling off before she was allowed to get dressed several minutes later.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Law Enforcement
An Iowa insurance agent has overwhelmingly won a state Senate seat in a northwest Iowa special election.

Spirit Lake insurance agent Dave Rowley, a Republican, won the special election Tuesday to fill the Senate District 1 set vacated by Zach Whiting, a Republican who is leaving Iowa for a job in Texas. Rowley is an agent for Blum & Leonard Insurance and Real Estate.

Turnout was extremely low. Data from the Iowa Secretary of State shows just 3,559 of the 45,456 registered voters in the five counties of the district cast ballots, for a voter turnout of 7.8%.

Rowley won with 2,690 votes, or nearly 76%. Democrat Mark Lemke had 864 votes, or 24%.

Rowley will be sworn in on Jan. 10, the first day of the 2022 legislative session.

Republican continue to hold a significant majority with 32 Senate seats to Democrats 18. In the House, the GOP margin is 60 Republican seats and 40 Democratic seats.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Agencies Iowa Politics
The American Meteorological Society released a report this week detailing some of the extreme weather events made more likely by human-caused climate change in 2020.

The report, Explaining Extreme Events in 2020 from a Climate Perspective, presents 18 peer-reviewed analyses of extreme weather across the world in 2020  the reports cover research from 89 scientists from nine countries examining historical observations and model simulations.

This report reinforces the scientific consensus that human influence has created a new climate  one that is impacting extreme events today, said Stephanie Herring, a NOAA climate scientist and editor of the report

Findings in the report include:

A study using model simulations and event-attribution methods suggests that climate change may have increased the likelihood that the Southwestern U.S. rainy-season monsoon would fail as it did in 2020, reigniting a multi-year drought that still shows no sign of relenting.

A heat wave in western Europe in May 2020 was made 40 times more likely by human caused climate change.

Climate change decreased the likelihood of the exceptional April 2020 cold spell over Northern China by 80%.

Weather conditions that led to extreme wildfires in Siberia during 2020 were up to 80% more likely than a century ago as a result of global warming.

Climate change was responsible for a 50% increased likelihood of the heavy precipitation in Beijing during February 2020.

Marine Insurers on Climate

Several large marine insurance companies joined an initiative linking their underwriting activities with the cutting of carbon emissions from global shipping.

Last month countries including the U.S. at the COP 26 climate summit pushed for the UNs shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization, to adopt a zero emissions target by 2050, Reuters reported in a new article on Insurance Journal.

Companies that up for the Poseidon Principles for marine insurance are committing to assessing and disclosing the climate alignment of their hull and machinery portfolios and benchmarking those disclosures against IMO targets, Reuters reported.

The stated goal of the IMO is to cut greenhouse gas emissions from ships by 50% by 2050 from 2008 levels.

The disclosure framework provided by the Poseidon Principles will enable us to credibly report our progress towards net-zero insurance using granular marine data, Patrizia Kern, marine head at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, said in a statement.

Voter Climate Survey

Millions of Americans voters are willing to reward companies for taking climate action and they would punish companies they feel are blocking action.

Thats according to the results of a survey released on Thursday from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.

The nationally representative survey was conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication between Sept. 10 and Sept. 20, 2021.

The survey shows that more than one in three U.S. adults would be extremely (8%), very (10%) or moderately likely (20%) to switch banks or credit cards if they discovered that their bank or credit card company was investing in fossil fuels companies.

Half of the respondents say they would be more likely to purchase goods or services from a company that is lobbying Congress to pass legislation to reduce global warming.

Other results show that the majorities of Americans say companies should:

Stop advertising their products and services on television networks that spread misinformation about climate change (75%).

Purchase 100% clean, renewable energy to power their operations (70%).

Not contribute to campaigns of political candidates who oppose action to reduce global warming (65%).

Car companies should do more to encourage people to buy electric vehicles (64%).

Oil and Gas

Climate change threatens much of the worlds reserves of oil and gas, Reuters is reporting.

Access to the equivalent of 40% of the worlds recoverable oil and gas reserves could be affected by rising tides, storms, floods and extreme temperatures caused by climate change,

with major producers Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Nigeria among the most vulnerable, risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft firm wrote in a research note that the news service covered on Thursday.

Extreme heat, water shortages and dust storms, could be problematic for top oil exporter Saudi Arabia, while in Nigeria, where reserves are concentrated around the Niger Delta river system, droughts and flooding present threats, the consultancy found.

Extreme cold weather this year struck hard at the main U.S. oil, gas and refining hub on the Gulf Coast, leading to long outages and reduced output, the Reuters article noted.

These types of events are going to become more frequent and more extreme, creating even greater shocks within the industry, Rory Clisby, environmental analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, was quoted as saying.

Past columns:

Topics Climate Change
The messages between an Amazon.com Inc. delivery driver and her boss began about 80 minutes before a tornado struck one of the companys warehouses in Edwardsville, Illinois, on Dec. 10, killing six workers. The dramatic exchange cast in sharp relief the chaos that can ensue when disaster hits and disagreements erupt about when its time to heed warnings and cease working.

Radios been going off, the driver wrote in a text obtained by Bloomberg News.

Keep delivering, came the response from her supervisor. We cant just call people back for a warning unless Amazon tells us to.

The driver suggested she return to base. But her boss warned that doing so could get her fired for failing to complete her deliveries. She fretted that her van would wind up becoming her casket.

Days after the tornado toppled the warehouses 11-inch thick concrete walls, workers are questioning Amazons commitment to their safety. Bloomberg reviewed text messages from contract drivers and interviewed current and former workers who said they received instructions on what do in fires or tornadoes, but never did the kind of drills that could help avoid confusion in an emergency. Training for new hires entails merely pointing out emergency exits and assembly points, they said.

7:08 pm

Driver: Radios been going off.

Dispatch: OK. Just keep driving. We cant just call people back for a warning unless Amazon tells us to do so.

Driver: Just relaying in case yall didnt hear it over there.

7:40 pm

Driver: Tornado alarms are going off over here.

Dispatch: Just keep delivering for now. We have to wait for word from Amazon. If we need to bring people back, the decision will ultimately be up to them. I will let you know if the situation changes at all. Im talking with them now about it.

Driver: How about for my own personal safety, Im going to head back. Having alarms going off next to me and nothing but locked building around me isnt sheltering in place. Thats wanting to turn this van into a casket. Hour left of delivery time. And if you look at the radar, the worst of the storm is going to be right on top of me in 30 minutes.

Driver: It was actual sirens.

Dispatch: If you decided to come back, that choice is yours. But I can tell you it wont be viewed as for your own safety. The safest practice is to stay exactly where you are. If you decide to return with your packages, it will be viewed as you refusing your route, which will ultimately end with you not having a job come tomorrow morning. The sirens are just a warning.

Driver: Im literally stuck in this damn van without a safe place to go with a tornado on the ground.

Dispatch: Amazon is saying shelter in place.

Dispatch: I will know when they say anything else to me.

Dispatch: [Driver name] you need to shelter in place. The wind just came through the warehouse and ripped the rts door and broke it so even if you got back here, you cant get in the building. You need to stop and shelter in place.

Driver: Okay.

Amazon, which has been opening warehouses by the hundreds in the past few years, says the Edwardsville facility complied with all construction regulations and that proper safety procedures were followed when the tornado struck. The company says its people followed federal guidance to take shelter immediately when theres a tornado warning and likely saved many lives. But in the end, workers who bunkered in a designated safe zone survived, while six others perished after being stranded on the end of the facility that bore the brunt of the storm.

A person familiar with the situation confirmed the authenticity of the texts between the driver and her boss. The driver, this person said, was about 30 miles away from the cluster of facilities Amazon operates in Edwardsville and worked out of a delivery station across the highway from the building that was decimated by the tornado.

Standard Practice

This was a developing situation across a broad geographic area, and unfortunately the delivery service partners dispatcher didnt follow the standard safety practice, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement. This dispatcher should have immediately directed the driver to seek shelter when the driver reported hearing tornado sirens. While this text exchange was going on, the local Amazon team was ensuring each delivery service partner had directed their drivers to shelter in place or seek shelter and advised them to stop delivering for the evening. Were glad the driver is safe and were using the learnings from this incident to improve our policies and guidance for delivery service partners and drivers. Under no circumstance should the dispatcher have threatened the drivers employment, and were investigating the full details of this incident and will take any necessary action. The federal government doesnt require warehouses in tornado-prone areas to train and drill workers or provide shelters. OSHA does require workplaces to have an emergency plan, which could include preparing for a tornado.

Even as Amazon undertakes an investigation of what happened that evening in Edwardsville, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened its own probe into the deaths. Disaster planning should include training drivers what to do if they are caught outdoors when a tornado is threatening, according to OSHA guidelines, which advise seeking shelter in a basement or a sturdy building or remaining in the vehicle if debris is flying.

Meanwhile, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said building codes may need to be toughened as storms become more frequent and deadly.

The federal government doesnt require warehouses in tornado-prone areas to train and drill workers or provide shelters. OSHA does require workplaces to have an emergency plan, which could include preparing for a tornado.

Amazon workers in Edwardsville and beyond said their weather safety training was minimal.

An employee at a fulfillment center across the street from the wrecked warehouse said that new hires get instructions on fire and tornado preparedness and information during so-called stand-up meetings with managers. The employee, who requested anonymity to speak without company authorization, didnt recall receiving information on a tornadoat least since the pandemic beganand said that workers never physically practice the drills.

A former Amazon manager who worked for two years at a fulfillment center across the street from the collapsed warehouse said the company conducted no fire or tornado drills. Upper managers provided small plastic cards with instructions on what to do during a tornado, including taking shelter but not getting in cars or leaving the area. Shelter, in some cases, meant a bathroom, the manager said.

I would not know what to do with a tornado at all, said this person, who left Amazon this year and requested anonymity to avoid angering the company. No one knew where they were supposed to be going.

An employee at a Midwestern Amazon warehouse who trains new hires said he has recommended several times that the company conduct fire and tornado drills. The person, who requested anonymity to protect his job, said he floated the ideas via an electronic employee forum and on a white board where workers offer suggestions. Nothing happened, the person said.

Beth Gutelius, research director at the University of Illinois at Chicagos Center for Urban Economic Development, said that Amazon warehouses typically have an intense pace, employees come and go swiftly and there are many contractorsparticularly amid the holiday season. Drivers typically work for separate companies known as delivery service partners that take their directions from Amazon.

Between the contractors and rate of turnover, between the number of temporary workers and churn, it raises questions about how well prepared any of those workers were for an emergency event like this, she said.

Safety Training

Amazon says emergency response training is provided to new employees and is reinforced throughout the year. Company buildings have site-specific emergency action plans that identify exit routes and shelter areas, Amazon says. The company also says there are multiple trainings related to safety and emergency action plans that all employees are required to take initially upon being hired and on an annual basis.

Such training is increasingly important as large tornado outbreaks happen more frequently. An analysis in November of atmospheric ingredients that can produce tornadoes found they occur as much as 20% more often for every degree Celsius of warming. The study by Columbia University researchers concludes that all the extra heat will affect the occurrence of conditions favorable to severe weather.

The Edwardsville tornado touched down near a highway interchange at 8:28 p.m. and intensified as it approached the Amazon facility. It carved a 9,600-yard swath more than 3.5 miles long, with peak winds of 150 miles per hour, hurling cars and toppling power lines. The tornado was one of more than 30 that tore through Illinois and five other states Friday and Saturday, leaving a trail of destruction over hundreds of miles and killing at least 88 people in all. The small town of Mayfield, Kentucky, was obliterated and 74 people died in the state.

Amazons delivery station, completed in 2018, was more than 1,000 feet long and 566 feet wide, built by Edwardsville-based Contegra Construction Co. of steel frame with a metal roof deck and site-cast tilt-up concrete panels. Its part of the 2,300-acre Gateway Commerce Center, across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, developed by TriStar Properties. Executives from Contegra and TriStar didnt reply to phone messages and emails seeking comment.

Theres probably 100 or more of these massive warehouse buildings around here and its hard to grasp how big they are, Tony Smallmon, a St. Louis commercial real estate broker. Its very easy to get disoriented in those buildings, even if you work there.

Matt Belcher, principal at St. Louis-based building code compliance firm, Verdatek Solutions, said its up to the owner or tenant of a building to build tornado shelters. There really isnt any requirement to put tornado shelters inside the building, said Belcher who also builds houses, offices and apartments. The code is a minimum standard. It doesnt preclude you from doing it. It just isnt required.

Amazon spokeswoman Nantel said at a news conference with Pritzker that warehouse leaders used bullhorns and radios to move people in minutes to safer locations. They are on either end of the 1.1-million-square-foot building and have no windows, she said.

Of the 46 people in the building Friday night, 39 took cover on the north side, which was nearly undamaged. Seven may have gone to the south side, because of the work they were doing at the time, Nantel said. The tornado made a direct hit there, leaving piles of twisted metal and toppling sections of the 40-foot-high concrete wall panels.

Existing standards generally require buildings to withstand winds of about 100 mph. But tornadoes are often more powerfulthe one that tore through the Amazon building was a category EF3, which means winds of 136 to 165 mph.

Pritzker said that current regulations may be inadequate.

People have said that they were built to code, he said Dec. 14. If they were, then we need to lookand Ive talked to legislators about thiswe need to look at whether the code needs to be strengthened.

The structural integrity of warehouses with so-called tilt-up walls can be compromised if one section collapses, bringing down the rest of the building like a house of cards, said Jamshid Mohammadi, professor of civil and architectural engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

Thats why internal shelters are so important, he said.

With assistance from John Gittelsohn, Shruti Singh, Prashant Gopal, Christopher Brown and Eric Roston.

Top Photo: An excavator removes debris after a tornado collapsed Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Training Development Amazon
Louisiana residents who lost their homes to Hurricane Ida or have not had power since the late-August storm tell a newspaper the power company is still billing them for hundreds of dollars a month.

Those bills could be for electricity and gas used before Ida hit on Aug. 29, and bills always include other costs such as fuel adjustments and storm restoration charges, Entergy Louisiana LLC told The Courier.

Brenda Billiot of Pointe-aux-Chenes said Ida destroyed everything but her front porch, but two Entergy bills since August totaled about $600.

Where are these readings coming from? Billiot said.

She said she paid the first bill and had been notified that her power would be shut off unless she paid the other by Tuesday. They said I have until the 14th to pay before my power gets cut off but I dont have any power anyways.

Robin Hunter and her husband, Jamie Theriot, said their post-storm bills have totaled more than $1,000 even though they have been living in a generator-powered camper in Chauvin. Running the generator costs $30 a day, Theriot said.

We were told that we shouldve been responsible in the first place to ask to get our power shut off, Theriot said.

We cannot comment on individual customer accounts, however, we encourage anyone who has a question regarding their bill to call us at 1-800-ENTERGY so we can look into their individual situations and develop payment assistance plans as needed, Entergy Louisiana spokesperson Brandon Scardiglia said in an email Tuesday to The Associated Press.

The company told the Louisiana Public Service Commission in November that Ida caused $2 billion to $2.4 billion in damage on top of $2 billion from hurricanes in 2020.

The companys statement to The Courier said bills will cover multiple months if some could not be delivered because of storm damage or customers were unable to pay during recovery. In some cases, zero usage was estimated for customers assumed to be without power because of the hurricane, it said.

Sherrie Simoneux LeCompte, of Montegut, said she was billed for $236 last month even though her family is only washing occasional loads of laundry and running a light in the house while living in a camper.

The only thing were running is a tiny 30 amp camper versus a 2,200-square-foot house and thats what I normally paid for my entire house, LeCompte said.

Fuel surcharges and the storm restoration fee make up much of the bill, she said. She said storm restoration should not be the customers responsibility since they are not to blame for the hurricane.

The whole situation has been nothing but a nightmare between them and insurance, LeCompte said. Its just baffling.

Sherry Lyons Dardar, who also lives in Montegut, said she was out of electricity for 23 days.

Entergy never missed a beat. Bill before the storm was $214. Right after I got an estimated bill of $214, then $204 and the last one was $268 and the last one was with no AC or heater. Something is screwy somewhere, Dardar said.

Some residents said they have gotten credit for bills sent while power was out. Penny Constrantiche Hatch said she did not have power until mid-October and was billed based on previous months estimated usage.

I called and raised ten different kinds of hell and I havent had to pay a bill since. I have credits, Hatch said.

Rising natural gas prices have driven up utility costs nationwide, Entergy said. In Louisiana, high temperatures and torn insulation could have increased power use, it said.

The amount of power used is far from the only item on a bill, the statement said. Others include cost to build and maintain generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure, energy usage, fuel adjustments and storm restoration charges, it said.

The company said the Louisiana Public Service Commission requires Entergy Louisiana to pass the cost of fuel on to customers without any mark-up or profit.

Hunter, in Chauvin, said, We just want them to give us some kind of help or credit. Just something to say that they care; that they care about what happened to us.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Louisiana
A Texas woman has been sentenced for conspiring to stage automobile accidents in order to defraud insurance trucking companies

United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced Genetta Isreal age 53, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced Dec. 16 for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, arising out of staged automobile accidents with tractor-trailers occurring in New Orleans. Thus far, 29 of the 33 indicted defendants have tendered guilty pleas in federal court.

According to documents filed in federal court, Damian Labeaud, Mario Solomon, Larry Williams, and Isreal were charged with staging an accident on June 12, 2017, occurring on Chef Menteur Highway near the Danziger Bridge in New Orleans. Labeaudand Williams planned to stage an automobile accident to obtain money through fraud.

During their planning, Labeaud told Williams that he had an attorney, Daniel Patrick Keating, who has been identified in other documents filed in federal court, who would handle everything. Williams recruited Isreal and another individual, now deceased, to participate in the fraudulent scheme. Williams borrowed a Chevrolet Trailblazer, and Labeaud operated the Trailblazer to collide with a 2015 Peterbilt tractor-trailer.

After the staged accident, Labeaud fled the scene and Williams got behind the wheel to make it appear that he was operating the Trailblazer during the staged accident. Solomon picked up Labeaud after the staged accident. Williams told the New Orleans Police Department that he was the driver of the Trailblazer and that the tractor-trailer was at fault. After the staged accident,Labeaud introducedWilliams and Isreal to Keating.

Williams and Isreal were treated by doctors and healthcare providers at the direction of Keating. On June 12, 2018, Keatings firm filed the Larry Williams Lawsuit in Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans and on September 14, 2018, Keatings firm demanded approximately $60,000.00 in settlement for the deceased passenger and approximately $56,155.00 in settlement for Isreal. After the suit was filed, Williams and Isreal each provided false testimony in depositions taken in conjunction with the lawsuit filed by Keatings firm.

U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon sentenced Isreal to three years probation with the first six months to be served under home incarceration. In addition, Isreal was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $28,816.64 and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Source: U.S. Attorneys Office Eastern District of Louisiana

Topics Texas
In a property insurance claims dispute, the statute of limitations clock starts ticking on the date of the loss, not the date the insurance company allegedly breached the contract, a federal court has decided in a North Carolina assignment-of-benefits case.

In Skyline Restoration vs. Church Mutual Insurance Co., the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals found this week that a contractor that had done wind-damage repair work for the First Baptist Church had waited a few weeks too late to take legal action.

North Carolina law also does not recognize unfair and deceptive trade practices claims by third parties against insurers, the court held. The matter was also complicated by the fact that the church declared bankruptcy in 2018.

Neither the church nor its insurer has paid anything on the more than $75,000 in restoration work, the court noted.

The case began in 2016, when First Baptist Church of Lumberton, North Carolina, sustained wind damage from Hurricane Matthew. The church assigned benefits to Skyline Restoration to provide emergency repair work. Church Mutual, a 120-year-old carrier based in Wisconsin, with $1 billion in direct written premiums, partially denied the claim and the contractor sought relief.

The case hinged in part on dueling statutes of limitation: The storm hit in October 2016. Church Mutual denied the claim in November of that year. Skyline Restoration filed its lawsuit in November 2019, relying on a North Carolina statute that provides three years from the date of the contract breach, in which to take legal action.

But Church Mutual argued that another state law stipulates that on most property insurance policies, the statute of limitations runs for three years from the date of the loss. The federal district court agreed, meaning that the construction firm had missed the legal deadline by six weeks.

The lower court also found that First Baptists bankruptcy did not stop the clock, as Skyline had argued.

On the unfair trade practices argument, Skyline pointed out that Church Mutual never responded to its invoices and thus was guilty of violating state law that requires insurers to act in good faith to settle claims when liability is clear. The lower court did not buy that assertion.

The appeals court agreed with the district court on all points. It noted that First Baptist, not the contractor, was the only party that could bring an unfair trade practices claim. Allowing a third-party claim could create a conflict of interest for the insurance company, the court explained. Unfair trade claims also are not assignable under North Carolina law, meaning First Baptist could not assign such claims to Skyline.

We affirm the district courts dismissal of Skylines UDTPA claims, wrote Roger Gregory, chief judge of the 4th Circuit appeals court. Skyline cannot prevail on an independent UDTPA claim against Church Mutual because North Carolina does not recognize a cause of action for third-party claimants against the insurance company of an adverse party.

Skyline was represented by attorneys David Coats and J.T. Crook in Raleigh, North Carolina. They could not be reached for comment Thursday. Church Mutual was represented by Miheala Cabuela, of Tampa, Florida, and Andrew Watson of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Topics Profit Loss Numbers
Workers who were injured at a candle factory that was demolished by a tornado in Mayfield, Kentucky, have filed suit against the manufacturer, alleging that managers had threatened to fire employees who wanted to leave before the storm hit.

Eight people working the late shift at the factory were killed a week ago when the powerful twister ripped through the city in southwestern Kentucky. The storm was one of several that hit the region Friday night, killing at least 85 people.

Local news outlets reported that the lawsuit charges that managers at the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory, were pushing employees to stay on the job to meet the Christmas demand, had other safety violations, and have engaged in a cover-up to protect the company. The suit alleges violations of Kentucky workplace safety regulations, which are designed to be the equivalent of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, rules, CNN reported. The complainants seek an unspecified amount in compensation.

Company officials have denied the charges and have said workers were free to leave at any time.

National Public Radio reported that the factory had been cited for safety violations in recent years and had an injury rate that exceeds the industry average. In 2019, the company was fined $16,000 over safety issues.

Its possible that the injured workers lawsuits could be dismissed by courts, due to the exclusive remedy of Kentuckys workers compensation statute. The state Department of Workers Claims has not reported if any comp claims have been filed by employees or family members of employees at the candle factory.

Workers who were not physically injured at the plant will not be able to file post-traumatic stress disorder claims, a former Kentucky workers compensation commissioner said. Kentucky, unlike 33 other states, does not allow mental-only comp claims without an accompanying physical injury. Some states provide the mental stress benefits only for first responders.

Photo: Search and rescue crews work at the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory early Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021. (Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader via AP)

Topics Lawsuits Manufacturing Kentucky
Its not unusual for uninsured and underinsured motorist policies to carry per-person limits and per-accident limits. But in North Carolina, which limit applies isnt always so easy to determine, thanks to what the state Supreme Court called a lengthy and complicated section of the law.

In North Carolina Farm Bureau vs. William Thomas Dana, posted Friday, Dec. 17, the court reversed a trial court and an appeals court that had decided that victims of a drunk-driving collision were due the higher per-accident limits of an underinsured motorist policies. Looking at the entirety of the statutes, legislative intent, plain meaning, and other factors, the Supreme Court found instead that the lesser amount included in the per-person limit should apply.

The court remanded the case to the lower courts to try again.

The relevant statutory language most readily supports the use of an approach that determines the amount to be paid to any particular claimant by treating the per-accident amount of underinsured motorist coverage as the total sum that is available to all of the claimants entitled to a share of the available underinsured motorist coverage, subject to the caveat that the amount of underinsured motorist coverage that is available to any individual claimant is limited to the per-person amount, Justice Sam Ervin IV wrote for the majority.

No individual claimant in the accident should receive more than the per-person limit, Ervin noted.

The case was the result of a deadly auto accident in North Carolina in 2016. An intoxicated Matthew Bronson was driving in Winston-Salem, crossed over into the other lane and struck another vehicle. Pamela Dana, the driver of the second car, later died from her injuries. Her husband, William Thomas Dana, was seriously injured, along with a woman in Bronsons vehicle.

Bronson had auto coverage through Integon National Insurance, with bodily injury limits of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident. The Danas had an underinsured policy through North Carolina Farm Bureau, with limits of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident.

Farm Bureau offered to pay the Danas $100,000 each, minus what the drunken drivers Integon policy paid. The Danas attorney argued that they were due more, under the per-accident limit.

The trial court and the appeals court agreed. Farm Bureau appealed, lost at the appeals court level, but won at the Supreme Court.

Topics Legislation
Clackamas County, Oregon has paid $45,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a mother who said one of several sheriffs deputies held her 12-year-old son to the ground with a knee on his neck.

The boy is Black and the familys lawyer says the deputy is white, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. The incident happened in August 2019 at the Clackamas Town Center mall.

The county admitted no wrongdoing in court papers, but settled the $300,000 complaint filed on behalf of KaMar Benbo by sending a $45,000 check Monday.

Jarena McDavid believes the deputy wrongly suspected her son of being involved in a fight and roughed him up with scrapes and bruising because of his race. Deputies eventually let him go.

Most certainly, he was racially profiled, McDavid told the newspaper.

In a written statement Tuesday, Clackamas County Sheriff Angela Brandenburg, who took office this year, found no fault in the deputies interactions with KaMar. Brandenburg said no deputy put a knee on the boys neck.

We do not train deputies to restrict a persons airway or impede their ability to breathe, Brandenburg said. I will continue to ensure that my deputies are properly trained and that all uses of force are reviewed to ensure they are within policy.

Portland lawyer Jason Kafoury, who represented KaMar, said he believes the deputy did place his knee on the boys neck, saying a cellphone photo taken by a bystander speaks for itself.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Oregon
Oregon Health & Science University lacks clear policies on handling, documenting and investigating reported misconduct, an inquiry by former Attorney General Eric Holders law firm has found.

The law firm said the lack of clear policies by the school, one of Portlands largest employers, leads to inconsistent discipline and a lack of trust among staff and students, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

The $6.5 million review released by the university on Thursday also said the school has failed to create an inclusive environment where people feel welcome or safe.

The university hired Holder and his Washington, D.C.-based firm Covington & Burling to investigate its response to sexual misconduct and discrimination claims following a high-profile harassment lawsuit filed against the school and a former anesthesiology resident known for dancing in his scrubs on social media.

Holders firm in the spring received hundreds of reports from staff or students describing alleged sexual harassment, gender harassment, bullying and racial discrimination or relating to the universitys failure to hold violators accountable.

Were certainly sorry and apologize that there are so many of our members that have experienced things that we dont want them to experience, OHSU President Dr. Danny Jacobs told the newspaper. Its just redoubled our attention and senior leaderships attention to continue to address those concerns and do them as quickly as possible.

OHSU has over 19,000 staff members and about 4,000 students. It offers medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and public health schools, and it runs two hospitals and research centers and clinics.

In May, the university agreed to pay $585,000 to settle the lawsuit brought by a social worker who accused Dr. Jason Campbell of sexually assaulting her and the school of failing to take action.

A university investigation concluded Campbell violated the institutions harassment policy and code of conduct with unwanted touching and inappropriate messages. Campbell was referred for dismissal but resigned before being fired, according to the university.

John Kaempf, a former lawyer for Campbell, had written to the plaintiffs lawyers that Campbell denied liability and was deeply in debt.

The law firms 51-page report said the university must bolster its policies on mandatory reporting, revise procedures to clarify who must report alleged sexual assault or harassment and adopt strong non-retaliation provisions.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Oregon
An Asian-based renewable energy company is to build a huge wind farm off the south coast of Ireland, marking the second major Irish offshore wind investment in as many weeks.

Singapore-based company Enterprize Energy has signed a contract to build a $10bn (8.8bn) 4-gigawatt wind farm, which would be the largest such project in Irish waters.

The project is not likely to be up and running in time to form part of the first wave of offshore wind farms planned for the east and south coasts that will go towards providing the targeted 5,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2030.

The Enterprize announcement comes a week after oil giant Shell confirmed it is acquiring a 51% stake in a floating wind farm project off the Clare coast, co-owned by Cork-based company Simply Blue.

Enterprize said its Irish wind farm will be funded largely by private equity investment and will supply electricity for hydrogen production and for conversion into exportable ammonia. We see Europe as being a net consumer of green hydrogen, said chief executive Ian Hatton.

Our overall model is about developing production of green hydrogen in locations where the natural resources are going to give you the lowest cost and then bring it into the market, so Ireland, to us, is a key hub in that strategy, he said.

It is understood the project will provide electricity for the previously announced Green Marlin hydrogen facility being co-developed in Cork by businessman Pearse Flynns EI-H2 company.

Earlier this month, Arno Verbeek, the project director of the Codling Wind Park  the biggest offshore wind farm planned for the east coast  warned more resources were needed if Ireland is to meet its renewable power targets.

Enterprize Energy is also developing a 3.4-gigawatt offshore wind farm in Vietnam and is looking at Brazil.

For the past year weve been targeting locations where we can effectively play join-the-dots with projects that will bring low-cost hydrogen to Europe and maybe to Japan, Mr Hatton said.

Meanwhile, Danish wind turbine maker Vestas has said the cyber attack it reported at the weekend has affected parts of its internal IT infrastructure and that data has been "compromised".
How did you get started in your role as a military recruiter?

Initially, I served in the infantry for a number of years before starting in my current role. Through an internal job advertisement, I applied, then sat an interview and through courses and qualifications I had obtained through my career so far as I was deemed as the most suitable candidate for this role.

Why did you choose to work with the Irish Defence Forces?

Being in the military and becoming a soldier was a childhood dream of mine, so the choice to join the Defence Forces was an easy one for me but the idea of being part of something bigger than myself and contributing to my nation were big parts of my reasons to join.

What are you working on at present?

I am presently a recruiter in the Recruitment Section and Competitions Section in Defence Forces Headquarters.

What is the best part of your job?

The engagement I get to have with applicants to the Defence Forces and being able to share with them my passion and interest in the military and what it can offer them.

What is a defining career moment or high point? Is there a career moment you are really proud of?

A defining career moment has to be my first mission overseas as a peacekeeper to Liberia. This was also a very proud moment as I got to represent my country in the name of peace under the United Nations and also the first time I got to put all my training into practice.

What's the best piece of professional advice you've received?

In recent times I was advised to look in the direction of CPD (Continuing Professional Development). This has made me realise that there is always, always something new to learn, something to improve on, and something to look back on to reflect on how far you have come.

If you could go back in time and give yourself a piece of advice at the start of your career, what would that be?

To get stuck in from the start and don`t hold back to improve yourself or follow your career goals.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about interviewing for this position?

The best advice I could give is to prepare and practice as much as possible so to get the best out of yourself on the day. Try to find out as much about the interview as possible and what format it will take, so you know what to expect. There is nothing worse than going into a completely unfamiliar situation.

What would you say are the key skills and capabilities necessary to be good at what you do?

Interpersonal skills such as communication, active listening and teamwork for interacting with candidates and your recruitment team. Personal skills would include resilience, adaptability and confidence and technical skills would include good market and technical knowledge.

What is the best career lesson you have learned so far?

For me, it is to try find a role that enables you to get your ideal work-life balance.

Which industry professionals should people be following on Twitter/ LinkedIn?

I would recommend the Irish Defence Forces Twitter and LinkedIn pages to keep up to date with everything happening in the organisation and recruitment opportunities.

Is there a particular book or resource youd recommend to someone early in their career?

A book I have recently read that I think highlights excellently what a career in the military can offer you and demonstrates how you can grow professionally and personally from your experiences is 'Ranger 22', by Ray Goggins.

www.military.ie/en/careers
The expansion of work permit eligibility and impact of Brexit has put Ireland in a strong position to address skills shortages in different sectors across the country.

That is according to Colm Hilliard, director of Workpermits.ie, which works with both companies and prospective employees to secure work permits for people seeking employment in Ireland.

Established in 2018, Work Permits Ireland is a private immigration company with a team of highly experienced immigration consultants who have over 20 years experience in Irish immigration, working for clients from across the globe wishing to apply for an Irish employment permit.

The Government recently announced changes to the work permit system for workers from countries outside of the EEA in a bid to address skills and labour shortages in areas such as construction, hospitality and agri-food.

The changes include expanding eligibility for a general employment permit for workers in the construction sector, the removal of the heavy goods vehicle drivers quota and the expansion of the agri-foods worker quota.

Mr Hilliard said relaxing the work permit rules and quotas will go a long way to addressing skills shortages in the long term.

In fact, workpermits.ie have already seen a surge in applications for work permits in recent months, Mr Hilliard revealed.

We would have seen, particularly in the last six months, a significant increase in all sectors, he said. The four main sectors that were dealing with would be restaurants, hotels, construction and the truck drivers. Right across those four sectors, theres been a rapid increase in applications in the last six months because of shortages in the area.

Id say haulage is the biggest area at the moment in terms of applications given the shortages of drivers and the fact that a lot of businesses are relying on deliveries, he added.

Colm Hilliard, of Workpermits.ie, says Ireland in a strong position to address skills shortages in the country thanks to the Government's decision to expand work permit eligibility across selected skills categories.

Deliveries have gone from vanloads to truckloads so were seeing a lot more truck drivers coming into the country. The restaurants and hotels are looking towards the 2022 season and to get someone here on a work permit will take a minimum of 16 weeks. Thats why were seeing a surge in that area.

If restaurants or hotels start now, theyll have people on the ground come March 2022 ahead of what will hopefully be a busy tourism season.

Mr Hilliard also highlighted the shortage of construction workers in Ireland, and the surge in workloads for construction companies across the country.

Were hearing from some construction companies that theyre looking at a four or five-fold increase in terms of the number of projects coming across their desks, he said.

That highlights the need for increased skilled labourers in Ireland. Theres a huge skills shortage at the moment and huge demand for these workers.

Mr Hilliard highlighted the impact of Brexit as a positive for Ireland in terms of attracting skilled workers.

Brexit is having a huge impact on this  were the last country in the EU that speaks English as a first language and were a growing country, he explained.

Ireland has become the new UK in terms of the level of attraction to work here. The marketplace for employment is huge here in Ireland.

Theres been a lot of recruitment going on outside Europe, he added. Companies have advertised in Europe for new posts and have received no suitable responses so theyll expand their search.

Ninety-nine percent of the time, companies come back to us and say they cant find anyone in Europe after advertising. If you cant find people in Europe, you have to expand your search and there are very highly skilled workers out there who are eager to come here to Ireland to work and live, he added.

Its good for us and its good for them - its a two-way street. A lot of workers, especially those coming from South Africa, are keen to move to rural areas. That will have a positive impact on rural areas in Ireland.

While the demand is out there for workers from outside the EEA, Mr Hilliard explained that the process to access a work permit is far from a sprint. That is where workpermits.ie comes in, helping prospective employers and employees navigate the system.

This process takes 16 weeks, he explained. We act as the common denominator to get that work permit. We deal with the company in applying for the permit and we deal directly with the employee to verify their documents and deal with any questions they may have.

We like helping people access a better quality of life and a better quality of work. Were dealing with people who are circumnavigating the globe and arriving in a country they may know little or nothing about, he added.

They will undoubtedly have questions from where theyll be living to things like school options and work for spouses. Were here to help with that.

www.workpermits.ie
Work establishing the new food ombudsman or regulator is well advanced, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue told the Dail.

He said he hopes to bring a memo to Government on the issue early in the new year. Once the primary legislation has been finalised, the enforcement authority functions will transfer to the new office in line with the programme for Government commitments.

In the meantime, it is open to suppliers to engage with the enforcement authority on any concerns they may have in regard to unfair trading practices, he said.

Replying to questions from Sinn Fein TD Matt Carthy, Minister McConalogue said the new office will have a specific role in analysing and reporting on Irish price and market data.

Including, importantly, for the meat sector, he said.

Mr Carthy said the Ministers response indicated that he recognises the importance of an authority having strong teeth.

But it has to be asked why there has been a delay up to this point. The consultation process was completed several months ago.

Minister McConalogue replied: Over the course of the autumn and into winter, much work has been ongoing within the Department to put in place the framework and the preparatory work for that legislation.

I have kept Cabinet updated on progress and plan to go to the Government with a memo at the start of next year, from where I will bring forward the legislation.
Good morning everyone. Here's today's briefing from the early crew here on the Irish Examiner newsdesk.

YOUR 8AM DASHBOARD

Here are the nine stories we are highlighting on the irishexaminer.com home page right now.

Nphet seeks 5pm closing time for pubs and restaurants: 'It's effectively a lockdown': The Government is to consider a dramatic proposal from health officials to introduce an effective curfew on hospitality from 5pm on Monday.

>>READ MORE.

Cork money mule sentenced after judge rejects 'Father Ted defence': A graduate student who allowed his bank account to be used in a 'money mule' offence in which a solicitor lost 100,000 has received a jail sentence after a judge said "the Father Ted defence is not sustainable".

>>READ MORE.

Mick Clifford: How far will Sinn Fein go in pursuit of unity?: A growing cohort now see the party as best equipped to tackle inequality in this state, but many are not so keen on their policies about a United Ireland

>>READ MORE.

Naoise Ryan files US court motion over Boeing crash in which her husband died: An Irish woman whose husband was among the 346 victims of two 737 Max plane crashes says she intends to do everything possible to hold Boeing executives to account for the deaths.

>>READ MORE.

Cathedral choir brings Christmas cheer to people of Cork: They normally raise the roof of their landmark cathedral this time of year, but the famous St Fin Barres Cathedral choir is going mobile and virtual this weekend to bring Christmas carols to the people of Cork.

>>READ MORE.

Beleaguered Boris Johnson facing further pressure after loss of 'ultra-safe' by-election: Boris Johnson will come under vast pressure after losing what had been an ultra-safe seat in a stunning defeat to the Lib Dems during the by-election triggered by a sleaze scandal.

>>READ MORE.

Winning the group our ambition, says Stephen Kenny, as Ukraine and Scots await: Ireland have been grouped with Ukraine, Scotland and Armenia in Thursday's UEFA Nations League draw, held in Nyon.

>>READ MORE.

All I want for Christmas is you: How to avoid festive frustrations in your relationship: It's a hectic time of year but while youre making a list and checking it twice, spare a thought for your partner and your relationship

>>READ MORE.

When Jesse met Mairin: Raising a hand for women's equality through the years: A collaboration between artist Jesse Jones and veteran activist Mairin de Burca has led to a new sculpture at King's Inns, the institution of legal education

>>READ MORE.

... AND TODAY'S WEATHER

There will be some patches of mist and fog this morning but once this clears, it is set to be a dry and mostly cloudy day with the occasional period of sunshine.

Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees are expected in light to moderate southeast breezes, feeling more fresh at times on the southwest coast.

For detailed national and regional weather forecasts see Met Eireann.

Thank you for your continued support and have a great day.
Sex workers will gather at the gates of Leinster House this evening for a vigil to highlight their concerns about Irish laws on the industry.

The vigil at 6.30pm is being held to mark International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, according to the Sex Workers Alliance of Ireland.

The group says that sex workers have been evicted and some have also been deported during the pandemic.

Spokeswoman Linda Kavanagh said there have also been instances where people convicted for brothel keeping have been ordered to leave the country, despite the pandemic.

She pointed to one case in Waterford in January in which a Polish woman was ordered to return to Poland within 14 days or risk activating a suspended one-year prison term, after being convicted of keeping a brothel.

She also raised concerns that for the second year in a row, Ireland is in the Tier 2 Watchlist of the Trafficking in Persons report, conducted by the US Department of State. Romania is the only other EU state in Tier 2. The US and and UK are both in Tier 1.

The report found that the Irish government has continued to have systemic deficiencies in victim identification, referral, and assistance, and lacked specialized accommodation and adequate services for victims.

Read More Irish Examiner view: Sex work is hardly ever about choice

The report did acknowledge some advances including designating an independent human trafficking national rapporteur and establishing a formal national anti-trafficking forum composed of interagency and civil society stakeholders.

However, Ms Kavanagh says the SWAI is concerned fewer trafficking victims have been identified and the organisation says violence against sex workers has increased by 92%. The organisation is also seeking the publication of a review of the 2017 legislation which criminalised the purchase of sex.

Solicitor Maura Butler was appointed as the Independent Expert to conduct the review last year and it has not yet been published. The SWAI lodged a submission during the review.

Ms Kavanagh said: We have heard nothing back since the consultation process and we do not know where the process is at now. Under The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, the sale of sex is not criminalised.

Last month, during two days of action, An Garda Siochana targeted people involved in the purchase of sexual services and the protection of individuals engaged in the sex trade.

The organisation said it carried out safeguarding visits nationally to individuals within the sex trade, with the view to identifying individuals who are potentially being sexually exploited or trafficked.

A total of 77 people were questioned on suspicion of having purchased sexual services. Files are being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions on foot of the days of action.
The Government is set to defy the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) recommendations and implement an 8pm closing time for the hospitality sector.

Medics had suggested pubs and restaurants close at 5pm to curb the spread of the Omicron variant, but the Cabinet has this evening discussed a proposal that would see a later 8pm closing time.

Cabinet has also agreed to cap the numbers at wedding receptions at 100. These events will have a midnight curfew.

Hotel bars will be exempt from the 8pm closing time, but only for overnight guests.

Cabinet has also agreed that close contacts of confirmed cases who do not have their third dose must restrict their movements for 10 days. Those who have received theirs must restrict for five days and take three antigen tests.

The measures will be reviewed on January 11.

Government ministers met today with top health officials to discuss the proposals for 5pm closing times for pubs and restaurants and reduced capacities for indoor and outdoor events.

Nphet is recommending a clampdown on the pubs and restaurants sector from Monday, with early closing times, amid exceptional concern about the impact of the Omicron variant.

The early closure times would last to January 30, under the Nphet proposals.

The variant now accounts for 27% of all new Covid-19 infections here, up from just 1% of new cases last week. It is likely to become the dominant variant within a matter of days.

HSE chief executive Paul Reid has warned that Ireland could see around 2,000 people in hospital in the coming weeks, similar to what was seen last January.

However, Mr Reid also said 1.35m booster jabs had been administered to date, and the revised booster plan should mitigate to the greatest extent the projected effect of the virus.

Here are the main points of what Nphet has recommended:

A 5pm closing time for pubs and restaurants, The Government is expected to introduce an 8pm closing time

Theatres, cinemas and other cultural entertainment gatherings should also close at 5pm

Outdoor sporting events should be restricted to 50% capacity or 5,000 attendees. They too should not take place after 5pm

Schools will remain open for the final week of term next week

Though specific guidelines around for weddings has not been issued, it is understood that Nphet believes any large-scale gathering could become a 'super-spreader event', and will advise against the holding of late-night events.

The hospitality industry has warned the move would lead to the laying off of around 60,000 staff.

Adrian Cummins of the Restaurants Association of Ireland said the proposed measures would be an effective closure of the sector.

"It's effectively a hospitality lockdown if the recommendations from Nphet are taken on board by the government.

"It's a shock to our industry, devastating news to our sector at a critical time, a number of days ahead of Christmas, not just the business owners but to the staff as well. We have to start to live with Covid."

Indoor music events and outdoor sporting events are also set to have their capacities severely reduced".

Nphet is advocating that sporting, theatre and cultural gatherings should not take place after 5pm and that capacity should be cut to 50%, or 5,000 people, for outdoor events.

It means outdoor events  such as the Munster v Leinster rugby match in Thomond Park on St Stephen's Day, and the post-Christmas races at Limerick and Leopardstown  should be limited to 50% or 5,000 attendees.

Michael ODonovan of the Vintners Federation of Ireland called on the Government to adjust the advice and warned that large numbers of staff will be out of work if the measures are adopted.

"This would be a real hammer blow. It will be closure for many because a lot of pubs wouldn't do food, wouldn't really be open at lunchtime," he told RTE's Morning Ireland programme.

It has been suggested that Nphet has stopped short of recommending a reduction in the number of households who can gather.

At present, a total of four households can gather in a house.

Nphet has not been specific about the numbers that will be allowed to attend weddings, but did say larger events are seen as super spreader events.

Schools are still on course to remain open until the end of term and are to reopen in January as planned.

Senior government sources have suggested that what is being proposed is being done to prioritise schools staying open in January.
Keith OHara spoke for hours during the Cork murder trial, and Helen Jones remained silent  but the jury heard and saw enough to conclude beyond reasonable doubt that they are both murderers. It had looked like verdicts might not come today, as most of the day was spent back in Courtroom 4 where the trial has been taking place since it opened on November 24.

The jury recommenced deliberating in the morning and were soon asking if they could have a transcript of the evidence given by Keith OHara. Mr Justice Michael McGrath said it was not possible to give them a transcript of any part of the evidence. However, he undertook to read the full transcript of Keith OHaras evidence instead.

This took most of the day, commencing around 11am and continuing until 3pm with a break for lunch.

Soon after this was done, they asked if they could see exhibits in the case, including the weapon which had been variously described as a machete or billhook.

By 3.30pm, Jury had determined both were guilty

By 3.30pm this afternoon, they were satisfied that Helen Jones was guilty of murdering her brother Paul Jones, and that Keith OHara  her then fiancee  was guilty of murder too.

Helen Joness defence had been simple. She declined to speak to the gardai or answer any of their questions and she opted to give absolutely no evidence to the jury in her trial.

This was in marked contrast to the approach by Keith OHara who lied to gardai and said he and Helen Jones were at home in bed watching the prison drama, Orange Is The New Black, when Paul Jones was killed. When questioned about bruises to his own body, Keith OHara fobbed these off as being the result of rough sex.

He then got into the witness box at the trial, admitted he had lied to gardai, claimed he disarmed Paul Jones of the machete and struck him once on the head with it in self defence, believing Paul Jones was attacking Helen Jones. OHara then went on to blame Helen Jones for murdering her brother. OHara said he would have called an ambulance but Helen said not to do so.

Keith OHara claimed:

I told Helen to ring an ambulance for Paul. She said, no. She said it was a Jones family feud. She said, Fuck Paul, he was only a fat bastard.

OHara feared that if he didnt agree with her, he would be victim number two". Chief state pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan found a chop wound to the head which fractured Paul Joness skull which may have been caused by a machete or like implement, and also described 25 stab wounds to the chest, stomach and upper back, seven of which were more than 10cm deep.

Gardai conducting door-to-door enquiries on the the Bandon Rd in Cork City in September 2019 after the body of Paul Jones was discovered. Picture: Dan Linehan

It is my view that death in this case was due to chop wounds to the head and multiple stab wounds to the trunk and right arm with no contributing factors, Dr Mulligan said.

'O'Hara inflicted wound to Paul Jones's skull'

It was the prosecution case that Keith OHara inflicted the wound to the skull, which would have proved fatal on its own. OHara admitted inflicting this wound but claimed he took the machete from Paul Joness hand and struck him with it without realising what the object was. He claimed he was acting in self defence.

The machete  with the deceaseds blood on the blade and OHaras blood on the handle  was found stuck deep into a hedge around the corner from the crime scene.

OHara described seeing his then partner repeatedly punching her brother as he lay on the floor in a pool of blood. He said he did not see a knife at the time but witnesses passing the house at around 9.45pm that night saw her knocking on the front door of the little house, and said she had a knife in her hand and used the tip of it to knock on the door.

On the basis of a combination of extensive witness evidence from outside the house and CCTV, the prosecution said there were three people inside the door of 108 Bandon Road for no more than five minutes.

Prosecution: 'Both defendants caused death'

The State says two people wielded two separate weapons, prosecution senior counsel Siobhan Lankford said. "According to Mr OHara he wielded a machete. The prosecution says Helen Jones wielded the knife. It was never found

They were in the house probably for no more than five minutes. They emerged unscathed. Paul Jones was never seen alive again. He died as a result of that attack perpetrated by both of the accused.

Dr Mulligan said Death probably occurred 30 minutes to an hour within the time of receiving the injuries. It has taken just over two years and three months for the two people who left the 55-year-old to die in a pool of blood on the floor of his home, to be convicted of his murder.

The jury was given an insight into how Helen Jones and Keith OHara were thinking when the house at the centre of the disputed inheritance was taken off the market when 180,000 was the highest offer.

Nicola Barry who works at Dunnes Stores on St Patricks Street, Cork, met Keith OHara and Helen Jones in the store on August 30, 2019  just days before Paul Jones was killed.

Ms Barry said Helen Jones told her what was happening: She was having terrible trouble with her brother and she spent nine grand on solicitors fees. Keith said he was going to pay for not handing over the house. And Helen said the same She was saying she was entitled to the house  I cant remember what she said, it was all about the house, house, house She said she was going up to her brothers house.
Burma Executives of S. Korean Companies Met Myanmar Junta Officials: Report

Anti-regime protesters in Yangon in February. / The Irrawaddy

Representatives of South Korean companies including units of Samsung and LG met high-level Myanmar regime civil servants at an event in Yangon organized by the Korean Embassy last month, according to the Financial Times.

Participants in the Dialogue for Economic Cooperation between Team Korea and Myanmar included the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration, a Myanmar government agency; the United Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, a lobby group representing the private sector in dealings with the government; and the Korean Chamber of Commerce.

The newspaper reported that executives representing units of Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and steelmaker Posco attended.

Activists and the shadow civilian National Unity Government have urged international businesses to shun the Myanmar regime, which has been roundly condemned and sanctioned by Western governments for its gross human rights violations.

The meeting was held at the Lotte Hotel in Yangon, which is controlled by Posco and stands on land leased from the Myanmar Quartermaster Generals Office.

A spokesperson for the South Korean Foreign Ministry told the Financial Times: From the beginning of the Myanmar situation, the Korean government has consistently called for an end to violence against civilians, the release of detained persons, and the restoration of democracy in Myanmar, and is in the position of actively supporting ASEANs efforts to restore peace, stability and democracy in Myanmar.

South Korea is one of Myanmars biggest foreign investors. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has condemned the military coup in Myanmar.



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Burma Myanmar Junta Forces See Heavy Casualties in Lay Kay Kaw Clashes

Eight junta soldiers captured during fighting with the KNLA in mid-December.

Myanmar junta troops sustained heavy losses this week in fighting in Lay Kay Kaw in Karen States Myawaddy, where they encountered a combined force of troops from the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Peoples Defense Force (PDF) civilian resistance groups from Wednesday.

As of Thursday, 18 junta soldiers had died and eight others had been captured during the fighting, the National Unity Government (NUG) said.

The Karen National Union (KNU), the political wing of the KNLA, condemned the regimes attack as a violation of human rights and destroying peace in a statement on Thursday, adding that four junta troopsa captain and three sergeantswere killed during the clashes on Wednesday and it was still verifying Thursdays causalities. On Friday, the KNU released pictures of eight soldiers arrested during the fighting. Among them, two were members of the Karen Border Guard Force, which is backed by the military and joined forces with the junta soldiers.

Military tensions rose this week when some 200 junta soldiers raided the area on Tuesday, alleging that democracy activists and members of Peoples Defense Force (PDF) civilian resistance groups were hiding there. Two MPs-elect from the National League for Democracy (NLD), U Wai Lin Aung and Dr. Pyae Phyo, were among around 40 people detained by the junta on that day.

The raids and clashes followed the juntas accusation that the KNU, Myanmars oldest revolutionary force, was supporting and sheltering striking civil servants and anti-regime armed resistance groups.

Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win, the vice chairman of the Karen National Union, told The Irrawaddy that the group will respond with all-out defense to stop the juntas incursion.

The military tensions began due to the junta troops incursions into territory in which the KNU/KNLA operates, said the vice chairman. He explained that various groups control different parts of Lay Kay Kaw, and permission is required to pass through certain areas.

Following the military engagement in Lay Kay Kaw, clashes were also reported in nearby areas in Myawaddy, Kawkareik and Kyar Inn Seik Gyi townships.

The junta claimed that brigades 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 of the KNLA offered training and gave shelter to those evading arrest by the regime and supplied arms to groups engaged in urban guerrilla warfare in a number of cities and towns in the country.

This month, fighting has been frequent in areas in Mon and Karen states, and Tanintharyi Region, which host KNU brigades 1, 5, 6 and 4.

In the Brigade 5 area alone, the KNUs Mutraw (Papun district) news outlet said on Thursday that 54 junta soldiers were killed and 39 injured during 111 clashes with KNLA troops between Dec. 1 and 16, in Papun, Karen State. The military retaliated with artillery and more than 100 shells struck civilian residences. The KNLA said it lost one soldier and six were injured.

Meanwhile, more than 2,500 locals are now seeking shelter in Thailand and about one third of them are children. Some 1,000 residents of Lay Kay Kaw are still internally displaced, according to relief workers.

Regarding the refugee situation, the NUG appealed to the Thai government to allow the IDPs fleeing Lay Kay Kaw and seeking refuge to cross the border safely as soon as possible.

The shadow government also urged the international community to provide urgent humanitarian and emergency assistance to the IDPs affected.

It also urged the international community to strongly call for a de-escalation of violence.



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Burma Myanmar Junta Ministers Masterminding of Violent Pro-Military Rallies Revealed

Pro-military supporters throw projectiles at people in downtown Yangon on February 25, 2021. / AFP

U Khin Yi, a former Myanmar military general and the juntas Immigration and Population Minister, organized a series of rallies before and after the February 1 coup during which so-called military sympathizers went on the rampage in Yangon, punching and stabbing those who denounced them, according to U Soe Thane, a former minister in U Thein Seins government.

Before the coup, U Khin Yi was the vice chair of the militarys proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which suffered a heavy defeat in the 2020 general election. The former Brigadier General and Myanmar Police chief was appointed Immigration and Population Minister in the juntas so-called interim government six months later.

Some 22 pro-military demonstrations between January 21 and February 25 were organized by U Khin Yi, 11 rallies before the coup and 11 afterwards, according to the second volume of U Soe Thanes book The Second Democratic Government and Myanmar. U Soe Thane was a USDP candidate in the 2020 general election and he dedicates a section of his book to what he calls U Khin Yis efforts, in which he details where the pro-military rallies took place and how many people participated in them.

The rallies targeted the Union Election Commission (UEC), following its announcement of the National League for Democracy (NLD) Partys landslide victory in the 2020 poll. But anyone who witnessed those rallies will have noted that the hundreds of people participating in them shouted only pro-military slogans.

The most vocal demonstrations against the UEC were seen consecutively in cities in southern Myanmar. The main organizer was U Khin Yi, wrote U Soe Thane in his book.

On January 30, a crowd of pro-military marchers beat passers-by and onlookers near Yangons Bahan Market. The following day, they burned NLD flags on display at a printing shop on Shwegondaing Road in Yangons Bahan Township.

After the coup, those anti-UEC demonstrations became blatantly pro-military or pro-coup rallies, according to U Soe Thane.

During one pro-junta rally in downtown Yangon on February 25, supporters of the military beat and stabbed people after they were booed by bystanders. Some ten people were injured in the attack. The pro-junta groups carried both Myanmar and military flags, as well as banners proclaiming their support for the junta, and also carried clubs which they used to smash car windows.

On February 25, 2021, USDP members from East, South and North districts of Yangon, party supporters, Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] sympathizers and nationalists gathered at President Cinema, Aung San Stadium and Yangon Central Railway Station in Dagon Township, and marched along Sule Pagoda Road to Sule Pagoda and returned to original gathering points, showing overwhelming support for the Tatmadaw, U Soe Thane wrote in his book. However, he did not mention that the pro-military marchers attacked the people who jeered them.

Eight pro-military participants were held by a charity group following the February 25 attack and revealed that they were from Seikgyikanaungto Township in Yangons south district, where U Khin Yi had failed to be elected in the 2020 general election, according to widely-circulated videos. They admitted that they were taken by two USDP members to join the protest march.

According to record books dropped at the scene, many of the participants were believed to be hired to attend the rally, and paid a wage of 3,000 to 7,000 kyats (US$2.10-US$5) each for their presence. Another widely-circulated video shows a USDP official telling a man that he would pay him 20,000 kyats (US$14) if he could bring a truck full of people to the rally.

However, there were no pro-junta rallies for several months after the February 25 demonstration that ended in violence and bloodshed.

While U Khin Yi is the main organizer of pro-military rallies in southern Myanmar, former Lieutenant General Wai Lwin, who served as deputy defense minister in U Thein Seins government and failed to be elected for Naypyitaws Pobbathiri Township in both the 2015 and 2020 general elections, is assigned to organize rallies in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw, wrote U Soe Thane.

U Khin Yi was appointed as Myanmar Police chief under the former military regime led by the dictator Senior General Than Shwe. He oversaw the brutal crackdown in 2007 on the nationwide anti-regime protest movement known as the Saffron Revolution. Subsequently, U Khin Yi served as Immigration and Population Minister in U Thein Seins quasi-civilian administration, the same position he now holds in the juntas ruling body. He contested the seat for his native Myaungmya Township in Ayeyarwady Region in the 2015 general elections, but lost. In the 2020 poll, U Khin Yi contested Yangons Seikgyikanaungto Township but was again defeated.



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Burma Resistance Groups Claim to Have Killed Seven Myanmar Junta Troops in Kayah State

Civilian resistance fighters from the People Revolutionary Army. / PRA

Seven Myanmar junta soldiers and a civilian resistance fighter were reportedly killed during firefights in Demoso and Loikaw townships, Kayah State, on Thursday, according to the Karenni National Defense Force (KNDF).

On Thursday morning, the KNDF and Karenni Army (KA), the armed wing of the Karenni National Progressive Party, said they ambushed a regime patrol in Demoso.

During 20 minutes of fighting, four regime troops were killed and five wounded while two civilian resistance fighters were injured by junta artillery.

The KNDF said regime soldiers in civilian clothes are sheltering in a Demoso village.

On Thursday another intense firefight broke out in Loikaw Township in the state.

During a prolonged battle, three soldiers were killed, four were injured and a KA soldier was killed.

The Irrawaddy could not independently verify any of the reports.

Armed resistance to military rule in Kayah State began in late May and has intensified in recent months.

On Monday, a junta sergeant joined the nationwide civil disobedience movement defying military rule and surrendered to the KNDF.

The KNDF said he was given money as he brought firearms and ammunition with him.

Peoples defense forces (PDFs) have continued to attack regime forces in several Sagaing Region townships and in Magwe Region in the last two days, claiming to have killed more than 50 regime soldiers.

The People Revolutionary Army (PRA), a resistance group, claimed to have killed 32 soldiers in eight ambushes and attacks in Pale Township, Sagaing Region, and Myaing Township, Magwe Region, on Wednesday and Thursday.

After a firefight in Myaing Township on Thursday evening, regime forces burned 17 houses in Ngarmyaung village, the PRA said.

Pale PDF said a combined resistance force ambushed a junta vehicle carrying soldiers using six mines on the Pale-Gangaw highway in Pale Township on Thursday morning.

The group reported a later attack on a military convoy on the same highway, saying five vehicles were damaged. The juntas casualties were unknown.

On Wednesday, 10 junta soldiers were reportedly killed and a vehicle caught fire in a Pale PDF ambush in the township, the group claimed.

On Thursday, fighting was reported in Kani Township, Sagaing Region, when several resistance groups attacked a junta force and militia personnel trained and armed by the military marching beside the Chindwin river to protect a regime flotilla.

Since Dec. 2, eight military boats escorting three barges reportedly transporting jade from Kachin State along the Chindwin have been attacked by PDFs in Mingin and Kani townships.

Mingin PDF claimed to have killed five junta soldiers in an ambush by a combined force on troops in Mingin Township, Sagaing Region, on Thursday.

Regime forces burned down seven Khin-U village houses where they were stationed on Wednesday night in the township, Mingin PDF said.

Regime forces nationwide are reportedly facing attacks from hundreds of PDFs and many ethnic armed groups, including the Kachin Independence Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Karenni Army and groups linked to the Karen Nation Union.

Junta forces continue to arbitrarily kill civilians, burn civilians alive, use civilian detainees as human shields, bombard residential areas and loot and burn houses, especially Sagaing and Magwe regions and Chin, Shan and Kayah states, where the PDFs are most active.

As of Thursday, the junta has killed an estimated 1,345 people and detained 11,009 others, including elected government leaders, since the Feb. 1 coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners that records deaths and arrests.



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Man sentenced in gill netting case

A second man arrested last summer and accused of illegal fishing has pleaded no contest in the Florida Fish and Wildlife case.

Christopher Ron Baker, 28, of Ruskin, pleaded no contest to one count of carriage of a gill net across Florida waters, possession of an unmarked entanglement net, harvesting saltwater products without a license and use of a gill net in state waters. Florida voters approved a constitutional ban on gill nets in state waters in November 1994.

The state agreed not to pursue a second charge of illegal use of a gill net in state waters.

Manatee County Circuit Court Judge Gilbert A. Smith Jr. sentenced Baker to 30 days in jail with credit for time already served, as well as 18 months probation and 50 hours of community service.

Florida Fish and Wildlife law enforcement officers arrested Baker and Daniel P. Gilliland on a night last June near Coquina Beach after the two men were seen leaving the Cortez area in a boat.

The FWC said Baker and Gilliland were in possession of a net that contained four sharks, 10 pompano, two sheepshead, two mangrove snapper, one spotted sea trout, two whiting and 58 lady fish.

Gilliland previously pleaded no contest to the charge and was sentenced to probation for one year, with credit for the time he spent in the Manatee County jail. He was ordered to do 25 hours of community service.
Red Moki will take WalkMe digital adoption solutions to market to help customers drive better use and engagement from their digital software assets. These solutions include the WalkMe HelpDesk, Human Capital, CRM, ERP, external customer-facing websites, as well as many other applications and platforms supported by WalkMe. This recognition furthers the relationship between the two companies and commitment to its joint customers.

WalkMe was founded ten years ago to simplify the way people interact with technology. As a no-code, platform-agnostic solution, WalkMes digital adoption platform runs across all underlying applications - for both employees and customers alike. Over the last decade, WalkMe has continued to deliver digital solutions at scale to help organisations worldwide achieve their digital transformation goals by creating frictionless and elegant digital experiences that reduce complexity in the enterprise technology stack.

At WalkMe, we continue to invest in our partner ecosystem as a key route to market for the company, said WalkMe head of alliances and channels APAC Antony Collins. Having a healthy and vibrant partner ecosystem is vital for our customers long-term success, and partners such as Red Moki will ensure they have access to the best consulting, advisory and implementation capabilities representing WalkMe Digital Adoption best practice.

Collins continued, Its great to have Red Moki formally join our partner program at a time when we are seeing so much demand for our digital adoption platform with WalkMe acting as the catalyst for digital transformation. Red Moki has a strong track record and a great reputation accelerating customer success. We look forward to strategically partnering with them to ensure we deliver our mutual customers a great experience with an improved return on investment and experience for the software they rely on.

Red Moki was founded four years ago and has become one of the market leaders for ServiceNow and other digital technologies. In recognition of the high growth Red Moki has achieved, Red Moki was recently recognised in the 2021 Deloitte Fast 50 as the sixth fastest growing company in New Zealand.

We have a tremendous focus on the end user experience and adoption for the solutions we deliver to customers. With WalkMes leading Digital Adoption Platform, we can help improve the return on investment and experience for our clients using the WalkMe enterprise-wide digital adoption platform approach. We look forward to working closely with the WalkMe team across Australia and New Zealand market in 2022 and beyond, Red Moki CEO and founder Greg Woolley.
COMPANY NEWS: Barracuda Networks, a trusted partner and leading provider of cloud-enabled security solutions, today released its top nine cybersecurity predictions for 2022. Covering a range of topics from the evolving threat landscape to the sectors most at risk, the predictions point to a new year filled with both challenges and opportunities.

The 2022 predictions are:

Ransomware will remain the number one security threat:

The volume of ransomware attacks being mounted against Australian businesses will continue to rise throughout the new year. At the same time, governments at all levels will take the problem more seriously and collaborate at a nation-state level.



Attacks will range from extortions using stolen data to the penetration of critical supply chains. As well as looking for financial gain, the criminals will also increasingly use stolen data to discredit businesses and destroy reputations.



During 2022, it will be vital for both public and private sectors to work together to continue to make it increasingly difficult for cybercriminals to move the ransomware payments they receive. Critical infrastructure will be at heightened risk:

Critical infrastructure was the target of a number of high-profile attacks in 2021, and it will continue to face significant security challenges in 2022. This infrastructure includes everything from energy and financial services to education and healthcare. Fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic will continue:

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed that cybercriminals are willing to exploit a crisis to attack critical targets. It will be necessary for organisations such as hospitals and healthcare providers to understand the three steps of ransomware protection. They are avoiding credential leaks, securing access to applications and infrastructure, and backing up data. The need for forensics skills will grow:

Senior IT security executives increasingly need to develop the ability to understand forensics and incident response. Many IT security organisations are still struggling with too many tools and not getting the signals to work together.



Detection and response will be the keywords to help IT security executives achieve what they need to during 2022 and beyond. Improving in this area will require an Open XDR platform or managed XDR solution delivered through a service provider. Those tools will enable IT security executives to respond more efficiently than they currently do. Data consolidation will become more widespread:

Consolidation of data-driven platforms is likely to become far more common in 2022 as the market moves to be more service driven and offer managed detection and response capabilities.



At the same time, detection and response will become more complex. This will occur as organisations come to realise they lack the required skills in house. Many, especially SMBs, will need some type of managed service provider to help them in this area. This will allow them to respond efficiently and effectively to cyberattacks without needing to invest in building an in-house team. A new cybersecurity role will emerge:

During 2022, expect to see the rise of the Cybersecurity Champion. This new role will be particularly evident within organisations undertaking software development. These champions will focus on whats been dubbed shifting left as it is now all about the developers, software development, and the software supply chain. On the very left of the entire software development lifecycle, getting this level of security attention at the developer level is where those roles will start to add value. There will be growing opportunities for MSPs:

As increasing numbers of SMBs become aware of growing cyber risks, MSPs will be able to continue acquiring new clients. Indeed, MSPs that are ready to help growing organisations manage cyber risk will be at the forefront of the cybersecurity landscape.



There will, however, be many challenges for MSPs to overcome. Theres a massive talent gap, and it can be difficult to manage multiple vendors when assembling a cybersecurity offering. The role played by MSPs will change:

Its clear that, to be successful in 2022, every MSP will have to become security first in their focus. At the moment, SMBs have no one to call if they have a cybersecurity problem. If theres nobody or no infrastructure to rely on in the event of a breach, MSPs will be the only people that workers can call in an emergency.



During the year, MSPs will see more and more calls about breaches or security concerns. Ready or not, they will be the only organisations with the connections and the equipment to help SMBs address their cybersecurity challenges. The cybersecurity skills shortage will remain:

Unfortunately, the skills shortage that plagued organisations during 2021 will continue throughout 2022. Demand for individuals with years of experience in cybersecurity, such as CISOs and Infosec Directors, will rise at an exponential rate, however not enough people entered the industry ten or fifteen years ago to meet the current demand.



The bottom line is that this talent gap means many businesses will simply not be able to get the staff they need. As a result, they will increasingly rely on MSPs and their cybersecurity partners, such as like Barracuda.

As these trends unfold during the year, the implications for organisations of all sizes will become clear. Those who have retained the services of an MSP with top-level security knowledge and skills will be in a much stronger position to withstand new threats as they emerge.

About Barracuda

At Barracuda we strive to make the world a safer place. We believe every business deserves access to cloud-enabled, enterprise-grade security solutions that are easy to buy, deploy, and use. We protect email, networks, data, and applications with innovative solutions that grow and adapt with our customers journey. More than 200,000 organisations worldwide trust Barracuda to protect them  in ways they may not even know they are at risk  so they can focus on taking their business to the next level. For more information, visit
Cyber threat intelligence company Check Point Research warns that a new variant of Phorpiex, a botnet known for sextortion and cryptojacking, has stolen an estimated half a million dollars worth of cryptocurrency through crypto clipping.

CPR named the new variant as Twizt, which operates without active command and control servers, meaning each computer that if infects can widen the botnet.

How it works

Twizt leverages a technique called crypto clipping, which is the theft of cryptocurrency during transactions through the use of malware that automatically substitutes the intended wallet address with the threat actors wallet address, resulting in the funds going to the wrong hands.

Victims

CPR says that in a one-year period, between November 2020 to November 2021, Phorpiex bots hijacked 969 transactions, stealing 3.64 Bitcoin, 55.87 Ether, and US$55,000 in ERC20 tokens, with the stolen assets in current prices valuing to almost half a million US dollars.

Several times, Phorpiex was able to hijack large amounts transactions, CPR says. The largest amount for an intercepted Ethereum transaction was 26 ETH.

There are three main risks involved with the new variant of Phorpiex. First, Twizt uses peer-to-peer model and is able to receive commands and updates from thousands of other infected machines. A peer-to-peer botnet is harder to take down and disrupt its operation. This makes Twizt more stable than previous versions of Phorpiex bots, comments Check Point Software cyber security research and innovation manager Alexander Chailytko.

Second, as well as old versions of Phorpiex, Twizt is able to steal crypto without any communication with C&C, therefore, it is easier to evade security mechanisms, such as firewalls in order to do damage. Third, Twizt supports more than 30 different cryptocurrency wallets from different blockchains, including major ones such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dash, Monero. This makes for a huge attack surface, and basically anyone who is utilising crypto could be affected, adds Chailytko.

I strongly urge all crypto currency users to double check the wallet addresses they copy and paste, as you could very well be inadvertently sending your crypto into the wrong hands, Chailytko suggests.

CPR offers the following security tips:

Check wallet address. When users copy and paste a crypto wallet address, always double check that the original and pasted addresses match.

Test transactions. Before sending large amounts in crypto, first send a probe test transaction with minimal amount.

Stay updated. Keep operating system updated, do not download software from unverified sources.

Skip the ads. If you are looking for wallets or crypto trading and swapping platforms in the crypto space, always look at the first website in your search and not in the ad. These may mislead you as CPR has found scammers using Google Ads to steal crypto wallets.

Look at URLs. Always double-check the URLs.
Telstra has paid an infringement notice of $2.53 million after the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found large-scale breaches of rules intended to protect the privacy and safety of customers.

The ACMA investigation found almost 50,000 instances where Telstra failed to correctly upload a customers choice of an unlisted - or silent - number to the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) meaning these numbers could be published in public phone directories or be available through directory services.

The ACMA said it also found that Telstra failed to provide data to, or failed to update, the IPND for its Belong customers on over 65,000 occasions.

The IPND is made up of Australian phone numbers and their owner details, is used by public phone directories, and provides an important resource to support the work of Australias emergency services, law enforcement and national security agencies.

ACMA Chair Nerida OLoughlin said that by failing to provide the required information to the IPND, Telstra potentially put peoples safety at risk.

When people request a silent number it is often for very important privacy and safety reasons, and we know that the publication of their details can have serious consequences.

The IPND is also used by Triple Zero to help locate people in an emergency, for the Emergency Alert Service to warn of emergencies like flood or bushfire, and to assist law enforcement activities.

The provision of these critical services can be hampered and lives put in danger if data is missing, wrong or out of date. It is alarming that Telstra could get this so wrong on such a large scale, OLoughlin said.

The ACMAs action follows findings in 2019 that Telstra had breached the same obligations.

Telstra initially self-reported these matters and moved quickly to fix them. However, this is not Telstras only recent major breach of these rules, which is why the ACMA has taken this action, added OLoughlin.

All telcos are required to upload customer information into the IPND for each service they provide. This includes the telephone number, the customers name and address and whether the customer wants their number of be listed or unlisted. Flagging a number as listed or unlisted determines whether a customers details are available in public phone directories and directory assistance services.

This is the latest action in the ACMAs ongoing campaign to improve the accuracy of the IPND and reduce the risk of harm to Australians. In 2018 and 2020 the ACMA says it took action against a total of 26 telcos for non-compliance with upload rules, including giving remedial directions. Earlier this year the ACMA gave Lycamobile a $600,000 penalty for breaching the rules.

The ACMA advised that if Telstra fails to comply with its obligations in future the ACMA can commence proceedings in the Federal Court for civil penalties of up to $10 million per contravention.

As 2021 wraps up, Telstra is definitely on Santa's naughty list, this is the third fine or penalty for the year:

Telstra was ordered to pay $50M by the Federal Court in May for engaging in unconscionable conduct when it sold mobile contracts to more than 100 Indigenous consumers across three states and territories. "The $50 million penalty imposed against Telstra is the second highest penalty ever imposed under the Australian Consumer Law. This is appropriate given the nature of the behaviour by Australias biggest telecommunications company, which was truly beyond conscience, the ACCC Chair Rod Sims said at the time.

Also in May, Telstra paid an infringement notice of more than $1,500,000 after the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found it failed to provide consumers with the opportunity to keep their existing local phone number when changing telcos, known as local number porting. Telstra had COVID-19-related impacts on its offshore operations from March 2020. At the time the ACMA Chair Nerida OLoughlin said, Australian consumers must have the freedom to change their telco provider to take up services that best suit their needs. This includes keeping your own phone number even if you take your business elsewhere.

Telstra was contacted for comments on this latest infringement a Telstra spokesperson said, "We have an obligation and responsibility to protect the privacy and safety of our customers  and we havent met our own high expectations or those of our customers.

"We self-reported these issues to ACMA and took steps to correct them.

"We accept the ACMA findings and have paid the infringement notice." the Telstra spokesperson concluded.

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has welcomed the ACMAs action against Telstra for breaching consumer privacy rules related to the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND).

It is vital that consumer information stored in the IPND is accurate and secure. Emergency services use the IPND, as well as a range of other information, to locate people calling for assistance, said ACCAN acting CEO Andrew Williams.

"The IPND is also used by law enforcement, and for specific research purposes approved by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

While we recognise and appreciate the fact Telstra self-reported this issue, the multi-million dollar fine imposed by the ACMA recognises the serious breach of customer trust and the significant potential harms for those customers whose information was not updated.

We hope that this serves as a timely reminder for all telcos regarding their obligations under the IPND rules, concluded Williams.

Let's hope that Telstra improves next year and moves onto Santa's nice list.

This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 16 December 2021.
TPG Telecom has won a $4.8 million contract to refresh the City of Adelaides free Wi-Fi network and significantly improve the speed, security, and reliability of public internet access across the city.

The new ADL Free powered by TPG Telecom Wi-Fi network will see TPG Telecom replace the previous Internode built-and-operated network that has served the citys public internet needs since 2014.

More than 250 wireless access points will power the new Wi-Fi network, expanding wireless internet coverage and access across the city and many of its iconic sites including the Adelaide Central Markets, the Art Gallery of South Australia, the SA State Library and the bustling bars and restaurants of Peel Street.

In a significant upgrade to City of Adelaides existing Wi-Fi network, TPG Telecom advised that it will also replace the current mix of mesh-wireless, fibre and copper-based technology with a full fibre optic network that will provide superior speed, coverage and reliability for the citys inhabitants and visitors. The latest WiFi 6 standard is to be deployed insuring that Adelaide is being severed with the latest WiFi technology, rather than the older WiFi 5 standard which most RSPs are still providing in home WiFi routers as part of their NBN services.

This new fibre optic network will be built upon the Ten Gigabit Adelaide fibre network that TPG Telecom delivered as Australias first city-wide fibre optic network to provide symmetrical speeds up to 10Gbps for businesses and organisations in the city and North Adelaide.

The ADL Free powered by TPG Telecom Wi-Fi network will be the largest, free, city-wide Wi-Fi network in Australia and will deliver greater speed, capability and reliability for the people of Adelaide and its visitors, said TPG Telecom group executive enterprise and government Jonathan Rutherford.

We are thrilled to work with the City of Adelaide to build and operate this essential piece of urban infrastructure and look forward to collaborating with more cities, councils and businesses to bring the benefits of connectivity to more parts of Australia in the future.

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said the new network will further enhance Adelaides reputation as one of the most liveable cities in the world.

ADL Free powered by TPG will be an integral service for the community as Adelaide prepares to welcome back more tourists and international students, whilst also servicing the needs of all city users and residents, said the Mayor.

Not only will the new Wi-Fi assist businesses in the CBD and help position Adelaide as a leading centre of investment.

The new network will be jointly funded by the Australian Government and City of Adelaide as part of the $699 million Adelaide City Deal.

This important project will upgrade and expand the current Wi-Fi infrastructure with high-speed fibre optics and 25 percent more access points than the previous system, making fast and reliable communication available throughout Adelaide CBD and improving the visitor experience, said Federal Minister for Communications Urban Infrastructure Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher.

TPG Telecom says it will begin deploying the new network early next year and will operate it for an initial five-year period.

The City of Adelaide deal is the latest, major contract win for TPG Telecoms enterprise business which recently revealed it had been awarded a five-year, multi-million-dollar contract with Qantas to supply fixed and mobile voice services as the airline modernises its domestic communications network.

The customer wins follow the recent reveal of a new enterprise strategy to position TPG Telecom as the telco of choice for small and large business and government customers.

This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 15 December 2021.
This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
JUSTICE INFO IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS Antoine Garapon

President of the Independent Commission on Recognition and Reparation for sexual crimes committed in French religious congregations

The work of the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (Ciase) has caused an earthquake in French society and within the Catholic Church. Magistrate Antoine Garapon was a member of this Commission. He is now in charge of one of the two reparations bodies set up by the Church. For him, restorative justice is a way for victims to re-appropriate their history.

JUSTICE INFO: What was your role in the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (Ciase) in France?

ANTOINE GARAPON: I was in charge of one of the four working groups of the Commission, the one concerning the victims, with Alice Casagrande [an expert on ethics and prevention of abuse]. The other three groups dealt with canon law and legal issues; theological questions and the evaluation of listening groups by the dioceses. The victims did not spontaneously trust us: they were suspicious at first because the bishops had taken them for a walk so much that they feared nothing would change with this Commission. It took us a few months to gain our legitimacy in their eyes and for us to constitute a mirror group composed of victims representing as much as possible the diversity of their sensitivities, especially in their relationship to the Church: all our decisions and analyses were shared with them. We never ceased to keep in mind that they have experiential knowledge, that is to say a unique knowledge about what they have experienced, which is inaccessible to us.

How has this experiential knowledge been useful to you?

This is the idea that Alice Casagrande brought from the medical-social field. Experiential knowledge is used in medicine. For example, when a person undergoes open-heart surgery for a heart transplant, someone who has experienced the same thing is there to share this very special knowledge. In judicial matters, for example, it can also be understood: the experience of leaving prison at 4am after 20 years of imprisonment for a crime is not shared until it is experienced.

This was very important for us because we quickly realized that the victims would bring us to truly understand our mission and what it was all about. We soon realized that sexual abuse in the Church was not just a problem of a few black sheep but a much deeper issue. We learned this from the victims.

That is why we have taken care to punctuate the report with victims stories. The book From Victims to Witnesses was conceived as a memorial of words, based on the testimonies received, to begin to repair the damage.

The role of writing, of listening, of speaking is very important. Some victims came to us looking for some sort of verbal validation of what they had experienced, to give the reality of the crime a social form.

So testimonies are already a form of reparation?

One victim told me that the book brought a resolution of rape through writing. As if the rape was a tear in the narrative of his life, an attack on his ability to speak, and that talking about it would repair what he had experienced. The role of writing, of listening, of speaking is very important. We tried to respond to this by publishing this report and this book.

As a childrens judge, I have dealt with many cases of sexual abuse involving children who were abused or for whom there were suspicions of abuse or mistreatment. In Ciase, I saw the same people again, but 50 years later, that is to say raped at 10 or 11 years old, whose lives were devastated and who could only talk about it 40 years later. Their lives were destroyed by an initial abuse that devastated them and they never recovered. Some victims came to us looking for some sort of verbal validation of what they had experienced, to give the reality of the crime a social form.

Many of them managed to overcome this, but most of their lifes energy was devoted to fighting against the symptoms they experienced: the inability to love, to be touched When we published From Victims to Witnesses, I received almost every day absolutely heartbreaking letters that confirmed to what extent the words of witnesses and the listening of the members of Ciase had been in themselves restorative.

Reparation does not only repair the acts themselves, it also repairs a culture that made such crimes possible with virtual impunity. It is the fact of finally talking about it, 50 years later, that provides reparation.

This non-state commission, similar to a truth commission, is in many ways a transitional justice process. What were its political objectives?

Ciase was a commission of inquiry to establish the reality and extent of a massive crime, not a mass crime. Then there was talk of setting up reparations commissions, one for victims of diocesan priests and another for victims of priests from congregations. This is where this dimension of reparation comes in. Reparation does not only repair the acts themselves, it also repairs a culture that made such crimes possible with virtual impunity. It is the fact of finally talking about it, 50 years later, that provides reparation.

I often draw parallels between transitional justice for mass crimes and the #MeToo cause. In both cases, dignity is restored by words. I think of Claire Nouvian, who testified that she was assaulted by Nicolas Hulot, and who said, Mr. Hulot, face up to your crime, dont back down. This I have heard very often from victims of the Church: Live up to what you have done. Today the Church has responded, belatedly of course, but it has done so by saying, Yes we are responsible, yes it is systemic. These words have a restorative effect, beyond individual cases.

Can we go so far as to say that this Commission has set in motion a phase of transition, after documenting the massive sexual abuse in the Church?

I have reservations about this term transition because it can be read in two ways. The weaker reading is to believe that this is a suspended moment and that we will return to a period almost identical to before. Its like the version of American NGOs in the 2000s, who promoted transitional justice in a kit.

What is interesting about the stronger reading of transitional justice is that there is a collapse of politics. The administrative apparatus, justice and law have been put at the service of dealing in an organized way with mass violence. This is what we saw with Nazism and apartheid, for example. For the Church, there is something that has collapsed  an institution that promises salvation and sows death. Something sacred that turns into its opposite. If we take this strong reading, it means that the term transition seems less and less appropriate: it is not a question of finding oneself as before, but of returning transformed by the lessons learned from collective violence and crime.

The report shows that most of the cases are time-barred. Sexual abuse in the Church is the perfect crime. Its a crime without a trace.

What do these revelations about the scale of the crimes and the failure of the justice system to act on lawlessness in the Church inspire in you?

The report shows that most of the cases are time-barred, because sexual abuse in the Church is the perfect crime. If a 40 or 50-year-old priest rapes a ten-year-old boy, and we know that it takes 35 years before he can speak out, well when he does the priest is in most cases dead or very old. So its a crime without a trace, all things being equal of course: the facts are not always present in the memory of the victims, but the consequences are visible to them.

The judicial system is not the only one responsible because, in many cases, we realize that it was a whole society that covered up for the priests, not only the Catholic hierarchy but also the families. Victims have told us that, as children, it was impossible for them to talk to their parents because they adored the priest. One victim told me that she had filed a complaint with the gendarmerie, which was very courageous of her in the 1960s, and the gendarmes said to her: But what are you saying against Father X, what nonsense you are saying about this good priest. Then 20 years later, the priest died in prison, sentenced to 20 years of criminal imprisonment. So this concerns the whole society.

Secondly, it is not only a problem of crimes being time-barred but also an imperfection of the criminal process that is at issue. If the judicial system is not up to the task, it is not only for bad reasons. Indeed, and this is the core issue, one does not convict someone without evidence. And finding evidence in a place that is by definition private, away from the eyes of others, is difficult. Consent or lack of consent is not marked on the forehead. So evidence is generally lacking for sexual abuse and is even more lacking after 40 years.

We need to treat sexual violence with different reasoning than those of criminal justice. Restorative justice is also a way for victims to re-appropriate their history.

The Ciase report underlines the role that restorative justice can play. In what way do you think it is a fundamental way to provide reparation to these victims?

Here, the concept of restorative justice plays its full role. Because we need to treat sexual violence with different reasoning and different foundations than those of criminal justice. Restorative justice is also a way for victims to re-appropriate their history. Victims of rape say that they filed a complaint, the police heard them, then lawyers took over the case, activists took over their story, and judges made nice trials. Many victims feel completely dispossessed of their history.

This is part of the revolution in thinking that needs to take place: how victims can keep control of their story. Restorative justice thus reconsiders the telling of ones suffering as a step forward. I think of people in particular who have said to me, I dont want to hurt the Church. I want to tell the hurt that it did to me, but I dont want it to go any further.

But how to stay as close as possible to people, to their experience, to what they say?

This is a big challenge. We need to think about restorative justice that welcomes people in their singularity. Veronique Le Goaziou, a sociologist specializing in violence against women, shows that in feminist associations, the women who are militant and shout loudly in the street never go to court. They talk about others but not about themselves. This raises questions about intimacy, about owning ones own words, about tension between being and having. On the one hand, we have a justice system that is focused on having, on form, on quantification; and on the other hand, we have victims who understand their destiny not in terms of suffering but in terms of being prevented from being, which is completely different.

One should not confuse the spirit of reparative justice with its form. We start from the idea that there are several forms to invent, to co-construct with the victims.

In concrete terms, how is restorative justice implemented?

It is better to speak of reparative justice because this word reparation was given to us by members of the Church. And one should not confuse the spirit of reparative justice with its form. A face to face meeting between the aggressor and the victim is one form; what is sought in this meeting? Is it to humanize the victim, the perpetrator? We start from the idea that there are several forms to invent, to co-construct with the victims, which will be different each time. There is no set recipe for restorative justice, it is not at all dogmatic.

My commission will also study the question of control. A 60-year-old victim confided to me that, as a child, she would have thrown herself into icy water if her priest had asked her to.

On November 19, you were appointed by the Conference of Monks and Nuns of France (Corref) to chair an independent Commission for Recognition and Reparation (CIRR). How does it differ from the Independent National Instance for Recognition and Reparation (INIRR), created by the French Bishops Conference (CEF) on November 8?

Corref trusted me to create an independent commission from scratch. The aim is that as little as possible should differ from that carried out by the CEF, since the idea is to work together. Until now, positions have diverged. Until the day before the end of their general assembly, the bishops said: The Church is charitable but not guilty, whereas the discourse of the Corref was rather to say: The Church is guilty, it has a debt of justice. The establishment of these two commissions shows that the bishops have evolved and are following the positions of Corref.

However, we do not have the same remit. Corref and CEF have appointed a different president for each of their commissions. Marie Derain de Vaucresson, a lawyer specializing in childrens rights, heads the Independent National Commission for Recognition and Reparations of the CEF, and I head the second. My commission will deal with vulnerable adults, that is to say it will also study the question of control. A 60-year-old victim confided to me that, as a child, she would have thrown herself into icy water if her priest had asked her to.

Have victims already approached you in the context of this new commission?

We have already received more than 40 requests in ten days. I notice that victims ask for very different things: a face-to-face meeting with the institution to which the abuser belonged, money, to be registered in an official register of victims The requests are completely different and our goal is to try to respect this diversity, precisely to have the most individualized treatment possible.

What experience will you draw on when faced with such a challenge?

When you have experienced human density, what happens between you and a victim during a hearing, you cannot turn down a request like this. So I will draw on those three years of experience of victim hearings at Ciase and on what I have seen in other contexts, notably before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. What I find particularly motivating is that, for once, this is going to take place in France, between French people, in the very heart of French identity, which is the Catholic Church.

There is a special dimension for victims of the Church: the intervention of the sacred. How can these same men who groped me celebrate mass afterwards?

Transitional justice has failed more often than it has succeeded in terms of reparations. What do you see as the criteria for success in such a mission?

The objective is to allow victims to start again in their being, to regain the energy to be and the capacity to face the future, to build their future, whether they are 75, 45 or 20 years old, without being burdened by their past and being weighed down. So how do we know its working? A lot of people say thank you, but there are all the people we havent been able to reach. As the report showed, there are a huge number of victims who have not spoken out, who remain locked in their silence, depression and loneliness. So our main concern is to put things in place to reach them, to reach the very people we have trouble reaching. This is very difficult.

I met a lot of people and one in particular was close to being homeless: he was completely lost because he had been abandoned by his mother at age two, placed in a home and abused for ten years. And he had no recourse because he had no one outside that home. I can say that there is a special dimension for victims of the Church; this intervention of the sacred is very disturbing for people. How can these same men who groped me celebrate mass afterwards? There is a lack of understanding, it is scandalous. We cant get over it. Its a betrayal of adults, in the mind of a young person.

Do you feel you can do something about the causes?

It is not our job to treat the causes. But we have set up a research unit that will help us better understand and help the Church and the congregations to learn all the lessons that need to be learned. It is always easier to have perspective for us who are outside the Church than for people whose whole life is the Church. It is terrible for a bishop to denounce one of his priests with whom he has a fraternal relationship, it is terrible to look the wreckage of a congregation in the face. Perhaps our work can help find solutions.

Money is not the only thing, but it is important for the victims. Olivier Savignac, president of a collective of victims of sexual abuse in the Church, speaks of more than two billion euros. Will the Church pay?

Im not sure it will cost that much. Many victims are elderly and money is not their major problem in most cases: what can you expect from money when most of your life is behind you? In any case, the Church says it is ready to repair, so we must believe it! The president of the French Bishops Conference, Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, has said that he will follow the Ciase report.

This phrase crimes that can neither be punished nor forgiven applies quite well to these crimes. We cannot punish them because of the statute of limitations but we cannot forgive them, so what can we do?

Do you consider these crimes to be among those that can neither be punished nor forgiven, as you wrote in a book published twenty years ago?

Yes, its funny you say that, because I was thinking recently about that title I chose, which is not mine but Hannah Arendts. This phrase crimes that can neither be punished nor forgiven applies quite well to these crimes. We cannot punish them because of the statute of limitations but we cannot forgive them, so what can we do? This is what I am working on.
As of December 10, 2021, 22,951 migrants have died or gone missing since 2014 trying to cross the Mediterranean for Europe, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The first half of 2021 shows a record number, with 1,146 people dying while trying to reach Europe, a figure that has doubled in one year. And that is probably far below the tragic daily reality.

The IOM says that two-thirds of the deaths recorded by its teams are people lost at sea without trace and that, in reality, many fatal journeys go completely unnoticed.

As early as 2017, Agnes Callamard, then UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions denounced the unlawful killing of refugees and migrants and pointed to killings committed by state and non-state actors creating a regime of almost widespread impunity. Directly confronted with the influx of people crossing the Mediterranean, Italy initially responded in a concrete manner by launching the Mare Nostrum search and rescue operation. However, due to the lack of support from other EU member states and the cost of this operation, this programme was abandoned in October 2014, leaving the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (Frontex) to take its place. Frontexs primary objective is not to prevent loss of life but control borders and fight criminal networks.

Quasi-systematic pattern of human rights violations

Refoulements, inhuman and degrading treatment, arbitrary detentions, non-assistance to persons in danger at sea, enslavement, rape, torture: For the past ten years, NGOs have continued to denounce a quasi-systematic pattern of human rights violations under the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugee Status, the Conventions on the Law of the Sea, or the Convention against Torture, depending on the case, for people fearing persecution if they return to their country of origin and who find themselves trapped in states like Libya, where they become victims of criminal acts sometimes even more serious.

These same NGOs also provide legal support to victims and initiate proceedings before national and European criminal courts, the UN Human Rights Committee, European and international authorities.

In 2012, the European Court of Human Rights condemned Italy for returning migrants to Libya, noting that the standards for rescuing people at sea and in the fight against human trafficking require states to respect obligations under refugee law, including the principle of non-refoulement. The Court thus considered that by returning these persons to Libya, the Italian authorities had knowingly exposed them to treatment contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Pressure is now mounting for international criminal justice to take up this issue.

A crime against humanity?

Since 2010, by a vote of the UN Security Council, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has had jurisdiction over international crimes committed in Libya. In November 2020, then ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said she was continuing her investigations into these alleged crimes, including against displaced persons and foreigners who continue to be victims of trafficking and crimes such as torture. But can these human rights violations be qualified as international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity or war crimes, and therefore fall under the jurisdiction of the ICC?

A crime against humanity is defined as a number of acts, including torture, slavery, persecution or murder, when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack, according to the ICC Statute. It must be shown that the multiple commission of these serious acts took place pursuant to or in furtherance of the policy of a State or organization The State or organization must actively promote or encourage such an attack. But in exceptional circumstances, such a policy may take the form of a deliberate failure to act, whereby the State or organization consciously intends to encourage such an attack. The existence of such a policy cannot, however, be inferred from the mere fact that the State or organization refrains from action.

Libya, migrants and the ICC

In June 2019, lawyers Juan Branco and Omer Shatz first sought to target such state policy. In a communication filed with the ICC Prosecutor, they argued that the European Union and its member states were committing murder, inhumane treatment and forced displacement against migrants trying to flee Libya and that this policy was aimed at stemming the flow of migrants to Europe at all costs, including through the killing of thousands of innocent civilians fleeing an area of armed conflict.

On 23 November 2021, together with survivors, the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Lawyers for Justice in Libya (LFJL) in turn filed such a communication with the ICC Prosecutor, urging the Court to investigate the responsibility of armed groups, militias and any Libyan state actor in the commission of crimes against refugees and migrants, including arbitrary detention, torture, murder, persecution, sexual violence and slavery. The 250-page communication has remained confidential, but a public summary report has been published by the organisations and is available online. The report explains that the communication is based on the testimony of 14 victims and on investigation reports by the UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya, Amnesty International and other NGOs, focusing on the Libyan situation in particular. It notes the widespread and systematic nature of the crimes committed against migrants and links them to the official ICC investigation in Libya.

According to these organizations, the conflict has fostered a growing instability and security crisis in the country that exacerbates discrimination and hostility towards migrants, as well as an extreme worsening of their living conditions. They report that these people are forced to work for armed groups, including by transporting arms, or even by directly participating in hostilities and identify links between the main actors involved in the armed conflict and the perpetrators of these crimes. Finally, they highlight a financial link between the conflict and the systematic exploitation of migrants and refugees, an income-generating activity at the heart of the conflict economy.

The responsibility of European states

ECCHR, FIDH and LJFL conclude that these contextual elements testify to the existence of a state policy against migrants and refugees, thus qualifying these crimes as crimes against humanity. They specify that most of these crimes took place in the context of an ongoing armed conflict and therefore constitute war crimes. Finally, they add that EU policies have trapped migrants and refugees in Libya and thus contribute significantly to this grave situation.

Does this mean that European leaders are accomplices in a crime against humanity or a war crime? The NGO report does not go so far. It analyses European policies and their impact but does not, at this stage, qualify the involvement of European actors in complicity. It focuses on the contextual elements, the qualification of the crimes and the responsibility of the highest officials in Libya.

The qualification of war crimes for acts committed against migrants in Libya has already been advanced in an op-ed by Alessandro Pizzuti, co-founder of the NGO UpRights, following the arrest on 14 October 2020 of a coastguard commander, Abd al-Rahman al-Milad (aka al-Bidja), on charges related to human trafficking and oil smuggling.

Qualifying war crimes

War crimes include a number of acts such as wilful killing, torture, inhuman treatment, unlawful detention committed in the context of and in connection with armed conflict. Alessandro Pizzuti recalled the findings of the UN experts on Libya that al-Milad is linked to the Shuhada al-Nasr Brigade, an armed group controlling the al-Zawiya oil complex and the al-Nasr migrant detention centre in al-Zawiya, on Libyas west coast. The UN panel stated that migrants intercepted at sea by al-Milad, as commander of the coast guard in al-Zawiya, were transferred to the al-Nasr detention centre, where they were allegedly held in inhumane conditions and subjected to the following acts: systematic torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, including against minors, and sexual exploitation, including the sale of some women as sex slaves.

UpRights believes that these human rights violations against migrants meet the necessary criteria to qualify as war crimes before the ICC: existence of a non-international armed conflict since 2011, relevant criminal acts perpetrated in connection with the armed conflict.

The issue is tricky, to say the least, as the aim is to demonstrate a link between the criminal conduct and the armed conflict, to show that the armed conflict played a substantial role in the perpetrators ability to commit the crime, his decision to commit it, the purpose for which it was committed or the manner in which it was committed. This includes demonstrating that human trafficking would be a resource for the armed group Shuhada al-Nasr and that these crimes are committed to finance military operations.

But it is at least one more reason for the ICC Prosecutors office to start investigating the financing of this group and the use of this financing.

On 23 November 2021, Karim Khan, who replaced Fatou Bensouda as ICC Prosecutor last June, presented his report on the situation in Libya to the UN Security Council. He cited reports of violent raids on migrant camps in Tripoli, and noted arbitrary arrests and detentions of migrants, including women and children. It is known that a cooperation agreement between the ICC and Europol is in the process of being signed, the purpose of which is to identify those responsible for crimes committed against migrants. But it seems for the time being that the Prosecutor does not want to pronounce on a possible qualification of crime against humanity or war crime, which Chantal Meloni, senior legal adviser of the ECCHR, and Xuchen Zhang, researcher within the same NGO, noted in an article published a few days later on the OpinioJuris website

Not only the Mediterranean sea

Pressure on the ICC Prosecutor, as well as on national judicial bodies, is unlikely to abate. Libya and the Mediterranean are certainly at the centre of the drama and initiatives to ensure that criminal responsibilities are established. The number of migrants missing in the Mediterranean accounts for half of the migrants missing worldwide since 2014, according to the IOM. But the problem is not limited to this region.

On November 24, 27 foreigners trying to reach the British coast died in the English Channel after their boat sank, a tragedy that calls into question the policies of France and the United Kingdom on foreigners and asylum seekers in Europe. On the other side of the world, Australia, the first state to implement a policy of outsourcing the reception of foreigners, is also targeted by another communication filed with the ICC by a group of legal experts, in collaboration with the Stanford University Law Clinic and the NGO Global Legal Action Network. They call for an investigation into the inhuman and degrading treatment, sexual violence and arbitrary detention  which they describe as crimes against humanity  committed over decades against foreigners in closed offshore facilities established and maintained by the Australian authorities.

The European Unions policy of outsourcing its border control (in other words, subcontracting the control of entry into European territory) and creation of artificial shields like Turkey to oppose the arrival of foreigners, asylum seekers and refugees on its territory, creates situations of extreme risk. This short-term policy, without any reflection on the question as a whole, seems to be a way of absolving itself of a responsibility that European states assumed when they signed the 1951 Refugee Convention, namely that of protecting anyone who flees their country of origin for fear of persecution.

It is therefore up to the ICC Prosecutor and national judiciaries to address the causes and entities responsible for this situation, in the interest of truth and justice.

Recommended reading Could the ICC address human trafficking as an international crime?
The United Nations warned Friday that all sides in Ethiopias 13-month conflict were committing severe abuses, and cautioned that generalised violence could ensue, with implications for the entire region.

Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council, deputy rights chief Nada Al-Nashif warned that the risk in Ethiopia of increasing hatred, violence and discrimination is very high.

This, she said, could allow the already brutal conflict to escalate into generalised violence, (with) major implications, not only for millions of people in Ethiopia, but also across the region.

Her comments came at the start of an emergency council session to address the spiralling conflict which the UN says has left thousands dead, displaced more than two million people and pushed hundreds of thousands to the brink of famine.

The session was requested by the European Union, with the support of more than 50 countries, urging the body to stand up to its responsibilities.

The international community has a moral obligation to try to prevent further atrocities and ensure accountability and justice for victims and survivors, Lotte Knudsen, the EU ambassador in Geneva said in a statement earlier this week.

The EU and others are pushing for the council to launch an international investigation into abuses committed in the country since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray in November 2020 after accusing the regions dissident ruling party of attacks on federal army camps.

The Nobel Peace laureate declared victory over the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, but rebel fighters staged a shock comeback, recapturing most of Tigray and pushing into neighbouring Afar and Amhara.

The rebels reportedly reached around 200 kilometres (125 miles) outside of Addis Ababa by road, but in recent weeks the battle lines have shifted as pro-government forces have reclaimed strategic towns.

During Fridays session, the EU will present a draft resolution calling on the council to create an international commission of human rights experts on Ethiopia to investigate a wide range of alleged violations and abuses by all sides in the conflict.

The team of three experts should seek to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged violations and abuses, to collect and preserve evidence, and to identify those responsible.

Ethiopias government has slammed the decision to hold the special session and has urged countries to vote against the draft text.

A joint investigation by the UN rights office warned last month that possible war crimes and crimes against humanity had been committed by all sides during the Tigray conflict.

And Al-Nashif said Friday that the rights office had since then continued to receive credible reports of severe human rights violations and abuses by all parties.
Genocide charges against a Cambodian ex-Khmer Rouge commander were dropped on Friday by the United Nations-backed court set up to try leaders of the brutal regime, according to a statement.

The Khmer Rouge, also known as the Communist Party of Kampuchea, sought to transform Cambodia into an agrarian utopia, but instead killed as many as two million people.

Ex-navy commander Meas Muth was charged in 2015 with genocide against Cambodias ethnic Vietnamese minority during Khmer Rouge rule from 1975 to 1979.

He was also charged with torture, premeditated homicide and crimes against humanity, although wrangling between Cambodian and international judges meant he was never summoned to appear before the court.

The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), as the tribunal is formally known, was set up with UN backing in 2006 using a mix of Cambodian and international law.

It has convicted three people and cost more than $300 million.

The court announced Friday it was terminating the case against Meas Muth in the absence of a definitive and enforceable indictment.

Cambodian judges had argued Meas Muth was too junior to fall under the courts jurisdiction of trying senior Khmer Rouge leaders.

The leader of the Khmer Rouge, Brother Number One Pol Pot, died in 1998 without facing trial.

While the Khmer Rouge starved, executed and worked to death up to a quarter of the population, the tribunal did not consider genocide charges in relation to the Khmer victims, but only in regards to the ethnic Vietnamese and Cham Muslim minority groups.

Brother Number Two Nuon Chea, considered the Khmer Rouges chief ideologue, was jailed for life in 2018 after being found guilty of genocide against the minorities as well as a litany of other crimes, including forced marriages and rape.

He was sentenced alongside the regimes former head of state Khieu Samphan, who launched an appeal in August against his genocide conviction and a decision is due next year.

The court also secured a conviction against the Khmer Rouges interrogator-in-chief Kaing Guek Eav, better known by his alias Duch, who died behind bars.

Strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen  himself a former Khmer Rouge cadre  has spoken against any further cases at the tribunal, claiming it would plunge the country into instability.

The hybrid court will end soon, he said on Wednesday.
Ethiopias northern Tigray region erupted in violence nearly 14 months ago with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sending troops to topple the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF).

The United Nations is opening a probe into the extreme brutality of the conflict, despite protests from Addis Ababa.

Here is a timeline of the fighting:

 2020: Troops enter Tigray 

Military action begins on November 4, 2020, when Abiy orders a response to what he calls a traitorous attack on federal army camps in Tigray.

He blames it on the regions ruling party the TPLF, which dominated Ethiopian politics for nearly three decades before he took office in 2018.

 War crimes 

After 10 days of fighting, the UN warns of possible war crimes in Tigray.

Neighbouring Eritrea  with which Abiy signed a peace deal in 2018 that helped him win the Nobel Peace Prize  is reported to have sent troops into Tigray to help the Ethiopian forces.

Two weeks later Abiy takes Tigrays capital Mekele.

On November 28, he declares military operations are completed, but fighting continues.

 2021: Ethnic cleansing 

In February 2021 Amnesty International says Eritrean soldiers killed hundreds of civilians in November in the holy city of Axum.

For months Ethiopia and Eritrea deny the involvement of Eritrean forces though Washington speaks of ethnic cleansing.

On March 23, Abiy admits the presence of Eritrean troops and officials say they massacred more than 100 civilians in Axum.

Elections are held across much of Ethiopia, but not in Tigray.

 Tigrayans advance 

The rebels mount a shock comeback and retake Mekele in late June, before pushing into the neighbouring regions of Amhara and Afar.

By July 3, the UN says 400,000 people are on the brink of famine in Tigray.

The rebels rebuff US calls to withdraw and on August 10 Abiy urges civilians to join the Ethiopian army.

 Rebel alliance 

Abiy is sworn in for a new five-year term in office on October 4.

Two weeks later, Ethiopian aircraft launch deadly strikes on Mekele and elsewhere in Tigray.

In late October the rebels claim control of two key cities in Amhara  less than 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of Addis Ababa.

The government denies the claim but declares a state of emergency across the country on November 2.

The following day a joint UN-Ethiopian report says crimes against humanity could have been committed by all sides.

 Ceasefire calls 

Several countries, including the US, tell their nationals to leave Ethiopia.

The UN Security Council calls for a ceasefire.

On November 12, Washington slaps sanctions on Eritreas ruling party and army.

 Abiy at the front 

Abiy arrives on the frontline on November 24 to personally lead the counter-offensive, official media says.

The next day the government puts new restrictions on sharing information about the war.

On December 1 the government says it has recaptured several towns, including the UNESCO World Heritage site Lalibela.

UN humanitarian flights and convoys between Addis Ababa and Mekele resume.

Five days later, the government claims to have retaken the strategic towns of Dessie and Kombolcha.

Abiy announces his return to the capital after two weeks at the frontline but the rebels recapture Lalibela on December 12.

 UN abuses probe 

The UN Human Rights Council votes on Friday to launch a investigation into abuses as fears of a more generalised conflict grow. Addis Ababa strenuously objects, calling it neo-colonialist.

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Brazils health regulator said Friday it refused to bow to threats after President Jair Bolsonaro said he wanted the names revealed of those who approved Covid-19 vaccines for children, a remark agency employees called fascist.

The latest row over the far-right presidents controversial pandemic response erupted after federal health regulator Anvisa approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Thursday for use in children aged five to 11, joining a growing list of countries extending vaccination to kids.

Reacting to the announcement in his weekly Facebook live address to supporters, Bolsonaro said he wanted the names of those at the independent agency who made the decision.

We want to publish those peoples names, said the former army captain, who has refused to be vaccinated himself.

You have the right to know the names of the people who approved the vaccine for your children.

Responding to the presidents comments, Anvisa said its officials have been receiving death threats since October over their role in evaluating and approving Covid-19 vaccines, and suggested Bolsonaros words could add fuel to the fire.

This agency has become a focus and target of violent political activism, it said in a statement.

Anvisa vehemently repudiates and rejects any threat, explicit or veiled, aimed at constraining, intimidating or compromising its ability to  protect citizens health.

An association representing employees of the health regulator, Univisa, also strongly condemned Bolsonaros comments.

It looks like a threat of retaliation that resorts to inciting private citizens, an openly fascist method whose results could prove tragic and violent, it said.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly provoked controversy with his handling of the pandemic, from downplaying the virus as a little flu to flouting experts recommendations on stay-at-home measures, face masks and vaccines.

In October, a Senate investigative committee recommended he face criminal charges, including crimes against humanity, for his governments response to Covid-19, which has claimed more than 615,000 lives in Brazil, second only to the United States.

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Meta
After China banned the import of products from German manufacturers in Lithuania, Germanys powerful business lobby slammed China.

After companies from other EU member states were attracted by Chinas decision to ban imports from the Baltic States, BDI accused Beijing of destructive own goals.

Chinas latest measures against Lithuania amount to a trade boycott and will affect the entire European Union, it said. The German manufacturing plants in Lithuania that need to import products from China are also affected, and German exports to China also include Lithuanian components.

In the long run, Chinas upgrade is a devastating goal of its own. This shows that China is ready to decouple economically from its politically unpopular partners. BDI is very clear that the value chain that is the core of the EUs single market is affected. Any damage cannot be tolerated.

However, in criticizing Lithuanias move to strengthen relations with Taiwan, the move triggered a crisis and it criticized individual countries that were out of touch with EU policy.China is Germanys largest trading partner, The value of commodity transactions in 2020 is 213 billion Euros.

Maintaining a high-level economic relationship with China is still important, BDI said. Its statement will put pressure on Berlin for diplomatic intervention.

According to people familiar with the matter, German blue-chip auto parts supplier Continental is one of the companies that has been blocked by Chinese customs authorities from exporting. The company produces telematics control units in a factory in Kaunas, Lithuania.

China Blocked all imports from Lithuania earlier this monthAfter the Baltic States allowed Taiwan to open a de facto consulate in its capital, Vilnius. Beijing, which regards Taiwan as part of China, has also suspended consular services in Lithuania. Vilnius withdrew its diplomats from China out of concerns about their safety.

But Chinas import ban on Lithuania is now beginning to hurt foreign companies that build manufacturing facilities in this low-cost country.

An industry representative in Lithuania told the Financial Times that Lithuanian officials met with the European Commission on Friday.

The EU is preparing a legal case at the World Trade Organization, which may take several months.

A person familiar with the matter said that Continental Airlines, which operates in 58 countries/regions, is considering shipping products from Lithuania through other countries/regions to avoid further blockades by China. The company declined to comment.

According to an industry representative, Hella, another German supplier with a large factory in Lithuania, also encountered difficulties exporting to China, as did small companies doing business in the country. Hella did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesman for the German Ministry of Economic Affairs said that it was aware of the difficulties Continental Airlines had encountered and was concerned about the developments, but did not elaborate on the coalition governments plans.

Florian Schroeder, managing director of the German-Baltic Chamber of Commerce, said that several German companies have been seeking advice from the agency after encountering difficulties in importing and exporting products.

For the past 5 years, we have been working hard to build a cluster of small car suppliers, he told the Financial Times.

Now that things have escalated, many German and Lithuanian companies have been affected.

Chinese officials denied ordering any action, but told the European Union that private logistics companies and importers might angrily avoid Lithuanian goods because of Lithuanias links with Taiwan.

Brussels is collecting evidence, but many companies worry that if they complain, they will be completely excluded from China.

Additional report by Richard Milne in Oslo
Last week, the House of Representatives of Brazils Congress approved a new cryptocurrency bill, which is currently awaiting review and approval by the Senate. If the project is approved, it will introduce a central agency to supervise all cryptocurrency brokerage activities  ostensibly the Central Bank of Brazil  and impose new penalties on crypto-related crimes.

Brazils House of Representatives passes new encryption bill

House of Representatives of the Brazilian Congress Officially recognized New proposed legislation aimed at clarifying the regulation of cryptocurrencies in the country. The project was identified as Act No. 2303/15, proposed by Deputy Aureo Ribeiro, which established the definition of exchanges and virtual currencies. It also needs a central agency to oversee all cryptocurrency-based businesses, which will be appointed by the government administration. The bill will now be submitted to the Senate, which will finally decide whether to pass it into law.

The regulation does not mention cryptocurrency by name, but uses the term virtual currency. However, the project does clarify that it will not affect the national legal currency (real), other international currencies, or the digital representation of bonus points provided by certain companies in advertising campaigns. Virtual currency is defined as a value expression that can be used electronically for payment or investment purposes.

Severe penalties and central regulators

The text includes specific penalties for crimes related to cryptocurrency and establishes new penalties for exchanges or parties who illegally manage cryptocurrency portfolios for third parties. This crime is classified as a form of corruption and will be punishable by imprisonment and fines of four to eight years.

Although the bill establishes a central regulatory agency, it cannot be clearly named for legal reasons. However, Expedito Netto, the rapporteur of the committee responsible for the law, stated that this institution is likely to be the countrys central bank.

If approved, Brazil will join a group of countries in Latin America that have established specific rules for cryptocurrency assets that are classified differently from other similar assets. El Salvador is one of these countries and recently approved the so-called Bitcoin Law. Establish Bitcoin serves as the countrys legal tender.

Paraguay has also taken a step in this direction, introduce A bill regulating cryptocurrencies in July. However, the legislation aims to establish control over encrypted transactions, not to treat Bitcoin as a currency, but as a commodity.

What do you think of Brazils cryptocurrency bill? Tell us in the comments section below.

Sergio Goshenko Sergio is a cryptocurrency journalist based in Venezuela. He described himself late and entered the crypto space when prices rose in December 2017. With a background in computer engineering, living in Venezuela, and being affected by the cryptocurrency boom at the social level, he offers a different perspective on the success of cryptography and how it can help people without bank accounts and underserved people.

Image Source: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons

Disclaimer: This article is for reference only. It is not a direct offer or invitation to buy or sell, nor is it a recommendation or endorsement of any product, service or company. Bitcoin Network Does not provide investment, tax, legal or accounting advice. The company or the author is not directly or indirectly responsible for any damage or loss caused or claimed to be caused by using or relying on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.
According to a study published on Friday, early detection and increased screening for lung cancer is saving lives.

filter Using CT scans and tracking patients with potential cancer helps doctors identify precancerous lesions and Early cancer Researchers from the Mount Sinai Health System reported in an article published on JAMA Network Open that surgical removal of tissue growth has led to a decline in lung cancer deaths.

The studys lead author and chair of Thoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Health System, Dr. Raja Flores, said that the non-profit health system team started one of the largest population-based studies to study the link between lung cancer screening and survival rates. in New York.These findings reflect the National Cancer Institutes National Lung Screening Trial He said that starting in 2011.

We have to realize that we have cured lung cancer: this is called surgery, Flores said. The problem is that we havent found it early enough.

Flores said that although certain drugs have been shown to prolong survival, the only way to cure lung cancer is to detect and cure it early.

The Mount Sinai researchers analyzed data from the National Cancer Institutes surveillance, epidemiology, and final results program on 312,382 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, and determined that from 2006 to 2016, the number of lung cancer deaths fell by an average of 4% each year.

In these 10 years, the early diagnosis rate has risen significantly from 26.5% to 31.2%, and the late diagnosis rate has dropped from 70.8% to 66.1%. It is determined that the median survival time of patients with early stage lung cancer is close to five years, while the median survival time of advanced cancer patients is 7 months.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended in 2013 that individuals at risk of developing lung cancer should have a CT scan every year. These tests usually find cancer in 24.2% of screenings, while chest X-rays find cancer in only 6.9% of the time.

Despite this, only about 5% of eligible patients were tested, the study author, Dr. Emanuela Taioli, associate director of population science at the Tisch Cancer Institute in Mount Sinai, said in a press conference.

Nationwide, lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths, with more than 200,000 people being diagnosed each year.

Dr. Claudia Henschke, professor of diagnostics, molecular and interventional radiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said at a press conference that the results of the Mount Sinai study emphasize the need for screening of high-risk populations, and the health system needs to consider broader eligibility criteria. .

If all people who are eligible for screening receive a low-dose CT scan, the radiation dose is equivalent to an annual mammogram, we can save up to 80% of people, Henschke said. Our lung cancer screening program is open to all people at risk of developing lung cancer, anyone 40 years and older, regardless of whether they have never smoked, currently smoked, or previously smoked.

Flores said that doctors need to help patients understand that if they are screened early, the chance of a cure is four out of five.

Previous studies have also explored the historical links between non-small cell lung cancer mortality and programs designed to help individuals quit smoking, early intervention and targeted therapy.

He said that Wolfgang Lehner (Wolfgang Lehner) of Brooklyn, New York received multiple screenings, and his early diagnosis was luck, which led to his lung cancer survival.

Reiner is 62 years old. He started smoking in his hometown of Austria when he was 15 and quit in 2010 35 years later.

Because of his symptoms, age, and smoking history, Dr. Sinai advised Reiner to see a pulmonary specialist and perform a biopsy. He said that when the results showed that adenocarcinoma grew slowly, Lehner felt lucky to be able to detect the cancer early. Less than a month later, he removed the growth.

People sometimes dont want to know if they are sick, because the health insurance situation can become very expensive, Rainer said. People should overcome fear and self-examine.
UPMC is launching it as the legendary story of recruiting nurses charged by an internal travel agency.

The academic health system in Pittsburgh aims to recruit (internal and external) approximately 800 nurses and 13 surgical technicians to participate in its travel program. Leaders there said they hope that providing workers with this option can add a tool to their recruitment toolbox. Unlike a typical staffing agency, this agency will only provide services to UPMCs 40 hospitals and other facilities.

This is bold. This is new. We will try it, said Tami Minnier, UPMCs Chief Quality and Operational Excellence Officer. In solving this problem, we will learn and find the best solution.

Minnier said UPMC has lost nurses to the tourism industry, which is a particularly disruptive trend because the system has withstood a severe shortage of nurses.The governor of Pennsylvania asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday Dispatch a commando for the hospital And other healthcare providers.

The goal is to motivate UPMC employees who want to try travel care at UPMC. She said that in this way, they can keep their benefits, retirement plans, seniority, and return to the same position and location after finishing their work. UPMC will relocate employees participating in the travel program every six weeks.

If you can reinvent yourself, but still stay in the same company, boy, we think this is a real win-win situation, Minnier said.

UPMC also hopes to attract nurses from other parts of the country to Pennsylvania, where most of its 40 hospitals are located. The system also has a hospital in New York and a hospital in Maryland.

UPMC will pay the nurses participating in the program an hourly remuneration of $85. Surgical technicians can earn $63 per hour. Minnier said she believes these rates will be competitive with traditional HR intermediaries. She said that although the current average salary of personnel agencies nationwide is between US$200 and US$225 per hour, the income of nurses is much lower.

A large part of this will be used for the profits of these companies, she said. I am totally in favor of competition, but we are also in the midst of a pandemic in healthcare. We have a social responsibility in healthcare to take care of people.

Not all staffing agencies provide benefits, so UPMC believes this will be another incentive.

Our welfare package is very rich; very reliable, Minnier said. It adds a large percentage to the hourly rate.

Part of the reason UPMC did this is that it is one of the few organizations with resources, Adam Seth Litwin, associate professor of industry and labor relations at Cornell University, wrote in an email. UPMC draws $23 billion in revenue In 2020.

Not only that, UPMC has tried more targeted recruitment strategies, such as signing bonuses, and wants to try some big and bold things, Litwin said.

As they work to resolve their staffing issues, they may include registered nurses who do not want or need to be in the greater Pittsburgh area into the recruitment network, he said. So they realized,As long as we have this large machine up and running, why not try to participate in it too?'

Earlier this week, nurses from UPMC Altoona Visited the system headquarters in Pittsburgh To solve the staffing crisis. SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvanias member nurses encourage attention to recruitment and retention, rather than rewards and travel nurses.

Minnier of UPMC said that the system has gone all out in recruiting. In the past six months, it has added bonuses for sign-in, bonuses for extra shifts, and bonuses for weekend work and off-duty. She said that not all unions accept these benefits.

Jodi Faltin, a registered nurse at UPMC Shadyside in Pittsburgh, said she believes UPMC can do more in terms of recruitment and retention. She said that so far, most of the focus of the system seems to have been on signing bonuses for new nurses.

But they didnt provide anything for those of us who have been there and continue to stay, Falting said. When they proposed these recruitment and retention plans, they didnt ask us what kept us in our position.

Falting said UPMC nurses are asking for higher basic wages, night and weekend work, and wages in response to hospital emergencies (such as internal strokes).

Faltin is working to unite more UPMC hospitals through SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. She said she doubts that this new staffing agency will add a lot of value to UPMCs existing plan, which allows nurses to accept shifts from different hospitals across the system.

She said: I am also confused, where they think they will find all these nurses. I know some units may have more staff, but I dont think there are nurses sitting there doing nothing.
The author is the Secretary of State for Brexit

At this time last year, when I reached an agreement with the EU on our free trade agreement, I hope that 2021 will make the new relationship between the UK and the EU work. Away from the noise, many do run well. But one problem is still difficult. I manage it most of the year-the Northern Ireland Agreement.

In fact, a year ago, no one could predict how it would develop in 2021. We saw the European Union attempting to impose a vaccine export ban on Irelands land border in January; they insisted on interpreting the protocol as providing a normal EU external border through the central part of the UK; lawsuits against us for violations may have now been submitted to the European Court of Justice; politics Turbulence, including the long-term departure of Northern Irelands chief minister, Arlene Foster.

Economically, the supply chain began to change, and trade began to shift. Although we pledged to invest 500 million pounds to make the agreement work, we have seen reduced supply of goods, discontinued production of medicines and rising consumer prices.

In the summer, the practical and political difficulties arising from the agreement are obvious to all.Fortunately, we managed to stabilize the situation by introducing in July Order paper, Solve the problem comprehensively and comprehensively.

We also decided at the time that if we can achieve it, the best way is to obtain the outcome of the negotiations, rather than using the safeguards contained in Article 16 of the Protocol. Since then, we have been in detailed talks with the EU on the way forward, including the EUs own limited proposal in October.

Unfortunately, we did not make the progress I hoped. In addition to medicines, we will look at the EU proposals carefully and positively. Now that we have them, what Brussels has on the table is not enough to reduce the burden or cover all the problems faced by the people of Northern Ireland.

Considering that ties with other parts of the UK are far more important to Northern Irelands economy than its ties with Ireland, the cumbersome customs arrangements for goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland need to be completely changed.

The simplest solution is to make substantially different arrangements for goods that the parties agree to stay in the UK and those that will not stay in the UK, and manage any risks that arise in a cooperative manner. The EU proposal did not do this, and our expert analysis does not support the ambitious public statement made for them when they were published.

Similarly, Northern Irelands state aid rules need to reflect the reality that since the signing of the protocol, we have agreed to new subsidy control rules in our free trade agreement and established a new and strict domestic system. The rules of Northern Ireland should be developed to reflect this.

A solution must be found in governance issues-the undemocratic way EU law applies in Northern Ireland, and the role of the European Court of Justice. I know that sometimes people think this is an ideological requirement. However, if the European Commission can allow the European Court of Justice to judge any of our actions, then no solution will work, as happened in March. Such an immediate reaction is not the right way to achieve a sustainable solution in Northern Ireland. In any case, it is obviously unfair and unreasonable to resolve the dispute between us in one of the courts.

We are more willing to find a comprehensive solution for these and all other difficulties. However, given the urgency, we are ready to consider a provisional agreement covering the most acute issues-trade frictions, subsidy control and the European Court of Justice. We have proposed various possible ways to move forward, but so far we have not reached a consensus-even on the content of the interim agreement.

The situation is still very problematic. An agreement designed to support the Belfast (Good Friday) agreement is now breaking it. Northern Ireland institutions are clearly facing serious risks.

The latest opinion polls last week showed that 78% of Northern Irish people want at least some changes to the current arrangements.

As long as there is no agreed solution, the safeguards of Article 16 will still exist. They may be the only way to solve the problem. However, if possible, it is better to find a solution through negotiation. The time is short. Therefore, if we are to achieve results that benefit everyone in Northern Ireland, we need to restart negotiations with a new sense of urgency in the new year. Britain will work hard for this.
Coupang Play's crime drama starring Kim Soo Hyun and Cha Seung Won follows the story of a regular college student, Kim Hyun Soo (Kim Soo Hyun), who gets accused of a harrowing murder overnight. Together with Shin Jung Han (Cha Seung Won), he tries to survive to prove his innocence.

However, the evidence and clues that show up in investigations point to the poor Kim Hyun Soo. Did he really murder Hong Guk Hwa (Hwang Se On)?

Coupang Play's "One Ordinary Day" production unit laid down the prime suspects and last people whom the victim contacted before she was killed. Keep on reading!

1. Eye Witness Yoo Seung Hoon (Lee Soo Kwang)

The first suspect in the list is Yoo Seung Hoon, the person who saw Kim Hyun Soo enter and exit Hong Guk Hwa's house.

After being suspicious of Kim Hyun Soo the night before the murder, he wandered in front of Hong Guk Hwa's house.

The following day, he came to Hong Guk Hwa's house again, and without hesitation pointed out Kim Hyun Soo in front of the detective, giving him a suspicious feeling.

2. Reporter No Seok Han (Park Bong Seo)

The second person to be suspected is news reporter No Seok Han who came to the crime scene through breaking and entering. When the police misunderstood his news report, No Seok Han drew attention to Kim Hyun Soo, claiming that he was the man who left Hong Guk Hwa's house by riding his taxi.

3. Hong Guk Hwa's Stepfather Jo Kang Pil (Shin Woo Chul)

When the news of Hong Guk Hwa's death broke out, her stepfather Jo Kang Pil hardly blinked and never changed his expression, which made him a strong suspect.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 'One Ordinary Day' Episode 5: Cha Seung Won Takes One Step Forward Against Kim Shin Rok

Jo Kang Pil showed an expressionless face by himself during his stepdaughter's funeral, as if they had no relations at all. Although he participated in Kim Hyun Soo's trial, he never showed interest in the case.

4. Hong Guk Hwa's Roommate Yoon Hyo Jung (Na Eun Sam)

At Hong Guk Hwa's funeral, Yoon Hyo Jung shed a lot of tears. However, she showed no alibi when she was interrogated about her whereabouts.

She also showed an uneasy attitude while secretly observing the murder scene, because she had a big fight with Hong Guk Hwa right before the hideous incident.

5. Hong Guk Hwa's Ex-Lover Ki Jong Eom (Lee Poong Woon)

Hong Guk Hwa's ex-boyfriend, Ki Jong Eom, and her best friend and roommate Hyo Jung give a free pass in distributing illegal medicine to the victim for her disordered sleeping. They were also the ones Hong Guk Hwa spoke to before she was murdered. However, their call didn't appear in her call logs, which intensifies curiosity.

6. Delivery Drive Lee Cheol Ho (Hwang Sang Kyung)

Lee Cheol Ho was caught on CCTV while tailing Kim Hyun Soo from Han River to Hong Guk Hwa's house the night before the murder. In the footage, Lee Cheol Ho was found staring intently at Hong Guk Hwa with rage and eagerness in his eyes.

7. Taxi Driver Kim Hyun Soo

Kim Hyun Soo cried for his innocence during his trial, and expressed his desire to appeal. However, a memory of him during the on-site inspection in the murder scene, the figure of Kim Hyun Soo stabbing someone with a knife appeared.

Because of this, he suddenly collapsed. When he was asked if he killed Hong Guk Hwa or not, he was confused and scared.

Fans and viewers' hearts are now divided. Some believe that he is innocent, while others think he's the real culprit. Who do you think is the real culprit? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Follow KDramaStars for more Korean drama updates!





KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
Girl's Day Hyeri responds to malicious posts and personal attacks against her. Through the actress' agency, Creative group ING, the label reveals plans to take legal actions to halt scathing remarks online.

In an official statement, Hyeri's agency mentioned that there had been a "surge in malicious posts" targeting the "My Roommate is a Gumiho" star.

The said online posts include "libel, personal attacks, sexual harassment, and defamation of character," which they will not condone.

Although they are well aware of "freedom of expression," Creative group ING is looking into taking legal steps through their representatives to address these types of attacks.

"We have decided that the actions of certain individuals who have continuously targeted Hyeri with groundless malicious posts have gone beyond the level where we can just stand by and watch," said the agency adding "We are therefore informing you that we will be taking legal action in response to these posts."

Lastly, the management dropped a warning, sharing that they will continuously monitor the actions by gathering evidence to support their claims.

"Will be making a firm response without leniency," Hyeri's agency added.

It's not revealed as to why the "Reply 1988" star has been receiving hateful comments online, but her fans are virtually expressing their support for the actress.

Lee Hyeri's New Drama 'Moonshine'

The controversy comes ahead of Hyeri's new drama, "Moonshine" with "I am Not a Robot" star Yoo Seung Ho, Kang Mi Na and Byeon Woo Seok.

Directed by "Doctor Prisoner" PD and the upcoming historical rom-com series is slated to premiere on December 20, airing every Monday and Tuesday on KBS.

"Moonshine" is set during the Joseon dynasty, under the era where the strictest prohibition of laws transpired.

Lee Hyeri took on the role of a struggling aristocrat named Kang Ro Seo, who supports her family by making illegal alcohol.

She is set to face Joseon's extraordinary inspector Nam Young, played by Yoo Seung Ho, who is known for living a principled life.

With this, the production team hints about Hyeri's chemistry with Seo Ye Hwa's character Geum Yi, Kang Ro Seo's best friend, who grew up as a government slave but worked in a medical institution and is responsible for treating commoners.

They pointed out the duo's teamwork that transpired through the drama by "delivering pleasant energy to viewers."

'My Roommate Is a Gumiho' Star Jang Ki Yong Sent Hyeri a Food Truck on the Set of 'Moonshine'

Fans are looking forward to Hyeri's return to Kdrama after headlining "My Roommate Is a Gumiho" with Jang Ki Yong.

During the production of her new series, the South Korean heartthrob sent his support for her former co-star by sending her a food truck.

Over Hyeri's Instagram, she expressed her gratitude towards Kang Ji Yong, saying how she enjoyed the coffee "that the old man sent," referring to his 999-year-old nine-tailed fox character, Shin Woo Yeo.

KDramastars owns this article

Geca Wills wrote this
TIGARD, Ore.  Union workers at Fred Meyer and QFC stores in multiple Oregon cities hit the picket lines Friday morning, joining a strike to demand better wages.

United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 555 said that Fred Meyer and QFC workers "overwhelmingly" voted to approve the strike last week, citing stagnant wages amid a pandemic response that has hinged on essential workers continuing to do their jobs.

Ive been to every Fred Meyer in Oregon. I always enjoy visiting with the hardworking @ufcw555 members in every part of our state. These essential workers have made many sacrifices during the pandemic and deserve a fair contract. I'm in their corner all the way. #UnionStrong https://t.co/DHnVjrP5bw  Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) December 17, 2021

"Almost a year-and-a-half ago, Fred Meyer and QFC stopped paying hourly hazard pay," the union said. "In the time since then, workers have continued to deal with the pandemic, while the company has enjoyed record profits. The hazard never ended."

This particular stirke applies to workers at only some of Oregon's Fred Meyer or QFC locations  those in Portland, Bend, Newberg, and Klamath Falls. Union workers began the strike at 6 a.m. on December 17, with picketing set to end at midnight on December 24.

According to the UCFW Local 555, long-term employees of the stores are being offered a 50 cent raise for the next two years, and a 40 cent raise for a third year. Other employees have not been offered any raises. The union is asking for "substantial wage increases" so that workers can afford to live in the communities they serve.

After nearly two years of breaking labor law to continue paying their employees less, Fred Meyer has upped the ante by systematically ignoring the law and trampling on employee rights. Its absurd, and abhorrent. said Dan Clay, President of UFCW Local 555.

In a statement, Fred Meyer and QFC called the decision to strike "reckless," urging the union to "consider the full implications for its members heading into the holiday season." The company said that stores will remain open for customers during the strike.

At a time when we want to invest more than ever in wage increases and affordable health care, the UFCW has chosen disruption and the unknown for our associates and their families, said Dennis Gibson, president of Fred Meyer. We value our associates and thank them for what they do every day for each other and our customers. We are committed to serving our customers, and our stores are open and stocked with fresh food and household essentials.

UCFW Local 555 represents about 29,000 workers in Oregon, southwest Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming. It's the largest private sector labor union in Oregon, combining membership from workers in retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and a number of other sectors.
SALEM, Ore.  The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is expected to surge in Oregon within the coming weeks, and the state's health experts believe that it could produce an even larger wave of hospitalizations than the Delta variant did over the summer.

Governor Kate Brown held a press conference on Friday with Oregon Health Authority director Patrick Allen; OHSU chief medical officer Dr. Renee Edwards; and Dr. Peter Graven, lead data scientist at OHSU's Business Intelligence Unit.

Based on the spread of Omicron in other countries, such as Denmark and the United Kingdom, Dr. Graven said that Omicron infections do indeed appear to be less severe than Delta  however, the variant's ability to bypass immunity and spread with extreme rapidity means that it could become even more of a threat.

In countries where Omicron has already taken root, case rates have doubled every two or three days, Graven said.

Omicron reduces the effectiveness of immunity through main-series vaccination or previous infection by roughly half, Graven said. The data so far indicates that booster shots can help reduce that chance of infection.

Oregon can expect to see a surge in hospitalizations by mid-January, with mounting cases prior to that, Graven said. The peak could see COVID-19 hospitalizations in excess of 3,000, more than double the number seen at the height of the Delta surge

If more people were to seek booster shots and take other precautions against the virus, the OHSU model predicts a lower peak  closer to 2,000 hospitalizations, which would still be more than Delta at its height.

Though the predictions are daunting, the length of hospital stay and need for critical care does appear lower with Omicron than Delta, according to Graven.

"What we are seeing is a dramatically lower death rate," Graven said. "So that part is good, we're seeing that in South Africa, we're seeing that in other countries, and in the US  we're not getting the deaths that we had before. The issue is we're still getting hospitalizations. So it is a less severe disease, but people are still going to show up at the hospital and we do not have that number of beds."

Graven acknowledged that the data is early and limited, so the models could shift considerably as things progress. But OHSU's modeling proved remarkably accurate in predicting the shape of the Delta variant surge.

Much as with Delta, hospital capacity is likely to be the largest concern with a potential Omicron surge. Dr. Edwards underlined that Oregon does not have enough hospital beds available to meet the anticipated need.

Health officials in Oregon identified the first three known cases of the Omicron variant early this week, which Governor Brown said was "only a matter of time." Based on the OHSU modeling, state officials estimate that there will be about a three-week window before the next surge begins in earnest.

Since Oregon already has an indoor mask mandate and vaccination requirements in place for healthcare workers and educators, Brown indicated that the state's response will hinge on two things  promoting COVID-19 vaccine booster shots and bolstering healthcare providers.

"Masks, vaccines, and the incredible efforts of our health care workers, public health partners, and National Guard members have seen us through the Delta surge," Governor Brown said. "We will need to make the same statewide, collaborative efforts to see us through Omicron."

State officials have set a goal of getting one million Oregonians vaccinated with a booster shot. According to a response plan published by the OHA on Friday, more than 2.5 million people in Oregon are currently fully vaccinated with a main series, but just under one million have received a booster thus far.

"Ive directed OHA to get the vaccine supply and distribution capacity in place to support this goal," Brown continued. "However, we will only reach it if everyone does their part. Get your booster shot. Boosters work, and are incredibly effective at continuing your protection against this virus and hospitalization. If you arent yet vaccinated, now is the time. This can be a matter of life or death."

State officials plan to open three new high-capacity vaccination sites around the state  adding to the current six sites  and resume mobile vaccination clinics around the state. OHA said that it also plans to bring in contracted healthcare workers to increase staffing at these locations, allowing longer hours and more vaccinations.

"Oregon currently has enough COVID-19 vaccine doses to administer 1 million boosters by the end of January," the OHA said. "State health officials are bolstering staffing at vaccine clinics. Oregons ability to attain this goal will depend on demand for boosters by eligible Oregonians."
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore.  Thursday night, Klamath Falls City Schools sent out a letter to families and the community warning of a TikTok trend that refers to a threat to school safety across the country on Friday, December 17, 2021.

KFCS says they were made aware of the trend but says the posts do not appear to have originated from within the school district, nonetheless saying the district wanted to be proactive in addressing the trend.

According to KFCS, local law enforcement has advised that the Oregon Sheriffs Association considers this threat not credible.

At this time there have not been any threats in the KFCS district, however, the district says it is closely monitoring the situation. Classes will continue as normal tomorrow.

The Ashland School District put out a similar notice to families on Friday:

"We take any threat of student safety seriously," said Superintendent Samuel Bogdanove. "We communicated yesterday with Ashland Police Chief Tighe OMeara. Additionally, our local education service agency contacted the Jackson County Sherriffs office. Neither agency is aware of specific threats but remain on alert. All staff are trained in how to respond to a legitimate threat and will be especially alert today."

If you or anyone in your family knows or learns of any specific threats, or witnesses any suspicious activity, youre encouraged to contact law enforcement or your school administrator.

Reports of potential threats can also be made anonymously to SafeOregon.
WASHINGTON, DC  Charles F. "Chuck" Sams III, a member of one of Oregon's Native Tribes, received his ceremonial swearing-in on Thursday as director of the National Park Service  the first Senate-confirmed leader for the agency in nearly five years.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland met with Sams to welcome him to the agency. Like Haaland was for the US Department of the Interior, Sams is the first Native American to lead the National Park Service.

Everyone should have access to the outdoors no matter where they live, how much money they have, or what their background is. Chuck Sams understands the importance of connecting people to nature, and I am thrilled to work with him as the Interior Department works to make our national park system accessible to all Americans, said Secretary Haaland. Under his leadership, the National Park Service will continue to protect our public lands for generations to come and make critical investments in the vast infrastructure that sustains our public lands and national parks.

Sams is an enrolled member of the Cayuse and Walla Walla tribes, part of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and a US Navy veteran. He's worked in state and Tribal government and the nonprofit natural resource and conservation fields for more than 25 years. He most recently served as a Council Member to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, appointed by Oregon Governor Kate Brown.

I am honored to serve as Director of the National Park Service and thank President Biden and Secretary Haaland for entrusting in me the care of one of Americas greatest gifts: our National Park System. I am also incredibly proud to work with the dedicated employees of the National Park Service. I have no doubt that together, well be able to expand access to the outdoors, protect Americas public lands, and upgrade our nations infrastructure system through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, said Sams.

Sams will oversee management of the United States' 423 national parks, covering more than 85 million acres across the country. Though Oregon has a number of national forests, it has only one NPS-administered site: Crater Lake National Park.
This is part of Page 5 of a 31-page letter sent to Central Okanagan school board trustees for their Wednesday meeting. The letter contains frequently shared myths, half-truths and conspiracy theories surrounding the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. The names of 120 school district employees, including teachers, Aboriginal liaisons, librarians, CEAs, noon-hour supervisors, and staff appear at the bottom.
Uber's ride-hailing service will not be coming to the Okanagan or other areas of B.C. outside the Lower Mainland in the foreseeable future. A provincial regulator denied the company's application, saying there is no 'public need' for the service to expand.
Tonights TV highlights include plenty of holiday offerings:

Written by J.K. Rowling, the 2018 fantasy Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (6 p.m., Syfy) stars Johnny Depp and Eddie Redmayne.

The voices of Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane and Scarlett Johansson animate the 2016 critter comedy Sing (7 p.m., NBC). A sequel opens next week.

Erik Estrada, Laura McKenzie, Dean Cain, Montel Williams and Elizabeth Stanton host the 89th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade (7 p.m. CW).

After failing to land a coveted role in The Nutcracker, a spunky dancer conspires with an older mentor to put on a show of her own in the 2021 holiday comedy Sugar Plum Twist (7 p.m., Hallmark).

A ranch owner falls for the single dad who rents her place for the holidays in the 2021 romance Mistletoe in Montana (7 p.m., Lifetime).

The 2021 documentary Rolling Like Thunder (8 p.m., Showtime) explores the secretive and dangerous demimonde of graffiti artists who paint freight trains.

On Live From Bradley Symphony Center (8 p.m., PBS, Channel 10) the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra performs works by Ellington, Gershwin and Stravinsky. A half-hour special at 7:30 p.m. explores the reopening of the historic building.

Danny witnesses a murder on Blue Bloods (9 p.m., CBS, rerun).

New on streamingA British country house comedy about celebrating the holidays amid environmental disaster, Hulu streams the science-fiction thriller Mother/Android, which cleverly grafts the story of the Nativity into its doomscape.

Swan Song stars Mahershala Ali as a husband and prospective father suddenly diagnosed with a terminal illness. To spare his wife and family grievous pain, he turns to a specialist (Glenn Close), who creates a perfectly healthy clone. Song streams on Apple TV+ and also stars Naomie Harris, Awkwafina and Adam Beach.

An extended Latino family gathers for the holidays, with dysfunctions, fictions and affection in tow, in the new five-episode series With Love, streaming on Amazon Prime. If Hallmark made multicultural Christmas movies with transgender characters, it might look something like this.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
COOS COUNTY, Ore. -- There's a jail bed shortage at the Coos County Jail stemming from COVID-19 restrictions and staffing problems, the sheriff's office says.

"We are at 48 beds right now, and that's due to a myriad of reasons," said Coos County Sheriff Craig Zanni. "I have people off who are ill. I've also had several people leave the corrections staff because of their feelings of how society is treating law enforcement."

Zanni said without restrictions, Coos County Jail would have 98 beds, so they are currently operating at about 50% bed capacity. He said staffing is also already at a bare minimum, so with even fewer staff members, they are stretched thin.

"We also have COVID restrictions in place which requires quarantining arrestees," said Zanni. "Currently, we have 21 high-priority prisoners, which automatically puts us down. And on top of that, we also have sentence prisoners."

Zanni said by law, many of those who have a job and have lived in the area for a while are required to be released, depending on the charges they face.

"Because of the number of beds, we are not taking minor property crimes or criminal trespassing," said Zanni. "If we were to take those people that means we would have to release individuals who are charged with greater crimes or person crimes."

However, one former Coos County law enforcement officer told KEZI this is an issue happening in just Coos County.

"You're a victim of a robbery or you just got assaulted and that suspect is walking away," the former officer said. "That is very frustrating to me and many law enforcement officers in the county. Coos County, in particular, does not charge many misdemeanors."

The former officer said he's encountered several instances where suspects have committed several misdemeanor crimes, but the county would drop it down to a traffic violation.

"Places like Portland, they'll also drop it to a traffic violation, but after you make your initial court appearance," said the former officer. "So they still require you to come to court initially and then they'll drop it down to traffic, where you pay a fine and complete community service sometimes. Coos County automatically drops it, and the difference there is if you don't show up for court, you get your license suspended. But you don't get a warrant for the arrest."

The former officer said "cite and release" for misdemeanor crimes has been happening in the county even before COVID-19.

"The other jails are taking people. They're taking people for trespassing. They're taking people for theft. It's Coos County that's not," said the former officer. "They can commit 30 thefts and not show up for court for any of those times, and they'll never get arrested."

Recently, 32-year-old North Bend man Jimmy Oiterong was arrested on three different occasions for driving under the influence of intoxicants. However, Oiterong was cited and released on Dec. 4 and Dec. 12 because lodging at the jail was not available.

There are also several instances where Coquille Police Department reports the Coos County Jail declined to lodge a suspect this year.

On Sept. 25 officers arrested 39-year-old Janette Dovalina on a DUII charge and an outstanding warrant for failing to appear. But the jail reportedly declined to accept her on the DUII or the warrant and she was issued a citation.

On Sept. 29 officers arrested 45-year-old Chad Gill for allegedly stealing from a local business. The jail refused to lodge him and he was issued a citation.

On Nov. 12 officers reported speaking with 19-year-old Jacob Warren who is on felony probation but was found to be in possession of a restricted knife and marijuana. He was arrested for felon in possession of a restricted weapon but was not lodged in jail and was issued a criminal citation.

On Nov. 17 Joseph Taylor, 60, was arrested for third-degree theft but was not lodged and was issued a criminal citation.

On Nov. 20 officers arrested 49-year-old Ronald Lindsey for second-degree criminal trespassing. Lindsey was not lodged and was issued a citation.

Coos Bay Chief of Police Chris Chapanar said these instances are not just frustrating for officers but for the community too.

"What's even more frustrating is for officers to hear the frustrations of the citizens," said Chapanar. "Just to hear the disappointment from them that nothing can really be done other than issuing out a citation."

The Lane County Sheriff's Office said their county jail is not experiencing staffing shortages. However, they did have to make adjustments in order to follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They said they are currently operating 305 jail beds which is down from 380 before the pandemic. However, the sheriff's office said they are not turning suspects away because of COVID-19 restrictions.
CORVALLIS, Ore.  If you want to make your voice heard about the Benton County Fairgrounds, tonight youll have your chance.

Event Center and Fairgrounds officials are holding a virtual public meeting from 6 to 7 p.m. Theyll gather input from the community on the architectural design concepts for the proposed exhibit hall and covered area.

Buildings and grounds at the Event Center have suffered from deferred maintenance, and the board of commissioners approved a plan for the Event Center in 2019 to get a covering over the outdoor area.

The meeting will be on Zoom on the Event Center website.
Pharmacists are passionate about their line of work, because they like to help others feel better. They are our first point of contact when we need advice and the right medicine for any ailment.

This is why many pharmacists, like Ellen Cushen have a passion for helping people with their health and medical issues.

Ellen was so passionate about her role in life, that she decided after 15 years in Dublin, to come back to Kilkenny with a young family in tow and open her own pharmacy in her hometown of Graignamanagh, Kilkenny.

Married to a Kilkenny man, Maccon ODriscoll, the couple always wanted to come home to open their own business. What they didnt expect was to take on a conservation project of a heritage building while doing so!

I always wanted my own place, and it made sense to come back to my hometown of Graignmanagh. Home was always calling, says Ellen.

I saw an opportunity and just loved the idea of restoring the old Creamery Building. Its not every day you get a building like this to restore.

READ ABOUT THE RESTORATION AND SEE PICTURES HERE

Background

Ellen Cushen, is the supervising pharmacist of the newly established Brandonvale Pharmacy in Graignamanagh. She was born and raised in Graignamanagh and has strong ties with the local community. She comes from an industrious family of weavers who have operated the Cushendale Woollen Mills in the town for over six generations.

Personally, I know Ellen from our school days, when we both attended St Brigids College in Callan. Coming from a family of high achievers, Ellen was always going to succeed in life and her hard work in school paid off. She went to college and studied pharmacology in UCD and onto pharmacy in Liverpool.

Today, Ellen brings over 20 years of experience in her own area of community retail pharmacy. She has a wealth of experience and knowledge from working for some of the most well-known Pharmacy Retailers in Ireland and in numerous locations.

Its just great to see new life in the town, we are getting so many visitors and shoppers into Graignamanagh now, she says.

Businesses are being rejuvenated, just like our family business at Cushendale Woollen Mills. I am grateful to be able to invest in the town and see a future here.

READ PART 2 HERE
The Heritage Council is now accepting applications from local authorities across the country for the Historic Towns Initiative 2022.

A total of 2million has been allocated for the heritage-led regeneration of towns under the initiative, which takes particular account of their heritage and history. The scheme was announced today by Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD.

The Historic Towns Initiative is a joint undertaking between the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Heritage Council. Last year, 1.5m in funding was awarded under this scheme, providing local employment and economic stimulus.

Since 2018, a total of 23 towns have benefitted from the scheme, with a variety of projects funded. These include streetscape conservation projects, such as works to traditional railings, render and joinery, as well as historic roof maintenance, and public realm works.

Making the announcement, Minister Noonan said: I am delighted to launch, in collaboration with the Heritage Council, another year of the Historic Towns Initiative, supporting the regeneration of further historic towns. This initiative will make 2million available to a number of towns, which will, in turn, help drive investment and renewal. I firmly believe that heritage-led regeneration can breathe new life into a town, helping to provide an attractive environment where people can live and work.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh OBrien said: Along with my colleague Minister Noonan, and the chief executive of the Heritage Council, Virginia Teehan, I welcome todays launch of the Historic Towns Initiative. This year, in line with our Housing for All policy, I am encouraging local authorities to work with private owners or occupiers to bring vacant floor areas in historic buildings back into residential use and I invite applications for same. The renewed vibrancy in the heart of a town brings its own economic benefits, as footfall and visitor numbers increase and new light shines into once-vacant commercial and residential premises.

CEO of the Heritage Council, Virginia Teehan, added: Programmes such as this rely on the strength of local communities and businesses in caring for their historic town. With support from local and national government, we can use heritage to improve the quality of life for all in our historic towns and address dereliction and vacancy.

Funding applications must be submitted via the Heritage Councils online grants system. The closing date for applications is February 3, 2022, at 5pm.

For more information about the Historic Towns Initiative see www.heritagecouncil.ie
In a year when herbicides and other inputs may be in fairly short supply, getting an early handle on weeds will be extremely important.
COOPER COUNTY  The legal fight over the constitutionality of a health mandate ruling gained a new plaintiff this week.

Stephen Jeffery, the lawyer representing an administrator of the Cooper County Public Health Center, spoke about the point of the legal battle.

Its confined strictly to resolve and obtain clarification with respect to the courts judgement in this lawsuit which was filed dealing with certain mask mandates and the authority of the St. Louis County health department to issue closure orders, Jeffery said.

In other words, does a health authority have the jurisdiction to make and impose health-related mandates (masking, quarantining, shutting down)?

On Nov. 22, a Cole County judge ruled Department of Health and Human Services regulations unconstitutionally delegate too much power to individual health officials and directors, bypassing the authority given to elected bodies. Judge Daniel Green said local health orders imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state are illegal and should be lifted.

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On Dec. 7, Attorney General Eric Schmitt directed health departments and school districts to drop any public health orders or mask mandates, citing Judge Green's ruling.

The statement from Schmitt was unclear as to how health departments could use their authority in the case of an extreme circumstance, or if they could still issue rules on a need basis, as it conflicts with the current course of action of many health departments in the state.

On Dec, 14, Jeffery filed a motion to intervene, saying Schmitt's statement strongly implied all county health orders and regulations to be null and void which he says causes confusion.

Theres never really been a pandemic like this. Theres never been the different reactions of different levels of government to the pandemic, and its probably only reasonable that there will be glitches along the way, and this happens to be one of those glitches, which hopefully we can obtain some clarification on, Jeffery said.

Some health departments across Missouri even dropped COVID-19 mitigation efforts entirely after receiving Schmitt's letter. Laclede County said it would stop case investigations, contact tracing, quarantine orders and public announcements of current cases and deaths.

DHSS said data reporting for the state will not change.
A search warrant has been issued for actor Alec Baldwin's cell phone in connection with the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust." This aerial photo shows the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on October 23.
People bow as they pay their respects before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il to mark the ten year anniversary of the death of Kim Jong-il, the father of current leader Kim Jong-un, on Mansu hill in Pyongyang, Dec. 16. AFP-Yonhap



The United States continues to keep North Korea on its list of state sponsors of terrorism, a state department report showed Thursday.



North Korea has been on the list of state sponsors of terrorism since 2017 when North Korean agents assassinated leader Kim Jong-un's half brother, Kim Jong-nam, using chemical agents in Malaysia.



"In 2017 the Secretary of State determined the DPRK had repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism since its State Sponsor of Terrorism designation was rescinded in 2008," said the report, noting the North was first designated as a state sponsor of terrorism in 1988 for its involvement in the tragic bombing of a South Korean passenger jet the year before.



DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.






President Moon Jae-in bumps fists with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev during their summit at Cheong Wa Dae, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap



By Nam Hyun-woo



President Moon Jae-in and his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev pledged to strengthen their two countries' cooperation in rare metal trading and energy infrastructure, as part of Moon's bid to improve the industrial stability of Korea, which has few raw materials and is thus vulnerable to impacts on global supply chains.



"The two countries are special strategic partners, and are engaged in many businesses such as agricultural machinery, energy infrastructure and power plants among others," Moon said. "A total of 910 Korean firms in the fields of automobile parts, electronics, communication and finance are operating in Uzbekistan."



"On the occasion of President Mirziyoyev's visit to Korea, we will sign important pacts and MOUs, which are aimed at strengthening cooperation in healthcare, energy and rare metal supplies. Also, the two countries will join hands in areas of future growth, such as smart cities, smart farms, information technology and electric vehicles."



"Our two countries have been implementing all agreements with each other," Mirziyoyev said. "The bilateral trade and the number of joint ventures between the two countries have doubled. Korea's accumulated investments into Uzbekistan have surpassed $7 billion. ... I believe this visit is the latest extent of the two countries' concentrated talks and a good opportunity to check on pending bilateral issues and explore ways to diversify cooperation."



The summit came on the occasion of Mirziyoyev's state visit to Korea. This was the fourth summit between the two leaders, following a virtual summit in January. Moon paid a state visit to Uzbekistan in April 2019, and the two sides have elevated their bilateral ties to a "special strategic partnership."









Uzbekistan is the fourth country for Korea to form such relations with, following India in May 2015, Indonesia in November 2017 and the United Arab Emirates in March 2018.



During the summit, the leaders agreed to cooperate on rare metal supplies, with a Korea-Uzbekistan research center for rare metals playing a key role. Through this, Korea will diversify its supply sources for rare metals, and Uzbekistan will industrialize its rare metal resources as a value added business, according to Cheong Wa Dae.



The presidential office said it seeks to expand the cooperation model with Uzbekistan to other countries including Kazakhstan and Mongolia to improve the stability of Korea's rare metals supply.



"With the Korea-Uzbekistan research center on rare metals, which was established in April 2019, the two countries agreed to link Uzbekistan's natural resources such as copper, tungsten and molybdenum with Korea's advanced processing technologies, in order to jointly develop technologies for producing materials for advanced industries," a joint statement between the two leaders said.



Recently, Moon has been strengthening his diplomatic efforts to diversify Korea's import sources for mineral ores, rare metals and other industrial materials, in a recognition that rapidly changing political and economic dynamics in the global society critically affects Korea's economy, which relies heavily on trade. Earlier this week, Moon had a summit with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison to strengthen the two countries' cooperation on various fronts including the supply of mineral ores.





President Moon Jae-in and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev inspect an honor guard during a ceremony to officially welcome the latter to Cheong Wa Dae, Friday. Yonhap
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speaks during the Gulf Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 14. Reuters-Yonhap



From greeting foreign leaders to heading regional summits, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is taking over the reins from his elderly father and becoming Saudi Arabia's uncrowned king.



With increased concerns over the nearly 86-year-old King Salman's health, Prince Mohammed, 36, is taking charge of presidential meetings and reception of dignitaries, with the king rarely making public appearances.



While Prince Mohammed has been considered the de facto leader since his appointment as heir to the throne in June 2017, his growing prominence has never been more apparent than when he met with French President Emmanuel Macron in early December, and led the Gulf Cooperation Council summit on Tuesday.





Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz announces the 2022 budget at Neom Royal Palace, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 12. Reuters-Yonhap



King Salman, who usually heads the annual meeting after warm embraces and friendly handshakes, was a no-show.



"The idea that a crown prince is the de facto ruler of the country, meeting with foreign presidents and presiding over summits, only happened before when Saudi kings were not in good health," Yasmine Farouk, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told AFP.



"What's new is that there is now national and media acceptance of a parallel, even more important, role for the crown prince even when King Salman fulfils all his duties."



Since the outbreak of COVID-19, King Salman has been residing in Neom, a futuristic development on the Red Sea.



His last meeting with a foreign official in Riyadh was in March 2020, when he sat down with then-UK foreign minister Dominic Raab, and his last trip abroad was to Oman to offer his condolences over the death of Sultan Qaboos in January 2020.





In this photo released by Saudi Royal Palace, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, right, greets Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal al-Jaber al-Ahmad upon his arrival at Riyadh airport to attend the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 14. AP-Yonhap



Royal cover



Prince Mohammed has sought to position himself as a champion of moderate Islam, even as his international reputation took a hit from the 2018 murder and dismemberment of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate.



The crown prince, also known as MBS, has opened Saudi Arabia to tourists and foreign investments in an effort to diversify the economy of the world's largest oil exporter economy away from crude.



He has overseen sweeping social changes, including allowing women to drive and work in the public sector, enabling citizens to enjoy the additional income and recreational outlets that opened up across the country.



These changes have come alongside a crackdown on dissent and free speech.



He even seemed more open than his father towards Israel, allowing its commercial aircraft to pass through Saudi air space.



According to Kristin Diwan, of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, Prince Mohammed has benefitted from the king's longevity.



"His ongoing presence conveys traditional authority to cover MBS's youth and unconventional actions while rarely impeding them," she told AFP.



The Saudi authorities did not say why King Salman was not present at Tuesday's summit, especially since he delivered a televised address on the country's budget earlier in the week.



However, Saudi government adviser Ali Shihabi said the king is well and just being careful.



"Reliable sources confirm that the King is in excellent health, exercising every day etc., but is 86 years old and is uncomfortable wearing a mask and has a tendency to want to shake hands and warmly greet people so extra caution is taken to keep him safe and away from public mtgs," Shihabi tweeted on Wednesday.





A handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace shows Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairing the Gulf Cooperation Council summit with other gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh, Dec. 14. AFP-Yonhap
Lake Genevas Badger High School dismissed students early on Friday, Dec. 17, after the school received a threat specific to Badger High School as part of the nationwide TikTok challenge promoting national school violence on Dec. 17.

The students were dismissed at 10 a.m.

In a Facebook post, District Administrator James Gottinger said, This action is being taken, even though we feel the threat is not credible, to error on the side of the safety of our students.

In addition, all Friday after school activities were canceled.

Since this threat was specific to Badger High School, all other Lake Geneva Schools were still remaining open (Lake Geneva Middle School, Star Center, Eastview, and Central-Denison). However, parents were told if they wanted to excuse their child from the remainder of the day at these schools, they could contact the school office.

The Facebook post from Gottinger said, We want to take a moment to share with families that we always take threats seriously. We are working jointly with the Lake Geneva Police Department to continue to investigate this threat.
Environmental advocates scored a legal victory Thursday in a yearslong effort to stop a Georgia timber company from building a frac sand facility on rare wetlands in western Wisconsin.

A state appeals court declined to reinstate a permit for Meteor Timber to fill 16.25 acres of hardwood swamp for the $75 million project, upholding lower court rulings that the Department of Natural Resources violated the law when it issued the permit.

In an order issued Thursday the three-judge panel found the DNR lacked sufficient information to assess the environmental impacts of the proposed project and that the law does not allow the DNR to amend a permit that wasnt valid in the first place.

The decision marks the end of another chapter in a five-year legal battle spanning two administrations, multiple courts, and cratering demand for the high-quality Wisconsin sand used to extract oil and gas from deep rock formations.

Environmental advocates and the Ho-Chunk Nation hailed the decision as a victory for the state and its natural resources.

We understand the need for extracting resources like the fuel we need to drive to work but we also know that the costs to our community and to this land outweigh any of the benefits, said Ho-Chunk Rep. Conroy Greendeer Jr. This decision validates our commitment to protecting these lands, our natural resources, and our community.

The decision is also a reminder that even the states largest industries and most powerful companies are accountable to our environmental laws, said Rob Lee, an attorney with Midwest Environmental Advocates.

An attorney for Meteor Timber said the company was reviewing the decision Thursday.

Since the plan was approved by the DNR and unanimously by the local townships, we think the project has merit and appealing the decision is an option we need to study, John Behling said.

The appeals court affirmed rulings by circuit court and administrative law judges who said Meteor failed to show the project would not have significant adverse impacts to the environment.

Clean Wisconsin staff scientist Paul Mathewson said the wetlands are a relic of a landscape that has been largely lost to urbanization and agricultural development in the past century.

Protection is particularly important when it comes to rare wetlands like this one, since diversity of our landscape is key to resilience in the face of climate change, Mathewson said.

The rescinded permit would have been the states single largest destruction of wetlands for a frac sand project.

Its a perfect example of trying to destroy something that we need, this untouched pristine wetland, to facilitate fossil fuel infrastructure that we dont need and thats making our climate problems even worse, said Clean Wisconsin staff attorney Even Feinauer.

Permit sought in 2016

Meteor applied for the permit in 2016, saying it needed to fill the wetlands to build a processing and rail loading facility near the town of Millston that would serve two nearby mines on land the company acquired when it purchased nearly 50,000 acres of Wisconsin forest.

The company argued the site, on the Union Pacific rail line, was the only viable option to economically deliver its product to oil producers in Texas.

Despite finding that the project would result in permanent and irreversible impacts and the loss of 13.4 acres of exceptional quality imperiled habitat, Gov. Scott Walkers DNR granted a permit in May 2017 that included dozens of conditions and questions. The agency issued a final permit five months later with some of those questions unanswered.

Clean Wisconsin and the Ho-Chunk challenged the permits, saying the agency failed to meet statutory requirements when it issued the permits.

After a five-day hearing, an administrative law judge ruled the DNR didnt have all the information needed and revoked the permit in 2018.

Meteor asked then-Secretary Dan Meyer to overrule the judges decision, but Secretary Preston Cole, appointed by Gov. Tony Evers in January 2019, closed the case without modifying, affirming or repealing Administrative Law Judge Eric Deforts decision, saying the issue would be best resolved by mutual agreement or in the courts.

Monroe County Circuit Judge Todd Ziegler made a similar ruling after Meteor challenged the decision in court, which led to the appeal.

Feinauer said the initial permit was issued during a time when the agency was retreating from its mission to protect Wisconsins natural resources.

Its never been more important for the DNR to embrace its essential role when it comes to safeguarding Wisconsins environment, and were starting to see that happen, Feinauer said. Wisconsin has lost half of its wetlands since the beginning of the last century. We must protect what we have left.

Shifting sands

Behling did not directly respond to questions about whether the company intends to proceed with the project under current market conditions, which have changed dramatically since 2016.

At one time there were about two dozen active frac sand producers in Wisconsin, said Kent Syverson, a UW-Eau Claire geologist and industry consultant. Today Syverson said there are just seven or eight.

New sand mines in west Texas have created a glut of cheap sand in the Permian basin, which produces more than half of all domestic oil.

While there is still a market for Wisconsin sand in the Eagle Ford basin on the east side of the state, Syverson said, the percentage of Northern White sand going into Texas has plummeted.

Brandon Savisky, an industry analyst with IHS Markit expects demand will pick up significantly in the next two years, which could encourage producers to reopen shuttered mines but probably not justify development of new mines.

Anyone with sand in their backyard would grab a shovel, he said. Now a lot of those sources have been weaned out and there is a more solid supply value chain available  and available to grow as well.
New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI/NewsVoir): Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation ("Sony") has succeeded in developing the world's first stacked CMOS image sensor technology with 2-Layer Transistor Pixel. Whereas conventional CMOS image sensors' photodiodes and pixel transistors occupy the same substrate, Sony's new technology separates photodiodes and pixel transistors on different substrate layers.

This new architecture approximately doubles saturation signal level relative to conventional image sensors, widens dynamic range and reduces noise, thereby substantially improving imaging properties. The new technology's pixel structure will enable pixels to maintain or improve their existing properties at not only current but also smaller pixel sizes.

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Sony announced this breakthrough at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting that started on Saturday, December 11, 2021.

A stacked CMOS image sensor adopts a stacked structure consisting of a pixel chip made up of back-illuminated pixels stacked atop a logic chip where signal processing circuits are formed. Within the pixel chip, photodiodes for converting light to electrical signals, and pixel transistors for controlling the signals are situated alongside each other on the same layer. Increasing saturation signal level within form-factor constraints plays an important role in realizing high image quality with wide dynamic range.

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Sony's new architecture is an advancement in stacked CMOS image sensor technology. Using its proprietary stacking technology, Sony packaged the photodiodes and pixel transistors on separate substrates stacked one atop the other.

In conventional stacked CMOS image sensors, by contrast, the photodiodes and pixel transistors sit alongside each other on the same substrate. The new stacking technology enables the adoption of architectures that allow the photodiode and pixel transistor layers to each be optimized, thereby approximately doubling saturation signal level relative to conventional image sensors and, in turn, widening dynamic range.

Additionally, because pixel transistors other than transfer gates (TRG), including reset transistors (RST), select transistors (SEL) and amp transistors (AMP), occupy a photodiode-free layer, the amp transistors can be increased in size. By increasing amp transistor size, Sony succeeded in substantially reducing the noise to which nighttime and other dark-location images are prone.

The widened dynamic range and noise reduction available from this new technology will prevent underexposure and overexposure in settings with a combination of bright and dim illumination (e.g., backlit settings) and enable high-quality, low-noise images even in low-light (e.g., indoor, nighttime) settings.

Sony will contribute to the realization of increasingly high-quality imaging such as smartphone photographs with its 2-Layer Transistor Pixel technology.

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)
The 10 people who died in a massive crowd surge at the Astroworld music festival in Houston, where rapper Travis Scott was performing, had died from compression asphyxia, officials announced on Thursday. According to The Hollywood Reporter, medical examiners with the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston had to wait several weeks following the November 5 concert, for additional test results before making final determinations on the cause and manner of the deaths. Astroworld Tragedy: 10 People Died Due To Compression Asphyxia At Travis Scotts Music Festival In Houston, Says Report.

The 10 people who died were among 50,000 who attended the festival and were in the audience when Scott's concert turned deadly. The youngest victim was nine-year-old Ezra Blount. Others who died ranged in age from 14 to 27. Medical examiners said contributing factors in one man's death were cocaine, methamphetamine and ethanol, a form of alcohol. Some 300 people were injured and treated at the festival site and 25 were taken to hospitals. Bigg Boss 15: Rakhi Sawant and Husband Ritesh Get into a Heated Argument (Watch Video).

Dozens of lawsuits have been filed over injuries and deaths at the concert, where fans surged toward the stage during Scott's concert, squeezing people so tightly together that they could not breathe or move their arms. Scott and the event organizers are the focus of a criminal investigation by Houston police, though no one has been charged and no timetable has been set for when the investigation would be completed. Scott's attorney had reached out to the families of the 10 who died, offering to pay for their loved ones' funeral costs. Several families turned down the offer.

The top elected official in the county that includes Houston, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, had proposed a third-party probe of the planning and execution of the festival, which was founded by Scott. The Harris County administrator instead will work with other city and county entities to review security, fire and other safety plans at the county-owned NRG Park, where the festival was held. Other members of Harris County's governing body, known as a commissioner's court, were concerned Hidalgo's investigation could lead to legal liabilities for the county.

Experts in crowd safety say an investigation by neutral outsiders could help avoid potential conflicts of interest and promote transparency. As per The Hollywood Reporter, a 56-page event operations plan for the Astroworld festival detailed protocols for dangerous scenarios, including a 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.

(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, Dec 17 (PTI) NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma on Friday hit out at Karnataka Congress MLA K R Ramesh Kumar for his controversial rape comment, saying it was "extremely sad and unfortunate" that the country still has public representatives who are misogynists.

The senior Congress leader sparked a controversy after he remarked in the Karnataka Assembly that when rape is inevitable, one should lie down and enjoy it.

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"It is extremely sad and unfortunate that we still have public representatives who are misogynists and have a horrible mindset towards women, Sharma tweeted.

It's really disgusting. If they sit in assemblies and speak like this how they must be behaving with women in their lives?" she said in another tweet.

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Yogita Bhayana, an activist who heads the People Against Rape in India (PARI), said the comment by the shameless MLA came on a day when the country was observing nine years of the Delhi gangrape incident.

Sharing a video clip on Twitter, Bhayana said: "This video of Karnataka Legislative Assembly is from yesterday (Thursday) when the country was observing the nine years of the Nirbhaya incident. To protect our women, we vote for them (legislators) and this shameless (MLA) is calling rape enjoyment.

On Thursday, Karnataka Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri found himself in a fix as he was running short of time and wanted to wind up the discussion by 6 pm whereas the MLAs were insisting to extend the time.

"I am in a situation where I have to enjoy and say 'yes, yes'. That's it. This is what I feel. I should give up controlling the situation and take the proceedings in a systematic manner, I should tell everyone to continue your talks," Kageri said laughing.

He explained that his only grievance is that the business of the house is not happening.

Kumar, a former minister, intervened and said, "See, there is a saying- when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That's exactly the position in which you are".

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bhopal, Dec 17 (PTI) The State Bank of India (SBI) has handed over a cheque of Rs 48.40 lakh to the widow of Lance Naik Jitendra Kumar, who died in a chopper crash in Tamil Nadu last week, an official said on Friday.

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Chief General Manager (CGM) of SBI (Bhopal circle) Binod Kumar Mishra on Thursday visited the residence of Jitendra Kumar, who lost his life in the helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on December 8 along with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat and 11 others. The lone survivor of the crash, Group Captain Varun Singh, died earlier this week.

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During his visit, Mishra expressed deepest condolences and grief to the bereaved family members, the official said.

Mishra presented cheques relating to two insurance claims totaling to Rs 48.40 lakh. Out to the total amount, Rs 30 lakh were on account of the accidental death benefit provided to the defence staff under Defence Salary Package and Rs 18.40 lakh being the settlement of SBI Life insurance policies, he said.

The cheques were handed over to the Lance Naik's wife Sunita, he 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, Dec 17 (PTI) India was not taken seriously when it spoke at international forums till a few years ago, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday.

Addressing an NCC event, he said had the COVID-19 pandemic not struck, India's economy would have grown to USD 5 trillion by 2024.

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Singh, however, stressed that India will probably take a year more to reach the target of a USD 5 trillion economy.

"India's power has increased today. Its international reputation and trustworthiness have increased, whether it is in the IT sector, education sector, trade, defence or economy. India is growing in all of these sectors," Singh said.

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"We are moving ahead in economy. India is the third-largest country in terms of purchasing power parity," he said, adding, "We will also achieve a 100 per cent literacy rate in the next few years."

While observing that India "used to import everything, even small arms, from abroad" earlier, the defence minister said the country is among the top 25 defence exporters of the world.

Singh said, "Till just a few years ago, the situation was such that no one used to take India seriously when the country spoke at international forums."

India is the only country that has given a message of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', the whole world is one family, he said.

"India's culture is the best. You will say that every country must be saying the same. But I can give you 20-25 examples to prove that India's culture is the best culture," Singh noted.

The minister congratulated the NCC cadets for their lively dance performance during the 'Vijay Shrinkhala' event commemorating the 50th anniversary of India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war and India's 75th year of Independence.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressing the 94th Annual General Meeting of FICCI in Delhi on Friday. [Photo/ANI]

New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked for the improvement of living standards of backward and deprived sections of the society, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday.

Speaking at the 94th Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Home Minister said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is fully dedicated to the welfare of various sections including the poor, backward classes and scheduled tribes.

Also Read | Delhi Shocker: Landlord Murders Tenant For Not Paying Rent, Electricity Bill On Time.

Suggesting that institutions like FICCI should make efforts to increase research and development capital investment as per policy decisions, the Home Minister stressed the need for the empowerment of the poor as an essential step for improvement of the economy.

"Investment in welfare of the poor increases Gross Domestic Product (GDP)," Shah said, adding "PM Modi gave a humane face to GDP".

Also Read | Rare Mammal Takin Spotted in Forests of East Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh.

The minister said the policy decisions taken by PM Modi will "make India number one in the 100th year of independence".

He also said asserted that "India will be the world's fastest-growing economy in 2022".

"I won't be surprised if our economic growth accelerates to double-digit," he said.

Shah further emphasized the need for giving special attention to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME), saying it was critically important from the point of view of addressing the challenges of unemployment.

"Unless we provide strength to MSMEs we cannot address the problem of unemployment," the Home Minister added.

He said the roots of democracy have deepened in our country, and that "democracy has reached every village and we have made it our nature".

Referring to the Modi government's working style, the Home Minister said "critics also have to accept that in our seven-year government, a lot has changed".

"This government has not been accused of any corruption, you may find the decision wrong but no one can say that the intention is wrong," said the minister. (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], December 17 (ANI): The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Friday with an announcement from the Chair to meet at 11 am on Monday, citing a decision taken in a meeting held earlier in the day with the government and opposition leaders.

The meeting was held earlier in the day to find a solution regarding the uproar created in the House by the Opposition parties in previous days.

Also Read | Working From Home Permanently? Govt May Soon Allow Companies to Tweak Salary Structure As Per WFH Needs.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu made the announcement soon after the House assembled for the day at 11 am and papers were laid on the table as well as government mentioned the business for next week.

Reading a statement, Naidu said: "Today, I talked to the Leader of the House and Opposition party members to conduct smooth and peaceful proceedings in the House..."

Also Read | OnePlus Nord 2 CE Leaked Renders Reveal Triple Rear Cameras, Punch-Hole Display & More.

Naidu said it was discussed in the meeting to find a solution to the issue being raised by the Opposition parties and maintain peace and smooth functioning during House proceedings.

Subsequently, the Rajya Sabha Chairman adjourned the House till 11 am on Monday (December 20).

In previous days the House faced disruption on various issues, especially over the revocation of suspension of 12 MPs.

The Rajya Sabha was on Thursday adjourned for the day in its second adjournment during the day over Opposition uproar over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and sought resignation from Minister of State from Home Ajay Mishra Teni over his jailed son Ashish Mishra, who is accused of running over farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri.

The opposition then demanded for Mishra's sacking from the Union Cabinet have become louder after a Special Investigation Team report said the killing of farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 was a "planned conspiracy".

The farmers were crushed, allegedly by an SUV driven by Ashish Mishra, "with intent to commit murder" and it was "not death by negligence", the report said.

On October 3, eight people, including four protesting farmers, died after being mowed down by an SUV allegedly belonging to Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish Mishra.

Besides, the major reason behind adjournments of the House and disruption in its proceedings was Opposition parties' demanding to revoke the suspension of 12 MPs from the House.

In a move that angered the Opposition and set the stage for acrimonious exchanges, a dozen members of Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha were suspended from the winter session on the very first day on Monday following a motion brought in by the government.

The members were suspended for alleged unruly conduct towards the end of the monsoon session in August when marshals were called after Opposition members stormed the Well of the House during the passage of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021.

The suspended members comprise six from the Congress, two each from Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena, and one each from CPI and CPM: Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain and Akhilesh Prasad Singh of Congress; Dola Sen, Shanta Chhetri of Trinamool Congress; Priyanka Chaturvedi, Anil Desai of Shiv Sena; Elamaram Kareem of CPM; and, Binoy Viswam of CPI.

All the suspended 12 MPs used to sit near Mahatma Gandhi statue inside the Parliament premises since they were suspended from the House, and the Opposition parties have been relentlessly disrupting House proceedings every day over the issue barring a few occasions. (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, Dec 17 (AP) Most Americans should be given the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead of the Johnson & Johnson shot that can cause rare but serious blood clots, U.S. health officials said Thursday.

The strange clotting problem has caused nine confirmed deaths after J&J vaccinations  while the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines don't come with that risk and also appear more effective, said advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Also Read | Existing COVID-19 Vaccines and Booster Shots Enough, No Need To Tweak for Omicron, Says Top US Scientist Dr Anthony Fauci.

The panel recommended the unusual move of giving preference to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and late Thursday the CDC's director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, accepted the panel's advice.

Until now the U.S. has treated all three COVID-19 vaccines available to Americans as an equal choice, since large studies found they all offered strong protection and early supplies were limited. J&J's vaccine initially was welcomed as a single-dose option that could be especially important for hard-to-reach groups like homeless people who might not get the needed second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna options.

Also Read | Pakistan: Four Men Handed Death Penalty for Gang Raping College Student in Punjab.

But the CDC's advisers said during a meeting Thursday that it was time to recognize a lot has changed since vaccines began rolling out a year ago. More than 200 million Americans are considered fully vaccinated, including about 16 million who got the J&J shot.

New data from unprecedented safety tracking of all those vaccinations persuaded the panel that while the blood clots linked to J&J's vaccine remain very rare, they're still occurring and not just in younger women as originally thought.

In a unanimous vote, the advisers decided the safer Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are preferred. But they said the shot made by J&J's Janssen division still should be available if someone really wants it  or has a severe allergy to the other options.

I would not recommend the Janssen vaccine to my family members but some patients may -- and should be able to -- choose that shot, said CDC adviser Dr. Beth Bell of the University of Washington.

The clotting problems first came up last spring, with the J&J shot in the U.S. and with a similar vaccine made by AstraZeneca that is used in other countries. Eventually U.S. regulators decided the benefits of J&J's one-and-done vaccine outweighed what was considered a very rare risk  as long as recipients were warned.

European regulators likewise continued to recommend AstraZeneca's two-dose vaccine although, because early reports were mostly in younger women, some countries issued age restrictions.

COVID-19 causes deadly blood clots, too. But the vaccine-linked kind is different, believed to form because of a rogue immune reaction to the J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines because of how they're made. It forms in unusual places, such as veins that drain blood from the brain, and in patients who also develop abnormally low levels of the platelets that form clots. Symptoms of the unusual clots, dubbed thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, include severe headaches a week or two after the J&J vaccination  not right away  as well as abdominal pain and nausea.

While it's still very rare, the Food and Drug Administration told health care providers this week that more cases have occurred after J&J vaccinations since the spring. They occur most in women ages 30 to 49 -- about once for every 100,000 doses administered, the FDA said.

Overall, the government has confirmed 54 clot cases 37 in women and 17 in men, and nine deaths that included two men, the CDC's Dr. Isaac See said Thursday. He said two additional deaths are suspected.

The CDC decides how vaccines should be used in the U.S., and its advisers called the continuing deaths troubling. In comparing the pros and cons of all the vaccines, the panelists agreed that side effects from the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines weren't as serious  and that supplies now are plentiful.

Nor is J&J still considered a one-and-done vaccine, several advisers noted. The single-dose option didn't prove quite as protective as two doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Plus, with extra-contagious virus mutants now spreading, booster doses now are recommended.

For J&J recipients, a booster is recommended at least two months after vaccination. U.S. health officials had previously OK'd mixing vaccines for booster shots.

Several countries, including Canada, already have policies that give preference to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. But J&J told the committee its vaccine still offers strong protection and is a critical option especially in parts of the world without plentiful vaccine supplies or for people who don't want a two-dose shot.

While blood clots are rare, unfortunately cases of COVID-19 are not, J&J's Dr. Penny Heaton said.

The U.S. is fortunate in its vaccine availability and Thursday's action shouldn't discourage use of J&J's vaccine in places around the world where it's needed, said CDC adviser Dr. Matthew Daley of Kaiser Permanente Colorado.

The FDA also warned this week that another dose of the J&J vaccine shouldn't be given to anyone who developed a clot following either a J&J or AstraZeneca shot.

The committee also heard some of the first data on reported side effects of Pfizer vaccinations in younger children. Early last month, the CDC recommended a two-dose series for that age group, and more than 7 million doses have been given so far. But few problems have been reported. Of the 80 reported cases of serious side effects, about 10 involved a form of inflammation that has been seen in male teens and young adults.(AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Beijing, December 17: China's biotech firm Sinovac claimed that a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine is 94 per cent effective against the Omicron variant of the COVID-19.

This comes a day after a study found that the two doses of the vaccine failed to generate any detectable antibody response against the fast-spreading variant.

Also Read | Existing COVID-19 Vaccines and Booster Shots Enough, No Need To Tweak for Omicron, Says Top US Scientist Dr Anthony Fauci.

The study was conducted by the company on 20 people who received two shots and another 48 who received three shots. Seven in the first group and 45 in the second tested positive in neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant, the company said in a statement to the Global Times.

Sinovac said that the data demonstrated that the administration of a booster shot of its vaccine can effectively enhance the vaccine's neutralizing capacity to the Omicron variant, read the statement.

Also Read | Pakistan: Four Men Handed Death Penalty for Gang Raping College Student in Punjab.

The company's findings are in contrast with those released on Tuesday in a preprint paper by the HKU researchers.

The university study also examined neutralising antibodies, one arm of immune response that serves as a rough marker for protection against infection.

Of 25 people who received a full two-dose course of CoronaVac, none were found to have detectable levels of neutralising antibodies, according to study author and top infectious disease expert Yuen Kwok-yung and his team.

The Omicron variant, first discovered in early November, has been reported in 77 countries and regions, according to the World Health Organization.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Chennai, Dec 17: Three students were killed and three others grievously injured after a bathroom wall of a Government school in Tirunelveli collapsed on Friday.

According to police, the incident took place at 11.30 a.m. in the school located next to the Tirunelveli corporation office building.

Police and fire force rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation.

Names and other details of the children are yet to be released by the school authorities and police. Tamil Nadu: 18-Year-Old Girl From Madurai Consumes Pesticide After Missing Online Classes For A Day, Dies.

The district collector has also reached the spot.

The bodies have been sent to the Tirunelveli district hospital for post-mortems, while the three injured children are undergoing treatment at Tirunelveli medical college hospital.

A senior police officer told IANS that the reason for the collapse of the building is yet to be ascertained.

Police have commenced an investigation into the tragic incident.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 17, 2021 02:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Karnataka Pradesh Congress President DK Shivakumar on Friday condemned "enjoy eape" comment by former state assembly speaker and Congress MLA KR Ramesh. Shivakumar tweeted, "As the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, I am deeply saddened that such words were uttered by a Congress MLA. To all the women of Karnataka, I am sorry and I will ensure words like these are never repeated. The former assembly speaker made shocking comment in the state assembly on Thursday. Kumar said, "Theres a saying... when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it.".

Tweet By DK Shivakumar:

As the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, I am deeply saddened that such words were uttered by a Congress MLA. To all the women of Karnataka, I am sorry and I will ensure words like these are never repeated. https://t.co/xtvdoS1NpK  DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) December 17, 2021

Here Is The Video Of The Incident:

#SHOCKING #Karnataka #MLAs #triviliazes #Rape in #assembly *There is a saying, When rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it' says former Speaker and congress MlA #RameshKumar during seeking more time on farmer issues. While current speaker Kageri laughs it off. pic.twitter.com/sWgQGK9jmi  Imran Khan (@KeypadGuerilla) December 16, 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, Dec 17: Meta has alerted around 50,000 users that their accounts were spied on by commercial 'surveillance-for-hire' schemes around the globe.

The global surveillance-for-hire industry targets people across the Internet to collect intelligence, manipulate them into revealing information and compromise their devices and accounts.

"We alerted around 50,000 people who we believe were targeted by these malicious activities worldwide, using the system we launched in 2015," the company said in a statement. Meta-Owned Instagram Reportedly Testing Take a Break Feature for Better Time Management.

"We recently updated it to provide people with more granular details about the nature of targeting we detect, in line with the surveillance chain phases framework we shared above," it added.

The company said that these companies are part of a sprawling industry that provides intrusive software tools and surveillance services indiscriminately to any customer -- regardless of who they target or the human rights abuses they might enable.

This industry "democratises" these threats, making them available to government and non-government groups that otherwise wouldn't have these capabilities.

"As a result of our months-long investigation, we took action against seven different surveillance-for-hire entities," the company said.

"They provided services across all three phases of the surveillance chain to indiscriminately target people in over 100 countries on behalf of their clients. These providers are based in China, Israel, India, and North Macedonia," it added.

A report on Friday said that Meta has banned Delhi-based IT company BellTroX InfoTech Services, based at Netaji Subhash Place in Shakurpur area of East Delhi.

Hiding under the radar for some time after its activities were exposed last year, BellTroX InfoTech Services targeted advocacy groups and journalists, elected and senior government officials, hedge funds and multiple industries on the six continents, creating ripples among the powers-that-be.

Meta said that BellTroX is based in India and sells what's known as 'hacking for hire' services.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 17, 2021 01:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Migrants, who are trying to cross the border dividing the United States and Mexico, are now suffering from the climate crisis. Some of them are even dying in the harsh stretch of the desert.

According to The Guardian's latest report, new research confirmed that asylum seekers and migrants are dying from organ failure and dehydration.

Experts explained that these individuals are experience extreme physical stress as they enter the Sonoran desert just to avoid border patrols, as well as fortified crossing points.

They added that migrants trying to enter the United States would more likely die as the heat crisis become more severe. Because of this, the researcher concluded that in the next three decades, migrants would need to bring 34% more water compared to the amount they need today.

Migrants Crossing Mexico to US Border are Now Dying

One of the researchers at the University of Idaho, Hallie Walker, shared her findings of the rising climate change.

READ MORE: Boy Scouts of America Increases Its Settlement Offer by $800 Million to Abuse Survivors

"Crossing the border across these extreme environments is really dangerous for humans to do and in the next 30 years," explained the study's co-author.

"It's going to become even more extreme and push those levels to even further beyond what humans can actually sustain," she added.

Meanwhile, the University of Idaho News also stated that the new study shows how the Sonoran Desert's harsh environment could cause severe dehydration, which can lead to death.

You can view this link to see more details.

Other Effects of Rising Climate Crisis

Aside from making the Sonoran Desert harsher, CNN reported that the rising climate change is also believed to be causing deadly tornadoes.

Climate experts and meteorologists claimed that the series of tornadoes in Kentucky was quite severe. Gov. Andy Beshear even shared that the tornado they've seen is unlike any other levels recorded in the area.

Tornadoes and extreme deserts are just some of the effects of the climate crisis. If the rising temperature continues to worsen, many countries across the globe could suffer from more natural disasters.

READ NEXT: Mexican Woman Shot in Head by U.S. Border Patrol Agent Files Claim Against U.S. Government
The remaining number of the American and Canadian missionaries held captive by a Haitian gang in October was finally released.

The group where the missionaries served, Christian Aid Ministries, confirmed the status of the missionaries on their website on Thursday, BBC reported.

"We glorify God for an answered prayer - the remaining twelve hostages are free," Christian Aid Ministries said in their statement.

READ NEXT: Haiti Kidnapping: 2 of 17 Missionaries Abducted by Haitian Gang Freed

Al Jazeera reported that Haitian police spokesman Gary Desrosiers also confirmed the freedom of the missionaries against the criminal group known as the 400 Mawozo gang in Haiti. However, the official did not further any specifics regarding the release of the missionaries.

Representative Bill Huizenga from Michigan also expressed his thoughts on the release of the American and Candian missionaries, as he thanked the ones who took charge for their safe release.

Today is the day we have been hoping for, praying for, and working so hard to achieve. I want to thank members of the hostage negotiation team for their diligence in securing the safe release of all the hostages. (1/2) #Haiti  Rep. Bill Huizenga (@RepHuizenga) December 16, 2021

"Today is the day we have been hoping for, praying for, and working so hard to achieve. I want to thank members of the hostage negotiation team for their diligence in securing the safe release of the hostages," Huizinga pointed out.

5 Missionaries Released Earlier

The release of the remaining American and Canadian missionaries came after five of their members were earlier released by the Haiti gang who held them captive.

Two people were reportedly released by the gang in November, and another three were also released in early December. But just like the 12 remaining missionaries, the five hostages' identities were also not released by the authorities.

However, The Guardian mentioned that a mother and four of her children were among the hostages held captive by the Haitian gang. In total, there were five children among the hostages, including an eight-month-old infant.

It can be recalled that in October, the 17 missionaries from the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries and was abducted by the 400 Mawozo gang after the missionaries reportedly visited an orphanage in the country. Reports noted that 16 of the hostages were American citizens, while one of them is a Canadian citizen.

Although the identities of the hostages were not completely shared with the public, the missionary group said that other hostages were from Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Ontario, Canada, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.

Haiti Gang Threatened to Kill Missionaries

The release of the remaining 12 missionaries came after the Haiti gang, 400 Mawozo gang, demanded $1 million ransom in exchange for the hostages.

In October, 400 Mawozo gang leader Joseph Wilson appeared in a video claiming that he will put a bullet on the heads of the missionaries if the authorities will not meet their demands.

The gang leader also threatened Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry and Haiti chief of National Police, Leon Charles.

The 17 missionaries were not the only individuals held captive by gangs in the country.

The Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights (CARDH) said that hundreds of people were have been kidnapped for ransom in Haiti since January.

Co-chair of the House Haiti Congress, Andy Levin, said that nearly 800 people were abducted in Haiti this year.

Gangs in Haiti expanded their control of the territory since the country's president, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated in July. Haitians claim that everyone in their country, from elites to working-class street vendors, is at risk of being abducted by the gangs.

READ NEXT: Mexican Woman Shot in Head by U.S. Border Patrol Agent Files Claim Against U.S. Government

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Remaining Missionaries Kidnapped By Gang in Haiti Released Two Months After Abduction - From NBC News
As many as 17 million vertebrates, including reptiles, birds, and primates, were killed after wildfires had ravaged Brazil between January and November.

Scientists have published the study in the journal Scientific Reports, according to a BBC News report.

There were 22,000 separate fires recorded during that year, according to the head of science at WWF-Brazil, Dr. Mariana Napolitano Ferreira.

Researchers said that the new study emphasizes the importance of preventing disasters in the future.

A fifth of Pantanal was burned, including the largest tropical wetland in the world. The area is a biodiversity hotspot and home to several animals such as hyacinth macaws, jaguars, and capybaras.

The wildfires are considered the worst in the region's history.

Walfrido Tomas at research institute Embrapa Pantanal in Brazil had visited the area with his colleagues to survey burned places and see which dead animals were found up to 48 hours after fires.

Tomas and his colleagues counted 302 carcasses across the surveyed areas, which were mostly small snakes, birds, and rodents, according to a News Scientist report.

They had also found the remains of a tortoise, an anaconda, armadillos, and several primates.

READ NEXT: Indigenous Groups Push to Protect 80 Percent of Amazon From Deforestation

Wildfires in Brazil

Environmentalists warn that millions of wild animals will be killed or injured by fires being started to clear land.

Rescuers were paving escape routes out of the flames for wildlife ranging jaguars and tapirs to birds, according to an Independent report in September.

A baby deer with burned legs were found by workers, as well as monkey and jaguars that perished in the fire.

Meanwhile, other animals were seen with burnt paws, dehydrated or starving, and unable to find food or water.

World Animal Protection says that land is being cleared and burnt at record levels in the Pantanal region.

The organization was creating escape corridors through the flames and smoke-logged areas. They were also providing water and nutrition for wildlife, together with a regional environmental organization and local rescuers.

Greenpeace noted that Brazil's wildfires are growing worse each year. The organization has mounted a campaign against the forest burning in the Brazilian Amazon, Cerrado, and neighboring wetlands.

Jaguars wandering in the wasteland were found by a team of veterinarians, biologists, and local guides in late August.

The team added that the animal was starving, going thirsty, with paws burnt to the bones and lungs that were blackened by smoke, according to an ABC News report.

They also saw bodies of alligator-like caiman, with its jaws opened, which is considered the creature's desperate act to cool off.

Fires in Pantanal are not new, with ranchers using flames for their beef cattle's pasture.

Joao Almeida, executive director of World Animal Protection Brazil, said that they cannot ignore any longer the link between factory farming and the "irresponsible behavior" of the big companies driving the blazes.

In September, fires destroyed at least 44,480 acres of vegetation in the central state of Goias.

READ MORE: Parts of Amazon Rainforest in Brazil Are Being Illegally Offered for Sale on Facebook Marketplace

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by Mary Webber

WATCH: Blazes devastate huge parts of Brazil's Pantanal wetlands - from DW News






Miss America beauty pageant crowned Miss Alaska, Emma Broyles, as its new queen for 2022 on Thursday.

The crown was awarded to Broyles in the pageant that occurred in Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, People reported.

Broyles replaces Miss America Camille Schrier after her Thursday's winning. Schrier reigned as Miss America for two years after the beauty pageant engaged in a hiatus, USA Today noted.

Miss Alaska's winning also marked Miss America's 100th year and return on stage after virtual appearances and delayed competitions.

READ NEXT: Miss Universe 2021: India Wins Its 3rd Crown; Paraguay Settles for a 1st Runner-Up Finish

Miss America Hails Miss Alaska Emma Broyles as 2022 Winner

Broyles was able to win the hearts of the judges with her impressive answer during the challenge portion of the competition. In the said portion, the top 3 finalists, including Broyles, were asked what would they do in a real-life situation. Miss Alaska was asked what she would do if a male representative or sponsor made inappropriate comments and sexual advances towards her.

"I know in my heart as a woman, I am never going to let somebody treat me like because women should never be treated as objects... Women can be angry! We cannot be content with things that are happening," Broyles answered.

Aside from bringing home the crown of Miss America, Emma Broyles also received a scholarship award amounting to $435,000 and $100,000, E! News reported.

Board of Chair, interim president, and CEO of Miss America Organization, Shantel Krebs, said in a statement on Wednesday that their organization felt that the titleholders of Miss America "honors" and "celebrate" the heritage of their "iconic" institution.

As Miss America 2022 concluded, Miss Alabama, Lauren Bradford, bags the first runner up for the beauty pageant. Meanwhile, Miss Massachusetts, Elizabeth Pierre, grabs the title of the second runner-up.

Miss America 2022: Miss Alaska Opens Up About Her Vulnerabilities

In an interview portion of the pageant, Miss Alabama stuck to being real as she addressed her vulnerabilities.

Emma Broyles opened up about her mental health, as she narrated how she hit rock bottom during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I am real. I have flaws. I have ADHD. I have dermatillomania, which is a form of OCD. I've struggled with all of these and because of that, I am a better person," Miss Alaska said.

Broyles furthered that she hit "rock bottom" when she was left alone in her college dorm room making it "so long" and "difficult" for her. She then shared that she realized that she "can be more than that" got her ADHD diagnosis, and "finally got everything figured out."

Miss America 2022 also said that she wanted to show people that she is just like everybody else, explaining that people tend to put Miss America and other titleholders on a "pedestal."

Miss Alaska, Emma Broyles, competed with 51 women representing every state in the U.S. for the Miss America 2022 title. Without the swimsuit competition, Broyles and the other ladies wowed the crowd with their live talent portion, an evening wear portion, and an interview round.

Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri and Miss America 2004 Ericka Dunlap co-hosted the said beauty pageant.

READ NEXT: Mexico: Oaxaca Declares Beauty Contests as 'Symbolic Violence' Against Women, Bans Use of Public Funds For Such Events

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Miss Alaska Emma Broyles Social Impact Award Winner Preliminary Night #1 - From Joell Grager
The guests have been revealed for this week's Late Late Show on RTE One.

This Friday night marks the final Late Late Show of 2021 at the end of an extraordinary year which began in January with the live vaccinations of health care workers. Throughout the year The Late Late brought the Irish Diaspora together in a global session on St. Patricks night, gave a much-needed leg-up to Irish business on the Taking Care of Business special, put the children in charge for a record-breaking Toy Show and raised another 6.6 million for childrens charities through the Toy Show Appeal  bringing the total of monies raised for Irish charities on The Late Late Show in 2020/2021 to an incredible 26 million!

And to wrap up 2021, this Friday nights show will highlight the remarkable work of the St. Vincent de Paul Annual Appeal, as the charity prepares to help thousands of families across Ireland to have a brighter Christmas.

Writer, producer, actor, comedian Brendan OCarroll will be joined on the couch by his wife, business partner and co-star Jenny Gibney to talk to Ryan about their special connection to the St. Vincent de Paul charity and their plans for a proper family Christmas at home in Ireland.

Hollywood actor, proud Dubliner, Colin Farrell will be lending his support to the call for St. Vincent de Paul as will the irrepressible Majella O'Donnell. TikTok sensation magician Joel M, also supporting the SVP, will demonstrate some of the festive magic that has helped him amass almost 2 billion views and 18 million followers across social media. And its a family affair as father Pat Shortt and daughter Faye will be on the show to talk about their plans for Christmas and an update on their comedy duo act.

And in a very special moment for The Late Late Show, The Corrs frontwoman Andrea Corr and The Rolling Stones rock and roll legend Ronnie Wood will perform the Elvis classic Blue Christmas in-studio - their charity single in support of Our Ladys Hospice & Care Services.

The duo will also join Ryan on the couch to chat about their collaboration. Theres more music from the outstanding Irish musical talent, Susan ONeill, with a beautiful performance of Joni Mitchells River'.

Catch The Late Late Show on RTE One, Friday, December 17th at 9:35pm.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has welcomed an agreement between the EU and the UK to secure the supply of medicines into Northern Ireland.

The EU has announced proposed laws to assist the free flow of medicines from Great Britain into Northern Ireland, in a move it said would create momentum to resolve other disputes over Brexits Irish Sea border.

European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic announced the legislative proposals in Brussels on Friday.

Welcoming the move, the Irish Foreign Minister Mr Coveney said: Access to medicines has been at the top of my agenda.

The plan announced today turns commitment into solutions.

By ensuring the continued long-term supply of medicines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and in addressing other supply issues for Ireland, it provides reassurance to people across the island that they will continue to have access to the medicines they need.

I hope that this solution on medicines can act as a catalyst for solving the other protocol issues early in the new year.

Narrow Water Point and Warrenpoint Port (Liam McBurney/PA)

Protocol talks are set to resume in January when efforts will intensify to resolve the areas of dispute.

Mr Coveney said: I firmly believe the protocol will work, if we allow it, with flexibility and pragmatism.

A positive outcome to the current talks remains our key objective.

I welcome the fact that the EU and the UK have agreed on the importance of continuing talks in the New Year.

This is the best way to bring about substantive progress and find durable solutions to the practical problems faced by people and business in Northern Ireland.

Following the announcement, Mr Sefcovic said he hoped there would be a gear change in the wider negotiations with the UK on protocol issues next month.

Today is a further demonstration of the EUs unwavering commitment to stability and predictability for citizens and businesses in Northern Ireland and I urge the UK Government to reciprocate our efforts, he said.

The EU and the UK are partners with shared values and shared global challenges so it is time to change gear and bring our partnership to the level on which it belongs.
A new application should be made to regenerate a historic but vacant Laois Courthouse, according to a councillor but Laois County Council says it is waiting to see if a 1.4 grant sought will materialise to commence its overhaul.

The future of the Borris-in-Ossory was raised by Cllr James Kelly, Independent, with

Mr. Donal Brennan, Director of Services at a recent meeting.

He tabled a motion calling on the council to apply once again for funding from the Rural Regeneration Development Fund to help transform the Courthouse on the Main St to its former state.

However, Mr Brennan said this cannot happen because an application is already before the department overseen by Minister Heather Humphreys.

We await the result of the most recent application to the Department of Rural and Community Development in respect of this project. Any further application would be premature pending the results of that process first, he said.

Cllr Kelly said he was aware that the council has committed under its 2022 to 2024 capital programme to spend nearly 1.6 million. He added that the State would have to give 1.4 million with the council committing nearly 158,000.

He said that all councillors have tried to advance this project. He hoped it could be used for community use, remote working and possibly tourism

The courthouse requires significant upgrade, he said.

He wanted to know what surveys had been carried out on the building to find out what is needed.

Cllr John King, Fine Gael, said it is important that the village backs the facility and said it overhaul is worthwhile. He advised that a lot of planning must happen to avoid it being rendered redundant after a few years of use.

Cllr Conor Bergin, Fine Gael, also backed the buildings regeneration. He said one application has already failed. He said the current application relates to funding to carry out a preliminary plan.

It is badly needed in the community. There is huge demand for this facility in the village of Borris-in-Ossory, he said.

He said a plan was drawn up in 2010 for a library while the most recent proposal submitted in 2020 was 'extremely ambitious'.

Cllr Ollie Clooney, Independent, backed the proposal when it was raised at the Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District meeting.
The Laois Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LSPCA) was one of nearly 100 organisations around the country to benefit from Irelands first Animal Welfare Awareness Day.

Some 21,000 is on its way to the Society following the announcement of funding of 3.7 million to 98 animal welfare organisations around the country on December 15.

Laois Offaly based Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity, Senator Pippa Hackett welcomed the funding and the launch of the new awareness day.

Clearly there is a need for their services, so we have to continue putting out the message  animals deserve proper care.

Minister Hackett pointed to the progress made on animal welfare over the past year.

The ban on fur farming in Ireland, something the Green Party has fought long and hard for, is now making its way through the Oireachtas, and will be in place early next year. Irelands first Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025 was published in February and a dedicated Animal Welfare Division is in place in my Department since March.

We have introduced the first ever annual equine census in Ireland. This will assist us to ensure better welfare for equines across the country. The Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council (FAWAC) has been re-launched and a new Advisory Council on Companion Animal Welfare has been established.

While there are many other aspects still to address in relation to animal welfare in this country, I am happy that progress is being made under this government, said the Green Party Senator.

Her Fianna Fail Government colleague and Laois Offaly TD Sean Fleming TD, was pleased to see the Laois group being supported.

The Minister of State at the Department of Finance said this years funding places an emphasis on the One Health, One Welfare approach, education and dissemination of knowledge to improve animal welfare.

"The Laois Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LSPCA) is a voluntary organisation established to prevent cruelty to animals in the Laois area. Their aim is to provide medical help as well as food and shelter to abandoned sick and injured animals.

"I would like to acknowledge the excellent work and commitment of the volunteers to ensure the care and protection of the animals in their shelters," he said.
Laois County Council is one of five local authorities not to be allocated money to develop a new greenway for walking and other leisure facilities from a new round of funding announced by Minister Eamon Ryan.

Just over 54.1 million was allocated councils around Ireland under the Transport Infrastructure Ireland 2022 Grant Allocation to Local Authorities for National Roads and Greenways.

Neighbouring Offaly is getting 1.3 million to advance a number of projects.

Simon Walton is Laois County Council's Director of Services with responsibility for Roads, Transportation, Environment, Water Services, Emergency Services. He explained the situation with regard to greenway development in Laois.

"No application was made by Laois County Council for Greenways in 2022 but we are open to making applications for suitable, available greenway projects in Co Laois," he told the Leinster Express.

He said there are different avenues under which a greenway could develop. He said this could involved partnership with independent group or organisation or a project proposed by the council itself.

He added that there have be some calls for a greenway on various old railway lines but the main challenge with these is that a substantial amounts lands that are not preserved.

The other councils not to receive funding are Kilkenny, Cork city, Galway city, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown in Dublin.

Minister Ryan encouraged the involvement of local people in developing greenways.

"Community buy-in is central to the future of our greenways, which are one of the big success stories of rural Ireland. Greenways are a wonderful amenity for leisure and tourism, and they are also important for everyday journeys to school, work or the shops, he said.

Laois Offaly Green Party Minister of State Pippa Hackett welcomed the funding for Offaly greenway development.

The Green Party promised active travel investment and again, today, we are delivering. 60 million has been allocated to around 40 Greenway projects across the country.

"Its an enormous boost to Offaly, with the Grand Canal and Lough Derg greenways and the Dublin-Galway EuroVelo all receiving funding. This will mean better cycle access for school children, for local cyclists and for tourists. It will help tourism businesses in Offaly and bring more visitors into Tullamore.

"2022 will see 773,000 spent on the section of greenway from Leabeg to Boora, 250,000 on the Kilbeggan Link, 80,000 linking Killina to the local school on the Lough Derg greenway, and 25,000 on the design of the section from Tullamore to the Old Rail Trail, she said.

TII has also recently been assigned responsibility for Greenways. Some 40 projects have been supported around Ireland in this year's grants which are linked to road spending.




99.5% of samples taken in 2020 across Irelands 740 public drinking water supplies are compliant for microbiological and chemical standards and producing water that is safe to drink according to the latest Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Drinking Water Report.

Since 2014, Irish Water has been working in partnership with Leitrim County Council to address water quality issues such as cryptosporidium and THM risk across the county. All water supplies which were previously at risk have been upgraded to improve water quality to homes and businesses, ensuring that everyone in Leitrim has safe and clean drinking water.

Irish Water have provided new drinking water infrastructure in towns and villages across the county, improving water quality and benefitting local communities. By providing this new infrastructure we have improved drinking water for over 16,000 people and facilitated the removal of 2 water supplies from the EPAs Remedial Action List.



Irish Water is also making real progress in reducing the number of long-term Boil Water Notices in place around the country. Since the establishment of Irish Water, 263 Boil Water Notices have been lifted, benefiting approx. 1.8 million people. Where risks to water quality are identified through rigorous sampling and testing Boil Water Notices are issued in order to safeguard public health. In all instances immediate action is undertaken to address the underlying causes of the issue to enable the lifting of the notice as soon as it safe to do so. In some cases this may take time as capital investment may be required to address a treatment deficiency. Irish Water has addressed all long-term boil water notices that were in place before it was established, and the average duration of all subsequent notices is decreasing.
The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation acted unlawfully by denying fair procedure to the survivors, the High Court has declared

The Irish Government has decided not to appeal against the decision relating to the Mother and Baby Homes Commission, which published its findings earlier this year.

The High Court said on Friday that the commission had denied survivors their statutory right to reply to a draft of its findings.

The decision means that the declaration by the High Court will appear alongside the commissions final report on the Government website.

The Government will also list online and in the Oireachtas Library all paragraphs in the commissions report which the survivors High Court actions claimed did not accurately reflect their own testimony.

The commissions report into the mother and baby homes, published in January, found that the institutions for women produced high levels of infant mortality, misogyny and stigmatisation of some of societys most vulnerable people.

Many mother and baby homes were run by Catholic nuns.

Its findings drew widespread criticism from survivors, campaigners, academics and opposition parties.

Mary Harney, who was born in the Bessborough mother and baby home in 1949 and was fostered to an abusive family aged two and a half, said that survivors had been vindicated.

She said that the High Court decision demonstrates that the Commission of Investigation failed in its statutory duty to witnesses and that the Government is not willing to stand over its work.

Philomena Lee, whose 50-year search for her forcibly adopted son was documented in the 2013 film Philomena, said the commission had failed in its duty to impartially and fairly investigate and establish the truth.

The commissions findings are deeply hurtful and troubling to me. Those findings deny what we lived. They deny the truth. I call on the Government to denounce this report now, and to open up the commissions archive of documents to survivors and adopted people so that they can access information still withheld to this day.

The secrecy and obstruction by state and church must end. It has gone on for far too long.
A LIMERICK-based company has been awarded a significant safety contract from Northern Ireland Water.

OBW Technologies, a partner of of Blackline Safety Corp, is to replace the State-owned company's current gas detection units with more than 500 Blackline Safety G7c portable gas detection monitors.

NIW are looking forward to working closely with OBW Technologies and Blackline Safety Europe in rolling out their exciting product over the next few months, said Kieran Herrity, Mechanical & Electrical Manager, Northern Ireland Water.

Established in April 2007, NIW's remit is to provide the water and sewerage services for around 1.8 million people in Northern Ireland.

Workers in the water/wastewater industry are at risk of exposure to toxic and flammable gases so having a reliable, easy-to-use device ensures user acceptability when working in hazardous environments. The value of real-time cloud-connected data, paired with scalable technology that adapts to changing work environments means we continue to see strong adoption of our connected safety solutions in the industry. said Simon Rich of Blackline Safety Europe.

JJ OBrien, Director of OBW Technologies added: We look forward to building our relationship with NI Water, a progressive organisation who share our values in caring for the health and wellbeing of their people and customers. This tender is a significant win for our business in the area of life safety, as more and more organisations realise the importance of ensuring their peoples safety in the workplace.

The rapidly growing Limerick-based business, which is headed up by JJ and Sharon O'Brien, has thrived in recent years. OBW has increased its staff numbers by over 70% since partnering with Blackline Safety Europe.
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has issued a fresh warning over the impact of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 as the government mulls new advice on tighter restrictions recommended by NPHET.

NPHET has urged a 5pm closing time for hospitality from December 20 with the Cabinet set to decide on the proposals on Friday ahead of an address to the nation by the Taoiseach.

Some Fianna Fail senators have come out and made a statement with Lisa Chambers saying the new closing time is a "step too far." Former Minister for Agriculture Barry Cowen has also spoken out against the new recommendation, urging the Cabinet to consider pushing the time to 10pm.

In the wake of the advice from NPHET, Leo Varadkar has been tweeting about the current Covid-19 situation in Ireland.

We're all feeling anger, frustration, dismay, depression but that cannot deflect us from making the right decisions to keep our people safe #covid  Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) December 17, 2021

Omicron beginning to show in the figures, unfortunately. Highest daily number of positive laboratory swabs since January if not ever pic.twitter.com/uAGuG9o85K  Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) December 17, 2021

He said that while we are all "feeling anger, frustration, dismay, depression," that "cannot deflect us from making the right decisions to keep our people safe."

It is unclear is Cabinet will agree to the new restrictions in their current form with some at the table said to have been shocked by the extent of those recommended by NPHET.

The Cabinet will meet at 3pm on Friday.

It was announced on Thursday that 27% of all cases now in Ireland are the Omicron strain and that number is set to rise with NPHET fearing 20,000 cases per day in the New Year in the absence of further curbs on socialisation.
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Bharat Biotech on Thursday said the company will donate 2,00,000 doses of Covaxinthe Covid-19 vaccine developed by the Indian firm as a gesture of goodwill to fight against the deadly coronavirus across borders.

Suchitra Ella, joint managing director of Bharat Biotech made the announcement at a function hosted by Vuong Dinh Hue, President of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the national capital.

Ella said the company will done the Covaxin doses in collaboration with Duc Minh Medical JSC  Bharat Biotech's local partner in Vietnam with which the firm has been working towards the commercialization of INDIRAB (Inactivated Rabies Vaccine).

It is an honour for us to serve the Republic of Vietnam in a humble manner and wish Covaxin contribution will help boost up the country's national vaccination program and recovery from the pandemic. We also like to thank H.E of Vietnam for inviting us to meet and discuss opportunities for collaboration," Ella said.

Krishna Ella, chairman and managing director of Bharat Biotech said We believe in vaccine equity, global public health, and having access to the vaccine is vital for national health, and I hope everyone in the Republic of Vietnam will take advantage of having access to the widely administered, safe and efficacious Covaxin."

The Hyderabad based India biotech firm has also completed Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials of Covaxin for children in the age group 2 to 18 years. The data has been submitted to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and the final approval is awaited. On approval, children will also have access to the jab.

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SWISS airline will start operating two weekly direct flights between Zurich in Switzerland and Mumbai from January 10, the Lufthansa group said today, news agency PTI reported.

The announcement came after India and Switzerland signed an air bubble pact earlier this month. The agreement allows both the nations to operate a specific number of flights in the wake of Covid-19 curbs across the world.

Germany-based Lufthansa Group has interests in segments like Network Airlines, Eurowings and Aviation Services. It owns brands like Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines. The group's revenue fell to 13.6 billion euros in 2020 (previous year: 36.4 billion euros).

The Indian government had rolled back plans to resume scheduled international flight operations from 15 December after the emergence of the Omicron coronavirus mutant.

India had suspended international flight operations, effective 23 March 2020. This was periodically extended every month till 30 November, before the government on 26 November announced plans to resume scheduled international flight services. Prior to 26 November, international flights operated between India and other countries under bilateral air bubble agreements.

Also read: Govt rolls back plans to resume scheduled international flights

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Conspiracy. Just saying the word in conversation can make people politely edge away, looking for someone who won't corner them with wild theories about how Elvis, John F. Kennedy and Bigfoot are cryogenically frozen in an underground bunker.

Yet conspiracies do exist. In the corporate world, major companies we buy products from everyday have been found guilty of conspiring to fix prices and reduce competition. Just about any planned criminal act committed by more than one person could be considered a conspiracy, from simple murder-for-hire to the Watergate break-in.

Many conspiracy theorists go much further, though, and they see a hidden hand behind the world's major events. Conspiracy theories are often very difficult to dislodge: Some may contain grains of truth or feed an emotional need for believers. And hardcore believers are adept at rationalizing away evidence that contradicts their beliefs. Eyewitnesses who dispute their conclusions are mistaken  or part of the conspiracy.

The truth, however, is out there 

The 9/11 Conspiracies

An aerial view of the NYC Custom house and surrounding area after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. (Image credit: HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The evidence is overwhelming that the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, were indeed the result of a conspiracy: a conspiracy of Osama bin Laden and a crew of mostly Saudi hijackers.

This is too simple for some, though. Conspiracy theorists have a variety of much more complex explanations for what happened at the World Trade Center and Pentagon that day, often involving insider knowledge by President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and top Bush advisors.

Often these conspiracy theories rely on anti-Semetic tropes, such as the attacks being orchestrated by Israel. Many claim that because "jet fuel can't melt steel beams," the Twin Towers must have been brought down by controlled demolition from bombs planted before the planes hit. ( A 2006 NOVA documentary debunked these claims. It is, in fact, quite possible for the columns holding up skyscrapers to fail catastrophically when exposed to fires burning on multiple floors.)

Other claims are refuted by simple logic: If a hijacked airplane did not crash into the Pentagon, as is often claimed, then where is Flight 77 and its passengers? Are they with the Roswell aliens at Hangar 18? In many conspiracy theories, bureaucratic incompetence is often mistaken for conspiracy. Our government is so efficient, knowledgeable and capable  so the reasoning goes  that it could not possibly have botched the job so badly in detecting the plot ahead of time or responding to the attacks.

Princess Diana's murder

(Image credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

Within hours of Princess Diana's death on Aug. 31, 1997, in a Paris highway tunnel, conspiracy theories swirled. As was the case with the death of John F. Kennedy, the idea that such a beloved and high-profile figure could be killed so suddenly was a shock. This was especially true of Princess Diana: Royalty die of old age, political intrigue or eating too much rich food; they don't get killed by a common drunk driver.

Unlike many conspiracy theories, though, this one had a billionaire promoting it: Mohamed Al-Fayed, the father of Dodi Al-Fayed, who was killed along with Diana. Al-Fayed claims that the accident was in fact an assassination by British intelligence agencies, at the request of the Royal Family. Al-Fayed's claims were examined and dismissed as baseless by a 2006 inquiry; the following year, at Diana's inquest, the coroner stated that "The conspiracy theory advanced by Mohamed Al Fayed has been minutely examined and shown to be without any substance." On April 7, 2008, the coroner's jury concluded that Diana and Al-Fayed were unlawfully killed due to negligence by their drunken chauffeur and pursuing paparazzi, The New York Times reported .

Subliminal advertising

(Image credit: Germi_p via Getty Images)

Ever been watching a movie and suddenly get the munchies? Or sitting on your sofa watching TV and suddenly get the irresistible urge to buy a new car? If so, you may be the victim of a subliminal advertising conspiracy! Proponents of this conspiracy theory include Wilson Bryan Key (author of "Subliminal Seduction") and Vance Packard (author of "The Hidden Persuaders"), both of whom claimed that subliminal (subconscious) messages in advertising were rampant and damaging. Though the books caused a public outcry and led to FCC hearings, much of both books have since been discredited, and several key "studies" of the effects of subliminal advertising were revealed to have been faked.

In the 1980s, concern over subliminal messages spread to bands such as Styx and Judas Priest, with the latter band even being sued in 1990 for allegedly causing a teen's suicide with subliminal messages (the case was dismissed). Subliminal mental processing does exist, and can be tested. But just because a person perceives something (a message or advertisement, for example) subconsciously means very little by itself. There is no inherent benefit of subliminal advertising over regular advertising, any more than there would be in seeing a flash of a commercial instead of the full twenty seconds. Getting a person to see something for a split-second is easy; filmmakers do it all the time (watch the last few frames in Hitchcock's classic "Psycho"). Getting a person to buy or do something based on that split-second is another matter entirely.

Moon landing hoax

Here, a real image of Buzz Aldrin saluting the U.S. flag on the surface of the moon. (Image credit: NASA)

NASA landed astronauts on the moon in 1969. By the 1970s, a bizarre conspiracy emerged  that the moon landing never happened.

The conspiracy was described in a 1976 self-published book, "We Never Went to the Moon: America's Thirty Billion Dollar Swindle," and a 1978 movie, "Capricorn One." Even as late as 2001, there was a Fox documentary, "Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon?" that gave air time to the claims that the whole Apollo moon-landing program was faked.

There are plenty of debunkings of the various moon hoax claims , and then there's the issue of the hundreds of pounds of moon rocks that have been studied around the world and verified as being of extraterrestrial origin. How did NASA get the rocks if not during a moon landing? Why would scientists from around the globe willingly participate in the American space agency's hoax?

Many astronauts have been offended by the implication that they faked their accomplishments. In 2002, when conspiracy theorist Bart Sibrel confronted Buzz Aldrin and called him a "coward and a liar" for faking the moon landings, the then 72-year-old punched Sibrel in the jaw.

Paul McCartney's death

Paul McCartney, who is very much alive, performs onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony on Oct. 30, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Image credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

Paul McCartney is not dead. Until mid-2019, he was still touring, in fact, and he probably still would be if the coronavirus pandemic hadn't canceled his gigs. He gives interviews, he has a website, he occasionally appears in the tabloids.

Pretty good for a guy that some conspiracy theorists think died in 1966.

The "Paul is dead" conspiracy goes something like this: On Nov. 9, 1966, Paul McCartney got into an argument with the other Beatles, stormed out of the studio and was promptly decapitated in a car accident. To cover the whole thing up, the band hired a look-alike (and sound-alike).

After going through all this trouble, though, the band then took great pains to drop clues in their album covers and lyrics to hint to the public that something was amiss. For example, on the cover of the Abbey Road album, all four Beatles are photographed striding across a zebra crossing, but only McCartney is barefoot and out of step with the other three. This must mean something, right? Despite public denials by the band (and many, many public appearances by McCartney), fans couldn't just let it be, and came together to look for more clues.

John F. Kennedy's assassination

President John Kennedy rides in a motorcade from the Dallas airport into the city with his wife Jacqueline and Texas Governor John Connally. (Image credit: Bettmann / Getty Images)

John F. Kennedy was shot in 1963 in a Dallas motorcade. But did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone? Or was there a second gunman on the grassy knoll?

These questions are the gateway to a vast arena of conspiracy theories that have spawned endless speculation and hundreds of books, articles and films. It didn't help that Lee Harvey Oswald was murdered in the basement of Dallas Police Headquarters while surrounded by police officers only two days after the assassination  and by a guy with ties to the Mob. The whole thing stunk, people figured.

Plenty of shadowy culprits have been suggested as the masterminds of the Kennedy assassination: Fidel Castro's government, or maybe anti-Castro activists, or organized crime, or the CIA, or Vice President Lyndon Johnson, or  Well, the thing about presidents is, it turns out, they have a lot of enemies. The Warren Commission report, produced by the official investigation into Kennedy's death, found no evidence of overarching conspiracies, though plenty of theories still flourish.

Roswell crash & cover-up

The Roswell Daily Record from July 9, 1947, details the Roswell UFO incident. (Image credit: Roswell Daily Record)

There is one fact that almost all skeptics and believers agree on: Something crashed on a remote ranch outside of Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. The government at first claimed it was some sort of saucer, then retracted the statement and claimed it was really a weather balloon. Yet the best evidence suggests that it was neither a flying saucer nor a weather balloon, but instead a high-altitude, top-secret military balloon dubbed Project Mogul.

As it turns out, descriptions of the wreckage first reported by the original eyewitnesses very closely match photos of the Project Mogul balloons, down to the silvery finish and strange symbols on its side. The stories about crashed alien bodies did not surface until decades later and in fact no one considered the Roswell crash as anything extraterrestrial or unusual until thirty years later, when a book on the topic was published. There was indeed a cover-up, but it did not hide a crashed saucer. Instead, it hid a Cold War -era spying program.

Protocols of the Elders of Zion

(Image credit: Chronicle/Alamy)

"The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion" is a hoaxed book that purported to reveal a Jewish conspiracy to achieve world domination. It first appeared in Russia in 1905, and described how Christians' morality, finances, and health would be targeted by a small group of powerful Jews. The idea that there is a Jewish conspiracy is nothing new, of course, and has been repeated by many prominent people including Henry Ford and Mel Gibson. In 1920, Henry Ford paid to have half a million copies of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" published, and in the 1930s, the book was used by the Nazis as justification for its genocide against Jews (in fact, Adolf Hitler referred to the "Protocols" in his book "Mein Kampf").

Though the book has been completely discredited as a hoax and forgery, it is still in print and remains widely circulated around the world.

The Satanic panic

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

For years during the 1980s and 1990s, America became convinced that an underground network of Satanists was working together to kidnap, torture and abuse children. None of it was real, but the conspiracy theories destroyed lives and livelihoods.

The pinnacle was Geraldo Rivera's infamous NBC special "Devil Worship: Exposing Satan's Underground," which aired on Oct. 28, 1988. Rivera relied on self-proclaimed "Satanism experts," misleading and inaccurate statistics, crimes with only tenuous links to Satanism, and sensationalized media reports. It was the most-viewed documentary in television history. "There are over one million Satanists in this country," Rivera said, adding that "The odds are, [they] are in your town."

The panic grew out of the idea that memories of abuse were often repressed and could be recovered with the help of hypnosis and a therapist. This idea was popularized in the 1980 book "Michelle Remembers," co-written by a Canadian psychiatrist and the patient he eventually married (ethics red flag), in which the eponymous Michelle recovers memories of supposed ritual Satanic abuse conducted by her mother.

In 1983, the panic exploded with the McMartin preschool trial, in which a California parent accused daycare owners of sexually abusing her son. Police then sent a letter to parents warning that their children may have been abused, urging the parents to ask what turned out to be leading questions to a bunch of suggestible preschoolers. Further questioning by authorities continued in this vein, yielding alleged eyewitness accounts by children of networks of secret tunnels and witches flying through the air.

After seven years, the daycare owners were eventually acquitted or had the charges dismissed. One was jailed for five years while awaiting trials and retrials. In the meantime, similar accusations spread through daycares around the country. Most were spurred on by now-discredited methods of questioning small children, methods that often led to children making sensational accusations because they wanted to please the authority figures questioning them.

In a 1992 report on ritual crime, FBI agent Kenneth Lanning concluded that the rampant rumors around ritual Satanism were unfounded. Phillips Stevens, Jr., associate professor of anthropology at the State University of New York at Buffalo, said that the widespread allegations of crimes by Satanists "constitute the greatest hoax perpetrated upon the American people in the twentieth century."

Chemtrails

(Image credit: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

As airplanes travel, they leave behind them long water condensation trails called contrails. These cloud-like tracks dissipate quickly.

But to some conspiracy theorists, these condensation trails are much more nefarious. The "Chemtrails" conspiracy theory holds that condensation trails are full of other chemicals that scientists and governments are seeding into the atmosphere. Why? Pick your reason. It might be biological warfare or population control or geoengineering or an attempt to manipulate the weather.

Researchers who study things like clouds' impact on global temperatures are often harassed by Chemtrails believers, who think they're part of a large-scale conspiracy to secretly spray unknown chemicals into the atmosphere, according to Harvard University's David Keith. A 2016 study even debunked chemtrails scientifically, finding no evidence of unusual contrails or unexplained contamination in the environment. But true believers aren't swayed, as The Guardian reported in 2017.

Barack Obama birtherism

Phil Wolf, owner of a used car dealership, paid $2,500 to have this birther billboard painted, shown here on Nov. 21, 2009 in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. (Image credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

Some conspiracies, like chemtrails, percolate in the background of certain communities, never really penetrating the larger public. Others have big impacts. The Barack Obama birtherism conspiracy is one of the latter.

Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, was born in 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii. But as soon as Obama began his campaign for president in 2008, "birthers" began to circulate the conspiracy theory that Obama had actually been born in Kenya, the country of his father. They argued that this meant Obama was not "a natural-born citizen of the U.S."  even though his mother was an American citizen  and thus he could not be president.

Nevermind that there were announcements of Obama's birth in the Honolulu newspaper, or that friends of Obama's mother remembered the day she went into labor. To combat the conspiracies, Obama not only had to release a copy of his birth certificate in 2008, he had to follow up with a release of the original "long form" document in 2011, contrary to the hospital's usual policy of issuing computer copies of birth certificates as acceptable identification.

The 2011 release reduced the number of Americans who believed in birtherism, according to Gallup polling . But many conservative political activists and pundits raised their profiles by advocating for birtherism. Among them? Donald Trump, who was at the time the soon-to-be-president.

COVID and 5G

Anti-lockdown conspiracy theorists and coronavirus deniers protest in Trafalgar Square in London against the government and mainstream media who, they say, are behind disinformation and untruths about the COVID-19 pandemic, on Aug. 29, 2020. (Image credit: Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)

Probably no event since 9/11 has spawned more conspiratorial thinking than the COVID-19 pandemic. There are conspiracies about the origin of the virus as well as basically every government's reactions. Many people even believe doctors are lying about COVID-related deaths, blaming the virus for deaths with other causes. A distrust of "Big Pharma," fomented for years by "alternative medicine" advocates like Kevin Trudeau (bestselling author of "Natural Cures They Don't Want You To Know About"  a textbook conspiratorial title if there ever was one), have also fed into conspiracies about medical treatment and vaccination.

One of the odder conspiracies mixes long-standing fears of 5G wireless technology with fears about the virus. According to the COVID 5G conspiracy, electromagnetic frequencies from cell phone towers undermine the immune system , making people sick with COVID, researchers reported in 2020 in the journal Media International Australia . Another conspiracy theory claims that the COVID-19 vaccines contain tracking chips that connect to 5G networks so that the government, or possibly billionaire and vaccine philanthropist Bill Gates, can surveille everyone's movements.

As CNBC points out , 5G chips are too large to fit through a vaccine syringe, and even the smallest RFID chips that could fit require a power source that couldn't make the squeeze.

Birds aren't real

(Image credit: temizyurek/Getty Images)

When is a conspiracy not a conspiracy? When it's an elaborate piece of performance art.

Or does that make it even more of a conspiracy theory?

The Birds Aren't Real conspiracy is a movement developed by Peter McIndoe, 23, who started spreading the idea in 2017. Until a December 2021 interview in the New York Times, McIndoe stayed in-character as a true believer, insisting in media interviews and online that birds aren't real, but rather they are surveillance drones made by the U.S. government. Birds Aren't Real has a staff; it has organized real-life protests; it bought real-life billboards; and it emblazoned vans with their claim. The goal, says McIndoe, is to parody the misinformation that Gen Z finds itself stewing in.

"Birds Aren't Real is not a shallow satire of conspiracies from the outside. It is from the deep inside," he told The New York Times . "A lot of people in our generation feel the lunacy in all this, and Birds Aren't Real has been a way for people to process that."

The experiment revealed that conspiracies sometimes grow by credulity: Local media sometimes reported on Birds Aren't Real as if it was something young people really believed rather than an elaborate joke. Birds Aren't Real organizers hope the joke will become a force for good by exposing all the ways misinformation thrives.

"Yes, we have been intentionally spreading misinformation for the past four years, but it's with a purpose," McIndoe said. "It's about holding up a mirror to America in the internet age."

Originally published on Live Science.
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Every year, audiences are treated to a barrage of performances in which the actors have gone all-in on every transformative level, and in many instances, have stretched themselves beyond previous expectations. Over the past 12 months, a strong mix of talent has displayed stunning range; crossing various genres, and providing film lovers with the chance to see their favorite stars going against type. Of course, it takes confident casting directors and strong-willed filmmakers with a unique sense of vision to deliver the perfect choice of performer in each role, which can help to separate their film in a crowded field. And for the actors themselves, its clear that some of their finest work can arrive in unexpected projects in which their abilities are in perfect synch with the material.

In Leos Caraxs trippy and exuberant musical Annette, actor Simon Helberg  best known for his comedic work on The Big Bang Theory  went in the opposite direction, delving into a purely dramatic character. He plays a nameless orchestra conductor, whose central importance to the multilayered narrative is most crucial.

Playing a character without a name ignited a little insecurity within me, but the film is cryptic by design. He could have been called The Conductor, because thats what hes so passionate about  hes solely fulfilled by his passion to be a conductor, says Helberg. He saw the character as having a strong moral compass, almost like that of a narrator from a novel, except here its being visualized.

When Helberg first read the audacious screenplay, he knew that the project would amount to a challenge.

The piece read more like an opera than a traditional screenplay, and it can be a little freeing, if daunting, to have such an open-ended process. With Leos, hes very exacting, but in other moments, quite loose, so its a great combination of ingredients. Youre unmoored and tethered at the same time, he says.

Jared Leto has always been an actor who transforms himself with each performance  his work in Suicide Squad and Dallas Buyers Club demonstrates his massive range. In House of Gucci, he is unrecognizable sporting a balding head and jowls as Paolo Gucci, a larger-than-life member in a fashion family filled with outsized relatives.

Its always about finding the heart and soul of a character, and it was definitely in the script, but we were always trying to bring that out as much as possible, says Leto, who underwent hours of make-up and facial prosthetics to effectively portray Paolo. I always feel an obligation when playing a real person, and I try to bring as much dignity as I possibly can. Making a film is like a painting, its highly impressionistic, and the use of make-up changes the process and the possibilities when it comes to creating a life on screen.

Working with Ridley Scott was a dream come true for Leto who also had the chance to work with one of his idols. Al Pacino has always been a big inspiration for me, from Panic in Needle Park to Dog Day Afternoon and The Godfather, he taught me whats possible, he says of the actor who plays his father in Gucci.

Andrew Garfields emotionally stirring performance in Tick, TickBoom! super-charges Lin-Manuel Mirandas spirited directorial debut, with the actor going to new places as performer, and inhabiting the restless role of Rent creator Jonathan Larson with an endless amount of energy and passion. Its even more impressive when you consider Garfield had never sung professionally before.

Theres a part of me who loves to be outside of my comfort zone, doing things that expand me and where the potential to fail is high, says Garfield, who had to learn to carry a tune and look comfortable behind a piano. He also had to dial up the energy. Jonathan was always turned up to 11, always writing for his life. He was a runaway train of talent and ideas, and he was driven to the point of self-obsession, he says.

And because Garfield was so in-synch with all the elements, his aggressiveness never comes off as overbearing; he infused Larson with a sense of vitality that makes the audience immediately warm up to him.

The fiery narrative focuses on the artistic process in a very intimate manner, so it wasnt hard for Garfield to understand some of the frustrations that Larson had experienced. This story takes you on a quintessential artists journey, where you see how Jonathan discovered his true calling. Im always curious about the ultimate potential we can all reach, in anything that we do. So this project contained that good type of fear, where I knew I had to do it, regardless of any of the challenges. That ticking sound we all hear is the shortness of life, he says.

This year, its a one-two-punch for Javier Bardem, between his work in The Good Boss, which is Spains official Oscar selection for international feature at the 94th Academy Awards, and his performance in Being the Ricardos, playing iconic performer Desi Arnaz. Aaron Sorkins splashy recreation of classic Hollywood television takes a snap-shot view of how tough it was for Lucille Ball and Arnaz to navigate everything that came with mega-stardom and calls upon Bardem  who won a supporting actor Oscar for his chilling turn as a killer in No Country for Old Men  to show another side, complete with comedy and singing.

Stepping into Arnazs shoes was an opportunity that Bardem pursued. I felt a strong connection to his energy, and with him, there were no boundaries. He was a comedian, a businessman, a husband who was madly in love with his wife, who just happened to be one of the most iconic women in the world. You have to get very close to what that person meant to everyone around them, during that specific time and place, he says.

And because Bardem is so subtly adept at harnessing so much in every scene, theres an effortless quality to the way he balances comedy and drama.

Desi was a brave man in a time when being a foreigner was a huge burden, and he never turned a blind-eye to himself. He carried an incredible sense of dignity and was a force of nature as a person.

In Fernando Leon de Aranoas sharp social drama The Good Boss, Bardem plays the owner of a family-run factory, who meddles in the lives of his employees in an attempt to win an award for business excellence. Its about the abuse of power within industry, and it hits you in the gut by the ending, he says. The film received a historic 20 nominations at the Goya Awards, which is the Spanish equivalent of the Oscars.

The year was filled with other terrific performances, including Benedict Cumberbatch exploring his dark side in Jane Campions revisionist western, The Power of the Dog, and rising star Jonathan Majors as a hot-blooded gunslinger in the stylish oater, The Harder They Fall.

DJ-turned-comic Simon Rex explored his previously untapped dramatic side in Sean Bakers down and dirty family drama, Red Rocket. Will Smiths lived-in performance as Richard Williams in King Richard further demonstrates the actors innate ability to crawl deep into a character when given the chance by the material, and Leonardo DiCaprio, very much prone to taking on intensely dramatic roles, went in a deceptively lighter direction in Adam McKays satirical comedy, Dont Look Up.

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In a shocking turn of events, Discovery is facing a potential sale of its business in Poland following the parliamentary greenlight for a controversial new media bill.

Known as Lex TVN, the bill looks to prevent non-European ownership of Polish media companies. It was first proposed in July by Polands ruling conservative Law and Justice party (PiS), which said that TV and radio license holders shouldnt be directly or indirectly controlled by entities that arent in the European Economic Area.

The new media law puts a target squarely on Discovery, the U.S. owners of Polands TVN Group, which operates the countrys most prominent news channel, TVN24. Valued at around $2 billion, TVN represents Americas largest investment in Poland.

The bill was making its way around the houses of parliament over the summer. Although the Senate moved to reject the bill in September, it was voted through by the Sejm (lower house of parliament) on Friday, meaning it has just one rung left  presidential approval  before it becomes law.

A spokesperson for Discovery told Variety: The outcome of todays surprise vote in the Polish Parliament should be deeply concerning to any enterprise investing in Poland and to anyone who cares about democracy and freedom of the press.

Through this vote, Poland risks directly undermining the values that have connected Poland with Europe, and uprooting the foundation of the Polish-American relationship. We now appeal to the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, to oppose this project and prevent it from becoming law.

Sources indicate that Fridays vote has come as a massive shock to Discovery.

The company made clear in August that its ready to fight to keep its business in Poland, vowing to take legal action to block the bill under the terms of the longstanding bilateral trade treaty between the U.S. and Poland.

Discovery  which is set to merge with WarnerMedia in a mega-deal expected to close mid-2022  has so far operated in the country by registering as a standalone business within the European Union, thereby fulfilling the requirements that prevent non-European firms from owning over 49% in domestic media outlets. The new law, however, would crack down on any foreign ownership of Polish media and force Discovery to sell 51% of its stake in TVN.

President Duda previously said he needs to review the bill before deciding whether to veto or not. Variety understands that he has 21 days to take a decision.

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In Varietys Up Next, we asked four Oscar winners to pick the one person who represents the future of Hollywood.

Our cover subject Guillermo del Toro is one of the most prolific directors working today, but hes acutely aware that it carries an important responsibility to other upcoming filmmakers. He executes that duty by producing movies that have him working with other artists, including animator Jorge R. Gutierrez (Maya and the Three) on his debut feature film, The Book of Life. Hes felt that obligation before and after winning his Oscar for best director for The Shape of Water (2017), which also won best picture.

Looking ahead, hes excited by Tatiana Huezo, who will be representing Mexico for the international feature Oscar for her film Prayers for the Stolen, her debut narrative feature. She has high-level cinematics and solutions for moments that blew me away, he says about her movie.

How does it feel to be considered one of the masters of directing today?

GUILLERMO DEL TORO: It carries with it a responsibility to the upcoming directors, and I tried to fulfill that role, certainly through producing. At the same time, you feel part of a community that youve admired since you were a teenager, looking up to other directors. Its fascinating to all of a sudden, being able to show your cut to Michael Mann and getting notes from him on Nightmare Alley.

How did your approach to directing and constructing Nightmare Alley differ from The Shape of Water?

I was necessitating a change of tools, and approaching something that needed to be stylized and recognizable in the real world. You have to be rooted in reality and character. The rhythms change the way youre going to be shooting almost like an acting duel every day between Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchett.

What are you working on?

Im writing right now. Monsters are coming back.

  

What does it feel like to have someone like Guillermo del Toro choose you as the future of cinema?

TATIANA HUEZO: It fills me with deep joy, pride and gratitude that Guillermo del Toro considers my work to be valuable. I remember seeing Pans Labyrinth many years ago in Barcelona, and it touched me deeply. It helped me to understand the country I was living in at that time. He pushes me to continue working with the same rigor and profound love on the stories I believe in. Despite all the films in his oeuvre, Guillermo is an approachable and endearing person.

How do you see yourself contributing to the future of movies?

The cinema of the future and present, in my path, will always be born from the provocation and fascination of looking at and feeling life. I see cinema as a journey of exploration that seeks human experiences. It can immerse us in other realities and bring us closer, regardless of genre.

Whats next for you?

Im shooting a documentary called El Eco and am immersed once again in the territory of childhood in a rural setting. Its a story that speaks of the echo that parents leave in their children. Im also developing narrative ideas for my next fiction, which will likely involve a lot of wind and the sea. Im excited to start the research that will feed this new story.

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The uneasy feeling of being a stranger in your own country brings two damaged souls together in Hail, Driver!, a bittersweet drama about life on the social and economic margins in Kuala Lumpur. This low-key tale about an unlicensed taxi driver and a disillusioned sex worker is light on plot but rewarding as a commentary on class distinctions and cultural divides in contemporary Malaysia. Strikingly filmed in black-and-white and well performed by lead actors Amerul Affendi and Mei Fen Lim, Hail, Driver opened on 41 local screens on Dec. 16 and is Malaysias entrant in Oscars international feature category.

Writer-director Muzzamer Rahman began filming Hail, Driver in 2017. A three-year delay caused by budget problems resulted in Rahmans horror-comedy Takut ke Tak beating his debut feature into Malaysian cinemas and becoming what must surely be the lengthiest production schedule of any film in the current International Oscar race. Scenes filmed at a busy Kuala Lumpur Intl Airport, where a clock displays the pre-Covid date of March 6, 2018, seem almost surreal in a movie completed and released in 2021.

The mood is graceful and poetic in early sequences showing Aman (Amerul Affendi) laying his father to rest and observing funeral rites at a cemetery far away from the capital. The atmosphere is much less peaceful in Kuala Lumpur, where Aman lives with his sister and her husband, who is angry about Amans failure to contribute to household expenses. Amans sole asset is his fathers rundown car that does not meet standards required for taxi services. Hes also colorblind, barring him from ever acquiring a drivers license. In an effort to raise desperately needed cash, Aman acquires fake papers from a middleman and registers illegally with a ridesharing company.

In the time-honored movie tradition of taxi cabs serving as microcosms of the places they service, Hail, Driver! provides illuminating snapshots of multicultural Malaysian society through Amans conversations with a large and diverse range of passengers. While his car radio carries news of Malaysias 2018 general election, Aman hears from immigrant workers about their lives and talks to locals, some of whom mistakenly blame the flock of immigrants for problems such as steep rises in house prices.

Often seen driving around shiny new office towers and residential property developments catering to the wealthy elite, Aman hits rock bottom after being thrown out of home. Unable to afford rent anywhere, hes forced to live in his car and use public washrooms. He may be financially poor, but Amans kindness and non-judgmental outlook allow him to forge a friendship with Bella (Lim), a Chinese Malaysian sex worker who moved to Kuala Lumpur from Penang six years ago for a better future that does not look like it will materialize. Though a Malaysian citizen, Bella feels restless and uncomfortable in Kuala Lumpur, like shes crashing at someone elses place. In return for transporting her to and from appointments, Bella offers Aman the spare room in her apartment.

Rahman approaches the sensitive topic of relations between Malays and Chinese Malays with a refreshing honesty and naturalism that contributes positively to Malaysian cinema. The racial and social differences between Aman and Bella simply do not matter to them. Whats important is their bond formed through mutual adversity and the strength each derives from frank conversations about hopes, dreams and the state of things in Malaysia.

Whoever wins, nothing changes, laments Aman as election results begin to roll in. Without tacking on an unrealistically happy ending, Nazeems thoughtful screenplay suggests positive changes await this odd and likable couple.

Allowing viewers to see the world through Amans eyes, cinematographers Fairuz Ismail and Hafiz Rashid create ravishing black-and-white images of Kuala Lumpurs cityscape at night, and gritty pictures of street life below. The excellent score by Reinchez Ng includes everything from rumbling swamp blues guitar to peppy percussive sounds that punch the story along nicely. Complementing the fine central performances of Lim and Affendi are cameo appearances by top local stars including Bront Palarae, Nadiya Nissa, Namron and Chew Kin Wah.

Reviewed online, Dec. 16, 2021. Running time: 83 MIN. (Original title: Prebet sapu)

Running Time: Running time: 93 MIN.

Production

(Malaysia) A Kistal Amzir release of A Le Mediator Studio, Kristal Azmir, Konda Kondi Studio production. (World sales: Le Mediator Studio, Kuala Lumpur.) Producers: Azharul Azmir Kamarulzaman, Bebbra Mailin, Muzzamer Rahman. Executive producers: Hatta Azam, Mutalib Uthman, Dato Azman Ching. Co-producers: Amerul Affendi, Mei Fei Lim, Edward Chee Boon, Fairuz Ismail, Hafiz Rashid, Kamil Hashim.

Crew

Director, writer: Muzzamer Rahman. Camera (b&w): Fairuz Ismail, Hafiz Rashid. Editor: Kamil Hashim. Music: Reinchez Ng.

With

Amerul Affendi, Mei Fen Lim, Bront Palarae, Rosalan Madun, Namron Chew Kin Wah, Sharifa Amani, Megat Shahrizal, Nadiya Nissa, Aloeng Silalahi, Teku Eri Musnidar, Abul Hasanat (Malay, English, Mandarin dialogue)

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Theres a sense throughout Io sto bene that writer-director Donato Rotunno knows his characters deeply. Unfortunately, that impression doesnt translate to three-dimensional portraits that might let viewers understand them as more than fleeting figures in a fragmented memory piece. The trifurcated tale of an elderly man who, while grieving his recently deceased wife, looks back on their marriage at the same time that he befriends a young woman, this Luxembourg production  the countrys Oscar submission  is

In Luxembourg, long-time Italian expat Antonio (Renato Carpentieri) is preparing for the unwelcome next phase of his life, accepting retirement awards, putting his house on the market and checking out nursing homes in the aftermath of his spouses death. Via a chance encounter, he strikes up a friendship with DJ Leo (Sara Serraiocco), whose own situation is hardly a bed of roses: Shes struggling to pay the rent on her one-bedroom flat above the club where she performs, shes alienated from her concerned mom (who wants her to return to Italy), and shes pregnant with a child whose father is unaware of these circumstances. Theirs is an unlikely bond forged by sorrowful isolation, as well as by the fact that Antonio sees something of his late wife in his new friend.

Io sto bene initially operates on these two dual (and eventually dovetailing) contemporary narrative tracks, but it soon focuses most of its attention on a third strand  that of Antonios (Alessio Lapice) decades-earlier arrival in Luxembourg with his two cousins, Vito (Vittorio Nastri) and Giuseppe (Maziar Firouzi), and his romance with Mady (Marie Jung), with whom hed go on to share his life. Rotunnos interest in Antonios past quickly overwhelms the film, which details how Antonio spent his early days abroad writing missives to a father that he dearly missed, penning love letters on behalf of Vito to his cousins paramour Francesca, and choosing to become foolishly and destructively intertwined in that couples state of affairs.

Echoes between the films two time periods abound, with Rotunno segueing somewhat suddenly between the past and the present. More detrimental than that abruptness, however, is the sketchiness of his action, especially with regards to older Antonio and Leo, whose relationship is even more half-heartedly established and developed than the one shared by twentysomething Antonio and Mady. The writer-director provides us with snippets of information about his players and the dynamics and motivations governing their behavior, but they never coalesce in a way that might intimate authentic, well-rounded lives. Instead, Antonio and Mady resemble ghosts from a faintly remembered yesteryear, while the elder Antonio and Leo resonate as unhappy individuals we only hazily comprehend.

Massimo Zambonis sensitive score and Jean-Francois Hensgens attentive cinematography strive to draw viewers into Io sto bene (whose title means: I am fine). Yet the problem is that there isnt much inside this film; its as if Rotunno has transposed his own, and others, recollections and stories without dramatically fleshing them out. The same is true of Carpentieris morose performance, which helps emotionally ground the proceedings in a mood of longing and distress, but nevertheless feels incomplete. The swiftness with which almost every storyline is resolved and/or dropped further suggests that theres a longer, more fully developed saga to be made from this material. As it stands, though, Io sto bene leaves one wanting much more.

Reviewed online, Stamford, Conn., Dec. 12, 2021. Running time: 99 MIN.

Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes

Production

A Tarantula, MaxMa Film and Vivo Film production in association with Rai Cinema. Producer: Elise Andre, Donato Rotunno. Co-producers: Joseph Rouschop, Valerie Bournonville, Yilmaz Arslan, Marta Donzelli, Gregorio Paonessa.

Crew

Director, writer: Donato Rotunno. Camera: Jean-Francois Hensgens. Editor: Matyas Veress. Music: Massimo Zamboni.

With

Renato Carpentieri, Alessio Lapice, Sara Serraiocco, Marie Jung, Vittorio Nastri, Maziar Firouzi.

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Leonard Hub Hubbard, the Roots former bassist who spent 15 years in the Philadelphia collective, has died at the age of 62.

Philadelphias ABC 6 first reported Hubbards death Thursday; with the Philadelphia Inquirer adding that the cause was multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer; Hub had been battling cancer since 2007, the same year he left the Roots. It happened quickly, his wife, Stephanie Hubbard, told ABC 6. He didnt suffer a lot.

Stephanie Hubbard told ABC 6 that Hubbard was hospitalized Wednesday night, adding that he was energetic and mobile before suddenly not being able to move.

Its with the heaviest of hearts that we say goodbye to our brother Leonard Nelson Hubbard, the group wrote in a statement. May your transition bring peace to your family to your friends to your fans and all of those who loved you. Rest in Melody Hub.

The Philadelphia-born Hubbard joined the Roots in 1992 just as the group  then the Square Roots and led by founding members Tarik Black Thought Trotter, Ahmir Questlove Thompson and rapper Malik B, who died in 2020  was on the cusp of recording their debut LP, 1993s Organix.

Hub would remain a key member of the Roots for the next 15 years, appearing on the bands next six studio albums  from 1994s Do You Want More?!!!??! to 2006s Game Theory  as well as the groups appearances as a backing or studio band, including Jay-Zs Unplugged performance. Hubbard left the Roots in 2007 after he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

Despite his exit and his diagnosis, Hubbard reunited with the Roots on a pair of occasions: In 2008, he appeared at the Roots Picnic for a performance of Mellow My Man, and made another appearance in 2010 when he and the Roots joined John Legend onstage.

Stephanie Hubbard told ABC 6 that the bassist was still involved in creating music, penning a song called The Awakening last week.

In 2016, Hubbard sued his former bandmates, alleging they failed to pay him per a contract that allegedly made him co-owner of the band. In the lawsuit, Hubbard claimed his deal with the band called for him to continue being paid as a co-owner, but the bassist alleged that he received less compensation than other band members. Hubbard also claimed a former unnamed manager for the Roots sent him a letter in 2014 threatening to cut off his health insurance and his portion of the bands revenue. Hubbards wife told ABC 6 that the suit was ongoing at the time of his death.
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The shadow of a certain massively popular fantasy television show looms large over Charlotte Sielings Margrete: Queen of the North, a glossy period drama that amounts to a what-if expansion on an incident from medieval Scandinavian history. And thats not necessarily a bad thing  anyone missing their weekly dose of sumptuously recreated George R. R. Martin will have their itch lightly scratched by the courtly power-plays, passageway mutterings and spies-in-the-bedchamber aspects of Sielings well-upholstered film, even if dragons and ice zombies are notable by their absence.

However the Game of Thrones comparison also has its downside: Where the show excelled in keeping multiple plotlines running concurrently so even the simplest scene felt rife with subcutaneous intrigue, Margrete follows one storyline with dedicated, occasionally leaden fidelity, proceeding at a pace that might be appropriate in a 20-hour season of television, but that feels unusually indulgent in a feature film. The slower stretches  like the entire first hour  have a tendency to plod, which gives ample opportunity to feast your eyes on Sren Schwarzbergs grandly gloomy production design and Manon Rasmussens superb, elaborate costuming, but also makes the story rather too easy to disengage from.

It doesnt help that after a tantalizing glimpse of a body-strewn battlefield that teases a more action-packed narrative than is delivered, the film quickly settles into a more sedate rhythm, establishing the wise statesmanship of Queen Margrete (Trine Dyrholm). Through her adopted son King Erik (Morten Hee Andersen), she rules over the Kalmar Union of Norway, Sweden and Denmark  the creation of which was largely her doing  and is apparently liked and respected by all the various territories representatives, even while ancient internecine rivalries bubble not far below the surface. Her most vital ally is Bishop Peder (Sren Malling), who represents the churchs interests, and has committed manpower and resources to the creation of a Union army, which will defend the region from attacks believed to be in the offing by Germany.

To further stabilize the new Unions position in Europe, Margrete has negotiated the betrothal of Erik to Philippa, the 13-year-old daughter of the King of England. She arrives at court along with rakish diplomat Bourcier (Paul Blackthorn), who has been sent to negotiate the terms of the marriage. But that very same night, reports run rife through Margretes lavish welcome party that a man claiming to be Margretes son Oluf, thought to have died some 15 years prior, has suddenly shown up nearby and the Norwegian emissary has already recognized him, and not Erik, as the rightful King. Margete has the man (Jakob Oftebro) summoned and denounces him as a liar in front of the court. He is imprisoned, pending sentencing.

To this point the film has been admiring of Margrete to a slightly stodgy degree. Crusading, brilliant female leaders who never put a foot wrong  a few unsubstantiated rumors about a ruthless past notwithstanding  do not necessarily make the most complex or interesting of protagonists. But finally the film, which is never very comfortable with ambiguity, finds a higher gear, and Dyrholm gets to imbue her portrait of Margrete with some humanizing notes of doubt and uncertainty, when the storyline makes its biggest deviation from accepted history: Margrete has a change of heart and starts to believe the man is, in fact, her long-lost son (most sources suggest that the historical False Oluf was quickly and definitively unmasked as an imposter). This brings her into conflict with the callow Erik, who is fearful of being deposed in Olufs favor, and ultimately also with half the Union, as each of the nobles is forced to take sides.

Aside from the design departments, the craft MVP here is probably DP Rasmus Videbk, whose magisterial camerawork makes the candlelit interiors feel as imposing as the sweeping landscapes, to the accompaniment of Jon Ekstrands elegant, classical score. But the very magnificence of the whole production, from its smorgasbord of Nordic acting talent to its self-conscious lionization of a remarkable woman wielding immense power within an otherwise suffocatingly male environment, also serves a more contemporary agenda. At one point, Margrete rescues a young woman, Astrid (Agnes Westerlund Rase) and pointedly reminds the pirate who captured her that rape is a hanging offense. Its a sequence that, along with the portrayal of the dignified Queen, proudly locates a precursor to the regions modern-day reputation for progressiveness in terms of gender equality and womens rights, all the way back in the 14th century.

This all gives Margrete: Queen of the North just enough historical and political heft to justify the epic scope of the filmmaking, although its real dramatic heart is with a smaller, more modest tale: that of a grieving mother forced to make an impossible judgment of Solomon, which is grave and touching and, ironically, almost entirely fictional.

Reviewed online, Dec. 13, 2021. Running time: 121 MIN. (Original title: Margrete den frste)

Running Time: Running time: 121 MIN.

Production

(Denmark-Norway-Sweden-Poland-Czech Republic-Iceland) A Samuel Goldwyn Film release of a SF Films production in co-production with Filmkameratene A/S, Truenorth Prods., Sirena Film, Film i Vast. Producers: Birgitte Skov, Lars Bredo Rahbek.

Crew

Director: Charlotte Sieling. Screenplay: Charlotte Sieling, Jesper Fink, Maya Ilse. Camera: Rasmus Videbk. Editor: Sverrir Kristjansson. Music: Jon Ekstrand.

With

Trine Dyrholm, Sren Malling, Jakob Oftebro, Morten Hee Andersen, Paul Blackthorne, Agnes Westerlund Rase. (Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English, German dialogue)

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Ending a year begun saving her baby from a gremlin in deliberately outrageous Shadow in the Cloud, Chloe Grace Moretz again suffers peril-fraught maternity as half of the title equation in Mother/Android. This sci-fi thriller, launching on Hulu Dec. 17, offers a more sobersided survival tale set in an imminent future where humanitys artificial helpmates have turned against their creators. Its a familiar dystopian premise that plays out in narrative terms redolent of myriad recent movies like A Quiet Place.

Still, at least to a point, its lent sufficient engrossing urgency by Mattson Tomlin in his commercial-feature directorial debut. He wrote two other fantasy-tinged tales released last year, Little Fish and Project Power. This project is ostensibly more personal, inspired by the Romanian biological parents who apparently gave him up as an infant amidst the turmoil of that nations 1989 revolution. But Mother/Android falls short when it attempts to grasp a similar degree of tragic parental sacrifice later on, faring best in the straightforward fugitive suspense of its first half.

It opens with troubles of a less-than-fantastical nature, as collegiate couple Georgia (Moretz) and Sam (Algee Smith) discover her very unplanned pregnancy. It is unwelcome news to them both, though he proposes marriage  and to support whatever her decisions may be.

At a subsequent Christmas party, however, they suddenly have much worse developments to deal with. In this near-future, the only significant difference from our present reality is that robotics have advanced to the point where many households have entirely human-looking/acting android servants. Unfortunately, that workforce chooses this particular moment to rebel, with immediate, bloody consequences.

Eight months later, Sam and the almost-due Georgia are living in the woods, doing their best to escape notice by the machines that by now have largely destroyed society. They hope for a chance at a new start abroad; some less-afflicted countries like Korea are rumored to still accept fleeing young emigrant families. But first they need to cross a No Mans Land and reach the harbors of Boston. For a while theyre taken in at a military base, but leave it (or rather get ejected) in worse straits than they arrived. They try making a run for it with a motorcycle theyve acquired. At the films midpoint, however, the pair get separated, Georgia landing in the custody of apparent lone-wolf AI engineer Arthur (Raul Castillo), who claims Im alive because I know how they think.

Though Mother/Android remains watchable enough, from this point onward it grows less gripping and plausible. Tomlins screenplay deserves credit for mixing things up, introducing new characters and narrative turnabouts. But nothing is again as bluntly compelling as the early going, and despite hardworking principal performances, these characters and their movie lack the emotional depth to pull off an earnestly teary, draggy finale.

Aiming for something more than a gritty genre piece, Tomlin lets tension flag without really clinching the poignantly universal humanist message intended. Which in the end just makes this an initially solid, then somewhat disappointing genre piece whose pretensions are out of its weight class. Nonetheless, its well-crafted and resourceful within its bounds, smoothly integrating Massachusetts locations and modest FX to create a credible-enough portrait of a civilized world thats badly eroded in just a few short months.

Reviewed online, Dec. 15, 2021. MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 110 MIN.

Running Time: Running time: 110 MIN.

MPAA Rating: R

Production

A Hulu release of a Hulu, Miramax presentation of a 6th & Idaho Motion Picture Co. production. Producers: Matt Reeves, Bill Block, Mattson Tomlin, Rafi Crohn, Adam Kassan, Charles Miller. Executive producers: Andrew Golov, Thomas Zadra.

Crew

Director, writer: Mattson Tomlin. Camera: Pat Scola. Editor: Andrew Groves. Music: Michelle Birsky, Kevin Henthorn.

With

Chloe Grace Moretz, Algee Smith, Raul Castillo, Linnea Gardner, Kiara Pichardo, Oscar Wahlberg, Christian Mallen, Jared Reinfeldt, Liam McNeil, Stephen Thorne, Kate Avallone.

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Former CSI showrunner Carol Mendelsohn and producer Julie Weitz are in early development on two drama series: Honor for NBC and Body Farm for CBS.

Honor is based on Heder, the Swedish series created by Sofia Helin along with stars Julia Dufvenius, Anja Lundqvist and Alexandra Rapaport, which centered on a law firm that handles sexual crimes against women. The legal thriller will follow four women lawyers who fight for disenfranchised underdogs, going to great lengths to solve brutal crimes.

Mendelsohn and Weitz will executive produce for Carol Mendelsohn Productions. Jamie Pachino serves as a writer and executive produces alongside Maria Bello and Starlings Televisions Chris Philip and Karine Martin. Eccho Rights, the global distributor of Heder, also partners on the series.

Body Farm follows a New York City forensic pathologist who has fall from grace, leaving her almost unemployable. She ends up taking a job with an old-school coroner on his body farm in rural Texas, where they covertly investigate mysterious deaths.

Along with Mendelsohn and Weitz for Carol Mendelsohn Productions, writer Aadrita Murkerji executive produces for Cheekoo Films, Inc.

The projects are being produces under Mendelsohn and Weitzs overall deal with Universal Television, inked in 2018. Mendelsohn served as showrunner and executive producer of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation from 2000 to 2015. She also co-created and executive produced spinoffs CSI: Miami, CSI: NY and CSI: Cyber. Together, she and Weitz have executive produced the series Prism and Game of Silence as well TV movies including Chiefs, Doomsday and The Jury.

(Pictured: Carol Mendelsohn and Julie Weitz)

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  Denmark's prime minister announced Friday that theaters, cinemas, concert halls, amusement parks, museums and art galleries across the country must close down under new restrictions to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the measures also require stores smaller than 2,000 square meters (21,528 square feet) and restaurants to limit their number of customers. Restaurants must serve their last meals and alcoholic beverages at 10 p.m. and close at 11 p.m.

The partial shutdown order was approved later Friday by Parliaments 21-member Epidemic Committee. Most restrictions apply as of Sunday at 8 a.m.

The Danish government is advising residents to limit social contacts over the Christmas holidays, and urged public and private companies to have employees work from home where possible.

We are not talking about shutting down the whole country as we did last year, Frederiksen said. "Our goal is still to keep as large sections of society open as possible. We need to curb activity. We all need to limit our social contacts."

Like many other European countries, Denmark is seeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases, with health authorities saying the number of infections and hospitalizations has risen faster than expected.

The country reported 9,999 new cases on Thursday, and the number was above 11,000 on Friday, the prime minister said.

The new variant spreads at lightning speed. It would be irresponsible not to recommend new restrictions, said Soeren Brostroem, head of the Danish Health Authority.

Lars Sandahl Sorensen, head of the Confederation of Danish Industry, representing approximately 18,000 companies, said the move was not on anyones wish list. Not at all. It will unfortunately be a sad Christmas for many.

Denmark currently requires face masks on public transportation and in shops. The government wants to extend the mask mandate to include educational institutions and places of worship.

Following the governments announcement, the royal palace said some of the planned January celebrations to mark the 50th jubilee of Denmarks popular monarch, Queen Margrethe, would be postponed.

They include a mid-month ride through Copenhagen in a horse-drawn carriage and a series of events attended by Denmarks royal family, Danish officials and foreign guests, both in the capital and around the country.

The queen plans to try to lay a wreath on her parents grave as planned on Jan. 14 -- 50 years after the death of her father King Frederik IX -- and to meet with the Danish government and officials, the palace said.

Last year, Denmark was one of the first European countries to close schools because of the pandemic, and the government sent home all public employees without critical functions. The government also barred gatherings of more than 100 people.

In September, the government said the outbreak no longer was to be considered a socially critical disease, citing the high rate of vaccination.

According to the latest figures, 80% of people over age 5 in Denmark have received two shots, while 84% have been given the first jab.

In Finland, the Institute for Health and Welfare on Friday reintroduced a recommendation for people to use face masks in public spaces, including on public transportation. It came into force Friday and applies to everyone 12 and older.

___

Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP)  Jurors in the case of former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes on Thursday heard starkly different interpretations of her motives and actions as her long-running criminal trial nears the finish line.

A federal prosecutor cast Holmes as a desperate con artist who brazenly lied to get rich, while her lawyer depicted her as a well-meaning entrepreneur who never stopped trying to perfect Theranos' blood-testing technology and deliver on her pledge to improve health care.

The closing arguments are the final act in a three-month-old trial revolving around allegations that Holmes duped investors, business partners and patients into believing that Theranos had invented a more humane, quicker and cheaper way to test blood. The case could be handed over to the jury Friday.

Prosecutor Jeff Schenk opened his closing argument by painting a sordid portrait of Holmes, once a Silicon Valley billionaire  on paper  now trying to avoid conviction on fraud charges that could result in a 20-year prison sentence.

As he methodically walked the jury through the testimony of the 29 witnesses called by the government, Schenk emphasized that Holmes had a critical choice to make on several occasions during her 15-year reign running Theranos. Holmes could have acknowledged troubling flaws in Theranos blood-testing technology, Schenk contended, but she covered them up instead as part of her pursuit of fame and fortune.

She chose fraud over business failure, Schenk told the jury at the outset of a three-hour presentation. She chose to be dishonest. This choice was not only callous; it was criminal.

Holmes' lawyer, Kevin Downey, quickly countered that assertion when he got his turn to sway the jury.

Elizabeth Holmes was building a business and not a criminal enterprise, Downey said before trying to convince the jury that the federal government had presented a distorted snapshot of her dealings at Theranos.

Instead of relying on needles to draw vials of blood from a vein, Holmes spent years promising Theranos would be able to scan for hundreds of diseases and other health problems with just a few drops of blood taken with a finger prick.

It was such a compelling concept that Theranos raised more than $900 million, struck partnerships with major retailers Walgreens and Safeway and turned Elizabeth Holmes into the subject of cover stories on business magazines.

But unknown to most people outside Theranos, the companys blood-testing technology was flawed, often producing inaccurate results that could have endangered the lives of patients who took the tests at Walgreens stores.

After the flaws were exposed in 2015 and 2016, Theranos eventually collapsed and the Justice Department filed a criminal case in 2018 that charged Holmes with 11 felony counts of fraud and conspiracy.

While Schenk made the case for conviction, Holmes peered at both the prosecutor and the jurors from across a packed courtroom in San Jose, California. Just a few feet behind her, Holmes' mother and current partner, Billy Evans, sat in the front row listening intently, as did Holmes' father, who hadn't previously attended the trial in the presence of the jury.

Schenk occasionally played recordings of separate conversations Holmes had with a group of Theranos investors in December 2013 and with a Fortune magazine reporter in May 2014. In both recordings, Holmes makes a series of inaccurate and exaggerated comments about the capabilities of Theranos' technology and purported contracts with the U.S. military that never materialized.

In other evidence displayed by Schenk, Holmes distorted the scope and prospects of partnerships that Theranos had allegedly struck with Walgreens and major drug makers such as Pfizer.

You should find her guilty, but you shouldn't find her guilty because of my words," Schenk said. You should find her guilty because of her words."

In his presentation, Downey urged jurors to carefully pore through evidence that includes more than 900 exhibits to get a fuller picture and understanding of what she was trying to do. He pointed to contracts that Theranos had with several pharmaceutical companies that the government didn't mention during its case as a example of the half-baked story that he said prosecutors presented.

The prosecution focused at a series of events at Theranos that look bad, but at the end of the day when all the evidence flows together, isn't that bad," Downey said.

Downey also emphasized to the jury needed to be convinced beyond a reasonable step" to declare Holmes guilty on any count. To illustrate the difficulty of that challenge, he displayed a graphic showing the seven steps that had to be scaled before reaching that threshold.

The verdict could hinge on how the jury reacts to seven days of testimony from Holmes in her own defense. During a particularly pivotal two hours on the stand, Holmes told the court she was raped while she was a freshman at Stanford University before dropping out in 2003 to found Theranos when she was 19.

Around the same time, Holmes testified, she became involved in a lengthy romance with a successful technology executive, Sunny Balwani, who eventually became Theranos' chief operating officer while the couple were secretly living together. During that time, Holmes said, Balwani controlled everything from her diet to her friendships while subjecting her to mental, emotional and sexual abuse that she implied affected her judgment as Theranos' CEO.

Balwani's attorney has adamantly denied Holmes allegations, but the jury in her trial never heard from Balwani, who intended to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination had he been been called to testify. He faces a separate trial on similar fraud charges in February.

Schenk urged the jury to disregard Holmes' abuse revelations as an irrelevant attempt to garner sympathy.

If you return a guilty verdict, you are not saying you don't believe her abuse allegations," Schenk said.

The closing arguments are expected to wrap up Friday, setting stage for jury deliberations to finally begin.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP)  The jury that will weigh 11 charges of fraud and conspiracy against former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes finally got the case Friday afternoon after a three-month trial that captivated Silicon Valley.

The hand-off came after lawyers for the opposing sides wrapped up a second day of painstaking final arguments to sum up their respective interpretations of the evidence submitted to the jury. That included the testimony of 32 witnesses  including Holmes herself  and more than 900 exhibits.

The eight men and four women on the jury began their deliberations late on Friday and will take the weekend off before resuming Monday morning to decide whether Holmes turned her blood-testing startup into a massive scam. If convicted on all counts, Holmes, 37, could face up to 20 years in prison.

In his final attempt to persuade the jury to acquit, Holmes lawyer Kevin Downey likened her final days running a then-reeling Theranos to a captain valiantly trying to save a sinking ship.

Had Holmes committed any crimes, she would have been scurrying to jump overboard like a scared rat, Downey, told jurors as he wrapped up roughly five hours of closing arguments. Federal prosecutors spent three hours Thursday explaining why the jury should convict her.

Referring to a 2016 turning point that threatened to ruin Theranos, Downey asked the jury: Did she leave? No she stayed. Why? Because she believed in this technology."

As he did Thursday, Downey again depicted Holmes as a well-meaning entrepreneur who never stopped trying to perfect Theranos blood-testing technology and use it to improve health care.

She believed she was building a technology that would change the world," Downey proclaimed Friday.

Federal prosecutor John Bostic offered a rebuttal, arguing that Holmes made her attempts to salvage Theranos under intense scrutiny that gave her few other options. He cited evidence to argue that she consistently sought to deceive people whenever she thought she could get away with her alleged ruse.

At so many forks in the road, she chose the wrong path," Bostic said.

Bostic's rebuttal echoed many of the themes touched upon in Thursday's arguments, when fellow prosecutor Jeffrey Schenk cast Holmes as a charlatan who brazenly lied to become rich and famous. Those purported goals were achieved in 2014 when Holmes became a media sensation with an estimated fortune of $4.5 billion based on her 50% stake in Theranos.

The trial revolves around allegations that Holmes duped investors, business partners and patients about Theranos' technology. She repeatedly claimed that the company's new testing device could scan for hundreds of diseases and other problems with a few drops of blood taken with a finger prick instead of a needle stuck in a vein.

The concept was so compelling that Theranos and Holmes were able to raise more than $900 million, some of that from billionaire investors such as media magnate Rupert Murdoch and software titan Larry Ellison. The Palo Alto, California, company also negotiated potentially lucrative deals with major retailers Walgreens and Safeway. Holmes soon began to grace national magazine covers as a wunderkind.

Unknown to most people outside Theranos, the companys blood-testing technology was flawed, often producing inaccurate results that could have endangered the lives of patients who took the tests.

After the flaws were exposed in 2015 and 2016, Theranos eventually collapsed. The Justice Department filed its criminal case in 2018.

People lost money," Downey acknowledged Friday. That is a bad event and a failure on (Holmes') part." But, he added, none of it was criminal.

Downey told the jury that Holmes didn't realize the scope of the problems until a Theranos laboratory director informed her in March 2016 that the company had to invalidate 60,000 of its past blood tests.

Had Holmes thought any crimes been committed, Downey posited, she would have tried to cover them up and perhaps sell some of her stock. Not only did she never sell a share, Downey said, she continued to try to salvage the company. Her turnaround efforts included ousting Theranos' chief operating officer, Sunny Balwani, who also had been her lover.

In a dramatic turn on the witness stand last month, Holmes testified that Balwani had been covertly controlling her diet, her friendships and more while subjecting her to mental, emotional and sexual abuse. Although the testimony cast Holmes as Balwani's pawn, Downey never mentioned the alleged abuse and its effects on Holmes during his closing arguments.

The jury has been left to consider whether partner abuse may have affected some of her decisions at Theranos. In the prosecution's closing argument, Schenk reminded the jurors that finding Holmes guilty of fraud won't mean they discounted her abuse allegations.

Bostic revisited the issue Friday, telling the jurors they shouldn't allow sympathy to sway their decision on the fraud charges. There is an extensive record for the charges of fraud in this case," he said. There is much less evidence of what happened between Miss Holmes and Mr. Balwani."

Balwani's lawyer adamantly denied Holmes' accusations in court documents that the jury never saw. Jurors also never heard from Balwani, who intended to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination had been called to testify. Balwani, 56, faces similar fraud charges in a separate trial scheduled to begin in February.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP)  A Russian warship under construction at a shipyard in St. Petersburg caught fire Friday, leaving at least three workers injured.

The Provorny (Agile) corvette being built at the Severnaya Verf (Northern Shipyard) was completely engulfed by flames, and nearly 170 firefighters were taking part in efforts to extinguish the blaze that sent massive plumes of smoke over Russias second-largest city.
BERLIN (AP)  Members of Germany's biggest opposition party, the center-right Christian Democratic Union of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, have chosen prominent conservative Friedrich Merz as its new leader, the party said Friday.

Merz's election with a strong mandate appears to mark at least a symbolic break with the Merkel era. Making his third run for the CDU's top post, he took 62.1% support in a ballot of the partys membership to beat two centrist contenders.

A party convention next month will have to sign off officially on the membership vote, but that should only be a formality.

Armin Laschet, the CDU's leader since January, is stepping down after leading the two-party Union bloc to its worst-ever election result in September, winning only 24.1% of the vote. The bloc, which the CDU dominates, was narrowly beaten by the center-left Social Democrats of new Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Merz, 66, has experience of being an opposition leader. He led the center-right group in parliament from 2000 to 2002, when Merkel pushed him out of that job. He left parliament in 2009, later practicing as a lawyer and heading the supervisory board of investment manager BlackRocks German branch.

Merz returned to parliament in the September election. The online and postal ballot of the CDU's roughly 400,000-strong membership was a first for the party. It said that nearly two-thirds of members took part.

Merz's rivals were left far behind in the ballot. Norbert Roettgen, a former environment minister who has chaired parliaments foreign policy committee in recent years, finished with 25.8% support in his second bid for the party post.

Helge Braun, who was Merkel's chief of staff from 2018 until she left office last week, won 12.1%.

Merz failed to win the party leadership by fairly narrow margins at party conventions in 2018 and in January, losing first to Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and then to Laschet.

Both subsequently struggled to impose their authority. A fight for the nomination to run for chancellor between Laschet and Markus Soeder, the leader of the CDU's Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, also exposed divisions.

Merz pledged Friday to stand for the party in its full breadth and said he would work to ensure that different political opinions and directions have a place.

We won't engage in fundamental opposition, he said. We will be a constructive opposition.

Merkel, who positioned her party firmly in the political center, gave up the CDU leadership in 2018 and announced that she wouldn't seek a fifth term as chancellor.

Merz promised that his CDU will be a modern party. In an interview with ARD television, he rejected the notion that he is a throwback to the 1990s, saying that is an image that doesnt fit at all with my fundamental philosophy, attitude to life and my political attitude.

Lars Klingbeil, the co-leader of Scholz's Social Democrats, congratulated Merz and said he looked forward to a fair, democratic competition.

I think it's great that there's a culture of third chances in our country," Klingbeil wrote on Twitter.
A 64-year-old Dallas resident has been sentenced to prison for attempting to smuggle firearms, magazines and ammo, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

A jury in a Laredo federal court deliberated for about five hours before convicting Jose Rafael Vasquez on July 1 following a two-day trial.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana sentenced Vasquez to 63 months in federal prison immediately followed by a three-year term of supervised release.

At the hearing, the court heard additional information, including the fact that the firearms bore decorative handles and were quite expensive, which criminal organizations highly prized in Mexico, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Saldana noted Vasquez had also previously purchased a semi-automatic rifle in Garland in 2017, which was later found in Durango, Mexico, after a shootout between Mexican authorities and armed criminal groups. The rifle was traced to Vasquez as the last known legal purchaser.

The case dates back to Oct. 15, 2020. At about 9:32 p.m., Vasquez attempted to exit the United States via the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge while driving a Chevrolet Suburban. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting outbound inspection obtained a negative declaration from Vasquez for weapons, ammo or more than $10,000 in cash.

Vasquez claimed ownership of the vehicle and stated he was traveling from Dallas, Texas to Matehuala, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, state the arrest affidavit.

CBP officers then discovered suspicious bundles zip-tied to the undercarriage of the vehicle. They appeared to contain ammunition. Further inspection revealed three AK-47 rifles, eight semi-automatic handguns of various calibers, 16 handgun magazines and approximately 4,714 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition hidden inside his vehicle.

The defense attempted to convince the jury Vasquez did not know about the items inside the vehicle. They did not believe his claims and found him guilty as charged, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and CBP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco J. Rodriguez and David Fawcett prosecuted the case.
Leaders from the City of Laredo and Laredo College outlined on Thursday morning that Laredo CARES 2.0 will be launching after the colleges winter break. The program will aim to help over 1,000 individuals affected by the pandemic find a new career.

The initiative is being funded through monies provided to the city and college by the American Rescue Plan, and both have pledged $1 million each to bolster the new round of trainings. According to Assistant City Manager Kristina Hale, the funds were allocated based on the priority of the employment situation in Laredo.

The initiative will build on 2020s CARES foundation, which provided free workforce training to individuals who had lost their jobs amid the pandemic. According to LC Interim President Dr. Marisela Rodriguez-Tijerina, the demand for the original CARES Workforce program deemed it necessary for a second round.

The program will provide workforce skills, development and redevelopment training for approximately 1,200 individuals who experienced layoff, furlough or underemployment due to COVID-19, Tijerina said. Approximately 30 programs will be offered including CDL training, dental assistant, administrative management and more.

This program will have a specific focus on employability skills that are applicable to any job in any industry and are identified by economic developers across Texas as a critical skill gap for the Texas workforce, Tijerina said.

The original CARES Workforce training program reached approximately 500 individuals prompting the increased investment to double the number of participants.

According to Teclo Garcia, Laredo Economic Development Director, the pre-COVID Laredo labor force was approximately 118,000 individuals ready to work and the unemployment rate was 3.4%. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate dropped to 5.2% as of August 2021 and the city is short 6,000 eligible workers when compared to years before the pandemic.

Theres people out there wondering what they can do and maybe this program is something that can put them on the right path forward, Garcia said.

A topic of increased discussion was the CDL program, where Garcia mentioned that as the No. 1 land port of the country, truck drivers are always in high demand, especially during the pandemic. He added that the transportation field employs about a third of the entire Laredo community.

Garcia cited a conversation in May in which he said the Texas Workforce Commission said Laredo had 1,300 CDL openings that month. And with the troubles throughout the supply chain, the situation hasnt improved, but the training is expected to address the number of openings.

Cynthia Rocha, LC South Workforce Development Coordinator, oversees the CDL program and said that it served over 60 students during the first round of workforce training. The program is considered the entry level driver training program and consists of five weeks of training, Monday through Friday. Classes are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., essentially a full-time commitment, and will total 175 contact hours.

She added that throughout the course of the program, students would be adequately equipped to challenge the knowledge exams at the Texas Department of Public Safety and get the hands-on training in preparation for their driving exam. The program will also help provide the tools for students interested in receiving endorsements such as the Class A hazmat endorsement.

According to Garcia, the CDL program costs approximately $3,000, during this period, and it will be free for those eligible. However, like the original CARES Workforce program, all programs will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Additionally, the programs will come through a variety of training platforms including a face-to-face, remote or a hybrid model. Depending on the program chosen will determine the method of instruction. The number of positions has yet to be determined throughout all 30 programs set to be available in January.

With this sequel, LC Senior Director for External Affairs Michael Gonzalez said the college learned a lot from the 2020 program, but the key observation was that the program was necessary for the community. Originally, the program was initiated with $700,000 through both the city and trained up to 500 individuals within six months.

As a result, the upcoming programs will follow the high employment demands within the city as well as ensuring that the supplemental employability instruction bolsters the students further. Gonzalez said this will include stronger writing skills, management, customer service and more. Individuals interested in improving the employability, but not partaking in a specific training program, will also be able to take part through an employability focused program.

cocampo@lmtonline.com
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  The Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission voted Thursday in favor of new preliminary district maps over sharp objections from the House's Republican leader, as a large increase in the state's minority population helped shape big changes.

The maps also reflect general population changes in the past decade, which have favored Democratic-leaning areas in the southeast, cities and suburbs, as more conservative areas in northern and western Pennsylvania lost population or grew more slowly.

The panel voted 5-0 for the Senate plan and 3-2 for the House plan, with both Republicans opposed to it.

The maps of 203 House seats and 50 Senate seats could have a dramatic effect on entrenched Republican majorities in the state Legislature. Republicans effectively drew the existing district maps in the presidential battleground state where Democrats hold a registration edge of 4 million to the GOP's 3.4 million.

Drawing a new map is a pivotal moment in the once-in-a-decade redistricting process, required by the state constitution to account for population shifts in the 2020 Census. Its design will reverberate politically for years to come.

The vote triggers a 30-day period of public comment and objections. The commission must then produce a final map, after which legal challenges can go to the state Supreme Court.

At the commission meeting, the chairman, Mark Nordenberg, the former University of Pittsburgh chancellor who was chosen as chairman by the Democratic-majority state Supreme Court, said both of the new maps still lean Republican.

He attributed that to so many registered Democrats living in a tight cluster in southeastern Pennsylvania, and a Republican political advantage embedded in maps over time. But, he said, it is politically impossible to start with a new map when the commission's other four members are partisan caucus leaders in each chamber.

Nordenberg said it is an intuitive democratic ideal that attracting about 50% of the popular vote also ought to mean winning about 50% of the contested seats.

The maps create eight districts  seven in the House, one in the Senate, Nordenberg said  that don't have any incumbent and which have heavy concentrations of racial minorities. That should create the opportunity for racial minorities to get elected, he said.

There is no incumbent advantage that will have to be overcome in any of these districts, which should give minority communities residing in them a special opportunity, he said.

That will mean splitting a number of cities, including Allentown, in the Senate. Meanwhile, new districts are being created in Philadelphia, Montgomery County and the city of Lancaster, all areas that favor Democrats.

House Minority Leader Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, said the maps reflect both geographic shifts and that the number of Black, Hispanic, Asian and multiracial people in the state grew by more than 800,000 in the past decade, while the white population dropped by about 540,000.

This preliminary House map is representative of the commonwealth as it is today and allows for equal participation in the electoral process," McClinton said, saying it substantially corrects decades of gerrymandering.

House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre, disagreed, describing it as a partisan gerrymander and signaled a possible court challenge.

Radical change is a problem, when the radical change is rationalized by politics, Benninghoff said, calling the map a danger to our system of government.

House Republicans said the preliminary map would pit incumbent Republicans against each other in at least six districts, but just one intraparty matchup for Democrats.

Meanwhile, four districts that would pit incumbent Democrats and Republicans against each other had substantially more registered Democratic voters, the House GOP said.

Nordenberg said population changes will inevitably affect incumbents, "though that was not our goal, he said.

Republicans currently hold a 113-90 House majority and a 29-21 Senate majority.

The Princeton Gerrymandering Project gave the House map a C for partisan fairness, but an F for competitiveness, meaning few swing seats, and projected about 102 Democratic-leaning seats. A House majority requires 102 seats.

The Senate map got an A for partisan fairness from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, but a C for competitiveness. It projected a split chamber.

The preliminary Senate map aims at what Democrats saw as the most extreme gerrymanders created by Republicans in the existing map that helped defeat Democratic incumbents in Johnstown and Harrisburg.

It would remove heavily Republican areas added to those districts, taking Bedford County out of the Johnstown-based district and Perry County out of the Harrisburg-based district. Both seats are currently held by Republicans.

Meanwhile, the map would put growing Monroe County into its own district, instead of being split in what Democrats saw as a Republican attempt to carve out a favorable new district on the existing map. It also would unite Scranton and Wilkes-Barre in one district, and leaving Wilkes-Barre's current senator, Democrat-turned-independent John Yudichak, in a district with Republican Lisa Baker.

Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland, backed the preliminary Senate map, but said she expected corrections before it becomes final. She voted for it to move the process along, since 2022 primary election deadlines are approaching, she said.

The existing Republican-drawn maps have been in force since 2014s elections.

During that time, Republicans have held majorities in both chambers  including some of the biggest majorities in a half-century  while Democrats won more statewide races, 19 to 11.
MOSCOW (AP)  The developer of Russias Sputnik V said Friday that its vaccine provides the best protection against the omicron variant of the coronavirus, disputing a Western study that found Sputnik produced "no neutralizing activity" against the new variant.

The Gamaleya Institute and the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which bankrolled Sputnik V and its one-shot version called Sputnik Light, said in a statement that a preliminary laboratory study showed Sputnik V had the best virus neutralization results against omicron in comparison with other vaccines.
The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks!

Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics.

The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc.

The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics.

The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates.

Access to college recruiters and advisors  its harder to line up higher education.

Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family.

Vote

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A male pedestrian who suffered catastrophic brain injuries after he was knocked down by a van driven by an uninsured driver in a county Longford town has been awarded 2.85 million by the High Court today.

According to Independent.ie, Mr Justice Paul Coffey was told that a large part of the settlement will go towards the future care needs of father-of-two Stephen Roche (30), Mullingar, Co Westmeath.

Aaron Cassidy of Cranleymore, Edgeworthstown, Co Longford was jailed by Longford Circuit Criminal Court in June 2020 for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to Stephen Roche, on Main Street, Edgeworthstown on September 10, 2017.

The settlement is against the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI), which compensates victims of uninsured or untraced drivers.

Mr Roche, through his sister Tracey Golden sued the MIBI and Aaron Cassidy as a result of the incident.

Mr Roches counsel Sara Moorhead SC told the High Court it was a very tragic case.

Last June, Mr Cassidy, a motor racing enthusiast, lost an appeal against the severity of his five-year jail sentence.

The Court of Appeal found that the sentence imposed was "generous" and that his appeal was "utterly lacking in merit" and "bordering on unstatable".

President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham said the sentence imposed was "a very lenient one" and he and the other two judges of the three-judge court would have been more severe.

He decided, however, not to increase the sentence because it fell within the available range for the offence. Cassidy decided to go ahead with his appeal even though his lawyers advised him that the court could increase his sentence.
The Government will effectively close down Longford's entire hospitality sector in one fell swoop if it accepts Nphet's "crazy" proposals to introduce a 5pm curfew from Monday.

Gerry Lynn, chairperson of Longford's Vintners Association, issued a stinging rebuke of the mooted recommendations which were relayed to government chiefs late last night.

"It's just crazy," he said.

"Where do they think people are going to go after 5, 6, 7 or 8pm at night. They are not going to go home to their beds that's for sure."

Mr Lynn said the measures put forward in a letter issued by chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly was simply not workable for an industry which has been beset by 18 months of stop-start restrictions.

The owner of Edgeworthstown establishment The Sportsman's Inn said should cabinet ministers sign off on the measures, the potential repercussions for pubs and restaurants locally were unthinkable.

"I know we are in the middle of a pandemic, but some of the stuff they are coming out with is baffling," he said.

"They (government) might as well close us down completely if they go through with it."

The proposals are expected to be considered by the Cabinet sub-committee on Covid-19 on Friday afternoon ahead of a full Cabinet meeting later.

Mr Lynn also hinted at a more concealed reason for the rationale behind a 5pm closure time.

"What this is is city centre politics," he said.

"I have been on about the decay of rural Ireland for a while and this is just another nail. It's alright doing this (restricted opening hours) in the cities where you have the footfall, but I have been here (in the bar) today and I had two customers this morning.

"It's just not feasible."

Concerns surrounding the practicality of shortened opening times for bars and restaurants were given equal credence by Longford town publican Andy Byrne.

The local businessman said despite heightened fears over the Omicron variant, hospitality operators were effectively being left in "limbo" by the increasing uncertainty over possible further restrictions.

"I know our health service is in crisis and they are under pressure, but I would rather they (government) do one thing or the other," he said.

"In my opinion they should reintroduce the CRSS (COVID Restrictions Support Scheme) to affected businesses and close us down altogether.

"The situation we are left in is virtually impossible to manage and not financially viable to stay open."

Mr Byrne also said the anxiety felt by pub owners went far beyond licensed premises generally and would likely impact hairdressers, salons and other hospitality providers who may struggle to withstand any further curfew measures being imposed on them.

That scepticism over the well documented recommendations were mirrored by Longford Fine Gael Senator Micheal Carrigy.

In keeping with mounting talk of a backlash among Government backbenches and among some ministers to the 5pm curfew on hospitality, Senator Carrigy described the measures as "draconian" and a "step too far".

He said: "We have vaccine certs for indoor hospitality. What we need to do is rigorously enforce them and allow these businesses to continue to trade."

Cabinet will meet later to finalise decisions but Nphet is also advocating that sporting, theatre and cultural gatherings should not take place after 5pm and that capacity should be cut to 50%, or 5,000 people, for outdoor events.
A number of new restrictions have been announced for Ireland for Christmas as an attempt to stop the spread of the Omicron variant in Ireland.

'They may as well close us down completely': Longford publicans slam Nphet's 5pm curfew proposals The Government will effectively close down Longford's entire hospitality sector in one fell swoop if it accepts Nphet's "crazy" proposals to introduce a 5pm curfew from Monday.

The new restrictions announced this evening by Michael Martin are as follows:

* all restaurants and bars, excluding takeaways or delivery services, must close at 8pm

*there should be no indoor events after 8pm

* for indoor events scheduled earlier in the day, attendance should be limited to 50% of venue capacity or 1,000 people, whichever is lower

* attendance at all outdoor events should be limited to 50% of venue capacity or 5,000 people, whichever is lower

* wedding receptions can take place after 8pm but with a capacity limit of 100 guests

* restricted movement advice for all close contacts will be enhanced. For those who have received a booster at least one week ago, they will have to restrict movement for 5 days and take 3 antigen tests

* for those that have not yet received a booster, they must restrict their movement for ten days. The HSE will consider the best testing regime for people in this category

* all people arriving into the country from overseas will be required to have an antigen or PCR test in line with their vaccination or recovery status

*all passengers arriving in Ireland should now be advised to conduct antigen testing on a daily basis for a period of five consecutive days commencing on the day of arrival
Cabinet is set to meet on Friday afternoon ahead of an address to the nation by the Taoiseach on the need for more Covid-19 restrictions amid serious concerns over the Omicron variant of the virus.

It comes after fresh recommendations from Nphet, calling for a 5pm curfew on hospitality and a cap on capacity at large outdoor events of 50%, or 5,000 people.

CAB raid Longford property in latest crackdown on organised crime Officers from the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) carried out a search on a Longford property this morning as part of an investigation into organised crime, the Leader understands.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin will fly home from Brussels following a European Parliament summit to hold a sub-Cabinet committee meeting with coalition leaders Leo Varadkar and Eamon Ryan and chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan at 12.30pm.

A full Cabinet meeting will get under way at around 3pm on Friday.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan arrives at Government Buildings in Dublin for a Cabinet meeting (Brian Lawless/PA)

Mr Ryan said Nphets recommendations  which stakeholders in the hospitality sector have called a de-facto closure  have not yet been agreed, but that action is needed.

None of the details are agreed yet. Nphet have set out in their letter their recommendations. There may be variations on that. The key thing is that we do have a surge coming, he told RTEs Morning Ireland.

All the international advice is that this new variant is more transmissible and could escape some of the vaccines. We still dont know the level of health risk it carries.

There will still be a level of socialisation. We can and will meet family. It is still a social Christmas.

Mr Ryan said he expects Mr Martin will address the nation on the new measures on Friday evening.

I would expect it is likely this evening. We need to give people certainty and we will, he said.

People are conscious, and we are very aware, that the new variant is a risk. We will still have a social Christmas but it needs to be in a careful way.

The Vintners Federation of Ireland has said the 5pm curfew is closure by another name.

After last night's bombshell, only facts we know right now:5pm is just adviceNo decision made yetCabinet Covid Cmt meeting at midday to discuss NPHET advice Full Cabinet later to make final decision Be in no doubt, 5pm curfew is full closure by a different name  VFI (@VFIpubs) December 17, 2021

Chief executive Padraig Cribben told Newstalk Breakfast: This is an absolute bombshell that nobody had anticipated. In essence, it is the equivalent of full closure for most businesses.

Ninety-five percent of the business is done post-5pm in most outlets. There are many outlets around the country that dont open until late afternoon.

He said if the Government implements the recommendations, it will be closure by another name.

If they do implement them, they have got to act like it is full closure and put the necessary supports in place, he added.

Deputy Government chief whip and Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin tweeted: The 5pm suggestion and the way it has been floated has caused enormous worry and stress to so many people and is an insult to our business people and workers in hospitality

After nearly 2 years of this, the vast majority of people know how to reduce risk and stay safe

Fianna Fail Senator Malcolm Byrne wrote: I am totally opposed to the #NPHET proposal for a 5pm closing time. It will simply lead to an increase in house parties.

Schools are unlikely to close early for the Christmas holidays however.

Mr Ryan said: Our schools need to stay open  thats critical for the health of our children.

The evidence were seeing suggests that kids could be safer in a school environment than elsewhere. I know people have heard this, but this is true. Incidence rates are low in schools.

Meanwhile, HSE chief executive Paul Reid said the most vulnerable will all have received a booster vaccination by the end of December.

We will get through this, he told Newstalk Breakfast. We are seeing people coming forward in really strong numbers.

I would say to people by the end of December, we will be through the most vulnerable people who were identified as a priority for vaccination.

That is 2.2 million people over 50 years of age, medically vulnerable, immunocompromised or living in long-term care.

The reality of that is that gives us higher protection to the vulnerable and that is a positive place to be.

So, by the end of December, those 2.2 million people will either have been vaccinated, offered an appointment, or indeed have taken up the opportunity to walk in.
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has issued a fresh warning over the impact of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 as the government mulls new advice on tighter restrictions recommended by NPHET.

NPHET has urged a 5pm closing time for hospitality from December 20 with the Cabinet set to decide on the proposals on Friday ahead of an address to the nation by the Taoiseach.

Longford roads and greenways land 9m cash injection Nearly 8m has been allocated to Longfords national roads and greenways for 2022, Longford Fine Gael Senator Micheal Carrigy has confirmed.

Some Fianna Fail senators have come out and made a statement with Lisa Chambers saying the new closing time is a "step too far." Former Minister for Agriculture Barry Cowen has also spoken out against the new recommendation, urging the Cabinet to consider pushing the time to 10pm.

Longford tractor run in aid of Friends of Cavan Oncology set for this weekend A tractor run, in aid of the Friends of Cavan Oncology, takes place on Sunday next December 19 departing from Connolly Barracks, Longford.

In the wake of the advice from NPHET, Leo Varadkar has been tweeting about the current Covid-19 situation in Ireland.

We're all feeling anger, frustration, dismay, depression but that cannot deflect us from making the right decisions to keep our people safe #covid  Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) December 17, 2021

He said that while we are all "feeling anger, frustration, dismay, depression," that "cannot deflect us from making the right decisions to keep our people safe."

It is unclear is Cabinet will agree to the new restrictions in their current form with some at the table said to have been shocked by the extent of those recommended by NPHET.

The Cabinet will meet at 3pm on Friday.

It was announced on Thursday that 27% of all cases now in Ireland are the Omicron strain and that number is set to rise with NPHET fearing 20,000 cases per day in the New Year in the absence of further curbs on socialisation.
THE Cabinet has agreed to introduce an 8pm closing time for hospitality venues and across the country amid growing concern about the new Omicron variant.

Ministers met this Friday evening to discuss recommendations from the National Public Health Emergency Team which had recommended a 5pm curfew on hospitality and a cap on capacity at large outdoor events of 50%, or 5,000 people.

In a televised address, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said Omicron was here and we are going to see a massive rise in infections.

Left unchecked this new strain will represent a very significant threat to hospitals and critical care, but also a threat to all of society and the economy. It spreads so aggressively throughout all age groups that we are likely to see infections at a rate that is far in excess of anything weve seen to date, he said.

'They may as well close us down completely': Longford publicans slam Nphet's 5pm curfew proposals The Government will effectively close down Longford's entire hospitality sector in one fell swoop if it accepts Nphet's "crazy" proposals to introduce a 5pm curfew from Monday.

The NPHET recommendations had prompted considerable opposition among some government backbenchers including Limerick City TD Willie O'Dea.

But, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, told a briefing of journalists that the Cabinets decision to close hospitality from 8pm was a welcome acceptance of the intention of our advice.

NPHET'S recommendation for a 5pm curfew was part of a series of recommendations aimed at reducing the incidence rate, Dr Holohan said.

The key thing was to drive down, as much as possible, social contact. Contact is going to be a good deal greater in the evening time, he added.

But he welcomed the move, saying it would help slow the spread of Omicron.

Ireland could witness up to 20,000 cases a day with 2,000 people in hospital by early January under NPHET'S most pessimistic modelling.

Dr Holohan told a briefing on Friday that the Omicron variant makes up 35% of Covid-19 cases in Ireland.

Optimistic models predict 8,000 cases a day and between 650 and 1,000 people in hospital, but there are concerns that increased socialisation at Christmas would exacerbate infections.

NPHET members said that even if the variant turns out to be less severe than the Delta strain, its superior growth rate meant hospitals are still under threat.

Dr Cillian De Gascun, a member of NPHET, said: It would be great news if it turned out to be less severe, but its growth advantage remains a serious concern. It would have to be far, far less severe than Delta for it not to overwhelm our health service.
Cabinet is set to meet on Friday afternoon ahead of an address to the nation by the Taoiseach on the need for more Covid-19 restrictions amid serious concerns over the Omicron variant of the virus.

It comes after fresh recommendations from Nphet, calling for a 5pm curfew on hospitality and a cap on capacity at large outdoor events of 50%, or 5,000 people.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin will fly home from Brussels following a European Parliament summit to hold a sub-Cabinet committee meeting with coalition leaders Leo Varadkar and Eamon Ryan and chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan at 12.30pm.

A full Cabinet meeting will get under way at around 3pm on Friday.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan arrives at Government Buildings in Dublin for a Cabinet meeting (Brian Lawless/PA)

Mr Ryan said Nphets recommendations  which stakeholders in the hospitality sector have called a de-facto closure  have not yet been agreed, but that action is needed.

None of the details are agreed yet. Nphet have set out in their letter their recommendations. There may be variations on that. The key thing is that we do have a surge coming, he told RTEs Morning Ireland.

All the international advice is that this new variant is more transmissible and could escape some of the vaccines. We still dont know the level of health risk it carries.

There will still be a level of socialisation. We can and will meet family. It is still a social Christmas.

Mr Ryan said he expects Mr Martin will address the nation on the new measures on Friday evening.

I would expect it is likely this evening. We need to give people certainty and we will, he said.

People are conscious, and we are very aware, that the new variant is a risk. We will still have a social Christmas but it needs to be in a careful way.

The Vintners Federation of Ireland has said the 5pm curfew is closure by another name.

After last night's bombshell, only facts we know right now:5pm is just adviceNo decision made yetCabinet Covid Cmt meeting at midday to discuss NPHET advice Full Cabinet later to make final decision Be in no doubt, 5pm curfew is full closure by a different name  VFI (@VFIpubs) December 17, 2021

Chief executive Padraig Cribben told Newstalk Breakfast: This is an absolute bombshell that nobody had anticipated. In essence, it is the equivalent of full closure for most businesses.

Ninety-five percent of the business is done post-5pm in most outlets. There are many outlets around the country that dont open until late afternoon.

He said if the Government implements the recommendations, it will be closure by another name.

If they do implement them, they have got to act like it is full closure and put the necessary supports in place, he added.

Deputy Government chief whip and Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin tweeted: The 5pm suggestion and the way it has been floated has caused enormous worry and stress to so many people and is an insult to our business people and workers in hospitality

After nearly 2 years of this, the vast majority of people know how to reduce risk and stay safe

Fianna Fail Senator Malcolm Byrne wrote: I am totally opposed to the #NPHET proposal for a 5pm closing time. It will simply lead to an increase in house parties.

Schools are unlikely to close early for the Christmas holidays however.

Mr Ryan said: Our schools need to stay open  thats critical for the health of our children.

The evidence were seeing suggests that kids could be safer in a school environment than elsewhere. I know people have heard this, but this is true. Incidence rates are low in schools.

Meanwhile, HSE chief executive Paul Reid said the most vulnerable will all have received a booster vaccination by the end of December.

We will get through this, he told Newstalk Breakfast. We are seeing people coming forward in really strong numbers.

I would say to people by the end of December, we will be through the most vulnerable people who were identified as a priority for vaccination.

That is 2.2 million people over 50 years of age, medically vulnerable, immunocompromised or living in long-term care.

The reality of that is that gives us higher protection to the vulnerable and that is a positive place to be.

So, by the end of December, those 2.2 million people will either have been vaccinated, offered an appointment, or indeed have taken up the opportunity to walk in.
(Alliance News) - GlaxoSmithKline PLC announced on Friday that its Covid-19 treatment, sotrovimab, had been granted marketing authorisation by the European Commission.

The Brentford-based pharmaceutical company said its treatment, developed in partnership with Vir Biotechnology Inc, was approved for use in adults and adolescents aged 12 and over who weigh at least 40 kilograms.

The treatment is for those who do not requite supplemental oxygen and who are at increased risk of progressing to severe Covid-19.

Sotrovimab, also referred to as Xevudy, is a Covid-19 neutralising antibody. It is authorised for emergency use in the US and has conditional marketing authorisation in the UK.

Following the authorisation in the EU, member states participating in the joint procurement agreement can now order the treatment to support their pandemic responses.

GlaxoSmithKline said that authorisation in the EU was based on data from the company's COMET-ICE phase III trial which demonstrated that intravenous treatment with sotrovimab resulted in a 79% reduction in all-cause hospitalisations for more than 24 hours or death due to any cause by day 29 compared to placebo.

In clinical trials conducted to date, sotrovimab had been well-tolerated, the company added. The most common adverse reactions were hypersensitivity and infusion-related reactions. These were seen in approximately 2% and 1% of cases, respectively.

GlaxoSmithKline said that sotrovimab retains activity against all tested variants of concern and interest as defined by the World Health Organization, including Omicron.

Shares in GlaxoSmithKline were down 0.2% at 1,615.40 pence on Friday afternoon in London.

By Heather Rydings; heatherrydings@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Recent moves by Johnson Matthey PLC to pare down its business to its profitable core are positive, Hargreaves Lansdown said, but in terms of new opportunities, the company "looks out of ideas".

Johnson Matthey on Friday said it has sold its majority stake in its Health unit to healthcare-focused investment firm Altaris Capital Partners LLC.

The London-based specialist chemical company said it sold the business for an enterprise value of GBP325 million.

Johnson Matthey will retain approximately a 30% equity stake in Health from which it said it expects to realise "significant additional future value".

Completion of the sale is expected in mid-2022 and will lead to an accounting loss of GBP200 million for the company.

Johnson Matthey is set to be demoted from the FTSE 100 index to the FTSE 250 on Monday next week as part of the quarterly index review. The company's shares have suffered since announcing plans in November to quit its once-promising battery materials business.

Johnson Matthey explained that the Health unit operates in "different markets from the rest of the group" and a strategic review has found it is "not core" to the company.

Chief Executive Robert MacLeod added while the unit has good long-term prospects, the business required "significant" capital investment as near term trading had been "challenging".

In the financial year that ended March 31, the Health unit delivered sales of GBP237 million and underlying operating profit of GBP31 million. However in the first half of the current financial year, the business suffered an underlying operating loss of GBP4 million on GBP83 million in sales.

"Having recently exited the battery scene in surprising fashion, this news compounds the strategy to strip back to basics," commented Matt Britzman, an equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. "The good news is that the core business is actually very profitable and catalytic converters, where it makes money, won't disappear overnight.

"But the new electric world is gathering pace, and the clock's ticking to find new growth opportunities."

This will be the challenge for Liam Condon, hired from Bayer AG to be Johnson Matthey's new chief executive officer from March 1. He replaces MacLeod, who will step down after eight years at the helm.

Shares in Johnson Matthey were up 0.2% at 1,996.50 pence on Friday morning in London.

By Heather Rydings; heatherrydings@alliancenews.com; and Tom Waite; thomaslwaite@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Trident Royalties PLC said on Friday it has signed a USD40 million secured loan facility agreement with Macquarie Bank Ltd.

The London-based mining royalty and streaming company said that the facility will be used to retire its existing USD10 million secured loan facility provided by a syndicate managed by Tribeca Investment Partners.

Trident will pay a coupon of 7.8% plus compounded secured overnight financing rate, with interest payable quarterly. Regular quarterly repayments of USD2.5 million will commence on June 30, 2023 with a final bullet payment on maturity.

In addition, by January 31, the company will grant warrants to subscribe for 14.8 million Trident shares to the lenders at 51 pence per share. The stock was down 1.1% at 36.10 pence on Friday morning in London, meaning the exercise price is at a 41% premium.

Exercise in full of the warrants will bring USD10 million of cash into the company which Trident said can be used to part fund repayment of the loan.

Chief Executive Adam Davidson said this was an important step to closing the recently announced acquisition of gold off-take streams from funds managed by investment management firm Orion Resource Partners.

By Heather Rydings; heatherrydings@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Adds detail, context)

GABORONE, Dec 17 (Reuters) - De Beers Group said on Friday

it has extended by six months a 10-year agreement with Botswana

for the sale of rough diamonds from their jointly owned venture,

giving both parties more time to negotiate a new contract.

The 2011 rough diamond sales agreement in which the venture,

Debswana, sells 75% of its output to Anglo American PLC

subsidiary De Beers was set to expire in 2020, but was extended

for a year in December 2020 due to the pandemic.

The agreement will now run until the end of June while

contract negotiations continue.

A deal is necessary for Botswana as the Southern African

country gets about 30% of its revenues and 70% of its foreign

exchange earnings from diamonds, which make up a fifth of its

GDP. For De Beers, which is 15% owned by the government of

Botswana, a contract renewal would provide another long period

of revenue certainty.

Both parties have declined to divulge the specific terms

being negotiated but analysts have said the government is likely

to want to increase its share of diamonds produced by Debswana

from the 15% agreed in 2011, or to get a larger share of bigger

stones. Last year, the government's share was raised to 25%.

Debswana sells the balance of its output to state-owned

Okavango Diamond Company (ODC), an independent channel created

by the government to sell diamonds.

Botswana has a long term plan of transforming itself from

just being a producer of rough diamonds to taking a more active

role in the broader industry, participating in activities such

as trading, cutting and polishing and other support services

such as tourism and hospitality, transport, diamond banking,

gemmological functions and laboratories.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi has said he wants more people

employed in the industry as the country battles with relatively

high unemployment, especially among youths.

(Reporting by Brian Benza in Gaborone and Sinchita Mitra in

Bengaluru;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
Manchester Center, VT (05254)

Today

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 27F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with late-night snow showers. Low 22F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 70%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The writer is giving a report card on 2021 as it winds down.

(TNS) Nearly two years into a global pandemic and a year past a deadly coup attempt, its easy to feel worn down by the churn of news. But if you know where to look, theres also a lot to be hopeful about too.

Here are a few villains that shaped 2021 for the worse  and a few heroes worth rooting for.

Villain: The Republican Party

On Jan. 6, right-wing insurrectionists  with the support of the Trump White House and a few members of Congress  stormed the Capitol with the goal of overturning the 2020 presidential election.

Rather than reject this violent fringe, the Republican Party embraced their extremist values, ostracizing party leaders who refused to fall in line and purging election officials all over the country. This has resulted in a party that runs on xenophobia, disinformation and racism.

In Congress, meanwhile, Republicans have unanimously opposed paid leave, universal pre-K, immigration reform and fairer prescription drug pricing, among other proposals that would benefit working families.

Villain: Corporate Democrats

Republicans arent the only ones standing in the way of Bidens promise to build back better. A few corporate Democrats  namely Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona  are also to blame.

Whether its Manchin denouncing Medicaid expansion from the aft of his $250,000 houseboat or Sinema fighting to preserve a beloved tax loophole favored by her hedge fund donors, some corporate Democrats are working just as hard as Republicans to block policies that would help ordinary people.

Villain: Billionaires

In another year marked by a global pandemic and deepening inequality, one group has made out like gangbusters: billionaires.

According to my colleagues at the Institute for Policy Studies, the $2.1 trillion wealth gain enjoyed by U.S. billionaires during the pandemic could pay for 60% of Bidens original $3.5 trillion "Build Back Better" agenda.

Whos the largest pandemic profiteer? Time magazines very own Person of the Year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Musks personal wealth has increased by a staggering 700% since March 2020, even as hes flouted pandemic restrictions and endangered his own workers.

Feeling discouraged? Here are some heroes that made 2021 a bit brighter.

Hero: Poor Peoples Campaign

Politicians standing in the way of popular policies need to be held accountable, and thats where the Poor Peoples Campaign comes in.

Throughout 2021, this nationwide movement of poor, low-wage workers has staged Moral Mondays, bringing directly affected people from Manchins home state of West Virginia to Washington, D.C., where dozens have been arrested for civil disobedience. Theyre demanding that members of Congress listen to the voices of the people, not lobbyists.

As the Rev. William Barber, co-chair of the Poor Peoples Campaign, said in December: For too long we have heard promises during campaigns that sound like theyre going to lift up the people, and then once people get elected they disappear  because somebody, somewhere has got some deep pockets and says its not possible. Well, we refuse to accept the crisis of possibility.

Hero: Workers

As Striketober turned into Strikesgiving, we now find ourselves in the midst of Strikemas.

While politicians in Washington bickered over infrastructure, jobs and the social safety net, thousands of unionized workers across the heartland went on strike in 2021 to get their fair share directly.

From John Deere workers in Kansas to steelworkers in Ohio and graduate students in New York, workers are rising up against greedy bosses, poverty wages, long hours and dangerous working conditions.

The pandemic  and the strike wave it inspired  has created a ripple effect of new union organizing as well. Most notably, workers at Starbucks locations in Buffalo, New York, recently voted to unionize the first location in the companys history.

Hero: Peoples Vaccine Alliance

To finally end this pandemic and prevent future variants, we have to make sure every human being on earth has the chance to get vaccinated.

The Peoples Vaccine Alliance has fought bravely to put global public health, not pharmaceutical profits, at the center of the global response to COVID-19. Pressure like this got the Biden administration to support a waiver for vaccine patents, which could make affordable generic vaccines available, and to send hundreds of millions of doses overseas.

Who knows what trials the year to come will bring? But whenever you feel overwhelmed by bad news, take a deep breath, remember these heroes, and find your own part to play.
File photo

MANISTEE  One Manistee Middle High School student and one staff member reported testing positive for COVID-19 this week according to a notification sent to staff and families by Manistee Area Public Schools superintendent Ron Stoneman Wednesday night.

"These individuals are following quarantining protocols. Following (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services) guidance, individuals in close contact are able to continue attending class due to masking," Stoneman said in the email. "The families of these students have been contacted and are asked to monitor their student for symptoms. Any students in close contact that were unmasked during mealtimes have been contacted and are following the provided guidelines for quarantine."
MANISTEE  The Board of the Historic The Vogue Theatre in Manistee has announced the receipt of a $19,500 grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

A press release from the Vogue board stated that the funding "will be used for a range of programming at the historic theater."

Vogue board president, Steve Brower, who facilitated the grant process, stated the funding will "allow the continuation of the theatres mission to serve the community," in a press release to the News Advocate.

The MCACA funds mean we can continue all possible engagements throughout the year with area schools and organizations, Brower's statement read.

Brower also noted that of the $19,500 grant, $2,925 of the funding is coming from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The past year has been the most challenging the Vogue has experienced since opening in December 2013, Brower said.

As the COVID situation continues to stabilize, we look forward to again hosting numerous school groups and other local organizations with special screenings. While were ecstatic to be open now, COVID has changed many of our plans, his statement continued.

Brower said the funding is essential for the Vogue to continue offering its services.

We have been very fortunate since we opened our doors eight years ago, that the state of Michigan has recognized our community commitment with this funding, he stated.

The MCACA granting process allows for each application to be competitively considered by a panel of in-state and out-of-state arts and cultural professionals. The process ensures that the funds allocated the council for distribution to arts and cultural organizations throughout the state assures all Michigan residents access to quality, affordable and enriching experiences in their communities, according to the release.

We take pride in accepting this support from MCACA, Vogue Treasurer Erin Secord said. It ensures that we will continue to support our community in many other ways than just showing great films on a daily basis. Thats what everyone in the area has come to expect from the Vogue."

A complete list of grant awards around the state is available by contacting the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs at 517-241-4011, or by visiting michigan.gov/arts.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Kim Potter s police chief at the time she shot and killed Daunte Wright testified in her defense at her manslaughter trial on Thursday, calling her a fine officer and saying he saw no violation of policy in her actions at the scene.

Tim Gannon resigned two days after the April 11 shooting, saying he believed he had to quit because I would not immediately fire Kim Potter. Potter resigned the same day.

Potter, 49, is charged with manslaughter in Wrights death. She was expected to testify Friday. During an April 11 traffic stop in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center, the 20-year-old Black motorist pulled away from officers as they were trying to arrest him and got back into his car before Potter shot him. Body-camera video captured Potter, who is white, shouting Ill tase you! and Taser, Taser, Taser! before she fired once.

Under questioning from Potter attorney Earl Gray, Gannon testified that he viewed body-camera video immediately after the shooting and dashcam video recently, and when he had all the data in front of me, I saw no violation."

Violation of what? Gray asked.

Of policy, procedure or law, said Gannon, who also testified that he and Potter are friends.

On cross-examination, prosecutor Matthew Frank asked Gannon whether it was consistent with policy for an officer to not know they have their firearm in their hand when they shoot it.

Potters attorneys have argued that she would have been within her rights to use deadly force even if she had intended to do so because a fellow officer was endangered by Wrights attempt to flee.

Gannon testified that it appeared to him from dashcam video that Sgt. Mychal Johnson, who was assisting in the stop, was leaning into Wrights car. He said it was his opinion that deadly force was reasonable.

Gannon recalled his own experience in a situation where he was dragged by a car. He said he felt sheer terror and a feeling of simply trying to survive.

Before resting their case, prosecutors called police witnesses to build their argument that Potter was an experienced officer who had been thoroughly trained in use of a Taser, including warnings about the danger of confusing one with a handgun. They have to prove recklessness or culpable negligence if they are to win a conviction on the manslaughter charges.

The death of Wright set off angry demonstrations for several days in Brooklyn Center. It happened as another white officer, Derek Chauvin, was standing trial in nearby Minneapolis for the killing of George Floyd.

Gannon said Potter was known for handling calls, acting professionally and writing good police reports. He testified that she volunteered with a group that helped families when officers were killed in the line of duty. She also worked with domestic abuse victims and was a field training officer.

Earlier Thursday, the defense opened its case by calling to the stand use-of-force expert Stephen Ijames, a former assistant police chief in Springfield, Missouri. Ijames testified that officers were legally bound to arrest Wright after discovering he had a warrant for an outstanding weapons violation.

Ijames, who said he wrote the Taser policy for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, also testified that it was very unlikely Wright could have driven away had Potter actually used her Taser. That contradicted a prosecution use-of-force expert who testified earlier that using either a gun or a Taser on Wright would have made things worse because he could have been incapacitated and his vehicle could have become a weapon.

After Potter shot Wright, his car took off and crashed seconds later into an oncoming vehicle, hurting his passenger and someone in the other car.

Ijames said a Taser is the most effective tool to incapacitate someone when used properly, second only to a gunshot to the head. He also said officers had to assume that Wright very likely could have a gun because he had one in the past, and that it would have been a dereliction of duty for them not to have tried to arrest him.

But Ijames said deadly force is warranted if an officer is halfway inside a vehicle that is about to be put into drive. In Wrights case, two other officers were trying to get him out of the car when Potter shot him.

He later agreed under questioning by the state that deadly force would not have been reasonable if an officer in Potters position didn't know that another officer couldn't get out of the car.

The defense also called several character witnesses for Potter who described her as a peaceful person. Former Brooklyn Center Officer Colleen Fricke told the jury about her time working alongside Potter, saying she saw her as a mentor and friend.

Fricke was asked to watch over Potter after the shooting. I saw her curled up in the corner of the room"  by herself and crying, Fricke said.

After Fricke testified that Potter was law-abiding, prosecutor Joshua Larson said: In terms of following the law, though, generally speaking, youd agree that following the law on one day does not absolve you from accountability the next day. The defense objected, stopping that line of questioning.

The case is being heard by a mostly white jury.

___

Associated Press writers Tammy Webber in Fenton, Michigan, and Doug Glass in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

___

Find the APs full coverage of the Daunte Wright case: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright
Following the emergence of the COVID-19 omicron variant, European countries have established new travelling restrictions and requirements for American tourists who are planning to travel to Europe this Christmas.

Requirements may differ from one country to another and governments are often updating the entry restrictions depending on the pandemic situation in every country. Hence, it is advisable to check each government's guidelines before you travel in the event there have been any alterations in the requirements list.

Here are the guidelines provided by some of the most popular European destinations.

France

US citizens are allowed to travel to France with full proof of vaccination, as South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini are the only countries from which France have banned entry.

Germany

You can travel to Germany if you carry one of the following:

Proof of vaccination

Proof of recovery from COVID-19

A negative rapid test result from 48 hours prior or a negative PCR test from 72 hours prior

Ireland

As for Ireland, the country's government updated their entry requirements in December 3, asking travellers to fill out a Public Health Passenger Locator Form and provide it at their port of entry.

Meanwhile, vaccinated travellers, or those who have recently recovered from COVID-19, over the age of 12 must present either a negative antigen test result from 48 hours prior or a negative PCR test result from 72 hours prior, as well as proof for vaccination.

As for the unvaccinated US travellers, they have to carry negative PCR test results from 72 hours prior.

Italy

The Italian government ask for a Passenger Locator Form, a self-declaration form, proof of vaccination (or of recovery from COVID-19 within the last six months) and a negative PCR test from 72 hours prior the arrival to the country.

Meanwhile, any unvaccinated travellers who don't have recovery certificate should quarantine on arrival for five days and then return a negative PCR or rapid test result.
Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan has been working in the film industry for a period of more than a decade.



Audiences got the first look at him in the Luv Ranjan superhit film Pyaar Ka Punchnama, which struck a chord with a large population back in 2011, despite the Bollywood film not having a big star cast.

 Viacom18 Motion Pictures

But it was the 2018 Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety where Kartik really got the recognition that he really deserved. The movie was a superhit and Kartik was pretty much at the centre of all the positive things about it.



 Prime Video

Soon after, Kartik was bombarded with movie roles, with the actor even replacing superstar Akshay Kumar for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, the sequel to the blockbuster first film that released in 2008.



The whole new list of offers also included him getting the role for Karan Johar's Dostana 2, which was also a sequel to the superhit first film starring Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, and Priyanka Chopra.

But tragedy struck for Kartik, as it was reported that despite him shooting almost 50 per cent of Dostana 2 alongside co-actor Janhvi Kapoor, Karan decided to drop him from the film after there was a fallout between the two.

 BCCL

Fans were left angered at the reports of the 'People's actor' being dropped out of a big Dharma Productions film, with many criticizing Karan Johar for it.



It was later reported that Karan was looking to cast Akshay Kumar as a replacement for Kartik.

However, it looks like Kartik Aaryan's ousting may have been way too costly for Karan.

 Instagram

As per a Bollywood Hungama report, Karan has faced a very difficult time revamping the film and is now choosing to shelve the film completely.



There was a strong buzz all across that Dostana 2 would be completely reshot with slight tweaking in the script. There was also a talk about Karan Johar approaching his close friend, Akshay Kumar to step into Kartiks shoes. However now, there is a very strong buzz in the industry that Dostana 2 has been put on the backburner completely. said a source speaking to Bollywood Hungama.

As per the source, Dharma Productions have now given two new projects to Jhanvi and Laksh Lalwani, the actor who was said to star in Dostana 2.

He (Karan) tried to revamp the film, but when things were taking longer than expected, he decided to put Dostana 2 on hold completely. Janhvi is now doing a film with Sharan Sharma, whereas Lakshya is doing a film with Shashank Khaitan. Akshay on the other hand teams up with Raj Mehta. And with this, Karan has put Dostana 2 silently under the shelf, hoping that it sees the light of day sometime in future. said the source.

That's really a shame because we kind of were looking forward to watching Dostana 2.

What say, guys?
I was around 5 when I got the first taste of what Spider-Man was all about.



It was the 1992 Spider-Man: The Animated Series cartoon that used to air, way back in 1997 on Fox Kids, Star Plus, and I'd literally wake up to it in the mornings to start my day with it.

 Fox Kids Network

Later, I'd move to the Marvel comics of the web-slinging hero and read everything that I could possibly get my hands on. All from Marvel Comics Spider-Man to Ultimate Spider-Man, and The Amazing Spider-Man.



 Mansij Asthana

The romance would continue with Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man movie starring Tobey Maguire, which I proudly say I watched way before any of my friends, with my father getting me the pirated VCD version of it.



 Sony Pictures

Since then, there has been no Spider-Man movie that I've not watched in a movie hall in the first week of its release. This includes the Tobey Maguire ones, the Andrew Garfield ones, and of course the Tom Holland ones as well.



Having said that, Spider-Man: No Way Home, with all the hype around it, wasn't obviously something I would have been passing on.

And boy! It did not disappoint one bit!

 Marvel Studios

Marvel Studios and Sony may not meet eye an eye on a lot of things but I think together, they might have given birth to something that will truly be loved, remembered, and talked about decades from now.



Spider-Man: No Way Home is a movie that is a love letter to all superhero fans around the world, and I'd very much like you to read it.

 Marvel Studios

SPOILER ALERT



1. The Movie Has A Superb Pace From Start To The Finish!

 Marvel Studios

The one thing I really loved about the film is that it really didn't mess about. It kicks off from the get-go, with the starting sequence of Tom Holland's Spider-Man swinging MJ halfway through New York in what are some scintillating CGI sequences.



The fast-paced, action-filled sequence sets the tone of the film, with Peter Parker not really getting a break from anything.

Soon enough, he's caught in the mix of things. This includes an identity crisis, college admissions, and worst of all, legal troubles related to Mysterio framing him and revealing his identity to the rest of the world.

2. It Successfully Brings Back Ghosts Of The Past, The Present & Possibly The Future

 Marvel Studios

Okay! By the release of the film, we had known that Peter and Dr. Strange had opened mistakenly opened up the multiverse and brought back 'sinister' supervillains like Doc Ock, Green Goblin, Electro, Lizard, and Sandman from different Spidey universes.



 Marvel Studios

 Marvel Studios

These are all ghosts of Spider-Man's (or should I say Spider-Men's) past, one thing that we weren't really sure of was, that Did the movie and its creators have room for some other important characters who would be ghosts to Tom Holland's Spider-Man's present?



Well, it looked to me that they did, and they executed it in a fashion keeping in mind what the fans actually wanted.

An example of this was the remarkable scene where Peter, Aunt May, and Happy are sitting in a room, and suddenly there is the appearance of a cane in the room, which belongs to none other than a character that was untimely and unfairly taken away from fans not so long ago. Charlie Cox's Daredevil! As soon as he turned up, the whole movie hall broke into a huge roar, myself included.

 Marvel Studios

I mean, the character was much loved for the Netflix show Daredevil and his appearance as Peter's attorney Matt Murdock meant that he is set to now have a big part in the present as well as future Marvel Cinematic Universe.



This is huge for Marvel as not only do they bring one of the most menacingly powerful and influential superheroes back to the movie screens, but also somehow who has proven to be already successful with fans and critics in the past.

Also, that instant brick-catching stunt by Daredevil was f***ing Epic!

3. The Movie Made Sure We Got What Each Of Us Wanted!

 Marvel Studios

For me, the reason why this particular movie will be etched in our memories forever is that the makers of the film thought about each and every one of us while making the film.



I think, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige along with director Joh Watts and producer Amy Pascal thought about the old Spider-Man movies and decided that they wanted to make a Spider-Man movie that had everything in it, right from filmmaking, CGI, costumes, cast, as well as what fans wanted.

Most importantly, the movie answered what was the most important question of all. Are Tobey Maguire & Andrew Garfield's Spider-Mans returning?

 Marvel Studios

The answer was Yes!!! They come back and in some remarkable fashion!



What I found to be truly amazing and heartwarming was that Sony and Marvel decided to let the Spider-Mans age like fine wine.

For anyone who has seen the earlier movies, you know that Tobey's Spider-Man came out 20 years back and the Andrew one almost around a decade back.

Now, instead of bringing them right out of the past when they were young, the makers brought older and potentially worn out yet refined versions of the older Spider-Men.

For me, this was a truly mind-blowing move as we too, as audiences, have grown old while keeping up with the movies, and in a way, with some of us being in our 20s, 30s, we could kind of relate to them more.

Also, as a fan, I absolutely loved how just before the ultimate fight scene at The Statue of Liberty, the three Spider-Mans somehow had the most casual and heartwarming chit-chat scenes.

I mean, they legit just caught up over life, making their chemistry seem way more humane to us than any other.

Ah! What a pleasure was to see the three Spider-Man jump from the high ramp and swing into action together, before sticking the landing in each of their signature Spider-Man poses. Just Incredible!

4. Oh, Andrew! You Amazing, Amazing Spider-Man!

 Marvel Studios

Many might disagree with me, but I for one never found Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man to be less entertaining or failure, or 'lame' or whatever!



In fact, for me, he was truly as close to the comics as I could have envisaged. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Andrew's Peter Parker AKA Spider-Man brings some values that were only seen in The Amazing Spider-Man films.

If you've seen No Way Home, you'll remember the part where he huddles up with Tobey and Tom's Spider-Man to just say, "I love you guys!".

This along with the part where he offers to help Tobey out in stretching perfectly sums up Andrew's Spider-Man.

 Sony Pictures

He was just childishly, lovingly, and innocently Amazing! Just Amazing!



Not being able to save Gwen in the past left huge scars on him, something that he mentions in the film, and well, in what was something that he could take solace from was that he saved Tom's Peter from the same fate. By ultimately rescuing MJ in what was a similar fall. The look in his eyes is what almost brought me to tears.

I think all of us felt the pain when Gwen died in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and all I can repeat is, what Tobey's Spider-Man says to Andrew. "Lame? You're Not Lame! You're Amazing!"

5. Welcome Back Tobey! We Missed You. But You Look Great!

 Sony Pictures

One of the biggest reasons why Spider-Man: No Way Home got the amount of traction was the possible return of the first cinematic Spider-Man. Tobey Maguire's.



I mean, in all honestly, it all started with him for the movies. To finally be able to see him return to the forefront was going to be always huge and Marvel & Sony both did whatever they could to keep things a secret.

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

While the occasional slip-ups of potentially leaked pictures, could be both accidental or in my opinion, perfect opportunities to create the biggest hype around a certain movie, you have to admit that it eventually paid off.



For all the fans who, like me, visited the movie halls to witness the spectacle, it sure was an amazing sight to see the first Spider-Man return to the movies. We loved him. We missed him. And we sure as hell welcomed him back like hell. I swear, the decibel levels in movie halls must have been at their record highest when Tobey's Peter Parker just walked in through Ned's Dr. Strange-like portal.

What amazed me was that and melted my heart was, that like me and many others, Tobey's Spider-Man too, had grown. No longer did he just wear a casual t-shirt. He sported a haircut that would be similar to someone in his thirties or early forties, and he spoke like a much-older version of Spider-Man too.

This was in no way bad at all. One of the best things I liked about Tobey's Peter Parker, was that he always felt like one of us. Take his school struggles, his difficulty with interacting with pretty women, and him being bombarded with life's tough realities, it was all something most of us could imagine ourselves.

 Sony Pictures

Nonetheless, however, Tobey's Peter Parker/Spider-Man went through all of that. And was here. And he looked good! It really is nice seeing you again, Tobey.



6. Tom, You Wonderful Spider-Man! You've Grown So Much And We Are All So Proud Of You!

 Marvel Studios

Finally, I want to showcase my admiration and my love for Tom Holland, an actor who has made the Spider-Man role his own.



We first caught a glimpse of you in the Captain America: Civil War movie, as the very young apprentice to Marvel Universe's then Commander-In-Chief, Tony Stark AKA Iron Man.

 Marvel Studios

However, a lot has changed since then with Robert Downey Jr. retiring from the role, and boy! I must admit, you've really grown so much since then.



Throughout the Civil War movie, The Avengers movies, and your own Spider-Man trilogy, I have seen Tom Holland's Spider-Man change from a kid to a man.

 Marvel Studios

 Marvel Studios

 Marvel Studios

Yes! Spider-Man: No Way Home may have wonderfully welcomed back Tobey and Andrew's Spider-Man versions, but Tom Holland, it was you who was the main man running the show.



Just recently, Joe Russo, the director of Avengers: Endgame mentioned how Tom has taken over as the "Soul" of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the baton being passed from Robert Downey Jr., who held the status till his retirement.

All I can say after watching No Way Home is that I could not agree more. The charm, innocence, maturity, and overall charisma of Tom Holland's Peter Parker AKA Spider-Man means that he is now at the center of whatever movies or projects Marvel has in mind in the future.

 Marvel Studios

It is already reported that Amy Pascal and Kevin Feige plan to rope Tom for another Spider-Man trilogy, and I sure give a big "Hell Yeah" to that.



For now, all I have left is a thank you note for the creators, Tom Holland, and everyone else associated with the film. At a time when we are caught up in the middle of the pandemic, thank you for making us feel like children again!

 Marvel Studios

It was truly an honor to witness the spectacle that was Spider-Man: No Way Home, a remarkable story about Spider-Man, the People's Hero!


Spiderman: No Way Home just hit the screens, and as expected, is doing exceptionally well. However, the fact that it has beaten a giant like Sooryavanshi is super impressive, and as Marvel fans, that just makes us happy.

Now, please go and watch it, and be careful about the spoilers. However, you don't have to do that when it comes to this particular topic as we shall discuss nothing regarding the movie itself.

As the movie hit the theaters, a debate started on 'who is the fitter Spiderman' - not essentially the 'better' Spiderman, but the fitter one. While all 3 Spidermans - Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland - are well-loved, each having their own fanbase, this debate seems to mainly concern Tobey and Tom.

via GIPHY





via GIPHY

While getting into the nitty-gritties of the entire debate would be nearly impossible as it's never ending, let's focus on the one point that Tobey fans are harping on, and to be fair, that is a strong point indeed when it comes to ascertaining who actually is physically fitter, or rather, more agile IRL.

via GIPHY

Remember the iconic food tray scene in the first ever Spiderman with Tobey Maguire? In case you don't, here's a little refresher

The tea is (okay not the 'tea', it's actually true) that absolutely no CGI was used to film this incredible stunt. Yes, our jaws are on the floor too. Tobey Maguire genuinely caught the tray, and it apparently took him 156 attempts to do that.

via GIPHY

Now the argument of the Tobey fan base is, as long as someone doesn't trump this achievement, Tobey Maguire will remain the OG Spiderman who does more justice to the role than anyone else as he is just as agile IRL.

via GIPHY

The Tom Holland fan base also has some solid points, and some of them have referred to the time Tom legit owned everyone in the 'lip sync battle' while doing Rihanna's impersonation, while dancing to Umbrella.



Okay they make sense too. Look at those moves!

via GIPHY

We love both but who do you think is fitter? Let us know in the comments section.


North Korea is infamous for its cruel government rule, bad human rights situation and atrocities the citizens face. The unreasonable restrictions and bans make the lives of people living in the country incredibly difficult.

In another such horrible ban, they have now been prohibited to laugh for a period of 10 days.

 iStock

If you think this is ridiculous, wait till you hear the reason for this ban.



It is imposed to observe the death anniversary of the former Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the father of current president Kim Jong-un.

This year will mark the 10th death anniversary of Kim Jong-il on 17th December and thus, citizens are required to enter the mourning period for 10 days.

 Twitter

Every year, the country observes the morning period during which people are not allowed to drink alcohol, go shopping (even for groceries) or enjoy any leisure activities.



In addition to these restrictions, this year, people will not be allowed to even laugh, or they would face serious consequences.

 iStock

"In the past, many people who were caught drinking or being intoxicated during the mourning period were arrested and treated as ideological criminals," the unnamed citizen said adding, "They were taken away and never seen again," an unnamed resident told a leading daily.



 iStock

They are not even allowed to carry funeral rites or celebrate birthdays during this period.



"Even if your family member dies during the mourning period, you are not allowed to cry out loud and the body must be taken out after it's over. People cannot even celebrate their own birthdays if they fall within the mourning period, he added.

 Reuters

People on social media are feeling sorry for those living in North Korea and saying its highly unfair. Some are laughing at the rule saying its the most ridiculous they have come across. And, they are not wrong.



Here is how people are reacting.

If the above news is true then I feel very sorry for those residing in North Korean cos this is oppression; I feel so upset that other governmental bodies & unions are letting such a tyranny govt go unchecked. What happen to the people having Human Rights? This is wickedness.  Daniel Regha (@DanielRegha) December 16, 2021

what kind of rule is this one family rule since ages like INC in India  sandesh (@tsandeshsingh) December 17, 2021

Can we laugh on the ban?  donut distributor (@ULibral) December 17, 2021

11 days!..Check well, theres high rate of depression in North korea. There government be acting like sadist.  Have you eaten fruit today? (@KramzSalad) December 16, 2021

Might as well ban their people for breathing.  boKlog (@Marthynicolas) December 16, 2021

Its always weirding me out how much millions of people can take from their insane leaders without fighting back or even support him  Salam (@salam_peace2) December 16, 2021

That is easy of North Koreans, hardly would they be smiling already  Sandiiip (@IndiaUnleashed_) December 17, 2021

Ironically, this ban and the government rule has become a laughing stock for the world.
After Kevin Spacey, the actor who played the iconic role of Frank Underwood on the show House Of Cards, got called out by several women during the #MeToo movement and Havey Weinstein who even got convicted, people thought that others in the industry who were even remotely inclined towards exploiting women, would see this as a warning signal and back off.

And of course, that was the narrative for a little while till everyone felt vulnerable and scared.

However, back in the day, people werent called out as strongly as they are today, which made a lot of unfair and disgusting things simply get by.

Like Gordon Ramsay, aka the British chef who even though is known for his impeccable cooking skills and taste in food, created quite a bit of a problematic image for himself in 2010 during an interview.

As Ramsay appeared on Jay Leno Show along with the Modern Family star Sofia Vergara, he acted like the typical prototype of a guy we would dissect and discard on social media for his inappropriate conduct in this day and age. But because none of that was present in 2010, the chef didnt stir as much of a controversy.

However, the clip of the 2010 interview surfaced again and showed a rather desperate Gordon Ramsay, making uncomfortable remarks at Sofia Vergara and constantly trying to touch her, taking things a little too far.

Gordon Ramsay is under heat for a resurfaced video with Sofia Vergara where he:

- made multiple sexual innuendos towards her

- touched her thigh

- made her visibly uncomfortable https://t.co/7uXQYslGTP pic.twitter.com/YgMkrFos8S  E! News (@enews) January 9, 2019

During the interview as there was a slide show going on to show Sofias trip to Italy, Gordon Ramsay started to make some harsh comments, the kind that made all of us question his social etiquette.

From commenting on how loud shed be in bed to her enjoying a mouthful of pizza.. Gordon lost the plot and honestly, gave us more cringe than anything.

Sofia on the other hand was classy all along, changing the subject or even diffusing the awkwardness with a laugh and saying no touchy, in a way to maintain her boundaries.

As the clip went viral, fans have a lot of things to say. One fan wrote, Sofia is the ultimate woman. Smart, sooo funny and witty, talented, bomb figure, gorgeous face, seems like a great mom, hardworking and doesn't get intimidated or feel invalidated by misogyny. These two had NO CLUE how to act around her."

Yeah I was outraged during the whole video and couldn't bare to watch it for a second time  Christie (@kristyssam) January 9, 2019

So its unacceptable now but wasnt then.. People weird  Brandon (@Brandon_DGAF) January 9, 2019

Another one said, This has nothing to do with being a feminist, everyone who has an ounce of self respect and a sense of empathy can see that this crosses the line. I'm a man and I wouldn't want some random woman/man to invade my privacy like that, physically and verbally."

In fact, fans even discussed how men other than the ones trying to make women feel this way are just as much at fault considering Jay Leno could have taken better care of the situation at hand and not let Sofia be in the position for the entirety of the show.

Guess, Gordon Ramsays career was almost saved, thanks to Sofia Vergaras class and well, the absence of social medias call-out culture.



However, if we were him, wed still keep every step very carefully!
The case of the Rs 40 crore heist that took place in a residential society in Gurugram has been unravelling with different twists and turns like an episode of a suspense crime drama.

It was on the night of 3 August 2021 that robbers barged into two apartments of different floors of a housing society in Sector 84, Gurugram and, according to reports, gold and cash worth Rs 40 crore was stolen.

 iStock

The case was transferred to the Special Task Force (STF) to probe the heist, who have now made another revelation that sounds a lot like it is the desi edition of the Money Heist series.



The prime suspect in the robbery, gangster Vikas Lagarpuria, allegedly executed the heist with a well-thought-out plan.

 Atresmedia

It is reported that he hired 10 henchmen to do the job and involved around 20 people including cops, doctors and financiers to pull off the multi-crore robbery.



He even made his henchmen rent an apartment in the same society to keep a watch and avert any suspicion.

 iStock

The money and gold belonged to a developer of the society who was using two apartments (on the fourth and eleventh floor) as his maintenance office.



The gangster was informed about the money he had kept in the two apartments by one of the doctors (now arrested) in July. Lagarpuria then planned and executed the heist with the help of the doctor.

 iStock

Till now, 15 people have been arrested by the STF which includes six robbers, three doctors, two financers, two employees of the developer and an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of the Delhi Police. And, around Rs 5.80 crore has been recovered from the suspect.



 Hindustan Times

We think it sounds more like an episode of Money Heist, probably a Gurugram edition where the mastermind plans and pulls off a multi-crore heist by hiring numerous people.


City of Benton Harbor Water Resource Fair is today

Information to help reduce lead exposure, on site blood lead testing and bottled water available during the event happening 4 to 7 p.m.

City of Benton Harbor Water Resource Fair is today

Information to help reduce lead exposure, on site blood lead testing and bottled water available during the event happening 4 to 7 p.m.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 16, 2021

CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112

LANSING, Mich. - The City of Benton Harbor Water Resource Fair is slated for today at Benton Harbor High School, 870 Colfax Avenue, from 4 to 7 p.m. Families will be able to get information about services and resources available to City of Benton Harbor residents to help reduce or eliminate lead from their homes.

Resources will include health services, food assistance, water use instruction, nutrition options and information on lead. Free bottled water will also be available at the event.

InterCare Community Health Network will be offering on-site blood lead testing for attendees of all ages. Although blood lead tests cannot tell you if you were exposed to lead in the past, testing is particularly important for young children and pregnant persons because exposure to lead early in life has been shown to potentially cause problems with learning, behavior, hearing and growth. For individuals who have elevated blood lead levels, the goals are to identify the source of lead, stop the lead exposure and to talk with their doctor to discuss any other tests or follow-up that might be needed.

The resource fair is a collaborative effort that will include information and representatives from local community organizations, the City of Benton Harbor, Berrien County Health Department, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Attendees are asked to wear masks and masks will be available at the event, if needed.

Free bottled water continues to be provided by MDHHS and local, paid residents as City of Benton Harbor residents are being encouraged to use bottled water for cooking, drinking, brushing teeth, rinsing foods and mixing powdered infant formula. This action is part of an accelerated, across-the-board effort to reduce the risk of exposure to lead in drinking water while the city replaces all lead service lines.

Community volunteers from the following organizations available to assist City of Benton Harbor residents pick up water at Benton Harbor High School, 870 Colfax Avenue as follows:

Saturday, Dec. 18

12 - 2 p.m. - Volunteers from Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor

2 - 4 p.m. - Volunteers from New Covenant Community Baptist Church

4 - 6 p.m. - Volunteers from Harbor of Hope Seventh-Day Adventist Church

Sunday, Dec. 19

2 - 4 p.m. - Volunteers from Abundant Life C.O.G.I.C.

4 - 6 pm - Volunteers from Brotherhood of All Nations

Monday, Dec. 20

12 - 2 p.m. - Volunteers from Abundant Life C.O.G.I.C.

4 - 6 p.m. - Volunteers from New Covenant Community Baptist Church

Tuesday, Dec. 21

12 - 2 p.m. - Volunteers from Abundant Life C.O.G.I.C.

4 - 6 p.m. - Volunteers from Ebenezer Baptist Church

Wednesday, Dec. 22

12 - 2 p.m. - Volunteers from Purpose Church Ministries

4 - 6 p.m. - Volunteers from Purpose Church Ministries

Thursday, Dec. 23

12 - 2 p.m. - Volunteers from Ebenezer Baptist Church

4 - 6 p.m. - Volunteers from Brotherhood of All Nations

Southwest Community Action Agency, 331 Miller Street, will host self-serve water pickup as follows:

Friday, Dec. 17, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 20, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 22, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 23, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Additional dates and locations for bottled water pick up will be added to make sure community needs are met. Information will be posted on Michigan.gov/MiLeadSafe.

To arrange water delivery to homebound or residents without transportation in the city of Benton Harbor, contact 211, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The upcoming schedule for bottled water pickup is:

The ongoing response in Benton Harbor includes the city, Berrien County Health Department, local community organizations, MDHHS and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

MDHHS is engaging in a long-term effort to eliminate lead action level exceedances, educate communities on the effects of lead in drinking water, and remove lead service lines. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called for the replacement of lead service lines in Benton Harbor in 18 months and the Whitmer-Gilchrist Administration has provided just under $20 million to Benton Harbor to speed up their service line replacement timeline.

There is no cost to City of Benton Harbor residents for lead service line replacement. To assist with assuring the work can be completed as soon as possible, residents are encouraged to complete the Water Service Line Replacement Agreement available online. Contractors cannot begin work on any property without property owner authorization. Completed forms can be returned to Abonmarche, 95 West Main Street, Benton Harbor, MI 49022 or emailed to bvasher@abonmarche.com.

These efforts also include recently approved funds to remove lead from homes in the city. Families living in Benton Harbor can apply for this service by filling out and mailing in an application that is available online. Residents also can call 866-691-5323 to obtain information.

For questions about lead, MDHHS can be reached at 866-691-5323 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

# # #

Note to media: Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad is attending the City of Benton Harbor Water Resource Fair at 4 p.m. and will be available for interviews at that time.
MSHDA Board supports developers of affordable housing with QAP amendment

MSHDA Board supports developers of affordable housing with QAP amendment

December 17, 2021

Media Contacts:

Katie Bach, BachK@michigan.gov

Anna Vicari, VicariA@michigan.gov



Lansing, Mich. - The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Board approved an amendment to the 2022-2023 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) - the document that sets policies and procedures for the administration of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program -- and supports the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing in Michigan. The move will allow MSHDA to allocate additional credit to developments that have experienced extraordinary construction cost increases and supply chain issues during the last year.

The amendment modifies the Qualified Allocation Plan approved in July with two key objectives: allocate additional 9% LIHTC resources to projects that had previously received an award of credit, and which are experiencing increases in construction costs and supply chain delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and continue to prioritize efficient use of the resource while allowing existing projects to continue construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing units.

"Our stakeholders have been very supportive of the amendment, which is a much-needed step designed to keep affordable housing development moving and fill the funding gaps created by increased construction cost and supply chain issues that are out of their control," said MSHDA Rental Development Director Chad Benson.

The amended QAP now goes to Governor Gretchen Whitmer for signing, followed by an additional credit funding round in January.

In other action, the board also authorized a Housing Development Fund (HDF) grant to the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM). The grant, which is not to exceed $340,000, will fund data collection, analysis, capacity building, training and partner engagement services for nonprofit and for-profit affordable housing and community development organizations in line with MSHDA's strategic focus areas.

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The Tribune will publish Self-Help, information in the Upper Thumb area on a space-available basis. Each notice should be limited to 30 words. Please mail or bring information, clearly marked, to the Huron Daily Tribune, 211 N. Heisterman St., Bad Axe, 48413, call 989-269-6461 or email hdt_news@hearstnp.com.

Womens support

 Huron County SafePlace offers free support groups to women on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Transportation via Thumb Area Transit and child care for these support groups will be available by calling SafePlace.

These meetings take place in Bad Axe, please call for additional information or to make your reservations 989-269-5300.

 For information on meetings of the Womans Christian Temperance (self-control) Union, call Marie at 989-975-2465. It is a support group for people with addictions.

Substance abuse

 To find Narcotics Anonymous meetings in the area call 800-230-4085.

 The Families Against Narcotics Huron & Tuscola Chapter will have monthly meetings at 6 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at Hills and Dales Corporate Services and Regional Education Center in Cass City. For more information, visit their website www.familiesagainstnarcotics.org.

 Family member or friend addicted? Call Families Anonymous. Familes Anonymous is a 12 step program to aid families with substance abuse or behavioral problems. Meetings are every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at 206 Scheurmann St. in Essexville. For inquiries, call 989-895-5938.

 Thumb Area Narcotics Anonymous meets Mondays from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at the Caseville United Methodist Church. For inquiries call 800-230-4085.

 Thumb Area Narcotics Anonymous meets from 7 to 8:15 at the Port Austin Bible Campus on Thursdays.

 The Families Against Narcotics Huron County chapter meets at 6:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Huron Fairgrounds Expo Center.

Family forum events are designed to promote recovery community and provide individuals to share their story, reducing shame and stigma associated with the disease of addiction.

Support is available online at familiesagainstnarcotics.org, via phone 989-551-4326 (HFAN), and Facebook @huronfan.

Grief

 GriefShare features nationally recognized experts on grief recovery topics. Seminar sessions include The Journey of Grief, The Effects of Grief, Your Family and Grief, Why? and Stuck in Grief.

For more information, call Chaplain Londa at 989-545-8357.

 Grief Support meets second Thursday of each month at 4 p.m. at Caro Community Library. Please call Sue or Pam at 800-275-4517 for more details.

 Grief Support meets last Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. for dinner at Franklin Inn in Bad Axe. Call 1-800-635-7490 ext. 4134.

 Grief Support meets at noon on the first Tuesday of the month at Eddie Gs in Marlette. Call United Hospice Service for more information at 800-635-7490.

 Thumb Compassionate Friends is a chapter of a national self-help group offering support to families who have suffered the loss of a child at any age. Meetings are on the second Monday of each month at the Community of Christ Church, 2081 E. Deckerville Road, Caro.

For information, call Sharon at 989-683-3305 or Dave at 810-376-2801 or visit www. TCFcaro.org.
Any appetizer menu that starts with a basket of bacon is a winner to me, and that is exactly the way the menu starts at Cat Man Do in Unionville.

My day started a little off-kilter, and the overall feeling carried through lunch, but with a deadline looming, I needed to Grab Grub, so as my workday drew to a close, I hit up Cat Man Do for a quick bite.

From outside, especially because of the closed-up buildings around it, Cat Man Do is so unassuming some might think it too is closed. Inside, the business looks like a perfect watering hole, but I knew there was more than meets the eye.

Cat Man Do co-owner Jamie Collon-Vella's description of her establishment after I ate summed it up nicely.

"It's a five-star restaurant disguised as a dive bar," she said, laughing.

Scott Nunn/Huron Daily Tribune

Featuring a pool table, six dining tables, and a u-shaped bar, seating inside is limited. There are no words to summarize the decor  the walls are lined with wood art, beer advertisements, and photos, and from the ceiling hang some decorations. One wall cleverly had a section reserved for graffiti to spare the bathroom stalls from the usual.

I sat down as Jamie brought me the menus, each single leaflets laminated to try to subvert damage from liquids.

The table I sat at was a resin art table and featured an American flag created in the most American way I can imagine  the stars and stripes were made using beer bottle caps  Miller Light for white, Budweiser for red and Bud Light for blue.

Scott Nunn/Huron Daily Tribune

I started with the appetizer menu, which starts with "The Bob," a one-pound basket of bacon.

"Yep, this is the place," I thought, immediately texting Tribune Editor Eric Young to tell him of my discovery.

Cat Man Do is themed after Michigan rocker Bob Seger, and the variation of Seger's song "Katmando" stems from Jamie's dad and bar co-owner Denny Collon's nickname  Cat Man. The Seger theme carries over to every item on the menu, each a tribute to Seger.

After The Bob, is the Bobette, a half order, followed by items like the "Old Time Rock and Roll" nacho fries, "Against the Wind" smoked wings, and much more. I was in the mood for wings, but Jamie informed me they just ran out of smoked wings a little earlier.

Advancing down the menu, I saw something that really piqued my interest  Cat Man Do has a food challenge. If you can consume the Evil Edna sandwich and a basket of fries within 30 minutes, you earn a T-shirt and a picture on the wall of fame.

Scott Nunn/Huron Daily Tribune

The "Heavy Music" menu has the entree offerings, starting with the Katmandu quarter-pound burger and the Silver Bullet half-pounder, an Italian steak sub, a ham sub, and more. It was on this menu I learned the Evil Edna is one pound of ham, mozzarella, asiago, and nacho cheese, grilled onions and peppers, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, Miracle Whip and mango habanero sauce on a toasted garlic parmesan bread. I glanced around the intimate establishment but saw no Evil Ednas on anyone's table, and it was not the day for such challenge, even in a half-sandwich option.

Scott Nunn/Huron Daily Tribune

When Jamie returned to take my order, I ordered up the Katmandu with pepperjack cheese, bacon, mustard, mayo and green olives, and a side of fries. Jamie asked if I wanted the fries dusted with ranch seasoning, which resulted in a resounding yes.

A short while later I was presented with a basket containing a beautiful burger and fries. The bun was soft and grilled, the burger was properly juicy, and the bacon was crisp yet chewy. I was excited about the fries, which were a nice natural fry and the ranch seasoning provided the proper amount of salt without being overwhelming. After trying a few as they were presented, I happily doused them with malt vinegar, creating a flavor combination that I was eager to enjoy.

Scott Nunn/Huron Daily Tribune

When I embarked on this mission, I had my doubts that I would finish my food because I wasn't particularly hungry. However, the flavors presented at Cat Man Do made it impossible for me to stop. When Jamie returned, I asked her if the burger was fresh grind, and I wasn't surprised to learn that it was. Fresh ground beef is key to serving up a stellar burger.

Scott Nunn/Huron Daily Tribune

Jamie told me she was born and raised in the area and spent most of her life tending bar in the very building that she now owns. She said when she and her dad set out to open the bar, Denny's mission was to have the coldest beer in the Thumb and her mission was to serve up some of the best food.

Mission achieved Jamie, mission achieved.
Courtesy of City of Midland

The City of Midland is pleased to announce that Joshua Mosher has been promoted to chief of the Midland Fire Department effective Jan. 1, 2022. He succeeds Chief Chris Coughlin, who will retire effective Dec. 31.

Mosher joined the Midland Fire Department as fire marshal in 2012 and was promoted to his current role, assistant fire chief of training and safety, in 2017. During his tenure with the city, he has led the Firehouse Software Committee, assisted with implementing and training on the departments I Am Responding call back system, and was instrumental in the implementation of MFDs Subject Matter Expert and Acting Fire Inspector programs.
KINGSLAND, Ga. (AP)  A federal agency expects to announce its decision Monday on whether to allow a launchpad that would send commercial rockets into space from coastal Georgia.

However, the Federal Aviation Administration is emphasizing that a license authorizing Camden County to operate a spaceport would not yet permit the launch of any rockets.

In a letter released Friday by the FAA, the agency said a more comprehensive review would be needed before any rockets can be launched from Georgia.

Even if the license for Spaceport Camden is approved, it would not authorize a single launch, an FAA executive wrote to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Simply put: to obtain a Vehicle Operator License, many more reviews remain, and no outcome is guaranteed, the letter stated.

Any company seeking to launch from the site would need to obtain a Vehicle Operator License and undergo a separate environmental and safety evaluation, according to the FAA.

Camden County, in the southeastern corner of the state, has spent nearly 10 years and $10 million pursuing the goal of having what would be the nation's newest commercial spaceport.

Supporters say it would give the county a huge economic boost and allow Georgia to join the commercial space race thats sent increasing numbers of civilians and celebrities into space in recent months.

Critics contend the proposed site would endanger residents of Little Cumberland Island, which has about 40 homes, though few people live there year round, and visitors to federally protected Cumberland Island, which lie in the planned flight path for rockets.

We have collaborated with the FAA, providing critical input aimed at protecting the visitors, staff and nationally significant resources entrusted to our care," Gary Ingram, superintendent of Cumberland Island National Seashore, said in a statement Friday. We remain committed to working with the FAA to adequately address remaining concerns about adverse impacts to the park.

Opponents have gone to court to try to block the county from purchasing land where the spaceport would be built. About 3,800 people have signed a petition calling for a referendum that would let voters decide whether the county can buy the property.

The National Park Service and its parent agency, the U.S. Department of the Interior, also have expressed concerns.

In a July 22 letter to the FAA, the Interior Department said a chance of rockets exploding  with fiery debris raining down on wilderness land on Cumberland Island  creates an unacceptable risk. Cumberland Island, with its wild horses and nesting sea turtles, is a popular tourist area off the Georgia coast.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  A Connecticut appeals court ruled Friday that a local historical society cannot try to impose its conservation rules on a congregational church that dates back to 1700 and is located on the celebrated Lebanon Town Green.

The ruling by the state Appellate Court is the latest chapter in years-long legal proceedings over who owns the mile-long green and how to shield it from development that would harm its historic character.

As a result of those proceedings, the Lebanon Historical Society has conservation authority over 95% of the green, meaning any construction and property improvements must adhere to its building rules and restrictions. But the First Congregational Church of Lebanon is on the 5% of the green the society does not control.

In a lawsuit filed in 2019, the historical society is seeking authority to regulate the remaining 5%, saying it needs to be protected like the rest of the green. The church argued that just because the society controls adjacent property doesn't mean it has legal standing to try to impose that authority on the property where the church buildings stand.

Three judges on the Appellate Court on Friday upheld a lower court ruling in favor of the church. They said the case has implications for property owners statewide.

To hold otherwise would allow the holder of a conservation and preservation restriction on one property to interfere with a neighbors use of its property because the holder of the restriction finds the neighbors use in some way offensive, Judge William Bright Jr. wrote in the ruling. There is simply no support in our statutes or common law for such a proposition.

The historical society intends to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court, said Leslie King, one of its lawyers.

The Lebanon Historical Society has long worked to protect and preserve the rich history of the town of Lebanon and its remarkable town green, King said in a statement. It will continue to pursue all legal options to ensure that the entirety of the green, which has for centuries been a unified whole, is protected for public use in perpetuity.

The state attorney general's office, which is a party in the lawsuit and supported the historical society's position, said in a statement that it was reviewing the ruling and considering how to respond.

The pastor of the church, the Rev. Dr. Will Sencabaugh, declined to comment. Mary Mintel Miller, the church's attorney, said a ruling against the church would have been bad for all landowners in Connecticut.

It would become a problem not just for this one piece of land in Lebanon, but for towns all over the state if suddenly neighbors can just be unhappy with the way a neighbor is using their property and say, Well, I own the next door property so I should be able to bring ... action."

The church, in another court case, is seeking ownership of the 2-acre parcel and has agreed to some restrictions requested by the town.

In 2019, a generations-old question of who actually owns the green was resolved after two years of negotiations and court hearings, giving most of the ownership to the town  excluding the church parcel  and conservation authority over 95% of the green to the historical society.

Beforehand, the green was determined to actually belong to the heirs and assigns of 51 original proprietors  the 17th and early 18th-century investors in the property. The town's historian estimated there could be about 10,000 descendants of the original landowners and most of them would have to sign off on any changes to the usage of the land.

Town officials, in a court case seeking to declare the town the owner of properties on the green, put a notice in local newspapers seeking those heirs and assigns, but none came forward.

The green has remained little changed over the past few centuries. It's lined with several historic buildings, now tourist attractions, including the homes of Revolutionary War-era Gov. Jonathan Trumbull and William Williams, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, as well as Connecticuts Revolutionary War office, which was visited by George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette and heroes of the American revolution.

___

This story originally published Dec. 17, 2021, was corrected Dec. 20, 2021, to correct the position of a lawyer for the church. The attorney, Mary Mintel Miller, said a ruling against the church in the dispute would have been bad for all Connecticut landowners, not that a ruling in favor of the church would have been bad for landowners.
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP)  A Fort Campbell soldier has died in a training exercise, the Army said.

Spc. James T. Roberts, 26, of Nashville, Tennessee, died Thursday after being struck by a military vehicle during the early morning exercise in a Fort Campbell training area, the Army post said in a statement. Another soldier was injured but is recovering.

The U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center is investigating the cause of the accident, the statement said.

Roberts was assigned to 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, a sprawling Army post on the Kentucky-Tennessee border.

He joined the Army in 2018 as a military intelligence and deployed for seven months in 2020 along the southwest U.S border.

Spc. Roberts was a beloved member of our intelligence section, and a friend to many in the squadron. His loss leaves a scar on our hearts, said Lt. Col. Jason T. Shuff, who was Roberts squadron commander.

He is survived by his wife, son and mother.
MILBANK, S.D. (AP)  A northeastern South Dakota man was charged Thursday with three counts of first-degree murder in connections with the deaths of a married couple and their unborn child, authorities said.

Brent Hanson, 57, is accused of killing Clyde and Jessica Hanson, whose bodies were found in their Milbank home Wednesday morning. Jessica Hanson was pregnant, police said.
Five years after a Muslim-American recruit died by suicide days after beginning Marine Corps boot camp, prompting the discovery of multiple hazing scandals, the Pentagon still doesn't accurately track abuse within the ranks, a government watchdog found in a report released Wednesday.

The report said that the military may be understating hazing incidents across all branches by tens of thousands in its yearly reports to Congress. Its the third report on hazing produced by the Government Accountability Office in the past ten years, and the authors noted of the four major recommendations to stem hazing incidents recommended in the past, the Pentagon has only implemented two.

Attention on the issue grew after Raheel Siddiqui, a Pakistani-American Muslim recruit from Michigan, reportedly leapt from the third floor of a barracks building in 2016. Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Felix was the senior drill instructor responsible for training the 20-year-old. An investigation found a history of intimidation and hazing in the unit. In one incident, Felix woke up a recruit, Ameer Bourmeche, and forced him into a clothing dryer, calling him a terrorist. He let him out of the dryer at intervals in a mock interrogation, asking whether he was still Muslim.

Felix was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and multiple other drill instructors were relieved of duty after a string of hazing incidents was uncovered. It was one of the military's highest-profile scandals in recent years and caught widespread national media attention.

Read Next: 2 Battalion Commanders Fired for Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine, But 96% of Active Army Meet Deadline

A Military.com investigation in February found that 90% of hazing complaints originate in the Marine Corps. But the Corps probably isn't the only service in which mostly younger troops are victimized through disciplinary action gone awry, abusive rituals to initiate new service members, or abuse masquerading as physical training. That's because there simply isn't any data on how prevalent hazing is, a report from the Government Accountability Office found.

The Defense Department reported 183 to 299 hazing complaints a year from 2017 to 2020. But the data is incomplete, according to the GAO. Reports gathered by the services and submitted to Congress each year miss critical details. For example, the Navy did not report the ethnicity of alleged assailants, possibly overlooking potential hate crimes in the force. The Navy also didnt include hazing as an option on a form given to sailors filing complaints, something the authors said might reduce reporting.

The services could be overlooking "incidents by tens of thousands," the GAO says, mostly because they don't catalog informal reports, which usually refers to complaints that may not lead to a full investigation. In addition the GAO notes that the DoD does not clearly define hazing or the differences between formal and informal complaints, and has yet to set up a clear process

for the services to collect reports on hazing.

That uncertainty about incidents is apt to get worse. The requirement that the Pentagon report hazing incidents to congress lapsed in January, relieving the pressure to produce numbers for lawmakers to review.

"Prevalence is important because decision makers can use it as a starting point to determine if efforts to prevent and respond to hazing are effective," the GAO's report notes.

A great deal of the missing data should be coming from the National Guard, which the GAO says does not report hazing that occurs when soldiers and airmen are on state orders, when they are under the control of governors and where they spend the bulk of their duty time. Guardsmen typically are on federal orders only when deployed abroad. The report lays the blame on Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the chief of the service component, for failing to properly set hazing policies.

"The Chief, National Guard Bureau, has not established a policy that addresses how

it should receive, track, and report on these complaints," the GAO's report says.

-- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon.

Related: Nearly 90% of Military Hazing Complaints Come from the Marine Corps, Data Shows
The 13 U.S. service members killed in a bombing at Kabul's airport as they worked to evacuate thousands of Americans, Afghans and allies ahead of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan will receive the highest honor from Congress, the White House said Thursday.

President Joe Biden signed into law a bill awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the sailor, soldier and 11 Marines killed Aug. 26 from an Islamic State suicide blast at Hamid Karzai International Airport, the White House announced. The bill was passed in the House in October and in the Senate last month without opposition in either chamber.

In a brief statement marking his approval of the bill, Biden thanked Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., for introducing the bill Aug. 31, just hours after the final American ground troops left Afghanistan after some two decades of war. Biden also thanked Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., for their leadership in assuring the fallen service members were awarded the medal.

"Today's a great day!" McClain wrote in a Facebook post after Biden signed the bill. "I'm glad to see these brave men and women honored and remembered in a bipartisan fashion."

It was not immediately clear Thursday when the medals would be presented to the loved ones of Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Max Soviak, 22, Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, 23, and Marines Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, 20, Lance Cpl. David Espinoza, 20, Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, 20, Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, 20, Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, 31, Cpl. Daegan William-Tyeler Page, 23, Sgt. Nicole Gee, 23, Cpl. Humberto Sanchez, 22, Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, 20, and Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25.

The 13 perished in a massive suicide attack near one of the gates at HKIA, where thousands of Afghans had flocked in a desperate attempt to flee their home country as the Taliban returned to power in a lightning offensive in the weeks ahead of the U.S.-announced Aug. 31 withdrawal.

More than 160 Afghan civilians and dozens more were wounded in the bombing -- one of the single deadliest incidents of the 20-year war. The fallen troops were the last American casualties of the war launched in the weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001.

"The American service members went above and beyond the call of duty to protect citizens of the United States and our allies to ensure they are brought to safety in an extremely dangerous situation as the Taliban regained control over Afghanistan," the bill that Biden signed Thursday reads. "The American service members exemplified extreme bravery and valor against armed enemy combatants [and] ... dedicated their lives and their heroism deserves great honor."

The Congressional Gold Medal dates back to the American Revolution and serves as the "highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions" that Congress can bestow, according to a House description of the award. It has been awarded 173 times to individuals or groups of people.

This story originally appeared on Stars and Stripes.
Thousands of soldiers with the 29th Infantry Division were among the first wave of troops who stormed the beaches of Normandy in the U.S.-led invasion of France in 1944.

When the doors to the landing craft opened, entire units were killed almost instantly by dug-in German forces. Scores of the division's troops were among the 3,000 killed in the opening hours of the assault on Fortress Europe in one of the most gruesome and heroic battles in U.S. military lore and immortalized in the opening scene of "Saving Private Ryan."

Now, in light of a reckoning over Confederate monuments for their racist history, the storied 29th Infantry Division patch  a yin-yang pattern with blue and grey -- is being reviewed for potential retirement by the Naming Commission, a panel stood up by Congress last year to review rebel references across the military.

Read Next: 2 Battalion Commanders Fired for Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine, But 96% of Active Army Meet Deadline

The panel is mostly focused on renaming 10 Army bases currently honoring Confederate leaders who waged war against the U.S., but other names and insignia are being reconsidered as well.

"Heraldry is indeed part of the Naming Commission's review, which includes patches such as the 29th Infantry Division patch. This is part of the commission's duty," Stephen Baker, a spokesperson for the commission, told Military.com in a statement.

The 29th Infantry, a National Guard division created during the World War I era, makes up the lion's share of the Virginia Guard. Units that would eventually make up the division were key players in colonial-era wars, from states scattered across the East Coast. Because of that, almost a century before those units' legendary battle in France, elements of what would become the 29th Infantry fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. Even today, the division's 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is known as the "Stonewall Brigade" after being led by rebel Gen. Stonewall Jackson.

During World War I, troops in the newly formed division fell under the blue and grey insignia, which represented both the union and rebels now serving together after their families killed one another in some of the Civil War's largest battles.

Yet the division's history is complicated, with a legacy in most major American conflicts, as its infantry based out of Maryland was one of the first Army units ever stood up. The so-called Stonewall Brigade also recently saw one of the Army's first Black female infantry commanders. Today, the 29th Infantry has one of the most recognizable insignias in the National Guard and fought in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Early next year, the division plans to set its largest deployment since World War II to Africa, where U.S. operations against terrorist groups have largely reorientated.

It is unclear whether any other patches are under review. But the decision on whether to retire the 29th Infantry patch is more complicated than what some see as more clear-cut examples of scrubbing the Confederacy, an enemy force whose rebellion caused the most carnage out of any U.S. war, from honorary references such as monuments that were mostly erected during the Civil Rights era of the mid-20th century.

Military.com spoke with several Virginia National Guard troops who argued the patch now is more synonymous with the division's D-Day heroics. Senior Virginia Guard leadership are also waging a campaign to preserve the patch.

"We are currently preparing historical documentation and letters of support to educate the Commission about the importance of 29th ID patch," Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the adjutant general of the Virginia Guard, said in a statement Wednesday. "We want them to understand what it means to the thousands of veterans who have worn the patch in service to our country, as well as how it serves as a symbol of liberation to our Allies in France."

The Naming Commission hasn't made any final decisions. It was tasked with sending its recommendations on the patch, installation names and the fate of other Confederate references in the force to Congress by October 2022. The secretary of defense then will have until 2024 to review and implement changes.

Baker, who told Military.com he's planning a trip to Europe soon, said he's going to visit Normandy, where so many of 29th Infantry troops were killed  some with units that had previously fought to preserve slavery but then fought for freedom in Europe.

"I want to go there and see where that patch was," he said.

-- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon.

Related: 1,000 National Guard Soldiers to Deploy to Africa as Mid East Wars Wind Down
Stanislaw Zaryn is the spokesman for Poland's Minister-Security and Intelligence Services Coordinator.

The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.

The threats posed by Moscow and Minsk have increased sharply in the last couple of months. The actions taken by these two regimes, where the latter is obsequious to the former, take the heaviest toll on Central and Eastern Europe countries.

A hybrid operation is being waged against many countries in Europe that involves weaponized migration and information warfare. Concerns are also growing that Russia may step up its aggression against Ukraine. There is a common denominator of all these issues -- Russia's growing hostility against the West.

Poland is now the prime target of a massive influx of migrants orchestrated by the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian strongman who is largely dependent on Russian ruler Vladimir Putin for his grasp on power. Earlier this year, the focus of Lukashenko's hybrid operation was Lithuania and Latvia, but that focus has shifted.

In 2021, the Polish Border Guard has reported 40,000 attempts to illegally enter our country from Belarus, up from only 120 such attempts in 2020. The migratory route -- clearly an artificial one -- to the West via Belarus is transparently a creation of Belarusian services. Poland is currently dealing with "a creeping conflict."

Although the number of attempts is decreasing, groups of migrants continue to surge across our border, leading to skirmishes with Polish patrols. On every such confrontation, migrants have been shoulder to shoulder with Belarusians as they pelted our forces with stones and scattered rubble, logs, sticks and metal poles torn out from the border fencing.

As a result, a few Polish soldiers, police officers and border guards have sustained head injuries since the beginning of the crisis. It is also common for the attackers to use laser beams, strobe lights and tear gas to impede our patrols. The Belarusian services keep staging these escalatory provocations at our border.

Although it is a migratory crisis that has been planned and created by Lukashenko in a bid to destabilize not only Poland, but the entire eastern flank of NATO and the European Union, this is not about migration. Nor is it about Lukashenko himself. It is about the Kremlin's anti-West strategy. The weaponization of migrants by the regime in Minsk is just one of many elements of the Russian long-term and long-lasting plan to divide the societies and states of Central and Eastern Europe, but above all, to undermine the unity of NATO and the EU. The Kremlin would like to see them paralyzed, fallen and discredited.

Lukashenko would not have even dared to organize and conduct such a major operation against the West without the approval and support of his political patron and puppet master in the Kremlin. And it is not the government in Minsk but that in Moscow that will try and politically capitalize on the crisis created on its behalf by the Belarusian regime.

Russia has already started portraying itself as a potential conciliator and mediator. Russian "help" in mending the situation always comes with a price. The most likely price in this case would be concessions to the interests of the Kremlin. The tricky part is that the benefits Russia would draw from its "mediation" could in fact provide it with even more opportunities and a better position to destabilize Europe.

That is exactly the reason why the Russian authorities are doing their utmost to stay low-profile and remain hidden behind Lukashenko's active hand. In the official message, the Kremlin's political elites pretend that they have nothing to do with the crisis on the Belarusian-EU border. However, Russian responsibility, since the very beginning, is unquestionable.

In addition to activities aimed at destabilizing our border with Belarus, the Kremlin and Minsk conduct consistent information warfare efforts against Poland. Every day, new propaganda materials are posted or aired in Belarusian and Russian media outlets that portray Poland as being responsible for the migratory crisis. The narratives pushed by these mouthpieces falsely imply that Warsaw seeks to heighten tensions on the border, to make political gains through the crisis and routinely violates international humanitarian laws. Belarusian and Russian propagandists and top officials are actively involved in amplifying these bogus suggestions, which is a constant feature of both regimes' propaganda activities.

Poland is dealing with a border crisis complemented with a widespread disinformation and propaganda campaign. It is typical of Russia to take both informational and political actions against the countries of NATO's eastern flank. That is how the Kremlin seeks to reach its strategic goals, which include pushing the U.S. presence out of Central and Eastern Europe and permanently decreasing the level of security of the Alliance in the region.

Note that the military doctrine of Russia assumes that information warfare efforts and pushing disinformation may be used as part of military operations. Ukraine is the best proof of how Russia's information warfare activities and real, tangible military aggression are interwoven.

The mobilization of large numbers of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine is yet another point of concern. It is worth emphasizing something that may seem obvious, but is often overlooked -- that Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 and has not stopped waging war on Ukraine ever since. Russia remains the aggressor.

It is difficult to predict in the short term whether the gathering of 90,000 Russian troops at the Ukrainian border is a prelude to yet another major attack on Ukrainian territory. This must be monitored closely and on an ongoing basis. But these movements should certainly be perceived as an element of information warfare and intimidation. Their aim is to make Kiev abandon its Euro-Atlantic aspirations and make the West forget about Ukraine. The world must keep an eye on Russia's actions and not be surprised as it was in 2014. And, if necessary, the world must work out a joint, robust response -- one that will be painful for the Kremlin.

Russia is a hostile country to the West, period. In its dealings with others, the Kremlin allows the use of hybrid methods. It will not hesitate to use military aggression and occupation. Staying hidden behind third-party actors or using proxies provides it with new possibilities to exert its hostile influence on Europe and to gain new tools.

The Kremlin's imperial policy against the West, and NATO in particular, is in full bloom. For quite a while, the shadow of Russian aggression has been looming over Central and Eastern Europe. There is nothing to indicate it is going away any time soon.
This has been the week of the Clain family at the Paris attacks trial. On Tuesday, a police witness described the careers of Fabien and Jean-Michel Clain, directors of the IS propaganda effort, both presumed dead in Syria. On Wednesday, the court heard evidence from one of the Clain sisters and a niece, separately imprisoned in France.

The sister, Anne Clain, testified by videolink from the penitentiary at Reau on the outskirts of Paris, where she is serving nine years for aiding a terrorist enterprise.

She was arrested after having attempted to reach the Syrian war zone with her husband and four of their children. She is 46 years old.

She was polite, cooperative and articulate.

Opening her testimony, she said she was disappointed that her brothers were "part of that monstrosity," presumably a reference to the Islamic State terror organisation for which Fabien and Jean-Michel worked as propaganda specialists.

Fabien Clain's was the voice which claimed IS responsibility for the November Paris attacks.

Conversion from Catholicism

Anne Clain agreed that the entire family had converted from luke-warm Catholicism to fundamentalist Islam in a remarkably short time.

She explained that the close-knit group, disappointed by contradictions in the Bible, had been looking for a spiritual dimension. In the late-'90s, they found it in the version of Islam enthusiastically adopted by Fabien Clain, who quickly converted all the others. They moved inevitably towards a rigorous Salafism.

The Caliphate being established by Islamic State in Syria-Iraq then seemed like the only place for sincere Muslims to practice their religion.

Anne Clain admitted that, at the time, she had felt the Charlie Hebdo killings were justified.

"For us, it was unthinkable that someone could make fun of the Prophet."

She claimed not to have known about the Hyper Cacher killings. "We didn't have access to the media. We didn't know everything."

The place of women

She described life as a sort of spiritual pressure cooker, a closed community which unquestioningly accepted a strict interpretation of the Koran.

Anne Clain said she had had no problem with her reduced status as a woman. "The men decided. They were the authority figures.

"I've changed my opinion since," she added with a wry smile.

Anne Clain continues to regard herself as a Muslim, even if, "for the people down there, I'm just an unbeliever".

Now she realises that the folly of indoctrination led her entire family to ruin.

Her mother died in Syria; her two brother are presumed dead; her daughter Fanny and Fabien's wife, Mylene Foucre, are in a refugee camp in northern Iraq; at least seven of the clan perished in the effort to find a place to live as "real Muslims".

"We were the victims of an ideology," Anne Clain finally admitted. "I don't know what to say about the roles my brothers played. It's very difficult to accept that they were terrorists."

Critics of the Caliphate

Then it was the turn of Anne Clain's daughter, Jennifer, to testify. Jennifer Clain spoke from the prison at Beauvais in northern France where she is awaiting trial on charges connected with her own stay in Syria. She is 30 years old.

She has five children, having been married at the age of 15 to a man chosen by her uncle, Fabien Clain. Her husband is currently imprisoned in Iraq.

Jennifer Clain said she shared her mother's impression of having lived in a closed environment, impervious to questions or criticism.

"It was dangerous to ask too many questions," she said of daily life under Islamic State rule in Syria. "But I had doubts right from the start.

"It's hard to admit to yourself that you might have made the wrong choice. I gave up everything to go there. But there were obvious contradictions. There were leaders more interested in their own profit than in God.

"But we kept our negative opinions to ourselves."

As for the desolation of the clan Clain, Jennifer had a chillingly straight answer: "we are all responsible for what we wanted," she explained. "We are guilty of what we believed."

The trial continues.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketu South Constituency, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie says she is disappointed President Akufo-Addo has refused to reopen land borders despite the cries of people affected by the long closure.

Her comment comes after the President on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, said the borders will remain closed amid the fourth wave of the Coronavirus (Covid-19).

To my fellow Ghanaians living along the borders of our nation, I know of the difficulties occasioned by the closure of our borders.

As you know, the decision to close our borders, which are a source of livelihoods for many, was necessary because we wanted to limit the importation of the virus into the country.

We are monitoring the level of threat of the disease and ongoing vaccinations in our neighbouring countries, and, as soon as we are satisfied that it is safe to do so, the borders will be open.

Until then, I believe this is not the right time to reopen our land borders, especially as we are determined to prevent a 4th wave, and, as such, they will remain closed until further notice, H.E Akufo-Addo said in an address to the nation yesterday.

In a reaction on TV3 today, Ketu South MP Dzifa Gomashie has accused President Akufo-Addo of taking decisions bereft of any human feelings.

The disappointed MP insists that the borders need to be reopened to reverse the hardships it has imposed on people living in border towns in the country.

I am very disappointed in His Excellencys statement last night..I do not agree with him that the borders should remain closed, Dzifa Gomashie said while questioning the President Why is he taking political decisions with the lives of these people?.

Ghanas land borders have been closed since March 2020 when the country was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Although there has been progress in the fight against the pandemic with several successes, government is not convinced it is safe to open the borders.
Emmanuel Baidoo, Senior Manager, Sustainability Anglogold Ashanti has assured residents of Obuasi that the annual Obuasi Trade Show which has created opportunities for local businesses to expand has come to stay.

He called on stakeholders in Obuasi to join forces with the Mine to sustain the program.

Mr. Baidoo was speaking at a durbar to mark the commencement of the 2021 edition of the Obuasi Trade show in Obuasi.

The first edition of the Obuasi Trade Show was held in February 2019.

The trade show was under the theme "Diversifying the Economy of Obuasi through Trade Promotion."

The 5 -day trade and exhibition show is fully sponsored by Anglogold Ashanti with support from the Ghana Enterprise Agency, the Obuasi East District Assembly and the Obuasi Municipal Assembly

The Trade show according to the Sustainability Manager forms part of the 3 year Social Management Plan of Anglogold Ashanti intended to diversify the economy of Obuasi.

AGA IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING BUSINESSES TO GROW

Emmanuel Baidoo seized the opportunity to assure Nananom and the people of Obuasi of AGAG's commitment to supporting local businesses to thrive.

He said, "our resolve to see local businesses grow is demonstrated in how we have partnered local Assemblies within our operational area to roll out Business Linkages program with the aim of diversifying the economy of Obuasi ".

He mentioned the recently outdoored Obuasi Enterprise and Skills Development Center which is expected to provide solutions to businesses, support skills and build capacity of businesses in Obuasi, as part of the market-ready programmes of AGAG that will improve the livelihoods of the youth and make them self-reliant.

A CALL ON GHANAIANS TO DEVELOP CONFIDENCE IN MADE IN GHANA GOODS

In a speech read on his behalf, the Ashanti Regional Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industries, Mamuda Osman appealed to Ghanaians to develop much confidence in domestically produced goods. He said promoting 'made in Ghana goods' will increase the countrys exports and strengthen the local currency.

He further called on business owners to liaise with agencies under the Ministry of Trade Industries such as the Ghana Enterprise Agency and the Ghana Standards Authority to ensure goods produced locally are internationally competitive.

IMPACT OF OBUASI TRADE SHOW

The Obuasi Municipal Director of Ghana Enterprise Agency, Kelvin Ofori Atta recounted the impact the Trade show has made on businesses in Obuasi since its inception in 2019.

He noted, " the trade show has been of immense benefit to businesses in Obuasi. So far we have over 50 new businesses registered due to the Trade show, we have 157 local businesses that have improved their packaging. Again, we have 110 businesses that are selling outside Obuasi and over 300 businesses have seen their sales gone up."

Nana Amoanimaa Dede II, Adansihemaa lauded Anglogold Ashanti for the Trade show. He said AGAG has demonstrated overwhelming commitment to developing Obuasi by partnering with Government through its 3 year Social Management Plan.

She promised that Nananom in Adansi will support the Trade show to become an annual program in Obuasi.
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) has welcomed the sentencing of Anthony Sumo to 6 years imprisonment for human trafficking by the sixteenth Judicial Circuit Court in Bopolu City, Gbarpolu County.

In January of 2021, the convict trafficked 22 children from Gbarpolu County but was nabbed by the Liberia Immigration Service Margibi Detachment on January 29, 2021 in Margibi County. The children were immediately turned over to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

With support from partners, the childrens welfare, to include their physical and psychosocial needs were provided by MGCSP.

Working with the Gbarpolu Legislative Caucus, the Ministry along with the Child Protection Network (CPN) of Liberia which is a body of civil society organizations on Saturday, July 3rd 2021 with permit from the Ministry of Justice reunited the 22 children with their families. Additionally, the Ministry presented cash, food and non food items to the families.

The Ministry believes that the December 14, 2021 ruling from the sixteenth Judicial Circuit Court is a victory for the fight against human trafficking which will serve as a deterrent to would be traffickers.

Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister Williametta E. Saydee-Tarr has confirmed that the routine monitoring of the children by the Ministry will remain active. She further reaffirmed Gender's commitment in achieving PILLAR 1 of the Pro Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, (Power to the People) 2. 4.2, which highlights Children protection as a key priority of the Government of Liberia.

In observance of this years celebration of World Day Against Trafficking In Persons (TIP), H. E. Dr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia emphasized the compelling responsibility of not only the Government, but every citizen and

resident within our borders to exert meaningful efforts, leaving no stone unturned, in ensuring the minimization and subsequent total eradication of all forms of Human Trafficking in Liberia.

The Liberian Leader recounted his government's concerted and unrelenting efforts to eradicating human trafficking.

According to President Weah, the government of Liberia has passed the 2005 Act, which banned and criminalized the trafficking of humans in Liberia.

His government has also established the National Anti-human Trafficking Taskforce coupled with a number of key policy documents such as: A Situational Analysis of Human Trafficking; The First and Second National Action Plans to fight Human Trafficking; The Standard Operating Procedures to assist victims of Human Trafficking; The National Referral Mechanism, which stipulates not only the roles and responsibilities of actors, but also referral programs and procedures for trafficked survivors.

The Ministry is thankful to the National Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce Chaired by the Ministry of Labour and Co-chaired by Justice and Gender for the unending coordination and collaboration in addressing trafficking issues. The Ministry also applauds Justice Ministry for successfully prosecuting convict Anthony Sumo.

MGCSP informs all that it will remain engaged with the court proceedings' as Elizabeth McCree a co-defendant is scheduled for separate trial in January of 2022.
Ethiopian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release all journalists held in custody for their work and should refrain from using the countrys state of emergency law to imprison members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Ethiopian authorities have arrested at least 14 journalists since declaring a state of emergency on November 2 as part of the governments response to a year-long civil war against rebel forces allied with the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF).

Those detained include two former reporters at the Tigrigna-language radio service of the state- owned Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporation (EBC), the editor-in-chief of the YouTube channel Ubuntu TV, an editor at the Terara Network, the co-founder of Roha TV, a freelance video journalist accredited with The Associated Press, a cameraperson, and a journalist with the state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporation. CPJ previously documented the arrests of six other journalists under the state of emergency,

Ethiopias state of emergency law gives security personnel extremely broad powers of arrest and s uspends due process, effectively bans critical journalism, and sends an intimidating message to the press, said CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative, Muthoki Mumo. The Ethiopian government should release all journalists detained for their work and stop using the state of emergency as a pretext to infringe on freedom of expression.

On November 4, police in Addis Ababa raided the homes of Teklehaimanot Girmai and Mekonnen Yibrah, who had both worked as reporters for the Tigrinya-language radio service of the state-owned Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) until their dismissal in August, according to a Mekonnens friend and Teklehaimanots relative, as well as two journalists familiar with their case, all of whom spoke to CPJ on condition of anonymity for safety reasons.

These sources said that police arrested Teklehaimanot on November 4 and Mekonnen on November 16.

Mekonen and Teklehaimanot were dismissed from the EBC following allegations of breaching the broadcasters code of conduct, according to the relative. Documents reviewed by CPJ show that the stations management accused Mekonnen of issuing reports from February to May that lacked editorial approval and were supportive of the TPLF.

Teklehaimanot was suspended in connection to an August 10 report that allegedly suggested the government was shutting down businesses owned by people of Tigrayan ethnicity, which management said implicitly aided the TPLF, according to the documents. CPJ was not able to find a copy of that reporting to review.

When CPJ called the EBC on December 8 for comment, a representative requested questions be sent via email; when CPJ sent those questions, the emails returned with an error message. Follow-up messages sent to EBC via Twitter, Facebook, and a publicly available email address were also unanswered. On Wednesday evening, a representative of EBC asked CPJ to send queries to another email address, acknowledged receipt, and said that they would ask their boss to respond to the request for comment.

In a statement sent via messaging app, Mohamed Idris, the director-general of the Ethiopian Media Authority, a statutory industry regulator, said that as far as he was aware the EBC journalists were not detained for their professional work and that their detentions could be due to prudent safety measures by authorities as part of the state of emergency.

Mekonnen and Teklehaimanot were unemployed following their dismissals from the EBC and had appealed their suspensions to the Federal Civil Service Tribunal, a quasi-judicial body that adjudicates disputes between government employees; their cases were pending at the time of their arrests, according to those documents and Teklehaimanots relative.

Teklehaimanots relative and a friend who spoke to CPJ, also on condition of anonymity, said that they believed the journalists were arrested both because of their work at EBC, particularly the programming that led to their suspension and because they are ethnic Tigrayans.

Three other journalists were detained on November 28, according to The Associated Press (AP) and local state media reports, but their arrests were not made public until yesterday. The three were named as Amir Aman Kirayo, a freelance video journalist accredited with the AP, cameraperson Thomas Engida and Addisu Muluneh, a reporter with the state affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporation. The AP said that Amir was arrested after a reporting trip; while CPJ continues to investigate the specific circumstances surrounding the arrests of Thomas and Addisu.

AP did not elaborate on the nature of Amirs trip, but said that all three are accused of breaching the countrys state of emergency and anti-terrorism laws. State media reports alleged that the three were arrested after interviewing members of the Shene, a term used by officials to refer to the rebel Oromo Liberation Army group which was designated a terrorist organisation earlier this year and is allied with the TPLF.

AP executive editor Julie Pace said that allegations against Amir, who has covered Ethiopias civil war extensively, were baseless. In an emailed statement to CPJ, a spokesperson for the AP said that Amirs family had been allowed to visit him twice a week since his arrest.

In a telephone interview on Wednesday evening, Jeylan Abdi, a spokesperson for Ethiopias federal police told CPJ that contacting the OLA is a crime under the countrys anti-terror law and not an act of journalism. He said that the journalists intended on promoting the OLA within the international press and that police would produce the journalists in court, but did not specify when this would happen.

Separately, on December 7, police in Addis Ababa arrested Eyasped Tesfaye, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the YouTube channel Ubuntu TV, at his home in Addis Ababa, according to media reports, a family member who spoke to CPJ on condition of anonymity, citing safety concerns, and Ubuntu TV general manager and co-founder Moonira Abdulemanan, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app.

The officers did not provide any reason for Eyaspeds arrest and searched his home the same day, according to the family member. The following day, police raided Ubuntu TV office in Addis Ababa confiscating studio equipment and cameras, according to Moonira. Eyasped was then taken to Sostegna, according to multiple reports by the BBC.

Eyasped hosted The DESK, a weekly discussion program on Ubuntu TV about East African politics, and he participated in daily roundtable discussions on current affairs, according to Moonira and CPJs review of the YouTube channel.

Eyaspeds recent programming included an interview with an analyst regarding the ongoing war in Ethiopia, a discussion of the influence of global superpowers on the East and Horn of Africa region, and a discussion about politics in Sidama regional state.

Previously, Eyasped worked with the Oromia Media Network until the stations closure in Addis Ababa June 2020, according to the colleague who spoke to CPJ. The OMN is often critical of the federal government and its journalists have previously been targeted for arrest.

Eyasped is also a former member of the opposition Blue Party, according to those BBC reports. He was previously arrested under the countrys 2016 state of emergency.

Three days after Eyaspeds arrest, on December 10, police also arrested Temerat Negara, a co-founder, editor, and presenter with the Terara Network, from his Addis Ababa home, saying that he was detained in connection to the state of emergency, according to his wife, Selam Belay, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app, media reports, and a statement posted on Facebook by his outlet.

Selam said that police searched their home and the Terara Network office in Addis Ababas Bethel neighborhood, and confiscated electronics including hard disks and audio recorders.

Temerat participated in daily political news discussions on the Terara Network, which publishes content on YouTube and Facebook; on a December 2 program Temerat criticized Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds handling of the war and in a December 6 program he and a co-host discussed the future of Ethiopia after the defeat of the TPLF.

Temerat previously worked as the editor-in-chief of Addis Neger newspaper, an Amharic-language weekly that closed in 2009 amid government pressure forcing its editors, including Temerat, to exile, according to media reports. Selam told CPJ that Temerat returned to Ethiopia in late 2018 and co-founded Terara in December 2020.

On December 11, security personnel in civilian clothes arrested Roha TV founder and reporter Meaza Mohammed from her parents home in Addis Ababa, according to her husband Robel Gegeyehu and her sister, Agegehuwork Abebe, both of whom spoke to CPJ via messaging app.

Later that day, police accompanied Meaza to her home and office in the Kazanchis area of Addis Ababa, Robel said; they searched both premises and confiscated computer hard drives.

Robel told CPJ that police initially refused to say why they had detained Meaza, but then said that they were holding the journalist at Sostegna for doing media work without a license from the Ethiopia Media Authority.

Roha TVs YouTube channel features coverage of an opposition party press statement and reporting on the ongoing war. A December 9 documentary includes Meazas interviews with victims of sexual violence in Amhara regional state, allegedly committed by rebel soldiers. Prior to founding Roha TV, Meaza worked as a reporter and editor with the privately owned online news channel Abbay Media, Robel said.

In his statement to CPJ, Mohamed, the media authoritys director-general, said he could not comment on the detentions of Eyasped, Temerat, or Meaza because the authority did not know [the journalists], legally, as professional journalists, and they were not licensed.

However, in a May 28 Facebook post, the media authority listed Terara as among recently licensed online media outlets. Moonira told CPJ that Ubuntu TV had applied for a license in September, but had not heard back from authorities since then, which would have resulted in the station automatically having legal recognition, as stipulated by Article 27 (2) of Ethiopias media proclamation.

In a December 15 phone interview with CPJ, federal police spokesperson Jeylan said that the journalists were detained for violating the laws of the country, not for their professional work. Jeylan declined to provide specifics about which laws the journalists allegedly breached, and referred CPJ to the Ministry of Justice for comment.

CPJ emailed and sent Facebook messages to the Ministry of Justice, but did not receive any immediate replies. CPJ repeatedly called the ministry, but the calls rang unanswered or were busy.

These eight journalists were not listed in CPJs 2021 prison census  which ranked Ethiopia as sub-Saharan Africas second-worst jailer after documenting at least nine journalists in custody there as of December 1  either because CPJ did not have details of their arrests or because they were arrested after that date. Sources told CPJ that none of the eight has appeared in court.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) hosts 1st International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA), the event which was postponed earlier this year due to COVID-19, will now take place virtually 14-16 December 2021.

The conference offers a unique platform for African researchers, policymakers and stakeholders to share scientific findings and public health perspectives and collaborate on research, innovation and public health across the continent.

The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over in Africa. With 7 million infections and almost 175,000 lives lost across the continent, its impact has already been severe. Economic and social disruptions caused by COVID-19 have threatened even more lives and livelihoods, putting years of human development progress at risk of reversal.

Africa has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, COVID-19 has created a historic opportunity to build a new public health order that makes health for all a reality across the continent. Together, we can build health systems and manufacturing capacities to effectively respond to multiple health threats, said John Nkengasong, MSc, PhD, Director of the Africa CDC. The Africa CDCs inaugural annual conference provides a platform that capitalizes on the knowledge, experience and ambition of Africans to collectively pave the way for a healthier future for all.

Over the course of three days, scientific tracks focusing on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, health systems strengthening and learnings from the COVID-19 response will be covered through keynote and panel presentations, plenaries and participatory sessions with a special focus on skill-building for early career professionals. An Organizing Committee of more than 15 health leaders from across Africa and the globe are helping to shape the strategic direction of the conference.

CPHIA Co-Chair and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity, Professor Agnes Binagwaho, MD, M(Ped), PhD shared: By convening some of the leading figures in public health in Africa, the conference will provide a forum to review lessons learned from COVID-19 and to shape more resilient health systems that can effectively respond to future crises. We are eager to see up-and-coming future leaders take center stage in front of their peers as they work to advance public health, scientific education and research in Africa.

She added, The past 18 months have been full of uncertainty and hardship  especially for women and girls and other marginalized groups  but one clear message has emerged: to build a healthier and more equitable future for all Africans, we need African leadership and African-led solutions, said Professor Senait Fisseha, MD, JD CPHIA Co-Chair and Director of Global Programs and the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. I am so inspired by the immense talent and expertise we already have on our continent, and in awe of the leadership of Africa CDC. Through this unique platform, we can chart a bold path forward to improve health care for all people.

Synergy for a Continental purpose

The inaugural Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2021) will put a spotlight on emergency health response in Africa and allow participants from around the world to share and learn about progress made, best practices in public health interventions and the latest in innovative research. This will become an annual conference, hosted by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and African Union. CPHIA 2021 is being organized by an Organizing Committee with members from around the world.

The CPHIA aims to reach individuals from academic and government institutions; national, regional, community and faith-based organizations; private sector firms; as well as, researchers, front-line health workers and advocates.

The Opening Ceremony on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 featured some Presidents of Africa including H.E Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President, Democratic Republic of Congo; Chairperson of the African Union , H.E. Paul Kagame, President, Rwanda; AU Champion for Domestic Health Financing ,H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa; AU Champion on COVID-19 , and H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson, Commission of the African Union ,Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, Director, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Prof. Agnes Binagwaho, Co-Chair, CPHIA 2021; Vice Chancellor and Professor of Pediatrics, University of Global Health Equity ,Prof. Senait Fisseha, Co-Chair, CPHIA 2021; Director of Global Programs, The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, Dr. John Nkengasong, Director, Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Journalism role on Public Health in Africa

One of the most important roles journalists play during pandemics is to provide clarity when there is so much uncertainty. They provide the needed contexts and nuances and break down complicated concepts for non-experts.

Effective health science reporting has been seen as a key integral part of strengthening public health systems.

In this view, African Journalists has not been left out from international Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2021).

As part of CPHIA 2021 there 10 scholarships have been offered to Africa-based journalists to support their participation in and coverage of the conference.

The CPHIA Journalist Scholarship Programme is focused on building journalists capacity to report on public health in Africa and will provide an opportunity to connect with key experts and stakeholders who shape public health policy on the continent. Scholarship recipients will be required to participate in the three-day conference taking place virtually 14-16 December, as well as join a two-hour pre-conference virtual workshop led by experts in health communications. The recipients are required to publish at least two news articles about CPHIA 2021 during the three-day conference.

Internews Health Journalism Network members are amongst those who received the scholarship and will be participating and reporting on the conference.
Member of Parliament for Kpando, Della Sowah has been honoured by Suma Traditional Area in the Jaman North District of the Bono Region.

This is in recognition of the role she is playing together with seven others championing Ghana's anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.

Regardless of the stiff opposition, the MPs have remained resolute in their cause.

For this reason, she was honoured in the Adinkra Award Gold Category, the highest award which former Heads of States such as the late John Jerry Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufour, and John Mahama and former Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Woode have been recipients in the past.

Speaking after the recognition, Della Sowah said "I feel really very honoured. If you are in your corner doing something you don't know people are taking notice of you and appreciating what you are doing. It humbles you when you are noticed and accorded."

The Keta MP added that once culture makes her unique, it makes them who they are. "It gives us a special identity. We shouldn't shed it easily with the excuse of 'enlightenment.'"

She also dedicated the award to her late father Dr Kwasi Agbodza who taught her and other siblings to preserve the tradition in whatever way they can.

Della Sowah added that "I celebrate our biggest cheerleader our 88-year-old mum."

The ceremony is used to climax the annual Suma Akwantu Kese Festival at Suma-Ahenkro.
The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) , is shocked and dismayed to learn of the dangerous encounter in Kismayo, that could have led to the death of journalist Idle Mohamed Adan aka Deggane, in the evening of December 15, 2021.

Deggane, who works for Universal TV and local radio station  Waamo radio  in Kismayo, Jubbaland state, was on his way home from work, when the car he was driving was stopped at what appeared to be an unmanned checkpoint by a lone gunman. Although the journalist initially followed the orders and instructions of the masked gunman, suspicious of the gunman who was subsequently identified as a member of the Jubbaland security forces, Deggane decided to drive on.

According to local journalists in Kismayo , it was at this point that the gunman opened fire on the car while calling out to his colleagues, who were concealed at the other end of the road, to intercept a suspect who was trying to escape. A pick-up truck full of hooded security men then stopped Deggane, who was shaken by the sequence of events and the show of force against him. He switched off headlights and turned on the dim light inside the car, hoping that his captors would see he was a civilian.

While the team leader was aggressively interrogating him with occasional insults, one of the security men fired him with bullets from behind. The terrifying episode ended when they told him to move on without explaining their conduct, even after they realised he was a journalist. The incident comes as Kismayo gears up to conduct parliamentary elections in the coming weeks.

We are relieved to learn that Deggane is safe and well after the dangerous events of last night. However, this incident once again highlights the dangers journalists face in Somalia and the need for professional conduct by the security forces. Journalists serving the public interest deserve protection and should not be subjected to violence and harassment of any form said NUSOJ General Secretary Omar Faruk Osman.

The journalist is just fortunate that the bullets that were fired in haste, missed their intended target. The officer who discharged those bullets and other officers who were part of the aggression should be brought to book in order to entrench a culture of rule of law.

We demand for a full inquiry into the incident by the authorities in Jubbaland and administrative sanctions against the officers involved, Osman added. We hope Deggane will soon recover from the mental trauma inflicted on him during the course of duty.

NUSOJ once again calls on federal and state authorities in Somalia to value the work of journalists and protect them from unwarranted harassment and violence.
Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin the First Deputy Speaker has lambasted members of the house for the tug of war in his absence.

He said Members of Parliament including First Deputy Speaker Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu indulged in an act of misconduct over the 2022 budget.

In the past few weeks the Speaker left the country for medical care, the First Deputy Speaker stepped in to oversee the affairs of Parliament.

During the short period, tension went high in the house between the Majority and Minority.

Taking that into consideration and other decisions taken in his absence, Alban Bagbin on returning to Parliament said the behaviour of the MPs was unruly.

I take responsibility for what happens in the House and I admit the House is neither dignified nor exalted by those rancorous and unruly behavior of members. I promise to do everything within my power and authority to lead the House to chart a path of transformation, decency, and change, a change for the better.

Hon Alban Bagbin said, As to whether a vice president can preside over a cabinet which had earlier on taken a decision on a subject matter presided over by the President and without consulting the president to rescind the decision earlier taken, is for your kind debate as instructed but Who am I to say my deputy, the First Deputy Speaker, the Honorable member for Bekwai Constituency, Honorable Joseph Osei Wusu, Joewise, he might have indulged in an act of misconduct tantamount to insubordination?.

In his speech, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin expressed appreciation to Members of Parliament for the work done while he was away but stressed that the house owes Ghanaians an apology for the chaos that occurred around the approval and rejection of the 2022 budget statement.

I also thank Hon Members for holding the fort in my absence, despite the fact that the conduct of some Members raises fundamental issues bordering on a complete disregard of parliamentary practice, procedure, and process of the House. I have taken my time to read the Order Paper, Votes and Proceedings, and the Official Reports of the days in issue. I am convinced we should accept the view of the conscience of the nation that we owe Ghanaians an apology and I will proceed to do just that.

"As the Head of Parliament, the voice of the Legislature, who speaks for and on behalf of Parliament, hence the title Speaker, I, with all humility apologize on behalf of the House and all the members, for the aberrations of conduct and behavior of members on those days, the Hon. Alban Bagbin said.

Read the full speech of the Speaker of Parliament below:

Formal Statement by the Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, on the rejection or rescission of the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government

Introduction

Hon Members, before I proceed to address the topic of my official communication, permit me to praise and glorify the Almighty God/Allah, my fortress and my Lord, for the travelling mercies and the regeneration and renewal of my body and life. Thanks be to you, oh Lord, the creator and master of the universe. I am eternally grateful to you for your grace and love.

I also thank Hon Members for holding the fort in my absence, despite the fact that the conduct of some Members raises fundamental issues bordering on a complete disregard of parliamentary practice, procedure and process of the House. I have taken my time to read the Order Paper, Votes and Proceedings and the Official Reports of the days in issue. And I am convinced we should accept the view of the conscience of the nation that we owe Ghanaians an apology and I will proceed to do just that.

As the Head of Parliament, the voice of the Legislature, who speaks for and on behalf of Parliament, hence the title Speaker, I, with all humility apologize on behalf of the House and all the members, for the aberrations of conduct and behavior of members on those days. I take responsibility for what happens in the House and I admit the House is neither dignified nor exalted by those rancorous and unruly behavior of members. I promise to do everything within my power and authority to lead the House to chart a path of transformation, decency and change, a change for the better.

The conduct of members on those days also touches on the legality of the decisions arrived at in the House and how we arrived at those decisions. It will help for members to look at these issues dispassionately, in humility, devoid of egos and partisanship. As a House of honor, dignity and measureless might and majesty, members of Parliament should, for a while, allow the 1992 Constitution, the enabling laws, precedents and the Standing Orders of the House to lead the way.

Members need to think about how to strengthen the work of this House and by extension, strengthen Ghanas democratic governance. Members need to consider the precedents we set by every decision and action we take in this house. Over and above that, members must bear in mind that as Members of Parliament, they also represent the people  the citizenry  not just political parties.

Hon Members, just try to recollect, or view a playback of the proceedings or read the Official reports of those sittings, and you will appreciate what I am referring to. What happened was grave disorder with its resultant comedy of errors and I will not take lightly a repeat of such disorder and indiscipline in the House.

Hon Members, I will not bore you or our audience with a recount of the scenery of those proceedings, it is however, incumbent on me to make a pronouncement on these matters and provide some direction on the path to be taken as a House to ensure we are taking steps to fulfil our sacred duty to the people of Ghana. To do this, it is necessary to summarize a few proceedings in order to lay a foundation for me to propose the way forward.

Quorum for the Conduct of Business and Quorum for Voting in Parliament

Hon. Members the first matter that requires some pronouncement is the matter of a quorum which formed the basis for the decision taken by the House to rescind the rejection of the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government. Admittedly, the Constitution prescribes the quorum for the conduct of business of the House; a lack of quorum meant the business cannot be done. A quorum for one-third of members is required for the commencement of business; a quorum of not less than one-half of members is required to determine, for example, a resolution for approval of international loans and a quorum of not less than two-thirds of members is needed to amend some provisions of the constitution. Depending upon whether it is just to legitimize it to conduct business of Parliament, or take an ordinary decision or make a resolution. See Articles 69 (11), 75 (2) (b), 82 (1), 95 (2) (d), 102, 104, 106 (10), 113 (2), 174 (3), 181 (1), 268 (2), and 291(3). The provision that deals with the basic components of a quorum to transact business are; One-third of all members of Parliament, except the one presiding.

Hon. Members, the question of whether or not a quorum exists either for the conduct of Parliamentary business or for taking of vote in Parliament is therefore a question of fact. The practice in all Parliaments since the inception of the 4 th Parliament has been to raise the issue of quorum on the floor of Parliament at the time the business or the vote is being taken.

Parliament has been to raise the issue of quorum on the floor of Parliament at the time the business or the vote is being taken. Hon. Members, admittedly it is a responsibility of the Chair to make a determination if there is a quorum at the beginning and at any time during the sitting of the House. However, there is a presumption of quorum to undertake business unless a question is raised. The Chair may in the absence of an objection to the contrary, presume that the House is duly constituted for its work. It is only when such an objection has been raised that the Speaker may then take steps in compliance with Order 48 of S. O. of the House. This is due to a practical challenge of the Speaker knowing at every time the number of members present in the House.

Suffice it to say, however, that where the fact of the absence of a quorum is notoriously obvious to the chair, then perhaps it may be incumbent on the Chair to raise the issue suo moto.

Be that as it may, Hon. Members, the precedents and the practices and conventions of this House, require that the issue of quorum be only raised on the Floor. When the matter is not raised on the floor, the only prima facie indication of the number of Members present is in the record of the Votes and Proceedings of the House.

The following instances are quite instructive on this account;

On the 20 th of June 2002, the sitting of the House was suspended after an objection was raised by Hon. Kwakye Addo, MP for Afram Plains South for the absence of a quorum to commence public business. The Rt. Hon. Peter Ala-Adjetey began the process of adjourning the House until his attention was drawn to the fact that Members had begun to fill the chamber. It is important to reiterate the comments of the then Majority Leader, Hon. Paapa Owusu-Ankomah who cautioned that the issue of quorum be looked at since members could be in attendance at Committee sittings, and be conducting Parliamentary business, but not present on the Floor of the House and thus, not counted for the purpose of forming a quorum. Hon. Paapa Owusu-Ankomahs premise is viewed on a point of law. The issue of quorum is on members present in Parliament and not on the floor or in the Chamber of Parliament. Refer to Articles 102, 104, etc.

of June 2002, the sitting of the House was suspended after an objection was raised by Hon. Kwakye Addo, MP for Afram Plains South for the absence of a quorum to commence public business. The Rt. Hon. Peter Ala-Adjetey began the process of adjourning the House until his attention was drawn to the fact that Members had begun to fill the chamber. It is important to reiterate the comments of the then Majority Leader, Hon. Paapa Owusu-Ankomah who cautioned that the issue of quorum be looked at since members could be in attendance at Committee sittings, and be conducting Parliamentary business, but not present on the Floor of the House and thus, not counted for the purpose of forming a quorum. Hon. Paapa Owusu-Ankomahs premise is viewed on a point of law. The issue of quorum is on members present in Parliament and not on the floor or in the Chamber of Parliament. Refer to Articles 102, 104, etc. Similarly, on the 22 nd of February 2014, this House stood adjourned when the issue lack of quorum was raised by Hon. Afenyo-Markin.

of February 2014, this House stood adjourned when the issue lack of quorum was raised by Hon. Afenyo-Markin. Again, on the 9 th of November 2018, it was Hon. K.T Hammond who raised the issue of lack of quorum in the House during the consideration of the RTI Bill.

of November 2018, it was Hon. K.T Hammond who raised the issue of lack of quorum in the House during the consideration of the RTI Bill. On 20th November 2019, Rt. Hon. Speaker Prof. Ocquaye suspended sitting after the Hon. Mahama Ayariga indicated that the House did not have the numbers to continue the debate on the 2020 Budget. Again, in this instance the issue of quorum was raised by a member during the proceedings.

Hon. Members, what the precedents tell us, and they abound, is that the issue of lack of quorum is usually raised by a Member of the Hose or the Speaker himself having regard to the numbers in the House may ask for an adjournment or suspension of sitting due to the absence of a quorum.

Hon. Members, staging a walk-out is a legitimate form of protest and is part of our Parliamentary norms and practices. Indeed, there have been several walk-outs since 1997 and each side of the aisle has used it as a legitimate tool to register their displeasure with one issue or the other.

The staging of a walk-out, however, does not render Parliament incapable of performing its functions.

Hon Members, may I refer to three (3) instances where walkouts and boycotts have been deployed and the business of the House has continued despite the walkouts.

On August 22, 2003, the Minority staged a boycott of the House in protest against the NHIA Bill. Business of the House continued despite boycott. The total number of majority members used to justify a quorum was the number 101, recorded on the Votes and proceedings of the day and not the number on the floor.

On the 23 rd of February 2005, the Minority staged a walkout of the House because of the consideration of the Customs & Excise Petroleum Taxes Bill. Despite the walkout, proceedings continued and the quorum relied upon was the number of members recorded on the Votes and Proceedings as present, including names of the minority who had all walked out.

of February 2005, the Minority staged a walkout of the House because of the consideration of the Customs & Excise Petroleum Taxes Bill. Despite the walkout, proceedings continued and the quorum relied upon was the number of members recorded on the Votes and Proceedings as present, including names of the minority who had all walked out. On the 19th November 2014, the Minority staged another walkout of chamber because of the Bill on the introduction of 17.5% Special Petroleum Tax levy. Again, despite the walkout, Votes and proceedings recorded 274 members present which was more than half of all members to take decisions of the day

It suffices to note that, the failure to register an objection for a lack of quorum meant any decision to be taken in respect of the purported absence of a quorum should have had regard for the numbers as enunciated in the Votes and Proceedings of the House on the said date.

The actions of the House on Tuesday 30 th November 2021 bring into sharp focus the powers of a Deputy Speaker vis a vis that of the Speaker.

November 2021 bring into sharp focus the powers of a Deputy Speaker vis a vis that of the Speaker. On that day, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament presiding found that the vote taken on the 26 th of November rejecting the budget was null and void as the requisite number was not present in accordance with Article 104 of the Constitution.

of November rejecting the budget was null and void as the requisite number was not present in accordance with Article 104 of the Constitution. The decision taken on the 30 th of November 2021 which decision suggested I acted ultra vires the Constitution when I put the question on the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government appears strange to me. The House was duly constituted for its work for the purposes of business and voting in accordance with Articles 102 and 104 respectively and the public record of the Votes and Proceedings of the House on the 26 th of November lends credence to this position.

of November 2021 which decision suggested I acted ultra vires the Constitution when I put the question on the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government appears strange to me. The House was duly constituted for its work for the purposes of business and voting in accordance with Articles 102 and 104 respectively and the public record of the Votes and Proceedings of the House on the 26 of November lends credence to this position. It is persuasive to note what Erskine May, an authority in Parliamentary Practice says on this matter; The Speakers rulings constitute precedents by which subsequent Speakers, Members, and Officers are guided. . . Such precedents are noted and in the course of time may be formulated as principles or rules of practice. They are an important source of determining how the House conducts its business.

Hon Members, as to whether a Vice President can preside over a cabinet which had early on taken a decision on a subject matter presided over by the President, and without consulting the President, get the Cabinet to overturn the decision earlier taken, is for your kind debate. But who am I to say my Deputy, Ist Deputy Speaker, the Hon Member for Bekwai Constituency, Hon Joseph Osei-Owusu, the Wise, might have indulged in an act of misconduct tantamount to insubordination.

Hon. Members, we ought to be mindful of the precedents that exist in this House to guide our conduct. This will ultimately prevent an interpretation of our rules that provides us with problems.

Deputy Speaker being counted for the purposes of Quorum

Hon. Members at this point, it is important for me to address the decision of the Hon. First Deputy Speaker in declaring that the quorate number of 138 required to take a vote had been met when the House sat on the 30 th of November 2022.

of November 2022. Without a doubt, our Standing Orders and the 1992 Constitution outlines clearly the bar on the one presiding in Parliament in respect of participating in debates or voting on any matter. Article 102 of the Constitution is to the effect that the person presiding, be it the Speaker, a Deputy Speaker or a Member presiding does not form part of the quorate number.

Whether or not the principle applies in pari materia with Article 104 is immaterial because a different issue at law arises which respectfully, the Hon. First Deputy Speaker may not have averted his mind to.

with Article 104 is immaterial because a different issue at law arises which respectfully, the Hon. First Deputy Speaker may not have averted his mind to. A distinction must be drawn between the temporary absence of the Speaker from the chamber in which case any of the Deputy Speakers may preside, and when the Speaker is unavoidably absent as provided for under Order 13(2). In fact, Order 13 creates two different types of instances under which the Deputy Speaker may preside in accordance with Article 101 of the Constitution.

Under Order 13(1), any of the Deputy Speakers may be asked to take the Chair whenever Mr. Speaker so requests due to his temporary absence from the Chamber. The Deputy Speaker presides until such a time that Mr. Speaker is able to resume the Chair to preside over the proceedings. It must be noted that, under this ambit, the Deputy Speaker may be counted as forming part of the Quorate number required for either business or voting because at the beginning of the sitting, he was not exercising the powers of the Speaker.

Order 13(2) presents a different situation. Under this order, the Speakers unavoidable absence from the precincts of Parliament means the First Deputy Speaker assumes the authority of the Speaker and performs all the duties of the Speaker in relation to the Chamber. In this role, the First Deputy Speaker takes on the cloak of an Acting Speaker and for the purposes of our rules and the Constitution assumes all the powers of the Speaker in relation to the business of the House.

In this sense therefore, the First Deputy Speaker for the period of my unavoidable absence from Parliament was the Acting Speaker of Parliament and thus all rules and limitations applied to him in a manner that applies to the substantive Speaker of Parliament.

By and large, the reasoning of the First Deputy Speaker outlining the fact that he is not the Speaker, he holds his membership and does not lose his privileges as a member when he takes the Chair can be said to be correct. However, in so far as he takes on the role as the Acting Speaker of Parliament, his decision to be counted as part of the numbers forming a quorum raises procedural challenges.

Hon. Members, although our Standing Orders are silent on this, many Standing orders and rules from several sister Parliaments provide persuasive rules which suggest that when Deputy Speakers or acting Speakers are in the Chair, whatever happens in the House is that officers responsibility and the Speaker cannot be called upon to overrule it. Similarly, the reverse is also the case that when a Speaker is in the Chair, whatever happens in the House is the Speakers responsibility and the Deputy Speaker or acting Speaker cannot be called upon to overrule it

However, Hon. Members we are where we are because we need to make progress on this matter in a manner that is consistent with our laws, and ensures we are allowing the governance of our country to thrive.

Letter presented by Minister Responsible for Finance on Concessions and Modifications to the 2022 Budget Statement

Hon. Members, I am aware of a letter originating from the Minister for Finance which letter purports to make some concessions and modifications to the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government.

The legal basis of the laying of such a letter and what actions Parliament may take as a result leaves a lot to be desired. I have however held discussions with the Leadership of the House to find a path that is faithful to law, respects our rules and processes and ensures the governance of the country does not grind to a halt.

In that vein the Leadership and I agree that the following steps be taken;

The Minister responsible for Finance comes before the House with an amended statement of the Budget with the said modifications and concessions.

These modifications and concessions will then be adopted by the House and the revised document with the estimates will stand committed to the various Committees of Parliament.

I am aware the Committees have begun consideration of the estimates. It would thus be their responsibility to reconcile the revised estimates with what they have hitherto considered and submit a report for the consideration of the House.

Conclusion
17.12.2021 LISTEN

Chairperson for the Ghana Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance (GhNCDA), Dr. Mrs. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, has called on the government to make healthcare delivery system in the country affordable to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

She said government in its efforts to make health care accessible is providing more health facilities in the various districts across the country, however, if people find it financially difficult to afford treatments, the UHC will not be achieved.

Dr. Mrs. Beatrice Wiafe Addai made the call in her speech at the 4th National High Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases held in Kumasi on Wednesday, December 15, 2021.

The meeting which was hosted by Breast Care International (BCI) was under the theme, Leaving No Ones Health Behind, Prioritizing NCDs in the Universal Health Coverage."

It was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ghana Health Service (GHS).

The meeting was chaired by the Omanhene of Tepa Traditional Area, Nana Adusei Atwene Ampem I.

In attendance were the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon Simon Osei Mensah and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), boss Hon Sam Pyne and other health stakeholders.

The government is providing more health facilities in the various districts, that means improving accessibility to care. What about affordability? I think affordability should go together if we want to achieve Universal Health Coverage, she stated.

Dr. Mrs. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, who is the President of Breast Care International (BCI), also called on government to come out with clear health policy reforms for people living with cancers, diabetes, hypertension, sickle cells, stroke, mental health among others.

These diseases are responsible for several COVID-19 deaths in the country and they deserve more attention by way of resources allocation and planned program of action to mitigate their impact on society, she added.

Dr. Wiafe Addai concluding her speech urged the media to protect the lives of patients with NCDs by shinning the spotlight on these conditions which have ravaged families.

The Minister of Health, Kwaku Ayemang Manu, who was represented by his Special Assistance, Dr Baffour Awuah, said government is drafting a new health policy when implemented, will solve issues that surround free access to treatment.

The new health policy which is aligned to the Universal Health Coverage will focus on reducing the risk factors on NCDs, promotion of clinical services and activities and strengthening of referral, financing, research and development, the Health Minister explained.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon Simon Osei Mensah, in a short speech advised the public to frequent visits to health facilities for medical checkups to avoid untimely deaths.
17.12.2021 LISTEN

The Deputy Youth Organizer for the USA Chapter of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Prince Kamal Gumah has wished the party delegates who will be trooping to Kumasi this weekend for the National Delegates Conference the best of luck.

Prince Kamal Gumah spoke with the media at Kumasi when he led his team to remove all his banners, posters and paraphernalia as directed by the National Steering Committee of the Party ahead of the conference.

Mr Gumah, a loyal party member and of good standing, advised other aspirants to adhere to the directives by the steering committee of the party, and remove all their banners and posters as directed.

He stated, The party is bigger than all of us and the party serves the people of Ghana, Ghanaians and the world are watching how we conduct ourselves in the elections, as we are their beacon of hope and aspiration.

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has banned all activities associated with internal party contests ahead of its annual delegate conference.

The decision comes after a meeting by the partys National Steering Committee of the party in Accra.

A statement issued by the party on Friday (10 December) noted, "At a meeting held on Thursday 9th December 2021, the National Steering Committee of the Party, acting under Article 10 (10) (1) of the Constitution of the Party and in furtherance of the Code of Conduct issued under Article 18 to regulate and guide the activities of members before the opening of nominations, has banned the display of paraphernalia and advocacy for individual aspirants at the upcoming National Annual Delegates Conference.

Before and during the Conference on 18th to 20th December 2021, no billboards and or signboards, banners or any kind of outdoor signage with the images and or names of individual members, with or without the consent of the individual, shall be acceptable. This applies to the area within the Greater Kumasi Metropolis. All such displays, if put up already, should be removed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that eastern Ukraine, which (like Crimea) is home to many Russians, belongs to Russia  and he wants to take it back.

His desire is reflected by the Russian militarys continued encroachment into eastern Ukraine for the past several years. With Russias movements becoming increasingly suspicious, this winter could provide a dangerously perfect opportunity for Putin to seize eastern Ukraine.

Putins Ambitious Military

According to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Russian military massed 90,000 troops near the Ukrainian border in early October. In the spring of 2021, the Russian military also sent 100,000 troops to positions near the Ukrainian border.

Why is the Russian military spending its financial resources just to send its troops to the Ukrainian border and then withdraw them?

The answer lies in Russias ambitions for eastern Ukraine. The repeated sending and withdrawing of troops are intended to create a boy-who-cried-wolf effect, meaning that even if the Russian troops gather near the border for an actual invasion, the Ukrainians will assume that they will withdraw again. Caught off guard, the Ukrainians will not be able to resist.

Weaponizing Migrants

Without a doubt, Russia is pulling the strings behind the crisis at the Belarus-Poland border. Why is Belarus pushing the huge influx of migrants to the Polish border and harassing Europe? It must be receiving some financial or political reward from Russia, such as the supply of natural gas.

If so, why would Russia bother investing its financial resources into a migrant crisis? Because it has something else to gain.

Sending migrants to the border will only cause confusion, and Russia wont gain any money or territory by doing so. The sanctions imposed by the West wont go away either.

In other words, the confusion itself, caused by the weapon of migrants, is the purpose of Russias machinations. The confusion diverts Western attention from the Ukrainian border.

Chinas Owes Russia

In late October, a Sino-Russian fleet of 10 ships conducted an unusual military exercise, nearly circling the Japanese archipelago.

But Russia doesnt want a Japan and United States versus China and Russia conflict. And it was already wary of getting too close to China and East Asia.

Russia wants to gradually regain the European regions around it by taking advantage of the confusion and using salami-slicing tactics while the United States has its hands full with China issues. Russias main interest is in Europe and the Middle East, not in East Asia.

But Russia agreed to cooperate with China to intimidate Japan because it wanted China to be in its debt.

If Russia seizes eastern Ukraine amid the confusion in Europe caused by the pandemic and oil shortages, the West will doubtlessly strengthen economic sanctions against Russia, even if it doesnt launch a military counterattack.

But if China moves to Russias defense, Moscow can avoid complete isolation from the rest of the world and also obtain basic necessities from China. If Russia can support the livelihood of its people, it can buy time to wait for the situation to change in its favor.

This is why Russia joined Chinas military exercise that circled the Japanese archipelago, which at first glance seemed to be of little benefit to Russia.

Strategic Pipeline Manipulations

As far as Russia is concerned, the invasion would be worth it if it can seize eastern Ukraine in a quick operation as it did with Crimea, especially since Russia is already under economic sanctions. But Russia would obviously be hit by massive international condemnation if it were to seize eastern Ukraine in a blitzkrieg operation.

Here, Russia has another trump card: it can stop the natural gas pipelines that run through Ukraine. This would cause panic in both Ukraine and Germany, and Russia would be able to negotiate a ceasefire.

The rising prices of natural gas and crude oil due to shortages this year will give the Russians the high ground in negotiations.

Furthermore, if the pandemic resurges in Europe and the United States during the winter and necessitates another lockdown, the public would not be in the mood for going to war, even in the event of a Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine.

If Russia stops the natural gas pipelines during the pandemic, and people find themselves facing the prospect of enduring the cold winter without power, public sentiment may prefer to leave Russia and eastern Ukraine alone.

Russia may likewise be planning a double-sided operation in eastern Ukraine: a pro-Russian militia coup to take control of the local government, and an attack on Ukrainian troops near the border by unidentified forces.

Chances of Russian Invasion At Least 50%

On February 27, 2014, just after the closing of the Sochi Winter Olympics, the Crimean parliament building was seized by Pro-Russian gunmen. Just three weeks later, Russia annexed Crimea.

On August 8, 2008, the day of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, Russian troops intervened in the conflict in Georgia in the South Caucasus region and the pro-Russian South Ossetia, which had declared independence from Georgia.

The Beijing Winter Olympics will open on February 4, 2022. I estimate that there is at least a 50% chance that President Putin will invade and occupy eastern Ukraine around that time.

The world should be on guard for coups and civil unrest in eastern Ukraine this winter. But hopefully, my humble prediction will not come true.
17.12.2021 LISTEN

Render to all men their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, and honour to whom honour is due. (Romans 13:7)

From the above quotation, it is highly crucial for all and sundry to celebrate our leaders wholeheartedly and wholesomely.

The term, to celebrate means to mark a happy or important day, an event with a social gathering where people can enjoy themselves (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, 1995). In other words, investiture, induction, graduation, ordination, birthdays, marriage ceremonies/weddings are the real celebrations and not funeral rites.

It is not scriptural or biblical to celebrate the dead, but it is biblically significant to celebrate our parents/guardians, grand-parents, our spiritual/religious, academic and political leaders as well as loved ones when they are alive, instead of waiting to see their demise (Owusu Tabiri, 2018, Daily Graphic). This write-up aims at celebrating the first Vice-Chancellor of Ghana Communication Technology University, Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa as we witness his investiture on Saturday, December 18, 2021.

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa was appointed by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the President of the Republic of Ghana in October 2018 as the President of Ghana Technology University College.

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa inherited huge financial difficulties as the university had to pay its workers through internally generated funds from 2018 to 2020. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic compounded the teething problems that Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa had to shoulder as the President of Ghana Technology University College. Through it all, he worked assiduously to see to it that the Ghana Technology University College transitioned from a partial private university to fully fledged public university known as Ghana Communication Technology University in August 2020. Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa seems to exemplify the saying that, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa is a Professor of Food Science and Technology and currently the Vice-Chancellor of the Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU), Tesano-Accra and the Chief of Fiapre Traditional Area in the Bono Region of Ghana under the stool name Obrempong Professor Kyem-Amponsah II. He was formerly the Interim Vice- Chancellor of the Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU), President of the Ghana Technology University College (GTUC), Tesano-Accra, Acting President of the Ghana Technology University College (GTUC), Tesano-Accra, and Head of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra (www.gctu.edu.gh).

Who would have thought that Ghana Telecom/Technology University College could become a fully-fledged public university in Ghana?

Who would have thought that Ghana Telecom/Technology University College, now called Ghana Communication Technology University could witness the investiture of its first VC as Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa?

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, we celebrate you today for your selfless leadership and visible achievements as the first Vice-Chancellor of Ghana Communication Technology University, the only public university in Ghana that its name starts with Ghana. Even though you have not been able to satisfy all the Members of the University community, we cannot refute your diligence and contribution that led to the transition of Ghana Technology University College to Ghana Communication Technology University. Can any member of the University community refute this assertion?

As lecturers and researchers, we salute you and celebrate you for your distinguished and outstanding scholarship for having authored/co-authored 205 publications (including 103 peer- reviewed journal publications, 5 books, 4 book chapters, 2 encyclopaedia chapters and 91 conferences presentations with published abstracts) in Food Science and Technology.

Obrempong Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, a great scholar par excellence, we celebrate you for your visible achievements as we witness your investiture today as the very first Vice-Chancellor of Ghana Communication Technology University.

May the God of all grace, give you overflowing grace and bless you indeed to shoulder your responsibilities effectively and efficiently as the VC of GCTU, in the name of Jesus Christ.

Congratulations, Obrempong Professor Kyem-Amponsah II!

The writer is a lecturer and University Chaplain at the Ghana Communication Technology University

Email: [email protected]

PhD candidate at the University of Education, Winneba, Department of Applied Linguistics, Ghana.

PhD candidate (Sociolinguistics and Language Didactics) at the Universite Felix Houphouet-Boigny de Cocody, Cote dIvoire.
The Nungua Business Center, a branch of Asa Savings and Loans Limited has donated to New Life Nungua, an orphanage home located at Nungua in Accra on 13th December, 2021.

The items include provisions, stationery, food items (beans, gari, maize), vegetable among others worth Ghc10,000.

Mr Felix Adedeme, Junior Divisional Manager for Tema Area said the donation forms part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the company.

He noted that the donation will arguably help lessen the burden on the home and improve the well-being of the under-privileged children.

Sarah Saraphina Attipoe, the Branch Manager of the Nungua Business Center believes it will also go a long way to break the cycle of poverty in households, families and society in general.

"The negative effect of the covid-19 pandemic on the economy has affected every aspect of life and Asa Savings and Loans Limited (Nungua Business Center) thought it wise to visit the home to put a smile on the faces of the children to become good and responsible members of the society and to the nation as a whole," she stated.

According to her, similar donation is being organised in other operational areas of Asa Savings and Loans Limited.
20 million trees are to be planted nationwide next year under the Green Ghana Project, being championed by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.

According to Benito Owosu-Bio, the Deputy Minister in charge of Lands and Forestry, the figure is an expansion of the exercise which saw to the planting of five million trees in June early this year.

At a press briefing on Thursday, December 16, 2021, he noted that, unlike last year where the Ministry had to rely solely on donor funds for the exercise, government has allocated funds for 2022 edition.

He, however made a passionate appeal to institutions and benevolent Ghanaians to provide financial support to the Ministry to realize the dream of planting, nursing and growing 20 million trees.

Mr Owusu-Bio said the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is aware of the need to protect Ghanaians against the effect of climate change and will continue to institute measures to achieve same.

He noted that government will step up its effort to combat climate change next year with the introduction of more programs that will protect the countrys forest cover and environment in general.

In a related development, the Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission has revealed that cabinet has given its approval to the wildlife bill.

Mr. John Allotey said that after 13 years of back and forths, the bill has finally received an endorsement from cabinet and is now ready for Parliament for the next steps to be taken.

He described it as a manifestation of the commitment of the Akufo-Addo government in the protection of Ghanas forest reserves.

Mr. John Allotey said it is a game changer for his outfit as it will clothe them with the power and funding source to carry out their core duty of protecting Ghanas forest reserves.

Im happy to report that weve passed the first critical step of receiving approval from cabinet. Cabinet has approved the wildlife bill. This means we have the next three years to exhaust the other processes and get it enacted into law.

This bill is important because although Ghana has signed onto so many international conventions, our laws do not actually support some of them and we needed legislation to back them.

The Wildlife Resources Management Bill set out to address gaps and shortfalls in the current wildlife laws.

The new Wildlife Resources Management Bill has been developed through a very extensive consultative process involving both state and non-state actors.

---Classfmonline.com
17.12.2021 LISTEN

Education policy working group, Graduate Democrat Caucus wants the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ministry of Education (MoE) to suspend the maiden National Standardized Test (NTS).

The exam was originally scheduled to be written by primary four pupils in November but was later postponed to Friday, December 17, 2021.

Making the argument that the directive for the new date was issued late as well as the unfair exclusion of private schools, Graduate Democrat Caucus insists that the GES and the MoE should suspend the examination.

It is totally unacceptable for the Ministry of Education to sideline private school pupils who are also Ghanaians from taking the NST. This level of discrimination against Ghanaian children attending private schools should be avoided.

We, therefore, call on the MoE and GES to suspend the NST until it is prepared to execute a fair and reliable test, part of a statement from the Graduate Democrat Caucus issued on December 15 said.

The examination being written today according to the MoE is expected to generate data to help improve the teaching and learning of Mathematics, Science, and English Language at the basic schools.

Despite noting that the initiative is laudable, Graduate Democrat Caucus says it strongly believes that the objective will not be achieved with the current arrangement.

Below is the statement from the caucus:

15/12/2021

ForRelease

PoorImplementationofNST



Primary four pupils nationwide are expected to write the maiden National StandardizedTest on Friday 17th December, 2021. The examination is expected to be written by over 470,768 basic four pupils in 2,850 examination centres across the country. The question on the mind of many Ghanaians and stakeholders is whether this assessment is well thought through and well planned. We note that the GES issued a late directive to primary school headteachers to extend thescheduled vacation date by one week to make room for the examination to take place. This directive came after all primary schools had already written their end of term examination. From every indication, the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education are not adequately prepared for the test hence the confusion.

1

The examination was initially schedule to take place in November but was rescheduled toDecember, 2021. This lack of preparedness and the late communication defy the principle of fairness in assessments of this nature which requires students and their teachers to be given adequate time to prepare academically, emotionally and physically for the test. These young children should not be subjected to such psychological torture by the MoE and GES.

According to the MoE, the National Standardized Test is expected to generate data to helpimprove the teaching and learning of Mathematics, Science and English Language at the basic schools. Though laudable, we strongly believe that this objective will not be achieved by the test because the foundation of a valid assessment is the curriculum.

After almost 3 years of implementing the curriculum upon which the NST is supposed bybe based, no single school has received an approved textbook from the government. There is sufficient evidence to prove that, teachers still rely on the old textbooks to teach the new curriculum. ItisthereforenotclearwhattheNSTseekstomeasuregiventhepoorimplementation of the new curriculum.

Other issues that has come up strongly is the fact that private school pupils have been excluded from the NST. We call on the Ministry of Education, to, as a matter of priority take steps toincludeallprivateschoolpupilsinthetest. ItistotallyunacceptablefortheMinistryofEducation to sideline private school pupils who are also Ghanaians from taking the NST. This level of discrimination against Ghanaian children attending private schools should be avoided.

We therefore call on the MoE and GES to suspend the NST until it is prepared to execute afair and reliable test.

END

[email protected]

CC. Ministry of Education Ghana

Ghana Education Service

All media houses
The pump and pageantry with which the officials of government signed a concessional loan facility of $20 million with Saudi Arabia in 2019 for the completion of Bolgatanga Regional Hospital has ended with no show.

The Upper East Region Minister Stephen Yakubu made the revelation on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, during a press soiree organized by the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council (RCC).

In September 2019, the Minister of Information, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, at a press briefing in Techiman in the Bono East Region disclosed that the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital is expected to be completed in October 2020 following the signing of a concessional loan facility of $20 million between the governments of Ghana and Saudi Arabia. Mr. Oppong Nkrumah added that the repayment of the loan would start after 10 years of signing, indicating that it would take the government 20 years to defray the loan.

He said 49 percent of the loan was a grant from the people of Saudi Arabia.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah stressed that the Minister of Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Vice Chairman of the Saudi Fund for Development, Mr. Khalid Alkhudairy, signed the agreement in Accra on behalf of their respective governments.

However, since after the October 2020 deadline for the completion of the project per the agreement, it appears there is nothing positive regarding the concessional loan facility of $20 million.

Responding to a question, the Regional Minister stated, Concerning the hospital, I have also been following it, but the Health Minister keeps telling me that the problem is that, the Saudi people are not interested in these logistics anymore. So, that USD20 million that was secured in 2019, you know monies are secured sometime it takes certain processes and that process somewhere can be truncated and I think, that is what has happened.

So, my understanding is that the Ministry is trying very hard to get another sponsor so that they can then go through the procurement processes very quickly to get our logistic here so that we can open our hospital. Any time I go to Accra, I find time to go to the Ministry of Health just to fight for this hospital. So hopefully, very soon we will get money to do that.

And sometimes, when we are taxing, when we are bringing in the E-Levy and when we are trying to bring taxes for all of us to contribute.Maybe, if you have our money we should have gone to buy our thing and put it there. But when the government is trying to raise revenue up again and you are saying you cannot do this and that and now we are the same people who are crying for the roads, who are crying for the hospital, who are crying for everything. So, where do we get the money to do all these nice things we all want to enjoy?"

Meanwhile, Works were expected to be completed in October 2020, paving the way for the full operation of the hospital for affordable and quality health care to the people in the Upper East Region and beyond, especially towns and communities in and around Bolgatanga.

On this same issue, the Deputy Regional Communication Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Sunday Casper Kampoli in April 2020 posted this question to the President on his Facebook wall following the then announcement of building 88 hospitals across the country.

Below was Sunday Casper Kampoli full post:

Nana Addo where is the $20million Saudi loan approved for the Phase II of Upper East regional hospital?

So Nana Addo was at his Waterloo moment once again. In his 8th Covid 19 address he promised to build 88 district hospitals, 6 Regional Hospitals in the next 8 months, 7 of the district hospitals will be in the Upper East Region.

Whilst it is welcoming and good to know that Nana Addo and Bawumia have suddenly woken up from their slumber to appreciate the importance of good health facilities and are trying to take steps to fulfill one of their numerous highfalutin 2016 campaign promises, we must remind them of the state of health care facilities in the Upper East Region and what we need at this point in time to fight Covid 19.

Apparently, the erstwhile NDC in its resolve to provide every region with a state of the art Hospital started the expansion of the Upper East Regional Hospital to equip it with state of the art equipment to provide health care for the people of Upper East and its environs.

When the expansion works are completed the Hospital will provide Dental, Pharmacy, accident and emergency care, E&T, Eye and Mental health, Public Health and Herbal medicine, Mortuary, Blood bank, X-Ray department, etc. The expansion works was to cost the nation $48 million- 85% to be funded by the Saudi Fund and GOG to fund the 15%. Before the NDC left power in January 2017, 85% of the infrastructural works were completed.

Before the NDC led by H.E. John Dramani Mahama: the regime that secured the $12 million for the first phase, left government in January 2017, 85% of the Phase I works were completed.

However, after Nana Addo and Bawumia took over the governance of the country they have not prioritize the project up till today. But on the 1st of March 2019, Parliament unanimously approved $20million loan from the Saudi Fund for the second phase of the Upper East Regional Hospital but a year on, the phase II of the expansion works which is the equipping of regional hospital has not started and the whereabouts of the $20million is not known.

Is it true that the money has been diverted?

If it is true that the money has been diverted, thus you think you can use 7 district hospitals to compensate for that, my president you got it very wrong; the people of Upper East wont accept that.

If theres a health facility in the Upper East that is of a priority to the people, it is the current state of our Hospital. The hospital is a Regional Hospital by name but not by health care delivery.

So, Mr. president please look for the necessary resources to implement phase II of the expansion works of the Hospital to equip the Hospital to help us fight this deadly novel Covid 19.

I am a citizen, not a spectator!
17.12.2021 LISTEN

Some 45 students of the Abuakwa State College (ABUSCO) in the Eastern Region have been suspended by school authorities.

The students said to be members of a click called Above The Law have been suspended and thrown out of the school over their involvement in unlawful activities that amount to gangsterism.

The students according to information are form 2 Green track male boarding students of Akyem Asafo House at ABUSCO.

Part of a letter signed by ABUSCO headmaster Eric Hanson Adjei Sarpong addressed to parents of the affected students on December 15 said; your ward has been suspended indefinitely from the school with immediate effect.

School authorities say the affected students committed offences such as the formation of unauthorized groups with hidden agendas resulting in rivalry conflicts amounting to gangsterism contrary to Rule(1)1 of the code of conduct of the school.

The school authorities accuse the students of organising gang meetings in the school without approval, possessed, and used lethal weapons, and fought with same on campus.

In addition, students are said to have used mobile phones to coordinate their activities, failed to observe light out, and, deceived the disciplinary committee during interrogation.

In the same letter to the parents of the affected students, the school explained that the students violates the laid down rules of the Ghana Education Service and if not checked would break down discipline in the school.

It said, the action has therefore been taken to serve as a deterrent to the entire students body.

It added, By a copy of this letter, the Housemaster is to see to his immediate exit from the school after he has handed over all school property in his possession. You are to counsel him adequately at home while we await a decision from the Board of Governors.

Sources tell Modernghana News that some parents of the suspended students subsequently stormed the school in protest of the decision by the school.

They want the Ghana Education Service to step in to reverse the decision by the ABUSCO headmaster.
Residents and victims of fire at Abuakwa Maakro in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipality of the Ashanti Region have blamed the Fire Service for reporting to the scene late.

On Thursday night, a fire outbreak at Abuakwa Maakro destroyed properties of homes and several shops.

Unfortunately, a full house of about 20 units was not spared leaving close to 80 people displaced in the end.

According to an eyewitness, the fire started from a shop and spread to other shops as well.

We saw a blaze from one of the shops and it was spreading very fast, the witness whose name is given as Owura told 3news.

Reacting to the accusation, Ashanti Regional Public Affairs Director of the Ghana National Fire Service, DOIII Peter Addai said they are untrue.

He said the response of the fire service was swift and probably the people might have initially called a wrong number.

We got to the scene 7 minutes after the call so we got there on time. Our response was swift. They called the wrong number. Many times when people call us, they blame us for not coming but they end up calling the wrong number and in this particular instance, they didnt call the right number, DOIII Peter Addai told 3FM.

He however admitted that there was a fault with their pump when they arrived on the scene.

The fire tender first developed a mechanical fault. The pump failed so we called for a backup and it also arrived on time to fight the fire, Ashanti Regional Public Affairs Director of the Ghana National Fire Service said.
17.12.2021 LISTEN

Mr Shine Foster Agorsor, the Assembly member for Xavi electoral area in the Akatsi South Municipality of the Volta region has donated a brand new motorbike to Xavi CHIPS compound on Thursday, December 16.

Other items such as cartons of electricity bulbs, malaria testing kits among others were donated.

Mr Agorsor in interaction with ModernGhana News disclosed that the newly built CHIPS compound lacks a lot of logistics for proper healthcare delivery.

He noted that the motorbike will help in transporting workers to all the villages around Xavi and its environs.

"This motorbike will help a lot in your movements from town to town,and seek to my people in times of sicknesses," he stated.

According to him, the motorbike donated was the one the government gave to all Assembly members in the country to work with.

"I have seen what my people are going through, and today l decided to donate the motorbike l collected to serve their lives," he stated.

He continued ,"my people voted for me to serve them,and l can not seat down and see them suffering. This is what l feel l should do to help them."

According to him, many other items the facility is lacking includes HIV test kits, Scan machine, Veronica bucket, spraying machine and others.

He urged individuals and benevolent organisations to assist the facility to continue to provide healthcare to the poor in the community.

Mr George Nyarko,the Akatsi South Municipal Health Director who was present at the occasion received the items on behalf of the facility.

He thanked Mr Agorsor for the kindness, benevolence and hard work he exhibited.

"Am soo much amazed about the Assembly member's action, not everyone could do this to serve his people," he stated.

Mr Nyarko challenged other individuals to emulate such gestures for better development of the country.

Mr Agorsor Shine Foster is the youngest among other Assembly members in Akatsi South Municipality.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has asked the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) not to halt its fight against illegal mining (Galamsey) and lumbering in the country.

Dr Bawumia believes that the effort of the GAF in the anti-galamsey agenda this will help protect and safeguard the interest of the country.

He was addressing the short Service Commission Special Duties Course 59 of the Ghana Military Academy in Accra on Friday December 17

I urge the Military to remains undaunted in the fight against illegal mining and lumbering I applaud the Ghana Armed forces for the successes chalked clearing out our water bodies of illegal miners, he said.

Dr Bawumia recalled the hard of work of the military and other security agencies to safeguard the interest of the country against terrorism

He again emphasized the need for the military and other agencies to sustain the fight against illegal mining and lumbering in the country.

In another development the vice president has said the government was committed to build over 800 accommodation facilities for the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

In all, 158 officers graduated from the military academy.

These officers undertook courses in special duties at the Military Academy. Some of the courses included Tactics and Drills to equip officers in the service.

Deserving officers were awarded while officer Vivian Ofosu was adjudged the over all best course officer.

---3news.com
17.12.2021 LISTEN

The Public Relations Officer of the National Concerned Drivers Association, David Agboado has retracted and apologised to Deputy Minister of Transport Hassan Tampuli for defamatory comment he made against him.

Agboado is reported to have made the defamatory comment against the former CEOP of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) when drivers were calling for fuel price reduction but he said he misrepresented the Deputy Minister in his commentary.

I withdraw my comments against Hassan Tampuli and I will appeal to him to forgive me . I know my utterances have caused him harm but I am pleading with him to let it go.

I misquoted him, I misrepresented him and I plead for forgiveness.

---3news.com|Ghana
17.12.2021 LISTEN

Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare (Kwaku Azar), a D&D Fellow in Public Law and Justice at CDD-Ghana, has called for the disqualification of Justice Clemence Honyenuga from continuing to hear the GHS217-million financial loss case involving former CEO of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) Stephen Kwabena Opuni and businessman Seidu Agongo.

The KPMG Professor in accounting at the Fisher School of Accounting, who is also a public intellectual and scholar-activist, whose contributions and activism, including as plaintiff in a number of precedent-setting cases before the Supreme Court of Ghana, are, according to CDD-Ghana, helping to push the frontiers of governance and the rule of law, particularly in the area of constitutional law and practice, some recent comments made by Justice Honyenuga while dismissing Dr Opunis second recusal application against the Supreme Court Justice who is sitting as an additional high court judge on the matter, on Thursday, 16 December 2021, creates an atmosphere that is not conducive for the delivery of justice.

Justice Honyenuga, in dismissing the recusal application, described it as malicious and calculated attempt by Dr Opuni to court public sympathy and also delay the hearing.

The court also said it was a blatant lie that Justice Honyenuga had been hostile toward Dr Opuni.

In Prof Asares view, these are very serious allegations coming from the bench, and raise important questions about how the Judge has been able to determine that the defendant is seeking public sympathy, acting maliciously or stating blatant lies under oath.

If I am the defendant, these words will put me in fear that I will not receive a fair and impartial trial, Prof Asare noted in a Facebook post.

On the flip side, he said: If I am the judge, I will question whether I can be fair and impartial about a defendant that I believe has told malicious lies about me.

Therefore, he asserted, without prejudice to the parties, it is fair to conclude from these statements that an intolerable adversary atmosphere has developed between Justice Honyenuga and Opuni.

Prof Asare then suggested: Under these circumstances, it is my solemn opinion that Justice Honyenuga stepped over the line in his attempt to justify the denial of the recusal motion and should be disqualified from continuing with the case.

Dr Opuni filed the affidavit in support of the recusal motion on Friday, 10 December 2021.

Dr Opuni said based on the averments contained in the above, it is only fair and just that the trial judge recuses himself from further hearing of the suit.

In his affidavit, he said: I state further that this conduct of the learned judge in unilaterally imposing dates did not happen when the prosecution was presenting its case. During that time, the learned judge always agreed with the lawyers before adjourning the case. Unfortunately, the learned judge has refused to grant me the same conditions and facilities which were afforded to the prosecution.

Dr Opuni also said Justice Honyenuga has exhibited open hostility toward me since I opened my defence and this is evident where he (the learned judge), in open court, apart from not hearing my counsel with respect to adjourned dates, bangs his files on his table when giving dates and on his own, orders the court to rise while angrily screaming court rise. Indeed, at the last hearing on the 9th day of December 2021, the learned trial judge unilaterally adjourned the suit at a time my lawyer was on his feet and addressing him with respect to the proposed adjourned dates and walked away to his chambers.

The conduct of the judge, Dr Opuni averred, breached his right to a fair hearing and also constitutes a breach of Rule 3 (5) of the code of conduct for judges and magistrates, which stipulates that: A judge shall perform judicial duties without bias or prejudice, A Judge shall not, in the performance of Judicial duties, by words or conduct, manifest bias or prejudice including but not limited to bias or prejudice based upon race, sex, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status, and shall require Court personnel and others not to do so.

Additionally, Dr Opuni argued that the fact that the judge is biased toward me is evidence by his prejudicial comment, which he made in court on the 9th day of December 2021 where he stated in open court that the evidence of my witnesses cannot exonerate me save my own evidence.

This shows a clear case of bias and that the learned judge has already made his mind even though my first witness has not yet completed his evidence-in-chief. I add that this comment is further evidence that the learned trial judge would not consider the evidence of my witness even though he has not completed his evidence-in-chief.

The affidavit continued: That during the examination-in-chief of my first witness, when my lawyer sought to elicit a response from my witness on portions of the findings of fact made by the judge in his ruling dismissing our application for submission of no case, including the above, the learned trial judge stopped him and furiously informed him that he was not going to allow my lawyer to ask questions by referring to his ruling.

This conduct, Dr Opuni noted, is one of bias since the questions to be asked are based on the express finding made by the judge with respect to the submission of no case in which the judge made extensive references to the evidence of various prosecution witnesses affirming the basis of his ruling.

I state that unless the learned trial judge recuses himself from hearing this matter, I would be denied a fair trial since I would be prevented from conducting the case in a way which I am entitled to by making references in this instance to specific portions of the ruling.

I state further that the fact that the learned trial judge is biased is further evidenced from his conduct of the 2nd day of December 2021, where the learned trial judge, even though aware of the fact that I had the constitutional right of deciding the mode of calling witnesses, initially objected to DW1 giving evidence. This was most unfortunate in that at no point in time during the presentation of the case by the prosecution did he seek in any way whatsoever and or howsoever to instruct on the sequence of calling their witnesses.

I state further that the learned judge has repeated on numerous occasions since I opened my defence that his diary at the Supreme Court does not afford him enough time, hence his act of imposing these said dates. It is, thus, clear to me that I will not get a fair trial as my trial would be rushed through by his Lordship the trial judge.

---classfmonline.com
The rallying cry, which has produced some euphoria among the teeming followers of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo (DBD) tradition today, is 'breaking the eight'. It is, however, important to bring to the fore that this can be achievable or doable only when we have had a critical evaluation of major issues which went wrong in 1979 and 2008, and still hunting us, and do what is expected of us.

Setting the Records Straight

The correct acronym for our tradition in terms of seniority is Danquah-Busia-Dombo and not Danquah-Dombo-Busia. Professor Busia is credited in our historical achieves for having brought the academia into politics in 1953, with the likes of Dowuna, the then Registrar of University of Ghana, Ashe Nikoe and others.

In 1957, S.D. Dombo, leader of Northern People's Party (NPP), who I always refer to as the doyen of politics of Northern Ghana, made a rare monumental sacrifice of ceding his automatic opposition leadership to Professor Busia. His actions changed the political fortunes of this country.

In the 1956 elections, NPP obtained 15 seats whilst National Liberation Movement (NLM) had 12, with the Ghana Congress Party, which was a remnant of UGCC, having one in the person of Professor Busia.

It was in December 1957 that all the Minority parties in the then Parliament united to form the United Party (UP), with Professor Busia as leader and R.R Amponsah as Secretary.

1979 Waterloo and False Start

One major factor that accounted for the defeat of both the Popular Front Party and United Congress Party (UNC) was false start of lack of unity which split them, with all respect to Rene Dumont in his book False Start in Africa. Some leading figures of UNC, including Dr Agama, Dr. Obed Asamoah, Sam Okudzato, Harry Sawyer, Peter Ala Adjetey and G.W Amartefio, were not students of Danquah philosophy. The UNC had earlier metamorphosed itself from Movement for Freedom and Justice and had fought the Acheampong's Unigov concept as a political Pressure Group. Whilst the UNC was preaching 'broad based' party, the PFP, led by BJ Da Rocha, was calling for narrow based party.

Personality Cult Clashes and Ramifications

Aligned to the earlier explanation, one issue which robbed both UNC and PFP of power was personality clashes. These personalities were Victor Owusu and his group and NYB Adade and his group.

Firstly, within the legal landscape, the questions had been who was who between the Chamber of Okomfo Anokye and Yaanom Chambers. Victor was the first Attorney General under National Liberation Council for eighteen months, only to be replaced by NYB Adade who continued in this position when Progress Party came to power in 1969.

However, following the Salah's case of Apollo 568 fallout, Victor Owusu replaced NYB Adade again at the Attorney General and Justice Minister after reshuffle. Victor was allegedly accused by NYB Adade and others of not having done much for the PP government because of his affiliation with the trial Judge, Justice Frederick Kwasi Apaloo, who was a friend and pupil mate of him at Kwakwaduam. Then also, whilst the Victor Owusu group supported Colonel Asare, that of Adade opted for Colonel Acheampong as First Infantry Commander who had the nod only to overthrow the PP Government after six weeks in office.

Misconception of Akyem and Asante political feud

Many disciples of Danquah tradition are of the erroneous impression that the Akyems did not help Victor Owusu, especially in the second round of 1979 elections. The records available speak otherwise. Dr. Jones Ofori Atta, a half-brother of Paa Willie, was Victor's right-hand man. Victor told us at his house in Putney, London, that it was rather his own leading Ashanti politicians who let him down. He made mention of NYB Adade, RR Amponasah, Gen Afrifa, Professor Adu Boahene, Yaw Manu, Osei Duah and others as those responsible for his defeat.

It is significant to note that Ashantis and Akyems have been one people and have always spoken with one voice. No wonder, NLM, which had been formed by the Ashantis and was Kumasi based, was adopted by JB Danquah and others of the Southern Sector as the sole political party that contested CPP, NPP and others in the 1956 elections. Dr Danquah became its leader whilst Baffour Akoto remained the founder.

Late Leadership Election

Perhaps, of all the factors that accounted for the defeat of PFP by the PNP, late leadership selection stand tall. The main financier of PFP, Victor, who had become defecto leader, needed clearance from the Taylor Assets Committee, which came late. Prior to this, Tolon Naa Yakubu Tali, the National Chairman, also acted as leader officially. This development seriously affected PFP fortunes whilst Paa Wilie and Dr Hilla Liman had the field day.

2008 election failure

The factors accounting for our defeat to the NDC in the 2008 elections are very fresh on our minds, but I will single out one important issue for our discussion purposes. We went into the elections a divided house, apathy reigned supreme as a result of seventeen aspirants contesting for flag bearership, and this impacted seriously on the parliamentary primaries too. The debate continued that whilst the then President, JA Kuffour, was at Wenchi waiting for final onslaught campaign, the legal team of the party was in court in Accra calling for an injunction prohibition for the elections. What a confusion galore!

Political enigma

One matter that all ardent supporters of our tradition allude to is that we are not good with propaganda, which is a modern political tool. We are aware of the tremendous effort being put up by our communications team, spearheaded by Hon. Yaw Buaben Asamoa and his team. From 1969 to date, we are yet to find our formidable feet. In 1969 when PP came under regular and serious attacks, led by Kofi Badu's Spokesman, it was lonely Kwadzo Dumoga of Star who responded positively to such allegations. When President Kufuor also came under similar attacks on the Hotel Waawaa episode and the alleged Iraqi-American lady's relationship, it was the Statesman newspaper that came to the rescue.

I must single out the trio of Oman FM team, led by Evergreen Kwabena Kwakye, Irrepressible Gordon Asare Bediako, Master Stroke Yaw Amofa Boakye and Adomako Baafi (Lawyer) for special commendations for their pivotal roles.

Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has lived up to expectation, and has been performing credibly. However, the battle for 2024 calls for a supplement of a reliable robust and resilient communication team akin to the Press Bureau of Castle, led by Opoku Acheapong, during the Rawlings regime.

Holding brief for Patrilineal Descendants of Ofori Panin

Ordained by the oracle, the grand and the great-grandchildren of Nana Sir Ofori Atta, knighted in 1928, have found themselves at the helm of affairs in the country. These include President Akufo-Addo, Ken Ofori-Atta, Gabbby Asare Otchere-Darko and others. It is worthy of note that Gabby holds no position.

One thing about this country of ours is that people make unsubstantiated, non-factual and non-evidence allegations against political leaders and their cohorts. Under this Forth Republic, NDC had theirs of Dzekolepe Mafia Rawlings, John and Ibrahim Mahama Gonja Mafia and lately the Akyem Mafia of the NPP. What amazes me most is that those of Ofori Panin House receiving appointments are people of rich backgrounds, either PHD holders or people with expertise in their chosen fields. Let me pause here and ask: that of the over three thousand appointments made by the President, how many are from Kyebi or Abuakwa? They are very, very insignificant, percentage wise.

Didn't Ofori-Atta leave his lucrative Data Bank job as founder to co-ordinate the financial section of the Akufo-Addo campaign from 2008 to 2016? Wasn't it a gamble?

With Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, the least said about him the better. People have erroneously labelled him as the Defacto Prime Minister of Ghana because of his special relationship with the President.

Tony Blair of Great Britain had Alastair Campbell, George Bush also had his own of Karl Rove and Bill Clinton and Vernon Jordan, the Civil Rights Leader, remained inseparable. We can also equate Gabby's role for President Akufo-Addo to that of Jordan who masterminded the two presidential successes of Clinton, but took no political appointment. Those of us who have known Gabby for years are aware of how he had worked day and night, tirelessly, for Akufo Addo's political fortunes, dating back 2008 to date. This was done at the supreme cost of his health. There were times he had to sleep on student mattress and retire for shower the following morning. As a human being, he is fallible. However, those with evidence against him must do the right thing, if they suspect him to be involved in any malfeasance, rather than giving the dog the bad name.

Conclusion

The future is bright and history is on our side if we do the right.

As we congregate in Kumasi to draw our final Road Map that will lead to elections of future Polling Station, Constituency, Regional and National Executives, Presidential and Parliamentary Candidates, I pray for Almighty Gods guidance and mercy.

Happy yuletide to you all fellow Kukrudites.

The writer is a former MP, Kumawu, and Chairman of Nation Research Committee, NPP.

By Opanyin Yaw Baah
17.12.2021 LISTEN

Supporters of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia have defied party directives to erect his billboard in Kumasi ahead of the 2021 annual delegates conference.

Last week, the NPP in a statement issued and signed by the partys Director of Communications, Yaw Buaben Asamoa warned that no paraphernalia of people aiming for top positions in the party should be seen mounted especially in the Greater Accra and Kumasi.

Several billboards were pulled down by their owners in compliance with the directive but it has now come to light that there are still some billboards springing up in town.

A group calling itself Friends of Bawumia in Suame in the Ashanti Region has erected a huge billboard of the Vice President [one at Suame roundabout and the other at Suame Total fuel station] together with the President, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Speaking on the matter, a former Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Presiding Member (PM) Abraham Boadi has expressed his displeasure.

He said the supporters of Dr. Bawumia have no right to pull up the billboard pretending to welcome delegates to the conference.

The party told us to remove all the bill Boards we mounted in Kumasi for Alan Kyeremanteng which was only welcoming delegates to Kumasi for the conference, the party said we indirectly campaigning ahead of the partys regional and national internal elections. We have to abide by the partys directives without hesitation but have we seen what Dr. Bawumias camp is doing?

Currently, his billboards with his image and President Nana Akufo Addo is resurfacing with boldly sponsored by Friends of Dr. Bawumia is he not still campaign ahead of time?

Therefore, they have no authority to mount billboards to welcome delegates to the conference, he said in an interview with Starr News.

The NPPs annual delegates conference comes off on Saturday, December 18, 2021, at the Heroes Park in Kumasi.
Only two of the three witnesses called on Thursday actually gave evidence. Both were associates of the Abdeslam brothers at their cafe in Brussels. Both spoke by videolink from the federal police building in the Belgian capital. Neither had much to say.

The first witness, identified as Rafik E. H., admitted that he had been a friend and business associate of Brahim Abdeslam.

"Brahim was a friend. We ran the cafe Les Beguines together. I knew the brother to say hello to, and the others, but I didn't hang out with them. They were locals.

"I knew nothing about the attacks. I was in Morocco at the time. I wasn't involved. It's nothing to do with me."

The court president, Jean-Louis Peries, assured the witness that he was not himself on trial but was simply being asked to help the court to a better understanding of some of the key individuals involved.

In fact, Rafik E. H. will be tried, next year in Belgium, as one of about a dozen people suspected of having participated in the activities of those who carried out the Paris massacres.

The witness confirmed that Islamic State propaganda videos were frequently viewed in the Molenbeek cafe. And he spoke of Skype contacts "every two or three days" between Brahim Abdeslam and Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the man who commanded the Paris attack squads.

"But I was busy with the customers. I didn't pay much attention."

A lot of narcotics changed hands in Les Beguines, Rafik E. H. confirmed.

Saw no change in behaviour

The second witness, identified as Bilal E. S., was not much help either. He knew the Abdeslam brothers as well as two other accused, Mohamed Abrini and Ahmed Dahmani. Les Beguines was the cafe at the corner of the street where he lived.

But he didn't go there very often, because of the drugs.

"I don't know much," he assured the court, going on to blame Salah Abdeslam for getting the others involved.

Salah Abdeslam, still boycotting the hearings, was not present to hear that claim. There was no reaction from his legal team.

The day ended with the reading of police statements made by the third witness scheduled to be heard, Rachid M. He changed his mind and decided not to testify.

In various interviews with the authorities, he admitted to knowing Salah Abdeslam "as a neighbour", but never noticed any significant change in his behaviour. He knew nothing about the Paris attacks before they took place.

Rachid M. was also a business associate of the accused Mohamed Abrini, with whom he ran another Molenbeek cafe, the Delinice.

The trial continues.
BACKGROUND:

Countries have had to adopt several strategies to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. These measures include social distancing (physical distancing), suspension or modification of working activities, restricted movement and obligatory use of facial masks. Although necessary, these measures have had both direct and indirect negative consequences on national economies and personal health, leading to a rise in mental disorders and unhealthy behaviors (Roma P. et al, 2020).

In 2020, efforts were made across the world to rapidly develop vaccines for COVID-19 (Garcia-Montero et al. 2021). In this process, scientific and medical communities worked together with governmental institutions to produce a vaccine in record time (Garcia-Montero et al. 2021). The COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Ghana encountered challenges at the early stages. Some citizens felt that the vaccine was unsafe, they were not sure of the effects. Others too for cultural, social and religious reasons opposed the vaccination exercise; people were generally uncomfortable.

Unfortunately our dear country is politically polarized to the extent that people listen more often to the opinions of their party people than facts and experts. It is against this backdrop that I find the comments made by other stalwarts and particularly, Sammi Gyamfi, the National Communications officer of the NDC as not only unfortunate, but dangerous and has the potential to do great disservice to the good people of this country. For him to posit that, vaccination must be by choice and not by force. The imposition of compulsory COVID vaccination requirement on all Ghanaians traveling into and out of Ghana by the Ghana health Service is reprehensible and an affront to the 1992 constitution, is nauseating and an unhealthy position to say the least.

IS COMPULSORY VACCINATION ETHICAL?

Foremost, healthcare, for that matter clinical practice, is guided by both law and ethics. For purposes of education, it is imperative to state that, to consider an action as ethically right or wrong, there is the need to make reference to some basic ethical perspectives in healthcare practice. Using deontology theory, the end result is not the focus but the act or action being taken. In essence, Deontologists are of the view that the rightness of an action does not depend primarily or entirely on the value of the consequences of that action, but rather on the action or intent of the action: whether good or bad. On the other hand is consequentialism or the consequentialists perspective of ethics. With consequentialism, the effects of the vaccines administered are that on which premium is placed. The intent to vaccinate may be a good one but if it yields negative consequences then it becomes problematic in the sight of the consequentialist. Explicitly, the primary focus of the consequentialist is the results that will be realized after vaccinating citizens. Thus, experts are of the view that vaccinating citizens will reduce the level of COVID-19 infection, which in turn is expected to lead to a reduction in COVID-19 related deaths and complications.

In addition to the above, another perspective of ethics in healthcare practice is virtue ethics. It places emphasis on the character of a person or rests on the person of character. There exists a strong relationship between patients and care professionals. It is on the basis of this perspective that healthcare professionals were among the first sect to have received the vaccines. This was a deliberate policy advocacy strategy. The idea is that, when health care professionals take the vaccine, because they are professionals, citizens will be encouraged to get vaccinated thereby helping the government to achieve its goal of vaccination for all. Therefore, it is not right and not in the best interest of this country for people to advocate against compulsory vaccination by looking at only one side of the argument.

IS COMPULSORY VACCINATION LEGAL?

The Public Health Act, 2012 (ACT 851), part II (Vaccination), Section 22, subsection (1), gives power to the Minister of Health, through a legislative instrument (LI) to give orders to whoever the LI may be applicable to be vaccinated by the public vaccinator unless in cases where the public vaccinator is of the view that the vaccination could result in injury and dire consequences to the health of the populace. Apart from the reasons supra, all health workers and citizens if ordered by the Minister to be vaccinated, will have no choice than to be vaccinated. Sanctions will be visited upon any professional or citizen who fails to comply with the order according to Section 22; subsection (2). One may argue that the patient charter gives the patient a right, yes that is true, but such demands must be made within the right context. A Patients right should not cause other citizens to be exposed to the virus. This position is supported by Chapter five (5), article twelve (12) section two (2) of the 1992 constitution. It does state that,  every person in Ghana, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinion, color, religion, creed or gender shall be entitled to the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual contained in this chapter but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for public interest.

CONCLUSION:

The above ethical principles and constitutional provision settle the controversy as to whether the government and for that matter ministry of health through the Ghana health service has the right to issue orders on compulsory vaccination. Ghana health service has the power to do what it did and that is the law. I have always advocated that matters such as education and health must not be toyed with. To say the least, matters of health are not taught in the chop bar or the propaganda classroom, we must all desist from being jacks of all trades, let us stick to the facts and Ghana will be better! For God and Country, Ghana must stand!!!

BY Raphael Kumah Abolasom

[email protected]

Bole-Bamboi
17.12.2021 LISTEN

Member of Parliament for Agona West, Hon. Mrs. Cynthia Mamley Morrison has encouraged corporate institutions in the country to partner government in its quest to improve healthcare delivery.

According to her, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo led government was doing its best to make quality healthcare delivery accessible to every Ghanaian hence the establishment of health facilities across the country.

Hon. Mrs. Cynthia Mamley Morrison said this when management of Big Cap Micro Credit Company Limited donated large quantities of medical items to the Agona West Municipal Directorate of the Ghana Health Service at Agona Swedru last Wednesday.

The items including 84,000 units of Infusion sets, 27,200 units of synthetic surgery gloves, 127,300 units of disposal syringe and needles, 300 boxes of Nose Masks and 250 boxes of cotton wool were to be distributed to all the health facilities in the Agona West Municipality.

The former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection commended management of the Big Cap Micro Credit Company Limited for the donation saying it had come at the right time to revamp the fight against Covid-19 pandemic and its related diseases.

"These items have come at the right time to support the efforts of the Health Officials to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and to strengthen the Health facilities in Agona West Municipality.

"I once again express my gratitude to the Chief Executive Officer of Big Cap Micro Credit Company Limited and his Management team for this kind gesture. I am overwhelmed by this magnitude of items donated to the Health Directorate.

"I have the believe and know that these items will go a long way to help Agona West because we have a lot of CHPS Compounds apart from Swedru Government Hospital and Nyakrom Health Center.

"Apart from the above, a lot of people patronize the Health facilities without wearing Nose Masks and this donation is a God-sent to personnel's in the Health sector," the MP emphasised.

She appeals to corporate bodies and individuals to support government to ensure that people live a healthy lifestyle.

"Let emulate what Big Cap Micro Credit is doing in the Health sector and do same to supplement Government's efforts," he intimated.

On the forthcoming Christmas festivities, Hon. Mrs. Cynthia Morrison cautioned Ghanaians against mass gatherings bearing in mind that Covid-19 is real.

The Chief Executive Officer of Big Cap Micro Credit, Mr. Fridaus Mubarak Yussif presenting the items disclosed that the donation forms part of the Company's Social Responsibilities.

He noted that the donation which is the biggest among their donations is worth over Ghc360,000.

Mr. Fridaus Mubarak Yussif said he contacted Officials of the facilities and they shared with him few of their challenges.

"As a cooperate institution, we have our social cooperate responsibilities and I made it a point that we are going to make Agona Swedru our forcus this year in our cooperate social responsibilities and that is the essence of today's donation.

"I think that all cooperate institutions should focus more on the needs of the country rather than the wants of the country.

"We have plans to extend our responsibilities to more deprived places. It is something that we will be doing to help society.

"We hope that these items would be put to judicious use to serve the purpose for which they were given but not the other ways round.

"I want to note that we will be going round to monitor how the items are been put into use. We are not in normal times so let come together to build the nation in this Covid-19 era. Let protect ourselves and observe all the safety protocols," he stated.

Mr. Fridaus Mubarak Yussif urged corporate bodies to pay attention to the rural areas and support them in their needs rather than focusing on cities and urban centers.

The Medical Superintendent of the Agona West Municipal Health Directorate, Dr. Julius Abuku who received the items also expressed his appreciation to Mr. Fridaus Mubarak Yussif for the kind gesture.

The Agona West Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Evans Addison Coleman charged the Health Directorate to evenly distribute the items among all the facilities.

He encouraged the general public to have confidence in the new Covid-19 vaccines and get vaccinated against the disease.

Present were the Agona West Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr. Ismael Ogyefo and the NPP Deputy Constituency Secretary, Nana Kwame Agyei.
The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have encouraged the private sector to use insights from the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Investor Map to invest in Ghanas agriculture and manufacturing sectors for good returns.

The call was made during the second edition of the SDG Investor Map Breakfast Meeting, held in Accra. The event rallied together relevant stakeholders to discuss and take advantage of the enormous investment opportunity areas in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors of Ghana, to contribute to the recovery and resilience of these sectors. This follows the first meeting, which discussed Investment Opportunity Areas (IOAs) in the SDG Investor Map for the ICT and Health sectors.

Speaking at the meeting, the Chief Executive Officer of GIPC, Yofi Grant noted that, as Ghana continually recovers from the global pandemic, it has become more prudent to adopt a development strategy, that is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He stated that to augment governments efforts in accelerating SDG-aligned investments, GIPC has partnered with UNDP, and other relevant stakeholders, to guide investors seeking to venture into priority sectors, as captured in the SDG Investor Map.

He said, the SDG Investor Map shows exactly where the opportunities are for investors to leverage as this has become a very important source of information for persons seeking to invest in Ghana.

Highlighting the important role of the agriculture sector in Ghanas economic growth, the Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Ghana, Sukhrob Khoshmukhamedov, pledged UNDPs commitment to supporting Ghanas efforts to make the country a preferred investment destination.

Agriculture plays a pivotal role in Ghanas economy, employing about 60% of the countrys total labour force but only contributing about 20% to the countrys GDP. UNDP will continue to work with the Government and other partners to transform food and agriculture to be more resilient, equitable, inclusive, and environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable.

He added that UNDP will continue to support the Governments efforts towards making Ghana an investment destination of choice, using the SDG Investor Map as a vehicle for strategic development investment.

The event also created a platform for stakeholders to examine the policy framework put in place by the government to support and drive investments in Ghanas agriculture and manufacturing sectors. Addressing the audience, 2018 National Best Farmer, James Boateng, highlighted viable business opportunities in the agricultural sector that potential investors can leverage.

According to him there are opportunities in the plantation of oil palm, coconut, cashew and maize. Snail farming also presents exciting business prospects.

A second iteration of the SDG Investor Map is currently identifying specific investment opportunities at the local levels, starting with six Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs). The pilot MMDAs are Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Ketu South Municipal Assembly, Sefwi Wiawso Municipal Assembly, Jomoro Municipal Assembly, Sagnarigu District Assembly and KassenaNankana West District Assembly.

The SDG Investor Map can be accessed here: https://sdginvestorplatform.undp.org/
Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kumah Aboagye has disclosed that cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19 have been detected within communities.

Addressing journalists at a press briefing in Accra Thursday, Dr Kumah Aboagye noted that seven cases had been found after sequencing and tracing from the first cases recorded.

We have also identified Omicron cases in the community. When we did the last sequencing, we saw about seven cases among the community samples, Dr Kumah Aboagye said.

He underscored the need for persons who were being hesitant to take the COVID jabs in addition to adherence of COVID protocols to avert deaths and rampant spread of the disease.

Omicron Download

Citing the Volta Region, where there had been reports of high vaccination hesitancy, Dr Aboagye appealed to traditional leaders, opinion leaders and Members of Parliament to continue to help government's resolve to educate.

The first set of cases of the new Omicron variant was detected in the country on November 21 among two foreigners from Nigeria and South Africa.

The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research further announced the detection of 34 more imported cases among some 120 samples collected from travelers returning to Ghana from 3 countries between November 21 and 25.

---3news.com
The Minister in charge of National Security, Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah has emphasised that it is not possible to disclose the cost of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos foreign travels.

Speaking on the floor of parliament on Friday, December 17, 2021, the Minister argued that making such information public is not normal practice.

Mr. Speaker, recent official travels to France, Belgium, and South Africa by His Excellency the President are paid for out of the operational funds from the Ministry of National Security.

Mr. Speaker payments out of the ministrys operational funds are glued with rules of confidentiality and state secrecy and it is not the normal practiceto make the suggested disclosures, Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah shared.

The National Security Minister was in Parliament today to provide answers to questions filed by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

In the last few months, the MP has raised concerns over what he says are luxurious travels abroad by President Akufo-Addo through the charter of very expensive private jets.

Despite his push for answers, it is now clear there is no way he will be given information on the actual cost of the foreign travels of the President.
The Reverend Dr. Samuel Worlanyo Mensah, Executive Director for the Center for Greater Impact Africa (CGIA) , a policy think tank has suggested that the fight against corruption should start from the communities in the country.

He explained that corruption was a canker affecting the prospects of the country and to be able to stamp out such tendencies, stakeholders including the clergy should play a key role in the fight from the Communities including the churches and Mosques

Rev. Dr. Mensah who spoke on the topic impact of corruption and role of strategic partners to deal with the canker, when the Centre took its turn at the Ghana News Agency Tema Industrial News Hub Boardroom Dialogue platform added that there were three levels in which corruption could be fought at - Individuals, Communities and at the National level.

According to him, religious leaders could be blamed for the level at which corruption had eaten into our moral fibre, saying they had failed to point out wrong deeds to persons involved in corrupt activities because of their status in the church and in the mosque.

He called on religious leaders to reposition their religious values.

Rev. Dr Mensah explained that community leaders including Members of Parliament and Ministers of states were glorified at Church and prayed for after giving out huge sums of monies to the churches and the mosques without knowing the sources of such monies.

He therefore advised Ghanaians not to discard their customs and values in place for foreign ones adding that foreign preferences could be a contributing factor to the rampant increase in corrupt cases in the country.

Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Tema Regional Manager of the Ghana News Agency on his part said, as an industrial news hub, they would need to engage those in the industry on national issues to educate the public.

As Industrial News Hub, GNA-Tema has created a platform for industrial players to use, for other stakeholders to reach out in a proactive means while serving as grounds to address national issues, he said.

GNA
A 43-year-old Nigerian businessman who managed to obtain Ghana National Identification Card and Ghanaian Birth Certificate has appeared before a Kaneshie District Court.

Ernest Obi is said to have also attempted to obtain a Ghanaian Passport and remained in the country without a permit.

Obi pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against him. He claimed he has stayed in Ghana for 20 years and he is married to a Ghana hence his actions.

The charges are attempting to obtain Ghanaian passport by false declaration, obtaining for yourself a Ghanaian Birth Certificate and a Ghanaian National Identity Card and Remaining in Ghana without permit.

The Court convicted Obi on his own plea and sentenced him to a fine of GHS720 in default serve eight months imprisonment.

The Court asked Obi, who claimed to be married to Ghanaian, to go through the appropriate means to get a permit so he could reside peacefully.

Prosecuting Chief Superintendent of Immigration (CSI) Adolf Aboagye- Asenso told the Court that the accused was arrested at the Ridge Passport Application Centre (PAC), Accra while acquiring a Ghanaian Passport.

CSI Aboagye-Asenso said officials had doubts over the accused nationality hence he was referred to the National Enforcement Section of the Immigration headquarters for further investigations.

The Prosecution said the accused claimed to be a Ghanaian born in Accra to one Mr Rawlings Obi and Madam Hawa Kwahu, a Ghanaian mother from Agbozume in the Volta Region.

Accused however could not direct investigators to his mother.

According to Prosecution, investigations revealed that the accused, a Nigerian, was born on October 20, 1978 at Ugwuoba Umuaro.

The accused attended Ugwuoba Boys JSS and completed it in the year 2000.

Prosecution said the accused came to Ghana through Aflao border post in 2001 with his Nigerian Passport and he has since remained in the country.

Obi, prosecution said, was on Immigration Work/ Resident in the name one E. Nesto which expired in 2017.

Prosecution said accused in his caution statement stated that he thought he qualified to obtain a Ghana Passport having lived in the country for about 20 years.

Prosecution said the accused indicated that because he had stayed in Ghana for long, he decided to obtain the Ghana Birth Certificate with the assistance of one Nana Yaw at a cost of GHS100.00.

Additionally, Obi said he also took advantage of the mass registration to obtain the Ghana Card.

Prosecution said the accused further indicated that he also engaged one Hajia Lami with GHS800.00 to acquire a Ghanaian Passport.

The Prosecutor opined that accused said it was Hajia Lami who bought the passport application, completed it and booked an appointment for him to appear at the Ridge Passport Office.

Prosecution said Obi was however arrested and in his caution statement he admitted the offense.

Efforts to get Nana Yaw and Hajia Lami to assist in investigations had proved futile.

GNA
The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Constituency, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has lambasted the President Akufo-Addo government after yet another refusal to disclose the cost of the foreign travels of the President.

After over five months since the MP filed an urgent question in Parliament requesting the cost of what he termed luxurious travels of the President, National Security Minister Mr. Albert Kan Dapaah today stormed Parliament to provide some answers.

Speaking on the floor of parliament, the Minister said he is unable to disclose such information because it is top secret.

Mr. Speaker, recent official travels to France, Belgium, and South Africa by His Excellency the President are paid for out of the operational funds from the Ministry of National Security.

Mr. Speaker payments out of the ministrys operational funds are glued with rules of confidentiality and state secrecy and it is not the normal practiceto make the suggested disclosures, Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah shared.

Reacting to this in a post on his Facebook page, a disappointed Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says the move is a despicable disregard for democratic accountability by this government.

He said the stance of the government is shocking when it is comfortable to impose draconian taxes on the citizenry but is unwilling to account for spending the taxpayers' money.

The Akufo-Addo administration is embarrassingly allergic to accountability and yet loves the unbridled imposition of draconian taxes, including the obnoxious E-Levy, apparently to satisfy its obscene creature comforts, Mr. Ablakwa noted.

Not backing down despite the setback in his quest to get the information, the North Tongu MP stresses that This shall not be the end of the road in our quest for full accountability as is our constitutional right, and particularly as President Akufo-Addo obstinately continues to charter ultra-luxury jets at US$14,000.00 an hour when Ghana has a Presidential Jet in pristine condition.

Below is the full statement by the MP on his Facebook page:

After seven months of grand government evasiveness and conspiracy to conceal, National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah finally shows up in Parliament today to respond to my question on the cost of President Akufo-Addos sybaritic chartered travels.

In a despicable disregard for democratic accountability, he refuses to disclose the cost, hiding behind national security fears.

As I pointed out to the Minister with evidence from other jurisdictions, cost of presidential travels are not state secrets and they are well known by citizens.

The Akufo-Addo administration is embarrassingly allergic to accountability and yet loves the unbridled imposition of draconian taxes, including the obnoxious E-Levy, apparently to satisfy its obscene creature comforts.

This shall not be the end of the road in our quest for full accountability as is our constitutional right, and particularly as President Akufo-Addo obstinately continues to charter ultra-luxury jets at US$14,000.00 an hour when Ghana has a Presidential Jet in pristine condition.

Who would have imagined that the man who promised to protect the public purse now seeks refuge in national security as the public purse remains under unmitigated assault. How tragic!
17.12.2021 LISTEN

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has assured the families of some eight Ghanaians who were killed during the 2020 general elections of justice.

The party said the killers will be fished out and brought to justice in their next administration.

The biggest opposition party said it will not relent in its quest to find the security officers behind the killings.

A Deputy National Communications Officer of the party, Mr Godwin Ako Gunn, told Accra100.5FMs mid-day news on Friday, 17 December 2021 the leadership of the NDC held a vigil in honour of the slain voters to mark the one-year anniversary of their killing.

We can assure you that the NDC will not sleep until justice is found for the eight slain electorate in the country, he said.

Mr Ako Gunn said the NDC, as a political party, considers the eight deceased as martyrs of Ghanas democracy.

He said the NDC will keep fighting for the eight: Samira Zakaria, Ibrahim Abass, Abdallah Ayarick, Emmanuel Dompreh, Samata Zakaria, Fuseini Musah, Marteki Rita Otoo and Taajudeen Alhassan.

These innocent people lost their lives because of their civic duties enshrined in the 1992 Constitution during an election. As a party, we will find the killers and prosecute them for justice to prevail, he promised the deceased families.

He said the NDC will continue to remember the eight and observe the anniversary of their passing every year like how the victims of May 9 are remembered in the country.

Mr Gunn noted that in the history of the 1992 Constitution dispensation, no single life has been lost to elections except under President Nana Akufo-Addo.

---Classfmonline.com
The Ashanti regional police command has open investigations into the lynching of five suspected armed robbers at Nyinawusu in the Atwima Mponua District.

According to the regional command, the Nkawie District command on Thursday, 16 December 2021, received a distress call informing them that six young men had been arrested by the youth in the community and were being beaten.

The Public Relations Officer of the regional command, ASP Godwin Ahianyo, told regional correspondent Elisha Adarkwah: Around 6 pm, the District Command at Nkawie received a distress call that some young men numbering about six have been arrested by the youth in the community, that is Begyinawoso, and were subjecting them to beatings.

So, the police proceeded to the area. When they got there, they had taken them to the chiefs palace. The police tried to rescue them but members of the community wouldnt allow them. They even attacked the police personnel who went there to restore calm; they injured the police officers.

ASP Ahianyo noted that the police had to call for reinforcement from Nyinahene and the regional headquarters but still the youth would not budge.

We ended up that we had to resort to fire [power] in order to disperse them, so, we were able to do that. Unfortunately, when we got to the hospital, they [the suspects] were pronounced dead by the medical officer on duty.

He noted that the chief of the community and other relevant persons will be invited to assist with investigations.

Investigations have commenced into the matter.

---classfmonline.com
The Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service (GES) on Friday, December 17, conducted the maiden edition of the National Standardised Test (NST) for all Primary 4 pupils in public schools across the country.

About 550,000 Primary 4 pupils took part in the test across the various centres.

Deputy Minister of Education, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, who toured a few of the exam centres in the Central Region, described the exercise as successful.

The pupils were made to take two tests in Literacy and Numeracy.

The results of the NST is expected to provide the Ministry of Education and the GES feedback to assist with the appropriate interventions required to correct learning deficiency at the early grades.
An Adentan Circuit Court has sentenced a 24-year-old cleaner to 2years imprisonment for fondling, kissing and inserting his finger into a 12-year-old girl's vagina.

Prince Opare is said to have sexually molested the victim who is his niece.

Charged with Defilement, Opare pleaded guilty.

The Court presided over by Mrs Sedinam Awo Balokah held that Opare's explanation confirmed an indecent assault charge.

It therefore convicted Opare on his own plea on the charge of indecent assault.

A charge of threat of death was however struck out by the Court as withdrawn.

The Court said it also considered the plea of Captain Retired Nkrabeah Effah Dartey who represented accused.

Prosecution led by Superintendent of Police Patience Mario narrated that the complainant is a medical doctor at Pantang Hospital. Accused resides at Pantang with the victim and his girlfriend in an uncompleted building.

Prosecution said during the victim's stay, Opare one day asked the victim to accompany him so they could go and meet another uncle who was paying a visit.

Opare, however, sent the victim to one Dr Sam's home who was not around and inserted his finger into the victim's vagina after having sex with her.

Accused however told the victim not to tell anyone.

Prosecution said accused's girlfriend saw the act and she confronted accused.

Accused apologized to his girlfriend and promised not repeat the act, Prosecution added.

The Prosecutor said accused's girlfriend advised him to send the victim to her mother.

Prosecution said accused girlfriend traveled to Kumasi. In her absence accused had sex with her in his room on the floor.

Prosecution said on January 21, this year, accused's girlfriend went to work and returned to pick something in the house.

The Prosecutor said when she returned, she saw accused kissing and fondling the victim's breast.

Prosecution said accused in his caution statement admitted having kissed the victim and inserted his finger into her vagina.

A report was made to the Police and accused was arrested and medical report issued to the victim to seek medical care.

GNA
An Accra Circuit Court has granted a GHS80,000.00 bail with three sureties to be justified to a forex trader over the theft of 7 million Naira(GHS80,000.50) belonging to his business partner.

The Court, presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah ordered that the sureties should have resident ties in Ghana, one of whom should also be a Ghanaian.

Eteobong Ntuk Akanimo is to deposit his passport with the Court's registry as well as report to the Police every Thursday.

He has denied stealing and will make his next appearance on January 27, 2022.

Police Chief Inspector William Kwabena Boateng told the Court that Oshiojum Wilson was the complainant and a resident of Oyibi whereas Akanimo, the accused, was a trader in Forex and a resident of Ashaley-Botwe.

During February 2021, the accused person, a business partner to the complainant, collected a total sum of seven million Naira (7million) from the complainant to exchange same into Ghana Cedis for him.

Prosecution said the accused after collecting the said amount, failed to honour his side of the bargain and went into hiding.

Prosecution said on October 27, 2021, the Complainant spotted the accused person in town and caused his arrest, where he handed him over to the Ministries' Police and in his investigative cautioned statement, he admitted having collected the said amount from the complainant but had invested same into his business which eventually collapsed.

The Court heard that after investigation, he was processed and put before court.

GNA
Ethiopia's northern Tigray region erupted in violence nearly 14 months ago with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sending troops to topple the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

The United Nations is opening a probe into the "extreme brutality" of the conflict, despite protests from Addis Ababa.

Here is a timeline of the fighting:

2020: Troops enter Tigray

Military action begins on November 4, 2020, when Abiy orders a response to what he calls a "traitorous" attack on federal army camps in Tigray.

He blames it on the region's ruling party the TPLF, which dominated Ethiopian politics for nearly three decades before he took office in 2018.

'War crimes'

After 10 days of fighting, the UN warns of possible war crimes in Tigray.

Neighbouring Eritrea -- with which Abiy signed a peace deal in 2018 that helped him win the Nobel Peace Prize -- is reported to have sent troops into Tigray to help the Ethiopian forces.

Two weeks later Abiy takes Tigray's capital Mekele.

On November 28, he declares military operations are "completed", but fighting continues.

2021: 'Ethnic cleansing'

In February 2021 Amnesty International says Eritrean soldiers killed "hundreds of civilians" in November in the holy city of Axum.

For months Ethiopia and Eritrea deny the involvement of Eritrean forces though Washington speaks of "ethnic cleansing".

On March 23, Abiy admits the presence of Eritrean troops and officials say they massacred more than 100 civilians in Axum.

Elections are held across much of Ethiopia, but not in Tigray.

Tigrayans advance

The rebels mount a shock comeback and retake Mekele in late June, before pushing into the neighbouring regions of Amhara and Afar.

By July 3, the UN says 400,000 people are on the brink of famine in Tigray.

The rebels rebuff US calls to withdraw and on August 10 Abiy urges civilians to join the Ethiopian army.

Rebel alliance

Abiy is sworn in for a new five-year term in office on October 4.

Two weeks later, Ethiopian aircraft launch deadly strikes on Mekele and elsewhere in Tigray.

In late October the rebels claim control of two key cities in Amhara -- less than 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of Addis Ababa.

The government denies the claim but declares a state of emergency across the country on November 2.

The following day a joint UN-Ethiopian report says crimes against humanity could have been committed by "all sides".

Ceasefire calls

Several countries, including the US, tell their nationals to leave Ethiopia.

The UN Security Council calls for a ceasefire.

On November 12, Washington slaps sanctions on Eritrea's ruling party and army.

Abiy at the front

Abiy arrives on the frontline on November 24 to personally lead the counter-offensive, official media says.

The next day the government puts new restrictions on sharing information about the war.

On December 1 the government says it has recaptured several towns, including the UNESCO World Heritage site Lalibela.

UN humanitarian flights and convoys between Addis Ababa and Mekele resume.

Five days later, the government claims to have retaken the strategic towns of Dessie and Kombolcha.

Abiy announces his return to the capital after two weeks at the frontline but the rebels recapture Lalibela on December 12.

UN abuses probe

The UN Human Rights Council votes on Friday to launch a investigation into abuses as fears of a more generalised conflict grow. Addis Ababa strenuously objects, calling it "neo-colonialist".

doc-fg-ang-jmy/amu/pvh
17.12.2021 LISTEN

Sheikh Oman Nunu Sharubutu, the National Chief Imam has tasked all Imams to inspire and instil a high sense of moral values and uprightness in the contemporary Muslim generation.

He emphasised Imams had divine responsibility to inspire the Muslim youth to be disciplined and be guided by Quranic principles to promote peace, social cohesion and facilitate national development.

Sheikh Sharubutu gave the advice in a speech read on his behalf by Sheikh Armiyao Subib, his spokesperson, at the closing session of the maiden Conference of Regional Chief Imams of Ghana in Sunyani on Thursday.

The three-day conference, attended by Chief Imams, Muslim leaders and scholars drawn from the 16 regions of the country was on the theme "the role of Imams in development".

Sheikh Sharubutu reminded the Imams of their significant role in the Muslim society, saying, they remained powerful, asking them to help fight corruption in a more proactive manner.

He said the absence of unity remained a huge challenge within the Muslim community, which impeded the work of Imams, and called on Muslims to come together and promote the growth and development of Muslim communities.

Sheikh Sharubutu said Islam required a solid governance structure that would direct the affairs of the religion in the country, and asked the conference to prioritize it for the benefit of the younger Islamic generation.

"We also need a welfare system that would cater for our Imams and deliver them from impoverishment", he said.

Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim, Chairman, Islamic Council for Development and Humanitarian Services, re-echoed the need for for the conference to design a constitution to govern the affairs of Islam.

He said without a constitution, it would be extremely difficult for the National Chief Imam to have a successor, and asked the conference to deliberate extensively, and develop the constitution.

Sheikh Ibrahim also asked the Imams to be agents of change and use their influences to push the development of the Muslim communities.

GNA
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education, says private schools in the country will be engaged on the National Standardised Test in 2022 for only those interested to be enrolled.

He said the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service (GES) did not want to 'force' private schools into the programme without their consent.

The Minister made these remarks during his visits to examination centres in Accra to observe how the Primary four pupils were faring in the test.

He visited Osu Presbyterian Girls School centre at Osu which had 242 pupils from five schools and Labone Senior High School (SHS) centre which also had 151 pupils from three schools.

There were two absentees recorded at the Labone SHS, a male and a female, whereas, Osu Presbyterian Girls centre recorded no absentee at the time of visit.

The examination started at 11: 45 hours at both centres, with the first part which was Mathematics ending at 13:15 hours. The second part of it which is on English Language will also last for an hour and fifteen minutes.

Dr Adutwum commended the supervisors and invigilators at the centres for ensuring a smooth examination process as well as the pupils for comporting themselves.

He advised the pupils not to be anxious but rather be comfortable and do their best, saying, the test was just to determine how well they were faring in English Language and Mathematics.

The Minister said: "The test was a bold attempt at ensuring that we will know what is happening at schools, thus, how well the pupils are doing in literacy and numeracy which were the foundation of higher studies."

He explained that it would help the Ministry of Education obtain data for intervention programmes for the pupils to boost their academic performance and help GES plan professional development initiatives for teachers to equip them to teach the pupils.

Dr Adutwum said those who did not excel in the test would be enrolled on special intervention programmes for them to pick up with their colleagues.

"At Primary Five we will do intervention for those who are not doing well and at Primary Six we will test them again to determine if they are doing well or not," he added.

Madam Monica Ankrah, Greater Accra Regional Director of Education, said in Greater Accra Region there were 48, 745 pupils to participate in the examination.

She said so far they had not recorded any untoward incident at any centre in the region, the only issue was the delay in the start of the test.

She said the late start was caused by delay in getting the examination papers from the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to the various districts.

The test was initially to start at 09:00 hours but was reschedule to 11: 00 hours to 12:15 hours for Mathematics and 12: 45 hours and 12:45 hours to 14: 00 hours for English Language.

In all, 561, 595 Primary Four public school pupils from 15, 911 schools are expected to take part in the test across 2,609 examination centres,with an average of 200 pupils per centre.

GNA
The Minority in Parliament is demanding full disclosure regarding an alleged amount of GH207 million that cannot be accounted for by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

According to the Ranking Member on the Trade and Industry Committee of Parliament, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, out of GH269 million allocated for the payment of interest subsidies for some firms under the One District, One Factory (1D1F) policy, the Ministry could only account for about GH62 million at the budget hearings.

The government has taken the taxpayers money of GH269 million and that is clearly in the report which says they have given that money to a list of banks to support the derisking of these loans that are given to these companies, Mr. Buah complained.

Addressing the media after the approval of the estimates for the Ministry of Trade and Industry on Friday, December 17, 2021, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah demanded greater transparency in the incentives regime of the government's flagship policy on industrialization.

Unfortunately, the Ministry was only able to account for GH62,281,484. What it means is that a total amount of GH207,407,899 has not been accounted for. As far as we are concerned, that amount of money is missingAlan Kyerematen must come clean and explain where the amount of over GH207 million is.

The 1D1F policy is one of the flagship programmes by the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia led government.

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo , had earlier said the initiative has come to stay.

According to him, the initiative holds the key to Ghana's industrialisation agenda.

President Akufo-Addo insisted that sustaining the policy would lead to numerous job opportunities for the citizenry.

---citinewsroom
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia says plans are far advanced for the construction and equipping of 15 Forward Operating Bases (FOB) across the northern frontiers for the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

This is to enable the military to respond swiftly to any external aggression as atrocities and violent activities of extremists and terrorism organisations increased in parts of the West African sub-region.

The FOBs include Hamiley, Tumu, Navrongo, Bawku, Bunkrugu, Bimbila, Wa, Damongo, Saboba, and Jirapa.

Additionally, there will be Forward Logistics Bases in Tamale and Bolga respectively.

Vice President Bawumia announced this in Accra on Friday at the graduation parade of the Short Service Commission and Special Duties Intake 59 held at the Ghana Military Academy.

Vice President Bawumia noted that the government intended to equip the Ghana Navy with offshore patrol vessels and fast patrol boats to counter any piracy and maritime threats on the country's exclusive economic zone.

The Ghana Airforce, he said, would also receive assaulted aircrafts for their operational exigencies.

"All these investments are to ensure that the Ghana Armed Forces are well equipped and motivated to deliver on its mandate of safeguarding the peace, integrity, and security of the nation and maintaining Ghana's contribution to international peace and security," the Vice President emphasised.

A total of 88 cadets comprising 60 males and 28 females were commissioned into the Ghana Armed Forces.

The Intake was made up of first and second degree holders from the various tertiary education institutions with qualifications such as medical officers, logistics, pharmacists, and nurses.

The cadets, as part of the training, were introduced to physical training, drills, tactics, field craft, map reading, and weapon handling.

The six-month course saw the cadets also receiving lessons on military rudiments to assist in transforming them from their civilian state to prepare them ahead of future tasks in their newly acquired profession.

Dr Bawumia added that government had started strategic expansion and modernisation of the Armed Forces in line with the threat analysis and marching base with the acquisition of equipment, logistics, and infrastructure development as well as increasing its manpower base.

The expansion, he said, has already seen the creation and establishment of the Army's Special Operating Brigade, the Armour Brigade, and two Mechanised Battalions.

He urged the military and other security agencies to remain undaunted in the fight against illegal mining, otherwise known as "galamsey".

"Our collective vigilance and security consciousness is key in maintaining the peace in the country," admonished the cadets, and thus, entreated them to uphold discipline, patriotism, and responsiveness to all operational exigencies.

On soldiers' welfare and accommodation, the Vice President indicated that a 832-unit accommodation ongoing at all the garrisons were at various stages of completion.

The 330-seating capacity two-storey classroom block was nearing completion while the magnificent administration block for the Ghana Military Academy was 95 percent complete, he said.

The cadets who excelled at the training were awarded certificates and plaques, with Junior Cadet Officer Fosu Vivienne emerging as the Overall Best Cadet.

GNA
The COVID-19 pandemic has not gained notoriety only for its alarming human cost, it has also caused an unprecedented economic downturn.

According to the findings of the COVID-19 Business Tracker Survey conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank, Ghanaian businesses suffered an average decline in sales by an estimated 51.5 percent, leading to the closure of businesses and job losses.

As part of efforts to support Ghanas economic recovery drive, UNDP has rolled out four integrated interventions to help Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) recover from the pandemic and thrive to boost job creation. The interventions, focusing on women and youth-led MSMEs, are building on UNDPs investment in young innovators that included a seed funding of about $500,000 to 42 young innovators to scale up their businesses.

The support includes market intelligence on investment opportunities, services and gaps related to MSMEs support in Ghana; a prototype of integrated ecosystem support for businesses; strategic communications capacity development and a digital gateway to share and access information in real-time.

The interventions are particularly significant as MSMEs are the backbone of the Ghanaian economy  representing about 85% of businesses and contributing about 70% of Ghanas gross domestic product (GDP). Therefore, strengthening their resilience holds the unique potential to unlock more opportunities, create more jobs and provide the needed support system to aid the Ghanaian economy in building back better and stronger.

Speaking at the strategic communications capacity building training for the MSMEs, the UNDP Resident Representative in Ghana, Dr. Angela Lusigi was apt when she profoundly stated:

We can emerge from this pandemic stronger if we are able to bring back jobs and unlock the enormous potential of Ghanas natural resources and human capital by reinforcing the resilience of small businesses so that we can all thrive.

The strategic communications training aims at positioning the MSMEs to effectively leverage digital technology and communications to expand access to the One Africa Market.

For small businesses like Trisolace Farms, the training is a chance at going global with their snails and vegetables through effective communication.

I have realized through this training that there is potential for us to penetrate markets outside Ghana through digital technology and communication. We will be intentional about our communications using some of the strategic communication tools we have leant from the training, stated Vanessa Agbemor, Communications Lead at Trisolace Farms.

To ensure appropriate actions at all levels for small businesses, the training has been extended to state institutions such as the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA), and the Food and Drugs Authority.

We thanked UNDP for the strategic communications training for our team and looking forward to more partnerships to help upscale support for MSMEs in Ghana to make them more resilient, said Mrs. Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Enterprises Agency.

At the decentralized level, six Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies (MMDAs), Business Resource Centers (BRCs) and Business Advisory Centers (BACs) whose actions are critical to the development of MSMEs at the local level have benefited from the capacity building exercise.

The training has been very eye-opening for us. Moving forward, the assembly will be activating its digital communications platforms to enable us to interact effectively with all our stakeholders, especially small businesses to allow us respond quickly to their needs, noted Louis Aggrey, Sefwi-Wiawso Municipal Planning Officer.

Despite the monumental challenges brought by COVID-19, it has also presented a unique opportunity to revolutionize economies in a very significant way through youth and women-led innovations. The agenda to leave no one behind in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals will receive a major boost if we respond to this economic revolution by putting women and youth at the centre of the recovery process.
Central African Republic authorities should release journalist Landry Ulrich Nguema Ngokpele and ensure he can work free of harassment and fear of arrest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

At around noon on October 4, members of the Central African Republic police and military arrested Nguema Ngokpele, the publication director of the privately owned Le Quotidien de Bangui newspaper, in Bangui, the capital, according to the journalists wife, Philomene Nseya Muteba, who visited her husband in detention and relayed information from him to CPJ via messaging app. Nguema Ngokpele has written articles about the diplomatic relations between Libya and the Central African Republic and often shares his reporting on social media, according to a local journalist familiar with the case, who requested anonymity for safety reasons.

In messages shared with CPJ via his wife, the journalist said he faced prosecution by investigating judge Thierry Blaise Angalaka Nzapato for alleged complicity with the rebel group Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), criminal association, defamation, insult, and slanderous denunciation.

Authorities in the Central African Republic must release journalist Landry Ulrich Nguema Ngokpele and ensure the press in their country can work without fear of harassment or arrest, said Muthoki Mumo, CPJs sub-Saharan Africa Representative, from Nairobi. No journalist should be denied their freedom simply for doing their job.

On October 4, Nguema Ngokpele was in the courtyard of a local stadium when Harouna Douamba, the president of Aimons Notre Afrique, a local nongovernmental organization, spotted him and communicated to the military and police that the journalist was an accomplice of the CPC. Security forces arrested Nguema Ngokpele and he was later transferred to the local Ngaragba Central Prison, Muteba said.

Muteba added that the journalist had no affiliation with the CPC. CPJ was unable to confirm the basis of the complicity and criminal association allegations against Nguema Ngokpele.

CPJ reviewed court documents dated October 27, which stated that the defamation, injurious publications, and slanderous denunciation allegations stemmed from publications shared by the journalist on social media that allegedly defamed Maxime Balalou, the Central African Republics minister in charge of the general secretariat of the government, a senior administrative position in the national government, by referring to him as a corrupt minister, manipulated by a gang of Libyan mafia, the documents said.

The documents did not specify the exact publications allegedly shared by the journalist. One article written by Nguema Ngokpele, which CPJ reviewed, was published by Le Quotidien de Bangui and titled Minister Balalou Maxime manipulated with banknotes by a gang of Libyan mafia?

According to the court documents, Nguema Ngokpele emphasized the title was only a question. I did not call the Minister corrupt, but it was a question, he added.

The court documents also stated Nuema Ngokpele had been questioned without a lawyer present.

Defamation and insult of a government official, a violation of Article 135, is punishable with between three and 10 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 Central African francs (US$862), according to the Central African Republics penal code. However, if the offense is deemed to take place in the presence of officials other than the president, the prison sentence can be increased by two to five years and the fine increased up to 1 million Central African francs (US$1,725).

Criminal association is punishable with forced labor, according to Article 412 of the penal code. Articles 11 and 12 of the penal code, which relate to complicity in conspiracies or provocations prejudicial to the internal or external security of the State, among other crimes, indicate that accomplices of a crime are to receive the same penalty as the perpetrators.

In July, Vicent Namroba, the general rapporteur of the High Council of Communications, the Central African Republics media and communications regulator, told CPJ that under the countrys laws, no journalist should go to prison for their work.

If Nguema Ngokpele were instead convicted of defamation under Article 145 of the countrys 2020 Law on Freedom of Communication, which CPJ reviewed, he could face a fine of 100,000 to 500,000 Central African francs (US$180 to $901).

Previously, in June, Nguema Ngokpele was arrested and held overnight in connection with a defamation complaint filed by Douamba, as CPJ documented at the time. The arrest took place during his required appearance at the Bangui prosecutors office as part of a separate defamation case from September 2020, stemming from Le Quotidien de Banguis coverage of alleged corruption by the countrys minister of water, forestry, hunting, and fishing.

Through his wife, the journalist told CPJ that he believed there was an indisputable link between his arrest over Douambas complaint and his present detention. Muteba added that Nguema Ngokpele had a high fever while in detention.

Douamba acknowledged messages sent by CPJ via messaging app but did not respond to any questions about his alleged involvement in Nguema Ngokpeles arrests. Reached by phone and messaging app in late November, Angalaka Nzapato declined to comment on the case.

CPJs questions sent via messaging app to Balalou and Central African Republic public prosecutor Laurent Lengande were marked as read, but went unanswered.

Nguema Ngokpeles detention was documented as part of CPJs 2021 prison census, which annually profiles every journalist behind bars on December 1 around the world.
It is amazing how much communication takes place, even before a person starts speaking. From the gait and the smile, from the clothes and the shoes. For some people, the dress becomes the trademark  a part of the personality!

Jawaharlal Nehru and the Nehru jacket with a red rose, Maulana Azad and his cap, Stalin and his uniform, Winston Churchill with the bow tie and cigar in the mouth. Now, maybe even Boris Johnson with his dishevelled blonde hair. Seeing any of these in anybody else would confuse the general public!

My first boss, an Englishman, was the one who made me conscious and sensitive to managing dress and appearance. Mr Reece himself was always well turned out in the office. A snow-white shirt, well-ironed with nice but not too stylish cuff links, a club tie of the pharma society of GB (this never changed), dark or light grey trousers and well-polished patent leather shoes.

He once told me that he had just six shirts, four pairs of trousers, a formal suit and a jacket for semi-formal occasions  with two pairs of leather shoes. Yet, he was always impressive.

He said he was surprised when he came to India to find that people had a lot of clothes with full wardrobes and yet appeared in the office as if the full bundle needed to be sent to the laundry!

The trick is in having clothes and shoes of high quality and taking care of them  not just having an extensive range and then wearing them as mismatch or poorly prepared (not ironed, not polished).

Of course, I realised that if there were more like John Reece, many stores would have closed, and so would companies  which cater to and tempt people to have more and more, with diversification. Also, I do not know whether the Reece principle would apply to women  because in this segment, diversification and difference is the key.

Yet, dress and appearance IS communication. And beyond that, there will be cultural norms in different parts of the globe, like pointing a toe at an Arab, even inadvertently, in a conversation setting. (One needs to keep both feet firmly on the ground). Or standing even one step up when talking to a Japanese (again considered an insult). Both are expected to be at the same level.

In one culture, looking directly (eye contact) while speaking to another is considered good manners and a sign of integrity. In another culture, not looking directly is considered good manners and not offensive or insolent.

Again, it depends on whether you are talking to a man or a woman! If dress and appearance is shoddy, customers assume that the product or service being offered will be similarly presented- although this may be an unreasonable assumption.

There are also some unwritten rules in communication that go beyond words or dress. Most Asians will have to be asked two or three times to have some refreshments - whether coffee, wine or dinner. It is considered impolite to say YES, right away. After the second or third offer, maybe it is alright (with a show of reluctance   You are taking too much trouble, or I have just had a meal or really no fuss, and so on).

I still remember a guest who said no to my offer of some whisky and finally agreed to my third request. But a very small one, she insisted. I followed her instruction. The glass was soon empty. I offered a refill. Yes, she said But let it not be just soda, this time also!

Yes, I had made a mistake and had misunderstood the communication.

There was also my friend Tony from Germany, on his first visit to India who had not prepared himself for the trip (not read Vieiras World Passport!!). At a dinner hosted by his friend in Mumbai, an Indian, vegetarian thali meal, they kept refilling his katoris (small containers) with different vegetables and curries.

As a bowl got empty they filled it again, despite his protestations. After about six such bouts, he was ready to burst! Tony did not know that he had to put his hand over the container to cover it when the server came round. Just shouting NO, would not be heeded as correct communication!

One keeps learning all the time. Communication is life  from birth to death  in one form or another. One can keep getting better and better, but education is never complete.

At the bus stop in Goa, I saw a large poster which said:

WE NEED CHANGE

BUT YOU BRING CHANGE

WE CANNOT ALWAYS GIVE CHANGE TO YOU

(Martins, bus conductor Mapuca to Panjim). This was in small letters at the bottom of the poster.

While I was mentally complimenting the bus company for being so visionary about the nation, I realised that this appeal came from the bus conductor who was on the regular service between two towns, in Goa, talking about money (exact change) for the bus ticket!
Jacy Lewis/ Reporter-Telegram

The West Texas Food Bank partnered with the Literacy Coalition of the Permian Basin to distribute 600 new books to children in need. Books were distributed Thursday afternoon at the West Texas Food Bank Midland location.

There will also be a distribution in Pecos at WTFB's partner Crockett Middle School.
On Friday, the Midland College family was saddened to hear of the death of Kenneth (Ken) Peeler, one of Texas longest-serving community college board of trustee members. Peeler joined the MC board of trustees in 1972 and served until January 2020.

Ken was a devoted member of our board of trustees, MC President Steve Thomas said. He loved Midland College and was always interested in forming policies that would not only benefit Midland College but also help the entire city and its residents. He understood the importance of the colleges role in our community. Above all, he was a great friend.

As MC was taking shape, a couple of my friends on the Midland Independent School District board came to see me, said Peeler in a 2018 interview published in the Midland College Foundation Clarion newsletter. They asked me to serve on the original board for MC. I was honored to even be considered, and I accepted immediately.

Some might be intimidated by the prospect of starting something as large as a college, but not Peeler.

I was not scared to be a part of MCs founding board of trustees, he recalled in the interview. I will admit it was a new experience for me just having had one year of college at Texas Tech, but that only made me more interested in making education available to more people. My philosophy in life has always been that you need to contribute to your community and give back. I am lucky Midland residents feel the same way. With their support it has been very easy to serve on the MC board. Whenever we showed a need, there was always somebody there to help us.

Peeler had a bit of a pioneering spirit. Throughout his life he sought out founding opportunities. He originally came to Midland in 1951 to work for the then-startup Midland 66 Oil Company. He started as a bookkeeper and rose to the rank of president before selling the successful company. More than 10 years after getting MC off the ground and looking for a new challenge, Peeler became founding chairman for Community National Bank.

Peeler graduated from high school in Levelland and joined the army a year later. It was on a 10-day leave from the service that he proposed marriage to his high school sweetheart LaVoe.

Ken and LaVoe were married for 69 years until she passed away in 2017. They have two sons, Kyle and Bruce, and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.

LaVoe was an accomplished artist and shared Kens passion for MC.

LaVoe was as interested in Midland College as I am, Peeler said during the 2018 interview. She actually came up with the name Pepe Paisano for the mascot. I do not know how she thought of it, but she named him and it stuck.

LaVoe was also very active in the art department. She took classes, and her art has been on display in McCormick Gallery. I dont mind telling you I think she was a doggone good artist, too.

After LaVoes passing Ken created the LaVoe and Kenneth Peeler Early College High School at Midland College Endowed Scholarship. Early College High School (ECHS) @ MC is a joint effort between the Midland Independent School District and Midland College to provide students with the opportunity and support to achieve a post-secondary education while simultaneously enrolled in high school. Upon the completion of four years, it is expected that students will receive a high school diploma from MISD as well as an associate degree from MC. There is absolutely no cost to students because Midland College subsidizes college tuition for ECHS@MC students.

I created the Peeler ECHS@MC Scholarship because a lot of the ECHS graduates were the first in their families to get a college degree, Peeler said when the endowment was established in 2018. After that first group of ECHS students got their degrees, a lot of their parents came back and enrolled in classes in MC. Their children were their inspiration, and the education they all received from MC prepares them to do bigger, better things in the community.

When I started working at Midland College almost 32 years ago, Ken was the first board member I met, said Rebecca Bell, executive director of Institutional Advancement and the MC Foundation. I was immediately impressed by his sense of community and his commitment to Midland College. That commitment never diminished.

Many people say MC was lucky to have me on their board, but I tell everyone, I needed MC, Peeler told staff in January 2020 when he retired from the board of trustees. I am truly thankful that I could devote my time to MC. I am thankful that, in turn, Midland College helps make such a difference in the community. Being a trustee has been a good experience for me. It has been very rewarding. I am extremely proud of MC. I think it has done so much for Midland, and Midland has done so much for the college.

I am so proud of this city; I would not want to live anywhere else. It has been good to me, and I hope to have made it a better place. I was blessed to be in the position to do a lot of for Midland. I am just lucky I was able to be so involved.

--

Rebecca Bell is executive director of Institutional Advancement, and Stacey Hewitt is Communications coordinator at Midland College.
BEIJING (AP)  China will take all necessary measures to safeguard its institutions and enterprises, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Friday after the U.S. Senate passed a law barring imports from the Xinjiang region unless businesses can prove they were made without forced labor.

The spokesman, Wang Wenbin, said the measure approved Thursday indicates that the U.S. has no scruples about smearing China by every means."

The relevant actions seriously undermine the principles of market economy and international economic and trade rules, and seriously damage the interests of Chinese institutions and enterprises," Wang told reporters at a daily briefing.

China strongly deplores and rejects that and urges the U.S. to immediately correct its mistake. China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese institutions and enterprises," Wang said without elaborating.

The law is the latest U.S. penalty over Chinas alleged systemic and widespread abuse of ethnic and religious minorities in its far western region, especially Xinjiangs predominantly Muslim Uyghurs.

President Joe Biden is expected to sign the law after overcoming initial hesitation from the White House and what supporters said was opposition from corporations. He also announced new sanctions Thursday that target several Chinese biotech and surveillance companies, a leading drone manufacturer and government entities for their actions in Xinjiang.

Despite numerous independent investigations finding forced sterilization and large detention camps where many Uyghurs allegedly are compelled to work in factories, China has denounced all such claims as the lie of the century.

It portrays them as part of an effort to stifle Chinas growth and damage its reputation. China at first denied the prison-like camps exist but later said they were voluntary centers for job training and de-radicalization. It now says all students have graduated.

The U.S. government is trying to strangle the economy of Xinjiang through its industrial and supply chains under the false pretexts of forced labor' and violations of human rights,' the official Xinhua News Agency said Friday, citing a report by the Institute for Central Asia Studies under Lanzhou University in northwestern Gansu province.

The U.S. says raw cotton, gloves, tomato products, silicon, fishing gear and a range of solar energy components are among goods allegedly made with help from forced labor.

Xinjiang is a resource-rich mining region, important for both agricultural production and manufacturing. Detainees also are sometimes transferred from Xinjiang to work in factories elsewhere, making clothing and textiles, electronics, solar energy equipment and car parts, the U.S. says.

U.S. government agencies are required to expand monitoring for forced labor by Chinas ethnic minorities. The new law establishes a presumption that goods from Xinjiang are made with forced labor, so businesses wanting to import goods from there must prove no involvement of forced labor, including by workers transferred from Xinjiang.

Factory work has long been associated with the camps, through which somewhere between 900,000 and 1.5 million Uygurs and other Chinese Muslims have passed, said Darren Byler, an assistant professor of international studies at Canada's Simon Fraser University who has studied and written extensively about the camps.

Workers considered troublesome may be given prison terms, sometimes in camps converted into penitentiaries, Byler said. After they leave, they are kept in line through constant surveillance and the threat of being sent back to the camps, he said.

Muslims sent to work in other parts of China are given no choice, are separated from their families and are accompanied by a Xinjiang Communist Party official and police officer, Byler said. Their activities are highly circumscribed and they are not allowed to practice Islam.

They're living in really unfree conditions," Byler said.

The Commerce Department announced new penalties targeting Chinas Academy of Military Medical Sciences and 11 research institutes that focus on using biotechnology to support the Chinese military.

The move bars American companies from selling goods and technologies to the entities without a license.

Separately, the Treasury Department announced it was placing DJI, the worlds largest drone manufacturer, and seven other Chinese companies on an investment blacklist over their alleged involvement in biometric surveillance and tracking of Uyghurs.

The measure means Americans will be prohibited from buying or selling publicly traded securities connected with the companies.

DJI dominates the global market for small, low-altitude drones used by hobbyists, photographers and many businesses and governments.

The White House announced last week it would stage a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing Chinas egregious human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang. U.S. athletes will compete but Biden will not send the usual contingent of dignitaries.

China vowed resolute countermeasures" over the boycott, but has given no indication of how it plans to respond.

Rights groups note that prison labor has long been a part of the U.S. economy, with inmates producing goods and providing services such as call centers for what is typically reduced pay. Opponents say the system disproportionately profits off the labor of incarcerated Black Americans.
Tens of millions of workers across the U.S. are in limbo as federal courts have issued different rulings related to President Joe Bidens COVID-19 vaccine mandates for larger private companies, certain health care workers and federal government contractors.

A federal appeals court panel has allowed a vaccine requirement for employers with 100 or more workers, although Republican attorneys general, business associations and conservative groups have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. A vaccine mandate for companies that have contracts with the federal government is on hold nationwide, while a separate mandate for health care employees who work for providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding has been blocked in half the states.

The courts are responding to lawsuits brought by Republican-led states, conservative groups and some businesses. They argue in part that the vaccine requirements infringe on states rights to regulate public health matters. Numerous legal challenges are pending, some involving groups of states and others filed by states acting alone.

Separate Biden administration vaccine mandates for federal government employees and the military remain in effect, as do mask requirements for airline passengers and people using public transportation.

The legal cases concern whether the federal government can force employers to require vaccinations. Courts have generally been accepting of requirements that businesses and universities have put in place on their own  as well as those imposed by state and local governments.

More than four-fifths of adults nationwide already have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. But Biden contends his various workforce vaccine mandates are an important step to drive up vaccination rates and contain the virus outbreak, which has killed more than 800,000 people in the U.S.

Opponents have taken a three-tiered approach to challenging the requirements. In lawsuits, they contend the vaccine mandates were imposed without proper public comment, were not authorized by Congress and infringe on states' rights to regulate public health matters.

The reasoning across the cases is basically the same, which is that these statutes dont give the president or the agency in question the authority to issue the mandates," said Gregory Magarian, a constitutional law professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

The Biden administration contends its rule-making authority is firm and supersedes any state policies prohibiting vaccine requirements. Recent experience shows that such mandates generally prompt people to get vaccinated: By the time a Biden requirement for federal workers to be vaccinated took effect in late November, 92% had received at least their first dose of the shot.

Following is a rundown of some of Biden's most sweeping vaccine requirements and the status of the legal fights over them.

LARGE BUSINESS MANDATE

What it would do: Under a rule published by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Nov. 5, businesses with 100 or more workers are to require employees to be vaccinated. If they are not, they would need to be tested weekly and wear masks while working, with exceptions for those who work alone or mostly outdoors. The rule was to go into effect Jan. 4. The requirement would affect businesses with a cumulative 84 million employees, and OSHA projected it could save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations over six months.

Whos challenging it: The requirement is being challenged by 27 Republican-led state governments, some conservative and business groups, and some individual businesses. The states mostly filed lawsuits in groups, though Indiana challenged it alone. Their arguments include that its the job of states, not the federal government, to deal with public health measures. The Biden administration maintains that the measure is legal. Some labor unions also contested the rule, though not for the same reasons as the Republicans and business group. They say it doesn't go far enough to protect workers.

Where it stands: The OSHA rule is allowed to take effect, at least for now. On Dec. 17, a three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the mandate, reversing a decision by a panel of judges in the New Orleans-based 5th circuit. The legal challenges originally were filed in various U.S. appeals courts. The cases subsequently were consolidated into the Cincinnati-based 6th circuit, which was selected at random.

Whats next: Republican attorneys general, business associations and several conservative groups immediately appealed the 6th circuit ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the meantime, OSHA announced that it would not issue citations before Jan. 10 for its vaccination mandate or before Feb. 9 for its testing requirement to give employers time to adjust.

HEALTH WORKER MANDATE

What it would do: Under a rule published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid on Nov. 5, a wide range of health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding were to require workers to receive the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Dec. 6 and be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4. The rule would affect more than 17 million workers in about 76,000 health care facilities and home health care providers.

Who's challenging it: The rule was challenged in four separate lawsuits filed by Republican-led states, mostly in groups. Florida and Texas mounted their own challenges. The states argued that there were no grounds for an emergency rule, that CMS had no clear legal authority to issue the mandate and that the rule infringes on states' responsibilities.

Where it stands: The rule is on hold nationally, but a ruling Dec. 15 gives it the possibility of moving ahead in about half the states. A Missouri-based federal judge issued a preliminary injunction Nov. 29 barring its enforcement in 10 states that had originally sued. The next day, a Louisiana-based federal judge issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement in the rest of the states. But on Dec. 15, that was narrowed to the 14 suing in that court. And on Dec. 15, a federal judge in Texas granted an injunction that applies only to that state. After the decisions, there is a possibility the mandate could be enforced in 25 states where no injunction is in place. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid have not said whether they will pursue that path.

What's next: The court rulings are being appealed by the Biden administration. On Dec. 16 the administration asked the Supreme Court to block the lower court orders that are keeping the mandate from going into effect in about half of the states. The case filed in Missouri is being considered by the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The case filed in Louisiana, which was brought by a coalition of 14 states, is being considered by the 5th Circuit. So far, there's been no move to consolidate the challenges in a single court.

FEDERAL CONTRACTOR MANDATE

What would it do: Under an executive order issued by Biden on Sept. 9, contractors and subcontractors for the federal government are required to comply with workplace safety guidelines developed by a federal task force. That task force subsequently issued guidelines requiring that new, renewed or extended contracts include a clause requiring employees to be fully vaccinated Jan. 18. That meant those receiving a two-dose vaccine must get their second shot by Jan. 4. There are limited exceptions for medical or religions reasons. The requirements could apply to millions of employees.

Who's challenging it: The guidelines have been challenged through more than a dozen lawsuits, including seven brought by Republican-led states or coalitions of states. The arguments are similar to those against other vaccine mandates, asserting the Biden administration exceeded the procurement rule-making powers granted by Congress, infringed on states' responsibilities and didn't properly gather public comment.

Where it stands: The rule is on hold. A federal judge in Georgia issued a ruling Dec. 7 prohibiting enforcement of the requirement for contractors nationally. The ruling came a week after a judge in Kentucky barred enforcement of the requirement in Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.

What's next: Legal challenges pending in several other states could lead to additional rulings on requests for injunctions. The Kentucky or Georgia rulings also could be appealed.

A quick consolidation of the federal contractor lawsuits appears unlikely.
NEW YORK (AP)  French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire says President Emmanuel Macrons potential reelection next year is very important to further boost growth  in a clear endorsement of a candidacy that's not yet been formally announced.

Macron is widely expected to seek a second term in the presidential election scheduled for April, but hasnt officially revealed his intentions.

In an interview with the Associated Press Friday during a two-day visit to the United States, Le Maire said: I think it's very important that Emmanuel Macron is reelected. I think our country needs consistency and stability."

Polls for months have shown Macron, a pro-business centrist, to be the front-runner in next years presidential election, where he's set to face major contenders from the right and the far-right.

We must have a democratic, serene debate with (far-right candidate) Eric Zemmour, with other far-right leaders, to say: 'Your vision of France is not my vision of France,' Le Maire said, noting that boosting growth is one response to the concerns expressed by the French.

Since Macron's election in May 2017, we had some successes, we also had some failures, Le Maire said. We failed to implement the pension reform. Thats a regret because it was needed. We were not able to do it. Well do it in the next term.

Protracted, intense street protests and the COVID-19 pandemic led Macron to delay the difficult overhauling of Frances pension system, which had been a key campaign promise.

When you look at (Macron's) five-year term ... France is in the right direction, it is on the path to success, Le Maire added, noting that the French government passed measures to make the labor market more flexible, and cut taxes on businesses.

This is a key point I want to tell all investors: France has become the most attractive country in Europe, he insisted.

France has scheduled to further cut its corporate tax from over 33% five years ago to 25% next year, he said. So Im telling all American entrepreneurs: come to France, this is the place to be.

In a long interview broadcast on national television on Wednesday, Macron said France has a much stronger economy despite going through the COVID-19 crisis. Frances unemployment rate is at 8.1%, down from about 10% when he was elected, according to national statistics agency INSEE.

INSEE estimated the French economy would grow 6.7% this year, the highest rate since 1969.

Asked about French views about how to face global competition from China, Le Maire said we are all aware that the rise of China is a major concern ... Then you have to define your strategy. Either to confront China  this is the American choice  or to engage with China. This is the French, and, I would say, the European choice.

For the biggest challenges of the 21st century you need China," he said, also citing a new global taxation system, global agreement on reduction of debt for poor countries, and US-China agreement on fighting climate change.

Macron last week said he does not support a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, in contrast with the U.S., Canada and U.K. which made the decision to protest human rights abuses in China.

There are important problems related to human rights in China, Le Maire acknowledged. Our strategy is to divide the problems and to talk to China in a very frank manner.

We are talking to China on human rights, we are talking on trade, we are talking about intellectual property, about access to markets about technological issues," he listed. I think a step by step approach ... is the best one to get some very concrete results.

___

Corbet contributed from Paris.
JERSEYVILLE  Germania Brew Haus has received approval from City Council for its planned location at 309 N. State St.

With its first location at 617 E. Broadway in Alton, and a second at 5775 Godfrey Road in Godfrey, Germania Brew Haus soon will open a third location at EastGate Plaza in East Alton. Within weeks of its East Alton opening next month, owners will open the doors on what will become the companys largest location of the four  this one in Jerseyville  in mid-February.

Locals will recognize Germania's footprint more familiarly as encompassing the former longtime Norton Hardware store and White Spot Restaurant locations, with Dairy Queen and Knights of Columbus Hall as its immediate neighbors.

Our Jerseyville location will be the largest location, but will maintain the coziness you feel at both the Alton and Godfrey locations, co-owner Jared Brynildsen said. It will have a dedicated drive-through, an events center and a full kitchen.

"Our focus will be to continue serving the St. Louis areas best coffee while adding in a food menu that matches," he said. "The location will feature many of the themes seen in our first two locations, including an electric fireplace, couches, ambient lighting, various lounge areas, and a place for kids.

Brynildsen co-owns Germania Brew Haus along with his wife, Carolyn, and youngest brother, Ben Brynildsen, who also serves as the companys general manager of daily operations. Jared and Carolyn Brynildsen also serve as active-duty military officers in the Army and Air Force, respectively.

The 6,000-square-foot Jerseyville venue will feature a sit-down cafe space and a coffee and liquor bar.

We will have a bar but, at this point, it will be primarily for the events hosted on-site," Jared Brynildsen said. "If the community has the desire, and the city is willing, then we may consider hosting an evening speak-easy type of cocktail lounge. Our aim is to bring the community together and encourage societal interactions.

"We also enjoy actively serving our small-town communities. We look for ways to give back, whether that be cookbook fundraisers for our partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, round-up campaigns for Lewis and Clark Community College tuitions, or for Restore Network. "We want to demonstrate our values instead of simply hanging signs and telling people what they are. We believe that if you invest in a community, they will in turn also invest in you.

The family plans to partner with Alton-based WOW Events Center to ensure the new Jerseyville event space is put to its best use on the weekends.

During the week and on weekend mornings, we plan to host a small kids play area, so that parents can let their kids expend all their energy while they build up their own, Brynildsen said.

The Alton location of Germania Brew Haus opened in 2017 in the former Germania Bank building on Broadway.

We opened the first Germania because we wanted to invest back into the community that both my wife and I grew up in, Brynildsen said. We noticed a large gap in the coffee community and thought it would be a great fit for the building we had found and purchased.

"The word Germania was etched in stone on the building and was known as such throughout Alton. Additionally, my wife was stationed in Germany when we first met, and we lived in Germantown (in) Nashville (Tennessee) when we first married.

Once we opened the doors in Alton, it became popular, but it was a few years later, in late 2019, before we really started to become a bigger deal. When COVID hit, we decided, with the support of city hall, to put a drive-through in the parking spots directly in front of the building there. Business took off, and we expedited our search for a second location. One presented itself in Godfrey, across from Lewis and Clark Community College.

"Opening in late 2020, it was also highly successful," he said. "So we started looking at expanding our market reach and brand recognition even further."

The Jerseyville location is expected to employ one full-time team member along with 10 to 15 part-time positions.
Jacksonville Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 A 12-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl were cited on charges of disorderly conduct after being accused of fighting at 10:14 a.m. Thursday at Jacksonville Middle School, 664 Lincoln Ave. The 12-year-old girl also was arrested on a charge of resisting a peace officer.

 Tamarrea M. Simmons, 34, of 708 N. Prairie St. was arrested at 9:15 p.m. Wednesday on charges of driving under the influence and illegal transportation of alcohol by a driver after being involved in an accident in the 200 block of East Beecher Street. The car she was driving hit a parked car, according to police reports. She also was cited on a charge of improper lane use.

ACCIDENTS

 Caitlin M. Smith 31, of Jacksonville was cited on a charge of failing to yield at an intersection and David K. Minnick, 43, of Meredosia was cited on charges of operating an uninsured motor vehicle and driving while license is suspended after their vehicles collided at 12:52 p.m. Thursday in the 800 block of West Morton Avenue. Minnick, who was on a motorcycle, was treated at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital.

 Shannon R. Bucci, 48, of Virginia was cited on a charge of improper passing after the car she was driving and one being driven by Patricia A. Clinton, 65, of Jacksonville collided at 2:51 p.m. Thursday in the 800 block of South Main Street.

 Jasmine L. Powell, 20, of Jacksonville was cited on a charge of operating an uninsured motor vehicle after the car she was driving and one being driven by Jean. A. Crouse, 68, of Bluffs collided at 3:39 p.m. Thursday in the 1200 block of West Walnut Street. Powell and a 16-year-old passenger in her vehicle were treated at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital.

Waverly Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 A 15-year-old Waverly girl was arrested Wednesday on charges of battery and criminal damage to state-supported property. She was accused of using a school laptop to hit a 14-year-old boy in the head.

Pike County

State police



ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 A semitrailer-truck driver was cited Thursday after police said he side-swiped an Illinois Department of Transportation truck with emergency lighting activated about 10:06 a.m. on the shoulder of Interstate 72 West in Pike County.

Terrence D. Mitchell, 63, of Springfield was cited on charges of failing to yield to a stationary emergency vehicle and failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident, according to police.

Compiled by David C.L. Bauer
Walking for Wellness: 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jacksonville High School Bowl, 215 S. Church St. Free | Indoor walking program open each day that Jacksonville schools are in session.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Illinois Freedom Project: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Old School Museum, 110 E. Cherry St., Winchester. | Traveling exhibit. For more information, call 217-742-8090.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers and can be picked up at side door.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 12:30-1 p.m., Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. Free.

Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular: 8 p.m., UIS Performing Arts Center, 1 University Plaza, Springfield. Advance tickets $27.50. Event day $32.50 | Laser and light show featuring the music of Pink Floyd. For tickets and more information, call 217-206-6160 or go to uispac.com.

Saturday

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Jacksonville Area Museum, 301 E. State St. | The Smithsonian Museum on Main Streets exhibit runs through Dec. 22. For more information, go to jacksonvilleareamuseum.org or Facebook page.

Illinois Freedom Project: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Old School Museum, 110 E. Cherry St., Winchester. | Last day to see this traveling exhibit.

Jacksonville Area Museum Holiday Open House: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Jacksonville Area Museum, 301 E. State St. Free | Visit with Santa and explore museum, and take home snacks. All visitors must wear masks. For more information, go to jacksonvilleareamuseum.org or Facebook page.

Morgan County Audubon Society Young Explorers Club: 11 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave. Free | Michael Wiant will discuss how archaeologists study artifacts to learn about everyday life. For more information, contact Allen Yow at 217-243-8457.

Brown Bag Lunches: Noon, Congregational Church UCC, 520 W. College Ave. Free | For those who are hungry.

Live Nativity Drive-Through: 5-8 p.m., Gates To Glory Ministries, 490 Thady Road at U.S. 67, Murrayville.

Visit with Santa: 5:30 p.m., Home of Keith and Jennifer McNeece, 636 S. Church St. Free | Visit Santa and enjoy a Christmas light display. Santa will have stuffed animals for younger children and everyone will get a candy cane.

Illinois Symphony Orchestra-Holiday Pops in the Heartland: 7:30 p.m., UIS Performing Arts Center, 1 University Plaza, Springfield. | For more information, go to uispac.com.
Young Explorers Club, a youth arm of Morgan County Audubon Society, has returned for its fourth season of programs with a science-and-nature theme.

"I think there's a real need out there for more educational-type programming in many areas," said Allen Yow, a Morgan County Audubon Society member and the club's coordinator.

Activities are free and pre-registration is not required except as noted on the schedule.

The club meets from 11 a.m. to noon one Saturday each month from December through March in the activity room at Jacksonville Public Library. Students of all ages are invited to join.

Parents and students in the region have a general interest in nature and science and the club is growing as a result, Yow said.

Yow credits the club's growth to a lack of non-school-based programming for students on the topics covered by the club, and parents and students wanting a broader experience with science and nature.

Dr. Michael Wiant, an archeologist and former director of the Illinois State Museum at Dickson Mounds, helped coordinate Saturday's program, "Understanding Ancient Skills Can Improve Life Today."

Wiant developed the program while at Dickson Mounds.

"We wanted to give students of all ages an opportunity to understand what life was like in the past," Wiant said.

A variety of activities were developed, including pottery making and drilling using instruments based on tools archeologists have found in the ancient history of Illinois' native peoples.

Wiant's program goes a step beyond, he said. He wants people not only to think about what life was like in the past but to ask whether knowing about the past is helpful with respect to living in the future.

During Saturday's program, Wiant will discuss how archaeologists study artifacts to learn about everyday life in the past. The presentation will explore ancient lifeways via hands-on experiences and will illustrate how knowledge about ancient skills can improve life today.

The program starts at 11 a.m. at the library.

Other upcoming programs are:

 "Know Your Insects from Your Bugs," which will be Jan. 29 at Illinois College. Biology professors Bryan Arnold and Lawrence Zettler will provide students with an introduction to the world of insects and how to categorize insects by their proper taxonomic order.

 "Plants in Agriculture" will be Feb. 26 at the library. Todd Burrus of Burrus Seed Farms will introduce students to the science of modern farming, including an examination of soil types and seed varieties.

 "Illinois: The Prairie State" will be March 19 at the library. Deb Burrus will present a program on the ecology of hill prairies and the unique plants and animals that inhabit them.
Teachers in our country have a lot on their plate. Whether you are a college professor or kindergarten teacher, the pressure to instill values and knowledge in students is not a task to be taken lightly.

As an educator, I understand the importance of integrity in the classroom, and I work hard to ensure my students know the same. That is why it disheartens me when I learn of companies out in Silicon Valley that seek to profit off of this vulnerability.

The pandemic tested the education world more than ever before and made students and teachers more vulnerable to this exploitation. One company, Chegg, has made some particularly egregious decisions that are threatening the foundation of the education system.

This for-profit, Silicon Valley education company was first known as a publisher of textbooks that saw opportunity in tutoring services. As schools moved classes online during the pandemic, Chegg saw a logical line-extension into instructional services. But this new ed-business took a dark turn.

Many in the education community are increasingly seeing Cheggs online tutoring service as a tool for cheating. In her recent op-ed, Karen Gallagher, former dean of USC Rossier School of Education, said, Among its many services is a way for cheaters to leap over the hurdle of problem-solving questions, in which students are asked to show how they got their answers. Cheggs experts on demand can personally answer the subscribers unique test or homework question.

As Timothy Powers, director of the Texas A&M Aggie Honor System Office, said, Theres a difference between students using online tools to prepare themselves and learn about things. Its completely different for a student to walk into an exam and have seen the identical questions with the identical multiple-choice answers before.

And that is what Chegg is giving students  and more. This Contract Cheating is a full-service provider selling textbooks and assistance  with a bonus offering of test answers. In fact, textbook publisher Pearson Education sued Chegg for that exact problem. But they continue to try to chip away at the foundation of our education system and future graduates.

Even with educators calling Chegg out for these actions, the company continues to create more troubling offerings for students  except now, they are preying on teachers to do their dirty work.

Through the companys new program, dubbed Uversity, Chegg encourages teachers to submit their materials, including exam questions, which will then be used by other students to short cut their way through class. As if that isnt enough, Chegg is offering teachers compensation for these materials, and according to their earnings, they have already paid over $4 million to educators through the program.

It is a teachers job to ensure cheating stays out of a classroom, but how can they do that if they are receiving financial benefits to do the exact opposite?

Shortcuts do not help a student learn in the long term. Rather than pulling direct questions and answers from an online service, students should be encouraged to use study partners and resources such as writing centers and math tutors to collaborate on assignments. In fact, it is rare that an academic institution does not already offer their students legitimate services for which Chegg charges $180 annually. To put it simply: Chegg is not worth the risk.

Business ethics professor Max Torres at The Catholic University of America speaks to teaching good habits. Our business students are made aware of the personal and social consequences of virtuous, and alternatively vicious, behavior.

This is not always popular in our troubled times. Torres continues, Virtues and vices are habits developed and reinforced through decision-making in business and throughout life.

Chegg is a problem. Not only should educators look into institutionalized cheating before the problem gets worse, but they should absolutely not be playing into the hands of this company by selling their hard work that will be used by another student to cut corners.

Teachers must make it their mission to help students take life-long virtuous action and shun companies that circumvent education.
Madagascar court jails 2 Frenchmen for plotting failed coup View Photo

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP)  A court in Madagascar has convicted two French citizens of having plotted a failed coup against President Andry Rajoelina and sentenced them to 10 years and 20 years of forced labor.

At the end of a 10-day trial in Antananarivo, the capital, Paul Rafanoharana was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Friday. Frenchman Philippe Francois was given a 10-year prison sentence.

The two Frenchmen were arrested in July and accused, along with 18 other defendants, of endangering state security, criminal association and conspiracy to assassinate the president.

The two belonged to a criminal organization that was seeking to carry out an attack against President Rajoelina as shown by emails, arms and money, seized by authorities, said state prosecutor Arsene Rabe. The plot was called Apollo 21, said the prosecution.

The two men pleaded not guilty and their defense has denounced the trial and unfair with numerous procedural flaws.

We are truly appalled by this verdict, said Arlette Rafanomadio, one of Rafanoharanas lawyers who was reached by telephone.

We did not expect such a heavy sentence because there is no hard evidence to convict our client, she said. We are going to appeal and we are studying possible applications to international bodies.

Rafanoharana, a former officer of the French gendarmerie and a graduate of the Saint-Cyr military school, was briefly an adviser to Rajoelina in 2011.

Francois, also a graduate of Saint-Cyr and a retired colonel of the French army, had worked in Chad before arriving in Madagascar almost two years ago. Francois and Rafanoharana were partners in an investment company, Tsarafirst, which bought and sold gold.

During the trial, Rafanoharana did not deny that he imagined a way to neutralize the presidents entourage, but he denied that he plotted to kill the president himself.

I consider that it is not a crime to have thought of neutralizing the mafia which harms the country and to have wanted to help a president who is a prisoner of various influences, he told the court.

Francois denied any involvement in the plot. I have never been directly or indirectly involved in such a project, he said.

Others sentenced include Rafanoharanas wife who was given a five-year prison term. Former Madagascar Prime Minister Victor Ramahatra was handed a five-year suspended prison sentence.

By LAETITIA BEZAIN

Associated Press
French minister says Macrons reelection would boost growth View Photo

NEW YORK (AP)  French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire says President Emmanuel Macrons potential reelection next year is very important to further boost growth  in a clear endorsement of a candidacy thats not yet been formally announced.

Macron is widely expected to seek a second term in the presidential election scheduled for April, but hasnt officially revealed his intentions.

In an interview with the Associated Press Friday during a two-day visit to the United States, Le Maire said: I think its very important that Emmanuel Macron is reelected. I think our country needs consistency and stability.

Polls for months have shown Macron, a pro-business centrist, to be the front-runner in next years presidential election, where hes set to face major contenders from the right and the far-right.

We must have a democratic, serene debate with (far-right candidate) Eric Zemmour, with other far-right leaders, to say: Your vision of France is not my vision of France, Le Maire said, noting that boosting growth is one response to the concerns expressed by the French.

Since Macrons election in May 2017, we had some successes, we also had some failures, Le Maire said. We failed to implement the pension reform. Thats a regret because it was needed. We were not able to do it. Well do it in the next term.

Protracted, intense street protests and the COVID-19 pandemic led Macron to delay the difficult overhauling of Frances pension system, which had been a key campaign promise.

When you look at (Macrons) five-year term  France is in the right direction, it is on the path to success, Le Maire added, noting that the French government passed measures to make the labor market more flexible, and cut taxes on businesses.

This is a key point I want to tell all investors: France has become the most attractive country in Europe, he insisted.

France has scheduled to further cut its corporate tax from over 33% five years ago to 25% next year, he said. So Im telling all American entrepreneurs: come to France, this is the place to be.

In a long interview broadcast on national television on Wednesday, Macron said France has a much stronger economy despite going through the COVID-19 crisis. Frances unemployment rate is at 8.1%, down from about 10% when he was elected, according to national statistics agency INSEE.

INSEE estimated the French economy would grow 6.7% this year, the highest rate since 1969.

Asked about French views about how to face global competition from China, Le Maire said we are all aware that the rise of China is a major concern  Then you have to define your strategy. Either to confront China  this is the American choice  or to engage with China. This is the French, and, I would say, the European choice.

For the biggest challenges of the 21st century you need China, he said, also citing a new global taxation system, global agreement on reduction of debt for poor countries, and US-China agreement on fighting climate change.

Macron last week said he does not support a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, in contrast with the U.S., Canada and U.K. which made the decision to protest human rights abuses in China.

There are important problems related to human rights in China, Le Maire acknowledged. Our strategy is to divide the problems and to talk to China in a very frank manner.

We are talking to China on human rights, we are talking on trade, we are talking about intellectual property, about access to markets about technological issues, he listed. I think a step by step approach  is the best one to get some very concrete results.

___

Corbet contributed from Paris.

By IAN PHILLIPS and SYLVIE CORBET
Sacramento, CA  Statewide more than one-million plants and nearly 180,300 pounds of processed illegal marijuana were seized on public lands by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) this year.

BLM Rangers and special agents, teamed up with various local law enforcement to eradicate illegal grows as part of the California Department of Justices annual Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) program. During site raids, they also confiscated chemicals, ammunition and weapons.

Significant environmental impacts are another problem found at these grows. Mounds of trash, almost 300 miles of waterline, 583 propane tanks, and more than 67,000 pounds of grow site infrastructure were collected at these illegal operations.

Growing marijuana on federal land is a crime, but that is not the only issue here, said Special Agent In Charge Dylan Ragan. It also has devastating impacts on public safety, wildlife, and natural resources. I have a profound respect for the fantastic work our rangers and special agents involved in eradicating illegal grow sites and removing highly toxic chemicals that pollute public lands and waters.

Voicing support for the Biden Administrations conservation vision that calls for doing better for people, fish, wildlife, and for the planet, BLM officials ask anyone who comes across a growing site to immediately leave the area and then call 911. They added that with everyone working together and proper management of these resources will keep public lands healthy and productive for current and future generations of Americans.
Tuolumne County Public Health reports seven new Covid cases since yesterday, all are unvaccinated. Tuolumne Countys active cases increased by four to 74 including two unvaccinated people who are hospitalized. Todays newly reported cases include three cases age 60 or older. New Covid cases by gender and age: one woman age 18 to 29, one woman in her 30s, one woman and one man in their 40s, one woman and one man in their 60s, and one woman her 70s.

The total current case rate, a 14-day average for Tuolumne County decreased to 16.4 from 19.9 per 100,000 population. Three individuals were released from isolation, in all 6,207 have been released from isolation. There have been 6,429 community cases and 148 deaths. There were 18 Covid deaths in October, 20 in November and seven this month for a total of 45 Covid deaths since October in Tuolumne.

A total of 59% of the population eligible to get vaccinated has been vaccinated. There have been 1,621 inmate cases, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reports no active Covid case at the Sierra Conservation Center. The SCC manages 3,271 inmates including all the southern fire conservation camps.

Calaveras County Public Health reports seven new Covid cases, active cases increased three to 23 with five hospitalized. The total number of confirmed cases is 4,519. One of the new cases is age 17 or younger and one is age 65 and older, in total 832 under age 17 and 760 over 65 have been identified with covid. There are ten more recovered cases for a total of 4,404 cases recovered and 55.01% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated in the county. There have been 92 Covid deaths in Calaveras since the pandemic began. There were 8 Covid deaths in October, 6 in November and 3 this month for a total of 18 Covid deaths since October in Calaveras.

California Public Health As detailed here the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is requiring universal masking for all public indoor settings to slow the spread of both Delta, the highly transmissible Omicron variant, and to increase protection for individuals, families, and communities during the holidays. Additionally, CDPH updated requirements for attending mega-events, and issued a new travel advisory. Mariposa Public Health shares the CDC added multiple studies to their Science Brief on Community Use of Masks to Control the Spread of SARS-CoV-2 as detailed here.

COVID-19 Testing Public health recommends scheduling an appointment to get tested 5 days after possible exposure and if you are having any symptoms, get tested right away. The LHI testing site at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds will be open next Friday, Dec. 24th from 7 AM to 1 PM and will be closed Saturday, Dec. 25th for the Christmas holiday. Friday, Dec. 31 it will be open from 7 AM to 1 PM and closed Jan. 1st for New Years Day.

Excluding the holidays, the Tuolumne County State testing site is generally open 7 days a week from 7 AM to 7 PM at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds. Appointments can be scheduled at www.lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling 888-634-1123. Testing is also at pharmacies, at Rapid Care and the hospital emergency department if you are experiencing any symptoms, or contact your healthcare provider. The Mariposa LHI/OptumServe testing site is at the YARTS Park and Ride beside Rite Aid and is open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 7:00 am to 12:00 pm, 1:00 to 4:00 pm, and 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

COVID-19 Vaccine appointments and booster vaccine shots are recommended for anyone age 16 and older (Pfizer only for age 16-17) Vaccine appointments for children ages 5 to 11 can be made through myturn.ca.gov, by calling 833-422-4255, or the pediatric vaccine may also be available through local pharmacies more details are here. For ways to manage this fear of needles or a phobia and help others with it, view the CDCs information guide here. Learn more about self-care strategies by visiting namica.org

County/Date

Active

New

Total Deaths Amador 12/16 43 6 3,889 60 Calaveras 12/16 23 7 4,519 92 Mariposa 12/16 30 4 1,665 18 Mono 12/16 43 6 1,756 5 Stanislaus 12/16 1,459 172 82,904 1,459 Tuolumne 12/16 74 7 8,050 148
Tik Tok logo View Photo

Sonora, CA  A new Tik Tok challenge is being called dangerous by Mother Lode law enforcement and is set to take place tomorrow.

Mariposa Sheriffs office even put out a social media post warning the public about the threat.

It encourages students to create bomb and active shooter threats towards their schools on Friday, December 17th. Sheriff Jeremy Briese detailed that his staff will continue to monitor the threats and act accordingly.

The safety of our students and school staff has always been a priority for my office. We are working very closely with the school administration to ensure the safety of our schools and our community. Sheriff Briese.

Earlier this month, a 17-year-old male student at Cassina High in Sonora was arrested for making a shooting threat against the school, as reported here. Sonora Police spokesperson Thomas Brickley tells Clarke Broadcasting that the department has heard of this challenge, but currently no threats have been made. He added, We take these types of threats very seriously and will investigate any incident.

We also reached out to Calaveras Sheriffs officials, as just this week the Calaveras High campus in San Andreas was put on lockdown after a student made a threat against the school, as detailed here. Spokesperson Lt. Greg Stark responded that they have been working on some reports. He disclosed, We are taking it seriously. We are going to provide extra patrols and we are going to be out there looking for anybody to cause harm to our students.

These Tik Tok challenges are not new, but this one strikes a more dangerous tone. Past ones like Devious Lick encouraged students to steal paper towel dispensers or other items from the school. Another coaxed students to slap or hit their teachers. These acts are to be done with the student recording it and then posting to Tik Tok.

A threat of violence to a school can result in a felony arrest and eventual prison time, if convicted, stressed, Lt. Stark. He had this word of warning for anyone thinking of taking up the challenge, The ones who think this is funny or a joke, it absolutely is not. To the ones who are reporting it to us, we thank you very muchTheres a lot of great kids out there that are alerting us to whats going on and were working very closely with them. To the ones who are doing this, we will catch up with you.

All these law enforcement officials we spoke with agreed the key to combating these threats is for the public to remember if you see something say something.
Germany: Merkels party chooses conservative Merz as leader View Photo

BERLIN (AP)  Members of Germanys biggest opposition party, the center-right Christian Democratic Union of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, have chosen prominent conservative Friedrich Merz as its new leader, the party said Friday.

Merzs election with a strong mandate appears to mark at least a symbolic break with the Merkel era. Making his third run for the CDUs top post, he took 62.1% support in a ballot of the partys membership to beat two centrist contenders.

A party convention next month will have to sign off officially on the membership vote, but that should only be a formality.

Armin Laschet, the CDUs leader since January, is stepping down after leading the two-party Union bloc to its worst-ever election result in September, winning only 24.1% of the vote. The bloc, which the CDU dominates, was narrowly beaten by the center-left Social Democrats of new Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Merz, 66, has experience of being an opposition leader. He led the center-right group in parliament from 2000 to 2002, when Merkel pushed him out of that job. He left parliament in 2009, later practicing as a lawyer and heading the supervisory board of investment manager BlackRocks German branch.

Merz returned to parliament in the September election. The online and postal ballot of the CDUs roughly 400,000-strong membership was a first for the party. It said that nearly two-thirds of members took part.

Merzs rivals were left far behind in the ballot. Norbert Roettgen, a former environment minister who has chaired parliaments foreign policy committee in recent years, finished with 25.8% support in his second bid for the party post.

Helge Braun, who was Merkels chief of staff from 2018 until she left office last week, won 12.1%.

Merz failed to win the party leadership by fairly narrow margins at party conventions in 2018 and in January, losing first to Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and then to Laschet.

Both subsequently struggled to impose their authority. A fight for the nomination to run for chancellor between Laschet and Markus Soeder, the leader of the CDUs Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, also exposed divisions.

Merz pledged Friday to stand for the party in its full breadth and said he would work to ensure that different political opinions and directions have a place.

We wont engage in fundamental opposition, he said. We will be a constructive opposition.

Merkel, who positioned her party firmly in the political center, gave up the CDU leadership in 2018 and announced that she wouldnt seek a fifth term as chancellor.

Merz promised that his CDU will be a modern party. In an interview with ARD television, he rejected the notion that he is a throwback to the 1990s, saying that is an image that doesnt fit at all with my fundamental philosophy, attitude to life and my political attitude.

Lars Klingbeil, the co-leader of Scholzs Social Democrats, congratulated Merz and said he looked forward to a fair, democratic competition.

I think its great that theres a culture of third chances in our country, Klingbeil wrote on Twitter.

By GEIR MOULSON

Associated Press
Texas A&M AgriLife Research continues to power forward with investments to ensure future scientific discovery and innovation in production agriculture and plant protection meet the needs of consumers.

That was the message Henry Fadamiro, Ph.D., AgriLife Research associate director and chief scientific officer, gave during an overview of research funding and programming before 250 attendees at the recent 33rd Texas Plant Protection Association Conference in Bryan.

AgriLife Research continues to prioritize and invest in production agriculture and plant protection, Fadamiro said. The agency is making impactful contributions to the issues of food sustainability both in Texas and across the nation.

AgriLife Research leads all agricultural research programs across the nation with $280 million in research expenditures and $125.9 million in awards for 2021. Production agriculture, encompassing farms, ranches and fisheries, continues to be the key area of focus, along with scientific discovery and emerging technologies.

In addition to Fadamiro outlining highlights of research during the annual conference, a number of awards were presented to faculty and students, as well as industry representatives, for their ongoing research in the area of plant protection.

Ongoing research, facility improvements

Environmental and economic sustainability and health and wellness are other avenues, he said. Recent Legislative exceptional item funding was awarded to research on insect-vectored diseases, invasive ants, and vegetable and fruit improvement

We are in the process of renovating the plant growth facility in the Southern Crop Improvement Annex, which includes 20,000 sq. ft. of greenhouse space, 19 units of plant growth chambers, eight units of walk-in growth chambers and three with CO2 chambers, Fadamiro said.

He said the Automated Precision Phenotyping Greenhouse is scheduled for substantial completion this month and will provide access to state-of-the-art robotics-driven greenhouse space, as well as capabilities for bio-photonics research.

The facility will be expected to operate on a cost recovery model. We are also in the process of establishing a gene editing facility, Fadamiro said.

The agency is also preparing for the new Institute for Agriculture and Health, funded by a $20 million annually from the U.S. Department of AgricultureAgricultural Research Service. Key research programs and next-generation methodologies for environment, economics and nutrition will be focus areas.

Core facilities; automated phenotype facility

Fadamiro said Texas A&M AgriLife is also making plans to provide a suite of research services to core faculty and scientists not accessible within Texas A&M AgriLife or The Texas A&M University System.

They will also be available to external groups with faculty research receiving priority, he said.

Revenues will be generated from sales, services and sponsored research projects. Core facilities include the Texas Genomics and Bioinformatic Services, Texas Institute for Genomic Medicine, Plant Growth and Phenotyping Facility, and a new Agriculture Improvement Core Facility.

By bringing these services together, the core facilities provide a more strategic approach to basic and applied genomics research results and services for current and future solutions for plant, animal, human health and nutrition.

AgriLife Research continues to prioritize and invest in production agriculture and plant protection, Fadamiro said. Our outstanding faculty and staff are making impactful contributions to issues of food security, plant protection and environmental sustainability.

Texas Plant Protection Association awards

Several awards were presented during the Texas Plant Protection Association business and awards luncheon, including:

 Academic/Agency: Tyler Mays, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service integrated pest management agent, Hill County.

 Industry Award: Bobby De Leon, division sales manager director, Riviulis Irrigation.

 Consultant Award: Clyde Crumley, Gulf Coast area crop consultant.

 Pest Identification Contest: Webb Wallace, Harlingen crop consultant, first place; Dale Mott, AgriLife Extension program specialist, College Station, second place; Mays, third place.

 Norman Borlaug Lifetime Achievement Award: Tony Driver, Syngenta Crop Protection. Student Poster Awards were presented in both the doctoral and masters categories. All student recipients are from Texas A&M University. Doctoral category: First place: Brady Arthur, Evaluation of ThyvOn Cotton as a Control Method of Thrips spp. and the Cotton Fleahoppers.

Second Place: Zachary Howard, Smutgrass Response to Late Summer Applications of Photosynthesis and Pigment Inhibiting Herbicides.
After months of genealogical research, a Dallas businesswoman and her mother have become the first black members of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, a history preservation group that maintains the Alamo.

Lareatha H. Clay and her mother, Larutha Marjorie Odom Clay, a retired schoolteacher who lives in Beaumont, joined the group after tracing their lineage back to two slaves who lived in Texas.

Membership requires proof of lineage to the days when Texas was a republic.

"My motivation was simple," Lareatha Clay said. "People tend to forget that African-Americans were here from the very beginning  First, it was a way of honoring my ancestors and honoring the contributions they made to this state."

The women were helped in their pursuit by Jean Ann Ables-Flatt, who serves with Lareatha Clay on the Texas Historical Commission and belongs to the Dallas chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

Lareatha Clay said she grew up with stories about how one of her ancestors, a slave, ran away from an owner and "walked 400 miles and swam across the Mississippi River" to join the woman he loved in Texas.

Ables-Flatt, a certified genealogist, helped research the recollections.

After several months of checking death, marriage and birth records as well as census documents, Ables-Flatt was able to trace and document Clay and her mother's lineage to Joseph Odom, who had married Harriet Shankle, the daughter of Jim and Winnie Shankle.

According to family stories, Jim Shankle was a slave in Mississippi when his wife, Winnie, was sold and brought to Texas by her new owner. Jim ran away looking for her and eventually found her. And, Winnie's owner bought Jim from his previous owner, so the couple could be together.

Although Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, slaves in Texas did not learn of the order until June 19, 1865, when federal troops arrived in Galveston. The day now is observed as Juneteenth.

After emancipation, Jim Shankle bought land that eventually became a freedman's community called Shankleville in East Texas.
ROME (AP)  Pope Francis celebrated his 85th birthday on Friday, a milestone made even more remarkable given the coronavirus pandemic, his summertime intestinal surgery and the weight of history: His predecessor retired at this age and the last pope to have lived any longer was Leo XIII over a century ago.

Yet Francis is going strong, recently concluding a whirlwind trip to Cyprus and Greece after his pandemic-defying jaunts this year to Iraq, Slovakia and Hungary. And he shows no sign of slowing down his campaign to make the post-COVID world a more environmentally sustainable, economically just and fraternal place where the poor are prioritized.

Francis also has set in motion an unprecedented two-year consultation of rank-and-file Catholics on making the church more attuned to the laity.

I see a lot of energy, said the Rev. Antonio Spadaro, one of Francis trusted Jesuit communications gurus. What were seeing is the natural expression, the fruit of the seeds that he has sown.

But Francis also is beset by problems at home and abroad and is facing a sustained campaign of opposition from the conservative Catholic right. He has responded with the papal equivalent of no more Mr. Nice Guy.

After spending the first eight years of his papacy gently nudging Catholic hierarchs to embrace financial prudence and responsible governance, Francis took the gloves off this year, and appears poised to keep it that way.

Since his last birthday, Francis ordered a 10% pay cut for cardinals across the board, and slashed salaries to a lesser degree for Vatican employees, in a bid to rein in the Vaticans 50-million-euro ($57 million) budget deficit.

To fight corruption, he imposed a 40-euro ($45) gift cap for Holy See personnel. He passed a law allowing cardinals and bishops to be criminally prosecuted by the Vaticans lay-led tribunal, setting the stage for the high-profile trial underway of his onetime close adviser, Cardinal Angelo Becciu, on finance-related charges.

Outside the Vatican, he hasnt made many new friends, either. After approving a 2019 law outlining the way cardinals and bishops could be investigated for sex abuse cover-up, the past year saw nearly a dozen Polish episcopal heads roll.

Francis also approved term limits for leaders of lay Catholic movements to try to curb their abuses of power, resulting in the forced removal of influential church leaders. He recently accepted the resignation of the Paris archbishop after a media storm alleging governance and personal improprieties.

In the past year, Pope Francis has accelerated his efforts at reform by putting real teeth into the churchs canon law regarding finances, the Rev. Robert Gahl, director of the Pontifical University of the Holy Crosss Program of Church Management, said.

While celebrating his birthday, Vatican watchers are also looking for more concrete signs of compliance regarding the popes new rules, especially from those who report directly to him within the Vatican, Gahl said in an email, noting that a change in culture is needed alongside Francis new policies and regulations.

Despite Francis' tough line, the pope nevertheless got a round of birthday applause from Holy See cardinals, bishops and priests who joined him for an Advent meditation on Friday morning. Later in the day, he welcomed a dozen African and Syrian migrants whom the Vatican helped resettle from Cyprus.

If there was anything Francis did this past year that riled his critics, it was his July decision to reverse his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, and reimpose restrictions on celebrating the old Latin Mass. Francis said he needed to take action because Benedicts 2007 decision to allow freer celebration of the old rite had divided the church and been exploited by conservatives.

Some wanted me dead, Francis said of his critics.

Speaking with fellow Jesuits in Slovakia in September, Francis confided that he knew his 10-day hospital stay in July for surgery to remove 33 centimeters (about 13 inches) of his large intestine had fueled hope among some conservative Catholics eager for a new pope.

I know there were even meetings among priests who thought the pope was in worse shape than what was being said, he told the Jesuits, in comments that were later published in the Vatican-approved Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica. They were preparing the conclave.

That may not have been the case, but if history is any guide, those priests might not have been wrong to have at least discussed the prospect.

Benedict was 85 when he resigned in February 2013, becoming the first pope to step down in 600 years and paving the way for Francis' election. While enjoying robust health at the time, Benedict said he simply didnt have the strength to carry on.

Before him, John Paul II died at age 84 and John Paul I died at 65 after just 33 days on the job. In fact, all 20th-century popes died in their early 80s or younger, with the exception of Pope Leo XIII, who was 93 when he died in 1903.

Early on in his pontificate, Francis predicted a short papacy of two or three years, and credited Benedict with having opened the door to future papal retirements.

But the Argentine Jesuit made clear after his July surgery that resigning didnt even cross my mind.

That is welcome news to Sister Nathalie Becquart, one of the top women at the Vatican. Francis tapped her to help organize the two-year consultation process of Catholics around the globe that will end in 2023 with a meeting of bishops, known as a synod.

Becquart knows well what the pope is up against as he tries to remake the church into a less clerical, more laity-focused institution.

Its a call to change, she told a conference this week. And we can say its not an easy path.
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP)  Jewish settlers burst into several villages in the occupied West Bank on Friday, smashing homes and cars and beating up at least two people, Palestinian officials said. The attacks came a day after Palestinian gunmen killed an Israeli man in a shooting ambush in the territory.

The death of settler Yehuda Dimentman, killed when gunmen opened fire on his car near a West Bank settlement outpost late Thursday, threatened to ignite further violence between Palestinian residents and Israeli settlers. Two other passengers in Dimentmans vehicle were lightly wounded.

Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors settlement activities, said groups of settlers entered several Palestinian villages near the northern city of Nablus early Friday, smashing up cars and homes. Two Palestinians required hospital treatment.

In the Palestinian village of Qaryout, settlers broke into one house and tried to abduct a local resident, Wael Miqbel, according to Daghlas.

Photos later shared on social media showed Miqbel with bruises and swelling across his face, while other videos and photos published online showed confrontations between armed settlers and Palestinian residents.

Israeli leaders have vowed to find the assailants behind Thursday's shooting and the army deployed additional forces to the area. According to the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, at least three men from the northern village of Burqa were arrested in overnight raids.

The army said Friday the manhunt for the Palestinian gunmen was still ongoing, but gave no further details.

Dimentman's car came under fire after leaving a Jewish seminary in the outpost of Homesh, a former settlement evacuated as part of Israels withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005. In recent years, settlers have re-established an unauthorized outpost at the site, one of dozens of outposts in the West Bank that are considered illegal but often tolerated by the Israeli government.

No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting, although the Hamas militant group, which rules the Gaza Strip, praised the attack.

Hundreds gathered for Dimentmans funeral services in Homesh on Friday morning, before the body was taken to Jerusalem for burial.

The latest attacks come amid an uptick in Israeli-Palestinian violence across the West Bank and in east Jerusalem. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was left seriously injured after being stabbed by a Palestinian attacker outside the walls of Jerusalems Old City. A week before, a Hamas militant opened fire in the Old City, killing an Israeli man. Both attackers were killed by Israeli forces.

Settler violence against Palestinians has seen a similar uptick during the olive harvest. In mid-November, Jewish settlers attacked a group of Palestinian farmers with pepper spray and clubs in the farmland surrounding Homesh, injuring four people.

Israel captured east Jerusalem and the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war. The territories are now home to more than 700,000 Jewish settlers, although Palestinians seek both areas as parts of their future independent state. Palestinians, along with most of the international community, consider settlements to be illegal and the major obstacle to peace.
Celebrating the New Year will have to be done without a typical firework show this year.

On Monday during their regularly scheduled meeting, the Hale County Commissioners Court voted to institute a burn ban, effective immediately. The burn ban was brought to the court by Harold King, Commissioner of Precinct 1, and passed unanimously.

In addition to the burn ban, commissioners voted to institute a ban on restricted fireworks on Tuesday. The deadline to institute a ban on fireworks was Wednesday due to the up-coming period of Dec. 20-Jan. 1 where selling fireworks in Texas is legal.

Commissioners said the burn ban was instituted because of the regions current period of drought. County Judge David Mull said the ban also lines up with burn bans that are currently in place in surrounding counties such as Swisher.

The burn ban is in effect for the next 90 days. However, if Hale County experiences significant moisture before the end of this period, Commissioners can lift the ban early.

The banning of restricted fireworks  or aerial/projectile fireworks  was finalized in a special session on Tuesday. Mull scheduled Tuesdays special session to discuss the issue, though was absent from the meeting. Still, the four present members of the Court passed the fireworks ban.

County Attorney Jim Tirey said the ban is for fireworks that go into the air, or are set off in one place, travel a distance and explode in another. These include skyrockets and bottle rockets.

Tirey said the ban is because of the on-going drought and wind conditions throughout the area to avoid potential fires.

Fireworks can still be sold starting on Dec. 20, but anyone that sells or sets off an aerial firework could be charged with a Class C misdemeanor, which is punishable by a fine of up to $500. Permissible fireworks that can be used and sold during this time are anything that Is not a bottle rocket. For example, firecrackers are acceptable.

During a burn ban, outdoor burning is acceptable under these scenarios:

Burning is related to public health and safety as authorized by the Texas Environmental Quality Commission

Firefighter training

Household trash If trash is in a metal barrel or drum with wire mesh over the top to resist flying embers Or burning in a pit in the ground as long as the trash does not extend above ground level and the pit is also covered by a wire mesh cover

Public utility, natural gas pipeline or mining operations

Planting or harvesting of agriculture crops Must be done under the direction of a burn manager Property owner must file a burn plan with the County Fire Marshall a few days prior to the planned date

Burns are conducted by a prescribed burn manager

For more information on outdoor burning, visit http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/%20
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Kellogg's has reached a new tentative agreement with its 1,400 striking cereal plant workers that could bring an end to the strike that began Oct. 5.

Members of the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union will vote on the new offer that includes cost-of-living adjustments and a $1.10 per hour raise for all employees on Sunday. Last week, the union overwhelmingly rejected a previous offer from the Battle Creek, Michigan-based company.

We value all of our employees. They have enabled Kellogg to provide food to Americans for more than 115 years, said Kellogg Company Chairman and CEO Steve Cahillane. We are hopeful our employees will vote to ratify this contract and return to work.

Kelloggs said most workers at its cereal plants earned an average of $120,000 last year although union members have said they work more than 80 hours a week to earn that, and those wages are only available to longtime workers. Under the two-tiered pay system the company uses, newer workers are paid less and receive fewer benefits.

That pay system has been a sticking point during the negotiations, and Kelloggs offer didnt change on that part of the contract. The company has said it will allow all workers with at least four years of experience move up to the higher legacy pay level as part of this contract. Union officials previously said that plan wouldnt let other workers move up quickly enough. The company has also proposed eliminating the current 30% cap on the number of workers at each plant who receive the lower wages.

The new agreement will also preserve employees health care benefits.

The strike includes four plants in Battle Creek; Omaha, Nebraska; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Memphis, Tennessee that make all of Kelloggs well-known brands of cereal, including Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies and Apple Jacks.

Throughout the strike Kellogg's has been trying to keep its plants operating with salaried employees and outside workers, and the company said late last month that it planned to start hiring permanent replacements for the striking workers.
Last week, a group of fully vaccinated, boosted staffers who work at Kaiser Permanente's Oakland Medical Center contracted the omicron variant of the novel coronavirus after attending a wedding.

The story, like a lot of news about omicron and other variants, spawned panicky headlines, without offering evidence that vaccinated people have new reasons to worry. In reality, the Kaiser outbreak gives us some reasons to be hopeful: The staffers dont seem to have passed it on to anyone, and theyve all had mild symptoms, according to a statement from their employer.

This matches other reports about omicron, a strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, that seems to be highly transmissible but has so far mostly been causing mild symptoms  or none at all. Many people with the variant have actually tested positive on routine screenings, such as when traveling internationally, not because theyre sick.

When you see so much news coverage about variants, its easy to think theres something special about how SARS-CoV-2 evolves as it spreads between people. But its important to understand that this isnt a new process for humanity  and weve evolved a complex and highly effective immune system to deal with viruses as they mutate over time, experts said.

This is normal virus behavior. Viruses change, viruses mutate, Erica Saphire, president of the La Jolla Institute of Immunology, told SFGATE. But with SARS-CoV-2, we were all naive  everybody on the planet was fresh meat back in winter 2020.

In all likelihood, the most unique thing about the disease is how closely were following its evolution. We dont pay the same attention like we do to this one with other viruses that are also doing this [mutating] on a day-to-day basis, Arthur Reingold, division head of epidemiology at UC Berkeley, told SFGATE.

What can we learn from other viruses?

There are four other coronaviruses that circulate in the human population, generally causing a cold in immunocompetent people. They circulate the world during cold and flu season, mutating and evolving as they spread. At least one, if not all, of those so-called endemic coronaviruses caused pandemics when human adults first caught them centuries or millennia ago.

Now, we all catch them as kids; like SARS-CoV-2, they rarely cause severe disease in young people. Kids run around with runny noses, because they havent been exposed to stuff, Saphire said. Common cold coronaviruses come around when you have enough of a naive population that it spreads from one runny nose to another.

About 5% of adults catch an endemic coronavirus every year  sometimes the same one twice. Rarely, people develop pneumonia, but for most of us, its a seasonal annoyance. Saphire cautions that no one can know for sure what the future holds. But she thinks its reasonable to guess COVID-19 will behave in a similar way over time.

How do antibodies recognize different variants?

Whether your first exposure is through a vaccine or the virus itself, your immune system will remember its first encounter with SARS-CoV-2 for the rest of your life. If youre later exposed to a slightly different version, like omicron or delta, it will adapt its response, including updating the antibodies it produces in response to the virus.

Your immune response can create a quintillion possible antibodies  thats quintillion with 18 zeros. If we go to Mars and we find new Martian viruses humans have never seen before, the human immune system will find a way to respond to those, too, Saphire explained.

When your body first encounters SARS-CoV-2 or the vaccine, it makes a hugely diverse set of antibodies that bind to many different parts of the virus spike protein. Some, called neutralizing antibodies, grab onto a section and block it from infecting your cells; some latch on and signal the rest of your immune system to rally the troops.

Even if some part of the virus changes slightly, you will almost certainly have antibodies that recognize other parts, Saphire said. No matter what variant that erupts, [your antibodies] still hit some piece of the virus that hasnt changed, he explained.

Antibodies only live in your blood for a few weeks or months. Your body will keep making more as long as its worried theres an imminent threat. Over time, though, antibodies for nearly any pathogen decline.

Target cannot stock parkas, mittens and snow boots all through June, July and August, because they need the shelf space for sunscreen and swimsuits, Saphire said.

That means if you get any variant of SARS-CoV-2 in your nose  and you almost certainly will at some point in the next few years  you might catch a cold while your immune system kicks into gear. And if the virus has changed, it may take time for your body to update its response to target the new strain more precisely.

Is omicron evading the immune system?

When you see a news story about waning immunity or a new variant that evades the immune system, theyre almost always talking about lab studies of antibodies in the blood of someone who was vaccinated or recently sick.

In lab tests, some antibodies in the blood of vaccinated people havent been binding as well to omicron samples. But even with this new variant, youre absolutely not back to square one. First, in real life, your body will produce new antibodies to match the parts it hasnt seen before.

Second, those molecules are just one part of a highly complex system that has evolved over millions of years to protect you from getting sick. Other important components include T-cells, which both rally the immune system and kill infected cells in your body; theyre difficult to test in a lab, but are much more durable than circulating antibodies.

"Were kind of guessing," Dr. Mark Pandori, the director of the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory, said of lab tests. "Lab results only give us a hint. They dont tell us how exactly things will function in the real world.

While people do seem more likely to get infected if they encounter a more recent variant of SARS-CoV-2, "the early evidence is that [the vaccine] is holding up against hospitalizations and death from omicron and other variants, Reingold said.

In fact, with cases beginning to increase slightly across the Bay Area as people spend more time indoors and travel for the holidays, hospitalizations have generally remained low in the region where eight of nine counties have more than 70% of the total population fully vaccinated.

In San Francisco, there were 32 COVID patients hospitalized as of Dec. 11, with 10 of those in intensive care. At the height of the pandemic in January, before the vaccine was widely available, there were 256 COVID patients in SF hospitals with 62 in intensive care.

So why are vaccinated people being asked to wear masks?

Concern about a winter spike has led to a tightening of pandemic restrictions in California, which recently implemented a statewide indoor mask mandate for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status.

For vaccinated people, case counts arent especially meaningful, because theyre largely protected against severe disease. Still, public health officials have argued the mandates are necessary because vaccinated people can both catch and spread COVID-19, especially omicron and delta, two strains which are circulating globally.

The hard truth is COVID-19 will only become less of a global threat once every adult has either caught it or been vaccinated. When unvaccinated people first get infected, they have the same risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death as everyone did in January 2020.

"Im worried unvaccinated people arent going to take this seriously, Reingold said. Unfortunately theyre going to end up sick, some of them will die, some of them will end up on intubators."

In several states right now, unvaccinated people are already clogging hospitals, driving bed shortages and an exodus of caretakers. In Maine, for instance, where delta is by far the most common variant, officials say the majority of those hospitalized are unvaccinated.

With omicron and whatever comes after it, the best tool is for unvaccinated people to get vaccinated and vaccinated people to get boosted, Reingold said. People getting wrapped up in the day-to-day changes of the variants tends to obscure what should be a pretty straightforward message.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  At least five people died as a powerful and extremely unusual storm system swept across the Great Plains and Midwest amid unseasonably warm temperatures, spawning hurricane-force winds and possible tornadoes in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota.

In southeastern Minnesota, Olmsted County Sheriffs Lt. Lee Rossman said a 65-year-old man was killed Wednesday night when a 40-foot tree blew onto him outside his home. In southwestern Kansas, blinding dust kicked up by the storms Wednesday led to two separate crashes that killed three people, Kansas Highway Patrol trooper Mike Racy said. And in eastern Iowa, a semitrailer was struck by high winds and rolled onto its side Wednesday evening, killing the driver, the Iowa State Patrol confirmed.

The storm shifted north of the Great Lakes into Canada on Thursday, with high winds, snow and hazardous conditions continuing in the upper Great Lakes region, the National Weather Service said. More than 190,000 homes and businesses remained without electricity Thursday afternoon in Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Kansas, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utility reports.

At least two tornadoes were confirmed in southern Minnesota on Wednesday, the states first twisters on record in December. The small community of Hartland, Minnesota, might have been the hardest hit, with a reported 35 to 40 homes sustaining minor damage and a few businesses severely damaged, Freeborn County Emergency Management Director Rich Hall said. Winds reached at least 110 mph in Hartland, the National Weather Service said.

Losses also included livestock. Dozens of cows were electrocuted at a dairy farm after a power pole landed on a milking barn in Newaygo County, in western Michigan. Tim Butler said his workers at the dairy survived the event, but at least 70 cows died. Dozens survived, but many were "hurt bad, Butler said.

The destructive weather system developed amid unprecedented warmth for December in the Plains and northern states. That included temperatures that rose to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) across southwestern Wisconsin on Wednesday evening. The Weather Company historian Chris Burt compared the heat to that of a warm July evening.

I can say with some confidence that this event (the heat and tornadoes) is among the most (if not THE most) anomalous weather event ever on record for the Upper Midwest, Burt wrote in a Facebook post.

The winds knocked down trees, tree limbs and nearly 150 power lines in northern and western Michigans Lower Peninsula. In the western Michigan village of Fruitport, high winds peeled back a portion of Edgewood Elementary Schools roof, leading officials to close all district schools Thursday.

There were more than 20 tornado reports Wednesday in the Plains states, scattered mostly through eastern Nebraska and Iowa, based on preliminary reports to the Storm Prediction Center. The storm system led to the most reports of hurricane-force wind gusts  75 mph (120 kph) or higher  on any day in the U.S. since 2004, the center said.

To have this number of damaging wind storms at one time would be unusual anytime of year, said Brian Barjenbruch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Valley, Nebraska. But to have this happen in December is really abnormal.

The governors of Kansas and Iowa declared states of emergency.

The system came on the heels of devastating tornadoes last weekend that cut a path through states including Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Illinois and Kentucky, killing more than 85 people.

On Wednesday, there were at least 59 reports of hurricane-force wind gusts regionwide, which exceeded the 53 recorded on Aug. 10, 2020, when a rare derecho wind storm struck Iowa, the Storm Prediction Center said. The destruction on Wednesday, however, was far less severe than from last year's derecho, which caused billions of dollars of damage.

The winds also whipped up dust that reduced visibility to zero in parts of Kansas and caused at least four semitrailers to blow over, leading officials to temporarily close much of Interstate 70, as well as all state highways in nine northwestern Kansas counties.

Kansas deployed helicopters and other firefighting equipment to help smother at least a dozen wind-fueled wildfires in western and central counties, officials said Thursday.

That dust and smoke was carried north by the storm and concentrated over parts of Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa, causing a dramatic drop in air quality in those areas late Wednesday. That spawned a glut of calls to already-taxed emergency dispatchers from people reporting the smell of smoke.

The system blew into the Plains from Colorado, sending gale-force winds across a swath from New Mexico to Minnesota, Wisconsin and upper Michigan. The weather service recorded a gust of 107 mph (172 kph) Wednesday morning at Lamar, Colorado, and gusts of 100 mph in Russell, Kansas.

Scientists say extreme weather events and warmer temperatures are more likely to occur with human-caused climate change. However, scientifically attributing a storm system to global warming requires specific analysis and computer simulations that take time, havent been done and sometimes show no clear connection.

I think we also need to stop asking the question of whether or not this event was caused by climate change," said Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini. We need to be asking, `To what extent did climate change play a role and how likely was this event to occur in the absence of climate change?'

The unusually warm temperatures on Wednesday were due in part to record high ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, which wouldnt have happened without global warming, said Jeff Masters, a Yale Climate Connections meteorologist who cofounded Weather Underground.

___

Stafford reported from Liberty, Missouri.

___

Associated Press writers Jill Bleed in Little Rock, Arkansas; Ken Miller in Oklahoma City; Terry Wallace in Dallas; Seth Borenstein in Washington D.C.; Jim Anderson in Denver and Grant Schulte in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed to this report.
Former McDonalds CEO Steve Easterbrook has paid back more than $105 million in equity awards and cash to the burger giant after it learned that he had lied about the extent of his misconduct while he was its top executive.

During my tenure as CEO, I failed at times to uphold McDonalds values and fulfill certain of my responsibilities as a leader of the company, Easterbrook said in a prepared statement issued Thursday by McDonalds. I apologize to my former co-workers, the board and the companys franchisees and suppliers for doing so.

McDonalds fired Easterbrook in late 2019 after he acknowledged exchanging videos and text messages in a non-physical, consensual relationship with an employee. At the time of his firing, Easterbrook told the company there were no other similar instances and an inspection of his cell phone seemed to back that up. McDonalds board approved a separation agreement without cause that allowed Easterbrook to keep tens of millions in stock-based benefits and other compensation.

Then, in July 2020, the company received an anonymous tip from an employee claiming that Easterbrook had engaged in a sexual relationship with another employee. After an investigation, McDonalds confirmed that relationship as well as two other physical, sexual relationships with employees in the year before it fired its top executive. The company said Easterbrook had removed evidence of those relationships from his phone.

McDonalds board sued Easterbrook in August 2020, saying it wouldnt have terminated him without cause if it had known the extent of his misconduct. The company sought the return of equity awards granted in 2018 and 2019, since Easterbrooks separation agreement made clear he would forfeit those if the company determined he had engaged in detrimental conduct.

The settlement announced Thursday holds Easterbrook accountable and affirms the boards decision to pursue the case, McDonalds Chairman Enrique Hernandez Jr. said in a prepared statement.

The resolution avoids a protracted court process and allows us to move forward, Hernandez said.

The action against Easterbrook came amid a larger reckoning at the company over sexual harassment in its ranks. Over the last five years, at least 50 workers have filed charges against the company, alleging physical and verbal harassment and, in some cases, retaliation when they came forward.

In October 2019 __ a month before Easterbrook was fired __ McDonalds introduced a new harassment training program for its 850,000 U.S. employees, but franchisees werent required to provide it.

McDonalds went further this spring, saying it will mandate worker training to combat harassment, discrimination and violence in its restaurants starting next year. The training will be required for 2 million workers at 39,000 stores worldwide.
On Monday nights episode of The Late Show, host Stephen Colbert got down to the real hard-hitting questions when interviewing The Matrix Resurrections star Keanu Reeves ahead of the Dec. 22 premiere of the San Francisco-set blockbuster.

You famously do a fair amount of your own physical work on your movies, Colbert began. What was the craziest thing? Because there were some crazy stunts.

Rubbing his palms together as he pretended to think for a while, Reeves offered up a boyish grin as he revealed his answer.

Jump off a building, he said, adding that the building in question was around 46 stories and that he and co-star Carrie-Ann Moss had to perform the stunt an estimated 19 to 20 times over the course of two days.

During filming in February 2020, San Franciscans witnessed a series of death-defying action sequences, including two people that were seen leaping from the top of 44 Montgomery in the Financial District. The office skyscraper has 43 floors  so was Reeves referring to this very scene? Check out some of the footage of the stunts and see what you think:

Around the same time, Reeves was also spotted hitching a ride on the back of Moss motorcycle as they raced down Sansome Street with the camera crew and director Lana Wachowski in tow.

In the interview with Colbert, Reeves proceeded to discuss his feelings of fear and eventual catharsis as he plummeted from the building hand-in-hand with Moss.

My heart rate was a little raised, he admitted. But after the first time, you cant think of the fear You have to deal with it, absorb it, and then just be there and do. And thats what we did. And it was awesome. Can you imagine just leaping off a building?

Have you ever bungee jumped? Colbert asked.

No! Because Im scared of that, said Reeves.

Watch the full clip below:

Colbert pointed out that early on in the new film, one of the characters says, Nothing comforts anxiety like a little nostalgia.

How do you feel about the idea that nostalgia actually comforts in moments of anxiety? Colbert asked.

I think it does. I think it can  Nostalgia means that its a positive experience, right? Because otherwise it would be a bad memory, Reeves replied. But yeah, I think it can bring comfort. Part of what I feel the film explores, too, is with that passage of time, yes, you can be nostalgic, but then youre in your present. When you come out of that reverie  how do [you] feel about that time? That can cause a little anxiety too.

Colbert concludes the interview by asking how Reeves deals with anxiety in his personal life.

Breathe, he said. Try to figure out: Why are you afraid? What does that mean? And then try to just be and let not what youre afraid of define the present that you hope to be in when you go do what youre afraid of. Or not! Just be afraid and just deal  just lean into it and bite its head off.
strong>By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Bird Song of the Day

Another migratory bird. This is really gorgeous. I dont know their habits, but I imagine a great congregation of Lesser Redpolls gathered, in the dusk, before sleep.

* * *

#COVID19

Vaccination by region:

A roller coaster. (If by Bubba we mean The South, then Bubba has done pretty well on vax, despite all the sturm und drang in the press.

61.2% of the US is fully (doubly) vaccinated (CDC data, such as it is, as of December 16. The stately 0.1% rise per day returns. We have broken the important 61% psychological barrier! Mediocre by world standards, being just below Estonia, and just above Peru in the Financial Times league tables as of this Monday).

Case count by United States regions:

Still fiddling and diddling. Also, as happened in 2020, I would expect a second, higher peak, from Omicron if for no other reason.

At a minimum, the official narrative that Covid is behind us, or that the pandemic will be over by January (Gottlieb), or I know some people seem to not want to give up on the wonderful pandemic, but you know what? Its over (Bill Maher) is clearly problematic. (This chart is a seven-day average, so changes in direction only show up when a train is really rolling.)

One of the sources of the idea that Covid is on the way out, I would speculate, is the CDCs modeling hub (whose projections also seem to have been used to justify school re-opening). Here is the current version of the chart from the CDC modeling hub, which aggregates the results of eight models in four scenarios, with the last run (Round 9) having taken place on 2021-08-30, and plots current case data (black dotted line) against the aggregated model predictions (grey area), including the average of the aggregated model predictions (black line). I have helpfully highlighted the case data discussed above. Not updated:

Case data (black dotted line) has been within the tolerance of the models; it does not conform to the models average (black line), but it stays within aggregated predictions (the grey area).

I wrote: Its too early to say Dammit, CDC, your models were broken; but its not too soon to consider the possibility that they might be. The case data still looks like its trying to break out of the grey area. We shall see. The case data has now broken out of the grey area (see at Oopsie!). Since the models are aggregated conventional wisdom, its not fair to call them propaganda, exactly. Nevertheless. conventional wisdom is looking a little shaky, and anybody who relied on them to predict that we would be back to normal by early next year should be taking another look at their assumptions. And this is  I assume  before Omicron!

MWRA (Boston-area) wastewater detection, not updated:

Still a steep drop in the average, like the last peak. Well see if gets choppy again, or not.

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) service area includes 43 municipalities in and around Boston, including not only multiple school systems but several large universities. Since Boston is so very education-heavy, then, I think it could be a good leading indicator for Covid spread in schools generally.

From CDC: Community Profile Report (PDF), Rapid Riser counties:

Maine improved. Upper Midwest improved. Acela corridor sketchy. More flecks of red, especially in Texas. Weird flare-ups, like flying coals in a forest fire. They land, catch, but  one hopes  sputter out. The fleck of red in the middle of New York near the Pennsylvania border is, I think, Ithaca (i.e., Cornell).

The previous release:

Hospitalization (CDC Community Profile):

I have helpfully highlighted the states where the trend arrow points up in yellow, and where it is vertical, in orange. (Note trend, whether up or down, is marked by the arrow, at top. Admissions are presented in the graph, at the bottom. So its possible to have an upward trend, but from a very low baseline.)

Death rate (Our World in Data):

Total: 824,520 823,390 . At this rate, I dont think well hit the million mark by New Years.

Excess deaths (total, not only from Covid). Not updated:

Hard to believe we have no excess deaths now, but very fortunate if so. (CDC explains there are data lags).

Covid cases in historic variant sources, with additions from the Brain Trust:

South Africas rise looks linear, even though this is a log scale. Look at the UK, too. Sorry for the kerfuffle at the left. No matter how I tinker, it doesnt go away.

Politics

But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? James Madison, Federalist 51

They had one weapon left and both knew it: treachery. Frank Herbert, Dune

They had learned nothing, and forgotten nothing. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord

Capitol Seizure

A theory: How Trumps Jan. 6 coup plan worked, how close it came, why it failed | Will Bunch [Will Bunch, The Inquirer]. We now know that Trumps top aide, chief of staff Mark Meadows, had written in an email on January 5  the same day as Trumps tweet and memo about Antifa  that the National Guard was on standby to protect pro-Trump people the next day. His words only make sense in the context of expected clashes with leftists. But heres the thing: There were no anti-Trump protesters in Washington that day  thanks to savvy messaging by activists who sensed a trap . Their absence clearly flummoxed Team Trump, and even the presidents allies at the Fox News Channel, who throughout the day blamed violence on antifa who clearly werent there. Critically, the lack of expected street clashes might explain the stunning three-hour failure by the National Guard to respond to officials pleading for troops to help stop the insurrection. House panel subpoenas author of Jan. 6 PowerPoint [The Hill]. The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol has subpoenaed the man who dispersed a PowerPoint laying out the Trump campaigns plans for contesting the 2020 election and who briefed several lawmakers on the strategy. The subpoena to Phil Waldron, a retired Army colonel, comes after his 38-page PowerPoint titled Election Fraud, Foreign Interference & Options for 6 JAN was included in a trove of emails to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.'

Biden Administration

Senate expert to brief Democrats on potential rules changes [The Hill]. A former leadership staffer will brief Senate Democrats during a closed-door caucus lunch Friday about how they could potentially change the upper chambers rules as they renew their focus on passing voting rights legislation. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Marty Paone, a former secretary of the Democratic conference and parliamentary expert, briefed a group of Senate Democrats Thursday night and will speak during their caucus lunch Friday. Last night a number of my colleagues and I met with Marty Paone, a Senate rules expert who worked under past leadership, including Robert C. Byrd, about how we can restore the Senate so it can work the way our founders intended, Schumer said.  Well, that should do it. The Memo: Failure on big bill would spark cascade of trouble for Biden [The Hill]. In terms of the bigger picture, there is deepening pessimism in Democratic circles about the fate of the [Build Back Better] huge social spending bill [and its not all that huge[. Talks between Biden and Manchin this week failed to make meaningful progress, instead exposing the breadth of the gulf that remained. Manchin has never committed to supporting the Build Back Better plan, even though it has been scaled down significantly, largely at his behest. Amid the impasse, both the White House and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) have backed off earlier pledges to try to move the legislation before Christmas. And Biden himself appears to be turning his attention to voting rights rather than the social spending plan that has been the keystone of his domestic agenda. On Wednesday, Biden said there was nothing domestically more important than voting rights. The outlook for voting rights is even bleaker than it ever was for Build Back Better, however. Thanks to unified Republican opposition, movement on the topic will be impossible without reform of the Senate filibuster  something Manchin also opposes.  Again, this is the party the Democrat leadership built, over many years, with a lot of hard work (and specifically on Manchin and Sinemas behalf). It is broken by design. Democrats rev up voting rights push to end 2021. But Senate path remains elusive. [NBC]. Senate Democrats, eager to salvage a victory as they lose hope of finishing the Build Back Better Act before Christmas, have turned their attention to voting rights legislation. Still, two key obstacles remain: Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. And its not clear Democrats have a path to win over their two colleagues to force a vote on the bill, despite significant shifts from other moderates and a frustrated voting base clamoring loudly for Congress to act. Long-simmering frustrations among prominent Black leaders appeared to be boiling over as they pressure President Joe Biden to do more to encourage the Senate to act. Progressive advocacy groups have revved up their pressure campaigns, fearing that time is running out to avert what they see as an existential threat to democracy. Leaders of the effort in the Senate, notably Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, have held meetings with colleagues to find a path forward. And moderates like Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia and John Hickenlooper of Colorado, said this week theyre ready to change the Senate rules to allow a vote on an election overhaul. But despite this movement, it may not be enough.  Doing the same thing and expecting a different result? US Ends Settlement Talks With Families Separated By Trump Border Policy [HuffPo]. The U.S. government withdrew Thursday from settlement negotiations to end lawsuits filed on behalf of parents and children who were forcibly separated under the Trump administrations zero-tolerance border policy. Justice Department officials informed lawyers for the plaintiffs in a conference call that the government would not offer a global settlement in family separation cases and will defend each one in court, said Lee Gelernt, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed one of the suits. The decision comes after eight months of negotiations and weeks after reports of a proposed settlement that would include payments of several hundred thousand dollars to each family sparked outrage among Biden administration critics in Congress and elsewhere.  But the babies!!!!!

Democrats en Deshabille

Clinton Legacy

Please stop: I believe we all possess the ability to lead, and I want to help you develop those skills. From empowering diverse teams to mediating conflict, Im sharing the lessons I learned during my career in public service. I hope youll join me on @MasterClass. https://t.co/vhBWYr1GKJ pic.twitter.com/fwK0BmhNZR  Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) December 16, 2021

Realignment and Legitimacy

What Is Pelosis Endgame? [Charles Cook, Cook Political Report]. Cook has been writing on American politics for years. So I read it all. Here is Cooks extraordinary final sentence: We are living in a very odd world now. There is no telling what we will be thinking and talking about a week from now, let alone a year.  Cook is correct. And its not merely a matter of thinking and talking. I think its becoming a matter of our political arrangements. I did not occur to me  and did not, I think, occur to many  that Bidens performance on Covid would actually be worse than Trumps, if your metric is the death count (and I think thats a good metric). For all his fumbling and malice, Trump gave us Operation Warp Speed and the vaccines. And what did Biden do? Bet the country on a Vax-only strategy that has now demonstrably failed. At some point, accountability arrives. The body count, the organic damage, is simply too high. The force of historical decline. [Haydar Khan, The Scrum]. Galbraith v. Thiel. Im pulling out this quote from Galbraith: The institutional, infrastructure, resource basis, and psychological foundations for a Keynesian revival no longer exist. Makes me think of Medicare for All. Does the country have the operational capability to deliver it? Based on our response of Covid, no.

Stats Watch

There are no official statistics of note.

* * *

The Bezzle: Melania Trump announces new line of NFTs [The Hill]. Melania Trump is entering the world of NFTs, selling breathtaking watercolor art featuring an image of her eyes to collectors. The former first lady made the announcement on Thursday, saying the nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, will be released in regular intervals. The first one, titled Melanias Vision, includes the painting of Trumps eyes by artist Marc-Antoine Coulon and an audio message. My vision is: look forward with inspiration, strength, and courage, Trump says in the clip. The sales site for the NFT, priced at $186 as of Thursday morning, says it will provide the collector with strength and hope and an amulet to inspire.'  So this is where we are: Amulets. Here it is:

Better than Hunter Bidens art? You decide:

The Bezzle: Car Companies Want You to Keep Paying For Features You Already Have [Vice]. Back in the day, car companies made money by selling cars and financing those car purchases. Now, automakers plan to make even more money by selling subscriptions and software updates to cars that have already been sold, perhaps even for features people expect cars to have. Brace yourselves now for this nickel-and-diming future. Automakers have been fairly explicit that they see Software as a Service, as it is known in business speak, as a significant earner to make back some of the billions of dollars they invest in electric and autonomous vehicle development. the big play here is not going to be the $80-a-year stuff for marginal features like remote start. Instead, it will be performance, range, and perhaps even safety upgrades to electric vehicles that make the actual car better at being a car. These were upgrades that were difficult or impossible to engineer with gas cars, but are relatively trivial for electric ones. The goal, from the automakers perspective, will be getting people to pay for the same thing multiple times as often as possible. This strategy is taking its cue from Tesla, which calls over-the-air upgrades an essential part of the Tesla ownership experience.'

The Bezzle: Elizabeth Holmes chose fraud over business failure, prosecutors say in Theranos closing arguments [NBC]. Bringing up documents on monitors in front of the jury box, [Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Schenk] reviewed how Holmes had affixed pharmaceutical company logos to Theranos lab reports to imply endorsement. The companies, Pfizer and Schering-Plough among them, had neither endorsed the results nor authorized the use of their logos, witnesses testified. Holmes also altered, enhanced or doctored the conclusions to make the reports appear even rosier, Schenk argued.. The defense argued that Holmes had acted in good faith and that the government had failed to prove that she acted with intent to deceive. And gives five reasons, one of which is:  Holmes had the companys technology validated by Johns Hopkins University, at the request of Walgreens, and was not afraid of outside review.  Its an ugly thought, but this may say more about Johns Hopkins than Holmes? Granted, I dont know the detail on this. Readers?

Manufacturing: Qantas switches domestic fleet to Airbus in blow to Boeing [Reuters]. For Boeing, the loss of the coveted Qantas contract is a further blow to its 737 MAX. It interrupts a strong run of sales since the jet was cleared for flight late last year following a safety ban and means a further loss of narrowbody market share to Airbus. Qantas has operated Boeing jets since 1959 and was once the worlds only airline with an all 747 fleet. The U.S. planemaker will now supply only its long-haul 787 Dreamliners.

Manufacturing: Boeing wants to build its next airplane in the metaverse' [Reuters]. In Boeing Cos (BA.N) factory of the future, immersive 3-D engineering designs will be twinned with robots that speak to each other, while mechanics around the world will be linked by $3,500 HoloLens headsets made by Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O). It is a snapshot of an ambitious new Boeing strategy to unify sprawling design, production and airline services operations under a single digital ecosystem  in as little as two years. Critics say Boeing has repeatedly made similar bold pledges on a digital revolution, with mixed results. But insiders say the overarching goals of improving quality and safety have taken on greater urgency and significance as the company tackles multiple threats. The planemaker is entering 2022 fighting to reassert its engineering dominance after the 737 MAX crisis, while laying the foundation for a future aircraft program over the next decade.  Give an MBA a VR headset, and this is what you get. Short them.

* * *

Todays Fear & Greed Index: 29 Fear (previous close: 31 Fear) [CNN]. One week ago: 32 (Fear). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Dec 17 at 11:37am. The dial is back! Perhaps writing CNN actually helped!

The Biosphere

Insurance Companies Are Profiting Big Off of Climate Change [Jacobin]. Without insurance, new coal fired power plants wouldnt get built. Without insurance, oil refineries wouldnt refine, said Douglas Heller, insurance expert at the research and advocacy group Consumer Federation of America. That doesnt mean that the insurance industry is solely responsible for fossil fuels. But its a part of the equation. The problem is not just that insurance companies offer coverage to fossil fuel projects, but they also use millions of peoples premiums to invest in  and provide capital to  the fossil fuel industrys expansion. State insurance commissioners have the power to expose and curtail these activities. But because the fossil fuel industry has pumped tens of millions of dollars into state politics, most states other than California have refused to do so. Meanwhile, the Republican stronghold of North Dakota  one of Americas largest producers of coal  is now exploring providing government-supported insurance to the fossil fuel industry. But now theres some good news: insurance regulators and legislators in New York and Connecticut, both of which are key states for the insurance industry, have taken steps to fight back  suggesting a new front could be emerging in the war on global polluters.

Air pollution from a Virginia landfill is making residents sick. Officials wont call it an emergency [Southerly]. Since January 2020, engineering firm SCS Engineers has been under contract with the city to monitor and report temperatures and other key data from the gas wells. Multiple times that year, starting in July, temperatures in several wells exceeded the maximum allowed limit. But in a violation notice obtained through a public records request, state environmental regulators said the city falsely reported having no excessive temperatures during 2020and it did nothing to expand the dumps gas collection system, a step the sites permit required for two of the violations. The gas wells that began overheating last year have since become the location of a chemical reaction thats continued heating the trashin one well, to temperatures close to 200 degreeswhile belching harmful gases and chemicals. Ernie Hoch, a consultant for Richmond-based firm Draper Aden who is leading the repairs, said that the issue is happening more than 100 feet under the surface, and its unclear how large it could be.  Yikes. Worth reading in full, especially if you live near a landfill. This landfill sounds exceptionally nasty, but all landfills are nasty.

Millipedes Have Been Living a Lie [The Atlantic]. Eumillipes persephone, discovered deep underground in Australia, is the first millipede ever identified with more than 1,000 legs. The count actually comes to a whopping 1,306, a number that absolutely demolishes the previous record holder (750 legs, you tried!) and wins E. persephone the title of most-legged animal on Earth. All hail!The creature, which looks like a pointy-headed spaghetti noodle wearing full-body cleats, is extraordinarily smallnot even four inchesand lives far from most other known millipedes, nearly 200 feet below the surface. That pointed head, Marek explained, is key for navigation at such depths. As they burrow and look for fungal spores to eat, the front of a millipedes body expands into crevices, stretching in width to provide an anchor, Marek says. The back portions then catch up in a sort of Slinky motion, coiling up until the animal decides to move forward once more. Somehow, they dont get tangled. The critters cant control each leg individually (imagine that traffic jam), but instead use a single nerve cord that travels the length of their body to coordinate the movement. Theyre slow and graceful, even at 1,306 legs strong. Some can even use their next-level limb control to jump, though most stick to burrowing and scuttling around in the dirt.  Neat! The article has a video of a millipede in motion. It looks rather like a high-speed train. (They have high speed trains in Europe and Asia, for our American readers.)

DNA in Air Can Catalog Hidden Insects All around Us [Scientific American]. A new poster, presented this week at the Ecology Across Borders conference, reports on a proof-of-concept effort to show how it works. While employed as a postdoctoral fellow at Lund University in Sweden, Fabian Roger collected airborne samples using a commercially available liquid cyclone contraption, which swirls air into a liquid-filled tube, thereby trapping DNA fragments previously borne in the air. He collected air samples at three locations in southern Sweden, where he also used traditional methods to survey insects for comparison The team found traces of DNA from 85 species, including butterflies, beetles, ants, flies and their close relatives. Several eDNA and air issues remain hazy, says Elizabeth Clare, a molecular ecologist at York University in Canada, who has worked on similar air-sampling studies. For one, its unclear how long an individual insects DNA persists in the air after it has flitted away. Are researchers sensing a recent visit or one made months ago? Studies have found intact DNA in permafrost up to 10,000 years after organisms perished. But in other conditions, such as exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, DNA may degrade quickly.

These astronauts will be able to unlock Mars secrets by looking at rocks on Earth [Euronews]. As part of the Pangaea project, organised by the European Space Agency (ESA), the astronaut candidates are getting basic training in geology and rock sampling  all to equip them with the scientific skills required for Mars and Lunar missions. The three-week programme takes them to the Dolomites in Italy, a mountain range in the northeast of the country, the 15-million-year-old Rise crater in Germany, and to the volcanic landscapes of the Canary islands. Likely we would land near, for example, a crater or perhaps a lava outflow channel, or if its on Mars, perhaps what we believe to be an ancient riverbed or lakebed where there potentially could have been flowing water in the past. There they learn how to use rock hammers and magnifying glasses, take samples without contaminating them and relay data back to scientists via specialised tablets.  It would seem more sensible to train a geologist to be an astronaut, rather an an astronaut to be a geologist. Can that be done?

Health Care

Not such a bad idea:

I'm suggesting that US literally gives tests to all Americans & do so WITH A STRATEGY No Insurance Reimbursements (this is public health, not medicine!) Have a plan (I suggested a useful and doable one above) and get the tests out. It will help curb spread 2/  Michael Mina (@michaelmina_lab) December 17, 2021

Strategy? Huh? We have a strategy. Its Vax Vax Vax. Whats wrong with you? And speaking of things we squandered a year not doing

Masks:

We wrote this a year ago the same holds true yet again. No excuses for being unprepared this time around @JoeBiden @WhiteHouse #BetterMasks https://t.co/fGA1zp3Iw2 pic.twitter.com/tuWhPY5atQ  Abraar Karan (@AbraarKaran) December 17, 2021

Your house (if you have one) is a chimney. A good visualization:

The air moving up a chimney works under the same set of physical principles as water flowing in a pipe. But air pressure is negative and chimneys are negative pressure systems: the hotter the fire, the biggest the draft https://t.co/21T6TTMtyq [gif: https://t.co/mBDEg5ziD9] pic.twitter.com/b5WRB8rIJB  Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) December 17, 2021

Think of all the virus going up the chimney. Thats what you want. The same effect, though not as powerful, can be achieved by opening an upstairs window or a vent on the roof. You can test the resulting draft with a candle or an incense stick. You might be surprised at how much draft there is.

Another take on Guateng:

Clear evidence that covid cases have peaked in #Gauteng province in South Africa suggests we dont fully understand epidemiology of this variant. The very rapid rise and then decline in cases suggests many possibilities, including that were missing a lot of subclinical infection pic.twitter.com/7FlOZ2p1Ga  Scott Gottlieb, MD (@ScottGottliebMD) December 17, 2021

I tend to think we dont know very much about anything. We dont understand the immune system, for example. (This is probably good, because if we could, viruses and other micro-organisms would, too, since they work at a scale we cannot.)

And on Omicron:

BREAKINGImperial College study finds #Omicron could be **just as severe** as the Delta strain, according to early findings from researchers at Imperial College London. All those who said its mild need to think about how many they have endangered.https://t.co/RI1U4rmlGr pic.twitter.com/RbKdXl0RUr  Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) December 17, 2021

Lead your life:

Friday morning train into NYC is absolutely packed pic.twitter.com/Nn7RaCBEsX  tae kim (@firstadopter) December 17, 2021

Class Warfare

The Death Toll Says It All [The Atlantic]. About 75 percent of COVID deaths in the U.S.600,000 lost liveshave been among people ages 65 and older.  I guess if you think Social Security can go bankrupt, this is a good thing. Everybody must do their part, after all.

News of the Wired

I remain unwired, so here is a Spring painting from one of the many artbots I follow (and I really recommend this practice as a mental palate cleanser):

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Contact information for plants: Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) find out how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal and (b) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant (petal):

Christmas-y!

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Readers, thank you for all the plant pictures!

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Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the recently concluded and  thank you!  successful annual NC fundraiser. So if you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldnt see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals:









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If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you!
How to see the Cold Moon, the longest full moon of the year, this Saturday Live Science

Scientists spot water ice under the Grand Canyon of Mars Space.com

Map of transparent butterflies highlights biodiversity hotspot in the Andes Mountains Phys.org

Climate

About half of U.S. oil pipeline space is empty after boom time building spree Reuters (Re Silc).

#COVID19

China?

Myanmar

Blinken says US to look at more Myanmar measures, plans Asean summit Malaysia Now

Syraqistan

UK/EU

Boris Johnson suffers crushing blow as Lib Dems win in North Shropshire FT. Detail on the constituency from the Daily Mail, six days ago. Now you will not swell the rout /

Of lads that wore their honours out

New Cold War

Biden Administration

Judge rejects Purdue Pharmas sweeping opioid settlement AP

Supply Chain

The history of the metal box thats wrecking the supply chain Vox. The headline is a textbook case of commodity fetishism. The box is a box. By itself, it just sits there. It cannot wreck anything. That said, this is an informative round-up, especially on the commercial relationships (i..e, the relations of production that are really doing the wrecking). Vox, too, mentionscorner fittings but omits lashing! November container volumes rise at Port of Oakland, drop at Los Angeles Hellenic Shipping News. Container throughput at the Port of Los Angeles fell in November as the port handled more smaller-than-average, unscheduled ships chartered to meet strong demand during the pre-holidays peak season.

LAffaire Joffrey Epstein

Our Famously Free Press

Bad journalists imitate. Great journalists steal: THREAD. I noticed something fascinating: many of the reporters concocting the new hysteria over "retail theft" are using the *exact same* words and patterns in each story. It's pretty wild. Let's take a look:  Alec Karakatsanis (@equalityAlec) December 12, 2021 (With apologies to T.S. Eliot.) Example after example.

Black Injustice Tipping Point

A Birmingham BarbershopWhere Men Spew Hate Comeback Town. Despite the editors woke headline, this is a personal history, well worth a read.

Imperial Collapse Watch

Class Warfare

25 Anti-Mimetic Tactics for Living a Counter-Cultural Life Epsilon Theory

Antidote du jour. Please give glaucus nais your condolences:

My cat, Mr. Kitty, passed suddenly this week. He was my best friend for 18 years and felt rather more like an extension of myself than a separate being. Perhaps some readers can relate to that sensation. In any case, here is a photo where he somehow looks like Pieter Bruegel The Elder to me:

Pieter Bruegel The Elder:

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Once in a very great while, the system works. Weve embedded a ruling by Judge Colleen McMahon of the Southern District of New York in favor of a group of plaintiffs, including the states of Connecticut and seven other states, opposing the Purdue Pharma settlement because it shielded the Sackler family, which had already stripped Purdue Pharma of most of its assets before putting it in bankruptcy. I strongly urge you to read the decision. The first few pages are clearly and forcefully written and set forth the logic of Judge McMahons decision.

A short background on the settlement and why it was open to challenge from Associated Press:

Such third-party releases are not used in most bankruptcy cases, but they are common in cases such as Purdues, in which the companies involved are burdened with lawsuits and have relatively little value  but their wealthy owners could contribute.

But the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustees office, eight state attorneys general and some other entities have been fighting the deal. They argue that it does not properly hold members of the Sackler family accountable and that it usurps states ability to try to do so.

In return, members of the wealthy family would get protection from lawsuits over their role in the opioid crisis  both the 860 already filed and any others in the future.

Sackler family members also would contribute $4.5 billion in cash and charitable assets as part of an overall deal that could be worth $10 billion, including the value of the new drugs, if theyre brought to market

Through the bankruptcy court, it worked out a deal with its creditors. Members of the Sackler family would give up ownership of the company, which would transform into a different kind of entity that would still sell opioids  but with profits being used to fight the crisis. It would also develop new anti-addiction and anti-overdose drugs and provide them at little or no cost.

We are quoting liberally from a post at Credit Slips by Georgetown law professor, bankruptcy expert, and sometimes comrade in arms Adam Levitin on why the settlement stank. I strongly urge you to read it in full; even the lengthy excepts represent only some bits of Levitins argument.

The short version, as Levitin called out in earlier posts, is that Purdue shamelessly judge-shopped; there was no bona fide basis for the case being heard in White Plains. I am hoisting nearly in total Levitins explanation of the poison pill in the Purdue settlement, something the press has skipped over and not unpacked in Judge McMahons overview of her decision. From Levitin:

Jonathan Lipson and Gerald Posner have an important op-edabout the Purdue bankruptcy in the NYT and how the DOJ settlement with Purdue is likely to benefit the Sacklers. Whats going on in Purdue is troubling, but not just for its own facts. Purdue illustrates a fundamental breakdown of the checks and balances in the corporate bankruptcy system.

The basic problem is that debtors can pick their judges in a system that precludes any meaningful appellate review. That lets debtors like Purdue push through incredibly inappropriate provisions if they can get a single non-Article III judge of their choice to sign off. This happening in as high-profile and important a case as Purdue should be an alarm bell that things have gone off the rails in large chapter 11 practice. Where Purdue goes, chapter 11 practice in other cases will surely follow.

Purdue is perhaps the most extreme illustration of the confluence of three trends in bankruptcy each of which is problematic on its own, but which in combination are corrosive to the fundamental legitimacy of the bankruptcy court system.

First, there is a problem of debtors attempting to push ever more aggressive and coercive restructuring plans.

Second, there is the lack of effective appellate review of many critical bankruptcy issues.

And third, there is the problem of forum shopping, particularly its newest incarnation, which is about shopping for individual judges, not just judicial districts.

Put together this means that debtor are picking their judge, knowing that certain judges will be more permissive of their aggressive restructuring maneuvers and that there will never be any meaningful appellate review of the judges, who are free to disregard even clear Supreme Court decisions. A single judge of the debtors choosing is effectively the only check on what the debtor can do in chapter 11. That is a broken legal system.

Problem 1: Coercive Restructurings

The idea of debtors attempting coercive restructuring plans is nothing new, and standing on its own is not a problem.As long as there is a meaningful judicial check on debtor (and creditor) overreach, the fact that some parties play hardball isnt itself a systemic problem.

Purdues Sub Rosa Plan and Poison Pill

Purdue, however, takes the coercive restructuring approach to a previous unseen level, namely by including a poison pill in a settlement that effectively precludes any restructuring other than the one envisioned by Purdue. The operation of the poison pill are complicated, and I am simplifying things a bit, but heres the basic idea. Purdue entered into a settlement with the Department of Justice for its civil liability (False Claims Act stuff, etc.):

The settlement fixed the amount of the DOJs previously disputed claim. Thats fine and normal.

The settlement also provided for the separate classification of the DOJ claim and the treatment of the DOJ claim (a super priority administrative expense claimwhatever that chimera is). To my mind thats intruding on plan territory, but its not enough to get my dander up.

The settlement also provides that Purdue will restructure itself into a public benefit corporation or the like, but that under no circumstance may DOJ be given the stock in this PBC entity. Again, getting more aggressivethe settlement is dictating what looks like a plan outcome and is not just dictating the treatment of DOJ, but also the treatment of other creditors (who must be separately classified and some of whom must get directly or indirect the residual interest in the PBC). In other words, the settlement functions as a sub rosa plan.

The settlement also provides that DOJ can walk away from the settlement at any time for any reason, including the failure to restructure as a PBC. That alone isnt a big deal.

But then theres the kicker: the settlement provides that if DOJ walks away, its claim will not go back to its prior disputed, unliquidated status, but will instead revert to its nominal massive amount of some $18 billionfar more than the value of Purdue. Whats more, that claim wont even really be a claim, but will be civil asset forfeiture rights. Thats super-duper priority, as civil asset forfeiture results in a forfeiture of title to assets to the US government upon the commission of the wrong-doing. (The assets subject to forfeiture arent really even part of the Purdue estate!) The effect of DOJ walking away from the settlement, then, would be that DOJ would get all of Purdues assets, which would go into the US Treasurys general fund, rather than being available for states and local governments and opioid victims, who could use the funds for opioid abatement.

Thats the poison pill provisionif DOJ isnt happy, it walks away and leaves no value for anyone else. That meant that if the settlement were approved, the only way Purdues other creditors could ever see a distribution would be if they played along with what DOJ and Purdue want. A sub rosa plan in a settlement is aggressive enough, but the additional poison pill was an incredibly coercive provision that I have never seen in a bankruptcy previously and which no court to my knowledge has ever previously blessed, much less in a case like this one. Purdues taking hardball to a new level.

To recap: Purdue proposed a sub rosa plan embedded in a pre-plan settlement, and that sub rosa plan is locked in through a poison pill. Its impossible (I think) to square this with the Supreme Courts recent ruling in Czyzewski v. Jevicthat there is no end-running plan protections. And all of this got decided through hurry-up motion practice, without notice to most of Purdues thousands of creditors.

So whats the big deal here? Doesnt everyone come out ahead if Purdue restructures as a PBC and money goes to opioid abatement rather than the US Treasurys general fund? Not quite.

First, restructuring Purdue as a PBC precludes other alternative restructurings, such as a sale followed by a liquidation.

Second, many of Purdues creditors do not want to owndirectly or indirectlya public benefit corporation. These are opioid victims. They do not want any continued association with an opioid manufacturer, which they see as a public burden corporation.

Thirdand this is the keythe poison pill gives Purdue the ability to settle its fraudulent transfer claims with the Sacklers for a relatively low value and for Purdue to confirm a plan with nondebtor releases for the Sacklers. That means that Sacklers would be able to avoid their civil liability to the states and individual opioid creditors for a relatively low cost and without having to have gone through bankruptcy themselves. The Sacklers will be able to walk away from Purdue keeping most of their allegedly ill-gotten gains without having had to open the disclosure kimono that bankruptcy requires.Not only does that mean that opioid victims might not get as much of the abatement funds as they should get because the full extent of the Sacklers assets and ability to pay might not be known, but it also means that we will never know the full story about what went on at Purdue, and that matters because this sort of mass tort bankruptcy is as much about dignitary interests as it is about money. Without the poison pill, creditors might well have voted against a plan that included releases for the Sacklers. With the poison pill, they are unlikely to vote against the plan.

While Purdue is proposing creating a document archive to be publicly available after the bankruptcy, there are real questions about what will be included in that archive, as DOJ will have to sign off on what is released, privileged documents cannot be included, and there may be questions of document ownershipand most importantly no one will know at the time of voting on a plan. If you are concerned about dignitary interests, this is a problem.

Its outrageous that the bankruptcy court would approve this sort of settlement provision outside of a plan (and there was no good reason that the court had to rule now; it could easily have waited and considered the settlement as part of plan confirmation). The bankruptcy court seems to think that the PBC structure contemplated is good for society. That really shouldnt be a judicial concern herecourts are supposed to be referees, not conductorsbut this sort of coercive plan provisionwhether in a settlement or a planshould be absolute off limits. This shouldnt have been a close call.
My position with Nashville Post has evolved since 2000 when I began work with the now-defunct The City Paper. TCP became a Post sister pub in 2008 (when I began some Post work) and folded in 2013. I have worked mainly with the Post since late 2011.

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(Natural News) Ben Armstrong of the New American told the Health Ranger Mike Adams during the Dec. 14 episode of the Health Ranger Report on Brighteon.TV that President Joe Bidens vaccine mandates precede the collapse of America.

Armstrong shared his thoughts about several states and cities rejecting the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine mandates. Adams noted that states like Texas, Florida and South Dakota have been rejecting these unconstitutional orders from Washington.

Ive been saying for a long time that chaos is coming to America, because the states that are conservative states are not going to easily be overthrown. This administration is pushing us toward communism because youve got a bunch of communists in the administration flat-out, lets say it. You have communists pushing to make America into a communist one world government, Armstrong said.

Theyre kowtowing to China who has the communist agenda. [But] you cant just overthrow the federal government, and [then] youve overthrown the country. Thats not how America was designed, thankfully, by our forefathers. So you are seeing a little bit of that chaos starting to build.

Armstrong added that the Biden administration is more of a regime that came into being after the 2020 elections were stolen.

Theyre going to use as much as they can to crack down on states, even when its unconstitutional  as we are seeing. They know its unconstitutional and they do it anyways, because theyre hoping [that] their agenda gets passed before the courts knock it down, he said.

They know that [the vaccine mandate] wont stand up in court, [but] they dont care. Theyre just trying to get as many people to take the jab as possible. (Related: Judge blocks Bidens oppressive vaccine mandate for federal contractors and subcontractors.)

Armstrong questions the need to vaccinate children

The writer for the New American denounced the COVID-19 vaccine.

Its not even a vaccine. It is experimental gene therapy that they are calling a vaccine. Theres a political agenda because theres no logic behind it, theres no science behind it. Something nefarious is going on, Armstrong said.

Why does anyone need to get [vaccinated] for COVID-19 when they all admit that it has mutated, and there are variants? They already said theres the [B16172] delta variant. What you are getting in these vaccines, what they would inject the military [with], is for the original COVID-19 [strain]  not the delta variant. [Theyre] basically saying we have to vaccinate  [and then] they tell you it doesnt even protect you from the variants, you can still get sick and you can still spread [COVID-19].

He also pointed out that children have a very low risk of dying from COVID-19. Children are not even susceptible to this; no healthy child gets hospitalized or dies from this. The only children that have died were [those] with severe pre-existing conditions [who] contract COVID, Armstrong said.

So many doctors have said  this is the science  [that] there is zero percent chance for children from age five to 11 to even die of COVID, let alone be hospitalized. The worst thing thats [going to] happen to them is they might get sick and have cold-like symptoms. Yet we have [other doctors] saying Lets have an experimental vaccine injected in them and see what happens. We know [the vaccine] causes heart conditions, blood clots and all sorts of problems.'

Adams agreed with his guest, saying: Just as you said, theres theres no medical justification for it. The child can only be harmed. Theres no chance that they will be helped by it, because they already have a near-zero risk anyway. Why would a society want to inject 28 million children in the United States with a biological weapon?

Leila Centner of the Florida-based Centner Academy also voiced out her opposition to vaccinating children against COVID-19. She told Lawfare host and attorney Tom Renz: These kids have a 99.9974 percent survival rate from [the SARS-CoV-2] virus. Why are we using our children as lab rats? We already know kids that have died from taking the COVID shot, in addition to all the speculation that the shots might be impairing future ability for our kids to have kids [of their own.]

In real terms, what this means is that kids are at zero statistical chance of [dying] from COVID  none, zero. They also have been shown not to be vectors of transmission,  Renz said in agreement. Isnt it amazing that were at a time now [that] these crooked scumbags can push [the vaccine] on kids, but when people take a stand for kids, they get picked on?

The lawyer was referring to Dr. Anthony Fauci and other health officials in the Biden administration pushing for children to get the COVID-19 vaccine. (Related: Tom Renz and Leila Centner talk about protecting kids from COVID  Brighteon.TV.)

Watch the full Dec. 14 episode of the Health Ranger Report below. Tune in to the Health Ranger Report with Mike Adams from Monday to Friday at 3-3:30 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

Collapse.news has more articles about the Biden administrations plan to destroy America through the vaccine mandates.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com 1

Brighteon.com 2
(Natural News) Republican lawmakers are calling out Disney for cowering to China by omitting a The Simpsons episode in Hong Kong.

The episode in question  episode 12 of season 16  refers to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, when China ordered its troops to open fire on protesters advocating for democratic reform, killing hundreds or thousands of people.

The episode titled Goo Goo Gai Pan featured the Simpsons visit to Tiananmen Square, where they see a joke placard that reads: On this site, in 1989, nothing happened.

The family also visits the embalmed body of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, referred to as a little angel that killed 50 million people by Simpson patriarch, Homer.

Further, the episode referenced the iconic Tank Man photo taken on the day of the massacre, which showed an unidentified protestor standing alone before a line of Chinese tanks during the government lockdown.

A December 10 letter addressed to Disney Chief Executive Bob Chapek accused the company of scrubbing history on behalf of the communist tyrants in Beijing.

The fact that Disney would delete a satirical cartoon episode that has the potential to expose the evils of the Chinese Communist Party is disgusting and worthy of condemnation, said South Carolina representative Jeff Duncan, who is the lead author of the letter.

Signed by 13 Republican members of Congress, the letter inquired about the reasons for omitting the episode and questioned the influence or control of China on Disneys content, as well as the companys stance regarding the massacre.

Duncan went on to call for a restoration of the episode for viewership in Hong Kong. He wrote: China wishes to wipe the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre of 1989 out of history, and it seems Disney is attempting to help achieve this goal. I strongly encourage Disney to reverse its course if it is complicit in any way with the Chinese government, and tell the Chinese Communist Party to Eat My Shorts.'

Disney decisions riddled with controversy

This controversy comes amidst escalating concerns about censorship in Hong Kong following Beijings draconian national security law, which was imposed in June 2020. The law significantly stifles freedom of speech and freedom of association in the city, giving the Chinese regime sweeping power to target individuals for any acts that they deem as secession, subversion, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces.

Duncan added that Disneys decision to bend to China erodes American principles. The kind of influence that China holds on U.S. companies should be exposed and reversed, he said. (Related; Old Simpsons episodes predict novel coronavirus outbreak.)

He also demanded consistency from the company, adding that Walt Disney animatedly fought against the rising tides of communism and fascism, and this action is a betrayal of the founding principles of Disney.

This isnt the first time that the company had been called out for aiding Beijings narrative. In 2020, the company came under fire for filming the movie Mulan in the far west Xinjiang region, where more than 1 million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities are being detained in internment camps as per United Nations estimates.

The movie also featured in its credits a special thanks to Chinese agencies that are accused of participating in human rights violations against Uighurs in the region, prompting calls for a boycott of the film.

Lawmakers also inquired whether or not China hinted at shutting down or slowing down operations at the Shanghai Disneyland resort during the review of The Simpsons content in Hong Kong.

A 2020 report by a New York-based non-profit group noted that studios investment in theme parks in China serves as a form of business pressure, given that the companies could stand to lose billions of dollars in revenue if China decides to punish them. Disney, for example, has a 47 percent stake in the Shanghai Disneyland Park, which opened in 2016 and cost over $5.5 billion to build, the report said.

Watch the video below about the Tiananmen Square massacre.

ThoughtPolice.news has more articles related to censorship.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

FoxBusiness.com
(Natural News) An investigation found that four agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had sex with prostitutes while assigned overseas. One of the four denied the allegation during a lie detector test.

The Department of Justices Office of the Inspector General (OIG) spearheaded the probe against the four agents, posting its findings Dec. 14 on its website. According to the findings, the agents solicited, engaged in and/or procured commercial sex with indications that they have failed to report unofficial contacts with foreign nationals.

The OIG report said the four FBI agents lacked candor about their interactions with prostitutes during compelled interviews and polygraph tests. One of the four even made false statements to OIG investigators, denying that he had sex with a prostitute during his assignment.

A fifth agent attempted to solicit sex with a prostitute, but failed to do so. He and his four colleagues were flagged by the OIG for failure to report their own misconduct and the misconduct of others in connection with the procurement of commercial sex. All five erring FBI agents were cited for their failure to report contact or relationships with foreign nationals  in this case, the prostitutes they had contact with.

Meanwhile, a sixth FBI official who knew about the alleged misconduct was also found to have broken FBI policies for failure to report suspected violations of the departments 2015 prohibition on soliciting commercial sex.

Aside from the sex-related violations, the OIG found that one of the FBI agents failed to disclose that he gave a foreign police officer a package containing approximately 100 white pills. The said official lacked candor when he failed to disclose involvement during a compelled interview. He denied observing or placing pills in a package for the foreign police officer.

The OIG said it has referred its report to the FBI for appropriate action. It added that out of the five agents involved  two resigned, two retired and one was removed while the investigation was still ongoing. The fate of the sixth agent remains unknown. (Related: The Only Way to Save the FBI is to Expose Everything.)

Not the first time FBI agents were caught with their pants down

The bureau said it appreciates the OIGs thorough investigation into the reported misconduct by several former employees. It reiterated that FBI agents assigned worldwide are essential assets to [the] nations security [and] the protection of the American people by means of effectively building critical relationships with our foreign partners.

We have already completed numerous measures during the OIGs investigation to ensure this type of behavior does not happen again. We will not tolerate these few individuals, who chose to disregard their oath and the public we serve, tarnishing the good work the rest of the FBI accomplishes each and every day. The majority of our personnel, wherever they are stationed, represent the FBI with the utmost honor and respect, the FBI said in a statement.

This latest FBI mess is reminiscent of a 2012 incident involving federal agents having contact with prostitutes in Colombia. According to a New York Post report in April that year, 11 Secret Service personnel  including three elite agents and two supervisors  were sent home and replaced with other members.

The recall followed allegations of the agents bringing prostitutes back to their hotel rooms. Two of the three elite agents were directly involved in a dispute with a local prostitute  alerting U.S. authorities to the misconduct.

They were sent to the Colombian city of Cartagena, ahead of former President Barack Obamas April 13 arrival to attend the 2012 Summit of the Americas. As a result of the scandal, the Secret Service agents were placed on administrative leave and their Top Secret security clearances were revoked.

In a message to FBI field offices, former Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan assured his staff that they will get through this. He added that the lapse of judgment [in Colombia] is not indicative of [the] organization. (Related: $47 Colombian whore exposes sexual perversion and runaway arrogance of U.S. government officials.)

Watch the video below talking about DOJ investigation into FBI misconduct.

FBICorruption.news has more about the bureaus misconduct.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

OIG.Justice.gov [PDF]

NYPost.com 1

NYPost.com 2
(Natural News) The Monsanto Company agreed to plead guilty to 30 environmental crimes related to the use of a pesticide on cornfields in Hawaii, court documents filed in the state earlier this month show.

Monsanto admitted in a plea agreement that it committed 30 misdemeanor crimes related to the use of a glufosinate ammonium-based product sold under the brand name Forfeit 280. Monsanto also pleaded guilty to two other charges related to the storage of a banned pesticide, which was the subject of a 2019 Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA).

After applying the product to corn fields in Oahu back in 2020, Monsanto forced workers to enter the fields during the six-day restricted-entry interval (REI) in violation of the law.

The plea agreement says that Monsanto will now have to serve three years of probation (how does a corporation serve probation?) as well as pay a total of $12 million in fines.

Monsanto will also need to participate in another three years worth of a comprehensive environmental compliance program that includes third-party auditors as part of its light punishment.

On 30 separate occasions, Monsanto allowed workers to enter fields that had just been sprayed with Forfeit 280, meaning within the restricted REI period.

Monsanto has also agreed to plead guilty to two felony charges filed in 2019 that the government reportedly would have dismissed had Monsanto simply complied with federal law.

Monsanto blames its workers, rather than itself, for violating the law

In conjunction with the DPA related to the two felony charges of illegal storage of acute hazardous waste, Monsanto also pleaded guilty in early 2020 to illegally spraying a banned pesticide (specifically methyl parathion, the active ingredient in Penncap-M) on research crops at a facility in Maui.

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Monsanto is a serial violator of federal environmental laws, said U.S. attorney Tracy L. Wilkison. The company repeatedly violated laws related to highly regulated chemicals, exposing people to pesticides that can cause serious health problems.

Scot Adair, the special agent in charge of the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) criminal enforcement program in Hawaii, noted that Monsanto failed to follow regulations governing the storage of hazardous wastes and the application of pesticides, putting people and the environment at risk.

Todays plea agreement shows that EPA will hold responsible those who violate laws designed to protect communities from exposure to hazardous chemicals, Adair added. Check out this report we published about Monsantos extensive history of crimes against humanity.

In the new case that was filed last week, Monsanto actually tried to blame its own workers for violating the law and entering the fields before the REI period had ended.

While the company did specify that this occurred due to a lack of oversight and supervision by Monsanto, the case filing suggests that workers broke the law by entering the fields 30 times to perform field-corn scouting within six days of spraying.

It turns out that the REI for Forfeit 280 was extended back in late 2016 from 12 hours to six days. This occurred as part of an industry-wide change for all products containing glufosinate ammonium as an ingredient.

Monsanto further admitted that it violated the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), which regulates the registration, sale, distribution and use of pesticides in violation of Forfeit 280s labeling.

It is a violation of Federal law to use Forfeit 280 in a manner inconsistent with its label, reads the label of Forfeit 280.

For committing these and other crimes, Monsanto has already paid $10.2 million in fines, including a $6 million criminal fine under the DPA, a $200,000 fine for the FIFRA offense and $4 million in community service payments to various Hawaiian government entities.

More related news can be found at Evil.news.

Sources include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) My estimate of the VAERS under-reporting factor (URF) at 41 was based on anaphylaxis rates reported in the Blumenthal paper published in JAMA.

(Article by Steve Kirsch republished from SteveKirsch.Substack.com)

I have argued that the anaphylaxis rate is an appropriate number to use to (under) estimate deaths because I believed that deaths would be less reported than anaphylaxis to VAERS for two reasons: 1) usually lacks the time proximity to vaccination, 2) the person seeing the death may not know the vaccination status of the victim and may not technically be required to report the death.

Some people have quibbled with that assumption, including my friend Professor John Ioannidis, who argued that there is no evidence that that is true and it could be the other way around. Its a fair point and I told John its only an estimate and Im happy to modify it when we have more data.

That day has arrived courtesy of Wayne at VAERS Analysis.

Wayne did a URF computation using death data in CMS. This overcomes any objections about the validity of using anaphylaxis rates as a proxy for death rates.

The VAERS URF he computed was 44.64.

This seems reasonable to me. Its really not far from the 41 I calculated.

Also, Wayne subsequently looked at the numbers for 9 states. The average value was 40, not far from the 41 I calculated from anaphylaxis.

I had two team members (Albert Benavides and Jessica Rose) double check his numbers. No mistake.

Now, lets see what that means.

As of Dec 14, 2021, there are 9,136 deaths reported into VAERS for domestic deaths (if you are using OpenVAERS, flip the switch at the top to see the US only deaths). If we subtract out more than twice the total number of deaths reported in any previous year (to be super conservative about estimating background deaths):

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So our new best estimate of the number of excess deaths caused by the vaccine is 388,000. Because there isnt a plausible mechanism of excess death other than the vaccine (certainly our always vigilant CDC has never suggested an alternate cause), the process of elimination leads us to conclude the obvious: that these excess deaths were, in fact, caused by the vaccine.

This should really be a surprise to anyone paying attention to the clinical trials.

For example, in the Pfizer trial, you were much more likely to die if you got the vaccine than if you got the placebo. They simply forgot to mention that in the abstract of the paper (and they were incapable of accurately counting the number of deaths in each group as well). In short, the vaccine is a killing machine.

As the clinical trial showed, it was more likely to kill you than to save you. America still refuses to actually acknowledge that fact.

388,000 dead Americans is simply stunning

Today, our best estimate of vaccine fatalities using the VAERS data is that the US Government is responsible for killing 388,000 formerly healthy Americans. For no reason or societal benefit. Under the guise of saving them.

And were not done yet. Those kids with myocarditis? Half of them could die in 5 years. We just dont know. Prion diseases we dont know. Autoimmune diseases we dont know. Reproductive issues unknown. Original antigenic sin? Possibly. You get the idea.

By contrast, the Vietnam War was a long, deadly struggle that took place from 1954 to 1975 between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The U.S. National Archives shows that 58,220 U.S. soldiers perished over the 21 years. Here, weve killed more than 6 times as many people in a fraction of the time just 11 months.

No one in mainstream media will dare talk about this. They wont even ask the question. Not a single reporter.

Nobody in Congress will discuss it either. I tried to bring this information to the attention of Congressional staff, but they have ignored my requests.

Of course the FDA and CDC have no comment other than they disagree with me. They wont say why. Wow. We have a discrepancy of 388,000 Americans dead and they wont even say why I got it wrong.

Im guessing that they cant say why because I used their numbers (they maintain VAERS and CMS) and their methodology and there were no math errors. So they have to go with the hand waving argument that we disagree since they cant go with facts, evidence, data, or methodology errors.

As for all the bogus arguments about VAERS and causality that are used by the so-called fact-checkers to attack my work, I thoroughly dismantle those in my 63-page article. That is why none of the people at the FDA or CDC are willing to talk on the record to me: because I know how to dismantle their bogus excuses for looking the other way. They wont talk to any of my associates either. They just dont want to hear it.

Read more at: SteveKirsch.Substack.com
(Natural News) Sen. Pauline Hanson of Queensland, Australia recently announced that she does not plan on getting the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

The leader of the One Nation Party spoke during a Business for Choice event on Dec. 9 at the Ipswich urban district in Queensland. Hanson told event participants that she had no intention of getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

Ill tell you honestly, I havent had the jab [and] I dont intend to have the jab. Im not putting that s**t in my body. Ive taken a stance and that is my choice, Hanson said as the audience applauded.

Im not an anti-vaxxer, but I am very careful [with] what Im putting into my body. Ive felt that Ive kept pretty good health all my life, and I intend to keep it that way.

The senator also criticized health authorities that she claims are making the decisions for her body.

I dont intend to listen to bureaucrats, politicians, the United Nations or the World Health Organization pushing their own agenda and taking away my freedoms, my rights [and] my choices. Thats why Im fighting this issue, and so should you.

A staunch critic of vaccine mandates, Hanson previously said that these measures encourage a pandemic of discrimination. To counter that, she introduced a bill in the Australian Senate in November 2021 seeking to block vaccine mandates. However, Hansons bill was rejected in a 44-5 vote.

Tasmania Sen. Jacqui Lambie denounced Hansons proposal and accused her party of thriving on discrimination and fear-mongering. This bill was supposed to be about fighting the discrimination of people who havent been vaccinated against COVID-19. The only people who need protection from discrimination are people who cant receive the [vaccine] for reasons outside of their control, she said.

Months earlier, Hanson and her chief of staff James Ashby joined truck drivers who protested against Queenslands vaccine mandates and lockdown measures. Truckers blocked the M1 Highway last Aug. 30 in protest of compulsory COVID-19 vaccination. The senator urged the truck drivers to move on by 7 a.m. on the same day.

More Aussie senators oppose COVID-19 vaccines, medical tyranny

Aside from Hanson, two other legislators in Australia have stood against COVID-19 vaccines and medical tyranny.

South Australia Sen. Alex Antic is one such lawmaker standing against vaccine mandates. He recently made headlines after officers from the South Australia Police escorted him to a quarantine hotel to isolate for two weeks. Antic claimed the move to forcibly isolate him was premeditated and a response to his opposition to medical tyranny.

Ive been a person who has been very, very vocal about mandates, vaccine passports, discrimination, government overreach and bureaucratic overreach. Now all of a sudden, I seem to have been singled out in what appears to be a political stunt. [The] only interference you can really draw from this is this has been quite premeditated, he told ABC Radio Adelaide.

Ive been very clear about my medical history and medical care is a matter for myself and my family. (Related: Aussie lawmaker opposing medical tyranny escorted to COVID quarantine hotel.)

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was surprised that Antic was quarantined as he initially believed the senator is fully vaccinated. It was certainly my understanding that hed been double vaccinated. I had discussed vaccinations and made it very clear that thats what I understood him to be, so I was surprised.

Senator Antic has made his choice and hes entitled to that choice, Morrison added.

Queensland Sen. Gerard Rennick also criticized vaccine mandates. He wrote a letter to Morrison back in October asking to scrap vaccine mandates and indemnities for vaccine-related injuries. Rennicks Oct. 29 letter to the prime minister also called for a fit and proper compensation scheme for vaccine injury victims.

Many victims have been unable to work and are facing economic [issues], as well as health issues, as a result of an adverse event from the [COVID-19] vaccine. Victims should not have to wait until next year to receive compensation and income support, Rennick wrote. No person in this country should be forced to lose their job because they dont want to take a COVID vaccine.

Rennick added that people who have suffered an adverse reaction after their first vaccine dose should be allowed to turn down the second. Not allowing them to do so was a completely inhumane scenario, he said. (Related: Australian senator speaks out about vaccine injuries, says forcing a second shot is inhumane.)

The Queensland senator also called for children to be exempted from all COVID-19 mandates and that domestic travel restrictions be lifted.

Below is a video of Hanson announcing her refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine during the Dec. 9 event.

Revolt.news has more articles about lawmakers pushing back against vaccine mandates.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

AU.News.Yahoo.com

SBS.com.au

ABC.net.au

TheGuardian.com
A history of Herd Immunity for Flu Pandemics

(Natural News) 1. The Spanish Flu H1N1 killed 50 million people and ran from Spring 1918 to Fall 1920, 2 winters. It was aggravated by the poor health of the soldiers and civilians caused by WW1.

2. The 1957 H2N2 Asian flu pandemic killed 1.1 million people. it reached herd immunity in April 1958 after taking off in China in March 1957. It took 13 months to reach herd immunity. The peak death rate in the UK was 600 per week in October 1957. No significant vaccination program occurred (Maurice Hilleman at Merck produced a small number vaccines)

3. The 1968 H3N2 Hong Kong flu pandemic killed between 1 and 4 million people and lasted from July 1968 to winter 1969/70. It took 18 months to reach herd immunity. It covered two winter flu seasons in the West. No significant vaccination program occurred (Maurice Hilleman at Merck produced a small number vaccines)

4. The Amish in Pennsylvania who refuse vaccines (and computers) were first infected with Covid19 Wuhan Alpha in March 2020. They appear to have reached herd immunity in March 2021, after 12 months.

https://sharylattkisson.com/2021/10/amish-covid-no-hospitalization-isolation-or-vaccines-herd-immunity/

https://nypost.com/2021/03/28/amish-group-could-reach-covid-herd-immunity-health-official/

https://www.infowars.com/posts/covid-for-amish-herd-immunity-achieved-with-no-hospitalizations-isolation-or-vaccines/

There has never been a flu pandemic that lasted beyond 2 winters.

By a concerned reader

(Article republished from DailyExpose.uk)

Herd immunity has always kicked in by then. We are now in the 2nd winter of the Covid19 pandemic. But no expert is predicting that the pandemic will end by the spring. Something different, something abnormal has therefore occurred this time around. Something abnormal has prevented Herd Immunity from being reached. That something is genetic vaccination. A gene therapy sold as a vaccination.

But rather than hastening our journey towards Herd Immunity. It has delayed that journey. Indeed the only groups who have reached herd immunity are the Amish who do not take vaccines, and countries such as India who did not initially take vaccines but instead chose therapeutics such as Ivermectin. Here is the latest comparison between the UK (most vaccinated), the US (less vaccinated) and India (least vaccinated)

Could there be a clearer scientific demonstration from real world data the vaccines prevent Herd Immunity from being reached?

So let us now declare the truth and set ourselves free from the Covid19 lies of Big Pharma.

FACT CHECK: Genetic vaccinations prevent us reaching herd immunity.

FACT CHECK: Genetic vaccinations cannot possibly wane in efficiency after 2 or 3 months because vaccinations train your immune system to recognise an antigen and to raise its alert level to simulate a systemic infection for the first 14 days after injection, and then their job is completed. Indeed that is why the stats for vaccinated people are counted from 14 days after vaccination and why at risk people are advised to self isolate for 14 days after vaccination. After 14 days there is nothing more for the vaccine to do. It cannot therefore wane in later months. This is absolutely known by everyone in Immunology. The waning in efficiency occurs in your immune system, not in the vaccines. That is how they prevent us reaching herd immunity.

FACT CHECK: The reduction in efficacy of your immune system not only prevents vaccinated people reaching herd immunity it also gives them a form of AIDS, Lets call it VAIDS: Vaccine Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

FACT CHECK: Genetic vaccines, by reducing the efficacy of your immune system, make you more likely to catch and to transmit covid19 not less. You are safer in a restaurant full of unvaccinated people than you are eating with the vaccinated.

FACT CHECK: Vaccine Passports are a fraud. The bearers of them have vaccine damaged immune systems and are therefore more likely to infect you than the unvaxxed who have have normal immune systems but no passport.

Genetic vaccines do not wane in efficiency. They cause your immune system to wane in efficiency.

Here is Dr Richard Flemmings recent characterisation of the damage being done to our immune systems by genetic vaccines

Not only do these vaccines not work if you look at the Emergency Use Authorisations. But the data clearly shows that they are suppressing our immune system. They are suppressing our production of interferon. They are depressing our production of key helper T cells. When people are given Moderna and Pfizer vaccines and then given an influenza vaccine they are not mounting an influenza immune response. It is blunted.

We know that the T cells, the critical cells in the inate system go down after the first Pfizer vaccine shot. We know that natural immunity, person to person immunity, is long lasting provides memory cells up front, it provides not only IgM (Immunoglobulin Mu antibodies) and IgG (Immunoglobulin Gamma antibodies) but it provides the critical IgA antibody for our lungs and our Gastro Intestinal tract. We know that if youve been exposed to inlfuenza or cytomegalovirus you probably already have some natural immunity. And what we now know most recently is that I have told people these vaccines only picked out the spike protein of the SARS CoV Wuhan HU1 variant (Wuhan alpha) and so the further away we have gotten from that the more we have put a pressure selection on the delta variant and the mu and the lambda variants but here is the thing

What we now know is that the greatest natural immunity to this virus comes off the nucleocapsid component of it (not the spike protein) which you can only get if you get it from person to person (transmission), that data just recently came out. So they are not even vaccinating for the right bloody part of the virus to begin with and like Ive said before we have always done vaccines where we have taken all the variants with all the parts and injected that into you so your body and make an immune response to all the variants and all the parts. So that it bloody well works. This is the most  this is Jurassic park literally. They were given the tools by people that they stood on the shoulders of. Some of it was work that I did that they literally stole out of the work I was doing in the early 1990s on inflammation where they used that Shi Zeng lee used that to help formulate how she was gonna put that glycoprotein 120 there  Dr. Richard Flemming in Brighteon Conversations.  www.lordswitnesses.net/downloads/Flemming1.mp4

Dr. Flemming is pointing out that a vaccine against the spike protein (12% of the proteins in the virus) of one obsolete variant of a flu  is almost completely pointless. What is needed is a vaccine against all the proteins of all the variants of Covid. That is how the annual flu vaccines actually work. Although each year they are out of date before they are administered, being designed against the previous years variants  which is why they are not fully effective. The trouble is that the flu mutates more quickly than we can design new vaccines and get approval for them.

The Pfizer and Moderna shots are pathetic attempts at a vaccine. But they are really good attempts at persistent gene therapy which ensure that the immune system diverts massive amounts of resources to fight a civil war against their continuous spike production. A genetic booster shot containing the genes to produce the Wuhan alpha spike protein is the wrong type of vaccine designed against the wrong component of the wrong variant of the virus. Nobody is suffering from Wuhan alpha anymore. Nobody should be taking that shot today.

Humetrix AI DOD study of 5.6m Medicare recipients over 65 shows that breakthrough infection rates 5-6 months after vaccination are twice as high as they were 3-4 months after vaccination

The graph above is displaying the progressive destruction of the immune systems of the vaccinated. People with recent vaccinations were the most resistant to Delta. People with older vaccinations were less resistant. In fact we can see their immune systems getting weaker and weaker week by week. It is that progressive weakness that is preventing the vaccinated from reaching herd immunity. They are immuno compromised. They have VAIDS  www.lordswitnesses.net/downloads/Humetrix1.pdf

The Herd Immunity Equation

(100-Individual Immunity%) x R0 < 100 for the end of a Pandemic and for reaching Herd Immunity.

R0 for Wuhan Alpha was said to be around 3-4. So we need 67%-75% individual immunity for the end of that pandemic

R0 for the Indian Delta is now said to be around 5. So we need 80% individual immunity for the end of that pandemic

R0 for Omicron will be around 10-20 (because it is overtaking Delta at least twice as quickly as Delta replaced Wuhan Alpha and Beta). So we need 90-95% individual immunity to end the Omicron Pandemic

Omicron is much more infectious than Delta which was considerably more infectious than Alpha and Beta.

Even if we had 100% vaccination rates, the vaccines were 95% effective against Wuhan alpha 14 days after vaccination. But Pfizer was only 39% effective against Delta in July in Israel  https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/23/delta-variant-pfizer-covid-vaccine-39percent-effective-in-israel-prevents-severe-illness.html.

And a recent South African study found Pfizer to be 23% effective against Omicron  https://www.infowars.com/posts/pfizer-jab-is-only-23-effective-against-omicron-south-african-study-finds/ Although these numbers are meaningless because the effectiveness reduces at around 5% per week from around 6 weeks after the shot all the way to minus 100% (total immune failure). So one is basically measuring how old the shot is as much as anything else.

In fact the vaccines drop to zero efficacy around 5 months after vaccination and then go negative. So they have absolutely no chance whatsoever of stopping an Omicron Pandemic which requires 100% vaccination and 90-95% effectiveness!

The Wuhan alpha spike protein boosters will not be anywhere near 90-95% effective against Omicron, even at peak effectiveness 14 days after vaccination. They are the wrong calibre weapon for Omicron. The only chance we have is natural immunity. Without doubt we should be focussing on therapeutics not vaccines. Taking a Wuhan Alpha booster against Omicron is completely pointless unless you buy into the non sequitur that a vaccine which does not reduce viral load can lessen the severity of a viral infection. But PHS data shows that doubly vaccinated Delta cases are 5x more likely to die than unvaccinated Delta cases  https://dailyexpose.uk/2021/12/01/authorities-are-manipulating-death-rate-figures/

Omicron is plainly man made

The Delta variant is doing fine. There are, at the time of writing, over 800,000 delta infections in the UK. Covid has absolutely no need to perform 32 further mutations in order to stay relevant. It was doing fine without any mutations beyond Delta. There was almost no variant pressure on Delta. So why are we seeing a new variant (Omicron) with 32 mutations all of a sudden? It took 11 years for the Asian flu H2N2 to mutate into the Hong Kong flu H3N2. And that mutation was absolutely necessary for the flu to become relevant again. So under the most extreme pressure, nature took 11 years to produce a variant. But here, today, under almost no pressure, we get a variant with 32 mutations?

This variant has appeared at the perfect time to ruin Christmas in the West and thereby maintain the power of government psyops. And it provides the perfect platform for a 4th booster shot designed against Omicron rather than against Wuhan Alpha. How convenient for the business model of Pfizer and Moderna. Booster uptake was a bit slow was it? This is all feeling very much like the PC virus and antivirus business model. In that case ALL the viruses are man made. Every single one of them. Didnt Bill Gates formulate the Global Vaccine Action Plan in 2010 with Tony Fauci?

2010: The World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have announced a collaboration to increase coordination across the international vaccine community and create a Global Vaccine Action Plan. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-center/press-releases/2010/12/global-health-leaders-launch-decade-of-vaccines-collaboration.

The Leadership Council is comprised of:

Dr. Margaret Chan, Director General of WHO;

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, Director of NIAID, part of the National Institutes of Health;

Mr. Anthony Lake, Executive Director for UNICEF;

Ms. Joy Phumaphi, Chair of the International Advisory Committee and Executive Secretary, African Leaders Malaria Alliance

Dr. Tachi Yamada, President of Global Health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

How long will it be before we all need security updates to our immune systems as often as PCs need security updates to Windows?

Here is how to end the Covid19 pandemic

1. Terminate all genetic vaccinations immediately

2. Terminate all gain of function research immediately and lock up anybody involved in it  past, present and future.

3. Wait for 12 months..

The Pandemic will not end until all genetic vaccination and all gain of function research ends.

We must stop pretending that the vaccines are the fix, when the science is screaming to us that they are the problem.

But it is not only science that is screaming at us. For God himself has a word or two to say on the subject

1. A corona virus of spike proteins is a crown of thorns. That was the last abuse meted out to the Messiah before he was crucified wearing that crown.

2. COVID19 = 100+0+5+1+500+1+9 = 616, the number of the beast of Revelation13 in the oldest biblical manuscript P115 and in the Ephraemi Rescriptus Codex. Global vaccine passports will be the Mark of the Beast.

3. 6 And the 7 angels came out of the temple, having the 7 plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.

7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the 7 angels 7 golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the 7 plagues of the 7 angels were fulfilled. (Revelation 15 KJV)

1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the 7 angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. (Revelation 16 KJV)

There is no more golden a vial than the mRNA vaccine vial, the most lucrative pharmaceutical ever created

There will be 7 shots of the covid vaccines before the kingdom of God is installed over mankind at the end of the world. These shots are the final expression of the anger of the demons at losing their rulership over mankind to Jesus and to his father Jehovah.

There are also 7 vials of the anger of God, the last 7 of the 10 greater plagues of Egypt upon all the false Gods of this system of things: Money, Status, Celebrity, Corrupted Science, Corrupted Technology, Wokery etc. These are not the vaccine vials.

The divine and the satanic threads are both represented by the same set of words. That is the classic knot that we have to untie to understand the account.

Israeli health ministry advisory committee member and Deputy chief of Israels biggest hospital Prof Arnon Afek on December 6.  https://twitter.com/DrEliDavid/status/1467787328294993924

4. 14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou [art] cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3 KJV)

The vaccines are the snake bite in the battle of the seeds a fang for a jab. When you see the vaccinated persecuting the unvaccinated you are seeing the seed of the serpent persecuting the seed of the woman, which seed is the sons of the Kingdom. For the gene therapy vaccines alter ones genes to make one the seed of the serpent, which is the seed of Cain, the son of the serpent. For Cain means spike or spear in Hebrew. Whereas the unvaxxed are still adamic and so are the seed of the woman, who was from Adams rib, not from the serpent. But fear not ye vaccinated ones for we are saved not by our genes but by our actions, by our love and by our faith. Being vaccinated, being Cainian rather than adamic, being Spikian in your genes, just makes it easier for Satan to test you .It does NOT deny you salvation.

Heres how you pass the test that is about to come upon mankind

1. Take no more vaccines.

2. Reject the vaccine passport. It is the Mark of the Beast.

3. Do not discriminate, persecute, segregate or abuse unvaccinated people. Rather love them and demonstrate your humanity towards them. Do not support governments or corporations or clubs or families or people when they discriminate against the unvaxxed. For the unvaxxed are the true uncorrupted seed (genetically at the least).

When you see them sick and in prison and hungering and thirsting and naked and displaced  look after them, love them and Jesus will repay you for that love with citizenship in the Kingdom of God. For that is the test of the sheep and the goats of Matthew25 and the hour of the test of Revelation3. For the unvaxxed, being the true seed, are Jesus brothers. And the serpent is the corrupter of the true seed with gene therapy vaccines.

Read more at: DailyExpose.uk
(Natural News) Former Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) officer Eric Moutsos shared the oppression he faced for refusing to conform during the Dec. 14 episode of The Sheriff Mack Show with Sam Bushman on Brighteon.TV. Bushman filled in for regular host Sheriff Richard Mack.

Moutsos first made the headlines for his refusal to participate in the 2014 Utah Pride Parade. According to a report by Deseret News, the SLCPD motorcycle unit he was part of was asked to join the parade and perform choreographed maneuvers on motorcycles.

He declined, citing personal beliefs that made it uncomfortable for him to do so.

Moutsos clarified that he had no problem performing his law enforcement duties at the parade, having provided security for same-sex couples to be married. I felt that by being an actual participant in the parade, I would be perceived to be supporting certain messages that were contrary to who I am. I will protect their parade, but I just dont want to be in it.

To this end, the police officer sent an internal email asking to exchange assignments with another officer  but his request was denied.

Two days later, Moutsos was called into the office of one of the police commanders and placed on administrative leave. His colleagues took away his badge and gun for discrimination. His sergeant then drove him home and took all his police equipment. Moutsos resigned from SLCPD a short time later.

They were going to investigate me for bigotry. The good news is that the state auditor came in, audited all of that stuff and slapped them on the wrist for discrimination, Moutsos recounted.

Prior to joining the department, Moutsos mother advised him against it. She warned me: Do not work for SLCPD out of all of them. I didnt listen to my mom  but I quickly found, once I got hired, that it was all political.

Moutsos: Colleagues agreed with me, but no one stood up

Moutsos was basically untouchable during his time at the SLCPD  being the No. 1 guy in pretty much everything. However, his punishment at the hands of the department came as a stark contrast to his prior stellar record.

The police department stood on the steps, the public relations people stood on the steps and said We do not tolerate bigotry, bias or hatred within the organization,' he said. I told them that I love all people, I explained to them [that] I love everybody, because theres nobody in this world that I hate. Even if I hate their policies and politics, I dont hate anyone.

The former police officer lamented that none of his colleagues supported him during his ordeal despite agreeing with his sentiments. Not even the ones that agreed with me, not even my sergeant, not even my deputy chief who took my badge. It was really disheartening when I saw all of the other guys just bow down to this, Moutsos said.

One of the reasons why were in such a mess is because nobody is standing up and saying what needs to be said. This is why were losing it so quickly.

According to Moutsos, the mayor of incredibly liberal Salt Lake City makes a lot of the decisions for the police department. It could have been the mayor who told the police chief what to do, or the police chief could have gone rogue and wanted to look even cooler for his next positions.

Bushman remarked: Everybody agrees with you but somehow, somewhere, this agenda is being forced  and I use that word on purpose. He then put forward that someone higher was responsible for the mandate for the police to join the Pride Parade.

The former Salt Lake City policeman agreed, saying: There is a very, very powerful, small minority that runs this show. Its all done through force, fear, coercion, manipulation. Theres no other word [for it] than evil. The ones that are running the show [and] are using the people in the LGBTQ community, minorities and others  these people are the racists and homophobes. Theyre the ones using these people for their agenda. (Related: Dr. Scott Lively talks about the LGBT mafias oppression of Christians  Brighteon.TV.)

Im not saying all the people in the LGBT community are evil. Thats not what Im saying. Most of the people in these communities, theyre just being manipulated and used, and theyre good people. (Related: Christian Chaplain reported to anti-terrorism programme for sermon on LGBT ideology.)

Moutsos concluded: If you dont have the freedom to refuse [joining] a gay parade, you dont have freedom.

Watch the full Dec. 14 episode of The Sheriff Mack Show with Sam Bushman and Eric Moutsos at the video below. The Sheriff Mack Show airs every Tuesday at 10-11 a.m. on Brighteon.TV.

Resist.news has more about people standing up and refusing to conform.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

Deseret.com
(Natural News) A Virginia hospital has yielded to a court order and allowed ivermectin to be given to a patient infected with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). The medical facility permitted the use of the anti-parasitic drug after a judge threatened fines of $10,000 per day.

The move was a victory for the family of Kathy Davies, who has been receiving COVID-19 treatment for several months at Fauquier Health in Warrenton, Virginia. Her husband and son launched a legal battle against the hospital earlier in December 2021 to allow the use of ivermectin on her.

Davies family decided to take action after the hospitals standard protocols  which included placing her on a ventilator  did not improve her condition. An anonymous friend of the family said Fauquier Health had also been giving her remdesivir, which is said to increase the risk of causing the liver and kidneys to fail.

The Davies family explored the possibility of ivermectin following the initial recommendation of family physician Dr. Martha Maturi. However, Fauquier Health rejected the proposal  leading to Davies relatives taking legal action. A back-and-forth legal battle between the hospital and the family led to an initial Dec. 9 court ruling that ordered the use of ivermectin, which the hospital refused to obey.

A later judgment on Dec. 13 from Circuit Court Judge James P. Fisher found that Fauquier Health was in contempt of court for refusing to allow ivermectin for Davies. According to the Daily Wire, the judge gave the hospital three choices: comply, appeal the court order or face the $10,000 per day fine. The fines would be retroactively imposed beginning Dec. 9.

Fauquier Health finally complied with the court order on Dec. 13, permitting Maturi to administer ivermectin to Davies after 41 days on a ventilator. She received her first dose on the same day and is set to continue treatment using the drug.

Kathy just started on her ivermectin last night, and thats by the power of prayer, the family friend told LifeSiteNews in a Dec. 14 phone interview. (Related: UPDATE: Husband & father dies after being denied ivermectin by hospital.)

Hospital didnt bother to look into ivermectin

In his Dec. 13 ruling, Fisher argued that Fauquier Health had inadequate reasons to block the ivermectin treatment. He also pointed out that the hospital did not bother to conduct an analysis of the merits of ivermectin as a treatment protocol. Thus, Fisher concluded that the hospital would need to make all reasonable effort to facilitate the treatment Davies family seeks.

In a Dec. 15 statement, Fauquier Health said Maturi did not have privileges to practice at the hospital. It added that they could not allow her a physician who is not a staff member to administer medication as it would violate standard practice and Virginia law.

We believe that we have navigated these complexities as swiftly as possible and have remained in compliance with standard hospital practice, including federal and state regulations, throughout this matter. In fact, we proactively took steps above and beyond the familys requests, the suggestions of their legal counsel, and the courts order to make the desired accommodations, the hospital said.

Dr. Pierre Kory, president of the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance, commented on the ruling by Fisher. He tweeted: Now, its their turn to pay instead of the patient. One hospital will owe $50,000 if ivermectin [is] not given by 9 p.m. Gee, I wonder what theyll do? (Related: FLCCC Alliance implores CDC, FDA to review research on Ivermectin as COVID-19 treatment.)

Kory subsequently tweeted: [I] just heard the hospital [administrators] were freaking out trying to get [a registered nurse] to give ivermectin by 9 p.m. Nothing like $50,000 and a PR nightmare facing you, versus just another COVID patient dying from a care standard set by profits and supported by the craven, or ignorant complicity of most medical doctors.

The friend of the Davies family told LifeSiteNews that the victory against Fauquier Health will help other families in similar situations who wish to try ivermectin or other therapeutic drugs to treat COVID-19.

People are just going to the hospital and theyre just [getting] the same protocol that everyones going through, she said.

Watch this video of Dr. Pierre Kory testifying about the use of ivermectin against COVID-19 from December 2020.

Pandemic.news has more about the use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

DailyWire.com

Twitter.com 1

Twitter.com 2

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Media ecologist James Martinez confirmed the sexual exploitation of children by at least 10 employees and contractors of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as reported by Buzzfeed News recently.

Thats totally 100 percent true, said Martinez, who hid his visual identity while answering questions from Mike Adams during the Dec. 9 episode of the Health Ranger Report on Brighteon.TV.

The DOJ [Department of Justice] covered up the pedophiles in the CIA , so that thats been breaking big over the last couple of days where theres all this child porn on the computers of the CIA operatives, on government computers, they were all busted, they were caught trying to meet children for encounters or for trafficking, or what have you. And the government just pulled the card, like you just said national security, said Adams, noting that Buzzfeed News did a deep dive into the coverup of pedophiles in the CIA. (Related: CIA pedos walk free after DOJ refuses to prosecute: FOIA.)

Americas secret service agency has believable information about the child sexual exploitation by employees and contractors in the past 14 years. Only one personnel was indicted while the others were subjected to a probe.

Three lawsuits filed under the Freedom of Information Act and 13 public records requested were accessed to get the information. Buzzfeed News found that the CIA wanted to handle the cases internally to ensure that the child sexual offenders would get away with job loss or security clearance. The CIAs handling of the cases was also way different from other U.S. federal agencies.

According to sources, the CIA protects its employees to prevent loss of control over delicate information. Detailed cases of sexual abuse were submitted to the agencys Office of the Inspector General.

A case confirmed that an employee was found guilty of making sexual contact with a six-year-old child and a two-year-old toddler. Another case affirmed that a CIA official bought three explicit videos of young girls that were shot by their mothers while an employee was found to have viewed over 1,400 child sexual abuse images while on duty.

Mind control operations by covert government bureaus

Martinez, who is a radio communications and behavior modification pioneer, also gave insights on the mind control operations done by covert government bureaus.

Some of them are afraid that their patients will kill them. Because the way they set this up, theyve got booby traps inside the behavioral software they installed when theyre in a program, which is the perfection of behavior modification started in World War Two. And we knew all about this at the beginning, said Martinez, a pioneer in the fields of disruptive technologies and effects on culture and human awareness.

When asked how behavioral software is installed on people, Martinez explained: We covered in the book how the cult network and the CIA is very interested in cults because theyre interested in behavior, cohesion, and how groups stay together and how thats maintained for group control for political purposes. 

And its a great way to test out various drugs, hypnosis, and so forth, which had been going on and cults all over the United States, including the satanist and all the things that people are hearing about that have been going on for a long, long time.

This is whats happening you got to get in and access that original host that is in charge of that personality to even go anywhere near any of that stuff. Its as if theyve set up booby traps so that when psychologists and shrinks go in and try to access all these, they have to find out who they are, what relationship they have to each other, whos that, whos in charge.

Martinez added that omicron is a trigger word that was put in young children, middle aged adults and programmers.

Adams took note of omicron as a trigger word and pointed out that it might be a part of Operation Mind Control that causes people to take over a school bus and ram cars or commit mass shooting.

We saw a guy with a shotgun under his chin in front of the UN [United Nations] building in New York City. We saw this mass shooting in this mission, I think it was a Michigan school or this 15-year-old kid shot up a bunch of people. Is this a sign that omicron is a trigger? Adams said.

Martinez told Adams that the New World Order, as a language pattern, was inserted in people in the early 90s. Theyre inserting this language to essentially create an underslaved class of robotic workers that will carry out their dirty deeds, Martinez said.

Watch the full Dec. 9 episode of Health Ranger Report with James Martinez on Brighteon.TV.



Catch Health Ranger Report from Monday to Friday at 3-3:30 p.m. on Brighteon. TV.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

ZeroHedge.com
(Natural News) Japans Ministry of Health is taking a different, more sensible approach to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines by labeling them with a warning about their adverse effects like myocarditis. They also reaffirmed their commitment to adverse event reporting to document possible side effects of getting the jab.

The ministry stated: Although we encourage all citizens to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, it is not compulsory or mandatory. Vaccination will be given only with the consent of the person to be vaccinated after the information provided.

Although it encourages vaccination, the ministry emphasized the necessity of getting vaccinated by will, with the understanding of both the effectiveness in preventing infectious diseases and the risk of side effects. They also noted that no vaccination will be given without consent.

The ministry also stated that nobody should be forced in the workplace to be vaccinated and that it will stand against the discrimination of those who havent received the vaccine. The ministry added a link to a Human Rights Advice page that has instructions for handling complaints if individuals face vaccine discrimination at work.

Other nations should follow Japans lead

This balanced and ethical approach has been lauded by many, noting that other nations should follow Japans lead. The policy in itself appropriately places the responsibility of healthcare decisions with the individual or family, in contrast to the vaccine mandate approach adopted in many other countries, especially in Western nations. (Related: Japan puts warning labels on COVID vaccines in a move radically different from the rest of the world.)

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The United States, for instance, has turned into a case of medical coercion. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) makes vaccine recommendations in the U.S., but the ethically important distinction between a recommendation and a mandate immediately collapsed when institutions and the government required the people to be vaccinated based on the CDC recommendation. The CDC then denies responsibility, saying that it doesnt make the policies, just the recommendations.

Meanwhile, vaccine manufacturers are immune and indemnified from all harm under federal law. There is no use going against them if their product harms individuals who are not free to decide whether or not not take the vaccine in the first place.

Japans policies avoid most of these problems simply by placing responsibility for the decision on the individuals receiving the vaccines, or the parent, in case of a child who is not old enough to give consent.

Japan leads countries in COVID shot administration without mandates

While the Asian nation historically had an issue with vaccine hesitancy, it now has the highest inoculation rate among the G-7 group of major advanced economies, despite rolling out vaccines months after the U.S.  and it did so without imposing draconian mandates on its citizens.

As of November 14, Japan already fully inoculated 75.5 percent of its 126 million people and has pushed ahead of Canada, which previously had the highest vaccination rate among the G-7 group with 75.3 percent of its population fully vaccinated.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno thanked the local governments, medical professionals and other people concerned for their efforts in making up for the lost time. Japan has done relatively little nationwide to push for shots and ultimately let people make up their own minds.

Japans constitution enshrines civil liberties. For practical purposes, it didnt deploy lockdowns or mask rules as part of its pandemic approach. Even if your company asks you to get vaccinated, you can choose not to if you do not want to, the ministry said.

Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University, noted that there is strong peer pressure in Japan, but ultimately the vaccine wasnt politicized in the country  unlike in the United States.

Watch the video below to know more about how Japans government respects its citizens freedom of choice.

Read more articles related to the coronavirus pandemic at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

Bloomberg.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) The Australian government made a deal with U.S. pharmaceutical company Moderna to build a new facility in the state of Victoria that can produce 100 million mRNA vaccine doses per year to keep inoculating its citizens every six months to a year for the foreseeable future.

The government announced the deal on Dec. 14 as part of its strategy to maintain the countrys sovereign capability, especially amidst the global supply chain issues, and for Australia to become a key vaccine supply hub in the region. The second closest vaccine manufacturing facility of this scale is located in Singapore.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: The new mRNA manufacturing facility in Victoria will produce respiratory vaccines for potential future pandemics and seasonal health issues such as the common flu, protecting lives and livelihoods.

The facility is expected to be ready by 2024 and is expected to produce 25 million vaccines per year, with the capacity to scale up the number to 100 million. The arrival of the facility on Australian shores is also expected to create a thousand new jobs: 500 during construction and another 500 ongoing roles as long as the government deems the COVID vaccinations necessary. (Related: Australia says covid shots will be FOREVER every 6 to 12 months until you die.)

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said that the facility is especially important to the countrys research and development landscape, adding that this investment will mean world-leading clinical trials, a strong workforce and numerous opportunities through supply chain activities that could move Australias economy forward.

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The amount invested into the COVID-19 vaccines has allowed pharmaceutical firms like Moderna and Pfizer to accelerate the development of new vaccine platforms such as mRNA technology. Researchers at Melbourne Monash University are also hoping to fine-tune the first mRNA vaccine by 2022.

COVID-19 vaccines rushed by Big Pharma companies

Nikolai Petrovsky, director of endocrinology at Flinders Medical Center, said that mRNA and viral vector technologies have been rushed, which may have contributed to adverse reactions issues. I think there was early leadership by the University of Oxford [AstraZeneca] with the adenovirus viral vector being put into human trials very quickly, you saw that similarly with Moderna and its mRNA approach, he said.

This created a follow the leader-type mentality with [manufacturers] Sputnik and Johnson & Johnson copying the Oxford approach and Pfizer following Moderna with the mRNA approach.

Dr. Omar Korshid, president of the Australian Medical Association said that the facility would be a major addition to the global vaccine stocks, not just for the current pandemic.

Morrison did not specify the financial agreement of the deal, but Australian media reported it could be worth around A$2 billion ($1.43 billion). Moderna also said in October that it was planning to invest up to $500 million to build a factory in Africa to make up to 500 million doses of mRNA vaccines each year, including its COVID shot.

South Korea, which also has a deal with Moderna to provide bottling work for the firms vaccine, is also seeking to attract the vaccine makers to start local production.

The announcement by Moderna was made amid the rising COVID cases in Sydney since the four-month lockdown ended in early October. Despite the surge in infections, officials said that the planned easing of restrictions will proceed as they urge people to get booster shots.

Australia has so far inoculated around 90 percent of its population above the age of 16 with two doses and a shortened wait time for a booster shot upon the emergence of the omicron cases.

Were not letting omicron take us back, Morrison said. Weve decided as a country to live with this virus and Australians have worked so hard for that. Australia can now open up. This Christmas were about to have is a gift Australians have given to themselves by the way theyve worked together with the settings that weve put in place.

While Morrison conceded that the Australian Coalition made mistakes during the pandemic, he said that they managed to overcome them. When youre in a crisis, its not unusual to have setbacks, [but] the proof of managing a crisis is being able to overcome them, and we did overcome.

The country has recorded around 232,700 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic started, with 2,113 deaths so far.

Watch the video below to learn more about the ingredients that can be found in COVID-19 vaccines.

Read more at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

CNBC.com

TheGuardian.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) If you have a friend or relative who needs to be awakened to the rise of evil, give them a Christmas present of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s book, The Real Anthony Fauci. There is no better eye opener for insouciant Americans than this book.

(Article by Paul Craig Roberts republished from PaulCraigRoberts.org)

The book begins with a quote from Dr. John Abramson, Harvard Medical School, to remind us that the primary function of NIH- and Big Pharma- funded medical research is not public health but return on pharmaceutical investment.

Faucis one man control through NIH, the Gates Foundation, and the Wellcome Trust gives him control over 57 percent of worldwide medical research, thus solidifying his personal control over the Covid narrative. Fauci and his acolytes at NIH receive six figure annual royalty payments on products they helped develop and ushered through the FDA approval process, including the Covid vaccine, and this is on top of Faucis taxpayer-funded salary, the highest in the US federal government. The CDC itself, allegedly a taxpayer-funded regulatory agency, owns and profits from 57 vaccine patents and spends 41% of its annual $12 billion budget buying and distributing vaccines. NIH owns hundreds of vaccine patents and profits from the sale of products it regulates. Try to comprehend the conflict of interest in this fact: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) receives 45% of its budget from Big Pharma.

Little wonder that Fauci engineered the creation of Covid with research grants, and the virus somehow was released in the interest of Big Pharma vaccine profits. The conservatives protect Fauci by blaming China, the country where Fauci shifted the research funding from the University of North Carolina.

Kennedy, one of the last true Americans, shows that the Covid Pandemic is an orchestrated coup against public health and Western democracy and accountable government. Kennedy also exposes the coverup roles played by the presstitute media  CNN, MSNBC, NPR, NY Times and other presstitute organizations, along with Big Tech robber barons and the military and intelligence organizations, in controlling the Covid narrative:

The disturbing story that unfolds here has never been told, and many in power have worked hard to prevent the public from knowing it.

It is our task to help our insouciant friends and relatives to wake up. If Robert Kennedys book doesnt wake them up, they are a total lost cause. As Americans succumb to propaganda and brainwashing, the life of liberty grows dimmer. My own fear is that even with my advanced age I will outlive the free world.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Jullian Assange are the two greatest persons of our time. The totally corrupt and utterly evil American establishment intends to destroy both of them. Support them or you will go down with them. Now is the time to fight or to kiss freedom and liberty good-bye.

Read more at: PaulCraigRoberts.org
(Natural News) New York Times columnist David Leonhardt published a piece recently for the mainstream rag admitting that the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) is hardly the threat to children that Tony Fauci makes it out to be.

Hospitalizations and deaths are basically zero for children who test positive for the Fauci Flu. At worst, Leonhardt wrote, it looks like a normal flu, if not a mild one.

This is based on actual statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), by the way. Leonhardt was not simply giving his opinion on the matter.

Based on all this, many are now asking why children should be forced to get vaccinated for Chinese Germs at all, seeing as how the plandemic poses no real risk to them.

Dr. Paul Alexander, a consultant for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), says that there is no basis for vaccinating children from COVID-19 because the risks are low.

The latest data from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which was reported on by Life Site News, found that children account for 0.19 percent of all deaths that occur in people who test positive for the Wuhan Flu. That figure goes as low as 0.00 percent depending on how it is calculated, the AAP further found.

Covid is just the flu for both children and adults

In essence, the Fauci Flu is basically just seasonal influenza under a different name, many experts now admit. And there is no longer any basis for covering up this truth by continuing to repackage it under new variant names.

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Stanford University epidemiologist John P.A. Ioannidis looked at 36 different studies as well as an additional seven preliminary national estimates, which led him to conclude that the hospitalization and death risk for older people is much the same as it is for children.

For those around the world under 70 years of age, the risk of dying from Chinese Germs ranges from 0.00 percent to 0.57 percent. The younger the person, the lower the risk, he determined.

Children also spread the Wuhan Flu at a very low rate, Alexander further found. Citing a high-quality robust study in the French Alps that followed one infected child who visited three different schools and interacted with other children, teachers and adults, researchers found zero instances of secondary transmission.

What this means, of course, is that school restrictions like holding class outside and forcing students to wear masks indoors are based on superstition, not science. The best and safest approach to the plandemic is to simply hold school as normal and let children live as they did prior to all this nonsense.

Another study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) that tracked nearly two million schoolchildren in Sweden where there have never been any mask mandates came to the same conclusion: Children are not catching or spreading Chinese Germs.

A study published in Nature found no instances of asymptomatic spread from positive asymptomatic cases among all 1,174 close contacts of the cases, based on a base sample of 10 million persons, Alexander further wrote about the myth of asymptomatic spread.

He further concluded that there is no emergency in children regarding COVID-19.

Their innate immune systems are so very potent that they can vanquish this pathogen with ease in most instances, he says. So why would Pfizer and Moderna Inc. engage in trialing this vaccine on children with a death rate in this group of 0.003%?

They must show us why it is not dangerous to put this vaccine in children, and they have not.

More of the latest news about the Chinese Flu can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

WND.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) From now on in Scotland, if a person with male genitalia (aka a man) rapes someone, Scottish Police will categorize the culprit as a female if he self-identifies as a trans woman.

In order to remain politically correct and satisfy the demands of the Cult of LGBTQ, Police Scotland say that even if a rapist has not legally changed his gender to trans female, any rapes he commits will be considered as having been perpetrated by a woman.

The move comes ahead of a proposed new law in Scotland that makes it easier for Scots to self-identify as whatever sex or gender they choose on a whim. Some feminist groups, fearful of being erased, are opposed to the new legislation.

The Scottish government wants to remove medical checks for those seeking a gender recognition certificate and shorten the time people have to live as their new gender before it is legally recognized, reported The Times (U.K.).

In a correspondence seen by The Scottish Sun on Sunday, Kenny MacAskill, the former Scottish justice secretary, asked Police Scotland how it plans to deal with rapes after the new law takes effect. Gary Ritchie, the assistant chief constable, responded with a few hypothetical scenarios.

One of them included where a person born male obtains a full gender recognition certificate and then commits rape. Another is where a person born male but who identifies as a female and does not have a full GRC  commits rape.

The Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 defines rape as nonconsensual penetration with a penis, so it cannot be committed by someone without male genitalia, The Times explained.

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MacAskill, a seasoned attorney, says new trans rape law tops it all in terms of legal absurdity

Responding to this, MacAskill, the Alba party MP for East Lothian and SNP defector who worked as a lawyer for 20 years and a justice secretary for almost eight is simply shocked that this is being allowed to happen.

Ive seen some legal absurdities, but this tops it all and is dangerous, he said. Its physically impossible and is about dogma overriding common sense. Women prisoners are being harmed by this and vital crime statistics rendered useless.

During the last parliamentary term, plans to reform the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) were shelved by the SNP government due to internal divisions and concerns about womens rights. The SNP and Greens power-sharing deal at Holyrood does, however, commit them to completing the process by the middle of next year.

MurrayBlackburnMackenzie, a policy analysis group, is campaigning for Police Scotland to be required to accurately record the sex of people charged with rape or attempted rape.

For such offences, warned Lisa Mackenzie, a member of the group, it will only take a few misclassified cases to skew the statistics.

In a statement, Detective Superintendent Fil Capaldi responded concerning the new law and policy that:

The sex / gender identification of individuals who come into contact with the police will be based on how they present or how they self-declare, which is consistent with the values of the organisation. Police Scotland requires no evidence or certification as proof of biological sex or gender identity other than a persons self-declaration, unless it is pertinent to any investigation with which they are linked.

What this means, of course, is that men can now freely rape any women they want while placing the blame squarely on women by simply self-identifying as such. Women will basically now become the scapegoats for all rape statistics in Scotland.

More related news about the breakdown of society at the hands of the Cult of LGBTQ can be found at Gender.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheTimes.co.uk

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Florida surgeon general and secretary of the Florida Department of Health, issued a statewide public service announcement supporting commonsense Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention strategies, including optimizing vitamin D levels, staying active, eating nutrient-dense food and boosting the immune system with supplements.

Floridas Health Department also highlighted emerging treatments for COVID, such as fluvoxamine and inhaled budesonide. Fluvoxamine is an antidepressant pill, while inhaled budesonide is commonly used for asthma patients.

The department stated that physicians should now use their clinical judgment when recommending treatment options for patients health care needs, and may include emerging treatment options so long as there is appropriate informed consent of patients.

The evidence of vitamin D against COVID satisfies the criteria for causality in a biological system, with dozens of studies having been demonstrated that it helps reduce all risks associated with the disease.

The HealthierYouFL.org website has been urging Floridians to talk to their health care providers about how certain supplements or foods containing vitamins and minerals might help boost the immune system. These vitamins and minerals include zinc, vitamin D, vitamin C and quercetin, which are all known to have shown a positive impact on mitigating COVID-19 risks.

Vitamin D important for immune function

As early as September 2020, data from 14 observational studies showed that vitamin D blood levels are inversely correlated with the incidence or severity of COVID.

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The body is well-equipped to handle infections, provided the immune system is working properly. Vitamin D receptors are found in large numbers of different tissues and cells, including immune cells. Meaning, vitamin D plays an important role in immune function.

The lack of vitamin D will impair the immune system, which makes people more susceptible to infections, including COVID-19.

Having sufficient vitamin D in the system can reduce the risk of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections through different mechanisms, such as reducing the survival of viruses and inhibiting their replication. It also reduces inflammatory cytokine production and maintains endothelial integrity. Endothelial dysfunction contributes to vascular inflammation and impaired blood clotting, which are hallmarks of severe COVID-19.

Vitamin D also boosts the overall immune function by modulating innate and adaptive immune responses, reducing respiratory distress and improving overall lung function. It also helps produce surfactants in the lungs that help in fluid clearance. Vitamin D optimization is one of the easiest and least expensive impactful strategies to reduce the risk of COVID and other respiratory infections.

Further, vitamin D mitigates COVID risks. An observational study looked at data for 191,779 American patients. Around 12 percent of those with vitamin D levels below 20 nanograms per milliliter (vitamin D deficient) have shown positive tests for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, compared to only 5.9 percent of those with optimal vitamin D levels. (Related: Top ICU doctor suspended after suing hospital for banning life-saving COVID treatments.)

SARS-CoV-2-specific investigations also found that COVID-19 is far more common in vitamin D deficient individuals. In one study, 82.2 percent of COVID patients were vitamin D deficient, compared to 47.2 of population-based controls.

Researchers also found that blood levels of vitamin D inversely correlate to D-dimer levels, which measure blood coagulation. Many patients have elevated D-dimer levels, which are associated with blood clots. This was particularly true with the first strain of the virus but less common with subsequent variants.

Data also showed that the vitamin D blood levels are inversely correlated with the incidence or severity of COVID-19, which is logical as it regulates inflammatory cytokine production  a lethal hallmark of the virus and an important regulator of the immune system.

Finally, vitamin D reduces the severity that could translate for a lower risk for hospitalization. A Spanish study found that baseline vitamin D levels inversely correlate with the risk of ICU admissions and that giving supplemental vitamin D3 on the first day of admissions of hospitalized patients reduced ICU admissions by 82 percent.

Watch the video below to learn more benefits of vitamin D.

Read more articles about COVID-19 prevention strategies at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

GlobalResearch.ca

Sun-Sentinel.com

Brighteon.com
Choosing the right engagement ring can be a very stressful time in your life. While aiming to surprise and delight your future fiancee, you also want to buy a ring that shows to the world just how much she means to you. Upon hearing the good news, you will be swamped with messages of congratulations. Family and friends will be keen to see the ring and not just the stone, but what it's made from.

They, and your girlfriend, will not want to be disappointed. An engagement ring is a symbol of the love you have for her, with the intent of being with her forever. It will more than likely be worn constantly, a sign of pride in the affection you have shown towards her. And of course, amazement at the size of the rock in the ring, and its likely cost!

People can get carried away when choosing one during purchasing due to the glittering selection available on display. Yet, not many stop to think about where they have come from. The potential destruction of land and harm to hardworking people does not enter their minds. However, nowadays people are becoming much more aware of the impact of diamonds and engagement rings are having on the world.

Why all the Attention?

Until recently, not much attention had been given by the general public to the sourcing and mining of these glamorous stones. However, the 2006 movie "Blood Diamond", set in Sierra Leone, a wartorn country rich in diamonds, quickly brought about feelings that began changing people's opinions on the stones.

It brought more into the public eye a shameful tale of what was taking place in the diamond industry. Attitudes began to shift towards the craving for diamonds, and the love and respect that people had shown for them throughout the years.

People started to look into their choices a little deeper when on the search for a diamond engagement ring. No one wants to feel guilty while looking at a highly treasured possession. Especially one that is openly on display and supposed to demonstrate positive feelings.

What is a 'Blood Diamond"?

A "blood diamond" is a diamond that has been mined in an area suffering from war. They are also known as "conflict diamonds". They are usually associated with funding rebel forces' attempts to topple the government of the country, or simply lining the pockets of a warlord who lays claim to that region.

It is usually associated with certain nations in Africa, that saw widespread mining to support the activities of civil war throughout the years. While it can be used to highlight a particular diamond, or diamonds, that came from that area, it has also become to be used as a phrase that expresses the true cost of diamond mining in these places.

The Damage Caused by Diamonds in these Places

It's sad to think that diamonds, a sign of commitment and love, have become to earn a tarnished reputation. In countries that should be financially secure and stable due to the high presence of valuable minerals, much damage has been caused by diamonds. Millions of people have been affected in varying ways, and it's felt not enough is being done to stop the problem.

The violence endured by people in these areas can be horrific, often subjected by rebel groups, or in some cases, government troops. Stories of murder, rape, and looting are commonplace as these people aim to terrify the population and assert their power. It's unlikely that clear stories will ever fully emerge, or the true figures of deaths will ever be known as these places are so lawless.

The mining of diamonds directly affects the land and the surrounding area, by the removal of soil. The air surrounding the mine will become polluted. Any destruction of animal habitats will decrease the population of wildlife, possibly forever. The supply of water and the levels of its cleanliness will also be affected. This can have severe consequences in certain places, especially Africa, where water is, unfortunately, a resource that is quite scarce.

The location of mining operations may see people's lives affected dramatically. Taken away from their villages to assist in the mining of diamonds, some may never see their families again. Huge refugee camps have sprung up in Africa to deal with displaced locals as villages are burned to the ground in defiance of any opposition.

It's not unusual to find boys of any age working in the mines. Conditions at the mines for all workers can be pretty grim, with a wide range of unethical practices taking place. While others make fortunes, the workers are exploited and human rights are abused every step of the way.

It may make you feel uncomfortable to know this, and possibly usher in thoughts of reconsidering your plans to buy the diamond engagement ring you truly know nothing about. It's vital you ask your jeweler if they can prove where your diamond came from, right back to the source. If you are not happy with the answer, or the information you are being given is quite vague, maybe it's time to look down different avenues so you can be sure you are reducing the impact of diamonds and engagement rings in a number of ways.

Are there Alternatives Stones to Diamonds?

In recent times, as people become more aware of the damage associated with diamonds, they have started to look for alternative choices to use in their engagement rings. One of the most popular that people search for is Moissanite. It's striking in its similarity to a diamond but comes at a far cheaper price. They are durable stones and being lab-created, can allow your mind to rest easy if you harbor any concerns about your participation in the jewelry trade.

Green emeralds are an old-time classic favorite of people looking to do something a little different. Rubies are stones that love is also associated with quite strongly. Sapphires are colored stones that will only draw attention to both you and your ring, while opals have a milky white tone that gives out a timeless feel about themselves.

Don't be afraid to choose stones other than diamonds for your ring. You may find when you look or ask around your friends you may not be the first one to do so. Everyone has a role to play, and each small effort can affect the big picture over time. Alternative stones can be very beautiful, and besides saving some cash, you will feel like you are making a difference.

Ethical Choices to make for your Engagement Ring

If you are conscious of the effects the diamond industry has on the world, be sure to read this review of Brilliant Earth's green credentials to find out how you can play your part in saving the planet, and its people. It may help with your decision on buying a ring, but perhaps you would feel more comfortable if you could avoid creating a new ring from the beginning?

By making an ethical choice for your engagement ring, you may be making your fiancee happy in more ways than one. Passing on a family heirloom, for example, can only show feelings of love and acceptance as she becomes part of your family. Using an existing ring, without producing or wasting any material, can be rewarding in many different ways.

Choosing vintage or secondhand engagement rings is another way of solving what to give the woman of your dreams. Because they too already exist, the issue of guilt regarding your engagement ring will be over. No damage to the planet will take place, and workers can rest a little easier, without fear.

Using recycled metals for your ring can also help you lessen the waste garnered by production. Mining for gold can be a very wasteful and harmful process. There are plenty to choose from, and, depending on your requirements, usually, one is suitable for all types of scenarios, be it price, looks, or lifestyle.

What could I get Instead of an Engagement Ring?

While your special lady loves you and is keen to make a commitment, for whatever reason, maybe she just doesn't like the idea of having a ring on her finger. Luckily for you, there are options available that will keep her happy. Placing a ring on a necklace is the most popular alternative if you do decide to go down this route.

Charm bracelets or lockets can be a very symbolic gesture and a true indicator that you wish the person to be close to your heart for years to come. A tattoo on your wedding finger of something to signify your commitment to one another is also becoming a more fashionable way of expressing your love.

Matching metal bands can be customized to your own desires, making them highly personal between you and your partner. Others shy away from the jewelry world completely and choose the gift of new art. This can look great in your house, and will also attract admiring looks from others. It is a very creative choice, that may go up in value.

Summary

Because of all the negative attention that is beginning to surround the jewelry industry, you may find yourself becoming warier about what you buy. The knowledge that diamonds are the instigator for many atrocities committed can be only heartbreaking to many. The fact that these could be possibly dealt with by people taking action, will spur the public into making some changes with their choices.

These days you can quite easily avoid using diamonds in your engagement ring due to the various other stones available. Perhaps bypassing the need for an entirely new ring being made by choosing an ethical method would give you far more peace of mind. There are other choices available to you other than engagement rings if you wish to avoid them completely.
After nearly two years of adopting major network and security changes wrought by COVID-19 and hybrid work, weary IT network and security teams didnt need another big issue to take care of, but they have one: Stemming potential damage from the recently disclosed vulnerability in open source Java-logging Apache Log4j software.

Log4j or Log4Shell has been around a long timeit was released in January, 2001and is widely used in all manner of enterprise and consumer services, websites, and applications. Experts describe the system as an easy-to-use common utility to support client/server application development.

The Log4j weakness, defined in CVE-2021-44228 and CVE-2021-45046 in the National Vulnerability Database, basically lets an unauthenticated remote actor take control of an affected server system and gain access to company information or unleash a denial of service attack.

There is a remedy to the problem, so organizations should immediately upgrade to Log4j Version 2.17.0 to be protected against both CVEs, experts say.

Still, the impact of the vulnerability could be extensive because it has been in the wild so long and becaise Log4j is so widely used. The Log4j library is embedded in almost every internet service and application including Twitter, Amazon and Microsoft, according to Check Point.

Log4j worms could damage critical infrastructure, and it is a national security threat already, said Tom Kellermann, head of Cybersecurity Strategy for VMware. Bad nation state actors are already exploiting it as we speak.

For example, Check Point says it has seen over 2.8 million attempts to exploit the vulnerability and over 46% of them were made by known malicious groups as of Dec. 16. We have so far seen an attempted exploit of over 47% of corporate networks globally, Check Point stated.

Ciscos Talos security research unit stated that it has seen attempts to place the Log4j Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) attack string in email. At this time we have not identified widespread email campaigns attempting to use email messages to trigger the vulnerability. It is potentially recon as many threat actors and researchers are essentially trying everything in an attempt to find something that eventually hits log4j, the group stated.

The biggest issue for enterprise customers is the amount of systems that could be impacted because logging systems are so widespread and while Internet facing servers might be highly vulnerable, its the downstream servers linked to them that are also problematic, said Nick Biasini, head of outreach with Cisco Talos. In addition organizations batch process logs that may not be processed for weeks so the exploit effects will be felt a long time out.

The Log4j vulnerability is extremely widespread and can affect enterprise applications, embedded systems and their sub-components, Jonathan Care a research director at Gartner Research said in a statement. Java-based applications including Cisco Webex, Minecraft, and FileSilla FTP are all examples of affected programs, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. The vulnerability even affects the Mars 2020 helicopter mission, Ingenuity, which makes use of Apache Log4j for event logging.

Care noted that the security community has created lists cataloging vulnerable systems and it includes major network players such as Cisco, Juniper, Arista, Palo Alto, and VMware as well as other big industry players such as IBM, AWS, and Google.

However, its important to note that these lists are constantly changing, so if a particular application or system is not included, dont take it as assurance that it isnt impacted, Care stated. Exposure to this vulnerability is highly likely, and even if a particular tech stack does not use Java, security leaders should anticipate that key supplier systemsSaaS vendors, cloud hosting providers and web server providers do, Care stated.

Remediation

There are a number of things enterprises can do to respond to the Log4j vulnerability, experts said.

Enterprise users should deploy the Log4j 2.16 patch immediately, but they can also microsegment outbound traffic to prohibit new connections, said Kellermann. They also need to monitor for abnormal traffic flows in those environments and expand their threat-hunting capacity.

VMware said that it has responded to the Log4j situation in a number of its products. For example NSX Distributed IDS/IPS and NSX Network Detection and Response (NDR) signatures have been released that detect Log4J exploit attempts, including obfuscation methods seen in the wild. These signatures will detect and prevent attempts to exploit vulnerabilities regardless of origination, VMware stated.

Cisco, Palo Alto, AWS and others have also responded to the vulnerability.

Gartners Care said cybersecurity leaders need to make identification and remediation of this vulnerability an absolute and immediate priority.

Start with a detailed audit of every application, website and system within your domain of responsibility that is internet-connected or can be considered public-facing. This includes self-hosted installations of vendor products and cloud-based services, Care stated. Pay particular attention to systems that contain sensitive operational data, such as customer details and access credentials.

Once this audit is complete, turn your attention to remote employees, and ensure that they update their personal devices and routers, which form a vital link in the security chain, Care stated.

This will likely require a proactive, involved approach, as it is not sufficient to simply issue a list of instructions, given vulnerable routers provide a potential entry point into key enterprise applications and data repositories, Care stated. Youll need the support and cooperation of the broader IT team.

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recommends organizations take three additional, immediate steps regarding this vulnerability: Itemize any external facing devices that have log4j installed; Make sure that your security operations center is actioning every single alert on the devices that fall into the category above; and Install a web application firewall (WAF) with rules that automatically update so that your SOC is able to concentrate on fewer alerts.

Other Log4j activities

IBMs X-Force created a scan tool to detect Log4Shell. You can access it, at no cost, here: https://github.com/xforcered/scan4log4shell.

Microsoft stated that because this vulnerability is in a Java library, the cross-platform nature of Java means the vulnerability is exploitable on many platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. As many Java-based applications can leverage Log4j 2 directly or indirectly, organizations should contact application vendors or ensure their Java applications are running the latest up-to-date version. Developers using Log4j 2 should ensure that they are incorporating the latest version of Log4j into their applications as soon as possible to protect users and organizations.

Microsoft also stated that Azure App Service and Functions does not distribute Log4J in the managed runtimes such as Tomcat, Java SE, JBoss EAP, or the Functions Runtime. However, applications may use Log4J and be susceptible to this vulnerability. Customers are recommended to apply the latest Log4j security updates and re-deploy applications.

Cisco Talos has released seven new ClamAV signatures for CVE-2021-44228 and CVE-2021-45046. A new Snort Signature ID, 58795, has also been released.
SHERMAN  A September fire left 20 animals - 19 dogs and a chicken - without a home. Their owner, 76-year-old Richard Genalski, was killed in the fire.

Taking in that many animals and finding new homes for them promised to be a challenge for the Regional Animal Control in New Milford. But the situation was complicated by the condition of the animals.

The dogs were tied up outside all over the yard and under stuff and it was a real terrible situation for the animals, said Curtis Read, the Bridgewater first selectman and chairman of the Regional Animal Control. He added that a lot of the dogs were starving and hungry.

In a community-wide effort, with the help of multiple organizations and individuals, as of Dec. 8, all 19 dogs  and one chicken  have been placed with rescue groups or found permanent homes. The last to be placed was Jasper, a brown and white coonhound, described as lovable but rough around the edges.

Gina Gambino, an officer with Regional Animal Control, said the dogs path to adoption was tough.

This was one of the biggest cases of placement that the organization has handled in quite awhile, she added.

Organizations involved with the rescue and funding for the care of the dogs, who were mostly coonhounds, included the Connecticut Humane Society in Newington, the Animal Welfare Society of New Milford, the New Fairfield-Sherman Animal Welfare Society, and Northeast Coonhound Rescue.

The chicken was placed by Gambinos friend who has a farm.

While being cared for, the dogs were given services such as spaying, neutering, dental treatment, parasite testing. Some, that came into care with existing conditions, had surgeries.

Most of the animals who were rescued had heartworm, which is a serious parasite that infects the internal organs.

They had to be treated before they were released for adoption, Gambino said.

Jasper is now in foster care through Northeast Coonhound Rescue in Massachusetts. Gambino said because Jasper was the toughest case, he really tugged at my heartstrings.

Gambino said its very common for people who work with Northeast Coonhound Rescue to expect those dogs to come from rough and outdoor tie-out situations.

Placing Jasper with this organization was probably the best medicine, the best remedy and the best avenue for him, so we really did open up new avenues in the shelter by reaching out to a group that was so closely appropriate for him.

Rescue groups shared many stories with Gambino, in regard to the care of the dogs they took in  one of which involved an elderly beagle named Lady Clara.

Animal Welfare Society took her in. They initially thought that she had a tumor on the underside of her belly but it ended up being a large hernia, Gambino said. They raised money to have that large hernia repaired and they adopted her out to a home.

Another dog, Mable, was an elderly Treeing Walker Coonhound that the Connecticut Humane Society said needs to have a calm, quiet home where she can lie next to a fire, Gambino said. She matched the exact description that an applied adopter with Northeast Coonhound was looking for, so she was matched up and placed with that very home.

A great deal of planning and driving time went into Regional Animal Controls transport of the animals back and forth around the state for housing, veterinary care and treatment, Gambino said. While doing so, she said, each of the dogs showed their unique personality and needs, and adapted well to their new surroundings.

Though some dogs seemed timid and were confused by the changes of being taken into animal care facilities, all of them came to us with voracious appetites. With appropriate meals and rewards in training, a great deal is possible, she said.

Gambino said placing all of them gave her an amazing sense of peace.

We are very proud to have been able to save all dogs that were at the location of that house fire in September. It was a huge undertaking, Gambino said. It takes a village for all these dogs to be adopted.

Here to serve the public

Regional Animal Control, which serves Bridgewater, Brookfield, New Milford, Roxbury and Sherman, is going through a lot of changes to help better serve the community, Gambino said.

Aside from the addition of many new staff members and sharing resources with other rescue groups, the organization is focusing on the humane aspect of placement in bringing our facility up to industry standard, Gambino said. We are here to serve the public and are all very excited to move the shelter in a positive direction and motivated direction.

For information on adopting an animal in need, contact the Animal Welfare Society in New Milford at 860-354-1350.

sfox@milfordmirror.com 203-948-9802
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  The remaining members of a U.S. missionary group who were kidnapped two months ago in Haiti have been freed, Haitian police and the church group said Thursday.

The spokesman for Haitis National Police, Gary Desrosiers, confirmed to The Associated Press that the hostages had been released, but did not immediately provide additional details.

We glorify God for answered prayer  the remaining 12 hostages are FREE! Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement. All 17 of our loved ones are now safe.

A convoy of at least a dozen vehicles, including U.S. Embassy SUVs and Haitian National Police, brought the missionaries to the Port-au-Prince airport late Thursday afternoon from the missionary groups offices in Titanyen, north of the capital.

Earlier, people at the Christian Aid Ministries campus could be seen hugging each other and smiling.

News of their release spread quickly in and around Berlin, Ohio, where CAM is headquartered.

Its an answer to prayer, said Ruth Miller, who was working at the front desk of the town's Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center.

Berlin is in Holmes County, Ohios Amish heartland, and many Amish and Mennonites volunteer in CAM ministries and donate to it.

Wes Kaufman, who attends a church where some CAM leaders also worship, said many congregations had heeded the mission group's recent request to devote three days to fasting and praying over the situation.

Its amazing how God works, Kaufman said as dined with family in nearby Walnut Creek at Der Dutchman, a restaurant featuring traditional Amish and Mennonite fare.

In Washington, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre praised the law enforcement work and Haitian officials who helped get the hostages freed. "We welcomed reports that they are free and getting the care that they need after their ordeal, she said.

The missionaries were kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang on Oct. 16. There were five children in the group of 16 U.S. citizens and one Canadian, including an 8-month-old. Their Haitian driver also was abducted, according to a local human rights organization.

The gang's leader had threatened to kill the hostages unless his demands were met. Authorities have said 400 Mawozo was demanding $1 million per person, although it wasnt clear if that included the children.

It remained unclear whether any ransom was paid or what efforts led to the hostages freedom.

Carleton Horst, a member of Hart Dunkard Brethren Church in Hart, Michigan, whose members were among the hostages, said church members received a text message Thursday morning from someone connected to the situation that all of the hostages had been released.

A mother and her five children, two of them adults, who belong to the church were among the hostages. Horst, who is friends with the family, said the church is rejoicing and hes elated that that portion of things is finally over, just praise the Lord for that.

Were feeling great, said the Rev. Ron Marks, a minister at the church.

From what I gathered, they were treated relatively well, Marks said later in a news conference held on Zoom.

Two of the hostages were released in November, and three more earlier this month. They were not identified, but members of the Hart congregation told local media in Michigan that two were from Hart.

In addition to Michigan, the hostages are from Wisconsin, Ohio, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Ontario, Canada, according to the missionary group.

Today is the day we have been hoping for, praying for and working so hard to achieve, said Congressman Bill Huizenga, whose western Michigan congressional district includes Hart.

I want to thank members of the hostage negotiation team for their diligence in securing the safe release of all the hostages. This is a great day for families in Michigan and across the nation who have been worried about the safety of their loved ones, Huizenga said.

Christian Aid Ministries is mainly staffed and supported by conservative Anabaptists  members of various Amish, Mennonite and related churches characterized by such things as plain dress, a belief in non-resistance to violence and separation from the dominant society.

The organizations roots date to the 1980s, when it began working in then-communist Romania. It has since expanded worldwide but has been particularly active in Haiti.

CAM's work ranges from starting churches and providing food, school supplies and other materials to those in need, to disaster relief and putting up billboards with evangelistic messages.

___

Smith reported from Berlin, Ohio. AP writer Anna Nichols in Lansing, Michigan, and Colleen Long in Washington contributed to this report.

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that a woman and five children who belong to the church were hostages, not four children.
AP

U.S. officials say all of the military services have now begun disciplinary actions and discharges for troops who have refused to get the mandated coronavirus vaccine, with as many as 20,000 unvaccinated forces at risk of being removed from service
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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).
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Dave Hinton is editor of The News-Gazette's Our County section and former editor of the Rantoul Press. He can be reached at dhinton@news-gazette.com.
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Anthony Zilis is a multimedia specialist at The News-Gazette. His email is azilis@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@adzilis).
One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021
An article published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine reveals child maltreatment increases some determining risk factors in adolescents' suicidal behaviors. According to this research, people who have suffered child maltreatment are more likely to show personality traits that are related to intense anger, impulsivity and emotion dysregulation. Also, they tend to undergo more stressful situations over their life. These new stressors and emotion dysregulation would be the factors that could lead to suicidal behaviors in adolescents.

he study is led by Professor Lourdes Fananas, from the Faculty of Biology of the University of Barcelona, the Institute of Biomedicine of the UB (IBUB) and the Mental Health Networking Biomedical Research Centre (CIBERSAM). Researcher Laia Marques-Feixa, also member of these institutions, is the first author of the article. Carried out together with the CIBERSAM EPI-Young Stress Group, the study counts on the participation of teams from the University of Lleida, the Benito Menni Mental Health Care Complex (Sant Boi de Llobregat), Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, the University Hospital Gregorio Maranon (Madrid), the University Hospital Puerta de Hierro (Madrid), the University Hospital Araba - Santiago Apostol (Vitoria) and the Adolescent Day-Hospital in Gava, from the Orienta Foundation.

Suicide in young adults: a global health problem

In Spain, suicide is now the first cause of death among young people. Although death by suicide in adults has a higher prevalence in men than women, women show more suicidal and non-suicidal attempts (self-harming, for instance) than men. As a worrying figure, during the pandemic caused by COVID-19, the number of hospitalizations of women aged between twelve and eighteen with self-harming behaviors has skyrocketed.

The new study focuses on the analysis of 187 children and adolescents aged from seven to seventeen, with and without mental disorders. The researchers have analyzed their experiences of child abuse, recent stressful life episodes, and some personality traits and the risk of suicidal behaviors.

Adolescence is a period of high emotional vulnerability and 70% of mental disorders are estimated to come up during this time. The brain of an adolescent she continues undergoes a process of maturation and this process might involve difficulties in self-control and a higher impulsivity and emotional instability, which are decisive elements for developing some risky behaviors". Professor Lourdes Fananas, member of the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences of the UB and principal researcher at the CIBERSAM group

"It is also a period full of changes (family dynamics, new groups with classmates, new challenges and activities, etc.) that can involve an increase of stressful situations for young people", adds Fananas.

Moreover, according to the researcher Laia Marques-Feixa (UB-IBUB-CIBERSAM), "when there is a relational trauma during childhood for instance, psychological, physical or sexual abuse or negligence, three primary developmental capacities can be altered: emotional regulation, identity and interpersonal relatedness". "If one reaches adolescence without having consolidated good bases in these skills, this person can have more difficulties due to the lack of solid psychological resources to deal with challenges, conflicts and daily difficulties that come up over the course of our life", concludes the expert.

Young psychopathology: the journey to adolescence

Life experiences, apart from genetic predisposition, are decisive elements to define our personality. In psychology, experts talk about personality disorders when the way in which someone understands, thinks and relates to the environment and him or herself is inflexible and maladaptive, so that it all creates a psychological discomfort and deterioration of the quality of life.

The study does not establish a direct link between child maltreatment and the possibility of expressing a suicidal behavior in youngsters. However, the conclusions indicate that suffering from child maltreatment increases risk factors that can lead to suicidal behaviors in adolescents.

"Our research shows that, in order to reduce suicidal behaviors in adolescents, we need to work on the regulation strategies of emotions, as well as to reduce the potential exposure to new stressful events (changing homes, fights, suspension from school, etc.), especially regarding those people with records of child abuse", notes Laia Marques-Feixa.

Since adolescence is the period when the foundations of our personality are being built, it is hard to make a diagnosis of these disorders among youngsters. "Moreover, there are some common traits between the different personality disorders, and this condition makes it harder for us to make a specific diagnostic", highlights expert Jorgue Moya-Higueras, from the University of Lleida and CIBERSAM.

"This is why he continues, approaching this issue from a more dimensional perspective with transdiagnostic personality traits over a continuous period of time, such as emotional dysregulation can be a more useful strategy than the categorical classification (present disorder or not present)".

More investment in public healthcare to improve prevention

At the moment, the SURVIVE consortium an initiative promoted by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) from the European Union, the Carlos III Health Institute, and the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities gathers several institutions and hospitals to study the suicide incidence, assess the risk factors, and design intervention and prevention strategies.

Promoting more complex and longitudinal studies with more to consider will be an essential element for defining factors of prediction of suicide in adolescents and improving the prevention strategies with all the health and social involved stakeholders.

In this context, the first step to prevent suicidal behaviors "would be to invest more money in prevention, specially regarding the young population. This means we need to support the families so that these children can grow up in a healthy and safe atmosphere", notes the team.

Secondly, we need a good detection and early intervention in children and adolescents who show emotional or behavioral difficulties, as warned by the experts. Although there is a code for suicidal risk, public healthcare should offer a wide network of professionals, services and resources to aid as soon as possible. "Since most people who present suidical behaviors have an associated mental disorder, the most important thing to start with should be this", note the experts.

Despite the population's high demand of these services over the last years, the ratio of public professionals of mental health in Spain is only 6 per every 100,000 people. These figures are tripling in Europe. "Therefore, to solve this shameful deficit we should start by investing in mental health, specially in children and adolescents, from the different health services, education, justice, etc.", concludes the research team.
G7 health ministers today held their final meeting of the UK's G7 Presidency, focusing particularly on the very worrying developments on Omicron.

Deeply concerned by the rise in cases, ministers agreed that these developments should be seen as the biggest current threat to global public health. It is more important than ever to closely cooperate, and monitor as well as share data. This will be key to addressing the fast developing situation.

In light of these extensive challenges, G7 ministers reiterated the commitment to taking forward the pledges in recent G7 and G20 declarations to tackle the ongoing pandemic and build defences for the future. Following information exchange between ministers they agreed that working together was crucial in responding to the rapidly growing Omicron wave. Ministers highlighted the importance of equitable access to diagnostics, genome sequencing, vaccines and therapeutics. They also agreed on the increasing importance of booster campaigns and regular testing alongside continued non-pharmaceutical measures. Ministers reiterated their continuous support for COVAX, their commitment to the global effort on vaccine rollout and their support for accelerated development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics in pandemics.

G7 health ministers also welcomed the close cooperation throughout the UK's G7 Presidency on clinical trials, global health security, antimicrobial resistance ( AMR ), and digital health. Ministers welcomed the new German health minister and committed to working closely with Germany as they take on the G7 Presidency.

A Department of Health and social care spokesman said:
Brain Canada is pleased to announce the awarding of two grants of $250,000 USD to Dr. Ayse Kuspinar of McMaster University, alongside Drs. Jennifer Bethell of University Health Network and Andrew Sommerlad of University College London. Together with Brain Canada, the grants are made through the Alzheimer's Association's international Advancing Research on Care and Outcome Measurement (ARCOM) funding program.

Based out of Chicago, the Alzheimer's Association is a leading health organization for accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support for people living with Alzheimer's and all other dementia. In spring 2021, Brain Canada joined forces with the Alzheimer's Association to launch a call for Canadian researchers focused on the development of new and/or the validation of previously adopted measures of care and outcomes where measurement gaps in dementia care exist. In total, eight international projects were selected by a peer-review panel, two of which will be led by Principal Investigators from Canada and will receive funding from Brain Canada, through the Canada Brain Research Fund (CBRF), in partnership with the Alzheimer's Association.

Opportunities to explore outcome and care measurements are important for addressing disparities in health research. Congratulations to both teams for engaging with the international research community to create positive impact." Dr. Viviane Poupon, President and CEO, Brain Canada

Funding for these Canadian-based ARCOM projects has been made possible by matched funds contributed by the CBRF, an innovative partnership between the Government of Canada (through Health Canada) and Brain Canada, and by the Alzheimer's Association.
Middle-aged adults in the United States today experience worse mental health than older generations of Americans and also their European and Asian peers.

To understand what is happening with middle-aged American adults, a research team led by Arizona State University scientists compared middle age across different cultures and periods of time. The study examined how physical and mental health in midlife changed over time and in different countries. American adults currently in their 40s, 50s and early 60s have more symptoms of depression and worse memory recall than older Americans did when they were the same age. This pattern was found in Australian middle-aged adults but not in those living in Germany, South Korea or Mexico.

Years of education was associated with better mental health in midlife, but the strength of this buffering effect has waned for Americans currently in their 40s, 50s and 60s relative to older American generations and to middle-aged adults in Australia, Germany, South Korea and Mexico. This work was published on December 16 in American Psychologist.

The protective effect of education is waning in the US. People born in the 1950s and 1960s who have a college education report more depressive symptoms and have poorer memory and overall health than both older American adults and their same-age peers in other countries with similar economic structures to the US." Frank Infurna, associate professor of psychology at ASU and lead author on the study

The study used datasets from the US, Australia, Germany, South Korea and Mexico that contain information about the physical and mental health of middle-aged adults over time. For example, participating adults in the US completed an interview every two years that included questions about their social networks and mental and physical health.

The physical health of adults in their 40s and early 50s improved over time in all five countries included in the study. American adults born in the 1950s and 1960s have been healthier in midlife than people born in the 1930s and 1940s were when they were in their 40s and 50s. In the US, this health improvement dissipates by the late 50s and early 60s.

Unlike physical health, the mental health of adults in midlife varied widely across the countries. Middle-aged adults living in Germany, South Korea and Mexico reported improved mental health in recent decades. In the US and Australia, adults currently in midlife reported more depressive symptoms than their older peers. They also reported worse memory.

In general, education protects people from experiencing symptoms of depression or having memory difficulties later in life. But, college-educated American adults born in the 1950s and 1960s reported worse memory recall than their older, also college-educated, peers. This pattern did not exist in any of the other studied countries.

"While the future of American middle-aged adults might not look that bright, we can look to other countries to see what works for overall success in midlife," Infurna said. "Other countries have more accessible health care systems and social safety nets like paid family leave, subsidized childcare, and paid work and vacation leave. These differences can help support adults in midlife, who are often juggling working, parenting and caregiving, and suggest ways the US can make things better."

Infurna and his collaborators are currently working on additional studies of cross-cultural differences in midlife in pursuit of the goal of finding ways to improve the lives of middle-aged adults in the US.

Omar Staben, psychology graduate student at ASU, Margie Lachman, professor of psychology at Brandeis University, and Denis Gerstorf, professor of psychology at Humboldt University, also contributed to the study.
Researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine have discovered that a nanoparticle therapeutic enhances cancer immunotherapy and is a possible new approach in treating malignant pleural effusion (MPE). MPE is the accumulation of fluid between the chest wall and lungs and is accompanied by malignant cells and/or tumors.

Results from the study are published in the current issue of Nature Nanotechnology.

There are more than 200,000 new cases of MPE in the United States each year, and non-small cell lung cancer accounts for more than one-third of cases.

MPE is indicative of late-stage metastatic cancer and is associated with a poor prognosis with an average survival of only four to nine months. MPE can also severely impact quality of life as it causes breathlessness, pain, weight loss and reduced physical activity." Dawen Zhao, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical engineering at Wake Forest School of Medicine

According to Zhao, recent clinical trials involving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) or novel immunotherapies such as anti-PD-1 have shown some encouraging data in patients with MPE. However, only a small number of MPE patients benefit from immunotherapy and many experience immunotoxicity.

"Clinical evidence also suggests that MPE comprises abundant tumor-associated immune cells that prevent the body's immune system from recognizing and eliminating the cancer," Zhao said. "This 'cold' immune environment could be a major contributor to the failure of ICI."

To mitigate the immune 'cold' MPE, Zhao and his team developed a nanoparticle called liposomal cyclic dinucleotide (LNP-CDN) for targeted activation of an immune pathway called STING, which reprograms tumor-associated immune cells to active anti-tumor ones.

MPE is often associated with two distinct compartments within the tumor microenvironment, the effusion and also pleural tumors, which co-exist within the pleural cavity. These two distinct compartments make therapeutic interventions and drug delivery challenging.

Upon intrapleural injection in a mouse model, the 'cold' immune environment lessened in not only the effusion space, but also within the tumors. Zhao's team combined LNP-CDN with an anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy, which drastically reduced the volume of MPE and inhibited tumor growth in both the pleural cavity and lung tissue in mice with MPE, resulting in prolonged survival.

Zhao's team also tested the nanoparticle therapeutic on human MPE tissue samples, and similar effects were observed-;enhanced tumor cell killing by cytotoxic immune cells.

"Administered alone or with immunotherapy, this study demonstrates a possible treatment for MPE," Zhao said. "Given the current prognosis of MPE patients, new interventions are needed to not only prolong survival, but also to improve quality of life."

The Wake Forest School of Medicine researchers have filed a patent application for the nanoparticle-immunotherapy system.
New results from a long-term epidemiologic study reveal that one of the oldest racially based diagnostic formulas in medicine is no better than a race-neutral equation, which suggests the formula used to diagnose lung disease should be changed.

The study, led by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, was published Dec. 16 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

The race-based formula is used to define the severity of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and diagnose other lung diseases. Though it is based on old methodology, it is still recommended for use in the United States and globally.

Because the formula includes racial adjustments in defining normal lung function, Black people may be less likely to be treated with medications for COPD or diagnosed with other serious lung disorders compared to white people with the same test results on a spirometer, an instrument that measures the lungs' air capacity. (In an accompanying paper in the same issue, UCSF researchers found that fewer Black patients with COPD and other lung diseases are diagnosed correctly because of the race-based formula).

History of the formula

The history of the formula is nearly 200 years old.

"The current approach to defining normal lung function goes back to the 1840s, when the inventor of the spirometer, John Hutchinson, used the spirometer to measure lung capacity in about 4,000 people and used a cross-sectional approach to define which values indicated disease and which values were normal," says the study's senior author, R. Graham Barr, MD, DrPH, the Hamilton Southworth Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and chief of the Division of General Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Barr also is professor of epidemiology at Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health.

A similar cross-sectional study in the United States performed right after the Civil War found differences in lung capacity between "healthy" Black and white military personnel. Pro-slavery physicians interpreted these observations as a biologic difference, which they used to argue in favor of slavery. (Read more about spirometry and race in the New York Times' 1619 Project). This cross-sectional approach to defining normal lung function persists to this day in the guidelines that recommend the inclusion of terms for race in the currently used diagnostic formula.

But cross-sectional studies only look at participants at a single point in time, instead of following the same people over time, which is a more modern and relevant method to determine which measurements fall in the healthy range and which may signify disease. Barr says that the cross-sectional study "was a fine and innovative approach in the 1840s, but most fields have moved on as longitudinal data became available." For example, the thresholds used to diagnose type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension are based upon long-term prospective cohort studies or clinical trials.

New approach

Since the early 2000s, Barr and a multi-institution team of collaborators have been following a group of several thousand patients, and they have amassed a trove of data on spirometry measurements and long-term development of lung disease. That data allowed them to compare the race-based formula with a race-neutral one to see which was better at predicting lung problems.

The results were unambiguous: Stratifying patients' risk of lung disease based on race was no better than those obtained with the race-neutral spirometry formula and, in some instances, the race-neutral spirometry formula yielded better predictions.

This type of research is important to evaluate the algorithms and diagnostics that the medical community has historically used to diagnose and treat disease. Accurate algorithms are essential for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment." Lisa Postow, PhD, program director, COPD/environment program, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the NIH

Changing formulas could be straightforward and easy. "There is a published race-neutral equation, which we used as a comparison in this paper," says first author Arielle Elmaleh-Sachs, MD, postdoctoral clinical fellow in the Division of General Medicine at Columbia. "The race-neutral equation is available to everyone, and it would be relatively easy to move clinical practice to make the change."
A Day in the Life of... Nella Ciciulla-Albrecht Mental Health Counsellor

In this interview, we spoke to Nella Ciciulla, a mental health counselor about her day-to-day role and responsibilities as well as her career highlights.

What inspired your career into mental health?

I knew I wanted to get into this field when I began an undergraduate research project in forensic mental health. I had the opportunity to intern at the State Attorneys office, learning about and researching mentally ill offenders. This gave me a different view of mental health where the stigma behind those with behaviors out of the typical social norms were frowned upon.

When I was able to see that a lot of criminal behavior stemmed from trauma, this gave me the desire to help those experiencing mental health issues.

What are the main responsibilities in your current job?

I currently own a private practice in Rockledge, Florida. I began the practice at the beginning of the pandemic so I was just solo when I first started in May of 2020. After just a couple of months of seeing the great need in my county for therapy, I knew I wanted to expand.

Since then, I have hired 7 contracted therapists with intentions of expanding further due to the great need in my community. I currently run the practice, along with a wonderful staff. I continue to see clients daily, with a focus on court-ordered assessments and testing.

What does a typical day look like for you?

A typical day begins focusing on my self-care- going to the gym and having a big cup of coffee. I then head to the office and conduct therapy with scheduled clients, along with writing forensic reports and completing assessments for mental health court here in Brevard.

What is the most rewarding part about your job?

Discharging patients! I know that may sound odd, but I enjoy that a client gets to the point that they are not depending on me anymore for treatment. They have learned the skills to cope and work through struggles, and feel confident they can succeed with their goals.

I enjoy seeing progress each session with clients and when they feel empowered.

What do you find most challenging about working in mental health?

There are many challenging things about working in this field. One challenge that a therapist has to initially overcome is compassion fatigue. Not allowing the stressors of each client go home with them every night. It can become difficult at times, but we have to maintain our own mental health in order to help others.

If we begin this negative cycle, it will continue and spiral where we can either become burned out or affect our family. This is why self-care as therapists is essential.

Throughout your career, what has been your proudest achievement?

Definitely opening up Bella Mental Health Services. This was my 10-year goal upon graduation from grad school, however, I was able to do it within 5 years.

I feel good about helping the community and spreading more awareness about mental health.

What has been the most exciting project that you have worked on?

I would say Bella Mental Health first fundraiser. We celebrated Mental Health Awareness month in May 2021, and we were able to raise over $1000 for Family Promise of Brevard which is an organization that assists families suffering from homelessness.

What advice would you give to people who want to pursue a career in mental health?

Do not get into this field without a passion for helping others. If you get into this field for anything other than wanting to help those in need, you are wasting your time. It is evident when a therapist is only desiring a paycheck and chose the wrong field.

You have to have a passion for mental health and a desire for change. I hate to hear or see mental health professionals not taking pride in their work as it is directly impacting each client we see. It can be an amazing profession if you are putting in the hard work and desire to always be better than yesterday.

Is there anything else about your career that you would like to share with our readers?

Know that you may have to start from the bottom. Do not expect to graduate with your Masters and make 6 figures. As I said before, if you get into this mindset it will be evident. The more seasoned you are in the mental health field, the better you will be as a clinician.

I started out in social work and child welfare, and although it was extremely draining and hard work, I am so thankful I did this for a few years before delving further into the field. It is that old saying, you have to get your hands dirty first. This is absolutely true in this field, but it is worth it in the end.

Where can readers find more information?

About Nella Ciciulla

Nella Ciciulla-Albrecht is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and is currently obtaining her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at NorthCentral University. She received her Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Capella University in 2015 and her Bachelors Degree in Psychology from the Florida Institute of Technology in 2011.

Nella is also a Qualified Supervisor for mental health counselors with the Florida Department of Health. She has extensive experience in the Forensic field and working with those suffering with severe, persistent mental illness. As a Forensic Mental Health Director for a non-profit agency, she proved to be an outstanding performer in acute care and forensic psychology within the mental health field.

Nella has proven success in leadership, operational excellence, and organizational development with keen understanding of elements of community needs. She was recognized for inspiring management team members to excel and encouraging creative work environments and nominated as a Top 12 Finalist for LEAD Brevard in 2020.

A Multi-talented, passionate, licensed therapist and Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluator, Child Custody Evaluator and Court Appointed Juvenile Competency Evaluator consistently rewarded for success in planning and operational improvement. She desires to continue making an impact on her community as a Forensic Expert for the 18th Judicial Circuit located in Brevard County and has also served individuals in neighboring counties. Along with her private practice, Nella is an Adjunct Professor at the Florida Institute of Technology
In a study posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, a multinational team of researchers investigated the mutations reported in the Omicron variant and its likely impact on the use of therapeutic antibodies in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment as well as on vaccinated individuals.

Study: Broadly neutralizing antibodies overcome SARS-CoV-2 Omicron antigenic shift. Image Credit: ktsdesign/Shutterstock

Background

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been a global concern for the past two years, and the rise in the number of new variants poses multiple challenges to health care agencies. SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) are of particular importance as they are known to have immune evasion capabilities and increased transmissibility and pathogenicity. Of the five VOCs identified, the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) is the latest and was reported first in South Africa in November 2021.

Studies showed that the Omicron variant has about 37 mutations in the spike (S) protein. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) in the S protein harbors at least 15 amino acid substitutions. RBD is the prime target of neutralizing antibodies induced by infection and vaccination, and the high number of mutations in the RBD could help the variant with immune evasion. The receptor-binding motif (RBM), a subdomain of RBD that interacts directly with the host receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), reportedly has nine mutations.

About the study

In the present study, the team investigated whether the Omicron mutations emerged from its infectivity across animal species. Using surface plasmon resonance, the binding affinity of Omicron S was studied in mouse, American mink, and pangolin. Researchers also investigated the magnitude of immune evasion caused by these 37 mutations by determining plasma neutralizing activity against Wuhan-hu-1 S and Omicron S in convalescent patients or individuals vaccinated with six vaccines (mRNA-1273, AZD1222, BNT162b2, Sputnik V, Ad26.COV2.S, and BBIBO-CorV).

Furthermore, the researchers conducted a pseudovirus assay to investigate neutralization by monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to study the binding of RBD to human and animal ACE2 receptors. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) used against SARS-CoV-2 act by blocking the S binding to ACE2 or targeting non-RBM epitopes (shared across many sarbecoviruses). They studied the in vitro neutralizing activity of therapeutic mAbs against Wuhan-Hu-1 S and Omicron S using VSV (Vesicular Stomatitis Virus) pseudoviruses.

Results

The study revealed that mutations of the Omicron variant increased the binding affinity of RBD to the human ACE2 receptor relative to Wuhan-Hu-1 RBD and caused the acquisition of affinity to the mouse ACE2 receptor.

Individuals who received Ad26.COV2.S or Sputnik V or BBIBO-CorV vaccines did not show any neutralizing activity against Omicron S. Those who received mRNA-1273, BNT162b2, and AZD1222 showed 33-, 44- and 36-fold decrease, respectively, in neutralizing activity against the Omicron S protein. Prior infection in vaccinated individuals showed a less pronounced 5-fold decrease in neutralizing activity.

The mAb sotrovimab showed a 3-fold decrease in neutralizing activity against the Omicron S protein. However, with a cocktail of cilgavimab and tixagevimab, a 200-fold reduced potency was observed against the Omicron S protein. The findings also reported that at least 26 RBM-directed mAbs failed to neutralize the Omicron S protein. In contrast, only three (RBM-specific) mAbs retained neutralization potency against the Omicron S protein. At least one mAb from each of the four classes (defined by RBD binding sites I, II, IV, V) could neutralize the Omicron S protein.

Conclusions

The magnitude of immune escape and increased affinity to mouse ACE2 driven by the Omicron variant indicates a major SARS-CoV-2 mutational shift. This study found a lower immune response in vaccinated individuals to the Omicron variant and reported that only six mAbs of the 44 tested retained potent neutralizing activity. There were three mAbs (S2K146, S2X324, and S2N28) targeting site I, and S2X259, Sotrovimab, and S2H97 mAbs each directed at sites II, IV, and V, respectively. These mAbs were directed to four conserved antigenic sites in the Omicron S and other sarbecoviruses.

On the whole, the substitutions in the Omicron RBD resulted in a 2.4-fold increase in binding affinity to human ACE2. The team proposed that antigenic shift in the Omicron variant could result from ping-pong transmission between humans and rodents or viral replication in hosts with immunodeficiency. Furthermore, broadly neutralizing mAbs that recognize conserved epitopes among SARS-CoV-2 variants and other sarbecoviruses may contribute to controlling the pandemic and curtailing future sarbecovirus zoonotic spillovers.

*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
(Newser)  As political efforts to further restrict access to abortion reach across the nationand to the US Supreme Courtthe FDA has removed a barrier to obtaining abortion pills. The agency on Thursday made permanent a temporary lifting of a requirement that women pick up the medication to terminate early-stage pregnancies in person, the Washington Post reports. That decision will allow women to have the medication mailed to them, after it's prescribed through a telemedicine appointment with a provider, without having to traveloften to another state.

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A medication abortion uses two drugs: mifepristone, which blocks progesterone, and misoprostol. The Food and Drug Administration left in place rules mandating that prescribers register with the manufacturers, buy mifepristone ahead of time and dispense the medication themselves. Patients will still have to sign an additional consent form. Advocates of abortion rights welcomed the FDA's action on the in-person rule but not its decision to keep other restrictions. Opponents of abortion rights said the FDA is putting women's safety at risk.

But states can still affect availability. By one advocate's count, per the New York Times, six states this year have prohibited mailing the pills, seven have required getting the pills in person from a provider, and four states limited medication abortions to sooner than 10 weeks gestation. A law professor nevertheless considers the FDA's announcement a milestone. "It's really significant, said Mary Ziegler of Florida State University. "Telehealth abortions are much easier for both providers and patients." The FDA considers medication abortions safe and said mifepristone use is allowed in more than 60 other countries, at least 14 of them in Europe. (Read more abortion pill stories.)
(Newser)  Liudmyla Momot wipes away tears as she searches for clothes and household items to salvage from the ruins of her home that was shelled by Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Her village of Nevelske, northwest of the rebel-held city of Donetsk, is only about 2 miles from the line of contact between the separatists and the Ukrainian military and has been emptied of all but five people. Small arms fire frequently is heard in the daytime, the AP reports, giving way to the booms of light artillery and mortar shelling after dusk. Rebels targeted Nevelske with shelling twice in the past month, damaging or destroying 16 of the village's 50 houses and rattling the handful of nervous residents who remain.

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With the bloody conflict now more than seven years old, there are fears in Ukraine and the West that a buildup of armed forces on Russia's side of the border could lead to an invasion or the resumption of full-scale hostilities. "The worse Ukraine-Russia relations are, the more we simple people are suffering," said 68-year-old Momot, who has worked at a dairy farm all her life. After the shell hit her house, Momot fled to a nearby settlement where her son lives. But the anxiety has followed her there. "We fear that a big war will start. People are scared and packed up their bags," said Momot, who collected blankets, warm clothes and other items in the debris.

When the conflict began, Nevelske had a population of 286. Now, the five older people who remain in the ruined village collect rainwater for drinking and cooking. Between shipments of humanitarian aid, they rely on eating stale bread. "We have grown accustomed to the shelling," said 84-year-old Halyna Moroka, who has stayed in Nevelske with her disabled son. Humanitarian groups provide basic supplies to Nevelske and other villages and even try to offer housing in safer areas, but their resources are limited. "I just survive each day, trying to make it to the evening, and my soul aches, said Moroka, who has lost vision in one eye but can't get medical help. "We are frightened, she added. It's really scary to sit here and wait for death. It's horrible!"

(Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.)
(Newser)  Update: Trouble keeps growing for actor Chris Noth of Sex and the City fame. Talent agency A3 Artists has dropped him amid allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, reports the Los Angeles Times. Last week, two women accused Noth of sexual assault in a lengthy account in the Hollywood Reporter. After the allegations emerged, actress and director Zoe Lister-Jones accused Noth of misconduct, including inappropriate comments, on the set of Law & Order, per the Mary Sue. (Our original story from Dec. 16 follows:)

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While there is no investigation into the allegations of sexual assault recently leveled against Chris Noth, the Los Angeles Police Department says it is "looking into the nature of the report." One of the accusers says she was raped in LA, the other in New York, so the LAPD is looking into the report that falls in its jurisdiction. A department rep says there is no record of a report being filed in the incident, People reports; the woman says she spoke to police when she went to the hospital after the alleged assault but did not identify Noth.

Similarly, a spokesperson for NYPD tells E! there is no report on file for the other alleged incident; that accuser says she did not go to police. Noth has been married to Tara Wilson, whom he met in 2001, since 2012; they had their first child together in 2008 and their second last year, Us reports. The LA allegations are from 2004 and the NYC allegations from 2015; the NYC accuser claims Noth told her, "Marriage is a sham. Monogamy is not real." A third woman has since come forward to accuse Noth of being "sexually inappropriate" with her and other women on multiple occasions, Page Six reports.

Noth was already in the news due to his role in the Sex and the City sequel, And Just Like That..., which premiered last week. On Thursday, following the accusations, Peloton pulled a popular ad that came out in response to Noth's role in the HBO series, the New York Times reports. "Every single sexual assault accusation must be taken seriously," the exercise equipment company says in a statement. "We were unaware of these allegations when we featured Chris Noth in our response to HBOs reboot." Noth claims his encounters with the two women accusing him of rape were consensual. (Read more Chris Noth stories.)
(Newser)  New Mexico authorities have obtained a search warrant allowing them to look at Alec Baldwin's cell phone for any potential evidence relating to the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the Rust set. Among other things, the search warrant says, authorities have been "made aware there were several emails and text messages sent and received regarding the movie production." Baldwin has been cooperating with the police investigation, but his lawyers refused to hand over his iPhone without a warrant, Deadline reports.

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"We are confident that the evidence will show that Mr. Baldwin is not responsible civilly or criminally for what occurred on October 21, and he continues to cooperate with authorities," says one of his attorneys in a statement. Baldwin was holding the gun, which was loaded despite being announced as "cold," when it went off on set. "While they evaluate the phone information, we hope that the authorities continue to focus on how the live rounds got on the set in the first place," the statement continues.

Baldwin, who recently went dark on Twitter, says he does not know how live ammunition got loaded into the gun, and he also denies pulling the trigger. Also under investigation are the Rust armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, whose lawyer says sabotage is most likely to blame for the gun being loaded; and the film's first assistant director, Dave Halls, who was recently subpoenaed after avoiding an interview in the OSHA probe into the film. Gutierrez-Reed told authorities there may have been some "wonky" rounds in the box that was supposed to be holding dummies, CNN reports. (Read more Halyna Hutchins stories.)
(Newser)  An upstate New York man has died almost seven weeks after he burst in flames when police shot him with a stun gun. Police say Jason Jones, 29, became belligerent with officers and doused himself in flammable hand sanitizer after he walked into the Catskill Police Station around 1:30am on Oct. 30, HudsonValley360 reports. He died Wednesday after he was taken off a ventilator in a burn unit at a hospital in Syracuse. Greene County District Attorney Joseph Stanzione, whose office had been investigating the incident, says the investigation will now be handled by Letitia James, the state attorney general, reports the New York Times.

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Stanzione tells the Times that Jonesa former high school athlete known to police from previous encounterswas not in custody when he was shot with the stun gun. Stanzione says Jones made his own way to the police station after an altercation in a bar around 400 feet away. Kevin Luibrand, a lawyer for Jones' family, says Jones caught fire after police fired the stun gun to subdue him. The officers were apparently unaware that ethyl alcohol-based hand sanitizer is flammable. "Jason fought a 48-day battle in intensive care and his family was with him throughout," Luibrand said in a statement Thursday.

Catskill Police Chief Dave Darling said last month that he thinks officers "were afraid he was going to hurt himself, and thats what started it," the Times Union reports. He said Jones had removed his clothing before the "horrible" incident. He said Catskill officers do not wear body cameras, but video of the incident recorded by cameras in the police station have been turned over to investigators. Luibrand, the family's lawyer, says police have not shared video or police reports with him. (Read more New York state stories.)
(Newser)  Three men have been arrested in the deaths of two women who were dropped at Los Angeles hospitals on the same day last month. Model and aspiring actress Christy Giles, 24, was pronounced dead Nov. 13, shortly after masked men in a black Toyota Prius without a license plate left her at Culver City's Southern California Hospital. Her friend, 26-year-old architect and designer Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, died Nov. 24, some 10 days after the same men are believed to have dropped her at Kaiser Permanente in West Los Angeles. The women had been out partying the previous night. Investigators believe they were given drugs and overdosed at a home in LA's Pico-Robertson neighborhood, per CBS Los Angeles.

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Los Angeles Police on Thursday announced the Wednesday arrests of three men. David Pearce, 37, is charged with manslaughter and held on $1 million bail while Michael Ansbach, 47, and Brandt Osborn, 42an actor who was arrested on the set of NCIS: Los Angeles, per the New York Postare charged with accessory to manslaughter with bail set at $100,000, per CBS. Photos obtained by FOX 11 show Cabrales-Arzola and Pearce together at a "warehouse party on the eastern edge of downtown Los Angeles" in the early hours of Nov. 13. Its believed Cabrales-Arzola and Giles left the party with Pearce and his friends, per the outlet, which also cites reports claiming Pearce's neighbors heard moans coming from his home on Nov. 13.

Evidence indicates the women "tried to leave" and had "called an Uber," Giles' husband, Jan Cilliers, tells People. But "whatever happened in the following 12 hours, left them dead." The arrests offer "a small sigh of relief," he adds. But "this is just the beginning of the battle. There's going to be a lot of stuff to get through in order to get these guys in prison." "Based on the investigation, the LAPD is concerned that there could be other victims in our community who could have been drugged by one or more of these men," police said in a statement. "We'd love for them to come forward and just add their voices to this case, to help get these guys off the street," Cilliers adds. (Read more manslaughter stories.)
(Newser)  Renay Mandel Corren may be gone, but her legacy lives onand has gone viral, thanks to what the Guardian calls an "unusual" yet "loving" obituary penned by her son. The 1,000-word memorial to the 84-year-old, who died in El Paso, Texas, appeared on the website of North Carolina's Fayetteville Observer this week. It first announces that a "bawdy, fertile, redheaded matriarch of a sprawling Jewish-Mexican-Redneck American family has kicked it." It goes on to call Corren, whom loved ones called Rosie, a "talented and gregarious grifter" who "played cards like a shark, bowled and played cribbage like a pro, and laughed with the boys until the wee hours, long after the last pin dropped."

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"Often frustrated by the stifling, conservative culture of the South, Renay turned her voracious mind to the home front, becoming a model stay at home parent, a supermom, really, just the perfect PTA lady, volunteer, amateur baker and-AHHAHAA HA! HA! HA! Just kidding, y'all!" reads the obit. It more accurately explains that Corren "didn't cook, she didn't clean, and she was lousy with money, too." As for what she excelled at: "dyeing her red roots, weekly manicures, dirty jokes, pier fishing, rolling joints and buying dirty magazines."

Although the obituary doesn't specify how Corren died, it notes all of the things that hadn't sent her to her grave over the years. "Covid couldn't kill Renay," it reads. "Neither could pneumonia twice, infections, blood clots, bad feet, breast cancer twice, two mastectomies, two recessions, multiple bankruptcies, marriage to a philandering Sergeant Major, divorce in the 70's, six kids, one cesarean, a few abortions from the Quietly Famous Abortionist of Spring Lake, NC or an affair with Larry King in the 60's." It also notes there will be "a very disrespectful and totally non-denominational memorial" in May, "most likely at a bowling alley in Fayetteville."

As for who came up with the obituary, credit was claimed in the write-up itself by her son, "the gay one who writes catty obituaries in his spare time, Andy Corren, ofobviouslyNew York City." Response to the irreverent tribute soon followed, per the Observer. Journalist and author Sarah Weinman was among the first to react, with a simple "this obit, my god" tweet, which quickly started making the rounds. "Pool our gas money and carpool to memorial service at the lanes? Who's in?" another commenter remarked. After all the snark and hubbub, however, the last line sweetly wraps up the family's feelings: "Bye, Mommy. We loved you to bits." (Read more obituary stories.)
(Newser)  The omicron COVID variant is now the "biggest threat to global public health," health ministers from Group of Seven countries agreed at a meeting Thursday. A statement issued by the UK, which currently holds the G7 presidency, described developments as "very worrying" and said it is "more important than ever to closely cooperate, and monitor as well as share data," Politico reports. President Biden also issued a dire warning during a meeting of his COVID task force Thursday, saying "we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death" for unvaccinated Americans, the Washington Post reports.

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Biden urged unvaccinated people to get the shot and said vaccinated people shouldn't delay getting a booster. The omicron variant, he said, is "going to start to spread much more rapidly at the beginning of the year, and the only real protection is to get your shot." More:

Next year might be "more of the same." Experts say the rapid spread of omicron has dashed hopes that many countries would emerge from the pandemic next year, reports Reuters. They say the worst might not be over until far more of the world has been either vaccinated or exposed to COVID. "People are sick of the pandemic and God knows I am, but unless we can get some urgency to compel our leaders to take action, I really see 2022 being a lot of more of the same that we saw in 2021," says Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan.

Experts say the rapid spread of omicron has dashed hopes that many countries would emerge from the pandemic next year, reports Reuters. They say the worst might not be over until far more of the world has been either vaccinated or exposed to COVID. "People are sick of the pandemic and God knows I am, but unless we can get some urgency to compel our leaders to take action, I really see 2022 being a lot of more of the same that we saw in 2021," says Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan. US workplaces take a step backward . With cases rising sharply in the US, many workplaces in New York City and elsewhere are canceling holiday parties and rolling back plans to have more employees return to the office, the New York Times reports.

. With cases rising sharply in the US, many workplaces in New York City and elsewhere are canceling holiday parties and rolling back plans to have more employees return to the office, the New York Times reports. Scotland faces "most severe challenges yet." In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Friday that omicron is now the country's most dominant strain and the health service is facing its "most severe challenges yet," the Guardian reports. Sturgeon, who urged people to stay home as much as possible, said the rise of omicron has been "the cruelest of blows," but people should "hold onto hope"and "look out for each other and be kind."

(Read more COVID-19 stories.)
(Newser)  It was a change brought about by the pandemic, and one that Harvard University now plans on continuing for at least four more yearsand maybe even for good. The New York Times reports the Ivy League school has decided to go the test-optional route, not requiring SAT and ACT scores from prospective students through at least 2026. Students who score well and want to submit their scores can still do so, but the school says it won't penalize those who don't. Instead, head of admissions William Fitzsimmons says candidates should send "whatever materials they believe would convey their accomplishments in secondary school and their promise for the future."

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Harvard notes it made the move because the pandemic has restricted access to many testing sites. Many colleges have similarly moved into "test optional" mode over the past two admissions cycles, while a few have gone even further, into "test blind" territorymeaning they won't look at a student's scores at all. The Washington Post reports some schools, including the University of Chicago and Indiana University, have already made the test-optional process permanent; others, like the University of California, are now test-blind for the long haul. Such decisions please detractors of standardized testing, who say the tests are racially and culturally biased, and that high SAT scores are the realm of the privileged, as they can afford tutors to help boost those numbers.

The Post notes many schools are reluctant to dump this admissions gauge altogether, with "perfect scores ... [retaining] their power and allure." But critics of standardized testing are hoping Harvard's move is just the start of a "new normal" and will drive other schools to follow suit. "Highly selective schools have shown that they can do fair and accurate admissions without test scores," the head of anti-testing group FairTest tells the Times. FairTest notes that before the pandemic, about 45% of schools didn't require such test scores. That number is now at 80%, though it's unclear how many have instituted these policies for the pandemic only. (Read more Harvard stories.)
(Newser)  Update: This file has been updated with the defense resting its case.

Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyers wrapped up their case Friday in her New York trial on charges that she helped Jeffrey Epstein recruit and sexually abuse underage girls. The jury did not hear from the defendant, the AP reports. When asked Friday by US District Judge Alison Nathan, Maxwell said she would not testify because "the government has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt." That means closing arguments could begin Monday and jury deliberation as soon as Tuesday. The prosecution rested its case last Friday after calling 24 witnesses, per CNN. Maxwell's attorneys put the first defense witness on the stand Thursday, the 11th day of the trial at Manhattan federal court, per NBC News.

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The first defense witness was 55-year-old Cimberly Espinosa, who worked as Maxwell's assistant at Epstein's company in New York City from 1996 to 2002. Espinosa said she "highly respected" Maxwell and "looked up to her very much." She also recalled meeting the accuser known as Jane, who testified about sexual encounters with Maxwell and Epstein beginning when she was 14. But Espinosa said she never saw anything inappropriate. "I thought it was a loving relationship," she added, noting Janes mother had told her Epstein was the girl's godfather. She described Epstein as "generous," noting he paid for her personal trainer. "I always knew him to be donating to charities and just being a kind person," she said, per the Guardian.

Another defense witness, Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, a psychologist and memory expert at the University of California, Irvine, testified that a person "exposed to misinformation of an incident  will incorporate that" into their own memory, per NBC. The judge denied a request Thursday to allow defense witnesses to testify under pseudonyms as witnesses for the prosecution had done. She said the court could find no prior case in which this had been allowed. "It appears, then, that the defense's requested relief is unprecedented." Nathan added "none of the defense's witnesses intend to testify to sensitive personal topics or sexual conduct," but rather to "deny misconduct" by the accused, per the Guardian. Therefore, they "do not qualify as victims." (Read more Ghislaine Maxwell stories.)
(Newser)  Health experts, including those at the CDC, are urging the public to not only get vaccinated against COVID, but also against the flu. New research suggests, however, that one of the main strains of the influenza virus that's now going around has mutated, and that this year's flu vaccine doesn't seem to be doing much to prevent infection. "From our lab-based studies, it looks like a major mismatch," University of Pennsylvania microbiology professor Scott Hensley, who helmed the study, tells CNN.

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The research published online Wednesday as a preprint notes that "antibodies elicited by the 2021-2022 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine poorly neutralize the new H3N2 strain," the most prominent circulating strain of the four strains that the vaccine protects against. CNN notes that flu efficacy changes yearly, as the vaccine strains are chosen way in advance of flu season, by which time the flu virus may have mutated or seen one strain surge ahead of the others.

Hensley concedes this isn't great news for the vaccine, but that it doesn't mean people should give up on the vaccine altogether. "Studies have clearly shown that seasonal influenza vaccines consistently prevent hospitalizations and deaths even in years where there are large antigenic mismatches," the study notes. This tracks with the CDC's take on the flu vaccine: "While some people who get a flu vaccine may still get sick, flu vaccination has been shown in several studies to reduce severity of illness."

CNN notes this will prove especially important in a winter where we may see a "double whammy" of flu and COVID cases, possibly leading to strained health-care systems and overburdened hospitals. The Jerusalem Post reports on another "surprising benefit" of the flu vaccine that may sway people to get it, despite these new findings: A study published in October in the Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine journal found that the vaccine slashed cardiac arrhythmias in older patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, by 38%. (Read more flu stories.)
(Newser)  A couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, girls in a Mormon youth group in eastern Idaho spent an evening taping thank-you notes shaped like turkeys on the doors of congregation members, knocking on their doors or ringing their doorbells, and then running away before the residents could see who had left the "thankful turkey." Bingham County Sheriff Craig Rowland's reaction to the note left for his wife was to get his gun, stop the group's car in the street, drag their adult chaperone out of her vehicle by her hair, and threaten to execute her, according to court papers seen by East Idaho News. The chaperone, Chelsea Cox, told investigators that Rowland held the gun inches from her forehead in the Nov. 9 incident in Blackfoot.

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The seven girls who were in the vehicle, all between the ages of 12 and 16, backed up Cox's account, telling investigators said the sheriff held a gun to her head, asked her who she was, and said "I will f---ing shoot you." Cox told investigators that she grew up next door to Rowland and he had been a family friend for more than 30 years, but he did not seem to recognize her, KTVB reports. The sheriff told investigators that he had been "messed up" by the change from daylight savings time a few days earlier. He said that while he had had one drink that evening, his head was "clear as a freaking bell." Doorbell camera footage shows him looking at the turkey note, saying "that's fricking bulls---." After the incident, Rowland told Blackfoot Police Chief Scott Gay that he had "really screwed up," according to court papers.

On Tuesday, the Idaho Attorney General's Office charged Rowland with aggravated battery, aggravated assault, and exhibition of a deadly weapon. The sheriff is due in court Dec. 22. According to court documents, Rowland told investigators he thought somebody was trying to break in. Officials with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes have called for the sheriff to resign over other remarks he made to investigators, the Washington Post reports. "I have been doing this job for 36 years," Rowland said. "I have had drunk Indians drive down my cul-de-sac. Ive had drunk Indians come to my door. I live just off the reservation, we have a lot of reservation people around us that are not good people." (Read more Idaho stories.)
(Newser)  Donald Trump has escalated his attacks on Mitch McConnell of late, but Politico reports that the former president's push to oust McConnell as Senate Republican leader is fizzling. Not a single GOP senator has expressed support for the idea, and the story notes that only two GOP senatorial candidates (Kelly Tshibaka in Alaska and Eric Greitens in Missouri) have done so. Meanwhile, McConnell has voiced support for the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Coverage:

Trump: He has been fuming at McConnell since the latter didn't support overturning the election. On Thursday, Trump wrote: How this guy can stay as Leader is beyond comprehensionthis is coming not only from me, but from virtually everyone in the Republican Party. He is a disaster and should be replaced as Leader ASAP! Last week, Trump referred to McConnell as a "Broken Old Crow" who is a boon to Democrats, per Newsweek.

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Response: Senate Republicans have met the anti-McConnell crusade with indifference, write Natalie Allison and Burgess Everett at Politico. "Inside the Capitol, conservative senators shrug at the question, revealing a lack of appetite even among the GOP's anti-establishment wing and continued strong support for McConnell as leader."

Senate Republicans have met the anti-McConnell crusade with indifference, write Natalie Allison and Burgess Everett at Politico. "Inside the Capitol, conservative senators shrug at the question, revealing a lack of appetite even among the GOP's anti-establishment wing and continued strong support for McConnell as leader." More fuel: McConnell's positive new comments about the House panel investigating the Capitol riot surely won't help his ties with Trump. "I think the fact-finding is interesting," he told Spectrum News, per the Washington Post. "We're all going to be watching it. It was a horrendous event, and I think what they're seeking to find out is something the public needs to know." The Post notes the contrast with House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, who has denounced the panel as a political sham.

McConnell's positive new comments about the House panel investigating the Capitol riot surely won't help his ties with Trump. "I think the fact-finding is interesting," he told Spectrum News, per the Washington Post. "We're all going to be watching it. It was a horrendous event, and I think what they're seeking to find out is something the public needs to know." The Post notes the contrast with House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, who has denounced the panel as a political sham. McConnell response: Asked about Trump's criticism of him in the same interview, McConnell shrugged it off. "I spend my time dealing with the present and the future, and not the past." On Thursday, when reporters tried to get him to talk about the subject, McConnell responded, "Good try."

Asked about Trump's criticism of him in the same interview, McConnell shrugged it off. "I spend my time dealing with the present and the future, and not the past." On Thursday, when reporters tried to get him to talk about the subject, McConnell responded, "Good try." One view: So why aren't Senate Republicans getting behind Trump? "Because despite Trumps ire and fulminations, McConnell has played a tough hand in a 50/50 Senate rather well," writes Ed Morrissey at Hot Air. He adds, referring to Trump's push: "The problem with this kind of political stunt is that its failure demonstrates impotence. If Trump really was a party leader, as Lindsey Graham claimed this week in asking McConnell to reconcile with him, hed have the power to move votes on a leadership question. Instead, he hasnt moved one."

(Read more Mitch McConnell stories.)
(Newser)  A Capitol rioter convicted of assaulting policeusing a fire extinguisher on officers and twice throwing the empty container at themhas received the longest sentence so far in the attack, 63 months. US District Judge Tanya Chutkan told Robert Palmer in court Friday in Washington that she's not making an example of him, she's sentencing him for his conduct, Axios reports. "It has to be made clear that trying to violently overthrow the government, trying to stop the peaceful transition of power, and assaulting law enforcement officers in that effort is going to be met with absolutely certain punishment," Chutkan said.

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On Jan. 6, Palmer threw a piece of wood at police and sprayed the fire extinguisher at a line of officers, prosecutors said. He then threw the extinguisher, picked it up, and threw it again, NBC reports. He next threw a metal pole at other officers and only stopped his attack when he was shot with a rubber bullet. "Those officers were so brave standing there, just taking all the stuff that people were giving them, all the taunts, all the jeers and everything," Palmer, 54, of Tampa, told the court.

Palmer was among the first rioters to turn himself in. "I am so ashamed I was part of that. Very, very ashamed," he said Friday. His lawyer argued the sentence should be reduced because Palmer took responsibility for his role in the attack. But after pleading guilty in October, he had posted a claim online that he'd acted in self-defense. The judge agreed with prosecutors that despite his other statements, that showed a lack of remorse. "He was still denying his culpability for the offense," Chutkan said. (Read more Capitol attack stories.)
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TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa yesterday urged all to dedicate the National Days to celebrate the performances and efforts of Bahraini citizens on the front line and move forward within the spirit of reinvigorating the One Bahrain Team.

They are the first among our remarkable Bahraini citizens, and there are many whom we will be keen to honour on upcoming occasions, said HM King in his speech on the occasion of the National Day.

We can only address them with great appreciation and pride for their generous efforts, honourable stances, and sacrifices to help the nation reach safe shores.

HM King also thanked the people of Bahrain for showing solidarity at times of unprecedented crisis that swept the world.

We congratulate all of you for your brilliant performance and for the solidarity shown in such exceptional times, said HM the King in his speech on the occasion of the National Day.

HM King also highly valued the services offered by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister to the nation.

We also cannot fail, at the forefront of this honour, to express to His Royal Highness, the loyal Crown Prince and the distinguished Prime Minister, our deep gratitude for his great efforts during this critical period, said HM the King.

HRH Prince Salman, HM King said, was keen to follow up even the smallest of the matters with calm and wisdom.

We thank him for it and congratulate him for the outstanding results and his proactive view in every circumstance.

Prince Salman bin Hamad Medal for Medical Merit

His Majesty urged all to reinvigorate the spirit of one Bahrain team and dedicate the ceremony to celebrate the generous efforts of Bahraini citizens on the front lines.

Bahrain, HM the King said, is awarding them with the Prince Salman bin Hamad Medal for Medical Merit to honour their distinguished services and outstanding contributions in confronting the pandemic.

The prestigious medal honours the great sacrifices made by Bahraini medical and nursing staff over the past period, especially the medical competencies who lost their lives while preserving the security and safety of the Kingdom.

On this auspicious day, we, the state and the people are proud to stand together, as we bear the responsibilities of action and production, fidelity and loyalty, responsibility and public service, cooperation and solidarity, to fulfil the rights of our beloved Bahrain and honour the duty of serving it.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Kingdoms hospitality sector is witnessing a sharp contrast in occupancy rates between hotels in Seef and Juffair.

While the hotels in Seef recorded higher occupancy rates, their counterparts in Juffair are struggling to attract guests.

Speaking to The Daily Tribune on a condition of anonymity, a senior executive, who heads a prominent hotel in Juffair, said: Overall, the hospitality sector in the Kingdom is doing great with the National Day season picking pace.

But, unfortunately, the hotels in Juffair are not doing well concerning occupancy rates.

We are simply struggling to fill rooms.

He said: This could be because family tourists are being lured away into Seef, which hosts the City Centre, Seef Mall and many cinemas.

The executive added that nightclubs and bars in Juffair would serve as a detrimental factor in attracting family tourists to the area.

Despite this sharp contrast, the overall occupancy rate in the hotel industry has been promising.

It is learnt that all five-star hotels in the Kingdom are almost fully booked, as the Kingdom celebrates its National Day today.

The National Day celebrations in the Kingdom act as a major tourist attraction, especially for tourists from GCC countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Higher occupancy rates are a great encouragement to the hospitality industry, which is gradually recovering from the slump caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Shyamily James, Marketing Executive with The Gulf Hotel Bahrain Convention and Spa, said that the National Day season is boosting the hospitality sector in a big way.

We have received a lot of bookings, and our occupancy rates are quite high as the Kingdom is celebrating its National Days.

To make the occasion special, we have come up with a National Day package, which offers special discounts for the tourists.

James also said that a special menu, emphasizing authentic Bahraini cuisine, will be served to all tourists as the occasion is an opportunity to celebrate everything Bahraini.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Representative of HM the King for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa said that Commemoration Day on December 17, launched by HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, is a special and patriotic occasion to recall the loyalty and sacrifices of the fallen servicemen from the Bahrain Defense Force, the Ministry of Interior and the National Guard.

These fallen heroes had performed their patriotic duties with devotion and dedication in Bahrain and abroad and sacrificed themselves for the sake of the nation and its security.

Commemoration Day is an eternal occasion during which we celebrate those whose souls illuminated the sky of Bahrain and scented its land with their pure bodies. They affirmed in an act that represents the highest levels of loyalty that they sacrificed themselves in order to raise the banner of Bahrain and make the Kingdom a safe oasis, he said.

On this special day, we remember those souls who sacrificed themselves while performing their national duty, and we stand in full respect and appreciation for all Bahrains fallen servicemen who have made the most selfless sacrifices for the sake of Bahrain since its establishment until today, and let this day continue to be a day of tribute and honour among all generations, he added.

HH Shaikh Nasser said that the sacrifices of the homeland's fallen servicemen will remain engraved in the memory of the nation and the conscience of the people of Bahrain.

Bahrain will remain faithful to the blood of its fallen servicemen, he added.
Agencies | Sydney

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Australia and Britain signed a free trade agreement Friday that will eliminate almost all taxes on exports between the countries, reports AP.

The FTA was signed at a virtual ceremony by Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan in Adelaide and Britains Secretary of State for International Trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan in London.

The deal abolishes 99% of taxes on exports, saving Australia about $10 billion on exports including lamb, beef, sugar and dairy.

It is expected to save Britain 200 million Australian dollars ($144 million) a year on items such as cars, whisky and cosmetics.

Australian agricultural exporters also will have better access to the British market and 40 million Australian dollars ($29 million) a year of tariffs will be removed from Australian wines entering the United Kingdom. Australians and Britons will find it easier to live and work in the other country.

Tehan said the deal, which will take effect sometime in 2022, will grow investments and help with the recovery from the pandemic.

Our economies will be able to operate seamlessly again, Tehan said. The experiences and opportunities that young Australians and young Brits will be able to get through this initiative are just fantastic.
After 39 years in business, Partner's Cafe will say goodbye to the Norwalk community. Located on the corner of First St. and Cove Ave., the Italian restaurant and bar will have its last call on Dec. 22.

"It's bittersweet. I have a rollercoaster of emotions," said Debbie Spinola, owner of Partner's Cafe.

Partners Cafe was opened in 1983 by Tommy Spinola and a family member. In the early 1990s, he assumed sole ownership of the restaurant and his wife Debbie became his new partner. After Tommy lost his battle with cancer in 2013, Debbie and their children took over the management of the restaurant. On the side of the restaurant, passersby have likely noticed a large sign that reads "We love you, Tommy."

Adriana Morga/ Hearst Connecticut Media

"[I saw] many generations come here, which is a beautiful thing... but I'm ready to pass it on to another younger group of people," said Spinola.

However, in order to retire, Spinola said she wanted to make sure that the next restaurant in the location was a family-owned local business. After the closure of Partner's Cafe, the owners of B.J. Ryan's will open a new restaurant which is expected to open sometime in February.

"We're just excited to be able to continue it as a local neighborhood bar as we're very grateful that we got the opportunity," said BJ Lawless, owner of B.J. Ryan's. The name of the restaurant has not been decided yet but is expected to be announced sometime in the new year.

And while saying goodbye to the business has been hard, Spinola said she looks forward to spending more time with her grandchildren and thanks the Norwalk community for the memories.

"I like to tell them the quote 'Don't be sad because it's over, smile because it happened'," said Spinola, referencing the Dr. Seuss quote. With a lifetime of memories, Spinola is hoping to write a book about her experience in the cafe.
BANGKOK (AP)  Fighting between Myanmar government forces and ethnic guerrillas has sent about 2,500 villagers fleeing across the border into Thailand, a Thai army officer said Friday.

The exodus was the biggest since April, when several thousand villagers from Myanmars eastern state of Karen fled to Thailand following airstrikes by Myanmar government forces in territory held by the Karen ethnic minority. They were allowed to stay for a few days then returned to Myanmar.

The Karen are one of several ethnic minorities who have been battling for decades for greater autonomy from Myanmars central government. Fighting between the two sides is intermittent, but heated up after the military in February seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

A Thai army officer in the western border province of Tak told The Associated Press that around 2,500 villagers from Myanmar had crossed the Moei River, which marks the border, since Thursday to seek shelter in Thailands Mae Sot district.

The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information, said Thai authorities provided the evacuees -- mostly women and children -- with humanitarian assistance including shelter and food, and tested them for COVID-19.

The Thai army task force responsible for border security issued a warning Thursday through the joint Thai-Myanmar Border Committee that it was prepared to retaliate if stray artillery shells landed on Thai soil. At least one shell landed Thursday on a Thai sugarcane plantation, causing a small fire.

The fighting earlier this year tailed off when the rainy season started, but with the rains mostly over, is expected to resume, not only in Karen territory but also in areas controlled by other ethnic rebel groups.

This weeks clashes were triggered by a raid on Tuesday by government soldiers on the town of Lay Kay Kaw, which is in territory under the de facto control of the Karen National Union, or KNU, the civil authority for the area.

Independent Myanmar media reported govermment troops seized 30-60 people associated with the organized opposition to the military government, including at least one elected lawmaker from of Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party. The KNU has allowed opponents of the military-installed government to take refuge in its territory.

The Karen, along with other ethnic minority groups, have a loose alliance with the army's foes, who have established a self-styled alternative administration, the National Unity Government, and its armed wing, the People's Defense Force, which is a conglomeration of lightly armed local self-defense groups.

According to a KNU statement, its armed guerrillas did not attack the government soldiers on Tuesday because it would have endangered the towns residents, but fighting broke out on Wednesday when the soldiers returned, and shelled Karen guerrillas.

It said fighting escalated Thursday when the government sent reinforcements to the area, including units of the Border Guard Forces. Some 4,000 people had fled the town, it said.

The Karen claimed to have killed or captured more than a dozen troops, and circulated photos of their prisoners.

Lay Kay Kaw enjoys unique status as a settlement established to promote reconciliation. It was built in 2015 with financial support from Japans Nippon Foundation to house and educate people fleeing from decades of combat, especially refugees returning from Thailand.
THE BACKGROUND: 2021 was expected to be busy on the Mexican border. President Joe Biden, who took office in January, had said he was going to be a more welcoming president than his predecessor, President Donald Trump, and that alone was enough to encourage migrants to try to come to the United States.

But arrivals exceeded expectations soon after he took office. Children traveling alone shattered previous highs in March. The Border Patrol encountered migrants in South Texas more often than ever in June and July. And about 15,000 mostly Haitian refugees were camped under a bridge in a Texas border town in September.

The administration began a massive expulsion of Haitians while allowing thousands to remain in the U.S. Its uneven response after months of rising arrivals sparked sharp criticism from both the right and left, illustrating the consequences of scrapping Trumps policies without a new asylum system in place.

Here, Associated Press journalists involved in the coverage reflect on the story and their own experiences.

___

ELLIOT SPAGAT: correspondent, San Diego.

So when I was in Rio Grande Valley and March, we were some of the few journalists who got inside a detention center where there were almost 4,000 unaccompanied children. There were 500 or 600 kids in some of these pods that were designed for 25 under COVID guidelines. They were packed in there like sardines. It was really something to see. A 17-year-old woman who had just just given birth was allowed in a separate area, but conditions were even worse than I saw under Trump. The chain-link fences of previous administrations, sometimes called cages," were replaced with plastic  thick plastic sheets. That was basically the same thing.

___

This was the third time since 2014 that very large numbers of migrants were coming across, many of them families and children from Central America but also increasingly from South America and Africa. Many of them get released, which encourages more to come. But then the ones who are maybe most in need cant get across, for various reasons. I was haunted by this: there was a woman from El Salvador who had to flee her house in the middle of the night because a policeman was after her, wanted to kidnap her and take ownership of her, and she didnt want him to know where her kids were. So she didnt even say goodbye to them, and she fled. But she was kidnapped and raped and put into prostitution while in Mexico. She was assaulted in Tijuana and she couldnt get across to claim asylum. There are people like her, and its just sad they cant get in. Then, other people who probably are less deserving  in the sense that theyre coming just for work  they managed to get in.

___

GREG BULL, photographer, based in San Diego:

In May, for about a week or so, we had continuing coverage of folks arriving in droves. They're crossing the border and asking for asylum. .... The vast majority were families coming in, so they would walk calmly to the closest (border) agent and turn themselves in. But what we were seeing more and more, and Im sure you heard it from the others, was we were starting to see a bunch of kids coming in. And that was by far the most poignant and shocking thing to see: these 12-year-olds walking along through the mud in the middle of the night, in the rain, alone.

___

We met this girl Emely, and shes 8, from Honduras. And shes crying. Shes lost a shoe in the mud. Shes with this group, but shes sort of an appendage to the group. And theres some younger mothers in this group who were not nice to her, just kind of bickering with her. Like, Come on, keep up. Wheres your shoe? How do you lose your shoe?" Theyre less than sympathetic at this point, and shes just crying. She meets up with the agent and its the middle of the night. ... Shes got no documents, no info, she didnt know where her mom was living in the States, or parents were living in the States. She wasnt sure even where she came from at the last point in Mexico, but shes from Honduras. And (border agents) had no way to link this kid to anyone on the U.S. side, or elsewhere.

So she was just basically to be put into the system, and then folks were going to have to try and figure some way to link her to somebody. We got info on her and I sent the picture in the middle of the night and it ended up running throughout the country on the Spanish news channels. Her mother was in Austin, Texas, saw it and was like, Thats my daughter." ... And, long story short, theyre able to link up Emely back with her mom through this photo and also through (AP reporter) Adriana Gomez and (AP's) Eugene Garcias video. So the three of us were able to link this family together. That's the neatest thing thats happened to me over the years. I was so excited.

___

JULIO CORTEZ, AP photographer based in Baltimore:

A little bit about my background: I came to the U.S. when I was 10 years old, and we were in a detention center for about a week. So I feel like I have a pretty good understanding of what people are going through. ... Actually, my background opened up a great opportunity.

___

One of the stories that Im most proud is that of Yancarlos, a 5-year old boy from Honduras. Im on my way back home (to Baltimore) from the border ... and Im at the airport, just minding my own business eating a sandwich, waiting for my plane, and I overhear a conversation behind me. A man is asking this little boy in Spanish, Are you excited about learning English? Are you excited about going to school in America? And that lit a light bulb in my head so I dropped everything, I went over and talked to the kids mom and I said Where are you coming from? Were you in one of those detention centers? Shes like, Yeah. And you got granted asylum? Yeah. So all the things started lining up. So of course, now its my turn to say, Well, I would like to photograph you. I thought it was just going to be a quick portrait or something. And then I asked, Where are you going, anyways?" And shes like, Oh, my brothers waiting for us in Baltimore." And Im like, Wait a minute. Are you on this next flight to Houston and then from Houston to Baltimore?" And shes like, Yep," I said Oh, please let me photograph you along the way. Let me tell your stories."

The mother at first said No, I don't like cameras, I dont know who you are. So I gave her my card and I said, Look, this is a real company. Thats my name." And she still wouldnt. And I said, The reason I want to tell your story is, we never hear what happens afterwards. And I can relate to you because"  and I laid out how it was for us, how we were in a detention center, how we were in a room with a just a mattress and no bedding, no pillows, nothing. We were there for a week and I said: What your kid went through the last few days, I went through when I was a kid. And you know, nobody ever told my story, which is okay, but I want to tell his story." And she said, OK, you can photograph us."

It was just such a cute story. The boy is 5 years old and in a little Superman outfit with a little hoodie, and hes looking out the window and seeing his very first plane hes going to ever be on, and he and his mom have never flown. ... Mom's terrified but the little boy, once they get in the in the air, hes touching all the buttons, and shes like, No, no." And Im like, No, I get it. I remember my first flight." So that was a really cool story because I just followed them along the way and told a really sweet story of Yancarlos who didnt get sent back to Honduras where things are really, really scary for him.

___

For a full overview of the events that shaped 2021, A Year That Changed Us: 12 Months in 150 Photos, a collection of AP photos and journalists recollections, is available now: https://www.ap.org/books/a-year-that-changed-us
DANBURY  The Housatonic Valley Association has received a combined $137,000 in grants that will support efforts to improve water quality in Connecticut and New York.

With about $86,600 of the monies, the association will work with Corazon Latino and the Housatonic Habitat for Humanity in Danbury to install rain gardens at five Habitat homes and one community facility in western Connecticut.

The homes will likely be in Danbury, New Milford and Washington, although this hasnt been finalized, a spokeswoman said. The facility is yet to be determined.

The association said this will demonstrate their value in protecting water quality and restoring pollinator habitat.

Through multilingual education activities, the project will also engage residents and communities in how to protect local and Long Island Sound water health, the announcement from the association stated.

The grants come from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Long Island Sound Futures Fund, in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Long Island Sound Study, and the Long Island Sound Funders Collaborative.

The money is meant to benefit the Housatonic River, Long Island Sound, and Wells Brook, a tributary of the Ten Mile River in the Dover, New York area.

The Housatonic is the second-largest source of freshwater drainage to Long Island Sound; only the Connecticut River contributes more. This kind of work in the Housatonic watershed is absolutely critical to the long-term health and resilience of the Sound, Mike Jastremski, HVAs watershed conservation director, said in a statement. Were so grateful to NFWF (National Fish and Wildlife Foundation) and their funding partners for recognizing the value of our work to restore and protect the health of the Housatonic. Theres still lots of work to do, but this funding will make a big difference.

Another grant will go toward constructing Green Infrastructure practices in Dover, N.Y. The entails using nature-based techniques to reduce polluted stormwater runoff and restore wildlife habitat at two paved commercial locations in the Ten Mile River watershed.

The association said this should prevent more than 17 pounds of nitrogen from entering Wells Brook and downstream waters every year, while stopping several other pollutants from entering this high-quality Ten Mile River tributary.

The Housatonic Valley Association is a core partner with a Save the Sound project that also earned a grant through this fund.

The groups will create comprehensive plans for two towns in the Naugatuck River watershed. These plans will identify the most important bridge and culvert replacement projects for improving fish and wildlife habitat and reducing flood risk.
NEW MILFORD  On a chilly Sunday in December, the New Milford Historical Society opened the doors to its new exhibit: The Black Experience in New Milford. It marked one of the first times that the more than 300-year-old town had crafted a permanent space for local Black and Native American lives in its historical archive.

The special event included roughly 65 residents and local leaders, including the families of those honored in the displays. Resident Victoria Smith, born and raised in New Milford, sang two spirituals at the gathering, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot and We Shall Overcome.

The exhibit officially opens to the public on Tuesday.

I felt extraordinarily proud of New Milford, said Richard Peagler, whose family has a long history in town including several celebrated war heroes. Peagler and his wife drove down from Cortland, N.Y., for the special unveiling and to visit his mother, who still lives in town.

To have that done in a small town like New Milford is extraordinary, he said.

The final result has been a year in the making.

In early 2021, curator Lisa Roush gathered museum volunteers and New Milford residents to form an exhibit committee. Inspired by the summer of the Black Lives Matter protests, the historical society decided to join the national conversation about race, and began to research, plan, and install the permanent exhibit in the Boardman Store building gallery.

Ray Smith, a descendant of New Milfords famous Heacock family, and son of Frances L. Smith, a longtime historian who has written extensive books covering African American history and the town, joined the committee in May. At the time, he said he felt a sense of duty to join the project, and hoped it would help educate New Milford residents on important Black history.

Roush said she was honored to be presenting the new exhibit to the community.

This new permanent exhibit will remain here so that future generations can learn about the significance of the Black community not only in our New England town, but in America and the World, she said.

The history of a town

The exhibit begins with Native American history before moving on to slavery, the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Reconstruction and World War I and II. Each display brings to light the rich contributions, stories and images of Black New Milfordites who shaped that moment in time.

Yet, the displays capture not just faces, names and dates, but historical documents, objects, and voices.

This includes: a list of houses noted to be on the Underground Railroad; a shining purple heart medal given to Richard Peaglers uncle, Second Lt. Robert Peagler, Jr.; the Rev. Stephen Heacocks wood pulpit from the first Black church in New Milford; a long list of Black Civil War veterans; the number of soldiers on the Honor Roll of Litchfield County for fighting in the Revolutionary War; a photo and description of Martha Minerva Franklin, a pioneering Black nurse from New Milford who founded National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses.

The list goes on.

On one wall, the museum has created a photo album with pictures contributed by local families. Eventually, the board wants to gather enough material for a file on each family represented there.

Next to these photos stands a lone computer on a tall stand. The screen, when turned on, plays an oral history centered on the lives of Black residents. The videos include seven interviews with Black residents who talk about growing up Black in New Milford. Peagler was one of them.

Another wall is filled with quilt squares that tell the story of the Underground Railroad.

The entire exhibit was a community effort  from quilt squares stitched by the senior center, to the oral histories cut and produced by the Youth Agency, to the research, stories, and photos contributed by local families and the historical society board members.

The community was thinking about us as a group of people, and that is phenomenal, Peagler said.

Education for a nation

The board and curators had one major goal: to educate and start conversations.

As she walked through the displays, Victoria Smith said she learned more about the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, one of the Native American tribes who were some of the first people to live in the area.

Peagler received very little Black history in grade school. But he said his hometown has made a remarkable commitment to representing Black history.

In that way, completion of the exhibit didnt mark the end of something, but rather the beginning, explained Anita Regan, a board member at the historical society.

I will tell you that the feeling that we had on Sunday with all of us together in that room, it was pretty powerful, Regan said. And it gave me hope.

Danielle King, a history, non-western cultures and English professor at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, knows how important education is when it comes to Black history. She teaches a class called African American Studies: The Black Experience, and watches in real time as her students  Black, white, Latino  learn, at times for the first time, about essential Black history.

This is tremendously important because, as we know, African Americans have been economically, emotionally, physically, spiritually disenfranchised mainly because their history has always been withheld, said King.

Since the Black Lives Matter protests and George Floyds murder, she has witnessed some change across the country when it comes to recognition and celebration of Black history. New Milford is an example.

Im thrilled, King said. I cant wait to visit. I cant wait to see it, because it makes us look for the pieces that have been omitted from history.

Peagler said the opening ceremonies brought tears to peoples eyes.

I kept thinking, board member Kathy Kelly said, if every little museum all across the country put up a display like this, what a difference that would make in the world.
NEW FAIRFIELD  An additional $1.8 million could be coming to bring plans for the long-proposed Margerie Reservoir Trail to fruition.

The state Bond Commission will meet Tuesday to vote on millions of dollars in requested funds for various projects across the state  including the proposed multi-use trail, which received a $484,000 grant-in-aid from the commission earlier this year.

First proposed more than a decade ago, the about 2.5-mile, multi-use trail would run along the 270-acre Margerie Reservoir, connecting New Fairfields town center to Peck Road in Danbury.

I am happy to see the trail get the funding it so desperately needs for I have been working on this project for the past many years, State Rep. Ken Gucker, D-Danbury said in a statement. This valuable resource will provide much needed safe passive recreation as well as be an economic driver for not only Danbury, but the town of New Fairfield.

Gov. Ned Lamont backs the grant.

The Margerie Reservoir is among the most gorgeous natural resources in Connecticut, and this multi-use trail will enhance the recreational opportunities for everyone in the area, he said in a statement.

A report from the Western Connecticut Council of Governments, after a more-than-yearlong study of the Route 37 corridor, estimated the project to cost between $2 million and $3.5 million and take about five years to complete.

If approved, the additional $1.8 million grant-in-aid from the state would bring the projects total funding to roughly $2.28 million.

Gucker says the Margerie Reservoir Trail would be a place where people can enjoy passive outdoor recreation, and provide a safe, walkable gateway from downtown New Fairfield to Peck Road in Danbury.

Danbury Mayor Dean Esposito said hes excited about the prospect of the trail because it would give residents the ability to stay healthy, and go out and enjoy nature.

State Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, would also like to see the trail built, saying theres no question that (it) will provide a natural link for the two communities of New Fairfield and Danbury.

After securing the $484,000 state grant earlier this year, New Fairfields Board of Selectmen approved a charter establishing a Margerie Reservoir Trail Advisory Committee. To move forward, the city of Danbury needs to approve the charter as well.

Esposito  who became Danburys mayor at the start of the month  said the city hasnt formed the committee yet, but he supports the project. He said he wants to ensure the reservoir wouldnt be negatively affected.

If we can figure out whats the best avenue to provide that trail, it would be great, Esposito said.

During its meeting on Tuesday, the state Bond Commission will consider $210,170 for a new elevator and Americans with Disabilities Act improvements at New Fairfields Squantz Engine Company firehouse.

Gucker said the funds are much needed to help make the firehouse ADA compliant and as a former New Fairfield volunteer firefighter, he understands the importance of this project to the community.

The state Bond Commissions Tuesday meeting is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.

Staff writer Julia Perkins contributed to this report.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Gabriel Filippelli, IUPUI

(THE CONVERSATION) The Biden administration has released a plan to accelerate removal of lead water pipes and lead paint from U.S. homes. As a geochemist and environmental health researcher who has studied the heartbreaking impacts of lead poisoning in children for decades, I am happy to see high-level attention paid to this silent killer, which disproportionately affects poor communities of color.

Childhood lead poisoning has declined significantly in the U.S. over the past 50 years. Thats largely due to the elimination of leaded gasoline in the 1980s and the banning of most lead-based paints.

But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that up to 10 million households and 400,000 schools and child care centers have service lines or other fixtures that contain lead. These pipes are ticking time bombs that can leach toxic lead into drinking water if they corrode. As long as they remain in service, children and families are vulnerable.

The same is true of lead paint, which is still present in many homes built before consumer use of lead paint was banned in 1978. Because it tastes sweet, children sometimes chew on paint chips or painted wood.

The Biden administration will spend US$15 billion from the recently enacted infrastructure bill to replace lead service lines, faucets and fixtures over the next five years and is seeking additional money in the pending Build Back Better Act to reduce lead hazards in public housing and low-income communities. I see this as a key priority, since Black children and children living in poverty have average blood lead levels that are 13% higher than the national average.

Lead poisoning does permanent damage

Lead poisoning is a major public health problem because lead has permanent impacts on the brain, particularly in children. Young brains are still actively forming the amazing network of neurons that comprise their hardware.

Neurons are designed to use calcium, the most abundant mineral in the human body, as a transmitter to rapidly pass signals. Lead molecules look a lot like calcium molecules, so if they are present in a childs body, they can penetrate the brain, impair neuron development and cause permanent neural damage.

Children with lead poisoning have lower IQs, poor memory recall, high rates of attention deficit disorder and low impulse control. They tend to perform poorly at school, which reduces their earning potential as adults. They also face increased risk of kidney disease, stroke and hypertension as they age. Research has found strong connections between lead poisoning and incarceration for violent crimes.

Today researchers estimate that about 500,000 U.S. children still have elevated blood lead levels. Health experts widely agree that there is no known safe blood lead concentration.

Where are the lead pipes?

The Biden administrations plan calls for replacing 100% of lead service lines across the nation  a goal that the EPA aims to write into regulations by 2024. Step 1 is finding the pipes.

Most U.S. cities have countless miles of lead service lines buried beneath streets and sidewalks and feeding into peoples homes. Utilities dont know where many of these aging lines are and dont have enough data to map them. Replacing them will require significant analysis, modeling, data and some guesswork.

Old service lines have caused lead poisoning outbreaks in such places as Washington, D.C.; Flint, Michigan; and Newark, New Jersey. The chemistry is a bit different in each case.

Lead service lines typically develop a protective plaque of minerals on their inside walls after a short time, which effectively separates the toxic lead pipe from the water flowing through it. This coating, which is called scale, remains stable if the chemistry of the water coursing through it doesnt change. But if that chemistry is altered, disaster can ensue.

In 2002, Washington, D.C., shifted from chlorine to chloramine for treating its water supply. Chloramine is a more modern disinfectant that does not form dangerous reactive chlorinated byproducts as chlorine can.

This rapidly corroded the protective plaque lining the citys pipes, flushing highly absorbable lead into homes. Tens of thousands of children were exposed over two years before the problem was adequately identified and fixed.

In Flint, state-appointed managers decided to save money during a fiscal crisis in 2014 by switching from Detroit water to water from the Flint River. But regulators did not require enough chemical analysis to determine what additives should be used to maintain the pipe plaque. And they skipped the typical step of adding phosphate, which binds chemically with lead and prevents it from leaching out of pipes, in order to save about $100 per day.

Corrosion chemistry is well controlled in many U.S. cities, but it is not a perfect science. And utilities dont always have detection systems that adequately alert water suppliers to dangers at the tap. Thats why removing lead pipes is the only sure way to avoid the threat of more water crises.

Cities will need to innovate

While $15 billion is a big investment, experts agree that its not enough to replace all lead pipes nationwide. For example, the estimated cost of replacing all of Flints lead service lines is about $50 million  and there are thousands of U.S. cities to fix.

My own city, Indianapolis, has a population of about 850,000  about 10 times larger than Flint  and officials have only a rough idea of where to find the lead service lines. There are ways to statistically model the likelihood that a given portion of the water system has lead service lines, using information such as water main sizes, locations and construction dates, but they are imperfect.

Cities will need to get creative to make whatever funds they get go as far as possible. As one example, I am working with colleagues to develop a citizen science project that will provide thousands of tests for lead at taps around Indianapolis. This effort, a partnership with the University of Notre Dame funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, may augment modeling with real data on levels of lead in homes, and will increase public awareness of this issue.

[Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today.]

In spite of these challenges, I believe more urgency on this issue is long overdue. Every lead pipe thats replaced will pay off in higher lifetime earnings and lower rates of illness for families that gain access to safer tap water.

This is an updated version of an article originally published on May 4, 2021.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/the-us-is-making-plans-to-replace-all-of-its-lead-water-pipes-from-coast-to-coast-173963.
A Nevada woman was twice hospitalized during a weeklong visit to a former CNN producers Vermont ski home where they trained her adopted 9-year-old daughter to be sexually submissive, according to the mothers arrest warrant.

The 48-year-old woman, whose name Hearst Connecticut Media Group is withholding to protect her daughters identity, has been charged in Nevada with two counts each of sexual assault of a minor under 14 and first-degree child abuse as well as three counts of lewdness with a minor under 14.

The woman was arrested in August 2020, about a month after she and her daughter made a cross-country trip to John Griffins ski home in Ludlow, Vt., arrest warrants stated. The woman, whose attorney could not be reached for comment, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday in Henderson, Nev.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Griffin in New Haven last week on an indictment, charging him with three counts of using a facility of interstate commerce to attempt to entice minors to engage in unlawful sexual activity, the U.S. attorneys office for the district of Vermont said.

The womans eight-page arrest warrant includes text messages describing her visit to Griffins home, references to sexually explicit photos the girl was forced to take of the woman, and interviews with the girl, her biological mother and her grandmother, who was assigned temporary custody of the child.

Griffin, 44, of Stamford, has been accused of trying to lure women and their daughters to his ski home to sexually train the underage girls, according to his indictment.

Griffins attorney, Joseph Martini, said he and his client will not be commenting on the case.

In a statement to Hearst Connecticut Media, CNN said Griffin was fired Monday from the network, where he had worked since 2013, according to his LinkedIn profile. Griffin was once a producer for the Chris Cuomo show and was most recently a producer for CNN senior political analyst John Avlon.

Investigators said Griffin paid more than $3,000 for the Nevada woman to fly with her daughter to Boston, where he picked them up and drove them to his Vermont house in July 2020, the indictment stated.

The investigation into Griffin began in August 2020 after the Nevada woman contacted local police about a custody dispute she was having with her daughters biological mother, according to her arrest warrant obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media.

Police in Henderson, Nev., contacted the girls biological mother, who said she discovered a series of text messages the woman sent from her daughters phone to another man describing their trip to Vermont and how she engaged the child in sexual activity, the warrant stated. The girls biological mother said the woman used the girls phone to send text messages and log onto social media and email.

Trip had some great moments and then me (in) the hospital twice, the woman texted the man, according to the warrant.

The warrant states that its unknown why the woman was hospitalized.

In August 2020, the biological mother contacted Griffin, who said the woman was hospitalized in Boston and denied anything happened with the girl while he was alone with her at his Vermont home, the warrant stated.

However, during the first three nights of the trip, the girl told police she was forced to engage in sexual activity with Griffin and her adoptive mother, the warrant stated.

(The girl) stated that the remaining nights in Vermont, she did not want to participate in what (her adoptive mother) and John were doing, so she stayed in another room while they went to the basement, the warrant stated.

The girl also told police she was forced to watch as her adoptive mother have sex with at least three other men between March 2020 and the trip to Vermont in July of that year, the warrant stated.

In the arrest warrant, Henderson police stated they charged the adoptive mother for the alleged incidents in Vermont because she committed acts in Nevada with the intent, partial execution, and which culminated in the commission of a crime that occurred in the state of Vermont.

Less than two weeks after the woman was charged in August 2020, federal investigators seized Griffins computers and other electronic devices, according to his indictment.

Federal authorities have not responded to questions about why it took more than a year for charges to be filed against Griffin. A spokesperson for the FBI Albany field office declined to comment Friday, citing the ongoing investigation.

Ludlow Police Chief Jeffrey Billings said Griffin is not facing state charges in Vermont and referred questions to federal authorities.

Griffin is also accused of trying to lure two other women and their daughters between April and June 2020 to his Vermont home, which he purchased for $1.8 million in February 2020.

The purchase was made using an LLC that included Griffin and his estranged wife, Allyson Griffin. A personal attorney for Allyson Griffin said the couple has been separated for two years and declined to comment about the charges her estranged husband is facing.

Norwalk property records indicate the couple purchased a $3.6 million home in the Rowayton section of the city in 2017. At the time of his arrest, John Griffin was a Stamford resident, according to the U.S. attorneys office. Its not clear when he moved and his name does not appear on Stamford property records.

According to his indictment, investigators claimed Griffin chatted online with people he believed were the parents of minor children, and tried to persuade them to allow him to train their daughters to be sexually submissive, the indictment stated.

During several chat conversations over Kik and Google Hangouts in 2020, Griffin stated that he believed a woman is a woman regardless of her age, according to the indictment.

During these chat conversations, John Griffin espoused a way of life in which women are sexually subservient and inferior to men, the indictment stated. Using Kik and Google Hangouts, John Griffin sought parents who would allow him to train their minor daughters to be sexually subservient.
Love means never having to say youre sorry for not doing the laundry.

For the first time in 43 years of marriage, I have been washing clothes. Ive also been performing tasks I did before but am now doing more frequently, such as loading the dishwasher, vacuuming the house, cleaning the bathrooms, going grocery shopping and playing chauffeur.

Theres a good reason for this uncharacteristic usefulness: My wife, Sue, recently had a heart attack.

Shes recovering slowly but well. She gets tired easily, especially after watching me fold the clothes I just took out of the dryer and pile them on the bench in the family room. And she will be the first to say that this life-changing event came as a shock  though not, in retrospect, as a surprise.

The warning signs were there for months, Sue admitted. I chose to ignore them.

Shes not unlike a lot of people who shrug off chest discomfort as stress or indigestion (in our house, Im the cause of both). This is especially true of men and women of a certain age (in Sues case, 68) who acknowledge that theyre no longer spring chickens but dont think they are old enough to have a heart attack.

Sue also wasnt a good candidate for cardiac problems because shes slim, she exercises daily, she eats healthily, and she doesnt have high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

But she does have a family history of heart issues. And that, even without the warning signs, should have been a warning sign.

The attack happened the day after Thanksgiving, at our daughter Laurens house. It was late morning and Sue and I were preparing to go home after what our granddaughters Chloe and Lilly called a double sleepover (we spent Wednesday and Thursday nights there).

I loaded the car while Sue was in the bathroom. Right after I came back in, she emerged ashen-faced and said she had just vomited. She sat down and said she was having chest pains that radiated to her back. She also felt dizzy.

Lauren, who is on the ball with everything, said Sue needed to go to the hospital. I concurred. I probably should have called an ambulance, but the hospital was close by, so I drove Sue to the emergency room.

Her EKG was normal, but her blood work showed an elevated enzyme level, a sure sign of a heart attack.

Sue was rushed into surgery. Two hours later, Dr. Andrew Persits came out and told me that Sue had an attack during the procedure.

I did an angiogram, he said. Two or three spots in her left anterior descending artery were 70 to 80 percent blocked, so I put in three stents. Her right side was 40 to 50 percent blocked, but that can be managed with medication.

Sue stayed in the hospital for two nights and was released Sunday morning.

Dr. Persits and all the other doctors, nurses and technicians who attended to Sue at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead, N.Y., were wonderful. In fact, they were lifesavers  wintergreen, the best kind.

When Sue got home, it was my turn to attend to her. Even for a writer, words cant adequately express the depth of my love for her. Thats why I was happy to be the caregiver for someone whose care and giving have made her the backbone of our family.

Which brings me to the laundry.

I appreciate that youre doing it, said Sue, who had to show me how to use the washer and dryer. But you think you do it the best. You hadnt done it for 43 years, but now that youve been doing it for a week, you think youre the King of Laundry.

I do a pretty good job, I said immodestly. And I havent flooded the house.

Even though you know how to do the laundry, you dont know how to put it away, Sue responded. You just let it pile up. Its clean, but its in piles.

She did have kind words for my ability to do other household chores.

You do clean the bathrooms. And you vacuum nicely. It gets me off the hook, Sue said. You also do a good job with the dishes. I can tell because you have dishpan hands.

Before dinner, I set the table. And I clear it off afterward. But if it were left to me to prepare meals, we both would starve.

You dont cook, Sue reminded me. You dont know how to turn on the oven and you dont turn the stove off.

Thats not entirely true because, by Sues admission, I do make scrambled eggs. I also heat up leftover pizza in the oven. And I can operate the microwave.

At least I havent burned the house down, I said in my own feeble defense.

Sue said shes grateful that I chauffeur her around, mainly to go to doctors appointments and to run errands. Because shes not yet ready to get behind the wheel, I am the designated driver  even though I dont have a chauffeurs cap.

Youve been very good about it, Sue said sweetly. But, she added, I dont like going to the grocery store with you. Youre always 10 paces behind me. Then you wander off somewhere. And you put stuff in the cart that we dont need.

We always need beer, I countered.

Sue smiled, took one of my dishpan hands and said, Thank you for taking such good care of me.

Its my pleasure, I responded with a kiss.

I know being a caregiver isnt easy, she said.

Its easier than being a patient, I said.

Im getting better every day, Sue said. Some days I get tired, but overall, Im doing all right. I just never thought this would happen to me.

Once you start cardio rehab, youll be back to normal, I assured her. And I did buy that pillbox for you.

You mean the old lady pillbox, Sue said with a smile. I went from not taking anything to taking five pills a day.

Am I a pill? I asked.

Sue smiled again and said, No. Youre good medicine.

We both laughed because laughter is the best medicine  and the cheapest.

Now if you will excuse me, I said, I have to do another load of laundry.

Stamford native Jerry Zezima writes a humor column for Tribune News Service and is the author of five books. Email: JerryZ111@optonline.net. Blog: jerryzezima.blogspot.com.
Prior to accepting this role, von Hoensbroech served as CEO of Austrian Airlines, starting in 2018, where he led the airline through the COVID-19 crisis, significantly strengthening its competitiveness during a difficult period. Austrian Airlines is part of the Lufthansa Group, and Austria's largest airline, operating a significant network in central and eastern Europe, among the world's most competitive and lowest cost airline markets.

"It gives me great pleasure, following our global search, to welcome Alexis to the WestJet Group as CEO. Alexis understands WestJet's low-cost roots and the importance of cost competitiveness in our vision for the future. We're extremely pleased to welcome Alexis to our team and into WestJet's remarkable culture," said Chris Burley, Chairman of WestJet's board of directors. "While at Austrian Airlines, Alexis refocused the airline on its core business, lowering its cost base to address rising competition from ultra-low-cost carriers. Alexis' direct aviation operating experience builds on a career of airline consulting and research work."

Alexis von Hoensbroech said, "I am really excited to be joining the WestJet team. WestJet is a remarkable success story, bringing affordable air travel to millions of Canadians. I am very much looking forward to working with the management team, the Board and all WestJetters and Swoopsters to write the next chapter of this success story, as the airline emerges from the pandemic."

After obtaining a doctorate in physics, von Hoensbroech spent his early career at the management consultancy company, The Boston Consulting Group, in Munich and Tokyo, with clients primarily from the aviation industry. He joined the Lufthansa Group in 2005, responsible for the strategy and subsidiaries of Lufthansa airline. From there he worked on various integration projects; became head of commercial at the airline's biggest hub, before moving to Lufthansa Cargo AG. Most recently, as CEO and CFO of Austrian Airlines, he held management responsibilities for human resources, business development corporate communications, political and legal affairs and the CFO functions controlling, financing, accounting and sourcing.

About WestJet

In 25 years of serving Canadians, WestJet has cut airfares in half and increased the flying population in Canada to more than 50 per cent. WestJet launched in 1996 with three aircraft, 250 employees and five destinations, growing over the years to more than 180 aircraft, 14,000 employees and more than 100 destinations in 23 countries, pre-pandemic.

Since the start of the pandemic the WestJet Group of Companies has built a layered framework of safety measures to ensure Canadians can continue to travel safely and responsibly through the airline's Safety Above All hygiene program. During this time, WestJet has maintained its status as one of the top-10 on-time airlines in North America as named by Cirium.

For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.

Connect with WestJet on Facebook at facebook.com/westjet

Follow WestJet on Twitter at twitter.com/westjet and twitter.com/WestJetNews

Follow WestJet on Instagram instagram.com/westjet/

Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at youtube.com/westjet

Read the WestJet Newsroom at westjet.com/en-ca/news

Recent recognition includes:

2020/2019 Number-One Ranked Canadian Airline Loyalty Program in Member Engagement (Bond Brand Loyalty)

2019/2018/2017 Best Airline in Canada (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines)

2019 Winner Among Mid-Sized Airlines in North America (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines)

2019/2018 Number-One-Ranked Airline Credit Card in Canada (Rewards Canada)

SOURCE WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership

For further information: Media contacts: To contact WestJet media relations, please email [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.westjet.com


GATINEAU, QC, Dec. 17, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Clean, fresh water is essential to the health, safety, and well-being of our communities. The Government of Canada is committed to finding nature-based solutions to keep water safe, clean, and well-managed for future generations.

Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced close to $4 million in funding to support fifty-two new projects over the next four years under the EcoAction Community Funding Program.

The projects funded this year will have measurable and positive impacts on the environment and engage communities across the country. Projects are focused on improving freshwater quality through actions that reduce harmful substances in fresh water, and restore and protect freshwater ecosystem health.

For example, the Lac La Biche Region Watershed Stewardship Society in Alberta will receive $60,000 to improve water quality and watershed resilience in the Lac La Biche watershed by mitigating stormwater impacts, providing wildlife habitat, capturing carbon, and developing educational opportunities for the community. Manitoulin Streams in Ontario will receive $30,000 to engage Indigenous youth from Wiikwemkoong First Nation to remove invasive plants and restore spawning sites in their community.

EcoAction provides financial support to non-profit and non-governmental organizations for local action-based projects that achieve results in order to improve water quality and contribute to the protection of Canada's fresh water. Recently, the Government of Canada launched a call for proposals for project funding under EcoAction for 20222023. Applications will be accepted until January 11, 2022.

Quotes

"Canadians understand how important fresh water is to our health, economy, and the wellbeing of our communities. To be effective in protecting this valued resource and addressing water quality challenges, we need to continue to strengthen collaboration and engagement within communities, with youth, and with Indigenous peoples."

 The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Quick facts

Canada has more than two million lakes and rivers, which account for approximately 20 percent of the world's fresh water.

has more than two million lakes and rivers, which account for approximately 20 percent of the world's fresh water. The EcoAction Community Funding Program is a cost-shared program that leverages contributions from project partners. It requires that at least half of the total project value be funded from sources other than the Government of Canada .

. Partner contributions for the fifty-two projects are valued at over $7.6 million , provided in the form of financial or in-kind resources.

, provided in the form of financial or in-kind resources. The EcoAction-funded projects are expected to:

Protect, stabilize, or improve over 15,200 hectares of shoreline.



Reduce or divert over 404,000 kilograms of harmful waste.



Reduce water consumption by more than 29,000 litres.



Plant over 112,000 native plants.

The fifty-two EcoAction-funded projects combined are expected to engage over 809,300 people and communicate project activities and outcomes to over 780,100 people.

Associated links

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

For further information: Contacts: Gabriel Brunet, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 819-665-6527, [email protected]; Media Relations, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free), [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.ec.gc.ca


CHATHAM-KENT, ON, Dec. 17, 2021 /CNW/ - Everyone in Canada deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. However, the pandemic has increased the need for affordable housing and led to rising levels of homelessness.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), alongside Darrin Canniff, Mayor of Chatham-Kent, announced $4.9 million to support the construction of 27 permanent affordable housing units for individuals and families in Chatham-Kent under the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI).

The project, located at 99 McNaughton Avenue West, will utilize existing municipally owned lands and include a 3-storey modular building with single-bedroom apartments for seniors fleeing domestic violence or elder abuse. The project will be operated by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, who have provided $3.8 million in capital towards the project.

Delivered by CMHC, under the National Housing Strategy (NHS), RHI provides funding to develop new, permanent affordable housing by covering costs associated with the construction of new rental housing units, as well as the acquisition of land, and the conversion/rehabilitation of existing buildings to affordable housing. Investments made under the RHI are expected to support thousands of construction-related jobs for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

Quotes:

"Our Government wants to ensure that everyone in Canada has a safe and affordable place to call home. The Rapid Housing Initiative will go a long way to supporting those who need it most in Chatham-Kent. This is one of the ways our Government's National Housing Strategy continues to provide housing for everyone in Canada from coast to coast to coast."  The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

"We have heard from advocates across the country that women fleeing intimate partner violence often face barriers when they are trying to find alternative housing. Today's announcement will ensure that vulnerable individuals, women, and families have the support they need to live comfortably. Our government is fully committed to tackling the serious issue of gender-based violence and the National Housing Strategy is a key piece of building a safer Canada for women and gender diverse people."  The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth

"Seniors already have so much to worry about, whether it is paying bills, filling their prescriptions, and staying safe during the pandemic. That is why our Government's National Housing Strategy prioritizes those in the most housing need, including seniors. Today's announcement is a crucial step towards ensuring that all residents of Canada from all walks of life have access to safe and affordable housing. Thanks to this funding, more seniors in Chatham-Kent will be able to live independently."  The Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Seniors

"Ensuring there are affordable housing options to meet a variety of needs' is a priority of Chatham-Kent's Council. Chatham-Kent is delighted that its Rapid Housing Initiative application was successful. We look forward to working with CMHC to provide suitable housing for seniors, particularly those fleeing abusive situations, within the next 12 months."  Darrin Canniff, Mayor of Chatham-Kent

Quick facts:

The second round of RHI exceeded its initial target of creating up to 4,500 new affordable units for people living in Canada .

. The total number of units created under the second round of RHI is expected to be over 5,300. The Quebec portion represents 1,300 units, and those aren't included or broken down in the results below:

portion represents 1,300 units, and those aren't included or broken down in the results below: Projects under the Cities Stream will create close to 1,500 new affordable units and projects under the Projects Stream will create approximately 2,500 new affordable units.



2,150 units specifically targeting women and/or women and their children (54% of all units)



Over 2,300 of these new homes are specifically for Indigenous peoples (58% of all units)



Over 192 projects were selected from eligible applications for funding under the Projects Stream, and 48 under the Cities Stream bringing the total number of RHI 2 projects under both streams to 240.

This is thanks to project proponents, and the support of provincial, territorial and municipal governments as well as Indigenous governing bodies.

Units are intended to be constructed within 12 months of when funding is provided to program applicants (with some exceptions), with units in the North and in special access communities intended to be constructed within 18 months.

All applicants with projects being considered in round 2 were notified of the status of their application by December 31, 2021 .

. The RHI is a $2.5 billion program to help address urgent housing needs of vulnerable Canadians, especially in the context of COVID-19, through the rapid construction of affordable housing.

program to help address urgent housing needs of vulnerable Canadians, especially in the context of COVID-19, through the rapid construction of affordable housing. The RHI has received significant interest from Indigenous groups, which resulted in over 40% of all units created under the program to be targeted to Indigenous peoples.

At least 25 per cent of the Rapid Housing Initiative funding under round two will go towards women-focused housing projects with units constructed within 12 months of when funding is provided to program applicants.

Overall, this new funding will add a minimum of 5,300 new affordable units to Canada's housing supply, building on the over 4,700 units already funded in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement through its $1 billion investment.

housing supply, building on the over 4,700 units already funded in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement through its investment. The RHI takes a human rights-based approach to housing, serving people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and others who are among the most vulnerable, including: women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, people dealing with mental health and addiction issues, veterans, LGBTQ2+, racialized groups, Black Canadians, and recent immigrants or refugees.

Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $72 billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call homethis includes more than $13 billion committed through the 2020 Fall Economic Statement.

Associated links:

As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC's aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford, and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

For further information: Media contacts: Daniele Medlej, Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [email protected]

Related Links

www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca


OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 17, 2021 /CNW/ - Communities across Atlantic Canada are already experiencing the impacts of climate change.The low-lying coastal geography of the region makes communities and infrastructure particularly vulnerable to flooding and coastal erosion due to extreme weather events, sea level changes and intense storm-surge events  highlighting the need for adaptation action to reduce the long-term costs and build resilience.

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, and the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change (ECCC), today announced two new resources to help support adaptation to climate change and strengthen resilience in Atlantic Canada.

The first is the release of the Atlantic Provinces chapter of the Canada in a Changing Climate: Regional Perspectives Report. The chapter highlights that infrastructure in the Atlantic Provinces is being threatened by increased flooding and erosion; climate change is exacerbating health risks in the region; critical natural resource sectors are vulnerable to climate change; and partnerships with local Indigenous Peoples are vital to informing adaptation in the region. As impacts will persist and intensify over time, urgent action is needed to increase resilience to climate change through adaptation.

The report is a part of Canada in a Changing Climate: Advancing our Knowledge for Action, the national science-based assessment of how and why Canada's climate is changing, the impacts of these changes and how we are adapting. The assessment reports raise awareness and understanding of the key issues facing our country and provide information to support sound adaptation decisions and actions.

Also today, the federal government joins the governments of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in celebrating the official launch of CLIMAtlantic, a new regional climate organization serving the four Atlantic Provinces. CLIMAtlantic will provide communities, economic sectors and governments throughout Atlantic Canada with access to regional climate data, information, tools, training and support.

The Government of Canada is providing $1.65 million over three years towards the operations of CLIMAtlantic, and will contribute as much as $301,500 to support the work of regional climate service specialists in each Atlantic Province. The Atlantic Provinces are each contributing $75,000 over three years to the organization's operations.

Today's launch is part of a federal commitment to establish a network of climate organizations across the country. CLIMAtlantic is the fourth organization to join the national network of climate service organizations working with ECCC's Canadian Centre for Climate Services.

By ensuring Atlantic Canadians have access to credible, evidence-based information, these two resources will enable them to make more informed decisions to prepare for, respond and adapt to climate change impacts.

Quotes

"We must take bold and urgent action to protect our Atlantic communities from the negative impacts of our rapidly changing climate. The science is clear  adaptation action is critical to building resiliency to the impacts of climate change throughout the Atlantic provinces and across the country."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson

Minister of Natural Resources

"Climate change is not a future problem  it's here, and with it comes more frequent and extreme weather events. Atlantic Canadians are already feeling these impacts; that's why initiatives that support climate change adaptation and resilience are so important. We are here to support the vital work of CLIMAtlantic, and our government will always stand up for the safety and wellbeing of Atlantic Canadians and their communities."



The Honourable Steven Guilbeault

Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"Climate change is impacting communities across Atlantic Canada, and the measures we take to adapt to it need to be based on sound data and scientific advice. The experts at CLIMATlantic will help inform the Atlantic provinces on how to ensure that our communities remain strong and resilient for years to come."

The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc,

Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities



"We're thrilled that CLIMAtlantic is officially opening and it's located right here in Sackville, New Brunswick. Some of the benefits to our province include having access to the most current climate change data and services, which will increase New Brunswickers' awareness of the impacts of climate change, help build capacity at the local level so that communities can adapt to climate change, and inform our multiple sectors on becoming more resilient and remaining competitive in the marketplace."

The Honourable Gary Crossman

New Brunswick Environment and Climate Change Minister



"We need to work together to be prepared for the impacts of climate change. This regional organization allows us to collaborate with the federal government and other Atlantic provinces to share our work and accelerate access to climate information. This data will be used by governments and industry to develop plans to address regional climate risks. Nova Scotia looks forward to a strong collaborative relationship with our Atlantic partners as we work to implement the 28 goals enshrined in our new Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act."



The Honourable Tim Halman

Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Nova Scotia



"I am excited to see CLIMAtlantic officially open in the Atlantic region. Every action we take together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, stimulate clean innovation and growth and build resilience to climate change impacts in the Atlantic provinces will make a difference. Through access to regional climate data, information, tools and training, we will have the best information available to address the impacts of climate change, and ensure our communities are sustainable today and for future generations."

The Honourable Bernard Davis

Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador



"Prince Edward Island communities, businesses and residents need good quality, locally-relevant climate data and services to make decisions that reduce climate change risks. We are pleased to partner with CLIMAtlantic to provide these services to Islanders. Adapting to climate change is critical for Islanders as we work to create a more resilient and sustainable future for P.E.I."

The Honourable Steven Myers,

Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action, Government of Prince Edward Island

Associated links

Interactive Atlantic Provinces Chapter of Regional Perspectives Report

Canadian Centre for Climate Services

Backgrounder: Atlantic Provinces Chapter of regional Assessments

Canada in a Changing Climate: National Issues Report

Canada in a Changing Climate: Advancing our Knowledge for Action

Canada's Strengthened Climate Plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy

Map of Adaptation Actions

Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan)

SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

For further information: Natural Resources Canada, Media Relations, 343-292-6100, [email protected]; Joanna Sivasankaran, Press Secretary, [email protected], 819-790-1907; Environment and Climate Change Canada, Media Relations, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free), [email protected]; Gabriel Brunet, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 819-665-6527, [email protected]

Related Links

www.nrcan.gc.ca


GATINEAU, QC, Dec. 17, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Workers and businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government of Canada has a plan to support hard-hit sectors, help businesses adapt and thrive, and give Canadians the skills they need to find good jobs as our economy continues to recover.

Today, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, announced up to $67 million in funding to support Canada's tourism and hospitality sector through the Sectoral Initiatives Program (SIP). This funding supports 24 projects that will help employers and industry stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sector to attract and retain skilled workers, build capacity through training and resources, and remove barriers for groups  including women, youth, Indigenous peoples, newcomers, persons with disabilities and LGBTQ2 Canadians  that continue to be under-represented in the labour market. Projects will also provide training opportunities to workers who have been displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic and work to stimulate the economy in Indigenous communities.

Budget 2021 committed $1.78 billion over three years through several new initiatives that support the skills development and training of workers, and provide incentives for employers to hire and retain them. These measures will help create almost 500,000 new job and training opportunities for workers over the coming years. The Government of Canada had committed to creating over one million jobs, restoring employment to pre-pandemic levels, and this was achieved last month.

Quotes



"The Government is working closely with the tourism and hospitality sector to help address challenges they face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding announced today helps businesses get back on their feet and attract and retain the skilled workers the tourism industry needs. Not only are we supporting Canadians who traditionally face barriers to the labour market and providing workers the support they need to find good jobs, we are also helping the tourism sector bounce back."

 Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough

"The Canadian tourism sector has been among the most impacted by COVID-19 and the economy of our country will not fully recover until tourism recovers. The funding announced today will help businesses address labour shortages by bringing in and keeping skilled workers, building capacity and ensuring inclusion and diversity in the tourism labour force. Canada's tourism labour force is key  our welcoming workforce is one of our best assets and we'll continue to work with partners to ensure they are even better positioned to safely welcome back guests when it is possible to do so."

 Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, Randy Boissonnault

Quick Facts

These 24 projects were selected through an open call for proposals process that ran from January 22, 2021 to March 4, 2021 .

to . The tourism and hospitality sector has been one of the hardest hit sectors by the pandemic. According to the Conference Board of Canada's Briefing: COVID-19 Impact on Tourism Sector Employment and Revenues, it is expected that employment in the sector will remain below 2019 levels until 2023.

Briefing: COVID-19 Impact on Tourism Sector Employment and Revenues, it is expected that employment in the sector will remain below 2019 levels until 2023. Outbreaks of COVID-19 that resulted in lockdowns caused tourism employment to drop anywhere from 15% to 23%. As of April 2021 , tourism employed 520,000 fewer workers than it had in February 2020 , the last month before the pandemic reached Canada , an employment drop of over 25%.

, tourism employed 520,000 fewer workers than it had in , the last month before the pandemic reached , an employment drop of over 25%. The tourism and hospitality sector is a significant source of employment for young workers and newcomers. In 2019, youth (persons age 1524) held more jobs in tourism than any other age group, representing 34% of Canada's tourism workforce, and 28% of tourism employees were immigrants or non-permanent residents

tourism workforce, and 28% of tourism employees were immigrants or non-permanent residents The Sectoral Initiatives Program will be integrated into the new Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP), which received $960 million through Budget 2021 to support key sectors of the economy to implement industry-driven solutions to address current and emerging workforce needs.

through Budget 2021 to support key sectors of the economy to implement industry-driven solutions to address current and emerging workforce needs. The SWSP will help employers find skilled workers and connect Canadians with the training they need. It will also provide workers who have been displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic with training opportunities. This program will help businesses and workers prepare for workforce transitions in the rapidly changing green economy, address labour shortages in sectors like healthcare, and help our economy grow.

The SWSP will have an expanded scope for large-scale projects that offer a broader range of sector-focused activities, including training and upskilling, and developing solutions for workforce challenges.

The SWSP is anticipated to launch calls for proposals early in January 2022 .

Related Products

Backgrounder

Associated Links

Sectoral Initiatives Program

Backgrounder: Budget 2021 Job Creation

ESDC Funding Page

Follow us on Twitter

Backgrounder

List of successful projects

Organization Project Title Location Funding Amount Canadian Tourism Human

Resource Council Tourism Workforce Recovery:

Helping Restore 100,000s of Jobs

and Build Resilience Ottawa, ON $3,965,209 Canadian Tourism Human

Resource Council Maintaining a Foundational Labour

Market Forecasting and Intelligence

System Ottawa, ON $3,326,699 Cape Breton University Cape Breton Island's Tourism

Training Network Sydney, NS $2,257,259 Conseil de la Nation huronne-

wendat (Centre de

developpement de la formation et

de la main-d'oeuvre) Tous ensemble pour notre avenir Wendake, QC $4,115,530 Georgian College of Applied Arts

and Technology UpSkill Tourism Microcredential

Program Barrie, ON $1,712,508 Gros Morne Institute for

Sustainable Tourism Inc. Leadership and Innovation for the

Future of Tourism in Atlantic

Canada (LIFT Atlantic) Rocky Harbour, NL $3,992,800 Groupe artisanal feminin

francophone de l'Ontario Inc. La relance de l'industrie hoteliere et

touristique comme voie de la

relance economique Toronto, ON $89,400 Hospitality Training Action Centre

Local 75 The Future of Work - Foundational

Skills a Pathway to Recovery +

Resilience Toronto, ON $3,413,005 Hospitality Workers Resource

Centre At the Cross-Paths of Skills: A

Model of Intelligent Cross-Sectoral

Career Planning and Development Toronto, ON $4,905,950 Latincouver Cultural and Business

Society Creating Paths for Employment in

Tourism and Hospitality Vancouver, BC $766,614 Mount Saint Vincent University The Ki'nuk Tourism Program at

Mount Saint Vincent University Halifax, NS $1,964,250 Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel

Association Grassroots Revitalization of the

Ontario Hospitality Journey Mississauga, ON $742,775 Outward Bound Canada Training Academy for Outdoor

Professionals Toronto, ON $7,313,109 Refiner's House of Prayer Placement Aid & Skill Development

(PASD) Project Brampton, ON $1,351,910 Saffron Hub Women in food entrepreneurship Whitby, ON $112,500 The Conference Board of Canada The Role of Newcomers and

Temporary Workers in Tourism

Sector Recovery Ottawa, ON $803,039 The Firecircle Ltd. Transition to Tourism

Entrepreneurship Ottawa, ON $5,302,500 The Further Education Society of

Alberta Pathways: Creating Opportunities

for Indigenous Youth Employment in

Tourism and Government Calgary, AB $4,073,232 The Immigration Services Society

of British Columbia Gateway to Tourism/Hospitality

Jobs for Newcomers Vancouver, BC $2,277,035 The YMCA of Greater Vancouver YMCA Cafe Training Program New Westminster,

BC $2,644,155 Thompson Okanagan Tourism

Association Hospitality Professional Program Kelowna, BC $1,869,888 University of Victoria Indigenous Community

Entrepreneurship Development &

Action Recovery (I-CEDAR)

program Victoria, BC $4,914,190 Wheatland Express Inc. East-Central Saskatchewan

Tourism & Learning Centre Wakaw, SK $4,205,908 Yukon Literacy Coalition Yukon Pathways to Success Whitehorse, YT $1,230,926



TOTAL $67,350,391

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For further information: For media enquiries, please contact: Codie Taylor, Interim Director of Communications,Office of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]

Related Links

www.hrsdc-rhdsc.gc.ca


GATINEAU, QC, Dec. 17, 2021 /CNW/ - Employment and Social Development Canada

As Canada recovers from the global pandemic, the Government will continue to support vulnerable, low-income seniors who are experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19.

Today, Canada's Minister of Seniors, Kamal Khera highlighted that the Government of Canada is proposing to provide up to $742.4 million for one-time payments to alleviate the financial hardship of Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and Allowance recipients who received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) in 2020. This proposed measure was announced in the 2021 Economic and Fiscal Update. The government will continue to investigate ways to limit potential benefit reductions for vulnerable seniors who received emergency and recovery benefits.

The CERB and the CRB were designed to provide financial support to employed and self-employed Canadians directly affected by COVID-19. The Government of Canada recognizes that some GIS and Allowance recipients are now facing lower benefit payments this year because of the income they received from these pandemic benefits. Therefore, the Government is proposing to issue an automatic one-time payment which would reimburse affected GIS and Allowance recipients who faced a reduction or loss of GIS benefits in July 2021. Seniors would not need to take any action to receive the one-time payment.

This payment would build on previous measures to support seniors, which include:

restoring the age of eligibility for the Old Age Security (OAS) pension and the GIS to 65 from 67;

increasing the GIS for the lowest-income single seniors;

enhancing the GIS earnings exemption;

providing a one-time, tax-free payment to help seniors with their extra costs during the pandemic; and

moving forward with the plan to boost the OAS by 10% next year for seniors 75 and over.

Quote

"I am committed to improving the supports and benefits available to seniors, especially those with the greatest need. This one-time payment would help improve the financial situation of GIS and Allowance recipients who received the CERB/CRB and saw reductions in GIS, as they navigate the continued financial pressures related to COVID-19. The pandemic hit low-income seniors particularly hard, and the Government of Canada will continue to provide them with the support they need."

 Minister of Seniors, Kamal Khera

Quick Facts

The targeted, one-time payment is proposed to go to an estimated 183,000 GIS recipients and 21,000 Allowance recipients who received CERB/CRB in 2020, and who faced a reduction or loss of GIS benefits in July 2021 .







. Seniors are the fastest-growing demographic age group in Canada . By 2030, the number of seniors is expected to reach 9.4 million, representing close to one quarter of Canada's population.







. By 2030, the number of seniors is expected to reach 9.4 million, representing close to one quarter of population. Since 2015, the Government has provided supports to seniors, such as:

Increasing the GIS for nearly 900,000 low-income single seniors. As a result of this, and other Government initiatives, an estimated 45,000 seniors were lifted out of poverty.



Putting thousands of dollars back in the pockets of future Canadian seniors by restoring the age of eligibility for the OAS pension and the GIS benefits to 65.



Enhancing the GIS earnings exemption for working low-income seniors, to help them keep more of their benefits.



Reducing income taxes through increases to the Basic Personal Amount. When these increases are fully implemented in 2023, 4.3 million seniors will benefit, 465,000 of whom will see their federal income tax reduced to zero. Every year, singles will save close to $300 and couples will save nearly $600 .

and couples will save nearly .

Providing a one-time payment of $500 in August 2021 to OAS pensioners who will be 75 or over as of June 30, 2022 .

in to OAS pensioners who will be 75 or over as of .

Issuing one-time, tax-free payments to help seniors with their extra costs during the pandemic, worth over $1,500 to a low-income couple. In April 2020 , more than 4 million low- and middle-income seniors received a GST credit top-upworth an average of $375 for individual seniors and $510 for senior couples. In July 2020 , the Government provided a one-time tax-free payment of $300 to 6.7 million OAS pensioners and a further $200 to 2.2 million seniors eligible for the GIS.

to a low-income couple. In , more than 4 million low- and middle-income seniors received a GST credit top-upworth an average of for individual seniors and for senior couples. In , the Government provided a one-time tax-free payment of to 6.7 million OAS pensioners and a further to 2.2 million seniors eligible for the GIS.

Moving forward with the plan to boost the OAS pension by 10% in July 2022 for seniors 75 and over.

Associated Links

Economic and Fiscal Update 2021

Programs and services for seniors

Prime Minister announces additional support for Canadian seniors

Prime Minister announces support for vulnerable Canadians affected by COVID19

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For further information: For media enquiries, please contact: Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
Moldova's burgeoning tech industry has the potential to drive innovation and growth across the entire economy. With Moldova's IT exports growing 100-fold in the last 15 years to $258M in 2020, IT is the fastest growing sector in the country. It also pays four times the country average wage. The Government's innovative virtual IT Park policy with a single 7% tax on technology, engineering, R&D, and createch businesses has paid off, attracting 900 resident firms from 35 countries and encouraging formalization of small tech firms and entrepreneurs. Moldova plans to use its burgeoning IT sector and tech capabilities to digitally transform winemaking, agriculture, tourism, green manufacturing, and media. Moldova's Harvard educated Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita, who previously served as the Director of the Global Innovation Fund, has set innovation as a key priority and appointed a dedicated Deputy Prime Minister for Digitalization for the first time to lead Government digital transformation. Prime Minister Gavrilita noted, "For the Republic of Moldova, technologies represent a valuable economic opportunity with a visible impact on quality of life." The Moldovan Government is teaming up with the country's largest universities to increase IT and engineering graduates and create tech-driven specialties in new media, creative technologies, and digital fashion, educating students for the jobs of the future.

In its innovation journey, Moldova will be supported by top global innovators  the United States and Sweden - to develop a digital, creative, and sustainable economy and propel Moldova to the top of the Global Innovation Index. In support of Moldova's vision, the USAID Administrator Samantha Power visited the Republic of Moldova and launched the Future Technologies Activity  Moldova's widest-reaching and largest technology development project  at $32.8 million  funded by USAID and Sweden.

"Moldova's young people are talented, creative, and energized. But if the industries of the future develop outside of Moldova's borders, then those young people will be tempted to take their talents abroad rather than develop their careers here at home. The Future Technologies Activity will help create pathways for Moldova's youth. It will allow Moldovan companies to access European and global markets. It will equip young Moldovans with the skills and knowledge they need to take advantage of a growing digital economy. And it will help make the words, 'Made in Moldova' a point of pride here at home and a mark of quality around the world," said Samantha Power, the USAID Administrator.

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBcGtUajjuA

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1697210/Future_Technologies_Launch_Event.jpg

SOURCE Moldova Future Technologies Activity funded by USAID and Sweden

For further information: Ina Prisacaru, Strategic Communications and Outreach Specialist, Moldova Future Technologies Activity funded by USAID and Sweden, Implemented by Chemonics International Inc., M +373-69-141-006 [email protected]
OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 17, 2021 /CNW/ - Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) is calling on the Canadian and United States governments to delay vaccine mandates for cross-border trucking slated to take effect in January 2022.

Manufacturers on both sides of the border are extremely concerned that proceeding with these measures will imperil integrated North American production and dramatically worsen current supply chain disruptions.

Postponing the implementation of the vaccine mandate and increasing efforts to vaccinate essential cross-border transportation workers should be the focus of the Canadian and US governments.

"Manufacturers are strong supporters of vaccinating all American and Canadian citizens, and that includes truckers. However, a vaccine mandate for truckers, at this time, will sideline one fifth of that workforce, make the trucking labour shortage go from bad to worse, and do severe damage to already struggling supply chains. CME urges the Canadian and US government to hit the pause button before it is too late," said Dennis Darby, President and CEO of CME.

Canadian manufacturers rely on cross-border trucking to get key materials into their plants, to maintain integrated North American manufacturing, and to ship their goods to the US market. The trucking industry moves close to 70 per cent of the $648 billion Canada-US trade. This includes Canada's food supply and critical goods.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance estimates that a vaccine mandate would result in 10 per cent to 20 per cent of their workers being unable to do cross-border trips. As a result, manufacturers would be unable to maintain their supply chains and production will slow or stop across the country.

CME echoes the calls of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, which is asking for a delay in implementing this vaccine mandate and to help the trucking industry vaccinate its workforce and provide testing options for workers who are not yet vaccinated.

"Canadian manufacturing is already struggling with labour shortages and massive supply chain disruptions. Reducing North America's cross-border trucking workforce by almost one fifth will do a lot of damage to our sector at a time when we can least afford it. We urge both governments to consider the impacts on our sector, the economy, and on consumers that not delaying this mandate will have," concluded Darby.

QUICK FACTS

The manufacturing sector represents more than 10% of Canada's gross domestic product.

gross domestic product. Manufacturers directly support more than 1.7 million jobs in Canada .

. The total manufacturing sales in 2019 surpassed $685 B .

SOURCE Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters

For further information: Ady Stefan Calin, Manager, Communications & Branding, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, C: 514-293-3765, [email protected], @CME_MEC
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will attend a meeting with his French counterpart Florence Parly on Friday for the 3rd Annual Defence Dialogue between India and France. The meeting will be held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The 3rd Annual Defence Dialogue between India and France will be held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi today. Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh will attend the meeting with his French counterpart Ms @florence_parly, Defence Minister of India tweeted.

French Defence Minister is set to begin her visit to India today with an aim to strengthen Indo-French strategic and defence ties. The talks will cover aspects of wide-ranging Indo-French defence cooperation, including operational defence cooperation, particularly maritime security in Indo-Pacific; an industrial and technological partnership in line with Make in India and counter-terrorism cooperation.

French Defence Minister Florence Parly will be on an official visit to India on Dec 17 to strengthen Indo-French strategic and defence ties. She will call on PM Modi and hold Annual Defence Dialogue with her Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, French Embassy in New Delhi said in a statement.

During her visit, Parly will also meet Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister, in particular for discussions on regional security issues. She will pay tribute to Indias soldiers at the National War Memorial in Delhi. She will also offer her respects to CDS General Bipin Rawat on his tragic demise. Parly will engage in a discussion organised by the Ananta Aspen Centre entitled How does France cooperate with India to defend a rules-based Indo-Pacific region? and moderated by Dr Mohan Kumar, Chairman of Research and Information System for Developing Countries and former Ambassador of India to France.

According to the French Embassy, this visit highlights Frances engagement in the Indo-Pacific and the centrality of India in the French strategy. It comes in the wake of several major bilateral air, navy, and army exercises this year: Desert Knight 21 in January, Varuna in April, Shakti in November. Minister Parly will stress France and Indias joint commitment to answering the challenges of the Indo-Pacific by bringing together friendly powers to defend the rule of law, offering a positive agenda to the countries of the region, and rejecting all forms of hegemony, the embassy said.

The French Minister will also detail the recently unveiled EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific that brings a multiplier effect to this comprehensive approach for the region. Upon taking the presidency of the Council of the European Union on January 1, 2022, France will make the Indo-Pacific and India a key priority.
India and Taiwan have begun free trade arrangements. Efforts are also being made in partnership with Taiwan to establish a semiconductor centre in the nation. Because the c hip demand is expanding across the board, from mobile phones to automobiles, the plan this time is to construct a semiconductor plant. The two parties have already created four groups dedicated to the development of semiconductor hubs. The parties involved will also work together to develop human resources for the sector. Bilateral investment and free trade agreements are also under consideration.

Meanwhile, discussions between the two parties made significant progress in August and September. They also held an in-depth conversation about the planned trade pact. Efforts are also being made to attract Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM) and United Micro Electronics Corporation (UMEC) to India. India has already undergone a plethora of industrial development locations. However, no final decision on the location has been obtained by the two parties yet.

Interestingly, a Taiwanese corporation will develop its production unit abroad for the second time if the request is approved. The strain on Taiwan, on the other hand, is mounting in a variety of ways. In such an event, Taiwan will be able to exert pressure on China by investing in India.

Subsequently, on Wednesday, the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Modi, authorised a budget of Rs 76,000 crore for semiconductor chip design and manufacture in India. The cabinet approved Rs76,000 crore for the ambitious initiative, named Programme for Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem, to be funded over a six-year period, according to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur. In the matter Union minister Piyush Goyal added that under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, semiconductors are one of priorities.
The minister informed that three of the five infected persons had returned from foreign countries and two of them had returned from Delhi.

Five more cases of the new variant of COVID-19, Omicron were detected in Karnataka on Thursday, taking the tally in the state to eight, said Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K on Thursday. The health minister shared the information on his official Twitter account. The minister informed that three of the five infected persons had returned from foreign countries and two of them had returned from Delhi. The countries included UK, Nigeria and South Africa. With this, the tally of Omicron cases in the state has risen to eight
New Delhi on Friday reported ten new cases of Omicron, taking the overall tally of Omicron cases in the national capital to 20.

As India continues its fight against Covid, the Union Health ministry, in its latest briefing on Friday, said that the total tally of Omicron cases in the country has now reached 101. Maharashtra, which continues to be the worst-affected state has reported 32 cases. Meanwhile, 22 cases have been reported in Delhi, 17 in Rajasthan, 8 each in Karnataka and Telangana, 5 each in Gujarat and Kerala, one each in Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal respectively.

Amid the growing concern over the Omicron variant, Dr Balram Bhargava, DG ICMR, urged people to avoid non-essential travel, mass gatherings, stating that it is important to observe low-intensity festivities.

This is the time to avoid non-essential travel, mass gatherings and it is very important to observe low-intensity festivities: Dr. Balram Bhargava, DG ICMR on the emergence of Omicron variant of COVID19 pic.twitter.com/dk29MXM91f  ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2021

Earlier in the day, New Delhi reported ten new cases of Omicron, taking the overall tally of Omicron cases in the national capital to 20. Out of these 20, 10 have been discharged, said Delhis Health Minister Satyendra Jain. Three people, who arrived in Goa from the UK, on Friday tested positive for Covid-19 and their samples were sent for genome sequencing to check if they are infected with the Omicron variant.

The maximum number of Omicron cases so far have been reported from Maharashtra, with a total of 32 cases. In Maharastra, Mumbai has reported a total of 13 infections followed by 10 in Pimpri Chinchwad, 2 in Pune Municipal Corporation, Osmanabad each and one in Kalyan Dombivali, Nagpur, Latur, Vasai Virar and Buldhana each. Out of these, 25 cases have been discharged after a negative RT PCR test.

Amid global concerns over the Omicron variant of COVID-19, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday appealed PM Modi to take stock of the situation across the country and consider administering booster doses to the eligible population in the country.

Globally, about 70 countries have reported cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 infection. Sending warning signs to the un-vaccinated amid Omicron rampage, US President Joe Biden on Thursday said, Due to the steps weve taken, Omicron has not yet spread as fast as it wouldve otherwise done and as is happening in Europe. But its here now, and its spreading, and its going to increase. For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death  if youre unvaccinated  for themselves, their families, and the hospitals theyll soon overwhelm.

Omicron, a new variant of COVID-19, was first reported from South Africa on November 25. The WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as Omicron and classified it as a variant of concern.
Congress MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, while speaking on the issue of suspension of MPs at the India News Manch, stated, Why should suspended MPs apologise. We have done nothing wrong. We were only trying to raise pertinent issues. Only trying to highlight undemocratic act of this government

Parliament on Sunday, December 17, witnessed another stormy session as the Opposition pressed for Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Tenis resignation, leading to the adjournment of both Houses of Parliament. The demand for Mishras resignation by the Opposition attained a new momentum after a Uttar Pradesh Special Investigation Team found criminal conspiracy behind the death of eight people in Lakhimpur Kheri. The SIT, investing the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, on Tuesday said that incident was well planned and a deliberate act, and not of negligence or callousness.

As the protestors shouted slogans and raised placards, against the suspension of 12 MPs over parliament ruckus, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, once again, reiterated that parties need to arrive at a consensus and maintain peace to ensure smooth functioning of House proceedings.

Congress MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, while speaking on the issue of suspension of MPs at the India News Manch, stated, Why should suspended MPs apologise. We have done nothing wrong. We were only trying to raise pertinent issues. Only trying to highlight undemocratic act of this government

Meanwhile, suspended Rajya Sabha MPs continue to protest at Gandhi Statue on Parliament premises and demand the resignation of MoS Home Ajay Misra Teni over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. Demanding the resignation of MoS Home Ajay Misra Teni, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi earlier this week termed the minister a criminal and demanded his removal from the government.
The report also included images from the drill, including one simulating a battle situation in a poisoned zone with soldiers wearing gas masks.

Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) recently performed a real battle drill involving anti-nuclear, chemical, and biological warfare in the Tibet Military Region. According to an article published on the Chinese version of an official PLA news page on Tuesday, the exercise was conducted in late November by a combined military brigade of the PLA, which comprised commandos, armored assault units, and troops trained in chemical warfare.

From Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh, the Western Theatre Command (WTC), Chinas largest of five commands, is in control of the Sino-India disputed border. The report comes as India and China face off in eastern Ladakh over a long-running border dispute.

The report, which was only published in Chinese, described the drills scenario, directions, and duties of several wings and participating soldiers. However, neither the drills location nor its length was reported. According to a literal translation of the Chinese article, After rockets were launched and the armored assault force was deployed, army engineers were brought in to lay explosives on the intended obstacle.

The report also included images from the drill, including one simulating a battle situation in a poisoned zone with soldiers wearing gas masks.

According to media sources, China is conducting research on chemical and biological dual-use technologies, according to a study released by the US Department of Defense in November. Its part of the PLAs ongoing attempts to maintain combat readiness along the Sino-India border, where its claimed to have stationed a big number of troops and a large store of modern weapons.
LONDON (AP)  U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnsons Conservative Party has suffered a stunning defeat in a parliamentary by-election that was viewed as a referendum on his government amid weeks of scandal and soaring COVID-19 infections.

Liberal Democrat Helen Morgan overturned a Conservative majority of almost 23,000 votes from the last election to win Thursdays contest in North Shropshire, a rural area of northwest England that has been represented by a Conservative almost continuously since 1832. The election was called after the former Conservative member of Parliament resigned following allegations of improper lobbying.

The result will heap pressure on Johnson just two years after he was reelected with a seemingly unassailable 80-seat majority in the House of Commons. His authority has been dented in recent weeks by allegations that he and his staff attended Christmas parties last year while the country was in lockdown, efforts to shield his ally in the lobbying scandal and suggestions that he improperly accepted donations to fund the lavish refurbishment of his official residence.

Against this backdrop, supporters and opponents are questioning Johnsons handling of the pandemic after coronavirus infections soared to records this week as the highly transmissible omicron variant swept through the U.K.

Tonight the people of North Shropshire have spoken on behalf of the British people, Morgan said in her victory speech. They said loudly and clearly, Boris Johnson, the party is over. Your government, run on lies and bluster, will be held accountable. It will be scrutinized, it will be challenged, and it can and will be defeated.'"

Thursdays result is the second by-election defeat for the Conservatives this year. The Liberal Democrats, Englands third-biggest party, in June won a by-election in Chesham and Amersham, a constituency northwest of London that had also been a traditional Conservative stronghold.

John Curtice, a pollster and professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, said the Conservative defeat in North Shropshire was pretty spectacular by historical standards, noting that the partys support plunged 34% from the previous election in 2019.

The only time the party suffered a bigger drop during a by-election was in 1993, when it was riven by internal division, he said. The Conservatives lost power to the Labour Party during the next general election in 1997.

There is no doubting the size of this rebuff to the Conservatives and further evidence that the party has indeed now hit something of an electoral hole in the wake of those various scandals, Curtice told GB News.

But whether this decline in Conservative support will spell the end of Johnsons government is still unclear. Johnson is unlikely to resign any time soon, and ousting him would require support from Conservative lawmakers who want to hold on to their own seats in Parliament.

Johnson on Friday took responsibility for the defeat, saying the governments work in bolstering the National Health Service and rolling out booster vaccines had been obscured by headlines about politics and politicians that have little to do with everyday life.

I totally understand peoples frustrations ... Johnson said at a vaccination center n London. In all humility, I have got to accept that verdict. I understand that what voters want us as the government to be doing at all times is to focus on them and their priorities.

The U.K.s next general election isnt scheduled to take place until May 2, 2024.

Johnson became prime minister almost 2 years ago, riding his support for Brexit and his carefully curated image as a bumbling but likable politician.

He solidified his position by calling a snap election just five months later after Parliament rejected the withdrawal agreement he negotiated with the European Union. The Conservatives won 365 seats in the election, 80 more than all the other parties combined.

But Brexit is no longer the central issue in British politics.

Many voters are frustrated after two years of a pandemic that has claimed more than 145,000 lives, triggered a series of lockdowns and battered the economy.

Conservative lawmakers rebelled earlier this week, with 99 members of Johnsons party voting against his proposal to require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to enter nightclubs and large events. The measure passed only because the opposition Labour Party supported it.

Then there are the scandals and missteps that have made Johnson look more like someone who has lost control than his preferred persona of a slightly disheveled leader who's so busy he cant be bothered to comb his hair.

He was forced to apologize last month after trying to change parliamentary rules to avoid censure for Conservative lawmaker Owen Paterson who lobbied government agencies on behalf of companies he worked for. Paterson eventually resigned, triggering the by-election in North Shropshire.

Since then Johnson has been buffeted by a series of news reports alleging that he and his staff attended Christmas parties last November and December at a time when COVID-19 restrictions barred everyone else from visiting friends or even comforting dying relatives in the hospital.

Johnson initially stonewalled, saying that there were no parties and no rules had been broken. After a video surfaced in which staff members appeared to make light of the violations Johnson was forced to call for an investigation.

Even some members of his own party have now had enough.

Roger Gale, a Conservative lawmaker since 1983, said the result in North Shropshire was a clear indication that the public is dissatisfied with the way Johnson is running the government.

I think this has to be seen as a referendum on the prime ministers performance, and I think that the prime minister is now in last orders time, Gale told the BBC. He has two strikes already. One earlier this week in the vote in the Commons, now this. One more strike and hes out.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Stung by recent headline-grabbing smash-and-grab robberies, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday said he will seek more than $300 million in state funding over three years to boost law enforcement efforts to combat retail theft.

The issue of crime and violence is top of mind all throughout not only the state of California but across the United States, highlighted recently by some high-profile retail theft operations, Newsom said.

He added that these organized retail mobs ... (have) a profound impact on our feelings of safety here in this state, this region and as I note, this country.

Newsom proposed giving $255 million in grants to local law enforcement agencies to put more police at stores to deter organized retail crime over the next three years.

An additional $30 million over three years in the proposed budget he sends to lawmakers next month would go to county district attorneys to support prosecutions of retail and auto theft-related crimes.

Another $18 million over three years would go to create a new organized theft special unit under the state attorney general, with investigators and prosecutors dedicated to pursuing organized crime ringleaders.

Retailers in California and in cities elsewhere around the U.S., including Chicago and Minneapolis, have recently been victimized by large-scale thefts when groups of people show up in groups for mass shoplifting events or to enter stores and smash and grab from display cases.

Solo shoplifters and retail thieves have also been a growing problem for California retailers, who have said the criminals face little if any consequences after they are caught.

Earlier this month, Newsom criticized local prosecutors for not doing enough to crack down on the criminals by using existing state laws.

He defended a voter-approved 2014 initiative that reduced certain thefts from felonies to misdemeanors, though prosecutors said it left them without enough legal tools.

Newsom on Friday proposed another $20 million to aid small businesses victimized by smash-and-grab robberies.

He also plans to turn an existing retail theft task force into a permanent smash and grab enforcement unit.

Working under the task force, California Highway Patrol enforcement fleets would coordinate with local law enforcement departments to target organized retail and auto theft in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles and San Diego regions.

Auto thefts had become a particularly perplexing problem in the Bay Area, driving tourists away from some high crime areas.

Newsom said he will also work with state lawmakers to improve highway camera technology to help solve crimes, and correspondingly boost highway patrols based on real-time data.

He emphasized that long-term crime rates in California have come down, but said California and other U.S. states have experienced a recent upswing in organized retail theft and violent crimes, including those involving firearms.

Homicides in California jumped 31% last year, while politically progressive Oakland recently reversed course on police defunding due to a surge in homicides and gun violence. And on Friday, San Francisco Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency to confront crime in one of the citys poorest and most drug-infested neighborhoods.

Former governor Jerry Brown, a fellow Democrat who championed easing lengthy criminal punishments, said in a television interview that there needs to be a carrot-and-stick approach that includes some punishment for lower level crimes.

Newsom proposed what he called the largest gun buyback program in America  $25 million for matching grants to local law enforcement agencies to collect guns and increase awareness of gun violence.

He also promised more but unspecified additional funding for Californias Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis.

He reiterated the plan he announced last weekend to allow private citizens to sue those who make, sell or distribute illegal assault weapons and untraceable ghost guns, ghost gun kits or parts. Texas uses a similar method to try to restrict abortions.

If a law (in Texas) is going to be used to put womens lives at risk, we will use that law to protect peoples lives, Newsom said.

Finally, Newsom proposed $20 million to support efforts by the California National Guard to fight the importation of illegal drugs  particularly fentanyl flowing into the state from Mexico  by targeting transnational criminal organizations.

The proposal to combat retail theft was hailed by the leaders of the California Retailers Association and California Chamber of Commerce.

Californians have had enough, said Jennifer Barrera, chamber president and CEO.

Newsom was joined by Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley  who warned that retail thieves are terrorizing our communities  and by Attorney General Rob Bonta, who was appointed by Newsom to the post to fill a vacancy.

Both Newsom and Bonta are Democrats seeking re-election next year and Republicans already are making crime a campaign issue.

Newsom earlier this week pledged that his January budget will propose at least $100 million in local grants to remove garbage and beautify public spaces associated with homelessness, another important campaign theme.

The proposed spending to combat crime and to clean up neighborhoods represent fractions of the states annual operating budget, which this year exceeds $260 billion and is projected to have at least a $31 billion surplus next year.

Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk said Democrats are finally waking up to soft-on-crime policies that he said have turned this once-majestic state into a sanctuary for criminals.

While opponents believe Democrats are vulnerable on the issues, Newsom in September easily prevailed over an effort to recall him in midterm.

Rescue California, one of the groups the promoted the failed recall, on Thursday called on Newsom to call a special legislative session to target smash-and-grab thefts that the group said are plaguing California. Members also urged Newsom to support rescinding the 2014 ballot measure that eased criminal penalties for theft and drug crimes.
BRUSSELS (AP)  The leaders of the European Unions two most important nations faced reporters together during a joint news conference early Friday, a show of unity at the end of the EU's final summit of the year.

Then two words - nuclear energy - intervened.

Heading into the Christmas week, atomic power is a topic on which France and Germany broadly differ, and one that has become a big thorn in the side of the EU as the 27-nation bloc decides whether to include nuclear-generated energy among the economic activities that qualify for sustainable investment.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who took office last week, and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on most of the issues tackled during Thursday's summit, including Ukraine-Russia tensions and an immigration dispute with Belarus.

On the the sustainable investment rules, however, the two leaders have yet to reach a compromise. The rift over nuclear energy was enough to scuttle any agreement on energy prices during the summit.

A big rise in energy prices has reignited the debate about whether the EU should promote nuclear power projects as a way of becoming greener and more energy independent.

France has asked for nuclear power to be included in the so-called taxonomy by the end of the year, leading the charge with several other EU countries that operate nuclear power plants.

The group initially faced strong opposition from Germany and other members that wanted nuclear power to be ineligible for green financing, but Scholz adopted a peacebuilding tone in the summit's final hours early Friday.

We are talking about countries with different business models. It's important that each EU country can pursue its own approach without Europe becoming disunited," Scholz said. At the end of the day, we will have to come together despite the different priorities we may have set."

Germanys remaining nuclear power plants are due to go offline next year. France derives about 70% of its electricity from nuclear energy.

Last month, Macron announced that France will start building its first new nuclear reactors in decades. Unveiling the plans, he said the the new reactors will help guarantee France's energy independence and help reach carbon neutrality in 2050.

It's not a Franco-German discussion," Macron said during the press conference. There are different energy models in different European countries. What we want to achieve is agree on a taxonomy that allows us to continue with our industrial policy and to be coherent in decarbonizing our economies."

Two years ago, EU leaders agreed that nuclear could be part of the blocs solution to making its economy carbon neutral by 2050. Leaving the possibility of using nuclear energy in their national energy mixes reassured the bloc's coal-reliant countries, which are expected to suffer the most during the transition.

However, making future nuclear power projects eligible for billions in euros available as part of the European Green Deal while avoiding greenwashing remains a controversial issue.

Countries that want nuclear power to remain ineligble for green financing often cite the EU's guidance that all investments financed by the pandemic recovery fund should not harm the blocs environmental goals.

The lack of agreement shows how lively this is, not only in our country, but throughout Europe, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who faces a domestic crisis over how to phase out nuclear plants and still maintain energy security to his citizens.

De Croo suggested that amid the energy price crunch, nuclear energy and gas could be temporarily eligible for funds.

You have to be able to look sufficiently ahead, and if you do so you can assume that technologies like nuclear and gas can be useful technologies in the medium term to bridge the gap until we have fully sustainable energy, De Croo said early Friday.

The ball is now with the EU's chief, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. She is expected to present before the end of the year the list of activities eligible for the green investment funds and must decide whether nuclear energy and natural gas make the cut.

Von der Leyen has been under pressure from environmental groups and Green European lawmakers to resist the inclusion of both.

Fossil gas and nuclear power have no place in the EU taxonomy" for sustainable activities, said Sven Giegold, a Green lawmaker in the European Parliament.

A low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels, nuclear energy represented around 26% of the electricity produced in the bloc in 2019, with 13 EU countries endowed with operational reactors.

___

Follow all AP stories about climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate.
NEW HAVEN  Several New Haven-area school districts reported higher-than-average student absences and increased police presence Friday as they confronted a nationwide flux in social media posts referencing possible threats against schools.

State police have said they are monitoring rumors of school violence circulating on the app TikTok. The posts may have related to a TikTok challenge to skip school Friday, said the agency, which indicated Thursday it had not identified any specific or credible threats to Connecticut schools.

But later that day, a separate threat sent Guilford into a panic.

There was a screenshot of a threatening statement that has been distributed in communities all over the country that may have GHSes, said Superintendent of Schools Paul Freeman. It began circulating ... around student and parent groups here in Guilford, and it absolutely escalated the anxiety level.

The Guilford Police Department determined that it didnt appear to be credibly related to Guilford schools, Freeman said, adding that the threat appears to have circulated in states including California and Utah. They quickly identified that it was the same thing that was being shared all over the country.

The district nevertheless opted to increase police presence, especially around arrival time, according to Freeman, who said there were officers stationed at every school Friday morning.

We wanted people to see and know that there was a presence there, he said.

But to the superintendents disappointment, high school attendance levels were lower than 50 percent, he said.

Im really disappointed, and Im angry that students didnt feel that they could comfortably and confidently come to school today, Freeman said.

The challenges of the last couple years have worn (students) down, he said, citing the pandemic, lack of social interaction and real occurrences of school violence in the news.

And then for stuff like this to happen  its not funny ... This TikTok challenge is not entertaining, and its not funny, Freeman said. It is frustrating, and it is bad for our kids.

In recent weeks, separate threats against schools in Hamden, New Haven and North Haven prompted lockdowns, early dismissals and closures.

While no recent threats specifically targeted North Haven Public Schools  the towns only scare affected a magnet school  the district faced a spike in student absences Friday, Superintendent of Schools Patrick Stirk said via email.

He believes the absences were related to the current climate, he said.

As concerns about the TikTok rumors rose, North Haven joined other districts in ramping up police presence on campus.

NHPS (North Haven Public Schools) increased police presence at arrival and dismissal, Stirk wrote. All schools have a dedicated School Resource Officer and there were additional NHPD officers on each schools campus throughout the day.

West Haven also has escaped specific threats but decided to increase security in response to the TikTok trend, according to Superintendent of Schools Neil Cavallaro.

The district worked very closely with the West Haven Police Department to put precautions in place. There was added police presence at all of the schools, he said in an email Friday.

Though West Haven saw a slightly higher than average number of students out Friday, Cavallaro said, he expressed uncertainty about whether social media rumors of threats caused the increased absences.

Still, the current climate affects education, he said.

When we have to spend time addressing these issues, it takes away from teaching and learning, he said While we understand it is important to reassure the entire community that the schools are safe and spend time especially with younger children explaining these issues, were not teaching them to read, write, and solve math problems.

Justin Harmon, director of marketing and communications with the New Haven school district, did not immediately have attendance data available.

As of Friday, the district had not received any credible threats of violence to city public schools, he said via email.

We are continuing to be vigilant to any threats that get reported to us, sharing them with New Haven police and apprising parents, Harmon wrote.

Reporter Ben Lambert contributed to this story. meghan.friedmann@

hearstmediact.com
HONOLULU (AP)  Hawaiis congressional delegation on Thursday asked House and Senate leaders to make sure the military spends whatever money it has available to address the contamination of Pearl Harbor drinking water by a Navy fuel storage facility that has leaked petroleum.

We are deeply concerned that despite this being a crisis of its own making, the Navy may be reluctant to spend the money required to meet the moment because of concerns about unknown future emergency needs or simply not wanting to own the long-term costs associated with this crisis, the lawmakers wrote in a letter.

U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono signed the letter, along with U.S. Reps. Ed Case and Kaialii Kahele. All are Democrats.

They addressed the letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the chairs of congressional appropriations committees.

They asked congressional leaders for their commitment that Congress would provide robust funding to support improved safety and operations for the aging tanks and pipeline network at the World War II-era Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

The next must-pass spending bill in Congress should include money for the Navy, the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies to monitor, detect and prevent fuel leaks, they said.

In recent weeks, tests conducted for the Navy and Hawaii Department of Health have detected petroleum in the Navy's tap water system. Residents in military housing near Pearl Harbor last month began complaining that their tap water smelled like fuel or chemicals. Some have suffered from nausea, diarrhea, rashes and oral chemical burns.

The lawmakers noted the military has had to put 3,500 families in temporary housing.

Fuel has so far been only been detected in the Navy's water system, which serves 93,000 people. But Honolulus water utility is concerned leaked fuel could taint its water supply and an aquifer that it shares with the Navy. This aquifer normally supplies 20% of the water consumed in urban Honolulu.

Last week, the Navy said officials believe a one-time spill of jet fuel inside an access tunnel on Nov. 20 contaminated one of its wells and the tap water. Officials said they dont believe leaking fuel tanks tainted the water.

Navy divers have been trying to remove jet fuel from the water shaft where petroleum was detected. Navy officials said they will also flush clean water through the overall water system and water systems in all homes. They said they hope to complete that process by Christmas.

The Navy has suspended using the Red Hill fuel storage facility but has said it will challenge an order from the state health department to remove fuel from the tanks.

The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution calling on the Navy to immediately defuel, remove and relocate the fuel storage facility.

All branches of the military use fuel from the tanks, which were built underground into the side of a mountain ridge near Pearl Harbor in the early 1940s.
SHELTON - There will be an added police presence at the schools Friday in the wake of the latest TikTok challenge circulating on social media this week, according to Superintendent Ken Saranich.

Saranich, in a notice sent to parents Thursday, said the schools are aware of this post that refers to a threat to school safety for every school in the USA on Dec. 17.

The post appears to be part of a national TikTok trend and did not originate in our school district, Saranich said. We have heard reports from other districts that the same post is circulating in their schools.

Saranich said that while officials did not find the threat to be credible, We are closely monitoring the situation and taking it seriously.

Police Lt. Robert Kozlowsky said the department is aware of the social media threat, but said there is nothing credible to Shelton schools. But the department will be having an increased presence at the schools.

Saranich said the district has been in contact with the Shelton Police Department regarding the post, and the additional police at school buildings is simply an added precaution.

This situation serves as a good example of why it is important to avoid sharing posts online that refer to school safety threats, Saranich said. Even if they are not credible threats, they can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety for our students, families, and staff.

The district is asking families to monitor their childrens social media activity and speak with them about proper behavior online.

If you or your child become aware of any potential threat posted to social media or anywhere else, please notify a school staff member or trusted adult immediately, Saranich said.

brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
NEW HAVEN  The Dixwell Plaza shopping center has been languishing  largely empty  right in the center of the citys Dixwell neighborhood for so long that some people may not notice its condition anymore.

But its hoped that people will notice whats slated to replace it.

And that  the potentially transformative, $185 million ConnCAT Place development project anchored by a seven-story, mixed-use building with 184 apartments, a 259-space underground parking garage, a two-story performing arts center, a public plaza, a retail building, 13 townhouses and a 5-story mixed use building  suddenly is a lot closer to happening.

The developers, ConnCorp. and Yves-Georges Joseph, now have a solid tool they need to line up the rest of the funding to take the for us, by us idea  proposed by prominent members of the African-American community as a new anchor for one of New Havens most storied Black neighborhoods  from the drafting board to construction.

The City Plan Commission unanimously approved the project this week, granting separate approvals for its site plan, a special permit for a parking facility with more than 200 spaces, and for 13 townhouses to be built within what primarily is a commercial zone.

Commission Chairwoman Leslie Radcliffe said there were many ways the project could be a game-changer both for Dixwell and the city.

Six-hundred permanent jobs and 400 construction jobs, Radcliffe said, nodding her head in appreciation on the Zoom call where the commission currently conducts its meetings. One hundred eighty-four units and 13 townhomes ...

Arts and culture, she continued, pointing out that until now, the most weve had in Dixwell  once a storied strip of Black-owned restaurants, shops and jazz clubs  is the Stetson Libary ... and the Elks Club.

She also noted the development, which also would include a new home for ConnCAT  currently located in Science Park  would return a grocery store to Dixwell for the first time in many years. Meanwhile, some the negative things that currently go on on that block wont go on, because of what it will become, Radcliffe said.

This is something that we in the community will be able to look at and say, We did this, Radcliffe said. I dont think that theres a project that has come through New Haven that has engaged the community the way that this one has.

The unanimous approval followed a presentation by ConnCorps management and design teams, led by attorney Carolyn Cone, and some spirited discussion from neighbors, several of them affiliated with nearby churches, which in some cases would stand to lose parking in Dixwell Plaza that they have relied on for decades.

While many saw the old Dixwell Plaza site as an eyesore ... our vision for the 71/2 acre site ... is deeply rooted in its past, to when Dixwell was a street lined with jazz clubs and stores and shops, said Carlton Highsmith, chairman of ConnCorps board of directors.

We are thrilled to partner with the city of New Haven in this unique public and private initiative, which many believe feels like a national model, he said.

ConnCorp CEO Erik Clemons said that before the developers pushed the plan forward, we wanted to hear what the community wanted and needed  and more importantly, what they yearned for. That included previous community forums at both the Stetson Library and the Elks Club.

Among what they heard were jobs, housing, a revival of arts and culture, healthful food options and safety, Clemons said.

During the public comment portion of the hearing, Clifton Graves Jr. moderator for Dixwell Avenue United Church of Christ, located across Dixwell, pointed out that two church members  Highsmith and Paul McCraven  are on the development team, and said, We see this as a renaissance ... within our community.

This project is one thats worthy of support, Graves said.

Edgewood Avenue resident Melissa Singleton said the plan sounds amazing. It sounds like some of the issues that have been brought up in previous meetings have been taken care of.

Rita Worthy, a Mt. Bethel Missionary Baptist Church trustee who now lives in Hamden, said the church existed for 74 years and one of the conditions of our building was that weve got to have parking and we dont have a parking lot. The church long has had an an arrangement with the Elks Lodge, she said.

Worthy was one of several neighbors who complained about notice for the meeting, saying the church just got notice of it a couple of days earlier.

Crystal Gooding of Woodland Street said that Dixwell  and especially Dixwell Plaza  is deeply in need of revitalization, although she thought the plan had too much parking for the area.

Lillie Chambers of West Division Street said, I appreciate the fact that you actually listened to the community ... but I am still concerned. How will the townhouses look?

I just want to know, how will this project financially benefit the Dixwell community? Chambers asked.

Carla Chapel of Ashmun Street asked, given the way prices have increased lately, how the working-class neighborhood will support what the developer builds.

My concern is, how do we sustain this? she asked, How do we sustain what youre all trying to build?

ConnCAT  Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology  provides job-training programs intended to give unemployed and under-employed adults the skills needed to secure meaningful, well-paying jobs in the health sciences and culinary professions.

ConnCORP, which stands for Connecticut Community Outreach Revitalization Program, is ConnCATs economic development arm, formed to advance ConnCATs mission to provide opportunities to New Havens underserved residents.

The Board of Alders in February approved a $750,000 deal to sell two key properties to ConnCORP, including the homes of the Stetson Branch Library at 200 Dixwell Ave. and the New Haven Police Department substation at 26 Charles St. Dixwell Plaza is a commercial condominium and the developers already controlled most of the properties, including the nearby former Elks Club.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
HARTFORD  The co-owner of the Grand Cafe blamed people loitering in the parking lot of the plaza where his business is located for any neighborhood disturbances, not his customers, as he fights to have his liquor license renewed.

Karen DuBois-Walton was one of three community leaders who organized residents to occupy the plaza nightly for weeks this summer to take back the space, while also submitting a petition signed by 281 residents who want the license denied.

She continued to represent the neighbors at a hearing Thursday before the state Liquor Control Commission, telling it that security at the cafe is clearly inadequate and that the business continues to be a bad neighbor.

Co-owner of the cafe, Jose Rivera, was represented at the second day of testimony by attorney David Crow.

Crow said his client was willing to bring back a police officer from 9 p.m. to closing in the parking lot to satisfy neighbors.

Anne Stiber, an attorney with the state Department of Consumer Protection, said the need for increased security at the cafe was glaring.

At the two-hour hearing, Rivera told the commission that he had not read the police reports that allege drug dealing at the cafe in 2016 and 2017, as well as alleged assaults on patrons after they had left the bar.

Those reports, from 2016 to 2021, were put on the record at the first hearing last month.

I have never heard anybody having a police report filed against him and not going to get it or read it, Commissioner Dominic Balletto said.

DuBois-Walton alleged that, even when they did all the work pulling the police reports together, the owner was not interested in reading them.

That does not leave us with any confidence this is going to be an owner who is going to take real efforts to create change, to create safety and to run this establishment in ways that comply with the expectations of the state of Connecticut and the Liquor Commission, she said.

A representative from the Liquor Control Commission and city police visited the Grand Cafe in October and allegedly found two minors drinking, while a 19-year old was arrested with a loaded handgun.

A spokesperson for the commission said the issue of alleged underage drinking still was under review, with a ruling after the license issue is concluded.

Rivera, who has been the co-owner of the cafe with Cruz Vasquez since 2008, said none of his employees had engaged in the sale of narcotics.

He denied anyone named Cano or Indio, identified by police informants as the employees setting up the alleged drug sales, ever worked there.

In at least three cases in 2016, an informant told police that a patron had to first order a $2 drink and that was the alleged trigger to then buying illegal drugs.

Rivera and other staff said that was incorrect, that the $2 order was a way of putting customers on notice that they had to buy something, they could not just linger at the bar.

The event that galvanized the neighborhood to fight the cafe, was a shooting in the parking lot on Sept. 7.

Located at the corner of Grand Avenue and East Pearl Street, the small strip mall also is home to the Smoke Market, the Golden Wok and a warehouse for a pizza restaurant.

Rivera testified that he sees the same cadre of customers every day. It is like Cheers, the television show where everybody knows your name, he said.

Rivera said they have installed a magnet lock that can be shut with a button at the bar to keep out people starting trouble in the parking lot, a recommendation by police. They also had to put a deadbolt on the bathroom.

Rivera said persons causing trouble leave the parking lot when the police come, but return as soon as law enforcement drives away. He said these same people have threatened him.

Rivera said the loitering and drug deals continue whether the cafe is open or closed, which it was during part of the pandemic.

Commissioner John McKinney asked Rivera to explain drugs found on a ledge leading to the basement of the cafe in a police raid in September 2017. Rivera said they could have been left there by a customer.

Several other employees testified that they were not aware of any of the workers or patrons charged with dealing drugs.

Julian Welch said for the past three months he has volunteered at the door doing security, but works full time in the kitchen of a nursing home. He described Grand Cafe as a neighborhood bar frequented by working-class patrons and retirees.

While he defended the atmosphere at the cafe, he called the general neighborhood pretty bad.

Under questioning by DuBois-Walton, he said he was never trained in patting down patrons or other security measures, but is good at de-escalation.

Michael Kifer, who has worked there for 13 years, was named the manager a year-and-a-half ago. He was there in October when Liquor Control and New Haven police allegedly found several under aged drinkers.

Balletto said he seemed to be taking the issue lightly; Kifer denied that and said he didnt immediately see the teens, who allegedly came in with adults.

Kifer said security, including pat-downs, are stepped up Thursday-Saturday when the crowd is younger and expands to 50 patrons.

He talked about looking out for clients by taking away their keys if they have had too much to drink.

DuBois-Walton, in her closing remarks said the neighborhood is being harmed by the presence of an establishment that has failed for far too long to take responsibility for its impact.

She reminded the commission that there were police reports on what was going on inside the bar, as well as in the parking lot.

DuBois-Walton said they are being asked to believe that it is a working persons bar, while at the same time, it requires them to install magnet (locks) and deadbolts in the bathrooms.

We expect as a community far more of a response from somebody who wants to be a good business owner in our community than we have received to this point or even that is potentially being committed to in the course of the testimony today, she said.

Crow, in his summary, congratulated the neighbors on their civic action, which he said was not an easy thing to do.

He reminded the commission, however, to remember that no arrests of employees were made. Several of the police reports found that the images of the alleged drug dealers taken by the informants were not clear, which hindered arrests.

The attorney said most of the problems are in the parking lot. Crow said in the most recent Liquor Control raid of the Grand Cafe they did find underage drinking, but no drugs or paraphernalia.

Everyone agrees the drug activity is in the parking lot, Crow said. My client is not in charge of the parking lot, he said, reminding the commission there are four businesses there.

Crow said Rivera has done what police suggested, using a metal-detecting wand on people as they come in and adding the magnet lock.

Crow said the problem is the drug dealing, and that it has to be tackled. The attorney said while the neighbors were occupying the plaza, reclaiming the site for positive activities, the dealing disappeared.

He said what is needed is to engage the four businesses in the plaza, including Grand Cafe, and make them partners with the community.

Technically there are four businesses there. Who do we blame? he asked.

Crow applauded the activists, but we just want to make sure that our efforts are directed where they belong ... the problem is the people in the parking lot dealing the drugs.
NORWALK  The citys public schools are reporting no connection to the rumors and threats targeting schools that were spreading on the social media site TikTok on Thursday.

We are aware of the information about hoax threats that are circulating across the country today, but there has been no connection at this time to our schools, said Brenda Wilcox Williams, chief of staff and communications for Norwalk Public Schools. Out of an abundance of caution and to make sure that students and staff feel safe, we will have an increased security and NPD presence visible throughout the city tomorrow.

Norwalk High School and P-TECH Norwalk were the victims of hoax threats earlier this month, causing the school building to be evacuated once due to a bomb threat and put on lockdown twice due to gun threats within an eight-day period.

Norwalk police arrested a 14-year-old boy for allegedly making the threats. He faces nearly a dozen charges, including three charges of conspiracy due to an international conspirator connected to how the threats were made.

State Police said Thursday that troopers and the Department of Emergency Services are monitoring a recent trend of social media threats targeting schools. They said the Connecticut Intelligence Center, which is monitoring the trend, has not identified any specific or credible threats to any Connecticut schools.

State police said the posts typically begin on TikTok and have been spreading across several other social media sites in recent days. The agency said its possible the threats originated from a TikTok challenge to skip school on Friday.

Any school threat that is made in Connecticut is immediately taken very seriously by law enforcement, state police said. If a threat is determined to be a hoax, there will be a thorough investigation and arrests will be made. This could also lead to further consequences within the school district.

TikTok released the following statement late Thursday afternoon: We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why we're working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok.

Investigating these types of threats can takes a lot of time, said Kate Dias, the president of the Connecticut Education Association, who doesnt believe the trend originated in Connecticut.

At the start of the school year, students returned timid and full of anxiety stemming from the pandemic. As students are attempting to settle into the school year, there have been threats across the state reappearing over and over again, Dias said.

Were spending a lot of time figuring out what is real and whats not, Dias said.

The CEA president encourages anyone who sees something out of the ordinary to tell a school administrator. Shes also asking parents to have open and honest communication with their children about these sorts of threats and they make their kids feel.

The threats are disrupting the sense of community and safety at schools, Dias said.

These threats are exhausting to people who are already exhausted, she added. Every time we have to track down a threat, it eats away at that trust.

There have been multiple incidents statewide over the last several weeks, prompting police investigations, early dismissals and canceled school in some cases. Among the other places to see recent threats or incidents were Danbury, Hamden, New Haven, Trumbull and Ansonia.

Includes previous reporting by Tara ONeill and Liz Hardaway; emily.morgan@hearstmediact.com
Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo

WEST HAVEN  The person shot on Platt Avenue overnight into Thursday has died, according to West Haven police.

Sgt. Patrick Buturla said in an email Friday morning that the individual had died. He did not immediately share the victims identity.
WASHINGTON (AP)  During a private meeting in July, Sen. Joe Manchin and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sat down to negotiate what exactly it would take for Democrats to unlock Manchin's vote to start the process of considering President Joe Bidens massive social and environmental bill.

What emerged was a one-page document, unformatted, where the West Virginia Democrat laid out his views. Both signed it, with reservations.

Nearly five months later, much of what Manchin wanted has been delivered. But fellow Democrats appear nowhere close to gaining the conservative senator's support for their far-reaching domestic package. Having passed the House, the bill is now stalled in the Senate.

Here's a look at what Manchin wanted then and where the legislation stands now.

TOPLINE DOLLARS

Manchin wrote in the document that he wanted a $1. 5 trillion topline  far less than the $3.5 trillion Biden proposed.

Biden halved the amount to $1.75 trillion when it became clear Manchin could accept that. The bill now tallies roughly $2 trillion.

STRATEGIC PAUSE

Manchin wanted to begin debate on the legislation no earlier than Oct. 1.

In a subsequent opinion piece he suggested a strategic pause.

That date has passed.

TAXES

Manchin insisted the corporate tax rate, which Biden proposed raising to 28%, not inch past 25%. In fact, it ended up not being raised at all, thanks to opposition from another hold-out Democrat, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.

Manchin also proposed a 15% corporate minimum rate, as is now included in the bill.

He wanted any excess revenue to go toward paying down debt, but that idea was never embraced by Democrats.

CLIMATE CHANGE

The coal-state senator insisted on a fuel neutral energy policy  essentially one that does not favor wind, solar and other renewable energy sources over fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas.

Manchin insisted plans for a clean energy standard run through the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which he chairs.

After Manchin objected, the White House scrapped plan s for a nationwide clean energy standard that environmental advocates viewed as the most significant tool for curbing climate change.

The new incentives for renewable energy sources did not come with rollbacks on coal, oil or natural gas.

Just this week, Manchin, as chair of the energy panel, removed a Democratic proposal to permanently ban offshore drilling in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Environmentalists strongly opposed his move, and several Democrats said they would fight to restore the drilling ban, which gained new momentum following a catastrophic oil spill off Californias coast this fall.

Despite criticism by Manchin, Democrats remain on track to impose a fee on excess methane emissions from oil and gas wells.

SOCIAL POLICY

Much of Manchin's public opposition to the size and scope of the package centers on its investment in landmark social programs  child tax credits, a new federal paid family leave program and lower-cost child care.

His reasoning? Well, Manchin has reiterated one phrase over these negotiations: I dont believe that we should turn our society into an entitlement society.

The senator has been adamant about no additional handouts, as he wrote in his memo. He wants many of the social services programs means tested to apply only to those at lower-income thresholds.

As a result, the new paid family and medical leave program that Democrats overwhelmingly want could be gutted completely, dashing their hopes of taking the U.S. off the list of remaining countries without any form of national paid leave.

The most recent debate centers around extending the child tax credit, passed earlier this year as part of pandemic relief legislation. The program, a keystone of Democratic efforts to reduce child poverty, has been sending up to $300 per child directly into the bank accounts of families each month. The expansion, studies say, is expected to cut child poverty by 40%  with 9 of 10 American children benefiting.

Without action by Congress, the program will expire and this months checks will be the last ones.

Manchin now says he wants the child tax credit program extended for the full 10-year budget window, rather than just one year  a nonstarter since the price tag would consume most of Biden's bill, crowding out other key initiatives on health care, child care, education and more.

Were not going to move all of the programs to 10 years. Thats not going to happen, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told The Associated Press on Friday.

Jayapal said Manchin agreed to a framework for the bill in October, which spelled out the plans priorities and costs but didnt limit the duration of any of them. Manchin, she predicted, will hold to his commitment."

___

Associated Press writers Alan Fram and Matthew Daly contributed.
NEW HAVEN  Yes, the number of COVID-19 patients in Yale New Haven Hospital has been rising and is expected to continue to spike, and while there were few cases of flu last year, a more normal season is expected this winter.

But the need for a temporary Emergency Department, to be built at a cost of $1 million, has as much to do with critical staffing shortages in the hospital as it does an increased number of patients, according to Yale New Haven Health officials.

What we are seeing now is  not directly related to the respiratory illnesses that we are anticipating to see higher volumes of [and] are not new to this season or to this time, but they are significantly exacerbated by a number of things that have come together, said Dr. Andrew Ulrich, vice chairman of clinical operations in the Yale School of Medicines Department of Emergency Medicine.

Those issues include a higher number of patients in general, stretching the hospital to its limits, and even beyond in some areas at different times. While on a recent day there were about 100 COVID-19 patients in Yale New Haven Hospital, that is only part of the issue.

We do expect the flu season to potentially be a difficult one, which will compound the stressors and the capacity crisis that we are already experiencing, said Dr. Alan Friedman, chief medical officer for Yale New Haven Hospital. But I do think it is important to note that while we are putting this additional space into use to manage what we anticipate, we are already in what we would consider a capacity crisis.

He said there were almost 200 patients in the Emergency Department Tuesday, with 80 waiting to be admitted to the hospital but unable to get a bed.

We live at or above 90 percent and flirting with 100 percent capacity on a regular basis, not for days, not for weeks, but for months upon months, and thats exhausting for everyone, Friedman said. Overall capacity is not the best measure, he said, because while there may be three beds available in Yale New Haven Childrens Hospital, they arent available to an elderly patient who needs a bed in a ward thats at capacity.

Part of the problem is that people who have delayed care during the pandemic finally are coming in, and are sicker as a result, Friedman said. But the length of stay also has increased, and that largely is the result of the shortage in health care workers outside of the hospital, in the skilled-nursing facilities where many patients go when they are discharged.

In part it is  patients perhaps waited, sought care later, presented sicker, needed longer lengths of stay, Friedman said. But, he added, The time it takes for us to line up the appropriate home, health and rehab-type care is longer because of the staffing crisis that those industries face.

Friedman gave an analogy of a highway with a lot of traffic but with an exit that is backed up because of an accident on the ramp. We often find ourselves sending some of our patients to skilled-nursing facilities, he said. Those skilled-nursing facilities are also facing significant staffing issues. And as a result, there are fewer beds for our ready-to-discharge patients to occupy.

Building extra space wont solve staffing issues, Ulrich and Friedman said, but will give the health system more flexibility by being able to direct patients who come to the Emergency Department  whether at 20 York St., the St. Raphael campus or the new building outside Yale New Haven Childrens Hospitals Emergency Department  to the site that is best suited to their case, with staff available who can care for patients waiting to be admitted to a room and freeing up emergency medicine staff to take care of those patients in immediate need.

Friedman and Ulrich said the plans for how to utilize the spaces has not been finalized, and that it involves other parts of the hospital, too.

But Friedman said, with the new emergency room, we could recognize that rather than trying to provide two identical versions of emergency room care, we might be able to provide a different level of emergency care as a primary focus at a different site, he said. It doesnt mean that an emergently ill patient walking into either site wont get immediate emergent care. It just changes the focus of what happens there primarily.

Friedman said having more space allows the hospital to concentrate that staff in one site and perhaps provide more inpatient care  at another site. And when we do that, we utilize inpatient staffing to deliver that care.  So what we really want to do is take the people who are expert in doing one set of skills and have them concentrated on one site, and take those who are concentrated in a slightly different set of skills and move them to a different site.

This new space thats being created is very visible to everybody, because its there, its outside, everybody can see it, Ulrich said. But its only one of a very large number of endeavors that are undertaken to help address this problem. And there are many other things that are being done within the institution, within the hospital, that creates space and capacity. Those things will also hopefully help create resource availability, that allows for us to redistribute it to help in other areas.

He said its possible inpatient nurses will be stationed in the Emergency Department to help take care of a lot of the inpatients who are waiting to go upstairs. That will free up the emergency nurses and the emergency staff to start to more focus more on all the new patients coming in. All these things together create a much more efficient and a better care model for the patients on both ends of that spectrum.

One chronic problem the temporary building will address is the lack of space in the Emergency Department, in which patients are waiting for a bed, and even being treated, in hallways because of a lack of beds.

We know that when we have patients in less-than-ideal care areas that were not doing the best for those patients. We know that its a reality of where we live today, Ulrich said. We would love to put every single patient who comes into this institution, at least from the Emergency Department perspective, in a room with privacy and with everything else that they  would expect or want.  Unfortunately, we no longer have that capability.

He said, by creating this new space, and by creating more efficiency, we hope to move in a direction where everybody really does have a better care area where theyre taken care of.

edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382
President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed his next line of action at the end of his tenure in 2023. Buhari said he would hand over to...

President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed his next line of action at the end of his tenure in 2023.

Buhari said he would hand over to his successor after the 2023 presidential election and return to his farm in Daura, Katsina State.

The president spoke in Istanbul, Turkey, where he is to participate in the 3rd Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit, hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

A statement by Buharis spokesman, Garba Shehu said Buhari cut his 79th birthday cake moulded in national colours, green-white-green, to start the day, before going on to chair a planning meeting with officials in his delegation and thereafter drove to the Dolmabahce Palace for a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Erdogan.

Shehu said in response to the tribute on the occasion on behalf of the ministers and the rest of the delegation rendered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, the president said he will put in his best for Nigeria until the last day when in 2023 he hands over to a successor and returns to his farm to tender crops and livestock.

I thought that being away from Abuja I will escape these things. The Guards Brigade had written to tell me what they wanted to do on this day. Now here you are doing this far away from home.

I look forward to the year 2023 when I will finish, to go home to take charge of my farm. Between now and that time, I will do the best that is possible to advance the interest of the nation and its people, and carry out my duties as prescribed by the Constitution.

As he stepped out of his suite moving to the meeting room, President Buhari met a surprise lineup of the Nigerian delegation with a cake decorated in Nigerias national colours, he said.
Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a former governor of Osun, says one of the appointees of Bisi Akande, his predecessor, confessed that state funds wer...

Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a former governor of Osun, says one of the appointees of Bisi Akande, his predecessor, confessed that state funds were used for the latters 2003 governorship election campaign.

Akande was the governor of Osun between 1999 and 2003 on the platform of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD).

He, however, lost the 2003 governorship election to Oyinlola, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking about events that occurred after his tenure, Akande, in his new book titled My Participations, said his successor accused him of mismanaging state funds.

The former Osun governor said Oyinlola arrested two of his commissioners, adding that the arrested appointees were told by the police to implicate him in their statements.

That was what ended the case of my alleged stealing in Osun State. No one ever wrote any petition against me to the EFCC, ICPC or the police for any fraud or wrongdoing during my term of office, Akande wrote.

It was Oyinlola that was exhuming fake complaints and evidence from files merely to witch-hunt me. I never gave or demanded bribe from anyone all my life. All of us who served in my government, all my commissioners and others, came out the way we went in.

No one was richer and not a single one of my political appointees was indicted after we left office despite that an opposition party came to power after us.

Reacting to Akandes claim, Oyinlola, in a statement on Thursday, said he did not level any false charges against his predecessor.

Chief Akande said I wrongly accused him of corruption in the construction of the Governors Office (Bola Ige House). I did not level any false charges against him, the statement reads.

I came into office in May 2003 and discovered that the Governors Office complex which Akande commissioned for use after he lost the election was really not completed.

The state government asked the contractor to come back to site and complete the works, more so when evidence in government accounts showed that he had been paid. But the project consultant shocked everyone with his claim that part of the payment was taken back to finance the 2003 re-election bid of Chief Akande.

The consultant said the contractor could not go back to work unless he was paid his full dues. One of Akandes own appointees confessed collecting money from this contractor for Akandes re-election.

I consulted Chief Akande on this. He denied having any deal with the contractor and the consultant. Some people were subsequently taken to court on a seven-count criminal charge.

Stakeholders in the state and Alhaji Arisekola Alao later intervened. I have the details of who collected how much in my forthcoming book.

OSUN 2003 ELECTION WASNT RIGGED IN MY FAVOUR

Speaking on Akandes claim that the 2003 governorship election in Osun was rigged, Oyinlola listed the factors he felt led to Akandes defeat.

Chief Akande said the 2003 governorship election in Osun State was rigged in my favour. Chief Akande has repeatedly told this lie, Oyinlola said.

The truth is known to everybody in the state that Akande lost the state shortly after he took over in 1999 and started fighting everyone in the state.
Former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has felicitated with President Muhammadu Buhari on his...

Former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has felicitated with President Muhammadu Buhari on his 79th birthday.

Atiku prayed for good health and vitality for President Buhari.

In a tweet on Friday, the former Vice President wrote: A very hearty birthday felicitation to President @MBuhari. I pray that Almighty Allah continues to bless you with good health and vitality.

Buhari, who turned 79 years old today, celebrated his birthday in Istanbul, Turkey, where he is to participate in the 3rd Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit, hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

A statement by Buharis spokesman, Garba Shehu, said the President cut his 79th birthday cake moulded in national colours, green-white-green to start the day, before going on to chair a planning meeting with officials in his delegation and thereafter drove to the Dolmabahce Palace for a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Erdogan.

Shehu said in response to the tribute on the occasion on behalf of the ministers and the rest of the delegation rendered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, the president said he will put in his best for Nigeria until the last day of his administration in 2023.

Buhari had also pledged to hand over to a successor and return to his farm to tender crops and livestock, at the end of his tenure.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Friday, declared its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as a prisoner of conscience. IPOB said Kanu, who is in t...





The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Friday, declared its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as a prisoner of conscience.





IPOB said Kanu, who is in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, was arrested for committing no offence.





Emma Powerful, the spokesman of IPOB, said its leader only advocated for self-determination due to the perceived oppression of the southeast.





A statement by Powerful reads: Following the extraordinary rendition of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria without proper documentation for doing so and long incarceration and detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody, we the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wish to state categorically to the people of the world that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is now declared Prisoner Of Conscience.





In 2015 Nnamdi Kanu was first arrested and subjected to an egregious violation of his fundamental rights. After his miraculous escape from the military invasion of his home in 2017, he was abducted in Kenya and renditioned to Nigeria in June this year.





Mazi Nnamdi KANU has been in DSS detention in Abuja ever since then. We, therefore, have to inform the world, most civilized countries and the African continent that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is fighting for the freedom and self-determination of his people because under the United Nations Charter, to which Nigeria is a signatory, self-determination is not a crime.





Under the African Union Charter. to which Nigeria is a signatory, Self Determination is not a crime. Under the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, particularly Article 20, CAP A9, self-determination is not a crime. As a matter of fact and law, Self Determination is recognized as a right, both domestically and internationally. Above all, Self Determination is a political opinion, which is recognized as a fundamental right under the Nigerian Constitution.





Its a matter of public record that hundreds of concerned citizens exercising their rights to peaceful protest protested the incarceration of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu but were massacred in cold blood by Nigerian security services.





Many more were arrested without trial. Some disappeared and have never been found till today.





During the military invasion of his residence, code-named operation Python dance, Mazi Kanu was almost killed save for his miraculous escape.





In 2021 he was kidnapped by the Nigerian government in Kenya and subjected to extraordinary rendition to Nigeria against his will and against all norms and rules of international law.





In both instances, he committed no offence known to law. He only advocated self-determination for his people and all oppressed peoples in Nigeria.





He did so peacefully by articulating the decades of oppression, marginalisation, inequality, Apartheid, brutality and genocide to which his people and all oppressed peoples in Nigeria have been subjected.





And in light of those grievances, he demanded a referendum on self-determination and self-rule for the indigenous peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and all aggrieved groups and lovers of freedom.





In doing so he bore no malice nor hate against any group. He only demanded self-determination as enshrined in the African Charter and the United Nations charter both of which Nigeria is a signatory.





In peacefully articulating the grievances of an injured and oppressed people and in seeking self-determination for all such peoples; Nnamdi Kanu broke no law within or outside Nigeria.





The indigenous peoples of Biafra (IPOB) has been and remains a peaceful organisation, devoid of any hate or violence and totally committed to its aims and objectives through peaceful democratic means as recognised by international law.





Having regards therefore to all of the above and his continued extrajudicial detention; we hereby declare Mazi Nnamdi Kanu a Prisoner Of Conscience.





We do so because like Nelson Mandela, he broke no law nor committed any offence. He only advocated freedom for his people from decades-long Apartheid level oppression and tyranny.





We use this opportunity to put the world on notice to ongoing extrajudicial detentions, persecution and widespread human rights violations in Nigeria.





In the same vein, we call on the United States, the great state of Isreal, the European Union, the African Union, the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and all lovers of freedom to intervene before its too late.
North Korea has banned its citizens from laughing and drinking alcohol for 11 days to mark the 10th death anniversary of Kim Jong II, the ...

North Korea has banned its citizens from laughing and drinking alcohol for 11 days to mark the 10th death anniversary of Kim Jong II, the countrys former leader.

Citizens are also banned from engaging in leisure activities including birthday parties, and are not show any signs of happiness while the country commemorates Jong IIs death.

Radio Free Asia quoted a resident as saying grocery shopping is prohibited on the main day of the anniversary (December 17). The source added that those who violated the order in the past were never seen again.

In the past, many people who were caught drinking or being intoxicated during the mourning period were arrested and treated as ideological criminals. They were taken away and never seen again, the source was quoted as saying.

Even if your family member dies during the mourning period, you are not allowed to cry out loud and the body must be taken out after its over. People cannot even celebrate their own birthdays if they fall within the mourning period.

Kim Jong II ruled North Korea from 1994 until his death in 2011. He was then succeeded by Kim Jong Un, his third and youngest son, who is the current leader.
The Canadian government has lifted the ban imposed on travel from 10 African countries including Nigeria. Jean-Yves Duclos, minister o...

The Canadian government has lifted the ban imposed on travel from 10 African countries including Nigeria.





Jean-Yves Duclos, minister of health in Canada, announced the decision at a media briefing on Friday.

The development comes almost three weeks after the Canadian government banned 10 African countries  including Nigeria  over concerns relating to the Omicron COVID variant.

Omicron has been designated as a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Aside from Nigeria, other countries affected by the Canada travel ban are Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

In a statement issued on November 30, the Canadian government had said the decision to ban the countries was to reduce the risk of the importation and transmission of COVID-19 and its variants in Canada related to international travel.

The ban had, however, elicited criticism with stakeholders insisting that other measures aside from locking out countries should be considered in the interest of maintaining a united front in the global fight against the COVID pandemic.

Speaking on the reversal of the ban on Friday, the Canadian health minister said the new development will take effect from December 18.

With the evolving situation and overwhelming evidence of community transmission of Omicron in most countries around the world, we have taken the decision to lift the specific measures for travellers returning from the 10 countries initially listed, he said.

This will be in effect as of December 18, 11:59pm.

While we recognise the controversial nature of such a prohibition, we believe it was a necessary measure to slow the arrival of Omicron in Canada and buy us some time.

Given the current situation, this measure has served its purpose and is no longer needed.
A tricyclist, who was later identified as Kayode, has been crushed to death in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. It was gathered that the middl...





A tricyclist, who was later identified as Kayode, has been crushed to death in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.





It was gathered that the middle-aged man was crushed to death on Thursday during a road accident involving an articulated truck and three commercial tricycles.





The incident occurred around Airport junction, Alakia, Ibadan.





Sources disclosed that the truck ran over the head of the victim, after it rammed into three of the commercial tricycles where they were parked.





The accident was due to excess speed by the truck driver.





Angry youths who stormed the scene of the incident captured the driver of the truck when he was trying to escape.





The driver was later handed over to the police from Egbeda Divisional Police Headquarters located at Gbagi area of Ibadan.





The damaged tricycles were also towed to the police station.





However, all efforts made by our correspondent to get reactions from both the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the States Police Command proved abortive since Thursday.
Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has asked Bisi Akande, a former governor of Osun state, to withdraw his re...

Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has asked Bisi Akande, a former governor of Osun state, to withdraw his recently released autobiography, My Participations.

The book has elicited reactions from political stakeholders, including Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former governor of Osun, and Ayo Adebanjo, acting leader of Afenifere, who have denied claims made by Akande.

George, in a statement on Thursday, described the book as shameful and said the author needs to apologise to Yoruba elders.

The former deputy national chairman of the PDP also warned Akande against setting his house on fire because of Bola Tinubu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Akande must apologise openly to Yoruba elders. The attitude that he displayed is not acceptable in a civilised society. Is it his legacy to dishonour Yoruba elders? the statement reads.

At his age, Akande should not set his house on fire because of Tinubus ambition. I felt very bad as a Yoruba man and as a Nigerian. He has maligned Yoruba elders and highly respectable people in the country.

He was busy giving kudos to Bola Tinubu. Baba Akande is from Osun State and Tinubu is the only man that he could single out to praise.

From the reaction to his book, you must have heard what Baba Adebanjo said. How are we going to be regarded by others? Is that the right thing to do?

Baba Akande should withdraw the book that he has authored. It is very shameful. He is older than me and I dont expect an elderly person to behave in that manner. He must apologise to those he has offended.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Cloudy with snow. High around 30F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 100%. 3 to 5 inches of snow expected..

Tonight

Occasional snow showers. Low 19F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 60%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected.
If Dr. Alice Geoffray had been able to project herself 50 years into the future, she would have seen her name etched into the evolving New Orleans Career Center, a nonprofit technical education center being built on the former site of McDonogh 35 High School in Treme. And, she would have seen her children honor her legacy by giving scholarships to students studying at the center.

In 1965, Geoffray, a shorthand and typing teacher with seven children, helped found a school on Exchange Place to offer equal opportunity in vocational education. Between 1965 and 1972, the Adult Education Center graduated 431 students. The government stripped AECs funding two years into the program, but big business, like Shell Oil, funded the remaining three years, until its closure in 1972.

Forty-five years later, the New Orleans Career Center opened as a non-profit technical education center for high school students in the city. Claire Jecklin, formerly principal of New Orleans well-regarded Science and Math High School, was the NOCC founding director.

Jecklin was part of a group that sought ways to ensure a path to technical training for those caught between a high school education and a four-year college degree.

Were not talking about the old days of vo-tech where you train in a very specific endeavor and do that for the rest of your life. New technology has changed all of this, Jecklin said.

"You can no longer fix a car with a wrench... its all computerized. Everyone is going into a career, but its no longer about a college degree or bust, or stopping your education at your high school graduation."

In New Orleans, where 60% of the available jobs are called mid-skill, requiring more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree, NOCC provides an opportunity to learn needed skill sets, Jecklin said. The tuition-free program offers high school students an entree into the job market with opportunities for training and certification well in advance of graduating from high school.

NOCC is not a New Orleans public school, although the Orleans Parish School Board is among its partners (others include Youthforce NOLA, GNO Inc. and the state Department of Education).

Instead it's a nonprofit, financed by various public education funds, federal workforce dollars, grants and donations.

Students take classes part of the day and study at their home high schools the rest of the day.

The career center is at 1020 N. Prieur St., but it will move into a new facility in January 2023 on the site of the original McDonogh 35 High School. The old McDonogh 35 building is being completely redone and equipped with state-of-the-art classrooms tailored to the needs of prospective health care workers, welders, electricians, carpenters and plumbers.

Khaija Faulk began at NOCC in 2018, the first year of its existence. She's now a college student working toward her Bachelor of Science in nursing at Ochsner-affiliated Chamberlain University.

"I spent the afternoons during my junior and senior years at Landry Walker High School going to NOCC," she said. By the time she had finished her junior year, Faulk already had a two-year medical assistant certification as part of the centers accelerated learning program.

"During my senior year I was taking college courses in nursing. I cant say enough about this mind-blowing program" that put her on a fast track to her career, Faulk said.

Right now, 18 of 24 New Orleans public schools participate, and anyone who applies is welcome, with limits from each one of the 18 schools, since there are currently only 350 slots. Next year, NOCC will have room for 700, and when the new school is completed, 1,000 students.

NOCC visits the high schools when the students are sophomores, so if they want to attend they can begin in their junior or senior years. The high schools decide which students can go, based on performance; NOCC never chooses one student over another.

The center also offers Adult Rapid Re-skill Training, full day, accelerated coursework to prepare and certify workers for careers in high demand jobs.

Torrance Taylor graduated from McDonogh 35 in June. She plans on getting her BSN in 2024 from Chamberlain, then going on to obtain her doctorate eventually.

The Career Center changed my life, Taylor said. It has expanded my horizons and taken me beyond a traditional high school education. Its made me part of a professional environment where education is taken seriously."

The program sets high standards. "Its a professional place where professional behavior is expected, Taylor said.

Faulk and Taylor are this years recipients in New Orleans of the 431 Exchanges scholarship program, named for the original 431 graduates of the Adult Education Center founded by Alice Geoffray on Exchange Place.

The 431 Exchange was founded by Alice Geoffrays children, Jeanne and Jeff, and gives out $1,431 scholarships that can be used for further education, transportation, rent or wherever funds are needed.

We give out scholarships in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Texas," where the non-profit is headquartered, said Jeanne Geoffray, co-founder of the 431 Exchange. We want to reward those whove benefited from the Career Center process, whom we feel are bright, eager to learn, and are role models for those coming behind them.

NOCC has trained nearly 1,000 students in pursuits as diverse as healthcare and manufacturing to engineering and hospitality.

Alice Geoffray, who served as Louisianas first State Coordinator of Career Education, would be proud of a system thats about inclusion, providing free education to those determined to succeed, and ultimately changing the landscape of the New Orleans workforce.

Contact Leslie at lesliecardejournalist@gmail.com.

As enrollment declines, New Orleans charter school closures, consolidations could be on table Due to declining enrollment and financial impacts from COVID-19, NOLA Public Schools district Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. has announced
Great gelato has just the right blend of creamy density, vivid flavor and velvety texture, and thats certainly the case for the gelato served up at Piccola Gelateria.

The scenes around the little shop these days, however, have been unabashedly sweet.

Every other time the door swings open, it seems co-owner Ria Turnbull is greeting a familiar young face as if its a niece or nephew walking in. She wants to know how school is going, shes impressed by how much theyve grown.

They get their gelato  tiramisu, lemon, Amarena cherry, mint Stracciatella or maybe cookies black (made with chocolate cookies blended in); then the door opens and again the warm greetings flow over the freezer case.

Ria and her husband Ross Turnbull have been going like this for five years now, though this month they moved Piccola Gelateria from its original Freret Street home to a new Magazine Street location about a mile away.

The shop was out of action in the interim for just a few weeks, but the interactions over the gelato counter during its first week back felt like homecomings after a much longer duration. People missed their favorite gelato parlor.

Weve made it through the years, weve made it through everything, because of the loyal following, and we are so grateful to them, said Ria.

John Nguyen has been one regular from the start. He visits the shop weekly and keeps a stash of pints at home to have some in easy reach whenever.

We evacuated for Hurricane Ida, and the first thing I did when we drove back in was check my deep freezer and hook it up to a generator, Nguyen said.

All 18 pints made it through, he was relieved to find.

Ross Turnbull makes the gelato, working in small batches. That preserves the consistency and texture that make the flavors resonate so deeply and best present the quality of ingredients.

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Ross built his first career as a chef and got an early start in the field as a teenager enrolled in hotel school in Switzerland. During that time, he traveled to Palermo where he learned to make gelato from an old Sicilian master of the craft.

His career took him to luxury hotels around the world. On the side, he always made gelato as a hobby and a passion, and he applied the same mandates he learned working under top chefs: Use the best ingredients, let them taste the way they should, dont get in the way.

The new shop has a few tables outside and a few inside. The giant teddy bears from the old location of course made the move, and now they lounge around the counter and windows.

So did the bank of crepe irons, where Ross and Ria cook up savory and sweet crepes lickety-split and prepare piadine, the grilled Italian flatbreads folded around some of the same savory crepe fillings. As before, the espresso machine works up just-ground beans from the Brooklyn-based roaster Sey Coffee.

The new spot has a Magazine Street address, though its small storefront opens to Jena Street a few doors down from the main drag. It feels tucked away, but old regulars have had no problem finding their way there, and plenty of newcomers have been joining them.

In a part of town thick with schools, theres a mid-afternoon rush as young students file through in a parade of different uniforms. Theres the excitement of ordering a favorite flavor or the anticipation in trying something new. The adults with them order espresso or fizzy Italian water.

And then, as mother and son or father and daughter settle in, theres a brief quiet moment at the tables as they share an ephemeral treat in a little moment of time.

Piccola Gelateria

4500 Magazine St., (5040 493-5999

Tue., Thu., Sun. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fri., Sat., 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

+11 Of masa and memory: a new voice for Mexican cuisine rises course by course at Lengua Madre We had the first reservation at Lengua Madre one evening, and for a short time my friend and I had the small restaurant to ourselves.

+9 New Orleans restaurant losses, revivals and lessons that carry though tumultuous 2021 On Mardi Gras 2021, parades were canceled, bars in New Orleans were ordered closed and the day started bitterly cold. But at least some restau

+6 Pie happy hour? Freret Street bakery cafe Windowsill Pies cooks up some fresh takes Even by the slice, pie just feels wholesome. Thats one takeaway from some time spent at the Freret Street pie shop and cafe Windowsill Pies.
For 44 years, Santas Quarters on Decatur Street was a French Quarter institution. The crowded shop was the source of Christmas cheer 12 months a year, even in the midst of the stultifying Southern summer. Now, as we say in New Orleans, it aint dere no more.

Instead of shelves and cabinets chockablock with glass ornaments, watchful elves, tree-topping angels, plush reindeer, St. Nick sculptures and such, the shop is now a ghostly cave. Last week, a few strands of plastic garlands overhead and a small stack of cardboard boxes and light fixtures near the door were all that was left in the formerly glittering interior that drew customers from around the globe.

Shop owner David Erath said that because of the name of the place, kids sometimes called, asking for Santa, in order to recite their pre-Christmas wish lists.

Im a parent, so I never overpromised, Erath said, laughing. Id tell them Just be very good and youll probably get what youre asking Santa for.

Cheryl Hingle has been a Santas Quarters employee for 36 years. She said that when kids called and Erath wasnt around, Wed tell them Santa was still on vacation, but well give him the message.

After Erath announced the imminent closure of the shop a few weeks back, forlorn customers appeared at the counter expressing their regrets. Santas Quarters drew locals who made a stop at the shop part of their family tradition, and out-of-towners made a pilgrimage to the place year after year, Erath said.

Hingle said that, as word of the coming closure spread, a repeat customer flew in from Houston to do some bargain shopping and bid the store farewell. A lot of people are sorry to see us leave, she said.

Meeting people from around the world was her favorite part of the job, Hingle said. But with travel reduced by the pandemic, there hasnt been as much of that in the past year. Hingle said shes kind of disappointed that the shop is closing, but shes only working part-time these days anyway and, maybe, its time to move on.

Sure, Erath said, hell miss the business too. It was a fun place, he said. But the shop had a good run, now the owners of the building are planning to sell, and hes decided its time to concentrate on chasing grandkids instead of buying stock, sorting receipts and other business responsibilities. He plans to continue supplying merchandise via the shops website.

Erath has no regrets. Weve had a lot of tears in here, he said of the days before the doors closed on Dec. 11, but they havent been his.

Erath, 68, said that the shop, at 1025 Decatur St., was once the site of LaNasa hardware store. That explains the sturdy wooden nail bins that still line aisles. He said that Vieux Carre residents Nell and Harry Leveque opened Santas Quarters in 1977. The couple had visited a year-round Christmas store on a trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and figured a similar shop would do well in the tourist-rich French Quarter.

Nell poured herself into the project, Erath said, establishing the character of the place, which soon became one of those not-to-miss New Orleans destinations. Erath, who was also a French Quarter resident and shop owner, always admired the upbeat niche business the Leveques established. Sixteen years ago, when they were ready to sell out, they sold to him.

As the guy who wrote A Christmas Carol might have put it, the years that Erath owned Santas Quarters have been the best of times and the worst of times. Erath took over the shop in January 2005, just months before Hurricane Karina and the subsequent flood caused catastrophic damage to the city, drastically diminished the population and essentially eliminated French Quarter tourism.

It was a few years before I had a happy Christmas, Erath said.

To try to attract what little foot traffic there was, Erath put on a pillow-stuffed Santa suit and sat near the doorway beckoning business. Svelte, with a cleanly shaven head, Erath wasnt exactly the jolly old elf type, but he gave it a shot.

I sat outside, he recalled, laughing. It was 85 degrees. I played the fool, and it was a complete disaster.

Five years after Katrina came the BP oil spill that stultified travel to New Orleans again. In the meantime, the rise of online shopping didnt help business. Then, last year, there was the COVID-19 lockdown, travel restrictions and a clogged supply chain to contend with.

Erath has regularly had reason to complain, but he isnt complaining. The formula of the shop has generally been successful, he said. Though its changed some.

Back when he first got in the business, he did brisk seasonal trade in artificial Christmas trees, plastic poinsettia sprigs and other decoration for French Quarter apartments and balconies. But theres not so much of that anymore. Maybe there just arent as many residents, he mused.

+5 Sixth-grade girls stalk Monkee in the French Quarter, get autographs, give kisses Luckily, Jan Gilbert had her sixth-grade report card in her purse. It would have been really awkward to ask Michael Nesmith for an autograph w

In recent years, the best sellers have been New Orleans-themed ornaments, such as crabs, alligators, streetcars, St. Louis Cathedral and riverboats, which serve as both Christmas decorations and mementoes of the city.

The whole situation in the Quarter has changed, he said. The demographics are different. Now you have younger groups, destination weddings and things like that.

Erath said he was startled by the response when he posted his plans to close the store on social media. There was an immediate wave of affection and sadness.

I feel like a Scrooge, in a way, he said with a shrug. I am not Santa.

Erath said he timed the closure to coincide with the holidays, so he could sell down the stock. You cant really do that in July, he said.
During a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Mayor LaToya Cantrell was asked to address possible changes to Mardi Gras parade routes in 2022  which she declined to do at that moment.

As it relates to Mardi Gras, she said, I will be having a press conference on it next week, and well keep it right there.

So Carnival fans will have to hold their breaths a few more days before finding out if their favorite processions might be taking new routes.

In October, Cantrell said that because of over-stretched first responders, she was considering a plan that would require all 2022 Mardi Gras parades to follow the same St. Charles Avenue path. Most of New Orleans 34 parades stick to roughly the same route, starting at either Jefferson or Napoleon Avenues and following St. Charles Avenue to Canal Street.

That means the majority of parades and their fans are faced with the possibility of relatively minor adjustments. The parades that would suffer major disruptions are those that ordinarily take alternative treks.

The venerable Zulu parade traditionally rolls through Central City on Jackson Avenue before heading downtown on St. Charles Ave. and continuing to the Treme. The enormous Endymion parade typically travels miles through Mid-City on its way to St. Charles Ave. Thoth begins its route with a winding course through Uptown, which is meant to reach hospital patients and others who would otherwise be unable to attend parades. The NOMTOC parade travels Algiers on the West Bank.

Fans and participants alike are especially eager to know the fates of those parades in the coming year.

The paths of Carnival parades have been altered from time to time in the past because of unusual circumstances.

The Endymion parade moved from Mid-City to the Uptown route in 2003, due to the construction of the Canal Street streetcar line that interrupted the traditional parade path.

During the citys recovery from Hurricane Katrina, 2006 parade routes were consolidated on St. Charles Avenue with one exception.

In 2006, the Zulu parade stuck to the Central City leg of its traditional route that year, before heading down St. Charles Avenue. Meanwhile, the Endymion parade left Mid-City and rolled on the uptown route that year and the next.

In 2020, the Zulu and Endymion parades were detoured around the site of the collapsed Hard Rock Hotel. And in October, the Krewe of Boo! Halloween parade was substantially shortened by trimming off the Canal Street leg of its route, due to shortages in city services.

Correction: 2006 was not the first time the Endymion parade left its usual Mid-City route, as originally reported.

+5 Sixth-grade girls stalk Monkee in the French Quarter, get autographs, give kisses Luckily, Jan Gilbert had her sixth-grade report card in her purse. It would have been really awkward to ask Michael Nesmith for an autograph w
Angie McGuinness moved to New Orleans from Philadelphia to explore French and Creole pastry cooking. Shes worked at Sucre, Elysian Bar and Sylvain and is currently at Marjies Grill. But McGuinness loves pies and started selling them at pop-ups before the pandemic. Shell be offering many pie flavors at the holiday market at Hotel Peter & Paul from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12. For more information about her Home Slice Pies, check out @homeslicepiesnola on Instagram.

Gambit: How did you get into pie baking?

Angie McGuinness: I have been a pastry cook for many years. I started out in Philadelphia, where I was born. I started taking night classes during college. I was in school for something else, but at night I would go to this culinary school and take community classes and it was stress relief. I found that no matter what job I had, I always found myself baking for whoever I was working with. I worked as a stage manager, I worked in offices, but I always found myself bringing in baked goods, and it just clicked for me one day that I could have that as my job.

I came down here specifically for pastry. I was interested in ways communities alter the way you cook. If you wanted to do sourdough, you might look to San Francisco. If you want to be a pastry cook and do desserts on the line, you might look to a Michelin restaurant in New York or Chicago. I loved patisserie, and the French cooking New Orleans had to offer mixed with the Creole cuisine is what I wanted to learn. So, I came down here with two suitcases and lots of cookbooks and got to work. I started at Salon at Sucre in the French Quarter.

Pies were always my love language. I missed making them (while working in restaurants), so I started doing that for friends on the side. They said, You love making pies and it would be nice if you could share them with everyone, so I started doing pop-ups. The first one was in 2019.

Gambit: What did you do when the pandemic shut down restaurants?

McGuinness: I was cooking for Southern Solidarity and New Orleans Mutual Aid Society. Some of that would be dessert, but less so pie, because we were looking at feeding mass amounts of people who didnt have as much access to food. It was about sourcing what you could and making something delicious. I was very lucky to have a stable environment at that time to be able to volunteer to cook for people. Its one of the best feelings to be able to cook and deliver food to people who need it. Now I have a full-time position, so I (volunteer) when I have time.

Gambit: What are you offering at the market at Hotel Peter & Paul?

McGuinness: For the pop-up, I am looking at whats seasonal and what I can source from local vendors. I am making 16 pies, and there will be nine different flavors. Gauging interest, I may offer some whole pies for pre-sale. I normally sell by the slice. I am a one-person operation, and in order to sell a whole pie, the price for a single pie is a little higher than what I am comfortable with.

Theyre all sweet pies. The butternut squash pie is because I can source the squash from several farms right now, and I am not a huge fan of pumpkin pie. It doesnt have enough flavor. I like to use butternut squash, which I roast for an hour and 45 minutes until it caramelizes on its own, and then Ill add in mace, nutmeg  those warm spices  so, its sort of like a ginger snap butternut squash pie.

I have satsumas and lemons not just in my yard but I have neighbors who bring them to me as well because I make jams with them. The pie has a Meyer lemon curd that is going to be baked into an all-butter shortbread crust with a satsuma meringue.

The chocolate bourbon pecan is a favorite of mine because of the toasted pecans and the little kick of bourbon at the end. I am using the last of my chocolate from Acalli Chocolate Company, which in my opinion had the best chocolate. I bake those in a sweet pastry pie crust. I use Steens Cane Syrup too so its sweet and tangy and yummy.

I recently did a pop-up for Annas bar in the Marigny. They were having a Twin Peaks themed menu. I did a menu for them based on a Twin Peaks episode. I did a Dr. Jacoby caramelized pina colada pie, which has pineapples I caramelized for an hour, until theyre brown, super sweet and crystalized. Then I make a coconut cream custard and a rum caramel. I will actually have that at the pop-up.

I have two flavors I will be selling as whole pies. One is the eggnog sugar cream pie. I make eggnog and then make it into a custard that I top with mace. The other one is a dark chocolate peppermint crunch pie, which has bits of candy cane and dark chocolate and dark chocolate crunch. If people want a whole pie, those are the only ones I am doing. Theyre going to cost $50, because thats what they cost me.

Breanna Fletcher transitions her B&G Foods bakery into a vegan operation Baker Breanna Fletcher on starting a business with her fiance, selling goods at farmers markets and the switch a vegan bakery.
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This story was originally published on May 8, 2016.

Elizabeth Fried had just landed in New Orleans from Boston on Friday to look at venues for her wedding next year with her fiance , 25-year-old Thomas Rolfes.

Her flight got in two hours after his, and when she got to the hotel, he had gone out with college friends, so she went to bed.

But when she woke up Saturday morning and he still wasnt there, she knew something had gone wrong.

Then she saw a New Orleans Police Department news release saying a man had been found shot to death at Amelia Street and South Claiborne Avenue.

After several phone calls and a trip downtown, Fried, 24, helped the police identify the victim as the man she was planning to marry.

I didnt even get to see him, she said Sunday.

Now, Fried is left trying to make sense of a fatal story that began when he apparently disappeared from Ms. Maes, a popular 24-hour bar at Magazine Street and Napoleon Avenue where he had been spending time with friends, and ended on a strange corner far from the bar or his hotel.

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Police are still working out what happened, Fried said. How he went from Ms. Maes to that street where he was found. They dont know.

By getting information out to the public, she told The New Orleans Advocate, she hoped that someone would be able to fit more pieces of the puzzle together and help find the person who killed her fiance .

Rolfes had been living in Greenville, South Carolina, but was based in St. Louis, where he was a project engineer for a construction company. He was familiar with New Orleans, Fried said, because he had graduated in 2011 from Tulane University, where he studied finance and met his future fiance e. She graduated from Tulane in 2014.

Police do know some details, including the fact that Rolfes didnt go straight from Ms. Maes to the spot on Claiborne Avenue where he died.

According to Fried, there is video footage that shows he was at a Delta Fuel gas station on Claiborne Avenue, where he was seen buying several items about 3:30 a.m. Saturday. The station is near the spot where his body was found about an hour later.

When police got the 911 call about his death, he had been shot once in the chest, Fried said. His phone, which had died about 1:30 a.m., was still on him, but his wallet was gone.

The rest of the story is a mystery.

He didnt have a car here, and Fried said she didnt know how he got from the bar to the gas station, or from the station to Amelia Street.

The big unknown is what happened in that hour, and how he even got there in the first place, Fried said. So I want to make sure his story gets out. We need to catch the person who did this.
In their final meeting of 2021, some members of the Louisiana Climate Initiatives Task Force warned Thursday that their latest draft recommendations to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions will not meet Gov. John Bel Edwards goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Robert Verchick, a Loyola University environmental law professor, warned that as fellow task force members continue to review the plan in January, in advance of a Feb. 1 deadline for its approval, they will be faced with objecting to specific pieces that they don't think will work in the complex plan and then having to decide whether to vote for a plan that clearly wont meet Edwards mandate.

If I think this plan wont reach net zero, am I to vote against everything in the plan? he asked.

In October, the task force was told that computer modeling found its emissions reduction strategies would cut Louisiana carbon-equivalent emissions dramatically, from the 217 million metric tons in 2018, but still leave the state producing 91.1 million tons a year by 2050.

The task force will meet twice in January to complete work on the plan. Several members suggested extending the time for considering amendments beyond Feb. 1. Harry Vorhoff, deputy director of the Governors Office of Coastal Activities, said changing the deadline would be up to Edwards.

But delaying the report also would delay related legislation to be considered during the 2022 session of the Legislature, which convenes March 14, and approval of new regulations by state agencies and the Public Service Commission through rulemaking processes that could take a year or longer. Further, it might jeopardize Louisiana's chances of obtaining some of the billions of dollars in federal money that Washington might give states to reduce carbon emissions.

The task force's recommendations could very well have dramatic implications on the environment, including Louisiana's fragile coast, and reshape the state's entire economy. Its current strategy and action categories include:

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Clean energy transition , aimed at reshaping the way electricity is generated and transmitted across the state. This could require that all electricity be generated by either renewable or clean resources by 2035, with at least 80% from renewable resources, including wind and solar energy. That would include a goal of creating as much as 5 gigawatts of offshore wind power generation by 2035. The states regulated utilities produce a total of only 6.9 gigawatts of electricity today, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

, aimed at reshaping the way electricity is generated and transmitted across the state. This could require that all electricity be generated by either renewable or clean resources by 2035, with at least 80% from renewable resources, including wind and solar energy. That would include a goal of creating as much as 5 gigawatts of offshore wind power generation by 2035. The states regulated utilities produce a total of only 6.9 gigawatts of electricity today, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Industrial decarbonization , meaning the replacement of carbon-emitting energy use in industry, which now is responsible for 62% of the states carbon emissions. The plan calls for capturing carbon dioxide from heat sources and injecting it deep underground into saline aquifers.

, meaning the replacement of carbon-emitting energy use in industry, which now is responsible for 62% of the states carbon emissions. The plan calls for capturing carbon dioxide from heat sources and injecting it deep underground into saline aquifers. Managing methane emissions , by decommissioning the tens of thousands of little-used or abandoned oil and gas wells across the state and by increasing the monitoring and regulation of methane emissions from active oil and gas production sites and from industry.

, by decommissioning the tens of thousands of little-used or abandoned oil and gas wells across the state and by increasing the monitoring and regulation of methane emissions from active oil and gas production sites and from industry. Transportation, development and the built environment , which includes accelerating the adoption and accessibility of both electric and clean fuel vehicles and the fuels needed to run them; expanding broadband internet access to encourage telecommuting and discourage driving; adopting land use rules that reduce sprawl; and improving the energy efficiency and resilience of buildings. This strategy would include minimum energy performance standards for industry and businesses, and installing 250 electric charging stations per 100,000 residents across the state by 2050.

, which includes accelerating the adoption and accessibility of both electric and clean fuel vehicles and the fuels needed to run them; expanding broadband internet access to encourage telecommuting and discourage driving; adopting land use rules that reduce sprawl; and improving the energy efficiency and resilience of buildings. This strategy would include minimum energy performance standards for industry and businesses, and installing 250 electric charging stations per 100,000 residents across the state by 2050. Natural and working lands and wetlands, including preserving and expanding natural lands and urban green spaces to capture carbon, restoring the states coastal wetlands as carbon sinks and managing agricultural and forestry land to act as carbon sinks.

including preserving and expanding natural lands and urban green spaces to capture carbon, restoring the states coastal wetlands as carbon sinks and managing agricultural and forestry land to act as carbon sinks. Inclusive, low-carbon economy, a catch-all category that includes ensuring the economic changes resulting from carbon reductions dont affect historically marginalized groups, and assuring the workforce is prepared for new jobs resulting from the changes. It also includes prioritizing Louisiana workers and businesses in the transition to a low-carbon economy.

a catch-all category that includes ensuring the economic changes resulting from carbon reductions dont affect historically marginalized groups, and assuring the workforce is prepared for new jobs resulting from the changes. It also includes prioritizing Louisiana workers and businesses in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Collaboration and partnerships to ensure successful implementation , includes positioning the state and local governments to maximize federal funding opportunities, aligning climate actions across state agencies and coordinating with other states and regions, while also calling on the private sector to participate in climate actions. This strategy also includes engagement with both disadvantaged communities and indigenous peoples.

, includes positioning the state and local governments to maximize federal funding opportunities, aligning climate actions across state agencies and coordinating with other states and regions, while also calling on the private sector to participate in climate actions. This strategy also includes engagement with both disadvantaged communities and indigenous peoples. Accountability and adaptability to ensure lasting success, includes development of siting and permitting processes that are equitable, efficient and sustainable to for new energy and infrastructure projects; ensuring the state plan is implemented effectively and transparently; and creating a public method to track the success or failure in meeting greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals.

Several task force members questioned the plan's inclusion of tax breaks to collect CO2 at emission sources and inject it deep underground instead of releasing it into the atmosphere. Verchick said doubts about that technology's viability is on the same level as doubts raised in the report about developing zero-carbon electrification technology in the state, and said any tax breaks should be available for either technology.

Task force member Collette Pichon-Battle of the Gulf Coast Center for Law and Policy urged that the summary of the plans main goals be rewritten to make clear a major goal is to improve Black and low-income communities, especially those now living near the biggest carbon-polluting industries and where new petrochemical facilities are proposed.

The siting of the current industrial buildout is 80 times more likely to be in Black communities and 100 times more likely to be in poor communities, Pichon-Battle said.

The benefit to Louisianas people is not just the GDP of the state. Its not just the economic benefit of private business, she said. Its the health and wellness and longevity, the ability to live a good life, of the people of the state.

Vorhoff said each section of the plan now includes language calling for any actions to take into account their effects on such communities.
The judge said life, but the Lord said otherwise, Kendall Gordons mother Wanda exclaimed, as her son walked out of court a free man for the first time in 12 years.

Gordon was serving life in prison for a deadly home invasion in the Lower 9th Ward in 2009. Earlier this week, prosecutors asked a judge to toss his second-degree murder conviction, citing DNA test results and evidence pointing to other suspects.

On Thursday, Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge Kimya Holmes agreed to vacate the conviction handed down by a predecessor. With tears streaming down his face, Gordon embraced his mother in a courthouse hallway.

Gordons release capped a busy week for Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams civil rights and appeals divisions, which reached agreements in at least four other cases allowing life prisoners to go free, albeit with felony convictions on their records.

+3 Man accused of killing NOPD officer Marcus McNeil is competent to stand trial, judge says The man accused of killing a New Orleans police officer during a desperate struggle on a street in New Orleans East more than four years ago i

There will be no such stain for Gordon, 31. In a court filing, prosecutors said DNA testing conducted last year on evidence, in addition to information pointing to other suspects, offered clear and convincing evidence which creates a reasonable likelihood that Mr. Gordon did not commit the offense.

Gordon said his first order of business is getting to know his son, born a month after his arrest.

He turned himself in the day after the crime, after learning that he was wanted, but never stopped professing his innocence in a brutal killing. On the night of Aug. 8, 2009, a pair of masked gunmen kicked in the front door of a house in the 1800 block of Tricou Street and demanded the women inside give them money.

Secret payments, DNA evidence and split jury undermine New Orleans murder conviction, lawyers say Secret rent payments for a skittish witness, DNA test results and a divided jury should lead to a new trial for a New Orleans man serving a li

The gunmen shot and killed Patrice Comadore, 23, and beat her sister, Darceleen, who was on the phone with her mother throughout the ordeal. They left after Darceleen gave them $200.

During the course of the home invasion, one of the robbers was apparently wounded by a gunshot himself. Police would later find a trail of blood leading out of the house.

At almost the same time Darceleen called 911, police received another call from the 1700 block of Mazant Street in the Upper 9th Ward. There they found Jessie Bibbins III, 18, whod been shot and killed with the same weapon as Patrice Comadore.

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Darceleen initially said she was 100% sure that Gordon was one of the robbers because she knew him from before. But in the months that followed, she changed her story. She told former District Attorney Leon Cannizzaros office that Gordon wasnt there at all.

Sweeping project to undo split-jury convictions in New Orleans hits speed bump Newly installed Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams launched his project to undo split jury verdicts with a flourish: a speech on 

Darceleen said there were two robbers, an older and a younger one, and she had mistaken Gordon for Bibbins, who was about the same age. Only after she heard of Bibbins death did she realize her error, Darceleen said.

Still, Cannizzaros office went ahead with the prosecution, saying that Darceleen flip-flopped because of threats on her life.

His office at one point obtained a material witness warrant for the arrest of Darceleen  a hard-nosed tactic that, years later, drew a civil rights lawsuit. Cannizzaro has said those warrants are a necessary tool in a city where many witnesses fear for their lives if they testify.

Gordons defense attorney elected a bench trial in front of former Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge Frank Marullo. After a day of testimony, Marullo convicted Gordon based on Darceleens initial accusation.

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The state 4th Circuit Court of Appeal later said that Marullo was within his rights to convict Gordon. Comadore could never fully explain her recantation, the court said.

Gordons mother, Wanda, said she always believed her son was innocent. With the help of attorneys from the Innocence Project New Orleans, Gordon filed an appeal.

Emily Maw, that organizations former director, is now chief of the district attorneys civil rights division. The office said she was recused from Gordons case.

In a legal filing, Williams office said that DNA tests in 2020 of key evidence, including a bloody shirt used to staunch the dying robbers wounds on Mazant Street, yielded a hit for Bibbins but excluded Gordon as a contributor. Williams office said it believes Darceleens current account that Gordon wasnt a robber.

Williams assailed the tactics Cannizzaro used to get witnesses to testify on the campaign trail last year. In this instance, Assistant District Attorney Cormac Boyle said in a legal filing, while the District Attorneys Office may have used aggressive tactics to secure Ms. Comadores testimony, none of those tactics were unethical or taken with the intent to produce an unreliable conviction.

Gordons lawyer took a harsher stance. "Mr. Gordon lost 12 critical years of his life, and of his sons life, that he can never get back, simply because the State chose not to listen to the victim, said Kirschelle McGowan.

Man accused of killing Tulane alum Thomas Rolfes in 2016 now faces murder, robbery charges For more than five years, loved ones of Tulane University graduate Thomas Rolfes have remained anguished, wondering whether anyone would ever 

Prosecutors said that with Gordons conviction erased, theyre investigating substantial information about other suspects, including information from multiple witnesses that Bibbins was with other people at the time of the robbery.

Between the new DNA evidence and the victims statement that fell on deaf ears years ago, among other things, it was the right thing to work with the Innocence Project to file a joint motion for relief that allowed Mr. Gordon to be a free man, Williams said in a statement. My office is and will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to pursue the actual perpetrators and deliver justice for the victims of this offense and their families.

Gordons mother, 67-year-old Wanda Brown, wore a shirt that said "mother of an innocent man" to court on Thursday. She said that when she had a heart attack two years ago, she told herself in the ambulance that she had to keep living to see her son leave prison.

God gave me the biggest Christmas present I ever had, said Brown.

At the same time that Gordons conviction was being wiped clean on the courthouses second floor, a judge on the first floor cleared another man to leave the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola after 50 years in custody.

Relatives clapped as Judge Benedict Willard approved an agreement between prosecutors and Walter Quinn, a 71-year-old member of the prison gospel choir. Quinn, who was convicted in 1972 in the aggravated rape of a nurse the year before, has kidney disease.

Originally handed a death sentence, Quinns penalty was reduced to life imprisonment in 1974. A newspaper article then noted that he could expect to seek parole in 10 years and six months  but subsequent changes to state law converted that to life without parole.

Williams administration has so far agreed to the release of five so-called 10/6 lifers, named for the prison terms many originally thought they would serve, according to Andrew Hundley of the Louisiana Parole Project. So far, Williams is an outlier among district attorneys in his willingness to free the aging prisoners, Hundley said.

(Quinn) has taken advantage of everything, all rehabilitative programming that the Department of Corrections has to offer him, Hundley said. Theres no public safety value in keeping him incarcerated after 50 years.

Efforts to contact the victim were unsuccessful and it was unclear whether she is alive, Assistant District Attorney Bidish Sarma said.
A federal judge sentenced a Houston woman to probation Thursday for her role in staging an accident with an 18-wheeler in New Orleans.

Genetta Isreal, 53, is the 29th of 33 defendants to plead guilty in Operation Sideswipe, a federal investigation of the sprawling scheme by "slammers," "spotters" and corrupt lawyers to wring fraudulent settlements from trucking companies, bus operators and insurance companies. The defendants collectively staged 77 accidents in recent years, collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Prosecutors say Isreal, Damian Labeaud, Mario Solomon and Larry Williams conspired to crash a Chevrolet Trailblazer into a Peterbilt tractor-trailer on Chef Menteur Highway near the Danziger Bridge on June 12, 2017. Labeaud was the slammer, steering the Trailblazer into the 18-wheeler then getting out and fleeing in a waiting pickup truck driven by Solomon, the spotter. Williams slid behind the wheel of the Trailblazer, told police he had been driving and blamed the big rig's operator for the wreck.

Williams and Isreal later met with lawyer Daniel Patrick Keating, who directed them to seek medical care. Isreal also "provided false testimony in depositions taken in conjunction with the lawsuit filed by Keatings firm," the U.S. attorney's office said.

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Brazen big-rig crash scheme nets another federal guilty plea in New Orleans Defendant admits getting in car that was then rammed into bus for insurance payout

U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon, whom President Bill Clinton nominated to the court, sentenced Isreal to three years' probation and ordered her to pay $28,816.64 in restitution.

Labeaud, Solomon, Williams and Keating are among the defendants who have pleaded guilty.
This article was published in partnership with The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system. Sign up for their newsletter, or follow The Marshall Project on Facebook or Twitter.

Lester Pearson hoisted himself out of a chair and poked through his wallet with creased hands, fishing out a medical card showing that his pacemaker is due for a new battery.

Pearson was fitted with the device in 2006, at the now-closed Earl K. Long Medical Center in Baton Rouge, in a rare trip outside the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. He was 69 then and four decades into a life sentence for murder, which in Louisiana means death in prison.

Now 84, Pearson wears bifocals and grips a prison-issued cane to get around.

I aint healthy, he said. I dont feel bad, but since I got my pacemaker, thats when I kind of started losing balance.

As the years go, he added, it gets a little worse.

Louisiana is increasingly charged with watching over geriatric prisoners like Pearson, who was among the oldest and longest-serving lifers in the state until he was released in October under a deal with Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams.

Recent legislative reforms aimed at lowering the U.S.s leading incarceration rate had reduced the states penalties for drug and other nonviolent crimes. But they largely kept in place stiff sentences for people convicted of murder and other violent crimes, after prosecutors and sheriffs balked.

The result is a state prison population that has rapidly aged, contributing to a steady rise in prison medical costs, even as incarceration levels fall steeply. Much of that money is spent to care for geriatric people, who some experts say pose little risk of committing new crimes.

Total medical spending for state corrections eclipsed $100 million last year. Thats an increase of about 25% from 2015, according to state budget figures.

The state population of incarcerated people peaked above 40,000 a decade ago, and remained just under 36,000 when the 2017 reforms passed. State figures from this year show the population at about 27,000.

Those reductions, primarily affecting younger defendants facing shorter prison terms, helped Louisiana drop a hair below Mississippi as the nations top per-capita jailer in 2020, according to U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics figures.

One outcome: In 2015, the typical incarcerated person in Louisiana was just over 36 years old. Today, the typical prisoner is nearly 41, according to a recent state budget document.

Those in prison for life pull up the curve. The typical Louisiana lifer today is a 52-year-old Black man who has been locked up for a little over two decades, an analysis of state corrections data shows. Over 80% of Louisiana lifers are men over the age of 40.

We just got rid of the cheaper ones, said Edward Shihadeh, an LSU sociology professor who developed the states assessment tool for its incarcerated population. Keeping people in jail for life means the state must pay for them until the pennies go into their eyes, Shihadeh said.

He described the rise in medical costs for elderly prisoners as exponential in their later years, with virtually all of it borne by the state.

If we release them, they become a Medicare or Medicaid issue, but because life means life, the only way we get out of there is in a pine box. Louisiana taxpayers must foot the entire bill.

Now, 1 in 6 people incarcerated in Louisiana has been sentenced to die in state custody. Nearly 1,200 lifers are over 60. Those geriatric lifers make up nearly 5% of the state prison population.

When it comes to public safety, older lifers pose little threat, experts say. Shihadeh and other researchers studied recidivism  how many people released from prison commit new crimes  among several hundred long-serving Louisiana prisoners in 2013, including people who were pardoned and others made eligible for parole after serving 20 years and reaching age 45.

The recidivism rate dropped to essentially zero among those who had served more than 26 years, their research found. Recidivism was particularly low among those convicted of murder.

A 2017 U.S. Sentencing Commission report on aging federal prisoners found a significant decline in reported crime with age.

+3 Two of Louisiana's longest-serving prisoners go free in deals with Jason Williams; more deals pending Louis Mitchell broke out in a wide grin, repeating thank you over a TV screen on Tuesday as family members howled in joy from the benches of

Nearly two-thirds of federal prisoners released under age 30 were rearrested within eight years, compared to one-sixth of prisoners released at 60 or older, the report found. Older prisoners who reoffended also committed less serious acts.

You look at all of these variables of offending, and age is by far the most powerful predictor and always has been, and interestingly, is for all places, said Marcus Kondkar, a Loyola University sociology professor. Its not just a U.S. thing.

State corrections officials say the number of Louisiana prisoners 60 or older has risen by half since 2013, to about 2,500.

Burl Cain, the former Angola warden who now heads Mississippis corrections department, and others have described a tendency for prisoners to age out of crime in their 40s or 50s as criminal menopause.

Kenneth Womack, 73, said it hit him at 45, after a year on lockdown in a cell block at Angolas Camp D in 1991.

He was convicted of murder in New Orleans for setting up a botched robbery that turned fatal. Womack wasnt accused of being present for the killing, but he said the plan was mine, so that made me just really more guilty than the shooter, who also got life.

Sentenced in 1969, Womack logged 52 infractions over his first few decades in prison.

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He overpowered a prison guard and tried to escape in 1971, at age 22, disciplinary records show. Womack said he clocked the guard in the face with the blunt end of a cane knife and took his gun, but he never made it off the prison farm. Womack said he also ran a card game in Angola and dealt marijuana and pills, though hed avoided drugs on the street.

My attitude was about like a badass, getting into a lot of stuff. Nothing good was coming out of anything I was doing: using drugs, selling drugs, gambling, he said of prison life.

I come out (of lockdown) in 92. I told the board, Youre probably not going to believe me, but Im gonna run straight to the church house. I went into population, did what I told them I was gonna do.

Records show no infractions after 1993 for Womack.

Pearson had a quieter life at Angola, with 19 infractions, mostly for contraband or disobedience. They ended in 1996, when he was 59.

He entered Angola in 1965, convicted of murder in the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old discharged soldier hed met in the French Quarter that day. They drank at a bar and then exchanged words in a car off St. Roch Avenue in the Gentilly neighborhood before a 27-year-old Pearson fired once.

After I got older, it was a lot of fights I didnt want to be around, he said of his record in prison.

Womack and Pearson both pleaded guilty when they were prosecuted to avoid the death penalty at a time when state law gave lifers a shot at freedom with good behavior. Then lawmakers eliminated parole for life prisoners in 1979.

The men were released under separate deals engineered by advocates with the Louisiana Parole Project, working with prosecutors in Orleans Parish who have endorsed the releases of more than three dozen life prisoners in Williams first year in office.

Williams is the states only district attorney to launch such a wide-ranging review of cases. He succeeded district attorneys who for decades led the way in sending people to prison for life.

New Orleans now accounts for nearly 1 in 5 of the states 4,141 life-without-parole prisoners, though the citys population is less than one-tenth of the states.

Absent parole, life prisoners can still leave Louisiana prisons alive, but the odds remain slim.

They can petition the pardon board, but the pace of hearings is slow. The board has recommended clemency for 214 life prisoners since Gov. John Bel Edwards took office in 2016. Edwards has commuted the life sentences of 64 of them  a little less than a third.

Those odds mean many other lifers dont bother, said Andrew Hundley, who was sentenced to life at Angola as a young person. He was paroled in 2016 after the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed life-without-parole sentences for juveniles, and he is now executive director of the Louisiana Parole Project.

These guys have been programmed to believe theyre not getting out, Hundley said. Why would a Lester Pearson, who is old, spend the time completing the application and going through the rollercoaster?

Incarcerated people who are disabled or are dying can win release under medical parole, or a newer medical furlough program.

But those releases are relatively rare: Medical parole, which is not available to those convicted of first- or second-degree murder, has been granted to fewer than 10 prisoners on average, each year since 2006.

Medical furlough is even rarer, according to figures from the state pardon board. The corrections secretary can also grant compassionate release for prisoners who need skilled nursing or for prisoners with a life expectancy under 60 days. There have been 119 compassionate releases since 2011.

In the meantime, more than 100 Louisiana prisoners die each year, federal data shows. Nearly half are lifers, according to state corrections data.

+23 Louisiana changed a law to release more sick, old prisoners. Part of it could be reversed. Last year, Louisiana passed legislation aimed at making it easier to let sick, old and dying people out of prison as part of its larger crimin

Some families of crime victims say thats only just, arguing there is more to the equation than cost or risk to public safety. To Josie Dardar, whose restaurateur father, Mario Gioie, was gunned down in 1983 in St. Bernard Parish, the pendulum already has swung too far toward mercy.

My dad was 53 years old when he was wiped off the face of the earth. The families are the ones that are left behind with the life sentence, Dardar said.

She and her family pleaded successfully in 2019 to keep the state parole board from releasing Gioies killer, Earl Smith, now frail in his 70s, under a medical furlough. Smith remains at Angola.

Why would it matter, the age? Dardar asked. This crime was committed. This life was taken. These murderers took a life. What does age matter?

Shihadeh, the LSU sociologist, pointed to the trade-offs, arguing that the high costs of locking up old people suggest a needed correction.

The next psychological hurdle that we as a society have to come to terms with is  even with violent offenders  weve got to start thinking about risk and the cost of keeping them. We just cant have it all, he said.

Pearson said he wasnt looking to win his freedom when it arrived after 56 years.

I just put in my mind, I aint gonna get out, he said. So I just  aint nothing I can do. I wasnt the only one. None of us was getting out.

Staff writer Jeff Adelson contributed to this story.
A LaPlace father accused of driving drunk and speeding in a Waggaman car crash that killed his unrestrained 10-year-old son has been formally charged with vehicular homicide, according to court records.

The Jefferson Parish district attorney's office also charged Randolph Martin Jr., 32, with two counts of negligent injuring while driving drunk, for injuries to two other children in the vehicle, and with possession of marijuana.

No arraignment date has been set. The case is scheduled to return to court for a status hearing on Jan. 6.

Martin's son, R'Mahd Mitchell, was riding in the front seat of a 2010 Infiniti EX35 sedan as his father drove east on River Road in Waggaman on the night of July 3, Louisiana State Police said. Neither was wearing a seat belt, nor were two children in the back seat.

Police said Martin was traveling at 80 to 90 mph near Modern Farm Road when he failed to negotiate a turn. The car overturned and rolled five times then slid 138 feet before coming to a stop.

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Martin and his son were ejected. R'Mahd was taken to the hospital but later died of his injuries.

10-year-old killed in Waggaman car accident, Louisiana State Police says A 10-year-old was killed in a car accident on La. 18 in Waggaman Saturday night, Louisiana State Police said.

The other children, ages 6 and 8, suffered minor injuries. Authorities did not say whether the children were related to Martin.

Investigators found an open Coors beer can, a pistol and 19 ounces of marijuana in the car after the wreck, State Police said.

Police initially booked Martin with reckless driving, marijuana possession, not using child restraints and various gun and drug charges. Bond was set at $29,750, but he was released July 6 without paying because of crowding at the parish jail.

State Police rearrested him July 19 and booked him with vehicular homicide after his son died and toxicology tests determined his blood alcohol level exceeded the 0.08% legal limit in Louisiana, the agency said. He was released July 26 on a $202,000 bond.
The New Orleans coroner released names of three men shot to death in New Orleans last week.

Thernell Simon, 38, was fatally around 1 a.m. Saturday near Gravier Street and South Claiborne Avenue. Officers heard gunfire and moments later located Simon with multiple gunshot wounds to his body. He went to a hospital but later died from his injuries.

Nolan Obey, 60, and Jarwine McMaster, 17, were shot and killed Tuesday afternoon at an apartment complex in the 6000 block of Chef Menteur Highway, New Orleans police said. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said anyone with information on the killings may call homicide detective Nick Davis at (504) 658-5300 or Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans Inc. at (504) 822-1111.
A 72-year-old man is dead following a five-vehicle crash on the elevated West Bank Expressway in Marrero Wednesday evening, according to State Police.

Carl Ahysen, of Westwego, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred about 6:30 p.m.

The chain-reaction crash started with a 2012 Cadillac SRX sport utility vehicle that was driving westbound in the Barataria Boulevard exit lane of the Expressway, according to Trooper Kate Stegall, spokesperson for the State Police. The Cadillac rear-ended a 2017 Ford Fusion that was stopped in the exit lane.

The force of the impact caused the Ford to rear-end a 2019 Jeep Renegade that was stopped in front of it, Stegall said.

The initial crashes hurtled the Cadillac and Ford into the left and center lanes of travel on the westbound Expressway and into the path of an oncoming vehicle. The driver of that car, a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee, swerved to avoid the Cadillac and Ford, causing the Jeep to roll onto its roof and slide across the westbound lanes, Stegall said.

The Grand Cherokee then hit a 2010 Hyundai Genesis that was also stopped in the Barataria Boulevard exit lane. Ahysen was a front-seat passenger in the Cherokee and suffered fatal injuries, Stegall said.

Troopers are still investigating whether any of the motorists involved were impaired at the time of the crash. Blood samples were collected for toxicology test, but the results are still pending.
For Liz Fried, it had been more than five years since her fiance Thomas Rolfes had been robbed and shot to death during a trip to New Orleans to plan their upcoming wedding.

She never thought she would find out who killed him  until this week, when Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams called, informing her that the prime suspect in Rolfes slaying had been charged and jailed.

Its mixed emotions, Fried said during a brief telephone interview Thursday. It brings up the sadness of the case. But were really happy that were finally closer to getting answers, and not living with the uncertainty.

Man accused of killing Tulane alum Thomas Rolfes in 2016 now faces murder, robbery charges For more than five years, loved ones of Tulane University graduate Thomas Rolfes have remained anguished, wondering whether anyone would ever 

Ernest Weatherspoon, 44, was indicted Wednesday on charges of murder and armed robbery in connection with the May 2016 death of Rolfes, a 25-year-old Tulane University graduate. The charges rekindled Rolfes' family's hope for an eventual conclusion to one of New Orleans highest-profile unsolved homicides.

A special grand jury handed up Weatherspoons charges, the first secured by a cold case unit launched by Williams in August. During a news conference Thursday, the DA pledged that the squads impact was only just beginning, singling out the work of two New Orleans police detectives and a prosecutor who spent years building the case that implicated Weatherspoon.

This has not been easy on this family, Williams said. This has haunted this family.

Nonetheless, as the dust settled on a two-day flurry of developments in the investigation, Fried acknowledged that securing a conviction against Weatherspoon would be a separate battle, potentially involving a trial and graphic testimony about how her fiance was mugged, gunned down and left to die.

When that trial might happen is anybodys guess. Orleans Parish Criminal District Court has not held a jury trial in a murder case since the coronavirus pandemic began last year.

I know that this is just the beginning of the road, and we will see what happens from here, but Im just relieved that weve made it this far, Fried said.

Rolfes, a St. Louis native, was a 2011 Tulane grad and former Kappa Sigma fraternity member. He left New Orleans and found work as a construction project manager in Greenville, South Carolina. He also served as an event planner for the 2012 presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney.

He became engaged to Fried, a fellow Tulane graduate, and returned to the Crescent City in May 2016 to check out potential venues and finalize other parts of their wedding plans. While on that trip, he spent the early hours of May 7 at Ms. Maes bar on Magazine Street with several friends before going to buy two bottles of water at a gas station near South Claiborne Avenue and Toledano Street.

Between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., Rolfes was walking near South Claiborne and Amelia Street when police allege that Weatherspoon spotted him at random, held him up at gunpoint, robbed him and fired at least one bullet into his chest, mortally wounding him.

A passerby found Rolfes body and reported the discovery to New Orleans police, setting off one of the most frenzied murder investigations that year, a probe even Romney followed as he issued a statement condemning the killing as senseless and tragic.

As initial leads ran cold, Rolfes family, friends, college fraternity and the contracting firm where he worked helped Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans to put up a $30,000 reward for information leading to criminal charges in the deadly stick-up.

The organization also later offered $27,500 for information on the identities and whereabouts of two men seen on video relatively close to where Rolfes body had been found.

But the money didnt bring out anyone, Williams said Thursday. Instead, it was dogged gumshoeing by New Orleans police detectives Andrew Waldron and Barrett Morton, along with assistant district attorney Alex Calenda, according to Williams.

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Williams said Waldron, Morton and Calenda built a network of cooperating witnesses along with other evidence that pointed to Weatherspoon as Rolfes killer.

There is overwhelming support to hold Mr. Weatherspoon accountable, Williams said. Im very proud of the people of New Orleans today.

Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson added that Waldron, Morton and their colleagues in the department's homicide squad never gave up the fight to book a suspect.

It was their investigative work that led to this result, Ferguson said.

It culminated in a special grand jury that heard investigators evidence against Weatherspoon on Wednesday and voted to indict him on charges of murder and armed robbery. On Thursday morning, a team of New Orleans police officers, Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office deputies and U.S. Marshals tracked Weatherspoon to a home in the Jefferson Parish community of Harvey, arrested him and brought him to jail.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Brian Fair said Weatherspoon didnt resist but claimed he did not understand for what he was being arrested.

Weatherspoon remained in custody at the Jefferson Parish jail in Gretna later Thursday. It wasnt immediately clear when he may be transferred or arraigned on the murder and robbery charges.

Weatherspoon is linked to a separate deadly shooting, one in 1995. When he was 17, Weatherspoon fatally shot a 25-year-old man named Troy Lovely in Harvey while the pair debated whether they could play Russian roulette with the gun, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said.

Russian roulette involves placing one round of ammunition in a revolver's cylinder, spinning it, then pointing the gun at the head of a participant and pulling the trigger. But in the case of Weatherspoon and Lovely, the handgun was not a revolver. It had a magazine that had been removed but a round remained in the chamber, leaving no question that the weapon would fire if someone pulled the trigger.

Weatherspoon was handling the pistol when it discharged and mortally wounded Lovely, the Sheriff's Office said at the time. He ultimately pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and received a five-year prison sentence.

Weatherspoon has had other legal troubles since, including more than 15 arrests in the last 15 years in New Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard Parish.

Court records show he pleaded guilty in St. Bernard in December 2017  more than a year after Rolfes killing  to a charge of illegally possessing the pharmaceutical clonazepam. He received a year in prison.

At the time of his arrest in Rolfes slaying, Weatherspoon was on three years of active probation after pleading guilty in New Orleans in June to charges of aggravated assault upon a peace officer and illegally carrying a weapon as a previously convicted felon.

He was also out on a $1,000 bond in connection with a domestic abuse battery charge, to which he had pleaded not guilty in November, records show. He appeared in court in that case Wednesday, the same day grand jurors were deliberating whether to indict him at the DA's Office headquarters across the street.

Weatherspoon would receive mandatory life imprisonment if he is ultimately convicted of murdering Rolfes. An armed robbery conviction would get him an additional 10 to 99 years in prison.

Fried on Thursday spent the bulk of her remarks on the efforts of Waldron, Morton, Williams office and other authorities who pursued the case.

Im just so grateful that theyve been working for so long, Fried said. We never thought we would see this day.

Staff writer Matt Sledge and WWL-TV's David Hammer contributed to this report.
A senior official in Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration was arrested early Friday morning on suspicion of drunk driving after crashing his personal vehicle in the French Quarter.

Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Peter Bowen, who oversees short-term rental regulation, has been suspended without pay pending an investigation after he was booked into the Orleans Parish jail on five counts, including driving under the influence, criminal property damage and driving without insurance.

New Orleans police said they responded to a single-vehicle crash shortly before 12:30 a.m. at the intersection of Chartres and Dumaine streets. While investigating the crash, officers said they determined Bowen was intoxicated.

City spokesperson Beau Tidwell said in a prepared statement that Mayor LaToya Cantrell expected Bowen to be held accountable for his alleged actions.

"The Mayor's office is aware of the incident, which is under active and ongoing investigation by the NOPD. Mayor Cantrell expects full accountability in this matter," Tidwell said.

Attempts to reach Bowen were unsuccessful.

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Bowen is the second member of Cantrell's senior staff to be arrested for driving under the influence this year and the third-high profile arrest across city government.

Collin Arnold, the city's emergency preparedness director, was arrested in January after he was allegedly found asleep in his city-owned vehicle after crashing into a parked car. He returned to his job after a 60-day unpaid suspension.

District D City Council member Jared Brossett was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated in October, in the middle of his campaign for an at-large seat on the council. It was Brossett's third arrest for drunk driving. He suspended his campaign and did not appear at council meetings for about a month. He said he needed the time to seek inpatient treatment.

Bowen oversees short-term rental regulation as head of the Office of Business and External Affairs. He was a controversial hire in July, 2020, as he previously worked as an executive for Sonder Holdings, Inc, a major short-term rental operator in the city. A financial disclosure in May showed that he continued to hold stock in the company worth between $50,000 and $99,999.

Bowen has said he is not allowed to dispose of the stock while Sonder is privately held. The company has a tentative merger deal to go public by the end of January. Bowen is not allowed to participate in any Sonder transaction with the city, according to an August opinion of the State Ethics Board, which approved the administration's plan to put a subordinate in charge of its dealings with the company.
Reportedly, Samsung has decided against releasing the Galaxy S21 FE with an Exynos 2100 in Europe. Instead, the Snapdragon 888 will take its place, but with Android 11 and One UI 3.1 rather than Android 12 and One UI 4.

Working For Notebookcheck Are you a techie who knows how to write? Then join our Team! English native speakers welcome! News Writer (AUS/NZL based) - Details here

Earlier this month, Roland Quandt and WinFuture revealed memory configurations and European pricing for the Galaxy S21 FE. Now, Quandt has published the device's full specification sheet, which contains two oddities. He has also delivered more marketing renders, which we have embedded below.

As expected, the Galaxy S21 FE has a 6.4-inch AMOLED display running at 2,340 x 1,080 pixels. Samsung protects the 120 Hz panel with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus and has included a punch hole for a 32 MP front-facing camera. According to Quandt, the front-facing camera has an f/2.2 aperture and a fixed focus.

Additionally, the Galaxy S21 FE has a 12 MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture, OIS and dual PDAF. Samsung complements the primary camera with a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle that has a fixed focus and no OIS. By contrast, the device's telephoto camera, an 8 MP sensor, supports OIS, along with 3x optical zoom and autofocus.

Moreover, Samsung has included a 4,500 mAh battery, wireless PowerShare support and a choice between 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB or 256 GB of storage. For reference, only the Galaxy S21 Ultra offers more than 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage in the Galaxy S21 series.
35 Teams Advance to Solar District Cup Finals

Students From 39 Schools Will Seek Victory at April Event

Dec. 17, 2021

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar District Cup Collegiate Design Competition announced that 35 teams from 39 schools are advancing as finalists in the Class of 20212022 program. Competitors will design systems that integrate solar, storage, and other technologies for a real-world district or campus, developing skills essential to the clean energy transition.

The U.S. electricity landscape is changing and so are opportunities in the energy workforce. Now in its third year, the Solar District Cup inspires a new generation of renewable energy innovators to create distributed energy systems that support a flexible, resilient power grid. The competition challenges multidisciplinary, student-led teams to develop solutions for the renewable energy needs of campuses or urban districts. So far, the Class of 20212022 has engaged around 300 students in this years competition.

Inspiring students to join the clean energy workforce is critical to achieving our nations climate goals over the next several years, said Garrett Nilsen, acting director of DOEs Solar Energy Technologies Office. The students who are advancing as finalists in the Solar District Cup are proving that our future workforce is on a strong and promising path. Im eager to see how their designs evolve over the next few months as they prepare for the final competition event.

The finalists are advancing from an initial group of 65 participating teams from 64 collegiate institutions unveiled in September 2021.The Solar District Cup competition draws students from degree programs including engineering, urban planning, sustainability, finance, and more who together take on the role of a solar-plus-storage developer. The teams compete in one of three divisions, each centered around a specific district use case.

Teams design their systems based on data such as the district's sustainability goals, electric utility rate schedule, development master plan, and other relevant information provided in their division's district use case. The three district use cases for the 20212022 program are Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and The Ohio State University.

In November, participants submitted designs and summaries of their proposed systems. Projects were evaluated based on their potential to maximize the districts energy offset and financial savings over the life of the system while integrating aesthetic, infrastructure, and community considerations. Teams that proved they have made progress toward the programs final deliverables are now moving on as finalists.

The collegiate institutions competing as Class of 20212022 finalists are:

Alfred University

Ana G. Mendez University, Gurabo Campus

Appalachian State University

Arizona State University

Boise State University

Broward College

Carnegie Mellon University

Case Western Reserve University

Columbia University

Creighton University

Drexel University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Illinois State University

Miami University

Michigan State University

NC State University

Northeast Lakeview College

Ohio Northern University

Oregon State University-Cascades

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

San Antonio College

Santa Clara University

Southern Illinois University

Stony Brook University

Tennessee State University

Texas A&M University

Texas Southern University

The Ohio State University

The University of Arizona

The University of Minnesota Duluth

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Texas at Dallas

The University of Texas at San Antonio

University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Denver

University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus

University of Wisconsin-Madison

To win, the finalists will describe their final proposed systems, layout, financial analysis, and other details, which they will submit in mid-April 2022. The teams then present their concepts to industry judges at a virtual event in late April. First-, second-, and third-place teams will be selected from each division. Just a few hours later, the first-place winners will present their projects again, this time to a public audience who votes to determine the Project Pitch winner.

When we announce the finalists, we see teams start to get really serious about their projects, said Sara Farrar, Solar District Cup organizer. Up until this point, many of the students are still learning about what it takes to design and model a distributed energy system at a large scale. Now, theyll buckle down and refine their designs, practice their pitch skills, and learn to work as a team, which is fun for the organizers to see.

Partner organizations, including Aurora Solar Inc., Energy Toolbase, HeatSpring LLC, and Solar Power Events, provide Solar District Cup competitors with resources and tools needed to successfully compete. These benefits include access to design software, online educational courses, and networking opportunities with industry professionals.

If you are interested in getting involved with the Solar District Cup as a partner or industry mentor, contact the Solar District Cup organizers. You can also follow the Class of 20212022 as they advance through the competition and sign up for the Solar District Cup newsletter to receive future competition updates.

Learn more about the Solar District Cup.
First Financial Bank has awarded $44,000 to seven Northwest Indiana nonprofits as part of its 2021 giving campaign.

The Cincinnati-based bank's charitable arm, the First Financial Foundations, distributed grants to more than 60 nonprofit organizations this year across its business footprint in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky. It focused on funding projects to empower residents in low-income communities.

This campaign is an outstanding example of our intent to be a positive influence, and to help our clients and communities thrive, said Archie Brown, president and CEO of First Financial Bank. Our support for these organizations will lift our cities and towns and help our neighbors grow and prosper.

In 2021, First Financial prioritized neighborhood development, workforce development and education, and culture and the arts in the communities where it operates bank branches.
A ransomware attack hit Kronos, which handles human resources software that provides paychecks to workers at Franciscan Health and other Region employers.

Ultimate Kronos Group provides payroll services to companies such as YMCA, GameStop, Whole Foods and Franciscan Health, one of the Region's largest employers.

The company currently has no estimate for when its system will be back online after the ransomware attack, saying backups were down and it could take weeks to restore.

UKG recently became aware of a ransomware incident that has disrupted the Kronos Private Cloud, which houses solutions used by a limited number of our customers," a UKG spokesman said. "We took immediate action to investigate and mitigate the issue, have alerted our affected customers and informed the authorities, and are working with leading cybersecurity experts. We recognize the seriousness of the issue and have mobilized all available resources to support our customers and are working diligently to restore the affected services.

Ransomware is when hackers hijack a computer system after infecting it with a virus, often downloaded from a phishing email, and only release the system after a ransom is paid.
CROWN POINT  An Illinois man was arrested Thursday on charges he traveled to Hobart last summer to rape and sexually abuse a 16-year-old girl he met online, authorities said.

Connor N. Smith, 31, of Orland Park, is accused of forcing the girl to perform a sex act on him immediately after she got into his pickup truck July 16 in Hobart and forcing her to go to a hotel with him.

The girl told police Smith said, "If you don't cooperate," and lit a cigarette lighter, Lake Criminal Court records allege.

The girl could hear the locks on Smith's truck popping as she waited while he went in the hotel lobby and assumed Smith was repeatedly pressing the lock button on his key fob to prevent her from escaping, records state.

Once inside the room, Smith slapped her when she pleaded with him to let her go and hit her again when she refused to undress, according to court documents.

The girl told police she took off most of her clothes, and Smith pulled her by the hair into the bathroom, urinated on her and forced her to drink his urine by holding her nose, records allege.
CROWN POINT  A 31-year-old man was in custody Thursday on charges he started a fire at a Hammond dollar store and kicked two police officers as they removed him from a smoke-filled back storeroom.

Craig D. Jones, of Jefferson City, Missouri, is accused of entering the Family Dollar at 5550 Sohl Ave. about an hour before an employee called 911 about 6:30 p.m. Monday to report the fire.

About five minutes before the fire started, Jones was seen on surveillance video walking out of the storeroom, picking up three bottles of lighter fluid from a shelf in one the aisles and going back into the storeroom, according to Lake Criminal Court records.

An employee told police she noticed the smell of chemicals and something burning in the back room, so she immediately called 911 and evacuated customers and staff.

When police arrived, they learned a man had barricaded himself in the back room and they began trying to remove him, records state.

The man, later identified as Jones, repeatedly kicked two officers as they struggled with him, according to court documents.
"I dread when they actually find out," she said.

McGhee declined to give a statement, instead asking his defense attorney to read a prior statement into the record.

Defense attorney Michael Woods said McGhee told officials during a presentence investigation he "felt bad" for the pain Buchanan's family has endured, but it bothered him that a jury convicted him "on suspicion."

Defense attorney Michael Woods told the judge it wouldn't be appropriate to give McGhee a longer sentence because of his extensive criminal history, because he already was facing a mandatory consecutive sentence of up to 20 years for a habitual offender enhancement.

Woods said prosecutors speculated in their closing arguments that McGhee killed Buchanan out of jealousy, but the only evidence that pointed to that conclusion was a witness' claim that McGhee told him he saw a picture of Buchanan with another man and "lost it."

Despite putting forward the theory that McGhee was jealous after finding out he was Buchanan's "side boyfriend," prosecutors simultaneously wanted to deny McGhee any leniency for acting under a "strong provocation," Woods said. Jealousy is a well-settled provocation under the law, he said.
On a Monday in May 2021, the parents of a 15-year-old high school freshman found their son in his bedroom in Idaho, she said. He wasnt breathing and despite starting CPR right away and calling for help, their son died of a fentanyl overdose. His death was caused by one pill he purchased on Snapchat. A pill he thought was a prescription oxycodone. It looked like a prescription oxycodone pill but it was not. It was actually a fake pill containing a deadly dose of fentanyl. This kind of tragedy shows one pill can kill, and it is happening every single day in countless communities across the United States. The DEAs investigations show these tragic deaths are not accidents.
DYER  A Dyer business was nearly engulfed in flames as several firefighters convened to extinguish the fire off of U.S. 30 Thursday.

Crews responded at 1:43 p.m. to a business at 1419 Joliet St., said Dyer Police Department Chief Joe Martin.

Firefighters arrived to find 75% of the structure on fire. Firefighters expedited the extinguishing of the heavy flames by using three aerial devices at the same time to douse the blaze.

Martin said the fire was struck quickly, with crews remaining on scene to do overhaul through the evening hours. Firefighters contained the flames from spreading to nearby businesses.

The employees in the building self-evacuated and there were no injuries, however the damage was heavily damaged, Martin said.

Several agencies aided Dyer Fire Department and police, including firefighters from St. John, Lake Hills, Lynwood, Merrillville, Sauk Village, Crete Township, Crown Point and Cedar Lake. Superior EMS and Dyer public Works also assisted at the scene.

The business was described as light industrial woodworking workshop. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, which is being aided by the Indiana State Fire Marshal.
Pinkston said volunteers can go online to registertoring.com and select the hours, day and location that is best suited for them. All donations stay in the community in which they are given.

"We have blank spots every day, especially during the weekdays. ... The more we can fill those locations, the better," Pinkston said.

The LaPorte County Salvation Army covers the LaPorte County area except for Michigan City.

Money collected so far is almost $34,000, which is less than half of its $80,000 goal.

"We're doing OK," Pinkston said.

Maj. Dale Simmons, corps officer at the Michigan City Salvation Army, said, "We're extremely in need of volunteers."

"All we ask is to do two hours, and if one hour is all you can do, we understand," Simmons said.

Simmons said Michigan City is at 51% of its $210,000 goal.

One of the events coming up is called 20 on 20, which will be held Dec. 20.

Folks are encouraged to donate $20, Simmons said.
Garcia was among several people who gathered outside the church. Garcia said he believed it was his duty to observe the firefighters in action.

The department is understaffed and morale there is very low, Garcia said Thursday.

Schindler, who was at the scene to perform crowd control duties, ordered Garcia to stay on a sidewalk that was outside the blocked intersection near the church. It was from that vantage point that Garcia was recording with his cellphone video camera.

An East Chicago police report stated Garcia was "angry, uncooperative and insulting," appeared to be intoxicated and asked the officer, 'Do you know who I am?'"

The report states Garcia only moved after Schindler was about to take away Garcias cellphone away and put him in handcuffs.

Police said Schindler gave Garcia a professional courtesy and decided not to arrest him at that time to avoid a scene.

Dominguez said Schindler filed charges through the Lake County prosecutor's office, a couple of weeks later, after Garcia had demanded the police department discipline Schindler.
After that, authorities say, he was approached by an undercover FBI agent who posed as an agent of the Russian government. They met at a hotel in South Dakota, where Rowe said he'd be interested in moving to Russia and giving information to its government, according to an FBI agent's affidavit.

Ive been saying this to people. I said, Im gonna go work for the Russians. Ive been saying that for the last two years, Rowe is quoted in the affidavit as saying. We heard you. Thats why Im here," the undercover agent said in response.

Prosecutors say he then began communicating with another FBI employee based in Philadelphia who was posing as the same Russian agent. During a lengthy email exchange that spanned months, he shared information about electronic countermeasure systems used by U.S. fighter jets and again conveyed his interest in moving to Russia.

In other emails, according to the affidavit, Rowe discussed plans to travel to Pennsylvania to meet the undercover agent in person as well as other people he thought were Russian government agents.
Who's challenging it: The rule was challenged in four separate lawsuits filed by Republican-led states, mostly in groups. Florida and Texas mounted their own challenges. The states argued that there were no grounds for an emergency rule, that CMS had no clear legal authority to issue the mandate and that the rule infringes on states' responsibilities.

Where it stands: The rule is on hold nationally, but a ruling Dec. 15 gives it the possibility of moving ahead in about half the states. A Missouri-based federal judge issued a preliminary injunction Nov. 29 barring its enforcement in 10 states that had originally sued. The next day, a Louisiana-based federal judge issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement in the rest of the states. But on Dec. 15, that was narrowed to the 14 suing in that court. And on Dec. 15, a federal judge in Texas granted an injunction that applies only to that state. After the decisions, there is a possibility the mandate could be enforced in 25 states where no injunction is in place. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid have not said whether they will pursue that path.
A judge on Thursday granted the police access to Alec Baldwins smartphone, nearly two months into the investigation around how a gun he was practicing with on the set of the film Rust fired a live round, killing the movies cinematographer and wounding its director.

Mr. Baldwin said in a police interview on Oct. 21, the day of the fatal shooting in New Mexico, that the gun discharged while he was preparing for a scene in which he takes the old-fashioned Colt revolver out of his shoulder holster and cocks the hammer, according to an affidavit filed in the application for the search warrant. Detective Alexandria Hancock asked Mr. Baldwin and his lawyer to hand over his phone, the affidavit said, but was told to obtain a warrant.

The application for the search warrant said that the detective believes there may be evidence on the phone, due to individuals using cellular phones during and/or after the commission of crime(s). Detective Hancock, according to the affidavit, was also made aware there were several emails and text messages sent and received regarding the movie production Rust in the course of the interviews.

The search is meant to collect all information and data from the cellular phone in relation to the production of Rust, and any member working on the production.
The high-profile head of Cruise, General Motors autonomous-driving unit, is leaving the company, the carmaker said Thursday.

The executive, Dan Ammann, a former investment banker who is from New Zealand, gave up his job as G.M.s president to take over Cruise at the beginning of 2019. Since then, expectations for autonomous driving have cooled as the magnitude of the technical challenge has become clear and as serious accidents have highlighted the risks.

Although G.M. did not provide an explanation for Mr. Ammanns unexpected departure, the terseness of the companys statement  lacking even perfunctory praise for his work  hinted at tension between him and top management.

Cruise, which G.M. bought in 2016 for $1 billion, is based in San Francisco. It is testing a fleet of more than 300 self-driving vehicles there and in Phoenix, according to its website. But a driverless ride service, which G.M. said would be available in 2019, has not materialized.
Kellogg said on Thursday that it had reached a second tentative agreement with a union representing about 1,400 workers at four U.S. cereal plants who have been on strike since early October.

The accord, which would cover five years, was announced about a week and a half after workers voted down an earlier agreement, prompting the company to announce that it would move ahead with hiring permanent replacements for the workers on strike.

Last week, President Biden weighed in on the standoff, saying in a statement that he was deeply troubled by the plan for permanent replacement workers, which he called an existential attack on the union and its members jobs and livelihoods.

The strike has partly revolved around the companys two-tier compensation system, in which workers hired after 2015 typically receive lower wages and benefits than longer-tenured workers. The company has said that its veteran workers make more than $35 an hour on average, while the newer workers make almost $22 an hour on average.
FRIDAY PUZZLE  I enjoyed Evans Clinchys puzzle with its five terrific debuts, and one entry in particular reminded me of something that will enable you, the reader, to enter Will Shortzs house.

Not physically, mind you. This is virtual breaking and entering, and Im fairly sure that it would not be a felony or a misdemeanor in any state in the nation, Your Honor. Of course, thats just my own legal opinion, and I am not a lawyer, so do with it what you will.

Ready? We go in at 21A.

Tricky Clues

1A. BIBIMBAP, a delicious Korean dish that includes marinated meat, vegetables and egg on a bed of rice, makes its New York Times Crossword debut.

16A. Offline activity? sounds as if it refers to something one does when not surfing the internet. In this puzzle, however, it is hinting at IMPROV, or going off script.
Even as scientists race to understand more about the Omicron variant and the threat it poses, one fact is abundantly clear: It spreads quickly everywhere it lands.

In South Africa, Omicron spread twice as fast as the highly infectious Delta variant. In Britain, officials have estimated that 200,000 people are becoming infected with Omicron every day. In Denmark, Omicron cases are doubling roughly every two days.

And early data from the United States suggest that Americans will not be spared. No part of the country will be safe from Omicron, said Shweta Bansal, a disease ecologist at Georgetown University.

Delta remains the dominant variant nationally and was driving a surge in cases and hospitalizations even before Omicron emerged. Roughly 120,000 new Covid cases are being reported every day, a 40 percent increase from two weeks ago, although the figures remain below last winters peak.
The Sacklers did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday evening.

Lawyers for a small group of states that had appealed the plan immediately hailed the ruling. This is a seismic victory for justice and accountability that will re-open the deeply flawed Purdue bankruptcy and force the Sackler family to confront the pain and devastation they have caused, said William Tong, the attorney general of Connecticut.

In recent months, members of Congress have proposed legislation called The Sackler Act to preclude owners from receiving such protections unless they file for bankruptcy themselves. But even if eventually passed, it is unlikely to become law in sufficient time to resolve the Purdue case.

In her ruling, Judge McMahon all but openly invited the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to weigh in. Various appellate courts disagree on the matter and, in her meticulous, 142-page assessment, Judge McMahon wrote that the lower courts desperately need a clear answer.

Within hours of the ruling, Purdue said it would appeal. Judge McMahons ruling will delay, and perhaps end, the ability of creditors, communities, and individuals to receive billions in value to abate the opioid crisis, said Steve Miller, chairman of the companys board of directors. These funds are needed now more than ever as overdose rates hit record-highs, and we are confident that we can successfully appeal this decision and deliver desperately needed funds to the communities and individuals suffering in the midst of this crisis.

The fates of Purdue and the Sacklers have been perhaps the most closely watched among the web of litigation brought against companies in the pharmaceutical industry seeking to hold them accountable for the epidemic of opioid addiction in the United States, which has claimed more than a half-million lives.
From Los Angeles to Felixstowe, England; to Dubai, United Arab Emirates; to Shenzhen, China, the world is witnessing delays and shortages of everything from toys to turkeys. At the root of this crisis is a transport sector that is buckling under the strain of Covid-era conditions. Workers who drive the trucks, fly the planes and crew the ships responsible for moving all these goods  around $19 trillion of world trade annually  have been stretched to the breaking point. Governments have been too slow to act.

With prices of gasoline, groceries and more spiking, the United States should take the lead in restoring order to supply chains before it is too late. By using its influence, the United States should persuade other countries to address an underlying cause of the crisis  working conditions for transport workers.

Long before the Ever Given, a 220,000-ton container ship, blocked the Suez Canal in March, transport industries had issued a blunt public warning that a trade logjam was unavoidable if conditions for sailors, drivers and pilots were not improved. To keep trade moving, workers urgently need fast-tracked visas, the return of flights to and from ports and vaccinations. Instead, the opposite happened. Draconian travel bans and limited access to vaccinations have had a devastating impact on transport workers well-being and safety. Crews have not been allowed to disembark ships without the right vaccination paperwork, so leaving or joining a ship has become impossible: Hundreds of thousands of them have been trapped on their vessels, with some working months beyond their initial contracts. Thousands of truck drivers at international borders have also been forced to sit for days in freezing temperatures without access to food or medical facilities. Pilots of cargo planes have faced extensive quarantines after completing international flights, meaning long periods away from their families.

This ill treatment may push many workers out of the sector, exacerbating the shortfall in labor that underpins the chaos. In the shipping industry alone, which moves around 80 percent of goods traded globally, there is an expected shortfall of thousands of officers in the next few years, according to a work force report from the International Chamber of Shipping and the Baltic and International Maritime Council. Left to depend on national vaccination programs, many transport workers, especially those from developing economies with less access to vaccines, will continue to suffer untenable work conditions.
If you havent been drawn into the growing hype over Web3, where have you been? I kid. Its mostly just people arguing about what it is exactly; what it will mean; and  since tech has always been an industry populated by narcissists  wholl be king of it all.

That last one is also kind of a joke, so relax. But, if like most of us, youre still scratching your head about Web3, think of it as the next phase of the internet following Web1 (broadly, websites and browsers) and Web2 (encompassing apps, social media and mobile) thats meant to be a more decentralized internet run on blockchain, the technology that underpins things like cryptocurrency and NFTs, or nonfungible tokens, that are all the rage. If it functions as imagined, Web3 will bring more power into the hands of creators and away from the mega-corporations like Google, Facebook and Amazon that have dominated the current iteration of the internet.

But if you want to dig deeper, I recommend this September Twitter thread from the Andreessen Horowitz partner Chris Dixon (note, however, that his firm has gobs of cryptocurrency investments and stands to potentially benefit from Web3s broad adoption). Before Web3, users and builders had to choose between the limited functionality of Web1 or the corporate, centralized model of Web2, wrote Dixon, who some already are calling the King of Web3  well see.

Except Web3 is supposed to be anathema to kings and other powermongers. But before you start imagining some digital utopia, many (with some justification) think the Web3 movement is also rife with hype, windbags and more than a little grift. Its also more obstreperous in a way that previous versions of the internet are not, which is why I will surely get pushback on whatever I write because everyone knows better!
Alexis Nelson, 29, wild food forager and writer; Columbus, Ohio; @blackforager (Instagram), @alexisnicole (TikTok)

I have an amazing sweater that I lovingly call the Clown Sweater, with different primary-colored pompoms all over it. Its not serving me anymore, but I have another friend who, like me, loves the quirk and has made a comment about it before. Spoiler alert!

Jing Gao, 34, founder of Fly By Jing, a Sichuan condiment company; Los Angeles; @jingtheory

I have a lot of plants, so I do clippings and plant them so they grow into bigger plants. I have a lot of small pots around because Im always replanting, so reusing those is easy. Succulents grow quickly and are relatively hard to kill. Theyre a good gift for almost everyone!

Brandon Kyle Goodman, 35, actor, writer and voice on Big Mouth, season 5; Los Angeles; @brandonkylegoodman

I just cleaned out my storage unit in Manhattan Mini Storage, which I had for 10 years. Three weeks ago, my business manager was like, You have to clear this out immediately. The only thing I knew was in there was an Oprah 25th-anniversary coffee table book. Its the only reason I kept the unit! Id say the gift is just for them  pray over it and then hand it to them with love.

Lauren Chan, 31, plus-size model and founder and C.E.O. of the size-inclusive clothing company, Henning; New Yor; @lcchan

Im obsessed with the treasure hunt of vintage art. Im always finding things I love and tend to switch things out a lot, much to my husbands dismay when I ask him to reconfigure the wall. Right now theres a tear from an Arthur Elgort book on my wall of three women at the beach that makes me think intently and fondly of some of my best friends.

Jordan Firstman, 30, writer, actor, whatever who just joined the cast of a new Netflix comedy starring Jonah Hill, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and others; Los Angeles; @jtfirstman

My ex-boyfriend made a 3-D rendered face mask of my own face. It was a bad relationship, so my eyes are so dead in this rendering. And a very known, eccentric community alcoholic did drop the mask and shatter it, so the bottom half is no longer there. Im sure theres someone out there on the internet that would want the outer layer of me.
Omicron is here

The all-too-familiar messages came pouring into my phone this week.

Vaccinated friends texted with Covid scares. A colleague told me on Slack that contact tracers had alerted her about possible exposures four times in 24 hours, before she tested positive. An acquaintance sent a hurried note on Instagram: I know almost 50 people who tested positive in the past 48h, he wrote. I decided to keep a list of names.

The phenomenon may be especially stark in my demographic  New York magazines Shawn McCreesh wrote that many media people and those around them seemed to have contracted Covid this week  but data show that coronavirus cases are surging across New York City.

We have seen a very substantial increase in Covid cases in the last few days, said Mayor Bill de Blasio. It is clear that the Omicron variant is here in New York City in full force.

The test positivity rate has tripled in just three days. Average daily infections are now slightly higher than during the citys first peak in the spring of 2020 and are fast approaching the record set last winter.
Based on his actions, the Federal Bureau of Investigation opened an undercover operation to see if Mr. Rowe was willing to share his knowledge of classified information with a foreign government.

In March 2020, Mr. Rowe met with an undercover F.B.I. employee who was posing as a Russian government agent, according to the complaint. After that meeting, Mr. Rowe exchanged more than 300 emails with another undercover F.B.I. employee posing as a Russian agent, the complaint said.

The coronavirus is going be around for a very long time and politically something else is going to happen, Mr. Rowe said in an email to the undercover F.B.I. employee on April, 30, 2020. Everyone here is talking about a new world order and I believe this so much that I even been asking my granddaughters to learn the Russian language.

In the same email, Mr. Rowe said he was interested in a law President Vladimir Putin of Russia had signed that would allow foreigners to become Russian citizens without giving up their citizenship in their home countries.

This is important to me because I can live on my Social Security that I received here while living in Moscow, Mr. Rowe said. I been seeing how much it cost to live there and that the place to be. Once this travel ban is over, Im going to be heading to Moscow.

In another email, according to the Justice Department statement, Mr. Rowe disclosed national defense information classified as SECRET that concerned specific operating details of the electronic countermeasure systems used by U.S. military fighter jets.

On July 31, 2020, Mr. Rowe expressed concerns in an email about being detected by the U.S. government, saying he had to be careful whom he talked to.
MAYFIELD, Ky.  Hispanic workers referred to the big, boxy factory on the west side of town as Las Velas, for the product it turned out: candles. Employees brought the calming fragrances  lavender, vanilla  home with them, imbued in their clothes. Some preferred it to the nearby local chicken plant or farms, where the work was backbreaking.

I thanked God for the opportunity, said Flor Almazan, a Guatemalan immigrant who was hired for $7.50 an hour three years ago to place wicks in little jars of wax.

But last Friday, a swarm of tornadoes that plowed across six states reduced the factory to rubble, trapping dozens of workers including Ms. Almazan, who was buried alive for hours, her cries for help joining a chorus of despair. Eight people died, and Mayfield Consumer Products, the company that operates the plant, is facing intense scrutiny in the storms aftermath.

Angry survivors have asked why supervisors did not cancel the Friday night shift, given the ample warnings that tornadoes were likely to spin up in the area. Some employees have claimed that supervisors threatened to fire workers if they left their shifts early as the tornadoes approached  an accusation the company denies. On Thursday, some of those workers filed a lawsuit accusing the company of flagrant indifference for refusing to let them go home early.
There is no guarantee that Mr. Putin will listen any more carefully this time, particularly given that Mr. Biden has ruled out direct U.S. military action. And the stakes are even higher: Another failure to deter Mr. Putin, Biden officials and their critics agree, would deal a severe blow to an international system of rules and borders that the administration has worked hard to reaffirm in the wake of President Donald J. Trumps America First foreign policy, which raised questions about how far the United States would go to defend its allies and enforce its vision of international rules.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken made that point in a Dec. 12 appearance on NBCs Meet the Press, arguing that the current crisis is about more than Ukraines sovereignty. Mr. Blinken said that there is something even bigger at stake here, and its the basic rules of the road of the international system  rules that say that one country cant change the borders of another by force.

But Mr. Obama said much the same in 2014, warning that in the 21st century, the borders of Europe cannot be redrawn with force, that international law matters. Mr. Putin paid little attention to such talk when he seized Crimea and spoke passionately  as he does now about all of Ukraine  of the regions historical ties to Russia.

Compounding the challenge for Mr. Biden is the possibility that Mr. Putin may perceive American weakness after Mr. Bidens withdrawal from Afghanistan, which critics say signaled waning U.S. resolve overseas.

Richard Fontaine, the chief executive of the nonpartisan Center for a New American Security, said the standoff amounted to a test of American credibility.
The review will take account of the current security environment and will assess U.S. strategy, posture, and policy, the White Houses National Security Council said in a statement. The U.S. will continue to maintain a safe, secure, and effective strategic deterrent while ensuring our extended deterrence commitments to allies and partners remains strong and credible.

A number of members of the House and Senate serving on national-security related committees have worried that at a time when China is expanding its arsenal and Russia is threatening former Soviet states that have joined NATO, a no-first-use pledge might give the appearance of weakness.

No-first-use is feel-good foreign policy, Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, said on Thursday. Our enemies wouldnt take the commitment seriously. And it would undermine the confidence of our friends.

The scientists and engineers also argued for a commitment by Mr. Biden to reduce the arsenal to fewer than 1,000 deployed missile warheads and bombers, though they did not say by when. These reductions will increase U.S. national security, they argued, because it will slow the spiraling nuclear arms race with Russia and China, and help fulfill Americas treaty obligation to take steps toward disarmament.

But as a political matter, it is almost unimaginable that Mr. Biden would reduce the arsenal to that level without an agreement by Russia to do the same. When he came to office, Mr. Biden renewed, for five years, the New Start agreement, which limits the arsenal to 1,550 long-range strategic weapons; currently the United States arsenal appears to be below that limit.

But in recent months, the revelation that China is building what appear to be new missile silos, and testing potential delivery vehicles for hypersonic weapons that avoid traditional missile defenses, has led some Pentagon officials to call for new money for advanced weapons, and new classes of weapons that can deliver nuclear warheads  including hypersonic vehicles.

China has repeatedly said in recent months that it has no intention of entering arms control talks with the United States, noting that its arsenal is five times smaller than Washingtons.

The letter also urges Mr. Biden to cancel the program to replace the silo-based intercontinental ballistic missiles that dot the American West. Under current plans, the United States will replace those aging missiles starting in 2029, at a cost of at least $100 billion; the letter calls for Mr. Biden to simply extend the lifetime of the current arsenal, and ultimately consider eliminating silo-based missiles. Advocates of that position argue they are the most vulnerable to attack, and are the weapons that are most likely to be launched first  perhaps in response to a false alarm.
In his speech, the Brazilian dancer Leonardo Sandoval expressed embarrassment that at his first tap festival, in 2006, he didnt know who the Nicholas Brothers were. In his dancing, he demonstrated how much hes learned since then, effortlessly blending samba steps and body percussion into the jazz tradition of the Nicholases.

Christina Carminucci, in her remarks, thanked her teacher, Derick K. Grant, for transmitting the spirit of his teachers, now-dead elders including Jimmy Slyde and Gregory Hines. (I dont know if hes an elder, she said about Grant. Hes an elder, Grant yelled from his seat.) In her dancing, the most hard-edge and biting of the evening, you could see the influence of Grant and of Dormeshia but also an artist coming into her own.

Elizabeth Burke was the smoothest in the flow of her musical ideas, a real pro. Jared Alexander, the only dancer new to me, impressed with the fecundity of his imagination, at one point incorporating an imaginary jump rope, even if he seemed to get a little lost.

Some of the fault there lay with Jellick, a pianist more rhapsodic than rhythmic (and downright symphonic in his solo rendition of Chick Coreas Windows). Most of the dancers struggled a bit to agree with him on tempos and to find endings. But some roughness adds to the realness, as the surprise guests, the 16-year-old Foreman twins, Ellis and Jaden, showed both in their terrific brother-act dancing and in their speech. (About their mentor, Maurice Chestnut: Hes been so  well, I wouldnt say nice, but really great.)
For months the Joyce Theater, like most performing arts theaters, has been forced by the pandemic to curtail appearances by foreign companies. If all goes as planned that will change in the New Year. The Joyces spring-summer season, which will run from March to August, is to include three companies traveling from as far afield as New Zealand (Black Grace, Aug. 2-7) and Australia (Sydney Dance Company, April 6-10).

All of these companies were already the pipeline before the pandemic, but weve had to do a lot of juggling, Aaron Mattocks, the Joyces director of programming, said in an interview. Covid is fundamentally affecting how we do our jobs. Everything has had to be highly choreographed.

The contemporary-dance troupe Compania Nacional de Danza from Madrid, now under the direction of the former New York City Ballet principal Joaquin de Luz, will have its Joyce debut, April 12-17. The company will bring Johan Ingers Carmen, a stark interpretation of the Prosper Merimee novella that inspired both the Bizet opera and a 1967 ballet by Alberto Alonso.

The Paul Taylor Dance Company will also be appearing at the Joyce for the first time (June 14-19). This mainstay of American modern dance will bring a group of very early Taylor works, including Events II, from 1957, one of his first choreographic experiments, using found movements and gestures. It was last performed in 1958.
Under the watchful eyes of Islamic Emirate soldiers, the galleries of the newly reopened National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul are often quiet these days, the antiquities and other treasures inside safe from the sort of looting that overwhelmed the museum the last time the Taliban seized power there.

But visitors, the lifeblood of any museum, have dwindled.

Many of the educated people who were regular patrons of the museum have fled the country, some schools have shut down and there are not many tourists sightseeing in Kabul.

The museum, which closed in August, when the Taliban seized control, reopened in late November, a positive sign to some who hope restrictions will be looser this time and that rampant destruction wont reoccur.

When the Taliban were last in power, from 1996 to 2001, an estimated 70 percent of the Kabul museums collection of 100,000 pieces was ransacked or looted. The Taliban also notoriously blew up the 1,500-year-old Buddhas of Bamiyan, the colossal statues carved into a cliff in Afghanistans Bamiyan valley.
Sitting at Fort Garland in a bright pink sweater, Theresa Valdez Maestas, 76, who came to take part in the healing ceremony, told of her 20-year search to untangle the history of her great-great grandmother, Maria Rita Gallegos Chacon, known as Mama Rita. Rita, born Navajo, was found hiding behind a fallen tree after her mother was shot in the back with an arrow. The man who discovered Rita, Manuel Antonio Gallegos, and his wife, Bibiana, treated her as a daughter, Valdez Maestas said. But she was always given to understand that she was a servant, a criada, she added.

When the couples daughter Maria married, they sent Rita to be the newlyweds maid. Maria died in childbirth and shortly thereafter, Rita became pregnant by Marias husband, Jose Prudencia Chacon. He was a busy boy, Valdez Maestas noted. Chacon married Rita a week before the first of their six children was born. In Unsilenced, Mama Ritas photograph sits above a fireplace, her hands folded neatly on her lap. I kept looking and looking and looking for her, Valdez Maestas said.

Laura Bertha Tolmich sewed a traditional ribbon dress for the healing ceremonies at the museum. Her great-great-great grandmother, Maria Guadalupe Benevidez Tolmich, was born Apache and kidnapped by another tribe. She was sold to and raised by a Spanish family and eventually married a Hungarian-born Union soldier in New Mexico territory. Shes still in me, said Tolmich, who tends her ancestors graves. She brought me here so she could be cleansed.
Tucker Carlson could do it. So could Laura Ingraham, Mark Levin or Donald Trump himself.

One of these conservative figures could go on the air and explain that the Omicron variant has placed much of their audience in grave danger. They could remind people that they have been skeptical of vaccines at times  but that Omicron is different. It is so contagious that it may quickly sweep the country.

As they issued this warning, they could still take their usual swipes at the political left, mocking panicky liberals for wearing masks outdoors and forcing children to sit apart in cold schoolyards. Conservatives dont need to do any of that; they just need to take a Covid-19 vaccine  the Trump vaccine that could save their life.

I dont have any illusions about how likely this scenario is, but I do think that unvaccinated Americans  who are disproportionately Republican  are now in even more danger than a few weeks ago. Omicron seems to be qualitatively more contagious than any earlier variant. As my colleague Emily Anthes writes, in a roundup of the latest developments:

In South Africa, Omicron spread twice as fast as the highly infectious Delta variant. In Britain, officials have estimated that 200,000 people are becoming infected with Omicron every day. In Denmark, Omicron cases are doubling roughly every two days.

Needlessly

In the U.S., partisanship is the biggest factor determining vaccination rates. If Democratic voters made up their own country, it would be one of the worlds most vaccinated, with more than 91 percent of adults having received at least one shot. Only about 60 percent of Republican adults have done so.

This vaccination gap has created a huge gap in death rates, one that has grown sharply during the second half of the year.
An American accounting board has started what could prove to be a three-year clock for the delisting of many Chinese companies traded on American stock exchanges, in a move involving audit standards that are at the center of a squabble between Beijing and Washington.

The move comes as some Chinese companies have already begun seeking listings on stock markets in mainland China or Hong Kong instead of New York in response to demands from Beijing for greater control of potentially sensitive data. Didi Chuxing, the Chinese ride-hailing giant, said two weeks ago that it would delist from the New York Stock Exchange, and now plans a listing in Hong Kong instead.

But Chinese regulators have wanted to preserve American stock listings as an option for Chinese companies that are not involved in potentially sensitive political or national security issues. The latest dispute over accounting could make that more difficult.

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board said late Thursday that it had been unable to fully inspect the audit papers and other documents of accounting firms in mainland China and Hong Kong. The Securities and Exchange Commission has the power to delist companies that lack fully approved overseas audits for three years.
A judge on Thursday rejected an attempt by the Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox News Media to dismiss a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems over the networks coverage of the companys role in the 2020 presidential election.

In the ruling, Judge Eric M. Davis of the Superior Court of Delaware, where Fox is incorporated, wrote that he had denied Fox News Medias motion to dismiss the lawsuit because it was reasonably conceivable that Dominion has a claim for defamation.

Dominion, an election technology company, sued Fox News Media in March, accusing it of advancing lies that devastated its reputation and business. More than two dozen states, including several carried by former President Donald J. Trump, made use of Dominion, a Denver company founded in 2002, in last years election.

Along with another vote tabulating company, Smartmatic, Dominion was at the center of a baseless pro-Trump conspiracy theory about rigged voting machines that gave the election to President Biden. The false claims were promoted by the president and his advisers, including Rudolph Giuliani and Sidney Powell, who appeared on Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network.
It was three words that workers dont hear every day from their bosses: I was wrong.

Morgan Stanleys chief executive, James Gorman, asked this week about employees returning to the office, said his projection about the pandemic subsiding was off. I thought we would have been out of it past Labor Day, Mr. Gorman said on CNBC. And were not.

Office workers this week watched as events unfolded that were at once familiar and jarring in their persistence: Covid case counts ballooned, and employer plans deflated. The United States is reporting an average of more than 120,000 new Covid cases each day, up 40 percent from two weeks ago, according to a New York Times database. New York City is experiencing a spike in cases larger than any since last winter. Employers that had been growing bolder in their plans  reopening offices, mandating or strongly suggesting that workers report back, promising holiday blowouts  are now scaling back their ambitions for in-person business and socializing.

Jefferies, an investment bank, asked its 4,542 employees to work from home because of a spate of Covid cases. Goldman Sachs told its teams to postpone their remaining holiday parties, and JPMorgan Chase announced that its health care conference would go virtual. Citigroup, which had called people back two days a week starting in September, sent a memo giving its New York and New Jersey staff the option to work remotely, while Morgan Stanley employees were given more flexibility to stay home. And Apple delayed its office return indefinitely, the latest in a slew of employers that have conceded their corporate timelines are no match for the unpredictability of the virus.

Since the start of December, Jefferies has experienced nearly 40 new Covid cases, the chief executive, Rich Handler, and president, Brian Friedman, wrote in a memo to staff last week, in which the bank also required that anyone eligible who enters its offices or attends its events get a booster shot by the end of January. Our priority now is to best protect every one of you and your families.
They dont know how good they have it, Christine Berrios said of her two children as she walked her son Noah into the small prep kitchen at Torico, her familys ice cream shop in downtown Jersey City.

Noah, 5, had been making pancakes with his grandmother, Pura Berrios, upstairs and came down to the first floor to ask his mother for chocolate chips. She gave him a small plastic measuring cup, half full with milk chocolate pieces, and sent him back upstairs.

Most of the time he comes down looking for ice cream, Christine said as she watched him bounce up the stairs.
WASHINGTON  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that unvaccinated students exposed to the coronavirus can remain in school, as long as they are tested for the virus twice in the week after and both tests come back negative.

The new guidance, known as the test-to-stay protocol, could ease the burden on children who have been expected to stay home if a close contact tested positive for the virus, and on parents who have had to scramble to retrieve them from school or find day care. It also aims to minimize disruptions to learning as two highly contagious variants of the virus spread across the country, causing some school closures and threatening to upend the strategies that federal and state officials adopted to return to in-person classes in the fall.

Although some schools and districts are already using the test-to-stay approach, the C.D.C. had not previously endorsed it, citing a lack of evidence. On Friday, the agency released studies from two counties, one in California and the other in Illinois, that effectively tested the protocol and found that it worked.

The studies were conducted before the fast-moving Omicron variant began spreading in the United States. Scientists are still investigating many basic questions about the variant, including whether it increases the risk of in-school transmission.
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Since powerful tornadoes swept through a cluster of states last Friday night and Saturday, dozens of Times reporters, editors and photographers have contributed to coverage of the devastation caused by the storms. Here is how one reporter for the National desk, Rick Rojas, contributed to the effort from Kentucky.

Rick Rojas had just returned home from vacation on Friday night when he got a text message from Felice Belman, an editor on The Timess National desk: A series of tornadoes was tearing through a number of states nearby. It looked bad.

Mr. Rojas quickly committed to covering what was happening on the ground. After stealing a few hours of sleep at home in Nashville, where he is based as a Times correspondent covering the South, he awoke to storm sirens at 3 a.m. Soon afterward, he went to work.

He spent a few hours coordinating with editors in The Timess London newsroom who were publishing early reports online of storm damage. Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky had declared a state of emergency, indicating there were catastrophic problems in Graves County. Mr. Rojas packed his car and set out for the city of Mayfield, Ky., around 5:30 a.m. Saturday.
NAPLES, Italy  Paolo Sorrentinos latest film The Hand of God begins with a birds-eye view of Naples, his hometown, at dawn, with a lone vintage car traveling along a seafront road while the rest of the city uncharacteristically sleeps.

As a backdrop to this autobiographical coming-of-age story, Naples is at turns fantastical and decadent, sunny and unpredictable, comfortably familiar and ultimately confining.

Off camera, it is even more.

In the 20 years since Sorrentino last made a film here  his directorial debut One Man Up  the city has also matured as a center of movie making in Italy. These days, film and television crews are a common sight on Neapolitan streets, both downtown but also in its rougher hinterlands. These productions have nurtured the formation of a local industry, including actors, specialized technicians and cinematographers.
Mr. McGuire, 45, who served as an adviser to Mr. Adams during his campaign and his transition, said in an interview late Thursday that Mr. Adams had reached out to him through a mutual friend shortly after winning the mayoral primary in June to discuss his vision for his office. Mr. Adams asked Mr. McGuire if he was interested in joining his transition and potentially his administration.

I think that what was attractive to me was his focus on wanting to ensure that the city government operated in the right way while attempting to make a big difference in the lives of New Yorkers, Mr. McGuire said.

Mr. McGuire said Mr. Adams also made it clear that it was important to him that Mr. McGuire have direct access to him.

I think it demonstrates a real understanding of the current environment and the importance of good government that hes sought out someone with my profile, Mr. McGuire said.

Mr. McGuire was born in Manhattan, and is a graduate of Regis High School, Williams College and New York University School of Law. He has deep roots in New York law enforcement: His grandfather, James McGuire, spent more than four decades with the New York Police Department, and his father, Robert J. McGuire, served six years as the police commissioner under Mayor Edward I. Koch.

During his nearly 11 years in the U.S. attorneys office for the Southern District of New York, Mr. McGuire oversaw teams of prosecutors that investigated and brought public corruption cases and, later, terrorism and national security cases.

In those posts, he oversaw the prosecutions of more than a half-dozen former elected city and state officials, including Bronx councilman Larry B. Seabrook and State Senator Carl Kruger of Brooklyn, both Democrats. As a prosecutor, he also helped to win the convictions of Faisal Shahzad, the Pakistani immigrant who tried unsuccessfully to detonate a car bomb in Times Square in 2010, and of Viktor Bout, a Russian businessman accused of running an international arms-trafficking network.
Another way to get across the same idea is simply to say 2021 is feeling like a rerun of this time last year.

This year  which began with the promise of vaccines  is ending with another holiday season sullied by uncertainty and fear. Offices are canceling holiday parties. Broadway performances are being called off at the last minute because of breakthrough infections among members of casts and crews. Restaurants have had to shut down because workers tested positive. Colleges that resumed in-person classes in the fall are holding finals online. Some corporations are asking employees to work from home.

Its a frustrating time for New Yorkers who believed the virus was finally on the run. Feeling confident after getting their shots, they had relaxed a bit and had gone back to the old, familiar places  the subway; restaurants, where they felt comfortable eating inside; friends apartments for parties. Now shoppers are snapping up at-home testing kits that were piled high on store shelves just weeks ago.

The citys test positivity rate doubled in just three days, jumping to 7.8 percent on Sunday compared with 3.9 percent the previous Thursday, raising alarm bells among city officials. Um, weve never seen this before in #NYC, Dr. Jay Varma, an epidemiologist who helped guide New York Citys pandemic response as a City Hall adviser, wrote on Twitter.

The larger picture has only compounded New Yorkers anxiety. This week the United States crossed two troubling thresholds  50 million total known cases and 800,000 total deaths  and experts say the Omicron variant is likely to push up the trajectory even more. No part of the country will be safe from Omicron, warned Shweta Bansal, a disease ecologist at Georgetown University.
Although other jails in the United States have strained to operate during the coronavirus pandemic, New York Citys system stands apart for its high costs  more than $500,000 a year to house each detainee  and the broad outcry its conditions have prompted. Hundreds of officers have refused to show up for work. Delays in providing food, water and medical care for detainees have created what members of Congress have described as a humanitarian crisis.

Last week, Malcolm Boatwright, 28, became the 15th person to die this year after being held in the jail system. On Tuesday, William Brown, 55, became the 16th.

As the problems have intensified, Mr. de Blasio has doubled down on the plan to shutter the complex, saying it will remake the justice system in Americas largest city by de-emphasizing incarceration as a response to many crimes and replacing decrepit, dangerous conditions with more humane ones.

But in interviews, even some of Mr. de Blasios allies and former advisers have suggested that he has not always pushed the plan as aggressively as his rhetoric would suggest, leaving it vulnerable to setbacks.

After declining for years, the jail population has risen since summer 2020. Design and construction delays for the new jails have piled up, in part because of the pandemic, pushing the expected completion date from 2026 to 2027. A panel convened by the city to keep the plan on track has not met formally for more than a year.

Mr. Adams has not been afraid to buck his predecessors jail policies. In naming a new correction commissioner, Louis A. Molina, on Thursday, Mr. Adams took aim at Mr. de Blasios plan to eliminate solitary confinement at the jails, saying the punishment was necessary to rein in violence. The incoming mayors stance was cheered by the powerful union that represents correction officers, whose leaders Mr. Adams has courted.

The unions leaders have fiercely opposed closing Rikers, but Mr. Adams has insisted that he is committed to doing so. We are on track, Mr. Adams said at the Thursday news conference. I have stated that I believe we need to close Rikers Island. But while we are closing Rikers Island, you cant have a facility where the gates and doors dont work.
Heated disputes over exhibits. Angry accusations of name-calling. Objections dripping with sarcasm.

Even by the standards of a high-stakes criminal trial, the tensions between Ghislaine Maxwells lawyers and the federal prosecutors trying her case have been remarkable, sometimes spilling into open hostility in court.

While the jury has been seated in the courtroom, theatrical impatience is the weapon of choice for both sides. But when the jury box has been empty, the gloves have come off, often leaving federal judge Alison J. Nathan to make peace.

The animosity has been particularly apparent between Laura Menninger, one of Ms. Maxwells longtime lawyers, and an assistant U.S. attorney, Alison Moe.

One of their earliest trial exchanges took place during Ms. Menningers cross-examination of a witness identified as Jane, the first of four accusers to take the stand against Ms. Maxwell.
When he is on trial, he appears in the courtroom inside a cage. He told me through the bars that hes going to die in prison. Earlier this year, two men, a journalist named Mohamed Ibrahim and known by his pen name Mohamed Oxygen, and the blogger Abdel Rahman Tarek, known as Moka, tried to take their own lives after spending years being held without charge in what is known as pretrial detention. These are just two among countless examples.

Alaa has endured two years of this slow torture, and there is no end in sight.

For most of this time, he has also been held without charge, in pretrial detention. But there has been some international pressure to end the use of these indefinite detentions, so in October he was referred to trial, in a new case, to be heard in an Emergency State Security Court. He is charged, along with Mohamed Oxygen and Mohamed al-Baqer, a human rights lawyer who was arrested while representing Alaa, with spreading false news. The judge refused to let the defense lawyers have a copy of the case file so they could not mount a defense. But we understand Alaa is on trial for retweeting a tweet about a prisoner who died after being tortured, in the same prison where Alaa is now held. Alaa and his co-defendants will be sentenced on Monday. The sentence cannot be appealed.

The pressure that the United States and Europe claim to exert on the Egyptian government to clean up its human rights act is meant only to placate certain portions of their constituents. The Egyptian authorities respond accordingly. They understand that clean up your human rights act actually means we support you, but please try not to embarrass us. So Egypt recently issued a very self-congratulatory National Human Rights Strategy. Two months later, after a meeting between the U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Sameh Shoukry, his Egyptian counterpart, the United States released a statement saying that it welcomed the strategy and plans to continue the dialogue on human rights.

Those who truly care about human rights shouldnt be fooled by written strategies but look for actual deeds: To start, by releasing the generation being slowly murdered in prison for thinking freely and expressing themselves.

Alaas words in the essay I quoted above are addressed, in part, to the Northern allies who chanted, Not in our name! as the bombs fell on Bagdad. People often ask me how they, living in America or Britain or the other countries of the global North, can help. I tell them to scrutinize the foreign policies of their governments as vigorously as they scrutinize domestic policies. Alaas answer, always, is this: Fix your own democracy. Safeguard it. Theres no better way to help.
To the Editor:

In Can the Press Stop a Trump Restoration? (column, Dec. 11), Ross Douthat says the primary mission of the press is to provide an accurate description of reality, to be truthful and neutral. But being neutral, especially in todays political climate, can result in inaccurate descriptions of reality and in untruths.

At present, the extreme segment of the Republican Party has an enormous influence and is an existential threat to our democracy. The extreme segment of the Democratic Party has far less influence and so, regardless of what you think of its ideas, does not pose the same threat to our democratic way of life. A false equivalency in coverage provides an untruthful and unrealistic picture of current affairs.

Im sick and tired of hearing from acquaintances and others that politicians and political parties are all the same. They are not. Its dangerous for the press to be neutral rather than truthful and realistic.

Bruce Shames

New York

To the Editor:

I have a suggestion for the press in its truth-presenting efforts: Stop calling todays Republicans conservatives, which the dictionary describes as moderate people favoring socially traditional values. Since when do voter suppression, supporting a coup on Capitol Hill, or seeking to exert undue pressure or resort to outright lies to overthrow an election come even close to socially traditional values?
But those who fault Weingarten for closed schools misunderstand the role shes played over the past 20 months. Rather than championing shutdowns, shes spent much of her energy, both in public and behind the scenes, trying to get schools open. And shes been trying, sometimes uncomfortably, to act as a mediator between desperate parents grieving their kids interrupted educations and beleaguered teachers who feel theyre being blamed for a calamity they didnt create.

Its such a weird place for me, because Im normally a fighter. I care passionately about these things, but I fight for things or fight against things, she said. But now, we have to calm the waters. We have to meet people where they are. People are tense, and people are stressed out, and were not going to actually help kids succeed unless we make an environment safe and welcoming, and youre not going to make an environment safe and welcoming when youre screaming at each other.

Beyond the immediate well-being of families and teachers, the future of public education as we know it is at stake. Not long ago, the movement to shift government funds from public schools to nonunionized charters, private schools and home-schooling seemed thoroughly defeated. Diane Ravitch, the education historian and school reform apostate, declared the movement dead in her book Slaying Goliath, published just months before the first Covid cases were reported in America.

But the movement has been revived by the pandemic. This month, Michael Bloomberg announced that his philanthropy would donate $750 million to create 150,000 seats in charter schools. American public education is broken, he wrote in a Wall Street Journal opinion essay. Since the pandemic began, students have experienced severe learning loss because schools remained closed in 2020  and even in 2021 when vaccinations were available to teachers and it was clear schools could reopen safely. Many schools also failed to administer remote learning adequately. Even if you disagree with his prescription, this diagnosis is hard to argue with.

When Weingarten became the AFTs president, Ravitch told her it was her job to save public education in America. That job has rarely been tougher or more urgent than it is right now.

One thing everyone agrees on: The pandemic has left American public education in crisis. Were now well into the third school year that has been deformed by the virus. In large districts across the country, enrollment is down. Many students are far behind academically and floundering emotionally. Teachers are fried: According to a Rand study released in June, nearly one-fourth were considering quitting their jobs by the end of the last school year. Principals are struggling too; according to a recent survey from the National Association of Secondary School Principals, almost four of 10 are planning to leave the profession in the next three years.

Plenty of parents appreciate all their schools have done to try to weather this disaster, but others feel rage  at the emotional deterioration of their children, at the toll on their careers from forced home-schooling, at the fact that nothing seems close to getting back to normal, and at what sometimes feels like a lack of empathy for their plight. This anger has been the kindling for national conflagrations over critical race theory, which has become a catchall term for all sorts of classroom lessons about race and diversity.
Nidhi Razdan was all set to travel to Harvard University to start a teaching job, and a new life. A famous Indian news anchor at the apex of her career, Ms. Razdan believed she was getting a dream ticket out of an almost unbearably toxic media atmosphere in India.

She had freely shared her most important personal information with her new employer  passport details, medical records, bank account numbers, everything. But when she swiped open her phone in the middle of a January night, she read the following message, from an associate dean at Harvard:

There is no record of, nor any knowledge of, your name or your appointment.

The email closed: I wish you the best for your future.

For over a year, prominent women in India, including journalists, were reeled into a labyrinthine online scam that offered jobs and opportunities with Harvard University. Who targeted them, and why, is a mystery.
Their inability to find the cause of death, they added, is why the function of sleep has itself been such a tough nut to crack.

Allan Rechtschaffen was born on Dec. 8, 1927, in Manhattan and moved to the Bronx when he was young. His parents were Jewish immigrants from the Galicia province of what was then the Austro-Hungarian empire. His father, Philip, a tailor, was from Kalusz, now in Ukraine; his mother, Sylvia (Jaeger) Rechtshaffen, a homemaker, came from Bolechow, also in Ukraine.

Early on, Allan was smitten by journalism, first at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, where he worked on its student newspaper, and then at City College of New York, where he initially studied it. But he later switched to psychology, earning three degrees in the subject: bachelors and masters from C.C.N.Y. in 1949 and 1951 and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1956.

He went on to teach psychology at Northwestern and was a research psychologist at the Veterans Administration (now the Department of Veterans Affairs) in Chicago before being hired by the University of Chicago in 1957.

Professor Rechtschaffen began his sleep research in the same laboratory space, in a decrepit building, that had been used by Dr. Kleitman, the discoverer of REM. (Dr. Kleitmans only advice to him was to clean up in the morning.) He later expanded the laboratory and conducted research there on humans, rats, cats, alligators and turtles. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sometimes protested his experiments by calling his house in the middle of the night, Ms. Rechtschaffen said.

One day in the 1960s he had a dream in which someone he knew looked different to him than that person did during his wakeful state. It prompted him to launch a study to see if dream images are determined by stimulating the retina. Three volunteers were brought into his lab, where their pupils were dilated and their eyes taped open.

When the subjects were asleep  and being monitored by electroencephalograms and eye movement recordings  Professor Rechtschaffen sneaked into the room and put various images before their taped-open eyes. When they awoke, they recounted their dreams but did not report seeing any of the displayed images in them.
The next day, while driving to the airport, Mr. Wicks said he felt a pang of regret.

I didnt want to leave, he said. I felt this urge of wanting to stay and wanting to get to know her better.

The pair kept in touch sporadically and, in May 2018, a work conference brought Mr. Wicks to Chicago, where Ms. Summers lived at the time. While there, he took her out for sushi. Before the meal was over, Ms. Summers suggested that Mr. Wicks extend his trip through the weekend. He agreed and they spent the next few days exploring the city together.

It was all just so easy and fun, and it just felt so natural, Ms. Summers said.

A few weeks later, Ms. Summers visited Mr. Wicks in Houston, and before long they were dating and meeting up every chance they had.

That September, Ms. Summers moved to New York. By the following September, Mr. Wicks had moved there, too.

Wed see each other and all would be right in the world, and then wed go our separate ways for another weekend, and Id just be sitting in my house wondering, What am I doing here, Mr. Wicks said of his decision to move closer to Ms. Summers.

In July 2020, the couple bought a home together in Austin, Texas, where Ms. Summers, who graduated from Cornell, works as the director of investments for Dovetail + Co, a local hospitality investment firm. Mr. Wicks, who graduated from the University of Houston, works as the director of capital procurement for Pattern Energy, a renewable energy developer in Austin.
Instead there was  sartorial neutrality, in the form of a light gray pantsuit and light blue button-down shirt, worn untucked, with baby pink lipstick. She looked more like the college student trying on a grown-up interview look than the mastermind of a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme.

By the time opening arguments began in September, the new look had been perfected: a no-name skirt suit (or dress and jacket or pantsuit) in a color so banal as to practically fade into the background. Her hair was set in loose waves around her face, like Christie Brinkley or a contestant on The Bachelor. Her face masks were light blue and green  the colors of nature. There was not a power heel or a power shoulder in sight. The only part of her outfit that was branded in any way was her diaper bag backpack (her son was born in July), which was from Freshly Picked and costs around $175.

Thats not cheap, but its nothing like the Hermes bag Martha Stewart carried during her 2004 trial for insider trading, which prompted let-them-eat-cake comparisons and became a classic example of what not to wear to court  especially when you are charged with mishandling funds. (On the other hand, when Cardi B appeared in court with her Hermes to reject a plea deal in a misdemeanor assault case, the high-end bag served as a symbolic riposte to the idea that the rapper was a street brawler.)

The net effect of Ms. Holmess makeover was middle manager or backup secretarial character in a streaming series about masters of the universe (but not her! uh-uh), with the diaper bag functioning as an implicit reminder of her maternal status and family values. In case that accessory wasnt enough, she often entered the courthouse with an actual family member  her mother, her partner  in tow, and a hand to cling to. It was code-switching of the most skillful kind. It was relatable.
Days after Louis Patrick Di Cerbo swiped Dr. Robin Gay Stafford into his world on the dating app Bumble in July 2020, they had a wide-ranging phone conversation that evolved into a chat about their career accomplishments.

She was featured in Crains Chicago Business, Mr. Di Cerbo, 62, said of Dr. Stafford, who is the chief dental officer for the Howard Brown Health Center, a nonprofit health care organization in Chicago that focuses on serving the L.G.B.T.Q. community.

But Mr. Di Cerbo, a lawyer, didnt wait for Dr. Stafford, 62, to tell him that. I immediately looked her up, he said, laughing.

I had to do my due diligence, added Mr. Di Cerbo, the general counsel and chief compliance officer for Matrix Global, a Chicago-based company that provides technology and consulting services to the energy storage industry. A graduate of Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., he received a law degree from Boston University.
In November, it was beginning to look a lot like a prepandemic Christmas in London.

Oxford Street, adorned in twinkling festive lights, bustled with tourists and local residents meandering in and out of stores buying gifts. Audiences packed into West End theaters for sold-out shows (masks were not required), and pubs and restaurants were filled with jolly patrons attending quiz nights and holiday parties.

Then came the highly contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain described as a tidal wave causing infections in the country to double every two to three days. It has brought the governments current daily estimate of new cases to around 200,000, from a low of around 2,200 in May.

The effect on the hospitality industry was almost immediate, with restaurants reporting high volumes of cancellations, theaters canceling shows and holiday office parties being rescheduled. For international travelers, the new rash of cases has sparked concern and confusion, made worse by conflicting messages from the British government.

On Dec. 12, then country raised the coronavirus alert level to four out of five, indicating a high or rising level of transmission. People should be prioritizing those things, and only those things that really matter to them, said Chris Whitty, Englands chief medical officer, at a news conference on Wednesday. Dont mix with people you dont have to.
That said, everyone should assume they are less protected now than they were before Thanksgiving.

Ed Yong at The Atlantic put it this way: As a crude shorthand, assume that Omicron negates one previous immunizing event  either an infection or a vaccine dose. Someone who considered themselves fully vaccinated in September would be just partially vaccinated now (and the official definition may change imminently). But someone whos been boosted has the same ballpark level of protection against Omicron infection as a vaccinated-but-unboosted person did against Delta.

(Yong recently canceled his birthday party and explained the risk analysis behind his decision.)

Should I change my plans for holiday gatherings?

There isnt a simple answer to this question, Tara said: That said, I can still give you one simple tip that can help you figure it out: Plan your event around the most vulnerable person in the room.

Think about the things you would need to do to protect an older grandparent, for example, and that will give you an idea of whether the event should go forward with extra precautions, be scaled back or canceled.

You can lower your risk by asking that everyone get a booster, if eligible, and take a rapid test a few hours before the event. Focus on ventilation, and ask everyone to scale back their social activities before the event.

If youre celebrating Christmas Eve, get tested on Wednesday and then take a home rapid test on Christmas Eve, right before the party. One doctor I know takes his rapid test in the driveway before he enters his parents house, Tara said. I think family gatherings, especially now as we head into our third year of pandemic life, are really important. If everyone is willing to do whats needed to protect the most vulnerable, you can lower risk and gather more safely.

What if I feel sick?

Get tested. Its the only way youre going to know if what youre feeling is a cold or Covid. Its also important to know so that you can inform other people whom you might have exposed, should you test positive.
SAGINAW, Mich.  On the top floor of the hospital, in the unit that houses the sickest Covid-19 patients, 13 of the 14 beds were occupied. In the one empty room, a person had just died.

Through surge after surge, caregivers in the unit at Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw, Mich., have helped ailing patients say goodbye to their relatives on video calls. The medical workers have cried in the dimly lit hallways. They have seen caseloads wane, only to watch beds fill up again. Mostly, they have learned to fear the worst.

You come back to work and you ask who died, said Bridget Klingenberg, an intensive care nurse at Covenant, where staff levels are so strained that the Defense Department recently sent reinforcements. I dont think people understand the toll that that takes unless youve actually done it.

The highly contagious Omicron variant arrives in the United States at a moment when there is little capacity left in hospitals, especially in the Midwest and Northeast, where case rates are the highest, and where many health care workers are still contending with the Delta variant. Some researchers are hopeful that Omicron may cause less severe disease than Delta, but health officials still worry that the new variant could send a medical system already under pressure to the breaking point.
A Florida man who hurled a fire extinguisher at police officers during some of the most ferocious fighting at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was sentenced on Friday to more than five years in prison, the longest term handed down so far to any of the more than 700 people charged in the attack.

The defendant, Robert Palmer, made his way to the Capitol that day in a distinctive red-white-and-blue flag-styled jacket after listening to President Donald J. Trump address a huge crowd at the Ellipse, a park just south of the White House. Prosecutors say he milled about in the crowd outside the building as violence increasingly broke out between the police and rioters.

By a little before 5 p.m., Mr. Palmer found himself amid the most severe fighting at the lower west terrace, where an almost medieval form of hand-to-hand combat had erupted. There, prosecutors say, he threw a wooden plank-like spear at the police, sprayed a fire extinguisher at officers and then hurled the empty canister at them.

Image Robert Palmer. Credit... via Department of Justice

Before his sentencing hearing in Federal District Court in Washington, Mr. Palmer, 54, wrote a letter to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, saying that he had come to recognize that Mr. Trump and his allies had lied to their supporters by spitting out the false narrative about a stolen election and how it was our duty to stand up to tyranny.
Democrats have less than a month left controlling Virginia before Republicans take over the House of Delegates and the governors mansion. With the clock ticking, many in the party want to seize what they see as a fleeting opportunity: protecting abortion rights by codifying them into state law.

But Democratic leaders in the State Senate have dismissed the idea  and not on policy grounds or over concerns about political messaging. Several of the chambers members dont want to change their vacation plans.

One senator is traveling in Africa. Others are in Europe. And the majority leader is headed to Hawaii.

Theyre not going to be able to get back; flights are booked this time of year, the majority leader, Richard L. Saslaw, said in an interview from California, where he was en route to the Aloha State. The states General Assembly does not allow proxy or remote voting, and Democrats paper-thin majority in the State Senate requires all members to be present to pass contentious legislation.
In Gilroy, Ca., school administrators canceled classes at Gilroy High School, though the local police department said the threat against the school was not credible. The Gilroy Police Department said that the post which seemed to involve the high school because it used the initials G.H.S. was actually referring to a G.H.S. in the Los Angeles area, about 300 miles away. The police there also deemed the threat not credible.

Deborah A. Flores, the Gilroy Unified School District superintendent, said in a letter to staff and families that the high school was closing in part because some in the community still experience trauma from the shooting at the citys garlic festival in July 2019, where three people were killed.

Threats against schools sometimes come in waves after real shootings, prompting officials to increase security. Just over three weeks ago, a teenager opened fire at Oxford High School in Michigan on Nov. 30, shooting 11 people and killing four students.

On Friday, law enforcement agencies around the country appeared to be increasing their presence at schools in direct response to the social media rumors.

The North Port Police Department in Florida said that, out of an abundance of caution, the department would provide additional resources to local schools on Friday and encouraged parents to talk with children about the seriousness of making threats. A similar police presence was also expected across public schools in Cincinnati.

The police in Frisco, Tx., said in a statement on Friday that they had arrested seven students, including some in middle school, in connection with a series of threats across the Frisco Independent School District that forced a high school to cancel classes for part of the week.

Police and school-resource officers spent countless hours investigating the threats, time that could have otherwise been used to mentor youth, said Chief David Shilson of the Frisco Police Department.
If people on the plane are taking off their masks for extended periods of time for snacks or meals, that increases the risk of infection for everyone on that plane, she added. So she advised leaving your mask on. Masks protect the wearer, too, she said. Not just the people around them.

Dr. Jetelina recommends upgrading to an N95 mask, if you havent already. For children, she suggests KN95s because N95s dont come in their sizes.

Many public health experts recommend the KF94 mask, which is made in South Korea, because of its quality, high filtration rate and snug fit.

When asked about masks on Friday, Dr. Fauci said that while the N95 was the best mask at blocking aerosol and droplet particles, they can be relatively uncomfortable to wear. A regular surgical mask as well as a cloth mask is fine, he added.

Getting to and from the flight creates additional risk because the trip adds more opportunities for exposure. So instead of taking a car service, Dr. Jetelina asked her vaccinated relatives to come to the airport and pick her and her family up.

Her family is also aiming to minimize exposure to indoor crowds, especially in places that may have poor ventilation. Either she or her husband will take the children outside while the other waits at baggage claim, for example.

Dr. Michael Mina, a former Harvard epidemiologist who is now the chief science officer for eMed, a company that verifies at-home test results, said on Friday that he planned to fly to Colorado this month with his wife and 2-month-old daughter. But by early this week he said he had canceled his flight.
She learned that her mother, who had worked as a live-in maid when she was born, had been forced to give up the baby by her employer at the time. News that her missing daughter was trying to make contact was unwelcome because, Ms. Diemar was told, her mother was in an abusive relationship with a man who did not know about the birth.

That did not deter Ms. Diemar from digging into the case of her younger brother, Daniel, who was also adopted from Chile. The boys mother, too, had been told he died during birth. The two have grown close in recent years, which Ms. Diemar counts as a victory.

It has meant so much to travel to Chile with Daniel, to share the story of our upbringing, our childhood, and just to be in the country where we were supposed to be, she said. Its very healing to do this together.

Ms. Diemar said she had little faith that the investigations underway in Chile and Sweden would lead to prosecutions.

But I think its important that the history books say that this happened, she said. These were crimes.

Since reconnecting with his mother, Mr. Graf has experienced emotional whiplash. There have been flashes of anger, moments of gratitude and feelings of indignation.
When more than 100 soldiers and police officers surrounded his three-story apartment building and sealed off his neighborhood in Myanmar this March, the journalist Ko Aung Kyaw knew they were coming for him.

So he began livestreaming his arrest in the southern city of Myeik, capturing the soldiers in action as they smashed security cameras outside his apartment and hurled stones at his windows.

As they broke down his door, he erased his cellphone memory to protect his contacts, even though he knew the punishment for this would be swift and severe.

He was taken to an interrogation center where he said soldiers immediately began beating him. Smelling of alcohol, they burned his face and hands with a cigarette, stepped on his fingers and placed plastic bags over his head, nearly suffocating him eight times, he recounted.
Although the Liberal Democrats had hoped to pull off a surprise victory, the size of their majority was striking and unexpected. Ed Davey, the leader of the party, described the result as a watershed moment, adding in a statement, Millions of people are fed up with Boris Johnson and his failure to provide leadership throughout the pandemic, and last night, the voters of North Shropshire spoke for all of them.

On Friday, Mr. Johnson said he accepted responsibility for the result. I totally understand peoples frustrations, he said. I hear what the voters are saying in North Shropshire. In all humility, Ive got to accept that verdict.

However, in an interview with Sky News, he also appeared to blame the news media, saying that in the last few weeks, some things have been going very well, but what the people have been hearing is just a constant litany of stuff about politics and politicians.

Oliver Dowden, the chairman of the Conservative Party, also acknowledged the scale of the defeat. I know that voters in North Shropshire are fed up, and I know that they have given us a kicking, he told the BBC, adding that he and his party had heard that message from them loud and clear.

Even before the loss of the seat, there was speculation that Mr. Johnson could face a formal challenge to his leadership little more than two years after he won a landslide general election victory in December 2019.

To initiate a no-confidence vote, 54 of Mr. Johnsons lawmakers would have to write to Graham Brady, the chairman of the committee that represents Conservative backbenchers. Such letters are confidential, but analysts do not believe that prospect is close. Parliament is now in recess, giving the prime minister a short political breathing space.

Even so, Fridays result is likely to increase jitters in Downing Street because North Shropshire was one of the Conservative Partys safest seats, in an area of Britain that supported Brexit, Mr. Johnsons defining political project.
It may have seemed like an obscure United Nations conclave, but a meeting this week in Geneva was followed intently by experts in artificial intelligence, military strategy, disarmament and humanitarian law.

The reason for the interest? Killer robots  drones, guns and bombs that decide on their own, with artificial brains, whether to attack and kill  and what should be done, if anything, to regulate or ban them.

Once the domain of science fiction films like the Terminator series and RoboCop, killer robots, more technically known as Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, have been invented and tested at an accelerated pace with little oversight. Some prototypes have even been used in actual conflicts.

The evolution of these machines is considered a potentially seismic event in warfare, akin to the invention of gunpowder and nuclear bombs.
Two Iranian lawyers and a civil rights activist were among a group organizing a legal challenge to Irans top leader and the government over their disastrous handling of the pandemic.

But before they could even file their complaint, they were seized and incarcerated.

Now known on Iranian social media as the health defenders, their case has attracted widespread attention, even though their trial in Tehran is not open to the public.

We were still discussing the complaint and what to do when 15 intelligence agents from the judiciary violently broke into the office and arrested us, the civil rights activist, Mehdi Mahmoudian, said in a phone interview from Tehrans high-security Evin prison, where he is being held along with his co-defendants, lawyers Mostafa Nili and Arash Kaykhosravi.

We were held in solitary confinement with no access to lawyers, telephones or family visits for nearly a month in an illegal detention wing of Evin that belongs to the judiciary, he added. Mr. Mahmoudian said he and others had received phone calls from intelligence agents beforehand asking them to cancel the meeting, a tipoff that they were under surveillance.
Yet, said Leonard Green, a professor of psychological and brain sciences and economics at Washington University in St. Louis, once workers know that tipping is the norm, it may act as an incentive to provide excellent service to clients. You want to make sure they continue to tip in the future.

Workers eligible for holiday tips include those who help you in some way, whether at your home or elsewhere, Mr. Senning said. They can include a housekeeper, doorman, nanny, regular handyman (or woman), as well as your regular manicurist or (if youre fortunate enough to have one) massage therapist.

Elaine Swann, an etiquette adviser in San Diego, advised thinking about someone who went beyond expectations  perhaps, a babysitter who repeatedly filled in on short notice or a meal delivery person who was always on time. Put some thought into individuals who really helped make your life easier throughout the year, she said.

Then, set a budget for tips that takes into account your own financial situation. If money is tight, you may need to rein in your generosity. I encourage folks to not let it become a detriment to their own pocketbook, Ms. Swann said.

That said, the pandemic made for difficult times for many service workers, so if your budget supports it, be generous. If you are able, Id recommend going above and beyond this year, Ms. Swann said.

Vid Ponnapalli, a fee-only financial planner in Holmdel, N.J., said he had urged his clients to budget for tips and gifts as they would any other expense. You have to determine your affordability and your budget, he said.

If your finances dont allow for extra cash this year, try and show gratitude another way, Mr. Senning said, perhaps with a thoughtful handwritten note. Never underestimate the power of your words.
In the Path of the Storm Yousur Al-Hlou/The New York Times

Somewhere outside of Searcy, Ark., as a ferocious storm swept over wide-open land, the ingredients came together to create tornadoes with astonishing staying power.

The supercell, a strong thunderstorm with a rotating updraft, churned through vast, flat farmland while hurling bales of cotton and shredding barns. It eviscerated a nursing home in Monette, Ark. It hopped the Mississippi River, clipped the western edge of Tennessee and plowed into Kentucky, leaving some communities almost entirely leveled.

The path of destruction, in the end, reached 260 miles.

Louisville INDIANA ILLINOIS 11:20 p.m. Hartford 11 p.m. Bremen Destruction observed along this stretch for over 260 miles MISSOURI KENTUCKY 10:30 p.m. Dawson Springs 10:20 p.m. Princeton 9:30 p.m. Mayfield Other tornado activity on Dec. 10 Red areas indicate tornado activity within the supercell Nashville 7:25 p.m. Monette ILL. IND. MO. TENNESSEE KY. Area of detail TENN. ARKANSAS ARK. Searcy Memphis IND. ILL. Other tornado activity on Dec. 10 11:20 p.m. Hartford Destruction observed along this stretch for over 260 miles 11 p.m. Bremen MO. KY. 10:30 p.m. Dawson Springs 10:20 p.m. Princeton 9:30 p.m. Mayfield Red areas indicate tornado activity within the supercell ILL. IND. MO. 7:25 p.m. Monette KY. Area of detail TENN. TENN. ARK. ARK. MISS. ALA. Searcy Memphis Other tornado activity on Dec. 10 IND. ILL. MO. 11:20 p.m. Hartford Destruction observed along this stretch for over 260 miles 11 p.m. Bremen KY. Red areas indicate tornado activity within the supercell 10:30 p.m. Dawson Springs 9:30 p.m. Mayfield 10:20 p.m. Princeton 7:25 p.m. Monette ILL. IND. TENN. MO. Area of detail KY. Searcy TENN. ARK. ARK. MISS. MISS. ALA. ALA. Other tornado activity on Dec. 10 IND. ILL. Destruction observed along this stretch for over 260 miles KY. MO. 11:20 p.m. Hartford Red areas indicate tornado activity within the supercell 11 p.m. Bremen 10:30 p.m. Dawson Springs 9:30 p.m. Mayfield 10:20 p.m. Princeton 7:25 p.m. Monette ILL. IND. TENN. MO. Searcy Area of detail KY. TENN. ARK. ARK. ALA. MISS. MISS. ALA. Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Note: The total miles of tornado damage are not continuous. Times are approximate and in Central time. By The New York Times

It was part of a broader storm that spawned many tornadoes that unleashed devastation in several states. But this supercell stood alone because of its staggering length and destructive force. The National Weather Service confirmed that the storm spawned one single tornado that traveled nearly 164 miles through Kentucky.

This tornado event was certainly an oddity in many ways, said Jason Naylor, a professor at the University of Louisville who studies tornado formation, duration and intensity. For one thing, he said, Its freakishly long. And there was the timing: The fact it occurred in December is pretty odd.

There is a lot about steady, long-track tornadoes that scientists are still trying to understand, he said. This tornado struck in a similar area as the 1925 tri-state tornado, the deadliest in the countrys history, which etched a 219-mile trail of destruction.

Monette, Ark. Hit at 7:25 p.m. J. Cole Lansden for The New York Times

The firefighters from Trumann had swarmed into Monette like others from across eastern Arkansas: Weiner, Harrisburg, West Memphis. They helped however they could, including pulling residents out of a nursing home that was demolished by a tornado.

But that was just the beginning of a long night.

There was severe damage just outside of Trumann, too, officials said, and these firefighters came upon it. They maneuvered through darkness and debris, said Revis Kemper, the chief of the Trumann Fire Department, who asked each of his firefighters to write out accounts of what they remembered from that night while it was fresh in their minds.

One man they found was trapped underneath a hot water heater. They did not have spine boards to carry him, so they used a wooden door that had been blown from its hinges. To get him out, Chief Kemper said, they commandeered a truck with the keys in it and drove him to get more medical attention.

Storm spotters could see another tornado approaching. The sirens blared in Trumann at 9:03 p.m. The tornado reached the city limits by about 9:12.

The firehouse was left as a pile of debris and twisted metal. That night, they were picking through the rubble, searching for supplies.

We still have to respond, Chief Kemper said. We still have to take care of these people. We still have to be a Fire Department.

Mayfield, Ky. Hit at 9:30 p.m. Johnny Milano for The New York Times

Mayfield, Ky. Hit at 9:30 p.m. Johnny Milano for The New York Times

On 8th Street, the churches look like they were attacked.

First Baptist is missing a roof. First United Methodist is missing part of a front facade and all of a sanctuary wall. And the tiny St. James A.M.E. building, erected in 1923, has as many bricks in its parking lot as it does still attached to the structure.

The Rev. Gloria Lasco was called to St. James just two months ago. She is still learning the names and faces of the 50-person congregation, a group that has met in person only three times during the coronavirus pandemic. Yet this week she and her bishop, Anne Henning Byfield, stood on the front steps handing out water, toiletries and other essentials to anyone in need. African Methodist Episcopal churches from across the country have sent aid.

Thats what were called to do, Ms. Lasco said. Even though I didnt know much of the community yet, these are peoples lives and their homes. When you can look through their home, its devastating. It gives you the resolve to do what Ive got to do.

Ms. Byfield said she had assigned Ms. Lasco to rebuild the historic congregation. Now she will have to rebuild the church, too.

Princeton, Ky. Hit at 10:20 p.m. Yousur Al-Hlou/The New York Times

Standing on what remained of the side porch, George Pettit held a violin missing all but two strings. He and his brother Duke Pettit were salvaging what they could from the home that had been in their family since the 1830s.

My father, my grandfather, my great-grandfather, my great-great-grandfather and my great-great-great-grandfather all were born and died in this house, George Pettit, 80, said.

The tornado sheared off the top story of the two-level structure and collapsed half of the bottom. Duke Pettit, who lived there, said the replacement cost could be well into the seven figures.

The house, the second oldest in Caldwell County, was built in 1828. The family bought it and the surrounding land not long afterward. While the Pettits carted out rare books and other heirlooms spared by the storm, workers cleared debris from the surrounding 60 acres with some urgency. Rain in the forecast would very likely turn the fields to mud and make the pieces of metal and insulation significantly harder to remove.

Still, things could have been worse: Duke Pettit was away at a wedding when the tornado came through, and the home was unoccupied.

Dawson Springs, Ky. Hit at 10:30 p.m. William Widmer for The New York Times

Dawson Springs, Ky. Hit at 10:30 p.m. Hal Latham salvaging important documents from his girlfriends second-floor apartment at the Dawson Village Apartments complex. The building had no basement or storm shelter, so she and her son rode out the storm in their bathroom. William Widmer for The New York Times

Breeana Glisson and her children lay huddled together in bed when the tornado struck and their house collapsed on them. Powerful winds then ripped the roof away and flung the terrified family nearly 50 yards down the block. Ms. Glisson managed to hold on to her 4-year-old son; her 2-year-old daughter landed several feet away.

Through the rain and over piles of rubble, they hiked to safety in a neighbors basement, a rare refuge in a town that was nearly demolished.

I really thought me and both my kids were going to die, she said. I told them a hundred thousand times that Mommys got them.

Two days later, on the edge of a hillside overlooking a vast stretch of destroyed homes and apartments, fallen trees and smashed cars, Ms. Glisson, 26, searched for her sons sleeping medication, her right arm now in a sling. She cheered at the sight of a purple backpack that held her food stamps and insurance cards. It was found two houses away from where her home once stood.

Thats my house right there, she said, pointing to a pile of wooden walls and bricks. Its nothing.

Bremen, Ky. Hit at 11 p.m. Luke Sharrett for The New York Times

Bremen, Ky. Hit at 11 p.m. Luke Sharrett for The New York Times

When James Stewart called family members on Friday encouraging them to come to his storm shelter, he expected them to brush him off as they had before. But this time they listened. With just four minutes to spare, five adults, four children and four cats climbed down into the small, underground room and waited.

We heard a whistling sound, Mr. Stewart, 63, said. Then it turned into a roar.

As the tornado hit, the handle to the shelter loosened and Stewart climbed up the stairs to hold it down. His wife worried he would get pulled out. He described other neighbors and church friends who did not survive: a county judge, a baby, a young man.

Mr. Stewart lost half of his roof, and his garage was lifted across his yard. He had lived there for 19 years but cannot envision returning.

Were not going to come back, he said.

Hartford, Ky. Hit at 11:20 p.m. Yousur Al-Hlou/The New York Times

In a way, Clarence Dudley Bartlett was one of the lucky ones. At least that is how he tried to see it.

His house  his familys home for generations  was beyond repair. So was his car. Still, he was alive when so many others were not. If he had been on the first or second floor instead of the basement, he said, it would have been roses.

Even so, to be 81 and forced to start over was daunting. Youre walking around in a field and you dont know where to go, Mr. Bartlett said. Its the best I can explain it.

Mr. Bartlett thought he would get an apartment in town. He would need a car, too. It would be painful to leave behind his house, which would have to be torn down  that is, if the teetering remains did not collapse on their own. His grandfather built it, using a blueprint he bought at a fair in St. Louis. Mr. Bartlett was born there in 1940. His parents both died in the front room. That was on his mind as he cataloged what had been lost. Well, lot of good memories for one thing, he said.

He had help sorting through the rubble. They picked out photographs and some furniture. They had to dig to find the Christmas presents his sister had recently sent. And there was the gold and blue tea set he treasured. He bought it from a shop in Venice when he had the chance years ago to travel to Europe. I dont know how it survived, he said, but it did.
Nguyen Phat Tri, a young hairstylist from Vietnam, has been getting a lot of attention for his eye-catching floral hair designs.

28-year-old Nguyen Phat Tri graduated from An Giang University, with a degree in Biotechnology, in 2015, but as he always had an inclination for the arts, he decided to go to Ho Chi Minh City to study makeup and hairdressing. That may have seemed like a controversial career choice, but time proved that it was the right one, as young Phat Tri quickly made a name for himself on the Vietnamese hairstyling scene, thanks to some truly innovating techniques and designs.

Photo: Nguyen Phat Tri/Facebook

Nguyen Phat Tris designs generate millions of views on social media, but few of the people who marvel at them realize just how much work goes into each and every one of them. The simplest designs take 1 to 2 days to complete, but the most complex of them can take 2-3 months to complete.

As you can imagine, Phat Tris spectacular designs are in very high demand, even though his work isnt exactly cheap. Bridal designs are priced between 3 and 5 million dong ($130  $218), while his more complex signature hairstyles cost between 5 and 7 million dong ($218  $305).

Despite the lucrative business, Nguyen Phat Tri usually declines more requests than he accepts, because he prefers to dedicate his time to researching new designs and techniques.

I want to inspire creativity in people who share my passion, and I hope to help Vietnams hair industry grow and reach the world, the 28-year-old said.

Nguyen Phat Tri introduced his floral hair designs to the world in the summer of 2020, and he has since delivered various new models, including designs inspired by lotus, hibiscus, chrysanthemum, lily, and more.

Asked what advice he would offer young stylists hoping to follow in his footsteps, the Vietnamese artist said that the most important thing for them is to assess their talent because this is a field that requires an artistic eye. Then, they need to have the passion, perseverance and determination to pursue their dream.

For more epic hair styles, check out Nguyen Phat Tris Instagram and TikTok channels.
A Chinese man was recently convicted of theft after reportedly drugging his ex-girlfriend and then opening her eyes to unlock her smartphone and transfer money from her account to his.

Breakups can be difficult, painful even, but sometimes its not just your heart thats left broken, but your bank account as well. Take this strange case that recently went viral on Chinese social media. A 28-year-old man was sentenced to over three years in prison for drugging his ex-girlfriend and unlocking her phone while she was unconscious in order to deplete her bank account and settle his gambling debts. He managed to transfer 150,000 yuan ($23,500), before making himself scarce and taking her mobile phone with him.

Photo: Brands&People/Unsplash

This shocking crime allegedly took place on December 26, 2020, but the man was only convicted for his actions at the beginning of this month. According to prosecutors, Huang Mouhui, a resident of Hepu, in Chinas Guanxi Province, contacted his ex-girlfriend, known only as Dong, under the pretext of wanting to pay back the money he owed her. In reality, the 28-year-old had a more sinister plan.

Huang had learned from mutual acquaintances that his ex-girlfriend was sick, so he arrived at her home with fresh vegetables, eager to cook a nice, hot meal for her. Taken aback by his kindness, Dong even allowed him to prepare some medicine for her, which turned out to be a big mistake, as the man used the opportunity to mix in some drugs that caused her to lose consciousness.

As soon as he saw his ex fall asleep, Huang Mouhui went to work. He grabbed the womans phone, used her finger to bypass the fingerprint lock, and then held her eyelids open in order to gain access to Dongs Alipay account. He proceeded to transfer 150,000 yuan ($23,500) from his victims account to himself. When he was done, he simply left the woman unconscious, taking her handheld with him.

Photo: Mika Baumeister/Unsplash

When Dong finally woke up, she noticed Huang and her phone were gone, and when she checked her Alipay, she was shocked to see her saving evaporated. Seeing the transactions she hadnt approved, she tried calling Huang, but seeing as he wasnt answering, she notified the authorities.

Huang Mouhui went into hiding and was only apprehended in April of 2021, four months after stealing his ex-girlfriends money. By that time, he had already spent most of the funds paying his debts, gambling and covering living expenses.

Earlier this month, Huang was sentenced to three years and six months in prison and was ordered to pay a fine of 20,000 yuan.
Victoria Petrock

Finn Partners has hired Victoria Petrock as VP-senior content strategist to head its data-driven marketing solutions in the firms midwest region.

Most recently, Petrock was at Insider Intelligence, the former eMarketer, handling research reports, forecasts, podcasts, webinars, articles and charts targeted at B2C and B2B leaders.

She provided insights into developments in the realms of artificial intelligence, biometrics, extended reality, Internet of Things, cloud computing, privacy and security.

Earlier, Petrock was director of research services at FleishmanHillard and editor-in-chief at MarketingCharts.com.

Based in Chicago, Petrock will report to Dan Pooley, founding managing partner in charge of Finn Partners midwest operation.
A BEAUTIFUL bouquet of flowers was presented to Sr. Concepta O Brien, Mercy Convent, Tullamore by Louisea Burke, Director of Nursing at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore at an informal reception in the hospital recently.

Louisea expressed her gratitude to Concepta for her years of service in visiting the patients, distributing Holy Communion and erecting the hospital crib at Christmas time with the assistance of her co-workers.

On receiving the flowers, Concepta expressed her gratitude to all the staff, past and present. She was delighted to know that the tradition of erecting the crib will be continued by others well into the future.

Concepta was born in Corofin, Co. Galway on November 12, 1933, one of a family of four, having three brothers. She lived on the family farm and attended primary school in Ballinderry, Co. Galway, until she was twelve years of age. She completed her secondary school education as a boarder in Tuam.

She expressed a wish to become a member of the Sisters of Mercy in Rochfortbridge, Co. Westmeath, where her cousin Maureen already was a member of the community. She entered in September 1952. She went to Carysfort College, Blackrock, Co. Dublin to train as a Primary School Teacher. When she qualified, she began her teaching career in the primary school in Rochfortbridge where she remained until 1979.

She was transferred to Tullamore convent and taught in Scoil Mhuire from1979-1998 when she retired at aged 66. Scoil Mhuire had a larger pupil intake than Rochfortbridge.

As well as being a competent teacher, she also immersed herself in after-school activities. She started taking camogie training after school and at weekends. She became involved in inter-school competitions and her past pupils fondly remember those outstanding days. She also took her pupils on school tours and some overnight stays especially to the Isle of Man. The class enjoyed the boat journeys and they still reminisce about their weekend after so many years.

Following her retirement Concepta studied for a year at All Hallows College, Dublin. When she returned to Tullamore she became involved in parish ministry. She helped as Eucharistic Minister and in hospital visitation. All the people who touched her life down through the years have enriched Concepta. She now enjoys her time in Tullamore Convent, devoting herself to prayer and helping out with little jobs around the convent.

Tullamore Hospital owes a deep debt of gratitude to Sr. Concepta who was one of the last links between the convent and the hospital. Her gentleness and kindness touched the lives of many patients as she carried out her pastoral care work in the hospital.

It is always nice to see Sr. Concepta back in the hospital at Christmas time and it was with great pleasure that hospital staff and management could mark her contribution this year.
THE mother of Offaly All-Ireland medallist Keith O'Neill has made a fresh appeal for information on the terrifying arson attack on the family farm.

Hundreds of thousands of euros worth of damage was caused to plant and machinery at the farm of Lorraine and Eugene O'Neill in Clonbullogue by the fire which was started maliciously there in the early hours of November 27 last.

Lorraine, whose son Keith was a member of the Offaly team which lifted the county by winning the All-Ireland Under 20 title this year, relived the night in an interview with Joe Duffy on RTE's Liveline.

She told of how the family were awoken to a farmyard full of flames with machinery and a milking parlour all affected.

Cows and calves had a narrow escape, but only because the breeze was blowing the fire in a different direction from their shed. Luckily for the cows the wind was blowing towards the house, she said.

There was another fire set up, this was the sinister thing, there was straw moved around, straw put in loads of places to start these fires. The most frightening was the workshop... nearest the house, which would have our diesel tank and our kerosene for the house, there was straw set up there. Had that gone on fire it would have been catastophic.

She told Joe Duffy that she did not know why the fire had been lit and she is unaware of anyone having a grudge against the family.

This was a very very dangerous thing that was done. We had a house full of children, a yard full of animals, and we don't know who and we don't know why, she told the radio presenter.

The arson attack had impacted on the whole local community, the neighbours and farming friends of the O'Neills and she hoped the culprit can be found.

That person didn't come into the yard and [just] throw a bit of petrol or diesel around. They spent a lot of time in our yard that night.

CCTV in the yard was cut at about 4.45am and they realised the farm buildings were on fire at 6.45am.

Somebody was out there for a considerable period of time. That's what's creepy, said Lorraine.

Somebody left their home that night at 3am and probably returned around 7am. If anybody noticed anything suspicious, somebody behaving suspiciously, overheard conversations, somebody with straw on their clothes, straw on their car, straw in their van, straw that shouldn't have been there.

The mother of five said the gardai had been fantastic but the family had decided to make a wider appeal for information in advance of Christmas.

The danger here was just unbelievable. This person needs to be caught and needs to serve a serious sentence for what they did. Fire is terrifying. What I feel is, whoever left the yard that morning, they did not know where that would end. They did not know walking out of that yard, would life be lost or what would be the final consequences.

She asked people in the area to check their vehicle dashcams and CCTV between 3am and 7am on the morning of Saturday, November 27 for anything unusual, including businesses located in nearby towns like Portarlington, Rathangan and Edenderry.

Previously this week Lorraine told the Tullamore Tribune that she hoped the fact that the fire occurred in the early hours of the Late Late Toy Show might jog people's memory.

Lorraine said she felt someone must know something, and someone may have come home that night and a family might have had a husband or son who may have been acting suspiciously.

She said people may have overheard a conversation somewhere, or may have seen someone hanging around their farm.

Two years ago the O'Neills were named Axa farm insurance heroes of the year for their fundraising efforts for Crumlin Hospital where another of their sons, Diarmuid, was treated for long periods as a child.

They donated the 10,000 prize to the hospital and community groups in their area.

Anyone who may have seen or heard something on the night of November 26 or the morning of November 27 is asked to contact Tullamore Gardai on 057 9327600 or Edenderry Gardai Station on 046 9731290.
THE Cabinet has agreed to introduce an 8pm closing time for hospitality and all indoor venues including cinemas and theatres across the country amid growing concern about the new Omicron variant.

Ministers met this Friday evening to discuss recommendations from the National Public Health Emergency Team which had recommended a 5pm curfew on hospitality and a cap on capacity at large outdoor events of 50%, or 5,000 people.

In a televised address, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said Omicron was here and we are going to see a massive rise in infections.

Left unchecked this new strain will represent a very significant threat to hospitals and critical care, but also a threat to all of society and the economy. It spreads so aggressively throughout all age groups that we are likely to see infections at a rate that is far in excess of anything weve seen to date, he said.

The NPHET recommendations had prompted considerable opposition among some government backbenchers including Limerick City TD Willie O'Dea.

But, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, told a briefing of journalists that the Cabinets decision to close hospitality from 8pm was a welcome acceptance of the intention of our advice.

NPHET'S recommendation for a 5pm curfew was part of a series of recommendations aimed at reducing the incidence rate, Dr Holohan said.

The key thing was to drive down, as much as possible, social contact. Contact is going to be a good deal greater in the evening time, he added.

But he welcomed the move, saying it would help slow the spread of Omicron.

Ireland could witness up to 20,000 cases a day with 2,000 people in hospital by early January under NPHET'S most pessimistic modelling.

Dr Holohan told a briefing on Friday that the Omicron variant makes up 35% of Covid-19 cases in Ireland.

Optimistic models predict 8,000 cases a day and between 650 and 1,000 people in hospital, but there are concerns that increased socialisation at Christmas would exacerbate infections.

NPHET members said that even if the variant turns out to be less severe than the Delta strain, its superior growth rate meant hospitals are still under threat.

Dr Cillian De Gascun, a member of NPHET, said: It would be great news if it turned out to be less severe, but its growth advantage remains a serious concern. It would have to be far, far less severe than Delta for it not to overwhelm our health service.
OFFALY County Council will be sentenced next Tuesday December 21 in relation to breaches of health and safety regulations, which left a man paralysed after a cast iron light column fell on him.

At a circuit court sitting the local authority was charged with five counts of breaches under the health and safety regulations. They pleaded guilty to two counts which were accepted by the prosecution and a nolle prosequi was entered on the remaining three.

At today's Friday December 17, circuit court, a statement from county council worker Colm Scanlon, read by Kevin White BL Prosecuting, said that on January 23, 2019, Mr Scanlon discovered a loose light post in Kilbride Plaza. When he put his hand to the pole it moved. He rang his supervisor Gerry Gannon expressing concern. Mr Gannon told him to put cones around the pole and a barrier. He told him to ring electrician Rog Larkin. The electrician was not available until Friday January 25, however, on his way home from work that Thursday evening he went to see the pole and he saw that it was unsteady. He removed the fuse and made the cable safe. He formed the opinion that the pole would have to be removed. He disconnected the power source.

On Friday, January 25, a JCB operator from Doolans Plant Hire, who regularly carried out work for the council, was hired to pull the pole from the ground. There were other council employees present on the day.

Michael Hogan was not part of the team involved in the removal of the light column. He and another man had gone to inspect a parking meter in the Texas Car park which was out of order. They then asked Rog Larkin to take a look at it. Afterwards they came back to Kilbride Plaza.

The JCB operator attached a chain to a D-shackle on the digger and the chain was then attached to the pole. He shouted at everyone to move back. Michael Hogan was described as standing two car parking spaces away from the pole which was 4 metres high. However the digger operator had difficulties pulling the pole out of the ground and so the chain was moved lower down on the pole by some of the other workers as they felt there would be less risk of it slipping.

The digger operator once again attempted to pull the pole, however, this time it sprang out of the ground and hit Mr Hogan on the neck and he fell to the ground. An Ambulance was called and while they were waiting the other workers placed bandages around Mr Hogans head under instructions from a paramedic. Mr Hogan was removed to hospital and the court heard that 4 weeks later he recalled waking up in the Mater Hospital.

In her evidence to the court Lillian ONeill, Inspector for the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) said when she inspected the site she saw the JCB with 5 chains attached to the bucket and one on the pole. She noted that the base of the pole appeared to be sheared and there were 4 bolts at the base with one looking as if it had previously been sheared. She took a number of pictures at the site. In addition she commissioned structural engineer Michael Slevin.

In his report Mr Slevin described the pole as having a base plate which was bolted to cement. The bolts were not removed before work began. Ms ONeill said if the pole was inspected it would have been evident. She said that typically poles would have a root mounted column which could be pulled up from the ground. However, she said this particular pole should have been supported while the bolts were removed and choke slings placed high up on the light column would typically be used in this instance. She said the methodology was fundamentally flawed and there was no safety system, work plan, or risk assessment in place.

Judge Francis Comerford commented that someone must have known what would happen. However, Ms ONeill said it wasnt thought through and there was no plan. She said no exclusion zone had been set up in the car park which would have ensured no one could enter the area.

She recommended to the council that a safety plan specifically for the removal of poles be adopted. The council accepted the recommendations and all staff have since been informed.

A medical report from Orthopaedic consultant Dorothy Neil read by Mr White stated that Mr Hogan, a 57 year old man, had significant head and neck injuries. He is now paralysed from the chest down. He has very limited ability to move his hands and has a high level of dependency. He had surgery in the spinal unit of the Mater Hospital, he was then transferred back to Tullamore hospital where he remained for two months before being transferred to the National Rehabilitation Hospital. Any further recovery in years to come will be slow and protracted and it is difficult to predict what recovery will be like. He is wheelchair bound but because of weakness in his hands it makes it difficult. He will never return to manual work and while he may be able to do sedentary work, it is unlikely.

An updated medical report from Dr Kearney of Church Avenue, Tullamore, confirmed that Mr Hogan had reduced use of his hands and needs two people to move him in the bed, he also needs two people during the day. He can feed himself and can use the remote control for the television. He also suffers severe spasms in both legs which keep him awake at night. His cognitive functions are normal. But he has bladder and bowel problems.

He has no issues breathing and he remains calm and accepting. Mr Hogan had previous medical problems including a liver transplant and hypertension. He was not in court for the hearing and is currently in Tullamore hospital as he experiences ongoing issues.

His children wrote that they had moved into a new home which had to be adapted to meet Mr Hogans needs. They said his care is complex and he is at a much higher risk of being hospitalised if he gets an infection. His diagnosis is severe but he has adjusted. He suffers from depression but tries to be positive. When he left work that morning little did we know that life would change forever, Mr White read on behalf of the family.

Daily living for the family is quite difficult. Mr Hogan needs two people to get him out of bed, and he needs an electric wheelchair.

The birth of his granddaughter Sofia has brought a lot of joy to his life but he will never be able to hug her. He has also suffered the loss of his hobby, pitch and putt which he had been involved in for 30 year. He travelled all over the country with the club.

He was a very hard working man and he misses the social aspect of his job. He cannot sit for longer than three hours in his wheelchair without experiencing pain.

The family had to move to a new house which was adapted for him. However, they said it doesnt feel like a home as they have three visits from carers every day. He also cannot visit his siblings in Clonaslee. Mr Hogan said he wished people could see what one day in his life was like so they could see what he goes through. His family said he has a great sense of humour and is very kind. He is known as a gentle giant and is the strongest person they know.

David Staunton BL for Offaly County Council said everyone in the council was shocked and had cooperated fully with the investigation. They had also instigated all of the HSA recommendations.

They had made the incorrect assumption that the pole was a rooted column and believed that it would easily be removed.

Mr Staunton said Offaly County Council had an impeccable record regarding health and safety standards. He described it as a small council where everyone knew one another. He said everyone felt remorse from the lowest to the highest. He said a mark of how serious they take the matter was evident in that the Chief Executive Anna Maria Delaney was present in court as was the Director of Services Tom Shanahan and Senior Executive Engineer John Connelly along with the head of finance. He said they wanted to extend their deepest sympathy to the family. He said they were in a position to secure a home for Mr Hogan but knew that his life had been turned upside down and he needed constant care. They have also provided 200,000 to the family.

Mr White said the offence carries a jail sentence of two years or a fine of 3m.

Responding, Mr Staunton said Offaly County Council has a 1.6m deficit. He said they were at a loss of rates from the closure of Bord na Mona. He said it is not a significant or well funded council. He said there had been a sense of genuine shock and heartfelt concern from Chief Executive Anna Marie Delaney to Mr Hogan and all they can do is make him as comfortable as possible.

Judge Comerford said there had been a terrible breach of health and safety standards and there should have been a prepared plan. He said there appeared to be no thought given to how the pole would come out of the ground.

He said he needed time to reflect on the case which was so serious for Mr Hogan and his family. He adjourned sentencing to Tuesday December 21.
Business Wire 08 Dec 2021

RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CarMax, Inc. (NYSE:KMX) will report its financial results for the third quarter ending November 30,..
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Arpeggio may seem like a puffed-up name for a puppy, but Alison Hodd says it suits her Australian bernedoodle, whose expensive tastes may as well have been imported from Italy.
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The ex-girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein said there was "no reason" for her to testify in the sex trafficking trial, arguing that..
LONDON (AP)  Travel restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus are hammering the already beleaguered travel and tourism industries and adding to the gloom in Europe in the midst of the crucial holiday season.



Travelers are rearranging or canceling trips because of tightening rules. Eurostar, which operates trains across the English Channel, sold out of tickets to France on Friday before new travel restrictions to and from Britain went into effect.



Much remains unknown about the new variant, although increasing evidence indicates it spreads more easily. While researchers race to figure out how severe it is and how well vaccines work against it, the uncertainty itself is also causing some to change their plans.



Amanda Wheelock, 29, a grad student at the University of Michigan, canceled a trip to France with her partner as cases spiked there. Even though the surge isnt necessarily due to omicron, the uncertainty about the new variant, and a new requirement that all U.S. travelers have to test negative before flying back to the U.S., made her worry that the trip would be more stressful than fun.



Instead, shes traveling to the Anchorage, Alaska, area to see friends. She feared that she would spend much of her trip trying to avoid getting infected  thus not able to take full advantage of being in France.



A vacation with a lot of stress probably not a great vacation, said Wheelock, who is from Arvada, Colorado.



She is not alone. The Advantage Travel Group, which represents about 350 U.K. travel agents, said business had fallen by 40% in mid-December from a month earlier. Those numbers, including flights, cruise bookings and package holidays, add to the travel industry's existing slump, which had already seen business fall by...
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Slovakia's former Prime Minister Robert Fico was detained before a protest defying coronavirus restrictions. Fico is a vocal critic of anti-COVID measures in the pandemic-hit country.
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Some of the biggest employers in Canada are putting plans to slowly bring some workers back into the office on pause because of Omicron  and that's having devastating consequences on the businesses that rely on them.
NEW YORK (AP)  In exchange for a cryptocurrency token, you can own a digital watercolor painting of Melania Trump's eyes.



The former first lady launched a venture this week selling NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, on her website in exchange for a Solan token, currently valued around $180 each.



Melania Trump will release NFTs in regular intervals on her website, according to a news release, with a portion of the proceeds going to foster children. It's unclear what percentage of the proceeds will be donated, or whether the donations will be given to specific foster child-related charities. An email inquiry about how the donations would be structured were not answered by Melania Trump's press contact.



Aaron Dorfman, president and CEO of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, says when a company says a portion of the proceeds will go to charity without indicating specifically what amount, It's a huge red flag.



It means that charity is not a serious part of their plan, Dorfman said. It's a marketing ploy.



The Trump family has a troubled history with charities, though Melania Trump was not directly involved in a clash over a charity the family ran in New York.



While still president, Donald Trump paid a $2 million court-ordered fine after conceding he used his charitable foundation as a personal piggy bank. The fine was ordered to be distributed amongst eight charities.



The Trump Foundation was dissolved.



In addition, Trump agreed to restrictions if he were to form a new charity or foundation and New York State required mandatory training for his children, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump, who were all involved with the Trump Foundation.



Non-fungible tokens are essentially digital certificates of authenticity that can be attached to art,...
The UK and Australia have signed a landmark trade deal which will cut tariffs on imports of wine and surfboards and make it easier for young Britons to work Down Under.
On Tuesday, the Daily Mirror published a photograph showing former Tory London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey  who challenged Sadiq Khan in the election  with more than 20 other people wearing party hats or holding drinks
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Boris Johnson has been told to scrap an investigation into alleged Christmas parties in Number 10 following claims that the man leading the probe also attended events himself last year.
People line up for PCR and rapid antigen COVID-19 tests on Wall Street, December 16th, 2021



City-run testing sites will also be open seven days per week, and free at-home tests will be available to those waiting in long lines. [ more  ]
Vice President Kamala Harris stated that she and President Joe Biden have not considered campaigning for reelection, according to an interview.
President Joe Biden admits that the Build Back Better plan and domestic policy bill is unlikely to pass this year as the proposals look to be in serious jeopardy in the Senate.
Internationally aspiring thriller author James Jack Fauser has announced to donate the complete profit of the year 2021 from his debut novel Family Business. The money is meant for homeless people. J. J. Fauser whos thriller Family Business has already been announced by the National Times USA and the Herald Tribune as the most innovative thriller 2021, will support with his donation the homeless projects of The Salvation Army, Caritas, Diakonie 
London, December  Pario Ventures, today announced that its co-founder David Murray-Hundley will step down as Chairman of e.fundamentals a digital shelf analytics vendor, a role that has seen him lead the companys Board of Directors since 2016. Mr. Murray-Hundley was initially invited to take the role on for a year but stayed driven by a deep passion for helping young start-ups go from idea to high growth. David 
With his silence, Joseph invites us to leave room for the Presence of the Word made flesh, Pope Francis highlighted at the General Audience on Wednesday morning, 15 December. As he continued his series of catecheses on Saint Joseph, the Holy Father focused on the aspect of the saint as a man of silence. The following is a translation of his words which he shared with the faithful gathered in the Paul vi Hall.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Good morning!

Let us continue our journey of reflection on Saint Joseph. After illustrating the environment in which he lived, his role in salvation history and his being just and the spouse of Mary, today I would like to consider another important personal aspect: silence. Very often nowadays we need silence. Silence is important. I am struck by a verse from the Book of Wisdom that was read with Christmas in mind, which says: While gentle silence enveloped all things, your all-powerful word leaped from heaven. [In] the moment of greatest silence, God manifested himself. It is important to think about silence in this age in which it does not seem to have much value.

The Gospels do not contain a single word uttered by Joseph of Nazareth: nothing, he never spoke. This does not mean that he was taciturn, no: there is a deeper reason. With his silence, Joseph confirms what Saint Augustine writes: To the extent that the Word  the Word made man  grows in us, words diminish.1 To the extent that Jesus,  the spiritual life  grows, words diminish. What we can describe as parroting, speaking like parrots, continually, diminishes a little. John the Baptist himself, who is the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord (Mt 3:3), says in relation to the Word, He must increase, but I must decrease (Jn 3:30). This means that he must speak and I must be silent, and with his silence, Joseph invites us to leave room for the Presence of the Word made flesh, for Jesus.

Josephs silence is not mutism; it is a silence full of listening, an industrious silence, a silence that brings out his great interiority. The Father spoke a word, and it was his Son, comments Saint John of the Cross,  and it always speaks in eternal silence, and in silence it must be heard by the soul.2

Jesus was raised in this school, in the house of Nazareth, with the daily example of Mary and Joseph. And it is not surprising that he himself sought spaces of silence in his days (cf. Mt 14:23) and invited his disciples to have such an experience by example: Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while (Mk 6:31).

How good it would be if each one of us, following the example of Saint Joseph, were able to recover this contemplative dimension of life, opened wide in silence. But we all know from experience that it is not easy: silence frightens us a little, because it asks us to delve into ourselves and to confront the part of us that is most true. And many people are afraid of silence, they have to speak, and speak, and speak, or listen to radio or television but they cannot accept silence because they are afraid. The philosopher Pascal observed that all the unhappiness of men arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their own chamber.3

Dear brothers and sisters, let us learn from Saint Joseph how to cultivate spaces for silence in which another Word can emerge, that is, Jesus, the Word: that of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, and that Jesus brings. It is not easy to recognise this Voice, which is very often confused along with the thousand voices of worries, temptations, desires, and hopes that dwell within us; but without this training that comes precisely from the practice of silence, our tongue can also ail. Without practising silence, our tongue can also ail. Instead of making the truth shine, it can become a dangerous weapon. Indeed, our words can become flattery, vainglory, lies, backbiting and slander. It is an established fact that, as the Book of Sirach reminds us, many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not so many as have fallen because of the tongue (28:18). Jesus said this clearly: whoever speaks ill of his brother or sister, whoever slanders his neighbour, is a murderer (cf. Mt 5:21-22). Killing with the tongue. We do not believe this, but it is the truth. Let us think a little about the times we have killed with the tongue: we would be ashamed! But it will do us good, a great deal of good.

Biblical wisdom affirms that death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits (Pr 18:21). And the Apostle James, in his Letter, develops this ancient theme of the power, positive and negative, of the word with striking examples, and he says: If any one makes no mistakes in what he says he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also So the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing (3:2-10).

This is why we must learn from Joseph to cultivate silence: that space of interiority in our days in which we give the Spirit the opportunity to regenerate us, to console us, to correct us. I am not saying to fall into muteness, no, but to cultivate silence. May each one look within themselves: often we work on something and when we finish, we immediately look for our telephone to do something else we are always like this. And this does not help, this makes us slip into superficiality. Profoundness of the heart grows with silence, silence that is not mutism as I said, but which leaves space for wisdom, reflection and the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we are afraid of moments of silence, but we should not be afraid. Silence will do us so much good. And the benefit to our hearts will also heal our tongue, our words and above all our choices. In fact, Joseph combined silence with action. He did not speak, but he acted, and thus showed us what Jesus once told his disciples: Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven (Mt 7:21). Fruitful words when we speak, and remembering that song: Parole, parole, parole, (words, words, words), and nothing of substance. Silence, speaking in the right way, and at times biting your tongue a little, which is good for you instead of saying foolish things.

Let us conclude with a prayer:

Saint Joseph, man of silence,

you who in the Gospel did not utter a single word,

teach us to fast from vain words,

to rediscover the value of words that edify, encourage, console and support.

Be close to those who suffer from words that hurt,

like slander and backbiting,

and help us always to match words with deeds. Amen.

Special Greetings

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors, especially the groups from Nigeria and the United States of America. I pray that each of you, and your families, may experience these final days of Advent as a fruitful preparation for the coming of the newborn Saviour of the world. May God bless you!

Lastly, my thoughts turn especially to the elderly, to the sick, to young people and to newlyweds. Dear elderly and sick people, thank you for your example. I pray that you may carry your cross with the meek and docile patience of Saint Joseph. Dear young people, I invite you to look to Saint Joseph as a guide for the dreams of your youth, the guardian of dreams. Dear spouses, may you find the virtues and serenity for your life journey, in the Holy Family of Nazareth. I offer my blessing to all of you.

1 Sermon 288, 5: PL 38, 1307.

2 Dichos de luz y amor, BAC, Madrid, 417, n. 99.

3 Pensees, 139.
At the end of his General Audience, Pope Francis made an appeal to pray for the victims of a fuel tanker explosion in northern Haiti, which killed at least 60 people and injured dozens of others.

In the past few hours there has been a devastating explosion in Cap-Haiitien, northern Haiti, in which many people, including many children, have lost their lives. Poor Haiti, one thing after another; they are a people who suffer. Let us pray, let us pray for Haiti, they are good people, religious people, but they are suffering so much. I am close to the inhabitants of that city and the families of the victims, as well as the injured. I invite you to join me in praying for these brothers and sisters of ours, who are so sorely tried.

For the Popes General Audience read page 2
Following the Angelus on Sunday, 12 December, Pope Francis said he is praying for victims of the tornadoes that struck at least five U.S. states on Sunday, causing widespread devastation and leaving scores of people feared dead. In a telegram  signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin on behalf of the Pope and addressed to Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, President of the u.s.c.c.b, the Holy Father expressed his sadness to learn of the devastating impact of the tornadoes that struck the central and southern United States in these days. He offered heartfelt prayers that Almighty God will grant eternal peace to those who have died, comfort to those who mourn their loss, and strength to all those affected by this immense tragedy. The Pope expressed his gratitude for the tireless efforts of the rescue workers and all engaged in caring for the injured, the grieving families and those left homeless and invoked upon all engaged in the massive work of relief and rebuilding, the Lords gifts of strength and generous perseverance in the service of their brothers and sisters.

More than 20 people were killed in Kentucky, although the States governor says the death toll could rise to over 100. Forty people were rescued from a candle factory in the town of Mayfield, but as many as 70 others may have been killed when the twister hit. Tornadoes in four other states killed at least 30 more people, while the storm system also destroyed homes and businesses over a wide territory.
Pope Francis press conference on the flight from Athens, 6 December 2021

During a press conference on his return flight from Athens at the conclusion of his Apostolic Visit to Cyprus and Greece, Pope Francis described EUs document on Christmas as an anachronism, a sort of watered-down laicity.

Constandinos Tsindas, Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: Your Holiness, your strong remarks on interreligious dialogue in both Cyprus and Greece have raised at the international level challenging expectations. They say apologizing is the hardest thing to do. You have done it in a spectacular way. But what is the Vatican planning to do in practical terms in bringing together Catholic and Orthodox Christianity? Is there a Synod planned?

Yes, thank you. I did apologize; I apologized before Ieronymos, my brother Ieronymos. I asked forgiveness for all the divisions that there are among Christians, but above all those that we Catholics provoked. I also wanted to apologize, because when we look at the war of independence  Ieronymos pointed this out to me  some Catholics sided with European governments to prevent Greek independence. On the other hand, on the islands, the Catholics of the islands supported independence, they went to war; some gave their lives for their country. But the centre, lets put it that way, at that moment sided with Europe.... And also to ask pardon for the scandal of division, at least for those things for which we are to blame. The spirit of self-sufficiency. We keep our mouths shut when we feel that we should apologize, but it always makes me think that God never tires of forgiving, never. We are the ones who tire of asking forgiveness, and when we do not ask God for forgiveness, it will be hard for us to ask it of our brothers and sisters. It is more difficult to ask forgiveness from a brother or sister than from God, because we know that he says: Yes, now go your way, you are forgiven. Instead, with our brothers and sisters, there is shame and humiliation. But in todays world, we need an attitude of humility and apology. So many things are happening in the world, so many lives lost, so many wars... How can we not apologize?

Returning to this, I wanted to apologize for the divisions, at least for those that we caused. For the others, it is their leaders who must do so, but I apologize for ours and also for that episode in the war where some Catholics sided with the European governments, and those on the islands went to war to defend.... I dont know if thats enough (to answer your question).

And one last apology  this one comes from my heart  an apology for the scandal of the tragedy of the migrants, for the scandal of so many lives drowned at sea.

Regarding the synodal aspect: Yes, we are one flock, it is true. This division  clergy and laity  is a functional division, yes, of competence. But there is a unity, a single flock and the interplay of differences within the Church is synodality, that is, (a process of ) listening to one another and moving forward together. Syn odos: journeying together. This is the sense of synodality that your Orthodox Churches and the Eastern Catholic Churches have preserved. Instead, the Latin Church had forgotten the Synod, it was Saint Paul VI who restored the synodal path, 54, 56 years ago, and we are journeying towards the habit of synodality, of walking together.

Lastly, you referred to the European Union document on Christmas.... It is an anachronism. This is what so many dictatorships have tried to do throughout history: think of Napoleon, think of the Nazi dictatorship and the Communist dictatorship.... It is a sort of watered-down laicity.... It is something that historically has not worked. This makes me think of something that, speaking of the European Union, I believe is necessary. The European Union has to take in hand the ideals of the founding Fathers, which were ideals of unity, of greatness, and to be attentive not to open the door to forms of ideological colonization. This could end up dividing countries and lead to the failure of the European Union. The European Union must respect each country as it is internally structured, the variety of countries, and not seek to standardize. I think it will not do so, that was not its intention. But be careful, because sometimes they come and throw out projects like this one there and they do not know what to do.... Each country has its own peculiarity, but each country is open to the others. The European Union: its own sovereignty, that of brothers and sisters within a unity that respects the uniqueness of each country. And to be careful not to be vehicles of ideological colonization. This is why that statement about Christmas is an anachronism.

Iliana Magra, Kathimerini: Holy Father, thank you for your visit to Greece. During your speech at the Presidential Palace in Athens, you spoke about the retreat of democracy around the world and in particular in Europe.... Could you elaborate a bit on that and tell us which countries you were referring to? And what would you say to far-right leaders and voters around Europe who profess to be devout Christians while at the same time promoting undemocratic values and policies?

Democracy is a treasure, a treasure of civilization, and it must be treasured, it must be protected. And not only protected by a superior entity, but among countries themselves, protecting the democracy of others.

Against democracy, today I perhaps see two dangers: one is that of populism, which is here and there, and is beginning to show its teeth. I am thinking of one great populism of the last century, Nazism. Nazism was a populism that by defending national values, so it claimed, ended up annihilating democratic life, indeed even killing people, annihilating them, it became a blood-stained dictatorship.

Today I will say  because you asked about right-wing governments  lets be careful that governments  I am not saying right-wing or left-wing, I am saying something else  do not slip down this slope of populism, of so-called political populisms, which have nothing to do with popularisms, which are the free expression of peoples, who manifest their own identity, their folklore, their values, their art.... Populism is one thing, popularism another. On the other hand, democracy is weakened, it embarks on a path of slow decline, when national values are sacrificed, watered down in the direction  lets use an ugly word, but I cant find another one  of an empire, a kind of supranational government. This is something that should make us think.

Neither should we fall into populism, where the people  but it is not the people, but a dictatorship of us and not the others  think of Nazism; nor fall into watering down our identities in an international government. On this, there is a novel written in 1903. You are going to say how behind the times is this Pope when it comes to literature! A novel written by Benson, an English writer, Lord of the World, who dreams of a future in which an international government with economic and political measures governs all the other countries, and when you have this kind of government, he explains, you lose freedom and you try to achieve equality among all; this happens when there is a superpower that dictates economic, cultural and social behaviour to the other countries.

Democracy is weakened by the danger of populism, which is not popularism, and by the danger of these referrals to international economic and cultural powers... That is what comes to mind, but I am no political scientist, I am saying what I think.

Manuel Schwarz, Deutsche Presse-Agentur: Migration is a central theme not only in the Mediterranean, but also in other parts of Europe, especially in Eastern Europe these days, with so much barbed wire. What do you expect from the countries in this area? Poland, for example, and also Russia and other countries in Europe? For example, in Germany, where there will now be a new government.

On those people who prevent immigration or close the borders  now it is fashionable to build walls, to set up barriers of barbed wire, concertinas [curled barbed wire]  the Spanish know what this means  to prevent access. The first thing I would say is: Think about when you were a migrant and they wouldnt allow you to enter, when you wanted to escape your land and now youre the one building walls. This works because those who build walls lose the sense of their own history, their own story, of when they were the slave of another country. Not everyone has this experience, but at least a large part of those who build walls have this experience of having been slaves.

You may say to me: but governments have the duty to govern and if such a wave of migrants comes, you cannot govern. I will say this. Every government must clearly say: I can receive many. Because the leaders know how much they are able to receive. It is their right, this is true. But migrants must be welcomed, accompanied, promoted, and integrated. If a government cannot welcome more than a certain number, it must enter into dialogue with others and let others be concerned, each of them. This is why the European Union is important, because it is able to coordinate between all governments for the distribution of migrants. Think about Cyprus or Greece or even Lampedusa. Think about Sicily. Immigrants are coming and there is no coordination among the countries of the European Union to send this one here, that one there, this one here  This basic coordination is missing.

And then, the last word I said was integrated. Integrated. Because if you do not integrate the migrant, this migrant will have a ghetto citizenship. Im not sure if I have said it on the plane before, the example that strikes me the most is the Zaventem tragedy. The young people responsible for the catastrophe at the airport were Belgian, but the sons of migrants who were ghettoized, not integrated. If you dont integrate the migrant  with education, with work, with care  you risk creating a guerrilla fighter, someone who will do these things to you. It is not easy to welcome migrants, it is not easy to solve the problem of migrants, but unless we solve the problem of migrants, we risk making a shipwreck of civilization. Today, in Europe  as things stand  not only are the migrants being shipwrecked in the Mediterranean, but our civilization is too.

This is why the representatives of European governments need to come to an agreement. For me, a model of reception and integration in its time was Sweden, which welcomed Latin American migrants who were fleeing from military dictatorships  Chileans, Argentinians, Uruguayans, Brazilians  and integrated them. Today I was in a school here in Athens, and I looked over at the translator and said: But here there is  I used a household word  there is a fruit salad of cultures. They are all mixed together. And he said to me: This is the future of Greece. Integration. Integration is growing. It is important.

And then another dramatic situation I would like to mention. When migrants, before coming, fall into the hands of traffickers who take all the money they have and bring them on the boat. When they are turned away, these traffickers take them. In the Dicastery for Migrants [Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development  Section for Migrants and Refugees], there are videos showing what happens in those places where the migrants returning from those lands are sent to. Just as you cannot welcome them and then leave them, but welcome them, promote them and integrate them, so too if I send back a migrant, I have to accompany him, promote him and integrate him in his own country, not leave him on the Libyan coast. This is cruelty. If you want to know more about this, ask the Dicastery for Migrants that has these videos. And there is a film  you know of it, for sure  by Open Arms, which shows this reality. It is a horrific thing, this. But we are risking our civilization, we are risking our civilization!

Cecile Chambraud, Le Monde: On Thursday, when we arrived, we learned that you had accepted the resignation of the Archbishop of Paris, Archbishop Aupetit. Can you tell us why in such a hurry? And regarding the Sauve Report on abuse, the Church had an institutional responsibility and the phenomenon had a systemic dimension. What do you think of this statement and what meaning could it have for the universal Church?

I will start with the second question. When making these studies, we have to be careful in the interpretations, which should be done by periods of time. When you do it over such a long time, there is a risk of confusing the way the problem was perceived in one time period, 70 years before the other. I just want to say this as a principle: A historical situation should be interpreted with the hermeneutics of that time, not our own. For example, slavery. We say: it is horrible. The abuses of 100 years ago or 70 years ago are horrible. But the way they were experienced was not the same as today. For example, in the case of abuse in the Church, covering-up, which is the way that is used  unfortunately  in families, and in neighbourhoods. We say, no, covering up is not the way to go. But always interpret with the hermeneutic of that time and not with ours.

For example, the famous Indianapolis study collapsed due to lack of a correct interpretation: some things were true, others not; they mixed time periods. At this stage, segmenting helps.

As for the report, I have not read it, nor have I heard the comments of the French bishops. The French Bishops will come this month and I will ask them to explain the thing to me.

With regards to the Aupetit case. I wonder: what did he do that was so serious that he had to resign? What did he do? Somebody answer me ...

We dont know. A problem of governance or something else.

And if we do not know the accusation, we cannot condemn. Before answering I will say: investigate. Do the investigation  because there is a danger of saying: He was condemned. Who condemned him? Public opinion, gossip... We dont know.... If you know the reason why, say so, otherwise, I cannot answer. And you will not know why, because it was a failing on his part, a failing against the sixth commandment, but not total but of little caresses and massages that he did to the secretary: that was the accusation. This is sin, but not one of the more grave sins, because sins of the flesh are not the gravest sins: the gravest sins are those that have more of an angelic character; pride, hatred these are the most grave. So Aupetit is a sinner, just as I am. I dont know if you feel that way, but perhaps as was Peter. The Bishop on whom Christ founded the Church. Why did the community of that time accept a sinful bishop? And that was with sins with such an angelic character, such as denying Christ! But it was a normal Church, always accustomed to feeling sinful, everyone. It was a humble Church. You can see that our Church is not used to having a bishop who is a sinner, and we pretend to say my bishop is a saint. No, this is Little Red Riding Hood. All of us are sinners. But when gossip grows, grows, grows, and takes away a persons reputation, that man will not be able to lead because he has lost his good name, not because of his sin,  which is a sin, like Peters, like mine like yours: it is a sin!  but because of the gossip of the people responsible for reporting things. A man who has lost his good name so publicly cannot govern. And this is an injustice. That is why I accepted Aupetits resignation, not on the altar of truth, but on the altar of hypocrisy. This is what I want to say.

Ah, good for you! The successor of Alexey Bukalov ... He was good.

Vera Scherbakova (Itar Tass): On this trip, you have seen the heads of Orthodox Churches. You said some beautiful words about communion and reunification. When will your next meeting with Patriarch Kirill be? What are the common projects with the Russian Church? And what difficulties, do you see in this process of drawing closer?

A meeting with Patriarch Kirill is not far from the horizon. I think next week [Metropolitan] Hilarion is coming to me to arrange a possible meeting. The Patriarch has to travel, maybe to Finland, and I am always available to go to Moscow to talk to a brother. To talk to a brother, there is no need of protocols; an Orthodox brother whose name is Kirill, or Chrysostomos, or Ieronymos. And when we meet, we do not waltz around; we say things face to face. But as brothers. It is nice to see brothers arguing: it is beautiful, because they belong to the same Mother, Mother Church, but they are a bit divided. Some because of heredity, some because of a history that divided them but we must go together and try to work, and walk in unity and for unity.

I am grateful to Ieronymos, to Chrysostomos, to all the Patriarchs who have this desire to walk together. In unity. The great Orthodox theologian Zizioulas, studying eschatology, once said jokingly that we will find unity in the Eschaton; that is where there will be unity. Its a bon mot. It does not mean that we have to stand still waiting for the theologians to come to an agreement. It is what they say Athenagoras told Paul VI: Let us put all the theologians on one island and we go somewhere else. A witticism. But, theologians should continue to study, because this is good for us, it leads us to understand one another better, and find unity. But in the meantime, we move forward together, praying together, engaging in works of charity together. For example, I think of Sweden, of their Lutheran-Catholic Caritas, they work together. Work together and pray together. This we can do. As for the rest, let the theologians do it, since we do not understand how to do it.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office. Compiled by reporter Andrew Mullin.

Wednesday, Dec. 15

10:22 p.m.  Deputies spoke with a 46-year-old Mills Township male about an individual following him in his vehicle while driving back to his home after a property dispute. The driver of the vehicle then began revving their engine while parked out in front of the complainant's residence. The male advised he wanted the incident documented for information only.

10:02 p.m.  A deputy responded to a Mount Haley Township residence to speak with a 56-year-old woman after she was in a verbal argument with her 57-year-old husband at their Ingersoll Township residence. The woman requested that deputies check the welfare of her husband and grandson, both of whom were doing fine, and no crime was committed.

8:48 p.m.  Deputies spoke with a 27-year-old Jerome Township female who reported a neighbor was using her outdoor electrical outlet for power without permission. The female did not wish to pursue criminal charges.

6:50 p.m.  A deputy made telephone contact with a Midland man who had an issue with a Dow Credit Union ATM machine. The male was referred to the Credit Union for further assistance.

4:09 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to a possible overdose in the Village of Sanford. Michigan State Police was in the area and handled the call. The deputy was disregarded.

1:08 p.m.  A 37-year-old man reported his 69-year-old neighbor at an apartment complex turned off his hot water. There are ongoing issues between the neighbors and the caller advised the hot water units are shared between the apartments. The maintenance man had already turned it back on, but the caller wanted it documented due to the ongoing issues.

12:14 p.m.  A 49-year-old male called the sheriff's office because he wanted his estranged 46-year-old wife charged due to her entering a joint storage unit and taking marital property against the temporary civil injunction. The caller was instructed to have his attorney file a motion in front of the divorce judge, because this is still a civil case since they are still legally married.

11:57 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Jerome Township residence for a wellbeing check on a 67-year-old male. The male was contacted and transported to the hospital where a mental health petition was completed.

8:35 a.m.  An animal control deputy received a call about a stray dog that was found in Hope Township. The deputy contacted the owner and returned the dog and an appearance citation was issued.

3:25 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Jerome Township residence in reference to a third-party report of a verbal argument. Deputies searched the area and did not observe any activity. The caller did not want contact from the sheriff's office.
After a group of disturbing TikTok posts warning of school shootings and bomb threats at every school around the nation on Friday went viral, Michigan schools are taking heightened precautions by increasing police presence with some districts closing down for the day.

The vague, anonymous posts circulating online encouraged students to bring weapons to school on Friday, Dec. 17 to commit acts of violence.

The threat, labeled by TikTok users as "National Shoot Up Your School Day" and "National Blow Up Your School Day," does not name a specific school or district, however, Michigan educators were especially on edge as they faced a deadly school shooting on Nov. 30 at Oxford High School, The Associated Press reports.

While it's unclear where the TikTok school threat emerged, there are now hundreds of other TikTok posts referencing the challenge and warning students to take precautions, people.com reported.

Here's an example of different posts seemingly warning fellow students against attending class on Friday.

Law enforcement and schools have assured parents they're monitoring the situation closely and the threats aren't considered credible.

The Michigan State Police, among law enforcement agencies responding to the posts, said in a statement Thursday it was unaware of any credible threats.

However, in Manistee County, numerous schools, including Manistee Area Public Schools, shut down on Friday in response to the threats.

The Manistee City Police Chief, Joshua Glass, released a statement regarding the area's specific threats.

"On Thursday, December 16th, at approximately 8:42 p.m., the Manistee City Police Department received information of a social media post regarding a possible threat to Manistee Middle/High School," the statement reads. "The post warned students not to attend school on Friday, December 17th, and indicated there was going to be a shooting. The Manistee City Police Department worked closely with MAPS administration, the Manistee County Sheriffs Office, and the Michigan State Police to investigate the origins of this social media post. During that investigation, officers were able to identify and interview the author of the post, who was a juvenile. The Manistee City Police Department will be submitting a report to the Manistee County Prosecutors Office to review for potential criminal charges."

The police department also stressed to think before you post on any social media platform and reminded residents to report threats to OK2say, a student safety program available statewide that allows Michiganders to submit anonymous tips.

As for mid-Michigan, Midland Public Schools have not had any threats occur from the challenge, according to Superintendent Michael Sharrow.

"MPS has several protocols on how we respond to a threat to a school or an individual," Sharrow wrote in an email. "The communication we sent to all parents and our secondary level students after the Oxford tragedy triggered threats throughout our state, addressed the seriousness of threats and the actions MPS would take if a threat to MPS occurred.

"The Tik Tok challenge is another example of a poor decision and use of social media to cause undue stress and harm to schools throughout our nation," he continued.

In a statement on Twitter, TikTok said it was working with law enforcement to investigate, the AP reports.

"We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why were working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok," the statement said.

This is not an isolated issue. The school shooting challenge is only the latest harmful challenge to cause trouble in schools.

In September, the "devious licks" challenge had kids around the U.S. stealing soap dispensers off the walls of school bathrooms and committing other acts of vandalism.

And in October, the "slap your teacher" challenge resulted in some students facing charges.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  Employees who work for the state government will get 5% raises next October under new labor contracts.

The Michigan Civil Service Commission approved the three-year collective bargaining agreements Wednesday. Nonunionized workers will also receive the 5% pay increase.
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Spencer McKee is OutThere Colorado's Director of Content and Operations. In his spare time, Spencer loves to hike, rock climb, and trail run. He's on a mission to summit all 58 of Colorado's fourteeners and has already climbed more than half.
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The East African Inter-government Authority for Development (IGAD), has revealed that what it termed quiet diplomacy has contributed to preventing internal conflicts within the region from escalating
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Notables and tribal dignitaries in Sebha, 800km south of Tripoli, have led a mediation effort that culminated Thursday night in an agreement to stop fighting between armed groups in the city and end armed street protests after deadly clashes in recent days
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Last night Apple Original Films hosted the Los Angeles premiere of the highly anticipated film "The Tragedy of Macbeth," written and directed by four-time Academy Award winner Joel Coen, and starring two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington and four-time Academy Award winner Frances McDormand. "The Tragedy of Macbeth" will be released in select theaters by A24 on December 25 and premiere globally on Apple TV+ on January 14, 2022.

Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand attend the premiere of The Tragedy of Macbeth at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles, California.

Attendees of the red carpet event included Coen and McDormand, who both also produce, Washington, and fellow cast members Corey Hawkins, Moses Ingram, Alex Hassell, Sean Patrick Thomas, Stephen Root and Lucas Barker, and producer Robert Graf.

Original Podcast: "Wild Things: Siegfried & Roy" coming in January

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Over the course of nearly half a century, Siegfried & Roy performed 30,000 shows for millions of people. Although the German-born illusionists and pop culture icons were mega-famous, much about their private lives, eccentric public personae and tragic final show remained shrouded in mystery  until now. Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and investigative journalist Steven Leckart goes behind the velvet curtain to reveal shocking moments, surprising details and hidden truths about two men who were lionized by millions of fans, lampooned by the media, criticized by animal welfare advocates, and endlessly scrutinized by the public.

Apple TV+ will release the first two episodes of the new eight-part podcast on January 12, 2022 on Apple Podcasts, with new episodes rolling out weekly on Wednesdays.

Archive: Apple TV News
For the first time in a long run, availability rather than cost, risks denying some households access to chicken and other poultry proteins during the Yuletide celebrations.



It follows a historic delay in poultry imports into the country from key markets such as the United States of America (USA), Brazil and the European Union (EU), as a result of disruptions to the global container shipping industry.



A market intelligence report by the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana (CAG) has established that the situation had pushed orders meant to meet Christmas demands into the second week of January and raising concerns over a looming shortage in poultry products during Christmas and New Year festivities.



The chamber said the development had huge implications on the price of poultry, a key protein source for the country, especially during the Yuletide.



When the Graphic Business checked up with the local poultry industry, farmers said they were aware of the looming shortage but lacked the capacity to fill in the gap.



They mentioned the short time frame and the high cost of operation, particularly feed, as the bottlenecks that would make it impossible for them to benefit from the challenge.



The Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers (GNAPF) said the time frame was too short for its members to salvage the situation, as it takes seven to eight weeks to produce birds for consumption.



It further explained that due to the high cost of production, its members would not even be able to meet the 40 per cent demand for locally produced birds during the festivities, talkless of filling in any void to be occasioned by disruptions to imports.



Delayed containers



The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CAG, Mr Anthony Morrison, in an interview with the Graphic Business in Accra on December 11, observed that the assessment of the chamber showed that with regard to the huge tonnes of containers delayed on the international sea, Ghanaians were likely to see a price hike in frozen chicken and other imported goods during this Christmas.



With this development, we should be seeing a price increase in imported frozen chicken between 25 per cent and 30 per cent going into Christmas.



We may not get those goods in by the time of the yuletide and the earliest they may arrive would be the second week of January 2022, he said.



Take advantage



Mr Morrison indicated that the chamber expects local poultry farmers to be able to take advantage of the opportunity that will be created for the demand for chicken during the period.



We expect that from February to April next year, we should have excess imported frozen chicken in the market and this will add up to the woes of the local farmers in 2022.



Already imported poultry products in the market are about 60 per cent cheaper than locally produced chicken and therefore, should the delayed imports arrive in a month, there is likely to be excess poultry, a phenomenon which will aggravate the already dire position of local farmers.



He urged the government to take the needed steps to protect domestic poultry production from foreign competition, if only the country sought to industrialise.



Low production



The Vice-President of the GNAPF, Mr Napoleon Agyemang Oduro, stated that the local poultry farmers were not in a good position to meet demand this Christmas.



Granted that import has been delayed and it takes seven to eight weeks to produce birds for the market while Christmas is about 12 days away, it will be difficult to adjust, he said.



He said the farmers have not been able to produce enough birds for the market this Christmas like they used to do in the past due to high operational cost.



I can even assure you that we are currently in business not because we want profit but to sustain the market because there are still some Ghanaians who want to kill the birds by themselves.



In 2021 alone, cost of production for broilers has increased by over 100 per cent and that is a disadvantage for producers to invest their capital and make losses at the end, he said.



He said due to the high cost of production, local birds would be priced between GH70 and GH100 at the market during the yuletide.



He appealed to the government to introduce a soft loan scheme for poultry farmers to access patient funds, scale up production and create jobs to support the economy.



Decline to speak



Several attempts to get some of the importers to speak on the issue officially proved futile.



Those who agreed to speak also pleaded anonymity but confirmed that most of the orders for Christmas have been delayed, signaling what is expected in the coming days and weeks.



That notwithstanding, they said there was stock available to serve the market.



Import trend



Poultry imports to Ghana keep increasing due to increasing demand and the decline in domestic commercial poultry meat production.



Ghana poultry imports are supplied mainly from the United States, Brazil and the EU.



Supplies from the United States capture over 40 per cent of market share, while European countries and Brazil have 25 per cent each of the market share.



Consumption patterns of households in the country are heavily weighted towards imported frozen poultry products.



The reasons for this trend are that they are cheaper than locally produced poultry and they are already pre-cut: leg quarters and wings, and processed whole chicken and gizzards.

Source: graphic.com.gh









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Minister of Education, Yaw Osei Adutwum, has appealed to the agitated teachers complaining about the laptops purchased for them to keep calm.



Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FMs Kokrokoo, Hon. Yaw Adutwum stated that there is no cause for alarm as he addressed the concerns of foul play in the deal as shared by the teachers.



Clarifying the issues, he stated that money for the purchase of the laptops that is said to have been deducted from their salaries is untrue.



He explained the money is rather deducted from the teachers professional allowance of Ghc 1200 which is given them due to the magnanimity of President Nana Akufo-Addo to assist them financially and also from governments coffers as it took 70 percent of the cost of the laptops.



He also refuted claims that the laptops are of inferior quality saying, the teachers have been complaining about writing lesson notes and so forth, so they need computers. The laptops are to facilitate their workThe laptops have a 2-year warranty unlike the usual 1-year warranty meaning if it spoils, you can send it for repairs without any cost involved.



The Education Minister also lauded the leaders of the Teacher Unions, by whom the laptops were secured, saying the teachers should be patient and know that their Union leaders have their interest at heart.



When their leaders meet me and are fighting for the teachers, they even forget I am a Minister. They dont joke with the teachers at all. So, they wont do nothing to deceive their fellow teachers or treat them badly. They are not like that . . . be patient, lets all come together and let calm prevail, he said.













Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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In some Category A schools in Ghana, instead of repeating Students for failing promotional exams, they dont tolerate that, they will sack you straight especially when the result is very poor.



The same incident happened in Abuakwa State College located in the Eastern Region of Ghana, Abuakwa.

The Principal has sacked over 45 students who scored F9 in a subject after their promotional exams.



Parents of the Students stormed the administration block in tears as some rained curses on the Principal for sacking their wards.



Watch the video below;























































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The Nigerian government has approved a 20% salary increase for police officers.



President Muhammadu Buhari had promised a pay increase in the wake of mass protests, known as the #EndSars, against police brutality last year.



Police Affairs Minister Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that the salary increase was part of measures to discourage officers from taking bribes and extorting citizens.



He said this was also to "improve the relationship between the public and the police".



The increase will take effect from January 2022, he added.



A salary tax waiver for junior police personnel has also been approved with retrospective effect from October this year.



The #EndSars protests were sparked by widespread allegations of police brutality including extortion, torture and extra-judicial killings especially by members of the police's Special Anti-robbery Squad unit known as Sars.



The unit was disbanded in the wake of the protests and various panels of inquiry have been set up in several states to investigate human rights violations by the security forces - before and during the protests.



Campaigners however say that more than one year on, officers implicated in abuses have yet to be held to account.

Source: BBC









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Government is investing and will continue to invest heavily in the Ghana Armed Forces to not only bring it at par with other reputable armed forces in the world, but also to sharpen their readiness to protect the nation against the growing threats in the West Africa sub-region.



Speaking at the Graduation Ceremony for Short Service Commission and Special Duties Course 59 at the Ghana Military Academy and Training School (MATS) at Teshie in Accra on Friday, 17th December, 2021 Vice President Bawumia said the peace in the sub region continues to be assailed by a myriad of threats, and Government will continue to provide the necessary logistics to the Armed Forces for the protection of the countrys borders.



Parts of our sub-region are engulfed by terrorism and embroiled in various forms of deprivation, unrest and violence. Ghanas northern frontiers are seriously threatened, calling for a comprehensive approach to state security.



Thus, government has commenced the strategic expansion and modernization of the Ghana Armed Forces in line with the threat analysis and matching these with the acquisition of the requisite equipment, logistics, infrastructure development and increase in manpower.



The expansion has already seen the creation and the establishment of the Army Special Operations Brigade, Armoured Brigade and 2 Mechanized Battalions. The Bundase and Daboya Training Camps have been improved with the construction of new accommodation and training infrastructure to enhance training and learning.



Additionally, the Government is constructing Eight Hundred and Thirty-Two (832) accommodation units for the Ghana Armed Forces which are currently at various levels of completion in all the Garrisons.



Furthermore, plans are far advanced for the construction and equipping of 15 Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) across our northern frontiers for the Ghana Armed Forces. These FOBs include FOB Dollar Power; FOB Hamile; FOB Tumu; FOB Navrongo; FOB Bawku; FOB Nalerigu; FOB Bunkpurugu; FOB Saboba; FOB Bimbilla; FOB Damongo; FOB Bole; FOB Jirapa; Forward Logistics Base at Wa; Forward Logistics Base Bolgatanga and Main Logistics Base at Tamale.



The Vice President continued:



In the same vein, the government intends to equip the Ghana Navy with Offshore Patrol Vessels and Fast Patrol Boats to counter piracy and other maritime threats and protect our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).



Plans are also in place to equip the Air force with assorted aircrafts comprising Casa C2A5 Maritime Patrol Aircrafts, Mi  171SH Military Airlift Helicopters, VIP Transport Helicopters (H 225) and Mi35 Gunship.



All these investments are to ensure that the Ghana Armed Forces are well equipped and motivated to deliver on its mandates of safeguarding the peace, integrity and security of the nation and maintaining Ghanas contribution to international peace and security.



The quality of training and other logistics are also receiving heavy investments, Dr Bawumia disclosed.



Government is delivering on its promise to reconstruct and upgrade the Ghana Military Academy to bring it at par with other reputable Military Academies in the world. As I speak today, I am delighted to say that, the first phase of the construction works of the Ghana Military Academy is almost complete.



Aside the renovated Officer Cadets Mess and the Academy Parade Square which were completed and commissioned by the President of the Republic on 13 November last year and have since been fully operational, the 320-seating capacity two-storey Classroom Block is completed whilst the magnificent Administration Block is 95% complete.



The constructions of Cadets Accommodation Block, the Platoon Commanders Accommodation and the Boundary Fence Wall are progressing steadily.



Dr Bawumia expressed governments appreciation for the role played by the military in the fight against illegal mining, saying I applaud the Ghana Armed Forces for the successes chalked in clearing our water bodies of illegal miners, and urge you and the other security services to remain undaunted in the fight against illegal mining and lumbering.



Vice President Bawumia, before conferring the Presidential Commission on the Graduating Officer Cadets, reminded the graduands that the interest of the nation should always be paramount in their conduct during their entire careers.



In view of this, you need to uphold professionalism at all times. You are always reminded that patriotism, discipline and responsiveness to operational exigencies are essential and the nation expects nothing less from you.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Anybody who offers information that would lead to the arrest of some criminals who murdered two police officers in Zuarungu, Upper East Region, stands to gain GHS50,000 as a reward, IGP George Akuffo Dampare has promised.



He announced the bounty on Thursday, 16 December 2021 when he arrived in Zuarungu to mourn with the bereaved families.



The policemen, Constable Emmanuel Akowuah and Constable Mohammed Sule, were shot and killed by robbers while on night patrol duties on Wednesday, 15 December.



They shot Sule in the head and caused Akowuah to suffer burns by shooting the fuel tank of his motorbike which caused an explosion that engulfed the late officer.



The IGP said the police will smoke out the suspects, dead or alive.



































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Organisers of the launch of the commemorative gold coins to celebrate the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for his contributions towards peace-building and the overall development of the country, have said the initiative is going to be a life-long project.



A statement signed by E ON 3 Group, said the limited issuance of the Otumfuo Commemorative Gold Coins will be a life-long project that will not only stand as a legacy for the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, but also serve as a vehicle to project the countrys cultural heritage.



The statement said that through the commemorative coins, they will establish a Cultural Resource Centre that will stand out as a national heritage for the benefit of generations.



The centre, will employ the latest technologies and information technology (IT) platforms to promote activities related to traditional and customary conflict resolution in Ghana as well as other peace initiatives, the statement indicated.



The statement said further that the Bank of Ghana (BoG) gave the permission to Gold Coast Refinery Limited to design commemorative gold coins to celebrate the Asantehene, for his contribution to the peace, stability and development of the country in the past 22 years and after he was accorded the title Pillar of Peace.



The Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) in collaboration with a business solutions provider, the EON 3 Group, with Access Bank (the official bank) and the Manhyia Palace got the approval from the Bank of Ghana to launch the gold coins which are of 99.99 per cent assay at 24 carat fine gold, with a diameter of 37mm and weight of 31.104 grammes each.



The face of the gold coins bears the image of the Asantehene, with the Adinkra symbols Bi Nka Bi and Mpatapo, which symbolise peace, harmony and reconciliation, and the reverse bears an image of the Golden Stool (Sika Dwa).



In recognition of the invaluable role and your remarkable achievements in the preservation of peace in the safeguarding of life, the development of Ghana and ensuring peaceful coexistence of the citizenry of Ghana, the Bank of Ghana proudly associates itself with the launch of this commemorative gold coin to climax your Majestys 20th year as the Asantehene, Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Ernest Addison said at the launch.



The bank approved the issuance of a commemorative coin and offered to assist to procure the coin through appropriate channels. The gold coin will be of no monetary value. By that we mean it will not be a medium of exchange and not exactly a legal tender, he added.



The EON 3 Group statement said that special presentation of the coins would be made next week to very important personalities like President Akufo-Addo, Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin, Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, the Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta; the Governor of the BoG, Dr. Ernest Addison, Chairman of National Peace Council, Rev. Dr. Adu-Gyamfi; the Director- General, Securities and Exchange Commission, Rev. Daniel Ogbarmey Tetteh, and the Executive Chairman of Jonah Capital, Sir Sam Jonah.

















Source: Daily Guide









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The Information Services Department of Gambia paid a courtesy call on the Right to Information Commission of Ghana today, 17th December, 2021.



The Right to Information Commission, led by the Chairperson, Justice K. A. Ofori-Atta (RTD), received the Gambian delegation led by Mr. Madiba Sillah who is the Principal Information Officer of Gambia.



The purpose of the call was to afford the Gambian Information Officers the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the implementation of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989) in Ghana in order for them to learn and successfully aid them to implement their Access To Information (ATI) Act. The Gambian Access to Information Bill was adopted by the Gambia's National Assembly on 1st July, 2021, was assented to by the Gambian President, H. E. Adama Barrow in August, 2021 making Gambia the last anglophone West African country to have adopted access to information law.



The Gambian delegation outlined some of the challenges they are facing at the early stage of passing the Right to Information law especially on how people are perceiving how the RTI law should work.



Yaw Sarpong Boateng Esq., the Executive Secretary of the Right to Information Commission, Ghana, advised that the initial stage of the smooth implementation of the law is to engage in public education for the people to understand the details of the RTI law.



The Executive Secretary of the Right to Information Commission of Ghana, Yaw Sarpong Boateng Esq. further indicated that, for the Gambian RTI law to be implemented smoothly, the Gambian government has to imitate Ghana by establishing an independent body that will see to the implementation of the RTI law instead of leaving it in the hands of the Gambian's Information Services Department for the implementation. He reiterated that, the Information Services Department is not independent and hence seeing to the implementation of the RTI law may bring about conflict.



The Chairperson of the RTI Commission, Justice K. A. Ofori-Atta (RTD) and the Deputy Chairperson, Mrs. Elizabeth Asare appealed to the Gambian authority to implement the RTI law deviod of politics for the general public to have confidence that their right to information would not be stampeded.



The Programmes Officer of Media Foundation for West Africa, Seth J. Boakye who accompanied the Gambian delegation exhorted the good works of the RTI Commission in Ghana and implored them to do more.



Other members of the Gambian delegation were Mr. Ebrima A. Njie, Deputy Director, Ebrima Darbo, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Awa Sowe, Information Officer and accompanied by Mrs. Daisy Prempeh, Administration Officer of Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

Source: Peacefmonline









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Former NDC General Secretary and now CEO of Atta Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho has thrown the gauntlet to former President John Dramani Mahama for a sit-down talk regarding accusations levelled against him by some loyalists of the latter.



According to him, the conversation will bring closure to the never-ending saga of a supposed running battle with Mr Mahama.



Speaking on Okay Fm's Ade Akye Abia programme, he explained that several attempts to meet John Mahama has proven futile as the then Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah who was his friend had to write him off.



"I personally drove to Julius Debrah's house at Dome demanding to see the former president but Julius told me that he was under immense pressure not to engage me.



"I just need to engage him for him to know that claims that i hate him are false and also let him know that all that boys have been telling him about about me are lies.



"Kwame (referring to the host), for me to be at peace with John Mahama and for him to be preisdent again, we must have that open conversation.



I never went to John Mahamas office when he was president, I was considered an enemy to him. But did he do anything to dispel that information? he said





Watch Video Below





Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









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Ghanaian business mogul and chairman of the Angel Group of Companies, Dr Kwaku Oteng, has refuted allegations he is married to over six (6) wives.



Dr Kwaku Oteng who stated that he is a devoted Christian has explained that about 98 percent of the news published about him are based on fabrications especially those concerning his family and marital issues.



He believes that he has become a target due to his status in society. The wealthy and influential businessman added that people only want to sully one's reputation once one is regarded as a prominent individual.



"From time to time, I am sure you come across stories that claim have done this or that. I want to stand here today and inform you that most of these stories about me are not true, they are fabricated. Every prominent man is hated for nothing.



"People go about claiming that Director (Dr Kwaku Oteng) has 5 to 6 wives, it is never true. I beg you, just 2% of the things I'm accused of can be true. About 98% are not true, I beg you. Just remember that people only talk about those who are popular," said Dr Oteng in a viral clip.



He furthered: "Nobody talks about you when you are an ordinary man. Take a look at the young man surrounding me. We are all not perfect but once it is about me, they will talk about it. I can't even do a quarter of what these young men do but every day, Dr Kwaku Oteng is being called out for various allegations."



It would be recalled that the businessman in an interview with Vaultz Magazine in August this year posited that there is more blessing in keeping multiple wives than side chicks.



"A lot of men in this country who are married have girlfriends or concubines in their numbers. But those of us who are courageous are the ones who bring in the ladies as second or third wives. Some of the men even go to the extent of hiding their biological children because they are born out of wedlock but I dont do that. For me, when I father a child with a woman, I make it public for all to see. I have experienced that ordeal in the past and so I dont want that child to go through the same.



"Theres nowhere in the word of God that its written that a man should marry one wife. So, its not a sin. Moreover, everyone who marries more than one wife experiences Gods blessings because you are catering to the needs of Gods creation. You are taking care of the needs of the woman and her Gods and all these people are Gods creation. So, marrying two or more wives is not a sin," he was quoted to have said in a report by mynewsgh.com.

VIDEO-



Source: ghanaweb.con









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American music star, Kanye West has predicted that he is going to be homeless in a year.



The 44-year-old father of four who has racked up properties all over the world inbetween his successful career, including his much publicized ranch in Wyoming, has revealed that he plans turning his houses to churches.



During a lengthy interview with culture magazine 032c, the DONDA rapper spoke of how society needs to progress.



Kanye said;



We are under capitalist rule, and its killing us. Its time to change that.



Im going to be homeless in a year. Im going to turn all the homes I own into churches. Were making this orphanage, and it will be a place where anyone can go.



It should be like an artist commune. Food should always be available.



Ye turned his attention to ending homelessness in LA, and met with LA Mission CEO Reverend Troy Vaughn last month when he dropped off 1,000 meals to the organization.



According to TMZ, the Grammy Award-winner is thought to have laid out four ways he can help the homeless after visiting the Skid Row area of the city.



Kanye West is reportedly planning to feed the homeless population by establishing a working relationship with organizations across LA, and will be using his own companies to help provide education, housing and jobs for those on the streets.



West created prototypes for an ambitious housing project to ease homelessness in LA back in 2019. However, the dome structures were torn down after it was alleged that the rapper didnt have the proper permits.



He later shared plans to build an eco-village and childrens ranch using the same domes.









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson arrives to make an announcement in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, July 20, 2021. The government says it plans to plant up to 320 million trees a year to meet the Prime Ministers target to put an extra 2 billion trees in the ground by 2030. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
CRCWiggle also owns Nukeproof and Vitus.

A merger with sports e-commerce giant Signa Sports United means that CRCWiggle - the parent company of Chain Reaction Cycles and Wiggle - is now part of a publicly-traded retail group with $1.8 billion in annual sales, Bicycle Retailer and Industry News reported SSU was recently acquired by Yucaipa Acquisition Corporation, a blank check company that allowed SSU to go public without going through the traditional IPO process. The Yucaipa Acquisition Corporation was already being traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the YAC symbol, and now the corporation will be traded under the symbol SSU SSU, a German group, didn't have much stake in US bike sales until now, but still claims to be the world's largest online bike retailer, with ProBikeShop and Bikester making up a large portion of its sales. Neither ProBikeShop nor Bikester sells to the US. Still, the group is forecast to do $1.1 billion in sales without including CRCWiggle revenue.As the group expands, it has its sights set on the US bike industry. Prior to the merger, SSU's revenue comes 96% from the EU and 4% from the UK. CRCWiggle is SSU's chance at a foothold in the US bike industry, and the group's Q3 investor presentation indicates that the group plans to capitalize off the bike boom and especially the e-bike boom. CRCWiggle's revenue is 58% from the UK, 20% from the EU, 7% from the US, and 15% from the rest of the world, which SSU CSO called Phillipp Rossner calls a "perfectly complementary geographic sales footprint" to what SSU has already established.In a bid to "accelerate" sales in the US, SSU also recently acquired Midwest Sports and Tennis Express, both of which are US-based tennis retailers. With those acquisitions, SSU is expected to generate 9% of its revenue from US sales. 63% of its revenue is expected to come from the bike segment.Rossner also noted that the online sports retail market is still highly fragmented and said that SSU will be further looking to consolidate and increase its stronghold.
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Nearly five dozen people filled the gallery at North Augusta City Hall on Thursday evening when the citys planning commission was scheduled to hear a concept plan for the redevelopment of a centrally-located piece of land in North Augusta that borders the Greeneway and overlooks a long-standing residential neighborhood.

It was largely residents of this neighborhood, The Rapids on Riverbluff Drive, who showed up Thursday to decry the proposed plan for 252 new homes because of its potential impact on area traffic, the school district, property values and the neighborhoods identity as a purely residential corridor.

It harms The Rapids. It harms the whole area. It makes the traffic situation more dangerous; it makes the schools too full; it changes that whole corridor from residential, said one resident. This is really going to not enrich the area.

We chose this location because it was a single-family-zoned area, not worrying about having a store, a retail [or] other type of zoning next door to where we are, said Rapids HOA President Ken Beck. "Many of the residents at The Rapids had lived there for 10-30 years".

Developer Julian Boardmans proposed mixed use development on West Martintown Road at Riverbluff Drive would, if later approved as presented Thursday, build up about 35 acres of prime land directly across the street from The Rapids with a combination of single-family homes, duplexes, high-end apartments and commercial spaces.

Boardmans project, The Falls at Pretty Run Creek, would allow for a total of 252 new residential units on property that sits snug against the North Augusta Greeneway.

Boardman said he had no intention of building commercial spaces larger than 1,500 square feet and that the focus would be on smaller, boutique shops and a cafe off the Greeneway that he said he envisioned as the epicenter of the property.

Were trying to make this fit like a glove, said Boardman. The property has got a lot of good things that were handed to us on a canvas."

Planning commission members were more receptive of Boardmans concept than were the residents in the gallery.

Our community is growing. They do want apartments. Theres going to be some apartments, said commission Vice Chair JoAnn McKie. McKie argued that the city could not flat out prohibit the construction of new apartments and said that she found more good than bad in Boardmans concept.

But McKie and other commissioners, too, objected to the access plan for the development, which would be from Martintown Road onto Riverbluff Drive already the main access for The Rapids  and with a second turn into the new development.

Larry Watts and Len Carter agreed with McKie, and added that Boardmans project was "well-designed" and "a perfect development" except for its proposed access points.

Traffic in that neighborhood is already a problem due to the S-Curve of Riverbluff and congestion on Martintown, said Carter, who posed that this comprised a separate issue for the citys engineers to look into. This needs to be a focus as well, he said. You shouldnt have to go right out of the neighborhood to go up and make a left turn and hook it back and go left  that should not be an issue.

Both Carter and commissioner Tim Key iterated that it was only those in opposition to a project who generally made their comments known to the city when new developments get underway and that those in favor arent apt to show up no matter the extent of opposition, the city has to balance all views.

We have to look at the overall picture and try to make it work for everybody involved, Carter said.
COLUMBIA  South Carolina is slated to receive an additional $1.3 billion in federal highway funding over the next five years, but getting it depends on the Legislature ponying up more in state taxes, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The SCDOT's governing board has already approved a plan for the windfall, provided the Legislature sends the agency $100 million more yearly starting with the state budget that takes effect July 1. The request will be part of next year's budget debate.

"If we dont get the match, well leave $750 million on the table," state DOT Secretary Christy Hall told The Post and Courier.

And that's the minimum South Carolina could give up. Without a leap in spending on roads, the state DOT also won't qualify for potentially more federal aid that's available to states through an application process. The more the Legislature sends, the more the state DOT can apply for in grants for specific projects, which can range from sound barriers to massive bridge overhauls, she said.

The House's chief budget writer said he's supportive, but the amount is up for debate.

"We need to draw down all the money available to us," Ways and Means Chairman Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, said Dec. 15. "Obviously, that is a way for us to increase the funding for our highways and roads in South Carolina."

The additional federal money comes from the $1 trillion spending package Congress passed last month, dubbed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The Biden White House has touted it as allotting more than $5 billion to South Carolina for roadwork. But most of that was already destined for DOT coffers under prior federal law.

The new law increases federal highway aid flowing directly to the DOT by $250 million or so annually, from roughly $735 million to $1 billion yearly, through 2026.

Under changes unanimously adopted by the DOT's board, the supplement will enhance and expedite the agency's existing 10-year plan, which extends to mid-2027.

The updated plan sends the biggest chunk of new money to local and regional projects to combat congestion in cities and improve access in rural areas. Spending through that program  which is distributed by population  would increase by $100 million annually, to $238 million. The details are largely a local decision, with DOT input and approval.

"This is our opportunity to deal with congestion and growth and economic development," Hall told her board members while presenting plans for the new money.

The 2017 state law that increased gas taxes and other fees for roadwork was designed to get the nation's fourth-largest highway system "to a state of good repair, but it doesnt solve our congestion issues," she said.

Transportation Commissioner Robby Robbins of Summerville applauded the idea.

"Our partners at county and municipal levels have got to plan in ways that lessen congestion," said Robbins, who represents the Lowcountry on the DOT board. "Were really struggling in my area."

Another big chunk of the new money would go to bridge work.

The existing 10-year plan included repairing or replacing 465 bridges statewide. The board approved putting an additional $69 million annually into bridgework and boosting the target to 500 bridges fixed by mid-2027.

Commissioners also voted Dec. 9 to change the prioritization of which bridges get fixed, after inspections statewide of how much weight bridges can handle resulted in load restrictions on 656 bridges: 132 on the state's major highways and 524 on secondary roads. Less than half that number were weight restricted under former design standards, said Leland Colvin, DOT's deputy secretary for engineering.

Bridges built in the 1950s and '60s were never built to handle current truckloads that can exceed 80,000 pounds, and South Carolina has a lot of them, he said.

Changes to the rating system include prioritizing bridges on primary routes. And, if an inspection results in putting load restrictions on an interstate bridge, that bridge automatically rises to the top for immediate repair or replacement. Currently, none exist on interstates, Colvin said.

"Weve got to focus in on bridges on our primary system to keep our economy intact," he said.

Paving would get a big initial boost, at $200 million additional over the next three years, to eventually hit a high of $775 million in 2024 before scaling back down. That's to help the state more quickly replace top-layer asphalt that's breaking down in some areas, Hall said.

New categories of spending added to DOT's 10-year plan because of the federal law include drainage and electric charging stations.

The update puts $15 million yearly into replacing culverts and other drainage improvements to control flooding.

And it spends $13 million yearly on making it easier for drivers of electric cars to charge up. DOT does not intend to continue that spending past the federal law's five-year expiration.

But the Legislature will have to figure out how to maintain South Carolina's roads as the nation transitions from gas- to electric-powered vehicles over the next few decades, which the federal law encourages, Chairman Smith said.

The state's 2017 road-funding law increased biennial fees for electric vehicles to $120, but that already doesn't make up for the cents on the gallon they'd otherwise pay at the gasoline pump. The final phase-in of that law  which increased gas taxes by 12 cents per gallon over six years  will be next July.

"We need to start preparing for how well put more resources on our roads, recognizing that gas-powered cars will be in the minority," Smith said. "How are we going to fund roads, recognizing gas tax will be declining?"
After initially announcing that it would require U.S. workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to comply with a federal order, Boeing Co. told its employees Dec. 17 that it's suspending the mandate.

Boeing employs about 5,700 people in South Carolina, where its 787 Dreamliner program is based.

The company had said in October that it would require COVID shots to stay in compliance with a White House order mandating them for federal contractors.

But, "after careful review, Boeing has suspended its vaccination requirement in line with a federal courts decision prohibiting enforcement of the federal contractor executive order and a number of state laws," the company said in a statement Friday.

Boeing's previously-announced mandate had allowed for religious and medical exemptions. Per Boeing's Dec. 17 memo, 92 percent of the company's U.S. workforce has either been fully vaccinated or received an exemption. Boeing did not offer a breakdown of exemptions versus vaccinations.

The company also did not have specifics on vaccination rates at its various work sites, including Boeing South Carolina.

"Nearly all" vaccinated Boeing employees have shared proof of vaccination with the company, according to the memo.

Boeing had said in October that employees would have to provide proof of vaccination or acquire an exemption by Dec. 8.

The percentage of employees who have turned in their proof of vaccination or secured an exemption to-date "positions the company well" if the federal executive order it had been trying to comply with is reinstated in the future, the memo states.

Employees who aren't vaccinated are still "strongly encouraged" to do so, the memo to workers says. Other COVID-19 policies, like face mask requirements indoors, are still in effect.

In a statement in Boeing's Friday memo, chief medical officer Dr. Laura Cain recommended that unvaccinated employees to get their shots.

"I want to strongly encourage our employees to get vaccinated or get a booster if they have not done so to help protect their teammates, families and communities," Cain said.
South Carolina's employment situation improved for the 11th consecutive month in November as more workers returned, edging the state's unemployment rate lower.

The jobless figure fell to 3.7 percent from 3.9 percent in October, according to a new report from the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce.

The figure for last month was below the national average of 4.2 percent.

Monthly data, adjusted for seasonal factors, showed that 4,330 formerly unemployed residents returned to work during the month.

The estimated number of employed South Carolina residents is 2.3 million, or 100,032 more than in November 2020. An estimated 89,473 remain unemployed, down about 4,900 from October and a sizable improvement of 41,882 from a year earlier.

Hit hard by the pandemic, South Carolina's leisure and hospitality industry was a bright spot in November. The sector was the top gainer last month, adding 2,500 jobs, or 12,100 more than last November.

"These were sorely needed, and that industry continues to recruit and hire," said Dan Ellzey, executive director of the state's employment agency.

"While this is encouraging, this industry and many others are welcoming the workforce," he said.

There are still more than 100,000 available jobs posted in the SC Works Online Services database, Ellzey said.

The trade, transportation and utilities sector added 1,500 jobs in October but lost 1,000 workers last month.

The state's trucking and warehousing industries have recovered after struggling ahead of the holidays in a strong economy where demand for imported consumer goods is high.

"There was a really strong increase on the warehousing side," said Laura Ullrich, a Charlotte-based economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Va. She said a lot of companies are changing their inventory plans after COVID, "especially companies that rely on deliveries from overseas."

The latest data suggests that the decline in the category resulted from non-seasonally adjusted retail trade that didn't grow as much as it usually does, Ullrich said.

"In 2019, from October to November, 6,400 jobs were added in retail. This year, there were under 3,000," she said.

Education and health services added a modest 200 jobs in November.

Job seekers should consider positions in healthcare, an industry that "offers a variety of jobs, training opportunities, career choices, benefits and good pay," Ellzey said.

The month's worst-performing sector was manufacturing, which lost 2,000 jobs.

Overall, employers added 4,600 jobs last month across all categories, excluding farms, well below the 6,700 gain in October.

Ullrich said she has doubts about the November employment figures, adding last month's national job gains of 210,000 were well below the 1 million economists projected because we are in "abnormal times."

"I don't think seasonal adjustments are working as they are supposed to," Ullrich said.

The economist expects upward revisions in national and state data.
The omicron variant of COVID-19 is causing quite a stir globally, with recent studies showing a resistance to current vaccines, and a Charleston band is among those affected by the rising concern.

Susto, the local act with a national and international following, has canceled an upcoming European tour due to omicron uncertainty and possible travel restrictions.

France has already banned nonessential travel to and from the United Kingdom over omicron concerns, and other countries are reevaluating travel restrictions and requirements.

The Lowcountry band behind hits "Jah Werx," "Chillin' on the Beach With My Best Friend Jesus Christ" and "Get Down" from their most recent album "Time in the Sun" was slated for a United Kingdom and Scandanavian tour from Jan. 26 through Feb. 5.

Susto was set to play at concert venues in London, Oxford, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Uppsala, Stockholm, Hultsfred, Falkenberg and Malmo.

"Given the most recent restrictions and data on the omicron coronavirus variant in Europe, we have decided to postpone our 2022 European tour," the band wrote in a statement on social media. "While we were looking forward to sharing this with all of you, performing for fans and bringing 'Time in the Sun' overseas, the safety of our band, crew and fans is paramount."

Susto is planning to reschedule the tour at a later date and still has national tour dates arranged in February, March and April.
Columbia, SC (29201)

Today

Sunny along with a few clouds. High 62F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Rain showers early with clearing later at night. Low near 35F. SW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
COLUMBIA  A Georgetown rapper will serve at least 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to having more than two kilograms of black tar heroin in his Columbia apartment, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Dec. 17.

Edmund Dechane Holmes, 30, who performs under the name S.M.E. Buddha, was scheduled for trial in January on a charge of possession with intent to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement.

Investigators said the scheme was discovered in 2018 when Columbia police responded to a disturbance call at a city apartment where they saw a small amount of drugs in plain view.

After obtaining a search warrant, authorities found 1.9 kilograms of black tar heroin in a back bedroom along with distribution paraphernalia, bulk money packaging supplies and other evidence.

A renter's insurance policy on the unit matched several other personal identification items left behind, police said.

At the time of his plea, Holmes was already serving a five-year term of federal supervised release after finishing a five-year prison sentence on heroin distribution, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

He now faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison with up to life maximum along with a $10 million fine.

According to his professional website, Holmes was raised in Georgetown along with his two younger brothers by a single mother. He acknowledged his 2013 arrest and said it prepared him to concentrate on a future in the rap industry.

"While serving time, Buddha was able to refocus and tap back into music. After serving five years, he perfected his craft, and was set on making a name for himself once he was released," his website says.
The $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress in November could benefit South Carolina in countless ways, from repairing roads and bridges to ensuring drinking water in all communities is clean and safe.

But this infrastructure package also stands to benefit forests in the state and hot cities like Charleston and Columbia that may be cooled by improved canopy cover.

REPLANT Act

In South Carolina, more than 600,000 acres of land are covered by national forests. The Francis Marion National Forest in the Lowcountry spans nearly 259,000 acres. And the Sumter National Forest in the Upstate sits on about 371,000 acres.

Hurricane Hugo in 1989 knocked down nearly a billion board-feet of timber in the Francis Marion, and more than a third of the forest was leveled by the storm's winds. Since that time, the Forest Service said this special area  filled with pine stands, swamps and marshes  has been working to recreate itself.

The infrastructure package includes the REPLANT Act, which will remove the cap placed on a reforestation trust fund instituted in 1980 and provide money to restore areas after severe disturbances like wildfires and windstorms.

The Forest Service said after Hugo, there was a resurgence of young trees and understory shrubs which caused an increased threat for catastrophic fire in the Francis Marion National Forest.

So far this year, the state has experienced 1,220 wildfires across 7,487 acres, according to the S.C. Forestry Commission. There have been more than 19,000 wildfires in the state since 2010.

A notice from Columbia Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn's office said under the infrastructure package, South Carolina can expect to receive $15 million over five years for wildfire protection.

National nonprofit organization American Forests has worked for years to see money designated for reforestation in the United States. Eric Sprague, the organization's vice president of forest restoration, said the reforestation trust fund was initially capped at $30 million and remained that way until the REPLANT Act was passed last month. Money for the fund was collected from wood imports.

"In 1980, $30 million may or may not been enough money to meet the needs, but certainly it is not now," Sprague said.

But by lifting the cap, the REPLANT Act will essentially allow all of the money to be pulled in from funding generated by tariffs on imported wood products.

There is currently a 4.2 million acre backlog across the United States for reforestation. In the West, too much fire has proven to be a bad thing. And in the East, too little fire has caused problems.

Massive wildfires burn so hot and large in western states like California that oftentimes, the forests don't regrow afterwards. In a large part of the eastern United States, oak and longleaf pine forests  important for the economy, water and wildlife  are being overtaken by other species like maples that thrive better with a lack of natural fire.

Funding made possible by the REPLANT Act will support reforestation after disturbances and harvests. It can fund management actions like cutting down maple trees that are shading out oaks, and planting additional trees. In places like South Carolina, this could mean the creation of new longleaf pine forests.

"So the REPLANT Act is a really important tool to help create the conditions where tools like fire can be useful again to us," Sprague said.

Healthy Streets Program

Money for reforestation isn't the only way the infrastructure package will benefit the environment. Written into the act is a new Healthy Streets Program that will provide grants to certain entities to install cool and porous pavements and expand tree cover. States, local governments and select organizations will be eligible to apply for the grants.

This new program is intended to mitigate urban heat islands, improve air quality and reduce flood risks and heat impacts to infrastructure, among other things. Specifically, the money can be used to identify heat islands, plant more trees in urban areas and deploy cool surfaces, among other things.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said more than 11,000 Americans have died from heat-related causes since 1979. And certain population groups like adults over 65, children and people in lower income neighborhoods face greater risks of heat-related deaths.

In July, volunteers and researchers fanned out across parts of Charleston on one of the hottest days of the year to record temperatures, humidity, time and location using special sensors mounted to cars and cellphone cameras. The recorded data was used as part of the national Heat Watch program to learn where action is needed to protect vulnerable populations now and in the future.

Results from the study were released earlier in December. They showed dense industrial and commercial areas, with a significant amount of impervious surfaces, can absorb and retain heat at all times of the day. In areas with lower tree canopy, residents are at a higher health risk because the heat can concentrate throughout the day. And conserved forests tended to help reduce heat concentration in single-family residential neighborhoods.

Certain areas, especially parts of North Charleston, tended to be really hot on the day the heat-mapping project was conducted, according to Scott Curtis, who leads the Lt. Col. James B. Near Jr. Center for Climate Studies at The Citadel. He was one of several researchers to travel the area and record heat on July 31. The National Weather Service said the observed high temperature that day was 95 degrees at Charleston International Airport.

Curtis said areas in East Cooper and West Ashley tended to be a bit cooler than parts of the peninsula.

"The density of structures is not as great there," Curtis said. "So there's probably more tracks of natural vegetation and trees as compared to, you know, downtown."

Breezes from the water in downtown Charleston tended to not affect the heat much.

Joel Pannell, the vice president of urban forest policy for American Forests, said the federal government is working to combat extreme heat, and tree cover is "nature's best air conditioner" and air filter.

A piece of proposed federal legislation called the Build Back Better bill is being considered by Congress, and if passed, it will also help fund the work cities are already doing to invest in the short and long-term health of urban canopy.

In some places, that will look like planting a lot of trees, and in other cases, that could involve moving hazardous trees that are detrimental to the health of the urban community forest, Pannell said.

He said more than 500 million trees need to be planted across the United States to achieve tree equity.

"But it's much more than just planting trees, Pannell said. "It's the protection of your existing tree canopy. It's the removal of invasive species and other threats to the canopy, and it's also about, you know, really the human connection."

Curtis said one concern in the Charleston area is finding the open areas to add more green space and plant trees. Potential areas could include abandoned shopping centers or parking lots that no one uses.

"So I know it may be a cost involved, but you could just demolish all of that, remove all the rubble away, and then that would be an open area that you could potentially encourage tree growth and things like that," Curtis said.

Cities are on the frontlines of climate change, and Pannell said it will take partnerships between government, nonprofits and private entities to plan, protect and maintain community trees or forests.
GEORGETOWN  Georgetown County residents will have a few more weeks to respond to a survey about what they want the county to look like over the next 10 years.

So far, though, a little more than 1,000 responses have been received and three quarters of them have been from residents of the Waccamaw Neck.

This survey is part of the county's update to its comprehensive plan, which is a non-legally binding, bigger-picture guide that uses local zoning ordinances to build a future vision. The survey asks residents to talk about what they love about the county and what they picture for it going forward, and the county plans to use this survey to build the updates for the comprehensive plan around.

Residents of the Waccamaw Neck specifically have been vocal for several months about not only updating the comprehensive plan, but ensuring it is followed so as to bar more development from happening on the small slice of land between the ocean and the Waccamaw River.

Right now, the comprehensive plan suggests limiting new development on the Waccamaw Neck, but the areas population has skyrocketed over the last few years, forcing new housing to erect. This increase in population and housing density has residents worried about traffic, flooding, trees and general quality of life.

Comprehensive plans are required by South Carolina state law to be updated every 10 years, and Georgetown County is late on that deadline because of COVID-19, planning director Holly Richardson said.

In order to reach more people, Richardson said the county planning department is mailing fliers to local churches with a link to the online survey. While there is not a set number of responses the county is looking for, Richardson said she wants to give people more time to respond.

County residents can find the survey at georgetowncountysc.org/396/Comprehensive-Plan-Update, and now have until Jan. 15 to fill it out.
CONWAY  In a rare Horry County Council meeting, members shot down six rezoning requests for new housing throughout the area, sparking gratitude from residents.

During the Dec. 14 meeting, Horry County's 12 council members were presented with 17 rezoning requests, 10 of which were set to receive unanimous initial approval as part of a consent agenda.

But in an uncommon move, council members removed three of the projects from the agenda voting  and denying them  separately. Another three were rejected as well.

It is unusual for so many requests to get halted by the Horry County Council at once. The projects that would have built 700 more homes and apartments were spread all over the county from Aynor to Loris to Carolina Forest.

As South Carolina's fastest-growing county continues to boom with growth, it's no secret that residents have objected in recent months to the continued development that is changing rural residents way of life.

So when western Horry County resident Amanda Jayne Gill tuned into the Dec. 14 meeting she became optimistic. Gill spoke to council earlier year regarding a rezoning project near Brown's Way Shortcut on the southwestern portion of the county, which ultimately passed.

"Horry County Council is FINALLY listening to the people! Multiple projects and re-zoning being denied until solutions to our roads and lack of general infrastructure are brought forward! Keep letting our voices and votes be heard!" Gill said in a Facebook post following the meeting.

County councilman Harold Worley said during the meeting he will not be voting in favor of any rezonings until Horry County adds an impact fee for stormwater and transportation.

Earlier this year council passed what Worley called "watered down" impact fees after many council members removed stormwater and transportation categories, angering many residents.

Now, council is looking to bring those impact fees back in the 2022 budget cycle.

Below is a breakdown of the six projects council vetoed:

125 townhomes near S.C. 9

Horry County Council unanimously rejected Thomas & Hutton, a Myrtle Beach-based engineering company, request to build 125 townhomes on Saw Horse Drive near S.C. 9.

County Councilman Mark Causey, whose district represents the project, lead the charge to vote down the project Dec. 14, after Horry County's Planning and Zoning Commission recommend council not move forward with the project.

Traffic concerns were the major opposition against the project as the S.C. 31 extension spills out just down the road from the project.

73 single-family homes near S.C. 319 in Aynor

Venture Engineering requested to build 73 single-family homes off of S.C. 319, but Councilman Al Allen who represents the project's district voted against the project and asked his fellow council members to do the same.

The project was unanimously rejected by the council, weeks after it was turned by the county planning commission amid community protests.

Allen's push against the project stemmed from it being within the 319 Rural Heritage Area Plan, which was adopted in 2011 to limit residential development in the area to maintain area's rural character.

"I'm all for the protection of that area  we need to cautious at what we are having out there," Allen said.

252 multi-family units along River Oaks Drive

Horry County Council unanimously rejected Landbank LLC's request to amend the Berkshire Village, which is a planned development district, or PDD, due to traffic concerns. The applicant was hoping to convert 252 of the remaining single-family units to multi-family.

The PDD which is off of River Oaks Drive in Carolina Forest  one of Horry County's fastest growing areas  currently allows for a total of 1,438 single-family units and 284 multifamily units.

Councilman Dennis DiSabato, who represents a portion of Carolina Forest, said infrastructure concerns in the area have now shifted to the River Oaks area as Carolina Forest Boulevard widening project was completed.

"Adding this much density on that road would become a traffic nightmare," DiSabato said.

251 single-family units near S.C. 701 in Loris

Horry County Council unanimously rejected to build 259 single-family units along S.C. 701 and Lawson Road in Loris due to traffic concerns. The project was proposed by Squires Brothers Investment Group and was approved by the county planning commission with many in the audience groaning after that decision was made earlier in December.

Councilman Danny Hardee, who represents the district which contains the project, asked council to vote down the project due to infrastructure concerns pointing towards the fact that S.C. 701 needs turn lane improvements to be able to maintain the added traffic, according to the S.C. Department of Transportation.

"Anything in District 10  until we see some way of improving the roads and the conditions out there, 'Fella's we can't keep approving them and sending them to (S.C.) 905 to sending them to Highway 90 and causing more problems,'" Hardee said.

33 single-family units at the intersection of S.C. 66 and 905

Deerslayer LLC requested  and failed  to develop 33 single-family units at the intersection of S.C. 66 and S.C. 905 in Conway. Council unanimously voted down the project due to traffic concerns, as well.

The property contained over six acres of wetlands, though none of the properties were proposed within wetlands or flood zones.

A final request was shot down by council came from property owner Petrit Kojtari, who wanted to build two duplexes along Riverview Drive in Little River.
CONWAY  A pair of juveniles were charged with making threats on social media against schools and referencing a shooting, the Horry County Police Department said Dec. 17.

In a statement, police said a pair of Forestbrook Middle School students were involved in the threat, posting to social media an image of one them with a handgun above a caption citing a shooting.

Authorities said they launched an investigation around 8 p.m. Dec. 16 after receiving reports about a social media post suggesting violence against a local school. The students were charged later that night.

"School threats are taken seriously by local law enforcement and we continue to work with our partners locally and regionally to monitor the situation," police said in a press release.

Charges against the students came amid growing concern by school districts nationwide about a social media challenge daring students on Dec. 17 to promote violence at their schools and in the wake of a Nov. 30 shooting at Oxford High School that left four students dead.

On Dec. 16, Lexington School District One  South Carolina's sixth largest  sent a letter to parents alerting them to the challenge, although no credible threats had been received, officials said.
SUMMERVILLE  After years of ups and downs with finding a space, Dorchester County's only animal shelter finally has land for a new building.

Dorchester Paws announced this week that it has officially closed on a piece of property at the corner of U.S. Highway 17A and Central Avenue in downtown Summerville.

The land sits at nearly 7 acres and cost the shelter $1.75 million. Dorchester Paws' On Solid Ground Campaign, an initiative created to raise money for the new shelter, has collected more than $2.1 million.

The county donated $1 million to the campaign and the state of South Carolina provided $350,000.

Organizers with Dorchester Paws thanked the local community and Dorchester County for the continued support and donations.

"Without that, none of this would've been possible," said Erin Sullivan, Dorchester Paws' board chairman.

The new shelter is expected to be double the size of Dorchester Paws' current space off U.S. Highway 78. There will also be room for expansion as the need grows.

In the coming year, organizers will be working on mapping out the next stage of the building project as well as a three-year strategic plan.

Sullivan said the land purchase news is welcomed considering the challenging year Dorchester Paws has had. The shelter is currently still at capacity.

By the end of the year, they are expected to take in right around 4,000 animals. More than 400 animals have consistently been in the staff's care throughout year.

Staff also had to briefly put a pause on admissions for nearly a week in November after adoption floors were filled and nearly 750 cats and dogs were taken in.

"We just need a new facility," Sullivan said.

Dorchester Paws has been in its current shelter since 1972 and hasn't seen any renovations. It's a victim of frequent flooding and the kennels end up filling with sewage and waste at least once year due to the building sitting so low.

Finding land for a larger shelter has also been an ongoing problem for Dorchester Paws. The organization had previously completed early shelter designs and acquired land off of Mallard Road last year.

That space had to be given up after builders discovered issues with the soil. Since then, shelter leaders and county officials have been working and reviewing to find the right place with no luck until now.

County Councilman David Chinnis said he's excited to see the organization find the new location.

"It seems like it took forever to accomplish it," said Chinnis, a non-voting board member with Dorchester Paws. "Now the hard work comes."

To finish building the new space, Dorchester Paws is still going to need help from the community. Those who are interested in supporting Dorchester Paws or adopting a local pet can go to the shelter's website at dorchesterpaws.org.

"This is more our starting line than our finish line," Sullivan said.

More than 80 percent of Dorchester Paws' budget comes from the public.
Educators at all levels are adept at brainstorming and finding solutions to problems.

And successful teachers identify specific, well-crafted solutions to a problem in advance of having a discussion with their administrators. This might be a good plan for school volunteers as well.

A Dec. 8 letter to the editor described a disappointing volunteer experience at a local school where the letter writer was asked to direct traffic on the very busy first day of school. It seems he felt that the job was beneath his years of business know-how. He is left wondering why the school never called him back to volunteer again.

Before COVID, schools like the ones I worked in for more than 27 years cordially welcomed volunteers.

However, creating a job for a volunteer sometimes seemed like one more thing on our plate. Many volunteer jobs in a school require instruction in school policy or classroom procedures.

In my experience as a school librarian, a dependable volunteer who arrives to shelve books on a particular day and time is most welcome. (Thanks, Mrs. Martin.)

However, a volunteer who shows up and says, What do you need help with today? in the middle of a busy school day is less valuable.

Dropping off a box of dusty magazines and out-of-date books is the least helpful thing one can do for a busy classroom teacher or librarian.

I would advise eager volunteers to approach teachers with specific offers of help.

Schools might have a list of volunteer jobs from which to choose.

Pay attention to what teachers are saying these days: They are tired, overwhelmed and overscheduled.

Think deeply and creatively about what you can do to support them.

You will feel good, possibly even solve an important problem, and your heart will grow.

KELLYANNE BURBAGE

Charleston

China, virus link

I may have missed the news that discusses everything related to everything COVID 19 and related variants, but never seems to mention China anymore.

When a worldwide plague and deaths of millions seems to be at the feet of a reckless and tyrannical country that has proven time and again that its leaders do not care about anything in this world and its populace except their own political and geographic ambitions, it is time for international condemnation on a scale commensurate with this abominable, disgusting behavior.

To my knowledge, only one country, with Donald Trump as its president, had the rightful audacity to say anything.

Since then, we have witnessed a country that colludes more with China, nationally and personally with our current chief executive, whose experiences on the world stage are fraught with humiliation, failure and retreat.

Factor in a biased news media, particularly the Associated Press and the media that quotes them, as if they are the only true, unbiased source of international news, everyone seems to have forgotten about China.

The AP reports about new outbreaks, variants and deaths, but it rarely investigates where this all began. And China is putting forth crazy conspiracy theories that the virus may have started at Fort Detrick in Maryland.

Sure, and pigs fly.

SEYMOUR ROSENTHAL

Mount Pleasant

Kudos for article

Post and Courier reporter Steve Garrisons Tuesday front page article, Be on lookout for crimes that can steal holiday joy, is both important and a hoot.

I hope the entire staff and all the newspapers readers enjoyed Garrisons continuous shoutout to the 12 Days of Christmas, starting with his first paragraph ending with a (partridge) crashed into a roadside tree.

And it just got better.

The next paragraph ends with maintain public safety amid the good cheer.

And the next reminds us that law enforcement warns us to protect (our) bounty of gifts.

His article ends with the important warning that theres always someone trying to ruin the party.

Both accompanying pictures are close to tongue-in-cheek: One was of an overdressed police officer looking for speeders and the other, an overloaded Christmas shopper.

The article is important, but it was a joy to read something that someone clearly had such a good time writing.

STEVEN W. KOHLHAGEN

Charleston

Wake-up call

The Washington Posts masthead says: Democracy Dies in Darkness. I believe we have reached that point.

Last week, David Perdue, a former U.S. senator from Georgia running in the Republican primary against the current governor, said he would not have certified the 2020 election results had he been governor at the time, even after three recounts showing that Joe Biden won.

If that is not a wake-up call, this democracy is in trouble.

ROBERT HYLAND

Summerville
There are about 105,000 other South Carolinians who fall into a health insurance coverage gap created by factors that were set into motion about a decade ago.

In 2012, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act for the first time.

But, there was a caveat. The court said it was up to states to decide if they would expand Medicaid, the state and federal program that provides health coverage to people with low incomes.

Most states signed on. South Carolina did not.

Ten years in, South Carolina remains one of only 12 states that has not expanded its Medicaid program under the ACA. Republican leaders in Columbia have long contended that South Carolina cant afford it.

Today, health editor Lauren Sausser will break down that almost 10-year-old decision and why it was one of the most significant health care policy choices state leaders have made this century. We also spoke with Christian Soura, a former Medicaid director for South Carolina whos now the executive vice president at the S.C. Hospital Association, about the cost that comes with not expanding Medicaid coverage in the state.

Understand SC is a weekly podcast from The Post and Courier that draws from the reporting resources and knowledge of our newsroom to help you better understand South Carolina. This episode was hosted and edited by Emily Williams.

Are there any stories you'd like to hear on the show. Contact us at understandsc@postandcourier.com.

Related reading:
The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Jefferson City arrived at Naval Base Guam following a change of homeport from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Dec. 16, a release from the U.S. Navy announced.

This is the second time the vessels homeport was changed in a decade, having transferred to Hawaii from Naval Base Point Loma, California in 2014.

The officers and crew of Jefferson City are excited for the opportunity to join the Forward Deployed Naval Force at the tip of the spear in Guam, stated Cmdr. Robert McDowell, commanding officer, Jefferson City.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

The submarine was welcomed to the island, and the 7th Fleet area of operations by Capt. Bret Grabbe, commodore, Submarine Squadron 15.

This homeport change continues our focus to bring our most capable submarines to theater with the greatest amount of striking power and operational capability to bear in the timeliest manner. Jefferson City served with distinction while homeported in Hawaii since 2014 and now joins Submarine Squadron 15 in order to achieve rapid response times for maritime and joint forces while serving (Indo-Pacific Command) objectives, he said. We look forward to Jefferson City supporting national and Pacific Fleet objectives as part of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces stationed in Guam.

The Navys release said the military branch requires a forward capable fleet because of the current security environment in the region.

The USS Jefferson City is nuclear-powered, and is capable of attacking with torpedoes, mines and Tomahawk cruise missiles. It can also support a multitude of missions, including anti-surface ship warfare, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The submarine has a crew of approximately 140 sailors.

The supporting cast that enabled us to change homeports cannot be thanked enough, but in particular, the continued support of our families through this transition has enabled our submarine to stay focused on the mission and remain ready for tasking when any exigence calls, McDowell stated.

(Daily Post Staff)
Writings on the Wall

Unsatisfied with the Articles of Confederation, James Madison pushed for a constitutional convention. He wrote most of the constitution but so Read more
In late October the Wall Street Journal broke the story that [t]he Biden administration [was] in talks to offer immigrant families that were separated during the Trump administration around $450,000 a person in compensation[.] I noted it in Bordering on insanity: Payout edition.

In addition to denying that the settlement would happen, Biden called the story garbageIts not true. Yet it was undoubtedly a bona fide story. The administration issued no denial in the week following the storys publication.

ACLU President Anthony Romero issued this statement following Bidens press conference. On the question of fact regarding the accuracy of the story, Romero said this:

President Biden may not have been fully briefed about the actions of his very own Justice Department as it carefully deliberated and considered the crimes committed against thousands of families separated from their children as an intentional governmental policy.

Romero continued on the politics of the lawsuit:

But if he follows through on what he said, the president is abandoning a core campaign promise to do justice for the thousands of separated families. We respectfully remind President Biden that he called these actions criminal in a debate with then-President Trump, and campaigned on remedying and rectifying the lawlessness of the Trump administration. We call on President Biden to right the wrongs of this national tragedy.

The settlement may not happen, but the story wasnt garbage. Perhaps Biden gives us yet another case of Democrat projection.

The three Journal reporters on the story returned to it here the following week. They asked both the White House and Romero about Bidens statement:

The White House referred questions about the presidents remarks to the Justice Department, which said it will not comment on ongoing litigation. * * * * * Mr. Romero said later Wednesday that the Justice Department had assured the ACLU that talks were continuing. If we cant achieve true restitution, he added, well take our case on behalf of our clients to court.

The Journal story wasnt garbage. The ACLU at least has the facts straight. I would add only that the ACLU now believes more adamantly in illegal immigration than it does in free speech, which it now finds problematic.

Once President Biden was brought into the loop, he vehemently defended the validity of the claims and related settlement negotiations, arguing that his reference to garbage bore only on the alleged settlement amount. If, in fact, because of the outrageous behavior of the last administration, you coming across the border, whether it was legally or illegally, and you lost your child  You lost your child. Its gone  you deserve some kind of compensation, no matter what the circumstance, Biden angrily bellowed. What that will be I have no idea. I have no idea. His having no idea is a generally applicable proposition.

My guess is that someone inside the Biden Justice Department who saw the absurdity of the settlement negotiations leaked them to the Journal with the intended effect of creating the uproar that ensued. Now comes word from the Journal that the Justice Department has pulled out of the settlement talks:

The government will instead move to litigate the hundreds of claims filed by families seeking monetary damages for the lasting psychological trauma they say the prolonged separations caused, according to Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLUs immigrant-rights project and a lead negotiator in the talks.

The Journal adds that the Justice Department declined to comment. We cant be sure, but they may not be entirely happy having their client on record supporting the merits of the claims brought by the adverse parties to the litigation.
Kevin ( Viva la Resistance!) Clinesmith is the convicted felon who radically altered a document in the Trump-Russia investigation to justify spying on an American citizen. At the time, Clinesmith was an assistant general counsel at the FBI.

In order to receive court approval for surveillance of Carter Page, Clinesmith took a document that said Page WAS a CIA source and altered it say Page WAS NOT a CIA source. He then submitted the fake document to the federal court to support obtaining a FISA warrant that would enable the FBI to spy not just on Page but quite possibly on the Trump campaign for which he had worked.

It is hard to imagine a more blatant fraud on the court. Perpetuating that fraud should have meant an end to Clinesmiths legal career or at least a lengthy cessation of it.

However, fraud on the court in service of La Resistance to Donald Trump doesnt bother the left-wing D.C. bar one bit. It has restored Clinesmith as a member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar Association  this despite the fact that he has yet to finish serving out his probation as a convicted felon.

Paul Sperry of RealClearInvestigations has the nauseating details. He writes:

Clinesmith was sentenced to 12 months probation last January. But the D.C. Bar did not seek his disbarment, as is customary after lawyers are convicted of serious crimes involving the administration of justice. In this case, it did not even initiate disciplinary proceedings against him until February. . .five months after he pleaded guilty and four days after RealClearInvestigations first reported he had not been disciplined. After the negative publicity, the bar temporarily suspended Clinesmith pending a review and hearing. Then in September, the court that oversees the bar and imposes sanctions agreed with its recommendation to let Clinesmith off suspension with time served; the bar, in turn, restored his status to active member in good standing.

What did the D.C. Bar do by way of due diligence before restoring Clinesmith as an active member in good standing? Not much.

[R]ecords indicate the bar did not check with his probation officer to see if he had violated the terms of his sentence or if he had completed the community service requirement of volunteering 400 hours. . . . From the records, it also appears bar officials did not consult with the FBIs Inspection Division, which has been debriefing Clinesmith to determine if he was involved in any other surveillance abuses tied to Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants, in addition to the one used against Page. Clinesmiths cooperation was one of the conditions of the plea deal he struck with Special Counsel John Durham. If he fails to fully cooperate, including turning over any relevant materials or records in his possession, he could be subject to perjury or obstruction charges.

By any objective standard, Clinesmith is a poor candidate for such favorable treatment by the D.C. bar. According to Sperry:

Clinesmith apparently broke the bars rule requiring reporting his guilty plea promptly to the court  within 10 days of entering it  and failed to do so for five months, reveal transcripts of a July disciplinary hearing obtained by RCI.

The D.C. bars treatment of Clinesmith contrasts with that of the Michigan bar association which, I assume, is pretty liberal itself:

The Michigan Bar, where [Clinesmith] is also licensed, automatically suspended him the day he pleaded guilty. And on Sept. 30, records show, the Michigan Bars attorney discipline board suspended Clinesmith for two years, from the date of his guilty plea through Aug. 19, 2022, and fined him $1,037. [T]he panel found that respondent engaged in conduct that was prejudicial to the proper administration of justice [and] exposed the legal profession or the courts to obloquy, contempt, censure or reproach, the board ruled against Clinesmith, adding that his misconduct was contrary to justice, ethics, honesty or good morals; violated the standards or rules of professional conduct adopted by the Supreme Court; and violated a criminal law of the United States.

Sperry notes that bars normally apply whats called reciprocal discipline for unethical attorneys licensed in their jurisdictions. But in Clinesmiths case, the D.C. bar ignored what its Michigan counterpart did and decided to go much easier on him.

It couldnt be clearer that Clinesmith got off easy because his felony was an attempt to injure Donald Trump. As one longstanding D.C. bar member with direct knowledge of Clinesmiths case before the bar told Sperry:

The District of Columbia is a very liberal bar. Basically, they went light on the him because hes also a Democrat who hated Trump.

I wrote about the raw and mindless partisanship of past D.C. bar presidents in this post. These bar grandees attacked lawyers who presented claims that voter fraud deprived Donald Trump of a substantial number of votes in key states. In their view, these lawyers undermined democracy.

If the D.C. bar really cared about democracy, it would take a much dimmer view of a felon who falsified a document for the purpose of undermining the campaign of the presidential nominee of one of our two major political parties.
We have followed the story of the FBI raid on James OKeefe and associates of Project Veritas in a series of posts under the heading The OKeefe Project. The most recent of these posts is dated November 24. The FBI conducted these raids in the style to which we became accustomed in the case of Roger Stone and appears to have followed them up with leaks to its friends at the New York Times.

The New York Times has now published its fifth story on the investigation of OKeefe et al. in connection with their possession of the diary of Ashley Biden. The otherwise questionable authenticity of the diary can be inferred from the involvement of the FBI. It has somehow become a federal case in the Age of Biden.

Todays story is How Ashley Bidens Diary Made Its Way to Project Veritas. Subhead: New details shed light on the federal investigation into the conservative groups acquisition last year of a journal kept by the presidents daughter.

The Times was immediately tipped to the raids conducted by the FBI on OKeefe et al. The Times reported on the raids in stories here (November 5, correction appended) and here (November 6, updated November 12). The Times quoted witnesses to the raids. It leaves unmentioned any tips to the Times from the FBI or higher-ups in the world of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York or the Biden Department of Justice.

Reporting on the investigation of Project Veritas in the matter of Ashley Bidens diary, the Times seems to have a pipeline to the FBI and national security establishment. Adam Goldman reports on the FBI for Times and was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for national reporting on Russias meddling in the presidential election. Michael Schmidt is a Washington correspondent for The Times who covers national security and federal investigations. He was also part of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for coverage of President Donald Trump and his campaigns alleged ties to Russia.

Here is the heart of todays story:

Federal prosecutors and F.B.I. agents are investigating whether there was a criminal conspiracy among a handful of individuals to steal and publish the diary. Those being scrutinized include current and former operatives for the conservative group Project Veritas; a donor Mr. Trump appointed to a political position in the final days of his administration; a man who once pleaded guilty in a money laundering scheme; and a financially struggling mother of two, according to people familiar with federal grand jury subpoenas and a search warrant who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. Extensive interviews with people involved in or briefed on the investigation and a review of court filings, police records and other material help flesh out elements of a tale that is testing the line between investigative journalism and political dirty tricks.

As always, the Times seeks to relegate Project Veritas to a zone beyond the protection of the First Amendment:

The group  which purchased the diary but ultimately did not publish it and denies any wrongdoing  has assailed the investigation. And it has been making a case in court and to Congress that, despite its use of undercover stings and other deceptive tactics, it is practicing a form of journalism that deserves the same legal and constitutional protections afforded news organizations.

As a publisher, Project Veritas is entitled to exactly as much constitutional protection as the New York Times. The implication to the contrary suggests to me that the Times and its friends in the law enforcement/national security establishment are pursuing another agenda here.

The Times presented a list of specific questions related to the investigation to Project Veritas. The Times reports that Project Veritas attorney Paul Calli responded with a statement from Mr. OKeefe criticizing The New York Times. The Times does not afford us a glimpse of their questions or Callis statement.

By implication todays story traces the path of the diary from a series of figures to Project Veritas. By implication the Times suggests that Project Veritas obtained the diary illegally and concocted a story to cover its misconduct:

Mr. OKeefes lawyers said in a court filing last month that Project Veritas arranged for Ms. Bidens items to be delivered in early November to the police in Florida, not far from the house where she had left them. As the investigation came to light last month, Mr. OKeefe said in a statement that Project Veritas gave the diary to law enforcement to ensure it could be returned to its rightful owner. But a Delray Beach Police Department report and an officers body camera video footage tell a somewhat different story. On the morning of Sunday, Nov. 8  24 hours after Mr. Biden had been declared the winner of the election  a lawyer named Adam Leo Bantner II arrived at the police station with a blue duffel bag and another bag, according to the police report and the footage. Mr. Bantner declined to reveal the identity of his client to the police. Project Veritas has said in court filings that it was assured by the people who sold Ms. Bidens items to the group that they were abandoned rather than stolen. But the police report said that Mr. Bantners client had told him that the property was possibly stolen and he got it from an unknown person at a hotel. The video footage, which appears to be a partial account of the encounter, records Mr. Bantner describing the bags as crap. The officer can be heard telling Mr. Bantner that he is going to throw the bags in the garbage because the officer did not have any information or proof of evidence. Like I said, Im fine with it, Mr. Bantner replied. But the police did examine the contents of the bag and quickly determined that they belonged to Ms. Biden. The report said the police contacted both the Secret Service and the F.B.I., which later collected the items.

The whole story  including the work of the Times, such as todays story  warrants our continued attention.

UPDATE: Following up with PV attorney Paul Calli, I obtained the unquoted statement given to the and a statement by Calli commenting on the Times story. Both are posted here.
Federal ministries, departments and agencies failed to account for N323.5 billion in 2019, with many offices violating rules on payments, remittances and tax, the governments latest audit report has said.

The dubious spending included unapproved allowances, unretired advances, irregular award of contract, payment for services not executed and payments without voucher.

Most of the violations were observed across 27 MDAs with at least four of them recording cross-cutting issues from non-compliance and internal control weaknesses issues, the audit report, the latest from the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, said.

The largest chunk of the expenditure was N132.5 billion used in paying unapproved allowances to staff in 20 MDAs, the report said. The Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc spent the highest amount of over N97 billion, while the National Commission for Colleges of Education, Abuja, spent N2 million, the least.

According to the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, the authors of the report, the spending violated Paragraph 415 of the Financial Regulations that states, The Federal Government requires all officers responsible for expenditure to exercise due economy. Money must not be spent merely because it has been voted.

The second biggest waste noted by the audit report was N127.1 billion, being internally-generated revenues and other funds not remitted to the government by 15 MDAs.

Under government laws and regulations, all federal agencies that are fully funded from the treasury are mandated to remit 100 per cent of their internally generated revenue to the governments central account. A circular in 2011 requires all federal agencies to limit their utilization of internally generated revenue to not more than 75 per cent of the gross revenue while the balance of not less than 25 per cent should be remitted to the government purse.

Of the N127.1 billion unremitted money, Nigeria Customs Service had the highest amount of N125 billion, while Anambra-lmo River Basin Development Authority, Owerri had the least amount of N5 million.

Also, nine MDAs spent N49.5 billion on unbudgeted items, with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development having the highest amount of N48 billion, while the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, Abuja, recorded the least amount: N1 million.

Ten MDAs misspent over another N18.2 billion. The agric ministry again took the lead here with N11 billion.

More infraction

The report said N6.5 billion was recorded as payment made without payment vouchers by four MDAs with Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, having the highest amount of N5 billion.

Over N6.2 billion was expended on contracts/services not executed by five MDAs. Of this, the Nigeria Ports Authority had the highest amount of over N4 billion while Federal Government College Enugu has the least amount of N 83 million.

According to the report, 12 MDAs did not remit taxes totalling N5.8 billion. Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has the highest amount of N2.9billion while Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, New Bussa has the least amount of N1million, the report said.

Twenty four MDAs granted the sum of N4.5 billion as advances which was above statutory limits of N200 thousand.

The report also recorded N4.3 billion as vouchers being paid by 27 MDAs without attachment of relevant supporting documents. The Code of Conduct Tribunal topped the chart here.
Airtel Africa PLC said London-based real estate firm, Chimera Investment, has ploughed in $50 million into its mobile money business, Airtel Mobile Commerce BV, through secondary purchase of shares.

AMC BV, the holding company for several of Airtel Africas mobile money operations, is ultimately intended to own and run the mobile money unit across all of the telcos fourteen operating countries on the continent.

Airtel made the disclosure on Thursday in a notice signed by the group company secretary, Simon OHara, posted by the Nigerian Exchange Limited and seen by PREMIUM TIMES.

In November, three investors, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), TPG, a U.S. and Mastercard raised their investments in Airtel Money to $500 million, having previously completed the first round of investments on 18 March, 1 April and 30 July respectively.

Chimera Investment LLC, by the announcement, joins the three to hold minority interests, while Airtel Africa retains the majority stake in the entity.

The transaction is a continuation of the groups pursuit of strategic asset monetisation and investment opportunities, and it is the aim of Airtel Africa to explore the potential listing of the mobile money business within four years, the notice said.

The proceeds from the transaction will be used to reduce Group debt and invest in network and sales infrastructure in the respective operating countries. The profits before tax in the full year ended 31 March 2021 and the value of gross assets as of that date, attributable to Airtel Africas mobile money businesses were $185 million and $668 million respectively.

Airtel lost the bid for the 5G spectrum licence auctioned by the Nigerian government to rivals MTN and Mafab Communications Limited on Monday after eleven rounds of fierce contention. The commission fixed the reserve price at $197.4 million but the winners got it at $273 million.
Nigerians, Ivorians and Malians approximately require a weeks worth of work to afford the internet, a recent report by Surfshark, an Amsterdam-based cybersecurity company, has found.

The research, titled Digital Quality of Life (DQL) Index, said yet, internet quality in the aforesaid countries stands at the lowest end of the index.

Based on the 40-hour work week which is the accepted standard in todays workplace, the researchers said, in Nigeria, one has to work 35 hours 33 minutes to afford the cheapest broadband package (which is almost a full workweek).

They said the factor value of broadband (or mobile) internet affordability for the study was determined by dividing the lowest broadband (or mobile) internet package price by the average hourly wage in a specific country.

Surfshark said Nigeria has one of the slowest broadband internet networks globally (13.45 Mbps), ranking 105th out of 110 index countries and 96th in worst mobile connections (17.91 Mbps).

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier examined how slow internet affects businesses and makes Nigerians lose out on opportunities.

Seeking to understand the digital divide people experience in the post-pandemic world, the study analysed internet affordability, and the quality people have in different countries.

Digital opportunities have proved to be more important than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing the importance for every country to ensure fully remote operational capacities for their economies, Vytautas Kaziuokonis, the CEO of Surfshark, said in a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES.

However, internet accessibility varies greatly in quality and affordability depending on where we live, revealing deep inequalities between low and high-income countries, he added.

Depending on open-source information provided by the United Nations, the World Bank, Freedom House, the International Communications Union, and other sources, the research considered 90 per cent of the global population, amounting to about 6.9 billion people in its scope.

It found that low and lower-middle-income countries have to work four times more for four times slower broadband internet and almost five times more for three times slower mobile connection than high income countries.

On average, the report noted, people in low and lower-middle-income countries have to work more than 20 minutes 19 seconds per month to afford the cheapest 1GB of mobile internet.

But, in comparison, people in high income countries have to spend only 4 minutes 7 seconds, 4.9 times less than people in low income countries.

In addition, the research said, high-income countries have access to almost three times faster mobile internet connections (61.41 Mbps) than low and lower-middle-income countries (21.33 Mbps).

The situation is even more troublesome when it comes to broadband internet access, it said.

Home to over 3 billion people, low and lower-middle-income countries spend approximately 11 hours, 10 minutes per month for the cheapest broadband package.

This, Surfshark said, is 4.2 times more than people in high-income countries (2 hours 41 minutes).

Other findings of the research showed that the average broadband internet connection speed in high-income countries is four times higher (113.19 Mbps) than in low and lower-middle-income countries (28.53 Mbps).

The study concluded that there is a wide internet speed gap between countries at the top and the bottom of the internet quality pillar.

Citing an instance of such, it said Bangladeshs mobile internet speed (11 Mbps) is only 8 per cent of the United Arab Emirates (145 Mbps).

There is an even bigger inequality in bandwidth speeds: the worlds slowest internet (5 Mbps in Algeria) performs at only 2 per cent compared to the fastest (230 Mbps in Singapore).

Despite the inadequacies, the report submitted that many countries have shown massive improvements in internet speeds since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic as economies quickly shifted and adapted to the situation.

As much as 40 per cent of the researched countries improved their mobile internet speed by more than 50 per cent. Broadband internet speeds grew less than mobile in most countries, yet 8 out of 110 countries managed to double their broadband speeds.

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The Federal High Court currently has over 128,000 cases in its dockets across its divisions nationwide, the Chief Judge of the court, John Tsoho, said on Thursday.

With 75 judges currently on its bench, it means a judge on the average has over 1,700 cases to handle.

Mr Tsoho who spoke during the the special court session to mark the commencement of the Federal High Courts new 2021/2022 legal year in Abuja, acknowledged how loaded judges dockets had become since the COVID-19 pandemic was brought under control last year.

While giving a breakdown of cases on the courts docket, the Chief Judge said, The 2020/2021 legal year officially closed in July, 2021.

Within that year, (i.e September 2020  June, 2021), a total of 8, 309 cases were filed.

There were 40,822 civil cases; 30, 197 criminal cases; 35563 motions and 20, 258 fundamental rights enforcement applications pending at the end of the Legal Year.

The total number of cases disposed of during that year was 6, 915 cases; with a total of 128, 234 pending at the end of the Legal Year, he added.

He noted that after the improvement in the control of the coronavirus, more and more cases were filed and the dockets of the judges became enormously loaded.

Mr Tsoho, however, assured that with the appointment of new judges almost completed, the problems would be tackled headlong.

He restated his resolve to enhance effective administration of justice, welfare of judges and staff.

To actualise the goal, he said, several practice directions were issued to ensure seamless and robust administration of justice.

He said despite the low budgetary allocations to the judiciary and the Federal High Court in particular, the training and retraining of judges and staff have continued.

Body of SANs speaks

Meanwhile, the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) says virtually all of Nigerian states structures of accountability have collapsed.

It said democracy has not delivered equal opportunities for all Nigerians as no one is accountable.

A former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi, spoke on behalf of BOSAN at the Federal High Court event on Thursday.

Mr Agabi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said judges should not be blamed for the many social ills plaguing the country.

It is not the fault of our judges that democracy has not yielded equal opportunities for all Nigerians, he said.

Mr Agabi queried, What can the judiciary do when in virtually all our states the structures for accountability have been set aside and no one is accountable?

Cautionary words for judges

Mr Agabi advised judges against becoming instrument in the hands of politicians.

This is a time of high politics in our country, he said, adding, The judiciary must ensure that it does not become an instrument in the hands of politicians.

The former AGF further said, It will be most tragic indeed if a mans political enemies are able to get him in court when they have been unable to get him in their political battlefields.

Retrofitted court commissioned

The event witnessed the commissioning of the Chief Judges retroffited court.

Kashim Zannah, the Chief Judge of Borno State, who represented the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad, while commissioning the newly redesigned courtroom, said the National Judicial Council (NJC) had completed all four key components of the judicial information technology policy (JITPO).

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JITPO is the NJCs policy aimed at laying a nationwide soft infrastructure to enable the emergence of a justice sector electronic ecosystem to automate and enhance justice delivery by leveraging technology, Mr Zannah explained.

This court is one of the nine courtrooms of the federal courts retrofitted by the NJC across the nation, he said, while demonstrating the virtual connectivity of the CJs retrofitted courtroom with the Kuje correctional centre in Abuja.

With the electronic gadgets installed in the courtroom, inmates at the Kuje prison can attend their trials from the detention facility, thereby eliminating the hassles that are associated with conveying defendants to court.

Several criminal cases have had to be adjourned on account of logistical issues with inmates transportation.

Mr Zannah also chairs the Judicial Information Technology Committee of the NJC, a body saddled with the responsibility of providing the technical know-how of deploying technology in conducting court proceedings in Nigeria.
The Kaduna State Government says at least nine people were reported killed and two others injured in separate attacks in Chikun, Zaria, and Zangon Kataf local government areas of the state.

The states Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said this in a statement to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday. He, however, did not state the exact dates each of the recent attacks occurred.

Mr Aruwan said the military and police authorities have reported to the Kaduna State Government that nine people have been killed in various attacks occurring in Chikun, Zangon Kataf, Igabi and Zaria local government areas.

He said according to the reports, three people were killed when bandits barricaded the Buruku-Udawa section of the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road in Chikun LGA.

The victims were identified as Umma Ibro-Kontagora, Abdullahi Noma-Kontagora, and one male adult, yet to be identified.

One person, identified as Jamilu Kafinta Udawa, sustained gunshot injuries and is receiving treatment in hospital.

In the Yola-Kadi general area also of Chikun LGA, bandits killed one Danjuma Maiungwa and left another resident injured.

Furthermore, bandits killed two people in Sako village, Zangon Kataf LGA. The victims were identified as Samson Maza and David Garba.

Also in Zangon Kataf LGA, two corpses were discovered by a patrol team in the Kurfi-Magamiya general area. The corpses were identified as the remains of Nehemiah Abba and Samuel Gwazah.

READ ALSO: Bandits abduct 20 villagers in separate attacks in Sokoto

In Zaria LGA, one Alhaji Habibu was shot to death by bandits in Saye village.

Mr Aruwan said, Governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed sadness at these reports and prayed for the repose of the souls of those killed in the attacks while wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

The Governor conveyed his deepest sympathies to the victims families and called on security forces to intensify operations against criminal elements across the state.

Killings ad kidnappings occur frequently in Kaduna and many other states in Nigeria, particularly in the North-west and North-central.

While some of the killings in Kaduna are by terror groups operating as bandits in the region, others are due to ethnoreligious conflicts in parts of the state.
The Nigeria Customs Service in 2019 granted import duty waivers worth N78.5 billion to local and foreign companies including 14 members of staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in violation of financial regulations, the governments audit report has revealed.

The agency granted a N78.5 billion waiver to companies and a N17.2 million waivers to staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The 2019 report is the latest by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAuGF).

Aghughu Adolphus, Nigerias auditor general, said in the report that the government agency failed to provide evidence of application or authorisation for the waivers granted.

This is in contravention of a federal financial regulation of December 2004 which resolved to stop import waivers except on goods imported by diplomatic missions, security departments and donations from foreign agencies.

According to this regulation, the constant seeking of import waivers impacted negatively on the governments revenue generation.

In order to stem the unpleasant development of the ever-increasing request for waiver or exemption of Custom Duties, VAT, and Port Charges on imported equipment, goods, and materials, government has decided that with effect from 2005, no waiver or exemption of Custom Duties, VAT, Port Charges and other Legitimate charges would be granted on imported equipment, goods, and materials except in respect of Defense, Security and Police, it said.

Waiver or exemption would only continue to be granted on importation by Diplomatic Missions and Donations of equipment, goods, and materials from foreign governments and agencies to non-profit making organizations or bodies in Nigeria.

According to Mr Adolphus, these anomalies could be attributed to weaknesses in the internal control system at the Nigeria Customs Service.

He noted that such actions will lead to loss of revenue to the government; difficulty in funding budgets.

Mr Adolphus therefore asked the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali, to provide reasons for the violation of the provisions of the treasury circular; furnish evidence of applications, authorisations/approvals before the waivers.

The auditor general asked Mr Ali to recover N78.46 billion and remit to the federation account and forward evidence of remittance to the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly.

The audit report noted that it got no response from Customs management.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), its spokesperson, Joseph Attah, he said the NCS is only an implementing agency and not responsible for granting waivers or concessions.

Nigeria Customs does not grant waivers; our job is only to implement what has been granted, he said.

He added that waivers and concessions are only granted by the president through the Ministry of Finance.
Remi Babalola, who in April was appointed chairman of FBN Holdings Plc by the Central Bank of Nigeria, following the abrupt exit of his predecessor Oba Otudeko, has given up the top board role at the financial services group, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

Although no official announcement has yet been made, including from the Nigerian Exchange Limited, sources informed about the case told PREMIUM TIMES.



The exit of Mr Babalola, who was Nigerias Minister of State for Finance once upon a time, is coming at a time a new biggest shareholder has just emerged at the holdco in the person of billionaire mogul Femi Otedola.

Mr Otedola said he has no interest in any board position in both the group and its subsidiaries but it is probable that he will be appointing someone onto the holdcos board.

Mr Babalola was formerly an executive director of FBN Holdings commercial banking arm FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, with his broad experience spanning consulting, auditing, training and banking.

His career began at the consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers before he moved to American holding company Arthur Andersen and then Zenith Bank, variously serving as chief strategist, financial controller and general manager at the lender.

An agricultural economics graduate from University of Ibadan, he is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, and the Institute of Directors of Nigeria.
Federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) in 2019 failed to disclose the identities of individuals who benefited from numerous transactions of the Nigerian government totaling over N15 billion, according to the latest government audit report.

The failure, according to the report, leaves room for diversion and misapplication of public funds.

The report produced by the auditor-general of the federation said 37 MDAs were affected.

The names of the individual beneficiaries in the affected MDAs were not disclosed in the Note to the FGN CFS.

The anomalies could be attributed to weaknesses in the internal control system in the consolidation process, the report said.

The report said, Paragraph 127 of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) 1 requires an entity to provide additional information that is not presented on the face of the financial statements but relevant in understanding any of them.

This is to enable users to understand the impact of particular transactions, other events, and conditions on the entitys financial statements and to further ensure understandability and facilitate comparability of the Financial Statements from year to year.

The report requested the accountant-general to provide details of the individuals who benefited from the funds or apply sanction to the affected MDAs over the irregular payments as stipulated by the nations financial regulations.

Part of President Muhammadu Buharis campaign promises was that his administration would fight corruption in Nigeria, especially in the public sector.
The Abuja #EndSARS panel, which is investigating complaints of police brutality, has adjourned four cases indefinitely.

Suleiman Galadima, a retired Supreme Court Justice, who chairs the 11-member panel, announced the indefinite adjournment on Wednesday.

Earlier on Tuesday, the panel had indicated it might not be holding public sitting next year.

Mr Galadima forwarded the unresolved cases to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which set it up, for further investigations.

One of the cases involving an alleged extra-judicial killing of Okechukwu Jonah by the operatives of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Abuja was adjourned sine die (indefinitely) and referred to the NHRC for further investigation.

Another of the cases involves alleged torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of Saudetu Suleiman by a couple identified as Mr and Mrs Anyanele, and Badewole Bola, a chief superintendent of police of Zuba police division, Abuja.

Two other cases, which are about the enforced disappearance of Lukman Salihu and of John Alozie, were also adjourned indefinitely because the police legal team could not produce the police officers involved for defence.

The police had earlier told the panel that the victim had long been handed over to the Joint Military Action on terrorism but the police failed to produce any evidence to support their claim before the panel.

Mr Galadima told the police counsel, Fidelis Ogwobe, that the panel would not close the case until the whereabouts of the missing victim is known.

He adjourned the case sine die but ordered the commission to continue investigations.

This matter is in a class of its own, its unique. The police will have to provide evidence that the victim is not with them and has been handed over, as alleged, Mr Galadima said.

The 11-man Independent Investigative Panel on human rights violations allegedly perpetrated by the defunct SARS and other units of the Nigerian police was set up by the NHRC following the October 2020 #EndSARS protest.
On his 79th birthday, today Friday in Istanbul, Turkey, President Muhammadu Buhari cut a birthday cake moulded in national colours, green-white-green, to start the day, went straight to chair a planning meeting with officials in his delegation and thereafter drove to the Dolmabahce Palace for a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Tayyip Recep Erdogan.

In response to the tribute on the occasion on behalf of the ministers and the rest of the delegation rendered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, President Buhari said he will put in his best for Nigeria until the last day when, in 2023, he hands over to a successor and returns to his farm to tender crops and livestock.

I thought that being away from Abuja I will escape these things. The Guards Brigade had written to tell me what they wanted to do on this day. Now here you are doing this far away from home.

I look forward to the year 2023 when I finish, to go home to take charge of my farm. Between now and that time, I will do the best that is possible to advance the interest of the nation and its people, and carry out my duties as prescribed by the Constitution, he said.

As he stepped out of his suite moving to the meeting room, President Buhari met a surprise lineup of the Nigerian delegation with a cake decorated in Nigerias national colours.

The group broke into a chorus, as they began chanting Happy Birthday, Mr. President.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs who spoke on behalf of the delegation and the Ambassador of Nigeria to Turkey, Ismail Abba, congratulated the President on the good work he is doing for the country and wished him a happy birthday, many healthy years ahead and the energy to give his best to the nation.

Minister Onyeama noted in particular that the President continues to have a good run with his health, getting better and more active with time.

Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media & Publicity)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday arraigned a former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, for allegedly forging medical reports to evade trial.

Mr Fani-Kayode appeared before an Ikeja Special Offences Court on a 12-count charge.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Fani-Kayode, however, pleaded not guilty to the 12 counts which include procuring execution of documents by false pretences, use of false documents, fabricating evidence and use of fabricated evidence.

Following the defendants not guilty plea, counsel to EFCC, S.I. Suleiman, asked the court for a date for trial.

He also prayed the court to remand the former minister.

In an oral application, counsel to Mr Fani-Kayode, Wale Balogun, however, prayed the court to grant him bail in accordance with Section 115(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2021 as amended.

He said that the defendant has, since 2016, been standing trial before two justices of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court and had met all the requirements for bail in the cases.

Mr Balogun noted that Mr Fani-Kayode had deposited his international passport to the Federal High Court as part of the terms of his bail.

He said: Upon the commencement of investigation into this matter, the defendant was invited on November 23 by the EFCC and interviewed for several hours and granted bail on self-recognition.

He was also invited on November 30 by the commission where he was served the current charge.

He was released to me and I gave an undertaking to produce him in court for arraignment.

All the offences in the charge are bailable, with punishment ranging from three to seven years. We apply that your lordships absolute discretion be applied to the defendant.

The counsel noted that the defendant was a two-time minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He is 61 years old and by no means a flight risk, the counsel submitted.

Granting the bail, Justice O.O Abike-Fadipe said that EFCC did not appear to oppose the bail application and that the defendant did not pose a flight risk.

The defendant shall execute a bond in the sum of five million Naira and file an undertaking that he shall attend all proceedings in this case.

The defendant shall present a surety in like sum who shall be resident within the jurisdiction of this court; the surety shall also execute a bond in the sum of five million Naira, she held.

Earlier in a ruling, Mrs Abike-Fadipe dismissed an application filed by the defence on December 14, seeking that the former aviation minister should not be arraigned for lack of jurisdiction by the court to hear the case.

She cited the provisions of Sections 296 of the ACJA and 274 of the ACJL as amended.

These provisions state that before the court hears a preliminary objection raised by a defendant to the charges brought against him by prosecution, the charges must be read to him, she said.

The judge adjourned the case until February 4.

According to EFCC, the former aviation minister, through one Ogieva Oziegbe, procured fake medical reports on various occasions to avoid attending his trial at the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court.

He procured the false medical reports on January 31, 2018; May 30, 2019; November 24, 2020; March 23 and October 11.

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The defendant falsely purported before the Federal High Court, Lagos, in charge number FHC/L/251C/2016, that the reports were issued by Kubwa General Hospital or the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Federal Staff Hospital, the commission said.

NAN reports that the alleged offences violate Sections 88(1), 365(3), 366 and 369 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2015.

(NAN)
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun command, on Friday confirmed the death of three persons in an accident that involved two vehicles around the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway interchange.

The Ogun Sector Commander of FRSC, Ahmed Umar, who confirmed the incident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota, Ogun, said two others sustained various degrees of injuries.

Mr Umar explained that the accident, which occurred at about 7.02 a.m. involved four male adults and a lady waiting by the roadside to board a vehicle.

He said the lady, who was hit by one of the vehicles involved in the accident, died instantly.

He explained that in the course of making a U-turn at the interchange on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a Lexus Tokunbo, used vehicle, with no registration number rammed into a Toyota Tundra pick-up with registration number AGL 254HB.

The corpses of the victims have been deposited at Idera Hospital, Sagamu, while the survivors are receiving treatment at the same hospital, he said.

The sector commander, who blamed the accident on speeding and dangerous driving, cautioned motorists against speed violation and other critical offences, especially with the increase in vehicular movement at this period.

He also commiserated with the families of the crash victims and enjoined them to contact FRSC Sagama command for more information about the crash. (NAN)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has appointed Nigerias Ayoade Alakija as Special Envoy for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-Accelerator).

She joins former Prime Minister of Sweden, Carl Bildt, in this role.

In her new role, Ms Alakija will lead the collective advocacy for the ACT-Accelerator, mobilising support and resources so it can deliver against its new Strategic Plan and Budget that was launched on October 28. She will also help ensure that the response is characterised by accountability, inclusion, and solidarity.

Dr Alakija will also support the leaders of the ACT-Accelerators three product pillars (vaccines, tests, treatments) and cross cutting connector; consult widely on the work of the ACT-Accelerator; advise the Director-General, ACT-Accelerator principals and stakeholders on emerging issues; and represent the ACT-Accelerator in key national and international fora, the WHO said in a statement.

According to WHO, Ms Alakija joins the ACT-Accelerator at a critical moment in the global COVID-19 response, where the emergence of new variants of concern and missed global coverage targets leave large swathes of the worlds population unvaccinated, untested and untreated.

She joins us at a critical juncture in the fight against COVID-19, with the Omicron variant threatening to further constrain equitable access to vaccines, just as the pace of supply was improving. We are very much looking forward to working with her to advocate for the full financing of the ACT Accelerator, and to meeting the global targets for COVID-19 vaccination, testing and treatment, Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general, said in the statement.

The global health agency noted that the need for equitable access to vaccines, testing, treatments and personal protective equipment (PPE) remains important to bringing an end to the acute phase of the pandemic.

Dr Alakija brings a tremendous track record in advocating for equitable access to vaccines, tests and treatments, especially for Africa, Mr Ghebreyesus said.

Ms Alakija has been a leading voice in calling for the world to respond more consciously to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She is the co-Chair of the African Unions African Vaccine Delivery Alliance and founder of the Emergency Coordination Centre in Nigeria, building on her work with over 100 nations around the globe.

She has worked as Chief Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, leading the Oslo Humanitarian Conference for Nigeria and the Lake Chad region, working with governments and multilateral institutions to mobilise responses to some of the most under-recognised humanitarian crises in the world.

While based in Fiji, she worked closely with the WHO and UNICEF to design, coordinate, and implement National Health and Behavioural Surveys across the Pacific region.

Ms Alakija is a medical doctor with a Masters degree in Public Health and Epidemiology from The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

In accepting her new role, Ms Alakija was quoted as saying, this moment in time calls for a powerful, inclusive and accountable shift in the way we have thus far responded to COVID-19 and the devastation it has caused and continues to inflict on us.

This is a pivotal opportunity for that shift to happen. The collective voices, energy and resources of communities, researchers, scientists, private sector and political leadership must be galvanised and deployed with courage to ensure that we vaccinate the world, strengthen our public health systems, reimagine pandemic preparedness and ensure that we stop the current injustice and ongoing waves of death in its tracks.

This is within reach, but only if a life in Mumbai matters as much as a life in Brussels, if a life in Sao Paulo matters as much as a life in Geneva, and if a life in Harare matters as much as a life in Washington DC. I come to this role to serve and to be part of a team that will ensure that the fruits of our collective work bring meaningful access and dignity in health in this pandemic that is felt in every village, town and city.

About ACT-Accelerator

The ACT-Accelerator partnership, a coalition of leading public health organisations, is the only global initiative offering an integrated, end-to-end solution to expedite the end of the COVID-19 pandemic through the accelerated development and equitable distribution of vaccines, tests and treatments.

The ACT-Accelerators impact so far includes delivering more than 680 million vaccine doses to 144 countries and territories through COVAX; reducing by half the cost of COVID-19 rapid tests, transferring technology to low and middle-income countries, and delivering more than 137 million tests through the diagnostics consortium; increasing essential oxygen, personal protective equipment (PPE) and treatment supplies, including through the advance purchase of nearly 3 million doses of dexamethasone and more than $4 billion worth of support from the Global Funds COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM).

The ACT Accelerator partnership was formed at the onset of the pandemic in response to a call from G20 leaders, and was launched by the WHO, the European Commission, France, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in April 2020.

The ACT-Accelerator partner agencies are: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, CEPI, FIND, Gavi, the Global Fund, UNICEF, Unitaid, Wellcome, the WHO and the World Bank.
The surge in coronavirus infections continued on Thursday, as Nigeria confirms 1,051 additional COVID-19 infections, reported from 10 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which disclosed this on its Facebook page on Friday morning, noted that the new infections have increased Nigerias infection toll from 220,020 to 221,071 on Thursday.

The latest statistics show that Lagos State continues to remain the epicentre of the disease, as it contributed more to the surge in COVID-19 cases, thereby giving a strong indication that the fourth wave of the pandemic may have appeared earlier than anticipated.

Lagos on Thursday recorded 599 of the new 1,051 infections, accumulating to over 4,000 infections reported in the state in the last eight days, when the surge began.

Meanwhile, the NCDC noted that Nigerias fatality toll, which has been stagnant for some days, still stands at 2,983.

According to the data, 6,743 people are still down with COVID-19 infections in Nigeria, while a total of 211,345 people have been discharged since the outbreak of the virus in 2020.

Breakdown

Apart from Lagos State, the breakdown of the update revealed that the FCT came second on the log with 238 new infections.

Rivers State in the South-south reported 79 cases, followed by the duo of Oyo and Ondo States in the South-west with 51 and 32 cases, respectively.

Also, Plateau State in the North-central recorded 20 cases; Akwa Ibom State, 11; while Ogun State in the South-west reported seven cases.

While Bayelsa and Kano States reported five cases each, Kwara State came last on the log with four cases.

The NCDC added that four states: Bauchi, Ekiti, Osun and Sokoto, reported that they recorded no cases on Thursday.
President Muhammadu Buhari in a message to mark his 79th birthday said he would go home to tend to his farm after completing his tenure in 2023.

The Nigerian president has a ranch in his hometown, Daura, in Katsina State, Nigerias North-west.

I look forward to 2023 when I finish my tenure, to go home to take charge of my farm, Mr Buhari said on Friday in a Facebook post where he talked about how he celebrated his birthday.

Mr Buhari is currently in Istanbul, Turkey, for the third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit, hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Turkey.

He left Abuja for Turkey on Thursday.

The president cut a birthday cake moulded in national colours, green-white-green on Friday morning, according to a statement issued by the presidency.

From there, he went straight to chair a planning meeting with officials in his delegation and thereafter drove to the Dolmabahce Palace for a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Tayyip Recep Erdogan.

I had thought that being away from Abuja, I will escape a celebration. The Guards Brigade had written to tell me what they wanted to do on this day. Now here we (are), far away in Turkey, and I still didnt escape, Mr Buhari said in the Facebook post, which appears to be a response he gave at the celebration organised for him in Istanbul.

Between now and that time, I will do the best that is possible to advance the interest of the nation and its people, and carry out my duties as prescribed by the Constitution.

I thank the Almighty God for this day. Now the work continues, he added.

Mr Buhari, a retired major general in the Nigerian Army, defeated the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 to become the Nigerian president. He won re-election in 2019 under the platform of the All Progressives Congress.

His administration has, however, been plagued by serious security challenges, including the Boko Haram insurgency in the countrys North-east, the Biafra agitation in South-east, and the abduction-for-ransom and the incessant killing in several parts of the country.

An aide to the Akwa Ibom State Governor in 2017 mocked Mr Buharis love for his cows, saying the presidents cattle fared better than Nigerians.

Today, we are in an administration that cows fare better than human beings. If the cost of grass were to increase, or if anyone were to temper with the comfort of these cows, I am sure Baba would come back and take urgent actions, the governors aide, Essien Ndueso, said in a Facebook post, with photos of Mr Buharis visit to his ranch in Daura.

Today fuel is N180 and those who earn their wages monthly from worshiping Baba on Facebook are also suffering the same fate, he had said.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation. May the salutations of Allah, His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet, his family, his companions and his true and sincere followers until the Last Day  then to proceed:

Dear brothers and sisters! There are norms and laws in the universe that man is not permitted to contradict. Instead, he should abide by them so as to enjoy a good life and eternal happiness in the Hereafter. One such norm is that if one works hard, he will find results; if one exhausts oneself a little bit, he can enjoy a long rest. Indeed reaping noble benefits depends on experiencing difficulties.

Pleasure and perfect qualities cannot be gained except with some difficulty. If it were not for difficulties, all people would be leaders.

 A Person who Prefers Comfort has Scarce Potential for Success

Work in the worldly life relies upon diligence. Therefore, man is required to work hard and actively, leaving behind laziness. The Quran and Sunnah direct us towards this understanding. Allah, The Almighty, Says:

And say, Work, for Allah will see your deeds, and [so, will] His Messenger and the believers. [Quran, 9:105]

It is He who made the earth tame for you  so walk among its slopes and eat of His provision  and to Him is the resurrection. [Quran, 67:15]

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) educated the Ummah (Muslim Nation) in different ways on how to be diligent. For instance, he urged Muslims to earn a living and provide from their own work, saying:

Nobody has ever eaten a meal better than that which he has earned from working with his own hands. The Prophet of Allah Dawud [David], would eat from the work of his own hands. [Al-Bukhari]

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) also advised us to work hard without giving in to feelings of frustration, saying:

Cherish that which gives you benefit [in the Hereafter], seek help from Allah and do not lose heart. [Muslim]

He (Peace be upon him) also said:

If the Hour comes while one of you has a shoot that he is able to plant, then he should plant it. [Ahmad, Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad]

Moreover, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) assured people of the assistance of Allah, The Almighty, that He further increases the high motivation and ambition of people according to the sublimity of their ambition, saying:

Help from Allah comes to the servant according to his diligence. [Imam Al-Bazzar]

Of course hard work is exhausting, but it has great pleasure, especially when the diligent person reaps the outcome of his work. Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

The sages of every nation agree that welfare cannot be obtained through welfare, that anyone who prefers comfort will miss it, and that joy and pleasure depend on the level of risks and difficulties that are experienced when getting them. There is no joy for a person who has no resolve; no pleasure for a person who lacks patience; no bliss for a person who endures no hardships; and no comfort for a person who has no hard work. If a person is exhausted for a short time, he will relax for longer. If he endures difficulties for a short while, this will lead him to eternal welfare. People who will receive eternal delight [the people of Paradise] earned this status due to their patience in this very short worldly life. Truly, Allah alone gives help, and there is no power except in Him. The loftier ones own self is and the higher his aspirations are, the more a persons body is exhausted and the less his comfort is. Yahya Ibn Kathir may Allah have mercy upon him said: Knowledge cannot be acquired when the body is in comfort. [Muslim] All those who are sensible undoubtedly believe that perfect comfort depends on the level of exhaustion, and perfect bliss relies on the level of difficulties that are endured when achieving it. Comfort, pleasure and bliss are free of exhaustion only in Paradise, not in this worldly life. [Quoted from Uluw Al-Himmah, by Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Ismail]

A person who takes diligence to be a slogan in life does not depend on his ancestors or family background, nor does he rely on boasting of his fathers and forefathers. Instead he builds his own glory, adding it to that of his forefathers. Some sages have said:

Utilise your diligence as long as you are in good health, and take the opportunity to work while you are at leisure, for time will not be always on your side, nor will you be able to restore what you have lost.

A scholar once said:

Work is like an armour that protects a person against afflictions, and diligence is like a sword that wards off misfortune.

Another scholar said:

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Nothing is better than having a reason that is adorned with forbearance, a deed that is adorned with knowledge, and forbearance that is adorned with truthfulness!

Some scholars have said:

Could it be true and logical that crops are harvested without prior sowing of seeds, fruits are reaped without the planting of trees, fire comes from two stones without striking them together, or that money yields without effort?

It was also said:

There is a cause for every provision and whoever diligently seeks something, finds it.

Indeed, what a great saying was that of the Commander of Believers, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, he said:

Do not stop pursuing livelihood and supplicating, O Allah, provide for me! You know that the sky does not rain gold or silver (or money). Allah, The Almighty, provides for people by virtue of their interaction.

Therefore, work hard and do not be indolent. Your Muslim Ummah is waiting for a push from you like that of Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, a push that illuminates the torch of enthusiasm in its heart, amidst the darkness of this gloomy state of obliviousness. It is also waiting for a cry from you like that of Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi (Saladin) may Allah have mercy upon him, a cry that plants hope in the desert of despair. Help from Allah comes in accordance with diligence, therefore, seek help from Allah and do not lose heart!

Respected servants of Allah! Wallahi, even a cursory look at the lives of the most successful men and women in the world will reveal an undeniable fact that; those people, all of them, share one quality, HARD WORK.

We all aspire to succeed but regardless of the paths we choose, hard work must be at the heart of our efforts if we want to taste success. This is a universal principle, encapsulated in the Arabic adage:

Those who work hard, attain.

Our Merciful Creator, Allah Almighty, declares:

And it was said to the people, Have you (also) gathered? [Surah Al-Shuarah, Verse 39]

We learn from this Quranic verse that a person will only attain what he strives and works hard for. So whether you aim to achieve a qualification, a job, a dream house, or you wish to earn a Halal living to support your family and others, whatever aspiration it may be, HARD WORK is the only way. After all, we live in a world of means and as Muslims, we resolutely believe that Allah Almighty, the Provider and Nourisher of all creation, rewards hard work, so the more we strive for His sake, the more we will gain from His infinite treasures.

Even the noble Prophets and Messengers of Allah (Peace be upon them) strove relentlessly, despite their lofty ranks. Although they could have had entire communities serving their needs, they chose to lead by example, working hard so that their followers learn the value of work and effort.

Prophet Dawud (Peace be upon him), for example, was granted authority over a vast realm, yet he never had a meal unless he earned it himself. Abu Hurairah (RA) reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

He (Prophet Dawud) would only eat from [the earnings of] his own hands work. [Al-Bukhari]

As for the king and leader of the Prophets, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), his humble nature was unparalleled. All of the noble Companions were yearning to serve him, believing it to be the essence of life and faith. Yet, he (Peace be upon him) chose to work throughout his life and attend to his needs himself.

His beloved wife, Aisha (RA), described it thus:

The Beloved Prophet (Peace be upon him) would milk his sheep and serve himself. [Musnad of Imam Ahmad]

So now that this formula of hard work is imbedded in your mind, let me present some accounts from our pious predecessors (Salaf) in relation to striving and working hard, and how their efforts produced grand results and glad tidings.

 The successful student who strived

Imam Saaduddin al-Taftazani (Rahimahullah), whose books are integral to Islamic curricula around the globe, was an unintelligent student when he joined the classes of Qadi Abdur-Rahman al-Shirazi (Rahimahullah). He had become somewhat of an example of how a student should not be. Despite this, he remained determined, disregarding the comments of those around him. Then one day, while he was reviewing his lesson, an unknown person approached him and said: Saaduddin! Come, lets go on an excursion. He replied: I have not been created for excursions. (My situation is such that) even after studying, I am still unable to understand anything, so how can I go on an excursion? Hearing this, the unknown person left but then came back again after a while and asked him again to come on an excursion. He again replied with the same answer. The unknown person left the second time but then came back again and this time said: The Beloved Prophet (Peace be upon him) is calling you. These words made his body tremble, forcing him to run out bare-footed, eager to see the Noble Prophet (Peace be upon him). Reaching a place outside the city, he saw the Noble Prophet (Peace be upon him) under the shade of a tree. The Noble Prophet (Peace be upon him) saw Saaduddin Taftazani and smilingly said: You did not come even though I called you many times. He replied with a very humble tone of voice: Prophet of Allah! I did not know that you were calling. You know the state of my weak memory. I seek in your court a cure for my illness. The Merciful Prophet (Peace be upon him) heard his request and said: Open your mouth. He opened his mouth and the Noble Prophet (Peace be upon him) placed his blessed saliva into his mouth. He (Peace be upon him) then prayed for him, gave him the glad tidings of success and ordered him to go back home. The next day, when he attended the class of Qadi Abdur-Rahman al-Shirazi, he asked a few complex questions during the lesson. The other students were unable to fully grasp the questions, so they deemed them unnecessary and useless and did not pay attention to them. But his teacher, who was a polymath, began to weep and remarked: Saaduddin! Today, you are not the same person as yesterday. Saaduddin al-Taftazani then narrated the whole event to his teacher. [See Shazaratuz-Zahab, vol. 7, page 68]

Imam Saaduddin al-Taftazani (Rahimahullah) continued striving, never giving up despite the challenges. Eventually, his efforts bore fruit and he was blessed to receive immense bounties from the court of the Noble Prophet (Peace be upon him). This should drive us to striving and work hard. May the Grace of Allah Almighty and the gaze of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) be with all those who work hard, ameen.

The great jurist of Islam, Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahimahullah) summed up the value of hard work in his advice to his student, Imam Abu Yusuf (Rahimahullah). He said:

You were very unintelligent but through striving and steadfastness, you have progressed. Therefore, always distance yourself from indolence as it is a calamity and an unfortunate state.

Laziness is a substantial barrier in the path of success. It is a harmful state that begets many vices. Therefore, never ever allow laziness to seep into your life. Rather, you should always be resolute in doing worldly and Islamic works because a hardworking person is loved by everyone and a lazy person suffers loss wherever he goes. An indolent person can neither do any worldly work nor Islamic. The Noble Prophet (Peace be upon him) would teach the following supplication:

O Allah! I seek Your refuge from laziness. [Al-Bukhari]

Respected brothers and sisters! Wallahi, if we desire success, we need to ensure that hard work and effort are ingrained in us. Always adopt those means that will aid you in this regard and stay far away from those traits that will become an obstacle in achieving success. Work diligently and then leave the results to the mercy of Allah Almighty.

 There Is No Substitute For Hard Work

Dear brothers and sisters! Hard work not only pays you but it also builds your character. Your hard work contributes to success and also increase your happiness. If you get a reward without much hard work and efforts then this reward will for sure not improve you personally, it will make you over-confident and promote you towards dependency. There is no substitute for hard work. Getting something with hard work and efforts makes your soul happy, make you happy about your potential and make you believe that with hard work anything is possible. People feel great when they realise that success which they have is earned by them. This realisation enables them to have control over their lives.

Hard work is paid back with interest. Hard work is not only good for your pocket or wallet or bank account but its also good for your soul because our soul feels peaceful and satisfied only when we earn something by our own. We able to sleep peacefully at night because we people know that the success which we have right now is because of our own hard work and efforts. And this feeling makes us confident, happy and gives us the purpose of our lives. A person can achieve anything in life if a person is willing to do hard work and smart work towards their purpose.

 Why There Is No Substitute For Hard Work?

Getting something without hard work will help you temporarily, for example, getting good marks or grades in your exams by cheating will not help you for long, because this thing will be temporary and reality needs hard work and efforts. Putting efforts, hard work makes you confident about your potential and this confidence will develop winning quality and attitude in you. With hard work, you will not only become curious but creative too. By putting efforts you not only improve your physical strength but mental strength too. There is no substitute for hard work. Hard work not only pays you but it improves your life at every level.

Many people think that doing hard work is a kind of punishment but unfortunately, this is the wrong believe because hard work is a gift and person who knows the importance of hard work they know the reward of hard work as well. Hard work builds character, people trust those who are always ready to work hard in their lives. Hard work gives satisfaction, happiness and peace. When talent fails to work, hard work for sure works. Hence dont expect anything without hard work because expecting things without hard work is like dreaming without plans and implementation. Hence always believe your potential and work hard toward your purpose. Hard work teaches you several lessons as follows:

1. Hard work gives courage: By doing hard work you not only build courage but you also put your fear aside, hard work helps you to move out of your comfort zone and take you to the world of possibilities.

2. Hard work gives discipline: Hard work makes person focused and help you to remain strong no matter how tough time is, hard work makes you disciplined towards your purpose and goals.

3. Hard work builds integrity: Hard work makes people trust you, hard work gives honour and also helps you to keep your words and promises.

4. Hard work put more efforts: Hard work makes you confident and helps you to put 110% it pushes you above your limit and make you strong physically and mentally.

5. Hard work gives humility: Hard work keeps you humble, polite and makes you positive, hard work never allows you lose hope, hard work helps you to learn from your mistake and helps you to work hard again with same enthusiasm.

6. Hard work gives you control: Hard work makes you responsible, hard work gives control of your life in your hands, hard work makes you understand whether you get positive outcome or not, its your responsibility and you should take it in your hand, if get positive outcome then should move to next stage if not then again work hard and achieve desired outcome.

7. Hard work gives flexibility: Hard work keeps you focused towards your goal and make you flexible about your methods, a person who does hard work never lost focus, they just stay flexible towards their methods.

8. Hard work gives satisfaction: Hard work gives peace, satisfaction and happiness; hard work makes your soul happy, hard work makes you feel satisfied.

Dear brothers and sisters! Wallahi never expect good results without hard work. Work hard and smart towards your goals and purpose, never demotivate your potential.

I pray, may Allah Almighty enable us to diligently achieve our goals and grant us success in both worlds, ameen.

All praises and thanks are due to Allah alone, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true and sincere followers.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumuah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okenes Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761.

This Jumuah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today, Friday, Jumadah Ula 12th, 1443 A.H. (December 17, 2021).
I categorise the unscientific and punitive reaction of some of these developed countries against Africa on the Omicron case, to the ideology of the goat. The first reaction of the goat to any new thing it does not understand, is panic. This it follows with self-defence and self-preservation. It then digs in and usually remains stubborn, even in the face of new facts, unless it is pushed to change its position.

Four foreigners identified as diplomats leaving Botswana on November 11 tested positive to what turned out to be a new variant of the coronavirus, which has now come to be identified as Omicron. This variant was unknown to science earlier. However, South African doctors, led by Angelique Coetzee, by November 24, had correctly categorised the new variant, and with that, the world became aware of the new coronavirus mutation.

It is common sense that the discovery of a virus or its variant in a place or country does not mean it originated from that place. For instance, on that same November 11 when the foreigners in Botswana tested positive to Omicron, a Belgian lady returned home from a visit to Egypt via Turkey and tested positive for what the South African doctors had identified as the Omicron variant. By November 30, there were nine reported cases of the virus in Scotland and none of the victims had travelled out or had any overseas contact. This simply meant that there was community transmission of the disease in their location.

But the basic fact that the Omicron variant was already travelling round the world before its discovery by the South Africans was lost on some European countries. Their immediate reaction was to baptise the Omicron as a South African variant and while it was spreading in various European countries, they decided to isolate South Africa and its neigbours by placing a travel ban on their citizens. This, they later extended to countries in other parts of the continent.

Many Western countries did not seek to establish the identities of the foreigners in Botswana who bore the variant, in order to establish its origin and put in place strategies to contain it. They were not interested in understanding the fact that even if doctors from South Africa discovered Omicron, it did not make it an African variant for which the continent should be slapped with travel bans.

But that is precisely what happened. For example, within fourteen days of the detection of Omicron, Canada banned seven Southern African countries, and a day later added Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt. Its Health Minister, Jean-Yves Duclos declared on November 30 that: Canadian citizens and permanent residents that have been in any of these ten countries over the last 14 days will need to receive a negative PCR test before being allowed to travel to Canada. Upon arriving in Canada, they will face more testing and quarantine measures. These new measures also apply to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, even those that are fully vaccinated

Such knee-jerk reactions and actions by developed countries and even some underdeveloped countries like Saudi Arabia against Africa, forced South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to embark on a tour of four West African countries to explain issues, build consensus and organise a united fight back.

Although Ramaphosa subjected himself to the COVID-19 test in each country he visited and was negative, unfortunately the test he did on his return home turned out positive and he has had to self-isolate. There may be those who gloat that after embarking on a campaign against Omicron, he turned out positive. I do not think this is either scientific nor logical, as many world leaders had tested positive before him.

In Dakar, Senegal, he told the rich countries to fight the virus, not poor countries. The former labour leader said: When South African scientists discovered Omicron, the new variant, they immediately took on the responsibility of informing the world that a new variant has come through. And what is the result? The Northern countries imposed a ban to punish the excellence that comes from AfricaThey basically said, we will not allow you to travel around, but lo and behold, Omicron is spreading all over the world.

Senegalese President, Macky Sall told the rich countries that what the war against the coronavirus pandemic requires is unity of the human race, not division: We must continue to work together in solidarity. This pandemic, which is affecting all our countries, must bring us together on the side of solidarity in our response, instead of adding a new divide between rich and poor countries.

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, after meeting Ramaphosa, emphasised that: Despite the scare generated by the new COVID-19 variant, we have been able to hold successful meetings, while observing strict COVID-19 protocols, through fraternal cooperation and understanding. Both countries used the occasion to sign Memoranda of Understanding in areas like youth development, women and child empowerment, as well as reviewing existing ones in areas including: military cooperation, power, cooperation in the field of geology, mining, and mineral processing, oil and gas.

Although Ramaphosa subjected himself to the COVID-19 test in each country he visited and was negative, unfortunately the test he did on his return home turned out positive and he has had to self-isolate. There may be those who gloat that after embarking on a campaign against Omicron, he turned out positive. I do not think this is either scientific nor logical, as many world leaders had tested positive before him. These include then United States President Donald Trump and wife, Melania, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Presidents Alex Lukashenko of Belarus and Emmanuel Macron of France.

Despite all the panic in Europe and Canada over Omicron, research so far by the South Africans show that it is milder than previous variants of the coronavirus, like the Delta. Leading American scientist, Anthony Fauci, who is also President Joe Bidens chief medical advisor, said early indications suggested that Omicron is not worse than previous variants and that it is possibly milder: There (are) some suggestion(s) that it might even be less severe, because when you look at some of the cohorts that are being followed in South Africa, the ratio between the number of infections and the number of hospitalisations seems to be less than with Delta.

A more conscious, serious, visionary and conscientious Africa Union is required to defend the continent against predatory attacks. Meanwhile, I wish our President, Cyril Ramaphosa, speedy recovery.

In one of the earliest attacks against Africa, the United Kingdom (U.K.) had placed an immediate ban on six Southern African countries  South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe, and added Nigeria in West Africa. It claimed that this was to prevent the importation of Omicron into its territory.

In reaction to these blind attacks, Nigeria announced that it will also restrict airlines coming from Canada, the U.K. and Saudi Arabia and place these countries on a red watch list.

Perhaps realising the lack of scientific basis in its reaction to Omicron and the threat of some of the banned countries to retaliate, the U.K., within a few days, changed course and replaced its so-called red list with testing for the fully vaccinated.

I categorise the unscientific and punitive reaction of some of these developed countries against Africa on the Omicron case, to the ideology of the goat. The first reaction of the goat to any new thing it does not understand, is panic. This it follows with self-defence and self-preservation. It then digs in and usually remains stubborn, even in the face of new facts, unless it is pushed to change its position.

A more conscious, serious, visionary and conscientious Africa Union is required to defend the continent against predatory attacks. Meanwhile, I wish our President, Cyril Ramaphosa, speedy recovery.

Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author.
Following the assassination of President Moise, Haiti now has Dr Ariel Henry, a neurosurgeon, as the interim prime minister since July 20. Will the U.S. allow Haiti to elect her president in a free and fair election and without undue interference this time? Thats the billion-dollar question for the Biden White House. But going by past experiences, the most powerful nation on earthdoes not desire a neighbuor who can stand on its feet.

On July 7 at 1 a.m. local time, a group of heavily armed men made up of 28 foreign mercenaries, mostly from Columbia, stormed the residence of Haitian president, Juvenel Moise, located on the outskirts of the nations capital, Port-au-Prince. By the time they were done, a hail of bullets had shattered the presidents left eye and mangled his torso. His wife, Martine, who was there with him at the time, was also shot several times and left for dead. Interestingly, none of the presidents security guards was killed or injured in the attack and Mr Moise was said to have called several police officials for help to no avail.

At the time of writing this piece, several of the alleged attackers have been apprehended and investigation is ongoing, to unmask those who hired the assassins, as well as their motives for wanting the president dead. What we know is that the late president was compiling a list of those involved in Haitis illicit drug trade, with the intention of handing over the dossier to the American government, when he was attacked. Topmost on that list were powerful politicians and wealthy business people, including the brother-in-law of a former president. Thus far, we have also learnt that some of the captured hit men confessed that retrieving the list Mr Moise had been working on had been a top priority for them when they struck.

Called the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, President Moises murder shook a country already battling suffocating poverty and spiraling gang violence. A magnitude-7.2 earthquake that hit Haiti in August further exacerbated the island nations woes and nearly 3,500 Haitians who gathered under a bridge at the Mexico-Texas border, hoping to be granted entry into the U.S. were mass deported back by the American immigration service.

But the history of Haiti is far from that of poverty. It was once the wealthiest colony in the Americas. In fact, France, the nations former colonial masters at some point, nicknamed Haiti, the Pearl of the Antilles (La Perle des Antilles), both for its natural beauty, and the humongous wealth it generated for the French government as the worlds leading producer of sugar and coffee back in the day. What happened?

Christopher Columbus landed in Hispaniola, the island where Haiti is located, on December 5, 1492. Before then, the island was inhabited by the Taino indigenous people, who originated from South America. Hispaniola was claimed by Spain, but over time Spain ceded the western portion of the Island to France over competing claims. That part was named Saint-Domingue (later renamed Haiti). French colonists established very lucrative sugarcane plantations there and brought in a record number of slaves from sub-Saharan Africa for cheap labour, which made the colony one of the richest in the world. Spain, however, retained ownership of the other part that is today known as the Dominican Republic.

Its extremely hard to unravel the difficult relationship between Haiti and the United States. At Haitis independence, the U.S. led by Southern politicians who were a powerful voting bloc in the American Congress, stood in the way of recognising the new republic, fearing the potential impact the slave rebellion could have in the slave states. Since then, American policy towards Haiti has largely been determined by the vagaries of who occupies the White House.

Having daily been subjected to long hours of work in the most dehumanising conditions, most of the slaves lost their lives. In order to forestall labour shortage, the colonial authorities brought in new batches of slaves from Africa every now and then. Finally, the slaves had enough, revolted and after a gruesome fight that lasted 12 long years, managed to defeat the French troops at the Battle of Vertueres on November 18, 1803. Haiti gained her independence on January 1, 1804, and became the second oldest independent nation in the Western Hemisphere after the United States, and the first nation ever to successfully gain independence through a slave revolt.

Upon getting independence, citizens of the black nation were ecstatic, looking forward to welcome a new lease of life and improved economic conditions for the freed slaves, not knowing that the fight was just getting started. The United States, her north-American neighbour and the most powerful country in the world, along with other Western nations, refused to officially recognise Haitian independence.

As though that was not bad enough, in July 1825, King Charles of France sent a fleet to reconquer Haiti and, under pressure, the later signed a treaty to pay France 150 million francs in exchange for formal recognition as an independence nation. This ostracism by the international community, coupled with an unconscionable debt payment to France which should be paying reparation instead, made Haiti to face a great deal of political instability in its first century of independence.

As bad as those actions were, its the unending and over-bearing influence of the United States, however, that continues to pose the greatest threat to the progress of the island nation. In fact, the U.S. would later use the excuse of the turmoil following the assassination of President Guillaume Sam in July of 1915 to invade the island, which it occupied from July 28, 1915 till August 1, 1934. President Woodrow Wilson claimed the move was to maintain order and economic stability in the Caribbeans. The real reason, however, was that the U.S. got concerned about an increasing European presence in Haiti, especially the Germans, who were starting to wield influence in business and local politics. In pursuit of the Monroe doctrine, Washington decided to act.

Its extremely hard to unravel the difficult relationship between Haiti and the United States. At Haitis independence, the U.S. led by Southern politicians who were a powerful voting bloc in the American Congress, stood in the way of recognising the new republic, fearing the potential impact the slave rebellion could have in the slave states. Since then, American policy towards Haiti has largely been determined by the vagaries of who occupies the White House. For example, John Adams, a vocal opponent of slavery, fully supported the slave revolt and provided Haiti with both financial support and munition. This was in sharp contrast to the actions of Thomas Jefferson, who himself was a slave holder.

Till today, the United States practically decides who becomes the president of Haiti. Most of the unrest in the country has been fueled by the fact that corrupt leaders were imposed on the people. That said, American citizens and governments are by far the biggest source of aid to Haiti.

When in 1991, rebel soldiers organised a coup against Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former Roman Catholic priest who was Haitis first democratically elected president, it was a Bill Clinton White House that brought him back to power using a threat of force. But in a second coup that toppled him and sent him to exile in Central African Republic in 2004, he accused the Bush administration of orchestrating the coup against him. In fact, Aristide was flown out of Haiti by U.S. military/security personnel, whom he accused of kidnapping him.

Till today, the United States practically decides who becomes the president of Haiti. Most of the unrest in the country has been fueled by the fact that corrupt leaders were imposed on the people. That said, American citizens and governments are by far the biggest source of aid to Haiti. According to the State Department, since the nations crisis, the U.S. has sent at least $3.4 billion in assistance to the country for disaster relief, reconstruction and development efforts.

The apparel sector constitutes at least 90 per cent of Haitis total exports and the U.S. has made sure that it continues to thrive. It was reported that in the aftermath of the horrible earthquake, the U.S. allowed most Haitian textiles to get in duty-free. Many of garments sold by popular American brands like Gap, Walmart, JCPenney and others are being manufactured in Haiti. The U.S. even built a power plant in the northern coast of the country to keep the clothing factories up and running, despite the countrys energy crisis.

Following the assassination of President Moise, Haiti now has Dr Ariel Henry, a neurosurgeon, as the interim prime minister since July 20. Will the U.S. allow Haiti to elect her president in a free and fair election and without undue interference this time? Thats the billion-dollar question for the Biden White House. But going by past experiences, the most powerful nation on earth, even though it lends Haiti a helping hands every now and then, does not desire a neighbuor who can stand on its feet. It prefers the one tied perpetually to her apron string.

Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com
Digital innovation and entrepreneurship can improve standards of living, create wealth for entrepreneurs, related businesses, as well as a countrys economy in general.

Digitally-enabled enterprises are leveraging technology to create economic and social benefits across various areas of human activity.

Innovation makes it possible for businesses to improve their existing products, processes, or to create new products outright.

Most developed economies such as the United States, Russia, Germany, Japan and others are world leaders due to their efficient deployment of technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Digital innovation and entrepreneurship can improve standards of living, create wealth for entrepreneurs, related businesses, as well as a countrys economy in general.

As such, digitally-enabled start-ups scale up to become high-growth companies because they are more likely to fare better in the entrepreneurship ecosystem than startups in traditional or low-tech activity.

Thus, innovation and entrepreneurship bring something new to a startup to drive change, promote the new value and sustainable growth by enabling new products and markets to develop.

The Federal Government has mandated the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and all its agencies to facilitate the use of digital technology to grow Nigerias digital economy and create gainful opportunities locally and across the international market.

Several policies and strategies have been formulated by the Ministry in collaboration with its parastatals and relevant stakeholders to ensure an all-inclusive implementation of the Digital Nigeria agenda of the Federal Government.

Instructively, the exceptional contribution of the digital economy sector to the GDP has been attributed to the existence of shared vision, partnership, and collaboration amongst the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, its parastatals, and the sectors stakeholders.

These agencies are the Nigerian Telecommunications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), and Galaxy Backbone Limited.

The government equally unveiled the Nigeria Digital Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Startup Policy (NDIESP), with five cardinal areas: To advance human capital, unlock access to capital, enable infrastructure, boost demand, and promote innovative entrepreneurship.

Through the NDIESP, the government plans to achieve a digital innovation and entrepreneurship-driven nation with a particular focus on adopting digital technologies to spur economic advancement and promote synergy between key stakeholders, including government, regulatory authorities, investors, companies, startups, academia, and the legislature.

It is worthy to note that innovation and entrepreneurship is one of the five pillars that make up the NDIESP, which was presented to stakeholders in July to raise wide-ranging innovative approaches/methods to grow the nations economy.

Consistently, the collaborative engagements by these agencies have impacted positively on the nations economic fortune as the ICT sector contributed a significant 17.9 per cent of the countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2021.

According to the report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the figure shows a 3.01 per cent increase from the GDP contribution by the ICT sector for the preceding year.

Instructively, the exceptional contribution of the digital economy sector to the GDP has been attributed to the existence of shared vision, partnership, and collaboration amongst the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, its parastatals, and the sectors stakeholders.

In August, the minister, Mr Isa Pantami said that the ministry, its departments, and agencies collectively generated a total sum of N1.05 trillion within the last two years. He hailed the CEOs of all the agencies for their unalloyed commitment and urged them to intensify their efforts towards developing Nigerias digital economy.

Given the forward-thinking and result-oriented cooperation among the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and its agencies and parastatals, I am optimistic that our country is on course to positioning itself to harness the ample opportunities in the estimated US $11.5 trillion global digital economy.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi, emphasised that public-private partnership initiatives, funding, human capital, advocacy, and sustainability are the vehicles that will help Nigeria to attain a vantage position in the lucrative global digital economy.

He identified digital entrepreneurship as a crucial element necessary in ensuring a thriving digital economy and explained that through innovations in technology, people have been able to conduct business online with more speed and convenience.

Abdullahi asserted in a presentation at a roundtable/interface organised by Civil Society Groups for Good Governance with the theme Maximising Potentials of Digital Entrepreneurship for Youth Empowerment and Self Reliance, in Abuja.

Being the IT sector regulator, NITDA has unveiled several initiatives to implement its mandate in line with the federal governments National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) towards promoting innovation and entrepreneurship to create jobs and lift millions of citizens out of poverty.

A few of the agencys strategic initiatives include the Nigerian ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship Vision (NIIEV); Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support (TIES); the MIT-Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Programme; Digital States Initiative Programme; NDIESP and the National Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre.

Office for Nigerian Digital and Innovation (ONDI), a key subsidiary of the agency that promotes entrepreneurial activities, is working with startups as key contributors to developing an innovative-entrepreneurial economy.

Furthermore, the agency is soon to launch a project called Hive through which innovation centres would be built in the universities to provide hands-on practical entrepreneurial activities and support the academic communitys learning, innovation, and research development towards industrialisation.

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Given the forward-thinking and result-oriented cooperation among the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and its agencies and parastatals, I am optimistic that our country is on course to positioning itself to harness the ample opportunities in the estimated US $11.5 trillion global digital economy.

Inyene Ibanga writes from Wuye District, Abuja; email: inyeneibanga@yahoo.com.
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State on Friday presented a budget of N381 billion for 2022 to the Imo House of Assembly for approval.

Presenting the budget, tagged Budget of Wealth Consolidation and Recovery, Mr Uzodinma said it was made up of N96 billion recurrent expenditure, representing 23.36 per cent and N284 billion capital expenditure, representing 74.64 per cent.

The governor said the objective of the budget was to satisfy the desires of the people by promoting sustainable economic development in the state.

He added that it was also aimed at putting the wellbeing of the people at the centre of governance through massive reconstruction of dilapidated infrastructures.

Mr Uzodinma further said that this would be achieved by adopting a participatory governance through open budget process, human capital development and grassroots development, among others.

The governor commended the House for its solidarity to his administration and pledged to vigorously pursue the implementation of policies, programmes and projects captured in the budget.

The Speaker of the House, Kennedy Ibeh, assured that the budget would be passed in good time to enable Mr Uzodinma continue his good works in 2022.

Mr Ibeh expressed confidence that the budget would address the aspirations of the people by providing infrastructure across the state.

ALSO READ: Uzodinma directs immediate rehabilitation of health centres in Imo

He commended the governor for demonstrating uncommon courage in rising up to the new dimensions of crime, criminality and banditry in the state.

He also commended him for the recovery of government property as well as those of the people that were illegally acquired by the past administration.

The Deputy Speaker, Amarachi Iwuanyanwu, expressed confidence in the ability of the governor to steer the state to a better future.

Mr Iwuanyanwu also promised a seamless and quick consideration and passage of the budget, while pledging total support of the House to the governors efforts towards developing the state.

(NAN)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said on Friday that its operatives have arrested an Ibadan, Oyo State socialite, Ajayi Temitope, over alleged N25 million fraud.

EFCCs spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, who announced this in a statement, said the 42-yar-old was arrested following series of petitions received concerning her.

She is said to have claimed to be a registered dealer with soft drinks manufacturers in Ibadan, Oyo State, and promised to supply products to complaints but failed after collecting money from the complainants.

Accused of obtaining money by false pretence, Ms Ajayi was said to have promised to supply a truckload of carbonated soft drinks worth N17, 375,000 from Ibadan to Mabera Trading Company and Altine Musa in Sokoto but failed to do so.

Read EFCCs full statement:

EFCC Press Release

EFCC Arrests Ibadan Socialite for Alleged N25m Fraud

Operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested one Ajayi Oluwabukola Temitope, for allegedly obtaining money to the tune of N24, 955, 000. 00 (Twenty Four Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty-Five Thousand Naira) by false pretence.

The 42-year-old Ibadan socialite was arrested following a series of petitions in which the suspect who claims to be a registered dealer with soft drinks manufacturers in Ibadan, Oyo state promised to supply products to complaints but failed after collecting money from them.

In one of the petitions, Ajayi promised to supply a truckload of carbonated soft drinks worth N17, 375,000 (Seventeen Million, Three Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand Naira Only) from Ibadan to Mabera Trading Company and Altine Musa in Sokoto but failed to do so.

In the same vein, she also allegedly promised to supply soft drinks worth N7, 580,000 (Seven Million Five Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira) to one Bashiru Musa, a businessman based in Sokoto and Ibadan but never did.

The suspect will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media & Publicity

17 December, 2021
The Ekiti State Chief Judge, John Adeyeye, has released 69 awaiting trial inmates at the Nigerian Correctional Center in Ado Ekiti.

Mr Adeyeye granted the inmates freedom on Thursday, during his first official visit to the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Ado Ekiti since assumption of duty in June.

The released inmates were those who committed lesser offences, ranging from burglary, stealing, and those who were staying in the centre beyond law stipulated jail term, among others.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in all, a total of 538 cases were reviewed, 11 females and 527 males.

Also, 45 inmates were released unconditionally, 19 were released on bail, four were released on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions for having no case to answer, one was struck out while three bail conditions were varied.

The chief judge advised the released inmates to be of good behaviour as long hand of the law is awaiting anyone found disrupting the peace of the society.

Mr Adeyeye appreciated all concerned parties in the administration of justice, especially the Judges, Magistrates, Lawyers, Police, and others for their patient and cooperation

He also commended the controller and his men for keeping a clean and healthy environment, thereby making the facility more accommodating and conducive for the inmates.

Earlier, the Controller of the Centre, Ojo Olayemi, who conducted the Chief Judge round the facilities, thanked him for the timely visit, adding that the visit would immensely alleviate the suffering of the inmates.

Mr Olayemi said, the facility was designed to house less than 400 inmates but has almost been overstretched by accommodating about 700 inmates.

He urged the chief judge to encourage Magistrates to make use of non-custodial sentences, such as community services, as such will drastically help in decongesting the correctional centres.

He appealed to the chief judge to make his visit a regular exercise to boost the healthy services of the centre.

(NAN)
A human rights organisation, Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR), has accused the Lagos State Ministry of Justice and the Directorate of Public Prosecution of covering up the prosecution of a police officer who allegedly killed two unarmed citizens in Makoko in 2018.

At a press conference on Friday, Alex Omotehinse, the president of CHSR, said the police officer, Seun Awolu (alias Ijaya), attached to Adekunle Division, shot at unarmed persons at a church in Makoko in 2018, killing two and injuring others.

The incident happened during an enforcement exercise by the Lagos State Task Force on land grabbing at Christ Apostolic Church, Ori Oke, Makoko, which was authorised by Jide Bakare, the then chairperson of the task force.

Mr Omotehinse said despite the investigation and the legal advice by the DPP for the prosecution of the identified officer, there is no record of him in court.

Witnesses of the incident, human rights activists, and other concerned individuals were present at the press conference.

In a copy of the legal advice issued in 2019, which PREMIUM TIMES obtained, the ministry of justice said it was set to prosecute the officer for manslaughter.

After carefully considering the facts available in the duplicate case file, this office is of the considered opinion that there are sufficient facts to establish a prima facie case of Manslaughter contrary to Section 225 of the Criminal Law, Ch. C17, Vol. 3 Laws of Lagos State, 2015 is disclosed against the page B3 SEUN AWOLU A.KA IJAYA, the advice reads in part.

Mr Omotehinse said all attempts to get the charge number or the court where the alleged officer was charged to have failed, as the ministry of justice was not coming forth with details, which suggested a cover-up.

Background

On May 10, 2018, Mr Bakare, the former chairperson of the Lagos State task force on land grabbing, mobilised and led a team of armed officers to the Apostle Church Ori-Oke Alala Temidire in the Makoko area of Yaba LCDA, to execute an order.

According to the narration of witnesses, during the invasion of the church, police officers started shooting sporadically into the community and unleashed violence on the Ori-Oke Alala Temidire Makoko. Two persons died from bullets shot by the officers during the incident.

The invasion also resulted in injuries, displacement of thousands of residents, destruction of properties worth millions of naira, and the community church, which was burnt to the ground.

Mr Omotehinse said two residents, Kolawole Iwalokun and Seyi Akintimehin, were murdered by a trigger-happy officer identified as Seun Awolu.

Following the incident, the church and a lawyer wrote petitions to the then Commissioner of Police, Edgar Imohimi, and called for the investigation of the incident and prosecution of erring officers.

Reacting to the petitions, Mr Imohimi, on May 15, 2018, said all police officers in the unit that went on the assignment had been brought to State Headquarters for proper investigation.

As a first step, the head of the policemen who ordered the police to the assignment and who incidentally is the head of the Anti-Kidnapping unit has been relieved of his appointment to give way for impartial investigation.

Also, a letter of investigation had been sent to the head of Land grabbers unit at the Ministry of Justice and he has given his statement as to the assignment and what transpired.

We are also in the process of obtaining statements from the leadership of the church and other witnesses, he said.

Despite assuring members of the public that investigation would be thorough and anyone found guilty of abuse of power would be penalised, the group said Mr Imohimi did not take any action against the officers.

Protest

On May 19, 2018, dozens of residents of Ori Oke, Makoko, marched to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), to protest the killings and destruction of property by police officers.

The Deputy Common of Police in charge of SCID, Panti, Yetunde Longe, told the protesters that the state command did not send or approve the team of police officers to the said operation.

She told the protesters that the officers identified to be at the scene of the violence had been arrested and investigation was on-going and the command could not rest until justice prevail.

In a similar vein, residents of the community on March 23, 2018, marched to the Government House, Alausa to submit a petition to the governor and speaker of the Lagos state house of assembly on the incident.

A petition was also written to the Inspector-General of Police on the incident.

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ALSO READ: Makoko residents lament as hoodlums cause unrest in community

Mr Omotehinse said in November 2018, the policemen from the FCIID Alagbon invited the leadership of the church that their petition to the IGP has been approved and assigned to them for investigation.

After obtaining the statements of the leaders and inviting the alleged persons, police personnel at FCIID Alagbon said they had forwarded the case file to the DPP for advice.

Legal Advice

Mr Omotehinse said to the surprise of the families of the victims, the police did not communicate the progress of the matter, which led them to write the Attorney-General of Lagos state on the matter.

In their response dated 4th February 2021 signed by O.A. Alagbe a state counsel states that he was directed to inform us that the legal advice in respect of the matter had been written by their office and information has been dispatch for filling at the high court for the prosecution of the matter that our organization may apply to the office for the certified true copies (CTC) of the said legal advice.

Based on the response from the office of the DPP, we applied for the certified true copy of the legal advice, and a certified true copy of a supplementary legal advice dated 20th January 2021 was given to us which shows that legal advice on the matter has been truly issued since on 3rd September 2019 where they stated that the office shall prosecute Seun Awolu (aka Ijaya) for the offence of manslaughter, Mr Omotehinse said.

Stating some of the facts that led to the decision to prosecute Mr Awolu, the DPP said he admitted he carried a rifle and did not book it and also did not know the amount of ammunitions in the said AK47 rifle he carried without booking.

The DPP said there was no prima facie evidence against the seven other persons named in the case, including Mr Bakare, a director at the Ministry of Justice, who led the team.

Mr Omotehinse said despite the legal advice, the ministry of justice has refused to charge the culprits.

There is no record to show that the DPP is ready to prosecute these evildoers. All efforts to get the file number from the DPP office had proved abortive. By this action and inactions, it shows that the DPP office has compromised.

The fact remains that the Ministry of Justice is only trying all within his capacity to kill this case because it involved one of their senior officers who happened to be the former chairman of the Lagos State task force on land grabber an agency under the ministry of justice, Mr Omotehinse said.

The group called for an urgent prosecution of the indicted officers.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Grace Alo, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Justice over the allegation, she said the reporter should do a letter to the DPPs office for the above request.
2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Prince William community has proven resilient. The Prince William Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning --

4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS.

We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover.

We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Prince William Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come.
General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister, addressed the national policy on 5G and digital economy. "Thailand understands the importance of technology, and today is an important first step in the utilization of digital technologies and 5G in the medical field. We are thankful for the long-lasting friendship and collaboration between Thailand and China. We admire Siriraj Hospital and Mahidol University, and would like to thank Huawei, NBTC, and all other partners. We hope the project will act as a blueprint for all smart hospitals in Thailand going forward."

Han Zhiqiang, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China in Thailand, emphasized that China will leverage technology to help Thailand fight the pandemic. "China and Thailand's 5G cooperation has become a model in the region, helping Thailand become the first country in Southeast Asia to launch 5G commercial use. China will continue to support Huawei and other Chinese companies in advancing Smart Hospitals and bringing better lives for Thai and Chinese people."

Prof. Dr. Prasit Watanapa, MD, Dean of Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital Mahidol University, and Colonel Natee Sukonrat, Ph.D., Vice-Chairman of NBTC emphasized that with the "smart hospitals" model, people in remote areas will have better opportunities to access advanced health care services.

Abel Deng, CEO of Huawei Thailand, said, "This signifies a model for upgrading Thailand's public health industry in the future and contributes to Siriraj's transition to becoming a smart hospital, in line with Huawei's mission to Grow in Thailand, Contribute to Thailand."

Siriraj Hospital and Huawei signed a five-year MoU in December 2020 to accelerate the use of 5G and cloud technologies. In June, 5G unmanned vehicles were introduced for contactless medical supplies delivery. Last year, Siriraj was awarded by CommunicAsia for "Most Innovative 5G Trial in Asia Pacific Region."

SOURCE Huawei
Violence against cis and trans girls and women has significantly risen due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as lockdown restrictions increased exposure to abusers and made it more difficult to denounce these crimes. However, research conducted by Maven Road showed that online discussions about gender violence transcended the pandemic, making it the context, not the content of their conversations.

"Our analytics team at Maven Road conducted a Social Listening analysis to gain a more in-depth understanding of what conversations during the pandemic reveal about this type of violence and its perpetrators," said Paul Herrera, COO & Co-founder at Maven Road.

In their conversations, users expressed outrage at the violence perpetrated or facilitated by authorities against cis and trans girls and women from minority or marginalized groups. They shed light on various cases of violence against Black girls and women, particularly that of Breonna Taylor, a medical worker who police officers shot and killed in March 2020. Nearly 10% of the users discussing gender-based violence mourned her death, raising awareness of the violence experienced by Black women at the hands of authorities.

Discussions also referenced the murders of 19-year-old activist Oluwatoyin Salau, and Dominique "Rem'mie" Fells and Riah Milton, two Black trans women. Their deaths sparked a Black Trans Lives Matter rally on June 14th in New York City. While their murders were not perpetrated by authorities, conversations about their deaths revealed a growing distrust among the public concerning the willingness and capability of institutions and authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable. Users demanded justice for their deaths and advocated for the protection of all Black cis and trans women.

Several users discussing these cases have utilized the hashtag #SayHerName to emphasize the need to create policies to ensure the protection of all Black women and girls. They called out authorities whose role is to protect cis and trans girls and women for failing to do so, expressing growing concern for minorities and marginalized groups within their community. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, they mobilized for change.

To build on that momentum as we take our first steps in returning to pre-COVID-19 life, it is more important than ever to contribute to the prevention of gender-based violence. As Herrera indicates, "social media analysis provides us a unique glimpse into the issues and concerns of most relevance on the topic". Further analysis could yield even more insights on user perception, which could be used to inform policies and reforms or grassroot campaigns.

To read the complete research, please visit: Maven Road - Gender Violence: A Crisis Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

About Maven Road

Maven Road is a global business intelligence firm focused on creating lean, actionable consumer and audience intelligence. Our knowledge and expertise allow our customers to reach new pockets of consumer data that would otherwise remain untapped. Our Big Data, Machine Learning Models, and Advanced Analytics help global brands stay ahead of the market. To learn more, visit mavenroad.com .

SOURCE Maven Road
NEW YORK and TEL AVIV, Israel and MUNICH, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AnyClip ( www.anyclip.com ), the Visual Intelligence Company, today announced that it has begun a new phase of its global expansion with the launch of a DACH sales office in Munich. Through this office, AnyClip will provide its AI-powered video management solution for Business in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. AnyClip currently maintains additional offices in Tel Aviv, New York and Los Angeles.

In a related move, AnyClip also revealed that it has named Michael Kummer, a SaaS industry veteran with a successful strategic B2B sales and marketing track record, as its first Managing Director overseeing the region. Kummer's appointment is effective immediately and he will report directly to AnyClip's newly-appointed CRO Kristi Gaudioso.

AnyClip is establishing its first sales office in Europe to close out an exceptional year of growth for the company. This includes a $47M funding round, ranking No. 5 in New York on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500  list of fastest-growing companies in North America, and the expansion of its product offering with the introduction of the first automated solution for internal communications - Intelligence Lockbox.

Video is the new language of business, globally. The businesses that learn to "speak" this new language by harnessing the innate data in video to communicate most effectively, will be the ones that thrive. AnyClip's proprietary Visual Intelligence Technology converts latent video into smart video, powering a fully automated and integrated video management platform for Enterprise. Whether the objective is scaling new and existing audiences with external facing video that is targeted, searchable and personalized or driving productivity, connectivity and collaboration with internal video for the new hybrid workplace, AnyClip provides a holistic video solution.

"Companies in the DACH region, similar to our existing client base, are experiencing an exponential increase in video production and usage as a critical part of their daily business activities," noted AnyClip President & CEO, Gil Becker. "As businesses struggle to keep up with the flow of information, we're providing a turn-key solution for content organization, discovery and collaboration that not only addresses the demands of the marketplace today but is future-proofed for tomorrow."

He added, "Michael brings a very deep understanding of how businesses operate in the region. That coupled with his strategic approach and vast SaaS experience make him the right executive to guide our expansion in DACH."

Kummer joins AnyClip with on-the-ground experience in DACH ranging from selling complex software solutions, new product launches and building high-performing sales teams to fostering long-term partnerships, revenue generation and client development and acquisition. This includes serving as Senior Director of Sales, EMEA APAC, for Kaltura Inc.

Most recently, the bi-lingual executive (German and English) was DACH Sales Director for Munich-based Unit4 GmbH. There he oversaw the creation of the cloud computing software company's go-to-market strategy. Previously, Kummer served as the Global Head of Sales and GM for moving image EVP GmbH.

About AnyClip

AnyClip is The Visual Intelligence Company

AnyClip is ushering in a new era in video and AI with its proprietary Visual Intelligence Technology. With its unique ability to extract and harness data from video, AnyClip mobilizes latent video libraries and immediately converts them into high performance assets that can be searched, measured and merchandised via a single, fully automated and centralized global SaaS platform. The AnyClip Platform for publishing, media, and business is the next evolution in video management, distribution, analytics, marketing and monetization. Intelligence Lockbox by AnyClip leverages this platform to unlock the value of video for internal communications and collaboration. AnyClip is located in New York, Los Angeles, Tel Aviv and Munich and is backed by Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP), Roman Abramovich's Ervington Investments, former Sony America President & CEO Michael Schulhof, and Limelight Networks. In early 2021, the company announced a $47 million (US) investment , and in November 2021, it ranked No. 5 in New York, and 64 in North America, on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500  list of fastest-growing companies in North America. For more information, please visit www.AnyClip.com .

For DACH inquiries: https://anyclip.com/de/contact/

ANYCLIP MEDIA CONTACTS:

Matt Biscuiti  The Lippin Group (U.S.)

[email protected]



Christoph Moller  moller pr GmbH (Germany)

+49 (0)221 80 10 87-87

[email protected]

SOURCE AnyClip

Related Links

http://www.anyclip.com


DRAPER, Utah, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Arden Group (Arden), in partnership with Vesta Realty Partners, LLC (Vesta), announced it has acquired a portfolio in Draper, Utah, within Salt Lake City's coveted Silicon Slopes region. Collectively known as 136 Center, the fully leased portfolio measures 318,831 square feet across two adjacent six-story buildings and includes a land parcel that allows for additional development.

The properties at 136 Center include 13693 South 200 West, built-to-suit for Dealertrack, a leading provider of digital solutions to the automotive retail industry. Dealertrack leases 112,900 square feet of the 163,725-square-foot building and the remaining space is leased to a diverse mix of tenants including Gold Standard Automotive, Summit Sotheby's International, and NAV Technologies.

The second building is located at 13707 South 200 West and serves as the corporate headquarters for financial technology company Divvy. The glass and steel office building includes 155,106 rentable square feet of creative and flexible spaces designed to support the company's collaborate work environment.

This transaction also represents the third and fourth Salt Lake City office property acquisition for Arden and Vesta in 2021, following their acquisition of the Solutionreach office building located at 2600 Ashton Boulevard in October, and its previous purchase of Entrata's headquarters located at 4205 North Chapel Ridge Road, both in Lehi, UT.

"Arden is pleased to announce this latest acquisition, which represents what we consider another excellent addition to our expanding portfolio within the Silicon Slopes technology corridor," said Craig A. Spencer, Chairman and CEO of Arden Group, commenting on the investment. "The 136 Center properties house mission critical operations for high-quality tenants and its combination of a superior location, in-place cash flow and potential value creation through further development opportunities made this an attractive Core Plus investment. This strategic purchase also reinforces our convictions about the staying power of the Salt Lake City office market."

"The portfolio is designed to capitalize on the growing technology industry," noted James Tucker, Managing Director of Arden's office investment team. "Over $3.4 billion of venture capital has been invested into Utah startups across 165 transactions in 2021, doubling the record $1.7 billion of capital invested in all of 2020. The well-located buildings sit at the nexus of I-15 and Bangerter Highway, providing office workers with an easy commute from both Salt Lake City and Provo."

Additionally, the portfolio is located directly adjacent to a major Salt Lake City redevelopment called The Point, which will create a city within a city in Draper and replace the Utah State Prison. In August 2021, officials unveiled plans for redeveloping 600 acres of the state-owned land, which will be among the biggest economic development opportunities in Utah history upon completion. The Point will consist of 20 million square feet of both residential and commercial properties and will serve as a world-class model for sustainable development.

Walker & Dunlop served as exclusive advisor to Arden Group and Vesta Realty Partners and brokered the financing of the transaction.

About Arden Group

Arden Group is a vertically integrated real estate investment management firm focused on equity and debt investments in the top 25 US MSA's. Founded in 1989, Arden has acquired over $6 billion of properties and asset managed in excess of $11 billion of commercial real estate assets since inception. In 2012, Arden Group established Arden Fund Management, its real estate equity and debt fund management business with offices in Philadelphia, New York, Tampa, Miami, Minneapolis, and Newport Beach. Arden Group has been consistently ranked globally as a top performing Private Fund Manager by both Cambridge Associates and Preqin including Preqin's #1 global ranking in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Visit www.ardengroup.com.

About Vesta Realty Partners

Vesta Realty Partners is an institutional sponsor focused on real estate investing outperformance through a macro driven value-oriented approach coupled with hands on business plan execution. The firm focuses on undervalued office/life science, industrial, residential, and opportunity zone investing with offices in New York City and Salt Lake City.

Contact :

Great Ink Communications, Ltd. - 212-741-2977

Tom Nolan ([email protected])

Jimmy Lappas ([email protected])

SOURCE Arden Group
OXFORD, Mich., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row, Barron Industries has received the Best Investment Casting Award. The Investment Casting Institute distributes the awards annually to manufacturing companies that best demonstrate the benefits of the investment casting process for producing metal components. Barron won the 2021 Best Military Casting award for an aluminum casting the company manufactures for a military vehicle. Barron Industries converted a distorted multi-piece welded fabrication into a one-piece lightweight and thin wall investment casting. Made of A356-T6 Aluminum, the thin-wall HVAC Diffuser is used in a military vehicle with tight packaging constraints.

Using the latest additive manufacturing techniques, Barron produced a rapid prototype casting to prove the concept and manufacturing method. In order to meet test vehicle requirements, the diffuser was designed, cast, machined and painted in just eight weeks.

"The former method of manufacture was time-consuming and costly," said company president and CEO Bruce Barron. "Barron Industries is producing this as a single piece casting at half the original cost of providing significant cost savings. Additionally, the investment casting process has provided the customer with a great deal of design flexibility not previously available."

Investment casting is a process used for making precise and complex metal components and, for many industries, it saves time and cost in producing their parts. For example, when an aerospace company asked Barron Industries to manufacture an investment casting for an advanced military guidance system, it was able to reduce its costs by a whopping 75 percent. Barron's superior casting solution won industry acclaim, winning the Investment Casting Institute's 2020 Military Award.

Barron continues to make the best investment castings.

When many of the world's manufacturing companies sent their people home, Barron's dedicated team continued to show up to make high quality investment castings for the aerospace and defense industries, essential for the safety of our military. Barron Industries is a supplier to some of the largest aerospace and defense contractors including General Dynamics, BAE, Oshkosh, Raytheon, GE Aviation and Boeing Defense, just to name a few, and we didn't let them down. Barron has been able to continue production throughout the pandemic while, at the same time, improving our investment casting process and advancing our people.

Here's a look at our latest investment casting quality improvements

For more information go to Barron-industries.com

SOURCE Barron Industries Inc
As images began to emerge of the devastation caused by the tornadoes across the Midwest and South, Clarience Technologies CEO Brian Kupchella immediately realized the severity of this natural disaster. If companies like his didn't act quickly, this disaster would also become a humanitarian crisis as well.

"With every news report, the world learned of another devastated community experiencing its darkest hour," said Kupchella. "Many of our companies operate in towns across the country that are similar to those communities affected. I couldn't stop thinking 'this could have been us' and knew we needed to help."

This disaster hits particularly close to home for the employees of Code-3. Located in St. Louis, Missouri, the company manufactures emergency vehicle safety systems and joined Clarience Technologies as part of the ECCO Safety Group acquisition in 2020. The facility is located just over 30 miles from Edwardsville, Illinois, one of the first areas touched by this storm system and where a tornado hit a large warehouse, causing its roof to collapse and killing several employees.

PROVIDING LIGHT AT A COMMUNITY'S DARKEST HOUR

From when ECCO developed the industry's first back-up alarm in 1972 and instantly improved truck and bus safety to when Truck-Lite brought its LED headlights to commercial transportation and established a new performance benchmark for lighting, Clarience Technologies has a proud legacy of making transportation safer and the world better. That's why it should not come as a surprise there were so many employees wanting to help with relief efforts.

Immediately, company leaders exchanged text messages and emails with dozens of ideas. The company has been a thought leader in lighting for decades with innovations that provide customers visibility to what's ahead, and this served as an inspiration for the Hope Shines Bright initiative which facilitates fundraising to help with emergency response for those impacted by recent events.

At the center of Hope Shines Bright is its new online giving center, which is powered by Direct Relief, a global humanitarian aid organization with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies  without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay. Although the online giving center was launched primarily as a way for employees to give, it can be used by anyone who feels inclined to help these efforts.

Every dollar raised through Hope Shines Bright will support emergency response from last week's tornadoes. Direct Relief is rapidly mobilizing medical humanitarian aid for health care facilities within the affected areas. Aid includes medications, chronic care treatments and vaccines, so clinics may provide continuity of care for the communities in which they serve. To assist with resilient power needs, Direct Relief is also providing backup solar generators to clinics facing power outages.

"The holiday season is a time many are inspired to give back and we believe there's no more important time than now," Kupchella said. "While we recognize things will never be the same after a tragedy like this, we're hopeful our efforts act as a source of light through the darkness."

HOW YOU CAN JOIN THE EFFORTS

Clarience Technologies is also inviting the community to support their Hope Shines Bright initiative. Visit our online giving center at www.directrelief.org/clarience to make your donation.

Employees of Clarience Technologies and its family of companies are eligible for matched givingsimply follow the instructions on the online giving center.

About Clarience Technologies

Clarience Technologies focuses on developing vehicle and fleet management technology innovations for the commercial vehicle, passenger car, recreational off-road machine and pleasure craft markets. Through our data and insights, we improve fleet management, streamline supply chain management and enhance safety on and off the road. Since our Truck-Lite brand introduced the first sealed marker light in 1955, our companies have unveiled a steady stream of innovations that have turned customers into long-term partners. Today, Clarience Technologies is a global company known for its quality and dedication to sustainability  and to providing the technologies that keep our world moving forward. Learn more at www.clariencetechnologies.com .

SOURCE Clarience Technologies
LONDON and NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Fund X today announced the sale of its investment in Belron, a worldwide leader in vehicle glass repair and replacement. The two-part transaction included the sale of approximately 39% of CD&R Fund X's stake to funds managed by Hellman & Friedman, GIC, and BlackRock Private Equity Partners, valuing Belron at 21 billion. The remaining 61% of the CD&R Fund X ownership position was sold to CD&R Value Building Partners I, L.P. and related vehicles (the "SPV"), new special purpose vehicles formed to continue CD&R's partnership with Belron.

Belron operates in 41 countries through wholly-owned businesses and franchises, with market leading brands  including Carglass, Safelite and Autoglass. In addition, Belron manages vehicle glass and other insurance claims on behalf of insurance customers. Sales and adjusted operating results for the period ending December 2020 reached 3.9 billion and 583 million, respectively.

CD&R Fund X acquired a 40% stake in Belron in February 2018 in a transaction that valued the company at 3 billion. Since its initial investment, CD&R has worked in a close partnershipwhich will be extended by the new SPVwith D'leteren Group and the Belron management team to drive growth and margin improvement. Following the transaction, CD&R vehicles will hold a 20% stake in Belron and remain the company's second largest shareholder, primarily through the approximately $4 billion CD&R-managed SPV.

"We are very pleased to welcome new, high quality investors at Belron and to continue our strong partnership with the Belron team and the D'Ieteren Group in a business that we believe has tremendous runway for growth and value creation," said CD&R Partner Christian Rochat. "Importantly, we are excited to deliver a creative solution that has given our investors an array of attractive options."

"Belron has grown steadily over the last 20 years, and we believe it is now regarded as one of the leading, best-in-class global services businesses that reflects its global and local market presence, exceptional customer satisfaction, and strong financial performance," said CD&R Partner Eric Rouzier. "We expect to continue to benefit from structural growth tailwinds, driven by long-term secular increases in miles driven and windshield technology and complexity."

Debevoise & Plimpton served as legal advisor to CD&R on the sale of the company and the formation of the SPV. Bank of America, Citi, and JP Morgan served as financial advisors to CD&R on the sale to funds managed by Hellman & Friedman, GIC, and BlackRock Private Equity Partners. Lazard served as financial advisor to CD&R on the creation and closing of the SPV.

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 approximately $175 billion. The Firm has offices in New York and London. For more information, please visit www.cdr-inc.com.

About Belron

Operating in 41 countries across 6 continents through wholly owned and franchise operations, Belron is home to around 27,000 employees who served 14.9 million customers in 2020. Belron is the world's leading vehicle glass repair and replacement group. Our key brands include Carglass, Safelite AutoGlass, Autoglass, Lebeau, O'Brien, Smith&Smith and Speedy Glass. For more information please visit www.belron.com.

SOURCE Clayton, Dubilier & Rice
VENICE, Fla., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Defcon Products, LLC. ("Defcon" or the "Company"), a commercial-stage manufacturer and distributor of innovative lockdown devices, namely TeacherLock and SaberLock, announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") granted to the Company U.S. Patent No. 11214986, entitled "Emergency Deadbolt Device." The USPTO also issued a Notice of Allowance for the Company's U.S. Patent Application No. 16/139,827 entitled "Emergency Deadbolt Device," and an "Issue Notice" indicating the patent publication date of 1/4/2022.

TeacherLock Lockdown Device built for fast and efficient lockdown to prevent intruders TeacherLock and SaberLock are trademarks of Defcon Products, LLC.

The granted patent relates to the unique functionality which allows the fast and efficient locking of a door in an emergency, preventing or delaying access by intruders, active shooters, or other unauthorized persons. The patent generally allows for the locking mechanism, quick egress, and proprietary "bullyproof" key as well as several claims and species relating to potential wireless communications applications of the device.

"We are pleased that the Patent Office recognizes the novel advances made by Defcon Products, LLC. The addition of this patent grant and the notice of allowance strengthen our intellectual property position and highlights our commitment to innovation in advancing the ability of schools, companies, hospitals, and places of worship to quickly lock down and egress, dramatically improving occupant safety," commented Salvatore Emma, Vice President and Founder of Defcon.

Defcon actively protects its innovations through patenting and is gratified that the United States Patent and Trademark Office recognizes this innovation and the importance for this device as it relates to life safety. The company has an additional patent pending further strengthening the IP portfolio of Defcon.

TeacherLock/SaberLock is designed to enable occupants to lock down a classroom or workplace even when under extreme stress. Both locking and egress are intuitive, requiring no special training. Exit is conspicuous and fast. Teacherlock/Saberlock is protecting classrooms and workplaces across the USA. The devices are entirely mechanical and easy to install.

For investor, licensing, or company information, our contact information is below. The Company does not disclose or discuss specific tactical or intelligence information about its customers. TeacherLock and SaberLock are trademarks of Defcon Products, LLC. All rights reserved, patents pending. The Company manufactures its products in Fitchburg, MA and has sales offices in Venice, FL and Las Vegas, NV.

Investor, Licensing, Press and Contact Information:

Defcon Products, LLC https://www.teacherlock.com

808 Main Street, Fitchburg, Massachusetts 01420

Salvatore Emma, VP and Co-Founder

[email protected]

Marc Bingham, Director of Business Development, Co-Founder

[email protected]

(978)286-8855

SOURCE Defcon Products, LLC
B.Grimm Power and ECV have signed a Joint Development Agreement, and B.Grimm Power intends to invest approximately $200 million in equity at financial close of the project. B.Grimm Power's more than 20 years presence in Vietnam and expertise in operating gas fired power plants with a total capacity of more than 2,000 MW will ensure a smooth project implementation as well as reliable and efficient electricity production.

Siemens Energy will deliver advanced technology equipment into the project to reduce the global carbon footprint by bringing cleaner burning gas to a still coal-dominated region. Further, Siemens Energy is evaluating to participate with construction equity to the project, which has an estimated total project cost of $1.75 billion.

"B.Grimm Power is excited to work with ECV, Siemens Energy and Maius to deliver the MKG LNG project on time and we welcome the timely issuance of Power Development Plan VIII," said Dr. Harald Link, Chairman and President of B.Grimm Power. "We find great confidence in the innovative risk mitigation approach applied to the project as a cornerstone for the Vietnamese energy transition. As internationally recognized, LNG is a cleaner, cost-effective fuel alternative to coal. MKG LNG can help the energy transition in Vietnam in accordance with commitments made under the Paris Accords and at COP26."

David Lewis, ECV Chairman and CEO, said the addition of B.Grimm Power and Siemens Energy as partners speaks to the strength of the MKG project in Vietnam.

"Partnering with B.Grimm Power and Siemens Energy bolsters ECV's first-class LNG-to-power project that will provide critical energy security to Vietnam," Lewis said. "Beyond world-class engineering competence and efficiency, B.Grimm Power and Siemens Energy take a comprehensive approach to development by leveraging global relationships and experience to deliver turnkey solutions."

ECV is forming a Joint Venture with Gunvor International BV, one of the world's leading independent energy commodities trading houses, to supply LNG on a long-term basis. Deutsche Bank AG has been mandated as the debt structuring bank. Maius GmbH has been engaged on project risk mitigation and financing solutions.

About B.Grimm Power Group

B.Grimm Power, an affiliate to the 143 years old B.Grimm Group, has a long and proven history of successful developments and operations of more than 50 gas-fired, solar, wind and hydro power plants to supply electricity and steam to industry and the grid in a great number of countries with vast experience in green and brown field projects from the design stage to operation.

About Maius GmbH

Maius is a financial advisory firm with extensive experience serving both business and private clients in Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific. Maius offers customized sophisticated financial services - structuring solutions to complex problems and helping clients increase their financial strength, business growth, and international expansion. www.maius.ch.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by management or either company and other information currently available to either company. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. Neither company does not intend, and does not assume any liability whatsoever, to update these forward-looking statements or to modify them to conform with future events or developments.

SOURCE Energy Capital Vietnam
All dollar amounts are expressed in US$

VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Equinox Gold Corp. (TSX: EQX) (NYSE American: EQX) ("Equinox Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Mercedes Gold-Silver Mine in Mexico ("Mercedes") to Bear Creek Mining Corporation (TSXV: BCM) ("Bear Creek") (the "Transaction") for aggregate consideration of:

$100 million in cash, payable as follows:

in cash, payable as follows: $75 million on closing of the Transaction; and

on closing of the Transaction; and

$25 million payable within six months of closing of the Transaction.

payable within six months of closing of the Transaction. 24,730,000 common shares of Bear Creek valued at approximately $25 million based on current trading prices; and a

based on current trading prices; and a 2% net smelter return payable on production from Mercedes.

Christian Milau, CEO of Equinox Gold, commented: "We acquired Mercedes in April this year as part of our acquisition of Premier Gold Mines and the large-scale Greenstone Gold Project. Mercedes is non-core to Equinox Gold, representing 5% of our 2021 production guidance and 2% of our resources. The sale of Mercedes strengthens our balance sheet with $100 million as we focus on growth through expansion and development of our larger gold projects, including Greenstone. Equinox Gold will also become a significant shareholder in Bear Creek, continuing to participate in the success of Mercedes and in the future development of Bear Creek's Corani silver-lead-zinc deposit, one of the largest, fully-permitted silver deposits in the world."

The Transaction is subject to certain regulatory approvals including approval of the Mexican Comision Federal de Competencia Economica and other customary closing conditions. The Transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022.

About Equinox Gold

Equinox Gold is a growth-focused Canadian mining company operating entirely in the Americas, with seven operating gold mines (including Mercedes) and a clear path to achieving more than one million ounces of annual gold production from a pipeline of development and expansion projects. Equinox Gold's common shares are listed on the TSX and the NYSE American under the trading symbol EQX. Further information about Equinox Gold's portfolio of assets and long-term growth strategy is available at www.equinoxgold.com or by email at [email protected].

Cautionary Notes and Forward-looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation and may include future-oriented financial information. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information in this news release relates to, among other things: the consummation and timing of the Transaction; the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to the Transaction; Equinox Gold and Bear Creek's abilities to obtain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in a timely manner or at all, including the approval of the Mexican Comision Federal de Competencia Economica; the anticipated receipt of future cash payments to complete the Mercedes Gold Mine sale and from the net smelter return; the Company's equity ownership in Bear Creek; the strategic vision for the Company and expectations regarding exploration potential, production capabilities and future financial or operating performance post-Transaction, including expectations for the Company's investment in Bear Creek; the strategic vision for Bear Creek and its ability to achieve its growth objectives, including those objectives relating to the Corani silver-lead-zinc deposit; and the Company's ability to successfully advance its growth and development projects. Forward-looking statements or information generally identified by the use of the words "clear path", "strengthen", "future" and similar expressions and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "could", "would" or "should", or the negative connotation of such terms, are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The Company has based these forward-looking statements and information on the Company's current expectations and projections about future events and these assumptions include: prices for gold remaining as estimated; currency exchange rates remaining as estimated; the successful transition in the operation of the Mercedes Gold Mine; the expected operational benefits to the Company post-Transaction; the Company's ability to achieve its production, cost and development expectations for its operations and projects; tonnage of ore to be mined and processed; ore grades and recoveries; availability of funds for the Company's projects and future cash requirements; capital, decommissioning and reclamation estimates; Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates and the assumptions on which they are based; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services; no labour-related disruptions and no unplanned delays or interruptions in scheduled construction, development and production, including by blockade; all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals are received in a timely manner; the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws; the strategic vision and expectations for Bear Creek ; and the ability of Bear Creek to achieve its production, cost and development expectations for the Mercedes Gold Mine. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on the forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release.

The Company cautions that forward-looking statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: fluctuations in gold prices; fluctuations in prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services; fluctuations in currency markets; operational risks and hazards inherent with the business of mining (including environmental accidents and hazards, industrial accidents, equipment breakdown, unusual or unexpected geological or structural formations, cave-ins, flooding and severe weather); inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance to cover these risks and hazards; employee relations; relationships with, and claims by, local communities and indigenous populations; the Company's ability to obtain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in a timely manner or at all; changes in laws, regulations and government practices, including environmental, export and import laws and regulations; legal restrictions relating to mining including those imposed in connection with COVID-19; risks relating to expropriation; increased competition in the mining industry; and those factors identified in the Company's MD&A dated March 19, 2021 and its Annual Information Form dated March 24, 2021, both for the year ended December 31, 2020, and in the Company's MD&A dated November 3, 2021 for the three and six months ended September 30, 2021, all of which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar. Forward-looking statements and information are designed to help readers understand management's views as of that time with respect to future events and speak only as of the date they are made. Except as required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement or information contained or incorporated by reference to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements and information. If the Company updates any one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE Equinox Gold Corp.

Related Links

www.equinoxgold.com


THOMASVILLE, Ga., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO) is voluntarily recalling 3,000 loaves of Nature's Own Honey Wheat bread sold in six states due to the presence of undeclared milk. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

The products being recalled were potentially distributed to retail customers in Arizona; Colorado; New Mexico, Wyoming; the cities of Blythe, Brawley, Calexico, Calipatra, El Centro, Needles, and Westmoreland, California; the city of Laughlin, Nevada; and to one wholesale distributor in California serving Mexico. The packages have either a blue or yellow tie closure and a "Best If Used By" date of 12-26-2021 and product codes 128 346 03:00 through 128 346 05:00 printed on the package.

The recall was initiated after discovering that loaves of Nature's Own Butterbread containing milk were inadvertently packaged in Nature's Own Honey Wheat bread packaging, which does not include milk in the ingredient statement. No related illnesses or incidents have been reported to date.

Following is information about the products involved in the recall. People allergic to milk should not consume products if the UPC and Product Codes below are printed on the package.

Product UPC Product Codes "Best If Used By" Date Nature's Own Honey Wheat Bread 20 oz. 0-72250-03706-8 128 346 03:00

through

128 346 05:00 12-26-21 Nature's Own 2-pack Honey Wheat Bread 40 oz. 0-72250-00539-5 128 346 03:00

through

128 346 05:00 12-26-21

Consumers should discard affected product or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may call Flowers' Consumer Relations Center at 1-866-245-8921. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST. Consumers also may contact the center via e-mail by visiting www.flowersfoods.com/contact/consumers.

About Flowers Foods

Headquartered in Thomasville, Ga., Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO) is one of the largest producers of packaged bakery foods in the United States with 2020 sales of $4.4 billion. Flowers operates bakeries across the country that produce a wide range of bakery products. Among the company's top brands are Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, Wonder, Canyon Bakehouse, and Tastykake. Learn more at www.flowersfoods.com.



FLO-CORP FLO-PRO

SOURCE Flowers Foods, Inc.
CHICAGO, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a research report "Fraud Detection and Prevention Market by Solution (Fraud Analytics, Authentication, and GRC), Service (Managed and Professional), Vertical (BFSI, Retail and eCommerce, and Travel and Transportation), Deployment Mode and Region - Global Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the FDP Market is expected to grow from USD 22.8 billion in 2021 to USD 53.4 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 18.5% during the forecast period.

Technological advancements, penetration of digital technologies, and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend in organizations have greatly influenced work practices and led to an unprecedented rise in data volumes. These factors have led to the adoption of automatic software-based applications for analyzing data in real time, which have replaced the traditional data mining applications and tools. This, in turn, increases the need to update legacy manual fraud detection methods. Hence, FDP vendors are producing new varieties of FDP solutions to detect and prevent all types of frauds committed by fraudsters.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Fraud Detection and Prevention Market"

493  Tables

46  Figures

381  Pages

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=1312

By component, Solutions segment to hold the largest market size during the forecast period

On the basis of solutions, the FDP Market is segmented into fraud analytics, authentication, and GRC solutions. The demand for FDP solutions is increasing as they can help enterprises detect fraudulent activities and prevent their occurrence. The number of frauds is growing at a significant rate; however, it is the surge in revenue loss which is driving the demand for FDP solutions. These FDP solutions can work simultaneously to provide fraud-proof enterprise environments.

Money launderers or criminals may forge fake signatures and Identifications (IDs) to commit digital frauds using someone's identity. FDP solutions help in reducing digital frauds, illegal transactions, tax evasion attempts, and other payment corruptions by identifying and detecting fraudulent activities in the system and reporting them to assigned authorities on time.

In deployment mode, cloud deployment to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period

According to Flexera, a computer software company, enterprises are set to spend around 15-16% of their revenue into cloud hosting services by 2020. Another study by Cisco stated that "53% of organizations host at least 50% of their infrastructure in the cloud." The investment in cloud services and shifting of businesses from traditional to cloud are expected to accelerate the adoption of cloud-based solutions and services by enterprises. Owing to the increasing pace of digitalization, security breaches and fraud cases especially identity theft and online fraud has also increased. These increasing trend of eCommerce and online retail and digital payments has increased the adoption rate of online FDP solutions among end-user verticals to combat with fraud and compliance intruders.

Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=1312

North America to hold the largest market size during the forecast period

North America is expected to be the largest contributor in terms of the market size in the FDP Market. It is one of the most affected regions in the world by money laundering and terrorist financing crime activities; as a result, it has the highest number of FDP providers. Banks, governments, and financial institutes in this region face ever-increasing challenges related to frauds compelling them to implement advanced technological approaches for managing fraud protection. Further, organic and inorganic growth strategies among major FDP vendors are expected to drive the FDP Market growth in North America. For example, in July 2020, NewDay, a financial services company partnered with RSA Security, financial crime prevention and predictive analytics company, to deliver advanced fraud protection for digital payments and address the requirements of the EMV 3-D Secure protocol.

Key Players:

Major vendors in the global FDP Market include BAE Systems (UK), Nice Actimize (US), FICO (US), LexisNexis (US), TransUnion (US), Kount (US), Software AG (Germany), RSA Security (US), Fiserv (US), FIS (US), ACI Worldwide (US), Experian (Ireland), SecuroNix (US), Accertify (US), Feedzai (US), CaseWare (Canada), FRISS (Netherland), MaxMind (US), Gurucul (US), DataVisor (US), PayPal (US), Visa (US), SAS institute (US), SAP SE (Germany), Microsoft Corporation (US), F5, Inc (US), Ingenico (France), AWS (US), PerimeterX (US), OneSpan (US), Signifyd (US), Cleafy (Italy) and Pondera Solutions (US). It also includes an in-depth competitive analysis of the key FDP Market players, along with their company profiles, business overviews, product offerings, recent developments, and market strategies.

Browse Adjacent Markets: Information Security Market Research Reports & Consulting

Related Reports:

Anti-money Laundering Market by Component, Solution (KYC/CDD and Watchlist, Transaction Screening and Monitoring), Deployment Mode, End User (Banking and Financials, Gaming/Gambling Organizations), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025

eGRC Market with COVID-19 by Offering (Software and Services), Software (Usage and Type), Type (Policy Management, Compliance Management, Audit Management, and Risk Management), Business Function, End User, and Region - Global Forecast to 2026

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Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

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ATLANTA, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power and Microsoft today announced more than a $200,000 investment in support of Clark Atlanta University's (CAU) Makerspace and Advanced Manufacturing Lab. The lab is developed to give entrepreneurial undergraduate students the opportunity to expand their knowledge, skill set, and market competitiveness in the renewable energy space. Through the program, students will build an advanced solar powered generator that will ultimately serve as a back-up energy source for their campus, while supporting predominantly African American communities in the Atlanta area.

With the financial investment from Georgia Power and Microsoft's Community Empowerment Fund and University Relations team, CAU students and faculty will also experiment with solar capabilities around increasing Wi-Fi internet access and supporting emerging 5G technology infrastructure. Further, this investment will give work opportunities for students in an innovative and sustainable sector while creating intellectual property through a community enterprise venture.

"Through this partnership with Microsoft, Georgia Power is proud to support opportunities for students and our state's future workforce that will enhance their knowledge, skills and interest in the renewable energy space," said Bentina Terry, senior vice president of Region External Affairs & Community Engagement at Georgia Power. "As a committed partner and champion of Historically Black Colleges & Universities across Georgia, we are excited to partner with CAU's students on this entrepreneurial venture that closely aligns with our sustainability and philanthropic goals."

In addition to providing a back-up energy source for communities during power outages, students of the program will have the opportunity to support their local communities with solar power at outdoor events and engagements.

"Microsoft is honored to partner with Georgia Power and Clark Atlanta University to support the solar powered generator student venture to empower education and workforce development in the sustainability sector," said Rahul Joshi, director of Datacenter Community Development, "The Microsoft Community Empowerment Fund Awards are an important way for the company and our employees to contribute to stronger, more resilient communities."

The Microsoft Community Empowerment Fund, created and managed by Microsoft's Datacenter Community Development team, is designed to support community-led and prioritized projects, increase collaboration among contributors and award recipients, and develop ecosystems that help deliver common community priorities. Through this approach, Microsoft hopes to achieve long-term, systemic, and holistic outcomes in the communities in which it operates.

"Clark Atlanta University is thankful to both Microsoft and Georgia Power for this amazing partnership in support of our scholars. Initiatives like this provide invaluable experiences and opportunities for our students ultimately preparing them to be successful in the workforce, and that is our mission and goal here at Clark Atlanta University," said President George T. French Jr., Ph.D.

CAU students are currently working on a prototype of the first solar powered generator. Projects like this align with Clark Atlanta's student leadership development goals in 2022.

"The Microsoft and Georgia Power gift support is well appreciated. It will go a long way in enhancing the creativity of our students in the Dual Degree Engineering Program, the CAU Visualization, Design and Design Laboratory (ViSiDeL)/Center for Alternative, Renewable Energy, Technology and Training (CARET2)," said Dr. Olu Olatidoye, professor, Dual Degree Engineering (DDE) at Clark Atlanta University. "It will also support our students in the Energy Club and Environmental Leadership Initiative (ELI) in ongoing Solar Energy Project in collaboration with external partner, Remix."

Georgia Power's Social Justice Commitment

Georgia Power, along with the Georgia Power Foundation, have committed to invest $87 million throughout 2021-2025 to continue advancing racial equity and social justice efforts in Georgia. This funding will support initiatives focused on education equity, criminal justice equity, economic empowerment, and energy justice. The company's investment is part of the overall commitment by Southern Company and its charitable foundations to invest a combined $225 million over five years to support these efforts. This financial commitment is a key component of Southern Company's Moving to Racial Equity framework to help guide and further define its actions and commitments around racial equity work.

About Georgia Power

Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the Company's promise to 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the Company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the Company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

SOURCE Georgia Power
LONDON, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HungryPanda has today announced a $130 Million Series D round to strengthen its position as the leading specialist online food delivery platform serving Asian restaurants and populations overseas. The London headquartered company has now raised $220 Million over the last three years to establish itself as the category leader globally. Perwyn, the family-backed private equity and growth capital investor led the latest round, joining investors Kinnevik, Felix Capital, 83North, Piton Capital, Vintage, Burda Principal Investments and debt provider Kreos Capital.

HungryPanda was established in 2017 by Founder and CEO Eric Liu, a computer science graduate at the University of Nottingham who wanted to fix a problem he experienced first-hand, getting hold of authentic Chinese food on-demand away from home. Starting as a student project with a clear focus, the business has quickly grown into a global leader.

In 2021 HungryPanda continued its rapid expansion launching in multiple new countries across Asia. The company is now operating in more than 60 cities across the UK, the US, Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea. It has also expanded its product offering to include Asian groceries, to further expand its market opportunity under the Panda Fresh brand.

HungryPanda will invest in growing its market share in the Asian food delivery space to cement its market leader position while exploring new business opportunities, expanding its market offering and exploring strategic acquisition opportunities. This will be supported by investment in technology, business strategy and talent.

Eric Liu, Founder and CEO of HungryPanda, commented, "HungryPanda has achieved exceptional growth over the last four years. We now have the ability and experience to launch and operate in new cities in just two weeks and have established ourselves as the market leader due to our laser focus on developing the best service and providing high-quality products for our customers."

Liu continued, "We're delighted to welcome Perwyn as our new investor and Board member, and are grateful for the continued support from our previous investors and new investors in this round, whose expertise has been invaluable in this phenomenal year of growth. This new round of investment is an affirmation of our past achievements and shall open a new chapter for the business to explore new opportunities and more spaces in lifestyle services for our customers."

Andrew Wynn, Perwyn Founder and Managing Partner, added, "We are extremely pleased to have been able to lead the investment of HungryPanda, as we see the huge potential in this category. HungryPanda has a deep understanding and extensive experience in targeting audiences with a more tailored experience than others can offer. We have been watching Eric and his team's development in this space with great interest and are impressed by the outstanding speed and scale and of their success and growth in this area. We are looking forward to working with the HungryPanda team to expand across services, regions and audiences."

Board members of HungryPanda have a wealth of industrial experience and unique insight, including David Buttress, former CEO of food delivery giant Just Eat; Laurel Bowden, partner at 83North (investor in Just Eat and Wolt); Antoine Nussenbaum, partner at Felix Capital (investor in Deliveroo); and Akhil Chainwala, Investment Director at Kinnevik (investor in Oda and HelloFresh).

For more information, please go to https://www.hungrypanda.co/

Press Contacts:

Kitty Lu, Director of Public Affairs, [email protected]

Ricky Wang, Public Relations Manager, [email protected]

About HungryPanda

Founded in 2017, HungryPanda is currently the largest overseas Asian food delivery platform. Starting in Nottingham, the UK, it has expanded to more than 60 cities in 10 countries, including the UK, France, Italy, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and Singapore.

In 2021, HungryPanda launched its new business models, "PandaFresh", a platform for Asian fresh food and grocery e-commerce, and "VouchersPanda", a platform to provide new discounted ordering methods of online and offline lifestyle services for overseas Chinese. Besides, HungryPanda is awarded in the Deloitte 2021 UK Technology Fast 50, making the company the only food delivery platform in the ranking.

About Perwyn

Founded in 2013, Perwyn is a family backed, international private and growth equity investor. Perwyn works closely with investee companies applying strategic and operational expertise in addition to providing capital. Perwyn is free from the usual private equity funding cycles, focusing above all on our investments rather than fund raising. We approach investment with an evergreen model and believe in genuine partnership with management teams, seeking to facilitate long term growth and development. There are two main focuses of our business. Perwyn Private Equity is an active lead investor, seeking buyout opportunities in established, growing, cash generative market leaders headquartered in the UK or Europe where it can make a material impact on growth and profitability. We invest in businesses with an EV of /50-300m, seeking partnership investment support for growth initiatives or transition. Perwyn Growth Capital invests in growing businesses across the same markets, with a passion for backing entrepreneurs and founders on their winning strategy. We seek primarily growth equity investments of /5m-100m.

About Kreos Capital

Kreos Capital is the leading growth debt provider in Europe and Israel, backing high-growth companies through every stage of their life-cycle. Kreos targets investments in all areas of the Technology and Healthcare sectors and, to date, has committed in excess of 3.2 billion in more than 640 portfolio company transactions, across 17 countries. With over $1.5 billion in current funds under management Kreos can invest between 2 million and 100 million per transaction in both public and private companies across all stages.

SOURCE HungryPanda Ltd
SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With the Covid pandemic prompting a surge in plastic demand and consumers becoming more aware of its potential impacts on individual health, calls for assuring its safety are gaining more ground than ever before.

Hanwha Solutions, which aims to deliver sustainable solutions for the planet through smart energy solutions and customer-focused materials, wasted no time addressing the concern by developing harmless plastic-manufacturing material.

The Company's Chemical Division announced that it quadrupled annual production of phthalate-free plasticizer Eco-DEHCH. Up to 6.5 tons of it will be produced every year at a petrochemical industrial complex in southeastern port city of Ulsan.

Phthalate-free plasticizer using "hydrogenation"

Plasticizer is a chemical substance capable of making plastics softer, and phthalate is one of the most common materials to achieve it. However, phthalate-based plasticizer has often been blamed for disrupting the hormone system and thus been restricted from toys and furniture.

Eco-DEHCH is one of the most recognized phthalate-free plasticizer developed by a research team at Hanwha Chemical, providing eco-friendly alternative for hazardous dioctyl phthalate (DOP) and less-harmful but less-effective terephthalate like dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP).

Adding hydrogen to DOTP plasticizer, Eco-DEHCH manages to remove phthalate-inducing material from its chemical structure altogether. Only a few industrial leaders acquire the hydrogen-added mixture technology, also known as hydrogenation

With a faster absorption rate and lower quantity requirement, it costs less than other phthalate-free plasticizers to be manufactured. Eco-DEHCH also has high resistance to heat and cold, making it ideal for use in outdoor products.

Certified by regulators from US and EU

The efforts are also underway to ensure its safety from health authorities around the world. In 2017, the US Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted permission to Eco-DEHCH for use in plastic wraps, bottle caps and other food-related products.

In 2019, It passed a safety test for EU regulations on Food Contact Materials, which determine the safety of packaging materials and kitchen utensils, and Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals assessment by NSF International, a global public health and safety organization.

"As pandemic-stricken households spend more money than before decorating their houses with brand-new wallpapers and flooring materials, the need for eco-friendly plasticizers continues to grow around the world," said Hanwha Solutions.

"By expanding the production of Eco-DEHCH, we are hoping to deliver sustainable solutions to increasing plastic consumption and fulfill global standard for environmental, social and governance (ESG) mandate."

Hanwha Solutions' ESG mandate: No more DOP production and declaring RE-100

Given the growing need for observing the ESG mandate around the world, Hanwha Solutions' Chemical Division is seeking to completely halt its production of phthalate-based plasticizer DOP within 2022.

The material is classified as hazardous material by Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals, EU regulations governing the manufacture and import of chemical substance.

The company is also planning to use green electricity produced from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. The "Renewable Energy 100 percent" pledge will be applied to Eco-DEHCH production within 2022.

It also vowed to reduce carbon emissions to zero with its advanced technologies, ranging from high-efficient solar panels, and electrolysis-based green hydrogen to mixed hydrogen combustion technologies.

"Moving forward, the fate of the companies will falter if they are not fully committed to carbon neutrality," said Hanwha Solutions. "Based on advanced climate technology using solar, wind and hydrogen energy, we will accelerate our efforts to fulfill net-zero pledge before 2050."

About Hanwha Solutions.

Hanwha Solutions aims to deliver sustainable solutions for the planet through smart energy solutions and customer-focused materials. The Company operates its business through five divisions: Q CELLS, Chemical, Advanced Material, Galleria and City Development. The Q CELLS Division offers total energy solutions from photovoltaic module manufacturing, power plant operation to electricity retailing service. The Chemical Division, the first in Korea to produce polyvinyl chloride (PVC), manufactures various petrochemical products and eco-friendly plasticizers. The Advanced Materials Division produces high-tech materials for automotive, photovoltaic and electronic devices. The Galleria Division, an operator of premium department store chain, provides premium fashion and food services. The City Development Division is a leading real estate developer specializing in industrial complexes. With its innovative technologies for sustainable growth, Hanwha Solutions strives to become a global leader in bringing a better future for humanity.

SOURCE Hanwha Solutions

Related Links

https://www.hanwhasolutions.com/


ISTANBUL, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- D-MARKET Electronic Services & Trading ("Hepsiburada", or the "Company"), a leading Turkish e-commerce platform, today announces the entry into a definitive agreement to acquire Doruk Finansman A.S., a Turkish consumer finance company ("Doruk Finansman").

In line with its strategy to add incremental fintech capabilities to Hepsipay Wallet and its embedded value offerings, Hepsiburada takes a solid step by tapping the lending and buy-now-pay-later market through the acquisition of Doruk Finansman. Once completed, Hepsiburada will be able to offer its customers diversified consumer financing solutions matching their affordability needs, enhancing its value proposition through providing financial flexibility.

On December 16, 2021, Hepsiburada, through one of its wholly owned subsidiaries, entered into a Share Sale and Purchase Agreement (the "SPA") with the holders of 100% of the equity interest in Doruk Finansman: Dogan Sirketler Grubu Holding A.S. ("DoHol"), the holder of 97% equity interest in Doruk Finansman, Dogan Ds Ticaret ve Mumessillik A.S. and Dogan family individuals (collectively, the "Sellers"), to acquire 100% stake in Doruk Finansman, for a total transaction value of TRY 20 million (equivalent to US$1.3 million as of December 16, 2021) (the "Transaction Value"). In accordance with the Turkish regulatory requirements, the Company retained KPMG to issue an independent valuation report with respect to the Transaction Value.

At closing, the Company will pay the Sellers in cash an aggregate of TRY 5 million on a pro rata basis. The Company will pay DoHol TRY 15 million (the "Conditional Amount") in cash only upon collection of certain receivables identified in the financial statements of Doruk Finansman as of the closing day. The Conditional Amount shall be paid to DoHol depending on the collection of receivables starting three months after the closing. If on the tenth anniversary of the closing date, the collections do not reach the total Conditional Amount, DoHol will no longer be entitled to the remaining portion of the Conditional Amount.

The SPA provides for customary representations, warranties and covenants related to, among other things, the conduct of the business by Doruk Finansman prior to closing, such as limiting investments to an amount not to exceed TRY 100,000 in the aggregate. The SPA also provides that all expenses related to the receivables collection efforts, will be covered by the Company and invoiced to DoHol. DoHol has assumed all liabilities related to the business activities of Doruk Finansman prior to closing. Following the closing, the Company has the right to collect any related damages directly from DoHol.

The Sellers are all related parties and the transaction, including the SPA, has been approved by the Company's Audit Committee, the Corporate Governance Committee, as well as the Board of Directors.

The closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval of Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency and Hepsiburada expects to complete the acquisition during the first quarter of 2022.

About Hepsiburada

Hepsiburada is a leading e-commerce technology platform in Turkey, combining a globally proven e-commerce business model with a one-stop 'Super App' to cater to our customers' everyday needs and to help make people's daily lives better. Customers can access a broad range of products and services including same-day delivery of groceries and essentials, products from international merchants, airline tickets and payment services through Hepsiburada's embedded digital wallet, HepsiPay. As at the end of September 2021, we had seamlessly connected 39.6 million members and approximately 67 thousand Active Merchants.

Founded in Istanbul in 2000, Hepsiburada was built to lead the digitalization of commerce in Turkey. As a female-founded organization, Hepsiburada is committed to meaningful action to empower women. Through its 'Technology Empowerment for Women Entrepreneurs' program, Hepsiburada reached over 24,000 female entrepreneurs across Turkey to date.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Safe Harbor provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that reflect the current views of the Company about future events and financial performance, including but not limited to statements regarding the closing of the transaction, the payment of consideration for the transaction and impact of future events thereon, certain rights and responsibilities under the SPA up to and following such closing, and the anticipated impact of the transaction on Hepsiburada and its ability to offer certain services to its customers as a result of the transaction. . These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may", "could", "will," "expects," "anticipates," "aims," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "targets", "likely to" and similar statements. Among other things, statements in this announcement regarding our strategic and operational plans contain forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations. However, it is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors and circumstances that may cause Hepsiburada's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from its expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including conditions in the U.S. capital markets, negative global economic conditions, potential negative developments in the COVID-19 pandemic, other negative developments in Hepsiburada's business or unfavorable legislative or regulatory developments. We caution you therefore against relying on these forward-looking statements, and we qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements. For a discussion of certain factors that may affect the outcome of such forward looking statements, see our Prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in connection with our initial public offering, and in particular the "Risk Factors" section of our Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File No.333-256654) as filed with the SEC. Copies of these filings are available online from the SEC at www.sec.gov, or on the SEC Filings section of our Investor Relations website at https://investors.hepsiburada.com. These and other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of the date of this press release. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information currently available to the Company, and the Company and its authorized representatives assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1686926/Hepsiburada_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Hepsiburada
RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hilb Group announced today that it has welcomed Charles Newman Co., Insurance and Employee Benefits to its portfolio, adding to the company's growing presence in the New York metropolitan area. The transaction became effective December 1, 2021.

Based in Peekskill, New York, Charles Newman Co. is a licensed full-service broker providing clients with a broad array of products and offerings including group health, as well as ancillary and voluntary employee benefits coverage. Charles Newman, Ilana Arbeit, David Arbeit, and their team of insurance professionals will join the Hilb Group's Tri-State regional operations.

"We are extremely excited to join the Hilb Group," said agency leader Charles Newman. "This partnership marks a tremendous step in not only allowing us to maintain the strength of our local connections, but also to further enhance the resources and offerings we can deliver to our customers, now and for the future."

"Charles Newman and his team represent an ideal fit for our growth strategy," Hilb Group CEO Ricky Spiro said. "They have established, trusted relationships in an important market and are poised to deliver even more value to an expanding client base. We are pleased to welcome them to the Hilb Group, and to continue our broader growth in New York and beyond."

About Hilb Group: The Hilb Group is a leading property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and advisory firm headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Hilb Group is a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, a global investment firm. Hilb Group seeks to grow through strategic acquisitions and by leveraging its resources and expertise to drive organic growth in its acquired agencies. The company has completed more than 120 acquisitions and now has over 100 offices in 22 states. Hilb Group is rated as one of the Fastest Growing Brokers by Business Insurance, a Top P/C Agency by Insurance Journal, and one of America's Fastest Growing Private Companies in the Inc. 5000. For more information on Hilb Group's growth as well as career opportunities, please visit our website at http://hilbgroup.com.

Media Contact:

Peter Lobred

804.548.4629

[email protected]

M&A Contact:

Ryan Havermann

804.414.6508

[email protected]

SOURCE The Hilb Group, LLC
LONDON, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ICP, consulting and services firm headquartered in London with offices across Europe, Asia, and North America, announces primary management buyout by private equity firm NorthEdge. ICP provides marketing and creative operations consulting and services to global brands, supporting their increasingly complex multi-channel marketing content delivery strategies. NorthEdge is supporting ICP's continued leadership under CEO Christopher Grakal and his vision to accelerate the firm's exceptional growth journey for the 250+ strong international team.

Kevin O'Loughlin, NorthEdge Investment Director, said: "Christopher is a progressive, partnership-minded CEO with whom we've built a strong relationship. He has demonstrated that he's a strong leader with a brilliant team around him, resulting in long-term relationships with some of the most sophisticated brands globally. ICP is another business services investment in our portfolio that operates in an emerging and exciting market, with huge potential for growth and innovation."

Christopher Grakal, CEO of ICP, added: "We've delivered a strong track record of growth over the last few years, including in the US, and we want to maintain this momentum. For us, finding the right partner for our next phase of growth was critical, and from the outset it was clear that the NorthEdge team understood our business and the market in which we operate.

"Alongside that, NorthEdge has an impressive track record of investing in businesses and supporting them on their growth journey whilst maintaining a strong focus on people and culture, so I am confident they are well-placed to help us execute our ambitious plans and I look forward to seeing where the partnership takes ICP over the next few years."

Adrian Smith, who founded ICP in 1988 and has been its Chairman over that period, said: "I leave in the knowledge that ICP will continue to grow and be even more successful in the hands of its Incredibly Capable People." Adrian will be stepping down from his role but will remain a minority shareholder.

Victor Lebon continues in his role as ICP's Chief Innovation & Strategy Officer, overseeing methodology and standards for delivery of ICP's global services. Partnering with key clients, industry experts and ICP leadership, Victor and his team are focused on creating value for clients and innovation of new products & services.

Additionally, Bernie Segal joins as Non-Executive Chair. Bernie brings a wealth of experience to the board, having been the Managing Director of Accenture Interactive, UK and Ireland, and a Partner at EY leading digital transformations, strategic development, business scale-up, partnerships and integrations to accelerate growth.

Notes to editors

About ICP

ICP is a global consulting and services company employing c250 people in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Founded in London in 1988, ICP was the first company to provide brand owners with decoupled production and now works with half of Ad Age's top 10 global advertisers in marketing operations, creative operations, production and digital asset management. ICP is the trading name of Cadran Services Limited.

https://www.icpnet.com/

About NorthEdge

NorthEdge is a regional private equity firm headquartered in the north of England, owned and built by its senior team, supported by a global blue chip investor base. They have 900m AUM across four regionally focused funds.

Headquartered in Manchester, UK, with offices in Leeds and Birmingham, the NorthEdge team have a 20-year track record of investing in businesses with ambitious management teams and significant growth potential. Its current portfolio of 24 businesses employs over 7,000 people.

NorthEdge look to invest in like-minded businesses and management teams who have real ambition and the potential to shape global markets. They back management teams who recognise the value of having an experienced business partner alongside them, supporting them to build a better business.

https://northedge.com/

SOURCE ICP

Related Links

https://www.icpnet.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Instacart, the leading online grocery platform in North America, is partnering with Campbell Soup Company to celebrate the Instacart shopper community during the holiday season. In appreciation of the shopper community's efforts to deliver groceries and everyday essentials to families and households across the country, Campbell is providing $50,000 in prizes for Instacart shoppers as part of the first-of-its-kind Souper Shopper Sweepstakes.

During the busy holiday season, Instacart shoppers provide a helping hand to customers in their local communities, delivering everything from food and beverages to gifts for loved ones. Beginning December 17, 2021, Instacart shoppers can become eligible for the sweepstakes by delivering 10 or more batches to customers during the holiday season.

"We're excited to team up with Campbell to recognize shoppers during this important time. Instacart shoppers deliver more than just groceries  they bring customers all of the ingredients they need to create special holiday memories. We're especially grateful for their efforts during the holiday season, and are proud to be partnering with Campbell to celebrate the Instacart shopper community," said Daniel Danker, Vice President of Shopper & Fulfillment at Instacart.

All U.S.-based full-service shoppers are eligible to participate in the Souper Shopper Sweepstakes. Any shopper who completes at least 10 deliveries between December 17 and December 29 will be entered into the contest for a chance to win a $200 or $500 prize. In total, Campbell will provide $50,000 in prizes for Instacart to award to its shoppers, with the opportunity for more than 200 shoppers to be rewarded for their efforts during the holiday season.

"In the spirit of helping those who serve others, Campbell is proud to offer this sweepstakes to support Instacart shoppers who are delivering the essentials during this busy holiday season," said Michelle Morale, Vice President of Digital Commerce, Omni Shopper and Sales Transformation at Campbell. "Their efforts to help us connect people through food they love make it possible for people across North America to experience Campbell's products, and we're thrilled to partner with our friends at Instacart on this initiative."

In addition to the $50,000 in prizes that Campbell is providing, the company is also running in-app banners for Instacart customers notifying them that their order is helping a shopper qualify for entry into the Souper Shopper Sweepstakes.

About Instacart

Instacart is the leading online grocery platform in North America. Instacart shoppers offer same-day delivery and pickup services to bring fresh groceries and everyday essentials to busy people and families across the U.S. and Canada. Instacart has partnered with more than 700 beloved national, regional and local retailers, including unique brand names, to deliver from more than 65,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America. Instacart's platform is available to over 85% of U.S. households and 90% of Canadian households. The company's cutting-edge enterprise technology also powers the ecommerce platforms of some of the world's biggest retail players, supporting their white-label websites, applications and delivery solutions. Instacart offers an Instacart Express membership that includes reduced service fees and unlimited free delivery on orders over $35. For more information, visit www.instacart.com . For anyone interested in becoming an Instacart shopper, visit https://shoppers.instacart.com/ .

About Campbell Soup Company

For more than 150 years, Campbell (NYSE: CPB) has been connecting people through food they love. Generations of consumers have trusted Campbell to provide delicious and affordable food and beverages. Headquartered in Camden, N.J. since 1869, Campbell generated fiscal 2021 net sales of nearly $8.5 billion. Our portfolio includes iconic brands such as Campbell's, Cape Cod, Goldfish, Kettle Brand, Lance, Late July, Milano, Pace, Pacific Foods, Pepperidge Farm, Prego, Snyder's of Hanover, Swanson and V8. Campbell has a heritage of giving back and acting as a good steward of the environment. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor's 500 as well as the FTSE4Good and Bloomberg Gender-Equality Indices. For more information, visit www.campbellsoupcompany.com or follow company news on Twitter via @CampbellSoupCo.

SOURCE Instacart
KANAZAWA, Japan, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In a study recently published in the journal Applied Materials and Interfaces researchers from Kanazawa University use advanced atomic force microscopy to accurately recognize tiny cellular biomolecules

Biologists rely on a wide range of microscopy techniques to visualize biomolecules within biological cells. High-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) is one such example in which a sharp tip attached to a sensor is used for visualizing cells. Specifically, as the AFM tip scans the surface of a molecule, the pattern of signals it generates enables researchers to visualize the molecule's topography. However, recognizing individual biomolecules using HS-AFM is still in its infancy. Now, researchers at Kanazawa University report on an innovative method to facilitate this by tweaking the structures of AFM tips.

The research team, led by Mikihiro Shibata and Leonardo Puppulin at the WPI Nano Life Science Institute Kanazawa University (NanoLSI), characterized a protein found on human cells known as the hepatocyte growth factor receptor (hMET). The researchers first attached aMD4, a synthetic molecule that latches onto hMET, to the HS-AFM tip using different sized linkers. Patterns of connections between this modified tip and single molecules of hMET were subsequently investigated.

When hMET on a mica surface (a material typically used in HS-AFM studies) was exposed to the tip, interactions between aMD4 and the external surface of hMET were indeed observed. However, when multiple molecules of aMD4 and hMET were used, it was found that shorter and more flexible linkers enabled aMD4 to interact with two adjacent hMET molecules bringing them closer together. This observation posits practical applications in the laboratorybiologists can potentially mimic the binding of two cell surface proteins together which often leads to the induction of cellular processes.

Next, the specificity of this tip in molecule recognition was examined. hMET and its mouse form are very similar in structure. However, the mouse form does not bind to aMD4. Thus, when the aMD4-loaded tips were exposed to both forms of the protein, activity was observed only with the human form. This technique could therefore be useful in the selection of specific biomolecules from a heterogenous mix as is typically seen on the cell surface. Lastly, the modified HS-AFM technique was applied when hMET was bound to a lipid surface mimicking the structural composition of cell membranes (its natural home). Similar interactions were observed in this milieu suggesting the potential for protein recognition on living cells.

"The versatility of macrocyclic peptides in detecting unlimited types of membrane receptors with high selectivity and the fast imaging by HS-AFM broaden the range of future applications of this method for molecular recognition without labeling," concludes the team. The applications of this method in cell biology are vast, including tracking the movement and concentration of cell-surface proteins and their subsequent cellular effects.

Background:

High-speed atomic force microscopy: Atomic force microscopy is a tool used in structural biology to investigate the topography (or 3D shape) of a molecule. High-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) is an advanced form wherein these topographical images are taken very quickly, enabling a dynamic visualization. Thus, the structure of molecules in real-time can be captured. However, if scientists want to identify and capture specific biomolecules using HS-AFM, they must tag these molecules beforehand. This is often a cumbersome and nonspecific process. The technique shown in this study, however, makes it easy to identify proteins by manipulating only the HS-AFM tip instead.

Reference:

Leonardo Puppulin, Daiki Kanayama, Naohiro Terasaka, Katsuya Sakai, Noriyuki Kodera, Kenichi Umeda, Ayumi Sumino, Arin Marchesi, Wei Weilin, Hideo Tanaka, Takeshi Fukuma, Hiroaki Suga, Kunio Matsumoto, Mikihiro Shiba. Macrocyclic Peptide-Conjugated Tip for Fast and Selective Molecular Recognition Imaging by High-Speed Atomic Force Microscopy. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 13, 5481754829, (2021).

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.1c17708

Related Images

https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/figure1.png

Figure 1. A graphical representation of the molecular structure of aMD4 (macrocyclic peptide) and the interaction with hMET when attached to the HS-AFM tip. The selective interaction induces peculiar delay of the cantilever oscillation.

https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/figure2.png

Figure 2. HS-AFM images showing increased activity when the ligand-bound tip interacted with the human MET protein (target, T) and not the mouse version of the protein (non-target, NT).

Contact

Hiroe Yoneda

Vice Director of Public Affairs

WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI)

Kanazawa University

Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +81 (76) 234-4550

About Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI)

https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/en/

Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI), Kanazawa University is a research center established in 2017 as part of the World Premier International Research Center Initiative of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The objective of this initiative is to form world-tier research centers. NanoLSI combines the foremost knowledge of bio-scanning probe microscopy to establish 'nano-endoscopic techniques' to directly image, analyze, and manipulate biomolecules for insights into mechanisms governing life phenomena such as diseases.

About Kanazawa University

http://www.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/e/

As the leading comprehensive university on the Sea of Japan coast, Kanazawa University has contributed greatly to higher education and academic research in Japan since it was founded in 1949. The University has three colleges and 17 schools offering courses in subjects that include medicine, computer engineering, and humanities.

The University is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in Kanazawa  a city rich in history and culture. The city of Kanazawa has a highly respected intellectual profile since the time of the fiefdom (1598-1867). Kanazawa University is divided into two main campuses: Kakuma and Takaramachi for its approximately 10,200 students including 600 from overseas.

SOURCE Kanazawa University
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Premise recently released survey results from within Ukraine about how Ukrainians felt on a number of current events. One of the key findings is that country-wide, less than a majority of all Ukrainians think a foreign invasion is likely (less than 41%). But the eastern regions of Ukraine, including two eastern Ukrainian provinces under control of Russia, think a foreign invasion is far less likely (by a about a 20 point margin) than the western, more traditionally anti-Russian region, does.

The survey also found that about three-fourths of all respondents thought the Biden-Putin phone call was productive. Again, the results showed a difference between east and west Ukraine on whether they were hopeful a resolution of the problem would be found: By a two-to-one margin, 32%-16%, eastern Ukrainians expressed greater hope than western Ukrainians.

Survey respondents gave answers on questions concerning the threat of a foreign invasion to Ukraine, which countries would come to their aid in such an invasion, President Biden's recent telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and more.

Here are some of the most significant findings:

38.6% of Ukrainians think it's either very unlikely or somewhat unlikely that Ukraine would be invaded by a foreign country in the next three months, and 40.9% felt it was somewhat or very likely.

would be invaded by a foreign country in the next three months, and 40.9% felt it was somewhat or very likely. This sentiment changed significantly when examined by geographic region. In Eastern Ukraine , nearly half (49.1%) felt a foreign invasion was somewhat or very unlikely (as opposed to only 29.3% thinking it was somewhat or very likely). In Western Ukraine , the results were flipped, with less than a quarter of respondents (24.1%) thinking an invasion was unlikely and 52% thinking it was likely.

, nearly half (49.1%) felt a foreign invasion was somewhat or very unlikely (as opposed to only 29.3% thinking it was somewhat or very likely). In , the results were flipped, with less than a quarter of respondents (24.1%) thinking an invasion was unlikely and 52% thinking it was likely. When asked whether they thought President Biden's recent phone call with President Putin, which specifically discussed Ukraine , was productive, an overwhelming majority of Ukrainians (75.3%) felt it was either somewhat or very productive with only 24.8% feeling it was either somewhat or very unproductive.

, was productive, an overwhelming majority of Ukrainians (75.3%) felt it was either somewhat or very productive with only 24.8% feeling it was either somewhat or very unproductive. When asked whether President Biden's recent phone call with President Putin made respondents more or less hopeful that the situation in Ukraine would be resolved, 32.3% were somewhat or much more hopeful, only 16.2% were somewhat or much less hopeful, with the remainder ambivalent.

would be resolved, 32.3% were somewhat or much more hopeful, only 16.2% were somewhat or much less hopeful, with the remainder ambivalent. Those percentages tracked with respondents in Eastern Ukraine , where 29.3% of respondents were somewhat or much more hopeful, 15.7% were somewhat or much less hopeful, with the remainder ambivalent. In Western Ukraine , however, respondents were more optimistic with 40.6% somewhat or much more hopeful the situation would be resolved and only 12.5% somewhat or much less hopeful.

"While there is clearly concern about an invasion, our survey results suggest this may be seen as a bigger deal in Washington, D.C. than in Ukraine itself," said Maury Blackman, CEO of Premise. "Additionally, our geographic breakdown shows that Eastern Ukraine, which would in theory be the front lines of an invasion from Russia, was less concerned about such an invasion than those residents of Western Ukraine. This is likely due to Eastern Ukraine's historic, cultural ties to Russia."

These results are based on a survey of 1,178 Ukrainians conducted from December 9, 2021 to December 11, 2021 via smartphones. The results are then weighted according to the Ukrainian census to accurately reflect the gender, age, and region of residence of the general population.

The full results of the survey can be found here, on Premise's website: https://www.premise.com/findings-on-ukrainian-invasion-concerns/

About Premise

Premise is a crowdsourced insights company. Our technology connects communities of global smartphone users to source actionable data in real-time, cost-effectively, and with the visibility you need. In more than 125 countries and 37 languages, we find Data for Every Decision. To know more, visit www.premise.com.

Contact: Taylor Pearson

[email protected]

(202) 235-3482

SOURCE Premise
NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Madison Reed , the prestige beauty brand that has revolutionized the way women color their hair, has officially opened its 50th Hair Color Bar! Madison Reed's Hair Color Bar concept gives clients access to salon-gorgeous hair color, applied by a licensed professional, at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional salons. Madison Reed provides natural-looking color with Smart 8-Free formulas made in Italy that deliver brilliant shine, for your best hair color yet.

The milestone opening comes during a major period of growth for the brand. Amidst a global pandemic, Madison Reed managed to grow their team 2x within 18 months, while maintaining all jobs. As stay-at-home orders became the norm in 2020, the brand temporarily paused operations in its then 12 Hair Color Bars and pivoted its employees to Color Crew, the online support team of licensed colorists. Today, there are 50 Hair Color Bars nationwide, employing colorists who make 3x more than in a traditional salon, while receiving full-time benefits. Earlier this year, Madison Reed announced a $52 million funding round to fuel its omnichannel expansion and build upon the 130 percent growth it saw during 2020. As a part of their growth plans in 2022, Madison Reed is expected to hire more than 750 new colorists to staff their rapidly expanding Hair Color Bars across the country.

"We opened our first Hair Color Bar with the belief that salon-quality hair color should be convenient, affordable and made with ingredients our clients can feel good about. Madison Reed has reinvented the hair color experience by giving women the opportunity to feel their best self with convenient and affordable hair color services that deliver gorgeous results each and every time," said Amy Errett, CEO and Founder of Madison Reed. "Flash forward to 50 Hair Color Bars and we're just getting started! Expect us to have more than 80 by 2022."

Starting at $65, clients have access to signature color services like root touch-ups and all over color, along with new additions like accent and partial highlights. Need frequent touch-ups? Madison Reed has you covered with their Unlimited Roots Membership Plan, unlimited root touch-ups and added perks, starting at just $65 a month. Madison Reed's 50th Hair Color Bar is now open in Roslyn, NY and marks their sixth Hair Color Bar in the tri-state area, with the seventh slated to open early 2022 in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood. The brand will also open several locations across California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, and more in 2022. For more information, visit www.madison-reed.com/colorbar .

About Madison Reed

Madison Reed is THE hair color company revolutionizing the way women color their hair. The fast-growing disruptor has created a luxurious hair color formula with a Smart-8 Free formula (free of PPD, ammonia, parabens, resorcinol, phthalates, gluten, SLS and titanium dioxide) that are typically used by other hair color brands. For those who prefer to color their hair at home, Madison Reed uses proprietary color-matching technology and a team of on-call colorists to help women choose the perfect shade of hair color, which is delivered to their door. For clients who prefer to have Madison Reed color applied with the help of a professional, there are Madison Reed Hair Color Bars . Products can be found online at www.madison-reed.com and www.ulta.com , or in store at Ulta Beauty and Madison Reed Hair Color Bars.

SOURCE Madison Reed
The potential growth difference for the microfluidics technology market between 2020 and 2025 is USD 10.45 million. To get the exact yearly growth variance and the Y-O-Y growth rate, Talk to our analyst.

Key Market Dynamics:

Market Driver - The key factor driving growth in the microfluidics technology market is the increasing applications in molecular biology. Microfluidics has several applications in molecular biology, such as enzymatic analysis like glucose and lactate assays, DNA analysis, and proteomic assays. Microfluidics technology is used for in vitro measurements of glucose, thereby making it useful for rapid and accurate clinical diagnostic applications. In proteomics, researchers have combined microfluidics capillary electrophoresis with mass spectrometric analysis to characterize intact monoclonal antibody-drug conjugates. This technique also helps in monitoring glycated hemoglobin to manage diabetes. Thus, microfluidic devices offer novel time-saving advantages to researchers using mass spectrometry for proteomic analysis.

The key factor driving growth in the microfluidics technology market is the Microfluidics has several applications in molecular biology, such as enzymatic analysis like glucose and lactate assays, DNA analysis, and proteomic assays. Microfluidics technology is used for in vitro measurements of glucose, thereby making it useful for rapid and accurate clinical diagnostic applications. In proteomics, researchers have combined microfluidics capillary electrophoresis with mass spectrometric analysis to characterize intact monoclonal antibody-drug conjugates. This technique also helps in monitoring glycated hemoglobin to manage diabetes. Thus, microfluidic devices offer novel time-saving advantages to researchers using mass spectrometry for proteomic analysis. Market Challenges - The inherent challenges in microfluidics technology will be a major challenge for the microfluidics technology market during the forecast period. Microfluidics technology has the potential to improve biomedical research. However, its applications are primarily in academic research. Hence, in publications, applications of microfluidics are projected to be promising but lack transitional research that can deal with real-world medical and scientific challenges.

To learn about additional key drivers, trends, and challenges available with Technavio. Read our FREE Sample Report right now!

The microfluidics technology market report is segmented by Material (Polymer-based microfluidics, Glass-based microfluidics, Silicon-based microfluidics, and Others) and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and ROW). Technavio market research report entails detailed information on the competitive intelligence, marketing gaps, segmentation, and regional opportunities in store for vendors, which will assist in creating efficient business plans.

View our sample report for additional insights into the contribution of all the segments, and regional opportunities in the report.

Some Companies Mentioned

The microfluidics technology market is fragmented and the vendors are deploying growth strategies such as focusing on differentiating their product and service offerings through clear and unique value propositions to compete in the market.

Agilent Technologies Inc.



Becton Dickinson and Co.

and Co.

Bio Rad Laboratories Inc.



Biosurfit SA



Elveflow



Fluidigm Corp.



Fluigent SA



Illumina Inc.



Perma-Pipe International Holdings Inc.



Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

To gain access to more vendor profiles with their key offerings available with Technavio, Click Here

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Homogenizers Market -The homogenizers market size has the potential to grow by USD 322.30 million during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 3.76%. Download a free sample now!



Cell Surface Markers Market -The cell surface markers market share is expected to increase by USD 10.00 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will decelerate at a CAGR of 7.40%. Download a free sample now!

Microfluidics Technology Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 18.36% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 10.45 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 17.69 Regional analysis North America, Europe, Asia, and ROW Performing market contribution North America at 34% Key consumer countries US, China, UK, Germany, Canada, and India Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Agilent Technologies Inc., Becton Dickinson and Co., Bio Rad Laboratories Inc., biosurfit SA, Elveflow, Fluidigm Corp., Fluigent SA, Illumina Inc., Perma-Pipe International Holdings Inc., and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 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 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.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market Sizing

Five Forces Analysis

Market Segmentation

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Vendor Landscape

Vendor Analysis

Appendix

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Catholic Reporter (NCR), the independent Catholic news organization, named Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez as its Newsmaker of the Year in an editorial published Dec. 17, 2021.

NCR cites Gomez's inability to unite the church, his support for efforts to deny Communion to pro-life politicians including President Joe Biden and his dismissive comments toward social justice movements for fanning the flames of culture war.

"As head of the bishops' conference for the past two years, Gomez has squandered his presidency fighting dead-end culture wars," NCR writes. "The year was bookended by Gomez's moves to attack Biden and a year-end speech denigrating social and racial justice movements that do the work of the gospel. In an organization whose history is peppered with failed leaders, it is hard to find one less accomplished."

In a separate editorial, NCR held up the example of Catholic social and racial justice advocates as examples of the kind of leadership Gomez could learn from . NCR spotlighted the work of Sharon Lavigne, a Louisiana environmental activist , as well as union leaders and Catholics on the forefront of activism around immigration, the death penalty, racial injustice and police violence, climate change, and justice issues in our church for women, LGBTQ people and victims of sexual abuse and assault.

Last year, NCR selected then President-elect Joe Biden as its Newsmaker of the Year . Gomez is not the first newsmaker NCR has chosen for their negative impact. In 2018, the organization named disgraced former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick as its top newsmaker , describing him as "one of the mightiest princes of the church (who was) removed from ministry, stripped of his title and sent off to a remote friary in the wake of credible accusations of sexual abuse of minors and inappropriate sexual activity with seminarians."

Ordained in 1978 as a priest of the conservative Catholic movement Opus Dei, Gomez was named an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Denver by Pope John Paul II in 2001. Four years later he was made archbishop of San Antonio, again by John Paul, and finally archbishop of Los Angeles by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011, after one year as coadjutor. Gomez has not been made a cardinal, which is unusual for the archbishop of Los Angeles.

The National Catholic Reporter is an independent Catholic news source. Founded in 1964, NCR provides news and commentary on issues related to the Catholic Church and the world. The publication can be read online at NCRonline.org, or by following @ncronline on Facebook and Twitter .

For further information, please contact NCR Executive Editor Heidi Schlumpf or News Editor Joshua J. McElwee .

SOURCE The National Catholic Reporter Publishing
At the peak of construction, Prairie Wolf employed approximately 300 onsite workers. During operation, in addition to new onsite operations and maintenance jobs, Prairie Wolf will benefit local and statewide economies through the production of millions of dollars in new tax revenue and landowner income.

"With the start of operations at the Prairie Wolf Solar site, National Grid Renewables continues to deliver upon its commitment to repower America with clean, economically beneficial renewable energy," commented David Reamer, Head of Development, US Onshore Renewables for National Grid Renewables. "Thank you to our project customer and partners, as well as the community members, who supported Prairie Wolf and enabled enormous benefit to the local economy and farming community."

Announced earlier this year, Prairie Wolf will also fund a charitable Education Fund for the local school district. "This development will benefit the county in many ways, including donations through grants to organizations and schools throughout the county," commented Stan Metzger, Coles County Board Member.

Using the United States' Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator, Prairie Wolf is projected to offset carbon dioxide emissions by 285,000 metric tons annually during operations.

"Cargill is committed to mitigating the pressing issue of climate change and its impacts on our global food system. One of the ways we are doing this is by financially participating in renewable energy sources, such as the Prairie Wolf Solar Project," stated Eric Hoegger, Director, Global Renewable Energy for Cargill. "Not only will the Prairie Wolf Solar Project play a vital role in helping us reduce our greenhouse gas emissions while contributing to the renewable economy, we're also honored to contribute to the positive impact it will have on the Coles county community and surrounding counties where Cargill operates multiple plant locations."

Announced earlier this month, tax equity financing for Prairie Wolf was provided by Bank of America.

About National Grid Renewables

National Grid Renewables, part of the competitive, unregulated National Grid Ventures division of National Grid (NYSE: NGG), develops, owns and operates large-scale renewable energy assets across the United States, including solar, wind and energy storage. As a farmer-friendly and community-focused business, National Grid Renewables develops projects for corporations and utilities that seek to repower America's electricity grid by reigniting local economies and reinvesting in a sustainable, clean energy future.

National Grid Renewables has a robust development pipeline of wind, solar and energy storage projects in various stages of development throughout the United States, as well as geographically diverse operational assets across the country. It supports National Grid's vision of being at the heart of a clean, fair, and affordable energy future for all. To learn more about National Grid Renewables, visit www.nationalgridrenewables.com or follow the company on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Contact: Lindsay T. Smith

Director, Marketing & Communications

National Grid Renewables

[email protected]

Media Relations: 612.429.7050

SOURCE National Grid Renewables
CENTER VALLEY, Pa., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Olympus announces the release of its line of single-use Foreign Body Retrieval devices, offering physicians options for a variety of needs, while meeting the demands of infection prevention initiatives.

Olympus offers a wide range of specialized single-use grasping forceps to assist in the retrieval of foreign bodies, stents and excised tissue such as polyps. The single-use products, six of which are brand new, replace the reusable devices previously available.

Olympus announces the release of its single-use Foreign Body Retrieval devices, offering options for a variety of needs and meeting the demands of infection prevention initiatives.

Foreign bodies lodged in the gastrointestinal tract, such as marbles, coins or batteries, can be challenging to retrieve. In 2019, accidental ingestion of foreign bodies accounted for 501,566 visits among all age groups to emergency rooms in the U.S. or 2% of all ER visits.1

Children ages less than 1 year old through 4 years old accounted for 106,729 of the ER visits for foreign body ingestion in 2019, the fourth most common reason for trips to the emergency room.2 A study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics estimated that more than 759,000 children under the age of 6 were evaluated for foreign-body ingestion in emergency rooms between 1995-2015. At nearly 62% of the cases, coins were the most frequently ingested item followed by toys (10.3%), jewelry (7%) and batteries (6.8%).3

As part of a corporate strategy unveiled in November 2019, Olympus announced it would complement its product portfolio with single-use devices to address procedure-specific requirements, the need for urgent procedure preparation and improved workflow. In an emergent case, quick access to the best tools for the situation is critical.

Although the full-line of seven foreign body retrieval devices draw upon the most state-of-the-art design and manufacturing, there are stand-outs in the lineup. The Olympus portfolio includes, for example, the proprietary FG-244NR grasping forceps that feature a rotatable design for easy positioning. The device's rat tooth jaws with a 7.2 mm opening width are designed for retrieving drainage tubes and foreign bodies. The design of the FG-220P grasping forceps incorporates rubber tips for the removal of flat objects such as coins, sharp objects, soft objects and stents.

"Infection prevention is of the utmost importance to Olympus and our customers," said Melinda Benedict, Global Senior Manager of Infection Prevention at Olympus Corporation of the Americas. "In a variety of emergent cases or in situations involving very ill patients, physicians need to have all options for care available. A comprehensive line of single-use grasping forceps provides physicians with the confidence that they will have quick and safe access to the tools they need, where and when they need them."

In recent years, a worldwide trend has started to shift from reusable devices to single use, and Olympus has responded by adapting its medical device portfolio to meet customer and patient needs. For more information about the complete line of single-use grasping forceps, which provide workflow convenience while helping facilities save on reprocessing costs visit https://medical.olympusamerica.com/content/contact-olympus-america.

About Olympus

As a leading medical technology company, Olympus uses innovative capabilities in medical technology, therapeutic intervention, and precision manufacturing to help healthcare professionals deliver diagnostic, therapeutic, and minimally invasive procedures to improve clinical outcomes, reduce overall costs, and enhance the quality of life for patients. Olympus' Medical portfolio includes endoscopes, laparoscopes, and video imaging systems, as well as surgical energy devices, system integration solutions, medical services, and a wide range of EndoTherapy devices. For more information, visit medical.olympusamerica.com.

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System

2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System

3 Orsagh-Yentis, D., McAdams, R.J., Roberts, K.J., McKenzie, L.B. "Foreign-Body Ingestions of Young Children Treated in US Emergency Departments: 19952015." Pediatrics May 2019, 143 (5) e20181988; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-1988

SOURCE Olympus
DUBLIN, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Air Compressor Market By Product, By Type, By Lubrication, By Application, By Regional Outlook, Industry Analysis Report and Forecast, 2021 - 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Air Compressor Market size is expected to reach $41.8 billion by 2027, rising at a market growth of 4.7% CAGR during the forecast period. Air compressors are deployed in several industries like home appliances, semiconductors & electronics, food & beverages, healthcare, oil & gas, manufacturing, and energy.

The growth & demand of the air compressor in the global market is expected to be fueled by the surge in the requirement to reduce CO2 emissions and strict norms related to environmental conservation. In addition, air compressors show many benefits such as being eco-friendly, less maintenance costs, easy handling, and reliable features that are expected to accelerate the market growth.

The demand for air compressors across major end-use industries is expected to be accelerated by the surge in the adoption rate of variable-speed systems, efficient operation, retrofitting for present systems, and low maintenance cost. Energy-efficient compressors are in high demand because of their cost-effective operations. Conversely, the constant increment in the number of gas compressors stations has given rise to growing concerns pertaining to air quality. Therefore, air monitoring systems are extensively being deployed in order to gauge the impact of air and gas compressors. Some of the factors that boost the demand for air compressors are the massive investments in the market and the advent of non-oil and gas-based projects.

Leading players are coming up with eco-friendly and low-maintenance systems in order to motivate end-users to choose advanced products. Companies like Ingersoll Rand Plc and Atlas Copco Inc. have created advanced systems having superior capabilities to differentiate their products in this saturated market. Higher efficiency and declined noise levels are the major features provided by these air compressors.

COVID-19 Impact Analysis

Numerous governments around the globe have imposed stringent nation-wise lockdowns in 2020 due to the high requirement to curb the spread of the COVID-19 infection. As a result, the growth of numerous industries and sectors has been substantially restricted. Similarly, the global pandemic has also affected the air compressor market that witnessed a significant dip in sales and profits during the pandemic times. Moreover, the rising cases of COVID-19 in several countries because of the second wave, governments imposed partial or complete lockdowns around the world. This has eventually reduced the investments in the oil & gas industry along with the growth of the market.

Though, the demand for air compressors is expected to be fueled by the post COVID-19 scenario, energy recovery, a higher focus on energy efficiency, and a decline in CO2 emissions. Moreover, the growth of the market is expected to also be driven by the huge demand for services and monitoring of compressed air installations.

In addition, the market is expected to witness bright growth prospects due to the surge in demand for air compressors in the global food & beverage market owing to the strict norms on food safety and health. Furthermore, companies are putting hefty investments in oil & gas extraction activities in the Middle Eastern and North American countries, which is likely to boost the growth of the air compressor market.

Market Growth Factors:

Increasing demand for positive displacement compressors

Positive displacement air compressor plays a crucial role across various industries. In this type of compressor, the gas is released at the suction stroke of the piston, compressed by reducing the volume of the gas by striking the piston in the opposite direction, and lastly, discharged when the gas pressure surpasses the pressure acting on the outlet valve. Reciprocating compressors are highly beneficial to supply small amounts of gas at elevated pressures.

Booming Oil & Gas Industry

The demand & consumption of natural gas is expected to be huge among all the fuel types. The demand for natural gas is supplemented by the lower cost as compared to the other fossil fuel types. The LNG trade is expected to increase dramatically around the globe, leading to the higher demand for natural gas pipeline networks, thereby creating lucrative growth opportunities for the players operating in the global air compressor market.

Market Restraining Factor:

Lack of technical expertise and high requirements for maintenance

Air compressors need timely maintenance for smooth operations. A person who has sound technical expertise can do this task. At times, it is difficult for the industries to find such a person due to the low availability of technical expertise in the market. In addition, key players must invest a hefty amount in R&D activities to improve the efficiency of air compressors. However, they are unwilling to put such an investment due to the loss & disruption incurred on them by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Product Outlook

Based on Product, the market is segmented into Rotary/Screw, Centrifugal and Reciprocating/Piston. The centrifugal segment is expected to showcase a promising growth rate during the forecast period. These compressors are energy efficient, have lesser number of rubbing parts, and have higher airflow as compared to other compressors. Moreover, they are extensively utilized in applications like oil refineries, chemical plants, gas turbines, food & beverage, and petrochemical. These factors are collectively fuel the growth of the segment during the forecasting period.

Type Outlook

Based on Type, the market is segmented into Stationary and Portable. The stationary air compressor segment acquired the maximum revenue share of the air compressor market in 2020. Factor like massive deployment of these compressors in the manufacturing units is responsible for the growth of the market. In addition, these compressors find extensive applications in the oil & gas industry in order to operate pneumatic equipment which is utilized for the pipeline, oil extraction & refining, and other processes.

Lubrication Outlook

Based on Lubrication, the market is segmented into Oil-Filled and Oil-Free. The oil-free segment is expected to display a promising growth rate during the forecast period. Factors such as the formulation of new guidelines to reduce emissions and the increasing number of government initiatives towards environmental safety are responsible for the growth of this segment. In addition, the growth of the segment is also driven by rising industrialization and thriving food processing, manufacturing, and semiconductor sectors.

Application Outlook

Based on Application, the market is segmented into Manufacturing, Retail, Food & Beverage, Healthcare, Oil & Gas, Energy and Others. The manufacturing segment obtained the prominent revenue share of the air compressor market in 2020. This is due to the increasing industrialization in emerging countries like India, Brazil, and China along with a rise in demand for sophisticated and energy-efficient air compressors in the manufacturing industry.

Regional Outlook

Based on Regions, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East & Africa. North America and Europe is expected to witness a prominent growth rate during the forecast period. As the companies and governments are putting a high amount of investment in Europe, that is expected to open new growth avenues for industrial air compressors. In addition, the growth of the market is expected to be accelerated by the rising preference of consumers towards simple-to-use and energy-efficient products.

Cardinal Matrix - Air Compressor Market Competition Analysis

The major strategies followed by the market participants are Product Launches. Based on the Analysis presented in the Cardinal matrix; General Electric is the forerunners in the Air Compressor Market. Companies such as Atlas Copco, Cook Compression, Gast Manufacturing, Inc. are some of the key innovators in the market.

The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include Atlas Copco, Bauer Group (BAUER COMP Holding GmbH), Cook Compression (Dover Precision Components), Compressor Products International (CPI) (EnPro Industries, Inc.), Galaxy Auto Stationary Equipment Co. Ltd., Gast Manufacturing, Inc. (IDEX Corporation), General Electric Company, Ingersoll Rand Plc, Kaeser Kompressoren SE, and MAT Industries, LLC (MAT Holdings, Inc.).

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Market Scope & Methodology



Chapter 2. Market Overview

2.1 Introduction

2.1.1 Overview

2.1.1.1 COVID-19 Impact

2.1.1.2 Market Composition and Scenario

2.2 Key Factors Impacting the Market

2.2.1 Market Drivers

2.2.2 Market Restraints



Chapter 3. Competition Analysis - Global

3.1 Cardinal Matrix

3.2 Recent Industry Wide Strategic Developments

3.2.1 Partnerships, Collaborations and Agreements

3.2.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions

3.2.3 Acquisition and Mergers

3.2.4 Geographical Expansions

3.3 Top Winning Strategies

3.3.1 Key Leading Strategies: Percentage Distribution (2017-2021)

3.3.2 Key Strategic Move: (Product Launches and Product Expansions: 2017, Jun - 2021, Jun) Leading Players



Chapter 4. Global Air Compressor Market by Product

4.1 Global Air Compressor Rotary/Screw Market by Region

4.2 Global Air Compressor Centrifugal Market by Region

4.3 Global Air Compressor Reciprocating/Piston Market by Region



Chapter 5. Global Air Compressor Market by Type

5.1 Global Stationary Air Compressor Market by Region

5.2 Global Portable Air Compressor Market by Region



Chapter 6. Global Air Compressor Market by Lubrication

6.1 Global Oil-Filled Air Compressor Market by Region

6.2 Global Oil-Free Air Compressor Market by Region



Chapter 7. Global Air Compressor Market by Application

7.1 Global Manufacturing Air Compressor Market by Region

7.2 Global Retail Air Compressor Market by Region

7.3 Global Food & Beverage Air Compressor Market by Region

7.4 Global Healthcare Air Compressor Market by Region

7.5 Global Oil & Gas Air Compressor Market by Region

7.6 Global Energy Air Compressor Market by Region

7.7 Global Others Air Compressor Market by Region



Chapter 8. Global Air Compressor Market by Region



Chapter 9. Company Profiles

9.1 BAUER Kompressoren Group (BAUER COMP Holding GmbH)

9.1.1 Company Overview

9.1.2 Recent strategies and developments:

9.1.2.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.1.2.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.1.2.3 Geographical Expansions:

9.2 Cook Compression (Dover Corporation)

9.2.1 Company Overview

9.2.2 Financial Analysis

9.2.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.2.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.2.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.2.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.3 Compressor Products International (EnPro Industries, Inc.)

9.3.1 Company Overview

9.3.2 Recent strategies and developments:

9.3.2.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.4 Galaxy Auto Service Equipment Co., Ltd.

9.4.1 Company Overview

9.5 Gast Manufacturing, Inc. (IDEX Corporation)

9.5.1 Company Overview

9.5.2 Financial Analysis

9.5.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.5.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.6 Kaeser Kompressoren SE

9.6.1 Company Overview

9.6.2 Recent strategies and developments:

9.6.2.1 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.7 MAT Holdings, Inc. (MAT Industries, LLC)

9.7.1 Company Overview

9.7.2 Recent strategies and developments:

9.7.2.1 Acquisition and Mergers:

9.8.5.2 Product Launches and Product Expansion:

9.9 General Electric (GE) Co.

9.9.1 Company Overview

9.9.2 Financial Analysis

9.9.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.9.4 Research & Development Expense

9.9.4.1 Partnerships, Collaborations and Agreements:

9.9.5 SWOT Analysis

9.10. Ingersoll Rand Inc.

9.10.1 Company Overview

9.10.2 Financial Analysis

9.10.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.10.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.10.5 Recent strategies and developments:

9.10.5.1 Acquisition and Mergers:

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/o8bt5v

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


CLEVELAND, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- RODO Medical, Inc., an innovative dental company from San Jose, CA, and ROE Dental Laboratory, a full-service dental laboratory from Independence, OH, announce an exclusive partnership on the distribution and marketing on the FDA-cleared and patented RODO Abutment System for surgically guided full-arch restorations.

BJ Kowalski, President of ROE Dental Lab, presents how Smileloc is changing the hole industry The 3 parts of the RODO Abutment System

The RODO Abutment System radically simplifies the process for placing and retrieving restorations by eliminating the need for cement or screws. This is possible through use of Smileloc attachment between abutment and coping. The Smileloc attachment is made of a shape memory material called Nitinol (used in medical industry for cardiovascular and orthopedic medical devices) that returns to a pre-designed configuration upon the application of highly targeted energy via an induction device called Smilekey.

The RODO Abutment System brings significant benefits to the world of full arch restorations:

Higher retention strength than dental cements Stronger, slimmer patient prosthesis Easy, efficient prosthesis removal Increased Patient Hygiene

ROE Dental Laboratory plans to integrate the RODO Abutment System with its market leading, patent protected, full arch CHROMETM GuidedSMILETM system.

"We are excited to combine these two technologies. The RODO Abutment System simplifies the process for placing and retrieving restorations by eliminating the need for cement or screws. The speed and ease of retrieving these restorations will be a game changer to full arch restorative clinicians, and for their patients oral health." said BJ Kowalski, President of ROE Dental Laboratory.

"Our RODO Abutment System is the future of implant dentistry. Its benefits are even more significant when used for guided full arch restorations. It made sense to partner with ROE Dental Laboratory and CHROME GuidedSMILE as they are leaders in guided full arch dentistry." said Dr. Young Seo, CEO of RODO Medical Inc.

About RODO Medical

RODO Medical is an innovative dental device company dedicated to improving the quality of life of patients and practitioners since 2009 and is a privately held U.S. company located in San Jose, California. Learn more about RODO Medical at www.rodomedical.com

About ROE Dental Laboratory

ROE Dental Laboratory is a full-service national digital laboratory who has partnered with the dental community since 1926. Learn more about ROE Dental Laboratory and Smileloc at www.roedentallab.com/Smileloc

Media Contact:

BJ Kowalaski

[email protected]

2166632233

SOURCE ROE Dental Laboratory
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Two companies have been ordered to pay a former Senior Vice President of Claims Litigation $155.4 million in compensatory and punitive damages after he prevailed in his wrongful termination suit.

The jury on Tuesday found that Farmers Group, Inc. and Farmers Insurance Exchange had retaliated against Andrew Rudnicki, a devoted and decorated employee of 37-years, who was months away from his anticipated testimony in a case alleging claims under the Fair Employment and Housing Act ("FEHA") (Coates v. Farmers).

Fearful that his testimony would have shed light on inaction by Farmers, Farmers retaliated against Rudnicki and shamefully used him as a scapegoat in order to hide their own failure to address concerns Rudnicki raised on behalf of the eventual Coates plaintiffs that led to the Coates litigation.

The jury agreed. On Tuesday, Rudnicki was awarded $5.4 million in compensatory damages. The jury also concluded that an officer, director or managing agent of at least one of the defendants acted with malice, oppression or fraud against Rudnicki, triggering a second phase of the trial.

On Thursday, the punitive damages phase of the trial got underway. Following its conclusion, and within less than forty minutes, a jury awarded Rudnicki a groundbreaking punitive damages award of $150 million against Farmers Insurance Exchange and Farmers Group Inc.

The verdict is believed to be among the highest in the state of California alleging similar claims.

The lawsuit had been filed and tried by Shegerian and Associates on behalf of Rudnicki in Los Angeles Superior Court (Case No. BC630158).

About Shegerian & Associates:

Shegerian & Associates has won clients over half a billion in employment-based disputes and maintains a 98% success rate. We have offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Riverside, and New York: https://www.shegerianlaw.com/.

Media Contact:

Rosanna Vargas: [email protected] , 310-860-0770.

SOURCE Shegerian & Associates

Related Links

www.shegerianlaw.com


PHOENIX, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Associates across Sparklight and the other Cable One family of brands (Fidelity, Clearwave, Hargray and ValuNet) pitched in this holiday season to help feed families in need by donating more than nine tons of food to local food banks throughout the company's 24-state footprint.

John Drake, Food Drive Coordinator for St. Mary's Food Bank in Phoenix, said the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on St. Mary's Food Bank and food banks around the country, as the need for assistance remains higher than pre-pandemic levels.

"We are very fortunate to have the support of incredible companies like Cable One," Drake said. "The donations we've received from their generous employees have a direct impact on the 300,000 meals St. Mary's distribute every day. We cannot thank Cable One enough for the work and commitment that went into making their annual food drive so impactful!"

Cable One President and CEO Julie Laulis said that while it's an annual tradition for the company to hold a holiday food drive, the initiative has taken on greater urgency over the past two years with local food banks experiencing substantial strain due to the increased number of community members in need.

"We are committed to doing our part to help alleviate hunger in the cities and towns we serve," Laulis said. "Our local communities need our support now more than ever and we hope our donations help ease the strain on families who are working hard just to make ends meet."

About Sparklight

Sparklight is a leading broadband communications provider and part of the Cable One family of brands, which serves more than 1.1 million residential and business customers in 24 states. Sparklight provides consumers with a wide array of connectivity and entertainment services, including high-speed internet and advanced Wi-Fi solutions, cable television and phone service. Sparklight Business provides scalable and cost-effective products for businesses ranging in size from small to mid-market, in addition to enterprise, wholesale and carrier customers.

SOURCE Sparklight
The prior week, Springfield Catholic Bishop Thomas John Paprocki announced that not all religions should have access to the state capitol. Paprocki called out The Satanic Temple as an entity that seeks to divide rather than unite. He insisted the organization should not be permitted to participate with other religious groups in hosting displays at "this Capitol or any other place."

"This year's tradition marks a greater urgency in the Baphomet's message of harmony and reconciliation," noted The Satanic Temple's Director of Campaign Operations Erin Helian. "This years' display celebrates unity. In keeping with that spirit, we have invited Bishop Paprocki to hold hands with members of The Satanic Temple while we come together and stand before all of the religious displays at the rotunda. I am sure people of all faiths in the Springfield community will be very disappointed if Bishop Paprocki turns down this opportunity and opts to divide people  especially during the holidays."

The Satanic Temple has over half a million registered members and has placed holiday displays in Florida, Indiana, Michigan, and elsewhere.

"It is my Sol Invictus wish that Bishop Paprocki will accept our invitation so we can share with him our message of compassion and empathy so we can come together and spread the harmonious holiday spirit of the Baphomet to the entire Springfield community," Helian added.

About The Satanic Temple

The Satanic Temple, subject of the critically-acclaimed documentary, Hail Satan?, and the academic analysis of modern Satanism, Speak of the Devil, confronts religious discrimination to secure the separation of church and state and defend the Constitutional rights of its members. In response to Oklahoma and Arkansas placing a Ten Commandments statue on Capitol grounds, TST offered its bronze Baphomet statue to stand alongside the Christian monuments. TST hosts the "After School Satan" club to counter the Evangelical "Good News Clubs" in public schools across the country to promote a plurality of religious viewpoints. The mission of The Satanic Temple is to encourage benevolence and empathy, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits for the individual will. For more information about The Satanic Temple, visit https://thesatanictemple.com/ .

Media Contact:

Karen

[email protected]

SOURCE The Satanic Temple
"TAPG has world-class resources for making ever-better vehicles, and by opening it up to the whole industry for long-term engagements, we believe it can make an even greater impact on advancing mobility for all," said Randy Stephens, group vice president of Product Performance Engineering at Toyota Motor North America Research and Development. "This is also an opportunity to create new value with a capital-intensive asset, opening a revenue stream that can be used for continuous improvements on the facility that will further benefit Toyota and tenants."

Intertek provides the transportation industry with services that cover all aspects of the needs at AMTC, including staffing, scheduling, maintenance, security and overseeing all testing operations at the site. It will also market AMTC to attract tenants and manage the leasing business.

"It's an honor to partner with Toyota to oversee the daily operations of AMTC," said Gavin Campbell, president of Intertek Transportation Technologies. "The automotive industry is going through a revolutionary change right now, and we look forward to assisting all OEMs and Tier Suppliers who are at the forefront of this automotive development by using our expertise in site management and test operations to help get their products to market with precision, pace and passion."

Part of AMTC will include an area of land for tenants to construct their own office and garage spaces as part of their facility usage. Toyota is also constructing its own new amenities, including expanded off road test facilities and a noise pass-by evaluation course, to provide new and world class facilities at AMTC.

Toyota is also maintaining its long-term commitment to support the surrounding community including support of Nadaburg Unified School District #81 in Wittman. Toyota will make another donation to help develop STEM education programming. Toyota is also donating to St. Mary's Food Bank in Phoenix for addressing food insecurities.

The Arizona Mobility Test Center at TAPG is located in the Sonoran Desert near Wittman, Arizona, a town about 60 miles northwest of Phoenix. The facility covers approximately 11,650 acres and has 77 miles of testing surfaces with 25 miles of paved roads, 52 miles of dirt tracks and a high-speed oval. TAPG was established in 1993 and has been home to testing nearly 50 Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles for the North American market during that time.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 36,000 in the U.S. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 30 million cars and trucks at our 9 manufacturing plants, 10 including our joint venture in Alabama that began production in 2021.

To help inspire the next generation for a career in STEM-based fields, including mobility, Toyota launched its virtual education hub at www.TourToyota.com with an immersive experience and chance to visit many of our U.S. manufacturing facilities. The hub also includes a series of free STEM-based lessons and curriculum through Toyota USA Foundation partners, virtual field trips and more. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

About Intertek

Intertek is a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide. Our network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices in more than 100 countries, delivers innovative and bespoke Assurance, Testing, Inspection and Certification solutions for our customers' operations and supply chains. Intertek Total Quality Assurance expertise, delivered consistently with precision, pace and passion, enabling our customers to power ahead safely.

Media Contact

Rick Bourgoise

313-405-5972

[email protected]

SOURCE Toyota Motor North America
The Villages at Oakleaf was built in five different phases between 2008 and 2018. It is the only apartment community in Oakleaf Plantation, giving it unique access to the centralized multi-million-dollar community recreational amenity center, which includes swimming pools, a water park, picnic areas, sports fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, and indoor fitness centers. Floorplans, photos, and pricing can be found on the property's website.

Located in Clay County, an area known to have a superior school system, the community provides a desirable living choice for families. With the presence of large unit sizes and many floorplans offering 3- and 4- bedroom options, as well as many kid-friendly amenities including a playground, The Villages at Oakleaf can provide families with an exceptional living experience. All three schools to which The Villages at Oakleaf are zoned are highly rated and within walking distance.

"We are pleased to announce the acquisition of these premier assets and add another high-quality property to our Florida portfolio," said John Foresi, Venterra CEO. "Demand for family-centric rental options is strong in today's housing market. The Villages at Oakleaf stood out to our acquisition team due to its extensive amenity package across the property sure to appeal to all types of renters, with families at the forefront."

Jacksonville was ranked as the fastest-growing Florida city by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2020, ranking 9th in the country in terms of highest in-migration in the U.S. Before the pandemic, Jacksonville averaged 2.6% annual job growth between 2011 and 2019, compared to the U.S. average of 1.7% for the same period. The Jacksonville MSA is one of only a handful of major markets in the country that has recovered all jobs lost during the pandemic.

"Jacksonville's booming population and demand was a key driver in this acquisition," said Venterra Chairman, Andrew Stewart. "We look forward to optimizing the operations at this community, creating value for our investors, and providing an exceptional living experience for residents of Jacksonville."

Venterra will implement its resident-focused programs such as the Live it. Love it. Guarantee., the 48-Hour Maintenance Guarantee, SMARTHUB, as well as their overall commitment to providing a world-class living experience for which Venterra has become known.

About Venterra:

Founded in 2001, Venterra Realty owns and manages approximately 70 communities and more than 20,000 apartment units across 13 major US cities that provide housing to over 40,000 people and 12,000 pets. The organization has completed $7.2 billion in real estate transactions and currently manages a portfolio of multi-family real estate assets valued at approximately $4.0 billion. Venterra is committed to improving the lives of its residents by delivering industry-leading customer experience. Find out more about Venterra Realty and its award-winning company culture at Venterra.com.

Contact: Dror Goldberg, Executive Vice President of Acquisitions

[email protected]

281.822.9464

SOURCE Venterra Realty
HARTFORD, Conn., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtus Dividend, Interest & Premium Strategy Fund (NYSE: NFJ), a diversified closed-end fund, today announced that it will institute a managed distribution plan effective with the quarterly distribution payable March 25, 2022. Coincident with the adoption of the plan, the Fund will raise its quarterly distribution rate to $0.245 per share, a 9% increase from the quarterly distribution of $0.225 per share payable on January 7, 2022. The increased distribution represents an annualized distribution rate of 6.2% based on the closing market price of $15.73 on December 16, 2021.

The Fund is undertaking these actions as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance shareholder value by both seeking to provide a more attractive distribution rate and furthering its efforts to reduce the current discount to net asset value at which its shares currently trade.

The Fund announced the following quarterly distribution:

Ticker Amount of Distribution Ex-Date Record Date Payable Date NFJ $0.245 March 11, 2022 March 14, 2022 March 25, 2022

Under the terms of its Managed Distribution Plan, the Fund will seek to maintain a consistent distribution level that may be paid, in part or in full, from net investment income and realized capital gains, or a combination thereof. Shareholders should note, however, that if the Fund's aggregate net investment income and net realized capital gains are less than the amount of the distribution level, the difference will be distributed from the Fund's assets and will constitute a return of the shareholder's capital. You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's Managed Distribution Plan.

The amounts of distributions reported in this notice are estimates only and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the distributions for tax purposes will depend on the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund or your broker will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you what distributions to report for federal income tax purposes.



About the Fund

Virtus Dividend, Interest & Premium Strategy Fund is a diversified closed-end fund that seeks current income and gains, with long-term capital appreciation as a secondary objective. The Fund will generally invest approximately 75% of its total assets in equity securities and approximately 25% in convertible securities. The Fund will employ an option strategy of writing (selling) covered call options on equity securities held in the Fund. The equity portion of the Fund generally invests in U.S. equities and American depositary receipts (ADRs) with attractive quality characteristics, shareholder yield, and consistent financial output. Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. is the investment adviser to the Fund and NFJ Investment Group is its subadviser.

For more information on the Fund, contact shareholder services at (866) 270-7788, by email at [email protected] , or through the Closed-End Funds section of virtus.com.

Fund Risks

An investment in a fund is subject to risk, including the risk of possible loss of principal. A fund's shares may be worth less upon their sale than what an investor paid for them. Shares of closed-end funds may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value. For more information about each fund's investment objective and risks, please see the Fund's annual report. A copy of the Fund's most recent annual report may be obtained free of charge by contacting "Shareholder Services" as set forth at the end of this press release.

About NFJ Investment Group

NFJ Investment Group, an affiliated manager of Virtus Investment Partners, is a global value equity manager with a rich heritage and deep roots in Dallas, dating to 1989. NFJ is unwavering in its commitment to investing at the intersection of value, quality, and shareholder yield, seeking to identify companies with the strongest prospects for returning capital to shareholders and with low market expectations.

About Virtus Investment Partners

Virtus Investment Partners (NASDAQ: VRTS) is a distinctive partnership of boutique investment managers singularly committed to the long-term success of individual and institutional investors. The company provides investment management products and services through its affiliated managers and select subadvisers, each with a distinct investment style, autonomous investment process, and individual brand. For more information, visit virtus.com.

SOURCE Virtus Dividend, Interest & Premium Strategy Fund
In recent years, Indian producers and exporters have been shipping ever-increasing volumes of hot-rolled steel to Oman and the UAE to be processed into CWP in those countries and avoid paying the high antidumping duties in place on imports of CWP from India. In fact, U.S. imports of CWP from Oman and the UAE have increased by roughly 35 percent  from 389,477 metric tons in the four-year period from 2013 to 2016 to 525,412 metric tons in the four-year period from 2017 to 2020. During this same period, exports of hot-rolled steel from India into Oman and the UAE have also increased dramatically.

The request filed today at Commerce seeks a ruling that Indian hot-rolled steel that is processed into CWP in Oman and the UAE constitutes merchandise "completed or assembled" in those countries for purposes of circumvention of the India CWP order under U.S. law. If Commerce issues an affirmative ruling, the antidumping duties now applicable to CWP from India would apply to imports of the relevant merchandise from Oman and the UAE. The antidumping duty rates on CWP from India range from nearly 12 percent to over 87 percent.

"Massive volumes of imports of CWP made from Indian hot-rolled steel have been coming into the United States, and these imports have been displacing U.S.-made product and causing negative effects on employment and sales," said Barry Zekelman, CEO at Zekelman Industries. "Today we are taking this action to ensure that unfairly traded products do not take jobs from American workers or harm U.S. companies. Zekelman intends to vigorously pursue all circumvention related to tubular products."

Zekelman Industries is the largest steel pipe and tube producer in North America, with nearly 3,000 employees in the United States and plants in nine states.

Today's filing was prepared by Schagrin Associates, a Washington, D.C.-based international trade law firm that also was counsel to Wheatland Tube in the original antidumping investigation.

About Wheatland Tube

Wheatland Tube, a division of Zekelman Industries, produces a wide range of steel tubular products, including standard steel pipe, galvanized mechanical tubing, fence framework, fire sprinkler pipe, electrical conduit, elbows, couplings and nipples. For more information, visit wheatland.com

About Zekelman Industries

Zekelman Industries includes the operating divisions of Atlas Tube, Picoma, Sharon Tube, Wheatland Tube, Western Tube and Z Modular. It is the largest independent manufacturer of hollow structural sections (HSS) and steel pipe, and the top producer of electrical conduit and elbows, couplings and nipples in North America. Zekelman Industries delivers a broad range of pipe and tube solutions that build its customers' success.

For more information, contact Zekelman Industries at 312.275.1600 or [email protected]. Or, visit zekelman.com

SOURCE Zekelman Industries
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- WorldStrides , the largest experiential learning provider in the United States, today announced the appointment of hip hop artist and TikTok star JUFU as the Global Brand Ambassador for WorldStrides Gap Year . As Global Brand Ambassador, JUFU will announce the launch of two WorldStrides scholarships and promote Gap Year on his TikTok channel, showcasing the life-changing possibilities of experiential learning.

WorldStrides Gap Year is a 13-week program for college-bound students seeking to solve complex global challenges through the creation of sustainable solutions. The experience takes students around the world to destinations like Florence, Italy; Granada, Spain; Meknes, Morocco; Athens, Greece and more. Students return home equipped with the tools to take on the challenges of college, career and life.

The young Brooklyn musician took a gap year after high school to focus on his music career, resulting in the creation of viral songs "Who R U" and "Woahh." These viral hits have drawn the attention of celebrities, including Will Smith, Steve Harvey and Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro. The 21-year-old artist sets himself apart from others by promoting the fight against social negativity and encouraging his followers to stay true to themselves.

"We are excited to announce JUFU as a Global Brand Ambassador and the new face of WorldStrides Gap Year," said Russ Alexander, Head of Innovation for Higher Education at WorldStrides. "Through Gap Year, students gain a better understanding of the world, enabling self-growth and ultimately making them better global citizens."

WorldStrides Gap Year begins with a welcome orientation in Rome, followed by three four-week curriculum sessions. Each session will be conducted in a different country, where students will immerse themselves in a mix of classes, community engagement and hands-on experiences.

As part of JUFU joining WorldStrides as the Global Brand Ambassador of WorldStrides Gap Year, he will be announcing two scholarships. The first scholarship is part of WorldStrides' "Who R U?" social media campaign. The campaign will encourage students to use their personal TikTok channel to let WorldStrides know "who they are" and how they plan to benefit from Gap Year. The second is the Changemakers Scholarship which will encourage guidance counselors, teachers, community leaders and others to nominate a student who has made an impact in their community or drives positive change. One student will be selected for each and will be awarded a full scholarship to WorldStrides Gap Year.

To learn more about WorldStrides Gap Year, visit: gapyear.worldstrides.com/about .

About WorldStrides

WorldStrides is the global leader in educational travel and experiential learning. The company was founded in 1967 to provide middle school travel programs to Washington, D.C., and has grown to provide a wide range of programs for more than 550,000 students annually from more than 5,000 K12 schools and universities to over 100 countries around the world. WorldStrides offers experiential learning programs in educational travel, performing arts, language immersion, career exploration, service-learning, study abroad, and sports. Each of these experiences helps students to see beyond the classroom and to see the world  and themselves  in new ways.

Contact:

Brett Garrison

540-809-1947

[email protected]

SOURCE WorldStrides
BEIJING, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- China Zenix Auto International Limited (OTC: ZXAIY) (the "Company"), one of the largest commercial vehicle wheel manufacturers in China in both the aftermarket and OEM market by sales volume, today announced that it has called a general meeting of shareholders (the "General Meeting"), to be held at 10:00 a.m. Beijing Time on January 21, 2022, at No. 1608, North Circle Road State Highway, Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China, to consider and vote on, among other things, the proposal to authorize and approve (i) the previously announced agreement and plan of merger (the "Merger Agreement") dated October 19, 2021 by and between the Company and Newrace Limited ("Parent"), which was joined by Newrace Mergersub Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent ("Merger Sub") on October 20, 2021, (ii) the plan of merger with respect to the merger, substantially in the form attached as Annex A to the Merger Agreement (together with the Articles of Merger, the "Plan of Merger"), (iii) the articles of merger required to be filed with the Registrar of Corporate Affairs of the British Virgin Islands in connection with the merger, substantially in the form attached as Annex B to the Merger Agreement (the "Articles of Merger") and (iv) the transactions contemplated thereby, including the merger.

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement and the Plan of Merger, at the effective time of the merger, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving company and becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. If completed, the merger will result in the Company becoming a privately held company and the American depositary shares of the Company, each representing four Shares of the Company (each, an "ADS" and collectively, "ADSs") will no longer be listed for quotation on OTC Pink tier of the OTC Markets and the ADS program for the ordinary shares of the Company, par value US$0.0001 per share (each, a "Share") will terminate. In addition, the Company's ADSs and Shares represented by the ADSs will cease to be registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 following the consummation of the merger.

The board of directors of the Company, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of the special committee of the board of directors of the Company comprised solely of independent directors unaffiliated with the buyer parties, approved the Merger Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, including the merger, and resolved to recommend that the Company's shareholders vote FOR, among other things, the proposal to authorize and approve the Merger Agreement, the Plan of Merger, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, including the merger.

Shareholders of record as of 5:00 p.m. British Virgin Islands time on December 20, 2021 will be entitled to attend and vote at the General Meeting. ADS holders as of the close of business in New York City on December 20, 2021 will be entitled to instruct The Bank of New York Mellon, the ADS depositary, to vote the Shares represented by the ADSs at the General Meeting.

Additional information regarding the General Meeting and the Merger Agreement can be found in the transaction statement on Schedule 13E-3 and the proxy statement attached as Exhibit (a)-(1) thereto, as amended, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which can be obtained, along with other filings containing information about the Company, the proposed merger and related matters, without charge, from the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov). In addition, the Company's proxy materials (including the definitive proxy statement) will be mailed to the Company's shareholders and ADS holders.

SHAREHOLDERS AND ADS HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY THESE MATERIALS AND OTHER MATERIALS FILED WITH OR FURNISHED TO THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE PROPOSED MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS.

The Company and certain of its directors and executive officers may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be "participants" in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders with respect to the proposed merger. Information regarding the persons who may be considered "participants" in the solicitation of proxies is set forth in the Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement relating to the proposed merger and the definitive proxy statement attached thereto. Further information regarding persons who may be deemed participants, including any direct or indirect interests they may have, is also set forth in the definitive proxy statement. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to purchase or the solicitation of an offer to sell any securities or a solicitation of any proxy, vote or approval with respect to the proposed transaction or otherwise, nor shall it be a substitute for any proxy statement or other materials that have been or will be filed with or furnished to the SEC.

About China Zenix Auto International Limited

China Zenix Auto International Limited is the largest commercial vehicle wheel manufacturer in China in both the aftermarket and OEM market by sales volume. The Company offers approximately 883 series of aluminum wheels, tubed steel wheels, tubeless steel wheels, and off-road steel wheels in the aftermarket and OEM markets in China and internationally. The Company's customers include large PRC commercial vehicle manufacturers, and it also exports products to over 67 distributors in more than 28 countries worldwide. With six large, strategically located manufacturing facilities in multiple regions across China, the Company has a designed annual production capacity of approximately 15.5 million units of steel and aluminum wheels as of September 30, 2021. For more information, please visit: www.zenixauto.com/en.

Safe Harbor Statement

The Company may make written or oral forward-looking statements in periodic reports filed with the SEC, annual reports to shareholders, press releases such as this announcement, other written materials furnished to investors, and oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. They can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Further information regarding these risks is included in the Company's annual Form 20-F filings with the SEC. The coronavirus outbreak, together with a deterioration of the general economic conditions and the automobile industry triggered by the outbreak in part, has adversely affected the financial position and operating results of the Company. The outbreak's impact on our supplier and customers, including disruptions and inefficiencies in the supply chain, could be unpredictable.

For further information, please contact:

Kevin Theiss

Awaken Advisors

Tel: +1-(212) 521-4050

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE China Zenix Auto International Limited

Related Links

http://www.zenixauto.com


"We want to give back to the community that has supported us through these uncertain times," Mathews said.

Life Enrichment Group is also a proud Toys for Tots location and will distribute toys to more than 100 families in need from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Dec. 18 at QueenCare's Columbia City location. Young Queens, a Life Enrichment Group program designed to positively promote academic success and teach inner-city youth about economic empowerment and entrepreneurship, will facilitate the drive.

Young Queens are also taking over QueenCare's Jackson Street location from noon-7 p.m. on Dec 16 to highlight their businesses. Eva Zhang, owner of Eva's Nails, is a featured participant.

"Young Queens has taught me professional development skills such as leadership, code switching, social media marketing, and how to succeed in my own business," Zhang said.

QueenCare and Life Enrichment Group are committed to uplifting the community and helping individuals rise. Get involved: queencareproducts.com and lifeenrichmentgroup.org.

About QueenCare:

QueenCare products were established in July 2015. They were designed to best serve our skin, while utilizing aromatherapy to heal and uplift our mood. Each handcrafted product is infused with good energy, love, and natural ingredients that will leave your body feeling luxurious! A portion of the proceeds from sales benefit youth programming in the Seattle/King County area.

About Life Enrichment Group:

Imagined in 2003 and incorporated in 2006, Life Enrichment Group (L.E.G) has provided culturally relevant programs focused on academic achievement and social/emotional support for youth across Seattle and King County. We are invested in the success of those most often overlooked in our society. Our youth truly are our future! Let us continue to work together to provide the highest access to opportunities and ensure healthy communities for us all.

Media Contact:

Kela Hall

206.966.2198

[email protected]

SOURCE QueenCare
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- American Beverage (AB) announced today the election of members to its Board of Directors.

The members elected to serve a first term are: Johannes Evenblij, president, west division, PepsiCo Beverages North America; Chris Hunt, chief executive officer, Red Bull North America; and Palmer Nackard, president, Nackard Companies.

"It is my honor to welcome our newly elected Board members and thank them for their commitment to serve our industry," said Katherine Lugar, president and CEO of American Beverage. "Our Board is critical in driving innovative solutions whether advancing our industry's Every Bottle Back initiative or supporting better way efforts to help families balance the sugar they get from beverages. Together, we'll continue achieving meaningful results that support our customers, consumers and communities."

Those elected to serve for an additional term are: Brian Charneski, president, L & E Bottling Company; Mark Francoeur, president, Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast; Sally Hargis, vice president and chairman, Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company; John Kalil, president, Kalil Bottling Co.; Jack Pelo, former president and CEO, and current Board Member, Swire Coca-Cola; Cliff Ritchie, president and chief executive officer, Carolina Beverage Corp.; and Kirk Tanner, chief executive officer, PepsiCo Beverages North America.

"Our Board is comprised of top-notch leaders with unique perspectives who provide valuable insights to help drive our industry forward and build on our leadership in addressing the environmental and health challenges of today," said Matthew Dent, chair, AB Board of Directors, and president and chief executive officer of Buffalo Rock Company. "I look forward to working alongside each of them to create a stronger future not only for our industry, but for the communities we serve from coast to coast."

Members of AB's Board of Directors serve a four-year term and participate in semi-annual meetings that help shape association programs, policies and initiatives. Officers are elected annually.

About American Beverage

American Beverage is the national trade organization representing the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in the United States. For more information, please visit www.americanbeverage.org.

SOURCE American Beverage
NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The ancient, elegant Chinese martial art of Taijiquan today marked the first anniversary of its listing as a UNESCO world intangible cultural heritage, with a celebration in Times Square, New York City.

The Sino-American Friendship Association and Henan jointly held a Taijiquan event at Times Square in New York, showcasing the culture on the famous Disney LED giant billboard throughout the day.

A big crowd of Taijiquan experts and enthusiasts from the greater New York area also gathered live to practice their graceful Taiji movements in front of the global audience at the crossroads of the world in Times Square.

Taijiquan, also known as Chinese Tai Chi, is one of the best exercises ever practiced in human history. Chen-style Taijiquan is originally from Chenjiagou in the Henan province of China, which is wildly recognized as one of the cradles of Chinese civilization.

Rigid and flexible, Tai Chi demonstrates the culture of conveying its unique Chinese humanistic philosophy and practice to health and wellness. Today, Tai Chi training centers are in over 150 countries and regions, and around 300 million people around the world practice Taijiquan actively.

Along with the famous Shaolin Kungfu, Taijiquan is another popular formation of Chinese martial arts. Both originated in Henan and are considered cultural icons for Henan and China. Every year, tourists from all over the world visit Henan to experience its distinctive Kungfu culture and the tourism industry of Henan continues to flourish, thanks to this rich history and folk culture.

Henan keeps expending its Taijiquan and Shaolin culture on a global scale. Based in Mount Song Shaolin Temple and Chenjiagou, Henan plans to host the International Shaolin Kungfu Festival and Taijiquan Exchange Competition. Henan Taijiquan College, Taijiquan Cultural Inheritance and Innovation Center are also under development and the "Impression of Taiji," is a recent project to build Henan as the world capital of Kungfu and the Taiji Holy Land.

The other world cultural heritage sites, such as Longmen Grottoes and Yin Xu are also in Henan. You can easily touch ancient Chinese culture that dates back thousands of years, even the bricks and tiles from the Qin and Han Dynasties. For more information see Henan Cultural and Tourism.

Contact: Cimagine Media Group, LLC, [email protected]

SOURCE Henan Cultural and Tourism
BOSTON, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC ("ArcLight") announced today that it has launched its Infinigen Renewables platform ("Infinigen") with a $400 million capital commitment. Infinigen is led by a team with a history of successful development and operations of premier renewable assets. The team will leverage ArcLight's experience and reach across the renewables and power space to continue growing its presence across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

As an initial foundation of the platform, Infinigen has completed an acquisition of two operating solar PV plants in Puerto Rico  Oriana and Horizon  totalling 73.2MW plus multiple development opportunities, in partnership with Helios Alternative Energy.

Commenting on the transaction, ArcLight's Managing Partner and Founder Dan Revers said, "This transaction represents the first acquisition by our Infinigen platform  an attractive opportunity to back the premier renewable asset owner, operator and developer in Puerto Rico. ArcLight looks forward to supporting Infinigen's mission to provide affordable, renewable electricity to the communities in which it operates. Over its 20-year history, ArcLight has invested over $4 billion in 5 GW of renewable assets, and this transaction is testament to our continued commitment to enabling decarbonization and sustainability."

With the launching of the Infinigen platform, ArcLight looks to continue its long history of investing in renewables platforms, including:

Leeward Renewable Energy: Developer, owner and operator of wind projects in the United States across 19 operating projects with a total installed capacity of 1.7 GW at the time of exit;

across 19 operating projects with a total installed capacity of 1.7 GW at the time of exit; Terra-Gen Power: Developer, owner and operator of wind, solar and geothermal projects in the United States with a total installed capacity of more than 2.0 GW at the time of exit; and

with a total installed capacity of more than 2.0 GW at the time of exit; and Great River Hydro: The largest owner and operator of hydroelectric plants in New England, with 584 MW of operating hydroelectric assets.

About ArcLight

Founded in 2001, ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC is one of the leading energy infrastructure firms, helping pioneer an asset-based approach to investing in the energy sector. ArcLight has invested approximately $25 billion in 113 transactions since inception. Based in Boston, the firm's investment team employs a hands-on value creation strategy utilizing its in-house technical, operational, and commercial specialists, as well as the firm's approximately 1,500-person asset management affiliate. ArcLight has a deep track record of investing in businesses and assets that contribute to a decarbonized future, closing its first renewable power deal in 2003 with over $4 billion invested in renewable power transactions since then. ArcLight believes its two decades of power and renewables experience, along with its deep track record across the energy value chain, provide differentiated insights that will help the firm and its partners contribute to a net zero future. More information about ArcLight and a complete list of ArcLight's portfolio companies can be found at https://www.arclight.com/.

SOURCE ArcLight Capital Partners
ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- American Trucking Associations Workforce Heroes truck is scheduled to arrive Saturday at Arlington National Cemetery as part of the Wreaths Across America convoy from Maine, along with many ATA member-company trucks delivering wreaths to decorate veterans' graves during this holiday season.

"ATA and the trucking industry believe it is our duty to honor and remember those who have served our country and protected our freedoms," said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. "Many professional truck drivers are themselves veterans of the U.S. Military. ATA is honored that our industry and the Workforce Heroes program can salute America's fallen heroes as part of Wreaths Across America."

Workforce Heroes professional truck drivers Ralph Garcia and Tony Spero, both with ABF Freight Systems Inc., drove the program's camo-wrapped tractor-trailer from the wreath loading dock in Columbia Falls, Maine, to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

They stopped along the way to meet with, schools, emergency response teams, and other community members including Gold Star Families. They spoke with K-12 and college-age students and veterans about the industry's importance to the economy, career opportunities, and honoring veterans.

"As the father of children who bravely joined the military, I am honored to participate in the envoy," said Spero. "We meet so many veterans and Gold Star Family members, and it's crucial that we learn about and recognize their sacrifices."

Wreaths Across America will deliver more than one million wreaths to veterans' graves throughout the globe. ATA staff will help distribute the truckload of wreaths delivered by the Workforce Heroes tractor-trailer in Arlington.

The Workforce Heroes drivers chronicled their trip with videos and photos on program's official Facebook page. Watch here as the camo-wrapped Workforce Heroes truck leads the convoy through Vermont.

Through the Workforce Heroes Program, ATA is committed to providing recruitment and training for honorable, dedicated, and passionate men and women to join our industry. The program is sponsored by Mack Trucks and Utility Trailers and supported by OmniTracs and TA-Petro.

American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight. Follow ATA on Twitter or on Facebook. Trucking Moves America Forward.

SOURCE American Trucking Associations
NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aura Air , the air purification company offering solutions that make air clean and safe, announced that it has won the 2021 Entrepreneurial Company of the Year award by independent research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.

The award recognizes Aura Air's excellence in the global indoor air quality monitoring industry to address evolving market trends and customer needs when it comes to budget-friendly and energy-efficient indoor air quality monitoring products. Aura Air's advanced purification technology detects, captures and kills 99.9% of viruses, bacteria, germs and allergens through a unique 4-stage purification process. Additionally, Aura's enterprise dashboard allows organizations to manage and monitor multiple devices at once and gather air quality insights in real time.

"We are proud to be recognized by Frost & Sullivan," said Roei Friedberg, CEO of Aura Americas. "As the workforce slowly returns to the office, we hope our solutions will help keep everyone safe and healthy and provide greater peace of mind."

In its analysis of Aura Air, Frost & Sullivan highlighted the company's forward-looking approach, elegant and technology-integrated products, and excellent implementation of its customer-centric strategy. Most notably, Aura Air was also found to destroy 99.99% of airborne SARS-CoV-2 including Delta variant particles within 60 minutes in a recent trial by Innovative Bioanalysis Laboratory.

According to Frost & Sullivan's Independent Equity Research Program, Aura Air is at the forefront of the rapidly growing Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) market. It is being recognized for its unique technology that has been proven to be majorly successful in clinical trials and has received significant endorsements including the stamp of approval from the Israeli government.

Frost & Sullivan's Entrepreneurial Company of the Year Award recognizes the best up-and-coming, potentially disruptive market participant. Frost & Sullivan applies a rigorous analytical process to evaluate multiple nominees for each award category before determining the final award recipient. The process involves a detailed evaluation of best practices criteria across two dimensions for each nominated company. Aura Air excels in many of the criteria in the indoor air quality monitoring space.

About Aura Air:

Aura Air created the world's smartest data driven air purification system, one that cleanses indoor air while vigilantly monitoring its quality in real-time. Aura Air's award winning and patented technology filters and disinfects indoor air through a unique four stage purification process that captures and kills 99.9% of viruses, bacteria, germs and allergens. In an independent clinical trial at Sheba Medical Center, a leading Israeli medical facility ( one of the top 10 hospitals in the world ), Aura Air successfully managed to filter and remove 99.9% of airborne coronavirus. Founded in 2017, Aura Air is now helping to purify the air in homes, hospitals, schools, businesses, hotels, restaurants, buses and nursing homes in more than 50 countries around the world. Aura is headquartered in Israel with global offices in the U.S. and India. For more information, visit www.auraair.io .

About Frost & Sullivan:

Frost & Sullivan is an American business consulting firm. It offers market research and analysis, growth strategy consulting, and corporate training. It has about 45 offices in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe; the principal office is in Santa Clara, California.

Press contact:

Benny To, Illume PR for Aura Air

[email protected]

SOURCE Aura Air
ZURICH, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BC Platforms (BCP), a global leader in healthcare data management and analytics, today announced a new clinical collaboration with the Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine (CCPM) and reported on its outstanding 2021 performance. Its new data partnership with the Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine (CCPM) will support the clinical translation of its basic research, including the potential to ensure improved and more personalized drug compatibility for patients. During 2021, BCP has successfully delivered significantly expanded global real-world data (RWD) and platform access in order to support precision medicine-led healthcare research and development (R&D). Leveraging its Data Network and the flagship BC|INSIGHT platform, which curates and analyses data in a secure format to advance personalized healthcare research, BCP has conducted impactful and transformational initiatives in key areas such as lung cancer, COVID-19, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and several others.

As part of the CCPM partnership, BCP's flagship platform BC|GENOME and its Pharmacogenomic logic module has been integrated into CCPM's EPIC clinical system's Molecular Results Module, including the use of consenting patient data. Such a direct data integration between BC|GENOME and the EPIC clinical systems allows the latter to notify providers of any gene-drug conflicts at their point of care. This potentially reduces clinical prescription-related and/or administrative errors through a pharmacogenetics-driven, personalized medicine approach.

The global footprint of the BC Platforms Data network has grown rapidly to now include RWD equivalent to approximately 25 million patient lives, including longitudinal clinical data in addition to 500k patients' genetic data, across 14 countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa. It is well positioned for further expansion, as organisations continue to recognise the value of rapid access to expertly curated and carefully governed patient data.

Tero Silvola, CEO of BCP, said: "While 2021 has continued to be influenced by the debilitating coronavirus pandemic, it has highlighted the urgent need for data digitalisation across the healthcare ecosystem. There has been an unprecedented global sense of commitment towards improved secure data sharing within federated networks, which can support the faster generation of translatable, actionable research insights. Our latest international partnership, with the Colorado Center for Personalised Medicine, could prove pivotal for flagging gene-drugs conflicts in clinical practice."

As part of its remit to accelerate R&D, earlier this year BCP announced that BC | INSIGHT would be used as part of the major UK-based "iDx-LUNG" consortium to improve early lung cancer detection in a clinical trial involving over 15,000 people, led by the University of Leeds and the Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Southampton, working together with other healthcare, diagnostics and informatics companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Roche, Oncimmune, and Inivata. The study could contribute to methods of earlier cancer detection, which could translate to saving patient lives - a true example of personalized medicine having an immediate impact on individual patients, as well as offering enterprise benefits for large healthcare systems.

2021 has also been a milestone year from the perspective of securing multiple Pharma partnerships, to enable RWD access and help power R&D across multiple therapeutic areas and right across the R&D continuum  from discovery to post market approval phase data needs. These partners include seven top tier pharmaceutical companies.

BCP will continue expanding its healthcare footprint through the continued signing of global strategic partnerships. This has developed alongside a growing interest to gain more diverse, global genomic data access with a special focus in Europe, Asia and Africa. To that end BCP has been delivering platform-based support to regional genomics services such as the African Institute of Everyone Genome (AiEG) biobank, as well as a new partnership with Artisan Biomed in Africa as part of its remit to promote access to precision medicine around the world.

In 2022, BCP also joined forces with Japan's Riken research institution and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), in an international research effort to support development of a precision prediction model to identify those most at risk from COVID-19 and improve society's resilience to the coronavirus pandemic. The research focused on developing precise disease stratification algorithms using information geometry and artificial intelligence to determine which people are at most risk of mortality and hospitalisation from COVID-19.

The secondary use of RWD has delivered many benefits: making healthcare more cost and time effective, expanding knowledge about disease and treatments, and supporting public health goals, such as detecting emerging pandemics. But the increasingly widespread use of healthcare data raises important ethical questions. One of BCP's strategic partners, a US patient advocacy organization, Cure Duchenne - wanted to address some of these challenges by creating a participant-centric biobank able to integrate diverse data types in a single data warehouse. In 2021, CureDuchenne launched CureDuchenne Link, the US's first Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy data hub that directly connects data and biospecimens provided by the patient community with scientists and drug developers everywhere. Powered by BC|INSIGHT, it allows for automated ingestion and harmonization of clinical information and multiple data types including genomics and other omics data.

For its Healthcare clients, BCP has provided industry-leading interpretation services on genomics related insights, with 2021 being a significant year for the emergence of pharmacogenomics (PgX) in clinical practice. One of its major partnerships in this area is with Bumrungrad International Hospital , in Bangkok Thailand, one of the largest private hospitals in Southeast Asia and a world leader in healthcare delivery and pioneering clinical research. With the advances in genotyping technology and NGS, clinical laboratories are transitioning from single-gene tests to multi-gene panels for PGx, with SNV panel testing still being the most widely used technology. Without expertise from BCP, SNV data interpretation could otherwise prove challenging.

Nino da Silva, Deputy Managing Director, BCP, said: "2021 has seen us scale at pace our vision to build the world's leading analytics platform for healthcare and the life sciences industry. We are keen to facilitate access to our easy-to-use integrated solutions such as BC|INSIGHT and BC|GENOME, to provide secure, actionable data - partnering on an international level to seamlessly connect genomics healthcare and research. We have successfully transitioned from serving a mainly clinical academic customer base to an equally strong Life Science industry customer base, having signed multiple partnerships with top tier pharma companies. We encourage health systems to invest in consenting and data infrastructure as it provides strong foundations underpinning personalised medicine and ultimately improve outcomes for patients. Through our latest partnership with the Colorado Center for Personalised Medicine, we expect patient lives will be directly and positively impacted through BC|GENOME."

About BC Platforms

BC Platforms is a global leader in providing a powerful data and technology platform for personalized medicine, accelerating the translation of insights into clinical practice. Our technology drives the infinite loop between personalized care and research discoveries, leveraging latest science, deep technical expertise, strategic partnerships, and harmonized, diverse data collections. Our high performing genomic data discovery and analytics platform enables flexible data integration, secure analysis, and interpretation of molecular and clinical information. Additionally, BC Platforms has developed a Global Data Partner Network BCRQUEST.com, which allows us to access more than 25 million patients across Europe, Americas, Africa, and Asia with rich data for pharmaceutical and medical research and development.

Founded in 1997 from an MIT Whitehead project spinoff, the Company has a strong scientific heritage underpinned by over 20 years of working in close collaboration with a network of leading researchers, developers, and industry partners. BC Platforms has global operations with its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, research and development in Espoo, Finland, and presence in London, Boston and in Singapore. For more information, please visit www.bcplatforms.com or follow us on LinkedIn @BC Platforms .

Contact information:

Tero Silvola

BC Platforms AG

[email protected]

Katja Stout

Scius Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE BC Platforms
In its eighth edition, the CIIE presented 23 keynotes and panels with leading specialists and disruptive leaders from different universities; innovation and research presentations, panels, book presentations and networking tables by faculty, researchers, managers, consultants, entrepreneurs, as well as members of civil society organizations and governments of different countries; a Virtual Expo with the presence of recognized companies focused on the education sector, as well as various special events focused on EdTech, lifelong learning and new technologies, in addition to more than 280 educational innovation experiences from 197 institutions from more than 20 countries.

During the first half of the year, Tec de Monterrey made a call to all people, companies and institutions linked to the education sector to send their educational innovation projects and learn about the experiences that are taking place internationally. The call closed receiving 746 contributions from 30 countries, which positions the CIIE as one of the most important educational innovation events in the Spanish-speaking world.

On the first day of the Conference, Monday, December 13, the inaugural keynote was delivered by David Garza, President of the Tecnologico de Monterrey; This was followed by a keynote panel where the rectors of the Triada participated: Dr. Garza for Tec, Raquel Bernal, President in Charge of the Universidad de los Andes, and Ignacio Sanchez, President of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, who spoke on the role that universities should play to avoid educational lagging in Latin America.

During the second day of CIIE the keynote lectures continued. It was the turn of Juan Pablo Murra, Tec de Monterrey Rector for Higher Education; Maria Victoria Angulo, Minister of National Education of Colombia; Jose Escamilla, Associate Director of the Institute for the Future of Education, and Jeff Selingo, New York Times bestselling author and co-host of the Future U podcast. by Raquel Bernal and Eva Fernandez, Manager of Social Investment in Early Childhood of the FEMSA Foundation.

In addition, the Vice -Rector for Continuous Education at Tecnologico de Monterrey began the track dedicated to analyzing the future of education from the lifelong learning point of view .It had keynote speakers such as: Raul Linares, Director of Digital Transformation at the UCA Business School (Argentina); Hugo Moreno, Deputy Director of Talent Development and Leadership at Grupo Financiero Banorte; Maria Rivera, leader of Development of Solutions of the Vice-Rector's Office for Continuous Education; and Marco Lorenzatti, Secretary of Continuous Education at the Blas Pascal University (Argentina), to name a few. Likewise, progress was shown on The Learning Gate platform, Tec de Monterrey's bet to a culture of lifelong learning.

The third day of the Conference was also unique thanks to keynotes by George Siemens, Executive Director of Learning Innovation and Networked at the Knowledge Research Lab, and Masha Ibeschitz, bestselling author, and founder of Think Beyond Group. In addition, specialists talked about global learning and the transformation in university teaching after the pandemic, and the EdTech panel for the future of education was presented.

In addition, the regional final for Latin America of the Global EdTech Startups Awards (GESA) took place, its objective is to identify, recognize and amplify the impact of EdTech Startups in the world. BraveUp initiative that seeks to stop cyberbullying and the Polyglot platform that aims to promote the learning of the English language, were winners of this edition, both Chilean solutions obtained their ticket to the world final that will be held on January 20th, 2022, in London.

On the fourth and last day of CIIE, keynotes were delivered by the Executive President of Mexicanos Primero, David Calderon, as well as by Alexander Leicht, Head of the Education for Sustainable Development Section of UNESCO. Likewise, in two keynote panels, opinions, and knowledge about education in sustainable development and the construction of the future of education were exchanged. At the conclusion of the eighth edition of the conference, the next one was announced, to be held in January 2023.

"After four days of reflection, networking and project presentations, we concluded the eighth edition of the International Conference of Educational Innovation of the Institute for the Future of Education of Tecnologico de Monterrey, a space in which members of the academia, nongovernmental organizations, national and local governments and companies, are shaping together the future of education", expressed Jose Escamilla, Associate Director of the Institute for the Future of Education.

Once again, CIIE 2021 met its goals: to identify trends, challenges and opportunities in today's educational world; propose new teaching-learning methods and tools for new generations, and form a network of specialists from various disciplines who exchange experiences, good practices and value propositions. All this to achieve an educational ecosystem that is more accessible, equitable, ethical, and committed to human well-being and flourishing.

Press Contacts:

Tecnologico de Monterrey

Dafne Tenorio

Cel: 81 2319 2887

[email protected]

Oscar Santoyo

Cel.: 476 747 6020

[email protected]

Alterpraxis

Gressia Arevalo

Cel.: 667 520 4747

[email protected]

Visit Newsroom, the press room of the Tecnologico de Monterrey.

For more images visit: bit.ly/CIIE2021MEDIOS

About de Monterrey

Tecnologico de Monterrey (http://www.tec.mx) is a private, non-profit multi-campus university system. Since its founding in 1943, it has stood out for its academic excellence, educational innovation, entrepreneurship and internationalization, as well as for its links with industry and employers, and its great capacity for execution. It has campuses in 29 countries in Mexico; an enrollment of more than 76 thousand students at professional and postgraduate level, and almost 7 thousand teachers; in addition to more than 26,000 high school students and 2,500 teachers at that level. The institution is accredited by the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. (SACSCGC) since 1950. According to the QS world University Rankings (2022), it is in position 161, ranking 30 among universities deprived of the world; and the QS Graduate Employability Rankings (2022) as number 1 in Latin America and 26 in the world. In the Times Higher Education Latin America University Rankings (2022), of the Princeton Review and Entrepreneur, occupying position 6 in entrepreneurship programs at the undergraduate level. It belongs to various internationally prestigious networks such as the Pacific Basin University Association (APRU) Universitas 21 (U21) and The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), among others.

SOURCE Tecnologico de Monterrey
SANTA MONICA, Calif. and ALPHARETTA, Ga., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- nThrive, Inc. ("nThrive"), a healthcare revenue cycle management ("RCM") software-as-a-service ("SaaS") platform provider, backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. (together with certain affiliates, "Clearlake"), today announced it has completed the acquisition of TransUnion Healthcare, Inc., the healthcare data and analytics business of TransUnion (NYSE: TRU). The unified business will offer healthcare organizations one of the most complete end-to-end RCM technology solutions available, streamlining patient access for better patient and financial outcomes, and empowering customers with increased predictability and confidence in their financial performance.

For acute and ambulatory providers, combining TransUnion Healthcare's front-end capabilities with nThrive's front-end workflow and complementary solutions creates a Patient Access powerhouse, improving the patient experience with simpler, more accurate check-in solutions. Additionally, combining TransUnion's Social Determinants of Health data and Insurance Discovery capabilities with nThrive's Claims and Contract Management solutions creates a highly compelling offering for payors. Payors will be able to use socioeconomic data to identify members at risk of needing more costly care, allowing care teams to intervene earlier. Insurance discovery tools help payors coordinate benefits coverage across a larger base of active insurers, reducing medical costs incurred by clients and increasing access to care for members. The full portfolio, which includes nThrive's already strong middle-office and back-office cloud-based software solutions, will drive accelerated and efficient financial recovery for healthcare customers that results from implementing one of the most comprehensive end-to-end RCM technology and software platforms available.

"By offering our integrated solutions under one brand umbrella, we can provide healthcare organizations with a more predictable and accurate view of their financial performance while meaningfully improving the patient experience," said Hemant Goel, CEO of nThrive. "We're eager to get to work as a united team and leverage our joint solutions to add even more value to our customers."

"We are excited about the combination of these technology businesses and the increased value proposition now offered to support healthcare organizations," said Behdad Eghbali, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, and Paul Huber, Principal, of Clearlake. "We are thrilled to partner with both nThrive's colleagues and TransUnion Healthcare's talented associates to leverage Clearlake's O.P.S. framework and build a combined company that is well-positioned to accelerate organic growth and capitalize on further industry consolidation."

Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Evercore, and William Blair acted as financial advisors to Clearlake and nThrive. Debt financing supporting the transaction was provided by J.P. Morgan, Deutsche Bank, CBAM Partners, Golub, Security Benefit Corporation, BMO Capital Markets, Barclays, Credit Suisse, Jefferies, Antares Capital, BNP Paribas, UBS, Oaktree Capital Management, Audax, Cliffwater, Neuberger Berman, and Stone Point. Sidley Austin LLP served as legal counsel to Clearlake and nThrive.

About nThrive

nThrive provides healthcare revenue cycle management SaaS solutions, offering patient access, charge integrity, claims management, contract management, machine learning & robotic process automation, data & analytics, and education software solutions to more than 900 hospitals and health systems in North America, including 37 of the 40 largest healthcare providers in the U.S. nThrive's end-to-end software platform helps healthcare organizations increase revenue, reduce costs, expand cash collections, and ensure regulatory compliance across the entire revenue cycle continuum. For more information, please visit https://www.nthrive.com/.

About Clearlake

Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. is an investment firm founded in 2006 operating integrated businesses across private equity, credit, and other related strategies. With a sector-focused approach, the firm seeks to partner with management teams by providing patient, long-term capital to businesses that can benefit from Clearlake's operational improvement approach, O.P.S. The firm's core target sectors are technology, industrials, and consumer. Clearlake currently has over $55 billion of assets under management and its senior investment principals have led or co-led over 300 investments. The firm has offices in Santa Monica and Dallas. More information is available at www.clearlake.com and on Twitter @ClearlakeCap.

About TransUnion Healthcare

TransUnion Healthcare, Inc., an nThrive company, makes trust possible by creating simplicity and transparency throughout the healthcare ecosystem to improve health and financial outcomes. TransUnion Healthcare helps over 1,850 hospitals and 650,000 physicians collectively recover more than $1.2 billion annually in revenue. TransUnion Healthcare's Revenue Protection solutions leverage comprehensive data, accurate insights and industry expertise to engage patients early, ensure earned revenue gets paid and optimize payment strategies. For more information, please visit https://www.transunion.com/industry/healthcare

Media Contact:

For nThrive:

Audra Murphy

nThrive

(717) 476-4864

[email protected]

For Clearlake:

Jennifer Hurson, Lambert & Co.

845-507-0571

[email protected]

SOURCE nThrive

Related Links

nthrive.com


BANGALORE, India, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CNLABS, an IPv6 Forum approved lab, announced today the launch of a monitoring portal for measuring adoption of IPv6 enabled internet services in India. The website provides an analysis of IPv6 deployments of Web, Mail, DNS, and DNS-SEC services for government, industry, and universities. As a founding member and knowledge partner of the Bharat IPv6 Forum, CNLABS' goal is to provide the Indian IPv6 ecosystem an independent assessment of IPv6 adoption in the country.

IPv6 information for around 2000 Indian websites and a comparison of IPv6 vs IPv4 based internet services in India is available today. The IPv6 Monitoring Portal is updated daily to provide continuous measurements. Built using the IPv6 Deployment Monitor and Test System from NIST, it employs the same methodology and sampling techniques for estimations.

"I am glad to see a tool focused on v6 content and services adoption for websites in India. Since India leads the world for total IPv6 users, it is essential to have the visibility to monitor the progress of v6-based internet services," said Latif Ladid, senior researcher at the University of Luxembourg, and president of the IPv6 Forum. "Similar to other geographies like the US, EU, Thailand to name a few, India can now monitor its own progress for v6 adoption."

"As India celebrates its Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (75 years of Independence), this adoption monitoring tool is yet another step towards achieving an Atma-Nirbhar Connected Bharat in the telco domain by measuring v6 adoption in India. It will also provide crucial data required for building capacity for India's own IPv6 root server, which is one of the major goals of Bharat IPv6 Forum," said Satya N Gupta, Chairman of Bharat IPv6 Forum.

" The India IPv6 monitoring portal from CNLABS can be used by government agencies, regulatory authorities, industry, and academia to monitor v6 adoption and to take necessary steps for making the transition towards IPv6-only internet, as prescribed by DoT in their National IPv6 Deployment Roadmap," noted Krishna Kumar Lahoti, head of testing and certification at CNLABS and an IPv6 enthusiast.

About CNLabs

CNLABS, an IPv6 Forum approved lab, is a vendor-neutral independent test facility offering industry certifications, regulatory, interoperability, and third-party testing for product vendors, enterprises, and service providers. The lab is designated by the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) and meets the globally recognized ISO/IEC 17025: 2017 standard for Electronics Labs which assures quality and competency of the lab, personnel, and test results.

Contact:

Jamie Dabao Brown

[email protected]

626-488-0732

SOURCE CNLABS
BOGOTA, Colombia, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL;NYSE: EC), informs that the Sustainable Development Corporation of the Macarena Special Management Area CORMACARENA, through Resolution No. PS-GJ.1.2.6.21.2094 of 2021, imposed a fine of twenty monthly minimum wages to the Company due to the contamination of Cano Cacayal, caused by the discharge of wastewater from Station I of Campo Castilla. In the opinion of the authority, the discharge parameters allowed by environmental regulations might have been breached.

Although the sanction is a final decision within the administrative sanctioning process, it was issued outside the term that CORMACARENA had to exercise its sanctioning faculty, therefore Ecopetrol, although respects and accepts CORMACARENA's decisions and reiterates its commitment to comply with current legal environmental regulations, will file legal actions within the corresponding legal opportunity.

Ecopetrol is the largest company in Colombia and one of the main integrated energy companies in the American continent, with more than 17,000 employees. In Colombia, it is responsible for more than 60% of the hydrocarbon production of most transportation, logistics, and hydrocarbon refining systems, and it holds leading positions in the petrochemicals and gas distribution segments. With the acquisition of 51.4% of ISA's shares, the company participates in energy transmission, the management of real-time systems (XM), and the Barranquilla - Cartagena coastal highway concession. At the international level, Ecopetrol has a stake in strategic basins in the American continent, with Drilling and Exploration operations in the United States (Permian basin and the Gulf of Mexico), Brazil, and Mexico, and, through ISA and its subsidiaries, Ecopetrol holds leading positions in the power transmission business in Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, road concessions in Chile, and the telecommunications sector. This press release contains business prospect statements, operating and financial result estimates, and statements related to Ecopetrol's growth prospects. These are all projections and, as such, they are based solely on the expectations of the managers regarding the future of the company and their continued access to capital to finance the company's business plan. The realization of said estimates in the future depends on the behavior of market conditions, regulations, competition, the performance of the Colombian economy and the industry, among other factors, and are consequently subject to change without prior notice.

This release contains statements that may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements, whether made in this release or in future filings or press releases or orally, address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, including in respect of the Company's prospects for growth and its ongoing access to capital to fund the Company's business plan, among others. Consequently, changes in the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements: market prices of oil & gas, our exploration, and production activities, market conditions, applicable regulations, the exchange rate, the Company's competitiveness and the performance of Colombia's economy and industry, to mention a few. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

For more information, please contact:

Head of Capital Markets

Tatiana Uribe Benninghoff

Email: [email protected]

Media Relations (Colombia)

Mauricio Tellez

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Ecopetrol S.A.
Sharing Connections Furniture Bank aims to bring together community members by enabling families and businesses to furnish hope to families in need through financial support and the opportunity to share their gently used furniture, household items, and clothing. Partington's involvement with the organization began in 2004 and has included countless hours of volunteer service, furnishing and financial donations, and longtime support of the organization's "Women of Hope" fundraising campaign. In the past year, Partington has dedicated more than 250 hours of service to Sharing Connections and has recruited additional community members to dedicate their time and resources towards supporting the organization.

Now in its fourth year, the annual Sternberg Philanthropy Award recognizes Elkay's "extended family" members who consistently go above and beyond in giving back to their community. The extended Elkay family consists of Elkay employees, their immediate family, Elkay representatives, their immediate family, and members of Elkay's founding family.

To qualify for the award, recipients must be an Elkay employee or a member of the extended Elkay family and have donated significant personal time, talent, or funds to a noteworthy cause. Additionally, their efforts must have substantially impacted the nonprofit they served. Winners receive an award and a ceremonial "big check" signifying a $5,000 donation from Elkay to their charity of choice during a formal awards ceremony hosted by company leaders.

This year, Elkay has also chosen two additional winners, Steve Angus, Director of Retail Sales, and Maurice Townsend, Senior Engineer, who each received $500 donations from Elkay to their chosen charities, the Oak Park Area Lesbian & Gay Association (OPALGA+) and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated, respectively. OPALGA+ is one of the largest LGBTQ+ membership organizations in Illinois and aims to promote equality and acceptance toward the LGBTQ+ community while also providing a positive community network for members through social activities, civic engagement, and community activism. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated is a historically Black Greek Letter Fraternity, founded upon the principle of achievement for Black collegiate men and actively participates in community services activities within local chapter communities, nationwide and around the globe.

"At Elkay, we recognize the immense impact giving back can have on our communities. The Sternberg Philanthropy Award is just one manifestation of it within our organization," states Elkay President and CEO Ric Phillips. "Each year, the nominees continue to wow Elkay leaders with their hard work and dedication at Elkay and within their communities through their nonprofit commitments. Whether it be by providing their time, skills, or monetary gifts, the Elkay family is committed to giving back to the places we work, live, and play. This award provides them and the organization with another opportunity to do just that in a big way. I hope that this award and the efforts of all our nominees will continue to inspire our people to think big, do more and give back in any way they can in the years ahead."

The award name honors the contributions and impact of the Sternberg family, the second branch of Elkay's founding family, on the company. Bonded by marriage, Paul Sternberg Sr. became an early investor in the company and in-law to the Katz family after his sister married founding family member Louis Katz. His son, Paul Sternberg Jr., joined the company in 1935 and worked his way up to becoming Chairman of the Board over the course of a 50-year career at Elkay. Throughout his career, Paul Sternberg Jr. established a track record of helping others. He steered Elkay to produce many innovative products that aided in people's recovery from various ailments, including polio patients and wounded WWII soldiers.

To apply, extended Elkay family members must submit nomination forms between October and November annually. Applications are then reviewed by a panel of judges, who evaluate the nominee's level of commitment and the impact that their efforts had on the nonprofit organization they served.

About Elkay

Family-owned since 1920, Elkay has been making innovative products and delivering exceptional customer care for almost a century. While proud to be America's No. 1 selling kitchen sink company, Elkay expanded its commercial offerings more than four decades ago and today delivers faucets, water coolers, drinking fountains, Smartwell Water Delivery Systems, and the award-winning ezH2O bottle filling stations, in addition to world-class stainless steel and quartz sinks. Our Elkay Interior Systems business is a global leader in designing and building branded retail environments and commercial systems such as stainless-steel products for commercial kitchens for leading international brands in the retail, hospitality, restaurant, and education markets. Like your family, Elkay has values and traditions that endure - like our commitment to sustainability and giving back to our community. Headquartered in the United States in Downers Grove, Illinois, Elkay employs over 2,300 employees worldwide, working from 25 locations across the U.S., China, Europe, and Mexico. For more information, visit www.elkay.com.

About Sharing Connections Furniture Bank

Sharing Connections Furniture Bank brings together community members by enabling families and local businesses to share their gently-used furniture and household items with families in need of assistance. Sharing Connections works closely with referring partner organizations, including domestic violence shelters, housing organizations, food pantries, schools, veteran organizations, and teen parent organizations, who refer clients to the organization after determining the need for beds, cribs, kitchen table and chairs, lamps, and furniture along with other household items to outfit the kitchen and bedrooms. The organization also works with local businesses to receive brand new furniture and beds on a regular basis. Sharing Connections serves the previously homeless, unemployed, and working poor, veterans, victims of domestic violence, immigrants, individuals with mental or physical disabilities, victims of fire, flood, and natural disasters, and other groups in need. For more information, visit https://www.sharingconnections.org/.

About Oak Park Area Lesbian & Gay Association (OPALGA+)

Established in 1989, OPALGA+ is one of the largest LGBTQ+ membership organizations in Illinois and has a diverse membership base that includes women and men of all ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds from Oak Park, Chicago, and surrounding suburbs. The mission of OPALGA+ is to promote full equality for and positive attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community and provide a positive community family for members through social activities, civic engagement, and community activism. For more information, visit https://opalga.org/.

About Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated is the 2nd oldest existing collegiate historically Black Greek Letter Fraternity and the 1st intercollegiate Fraternity incorporated as a national body. Born in an environment saturated in racism, the Fraternity was established on January 5, 1911, and was founded upon the principle of achievement for Black collegiate men. It remains the only Greek letter organization with its Alpha Chapter on Indiana University's campus. The Fraternity has more than 125,000 members nationwide with 700 undergraduate and alumni chapters in nearly every state of the United States, and international chapters in Nigeria, South Africa, the West Indies, the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea, and Japan, and actively participates in community service activities locally, nationwide as well as around the globe. For more information, visit https://kappaalphapsi1911.com/.

Media Contact

Chloe Kasper

[email protected]

SOURCE Elkay
PARIS and LUXEMBOURG, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- eppf Group, an independent capital-markets-as-a-service provider with a fully digitalised and automated financial infrastructure and securitisation vehicle established under Luxembourg law, has entered into an agreement with NowCP majority shareholder Orange and minority shareholders on the acquisition of a controlling stake of NowCP. NowCP is the leading and only European regulated marketplace for primary commercial paper (CP) issuance. The transaction is expected to be completed in Q1/2022, subject to regulatory approval.

The joint offering of eppf and NowCP will span the entire value chain of bond issuance. It provides issuers with the full value chain of financial instruments from the short-end commercial paper to long-dated bonds in a fully automated manner and a marketplace as primary and, for CP, also secondary market trading venues.

NowCP's other shareholders  such as Amundi, Credit Agricole CIB, Natixis, S2iEM  together with Orange will remain as minority shareholders invested in the joint company supporting the expanded platform.

Robert Koller, CEO and founder of eppf, said: "We are extremely excited to welcome NowCP and its team to the eppf family. This will allow us to build the first global primary debt market, regulated to the highest standards, and to provide our clients a fully digital and integrated value chain for CP, bonds and other financial instruments such as loans, Euro Private Placement and Schuldscheine. It also confirms eppf and NowCP as the only European, neutral platform supported by a broad base of banks and other financial institutions. Finally, we would like to thank Orange, the other NowCP shareholders, their teams and advisers for making this transaction possible. The combined group is looking very much forward to working with our new stakeholders and clients."

Jerome Berger, Chairman of NowCP: "Together with the founding shareholders, Orange was able to leverage its technological know-how and create a benchmark digital market by launching NowCP. eppf is the ideal partner to extend the original vision. The clients of eppf / NowCP will benefit from an unparalleled range of services on fixed income markets."

Herve Labbe, CEO of NowCP, added: "The investment of eppf into NowCP is a natural step: our two companies share the same vision of regulated finance as a service to market participants. This transaction is also a contribution to the realisation of a capital markets union. This combination will enable us to offer all our NowCP clients a comprehensive digital financing solution, from commercial paper to bonds, including private placements and syndicated transactions on an intermediated basis. New services for dealers & bookrunners will be launched in the near future on our MTF, allowing all players to trade in a more transparent and secure environment."

Advisers

Legal advisers to eppf Group: Simmons & Simmons Luxembourg LLP, led by partner Louis-Mael Cogis



Legal advisers to Orange: White & Case LLP, led by partner Guillaume Valat



M&A advisers eppf Group: Stout Park Ltd., led by MD Santiago Izaguirre



M&A advisers Orange: Gimar & Cie SCA, led by advisor Francois Barthelemy

About eppf

eppf provides the first and only end-to-end digital solution, where the company offers established issuers with a digital transaction workflow, or, in the case of new entrants, with a CMaaS (Capital Markets as a Service) funding "subsidiary" using standardised documentation. In this way, the eppf solution is relevant for both big and small companies and provides improved harmonisation of capital markets in a MiFID2 and CMU compliant environment without media breaks.

eppf Group consists of several entities, including eppf S.A. which is a securitisation vehicle established under Luxembourg law and supervised by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier. For further information, visit www.eppf.eu

About NowCP

NowCP, the European marketplace for commercial paper, is an issuing and trading platform for short term debt. NowCP is licensed by the AMF and the ACPR, which allows members to trade on the primary and secondary markets, bilaterally or multilaterally and through intermediaries.

NowCP greatly improves the fluidity of transactions by digitalizing the entire front office process with STP integration to its member's IT systems. NowCP also offers STP settlement solutions through Euroclear with automatic ISIN. For further information, visit www.nowcp.eu

SOURCE eppf

Related Links

https://www.eppf.eu/


MOSCOW, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Besides predicting our destiny, it's hard to believe the stars can also influence everything else on Earth including fashion according to astrologer and author Tatiana Borsch.

"Planets Jupiter and Saturn are the main celestial reference points for fashion," said Borsch. For most of the year, Jupiter will be in Pisces, which is a water sign. That means its colors of blue, blues shades, purple, violet, green, and silver will be popular fashion themes."



For more than 30 years, Tatiana Borsch has been a renowned Russian astrologer, writer, and award-winning documentary film producer. Tatiana has an outstanding track record as a professional astrologer and has made guest appearances on many popular television shows. Tatiana recently published Complete Astrological Planner & Diary 2022. The book gives readers insights into what lies ahead in the upcoming year and more than that - it's an effective tool to manage your time, set goals, and make plans while using the influence of the planets and cosmos to get the most out of your self-care.

Borsch is a popular Russian astrologer known for her accurate predictions. She accurately predicted the current global economic crisis and sudden events of 2020 in a 2019 SWAAY Magazine article.

Tatiana recently published Complete Astrological Planner & Diary 2022.

The book gives readers insights into what lies ahead in the upcoming year and more than that  it's an effective tool to manage your time, set goals, and make plans while using the influence of the planets and cosmos to get the most out of your self-care.

It's also an astrological guide on how to interpret transiting aspects. Here, you'll find descriptions of the planetary and lunar aspects, the positions of the planets, zodiac signs, houses and lunar days. You'll also discover how to apply these factors to your personal horoscope.

Jupiter won't be alone in Pisces, as Neptune will also tag along to form the biggest astrological event of the year on April 12, 2022. This is a rare conjunction that occurs once every 13 years.

Neptune tends to dissolve and blur, and that means soft, vague shades of blue, purple, and green will come into fashion. Transparent and unobtrusive clothing will be stylish, and translucent fabrics and lace should look spectacular and be in demand.

Neptune also rules the arts. We could see incredible films, music productions, and paintings, and many art pieces will also have a space or maritime theme.

"The year will have a nautical theme. That means different T-shirts, such as nautical striped shirts, various nautical caps, and other things associated with the sea will be popping up. Fans of pearls can finally flaunt their jewels, as pearls will be 2022's most fashionable jewelry," said Borsch.

Light, airy dresses that flow in the breeze will stay popular throughout 2022. These are great choices for the office or something a little more casual. Long and medium-length mermaid-like hairstyles will also be the rage.

For your makeup, the stars predict soft, natural translucent themes.

Saturn is also in Aquarius during 2022, which is a strong position for the planet. It will influence the rebirth of long-forgotten suits and dresses from the past. Accented shoulders, cuffs, frills, and draperies will likely come back into fashion. Suede and leather goods are in fashion once again.

Money

Money is governed by Taurus, and Uranus has been sitting comfortably in the sign for three years. It's not going to leave Taurus in 2022. That means the entire financial system will continue to transform. Between August 2022 and March 2023, be careful with your money.

Love

Relationships that form in 2022, especially in the first half of the year, are predicted to be very romantic. People born under Pisces will feel this the most followed by people in Scorpios. Virgo, Sagittarius, and Capricorn signs will come close when it comes to love.

Children born between January and July 2022 may have vivid musical and psychic abilities. They may grow up to be people that lead the way for the advancement of new doctrines and religions.

More detailed predictions for 2022 can be seen on Tatiana Borsch's website. You can also find predictions from previous years and other astrology-related articles.

Meet Astrologer & Author Tatiana Borsch

For more than 30 years, Tatiana Borsch has been a renowned Russian astrologer, writer, and award-winning documentary film producer.

Tatiana has an outstanding track record as a professional astrologer and has made guest appearances on many popular television shows. She is the author of more than 40 books, including An Astrologer's Notes: Real-life stories on how the stars shape our lives.

Tatiana is also the founder of the AstraArt production company, which has created more than 150 documentary films since 2002. She has received numerous awards for films broadcasted across Russia and other countries.

Tatiana offers free weekly social media horoscopes on Instagram and Facebook. Complete Horoscope 2022 is also available on Amazon and other online bookstores.

For further information or to arrange an interview, contact Alex Viner at +35797837153 or [email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Alex Viner

Tatiana Borsch

Website: http://www.tatianaborsch.com/

Moscow, Russia

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: +35797837153

Social media weekly horoscopes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tatiana_borsch/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tatiana-Borsch-1855585614490721

SOURCE Tatiana Borsch
Angela comes to Fifth Wall with over fifteen years of real estate experience, including acquisitions, financings and capital raising. As a Partner on the Capital Formation team, she oversees capital raising and investor relations. Previously, she was the Director of Business Development at Torchlight Investors where she focused on capital raising and new product development. She was also a Director at KKR where she focused on real estate capital raising globally.

Jon is a Partner at Fifth Wall, where he co-leads the Real Estate Technology Investment team. Previously he was an Investment Director at the SoftBank Vision Fund, investing in and serving on the Boards of companies ranging from Gopuff to ShipBob to Cameo, among others. Before joining SoftBank, Jon was a Vice President at PointState Capital focused on public global Technology, Media, and Telecom investments. He started his career at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Banking Division.

Ofer, who is joining the firm as a Partner on the LP Coverage and Capital Markets team, has over ten years of experience in investment banking. Prior to joining Fifth Wall, he was an Executive Director and Co-Head of PropTech at J.P. Morgan's Real Estate, Gaming, and Lodging Investment Banking group. While at J.P. Morgan, he advised SmartRent on its $2.2 billion merger with Fifth Wall Acquisition Corp. I (FWAA). Ofer also worked at UBS Investment Bank in the Mergers and Acquisitions group. He started his career as a Financial Analyst at GE Healthcare and served as a Lieutenant in the Israel Defense Forces.

Tommy, Fifth Wall's first Chief Marketing Officer, joins from BuzzFeed where he was Senior Vice President of Content & Operations, overseeing editorial video, branded content and operations teams for the digital publisher. At BuzzFeed, Tommy also served as Editorial Director, helping scale and operationalize editorial teams. He began his career at Conde Nast. At Fifth Wall, Wesely oversees marketing, communications and original media content for the firm, planning for significant growth of Fifth Wall's Marketing and Communications team with a focus on adding strategic content creators across social and video.

"We are excited to be leveraging the talents of Angela, Jon, Ofer, and Tommy at Fifth Wall as we continue to evolve Fifth Wall's unique approach to venture capital, strengthen our expertise in both public and private markets, and evolve our content strategy," said Brendan Wallace, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Fifth Wall. "These strategic hires point to our continued expansion throughout the firm, our goal of creating impact at scale across the global real estate industry, and our intention to expand awareness of our brand among more mainstream audiences."

This news comes on the heels of Fifth Wall's appointment of Jeremy Fox who joined the firm earlier this year to lead corporate partnerships and the capital markets business after decades working in investment banking, Mary Hogan Preusse who joined the firm in October as a Senior Advisor, drawing on her 30+ years of real estate experience, and Peter Gajdos who joined the firm in September to co-lead the Climate Tech Investment team.

About Fifth Wall

Founded in 2016, Fifth Wall, a Certified B Corporation, is the largest venture capital firm focused on technology-driven innovation for the global real estate industry. With approximately $2.5 billion in commitments and capital under management, Fifth Wall connects many of the world's largest owners and operators of real estate with the entrepreneurs who are redefining the future of the Built World. Fifth Wall is backed by a global mix of more than 70+ investors from 15 countries, including Acadia Realty Trust, Azora, BNP Paribas Real Estate, British Land, CBRE, Cosan, Cushman & Wakefield, D.R. Horton, Equity Residential, Gecina, GLP, Hines, Host Hotels & Resorts, Hudson Pacific Properties, Invitation Homes, Ivanhoe Cambridge, Jamestown, Kimco Realty Corporation, Knight Frank, Lennar, Lowe's Home Improvement, Macerich, Marriott International, MERLIN Properties, MetLife Investment Management, Mitsubishi Estate, NZ Super Fund, News Corp, MOMENI, Nuveen Real Estate, PGIM Real Estate, Pontos Group, Prologis, PulteGroup, Related Companies, SEGRO, Starwood Capital, Toll Brothers, Vanke, and others. Fifth Wall believes this strategic corporate consortium represents one of the largest groups of potential partners in the global Built World ecosystem, which can result in game-changing investments and collaborations in promising portfolio companies in retail, residential and multi-family, commercial, industrial, hospitality, and more. For more information about Fifth Wall, its partners, and portfolio, visit www.fifthwall.com .

SOURCE Fifth Wall
In October, Emory & Henry began renovations on Carriger Hall, a former residence hall currently being transformed into the new home of the college's School of Business. As renovations continue, First Bank & Trust Company will aid in the development of a unique innovation space within Carriger Hall. The space will be dedicated to digital learning via state-of-the-art technology with innovative, engaging and relevant content that can be accessed 24/7.

As an extension of the partnership, Emory & Henry will offer programming for First Bank & Trust Company employees, including rising leaders within the bank.

During Thursday's announcement, Founding Dean, Emmett P. Tracy said, "This opportunity takes the partnership between First Bank & Trust Company and Emory & Henry to another levelfocusing on professional development and lifelong learning, as well as opportunities for distance education and broader economic impact."

President & CEO, Mark Nelson said, "First Bank & Trust has always been committed to aiding local Southwest Virginia institutions in their pursuit of business growth and success. In this instance, we are privileged to aid Emory & Henry College in their institutional growth while also helping to cultivate the next generation of business leaders who will transform our communities." Nelson is a 1984 graduate of Emory & Henry College.

First Bank & Trust Company has been involved with Emory & Henry's efforts to establish the School of Business since the project's inception. Senior Vice President and Regional Manager for Southwest Virginia, Brent Dyson has been a leader in the bank's efforts to expedite the establishment of the program. Dyson served on the search committee for the school's founding dean and helped select Tracy for the position.

Dyson said, "Getting this program underway is going to be hugely beneficial to both students at Emory & Henry and businesses in our community. With the resources at Emory & Henry, local business owners can continue their education and the education of their existing staff. They will also gain more qualified local applicants every year, and every semester as students graduate."

First Bank & Trust Company has a long-standing financial partnership with Emory & Henry. The bank has helped secure funding for several projects on the Emory & Henry campus including The Village Apartments, a $13 million community of eight residence halls, which opened in 2019. The partnership also extends to academic programming. Annually, Emory & Henry alumni who work for the bank return to campus to meet with seniors pursuing business degrees and share their insights into the financial services industry.

Numerous First Bank & Trust staff attended Thursday's event in honor of both their employer and their alma mater. In addition to Mark Nelson, alumni included: CFO, Eric Moore, Class of 1988; Senior Vice President and Head of the Mortgage Division, Andy Puckett, Class of 2003; Senior Vice President and Agricultural Lender & Regional Supervisor for Southwest Virginia, Ed Blevins, Class of 1977; Vice President and Internal Auditor, Jim Edmondson, Class of 1984; and Vice President and Marketing Officer, Kaitlyn Widner, Class of 2016.

About First Bank & Trust Company

First Bank & Trust Company, one of the top community banks in the United States, is a diversified financial services firm with more than thirty office locations throughout Southwest Virginia, Virginia's New River and Shenandoah Valleys and Northeast Tennessee. The bank's financial solutions include free checking products for personal and business accounts, savings, money market and time deposit accounts. Lending solutions are managed by mortgage, agricultural and commercial lending divisions. Comprehensive wealth management solutions are available through First Trust & Wealth Management.

For more information, visit www.firstbank.com.

Media Contact:

Kaitlyn Widner

Vice President  Marketing

276-285-0293

[email protected]

SOURCE First Bank & Trust Company
ST. LOUIS, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Gateway Dealer Network, LLC ("Gateway" or the "Company") today announced that Mike Allen, the Company's CEO since 2019 and a 28-year veteran of Gateway Dealer Network, plans to retire at the end of the year. Mr. Allen will be succeeded in the CEO role by John Hopper, currently President of the Gateway platform. Mr. Allen, whose career in the industrial equipment industry has spanned four decades, plans to devote more time to charitable causes and spend more time with his family.

The Company's newly appointed CEO, John Hopper, was named President in 2020. He previously served as General Manager of Acme Operations, which was acquired by Gateway Dealer Network in December 2019.

Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Gateway Dealer Network is the second largest dealership network for Bobcat brand industrial equipment in North America, operating out of 25 locations across 10 states and employing more than 400 people. In addition to operating as a dealer of new and used equipment, the Company provides parts and services for industrial equipment and maintains a rental fleet.

"I have been privileged to be part of the Gateway family since it operated out of a single location and am proud to have built countless relationships with our team and contributed to the Company's tremendous growth to 25 locations and counting," said Mr. Allen. "Working shoulder-to-shoulder with John, I know his focus, expertise and dedication to our team will keep Gateway in good hands moving forward."

Mr. Hopper stated, "Mike has been a key part of Gateway's growth and success, and I am honored to take on the CEO responsibilities from him as the Company continues to focus on providing our customers premier equipment sales and parts and services. Our entire team is excited about the future, while playing a leadership role in the industrial equipment dealer industry."

Gateway Dealer Network Board Chair, Reidar Brekke, said, "It has been a pleasure working with Mike. He has helped to grow the business, more than doubling the number of locations and personnel, and he is leaving Gateway in a strong, vital position in the industrial economy. John shares this same enthusiasm and vision for Gateway, and I'm glad we have someone as passionate about our business, team and long-term future as John to take over the helm."

About Gateway Dealer Network

Gateway Dealer Network, founded in 1990 and based in St. Louis, MO, operates principally as a provider of Bobcat and Doosan-branded industrial equipment sales, parts and service, and rental services across its footprint of 25 locations across 10 states in the Midwest, Southeast and West. The Gateway team builds trust with customers thanks to its decades of experience and extensive expertise in the industrial equipment industry. For more information, please visit https://www.gatewaydealer.com/.

Media Contact:

Zach Kouwe/Shree Dhond

Dukas Linden Public Relations

212-704-7385

SOURCE Gateway Dealer Network
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Although they are unaware of any actual or attempted misuse, Global Impact is providing notice of an event impacting the privacy of certain information stored on their systems.

What Happened? Global Impact determined an unauthorized individual accessed a small number of Global Impact and Geneva Global email accounts between December 2020 and January 2021. As a result, it is possible the unauthorized individual may have accessed or acquired information regarding certain individuals that was located in the accessed accounts. Global Impact initially discovered suspicious email account activity on January 13, 2021, and subsequently performed a thorough investigation, with the assistance of third-party forensic specialists, to determine the full nature and scope of the incident and to secure its systems. Global Impact then undertook a detailed review of the accessed email accounts to identify any personal information stored in the accounts. The preliminary results of this review were provided on May 27, 2021, and Global Impact has worked since this time to verify the individuals impacted and locate current address information in order to provide an accurate notification.

What Information Was Involved? The accessed email accounts contained information related to certain donors and employees of Global Impact. The type of information affected varies per individual, and includes one or more of the following types of information: name, date of birth, financial account number, medical or health-related information, health insurance information, passport number, taxpayer identification number, and for a very small number of individuals, a payment card number or a Social Security number.

While there is no evidence that actual or attempted identity theft or fraudulent use of this information has occurred, and after a lengthy, detailed investigation involving forensic specialists, Global Impact is notifying individuals whose information was present in the email accounts at the time of the unauthorized access in an abundance of caution.

How Will Individuals Know if They Are Affected By This Incident? Global Impact is mailing notice letters to the potentially affected individuals for whom they have valid mailing addresses. If an individual did not receive a letter but would like to know if they are affected, they may call the dedicated assistance line listed below.

What is Global Impact Doing in Response? Following this incident, Global Impact took immediate steps to secure the impacted accounts and conducted a thorough investigation. Global Impact has also implemented additional training and education to their employees. Additional monitoring tools and security measures have been put in place to ensure its systems are secure and to help prevent similar future incidents. Because Global Impact has insufficient contact information for some of the individuals whose information was contained in the impacted email accounts, they are providing notice to those potentially impacted individuals by way of a notification published in media outlets in all fifty states.

Who Should Individuals Contact for More Information? If individuals have questions or would like additional information, they may call the Global Impact dedicated assistance line at (855) 545-2507, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

What Can Individuals Do To Protect Their Information? While Global Impact is unaware of any actual or attempted misuse of any information involved in this incident, those potentially impacted by the event are encouraged to take steps to better protect against identity theft and fraud if they feel it is appropriate to do so.

Monitor Your Accounts . To protect against the possibility of identity theft or other financial loss, Global Impact encourages you to remain vigilant, to review your account statements, Explanation of Benefits statements, and to monitor your credit reports for suspicious activity.

Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of your credit report.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended "fraud alert" on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer's credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer's credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer's identity before extending new credit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any one of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a "credit freeze" on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer's express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, you cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on your credit report. To request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:

Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.); Social Security number; Date of birth; Addresses for the prior two to five years; Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill; A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver's license or ID card, military identification, etc.); and A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if you are a victim of identity theft.

Should you wish to place a fraud alert or credit freeze, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:

Equifax Experian TransUnion https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/ https://www.experian.com/help/ https://www.transunion.com/credit-help 1-888-298-0045 1-888-397-3742 1-833-395-6938 Equifax Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 Experian Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016 Equifax Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 Experian Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094

You may further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps you can take to protect your personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov ; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. You can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. You have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide some proof that you have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and your state Attorney General. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.

For District of Columbia residents, the District of Columbia Attorney General may be contacted at: 400 6th St. NW Washington, D.C. 20001; 202-727-3400; and [email protected].

For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at: 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-410-528-8662 or 1-888-743-0023; and www.oag.state.md.us. Global Impact is located at 1199 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314.

For North Carolina residents, the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov.

For Rhode Island residents, the Rhode Island Attorney General may be reached at: 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903; www.riag.ri.gov; and 1-401-274-4400. Under Rhode Island law, you have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this incident. There are approximately 2 identified Rhode Island residents impacted by this incident.

For New Mexico residents, you have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in your credit file has been used against you, the right to know what is in your credit file, the right to ask for your credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting bureaus must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to your file is limited; you must give your consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; you may limit "prescreened" offers of credit and insurance you get based on information in your credit report; and you may seek damages from violator. You may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage you to review your rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.

For New York residents, the New York Attorney General may be contacted at: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; or https://ag.ny.gov/.

SOURCE Global Impact
DUBLIN, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Growth Opportunities in Retail 2.0" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This study explores Retail 2.0 for the period 2020 to 2030, offering insights into market measurements, drivers and restraints, major transformation shifts, business model evolution, and critical growth opportunities.

Retail is undergoing a major transformation as trends converge to create new opportunities for the industry. Specifically, the rise of gen Y and gen Z, the digitization of retail, and the upcoming post-COVID-19 economy will compel retailers to rethink their strategies and embrace a more omnichannel and frictionless retail model.



Consumers' rapid adoption of technology has completely changed shopping behavior, from high street brick-and-mortar shoppers to mobile-first social media shoppers. This fundamental shift in consumer behavior has compelled retailers to evolve more aggressively from physical to digital channels, thereby accelerating the advent of new business models.



The publisher expects retail to continue down this evolutionary path, incorporating emerging bricks-and-clicks business models such as pop-up stores, virtual stores, interactive kiosks, and online hypermarkets. Retail will become completely self-service-based, frictionless, and omnipresent as companies introduce more digital touch points to consumers.

Technology will support customers during the entire shopping process: making a purchase decision (advanced customer analytics), finding the right store (location intelligence), experiencing the products (digital reality), and paying for chosen items (e.g., mPayments, NFC, digital wallets).

Key Topics Covered:

1. Strategic Imperative

Why Is Growth Becoming Increasingly Difficult to Achieve?

The Strategic Imperative

Our Mega Trend Universe - Overview

Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine

2. Executive Dashboard

Key Findings

Critical Growth Opportunities

3. Market Measurements

Online Retail Market by Key Countries - B2C

Online Retail Market by Key Countries - B2B

B2C ecommerce Products

Online Retail Market by Products - B2B

Key Shifts in Retail

Retail 2.0 - Key Trend Levers

Retail 2.0 - Key Transformational Shifts

Bricks and Clicks - New Store Formats Emerge

Bricks and Clicks - Future Store Experience

Bricks and Clicks - Pop-ups Redefine Small Box

Cross-border Retail - Next Wave of Opportunity in eCommerce

Cross-border Retail - Distributors Evolve to Digital Marketplaces

Changing Customer Expectations - Generational Influence

Changing Customer Expectations - Gender Influence

New Technology - AR/VR

New Technology - Voice Commerce

Retail Supply Chain Innovation - New Retail Fulfillment Models

4. Business Model Evolution

The Rise of Customer-centric Competitors in Retail

Emerging Customer Journey

Personalization - One Size No Longer Fits All

Online Wholesaling - From b2b to b2b2c

D2C - Compressing Value Chains

Social Commerce - New Digital Portal

5. Growth Opportunities Universe

Growth Opportunity 1 - Simplification of eCommerce Services

Growth Opportunity 2 - Ambient Commerce

Growth Opportunity 3 - Cybersecurity for Retail

6. Conclusion

Critical Success Factors for Growth

The Last Word

7. Next Steps

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/huy9l3

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


Founded in 2002 by Matt Shanley, Alpha Foundations is the leading foundation and crawl space repair company in Florida with six offices and more than 300 employees. For nearly two decades, the company built a strong local reputation of providing superior foundation solutions and excellent customer service to homeowners in the region. Groundworks will continue to build on that reputation by investing in their employees, marketing, and infrastructure while still providing their customers the local experience and personal touch they've come to expect.

"Alpha Foundations has a dominant history in Florida, and like Groundworks, has been on an aggressive growth trajectory," said Matt Malone, Groundworks Founder and CEO. "Matt Shanley and his team achieved their remarkable growth by putting people first, and that's exactly what we are going to continue to do for their employees and customers. As part of the partnership with Groundworks, we will not only invest in the business, but we will also invest heavily in the career development and training of the Alpha employees, so they are empowered to provide better service and support to our customers."

"Groundworks and Alpha Foundations are two of the industry's fastest growing brands, so this partnership is a natural progression for both our companies," said Matt Shanley, Alpha Foundations Founder. "The men and women at Alpha are the hardest working individuals, not just in the foundation repair business, but in any industry. I'm excited for the partnership with Groundworks because it will allow our employees to achieve new levels of career advancement and success they wouldn't otherwise be able to achieve elsewhere."

This is the 22nd acquisition for Groundworks since 2016, and the fifth this year. With this acquisition, the company now has 18 brands, with 47 offices, and approximately 4,000 employees nationwide.

As part of the acquisition agreement, Alpha Foundations will retain its brand identity and continue to serve Florida and Southern Georgia.

About Groundworks

Groundworks, headquartered in Virginia Beach, VA, is the nation's leading and fastest-growing foundation and water management solutions company. Groundworks Companies provide residential foundation and water management solutions including, foundation repair, basement waterproofing, crawl space repair and encapsulation, plumbing, gutters installation, and concrete lifting services. Since 1975, the combined companies have helped nearly 1.5 million homeowners protect and repair their most valuable asset, their home. Groundworks operates over 40 offices and has been named numerous times to the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies, Qualified Remodeler Top 500, BBB integrity award, and Best Places to Work.

For more information about Groundworks, please visit: https://www.Groundworks.com.

SOURCE Groundworks
NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BitDAO , one of the world's largest decentralized treasuries with over $2.5 billion in assets under management, and Mirana Ventures  a venture partner of BitDAO  have today announced the launch of EduDAO in partnership with student groups and faculties of eight of the world's most prestigious universities. EduDAO is a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) connecting disparate university ecosystems to enhance collaboration and data exchange and foster a new generation of blockchain and Web3 innovators.

University partners include Berkeley RDI , Blockchain at Berkeley , Penn Blockchain , Harvard Blockchain Club , MIT Sloan Blockchain Club , Blockchain at Michigan , [email protected] , Oxford Blockchain Society , and Tsinghua University Students Blockchain Association .

Financed by the BitDAO treasury, EduDAO will serve as an independent steering committee, allocating up to $11 million in funding annually for project grants, research, and standalone product development with $33 million in the fund to start. Each university group will operate autonomously, controlling allocated budgets to provide students and faculties creative freedom. This will also serve as an incentive for alumni to remain with the projects post-graduation.

In return for funding, university groups will participate in BitDAO governance votes  determining the protocol's development  and provide recurring contributions back to BitDAO itself. Contributions may include building governance or treasury tooling improvements, contributing to other BitDAO funded DAOs, or building standalone products that benefit the BitDAO ecosystem.

EduDAO is the brainchild of Jon Allen, managing partner for Mirana Ventures.

A founding member of Blockchain at Berkeley, Allen attributes his career trajectory to the support and resources gained by being part of the university group. He believes that with greater funding and a more explicit focus on blockchain technology, universities can unearth new talent and nurture the next generation of innovators.

"Tomorrow's most promising products and designs are being devised at the university level right now; this partnership facilitates that growth at a scalable level by giving students and faculties access to sorely needed investment capital," said Allen. "Bridging early-stage VC investments with innovative academic research will build the foundation for the next generation of Web3 technologies. We're starting with these eight universities to prove the concept but will soon be onboarding hundreds of schools."

The EduDAO model aims to provide university groups with a wider reach, enabling blockchain innovation through funding as well as advancing collaboration and information sharing worldwide. The research will be shared among the participating universities and the general public via the BitDAO protocol.

Roman Ugarte and Virat Talwar, co-presidents of the Harvard Blockchain Club said, "Placing the power of targeted funding and information distribution in the hands of a decentralized collective of students, faculty members, and alumni is a revolutionary step forward for institutions such as Harvard. As a young organization, we're especially excited about the possibility to use the resources and mentorship offered by BitDAO to help build and grow our community in order to further the ability of the students we serve to learn about and contribute to the world of crypto. More generally, we're thrilled to be able to pioneer this innovative model and encourage the overall maturation of Web 3 as well as promote blockchain education for the general public."

UC Berkeley's Deputy Director for RDI, Jocelyn Weber Phipps, added that "UC Berkeley is honored to partner with EducationDAO and further build on our new Berkeley RDI Center's efforts to act as a hub and platform for for collaborations globally with other organizations & researchers, as exemplified in leading the first DeFi MOOC with thousands of students enrolled from 30+ countries and our non-dilutive Berkeley Blockchain Xcelerator open to teams around the world. The funds from BitDAO will be used to support activities in the focus areas of DAOs and blockchain for the three RDI pillars - Research, Education and Community / Entrepreneurship. We look forward to working with all the members of the EducationDAO community in the year ahead.

About Mirana Ventures:

Mirana manages billions in digital assets with a broad mandate for all things crypto related including: equity, token, and fund investments; liquidity support, and other asset management strategies.

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

About BitDAO:

In under one year, BitDAO has become one of the largest decentralized treasuries in the world with billions in assets. Leveraging a tokenized governance system, BitDAO continues to display and execute on its open mandate to foster technologies that present entirely new ways for people to work, engage, and transact together. BitDAO's mission is to support builders of the decentralized economy and showcase the potential of DAOs.

A primary activity of the BitDAO ecosystem is to partner with "autonomous entities" (AEs), like Game7, that are funded in part by the BitDAO treasury. These AEs consist of independent governance systems, and create aligned economic links back to the treasury itself, enabling the viral growth of more value producing AEs. To learn more, please visit: https://www.bitdao.io/

SOURCE EduDAO
SHANGHAI, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hesai Technology Co., Ltd., a global leader in LiDAR technology for autonomous driving and ADAS, announced today that it will be exhibiting at CES 2022 in Las Vegas from January 5-8, 2022 (West Hall Booth #5363) to showcase its portfolio of LiDAR solutions.

The booth will feature live demos of Hesai's LiDAR sensors, which are used for robotaxis, robotrucks, ADAS, robotics, and industrial applications. Additionally, the company will unveil and demo at CES its newest automotive-grade, hybrid solid-state LiDAR solution for ADAS.

With superior performance, reliability, and scalable production-ready design, Hesai's LiDARs have been widely adopted by the world's leading autonomous driving developers, OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and robotics companies. Hesai has won customers spanning 70 cities in 30 countries and regions, including Nuro, Zoox, Nvidia, TuSimple, Kodiak, Baidu, WeRide, Pony.ai, and AutoX.

CES 2022 attendees are welcome to visit Hesai's booth for introductions and live demonstrations of Hesai's LiDAR products. Journalists, analysts, and industry partners who would like to schedule a meeting with one of Hesai's representatives can send an email to [email protected].

About Hesai

Founded in 2014, Hesai Technology is a global leader in LiDAR technology for autonomous driving and ADAS. Its vision is to empower robotics and elevate lives through high-performance, reliable, and low-cost 3D sensors. Hesai has developed exceptional R&D capabilities, accumulating deep expertise in optics, mechanics, electronics, and software. The company has been granted hundreds of patents globally for its industry-leading technologies, in areas such as proprietary LiDAR chips, functional safety, and interference rejection. Hesai's new manufacturing center for automotive production will commence operation in 2022, with a planned capacity of over 1 million units. Hesai has won customers spanning over 70 cities in 30 countries and regions, including leading autonomous driving developers, OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and robotics companies. To date, Hesai has raised over $500M from Xiaomi, Meituan, Bosch, Baidu, Lightspeed, Hillhouse, CPE, Qiming, and other global investors.

SOURCE Hesai Technology
Honda believes in encouraging the dreams of young people and creating opportunities for them to succeed. Honda has made STEAM education and career readiness top priorities so that young people  like the aspiring engineer depicted on the float  can fulfill their dreams and reach their own life's potential.

With its North American regional headquarters in Torrance, Honda is the largest automaker in Southern California. The company employs talented engineers at its manufacturing and research and development facilities in America  including three R&D facilties in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Honda Float Celebrates Women in STEAM Careers

Honda's "Believe and Achieve!" float also features four Honda associates who embody The Power of Dreams and are currently working in STEAM-related fields. The Honda float riders are Sue Bai, Nicole Harvel, Melanie Morimoto and Yolanda Pate, who work at Honda locations in Michigan, South Carolina, California and Alabama, respectively, where they focus on advanced vehicle safety research, vehicle manufacturing and product quality.

Sue Bai is a chief engineer and division director at Honda Research Institute in Ann Arbor, Michigan . Her team is responsible for developing advanced safety technologies to achieve Honda's vision for zero fatalities from collisions. "I will be proud to ride the Honda float as it is a wonderful recognition of my entire team, as well as the many women engineers at Honda," said Bai.

is a chief engineer and division director at Honda Research Institute in . Her team is responsible for developing advanced safety technologies to achieve Honda's vision for zero fatalities from collisions. "I will be proud to ride the Honda float as it is a wonderful recognition of my entire team, as well as the many women engineers at Honda," said Bai. Nicole Harvel is an engineering coordinator and lead material engineer of the Material Analysis Lab at Honda's manufacturing plant in Timmonsville, South Carolina . She manages investigations into market and manufacturing issues as well as new model projects. "The best careers are when you get to follow your passion. My advice to the next generation of engineers is to take your passions and try to intersect them with STEAM," said Harvel.

is an engineering coordinator and lead material engineer of the Material Analysis Lab at Honda's manufacturing plant in . She manages investigations into market and manufacturing issues as well as new model projects. "The best careers are when you get to follow your passion. My advice to the next generation of engineers is to take your passions and try to intersect them with STEAM," said Harvel. Melanie Morimoto is a senior fabricator at American Honda in Torrance, California , where she works with the Model Development department's designers to bring their concepts to life. "Math isn't something to be afraid ofit's a tool," she said. "Whether it's playing rhythm to a song, doubling a cupcake recipe or figuring out how much fabric to order, we use math. Whether you learn it in school or out in the real world, it's going to help you in life."

is a senior fabricator at American Honda in , where she works with the Model Development department's designers to bring their concepts to life. "Math isn't something to be afraid ofit's a tool," she said. "Whether it's playing rhythm to a song, doubling a cupcake recipe or figuring out how much fabric to order, we use math. Whether you learn it in school or out in the real world, it's going to help you in life." Yolanda Pate is the quality division lead for Honda's Alabama Auto Plant in Lincoln, Alabama , where she is responsible for all quality operations including vehicle quality and product engineering. "I appreciate that STEAM education will be the focal point of Honda's float," said Pate. "I'm passionate about encouraging young women to pursue STEAM careers and increasing their presence in the auto industry, and this experience gives me the opportunity to do so on a national level."

Virtual Parade Flyover Snapchat Filter

On New Year's Day, Honda will offer parade attendees and at-home viewers the opportunity to virtually fly over the parade route using a custom Snapchat filter. Drawing inspiration from the scene depicted on the float, the filter will enable users to embrace their inner engineer as they don a virtual helmet and goggles, assemble a jet pack and fly over a portion of the parade route. Honda also will host parade-related content on its TikTok, Instagram and Twitter channels.

Official Parade Pace and Sound Vehicles

Pacing the 2022 Rose Parade presented by Honda is the new Acura NSX Type S, the ultimate expression of Acura's commitment to Precision Crafted Performance. With final design completed at the Acura Design Studio in Torrance, the NSX was designed and developed by Honda engineers in Raymond, Ohio, and is hand-built exclusively at the company's Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio using domestic and globally sourced parts. Only 350 of these cutting-edge supercars will be produced, with 300 units destined for U.S. customers.

The first-ever 2022 Honda Passport TrailSport will serve as the Sound Vehicle for the 2022 Rose Parade presented by Honda. The first in what will be a new series of Honda TrailSport vehicles, the refreshed, rugged Passport is equally at home on dirt and mud-strewn trails as it is on the highway and parade route. The new Passport was designed at the Honda Design Studio in Torrance and developed by Honda engineers in Raymond, Ohio. It is produced by associates at Honda's Alabama Auto Plant in Lincoln, Alabama using domestic and globablly sourced parts.

The float itself will be powered by a specially configured 3.5L V6 engine from Honda.

Supporting STEAM Education

Through philanthropic programs and the involvement of Honda associates, Honda supports numerous STEAM learning opportunities across the U.S. to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. This includes:

The Honda USA Foundation committed $2.5 million to eight Southern California organizations to fund the Honda STEAM Collaborative, a cradle-to-college and career pipeline for young Black and Latino men in the Greater Los Angeles area. The funding created a holistic network of support unique in providing not only academic assistance, but also job training, mentorship, and leadership development, to build life skills.

Foundation committed to eight organizations to fund the Honda STEAM Collaborative, a cradle-to-college and career pipeline for young Black and Latino men in the area. The funding created a holistic network of support unique in providing not only academic assistance, but also job training, mentorship, and leadership development, to build life skills. In collaboration with the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio , Honda is providing more than 20,000 award-winning COSI Learning Lunchbox STEAM Kits to students in need. The kits feature hands-on activities and curriculum designed to help bridge the education gap and accelerate learning. The kits will primarily serve the communities where Honda and Acura develop and manufacture products, including Alabama , Georgia , Indiana , North Carolina , Ohio and South Carolina .

, Honda is providing more than 20,000 award-winning COSI Learning Lunchbox STEAM Kits to students in need. The kits feature hands-on activities and curriculum designed to help bridge the education gap and accelerate learning. The kits will primarily serve the communities where Honda and Acura develop and manufacture products, including , , , , and . Honda associates across the country are dedicated to STEAM education and are actively involved in mentorship, design challenges and speaking engagements in their local communities to help inspire the next generation of STEAM professionals.

About Honda Corporate Social Responsibility

For more than 60 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where its associates live and work. Honda's mission is to create products and services that improve the lives of people while conducting its business in a sustainable manner and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Accordingly, Honda believes in helping people reach their life's potential through its focus on the areas of education, the environment, mobility, traffic safety and community. Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.

Honda in America

Honda started U.S. operations with the establishment of America Honda Motor Co., Inc. in 1959. Today, Honda employs 30,000 associates in America engaged in the development, manufacturing, sales and service support of Honda and Acura automobiles, Honda power equipment, Honda powersports products and the HondaJet advanced light jet.

Based on its longstanding commitment to build products close to the customer, Honda operates 12 major U.S. manufacturing facilities, working with more than 620 U.S. suppliers to produce the diverse range of Honda products. In 2020, more than two-thirds of the Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were produced in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

Honda also operates 19 research and development facilities in America that fully design, develop and engineer many of the products the company manufactures in America.

More information about Honda is available in the Digital Fact Book.

SOURCE Honda
THE FACE notes, "Hotel Greystone is the place to be this season." The property held an intimate dinner at Serevene, the property's signature Japanese French restaurant led by Award-winning Executive Chef Pawan Pinisetti. Co-hosted by THE FACE and New York's Nicola Vassell Gallery, art-world attendees included Charles Moore, Ming Smith, Tiona Nekki McClodden, and Courtney Willis Blair who all gathered to share their excitement about Nicola Vassell Gallery's inaugural Miami exhibition entitled Color Vaults . As Vogue accurately highlights, "while the rest of Miami was experiencing a bit of sensory overload, the dinner was an oasis that excluded the sheer exuberance of the week."

Hotel Greystone, new to Miami Beach, hosts top Art Week events and is open for booking during the festive holiday season

Hotel Greystone continued the week's festivities at Greystone Bar, raising a glass to the new issue of THE FACE featuring Adele on the cover. With DJ Hank Korsan spinning vintage grooves, the likes of spoken word poet and activist Kai-Isaiah Jamal and FACE Council members Acyde, Tremaine Emory, and Zainab Jama in attendance, along with curated cocktails.

Whitewall Magazine and Hatje Cantz publishing hosted an evening celebrating Loris Greaud's monograph The Unplayed Notes & The Underground Sculpture Park - 2012-2020 perched above Collins Ave. at the hotel's rooftop. The intimate event with cityscape views included a special live performance by France's top contemporary artist Loris Greud and Sonic Youth's Lee Ronaldo. Notable attendees included Stefan Bruggemann, Pamela Golbin, Ian Luna, Jerome Sans, and Thurston Moore poolside to revel in the sound-based showcase combining the conceptual artist's practice with the musical talents of Ranaldo.

Located in the historic Collins Park neighborhood, Hotel Greystone is led by the award-winning Salt Hotels in partnership with B Group Capital, and fuses intimate spaces, innovative cuisine, and a hyperlocal ethos. The curated atmosphere creates the perfect conditions for people, art, music, and fine dining to transcend the predictable, and manifest the uncommon.

"The vibe, energy, and eclectic mix of people in Miami create one of the most interesting and dynamic centers in America," said David Bowd Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Salt Hotels. "The Greystone is a historic landmark off Collins Park, within steps of the beach and a true boutique hotel amongst much larger and imposing buildings. Inside the energy is as vibrant as the community with nightly programming, amazing cuisine, and inventive beverages  with the facilities of a large resort but the intimate service and attention to detail of a small boutique."

By day, Hotel Greystone's airy and welcoming corner lobby invites guests 21+, offering gathering areas, tucked away from the street scene, whilst at night the clink of crystal and melody of piano players take over Greystone Bar. Built-in 1939, the property is one of architect Henry Hohauser's iconic contributions to the area. Hotel Greystone comprises 91 rooms and suites, including a number of penthouse suites with private terraces featuring hot tubs and vista views.

For reservations and special room offers please visit http://www.greystonehotel.com/

Stay in touch and follow Hotel Greystone on Instagram @HotelGreystone and Facebook .

ABOUT SALT HOTELS

Founded in 2014 by Chief Executive Officer David Bowd (formerly of Chateau Marmont in Hollywood, The Mercer in New York, and the Chiltern Firehouse in London) and Chief Creative Officer Kevin O'Shea (Formerly of Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Morgans Hotel Group), Salt Hotels' award-winning approach to hospitality has set new standards in design and guest experience. In 2021, the brand is already slated to launch Hutton Brickyards in Kingston, New Yorkan opening cited by Vogue and Architectural Digest as one of the year's most anticipated. The company provides comprehensive services in hotel management, design & development, creative services, sales & marketing, revenue management, food & beverage development and management, and human resources. The company created Salt House Inn and Eben House in Provincetown, MA to acclaim and launched two projects at the forefront of Asbury Park, NJ's renaissance: The Asbury and Asbury Ocean Club. In 2014, the group relaunched Shelter Island's famed The Chequit.

ABOUT B GROUP CAPITAL

B Group Capital is a Dallas based multi-family office fund that operates under a keiretsu system. The fund makes concentrated investments in public markets, specializing in a variety of healthcare therapeutics opportunities including biotechnology, genetic sequencing, cell & gene therapy, and gene editing. In parallel with its public markets portfolio, B Group Capital oversees a variety of private operating companies across consumer, industrials, media, and hospitality.

Press Contact: PURPLE, Sara Gaggia: [email protected]

SOURCE Hotel Greystone
DALLAS, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hunt Consolidated, Inc. and the Dallas Petroleum Club announced today they have signed a 15-year lease agreement that will result in the Dallas Petroleum Club moving to Hunt's headquarters building at 1900 North Akard with occupancy to begin in January 2023.

"The Petroleum Club is one of Dallas' oldest and most respected organizations and their commitment to the greater Dallas community is undeniable," said Ray Hunt, executive chairman of Hunt Consolidated and former president of the Dallas Petroleum Club. "We are extremely pleased that they have selected our headquarters building as their new home and look forward to welcoming them to one of the most dynamic areas of downtown Dallas."

"Arrangement for a new updated space became a paramount consideration as our growing club felt the need for further enhancements," said Jack Lafield, president of the Dallas Petroleum Club. "Hunt's headquarters building is in a prime location and the Club's new quarters will be housed in a space like no other. This is a new era for the Petroleum Club and a new outlook for a healthy, energetic club holding proudly to a distinguished past. Partnering with such a distinguished Dallas industry family made our decision to relocate much easier."

Under the terms of the agreement, the Dallas Petroleum Club will occupy the top two floors of Hunt's building. The Petroleum Club will use the top floor as its main dining area and will provide private dining rooms on the floor below.

Located at 1900 North Akard Street in downtown Dallas, Hunt's headquarters was built in 2007 and was the first large, privately owned, single-tenant building constructed in the Dallas Central Business District since the 1990s. The building is nestled in the heart of the Dallas Arts District and sits across the street from Klyde Warren Park. The building has been designated the outstanding corporate facility in the region by Building Owners and Managers Association International on five different occasions.

The Dallas Petroleum Club will be the second new tenant for Hunt's headquarters building. In November 2021, JPMorgan Chase announced its agreement with Hunt to move Chase's downtown Dallas offices to the building and occupy floors two through five in the third quarter of 2022.

Other planned changes to the building include a renovated lobby and a new motor court adjacent to Akard Street.

In preparing this agreement, Dallas Petroleum Club was represented by Jeff and John Ellerman, and Hunt was represented by Peter Yates, Ryan McManigal, and Chris Selbo with OliveMill Holdings.

About Hunt Consolidated

Hunt Consolidated, Inc. is a diversified holding company directed by the Ray L. Hunt family, with its major subsidiaries engaged in oil and gas exploration and production, real estate development, refining, LNG, power, ranching, and private equity investments.

About The Dallas Petroleum Club

The Dallas Petroleum Club, founded in 1934, was the first of its kind in the world. It began a few short years after the discovery of the giant East Texas Oil Field and was formed by a group of visionary men who wanted a place where business and social life would come together. Beginning with less than 50 members, the Club has over 1300 members today. The Club is a living symbol of the events that reflect both the petroleum industry and the City of Dallas. The Club has been awarded the "Emerald Club and Distinguished Clubs" recognition from BOARDROOM magazine and the "Hallmark of Excellence" from Forbes Travel Guide. Additionally, the Club has achieved "Platinum Clubs of the World" status from Club Leaders Forum for 25 consecutive years, including 2022-2023.

Contact: Jeanne Phillips

Senior Vice President, Corporate

Affairs & International Relations

(214) 978-8534

SOURCE Hunt Consolidated
PARIS and SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ForePaaS, provider of the unified end-to-end platform that accelerates machine learning and analytics projects, was chosen by ClassNK, a company responsible for the safety of persons and property at sea, to speed up ship inspections and prevent pollution of the marine environment. The ForePaaS Platform aggregates, consolidates, and centrally manages all the data needed to display and analyze information from individual vessels or branches more effectively. It enables ClassNK to provide ship inspection and marine certification services faster on a global basis.

ForePaaS enables ClassNK to provide ship inspection and marine certification services faster on a global basis. Tweet this The ForePaaS Platform is very well suited for agile development, said Fumitaka Kimura, Ph.D. Chief Specialist, Digital Transformation Center at ClassNK. Adding new data sources and creating new projects is quick and easy. We were able to implement several different requests of varying sizes and complexity in one day, which I found quite impressive. ClassNK chooses ForePaaS to optimize ship inspections and prevent pollution of the marine environment.

ClassNK quickly became operational with the help of the Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI)

With the help of ForePaaS' partner, the Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI), ClassNK can efficiently use the platform and perform daily data operations with ease. MRI implemented and deployed the project and delivered the tutorials and hands-on lessons to quickly get ClassNK operational. MRI also provides the support ClassNK needs.

A unified end-to-end solution for data collection and analysis

Prior to using the ForePaaS Platform, ClassNK faced several issues:

Scattered data across multiple systems.

Difficult to optimize, time and effort-consuming data collection.

Little integration with external systems.

Wasted time manually retrieving data.

A platform adapted to agile development

The main advantages of the ForePaaS Platform are:

Provides a ready-to-use development environment.

Fosters extremely fast implementations of the most complex projects.

Enables ClassNK to operationalize its solutions almost immediately.

Allows ClassNK to add new data sources with ease.

"The ForePaaS Platform is very well suited for agile development", said Fumitaka Kimura, Ph.D. Chief Specialist, Digital Transformation Center at ClassNK. "Adding new data sources and creating new projects is quick and easy. We were able to implement several different requests of varying sizes and complexity in one day, which I found quite impressive."

Going forward, ClassNK wants to continue its collaboration with ForePaaS and plans to use the platform for other projects, including more advanced data analysis and machine learning.

About ClassNK

ClassNK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai), is an international third-party inspection body dedicated to ensure the safety of life and property at sea, and prevention of pollution of the marine environment. It provides ship inspection and marine certification services to approximately 20% of the global merchant fleet.

For more info: https://www.classnk.or.jp/hp/en/index.html

About ForePaaS

The ForePaaS unified end-to-end platform helps companies create and operationalize repeatable ML/ Analytics projects on any cloud at any scale the easy way  without adding pressure on your teams, with no technological complexities, without sacrificing enterprise requirements and within your budget. ForePaaS allows companies to access all the functionalities required to process their data, from collection to display. The platform simplifies and accelerates the industrialization of data analysis and machine learning projects for large global companies such as Total, Saint-Gobain, Klepierre and Pathe-Gaumont. Based in Paris and San Francisco, the company achieved a Series A of $ 10 million at the end of 2017, with Elaia Partners, Hi Inov and Calao Finance.

For more info: www.forepaas.com

SOURCE ForePaaS Inc.
As Zib Digital explains, to connect with audiences online, it is critical for a business to have a smooth, intuitive website with a thoroughly clean back end, that serves up the information potential customers need, when they are searching for it.

Search engines such as Google use algorithms to understand how best to serve audiences when they are searching online. Zib Digital says that for a website to rank well on a search engine results page (SERP), it needs to align with search engine best practices.



The purpose of Google's algorithm updates is to improve user experience and help users find the information they are looking for, as quickly as possible. Each time an update to the algorithm is rolled out, Google reconsiders the SERP ranking of websites based on expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness.



Zib Digital explains that Google updates the algorithm daily and changes are often minimal, but every so often, a more robust update is rolled out and adjusts rankings. SEO specialists, such as those in the Zib Digital team, spend the majority of their time researching and adjusting their practices to adhere to these changes.



As the leaders in SEO Sydney -wide, Zib Digital keeps a close eye on website traffic and search rankings for their clients. In fact, the SEO masters at Zib Digital are usually aware of algorithm updates before they are even confirmed by Google.



To learn more about SEO and how it can benefit a business' website, contact the premier digital marketing agency Sydney -wide today.



This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.



SOURCE Zib Digital
SAN DIEGO, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- King & Corbin Associates, L.P. (King & Corbin) recently announced the launch of a public Reg D 506(c) investment funding opportunity for accredited investors. Established in January of 2021, the King & Corbin investment plan acquires high-quality discounted properties through auctions, rehabilitates, reclaims equity, and then rents the properties to generate steady profits based on forecastable growth models each quarter. The overall financial model relies on a solid business plan  one already proven to reap returns  and is overseen by veteran realtors with decades of experience in the real estate industry. King & Corbin is offering an income growth opportunity to Accredited Investors interested in these asset class focus areas, ESG, Tech, and Real Estate.

King & Corbin Associates, L.P.

The Co-Founder and General Partner of King & Corbin, Barley Corbin, recently explained how his company perfected their real estate investment model:

"Companies like Zillow forget that people are the most important part of real estate, not pure profit or statistics. And unfortunately, many of these companies are notorious for the inaccurate information they provide. What investors really need to know is that, as agents, we take a fiduciary oath to protect your investment. Online mega companies do not. So when you're looking for the right investment opportunities, there are few areas that offer a safe and high return. We are seasoned real estate professionals who have perfected real estate acquisition strategies. And we are now seeking accredited investors offering a minimum of 2,000 and a maximum of 20,000 Limited Partnership Units at a price of $1,000 per Unit."

"King & Corbin is a leader and expert in BRRRR  Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refi, and Repeat  in addition to a technical landscape that intends to keep real estate agents involved in the home buying and renting process nationwide," Corbin continued. "Real estate will always trump in this arena, mainly because of the asset-backed lower risks and high-profit potential  the steady growth of property has outpaced the stock market for over 229 years. Not to mention the huge mistake made by Zillow robots that purchased properties at ridiculously high prices and put a strain on the housing market. The good news is that there is still a lot of opportunity in real estate, if you understand how to maximize your investment strategy."

"We offer an easy solution to allow accredited investors to increase cash flow profits with gorgeous properties they can be proud of, all while having full access to portfolio and financials according to Reg D 506(c) rules. Frankly, this is the perfect atmosphere for investors to take advantage of our cutting edge and effective approach to purchasing and managing properties."

Co-Founder and General Partner of King & Corbin, Kimm King, commented on the company's future directions and the goal for the types of properties to be purchased:

"We want our properties to stand out in the neighborhood by improving them after they are purchased. It helps elevate the communities we are in and we want to bring excitement to our tenants. We really offer the experience investors need to get involved in  as this project intends to build resort-like residences. It's our goal to fix and hold property that makes our tenants feel like they are always on vacation, while still at home!"

"Our renters are our clients, and we will have a full concierge for our single-family tenants," King continued. "We want to give our renters a unique experience by allowing them to pick the upgrades that we do on the property they will rent. For instance: flooring, appliances, paint color, interior, exterior upgrades, and so forth. We offer our renters the Home Buying experience. And all of our rental properties will be equipped with energy efficient solar systems to make sure our tenants don't have to pay for energy consumption."

"We'll also be offering a powerful mobile app that has a variety of features, including giving tenants 24/7 access to our staff, as well as offering crypto and bitcoin as a way to pay their rent if they want in a home that's completely powered and backed by bitcoin. We are the future of property acquisitions and rental homes, multi-family, and commercial property."

For more details on this investment opportunity, please visit King & Corbin online. And for up-to-the-minute news on this and other King & Corbin ventures, follow them on social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Bartley Corbin, Chief Acquisitions Officer

(866) 440-7828

[email protected]

SOURCE King & Corbin Associates, L.P.
The globally acclaimed Korean film "Oldboy" has an eye-opening scene where the male lead Dae-su Oh eats a live, squirming octopus in a show of rage after more than 15 years of confinement. Although the octopus-eating scene shocked foreign audiences, the eight-limbed mollusks are one of Korea's beloved delicacies. Korean people enjoy eating octopuses in all forms.

Unfortunately, domestic octopus fishing is reported to have steadily decreased, mainly due to marine pollution, illegal fishing, and the aging of fishermen. According to government data, 84 percent of 36,899 tons of octopuses that the nation consumed in 2020 was imported from China.

As the importance for more effective fishing methods grows, the government turns to cutting-edge technologies to monitor and manage octopus fishing operations in a "smart" way.

The Smart Village project is underway as part of the Korean Digital New Deal that the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) initiated last year. The project focuses on utilizing intelligent information communication technologies (ICT) to improve productivity, safety, security, and environment for the nation's farming and fishing villages.

One of its major components is "Smart Octopus Service" that targets Shinan-gun County in Jeollanam-do Province, home to one of the nation's four biggest tidal flats. It aims to provide a smart and innovative natural resource management system for its fishing communities.

Drone, AI, and IoT Improve Fishing Operations

The science ministry, in partnership with the National Information Society Agency (NIA), deployed unmanned drones to capture images of mudflats across the county. AI machine learning technology was then applied to the drone images to transform them into data that created a precise topographic map that predicts potential habitats across the area. As a result, more than 60,000 AI learning data were made available to identify and locate small holes or trails that octopuses left in the mud, making fishermen assume the whereabouts of the marine creatures.

Fishermen in the region can access the data anytime through both web-based and mobile app platforms called "Smart Shinan" to monitor the location of octopuses as well as environmental changes in the tidal flats.

In addition, AI-powered CCTV cameras were installed along the coastline to distinguish authorized and non-authorized fishing ships. IoT and GPS sensors were attached to more than 50 registered ships to monitor their location and issue a warning immediately in case external ships are detected. Fishermen can also monitor the situation in real time through the Smart Shinan mobile app.

The project has raised hopes that it would help eradicate illegal fishing operations, which are considered as one of the culprits behind the reduced amount of octopus resources. In fact, it has made it easier for the authorities and fishermen in the region to monitor both mudflats and ocean waters anytime.

The ministry plans to expand the Smart Octopus Service to other areas in the county. "The service became a success case of the Digital New Deal initiative as it has significantly improved productivity of natural resources overall. By replicating the service in other communities, we will continue to facilitate digital transformation in marginalized farming and fishing villages," said the ministry.

For more detailed information on Digital New Deal, contact [email protected].

Media contact

Born2Global Centre: [email protected]

SOURCE Born2Global Centre
Get a free sample of this data, download our sample report: https://spendedge.com/procurement-report/laboratory-equipment-services-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report

Who are the Top Suppliers in the Laboratory Equipment Services Market?

The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several top suppliers. Some of the leading laboratory equipment services suppliers profiled extensively in this report include:

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc

Hitachi High-Tech Corp

Danaher Corp

These are a few of the key suppliers in laboratory equipment services market. Discover more about these vendors, including the detailed analysis of procurement strategies deployed by major category end-users across several industries while sourcing for laboratory equipment services requirements.

Download a free sample of this report: https://spendedge.com/procurement-report/laboratory-equipment-services-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report

What are the Most Adopted Procurement Strategies for the Laboratory Equipment Services Market?

The research includes a complete analysis of the most commonly used procurement strategies by buyers across sectors, as well as an insight into these strategies' innovation, regulatory compliance, quality, supply, and cost. Adopting these procurement tactics would enable buyers to minimize category TCO and achieve cost savings while sourcing laboratory equipment services.

What Are the Most Effective Price Strategy That a Vendor Can Adopt and What is The Forecasted Incremental Spend?

It is critical to monitor current and future pricing changes in order to maximize the value of the purchase. Price forecasts can assist in purchase planning, especially when combined with constant monitoring of price-influencing factors. The market expects an incremental spend of USD 24 billion over the forecast period as a result of several market drivers prevalent across multiple geographies. In addition, the sourcing and procurement report discusses different cost-cutting factors by analyzing the following criteria:

Identify favorable opportunities in laboratory equipment services 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

Download the free sample report to get detailed insights into few more pricing strategies.

Which are the Key Regions for Laboratory Equipment Services Market?

The laboratory equipment services market will register an incremental spend of about USD 24 billion during the forecast period. However, only a few regions will drive the majority of this growth. Moreover, on the supply side, North America, Europe, and APAC will have the maximum influence owing to the supplier base. The growth is expected to be primarily driven by increasing demand and adoption of the category across those few regions.

To get more information on the volume drivers that are driving the adoption of the category across regions, download our free sample report.

Smart Procurement Starts Here:

SpendEdge's procurement intelligence platform is the go-to tool for companies looking to access latest procurement research insights and supplier data on an easy to use platform:

Subscribe now for free, to get instant access to over 1000 market-ready procurement intelligence reports without any additional costs or commitment.

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
AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Maid Sailors, a leading professional home cleaning service, is proud to announce the official launch of its services in Austin, Texas. House cleaning is typically considered a 'luxury' experience. The company has disrupted the home services industry and made house cleaning affordable to everyone.

"We are very excited to be launching in Austin," said a spokesperson from Maid Sailors. "We have been very active behind the scenes in preparation for today. In order to scale, we've spent the past several months focusing on the development of our human capital to ensure the best possible customer experience at launch. We look forward to doing business in Austin."

Whether you need a one-time clean or a recurring cleaning service , Maid Sailors sends a trusted cleaner with the promise of 100% customer satisfaction. The team based out of their HQ in New York City was deployed for the initial launch into Austin to ensure that the company would follow the original blueprint that grew them into the premier cleaning service in NYC. Maid Sailors has one of the strictest and most exhaustive hiring processes in the industry. Successful cleaners must pass background checks, training exams, and have a solid track record of cleaning expertise.

Maid Sailors is proud of its legacy of professionalism and quality in the New York Tri-State area and the company looks forward to servicing Austin. For those who are looking to hire the services of professional cleaners, free estimates on cleaning services are available from the company website here: https://maidsailors.com/austin

About Maid Sailors

Maid Sailors is a top-rated cleaning service. We service all homes, apartments, and offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, New Jersey, Boston and Austin. We pride ourselves on our excellent work ethic and professionalism. Our home cleaners are reliable, trustworthy, and always ready to work. We keep great client relations and provide superior customer service. The company is based in New York City. We are bonded, insured and provide workers compensation and benefits to our employees.

For more information, visit https://maidsailors.com/austin

Contact:

Joseph Passalacqua

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (212) 299-5170

SOURCE Maid Sailors
TEMPLE, Texas, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lock Joint Tube (LJT), a mechanical grade steel tubing manufacturer based in Indiana with locations in Ohio, Texas and Tennessee, has announced plans to grow its existing facility in Temple. Currently located on Eberhart Road, LJT will expand its footprint by 37,500 square feet pending final negotiations with Temple EDC, the City of Temple, and Bell County.

The $21 million investment will create more than 30 new positions with a competitive wage and benefits included. LJT will double output capacity with this expansion, accommodating 20 to 25 trucks daily  strengthening the company's presence in Temple's robust manufacturing sector.

"Temple has a business-friendly environment that has enabled Lock Joint Tube to develop a strong foothold in the area with multiple expansions," said Mark Richner, plant manager for LJT. "This project is no different. The Temple Economic Development Corporation was the first entity we reached out to for support thanks to the help they've provided in the past."

LJT primarily produces steel tubing for store fixtures, office/school furniture and fencing. As a mechanical grade tubing supplier, LJT services fabricators and distributors, as well as original equipment manufacturers with different sized and shaped steel tubing used in such diverse industries as solar, automotive, office furniture, health care, exercise, and display fixtures.

"We are proud to support another Lock Joint Tube expansion in Temple," said Adrian Cannady, president and CEO of Temple Economic Development Corporation. "LJT's presence and growth has helped to strengthen Temple's manufacturing industry for decades."

The expanded facility will tap into Temple's skilled workforce of over 6,500 manufacturing employees. Between 2010 and 2020, the industry has seen a 28.4% increase in employment. Initiatives like Manufacturing Day, Texas State Technical College's workforce training programs and a skilled veteran community from the nearby Fort Hood keep the industry growing.

Companies in Temple such as LJT also benefit from easy access across North American markets by interstate, railroads, air, or by water. Located in Texas, which has no personal, state or corporate income tax, Temple offers a low cost of doing business and ample shovel-ready sites.

The company plans for the expanded facility to be operational by January 2023.

About Temple Economic Development Corporation

The Temple Economic Development Corporation (Temple EDC) is a nonprofit organization that serves as the designated economic development entity for the City of Temple, Texas. Temple EDC strengthens relationships, builds partnerships, and provides solutions that cause entities to choose Temple. To learn more about doing business in Temple, visit TempleEDC.com.

About Lock Joint Tube

Incorporated in 1919 in the state of Indiana, Lock Joint Tube is a privately-owned member of the Lerman Enterprise network (including Steel Warehouse) of related industry companies since 1991. In 2020 LJT acquired Welded Tubes Inc to further support the Tubing Industry.

Lock Joint Tube manufactures mechanical and structural grade steel tubing in five plants located in Indiana, Ohio, Texas, and Tennessee. Selecting hot rolled, cold rolled, aluminized and galvanized steel, Lock Joint Tube services fabricators and distributors, as well as original equipment manufacturers with different sized and shaped steel tubing used in such diverse industries as solar, automotive, office furniture, health care, exercise, and display fixtures to name a few.

SOURCE Temple Economic Development Corporation
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, thirteen mayors are being recognized for their efforts to address the climate crisis as part of the 2021 Mayors Climate Protection Awards. Top honors went to Houston (TX) Mayor Sylvester Turner for the Sunnyside Landfill Solar Project and Beverly (MA) Mayor Michael P. Cahill for the Mitigation and the Clean Energy Transition: EVs & Green Schools.

This year's mayors are the 15th class of winners to be honored for exemplary city programs that demonstrate how local climate action can reduce energy use and carbon emissions and protect local communities. These annual mayoral awards are made possible through a partnership between the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Walmart.

Starting at 12 noon ET today, the honored mayors will be featured in two Zoom sessions to showcase their local climate initiatives. The events are open to media. The first session at 12 noon ET will feature the large city winners (cities of 100,000+ population). To register, see here. The small city winners (cities below 100,000 population) will be featured at 2 pm ET. To register, see here.

"Mayors Turner and Cahill are again demonstrating how local action is addressing the growing climate challenges before our cities, our nation and the world," said USCM President Dayton (OH) Mayor Nan Whaley. "Whether it is developing solar energy systems to bring new life and opportunity to blighted neighborhoods or accelerating the transition to electric vehicles in our cities, their efforts are making changes locally that will lead us to a healthier and more prosperous future."

"The Sunnyside Landfill Solar Project will significantly transform a former landfill in our city into one of the largest urban solar farms in the country," said Houston (TX) Mayor Sylvester Turner. "For decades, the 240-acre landfill in Sunnysideone of the oldest African American communities in the cityhas contributed to the stagnation of the neighborhood's economy and presented serious health and safety concerns. This project is an example of how cities can work with the community to address long-standing environmental justice concerns holistically, create green jobs, and generate renewable energy in the process. The City of Houston is honored to receive this award and we thank the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Walmart for their continued leadership as we all work to address the climate crisis."

"In Beverly, we recently opened a new police station heated and cooled by geothermal energy, took delivery on our second electric school bus as we transition our school fleet to fully electric, have performed energy efficiency work in all our schools and most city buildings, launched a building retrofit campaign, and continue to rapidly build city-wide EV charging infrastructure," said Beverly (MA) Mayor Michael P. Cahill. "Together with our great partners in neighboring Salem and elsewhere, we are determined to find and scale climate solutions on all fronts for the benefit of our residents, now and in the future. We are grateful to The U.S. Conference of Mayors and to Walmart for their leadership in this effort."

"We applaud these award-winning mayors for their strong climate leadership and successful local action, showing how we can confront our growing climate challenges," said Amy Hill, Senior Director for Walmart. "We are especially attuned to the actions of this year's winners  developing solar energy to power city operations and "electrifying" the transportation sector  which are top priorities for our company in reducing our carbon output."

"In a year of renewed international and national deliberations over how to reduce our global carbon dependency, it is the mayors who are leading the way and showing us the path forward through local climate action," said Tom Cochran, USCM CEO and Executive Director. "These mayors remind all of us that local climate action is a difference-maker. The creativity and imagination in crafting theses local initiatives should serve as an inspiration to others, especially for leaders in our nation's capital."

LARGE CITY HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu  Electric Vehicle Ride Sharing Pilot Program; Henderson Mayor Debra March  Sustainability Action Plan; New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio  NYC Climate Resiliency Design Guidelines; Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer  EV Charging Infrastructure; Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve  Real-Time Energy and Emissions Tracking; San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg  Mayor's Youth Engagement Council for Climate Initiatives; and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria  Climate Equity Index.

SMALL CITY HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Issaquah Mayor Mary Lou Pauly  Electric Vehicle Charging Ordinance; Salem (MA) Mayor Kimberley Driscoll  Resilient Together: Salem and Beverly's Climate Action & Resilience Plan; San Leandro Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter  NorCal Resilience Network; and White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach  Community Solar Project.

Full descriptions of the 2021 Mayors Climate Protection Awards winning programs can be found at: https://www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/2021awards/

About The United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.

SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors
Rounding out new series depicting famous book characters, The Return of Arsene Lupin debuts this January and adds to MHz Choice's growing collection of series featuring everyone's favorite gentleman burglar.

Also premiering in January are returning series Captain Marleau (France) featuring Corinne Masiero as the title character, and two new series: Tandem, a French buddy cop drama with a twist and Replacements, a cutting-edge medical drama from Finland.

The full January 2022 schedule available here: https://mhzchoiceblog.com/premiere-schedule/

JANUARY 4

TANDEM: SEASON 1, FRANCE, MEDIAWAN, NEW SERIES

Commander Lea Soler has just taken over as head of the Montpellier police investigations division, which means she'll be working with wild card Paul Marchal, who's brilliant but totally uncontrollable. It would be just another day at the office for her, except she and her new colleague are both single parents of teenagers and are both recently divorced from each other! These exes with serious differences are now forced to work together in this light-hearted and entertaining series.

THE RETURN OF ARSENE LUPIN, FRANCE, INA, NEW SERIES

Francois Denoyer stars as gentleman thief Arsene Lupin in this 1989 series based on the stories by Maurice Leblanc.

JANUARY 11

REPLACEMENTS, FINLAND, FEDERATION, NEW SERIES

A gripping Finnish hospital drama set in the cutting-edge world of genetics and cloning.

JANUARY 18

AMSTERDAM VICE, NETHERLANDS, FEDERATION, NEW SERIES

Amsterdam, 1980: Rookie cop Jurre de Cock fights crime amid social unrest in this gritty reimagining of A.C. Baantjer's famous detective.

TIME IS A KILLER, FRANCE, FEDERATION, NEW SERIES

Psychological thriller about a Corsican woman confronting her past so she can unravel a menacing mystery derailing her life. Based on the bestselling novel by Michel Bussi. With Caterino Murino (Casino Royale), Gregory Fitoussi (Spiral) and Thierry Godard (Spiral, A French Village).

JANUARY 25

CAPTAIN MARLEAU: SEASON 3, FRANCE, FRANCE TV, NEW SEASON She's back! Corinne Masiero returns as the offbeat Captain Marleau, solving crimes in her inimitable style.

About MHz Networks

MHz Networks offers viewers access to a library of the best television mysteries, dramas, comedies and documentaries subtitled in English through its subscription streaming service, MHz Choice. Select MHz Networks content is also available on DVD and on its free ad-supported service MHz Now, available on Samsung TV Plus and PLEX.

New MHz Choice customers receive a free 7-Day Trial. For more information, go to mhzchoice.com.

SOURCE MHz Networks
DENVER, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Zocalo Community Development has ranked #10 in the nationwide Top 50 Best Places to Work Multifamily. The annual list of "Best Places to Work Multifamily" is published by Multifamily Leadership.

Zocalo Community Development is an award-winning real estate developer, general contractor, and full-service property management company in the Denver metro area. Their diverse portfolio includes affordable housing, active 55+ living, LEED- certified buildings, luxury high-rise apartments, and single family rental communities.

Zocalo Community Development's newest apartment community, Edit at River North, a 13-story development in Denver's popular River North neighborhood.

Since their first apartment development in 2009, Zocalo has carried the philosophy that real estate has the power to make communities stronger. Each Zocalo community strives to service the needs of not only its residents, but also the planet and the community at large. Within Zocalo communities you'll find amenities like public performing arts spaces, bike-share programs, curated art from local artists, and high-efficiency integrated piping systems. As the first developer to build a LEED-Certified apartment building in downtown Denver, Zocalo takes pride in finding unique and innovative ways to meet the needs of its customers.

But, according to Zocalo Community Development Chief Operating Officer, Susan Maxwell, what makes Zocalo truly remarkable is its employees.

"Our team members exemplify our core values, and the S.P.I.R.I.T of Zocalo. Their hearts of service are humbling to watch through their daily efforts. We value our employees greatly and take employee satisfaction seriously. It matters. ALOT. Thank you, Team Zocalo. Our team members are some of the most kind, hard-working, empathetic, and HAPPY top performers in the business."

The Multifamily Industry, serving apartments and their residents, contributes more than $3.4 trillion to the economy annually, supporting more than 17.5 million jobs. Not only do apartment homes drive jobs that strengthen local communities, individuals and families realize the value of renting as a smart choice in today's economy.

As CEOs and executive teams create culture and innovation around the resident experience, employee engagement is seen as a key driver to meet multiple challenges. The Best Places to Work Multifamily program recognizes those who have established and consistently foster outstanding workplace environments.

The rigorous assessment process evaluated each company's employee policies and procedures as well as responses from the company's employees. The program is part of a long-term initiative to encourage growth and excellence throughout the Multifamily Industry and attract new leaders to the industry.

SOURCE Zocalo Community Development

Related Links

zocalodevelopment.com


COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation of up to 300 million euro now enables the establishment of a major international research center focused on stem cell medicine. The center will be a collaboration between the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Australia, and Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands. The partnership between these three world-leading research institutions will pave the way for future stem cell-based treatments.

Stem cell medicine is delivering hope for new treatments across many currently untreatable diseases. Stem cells are found throughout the human body and are critical for a healthy life. Recent scientific advances now allow us to identify, isolate and engineer stem cells to create human tissue models, repair injured tissues and in the future grow new organs. A deep understanding of stem cell biology in organ development, tissue repair and disease mechanisms is essential to harness the therapeutic potential in stem cell medicine.

This is exactly what the new international stem cell research center aims to achieve. The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, will be established based on a new consortium of three institutions. The founding of the Center is possible through an unprecedented grant of up to 300 million euro from the Novo Nordisk Foundation over a 10-year period.

Professor Melissa Little from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Australia, has been appointed the CEO of the reNEW partnership and will take up the position as Executive Director and Professor of the Center with the governing hub based at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

"I am very excited about the amazing opportunity that reNEW represents," says Professor Little. "Building on the stem cell research excellence that exists within all partner institutions, the Center will reach a critical mass that is required for translating fundamental discoveries into stem cell medicine. The international collaboration that forms the basis for the new Center will provide access to extensive technical and clinical translation expertise across all sites. Across the breadth of stem cell medicine this will lead to new drugs based on human stem cell models, cell and tissue therapies and novel cell and gene therapies."

"Stem cell medicine truly promises to be a game changer when it comes to addressing some of the major health challenges facing the world today," says Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. "With the establishment of this new Center, the aim is not just to further stem cell-based research through international collaborations, but also to strengthen the pathway from scientific discovery to targeted outcome, whether in the form of new medical technology or new forms of treatment for the benefit of patients."

Vast potential for many diseases

In the reNEW model, it is expected that discoveries go beyond high-quality fundamental stem cell research and create value and patient-centered outcomes. This vision is anchored on 'state of the art' stem cell science, which will feed into three clinically relevant research themes:

The reBUILD theme will focus on the use of stem cells to regenerate or recreate tissue after it has been damaged or destroyed. Programmes include stem cell-based therapies for diseases such as Parkinson's disease, congenital heart disease, diabetes, ulcerative colitis and chronic renal disease, with projects over time moving into pre-clinical and clinical trials.

will focus on the use of stem cells to regenerate or recreate tissue after it has been damaged or destroyed. Programmes include stem cell-based therapies for diseases such as Parkinson's disease, congenital heart disease, diabetes, ulcerative colitis and chronic renal disease, with projects over time moving into pre-clinical and clinical trials. The reSOLVE theme will screen for potential drug candidates using stem cell-based models of human tissue. This will include lab grown models of mini-organs, such as 3D gut organoids to screen for drugs to treat conditions such as chronic ulceration and inherited kidney and heart disease.

will screen for potential drug candidates using stem cell-based models of human tissue. This will include lab grown models of mini-organs, such as 3D gut organoids to screen for drugs to treat conditions such as chronic ulceration and inherited kidney and heart disease. The reWRITE theme will use a combination of gene editing and stem cell technologies to develop new treatment strategies for genetically inherited diseases. These include immune deficiency disorders and progressive congenital muscle disorders.

In order to align the research with community expectations and regulations, the theme PREPARE will study the societal, ethical, regulatory and legal barriers in stem cell medicine, paving the way for the delivery of future treatments.

Scientists at the three institutions will work in collaborative groups across all themes to provide new therapeutic options for patients with incurable diseases. Exchange programmes and joint technology platforms in the reNEW model will fuel these collaborations and also the training of new generations of scientists in translational stem medicine.

Translational focus

With its existing, Novo Nordisk Foundation-funded, stem cell center DanStem, the University of Copenhagen has grown to become a major center for stem cell and developmental biology in Europe. In the new collaboration, reNEW will build on this position and aim to translate scientific discoveries to stem cell-derived medicine.

Prorector for Research at the University of Copenhagen David Dreyer Lassen is looking forward to taking the first steps on a long journey toward better stem cell-based medical interventions.

"I am very pleased that the University of Copenhagen will host the governing hub and be a strong partner in this exciting international consortium, with a strong emphasis on translating excellent basic research into future stem cell-based treatments," says David Dreyer Lassen.

Bringing together research excellence.

In 1968, the first pediatric bone marrow transplant in Europe was performed in Leiden. Ever since, Leiden University Medical Center has been a European leader within medical innovation with an outstanding track-record of cellular therapies to patients.

"I am very excited by the reNew initiative as it creates the critical mass of excellent science, educational underpinning, proven translational potential and cutting edge infrastructure to be transformational in this emerging medical field," says professor Pancras Hogendoorn, dean and member of the executive board of the Leiden University Medical Center.

Murdoch Children's Research Institute is a world-leader in children's health research with a specific strategic initiative within stem cell medicine. To support this, they have state-of-the-art facilities such as a Stem Cell Derivation and Gene Editing Facility as well as a Disease Modelling and Drug Screening Facility with capacity for 3D organoids.

"We are excited to commence the international collaboration that will advance stem cell-derived medicine and ultimately accelerate delivery of effective and targeted treatments for children and adults with incurable disease," says Professor and Institute Director at Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Kathryn North.

The research activities within the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine will begin in the start of January 2022.

SOURCE Novo
DALLAS, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NexPoint Real Estate Finance, Inc. (NYSE: NREF) ("NREF" or the "Company") announced today the pricing of its underwritten public offering of $60 million aggregate principal amount of its 5.75% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2026 (the "Additional Notes"). The Additional Notes were issued at a price of 102.758% of par with a yield to maturity of 5.036%. The Additional Notes are an additional issuance of the Company's existing $75 million aggregate principal amount of its 5.75% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2026 (the "Initial Notes") and the Additional Notes will be issued under the same indenture as the Initial Notes, will be treated as a single class of debt securities with the Initial Notes and will have the same terms as the Initial Notes, other than the issue date and offering price. The offering is expected to close on or about December 20, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.

The Company intends to contribute the net proceeds from this offering into its operating partnership, NexPoint Real Estate Finance Operating Partnership, L.P. (the "OP"), in exchange for OP units. The OP intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to acquire investments that fit within the Company's investment strategy.

Raymond James is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering. The Company is making this offering pursuant to a shelf registration statement that became effective on March 31, 2021. This offering will be made solely by means of a prospectus and prospectus supplement, copies of which may be obtained from Raymond James & Associates, Inc., 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL 33716, telephone (800) 248-8863, email: [email protected] or through the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the Additional Notes, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About NexPoint Real Estate Finance, Inc.

NexPoint Real Estate Finance, Inc. is a publicly traded REIT with its shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NREF." NREF is primarily focused on originating, structuring and investing in first mortgage loans, mezzanine loans, preferred equity and alternative structured financings in commercial real estate properties, as well as multifamily commercial mortgage backed securities.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are based on management's current expectations, assumptions and beliefs. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should" and similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the intended use of proceeds and the closing of the Additional Notes offering. They are not guarantees of future results and forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement, including the ultimate duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effectiveness of actions taken, or actions that may be taken, by governmental authorities to contain the outbreak or treat its impact, as well as those described in greater detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), particularly those described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements and are encouraged to review NREF's other filings with the SEC for a more complete discussion of risks and other factors that could affect any forward-looking statement. The statements made herein speak only as of the date of this press release and except as required by law, NREF does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Contact:

NexPoint Real Estate Finance, Inc.

Investor Relations

Jackie Graham

[email protected]

833.463.6697

SOURCE NexPoint Real Estate Finance, Inc.
BANGALORE, India, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Optical Imaging Market is Segmented by Product Type (Imaging Systems, Illumination Systems, Camera, Software, and Lenses), Therapeutic Area (Ophthalmology, Oncology, Cardiology, Neurology, and Others), and End User (Hospitals & Clinics, Research Laboratories, and Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology Companies): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030. It is published in Valuates Reports under the Medical Devices & Equipment Category.

The global optical imaging market was valued at USD 1,386.8 Million in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 3,865.7 Million by 2030 registering a CAGR of 10.8% from 2021 to 2030.

Major factors driving the growth of the optical imaging market are:

The rise in government initiatives to control visual impairment and the increase in the geriatric population, which is more susceptible to a wide range of diseases such as neurology disorders, ophthalmic conditions, and cardiovascular conditions, are driving the growth of the optical imaging market.

Developing countries' optical imaging market is expected to grow rapidly during the forecast period, owing to increased investments in healthcare infrastructure and increased knowledge of optical imaging.

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TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE OPTICAL IMAGING MARKET

Non-ionizing radiation, such as visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light, is used in optical imaging to dramatically limit patient exposure to hazardous radiation. Optical imaging can be used for repeated procedures to monitor the progression of the disease or the results of treatment and it is far safer than techniques that involve ionizing radiation, such as x-rays. This feature is in turn is expected to drive the growth of the optical imaging market.

Furthermore, Optical imaging is particularly effective for determining a variety of soft tissue qualities. Optical imaging can detect metabolic abnormalities that are early indicators of aberrant organ and tissue functioning due to the enormous range of how various soft tissues absorb and scatter light. Optical imaging can be integrated with other imaging techniques, such as MRI or x-rays, to provide clinicians and researchers working on complex experiments with more information. Such advantages offered by optical imaging are expected to further drive the Optical Imaging Market growth.

Various optical imaging technologies are utilized in ophthalmology procedures for diagnostic purposes. One of the primary reasons driving the growth of the optical imaging market is the increased prevalence of eye problems due to the growing global elderly population. In the age, the tear layer loses its integrity and dissolves more quickly, rendering them more susceptible to eye problems. As a result, the chance of developing severe eye problems rises dramatically with age, especially after the age of 60.

Emerging markets like India, China, Japan, and Brazil are likely to provide considerable growth potential for optical imaging market participants. These countries are among the world's fastest-growing economies. According to predictions from the World Economic Forum, emerging nations would account for roughly one-third of global healthcare spending by 2020.

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OPTICAL IMAGING MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS:

Based on product type, in 2020, the Imaging Systems segment is expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period. This might be ascribed to an increase in demand for imaging systems, which can be linked to the advantages that imaging systems have over other imaging modalities, such as their noninvasive nature. Furthermore, optical imaging techniques greatly limit the amount of hazardous radiation that patients are exposed to.

Based on the therapeutic area, Ophthalmology is expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period. This is due to the widespread use of optical imaging in the field of ophthalmology, as well as a growth in the prevalence of ocular disorders that necessitate the use of optical imaging, such as macular degeneration and glaucoma.

Based on end-users, the Hospitals and Clinics segment is expected to be one of the most lucrative. This is due to an increase in the use of optical imaging services by hospitals and clinics, which aid in the diagnosis of a variety of diseases.

Based on region, North America is predicted to increase at the fastest rate, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.80 percent throughout the projection period. because of the presence of significant important companies in the region, which leads to simple availability of optical imaging systems, causing the market to grow.

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Key Companies

Abbott Laboratories,

Canon Inc.,

Carl Zeiss Foundation,

Cylite Pty Ltd.,

Danaher Corporation,

Heildelberg Engineering GmbH,

Koninklijke Philips N.V.,

Michelson Diagnostics Ltd.,

Optovue, Ltd.,

Topcon Corporation.

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SIMILAR REPORTS:

- In 2020, the global Optical Lens market size was USD 11160 Million and it is expected to reach USD 18780 Million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 7.7% during 2021-2027.

- The global Optical Imaging System market size is projected to reach USD 2472.9 Million by 2027, from USD 1457.6 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 7.4% during 2021-2027.

- The global Optical Imaging Equipment market size is projected to reach USD 2194.1 Million by 2027, from USD 1408.3 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 6.5% during 2021-2027.

- The global Optical Imaging System market size is projected to reach USD 2472.9 Million by 2027, from USD 1457.6 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 7.4% during 2021-2027.

- Medical/Diagnostic Imaging Market is expected to garner USD 45.0 Billion by 2022, registering a CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period 2015-2022.

- The global Bio-imaging Technologies market size is projected to reach USD 35310 Million by 2027, from USD 26090 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 4.4% during 2021-2027.

- Global revenue for IoT Medical Devices Market was valued at USD 16.25 Billion in 2020, and is expected to generate revenue of USD 58.33 Billion by the end of 2027, growing at a CAGR of 19.85% between 2021 and 2027.

- The Medical Equipment Maintenance Market will grow from USD 34.79 Billion in 2020 to USD 60.16 Billion by 2026, with a CAGR of 9.56% during the forecast period.

- The global Digital Healthcare market size is projected to reach USD 95430 Million by 2026, from USD 77240 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 22.4% during 2021-2026.

- The global Medical Supplies market size is projected to reach USD 305490 Million by 2027, from USD 183930 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 7.1% during 2021-2027.

- The global CT Scanner market size is projected to reach USD 11390 Million by 2027, from USD 9000.1 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 4.0% during 2021-2027.

- Global Preclinical Optical Imaging Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021-2027.

- Global Next-Generation Optical Imaging Market Report, History and Forecast 2016-2027, Breakdown Data by Manufacturers, Key Regions, Types and Application

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BOSTON, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Public Consulting Group (PCG) today announced new action and additional measures to support and engage employees as the pandemic continues.

This week, the firm provided a $1,000 stipend to each of its nearly 3,000 employees to assist with COVID-related personal, family, or living expenses. This marks the second time PCG has provided financial resources to all employees to offset the impacts of COVID. The stipend is in addition to the traditional Holiday bonus employees receive.

stipend to each of its nearly 3,000 employees to assist with COVID-related personal, family, or living expenses. This marks the second time PCG has provided financial resources to all employees to offset the impacts of COVID. The stipend is in addition to the traditional Holiday bonus employees receive. Full office openings have also been postponed indefinitely as PCG prioritizes safety and flexibility for its nearly 3,000 employees. Specifically, the firm is using technological resources to identify and support new options to design and sustain a hybrid workplace for its workforce. These options include a desk reservation system that enables employees to decide when and how they physically go into a PCG office to work, and to facilitate social distancing.

PCG is taking the celebration of its 35th year in business fully virtual and providing every employee with $35 toward the lunch of their choice during the virtual event.

PCG Founder and CEO William Mosakowski said, "The safety and well-being of our people is our first priority. The pandemic has created new personal and professional responsibilities for our employees and we have responded with creativity to support our people at home and at work. The past 18 months have tested many long-held assumptions at PCG, and one we now recognize as a fact is that PCG's sense of community and culture of innovation do not rely on the physical presence of our people, they are activated wherever our people are. We will continue to support that."

Founded in 1986, PCG has grown over 35 years to nearly 3,000 people across the U.S., Canada, and Europe and has galvanized them around a commitment to helping public sector organizations make life better for people. The company marks its 35-year anniversary this month. An in-person celebration had been planned for the event, but the company decided to take the celebration virtual in the wake of a new pandemic strain.

"PCG employees work effectively from everywhere," Mosakowski said. "There's no reason we cannot also come together in celebration from everywhere."

Ripplematch recently named PCG among the Next Gen 100 Top Workplaces, featuring companies and organizations that invest in programs, benefits, and culture that promote personal and professional success. In conjunction with the ranking, Ripplematch issued What GenZ Wants, a report on what GenZ values in a workplace. Flexibility is chief among valued benefits.

PCG has made significant contributions to combatting COVID-19 as a trusted partner to public health authorities for contact tracing services in several states: New York, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and South Carolina.

About Public Consulting Group

Public Consulting Group LLC (PCG) is a leading public sector solutions implementation and operations improvement firm that partners with health, education, and human services agencies to improve lives. Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, PCG employs over 2,500 professionals worldwideall committed to delivering solutions that change lives for the better. The firm has extensive experience in all 50 states, clients in six Canadian provinces, and a growing practice in Europe. PCG offers clients a multidisciplinary approach to meet challenges, pursue opportunities, and serve constituents across the public sector. To learn more, visit www.publicconsultinggroup.com.

Media Contact

Alyssa Brown, Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations

(617) 488-9084

[email protected]

SOURCE Public Consulting Group
TORONTO, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As we draw closer to the two-year anniversary of COVID-19 being declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), those in the healthcare profession continue to face challenges  especially with the recent emergence of the Omicron variant.

In a March 2021 survey conducted by the Ontario Medical Association (OMA), nearly 35% of doctors, medical students and residents polled admitted to having persistent, or complete, feelings of COVID-19-related burnout.

Dr. Richard Tytus, Co-Founder of Banty CME

On December 15, 2021, the Hamilton Academy of Medicine held its HAM Monthly continuing medical education event, powered by Banty CME. During this gathering, the healthcare professionals in attendance were asked how they are coping with COVID-19. The findings were staggering:

71.8% said they are suffering from COVID-19-related burnout

78.1% said they are feeling COVID-19 fatigue

According to OMA President Adam Kassam , physician burnout leads to increased depression, substance abuse, as well as suicidal thoughts. He also indicates that such burnout can negatively impact a physician's productivity and lead to a decrease in care available to patients.

Meanwhile, Banty CME Co-Founder and long-time, respected family physician, Dr. Richard Tytus, views COVID-19 fatigue as a condition physicians experience when feeling overwhelmed and tired by the global pandemic.

"As a medical professional, I can attest to just how tough the COVID-19 global pandemic has been for those in the healthcare industry. The challenges have been immense and continuous," offers Dr. Richard Tytus. "Now that the Omicron virus has surfaced, healthcare professional burnout and fatigue will likely persist. However, one way to help ease the stress is to embrace usage of virtual medicine solutions."

Also at the December 15 edition of HAM Monthly, more than 96% of healthcare professionals polled indicated that at least some of their patient appointments are now conducted remotely either over the phone, or through video call technology. The latter of which is the preferred method of remote patient care for Dr. Tytus.

"While many physicians still conduct patient appointments over the phone, this form of patient care is not nearly as easy and productive as conducting a video call appointment  especially during this hectic pandemic period," explains Dr. Tytus. "A picture says a thousand words. Having a video call appointment with a patient helps the doctor get a better idea as to what they are treating. Additionally, this forum can put patients at ease, knowing they don't always have to travel to their doctor's office throughout the pandemic."

About Banty CME

The Banty CME service provides Continuing Medical Education (CME) to medical professionals. Each CME session is brought to life using Banty's high-end technological prowess, studio solutions, equipment, and other facilities. By making these events available online in a streamlined, yet engaging format, physicians can easily attend and secure their CME credits regardless of where they're situated.

Banty CME events are accredited and supported through our partnership with the Hamilton Academy of Medicine.

If interested in utilizing Banty's Continuing Medical Education (CME) service for an event you'd like to coordinate, follow this link .

About Banty

Founded in 2020, Banty offers exceptional video conferencing solutions for Businesses , Medical Practices , and Virtual Events . Banty video conferencing is easy to use and ultra-secure. The platform provides users with a dedicated Banty.com URL , accessible via any desktop browser or through iOS and Android mobile apps.

In order to receive government approval to become a verified medical platform, Banty was upgraded to meet new cyber security standards, making it one of the most secure platforms available. Each day, the Banty team goes above and beyond to ensure the platform remains one of the most secure and innovative virtual meeting solutions in the world.

For more information, please visit Banty.org/solutions , or follow Banty on social media to learn more about the latest platform innovations: LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube , Instagram .

Contact:

Scott Wilson

289-259-8059

[email protected]

SOURCE Banty Inc.
For more insights on the pet monitoring camera market - Download a free sample now!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Based on segmentation by Distribution Channel, which is the leading segment in the market?

The pet monitoring camera market share growth by the online segment will be significant during the forecast period. The wider internet penetration and rising smartphone adoption along with the increasing preference for online shopping are the major factors for market growth.

The pet monitoring camera market share growth by the online segment will be significant during the forecast period. The wider internet penetration and rising smartphone adoption along with the increasing preference for online shopping are the major factors for market growth. Who are the top players in the market?

Acer Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Furbo, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co. Ltd., Lenovo Group Ltd., PetChatz LLC, Petcube Inc., Vimtag Technology Co. LTD, Wagz Inc., and Zmodo Technology Corp. Ltd. are some of the major market participants.

Acer Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Furbo, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co. Ltd., Lenovo Group Ltd., PetChatz LLC, Petcube Inc., Vimtag Technology Co. LTD, Wagz Inc., and Zmodo Technology Corp. Ltd. are some of the major market participants. What are the key market drivers and challenges?

The increased number of pet ownerships is notably driving the pet monitoring camera market growth, although factors such as the reluctance of pet owners to buy high-priced products may impede the market growth.

Pet Monitoring Camera Market 2021-2025: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The pet monitoring camera market report covers the following areas:

Pet Monitoring Camera Market 2021-2025: Segmentation

The pet monitoring camera market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period.

Distribution Channel

Online



Offline

Geography

APAC



North America



Europe



South America



MEA

Technavio's market research report entails detailed information on the competitive intelligence, marketing gaps, segmentation, and regional opportunities in store for vendors, which will assist in creating efficient business plans.

Pet Monitoring Camera Market 2021-2025: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2021-2025

Detailed information on factors that will assist pet monitoring camera market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the pet monitoring camera market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the pet monitoring camera market across APAC, North America , Europe , South America , and MEA

, , , and MEA Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of pet monitoring camera market vendors

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Pet Monitoring Camera Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 16.57% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 346.78 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 11.99 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution APAC at 40% Key consumer countries US, UK, China, France, and Germany Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Acer Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Furbo, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co. Ltd., Lenovo Group Ltd., PetChatz LLC, Petcube Inc., Vimtag Technology Co. LTD, Wagz Inc., and Zmodo Technology Corp. Ltd. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period, Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

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
VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PJM Interconnection, the nation's largest power grid operator, is donating $10,000 to the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund. The fund was established by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to provide direct aid to those affected by the tornadoes and severe weather that took place Dec. 11.

"Our thoughts are with those impacted by these devastating tornadoes," said Manu Asthana, president and CEO. "The devastation across the Midwest and South, especially severe in Kentucky, is truly tragic. PJM and its employees hope our contribution will help people in the tornadoes' path recover from this significant disaster event."

PJM employees are also making donations to the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund and other relief organizations through the company's internal giving platform.

PJM Interconnection, founded in 1927, ensures the reliability of the high-voltage electric power system serving 65 million people in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. PJM coordinates and directs the operation of the region's transmission grid, which includes over 85,103 miles of transmission lines; administers a competitive wholesale electricity market; and plans regional transmission expansion improvements to maintain grid reliability and relieve congestion. PJM's regional grid and market operations produce annual savings of $3.2 billion to $4 billion. For the latest news about PJM, visit PJM Inside Lines at insidelines.pjm.com.

SOURCE PJM Interconnection
"I am elated that The Princeton Review has highlighted the tremendous dedication and expertise of our faculty in their implementation of a world-class business curriculum," said Dr. Anne B. Kerr, President of Florida Southern College. "This inclusion recognizes the excellent education our MBA students receive as they prepare to be leaders. Under Dr. Weber's visionary leadership, the Barnett School faculty continues to equip the next generation of industry leaders with a remarkable education."

The Princeton Review included Florida Southern College on its list of the 241 best on-campus MBA programs in the nation. The Princeton Review tallied its lists of best business schools for 2022 based on data from the company's surveys of students and administrators at business schools during the 2020-21 academic year. The Princeton Review's 80-question student survey asked students about their school's academics, student body, and campus life, as well as about themselves and their career plans. The administrator survey, which numbered more than 300 questions, covered topics from academic offerings and admission requirements to data about current students as well as graduates' employment.

"We recommend Florida Southern College as an excellent choice for an aspiring MBA," said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's Editor-in-Chief. "What makes our Best Business Schools list unique is that we factor in data from our surveys of students attending the schools about their campus and classroom experiences. For our 2022 list we tallied surveys of more than 18,900 students at 241 business schools."

Dr. J. Michael Weber, dean of the Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise, celebrated the College's inclusion in the prestigious annual guide, noting the program's ongoing ranking among the nation's top business schools.

"The Princeton Review's placement of FSC's Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise among the top MBA programs in the country demonstrates the outstanding work of our faculty in creating a premier program that blends insightful teaching with opportunities for students to apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios and internships," Dr. Weber said. "Our students participate in engaged learning experiences driven by state-of-the-art technology that mirrors the modern, cutting-edge work environments awaiting them as they leave our halls. The Barnett School's blend of innovative pedagogical practices and hands-on, collaborative research and training consistently prepare our students to succeed as leaders in our global market economy, as demonstrated by the school's continued high marks in student placement across all major national industries."

For more information about the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise at Florida Southern College, visit www.flsouthern.edu/barnett.

About Florida Southern College

Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in the state. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 70+ undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, nursing, and physical therapy. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning, and boasts 30 NCAA Division II National Championships. Florida Southern is ranked at #8 among the "Best Regional Universities in the South" by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022 "Best Colleges" guide and is included in The Princeton Review's 2022 Best 387 Colleges guide and the "Fiske Guide to Colleges 2022." The 2021-2022 Colleges of Distinction guidebook praises Florida Southern's AACSB accredited Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise alongside the College's School of Education and its Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Poets&Quants, U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, and The Princeton Review further laud the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise and the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences as foremost programs in the nation for business and nursing education. Home to the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, FSC has appeared on The Princeton Review's top 20 "Most Beautiful Campus" national listing for 12 consecutive years. Connect with Florida Southern College.

SOURCE Florida Southern College
- ETC selected to implement its advanced riteSuite systems as the new electronic toll collection integration and maintenance services provider for the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority

TORONTO, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Quarterhill Inc. ("Quarterhill") (TSX: QTRH) (OTCQX: QTRHF), announces that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Electronic Transaction Consultants, LLC ("ETC"), has received an award notice to provide electronic toll collection integration and maintenance services to the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority ("CTRMA") in Austin, Texas. The initial term of the contract is six (6) years and has two (2) two-year extension options. The initial six (6) year term is valued at US$72,791,680, and the contract is subject to customary terms and conditions.

Over the course of the contract, ETC will deliver system replacements at six (6) existing CTRMA facilities and implement brand-new systems at four (4) future CTRMA facilities. ETC's next-generation smart congestion management systems will improve mobility and alleviate traffic on busy Austin-area roads.

For this project, ETC will implement riteSuite, its modularized suite of standalone natively integrable subsystems that run on this same cloud-based technology platform, including the following products:

riteView  An interactive and customizable suite of Big Data analytics, reporting, and dashboard tools.

riteVision  An advanced vehicle and license plate recognition system built on machine learning technology.

riteJetStream  A multimodal system configuration and transaction processing engine built on big data infrastructure and a modern user interface, with configurable microservices and pricing algorithms.

riteOSS  ETC's upgraded Maintenance Online Management Systems (MOMS) for system monitoring and operational reporting, with advanced functionality, such as smart KPIs and trending for predictive maintenance.

riteTRAC  AI-based continuous automated lane performance and audit system that provides real-time lane performance monitoring and trending for early actionable anomaly detection.

riteSuite takes advantage of the power, rich features and flexibility of open-source technologies and the revolutionary design approach attributed to "Big Tech" consumer data companies. Beyond successful system implementation in accordance with CTRMA's objectives today, this also means a digital infrastructure that promotes the sharing and consumption of all data across multiple platforms and services that may be required for future CTRMA digital objectives.

"We look forward to establishing a partnership with ETC and beginning the important work ahead of us," stated CTRMA's Executive Director James Bass. "The Mobility Authority prides itself on delivering best-in-class service, and we are confident ETC will help us exceed those expectations."

"ETC is honored and excited to be selected as CTRMA's technology provider," stated Quarterhill Chief Executive Officer Bret Kidd. "Technology-savvy Austin motorists will expect nothing less than the most advanced systems in the industry and the highest quality of customer service, and ETC is poised to deliver both, in a true partnership with CTRMA."

ETC systems are architected for responsiveness to changing business needs by integrating seamlessly with the latest in open-source technologies and big data infrastructure, for a lean system that will remain technology relevant for years to come.

About Electronic Transaction Consultants, LLC

ETC is a leading U.S. intelligent transportation systems and smart mobility provider, developing and delivering best-in-class solutions for tolling, congestion management, urban mobility, and multimodal transportation needs. ETC's passionate and innovative team has been driving the future of mobility since 1999, with many industry firsts, including all-electronic tolling (AET), dynamic pricing, agency interoperability, hosted mobility solutions and machine learning.

For over two decades, ETC has delivered sophisticated solutions to many of the largest toll authorities in the U.S., including statewide programs, county networks and tolling-specific authorities. ETC's solutions process over two billion transactions annually, totaling over $3 billion in customer revenues, incorporating the latest in evergreen open-source and SaaS technologies and Big Data architecture through our innovative riteSuite products. For more information on our products and services, please visit www.etcc.com.

About Quarterhill Inc.

Quarterhill is a growth-oriented company in the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) industry as well as, through its Wi-LAN Inc. subsidiary, a leader in Intellectual Property licensing. Our goal is to execute an investment strategy that capitalizes on attractive growth opportunities within ITS - and its adjacent markets - to become a global leader in that industry. Quarterhill is listed on the TSX under the symbol QTRH and on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol QTRHF. For more information: www.quarterhill.com

About the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is an independent government agency created in 2002 to improve mobility in Travis and Williamson Counties in Texas. CTRMA defines its objectives as preserving and enhancing the quality of life in Central Texas, engaging with the communities served, and protecting the environment. CTRMA projects span sections of I-290, I-183, I-71, MoPac, and I-45.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding ETC, Quarterhill and their businesses. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by ETC and/or Quarterhill in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and the expected effects of new business strategies, as well as other factors that ETC and/or Quarterhill believe are appropriate in the circumstances. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed herein may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting ETC and/or Quarterhill, including: potential risks and uncertainties relating to the ultimate geographic spread of the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19"); the severity of the disease; the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak; actions that may be taken by governmental authorities to contain the COVID-19 outbreak or to treat its impact; the potential negative impacts of COVID-19 on the global economy and financial markets and any resulting impact on ETC and/or Quarterhill and/or their businesses. Other factors include, without limitation, the risks described in Quarterhill's March 11, 2021 annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2020 (the "AIF"). Copies of the AIF may be obtained at www.sedar.com. ETC and Quarterhill recommend that readers review and consider all of these risk factors and notes that readers should not place undue reliance on any of ETC's forward-looking statements. ETC has no intention, and undertakes no obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE Quarterhill Inc.
SAN DIEGO, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK, COMMERCIAL DIVISION







CHESTER COUNTY EMPLOYEES

RETIREMENT FUND, Individually and on

Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Plaintiff, vs. ALNYLAM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.,

JOHN M. MARAGANORE, MICHAEL P.

MASON, DENNIS A. AUSIELLO,

MICHAEL W. BONNEY, JOHN K.

CLARKE, MARSHA H. FANUCCI, STEVEN

M. PAUL, DAVID E.I. PYOTT, PAUL R.

SCHIMMEL, AMY W. SCHULMAN,

PHILLIP A. SHARP, KEVIN P. STARR,

GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC, J.P.

MORGAN SECURITIES LLC, BARCLAYS

CAPITAL INC., CREDIT SUISSE

SECURITIES (USA) LLC, PIPER JAFFRAY

& CO., JMP SECURITIES LLC, NEEDHAM

& COMPANY, LLC, CHARDAN CAPITAL

MARKETS, LLC and B. RILEY FBR, INC.

n/k/a B. RILEY SECURITIES, INC., Defendants.

Index No. 655272/2019 CLASS ACTION The Honorable Robert R. Reed Part 43







SUMMARY NOTICE OF PROPOSED SETTLEMENT OF CLASS ACTION

TO: ALL PERSONS WHO PURCHASED OR OTHERWISE ACQUIRED ALNYLAM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. ("ALNYLAM" OR THE "COMPANY") COMMON STOCK PURSUANT OR TRACEABLE TO THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ISSUED IN CONNECTION WITH ALNYLAM'S NOVEMBER 14, 2017 SECONDARY PUBLIC OFFERING (THE "OFFERING")1

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a hearing will be held on April 12, 2022, at 2:30 p.m., before the Honorable Robert R. Reed, J.S.C., at Part 43, via Microsoft Teams Virtual Platform, to determine whether: (1) the proposed settlement (the "Settlement") of the above-captioned action as set forth in the Stipulation of Settlement ("Stipulation")[2] for $7,000,000 in cash should be approved by the Court as fair, reasonable and adequate; (2) the Judgment as provided under the Stipulation should be entered; (3) to award Plaintiff's Counsel attorneys' fees and expenses out of the Settlement Fund (as defined in the Notice of Pendency and Proposed Settlement of Class Action ("Notice"), which is discussed below), and, if so, in what amount; (4) to award Plaintiff for representing the Settlement Class out of the Settlement Fund and, if so, in what amount; and (5) the Plan of Allocation should be approved by the Court as fair, reasonable and adequate.

This Action is a securities class action brought on behalf of those persons who purchased or acquired Alnylam common stock pursuant or traceable to the Registration Statement for the Offering, against Alnylam and certain of its officers and directors and the Offering's underwriters (collectively, "Defendants") for, among other things, allegedly misstating and omitting material facts from the Registration Statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the Offering. Plaintiff alleges that these purportedly false and misleading statements inflated the price of the Company's stock, resulting in damage to Settlement Class Members when the truth was revealed. Defendants deny all of Plaintiff's allegations.

IF YOU PURCHASED OR ACQUIRED ALNYLAM COMMON STOCK BETWEEN NOVEMBER 14, 2017 THROUGH AND INCLUDING SEPTEMBER 12, 2019, YOUR RIGHTS MAY BE AFFECTED BY THE SETTLEMENT OF THIS ACTION.

To share in the distribution of the Settlement Fund, you must establish your rights by submitting a Proof of Claim and Release form ("Proof of Claim") by mail (postmarked no later than MARCH 17, 2022) or electronically (no later than MARCH 17, 2022). Your failure to submit your Proof of Claim by March 17, 2022, will subject your claim to rejection and preclude your receiving any of the recovery in connection with the Settlement of this Action. If you are a member of the Settlement Class and do not request exclusion therefrom, you will be bound by the Settlement and any judgment and release entered in the Action, including, but not limited to, the Judgment, whether or not you submit a Proof of Claim.

If you have not received a copy of the Notice, which more completely describes the Settlement and your rights thereunder (including your right to object to the Settlement), and a Proof of Claim, you may obtain these documents, as well as a copy of the Stipulation (which, among other things, contains definitions for the defined terms used in this Summary Notice) and other settlement documents, online at www.AlnylamSecuritiesLitigation.com , or by writing to:

Alnylam Securities Litigation Settlement

Claims Administrator

c/o Analytics Consulting, LLC

P.O. Box 2004

Chanhassen, MN 55317-2004

Inquiries should NOT be directed to Defendants, the Court, or the Clerk of the Court.

Inquiries, other than requests for the Notice or for a Proof of Claim, may be made to Plaintiff's Counsel:

ROBBINS GELLER RUDMAN & DOWD LLP

Theodore J. Pintar

655 West Broadway, Suite 1900

San Diego, CA 92101

Telephone: (800) 449-4900

IF YOU DESIRE TO BE EXCLUDED FROM THE SETTLEMENT CLASS, YOU MUST SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR EXCLUSION SUCH THAT IT IS POSTMARKED BY MARCH 22, 2022, IN THE MANNER AND FORM EXPLAINED IN THE NOTICE. ALL MEMBERS OF THE SETTLEMENT CLASS WHO HAVE NOT REQUESTED EXCLUSION FROM THE SETTLEMENT CLASS WILL BE BOUND BY THE SETTLEMENT EVEN IF THEY DO NOT SUBMIT A TIMELY PROOF OF CLAIM.

IF YOU ARE A SETTLEMENT CLASS MEMBER, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT TO THE SETTLEMENT, THE PLAN OF ALLOCATION, THE REQUEST BY PLAINTIFF'S COUNSEL FOR AN AWARD OF ATTORNEYS' FEES AND EXPENSES, AND/OR THE AWARD TO PLAINTIFF FOR REPRESENTING THE SETTLEMENT CLASS. ANY OBJECTIONS MUST BE FILED WITH THE COURT AND SENT TO PLAINTIFF'S COUNSEL AND DEFENDANTS' COUNSEL BY MARCH 22, 2022, IN THE MANNER AND FORM EXPLAINED IN THE NOTICE.

DATED: DECEMBER 17, 2021

BY ORDER OF THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK: COMMERCIAL DIVISION

1 For purposes of this Settlement only, the Settlement Class includes persons who purchased or otherwise acquired Alnylam common stock between November 14, 2017 and September 12, 2019, inclusive.

2 The Stipulation can be viewed and/or obtained at www.AlnylamSecuritiesLitigation.com .

SOURCE Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
Hom is a Managing Director and Global Head of Real Estate Credit at GIC, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, where he has focused on both equity and credit investments since 2008. Additionally, Hom sits as a director on several private real estate company boards. He is a graduate of Cornell University with a bachelor's degree and real estate finance concentration from the School of Hotel Administration.

About Safehold:

Safehold Inc. (NYSE: SAFE) is revolutionizing real estate ownership by providing a new and better way for owners to unlock the value of the land beneath their buildings. Having created the modern ground lease industry in 2017, Safehold continues to help owners of high quality multifamily, office, industrial, hospitality and mixed-use properties generate higher returns with less risk. The Company, which is taxed as a real estate investment trust (REIT) and is managed by its largest shareholder, iStar Inc., seeks to deliver safe, growing income and long-term capital appreciation to its shareholders. Additional information on Safehold is available on its website at www.safeholdinc.com.

Company Contact:

Jason Fooks

Senior Vice President

Investor Relations & Marketing

T: 212.930.9400

E: [email protected]

SOURCE Safehold
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sandals Resorts International (SRI), parent company of the Caribbean's leading luxury all-inclusive resort brands Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts , announces the extension of its groundbreaking Sandals Vacation Assurance on all bookings made until March 31, 2022 for travel until next year, December 31, 2022. Introduced in September, the comprehensive vacation protection program is the industry's only to include a free replacement vacation guarantee plus airfare for guests impacted by COVID-19 related travel interruption while on vacation.

All reservations from now through March 31, 2022 for travel until December 31, 2022 will automatically receive the Sandals and Beaches Vacation Assurance at no charge.

Benefits of the Sandals and Beaches Vacation Assurance Program:

Replacement Vacation if a trip is interrupted while on vacation  INCLUDED

Replacement airfare credit for US travelers, up to $500 per person on the replacement vacation -INCLUDED

per person on the replacement vacation -INCLUDED Quarantine stays of up to 14 nights at no charge if required  INCLUDED

COVID-19 testing to meet any government requirement from the comfort of the resort  INCLUDED

Comprehensive Travel Protection Plan  Insurance is on US -INCLUDED

Cancel anytime reservation policy, without penalties or added fees - 31 days or more for a 100% refund or within 30 days for a future travel date

A Vacation Assurance Hotline should guests or travel advisors have any questions related to travel protocols or anything else related to COVID-19

Assurance of industry-leading Sandals Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness, implemented at all Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, to ensure heightened health and safety measures throughout their stay

Certain restrictions apply. For more information, visit https://www.sandals.com/vacation-assurance/.

About Sandals Resorts International:

Founded in 1981 by the late Jamaican entrepreneur Gordon "Butch" Stewart, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) has become one of the world's most visible hospitality organizations and the leading Luxury Included resort company in the Caribbean. Family-owned and operated, the company is currently overseen by Executive Chairman Adam Stewart and based in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Sandals Resorts International operates 24 properties throughout the Caribbean including category-leading brands Sandals Resorts, the Luxury Included brand for adult couples with locations in Jamaica, Antigua, the Bahamas, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia and a resort opening in Curacao; and Beaches Resorts, the Luxury Included concept designed for everyone but especially families, with properties in Turks and Caicos and Jamaica, and another opening in St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Sandals Resorts International
AALBORG, Denmark, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Asetek, sim racing gear innovator, the creator of the all-in-one liquid cooler, and the global leader in liquid cooling solutions for gaming PCs and DIY enthusiasts, today announced that SAPPHIRE Technology is offering its first NITRO+ AIO CPU coolers, leveraging the superior thermal and acoustic performance and reliability associated with Asetek's liquid cooling technology. The SAPPHIRE NITRO+ AIO CPU Coolers provide CPU overclocking capability, ARGB lighting, a unique Hybrid Radiator fan design, and virtually silent operation to tech enthusiasts, gamers and eSports pros.

The SAPPHIRE NITRO+ S360-A and S240-A AIO CPU coolers are available in 360mm or 240mm radiator sizes for a variety of form factor and cooling requirements and include ARGB pump caps with a distinctive 'Spider' inspired design brandishing SAPPHIRE's emblematic NITRO+ logo. ARGB Radiator Fans featuring the award winning NITRO+ Hybrid Fan Blade design combine the strengths of traditional axial and blower fans by improving the downward air pressure of the axial fan design while keeping the fan noise low.

"After much acclaim earlier in the year from SAPPHIRE's introduction of our first liquid-cooled GPU for the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT, the TOXIC AMD RADEON RX 6900 XT LE Graphics Card, we again partnered with Asetek to develop premium performance and highly reliable AIO CPU coolers," said Adrian Thompson, SAPPHIRE's Vice President of Global Marketing. "Our new NITRO+ S360-A and S240-A AIO CPU coolers enable gamers to boost CPU overclocking capability for extreme performance and immersive gaming."

"We are delighted to be SAPPHIRE's partner of choice as they extend their offerings to include AIO CPU coolers for their NITRO+ Gaming Series," said John Hamill, Chief Operating Officer at Asetek. "SAPPHIRE is recognized across the globe for its innovative graphics and mainboard products. Now in addition to liquid cooled GPU cards, gamers, enthusiasts and eSports pros can get an immersive experience with premium NITRO+ AIO CPU coolers worthy of the SAPPHIRE name."

To learn more about SAPPHIRE's NITRO+ AIO CPU Coolers, visit https://www.sapphiretech.com/en/consumer/nitro-s240a-aio-cpu-cooler or https://www.sapphiretech.com/en/consumer/nitro-s360a-aio-cpu-cooler. To learn more about Asetek liquid cooling, please visit www.asetek.com.

About Sapphire Technology Ltd.

SAPPHIRE Technology continues to be a world leading manufacturer and global supplier of innovative graphics and mainboard products, delivering its AMD Radeon based products to the PC markets addressing gaming, eSports and performance graphics enthusiasts, as well as delivering an array of professional graphics products and embedded system solutions.

You can participate in and keep up to date with all of SAPPHIRE's products news and views via the following websites and community channels below.

Web . Insta . Facebook . YouTube . Steam . Twitter . Linkedin

About Asetek

Asetek (ASTK.OL), a global leader in mechatronic innovation, is a Danish garage-to-stock-exchange success story. Founded in 2000, Asetek established its innovative position as the leading OEM developer and producer of the all-in-one liquid cooler for all major PC & Enthusiast gaming brands. In 2013, Asetek went public while expanding into energy-efficient and environmentally friendly cooling solutions for data centers. In 2021, Asetek is introducing its line of products for next-level immersive SimSports gaming experiences. Asetek is headquartered in Denmark and has operations in China, Taiwan and the United States.

www.asetek.com

Media contact

Margo Westfall

Asetek Sr. Marketing Manager

[email protected]

+1 408 644-5616



This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/asetek/r/sapphire-technology-introduces-nitro--aio-cpu-coolers-powered-by-asetek-liquid-cooling-technology,c3473977

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/6758/3473977/1511625.pdf Asetek PR_ Sapphire NITRO+ CPU Coolers_FINAL https://news.cision.com/asetek/i/sapphire-nitro--aios,c2993495 SAPPHIRE-Nitro -AIOs

SOURCE Asetek
SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Seoul Mobility Show 2021 (formerly the Seoul Motor Show) ended on December 5, ten days after highlighting a range of possibilities of the automobile industry involving self-driving electric vehicles.

Some 100 mobility-related business entities from six countries gathered at the Korea International Convention Center (Kintex) in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province for South Korea's biennial auto show. The main exhibitors include Kia, Genesis, Hyundai, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, BMW, Audi, Isuzu, Porsche, Hyundai Mobis, SK Telecom, and KAIST.

Due to COVID-19, the event was postponed twice and hosted on a much smaller scale than previous shows. Still, approximately 250,000 spectators paid a visit to see for themselves the wide array of future mobility technologies.

In October of this year, President Marn-ki Jeong the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA) decided to change the name of the show. He said the organizing committee renamed the event to underscore the importance of carbon-neutrality along as well as to incorporate future mobility solutions.

Ten automakers participated in the show and electric vehicles in particular were dominant. Kia unveiled its fully revamped, "The all new KIA Niro" which is an all-electric and hybrid model. Meanwhile Genesis and Mercedes-Benz had on display only electric cars. In fact, eco-friendly vehicles occupied 51% of the exhibition space which is a huge jump from 34% in 2019.

Future technologies that were on view included Hyundai's advanced mobility technologies including its self-driving IONIQ 5 and an EV-exclusive platform known as E-GMP. Moreover, Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics presented a four-footed robot called Spot and two-bipedal robots. Volvo showcased its XC60 SUV embedded with SK Telecom's Nugu Auto, while KAIST introduced autonomous flying vehicles.

The organizing committee said it has plans to transform the show into an expo with state-of-the-art technologies and the Seoul Mobility Award was part of those efforts. The award was created to recognize innovative businesses in order to encourage more innovation in the industry. The first recipient of this new award was Hyundai Mobis for introducing its "e-corner module". The cutting-edge technology is considered to be an integral part of future vehicles that integrates steering, braking, suspension, and steering systems into each wheel.

"The automotive industry is in transitioning from the internal combustion engine and the electronic motor, and from human control and AI automation," Chairman Jeong said. "New mobility will lead us to drastic changes with technology is the initiator," he added. "The Seoul Mobility Show will serve as a platform and an industrial ecosystem in which business can collaborate with higher education institutions," he said.

The Seoul Mobility Show is a biannual international event and is the only automobile exhibition in Korea accredited by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers. The first show was held in 1995. (END)

For further information, please visit: http://www.motorshow.or.kr/eng/main/main.php

CONTACT:

Young Park(General Manager, Trade Promotion Division), +82-2-3660-1896, [email protected];

Youngseok Park(PR Manager), +82-2-2257-6392, [email protected]

SOURCE The Organizing Committee for Seoul Mobility Show
The area took the lead among comprehensive bonded areas across China to set up the first examination line for imported vehicles in January by offering "one-stop" examinations near the warehouse.

"The examination line is less than 300 meters from the warehouse. Companies can make an appointment for examination, which cuts the required time from the previous three days to the current less than five hours," said Shan Honggang, head of the vehicle examination laboratory of Shanghai Customs.

The Shanghai Customs office at the Pudong airport has also cut the clearance time for imported vehicles from half a day to half an hour with its service window that is especially set up for imported vehicles.

In addition, the bonded area offers tailored storage solutions for imported vehicles that feature high storage frequency, high value, short storage time and small volumes to help enhance logistics efficiency and lower costs.

Take the 30 Aston Martin vehicles that arrived in Pudong on Dec 7 as an example. The new storage solution for these vehicles will save costs by nearly 20 percent, compared with the previous billing method of being billed by year, month and the number of warehouses used.

Officials said that nearly 100 more Aston Martin vehicles valued at 200 million yuan ($31.42 million) will enter the domestic market through the Pudong bonded area soon.

The bonded area has received about 6,000 international luxury vehicles including Ferrari, Maserati, Jaguar and Land Rover. The combined value has exceeded 4 billion yuan.

SOURCE China Daily
HOUSTON, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mayflower Wind Energy LLC (Mayflower), the 50-50 joint venture between Shell New Energies US LLC (Shell) and OW North America LLC, has been awarded the right to provide 400 MW of offshore wind energy by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its three biggest utilities as part of Massachusetts' 83C III offshore wind energy procurement. Combined with its power purchase agreement of 804 MW awarded in 2019 from the 83C II procurement round, Mayflower could deliver more than 1200 MW of clean energy to electricity customers throughout Massachusetts and New England. That is enough energy each day to power over half a million homes and businesses.

With today's announcement, Mayflower will start development of the federal lease area and continue pursuing additional energy contracts until the full 2000 MW maximum lease capacity is realized. Subject to a future investment decision, operations are expected to be commissioned in the mid to late 2020s. The award is accompanied by an economic development package that includes commitments to spend up to $42.3 million, including $27 million over 10 years to the South Coast Community Foundation.

"This has been a significant week for our company and renewables businesses. Announcing a substantial expansion of our global solar portfolio along with this considerable offshore wind contract award showcases Shell's progress towards providing zero- and lower-carbon assets and technologies," said Wael Sawan, Integrated Gas and Renewables & Energy Solutions Director. "Shell remains committed to meeting our customers' needs by providing a range of renewable power generation options."

Shell's target is to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, in step with society's progress towards achieving net-zero. As part of the measures to fulfill its targets, Shell is progressing its wind business by building on a foundation of offshore experience and leveraging operational excellence, including safety and cost-efficiency, with positive community and regulatory relationships.

Notes to editors

The total economic package will support the building of the offshore wind supply chain; provide for education and training of an offshore wind workforce; make significant investments in local ports, businesses, and infrastructure; as well as offer diversity, equity, and inclusion measures that include the hiring of specialized firms and support for low-income electric consumers, among other measures.

Mayflower Wind is one of Shell's two significant US offshore wind entries. In June 2021 Atlantic Shores, a joint venture with Shell New Energies LLC and EDF Renewables North America, won the rights to provide 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable offshore energy to New Jersey , enough energy to power over 700,000 homes.

Atlantic Shores, a joint venture with Shell New Energies LLC and EDF Renewables North America, won the rights to provide 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable offshore energy to , enough energy to power over 700,000 homes. Subject to a future investment decision, Mayflower will develop and operate in an area located approximately 30 miles south of Martha's Vineyard and 20 miles south of Nantucket .

and 20 miles south of . Shell aims to sell more than 560 terawatt-hours globally per year by 2030 as part of its Integrated Power business, twice as much electricity as the company sells today, and expects to serve more than 15 million retail and business customers worldwide as a leading provider of clean Power-as-a-Service.

On February 11, 2021 , Shell set forth its Powering Progress strategy, including details of how it will achieve its target to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, in step with society's progress as it works towards the Paris Agreement goal of limiting the increase in the average global temperature to 1.5C. In October 2021 , Shell set a target to reduce absolute emissions by 50% by 2030, compared to 2016 levels, which includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

, Shell set forth its Powering Progress strategy, including details of how it will achieve its target to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, in step with society's progress as it works towards the Paris Agreement goal of limiting the increase in the average global temperature to 1.5C. In , Shell set a target to reduce absolute emissions by 50% by 2030, compared to 2016 levels, which includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions. For more details on Shell's Powering Progress strategy, please visit www.shell.com/poweringprogress. For more details on Shell's climate target, please visit www.shell.com/climatetarget.

Cautionary note

The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this press release "Shell", "Shell Group" and "Group" are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ''Subsidiaries'', "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this press release refer to entities over which Royal Dutch Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to as "joint ventures" and "joint operations", respectively. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as "associates". The term "Shell interest" is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

Shell's operating plan, outlook and budgets are forecasted for a ten-year period and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next ten years. Accordingly, Shell's operating plans, outlooks, budgets and pricing assumptions do not reflect our net-zero emissions target. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell's operating plans, outlooks, budgets and pricing assumptions to reflect this movement.

This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management's expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "aim", "ambition", ''anticipate'', ''believe'', ''could'', ''estimate'', ''expect'', ''goals'', ''intend'', ''may'', "milestones", ''objectives'', ''outlook'', ''plan'', ''probably'', ''project'', ''risks'', "schedule", ''seek'', ''should'', ''target'', ''will'' and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this press release, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, such as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak; and (n) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Royal Dutch Shell plc's Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this press release and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, December 17, 2021. Neither Royal Dutch Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

The contents of websites referred to in this press release do not form part of this press release.

We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this press release that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

SOURCE Shell

Related Links

http://www.shell.com


SISTERDALE, Texas, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sisterdale Distilling Co., a Texas distillery producing the highest-quality, best-tasting bourbon, today announced Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), one of the nation's largest wholesale alcohol beverage distributors, as its distribution partner in Texas for Sisterdale Distilling Co. Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

"Through this strategic partnership, we will leverage RNDC's established distribution network to continue the growth of the brand throughout Texas," said Chad Gailey, Co-Founder. "The leadership team at RNDC shares our values, priorities, and future-forward view of where we can take the brand. Together, we are committed to creating an immediate strategic relationship to grow, not only in Texas but throughout the U.S."

Additionally, today, Sisterdale Distilling Co. announced it has partnered with LibDib, an affiliate of RNDC, to distribute Sisterdale Distilling Co. Straight Bourbon Whiskey in Florida.

"It only makes sense that Sisterdale Distilling Co. jumps on the LibDib platform," said Peter Watson, Co-Founder. "LibDib is cutting edge, in terms of its distribution model, and will enable us to continue growth of our online sales throughout the lower 48 states via drinksisterdale.com. The fact that LibDib and RNDC are affiliated sealed the deal for us."

About Sisterdale Distilling Co.

Sisterdale Distilling Co. is dedicated to making one thing  delicious, high-quality bourbon. We painstakingly handcraft every drop of our bourbon  a difference you can taste. Founded by Chad Gailey and Peter Watson in 2020, Sisterdale Distilling Co. sits just off of Sister Creek in Sisterdale, Texas. Stay connected with Sisterdale Distilling Co. on Instagram and Facebook and visit sisterdaledistillingco.com.

About Republic National Distributing Company

As a top wine and spirits distributor in the nation, RNDC's national reach helps suppliers by building strategic relationships with on- and off-premise customers to elevate their brands and reach their target consumers. To learn more, visit www.rndc-usa.com.

About LidDib

Liberation Distribution, Inc. (LibDib) is a distributor of alcoholic beverages enabled through a proprietary desktop and mobile-friendly web platform. LibDib focuses on the evolution of alcoholic distribution utilizing modern technology to provide three-tier compliant services for everyone regardless of size. Using LibDib, restaurants, bars and retailers legally and efficiently purchase boutique wines, craft spirits and microbrews. LibDib can be found online at www.LibDib.com.

SOURCE Sisterdale Distilling Co.
CHICAGO, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the report "Small-Scale LNG Market by Type (Liquefaction, Regasification), Application (Heavy-Duty Vehicles, Industrial & Power, Marine Transport), Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America) - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is expected to grow from USD 2.3 billion in 2020 to USD 2.6 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 2.6%, during the forecast period. The major factors driving the market include energy cost advantage of LNG, environmental benefits, and growing demand from various applications such as heavy-duty vehicles, industrial & power, and marine transport.

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Liquefaction to dominate the global small-scale LNG market during the forecast period

The small-scale LNG industry has been segmented based on type as liquefaction and regasification. The liquefaction segment accounted for the larger share of the market in 2019. The growth in this segment is attributed to the increasing export of LNG, which requires liquefaction before it can be transported from one port to another. The growing number of liquefaction terminals across the globe is likely to increase due to the increasing demand for LNG. These factors are expected to drive the demand for small-scale LNG during the forecast period.

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Heavy-duty vehicles segment to lead the global small-scale LNG market during the forecast period

The market has been segmented based on application into heavy-duty vehicles, marine transport, industrial & power, and others. The heavy-duty vehicles segment accounted for the largest share of the market in 2019 and is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. The growth in this segment is attributed to the increasing use of LNG as fuel in heavy-duty vehicles, especially in China and European countries. LNG is the most viable option for long-haul LNG-fueled trucks globally. In heavy-duty vehicles, the density of LNG can vary considerably over a range of saturation pressures and storage temperatures. These factors are expected to drive demand during the forecast period.

APAC is expected to have the largest market size in the global small-scale LNG market during the forecast period

APAC is projected to be the leading small-scale LNG industry, globally, during the forecast period. The growth in the APAC region can be attributed to the rising demand from heavy-duty vehicles and industrial & power sectors. The presence of a robust industrial base, favorable government policies, and low labor costs along with growing demand for small-scale LNG in the region are further strengthening the market and attracting major players to invest in the region.

The Linde Group (Germany), Wartsila Corporation (Finland), Honeywell International Inc. (US), General Electric (US), Engie (France), and Gazprom (Russia) among others are the key players operating in the small-scale LNG market.

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Related Reports:

LNG Storage Tank Market by Type (Self-Supporting, Non Self-Supporting), Material (Steel, 9% Nickel Steel, Aluminum Alloy), Region (North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East & Africa, South America) - Global Forecast to 2025

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/lng-storage-tank-market-16169135.html

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.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Aashish Mehra

MarketsandMarkets INC.

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Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: [email protected]

Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/small-scale-lng-market.asp

Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/

Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/small-scale-lng.asp

SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
DALLAS, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) (the "Company") today announced two Leadership promotions within the Technology Department to replace recently vacated roles, with both effective Jan. 1, 2022.

Kayce Ford is promoted to Vice President of Enterprise Management. Ford most recently served as Senior Director, Customer Support & Services/Customer Relations (CS&S/CR) in the Technology Department. In her new role, Ford will be responsible for managing the business relationships and integration of Business and Technology strategy for Finance, People & Communications, Supply Chain, Internal Audit, and Corporate Strategy. Ford joined Southwest Airlines in 2017 as Director of CS&S/CR and Customer. Prior to joining Southwest, Ford worked in both Management and Technology Consulting at Accenture for over 18 years. Ford is a graduate of Baylor University.

Marty Garza is promoted to Vice President of Operations Technology. Garza most recently served as Senior Director, Aircraft Operations in the Technology Department. In his new role, Garza will be responsible for delivering high-value business capabilities to the Operation while maintaining the overall health of the carrier's operational Technology platforms. Garza joined Southwest Airlines in 1998 as part of the Technology Department's inaugural college hire program and spent over a decade as a Software Engineer developing custom solutions for the Finance department. In 2012, Garza was promoted to Leadership where he played a significant role in delivering several strategic initiatives including the launch of international service, and the replacement of the Company's legacy reservation system, among others. He holds a Bachelor of Administration in Finance degree from Southern Methodist University.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world's most admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and Hospitality at 121 airports across 11 countries. Celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2021, Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable, low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying nonstop within the United States than any other airline1. Based in Dallas and famous for an Employee-first corporate Culture, Southwest maintains an unprecedented record of no involuntary furloughs or layoffs in its history. By empowering its more than 54,0002 People to deliver unparalleled Hospitality, the maverick airline cherishes a passionate loyalty among as many as 130 million Customers carried a year. That formula for success has brought industry-leading prosperity and 47 consecutive years3 of profitability for Southwest Shareholders (NYSE: LUV). Southwest continues to develop tangible steps toward an environmental sustainability goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Learn more at Southwest.com/citizenship about how Southwest Airlines leverages a unique legacy and mission to serve communities around the world.

1) U.S. Dept. of Transportation most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded

2) fulltime-equivalent active Employees

3) 1972-2019 annual profitability

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream ("MCAAD") launched the fourth season of its podcast, "Start Small, Dream BIG," featuring conversations with six Black small business owners who received $25,000 enhancement grants from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Coalition to Back Black Businesses ("CBBB") initiative to help take their business to the next level.

The "Start Small, Dream BIG" podcast celebrates the courage, vision and tenacity of small business owners of all kinds and highlights their contributions to the local communities, and the advancement towards their American Dream. During the interviews, MCAAD President and podcast host Kerry Healey uncovers each guest's unique pathway to their version of the American Dream and listens to the guests' thoughts on how others might unlock their potential.

This season, Healey interviewed a few of the 25 inspirational entrepreneurs who received CBBB's enhancement grant for promising and innovative Black-owned small businesses. During these interviews, listeners will learn more about these stories of remarkable resilience as guests describe overcoming obstacles in pursuit of achieving the American Dream.

The CBBB is a multi-year grantmaking and training initiative to help support Black-owned small businesses as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative, launched in Fall 2020, provides grants to qualifying Black-owned small businesses through 2023.

"Small business is at the heart of every vibrant community. Black-owned small businesses were initially the hardest hit by COVID-19  with 41% closing their doors by April of 2020. Eighteen months later, Black entrepreneurs have persevered and are experiencing the strongest rebound of all business owners, exceeding even pre-pandemic levels. Programs like the CBBB are critical to ensuring the success of Black-owned small businesses," commented Healey. "I admire the vision, determination and ambition of the entrepreneurs I met this season on 'Start Small, Dream BIG'. They continue to blast through multiple barriers in pursuit of their unique American Dreams."

The guests this season include:

C. Anthony Parker, Elk City Auto-Spa from Charleston, West Virginia

Elk City Auto Spa is a family-owned, full-service auto detailing company located in downtown Charleston, West Virginia. Elk City Auto Spa specializes in engine bay detailing, exterior wax and buffing, interior deep-cleaning, and shampooing carpets and seatsall to transform a car from an ordinary vehicle to a pristine automobile that customers are proud to drive.

Tiffany Norde, Dancing with the Nordes from Lansing, Michigan

Dancing with the Nordes was created to give working adults a positive outlet to de-stress from the day by way of good music, people and dancing. The business offers urban-style line-dancing, Detroit-style ballroom and Zumba classes that allow people to express their culture while drawing attention to their health. Dance instructions are catered to the beginner in mind, but also welcoming enough for the intermediate/experienced dancer.

Caryn Clopton, Excel Cleaning Services from Nashville, Tennessee

Excel Cleaning Services is a full-service commercial cleaning company supporting private and government facilities with nightly cleaning, final construction clean-up, special project work, and facility support through vendor consolidation. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Excel's commitment to clients is a clean and healthy workspace, continuously trained technicians, and a superior standard of cleanliness for large and small organizations alike.

Najee Ellerbe, Everybody's Juice from Washington, DC

Everybody's Juice is a nutrition company based in Washington, DC, offering cold-pressed juices and meal plans as a convenient way for the community to live a plant-powered lifestyle. Transparency, honesty, and community are the values Everybody's Juice espouses for employees and customers alike.

Melissa Hyles, Oak Tree Financial Services from Rancho Cucamonga, California

Oak Tree Financial and Tax Services is a hard-working, family-owned financial services firm based in Rancho Cucamonga, California. Established in 1994 by the founder's late father, Francis Hyles, Oak Tree Services has over 25+ years of experience providing clients with easily digestible information regarding their finances. The company specializes in personal and business tax returns and other financial services that help businesses get on financial track.

Tarsha Scovens, Let's Go Outdoors from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Let's Go Outdoors (LGO) is an extraordinary, young and growing, outdoor-focused organization, serving constituents and communities in Philadelphia and the surrounding region. LGO's primary mission is to connect city communities to outdoor and/or environmental experiences (such as archery, camping, canoeing, hiking, fishing, watershed education, etc.), with a special focus on under-represented groups and people of color. With a diverse team of educators, LGO, a minority female-owned business, is engaging youth through adults in unique year-round programs.

To hear the stories of these extraordinary entrepreneurs, tune in to the "Start Small, Dream BIG" podcast at https://www.mcaad.org/explore/category/start-small-dream-big . Additional information on CBBB can be found at https://webackblackbusinesses.com .

About MCAAD

The Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD)'s mission is to advance economic and social mobility for people in America and around the world. The Center celebrates people who exemplify the ideal of the American Dream, confronts barriers to opportunity, and catalyzes solutions that advance economic and social mobility for all. MCAAD focuses on expanding access to four pillars of the American Dream: good health, quality education, economic freedom, and an entrepreneurial mindset. Across these four pillars, the Center will offer a broad array of educational programs, events and convenings, research and polling, and films, documentaries, and podcastsall designed to broaden opportunity. In 2023, the Center will open its physical doors on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. to visitors around the world. For more information, visit www.mcaad.org .

Contact:

Prosek Partners on behalf of MCAAD

[email protected]

About The Coalition to Back Black Businesses

The Coalition to Back Black Businesses was established in September 2020 with a $10 million commitment to fund a grant program, over four years, to help Black-owned small businesses recover from the disproportionate impact of COVID-19. The grant program is administered by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation , in partnership with the National Black Chamber of Commerce , National Business League , U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. , and Walker's Legacy . The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is a private sector 501(c)(3) charity affiliated with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and is not a government agency.

Contact:

Yagmur Cosar on behalf of CBBB

[email protected]

SOURCE Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream
GENEVA, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Businessman Walid Giahmi has welcomed the dismissal earlier this month of the Libyan Investment Authority's most recent case against him.

His Honour Judge Pelling QC sitting as a judge of the High Court, the said the LIA had "no real prospect of success" of showing that it had lodged its $200 million claim against Credit Suisse and four other defendants in a timely manner. [2021] EWHC 2684 (Comm).

His Honour noted that the earlier $200 million case of LIA vs J.P. Morgan, in which Mr Giahmi was also a defendant, had also been dismissed on a similar basis by Mr Justice Bryan in 2019. [2019] EWHC 1452 (Comm). The LIA was denied leave to appeal the LIA vs JP Morgan decision.

Noting that counsel for the LIA told the judgement hearing that it would not be appealing the court's dismissal of the case, Mr Giahmi said "I sincerely hope that this clears the way for the Libyan Investment Authority to spend more on Libya and less on London lawyers."

SOURCE Stylus Media
CHICAGO, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is being released by The Boeing Company pursuant to an Order of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware:

IN RE THE BOEING COMPANY ) DERIVATIVE LITIGATION ) Consol. C.A. No. 2019-0907-MTZ

SUMMARY NOTICE OF PENDENCY OF THE ACTION, PROPOSED

SETTLEMENT OF THE ACTION, AND SETTLEMENT HEARING

TO: ALL CURRENT STOCKHOLDERS OF THE BOEING COMPANY

("BOEING") AS OF NOVEMBER 5, 2021.

PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY AND IN ITS

ENTIRETY. YOUR RIGHTS WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IN THE ACTION.

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED, pursuant to Rule 23.1 of the Delaware Court of Chancery and a Scheduling Order of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (the "Court"), of the pendency of the above-captioned stockholder derivative action (the "Action"), which was brought by Co-Lead Plaintiffs Thomas P. DiNapoli, Comptroller of the State of New York, as Administrative Head of the New York State and Local Retirement System, and as Trustee of the New York State Common Retirement Fund, and the Fire and Police Pension Association of Colorado (together, "Co-Lead Plaintiffs") on behalf of and for the benefit of Boeing.

YOU ARE ALSO NOTIFIED that, as provided in a Stipulation and Agreement of Compromise, Settlement and Release, dated as of November 5, 2021 (the Stipulation"), Co-Lead Plaintiffs and Defendants (as defined in the Stipulation) have reached a proposed settlement of the Action (the "Settlement"), subject to Court approval. Pursuant to the Stipulation, as consideration for the Settlement, Defendants shall cause their insurers to make a monetary payment of $237.5 million, less the amount of any attorneys' fees and expenses awarded by the Court in connection with the Settlement, to Boeing, and Boeing shall implement the corporate governance measures set forth in Exhibit A to the Stipulation.

Additional information concerning the Settlement terms, as well as a description of the history of the Action and an explanation of stockholders' legal rights with respect to the Settlement, is provided in the full printed Notice of Pendency of the Action, Proposed Settlement of the Action, and Settlement Hearing (the "Notice"). The Notice and the Stipulation have been published on Boeing's public website, available at www.boeing.com/company/general-info/corporate-governance.page#/information, and on a website created by Co-Lead Plaintiffs' counsel, available at www.boeingderivativesettlement.com. The Notice is also being sent by mail to Boeing stockholders who are record holders of Boeing stock as of the close of business on the date of the Stipulation, or, with respect to such holders who have opted to receive information from Boeing electronically, by electronic means. Boeing stockholders may also request a copy of the Stipulation and Notice by contacting counsel listed below.

A hearing will be held by the Court. The hearing shall be held at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center, 500 North King Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, on February 23, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. (the "Settlement Hearing").

At the Settlement Hearing, the Court will be asked to: (a) determine whether the Stipulation, and the terms and conditions of the Settlement set forth in the Stipulation, are fair, reasonable, adequate, and in the best interests of Boeing and should be approved by the Court; (b) determine whether an Order and Final Judgment should be entered dismissing the Action and the Consolidated Actions with prejudice, including as against Named Defendants, releasing the Released Claims (as defined in the Stipulation) against the respective Released Parties (as defined in the Stipulation), and barring and enjoining prosecution of any and all Released Claims against any and all respective Released Parties; (c) hear and determine any objections to the Settlement; (d) consider Co-Lead Plaintiffs' petition for an award of attorneys' fees and expenses in connection with the Action (the "Fee and Expense Application"); and (e) rule on other such matters as the Court may deem appropriate. Stockholders do not need to attend the Settlement Hearing.

Any objections to the proposed Settlement or the Fee and Expense Application must be filed with the Court and delivered to counsel for Co-Lead Plaintiffs and Defendants such that they are received no later than twenty (20) calendar days before the Settlement Hearing, in accordance with the instructions set forth in the Notice.

Please note: Because the Action was brought as a derivative action, which means that it was brought on behalf of and for the benefit of Boeing, the benefits from the Settlement will go to Boeing. Individual Boeing stockholders will not receive any direct payment from the Settlement. Also, please note that there is no proof of claim form for stockholders to submit in connection with this Settlement, and stockholders are not required to take any action in response to this notice.

DO NOT CALL OR WRITE THE COURT OR THE OFFICE OF THE

REGISTER IN CHANCERY REGARDING THIS NOTICE

All questions regarding this notice and the Settlement should be made to the following counsel for Co-Lead Plaintiffs:

Steven E. Fineman Richard M. Heimann Joel Friedlander Nicholas Diamand Katherine Lubin Benson Jeffrey M. Gorris LIEFF CABRASER LIEFF CABRASER Christopher M. Foulds HEIMANN & BERNSTEIN, LLP HEIMANN & BERNSTEIN, LLP FRIEDLANDER & GORRIS, P.A. 250 Hudson Street, 8th Floor 275 Battery Street, 29th Floor 1201 North Market Street Suite 2200 New York, New York San Francisco, California Wilmington, Delaware 10013 94111 19801

BY ORDER OF THE COURT

Contact

Boeing Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE Boeing
"In response to numerous Black business failures, we launched our crowning achievement this year: the Black Business Equity Fund (BBEF)," said Ollie Garrett, President and CEO of Tabor 100. "Along with creating the BBEF, we restructured the Board and welcomed a new group of dedicated, smart people to serve. Our continued growth has allowed us to open a Seattle office in 2022!"

And, now that funds from the BBEF have been distributed through 23 grants that have disbursed more than $462,000 to local Black businesses, the success stories keep coming.

Take the Simply Soulful Cafe, which is in the middle of a relocation to the revitalized Central District corner of 23rd and Jackson. The BBEF helped Simply Soulful owners Barbara Collins and her daughter, Lillian, purchase new equipment, while alleviating some of the financial constraints created by the move.

It is another example of how Tabor 100 is uplifting the local BIPOC business community. Additionally, Tabor 100 is bringing in major corporations like Amazon to help accomplish their goals through the BBEF.

"Amazon is dedicated to helping build sustainable equity and growth for Black entrepreneurs," said Pearl Leung, Amazon's Senior Manager, External Affairs. "By supporting BBEF, we hope the quantity of Black-owned businesses in the Puget Sound region grows beyond pre-pandemic numbers."

For those interested in helping Tabor 100 as the organization continues to uplift Black-owned businesses, please visit: Tabor100.org.

About Tabor 100

Tabor 100 is an association of entrepreneurs and business advocates who are committed to economic power, educational excellence and social equity for African-Americans and the community at large.

Media Contact:

KD Hall

206.966.2198

[email protected]

SOURCE Tabor 100
ATLANTA, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The OAGi Express Packs enable rapid implementation of OAGi standards using modern techniques such as OpenAPI Specification (v3), for REST JSON. The API definitions in this Express Pack are the MVP (minimum viable product) to support Order Management, Manufacturing and Quality, and Logistics and Finance business process areas. Express Packs can be the launchpad for these process areas, with the full landscape of OAGi's comprehensive standards at the implementer's disposal should they need more.

"The concept of Minimal Viable Product dates back to X12 EDI Implementation Guidelines, where industries and large businesses selected which data elements and qualifier codes were needed for their industry and business, with heavy emphasis on large businesses," explains Scott Nieman, Expert Enterprise Architect at Land O'Lakes, a key contributor to the Express Pack and co-chair of OAGi's SME Work Group. "During the creation of the Express Pack, we focused on the needs of smaller businesses with limited resources by providing a predefined subset of the OAGIS standard. We reviewed a large cross-section of implementation guidelines, including the Simple-edi submission to UN/CEFACT at the dawn of the XML wave. We could not have delivered the Express Pack without Score, which gave us point and click capabilities to rapidly select the subset of fields, enter detailed data element definitions, and consistent example data across these transactions, and generate the OpenAPI definitions or XML Schema."

This first Express Pack greatly reduces the size of the standards, increases the usability, and accessibility of the OAGIS standard for small and medium enterprises looking to connect to their B2B (Business to Business) partners quickly using APIs, and leverage world-class standards like OAGIS for their internal A2A (Application to Application) integrations. Now everyone has free access to the knowledge and experience of existing OAGi member organizations regarding the use and best practices of the OAGi business objects in a syntax-neutral manner.

"Small and medium-sized manufacturers are integral to the manufacturing industry and almost every manufacturing supply chain," said Dr. Thorsten Wuest, Associate Professor at West Virginia University, and co-author of Digital Supply Networks. "With the digital manufacturing transformation in full force, many of these smaller manufacturers are struggling to adopt the essential technologies and capabilities that enable them to work with larger companies within complex Digital Supply Networks. Lowering this entry barrier and providing them with the tools and means - such as the OAGIS Express Pack - is of critical importance for a resilient and globally competitive manufacturing industry. As we face a significant skills shortage within our current and future manufacturing workforce, this effort aligns well with Gen Z graduates' interest in data science and programming."

OAGi and its members have been using research results from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Systems Integration Division (SID) to advance the industry practices of developing, using, and maintaining standards such as OAGIS. The Score software is a flagship result of this research that enables greater efficiency in implementing OAGIS and lowers the total cost of ownership of OAGIS. The OAGIS Express Pack is the most recent result from the NIST/OAGi collaboration.

"NIST researchers have used Score for efficient specification and generation of Express Pack resources, which include an optimized collection of light-weight schemas for the business messages that are typically used by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)," states Nenad Ivezic, the Process Engineering Group leader at NIST SID and the OAGi SME Working Group co-chair. "Express Pack schemas have been developed with an important goal to enable easier use of enterprise standards by SMEs and their enterprise application vendors in order to connect SMEs to existing and new networks, such as the one in development for e-Invoicing by the Business Payments Coalition."

The Open Applications Group (OAGi) is a non-profit organization with the mission to reduce the cost of integration by developing inter-operable, cross-functional, cross-industry, data-model-driven, and extensible standards to meet the challenge of a rapidly-changing global digital economy.

Media contact:

Michael Figura

[email protected]

+1 404-402-1962

SOURCE OAGi
"Our new Laderach store at the Prudential Center is about experiencing the joy of premium fresh chocolate through the five senses," said Nathanael Hausmann, president, Laderach North America. "From seeing the beautiful fresh chocolate bark upon arrival - reminiscent of fresh European cheese or fruit displays, smelling the sweet chocolate aromas inside to partaking in a complimentary tasting of any chocolate with our passionate staff. Whether it's treating yourself or others, we're excited to be that new joyful everyday solution in Boston."

"We're thrilled to welcome Laderach to the Prudential Center and bring their world renown and sustainably sourced chocolate to Boston," said Bryan Koop, Executive Vice President for Boston Properties, Boston Region. "Prudential Center is a destination for some of the world's most enticing retail brands and Laderach continues this tradition by bringing a boutique chocolate "experience" to all who visit."

The new chocolate store in the Prudential Center marks the third location Laderach has opened in Massachusetts since September, 2021 and the 33rd store in North America since Laderach started its western expansion in November 2019 with initial openings in New York City and Toronto. Other locations in Massachusetts include:

South Shore Plaza in Braintree, Massachusetts

Natick Mall in Natick, Massachusetts .

On Valentine's Day in 2021, Laderach announced an asset purchase agreement to assume the leases of more than 30 Godiva locations in the US from coast-to-coast, which includes these three new locations. Laderach will continue its retail expansion in North America with the announcement of new store locations through March 2022.

Laderach's success and momentum to expand is only possible through the passionate drive of its diverse 1,300 employees, from over 50 countries who represent various backgrounds, beliefs and lifestyles. Mutual respect, diversity, inclusiveness and freedom of expression, and transparency are at the heart of Laderach amongst its employees to make the best chocolate possible.

About Laderach  chocolatier suisse

Operating since 1962, Laderach  chocolatier suisse is a family-owned, premium Swiss chocolate company dedicated to creating sweet moments of joy in everyday life. As the largest chocolate retailer in Switzerland with approximately 1,300+ employees representing more than 50 nationalities and over 100 stores worldwide, Swiss quality is reflected in Laderach's control of the entire value chain from bean-to-bar-to-shop. Laderach uses only the best ingredients through strong relationships with the finest suppliers. Laderach produces over 100 varieties of chocolates, including over 20 varieties of FrischSchoggi (extra-large tablets of fresh chocolate), more than 50 different pralines and truffles, dozens of confectionery specialties, and a large selection of seasonal creations. To learn more, visit www.laderach.com.

About Prudential Center

Located in the heart of Boston's historic Back Bay, Prudential Center is a destination by and for the city that inspired it. A place that lives firmly at the intersection of legacy and innovation. It's an enduring district within Boston that reinvents the everyday and promises discovery to everyone who enters. A destination for local and global arts and experiences, Prudential Center features over 100 events annually, including rotating art installations. It's a Boston foodie's paradise, featuring Eataly Boston, Del Frisco's, and Earl's Kitchen + Bar and a fashionistas favorite place to spend the day, with over 40+ brands including Mackage, Madewell, Lululemon, and Under Armour.

About Boston Properties

Boston Properties (NYSE: BXP) is the largest publicly traded developer, owner, and manager of Class A office properties in the United States, concentrated in six markets - Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. The Company is a fully integrated real estate company, organized as a real estate investment trust (REIT), that develops, manages, operates, acquires, and owns a diverse portfolio of primarily Class A office space. Including properties owned by unconsolidated joint ventures, as of September 30, 2021, the Company's portfolio totaled 52.5 million square feet and 202 properties, including nine properties under construction/redevelopment. For more information about Boston Properties, please visit our website at www.bxp.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Instagram.

CONTACT:

Ryan Bowling

+1 650 245 7945

[email protected]

SOURCE Laderach - chocolatier suisse
TOKYO, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CASK NFT of Genesis Cask. The first cask linked to CASK NFT, which was a commemorative release "Genesis Cask", was the 1991 vintage cask of Single Malt Scotch Whisky Springbank, one of the most highly regarded of the many Malt Whisky distilleries in Scotland.

The content of the Springbank 1991 cask was divided into 100 fractions and 100 CASK NFTs corresponding to each 100th part were sold. UniCask has thus enabled CASK NFT owners to easily own, collect and trade fractions of this rare whisky cask from anywhere in the world. At a later date, when the cask is bottled, the owner of CASK NFT can exchange the NFT for the bottled whisky.

The Springbank 1991 is already 30 years old in 2021, and will be bottled in 2041 after a further 20 years of maturation[*1]. A CASK NFT holder of Genesis Cask will be able to exchange the CASK NFT for a 50 year old Springbank in 20 year's time.

This sale of Genesis CASK NFTs is the first of its kind in the spirits industry of Japan and globally. As human societies shift to the digital space, UniCask aims to redefine the meaning of collecting and serving alcoholic beverages in the metaverse using NFT.

While there was a lot of interest in Genesis Cask's CASK NFT, unfortunately many fans were unable to purchase it due to the limited quantity. The good news is UniCask has already announced the release of the second CASK NFT, Single Malt Japanese Whisky from Hanyu Distillery. Hanyu Distillery is popular among whisky enthusiasts to have produced one of the most world-renowned Japanese Single Malt Whisky.

Many UniCask fans can look forward to this second Cask NFT of first-fill bourbon cask from the distillery.

Item: Single Malt Japanese Whisky distilled at Hanyu Distillery

Cask Capacity: 200 Litre

Cask Type: First Fill Bourbon Barrel

Country of Origin: Japan

Producer: Hanyu Distillery

Hanyu Distillery became famous for its "Full Card Series" of 54 bottles set, which sold for $1.52 million at an auction in Hong Kong. The distillery was closed in 2000, but thanks to a great deal of support from its fans, it reopened in 2021 and on course for its revival.

The pot-still was rebuilt by the still-maker Miyake Industries, based on the original design. Mr. Shimazaki, who also worked at the distillery before closure, was appointed as the distillery manager. When one of Japan's most famous whisky writers had a sip of the new make, he said "(I am) truly impressed by the authentic quality". It may not be long before the Full Cards Series is surpassed by the new Single Malt Japanese Whisky from Hanyu distillery.

<Also on UniCask>

On the 16th of December, UniCask hosted a YouTube Live with Paul Giraud, the best French cognac producer who makes the cask of spirits that will be launched as CASK NFT.

< span> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJIR8mi23yQGo0Q5wBME5oQ >

For more information, please follow UniCask on Twitter and Discord.

[URL]

UniCask Service Site

https://unicask.com

UniCask Corporate Site

https://unicask.jp

UniCask's Japanese Twitter

https://twitter.com/UniCask_jp

UniCask's English Twitter

https://twitter.com/UniCask_eng

Discord (Community)

https://discord.com/invite/2uMTfDfX

*1 Bottling may be accelerated due to a drop in alcohol content during maturation in the cask.

SOURCE UniCask Co., Ltd.
BUFFALO, N.Y., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Steelworkers (USW) today endorsed Kathy Hochul, leading a growing movement of unions and working families backing her campaign.

USW District 4 Director Del Vitale said that Hochul will provide strong leadership during a time when New York needs it most and that the USW is extremely proud to be the first industrial international union to endorse her given her long track record of fighting for working families.

"As a nation, if we want to create good jobs, modernize our crumbling infrastructure and expand the middle class, then we need to elect true public servants like Kathy Hochul, who know it's their job to make it happen," Vitale said.

"We need reliable leadership to ensure American workers are free to organize and bargain collectively so they can have safe workplaces and long-term economic security," Vitale said. "Kathy Hochul will fight for policies based on fairness and justice, and New York's workers will be proud to fight for her."

"Her time as an elected official  from her time as Erie County Clerk, through her career in Congress to her service as governor  demonstrates that she will be a dependable ally for unions and workers," Vitale said. "The USW looks forward to helping elect Kathy Hochul and keeping her in office to deliver on behalf of working families."

The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in manufacturing, metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in tech, public sector and service occupations.

Contact: Dave Wasiura, (716) 565-1720, [email protected]

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)

Related Links

http://www.usw.org


WEST CHESTER, Pa., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Venerable is pleased to announce the promotion of Parul Bhatia to Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary.

Bhatia will lead the organization's valuation, inforce management and strategy, and capital management and modeling teams, continuing to oversee Venerable's existing books of business as well as supporting efforts related to transactions involving new blocks in support of the firm's growth strategy.

With extensive experience in the U.S., U.K., and Indian life insurance markets, Bhatia previously served as Head of Valuation for Venerable, leading valuation of statutory, tax, and U.S. GAAP reserves and capital metrics primarily for variable annuities and payout annuities. Under her leadership and direction, the team contributed to several key projects involving actuarial model development and validation, regulatory updates to reserves and capital, and due diligence of transactions. Prior to Venerable, Bhatia was a consultant at Willis Towers Watson, performing various actuarial analyses relating to support of insurance companies seeking growth opportunities. She previously served as president of the Actuarial Club of Philadelphia, and is a frequent presenter at the Society of Actuaries and Actuarial Club of Philadelphia events. Bhatia holds a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from the University of Delhi, is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries, and a fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, UK, and the Institute of Actuaries of India.

"Parul has exhibited stellar leadership and contributed significantly to the actuarial functions and underwriting process for transaction opportunities at Venerable.", said Dave Wiland, Chief Financial Officer for Venerable. "Her appointment to Chief Actuary represents our sustained confidence in her abilities as we continue to position ourselves as the partner of choice for issuers of variable annuities seeking risk transfer solutions."

About Venerable

Venerable is a privately held company with business operations based in West Chester, Pennsylvania and Des Moines, Iowa. Venerable owns and manages legacy variable annuity business acquired from other entities. Created by an investor group led by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC, Crestview Partners, Reverence Capital Partners, and Athene Holdings, Ltd., Venerable is a business with well-established, strategic investors, experienced in successfully building and growing insurance businesses with patient, long-term capital. For more information, please visit www.venerable.com.

Contact:

Allison Proud

Corporate Communications

610-249-9730

SOURCE Venerable
PLANO, Texas, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Viscosity Technology, Inc. (Viscosity), recognized in the industry as a niche provider of Oracle & Microsoft professional services, announced today it has achieved the prestigious Microsoft Cloud Platform Gold Partner Status. Viscosity joins the top 1% of Microsoft partners worldwide. Microsoft Gold competency is a recognized mark of the highest standards of technology and business performance worldwide.

With Microsoft and Oracle's partnership, Viscosity is poised to provide the premier database and application consulting skills to bridge the two vendor's cloud service offerings for an integrated solution for their customers. Viscosity provides a natural synergy between Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and Microsoft Azure (Azure) by marrying the Microsoft applications and access management with OCI service offerings. Viscosity will collaborate with customers to design the industry best-of-breed network infrastructure between the cloud vendors to provide the lowest latency network infrastructure for the mission-critical applications.

Viscosity's Founder and CEO, Charles Kim, said, "Most of our customers have significant investments in Microsoft and Oracle technologies. As Oracle ACEs and certified Microsoft experts in the community, our customers trust our cloud-agnostic recommendations and architecture. Our expertise in the multi-clouds will allow us to provide a 360-degree comprehensive service to our customers for data flow across different platforms to provide a better value proposition and quality delivery".

Viscosity received Gold for the Cloud Data Platform competency, which allows us to help our customers modernize their infrastructure, and migrate complex applications and data to the cloud. Viscosity will lead the charge with many customers to deliver business analytics solutions on data platforms in the cloud.

About Viscosity (www.viscositytechnology.com):

Viscosity is a niche Oracle and Microsoft consulting firm of database technologies based in Dallas, Texas. Viscosity was founded by industry and authored experts who are prominent thought leaders with backgrounds in Oracle, VMWare, Microsoft, and Informatica. Viscosity's expertise includes database architecture, high availability & scalability solutions, Apex Development, Cloud migrations & integrations, technical architecture, performance tuning, data architecture, and custom application development.

Viscosity provides professional services on Microsoft's platform, including:

Near zero-downtime database migrations to Azure

High availability solutions including database administration with Always-On

Disaster recovery strategies and solutions

Database performance tuning, including SQL tuning and optimizations

Azure security configuration

Azure infrastructure architecture

Azure network security configuration to performing network segmentation and apply intelligent threat protection and traffic encryption

Data integration between multi-clouds and on-premise applications

Data analytics and warehouses in the cloud

Photo(s):

https://www.prlog.org/12898034

Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE Viscosity North America
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy Florida today proposed a fuel adjustment in a way that would limit the impact of volatile natural gas prices on customer bills.

Duke Energy Florida uses natural gas as its main fuel source to generate electricity at most of its power plants.

The change would take effect in March 2022. The company does not earn any profit from fluctuating fuel costs.

Since January 2021, natural gas prices have increased almost 45% and remain volatile due to a number of unique events that drove up prices and caused supply uncertainty. This is impacting not only utility companies but also a variety of other industries that rely on natural gas, as well.

Rather than recover the increased fuel costs over a shortened 10-month period in 2022, Duke Energy Florida has chosen to spread the recovery over a longer period, beginning in March 2022 and ending no earlier than February 2023.

By recovering over a longer period, the monthly bill impact to a typical residential customer using 1,000 kWh is reduced by about 1%. A typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) will see an increase of $6.62 in the customer's monthly bill, on average, for 2022.

Commercial and industrial customers will see bill impacts ranging from a 4% to 10% increase.

"We want to help our customers who may already be struggling to pay their current energy bills," said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. "We are working hard to minimize the impact and provide customers the opportunity to better manage their energy usage and reduce their bills. In addition, we are managing our fuel and generation resources in the most cost-effective manner for our customers, and our rate mitigation plan will continue to reduce some of the price pressure on customers."

Duke Energy Florida's innovative Rate Mitigation Plan, approved by the Florida Public Service Commission on Nov. 2, 2021, will remain in place and continue to benefit customers by spreading the recovery of approximately $247 million of unrecovered fuel costs over two years (2022 and 2023), and foregoing immediate recovery of costs related to recent storms, among other actions. Customers will continue to benefit from the savings, estimated to reduce a residential 1,000-kWh customer bill by up to $4.67 monthly on average. The specific bill impact will vary depending on several factors.

Residential customers will also benefit from the removal of credit card fees for bill payments beginning in 2022.

Manage energy usage, billing

Budget Billing

Duke Energy's Budget Billing option lets customers pay one predictable amount every month to better manage their budget. The amount is periodically reviewed and adjusted. Learn more about Budget Billing here.

Pick Your Due Date

With Pick Your Due Date, customers can choose the date they want their Duke Energy bill to be due each month. Pick Your Due Date can give customers even more control over their energy bills. Learn more.





Track, manage energy usage

Energy use can spike during the winter since heating is one of the biggest energy users in your home. Customers can easily track and adjust their usage when temperatures are highest.

Smart meters provide customers with daily and hourly usage information to help them better understand their energy use and take steps to save energy and money. Video here.

Duke Energy customers with smart meters also receive usage alerts through email and/or text halfway through their billing cycle, well before their bill arrives, with their current usage amount and a projection of what their final monthly bill could be.

Customers can also set budget alerts, so they know when their bill reaches a specific dollar amount of their choosing, allowing them to adjust their usage and help save money on their bill.

Other energy-saving programs, tips and guidance to help you manage higher energy bills that can result from increased energy are available at Duke-Energy.com/Winter.

Assistance programs





Duke Energy is reaching out to customers who are past due through email and/or text with information about utility assistance administered by agencies in their local communities.

LIHEAP

This income-based program allows those earning below certain thresholds to qualify for federal energy bill assistance money through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The qualifying income thresholds are based on factors that include household income and the number of people living in a home. To learn how to qualify and apply for LIHEAP funds, visit: Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Homeowner Assistance Fund

The Homeowner Assistance Fund is a new federal program established for homeowners experiencing a financial hardship after Jan. 21, 2020, as a result of COVID-19. Funds will help prevent homeowner mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures and loss of utility service. Homeowners with an income equal to or less than 150% of the area median (average) income may be eligible. Learn more: Homeowner Assistance Fund.

Assistance agency funds

Some customers may also qualify for assistance from various government and nonprofit programs for utility bills and other household expenses. 211.org is a free service to help customers find local community agencies that can help meet a wide range of needs, including utility bills, housing, food and other essentials, child and elder care, medical expenses and health counseling. To learn about agencies that serve your area, dial 211, visit 211.org online or text your ZIP code to 898211 for information on where to get help.

In addition, Duke Energy Florida customers can learn more about how community agencies can help by visiting our website. Resources are also available here for small business customers, from financial assistance to billing and payment options to professional guidance to manage their energy usage.

Installment plans

Installment plans give customers more flexibility to pay a past-due balance over a longer period. Customers can request a few extra days or restructure the past-due balance into a monthly payment plan. Customers should contact Duke Energy to discuss options available to them: 800.700.8744.

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns a diverse generation mix of natural gas, coal and renewables, providing about 10,200 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 1.9 million customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 7.9 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 51,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,500 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy strategy to create a smarter energy future for its customers and communities  with goals of at least a 50 percent carbon reduction by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The company is a top U.S. renewable energy provider, on track to own or purchase 16,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2025. The company also is investing in major electric grid upgrades and expanded battery storage, and exploring zero-emitting power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2021 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "America's Best Employers" list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Ana Gibbs

Cell: 813.928.7263

Media line: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy

Related Links

www.duke-energy.com


Wilson Center to offer residential fellowships to foreign scholars who face threats to their lives or their careers. Tweet this

You can watch a brief explainer video about the project here: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/threatenedscholars

In launching this Initiative, the Wilson Center is delighted to join the Institute of International Education Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) Alliance, a global network of partners offering practical support to threatened scholars. IIE-SRF is the only global program that arranges and funds fellowships for threatened and displaced scholars at partnering higher education institutions worldwide. The Wilson Center will arrange a select number of fellowship appointments each year in cooperation with IIE-SRF.

The Wilson Center has offered at-risk scholars, practitioners, and activists fellowship opportunities on an ad hoc basis since the 1970s. The new initiative institutionalizes and amplifies these earlier arrangements to provide a more sustained measure of support. Threatened scholars selected through this Initiative will join the Wilson Center's residential community of scholars in Washington, DC. The Wilson Center will arrange the visas and provide financial support to the fellows for a full year.

Additional information about the IIE-SRF program and its eligibility criteria can be found on its website: https://www.scholarrescuefund.org/

Contact:

Ryan McKenna

[email protected]

SOURCE Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
MIAMI, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- World Fuel Services Corporation (World Fuel) (NYSE: INT) announced today that it has supplied Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to Royal Air Force (RAF) Brize Norton in support of their Royal Highnesses, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall as they embarked upon the first leg of their Autumn Royal Tour.

This flight is one of the many activities that World Fuel and Neste have taken to support the development of SAF, including working with the Jet Zero Council, the SAF delivery group, COP26 sub-group to support the supply of SAF at various airports in the United Kingdom (UK) during this global climate event.

"World Fuel is proud to support RAF Brize Norton in demonstrating the capability of SAF by supplying one of the UK's official planes. We applaud the actions taken by the RAF to include SAF in its plans today and in the future as it raises global awareness of aviation's progress in sustainability," said Michael J. Kasbar, chairman and chief executive officer, World Fuel Services. "We are a long-time supporter of the wider adoption of lower-carbon fuels such as SAF, which we believe will serve to accelerate the aviation industry's ability to achieve net zero goals."

Neste's market-leading SAF is fully certified for use and produced from 100% renewable and sustainable waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil and animal fat waste. In its neat form and over its life cycle, Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel can achieve a reduction of up to 80%* of greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil jet fuel use.

"Neste is committed to helping aviation with its emission reduction targets," said Jonathan Wood, Neste's vice president of Europe, Renewable Aviation. "We're delighted to see the RAF using our sustainable aviation fuel as it emphasizes that SAF will play a key role in long-term reduction in net emissions and climate change effects from aviation. Neste is investing to increase supply to 1.5m tonnes per annum by 2023, and we look forward to governments putting in place supportive policies to promote the use of sustainable aviation fuel."

World Fuel is one of the first companies to have blended SAF in the UK. Since 2015, World Fuel has delivered more than 27 million gallons of SAF to business and commercial aviation customers. Earlier this year, World Fuel expanded its global supply chain in SAF by providing Farnborough Airport (EGLF/FAB) in Hampshire, UK, with a supply of SAF from Neste's European refinery.

As a member of the Business Aviation Coalition for Sustainable Aviation Fuel, World Fuel supports the industry's goal to reduce carbon emissions. The company continues to invest in creating innovative solutions and expanding its renewable and lower-carbon fuel and energy offerings to support customers in reducing their carbon emissions and achieving their sustainability goals.

*Calculated with established life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, such as CORSIA methodology



About World Fuel Services

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, World Fuel Services is a global energy management company involved in providing energy procurement advisory services, supply fulfillment and transaction and payment management solutions to commercial and industrial customers worldwide. World Fuel Services sells and delivers liquid fuels, natural gas, electricity, renewable energy, and other sustainability solutions to its clients at more than 8,000 locations in more than 200 countries and territories through its Marine, Aviation, and World Kinect Energy Services divisions. For more information, visit www.wfscorp.com or www.world-kinect.com.

SOURCE World Fuel Services

Related Links

www.wfscorp.com


VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Xebra Brands Ltd. ("Xebra") (CSE: XBRA) (OTC: XBRAF) (FSE: 9YC), a cannabis company, provides and update on its Mexican activities.

Xebra's wholly owned Mexican subsidiary, Desart MX, SA de CV ("Xebra Mexico"), has been granted an injunction by the Mexican Supreme Court, that has positioned it with an outright first-mover-advantage in the Mexican CBD and CBG market. Official licenses will be granted by the Mexican Health Regulatory Agency (COFEPRIS) in due-course.

The Supreme Court decision is irrevocable and cannot be appealed. Mexico is on a path to full cannabis legalization, likely in 2022, however Xebra's injunction does not depend on legalization. In fact, the longer Mexico takes to legalize then the longer Xebra's first mover advantage will be. Once a legal framework is adopted by Congress in Mexico, it could be up to three years before any entity (besides Xebra), can commence any commercial cannabis activities, due to the long approval process that applicants will be subject to; this lengthy process was the case in Canada, Colombia and elsewhere, and is very likely to be the case in Mexico as well. The Mexican Senate and the Chamber of Deputies are expected to continue debating a proposed cannabis bill in February 2022; however, it seems that the debate could be protracted.

Xebra is moving quickly to take advantage of its absolute first mover advantage. Discussions are underway to secure up to 300 hectares of suitable land for cultivation, and multiple Canadian and American companies with cannabis processing and extraction expertise have expressed an interest in partnering in Mexico. Manufacturing joint-venture opportunities with established Mexican parties have been identified, and distribution channels are being explored.

Xebra Mexico's injunction applies specifically to the industrial cannabis sector, and explicitly to cannabis with low-levels of THC (under 1%), therefore, in practical terms, to hemp cultivation and processing, and to the manufacture and sale of mainly CBD and CBG products, such as tinctures, oils, topicals, edibles, beverages, concentrates, distillates, emulsions, and biomass etc., and certain uses of the cannabis flower.

Xebra believes Mexico has the potential to be one of the largest near-term country cannabis consumer markets in the world. Mexico is also within the North American free trade zone (USMCA), giving it considerable cultivation and product manufacturing cost advantages over Canada and the United States. Xebra is of the opinion that there is sufficient precedent with many agricultural crops and manufactured products, to suggest that there is a possibility that ultimately the majority of North American industrial scale cannabis production activity will occur in Mexico.

More information will be provided on Xebra's Mexican plans in due-course.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD:

Rodrigo Gallardo

President

Certain information contained in this press release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements, these include, without limitation, statements regarding Xebra Brands Ltd.'s (the "Company") expectations in respect of: the Mexican Federal Circuit Court enforcing the Mexican Supreme Court's final decision granting the Company's wholly owned subsidiary an injunction (the "Injunction"), receipt of all authorizations relating to the Injunction, the Company obtaining a first mover advantage in connection with the Injunction, other companies cultivating or commercializing cannabis in Mexico and the timing and processes thereof, the possibility that the majority of North American industrial scale cannabis production activity occurring in Mexico, or expectations related to Xebra's operations; the legalization of cannabis and its derivatives in Mexico; the potential for increased industry wide cannabis production in Mexico and the timing thereof; exportation of cannabis products from Mexico; its ability to successfully execute its business plan or business model; its ability to provide economic, environmental, social, or any benefits of any type, in the communities it operates in or may operate it in the future; its ability to be a first mover in a country, or to obtain or retain government licenses, permits or authorizations in general, or specifically in Mexico, Colombia, Canada, the Netherlands, or elsewhere; its ability to successfully apply for and obtain trademarks and other intellectual property in any jurisdiction; its ability to be cost competitive; its ability to cultivate, grow, or process hemp or cannabis in Mexico, Colombia, Canada, the Netherlands, or elsewhere and related plans; financial, operational, or any other term relating to the Company's participation in the Dutch trial medicinal cannabis cultivation; its ability to manufacture cannabis beverages, wellness products, or other products; its ability to commercialize or sell cannabis beverages, wellness products, or other products, in Mexico, Colombia, Canada, the Netherlands, or elsewhere; its ability to commercialize or to sell Vicious Citrus Lemonade in 2022 or at any time, in any jurisdiction; its ability to commercialize or to sell Elements wellness products in any jurisdiction at any time; its ability to create wellness products that have a therapeutic effect or benefit; plans for future growth and the direction of the business; financial projections including expected revenues, gross profits, and EBITDA (which is a non-GAAP financial measure); plans to increase product volumes, the capacity of existing facilities, supplies from third party growers and contractors; expected growth of the cannabis industry generally; management's expectations, beliefs and assumptions; events or developments that Xebra expects to take place in the future; general economic conditions; and other risk factors described in the prospectus of the Company dated September 30, 2021. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking information and statements. The words "aim", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "contemplate", "target", "intends", "continue", "plans", "budget", "estimate", "may", "will", and similar expressions identify forward-looking information and statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Xebra as of the dates of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the inability of Xebra to generate sufficient revenues or to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plan; changes in government legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in various countries; risks associated with agriculture and cultivation activities generally, including inclement weather, access to supply of seeds, poor crop yields, and spoilage; compliance with import and export laws of various countries; significant fluctuations in cannabis prices and transportation costs; the risk of obtaining necessary licenses and permits; inability to identify, negotiate and complete a potential acquisition for any reason; the ability to retain key employees; dependence on third parties for services and supplies; non-performance by contractual counter-parties; general economic conditions; the continued growth in global demand for cannabis products and the continued increase in jurisdictions legalizing cannabis; and the timely receipt of regulatory approval for license applications. The foregoing list is not exhaustive and Xebra undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of the foregoing except as required by law. Many of these uncertainties and contingencies could affect Xebra's actual performance and cause its actual performance to differ materially from what has been expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, Xebra. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those set out in such statements.

SOURCE Xebra Brands Ltd.
GUANGZHOU, China, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Banggood, a global leading online shop, celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. With 2021 coming to an end, the company launched an Infinite Happiness-themed Christmas campaign with the aim of providing consumers with an opportunity to enjoy shopping and sharing with family members and friends, while treating themselves to their favorite items.

During the campaign, Banggood invites several celebrities, including Alex Csiger and Nagy Daniel, to share their Christmas gifts ideas, what they bought on the Banggood platform as well as their life changes over the last 15 year. The stories they shared will be available on their YouTube, Instagram and other social media channels.

Banggood has also rolled out an interactive event #UnboxInfiniteHappiness on its official Facebook and TikTok channels in a move to encourage shoppers to share in the fun of opening their Christmas gifts during the holiday.

Meanwhile, Banggood launched the Xmas Sale promotion, a program designed to give back to shoppers for their support over the past year with special offers. The promotion kicked off at 4:00pm (UTC+8) on 12/15 and will close at 4:00pm (UTC+8) on Christmas Day:

1. Xmas Sale

4:00pm, 12/15  4:00pm,12/23 (UTC+8) : During the period, 50% OFF New Goods Limited Offer will make available a wide array of new products for shoppers to snap up.

4:00pm, 12/23  4:00pm,12/25 (UTC+8): During the 48 hours, users can enjoy First N Pcs Up To 50% Off for selected products and $0.01 Snap Up exclusive offers.

2. Xmas Thanksgiving

4:00pm, 12/15  4:00pm, 12/25 (UTC+8): Shoppers can redeem their annual points for allowance or balance when checking out. More exchanging, please check here.

3. Xmas Electronic Sale

4:00pm, 12/15  4:00pm, 12/23 (UTC+8): Xmas Featured Products guaranteed to be delivered within 7 days, and Lucky Boxes with mysterious gifts priced from $3.99.

4:00pm,12/23  4:00pm, 12/25 (UTC+8): Products offered at their lowest prices, with up to $199 off!

About Banggood

Banggood is a global leading online shop, offering millions of products that are well-selected. From consumer electronics, tools, home, toys, sports, to clothing, everything could be delivered to one's front door with several clicks. For more information, please visit: https://www.banggood.com/

SOURCE Banggood
Berlin, Dec 17 : German carmaker Audi has said it plans to invest around 18 billion euros ($20.4 billion) for electrification and hybridization during the next five years.

Audi increased total investments in research and development as well as in property to around 37 billion euros between 2022 and 2026, raising upfront expenditure in particular for future vehicle projects, according to a statement on Thursday.

"The current round of planning reflects our accelerated future trajectory," said Juergen Rittersberger, board member for finance and legal affairs at Audi. The focus is "quite clearly on consistently implementing the roadmap with a comprehensive product offensive of fully and partially electric models," Xinhua news agency reported.

Audi had previously planned total investments of 35 billion euros, and 15 billion euros for electrification, a company spokesperson told Xinhua on Thursday.

By 2025, Audi aims to offer more than 20 fully electric models. The future of the Audi brand would be fully electric from 2033 onwards, the German carmaker said.

Parent company Volkswagen Group announced last week to increase total investments to 159 billion euros over the next five years, 56 per cent of which would go to future topics such as electromobility and digitisation. (1 euro = $1.13)
Rome, Dec 17 : Italian President Sergio Mattarella has urged for open, constructive multilateralism, calling it the "only way" to tackle challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change.

He made the remarks on Thursday during a traditional year-end ceremony with international diplomatic corps, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Without an interconnected multilateralism, one that is sensitive to the concerns of developing countries and of all social actors, we will not be able to resolve crises peacefully," he said.

Mattarella added that "a productive and just multilateral action" can be deployed to protect people's health and that "Italy supports an approach based on solidarity and cooperation in the fight against the Covid-19 infection." Climate change also requires "joint and concerted responses resulting from an open and constructive multilateral effort", he noted.

"The future of humanity depends on this (effort), which must also address the related challenges of the energetic and technological transition, food security and the defense of biodiversity," the Italian President said.
New Delhi, Dec 17 : If journalists write the first drafts of history unfolding around, it is the photojournalists who actually capture the moment happening in real time. Famed photojournalist Raghu Rai happened to witness the tragic events leading to the birth of Bangladesh 50 years ago.

As bullets went past him and shrapnel threatened to destroy his camera, Rai's lens captured the pain and suffering of the common people at the hands of the Pakistani Army, documented how 'Mukti Bahini' carried out their tactics and he was also there to capture the surrender of the Pakistani forces.

Forty years later, he brought out a photo book 'Bangladesh: The Price of Freedom'. On Thursday, the 50th anniversary of the day of surrender by Pakistan and the birth of Bangladesh, IANS caught up with the ace photographer for a walk down the memory lane.

Q: Were you part of the contingent that went along with the Indian Army to Bangladesh 50 years ago? A: No, I went there first on my own. Then, in December 1971, it was an undeclared war. I went with an Indian Army Captain; we went to Khulna with the first column. (First column is tanks and the soldiers that go in the forefront and attack the enemy) where the Indian forces were moving in and Pakistanis had withdrawn from the area.

Twice I survived, one was an airburst (cannon bursts about 50 feet from the ground and sends splinters down to inflict more damage to the property and the people), from where me and the Army Captain who was conducting me, ran almost a kilometre in reverse direction. There, bullets went past me when the Captain asked me to duck and lie down on the ground. Three hours into a tea shop, then I saw the Indian Army walking in with 200 soldiers. Two Indian soldiers were wounded badly and there was a Pakistani soldier badly injured and crying in pain. Those are the pictures I took.

Q: This continued for how many days? How did you send your photos to your office then? A: After what I said above, the next day, the same exercise was repeated. But we were getting nowhere. Then the Indian Air Force went in and attacked them (Pakistan) but by that time, the latter had no air force left in East Pakistan.

I was inside Bangladesh for three days. I was working for 'The Statesman', and I had to feed the paper. The Captain said, "It might be another week or so when the surrender happens".

So, I went back and a day after, the news came that Pakistani soldiers -- General Niazi and 90,000 soldiers have agreed to surrender. I was very nervous because I was back in Kolkata. I rang up the Indian (Army) headquarters, their helicopters were to go, and I hitched a ride, reached Dhaka in the morning.

The pictures I have of signing (of the surrender), I was just three feet away from them. And, you could see Gen Niazi, there was such an expression of shame and humiliation on his face and even when he was signing the papers, you could see the humiliation and all that.

Q: The photos of these refugees that you took from the West Bengal and Tripura side also and there were photos inside Bangladesh too.

A: I was shooting Bangladesh refugees for the last several weeks, in the Indian side of Bengal, and I went to Tripura also. The base there was one side was India and the other side was Pakistan. Every now and then, the Pakistan Army was shelling the airport. When we landed, everybody was keeping their fingers crossed because it could hit us.

I was also going once in a while with the 'Mukti Bahini' inside Bangladesh. I went to their training camps too. They were all untrained people with just old rifles, and they had no control. Even though they tell the world that 'we won the war', if the Indian Army hadn't moved in and helped them, they couldn't have done anything for years to come.

Q: Did you speak with the people around? Getting a photo is one thing, but capturing what the people are fearing, what they are feeling? A: I saw refugees in miserable condition, you could see the suffering on their faces. I had seen several women and even a 16-year-old girl lying like a cabbage, who was raped by the Pakistan Army. A 35-year-old woman with her five-year-old son, walking along like a skeleton and you can see that this woman has been mistreated, misbehaved so badly. Very sad, very painful expressions I had seen.

Also, when the partition of India took place, I was just a 4-5 year-old boy. I remember the misery and the way things were and then when I was photographing these refugees, this is how I thought, "Oh my god! This is happening again".

Q: Were there occasions when those expressions, the pain around would make you numb or stop clicking photos? A: How can you stop clicking? You have to be a clean mirror to reflect the intensity and suffering of the people. If you become sentimental or if you get bogged down by the suffering and the pain, then how will you record the events as they unfold in front of you? Q: Your negatives were lost and found many years later. Tell us about it.

A: In the meanwhile, after leaving Statesman, I joined Sunday magazine, then I was with India Today for 10 years as their photo editor and then shifting offices and homes. The negatives were packed in some boxes, and we had forgotten about it. One day, we were scanning our old work -- negatives and transparencies one by one -- my Assistant Amit, he suddenly saw a bundle, 'Bangladesh refugees and war'. And almost after 39 years we found it, we scanned, and we did the book and the pictures were exhibited in Dhaka. And Sheikh Haseena government honoured me with a 'Friend of Bangladesh'. That was 10 years ago.

Q: Do you plan to go to Bangladesh again? A: No, not now. I have been there so many times. Shahid-ul-Alam is a very important photographer there, who has got a Paathshala, they teach photography there. I have my exhibitions done there and workshops there. I have got very good relationships. But I don't have to go on the 50th.
Lucknow, Dec 17 : Two women, who attended a number of weddings in the past few days, are among the four new Covid cases in Lucknow.

One of the women had visited Punjab recently while another attended several weddings in Lucknow last week.

The woman with travel history to Punjab is a resident of Aashiana. She had gone there to attend a wedding on December 12. She had tested negative at the airport on arrival.

The other woman, who lives in New Hyderabad locality, got herself tested because she wanted to consult a doctor on some health issues.

The health department officials said they have informed the officials in Punjab about the woman so that they can begin contact tracing.

District surveillance officer Dr Milind Vardhan, said, "We are now making the contact list of the women from New Hyderabad locality for testing.

Two other people, who tested positive, were parents of a student who returned from Bengaluru recently. Both of them are asymptomatic.

A senior health official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that contact tracing of patients, who have attended weddings, is an onerous task.

"Even the patients do not remember all the people they met at these functions. Contact tracing is therefore a near impossible task. Weddings can end up being super spreaders because no one follows Covid protocols." Meanwhile, the health department vaccinated 26,691 people against Covid-19 during a mass inoculation drive.

As many as 18,105 people received the second dose and 8,586 took the first on Thursday.
Seoul, Dec 17 : Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, former South Korean Presidents currently in jail for corruption convictions, are likely to be excluded from an upcoming New Year's pardon, according to legal sources on Friday.

The Justice Ministry's amnesty review committee plans to hold a two-day meeting from December 20 to determine the beneficiaries of President Moon Jae-in's fifth special amnesty scheduled to be announced later this month, reports Yonhap News Agency.

The nine-member committee meeting will be chaired by Justice Minister Park Beom-kye.

The pardon is expected to be Moon's final presidential pardon before the end of his term in May 2022.

The latest amnesty is expected to focus on those convicted of livelihood-related crimes.

Major corruption-related offenses, such as bribery and embezzlement, will most likely be excluded.

Lee, Park and other convicted big-name politicians, such as former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, are also expected to be excluded, the sources said.

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who was convicted for bribery but is currently out on parole, is also likely to be excluded from the deliberation, they added.
Tokyo, Dec 17 : Twenty-seven people were feared dead after a fire broke out in a building in Japan's Osaka prefecture on Friday, authorities have confirmed.

The fire started on the fourth floor of the building located near JR Osaka Station and was extinguished by around 10.45 a.m. (local time), Xinhua news agency quoted the local fire department as saying.

The department said that it received a report of fire at around 10.20 a.m.

The fire burned across an area of approximately 20 square metres.

The cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained.
New York, Dec 17 : Sixty six Indian-origin terrorists were operating abroad with the global terrorist organisation Islamic State (IS) which is also present in India, according to the US State Department.

The number was as of November and none of the foreign terrorist fighters was repatriated to India last year, said the annual Country Reports on Terrorism for 2020 issued by the department's Bureau of Counterterrorism on Thursday.

Within India, "through the end of September, the NIA (National Investigation Agency) had investigated 34 terrorism cases it indicated were related to ISIS and arrested 160 persons", the report said.

"Although ISIS lost its territory in Syria, new branches that surfaced in 2019 in Pakistan and India continued to operate," the report said, adding that "other IS-affiliated groups claimed responsibility for attacks in the Maldives and Bangladesh in 2020".

Globally, the tentacles of IS and Al Qaeda have spread leading to a spike in terrorism, according to John Godfrey, the Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism.

"IS's so-called physical caliphate has crumbled, (but) it remains a determined and dangerous enemy," he told reporters.

"A particular concern is IS's increased focus on branches and networks outside of Iraq and Syria," he said.

The report's statistical information section shows that both the number of terrorist